Unorthodox Fairytale

DISCLAIMER: Harry Potter and anything else is the property of J.K. Rowling. I don’t own anything and I don’t make any money off of it, sadly. :: really needs some money to buy more anime and really wants to kidnap Sirius and Draco and keep them in my closet ::

A/N: All righty, This is my first fic and I just want to say that there is going to be D/G, I’m a firm believer in that ship, it’s the only one I read anymore, but the D/G is going to take a while to get to that point. You’ll just have to trust me, there will be some good stuff in here but, I have to build up to it. I’m not a “bam! They’re in love” kinda author. So read, please review, and enjoy.

CHAPTER 1:

Intro to a smudged clean slate

You never really think about fairy tales much as you get older, but they are what you live on when you’re younger, so they never truly leave you. A girl can never truly give up the dream of a knight in shinning armour galloping up to the beautiful princess after defeating the evil black knight and his dragon, and whisking her away on his white stallion into the sunset. Yeah, Right!

I almost had my fairy tale ending. I had my hero, even had a sword (he also had a phoenix and an old hat). I had a dragon….of sorts…well; it was a basilisk, King of Snakes and all. And there was a black night…kind of…oh, all right; it was a diary using myself to bring a memory to life.

It’s an unorthodox fairy tale, but it fits my criteria nicely. The hero slew the dragon and defeated the black knight and whisked me, plus two others, off on his phoenix to safety.

But it was never truly happily ever after, the hero kept going on adventures leaving the princess high in her tower. Not much of an ending

I suppose that my nickname as the “Gryffindor Princess” isn’t that far off, if you think about it, I’ve got the loving King and Queen (Mum and Daddy), a slew of protecting knights at my beck and call (i.e. Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred George, and Ron). I live in a tower (Gryffindor Commons) of a magical castle (Hogwarts).

But, and that’s a very big but and I know it, I’m not a princess. I’m no longer the innocent little girl, the castle isn’t mine and the tower isn’t mine. The knights, as much as the care, don’t fuss anymore, they’d much rather leave me to my girly devices. The King and the Queen have bigger things on their mind then their little princess. And lastly the hero barely knows I exist. As much as I want the fairy tale ending I grew up with, I know it’ll never happen.

Growing up in the magical world, all you hear about is the Boy Who Lived and how at the age of one had defeated the most evil wizard who lived. That’s the stuff fairy tales are made out of. So I suppose it wasn’t difficult for a little girl with an overactive imagination to start believing herself to be the princess to his hero. I was there when the hero returned to the magical world. To see Harry Potter in person at ten years old is akin to seeing your favourite celebrity and hoping against all odds that he believes in love at first sight as much as you do. Then you go home with your heart all a flutter and hope that he remembers you as you day dream about the day that you can join him in the magical castle.

I spent that year in my room with my pictures of Ladies and Knights, both magical and muggle, knick knacks of unicorns and dragons, dolls, fairy tale books, both magical and muggle, and pretty little things. My diary was full of my fanciful stories, poems, and songs that year. I daresay I became sucked into my own fantasy. I suppose that all girls dream of their Prince Charming and future, somewhat. But being alone when you’ve always been surrounded by family your entire life tends to make you a bit stir crazy. I mean Ron and I were alone for three years before he left me for school. That’s when Harry’s celebrity became a bit more of an obsession with me. I would daydream about my Prince Charming.

After a year of me being stuck in my fairytale world, the knights came home to entertain their little princess. Stories of the castle filled the house and merged with my own fantasies. I mean what else would spark it besides the hero yet again defeating the Evil Wizard.

Then one day, the princess came down from her tower to find the hero sitting down at breakfast with the knights. The princess, having just woken up and looking atrocious with a head of messy hair and her long hand-me-down nightdress, was mortified and ran back up the tower, wailing about how it wasn’t supposed to be that way.”

~*~

“Ginny! Get to bed already!”

“Fine! I’m going! You don’t need to baby me!” The youngest Weasley child scrambled to pick up her parchment and Quick Quotes Quill. She stood up and huffed at her only remaining brother in school with her.

“Well, if you stop acting like such a child, nobody would have to baby you!” The tall, freckled, red haired boy loomed over his small sister.

Rolling her eyes, Ginny apologize, knowing he wouldn’t back down, gave her best innocent little sister look to him and climbed the stairs of her dorm. She put a silencing charm on the usually squeaky door and entered. She stored away her parchment and quill in the hidden compartment in the lid of her trunk, then plopped into bed, not bothering to remove her dressing gown, draw the hangings, or scamper under the sheets. After a long while, Ginny fell into a troubled and restless sleep.

Ginny was woken the next morning, the first Saturday of her fifth yeah to a thwapping in the side of the head at seven in the morning. She rolled over only to get another flying head butt in the ear from an overexcited Pigwidgeon. Trying to roll over again, she landed on the floor. Red faced she stood up, grabbed the tiny owl, pulled the note from its clutches and threw him out the tower window. She read the simple note;

“G

Meet me in the entrance hall at 7:15

D”

Ginny looked at the time and ran to the showers with her things, took an extremely short shower, cast a drying spell and ran back to her dorm to change. She threw on a soft yellow t shirt, a pair of Ron’s old cut offs, and an old pair trainers. Grabbing her thin cloak, she raced out of her dorm and down the seven floors to get to the entrance hall and meet the angered face of Dean Thomas.

“You’re late Gin.”

“Sorry, you really didn’t give me much time to get ready.” She huffed angrily but covered it by trying to catch her breath. She gave him an apologetic smile.

He looked at her a little hurt, “Come on, let’s go for a walk.” He reached out a hand and took her elbow, leading her out the main door.

They winded their way down the path to get to the gardens. Dean sat on a stone bench and motioned for Ginny to sit next to him. She did so a bit hesitantly, confused by his unusual serious demeanour. “Ginny.” He looked at the ground, “I really like you, and you’re a great girl…”

She rolled her eyes and sighed, “Ron.”

He looked at her half heartedly and nodded, “Ron.”

Deflated, she answered, “All right. I understand. I don’t blame you, it’s him. He can be such an overbearing, insufferable git sometimes.” She started to turn red in the face.

“Don’t blame him completely Gin, it’s not all him. Though going to bed every night with him muttering, ‘Hurt my little sister and I hurt you,’ doesn’t help much. There’s also the fact that we’re both in Gryffindor, so thinking of you as anything beyond ‘the little Weasley sister’ is difficult.” He looked at the ground again, ashamed that he really didn’t have anything besides brotherly feelings for her.

Ginny knew it was true, she had to accept it, to anyone in Gryffindor she would only be known as someone’s younger sister, and she wouldn’t be able to out live the image. “I understand Dean, it was bound to happen.” She looked a little glum about her possible dating pool.

“Um….Gin?’

“Yeah?”

He smirked at her, “Do you mind telling Ron that you broke up with me, or that it was a mutual break up. Yeah, that ones better! D’you mind?”

She glanced up at his nervous face, knowing full well that if she told Ron that he broke up with her Ron would be out for blood. “Yeah, no problem. I’ll make sure he stays off your back.”

He smiled, gave her a chaste brotherly kiss on the cheek, “Thanks Gin, see you later.” And he sprinted back up to the castle, leaving her to think about things in the warm early September air.

Just when she thought that most people were beyond the Chamber of Secrets incident and people were being friendly again, she had been blindsided by the pure, innocent little sister Gryffindor Princess image. Tossing the now stifling cloak off her shoulders he stomped her feet in a mini temper tantrum. Then sighed, having accomplished nothing. The amusingly remembered how well it worked on her brothers.

She had learned to control her temper. As any witch or wizard knew, if you became over emotional without some semblance of control, magic started to happen. It ran rampant in the Weasley house, especially with Ginny’s temper about being ignored. But Ginny had spent the most part of this summer at a Muggle Summer Camp. She had convinced her father that it would help her understand muggles further if she went. She had been taking Muggle Studies at her father’s insistence, and had actually become fascinated by them.

After having gotten her father’s approval she leaned toward the twins for the money. The twins had recruited Ron and Ginny for test subjects and sales representatives in school, so they gave money to Ron and Ginny when they were in need. So little Ginny Weasley went to summer camp, which was an experience of a lifetime in and of itself.

Snapping out of her reminiscence, Ginny remembered that she was in the process of controlling her temper. She took a couple of deep breaths and retrieved her wand from her cloak pocket, “Accio Quick Quotes Quill! Accio parchment!”

Practicing for D.A. and Charms had gotten her to get this down well, and moments later her quill and parchment were in hand. She picked up her cloak and decided to walk down to the lake to insure that she wouldn’t be snuck up upon or eavesdropped on.

She leisurely walked down to the lake, sat against a large rock and set herself up.

DISCLAIMER: I don’t own any of the characters in this story, they are the property of J. K Rowling. I wish I had a little Draco, maybe even a Snape. Ms. Rowling however does not own Professor Harmen, because you can’t own a person, and Colleen, would probably get very mad if you own her and chase after you with a big stick, or run you over with her car. She’s got a big car and it’s scary, so I wouldn’t suggest doing that. ;P

Chapter 2

My fall from grace

The summer started off well enough, I suppose, Harry was at the Burrow and I was finally joining four of my brothers at school. I wasn’t going to be alone anymore; the princess was finally going to the castle! Shopping for school supplies was interesting; I didn’t have to have hand-me-down robes, because all my brothers’ robes were too big, (I was very mousy at that age.) Second hand was better than hand-me-down any day in my book. Buying books, I wish I hadn’t stepped foot in that bookstore. I still get shaky when I go in it now, and I thoroughly check all my books at the check out and tie them shut securely. It’s also why I write on freshly bought parchment and never looks while or after the quill writes it. I’m also scared of personally writing, that’s why I bought the Quick Quotes Quill™, so I really won’t have to touch the parchment or the quill. But I digress; I was talking about Flourish and Blotts’s. Harry had given me his free set of Lockhart books and I was on cloud nine, then that great burke, Draco Malfoy, started to harass Harry. I tried to prove myself to Harry and stick up to Malfoy. However, of all the stories I had heard, I still wasn’t prepared for the obstinaity that is Draco Malfoy. It seemed as if he saw through my skull and pulled out my crush on Harry and stabbed me with it. “Potter, you’ve got yourself a girlfriend.” I was humiliated. I’ve only had one other more humiliating experience in my life. My shyness in front of Harry only increased after that.

Soon enough, school started and I wasn’t as confined with any longer, but that didn’t lessen my crush. I had taken to my new diary as I had always done. Surprised to have found Tom’s memory in the diary, I leant on it more heavily. It was truly as if I had a friend in my pocket all along. I became addicted to it, I was wholly dependent upon it, and I had been possessed by Tom. I can’t verbalize how truly terrifying it is to black out and find yourself in odd positions.

It took me quite a while to figure it out. You can imagine the shock that an 11-year-old girl would have when she figures out that her body is being used to attack people. I was hysterical. I threw the bloody diary in the toilet and attempted to flush the damn thing down, but when Myrtle started to wail, I bolted, not checking to see if it went down. I ran to an empty dungeon classroom and sobbed my heart out.

I had actually gone on with life, determined to forget the doomed diary. I was still dreading the day when the petrified people woke up and pointed me out as the culprit, but I figured I would cross that bridge when I come to it.

Then came the most humiliating and horrifying experience of my life; Valentine’s Day, I shudder at the thought and loathe the day. Those atrocious cupid dwarves were running around the school all day. When there was a jam in the hallways, I looked over to find a cupid hunting Harry down. Harry’s bag ripped open and to my horror he had Tom’s diary. I paled. Harry might know I opened the Chamber. I looked up in fright. Malfoy must have guessed that I had sent the singing valentine because of the look on my face. Very honestly, I didn’t send it; I hadn’t the money. If I had the money you could bet your sorry ass I would have sent one, albeit a more tasteful poem that THAT awful one. But alas, Malfoy yet again pointed out my ginormous crush on Harry in public, worse yet, in the crowded hallways of a gossipy school.

It took a while to overcome my humiliation. I was going to confront Harry about the diary, but I always chickened out last minute. I suppose at that point there was already too much of Tom in my soul, and his motives took over mine forcing me to keep quiet. It wasn’t until much later that he became restless and weary of his inactivity. He haunted my dreams and twisted lies into my thoughts.

Tom had a twisted sense of sadomasochism and was incredibly overjoyed when I began cutting. Not many people know about that. Tom enjoyed me hurting myself, but I only saw it as feeling. I had stopped feeling anything, so feeling the pain and seeing the blood ensured me that I was still alive, that I was still essentially human, even though I had sold my soul to the devil, even though I had become a monster.

Soon after, I had found myself blacking out again, but for longer periods. I came to finding out that Tom had taken control and ripped apart Harry’s room to get back the diary, feeling that his goal was not being accomplished. The next day, I attacked Percy’s girlfriend and Hermione. I was horrified by myself. I cut again as a way to punish myself. Tom revelled in my self-punishment.

One day, shortly after, I found myself in the library at the end of my rope. Tom was strong and I was losing more and more of myself in him. I had actually found a potion that would help me keep him at bay. I was similar in effect to a wolfsbane potion; it would help me keep my mind during a possession. I made the potion; it was a very simple potion. With Tom’s soul in possession of my body, it meant that his skills, talents and knowledge were also taking possession. Moreover, that made the simple potion almost idiotic. The big problem with the potion was it wasn’t meant for prolonged use. I had such a false sense of security in that potion. Tom had actually gotten used to it early and was gaining energy to finally release himself from the diary. That was when I was taken in to the Chamber.

There was a bit of time down there between him being released and myself falling unconscious and dying. We reached equilibrium, with him growing in power and I waning, he kissed me then. I hadn’t the strength to stand on my own; shamefully, I admit that I was holding on to him. He released the kiss, holding me easily with one arm; he started to stoke my cheek and studied me intently with his eyes and his hands. It really isn’t as dirty as that just sounded. He caressed my cheek, ran his fingers through my hair, and brushed his thumb against my lips. He easily wrapped his hand and fingers around my throat, applying gentle pressure as he laid me on the ground. At that point, I could only manage to stare at him through tearing eyes. With his hand still clamped at my throat, he bent down and whispered in my ear, “You’re mine Virginia Leigh Weasley. I own your body, mind and soul. Never forget that I flow in your veins, and that you bore me to life again, for I never will. You are apart of me, just as I will forever be a part of you.”

He left me there to die, but I didn’t. Harry saved me. The students found out it was me, they freaked out. Some forgave me; most avoided me. I’m still haunted by him. I would wake up screaming from nightmares. I would feel so consumed in my guilt, numbness and self-loathing that I began to cut again with a fury. My mum and dad knew about my sleeping problems and would make me sleeping and calming potions. I became numb. I didn’t feel the need to do anything. I barely existed. I can’t tell what it feels like to hate your insides, to hate your very body and soul.”

~*~

A shudder closes and a camera whirs. “Wow, that’s going to be a great picture, I’d want it to be a muggle photo though. Wouldn’t want to see what you would do if it was moving.”

“‘Lo Colin.” She didn’t look up.

He plopped down next to her and threw his arm over her shoulder. “Why so glum Ginluv?”

She gathered up her parchment and quill, “No reason, just reminiscing.”

He suddenly grabbed her shoulders and turned her to look at him. Seriousness clouded his normal cheerful demeanour, “Ginny, listen to me. It’s over. It’s done with. It was four years ago. You need to let it go, everyone’s forgiven you.”

“Yeah, it’s over.” She suddenly hugged him. “You’ve always been too good to me Colin.” He hugged her back tightly. She always felt better when talking to Colin, but she knew it would never be over. Tom and the Chamber would always haunt her.

“Hey Gin.” They released the hug and looked at each other, “I was thinking about trying out for a chaser position.”

She smiled, “Don’t want to try for beater?”

“It’s bloody terrifying being a beater! You keep chasing after these balls that are trying to kill you!” He slumped back and sat against the rock. “No thank you. I rather keep my life and my unbroken bones.”

Ginny giggled, she sat back and leaned on his shoulder. “Does that mean you want to practice?”

“Yeah, but not right now, it’s too nice and I’m too comfortable.” He put an arm around her shoulder and leaned his head on hers.

Any passer by would think they would make a wonderfully cute couple. Really, they were more on the best friend side of things. After the Chamber, Ginny tired to do what she could to make it up to the victims. Penelope, Hermione, Colin, and Nearly Headless Nick were forgiving and told her not to worry about it. Filch had, and still has, a personal vendetta against her. Truthfully, Ginny could give any one of her brothers a run for their money on the detention race. The twins only had her out stripped by 512, but she still had three more years to go. The Hufflepuff, Justin Finch-Fletchly, was still terrified of her and warns the house against her. Nevertheless, Ginny had set herself upon the task of helping Colin catch up with the studies he missed because of her during first year. As a result, they became very close and continued to study together over the years. Their hard work paid off when they were both awarded Gryffindor prefect positions.

They sat there in silence until Ginny’s stomach loudly reminded her that she hadn’t eaten. She rubbed her stomach; “I think that’s our cue for lunch.” He helped her to stand and walked to the Great Hall for lunch. They ate a light lunch and decided to head out to practice. Both Colin and Ginny had recently bought Nimbus 2000s and were joyous about being able to ride a decent broom instead of the school provided ones. Colin surprised her, she hadn’t seen him fly since first year lessons and he had actually gotten quite good. Ginny summoned some of the mince pies her mother sent her with and they snacked and continued to fly until the sun set. They lay in the middle of the pitch, exhausted. Colin lay on his back spread eagle with Ginny using his chest as a pillow, watching the stars come out, content with their upcoming year.

As every year before, and as every year to come, the professors set their unquenchable homework thirsts loose upon the fifth year students of Hogwarts. Colin and Ginny were soon to be found burying their heads in their texts and hushing anyone who made noise in their general area. Harry, Hermione and Ron were off doing their own thing, as normal. Ron berated Ginny when she told him she broke up with Dean. “Now why’d you go and do a thing like that? Dean’s a great bloke!” She rolled her eyes and told him it just wasn’t meant to be and he retaliated by telling her off for leading him on.

Gryffindor Quidditch tryouts were held the second weekend and Ginny and Colin both turned up eagerly smiling while Katie Bell, the new team captain, beamed at the turn out. With four spots to fill and twelve people showing up, there were enough to have reserves.

Monday morning a corner of the common room was crowded. Ginny snuck under the taller people’s arms to budge her way to the front. She yelped as a big seventh year boy dropped his arm in disappointment and landing it right on top of her head. She scowled at the seventh year then looked back at the posting on the board and gave another yelp. She had made chaser and reserve seeker, Colin had made reserve chaser. Ginny jumped and hugged onto the closest person to her, who happened to be Gryffindor’s new beater, Lynda McMerrick, a burly second year girl. Lynda looked at the smaller girl strangely, then glanced at the board and saw her name and squealed and hugged her back.

The morning seemed to turn into the best day yet at Hogwarts. Colin was still happy that he wasn’t completely off the Quidditch team and rejoiced with Ginny. While at breakfast, a cute sixth year Ravenclaw asked Ginny out, she smiled and nodded, then arranged to meet for the Hogsmeade weekend this Saturday. The joy of the day continued as she gained 20 points from Professor Harmen, the new Defence against the Dark Arts teacher. The short young woman with short red hair and round wire glasses had tried to lull them with a music box, just like the one at Grimmauld place. Ginny had enough sense to get up and close the box. Professor Harmen had given her points for her resisting a spell much like the Imperius curse. Ginny beamed as she was greeted in the hall by her tall, dark and irresistibly cute Ravenclaw beau, William Ffyddiog.

All of the warm fuzzy feelings of the morning had caught her completely unaware as she walked into double potions that morning.

A/N: I want to put in a thank you to my little fishies, “pook pook pook” Hee hee, they are my betas and I speak beta, I think I can speak whale too! They keep me up especially when my father died, (which is why this chapter took so long to write) be prepared to see them in the story, I randomly put people in that I know, (but I change their names, so no stalking) Colleeny is Prof. Harmen, and my sister Lynda is in there too, Kari will be in soon, beware for Hogsmeade and Colleen’s and Kari’s favorite characters. It’s my story so everyone will get their pick of people. And there is too much of my personality in Ginny to begin with, that’s why I’m fascinated with her.

Another A/N: please give me reviews! Tell me if you love it, if you hate it, anything! Just beware that I may throw rotten vegetables.

Disclaimer: I don’t own anything, I wish I did, but alas, I don’t. I don’t make money off of any of this, I wish I did, and then I could get my DVD player fixed. I don’t own Kari, I just bother her all the time, and she tortures me by texting me that she’s eating nacho’s. There is a mutilated Buffy quote; see if you can spot it, if you can you’ll get a gold star! I don’t own Buffy either. There is also a Vampire Chronicles reference in here, two gold stars if you catch that one. Anne Rice owns that though.

A/N: Sorry this chapter took so long, I just kept writing and writing and writing, and it seemed like there was no end in sight, but there was an end, I just had to get myself there, and I had to get to that end with a bunch of Slytherin boosting. Go Snakes! Ooo…also, I have read many a fanfic with Ginny’s nickname as Kitten and I think it’s incredibly cute, because I have a cat fixation. I can be seen everywhere with cat ears on. If anyone wonders how to say Ffyddiog, it’s actually a Welsh word meaning “to have faith in” and it’s pronounce “Fithiog” the “dd” is pronounced at “th” in Welsh. Ummm…this is also a bit PG-13 just have to warn you, its nothing bad, just some fondling and forced kisses.

Chapter 3

The Kitten and the Snake

Like Harry, I had been forced to take Occulmency lessons from Snape, but during my second year not fifth. Unlike Harry, there are only three people who know; Dumbledore, Snape and myself. Dumbledore had caught me one night in the Room of Requirement crying my eyes out. I told him that Tom still haunts me in my dreams and he offered me some solace in Occulemency. Professor Snape began to teach me shortly after that. His disgust with all things Gryffindor still permeated the lessons, but his hatred for me didn’t run as deep as his hatred for Harry. Snape actually saw an adept student in me. He could sense Tom’s soul and memories mingled with my own and saw great potential in me. He began to take me on more as an apprentice than just as a student. He began, not only to teach me Occlumency, but Leglimency, advance potion making, hexes, and duelling. Snape played off of Tom’s strengths, none of which involved defence against the Dark Arts. There were times, down in that dank dungeon classroom where Snape delved too deep into his knowledge and started to edge into the Dark Arts. My confused soul screamed and yearned for the loosely familiar knowledge. Unbeknownst to any Gryffindor, Snape is my favourite professor at Hogwarts.

So, I spent most of my school years learning from Snape and studying with Colin. I felt like a double agent, idolizing a Slytherin and just being a Gryffindor, which means hating all things Slytherin. This is the only time I have ever said this aloud, but the Sorting Hat almost put me into Slytherin, but then it recognized that I was a Weasley and told me to ‘move my freckled ass to Gryffindor.’ When you think about it, I suppose that I would make a decent Slytherin; I can get away with just about anything, I used whatever means to get my way, I’m spoiled, and I’m pureblood.

But anyways, getting back to my situation, I walked into potions and was caught completely off guard by Snape’s attack. The bastard attacked me as I walked into the classroom. I spent the entire class fighting him off with my mind while trying to brew my potion and not let on to the other students in the room. At the end of the double class, I dragged along and was left alone in the room with my secret mentor from the last three years of my life. “Miss Weasley,” he hissed as he straightened the parchments on his desk, not looking up, “I would have expected better from you. You need to be prepared for anything. At present time you are in a war.”

I scowled at the top of his head, which was all I could see. “I’ve heard this routine too many times, Professor.”

He snapped, ‘Miss Weasley! I should hope that you would understand what it is we are up against. This is a time of war and people are in two categories when it comes to the Dark Lord; those who are with him and those he must destroy.” His eyes would have been shooting flames at me, if he had such a power.

I’ve known this man too long to be frightened by him, “Oh, and I suppose I should just give up on everything and prepare for the war, and I’m a fifteen year old witch. I’m not going to make a difference in this war! I’m going to live my life!” I glared back at him.

“You need to be prepared or you will die! If you can’t protect those who are close to you, you might as well have killed them yourself! Every living body counts in this war, even children will die! Cedric was only 17, might I remind you!”

“Well, if the apocalypse comes, owl me!” I grabbed my things and stormed out of the dungeon. I had barely made it out the door when I collapsed and fell unconscious.

I awoke to find Malfoy’s groupies, Crabbe and Goyle, groping and fumbling around to undress me. I slapped them both across the face and struggled to get up. They pinned me to the ground and one of them started to kiss me. I gave him a quick knee to the groin and pushed him off, then tried to kick the other which he blocked, but I poked him in the eye. I fumbled to stand up and put them both in full body binds. I kicked them both in the ribs then stomped off to the tower, where I started to write this. I need a shower!”

~*~

Forty-five minutes later, a very wet Ginny Weasley fumbled out of the shower. She wrapped herself in her forest green bath robe and plodded back to her dorm. She pulled on some familiar pyjama pants with snitches, brooms and other quidditch equipment on it, and an old faded small Chudley Canons T-shirt. She checked the clock and it was almost six in the evening and she stumbled to the common room with at book and a bottle of black nail polish.

Ginny found a lot of muggle comforts over the summer; some were jewellery and make up. During one of the regular outings, she had gotten her belly button pierced, which anyone had yet to discover, except for maybe Snape from his earlier attack. She was currently sporting a red flower in a gold setting.

Ginny sat on the couch in front of the fire in the empty common room, everyone else being at dinner. She curled up and started to paint her toenails and read a novel. She had watched a couple of movies based on the works of this author and decided to pick up some of his books. While reading “Christine” and “Thinner” she figured that Stephen King must know something of the magical world, and if he didn’t, it gave her some awful sinister ideas. But currently she was involved with “Eyes of the Dragon” which she had read once before and fell in love with. She applied some more paint on her fingers and toes and continued to read until she fell asleep.

She woke up about quarter to nine, sweating, her body tingling all over. She looked around the common room to see Harry, Ron, and Hermione sitting at their regular table. Harry was grimacing and rubbing his forehead. Shivering as her bare feet touched the cold stone floor. She ran to grab her trainers and cloak and left to walk around the grounds.

She picked a spot not really near anything and lay down to watch the stars. She had closed her eyes for a couple of minutes to take in the smells and sounds of the crisp autumn night.

“Little Weasels shouldn’t be out this late at night. I should take points.” A voiced drawled from above her.

She kept her eyes closed, as it was obvious who it was, Draco “Bloody” Malfoy. “Ferrets shouldn’t be either.” She gave a theatrical sigh, “But alas, I’m a fifth year and I can be out this late, and I’m also a prefect, and we can’t take points.” She cracked an eye open to look at him. “Kinda ruins your fun, don’t it?”

The Slytherin was hanging a couple of feet above her, lying lazily on his broom. He raised an eyebrow as he looked her over. “Depends on what you consider my kind of ‘fun,’” He growled.

“Well, I don’t see any kittens or first years to torture, so I think you’re out of luck.”

“Touché, little weasel, seems like you actually have a backbone.”

She looked up in his pale eyes, “I’ve always had a backbone, and I just sharpen my claws when it comes to Slytherins. I’m not afraid of you.” Ginny closed her eyes and crossed her arms behind her head, as she smirked.

“Ah,” he sighed, “even kittens with sharp claws should be scared of snakes.” She heard him finally fly off. She opened an eye to watch Malfoy leave, satisfied that she could finally stand up to him.

The week passed uneventfully and the first Hogsmeade weekend was soon upon the students of Hogwarts. Ginny met William in the entrance hall and passed Filch’s sneer (mostly at Ginny). The black Hogwart’s cloaks swarmed over the village like ants at a picnic. Ginny insisted on stopping into Zonko’s, where she lightened her pockets by slipping ‘Weasley Wizard Weezes’ flyers into the customers’ pockets. Stepping back out of the crowded shop, William asked Ginny, “What was the objective of that?”

She shrugged, “Nothing like some healthy competition, especially when it keeps me supplied with spending money.” He laughed and grabbed her hand leading her off to Honeyduke’s.

Ginny giggled upon entering the shop. Leaning on the counter was Remus Lupin, chatting with the pretty counter girl, Kari. Ginny smiled as she saw the girl giggle and blush. Ginny started to walk to the counter only to be pulled back by William. She rolled her eyes at him, “Oh come on! He’s not going to bite.” She smirked as she dragged him to the counter.

Lupin and Kari laughed as Ginny and William reached the counter. “Well, good morning Miss Virginia.” Lupin put on his most charming smile and pulled her empty hand up, brushing a kiss along her knuckles. William gently squeezed her other hand. Remus must have noticed him tensing as he dropped her hand and turned his attention to him. “Mister Ffyddiog.” He said with a nod. Ginny gathered that it must have been mid-cycle for him because he looked good. His greying light brown hair was brushed back in a soft wave and the dark circles under his eyes were less noticeable.

Ginny played up to him and gave him a curtsey, “Professor Lupin, how nice it is to see you on this beautiful morn.”

It was nice to see his face light up with laughter, she noted. Once his chuckling subsided, he gave her a serious look, “Ginny, I’m not a teacher any more, you don’t have to refer to me as ‘professor.’ You can call me Lupin or even Remus.” He gave a gentle smile. He motioned to Kari with his head. “Now if you kids would be so kind as to give Miss Honeyduke a personal reference for me, I would be forever grateful. You see she has some hesitations about letting me take her to lunch.” He turned his attention to the blushing girl as she rung up a sale for a third year Hufflepuff.

William muttered under his breath, “I’d have some hesitations too, she might be lunch.” Ginny elbowed him in the ribs as she saw Remus’s smile fade.

Once Kari returned from her duties, Ginny beamed at her, “I can personally attest for Remus. He’s a close personal friend of my family and I think of him as an extra uncle.” Remus gave a shocked smile to her, and she grinned back, “He was an excellent Defense against the Dark Arts teacher a couple of years back, one of the best Hogwart’s has seen for a while. So in conclusion,” She cleared her throat,” Mr. Remus Lupin is a caring, loving man who is good with kids and can protect you from any big bads. He also is very well read and can carry a good dinner conversation.” She nodded in ending.

A slight blush crept along Lupin’s pale face and Kari smiled, “Well, with a reference like that, how can I refuse.” She looked at Remus.

“Wonderful!” Remus went back to lightly chatting with the brunette girl.

William shook their joined hands and mouthed to “Let’s go” to Ginny. She followed his lead out of the store. He brought her to an alleyway around the side of the store, “Ginny, Lupin’s a werewolf.”

Unblinkingly she looked at him, “Yes I know, but he’s also a human. The fact that he’s a werewolf is inconsequential. Would you like to be treated a dirty, hated animal if you were bitten?”

He looked at her like she grew an extra head. “Ginny, he’s dangerous,” he sighed, exasperated.

Her face turned dark for a moment, “So am I.” She said coldly.

He shivered, “That’s different, and he’s a monster. Once a month he turns into a killing machine.”

She stuck a finger on his chest and started pushing him back with it, “look, that man is as good as family to me. Dumbledore trusts him, so do a lot of people. If you can’t see past an out dated stereotype then you can go jump off the astrology tower.” She had pushed him to the opposite wall. With one last poke in the chest, she turned heel and stormed out of the alley.

She stormed to the wooded area at the edge of the village and sat down at the base of a tree, fuming. “Kitten’s been fighting, has she?”

“Bugger off Malfoy.” She looked around for him, finding him sitting on a tree branch above her, smoking a muggle cigarette. “Wouldn’t your father be mad about you using such a muggle convenience?” She sneered.

He inhaled, “It’s my little rebellion.” He smirked, “So Kitten is associating with wolves is she?”

“Spare me your pet names, please.” She glared back out at the town.

“Everyone has to have a nickname in life.” He started to count on his fingers, “There’s ‘Scarhead, the boy wonder, who was too stupid to die,’ ‘Mudblood, the annoying bushy haired sidekick’ and ‘King Weasel, the poor red-haired tag along git.’ So, you should be honored to have a pleasant nickname such as ‘Kitten’. “

She scoffed, “So in that case,” She stood up and made some ceremonial hand gestures, “you shall forever be known as ‘the pasty, rat faced amazing bouncing ferret, which can be shortened to ‘asshole’ or ‘prick’. “ She gave him a Cheshire cat grin.

“Such language little Kitten,” He took a drag and shrugged, “but I’ve had better.” He leapt down from the tree and stalked around her, “Hmmm….let’s see.” He thought, “There is the obvious evil git, mini Death Eater, smirking bastard, the Ice Prince, the Prince of Slytherin, some weird mudblood calls me the Brat Prince, some fanatic girls call me the Slytherin sex god.” She scoffed and he ignored it, “My favorite one passes every first years lips, ‘the most noble and pureblooded Master Draco Malfoy’.” He took a last drag from his black cigarette, and then tossed it on the ground, crushing it out with his heel. He looked up at her through the soft downy hair that fell in his face.

She scoffed, “I figured you Slytherins had some sort of hazing down in those dungeons.” She glared at him, “Do you wake them in the middle of the night by pouring cold water on them? Do you steal their sweets from their mummy? Do you steal their Christmas presents?” She spat, venom dripping from her harsh words.

He looked as serious as she had ever seen him look, “Number one; we don’t steal them, they are to offer them to us. Number two; in order to wake them in the middle of the night requires us to disturb our sleep and wake them, and its’ just not worth it.” He rolled his eyes.

“You torture them other ways.” She declared harshly, crossing her arms in front of her.

“As much as you like to think of all Slytherins as the bastard children of Satan, there is no torture whatsoever. Slytherins believe in order. There is a hierarchy of respect down in those dungeons.” He loomed closer to her as she backed up, “The happy frolicking dirt children of other houses wouldn’t get that. It’s brutal down there; kill or be killed, you’re either in the good or you’re left behind.” He stalked toward her further. She gasped when her back hit a tree, and he slammed his hands on either side of her head. “It’s cold, it’s heartless, but it never lies to you. It teaches you just how the world works. It isn’t just about skill, talent, or doing the right thing, it’s about connections, money, reputation and doing what it takes.”

Not taking her eyes off his, Ginny whispered out, “Greed, pride and ambition will be the end of the world.”

He scanned her eye and saw the faintest flicker of fear and she saw him smirk as she mentally cursed herself. “Without greed, pride and ambition there would be no motivation, no progress. Wants are what people strive to achieve.” He chuckled and gazed at her through slited eyes, “Slytherins just follow the progress of man; we take what we want.”

Her eyes shot open in surprise as his shut and he pressed his lips against hers. She gasped in the sudden realization that Malfoy, bane of her school existence, was kissing her. He took the action as an invitation to invade her mouth with his tongue. She snaked her hands up and splayed them on his chest trying to push him away, but without the proper leverage she couldn’t move the mass. He pushed his body full against hers and grabbed the side of her head, tilting it to the side, forcing the kiss deeper. She tried to bite his tongue in retaliation, but the pressure and angle of his kiss prevented her from doing anything. She tried clawing into his chest, but couldn’t penetrate his robes. He kissed her harder, and it hurt. She was helpless. She was at his mercy, and she cried.

He let go of her face and took a vial from his pocket, collecting her tears in it. He backed away, releasing her, and bottled the vial. “You see, simple as that. I got what I wanted.” She gazed at him, confused and silent. He walked up to her again and she pressed herself against the tree and clamped her eyes shut. “Oh, and Kitten, you might want to keep your shirt down when you wander around at night. That jewel on you belly is quite sexy. You might want to be careful; a less controlled boy might have trouble keeping his hands off.” She snapped her eyes open only to see him nod and disappear into the forest.

“Fuck off Malfoy!” She spat on the ground trying to get his sweet smoky taste out of her mouth. She wiped the sweet clove taste off her lips with the back of her hand before stomping back off to Hogwarts.

A/N #B: So how was that chapter? It took me a while, with the holiday I was working a lot, so things were hectic. If you don’t know, the cigarette Draco was smoking was a clove; which are very sweet and leave a great taste on your lips. I’m giving the next chapter to Draco, because he is a major player in this story. I will not fluff Draco up in this story; I am trying to keep him as the cruel little bastard that we all love. If Remus seems a little OC it’s just cause he was trying to get a date and he’s the geek out of the Marauder’s, I figure that’s how he would be.

Thanks to my beta sharks, Kari and Colleeny! Kari is doing the happy dance as I proof this; she’s happy because she’s in it now.

If anyone has anymore good nicknames for Draco, send them my way, I’ll try to squeeze them in.

And if anyone cares “Eyes of the Dragon” is my favorite Stephen King novel, go read it! And it’s a fairy tale, so it fits the theme.

Disclaimer: I don’t own the characters, or the world, or anything else. :: sniffs at her lack of stuff ::

A/N: :: hides behind the couch :: don’t kill me for this, but I had to give Draco some sort of a companion. I don’t think that he would talk to Crabbe, Goyle, or Pansy much. So hence my ever fun fall back of Laurel has come forth. There is a bit of stuff going on between the two, but it isn’t serious, and I have plans for her later :: smirks :: And she will NOT be a Mary Sue. Also, haven’t forgotten about Ginny’s journal or reminiscing, I just had to get some Draco in here, but don’t worry, the story is still Ginny-centric. Thank you to all my reviewers, they’re everywhere and I don’t have the names handy to write them in. but thank you! :: starts handing out pippin plushies cause he sang in LOTR:ROTK ::

Chapter 4

The inner workings of a Malfoy

Draco Malfoy strolled into the Slytherin common room humming a nameless tune. He sneered at all the first and second years and they diverted their eyes. He continued his leisurely pace to his private bedroom and started to take off his cloak. The sound of his door closing made him spin around and jam the invading person up against the door with his wand pressed against the warm flesh of her throat.

Observing these two, a fanciful person would have seen an artic prince and his princess. The platinum blonde with grey eyes growled at the ice princess in front of him. Tinkling giggles filled the room and he growled, pressing the wand into her throat further. She simply smiled seductively at him, “Kinky.” He kept the wand at her throat while he started to roughly kiss and nuzzle into the other side of her throat. “Control yourself, please,” she drawled. She tried to push him away, but he applied more pressure to her throat with his wand. “Awww….did ickle Drackie fail at his little mission?” He growled again and bit her. “Ouch! You bastard!”

He straightened up to look down at her, and she held her head up defiantly. “My parentage is just as good, if not better, than yours, Faith.”

Laurel Faith’s startling pale violet eyes glared up at him. It was rumoured that she was part vella, but there was also something else in the slight girl that made her eyes flash red when she was real mad. “So did you get them or not?”

He shoved the vial roughly in her hands. “He better not waste them, I don’t want to have to do something like that again.”

She slipped out of his grasp and skipped over to his bed, flopping down on it unceremoniously. She held up the small stopped bottle, studying it in the dim torchlight of his room. “Why? What did you have to do to finally get the Weasel bitch to cry?”

He sat behind her setting his wand back in his pocket. Moving her knee length white hair to the side, he continued to work on his mark. “I had to get a little rough with her” he mumbled on her throat, “She forgets that snakes have fangs. I just reminded her.”

She snorted, “Your too damn poetic for your own good.”

“And you, my dear Faith, are too crude for your own good. You would do to act more ladylike.” He continued his gentle biting.

“If I was more ladylike I might have to act like a simpering fool like Parkinson.” She laughed harshly.

He bit her hard, “You would do well to remember that the simpering fool is a prefect and you aren’t.”

She didn’t flinch at his bark or his bite. “Only because she can be controlled better. That optimistic old coot wouldn’t put someone like me in charge. ‘Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned,’ and I’m definitely scorned.” She tensed up and her eyes flashed red.

Draco purred in her ear as he nibbled on her ear lobe. “Damn! It’s incredibly sexy when you get all mad like that.” She finally went pliant and he wrapped his arms around her.

“Malfoy, you’ve definitely got some odd tastes.” She put the bottle down on the bedside table and leaned against him.

“I’ve got no interest in normality; it’s the extraordinary that catches my eye.” She reached back, entwining her slender fingers in his hair and pulled his head in for a kiss. The soft kiss escalated into a heavy snogging session.

When the two Slytherins were sated, they lay peacefully on his bed, he, staring at the ceiling with his arms behind his head and she laid her head on his chest. “Why do you do it?” she asked breaking the silence.

“Hmm?”

“Why do you follow him?”

He sighed and thought for a moment, “Lack of anything else to do I suppose. Might as well do something while I’ve got the chance. I don’t like doing nothing.”

Her pale violet eyes looked at him surprised, “That’s the only reason you do it? Lack of anything else? You’ve done nothing for so long, they kept the kids out of it for so long, why have you finally decided to do something?”

“Why do you do it then? If my reason isn’t good, then why do you follow him?”

She looked up at the ceiling and barely spoke above a whisper, “My parents were killed by that damn Order of the Phoenix. I want revenge, it’s as simple as that, and I don’t much care who takes me there.” Her eyes flashed red again.

Silence filled the room for a long while, and Laurel got up and left, leaving Draco to mull over his own thoughts. ‘She’s definitely an odd girl.’ He pocketed the vial and made his way up to the owlery to find Ahriman, his eagle owl. After finding the magnificent creature, he sent him along with the vial to his father, as he was instructed to do, and left steeping in his slowly darkening mood. Draco hated taking orders, he was raised to rule, that was part of being a Malfoy. Draco wasn’t to keen on the idea of complete servitude, he was born to give orders, and he loathed it when he was given orders by anyone. There were two people that he listened to, his mother and Professor Snape. There was that brief time that he listened to the Umbridge toad, but that wasn’t even listening to her, it was manipulating her. He listened to his mother, because he did love her, and because she was scary as hell when she was mad, and he listened to Snape, because he had a certain kind of respect for the man. Snape could get away with a lot in Hogwarts, and he was a link to the inside for the Dark Lord. Snape was not a person to be trifled with by anyone, and Draco looked up to him. He was the epitome of an evil git, if he had ever seen one. There was something hugely different between Snape and Lucius, he couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but there was a reason that Draco admired Snape and not his father, he just didn’t know why.

While making his decent back down to the dungeons, Draco heard the annoying red head and her current boyfriend. “…sorry, I didn’t know you felt that strongly on the subject. I really like you and I want to see you again, that is, if you still want to see me.”

“Well, it was awful rude of you, seeing as he taught here for a year and nobody seemed to care before then.”

“Yes, well I see that now, I was just being a prat...”

Draco rounded a corner seeing Weasley sitting on a window seat looking at a kneeling Ravenclaw in front of her. The look of fear was evident in her eyes as she noticed him, and Draco smirked at her. The thick bloke at her feet didn’t even notice as he continued with his apology. Draco smirked at her, then winked and blew a kiss. He saw her look completely petrified, he scared the wits out of her, and it pleased him more than anything had in a long time. He chuckled to himself, happy with his ritual torment of the girl, the other three do-gooders had outlived their entertainment value, and he had to find someway to pass his time. She blanched and he silently laughed while he walked away.

He wandered his way down to the grounds, needing a bit of air. Little did anyone know, but Draco was a tad claustrophobic at times. He was used to the large rooms at home, the outdoors, the roomy classrooms and his own spacious bedroom, but even those walls seemed a little too close for comfort, that’s why he loved flying, there were no walls. Draco made his way down to the far side of the lake and sat pondering his thoughts. Unfortunately, there were a lot of them thundering around in his head. Draco was raised not to trust anyone, so he couldn’t talk about anything. He was raised not to leave incriminating evidence around, so he couldn’t keep a journal or write to anyone. He was raised in a world of indifferent masks. He wasn’t supposed to show that anything bothered him, and that made him just a little crazy, and he knew it. Thinking became less of a thought process or problems and solutions, but more of a dialogue in his mind.

‘Ugh, I hate following that old fool’s wishes, following him to the gates of hell over his stupid obsessions.’

‘If you don’t at least pretend to follow him, you’ll be eliminated. Simple as that.’

‘Too true, but I hate following him and being…ugh…subservient.’

‘But you must remember your plans, you must always remember your plans. The ends justify the means.’

‘You’re always right. I’m getting on in years, and I must start working on the plan. It wouldn’t do to get messed up in this business just to get put away before I can even think about starting the plan.’ The sun set on the boy as he rose up, with a new determination, and brushed himself off.

A/N: just another plot twist that made its way in as I was stumped on what else to do. I know this chapter is wicked short, but it’s the first Draco chapter I’ve written, so hey, like it or lump it, I’m not going to give away all his secrets this early. Sorry if any of that ending dialogue is a bit confusing, but its just Draco thinking to himself, I think like that quite often, which is why I’m a loony. :: looks over her shoulder :: eep, Colleen and Kari are tying the bishies up…must go to them :: wicked grin ::