Author's Notes: Sorry, this took so long and on top of that it is un-beated so if you find any mistakes e-mail me or leave it at the bottom thank you.
Chapter 12: Why?
"Finally we're alone," said a familiar voice. Stunned Ginny sat immobile. Why was Harry in the lav with her brother and why was he so happy that they were finally alone? Curious she pressed her ear against the door trying desperately to hear their conversation through the thin wood.
"I know," Ron answered, "Where's Hermione?"
"Still asleep," Harry answered. "I thought she deserved it after...everything."
"You're right... Well, do you have it?"
"Of course I have it," Harry answered and the sound of a zipper parting made Ginny wish she were anywhere else but stuck in that supply cupboard. Damn Malfoy for thinking this was the best place for her to hide. "Nicked it right after you left but I could only copy one of them."
She strained her ears listening to the muffled sound of whatever was exchanging hands.
"That's okay. This is excellent, Harry," Ron congratulated. "This should be more than enough to get the tosser convicted."
Ginny held her breath trying to catch every word. Who was her brother trying to convict? And why were he and Harry discussing it in a lavatory?
The quiet hiss of the locomotive brakes seemed to jostle all three of them.
Ron swore. "We're almost at the station, we'll have to finish talking about this at home."
"Yeah, I'll go back first so we don't look suspicious," Harry offered, taking whatever he had given Ron earlier and zipping it back up in what Ginny hoped was the pullover he was wearing before. Harry left quietly and Ron followed after leaving the lavatory silent except for the train's quiet hiss of their arrival.
The bitter taste of copper assaulted her and Ginny pulled her thumb from between her teeth. She was trembling as endless unanswerable questions went streaming through her mind too frenzied to focus on but seven words did boldly stick out: What in the hell was going on?
*~*~*
Ginny bound out from the storage cupboard, skinning the naked skin of her knee against the wooden frame as she slipped
through the sliding door.
She needed to find Draco. She didn't know why she had the sudden compulsion to find him or why it was so imperative that she inform him of her brother and Harry's recent conversation. Reviving the fresh memory she couldn't recall hearing Draco's name used, but she ignored this observation and let her instinct drive her as she wrestled through the sea of passengers departing the train.
The cold from the compartment window seeped through the knit cotton of Ginny's yellow jumper as she flattened her body against the door of an empty compartment. The crowd had grown too thick for her to move quickly along the train and she could only close her eyes and tuck in her waist as she waited for one large and congested wave to pass. But instead of being annoyed as she normally would have been, Ginny found the sudden barricade a blessing as she desperately needed the time to think.
When she found Draco exactly what was it she was she going tell him? She wasn't positive that he was the 'tosser' Ron had wanted to convict. Knowing her brother there were a number of loose culprits who could be classified as 'tossers' and suppose even if it was Draco was she obligated to warn him. Was she supposed to be a stool pigeon and betray her own brother?
"Merlin," she breathed, taking the opportunity and weaving her way through a particularly thin spot of
witches and their trunks.
Apart from her decision that she would never use this transportation service again, Ginny had only one other thing on
her mind and that was that she needed to get back to her compartment, find Ron and have this sorted out.
Ginny had to duck into two more niches before the bulk of passengers had left the train filthy and bare for her to move through freely. Picking up her pace, she jogged down the empty corridor, her eyes darting from one compartment to the next as she searched for her brother or one of his companions. She was openly praying to whomever would listen that Harry, Ron and Hermione would be one of the last to leave but as she quickly approached the end of the train Ginny had a feeling she was too late.
Where in the hell are you Ron? The thought was running through Ginny's mind when her burning knee suddenly collided painfully with a wooden club being swung into the hall. Unable to catch herself and Ginny watched helplessly as the red and gold carpet rose at her rapidly and like a candle blown out the world suddenly went dark.
*~*~*
Ginny was aware that there was something not quite right about her rousing. Firstly, it wasn't her pillow beneath her head, Colin would never have allowed their house to wreak of disinfectant potions the way these sheets did and faint but still audible was the sound of people mumbling. Why would there be people in her room mumbling? Slowly as too not make a sound, Ginny rolled onto her back. Instantly the scene of white curtains and three familiar wizards huddled together brought a flash of memories of blood, pain and Hermione's soothing voice and Ginny knew exactly why she was here. The thought sent her hand to her nose to cover it superstitiously and she winced at the painful sensation.
The unexpected movement must have grabbed the attention of the mumbling people because suddenly a curly haired witch and a tall redhead had broken the triangle and ascended on her sitting at the edge of her hospital bed.
"You're awake," Hermione beamed.
"Does it still hurt?" Ron asked, his eyes squinting as if he were trying to see through the cracks of her fingers.
"Should I get a nurse?" Harry asked.
He was sitting alone on a white cot, dark stains splattered across his black hooded sweatshirt. Oddly it was the first time Ginny had noticed him or the cot's presence in her small corner of the massive hospital room.
"Thank you, but that's not necessary," she said quickly.
"Take your hand away I want to see it, again," Ron said, his bright eyes still trying to see through the splits only causing Ginny to protect her nose more.
"See what?" Ginny asked, hoping that indeed it wasn't her nose but knowing different.
"Come now, Gin. Your nose of course," Ron answered.
"She's not a sideshow, Ron," Hermione berated, reaching out an arm and pushing Ron back. Her brother let out a deep sigh as he reluctantly got up from his and sat next to Harry.
"What about my nose?" Ginny asked, ignoring both of them. She knew her nose hurt, she knew it was bruised a bit, but from the way they were reacting it was as if it wasn't there at all.
"Well, it was black, blue and a blood geyser about ten minutes ago."
"I was bleeding that bad?" Ginny took her hand from her nose, examining her fingers for any coppery liquid but found nothing but the same pink fingertips.
"Yes," Ron started. "You broke your nose or at least that's what the Mediwitch and Hermione said. You did a pretty bad too. That's why Hermione ordered we come here instead of repairing it ourselves. She was afraid we might fix it wrong or something. But I think between me and Harry we could do a pretty good-"
Feeling sudden waves of fear at her brother's obvious ignorance to his and Harry's abilities and gratitude for smarter minds prevailing, Ginny was compelled to turn to Hermione. "Thank you for keeping Mediwizard Weasley away from my nose."
"Hey, I'm not the one who broke it. I was just trying to fix it," Ron defended in a light voice. The sudden acknowledgment of her brother's improved mood contrasting to his sour disposition from earlier in the day struck Ginny as odd. Ron was a boy who held a grudge and now he was joking with her as if nothing had happened. She found it most peculiar.
"How exactly did it break?" Ginny asked, finding the need to move the subject along before she began to think too much on her brother's behavior.
Hermione's light brown eyes darted across the room to Harry's place on the cot beside her brother and back as if she had done it subconsciously and Harry suddenly looked very interested in the matching stains on the thigh of his jeans.
"You don't know?" Hermione asked. "We thought you would know."
"Know what?"
"Well, Harry just found you in the middle of the hall. You were unconscious, your pockets were turned out and your jumper was covered in blood. We think you might have been robbed Ginny, you really have no idea."
Ginny felt a cold fear shiver up her spine. Why would anyone want to rob her? It wasn't as if she was wearing jewelry or carrying any money, she didn't even have a money purse on her.
"Can you tell us what you last remember?" Ron asked, and Ginny could hear the serious note his voice had suddenly taken on.
"The last thing I remember is jogging down the hall looking for you lot and something hitting my leg, falling, and then-" Ginny made a slight motion with her hand.
"Darkness."
Ginny sat back into her thin pillows as silence swept over the room, it appeared that everyone but herself was creating their own conclusions.
"Well, it's clear what happened," Hermione started. "The train station's -elves must have been unloading the train and accidentally tossed a trunk into your way Ginny. And after they found you, they probably needed to search your pockets for identification and when finding none, they probably ran off to find an official. I'm sure it was a complete accident."
"They just tossed a piece of luggage and broke my sister's nose," Ron said. "And we're supposed to be okay with that."
"They are overworked Ron. You know that. S.P.E.W. can only do so much. We've certainly liberated-"
"Ron can you fetch me a mirror," Ginny interrupted, desperate not to send Hermione into an impromptu S.P.E.W. lecture that would surely span the rest of the night.
"Absolutely," Ron said, giving her a wide grin and hopping off the cot, Ginny suppressed a giggle as she
watched Harry's jealous eyes follow her brother as he
pushed open the curtain in a series of clinks and abandoned him to a chance sermon on the bigotry still prominent in
the wizarding world. Hardly any time or conversation passed before her lanky brother returned, a small mirror in hand
and a regretful look in his eyes but fortunately for all Hermione had exhausted herself.
Taking the handheld mirror from her brother Ginny sat up turning away from them as she examined herself. The damage hadn't been too harsh, a little bruising, but her nose seemed right, it seemed fitting to her face as it always had. She stroked the bruised bridge and suddenly something shiny caught her eye and she abandoned her own image as watched the reflections of her brother and his best friend as they sat huddled on the cot behind her.
They had left her to her own devices, confident that she would be consumed by her vanity and not look away from her bruised face but Ginny did. Curiosity would always win over vanity. It appeared they were discussing something serious, she could tell with the nodding of her brother's head and the liquid like movement of Harry's hands as if they were drawing out the plan themselves.
Ginny's eyes wandered from her brother and Harry to the curly haired witch, nose deep in a pamphlet, on the end of her bed. She couldn't help but wonder if Hermione knew, if they had opened up enough to let her in on their little scheme. But quickly she decided they probably couldn't chance Hermione having an ethical objection. No, Ginny concluded. Whatever her brother and Harry were doing, they were most likely doing it alone.
And Ginny knew confronting her brother, calling him and Harry out in-front of everyone would do no one any good. Ron would simply deny it. And all she would accomplish for herself would be letting him know that she was aware of his actions.
No, she would be patient, she would watch and wait because if Ron and Harry were actually given the time to formulate a plan then they were bound to muck it up.The vow was rolling over in Ginny's mind when her attention was instantly snapped to the parting of her curtained wall. Standing between two bright mint curtains, mousy hair a mess, and tan hands tucked into his worn brown vest, was Colin Creevey.
"Welcome home, Love," he greeted, a warm smile parting his lips.
*~*~*
"Tired?" Colin asked, and from his shift in tone Ginny could see he wasn't altogether pleased. It came as no surprise to her as Ginny was slowly growing accustomed to people being unhappy with her. Ron, Harry and Hermione had left shortly after his arrival, with hugs and well wishes on their tongues but as Colin swung the curtains shut Ginny could feel the change in his attitude. Where he had been so light and charming in the company of her brother and friends, he was now anything but happy go lucky.
"I asked if you were tired, Gin?" He repeated, cold brown eyes staring at her as he sank onto the end of her bed.
"Of course I am," she replied lightly. "Can you believe I might have been robbed?" she quickly asked, hoping that a change in subject would bring about a change in her best friend's mood.
"Absolutely," he answered, nonchalantly smoothing the fabric of her duvet.
Surprised, Ginny felt her mouth go agape before she had composed herself. "Pardon?"
"Well, what else do you expect hanging about with Draco Malfoy? A life filled with sunshine and daisies, not even you're that naive Ginny."
"So, you think that I deserved to be clubbed and have my nose broken because I'm working with Draco Malfoy?! Is that it?"
"Don't put words in my mouth, Gin. I don't blame you for a single thing but you're putting your life in danger working for that twit. You have to understand that I'm only worried about your safety."
"My safety?" she mimicked, biting into her bottom lip. "When has Draco put me in any real danger that I didn't walk into voluntarily?"
"How many times had our home been broken into before you befriended Malfoy? How many times had you landed yourself in a hospital? How many times had you gone weeks without speaking to your brother? How many times had Bill ever rowed with you?"
"How did you know about Bill?" Ginny asked, her voice softened.
"That's not important," Colin replied evenly.
"Of course it's not," Ginny whispered to herself, looking down at her bitten nails as she crushed them into her palms. "Is there anything else I should know about Colin or is your little rant over?"
"No," he answered, pushing himself off her bed but Ginny refused to follow him. "As long as you're working for Malfoy we won't give him any rest-"
"We?" she asked, snapping her head up to lock eyes with her best friend.
He seemed to be momentarily surprised by her question and simply looked down at her, his eyes once again the warm brown that she had always known. He sighed once, before sitting down next to her, his small hand laying on one of her crossed knees.
"It's no secret that your brother loves you very much Ginny and he would do anything to protect you," he started, his voice both soft and serious. "It's also no secret that he hates Malfoy just as much."
*~*~*
Third bed on the left, is what the medi-witch had confirmed at the reception desk but what she had failed to tell Draco was that the room in which Ginny Weasley was staying was absolutely freezing. However, despite the uncomfortable cold Draco repeated the confirmation in his head and slowly walked down the long aisle of dressed beds. The nauseous scent of strong medicine filled his nostrils, it was a smell that he knew would eventually bind itself to his mother replacing the jasmine perfume she had always worn, and it made him gag. He was well aware that he shouldn't have been here, he had no business visiting her, but after he'd read the letter he knew he would take his self-chastising later.
Draco had been grasping at the threads of sleep, his body taking the last plunge of relaxation when he'd been brought back to reality by a tiny voice. The room's fire had still been lit and he needn't any recovery time as he quickly glanced around his room and found the source of the frantic voice. His house-elf Tink was standing by his bed, her head barely visible by its horizon but over her head, she held a small pink envelope on her pale green palm.
His first instinct had been to drown his tiny house-elf and her bloody pink envelope but fortunately for Tink Draco had learned to curb such compulsions and merely snatched the letter from her hand. With finesse, he'd torn it open and read it over twice before tossing it away as he'd made his way to his wardrobe.
It had been written by an informant of his, a medi-witch he had placed on his payroll to track the health of his Father but in September when Ginny Weasley had agreed to work with him he'd had her name placed on the list as well. At the time he had done it, Draco had thought it to be a foolish purchase, something he merely wanted for security, but as he approached Ginny Weasley's curtained bed, he was validated in spending the few extra galleons.
His hand was raised to the mint green curtain when the sound of a male voice stilled him. It was familiar, a high-pitched sound that had grated his nerves for years when he'd attended Hogwarts.
"Well, you and Ron have anything to worry about," answered a female. Draco snatched his had away, shoving it into the deep pockets of his robe. He had recognized that voice instantly, somehow he knew he'd never be able to forget it, it was Ginny Weasley.
"Ginny," the male answered, and from its whiny tinge Draco felt he could almost see the person it belong to.
"What Colin?" she asked, obviously agitated. "I understand that my actions were foolish. I not only put myself in danger but I put my family and friends in danger as well. It was selfish and stupid and I'm not going to do it again."
Draco set his jaw as he watched the mint green curtain.
"What are you saying?" Creevey asked and from the shuffling of fabric Draco knew one of them had moved on the
bed.
"I'm not going to be helping Malfoy any more," she said confidently.
Draco's stomach dropped as he curled his toes and balled his fists.
"I'm not your brother or Hermione, Ginny. I know how you felt about Malfoy. You told me yourself as if you were his Great Defender."
"He doesn't mean anything to me, Colin," she continued. "It was just a childish crush."
"And you discovered this in the last two days?" Creevey asked skeptical.
"Yes," she said bluntly. "More happened in those two days that you could possibly imagine, Colin. And Draco Malfoy, proved to me exactly what kind of person he truly is."
Draco took a soft step away from the curtain, his fists were shaking inside his robe and the world was beginning to cloud. His rational mind pleaded from him to leave but white rage was swimming through his veins and Draco both loved and feared what he knew he would do to Colin Creevey if the curtain were to be suddenly drawn back.
"I'm sorry, Gin," announced the effeminate voice behind his mint wall of protection.
"Me too," she replied and at the sound of her voice Draco knew he could stomach none of it any longer.
*~*~*
Ronald Weasley had been laying on his bed for an hour, staring at the poster Hermione had given him from his birthday two years ago. On a normal night he would have already taken his brightly colored cover and his pillow and fallen asleep on the floor. But tonight as the moon shone through his sheer curtains keeping his room lit, he sat awake and waiting for someone.
He wasn't startled as the door creaked open and the sound of bare feet walked across the wooden boards of his floor, and he didn't move as the mattress swayed and sunk accepting new weight.
The room was silent, not even their breathing was above a whisper and finally Ron turned on his bed to face his best friend and vocalize a thought that had been swimming inside his mind.
"She might hate us you know?"
"I know," answered Harry, his deep voice confident.
"But we have to do this," Ron continued.
"I know," he repeated.
Suddenly, a new thought crossed into Ron's mind. He could feel a smile tugging at the sides of his mouth as he sat up resting his back against his headboard and coming eye to eye with his best friend. "She might hate us, Harry, but Malfoy will have finally gotten everything he has ever deserved. The little slug will finally be paying for some of the damaged him and his family have caused the wizarding world. Hell, they'll probably throw us another parade if you think about it."
"It's going to make a lot of people happy," Harry answered, and even in the dark Ron could tell a smile had tugged at Harry's lips too.
TBC...
I'm sorry this chapter was much shorter than my previous chapters. It had been apart of a much longer chapter but after I'd read it I determined that the content must stand alone. The following chapter will be a good deal longer and I should have it uploaded in less than a week. So thank you to whoever is still reading this and I hope you enjoyed it.