Ginny coughed violently, the unexpected Apparition making her want to vomit. Disoriented, she tried to take in her surroundings. Every inch of the room seemed designed to flaunt the wealth of the owners. Lush green furniture surrounded her, complete with dark wood and a vaulted cathedral ceiling. She didn’t recognize the place, but boy was it gorgeous.

Draco awkwardly brushed himself off from their encounter. “There was a hex on your door. Don’t know if you noticed, but I’m pretty sure it was also a Death Eater ambush. I saw at least three.”

Now she did feel sick. She hadn’t noticed, not at all. So much for constant vigilance, she inwardly berated herself.

“Malfoy?!” the fireplace screeched. “Malfoy, what have you done with Ginny? Is she safe?”

Draco walked over. “She’s safe. Stop worrying.” He severed the connection.

Finally, she noticed the other occupants of the room, staring at her. Goyle, sitting on the couch, and...a blonde woman who looked remarkably like Draco. Ginny felt like an underdressed insect before that woman’s gaze.

“Was that Hermione?” Ginny asked lamely, avoiding the other question.

Draco nodded. “I had to get your address from her.” He looked at her in puzzlement. “Why don’t you have a Floo?”

Ginny shrugged, feeling the woman’s scrutiny increase. “I don’t have a fireplace?” She looked around again. “Are we...are we in…?”

Draco flushed. “Welcome to Malfoy Manor. This is my mother, Narcissa. Mother, this is Ginevra Weasley, Lieutenant of my squad.”

Narcissa inclined her head by way of greeting. “Can I have the House Elves get you anything, Ginevra?”

Ginny smiled as best she could manage. “Some water would be great, thanks.”

A House Elf nearly instantly handed her a glass.

Her son grimaced. “Sorry, this was the only safe place I could think of.”

Narcissa looked at him oddly. “Draco, why would you apologize for taking her to your home?”

“I didn’t have time to ask,” he replied, flushing again. “It’s not normally polite to ambush someone and Apparate them anywhere, let alone to a place she’s never been, owned by people who have hated her family for years.”

Ginny forced a smile. That summed it up nicely, but she wished the elephant in the room hadn’t been addressed quite so directly.

Narcissa turned to her then, genuine compassion on her face. “How long will you need to be staying?”

Ginny started to reply that it wasn’t necessary, but Draco cut her off. “She’ll be here for the night, undoubtedly. Any longer than that will be up to her.”

She looked at him in shock. “What?”

“You have Death Eaters after you. Likely because you’re the member of the squad they’d least mind seeing dead.” He laid the facts out evenly. “You need to be somewhere with wards and Aurors on hand in case the first fail. Definitely three, possibly more than five, Death Eaters are out there right now, with Macnair to guide them. Where would you rather be?”

“Well, I…” she racked her brain, trying to think of anyone she could stay with who fit the bill. All of the Aurors in her family would have the proper wards, but every one of them was furious with her. And only Harry or Hermione offered truly decent protection, but there was no way in the world she’d reopen that sack of cats so quickly. “A night here would be great,” she concluded awkwardly, hating to impose on the Malfoys, of all people.

Draco nodded as if the solution had been obvious. "Mother, will the fourth floor guest room be a problem?"

Narcissa shook her head. "Not at all. Hopefully it's out of the way enough to give her some privacy, too." She turned to Ginny. "Should I have one of the House Elves Floo over to get your things?"

Draco winced. "It's likely her flat's compromised. I didn't detect enough wards to keep someone determined out."

Ginny never had been good with wards, and only now realized how vulnerable that left her. "I'll be fine with what I have till tomorrow."

Scandalized, Narcissa gaped at the girl. "I won't have that in my house. I'll get you proper things." Happily on a mission, she swept out.

"I'll show you to your room," Draco awkwardly volunteered.

She followed him up four flights of the grand staircase. At the end of the second hallway, he opened a door for her. Ginny nearly gasped. The single room could easily hold her entire flat. If she wasn't mistaken, a gigantic bathroom attached on the left and... Her thoughts derailed as she headed for the most beautiful thing of all.

From the door, Draco chuckled. "A bit bigger than you're used to?"

"A bit," she replied distractedly. One wall was covered in floor to ceiling windows, and a gorgeous balcony. From the fourth floor, the view of the Malfoy grounds was breathtaking. A massive forest stretched across the hills with the glitter of water barely visible off in the distance. "Is that a real lake?"

"Yes," he replied proudly, coming to stand by her elbow. "It's fairly nice in summer, but the Quidditch pitch is my personal favorite."

Ginny's heart melted when she spotted it. "Regulation sized?"

"If we built stands, it could host the World Cup without breaking a rule. Merlin, Ginny, you don't have to drool." He flashed her an amused smile. "Go down and try it out."

"But my broom..." she answered lamely, internally wishing to do just that.

Draco rolled his eyes. "Come on, I'll show you where we keep the brooms."

Who was she to say no?

"I can't believe you built your own Quidditch pitch," she said. The three hoops towered over them as they approached across the lawn.

Draco shrugged. "Why wouldn't we?"

'Expensive' and 'excessive' were the only excuses she could think of, but didn't think Draco would understand either. Besides, she quite liked expensive and excessive when it came to Quidditch.

He opened the locker room, shelves on the walls stacked with Quidditch gear of every kind. Her gawking seemed to please Draco. "Glad someone appreciates quality."

Ginny nodded, touching the leather reverently. She strapped the padding on, taking the Firebolt he offered her. At the sleek wooden handle, she grinned. "Race you to the posts!" she yelled, jumping on. Careening out the narrow door, she shot upwards, spinning happily as she soared through the tallest hoop.

Moments later, Draco tore out of the locker room. She could see his scowl as he flew towards her. "That was cheating, and you knew it."

She grinned. "Yep!" And flipped upside down for good measure. Being back on a broom felt marvelous.

He tossed a quaffle at her, and she caught it upside down, impressing even herself. Not confident enough to throw upside down, she flipped back over before chucking it at his face.

It smacked against his palm as he caught it. "I've heard the rumor that you're a decent Chaser," he drawled.

She grinned. "Oh? Just cause the Holyhead Harpies asked me to try out?"

He rolled his eyes at her. "Merlin, Ginny, you turned them down to be an Auror?"

He chucked the ball back at her, and she caught it easily. "Hey, I felt my life's calling was being yelled at by Slytherins. Who was I to say no?"

Shaking his head in amusement, he tucked the quaffle behind him. "I don't know how we'd play with just the two of us..."

"We could trade off defending?"

Draco looked like she'd sprouted a tentacle. "I hate defending."

"Cause you suck at it?" she asked mischievously.

"I do not suck," and, anticipating her reply, he added, "nor do I have to prove it to you."

Ginny sighed dramatically. "You're no fun."

He raised an eyebrow skeptically. "That I might have to prove." With a jerk of his head, he indicated that she follow as he sped off into the quickly darkening night.

Never one to turn down a challenge, she darted after him in a flash.

He tore off over the trees. With a look back to make sure she followed, he swooped down amongst them.

Ginny dropped instantly. She barely kept sight of him. Swerving frantically through the forest, it took everything she had to stay on his tail. He'd obviously been down this route many times before. Ginny had the disadvantage of picking it up on the fly.

Abruptly, Draco stopped. He grinned as she pulled up next to him. “Perhaps the Quidditch reports weren’t too much of an exaggeration.”

But she saw why he’d stopped. The lake stretched before them, barely catching the last remaining rays of sunlight. Untamed enough to still be wilderness, yet trimmed enough to be habitable, Ginny thought it the epitome of natural beauty.

He hopped off his broom and smirked back at her. “Are you planning to sit up there the whole time?”

She jumped off, setting her broom next to his and followed him out farther. A rock jutted over the lake, the perfect height to dip your feet in from, as Draco slipped his boots off and demonstrated. Happily, she followed suit. The water lapped cool and clean against her toes as she enjoyed the view of the low waterfall on the other side.

“How did you do anything but live out here?” Ginny asked honestly. “This is too beautiful to miss.”

He laughed easily. “I tried, one summer. Only managed to convince Mum that I was going native, and to enroll me in the proper classes for a young gentleman.”

“It’s a shame, it really is,” she shook her head, fighting her grin. “I mean, the classes were obviously wasted anyway. I don’t think anything can fix you.”

“I resent that!” He tried to sound angry but couldn’t quite manage. “I’ll have you know I’m the image of perfection for the proper pure-blooded wizard!”

She couldn’t have stopped herself if she’d wanted to; the moment was just too perfect.

Ginny pushed Draco into the lake.

He toppled over without resistance, utter shock the last thing she saw on his face before he slid under. In retrospect, she realized it might’ve been more than their budding friendship could handle.

Draco resurfaced, spluttering and gasping for air. “Weasley!” he yelled, furiously thrashing. “Get me out of this damned lake!”

Instantly regretting her impulse decision, she grabbed his flailing hand. “I’m so sorry, Draco! I didn’t--”

With a sharp tug, he pulled her tumbling in after.

The water was freezing! Her laughter didn’t help her catch her breath. “I didn’t know you had it in you!”

The Slytherin grinned, treading water easily. “Likewise.”

They flopped up on the sandy shore, both eager to get out of the nearly-frozen water. The night air felt delightfully warm in comparison.

“This is nice,” Ginny commented, mostly to herself. She stretched languidly, lacing her fingers underneath her head. The stars peeked through, and even though they weren't as bright as from the Burrow, she still enjoyed the view.

Draco turned towards her, the small motion making her realize how closely they were lying, how intimate it might seem. He looked back up at the stars. “You don’t have to feel like you’re imposing, to stay longer.”

She waited for him to say more, but nothing followed. “I’ll keep that in mind,” she finally responded.

“I take it your family’s still plenty mad at you?”

“Yeah,” she sighed. “They would understand a mistake, but can’t begin to comprehend why I’m still on the squad. Harry offered me a job on ‘Literally any other squad, Ginny.’” she said in a perfect imitation of the man.

“The slimy git,” Draco growled.

Lightly, she put a hand on Draco’s arm. “He just wanted to make sure I knew I wasn’t stuck.” At Draco’s shocked look, she removed her offending hand.

He scowled again, but not as harshly. “He didn’t care that it would’ve ruined the squad, to lose the one outside member.”

Ginny shrugged. “He didn’t know. He doesn’t think that far ahead.”

Draco turned on his side, raising an eyebrow at her. “You’re saying he would have cared, had he known?”

As much as she wished it were otherwise, Ginny shook her head. “No, you know him too. I’m just saying to accuse him of the proper crime.”

Draco flopped back, apparently satisfied with that. “Have you spoken with them since?”

“Just Harry and Hermione at the meeting. I know how stubborn my family is, and I see no reason to willingly get lectured for hours.”

“Well, you have one friend who’s not about to lecture you for sticking with the Slytherin Squad.”

“Who’s that, Blaise? I seem to recall a certain Captain doing everything he could to get me to leave.” Ginny hid her shock at his calling her a friend. Inside, it gave her a warm little glow.

Draco raised a finger importantly. “Everything he could short of getting you to leave. There’s a distinction.”

Ginny chuckled darkly. “You have no idea how close I came to leaving after the tea incident.”

He turned to her then, puppy-dog eyes in full effect. “But you make bloody fantastic tea!”

She laughed, swatting him away. “Don’t give me that! Your conniving ways aren’t enough to get your tea privileges reinstated!”

“I didn’t even know you gave out tea privileges! What is required for admittance to this exclusive club?” he asked with playful eagerness. “Speak quickly, woman, I must know!”

Laughing uproariously, she could barely handle the excitement in his face. "Yes, the feats of Hercules are nothing next to the Tea Feats of Ginevra Weasley!"

"Tea Feats of Draco Malfoy," he corrected. "Unless you're going to do them for me, then by all means go ahead."

Laughing, they lay quietly a while longer, simply enjoying the other's presence. She hadn't expected to find him so easy to talk to. The stars twinkled softly above, the moon bright enough to give plenty of light.

Treating the silence as a fragile creature, Ginny finally asked, “What made you decide to become an Auror?” The question had been bouncing through her brain since the moment she saw him at the Ministry.

He sighed deeply, stretching his arms above him in the sand. “I already mentioned the prejudice, and wanting Slytherins to stop assuming they’re evil.”

“I know,” she replied quietly. “I meant you. And why Aurors?”

His mouth twitched with a hint of a smile. “Maybe I just got fed up with feeling sorry for myself and my wreck of a life. I tried doing something for a change, and found I quite liked it.” His smile widened into a smirk. “And I figured the Aurors would be the least prejudiced, once I showed them I was capable.” Draco looked pointedly over at her. “Maybe I wasn’t right on all counts, but there are enough exceptions to make it worth it.”

Ginny laughed, feeling a strange tightening in her chest. “I hope you don’t mean just me. That’s a lot of pressure for one little Auror.”

“I don’t,” he replied lightly, looking back at the stars. “I was on a squad before forming this one,” Draco added softly. “Where Richard Murstow, the one who died, was Lieutenant. I was only there a year, but by the end, no one cared that it was me guarding their back, they just considered it guarded. And that’s a trust I won’t easily forget.”

He turned back to her, grey eyes regarding her in the moonlight. “What about you? I bet everyone just assumes you did it because of your last name.”

Ginny nodded, surprised he even thought to ask. He was right on all counts, especially the rare guess that the common assumption was wrong. “My family’s always been protective of me. Only girl, youngest child, all that wrapped up in a nice neat package with my name on it. So of course, no one listened to me when I said I wanted to fight. When I made a difference when I did fight. I went along with their wishes at the Battle of Hogwarts, but…” Her voice trailed off as she held back the onslaught of memories. She had only told her reasons to Hermione and Luna before. “But Fred nearly died while I was safely hidden. Watching from the sidelines always made me sick, but I lost all patience with it after that.”

Draco’s brow furrowed as he watched her intently. “It’s not like you could have stopped it. We might not even be here having this conversation.”

“My whole family, Harry and Hermione--it never stopped any of them!” she bit out, anger rising. “Even Percy, bureaucrat extraordinaire, was out there trading spells. Me? I cared for the wounded.”

“And dueled Bellatrix, from what I hear,” Draco drawled. “Don’t get too carried away with that guilt.”

Despite herself, it made her smile. “Watching my mother take Bellatrix down, I knew what I wanted to do with the rest of my life.”

“Oh? What’s that, stay home and raise a gaggle of children, occasionally defeating the most feared witch in the land when she happens to threaten them?”

Ginny punched his arm lightly. “Never have to hide again, you dolt.”

Draco chuckled. “Well I hope hiding here at Malfoy Manor doesn’t count.”

She rolled her eyes. “No, I usually go around hunting Death Eaters by the droves while wearing a sign saying, ‘Come and Get It’.”

He shrugged good-naturedly. “Isn’t that what Gryffindors do best?"

Ginny glared at him. "It takes a special brand of stupid to think that's what bravery means."

"True enough," Draco chuckled. "But you did say never hide again, without qualifications."

Exasperation tinged her voice. "Never HAVE to hide. Train, so that if I want to fight the next Bellatrix singlehandedly, I darn well can. Nothing but my own fear will stop me."

“I don’t understand that,” he sighed. “Wanting danger. But that doesn’t make it any less--” His mouth twisted into a sneer around the word. “--noble.”

A snort escaped Ginny. “Merlin, Draco, you can even make that into an insult! I must say I’m impressed.”

He laughed lightly along with her as they lapsed back into silence.

"Do you want to go in?" Draco asked eventually.

She wished he hadn't asked, but reluctantly agreed.

Still grinning, they entered into the house. Narcissa’s disapproving glare stopped the Aurors cold. Belatedly, Ginny remembered that she was half-wet and covered in dirt from the shore, her hair most likely a lopsided frizzy monstrosity. A sight more fitting for the Gringotts dungeons than for her well-bred son, Ginny would bet. Narcissa stalked off without a word.

Tight-lipped, Draco turned to her. "I trust you can find your room?"

Ginny nodded, waving goodbye, and hurried off. The four flights of stairs took forever with her thoughts churning. All she could think about was cleaning herself up. She wasn't sure why it mattered so much, but his mother's disapproving glare kept replaying in her mind.

Upon reaching her room, she saw that the wardrobe held quite a few options of clothes, with a tag informing her they came with a tailoring charm, and that it was the least Narcissa could do for the girl who helped her son.

It lessened the sting of their previous interaction. Ginny found the nightgown, and set it out for after her bath. Her bathroom had a giant sized bathtub, and she intended to make the most of it.

"What were you and the Weasley girl doing out late last night?" his mother asked over breakfast the next morning, trying and failing to sound casual.

Draco stabbed his eggs, viciously chewing them. "I was just showing her the grounds."

She looked surprised at that. "How did the two of you get sopping wet?"

"I showed her the lake," he answered curtly, disliking interrogations.

The bay window of the sunroom bathed the warm glow of the morning sun over the small breakfast table. Goyle plopped into the seat next to Draco, eagerly dishing the food.

"Gregory, dear, what have I said? If you've made a mountain, it's too much." Narcissa handed his friend the proper utensils.

Ginny walked in behind the House Elf, looking vaguely uncomfortable. The sunroom was small, clearly not their formal dining area, and clearly reserved for family. Draco was slightly shocked. Ginny took good care of herself, but in robes of the highest fashion, she looked like a proper pureblood.

Draco stood, pulling out the remaining chair for her. Blushing scarlet, she seated herself with an embarrassed, "Thanks."

"Gregory," Narcissa instructed with long-suffering patience, "what are you to do when a Lady enters the room?"

"I'm s'posed to stand and stuff," he responded around a mouthful of food. "But she's a...she's a..."

"A Lady," Draco finished for him, face tight.

"Could you pass me the jam, Draco?" Ginny asked, diffusing the situation. He gratefully passed it.

It reminded him of something he'd wanted to show her, and he passed the morning's Daily Prophet as well.

She took it, looking skeptical. "They finally ran the report on Slytherin Squad?"

Draco shook his head. "That was yesterday, and highly unflattering. Bottom of the front page."

Narcissa smiled thinly at her son. "Are newspapers at the table really necessary?"

"It's important," he responded.

"I've been declared missing?!" Ginny nearly screeched. "And my flat's burned down. Wonderful, just wonderful."

"The Muggle Extinguishers arrived in time to save half of the building" Draco added, having scoured the article earlier. "But unfortunately not your half."

Ginny looked like she wanted to set fire to the offending article. "I can't believe they'd just declare me missing though. It hasn't even been a full day!"

He shrugged. "News must be slow. I really shouldn't be surprised that Granger didn't take my word that you were fine." Her eyes still glued to the article, Draco added, "You haven't gotten to the best part."

Ginny gasped, announcing that she had just gotten there. "They put the Dark Mark in the sky?"

Draco nodded sagely. "The incompetency of which speaks highly to Macnair being involved, as not even a Muggle was killed."

Ginny and his mother both glared at him. "It's true, isn't it?" he said to defend himself, unsuccessfully. "You have to be fairly incompetent to not kill someone who doesn't have a wand."

Ginny rolled her eyes at him, but his mother continued glaring. "Not at the table, Draco."

The grand clock in the hall rang, announcing, "You'll be late soon!"

They stood, the dishes disappearing, as they prepared to Apparate over to the Ministry. His mother walked out. He stayed Ginny with a light touch on her arm. She turned expectantly, but Draco waited until Goyle Apparated away.

"If anyone asks," Draco whispered, "don't say that you're staying here. They'll never assume it otherwise."

Ginny nodded, but he could tell she didn't understand. "I'll just say I'm with my Aunt Muriel."

He shook his head violently. "That's easy to disprove. Just say it's an undisclosed location, and let them assume you're with your aunt."

She understood finally. "You think I'm still in that much danger?"

He didn't want to tell her, but knew if things got worse, not telling could be disastrous. "I think we all are. I knew I was ever since Richard died. I'm assuming my wards are strong enough, but..."

"But you don't want to push it," she finished, and he agreed. A frown crossed her face. "Does Goyle know not to...?"

Shit. He Disapparated instantly.

Warrington grinned at Draco's arrival. "So I hear our sexy little Lieutenant’s shacking up with you! Nice, Captain. Real generous, hogging her all to yourself, though."

Draco massaged the bridge of his nose. Did no one have a shred of common sense without him?! "That is classified information. If either of you tells a soul, I will have your hide. Do I make myself clear?"

"Oh, sure," Warrington chuckled, not the least bit concerned. "Loud and clear."

“I’m serious!” Draco snapped. “This could endanger everyone--”

The crack of Apparition interrupted him.

“Helloooo, Lieutenant,” Warrington drawled, eyeing her proper robes. “You’re looking mighty fine today.”

Ginny blushed. “My Auror robes blew up, if you haven’t heard.”

Warrington raised an eyebrow, far too amused for Draco’s liking. “Why didn’t you borrow one of Malfoy’s then?”

Ginny looked at Draco in confusion. “He knows,” Draco snapped. “And they’re both the biggest idiots I’ve ever set eyes on.” He stalked off to his usual chair, snatching his clipboard with much more force than necessary.

Warrington didn’t seem to notice the insult. “Not so concerned with her being a blood-traitor now, are you?”

Draco fumed. He hadn’t thought of her as a blood-traitor since she joined the squad, and here Warrington was, acting like Draco--! He bottled his anger, and in his calmest voice, replied, “We’re all blood-traitors now, Warrington. If you haven’t noticed.”

The slightly older man shrugged, casually leaning back. “True enough.”

The crack of another Apparition split the air. All four of them wheeled, drawing their wands.

Daphne raised her hands. “I come in peace! If you louts aren’t doing anything else, you should go to St. Mungo’s.” She Disapparated.

The louts shrugged, not doing anything else, and followed her over.