The Dragon's Rose
chapter two:: sitting on the soapbox
...
"Wormtail!"
The cold, shrill voice resounded throughout the room, and from the shadows a nervous looking man came running.
"Yes... yes, my lord?" The shrewd man squeaked, cowering in the presence of Voldemort.
Seated upon his throne, the great dark lord was staring into a mirror.
"Wormtail what happened to me?" He hissed.
"Excuse me, m'lord?"
"I used to be handsome... Tom Riddle was gorgeous. What's happened to me?"
"I... I think you are magnificent, my lord."
"Yes, I am. But not like that. You know what this means, Wormtail?"
"A... a sacrifice?" The trembling man shivered at the word.
"Yes, Wormtail. Didn't Lucius have a boy?" Voldemort pondered, and Wormtail nodded his head vigorously.
"Yes, my lord, he did."
"Hmm... he was handsome. Yes, I'd like to inhabit him. He must be sacrificed. Send word to Lucius his son's life is needed."
"Yes... my lord.." Voldemort handed the mirror to Wormtail, who clutched it and scurried off to owl Lucius Malfoy.
...
"Oh eew, human sacrifice." Draco recoiled at the words that he read off the page. He was studying for DADA, and was learning about how human sacrifice, performed correctly with the right rituals and spells, could make one inhabit the sacrificed body.
"Well, there's something not going on my to-do list." He muttered, and flipped the page listlessly.
Draco Malfoy was studying in the library that afternoon. His goons, Crabbe and Goyle, were wandering around, picking on people for him, but he was actually studying. Draco was actually a very good student, contrary to some people's opinions.
If Hermione Granger wasn't the top student in every class (excepting Potions, but Draco would be top in that class if he answered every question with 'bullshit'), he would be top student.
Of course, this wasn't good for his bad boy rep, so he didn't draw attention to it.
"Not doing that..." He said, as he read some more gruesome details, but a flash of aubern a little bit aways caught his attention.
"Oh, but I'd like to do her..." Draco muttered, and then sniggered at his own remark. He was really very witty, sometimes he surprised himself.
His cold grey eyes watched Ginny Weasley as she weaved through the aisles, searching for a book. Her movements were fluid, and she easily scanned the shelves for her book. She looked his way, and caught his gaze.
Draco held her eyes for a long minute, smiling wickedly, and then, quick as a flash, winked, and looked back at his studying. He heard her drop her books, curse, and bend down and gather them up again. She'd been carrying a rather large pile of books, you see.
Suddenly he was at her side, helping her pick up the books.
She wouldn't look him in the eye. As he handed her the last book, she stood up and turned back to looking for another book. Draco stood and frowned at her.
"Tsk, tsk, not even a thank you?" He asked, and she whirled about, her red curls flying behind her. How he loved her hair.
"Thank you." Ginny spat out, and Draco smiled.
He followed her a little bit, and then, as she struggled to reach a book from the top shelf, reached up easily and handed her it. She looked at him hard, her brown eyes trying to figure him out.
"Why are you treating me so nice?" Ginny asked, her voice quivering.
"Because princesses deserve to be treated as princesses." Draco explained, his voice calm.
"I'm not used to liking that." She said, quietly.
"The princess doesn't have to like it." He said, and she blinked.
"But I do."
"Then that's even better." He said, smiling.
And then she laughed. She set her books down and giggled out loud. She was laughing so loudly, clutching her stomach, that Madam Pince came by and shushed her.
Ginny clasped a hand to her mouth, and giggled quietly.
Draco frowned. "What's so amusing?" He asked, not quite understanding.
Ginny stopped abruptly. "I honestly don't know." She said, and bent to pick up her books, but Draco took them for her. She continued, looking at the books as they walked.
"I think it's just so strange... you're treating me so wonderfully. Me, a Weasley. You, a Malfoy. It's so ridiculous, so ludicrus..." She trailed off, looking at a book intently.
Draco looked at her funnily. Then he dropped the books and grasped her hands in his, and had her pushed against a bookcase.
"If it's so wonderful then why should it matter if it's ridiculous?" He asked, leaning in so close she could feel his breath on her face, smelling deliciously cool, like peppermint.
"I... I honestly don't know." She said, and suddenly his lips were on hers, smashing into her with blinding force, and the wave of emotions washing over her was amazing.
He cradled her head in his hands, kissing her passionately, yearning for as much of her taste as he could get. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and as they parted for breath their eyes met, grey and brown, the only thing they could see being each other.
That's when Ron called.
"Ginny! Where arre you?!" His voice reached Ginny's ears and she groaned, lowering her head. Malfoy rolled his eyes and stepped away from her, and she answered Ron's holler.
"I'm over here." She called, disappointed that they were so rudely interuppted.
Malfoy worked on gathering her books, and she looked on sadly. Ron came around the corner and almost tripped over Draco.
"Malfoy!!" He cried out, in surprise. But Draco ignored him, and when he finished stacking her books. He turned to her, and dumped them in her arms, whispering something Ron couldn't hear.
"Your books, your highness."
...
On the way back to the common room, Ginny and Ron were arguing.
"He isn't trying to shag you, is he?" He demanded, as they turned a corner.
"No! Ron! He is not trying to shag me... he's being very considerate, actually." She added, wistfully.
"Malfoy's aren't capable of being considerate." Ron said, and Ginny rolled her eyes.
"Everyone can be considerate, Ron. You might want to try it sometime." She snapped, and Ron shook his head.
"I don't want you seeing him without chaperones, Ginny. Ask McGonagall for another tutor." He begged.
"No! Ron, I can take care of myself." She said, and they'd come to the Fat Lady. "And besides.. he isn't doing anything inappropiate." She lied. Ron sighed.
"Pickled chocolate bars." Ginny spat out the password, and the portrait swung open, and they walked in on Harry and Hermione making out on a couch.
"Get a room." Ginny growled as she passed them and climbed the stairs to her dorm.
Harry and Hermione reluctantly stopped, and made room for Ron on the couch. "What's with her?" Hermione asked, worried. It wasn't like Ginny to be snappy.
"Malfoy's a bad influence... he and Ginny were in the library earlier... he was picking up her books. Why do you think he was doing that?" Ron pondered, settling beside Harry.
Hermione smiled. "Really, are you that daft? He was being a gentleman." She explained.
Harry and Ron snorted. "Draco Malfoy being a gentleman? Are you feeling all right, 'Mione?" Harry asked. "Boys only have one thing on their mind... and it's not being a gentleman."
Hermione glared at the boys. "I don't think he's going to do anything that bad. Not yet, anyways. I think he really cares about her. Did you see how he was looking at her last night?" She pointed out, and Ron nodded fervently.
"I sure do, and it wasn't very gentlemanly. He was probably undressing her with his eyes. I know that look." He said, wisely.
"Oh yes, that's right, isn't that the one you use on Lav all the time?" Harry remarked, and Hermione sniggered.
Ron actually nodded. "That's the one." He confirmed, and Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Well that's good to know that you're undressing her mentally during Transfiguration. And McGonagall wonders why you're failing..." She snapped.
Harry laughed, but Ron made a face. "Very funny. Harry knows the look. He undresses you mentally during Transfiguration as well, don't you Harry?" He pointed out, his eyes shining merrily.
Harry blushed.
"Of course, he probably doesn't need to imagine any more..." Ron said, thoughtfully, and was quite promptly beaned by Hermione's pillow.
"We've been together for less than 24 hours!" She said, gasping through her laughter.
"Well it doesn't take a whole 24 hours..." Ron pointed out, and Hermione squealed, throwing another pillow at him. Harry laughed heartily.
There was a sudden loud tapping at the window, and Harry realized that Hedwig had brought him a letter. He crossed the room to the window and let the snowy owl in, untying the letter.
Hermione perched Hedwig on her arm as Harry read the letter from Sirius aloud.
"Dear Harry, urgent news. My name's been cleared, through much problems, but the bad news is although Wormtail has been captured and imprisioned, Voldemort is alive and well, and last heard to be heading for Hogwart's for a human sacrifice.
"We don't know who the target is, but it's best to be safe and stay on Hogwart's grounds at all times. The upcoming trip to Hogwart's has been cancelled, and many precautions are being taken to ensure the safety of all Hogwart's students. Try to stay in sight at all times, and keep an eye on Ron and Hermione. "If you're dating someone, keep an eye on her at all times. Voldemort may try to capture the one closest to you, or he may have completely different plans. Dumbledore will fill you in soon. "Stay safe, and good luck. Snuffles."
They were all silent for a moment. "Wow." Said Ron finally.
"What's this about human sacrifice?" Harry wondered aloud, and upon instinct they both turned to Hermione. She rolled her eyes.
"Well, honestly, we're learning about it in Defense... didn't you listen? Professor Poff* told us to read about it. It's in our textbooks. Something about how if done with correct rituals and spells, a human sacrifice can be the 'new body' for the wizard. It's very dangerous dark arts." She explained.
"What does Voldemort want with a new body?" Ron asked, and Harry shrugged.
"I don't know," He confessed. "I think he's got the villian look down. Ugly, creepy, cruel... nightmarish, really."
Hermione shuddered. "Ugh. But what about Tom Riddle?" She asked.
"What about him?" Ron said, and Hermione sneered.
"What did he look like, Harry? Any better?"
Harry nodded. "Much. He looked like me without glasses... fairly dashing fellow." Hermione bit her lip and looked into the fire.
"Then perhaps he wishes to be young again..." She said, but Ron shook his head.
"That doesn't make sense. Why? He's just as powerful and healthy the way he is." He argued.
Hermione shrugged.
"I don't know. Vanity can be a powerful enemy at times. Perhaps he envies good looks. I wonder whose body he'd want to inhabit... oh, Harry, I'm worried about you. If Tom Riddle really looked somewhat like you then maybe he wants your body..." She trailed off, her brown eyes watery.
Harry put a comforting hand on her arm.
"I really don't think so. He wants a new body... a change, perhaps. Maybe we should be looking for an opposite. Like, still dashing, but completely different. And willing. Or at least someone who had connections..." He trailed off now, and Hermione put her arms around him and whimpered.
Ron's eyes lit up.
"Wait! Someone who's the opposite, and has connections... Harry's hair is dark, so it'd be like... blond... and yet still 'dashing'... Malfoy!" He exclaimed.
Hermione jumped in surprise at Ron's exuberance.
"Malfoy?" She asked.
Harry nodded slowly. "Yes... it makes sense. His father would probably even offer him up. I'm not sure if he's nearly as dashing as I am though..." He smiled lopsidedly.
Hermione punched him in the arm. "Don't get a big head. Actually, Malfoy is very handsome." She said, and Ron and Harry frowned at her.
"You think Malfoy is handsome?"
"Who doesn't?" A voice from the stairs asked, and the trio turned to see Ginny there.
"How long have you been standing there?" Ron asked, furrowing his brow.
"Does it matter?" She asked, and stepped down the last few stairs. "I'm not going to tell anybody. Besides, I have to go, I have tutoring." She said, whispering the last word.
"Maybe we should come and watch you again, for your protection." Ron suggested.
"Again?!" Ginny's eyes flashed. "What do you mean again?? You were there?!" She cried out.
Hermione and Harry inhaled, and stepped back. This was really between Ron and Ginny.
"Of course I was there! How do you think I knew about your being tutored by him? Me and Harry were looking through Snape's records..." Ron was interuppted.
"You went through my personal record?!! Have I absolutely NO PRIVACY?!" She was yelling now.
"Obviously not! You shouldn't be hiding anything anyways! Anyways, we found out you were going to be tutored by Malfoy, and I made Harry and Hermione stay with me so we could keep an eye on you in case he pulled something! And he did, might I add!!!" He hollered.
"He did not!" She screamed. "He was a perfect gentleman!"
"He tried to kiss you! Then I bumped my head, and then he gave you a massage and got you in trouble with McGonagall!" He screamed back.
"So it was YOU!!! How dare you! I don't want you to come near me ever again, Ronald Weasley, and mum is getting an OWL about how you INVADED my PRIVACY AGAIN!" She threatened, and Ron shrunk back a bit.
"You've spied on her before?" Hermione asked, shocked.
Ron looked at his feet. "She's my sister, I worry about her." He muttered.
Ginny softened a bit, and slumped her shoulders.
"Oh, Ron, I know you do, but you have to trust me, I'll be fine, really." She said, quietly.
"I know I should, but what can I do? You're the only sister I have and I don't want anything happening to you." He said, and she smiled weakly.
"Thank you. But please, if you truely care then don't meddle like this." She said, and gave him a quick hug before leaving for the Potions dungeon.
Ron grimaced.
"You're still going to spy, aren't you?" Harry asked, sullenly.
"Oh, you bloody well know I am. Get your cloak." Ron said, and Hermione sighed.
"Boys." She muttered, but followed them to the dungeon.
....
The night was completely uneventful. Malfoy was a 'perfect gentleman', and they just went over some of the basics of 5th year potions.
Voldemort didn't attack, and basically nothing happened. Hermione wasn't surprised, Ron was relieved, and Harry was confused.
But, all's well that ends well.
The next morning, Minerva McGonagall cornered Ginny. "Did he try anything, Miss Weasley?" She asked, gently.
"No. He was a perfect gentleman, I tell you." Ginny said defiantly. McGonagall smiled, and let her get to breakfast. At the Grand Hall, seated next to Serverus, she passed on this information to him.
"A perfect gentleman, I tell you." Minerva quoted Ginny word for word. She frowned at Serverus. "I hoped it would turn out all right, but this is new. A Malfoy being a gentleman?"
Serverus shrugged. "So he's not his father's son. Speaking of the Malfoy's... I'm worried for Draco. Albus believes that he might be Voldemort's target. What's even more fascinating is that he thinks Lucius might be giving him up voluntarily. It's such a shame." He said. Minerva looked at him strangely.
"What's a shame? That Lucius is giving Draco up voluntarily, or that they're giving up Draco?" She asked, and Serverus wrinkled up his nose.
"A bit of both, I suppose. I don't know... that family has issues... major issues." He trailed off, and Minerva nodded solemnly.
A flutter of wings was heard through the Hall as the daily mail was delivered. Owl after owl after owl finally passed by, and the din of the room increased as the children opened their mail excitedly.
...
"Damn. Father, what now?" Draco asked under his breath, as he held in his hands an owl from Lucius. Sometimes Draco would ignore the letters he received from his parents. His mother usually told him to be sure to wear clean underwear, and his father babbled about some Voldemort issue.
So he sometimes chose not to read them, and burned them instead. But this one was important, Draco could tell, as he held it in his elegant hands. Frowning, he stuffed it in his robe pocket, he'd read it later. It was throwing off his groove**.
He scanned the Gryffindors for Ginny, but was disappointed to realize that she wasn't there. That's when a hand tapped him gently on the shoulder.
Draco jumped a bit, startled, and turned around, ready to snap at the perpatrator, and that's when he saw it was Ginny.
"Ginny..." He said, softly, and smiled widely. He didn't care that the Slytherin's were watching, or that Crabbe and Goyle were sneering, or that Pansy Parkinson was watching with flaming jealousy in her eyes. He only cared that Ginny was visiting him at his table.
"I just wanted to ask if I could request another tutoring session tonight... I have a big test tomorrow..." She explained. Draco nodded, staring at her, and taking note of everything about her, how deep a brown her eyes were, how ablaze her red hair seemed to be, and how pretty she looked in blue.
Ginny stood there for a moment, looking at him, and feeling a little uncomfortable, with all the Slytherins staring at her. Draco seemed to notice this.
"Do you want to join me?" He asked, taking a rather large risk. She hesitated. "I really shouldn't..." She mumbled, glancing at Ron. "But... yes, actually, I would like to." She finally decided, and Draco beamed.
He turned to the person sitting next to him, being Crabbe, and cried out quite menacingly, "Move over, you oaf." Crabbe moved down a seat, and Ginny took his seat, blushing prettily.
...
At the Gryffindor table, Ron was just noticing that Ginny wasn't there. "Where's my sister?" Ron asked, testily, and Hermione looked up from her food.
"She's not here?" She asked, and Ron noticed a bit of jelly at the corner of her mouth, but didn't say anything. He shook his head.
"No. I can't see her at the Gryffindor table at all." He explained, and frowned at Hermione from across the table. To his left, across from her directly, Harry chuckled.
"You've got some jelly, Mione. Just there." He said, and Hermione's eyes twinkled merrily.
"So?" She asked, deviously. Harry smiled broadly, and leaned across the table.
Their lips met, his tongue flitting out, and licking off the jelly, and then they snogged over the table, and Ron rolled his eyes.
"Good Lord, there must be something against public displays of attention... quit it you two, I'm eating." He retorted, and Harry and Hermione reluctantly parted, sitting back down. As Hermione settled back down, she noticed Ginny sitting with Draco with the Slytherins.
"Oh, there's Ginny. She's sitting with Draco." Commented Hermione, before she could stop herself. Ron's eyes grew wide and he and Harry turned around in shock.
"Well, will you look at that?" Harry said, shaking his head and turning back to Hermione, grinning devilishly, and she winked, and they went back to snogging while Ron was watching Ginny and Draco and ranting.
"What the bloody hell does she think she's doing? Damn! Oh my God, he's touching her hand! Harry!! Harry?!" He turned back to Harry and Hermione, who were at it again.
Ron sighed, exasperated. "For Merlin's sake! Would it kill you two to not snog for a moment?" He said, but he wasn't really serious. He was happy for his best friends... however, he thought his little sister being touched by Draco was a tad more important than their deisre.
Of course that's a matter of opinion.
Ron huffed.
"Well? What are we going to do about them, anyways, Ron?" Hermione asked, as Harry and she parted again. Harry smirked.
"Besides, you should be glad he's just touching her hand..." He said, suggestively raising his eyebrows. Hermione kicked him under the table and Ron shook his head as Harry whimpered.
"Don't worry. I'm sure she just wishes I didn't see your hands at all times." Ron explained, and Hermione gasped and threw a roll at him.
....
"Lucius, has your son responded to your owl?" Voldemort asked the hooded figure before him.
"Not yet, my lord. He's got a fiery temper, I'm sure I'll get a hexed howler fairly soon..." Lucius said, trailing off.
The dark lord seemed fairly amused. "Tell me... how used is the body?" He said, and Lucius raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
"You know... does he have a girlfriend, does he play Quidditch? Does he engage in a lot of.. physical activity?" You-Know-Who asked, looking into the same mirror he was staring into earlier.
"Uh... I don't know. Never asked." Lucius mused, and he chuckled.
Voldemort didn't find it so amusing. "You never asked?! What kind of a father are you?" He hissed, and Lucius' eyes widened. "Well... the same as my father." He explained, and Voldemort shook his head, looking back into the mirror.
"Your family is incredibly screwed, Lucius..."
Lucius didn't say anything for a moment, then changed the subject.
"What's so great about that mirror you're looking at?" He asked, and Voldemort clutched it protectively. "It's very powerful. Something you wouldn't understand. Leave me be. And ask your son about his body. Be gone, Lucius." He said, sharply at the mention of the mirror.
"Yes, my lord." Lucius bowed then left the dark lord and the mirror.
....
a/n: do we like? i was worried about htis fic because i havent been writing for a while... and i always worry whether or not you guys will enjoy it, or approve, or whatever. please review, it means alot to me... and all who review get a digital cookie and their name mentioned in the this next chapter, kay? kay! so go review, little ones! ^_^
*= yes, i named the new DADA teacher after donnie. *giggle* lucky students.
**= and yes, draco has a groove. heheh. ;-)
did you guys see the oscars? OH MY GOD, DID YOU SEE JLO'S HAIR? it was like THIS big!! O.o i was sooo freaked out. and yet everyone liked it!! i was buggin. and jennifer connely's whole nude dress looked like she wasnt gonna be able to raise her arms. heheh. probably couldn't...
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Draco and Ginny belong to JK Rowling, Bloomsbury, Scholastic, Warner Bros and various other corporations. They are being used here without permission and/or affiliation with the above. None of the authors listed here make any profit from these stories.