Chapter 3

The next morning, a school owl landed on my bed with a small package. It was the bottle that sat on the bedside table in Snape's room the night before. There was a message with it:

This will relieve any discomfort you will be feeling. S.S.

The next evening, I returned to Snape's office for my detention. He was surprised to see me, but within a few minutes of me arriving, he made an excuse and fled. As I was doing the filing that should have been done the night before, a thought occurred to me. I glanced up and noticed the sword; the same sword Harry used in the Chamber of Secrets at the end of my first year. I shuddered at the memory. Harry had used it then to defend himself and defeat the Basilisk. Perhaps he needed it now! I would talk to Neville and Luna about it.

That evening, I was glad that he was gone. Every time I looked at his desk, my whole body burned with embarrassment over how much I liked him licking me. I told myself it was a simple physical reaction, but the man was very good at it! And given his size, I guess he had to do something to get a girl ready. I had to push the thought away. I finished every task he normally set for me and then finished an assignment. When I stole a look at the clock and saw it was 9:28pm, I shrugged and dismissed myself from detention.

Since the night Carrow tried to peel my skin off, Snape had insisted I be back in my dorm by 10pm each night. When I arrived in the Gryffindor common room, Neville was waiting for me. "How was it tonight?" he asked.

"It was quiet. Snape left minutes after I got there. I had a thought." I led him over to the trio's spot in front of the fireplace. I glanced around and there were still a few others around. "The sword of Gryffindor is in his office," I informed him quietly.

"And you think Harry might need it?" Nellive knew me so well.

"Exactly!"

"How and when?" Neville was getting excited.

"I expect the moment will present itself to us," I said.

It took nearly three full weeks before we had our chance. It was a Sunday evening, and during dinner in the Great Hall we noticed Snape and both Carrows get up and leave mid-meal. Their master was calling them. I looked at Neville and he at me, then we both looked across the room to the Ravenclaw table to see Luna was staring right at us. We finished our dinner in record time and left the Hall. We were too rash, too excited at doing something more than vandalising. Snape returned before we could even stash the sword away.

I was sure of two things when he returned; one was Neville had mastered his fear of Snape, and the second was that Snape was going to kill us. Snape really was good at what he did, or he was that mad that I used my time in his office to come up with a plan that was against him. Our punishment was mild compared to other punishments we had received from the Carrows or even Snape for similar offences. We would have to go into the Forbidden Forest with Hagrid and we were banned from Hogsmeade trips. That night, he spoke more words to me than in the last three weeks combined.

The following night, when I arrived in his office, he was sitting at his desk. The second the door closed behind me, he spoke, "Sit," he ordered. I did as I was told. "What were you thinking?"

"Harry is going to need the sword."

"And you know where he is? How did you think you were going to get it to the boy wonder?" I always knew Snape was condescending, but this evening it hurt more because he was right. I had no way of knowing where Harry, Ron, and Hermione were.

"Stealing it was a step in a plan, sir. We never planned our next step," I admitted.

"You stupid, unthinking child!" he cursed. "What if I hadn't been alone when I returned? What if the Carrows were with me?"

"We expected you to be gone far longer," I stated.

"Clearly!" he barked, then he took a moment before continuing. "Ginny, you are far too inexperienced to be playing this game. If either of the Carrows had seen you trying to steal it, word would have reached Him! What happens if he demands to see you because he thinks you know where Potter is? You not only risked yourself, but the whole Order, your family, your little boyfriend, and my cover!" he spat at me.

"I'm sorry. I didn't think."

"That's the very thing; you have to do everything with the end in mind. This is the most important chess game ever. You have to plan every move and look at every step that is to come. In your one reckless act, you could have ruined it all! The Dark Lord would happily use you to draw Potter out. You don't want him recalling you!"

"I'll do better," I promised.

"See that you do, but you and the others need to continue with the crap you have been doing. That activity can't change as it would raise questions as to why there's a change."

"And the fact that he and the Carrows thinking we are together wouldn't be enough to explain activity stopping?"

He shook his head. "No, not with the Carrows. They don't know; only He knows."

"He saw enough that he believes then?" I asked.

"He did."

"And you haven't been punished again?" I asked cautiously.

"No," Snape replied.

"I'm glad, sir. What do you need me to do tonight?"

Three days before Christmas break, Snape wasn't in his office when I arrived and didn't show up until about 9:20. "Do NOT get on the Hogwarts Express!" he ordered when he saw me.

"What?" I asked.

He swept past me in his Death Eater robes. "How hard is it to understand simple directions? Do. Not. Get. On. The. Train."

"Why? People will question why I want to stay here over the break."

"If you do, it WILL blow our cover," he seethed.

"What's going to happen?" I begged him to tell me.

"You already know too much!" He closed his eyes. "You're going to have to spend the break sleeping here."

"What?"

"We need to play house. It needs to appear that I'm keeping you here at my beck and call."

I wanted to argue, but I also knew that Snape was thinking ahead about things I never even dreamed of yet. "Do I, do I have to move in here permanently?" I carefully asked.

"No, I think the break should be long enough. I can always claim that it's easier if you're in your dorm when the school is full," he explained.

"Will we, um, have to..."

"I don't think so, but we might have to act out other things couples do."

"Okay," I finally agreed. What else could I possibly say?

"Miss Weasley, I do appreciate that you're willing to do this." I never, ever dreamed I would hear that from him! "On Friday morning, have your bags packed, but instead of the train, come here and put your things in my room."

"Make it look like being in your private room is comfortable and normal for me."

"Yes, and be neat about it."

"Will I have to leave the castle with you?" I wondered.

He rose and paced. "Mercifully, no. The clothing you bring should be normal, day to day wear. And Ginny, not a word to anyone," he stressed.