Disclaimer: Still only own Haven.
Heroes Shed No Tears
Part VIII--
“Oh,” she said. Her eyes widened and Draco dropped her quickly. She landed on her bum. “Ow!” She glared at him. “What did you do that for?”
Draco looked at Harry, ignoring Ginny. “Potter,” he acknowledged.
“Malfoy.” Harry did the same. “What were you…?”
“She fell from that tree,” Draco explained. “She was trying to get some apples.”
Harry raised an eyebrow. "Apples?"
"Yeah," Haven interjected. "We've been eating those bean things and I wanted an apple. They’re yummier."
"Oh," said Harry. He looked at Ginny.
"Really, the branch broke, look," she said. She pointed to the splintered branch that was lying near the base of the tree.
"Okay," Harry said, pulling some brooms from behind his back. "We're riding back to Mrs. Malfoy's house. Everyone else is already there."
"Well done, Potter." Draco said coolly, grabbing one of the brooms and hoisting Haven on in front of him. He took the other one and tossed it to Ginny. "Let's get a move on, I want to be there before sun down."
Ginny rolled her eyes and shot up in the air to hover next to Harry. Harry left the canopy of the trees and Ginny followed. Draco was already pretty far ahead of them. Ginny sighed and breathed in the air, happy to be out of the musky air that was in the forest.
-
Narcissa opened the doors of her house and watched the skies as Draco, Haven, Ginny and Harry started their descent. They landed smoothly, Draco taking Haven’s hand immediately and Harry taking Ginny’s broom from her.
“I hope you had a nice fly,” Narcissa said, taking the brooms from all of them.
“We did,” Ginny said with a smile. She was glad to be back on the ground though.
Narcissa led them into a living room and seated on the couches Ginny saw her brothers and Neville. She smiled, “Hullo! We’ve made it!”
Fred and George leapt off of the couch they had been occupying and smothered her in hug, grumbling something about, “Bloody Pogrebin.”
“Hey, hey,” she said. “I’m alright, get off me you big lugs.” She slugged them in the shoulders playfully, and turned to the immobile Ron and Percy. She gave them hugs.
Harry walked in as Ron said, “Gods, Gin, I swear I’m going to kill that bloody prat Malfoy.”
Ginny rolled her eyes. “Shut up, Ronniekins.”
Ron glared and looked to Harry. “I don’t know why you guys trust him. I swear you’ve gone daft. He’s a bloody wanker, how do you know that he isn’t just spying for You-Know-Who?” Ginny raised a chiding eyebrow.
Harry sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “Look Ron, he may be a wanker, but he’s the only one we’ve got with half a brain.” Ron started to protest, but Harry held up and hand and cut him off. “But, if he screws up, I promise you can be the one to pull his eyes out.”
Ron looked marginally happier. “Lovely, pull the sodding git’s eyes out.” He rubbed his hand together.
“You’re demented,” Ginny said, thwacking him on the back of the head.
Ron shook his head, “Nah, I’ve just not been able to do anything for way too long.”
“Me too,” Percy chimed in. “It’s becoming more unbearable everyday. Especially just sitting around and having to listen to that brat whine.” Percy was looking pointedly at Ron.
“I don’t whine,” Ron said, crossing his arms on his chest.
George slapped him on the back, “Hush now, old chap. We’re going to be at Hogwarts soon and I’m sure Snape will be able to brew you a potion that will have to back to normal in no time.”
“Yeah,” said Fred. “He’s a demon when it comes to making those potions. He just waves his wand and BOOM!—there they are.”
Percy snorted, “You don’t use a wand to make potions, idiot. They require brewing in a cauldron and measurement of ingredients and…” by now everyone in the room had tuned Percy out.
Narcissa poked her head around the corner of the door jam and looked for Ginny. “Virginia? Would you like to bathe? I’m sure you must feel awful after having to trek through that filthy forest.”
Ginny’s eyes widened. “A bath? That sounds lovely.” She got up off of the couch and followed Narcissa out of the room.
As she was led down the hall, she noticed that the house seemed much bigger on the inside than it did on the outside; she assumed it was charmed that way. In reality, the house was more of a mansion. The halls were long and lead to many staircases. There were doors all along the hallways, spaced evenly. Narcissa finally stopped in front of a door and pushed it open. Inside there was a bedroom, she ushered Ginny inside and turned another knob and the door opened to reveal a luxurious bathroom. There was a huge tub with many jets and faucets.
A gasp escaped Ginny’s throat. “My gods.” She looked around more, seeing the fluffy towels hanging neatly on their racks. “I haven’t had a proper wash in....” She looked at her hands. “Since the war.”
Narcissa smiled warmly. “Then it’s high time, isn’t it? And this is just the bath for it. Very nice, don’t you think?”
“Oh, it’s amazing.” Ginny ran her fingers across the fabric of a towel, reveling in the softness.
Narcissa produced a small pile of folded clothes. “This is what you can change into once you’ve washed. We can’t have you wearing those any longer,” she said, gesturing towards Ginny’s dirtied butter-nut robes. “You can just send them down the laundry shoot and I’ll get the house elves to throw them out.”
“No!” Ginny bit her lip. “I mean, I’d like to keep them...as a reminder.”
Narcissa nodded. “Very well, then. Enjoy your bath.” She left the bathroom, shutting the door behind her.
Ginny turned and faucet and let the warm water run over her fingers.
-
“Where’s Longbottom?” Draco asked. He, Harry and the twins were sitting in the library getting ready to go over their plans.
Harry frowned. “He was here just a second ago. Maybe he had to use the restroom again?” Fred and George chuckled. “I think he may have a slight bladder problem.” Fred and George snickered. Harry tried to give them a stern look, but failed and ended up laughing himself. “Seriously,” he said between laughs. “He has been having to go to the bathroom much more than is humanly necessary.”
Draco rolled his eyes. “We’ll talk to Snape about it when we get to Hogwarts, but until then—’’ He stopped to glare at the three other men. “If we can compose ourselves….”
Harry and the twins straightened up. “Sorry…”
“Don’t apologize, Potter.” Draco lip curled up in disgust. “Just shut up.” Fred and George shared a look.
Harry ignored him. “How are we getting to Hogwarts?”
“We could Floo,” Draco said.
“I thought that Hogwarts closed its Floo grates,” said Harry.
Draco raised an eyebrow. “There are a few grates in Hogwarts that remain open.”
Harry’s brows furrowed. “What are you talking about, Malfoy? When you step into a Floo grate and call for Hogwarts it’s totally impossible to tell which fireplace you’re going to come out of. How can there be a few that are still functional?”
Draco lifted his eyes to the ceiling and rubbed his temples. “The grate isn’t exactly in Hogwarts.”
“You said it was.”
“Shut up and let me finish,” Draco snapped. Harry rolled his eyes at Draco. “As I was saying, the gate isn’t in Hogwarts. But it leads to Hogwarts.”
“Tell us where it is,” George said. “Quit drawing it out.”
“It’s in the Shrieking Shack.” Draco said.
Harry’s eyebrows rose. “That would work.”
“Of course, it was my idea wasn’t it?” Draco said smirking.
“Only one problem,” interrupted Fred. “The Shrieking Shack is haunted.”
Both Harry and Draco snorted, then stopped and gave each other with looks of repulsion. “It’s not haunted,” said Harry. “You remember that Lupin is a werewolf?” They nodded. “He used to go there for his transformations while he was at Hogwarts. The noises he made were what the townsfolk thought were the ghosts that haunt the shack.”
“Why didn’t Dumbledore just tell them what it was instead of letting them think that?” asked George.
“He helped spread the rumor; it was to keep Lupin safe and keep it so that he could still attend Hogwarts. If the parents of the children at the school had known, they would have definitely made Dumbledore expel him.”
“Right,” said Fred. “I see. Well, good plan, Malfoy.”
“Yes, good plan,” repeated George.
The door creaked open and they all turned to look at it. Ginny stood in the doorway, clean and freshly robed. “Hullo,” she said stepping in and closing the door behind her. “Narcissa told me that you need to see me?” She looked at them expectantly.
“I see that once the grime is cleaned off you, you actually resemble some sort of life form,” said Draco, his eyes roving over her body.
Ginny glared at him and crossed her arms. “Stuff it, Malfoy.”
Harry gave Draco a look. “We’re going to go to Hogwarts, but we think that maybe you should stay here, with Haven and Narcissa. It would be safer for you.”
Ginny blinked and looked to Fred and George. “Did you two agree with this?” she asked.
“We only want what’s best for you, Gins. We’ve already lost Dad in this war and we don’t want to risk losing anyone else that we don’t have to,” said George.
“You’re serious? You’re going to try and keep me here?” She glared at them. “I’m not staying here and letting you all go out and fight the death eaters without me! I’ve been stuck in that godforsaken camp too long. I want to do something! And I’d like to see you try and keep me here.” She had her finger pointed. “There’s no way that I’m staying here where it’s safe while you guys go out and have all the fun.”
“Fun?” Harry asked. “You think it’s fun fighting a war??”
“It certainly sounds more fun than sitting at home wondering if everyone you love is okay. I know that.” Ginny argued.
“What about your mother?” Harry asked.
Ginny let out a low breath of air. “Don’t bring my mother into this! She’ll be fine. She doesn’t need me here worrying over everyone, and then, in turn, getting her upset. I can’t believe you said that, Harry.”
Harry sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “I’m sorry, Ginny. But we just can’t let you go.”
Ginny let out a frustrated shriek. She looked at Draco and saw that he was watching this all with an amused look on his face. “Did you agree to this?” she asked him.
“Of course not,” said Draco. He received glares from all the other men in the room. “I never said that we should leave you behind. If they’re expecting to beat the death eaters this time, they’re going to need a lot of man power.” Ginny raised an eyebrow. “Woman power as well,” he added. “My mother certainly doesn’t need you here. I’m sure you’ll be much more useful on field as a medic and fighting.”
Ginny allowed herself to give Draco a small smile, which he ignored. “See? Malfoy agrees that I should go. Why can’t you see what is best for everyone?”
“We’ll talk about it later,” said Fred.
“Yeah, Gins, why don’t you go, and we’ll talk about it.” Harry shot Draco a furious look.
Ginny sniffed and put her hands on her hips. “Why can’t you talk about it with me here?”
“Weasley,” said Draco. “Just go. We’ll come get you when we’re done.”
She gave them all one more piercing look and stomped out of the room, slamming the door behind her.
“Well, that went well,” said George.
“Ginny isn’t going to give in, is she?” Harry asked.
“Of course not,” said George. “She’s a Weasley. Weasleys don’t give up.”
Draco rolled his eyes. “I don’t see why you’re trying to keep her here. She’d be much more useful at Hogwarts.”
“The only reason you don’t see why she should stay is because you don’t love her,” said Harry.
Draco wrinkled his nose. “You can’t let love get in the way of a war. Wars aren’t fought that way.”
“Then tell us, Malfoy, how are they fought?” said Fred.
“They are fought by using every means necessary,” said Draco. “If you’re not going to let Ginny participate in the war, you might be losing a victory. Think about it. She’s a medic, how many of those do we have left?” Harry’s face fell a bit. “That’s what I thought. You’re going to need her to heal people. And I’ll have to say from first hand experience that she’s a pretty good healer. She’s also a good fighter, how else do you think she stayed alive in the war before?”
“She wasn’t in combat before,” argued Harry.
“Just give it up, Potter. I’m right about this.” Draco said. “You heard her argument, there’s no way that you’re going to be able to keep her here anyways.”
“Fine, Malfoy. Have it your way. You can go tell her,” said Harry, sinking in his chair.
-
Ginny had taken to wandering the hallways, pacing the corridors, muttering under her breath about Harry, Fred and George. She was not going to let them make her stay here and not be able to participate the war. Why should she let them go off and fight if they wouldn’t let her? It just didn’t make sense. Was it because she is a woman?
She kicked the wall. “OW!” She hopped around, holding her injured foot. “Smart, Ginny,” she said.
“Extremely smart, Weasley,” Draco said, walking to her from behind.
"No comments were necessary, Malfoy," Ginny said, shooting him a glare, rubbing the toe of her shoe. She let her foot drop back down to the floor and leaned against a wall. "Why are you here? To tell me that they've determined that I have to stay here? I wouldn't be surprised." She rolled her eyes. "They always try to keep me home, or where it's safe from everything. Ever since that whole Tom Riddle incident, they seem to think that I'm fragile."
Draco looked down at the floor, then back to Ginny. "I convinced them to let you come."
Ginny looked at him, startled. "You did?" She blinked. "What did you do that for?"
He shrugged. "Why not? Your side is going to need all the help it can get."
Ginny pursed her lips. "Well, thanks."
"Only repaying you, Malfoys don't like debts."
"What are you repaying me for? I haven't saved your life. If anything, you saved mine, when those Pogrebin attacked," Ginny said, frowning at him.
Draco rolled his eyes, and crossed his arms. "I didn't think Weasleys were that stupid."
"I'm not stupid."
"Whatever. Anyways, you took care of my son, without any questioning, which is a surprising occurrence; we are in the middle of war after-shocks and there's lack of food at all of the refugee camps. And then, you took care of me without knowing who I was. I think those are some things that might put me into some sort of substantial debt to you."
"Oh, Malfoy," Ginny waved her hand. "I don't think that really counts as debt. I did those things because I wanted to. And you don't have to act like it's such a bad thing to be in debt to me. We're on the same side here."
"What can I say?" Draco smirked. "Old habits die hard."
Ginny frowned and stepped forward. She looked at Draco's chest and squinted, lifting her hand. Draco blinked and lowered his eyebrows. "Weasley--"
"You have a string on your robes." Her hand darted to his chest and plucked a white string from the front of his robes. She dropped it to the floor and smiled. "Not too dignified for a Malfoy, eh?" she asked, arching an eyebrow.
She put her hand up, like she was going to pluck something else off of him. His hand flew up and caught her wrist. "Are you teasing, Weasley?"
The corner of Ginny's lip twitched. "Of course not, Malfoy."
"I think you are," Draco said. His lips curled up into a smirk. "The littlest Weasel wants to tease?"
Ginny pressed her lips together and looked up at him, her eyes dancing. Her eyes darted to his lips, and back to his eyes; she winced. Bad move, looking at those lips. "Not tease per say," she heard her lips betray her.
Draco raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Then what does the Weasel want?"
She bit her lip, causing his eyes to fly down towards them. He looked back at her eyes, and saw them sparkling. He smirked and lowered his lips. He turned his head and brushed a feather light kiss on her jawbone.
"I think," he said, grinning slightly, "that your brothers and Potter would still like to talk to you."
"O-Oh," Ginny croaked. "Well, I supposed they might." She cleared her throat. "Let's get going then."
"Daddy?" came a timid voice.
Draco's eyes widened and he whipped his head around. Haven was standing not too far off with a big grin on his face, a dimple showing on one cheek. "Did you just--"
"Come on, Haven. Let's get Grammy Ciss to fix you some of those snicker doodles that you love so much. Wouldn't you like some of those?" Draco said, grabbing onto Haven's hand and pulling him down the hall after him.
Ginny smiled and put at hand to her face. Her fingers trailed along the place where Draco had kissed her jawbone. She sighed and turned towards the library.
-
The guys were sitting in the library, now Percy and Ron--fully rested from their strenuous journey--among them. They were talking loudly, Ginny sitting in an armchair, set apart from the rest of them, her chin rested on her palm and her eyes trained to the ceiling.
"Testosterone, testosterone," she muttered to herself. "Everyone has to be in charge." She rolled her eyes. "No, Potter," she mimicked, "your plans are hogwash. Didn't you see what happened last time you tried to plan a raid? Totally down the drain. Shut your bloody mouth and listen to me." She rolled her eyes again. "Well, Malfoy," she mimicked again, "we aren't planning a bloody raid now are we? We're just trying to find a simple way to tell Dumbledore we're coming--" Ginny stopped and frowned.
"Are all men this stupid?" she asked. The buzzing of male voices stopped as they all turned to look at her. Her eyebrows flew up and her hand smacked over her mouth. She took it down slowly. "Did I just say that out loud?"
"Yes, Ginny, you did," said Ron, glaring wickedly. "Care to tell us what would make you say such a thing?"
"Well," she said, sighing. She looked to Fred, George, and Neville--who seemed to have finally found his way back from the bathroom. "If I'm correct, you three didn't just come to our refugee camp without any sort of authority--did you?" she asked, with an accusatory glare.
Fred and George grinned.
"Of course not," said Neville. "Dumbledore sent us. He sent us to come and get you all from the camp."
"Exactly," said Ginny. "Don't you see? He already knows that we're coming. I'm sure they're all prepared for us and will make sure to double check before sending off rounds of Unforgivables." She let out a satisfactory smirk as the men exchanged looks. "Dumbledore has more sense than that," she added. "You know...to just have Aurors sending off Unforgivables at unknown--"
"Yes, Gin," Ron snapped. "We get your bloody point. Shut up."
"Merlin, Ron, why do you have to be so touchy? I'm just giving you all a push in the right direction," she said with a sugar sweet smile. Ron rolled his eyes and muttered under his breath.
Draco was smirking from his perch near a window, obviously pleased to see Ron so upset.
"Alright then," Harry said, breaking the strained silence. "Now all we have to do is get there." He looked at his watch. "Since Malfoy here has the ingenious plan of how we're getting to Hogwarts all figured out, I'd recommend we go and get a good night's sleep--no telling what we're going to be doing tomorrow."
"Such faith," Draco said.
"Who'd blame him?" Ron asked, casting a bitter glance towards Draco.
"Oh hush, Ron," Ginny chastised. "You really need to get that beetle out of your bum. It's made your face go all squinted up." Ginny frowned. "Sort of like Pansy's. You remember Pansy don't you, Ronniekins?" She reached out and pinched his cheeks.
Ron smacked her hands, but grinned. "Shuddup before I come get you, Gins."
Ginny raised and eyebrow. "You're going to come get me?--In your crippled state, dear brother? I think not." She smiled. "Twins. Come take this one and Percy to their room."
"'This one' now is it?" Ron grumbled.
Ginny patted the top of his head. "Sleep tight."
"Don't let the bed bugs bite," Fred and George chorused.
Heroes Shed No Tears
Part VIII--
“Oh,” she said. Her eyes widened and Draco dropped her quickly. She landed on her bum. “Ow!” She glared at him. “What did you do that for?”
Draco looked at Harry, ignoring Ginny. “Potter,” he acknowledged.
“Malfoy.” Harry did the same. “What were you…?”
“She fell from that tree,” Draco explained. “She was trying to get some apples.”
Harry raised an eyebrow. "Apples?"
"Yeah," Haven interjected. "We've been eating those bean things and I wanted an apple. They’re yummier."
"Oh," said Harry. He looked at Ginny.
"Really, the branch broke, look," she said. She pointed to the splintered branch that was lying near the base of the tree.
"Okay," Harry said, pulling some brooms from behind his back. "We're riding back to Mrs. Malfoy's house. Everyone else is already there."
"Well done, Potter." Draco said coolly, grabbing one of the brooms and hoisting Haven on in front of him. He took the other one and tossed it to Ginny. "Let's get a move on, I want to be there before sun down."
Ginny rolled her eyes and shot up in the air to hover next to Harry. Harry left the canopy of the trees and Ginny followed. Draco was already pretty far ahead of them. Ginny sighed and breathed in the air, happy to be out of the musky air that was in the forest.
-
Narcissa opened the doors of her house and watched the skies as Draco, Haven, Ginny and Harry started their descent. They landed smoothly, Draco taking Haven’s hand immediately and Harry taking Ginny’s broom from her.
“I hope you had a nice fly,” Narcissa said, taking the brooms from all of them.
“We did,” Ginny said with a smile. She was glad to be back on the ground though.
Narcissa led them into a living room and seated on the couches Ginny saw her brothers and Neville. She smiled, “Hullo! We’ve made it!”
Fred and George leapt off of the couch they had been occupying and smothered her in hug, grumbling something about, “Bloody Pogrebin.”
“Hey, hey,” she said. “I’m alright, get off me you big lugs.” She slugged them in the shoulders playfully, and turned to the immobile Ron and Percy. She gave them hugs.
Harry walked in as Ron said, “Gods, Gin, I swear I’m going to kill that bloody prat Malfoy.”
Ginny rolled her eyes. “Shut up, Ronniekins.”
Ron glared and looked to Harry. “I don’t know why you guys trust him. I swear you’ve gone daft. He’s a bloody wanker, how do you know that he isn’t just spying for You-Know-Who?” Ginny raised a chiding eyebrow.
Harry sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “Look Ron, he may be a wanker, but he’s the only one we’ve got with half a brain.” Ron started to protest, but Harry held up and hand and cut him off. “But, if he screws up, I promise you can be the one to pull his eyes out.”
Ron looked marginally happier. “Lovely, pull the sodding git’s eyes out.” He rubbed his hand together.
“You’re demented,” Ginny said, thwacking him on the back of the head.
Ron shook his head, “Nah, I’ve just not been able to do anything for way too long.”
“Me too,” Percy chimed in. “It’s becoming more unbearable everyday. Especially just sitting around and having to listen to that brat whine.” Percy was looking pointedly at Ron.
“I don’t whine,” Ron said, crossing his arms on his chest.
George slapped him on the back, “Hush now, old chap. We’re going to be at Hogwarts soon and I’m sure Snape will be able to brew you a potion that will have to back to normal in no time.”
“Yeah,” said Fred. “He’s a demon when it comes to making those potions. He just waves his wand and BOOM!—there they are.”
Percy snorted, “You don’t use a wand to make potions, idiot. They require brewing in a cauldron and measurement of ingredients and…” by now everyone in the room had tuned Percy out.
Narcissa poked her head around the corner of the door jam and looked for Ginny. “Virginia? Would you like to bathe? I’m sure you must feel awful after having to trek through that filthy forest.”
Ginny’s eyes widened. “A bath? That sounds lovely.” She got up off of the couch and followed Narcissa out of the room.
As she was led down the hall, she noticed that the house seemed much bigger on the inside than it did on the outside; she assumed it was charmed that way. In reality, the house was more of a mansion. The halls were long and lead to many staircases. There were doors all along the hallways, spaced evenly. Narcissa finally stopped in front of a door and pushed it open. Inside there was a bedroom, she ushered Ginny inside and turned another knob and the door opened to reveal a luxurious bathroom. There was a huge tub with many jets and faucets.
A gasp escaped Ginny’s throat. “My gods.” She looked around more, seeing the fluffy towels hanging neatly on their racks. “I haven’t had a proper wash in....” She looked at her hands. “Since the war.”
Narcissa smiled warmly. “Then it’s high time, isn’t it? And this is just the bath for it. Very nice, don’t you think?”
“Oh, it’s amazing.” Ginny ran her fingers across the fabric of a towel, reveling in the softness.
Narcissa produced a small pile of folded clothes. “This is what you can change into once you’ve washed. We can’t have you wearing those any longer,” she said, gesturing towards Ginny’s dirtied butter-nut robes. “You can just send them down the laundry shoot and I’ll get the house elves to throw them out.”
“No!” Ginny bit her lip. “I mean, I’d like to keep them...as a reminder.”
Narcissa nodded. “Very well, then. Enjoy your bath.” She left the bathroom, shutting the door behind her.
Ginny turned and faucet and let the warm water run over her fingers.
-
“Where’s Longbottom?” Draco asked. He, Harry and the twins were sitting in the library getting ready to go over their plans.
Harry frowned. “He was here just a second ago. Maybe he had to use the restroom again?” Fred and George chuckled. “I think he may have a slight bladder problem.” Fred and George snickered. Harry tried to give them a stern look, but failed and ended up laughing himself. “Seriously,” he said between laughs. “He has been having to go to the bathroom much more than is humanly necessary.”
Draco rolled his eyes. “We’ll talk to Snape about it when we get to Hogwarts, but until then—’’ He stopped to glare at the three other men. “If we can compose ourselves….”
Harry and the twins straightened up. “Sorry…”
“Don’t apologize, Potter.” Draco lip curled up in disgust. “Just shut up.” Fred and George shared a look.
Harry ignored him. “How are we getting to Hogwarts?”
“We could Floo,” Draco said.
“I thought that Hogwarts closed its Floo grates,” said Harry.
Draco raised an eyebrow. “There are a few grates in Hogwarts that remain open.”
Harry’s brows furrowed. “What are you talking about, Malfoy? When you step into a Floo grate and call for Hogwarts it’s totally impossible to tell which fireplace you’re going to come out of. How can there be a few that are still functional?”
Draco lifted his eyes to the ceiling and rubbed his temples. “The grate isn’t exactly in Hogwarts.”
“You said it was.”
“Shut up and let me finish,” Draco snapped. Harry rolled his eyes at Draco. “As I was saying, the gate isn’t in Hogwarts. But it leads to Hogwarts.”
“Tell us where it is,” George said. “Quit drawing it out.”
“It’s in the Shrieking Shack.” Draco said.
Harry’s eyebrows rose. “That would work.”
“Of course, it was my idea wasn’t it?” Draco said smirking.
“Only one problem,” interrupted Fred. “The Shrieking Shack is haunted.”
Both Harry and Draco snorted, then stopped and gave each other with looks of repulsion. “It’s not haunted,” said Harry. “You remember that Lupin is a werewolf?” They nodded. “He used to go there for his transformations while he was at Hogwarts. The noises he made were what the townsfolk thought were the ghosts that haunt the shack.”
“Why didn’t Dumbledore just tell them what it was instead of letting them think that?” asked George.
“He helped spread the rumor; it was to keep Lupin safe and keep it so that he could still attend Hogwarts. If the parents of the children at the school had known, they would have definitely made Dumbledore expel him.”
“Right,” said Fred. “I see. Well, good plan, Malfoy.”
“Yes, good plan,” repeated George.
The door creaked open and they all turned to look at it. Ginny stood in the doorway, clean and freshly robed. “Hullo,” she said stepping in and closing the door behind her. “Narcissa told me that you need to see me?” She looked at them expectantly.
“I see that once the grime is cleaned off you, you actually resemble some sort of life form,” said Draco, his eyes roving over her body.
Ginny glared at him and crossed her arms. “Stuff it, Malfoy.”
Harry gave Draco a look. “We’re going to go to Hogwarts, but we think that maybe you should stay here, with Haven and Narcissa. It would be safer for you.”
Ginny blinked and looked to Fred and George. “Did you two agree with this?” she asked.
“We only want what’s best for you, Gins. We’ve already lost Dad in this war and we don’t want to risk losing anyone else that we don’t have to,” said George.
“You’re serious? You’re going to try and keep me here?” She glared at them. “I’m not staying here and letting you all go out and fight the death eaters without me! I’ve been stuck in that godforsaken camp too long. I want to do something! And I’d like to see you try and keep me here.” She had her finger pointed. “There’s no way that I’m staying here where it’s safe while you guys go out and have all the fun.”
“Fun?” Harry asked. “You think it’s fun fighting a war??”
“It certainly sounds more fun than sitting at home wondering if everyone you love is okay. I know that.” Ginny argued.
“What about your mother?” Harry asked.
Ginny let out a low breath of air. “Don’t bring my mother into this! She’ll be fine. She doesn’t need me here worrying over everyone, and then, in turn, getting her upset. I can’t believe you said that, Harry.”
Harry sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “I’m sorry, Ginny. But we just can’t let you go.”
Ginny let out a frustrated shriek. She looked at Draco and saw that he was watching this all with an amused look on his face. “Did you agree to this?” she asked him.
“Of course not,” said Draco. He received glares from all the other men in the room. “I never said that we should leave you behind. If they’re expecting to beat the death eaters this time, they’re going to need a lot of man power.” Ginny raised an eyebrow. “Woman power as well,” he added. “My mother certainly doesn’t need you here. I’m sure you’ll be much more useful on field as a medic and fighting.”
Ginny allowed herself to give Draco a small smile, which he ignored. “See? Malfoy agrees that I should go. Why can’t you see what is best for everyone?”
“We’ll talk about it later,” said Fred.
“Yeah, Gins, why don’t you go, and we’ll talk about it.” Harry shot Draco a furious look.
Ginny sniffed and put her hands on her hips. “Why can’t you talk about it with me here?”
“Weasley,” said Draco. “Just go. We’ll come get you when we’re done.”
She gave them all one more piercing look and stomped out of the room, slamming the door behind her.
“Well, that went well,” said George.
“Ginny isn’t going to give in, is she?” Harry asked.
“Of course not,” said George. “She’s a Weasley. Weasleys don’t give up.”
Draco rolled his eyes. “I don’t see why you’re trying to keep her here. She’d be much more useful at Hogwarts.”
“The only reason you don’t see why she should stay is because you don’t love her,” said Harry.
Draco wrinkled his nose. “You can’t let love get in the way of a war. Wars aren’t fought that way.”
“Then tell us, Malfoy, how are they fought?” said Fred.
“They are fought by using every means necessary,” said Draco. “If you’re not going to let Ginny participate in the war, you might be losing a victory. Think about it. She’s a medic, how many of those do we have left?” Harry’s face fell a bit. “That’s what I thought. You’re going to need her to heal people. And I’ll have to say from first hand experience that she’s a pretty good healer. She’s also a good fighter, how else do you think she stayed alive in the war before?”
“She wasn’t in combat before,” argued Harry.
“Just give it up, Potter. I’m right about this.” Draco said. “You heard her argument, there’s no way that you’re going to be able to keep her here anyways.”
“Fine, Malfoy. Have it your way. You can go tell her,” said Harry, sinking in his chair.
-
Ginny had taken to wandering the hallways, pacing the corridors, muttering under her breath about Harry, Fred and George. She was not going to let them make her stay here and not be able to participate the war. Why should she let them go off and fight if they wouldn’t let her? It just didn’t make sense. Was it because she is a woman?
She kicked the wall. “OW!” She hopped around, holding her injured foot. “Smart, Ginny,” she said.
“Extremely smart, Weasley,” Draco said, walking to her from behind.
"No comments were necessary, Malfoy," Ginny said, shooting him a glare, rubbing the toe of her shoe. She let her foot drop back down to the floor and leaned against a wall. "Why are you here? To tell me that they've determined that I have to stay here? I wouldn't be surprised." She rolled her eyes. "They always try to keep me home, or where it's safe from everything. Ever since that whole Tom Riddle incident, they seem to think that I'm fragile."
Draco looked down at the floor, then back to Ginny. "I convinced them to let you come."
Ginny looked at him, startled. "You did?" She blinked. "What did you do that for?"
He shrugged. "Why not? Your side is going to need all the help it can get."
Ginny pursed her lips. "Well, thanks."
"Only repaying you, Malfoys don't like debts."
"What are you repaying me for? I haven't saved your life. If anything, you saved mine, when those Pogrebin attacked," Ginny said, frowning at him.
Draco rolled his eyes, and crossed his arms. "I didn't think Weasleys were that stupid."
"I'm not stupid."
"Whatever. Anyways, you took care of my son, without any questioning, which is a surprising occurrence; we are in the middle of war after-shocks and there's lack of food at all of the refugee camps. And then, you took care of me without knowing who I was. I think those are some things that might put me into some sort of substantial debt to you."
"Oh, Malfoy," Ginny waved her hand. "I don't think that really counts as debt. I did those things because I wanted to. And you don't have to act like it's such a bad thing to be in debt to me. We're on the same side here."
"What can I say?" Draco smirked. "Old habits die hard."
Ginny frowned and stepped forward. She looked at Draco's chest and squinted, lifting her hand. Draco blinked and lowered his eyebrows. "Weasley--"
"You have a string on your robes." Her hand darted to his chest and plucked a white string from the front of his robes. She dropped it to the floor and smiled. "Not too dignified for a Malfoy, eh?" she asked, arching an eyebrow.
She put her hand up, like she was going to pluck something else off of him. His hand flew up and caught her wrist. "Are you teasing, Weasley?"
The corner of Ginny's lip twitched. "Of course not, Malfoy."
"I think you are," Draco said. His lips curled up into a smirk. "The littlest Weasel wants to tease?"
Ginny pressed her lips together and looked up at him, her eyes dancing. Her eyes darted to his lips, and back to his eyes; she winced. Bad move, looking at those lips. "Not tease per say," she heard her lips betray her.
Draco raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Then what does the Weasel want?"
She bit her lip, causing his eyes to fly down towards them. He looked back at her eyes, and saw them sparkling. He smirked and lowered his lips. He turned his head and brushed a feather light kiss on her jawbone.
"I think," he said, grinning slightly, "that your brothers and Potter would still like to talk to you."
"O-Oh," Ginny croaked. "Well, I supposed they might." She cleared her throat. "Let's get going then."
"Daddy?" came a timid voice.
Draco's eyes widened and he whipped his head around. Haven was standing not too far off with a big grin on his face, a dimple showing on one cheek. "Did you just--"
"Come on, Haven. Let's get Grammy Ciss to fix you some of those snicker doodles that you love so much. Wouldn't you like some of those?" Draco said, grabbing onto Haven's hand and pulling him down the hall after him.
Ginny smiled and put at hand to her face. Her fingers trailed along the place where Draco had kissed her jawbone. She sighed and turned towards the library.
-
The guys were sitting in the library, now Percy and Ron--fully rested from their strenuous journey--among them. They were talking loudly, Ginny sitting in an armchair, set apart from the rest of them, her chin rested on her palm and her eyes trained to the ceiling.
"Testosterone, testosterone," she muttered to herself. "Everyone has to be in charge." She rolled her eyes. "No, Potter," she mimicked, "your plans are hogwash. Didn't you see what happened last time you tried to plan a raid? Totally down the drain. Shut your bloody mouth and listen to me." She rolled her eyes again. "Well, Malfoy," she mimicked again, "we aren't planning a bloody raid now are we? We're just trying to find a simple way to tell Dumbledore we're coming--" Ginny stopped and frowned.
"Are all men this stupid?" she asked. The buzzing of male voices stopped as they all turned to look at her. Her eyebrows flew up and her hand smacked over her mouth. She took it down slowly. "Did I just say that out loud?"
"Yes, Ginny, you did," said Ron, glaring wickedly. "Care to tell us what would make you say such a thing?"
"Well," she said, sighing. She looked to Fred, George, and Neville--who seemed to have finally found his way back from the bathroom. "If I'm correct, you three didn't just come to our refugee camp without any sort of authority--did you?" she asked, with an accusatory glare.
Fred and George grinned.
"Of course not," said Neville. "Dumbledore sent us. He sent us to come and get you all from the camp."
"Exactly," said Ginny. "Don't you see? He already knows that we're coming. I'm sure they're all prepared for us and will make sure to double check before sending off rounds of Unforgivables." She let out a satisfactory smirk as the men exchanged looks. "Dumbledore has more sense than that," she added. "You know...to just have Aurors sending off Unforgivables at unknown--"
"Yes, Gin," Ron snapped. "We get your bloody point. Shut up."
"Merlin, Ron, why do you have to be so touchy? I'm just giving you all a push in the right direction," she said with a sugar sweet smile. Ron rolled his eyes and muttered under his breath.
Draco was smirking from his perch near a window, obviously pleased to see Ron so upset.
"Alright then," Harry said, breaking the strained silence. "Now all we have to do is get there." He looked at his watch. "Since Malfoy here has the ingenious plan of how we're getting to Hogwarts all figured out, I'd recommend we go and get a good night's sleep--no telling what we're going to be doing tomorrow."
"Such faith," Draco said.
"Who'd blame him?" Ron asked, casting a bitter glance towards Draco.
"Oh hush, Ron," Ginny chastised. "You really need to get that beetle out of your bum. It's made your face go all squinted up." Ginny frowned. "Sort of like Pansy's. You remember Pansy don't you, Ronniekins?" She reached out and pinched his cheeks.
Ron smacked her hands, but grinned. "Shuddup before I come get you, Gins."
Ginny raised and eyebrow. "You're going to come get me?--In your crippled state, dear brother? I think not." She smiled. "Twins. Come take this one and Percy to their room."
"'This one' now is it?" Ron grumbled.
Ginny patted the top of his head. "Sleep tight."
"Don't let the bed bugs bite," Fred and George chorused.
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