Disclaimer: I no own. I can barely live, so it's stupid to say that I don't make any money doing this. So I make no moneys. It's all the brilliant JK Rowling.
A/N: I've been really really busy, so I apologize for how long it took me to write this out. But there was a completely boring weekend at work, so the creative juices got going. I wrote an entire new story, As Lovers Go, got this chapter finished and started on the chapter after this. Go me! I need to get some other stuff going, before more mess comes up and messes up my life. Anyways, read my other story if you haven't already, Unorthodox Fairytale, its planned to be a hell of a lot longer than this one, but this is good with the D/G goodness. Thank you to an anonymous Lisa for pointing out that it was Zabini instead of Zambini; it isn't fixed on Portkey, because I lose all my reviews if I change it. Plotted for this chapter: Draco gets closer to the little vixen and plans to claim his ownership on her, but what complications does that make in her simple life?
Draco's Vixen
Chapter 3: Can I keep her?
Christmas holidays came quicker than one would assume and Draco had bought his required gifts; he bought his mum a diamond necklace, his father a handsome phoenix quill set, Crabbe and Goyle some candy, Blaise the Hexing Handbook, and he got Pansy some Acid Pops. But the gift that he was most looking forward to giving was hidden deep within his robes. It wasn't wrapped, and he knew he would get nothing in return for it, but this gift gave him the most satisfaction of all of them.
The night before he left for home he wandered out onto the pitch. This little spot of grass was now his safe haven. For almost two months, he would find his little vixen out here, running, jumping and generally having a grand old time. The tiny creature would actually sit on his lap and enjoy the gentle ministrations of his hand on her fur. He was taken with her; she was his own free spirited pet. He decided that he wouldn't try to domesticate her by bringing her inside the castle walls, he wanted to keep her as the free spirited wild creature she was but he still wanted to insure her safety.
Draco cast a warming charm on his cloak before he sat down on the snow and soon the vixen came bolting around the corner into the pitch, spinning and jumping a few times before wandering up to him. The wild brown eyes of the vixen met Malfoy's steely gaze as the beast wandered closer. The fox stepped into Draco's lap and curled up, looking up at the sky and she lazily snapped at a couple of snowflakes.
The Slytherin boy smirked at the pet he found so interesting. "You would think by the way you act, that you aren't in the snow all day, and you didn't have to worry about keeping warm in it."
She snuggled up into Draco's cloak, making a warm nest of his lap.
"It's Christmas Eve tomorrow, not like you care, but I have something for you." He reached into his inside pocket as the fox looked at him in wonder. Draco pulled out his carefully charmed and well thought out present. He wrapped the velvet and diamond collar around the vixen's throat and fastened it loosely but securely. He rearranged it a bit to display the green tag on her breast.
The vixen scrambled off his lap ran a couple circles and jumped to display her acceptance. She pulled her head down to her chest and tried to nip at the tag.
"Don't tear that off! It tells people that you're mine and not to hurt you, not that they could get through the protection charm on there anyway. I had the shopkeeper put the strongest protection charm on that collar, because I know how trusting you are. Nothing will get even close to harming you, and you don't have to worry about it falling off either, there is a brilliant locking spell on it." He smirked at his own cleverness
The fox curled back up on his lap and snuffed.
Draco started to pet her idly; "I also put a name on there for you. I hope you wouldn't mind. I just thought that you were a classy fox now, with your diamonds and all, you needed a classy name. There is a constellation named after a fox, and seeing as I'm named after a constellation, it seemed to fit, so you're Vulpecula."
The fox looked up at him and cocked her head.
He raised his hands in defence, "I know it's a bit stuffy. I can't very well keep calling you 'little fox,' now can I? You're a high class girl now, you need a high class name, but I suppose I can call you," he rubbed his chin, "Vullie for short then?"
The fox yipped it appreciation and rested her head back down on his lap, dozing off with his lazy strokes.
After a while of clearing his mind he looked back down at Vullie and sighed, "I'll be going away for a bit, it's Christmas hols, and so this collar will keep you safe until I return." He sighed sadly, thinking about his upcoming family gathering. He looked at Vullie, and she returned his sad gaze. "Well, I should get back; I need to finish packing for tomorrow." Vullie jumped off his lap and Draco stood up, wiping the snow off his cloak. He waved at his little fox before he made his way into to the warmth of the castle.
* * *
The next morning was hectic with students bustling around the school preparing to leave. There were only a handful of students staying; among them were Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger and Ginny Weasley. Ginny had said her farewells the night before with the intention of having a lie in. The other sixth years left in silence, already accustomed to Ginny's new tendency to sleep in. The red head was burrowed deep, curled up and sleeping in her bed. She dreamed of snow, trees, and strong hands massaging her. She reluctantly woke up after eleven and plodded her way over to the empty girls' room to take a shower and tidy up for the day.
She smiled when she looked at herself in the mirror, her early Christmas present still hung around her neck. Reaching up to take the diamond-studded collar off, she discovered it wasn't coming off. "Bloody hell!" The sixteen year old pulled frantically at the collar, but it wouldn't budge. She let out a growl then ran back to her room and scrambled around looking for her wand. Finding it under her bed she ran off to the bathroom with it. Ginny looked at herself in the mirror, pointed the wand at the clasp in the back, and gritted out an unlocking spell, which needless to say, didn't work. She continued with just about every unlocking spell she knew and even threw "Alohomora" in there as well.
Defeated, Ginny slid down the wall. She glared at herself in the full-length mirror. "Cheer up, love. It's not everyday a girl gets diamonds permanently stuck around her neck."
She glared at her reflection, "Shove off." She stood up and forcefully stripped herself of her pyjamas and hopped into the shower. She tried to rub the offending piece of jewellery off, but it remained intact. The hot water poured down her body and she hoped that it would destroy the accursed thing. She felt guilty about trying to destroy it; obviously, Malfoy put a lot of thought into the gift he thought was going to a humble animal. It was partially her fault as well, she knew he thought her just a beast, even when he spilled his darkest thoughts to her, but she stayed. Through all the horror stories, she stayed and offered what comfort she could to him. She felt like she betrayed his trust by just listening to him. She lied to him, even though he didn't know it.
"Ginny? Are you in here?" She snapped out of her thoughts. "Well of course you'd be in here; you're the only other one that can get in here." Hermione chuckled at her own stupidity.
"I'm just washing up. I'll be out in a bit."
"Oh, all right. I was just checking up on you, didn't want you to miss lunch. With only a few people here they have set times for meals." She paused, lost in thought, "I suppose we'll meet you down in the common room, we can all walk down together."
"All right then. See you down there." Ginny heard Hermione leave and she gave the collar one last yank. She hurried to her dormitory and cast a drying spell on herself. Ginny tore through her wardrobe looking for a shirt with a high collar, so she could hide her newly acquired piece of jewellery. She found a high collared jumper and threw on some hand-me-down grey school slacks before heading down to the common room.
At the exact moment her left foot hit the bottom step, a flash of red passed through her line of vision and she was whisked up into the air. It took her a moment to register that she was seeing Harry and Hermione's surprised faces getting farther and farther away.
"Ronald Billius Weasley! You put me down now!"
"Well, Ginevra Molly Weasley! I wouldn't have to carry your lazy arse down to lunch if you would get off it sometimes and hurry up!" he yelled back as he stepped out the portrait hole.
"You put me down this instant!" She pounded her fists on his back.
"Not a chance. I'm starving and we were waiting on you. You took your sweet time and now I'm making up for it." He quickened his already long strides and she could see Harry and Hermione practically running to keep up.
"Ginny, you should already know not to argue with Ron's stomach." Hermione scolded.
Harry mumbled, "Or any Weasley stomach."
Ginny scowled at Harry in response and stopped fighting the inevitable. Once in the Great Hall, Ron unceremoniously dumped her onto the wooden bench at the table and she yelped. Dumbledore chuckled at the siblings and turned back to his conversation with Professor Flitwick. Ginny turned around in her seat, looked at her plate and frowned. "Lunch isn't even ready yet, Ronald. You didn't have to carry me around like a caveman."
Ron grunted his response and started poking his plate muttering curse words.
"Absolute cave man, he is." She grumbled. Crossing her arms over her chest and frowning.
Lunch was served a few moments later. Soon after, the satisfied occupants of the school made their way back to their respective places with the littlest Weasley child sitting in the library to study up some potions for the twins. While they could afford to buy books from the store, Hogwarts has the most extensive library in the magical world, so as long as the twins kept money in her pocket, Ginny would keep researching for them. As per usual, Hermione was soon to be found in the library also, to continue studying for her N.E.W.T.s and she sat at the table with Ginny, who was absentmindedly scratching her neck.
"The twins still have you doing that ridiculous research?" Ginny nodded her response. "Honestly, if they had gotten more O.W.L.s or actually taken their N.E.W.T.s and finished school, they would hardly find it necessary for you to do their research. I swear…"
"I really don't mind doing it. They pay me well enough for it and it gets me to study up on different things." Ginny interrupted.
"That's beyond the point, you have your own studies to worry about without having to worry about the properties of an invisible flea potion or something." Hermione paused and gave a strange look to the still itching Ginny. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine."
"You've been scratching for an awfully long time. Would you like me to take a look at it for you?"
Ginny stopped itching, "Really I'm fine, nothing to fuss over. It was a bit of a twitch. It's done now, really." Ginny sat on her hand and continued flipping through the pages and Hermione eyed her suspiciously.
Eventually Ginny's hand moved to her lap, then to the table, then started playing with a tendril of hair and moved back to itching again.
Hermione slammed her hands on the table, "Honestly, would you let me have a look at that?" The older girl stood up to lean over, but Ginny manoeuvred around her and stood up.
"I'm fine. It's probably just nerves. I'll go have Madam Pomfrey look at it right away. Hermione growled at the receding back of the red head.
Ginny ran. She didn't notice that she already arrived at the pitch or transformed until she picked up the snippets of a hushed conversation and couldn't find anyone speaking. She followed the sound to Hagrid's hut.
"Headmaster, I fear for my students who are old enough. Who's to say what happens when they're at home."
"Severus, we can not compromise our work. If you go flying in cursing everyone in sight all will be lost. I fear for the students also, but you're too valuable to lose right now."
"Severus," McGonagall pitched in, "they can withstand it, and we taught them to be strong. They can hold it off. They have a choice."
"Ah my dear Minerva," his voice went cold and hard, "as much as we taught them, they can't fight it. They have no choice. You either take it willingly, you're forced, or you die. When the Dark Lord knocks on the door, you answer it, or you and your family die in the smouldering ashes of your house."
There was a chuckle, "You always had a gift got words and a thrill for theatrics."
"Headmaster, this isn't a laughing matter." Ginny could just about hear the stern look Professor McGonagall was giving Dumbledore.
"The day isn't as grim as you two seem to think it is. There is still a chance for the young ones yet."
"You're a fool if you think he doesn't keep a tighter leash on the new ones." Snape spat.
"Hey now!" Hagrid boomed.
"Easy Hagrid. I'm well aware of Voldemort's tight leash, but you above all should know that you can't make a Slytherin do anything they aren't willing to do. They are a cunning bunch and can get around any obstacle in their way. May I remind you that you did the same thing at their age?" Snape grunted noncommittally. "Voldemort's cockiness and carelessness only grew with time. The new recruits will look to you. Communication in the castle is still being monitored by the ministry. Their only link is through you. Consider yourself the lieutenant of a force of unknowing spies."
McGonagall chirped in again, "You can't expect him to lead the children into that much danger."
"They've been in danger all their young lives."
The door to the hut opened and Hagrid's boarhound Fang rushed out the door, having caught the scent of a fox inside he immediately started to chase Ginny off. "Fang! Ye great lump! Git back 'ere!" Fang stopped chase and cowered back, tail between his legs.
"It seems that we already have cunning enough spies in the castle anyway." Dumbledore's blue eyes twinkled as he saw the last bit of red as Ginny fled.