Attention, Chapter 18
Title: Attention (18)
Rating: PG-15
Words: 1729
Notes: Thank you especially to alexia75, who did a speedy britpick of this for me!
Chapter Eighteen: Turning Point
As Ginny entered the greenhouses behind Luna Lovegood, she saw her friend Charlotte frantically waving her over, clearly wanting to hear the gossip. Ginny, however, didn't feel in the least like talking, especially not about Draco, so she pretended not to see and instead took up a position next to Luna, on the far side of the enormous Devil's Snare from Charlotte. While they tried to prune the bad-tempered plant, Ginny let Luna's monologue about the Ministry, vampires, and some new form of elephant asparagus wash over her.
She kept reliving the fifteen minutes down at the lake, wondering what Draco was now thinking, what he was going to do, if he would be all right, and what the school was saying about her. If it was just lust, then why had he kissed her so tenderly? Was tender even the right word? Draco Malfoy and 'tender' didn't even fit in the same paragraph!
Ginny hissed in pain as a tentacle caught her just over the eye.
'Careful there, Miss Weasley!' called Sprout reprovingly. 'You need to pay better attention. You're lucky it's only a scratch; you could have lost an eye there!'
'Sorry, Professor,' Ginny said, wiping the blood from her forehead and forcing herself to pay better attention to her task.
It was only when class was over and they were all walking back to the castle that Ginny realised that she hadn't heard anyone talking about her, or about Draco, or even about Harry. They should have been, she thought, confused, and wondering if she was being vain to think that Harry Potter's sexuality would be of interest to most of the upper forms.
Instead, she kept hearing 'Madam Bones' and things like 'They say she took three of them out' and 'Nasty way to die, isn't it?'
Ginny looked around at people, wondering what was going on. She'd not read the paper that morning. Had someone been killed?
'Do you have a copy of the paper?' she asked a nearby second-year boy, who gave her one startled, round-eyed look, then nodded nervously and fished a crumpled Daily Prophet out of a messy bag.
Ginny uncrinkled the paper and let out a long, slow sigh of exhaustion. It would never end, would it?
Minister Bones murdered!
Amelia Bones, after only a month in power, was killed yesterday night while exiting the Ministry buildings. For reasons unknown, she had chosen not to use the secured Floo Network or to Apparate, but left via the Visitor's Entrance. Muggle eyewitnesses report that she exited the 'telephone box' which serves as the entrance, and appeared to collapse on her own. The most probable cause of death, according to general opinion, is the Killing Curse.
Aurors, alerted to the murder by the presence of the Dark Mark, Apparated in and secured the area. No Death Eaters were found in the vicinity, though one was apprehended in the Ministry's entrance hall by watchwizard Eric Munch, who is now in St Mungo's recovering from the altercation. (For the interview with Mr Munch, see p 14.)
Rufus Scrimgeour, head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, will become Acting Minister for Magic until elections are held next week. Nominations are due day after tomorrow, but it is widely believed that Scrimgeour will be running, as well as Dolores Umbridge and Arthur Weasley (see p 5 for details).
The article continued for a few more paragraphs, detailing the latest Death Eater activity and repeating the usual pleas for witches and wizards to come forward if they had any information. Ginny sighed and folded the paper over to the next page. 'Can I keep this?' she asked the second-year, who was still standing half-gaping at her.
The boy squeaked something that sounded like a yes, stared at her for a further two seconds, and then scampered away up the hallway.
Ginny flipped to page five to read the biographies of the rumoured Ministerial candidates. She wondered how Mum was reacting, and how Percy would feel if Dad did win the post. As she read the article, she was pleased to see that, for once, the Prophet had painted her father in a good light:
Arthur Weasley, long known as one of the firmest supporters of Albus Dumbledore and Harry Potter, has until recently been quiet in the political arena. Tucked away in the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office, he has had many years to study the workings of the Ministry. His fondness for Muggles, often derided by some as a foolish hobby, has so far proved immensely useful to the war efforts. Full details are confidential, though several Aurors revealed that Weasley has done intense research into the area of firearms, instruments which Muggles use to kill each other from a distance.
Those on Rufus Scrimgeour and Dolores Umbridge, Ginny was happy to see, were much colder, despite their length and lists of accomplishments.
Ginny then skimmed through the rest of the paper. A sense of despair fell on her: deaths and werewolf attacks and endless horrors... The most disturbing report had been tucked away in the middle: two Muggleborn boys, too young for Hogwarts though already on the list, had both been Kissed by Dementors at a local park in the early evening.
Dementors.... Ginny shuddered. Of all the terrors Voldemort could unleash, she found Dementors the worst. Inferi could be fought with fire, Death Eaters with curses and hexes, and Dark creatures with silver, garlic, and various warding charms. But Dementors.... The only defence against them had to come from within. And Ginny wasn't quite sure if she had what it took.
First the first time in more than a week, she remembered the book, the one that had started all her problems with Draco, and decided she'd borrow it again. She had a good five minutes of break left.
Ginny stuffed the paper into her bag and hurried up to the library, which was mostly empty except for a handful of seventh-years. She waved hello to Lavender and Parvati, who were discussing something quietly in the corner and not giggling, and began searching the shelves. She knew where it ought to be, but it wasn't there. She examined the surrounding books to see if perhaps it had been misshelved, but still couldn't find it.
She left the stacks in search of Madam Pince, to ask if it was already checked out by someone. But she had no need to, as she saw both the book and its current borrower sitting at a table. Ginny walked over and stood behind the reader.
'I didn't know you could read, Malfoy,' she drawled, and was delighted when Draco looked up in surprise.
'What? Of course I can read!'
Obviously he didn't remember that he'd used the same line on her, so many weeks ago.
'Nevermind,' she said hastily. 'I need that book.'
'So do I,' he said. 'So will everyone, soon enough.'
Ginny sat herself down in a chair next to him. 'Did you see the paper?'
'No,' said Draco. 'What's happened?'
She pulled out the copy of the Prophet. 'Read.'
Draco reluctantly pulled the paper toward him. His face went blank at the headline, and he read it with lips closed tight.
'It's not just that,' Ginny said as Draco began to push the paper back toward her. She flipped the paper open to the article about the Dementors.
Draco read it.
'Isn't it awful?' Ginny said.
'Horrible,' Draco agreed brusquely, and pushed the paper back at her.
'Horrible?' repeated Ginny. 'That's all you have to say?'
Draco looked at her, surprised. 'What else is there to say? There's nothing I can do about it now.'
'But there is!' Ginny protested. 'Go to Dumbledore!'
'I don't want to go to Dumbledore.'
'Why not?'
'I may have chosen sides,' Draco hissed as softly as he could, 'but I'm not suicidal. If I tell Dumbledore, then eventually word will get around Slytherin that I'm Dumbledore's nancy boy. Spies and traitors are always revealed.'
But Ginny only heard the beginning of the sentence. 'You've chosen sides?' she asked.
'Yes.'
'You've chosen... you've decided? For sure?'
'Yes.'
'And you're on Dumbledore's side, on Harry's side, our side?'
Draco shrugged. 'At least on that side, if I screw up I know I won't be tortured by a half-blooded maniac.'
'Oh, Draco!' Ginny said, and without quite realising what she was doing, threw her arms around him and kissed him.
'Mmph!' said Draco. He wrestled himself free and pushed her away. 'Ginny!' He looked around the library, his face pale with fear. 'Anyone could see!'
Ginny pulled back. 'Oh!' she said. 'Right. So, er, I guess all of this has to stay secret?'
For a moment Ginny couldn't read Draco's expression, and she thought he might say, 'All of what?' but he didn't. He merely nodded.
'So...' said Ginny. She looked down at the book. 'You're sure you don't want to go to Dumbledore?'
'Yes,' said Draco.
'What about Snape?'
'What about him?'
'Could you go to him? He's on our...'
Ginny trailed off as Draco shook his head. 'I simply don't know what side he's on anymore. Everyone thinks he's on their side, spying on the other. For all I know he could really be on--on my father's side.' His jaw went stiff.
For a moment Ginny had a glimpse of how awful it would be to know that your father wanted you to be a Death Eater, to kill and torture people you'd never met, simply because they or their parents were Muggles.
'Well, can I at least use the book?' Ginny asked.
'When I finish with it, dummy!'
Ginny glared at him. 'Why not share it?' she proposed.
Draco looked at her as if a small and perfectly formed elderberry bush had just sprung out of her forehead. 'Are you daft, girl? Be seen studying at the same table? It's bad enough that we're talking to each other without yelling. You should just get out of here. Maybe we ought to have an argument, for proper appearances' sake--'
'Oh, fine, whatever,' said Ginny, resigned, and definitely not wanting to argue. 'Only, leave the book on the shelves so I can read it after lunch, all right?'
'Fine, all right, whatever,' said Draco, and Ginny left before anyone saw them.
Rating: PG-15
Words: 1729
Notes: Thank you especially to alexia75, who did a speedy britpick of this for me!
Chapter Eighteen: Turning Point
As Ginny entered the greenhouses behind Luna Lovegood, she saw her friend Charlotte frantically waving her over, clearly wanting to hear the gossip. Ginny, however, didn't feel in the least like talking, especially not about Draco, so she pretended not to see and instead took up a position next to Luna, on the far side of the enormous Devil's Snare from Charlotte. While they tried to prune the bad-tempered plant, Ginny let Luna's monologue about the Ministry, vampires, and some new form of elephant asparagus wash over her.
She kept reliving the fifteen minutes down at the lake, wondering what Draco was now thinking, what he was going to do, if he would be all right, and what the school was saying about her. If it was just lust, then why had he kissed her so tenderly? Was tender even the right word? Draco Malfoy and 'tender' didn't even fit in the same paragraph!
Ginny hissed in pain as a tentacle caught her just over the eye.
'Careful there, Miss Weasley!' called Sprout reprovingly. 'You need to pay better attention. You're lucky it's only a scratch; you could have lost an eye there!'
'Sorry, Professor,' Ginny said, wiping the blood from her forehead and forcing herself to pay better attention to her task.
It was only when class was over and they were all walking back to the castle that Ginny realised that she hadn't heard anyone talking about her, or about Draco, or even about Harry. They should have been, she thought, confused, and wondering if she was being vain to think that Harry Potter's sexuality would be of interest to most of the upper forms.
Instead, she kept hearing 'Madam Bones' and things like 'They say she took three of them out' and 'Nasty way to die, isn't it?'
Ginny looked around at people, wondering what was going on. She'd not read the paper that morning. Had someone been killed?
'Do you have a copy of the paper?' she asked a nearby second-year boy, who gave her one startled, round-eyed look, then nodded nervously and fished a crumpled Daily Prophet out of a messy bag.
Ginny uncrinkled the paper and let out a long, slow sigh of exhaustion. It would never end, would it?
Minister Bones murdered!
Amelia Bones, after only a month in power, was killed yesterday night while exiting the Ministry buildings. For reasons unknown, she had chosen not to use the secured Floo Network or to Apparate, but left via the Visitor's Entrance. Muggle eyewitnesses report that she exited the 'telephone box' which serves as the entrance, and appeared to collapse on her own. The most probable cause of death, according to general opinion, is the Killing Curse.
Aurors, alerted to the murder by the presence of the Dark Mark, Apparated in and secured the area. No Death Eaters were found in the vicinity, though one was apprehended in the Ministry's entrance hall by watchwizard Eric Munch, who is now in St Mungo's recovering from the altercation. (For the interview with Mr Munch, see p 14.)
Rufus Scrimgeour, head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, will become Acting Minister for Magic until elections are held next week. Nominations are due day after tomorrow, but it is widely believed that Scrimgeour will be running, as well as Dolores Umbridge and Arthur Weasley (see p 5 for details).
The article continued for a few more paragraphs, detailing the latest Death Eater activity and repeating the usual pleas for witches and wizards to come forward if they had any information. Ginny sighed and folded the paper over to the next page. 'Can I keep this?' she asked the second-year, who was still standing half-gaping at her.
The boy squeaked something that sounded like a yes, stared at her for a further two seconds, and then scampered away up the hallway.
Ginny flipped to page five to read the biographies of the rumoured Ministerial candidates. She wondered how Mum was reacting, and how Percy would feel if Dad did win the post. As she read the article, she was pleased to see that, for once, the Prophet had painted her father in a good light:
Arthur Weasley, long known as one of the firmest supporters of Albus Dumbledore and Harry Potter, has until recently been quiet in the political arena. Tucked away in the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office, he has had many years to study the workings of the Ministry. His fondness for Muggles, often derided by some as a foolish hobby, has so far proved immensely useful to the war efforts. Full details are confidential, though several Aurors revealed that Weasley has done intense research into the area of firearms, instruments which Muggles use to kill each other from a distance.
Those on Rufus Scrimgeour and Dolores Umbridge, Ginny was happy to see, were much colder, despite their length and lists of accomplishments.
Ginny then skimmed through the rest of the paper. A sense of despair fell on her: deaths and werewolf attacks and endless horrors... The most disturbing report had been tucked away in the middle: two Muggleborn boys, too young for Hogwarts though already on the list, had both been Kissed by Dementors at a local park in the early evening.
Dementors.... Ginny shuddered. Of all the terrors Voldemort could unleash, she found Dementors the worst. Inferi could be fought with fire, Death Eaters with curses and hexes, and Dark creatures with silver, garlic, and various warding charms. But Dementors.... The only defence against them had to come from within. And Ginny wasn't quite sure if she had what it took.
First the first time in more than a week, she remembered the book, the one that had started all her problems with Draco, and decided she'd borrow it again. She had a good five minutes of break left.
Ginny stuffed the paper into her bag and hurried up to the library, which was mostly empty except for a handful of seventh-years. She waved hello to Lavender and Parvati, who were discussing something quietly in the corner and not giggling, and began searching the shelves. She knew where it ought to be, but it wasn't there. She examined the surrounding books to see if perhaps it had been misshelved, but still couldn't find it.
She left the stacks in search of Madam Pince, to ask if it was already checked out by someone. But she had no need to, as she saw both the book and its current borrower sitting at a table. Ginny walked over and stood behind the reader.
'I didn't know you could read, Malfoy,' she drawled, and was delighted when Draco looked up in surprise.
'What? Of course I can read!'
Obviously he didn't remember that he'd used the same line on her, so many weeks ago.
'Nevermind,' she said hastily. 'I need that book.'
'So do I,' he said. 'So will everyone, soon enough.'
Ginny sat herself down in a chair next to him. 'Did you see the paper?'
'No,' said Draco. 'What's happened?'
She pulled out the copy of the Prophet. 'Read.'
Draco reluctantly pulled the paper toward him. His face went blank at the headline, and he read it with lips closed tight.
'It's not just that,' Ginny said as Draco began to push the paper back toward her. She flipped the paper open to the article about the Dementors.
Draco read it.
'Isn't it awful?' Ginny said.
'Horrible,' Draco agreed brusquely, and pushed the paper back at her.
'Horrible?' repeated Ginny. 'That's all you have to say?'
Draco looked at her, surprised. 'What else is there to say? There's nothing I can do about it now.'
'But there is!' Ginny protested. 'Go to Dumbledore!'
'I don't want to go to Dumbledore.'
'Why not?'
'I may have chosen sides,' Draco hissed as softly as he could, 'but I'm not suicidal. If I tell Dumbledore, then eventually word will get around Slytherin that I'm Dumbledore's nancy boy. Spies and traitors are always revealed.'
But Ginny only heard the beginning of the sentence. 'You've chosen sides?' she asked.
'Yes.'
'You've chosen... you've decided? For sure?'
'Yes.'
'And you're on Dumbledore's side, on Harry's side, our side?'
Draco shrugged. 'At least on that side, if I screw up I know I won't be tortured by a half-blooded maniac.'
'Oh, Draco!' Ginny said, and without quite realising what she was doing, threw her arms around him and kissed him.
'Mmph!' said Draco. He wrestled himself free and pushed her away. 'Ginny!' He looked around the library, his face pale with fear. 'Anyone could see!'
Ginny pulled back. 'Oh!' she said. 'Right. So, er, I guess all of this has to stay secret?'
For a moment Ginny couldn't read Draco's expression, and she thought he might say, 'All of what?' but he didn't. He merely nodded.
'So...' said Ginny. She looked down at the book. 'You're sure you don't want to go to Dumbledore?'
'Yes,' said Draco.
'What about Snape?'
'What about him?'
'Could you go to him? He's on our...'
Ginny trailed off as Draco shook his head. 'I simply don't know what side he's on anymore. Everyone thinks he's on their side, spying on the other. For all I know he could really be on--on my father's side.' His jaw went stiff.
For a moment Ginny had a glimpse of how awful it would be to know that your father wanted you to be a Death Eater, to kill and torture people you'd never met, simply because they or their parents were Muggles.
'Well, can I at least use the book?' Ginny asked.
'When I finish with it, dummy!'
Ginny glared at him. 'Why not share it?' she proposed.
Draco looked at her as if a small and perfectly formed elderberry bush had just sprung out of her forehead. 'Are you daft, girl? Be seen studying at the same table? It's bad enough that we're talking to each other without yelling. You should just get out of here. Maybe we ought to have an argument, for proper appearances' sake--'
'Oh, fine, whatever,' said Ginny, resigned, and definitely not wanting to argue. 'Only, leave the book on the shelves so I can read it after lunch, all right?'
'Fine, all right, whatever,' said Draco, and Ginny left before anyone saw them.