Ok. Here's Chapter 4. I'm sorry that it wasn't up yesterday. Have any of the other authors out there had trouble with the Doc Manager Uploader? Mine kept saying I had to login to use it yesterday. Even when I WAS logged in. That's why this chapter is late. Either way it's fixed now so enjoy. Read and review please.
-SilverSlytherinWitch
Draco and Hermione arrived just in time to see Theo toss Astoria over his shoulder and disappear around the corner. Pansy was standing next to Blaise giggling from something that he had just said while Ginny stood to one side with her arms crossed. Hermione smiled at her best girl friend walking over to give her a hug.
"Thank you for coming to stay with me," Hermione whispered, "it's nice to have someone I can trust around."
Pansy snorted, "It's not like we're going to knife you in your sleep Granger."
Hermione shrugged, "You can never be too careful. I'm sure you'd be the same way if the situation was reversed."
"No I wouldn't," Pansy replied flatly, "because I'd be dead."
"Ok then," Blaise stepped in, "I think everyone needs to get some sleep. After the confrontation with Potter we're all on edge. Right Drake?"
Draco nodded, "I'll show Hermione and Ginny to their rooms. You two head to bed."
Pansy immediately spun around and stomped off. Blaise gave Draco a look before grinning at both girls and heading after Pansy down the hall. Ginny's eyes followed him as he jogged up the staircase at the end of the hall and disappeared with a wave. Hermione's shoulders slumped and she indicated for Draco to lead the way to her room. He smiled slightly and took off down the corridor in the opposite direction that everyone else had gone. Hermione frowned but followed anyway with Ginny in step beside her.
The corridor was dark but decorated with green wallpaper that had silver vines weaving through it. The vines caught the light from Draco's wand and flashed every now and then. Hermione thought they were beautiful and reached out to touch one. She gasped slightly as Draco grabbed her wrist and pulled her away from them.
"Poisonous," He mumbled continuing down the corridor.
Hermione frowned, "Poisonous? How?"
"The venom attacks the blood of non-Malfoys unless specifically told not to." Draco explained, "This house was designed so that no enemy could escape it."
"Good to know," Ginny whispered while shivering slightly.
"Don't worry," Draco smirked, "It shouldn't hurt you. For now."
"That's not comforting Malfoy." Ginny snapped walking in the exact middle of the corridor while eyeing the walls cautiously.
Draco chuckled darkly and leaned over to open a door on the right, "This is your room. I expected you would want to share with each other. Besides, it's not like it isn't big enough."
The room held two queen sized canopy beds. One was deep red and the other gold. The cherry wood furniture consisted of dressers, a bookshelf, and a desk. A huge walk in closet stood open in one corner and a door to the adjourning bathroom stood ajar across the room. Hermione took back her earlier statement. This was the most Gryffindor room in Malfoy Manor. She couldn't believe the her eyes. The wealth this family had was unbelievable.
Hermione's jaw dropped, "Oh my goodness. It's beautiful."
"Oh Hermione don't be dramatic." Ginny said rolling her eyes, "It's not that pretty."
"Why thank you for the compliment Weasley. If this doesn't suffice I'm sure the dungeons would be very welcoming." Draco sneered, "I'll see you both tomorrow. Astoria will probably be the one to wake you."
"Thanks Draco," Hermione sighed flopping onto the red bed, "We appreciate it."
"I'm two doors down on the right." Draco nodded shutting the door as he left.
Ginny sighed jumping onto the gold bed, "Well at least we get pampered since we have to deal with Slytherins all the time."
Hermione yawned, "Yeah. I guess we'll see what tomorrow brings."
Ginny nodded kicking off her shoes and rolling over, "Can't wait."
Hermione sighed, looked around, and stood back up. Reaching for her wand she began chanting incantations and walking around the room.
"What are you doing?" Ginny asked sitting up in bed.
"Protective spells," Hermione replied swishing her wand again, "I don't want anyone in here while we're sleeping."
"Oh," Ginny said, "Good thinking. That's why you're the brains."
Hermione smiled finishing up and setting her wand on the bedside table, "Thanks Gin, now go to sleep."
They both burrowed under their covers and went to sleep.
Hermione woke up to a sharp knock on her door and a slight shriek from behind it. Ginny groaned and rolled over in bed, shoving a pillow over her head. Hermione sighed and drug herself out of bed. Grabbing her wand she shuffled over to the door and tapped the knob before pulling it open. Hermione gasped and couldn't help but giggle at what she saw waiting for her. Draco stood in the corridor drenched with water holding a charred shirt. He glared at her and she immediately stopped.
"Granger," He growled, "Is there a reason why a lion of fiendfyre attacked me when I went to open your door?"
Hermione winced sensing his anger, "Precautions."
"Next time," Draco said taking a deep breath, "Stick to alarm jinxes. If I had sent Astoria like I intended you could have killed her."
"It wouldn't have," Hermione argued, "I ordered it to defend and contain only. It wouldn't pursue an attack on anyone."
Draco glared at her, "Are you really dumb enough to believe that you can control fiendfyre? Nobody can. Bloody hell Granger you're good but not that good."
"You don't know what you're talking about Malfoy so shut up." Hermione snapped.
"Nice to know you two are getting along so well," Blaise joked walking up to them, "Where is the bright eyed red head?"
"Still in bed," Hermione replied with a grin, "It takes a lot to get her up."
Blaise smirked, "I'll bet you ten galleons that I can get her up in thirty seconds."
"Deal," Hermione smirked back shaking his hand.
Blaise walked into the room and jumped into bed next to Ginny. He snuggled up next to her and softly brushed her hair out of her eyes. Ginny's only response was to groan and pull the covers over her head. Blaise laughed and tugged the cover back down.
"Sweetie you have to get up. Blaise Jr needs fed." Blaise stage whispered.
Ginny's eyes snapped open and she shrieked as she threw herself as far away from Blaise as she could get. Unfortunately she ended up throwing herself right over the side of the bed and landing in the floor with a loud thump.
"What the hell Zabini!" She shrieked from the floor. The other three occupants of the room roared with laughter.
"Get up Weasley," Draco laughed, "It's time for training."
Ginny grumbled but pulled herself up off of the floor and headed towards the bathroom. Hermione grinned before turning to Draco.
"What about our clothes?" She asked.
"The house elves got them all yesterday," Draco said walking over to one of the cherry dressers and pulling open a drawer, "The closet is full as well."
Hermione nodded as she ushered the boys out of the room, "Thanks, we'll be out in about ten minutes."
Hermione picked out a pair of dark blue jeans and a blue long sleeve shirt to wear. She pulled her silver Nikes out of the closet and slipped them on. By that time Ginny was done in the bathroom so the girls switched places. Hermione went in to try and tame her curls while Ginny walked over to the closet with her freshly done pony tail in place. Ginny took much more care in choosing her outfit and finally Hermione had to force her into a pair of black skinny jeans, a button up white shirt and a pair of white flats. By the time the girls were done getting ready the boys had started banging on the door again threatening to drag them out if they didn't hurry up.
"Oh shut up we're ready," Hermione snapped as she pulled open the door.
"About time," Draco sighed while Blaise whistled.
"You girls are looking good." Blaise complimented with a wink.
Ginny smirked, "Zabini, I accept flattery in all forms but it won't get you anywhere."
"She's just kidding. She's pleased that you noticed," Hermione laughed as Ginny elbowed her, "and thank you Blaise."
"My pleasure," Blaise grinned.
"Enough you three," Draco interrupted, "It's time for training. We're already late."
Hermione nodded as Ginny's face paled. Draco led them through a series of doorways and corridors until they entered the front foyer. Draco then cut across the room to a side door that opened up onto the expansive Malfoy grounds. He led them a little into the woods and stopped as they caught up with the other teenagers. They continued together until they walked into a clearing where Lord Voldemort was waiting for them. The Slytherins walked up and kneeled in front of their lord before stepping off to one side. Hermione and Ginny then stepped forward. Neither bowed or so much as batted an eye.
Voldemort laughed, "It is good to see such confidence in you young woman. You will be excellent fighters because of it. Fearless, even when faced with death." The girls didn't answer him so he laughed again.
"Come, I can tell you have something you want to say. Spit it out." He ordered.
"I'm just wondering whether you are going to allow Ginny to stay or if we are both going to be killed today." Hermione answered truthfully.
Voldemort nodded, "She may stay. As long as she abides by the rules set down for all of the other teens. I have a feeling that she will prove to be very valuable to me sometime soon."
"Is that a threat?" Ginny asked sharply tensing her body.
"No," Voldemort replied, "You will not be harmed. Under my protection."
"Yeah unless Malfoy's pretty little vines get me when I'm not looking." Ginny snapped sourly.
"The vines have been temporarily disabled for you, as have other Malfoy defenses. There is no need to worry." Voldemort assured her.
Ginny nodded, "Thank you."
"Yes, thank you," Hermione repeated, "We appreciate the hospitality."
"Always the polite one," Voldemort chuckled, "You are welcome. Now. To training."
Voldemort had the teens run five laps around the clearing before they began. He took them through a series of fighting styles ranging from hand-to-hand combat to swordsmanship. The boys were all better at these than the girls were and had taken to teasing the others. This ended quickly when the group moved on to fighting with wands. Hermione and Ginny quickly excelled followed closely by Draco and Blaise. Pansy ended up falling and putting a two inch gash in her side that was almost six inches wide. Voldemort quickly fixed her up but ordered her to sit out for awhile due to blood loss. Finally Voldemort paired them up to run an obstacle course together. Theo and Astoria quickly paired up to stay out of the fierce competition the other four had created with each other. The obstacle course ended with no winner because half way through Hermione fell to the ground with seizures. Ginny immediately abandoned Blaise when she saw her best friend and ran to defend her.
"What did you do Malfoy?" Ginny screamed pointing her wand at him and standing over Hermione.
"Oh right Weasley. Like I'm stupid enough to curse my partner." Draco snapped angrily stashing his wand in his pocket and kneeling next to Hermione.
"What's wrong with her?" Blaise asked as he ran up the hill.
Draco shook his head, "I'm not sure. I didn't see anything hit her. She just dropped all of a sudden."
"Step away from her Draco," Voldemort ordered appearing at his side.
Draco stepped back while Ginny hovered nervously close beside him. The other teens watched as the Dark Lord bent down and placed his wand to her temple. Hermione gasped slightly and immediately went limp. Ginny shrieked and threw herself to the ground by her friend.
"What did you do?" she screamed while feeling for Hermione's pulse.
"Nothing," Voldemort responded calmly, "She is in a dreamless sleep. It is to stop her pain while we try and figure out what happened today. Draco take her your mother. The rest of you may go for now. Expect a meeting later."
Draco nodded and picking up Hermione. He immediately left to go find his mother. Ginny looked over to Blaise before running after Malfoy to stay by her best friend's side. Ginny prayed that Hermione would be ok. She would be all alone if Hermione died. Harry and Ron would no doubt blame her and she would be deserted. The death eaters wouldn't keep her once Hermione was gone. After all, Hermione was the key to everything. At least that is what the Order had said. More than anything though Ginny didn't want to lose her best friend. She needed her too.