Getting Lucky by CCC
Draco turned a malevolent gaze on her. “I, Draco Malfoy, revoke my vow to Ginevra Weasley on the basis that it was given when I was under the influence of an unknown spell.”
Nothing happened.
“I’m afraid you’ve shackled yourself to a Weasley,” his mother announced. “Your father and I will hire someone to look into this situation.”
Despite Ginny’s best efforts, tears overflowed her lashes.
“Sad that you won’t have access to my fortune?” Draco asked.
Rage made her hand fly towards his face. Her hand stung from the slap she landed on his right cheek.
The red mark on his face was the only outward sign that she’d landed a blow. He remained frozen, but fury shone from his eyes. When he spoke, his voice was like ice. “If you ever do that again, I will return the favor.”
She had no doubt he meant it.
“If you hurt my daughter I will kill you.” Her father delivered this threat in a tone just as cold as Draco’s.
“Do not threaten my son.” Lucius’ tightly controlled voice was far scarier than Draco or her father’s. She realized, of the three, he was probably the only one who might have killed someone.
“If you’d taught your son to be respectful of women I wouldn’t have to threaten him,” her father bit out.
“Enough,” Snape yelled. He pointed his wand at Draco and Ginny. A yellow light surrounded them and then disappeared. “Now, neither of you can do the other physical harm. Yell at each other all you like, but try to inflict pain and you will find the pain doubled and turned back on yourself.”
Ginny took a step toward Draco. “I want to make one thing clear. I don’t give a rats ass about your money. You’re a sorry substitute for the boy who took me flying. I have no desire to spend any time around you.”
“Nor I, around you.” Draco looked at her like she was gum he’d found on the bottom of his boot. “I’ll figure out a way to break this vow and be done with you.”
“Why don’t I ask Hermione to figure out a solution to our problem?” Ginny smiled at him. “After all, we all know she’s smarter than you.”
Draco’s lip curled up in a sneer. The sight warmed Ginny’s heart.
“Let’s get you back to your room,” her mum said.
Ginny allowed her parents to lead her from Snape’s office. When they reached the Gryffindor common room, they followed her inside.
Hermione took one look at Ginny and said, “He changed back, didn’t he?”
She didn’t bother to stop the tears. “It’s worse than that. Draco asked me to take a bonding vow. I didn’t want to, but then it seemed like the only way to save him from his father.”
Ron groaned. “Tell me you’re not bonded to Malfoy.”
Her mum placed an arm around Ginny’s shoulders. “She did what she thought was necessary at the time. I’m sure we’ll figure out a way to fix this.”
Hermione pulled out a blank piece of parchment. “I’ll need to know the exact words you exchanged. I can go to the library tonight if you like.”
Ginny took a deep breath and blew it out. “Thank you. I knew you’d help. I don’t want to talk about it any more tonight. Can we start tomorrow?”
“Sure.” Hermione put her quill down.
After her parents hugged her and left, Ginny went up to her bedroom. Hermione followed. “I’m here if you need to talk.”
Ginny waved her friend in and lay back on the bed. “It hurts so much. He used to tell me how much he cared for me. Now, he spits venom at me.”
“Which boy do you think is the real Draco?” Hermione asked.
“I’m not sure anymore.” She sat up. “I didn’t want to take the vow. After Draco said his part, Snape hexed me mute and left to Floo Lucius. Draco seemed so sad and vulnerable when he thought his father would take me away. He said I should kiss him if I wanted to take the vow. I couldn’t bare the look in his eyes, so I kissed him.”
“You didn’t actually say the words, but Draco did?”
Ginny nodded.
“That may give us a loophole right there.”
“Draco tried to revoke his vow, but it didn’t work.”
“I’ll figure this out. Until I do you need to stay as far away from him as possible.”
“Snape cast a spell so we couldn’t physically hurt each other.”
“We both know that Draco prefers to torture with words.” Hermione sighed. “I think you need to keep a friend by your side at all times.”
***
The next morning Ginny walked into the great hall with trepidation. She kept her eyes averted from the Slytherin table, but that didn’t stop her from hearing the snickering.
“You don’t know that they’re talking about you,” Hermione countered.
Harry cleared his throat. “Ron and I devised a schedule where one of our guys will be with you at all times.” He put his arm around her shoulders. “We’ll take care of you, Ginny. Hermione will figure a way to dissolve the bond. Life will go back to normal.”
Ginny put on a brave face. If life were back to normal she’d have some sort of thrill from Harry’s arm being around her shoulders. She felt nothing for him. What was wrong with her? The boy she’d dreamt about for years was closer to her than he’d ever been, and she was numb.
“Thanks, Harry.” She pointed at a platter of toast. “Can you pass the toast and jam please?”
He removed his arm, which was the desired outcome of asking him to retrieve the two items. She fixed her breakfast and ate it without tasting a bite.
Ron walked her to her first class. Harry took second shift. Draco didn’t seek her out. For that she was grateful.
Seamus showed up to walk her from her third class to lunch. He’d always been an affectionate friend. When he placed his arm on her lower back to steer her down the hall, she thought nothing of it. When they were in sight of the great hall, Seamus steered her toward an alcove.
“I wanted to ask you a question.” Seamus’ face flushed.
“Sure. What’s up?”
“Do you think I have a shot with Lavender?”
“I heard she broke up with that Ravenclaw she’s been seeing. Ask her out. All she can say is no.” Ginny snorted. “It’s not like she’ll turn into an evil monster who lives to torment you.”
Seamus winced. “I’m a prat. I shouldn’t have asked you about this.”
“It’s okay. Come on. I’ll sit by her, so you two can talk.”
“Thanks.”
Ginny led Seamus to a spot near Lavender and did her best not to look across the room at Draco. She tuned out the awkward flirting going on between her friends. When lunch was over, Seamus took off with Lavender.
Ron took his turn as her escort. He seemed to sense she didn’t want to talk, so he didn’t press her. He dropped her at the door to her classroom and bolted to his own class.
After setting her bookbag down, Ginny decided to run to the loo. When she emerged from the stall, Draco waited for her by the sinks.
“This is the girls loo,” she objected.
“We need to talk.”
His tone made the hair on the back of her neck stand up. She edged toward the door. “Sorry. I have class.”
He grabbed her arm and held tight. His grip was firm, but not hard enough to hurt her. “I do not want to see you in the company of another male. Do you understand?”
She didn’t. But, the look in his eyes told her that wasn’t a smart answer. “Friends are walking me to class to protect me from you. I didn’t realize you were crazy enough to follow me into the loo.”
“Even though I don’t want you, you are still mine.” He emphasized each word like that might help her understand.
He was mental. She started to tell him just that, but reasoned his pain threshold was higher than hers and he might have no reservations about causing himself pain if it also hurt her. She took a deep breath and blew it out. It was up to her to be the rational one. “Tell me why you’re upset.”
He sneered. “I’m upset because Potter had his arm around you at breakfast this morning and Seamus had his hands on you before lunch.”
Her mouth dropped open. “They weren’t flirting with me. They were consoling me.”
“I don’t care.”
Deciding to take a stand, she got in his face. “You scare me. As long as you keep scaring me, I will ask other males to protect me from you.”
He released her arm. “If I see another boy touch you, I will hurt him."
Nothing happened.
“I’m afraid you’ve shackled yourself to a Weasley,” his mother announced. “Your father and I will hire someone to look into this situation.”
Despite Ginny’s best efforts, tears overflowed her lashes.
“Sad that you won’t have access to my fortune?” Draco asked.
Rage made her hand fly towards his face. Her hand stung from the slap she landed on his right cheek.
The red mark on his face was the only outward sign that she’d landed a blow. He remained frozen, but fury shone from his eyes. When he spoke, his voice was like ice. “If you ever do that again, I will return the favor.”
She had no doubt he meant it.
“If you hurt my daughter I will kill you.” Her father delivered this threat in a tone just as cold as Draco’s.
“Do not threaten my son.” Lucius’ tightly controlled voice was far scarier than Draco or her father’s. She realized, of the three, he was probably the only one who might have killed someone.
“If you’d taught your son to be respectful of women I wouldn’t have to threaten him,” her father bit out.
“Enough,” Snape yelled. He pointed his wand at Draco and Ginny. A yellow light surrounded them and then disappeared. “Now, neither of you can do the other physical harm. Yell at each other all you like, but try to inflict pain and you will find the pain doubled and turned back on yourself.”
Ginny took a step toward Draco. “I want to make one thing clear. I don’t give a rats ass about your money. You’re a sorry substitute for the boy who took me flying. I have no desire to spend any time around you.”
“Nor I, around you.” Draco looked at her like she was gum he’d found on the bottom of his boot. “I’ll figure out a way to break this vow and be done with you.”
“Why don’t I ask Hermione to figure out a solution to our problem?” Ginny smiled at him. “After all, we all know she’s smarter than you.”
Draco’s lip curled up in a sneer. The sight warmed Ginny’s heart.
“Let’s get you back to your room,” her mum said.
Ginny allowed her parents to lead her from Snape’s office. When they reached the Gryffindor common room, they followed her inside.
Hermione took one look at Ginny and said, “He changed back, didn’t he?”
She didn’t bother to stop the tears. “It’s worse than that. Draco asked me to take a bonding vow. I didn’t want to, but then it seemed like the only way to save him from his father.”
Ron groaned. “Tell me you’re not bonded to Malfoy.”
Her mum placed an arm around Ginny’s shoulders. “She did what she thought was necessary at the time. I’m sure we’ll figure out a way to fix this.”
Hermione pulled out a blank piece of parchment. “I’ll need to know the exact words you exchanged. I can go to the library tonight if you like.”
Ginny took a deep breath and blew it out. “Thank you. I knew you’d help. I don’t want to talk about it any more tonight. Can we start tomorrow?”
“Sure.” Hermione put her quill down.
After her parents hugged her and left, Ginny went up to her bedroom. Hermione followed. “I’m here if you need to talk.”
Ginny waved her friend in and lay back on the bed. “It hurts so much. He used to tell me how much he cared for me. Now, he spits venom at me.”
“Which boy do you think is the real Draco?” Hermione asked.
“I’m not sure anymore.” She sat up. “I didn’t want to take the vow. After Draco said his part, Snape hexed me mute and left to Floo Lucius. Draco seemed so sad and vulnerable when he thought his father would take me away. He said I should kiss him if I wanted to take the vow. I couldn’t bare the look in his eyes, so I kissed him.”
“You didn’t actually say the words, but Draco did?”
Ginny nodded.
“That may give us a loophole right there.”
“Draco tried to revoke his vow, but it didn’t work.”
“I’ll figure this out. Until I do you need to stay as far away from him as possible.”
“Snape cast a spell so we couldn’t physically hurt each other.”
“We both know that Draco prefers to torture with words.” Hermione sighed. “I think you need to keep a friend by your side at all times.”
***
The next morning Ginny walked into the great hall with trepidation. She kept her eyes averted from the Slytherin table, but that didn’t stop her from hearing the snickering.
“You don’t know that they’re talking about you,” Hermione countered.
Harry cleared his throat. “Ron and I devised a schedule where one of our guys will be with you at all times.” He put his arm around her shoulders. “We’ll take care of you, Ginny. Hermione will figure a way to dissolve the bond. Life will go back to normal.”
Ginny put on a brave face. If life were back to normal she’d have some sort of thrill from Harry’s arm being around her shoulders. She felt nothing for him. What was wrong with her? The boy she’d dreamt about for years was closer to her than he’d ever been, and she was numb.
“Thanks, Harry.” She pointed at a platter of toast. “Can you pass the toast and jam please?”
He removed his arm, which was the desired outcome of asking him to retrieve the two items. She fixed her breakfast and ate it without tasting a bite.
Ron walked her to her first class. Harry took second shift. Draco didn’t seek her out. For that she was grateful.
Seamus showed up to walk her from her third class to lunch. He’d always been an affectionate friend. When he placed his arm on her lower back to steer her down the hall, she thought nothing of it. When they were in sight of the great hall, Seamus steered her toward an alcove.
“I wanted to ask you a question.” Seamus’ face flushed.
“Sure. What’s up?”
“Do you think I have a shot with Lavender?”
“I heard she broke up with that Ravenclaw she’s been seeing. Ask her out. All she can say is no.” Ginny snorted. “It’s not like she’ll turn into an evil monster who lives to torment you.”
Seamus winced. “I’m a prat. I shouldn’t have asked you about this.”
“It’s okay. Come on. I’ll sit by her, so you two can talk.”
“Thanks.”
Ginny led Seamus to a spot near Lavender and did her best not to look across the room at Draco. She tuned out the awkward flirting going on between her friends. When lunch was over, Seamus took off with Lavender.
Ron took his turn as her escort. He seemed to sense she didn’t want to talk, so he didn’t press her. He dropped her at the door to her classroom and bolted to his own class.
After setting her bookbag down, Ginny decided to run to the loo. When she emerged from the stall, Draco waited for her by the sinks.
“This is the girls loo,” she objected.
“We need to talk.”
His tone made the hair on the back of her neck stand up. She edged toward the door. “Sorry. I have class.”
He grabbed her arm and held tight. His grip was firm, but not hard enough to hurt her. “I do not want to see you in the company of another male. Do you understand?”
She didn’t. But, the look in his eyes told her that wasn’t a smart answer. “Friends are walking me to class to protect me from you. I didn’t realize you were crazy enough to follow me into the loo.”
“Even though I don’t want you, you are still mine.” He emphasized each word like that might help her understand.
He was mental. She started to tell him just that, but reasoned his pain threshold was higher than hers and he might have no reservations about causing himself pain if it also hurt her. She took a deep breath and blew it out. It was up to her to be the rational one. “Tell me why you’re upset.”
He sneered. “I’m upset because Potter had his arm around you at breakfast this morning and Seamus had his hands on you before lunch.”
Her mouth dropped open. “They weren’t flirting with me. They were consoling me.”
“I don’t care.”
Deciding to take a stand, she got in his face. “You scare me. As long as you keep scaring me, I will ask other males to protect me from you.”
He released her arm. “If I see another boy touch you, I will hurt him."
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