A/N: Sorry for this taking so long to get out, my (expletive deleted) room mate moved out on me in the middle of the night and took the modem with him, so I have to drive all the way to my mom's house to use the internet. But lots will get written in that time. I'm actually doing a rewrite for chapter 5, so it might be a little longer for that.
Chapter 4: Ginny, Invincible?
Disclaimer: I own nothing. I make no money. It's Jo Rowling's.
The students filed back into Hogwarts soon after the New Years. The Slytherins seemed more ill tempered than normal and the rest of the school cowered in their wake. The older students could defend themselves, but the younger ones were left easy prey. Ginny was relieved to get Hermione off her back once she was busy with school work, and also that her school uniform covered up her collar. The itch went away after Ginny got used to the feel of it, but Hermione sill gave her an odd glace if she saw Ginny itch at all. Draco couldn't bring himself to meet Vullie, not after what happened on Christmas, so the fox sat alone on the pitch, staring up at the moon and whining softly. During the first few weeks the Slytherins were restless and wandered out on the pitch, they became amazed at the speed and agility that a stupid fox had when dodging curses thrown at it, and the fox games began.
He decided to make himself known back in his domain. Crabbe and Goyle were trying out a curse they found in Crabbe's father's library when Draco wandered up. Draco flinched as he heard, "Eximo Tergum!" They had meant to skin her alive.
"Expelliarmus!" Both their wands flew from their hands. "Petrificus Totalus." They both went stiff as a board and fell down in the snow. Draco crouched down between them. "I'm sure you two haven't been hunting enough to know how to use that spell properly," he snarled, "but I've been hunting since I was seven. I'm most proficient at it. Try that again on any living animal and I'll personally show you what it feels like." Draco stood up and stared at the Slytherins.
"Draco, mate," Blaise drawled, standing still and not wanting to incur Draco's wrath, "We were just having a spot of fun. It's not our fault if the dumb beast keeps showing up for it."
The fox curled up around Draco's left leg, "She only shows up because she belongs to me."
Pansy started to walk toward him with her hand outstretched, "Oh Draco, she's beautiful."
He could feel Vullie tense up and snarl. "Stay there Parkinson. She's still wild and she doesn't seem to like you." Her face fell.
"Mate, if we knew she was yours, we wouldn't have tired to kill her." Blaise forced a smile.
"You lot couldn't hurt her if you tried. Remember, she is mine and I protect what's mine." He gave a last dark smirk before her turned to leave with Vullie at his heels. "But, best beware before in case I change it to rebound the spells cast at her."
He strolled with her down to the frozen lake and sat on a large rock. "I'm sorry about that Love. I haven't been to see you in such a long time and you waited for me while being tortured by that pack of hyenas." She jumped up and sat in his lap, rubbing her head on his chest. He gave a warm smile and pets her. "Those protection charms worked wonders though. I'll find a rebound charm soon and I'll put that on as well. That'll teach those gits."
She whined and rubbed against him more, as to mark him as hers. "I missed you as well. I just couldn't face you. It feels as if I let you down. He initiated us all on Christmas. Bloody horrific it was. It was the whole lot of us too. The girls are trying to find something to cover up the mark with. It's too bloody obvious when you have all the seventh years and some of the sixth years wandering about with great ugly marks on their arms."
She whined again and started to rub her head against his left forearm; he hissed in pain but didn't stop her. "It's weird with you, you know. You're just simple, innocent, and good. You really aren't important in the scope of the world, but you're the only thing I have that I want to protect. You're the only things simple, innocent, and good in my life. You're the only one who doesn't pressure me." They sat under a new and dark moon with the silence only broken by Vullie's crying.
* * *
After the end of the fox games, the Slytherins started ganging up on the school again. The younger students felt a bit braver after being trained up and armed by their older housemates. The Slytherins decided to move as a group and Ginny kept getting glances from the Gryffindors as she audaciously broke through their pack, leaving dung bombs in her wake. Its soon began to seem as if there was a personal war between Ginny and the Slytherins. Ron was especially pleased with his little sister as she seemed to be giving the Slytherins what was due. Only Hermione noticed the Slytherins silently hexing Ginny while she was unaware, and nothing was happening.
Once Quidditch season started up again, the hallway skirmishes slowed and pitch side brutality seemed to takes its place. Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff matches were dull, both Slytherin and Gryffindor matches had a few minor fights. The preceding week to the Gryffindor versus Slytherin match the air sizzled with more than just magic. Draco had found and cast his rebound charm on Vullie, wary of the stressed out Slytherin team. The entire castle was on edge and more and more students trudged their way up to the Hospital wing for reversals on boils, overlarge body parts, green or red hair, green or red skin or other nasties. Few rarely went unmarked and it seemed that the teams were the main target. Even Harry and Ron got hit a few times. It seemed only Hermione noticed that little Ginny Weasley was the only one not to be hit; she also seemed to notice that Ginny usually gave out double doses as well. Hermione tried to corner Ginny, but she just sped off apologizing and yelling excuses over her shoulder.
It wasn't until the night before the Mid-April match that Hermione caught up with Ginny. Hermione followed her up to bed and dragged her into the empty girls' bathrooms. "Hermione! What the bloody hell is wrong with you?"
"Ginny, something's up."
"Like what?"
"I'm not completely sure, why don't you tell me?"
Ginny laughed, "You're nutters. Absolutely loony! There is nothing wrong."
"That's the point."
Ginny looked at Hermione as if she grew an extra head, "What in the god damned hell are you going on about?"
Hermione looked amazed, "You haven't noticed have you?"
"Noticed what?" She started to get red in the face.
"That nothing hurts you. You get hexed into next week if you actually pay attention and nothing hits you. I haven't figured out why yet."
"I block things 'Mione. Has it occurred to you that I know how to protect myself? How much have I gone through? I took on those Death Eaters just as well or better than you did. I've learned how to duel and fight. If you think that I've got something else up my sleeve wouldn't you think I'd share it with everyone? I'm astonished at the doubt you have of my skills." She glared at Hermione, who looked ashamed. "I'm going to bed."
Ginny stormed off to her dormitory room and quickly changed into her pajamas. She lay in bed, fingering her collar, wondering what exactly her charade entailed. She hadn't though that Malfoy's charms protected her in human form. She knew full well that he put them on well and he knew exactly what he was doing. She never really thought about the consequences. It had all started off as a joke, and easy way to get dirt on Malfoy. She didn't expect to feel sympathy for him. He was Draco Malfoy, King Bastard of Hogwarts. She didn't think he would go out past curfew every night. She couldn't have known about all the things he needed to talk out. She tried to stop going for a while and spied on him, she felt horrible as she saw him search and call for her.
There were a lot of things she didn't expect happen, but all she could try to do is rectify the situation. The hardest part was figuring out how. She couldn't take the collar off, she couldn't destroy it, she couldn't transfigure it, and she couldn't do anything. In her current standing all she could do was to try to wait it out until the end of the school year with no one knowing. She fell into a restless sleep waiting for tomorrow's game.
Draco wandered the pitch preparing for tomorrow's game and wandering where the damn fox went off to. He expected her to come running at any moment, but she didn't. He wasn't exactly worried, he just wanted company other than a slew of Death Eaters at least, at least he figured, it was only the friends he grew up with. Disappointed and in a worse mood than he was, he went back to his dormitory and fell into a troubled sleep.
Conditions were perfect; it was a clear windless day. Two teams met on the field. The teams were evenly matched. Gryffindor had a strong seeker, on strong beater, a decent keeper and one strong chaser. Slytherin had ruthless beaters, two decent beaters and a good keeper. It usually came down to the snitch. There had been a few cases were Harry caught the snitch and still lost to Slytherin. Usually the entire school showed up to see Gryffindor versus Slytherin matches, as it was, the stands were packed. Madam Hooch released the balls and Ginny immediately scooped up the quaffle and raced down to score, making the first goal of the day.
Draco and Harry battled around the pitch, their strategy usually came to 'get the snitch the fastest or knock the other out of the way.' The fourteen players flew around blissfully unaware of the outside world. They sunk their entire beings into playing, they only saw their goals, and they paid no attention to anything besides what lay around them on the pitch. The only thing that mattered was wining, and in the end, it was only a game. Ginny zigzagged through the other players remaining untouched. Gryffindor was so far ahead that they only way Slytherin could pass them was to get the snitch, which was unthinkable, considering it was Harry Potter, and he ALWAYS caught the snitch.
In a fantastic and inconceivable move, Ginny was on her way to score Gryffindor's 230th goal, when a bludger was aimed at her head. Neville, Gryffindor's best beater, threw his bat at it, unable to get there fast enough. Harry and Draco were both reaching for the snitch, when the bat knocked the snitch right into Draco's hand. Ginny had scored a mere second before his hand grasped it, bringing the final score to 230 to 220. Gryffindor won, but it wasn't a happy win. Harry Potter was defeated. It was a huge fluke, but it was still fair. It took six years but Draco Malfoy finally beat Harry Potter. The stands were in an uproar, most were happy for the Gryffindor win, some were happy about Malfoy's catch, and all were happy to see that both teams were still in the running for the Quidditch cup.
The parties in both common rooms lasted into the wee hours of the morning. Ginny kissed Neville enthusiastically for saving her, while most of the others shunned him. Harry gave Neville a pat on the back and a friendly smile, he, after all, saved their star chaser from a nasty bludger to the head. Ron towered over Neville, and messed his hair, "Oi! You lot!" Ron said getting everyone's attention, "Neville here was just being a worthy Gryffindor, he saved my little sister from getting hurt and he's been the best damn beater we've had in a long while, and it was a bloody brilliant save as well." At those words, the common room erupted in cheers and Neville blushed. In the moment that Neville looked away, the entire Quidditch team, dog piles on top of him. Hermione enjoyed the celebration as much as she could, but she still eyed Ginny suspiciously.
Down in the dungeons, the celebration was just as joyous. People were congratulating Malfoy all night. He grew bored with it all, but gave them a nod as they refilled his glass. He occasionally took the snitch from his pocket, his snitch. He had been waiting six years for this snitch. As the party grew more and more inebriated, he decided to go back out to the pitch. He called for Vullie over and over, until he decided to try to summon her. He pulled out his wand and managed, after a bit, not to slur "Accio Vullie" after a few tries.
Up in the tower, Ginny felt a pull on her collar. She kept jerking forward by her neck until she ran to her dormitory to her wand. She kept feeling the tug and it was getting stronger and stronger. She flung with window open and transformed. Ginny didn't notice the person watching from the door as she was tugged out the window.