All Harry Potter Characters don't belong to me.
The Source - Chapter Seventeen
"Speaking"
<Thinking>
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For the next couple of days Ginny had taken every opportunity she got to secretly spy on Felicity. She would carry her invisibility cloak in her book bag (with the help of a shrinking spell) so that when she had the free time she would go and follow Felicity around and observe her. At night Ginny would go give Draco his medicine and leave immediately to Felicity's room and listen to her talk to her room mates about her past. Ginny also found out that Felicity kept a diary, so that came in very handy. Certain ethics and morals didn't exist to Ginny anymore. So to her, reading other peoples diaries was just like reading a grocery list, plus it wasn't the first diary she had read.
Ginny was slumped onto her chair in her 'office' (the room Draco had first met her in) when the door creaked open. Ginny's head flew up but then she relaxed when she saw it was only Draco.
"What are you doing here, Malfoy?" she said in a deep gruff voice.
Draco cringed. Now that he knew she was a girl the deep male voice really didn't fit her. He walked to the chair in front of her and sat down.
"Can't you remove that hideous voice and take that mask off. It's not like I don't know who you are."
Ginny sat up straight and muttered a locking charm, she didn't want someone just barging in and finding out who she was. She then changed her voice back and removed her hood and mask. Ginny looked at Draco and he could see she was very tired.
"How long since you last slept, Weasley?" Draco asked with a very tiny hint of concern.
"Three days," Ginny mumbled out.
"Do you want to die or something, Weasley?" Draco cried.
"Hey!" Ginny yelled defensively. "I've got business to do you know. Half the boys in Hogwarts want to know about Felicity Lateris and if I don't answer their questions soon, I will have to pay them double their money back." Ginny pulled out a vial and lazily slid it across the table to Draco.
"Here. You can save me the trip up to your room."
Draco took the vial and pocketed it. Ginny had her head resting on the table and looked like she was taking a nap. Draco leaned in closer to see if she was really sleeping.
"I'm not dead yet if that's what you're wondering," Ginny said from her resting position. Draco smiled,
"No Weasley, I was not wondering if you were dead yet. I'm more interested in what you were doing going in and out of Knockturn Alley during Christmas." Ginny lifted her head up and looked at Draco with a crooked smile.
"Why, Malfoy? Were you worried about me?" Draco was slightly surprised but then sneered,
"No."
"Then why do you care?" Ginny asked innocently. Draco was getting mad now. It was just a simple question but she just had to make it difficult.
"Because, I don't want you to die," he said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
Ginny was very surprised at his answer. She was just playing around and didn't expect him to say anything along those lines.
"You don't?" Ginny whispered. Draco noticed his mistake but quickly fixed it.
"Don't misunderstand, Weasley," he said coolly. "I just don't want you to die because you still have to fulfil your end of the deal. I can't very well have you die before curing my Vervexia."
<Nice save> Draco complimented himself and then relaxed.
Ginny sighed and shook her head. <Typical Malfoy. Never admitting he actually cares>
"If you really must know, Malfoy. I was in Knockturn Alley collecting the ingredients for your cure," Ginny informed him factually.
"Oh," was all Draco could say as he mentally kicking himself. <And here you were thinking she was going in there for fun, when she was really going there to get the cure for you, you stupid git.>
Draco was shook out of his thoughts by Ginny yawning and stretching.
"Well I best be going to get some sleep now, Malfoy." She got up and was packing her stuff into her book bag.
"Just one more thing, Weasley."
Ginny stopped packing and looked up at him,
"Yeah?"
"Why aren't you wearing your own family Heirloom?"
"Because Ron's got it," she answered and then resumed her packing up.
"Why did Sirius Black give it to you? Wouldn't he give it to Potter? Who is he to you?" Ginny laughed.
"Did you ever hear that curiosity killed the cat, Malfoy? Knowing so much might be bad for you," she teased. Draco frowned.
"Then I take it you're not going to tell me," he sighed out. Ginny smiled.
"Usually I wouldn't but seeing that it's you, I'll tell you a little bit. Sirius didn't give it to Harry because he has one of his own. Also because he knew I needed it so he gave it to me as to help me earn more money. Now, no more questions." Ginny started her packing again.
Draco stood and just watched as she was collecting her things. Ron using it seemed logical enough. He was always going around with Harry fighting evil so he needed the protection. But Sirius giving it to Ginny was quite surprising. That would mean he knew what Ginny was doing, and he still approved of it. <Maybe I should help too or something> Draco thought.
"Er... Weasley?" he said hesitantly. Ginny stopped packing and looked up at Draco,
"I said no more questions." Draco cleared his throat uncomfortably.
"It's not that… I… er… actually want to, ah… make a special request." Ginny looked at Draco quizzically. He seemed a bit nervous or something.
"OK, then. What kind of request?" she asked.
<Think, Draco, think!> Draco looked around the room a bit trying to come up with an idea, and then saw a parchment with Felicity Lateris written on it. <That's it>
"I want a full report on Felicity Lateris. Not just any full report though, but a very detailed report. I'll give you 5 Galleons for it," he said quickly.
Ginny raised her eyebrows. There was something strange about how he asked for it. He sounded kind of…shy?
"Sure, I'll give it to you tomorrow then," Ginny answered with an uncertain tone. Draco sighed,
"Good, then I'll see you tomorrow night." He walked out of the door smiling to himself.
Ginny was still in the room packing up her things while thinking about Draco's weird behaviour. <Could it be that he already likes Felicity Lateris?>
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Draco was reading a book in one of his comfy chairs when Ginny walked in. He marked the page with a bookmark and stood up to greet her. Ginny placed her book bag on top of his desk and was shuffling around in it to look for the things she wanted. Draco moved to sit down on the chair at his desk, waiting for her to finish what she was doing. He had his elbow on the table and had his head propped on his hand looking at her.
Ginny finally found what she was looking for and pulled out a couple of pages and handed it to Draco. He took it from her and without even looking at it, placed in on the table and took out 5 Galleons and gave them to her. Ginny frowned after she took the money.
"Aren't you going to look at it?" she asked. Draco shook his head,
"I'll look at it later." Ginny shrugged and placed his medicine on the table for him.
"Ok. But I have to go now, though. Lots of letters to return."
Draco just nodded and watched as she left his room.
When Ginny was gone he picked up the report she had given him and just shoved it into a draw. He wasn't really interested in the new girl; he was just using it as an excuse to give her some money. He couldn't very well just give it to her; she might mistake him for caring.
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A couple of weeks had passed and Ginny had returned to the old routine of going to Draco's room every night for longer periods of time. The rush of letters from boys wanting to know about Felicity had ceased, and for Ginny, business had returned to its normal pace. But she had earned quite a lot off of Felicity's information. Ginny found it weird how Draco did not show any more interest in Felicity after he had purchased the full report. He didn't seem to care that a whole herd of boys were lining up to go on a date with her but she only had eyes for Draco. Ginny knew this because not long after Felicity had met Draco in the Hall she had came to the Source and asked for a full report on him.
Ginny's curiosity got the better of her so she just asked,
"Do you like Felicity Lateris?"
Draco was not prepared for this question so he just looked at her blankly. Ginny mistook the look on his face as him being shy and just giggled,
"Didn't know you were so shy about these matters, Malfoy? You must really like her if even the mention of her name can make you speechless." Draco snapped out of his daze and was confused at what she was saying.
"What makes you think I like her, Weasley?" he questioned. Ginny sighed.
"Well, you did want a detailed report on her. And you seemed kind of shy when you asked me for it, so I just assumed you liked her or something."
Draco remembered what he had done and nodded his head. Ginny again misinterpreted his movements.
"So you do like her then?" she asked again.
Draco thought to answer no, but then she would wonder why he wanted a full report on her, so to get her off the subject he just agreed half-heartedly.
"Yeah, I suppose so," he said. Ginny smiled.
"Well, I guess you'll be happy to hear that she likes you, too."
"Really?" Draco said coolly and not very interested.
"You don't look very excited," Ginny said. Draco sighed. She was getting quite annoying.
"What's it to you anyway, Weasley," he snapped. Ginny frowned.
"Well, sorry, Malfoy. I was just curious," then she started packing her things up in a grumpy mood.
Draco regretted snapping at her and just watched as she left the room.
<Stupid idiot. She just wanted to know> he berated himself.
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It was early February and nearly all the students at Hogwarts were cheerfully anticipating Valentines Day.
It was a Friday afternoon and Draco was walking down the hall and dodging giggling girls huddled in groups pointing at different boys. There were also boys just standing around checking out the giggling girls and whispering to mates about who they like.
Draco didn't mind the happy atmosphere around Hogwarts at this time of the year but it didn't mean he would participate in such trivial occasions. He decided to go outside for some fresh air.
He reached the lake and saw Ginny leaning against the tree, while sitting on a rug she had laid out. She didn't look up at him, even when he was standing right beside her.
"What are you doing here, Weasley?" he asked to get her attention. Ginny still didn't look at him and just answered quietly.
"Just to get away." She then patted the spot next to her and told him to sit, so he did.
"Not enjoying the happiness in the school?" he asked. Ginny smiled sadly and shook her head,
"Valentine's Day is more for people who have someone to love and love back. People like me can't really enjoy it."
(A/N: Ok, I know Valentine's Day isn't just for couples but that's what she's referring to when she's implying she doesn't have anyone to love).
Draco smirked,
"Jealous of all the loving couples, Weasley?" Ginny just kept her sad smile,
"Not all couples. Just one." Draco creased his eyebrows and thought hard. Then he frowned.
"Potter," he said. "I can't believe you're still not over him," he grumbled out. Ginny laughed.
"I am over him. I just envy the great relationship he has with Hermione." Draco's face was now replaced with a confused look,
"What's there to envy?" Ginny had a wistful look on her face as she looked out into the lake.
"Haven't you ever wanted to have someone special in your life, who you could count on to always be there? Someone who has seen you at your best and worst moments and who doesn't wish for you to be anything but yourself? Someone who understands you more than you understand yourself, and will always place you as their first priority." Ginny turned to look at Draco and he saw the longing in her eyes.
"That's what I'm jealous of," she whispered. Draco could only wonder if such a relationship existed.
"Then you sure expect a lot, Weasley." It was the only thing he could think of to say. Ginny chuckled.
"I do, don't I." Then she stood up and Draco did, too.
He watched as she folded up the rug and draped it on her arm. She straightened up and looked him in the eyes.
"If you really like Felicity Lateris then ask her out, Malfoy. I think she'd be perfect for you and you'll regret it if someone else does it first," Ginny said before heading back to the castle.
End of Chapter Seventeen. Thanks for reading and I Hope you Review.
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