Chapter 6

Ginny knocked on the door at the top of the spiral staircase.

"Come in, Ms. Weasley." Sounded from within.

She pushed the door open. "Headmaster. I wondered if I might have a word with you?" She asked, not bothering to wonder how he had known it was her.

"Of course, Ms Weasley. Why don't you have a seat?" Dumbledore offered, motioning to the chair opposite him. "Licorise Snap?"

Ginny shook her head. "No. Thank you Sir." There was silence that followed. "Headmaster, I would like to request that nobody know about this. Especially not Harry, Sir."

Dumbledore sat up straighter, hands folded on his desk. "This is important, Ms. Weasley?"

"Yes Sir." She paused. "I didn't know what else to do."

"Very well. What is this all about then?

Ginny shuffled awkwardly. "Well, er. It's about Draco Malfoy, Sir."

The headmaster sat, curious of the the young Gryffindor could know about that perticular Slytherin. "Go on."

"He's in trouble, Sir. You-know-who is forcing him to do something. I don't know what it is, Sir, but I don't think Draco wants to do it."

"And how is it that you have come upon this information, Ms. Weasley?" asked Dumbledore.

"I, er, spoke to him. A few days ago, Sir."

"Ah. Would I be correct in assuming that this is the reason for your request that Mr. Potter not know you have come here?"

"Yes, Sir. Harry wouldn't understand."

Dumbledore nodded. "Yes, I believe you are quite right to assume that, Ms. Weasley."

"Yes, Sir."

"Well, I must admit that I had my suspicions about Mr. Malfoy. And I must say, I do not believe that he wishes to complete his task either."

Ginny looked up in shock. "You knew, Sir?"

"I have suspected, yes." He nodded.

"We can help him, can't we Sir? There must be something we can do."

"There are indeed ways, Ms. Weasley. But we can only help those who are willing to accept help. And I do not believe that you would only now be coming to see me had Mr. Malfoy accepted your help."

"I was only hoping that you might be able to convince him to accept the Order's help."

"I can only promise to try."

"Thank you, Sir." Ginny said, standing.

Dumbledore nodded. "You are welcome, Ms. Weasley."

Another folded sheet of paper was dropped to Ginny at breakfast Saturday. She stuffed the paper into her pocket, waiting until she was safely alone in the library. She tok out the paper, unfolding it carefully.

Ginevra,

Please meet me tonight.

Seven.

She stared at the paper. That's it? It's even shorter than the last one. She thought. Of course, it must be hard to send anything at all. Ginny sighed and stuffed the note back into her pocket. I wonder why he wants to meet earlier? She spent the rest of the afternoon pondering it.

"Draco? Are you here?" Ginny called when she closed the door.

"I'm back here." He called back, stepping through the junk. "Hi." He said, stopping in front of her.

"Hi." She said back. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Well, nothing new anyhow. I just, I didn't know when I'd be able to see you again."

"Draco, I..."

"I know. You're with Potter." He stepped back. "Besides, what would be the point? Your whole family is a bunch of blood traitors. That mudblood Granger is practically you sister. And your friends are all either half-bloods or blood-traitors!"

She gasped. "Draco..."

He took a step back, shocked by what he had said. "I shouldn't have said that."

"That's what you really think though, isn't it?" She asked and watched Draco look away. "Answer me. That's what you really think, isn't it?"

He looked at her. "Of course it is, Ginevra. That's what I believe because it's true! You betray our blood, our purity!"

"I betray it? I do? No, your precious Lord Voldemort betrays it! He isn't even a pureblood. He's a half-blood. A half-blood who dares to call himself a Lord. How can you call me a traitor when you let that inferior excuse of wizard tell you what to do? I do not betray my blood, nor does anyone fighting against him. Your side, those are the traitors!"

"Ginevra, I-"

She shook her head. "I don't want to hear it. I don't understand how you can want this!"

"You don't understand. You can't understand." He sighed.

"So help me then. Help me understand." She said, stepping closer to him.

"I can't. The less you know, the safer you are."

She took his hand. "Alright Draco. Let's go sit down. We can still talk." She said, leading him back to their table behind the junk.

"Ron used to be so scared, we couldn't get him anywhere near the attic." Ginny laughed.

"Because of a ghoul?" Draco chuckled. Ginny nodded and they lapsed into another bout of laughter.

Their laughter died quickly when they heard a voice call out from within the room. Draco put his finger to his lips and moved slowly. Hecrept through the room and disappeared around a pile of junk. Ginny sat perfectly still, hardly daring to breathe.

Then there was a scream from the front of the room. Oh no! She was on her feet as Draco rounded the corner.

"Draco, what happened?" She asked, panic rising.

"You need to get out of here Ginevra! I- I panicked. I attacked a teacher. You have to go! Before you get caught here." He grabbed her hand, pulling her toward the front of the room.

His hand was on the doorknob when Ginny stopped him. "Wait, Draco. Listen."

They stood quietly, listening. There were two people on the other side of thedoor. "Bloody hell! That's Potter! What the hell is he doing here?"

"It's Saturday. He had detention with Snape today. He must have heard the scream."

"Great..." He sighed. "Where do they think you are now?"

"The library. That's where I always am."

"Good. When they leave, go there. Go there and wait. Not too long."

She looked at him, panicked. "What..."

Draco put his hands on her shoulders. "Listen to me Ginevra, listen. This is important. Go to the library, stay there. Half an hour. Then go back to Gryffindor tower. Do you understand me?"

"I- yes." She nodded quickly. "Yes, library, half an hour, then go to the tower. Right. Will you be okay?"

"I'll be fine. Just go."

Ginny nodded. She leaned into him and kissed him quickly. "Be careful Draco." Then she was gone.

Draco sank to the floor. Oh Merlin. That was too close. Potter could have found her here with me. Draco sat there. His head was hangingas he listened to the halls outside. It was quiet now.

There was a sudden sound, causing Draco to jump. He realized what the noise was and pulled the conversation coin out of his robe pocket. "Yes? What is it?" He snapped.

"Dumbledore's just been here. He said he was going out for a drink." Said a muffled voice.

"Was he alone?"

"Yes."

"Good." Draco pocketed the coin. This is it then.

"Ginny! Where have you been?" Ron exclaimed as she entered the common room.

"I was in the library. What's wrong, Ron?"

"Harry's left with Dumbledore. He wants up to round up some D.A. members and keep a watch on Snape and Malfoy." Ron explained.

"How are we going to do that? And why?" Ginny asked.

Ron help up the mauraders' map. "Harry thinks that Snape is helping Malfoy with something."

Merlin, he knows. "What have we got to do?"

"You and Neville are going to stand gaurd with me outside of the Room of Requirements. Hermione and Luna are going to the dungeons."

The Room of Requirements. "Right."

"One more thing, Gin. Harry wants us to share this." He said, holding up a small vial. "You, me and Hermione."

"What is it?"

"It's Felix Felicis. Harry won it in Potions. He wants us to share it."

"Right. Okay then."

Ron called Hermione over and they each drank from the small vial.

"I've got to go meet Luna. You guys be careful." Hermione said. She left quickly.

Ron nodded and turned to Ginny. "Ready Gin?" She nodded. "How about you Neville?"

"Whenever you are." He answered.

"Brilliant. Let's go." Ron led them down to the Room of Requirements. They each took a position outside the door.