A Party to Remember
It was a week after the wedding and Ginny was missing her best friend very much. Luna and Ron weren't due back from their honeymoon for another week and she couldn't wait to see them again. Her last week had been lonely, everyone was still in a romantic Christmas mood and spend lots of time in couples, everyone other than Ginny. So she was delighted when she woke up on the last day of December and found an owl perched outside her window, shivering in the cold. It must be from Luna and Ron! she thought excitedly and opened the window wide and ushered the owl in, eager to hear news of her friend. But when she glanced at the handwriting of the address she didn't recognise the style. Frowning, she unfolded the letter and began to read.
Miss Weasley
It is with great pleasure I invite you to a party tonight at my house in London to welcome the new year. I have enclosed instructions on how to get here and await your reply by return owl.
I hope you can make it on such short notice. (bring Harry and Hermione!)
D.Thomas
Ginny felt her heart flutter and grinned at the letter in her hand. She gave the owl some water and called to it to stay where it was while she quickly left the room. She found Hermione and Harry in the kitchen eating a huge breakfast served up by Molly. Hermione looked up in horror as Ginny entered. "How am I going to stay in shape when your mum insisted on feeding my enough to keep a whole village from starving for a year?! How do you stay so slim after nearly 19 years of this?" she wailed. Ginny grinned and grabbed a piece of toast from the teetering stack on the table. "You should be used to it by now! I found a spell in a cookbook years ago that reduces the fat in food by half. If you use it two or three times on the food before you eat it there's no problem!"
Molly tutted loudly and shot Ginny a long-suffering and disapproving look. "You need to keep up your energy! I've banned you from using that spell countless times in the past Ginny. It doesn't do you any good. And there's nothing wrong with a well-rounded figure." she sniffed and began heaping bacon onto a grinning Harry's plate. "Thanks Molly" he said and ate it all while eying Hermione's full plate with interest. "Hermione are you going to-? Ah thanks!" he said as Hermione pushed it towards him with a grimace and glanced up at Ginny as she began to speak. "We've been invited to a party tonight Hermione. Me, you and Harry. At Dean Thomas' house. You can come, right?" she asked, not wanting to turn up on her own. Hermione gave her a look that Ginny chose not to understand, "What?" she asked. Hermione just shook her head and grinned at her friend's innocent look. "We've been invited to loads of parties this year, but this one sounds by far the most interesting." she said with a sly glance at Ginny, who turned red. "It gets us out of going to the Ministry's do anyway, we went last year and all Fudge did all night was make nasty comments about us being Dark Wizard Hunters. He seems to think its all a bit of a joke." Hermione said frowning darkly.
"Well it's all sorted then!" Ginny replied. "I'll go reply to the invitation." she said and hurried back upstairs and quickly scrawled a reply and sent the owl back out in the cold. She grinned as she watched it fly away through the falling snow. The party should be good, it would do her good to get to know people better, one person in particular. She grimaced at the guilt rising in her and ruthlessly stamped it down. Malfoy's made it clear he doesn't want me, I deserve to be happy with someone else! she told herself angrily and firmly turned her thoughts to something else.
Hermione was sitting on her bed reading when Ginny burst into her room, dresses trailing from her arms. "Hermione help me!" she wailed, throwing herself down on the bed. "I don't have anything nice to wear! What am I going to do?" Ginny watched as Hermione picked up a dark blue dress and held it up to herself in front of the mirror. "Gin, do you think I could borrow this?" she asked, then seeing the look of hopelessness on Ginny's face she put the dress aside and picked up a slinky black one. "Why don't you wear this one? It would really suit your figure, clinging in all the right places." she said brightly. Ginny pointed to the top of the dress. "One of the straps snapped." she said dully. Hermione examined the dress with a frown then told Ginny to stay where she was and disaperated. Ginny heard her voice downstairs and a few minutes later the door opened and Hermione came in followed by Molly, wand in hand. "Put it on Ginny dear and I'll se what I can do" she told the girl slumped on the bed. Ginny complied and was soon standing still while her mum frowned at her critically. "I thought both the straps could go, and then tighten up the top, so she can wear it strapless." Hermione told Molly. Ginny started to protest but was soon told to be quiet and stand still. "Mum I don't see why you cant just fix the strap!" Ginny complained as Molly raised her wand. "Because it would look better strapless Ginny dear, it would really show off your nice shoulders" her mother replied and began to work.
A few hours later they were all set to go. Ginny and Hermione had just finished their make-up and Harry was waiting impatiently for them in the living room. "Hurry up! We're going to be late!" Harry yelled. "We're coming" came the muffled reply from upstairs and soon Hermione and Ginny came clattering in in their heels. Ginny looked pale and nervous, constantly smoothing her dress at the hips although it didn't need it. Harry opened his mouth to ask her what was wrong when Hermione nudged him and gave him a look. Harry just shrugged. "Right, you girls ready to go then?" he asked, glancing at his watch. They nodded and simultaneously apparated away.
Draco suppressed a yawn and blinked hard, trying to banish the onset of boredom. He studied the crowd gathered in the room. It was all the usual suspects; Avery, Crabbe and Goyle and their sons who were Draco's age, Dolohov, Jugson, the brothers Rabastan and Rodolphus Lestrange, Macnair, Nott and his son, Snape, and all the rest. Draco was leaning against at back wall, not wanting to have to listen to any of their usual ranting. It would be the same as it always is - lengthy descriptions of their hatred of mudbloods and muggles. Draco was surprised they didn't bore themselves, because they certainly bored him. He put his hand over his mouth to hide another yawn when the door banged open and his father and Bellatrix swept in. The talk instantly ceased and all attention was fixed on the two death eaters at the front of the room. Lucius' eyes swept over them all and came to a rest on his son, who he summoned to the front with a jerk of his head. Draco pushed himself of the wall and strode up to his father, careful no to show any reluctance, his face blank and bored looking. He raised an enquiring eyebrow at Lucius and was handed a folded parchment. He was just unfolding it when his father grabbed his wrist painfully and hissed "Don't open it now fool. Take Bella, Theo Nott, Rookwood, young Crabbe and Goyle and Macnair and go to Crescent Grove in London. When you're there read this and tell the others whatever you thing they need to know. Go now."
Draco tried to move away but his father still had a grip on his arm. "Draco don't fail me." Draco pried his fathers hand of his wrist and looked at him coldly. "I will not fail you father. You should know that by now." he said and turned away, calling out the names of those who were to go with him before stalking out the room, well-made black cloak billowing behind him in the trademark Malfoy-in-a-mood-so-don't-get-in-my-way style.
Ginny looked around at the gorgeous large stone houses around her with envy. Harry appeared at her elbow and let out a low whistle. "Dean must be loaded, you seen the size of these!" he said, staring around. "You're not so bad off yourself Mr. Potter" Hermione replied, poking him in the ribs. "You're just too tight with money to spend it on houses like this." she said grinning. Harry just made a face at her and read Ginny's invitation again. "Right, it's number 4, so we'll go look at the house numbers and see where it is" Harry said peering around in the semidarkness. "Or" Ginny replied "We could just follow everyone else" she pointed to Neville and a pretty blonde girl on his arm as they made their way to one of the houses. Harry made a face at her and set off in Neville's direction, calling out to him at he went.
Ginny stepped into the house, trying not to stare too much at the huge entrance hall. A painting caught her eye and she wandered over to look at it. It was a picture of Hogwarts, done in oils. It was really amazing, from a viewpoint across the lake from the school. She looked for a signature and found it in the bottom right corner. She bent closer to see it and made out a
'D.T'
Someone cleared their throat behind her and she jumped and spun round, coming face to face with Dean himself. To her horror she felt herself going red. "I was just, er, that picture, um, its very good" she babbled. ShutupshutupshutupGinny! she thought and closed her mouth quickly before she made even more of a fool of herself. Dean smiled "Thanks, I'm glad you like it. I did it just before I graduated." he said. Ginny was still trying to control her urge to babble so just smiled and nodded and moved away quickly when someone called out to her. She saw Parvati waving to her and she hurried over and embraced her friend. "Parvati! I haven't seen you for months! Where have you been?" She asked, taking in her friend's tanned skin and wide smile. "Oooh Ginny I have so much to tell you! I've been working for Witches Weekly for the past year, and now I'm doing the gossip pages with Lavender. She's not here tonight, she went to the Ministry do to see who's there and who's with who and all that." Parvati said, taking Ginny's elbow and steering her towards the food, still nattering on rapidly. "She was at Ron and Luna's wedding, I couldn't make it, I was covering the launch of the new sleekeasy hair serum in Barbados. How are the new couple anyway? I hear they're on the honeymoon? Is it true that Luna's dad gave her the Quibbler's shares for a wedding present? Is she the new owner of the paper? And is it true she's pregnant? And that Ron has fallen out with Harry and is going to work for the Ministry?" She asked Ginny excitedly.
Ginny found that she spent a good part of the evening correcting Parvati's rumours and speculation and was extremely relieved when dean appeared at her shoulder and broke in politely "Sorry to interrupt ladies, but Miss Weasley's presence is required elsewhere" he said with a smile and led Ginny away. "What did you mean by that?" she asked curiously. Dean smiled at her and looked straight into her eyes in a very disarming fashion. "A lot of people have been asking me who the beautiful redhead hiding in the corner is." he said softly. "A lot of young men want to be introduced to you and are eager to get to know you" Ginny pulled her eyes away from his and looked at the floor. It's now or never Ginny she thought. "There's only one man here that I want to get to know better" she said quietly. Dean put an arm around her waist and pulled her onto the dance floor where couples were dancing to slow romantic songs. "Come on Gin, dance with me"
"Put your bloody mask on you fool" Draco hissed into the night. He glared at the wizards in front of him before turning his back and opening the parchment his father had given him earlier.
The house is 4 Crescent Grove. A Ministry unspeakable called Dean Thomas lives there. He has recently received a delivery from Australia. It is of vital importance that you find and bring us this object. It is a black chest with gold engraving on the outside. It was stolen from us in Australia a few weeks a go by the unspeakables at the Ministry. We need it back, it contains a very important object. Kill anyone who gets in your way. If Potter turns up try to capture him, not kill him, he is for the Dark Lord alone. If people fight, kill them. If they surrender, take them hostage if they will be useful. If not, kill them. We need Thomas alive, take him and find out how much he knows. Take all hostages and the box to the Riddle House. And Draco, don't open it.
Draco handed Bellatrix the instructions and she read them before crumpling the parchment. "Right, go in, find a black box, kill anyone who gets in your way, leave the rest to us" she told the death eaters and set off towards the house, Draco close behind.
Ginny felt free for the first time in over three years. She could forget about Draco Malfoy and the complications that went with loving him. She lost herself in the music and in Dean's arms. She pressed against him closer and felt him respond. She realised that this man held so close to her could be her lifeline. He could save her from her downward spiral of depression that she had been drowning in since she received that letter from Draco months ago. This is a man I could love, if I chose to she thought. He was so handsome, so nice, so…so not Draco Malfoy. Ginny smiled. Yes, she could definitely find herself loving him.
The song ended and they pulled apart slightly and she tilted her face up, her lips meeting his. She heard people on the other side of the room shouting and generally making a lot of noise. She just pulled Dean closer, ignoring it, getting lost in his kiss. The voices grew louder, raised over the music. She remembered thinking Is it midnight already? then suddenly she recognised the panic in the voices the heard and snapped open her eyes just as Dean cried out and fell forward, knocking them both to the ground.
Draco opened the front door silently and gestured for the others to go in. He pointed to the stairs and they went up, wands out. Bella, Nott and Draco stayed downstairs and slowly advanced towards the open door where the sounds of music and laughter were coming from. They flattened themselves against the wall as a young man wandered into the entrance hall. He looked around and saw them, but before he could open his mouth to shout, a jet of green light shot past Draco's ear and hit the man. He fell to the ground in full view of the party room. Draco bit off an oath and shot a venomous look at Bellatrix before gesturing to the two death eaters to go in. Draco entered the room, wand raised and scanned the crowd for his target. Time seemed to slow down. His eyes found Thomas and then moved to the woman he was embracing. Draco's eyes widened as Ginny's hand brushed Thomas' cheek and she smiled up at him then curled her arm round his neck and kissed him. Draco's eyes darkened and he felt hate surge through him. He brought up his wand and trained it on Thomas. He shouted out the killing curse and watched as the green light burst from his wand and explode around the kissing couple. He saw them both fall to the ground and heard Ginny's cry of surprise. Shrieks and screams broke out around him and he watched as the other two stunned and cursed the party guests. He saw Potter and Granger running towards them, wands in hand. All this happened slowly, the other death eaters running into the room, Potter shouting stunning spells, death eaters fighting back. But his attention was fixed on one thing. He wasn't aware of crossing the room but he found himself kneeling down next to Thomas and Ginny. He rolled the unspeakable off of her and grabbed her by the shoulders. Her eyes flickered open. She was alive. Her eyes bore into his with anger and hate of such intensity that he released her and moved back. Her eyes strayed to Thomas, his glazed dead eyes staring back. Draco found himself flat on his back, face throbbing from Ginny's fist. "You killed him! You bastard!" she screamed at him, sobbing. "I hate you! don't you ever come near me again! You hear! I hate you, you bastard!" she launched herself at him, fists flying, still sobbing. He tried to fight her off without hurting her but was well aware of the other death eaters in the room, watching his fight with interest. He didn't know what to do, Ginny was still screaming at him, and what she was saying could blow his cover. He had to act fast. He backhanded her across the face and rose to his feet, grabbing his wand, kicking hers away. Potter and Granger were gone, the rest of the guests unconscious on the floor. "Where's Potter? Have you got the box?" he asked, keeping one eye on Ginny rising shakily to her knees, one hand pressed to her cheek where he had hit her. "He's gone boss. Granger got hit and he picked her up and apparated away. We've found the box."
Draco nodded. "Ok. Look through the guests. Anyone who would be useful we're taking with us." he said and straightened his robes. "What about her?" Bellatrix said, jerking her head towards Ginny. "Isn't that the Weasley girl? She could be useful, her father is one of Dumbledore's cronies, and she's quite a favourite with Potter and his lot. Looks like she was with the unspeakable too. She might know something." Draco shook his head. "She's not important, we're leaving her."
Bella ripped off her mask and frowned at him, her eyes burning "You weren't meant to kill Thomas, Malfoy. You'll be punished for this." she spat. Draco shrugged, his eyes cold. He wanted Dean Thomas dead so he killed him. He didn't care what they did to him for it, his blood was boiling with hatred and jealously. "So? We've got what we came for. Lets go."