That's right! I'm back!
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I'm just sayin'.
My dear reviewers:
Elisabeth Anne: Yeah, I don't know why there weren't any, but I had to go through the entire thing and put them back in. It was death.
Team Guy of Gisborne: Thanks bud! Review again Pleeeeease! I'm sorry it took so long :(
Nightcrawlerfw: Dude, you're the best. You are just…ahhh so cool. It was my pleasure. :)
SlytherinLuver: Oooh man. Remind me never to give you sugar, hun. Thanks so much for reviewing, AGAIN! You're awesome.
Christineponine 24601: Here you go, my dear! Enjoy!
Heavily Broken Spirit: Haha it's all good. Hopefully you'll like Draco/Hermione after I post my fic. Love ya!
Anarriima-illuvatar: Yeah, I'm really sorry about the no quotations, but I fixed it! So yay!! Oh man when I go back to the beginning and read it again I see it could have been a whooole lot better. However, writing this fic is really teaching me many things, so I guess it's okay that it wasn't so great near the beginning. Thanks for reviewing! :)
Samwise: Oh, my love, thanks so much for catching up. You truly are too good to me. I miss you.
Tessa: If you're reading this, REVIEW THIS CHAPTER PLEEEEASE!!! I'll love you forever.
I walked out of my room and closed the door silently and tiptoed down the hall to the kitchens. It was late in the evening and I didn't want to wake anyone. I opened the portrait hole and was surprised to hear someone already in there. I stuck my head around the corner and saw Draco seated on the short table talking to a little house elf.
"It's okay, I've got your wrist on the mend. I'll make sure that Bellatrix doesn't hit you again, alright?"
"B-but wh-what if she gets mad at me and calls me again?" The elf asked, who was so little he must have been a young boy.
"Come and get me, and I'll go with you, alright?" Draco asked kindly.
"Thank you, sir," The boy squeaked and jumped off of the table. Draco looked up, noticing I was there, and stared at me, his mouth a-gape. I looked down guiltily.
"It wasn't my fault he sent them away," I mumbled. "I would have rather kept Adelé here. You know I loved her like a sister," He looked down.
"I know," He whispered.
"Please don't be angry with me," I pleaded, coming forward and sitting next to him. "Really, I need a friend right now," my voice broke and he looked up at me in agony. He opened his mouth to say something, closed it, then opened it again.
"I…I just really miss her." He said. "She's the only woman I've ever loved." I felt my eyes tear up. "I miss her laugh, her scent, the way she looked in the morning…I can't…I can't stand being without her." His hand twitched as if he were going to reach out to me, but thought twice about it. He clenched his fists on his knees. I laid my hand over his and I felt him stiffen.
"I know how you feel," I whispered and he looked into my eyes.
"I know," He breathed. Suddenly I was angry. I was on my feet and yelling before I knew it.
"Yeah, now you know how it feels. You didn't do anything when Tom just cast me out, did you? I thought we were friends you prat, and then you don't stand by me in my darkest hour? I can't…ugh…I can't talk about this right now." I paced back and forth infront of him.
"Isn't this usually the part where you storm out?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. I glared at him.
"Shh. I'm getting a hold of myself." I stopped and ran a hand over my face and looked back at him. I was surprised to see him watching me closely. "What?" I demanded. He spun his head around so fast his neck must have cracked.
"Nothing." He grumbled.
"Huh," I huffed, then after a moment, "Wait, why are you here?" He stared at me. "I mean, why aren't you at Malfoy manor?"
"My lord Chaos," He said scathingly, "Gave me instructions to stay here." I looked at him disbelievingly.
"You're telling me you're away from the woman you love so dearly because he told you to? It's night time anyways, did he forbid you to go to her at night?"
"Actually, yeah." He said, frowning at me.
"I see." I said turning away from him.
"What?" He snapped.
"I was just thinking. You've changed a lot since Hogwarts." He glared at me. "You weren't such a pansy then." His mouth fell open and we glared at each other.
TTTTTTTTT
"If you were really Adelé's friend you wouldn't suggest for her husband to be killed." She threw her hands in the air.
"God you are just like-" She broke off.
"Just like what?" I demanded.
"Just like Tom." She said, and I fell silent. That must be one of her most deadly insults.
"Oh, ouch." I said sarcastically.
"You have no idea why I say that."
"Let me see, because you think I'm a stupid git who deserves to die in the fires of hell?" I asked. I was hopeful inside. I really did hope that she hated me. It would make it easier on her. She took a step back and looked shocked.
"No," I stared at her. She looked down. "I don't wish that for Tom. I meant in the fact that you don't fight for things you love." She looked so dejected that I put a hand on her shoulder. She shrugged it off and stood up again. "Okay, now tell me. Are you going to hold a grudge against me forever or will you forgive me?"
I should have said no. I should have remembered that we were going through all of this to protect her. I should have walked away and made her think that I hated her. No, not again. I couldn't do that to her again.
"I forgive you," I said and a great shuddering breath rolled through her.
"Oh god, thank you," She breathed, and flung herself into my arms. I wanted to cry out in agony, but I bit my lip, holding myself together. I made sure not to move, for if I did, I was sure that she would know.
I knew then that if this was what I had to do for the rest of my life, I would take it. If my plans failed, I would be content to pretend to be Draco for the rest of my days. If it meant being with her forever, I would take it.
I noticed something suddenly.
"You aren't wearing your ring," I said, taken aback. She stepped back, out of my embrace and looked at her bare finger, then back up at me.
"Why would I be wearing it? Rings are signs of love and devotion, and those are both gone from my and Tom's relationship." I breathed in deeply. I was quite sure that I was still wearing the ring that she had given me. Hopefully she wouldn't notice. That was a tiny flaw that we hadn't thought of which could blow our cover. Should I take off the ring and risk being questioned about it, or leave it on to see if she noticed?
"So what are you doing here in the middle of the night?" I asked her.
"Oh, you know. Midnight snack," She said. "I couldn't sleep, so I figured I'd come here, eat and talk to the house elves."
"Yeah, some of them aren't bad," I admitted. I had never been partial to the creatures, but some were alright. She raised an eyebrow at me.
"I've heard stories about you hating house elves," She said. I quickly back pedaled, trying to think of a way out.
"I mean, the house elf we had was a right git, he-"
"Dobby?" She laughed. "Dobby was the kindest elf known to man! He gave up his life to save Harry,"
"Like I said," I grumbled. "Git." She grinned wryly at me.
"Now that's the Draco I know." I smiled back. Good. That meant that the plan was working. Suddenly I started getting the warning pangs that meant that the polyjuice would be wearing off in a few minutes.
"I have to go," I said quickly.
"Alright, good night," She said sheepishly. "See you tomorrow, friend?" I smiled down at her.
"Yeah, see you tomorrow." I hurried out of the kitchen and to Draco's rooms. After I took the potion I decided to sleep for the next few hours until I needed to take it again. As I was drifting off I kept thinking, 'Good, good. She's safe.'
GGGGGGGGGG
As I walked back to my room, I pulled out the chain from around my neck. I looked at the beautiful wedding ring that hung on it. A symbol of Tom's love for me. I really should have chucked it when he left me, but I couldn't. I couldn't let Gan see it, so I put it on a necklace.
My curtains were yanked open harshly the next morning. I squinted against the morning light.
"Huh? Wha? Who's there?" I croaked.
"Good morning, miss!" A cheery voice said. "'Tis January 29th, a beautiful day outside, and today master has asked you to accompany him to Diagon alley."
"Diagon alley? I'm not allowed to go there," I said still asleep, burying my face in the pillow. "Not without Tom," I started dozing again, and the elf made the blankets dissapear. I shivered against the cold air and sat up blearily.
"Into the shower with you miss," the little elf said. I trudged to the bathroom and spent twenty minutes standing under the water. Finally she banged on the door, starting to get aggravated. "You are late already! Hurry up!" I mouthed at her through the door, mimicking her, and dried my hair with a flick of my wand. She had clothes set aside for me already and I looked at them woefully.
"Can't I just wear sweatpants and a sweater?" I pleaded.
"No. You is being very bad, miss, now into the clothes." I pulled on the white blouse and the grey blazer before slipping into the pencil skirt. What was I, a business representative? She was standing on the bed behind me in a flash and suddenly my hair was in a sleek bun on the back of my head.
"You are one crazy little elf," I told her.
"Yes miss, Turvy has been told that before," She sighed. "The death eaters are going to be eating breakfast soon, go eat with them." I slumped, and walked out of the room in the heels she had slipped onto my feet. I didn't usually look this presentable. I opened the door to the hall, and a wave of sound hit me. They were loud when they ate. Actually, I corrected myself. They hadn't started yet. I looked around the room. No Draco. No Gan. No one to sit with that I actually cared enough about to talk to. I didn't know half these people, and some of them were speaking languages I didn't know. I squeezed in on the end of a table just as the side door opened. Everyone around me stood, and I stared up at them in shock. Someone came up beside me, grabbed my arm and wrenched me to my feet. I looked over and glared at Rasputin. Damned vampire and his super speed. I was dreading not having any windows near so that he could burn in the sun. I attempted to yank out of his hold but he held fast. Everyone else sat again and he pulled me down.
"Don't touch me," I snarled at him. He grinned, showing blood stained teeth and I balked. "Why are you here anyways? Apparantly you've already eaten for the day."
"I ate before day break, love. Don't want to get all ashey in the sun." I shuddered. "Don't get queasy now, just when I thought you were tough."
"Why are you here?" I repeated.
"Dunno," He said, shrugging. "Lord Chaos wanted me for something." I cringed at the name. "I expect he'll let you lot eat some 'ought before he does anything to me."
"Does anything to you?"
"Well, yeah, I'm expectin' he's not too pleased with the lack of the dead bride," I glared at him. He shrugged. "Just saying." As it turned out, Rasputin was right. Just after he had finished eating Gan raised his hands and silence fell. A dead weight settled in my stomach as he called,
"Rasputin, Rabastan, please come forward," I looked up at Rasputin as he got lithely to his feet.
"It was nice knowing you," he said to me, then scampered up the aisle. I stared after him. Was he really that excited to go to his death? I looked up the aisle after him and blew out a sigh. The room was so quiet the rustle of Rasputin's cloak seemed loud and bothersome. I gulped when he reached the head table and went down on one knee, his head bowed.
"Rasputin, what is your quest?" Gan asked imperiously.
"To honor and serve lord chaos," Rasputin atoned loudly.
"And Rabastan?"
"The same, milord," Rabastan said loudly.
"Then why, I ask, did you not manage to capture the mudblood, Hermione Granger?" Gan snapped. They cringed and didn't answer. "Answer me!" Gan ordered.
"We were stopped," Rabastan muttered.
"Stopped by whom?"
"Ginevra Weasley," He said. I smirked. Atleast he had gotten the Ginevra part right. I still thought of myself as a Riddle, however. The smirk was wiped off of my face when Gan called,
"Ginny, come forward," My stomach clenched and suddenly the room was too hot. I got to my feet shakily and stumbled down the aisle. I stood before Gan and crossed my arms.
"Yes?" I asked, and he smiled a tiny smile at me before addressing Rasputin again.
"You mean to tell me that you were stopped by this young woman?" He asked, and snickered lightly. My eyes went to Draco. He was perched on the edge of his seat, his eyes flicking between me and Gan, as if he were about to spring across the table at me.
"She was very powerful," Rasputin grumbled, embarrassed now. I wondered why Gan was doing this infront of the rest of the court.
"Why did you stop them?" Gan asked me. My mouth fell open in shock and I narrowed my eyes at him. I needed to compose myself for a moment before I could speak.
"The woman in question is my sister-in-law," I hissed. He grinned.
"So you would go this far for her?" I glared at him.
"Yes,"
"Would you go this far for me? Your lord and master?" I stared at him. He raised an eyebrow. "Well?" I decided to do the smart thing and lie.
"Yes, milord," I said through my teeth. Draco flinched back away from me as if I'd struck him. Gan didn't notice, but I did, and I saw the betrayal in his eyes.
"My servants, I give you Miss Ginevra Weasley, an exemplary death eater, and my personal friend,"
"It's Riddle," I said under my breath. His head snapped in my direction.
"What did you say?" He growled. I raised my chin and looked into his eyes.
"Not Weasley," I said. "Riddle." He glared at me, and I stared right back. "I haven't been legally divorced from my husband, sir," I saw the grin flit across Draco's face, and I was happy I had said it, if it gave him some peace, even though I'd probably get in trouble for it later.
"Very well," Gan ground out. "You are dismissed. Everyone in the room stood and bowed to him. I inclined my head slightly and as the room started filtering out I made to go with them. "One minute, Ginny," Gan said in a black voice. I cringed and turned back to him.
"Yes, Gan?" I asked, and the use of his name merely seemed to make him angrier.
"Next time we eat, you'll be sitting up here with Draco and myself, understood?"
"Yes," I said and turned.
"Yes what?" He said. I rolled my eyes. Did I really have to say it?
"Yes, almighty and all knowing amazing dark lord of Chaos," I snapped. He grinned at me.
"That's better. You may go,"
I'm soooo sorry that took so long! :-( I've been at camp, and then school hit me like a ton of bricks…ahhh!! Hopefully there'll be more to come soon! I'll try and keep up!!
Review, Review, Review!! It'll let me know if I should keep posting!!!
~iamthewalrus93