Chapter 7: Regaining Life
It had been four days since they had slept together. Four days of finding herself thinking of him obsessively. Four days of rushed meetings, empty classrooms, making out, and talking. Both seemed to have found in each other a person they could finally talk to that they didn't have to protect or lie to. They were never together for long. The overlap of their free periods was never more than 40 minutes or so. The first part of that time was dedicated to snogging. If anything, kissing him had only become more erotic. His hands would plunge under her clothing, touching her in places that left her flushed and needy. She would return the favor, undoing his trousers enough to touch his erection. Yet there was an unspoken agreement to not go further. To do nothing that their clothes couldn't be readjusted for, if the door was ever slammed open. Locking spells aside, there was always a chance a professor might catch them. And doing anything more than kissing would land them in trouble that neither of them wanted. It was still a school, and they were still students after all.
Eventually their kissing would wind down, leaving them both wanting but unwilling to risk going further. It was then that they talked. She told him how she felt like doing schoolwork was a waste of time. How what she really should be studying was how to fight. Although that might be useless as well, given that it seemed no one in her family would ever let her go into battle.
He admitted that his parents were the same way. Neither of them wanted him anywhere near the fighting or in any sort of danger. She had been shocked at first, and had asked "even your father?" It was then that she had learned Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy had done nothing but live in terror, prisoners in their own home, for months. Voldermort had planned to kill them once Draco inevitably failed to kill Dumbledore. Draco not entirely failing had apparently been enough to keep them alive, but that was about it. The only thing he or his father had done as deatheaters since then was be present for witnessing the torture and murder of those the Dark Lord considered enemies.
It was something that he hadn't been able to talk about to anyone. All the other students thought of him as a powerful deatheater, full of responsibilities. A strong, dedicated supporter of the Dark Lord. He knew that Ginny didn't look up to him for that. That she wouldn't be terrified to find out he wasn't any of those things. That she wouldn't rat him out to anyone. And so he told her. He told her how awful it was to have people in and out of the house, making you feel like a guest in your own home at best. How he hadn't been able to sleep through the night once all summer, waking up in a panic at the slightest noise. How snakes had become one of his least favorite animals.
It was strange, realizing that his version of bravery was to lie to others. That maintaining his reputation was his way of helping his friends, letting them continue to think their lives would end up alright. Not letting them know that the Dark Lord was a sadistic, violent man that ruled through fear. That his followers were hardly safer than anyone else. She knew he hoped they would never realize it. He wouldn't say it, but everything seemed to point to him wanting the Dark Lord to disappear. Did he want Harry to win? Were they actually on the same side of this war? She didn't ask, knowing it would be too intrusive. But she couldn't help but hope.
The thing she did know with certainty is that they both imagined a world they could feel safe in. It was the talk of the future that made her heart thud madly. She had been avoiding thinking of a future for so long, yet she couldn't help but get caught up in what Draco said. They both loved the country. Having grown up in one, they both wanted a home surrounded by green fields, trees, and far from the neighbors. A place infested with magical creatures. A place they could fly around without worry of being seen. A place that would be a haven from the rest of the world.
He had adopted her suggestion of him working at the Ministry, but had decided a lobbyist was a better fit. Ginny had just stared at him, having no idea what that meant. His eyes had gleamed at that. Apparently that was the draw for him. It wasn't an official positon. He wouldn't have a boss or rules to be constrained by. Lobbyists were paid under the table to push laws through, and were able to pick and choose who to take payment from. In his ideal world, he would work for the causes he wanted, make connections at the Ministry, and then come home to a loving wife, happy kids, home cooked meal, and clean house. There would be Quidditch matches on the weekends, trips to the sea in the summer. A quiet life full of lazy leisure.
Ginny added in a garden that could be degnomed by a house elf; she would be quite willing to give that chore up, and stables for winged horses. While flying on the threstal had been rather jarring given that she couldn't see it, she had loved the experience. She had since looked up flying horses and had found there were in fact four breeds. Abraxans were a giant palomino breed that drank only single-malt whiskey. Aethonans were a chestnut breed most common in Britain and Ireland. There were Threstals of course. And then there were the Granians. A gray breed that was known for being "particularly fast". She was rather convinced that riding on a Granian was now one of her life long dreams.
Of course owning even one winged horse would be a significant expense. It was nothing but a farfetched desire. After listening to her speak, Ginny had expected Draco to make some general comment, or at the most agree that it would be brilliant to ride one. She did not expect him to start thinking of what acreage it would require, what charms would be needed for invisible fencing, and wonder what their diet was. She certainly didn't expect him to start talking about some breeder his father knew in Ireland. A breeder he thought could be blackmailed into selling one for a discounted rate.
She had sat in Charms after that conversation, replaying it over and over in her head. Neither was admitting it exactly, but Ginny was rather sure they had crossed a line at some point. They weren't just sharing their individual dreams for their own future. When Draco talked, she couldn't help but imagine herself as that wife he came home to, flew around the yard with, and went on trips with. But was that so bad? She had imagined marrying Harry for years. It was only for fun; playing around with the 'what if'. She wasn't in love with Draco. If he proposed today, she would of course say no and think him completely mad. Still, she couldn't help but admit that thinking of the 'what if' was extremely enjoyable.
It wasn't until Friday morning that she was pulled back into reality. It was as if a bubble had popped. Ginny had noticed Millicent had a black eye at breakfast, and guilt had consumed her. She had been so caught up in Malfoy that she had almost forgotten the reason why this all started. She had grabbed him in the hall before lunch. He had gone with it, pressing her against the wall as he kissed her neck, before pulling back and smirking when she gasped. "Well, someone's eager. Let's go then."
Once alone in a classroom, Draco had gone in to kiss her, but Ginny had shoved him back. He stepped back in confusion and Ginny realized how far they had come. The farce was no longer the school thinking that they were sexually involved. The farce was now that the school didn't know it wasn't just physical. They were meeting like this for themselves now. Eager to spend time together, and fully wrapped up in each other. She felt the guilt come back. This wasn't supposed to be about her and her own happiness. She needed to sort out her priorities, and now.
"How has Millicent been?" Draco's face fell at her question and he shrugged his shoulders. "I've been keeping everyone in the common room at night, including Crabbe. Talking, games, even some spell practice. It's helping. He has no chance to go off and drag her away without it seeming rude. He disappeared yesterday after Dark Arts though. So did Millie. Today I think she was fine. I'm pretty sure Daphne didn't leave her side." Ginny nodded and decided she should move on Crabbe. There was no need to stretch this out longer than necessary. The entire school knew she was involved with Malfoy already.
And with that thought in mind, she couldn't help but stare at him. Once she moved on to the portion of her plan that involved Crabbe, this had the potential to be over. She knew it had only been a week. She knew that she shouldn't care if he never spoke to her again. But she did. In fact, she cared very much. They had never really gotten a chance to talk before this week. She felt like their time together had been important. That they were on the brink of something. This past week felt more like a month or more. It was as if her whole life had changed, and the Ginny she was two weeks ago was now unrecognizable.
She liked where they were now. She liked the Draco Malfoy she had gotten to know. She liked seeing him regaining his confidence and attitude. She liked the fact that he wanted her to not get tortured or killed. She liked that he liked her. He thought she was attractive. He had opened up to her about his fears and dreams, and she had done the same. What felt like ages ago now, he had told her to get involved with someone who would keep her safe. She couldn't help but wonder now if he had meant himself. Lavender had been right; boys made you crazy. And selfish. All of her fears were now about herself. About losing this, whatever she had, with Draco. It wouldn't do. There were more important things in the world and she couldn't let him distract her. She had to think of the bigger picture.
"Right. Well, that won't keep up forever. I suppose it's no use delaying now. What class does Crabbe have this afternoon?" Draco had gone stiff, and he just stared at her. She snapped at him. Her patience shouldn't have been so short, but her nerves were fried. She did not want to do what she knew she should, and he was an outlet. "What! That was the point of all this, remember?" His eyes had narrowed now and Ginny knew he was angry. She wanted to hit him. What right did he have to be angry? "Cut the shit Weasley. You and I both know that whatever this is between us, it's more than a ruse for this plan of yours."
At his words, a sense of joy lurched through her, but she realized now was not the time. She could be happy about the fact later. She had to steady her voice before she spoke again. "Regardless, the plan is still needed. Crabbe will find ways around you, as he did yesterday, and I am not going to let it." He had pinned her under a hard look and breathed deeply through his nose. A part of her wanted to smile like an idiot. He didn't want her to do this. He didn't want her flirting with another man. She worked to suppress that part, and focus on the unpleasant things. She knew the last thing he wanted to see right now was her smiling. No doubt he would misconstrue it.
"Give me a day. I'll think of something." Looking at his frustrated gaze, she realized that if there was ever going to be a time to push him, this was it. It was worth a shot at least. "You could just tell Crabbe to stop. Publically go against what he is doing, and show support for Millicent." He stared at her with a pained expression. She just stared back. He was not going to get sympathy from her. She couldn't cave. On this issue, she had to be the strong one. She understood why he didn't want to go with that plan. Why it wasn't a strategic move. Turning a friend and future death eater into a possible enemy in order to stand up for a girl whose family was now marred by having a mudblood in their line. It would be idiotic. People might question his loyalty to the new Ministry and their laws. He could jeopardize himself and his parents. Or worse.
She crossed her arms and straightened her posture. He wasn't going to let her do it. It would be up to her. And he was only an obstacle. A sudden ball of dread formed in her as she realized what was needed. Just as she had pushed away her crush on Harry for years, she was going to have to do the same thing with Draco. She had to focus on those in need; not some boy. She was a Weasley. She was strong, independent, and brave. She would do the right thing. Not the selfish thing. The fact that he liked her had to be ignored. She felt some emotional part of her detatch, leaving her with an odd sense of stillness. She found her voice came out steady and strong.
"If you won't tell me his schedule, I'll figure it out some other way. Millicent is the only reason I even started talking to you, and if you've decided to no longer help with the plan then I guess we have nothing left to discuss." She knew what she had said was the right thing to say. Still, she had to keep herself from tearing up. Why did she feel like she was breaking up with him? They hadn't even been together. Not really. Not officially. He was walking towards her now and she thought fast. His expression spoke volumes, but he remained silent. She used his silence against him. Every instinct she had said that he cared about her. That he no longer wanted to help with the plan because he didn't want her to get hurt. But he hadn't said it and she was free to assume the worst. It wouldn't be an unbelievable stretch for her to act as if she believed that he had no feelings for her at all. He had never actually said anything directly. He could have just been willing to take advantage of the situation to get laid. She had made it pathetically easy; admitting and giving in to her physical attraction for him with almost no hesitation. Maybe the school was right. Maybe she was just a slut.
She put out her hands and shoved him away, working up a rage she didn't really feel. He regained his balance quickly and grabbed her around the waist, tugging her in close. She tried to squirm away, but his hold remained tight. She wanted to hug him. Cling to him and not fight. Instead, she willed herself to stand still and glare up at him as he spoke. "It doesn't matter how this started…" She interrupted him quickly, fearing the next words that would come out of his mouth. She couldn't let him say it. Say that this was more than either of them could have hoped for. That he liked her. She wouldn't be able to handle it. So instead, she shoved against him and yelled.
"Of course it matters how this started! That's the whole point of all of this! You think I can just ignore someone getting hurt? That I won't help just because you don't want me too? Sod off! What I do or don't do with anyone is none of your concern! I can hold my own with Crabbe. And even if I can't, then I'll bear the consequences. What are you worried about? That Crabbe will end up being a better shag than you?" Ginny winced as his grip around her became painful. Red was rushing up his neck and onto his face. She was hurting him. It was cruel and unlike anything she had ever done before. A part of her hated herself in that moment.
"Take that back right now." She crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. His face screwed up in anger as she made no move to apologize. Then in one quick move, he let go of her and stepped back. The physical relief of being free from his squeeze was eclipsed by the emotional ache of him letting go. "Fine. Care of Magical Creatures. It lets out at half past four. And Weasley? Don't underestimate him. You think I'm strong? Crabbe can break your arm as easily as breaking a branch."
She stood there, trying to soothe her nerves as Draco strode past her, hexed the door to slam open, and left the room without glancing at her. A part of her wanted to stay and cry, but she didn't. Taking a deep breath, she walked down the hall and continued with her day like normal until the end of class. Her last class let out at four, giving her a half hour to put her plan into action.
Confidently, she strode out onto the grounds, spotting Goyle and Crabbe coming up from Hagrid's hut. She made sure the desserts she had gotten from the kitchen were in plain sight as she neared them. A whole plate of cookies. Her heart was pounding as she heard Goyle say something to Crabbe. And then, as expected, she suddenly was blocked by two large Slytherins. "What do you have there Weasel?"
Ginny allowed herself to glare. "Have you gone blind? Any idiot knows what these are. Now get out of my way. I'm off to visit Hagrid." As predicted, they did not get out of her way but rather loomed over her threateningly. She sniffed. "Don't tell me you're still stealing sweets? How pathetic. And here I had heard you had moved on to bigger and badder things. Particularly you Crabbe. Though maybe I heard wrong." He glared at her and she forced herself to sneer.
"Oh don't try and prove me wrong now. Two on one? It would only prove that alone you're no more threatening than a pygmy puff." Ginny felt as if she was playing with fire. But it worked. Ginny put up a brief struggle as Crabbe wrested the cookies away from her, keeping up the pretense. And then Crabbe ordered Goyle to head in with the dessert, while he stayed to teach the little blood traitor a lesson. Ginny had her wand out as did Crabbe. Once Goyle had cleared out though, Ginny dropped her wand and smiled seductively. Or at least she hoped so. "You know, now that we're alone I'd really rather do something other than fight."
Crabbe's anger warred with puzzlement, and Ginny realized being blunt was perhaps the only way to go. "What do you say? Fancy a snog?" He shook his head, but only in confusion. Her patience was wearing thin. She knew she was being unreasonable, expecting him to understand so quickly. But maintaining her confidence was emotionally taxing and the faster this was done, the better. "But you're with Malfoy." Ginny fluttered her eyelashes and smiled coyly at him. "Well I suppose you'd just have to be my dirty secret." She could almost see his brain trying to work through what she was saying.
Crabbe was close to understanding. He just needed a little push. He was too tall for her to kiss him unawares; he was as tall as Ron, well over six feet. And so she'd have to work with what she could reach. Stepping up to him, she fingered his belt buckle and smiled up at him. "Find somewhere for us to meet and I promise you won't regret it. Malfoy won't let me have any fun except with him, but I bet you can find a way. You're so much taller, so much stronger, so much braver. What do you say?" His mouth had dropped open, the confusion gone. Still, Ginny couldn't afford to take chances. Voices carried over as a group of younger girls came walking up the hill, and Ginny came to a quick decision. Sliding her hand down, she cupped and squeezed him lightly before winking. "I'll be waiting." And then not giving him time to respond, she brushed past him and walked away.
She continued her trek towards Hagrid, forcing herself not to run, yet relieved that the other students had come. She had been in over her head. Thank Merlin he seemed to realize not to call out to her when there were other students around. She really had no idea what she would do if he ran after her. She hoped it had worked. That she had been alluring enough. That he would rise to the bait. And most importantly that he would be distracted enough to forget Millicent. He could only plan so much. And if he busy planning how to meet with her, he would have no time left over to plan how to get Millicent alone. At least, she hoped that was the case.
Knocking on Hagrid's door, she found she was looking forward to the visit. While she didn't know Hagrid nearly so well as Harry, Ron and Hermione did, she still thought he'd appreciate a visit. "Ginny! What'r you doin' 'ere? Come in! Come in! Just finished up class, don't rightly have refreshments ready." Ginny knew enough to realize this was actually a blessing, and was quick to assure him it was fine. Still, he whipped up some tea and Ginny settled in on an old, ratty chair that rather reminded her of home. For a few moments, Ginny was able to sip her tea in silence and relax.
It wasn't long though before Hagrid looked at her with a furrowed brow. "Now, what's all this I been hearing 'bout you and Malfoy?" Ginny sighed, and decided she was going to be honest. She needed someone to speak to after all. "I don't know what it is. I shouldn't like him. But I do. I like myself when I'm with him. This thing we have going, it's turned me from feeling depressed to being happy. Life is suddenly more exciting, more worth living." Hagrid grunted and took a swig out of a bottle. She waited and he sighed.
"I shouldn't be telling you this. I should be tellin' yeh to keep far away from the likes of him. But I suppose if he makes yeh happy. We all need a bit of happiness right now. It don't always make much sense. Just, be careful. He's a Malfoy, an' while he might not be evil, he's in over his head; anyone can see that, he's likely taken after his parents." Ginny couldn't help but feel slightly shocked. She had expected Hagrid to splutter, go red, shout that she was mad. Not remain calm and understanding.
"What do you mean take after his parents?" Hagrid eyed her. "Eh, you know. Selfish, proud, snobbish." She knew Hagrid was right. And she knew it should have her questioning why she wanted him. But it didn't. None of it really mattered for what they were doing. He wasn't enough of a snob that he insulted her or thought her unworthy of his attention. As for being proud, it would be like the pot calling the kettle black. Her family was the same as his, if not worse. Sensitive to insults or any smears upon their character. And Merlin help the person who acted as if her family needed charity or sympathy.
Hagrid might be right about him being selfish, but no one was perfect. Michael had been a follower, not able to do anything or go anywhere alone. It had been what made him like her so much, always tagging along on her adventures even if they were as simple as throwing rocks in the Lake. Dean had often thrown in muggle references without explanation, leaving her feeling confused and stupid. Not that he ever noticed.
Eventually, the conversation moved on to how she was faring under the Carrows. How horrible he felt watching her get tortured last week. How she was managing in her solitary confinement at night. Ginny asked if he had any news from Grawp. How he was finding teaching this year. She learned Snape was mostly ignoring the professors as long as they taught the ascribed curriculum. In fact, according to Hagrid, it wasn't nearly so unpleasant to have him as Headmaster as he had feared. All in all, they talked right up until dinner at which point they both made their way up to the Great Hall.
Ginny shivered slightly as she saw Crabbe hanging out by the castle doors, looking at her. He had apparently had plans to grab her right as she entered the building, but Hagrid's presence warned him off, and Ginny was able to make it to dinner unmolested. Still, it had brought home just what she had done. She hadn't really expected Crabbe to already try and make a grab at her. It had only been a couple of hours. She was going to have to be very careful tomorrow. She never thought she'd be as happy to have Filch escort her to her stone prison as she was that night.
The morning was another story. She had barely stepped out of her room when a disarming spell hit her. The spell was blunt and unskilled, but it did the job and her wand flew out of her robe pocket. It was Saturday and she had no books, nothing to hurl at him or hit him with except her bag that was stuffed with a cloak, hat, and mittens. Not exactly a weapon. This had not been the plan. The plan had been to outmaneuver him; keep him distracted. Flirt with him enough to keep him interested, but keep it at that. He wasn't here for her to just flirt with him. He expected her to live up to her words. Eyes wide, she took in Crabbe's appearance. Draco's words came back to her quickly. There was no way to overpower him physically. There was no one else around. She had dug herself into a hole.
She smiled at him and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. "Well good morning. I knew you'd figure out a way." He looked her up and down before smiling slightly. She reminded herself to breathe as he walked towards her. Panicking was not going to help the situation. "Where does Malfoy think you are?" It might stall him. Might even scare him off. It didn't.
"Oh don't worry about him. Pucey had the whole team leave for the Pitch early this morning. Last minute practice before the game." Ginny forced a smile at the news. Of course. Draco had rejoined the team three days ago. The Slytherins had been over the moon about it, suddenly confident in a victory over Hufflepuff this afternoon.
"But enough talking. Let's see what's so great about you that he'd fuck you." Ginny yelped as he shoved her backwards. She threw her hands out to catch herself, and landed with both palms throbbing at the impact of a stone floor. She stared at him in disbelief. Did he not realize he had almost broken her tailbone? What would he have done if she had lost all her balance and hit her head? She wasn't sitting on the floor for long. He had his wand pointed at her, casting something she didn't know. She wasn't ignorant for long. Her hands shot up over her head, and she felt her wrists be bound together. As far as she knew, it was an invisible bond, but it was certainly strong. She went to twist her hips, desperate to get up, but she wasn't quick enough. He thudded down onto his knees and straddled her, effectively locking her body in place.
Don't panic, don't panic. "Crabbe, I promise I can give you a very good morning. But not tied up like this. I can't move." He just smiled cruelly at her. "Trust me, you can move all the parts you need to." Her breath left her as he used his hand to push her bound wrists onto the floor above her head. Her whole body lowered with the movement, and she found herself panicking. She could feel his mouth on her neck, his hands pawing at her body. She might have tried kicking, but his pelvis was large and heavy, crushing any possibility of her moving her thighs or hips. She heard fabric ripping and felt the cold air hit her stomach. She was in shock. How? How had he physically ripped apart a sweater like that? She felt his hands at her waistband and flung her arms up and over his neck. The invisible bond kept her wrists firmly together at the back of his neck. Pulling herself up to him, she kissed him with all that she had, desperate to distract him from unbuttoning her jeans.
She felt his surprise, and then she felt his eagerness. His hands switched to roaming over her back and Ginny continued to snog him. He was a messy kisser. Saliva was in abundance; he moved his lips too much and too often. It felt like he was trying to eat her face at times, the concept of puckering apparently lost on him. The skin around her mouth was getting wet. His breath was heavy and too warm. It felt as if she would slowly be smothered. And still she kept at it. As a distraction, it was working. In the back of her mind, she realized he might never have been kissed before. If her instincts were right, all his experience was in forced sex. She had very little doubt that binding spell he had used, was what he used on Millicent when he wanted her body.
Eventually, the need for fresh, cold air was too much and Ginny broke away. "Untie me Crabbe. Let me kiss you where you most want it." It was an easy decision. Anything to avoid actual sex. He only stared at her in confusion. "Huh?" Faced with having to say it, explain it, Ginny lost her nerve. She switched tactics. Maybe he could be satisfied with less.
"Untie me, and I can teach you how to kiss better." For a moment, she thought it had worked. And then he glared at her, yanking her arms off of him and back onto the floor. "I don't need some blood traitor slut tellin' me how to kiss. Girls are only good for one thing anyway."
She felt herself crumble. The plan, Millicent, she couldn't seem to care. Couldn't remember what she was doing here or how she had gotten here. All she knew was she did not want this. To hell with the consequences. Twisting, thrashing any part of her body she could, she tried to escape. Her fear did nothing but excite him more and more. She cried as he unbuttoned her jeans and began to scream when he went to pull them down. His hand came up and slapped her hard across the face. Her face stung. Throbbed. Her nose must be broken. She must be bleeding. It felt as if a bludger had hit her in the face. She was going to vomit. Why couldn't she breathe?
"Get off of her Vince." Ginny was too far gone to register what was happening. As his weight left her, she did nothing but curl up into a fetal position and cry. There was shouting. She could hear threats, but couldn't care what they were about. She didn't seem to be able to register anything until a hand came down on her back. Her entire body convulsed in an effort to get away from the touch, but it worked to bring her back to her surroundings.
Sitting on the floor next to her was Millicent Bulstrode with Daphne Greengrass standing behind her. Ginny averted her eyes. She was ashamed, embarrassed, and feeling very much like an idiot. She hadn't been able to handle Crabbe. If not for these girls, he wouldn't have stopped. Was this what Millicent felt? He hadn't even managed to…he had been stopped and she couldn't handle it. How did the girl do it? How did she go through her days knowing he was there?
"Weasley, you can't breathe a word of this." Ginny forced herself to look up at Daphne, but found she wasn't ready to speak yet. Millicent bit her lip and then squeezed Ginny's hand. "You did it. You saved me. I know it wasn't the plan, but it worked." She looked at Millicent in a daze. She had done what? She had done nothing. What was Millicent talking about?
"We noticed Vince wasn't at breakfast and I had a hunch. Thank Merlin he wasn't clever enough to take you somewhere else. I don't know how you did it, but you convinced him to go after you. And then you fought him! Do you realize what you did? By fighting him, you turned it into an attack. An attack against you, Malfoy's fuck toy! Oh, sorry. That's just what you're being called. Anyway, if Draco finds out, he'll be able to attack Vince over it. Everyone would understand why. And we saw it, meaning our memories are now blackmail against Vince. As long as you don't tell Draco of course."
Ginny's tears had dried and she was able to sit up. She had done it? Looking at Millicent, it was an easy decision. How could she not do whatever she could for this girl? If her silence meant Millicent and Daphne could blackmail Crabbe, then she wouldn't breathe a word. "Not a word. I swear. Use it Millicent; you too Daphne. If he ever threatens one of you again, tell him you'll let Draco see the whole thing." While there might not be many pensives lying around, the fact that Draco was able to perform Legilimency was widely believed. Apparently he actually was an occlumens, so the rumour hadn't been hard to spread.
"Here, I'll go get you something to borrow. I'll be back in ten minutes." Ginny wiped her eyes and nodded in appreciation as Millicent got up and hurried down the corridor. She found herself alone with Daphne who was staring at her strangely. "I know you're helping my friend, but I really don't know what to say to you." Ginny felt the same, so she only shrugged.
"I think I could respect you, if not for your atrocious morals. In a way it was a dreadful thing for Draco to do. Did he even warn you your reputation would be left in shreds? That no decent wizard would want to marry you now?" Ginny felt her back straighten and her eyes narrow. Daphne knew she had known about Crabbe and Millicent. Apparently, Millicent hadn't told her about the plan though. Which meant that what Daphne was saying, was only the nice version of what every other girl in this castle probably thought of her.
Still, she hated hearing it. "He's not going to marry you, you know." The worst thing was that Daphne was saying it kindly. As if she really thought telling Ginny all this was the best thing she could do. Ginny tried to keep her voice level. Not to let too much anger seep through. She probably failed. "You want to call me immoral? People are killing, imprisoning, and torturing people for no other reason than they have muggle heritage. People are targeting anyone who refuses to participate in persecuting innocent people. And you're worried about my promiscuity? Wake up Greengrass. If you want to worry about people having a lack of morals, just look at the newspapers. Their souls are in much more danger than mine."
Daphne had gone pale. "You can't say things like that!" Ginny glared back, unable to stop herself. "Why? Are you going to report me?"
"You're mad! Completely mad!" And with that, Daphne turned and ran down the passageway, leaving Ginny all alone. When Millicent came back with a top for Ginny to wear, she took in the scene and sighed. "Here. I'll always appreciate what you did. If I can ever help you out, just let me know." And then Millicent was gone too and Ginny found herself strangely sad. She had never had a large group of friends like some girls. She had never been part of a clique. She was used to her own company or the company of boys. But right now, she found herself wishing Millicent had stayed. She wanted a girl to talk to.
Dejectedly, she removed her ripped sweater, put on Millicent's top, and went to retrieve her wand. Breakfast must be long over by now. She slunk into the kitchens, and a house elf was kind enough to let her pick at the leftovers. She hadn't thought she could eat, but she found herself nibbling as she wondered what to do. The problem was she didn't feel up for company at the moment. She couldn't just hide out here all day though. Eventually, she took to just wandering the castle, making small talk with the portraits and having a short conversation with Nearly Headless Nick, who thought it an outrage a Gryffindor was being forced to sleep in the dungeons. By lunch, she was smiling slightly.
One look at her housemates, and she knew her face must look as bad as it felt. Swollen and bruised. She grabbed some potatoes and simply said "Carrow." Neville all but steamed in his seat. "Speaking of, there's talk that another detention is slated for tonight." Ginny's mouth opened in horror.
It seemed nothing could keep her from getting swept up in the energy of the Great Hall though. It was by far, the most excitement regarding a Quidditch match all year. The fact that Malfoy was flying again raced through all four tables. He hadn't been seen on a broom in over a year, and everyone was expecting big things. She was quietly thankful that the throng around him kept him from seeing her. She could hear his voice and laughter carry through the hall, and marveled slightly at how at ease he seemed, being the center of attention.
Seamus and Neville didn't leave her side as they made their way to the Pitch after lunch. Ginny and Seamus created prop bets on the game up until the whistle blew, and it felt like old times. She had made sure one of the prop bets was about how fast Malfoy would catch the snitch, thus giving her the perfect excuse to cheer him on. Her bet had been he caught it in the first 30 minutes. Near the twenty minute mark, her cheers turned into loud, colorful cursing. His strategy was obvious, and the opposite of what she had bet on. She thought he would give it his all, determined to make a good first impression and make the crowds roar with applause. That the game would be over in no time. She didn't count on him putting the team before himself.
As seeker, he seemed to spot the snitch before performing high notch maneuvers and tricks in pursuit of it. His routes were so complex, it left the Hufflepuff seeker flying ridiculous looking circles in an effort to keep track of him. And more importantly, the rest of the Hufflepuff team became distracted looking at him, certain he was about to catch the snitch and end the game. The Slytherin team used the distraction to score goals, and by the thirty minute mark the score was 110-40. The Hufflepuff team did eventually learn to ignore his fancy tricks, and Ginny was positive that was the end of it. After having pulled no stunts for twenty minutes, he laid flat on his broom and shot across the field.
Ginny was certain he had spotted and caught the snitch. So were the Hufflepuffs. So it was a great surprise when he sat up and began circling the field again. She looked over at the score in dismay and found the Slytherins had somehow scored 30 more points while everyone had been watching him. By the time he finally did catch the snitch two hours into the game, Ginny was spitting nails. The final score stood at 340-90, enough points for the Slytherin team to have overtaken the point lead for the House Cup by a wide margin. How was Gryffindor ever going to make up the difference?
She was ready to kill him, and then she realized she had no one but herself to blame. She had been the one who told him to rejoin the team. What a bloody idiot she was! As the teams landed and the stands emptied out, she wanted nothing more than to go find him. Tell him how mad she was at him, how proud she was of him, and then snog him senseless. But it was impossible. He had been carried off by a jovial Slytherin hoard, and was no doubt going to be celebrating with them all night. It was the first time she really felt the sting of not having a public claim on him. Not being able to do the things a girlfriend would do.
No one was surprised that most of Slytherin didn't show up for dinner. Ginny realized it was probably the first party of the year, and hoped that it wouldn't be the last. The entire student body was still abuzz over the game. Only Neville remained silent, watching the Carrows out of the corner of his eye. As it turned out, there was no one called up for detention that night, and Ginny breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe it had only been a rumour. After all, what type of school would torture students for detention? What had happened to her was an anomaly. It must have been. Overall, things were on the up and up. Crabbe was being blackmailed, everyone was safe, and Quidditch had injected a happiness into the school that was long overdue.