Part Two
“Finally, that’s everything,” sighed Ginny happily, as she walked up the ramp that led to the staff room.
It was now going on one in the morning, and she had finally sent the rest of the MuOM staff home. Overall, the event had gone off without a hitch, lasting until just past midnight, which Ginny was infinitely thankful for. It had taken less then an hour for the staff to survey and then amend the damage wrought on MuOM by the crème of the wizarding society. The carpets were now clean, the exhibits were, thankfully, all in one piece, and the caterers had packed up and left minutes earlier, careful to take all the empty (and not so empty) bottles with them.
Upon entering the staff room, she picked up her long cloak and bag, and then made her way down to the security desk to sign out.
“Well, Ramses, another one over, eh?” she said, speaking to the old guard on duty.
“Aye lass,” he agreed. “Quite the to-do, wasn’t it? I’ve na seen one like that in a dozen years to be sure.”
Ginny poked her head over the barrier that surrounded the desk. She grinned when she noticed a plate of party leftovers “Good, I see you snagged a little snack for later. Well then, I’ll see yo-”
A knocking on the glass front doors interrupted them. Ramses stood up and peered into the darkness.
“Ah, looks like one of the young gentlemen from the party tonight, luv. P’rhaps he forgot something?”
“No, he’s just come back for me. He’s offered to escort me home.” She said, her cheeks pinking.
The security guard looked at her, skeptically. After all, he was in charge of the safety of the museum and all who were in it. This speck of a girlie looked awfully fragile to him. “You’re sure about tha’ lass? I wouldna want ta see you in harm’s way.”
But Ginny was already on her way to the door, “Don’t fret Ramses, he’s an old school chum. But thanks for worrying about me; you’re an angel, as always. G’ night.” And with that she spelled the locked front door open and headed out to meet Draco.
He was still dressed in his party clothes, but now he wore a dark heavy wool cloak over them. It was getting rather chilly at night, now that September was ending. Ginny walked over to him and tipped her head sideways, observing him, with a twinkle in her eye. “Shall we?” she inquired.
Her escort nodded politely to her, and taking a chivalrous tone he spoke: “To where are we headed, Miss Weasley? To the nearest Apparition point perhaps, or are you somewhere close by?”
Ginny smiled faintly and stifled a yawn. “Well, I usually Apparate, but I’m not too far away, if you feel like a stroll.”
Draco shrugged his shoulders carelessly, as if to say ‘sure, why not?’
“We have a bit of a walk ahead of us, if that’s all right. I’m right behind my brothers’ shop at the north end of Diagon Alley. Do you know it?”
The two started walking to the end of Historic Alley towards the ivy covered gate that led into Muggle London; from there it was a good dozen blocks away to the Leaky Cauldron and then into Diagon Alley.
“I think anyone who has walked within a pitch length of that fine establishment is aquainted with it,” he chuckled. The smoke and continuous fireworks, not to mention the gaggle of children swarming the general area, make it quite, how should I put this?” He paused and started thinking out loud “No, no, blatantly obvious would be too understated, hmm. No,” he raised his eyebrows slightly in mock exasperation, “I find I’m at a loss, I don’t believe the English language actually has a word that can describe it.”
Ginny giggled slightly at the honest description of the Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes storefront. It was always full to bursting with little witches and wizards, if it weren’t for the strong silencing charm around her flat, she’d never get any peace.
“Well, I suppose when you put it that way it’d be difficult to miss. I just never figured someone like yourself would notice.”
“Now we get to the heart of it, ‘someone like me,’” he commented.
“I didn’t mea-“
“No, no. Don’t apologize. I know what you mean. One of those upper class, nose in the air, pureblood aristocrats.” He grimaced sardonically, “It’s rather humorous really, four years ago I would have fit right in with all those tossers tonight, I would have simpered and toasted and enjoyed every minute, but now, as I said earlier I’ve become a sight too much like Severus, uncomfortable in most places and with most people.” He looked down at his shoes on the dark pavement.
“You’re not uncomfortable now though,” she observed.
“No-oo, you’re right, for once I am not.” He smiled faintly in the darkness.
They continued walking in a companionable silence until they reached the gate, which Draco unlatched with a tap of his wand. He held it open for Ginny to walk through, and followed behind her making sure the magical gate had locked behind them both.
“So, why the Museum of Magic, Ginny?” Draco inquired. “I would never have pegged you for a historian back at Hogwarts, I thought you’d be on with Holyhead by now.”
Smiling, Ginny replied, “Was that a compliment, Lord Malfoy?”
“You know what I mean.”
“Yeah, and thanks. I did look into pro Quidditch, and a couple scouts did express an interest however…“
“However?”
“We-ell, I just didn’t feel like I could devote my life to Quidditch. I mean, it’s just Quidditch. Fun and all but-” she shrugged.
“Just Quidditch.” He shook his head in amazement. “Just Quidditch. How can you say that! Didn’t you see the Arrows last week? That dive for the snitch in the third hour was unbelievable.”
Ginny slowed her pace and rolled her eyes slightly. Boys. “Well, I guess I just wasn’t as attached to it as some. Speaking of, you weren’t the world’s worst Seeker either.”
“Sure felt like it sometimes,” bemoaned Draco. “No, I knew professional Quidditch wasn’t for me, and not just because The-Boy-Who-Constantly-Beat-Me, well, constantly beat me. I had responsibilities I couldn’t ignore, especially mother and the managing of the estate. Being Lord Malfoy isn’t all roses and puffskeins, you know. I do have to work sometimes too.” He winked at her and kept walking slowly up the deserted Muggle street.
Ginny lengthened her stride to catch up with him.
“So,” he questioned, once she had caught up with him. “Why are you stuck with all those dusty old things all day?”
“Well, I think about it as a jumping off point really. I wanted to meet people in the industry, and learn a little about the day to day stuff. Not to mention it looks really good on a CV,” she smirked.
“To what end?” he asked curiously.
“If you promise not to laugh…”
“I’ll be as silent as a tomb.”
“Right then, it all started with this I guess,” she replied, vaguely gesturing to her signet ring. “Mum told me on my seventeenth birthday, when she gave the crest ring to me, that it was old, really old. She also told me that it had been passed down through the women of her family for a thousand years, or so they say, and that every woman who wears it imprints a little of her magical aura onto it. This fact really intrigued me, having had a bit of experience with erm- magical items,” emphasizing her last words with a deliberate look at Malfoy.
“I honestly never knew about that book Ginny, I swear. Not until after at least.”
Ginny made a swatting motion with her hand, “Never mind, it’s all in the past. Anyway, I was intrigued, and as soon as I slipped the ring on my finger I felt something. It’s hard to explain but it felt like something heavy in my blood. I know, that sounds rather silly, but that’s what it was like. Heavy, deep, rich- I’m no seer, most are hogwash anyway, but it was like I could feel the past and those connected to me through this ring. And then I got really curious. Was there a way I could unlock the ring and untangle the connections? Could I bottle them like thoughts in a pensieve?” Ginny’s eyes were shining, remembering the excitement when her theory first began to form, Draco looked over at her appreciably, admiring her passion.
“You feel like having coffee?” he asked suddenly.
“Pardon?” said Ginny, startled out of her thoughts.
Draco gestured to the all-night cafe on the corner up ahead. “Unless you’re too tired, of course.”
Ginny shook her head, strangely she felt less tired then she usually did after work.
“Coffee sounds great.” They walked up to the tiny restaurant, and found a booth by the window. A shuffling waitress came over and filled their cups with coffee, barely blinking at their unusual attire. She had worked the night shift for years at the café and had seen all kinds of patrons; it didn’t matter to her what they looked like- as long as they tipped well.
“I’m not normally a coffee person,” Ginny confessed, “and I have nothing against Muggles, but the tea they serve at restaurants is crap.”
Draco smirked at her.
“Don’t you smirk at me, ‘crap’ is not a bad word. I’m as lady-like as I can be, having grown up with six brothers. You should’ve heard them at last Sunday’s family dinner or the time they caught me with that bloke in the broom sh-”. Ginny’s ears suddenly turned a brilliant shade of red.
Looking rather mortified that she had said so much to Draco; she quickly looked down into her cup, examining the small chip in the rim.
Draco’s smirk grew so wide it threatened to overtake his entire face. “I’d ask,” he grinned, “but I don’t think it’d be terribly gentlemanly of me, and I’ve a certain reputation to uphold.” He winked.
“Oh, of course.” She looked up from her mug, rolling her eyes at him.
“So,” Ginny backtracked, “this museum business, as I was saying, er… well, I believe I’ve got a really good idea, and I figure it can be done if I work hard enough at it. However, I’m stuck as the cloak check girl at MuOM, right now, because I haven’t found a research grant yet. I also need an older and wiser soul, basically a curator with time on his hands, who is willing to help me with the tricky stuff.”
“That sounds like a well-laid plan. You’ll be quite the professional once you’ve finished,” he ventured.
“Well, it hasn’t worked yet, but I figure I should give it a bit more time before giving it up. If that doesn’t work, I’ll try a different way. Something’s bound to take, I’m sure.” She nodded emphatically, picking up her coffee and sipping.
Draco smiled into his cup; it’d been awhile since he’d heard stubborn Gryffindor optimism. It was rather refreshing. It had really been too long, since he had been in the company of such a lovely young witch. Easy Draco, she’s just letting you walk her home. Get a grip old boy; you’re becoming as desperate as Severus.
"Your go," Ginny said as she looked at him expectantly, breaking his reverie.
"What me? Oh, of course. You mean this?" He gestured to the ring on his left hand. "Sadly there is not much to tell, it was my grandfather Abraxas Malfoy who gave up the original."
"Gave up?" inquired Ginny. "As in 'of his own free will' gave up a precious family heirloom?"
Draco nodded in reply.
"No offence meant, but your granddad seems a bit of a-"
"Git?" supplied Draco. "Oh, absolutely. Publicly he was quite upstanding but he was funneling resources to Grindelwald's supporters. His father, my great grandfather, didn't agree with it and took away his Gringott's key to save the family coffers, but he couldn't get the crest ring back. And as it was worth thousands of galleons..."
"He sold it," Ginny answered in disbelief.
"Right in one," congratulated Draco. "My great grandfather searched endlessly for the original but hadn't any luck at all. It was probably melted down or altered soon after it was bought anyway, it being far too recognizable to wear as it was." He shrugged his shoulders absently, "Great Grandfather had a copy made as you see, but of course, it's not the same."
"Your ring could still be out there. It's possible," Ginny replied hopefully.
"I highly doubt it, Ginny," he said, looking at her kindly.
Ginny stuck her hand out to him then and said, "When I become the world's foremost ancient crest ring expert, I promise to keep my eye out for yours and make discreet inquiries. You have my word on it."
Draco good-naturedly took her slim hand and shook it. "As long as you don't go on any sort of danger-filled quest for it, you go right ahead, luv."
Ginny pouted playfully in protest, "But everyone knows those are the best kinds of quests, Malfoy." Draco merely rolled his eyes upwards and sipped his coffee. Ginny laughed and they continued to chat about little things until their coffees had cooled and Ginny's eyelids began to droop. Draco paid the bill after a bit of mild protest from the sleepy red head and they walked slowly to the Leaky Cauldron and to Diagon Alley beyond.
Ginny, who had been leaning against Draco's cloaked side in an effort to stay upright, straightened and pulled her wand from her sleeve as she saw they were approaching her flat. She fiddled with an unlocking charm on her door until she heard a click, and then turned to face Draco, who was waiting patiently at her side. A strange awkwardness crept over them and for a moment they both looked anywhere but at each other. Draco finally bent down and gave her a quick kiss on her cheek; he smiled briefly at her.
"We'll do this again sometime, yeah?"
Ginny replied shyly, "Yeah, I'd like that. Owl me, all right?"
Draco nodded and bid her good night although the dawn was starting to break in the sky above them. He had started to walk away when Ginny called back to him quickly as if she had just remembered something.
"I forgot to ask. What happened to your grandfather? Did he help Grindelwald with the money?"
Draco chuckled, "Nah, the old wanker caught dragon pox and died instead."
Ginny knew she shouldn't laugh, as dragon pox was rather horrific if left untreated, but she felt a giggle bubbling up inside her. Imagine his great plans foiled by something as common as the pox.
Laughing, Ginny let herself into her flat and was asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. She slept heavily and well into the morning. She had been dreaming quite happily about venturing into unknown places in search of lost treasures with a handsome blond at her side when a great CRACK was heard outside her window. She groped for her wand to renew the silencing charm and muttered incoherent threats about her favourite brothers as she got up to start the tea.
It had been a very interesting night after all.
The End.
Author notes: *a big thank you to all my patient readers and my beta CindaEdna!
The End.
sweetproserpina is the author of 6 other stories.
This story is a favorite of 18 members. Members who liked Another Night at MuOM also liked 1458 other stories.
This story is a favorite of 18 members. Members who liked Another Night at MuOM also liked 1458 other stories.
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