Real Love
Chapter 16: Glasgow Love Theme
Disclaimer: not mine
A/N: Well here it is. I think I'm fairly happy with it. I think you will be to. Thank you to all of you reading this. Let me know what you think. Suggestions. Predictions. Anything! And thanks so much to those of you that have been reviewing. They mean so much. I check them more than once a day, and they really get me through the days that the story just doesn't seem to want to be written.
Glasgow Love Theme- Craig Armstrong
(Instumental)
The first day of Spring brought with it the moment for which Draco had been waiting for months. There was a knock on his door and the house elf had scurried in at his command.
"Sir has a visitor sir." The horrid little creature eeped.
"Bring him in," Draco told her, and gave a sideways glance at Blaise who was sprawled on his brown leather chase lounge reading a book. The boy looked back at him and gave a raised eyebrow.
The man quietly entered the room.
"Deakins. What do I owe the honor?" Draco greeted him. Deakins was an older man, one of the oldest in the new ranks of death eaters Draco had assembled over the months. He had joined Voldemort's army in Draco's lifetime, after his second wife, had dies giving birth in their home, and he had been unable to save her. Lucius had been the one to bring him to the Dark Lord, convincing him that in exchange for loyalty, they could offer him the power that could have saved his wife, and would protect his son.
The death eater bowed his head slightly and replied, "The honor is mine sir."
Draco grimaced slightly, the emptiness of his father's promise of power evident in the man, old enough to be his grandfather, bowing before him.
"I hoped to speak to you about a favor." Deakins glanced towards Blaise, obviously uncomfortable with the second boys' presence.
"Then speak," Draco said in a flat, bored tone, hoping the unexpected meeting would be quick.
"Over the Easter holiday my oldest boy, Richard, will come of age."
"You want me to throw him a party?" Draco joked dryly, urging the man to his point.
"I want him the receive the mark."
Draco felt the shock register on his face and was grateful that at that moment Blaise's laugh whooped through the room and he yelled out. "Dinky Dick Deakins?"
"Zabini!" Draco scolded him as the older man whipped around in anger. "You're son is very frail Deakins. And he's never demonstrated any interest in our cause to me."
"My son is small, and he is shy. But he is smart, and he is loyal. I've schooled him heavily in the dark arts, and he has been raised to be one of us. He knows how our Lord took us under his wing. He will serve you well."
Draco remained silent, pondering the idea, before dismissing the man. "I will consider it. You'll hear from me soon."
If Deakins was disappointed in the response, he didn't show it, and exited the room with a respectful nod to brother Blaise and Draco.
After the man left Draco immediately pulled a piece from parchment from the top drawer of his desk and quickly moved his quill across it. He tied the finished, sealed letter to his eagle owl's awaiting leg, and sent it on it's way.
He was greatly disturbed when his only reply was a short note saying.
Malfoy-
The mission is not going well. I have been unable to locate the ingredient we need. I will contact you as soon as I have.
-Severus
Something was amiss. The words were the ones they had settled on as an indicator that someone was onto to them, and to be wary.
Draco remained calm, and kept everything normal for the three weeks it had taken for Snape to contact him again. When they were finally able to meet, and Draco relayed his conversation with Deakins to the potions master, the man looked as though all his prayers had been answered.
"We'll agree to do it," Snape said and stood immediately upon hearing the request.
"I thought you'd say that," Draco slumped in his seat a bit.
"It will incriminate them all at once. It's our best shot, and our time is wearing thin."
Draco nodded, agreeing silently. "I'll contact Deakins immediately, and set the date. You can get to Lupin tonight?"
"If I leave now, I suspect I'll be safe."
Draco bid his professor farewell before sinking into his desk chair, nerves suddenly coming over him. Until then everything had merely been an act. Very soon it would be much more.
Ginny blew her hair out of her face as it fell into her eyes for the hundredth time that night. She once again tried to refocus onto the text before her, but could feel her eyelids drooping. It was almost curfew and Ginny decided that meant it was time to call it quits for the night. While her classes had been quite simple for the year, she was well aware that NEWTS would still be just as awful as always. Hopefully her work would pay off in the end.
She checked the books out, with plans to read a little more in her room, and then slowly made her way through the halls and up the stairs to her head girl's quarters.
A couple of fourth years squeaked when they saw her coming down the hall.
"Its not curfew yet, but you might want to hurry," she told them, and inwardly felt ridiculous. Nearly a year of being head girl and she still wasn't accustomed to enforcing rules. It never felt right considering how many she'd broken in her years as an underclassman. Secretly she hoped the couple ignored her warning and found themselves in the astronomy tower, or the kitchens.
She reached her destination and a yawn caught her before she could give the password. She was just about to give it when a large, firm hand came down upon her shoulder.
She spun around and gasped when she found a tall cloaked figure standing before her. She reached for her wand, and was about to scream when he pushed down his hood and quickly hushed her.
"Professor Lupin?" she questioned, quite taken aback both by the mans presence and strange entrance.
"Quickly Ginny. Into your room."
She whispered the password and entered, Remus right on her tail.
"What's going on?" she asked as soon as they were inside. "Are my brother's okay?" Panic was ripping through her. She couldn't lose another brother. She simply couldn't.
"No you're brothers are fine. Everyone is okay, for now."
"For now?" Her eyes darted towards her old professor's.
" Yes. I fear that Severus Snape and Draco Malfoy have found themselves in grave danger. I'm very concerned for them."
"Draco?" Ginny could barely hear herself whisper the name it came out so softly.
"Yes," Remus nodded. "The Malfoy boy has been working for us over a year now, attempting to find evidence to incriminate the remaining death eaters."
Ginny sat down on the edge of her bed as the information made her head swirl. Draco? A double agent? The order? It wasn't possible. Surely he would have told her if Remus had asked for his help.
As if reading her thoughts Remus kneeled down before her, a sympathetic glint in his eyes.
"I understand you were quite close to Mr. Malfoy. "
"Not really," she whispered, knowing it sounded every bit the lie it was.
"Well I know he felt quite close to you, and he was quite hesitant to take on this job knowing it meant lying to you. And I am regretful that it was I who eventually convinced him that to betray you would be to protect you."
"What?" Her heart felt as though it was going to break out of her chest, and her head was so light she felt like she was in a dream.
" I was not involved in Snape's plan to assist Harry last October, and including you was kept secret from me until after it was all done." Ginny couldn't believe it. Remus knew about that night. The secret that had torn at her heart for so long wasn't even a secret at all. " I was furious that he had encouraged you to put yourself in such a precarious position. And even more concerned, though not so surprised, that you had willingly done so."
"It was for Harry. Any of us would have done the same."
Remus stood and paced before her.
"I realize that Ginny. But knowing what your family was going through with Ron, I couldn't believe anyone would concoct a plan that would put their only daughter in jeopardy as well. And how ironic is that I'm standing here now to ask the same of you."
Ginny looked up at the man, who had stopped moving before her.
"Me? But what can I?"
He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a folded note, which he handed to her.
The parchment was warm from being tucked away. She slowly unfolded it and read the short message inside.
Come see me in three days time. I can promise you, its sure to be a party.
-S
"What does it mean?" The letter made no sense to her.
"One of the followers Draco has been working with wants to induct his son into the Death Eaters. Snape came to me with the information just a week ago. This means its going to happen in three days."
"So its almost all over?" Ginny felt a feeling of hope wash through her.
"Ginny do you feel how warm the paper is?" It was then that Ginny noticed that the paper was much warmer than it had been a moment before, so warm it was becoming uncomfortable.
"Its a charm to tell me if it's been opened before. It's been intercepted."
"So someone knows you have someone on the inside." The situation slowy began to sink into her.
"They've been watching Snape closely for several weeks now. They know he's been in contact with someone. Fortunately so far they don't know who, and that's what I'm hoping to fix now."
"Me?" Ginny suddenly felt very alarmed. "I can't. I'd mess something up. I…"
"Snape told me you were absolutely brilliant the night you helped Harry."
"I was in there for five minutes! I couldn't possibly…" She stopped there, knowing it was no use. Could or couldn't, she would. "What can I do?"
"I'm certain I don't know what your referring to," Snape said in a drawling tone, glaring accusingly at the two men beside him. Snape and two other death eaters were all seated before him in his office. Draco watched as the two men smirked triumphantly at the accused man. Snape snarled an unpleased lip back at them.
"Where is the letter now?" Draco asked the men, trying to sound as calm as possible, only hoping he was pulling it off as well as his professor.
"We sent it on its way."
"You sent it on its way?" he spoke slowly. "Without showing it to me?"
"We thought it best…"
"You thought wrong." He quickly dismissed their explanation. "Without a letter, there is no letter."
"Beg my pardon sir but…" Draco was feeling the suspicion in their eyes, and beginning to become concerned about what they had planned. Surely only two of them wouldn't attempt to take on strong wizards like Snape and himself, but that didn't mean they didn't have others waiting to join them at any moment.
Any moment.
He flew out of his seat, as did Snape when the brass knob to his office rattled loudly and the door burst open.
Through the tall white door a small blond dressed in a blue traveling suit and wearing dark large sunglasses came flying in. She dropped her bags in the threshold and rushed the men. He held his wand tightly as she bounded into the room, a house elf close on her heels desperate to stop her.
And just when the room seemed as though it couldn't become any more chaotic, the girl leapt into the potion masters arms, wrapped her legs around his waist, and placed a hard kiss on his lips.
Draco nearly dropped his wand in shock, and he noted the Snape seemed to be equally surprised.
"Oh Severus! I missed you! I simply couldn't wait three days. What games you play!" the girl swatted at him, and placed her feet back on the ground. "Are these your friends?" she spun on her heals and walked towards the two death eaters standing in front of his desk, her hand outstretched towards them. Draco watched as Snape's right arm snapped forward and wrapped around the girls little waist.
"Not in the slightest." He pulled her back beside him.
"Oh my!" she giggled. "I was just being polite."
"This isn't polite company dear."
"Well then why don't you show me your room?" she gave the professor a look that made Draco slightly ill before she sauntered back over to her bags.
"Step outside. I'll be done in a moment." Draco could tell that Snape was already irritated by the mystery woman's presence. She pouted but left the office and Draco turned to his mentor.
"Well done Severus," he shot an approving glance towards the door through which she had exited.
His professor curled his lip in response and said, "Please she's a whore."
"A whore?" one of the other death eater's scoffed. "She knew you well."
"I've been keeping her around for a special occasion. I couldn't think of a more appropriate punishment for the woman who gave Harry Potter the port-key out of Hogsmeade."
Draco tensed. Surely it wasn't really the woman who had been there that night.
"I told you he was contacting the order!" The second man growled.
"Remus Lupin paid the girl a couple of galleons to fuck him and then give Potter the key. She a prostitute, not a bloody aurour"
"As I said. Well done Severus. She'd the perfect surprise guest for our party on Sunday." Draco gave his verdict on the situation. "And how wonderful that she has a few days to spend with us."
His words must have been convincing because the two death eaters standing before him snickered appreciatively and dropped their accusations. Draco called for the house elf to bring them all drinks, and sent Snape off to join his companion, whoever the poor soul was underneath it all.
Ginny hesitated a moment before taking the silent arm that Snape offered her after he exited the office alone. He led her up a grand staircase that was lined with foreboding pictures of Malfoys past, and down a long hall. All of the curtains were pulled tightly shut and the lamps on the wall barely illuminated the gray walls of the corridor. They were almost to the end of the hall when Snape stopped and pulled out his wand. He unlocked the French doors and allowed her to enter before him. She stepped inside and wasn't surprised to find that the room was dark as well. There wasn't even a window. The door clicked shit behind them and Snape swept through the room, checking over every inch of it before he let out a satisfied sigh and turned to her.
"Please tell me you're not Mad Eye Moody under there," he looked utterly disgusted at the thought of whose lips could have been pressed against his. Ginny was quite sure she was to one who should be disgusted in the situation.
"Professor Lupin couldn't get in contact with The Order without being seen, but he was able to get to me sir. Ginny Weasley."
She almost giggled as she watched Snape's shoulders relax and relief seemed to wash over him.
"Well, Lupin was most fortunate to find you Miss. Weasley. You play a quite convincing tart."
She scowled at the man. "I know its hard to take me seriously when I look like this, but believe me sir I understand just how serious all of this is."
"If you can take it as seriously as you did your potions exams I have full faith in you."
Ginny gaped at the dark haired man. Was he having a proper conversation with her? She cocked her head at grinned at the man who in the dark room she was seeing in a new light.
"You know just because we've snogged doesn't mean you have to start being nice to me." She smirked.
And then, Severus Snape chuckled.
Ginny burst out laughing and sat down in one of the upholstered chair in the corner of the room.
"Do you care to fill me in? The more I know the more I can do." she asked on a more serious note.
Her professor sat down opposite her and looked her in the eye. "With no disrespect, I hope to have you do as little as possible."
She opened her mouth to argue but Snape stopped her.
" As soon as he knows you are here it will be quite challenging for Draco to think of anything but protecting you. We need to him to be focused for the next three days. The less involved you are, the easier that will be."
"I can't just sit in this room all day!" Ginny exclaimed.
"You will have a role Ginny, rest assured. I'm afraid in my assumption that you were an Order member I made a grave error, placing you in a situation I should not have. There will be a ceremony on Sunday, I'm sure Lupin informed you."
Ginny nodded. "I'm the special guest, offering, whatever you call it," she swallowed, guessing what it was her professor would say next.
Snape frowned at her, but nodded slowly.
Her heart sped up a bit, thinking about what Blaise had told her, trying to imagine being in that room, death eaters itching for their chance at her.
"Richard Deakins is quite friendly for a Slytherin…" she offered aloud.
"The Order will be here before you have to worry about any of that. You just have to sit there and look frightened. And make sure that doesn't happen." Snape nodded at her.
She twirled her hair between her fingers. She noted that it had turned a strawberry blond before deepening before her eyes.
"I guess my charms skills aren't as strong as my potions." Ginny yawned and leaned back in her chair, her eyelids heavy. She hadn't slept a wink the night before and the day's events were finally catching up with her. She yawned once more before it dawned in her. She sat upright and turned to Snape.
"We won't have to sleep together for there days will we?" she exclaimed.
"Most certainly not," Snape replied coolly.
"Good. I'm exhausted. Do you mind if I lay down?" She rose from her chair, and Snape nodded. But just as she moved to step towards the bed, there was a loud crack and the tall bookshelf on the adjacent wall began sliding to the side. Her heart leapt and she pulled out her wand from her skirt.
"Stupe…"
"Expeliarmus!" Snape called beside her, and to her horror she felt the smooth wood of her wand flying out of her hand.
She looked at her professor only to find him still staring at the opened bookcase. She followed his gaze, and her breath hitched when she saw him standing there, his eye silently boring into her. She couldn't speak as he entered the room fully, his eyes never leaving hers.
He walked towards her, and the air in the room seemed to become more scarce with every step he took. When he was just a few steps away, something inside her broke and she felt the hot tears streaming down her face.
His strong hands cradled her face and he pressed his forehead against hers.
Silently, he stayed like that, the only sound she could hear was his heavy breathing. She could feel him trembling.
"Oh gods Ginny." he whispered. "Why? Why are you here?"
"Why are you here?" he repeated, more anger in his tone as he ripped himself from her and turned away. With the loss of his grasp, Ginny realized he'd been the only thing holding her up, and she collapsed back into her chair, only then noticing that Snape was gone.
Draco was pacing running his hands through his hair.
"You can't be here." he finally turned to face her again, and Ginny could see the tears running down his face. He rushed toward her and heavily dropped to his knees at her feet.
Her heart broke as his long arms wrapped around her waist and his blond head rested upon her thigh as he sobbed into her lap.