Why Me?

Why Me Chapter One

The Mission

"Why me? Can't someone else play babysitter?" Ginny said mutinously.

She stared at the Order members around the kitchen table. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were off on a 'mission' so they weren't here to see this. But for Bill, Charlie, Tonks, Remus, and her parents to agree to this mad scheme was unthinkable to her.

"Now, Ginny," Molly said as sternly as possible. "I think this shows how much we trust you. We agreed that you could be an Order member on the agreement that you do this for us."

"But why do I have to baby sit the git? Can't we just lock him in a room and let him rot?"

"GINEVRA MOLLY WEASLEY!"

"Sorry, Mum."

It just rankled that she was finally getting what she wanted, but at too high a cost. Ginny had begged, pleaded, and wheedled until she was allowed to join the Order. It had come as a complete shock that her first 'mission' was to baby sit Malfoy. She would go mad within a day; that was if she didn't hex him into oblivion before then.

Remus stood and opened up the kitchen door. Draco Malfoy slowly walked into the room. He looked at them warily before standing near the head of the table awaiting their decision.

"Draco, you and Ginny will be sent to Hogwarts tomorrow." Arthur stared at the young man standing quietly in front of him.

He didn't like the idea of Ginny being with a Malfoy all the time either, but no other Order member could be spared. Maybe Ginny would knock some sense into him during their forced togetherness. Plus, there wasn't the worry of any funny business between the two of them.

Draco's face showed no outward signs of the turmoil going on inside his head. She is going to be in charge of me, he thought. Great, so their plan was to kill me slowly and painfully after all. I'll either be hexed beyond all recognition or dead of boredom. Damn it all! Death by Death Eater would probably have been the better option.

But all he said was, "Yes sir."

Minerva McGonagall stared intently at him. "Neither of you will leave school grounds. You are to report to me each day for instructions. Many of the professors will need assistants."

"Yes, ma'am," Ginny and Draco said at the same time.

Both stared intently at the table refusing to acknowledge that they had spoken together. It was an oddity in itself.

"Now both of you best collect your things; we will leave early in the morning." Mad-Eye made sure to sound as harsh as possible.

He still didn't like having the boy here but they didn't have any other choice. Severus had lost his life to stop Voldemort from murdering the boy. The least we can do is honor his last request.

Neither Ginny nor Draco dared to comment. So they walked quietly out of the kitchen.

Once in the hallway and out of hearing range, Ginny turned to him. "I don't like this any more than you do, Ferret Boy. Don't expect me to wait on you."

She turned and marched up the stairs, seething at the thought of putting up with him for the foreseeable future.

Draco hadn't had the heart to sneer at her. She was his only hope at this point. If he screwed this up...well he really didn't want to think of the consequences. He waited until she had closed her bedroom door before he made his way up the stairs and into his room.