Chapter 4

What to do with you

Scarlet streaks illuminated the early morning sky as Draco shifted in the small chair he had placed next to the bed and gingerly got to his feet. Highlights from last night's disastrous adventures flashed before his eyes. There was one scene that replayed over and over. The sight of a bound Ginny writhing in excruciating pain would be forever ingrained in his mind. He could still see Ginny's innocent face turn from rage and anger to unspeakable pain. He hadn't really thought of the repercussions of his actions until it had already been too late. There was nothing he could do at that point besides continue on his impetuous course. It went totally against his upbringing to put anyone else's welfare first, but Ginny was different, special, and there was no way he would allow a slag like Pansy to destroy her. He just wanted her pain to stop. That's what he continued to tell himself anyway. He knew it went deeper, his subconscious whispered foreign, forgotten emotions, but he didn't want to look too intensely lest he forget his original focus. She had information he wanted, and he was going to get it.

The incredible pain inflicted by Pansy proved too much for Ginny's body to handle, and she had doubled over unconscious almost immediately after portkeying into the bedroom of his secret hideaway. He had quickly changed her into a pair of soft pajamas and settled her gently under the starched white sheets. With a few quick spells, he repaired the damage done by Pansy's torture. For the rest of the night, Draco sat at her bedside just watched her sleep. After so many years of dreaming of her, only being able to see her in person from afar, this was indeed a delicious treat. Her signature red hair spilled out in waves cross the white pillow, he itched to run his fingers thru the silken strands, but he didn't dare get too close. He knew if he started touching her he would never want to stop. She was a temptation, so much of an attraction; he simply didn't want to take his eyes off her sweet form.

Draco was almost glad she was unconscious; he had no idea of what to say to her. How would he explain last night's lapse in judgement? It wasn't like he could just blurt his true feelings; Malfoy's weren't supposed to even have emotions. Ginny was the only person to ever elicit an overwhelming emotional response from him. All others paled in comparison to her. Many women had tried, but not a single one could make him feel the way that Ginny did. While in school, just one innocent look from her had the ability to make him harder than diamonds. There were many nights he lay in bed thinking of what it would be like to experience her soft touch on his heated body. The surprise and horror of seeing her after such a long time had left his emotions raw. He had been immersed in darkness for so long he had forgotten what it was like to see a thing of true light, a remembrance of what he used to be before his Master turned him into the soulless creature he was today.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew his Master had done this deliberately, trying to test his obedience. Obedience. Draco almost chuckled out loud at the thought. The Master knew he wasn't obedient and never would be. Was this Master's way of control? Was Ginny going to be nothing more than a pawn in this new game? He would die before he allowed any more harm to come to Ginny. The sound of rustle of sheets brought Draco's attention back to reality, back to a waking Ginny.

Ginny slowly opened her eyes; she tightened her body, anticipating the pain that she knew would flood her senses. A full thirty seconds went by but she only felt extreme weariness and slight aches and pains. She had expected to wake up and find herself still shackled in the abandoned building waiting for Parkinson to finish her off. Brushing a stray hair out of her face, she was shocked to discover her once cut and bleeding wrist now mended and healthy. Just like nothing had happened. Finally thinking to look around the room, Ginny pushed herself up to lean against the headboard. Her honey orbs rounded in astonishment as they came to rest on a certain familiar face.

"Draco." She whispered as he came closer, sitting down in a chair positioned next to the bed. Her voice came out gravelly and tired, but definitely alive. She was alive, and it was all thanks to Draco Malfoy.

Draco put up his hand indicating her to be silent as she started to speak again. "Don't ask question you don't want the answers to Weasley. Too many questions can get you killed." Fear crept into her eyes, and he immediately regretted his harshness. He hadn't needed to be gentle with anyone in so long he wasn't sure how to proceed.

"I couldn't let Pansy kill you. You have a certain clue that I want, it's as simple as that." He stated confidently, knowing full well it was a total lie. But she didn't know that.

Ginny shifted uncomfortably and stared at him with an expressionless face. She had learned to hide her emotions well over the years. She couldn't let him see that she was disappointed he had saved her only for the clue. It had been many years since she had set eyes on Draco Malfoy, but the mere sight of him still made her stomach flutter. He had changed greatly in the last five years. His facial features were more grown-up, broader, and fuller than before; he had also added at least a dozen inches in height and his once slender body boasted added muscle. The one thing that remained consistent was his silver-blond hair. In school he had let it grow long, but now it was cropped short with a stylish tousled look. In short he looked edible. Edible? Did she really think that? Her slightly naughty thoughts were interrupted by a loud POP from outside the bedroom door. Someone else was here.

Draco sprang from his chair, wand at the ready. He would protect her with his life. Moving swiftly to the door, he wrenched it open and barreled thru. There was a loud crash then shouting.

"What the bleedin fuck Draco." The intruder howled as he was pushed unceremoniously thru the bedroom door to land in a heap at the foot of the bed.

Anger ripped thru Draco as he watched Ginny cower in fear. Whoever he was, he had better have a good excuse for barging in unannounced and frightening Ginny. The intruder gingerly got to this feet and slowly brushed himself off. Draco could only stare in shock at the last person he would have ever expected to show up on his doorstep, Blaize Zambini.

Blaize Zambini was the right hand man to the Minister on Magic, Ginny's father Arthur Weasley. Blaize had started out at the beginning of the war just the same as Draco himself had. A pureblood trophy offered up to the Master of evil himself. Used as a bargaining chip to keep their powerful fathers in line. The only difference was that Zambini had enough balls to switch sides not a few months into the war, while Draco had stayed and maintained status quo. Now Blaize and Draco were equal in power and influence, they were well matched, but unknown to all they were still good friends.

"What the fucking hell are you doing here Zambini?" Draco croaked. He hadn't actually seen his friend in person for close to three years. They generally conversed using charmed parchments, a simple enchantment they both learned in nursery school.

"I came to make sure Ginny was alright, the Minister and his family are beside themselves." He explained, quickly accessing Ginny's well being. He knew Draco's secret, he knew of his friend's strong feelings for the lovely Minister's daughter. He wasn't worried for a moment that Draco would harm her in any way.

"How did you know that I had Weasley?" Darco asked suspiciously, wondering if he had inadvertently stumbled in to a trap.

"Aurors Potter and Mooney picked up Goyle Jr. and Pansy Parkinson last night outside of Seattle. They were both almost incoherent and Goyle was missing an arm. They took a team of Aurors back to an abandoned warehouse in the middle of nowhere. Want to guess what they found?" Neither Ginny nor Draco responded, so Blaize continued. "They found a goopy red mess that used to be Vince Crabb. His body was barely recognizable. According to Goyle, Voldemort was insanely furious after learning that Ginny had gotten away. Before you ask, we only knew Ginny was being held because Parkinon still had her wand on her person when she was picked up." Blaize riffled thru his robes until he pulled out a wand, Ginny's wand to be precise. He threw it across the room to her, and she caught it quickly.

"Apparently whatever plans the Dark Lord is cooking up, Ginny seems to be the key player. I just wanted to make sure she was in good hands." Blaize turned his back to Ginny and smirked at Draco. He knew damn well that Ginny was in good hands, he was just there to warn Draco that his Master knew of his duplicity in helping the enemy. The race was on to find the stone. The first one at the finish line the winner, and Draco intended to be the winner.

"I would guard her with my life." Draco whispered as Blaize made for the door to leave. Ginny sprang from the bed, intending to go with Blaize.

"Wait for me. You need to get me out of here." Ginny cried desperately, looking frantic as Blaize disappeared without a backward glance.

Draco seize the opportunity and quickly took possession of Ginny's newly acquired want. She looked on with shock and fear, not knowing how to react or respond.

"You're not going anywhere Princess unless it's with me." Draco said with a grin. "You're mine now."