The Heart Asks Darkness First

CHAPER FIVE - ALL IMPERFECT THINGS

It took a while for Hermione to find Draco, but she finally spotted him leaving the library with Crabbe and Goyle. `Crabbe and Goyle in a library? Weird!´ She approached the Slytherin trio, a little apprehensively. "Malfoy, can I have a word please?"

Draco scowled. "What do you want, Granger?"

"It´s about Ginny´s new boyfriend..." Hermione trailed off as Draco grabbed her arm and led her into the library. As soon as they were inside, Hermione pulled away. "Okay, now that was what we call over-reacting."

Malfoy shrugged. "Like I´m gonna have an open discussion with a Gryffindor in public."

"It´s more than that, isn´t it Malfoy?" Hermione looked at him. "Why did you come to me and Ron?"

"So you know he´s back then?" Malfoy was clearly avoiding the question. "I suppose Older Weasel got all over-protective?"

Hermione sighed. "Listen Malfoy, I just want you to answer one question honestly. Straight answer, yes or no. Did you bring Tom Riddle back?"

Draco snorted. "I didn´t even know who Tom Riddle was until she told me." He looked at Hermione, although he avoided meeting her eye. "She wanted to bring him back. I just told her how."

"Why?" Hermione´s tone was not accusing.

Draco shrugged. "I don´t know. I guess...I wasn´t really expecting her to go through with it. Even at the last minute I was expecting her to turn around and say she didn´t want to do it." He sighed. "You´re not going to tell her I´ve spoken to you, are you?"

"Not unless I have to." Hermione wasn´t sure why Malfoy didn´t want Ginny to know what he´d told her, but she didn´t feel she should question. She glanced at the clock on the wall and said, "I guess I´d better go. I told the others I´d meet them at dinner."

Draco nodded. "Just...try not to isolate her. I don´t know much about what happened with him and that diary, but I know enough from watching my parents after they´ve met with adult Voldermort. Try not to lose her."

Hermione gave him an odd look. "Malfoy, can I ask you something?"

"What now, Granger?" Draco seemed to be tiring of this `interrogation´.

"Why do you care what happens to Ginny?"

"I can´t tell you that." Draco moved to leave. "I can´t tell anyone that."

~GW~ ~TR~

Ginny shrank back against the wall as first Malfoy, and then Hermione walked out of the library. She hadn´t wanted to spy on them, she really hadn´t. But she couldn´t help over-hearing them, and then she had to know why two sworn enemies were talking. She hadn´t been totally surprised to find out that they had been talking about her. She thought back to the promise that Draco had made - maybe he hadn´t expected her to take it to heart, but she had. And now he had to pay...

Tom looked up with a start as he heard someone approach. He hastily pushed his cauldron under a bush and stood up in time to see the familiar female walk up to him. "I need your help with something."

"Certainly, dear Ginny. Anything you ask."

"It´s just...I heard Malfoy tell Hermione about what we did. And he promised he wouldn´t."

"Ah, so we´re talking revenge are we?" A cruel smile played on Tom´s lips. Inwardly he was laughing at how foolish Ginny had been not to expect a Slytherin to double-cross her. Thinking for a while, he suddenly asked, "Who does Malfoy value most?"

"His father and Snape."

"Snape? Who´s he?"

"Potions teacher and head of Slytherin. Malfoy´s pretty much his favourite pupil."

"Is that so?" Tom grinned. "So if he were to catch Malfoy doing something he shouldn´t..."

Ginny shrugged. "I guess it would depend on what Malfoy was doing. I mean, the Slytherins generally get away with a lot when he´s around."

"I see..." Tom went back to thinking. "So it might be better to strike at the Professor?"

Suddenly, an idea popped into Ginny´s head. She was actually a little scared that she had thought of it, but it didn´t stop her saying "What about getting Malfoy to hurt Snape? Could we do that?"

Tom shot her an impressed look. "Virginia Weasley, I didn´t know you had such malice in you." He reached into his robes and pulled out a small vial. "Luckily I have just the thing you´re looking for."

Ginny reached for the vial. "What is it?"

"Just make sure that Malfoy drinks it." Tom placed the potion into Ginny´s hand. "I promise you won´t be disappointed."