Title: Sanctuary (5/?)
Author: Amethyst
Author E-mail: AmethystJackson@hotmail.com
Category: Drama
Sub-Category: Romance
Keywords: Draco Ginny Voldemort Dumbledore sanctuary
Spoilers: PS/SS, CoS, PoA, GoF, OotP
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Sometimes, sanctuary can be found where one least expects it - the only thing keeping it out of reach is pride.
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Author's Note: Thank you all for being so patient between chapters. This one is the longest yet, so hopefully it will be more worth the wait.
~
Witch Weekly
Volume 362, No. 1
Week of March 7, 2004
Welcome to our latest issue. Before we get to our story, we would like to report a missing muse. He has disorderly black hair, wears glasses, is about 5'6" and 130 lb. His name is Harry, but he may go under the alias "Neville" and has been known to disguise himself as a pirate. If you spot him, please contact the Ministry of Magic so that he can be returned to his writer. Now, on with the miniseries!
Sanctuary V
By Amethyst
Draco wrote to his mother at the end of May, telling her that he'd decided to fly home instead of taking the train that year. It was a pitiful lie, but his mother was a very slow, ditzy woman. By the time she realized he wasn't home on time, he would be at Order headquarters, as difficult for his parents to find as Malfoy Manor was for a Weasley.
The real arrangements were for some woman called Tonks to meet him at Platform Nine-and-Three-Quarters. Apparently, she would be looking like his mother to prevent suspicion amongst anyone related to Voldemort. Tonks would then take him to headquarters, where he would be staying with her and Remus Lupin until the Weasleys arrived.
Meanwhile, he was dreading the leaving party for the seventh year students which he would be forced to attend. It was almost a requirement to bring a date; the lucky single students at the leaving party ended up facing social stigma, on top of a very boring night. Social stigma and social involvement were equally undesirable to Draco, and he was very tempted not to go, but he didn't want his housemates to think him acting at all strangely, lest they gossip to their parents. Besides, it was always entertaining to see what students from various houses did when they were incredibly drunk - bootleg liquor was very popular at seventh-year parties.
Pansy Parkinson had been dropping hints at every turn that she wanted to go with him, but he would have rather taken Moaning Myrtle than spend an evening with Pansy clinging to his arm. He carefully ignored all of the hints. The only company he actually would have enjoyed was Ginny Weasley's, and while it was acceptable to bring a sixth year as a date, it would have been the very worst thing he could have done at that point in time. She probably would have refused him, anyway.
He really needed more friends, Draco decided. Life was truly sad when one's only friend was a Weasley, if she could even be called a friend. Their relationship was a unique one. He wondered what she thought of it, if she thought of it at all.
~
On the Saturday before the last week of school, Ginny found herself changing into a set of light blue dress robes for the seventh year leaving party. She still wasn't quite sure how she wound up going. One moment, she was talking to Seamus Finnegan; the next, she was his date.
She didn't know how she felt about it. Seamus was nice enough, and even somewhat handsome, but there was something essential that was missing for Ginny. He would always be too average, too boring, and there could never be any real spark between them.
She would have liked for Draco to ask her. As much as he infuriated her sometimes, she had come to enjoy his company more than any other's. He was perhaps the only person that no longer treated her like a child. She had thought she'd proven herself in the Department of Mysteries, but apparently it wasn't enough. Ron had only become more protective, and Harry and Hermione were more reluctant to allow her involvement in anything. But Draco had come to acknowledge her as an equal, a worthy adversary, and she appreciated that more than he knew.
Of course, having those kinds of feelings toward an all-in-one Slytherin, son of a Death Eater, and Malfoy did not do anything to make her life particularly easy or fun. She couldn't tell anyone about him, lest word of what he'd done get out - because he had a point, whether she liked his method or not - and she couldn't speak to him openly. She definitely couldn't be his date to the 7th years' party.
Date. No, she couldn't go down that road, either.
Ginny hated not being able to do what she wanted.
Sighing, she gave herself a final once-over in the mirror. Her hair was curled, eyes lined, lips glossed. It wasn't her best...but it would do for Seamus.
I'm horrible, she thought, going on a pity date and hardly bothering to look nice on top of it.
Seamus was waiting for her downstairs. She greeted him awkwardly and let him take her hand as he replied with a compliment, and they went down to the Great Hall.
Ginny hoped Seamus wouldn't be glued to her side the entire night. She might be able to spend some time with Ron, Luna, Harry, and Hermione if he'd leave her be long enough. She was still shocked that Ron was taking Luna to the party. Whether it was because Harry had asked Hermione first or because he genuinely liked Luna, she didn't know.
As they entered the Great Hall, she spotted Draco immediately. He was standing in a corner with Crabbe and Goyle on either side, sipping on what looked to be a bottle of liquor. She pursed her lips and looked away. If he was going to spend his night getting drunk, she wasn't even going to look at him.
...But at least he didn't seem to have a date.
~
He'd never been so bored in his life, and the alcohol wasn't helping at all. Crabbe and Goyle were already drunker than he'd ever seen them and had probably passed out somewhere, Pansy was trying her hardest to lure him onto the dance floor, and he had nothing to do but sit and watch the chaos unfold. It was entertaining until it became annoying.
The highlight of his evening had been seeing Ginny walking in, floating along like a cloud in powder blue robes. The sight had been somewhat dampened when he realized whose arm she was on. As far as highlights went, it wasn't the best.
He was now mulling over his reaction to that sight, which was difficult, considering the way his head was swimming, but he could still tell that something wasn't quite normal about it. For one thing, he'd never thought of the girl as any of the following adjectives: pretty, gorgeous, beautiful, or sexy-as-hell. For another, he'd never had the urge to drag her off to some dark, empty room somewhere.
He frowned down at his half-empty bottle. Maybe he was just jealous; perhaps he just didn't like her being with Seamus.
And then he realized that that wasn't quite normal either.
Draco sighed and slumped against the wall. This night was not going well.
~
Ginny was getting very thirsty, but the best route to the punch bowl involved walking past Draco. The other route involved passing Ron and Luna, Harry and Hermione...and Seamus, who she'd finally shaken off for awhile. Weighing the two options, she decided it would be much easier to ignore Draco than get away from everyone else.
After all, they were supposed to ignore each other in public anyway. It wasn't as if it would be rude to just walk loftily on past him; it was what he wanted, wasn't it?
She would just stroll past him without looking at him. One step, two steps, three steps...six steps and she was past him; one more took her to the punch bowl. She could just see him out of the left corner of her eye, slouched against the wall. Even drunk with his eyes rather unfocused and a rather distasteful bottle in his hands, he managed to look completely cool. She hated his constant composure.
Ginny wasn't expecting him to speak to her, but he did, just as she was about to take a sip of her punch.
"I wouldn't drink that if I were you."
Ginny narrowed her eyes at him. "Why, exactly?"
"It's spiked."
"Oh? With what?"
Draco shot her a rather sloppy smirk and held up his nearly bottle, shaking it slightly for emphasis. Ginny rolled her eyes. "Why would you do something like that?"
Draco shrugged. "What can I say? I was bored and I didn't fancy drinking this entire thing. I hate vomiting...nasty business."
"How can you stand yourself?"
Draco laughed. "What do you think the alcohol is for?"
Ginny sighed and turned away from him, looking dubiously at her punch. Liquor wasn't generally a smart thing to try, especially in public and having never consumed any before...but he couldn't have put that much in it, and she was incredibly thirsty...
"Not a good idea, Weasley."
"Do you have a comment for everything, Malfoy?"
"Usually, yes. Seriously, it's strong stuff. Drink that whole cup on a virgin stomach and you'll lose it."
She glanced around her to make sure nobody was listening to their conversation. "Even just a few sips?"
Draco shook his head and straightened. "Do what you want, Weasley. I've had it with this. Don't know why I even bothered coming."
With that, he left the Great Hall as steadily as possible under his condition, leaving Ginny with a cup of punch that she didn't know if she wanted to drink.
"Ginny!"
Seamus was coming toward her. She groaned. Why on earth had she given into the pity?
With a glance at her cup and a lack of thought that she would definitely be smacking herself for later, she downed the drink.
Ugh, no one ever mentioned how horrible this stuff tastes.
"Where've you been, Ginny? I've been looking all over for you."
"Just…getting punch," she said as the alcohol burned its way down her throat. "Um, actually, Seamus, I rather need to visit the lady's room, so…er…drink some punch while you're waiting for me to come back."
Ginny walked away without further comment. She could tell that the alcohol was already going to her head. She felt a little dizzy and muddled, and she wasn't sure she liked the tingling in her stomach. Perhaps it would be best to stumble her way up to Gryffindor Tower and sleep it off. By the time Seamus realized she wasn't coming back, he'd be reeling from the punch, anyway.
Upon reaching the Entrance Hall, she tried to walk up the stairs and found that her depth perception was slightly off.
Okay, Weasley. Sit down for a bit. Maybe your head will stop spinning.
"You drank the punch, didn't you, Weasley?"
"Go 'way, Malfoy," was her reply.
"Stupid girl, I told you not to drink it, and you did anyway," he said, sauntering over to her.
"Yes. 'S your fault," she mumbled, putting her head in her hands.
"Mine? May I ask how?"
"You told me not to. Said I couldn't handle it."
She could feel Draco rolling his eyes without looking at him. "You must be drunk, because that is the worst logic I've ever heard."
"I don't like being told not to do things," she said sullenly. She added thoughtfully, "And I think I'm going to be sick."
Draco took a step back. "Not on these robes, you're not."
"Thanks for your concern."
"Bloody Gryffindors." With a flourish of his wand, he conjured a wastebasket and placed it before her, sitting down heavily next to her. "You never think - the entire lot of you."
"'Mione does."
"She's an exception."
"Why aren't you as drunk as I am?" she questioned.
"I'm drunker, actually. I'm just better at it."
Ginny was about to retort when her stomach convulsed, and she leaned over the wastebasket, knowing what was coming. She was vaguely aware of Draco pulling back her hair before she unceremoniously vomited.
"Why do people drink this stuff?" she asked, coming up for air. Draco let her hair fall onto her shoulders.
"It can be rather nice once you're used to it."
"Mmmph."
They sat for a few moments in silence as Draco stared off into space and Ginny mused.
"You know, this would almost be romantic if it wasn't so disgusting," Ginny commented.
Draco raised an eyebrow. "You're a strange girl."
"No, really. Every girl wants a guy who'll hold her hair for her when she vomits."
He raised the other eyebrow and brought them together in a look of pure skepticism. "Women are absolutely insane."
Ginny shrugged. "Someday you'll understand."
"If you say so."
Ginny turned to look at him. "Don't you want to be taken care of?"
"I don't know," he replied.
An awkward silence followed, but was eventually broken when Draco stood. "You should probably get to bed. Think you can make it."
Ginny stood, steadying herself on the banister. "…I don't know."
Draco frowned. "I'll get your brother."
Ginny raised her eyebrows. "My brother? I thought you didn't want anyone to know about you."
"He won't," Draco smirked. "Just, uh, don't get upset when he starts asking you about Seamus."
Ginny started to ask him what he meant about that, but he was already walking back into the Great Hall.
In just a matter of minutes, Ron came out of the Great Hall, looking rather furious. Ginny frowned in puzzlement as Draco came out behind him, smirking, and headed for the dungeons.
"Where's Seamus? Did he hurt you?" Ron questioned.
"What are you talking about?" Ginny asked, alarmed.
"Malfoy said you were out here with Seamus and that -"
"I haven't seen Seamus since I left the party. Malfoy was obviously mistaken. I think someone spiked the punch, though, and I could use some help getting back upstairs."
"Spiked? Probably Malfoy. Stupid Slytherin scum… Come on, let's take you to Madame Pomfrey…"
Clever, Malfoy, she thought as Ron guided her up the stairs, ignoring the wastebasket that would be left for Filch to clean up. She glanced behind her to see if Draco was still there. He wasn't.
She was upset to find that she missed him.
To Be Continued
A/N: If you're interested in seeing new chapters of this story ahead of time, feel free to join my Yahoo! Group, SpellbookFics, located at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SpellbookFics/ . I post chapters for a day or two there before I post them anywhere else. You can also read the work of some other great writers there, and writers are always welcome to join and share their work.