Redemption
Determination
"Bloody fucking hell!" I exclaimed tossing the muggle mobile phone onto the table.
It connected with a small bang, bouncing once and spinning lightly before coming to a halt near self inking, note taking quill. Glaring at the item as I noticed the words `bloody fucking hell' written on the parchment I snatched up the quill and jammed it back into it's holder.
Another ruddy dead end. I was so sure that this lead had actually seen something more. I sighed and plopped down onto my couch glaring fiercely at the fire. I had been working on this story for over two weeks… two weeks and nothing! I told my editor about what I had seen and he wants the piece so bad he can taste it, but not until I have the name of the wizard who did it. I sat forward a bit frowning, oh and it was a wizard all right. I don't know any witches that were the size of that black flash I saw. Exhaling nosily I pushed up from the couch and went back to the dining room table picking up the various news articles and clips that Tiffany had given me. Using my wand I blew the ones with pictures up once more and grabbed my magnifying glass to again scan the faces of the crowd.
"Damn it, damn it, damn it," I hissed to myself.
It was the same -of course it was the same. I had even had Harry check them for me and he found the same thing as me, all of them -all of the pictures contained only muggles. Well… almost all of them. I picked up a clipping from an attempted purse snatching a couple of months ago, moving the magnifying glass to the photo once more I studied the cold aristocratic profile of Draco Malfoy. Giving a loud sigh I tossed the glass down and leaned back in my seat rubbing my face. There was no way that that bloody git was the mysterious Guardian Angel, he was probably there to cause trouble not stop it. A point that Harry more than agreed with me on. He said that he and Hermione seen Draco that day and the blond former Slytherin definitely looked like he was up to something.
"I am getting nowhere fast," I muttered picking up the magnifying glass once more and putting to that picture. Sure enough Malfoy remained the only wizard in the shot "Sodding prat," I muttered.
"You really need to get some lessons on how a lady should talk," Tiffany commented entering our shared flat and tossing her coat onto the back of the couch.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah." I rolled my eyes "You grow up in a house with six brothers and see how your language fares…"
"Touché," she chuckled peeking over my shoulder at the image that had inspired my, as she liked to call it, sailor channeling. "Mmmm, cute who is he?"
I gave her a sharp look "He's a prat is who he is," I tossed down the magnifying glass.
"Ahhh, well is it safe to assume that the prat is a wizard?"
I gave a stiff nod.
"So then he's our guy?" she asked excitedly.
"No! Of course not!" I pulled a face. "As if that were even a possibility."
"Oookay… but he's there and-"
"And nothing," I gave her an annoyed look "Draco Malfoy is more likely to be the cause of the situations that the cure."
He mouth made a small `o' and she grabbed the glass off the table peering at the picture once more. "So this is the infamous Draco Malfoy?" Tiffany asked quickly locating him in the shot again. "Wow… not what I imagined from the way you guys talk about him."
"What did you imagine?"
"I don't know… someone a bit more rodent looking. I mean Hermione does call him the ferret," she shrugged "but he looks pretty hot…"
I snatched the glass from her "He is a rodent and he does not look hot. He looks like a jerk, a cold aristocratic jerk who thinks he's better than everyone," I caught her eyes "and despises muggles. As far as he is concerned they are on the same level as barnyard animals."
Tiff looked at me for a moment with a frown before her gaze flicked back down to the paper "You're right he does sound like a prat."
I smirked "Of course I'm right."
"However, he's still hot," she shrugged going to the front of the flat and picking her bag up from where she had tossed it near the door. She laughed when I threw a quill at her, "I've got a surprise for you, something that may help you crack this thing wide open."
My curiosity peeked I stood from my seat watching her as she neared "What is it?" When she smirked and held up a newspaper article my heart sped up "The Angel?" I breathed excitedly.
"Yep, happened yesterday afternoon," she relinquished it when my hands grabbed greedily for it. "A little girl was playing on a balcony and fell off. According to witnesses she floated safely to the ground as though she weighed no more than a feather." As she spoke I blew up the article, took hold of the magnifier and began searching the faces of the crowed. "She was on the fifth floor and would have hit the concrete if she had not been saved… so whoever he was he's a hero-"
"No!" I shook my head not paying attention to Tiffany as she moved to look over my shoulder. "It can't be it's impossible!"
But there was no denying it -no way that it couldn't be him. The Malfoy hair color was so distinct I fancy you could recognize it from space. I continued to stare at the image in disbelief… it was faint and his back was turned as if he were walking away. But the hair color stood out above all else so blond that it was white and glinting slightly in the sunlight. It had to be him, which had to mean he was involved. I mean there weren't even the same two muggles in any of the shots I had. I should know I studied each and every one of them carefully. But what was he doing there? `Could he have been the one to-' my mind repelled from the thought so adamantly that I abruptly pushed back from the table causing Tiffany to stumble and have to steady herself on the small bookshelf located just behind.
"I know what I needed to do," I mumbled heading to the large locked wardrobe in the far corner of the living room. "Why didn't I think of this earlier?"
"What?" Tiffany asked; I ignored her, I had been speaking to myself.
Skirting around the couch and using a quick `Alohomora' spell I unlocked the large cabinet and pulled out a small shelf. Bending down and using a more complicated unlocking spell along with a few counter curses I removed the Pensive from a small cabinet at the bottom of the wardrobe. Harry had gotten it for me two Christmases ago, after I had begged him for the umpteenth time. I was under no illusions that had I not been a mate of Harry Potters it probably would have been next to impossible to secure one. I had thanked him profusely for the gift… well as profusely as he would let me and had been using it every sense. It was the best way to get an accurate story and came in incredibly handy last year during the trials of two fugitive Death Eaters.
"Awesome, you're going to use it? Can I come along?" Tiffany asked, reminding me of her presence as I set the delicate item on the small shelf I had pulled out moment earlier.
"No, you're not even supposed to know about things like this," I replied, closing my eyes to prepare myself for the removal of the memory.
"Well that's kind of a moot point, eh? I mean I already know," she replied coming to stand just behind me.
"Just because you know about it doesn't mean you should experience it," I murmured, placing my wand at my temple and slowly pulling the memory free.
"You're damn right it does," she retorted. "Has anyone ever told you that looks kind of like snot?"
"No it doesn't give you the ri -what?" I gave her an annoyed look "It does not, it looks like a rolling mist."
She shrugged "You say mist, I say bogie juice."
I glared "Go sit Tiff, I'll be right back."
"Come on Gin, please," she pouted, "you could always use an extra set of eyes…" when her lip trembled I rolled my eyes.
"I'm not some undersexed hard up bloke Tiff. Your lost puppy expression is not going to work on me," I smirked.
The look immediately fell from her face to be replaced with a more calculated one "Fine. Then you should do it because you owe me."
"I owe you?"
"Yes you owe me," she crossed her arms over her chest a smug look on her face. "If it weren't for me not only would you not have had that last article that led to this sudden revelation, but you wouldn't have been able to get the back ones. I'm the one who provided you with most of your research and it's only fair that you let me come along."
"I don't think I agree," I glared.
"Well I don't think I can help you anymore with muggle research," she retorted arching a brow.
"You -" I cut off with a growl. "Fine. But don't ask a hundred questions, pay attention and do what I ask you to do."
She gave an excited squeal and clapped her hands together "Of course!"
I rolled my eyes, then looked down at the memory floating in the pensive. "Come on you first, put you face in there."
She gave me a skeptical look "Put my face in there?"
"Either do it or don't go," I shrugged simply.
"Fine," she breathed before leaning forward and putting her face into the mist, a moment later she was gone.
Shaking my head lightly I quickly followed suit.
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"Was it this hazy that day?" Tiff asked quietly looking around.
I shook my head "It's just how the memory looks," I commented making my way from the table to the crowd around the little girl.
"-wrapped in black warmth… kinda like a soft cloud." she was saying as we neared.
"Good we still have time," I told Tiffany grabbing her hand and pulling her towards the park.
"Did you see anything else?" I heard her mum ask in the distance.
"Where are we going?" Tiffany quizzed turning back to the crowd as she heard herself ask the little girl about smells.
"Right up here to the park, that's where I saw the black figure. I think it was a man," I commented quickly positioning myself in front of the tree that I was sure I had seen it disappear behind.
"But… I don't see anything," Tiffany frowned looking on the other side of the tree.
"Of course you don't," I hissed impatiently "it's my memory. You only see what I remember seeing and right now I'm looking at the girl not at the park. The image won't appear until the moment that I look up."
"Oh," she replied her eyes lighting with understanding. "So this park really isn't empty? You just hadn't seen anyone in it so they're not showing up in your memory?"
"Exactly," I made a small brushing with my hand "now pay attention to the crowd, let me know then I look up. It may not be this tree so I want to be able to scan the others if I'm wrong."
She gave a nod and looked back at the group. "Oh! You're looking…" she trailed off when she turned and saw what I did.
Instantly he appeared before me -tall, broad, blond, male and all Malfoy. His silvery gray eyes scanning the crowed before coming to a sharp halt, it must have been then that he saw me because he dipped behind the tree and disappeared from sight.
"Well…" Tiff breathed "I think hot was an understatement."
I threw her a glare and grabbed her hand quickly pulling us out of the memory.
"It can't be!" I wailed as soon as we were back in the flat. Taking no heed to Tiffany's dizzy collapse onto an armchair I paced back and forth. "There is no way! Draco Malfoy doesn't even like muggles! He was part of a movement, followed a leader who's whole purpose in life was to exterminate them from the face of the earth," I threw myself onto the couch and buried my head in my hands. "It doesn't make any sense."
"Maybe he's changed," offered a less woozy looking Tiffany.
"No -no. Malfoy's don't change. In fact they pride themselves on the disability," I replied lifting my head and frowning at her.
"Well how else can you explain it Ginny?" Tiff pressed leaning forward in the chair. "He's in two of the shots where these …acts, happened. And he was there for the save of the little girl -in a black coat no less!"
"What does his coat have to do with it?" I inquired perplexed.
She rolled her eyes "Use you reporting skills Ginny," she snorted with a frown "A black cloud??? Helloooo," Tiffany threw her hands up in frustration. "That's your problem. You're not being a reporter you're being a Weasley."
"What does that mean?" I glared.
"That means that you're not looking at this objectively. Face it if it were anyone other than Draco Malfoy then you would be convinced as I am that he's the angel."
"I-"
"But," she cut me off. "You're so wrapped up in your own personal dislike as well as the dislike of your family and community that you can't see what's right in front of your ruddy face! You only see him as the type to start the problems, not the-"
"Oh Merlin, that's it!"
"Of course it's it. I had hoped you'd see I was right, it's about time that you re-"
I cut her off with a brush of the hand "Not that senseless prattle, the part about him starting the problems. That's it! He must be causing the stuff to happen!"
"Wha- how… what the hell are you talking about Ginny? That is the most... mental thing I have ever heard!" Tiffany exclaimed standing.
"It makes perfect sense!"
"How? In what twisted little part of your completely biased mind were you ever able to make sense of that! I mean, how could he have made that prat speed down the road? And unless he changed his name to Toby I don't think he was the one to kick the ball into the street."
"He could have used magic to knock the ball into the road," I retorted refusing to let go of my hypothesis, she may not have realized it but it made a lot more sense for Malfoy to harm than to actually help a muggle.
"Fine, let's say he did. Did he pay the mugger to steal the purse or push the little girl off the balcony? Hmmm?"
I glowered at her "There are ways to get people to do stuff that you want and they don't involve money, they involve very dangerous and illegal spells that you know nothing about." I stated harshly standing also.
She looked at the ceiling and released a long sigh "Fine. Let's say you're on to something, lets say that this Draco-"
"Malfoy," I interrupted and she sighed again.
"Fine let's say that this Malfoy guy is causing all of this trouble using illegal spells. That still doesn't answer who's saving people? Who is the Guardian Angel?"
"Well… I don't know, it could be…" I trailed off, my mouth snapping closed as I tried to think of an answer.
"It could be who?" Tiffany pressed "Harry Potter?" My eyes shot to hers and she held up her hands defensively. "I'm just saying, don't let your prejudice bias you and don't dismiss the guy out of hand. What wizard or witch do you know of that would let him do stuff like this and go unpunished? Just following the bloke around cleaning up all his messes?"
I frowned and looked at the door. "I don't know…" I looked back at her once more, my face set determinedly "but now that I have a starting point. I will find out."
With a `pop' I was gone.
********************
I looked down at the half eaten steak on my plate for a moment before lifting my head and scanning the dimly lit bistro. As I noticed all the groups and couples talking, well the few I could see from my secluded booth, I sighed. It was another Friday night, everyone was out with friends, family and co-workers and here I sat horded away in a nice but overly private booth. I suppose I should be glad to have even this, there were still some restaurants that wouldn't allow me to sit in them and others that wouldn't even serve me take out.
I refilled my drink with the wine bottle that the waiter had left at the table, as I grasped the long stemmed glass and lifted it to my lips I hesitated. Squinting my eyes I saw it again, in the distance on the other side of the restaurant, a flash of red. Red hair that is.
She was following me again. What the hell was that about? For the last two weeks I couldn't step out my flat without Ginny Weasley making an appearance. Sure she was discreet, someone not as use to looking over their shoulder would have surely missed the small woman always at least thirty paces behind. They wouldn't have noticed how the door to most locations they entered always opened again as soon as they turned a corner in a store or were seated in a restaurant. They would also fail to take heed of the faint running sound in alleyways that they apparated from just as they were being pulled away. However I am, so I notice all of it -I also don't like it one bloody bit.
Since she's been riding my arse I haven't been able to help anyone, well not really. I mean I could do small discreet stuff here and there. Like levitate a woman's wallet that she dropped back into her purse or put a child's lost mitten at their mothers feet. But larger things like stopping crimes or saving people from injury or death were much too risky with the inch high private eye on my fucking tail every sodding day. This was getting ridiculous I swallowed a large sip of wine and raised my hand signaling the waiter.
I was going to find out what she was about and I was going to do it before the night was over.
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I pulled my collar up to my ears to guard against the stiff wind as I made my way up the quiet street. Streetlights illuminated various patches of the snowy sidewalk and several storefronts were lit with decorations for the upcoming holiday season. I sighed shaking my head, it wasn't even December yet and they were already laying on the bloody holiday cheer. Frowning distastefully at a photographers shop that had a large display of a happy family wearing stupid looking Santa hats I slipped into a nearby alleyway.
Holding my breath I listened silently to the sound of Ginny Weasley's footsteps as the hastened to catch up. As they neared the alley they began to move slower as she crept towards the opening to peek around, most likely realizing that she had not yet heard the distinct pop of disapparation. When the sounds of the snow crunching lightly under her feet reached a pitch that would indicate her being near to the window of the photographers I pulled back and disapparated with a `pop' only to appear a moment later behind her as she rushed into the narrow walkway.
"Looking for someone?" I drawled with a smirk.
She snapped around quickly, her fiery ginger hair twirling with her and he light brown eyes widening in surprise before narrowing to slits.
"You git!" she hissed "You almost gave me a sodding coronary -what is your problem?!"
"What's your problem?" I shot back "And why the hell do you keep following me?!"
"I am not! Why would I even waste my time," she returned with a frown.
I arched a condescending brow "Then what are you doing here?"
She arched a brow back and swatted distractedly at her nose which was turning a light red from the cold "Minding my own bleeding business that's what."
"So you weren't following me?"
"No."
I smirked "So what were you doing at the restaurant? Minding your own bleeding business also?"
"Yes," she bit out.
"And outside of my flat earlier this afternoon? At the pub yesterday evening, or how about outside my barbers yesterday afternoon?" I crossed my arms over my chest and gave her a superior smirk. "Looks like as of late your bleeding business seems to revolve around my bloody business."
She glowered at me and my smirk became more pronounced, especially when a glint entered her eyes. It was that certain glint that she always got when she was trying to think up something… either that or about to hit you with a bat bogey.
"So. There's nothing wrong with going any of those places, they're all pubic domain," she grumbled, pushing a few stray stands of hair back behind her ear when a sudden gust of wind from behind blew them forward.
"That they are. -So you often just hang outside of public domains waiting for… what exactly? Or does the sunlight hitting buildings make them shiny and therefore wholly irresistible to you?" I inquired with a bored look, my voice dripping with sarcasm.
She stomped her feet on the ground and my brows rose in response.
"Having a tantrum?" I asked with a low chuckle.
If looks could kill I would have been Avada Kedavra'd right there.
"For your information you blighter, I'm a bit cold. So if I want to stomp my feet to get feeling back in them then I will," she snapped, stomping her feet once more. Though wiether that was to return feeling or for good measure remained to be seen.
"Well that's what you get for traipsing around in a skirt and tights while you shadow someone all over England." I returned with a frown as I noticed the small chatter in her teeth and the way she kept rubbing her arms.
"I do not traipse," she glowered back.
"If you say so," I laughed while shrugging out of my coat.
Once it was all the way off I took a step towards her suppressing a smile when she took a step back.
"Don't be paranoid Weasley, I'm just going to let you borrow this," I held up the expensive tailor made coat.
"I'm not being paranoid and I don't want it."
"You may not want it but you need it," I shook my head "what is that you're wearing anyway, a sweater?"
"No, it's a coat," she replied in a haughty tone.
"It looks like a sweater," I smirked.
"Well it's not, it's a coat. My favorite one in fact and I'm perfectly fine with it," she glared using the same snooty tone as before. However the effect of her statement was ruined when her teeth chattered halfway through the sentence.
I sighed and shook my head quickly advancing upon her "Why are you always so stubborn?" I hissed throwing my coat over her shoulders before she could object.
"I am not being stubborn," she returned titling her head back to glare up at me and trying to shrug out of the large garment.
"It was a rhetorical question," I muttered securing it tighter around her. Then hurriedly continuing before she could reply "So why were you following me again?"
"I wasn't-" at my arched brow she sighed. "Fine. I was."
"Why?"
"Because I had to know," she answered with a dainty shrug.
"Had to know what?"
"What you had to do with it," she replied adjusting the great coat so that it covered her reddish nose and blocked the wind.
I gave her an impatient look, "Look it's too bloody cold out here for your partial answers," I snapped rubbing my own arms. "So why don't you get to the point?"
"This is an interesting fragrance you have here," she murmured; I growled.
"So? Weasley what the hell-"
"What is that?" she took a long sniff of my lapel "Smells like… some type of spice and…" she looked up at me her eyes wide and accusing before finishing in a harsh whisper "chocolate."
I gave an angry shrug and glared at her "So? What did that bloody well ban chocolate while I was in the U.S.? Because if they did someone needs to tell the sweets shop around the corner," I snapped.
She didn't comment but instead continued to stare at me as if I had grown another head.
"What?!" I yelled irritated beyond belief.
"You can't be… you just can't," she whispered shaking her head. "I mean sure all the evidence points… but you're -you're -you're," she looked at me again "you're you. Draco Malfoy, there's no way that you can be…"
Okay now I wasn't just irritated I was annoyed. The way she said "you're you" just had such an unpleasant ring to it.
"I can't be what?" I growled.
"You can't be…" she shook her head and I rose both brows expectantly, before throwing my hands up in a motion that not only signalized my impatience but also how ruddy cold I was. She looked at me for a second longer before whispering "The Guardian Angel…"
My eyes snapped to hers and I froze…
A.N. Sorry for not posting last week. My beta went M.I.A. so I didn't have the chapter, I still don't. This is betaless, so I'll try once more. If there's anyone out there who's willing to beta this story, I usually need assistance with punctuation.
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