Thanks for the reviews again. I got one "Anonymous" review that mentioned my story possibly being a "duplicate" hence implying that I was plagiarising, so I went and investigated and strongly suggest the reviewer to learn how to read properly… I scan read a few chapters of the story by Davesmom and can find very few similarities.
First and foremost I've never read her stories, secondly G/D stories TEND to follow the same love-hate genre, so its not a great surprise that there are some similar aspects, though I am truly trying to make mine different. Thirdly I am not even a quarter of the way through my story and you have no idea how my story will branch out and finally if this story offends you because you think its copying someone else's work, don't read it. Though many thanks for your review and bringing whatever you thought to my attention.
Through a Brother's eyes
Harry, Ron and Hermione sat quietly in the Gryffindor common room in a secluded corner, people rarely bothered them since their withdrawal. Everyone knew of the responsibility Harry was to take - even though no one except Harry knew of the prophecy, but it seemed to be assumed as Harry's duty to overthrow Voldemort again, especially now that it was a known fact that the Dark Lord was back.
"Malfoy's changed hasn't he?" Hermione muttered out of the blue making both Ron and Harry look up from their work and stare at her. "What!? He has changed, surely one of you must've noticed!" she said defensively.
"What in Godric's name are you doing studying the ferret?" Ron asked.
Hermione rolled her eyes, "Oh, come on now! We've got to know what we're going to be up against! We all graduate this year and I wouldn't be surprised if Malfoy already bears the mark!"
"I've seen both his wrists and there's nothing there." Harry said quietly.
Hermione shrugged, "Still, there are ways of concealing scars and blemishes, complex glamour spells and such… and I wouldn't put it past him to know of them, he's up to his eyeballs in dark magic, like his father and Snape before him."
Harry rolled his eyes, "There's no doubt about that, Hermione… I feel sorry for the guy in a way, you don't know what its like to have all these expectations put on you. Anyway where's Ginny? I haven't seen her since dinner."
Ron stared around the room quickly, worry immediately written all over his face, looking back to Harry, Ron stood up, "I'll go find her now." He muttered before striding towards the portrait hole.
Once Ron was out of sight Hermione turned to Harry, "He hasn't said anything to you since Malfoy found her in the girls' bathroom, has he?"
Harry shook his head, "No, no he hasn't…" he said softly as he stared at Hermione longingly, she'd carried on scribbling in her notebook, as always, oblivious to his stares.
"I guess there are just some things you don't share, you know, family stuff." Hermione said as her quill wrote furiously across the paper, "Besides, he could've just asked to look at the Marauder's Map to find her, you know." She added in a matter-of-factly tone.
Harry sighed, "Yeah… yeah, some thing's you really don't share… family stuff…" He said wistfully before turning back to his own work.
.
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Draco lay in his bed staring at the hangings above his four poster bed and sighed, try as he might to get rid of the little Weaslette he couldn't, she was like a bleeding wound that refused to heal. This just wouldn't do, he couldn't carry on like this, he'd tried almost everything and nothing worked, it irked him to no end. It had been two months since Christmas break and he had gone to great lengths to avoid her, even during meal times but to no avail, she seriously plagued his mind and he was suffering for it. It was like being thirsty, unquenchable thirst and hunger.
Raising his wrist in front of him Draco reached for his wand with his other hand and muttered a charm, the dark mark instantly revealed itself and Draco felt his stomach turn at the sight of it. It was truly gruesome; over the Christmas break he had forced himself not to even glance at his wrist in case the Dark Lord sensed his disgust, however, now that he was alone he stared hatefully at the dark mark blemishing his once perfect skin.
"One day you will understand my reasons… one day you will see me for what I am, not what I seem to be, little Weaslette." Draco muttered to his wrists.
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Ron strode swiftly down the corridor towards Moaning Myrtle's toilet, he was sick with worry, had been since his meeting with Ginny and McGonagall. She was so fragile… and he'd never noticed, he felt ashamed of himself for not realising his sisters pain… the damage so deep within her… embedded so cruelly in her heart and mind. It angered him, she'd always been so carefree, so innocent, and she was his sister and he'd failed her.
"Ginny…?" He said softly as he walked slowly into the girls toilet, "Ginny?" he said a bit louder, "Are you in here, angel?"
"Ron?" her feeble voice came from the far corner of the bathroom making Ron head towards her. She was crouched in a bundle on the floor, hugging knees to her chest.
Kneeling down in front of her Ron looked at her in deep concern, "What are you doing back here…?" he asked softly.
Ginny laughed softly, "I don't know… I guess I just want answers… oh Ron, it's so horrible…" tears poured down her face and she shook uncontrollably.
Ron pulled his only beloved sister into a tight embrace, his heart felt like it was shattering to pieces, "Merlin, Ginny… why didn't you come to me before…?"
"I… I don't know… it would've been the right thing to do then…" Ginny sobbed, "But it was my first year and I felt so - so evil… contaminated… I thought you'd hate me."
Ron pushed her back and stared lovingly into her face, his own pain stricken, "Dear Merlin, Ginny, I could never hate you, whatever you did, whatever you became, you are my sister…" he chocked, "my one and only angel, girl of my heart… the light of my life."
"Circe… I've been silly, haven't I?" Ginny smiled weakly.
Ron chuckled, his face strained, "We all make mistakes… I've failed you… I never meant to neglect you."
Ginny sighed, "You never wrote in an enchanted diary and didn't end up almost trading your soul with the devil."
"You were 11! And couldn't have known any better!" Ron said heatedly, angry at himself, "Its my fault for not making sure you were ok."
Ginny shrugged, "There's nothing that can be done about that now, I'm moving on from it Ron… and you're the best brother a girl could ever ask for… and I've got six of you!" she grinned playfully.
Ron ruffled her hair lovingly and stood, pulling Ginny up with him, "Come on then, shall we head back to the common room?"
Ginny nodded and hugged Ron quickly, "Yeah lets…"
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They strolled slowly side by side along the corridors towards the Gryffindor Tower, both deep in thought.
"You like Luna, don't you?" Ginny said softly making Ron snap out of his thoughts and turn to face Ginny.
Smiling sheepishly and scratching the back of his head Ron grinned, "Ah, well she is an admirable character, I guess."
"She's lovely - unique but she's got a heart of gold." Ginny giggled.
Ron grinned, "As long as you don't disapprove, she can't be all that bad. Phoenix Feathers." He muttered to the fat lady who gave Ron a disapproving huff before letting them into the Gryffindor common room.
Harry and Hermione were the only people left in the common room and both smiled at Ginny as they saw her and Ron come in. Ginny smiled and hugged Ron good night before heading up the staircase to the girls dormitories.
Sighing Ron headed over to Harry and Hermione, "Alright there?" he muttered.
"Where was she?" Harry asked quietly.
Ron shrugged, "Moaning Myrtle's…"
"Is she ok?" Hermione asked in concern.
Ron smiled faintly, "Yeah… yeah, she'll be alright." And then shrugged, "Anyway, I'm off to bed, see you two for breakfast, night." He muttered before heading for his room leaving Harry and Hermione alone concerned for their best friend and his sister.
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Ron sunk into his bed heavily once he reached his room. Ginny… it was all he could think of and he felt a deep sense of loss, his own stupidity, her innocence and ignorance and his neglect of her. He felt deeply ashamed, even more so that she didn't blame him and accepted it as it was. He knew Ginny was not one to be taken lightly, she truly lived up to the reputation of redheads, and no one in the Weasley clan could match his sister's vicious temper.
Ron was irritated at this, a deep felt anger welled up inside of him, partly because he felt he had failed as a brother, but he realised that it was also the mention of Malfoy. The name alone pissed him off and to think of both Malfoy senior and Malfoy junior, well, it made his blood boil. Malfoy had indeed changed as Hermione so kindly pointed out earlier, it was without question, and only a fool could be blind to Malfoy's withdrawal.
The cool arrogant air that now accompanied Draco Malfoy significantly reminded Ron of Lucius Malfoy - the piece of scum that had been the crux of Ginny's suffering. And like his father before him, Ron had come to the conclusion that Draco too was a severe threat to his sister's fragility. For in his eyes Ginny was and would always remain - fragile, not that she was at all weak or frail, Ron knew better than anyone of his little sister's strength… but because she was his weakness - her pain was his pain… and he suffered it tenfold… for her pain was proof of his failure.
Ron chuckled to himself as he thought of her cheek - she saw right through him when she chose to. He thought he'd been fairly discreet about his stupid crush on Luna Lovegood but out of the blue Ginny had confronted him of it and he could do nothing but admit his admiration for Luna. He'd try harder to be the brother she wanted - the brother he wanted to be, and he'd skin Malfoy alive if he went anywhere near Ginny.
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The weeks swept by and Draco forced his discipline upon himself, any spare time could find Draco within his room engrossed in copies of books and manuscripts full of Dark Magic from home and from the restricted section in the Library, as a seventh year he had full access to the secluded section. He allowed himself no time to think of the Weaslette and used immense will power not to look at her; it seriously tested his strength as his mind could feel her presence whenever they were in close proximity. Snape also seemed to sense Draco's deep concentration and hunger to learn as Draco noticed that his mentor pushed him beyond his limits. Though he did not show it Draco was exhausted and drained at the end of each day, but his ambition spurred him on - he would become Voldemort's most faithful, most powerful and most ruthless death eater.