Disclaimer: I do not own anything except the plot and characters not in JKR's books.
Have you ever been in a place between being asleep and being awake? The place where you can remember your dreams?
That place used to be my sanctuary, this is until it hurt too much to leave it and go back to reality.
In dreams you can go anywhere. Be anything and anyone you want to be. The poet and the butcher are equal there. As well as the king and the pauper, the prince and the beggar.
In reality, we stay with the ties that bind. The classes society has placed us with.
When I was younger, I used to think that if I had enough hope, things would happen. Things would change as quickly as seasons come and go. Things would always go as we we want and planned it.
Now that I'm older and wiser I've come to realize, that hope is a walking dream. It gives fools something to believe in, so they can hope for the future.
I don't believe in anything.
I live in the present and have no reason to worship some non-existent higher being.
My cynicism stunned my housemates. Whispers and rumors erupted about that Weasley girl.
What happened to her? Why had she become so bitter and cold? What was her name again?
I quietly walked down the hall, head held up high. Whispers oozed in from all directions, some good, and some bad. Stopping at what appeared to be an empty classroom, I opened the door.
A bar was in the corner and card tables were being played at all around. It was Hogwarts' very own underground casino network.
"Aye, Ginevra, what do I owe the pleasure?" Terry Boot ran this one. His heavy brogue hung in the air as dealers and players turned to look at me. Terry had made it his goal in life to find out everyone's real name and call them by it. So far he had succeeded.
"I paid Draco his money m'dear," He swirled the cup in his hand. He took a loan from Draco to open the casino bar two years ago and was still paying him off.
"What?! Just because I know Draco now I can't play cards and get a drink?" Walking up to the bar I placed a sickle on the counter and was awarded with a fairy martini. Play had long since resumed and I took a seat next to Terry.
"Why are you really here Ginevra? I owe you nothing, you don't play cards, and Draco has his own bar you can get drunk at," His hazel eyes locked with mine as I tossed a chunk of apple into my mouth.
"I hear you declined Fred's offer to make a difference," Holding eye contact I swirled my drink and took another sip. I saw something flash across his face, but I wasn't sure what it was.
"I have no anger left at the lot," His words betrayed his expression and I made a mental note of it.
"You don't want revenge? You don't want to curse a death eater till he bleeds? You don't want to inflict pain on those who had made many people's lives a living hell? Though, I think none of them experienced the living hell part. Most of them died too soon to even feel it," I let out a bitter laugh. " I think you're lying," His hand clutched his drink a little tighter, his knuckles turning pale.
"I don't want to get involved with something that is beyond me," He took another swig letting out a hiss of air as he swallowed.
"Liar, liar pants on fire; nose is as long as a telephone wire," I sang the childish muggle rhyme. Letting out small growl, he slammed his glass down onto the table.
"If I get involved with this, what do I have to do? What are you guys planning on doing?" Letting out a quick smirk, I slipped him a piece of parchment with the time and location of the next meeting.
"We'll talk there," Draining my martini I placed the glass back on the bar before walking out.
"Ginevra," Turning around I caught the flask Terry threw at me. "Don't get caught," were his last words before I went back to the rumor mill.
Draco had introduced me to Hogwarts underground life. It went on day and night, but people didn't notice unless they wanted to.
Draco had a club in one of the lower dungeons. Drinking and dancing was all he served up there. He loaned money to other moles, as he called them, so they could get their feet on the ground.
Terry Boot had a casino bar, which Draco had invested in. Lee Jordan had a casino no contraband. Blaise Zabini had a club, the only one to deal in drugs.
They were the four biggies Draco told me. I didn't know how I could have never found the clubs before. Draco said since I knew about them I could see them, I showed someone who didn't know, say Harry, they wouldn't be able to.
It was a work of magic.
"Ginny why were you in that empty classroom?" Colin was at my side as we started towards the transfiguration classroom.
"Don't worry about it," Colin would freak out, much like I did, if he knew what went on at Hogwarts when no one was looking.
"Don't tell me not to worry about it!" His voice began to raise in degree, "you've been acting all secretive since you got back from summer holidays and I want to know why!" His cheeks got an angry flush as his eyes began to flash.
"Stop over reacting!" I declared ignoring his previous question. If I were lucky he wouldn't notice and would instead go off on how he wasn't over reacting.
"Stop dodging my questions!" He shouted. Damn him, damn him straight to hell.
"Let's talk about this later," I suggested seeing all the kids watching us like we were a Quidditch game.
"I want to talk about it now!" He can be so obstinate at times. Letting out a sigh I pushed through the circle that enclosed us. I wasn't going to talk about it in a public hall. Draco would skewer me alive.
Colin might be mad now, but he'll be fine later. We can talk then.
Putting my books down I eased into a seat next to Luna Lovegood.
"Hello Ginny, how was the casino?" She asked me in the dreamy voice she was born with, not even looking up from the latest edition of the quibbler.
"It was fine Luna," My mind came to a halt, then began back tracking. "Luna…how do you…"
"Know about the casino?" She asked interrupting me. Slowly I nodded my head, but it wasn't like she could see the simple motion. She was still reading.
"Ginny, Terry is in my house. I help him out sometimes," My life was getting stranger by the second. Next thing I knew Longbottom was going to run the school drug bar!
"How long have you known?" I found myself asking. I would die if she had found out before me.
"This year, not before you don't worry," She flashed me a faint smile. The fact that Luna knew what I was thinking was beginning to freak me out.
"Class, pass your essays forward," Professor McGonagall stood at the front of the room collecting papers. People made mad dashes to finish a last sentence or try to shrink their parchment.
"Now turn to page 105," Came the professor's strong voice as she picked up her wand to begin the lesson.
I didn't know that Luna had divining abilities, if I had I would have never sat by her. Do you know how weird it is to have someone read your every thought? Know your every desire without having to say it aloud? I couldn't wait to leave that class.
"Would you stop that!" Luna hissed shooting me a sideways glance.
""Stop what?" I innocently asked.
"Tapping your foot!" Looking down I saw my foot tapping madly and people in front of us flinching with each hollow sound.
"Sorry," I began making a conscious effort to not tap my foot again. Looking down at my watch, I saw we only had 3 minuets of class left.
"Your homework is a 3 foot essay due Tuesday, and no, I will not accept any later than that," A collective groan was heard as kids began packing up their supplies. Rapidly I threw things into my knapsack when a jar of ink bounced against something metallic. The flask. My pace was increased ten-fold and I made beeline for the door.
"Ms. Weasley, can I see you after class?" Professor McGonagall stood at the front of the classroom shuffling through the handed in essays. I could already tell today was going to be a bad day.
"What can I help you with professor?" I asked in a sickly sweet voice I reserved for teachers and parents.
"There has been talk of you …not adjusting well to the loss of your parents. I was wondering if there was anything you wanted to talk about?" She looked up from the pile as her icy blue eyes began searching me.
"Professor, I'm fine," I added a sweet smile for good measure.
"Go to your next class Ms. Weasley," With a wave of her hand I was dismissed. It took all my will power not to break out in to a run until after I left her class. My next lesson for the day was potions, and that was three floors down.
Kids had been telling McGonagall how bitchy, or in proper terms, cynical I had become. I knew it. She honestly didn't want me to confide in her, she just had to ask me being the head of my house.
"Ms. Weasley, so nice of you to join us," Snape sneered as I burst into the classroom.
"I'm sorry Professor McGonagall….." I was doubled over, panting, and out of breath from my run.
"Five points from Gryffindor for making excuses," Snape interrupted me with one of his evil smirks.
"Professor if you don't believe me I can go get a note from Professor McGonagall," I held my breath back and for some reason what little sanity I had left today, was leaving.
"Ten points from Gryffindor for talking back," His lips curled into a larger smirk as my breathing began to get labored.
"You know what Professor, this… This is bull shit!" There was a collective gasp heard throughout the room. I didn't care, I was on a roll and nothing was going to stop me. "We come to class every day and because you had bad waters with this when you went to school, you take it out on us. Read my lips: This. Is. Bull. Shit!"
Turning on my heel, I left the classroom, not caring how many house points I lost. I needed a drink.
The total number of house points I lost that day was 65. Colin told me later that night by the common room fire. Since school had started, I had become like a time bomb exploding ever so often. It was because I was so confused. Things in my life were changing faster than I wanted them to.
Draco had introduced me to a new world, and suddenly my old one seemed inconsequential. I was lost in the swirl of drinking, dancing, and revenge. Yet, for some reason, it was like my old sanctuary and I didn't want to leave.
The new world Draco introduced me to gave me the stability of instability. It gave me the rush you get when you know your doing something wrong. It showed me that my old impression of Hogwarts was wrong. It like everything else in this life is gilded. You know shiny on the outside, crappy on the inside.
This is my school, and contrary to popular belief, the things we learn in classes here will never help us in real life.
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AN- Thank you to everyone who reviewed my story. This chapter shows how Draco is changing Ginny's life and how she think she likes it, but is not sure yet. I want to thank my beta bookish_gurl04 for all the hard work she does, and I hope you enjoy this latest installment.