Chapter 18 - Patronus

*****Draco*****

Second term was no different than the first, except with the addition of apparition lessons, which took place in the Great Hall with the anti-apparition wards temporarily lifted. Draco would be doing better if he wasn't worried about their security. It didn't seem like a good time to have some ministry official coming in and mucking with the wards.

Did it seem like time was moving more quickly to everyone? When he was a first year, everything seemed so slow. Before everyone expected dangers and disasters, and the most talked about topic was Potter making the quidditch team as a first year. Ginny's first year had been far worse. His third year had the dementors, his fourth the triwizard tournament, and then his personal world went mad. Marriage contract and he knew the war had begun, even if most of the country was ignorant or in denial. It didn't feel like a war, exactly, but there were attacks, disappearances. And each month was quicker than the one before it.

Draco was now the best at dueling in their group, offensively or defensively. He had mastered silent casting better than Neville or the girls (the younger boys hadn't tried) and that was a large advantage. And he still knew a wider range of spells, even when he didn't use the more dangerous ones in actual dueling. But they nearly always took some time to practice the one thing that he couldn't do.

Lovegood had had her hare patronus before they had begun that year, like Ginny had her horse. Longbottom managed one not long into their sessions. His patronus was a lion, because of course it was. The boy found comfort in being in his house, found identity there. It highlighted how the boy had grown from the pudgy eleven-year-old that sat on that stool for too many long minutes without the hat saying anything. Colin Creevey had been next, a small monkey. Then Abbot's cat. Susan Bones's dolphin made her cry.

Draco was left patronus-less with Dennis Creevey, a third year. Potter had managed a corporeal patronus in his third year. And none of those thoughts would help Draco with the spell. He'd said it to himself repeatedly, it was hardly a useful spell. He had no intention of going near dementors or lethifolds, and there were more discrete ways to send messages. But he still wanted to cast the spell. To not be last, to show everyone that he could. That he wasn't too tainted to cast it. None of it was the best motivation.

But his mist was looking more like something, he thought.

And he had plenty of happy memories to draw from- most of them of Ginny. Because there was nothing spoiling those memories like the ones of most of his childhood. Of her staying with him over Christmas holiday, of all of their snogging and a bit more… over the robes groping that they'd ventured into. Relief that she was safe after her stupid trip to the Ministry, making up from their fight… Every smile that was just for him. He was a different person because of her. It had happened slowly, and then all at once. And he wanted to show her all of it.

"Expecto Patronum!" he shouted without feeling awkward about it this time. And he saw it.

"I- think it's a horse," Ginny said, watching for his reaction.

It was a horse like hers. That was- that didn't seem right. Tonks's patronus had changed to represent Lupin, but that didn't feel like Draco. It didn't really feel… right, to have your identity so wrapped in another person, but maybe he didn't know enough. Wasn't his place to judge. Maybe that was what love did to a person.

"No it isn't," Luna said. "Cast it again. You can do it," she stated simply. "You just did it, after all."

He could do it.

"Expecto Patronum!" he cast again. Same memories with more confidence. It was what it was.

It was like a horse, except for the horn on its head. It was clearly formed this time.

Every person in the room must have gasped except Lovegood.

"Beautiful," Hannah Abbot whispered.

"A- unicorn?" Draco said dumbly. The thing faded quickly.

"I didn't know a patronus could be a magical creature," Ginny said, looking at him oddly.

"Professor Dumbledore's is a phoenix," Longbottom said, looking at him strangely as well.

But that was Dumbledore. Impossibilities or improbabilities were well and good for one of the most powerful wizards of their time.

"Is your wand unicorn hair?" Abbot asked.

"Yes, but it's a common core," Draco dismissed.

"You saw one when we were young," Longbottom murmured.

"It was dead. And one of the worst times of my life," Draco said. It had been the worst for a long time. "They like witches better," Draco protested. Professor Grubblyplank had told them so, in the best Care of Magical Creatures class they'd ever had. Draco would still be in the class if that woman taught it. It would probably be his favorite class. He didn't have a favorite class. And yeah, some of that- maybe most of his trouble in the class had been his fault, but he had been a child.

"You like Ginny, don't you?" Luna asked like it was the simplest thing.

"Well- yeah." As if liking a girl was a contributing factor. It was too much, unicorns were too good, too pure.

"It's really lovely, Draco," Susan told him.

"Thanks," he muttered. "Would suit you better."

"I don't think so," the girl smiled.

"Luna for sure. More- magical," he fumbled.

"A unicorn's a creature, an animal, a friend, just like a hare," Luna said easily. "Wild and free."

"Hare fur isn't going to be a wand core," Draco complained. It wasn't polite, was probably insulting. He should feel special, but he just felt weird, and undeserving.

"Perhaps it should be. Even muggles have long noticed their properties for good fortune. Lucky rabbit's foot. Not lucky for the rabbit, of course. We classify magical creatures largely as the ones that we keep away from muggles, but we really don't need that distinction. And there's plenty more creatures who keep away from us, and people call imaginary, like muggles say the same of unicorns," Luna said, and it seemed reasonable. "Many plants and animals that we do not consider magical are still used in potions. And water itself," the girl said, now looking at the ceiling.

"Do you want to get out of here?" Ginny asked, hand on his arm.

"Yeah," Draco agreed, following her out.

He kept walking wherever she was taking him. Which was by the kitchens, where he was greeted by an excited Dobby, and he tried to be present in the conversation when his mind was still on the seventh floor.

'Very nice hat, yeah," he agreed.

Ginny picked up something and said goodbye and thanks to the elves.

"Glad you're doing well, Dobby," Draco managed to say something of importance. The elf had had a terrible time.

"Elves is finding evil scarf in Master Mister Dumbledore's gifts. Dobby is checking Master Draco's gifts hisself, and his Weazey. All clean," the elf announced,

That had their attention.

"Dumbledore was sent a cursed scarf? Ginny asked first.

"What did it do?" Draco asked.

Dobby wrapped his hands around his own slender neck. Obvious.

"Is the elf who found it okay?" Draco asked. Ginny grabbed his hand.

"Little neck, pop out quick," Dobby announced, demonstrating by disappearing and reappearing just to the right. It was an effective measure that a wizard wouldn't have been able to do on Hogwarts grounds. Also the creature could apparently choose to apparate without something it was touching.

"Dobby, can you let us know if you hear anything else happening to the Headmaster?" Ginny asked.

"Yes, yes, Dobby can!" the elf announced.

"Thank you, Dobby, bye," Ginny said, leading him again. "Don't talk until we're outside," she hissed when they were out of the kitchens.

They went onto the grounds in the bitter cold. At least new snow wasn't falling. Whatever trip she had planned for them, they were still doing it, even with the recent news.

And, as far as he could see, they had the grounds to themselves. It was dark, because it was dark early in the winter this far north, but they could see well enough. The castle was bright this long before curfew, and torches covered some of the grounds. It wasn't forbidden, but not many students ventured outside after dark in the end of January.

"There could have been other attempts that we don't know about, that Dobby doesn't know about," Draco said. Tom and every Death Eater wanted Dumbledore dead. And the old man didn't exude the same undefeatable air that he had previously. He had that dead hand.

"Yeah, maybe. Maybe one will get him one day, and it's terrifying," Ginny agreed.

Had she planned an after dinner meal for them outside? It smelled like fish, and there had been fish at dinner that evening, though Draco hadn't had any of it.

"Where are we going?" Draco asked.

"I'd planned to introduce you to him before- that, and thought I might as well still do it. Doesn't seem like there's anything we can do for Dumbledore at the moment," Ginny said. It was true. McGonagall, Snape, and the other professors, maybe the whole Order of the Phoenix would know more than he and Ginny did. Though they quite possibly knew more than any other student, even Potter. Unless the attempted murderer was a student.

"And who is he?" Draco asked. He was not going into the damned forest.

"Witherwings the hippogriff," Ginny said. "Not his original name," she acknowledged.

"What?" Draco said in surprise.

"He stayed at Headquarters for two years, until Sirius died. Then they brought him back to Hagrid with a new name. He's not very good at responding to his name, but he'll come to me and some food," Ginny said. "I spent a fair amount of time with him there, especially when I didn't want to see people."

Hippogriff. The same one, then. "So- I suppose you know every rude, foul, or juvenile thing I've ever done from your brother and Potter?" he asked, nervous. The thing had shredded his arm, made him afraid. Even if it was easily mended. It was like his first broom accident, he hadn't wanted to fly again. But in this case, no one had forced him around another hippogriff.

"And Hermione," Ginny agreed. "You don't- have to do this, but I think it would be good for you. He'll remember you, and he might not be happy, but he does like me," Ginny said. "And chicken carcasses and fish tails," Ginny said, holding up her covered basket. "And also rats, but those weren't around the kitchen. Or ferrets," she added. Ferrets, another bad memory. He had been something that this beast would eat. "But I like them too much. Witherwings!" Ginny called loudly, opening the basket and shaking its contents.

Draco really didn't want the gameskeeper to come instead.

"Buckbeak," Ginny hissed.

Draco hoped that the creature would stay away, but that wasn't to be with slow sounds of horse hoof falls coming their way. Its front, bird feet were quiet.

If someone he had respected had introduced him to the beast the first time, would he have made the same mistake? He was so angry to have the groundskeeper teaching what was supposed to be his favorite class. An uneducated, not qualified wizard who obviously favoured Potter and the other Gryffindors.

"We'll just stay on opposite sides of the fence, yeah?" Ginny said calmly. "Hey, boy, want some food?" she asked.

"It- he- can fly, that fence isn't doing anything," Draco objected.

"It's his space and he likes it," Ginny explained, bowing before the beast, her basket held forward. The hippogriff inclined his head and then put it over the fence, peering into the basket.

Ginny tossed a fish tail that the creature caught and quickly consumed.

"Draco has a chicken he wants to give you," Ginny announced, handing Draco the food remains. Will you let him?" she asked slowly, as if the beast could understand. It- he- could understand quite a bit of human speech, so Draco should believe her.

The brute looked at Draco and pawed at the ground. It recognized and remembered him, presumably. Draco didn't know if it would have connect the attempted execution or just the rude words. Draco had never intended the beast to be killed… just for Hagrid to be sacked. The oaf could still be groundskeeper, didn't have to leave the castle. And just because Draco didn't think third years should have dangerous classes didn't mean they needed to spend so much time after that on flobberworms. There existed more than the two extremes. And didn't that sound like life?

Draco bowed like Ginny had done, because he didn't want to disappoint her or be maimed.

Slowly, the creature nodded a slight fraction, and then leaned over the fence again, mouth open.

Draco tossed the chicken carcass high. He supposed it meant that he was somewhat forgiven. And he rather liked that feeling.

"Congratulations, Draco," Ginny said, wrapping arms around his waist. It was nice. With distaste, Draco flung the last fish half at the eager hippogriff. Before returning the hug. He'd get her fishy, but Ginny Weasley wasn't the type to care.

"I love you," he told her.

"I know," she answered. "And I love you too."

Ginny would always do that, push him to where he didn't expect to be, show him other perspectives, but not try to force him to be a Dumbledore-following-blindly-Gryffindor. And he should probably stop thinking the word 'Gryffindor' with distaste.

"I'm going to marry you," Draco said, letting himself really think about it. He'd always planned to marry young, just not this young. And he was lucky that he actually liked- loved- the witch, and she loved him in return. For the first time it felt wrong that she didn't have a ring.

"Sounds like a good plan," she replied, and kissed him.

*****Ginny*****

"Oi!" Ron greeted her when she finally returned to the dorms minutes before curfew. After they left Buckbeak unscathed and had some snogging, and didn't think anymore about patronuses or attempted murder, or childhood mistakes. Or Draco's near-proposal comments. "Hardly see you, you know," Ron said. "I'm your friend and brother, yeah? You didn't even come home for Christmas," he reminded her. She thought he'd been a little hurt by that.

"So you want to hear about my day with Draco?" Ginny prodded. And of course that had Harry and Hermione looking up as well. And Harry quickly looking down again.

Ron groaned, "Yeah, sure, whatever. What is the blond ferret up to? You two had better not be doing something you don't want to tell me about."

"We practiced defence, and then we went to the kitchens, and then outside, and I was still in before curfew," Ginny gave the briefest of outlines. Their defence practice wasn't secret, she told herself.

"It he ah- any good? At defence?" Ron asked.

"Ron, we have class with him. You know he's good," Hermione answered for her.

"I don't spend my time watching Malfoy," Ron said back. "Though now that I say it, that makes me unique in this circle, doesn't it? And hey, I'm just trying to be polite and interested. Just saying, defence against the dark arts is different from what he was raised with."

"Well, Draco's very good at it. Especially his patronus," Ginny shot back. Because she wasn't going to defend any Malfoy except Draco. She regretted saying it immediately.

"Malfoy can cast a patronus?" Harry asked. "Corporeal?" There wasn't even malice in it exactly, just surprise, a lot of surprise.

"Yes, he can," Ginny said with some smugness. Because, people like Tom couldn't cast a patronus, or at least that's what she understood. Maybe none of it was true. But no one who wasn't good could have a unicorn patronus.

"What is it?" Ron asked.

"I-" Ginny felt stuck. "He wouldn't want me to tell you," Ginny said honestly. Maybe if it had been something normal, or something like a dragon, but Draco Malfoy having a unicorn patronus would be dangerous for him if the wrong people heard about it. They had their gentle balance inside the relatively safe walls of Hogwarts. Even though someone- or many someones- was trying to kill Dumbledore. Which maybe she should tell the others about the second attempt, but what would they do with that knowledge? Probably something stupid, reckless, and nothing helpful. Like the Ministry. Though that same behavior had saved her life once.

"Oi, Neville!" Ron shouted.

"Shut up!" Ginny hissed.

Neville walked over briskly, watching Ginny for cues.

"You practice with Ginny, yeah? Malfoy now too? What's Malfoy's patronus?" Ron asked, smiling. If he wanted to be sneaky about it, he'd wait until Ginny wasn't around, but Ron Weasley wasn't a sneaky person. Ginny didn't even know that Ron or anyone knew that she and Neville practiced together.

"I mentioned the practice early on. I didn't mention Draco," Neville said, looking at her. "He's been fine though."

"It's fine, wasn't a secret practice or anything," Ginny said. "Just- shouldn't get back to his dorm mates."

"Then what's his patronus? If it's not a secret club, I can just show up tomorrow, yeah?" Ron reasoned.

"You'd have to ask the others that. Including Draco. Everyone added to our group is a unanimous vote in," Neville replied firmly.

Hermione watched Ginny instead of Neville.

"Neville, this is the same guy who stole your remembrall. Who leg-locked you when we were so young that you were lucky that Hermione knew how to undo it."

Neville laughed, "And she used the same jinx against me a few months later. I'm not the same boy I was then. I no longer expect him to be either. And hey, you haven't even asked what my patronus is," he deflected for her.

"Oh, congratulations Neville!" Hermione said, all motherly.

It struck her that they didn't know Neville very well. Ginny didn't feel like she had always been a very good friend to the boy either. "Though you are six months late with the news," Ginny pointed out, though it probably wasn't a good thing to say. It wouldn't help anyone.

"Well, just shows that you needed that new wand. Very well done, Neville. I've noticed how well you've done in class. It is a shame that you didn't have it sooner, from the beginning, or at least before OWLs," Hermione went on.

Neville shrugged. "My dad's would have worked better now. Not as well as my new wand, but better than it did. I'm sorry it's gone. Luna told me that, but I knew anyway," he said. "I kept the pieces in case."

No one knew what to say to that. Neville was different, from the DA, the Ministry, the defence practice. Maybe from confronting Bellatrix Lestrange, even if he didn't come out ahead there.

"What is your patronus then?" Ron piped up.

"A lion," Neville smiled.

Neville had told her once that he never thought he belonged in Gryffindor.

"Of course it is," Ron said, clapping Neville on the back.

And now Neville had a visible sign that he was meant to be in the house, once Ginny was pretty sure he matured past the insecurity to begin with. Because he knew that it didn't matter what house he was in. That he didn't have to worry.

Note: I had been having a lot of trouble figuring out what Draco/my Draco's patronus would be and wanted to share this. I decided to take the Pottermore patronus quiz thinking of him. I'm not someone who thinks Pottermore is the incontrovertible truth, but it seemed like a good starting point. I did it and got occamy, the feathered snake-like creature from Fantastic Beasts that changes size. It is aggressive to those who approach it and very defensive of its eggs. I liked it, thought it fit, but I was against having a magical creature, because it seems too much, too overdone, too special. I did the test again for Draco again with different questions. I got unicorn. Magical again, and again, it fit. And I checked, magical results are intended to be very rare. Avoids human contact, similar to Ginny's horse, same as Draco's wand core. Interestingly, Pottermore also says that they make loyal wands that are difficult to turn to the Dark Arts. I was settled on it.