Iuga Sortis (Bound By Destiny)

Eighteen

"You're not your father, you know."

Whether or not he heard her, she did not know, for he did not turn to acknowledge her. She wrapped her cloak around her to ward off the chill as she climbed the steps of the Quidditch pitch. She'd seen him leave dinner, and she knew he'd be out here; she remembered Nia telling her he went there when he was upset. She sat down beside him.

"I'm definitely not one of your brothers' favorite people now, am I?" he asked sardonically.

A week ago the latest edition of The Quibbler came out, and in it was an expose of Voldemort's return. In the article Harry named all of the Death Eaters that were present--one of which was Draco's father.

"Not so much, no."

"And not Potter's either."

Ginny didn't say anything, only gazed at him through sad eyes.

"You know I saw him the day it came out in the library. I was with Crabbe, Nott, and Goyle. And he looked at us with that stupid smug look on his face, because he named our fathers as You-Know-Who's followers. Goyle cracked his hands ready to pound him, but I told him to back off. No need to really make him gloat," he sneered.

"That doesn't mean I think any less of you," Ginny said, putting her hand on his knee.

Draco turned to her then. "You shouldn't be out here; you shouldn't be seen with the son of a Death Eater. You're the sister of a member of the Golden Trio. Imagine the scandal."

"I'm the one who opened the Chamber of Secrets; a romance with you will seem mild in comparison," she said wryly.

Draco scoffed at that. "I knew my father was evil. I've been bred in such a way that I can't help but know he was evil. But for him to be a Death Eater just makes it . . . I don't know . . . real."

She squeezed his knee, and Draco covered her hand with his. "I'm here for you, Draco. You know that."

"At least someone is," he muttered.

Ginny frowned. "What do you mean?"

Draco shook his head. "Everyone's treating me like I'm a Death Eater, as if I had some influence over You-Know-Who. Either that or they're afraid I'm going to hex them, which I probably would."

Ginny frowned. "Even Nia?"

Draco looked downcast. "Especially Nia. I know she has her own problems, and this little article probably doesn't make me a likely candidate for her to talk to me . . ."

"She needs to talk to someone. Angelina's been beside herself. You know she almost burst into tears during one of our Quidditch practices . . . although that was partly because of Ron's dreadful keeping . . ."

Draco chuckled. "Weasley is indeed our king."

Ginny shoved him playfully. "That's my brother you're talking about!"

"You started it!"

She smiled at him, running her palms on his cheeks. They were flushed from the cold, and his skin was warm. Draco closed his eyes and leaned into her caress.

"Thank you for being out here with me," Draco murmured, opening his eyes and looking into hers. "How did you know I'd be here?"

"Nia told me a while back you came out here when something was bothering you. I figured this was where you'd go when I saw you leave the Hall."

"So you're spying on me now, hmm?"

Ginny snorted. "Don't sound so smug."

"Who wouldn't be smug if they had someone as beautiful as you watching them?" he said with a grin.

Ginny felt her cheeks heat at that, but she returned his grin. "I mean really, Draco, you're the sexiest guy in this school, after all."

Draco laughed. "You're laying it on pretty thick there, Little Weasel."

"You're going to call me that still?" she pouted.

Draco shook his head, trailing a finger down her cheek as he brushed a stray lock away from it. He tucked the lock behind her ear, all the while gazing intently into her brown eyes. "No, Virginia, I won't call you that anymore," he whispered.

She made a face. "Don't call me that, Draco. It makes me sound old."

"How about Virgin?" he snickered.

Ginny gaped at him, slapping his knee. "Don't you dare call me that!"

"Why not? You are, aren't you?" he asked, sidling up next to her.

Ginny forgot about the cold as he got closer, his body heat warming her insides. "That's not any of your business."

He got closer still, rubbing his nose at her temple. "True, but, it may very well be, no?" He pressed his lips against her temple.

Ginny closed her eyes, not believing what he dared insinuate. "I can't believe you just said that," she breathed as his lips blazed a trail to her ear. She tilted her head to give him better access.

"Yes, you can; you just don't want to believe I said it."

"You're such an arrogant prick."

"No. That would be Potter." Ginny shot him a reproachful look. "I speak truth, and you know it."

"He's still my friend," she muttered, her eyes dragging shut again a he pressed kisses along her jaw. "Oh Draco . . ."

"Hmmm?" he rumbled against her skin. Ginny shivered and not from cold. "What shall I call you then, hmm? You won't let me call you by Little Weasel so let's see . . . how about Ginger?"

"Ginger?" she asked, pulling her chin down, effectively placing her mouth mere inches from his.

He smirked.

She gulped.

"Yes, Ginger. For your hair. And because of your spiciness." He placed a chaste kiss on her lips.

Ginny's eyes fluttered at the contact. "My father says I'm sweet," Ginny pouted again.

Draco grinned and kissed her pouting lips lightly again. "Sugar and spice . . . you're most definitely not lacking on the spice," he murmured against her lips.

"You say the sweetest things," she said dryly.

Draco laughed and hugged her, a gesture that surprised Ginny more than his kisses.

"Thank you, Ginger," he whispered in her ear.

"You're welcome, Draco." She hugged him tightly. "You are aware I'll still have to hex you if you're mean to my brothers and my friends."

"I'll know you do it out of affection."

They pulled apart, and Draco kissed her forehead. "Come, I'm freezing my arse off. Let's go inside." They left the pitch and walked arm in arm back to the castle, both appreciative of the new friendship forming between them.

"Just so you know, you will not be leaving this office until you say something."

Nia rolled her eyes, not really caring what happened. She had nothing to say to the men before her. They had lied to her all her life, and she was mad.

"Nia, please. Talk to us. I know it's been a hard few weeks for you, but you have to say something!"

"I ain't got ta say diddly," she snapped, her drawl more pronounced.

"Little One--"

"Don't! I don't wanna hear it! You lost your right to call me that weeks ago!" she said, deadly calm. She still didn't meet their eyes, instead choosing to stare into the fire.

"Nia, please--"

"Give her time, Severus."

"My daughter is hurting!"

"Actually, she's my daughter . . ."

"Not according to the courts--"

Nia's eyes began to water at that.

"I'm mama's daughter," she said icily. "And that's only because she gave birth to me." She heard a rustling behind her as Severus came to kneel before her, his hands on her knees.

"Nia, look at me."

She continued to look above his head, a tear falling from her eyes. Nia made no move to wipe it away, wanting him to see how hurt and confused she was.

"There is a reason we kept your paternity from you," he said sadly.

"Right. Because you're ashamed of me. I'm not really your daughter, but you wanted to keep on pretending that I was. Now I know why you were never around when Angelina and her parents came, because you'd be in the same room as my 'father.'"

Severus breathed deeply, dropping his head. "We are not ashamed of you," he ground out.

"Well, maybe not you, but I'm sure Caleb is," she said coolly.

She heard a groan from behind her.

"Nia, I am not ashamed of you," he said wearily.

"That's what you do when you get something you don't want. You give it away, pretend like it doesn't exist. Only bring it out on the occasions when the person who gave it to you comes to visit. Except in your case, you did the visiting."

"That is not fair . . ." Caleb began.

"Right. Fair. You thought it was fair to deny me who I am. No wonder I took my mother's maiden name! I couldn't take Professor Snape's because he's not my father, and I couldn't take yours because I'm proof of your adulterous actions with my mother!"

"Nia . . ." Severus warned.

"You thought it was just going to be a roll in the hay, didn't you? You didn't even think that maybe she could get pregnant and have evidence of your inability to keep it in your pants--"

"NIA!"

She looked at Severus then and saw the pain in his eyes. She began to cry, wrapping her arms around him. "You're a victim in this too," she cried into his shoulder. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I'm not your daughter. I wanted to be, but I should've known. I knew I was too dark, but I wanted it anyway so I put it out of my mind."

"This is not your fault. It's not your fault," he murmured, tears in his voice.

"It is my fault! I'm the one who made Angelina stop talking to her parents! I'm the one who made the hate appear in her eyes when she looked at me. I broke her home! She's not going to want to speak to me again!"

"Little One, she wants to speak to you. She's been trying ever since we returned to school," Severus informed her.

"Besides, she's more upset with me than she is at anyone. She's not angry at you, Nia," Caleb said, trying to reassure her.

Nia ignored him, not wanting to hear him speak.

"Did you hear what he said?" Severus asked, noticing her lack of a response.

"Yeah, I heard him," she muttered, pulling away from Severus.

"I know this is hard for you, but please talk to someone about this. If not me or Caleb, then Dumbledore, or Angelina--"

"I'm still not ready to face her," Nia interrupted.

"Or Mr. Malfoy, perhaps?"

"MALFOY! What the hell is she doing talking to a MALFOY!?" Caleb bellowed, standing quickly and walking in front of her.

"None of your business," she sassed and crossed her arms in front of her.

"It is my business! You are my daughter!"

"Not by choice."

Caleb jerked back as if he'd been slapped, and Nia felt guilty, but not guilty enough to apologize.

"Clearly Leka did not explain all you needed to know in that letter. Perhaps it's time you know the circumstances surrounding your conception and birth," he said quietly.

Circumstances?

"No! It is not the time," Severus disagreed.

"I can't stand to see her mad at me, Severus! There was a time she loved my visits with her sister and stepmother . . ."

Nia closed her eyes at the realization that Cousin Elle was now in fact her stepmother as well. She'd never even thought about that new connection; it was too much to handle.

"Well right now, I can't really much look at you. It's hard to realize your father didn't want you."

"It's not like that . . ." Caleb trailed.

"Isn't it? How easily you gave me up to someone else to raise, though my mother romantically thought otherwise? You loved Angelina so much, but you couldn't stand the sight of me."

"Malika and Severus were love, engaged to be married," Caleb said, trying to explain things to her.

"So you and my mother decided to betray your spouse's and fiancée's trust for a little fling that resulted in me," she said acidly.

"IT WAS A MISTAKE! IT SHOULD'VE NEVER HAPPENED!" Caleb yelled.

Nia jumped back from the sheer force of it.

"Get the hell out of my office, Johnson. Now. Don't you ever yell at my daughter again."

Severus stood from his crouched position very slowly, his eyes never straying from the man before him. His voice had been calm, but there was an underlying surge of anger beneath it.

Caleb looked at her plaintively. "I'm sorry, Nia--"

"OUT! GET OUT!" Severus roared and pointed to the door roughly, losing control. Nia shot up and ran out of the room, ignoring her fathers' calls for her to come back. She ran blindly, not having a particular direction but knowing she did not want to be found. Nia went outside; she had no cloak to protect her from the cold. She tripped on a snow-covered rock and fell, the snow seeping into her flimsy robe and uniform. There she cried. She did not care if she was in the snow, freezing, or dearly close to catching a cold.

"NIA! Nia, are you all right?" she heard and felt someone place a hand on her back. Nia's sniffles lessened, but she still did not lift her head. She felt the person lift her up and wrap a cloak around her.

"No, take it back. You need your cloak," she muttered, trying to take it off of her shoulders.

"That's why you're the one shivering," the voice said dryly.

She looked up and noticed it was Draco and Ginny, both red from the cold. Draco had his cloak around her, and Ginny was caressing her hair.

"What's wrong, Nia? Are you hurt?" Ginny asked.

"No. Apparently I'm a mistake," she said bitterly.

"Who told you that?"

"My father."

"Snape!" Draco exclaimed.

"No, the other one."

"I'm not even going to ask," Ginny said, putting up her hands in surrender. "Let's just get inside and get warm."

Draco helped Nia walk into the castle with Ginny in tow.

"What in Merlin's name were you doing outside like that, anyway?" Draco asked as they walked down the corridor.

"I don't wanna talk about it," Nia mumbled, snuggling closer to Draco's warmth.

Ginny looked at her sadly. "Look, I need to go back to Gryffindor Tower, but we need to talk. You've been avoiding me and Angelina for the past month and a half. She's worried sick about you."

Nia looked regretful. "Tell her I'm sorry, okay? I just thought that she wouldn't want to talk to me."

"She loves you, you know? You're family," Ginny said.

Nia nodded, giving the older girl a hug. "Thank you."

"No problem. You're my friend; that's what friends do, Nia," Ginny said. They parted, and Ginny began walking to the tower.

"Where's my hug?" Draco asked, extending his arms wide.

Ginny rolled her eyes at Nia and continued walking. "I don't know, but as soon as you find it, let me know, okay?" She grinned lecherously and winked.

Draco huffed and looked at Nia, a scowl forming on his face. "Wipe that smirk off your face," he muttered, bringing her back to his side and wrapping his arms around her shoulders.

"You is whuuuppped!" she sang, chuckling as he tried to tickle her side.

"It's good to hear you laugh again." He kissed her temple.

"I've been a bit of a punk, haven't I?" she asked shyly.

"No, of course not." Nia smiled at him. "You've been a lot of a punk!"

Nia stopped walking and gaped at him. Draco turned and walked backwards, a challenge in his eyes.

"Oooh! You gon' get it now!" she exclaimed and began to run for him. Draco laughed and started running as well, turning around the corner on the way to the dungeons.

Stupid boy, have to be so dang tall with those long legs of his . . .

"Miss Roberts?"

Nia stopped dead in her tracks, turning slowly towards the sound of the voice. There was Dumbledore, in purple robes with gold smiley-faced crescent moons, looking at her over his half-moon glasses--eyes twinkling.

Oh good, they're twinkling.

"Yes, Headmaster?"

"Is there any reason why you're running like Atalanta in the hallways?"

She looked sheepish. "Chasing after Draco, Headmaster."

"Having fun?"

Nia was glad he couldn't see her blush. "No?"

Dumbledore chuckled. "May I speak with you, Nia?" he asked, dropping formalities. She nodded and followed him to the gargoyles that guarded his office.

"Peppermint," he said with a wink to Nia. She grinned and stepped on the spiral staircase as it made its way to his office.

Dumbledore opened the door, and Nia stepped inside. He pointed to a seat near the fireplace, and she sat, her feet dangling from the couch. Dumbledore sat opposite her and formed his hands into a steeple.

"Am I in trouble, Headmaster?"

"Headmaster? Whatever happened to Grandpa Albus?"

"While I may have been fooled to thinking Professor Snape was my father, I'm not foolish enough to believe you're my grandfather," Nia said on a nervous laugh.

Dumbledore gave a half-smile. "You're not foolish, Little One, for you are quite right. I am not you grandfather."

"Exactly. So why did Mama call you Great-Grandpa Albus in her letter to me?"

"Because I was her great-grandpa."

"That's impossible," Nia scoffed. "That would mean you're my great-great grandfather!"

"Ten points to Slytherin."

"But that's impossible!"

"Nothing's impossible, my dear."

"I'm tired. I've been climbing way too many family trees . . ."

Dumbledore laughed heartily. "You come from a family of greatness, my dear. There were many trying to be a part of it."

"Is it too late to revoke my membership?"

He chuckled. "I wouldn't be so quick to do that," he warned. He stood and went to the bookshelf, pulling a red leather book from it and handing it to her. "Here is a book from your great-great grandmother, Asenath. It will explain some things to you."

"Gods and Goddesses Through the Ages," she read aloud. "I don't see how this has anything to do with me."

Dumbledore peered at her above his lenses. "Read, and the Sight will become clear."