Chapter 32:

They arrived just outside of the Asylum doors, waving their Auror badges in front of a middle aged security guard with a sagging belly. "Ah, The doc's been 'specting you," he said gruffly, dusting crumbs from his uniform shirt as he led them through the heavy double doors and down the hall. The psychiatric ward of St. Mungo's had a cold and sterile feeling to it. The walls were a pale cream color and the floors were white-marble tile.

"'s been a while since your type has 'bin here. Not since the war, I'd say." The guard continued, filling the awkward silence as the Aurors followed him to a wooden office door. He knocked lightly and the door swung open.

The woman standing in the door way was small and pudgy, standing at only five feet tall. Her hair was a pepper grey with snow white streaks running from her temples. It was pulled back into a messy bun, and around her neck was a necklace with beads the size of gum-balls. She smiled at them, her cheeks rosy and round, reminding Ginny of pictures of Mrs. Claus.

She offered a chubby hand in greeting. Her handshake was soft, warm, and just as soothing as her presence. It was a natural gift, Ginny supposed. "Welcome! I'm Dr. Elnora Ridge, and you must be Aurors Weasley and Malfoy," she surmised cheerfully. "Well, let me show you to his quarters." She clapped her hands together as she herded them down the hall, the guard trailing behind them at a leisurely pace.

"I don't trust her…" Draco whispered in Ginny's ear as they followed behind the doctor.

Ginny squeaked out a small laugh as she took in her partner's mistrustful expression. "Yes, it's always the quiet ones," she dead-panned, laughing quietly as Draco scowled down at her.

"Well, this is his room," Dr. Ridge said, indicating the door at her back as she faced the young Aurors. "Mr. Digg will guard the door and will come to your aide if needed," she said with a nod to the guard behind them. "Its protocol for all of our former Death Eaters. The patient is not currently bound, but if you prefer…"

"That won't be necessary," Draco answered, raising his hand in a halting gesture.

"Alright. We have strict policies against the mistreatment of our patients, both mentally and physically. Your time with him will be monitored," she stated and they nodded their acceptance of the fact. "He knows that you are coming to question him, but not the purpose. I'll leave the rest up to you." She finished with another warm smile, as the guard, Mr. Digg, opened the door to the cell for them.

The Aurors entered the room slowly, taking in the white washed walls and dim lighting. The sound of a bolt sliding into place sounded behind them and they glanced back, seeing Mr. Digg's large brown eyes watching them from the door's small window.

Turning his attention back to the room, Draco saw that two softly padded chairs had been brought in for them; it was the only furniture in the room other than the small bed against the far wall. There was a small barred window above it, and the light that filtered through silhouetted the figure of the man that sat on the crisp white sheets of the mattress.

They took their seats quietly, facing the bed and its occupant. The man was shrouded in shadow, and Ginny shifted slightly to see if she could get a better look at him.

As if just noticing their presence, Dolohov tilted his head the side, leaning forward to get a better look at his company, and illuminating his own face in a beam of light from the ceiling lamp. The light created sinister shadows on his face, turning his gleeful smile into something frightening. His nostrils flared as he looked at his visitors' appearance. His pale eyes widening as he took in Draco's trademark hair. He scooted forward on his knees, sliding along the sheets like a child as he moved as close as he could without leaving the bed. He leant forward, bracing himself one his hands and jutting his chin forward.

"…Malfoy…" he purred, his large nostrils sucking in an excited breath. He tilted his head to the side again. His eyes were round and doll-like, a juvenile feature in his aged face.

"Dolohov," Draco greeted coolly.

"Little Draco running away to the Order. Traitor. Auror scum," he sang, his fingers dancing along the sheets as he swayed to his own music.

Draco just smiled pleasantly back at him. Upon seeing the blonde's reaction, Dolohov sunk back slightly in apprehension, his eyes squinted in a suspicious leer.

"We're here to ask you some questions, Mr. Dolohov," Ginny spoke, watching the man critically.

He turned his large eyes on her, licking his lips as he slid his gaze over her body. "Freckles." He mumbled as he came to her face. "It must be a…" His upper lip pulled back, baring his teeth as he grinned at her wolfishly. "…Wealsey," he hissed joyfully, bouncing forward on his haunches once more. "Ask away," he purred seductively, rolling his head back against his shoulders.

They knew that he had been a resident of the hospital for a little over a year and a half; he was admitted after the courts found him not guilty by reason of insanity of his war crimes as a Death Eater. So they decided to take the questioning slowly.

"This room is rather small isn't it? There isn't even a bathroom," she started, watching his body language carefully.

"They let me out to go to the bathroom," he answered, with a grin.

"Do they let you out for anything else?" she probed. They would need to get a list of daily activities from his doctor. She knew that they had to have a time chart on him, as well as a list of things that he liked to do. Dr. Ridge would have to be next in their line of questioning.

He snarled at her playfully. "Why don't you just stop and ask me what you really want to know, blood traitor."

"What do I really want to know?" she threw back calmly.

He leaned in as if he had a secret. "You want to know if I'm Mr. X," he whispered conspiratorially.

"Are you?" she questioned, hiding her surprise. They hadn't briefed the doctor on their case, and very few people knew about it. Certainly Antonin Dolohov would know nothing of their case unless he was a part of it.

"I'm not telling." He chuckled darkly.

"Have you been in contact with anyone on the outside since you were admitted here?" Draco asked, picking up where his partner left off.

Dolohov ignored him, his eyes never straying from Ginny. "You look like him," he decided, with a small smile.

"Him?" she inquired quietly.

"…Do you want to know what his last words were?"

"Whose?" she asked, wondering if this was normal behavior for him.

"Your brother's," he answered matter-of-factly.

Ginny's blood froze in her veins, her heart stopping as she felt the color drain from her face.

"He was there, of course--when we infiltrated the Ministry. He was an easy target once I broke his glasses."

"Percy..." she whispered.

"He cried more than your uncles. He made quite a sight. Screaming and begging for his life the way he did."

"That's a lie," she forced out. Percy would never beg like a dog, he was a Gryffindor and he would have fought like one.

"Maybe it is a lie, maybe not," Dolohov taunted. "Are you curious, little Weasley? Are you wondering how it happened…why they never found a body? I'll tell you."

Ginny shivered, closing her eyes for a moment and trying to compose herself.

"That's enough, Dolohov," Draco growled, his tone threatening.

"Incendio!" the man squealed, waving his hand in the air as if he held a wand. "You should have seen him, rolling around on the ground, trying to dose the flames. Saying, 'Forgive me, mum!' as he was—"

Ginny was out of her seat, lunging at the man, her wand pressed into his throat as she held him down to the bed.

"Ginny!" Draco yelled, grabbing her around the middle and trying to pull her off of the deranged man.

"Let me go!" she screamed, flinging him away from her. She could hear the door's bolt sliding open, the guard rushing to the patient's aide. "You're not worth it." She spat in Dolohov's face, putting her wand away. She started to get up, but thinking better of it, she turned, swinging her fist back and crashing it down upon the man's nose with a violent crunch.

Dolohov wailed pitifully, and Ginny gave the guard a warning look as she walked past him and out of the room. She shook her hand out, her knuckles sore.

"Ginny…" Draco mumbled, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"I don't want to talk about it," she responded flatly before stomping down the hall and toward the ward's exit.

"Your behavior was irresponsible and deplorable. But… I understand," Kingsley said, wrapping a comforting arm around her shoulders. "Weasley, I've known you and your family for a long time, and if it had been me in that room—Well, Dolohov might no longer be among the living."

She laughed quietly through her tears, and the large dark skinned man helped her into a chair.

"Someone will need to tell Molly and Arthur," he said quietly.

"No. I don't want them to know. Not yet," she mumbled and he nodded gravely.

"Ginny, I should punish you for what happened today. Suspend you."

"I know. I was stupid."

"—But, I'm not going to. I think you have enough to deal with right now. I will, however, write up a warning. I will not tolerate this behavior being repeated."

"Yes, sir." She smiled at him affectionately.

He smiled back gently before moving behind his desk and taking a seat. His face becoming serious, he was all business again. "We still need to find out if Dolohov has any information. You said that he knew about Mr. X, so at least we got something out of this mess. Tomorrow, Tonks will accompany Auror Malfoy back to St. Mungo's and they will continue his interrogation. You will stay behind. We have a few cases going right now that could use your opinion. Report to me in the morning."

"Yes, sir."

"Alright. You are dismissed; I'm sure Draco is outside wondering about your fate."

She grinned at him and headed for the door.

"… Weasley."

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry about your brother."

"Me too," she whispered before heading out into the hall.

"So? What did he say?" Draco asked as soon as she exited, removing himself from his waiting place against the wall.

The room was dark except for two small lamps that emitted light from their desks. Sunset had come and gone, and outside the window Ginny could see stars twinkling in the velvet night sky. They had ended up working late, just as she had feared. She had sent Harry an owl a few hours ago, apologizing for not being able to make it to dinner. She hoped that he would forgive her, but she needed to have her paperwork finished and ready for Kingsley by tomorrow morning.

She was three quarters of the way done with her pile of work when there was a knock on their office door. The intruder opened the door slowly, peeking in through the crack.

"Harry?" Ginny called, seeing green eyes peering at her.

He pushed the door open the rest of the way with his side, his hands laden with full looking bags. With a blush he held the bags up for inspection. "Take out," he explained at her curious look.

"Oh!"

"I thought that you might be hungry since you missed dinner," he said, pecking her on the cheek as he placed the two bags on her desk.

"Thank you, that was sweet of you," she said, eyeing the 'Three Broomsticks' logo on the bags.

Draco snorted from his desk and Harry glared at him.

"I decided that since you couldn't come to me, that I would come to you…"

"Yes, that's all very sweet of you, Potter. But we have actual work to do," Draco spat, licking his thumb and turning a page of the paperwork in front of him.

"Now listen here, I—"

Ginny placed a calming hand on her boyfriend's arm. "He's right, Har. We're really busy."

He looked dejectedly at her. "I'm sorry, Gin. I just thought—"

"I know," she whispered, standing from her seat. "Come on, I'll walk you out," she said, placing her arm in his and leading him to the door. As the door swung shut behind her, she could hear Draco rummaging through the take out bags. "You don't have to check up on me, you know," she said to Harry as they walked down the darkened halls.

"What do you mean?" he asked innocently.

"You were coming to make sure that I hadn't lied to you. That I was really at work."

"Damn. You're good." He relented, running a hand through his short spiky hair.

"Look, Harry. This case is really important. It could make or break my career and we're just now getting somewhere."

"Is this the part where you let me down easy?" he asked, grabbing her hand lightly in his as the walked.

She stopped and looked at him, shaking her head slowly. "No, I just think that maybe we should slow down a bit."

"Slow down? I don't think that I could handle going any slower," he answered, pulling her closer. "I want you, Gin."

She closed her eyes in frustration. "I know, but I'm just not ready. You understand, right?"

"No," he responded honestly.

She sighed heavily. "Where were you for the last five years? If you wanted me so badly…"

He groaned in aggravation. "I've already told you that it's not important."

"To me it is."

"I thought that we were past this."

"…We are," she admitted grudgingly, but it still bothered her somewhat.

"Come to dinner with me tomorrow night and I'll tell you everything," he said at last.

"That's not taking it slow, Harry."

He smiled winningly at her, and she rolled her eyes heavenward in exasperation.

Ginny's stomach growled loudly, protesting its emptiness with an angry sounding gurgle. She had skipped breakfast that day and had grown to regret the decision as the day dragged on. Just as she was imagining a plate brimming with her favorite foods, she heard the familiar sound of high heeled foot falls.

She spun in her chair, turning to the door. "Oh thank the gods!" she exclaimed, making her friend giggle from her place in the doorway.

"Ready for lunch?" Clara asked, a bright smile adorning her wide mouth.

"Definitely," Ginny groaned as her belly twisted in agreement. "See you in an hour, Ferret," she crowed at her partner as she followed her friend out of the office.

"Where to today?" Clara asked jovially. Their lunch dates had become a ritual now; every Tuesday and Thursday they would grab lunch at one of the nearby shops.

Ginny smacked her lips together in thought. "Some where spicy…" she decided.

"Spicy? Oh! I know just the place."

Ginny laughed and followed the blond down the street, chit chatting as they walked.

"Where's Neville?" she wondered aloud.

"He's busy," Clara responded as she pulled open the door to a nice looking Kebob shop, ushering the redhead inside. "We haven't been able to spend any time together in the last two weeks. Work has been crazy." The green eyed witch pouted, thinking of her boyfriend being bogged down under piles of work while she was out to lunch.

"You've got that right," Ginny muttered with a scowl.

The last two weeks had been hectic to say the least. It all started the day Draco and Tonks had continued their questioning of Dolohov at St. Mungo's. Apparently, the former Death Eater refused to say anything; instead, he just sat on his bed, humming to himself.

Dr. Ridge hadn't proved to be much help either; she was wary of the Aurors' returned presence and had insisted on being in the room with them for the second questioning to

Discourage any 'misdoings'. Frustrated with Dolohov's sudden silence, the Aurors spoke with her instead, persuading her to give them a time chart of Dolohov's daily activities and a sample of his handwriting from her file.

Still there wasn't enough information to pin anything on the mental patient. His time chart showed no evidence of anything irregular. The handwriting had turned out to be a match with the scrawl on the letters they had found at Avery's villa, but since the letters seemed to be written in some type of code, they were left with nothing of substance. They had matching handwriting and letters that he had signed as 'Mr.X', but seeing as the alias was rather innocuous, the evidence would not be enough to hold him. He may sign letters as Mr. X, but that didn't mean that he was their Mr. X.

The case seemed to be at a stand still. By law they couldn't really make Dolohov talk, and since he was a mental patient (and had been acquitted of his war crimes), they had to take even better care to not disturb the delicate politics of the Hospital and Ministry.

The Muggle houses that were believed to be dictated as the next target on the list of names found at Avery's were under constant surveillance, and the Charms unit had cast strong magical wards around them to alert Auror Douglas' unit if anything were to happen.

The cherry on the top of her sundae was that she and Draco had been asked to assist with other cases around the department. As the weather became warmer, the crime rate rose along with it, leaving the Ministry's crime departments in chaos. So while their case was at a temporary stand-still, they were out and about giving tickets and untangling mud-brained hooligans. It was as if she had gone back in time to when she had first started.

Harry was another problem; he didn't seem to understand what she meant by 'slow'. He was owling her daily and popping over to her flat when she was exhausted after a long day at work. She had explained to him that she was just busy and didn't have time to go on dates right now. He hadn't been happy about it, but had finally seemed to back off slightly. They hadn't seen each other for more than a few minutes since he had brought her takeout two weeks ago, and she could tell that he was becoming aggravated.

This was the reason she had sworn off dating for so long.

Ginny and Clara ordered their food and sat at a booth beside a large window, opting to eat in. They chatted animatedly about everything and nothing before the subject led back to Clara's budding romance with Auror Longbottom.

She sighed happily. "He's wonderful! But enough about me, how are you and Harry?"

"Good, we haven't been able to see each other much lately, but we're doing fine," she responded, twirling her straw around the ice in her glass.

"What about Draco?"

"What about him? He's my partner."

"Do you still fancy him?"

"No," she denied hotly. "He's my partner. A friend, that's all."

"He doesn't think so," Clara prodded.

"You know what? Let's talk about something else. The weather has been wonderf-"

"Oh no, you can't get out of it that easily. Merlin, Gin! Haven't you seen the way he looks at you? He wants you."

"I'm not a toy to be had. Besides, people like Draco always want what they can't have," she stammered, repeating the same words she had said to Harry almost a month ago. "He's a player, remember?"

"Alright," Clara acquiesced with a shrug. "I just want to see you happy, like Neville and I are. You should never have to settle."

"I am happy, Clara. I promise. I'm just under a lot of stress right now," she mumbled, taking another bite of her naan and glancing at the clock in the corner. I'm happy, and maybe if I keep saying it… I'll start to believe it.

Draco rushed around the manor frantically, tiding up and shoving things out of sight. He missed having house elves. His butler, Gerald, was attempting to assist him, but he wasn't getting any younger and his pace was much slower than Draco's.

Everything needed to look perfect; she was coming to dinner, at his home. Oh, she had been over before, but never for dinner.

The last few weeks had been hell, and they hadn't been able to make any head-way in the case. Kingsley was keeping them so busy that they hadn't been able to even go over a new course of action. So Draco had proposed dinner at Malfoy Manor, and discussion about the case.

It would be a nice change from the office, at any rate, he had argued. If he played his cards right, the evening might end with mouths being used in an activity other than talking.

Shaking his head and clearing away such thoughts, he continued his cleaning down to the kitchen. He peeked inside, smirking as he saw his chef whipping up Ginny's favorite desert: Chocolate cheesecake.

He had been surprised when she had accepted his dinner invitation, Draco admitted to himself as he moved down the hall. She had been griping about work when he had extended the invitation.

"I wish there were more hours in a day! Then we might actually have a chance to finish all of this work," she huffed, scribbling on a sheet of parchment with a quill held tightly between ink stained fingertips. "I'm exhausted." She moaned, rubbing a hand over her face and trailing steaks of purple ink down her pale skin.

He laughed at her lightly and she scowled. "You're such a whiner."

"I am not," she moped.

"Are too. You're a whiner and a downright mess."

"What?"

"Ink," he said simply, pointing at his own cheek.

"Damn it." She sighed, scrubbing roughly at her cheek with her palm. "I need a vacation," she said at last, laying her head down on her desk tiredly.

"You need to get better sleep," he retorted pointedly.

"Bah. I'll sleep when the case is over."

"It's never going to end if we don't have enough time to work on it."

"Or get a new lead," Ginny added heavily.

He watched her for a moment, his lips pursed in consideration. "Why don't we have dinner at the Manor tonight? We could eat and go over the case, try to puzzle it out," he proposed.

It had taken some convincing, but she had finally given in. No one could ever say that the Slytherin cunning wasn't good for something.

He distantly heard the sound of the knocker being slammed against the door and he rushed to the front hall, slicking his hair back with a hand before turning the handle and opening the door. His mouth fell open slightly. His first thought was that the person standing in front of his home was most definitely not his red headed partner. This visitor was male, with cinnamon colored skin, hazel eyes, and raven hair. His teeth were paper white and his smile stood out brightly against his dark features.

"Blaise," he said dumbly.

"Merlin's beard, it's been a long time, mate!" the dark man said happily, wrapping Draco up in a tight hug and lifting him slightly off of the ground.

Snapping out of it, Draco hugged him back, slapping him on the back raucously. "Blaise Zabini!" he said joyously, as Gerald closed the door behind the two men.

"Draco Malfoy! Let me look at you," he said, holding his friend at arms length and pretending to peruse him critically. "You've gotten old, my friend," he said at last, and Draco laughed, slapping his back again.

"Come with me to the study! This calls for a drink," Draco said, pushing the other man towards a room to the side. "How long has it been?"

"Six long months," Blaise answered, taking the drink that was offered to him.

Draco whistled long and loud. "What brings you all the way from America?"

"Work… And I wanted to see my best mate. How's the magical world fairing without my beautiful face to brighten it?" Blaise asked playfully and Draco laughed.

They didn't see each other often, but when they did, it was as though no time had passed. They were like brothers, sliding into old jokes and nuances, enjoying the familiarity.Everything was forgotten, time, place, and circumstances falling to the way side with his friend's presence. Very few people could make him feel so at ease by just being there.

That is why it came as such a surprise when a fireball in the shape of his work partner came careening through the door, her wand drawn and at the ready. She let the papers that she had been carrying fall from her arm and they floated to the floor around her.

It all seemed to happen in slow motion. Draco followed the length of Ginny's wand with his eyes, trailing down to its point and over to the dark skinned man at whom it was pointed. Her grip was white knuckled on the wood, and he could feel her magic pulse around her.

She waved her wand slowly, her lips curving into the beginnings of a verbal spell.

"Wait!" he shouted, leaping forward.

"Petrificus Totalus!" Time sped up again as Blaise froze in place, teetering slightly before crashing woodenly to the floor.

"Wait," Draco said again, looking helplessly from his partner to his prone friend and back again. He cringed slightly; she looked ready to explode. Her face was beet red and her left hand was situated on her hip, her other hand still holding his friend at wand-point.

"Care to explain why there is a wanted Death Eater in your home?!" she rumbled, her voice promising pain.

A/N: not sure if Incendio would work outside of a grate or not, so we'll just pretend. Also, if it isn't already painfully obvious, I am not a resident of the UK and have never even traveled there (but I want to desperately) so any and all information regarding English culture/popular cuisine was found on the internet. I am also not a criminal justice major so mistakes in the way of the investigation may be apparent. :o(

I'm trying my best, and have researched as much as I can.

I know this chapter was a little choppy, but I have a lot of loose ends that need tying. Hope you like Dolohov!

naan is a delicious pita-like Indian bread. It is amazing! I recommend it whole-heartedly. Especially keema naan (meat and spice filled naan) with a little bit of curry sauce, one of my favorite foods.