Title: Luna Soleil
Author: Samantha Riddle aka Slytherish
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. Oh, and it has some Order of the Phoenix Spoilers.
Summary: Ginny Weasley is captured by Death Eaters after an attack on the Ministry. What does Lord Voldemort want from her, and what does it have to do with that cold night in her first year at Hogwarts School? What happens when Ginny falls in love, and can't decide between her family and the one she loves so dearly?
Notes: A special thank you to my beta-reader, Samantha for reading and editing this story.
**
Chapter Three: And the Moon Shimmers
Draco watched with hidden interest as Bellatrix and Rabastan dragged the youngest Weasley upstairs. His eyes narrowed, wondering what on Earth Lord Voldemort wanted with a little mud-blood loving girl like that. He ran a hand idly through his hair, and continued to stare at the entrance of the castle across the hall.
It was just his good fortune to get an easy assignment as this. Watch and make sure no one who isn't supposed to be here enters, and if they do, stop them. That's what Lucius had told him when Draco had showed up this morning. Surprisingly pleased Draco did what he was told, and here he was hours later, being more bored then he ever had been in his life.
When Draco had first joined, he had hoped to at least have some fun, but this was just pathetic. He sighed, leaning heavily against the edge of the stairs. Perhaps this was a good thing, he forced himself to think. Maybe not getting too involved was a blessing. Or maybe not, did it really matter?
The enormous doors across the hall suddenly opened, and Draco jumped into a straight position, his grey eyes shooting ice at whoever was about to enter. It was a cloaked man of some kind, and Draco could barely see his nose let alone his entire face. He sprang into action moving forward to question him.
As he did so, his head seemed to double in size. Draco felt pride in his job for the first time all day as he stepped in front of the man, barring the way. He fumbled in his pocket for his robes.
"Move boy!" The man said from under his hood.
"What's your name?" Draco demanded.
"I said move!" The man was digging his hand into his pocket, and began to move aside to get past Draco. Draco moved promptly back into his way.
"I'm authorized to demand who you-" But Draco never got the chance to finish his question, for the next second the man's wand was pointed at Draco and the painful torture spell had been muttered.
Draco slipped the floor in a cry of pain, writhing as he bit his tongue in a desperate attempt to not scream. He struggled against the pain in its entirely, and groped for his wand to end the pain. Before he could put his plan into action, the pain stopped and grimacing, Draco looked up.
The man's hood was down, his dark hollow eyes looking at Draco as if he was some sort of common muggle. Standing next to him was Draco's father who looked positively livid, but at Draco. Draco's cheeks reddened and he got to his feet.
"Fool boy! I said to keep anyone who wasn't one of us out!" Lucius snarled bringing up his snake staff and wacking Draco in the head with it. His right temple stung from the blow as he finally realized who it was under the cloak. "My apologies Rodophlus, idiot son..."
The man didn't comment, just snarled in Draco's direction and headed off up the marble staircase out of sight. Draco almost wished he had stayed for as soon as his eyes went back to his father he found his father's staff hitting in him in the head. This time, Draco was knocked clean off his feet.
"You dolt! Dunce boy, you deserve nothing of the privilege I give you! Get off the floor!" Lucius hissed, "You shame me and your mother!"
Draco looked up at his father from the ground, his ears ringing. Anger flashed through his eyes as she stood up. He did not shame his mother! Never! Lucius moved to hit Draco again but this time Draco caught it. Lucius looked startled, but that look was replenished by a look of approval.
"The Dark Lord wishes to see you," Lucius told Draco coldly, "and you best make up for your blunder with Lestrange. You mess up in front of our Lordship and you will pay dearly."
Draco glared at his father as Lucius started up the stairs, and then followed him silently cursing his very existence. He was still so furious that it didn't actually hit him he was seeing the Dark Lord until Draco had entered the circular room. It was completely empty except for Voldemort himself. Lucius pulled Draco's hood up from behind him before leaving shutting the door with a click.
Draco moved forward and knelt before Lord Voldemort, who's evil red eyes looked him over carefully, taking in every aspect of him. Draco looked up at him, nervous and anxious at the same time. Seconds passed that seemed like hours before Draco spoke.
"You wanted to see me my Lord?"
"Indeed," Voldemort said softly, "young Malfoy I have a task for you. This is like no other task you will ever receive or ever have. You must succeed, and if you do not then I will kill you."
At least, Draco thought disgustedly, he was honest. This task didn't sound like the best job in the world just from hearing the stakes. Apparently however, Draco didn't have a choice in the matter. He would have to take it and hope he could succeed.
"I want you to babysit my newest captive, Virginia Weasley." Draco looked at him, his mind buzzing with amusement. "Don't think so highly of this yet Mr. Malfoy, for it may sound as easy, but I haven't finished yet." Draco tried to keep his expression as level as possible. "I want you to babysit her. I want you to teach her our ways. I want you to gain her trust, be her confidant. I will be training her, so to speak, for something important. I want you to be my inside look on little Miss Weasley."
Voldemort stopped speaking, but Draco didn't notice. This was the easier assignment that could cost him his life that he ever heard of! And yet...strangely enough he was nervous. How hard would it be to get Ginny Weasley to trust him?
"Is that understood Mr. Malfoy?" Voldemort asked.
"Yes my Lord," Draco replied swiftly.
"Very well, you may leave." Voldemort told him lazily.
Draco bowed his head in respect and then got to his feet, hurriedly leaving the room. He opened the door and almost knocked Lucius over in his attempts to get as far away from Voldemort as possible. Lucius didn't ask what Draco's ask where- he couldn't catch him. Draco had already darted down the hallway, down a flight of stairs and towards Bellatrix who was guarding a door.
"Aunt Bellatrix?" Draco asked, skidding to a halt.
"What do you want?" Bellatrix snapped, fixing him with a glare. Draco ignored it.
"Is Weasley in there?" Draco pressed.
"Yeah, she is. Did the Dark Lord talk to you yet?" Bellatrix demanded, but Draco didn't answer, he had already started away.
Now that he knew where Weasley was, all he had to do was devise a plan that would get her to trust him and tell him all her little secrets. Much like that diary that got her into so much trouble all those years before. The question was, would she give that much trust into anything? He didn't know, he didn't know her. And frankly, he didn't care.
Draco took a breath as he found himself in an abandoned hallway. He didn't want to talk to anyone yet, not until he had time to think. He pulled his hood off his head and ran his hand through his hair. Staring at the ground deep in thought of what to do, he didn't notice a door open and Severus Snape come out of a room.
"Problems Draco?" Snape asked cooly.
Draco jumped a foot in the air and spun around wand out. Realizing it was his Potions Professor he smirked and pocketed his wand.
"Of course not Professor," Draco replied just as cooly.
"Is Lucius around?" Snape asked.
"Yes, I suspect he's by the Dark Lord's chambers," Draco replied
"Indeed," Snape looked at Draco with an expression Draco couldn't read, "You should get that bruise checked out."
Draco glared acidly, moving his hand up to his face touching a sore spot where Lucius's staff had connected. He removed his hand as if it had been burned when he realized he had done it.
"I'm fine," Draco snapped.
"I'm sure," Snape muttered, "Good evening."
Draco watched Snape with a suspicious glare as the Professor moved down the hallway and out of sight. What was that about? Shaking his head, Draco tried to clear his thoughts. He needed a very strong plan, and he wasn't going to get it here.