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Chapter Fifteen: The First Task, Part 2

Ginny tensed, knowing what was on the other side, but when she finally opened the door the room behind the fireplace was empty. Furrowing her brow, she kept her wand out and stepped into the room cautiously. The room was small and narrow. There were no furnishings – only a small table in the middle of the room with a box on it, and a closed coffin at the far end. She kept her wand trained on the coffin and silently crept towards the box.

Nothing moved… nothing stirred. It was definitely odd and it made her nerves do a tap dance. Shouldn't something have happened by now? What was it waiting for… an open invitation?

She was nearly to the box now. Just a few more steps and she'd be there…

She stopped in front of the small table and shakily reached out her left hand to open the box.

Stop.

A voice in the back of her head screamed that this was too easy. It was supposed to be much harder than this – something was wrong. Nervously she withdrew her hand and glanced at the coffin.

'Colloportus!' she said silently, brandishing her wand at the coffin.

Satisfied that whatever was inside would stay put, she opened the lid to the box and pulled out a key, noting that there was one missing.

A shiver ran down her neck, like a cold chill or a sudden draft, and she spun around fully expecting to see a vampire staring at her with hungry, dead eyes… but there was nothing.

It didn't feel right – this wasn't right. But what wasn't right? She had to know.

With sure steps she made her way to the coffin, released the locking spell, and pulled open the lid.

"Petrificus Totalis!" she cried out, but there was nothing there. The coffin was empty.

A scraping noise by the fireplace had her on alert again, and she spun around, her wand drawn. She was just about to utter a curse when Draco Malfoy's blond head came into view.

"Easy there, Weasley," he said, holding his hands aloft. "Save it for the vampires, all right?"

"What are you doing here?" she said coldly, lowering her wand slightly. "I thought you were sitting this one out."

"That was before I was attacked by a bloody Ashwinder," he said, his lips turning downward in a typical Malfoy sneer. "I was dozing on the sofa and it came out of the fire. Luckily one of the embers cracked and it woke me up, or I would have been a goner. I found the eggs and froze them before they could start a fire."

"So you thought you'd follow me," Ginny said in a disgusted voice. "I do all the work and you tag along after me and get the keys that I find. How very Slytherin of you."

He held out a key. "I'll show you mine if you show me yours…"

She gasped. "Where did you find that?"

"Call it a lucky break," he shrugged. "I'll show you where I found it if you agree to stick with me. Something strange is going on here, and I'm getting a very nasty feeling that something's not on the up and up. I don't fancy being on my own in this hell hole."

She eyed him suspiciously. "So, you want me to protect you?" she said with a snort. "Like your overgrown baboons, Crabbe and Goyle?"

His eyes travelled up and down her body appreciatively. "It'd be an improvement, that's for sure, even if you are a Weasley," he said sarcastically.

"Sorry, Malfoy," she snapped. "I don't do child minding."

"Does Potter know that?" he asked. "I bet he can't wait to have a ton of little Weasels and Weaselettes running around all over the place. You could paint nice little scars on their foreheads so everyone will know exactly who they belong to."

"Shove off, Malfoy," she said irritably.

"Hit a little too close to home?" he taunted, looking around the room with bored indifference. Changing the subject, he asked, "So where are the bloody blighters, anyway, do you suppose?"

She restrained herself from hexing him – barely. "Where's who?" she asked impatiently.

"The vampires," he said. "I thought they were supposed to be confined to these rooms. Well, here we are and I don't see them, do you?"

"So what?" she retorted. "Do you want to tangle with one, then? Even you aren't that stupid."

"Look who's calling who stupid," he shot back. "In case you forgot, Weasley, the vampires were supposed to be guarding these keys. Yet the room I found was as empty as this one. That's a bit strange, don't you think?"

She had to admit he had a point. "So, where do you think they went?"

"Frankly, I don't really care," he said, striding over and opening the box. "But I do think it's odd that there's only one key left in here. Same in the other room…" He placed the last remaining key in his pocket with the other one.

"So, Jon-Pierre got here first," she said casually although her mind was racing through the possibilities. "There's no crime in that."

"Unless he had inside knowledge," Malfoy countered. "You Gryffindor's are all alike. You think everyone plays by the rules, but they don't. This Tournament is being hosted by Beauxbaton. Don't you think they want to make certain that a Beauxbaton champion wins the cup this time?"

"They wouldn't…" she stammered. "Certainly, Madame Maxime-"

"…is all about winning," he finished for her. "Especially after the embarrassment of the last Tri-wizard Tournament where Hogwarts had two champions in the running. And then Potter ends up winning the whole thing, even though he should never have been competing in the first place. And now there's the two of us. I know for a fact that Csintalan is spitting tacks that I was picked over any of the Durmstrang lot, and Madame Maxime can't be feeling much better about it. Don't you think they wouldn't do anything to make certain that Bonaccord wins this thing so they can stuff it to Hogwarts?"

"I-I hadn't thought of it like that," she admitted.

"I'm not surprised," he said dryly. "Well, I'm not waiting around here for them to decide to show up." He strode towards the door but paused at the threshold. "Are you coming, or are you going to stand around here all night daydreaming of your perfect boyfriend?"

"Right behind you," she sighed, feeling a little better that she wasn't alone anymore but at the same time even more on edge because she didn't trust Draco Malfoy one little iota. For all she knew, he was playing her like a harp, and that wasn't a pleasant thought at all.

(break)

Draco led her through the fireplace, but instead of the room with the two portraits, she found herself in a completely different place.

"Where are we?" she asked, looking around in wonder. It was a grand room with large chandeliers and a finely polished wooden floor.

"Ballroom," Draco said tightly, looking to the right and left with his wand drawn. "What room was it when you entered?"

"Third floor landing…" she answered. "You?"

"Kitchen."

"Is that where you found the other key?" she asked.

"Yes," he confirmed. "I was looking for something to eat and accidentally leaned too hard on a shelf in the pantry. I literally fell into it."

She giggled at the image of perfect Draco Malfoy scrounging for food and instead finding one of the hidden rooms. "Sounds like something Ron would do."

"Yes… I have noticed that he has a rather large appetite," he retorted, unsurprisingly sounding affronted at being compared to Ron. "Your family's so poor I imagine your mother has to go without shoes just to feed him."

She frowned. "Why do you have to do that?"

"Do what?"

"Make fun of my family," she said annoyed. "My mother does have to go without just so we can have a good education and the other things that we need. But she's never complained, not even once."

He was quiet for a few moments as they explored the big room, keeping to the shadows as much as possible. The tension between them was palpable.

"I shouldn't have said that," he said finally.

"No," she agreed, "you shouldn't have."

"Look, Weasley," he said irritably. "I've grown up believing that the world is a certain way, but the older I get the more I'm not so certain…" His voice trailed off.

"Not so certain of what?"

Instead of answering, he clamped a hand over her mouth and pushed her against the wall, holding her close to him despite her struggles.

"Quiet," he hissed in her ear.

Her eyes widened as two figures stole into the room. They seemed to glide rather than walk, and their faces were pale white – a sharp contrast to the dark all around them. They seemed to be in a heated argument or discussion. Draco practically dragged her behind a heavy drapery for cover where they watched the two vampires bicker.

"I can smell her, Pavel…" the stockier of the two practically whined. "I know she's been here – might still be here somewhere, hiding... Her scent is strong."

"There's no time for pleasure, Vladimir. It's the other one we want," Pavel roared. "Our instructions are clear. You need to focus. I know you've always had a weakness for virgins, my friend, but she is not our target."

"But the girl, Pavel… you promised. She smells so temptingly sweet…"

"Forget the girl for now, Vladimir!" he roared. "We must find Nadia. The night is half over and our mission is not yet accomplished. We are wasting time."

They moved off into the fireplace and Draco loosened his hold on Ginny.

"That was close," he sighed, sagging against the wall.

"How dare you!" Ginny roared, ignoring his attempts to shush her. "You… you're using me as cover! This isn't about sticking together… it's about saving your own arse. I should have known."

"You don't understand, Ginny," Draco said, his pale eyes pleading. "It's not like that..."

"Stay away from me," she growled, backing away. She turned and ran in the opposite direction.

"Ginny, wait!" he called after her. "It's not safe!"

"Sod off, Malfoy – I can take care of myself!"

She raced out of the room and found herself in a new part of the house, totally disoriented. Catching her breath, she focused on her task. She had to find the other two keys. As soon as she did that, then she could get out of here.

Right… Kitchen.

Luckily she found that she was on the ground floor, so finding the kitchen wasn't too difficult. Cautiously she made her way to the pantry, testing all the shelves until she found the one that moved. Just like the other room, this one was also empty except for a coffin and a small table with a box on it. She was just lifting out the remaining key when a voice from behind stopped her cold.

"My, my, my… what 'ave we 'ere, ma cheri?" a silky feminine voice said from behind her.

Ginny turned slowly to face the vampiress she assumed was Nadia staring at her with feral, lustful eyes. She drew her wand.

"St-stay away from me. Don't come any closer!"

Nadia glided into the room causing Ginny to back up until she hit the coffin and found herself trapped.

"Wands do not scare me, mademoiselle," she said serenely.

The vampiress breathed in deeply, as if the very air was intoxicating, reaching out a cold, pale finger and scraping it down Ginny's cheek to her exposed neck.

"You smell lovely, cheri," she said in a seductive, leisurely voice. "I can tell zat you have a lover," her eyes widened, "or perhaps two… Yes, you reek of two delicious male scents, but you 'ave not been spoiled yet, 'ave you? Such a good girl, and so lovely…"

Ginny was frozen in terror, having no idea what to do. She seemed to be caught in Nadia's hypnotic stare. Her mind raced… what would Harry do?

'Never show your fear of Dark Creatures, Ginny,' his calm voice seemed to whisper in her ear. 'Keep her talking until you can think of a plan to escape…'

She wasn't certain it was a good plan, but she was willing to give it a try.

"All I came for was they key," she said, jerking away and holding her wand out in front of her. "Now that I have it, it's time for me to go."

Nadia laughed, baring her threatening fangs, and ignored her. "You would make such a lovely vampiress, mademoiselle. Such lovely red hair… such perfect pale skin. Think of ze advantages… immortality, strength… you could 'ave many lovers, no? Or perhaps kiss your one true love and spend eternity togezer. So many possibilities…"

"You… you're supposed to have on collars," Ginny stammered. "I know you can't bite me."

The vampiress bared her neck. "You are mistaken, cheri. I 'ave no restraining collar. There is nothing preventing me from-"

Three things happened simultaneously. The vampiress uttered a high-pitched shriek and prepared to strike at the same time Ginny shot off a blazing ray of light that caused Nadia to stumble and a powerful smell of garlic filled her nostrils. As if being chased by the devil, Nadia fled the room with an angry wail and disappeared as Ginny sagged against the coffin in relief.

"Easy there, Weasley," Draco Malfoy's voice said from the shadows. "That garlic won't deter her for long. I suggest we get out of here fast before she finds the other two."

"Draco?" Ginny said, looking up in surprise. "Did you do that? I thought I told you to sod off."

He chuckled. "Yes, I did. Good thing Malfoys don't take orders from blood traitors or you'd be Nadia's toy about now," he said in an almost teasing voice.

"Yeah," she shivered. "Good on that, even though you are still a git. Why'd you come back?"

"I went after you to try and explain, but I saw Nadia get here first and when I saw her go to attack you I did the only thing I could think of." He said waved his hand over his nose. "Bloody awful smell! No wonder they hate it." He motioned towards the door. "Shall we?"

Against her better judgement she nodded.

Outside the pantry he pointed his wand to a door to the right. "She took off in that direction. I suggest we go left." He turned and pointed his wand at a winding set of stairs she hadn't noticed before.

"Sounds good to me," she said, shoving past him and to the stairs.

He paused before following her and waved his wand in an arc. "Alium Aspergo!" Immediately the same scent of garlic filled the air.

"That's to cover our scent and buy us some time. The smell will take awhile to dissipate," he explained, as he closed the door behind them and waved his wand over it silently uttering another spell. "And that's to create the illusion that the door is actually a wall. Hopefully she didn't notice the staircase."

"Handy," she commented dryly as they climbed the stairs that seemed to go on forever. She committed to memory his garlic incantation and hoped that she could replicate it if she needed to.

"Listen, Weasley…" he said seriously. "I hate to say it but I think it's time we used these medallions to get out of here. Those creatures didn't have the restraining collars on, and they're dangerous. I don't want to spend an eternity as a blood sucking vampire, and I don't think you do either. Whatever's going on here is nothing short of sabotage. There were supposed to be safety precautions… Being a brave Gryffindor, you probably think I'm a coward. But really, I think it's just being realistic. We're no match for them."

She nodded. "I agree." His shocked expression amused her. "Gryffindors are brave, not stupid," she said. "There's no good reason for me to risk my life for a few galleons. I say we cut our losses. I mean, we have two keys each – that's enough. Besides, I promised my family I'd be careful, and this wasn't part of the bargain."

"Okay," he said. "So long as we're agreed. I wouldn't leave you on your own, you know. Potter would murder me if I left you in a house full of vampires on the loose."

She refrained from retorting that she made her own decisions, knowing that it would only be her pride talking. He was right – Harry probably would murder him if he left her all alone. Then again, knowing Harry he was likely to blame Malfoy for their predicament. By silent agreement they pulled the medallions out from under their robes, clutching their respective wands in the opposite hand.

"All we do is touch them, right?" he asked.

"Yes," Ginny confirmed, "that's what she said."

He shrugged. "See you on the other side then, Weasley."

She closed her eyes and touched her wand to the medallion, expecting to feel the familiar tug of a Portkey. Nothing happened. Cautiously she cracked an eyelid and saw Draco standing in the same spot frowning.

"Was there an incantation?" he asked hopefully.

"No, I don't think so."

Angrily, he tore it off his necklace and threw it against the wall. "Bloody brilliant," he growled.

"I suppose we go with either plan B or C then," Ginny said logically.

"Which is…?"

"…Either wait it out till morning or find the third key." She sighed. "I don't see any other options. Personally, I vote to keep looking. I can't stand sitting around and doing nothing."

"Give me a minute to catch my breath," he said tiredly.

She nodded. They were silent as they climbed the stairs slowly, each lost in thought.

"Er… thanks for helping me out back there," she finally said to break the awkward moment.

"How about we call it even?" he said stiffly. "And for the record, I was using you back there to cover my scent, but I wouldn't have let them hurt you. Just so we're clear."

"Right," Ginny said, grateful that he was honest with her for a change. They paused and sat down on the steps for a rest, the tips of their wands glowing amber in the darkness.

"Hmm… so you and Potter haven't…?"

"Haven't what?" she bristled, grateful he couldn't see her blush but angry that he'd even dare ask such a personal question.

He shrugged. "It's nothing to be ashamed of. I just figured you would have already, that's all." He chuckled. "Unless there's something wrong with him…?"

"There's nothing wrong with him, Malfoy," she said indignantly, not knowing why she was even bothering to defend Harry to this git. "We're just not ready to go that extra step yet. If you must know, he respects me enough not to force anything. Not that it's any of your business."

"So, you're the type that waits until marriage," he said knowingly. "Never would have pegged you for one of those, Weasley."

"What gives you the right to peg me as anything, you foul git!" she exclaimed. "I'm not some scarlet woman, you know."

"But you're not that innocent, are you?" he said frankly. "You've had your share of boyfriends before Potter, and from what Nott tells me, the two of you are quite cosy most of the time. He even said that the others on the train made a pact to cover for you when you want to spend some time alone together."

"How does he know that?" Ginny snapped without thinking. "He wasn't supposed to know about that."

Malfoy laughed. "Ah ha! I was right!"

"Look, Malfoy," she said as calmly as she could. "I love Harry with my whole heart and he loves me. We've been through a lot together and one of these days I hope to make a life with him. So, whatever nasty thoughts you have of us, just get them out of your head. This isn't just a casual fling for either of us. It's forever."

He was silent for awhile as he seemed to absorb this information. "I thought I had a forever once, but I was wrong," he said thoughtfully.

"You and Parkinson?" she asked.

"Actually, no," he said, shaking his head. "No, this was someone else. We… didn't make it public or anything. Things happened, and then it was over before it ever really got started." His mask of indifference suddenly seemed to slip back in place. "Pansy was my father's choice, and nobody crosses my father, not even me. It was for the best."

Ginny knew all too well what Lucius Malfoy was capable of, but she didn't comment. Instead she asked, "So, what happened to her… the other one, I mean?"

"She got over it," he said cavalierly, "and so did I."

He stood up abruptly. "I think we've rested long enough. If we don't keep moving I think they may figure out about that false wall, and then we'll be caught. I'll go first." He started to move upwards carefully and she followed him, her thoughts a jumbled mass of contradictions, wondering which was the real Draco Malfoy… the one with the mask or the one without.