Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and other things you don't recognize!
Summary: According to Ministry Laws a blind witch or wizard should never live alone. When Draco becomes blind because of an accident and a Nurse comes to live with him, will love blossom? Or will Chaos ensue?
Love Is Blind
Chapter Four: Shadow
I was living in the shadow
Of someone else's dream
Trying to find a hand to hold but every touch felt cold to me
I'm living in a new day
I'm living it for me
And now that I am wide awake
Then I can finally be
Don't feel sorry for me
Don't feel sorry, don't feel sorry for me
Shadow - Ashlee Simpson
After the ball, days seemed to go by faster for Ginny. With someone to talk to, it made the manner seem a lot less depressing. Even if they only spoke about his day at work, at least they were communicating.
Three months went by in the blink of an eye and before Ginny knew it, she was in Diagon Alley, Christmas shopping. She shrunk the gifts she had just purchased from Quality Quidditch Supply and put them in her bag. She put her wand in her robe pocket and pulled out her Christmas list.
Ginny ran a gloved finger down her list and saw that the only person she still needed to get a gift for was Draco, plus a little something to herself. She put the list back in her pocket and made her way down the stony path of Diagon Alley.
Upon reaching the store, Ginny opened the door and was greeted by squawking, meowing, hissing, and barking.
"Hullo! Welcome to Pandora's Pet Shop." The shopkeeper said to Ginny, "I'm Pandora, how can I help you?"
"Hi, I was told that I would be able to find Guide Dogs here?"
"Ah, yes, our special animals are kept in the back, follow me." Pandora then led Ginny down rows of cages and pet toys. "Is there any specific type of dog you're looking for?"
"Something cute, not too big…and not too small either."
Pandora nodded and stopped walking in front a row of cages, "This entire back row is Guide Dogs trained to help the blind."
Ginny started walking down the row, looking through the top of the dog cages. She crouched down in front of a cage with a Golden Retriever named, Cody. "Can I open the cage?" She asked Pandora who was petting a parrot.
"Of course," she said not fully paying attention.
Ginny shrugged and opened the cage and the dog jumped up on her and began sniffing her. "Well hello there Cody!" She brought one hand up and rubbed his head, "You're such a cutie, yes you are!" Cody then licked Ginny's face, "none of that, now! Back in the cage with you, I have to look at the other dogs." She put him back in his cage, stood up again, and resumed checking the cages.
The next dog she took out was a Black Lab named Roxy, "Come here, Roxy." Ginny said, and Roxy slowly made her way out of the cage. She was hesitant to jump on Ginny liked Cody had done, Ginny held her hand out for Roxy to sniff. Roxy sniffed Ginny's hand and then stood on her hind legs, putting her front legs on Ginny's shoulder. Ginny rubbed Roxy's back and Roxy's rested her head on Ginny's shoulder. "Whoa there girl, don't get too comfortable now." Ginny got Roxy off her shoulder and put her back into the cage. She brushed some hair off of her robes and turned around to see what Pandora was doing. She was currently putting bird food in the parrot cages.
Ginny went on to the next cage, 'Third times a charm, right?'. She opened the cage and out walked a Siberian Husky. He, just like Roxy, sniffed Ginny's hand and when he was done he stood on his hind legs and put his paw in her hand. Ginny shook his paw, "That's a good boy, Emmit." Ginny scratched behind his ear and he leaned further into his hand. "Pandora?" Ginny called over her back, "I think I found the one I want." Ginny stood up and patted Emmit on the head, "Say goodbye go your cage, Emmit. Your coming home with me." Emmit barked his appreciation as Pandora walked over towards them.
"All set to go?" Ginny nodded and they walked to the front desk.
"Do you mind if I browse about and get him a few toys?"
Pandora shook her head, "Not at all."
Ginny walked up and down the toy isles, picking up squeaky toys, bones, and a few bouncing balls. She and Emmit then went back to the front desk and she presented the toys to Pandora and pulled out her sack of galleons.
"That'll be 150 galleons, please." Ginny dumped all of her galleons out on the counter and began counting off, "That's won't be necessary." Pandora pulled out her wand and said, "Accio 150 galleons." The money then flew straight into the cash register, leaving 100 galleons left for Ginny. "What color leash would you prefer?"
Ginny looked at the wall behind Pandora and saw a different variety of leashes. 'Think Malfoy.'
"The dark green one." Once Ginny got the leach she connected it to Emmit's collar.
Pandora reached underneath the counter and pulled out two tiny bags of dog food, "Unshrink them and they should last you for a solid two months. Just fill this here bowl, and be sure to keep a lot of water for him." Ginny nodded and put the toys, food, and bowl in her bag.
"Thank you, Pandora. Come along, Emmit." Ginny said and she and Emmit made there way to the door when something caught her eye. Sitting in a cage, right next to the door she saw the prettiest cat she had ever seen. She kneeled in front of the cage and pulled the cat out. She held the cat out in front of her and to her surprise Emmit began sniffing the cat, Harley. "Pandora?" Ginny stood and walked back to the counter and proceeded to buy toys for Harley, cat food, and bowls.
After shrinking the stuff and getting a padded basket for Harley and put him in it. She thanked Pandora once more and finally made her way back to Malfoy Manor. She sure had a lot of hiding to do.
~*~
Ginny hand to constantly cast cleaning charms on her room so Malfoy wouldn't be too suspicious of the smell of dog food and most importantly the dog itself. It was okay for Harley to be out because it was her cat, and wasn't a present for Draco.
She wasn't quite sure how Draco would react to the Guide Dog; she hoped that he would take it well. Him being a Malfoy and all, he was bound to overreact.
Soon enough, it was Christmas day and Ginny woke up bright and early so she could get her things ready to go to The Burrow after she gave Emmit to Draco.
She picked Harley up and rested him against her body, his head resting on her shoulder; she stroked him as she made her way downstairs. Upon entering the living room she saw Draco sitting in front of a blazing fire, drinking a cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows in it.
"Happy Christmas, Draco."
He turned his head to where he heard her voice coming from, "Happy Christmas, Ginevra."
Ginny put Harley down on the floor and let him roam. "Get up Malfoy; I've got something to give you."
Draco downed the rest of his hot chocolate and stood up, following Ginny back up the stairs into her room, "What is it that you have to give me?"
"A Christmas present, silly." Draco nearly smiled, it had been ages since he got a birthday(Christmas) present. He reached her bed and sat down on the side of it. He heard Ginny shuffling about before placing a box in his lap and putting his hand on top of it. "Well," she started anxiously, "open it!"
Draco felt the sides of the box and found that he could take the top off the box. He took the top off and reached inside, pulling out whatever it was, "What is this?" He asked as he felt one long metal side, then a stopping point, a turn, and then a shorter side and yet again, another stopping point and a long side, much like the other one. Draco then sniffed the air and smelled something odd. "Merlin, Weasley, You've got to learn to clean up your room. What's that horrid smell?"
Ginny had brought Emmit out and he was now sniffing near Draco. "What the blazes is this, Weasley!?"
"Erm…" Ginny thought he'd at least say thank you first. "Well, it's a Guide Dog."
Draco shot up form her bed, the present in the box falling to the floor, making a loud clinging sound ring throughout the room, "What the bloody hell do you think your doing buying be a Guide Dog?" He asked through clenched teeth, taking deep breaths to stay calm.
"I thought I was helping you."
Ginny saw Draco's fist clench, "If I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times. I don't need your help." He ran a hand through his just-rolled-out-of-bed hair. "I can't believe you'd do this…" He shook his head and started towards the door, "When you go back to your hole in the mud of a house, be sure to take that mutt with you."
To that Emmit barked and Ginny sighed, she wouldn't cry. He's just a big prat and can't realize when people are trying to help him. She bent down in front of Emmit and scratched behind his ears, "its okay Emmit, he's just a little moody right now. Let's get you and Harley ready to go to The Burrow!"
She went back down stairs, careful to make sure Draco wasn't there, and found Harley lying on chair in the dining room. She picked him up and carried him back to her room. Once there she got her bag that was packed with her clothes and put a leash on Emmit.
Ginny took all these things to the nearest fire place. She dug in her robe pocket for her bag of floo powder. Finding it, she stepped into the fireplace, her bag in one hand, which was also holding Emmit's leash and Harley on her shoulder. Grabbing a handful of floo powder, she surely hoped she wouldn't have a crash landing.
"The Burrow!" She shouted and closed her eyes shut as everything started spinning in circles. Seconds later she found herself on the floor in The Burrow. Harley had jumped off her shoulder and Emmit moved out of the way.
"Good Gods, Gin. Are you alright?" Ginny looked up to see Harry standing above her.
"Quite alright, yes." She said taking his hand and standing up. She brushed her clothes off, "Happy Christmas, Harry." She smiled before hugging him.
"Happy Christmas to you too, Gin. Though I see you've brought some extra guests."
"Erm…" Ginny bit her lip, "I'll explain later…Where's mum and dad?"
"Your mum's in the kitchen and your dads in the living room. We were waiting for you so we could open the presents."
"Oh, I'm sorry I didn't mean to make everyone wait…" She said as they made their way into the living room.
"A puppy!" a young child had shouted whom Ginny immediately recognized as Harry and Hermione's youngest of two. He ran towards Emmit and wrapped his arm around the dog's neck.
"Elijah, leave the dog alone," Hermione said making her way towards Ginny to give her a hug, "Happy Christmas, Gin."
Ginny smiled and hugged Hermione back. She was then pulled away from her and swept into hugs by Bill, Charlie, Fred, George, Ron, and all of their wives. Sadly, she was the only one in the family not married.
Her mum had pushed the last brother out of the way to give her daughter a hug, "Gin! How have you been, how did it go with Draco?"
Ginny looked up at her mum, "Obviously not good, mum. I've got Emmit here with me."
Molly looked down at the dog and patted Ginny's cheek, "He'll have to come around sometime, love." She turned around and smiled at her grandchildren, "I think we've made them wait long enough. Go ahead and open your presents!"
Ginny was handed a present by her mother. Just by holding it in her hands she knew it was her Weasley jumper. She took it out and pulled it over her head, "Thanks mum." Molly patted Ginny's fanny as Ginny left to the Christmas tree to look for her presents.
They spent a good few hours opening presents and playing around with their gifts. Ginny had received quite a few gifts the most shocking being Harry and Hermione's black leather skirt. "They're all the rage in the Muggle World." Hermione had said. Ron had shot up out of his seat and Harry exclaimed, "It' was Hermione's idea, not mine!"
Ron's face was red as Hermione told him, "I thought she'd look really cute in it!"
He picked up the skirt and held it in front of him, "Cute to go where? One of those Muggle strip things!?"
"Ron!" Ginny yelled snatching it out of his hands, "It's really not that big of a deal. Thanks Hermione, I like it." She said kissing Hermione on the cheek.
"I better not see you wearing that out of this house, and you damn sure won't be wearing it at Malfoy's, either!"
Ginny rolled her eyes, "Honestly, Ron, do you think I'd do something like that?"
"I'm not to sure what you'd do. I never thought you'd accept a job for Malfoy, but looks like I was wrong, huh?"
Ginny sighed and picked up her gifts. With a final 'Thank You' she walked up the stairs to her room, followed by Harley and Emmit.
~*~
Draco couldn't believe she had done that. How stupid was she, really? Did she not realize he was a Malfoy. People in the wizarding world knew about his blindness, of course. But he felt as though they'd forget about it if he wasn't broadcasting it a lot. Using a Guide Dog would draw attention to him; he wanted attention, but not that kind.
Draco stood from his seat in his office and walked to his fireplace. He then proceeded to floo Blaise Zabini, "Zabini, get your arse over here now."
"Bugger off Malfoy, it's Christmas."
Draco put on a false smile, "Happy Christmas. Now get over here."
Blaise grumbled and stood to his feet, "Let me get my cloak and I'll be over."
Draco smirked and walked back to his chair behind his desk. It was about ten minutes later that Blaise arrived in his study. "Did your cloak get caught in a fire or something?"
Blaise rolled his eyes, "Nah, I stood up and went to get it but my bed looked so inviting…and I had to lay back down in it for a bit." Blaise sat down in a chair near the fire, "What's so important that you had to wake me up at 10:30 on Christmas morning?"
"The Weasley chit bought me a Guide Dog!"
"…so?" Blaise asked, not seeing a problem.
"So!? Do you think she honestly expected me to parade around with a guide dog?"
"Well I don't exactly think she expected you to play fetch with it."
"Bloody wanker," Draco growled.
"No, I can still find girls to shag, thanks."
Draco took off his sunglasses and massaged his temples, "You're not being of any help, Blaise."
"What do you want me to do? Pat you on the back and say everything will be better tomorrow?" Blaise sighed, "It was a nice gesture at least that means she cares about you."
Draco rubbed his eyes before opening them and moving them towards where Blaise's voice came from, "I overreacted, didn't I?"
Blaise laughed, "Malfoy, if there was anyone who knew how to waste my time, it's you." He stood from the chair and walked in front of Draco's desk, "Did you really need me here for you to figure that out?"
Draco grinned and reached a hand out to touch Blaise's where it rested on his desk, "Oh yes, Blaise, you know how I feel about you."
Blaise pulled his hand back and playfully punched Draco in the shoulder, "That's not funny, Malfoy. I'm going back to bed." He said loudly over Draco's laughter. "Bloody git." He muttered before apparating back to the Zabini Estates.
After Draco's laughter died down he placed his sunglasses back over his eyes. He stood up from his chair and went back to the kitchen for another cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows.
~*~
Ginny's stay at the Burrow went by quite fast; she did enjoy spending all the time with her large family and was quite nervous about returning to Malfoy Manor. By her final day there she was the only remaining Weasley child. She kissed her mum goodbye and prepared to floo back to Malfoy Manor.
"Do try to stop by more often, Gin."
"Yes, mum."
"And Draco will have to come around sometime."
"Yes, mum."
"And don't' forget to-"
"Yes, mum, I know, I'll see you this weekend." Ginny smiled at her mum before dropping the floo powder into the fire and shouting, "Malfoy Manor!" She made sure to hold on to Emmit's leash so he couldn't go running off and accidentally bumping into Draco.
Ginny brushed off her robes and stood up to see Malfoy himself sitting in front of the fire running his fingers over what looked to be the Daily Prophet. "Welcome back, Weasley."
Ginny gathered her fallen bag from the floor, "Nice to see you too, Malfoy. Come along, Emmit." She said starting to walk towards the staircase.
"Weasley?" She stopped and turned around, "I've been meaning to talk to you about that creature." He said, instantly knowing his word selection was wrong.
"Listen, Malfoy, I know I made a mistake when I thought that you'd actually be nice enough to consider even taking a gift from me, a Weasley. You didn't even take a minute to think about it! You're just so worried about your bloody appearance. Oh boo-hoo I can't wear this because it'll make me look bad, I can't use a guide dog because everyone will look at me weird. It's not like you can see them anyway!" Ginny clamped a hand over her mouth after realizing what she had just said.
For a minute Draco said nothing, "Okay, okay, I'm not saying I didn't deserve all of that…I know I may have been a stubborn prick-"
"May have? Oh you can rest assured that you definitely were."
Draco gritted his teeth to keep from saying the things he was thinking, "But while you were gone I thought about it…and maybe I should at least get to know the mutt first, right?"
Ginny walked down the steps and stood in front of him, "One," she poked him in the chest, "He's not a mutt, he's a dog. Two, I think that's a fantastic idea." She smiled and put the leash in his hand.
"What am I to do?"
"How should I know? He's your dog. Take him outside and play fetch."
"Fetch? What in Merlin's name is fetch!?"
Ginny sighed, "Oh come on, and I'll show you." She took the leash and led them outside through the green house, into the backyard in order to teach Malfoy a thing or two about Dogs.
~*~Thats So Raven~*~
Eh, terrible ending, no? Yes it is! Well…had to work things out somehow! Heh, isn't Draco just the cutest, and I'll try to work the explanation in sometime within the next two chapters! I hope you liked this chapter, and don't forget to review! Oh yeah, if you want to see what Emmit and Harley look like I've got links =P I had a tough time deciding on a cute cat and dog hehe!
http://www.thepetprofessor.com/cat-breeds/British-Shorthair-cat.html
http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/siberianhusky.htm
~!@*Thats So Raven*@!~