I am fine, Ginny grumpily insisted half an hour later to both Harry and Draco,who were hovering.
Fine my arse, Harry shouted. You ve got a madman after you, Ginny! It s Weasley, she corrected, a stubborn expression on her face. Harry threw up his hands in defeat and gave an exasperated sigh before leaving the meeting room they had gathered in at St. Mungo s. Whatever Ginny wanted to do, Harry knew she would do it. And the only person alive who might be able to convince her otherwise was Draco Malfoy, for some unfathomable reason.
Harry didn t get it. And by it he meant the partnership between Draco and Ginny. The two had partnered with others before, but neither had ever been as successful as they were together. They seemed to have a silent way of communicating. Harry had seen them on a bust once, and they moved in sync, no words needed between them. It was as if they could read each other.
Draco had a dark past, but Ginny was the only partner he d had who hadn t faulted him for it. She had actually embraced it and used it as a weapon at times, just as she used the little knowledge Tom Riddle left her with. It unnerved others, that she could look past the Death Eater scar on Draco s arm and help him bring in those he used to fight with. Harry just plain didn t get it. But if one thing about Ginny Weasley was true, it was that she was an enigma.
Back in the meeting room, Draco stood with one foot in a chair, one on the ground, his arms crossed across the leg in the chair. He was waiting Ginny out, which was not an easy feat. He had only successfully managed it at one point in time.
Ginny Weasley, when faced with a problem she just didn t want to deal with, would shut down. The easiest way to get her to talk was to make her so awkwardly uncomfortable with the silence that she had to speak. Although since they d gotten closer, the silence was no longer so awkward, which was foiling Draco Malfoy s plan.
I m swell, okay? Ginny screamed.
So maybe Draco s plan wasn t foiled. No, you aren t, Draco said. You have a man who may have allowed Lavender to escape so she could come tell you that he is coming for you. I would be scared senseless, and if you think you aren t going to have at least me at your flat with you at all times, you re a damn fool, Weasley. Ginny glared, but she made no effort to argue.
Malfoy, do you really think he let her go? she asked.
Draco pursed his lips.
Well, we know now that he is a wizard. We know that he had Lavender Brown defenseless. And somehow he forgot to put her in binds, and place locking charms on the door? No, he did this shit on purpose so he could get under your skin, Draco explained.
Ginny nodded and said, That does make more sense. Well, we just keep on working the case like we have been. No one knows Lavender escaped, so if we really wanted Ginny trailed off, thinking, that shrewd look in her eyes that she got when she was about to make a tactical move.
Yes? Draco prompted.
Ginny bit her lip. Well, I was just thinking the Prophet has been giving us hell for not having leads. But if we had found Lavender Brown ourselves, well, we may not have the killer but we are getting closer. It would make us look good and buy us time. It might also throw this dude off his game enough that we can get at him. Draco sat down in the chair, still not on eye level with Ginny, but definitely a lot closer than he had been. He was close enough that he could notice the freckle on her lower lip just a couple centimeters from the corner. It was cute and so distinctly Ginny. And it was there that she always bit her lip, obscuring his favorite freckle when she did so.
Ginny Weasley wasn t beautiful the way Draco s ex-fiancee, Astoria Greengrass, was. She wasn t all curves and softness with just the right amount of leadership. Ginny was a fighter. She was rather flat chested and had no arse to speak of. She was short and fiery. She commanded a room with the intensity of her voice. She was smart and a worthy opponent. She was nothing like the girls Draco had grown up being told he should marry. And yet he found himself beyond attracted to her.
Ginny Weasley may not have been a raving beauty, but she was pretty enough, and she was witty, and she was funny. And on some level, Ginny Weasley simply got Draco Malfoy.
Malfoy? Ginny questioned, breaking him from his thoughts.
Yeah, sorry. I was internally listing the pros and cons, and I have to say that is a very good idea. I like it a lot. We just say we can t disclose the location she was found at due to our investigation that is still pending, Draco agreed.
Ginny nodded. Exactly. Malfoy, this guy is going to slip up. And maybe he thinks he can take me, but there s a reason why you and I are the best partners. No one can take us down individually, and together we are unstoppable. So whomever this crazy fuck is, I m not worried, Ginny sincerely told him.
Draco sighed. Fine. But I will still be staying with you and/or vice versa until this nut is locked up. Ginny rolled her eyes and let out a puff of exasperation. Fine, it s a deal. You re sharing my bed though because I will not listen to you complain about my couch. It just isn t going to happen. Draco smirked. Why Weasley, if you wanted to get me into bed so badly, all you had to do was ask! Ginny smacked Draco in the back of the head, tipping out of her chair in an effort to reach him.
~~~ Lavender Brown was staring at the ceiling, waiting to hear from Him. She knew she had done a good job. She had done what He had asked her to do. She had given her mind, body, and soul, over to the cause, all so she could be tortured. She needed to look like a victim so that they believed her Master was careless. That He would let her slip through his fingers. Or worse that He was threatening them.
Lavender didn t understand the plan. But He said that it wasn t for her to understand. She was to follow out orders and help Him. She was the one who would get close to Ginny Weasley and hand deliver her to her Master. Lavender Brown, someone unworthy, would have that honor. She would be rewarded above all others. Not that her Master had others. Or if he did, she didn t know about them. Lavender only knew about her part in the plan. Because the less she knew, the less that could be tortured out of her by the enemy if they were to discover she wasn t really a victim.
Lavender was so lost in her thoughts, eyes closed, that it wasn t until her Master sat on her bed that she realized he was there with her. He put a finger to her lips, effectively hushing her. Tell no one who I am, he insisted.
Lavender nodded.
Of course. Your secret is safe with me, she vowed. Her Master smiled. I know. And with that, he left the room as silently as he came, taking part of Lavender Brown s heart with Him. If only he wanted her instead of ugly, tomboyish, Ginny Weasley. Some girls had all the luck.
Fine my arse, Harry shouted. You ve got a madman after you, Ginny! It s Weasley, she corrected, a stubborn expression on her face. Harry threw up his hands in defeat and gave an exasperated sigh before leaving the meeting room they had gathered in at St. Mungo s. Whatever Ginny wanted to do, Harry knew she would do it. And the only person alive who might be able to convince her otherwise was Draco Malfoy, for some unfathomable reason.
Harry didn t get it. And by it he meant the partnership between Draco and Ginny. The two had partnered with others before, but neither had ever been as successful as they were together. They seemed to have a silent way of communicating. Harry had seen them on a bust once, and they moved in sync, no words needed between them. It was as if they could read each other.
Draco had a dark past, but Ginny was the only partner he d had who hadn t faulted him for it. She had actually embraced it and used it as a weapon at times, just as she used the little knowledge Tom Riddle left her with. It unnerved others, that she could look past the Death Eater scar on Draco s arm and help him bring in those he used to fight with. Harry just plain didn t get it. But if one thing about Ginny Weasley was true, it was that she was an enigma.
Back in the meeting room, Draco stood with one foot in a chair, one on the ground, his arms crossed across the leg in the chair. He was waiting Ginny out, which was not an easy feat. He had only successfully managed it at one point in time.
Ginny Weasley, when faced with a problem she just didn t want to deal with, would shut down. The easiest way to get her to talk was to make her so awkwardly uncomfortable with the silence that she had to speak. Although since they d gotten closer, the silence was no longer so awkward, which was foiling Draco Malfoy s plan.
I m swell, okay? Ginny screamed.
So maybe Draco s plan wasn t foiled. No, you aren t, Draco said. You have a man who may have allowed Lavender to escape so she could come tell you that he is coming for you. I would be scared senseless, and if you think you aren t going to have at least me at your flat with you at all times, you re a damn fool, Weasley. Ginny glared, but she made no effort to argue.
Malfoy, do you really think he let her go? she asked.
Draco pursed his lips.
Well, we know now that he is a wizard. We know that he had Lavender Brown defenseless. And somehow he forgot to put her in binds, and place locking charms on the door? No, he did this shit on purpose so he could get under your skin, Draco explained.
Ginny nodded and said, That does make more sense. Well, we just keep on working the case like we have been. No one knows Lavender escaped, so if we really wanted Ginny trailed off, thinking, that shrewd look in her eyes that she got when she was about to make a tactical move.
Yes? Draco prompted.
Ginny bit her lip. Well, I was just thinking the Prophet has been giving us hell for not having leads. But if we had found Lavender Brown ourselves, well, we may not have the killer but we are getting closer. It would make us look good and buy us time. It might also throw this dude off his game enough that we can get at him. Draco sat down in the chair, still not on eye level with Ginny, but definitely a lot closer than he had been. He was close enough that he could notice the freckle on her lower lip just a couple centimeters from the corner. It was cute and so distinctly Ginny. And it was there that she always bit her lip, obscuring his favorite freckle when she did so.
Ginny Weasley wasn t beautiful the way Draco s ex-fiancee, Astoria Greengrass, was. She wasn t all curves and softness with just the right amount of leadership. Ginny was a fighter. She was rather flat chested and had no arse to speak of. She was short and fiery. She commanded a room with the intensity of her voice. She was smart and a worthy opponent. She was nothing like the girls Draco had grown up being told he should marry. And yet he found himself beyond attracted to her.
Ginny Weasley may not have been a raving beauty, but she was pretty enough, and she was witty, and she was funny. And on some level, Ginny Weasley simply got Draco Malfoy.
Malfoy? Ginny questioned, breaking him from his thoughts.
Yeah, sorry. I was internally listing the pros and cons, and I have to say that is a very good idea. I like it a lot. We just say we can t disclose the location she was found at due to our investigation that is still pending, Draco agreed.
Ginny nodded. Exactly. Malfoy, this guy is going to slip up. And maybe he thinks he can take me, but there s a reason why you and I are the best partners. No one can take us down individually, and together we are unstoppable. So whomever this crazy fuck is, I m not worried, Ginny sincerely told him.
Draco sighed. Fine. But I will still be staying with you and/or vice versa until this nut is locked up. Ginny rolled her eyes and let out a puff of exasperation. Fine, it s a deal. You re sharing my bed though because I will not listen to you complain about my couch. It just isn t going to happen. Draco smirked. Why Weasley, if you wanted to get me into bed so badly, all you had to do was ask! Ginny smacked Draco in the back of the head, tipping out of her chair in an effort to reach him.
~~~ Lavender Brown was staring at the ceiling, waiting to hear from Him. She knew she had done a good job. She had done what He had asked her to do. She had given her mind, body, and soul, over to the cause, all so she could be tortured. She needed to look like a victim so that they believed her Master was careless. That He would let her slip through his fingers. Or worse that He was threatening them.
Lavender didn t understand the plan. But He said that it wasn t for her to understand. She was to follow out orders and help Him. She was the one who would get close to Ginny Weasley and hand deliver her to her Master. Lavender Brown, someone unworthy, would have that honor. She would be rewarded above all others. Not that her Master had others. Or if he did, she didn t know about them. Lavender only knew about her part in the plan. Because the less she knew, the less that could be tortured out of her by the enemy if they were to discover she wasn t really a victim.
Lavender was so lost in her thoughts, eyes closed, that it wasn t until her Master sat on her bed that she realized he was there with her. He put a finger to her lips, effectively hushing her. Tell no one who I am, he insisted.
Lavender nodded.
Of course. Your secret is safe with me, she vowed. Her Master smiled. I know. And with that, he left the room as silently as he came, taking part of Lavender Brown s heart with Him. If only he wanted her instead of ugly, tomboyish, Ginny Weasley. Some girls had all the luck.