Traitor
Draco slid down the wall next to Ginny; he didn't know if she wanted to see him or not, plus, he'd never been an expert at comforting women.
"Gin," he said while stroking her hair.
Ginny looked up, "Oh, Draco," she said, "I--," she began to say, but dissolved into tears.
Draco gathered Ginny into his arms and kissed the top of her head. "Shh, love, it'll be okay."
Even through her tears Ginny managed to choke out, "I believe you."
Draco held onto Ginny, slowly rocking her and stroking her hair, whispering words of comfort and love. He had never really liked Ron Weasley, but at the same time, he didn't really have anything against him, except that he was a dirt-poor, nosy, muggle-loving fool, but now he hated Ron with a passion. How could anyone be insensitive enough to make this girl cry? Granted Draco had taken jabs at Ginny in the past, but he'd never said anything to such a hurtful or hateful degree. Ron didn't deserve such a good sister. Draco held onto Ginny more tightly.
"Draco," whispered Ginny, looking up at him with her tear stained face. Circe, even with her blotchy cheeks and puffy eyes, she still was beautiful.
"What is it, love?" Draco asked.
"You don't think Ron meant what he said about me, do you?"
"Gin, don't believe a word your brother said. He's a blooming idiot. You know you aren't a slag, or a traitor. You know you love your family, and they love you. Ron's probably just got carried away, not that that's a good a excuse for saying that to you."
"But aren't I a traitor? I mean I agree with Voldemort for Merlin's sake! I knew one day I would have to tell them where I stood, but not like this. I wasn't expecting Ron to make blind accusations about me, which just hit a little too close to home. I was planning on telling them bit by bit."
"Ginerva, you aren't a traitor. You are not going to be a traitor until you betray yourself. Standing up for what you believe in, is not a crime. If your family is as great as you say they are, they'll love you, despite your beliefs. Granted they may not like you or be entirely pleased with your choices, but they'll never stop loving you. Regardless of your beliefs, Gin, you're still a Weasley, as long as you want to be a Weasley, they'll want you to be a Weasley."
Ginny's heart lifted. She felt so ashamed for reacting like this. Maybe one day soon, or even a couple of years down the road, she'd make her beliefs known and of course there'd be fighting, but they would still love her. And unless Ginny murdered Ron, her family would still love her. Or at least she hoped they would, but if they didn't, maybe by that time she wouldn't care. Or at least she hoped she wouldn't care.
"Draco, why are you such an arsehole all the time—
"W-what?" sputtered Draco. What the hell did he do wrong? "You—
"No, let me finish. Why are you such an arsehole, when you are actually so caring and thoughtful?"
"Ah, well, would you rather have me treat every girl like I treat you?"
"NO!"
"Then don't complain. Besides, I'm nice to Pansy, Blaise, and Damien. Granted we grew up together because our parents wanted to stress the importance of forming alliances early, but that counts, eh?"
Ginny laughed, "just promise me one thing, Draco."
"Just one?"
Ginny rolled her eyes, "Be nice, er, civil to Hermione. Even if it kills you."
Draco looked horrified. He hated that jumped up Mudblood.
"Ah, Gin, I," he looked into Ginny's hopeful face, "er, alright, I'll give it a go." Draco was not happy with the turn of events. Ginny, on the other hand, was beaming.
Ginny giggled, "Now would be a good time for you to kiss me."
"Yes, now seems like a good time," replied Draco. He wasn't so unhappy anymore.
After eating his fill of treacle tart, chocolate gateau, pudding and pie, Ron exited the Great Hall in search of Ginny. Hermione said Ginny would avoid the tower because she didn't know the new password or wish to speak to him or other Gryffindors. That still left a variety of options. Ron figured that because Ginny was such a snake, she'd be around the dungeons. Ron was ambling towards the dungeons when a group of Slytherins passed by on the way to their dorms. They all hissed at him.
"Lost, Weasel?" drawled a cold voice.
Ron turned expecting Malfoy, but he came face to face with an extremely brassed off Blaise Zambini. Ron had never had much contact with Zambini, but disliked him all the same. He hung out with Malfoy and was shagging Parkinson for Merlin's sake.
"I'm looking for my sister. Have you seen her?"
"I thought you didn't have a sister, Weasel."
"If you aren't going to help me, then kindly piss off."
"I'm not leaving until I've beaten the shit out of you. Maybe you'll think twice next time before insulting my girlfriend and Ginerva."
Ron was actually a bit frightened. The usually spirited Blaise now possessed a cold, calculating stare.
"Would you really want to dirty your royal hands with 'such filth' as me, Zambini?" Ron spat.
"Fair point weasel, I'll just have to…TARAN—," yelled Blaise raising his wand.
"Blaise, Stop!" screamed Pansy who had just run up, "Don't!"
Ron breathed a sigh of relief. He'd left his wand in his trunk. Stupid really. He'd never thought he'd see the day when Parkinson saved his arse.
"Why the bloody hell should I not hex him?" yelled Blaise, "This piece of filth, as he rightly calls himself, called you and Ginny slags. Why the hell should I not do something about it?
"Just don't. He's Ginny's brother, as much as I try to deny it, he is. Let it go this once, Ginny wouldn't want you to do this. Well not today anyway."
"Fine, let's go," said Blaise lowering his wand. He, Pansy, and the group of Slytherins sauntered towards their common room. Ron stood quite relieved in the corridor. Unfortunately, halfway down the corridor, Blaise had a change of heart and doubled back. He walked briskly towards Ron, and before Ron knew what hit him, Blaise punched Ron with all his might in the face. Ron's head was reeling.
"Ginny's worth tainting my hands with your blood, you bastard," Blaise spat. He walked off before Ron had a chance to retaliate.
As much as Ron hated Blaise at the moment, he did have enough sense to realise that Ginny's friends truly did care about he. But that still didn't change the fact that they were Death Eater scum. Ron walked past the entrance to the Slytherin common room and turned left down a deserted corridor.
What he saw made his heart drop to the floor and his dinner take it's place. He really thought he might be sick, or faint, or both. His sister, HIS SISTER, was intensely snogging with Draco Malfoy, DRACO MALFOY, git extraordinaire, at the end of the corridor. They were pressed so closely together that it would be impossible to squeeze a Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Bean between them. Ginny was grinding against Draco, who was obviously enjoying it, as he attempted and somehow succeeded in pulling them closer together. Ginny was moaning his name as Draco began to slide his hands up her shirt. Ron had seen enough to last a lifetime, two in fact.
"Oi! You slimy git! Get your hands off my sister!" bellowed Ron.
Draco and Ginny abruptly broke apart. Ginny was glowing with such happiness that even Ron in his brazenly angry state couldn't fail to notice. Hermione's voice drifted into his head "They make her happy, Ron"…Shut up Hermione! You weren't even talking about Malfoy. When Ron focused back on the "couple," Draco was pulling Ginny to her feet.
"I was coming to find you to apologise, but apologise for what? Look at you! You are a slag! You were practically shagging that bastard in the corridor."
The happiness fell off of Ginny's face and Draco put a comforting arm around her shoulder. Ron's eyes narrowed at the gesture. "We weren't shagging Ron. We were just having a snog."
"That was not just snogging! If I hadn't dropped by a moment sooner, you would have been shagging!"
"Ron, listen to me, please. I've never shagged anyone, and I've only just kissed Draco. Believe me, we haven't shagged," well not yet, anyway, she thought privately.
"Draco. Since when is he Draco to you?" Ron yelled. Draco himself was being strangely quiet, but his eyes had darkened to slate gray again.
"Since last year, when I became friends with the Slytherins."
"You've been snogging that bastard for a year," Ron gasped going paper white.
"No, just since today. Ron please believe me, I'm not a slag," Ginny pleaded.
Ron nodded his head in assent, but changed tactics with the speed of light. "So, you're not a whore, but you're still snogging a filthy Death Eater. He doesn't deserve you. Your probably just his plaything until Parkinson opens up again."
At those words, Draco strode forward and slammed Ron up against the wall by his throat. "Listen up, Weasley. I don't need to prove my character to you to get into your good graces. I don't want your acceptance. I will continue dating your sister whether you like it or not. And maybe I don't deserve her love, but neither do you," Ron was turning purple, but Draco increased his grip, "don't make accusations about me you can't back up with proof. I love your sister. I'm not snogging her because I can; I'm with her because I want to be- I chose to be. Don't demean our relationship just because you fail to possess enough brain cells to comprehend it. If you ever insult Ginny or my friends in front of me again, I swear to Merlin, I will kill you."
Ginny's eyes went wide. She knew Draco wouldn't actually kill Ron, but she did know that Draco never made empty threats.
Ginny touched Draco's back and said, "Let him go. You're hurting him." Draco grudgingly released his death grip. Ginny turned to Draco. Draco's eyes were like rolling thunderclouds. Ginny was almost frightened, but this was the man she loved, and he was angry for her. She smiled reassuringly at him.
"Draco's not a Death Eater, Ron." Ron jolted his head in surprise and cracked it against the wall. In Ron's obvious pain and confusion, Ginny thought of the most powerful concealing charm she knew (she was rather gifted in charms) and shot it at Draco's wrist, concealing the mark. She smirked at Draco.
"What! Of course he is!" Shouted Ron, when he recovered.
"I'm not, Weasley," Draco said as he yanked up his sleeve to show the absence of the Dark Mark. Ron was momentarily speechless. "Fine, he isn't, but Zambini, Parkinson, and Quinn sure as hell are."
"No, they aren't, Ron," said Ginny. Well they aren't yet anyway, so I'm not technically lying, Ginny thought to herself. "Why can't you just accept that Slytherins can be good people too, Ron?"
Ron desperately didn't want to admit that Ginny was right. His reasons for being an arsehole to Ginny were baseless and he knew it. Ron was trying to pull something out of mid-air. Anything to avoid admitting defeat, he didn't want to own up to the fact that he was wrong- not in front of Malfoy. Ron's streak of pride could be classified as dangerous. Ginny was now looking at Ron expecting an apology. Draco still looked murderous, well not murderous, just ready to maim. Both Ginny and Draco could see a light bulb flick on over Ron's head as his furrowed brows returned to normal.
"So he's not a Death Eater and he's not using you, but you should still leave him, Ginny. Look how violent he gets," said Ron while motioning toward his neck, "if you put a toe out of line to piss him off, he'll have no problem hitting you."
Ginny gasped in horror at her brother. She knew Draco would never hit her, in fact she stepped forward to punch Ron, but Draco beat her to it. Draco swiftly punched Ron across the face.
"Don't you ever accuse me of beating Ginny or any woman. Ever," Draco was shaking with such rage that he seemed beyond words. Instead he punched Ron as hard as he could in the stomach. As Ron doubled over in pain, Draco stalked off.
Ginny leaned down to comfort Ron, although she felt that he didn't deserve it. But as Ginny glanced down at her brother, her heart went out to him. He looked like a man defeated physically, emotionally, and mentally.
"Oh, Ron, why do you have to be this way?" Ginny asked, but Ron only grunted.
Ginny didn't even need to ask the question because she already knew the answer. Ron's whole world had been turned upside down today and he had been desperately trying to string together any shred of former reality he could muster. Therefore, he provoked Malfoy. He was used to the cold-hearted bastard that took every opportunity to insult his family and financial situation. He was not accustomed to the Malfoy that snogged his sister- the Malfoy that made his sister happy. Both Ron and Ginny knew that Ron had crossed the line with that last jab at Malfoy.
"Ginny, I'm so sorry. I'm sorry for everything, but, Gin, Malfoy—
"Ron, just stop at sorry. That's all I need, that's all I want to hear from you."
"I love you Ginny, I just want what's best for you."
"I want what's best for me too, Ron, and Draco and my Slytherin friends are so good to me. Don't deny me that."
Ron sighed and nodded. Ginny grinned and hugged her brother. "You should go see Madam Pomfrey about your eye," she said while indicating toward the eye that Draco punched. It was beginning to swell, "Wait, what happened to your other eye?"
"Long story," muttered Ron, "To shorten it up, Blaise decided that I was worth the hit."
"Blaise hit you! Wow, you must have really pissed him off."
Ron glared at his sister as he kissed her goodbye. Instead of going back to the Gryffindor tower, Ginny decided to search for Draco to calm him down. Hermione had given Ginny the location and password to the head dorms at dinner. Ginny marched off in search of the statue of Wendelin the Weird.
Meanwhile, up at the infirmary, Ron creaked open the door, only to find Madam Pomfrey ready with a healing potion.
"Took you long enough, Ronald. I knew I'd be seeing you tonight after that show during dinner."
"Kneazel," Ginny whispered to the statue of Wendelin the Weird on the fourth floor. The statue slowly moved aside to reveal the secret entrance to the head dorms. Ginny opened the door to find a frantic Hermione.
"Oh, Ginny! Thank Merlin you're here! What's happened? Draco came storming in here muttering something about Weasels, and oh, he was so mad! He punched that wall over there," Hermione said indicating towards a pretty sizeable dent, "Ron, hasn't done something terribly stupid, has he?"
"Yes Hermione, he has, he's up in the infirmary now."
Hermione jumped up and dashed through the portrait hole, shouting, "Draco's room is up the left staircase!"
Ginny quickly climbed the staircase to Draco's room and knocked on the door. No answer came, so she tried the doorknob. Surprisingly, it was unlocked. She quietly opened the door, to find her boyfriend. Draco was sitting on the edge of his bed with his head in his hands; half of his possessions lay broken and smashed about his room. Ginny muttered a quick reparo spell and the room righted itself. Ginny sat down next to Draco and rubbed his back.
"Draco, I'm sorry about what Ron said. You'd never do something like that."
"But what if I did, Ginny?" Draco's face was so full of pain and anguish that Ginny could barely take it. She leant forward and kissed his temple.
"You wouldn't because you can't Draco. You are better than that. You know you are better than that. Ron had no idea what he was talking about, why did you let him bother you like that."
"You don't know Ginny. Look at what I have for a father. He-," Draco's words were faltering and he was tense with anger. Ginny pieced together Draco's words and actions. She finally understood. Draco's father beat his mum. Ginny had never hated Lucius Malfoy more in her entire life, and this is including when she found out that he had given her the enchanted diary.
"You are not you father, Draco. You're nothing like that bastard. Don't ever think that you are. He deserves to be back in Azkaban, rotting away for what he does to your mum, okay? Draco look at me," Ginny said, tilting Draco's head so she was staring into his eyes, "I love you. I know in my heart that you would never hit me or any other woman. As long as you believe in me, and believe in yourself, you will never turn out like your father."
Draco gazed into Ginny's eyes, "I believe you," he whispered before he captured her lips in a kiss. Suddenly, Draco broke the kiss clutching his wrist in pain.
"Shit," he muttered, "Not now." The mark on his wrist was glowing black, the concealment charm had long since worn off. Not that a charm could hide a mark that powerful for long.
Ginny suddenly remembered the urgent news she needed to tell Draco earlier. Draco was frantically searching for his cloak so he could leave the grounds and apparate.
"Draco! Stop, you can't answer that summon!"
"I have to, Gin. He'll kill me if I don't go."
"You'll be in more danger if you do go, Draco!"
"What are you talking about Ginny? What could be worse than Voldemort's wrath?"
Ginny was at a loss, how the hell was she going to tell Draco that Snape was a spy?
!Disclaimer! I don't own Harry Potter.
!A/N! There, now I'm sort of back on track with the plot! If you've made it this far, bear with me. wow that was a long chapter.