Draco's Vixen

Draco’s Vixen

Chapter 1: The peculiar beast

It was a normal day. All right, it was an early Halloween morning during his seventh year. It’s hard to imagine yourself leaving a place you called home for so long. It would be his seventh and final Halloween with a large group of children, sheltered from the world and all it’s harshness. Sometimes it’s reassuring to be ignorant of the world around you. Voldemort was still trying to take over the world, in vain. He had come to realize that if he hadn’t done it by now, the man never would. He hadn’t joined them, much to everyone’s dismay. His father was still trying to get him to ‘reevaluate the situation and see what was offered by joining.’ All he saw was a bunch of barely decent wizards trying to measure up wand size and she who’s was bigger. There was nothing to be gained of it. Once the dust cleared, Voldemort and the Death Eaters will be the ones to fall, and Draco was not about to fall with them. That was his reevaluation, he wanted to live and prosper. He was taught to be better than all the rest. His father never settled for anything less than the best, and punishment had been brought down swiftly because of that damned Mudblood Granger. It was embarrassing watching someone with no background pull ahead of him; he had an extensive background behind him. His father had hit him when he was younger, but as he grew, Lucius had become a bit more hesitant on laying a finger on the boy that towered over him in height and power.

The young Malfoy was on his own, wandering the extensive grounds of the school, trying to clear his thoughts of everything. He tried to keep his mind on simple things; Quidditch, the potions test, how to fend of Pansy, new ways to sneak alcohol into the dungeons, even the upcoming N.E.W.Ts. He wandered close to the Forbidden Forest and stared at it. He had been afraid of this simple wood for so long. There wasn’t too much to be said about the forest other than it was simply dangerous. You would wonder why a school was set up next to such a dangerous spot. No one ever got hurt in there, but it was still dangerous. There were more dangerous things in the world than what is in this little forest. Maybe it was to test who would be lulled into the danger and who would stick up to the danger. It was a well-known fact that some of the Slytherins had a sort of initiation in the forest. They would go in just to see how far they could really go, how much they could get away with. The dangerous and evil aura of the place seduced them all. Draco had gone in during his first year, and ran, screaming like a little girl from it. Since then he has snuck in numerous times to prove to the forest that he had grown, that he wasn’t the same scared 11 year old. Draco had gone into the forest, deeper than the other Slytherins, he had tasted evil, malice, and sinister thoughts, and he knew them well.

Draco glared at the forest as if to challenge it, to show the forest that he wasn’t afraid, because there was nothing more to be afraid of, he had seen it all. Draco gave one last sneer to the forest and turned around to see the first rays of the sun stretch over the lawns. The pale blue sky lit up with bands of gold and orange, lighting the new day ablaze. Movement in the corner of his eye alerted him to the red, black, and white animal that sat to watch the sun rise a few meters away. He raised an eyebrow at the small animal, never in his almost 18 years had he ever seen an animal watch the sun rise. This was a peculiar beast. Draco shifted his weight to the other foot, content on watching the fox watch the sun instead of watching the beauty himself. Alerted to his presence the fox turned its head around and looked at him. It noted that he was there and turned its head back to watch the sun rise.

“You are a brave little creature aren’t you?”

The fox tilted its chin higher.

“Your probably someone’s pet.”

The fox bared its teeth at him and growled, pressing it’s ears back in attack mode.

He raised his arms in a defensive manner, and the fox backed down. “All right, All right, so you’re no one’s pet.” He mumbled, “Bloody beast is a Gryffindor through and through.”

The fox snapped its head around and looked at him through widened and surprised dark eyes.

He laughed, “Someone should take you out of your misery, before you get shot by one of those muggle hunters. They’ll chase you down with dogs and horses, and when they’ve exhausted you, they finally let the dogs rip at you and then shoot you.”

The fox trembled.

Draco pulled out his wand; “At least I can make it painless for you.”

The fox growled at him, snapped its teeth then sprinted back into the brush of the forest. “Bloody animal is going to get itself killed.” He pocketed his wand and leisurely walked back to the castle to get ready for the day. Deep brown eyes followed his back until he was in the castle.

A/N: yeah I know I should really be working on my other story, but this one got stuck in my head, so I had to write it, cause it’s so cute in here. There may be smuttiness after a while, I haven’t decided yet

A/N: Thank you for the reviews. I recently read “The vixen and the Dragon” by Davesmom, and although it was a good story and very cute, I’m taking a different angle with this. I don’t mean to make Draco fluffy in this; it’s more of an introspective type of serenity. He thinks he’s only talking to a fox, he would never say this stuff if he thought that anyone actually heard him.

Draco’s Vixen

Chapter 2: The beginning of a beautiful friendship

Halloween night wasn’t much out of the ordinary, his last one in no way out doing his first. How could you possibly out do a troll in the dungeons? Considering it would be difficult to get anything more dangerous in the dungeons than what already lies there. He looked around the feast, still disturbed by the poor souls who were clueless about what was happening beyond these walls. The Slytherins with Death Eater parents knew that tonight of all nights there would be a double attack on Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley. Voldemort had given up any thoughts on a plan at all, or if he had one, nobody really knew what it was. The great wizard was usually attacking on random now. This attack wasn’t random though, what better night to plan an attack then on the biggest wizarding holiday of the year in the most populated areas.

Draco looked around the table; he had Crabbe and Goyle relentlessly eating on either side of him, Pansy staring at him from across the table, with Blaise next to her, staring at her. He sighed. He wasn’t sure what Slytherin was lacking anymore, but it was lacking something. Being pureblood was nice, but it also led to being inbred. Half the population of Slytherin were severely lacking in intelligence, looks, wit, and power. They were only sorted into Slytherin because they were purebred and spoiled. The only one in the house that he would even consider his friend was Blaise but that was about it. Crabbe and Goyle were too stupid. Pansy was talented, but she was too clingy, her parents taught her at a young age to attach herself to money and power.

Blaise Zambini was intriguing in himself. He was only a couple away from the top of the class, and he was the third in the house. The slim boy with wavy chestnut hair had the delicate features of his French mother and the dark complexion of his Italian father. He, like Draco, was purebred, but not inbred. Blaise and Draco made friends their third year after sizing each other up for the first two years. It was a sort of alpha dog thing; they had to know where the other stood and how they measured up to each other. After a couple of tied duels, they stood at an impasse, and they became friends. Bored with his dinner he pushed it in front of him, and Crabbe and Goyle started stealing food from it. His cool grey eyes gazed over the hall again. Potter and his gang were chuckling about something or another, the Ravenclaws were reading the books they had tucked on their laps, the Hufflepuffs were gossiping like normal, and the rest of the Gryffindors seemed to be having the best time of them all. He looked over to spot the deep cascading hair of the Weasley girl toss around as she listened to something being told to her by the two girls on either side of her. For a moment, he thought he saw her glance at him while her head was turned in one direction for more than a fleeting moment. He shook his head and thought, ‘Why the bloody hell would she even dare look at me? It’s unnerving is what it is.’ Draco suddenly perked up a bit when the dessert arrived, he always had a bit of a sweet tooth, and he filled his plate with anything he could get his hands on.

“You’re going to rot your teeth out with all those sweets or become diabetic.”

“Shut your gob, Zambini. If I wanted your opinion I would ask for it.” He glared, putting some more pumpkin pie in his mouth.

“Yeah, leave him be Blaise. If my Draco wants to eat sweets, then let him.” Blaise rolled his eyes and chuckled, smirking at Draco.

“For the last time Parkinson, I’m not yours.” He pointed at Blaise with a fork, “And you better wipe that smirk off your face before I remove your lips for you.”

Blaise leaned forward and rose to Draco’s challenge, “You’re just upset because Pansy already picked out the bridesmaids’ dresses.” Draco’s eye widened in terror while Pansy pulled out a horrifying pink book with pictures and fabrics in it.

She opened the book to a spot and pointed to something, “Oh Draco, isn’t it lovely? Ara and Paula will look wonderful in them.” Draco shuddered and Blaise laughed.

Pansy kept droning on and Draco fled, not wanting to hear anymore. ‘Anyways,’ he thought, ‘it was getting awful stuffy in there.’ Draco ran down to his room to gather up his broom, deciding that it was stuffy in the whole damn school. He walked out the main doors and flew to the highest tower to enjoy the breeze. He leaned back on the sloped circular roof and enjoyed looking at the stars. He sighed. Those stars, unfortunately purebred families liked to name their children after those stars, he being one of them. It wasn’t easy growing up being named after the failed and slain dragons of mythology, but he supposed it was better than what he could have been named. His parents could have been cruel and named him Camelopardalis or something instead. He scoffed, as if his parents would really name him after a giraffe.

To the left he saw flashes of light. He looked in the direction of Hogsmeade sadly. There wasn’t anything for him to do; he couldn’t join his father, and he couldn’t turn against his father. He was stuck between a rock and a hard place, and slowly being pressed to death. He turned away from the lights; he turned away from what his father wanted him to do. He picked up his broom and floated back down to the ground, pulling himself together enough to walk around the castle corridors, broom in hand. He didn’t want to morbidly have a chuckle in the common room about what was presently going on, so he wandered.

“…. me alone. I don’t have anything.” A thud could be heard. “Oww, I told you I don’t have anything. I’ve got a few knuts and that’s about it.” Draco rounded to corner to find Crabbe and Goyle pushing a first year Ravenclaw against the wall.

Draco rolled his eyes at the stupidity of the two large Slytherins. “My dear boys,” he drawled and slinked up to the duo, laying his arms on their shoulders and slumping between them, “how many times do I have to tell you? You need to bully the third years and up. First and second years never have any money. It’s the ones that are old enough to go to Hogsmeade that you need to bother.” He smirked at the young boy while the two lummoxes stopped to think about it. “Now why don’t you be a good lad and give us what you do have before these two forget what I said and go after you anyway?”

The young boy handed over his measly nine knuts and ran off. Draco pocketed the money and looked over at the two in front of him. “Why’d you take off so quick from dinner?” Crabbe asked while he reached his beefy hand up to scratch the back of his head.

“I left. That’s all you need to know.”

“But we supposed to make sure that everyone sees us while the attack is going on” Goyle said, frowning at him.

“I realize that, but I couldn’t listen to that silly bint continue talking about me, and Zambini wasn’t making it any easier as it was, and you two were just nauseating to watch as well. I had to get out of there, if only for my sanity.” He rolled his eyes and started to walk towards the dungeons. “Come along, it’s getting late as it is, and I don’t want to have another prefect to come along and start yelling at me till my ears bleed. We’ve got to rest up for the match tomorrow.”

The following days match, Slytherin versus Gryffindor didn’t end exactly the way Draco had imagined it. Gryffindor had won, much to his chagrin, 470 - 420. The good news is that the Slytherin team only lost by 50, which means that Gryffindor is slipping and Slytherin is strengthening. Crabbe and Goyle had filled out over the years and had become terrors with bats. The chasers still lacked, but with Crabbe and Goyle keeping everyone out of the way, it hadn’t mattered much. The deadly duo knocked one of the Gryffindor chasers out, and left the older Weasel with a broken wrist. The only thing that held any resistance to them was the Weasley chit. She was hell on a broom. She had skill; she could probably out fly Potter. It was true that her seeker skill weren’t up to par, but her chaser skills were the best that he’d seen. The match had lasted most of the day and the students wandered up to the warmth of the castle for dinner.

The evening feast was loud and rambunctious to say the least. Everyone was cheering, congratulating the Gryffindors and clapping Potter on the back. The little Weasley was still beaming with joy, but receiving none of the limelight. All Potter did was catch the damn snitch, the little redhead helped to score the other 320 points that won the house the game. She sat, talking amongst her little friends, being ignored by the rest of the house.

That evening, before curfew, Draco wandered back down to the Quidditch pitch to recount the day’s game. He always went after every game to replay what he could remember about the game. He sat in one of the higher seats and sat in the bitter cold thinking. He had sat for most of 20 minutes staring at the sky before he spotted a small dot moving frantically on the pitch. He climbed down the stairs as not to disrupt the over excited being. He pulled out his wand at the bottom of the stairs and slowly crept up to the entrance. He jumped around the corner and saw the same fox running and jumping around, not even paying attention to him. “Damn it fox, your going to get yourself killed one of these days.”

The fox stopped and stared at him with the look of a deer caught in headlights of oncoming traffic. The fox flattened itself to the ground, trying to decide if it should run or not.

Draco pocketed his wand and showed the fox his hands were empty. “Look. See, nothing. I’m not going to hurt you.” He sighed, “Mind if I share the pitch with you though?” He smirked at the fox.

The fox backed up offering him room on the pitch; it stood a little higher but kept its ears at alert swerving at every noise.

“Thank you ever so much.” Draco rolled his eyes, and sat on the cold ground, pulling his knees up to rest his arms and chin on them. “You’ve completely lost it now Draco, your talking to a god damned fox!”

The fox shirked away a bit farther.

“No offence intended. It’s just that, it’s not quite normal to talk to a crazy forest animal.”

The fox pulled its ears back and growled at him.

“Okay, Okay. Your not crazy, your just real tame.” The fox stopped growling and held its head up.

He chuckled and shook his head, “Well, damned if you’re not a weird little thing. You go around watching sunsets, and playing on a Quidditch pitch. That’s not normal for a little fox. You really should be more afraid of people.”

Just to try his patience, he assumed, the fox stepped closer, holding its head up.

“Is that to tell me that your not afraid little fox? You are a bloody Gryffindor; jump right into the well with out looking, always leaping before you look.” He raised an eyebrow at the fox.

The little bright red fox yipped and gave a jump in the air, just to prove him true.

“Damnable little thing,” he muttered and leaned back crossing his arms beneath his head. “I suppose you’re an easy enough thing to talk to though. It’s not as if your going to go blab all my secrets now are you?” He inquired to the fox with a raised questioning eyebrow.

The fox laid down a few meters away from him and tilted its head and Draco looked back up to the sky.

“Did you see the game up here today?” he looked at the tiny creature, “You probably wouldn’t know what Quidditch was if it gnawed your leg off.”

The fox tilted its head the other way.

“Well anyways, today was a spectacular game. My team lost, but it was still a great game. That Weasley chit, she was fantastic, I’ve yet to see a better chaser. She was an all right seeker, but she’s a damn good chaser, she flies like a seeker. Potter still caught me up on the snitch though. Maybe he just wants it more; I mean he has a lot of shit to deal with the Dark Lord and all. I suppose my heart’s just not into the game as it used to be.” He sighed.

The fox stayed low to the ground and crept up to Draco, slowly getting closer and closer to him.

“I mean when you have most of the people you know trying to persuade you into something that you don’t want to do, you tell me if you could keep your mind on a silly little game.” He started to speak faster and louder, losing the little bit of self-restraint that he kept. “The Death Eaters. I mean what kind of a silly name is that. They eat death? They can’t force me into it. Well actually, they could, it’s as easy as the Imperius curse, but that wears off, and I can fight it a bit. They would rather have me go into it willingly. Voldemort can go to hell, he’s half dead already.” Draco trailed off, looking up into the stars as if they had all the answers in the world.

The fox had squirmed its way up within his reaching and whimpered a bit, letting Draco know that it was still there.

Draco looked over at it, “Oi, your still here eh? Thought I would have scared you off by now.” Draco pulled his left arm out from under his head and offered his had to the fox to smell.

The fox smelled his hand and sneezed, but stood up and swished its tail once.

“So, you’ve taken a fancy to me, is that it?”

The fox licked his palm.

“Would you let me pet you?”

The fox hesitated but rubbed his head against Draco’s outstretched hand.

The Slytherin sat up and started to rub the young fox’s head. “You are by far the most trusting wild creature I’ve yet to find.”

The fox yipped its agreement, and leaned in to his touch.

He exchanged no other words with the fox that night, and the fox never moved any closer than arm range. The two sat in companionable silence as the moon rose higher into the sky. The early November chill was the only thing that made Draco leave to seek the warmth of the castle. He nodded his farewell to the fox as his feet crunched on the frosty grass.

A/N: Next up, CHRISTMAS! And my little plot devise and inspiration for this fic. Thank you to everyone who reviewed, I keep all the reviews. :: huggles her reviewers :: And big huggles to Colleeny and Kari, my betas, even though they haven’t beta-ed this yet, cause I’m impatient.

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.

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 230^th 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.

Chapter 5: Thank you sir, may I have another?

Disclaimer: Me no own, you no sue.

A/N: I am truly sorry for the length of time it took to get this out. My life was a huge mess and the writers block finally fell of my head. (Those big blocks really hurt, ya’ know?) Well, I have finally got past all that. I’ve got tons of free time in Biology, Sociology and such, so here it is; the long awaited Chapter 5. My beta Kari, told me that this chapter was well worth the wait. I put in some sleepy fluff, and Snape makes an irritable entrance. This chapter is also devoted to my Kari (Karl Cheeseburger). And a thank you to my pal Jessie for beta-ing for me.

“I’ve figure it out you know. Not all of it, but the important bit.”

The red head buried her head deeper in the nest of her bed, “Good job ‘Mione.”

“Ginny will you wake up and talk to me?” Hermione started to jab a finger into what she thought was the younger girl’s ribs.

Ginny rolled over and opened an eye to look at her. “So what’s wrong?”

“I’ve figured out one of your little secrets. I saw you last night.” Out came the look that rivaled Professor McGonagall.

Ginny closed her eye and snuggled in the bed, “Lots of people saw me. There was a party.”

But only I saw you change into a fox and fly out the window. Why didn’t you tell us Ginny?”

Ginny flopped onto her back, keeping the blankets tucked under her chin. “I suppose that it was nice to do something you three couldn’t do. You guys are always doing stuff without me, so I wanted to do something without you for a change. This makes me special.”

“We never mean to leave you out. It’s mostly Harry that tries to do stuff without anyone. He doesn’t want anyone her cares about to get hurt. He tries to shoulder the world by himself.” Hermione gave a warm smile.

“Oh please. Harry’s a self absorbed twit. He’s so used to being alone with himself he thinks he’s the only person that matters. He’s so worried that Voldemort’s out to get him that he doesn’t notice until last minute that someone else is in trouble.” Ginny harrumphed then turned over no to look at her.

Hermione gaped at her, “I…I…I suppose your right. Well, not in those harsh words, but the basic gist.” The two girls were silent for a bit. “So do you want to tell me any of the others things I haven’t figured out yet?

“Not in particular.” Ginny though about the collar and turned to face her. “Did you actually figure anything out, or was it just that you saw me transform?”

Hermione turned read and looked at the bedspread. “I just saw you transformed, she looked up at Ginny, “I would have figured it out from there.”

Ginny smirked. “Well, maybe, but probably not. I’ll tell you, but utter a syllable to anyone else and I’ll memory charm you back to a muggle. You get my drift?”

She nodded and held up her wand. “I swear on my honour as a Gryffindor.”

“All right, good enough.” She sat up in bed. The covering slipped from her body like an elegant unveiling. The collar sat upon her shoulders as untouched and perfect as when he put it on three months ago. The black tank top framed the green tag on her pale freckled skin. Ginny met Hermione’s eyes. “It won’t come off.”

“Ginny are those…?”

“Yes they are real diamonds.”

“Who?” Hermione put a hand up to touch them, but held back and kept her hand in mid air.

Ginny mumbled her answer. Hermione gave her the McGonagall stare again and so Ginny closed her eye, grit her teeth and let it out. “Malfoy, I’m his pet.”

“Are you mad? No, seriously, have you gone completely nutters? There is a lovely bed next to Lockhart we can get you.”

“Hermione…” Ginny’s eyes grew wet. She had never had Hermione scold her before.

“Ginny will you think! What if he finds out? You’ll be killed. You have to get that off. You have to stop seeing him.”

Ginny grabbed Hermione’s wildly expressive hands. “Hermione, take a breath. I’ve thought about this. I can’t take the collar off, only he can. I can’t stop seeing him; he’ll just ‘accio’ me. I think I just have to wait it out for the end of the school year.”

“But…but....” Hermione whimpered. “Oh Gin, you can’t leave it for that long. He might try to do something before the end of the school year.”

“Hermione, I’m his pet. He hasn’t figured it out yet. I doubt he is the least bit suspicious. Plus, he’s not as bad as he makes himself out to be.”

“You fancy him!” Hermione put her hand to her mouth to suppress a giggle.

Ginny’s face reddened. “No, I’ve jut come to understand him. He tells me things, things he wouldn’t normally say aloud to anyone. I just…I don’t know.” Ginny looked right at Hermione. “So, not a peep? I don’t have to take a page out of your book and charm up a contract, do I?” Ginny’s eyes hardened and sent a chill up Hermione’s spine.

“I swear to you, not a peep.” Hermione stood up and crossed the room to leave, “If it helps, I’ll try and research some way to get the collar off.”

The best thing to keep Hermione out of your hair was to get her to do research. “That would be helpful. Thanks.” Ginny curled back up in her bed as she heard the door click shut.

* * *

The next few weeks passed by easily, Ginny continued to show up at the pitch in her animagus form. Draco continued to talk about what was on his mind with his sweet, little Vullie.

In mid April there was a Hogsmeade weekend. She was wandering around trying to find a late birthday present for the twins, when Fawkes, Dumbledore’s phoenix, landed on her shoulder. “Hullo Fawkes.” The warm from his body comforted her body. She looked around and dodged into an alleyway where he dropped a letter for her and flew off. She stared at the seemingly harmless note lying on the ground in front of her. She hesitantly picked the letter up and read it. ‘Please come to my office.’ Ginny automatically felt that familiar sickening tug from her ribcage.

The portkey letter fell from her hand as she landed in the Headmaster’s office. She met the sparkling blue and pitch black of two professors as she turned. “Glad you could join us Miss Weasley. Please, take a seat.” Ginny sat in a nearby chair and stared dumfounded at Dumbledore and Snape. “I would like to first ask you if there is anything you would like to tell me?”

Ginny shook her head, “Not that I can think of sir.”

“Well, Miss Weasley I would first like to say that I know about you new ability and I commend you for your skill in transfiguration. I also appreciate you not registering. To cut to the chase, I would like you to join the Order.”

Shaking her shock off, Ginny croaked out one word, “Why?”

Snape rolled his eyes and Dumbledore smiled, “I don’t really have to remind you of your own talents, do I?” He chuckled at her vacant face. “Well you are the first student in over 30 years to become and animagus while attending school. You are right behind Mr. Potter in you Defense against the Dark Arts skills. You’re a parselmouth. You have faced Death Eaters and Tom Riddle, and you have managed to befriend young Mr. Malfoy.”

“I’m not friends with Malfoy” she growled.

“Have it your way, but you have gotten close to him, and that’s what we particularly see as an asset.”

“You want to use me to use him.” Her ears started to grow red.

The potions master snapped at her, “Miss Weasley, you’re being a spoilt brat. We need you to help the Order by becoming a link into the Death Eaters. It’s not a personal thing. War isn’t personal, you must think of the bigger picture.”

Ginny pouted and turned her head to the side, trying to hide her tears. “Severus, please calm down. Ginny, I’ve deliberated this to myself for months now. Unfortunately I’ve found no other way than for you to infiltrate Malfoy Manor. We need to have a confidant in the household. There is mistrust in Professor Snape among Voldemort’s cohorts. We need a fresh angle.”

Ginny took a deep breath and sighed, she paused to think a moment then looked back at Dumbledore. “I suppose that I have no choice.”

“You always have a choice Miss Weasley.”

“Not when you tell me that I am essential in stopping Voldemort, who probably wants to destroy everything I know and love. When you give me a choice of me or the world, you don’t really give me a choice.” She crossed her arms over her chest.

His eyes twinkled again, “Now you’re seeing the big picture. So, you have two things on your plate for the rest of the school year. Firstly, you will get Mr. Malfoy to take you home when he leaves school. Secondly, you will now be under Professor Snape’s private tutelage until you leave. He is going to prepare you for your mission.”

Ginny’s mouth fell open as Snape sneered at her, “Yes, Headmaster.”

“Please remember Miss Weasley that no one, besides the three of us, is to know anything about this.”

“Headmaster?”

“Yes, Miss Weasley?”

Ginny looked down at her fumbling fingers, “Then I have two problems.” Both men looked at her confused. “Well, Hermione knows that I am an animagus.”

After a moment Snape grew restless, “And the second?”

Ginny untied the silk scarf around her neck to show them her collar.

“Why, Miss Weasley, what a lovely piece of jewelry.” The old wizard smiled cheerfully.

Ginny scoffed, “That’s not what I meant. I can’t take the collar off. Malfoy put it on. All the Slytherins have seen it on the fox, so if they see it on me, they’ll know. I haven’t been able to do anything with it.”

“Well then you’ll just have to be careful.” Ginny looked into the familiar blue eyes of the aged wizard. He seemed to know everything. Those eyes seemed as clear and deep as the ocean, holding just as many secrets.

Ginny suddenly felt ashamed, she didn’t know exactly why. Maybe it was just that her parents always told her not to talk back, or it could be Snape eyeing her down. “Yes headmaster. I understand. When should I start with Professor Snape?”

“He will work that out with you personally. If you wish to return to Hogsmeade, than you only need to pick up the letter.”

Ginny stood up, reapplied the scarf around her collar. “No thank you sir. I think I’ll walk around the grounds for a bit.” She wandered out of the office.

“Sir…”

“I know Severus. She is still only a child, but she’s strong enough. With proper training she’ll be a force to reckon with.” The Headmaster gave him that look, the one look that commanded respect, but made you want to hit him for being a smart ass. “Please don’t make this a repeat of Mr. Potter’s Occulmency lessons.”

Snape gritted his teeth and nodded, “Yes, Sir.” With a fury of black robes, he was gone. Dumbledore smiled cheerfully and started sucking on a sherbet lemon.

* * *

Ginny wandered out to the grounds to think, she barely even realized that she transformed. Vullie wandered down to the pitch where she laid down and started to nap.

Draco was flying over the pitch when she saw the red spot on the pitch. He smirked gently and landed softly next to her. He picked her up and cuddled her into his chest. “Do you want to fly with me love?” She purred as only she could and rubbed against him. He cradled her tightly, mounted his broom and took off. Draco thought it was odd that she was so calm, but he learned long ago that his little Vullie was anything but normal. She picked her head up into the wind, feeling the sharp chill through her fur. She loved to fly. This was a new sensation, being held and flying.

After a couple minutes of gentle flying, they landed and collapsed onto the soft warm grass. Draco sprawled out and Vullie crawled onto his stomach and curled up into a ball. She watched his breathing even out and sleep. Thoughts tramped though her mind, could she really betray him like that? Could she use him as a tool? Could she possibly turn him into the ministry? She shook her head gently. It wasn’t his fault; he wasn’t given a choice for anything that happened to him. She felt like screaming, no one ever gave them a choice, either of them. He wasn’t given a choice to become a Death Eater. She wasn’t given a choice to become a spy in the Order.

She stood up. She was going to give him a choice. It might mess everything up, but for one decision they were going to have a choice. She slinked up his body and sat on his chest, putting her front paws on his eyelids. She changed back to her human form with her hands clasped over his eyes, straddling his chest. She leaned forward and whispered into his ear, “Draco?”

“Hmmm?” He wasn’t completely out of his doze; still lightly asleep enough not to realize what was going on.

“Draco, it’s me. I want to give you a choice. Please remember that this is what you want. Do you want me to go home with you this summer?”

“Vullie?”

“Yes, it’s me, Vullie. Do you want me?”

“Your mine, I’ll protect you no matter what.”

Ginny smiled, “So you’re going to take me home this summer?”

“Yes love. I’ll take you home.” He raised his arms and started petting her hair.

She savoured his touch on his touch on her hair, not fur, hair. She smiled sadly, took out her want and changed back into his sweet, innocent Vullie. She curled up on his chest, her head over his heart, and napped with him.

As the sun started to set, the evening chill prevailed against Draco’s thin robe. He woke up and looked at the red ball of fur on his chest. He smirked, thinking back on the odd dream of Vullie talking to him. He shook his head, ‘It’s just because she seems more human than animal.’ He started to pet her and she tried to snuggle into him more. He chuckled softly, “Come on love, time to get up.” She opened one eye and seemed to glare at him. “If you wake up, I’ll tell you something nice.” He finally seemed to coax her awake and she thumped her tail. “Do you want to come live with me after school?”

Vullie yipped in response and licked his hand. “Suppose that’s a yes then?” She stood up and rubbed against his cheek. It surprised her the most when she licked his cheek.

Draco held her to his chest and stood up. He called his boom to his hand and with her, walked up to the school. “If you are coming home with me, than I suppose we should get you used to living indoors.” Vullie wagged her tail, until she got to the front doors of the castle. Once she realized that he meant to bring her down to the Slytherin dormitory she struggled and jumped out of his arms.

He looked at her, confused, she was crouched to the ground shaking. “All right, step by step then. We have time.” He stepped though the doors, “I’ll see you later, go have fun now.” He watched until she wandered off.

Ginny changed back and sat against the walls. She got him to take her home, but it wasn’t until he tried to take her into the castle did she realize what that meant. He was going to take her into a den of Death Eaters. She, as a fox, would have no way to defend herself, besides the collar. She would have to toughen up. She really needed to buff up. She needed Snape. She groaned at that thought.

The Potions Master was exacting. He could be a bit unfair at times, but he needed to be a perfectionist. With a potion, one tiny mistake and you could kill everyone in the classroom. She understood, but she didn’t like it. He tortured everyone but his own. She made her potions with perfection, yet he still felt it necessary to berate her.

She pulled herself up, checked her scarf and trudged her way into the castle. She forcefully made her way down to the dungeons. She hesitantly knocked on Snape’s office door and waited, holding her head down. The heavy door opened and the furious stare of the Professor seemed to look through her. He grabbed her arm and pulled her into the office. He threw a locking and silencing charm on his office, then moved her to a chair and sat on the corner of his desk, looking down at her.

After several moments of silence, Snape stood up and paced around the room. “Miss Weasley, if you’ve nothing to say. Than I suggest you continue your lethargy up in your own common room with the likes of you Gryffindors.”

She turned her head away from him. She kept her eyes closed; she didn’t want to see his reaction. “I’m scared. I didn’t realize what I had gotten myself into.”

“Exactly” he spat, “you didn’t think of looking before you leapt. How very Gryffindor of you.” He fumed and paced a few moments longer. He paused and his expression softened. “He didn’t give you much of a choice though, the old coot never does.” He saw the glisten of a tear on her cheek. “Miss Weasley, stop simpering, he did the same to me.” She turned to look at him, wiping the tears from her eyes. “Yes, he got me too. The man likes to manipulate all of us in his little game. Once he gets you, he’ll turn you into his ideal pawn.” He sighed and sat down at his desk. “If you don’t completely muck up, what I teach you will keep you alive and safe. We are going to meet down here every night after curfew.” She opened her mouth to protest. “Miss Weasley, if you can’t manage to sneak yourself down here without getting caught, then there is no hope for you.”

“I understand Professor.” She looked down at her fumbling hands.

He groaned, “What Weasley? What?”

“Malfoy tried to take me down to the dormitory with him. What should I do, he’s trying to get me used to being indoors. I’m going to eventually have to get stuck down there. I just don’t know what to do.”

“Miss Weasley, please restrain yourself. You can’t be hysterical in a situation like this. You will have to stay with him. But you need to learn to think on your feet.” He looked directly at her. “I will offer you no help with this. You have to figure it out on your own. No one will be there this summer to baby-sit you. Do you understand me?”

“Yes sir.”

“Now, you will leave her and come back at 10pm sharp. I don’t want you here earlier or later. Get out of my office.”

Ginny hardened herself and walked out of his office with her head held high. She kept her cool as she walked up to the library to do some research on various things. She pulled out books on curses, defense against the dark arts and animagi. Ginny found a quiet corner in the History of Magic section and started to prepare herself. She had no idea what was coming, so she would try to absorb everything she could in the little time she had.

Later that night, Ginny slipped out of Gryffindor tower. Getting out of the common room took longer than she though it should have taken, but she could still manage to get down to Snape’s office in time. As she closed the portrait door, she pulled her wand out eHand changed her form. It was easier to sneak around when she was smaller. She managed to get down to the dungeons with one minute to spare and quietly changed back to human. The second hand on her wrist watch ticked too slowly in her mind as she watched and waited for ten o’clock to strike. She silenced the squeaking door and opened it a crack. She slipped through and felt something change. Snape smiled cruelly from behind his desk. She glared at him. “It’s ten precisely. What’s your deal?” She picked up her wrist to check her watch and saw that he had turned her skin green. She groaned and rolled her eyes. “A twisted sense of house pride I suppose.”

“You never know what nasty little surprise is waiting around that door. This is harmless; it could have been something much, much worse. You are going to have to figure someway out of this one yourself, because you never know what could be there.” He stood up and rounded the desk. ”This will wear off once you go to sleep tonight, but please let it be a lesson.”

Ginny mumbled something rude, but looked at Snape defiantly. She noticed the shimmering bowl sitting on his desk.

“First things first, we will start off with Occlumency. You need to be able to protect your mind if you are caught. Your mind can be the most powerful weapon against yourself.”

And so the first lesson began. Sometimes there was a charm on the door and sometimes there wasn’t. The level of defense was far beyond anything taught in a classroom. Ginny was a quick and studios learner. She soaked everything up. As much as Snape hated to admit it, she was an excellent student. She took everything seriously, even as much as he tried to scare her. He kept trying to raise the bar, push her farther and farther. He has her life in his hands. If she was killed, it would be more innocent blood on his hands. Knowing this fact, he might have to teach her to kill. If it came to a kill or be killed situation, she would have to know how to end that other person’s life, and he didn’t know if her would be able to teach that to an innocent sixteen year old girl. The night her realized this, he drank himself into a stupor.

Another damn A/N: I’ve almost finished writing the next chapter, so that should be up after my spring break. The next chapter is bringing Quidditch finals, Ginny in the Slytherin common room, secret passages, and the end of the school year.

Chapter 6: Spying 101

AN: I thank everyone for their reviews; I appreciate them more than you would think. It makes me more interested in writing when people respond to what I write. This chapter is a bit on the weird side, it shows Ginny’s dark side.

“Its okay love, calm down. Don’t you trust me?” For the first time those gray eyes looked hurt. “Nothing will ever hurt you. I won’t allow it.” He patted the lump in his shirt. Vullie had stressed out enough to pop a button on his shirt and climb in. He could feel her shaking. Ultimately, he had been able to lull her into the castle. He took her deeper and deeper into the castle every night. He thought it best to go step by step. Tonight he had gotten her into the Slytherin common room. She had been indoors every night for a month, but he didn’t think that going into the common room would have made that much of a difference.

He stuck his hand in his shirt to attempt to calm her. She trembled but hesitantly licked his hand. “We’ll go to my dormitory maybe you’ll be a bit calmer.” Vullie trembled as he closed the door to his room and he felt her go still. “It’s all right everyone is still out in the common room. No one is going to hurt you.” Vullie peeked her head out of the hole in his shirt. She looked around, ears swinging every which way. He pulled his tie off and started unbuttoning his shirt. He scooped her out and held her in his hands, “See nothing to worry about.”

The Slytherin dormitories were almost identical to Gryffindor’s, except they were green and the windows weren’t the large bright portals of sunshine. They were small hatchways almost at the ceiling, not even large enough for a person, but large enough for her to squeeze through. Vullie leapt from his arms and wandered around the room. She sniffed out Draco’s bed almost immediately. His smell seemed like and expensive wind. He smelled like flying, but he smelled expensive that was the only way she could describe it. She jumped up in his bed and started to roll around in the sheets. “Oy, you’re messing up my bed!” He stomped over, she flattened herself and trembled. Draco groaned he realized that he couldn’t really yell at her. “All right, go ahead.” He sat down as she rolled over and rubbed her back through the sheets. Her eyes popped open when he started to rub her stomach. For the first time she was glad she had fur, or else she would have a full body blush. She completely stopped moving. She had no idea what to do. She knew she should move so he would stop, but it felt so good she didn’t know if she could move. “See nothing to worry about.” He smiled sweetly.

Ginny groaned inside, ‘If only you knew what you were doing, then you would worry.’ She closed her eyes, her mouth opened, as if by it self, her tongue dropped out and she started to pant. ‘Oh god, this is embarrassing.’

“Oh you like that do you?” Draco grinned like a child with a puppy. Her muscles turned to jelly and she flopped over on her side, unable to keep herself upright.

She composed herself as she stared at the wall. ‘All right, can’t get myself in that position again. It was hard to keep my concentration and stay in animal form. Would he get a treat if I turned back and he saw what he was doing.’ She scrambled up on his lap and rubbed her head against him. She managed to catch a glimpse at his watch. She had fifteen minutes until she had to be in Snape’s office. ‘Time for a show.’ She picked her head up, ears swinging wildly searching for a sound. She growled, then buried herself into his robe and lumped herself at his back.

“What’s the matter love? Do you hear something? Suppose I should let you back outside.” He unbuttoned his robe and picked up the trembling ball. “I’m going to let you out through the window. It’ll be faster and I don’t want to get caught with you in here.” He opened the window and levitated her up to it. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Go calm down.”

Vullie slinked through the shadows. She rounded a corner where she knew there to be a secret passage. She ran around the corner and saw three figures standing in front of the passage. Vullie strained her ears to hear what they were saying. Her heart leapt, it was Harry, Ron, and Hermione. She changed back to human and rounded the corner. She peeped over their shoulders.

“Wait, Ron, hold on. The map will tell us how to get it open” whispered Harry.

“But we are going to get caught, we need to hurry.”

“Ron, you’re a prefect and I’m head girl. I doubt we are going to get in that much trouble. You just need to calm down or we will get caught.”

“I’ll show you how to get in.” The three of them spun around to look at the small redhead.

“Ginny what are you doing?”

Harry and Hermione clamped a hand over Ron’s mouth. Harry whispered, “Ginny if you could open it we would be grateful.”

Ginny smiled and curtsied, “At your service.” Ginny cast a silencing spell. Then hit the appropriate combination on the stones. The wall opened up. The three went thought the door before Ginny could say anything and Ron’s overlarge foot landed right on the trip stone to set off and alarm in Filch’s office.

“Ron, you idiot! You set off and alarm. Run for it!” The three older kids hid under the invisibility cloak and ran off, leaving Ginny to fend for her self. Ginny changed back to a fox and fled for the dungeons. Ginny changed back and opened Snape’s door as the second hand of her watch ticked off to 10:01.

Before she realized what had happened she was flat on her back with Snape’s forearm pressed to her throat and his wand digging into her forehead. “You’re dead Weasley.” He pressed on her throat more until tears fell from her eyes. He groaned and released her. He stood up and sat at his chair. His entire composure darkened. “Please get off the floor Miss Weasley.” She stood up and wiped the tears from her face.

“Sir, I…”

“Miss Weasley, your dead. You ceased to be.” He glared at her. “You compromised everything and got yourself killed. This isn’t a game.”

“But sir, I had to…”

“It doesn’t matter. Are you going to argue the circumstances when you’re a ghost? No matter what happened, or why you weren’t more careful, it makes no difference. You are dead.”

Ginny cried. She fell into a chair and sobbed. Snape turned his chair away from her.

“We’re done for the night. Get out.” Ginny wiped her face off with her sleeve. She cast a wary look at the back of Snape’s chair. “Leave, Miss Weasley!” She fled the office. She ran all the way up to Gryffindor tower, uncaring if anyone saw her. She blazed through the dormitory and flung herself on her bed. She waved her wand to close her curtains and cast a silencing spell. Heart wrenching sobs filled her ears. She didn’t hear Hermione pull open the curtains. She didn’t care that Hermione was rubbing her back and making soothing noises. She didn’t even notice that she cried herself to sleep.

A pounding headache woke her up the next morning. Ginny opened her eyes and saw Hermione sleeping next to her. Hermione must have held and comforted her all night. There were tear stains on the older girls’ cheeks as well, having cried for Ginny as she slept. Ginny slipped out of Hermione’s arms and off the bed. She grabbed her shower things and freshened up for the morning. She pulled out her potion set and quickly made up two headache relief potions and downed one of them. Ginny climbed back into the four poster bed, and gently rubbed Hermione’s arms to wake her. “Hermione, wakey wakey. Time to get up.”

Hermione put a hand to her forehead. “Oh, that hurts.”

Ginny put a vial in her hand, “Drink this, it’ll help.”

Hermione put it to her lips, swallowed it and gagged. “Ginny that was horrible.”

“Yes, but do you still have a headache?”

“Well, no, but…”

“So it’s fine then.” Ginny pulled her knees up to her chin and wrapped her arms around them. “Thank you for staying with me.”

Hermione pulled her self up and leaned against the headboard. “Your welcome.” She looked at Ginny’s blood shot eyes. “We saw you in Snape’s office. What happened?”

“Oh, I got caught. He gave me detention.”

“I’m sorry, we just ran for it. I though you were right behind us. We got up here and looked at the map and saw you in Snape’s office. When you came up, you looked horrible, I was worried.”

Thoughts of the night before flashed through her mind. Ginny’s eyes started to tear up again. “No, I’m fine. I just got caught is all. Nothing I can’t deal with.” Ginny cocked her head to the side and smirked. “So what were you guys up to sneaking around last night?”

Hermione turned red. “We were just out talking with Hagrid. Nothing big. We stayed out too late and had to figure a way to sneak in.”

Ginny nodded, they were keeping secrets again. The trio was out to save the world again, without the help of anyone. “I’ve got a favor to ask.” Hermione looked up at her. “Can you try to keep people from looking at the map at night? I don’t want Ron seeing me with Malfoy. He would fly off the handle. You know how he is.”

“I’ll do my best.” Hermione noticed that Ginny looked tired, like a hunted animal. She had the look that Sirius had back when he had escaped from Azkaban. “Ginny, you look horrible. Maybe you should sleep some more.”

Ginny smiled. “That would be nice but I’ve got quidditch practice. Cup finals are next weekend and Harry is running practice every chance possible.” She wrapped Hermione in her arms for a hug. “Thank you for everything. Please, trust me. I need time and everything will be known. Please cover for me just a little while longer.”

Ginny fled the room before Hermione could question her further. “I will, but you have to watch out for yourself first.”

Between Quidditch time, school time, Malfoy time and Snape time, there was no time for Ginny. She began to feel thin and stretched out. She had too many lies and too many secrets. She kept pushing herself. She kept telling herself once the cup finals were over things would get easier. Snape was pushing her harder and harder. He kept her paranoid and ready to break. He stopped sugar coating everything. He became brutal. If he ‘killed’ her then she had to leave. No excuses would be accepted. He only allowed perfection. One wrong move, one wrong step or spell and she was dead. He forced her to realize that is anything went wrong, she would be dead; there would be no one to save her.

In a surprise move, he gave her the night before the Cup finals off. It looked odd to see him smile. He sat at his desk when she managed to get through the door. “Very good Miss Weasley. Go up and get a good nights rest. I want to see an excellent game tomorrow.”

Everyone showed up for this game. This was one of the biggest games in Hogwarts’ history. This was the famous Harry Potter’s last Quidditch game at Hogwarts/ Tensions were high, spirit was up and because of certain teachers, and homework was down.

The teams met equally on the pitch. The paranoia of both captains was present in the second and third reserves. Harry and Draco met in the middle to shake hands. Draco was grim faced, but Harry smiled, “Thank you Malfoy.”

Draco was bowled over. “What are you on about Potter?”

“Thank you for years of good games and thank you for never going easy on me.” Harry gave a quick smile then backed off with his team.

Draco sighed, and then joined his team. “Quick change of plans, lads.” The Slytherin team perked up. “Give Potter all you’ve got. He doesn’t want us to go easy on him.” The hunter clad team grinned evilly as one and set their sights on the object of annoyance they have dealt with for years.

All the pent up house hostility came out at once when Madam Hooch blew the whistle. Twelve players flew together all at once. The keepers flew to opposite ends. Everyone scrambled together. It was hard to make out who was hitting who in the mass of robes and brooms. A Slytherin chaser got hold of the quaffle and took off the end of the pitch. Ginny managed to pull herself out of the mob, kick the ball out of his hand and catch it as it fell. She raced to the opposite end, and once the mass of players saw her go, they finally broke up and started to chase after her, leaving the seekers to start looking for their goal. The Slytherin keeper managed to block the quaffle and threw it to one of his own chasers.

The game dragged on for hours and most of the game surmised to trying to beat up Harry, The Slytherins didn’t pay much attention to scoring, which left quite and opening for the Gryffindor chasers. Soon after Slytherin sunk a goal against Ron, Harry screamed and fell to the ground. He slumped over his broom and started to have a fit. Madam Hooch called for a time out and Professors started to rush the field. Once the huddle of adults broke, Harry was taken off the pitch on a stretcher with Dumbledore, Pomfrey and McGonagall following. Ginny noticed Hermione had already left the stands and was chasing after them.

“Damn, they took Harry.” Ron looked back at the team. “All right, Ginny, you’re the best flyer, you’re going to take over seeker. Pheleps, you’re going to take over Chaser. Chasers, we need you to do your very best. Without Harry there is no guarantee for the snitch. They’re calling us back, let’s go.”

Ginny frowned at Ron. She didn’t mind that he took over after Harry fell, even though she was already named captain for next year. She just didn’t like that he implied she couldn’t catch the snitch.

The teams rose into the air and split up. “So, they replaced the Great Harry Potter with the Little Weasel.” Draco smirked at her.

“Why Malfoy, do you think this is a fair match up now; A little girl against a big scary Slytherin?”

He growled and shot out at her. Ginny spun upside-down, giggling. He turned and saw her laughing and started to chase her around the pitch. For hours the pair flitted around like two butterflies. They stopped only when a glint of gold sped in front of them. They sped off side by side chasing after the little gold ball. Draco and Ginny tried to shove each other out of the way. They reached out to grab the snitch and each grabbed a wing. They snarled at each other. Draco then put an extra burst of speed and flew in front of her. Ginny collided with him and they fell to the ground. Ginny surprisingly felt Draco put his arms around her and take the brunt of the fall.

After they stopped rolling, Ginny opened her eyes and sat up. She was straddling Draco’s stomach. Draco opened his eyes and raised an eyebrow in question at her position. Ginny just glared in response. She looked at the wing of the snitch still in her hand and the wing in Draco’s hand. She looked around her hoping that the ball fell to the ground. A gagging sound under her made her turn her attention to the fallen Malfoy beneath her. He plucked something out of his mouth and showed her the snitch. He held it up in the air and Madam Hooch blew the whistle to end the game.

“Are you terribly comfortable Weasley?”

Ginny smirked, “Well, since you seem to have gone all froggy. I was wondering if I kiss you, would you turn into a prince.”

Something felt too nice, too familiar. He had to destroy it. He had to get this feeling out of the pit of his stomach. “I’ll never be your precious scar head Prince Potter.”

“I’m not interested in Harry and you could never be anything like him.” They glared at each other with loathing.

The teams came rushing over as Ginny stood up. Gryffindor had won again while Slytherin caught the snitch. Draco clutched the wing, threw the snitch into the soft ground and stomped off. Crabbe picked up Draco’s broom and the Slytherin team followed him off the pitch. Ginny watched from the wildly cheering throng as Draco flew off to sit on a rooftop.

She felt weird. She didn’t know how to describe it. She wandered off to sit by the forest, waiting for the pitch to clear out. She needed to sit on the pitch and try to connect with that feeling some more. It bothered her.

It took a few hours for the pitch to completely clear out and Ginny wandered back over as the sun was setting. She kept her head down and solely plodded over. She might have just been too deep in though to initially notice the irate Slytherin captain stomping around the pitch. “Go away Weasel. You’re a bother.”

“No.”

“I said go away!”

“I’ve just enough right to be here as you.” She jutted her chin out defiantly.

He growled loudly. “Oh, do whatever the hell you want to.”

“I would have whether or not I had your approval.” She sat down, knees tucked under her chin, on the ground. After trying to ignore Draco’s stomping for an hour, her calm demeanor cracked. “Would you just stop that?”

“I can’t. I’m angry.” He glared at her and kept stomping.

“Well, stomping around isn’t going to make it better.” Ginny glared back.

“Well it sure as hell doesn’t make it any worse.” He finally stopped, crossed his arms over his chest and glared at her. “You wouldn’t even begin to understand.”

She glared at him, resisting the urge to get up and punch him in the mouth. “Oh you, you, you. Poor little Draco Malfoy, no one understands him.” He growled again. “You’re being a twit.” She smirked at him, “Just try me.” She stretched her legs out and leaned back, getting comfortable to listen to his whining.

“You want to know, then, about poor little Draco Malfoy?” She nodded. He lunged at her, pinning her to the ground. “Fine then, you’re going to hear it all, every gruesome little detail.” Her eyes were wide with fear and he liked it. “I have been losing to that damn Harry Potter for six years! Every battle between us, he has won. When I finally won the fight and caught the snitch, he still won the battle. This was the end, he won the war. There isn’t anything else. I can never say that I beat Harry bloody Potter. I haven’t gotten any better from when I was twelve. That is what I’m angry about right now.”

Years of fighting and keeping up with six brothers paid off and she flipped Draco on his back, pinning him to the ground. “All right, now you listen. Winning, losing, you’re looking at trivial things. It’s just a game. This isn’t a war! But if those are the only terms you understand then so be it. You are a prat. How do you think that made me feel? I lost to you. You caught the snitch. You won the fight and if you say you haven’t gotten any better from when you were twelve, what does that make me? Huh? That leaves me with nothing. The only one even good enough to challenge Harry is you. If you weren’t who you are than Harry wouldn’t be who he is and vice versa. You two play are a national level, while everyone else around you can barely keep up. They knew I would never have a chance against you, they knew no one besides Harry has a chance against you. So don’t give me that bullshit.” She tried to slam him on the ground to make her point but she didn’t have the strength.

Just then she suddenly seemed to get the omen, the epiphany took hold, and her eyes watered. He flipped her, taking advantage of her sudden weakness. She went limp and turned her head to the side. She didn’t want him to see her cry. He stood up and took a few steps away from her. Ginny curled up into the fetal position. She knew they would win the war, but she would lose the battle. They were sending her in to lose. She had no chance of winning.

Her agony quickly switched to anger. The more she thought about it, the more it started to boil over. The ground around the pair started to shake and as Ginny stood up, clumps of grass started to explode.

Draco stared at the small redhead in surprise, her fury was incontrollable. “Oy, Weasley, calm down.” She started to walk to the school, bits of lawn exploding around her. “Weasley! Stop!” He kept watching the pitch being dug up around her, ash falling around her as she walked away. Draco saw that anger and he recognized it. He knew what it was capable of. He didn’t know if he could watch this little innocent girl walk off and do something rash. He couldn’t watch someone this innocent become tainted. He ran at her and tackled her to the ground. She screamed into the dirt and struggled to get loose. “Weasley, calm down!”

She screeched like a banshee. “No! No! I’m going to kill them! I’m going to kill them all! Let me go!” She got a hand loose and started to claw at the ground. “Let me go Malfoy! I have to kill them!” She struggled to turn around and faced him. She tried to claw at his face, so he pinned her hands above her head. She started kicking, so he wrapped his legs around hers. When she resulted to biting and screaming, he only had the choice to cover her mouth with his and kiss her.

Once she stilled, he broke off the kiss. “Are you going to calm down now?”

She glared at him. “Do you want to get off me now? It’s almost ten and I have an appointment to kill someone.” Her eyes were ice cold. Those sparkling brown eyes he joked around with earlier were dead. “I’m calm now.” He released her and rolled off. She stood up and readjusted her twisted clothes. She took her wand out of her pocket and stomped off. Draco sat back and watched her walk away, he had absolutely no idea what was going on.

The air around Ginny seemed cool as her heart iced over. The dungeons were cool as it was, but the cold air stung against her face. She opened the door to Snape’s office and when the professor tried to throw her to the ground she managed to pin Snape to the cold stone floor instead, pressing the tip of her wand into his forehead. “Any last words Professor?” She dug the piece of wood, that little twig that held his life, into his forehead.

“Miss Weasley, I’m impressed but…”

“Shut up! I’m going to kill you and that geezer up there that’s trying to kill me.”

“Weasley, what are you…”

“I’ll do you little suicide mission, but I’m not going down alone. I’ll take you two to hell with me.”

Snape was shocked at her. She had realized, finally, what this mission was. Her sparkling happy eyes were now dead. “You have finally grasped the situation.”

“Yeah, I grasped it. You are sending me out to die.”

“Miss Weasley, you are probably the only one that could come back alive. That’s why you were chosen.” Snape started to slowly inch out a wand he always had hidden in his sleeve.

“You two are trying to kill me. What I do there will make no difference. I will lose and to lose means I die.” A tear fell down onto Snape’s face and then he put her into a full body bind. He put her stiff body off to the side, stood up and brushed himself off.

“Now Miss Weasley, you will calm down. Neither I nor the Headmaster means to kill you by sending you on this mission. That is the reason we have been working for the past month and a half. Anyone else would die, but not you. You finally got me today. You managed to kill me. I now know you have the guts to do it. You’ve finally realized the kill or be killed demeanor. I had probably tried to protect you from that, I didn’t want you to fall like I did, but you have, all on your own.” Snape undid the spell and sat at his desk. Ginny sat up slowly and looked at him. He looked as old as Dumbledore. She sat across from him and stared.

“I’m going to lose. I know it.”

“The order is gaining on them.”

“Damnit, I’m not talking about the Order, I’m talking about me. The Order will prevail, but I won’t.”

“Miss Weasley, don’t be ridiculous. You aren’t meant for battle. This is an information gathering mission. You are going to be a bug. There should be no reason for you to have to fight with anyone. I’ve just been trying to make sure nothing will happen. Call it over kill if you wish. The protection spells on that collar should be your ultimate defense; I just wanted to make you prepared, if something comes up. What made you come up with this conclusion anyway?”

“The game today, felt like an omen. It just seemed like some freakish foreshadowing.”

Snape smirked then smiled, then started to laugh. Ginny just scowled at him. “Oh, Miss Weasley, I think you’re a bit stressed out. You’re making random connections between a war and a quidditch game. I want you to go up to bed, have a good nights sleep and have a lie in tomorrow. You’ve earned it. Let’s skip tomorrow and we’ll do some more on Monday. We’ll start work on your infiltration skills from now on. I’ll fill you in later.” Snape smiled warmly. “Hold on a minute, I’ll get you something.” Snape retreated into his private work room.

Ginny sat a vacant shell of who she once was. ‘Well,’ she thought grimly, ‘I don’t feel so strained anymore. Now I just don’t feel anything.’

Snape looked at the sixteen year old sitting at his desk. It chilled him to know exactly how much she had changed. Flask in hand, he returned to the position of the demanding Professor. “Drink half of this tonight and the other half tomorrow. It should help you sleep, calm you and revitalize you.” Ginny eyed the concoction suspiciously. “I need you to be top of your game. Right now, you’re angry, I understand that more than you would believe. But when you start to believe you’ll lose, you will lose. If you have to hate us, do it, but use it to survive.” He couldn’t tell exactly what emotion passed though her, but she seemed to ease a little. “Now go on up to bed, ignore the party that must be going on and rest up. You need to relax.”

Ginny took the proffered flask, cradled it to her chest and left. She plodded back up to the tower. She pocketed the flask and opened the portrait door to the loud, cheery warmth. Everyone was in a good mood. Ginny skirted around the crowd and snuck up to her dormitory. She changed for bed and drank half the potion. She instantly felt warm and full. She fell right off to sleep and slept the most fulfilling night’s sleep she’s had in months.

The next day was a beautiful day. She felt refreshed. She felt that yesterday’s outburst was just a slip of madness. When she thought about her deduction logically, it really didn’t make any sense. She quickly dressed in a loose shirt and skirt, tied a silk scarf around her neck, and threw on some sandals and ran outside to the grounds. She savored the feel of sunshine on her face, took her sandals off and lavished in the feel of grass on her bare feet. She mentally and emotionally relaxed. She sighed and walked around the grounds. It was still early and people were having a lie in, considering how late the parties ran last night. Ginny put her sandals back on and transfigured herself into Vullie. She wandered around until she found the specific window she was looking for. Everyone was still asleep in the dormitory. She managed to force the window open and squeeze through the crack. She fell to the floor soundlessly and looked around. Thankfully everyone was still asleep. She jumped up on a certain blonde’s bed and curled up at his side. She sighed heavily; taking in his scent, then fell asleep.

Draco didn’t stir until noon and felt a weird lump at his side. He patted at the lump and felt fur. He sat up and saw his sleepy little fox raise her head to look at him. A sleepy smile crept along his face as he lay back down. “I’m getting a bit hungry. What about you girl?” He felt the thump of her tail and took that as an affirmative. “All right. I’ll go get us some food, you stay right here. I’ll be right back.” Draco got up, dressed quickly and ran off to the kitchen. Vullie moved into the nest of his blankets and pillows. She deeply inhaled the smell of Draco Malfoy. If there was only one thing about him that was distinctly his and his alone, it was his scent. It was bittersweet, she didn’t know what she would do when she betrayed him and would never be able to smell him again.

Ginny quickly changed back, and as a human, for the first time took a whiff of him. It smelled just as good if not better when she was human. She poked her head out of the curtained bed and saw everyone asleep. She crept to his wardrobe and found a silk monogrammed handkerchief. She sprayed it with the cologne she found. She closed everything back up and jumped back in the bed. She rubbed the piece of cloth in the bed, trying to get his smell on it. She took a big whiff; it was close, not exact, but close enough. She pocketed it and quickly changed back.

Within minutes, Draco returned with a few plates. There were meats, cheeses, fruits and bread. “I wasn’t exactly sure what you would want so I grabbed a bunch of different stuff.” He sat cross-legged on the bed and offered up some meat and cheese on a plate for her. She ate it with no hesitation. They both ate to their hearts content and lay back lazily. “A few more weeks of school left. I can’t believe it really. I’ve been here for seven years. This place feels more like home than my house does.” He looked around the room. “I’m going to miss this place. Maybe I’ll come back and teach or something. There are so many memories of hanging about the common room, picking on Scarhead and Weasel. It’s just,” he sighed, “There really is no other place like this. I honestly think that I’ll come back and teach Defense against the Dark Arts. I think that would be hilarious. I could teach quidditch. That would be brilliant. I’ve never beaten Potter. My team has never beaten Gryffindor. I’ve only caught the snitch twice, once by a fluke and the other against a Weasley.”

Vullie's ears picked up at the comment. “The Weasley chit, she’s a puzzling one. She flies like she was born on a broom. The girl is good. She’s only a tad below Potter’s level, and then there was last night. I’ve never seen anything like that. She was pure fury. I’m not used to actually seeing that anger. I’ve always been told to suppress it. She let it all out.”

Vullie shrank, embarrassed by her outburst yesterday. She couldn’t exactly remember what happened yesterday. She blacked out after a while.

“It was oddly beautiful.” She looked up at him. “Her hair was a mess, that red hair against the green grass, the sparkle of magic around her. She was most definitely a witch last night. She even tasted like magic.” He smirked at his stolen kiss. He looked down at the small fox in his lap. “Don’t worry; you’re the only girl in my life.” He pet her gently. “The Weasel is going to slug me today for touching his sister.” He smirked. “Guess I’ll stay tucked down here with my girl.” He rubbed her back and forth, going with and against the fur. It felt absolutely wonderful to her. She could honestly say there was no better way to spend a day.

She spent all day down in the dungeons. She and Draco barely got out of bed. He eventually started to do homework and she wandered around the dormitory room trying to sniff out anything interesting. She would occasionally get something and Draco would find what she was looking for and pull out Goyle’s pink fuzzy slippers, or Crabbe’s baby blanket. Draco howled with laughter when they unearthed a picture of Pansy in Blaise’s wardrobe drawer. There were also stacks of undelivered love letters.

Draco ran out and fetched dinner for them. He brought back some roast beef and various vegetables. It was only when she started to become restless and whimper, did he realize that she hadn’t been outside to relieve herself all day. He threw on a pair of trainers, scooped her up and snuck outside. She ran wild, enjoying the early summer evening. She ducked behind a bush, not being able to handle Draco watching her doing her business.

The two walked around the school grounds, content to just be man and beast. This was as simple as it got. They were Draco and Vullie, Ginny in a simpler sense. They weren’t a Death Eater and a Spy. They weren’t a Malfoy and a Weasley. They weren’t a graduating wizard and a training witch. They stripped away all of their pretenses and just enjoyed themselves for one night.

The next day, they knew they had to go back to the game. They returned to the real world. Ginny had been given certain tasks from Snape. She first had to find all the secret passages in the school. When she smirked, knowing about Harry’s map, Snape told her that she was not allowed to use it. He left bits of parchment just inside the passage for her to show that she was making progress. He was shocked to find her stagger into his office one night looking ragged. She had gotten the last passage; the Whomping Willow.

“All right, you’ve gotten all the passages. You’re able to find passages that aren’t visible. The last bit is information retrieval. You already know two house passwords. I want you to get the passwords to Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. Bring back a souvenir. Try to find some of the Professors’ private quarters, bring back something from them as well. I trust that all the sneaking around shouldn’t be difficult for you.” Ginny smirked, confident in herself. “I want you to try to dig up some useful information around the school. This is your main objective this summer, so this has to be taken seriously. Bring back everything you can. Report to me everything you find. Good night.”

Every night Ginny returned to Snape’s office offering exams, personal belongings and snippets of conversations. She brought back a bag of Dumbledore’s muggle candy and the tartan ribbon of McGonagall’s hat.

On the last day at Hogwarts, she sat across from Snape. He congratulated her on all of her accomplishments over the past few months. He gave her a box with a pass worded portkey directly to Hogwarts. She took the box from him and sat grinning at him.

“Miss Weasley, why are you grinning like a madman?”

“Because I think you taught me a bit too well.”

“And why is that?”

She reached into her pocket and pulled out two faded pictures, one of a pretty young witch in a Hogwarts’ uniform, the other of a young Snape holding a fluffy white kitten. “You weren’t immune to my training.” He reached over the desk grabbing for her. She flipped herself over the back of the chair, leaving the photos and fleeing through the door. He picked up the pictures from the floor and cradled them to his chest. She peeked her head through the door and she saw his private moment. “By the way, have a good summer, Snivilus.”

She slipped through again before he could lock the door. “Damn Gryffindor!” He looked at the picture of the woman. “I hope she’ll survive this summer.”

Ginny entered the headmaster’s office after the end of the year feast that night. He was sitting at his desk, lost in thought. “Sir?”

“Oh, Miss Weasley.” He seemed a bit saddened and his clear blue eyes were devoid of their usual sparkle. “I apologize, I always feel a bit nostalgic at the end of every year.” He smiled, “I’ve been assured by Professor Snape that you are ready for your mission this summer.”

“I feel that I am as prepared as I can be.”

“You have your preparations for an escape. Your specific mission is to find out what Voldemort is planning. There is distrust in Professor Snape. Lucius is trying to keep Severus out of the inner circle. He suspects Severus of being unfaithful, so he feeds Professor Snape false information. So I want you to find out plans and where exactly Voldemort is hiding.” The aged wizard pulled out a sheet of parchment. “This is going to work similar to Tom Riddle’s diary. You will put your memories into this parchment and that will communicate with me to the other half of the parchment.” He put it in front of the wide eyed girl. “I want you to prick your finger, enough to draw blood.” She did so. “Good lass, now stick your finger in that bottle of ink and write with the blood and ink on the parchment; ‘I commit this parchment to my memories. I, Ginevra Molly Weasley, bind my blood and memories to the whole of this parchment.’ That’s it.”

She finished scribbling and felt a flood of magic drain though her finger. “That’s all sir?”

He smiled. “Yes Miss Weasley, that’s all. All you need do is to add dates into your half with blood and ink, just as you did.” Dumbledore ripped the paper in half and gave one side to her.

“So that’s it then?”

“Yes, that’s it. If anything happens don’t hesitate to use the portkey. We will also make the necessary excuses to your mother, so don’t worry yourself about that.” He paused and smiled at her. “Is there anything else Miss Weasley?”

Ginny hardened herself, readying herself for the task ahead. “No sir. That should be everything. I’ll do my best.” She stood up and shook his hand.

It was a long walk back to the tower. She reminisced through the halls. She returned to her dormitory gathering what she thought she would need for the summer.

Vullie met Draco on the pitch and they spent their last night together on the pitch. She slept on the foot of his bed that night. In the morning she refused to be stuffed into a carrier. He finally gave up and transfigured his tie into a leash and led her out to the train. He led her to the unknown. He led her to the den of evil.

AN: I apologize for how badly this chapter was written. I didn’t realize it until I was just about ready to post it and I am too burnt out right now to go through and fix it all. I’m going to blame it all on my inability to write action and the whole end of the school year thing. Good news it that I’ve got the story finished, its just going to take me forever to type it all up. There will be an epilogue that covers a bit more of their relationship. Please review its good for me and it means that I have criticism to help me write better.