Summary: Ginny returns to Hogwarts for her seventh year and is surprised to find a hollow and broken Draco Malfoy. Ginny is determined to save a lost soul, even if he doesn't want to be saved.
AN: I know this story is starting slow, but please bare with me while I get all my ideas onto paper and into my laptop. I write so much better when I write it by hand first…don't know why but it works for me even though it's twice the work. *laughs*
Breaking the Silence
Chapter 2
Ginny woke Saturday morning with a very determined attitude. Completely forgetting her homework, Ginny showered, dressed and hurried to the Great Hall in hopes of running into Malfoy. She was still unsure how she was going to accomplish her mission; it wasn't like she was befriending a new student or something. This was Draco Malfoy, someone who had been the archenemy of her brothers and friends for seven years. This stewed inn Ginny's mind for a while and slowly made her realize how crazy she was for even thinking about attempting Luna's idea. This was going to blow up in her face like her last attempt at a love potion. And of course, as she entered the hall, her eyes immediately scanning the Slytherin table, Malfoy was nowhere in sight. She sat at the Gryffindor table and not long after, Luna joined her, with her normal dazed expression.
"Good morning." She said brightly.
"Morning." Ginny replied, her brain working furiously on the task at hand.
"You look like you're thinking hard about something." Luna pointed out the obvious. "Maybe I could be of some help."
Ginny mock glared at her friend. "It's your fault my brain is overworking itself this morning anyhow. So yes, please, be of some assistance if you don't mind."
"Oh." Luna piped up. "Are you talking about trying to befriend Malfoy?"
"Yes, I am." Ginny sighed and looked down at her still empty plate. "I have no clue how to start."
Luna shrugged and watched as Ginny piled eggs and sausage onto her plate and dug in. "Well, where do you suppose you would find Malfoy on a day like today?"
Ginny stopped eating and thought, looking at the Slytherin table where Malfoy still wasn't sitting. "I don't know." She admitted. "I've no clue what Malfoy does on his Saturdays."
Luna chewed on a piece of toast in thought. She swallowed and stared into space for a bit while Ginny furrowed her eyes in thought.
"Oh!" Luna said, her eyes wide. "Slytherin Quidditch tryouts are today."
Ginny perked up. This was good, Malfoy was always on the team, she was sure he'd be down at the pitch. He was probably Captain of the team this year anyhow, he'd have to be there. Then Luna killed her excitement.
"But, will he even be there? I mean, he hasn't been his self, has he?"
Ginny shrugged. "I supposed we could go and find out."
After finishing breakfast, Ginny and Luna learned that the tryouts for the Slytherin Quidditch team had already began so they hurried down to the Quidditch pitch and scanned the crowd for Malfoy.
"There." Luna pointed at the tip top of the Slytherin stands where Draco sat alone in the corner just watching.
"Good Luck." Luna smiled and started walking away.
"Aren't you coming?" Ginny started to panic. "I can't go up there by myself…with all of those Slytherins."
Luna shrugged and motioned for Ginny to lead the way.
"Besides." Ginny rationalized. "Two friends are even better than one."
They made their way to the Slytherin stands and then up the stairs to the very top. Ginny gave a sheepish smile in return to the glares and angry looks they were receiving from the Slytherins. It wasn't every day a Ravenclaw and a Gryffindor joined the Slytherins on their turf.
Ginny spotted Malfoy and headed for him. When he saw her coming, he rolled his eyes as she and Luna sat down, giving him a wide berth of space.
"And to what do I owe the pleasure of your company?" Draco drawled as he propped his legs upon the bench below him and looked out at the pitch in disinterest. Then he added as an after though, "Again."
Ginny shrugged as she moved around uncomfortably on the bench. "You looked like you could use some company." Ginny looked to Luna for help.
Luna looked around Ginny at Malfoy curiously. "Why aren't you out there? Don't you still play?"
He lazily looked in their direction and sighed in annoyance. "Not this year."
Ginny's brow furrowed and she wondered what was going on with him. "But why not?" Ginny asked and then she decided to play his ego. "You're the best seeker Slytherin house has seen in nearly fifty years."
Draco cocked his brow and nearly smirked at the lie. "Really?" This did catch his attention and he decided to play along.
"Really!" Ginny turned back to Malfoy and scooted over a few inches closer to him. He saw this and looked at her close proximity with distaste, then he recovered quickly and looked her full I the face as she continued.
"I mean…you should be Captain, shouldn't you? They haven't won a game since you were on the team."
Draco rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to the Quidditch pitch. "They haven't played a game since my sixth year, Weaslette. What are you playing at?"
"Oh." Ginny's shoulders fell and she looked out at the pitch. "Well maybe it's just my personal opinion about the whole seeker thing. But…otherwise, I'm not playing at anything Malfoy. I'm simply making conversation."
"And why am I suddenly the victim of your pointless ramblings?"
Ginny shrugged. "Like I said, you looked like you could use some company."
"You're wrong, Weasley." He said and then looked in her general direction. "Even Looney got the hint."
Ginny looked bemused and turned to see a retreating Luna. Ginny growled and mumbled under her breath and this amused Draco. Ginny looked back at him, suddenly aware they were now very alone once again. "Well I'm not giving in until I see you out on that pitch."
Draco looked surprised. "So you're saying if I try out for Quidditch, you will leave me alone?"
Ginny gave him a curt nod and crossed her arms stubbornly. Draco tried his best to hide his amusement before standing and passing in front of Ginny.
"Where are you going?"
Draco rolled his eyes. "Going to get my uniform."
Ginny perked up as she stood and watched Draco descend the stairs and walk over to where they had the uniforms. Ginny glared at him as they handed him his uniform and as he walked away he looked back at Ginny and winked. Ginny continued to glare as he left the pitch.
Ginny spent the rest of Saturday and most of Sunday doing her homework. By time she had showered and made it down for breakfast Monday morning, she was simply exhausted. She had only gotten three or four hours of sleep and it was going to be a very long day.
"Did you even sleep?" Collin asked as he joined her before class.
Ginny looked at his groggily and just groaned before laying her head on her arms. "Wake me up when it's time for potions."
Collin laughed. "It's double potions and it's time. Come on."
Ginny groaned again, grabbing her bag and following Collin to the dungeons and to professor Slughorn's class. With a sigh, Ginny fell into the first seat she came to while Collin went up front to sit with his crush, Shelby. With a roll of her eyes Ginny crossed her arms atop her table and laid her head on them waiting for Slughorn to quiet the class and begin the lesson. Ginny didn't realize she had fallen asleep until she heard the scraping of the chair next to her as someone sat down. As Ginny lifted her head she heard Slughorn talking; he had already begun his lesson for today. Ginny sat up in her chair, not paying attention to who had sat down beside her. With a frustrated sigh she bent down to dig through her bad and find her potions book, some parchment, a quill and some ink. She dropped her potions book on the table and went back for everything else. Beside her, Draco Malfoy watched with a very amused expression on his face.
"What in bloody hell are you doing over there, Weaslette?"
Ginny sat up abruptly and face him, her eyes wide. Then she frowned in confusion.
"Where did you come from?"
Draco rolled his eyes and looked up at Slughorn who was still chattering away, completely oblivious to them. "Didn't your parents ever teach you about the birds and the bees?" He had to resist a smirk at the horrified look Ginny gave him.
Ginny shook her head. "Maybe so, but I don't think that's a conversation I will be having with you." Then she continued. "And what possessed you to sit here? Surely there's another empty seat around." Ginny looked around the classroom, pretending to look for another seat. Really, she was thanking the Gods for her luck. Another chance to find out what was up with Malfoy.
"Well I thought I'd make it easier for you to annoy me." Draco cocked a brow in Ginny's direction.
Ginny shook her head. "I wasn't trying to annoy you. I made my intentions very clear. I was simply—"
"Yeah, yeah, I know." Draco cut her off. "Keeping me company." He sighed and turned his attention back to Slughorn.
Ginny watched him from the corner of her eye. He leaned back in his chair, arms crossed over his chest, staring into space.
She watched him with concern, trying to think of something to start a conversation. But she didn't have time to say anything as he turned his head in her direction, his brows raised in question.
"Get on with it, Weaslette."
Ginny gave him a furrowed look. "What do you mean?"
"We both know you have some inane question for me, so get on with it. I only have enough tolerance for one question, so make it a good one."
Ginny's eyes were wide. She hadn't expected that. She watched as he continued to stare forward, pretending to pay attention. Ginny searched her mind, trying to think what she wanted to ask. Finally, she went with a very simple inquiry.
She looked concerned when she asked. "Are you okay?"
Draco looked taken aback. "Pardon me?"
Ginny shrugged. "I was just curious. I mean, I'm pretty sure you're not okay. I guess what I'm trying to ask is…what's wrong? Like I said the other night, you're different. Almost…lonely or…sad."
Draco listened as she rambled on, considering what she was saying. Was he really that different? And what did that have to do with her? Why did she care? It's not like they were friends…or even acquaintances. Draco decided on his reply.
"Why do you care, Weasley?"
Finny frowned in thought. "Well…I don't know." She thought for another moment. Why do I care? This is Malfoy. He wouldn't care if he saw me diving head first off the Astronomy Tower, so why am I wasting my valuable time worrying about him? "I just do." She finally said.
Draco eyed her and her innocent brown eyes, searching his, full of concern. She was just a young, naïve girl with concern for others. She couldn't help but be curious about him, or anyone else for that matter.
"Well I haven't exactly had it easy the last few months Weasley." He was glaring all of a sudden. "My father's in prison, my mother's shut down and doped up all the time and now I've been forced to return to the pathetic excuse for a school where I have no friends and no one that gives a shit anymore."
Ginny's eyes were wide with concern as he finished. Neither of them had realized anyone else was paying attention to them until he looked up and the entire class was staring, including professor Slughorn. Draco growled in irritation, grabbed his bag and fled the dungeons, slamming the door. Ginny stared after him in the awkward silence of the class and without thinking, she gathered her things and followed suit.
