Sorry for the long wait, but I was taking a slight break. Hopefully a well-earned one. Anyway, thank you guys so much for all those reviews! I got lots more than usual on that chapter. You guys rock! And just to say thank you, I tried to make this chapter a tad bit longer. And it is longer than the last one by about 3 pages. I guess it's not much, but it's all I could do.

Now, what you've all been waiting for. Draco's letter...DUN DUN DUN DUN! lol

Dislcaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

Chapter 18: What Lucius Did

The sky held neither moon nor stars thanks to the black clouds that veiled them like a cloak. The cold December night was filled with snow as the tiny flakes sprinkled their way upon the ground. A slight breeze blew through the snow-laden trees, playfully knocking clumps of snow onto the forest floor below.

Inside the walls of Hogwarts, students slept in their beds. The people in the portraits hanging on the walls snoozed dreamily, an occasional snore escaping their lips. The suits of armor stood as erect and watchful as ever. Mrs. Norris suspiciously trotted along the dark hallway near the fourth floor, searching for students trying to escape curfew. Unbeknownst to the cat, a prowler was indeed awake and about.

A dark figure stalked through the halls, cloak billowing backwards. "It didn't work," were the words uttered softly in the dark corridors. "I have to try again."

Wait, said an inner voice. The time is not right. Wait…

The shadow halted and considered the advice. "Perhaps I should wait," he pondered "For a time, perhaps I should."

Yes, said the voice dangerously. Wait…

Eyes shifted quickly, scurrying about the hallways and trying to decipher if there were any other signs of life. When none were detected, the mysterious figure continued on. "If it were to be attempted again, I would have to be more careful. Last time was too close of a call."

A sudden noise up ahead caused the shadow to pause warily. There was a banging from somewhere above. The person slowly looked up at the ceiling only to hear the clanging change directions, heading forwards. Without moving, the person waited to see what happened. The noise continued, getting louder and louder, closer and closer.

Right before the mysterious person was about to step into the shadows to hide, something appeared in the distance ahead. A small man was bobbing along in the air, cackling merrily as he banged his fists on the walls and causing several portraits to wake up and start shouting at him.

Peeves.

When the poltergeist saw the mysterious stranger standing in the hallway, he grinned and approached, dancing a little jig in the air.

"And what would you be doing up and about at this hour?" he asked; there was no suspicion in his voice, merely curiosity. "You of all people should know that-"

"Quiet, Peeves," the stranger hissed. "I am merely about on business."

"Business, you say?" Peeves asked, raising one of his eyebrows high on his forehead. "And what would that be? Not getting into any trouble, are we? Peevesie just wuvs twouble," he said in a baby voice.

"Mind your own business, Peeves, and get out of here," the stranger said, voice becoming darker and darker with each syllable uttered. Peeves, however, didn't notice and kept on coming towards the shadowy finger, wagging his finger in the stranger's face and starting one of his annoying songs.

"Everybody knows that the one with the nose and the crinkled up toes never gets the-"
Peeves never got to finish his song for at that moment a jet of dark blue light hit him full in the face.

"Mutemorphe," the stranger muttered, pointing a wand straight at Peeve's face. The poltergeist froze and then slowly, dark blue globs started trickling down his face. As the blue substance made its way down the poltergeist's face, the face went with it. Gradually Peeves melted until he was nothing but a dark blue blob on the ground. The blue swirled together momentarily, quaking as it rose up one foot off the ground. After a moment, the blueness shuddered to a stop in the form of a box.

The stranger, giddy with glee, hopped forward happily and peered down at Peeves, who was now in the form of a dark blue square. Protruding from the top of the square was a face that was shaped eerily like Peeves's. The poltergeist's face was frozen in an expression that looked like a small child pouting.

The shadowy figure, after a brief outburst of manic happiness, calmed down and became serious once more.

"I just love being me," the voice said quietly. "And who would've thought that it does work. Now back to business."

Just remember to wait for the opportune moment, the little voice repeated.

"I will."

The shadowy figure continued down the hall and into the darkness, leaving behind a very blue, very Peeves-like box.


In the Slytherin common room, the embers of the fire glowed dimly in the late night. No light poured in through the windows that night. The only person that was awake and sitting in the room was Draco Malfoy. In his hand he clutched a letter, one which changed everything. Draco's eyes were glued to the letter and he tapped his fingers against it, rereading it over and over again. Already he had read the letter about fifty times and almost all of it was memorized, but he couldn't seem to stop himself from reading it again.

Dear Draco,

I hope this letter finds you safely and that you can read it away from prying eyes; it would not do us good if certain people found out about it. I, your mother, have written this letter in the hopes that one day you would discover it and be able to solve a problem…a problem which has been going on since the day you were born. If you are not already sitting, perhaps now would be a good time to do so.

You see, ever since your birth, I have been under the Imperious curse. I know this may come as a shock to you, but please let me explain.

You may perceive me as a cold-hearted woman who does not care for anybody but myself, but please believe me when I say that isn't true. At first when I married your father, things went wondrously. I believed that I had found the perfect man in Lucius and that I would live happily ever after. Oh, how naïve I was. Your father, with all his charm and good looks, tricked me into thinking that he loved me. Soon after our marriage, however, I found him to be cruel, merciless, and violent at times. I shuddered in fear all day and cowered in the night, trying to plan an escape; but your father kept a close watch on me.

Then one day I discovered that I was pregnant with you, and when Lucius also learned of this, he locked me in my room. He wanted me to give birth to a son, one who would one day be able to follow him with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. I prayed every night that you would be still-born when I gave birth, but only because I wanted to save my child from the suffering that was sure to be his if he was ever born. But that, as you know, didn't happen. I gave birth to a beautiful, health baby boy…you, Draco. Your father, in probably one of his only true acts of kindness, allowed me to name you. What he didn't know, though, was that I was already planning our escape. I was going to try to flee from Malfoy Manor and start new lives for the both of us. Lucius caught me though, and that was when he decided to place me under the Imperious curse.

For many years I was delirious with the painless joy that the curse brought; I was a prisoner in my own mind. But I became stronger with each day that passed. One morning I awoke with a feeling I hadn't felt in years: control. I was able to walk where I wanted to go and do what I wished. It was then that I started fighting the curse. Stronger and stronger I became until I could almost rid myself of it entirely.

And then I saw you, for the first real time in years. You were five years old, and already I could see that Lucius had worked hard on you, turning you into what I feared most. I knew that if I didn't act quickly, you would be lost from me forever. Lucius was too smart though. He soon discovered that I was rid of his curse and placed me under a stronger one. I still had to do what he willed with the curse, but this time I was able to think clearly and was aware of my surroundings. I watched you grow up for eight years without ever really knowing you. Yes, there were times when we talked, but all that came out of my mouth first came from Lucius's mind. None of what I said ever had any meaning, any substance. I know that we have hurt you; I have watched Lucius do so many times. I have seen the physical pain he has caused you and every time I wanted to scream out loud with frustration. All I did though was make it worse, if that was possible. I turned away and left you with him; I acted like I didn't care. Oh but I did, Draco. I did.

I have probably hurt you in the worst way that a mother can hurt a child. I have acted like I didn't love you and to you, I didn't. You have grown up not really knowing what love is. I fear that that is going to come back to haunt not only me, but you as well. And for that I am truly and deeply sorry.

But recently, I have become stronger again. When I am alone, I can sometimes even throw the curse completely off myself. However, when I am in the company of your father, I abandon my control and he believes me to still be none-the-wiser. Repelling the Imperious curse does come without a price though. The physical stress of resisting it, even as I write this letter, is nearly intolerable. It's hard to describe, but it can be painful at times, I get cold and shaky, and I always feel exhausted.

Tomorrow is your thirteenth birthday; I can hardly believe that you are getting so old. It seems as if just yesterday I gave birth to you. Though, time does pass awfully quickly when under the Imperious curse. Tonight I am going to seal this letter in a glass bulb which may, to you, look like an ordinary ball, but it is not. It has been in my side of the family for generations and even Lucius does not know about it; the magic in it will not work until this letter is extracted from it though. All you have to do is hold the ball in your hands and say the name of anybody you wish to see, and they will be shown to you. As long as there is contact between the glass and your skin, the image will hold. Think of this as a birthday present…one to make up for thirteen years of not being there for you. Now I can be there whenever you wish it. My only hope is that you will one day forgive me…forgive me for all I have done, but mostly for what I have not done. And what I have not done is been a mother to you.

Hopefully one day we will be reunited and can start over. Perhaps one day when the Dark Lord is destroyed for good and his Death Eaters gotten rid of, including Lucius Malfoy. I do not regret marrying your father now, Draco. If I hadn't, then I wouldn't have you. Please Draco, do not become him. In a way, he is worse that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Everybody knows the Dark Lord for what he is and he does not try to hide it. But your father hurts just as many people while they go on believing him to be innocent. He hides from the world, but mostly he hides from himself.

Please do not make the same mistake as your father and become one of them, Draco. I know that somewhere inside you is a voice telling you that what your father is and does is wrong in every sense. Please listen to that voice, Draco; it is your heart speaking to you. Often that inner voice tells us what is right and what should be done but we ignore it. We fear the goodness that will come not because we fear good things themselves, but of losing that good. But don't you see, Draco? If you ignore that voice, then you will become just like your father.

Follow your heart, Draco, and trust it fully. Do that and everything will be alright.

With all the love in my heart,

Your mother.

Draco sighed and closed his eyes. Even though it had been a few hours since he had discovered the letter, he couldn't stop his mind's reeling with the information. How could this be? His whole life he had believed himself to have two terrible parents. Now he was just supposed to believe he only had one and that his mother really loved him?

Could this possibly be some sort of sick joke? Did his father think this funny? Then Draco thought back to the night he had received the ball and letter. His mother had been acting oddly that night. And it would make sense how she was her normal self the next morning. Lucius must have found her resisting the Imperious curse and placed it on her again. But Draco had never seen his mother act that way again. Not the way she had that night when giving him his present.

After Draco had read the letter the first time, he had repaired the glass ball with a mere flick of his wand, but he had yet to see if it really worked as the letter said it should. He had placed it back in its usual spot and came downstairs. Not that the common room was more comfortable, but he could be alone there. It had been late and all the boys had come up to bed, intruding on Draco's solitude.

Stifling a yawn, Draco stood from the hard couch he had been sitting in and stretched slightly before heading for the boys' staircase. When he reached his room, he silently walked to his bed and with a few glances at the forms of the other sleeping boys, he sat on his bed. He grabbed the glass ball from its stand on the night table and fingered it carefully. When one of the others, probably Crabbe, snored, he pulled the curtains around his bed shut.

Sitting cross-legged in the dark, he turned the ball every which way in his hand. He closed his eyes and said softly "Narcissa Malfoy." Draco opened his eyes to see a soft light glowing from somewhere in the middle of the ball. Squinting and peering closer, he saw that an image was forming from the middle of the light. At first the image was fuzzy but it soon became clear. Draco gasped and almost dropped the ball in surprise that it actually worked, but instead he focused his attention on the woman in the picture.

In the ball, Draco saw an image of a room, one which he recognized. He had only seen it a few times when he was younger, but he knew it to be his mother's room at Malfoy Manor. A blonde-haired woman, Narcissa, was sitting on a windowsill and looking out the window, longing in her face. This was one of the few times Draco had seen her looking like this and at once he knew the letter to be true. Instead of the usual cold-faced Narcissa, this one had a kind look in her eyes. This Narcissa looked capable of love.

Tiny tears formed in the corners of Draco's eyes at the sight of her. She was staring out the window up at the stars, gazing at the moon. Draco wondered what she was thinking of right then. Probably of me, he thought, stunned.

Though he didn't want to, Draco laid the ball down on his bed; at once the image vanished. So it's true, Draco thought. He sighed again with weariness. It was late and tomorrow was going to be one busy day; his punishment, along with the rest of the Slytherin Quidditch players and the whole Gryffindor teams', started in the morning. He'd need all the rest he could get.

Draco opened the curtains a crack and placed the glass ball in its holder again. Briefly he fingered his letter and stared at its slightly yellowed edges. Setting it on the nightstand next to his bed, he laid on his side and stared at it until he fell asleep.


Grumbling slightly, Ginny turned over in bed and bright sunlight hit her closed eyes, making her roll the other way. After a few minutes of trying to ignore the sounds of the other girls in her dorm getting ready for the day, Ginny finally sat up. Today was going to be the start of a horrible week. Probably one of Ginny's worst. Today was the day that she was to be paired with Blaise Zabini, and she'd be stuck with him for the whole day. I don't think I've ever been excited for classes, Ginny thought. At least then I won't have to be with him.

When Ginny walked down the stairs to the Gryffindor common room, she saw Harry, Ron, and Hermione all sitting on the couch. The former two were staring out the window with looks of dread on their faces while Hermione merely sported an "I told you so" kind of look as she skimmed through her favorite book, Hogwarts a History. Ginny sighed when she reached them and Harry and Ron looked up at her glumly.

"Suppose we should go, huh?" Ron asked with his chin in his hands. Ginny nodded mutely.

"Might as well get this day over with," she said, trying and failing to smile.

"I'm going to be stuck with Goyle all day," Ron thought in horror; his mouth contorted to a look of utmost disgust and helplessness.

"Well I've got Mr. Sunshine," Harry said sarcastically as he, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny all shuffled out of the portrait of the Fat Lady. "I think Snape put me with Malfoy on purpose, I honestly do."

Ginny remained silent as she listened to Ron and Harry discuss who was worse: Draco Malfoy or Gregory Goyle. "He's a lump of mashed potatoes is what he is, Harry," Ron said; Ginny giggled slightly at her brother's description of Goyle.

"Well at least the two of you will have each other all day," Ginny said, her smile quickly fading. "You all have the same classes and such, but I'm in a different year than all of you. This is going to be terrible!" she flailed her arms out in the air to emphasize her point; this movement caused a group of second years to her left to jump out of her way.

"So just come back to the Gryffindor common room after classes," Ron said, shrugging his shoulder. "That's what I'm doing…I'm going to drag him there if I have to." He didn't need to point out who "him" was; Ginny already knew.

"But do you really want Goyle or Malfoy, or any other Slytherin for that matter, in our house?" Ginny asked. "I mean, they'll probably wreck the place or something."

"Well it's better than going to the Slytherin house," Ron said, suppressing a shiver. Harry nodded. "We've been there before, Gin, and it's not pretty. Trust me."

The four people walked into the Great Hall and Ginny glanced around the room. So far, there were hardly any Slytherins at their table, only a few whom she didn't recognize. Sighing with relief, Ginny rushed over to the Gryffindor table, sat down, and started piling food onto her plate quickly. Maybe if she ate fast enough, she could get out of there before Zabini showed up. Maybe she could get to class before she even saw him. Harry and Ron seemed to have a similar idea because after they sat across from Ginny, they immediately started piling their plates with food as well. Hermione took a seat next to Ginny and for a moment, Ginny wondered why her friend was being so silent. Usually she'd be saying something about how they deserved what they got, or something about "reaping what you sow".

Just as Ginny had a mouthful of eggs in her mouth, she saw Harry and Ron look past her to the entrance to the Great Hall. She could tell by the looks of dread on their face who was standing back there. Without turning around, she swallowed her eggs and slumped down in her seat, continuing to eat.

A thump to her right made Ginny looked over; she made sure a scowl was firmly in place before doing so. Blaise Zabini, the tall and dark-haired Slytherin, sat down heavily in the seat next to Ginny and scooted as far away as he could. Without a word, he grabbed a piece of plain toast and shoved it in his mouth, looking anywhere but at the Gryffindors he was surrounded by.

In another moment, Gregory Goyle sidled to a stop behind Ron and Harry and placed one hand on Ron's shoulder and one on Harry's. With one mighty move, he shoved the two Gryffindors apart and took a seat in between them. As if he had just been pooped on by a bird, Ron brushed his shoulder where Goyle had touched it and looked warily at him. Harry turned away from the mass of Goyle next to him but recoiled when a very silent, very deadly-looking Draco Malfoy appeared at his left. Harry took on an expression that seemed to ask "Why me?" and continued eating his breakfast.

Ginny had no idea where Dean, Seamus, Colin, or Dennis were, but she didn't really care at the moment. Right then, all she wanted was for Blaise to keep his distance. So far, none of the Slytherins had said anything and Ginny wished for it to remain that way.

Ginny looked up and directly across from her sat Draco. His head was down and he was staring straight into his bowl of corn flakes. Ginny couldn't see his face but she could tell that his eyes were narrowed by the angle his eyebrows were pointing. Actually, Ginny was surprised at how well the Slytherins were agreeing to sit at their table; she had expected a great argument over where they were to sit. She had a nasty feeling, however, that it wasn't going to be as easy come the next meal.

The young Gryffindor girl knew that probably everybody in the hall was staring at them as they ate; Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter eating together? Heck, all those Slytherins eating with Gryffindors? They must be in total shock. Ginny looked up at the head table and saw that Professor Dumbledore was looking at them approvingly. McGonagall was patrolling the isles carefully, making sure that everybody was obeying rules and such.

Avoiding having her elbow touch Blaise's, Ginny shifted closer to Hermione and pushed her plate back, now finished eating. As was a habit of hers, Ginny stretched her legs out under the table; she quickly pulled them back when they bumped into a pair of feet across from her. Immediately Ginny knew whose feet they belonged to. Draco, in response to the touch of her feet, looked up and Ginny gasped silently at the look in his eyes. Normally they would be a mask of cold steel but at the moment, they looked pain-filled and troubled. In an instant the look was gone, replaced by one as menacing as ever. Ginny resisted the urge to stick her tongue out at him.

Harry also soon finished eating. He leaned back and looked around Goyle's back to Ron who was doing the same. They nodded silently and stood from the seat, turning to walk out of the Great Hall. In a flash, Professor McGonagall appeared at their side.

"Where do you think you are going, Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley?" she asked in a terse voice.

"To class?" Ron asked weakly. Looks like they're not going to escape that easily, Ginny thought.

"Mr. Goyle and Mr. Malfoy have not finished eating yet," their Transfiguration teacher stated. "Please take you seats."

"But-" Harry started to protest.

"Take your seats," she repeated sternly. "Now, as we told you last night, you will do everything with your partners. That means you wait until they are finished eating as well before going anywhere. Understand?"

"Yes, ma'am," Harry and Ron replied in unison. Dejectedly they sat down again.

Ginny glanced at her watch and sighed. If she didn't hurry, she was going to be late for Defense Against the Dark Arts. She tapped her foot on the floor impatiently, trying to alert Blaise of her annoyance. The seventh year Slytherin did nothing. Ginny increased the rate of her tapping and stared hard at the side of his head. Harry and Ron looked at her questioningly and even Goyle paused from shoveling bacon and sausage into his mouth long enough to look her way; yet Blaise did nothing.

Clearing her throat loudly, Ginny turned her tapping into light stomping and started rolling her fingers on the table. Slowly Blaise's head turned towards her and Ginny stopped, a triumphant grin on her face.

"Do you mind?" he snapped at her, scowling. "I'm trying to eat."

"Well I'm going to be late for class if you don't hurry," Ginny said defiantly.

"So?" he asked casually. Ginny stared in indignation as he grabbed a platter of scrambled eggs and helped himself to a large enough portion that would make Crabbe and Goyle proud.

"You can't eat all that now!" Ginny exclaimed, noticing how slowly he was chewing each bite. "I'm going to be late!"

"Well I have a free period now and if you don't mind," Blaise said, "I'd like to enjoy it."

"Yes I do mind," Ginny said. When Blaise continued to eat, Ginny's anger surfaced. How dare he? Ginny reached over and tried to pry the plate of eggs away from Blaise, but he swatted her hands away.

"What's wrong with you?" he shouted, looking at her as if she was about to bite him. "Are you crazy? I'm trying to eat."

"I'm going to be late!" she screamed back at him. "I refuse to be tardy so you better finish eating now or stop so I can leave!" Ginny panted with suppressed anger and her eyes seemed to bore holes in Blaise's face.

Draco glanced up with a raised eyebrow at what was going on and a tiny, familiar smirk crept up his face. After a moment though, it disappeared and he merely watched in silence. Blaise continued to stare at Ginny.

"Well fine then, leave," Blaise said. "I don't really care."

Good, Ginny thought. Looks like rage does pay…

Harry and Ron staring at her, as well as mostly everybody in the Great Hall, Ginny rose from her seat and quickly hurried out of the room.


Ginny was sullenly walking through the halls as the last class of the day ended for her. Today was a nightmare, she thought bleakly. Lunch had been horrible. When the teachers had dismissed them for lunch, Ginny had tentatively entered the Great Hall in the hopes of sneaking past the teachers to her own table. But, alas, her luck was not that good. As soon as she entered the hall her arm was grabbed by none other than Ron, who was moodily following Harry, who was even more angrily following Draco Malfoy towards the Slytherin table. Ginny had brushed Ron's hand off her arm and followed them as well.

The three Gryffindors had tried sitting together on one side of the table as their partners sat across from them, but Snape had soon approached them and made them sit next to each other, much to Ginny's displeasure. That act had earned Snape a tongue sticking out at his back by Ginny herself.

She had escaped from the Great Hall and rushed to class as soon as she could. However, she had not missed the speech Professor Dumbledore had given the students during lunch.

Apparently, someone had succeeded in jinxing Peeves, the school's resident poltergeist. Ginny grinned at the memory. Dumbledore had held up a dark blue box that looked ordinary except that Peeve's face was imprinted on the top of it. The whole school had had a merry laugh at the sight; almost everybody disliked Peeves. Dumbledore had asked anybody with any information about it to come to him. As far as Ginny knew, nobody had.

I'll have to thank whoever did that, she thought.

"Miss Weasley," called a voice through the crowded hallway and Ginny halted. Whimpering slightly, she turned around only to see Professor McGonagall fighting her way through the students towards her. Obviously the Transfiguration teacher was having trouble getting through, because she frustratingly called out "Everybody move!" which had ended up in everybody in the hall scooting aside for her.

"Where is Mr. Zabini?" McGonagall asked as she approached him, straightening her robe.

"I don't know," Ginny asked.

"Well I suggest you find him at once," McGonagall said strictly. "Otherwise it does you – oh here he is now." Ginny groaned and turned to follow her teacher's gaze, which was directed behind Ginny. Much to Ginny's annoyance, she saw Blaise Zabini sulking towards them.

"Now I'll leave the two of you and see how the others are doing," Minerva McGonagall stated breathlessly. "I expect to see you both come down to dinner together," she emphasized. "You should be spending the remainder of the afternoon together since there are no more classes. Understood?"

"Yes ma'am," Ginny said glumly. Blaise barely nodded.

After McGonagall left, Ginny was left standing awkwardly in the hallway with Blaise. Some students looked at them curiously but all remained quiet. Ginny shifted her feet and looked questioningly at Blaise. Abruptly he turned and strode down the hall.

"Where are you going?" Ginny called after him irritably.

"Library," was all she got in response. Sighing, Ginny followed him.


Two hours later, Ginny felt ready to strangle Blaise. She had silently been trying to study for a History of Magic test that was coming up and Blaise kept popping bubbles with Droobles Best Blowing Gum. Surpressing a growl of rage, Ginny slammed her book down on the table and screeched "Do you mind?" That earned her a stern look from Madame Pince.

"Not really," Blaise said casually, flicking his wand through the air. Ginny glanced at a fly that started doing cartwheels in the air thanks to it.

"Don't do that," Ginny said, leaning back in her seat and propping her book against the table.

"You can't tell me what to do," Blaise said. He popped a bubble extraordinarily loudly and Ginny felt a bit of bubblegum fling itself onto her nose.

"That's it," Ginny said angrily. After wiping the bit of gum off her nose, she stood and towered over Blaise, who paused with another bubble already blown. "You stop with those bubbles right now or I'll curse you. I swear I will," Ginny exclaimed, a maddened glint appearing in her eye. Blaise looked uncertain for a moment and was about to reply when they were interrupted by a familiar voice.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Weasley," said a voice that could only belong to Draco Malfoy. And sure enough, the blonde-haired Slytherin approached their table with Harry beside him. Ginny had never seen Harry control his anger as well as he was doing at the moment. And at the moment, he looked ready to kill Malfoy.

"And why not, ferret boy?" Ginny retorted. "I'm sure you remember that bat bogey hex. I could easily place one on you too."

Draco reddened slightly but otherwise remained quiet. "Don't even think about it."

Harry took a seat next to Ginny while Draco sat beside Blaise. The four looked at each other for several minutes, seeming to size each other up. Finally Harry turned to Ginny.

"How's it been going, Gin?" he asked, still breathing heavily through his anger.

"Fine enough," she said tersely. "You?"

Harry shook his head angrily, now staring at Malfoy. "That git placed the Tarantellegra jinx on me," he said through gritted teeth. A grin exploded on Draco's face and he turned and high-fived Blaise.

"I never knew you could dance so well, Potter," he jeered. "Did those muggles give you dancing lessons or something?" He and Blaise started laughing harder. Harry jerked out his wand but Ginny placed her hand on his warningly.

"Don't, Harry; you'll only get into trouble," she said. The Slytherins stopped laughing and Blaise looked smugly at them.

"Look, Draco," he said, "now Potter's got a girl fighting for him." This caused both Slytherins to burst out laughing again and Harry to stand up threateningly.

"Just let it go, Harry," Ginny said exasperated, but Harry was listening.

"No, Ginny, I've had enough," he said forcefully. He had just opened his mouth to send a curse towards both Draco and Blaise when a crash from behind one of the bookshelves caused all four students to turn around quickly.

Aidan Tulson was lying on the ground, a book clutched in one hand. His brown hair was covering half of his face but a look of anger was still visible. One of his feet was still resting on the stool that he had just moments before been standing on. Dean Thomas popped his head out from around the bookshelf, a grin planted on his face.

"Woops," he said innocently, shrugging his shoulders; then he faced Aidan. "Sorry, were you standing on that stool?" he asked, his eyes open wide in feigned ignorance.

Aidan Tulson growled and stood up, reaching for his wand. Ginny had had enough for one day. Before a full-blown duel erupted between the Slytherins and Gryffindors that were in the library, Ginny stood on a chair and all eyes were immediately drawn to her.

"Enough of this!" she cried in frustration. "All of you just shut up and stop trying to curse each other!" Harry looked at her in surprise and even the Slytherins seemed startled by her outburst. "I know you hate each other and I can see why anybody would want to curse you," she said, directing the last bit towards Draco in particular, "but if we start fighting then we'll never get out of this punishment. So all of you just stop acting like babies and either tolerate each other or get away from me. I don't need more trouble."

Ginny sat down them, slightly embarrassed by her tirade. But honestly, those boys needed it, acting the way they were. I'll never understand the male species, she thought. As if nothing out of the ordinary had just taken place, Ginny picked up her book and continued to read, casually humming a tune.

The rest of the boys slowly started reading a book; even Harry seemed rather unsure what to do now. Ginny grinned behind her book, for once glad that she had inherited her mother's temper.


Dinner came all too soon for Draco that evening. After Ginny's tirade in the library earlier, he and Harry had settled down a bit, though they sent each other threatening looks every now and then.

As Draco sat in the Great Hall, surrounded by Gryffindors, he chewed his chicken casserole thoughtfully. Did the House Elves serve the Gryffindors better food? He couldn't be sure, but something tasted better than it usually did. He elbowed Harry next to him once for good measure and continued with his thoughts.

So far that day, Draco had been trying to put the thought of his mother out of his mind. He was still trying to get used to the idea that she had been under the Imperious curse all these years. The though of it made his blood boil; how could his father have cheated him out of the one thing that every person was supposed to have?

Draco wasn't quite sure what he was going to do about the situation, but he knew he couldn't just let it pass unattended to.

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A/N: So, did you guys like it? Was it what you were expecting? Better than you were expecting? Worse? Yay? Nay? Huh huh huh? Lol I'm just anxious to know what you think. So let me know!

Lauren