Wow. It's been a long time, dears, and I apologize. I didn't get my 40 reviews but that's okay, because I felt a bit guilty for not updating sooner. Let's see, I got lazy. And during spring break, I was in the great land of Spain for 10 days and I got back just a week or so ago. Then, I went thru this stage where I could barely form a good sentence. But I'm out of my slump, so here goes chapter 10!
P.S. I will be changing the title of the story in a few chapters. So, if it changes…then…well…now you know.
Chapter Ten—No Heroes
It was about halfway through October, and Ginny felt as if her life had brightened exponentially. She was doing great in all of her classes, even Potions. Snape had decided to switch around some partners, claiming that they were 'unbalanced.' Ginny couldn't complain, however, because now she gets to work with Blaise, who had become her closest friend. A lot of people had speculated that they were together, but their relationship was purely platonic.
As for Draco, he felt as if his life had not improved at all. Ever since he got his father's letter, his attitude had become even more bitter than usual. The memory of him actually punching a guy for the littlest Weasley only added to his pessimism. Since that day, she had tried to talk to Draco, but he would just brush her off.
On a Friday about a week before Halloween, Draco was out late doing his Head Boy rounds. He went up to the Astronomy Tower to make sure that it was clear. He pushed open the door at the top and stopped dead when he saw an unexpected guest.
His father.
Lucius Malfoy was standing close to the window and the moon reflected off of his silvery-blonde hair. Draco stared at his mirror-image father with contempt. "Father," he spat, "what are you doing here?"
"Do not take that tone with me, boy. You never answered my letter from last month." Lucius sneered at his son.
"It's not as if you would take my answer into consideration. I still stand where I did last summer," Draco answered him boldly.
"Is that so?" Lucius asked, a cruel smirk growing on his face. "Well, then I'll just have to change your mind. Crucio!" Lucius cast the curse at Draco.
Draco felt as if his nerve endings were on fire. White hot knives were penetrating every fiber of his being. He fell to his knees in pain and managed to maintain consciousness throughout the ordeal. It had been a while since Lucius had cast the Cruciatus curse on him, but he usually ended up passed out. Draco took his full consciousness as a good sign.
Lucius released the curse and Draco panted and wiped sweat from his forehead. He would not give Lucius the satisfaction of tears.
"Think about it. You have until Christmas, and if you do not obey the Dark Lord and I, then you will be most severely punished. You will wish for death. Mark my words." Lucius flinched and then smiled. "Ah, the Dark Lord is calling. We have a rather exciting mission tonight." Lucius fled from the Astronomy Tower.
Draco gathered some energy and crawled to the window. He pulled himself up and grasped the ledge. As he looked out across the grounds, he could see a dark figure running out towards the Forbidden Forest. He guessed it was Lucius going to Apparate back to Malfoy Manor.
After some more deep breathing, Draco felt a bit better. He knew he would feel a lot of pain in the morning, but it didn't matter to him. He just wanted to go back to his private Head Boy dormitory and sleep for an eternity.
Ginny woke up Saturday morning feeling slightly melancholic. She realized that Quidditch was going to be starting soon and that means practices would be starting soon, meaning she would have to spend time with Potter. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and groaned, trying to make a decision. The verdict was that she would talk to Blaise, and that he would know what to do. He always does.
Ginny walked to the bathroom and took a relaxing shower. After she stepped out, she dried off and got dressed. She put on some jeans, actual girl jeans, and one of her sweaters with a large 'G' in the middle. It was navy blue.
With a sudden inspiration, Ginny ran back into her dormitory and started rifling through different cosmetic and fashion magazines that the other girls had left lying around. She gathered a bunch and her wand and returned to the bathroom.
Flipping through the magazines, Ginny had only one goal in mind. She wanted a new hairstyle. Her straight hair was extremely boring and she wanted something classier. She finally found a spell that could make her hair wavy. Picking up her wand, Ginny pointed it at her hair and muttered the incantation. Almost immediately, her hair came down in soft waves to the middle of her back. Ginny smiled giddily and looked for another spell to make her hair a tad bit darker. She finally found one and repeated the aforementioned process.
When Ginny was done, she placed a Permanent Charm on her hair so she wouldn't have to do it every day, even though it wasn't that difficult.
The improved Weasley girl walked down the Great Hall for breakfast, receiving two hands full of compliments on the way. She sat down near Neville Longbottom and Colin Creevey. Even though she had snubbed them earlier in the year, she apologized because she felt like they were her only Gryffindor allies, excluding members of the Golden Trio.
"Wow, Ginny," Colin exclaimed, "you look smashing!"
Ginny giggled a bit. "Thanks Colin."
"Yeah, Ginny, it looks really nice," Neville added.
Ginny smiled at him genuinely and began to eat her breakfast. Today, Ginny was going to try to talk to Draco again. She looked up at the Gryffindor table and saw that he wasn't there. Frowning, she looked to Blaise and gave him a questioning look, giving a small nod towards his empty place.
Blaise responded with a nod towards outside and a shrug. Ginny nodded and continued with her meal.
After breakfast, she went outside to see if Draco was out there. Indeed, he was. The Slytherin boy was sitting under the tree on the side of the lake, one of Ginny's favorite places in all of Hogwarts.
Ginny walked up behind him and knelt beside him underneath the tree. "Beautiful, isn't it?"
He started at her voice and then regained his composure. Draco sneered, "Yeah, it's just bloody wonderful. Can I help you, Weasley?"
"No, I expect not. I just wanted to talk, that's all," Ginny answered sincerely.
"Well, I don't want to talk to you, so get a move on," Draco answered, staring at the lake the entire time.
Ginny scoffed, "'Get a move on?' I think not, Malfoy. I happen to like this spot very much and I'm not going to give it up for an insufferable jerk like you."
Draco pretended to look hurt. "What? I thought I was such a, what was it? Great guy." Draco recited her words from a few weeks ago.
"I withdraw that statement."
"You can't do that."
Ginny started to get angry. "I just did. Anyways, it's not as if you really are or anything. I mean, you were nice to me, and then you treat me with disdain all of a sudden. I'm just trying to talk to you! First, you were nice to me in the Hospital Wing, and then you punched Harvey because of what he did to me! How am I supposed to take that?" Ginny was yelling by now.
Draco was quick with his answer. "You're right. I punched him for what he did to you, but I would still punch him if he did it to anyone else, so don't think that you're some special case." She looked ready to interrupt him when he started again. "Ginny," she looked surprised at hearing her first name from him, even if he had used it before, "you can't think of me as some sort of hero because I punched some guy. You've been having a lot of trouble this year and I know that I've helped you a lot. But I'm not always going to be there every time Potter bothers you or Harvey is a jackass. I don't know what you're expectations of me are, but I'm not going to be you're bloody knight in shining armor whenever something like that happens again! I'm not a hero!"
Ginny looked at him incredulously. "Is that what you think? I don't want a hero! You hear me? I don't want a knight in shining armor, okay?! I just…I don't know what I want from you!"
Draco looked a tad shocked, but, once again, he covered it quickly. He sighed exasperatedly. "I don't know what you could possibly want from me either."
Ginny stood up to leave and so did Draco. "Listen, Draco, I'm sorry. I won't bother you again." She turned around to leave but he caught her arm.
He sighed again. "No, Ginny, don't be sorry."
"Get your hands off of her, Malfoy." They both looked over to see none other than Harry Bloody Potter standing there. Draco didn't release the hold on Ginny's arm. "I said, leave her alone."
Draco started, "Just who the hell do you think—" Ginny cut him off with a look.
"No heroes," she whispered. She whipped around and faced Harry. She took a deep breath, "Potter, I don't know who you think you are, but you have absolutely no right to talk to me. I don't care that you and Draco hate each other, because I happen to dislike you as well. We were having a conversation," Ginny stopped, laughing mirthlessly. "Wait, why do I even have to explain this to you? I don't know when you're ever going to get it. I'm not going to forgive you. So please, just leave me alone."
Harry looked hurt, and Ginny was getting tired of it. "Ginny, I'm sorry, it's just…it's…Malfoy and I can't stand him talking to someone I care abo—" He was cut off when Ginny punched him right in the nose, snapping his glasses in half. He looked at her in shock.
"Don't you dare say that you care about me." Ginny hissed through clenched teeth. She stalked off, leaving a bleeding Gryffindor and an amused Slytherin.
Draco chuckled lightly and walked after her.
Ginny walked into the Entrance Hall and saw Ron standing there. Ron raised an eyebrow at her. "New look, Ginny? It looks nice." He told her with a smile.
Ginny tried to smile back. "Thanks, Ron."
"Hey, what's wrong? You seem…tense."
Ginny rolled her eyes. "Just that bloody friend of yours. I swear if he doesn't leave me alone, he's going to regret even more than he probably does right now."
"Why, what happened?" Ron's eyes were filled with concern for his friend's, as well as his sister's, well-being.
Before Ginny could answer, McGonagall strode towards them. "Miss Weasley, Master Weasley, please follow me to the Headmaster's Office." Ron opened his mouth. "No questions just follow me."
Ginny was worried about the look on McGonagall's face. When they reached the gargoyle, McGonagall recited the password and a spiraling staircase appeared. All three climbed onto it until they reached the door the Professor Dumbledore's office. They walked in and Ginny noticed that Dumbledore looked very grim.
"Miss Weasley, Master Weasley, please have a seat." The two siblings sat down in chairs facing Dumbledore's desk and McGonagall went to stand next to where the Headmaster was seated. "I'm afraid I have some terrible news. It pains me to have to carry on the news to you children. You see, there was a Death Eater attack last night…"
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A/N: well, i hope it's a cliffhanger. not a terribly great chapter. that whole knight/hero bit was written during my algebra 2 accelerated (i know, shoot me now) class this morning at about seven thirty. so i guess parabolas are a root for inspiration? god, i hope not.
reviews please :D