Chapter 11: Letters to No One
Ginny cried and slept and cried and slept for the next long while. She instantly regretted breaking things off with Draco, especially once Harry said what he did. Even he had come to have a bit of faith in the relationship she had with Draco. She knew she would still be sad if she hadn’t broken things off, but she wouldn’t feel the terrible ache in her heart, knowing that someday she would see him again and they would be together.
Now, there were no guarantees. He was Draco Malfoy, after all. He might come back, but probably would never forgive her for doing and saying what she did. She wasn’t sure forgiveness was in his nature, no matter how he had changed.
Molly tried to comfort her with food and busy her with chores but everything reminded her of how lonely she was now. One evening, her father came in with rolls of parchment.
“I know you can’t send letters to Draco, but perhaps if you wrote out how you’re feeling, it might help. I know you are wary of journals since… well you know, so I brought you a bunch of parchment and even some envelopes if you want to seal the letters away so no one else can read them.”
Ginny smiled and gave Arthur a hug. “Thanks da!” She wasn’t confident that this would help her, but she appreciated the gesture.
She sat down at the desk in her room once her father had left and shut the door. Once she began to write, the words just poured from her quill.
x
Dear Draco,
I know that you’ll never get this, but I have to write it, for me. I realize now that I made the most awful mistake telling you that, basically, we should break up. I don’t even know how serious what we had was… but it was special to me and I can’t believe what a complete idiot I’ve been!
Now that you are gone, you are of course the only thing I can think about. That leads me to wonder, do you even think of me now? I hope that you do and even if I never know, I am going to pretend that you do and I think that will help.
Do you know what Harry said to me before he left? You’re going to be so surprised! He said he thought I was good for you and that he still wanted to be my friend. That meant so much to me! It was his acceptance of us! Not that we need it, but it was nice to hear. However, I had just let you go and to hear that nearly broke my heart.
Maybe I didn’t have enough faith in us, in myself, in you. But I know now that I should have had more! If I ever get the chance, Draco Malfoy, I’ll be back with you again. Even if we can only ever be friends, I know it might be hard to trust me after doing what I did. But I would accept your friendship even if that is all you can offer me. I just want you back in my life. One week has gone by so far without you and I swear it’s been the longest of my life.
I’m going to write to you every day and hope that someday I’ll be able to give you these letters, so you’ll know for sure what you’ve meant to me, what you still mean. I miss you.
Ginny
x
Ginny carefully folded the letter and sealed it inside an envelope. She did feel somewhat better. She could at least pretend this way that one day he would read the letters, come back to her. She knew she was most likely dreaming and thus was content to write the letters and finally was able to go about the business of just being sixteen-year old (in a week or so anyway) Ginny Weasley.
The weeks flew by quickly once she began doing in-house research at 12 Grimmauld for Harry and the bunch. They would send owls with requests for information and Ginny became the one to look it up. She even got permission from Professor McGonagall to return to school a week early to do more research utilizing the restricted section of the library. But, once school started, Molly insisted Ginny attend to her sixth year studies and she didn’t do any more research.
Ginny rarely heard from Harry, Ron, or Hermione once school began. She tried to feel like school work was important, but she just felt it useless given what was going on outside of the school.
xxxxxxx
Draco was utterly miserable from the time he left Grimmauld. He couldn’t believe Ginny had said what she did! Did she not believe in him? Did she not care? Had she just been leading him on the whole time only to drop him and run back to Potter?
No, he knew better than that. She had told him once that kissing him ignited a fire in her that she had never known possible. He had been very smug and satisfied thinking that only he had done that to her. She was scared- he understood that. What he didn’t understand was where all that Gryffindor courage he had seen her display had gone?
In his fifth year, her fourth, she had hit him with one of the nastiest hexes he thought imaginable outside of an Unforgiveable. No underclassmen, and he meant none, had ever hexed him with anything harmless, much less harmful.
Times were tough, though. It was war and most of Ginny’s family was involved. Draco tried to be understanding, something he had never been in his life. He felt Ginny deserved at least that. Perhaps she was as miserable as he was, and was thinking about him constantly the way he was thinking about her. He hoped so. He felt it only fair that she should suffer some as well.
“Draco?” he heard his mother call. He and his mother had waited at the Ministry for a few hours and then taken a Portkey to a seaside villa in Australia. It could have been nice, but there was much to be desired. They were living amongst Muggles, for one. They had a house elf to do some cooking and cleaning but Draco was learning how to do for himself as well. Thankfully, he had picked up a few things in his stay with the Weasleys.
His mother, on the other hand, was absolutely useless. She wanted to get out and go shopping but didn’t understand why her money would not be accepted. Draco kept telling her she had to use Muggle money. They couldn’t associate with wizards here in case any word of their whereabouts got back to Europe and the Death Eaters.
“Yes, mother?” he replied, showing his exasperation.
“Well, you don’t have to sound so put out!” Narcissa huffed. “What is wrong with you anyway? At least we are here in a nice house— not that hovel the Weasley’s called a home. Perhaps they’ll get something decent now that the awful place is gone.”
“Mom, really! Their house may not have been huge and roomy and well decorated, but they enjoyed it. Not everyone has to live as we do— did— to have a good life mother,” he said snidely.
“What is it, Draco? What did they do to you?” Narcissa stared at him.
“I got to know what it’s like to have a real family, mother,” he spat. “Maybe the Weasley’s don’t have much money but they have what matters. They… they love each other! They care and they show it! You and dad— you never did that!”
“Draco! If it weren’t for me you’d be dead!” his mother gasped. “I care for you! Why else would I have made that Unbreakable Vow with Severus? I made it because I love you and I didn’t want anything to happen to you!”
Draco sighed and rolled his eyes. “Yes, I know you did. I know you do. I’m sorry. But, father… he was a different story. You know how he was mother. I know how he treated you. I heard him. Why you stayed with the man so long—“
“I stayed because I loved him! I still do, in a way. Who you knew, that wasn’t him. Volde— he changed Lucius,” she said sadly. For once, Draco felt slightly bad for his mother. “So what was it that changed you, Draco? Was it that girl? The one you could barely keep your hands off that day at the Weasley’s?” Narcissa wrinkled her nose slightly.
“Yes, actually. Ginny is the first person who ever just threw down the gauntlet and accepted me for who I can be, not who she thinks I am. She challenges me and she cares for me… even if she…” he paused.
“What? Even if she what?”
“It doesn’t matter. She cares and I care deeply for her. I could love her, mum.” Narcissa’s eyes widened at this confession. “I don’t even know if I am capable of it but let’s just say I should be so angry with her right now, but I just can’t do it! I can’t think badly of her!”
“Did she do something to hurt you?” Narcissa’s eyes narrowed and her tone grew firm.
“She didn’t mean to. She’s just scared. She has to go back to school and I’m here and she doesn’t even know where I am or when I am coming back and she felt we should end our… our relationship.”
“She should have been jumping for joy that you even noticed her,” Narcissa stated haughtily.
“Mum! You don’t even know her! Did you even look at her? She’s quite possibly the most beautiful girl ever! Much better than that Pansy Parkinson bint you made me date for most of my youth! I am not sorry her family cut us off after…” His mother gave a stern look, warning him not to finish that sentence.
“Well, I suppose the Weasley girl isn’t completely unfortunate looking, considering her family,” Narcissa frowned.
“Oh get off it mum! Ugh!” Draco cried, burying his head in his hands. “I can’t believe I am stuck here with you for gods know how long!” Draco stomped off towards his room and slammed the door, putting an Imperturbable Charm in place so he could be left alone.
xxx
Draco managed to stay clear of his mother for the most part and occupy himself by reading as long as he could manage. Once he saw the calendar hit September first, he could take it no longer. He was going to contact the Secret Keeper and see about heading back and doing what he could. Draco wanted to be a part of this; he had made his mind up nearly as soon as he had left England. But, he didn’t want Ginny to know— not yet.
The Secret Keeper went to Potter and told him that Draco wanted to help. He had agreed to meet with him, but made no promises as to what part, if any, he could play in this war.
Draco used the Portkey he and his mum had been given to take them back to the Ministry in case of an emergency. The spiky-haired witch met him there and escorted him to Grimmauld Place. Potter was there, along with Granger and the Weasel King. Draco may have been using a nicer way to address Granger, but the Weasel King was too much of a classic to let go of, at the moment anyway.
“So Malfoy, what’s all this about wanting to help and be a part of our side? What makes you think you have anything we can offer?” Potter asked snidely.
“First of all, I had the second highest marks every year in our year, behind Granger, naturally.” Draco flashed Hermione a small smirk. “I know the two of you,” he regarded Harry and Ron, “were nowhere close. Also, I was a member of a Death Eater family. I may not know all the secrets, but I know enough and I can tell you where to find things that might give you clues.”
“Malfoy Manor has been completely cleaned out, you know,” Potter remarked.
“Yes, and what was in it is at the Ministry. But, wouldn’t it be helpful to have more of a clue where to look in those thousands of volumes and in those boxes of Dark objects?” Draco suggested. Potter seemed to consider this.
“I suppose you could assist in that way. Why are you doing this?” Granger asked.
Draco remained silent, gathering his thoughts. “Ginny… she and I… we’re not currently together, you know,” he began. The three of them nodded, not truly knowing what he meant. “I mean to say that she broke it off, basically, because I had to leave. I understand now what it is to care for someone and I want to help in this fight to help ensure that she is safe, that we’re all… safe.”
“Even if you lose your own life?” Potter challenged.
“I’d rather it not come to that, but yes. That is a sacrifice I am… willing to make. I want Ginny to be happy, and to know that she did help me.”
“Is this all some lame trick to get her running back to you?” Ron asked, rolling his eyes.
“No. And to prove it, I don’t want her to know that I am back or that I am working on your side. Not until it’s over. Then, we’ll see. I just… I just don’t want her to know right now.”
The three of them eyed him, then moved away from him, forming a circle and whispering, no doubt about the pros and cons of having him join their efforts. After a few minutes of whispered words and a few heated phrases from the Weasel King, Potter stepped out of the circle and up to Draco.
“For right now, you can get us things we need from the Ministry, where your family’s things are being stored. Once you’ve proven yourself helpful, we may let you move on to other, bigger things. We’ll see.”
“Thank you,” Draco blurted before he could help himself. The trio looked shocked at his words, probably having thought that ‘thank you’ was not in his vocabulary.
For the next few weeks, Draco was sent back and forth to the Ministry, escorted by an Auror, to gather information from his family’s collections. He had a general, if not somewhat vague, idea of where to look for things and he did prove useful, given that he knew more where to go than anyone else would.
He even began to have mostly civil conversations with Potter and Granger. The Weasel King still had to be difficult, but he supposed that was to be expected. Molly and Arthur Weasley welcomed him back— he was staying at Grimmauld— and vowed not to let their daughter know. Outside of those who frequented Grimmauld Place, no one else knew he was back, either. The Auror he was working with would transport him directly to the vault in which the material they needed was being kept and back, so no one within the Ministry would let the word get out.
Draco was restless one afternoon, having found all he was going to find on what Potter had requested that day. No one else was in the house and Draco could not Apparate out or floo or anything. He was locked in once he was there. He took to wondering the house and came across the room that had been Ginny’s. He was compelled to go inside, to see if the sheets on the bed still held her scent or if she’d left anything behind he could have with him.
Most of the few belongings Ginny had after the Burrow burned had been taken to school with her. Draco lay on the bed, imagining Ginny snuggled up next to him. He must have fallen asleep and when he awoke with a start, he didn’t know where he was at first. It was getting dark and no one was back yet, not that he could tell. The house was silent and still and the light from outside was fading.
Draco got out of the bed and decided to go find some form of entertainment. On his way out, something stuck haphazardly between the desk leg and the wall caught his eye. Out of sheer curiosity, he wandered over and plucked what appeared to be a bundle of letters from behind the desk. They had likely fallen and been overlooked in Ginny’s haste to leave for school.
He wouldn’t have opened them, but he saw his name on the front of the one on top. He checked the others tied together with it, and they were all the same. Draco, Draco, Draco, one after the other. There must have been about twenty there, he judged.
He sat stiffly down in the chair at the desk as he opened the first letter and read the words that had poured from Ginny’s quill just days after he had left, judging by the date at the top of the page. He couldn’t believe it as he read the words: she felt she had made a mistake! She missed him! He was so happy to read that, yet sad that she was feeling this way.
He wouldn’t make her wait too long, he decided. He’d leave a present for her over Christmas, when he would go back and visit his mum, and once this dreaded war was over, he’d go to Ginny. He was sure the war wouldn’t last too long after the holidays, which were fast approaching. He’d given Potter lots of useful leads to the Horcruxes. It was only a matter of time before Voldemort realized they were being destroyed and came to confront Potter. Draco had actually grown quite confident that Potter would win.
xxxxxxx
Ginny sighed as she was led to 12 Grimmauld Place, which she supposed was now home. She wouldn’t be there for long. She had left school later than normal and would be returning to school earlier.
Her school term so far had been spent focusing on her studies and excelling in all her classes. She was also focusing on Quidditch. With the absence of her brother and Harry, she had quickly risen to the position of Seeker and become the star player of the Gryffindor team. She was also getting a lot of attention from the opposite sex. She’d especially caught the attention of Blaise Zabini, newly named Slytherin Prince, given Draco had not returned.
It was hard to ignore the attention. Ginny could not pretend she wasn’t lonely. But, she knew anyone she dated would just be a meaningless snog and she’d only be thinking of Draco. She also knew if she wanted a shot with him in the future, she’d certainly better not date one of his cohorts! Thus, Ginny managed to keep Zabini, and any other boy, at arms length, coming up with one excuse or another not to hang out with them in private.
Ginny opened the door to her ‘room,’ setting her bag on the bed and flopping backwards. She should feel relieved to have a break from school and to see her family, but she just wasn’t. She heard her mum call out to her to come downstairs and get a snack while they waited for Harry, Ron, and Hermione.
“Just a minute, mum!” she called back. Sitting up, she spotted the elegantly wrapped package on her desk. She was puzzled— all gifts were always under the tree. Who would have put this here? It suddenly occurred to her that maybe it was from Draco! Somehow he’d managed to get it to her, knowing where she would be for the holidays!
‘Calm down Ginny, you know that’s not likely!’ she scolded herself as she cautiously approached the package, wrapping in silver and donning a red and green ribbon bow. She didn’t see a card and assumed it was either anonymous or had one inside. She untied the ribbon and tore slowly into the paper. Inside was a small black box, one that could only hold some sort of jewelry.
She felt a hitch in her lungs as she gasped and flipped the box open. Inside, she found a small bit of folded parchment, which was covering a delicate black pearl necklace. She unfolded the parchment and read the familiar writing.
x
Dear Ginny,
I just wanted to let you know I am thinking of you and I miss you. I know what you said when I left, but I can’t help but think we’ll see each other again, and soon. I hope you like the necklace. I remembered you telling me about a fondness for black pearls and that you had none. Happy Christmas, Freckles.
Draco
x
Ginny was blinking back tears as she pulled the necklace from the box. It was beautiful— more beautiful than anything she had ever owned. She held it around her neck and went to the mirror. It wasn’t quite right for the jeans and jumper she wore, but she wanted to put it on and so she fiddled with the clasp until it fastened. She smiled at herself in the mirror and whispered, ‘he misses me!’ to no one in particular.
Ginny skipped down the stairs to the kitchen where her mother stood waiting. “Mum! Look!” she fingered the pearls around her neck. “Draco sent me these for Christmas! Did you know about it?” she asked curiously.
“I knew he had somehow sent you something. I didn’t know what it was or how. Are you happy, Ginny dear?” Molly smiled.
Ginny nodded enthusiastically. “He sent me a note saying he is still thinking about me and he misses me! I know he couldn’t write more but I wish I knew what he was doing,” Ginny said absently as she listened to the fuss that was Harry, Ron, Hermione, Tonks, and Lupin come through the door.
“Ginny!” Ron shouted and ran towards her, enveloping her in a hug.
“How are you?” she giggled as Ron put her down. She noticed his glance at the pearls, but he didn’t say anything. A small scowl passed over his face. Ginny rolled her eyes, knowing he must have guessed, and gave Hermione a hug. “I’m top of my class so far, Hermione!”
“Oh Ginny! That’s wonderful!” Hermione exclaimed.
Last of all came Harry. “Hi Harry,” Ginny smiled.
“Hi Gin,” he smiled. “Good to see you. Glad to hear you are doing so well.”
“How are things on your end? Any luck?”
“One Horcrux left to go,” Harry nodded. “But it’s going to be hell to find,” he added.
At that point Tonks and Lupin took over the conversation and Harry, Ron, and Hermione excused themselves to put their things away.
A bit later, Ginny was helping her mum set out the dishes for dinner. “Go get your brother and Harry and Hermione will you?” Molly asked. “Tell them dinner’s nearly ready and your father should be home in a matter of minutes.”
Ginny nodded and set off to find the trio. To her surprise, Harry was just over in the living room, perusing through the latest Quidditch journal. “Where’s Ron and Hermione?” she asked. Harry was too engrossed in the latest scores and didn’t hear her. She went upstairs to the room Ron and Harry were sharing. She heard giggles from inside but didn’t think anything of it.
“Ron! Mum’s says—“ she stopped short as she opened the door and her eyes met the nearly naked couple hidden under the sheets and she heard their gasps.
“I thought you locked it!” Hermione hissed, but Ginny heard. It was enough to snap her out of her stupor and she spoke before Ron had a chance to whisper back.
“Er, um… I’m just going to uh…” Ginny stuttered, covering her eyes and backing from the room. “Dinner will be ready soon. Just thought you two should know,” she hollered from outside the door and sank down on the nearest step.
Oh how she missed Draco! Seeing Ron and Hermione like that should have appalled her, but instead she found herself wishing it was her and Draco, even though they’d never gone that far. Ginny shook the thoughts out of her head and stumbled down the stairs, realizing it was going to be a long holiday.
Ginny cried and slept and cried and slept for the next long while. She instantly regretted breaking things off with Draco, especially once Harry said what he did. Even he had come to have a bit of faith in the relationship she had with Draco. She knew she would still be sad if she hadn’t broken things off, but she wouldn’t feel the terrible ache in her heart, knowing that someday she would see him again and they would be together.
Now, there were no guarantees. He was Draco Malfoy, after all. He might come back, but probably would never forgive her for doing and saying what she did. She wasn’t sure forgiveness was in his nature, no matter how he had changed.
Molly tried to comfort her with food and busy her with chores but everything reminded her of how lonely she was now. One evening, her father came in with rolls of parchment.
“I know you can’t send letters to Draco, but perhaps if you wrote out how you’re feeling, it might help. I know you are wary of journals since… well you know, so I brought you a bunch of parchment and even some envelopes if you want to seal the letters away so no one else can read them.”
Ginny smiled and gave Arthur a hug. “Thanks da!” She wasn’t confident that this would help her, but she appreciated the gesture.
She sat down at the desk in her room once her father had left and shut the door. Once she began to write, the words just poured from her quill.
x
Dear Draco,
I know that you’ll never get this, but I have to write it, for me. I realize now that I made the most awful mistake telling you that, basically, we should break up. I don’t even know how serious what we had was… but it was special to me and I can’t believe what a complete idiot I’ve been!
Now that you are gone, you are of course the only thing I can think about. That leads me to wonder, do you even think of me now? I hope that you do and even if I never know, I am going to pretend that you do and I think that will help.
Do you know what Harry said to me before he left? You’re going to be so surprised! He said he thought I was good for you and that he still wanted to be my friend. That meant so much to me! It was his acceptance of us! Not that we need it, but it was nice to hear. However, I had just let you go and to hear that nearly broke my heart.
Maybe I didn’t have enough faith in us, in myself, in you. But I know now that I should have had more! If I ever get the chance, Draco Malfoy, I’ll be back with you again. Even if we can only ever be friends, I know it might be hard to trust me after doing what I did. But I would accept your friendship even if that is all you can offer me. I just want you back in my life. One week has gone by so far without you and I swear it’s been the longest of my life.
I’m going to write to you every day and hope that someday I’ll be able to give you these letters, so you’ll know for sure what you’ve meant to me, what you still mean. I miss you.
Ginny
x
Ginny carefully folded the letter and sealed it inside an envelope. She did feel somewhat better. She could at least pretend this way that one day he would read the letters, come back to her. She knew she was most likely dreaming and thus was content to write the letters and finally was able to go about the business of just being sixteen-year old (in a week or so anyway) Ginny Weasley.
The weeks flew by quickly once she began doing in-house research at 12 Grimmauld for Harry and the bunch. They would send owls with requests for information and Ginny became the one to look it up. She even got permission from Professor McGonagall to return to school a week early to do more research utilizing the restricted section of the library. But, once school started, Molly insisted Ginny attend to her sixth year studies and she didn’t do any more research.
Ginny rarely heard from Harry, Ron, or Hermione once school began. She tried to feel like school work was important, but she just felt it useless given what was going on outside of the school.
xxxxxxx
Draco was utterly miserable from the time he left Grimmauld. He couldn’t believe Ginny had said what she did! Did she not believe in him? Did she not care? Had she just been leading him on the whole time only to drop him and run back to Potter?
No, he knew better than that. She had told him once that kissing him ignited a fire in her that she had never known possible. He had been very smug and satisfied thinking that only he had done that to her. She was scared- he understood that. What he didn’t understand was where all that Gryffindor courage he had seen her display had gone?
In his fifth year, her fourth, she had hit him with one of the nastiest hexes he thought imaginable outside of an Unforgiveable. No underclassmen, and he meant none, had ever hexed him with anything harmless, much less harmful.
Times were tough, though. It was war and most of Ginny’s family was involved. Draco tried to be understanding, something he had never been in his life. He felt Ginny deserved at least that. Perhaps she was as miserable as he was, and was thinking about him constantly the way he was thinking about her. He hoped so. He felt it only fair that she should suffer some as well.
“Draco?” he heard his mother call. He and his mother had waited at the Ministry for a few hours and then taken a Portkey to a seaside villa in Australia. It could have been nice, but there was much to be desired. They were living amongst Muggles, for one. They had a house elf to do some cooking and cleaning but Draco was learning how to do for himself as well. Thankfully, he had picked up a few things in his stay with the Weasleys.
His mother, on the other hand, was absolutely useless. She wanted to get out and go shopping but didn’t understand why her money would not be accepted. Draco kept telling her she had to use Muggle money. They couldn’t associate with wizards here in case any word of their whereabouts got back to Europe and the Death Eaters.
“Yes, mother?” he replied, showing his exasperation.
“Well, you don’t have to sound so put out!” Narcissa huffed. “What is wrong with you anyway? At least we are here in a nice house— not that hovel the Weasley’s called a home. Perhaps they’ll get something decent now that the awful place is gone.”
“Mom, really! Their house may not have been huge and roomy and well decorated, but they enjoyed it. Not everyone has to live as we do— did— to have a good life mother,” he said snidely.
“What is it, Draco? What did they do to you?” Narcissa stared at him.
“I got to know what it’s like to have a real family, mother,” he spat. “Maybe the Weasley’s don’t have much money but they have what matters. They… they love each other! They care and they show it! You and dad— you never did that!”
“Draco! If it weren’t for me you’d be dead!” his mother gasped. “I care for you! Why else would I have made that Unbreakable Vow with Severus? I made it because I love you and I didn’t want anything to happen to you!”
Draco sighed and rolled his eyes. “Yes, I know you did. I know you do. I’m sorry. But, father… he was a different story. You know how he was mother. I know how he treated you. I heard him. Why you stayed with the man so long—“
“I stayed because I loved him! I still do, in a way. Who you knew, that wasn’t him. Volde— he changed Lucius,” she said sadly. For once, Draco felt slightly bad for his mother. “So what was it that changed you, Draco? Was it that girl? The one you could barely keep your hands off that day at the Weasley’s?” Narcissa wrinkled her nose slightly.
“Yes, actually. Ginny is the first person who ever just threw down the gauntlet and accepted me for who I can be, not who she thinks I am. She challenges me and she cares for me… even if she…” he paused.
“What? Even if she what?”
“It doesn’t matter. She cares and I care deeply for her. I could love her, mum.” Narcissa’s eyes widened at this confession. “I don’t even know if I am capable of it but let’s just say I should be so angry with her right now, but I just can’t do it! I can’t think badly of her!”
“Did she do something to hurt you?” Narcissa’s eyes narrowed and her tone grew firm.
“She didn’t mean to. She’s just scared. She has to go back to school and I’m here and she doesn’t even know where I am or when I am coming back and she felt we should end our… our relationship.”
“She should have been jumping for joy that you even noticed her,” Narcissa stated haughtily.
“Mum! You don’t even know her! Did you even look at her? She’s quite possibly the most beautiful girl ever! Much better than that Pansy Parkinson bint you made me date for most of my youth! I am not sorry her family cut us off after…” His mother gave a stern look, warning him not to finish that sentence.
“Well, I suppose the Weasley girl isn’t completely unfortunate looking, considering her family,” Narcissa frowned.
“Oh get off it mum! Ugh!” Draco cried, burying his head in his hands. “I can’t believe I am stuck here with you for gods know how long!” Draco stomped off towards his room and slammed the door, putting an Imperturbable Charm in place so he could be left alone.
xxx
Draco managed to stay clear of his mother for the most part and occupy himself by reading as long as he could manage. Once he saw the calendar hit September first, he could take it no longer. He was going to contact the Secret Keeper and see about heading back and doing what he could. Draco wanted to be a part of this; he had made his mind up nearly as soon as he had left England. But, he didn’t want Ginny to know— not yet.
The Secret Keeper went to Potter and told him that Draco wanted to help. He had agreed to meet with him, but made no promises as to what part, if any, he could play in this war.
Draco used the Portkey he and his mum had been given to take them back to the Ministry in case of an emergency. The spiky-haired witch met him there and escorted him to Grimmauld Place. Potter was there, along with Granger and the Weasel King. Draco may have been using a nicer way to address Granger, but the Weasel King was too much of a classic to let go of, at the moment anyway.
“So Malfoy, what’s all this about wanting to help and be a part of our side? What makes you think you have anything we can offer?” Potter asked snidely.
“First of all, I had the second highest marks every year in our year, behind Granger, naturally.” Draco flashed Hermione a small smirk. “I know the two of you,” he regarded Harry and Ron, “were nowhere close. Also, I was a member of a Death Eater family. I may not know all the secrets, but I know enough and I can tell you where to find things that might give you clues.”
“Malfoy Manor has been completely cleaned out, you know,” Potter remarked.
“Yes, and what was in it is at the Ministry. But, wouldn’t it be helpful to have more of a clue where to look in those thousands of volumes and in those boxes of Dark objects?” Draco suggested. Potter seemed to consider this.
“I suppose you could assist in that way. Why are you doing this?” Granger asked.
Draco remained silent, gathering his thoughts. “Ginny… she and I… we’re not currently together, you know,” he began. The three of them nodded, not truly knowing what he meant. “I mean to say that she broke it off, basically, because I had to leave. I understand now what it is to care for someone and I want to help in this fight to help ensure that she is safe, that we’re all… safe.”
“Even if you lose your own life?” Potter challenged.
“I’d rather it not come to that, but yes. That is a sacrifice I am… willing to make. I want Ginny to be happy, and to know that she did help me.”
“Is this all some lame trick to get her running back to you?” Ron asked, rolling his eyes.
“No. And to prove it, I don’t want her to know that I am back or that I am working on your side. Not until it’s over. Then, we’ll see. I just… I just don’t want her to know right now.”
The three of them eyed him, then moved away from him, forming a circle and whispering, no doubt about the pros and cons of having him join their efforts. After a few minutes of whispered words and a few heated phrases from the Weasel King, Potter stepped out of the circle and up to Draco.
“For right now, you can get us things we need from the Ministry, where your family’s things are being stored. Once you’ve proven yourself helpful, we may let you move on to other, bigger things. We’ll see.”
“Thank you,” Draco blurted before he could help himself. The trio looked shocked at his words, probably having thought that ‘thank you’ was not in his vocabulary.
For the next few weeks, Draco was sent back and forth to the Ministry, escorted by an Auror, to gather information from his family’s collections. He had a general, if not somewhat vague, idea of where to look for things and he did prove useful, given that he knew more where to go than anyone else would.
He even began to have mostly civil conversations with Potter and Granger. The Weasel King still had to be difficult, but he supposed that was to be expected. Molly and Arthur Weasley welcomed him back— he was staying at Grimmauld— and vowed not to let their daughter know. Outside of those who frequented Grimmauld Place, no one else knew he was back, either. The Auror he was working with would transport him directly to the vault in which the material they needed was being kept and back, so no one within the Ministry would let the word get out.
Draco was restless one afternoon, having found all he was going to find on what Potter had requested that day. No one else was in the house and Draco could not Apparate out or floo or anything. He was locked in once he was there. He took to wondering the house and came across the room that had been Ginny’s. He was compelled to go inside, to see if the sheets on the bed still held her scent or if she’d left anything behind he could have with him.
Most of the few belongings Ginny had after the Burrow burned had been taken to school with her. Draco lay on the bed, imagining Ginny snuggled up next to him. He must have fallen asleep and when he awoke with a start, he didn’t know where he was at first. It was getting dark and no one was back yet, not that he could tell. The house was silent and still and the light from outside was fading.
Draco got out of the bed and decided to go find some form of entertainment. On his way out, something stuck haphazardly between the desk leg and the wall caught his eye. Out of sheer curiosity, he wandered over and plucked what appeared to be a bundle of letters from behind the desk. They had likely fallen and been overlooked in Ginny’s haste to leave for school.
He wouldn’t have opened them, but he saw his name on the front of the one on top. He checked the others tied together with it, and they were all the same. Draco, Draco, Draco, one after the other. There must have been about twenty there, he judged.
He sat stiffly down in the chair at the desk as he opened the first letter and read the words that had poured from Ginny’s quill just days after he had left, judging by the date at the top of the page. He couldn’t believe it as he read the words: she felt she had made a mistake! She missed him! He was so happy to read that, yet sad that she was feeling this way.
He wouldn’t make her wait too long, he decided. He’d leave a present for her over Christmas, when he would go back and visit his mum, and once this dreaded war was over, he’d go to Ginny. He was sure the war wouldn’t last too long after the holidays, which were fast approaching. He’d given Potter lots of useful leads to the Horcruxes. It was only a matter of time before Voldemort realized they were being destroyed and came to confront Potter. Draco had actually grown quite confident that Potter would win.
xxxxxxx
Ginny sighed as she was led to 12 Grimmauld Place, which she supposed was now home. She wouldn’t be there for long. She had left school later than normal and would be returning to school earlier.
Her school term so far had been spent focusing on her studies and excelling in all her classes. She was also focusing on Quidditch. With the absence of her brother and Harry, she had quickly risen to the position of Seeker and become the star player of the Gryffindor team. She was also getting a lot of attention from the opposite sex. She’d especially caught the attention of Blaise Zabini, newly named Slytherin Prince, given Draco had not returned.
It was hard to ignore the attention. Ginny could not pretend she wasn’t lonely. But, she knew anyone she dated would just be a meaningless snog and she’d only be thinking of Draco. She also knew if she wanted a shot with him in the future, she’d certainly better not date one of his cohorts! Thus, Ginny managed to keep Zabini, and any other boy, at arms length, coming up with one excuse or another not to hang out with them in private.
Ginny opened the door to her ‘room,’ setting her bag on the bed and flopping backwards. She should feel relieved to have a break from school and to see her family, but she just wasn’t. She heard her mum call out to her to come downstairs and get a snack while they waited for Harry, Ron, and Hermione.
“Just a minute, mum!” she called back. Sitting up, she spotted the elegantly wrapped package on her desk. She was puzzled— all gifts were always under the tree. Who would have put this here? It suddenly occurred to her that maybe it was from Draco! Somehow he’d managed to get it to her, knowing where she would be for the holidays!
‘Calm down Ginny, you know that’s not likely!’ she scolded herself as she cautiously approached the package, wrapping in silver and donning a red and green ribbon bow. She didn’t see a card and assumed it was either anonymous or had one inside. She untied the ribbon and tore slowly into the paper. Inside was a small black box, one that could only hold some sort of jewelry.
She felt a hitch in her lungs as she gasped and flipped the box open. Inside, she found a small bit of folded parchment, which was covering a delicate black pearl necklace. She unfolded the parchment and read the familiar writing.
x
Dear Ginny,
I just wanted to let you know I am thinking of you and I miss you. I know what you said when I left, but I can’t help but think we’ll see each other again, and soon. I hope you like the necklace. I remembered you telling me about a fondness for black pearls and that you had none. Happy Christmas, Freckles.
Draco
x
Ginny was blinking back tears as she pulled the necklace from the box. It was beautiful— more beautiful than anything she had ever owned. She held it around her neck and went to the mirror. It wasn’t quite right for the jeans and jumper she wore, but she wanted to put it on and so she fiddled with the clasp until it fastened. She smiled at herself in the mirror and whispered, ‘he misses me!’ to no one in particular.
Ginny skipped down the stairs to the kitchen where her mother stood waiting. “Mum! Look!” she fingered the pearls around her neck. “Draco sent me these for Christmas! Did you know about it?” she asked curiously.
“I knew he had somehow sent you something. I didn’t know what it was or how. Are you happy, Ginny dear?” Molly smiled.
Ginny nodded enthusiastically. “He sent me a note saying he is still thinking about me and he misses me! I know he couldn’t write more but I wish I knew what he was doing,” Ginny said absently as she listened to the fuss that was Harry, Ron, Hermione, Tonks, and Lupin come through the door.
“Ginny!” Ron shouted and ran towards her, enveloping her in a hug.
“How are you?” she giggled as Ron put her down. She noticed his glance at the pearls, but he didn’t say anything. A small scowl passed over his face. Ginny rolled her eyes, knowing he must have guessed, and gave Hermione a hug. “I’m top of my class so far, Hermione!”
“Oh Ginny! That’s wonderful!” Hermione exclaimed.
Last of all came Harry. “Hi Harry,” Ginny smiled.
“Hi Gin,” he smiled. “Good to see you. Glad to hear you are doing so well.”
“How are things on your end? Any luck?”
“One Horcrux left to go,” Harry nodded. “But it’s going to be hell to find,” he added.
At that point Tonks and Lupin took over the conversation and Harry, Ron, and Hermione excused themselves to put their things away.
A bit later, Ginny was helping her mum set out the dishes for dinner. “Go get your brother and Harry and Hermione will you?” Molly asked. “Tell them dinner’s nearly ready and your father should be home in a matter of minutes.”
Ginny nodded and set off to find the trio. To her surprise, Harry was just over in the living room, perusing through the latest Quidditch journal. “Where’s Ron and Hermione?” she asked. Harry was too engrossed in the latest scores and didn’t hear her. She went upstairs to the room Ron and Harry were sharing. She heard giggles from inside but didn’t think anything of it.
“Ron! Mum’s says—“ she stopped short as she opened the door and her eyes met the nearly naked couple hidden under the sheets and she heard their gasps.
“I thought you locked it!” Hermione hissed, but Ginny heard. It was enough to snap her out of her stupor and she spoke before Ron had a chance to whisper back.
“Er, um… I’m just going to uh…” Ginny stuttered, covering her eyes and backing from the room. “Dinner will be ready soon. Just thought you two should know,” she hollered from outside the door and sank down on the nearest step.
Oh how she missed Draco! Seeing Ron and Hermione like that should have appalled her, but instead she found herself wishing it was her and Draco, even though they’d never gone that far. Ginny shook the thoughts out of her head and stumbled down the stairs, realizing it was going to be a long holiday.
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