CHAPTER SIX - In Which Draco and Ginny Supervise Detention

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Draco stared back at Yvette stonily. This proud girl who stood with confidence and grace was the product of a drunken fling between a half veela and a Deatheater.

Yvette met his eyes with an even stare. As usual, both wore passive miens but below the masks lay calculating minds.

"What do you want, Delacour?" Draco replied, finally.

Yvette smiled and sauntered to one of two leather armchairs set by the lifeless dormitory fireplace. "Aren't you going to invite me to sit?" she questioned with a wink.

"Sit if you want," he said coldly. "It's not as if I'm going to stop you."

Yvette must have taken this as a merry consent for she plopped down in one of the chairs and grinned impishly at him. He sat in the chair opposite of her and folded his arms expectantly.

"Well?" she asked, leaning forward.

"Well what?" Draco retorted, his voice saturated with irritation. "Do you expect me to offer you tea?"

Yvette opened her mouth to reply but all that came out was a weary sigh. "Draco, I'm not here to play games." Her eyes hadn't left his since the beginning of the conversation, but she now tore them away from his unmoving gaze.

"Who's playing?" he drawled lazily.

Yvette's soft, endearing eyes sharpened as they resumed their contact with Draco's grey pupils. "I'm serious. I need to talk to you."
He raised his chin as if to examine her face for signs of deceit. Slowly, he nodded. "Alright, Yvette. What do you want to talk about?"

"Surely, you must know. My visit here is about Ginny."

"The Weasley girl? What about her?"

"Oh, come on, Draco. I'm not blind. I can see how you look at her."

"How do I look at her then?"

"Draco!" Yvette cried in exasperation. "No games, remember? Are you serious about her or just playing around?"

"Why would I tell you, even if something was going on?"

"Because!" she hissed " You owe it to me."

Draco eyes became penetrating as they bore deeper into Yvette’s glistening pools of vision. Slowly, he nodded and broke into a reluctant smile. "You want to know what’s happening between me and Ginny?"

"That’s what I said," she replied, leaning back into the antique leather chair.

Draco nodded again. "Alright. Can you keep a secret?"

"A secret? Of course! I’m one of the best secret keepers in the-"

"Fine, fine," he cut her off. " Just promise to tell no one of this. It’s a family thing."

"Between us cousins?" Yvette asked sarcastically.

"You could say that."

"Yes, I promise to tell no one"

"Good, because like it or not, half of your blood flows from the prestigious Malfoy family tree."

"So.."

"There is an ancient curse concerning us Malfoy's and the Weasley's."

"Yes?"

"Have you ever wondered why Ginny doesn’t have any sisters, aunts or female cousins?"

"No, actually."

"Have you ever wondered why you don’t have any sisters, aunts…"

"Oh, but I do! Many, many aunts and-"

"All on your mothers side, of course."

"That is true. Well, go on. What is the curse?"

"The curse itself doesn't really matter. What it comes down to is that Ginny and I must get married by my twentieth birthday."

Yvette’s lips twisted in to a smile. "That is not so bad. I thought the curse was going to kill us all."

Draco winced. "Actually if Ginny and I don't marry, all the Malfoy's and Weasley's will die a slow and painful death."

"Oh. That sounds…awful."

"Yes, it does," Draco agreed.

"So all this time you have been wooing Ginny to save your own skin?"

"Mine, yours and the rest of the Malfoy bloodline."

"And the Weasley's."

"I guess so."

"Why you? Why Ginny? Why not Ron and I?"

"The curse calls for a Malfoy male to marry a Weasley female. For hundreds of years the curse was avoided because our ancestor created a counter-spell. The counter-spell caused both families to have only sons. For one reason or another Ginny was born and here I am, stuck with her."

"Stuck with her?" Yvette raised an eyebrow. "What I want to know is if you’re just stuck with her or if there's something more."

A long silence ensued.

"Well?" she questioned.

"I don’t know," he answered finally.

"What do you mean you don't know?"

"I don’t know what’s going on between us," he repeated, annoyed.

She stared blankly at him with wide eyes, processing the information. Understanding dawned on her and she burst into laughter.

"I never thought I’d hear those words pass through your lips," she said, still giggling.

"Be quiet," he snapped. "Everyone will hear you."

"I’m sure the sound of a girl's laughter from your dorm room will only enhance your reputation."

Draco smirked. "I don’t think my reputation needs any help from you."

Yvette smiled back as she walked to the door. "I think your reputation needs as much help as it can get."

Draco opened his mouth to reply as the door closed silently. He closed his mouth and the corners turned upwards for a short moment.

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"Wow, Yvette this is-," Hermione scanned the yard long scroll Yvette had handed her. "Wow, this is great. How did you find the time?"

Yvette smiled with pleasure. "Oh, I managed," she replied. "Though I still don’t quite understand why we had to do a report on the Dark Arts. We’re just a group of detention overseers."

Hermione paused thoughtfully. " Well… maybe the professors want to expand our knowledge?"

Yvette nodded and flopped back in to the comfortable common room chairs.

"Hermione, what do you think of Ron?"

"Hmmm?" Hermione said, lifting her head from her inspection of Yvette’s report.

"Well…I mean," Yvette stuttered out. "Do you like him?"

Hermione spluttered. "Like Ron? Romantically?"

Yvette nodded sheepishly.

"No, of course not, I going out with HARRY," Hermoine replied, eyeing her suspiciously.

"I know that," Yvette cried "It’s just…I mean would you be jealous…would it be okay with you if Ron and I became a couple?"

"What?" Hermione said looking dazed.

Yvette stared back worriedly.

Hermione smiled. "Of course not. He’s my FRIEND."

"So was Harry," Yvette pointed out

"That’s true," she replied slowly. "But that was different. I always knew, in the back of my mind, Harry could become something more than a friend. Ron’s different. I don’t know how. But…it was different."

Yvette grinned happily. "I understand."

****************

The next few weeks passed without incident. Assignments piled high as the school year neared midterm finals. Hermione began her annual rampage of studying. Nevertheless, she and Harry continued to ride along smoothly in the road of their relationship. Yvette seemed to forget about Dean, devoting much of her attention to Ron instead. Ginny kept her end of the promise, giving Draco a chance at earning her friendship. They spent a great deal of time together working as partners in the detention committee. Slowly, she began to see past his unkind exterior, getting a glimpse beyond the icy barriers. So life at Hogwarts, School of Wizardry, rolled on without a hitch as Christmas came around the corner.

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The Great Hall clamored with the clatter of plates mingling with the incessant conversation. It was six days prior to Christmas and the winter holiday decorations were set up. Snow dusted pinecones and wreaths were visible everywhere. Mistletoe and lavish displays of the season's colors adorned the Hogwarts castle. The older students were busy discussing the upcoming Winter Ball.

At the Slytherin table, Pansy sat by Draco obviously desperate for his attention. She pushed her body against his in a despairing attempt of seduction. Pansy nearly dropped her prurient exterior when she noticed Draco starring off. Again!!! Usually he seemed interested or at the least acknowledged her presence. Tonight, like almost every night this year, he stared blankly in to space.

Not truly blankly, Pansy conceded. His focus was always on the Gryffindor table. At first she believed it was the usual bitterness he held for Harry Potter, but somehow this was different.

Pansy sniffed and turned away angrily. What was she supposed to do for the winter dance? Draco had not asked her and the ball was six days away. She focused her angry glare at Potter and his annoying friends sitting at the Gryffindor table. They would pay.

****

Meanwhile at the Gryffindor table, Ginny and Yvette chattered cheerfully over their breakfast.

"I hear Ron’s asked you to the dance," Ginny said.

"Yep," Yvette replied enthusiastically. "He used to be a rather dangly thing, but he’s grown. His shoulders are so sturdy and he’s so tall and I just love his eyes and freckles… they make him so adorable."

Ginny nodded her head slightly, her eyebrow raised. "Yvette, you do remember he’s my brother, right? I don’t really want to hear how handsome he is."

"Sorry." Yvette apologized sheepishly. "So Ginny, who do you want to go with?" she asked cautiously.

"Oh, I don’t know," Ginny responded airily. "Did you know? Claire and Ben Moory … you know the cute 7th year, are going together."

"Really? I never thought of them as a couple. Margaret said yes to Simon and hmm… and Harry and Hermione are going together of course." she continued as the pair walked by.

"Yes I know," Ginny replied, only a trifle sullen.

"Oh, I’m sorry. I forgot…" Yvette trailed off

Ginny shook her head. "It’s alright. I’m over him but…My feelings towards Harry were just based on what I heard of him. I never got to really know him. I only liked him for his glamour …not like Hermione."

"You sound like your trying to convince yourself."

"Look Yvette. There are so many attractive guys at this school. Do you really think that I’m stupid enough to sit by and pine away over Harry?"

"I supposed you're right. It's about time, Ginny. I'm proud of you."

"Thanks," she replied slowly. "It’s too bad I was that stupid," she added silently to her self.

"So who do you want to ask to the ball?"

"Well… Colin Creevey asked me."

"And you did not tell me?!" Yvette gushed excitedly. By some miracle, the skinny and awkward amateur photographer had transformed into a lanky and silky-voiced young man who graced the dreams of Hogwart's female population.

"I turned him down."

"Turned him down? Why?"

"I know. I can’t believe any boy even noticed me next to you," Ginny said with more than a trace of envy. "Not to mention Colin."

"Oh, Ginny. I am part veela. My blood makes me…what is the word… entice. But you, boys like you because of your outer and inner beauty. They only see me as a pretty face."

"That’s not true. Ron likes you for your personality."

"He knows me. Most of those other do not. Anyway, why did you turn down Colin?"

"I don’t know…Well, you see…Draco Malfoy asked me to give him a month," Ginny blurted out.

"A month? For what?"

"To fall in love with him."

"I see," Yvette said amused. "Well, have you?"

"Yvette!!" Ginny cried. "Well… he’s not as bad as I thought," she admitted. "Anyhow, I promised him a month and a deal’s a deal."

Yvette smiled knowingly. "But does that mean you're going to the dance together? What does Ron have to say; he hates Draco Malfoy."

"I know, but I think Ron is the least of my problems." Ginny leaned forward and lowered her voice. "You know, my entire family, with the exception of Ron seem to want Malfoy and I to be together. Even Dumbledore seems to be pushing us at each other."

"Really…"

"And you know what else?" Ginny leaned forward. " Maybe it’s my imagination, but Malfoy and I have had to spend a lot of time together because of the detention committee."

"I’ve noticed," Yvette interceded dryly

"And whenever I’m angry with him I tend to get tired, dizzy, and feel like fainting."

Yvette inhaled sharply. "Are you sure Ginny? Have you told anyone?"

"No. Like I said, it could be my imagination."

"Let’s hope so," Yvette said quietly

"Speaking of Draco," Ginny whispered urgently. "Don’t look now but guess who’s coming."

"Good morning, Yvette," Draco’s voice greeted them. Yvette smiled in response. He nodded at Ginny. "Weasley."

She nodded back pertly. "Malfoy"

"We have detention duty today. I just received an owl about it," he informed her, the parchment still in his hands.

"How come I didn’t get one?" she questioned, feeling mildly insulted.

"They probably only sent it to one partner in each group," he said, tossing her the scroll.

"If you say so…" Ginny trailed off as she unrolled and read the message.

"I have to go now," Draco told her. "Meet me on the West lawn at ten to four. Bye, Yvette."

"Bye, Draco," Yvette answered, winking.

He and Ginny exchanged a long glance. Finally Draco nodded curtly and walked away.

****************

The sun drooped towards the horizon, dimming the winter sky with its wilting effort. Six detention students gathered by the west shore of the lake. Ginny consulted the scroll Draco had handed her.

"Well, they’re all here," she announced to no one in particular. "That Hufflepuff girl and those two Gryfindors are first years. They were caught wandering in the halls after hours. That second year Slytherin sitting by himself poured salt in Flitwick's tea and those two Ravenclaw boys turned two Slytherins into mice. Let’s see…" Ginny scrutinized the list. "That’s it. Let’s take roll. Anne Callaway?" she called.

"Present," the Hufflepuff girl squeaked.

Ginny smiled at her and looked back to the list. "Roman Lawson?" she called. No one answered. After a long pause, she examined each face trying to see which student fit the name. She heard low chuckle behind her; she spun and glared at Draco. He was immaculate, as always, leaning against a tree.

Ginny sighed. "Since Roman decided to skip detention he will be given double time. He'll spend the extra hour cleaning the storage room and his name will be sent to the Headmaster," she declared, hoping she actually held the authority to carry out the threats.

The Hufflepuff girl raised her hand.

"Yes, Anne?"

"Roman is right there ma'am," she pointed out the Slytherin boy with a quavering voice.

Ginny stared him, expecting a reaction of some sort. "Since Roman cannot speak for himself the punishment stills stands."

Roman said nothing but glared haughtily at her. Finally to Ginny’s relief, Draco called out, "Roman Lawson?"

"Present," drawled the second year Slytherin.

Draco glanced back to the parchment and swiftly finished calling the names on the list. Ginny silently thanked Dumbledore for paring her with a Slytherin, even if it was Malfoy.

She stood beside him as the group of dentionees grumbled among themselves. Her eyes scanned the remainder of the scroll. Professor Sprouts jagged handwriting explained the spells they were to use on the lake. Apparently the lawn gnomes learned to swim and consumed all the food in the water intended for the lakes’ creatures, tipping the ecosystem.

One of the spells would cause a gnome to fly out of the lake while another spell would annul any damage the gnomes had caused. A third would feed the lake's wildlife.

"Done reading yet?" Draco’s voice rang out in here ear. He stood behind her, close enough to breathe down her neck. For some reason Ginny didn’t mind their proximity. She inhaled the subtle scent of his aftershave; he smelled like wintergrass, lemon, and…mint. For a split second, she closed her eyes and indulged in the alluring aroma. Then, she spun around and faced him.

"Of course I'm done. I was waiting for you to finish."

"Right Weasley.." he smirked. They spent a moment looking at each other silently.

"Ms. Weasley and Mr. Malfoy sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G…," a Gryffindor girl sang out.

Ginny shot her a deadly sharp glare. The girl only grinned at her expectantly.

"Okay everyone. Repeat after me," Ginny ordered imperiously. "Vescor!"

"Vescor," they obeyed in a dull chorus.

"This will feed the fish and other lake creatures," she explained. "Now, on to the next spell. Ameveo."

"Ameveo," they repeated.

"This will cause gnomes to fly out of the lake. You’ll have to have your wand within two feet of the gnome you’re pointing at."

"But the gnomes are in the lake," one of the Hufflepuff girl pointed. "How are we supposed to get to them?"

"Let me finish. I’ll explain that part after you learn the third spell. It’s abstergo."

Once again, they repeated after her in an unenthusiastic chorus. "Abstergo."

"This spell will tidy up any mess the gnomes left behind. Now, you’ll need to get into groups of two." Ginny commanded

Draco smiled amused as the two Gryffindor girls partnered up, as did the Ravenclaw pair. The Hufflepuff girl and the Slytherin boy stood alone, both looking mildly dismayed.

"Anne, go with Roman," he ordered. All the students turned to him in surprise. He had put Hufflepuff with a Slytherin. It was like dumping a gopher into a pit with a starved snake.

Anne looked warily at the Slytherin boy. She had heard he once transfigured some poor girl in to lizard. She gulped and looked to Ginny for help. Not only did the boy have a cruel look about him, but he was a year older as well.

"Anne, go on," Ginny said gently. She shot a menacing glare at Roman as if to say, "Do anything to her and I’ll jab holes through your liver with my wand." He simply smirked at her.

"Now in your groups, you’ll take turns using Wingardium Leviosa on one another in order to get within two feet of a gnome to cast the spells. Any questions?"

She received no response. "Well then, get to work."

As the students trudged dishearteningly towards the lake banks, Ginny turned to Draco.

"Malfoy, why did you do that to the poor girl?" she commented angrily.

"No reason." He shrugged.

"No reason?" Ginny nearly shrieked with infuriation. The impending argument met a tangent as a large splash was resounded throughout the clearing, followed by the cackling sound of Roman's laughter.

The Slytherin boy rolled on the ground guffawing raucously at the girl floundering in the middle of the lake.

Draco sighed, lifting his left hand to rub his forehead. "Give me your wand, Weasley."

Ginny whirled around to face him again. She looked suspiciously at his outstretched hand. "Don't you have your own?"

"No, I left them in my quidditch robes."

She reluctantly placed the hand-me-down wand from Percy into his hand. Draco grasped the wand with concentration. He pointed it at Anne. "Wingardium Leviosa."

His recitation of the spell was answered with a small crack that echoed in the small clearing. The Hufflepuff girl was levitated momentarily before she fell back into the lake.

Ginny's jaw dropped as Draco sheepishly handed her back a portion of the cedarwood wand. She eyed the slender piece of wood in shock. "The unicorn hair is poking out," she pointed out dryly.

Draco pulled out the remainder of the wand from behind his back. The second half was charred and every so often, sparks flew out of the broken end. Ginny slowly took the other portion from him. She stood rigid, clutching a piece of a piece of wand in each hand.

"My wand?" she asked, her voice parlously soft. No one dared answer her.

"I-I'm sorry, Weasley," Draco said. "I don't think your wand is compatible with me."

"Of course not," she snapped. "It's a Weasley wand! Even our wands hate you!"

The gathering of detention students had become dead silent. Not a single being risked Ginny's wrath as she fumed with anger and shock. The uncomfortable state continued for a few seconds more before a yelp and loud splashing interrupted it.

"Help!" Anne screamed, still flailing helplessly in the middle of the lake.

Roman continued to snicker, causing Ginny to narrow her eyes. The Slytherin grinned at her and jumped into the water. He swam lazily to the drowning girl and pulled her towards the grassy shore. They were both wet and she was choking for air by the time they arrived on dry land.

Anne wasn't sure if she should thank him or treat him with her evilest glare. Ginny stepped forward to intervene, but Draco restrained her.

"Just leave it alone, Weasley," he said in a hushed tone.

"Alright, everyone. Back to work!" Ginny ordered. She appeared to have forgiven Draco for the wand incident or at least forgotten about it as she stood calmly beside him, observing Anne and Roman from a distance.

The two wet adversaries didn't move as the others bustled back to repairing the gnome damages.

Anne was drenched with icy lake water. A few twigs, leaves, along with bits of algae were entangled in her wavy brown hair. "Thanks," she spat coldly to Roman and turned away, her deep blue eyes tainted with harshness.

"That's not a very nice way to show gratitude," Roman pointed out. "After all, I did save your life."

"I'm not even going to dignify that with an answer." Anne's tone was that of a gentle girl forced to speak harshly. She stood her ground bravely as the older and bigger Slytherin towered over her. She dripped pitifully and shivered from the light breezes that chilled her drenched body.

Slowly, Roman began to laugh; not the usual Slytherin snigger, but true innocent, juvenile laughter. Anne was dumbfounded for a moment. Then her eyes began to well up with tears. Roman tried unsuccessfully to quell his laughter as her lower lip began to tremble.

"I'm sorry," he finally managed to gasp out. "Here. Driege." Her robes returned to their former crisp and dry state.

"Thanks," she said again, this time with a sniffle and a smile. "You should dry yourself off too."

"Nah…It's fine. I'm going to let you lift me this time. Try to not drop me in," he winked.

"I won't…" The Hufflepuff girl said as she raised her wand. "Wingardium Leviosa!"

Ginny looked up at Draco and smiled. "He seems…respectable," she admitted.

Draco shrugged and glanced over at the smiling students. "Weasley, I'll replace your wand tomorrow morning," he said abruptly.

"What?" she turned to him, startled.

Draco met her eyes. "Just meet me outside of the Great Hall doors tomorrow after breakfast, alright?"

"Okay," Ginny agreed amicably.






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December 19

Dear Mr. Malfoy,

It has come to my attention that your son has been associating with Gryffindors, including friends of Harry Potter. I fear his camaraderie with them will lead to serious consequences. I would never want to question Draco’s loyalty to the Dark Lord so I can only hope that you will stop this idiocy before it can ever come to that.

Sincerely,

Pansy Parkinson

Pansy perused the note with thin lips, deeming it fit to send to Draco’s father. She was concerned with Draco spending so much time with the Weasley girl and finally decided the constant interaction had to stop.

***********

Yvette pulled aside the thick curtains that were drawn over her dormitory window. She peeked out at the sky, tilting her gaze to the moon. It was covered by a thin veil of fog, the haze adding to the eerie illuminance of the night sky. She slipped out of bed, fully clothed and crept down the stairs. She paced softly across the empty common room and snuck out the portrait, just in time to see a patch of orange hair disappear around the corner.

Yvette smiled and followed the shadowy figure through the dim halls, her stocking feet padding softly after him. She followed him until he opened the door to an unlocked classroom. She waited until the door shut before she turned the knob herself.

She shut the door as gently behind her. "Now, Ron. What do you have to be so mysterious about?" she teased. "Secret notes? Midnight meetings? Reading too many romance novels, are we?"

She walked forward to Ron with a mysterious grin on her face. He too, broke into a grin, his face half-hidden by the shadowy room. The act seemed fake, the smile plastered on like a circus clown's painted lips. Yvette cowered away and gasped in horror as robed figures stepped out of the murky corners of the room. They glided towards her, hoods concealing their faces. She knew who they were; her own father carried their mark.

"Ron!" she yelled urgently. "Help!"

"What? And ruin our little family reunion?" drawled a mocking voice from Ron's mouth. Yvette gaped at Ron in confusion. The confusion was soon replaced with fear as the flame colored hair faded into an icy blonde, Ron's handsome face into that of Lucius Malfoy's.

"Haven't you missed me, little niece?" he continued, the infamous Malfoy smirk playing across his face.

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End of Chapter 6

 

Okay, so there wasn't that much D/G action. But we promise plenty of it next chapter. There'll be romance in Hogwarts. There's plenty of Yvette in this chapter, as she becomes a key character. We didn't really plan it this way, but it's how it happened.

BTW, this is Yvette's family tree. Her mother is the daughter of a half-veela man (Mr. Delacour) and his wife. Yvette's father is Lucius's half-brother.

Ginny is fainting a lot NOT because she's a damsel in distress, but because she's rebelling against the curse. Notice she only fainted because she wanted to be away from Draco. Draco, on the other hand, is willingly complying with the curse.

Ron and Ginny don't know about the curse. Harry and Hermione have their little theory from the Lockhart book.

I hope you all aren't confused.

 

 

Stay tuned for chapter 7. As always, please review. You know you want to. J

 

 

 

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