Something to Believe
Chapter Seven: Truth Be Told
---
Ginny sat on the floor by the fire in the study, knitting. It was rather boring and tedious, but it gave her fingers something to do, while she was thinking. Draco was sitting at the desk near the window, reading through stacks of potions books by candlelight. It was storming outside.
She looked down at the scarf she was working on. Her mother was thoughtful enough to bring by a knitting basket for her, something she could do. She decided to start knitting Christmas presents - like her mum did. Scarves.
She heard a frustrated crumple of parchment at the desk, and she turned to look. Draco was sitting with his hands covering his face, books ignored.
"What is it?"
He jumped a little at the sound of her voice. He turned and looked at her.
"Nothing... What in Merlin's name are you doing?" He gestured to the yarn and needles.
"I'm knitting."
At this, he seemed speechless. He raised his eyebrows, as though to question the sanity of such an action.
---
"Can I help you go through these books? What are you looking for?" Ginny stood by his desk, as he flipped the page of a potions text. It was late evening, raining outside.
"No. Don't touch those - " he said, pushing her hand away from a stack of dusty books. She backed away.
"Why can't I help? I'm not bloody useless!" She said, emphatically, throwing herself into the nearest armchair. She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at the wall.
"I'm researching a potion that might help you." Draco was turned in his chair, trying to catch Ginny's gaze.
"Help me what?" she asked, focusing her eyes on his. He took a deep breath, and stood up. He started to pace.
"Well, I told you earlier - about how the Dark Lord may have embedded a part of him, a part of his soul, into you. If this is the case, you may be in danger. Because whatever Potter is doing - he is destroying the Dark Lord. Potter will destroy every last piece of him, Ginevra. And if there is a part of him in you -"
"You think Harry will have to kill me, too?" she gasped. Draco stopped pacing, and came to sit in the armchair across from hers.
"Well, no. It's more complicated than that. I just wish I knew what Potter was off doing. Nobody really knows, so nobody has any straight answers. But I think we can rid you of the Dark Lord. There is a way to extract -"
He was cut off by the slam of the front door. They both stood in shock.
"At this hour? Who do you think-" Ginny whispered.
He swept her behind him with one arm and drew his wand. Ginny, not one to be mollycoddled, also drew her wand.
There were footsteps, and voices, in the foyer.
The door to the study opened and revealed Hermione and Ron. Hermione grinned and Ron scowled at the sight of Draco Malfoy.
"Oh Merlin, you scared us to bits!" Ginny attempted to step forward, but Draco blocked her with his arm and kept his wand up.
"How do we know it's really them?" he asked, narrowing his eyes at Ron.
"Oh, honestly, of course it's us!" Hermione stepped into the room and crossed her arms.
"Where's Harry?" asked Ginny. She watched as Hermione and Ron exchanged a look.
---
Ginny counted out four teacups and set them on the table. She sat beside Draco and watched as Hermione magicked tea into the teapot before them. Along with an assortment of biscuits onto an empty plate.
"I wish I could do magic," Ginny sighed, picking up a cookie.
"Why not? You're a witch." asked Draco, pouring tea for himself.
"I'm underage. I have to do everything by hand."
"Like a common muggle," he scoffed. Then he hesitantly eyed Hermione. "I've been wondering why you cooked like that."
"Enjoyed making a slave of my sister, eh, Malfoy?" asked Ron, still scowling. He was sitting back with his arms crossed, ignoring his teacup. Draco didn't answer him and turned his attention to Hermione.
"Can I talk to you, Granger? Alone." He said this pointedly, glaring at Ron. He stood up and left the kitchen. Hermione threw a pained look at Ginny, but followed him quickly.
Ginny looked at Ron, to see him pouring himself tea, and mumbling to himself.
"You don't trust him, Ron?" she asked, as she sipped her tea.
"It's not about trust, Ginny. He's a bastard. He's a bloody wanker, ignorant git. It's not about trust."
"But you do trust him?"
She watched Ron swallow a huge gulp of hot tea.
"Well, yeah, after what he did."
"What did he do, Ron? Why does everyone trust him?"
"You don't know? You're living here with him, and you don't know?"
"What?"
"Well I can't say exactly, but Harry's vouched for him. And..."
"And? What?"
"The only reason the Order has agreed to let him stay here, on our side, is because he made an Oath."
"What does that bloody mean? An Oath?"
"He's pledged himself to the light, Ginny. He's on our side."
---
It was very early the next morning. Ginny was standing in the foyer, watching Ron and Hermione put on their coats and stuff hats on their heads. It was raining. She held out an umbrella to Hermione and gave her a quick hug.
"You sure you don't want any breakfast?" She asked, giving Ron a kiss on the cheek.
"No, we have to get going. Supposed to meet Harry in an hour," murmured Ron.
"Where?"
"Can't tell you that."
He opened the door and ushered Hermione out. She opened her umbrella and started down the pathway. Ron turned once more to Ginny and ruffled her hair. He opened his umbrella.
"He misses you," Ron said, as he stepped outside.
Ginny smiled in response and waved. "Stay safe, and write to Mum - she's always worried about you lot!" Ron chuckled and raced down the path to catch up with Hermione.
Ginny closed the door, pressed her back against it heavily and looked up at the staircase.
---
Ginny was sitting at the kitchen table, nursing a steaming cup of tea, when Draco walked in. He looked surprised to see that she was there before he was.
"I take it that your brother and Granger have left?"
She nodded. She gestured to the teapot and stack of toast and yawned. He came forward, his hair rumpled and dressed in pajamas and dressing robe, and poured himself a cup of tea. He sat across from her.
"What did you have to talk to Hermione about?"
"I wanted to know what they've been up to. I explained about you. About the potion I'm working on. I just needed more information, before I could really get anything done." He said this while adding sugar and cream to his teacup.
"And what did she say?"
"She said enough."
"So can I help you? With the potion?"
"Eventually."
Ginny crossed her arms.
"I had a talk with Ron."
She was hoping for some sort of reaction. He merely quirked his eyebrow and started to butter some toast.
"About you." The scraping of his knife slowed to a stop. His eyes looked up at her, darkly. For a moment, she thought he might be angry.
"And what did he say?" Ginny lowered her eyes to her tea.
"That he trusts you."
"And?"
"He said that Harry's vouched for you and that you're under some Oath..."
"So you finally have your answers, then."
"I want to hear about all this from you."
"Why do you care?"
"It's just - don't you think... I have a right to know?"
"Do you? That's rich. I have a right to know," he said, in a falsetto that she guessed was supposed to be her. She frowned.
"Well, I do -"
"Weasley, I know things that could turn your world upside down." She rolled her eyes at him.
"Right, Draco. I know about your Dark Mark. I know that you were a Death Eater, or were trying to be, or something of the sort. I know that you were supposed to kill Dumbledore," she said, a lump developing in her throat, "And I know that you failed at that..." She trailed off upon seeing the outraged look on his face.
"If that's all you know, then you couldn't begin to comprehend the truth."
"So, bloody hell, tell me!"
He dropped his toast and held his head in both hands, elbows resting on the table. He looked defeated.
He seemed to shake himself, and rubbed his face.
"Alright, Weasley. But I'm not sparing you of any horrid details. You want to know? You'll know the complete truth."
Chapter Seven: Truth Be Told
---
Ginny sat on the floor by the fire in the study, knitting. It was rather boring and tedious, but it gave her fingers something to do, while she was thinking. Draco was sitting at the desk near the window, reading through stacks of potions books by candlelight. It was storming outside.
She looked down at the scarf she was working on. Her mother was thoughtful enough to bring by a knitting basket for her, something she could do. She decided to start knitting Christmas presents - like her mum did. Scarves.
She heard a frustrated crumple of parchment at the desk, and she turned to look. Draco was sitting with his hands covering his face, books ignored.
"What is it?"
He jumped a little at the sound of her voice. He turned and looked at her.
"Nothing... What in Merlin's name are you doing?" He gestured to the yarn and needles.
"I'm knitting."
At this, he seemed speechless. He raised his eyebrows, as though to question the sanity of such an action.
---
"Can I help you go through these books? What are you looking for?" Ginny stood by his desk, as he flipped the page of a potions text. It was late evening, raining outside.
"No. Don't touch those - " he said, pushing her hand away from a stack of dusty books. She backed away.
"Why can't I help? I'm not bloody useless!" She said, emphatically, throwing herself into the nearest armchair. She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at the wall.
"I'm researching a potion that might help you." Draco was turned in his chair, trying to catch Ginny's gaze.
"Help me what?" she asked, focusing her eyes on his. He took a deep breath, and stood up. He started to pace.
"Well, I told you earlier - about how the Dark Lord may have embedded a part of him, a part of his soul, into you. If this is the case, you may be in danger. Because whatever Potter is doing - he is destroying the Dark Lord. Potter will destroy every last piece of him, Ginevra. And if there is a part of him in you -"
"You think Harry will have to kill me, too?" she gasped. Draco stopped pacing, and came to sit in the armchair across from hers.
"Well, no. It's more complicated than that. I just wish I knew what Potter was off doing. Nobody really knows, so nobody has any straight answers. But I think we can rid you of the Dark Lord. There is a way to extract -"
He was cut off by the slam of the front door. They both stood in shock.
"At this hour? Who do you think-" Ginny whispered.
He swept her behind him with one arm and drew his wand. Ginny, not one to be mollycoddled, also drew her wand.
There were footsteps, and voices, in the foyer.
The door to the study opened and revealed Hermione and Ron. Hermione grinned and Ron scowled at the sight of Draco Malfoy.
"Oh Merlin, you scared us to bits!" Ginny attempted to step forward, but Draco blocked her with his arm and kept his wand up.
"How do we know it's really them?" he asked, narrowing his eyes at Ron.
"Oh, honestly, of course it's us!" Hermione stepped into the room and crossed her arms.
"Where's Harry?" asked Ginny. She watched as Hermione and Ron exchanged a look.
---
Ginny counted out four teacups and set them on the table. She sat beside Draco and watched as Hermione magicked tea into the teapot before them. Along with an assortment of biscuits onto an empty plate.
"I wish I could do magic," Ginny sighed, picking up a cookie.
"Why not? You're a witch." asked Draco, pouring tea for himself.
"I'm underage. I have to do everything by hand."
"Like a common muggle," he scoffed. Then he hesitantly eyed Hermione. "I've been wondering why you cooked like that."
"Enjoyed making a slave of my sister, eh, Malfoy?" asked Ron, still scowling. He was sitting back with his arms crossed, ignoring his teacup. Draco didn't answer him and turned his attention to Hermione.
"Can I talk to you, Granger? Alone." He said this pointedly, glaring at Ron. He stood up and left the kitchen. Hermione threw a pained look at Ginny, but followed him quickly.
Ginny looked at Ron, to see him pouring himself tea, and mumbling to himself.
"You don't trust him, Ron?" she asked, as she sipped her tea.
"It's not about trust, Ginny. He's a bastard. He's a bloody wanker, ignorant git. It's not about trust."
"But you do trust him?"
She watched Ron swallow a huge gulp of hot tea.
"Well, yeah, after what he did."
"What did he do, Ron? Why does everyone trust him?"
"You don't know? You're living here with him, and you don't know?"
"What?"
"Well I can't say exactly, but Harry's vouched for him. And..."
"And? What?"
"The only reason the Order has agreed to let him stay here, on our side, is because he made an Oath."
"What does that bloody mean? An Oath?"
"He's pledged himself to the light, Ginny. He's on our side."
---
It was very early the next morning. Ginny was standing in the foyer, watching Ron and Hermione put on their coats and stuff hats on their heads. It was raining. She held out an umbrella to Hermione and gave her a quick hug.
"You sure you don't want any breakfast?" She asked, giving Ron a kiss on the cheek.
"No, we have to get going. Supposed to meet Harry in an hour," murmured Ron.
"Where?"
"Can't tell you that."
He opened the door and ushered Hermione out. She opened her umbrella and started down the pathway. Ron turned once more to Ginny and ruffled her hair. He opened his umbrella.
"He misses you," Ron said, as he stepped outside.
Ginny smiled in response and waved. "Stay safe, and write to Mum - she's always worried about you lot!" Ron chuckled and raced down the path to catch up with Hermione.
Ginny closed the door, pressed her back against it heavily and looked up at the staircase.
---
Ginny was sitting at the kitchen table, nursing a steaming cup of tea, when Draco walked in. He looked surprised to see that she was there before he was.
"I take it that your brother and Granger have left?"
She nodded. She gestured to the teapot and stack of toast and yawned. He came forward, his hair rumpled and dressed in pajamas and dressing robe, and poured himself a cup of tea. He sat across from her.
"What did you have to talk to Hermione about?"
"I wanted to know what they've been up to. I explained about you. About the potion I'm working on. I just needed more information, before I could really get anything done." He said this while adding sugar and cream to his teacup.
"And what did she say?"
"She said enough."
"So can I help you? With the potion?"
"Eventually."
Ginny crossed her arms.
"I had a talk with Ron."
She was hoping for some sort of reaction. He merely quirked his eyebrow and started to butter some toast.
"About you." The scraping of his knife slowed to a stop. His eyes looked up at her, darkly. For a moment, she thought he might be angry.
"And what did he say?" Ginny lowered her eyes to her tea.
"That he trusts you."
"And?"
"He said that Harry's vouched for you and that you're under some Oath..."
"So you finally have your answers, then."
"I want to hear about all this from you."
"Why do you care?"
"It's just - don't you think... I have a right to know?"
"Do you? That's rich. I have a right to know," he said, in a falsetto that she guessed was supposed to be her. She frowned.
"Well, I do -"
"Weasley, I know things that could turn your world upside down." She rolled her eyes at him.
"Right, Draco. I know about your Dark Mark. I know that you were a Death Eater, or were trying to be, or something of the sort. I know that you were supposed to kill Dumbledore," she said, a lump developing in her throat, "And I know that you failed at that..." She trailed off upon seeing the outraged look on his face.
"If that's all you know, then you couldn't begin to comprehend the truth."
"So, bloody hell, tell me!"
He dropped his toast and held his head in both hands, elbows resting on the table. He looked defeated.
He seemed to shake himself, and rubbed his face.
"Alright, Weasley. But I'm not sparing you of any horrid details. You want to know? You'll know the complete truth."
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