Title: Call Me Ginevra

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I don't own any characters except those you can't research on the lexicon and aren't mentioned in the books. The plot is my own. Any resemblances to other plots are pure coincidence. Think about it this way, great minds think alike.

Full Summary: The war has the Weasley's worried about poor little Ginny. After checking her resources McGonagall claims she has the best caretaker for Ginny. Too bad it turns out to be Narcissa Malfoy. While at Malfoy Manor Ginny faces growing up, a strict regiment and Draco on a day-to-day basis. Can Ginny and Draco brave the unknowns of friendship? Will the buds of relationship form? What will Harry do when he finds out that only Ginny holds the key to defeating Voldemort?

Pairings: Draco/Ginny (I guess this sort of answers the "buds of relationship" question in the summary, huh?)

Rating: Eventually M, but pace yourself. (I will give fare warning of the chapters which that rating applies.)

Chapter Note: This chapter is extremely important to the story. There is quite a bit of this chapter that is NOT dialogue but trust me, there is more meat in those parts than the speaking ones. Please take your time to read what I have written and don't just skim (like I know I'm guilty of).

Author's Note: This chapter was a bit late getting up because of a lot of things, I got sick and am actually STILL sick. I had to deal with the Xmas holidays during which I spend time at my moms no internet. There were a lot of things I wanted to throw in this chapter and I wouldn't let it be posted until I was sure this chapter was the way I wanted it to be. With that said…:

Chapter Sixteen: Call Me Ginevra

-D-

Valentine's Ball was eventful in the most terrible way. First Mr. Zabini got me in a dance with him and started asking me about Blaise from my coronation ball. Then I had to dance with a bunch of your father's friends. I was getting something to drink when Blaise cornered me but your father actually pulled him off. Don't worry, I wasn't hurt or anything. He grabbed my arms harshly and I've got some bruising but nothing terrible.

Draco it was the strangest thing having your father of all people rescue me. I was at a loss of whether to thank him or run from him. He even said I was a Malfoy while in the Manor!

That was the worst of the night though. I missed you terribly, you would've loved my dress. I think of you everyday. I hope time flies between now and when you can leave so I can see you very soon.

Stay safe for me.

Ginny paused. She didn't know if she had the heart to write what was next. She wanted to confess her undying love for him but she wasn't sure if she really could without feeling like a fool. Even though Draco seemed to feel the same way, she wouldn't bet on it. He had been known to wear masks to achieve what he wanted.

She shook her head. She had tried her best to distill all previous memories of Draco from school but she only been mildly successful. The reminder that Draco had once so vigorously put worlds between them was just too strong. There were times now that he was gone that she wondered whether he was using her in America, if she really had been a fool.

Of course, like this time, she had to push those thoughts out of her mind as best she could. Nothing could tear them apart besides each other.

With one last groping for courage, she pressed her quill to her letter.

Stay safe for me. I love you.

Yours always,

-G-

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Sighing, Ginny turned the page in the book she was reading and finished up the sentence she was on before closing it. Rubbing her eye she looked over at Narcissa who was penning something at her desk. Things had started to go minute by minute after the Valentine's Day ball. First, after hearing about what had happened between Ginny and the Zabini's, Narcissa apologized profusely for letting Mr. Zabini dance with Ginny. Narcissa did explain, however, that because Ginny was a socialite now that she was responsible for keeping up appearances for the Malfoys just like Narcissa was.

Ginny insisted she understood this. It was still creepy though, to dance with Crabbe's father.

She wondered sometimes, whether it was worth it to be this socialite, to have come to live in Malfoy manor all for her own security. Had she really been that much more secure? She had almost been raped, she had been attacked again, and she was living in the same house as Lucius Malfoy. How much safer was she than if she had lived with her parents?

Then again, had she stayed with her parents she would've had to stay inside the house at all times. Being with the Malfoys was entirely different. Narcissa had told her that everyone assumed that her parents were dead and that she had realized the reach and power of the Dark Lord and succumbed to his inevitable rule. This was the farce she had to maintain while living under the house. If anyone at the balls asked her about her opinions she had been previously instructed to say that she had neither received the honor or the privilege of any information to talk about and leave it at that.

She hated knowing that every time she saw someone she would be introduced as a Malfoy and as a Dark Lord supporter when she wasn't, but now wasn't the time to pick and choose how her life would be. Now was the time to preserve what life she had anyway she could.

She set the book she had been reading down on the table and Narcissa looked up above her glasses from what she was doing. She had been well informed on Ginny's disgruntlement about Draco being sent off. They shared the utter loathing of their similar situations and because Narcissa loved Ginny as her own daughter, she had no problems at all with Ginny and Draco being in a relationship. Lucius, however, was a different story entirely.

Narcissa and Draco had both mentioned before how unruly he became when things didn't go as he had planned. And Draco was supposed to marry Pansy in his eyes. Ginny was not part of the plan. Now that she had been thrust into the world of the Malfoys, Lucius had yet to shape her future for her. She was grateful, since her time at the Manor would hopefully prove short but not having a plan in Lucius' mind was far worse.

Setting down her quill, Narcissa took of her half-moon glasses. "Let's go for a walk." She stated, and stood from her chair gracefully.

Ginny looked up from where she was staring at her book and both of her eyebrows rose. Nodding, she stood and followed Narcissa out of the room. They walked across the foyer into the living room where the furniture had been chosen in dark woods and uncomfortably overly-stuffed seats. Ginny ran her fingertip along the leather upholstery of a nearby chair. She was shaken from her thoughts when Narcissa cleared her throat.

"I know I've given you a rather informal tour of the Manor, but I think you'd be interested in our artifacts that I didn't point out the first time around." Ginny nodded and followed Narcissa through the room until they were in front of the fireplace. Above the fireplace were different vases or the like. Narcissa explained that they had been handed down by Lucius' mother at the wedding.

Ginny didn't know Lucius had a mother.

Really, she thought it was quite odd, how could she not have thought at least once in the past about Draco's grandparents? But the truth of it was she didn't really think of Lucius' side of the family much. In fact, if Narcissa would have told her that Lucius had just popped into existence one day Ginny wouldn't have thought twice about it.

Looking them over she could tell they had been made by a master of whatever material they were made out of. It couldn't be porcelain; there were small pores in the thick walls of the pottery. Earthenware? It didn't strike her as a very Malfoy staple in the home, but thought it best to ignore that.

Narcissa brought her around to the small table by the entrance to the formal dining room. On top were ancient volumes in different languages. Ginny guessed they were there to show off, although upon consideration she wasn't sure. There were photos of houses in some sort of hilly countryside. Ginny wouldn't put it past the Malfoys to brag about other homes. Well, she said the Malfoys, she meant Lucius.

-----------------

Narcissa had lead her around the manor and by the time they were done and back at the entryway Ginny had seen everything from family portraits to Goblin made weaponry. Ginny had welcomed this distraction from her thoughts with open arms and hadn't spent a second dwelling on her worries over Draco.

She Narcissa often took to reading or other busy work to keep her mind off things that would do her no good to think about. She had told Ginny once that worrying over things was for those with the power to do something about it. Sadly, Narcissa lacked the power and therefore the necessity to worry over such things. Ginny did too, and so when Narcissa brought her around floor by floor, room by room, to each and every artifact and explaining each and every detail, Ginny had been grateful.

Ginny sat down in her chair with sigh. "I had absolutely no idea there was so much history in this house." Her eyes were still wide with awe from being allowed into Narcissa's private office. There were French antiques and Asian tea sets, English wardrobes and fine works of craftsmanship with the grandfather clocks and so forth.

Taking her seat once more at her desk, Narcissa began to open up letters that owls had brought in while they were away. Ginny couldn't believe that Narcissa could possibly be so busy in the matter of a few hours but as sure as Ginny was sitting there in that seat, Narcissa had close to ten owls on her desk.

"My, my, can't leave my desk for moments of pleasure without being barraged by owls, I see." Narcissa muttered to herself as she sifted through the pile. "What's this?" She whispered with a sigh, holding an owl up with an interesting new wax seal.

Narcissa carefully opened it and Ginny watched as her face turned from slight disinterest to pleased. "Well!" She exclaimed and took her small half-moon glasses off to set them aside on her desk. "I have a dear friend in France, her name is Claire. She has a nephew named Laurent who's to be joining us for some time while he's doing business here in England." Narcissa explained. "Claire will be joining him. This will be a wonderful opportunity for you to expand your social circle to those of different cultures. You see, Claire is very prominent in French society."

Ginny nodded. Another ball, another event she would have to feign pleasure in being at. And now this Laurent? Would this be another suitor that she would have to brush off and keep from insulting? He was in fact the nephew of one of Narcissa's very close friends. Well, Narcissa knew about Draco at least. She would understand if Ginny couldn't exactly fall into the hands of some Frenchman.

Sighing she forced a smile. Narcissa seemed excited enough, maybe it wouldn't be so bad. Ginny's thoughts drifted, as they always did, to Draco…

--------------------

Ginny held out her hand and couldn't help but smile when two periwinkle blue eyes looked into Ginny's own. Claire was definitely beautiful. She had thick brown hair that curled and brushed against her back as she walked. She was shorter than Narcissa, in fact she was only barely taller than Ginny but when she walked into a room she took up all the space. She was fair-skinned and thin, her figure was that of a ballerina, very straight and lithe.

Her nephew on the other hand, was quite the opposite in build. He towered over Ginny by a good ten inches and was built like a beater. His arms were thick and muscular, his shoulders were broad, and Ginny could tell by the way he held himself that the rest of his body was probably in good shape. Had she not been with Draco, she would've found him quite attractive.

She sighed inwardly. Draco still hadn't written her back and she was sure she had doomed their relationship to failure. She had meant what she had written, but she now thought that she had written those words too early. What if he didn't feel the same? Would he break off their relationship? Would he see if he felt the same? The last time they had said those words to one another was post-coital and she wasn't prepared to hold that over his head.

Her thoughts were brought back to the foyer when Narcissa stepped beside her and extended her arm in the direction of Laurent. "Laurent," She said her voice steady and cool like Ginny knew. "This is Ginevra, she is staying with us. Ginevra, this is Laurent, Claire's nephew."

Laurent smiled and extended his hand to take Ginny's. Ginny's stomach sank. She hated this part. He would comment on how beautiful she was or how much of a pleasure it was to meet her. It made her want to vomit. Or, she considered, do something slightly more ladylike.

Ginny let him take her hand and he left a small kiss on her knuckle as they all had. "Nice to meet you." He said in his French accent. That was it.

Ginny was surprised at the feeling that burned through her stomach. That's it?

No proclamations of her goddess-like features? No declarations of her unparalleled beauty?

Ginny hated to admit it, but she was a little disappointed. Now, now, Weasley, she thought to herself as she followed Narcissa and Claire into the drawing room. Confidence and pride share a thin line, remember which side you belong on.

Sitting down on the couch beside Laurent across from Narcissa and Claire, Ginny watched with baited breath how Narcissa and Claire interacted. There was something about the way Narcissa moved and spoke around Claire, it was as if Ginny and Hermione were sitting there talking instead. Narcissa lit up, her cheeks dimpling slightly, something Ginny had never seen before. Her skin blushed slightly as she spoke of the updates in her life with Claire. Claire seemed to be reacting the same way.

Ginny wondered for a moment if there was something in the tea…

"Narcissa said you are staying here, do you go to school nearby?" Ginny was surprised to hear Laurent speak and nearly spilt the tea she had been inspecting for magical herbs moments before.

Ginny, thrown off guard, opened and closed her mouth a few times like a fish before she realized what she was doing and smiled, blushing slightly. "Uh, no. Actually, Narcissa is home-schooling me."

Laurent nodded, his lips stretching into a smile. "Aunt Claire home-schooled all of my cousins. She felt that not even Beauxbatons could rival the knowledge she could pass on to her own children."

Ginny laughed. That's exactly how Narcissa was. "Whenever Narcissa came for me, she told me what I was supposed to be learning and I sat there dumbly thinking to myself, 'well what am I supposed to do without DADA or Care of Magical Creatures'?"

Laurent chuckled and nodded in response. They continued on in superficial chatter before Ernest stepped up to the doorway and announced the dinner would be served. Ginny looked to the clock to see if it was really seven. They had been sitting in the drawing room for at least an hour talking. Laurent had kept her attention that long and they had been having a relatively good conversation.

Ginny immediately felt guilty for not thinking of Draco for so long while in the presence of another boy, but Laurent proved to be an active conversationalist. And it wasn't as if Ginny was thinking dirty thoughts about him or anything, in fact she hadn't really thought about him as a physical being since she'd first seen him.

She looked back to the group in the room and they all stood as if in chorus to leave. Narcissa lead the way followed by Claire and Laurent and Ginny at the back. They were the perfect portrait of high society.

Except they didn't have Draco.

------------------

Laughter flooded Malfoy Manor. Ginny was in wonder. Lucius had returned from his whatever it was he took two days to do, into Claire and Laurent's visit and to Ginny's surprise, he liked them both. Or rather, he tolerated them.

Narcissa and Claire were busy discussing plans for the Spring ball which had been taken hostage and turned into a celebration of Claire and Laurent's stay at the Manor. Lucius and Laurent were busy discussing things Ginny would rather not know about going on in society those days and Ginny… Well, she was thinking of Draco as usual. She drew her bottom lip between her teeth as she found herself doing when her thoughts drifted to Draco.

She stood and whispered to Narcissa that she needed to be excused. They were in the living room to the left of the foyer and it was still as stuffy as it had been during the tour Narcissa had given her. She crossed the entryway into the dining room and then took the corridor to the ballroom where she exited into the garden. She needed to be outside.

Sighing, she rubbed her arms as the cool wind brushed against her skin. Although it was spring, the air still bit and brought chills to her bones. Looking around the garden at the transformation that it had undergone to bring it from the wintry plants to the springtime floras, Ginny couldn't help the soft intake of air. Malfoy Manor, despite it being connected to Lucius Malfoy and all of the terrible things he associated himself with, was a very beautiful place.

The entire building was flooded with architectural grandeur and awe inspiring décor littered the inside. The grounds were landscaped so beautifully that Malfoy Manor could act as either a homestead or botanical garden. The inside could very well have been a museum with all the collectibles and family heirlooms. Ginny hated to admit it sometimes, though the idea was slowly growing on her, that Malfoy Manor was a place she had dreamed of coming to and being raised in.

This life, the person she was becoming, she had once feared that it would change her and morph her into another Pansy Parkinson… but she as mislead and quick to judge as she had felt those of society were doing with her. Pansy and her friends was only one small facet of this complex universe that she was now a part of.

She shivered in delight. She was now a member of this world and what was better was that thanks to Narcissa she was able to act on mostly her own terms. She didn't have to indulge the boys or girls of her age group in doing the ridiculous things she did. Of course, she found herself without any friends which made her days lonely… but with Draco there it wasn't as bad. Even when they disliked each other, their playful banter had provided some sort of escape from the monotony of the Manor. Narcissa had always tried to include Ginny in her meetings with fellow women of society.

Ginny recalled one afternoon when she and Narcissa met up with Mrs. Parkinson for tea. Mrs. Parkinson, who Ginny still didn't know the first name of, had gone on and on about Pansy being away in Beauxbatons to finish up her schooling. Narcissa had told her about home-schooling Ginny and Mrs. Parkinson had just smiled. "Well that's not way to socialize, is it?" She had asked.

Ginny had no idea what she meant outside of not having any friends; she was far from bothered with it. Narcissa on the other hand, seemed slightly perturbed by the comment. "Yes, well," She had begun. Ginny remembered the way she had slowly set down her teacup. "Sometimes it's best to filter with whom my charges socialize."

Needless to say the conversation and the entire outing ended shortly thereafter. Mrs. Parkinson found herself called away on important business and Narcissa the same.

Ginny smiled, Narcissa had always had a way with saying things so they could be interpreted either way. Narcissa had even said that Ginny, after learning which grammar to use in a sentence, could do the same just as well if not better because she was so young.

Ginny reached the fountain and sat on the edge, moving so her knee length skirt didn't skim the water and get wet. Her white skirt was quite possibly one of her favorite wardrobe pieces now. She didn't know how to explain it or what to call it, but the skirt was made up of so much fabric that if she wanted to curtsey she could hold her skirt as high as her head and it still wouldn't reveal anything above her knees.

Her legs were covered in goosebumps from the wind, her upper body shielded with a green scoop neck top. She was chilled but just couldn't bring herself to go back inside yet.

She looked down at her reflection in the water. She realized that she really had changed since being at Malfoy Manor. She hadn't noticed so much since she was around others like her… (that statement seemed odd in her mind)… but now that the time for her to visit home again was so close, she wondered how they would receive her.

Her speech was different, she didn't use slang near as much as she used to. She wasn't clumsy anymore and she had been told that she was actually very graceful. She could dance with the best of them. Most importantly, Narcissa had said, she had more self-confidence. Ginny was still stunned by her physical appearance. She was taller, slightly thinner, her hair was redder and her eyes looked more golden than hazel.

She doubted that Narcissa's teaching or any of the extravagances she had around the house could possibly change her hair color or eye color, but she wouldn't put it past the Malfoys to have found something that would.

All of a sudden she was sick to her stomach. What would her family think of her when they saw her? Would they still feel the same way about her? Would they still love her the same and treat her the same? No, they probably wouldn't treat her the same. Once Fred and George caught on to how she moved, they'd immediately start teasing her about being snooty. Ron would have a field day asking her a thousand questions about evil Draco Malfoy.

She smiled, she had better keep their relationship a secret from her family as well. It was definitely going to be a pill to swallow when they found out.

Her smile fell.

If they found out.

Draco still hadn't written her back and it had been nearly… She smiled. It had been a grand total of four days since she had written the letter and here she was expecting such a speedy reply. It usually took their letters a week at a time with travel time and the fact that Draco had to wait to write her sometimes. She shouldn't expect any different just because she had told him she loved him.

She blushed furiously. If her dire need to see him write it back wasn't enough, the physical ailments she suffered were certainly proof that from miles and miles away, her love for Draco was real and still had a strong hold on her.

Sighing she picked up a stone and dropped it into the water, watching they way the water shook and rippled. As the water settled she noticed two shadows in the reflection. It took her a split second before she realized Laurent was standing behind her. Jumping at his quiet arrival, she covered her beating heart with her hand and turned to smile apologetically up at him. "Bugger, you startled me."

Laurent chuckled and motioned to the fountain surround on which she was sitting. "May I?" He raised both eyebrows in question. Ginny nodded and settled so that she was facing away from the water behind her.

Laurent sat down beside her and leaned over, his elbows on his knees. "Sorry to have startled you." He said his French accent thick. "Narcissa asked me to find you. Said you had been gone a while." He explained.

Ginny nearly blanched. How long had she been away? "I stepped out to get some air; sometimes that living room can get a little stuffy…" She trailed off, wondering if her absence had been a big deal.

Laurent smiled and said "Narcissa said you'd probably be out here. That I should check on you to make sure you hadn't fallen into the fountain." He chuckled again.

Oh great, Ginny thought, they were making jokes at her expense while she was away. Smiling, fighting the blush that was burning beneath her skin, she turned to Laurent. "I'm a fan of the garden. It's just really peaceful out here so I come here a lot to just relax."

He smiled like he understood. "My mother loved gardens. She even dedicated an entire acre of land to a garden labyrinth."

Ginny's eyes widened like two saucers. "An entire acre? She sounds like me." She laughed.

Laurent's smile dropped. "She died two years ago."

Ginny felt entirely more awkward than she would have preferred. "I'm… I'm sorry to hear that Laurent." She patted his arm tenderly and was about to pull away when he covered her hand with his. A thousand alarms went off in her head but he merely smiled sadly.

"Please don't feel strange. I know a lot of people feel strange when I tell them. It wasn't a hard death. She died quickly and it was because of an illness. There are no open-ended questions about if she could have lived or anything. Please don't feel bad for anything." He removed his hand and his smile took a different, happier appearance. "My aunt and Narcissa are talking about this ball we have to go to."

Ginny nodded, grinning. Narcissa loved balls. Ginny figured it was some way for her to pretend that everything was all right in her world and that things truly were as magnificent as they seemed at first. "It'll be a great chance for you to meet all the women who will fawn over your good looks and all the men who will try to recruit you into their dirty companies." Ginny shrugged. "The dancing is nice, though I haven't enjoyed a ball in quite a while."

Laurent frowned. "Why is that?"

Ginny opened her mouth and shut it quickly. Laurent and Lucius had gotten fairly smug very quick and Ginny didn't know if she should trust that. After the entire fiasco with Blaise she had learned her lesson in trusting too easily the people in this new world. "There's this boy that I've been seeing recently. But he's been away on family business so he hasn't been at any of the balls." She explained delicately. Surely that wasn't a direct arrow to Draco? "And this other boy who I had tried to be with is… well…" She frowned. "Still pursuing me but in a very rough manner." She finished a little tongue-tied.

Laurent raised his eyebrows. "Do Narcissa and Lucius know about this?"

Ginny nodded. "In fact at our last ball, Valentine's Ball, he cornered me and Lucius nearly ripped his head off. I've never been so grateful for Lucius than at that moment…"

"This other boy," Laurent continued. "Will he be back for this ball coming up? Or no?"

Ginny shook her head. "No, he's not due back for a while. This business trip is overseas and he has a lot of new people to meet."

Laurent nodded. "Well, I believe you and I in a way will be in the same boat." He began tapping his foot. "You see I was once with this girl but she broke my heart. Do not tell, but that is one of the reasons I am here. She ended our relationship very quickly, without a goodbye, and ran off to some place in South America with her lover."

Ginny's eyebrows nearly disappeared in her hairline. "No! How terrible, I'm so sorry Laurent."

He shook his head. "Please call me Ren, everyone who is a friend does." He smiled. "What name do you prefer?"

Ginny was about to tell him to call her by Ginny but she stopped. Was she really Ginny anymore? Ginny was the girl who followed Harry Potter around and played pranks with Fred and George. Ginny was the girl who hated Draco Malfoy and everything he stood for, was the girl who tripped over her own feet and didn't know anything but good and evil. No, no she wasn't Ginny anymore.

She smiled. "Call me Ginevra."

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Ginny chewed on the skin beside her thumbnail. It had been nearly two weeks since she had sent her last letter to Draco and she was still waiting for his reply. This was most unlike him. As he had said, punctuality was a Malfoy's best friend. But this Malfoy, it seemed, was finding it hard to reply to her. She groaned into her hands as she collapsed on her desk littered with papers for the Spring ball that was to commence the following evening. She had made a huge mistake.

She shouldn't have opened her mouth. Or her hand. Or, however she could possibly ration sensibly that writing to him that she loved him was quite assuredly the worst idea she ever had.

Finding it harder to sit still and wait for her world to come crashing down around her, Ginny gathered up her resolve and darted from her bedroom to see Narcissa. If there was anyone who could tell her how to right the whirling winds of chaos around her it would be Narcissa. She was halfway down the stairs to ask the woman about what would be the best course of action when a piece of paper fell on the step in front of her.

Looking up, Ginny saw the familiar owl that belonged to Draco soaring through the vaults of the ceiling and disappear down a hallway. Grabbing up the letter, she made a turn and headed back for her room. All the while she was ripping at the cord tied around the note so that when in the haven of her room she would be able to read the note as soon as possible.

She turned into her room and slammed the door shut behind her. Tossing the tie aside she skidded to a halt in front of her bed and unraveled the paper so she could read the words on it.

-G-

I can't do this anymore. I just can't. I'm sorry but I can't let myself lead you on. I don't love you Ginny and I can't let you believe I do anymore. It would never work out between us. You're a Weasley and I'm a Malfoy and there's no way that we could change that.

Please don't write back because I won't return any messages. I think it would be best if we just pretend none of this has ever happened. It would be easier for the both of us.

I should let you know that I've found someone. You'll meet her when I get back. Don't make this harder than it has to be.

-D-

Ginny didn't notice her hands trembling, didn't notice the tears sliding down her cheeks leaving trails of heat in their wake, didn't notice that she had fallen to her knees until she was nearly pressing her forehead onto the cool wooden floor.