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When asked, Ginny Weasley would say that her day had begun as usual. Nothing had been out of the ordinary that Saturday, in mid-July. She was staying at the Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix with Harry Potter and her family. No one expected unwelcome visitors. To them, it was the last free summer they had before Harry had to defeat Voldemort, and it would be perfect.
That day, Ginny remembered, they were all eating breakfast peacefully. Harry was sitting next to her, and they were discussing the Chudley Cannons' latest win. Ginny remembered being shocked that Harry was behaving as calm as he was. He was going into his seventh and final year at Hogwarts, and everyone knew at the end he’d have completed his prophecy. She was shocked, too, by the way he was looking at her. Before she could really analyze the look, her father stood and cleared his throat; an action that meant he had something important to say.
“Good morning, family,” he started, “I have something important to tell you all. If you haven’t noticed, most of the Order members are missing from our table.” Ginny looked around, and realized that she, indeed, hadn’t noticed. Tonks, Lupin, Kingsley Shackbolt, and Mad-eye Moody all left empty seats.
“Where are they?” Harry interrupted, his tone getting a little defensive.
“They’re all safely back up in their rooms, Harry. There’s no need to worry, but the truth is that that isn’t the reason I needed your attention. Last night, the four of them went to Malfoy Manor on emergency business. It seems that Narcissa Malfoy has been murdered by her very own husband. Lucius Malfoy,” at the mention of his name, Mr. Weasley’s face darkened, “has been transported to Azkaban, but nobody knows how long that will last.”
“And what of Draco?” Ginny was surprised at her use of his first name, but there were too many Malfoys involved not to acknowledge him by it.
At the mention of the youngest Malfoy, her father squirmed. “He- well- er… He’s fine. He was transported to a safe place, I can tell you that. Dumbledore thought it was best, seeing that he didn’t want Hogwarts’s new Head Boy being killed himself.” Mr. Weasley rambled.
“Where is he?” Harry asked through clenched teeth.
“Right here,” a defiant drawl went through the room, and they all turned to see Draco Malfoy standing in the doorway beside Albus Dumbledore.
Gaping, Harry sputtered, “No- he can’t be here! He’s the enemy! He knows too much! He’ll tell his people all about what goes on here! You can’t be serious!”
“Potter, I think that you have me confused with someone else. All my people, as you so kindly put them, died last night. And as for me being the enemy, I have no plans to destroy you. I have better things to do with my time,” Draco finished.
It was then that Ginny got a good look at him. He was paler than ever, with dark circles under his eyes. His hair was all astray and messed with water clinging to the tips. Ginny silently wondered if it was raining wherever he came from, and pity slowly filled her. Of course, he was Draco Malfoy, but deep down, he did have a heart. Ginny knew that it was hard for anyone to lose their mother, and would never wish it upon anyone; not even her worst enemy.
“Mr. Malfoy,” her mother said as politely as she could manage, “Would you like to join us?”
“No thank you, Mrs. Weasley. If you don’t mind, I’d just like to go lie down.” It was Ginny’s turn to gape. No Malfoy was ever polite to a Weasley! It was unheard of!
“Not at all, Draco,” Dumbledore said kindly. “You’ve had a rough time.”
That was the last time Ginny saw him until late evening, but it wasn’t the last she’d heard of him.
“Can you believe that prat is staying with us until term? I really think that Dumbledore has lost his very last marble!” Ron raged across the room that he and Harry were sharing.
“Well, maybe it’s a good thing-“Hermione said, but was interrupted by both Harry and Ron.
“A good thing?!”
“At least this way, we can keep a close eye on him. You know, to see if he does anything the least bit suspicious,” she finished.
“You guys are bonkers,” Ginny spoke. All three seemed to just notice she was there. “Do you honestly think that he’s that daft? He’s a Slytherin, and you’re not put there because you’re plain evil, which is the common misconception. You’re put there because you’re cunning, smart, and sly even. You seem to forget who we’re dealing with here, and I’m not even sure I know who he is exactly. He is Draco Malfoy, the King of the Slytherins. He knows what he’s doing, if he’s doing anything at all, and wouldn’t be dumb enough to do it right under your noses.” Ginny stopped and looked at them, “But then again, maybe that’s the best way to do something, seeing as you three are so hooked on what you believe to be the obvious that you really don’t see what’s right in front of your face until it’s too late. You know what I wonder? Do you have any real proof that he’s as evil as you say, or do you just categorize him as such because of his father?”
“Ginny, he calls ‘Mione Mudblood, me Scarhead, and your brother Weasel. He teases your family mercilessly about your income, is jealous of everything I do, and buys his way through life. He’s probably a Death Eater already, and his father tried to kill each and every one of us. He’s in the circle with Voldemort, and furthermore, why are you defending him?” Harry questioned incredulously.
“Because Harry, dear, everyone deserves a second chance. Are you telling me that you can’t handle a childhood bully when you are ready to defeat the darkest wizard of our time?“ Ginny looked around at the three of them again before she continued, “Loads of people are jealous of you, Harry. He can’t help the fact that he’s rich any more than I can help the fact that I’m not. You can’t prove that he’s a Death Eater, and no one can really choose their parents. No one can help the way they were raised, and you can’t blame him for being the way he is, especially with a father like that. Also, just because you’re associated with the people around you doesn’t mean that you actually belong with them. Take me and you for example,” she said before
walking out on them. She had no idea what came over her or why she defended Malfoy at all. All that she knew was that she couldn’t take it back.
“Ginny, dear, would you please take this tray up to Draco’s room?” her mother asked her, knowing that Ginny would be most complacent to do so.
“Sure,” she answered, sighing as she got up from where she’d previously been eating her dinner.
“There’s a love. Good, he’s down this hall right here. I believe it’s the seventh door,” her mother said as she handed Ginny the tray.
She ventured down the dark hallway. It was one that she’d never been down before. Morbid portraits lined the walls, making Ginny look down at the ground while she counted each door she passed.
One, two, three, four, five, six, and…seven. She stopped abruptly in front of the seventh door, and knocked lightly. There wasn’t an answer, and Ginny was just about to go back to her mother to get the right room when his door opened.
“Weasley,” he acknowledged. “What do you want?”
“I don’t want anything, Malfoy. My mother, however, seems to think it’s mandatory that you eat some food. I never actually expected monsters like you needed to eat, but I suppose everyone does some time,” her words faded off as he took the tray from her.
“I suppose I have to thank you for this,” he said, managing up all of his Malfoy pride. “And for that little display you gave Potter and company earlier.”
“You heard that?” she asked, suddenly embarrassed.
“I was trying to find a bathroom,” Draco reasoned. “Anyways, you didn’t need to do that, and I certainly didn’t expect it from anyone, least of all you. My father hurt you pretty badly, and I guess I hold some blame in that as well. But rest assured, little Weasley; I don’t need your pity or your concern. You’re kind are far too good for me, and you shouldn’t be playing with a dragon’s fire. You might get burnt.”
“You’re not the boss of me, Malfoy,” she said, and then realized how immature she sounded. “I know full well what I’m doing,” she continued.
Draco looked a little bewildered at the comment, and responded, “Well, what exactly are you doing?”
“Giving you your dinner, and now that that’s over with, I’m leaving,” Ginny replied, starting to agree with him that he was dangerous, at least to her train of thought.
“Alright, I’ll be seeing you I suppose,” Draco said, turning to go back into his room.
“What makes you so different from the rest of us?” Ginny questioned suddenly.
“What do you mean?”
“You act so arrogant, like you have all the answers, yet in reality, you know nothing. You speak to us as though we’re lower than you, but we’re helping you when you need it. You pretend to be so brave, but you run scared every time something big happens. Why?” Ginny asked calmly.
“You seem to know everything about me, Weasley. You tell me.”
“If I knew, I wouldn’t be asking.”
“Then, let’s just leave it to one of life’s little mysteries, shall we?” Draco turned again to retreat back into his room, but Ginny stomped her foot.
“No!” she shouted. “I’m tired of not knowing anything!”
“What are you on about? I’m your enemy! Don’t you get it? I’m the guy that everyone is suspicious of, and of course, is a Death Eater in training. You are the little Ginny Weasley, who had her share of evil, but now is sheltered by Saint Potter. I owe you nothing, and you owe me less. That’s it. That’s as simple as I can put it. I’m not your friend, and for all you know, Potter could be right. I could be spying for my father-“
“But you’re not,” Ginny interrupted.
“How would you know?!” Draco shouted at her.
“Because if you were spying, you wouldn’t be so upset that we all thought of you that way. In fact, with your huge ego, you’d probably flaunt yourself about twice as much. You wouldn’t be alone here in your room all the time being depressed that your mother died,” Ginny explained.
“Subtlety is key, Weasley,” Draco answered.
“But not your strong point,” and with that, Ginny walked back to her dinner.
To Be Continued.
dracos_beauty927 is the author of 3 other stories.
This story is a favorite of 2 members. Members who liked A Token For Your Lonely Heart also liked 166 other stories.
This story is a favorite of 2 members. Members who liked A Token For Your Lonely Heart also liked 166 other stories.
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