Everybody's Got A Story
By: Draconia
Summary: Ginny Weasely is in her 6th year at Hogwart's and she's tired of being seen on the sidelines, but she doesn't know how to change her life. What if it gets changed for her? What happens when a certain pale haired boy shows another side of himself? Will Ginny risk everything for him? Will she risk death? Would he?
Author Notes: ^_^ I am letting you know that there is a plot, I'm not keen on works which are PWP so I make sure all of my fics have plots. ^_^ I'd like to give big thanks to my betas Candi and Jamie! You guys are awesome and I really appreciate your help.
Rated: R
Email: luthien_anwamane2003@yahoo.ca
Chapter 3
Resolve to be thyself; and know that he, Who finds himself, loses his misery! - Matthew Arnold, "Self-Dependence"
He stepped slowly out of the shadows, like a predator stalking its prey. His pale blond hair was shaded darker than usual by the lack of proper light fixtures in the dungeons. His immaculate robes hung from his body, made to accentuate any good feature and mask any bad one. Though, finding a physical flaw in this particular boy would have a person staring at him for hours. His eyes were grey, but held sparks of silver and they were watching her every move. Any other girl in all of Hogwarts would die for a chance to be in her worn and tattered shoes, but for Ginny, having Draco Malfoy look at her as he was caused a wave of emotions and feelings to cascade over her. Many of them frightening in their intensity.
"I don't have to explain myself to you, Weasley. You however, I believe have a class. Did you fall into a bit of a mess? Knowing you as a Weasley I'm sure it's the only logical explanation," he replied coolly and took another step towards her.
Ginny frowned lightly at the insult, straightened her shoulders and crossed her arms underneath her breasts. "I don't believe my business is of any due concern of yours Malfoy. Now, if you don't mind, leave! Unless of course you've come to apologize for all the times you've ever insulted me, or my family." Ginny's tone was steely. Malfoy had no right to fault her for her current situation, it was all Pearl's fault.
Draco sneered at her as he took another step forward. This step was so close that Ginny instinctively took a step back and abruptly came up against the cool, hard, stone wall. Ginny's heart began to pound with the silent fury raging inside the male before her. He took the final step forward, his body now millimeters from her own. Her heart pounded so loud in her ears, Ginny was sure that Draco could hear it. Her breathing had become irregular with him at such a close distance. Her lips and mouth felt dry, as if she'd been without water for days.
He watched as her tongue darted out to give moisture to her pale, pink lips. His own lips curled, 'Perfect.' Up close Draco was granted a more detailed view of Ginny's face. She definitely had a lot of freckles, but not as many as her brothers. Her hair curled lightly at the ends, flame-colored and entirely appealing. At that moment Draco felt like running his fingers through it. Next, he brought his attention to her eyes, where at first glance he had taken them to be a normal brown shade, he found flecks of amber. Her eyes darted across his own features, he knew she was trying to come to an understanding of what exactly he was doing. He smiled inwardly and placed his hands lightly on her small hips and pulled her against him.
Ginny was absolutely flabbergasted, her entire body screamed out for him but her brain kept yelling protests. When she felt him pull her towards him she caught her breath and her hands instinctively came up to rest on his lean chest. As he angled his head to assuredly kiss her, Ginny quivered lightly for a moment in anticipation. Everything around her had become hazy and altogether unreal in her mind. It was when she felt no lips on her own that Ginny registered the voice whispering to her in her ear.
"You see, even you can't resist me."
As soon as the words registered in her mind Ginny's eyes flew open as reality swept in and outrage mingled with denial.
It was then that Draco pulled away from her, an instant later the potions class began rushing past her, obviously the period had ended. As the last student filed out of the class, Professor Snape appeared in the doorway, glaring at Ginny and then glancing at Draco. Silently he curled his finger at both of them, beckoning them into the Potions classroom.
Draco slipped into the classroom first and stood casually next to the Professor's desk as Ginny stumbled through the door after them. Her outrage was momentarily curbed as she waited to hear her punishment from the oily haired, and decidedly unjust, Potions teacher.
Snape turned as soon as Ginny had put her belongings onto a desk. "Miss Weasley, I have decided that over the next week your detentions will be as follows; You will assist Mr. Filch by cleaning the floors of any room he decides needs cleaning," he paused for a moment to gesture towards Draco. "Young Mr. Malfoy has generously agreed to supervise your detentions. If you are in anyway lapsing in your work, being a Prefect he has the authority to deduct points from your house if necessary to insure you learn from this. That is all, you may leave."
Ginny opened her mouth to protest, but Snape glared at her and she was forced to bite back her words. Gathering her things she marched smartly out of the classroom and proceeded up towards the Gryffindor common room.
'Bastards! The only reason Draco agreed was so that he could torment me!' she screamed inside her head as rage began to build inside her. As she entered the common room she felt like screaming, she was so furious. Looking around her, she noticed that few people were in the main area. In the corner however, she saw three figures huddled in discussion. It only stoked the fires inside her and as her rage peaked, several objects around the room shattered, causing screams and other eruptions of shock. Ginny herself stared around herself in shock. Surely she hadn't...but what other explanation was there? Without another thought Ginny raced up the stairs and into her dormitory.
***
It was September 25th, the night sky was beautifully clear and full of stars. Small night noises like the crickets chirping and the majestic hooting of owls filled in the empty space of sound on such a quiet night. But, all that was outside, inside Hogwarts however, was another matter entirely. Inside the great castle, in a nearly empty classroom, muttered curses came from one end of the classroom, someone scrubbing the stone floors, and the sound of moving paper came from another. It was Ginny's second night of detention, and her situation was not a pleasant one.
It had rained that afternoon and after the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws had returned from their Herbology lessons, they'd ever so kindly left mud tracks inside one of the Charms classrooms.
Filch had ordered Ginny to scrub the floors spotless, so here she was, on her hands and knees, doing her detention as she cursed the arrogant Malfoy. He was busy riffling through an old copy of the Daily Prophet.
After about an hour of scrubbing she'd made it to the other end of the classroom and as she stretched her limbs before continuing the work she noticed Draco eyeing her. Thoughts of what had happened two days earlier fluttered through her mind and her body stiffened.
"Stop staring at me Malfoy, I'm not on display for your private viewing pleasure," she ordered tersely before resuming her position on the floor.
Draco scowled at having been caught and stood up abruptly. "I was simply wondering if you'd given up on that simply abhorring obsession you had for Potter. 'Nature never deceives us; it is always we who deceive ourselves.', which is exactly what your doing."
Ginny was astonished by his knowledge of muggle philosophy. "Jean-Jacques Rousseau, from Emile. I suppose a good education is not a lacking one. I mean money can buy anything right?" Ginny replied with scorn. "However, 'Hope is the poor man's bread.' George Herbert, from Jacula Prudentum," she followed up and then smiled with victory.
Draco chuckled as he made his way towards her. "You''re poor, yes, but really Weasley. 'Hope is the worst of evils, for it prolongs the torment of man.' "
Ginny's smile slid off her face and she crossed her arms in thought. "Friedrich Nietzsche," she muttered dejectedly.
Draco smiled and crouched down next to her. "You''re right about my education though, nothing was left to chance. My father firmly believed in one muggle's philosophy. 'A wise man gets more use from his enemies than a fool from his friends.'; Baltasar Graciààn. He thinks that if we can learn everything the muggles know then they have no power over us."
It was hard to concentrate suddenly. It had been the same thing in the hall days earlier. Every time Draco came near her, her body would begin reacting in ways it never had before. She shut her eyes tightly when the visible world around her began to swirl. It was only when she felt pressure on her shoulder did she open them again.
Draco had placed his hand on her shoulder and concern was evident in his questioning gaze. Ginny nodded silently to convey that she was fine and she stood up slowly, Draco standing up after her.
"You looked like you were going to be sick, Weasley," he commented dryly and rested against the desk behind him.
Draco didn't and would never admit it, but he was very concerned about the petite redhead. He'd never seen anyone look like they were going to be sick that suddenly. The thought of something wrong with Ginny almost made him want to be sick. He'd never had this kind of feeling before, it was unnerving.
Ginny smiled tremulously at Draco, something was terribly wrong with her. Pushing herself off the desk she managed to get to the other side of the room before the world began to tilt around her and she felt darkness consume her.
Watching her movements Draco suddenly became alert. Something was definitely wrong. He thought maybe the cleaning fluid fumes may have had something to do with it.
"Weasley?" he asked tentatively. It was when she began to sway on her feet that Draco went into action. He was catching her falling form an instant later. As soon as he had her in his arms, something outside caught his attention. Moving with Ginny in his arms he saw lights in the Astronomy Tower. Not normal light, blinding florescent beams filtering out into the night sky and lighting the tower like a candle or a lighthouse.
Something urged him to look down at the bundle he cradled, and for the first time in his life he was coming to an understanding of his own life. It was then that he heard fast moving footsteps in the hall outside the classroom. A moment later Snape stood in the doorway. Draco was astonished to discover his usually calm and collected head of house, bizarrely ruffled and panicked.
Snape took one look at the scene before him and came to some quick conclusions and decisions. "Take her to her house and then make your way down to your own rooms," he ordered. Before Draco could protest, Snape was off again.
As Draco carried the unconscious Ginny through the deserted halls of Hogwarts, he realized that something strange was definitely going on. And it appeared to be connected to Ginny, either directly or indirectly he didn't know.
***
No one had been told anything about the night when the strange lights had come from within the Western Tower. It was now two weeks later, into the first week of October. Planning for the Halloween festivities was keeping everyone off the business of the disturbance, though a few minds were still focused on it.
Inside the Headmaster's office, three Professors stood anxiously awaiting a decision. Professor Trelawney had been racked with real visions of the future ever since the incident, Professor McGonagall was the Deputy Headmistress, and Professor Snape had been first on the scene.
"It seems quite clear to me that her life is in grave danger. Both of them are in danger. Why the other is using such strong magic is beyond me. Though there is another enigma in this case. Someone is meaning to bring a stop to whatever the woman is planning. Precautions will have to be taken to protect both."
Trelawney was ringing her hands together as she looked around her at the other professors. "The boy...he can't be told...neither one can know Dumbledore."
"Calm yourself Sibyll. Nothing will go wrong," Dumbledore reassured her.
***
Ginny walked down the steps of the Gryffindor Tower. It was near midnight and she couldn't sleep. Memories of things she knew had never happened were plaguing her dreams. It was like her first year again. Though she knew where she was all the time now, it was just the memories that were confusing her. Her hair was tied back with a green hair tie and her pale pink night robe hung on her shoulder untied. It was the voices she heard below that caught her attention.
"Shhh! Hermione if you don't want to come you can always go back upstairs. Just stop being so loud or your going to get us all caught."
It was Ron, and the us he mentioned was surely including Harry. Ginny knew with certainty that this was the night they intended to discover what was in the Tower. She felt hurt at not being notified in the least and with a firm resolve in place she followed them out of the Tower. But as they turned left towards the Tower, Ginny raced down the hall heading east.
***
The trio shuffled along through the empty halls of Hogwarts, an occasional mumble could be heard as they consulted each other on the plan of action.
"So we've got it settled then," Harry whispered as they approached the door of the Tower. "Hermione and I will go up, while Ron stays at the door with the cloak in case anything should happen and to keep watch."
Just as the trio reached the door and Hermione pulled her wand from her robes to unlock the door, someone cleared their throat behind them. "I think you three should come with me, and hand over that cloak immediately."
Hermione pulled the cloak off of them, Harry looked confused, Ron stood staring with an open mouth and Hermione herself looked resigned.
"How did you know?" Harry finally asked.
Snape smirked, "Caesar had his Brutus, and I'm afraid, so do you."
From behind both Snape and Mr. Filch, Ginny stepped forward. Her head held high, not the least bit sorry for her actions.
Harry immediately became furious and looked to Ron. Ron shrugged, he was just as furious and confused as to why his sister would have known their plans, let alone betray them as she had.
Snape snatched the cloak from Hermione, and before Harry could protest Snape began to speak, "Sneaking out at night, and disobeying school rules. You are all assigned three weeks of detention, your privileges as seventh years are suspended until after christmas, and I will be deducting seventy points from your house...each!"
All three looked agape at the Potions Professor, and Ginny too, looked stunned. She certainly hadn't expected to lose points. It was only when he spoke again that she was relieved of her anxiety.
"However, in light of Miss Weasley's brave attempts to right what wrongs you three were about to commit, she will be rewarded with one hundred and fifty points. Making it really only a sixty point loss. And I'm certain you'll be able to recover from such a point loss in playing Quidditch."
Harry and Ron smiled knowingly, Harry was team captain as well as the Gryffindor Seeker and Ron was the best Beater they had. It would be no trouble regaining the points.
Ginny knew what Snape was going to say next and she suddenly felt that her plans to trap the three other Gryffindors had gotten completely out of hand from what she had originally planned.
"If you were allowed to play that is," he said with a touch of cruel satisfaction.
Harry and Ron both protested and Hermione joined in until Snape intervened again, "Having prviliges suspended includes the privilege to play Quidditch. I understand, Mr. Potter, that you are Captain. You will be able to coach your team, but I'm afraid you won't be in the game."
Nothing more was said as Filch lead the three angry Gryffindors back to their rooms and to have a discussion with Professor McGonagall to report the loss of points, Quidditch players, and detentions.
Ginny looked after them a little sadly before turning to face Snape. "I believe Professor McGonagall will be asking you to replace Potter, and I must warn you in light of your great deed this evening in telling me of these plans, that the Slytherins have no intentions of losing and Mr. Malfoy does not like to lose. Be careful on and off the field of all the Slytherins, Miss Weasley. Now off to bed with you," he said before turning with his swirling cloak and heading back to his own room.