Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews! I love them all, I hope these chapters follows up nicely. This was actually a long long one shot and I divided it up. I hope the chapters flow well enough. Rea Yume, made a very good point, I never thought of the way they meet odd but it was a very interesting point. Oh well I hope everyone likes this new chapter. Any questions e-mail me.
Past Life: Draco and Ginny
Chapter Two
"Very funny Mr. Malfoy a man of your stature needing help from me?"
"I was surprised as well but here I am."
The blush this time had nothing to do with embarrassment but pure undiluted anger.
"Help with what?" The question came from clenched teeth.
"A new client of mine has a neighbor, who's daughter was killed, The Blewetts and you found the killer and handed him over to the authorities."
"Yes, I remember them." Ginny also remembered her whirlwind romance with their son with mischievous eyes and hands. Thank goodness the case finished before she did something she'd regretted later, "What of them?"
"Their next door neighbors the Sanford's daughter was killed in a strangely similar way from the Blewetts, if not the exact same way."
"That's impossible, the killer of Katilin, is in jail for the rest of his life."
"That is why I came to you. Where there any other suspects other than the killer you put away. Any other probable killers?"
Ginny did not have to think. She remembered when she found Katilin killer's hideout. He was obsessed with the girls he killed, having articles the girls had reported to their parents or husbands missing, pictures of the girls, and if the girl was already dead a piece of their hair lining his wall.
"No there weren't." Ginny answered sure if herself
"Just as I thought. The crime happened early this morning. I almost had him until I bumped into you."
"And I am guessing you are going to say this is my entire fault."
"Now that you mention it…."
"Do you want my help or not you prat?"
The smirk that fell across his lips made her want to do one of two things, smack the grin off his face or kiss it off. Both appealed to her.
"Who said I wanted your help?"
Ginny closed her eyes and counted backwards. When she reached one she reopened her eyes and looked at him, "I was the only detective in Britain assigned to the killer and was the only person to find him. Paper work won't help you find the copycat. So once again I ask do you want my help or not?"
Draco shrugged, "Then get your things."
"Excuse me?"
"Get your things. I live on the other side of London. If I am to work with you I am not traveling across the city every day. It would be much easier if you lived in the manor with me."
"Why Mr. Malfoy, you are asking me to live with you? Such a romantic proposal!" She dropped the act, "What type of girl do you think I am?"
"A woman who knows a good opportunity when it falls upon her both literally and figuratively. If we solve this case you'll be doing a whole lot better than operating in this dingy office."
"I happen to like my dingy office." Ginny replied, "But it has always been my dream to work with an arrogant prat such as yourself, I always wished for such a bland proposal to move into someone's home."
With one last withering look, Ginny turned to get what little things she'd need to go with him but stopped when she felt a hand touch her arm, and turned to look up into those grey eyes again.
"What now Mr. Malfoy?" She tried to sound firm but knew her voice was breathy. His facial features earlier that morning seemed striking but now in the gleam of the later morning night, he was beautiful, like an angel.
"Miss Virginia Weasley, would you do the honor of moving into my home and working on this case with me?"
Ginny took a deep breathe and fought the need to reach the distance between them and kiss him senseless. Once again interrupting her thoughts Draco asked, "Romantic enough for you?"
He was still a breath away and Ginny couldn't find it in her to get mad at his audacity. Instead she answered, "Quite." Taking a deep breathe she continued; "Now if you'll move away I have to get packed."
"Of course." Draco replied moving away to sit on the surprisingly comfortable couch across from the young lady packing her things.
She was quite stunning, in an unconventional way, the freckles normally would've turned him off and made most people look like a hick but on her made her look fetching, and the cute little nose and wide brown eyes with long beautiful red hair. She actually seemed to have some class, more breeding and the way she spoke inclined she had lessons. She wasn't the typically city girl, Draco thought to himself. The carriage ride was quiet and uneventful.
"This is where you live?" she asked him grasping his hand with her right and holding on tightly to her bag with the other. The castle or manor as he like to call it, reached high into the skies and plainly intimidating.
"Yes it is."
"And you live by yourself?"
"No, I have Dobby."
"Dobby?" Ginny asked.
Before Draco could ask, a small creature that reached about her shoulder came hurrying to his Master and visitor.
"Good day Master."
"Good day Dobby," Draco said, "This is Miss. Virginia and she'll be staying with us for a while. You can put her in the red room in the West Wing."
"Very good sir. Will there be anything else?"
"I was wondering if you could buy a chicken for dinner tonight."
They were talking as they were walking and Ginny, who was caught up in the picture that the mansion made, had to run to catch up to them.
"Well Dobby was going to clean today but if the Master would prefer it…" They were in the foyer now in the manor and Ginny only just heard the conversation.
"No Dobby it is alright. I'll go later and get the chicken myself. Do we need anything else in the market?"
"No sir. I just went the other day."
"Alright Dobby. Please show Miss Virginia the room." He turned to Ginny who was admiring the art work that that the house structure as well as the painting decorating every wall, "Virginia."
Ginny jumped at her name and turned smiling sheepishly, "Yes?"
Dobby will show you to your room, "If you need anything let him know and he'll let me know."
Ginny nodded and watched as he walked back outside to the waiting carriage.
"Miss Virginia?" Dobby called. Dobby, hoping his excitement wasn't visible. The master never brought a woman to stay at their home before, and he'd never seen the Master stare at the woman as he looked at the red haired lady.
"Yes Mr. Dobby?"
"Would you like me to show you to your room?"
"Of course Mr. Dobby."
They walked up the stairs and moved to the left and down a long hallway and reached a door many doors down and stopped before putting her bags down and opening the door.
"This is the red room miss Virginia." Dobby said. They walked into the room and found it was indeed red. The room had various shade of red from the carpet to the pillow cases on the bed. It was beautiful in an elegant sort of way and Ginny fell in love with the room immediately.
"The room has its own private bathroom through that door."
Dobby, pointed a door which stood out from the walls dark color of red but the door was a lighter color.
"Mr. Dobby?" Virginia asked, "Can I ask you a question?"
"Of course Miss."
"How long have you worked here?"
"Since I was young Miss. Things have changed since his father lived, but for the better. The previous master was horrible to all the servants who lived here but Young Master was kind to us. When the Old Master died he gave us the chance to leave and only Dobby stays. Master only uses the West Wing to make things easier for Dobby."
"That's very kind of him." Ginny said still looking around the room, "He lives in this wing?"
"Yes in the green room and I live in forest room." Seeing Ginny's observation of the room Dobby decided to leave it to her to her room, "Lunch will be at one Miss Virginia."
"Mr. Dobby a favor."
"Yes Miss Virginna?"
"Please do not call me Miss Virginna."
"I cannot Miss Virginia, it would not show respect."
"But Mr. Dobby," Before Ginny could finish Dobby managed to sneak out the room. She'd get him later, she told herself.
It was one exactly when Ginny walked back down to the main staircase to see Draco waiting for her.
"Punctual." He remarked.
"Of course." Ginny answered, "Mr. Malfoy when will we get started on the case?"
"We could actually start this afternoon." They were walking to the dinning room, "Call me Draco."
"Then you must call me Ginny."
The smirk on his face let her know before he answered that he wasn't, "How about Virginia? I like that name better."
"What ever makes you happy." Ginny smartly answered.
Lunch was a normal affair. It was mostly question and answer, Ginny to Draco. It was easy to notice that he did not like talking about himself. It was almost like pulling teeth and after a while Ginny stopped and they finished the meal in silence. Soon after they left to go back into London the home they stopped in front of was obvious middle class, but somehow from the outside screamed home. Ginny assumed that on a normal day, the home would seem to be happy but right now it seemed to be mourning. The house next door was familiar, she was only there a few months ago reporting to the Blewetts that their daughter's killer had been arrested and would never harm any one else. She also recognized Mathew who was helping his mother with packages. As she stepped from the carriage, he hopes were dashed when she realized from Mathew's glance and eyes, he did remember her.
"Ginny!" He called. Without thinking he ran forward and grabbed her into a hug, his own mother smiling.
"Hi, Mattie." Ginny said smiling, "How have you been?"
"Okay, I've guess you heard about the murder."
"Yes. I'm working with Mr. Malfoy." Ginny turned to introduce but stopped in the recognition of immediate dislike the two had for each other.
"We'll be going in now. I'll see you around."
Matthew smiled and waved as they walked into the Sanford's home.
The Sanfords were an upper middle class family and it was obvious that the news of their oldest daughter's death was a shock. Their youngest daughter was ten and was currently upstairs. She hadn't talked to anyone since her sister's death and it seemed that she would never talk again or at least never talk until she felt the need to. They told the two detectives what their daughter did the past two days before her death. Nothing she did was unusual, it was starting to irk Ginny is screamed the Blewetts case. The past few days before her death were annoyingly uniform from a normal girl her age day.
"Alberta woke up, went to the market reported nothing strange, and only went to put out the cat. When was taking too long from doing that mundane activity she was found slaughtered."
"You have such an elegant way of putting things." Ginny said as they rode into the market place and the people who the unknowingly had their last conversations with the girl. The butcher was no help; both Ginny and Draco found him much too busy and rude to drag any answers out of him. Ginny herself knew that Alberta like most women in the butcher's presence left because of the suggestive sneer he directed to anybody under forty with a dress. Next they went to dressmaker's store, a thin old lady of sixty five, with sharp eyes used to smooth out finial details and long fingers used to holding sharp scissors that cut all types of fabrics.
"She was in here to get a dress made for an upcoming ball in a month. She choose a beautiful fabric," The dressmaker turned her critical eyes to the pair before her and swept over them with no pretense of anything else, "The only problem was the shade of green she wanted for the dress. It would've done nothing for her, but you my dear…" She shrugged and moved on, "Mr. Malfoy I do believe your suit for the very same ball is ready. "
"What ball?" Ginny whispered.
"The mayor's ball, I am expected to go and once again bore myself to tears with the debutants of our wonderful society."
"Well since you speak so highly of it." Ginny muttered before turning all her attention to the older woman in front of her, "Was there anything out of the ordinary that she requested?"
"Just the color," The dressmaker said bringing the dress out from the back still on the wooden model, "It's such a beautiful dress and already paid for. She was supposed to pick it up today. I never dreamed that I would be hearing such news. I will have to find something to do with the dress…"
Ginny automatically seeing the love the woman held for the green dress before her, Ginny motioned for her and Draco to leave.