Who Followed Who?

"Bloody hell, Hermione- Snape was right," Ron sat down miserably and cradled his face in his hands. "I was out running some errands today and ran into Ginny and Malfoy in the street together." Hermione sat down beside him and patted his back gently.

"Ron, maybe it's not what it looks like. She could be trying to infiltrate for us and garner some useful information. After all, it's not like we give her a lot to do for us. She probably just got bored."

"How is she going to get information for us when Harry's banned her from the bloody meetings?" he snapped. Hermione's hand froze on his back.

"Harry did what?"

"Banned her from the meetings! She said it, then Malfoy said he heard it. I don't want to believe them, but the look on her face... sweet Merlin, Hermione, what are we going to do? I don't want to lose my sister to that git!"

"It's our fault," she whispered. "This is exactly what happened when she-" she stopped at Ron's warning look. "Well, it's what happened before. We should have been paying more attention to her."

"We'll just have to start now, is all," Ron said resolutely, sitting up straight. "And I'm going to have words with Harry when he gets here, too. He had no right to kick her out of the Order." Hermione thought about this for a moment before she answered.

"Ron, I think he did the right thing. If she's meeting with Malfoy, even for innocent reasons, it's possible that she could accidentally let some information slip to him. Harry was just looking out for us."

"I can't believe it," he said, standing. "My own fiancée turning on me, and siding with Harry! So what am I supposed to do, just let my sister go? Just give her over to Malfoy without a fight?"

"Please calm down, Ron. I didn't mean it like that, and you know it. Of course we're not going to let her go - I just agree with Harry that we should probably keep her away from the Order meetings until we have things sorted out and know what we're going to do about her." Ron sat down again but remained silent.

What if when they went to save her, she was too far beyond their reach?

~*~

Narcissa was sitting at her table, brushing her hair when her husband swept into the room and dropped a kiss atop her head. She turned and smiled brightly at him as he sat down on the bed.

"Research going well, darling?" she asked sweetly.

"As well as can be expected, since I can't go out of the house to get exactly what I need," he grumbled. "How has your day been so far?"

"Interesting," she said quietly, giving him a knowing smile. He blinked, then a slow grin spread across his face.

"Interesting as in how?"

"Interesting as in I think our son is falling in love." Lucius' grin broadened.

"Is that so?"

"It is." She proceeded to tell him everything that Draco had confided in her, including the part about how Harry Potter had banned her from the meetings they'd been having. He sat back and tried to absorb it all.

"Potter is an even bigger fool than I thought," he murmured softly.

"How so?"

"Well, even though he's ousted her from their meetings, if she so chose, she could still give us a wealth of information on their goings on up until this point. She could tell us any number of things, including where they've met, who attends the meetings, what they've discussed - it just doesn't make sense that he'd cut ties with her that easily."

"Do you think she's being watched, then?"

"No; I doubt that any of her hot-headed friends would be able to just sit idly by and watch our son woo her."

"What do you think is going on, then?" She replaced her brush on the vanity and moved to lie beside him on the bed, where he wrapped his arms around her.

"I'm not sure, but I think it would be wise for all of us if we kept Ginny Weasley nearby for a while."

"She's coming for dinner tonight," she offered, snuggling closer to him.

"I'd almost forgotten. Yes, we'll have to discuss it with her tonight. Perhaps Draco will be able to convince her to stay in our home, for all of our sakes."

"You want her to stay with us?" Narcissa sounded exceedingly pleased, which made him chuckle.

"You're fond of the girl, are you not?"

"Extremely. She's like the daughter I never had." His arms tightened around her reflexively. Draco's birth had been too hard on his wife's body, and despite their efforts, she'd never managed to conceive again. It was a sad thing for the both of them- they'd always discussed having a large family.

"Well, if what you say is true, perhaps in time she will be your daughter."

~*~

Ginny was so used to people either apparating or flooing into her flat that she was surprised by a loud knock at her front door. She looked through the peephole and saw a very worried looking Hermione, with her finger in her mouth. She sighed quietly and rolled her eyes. Hermione only bit her nails when she was nervous. She slid open the deadbolt and opened the door.

"Hullo, Ginny," she said, smiling. "May I come in?"

"Actually, I was just on my way out. Was there something you needed?"

"Out?" Hermione frowned. "I was just coming to ask you to dinner."

"Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I've already made plans for dinner." A loud crack resonated throughout her flat, and she beamed at Hermione. "And there he is now, so if you don't mind-"

"Weasley?" Hermione stiffened at the sound of Malfoy's voice. He appeared behind Ginny within a matter of moments and gave Hermione an appraising look, which surprised her. He turned back to Ginny. "Should I leave?"

"No, please," she said, shaking her head. "Hermione was finished with what she came for, weren't you?" Without waiting for Hermione's answer, Ginny shut the door in her face. Hermione's heart sank in her chest when she heard muffled laughter from behind the door.

We're too late.

~*~

Draco waited for Ginny to fetch her cloak, then held his arm out to her as he flashed her a winning smile.

"You look lovely," he whispered in her ear. Tiny shivers ran down her spine, and she turned to give him a look of surprise.

"Thank you," she said, her cheeks turning slightly pink. "You don't look so bad yourself, but then, I'm sure you already knew that." He chuckled, and then wrapped his arm around her waist as they stepped into her tiny fireplace. When they emerged in the foyer of the Manor, he was pleased to note that she didn't pull away from him immediately.

She only pulled away from him when they heard approaching footsteps. He felt a twinge of disappointment when his Mother rounded the corner and Ginny rushed to embrace her, and then he had to bite back a smile. The girl had spent two days around his mother and already she was enamored of her. Well, that was nothing less than he'd been expecting; his mother was the reason that his friends had always wanted to have their parties at the Manor.

"How are you, Ginevra?" His mother beamed. Ginny gave her a weak smile.

"I've been better." Narcissa frowned slightly.

"Is something the matter, dear?"

"Just those idiots that won't leave her alone," Draco muttered under his breath. Ginny arched an eyebrow at him, but neither he nor his mother saw it.

"What idiots? Has someone been bothering you, Ginevra?"

"My brother's friends seem to think that they can make all of my decision for me, is all. They didn't even notice I was alive until they found out I was seeing-"she stopped herself and Draco swiveled around to look at her. "That I was friends with Draco." Disappointment flooded through him.

"And they don't like Draco, is that it?" The way that Narcissa pursed her lips made it clear to Ginny that she saw no reason that anyone wouldn't like her son.

"No, they don't."

"I see." Her voice indicated that she did not see, and she did not want to see. Clearly anyone who didn't see her son's merits was beneath him as far as she was concerned. Her voice softened when she spoke again. "But you do not share their sentiments?"

"Of course not," Ginny said quickly, blushing. "I think Draco is perfectly- "she stopped herself again, the heat in her face telling Narcissa exactly what she thought of Draco. "Well, I think he's charming." Draco's lips tilted up in a smile, although it was hidden from Ginny because he was behind her.

"Mother, is it time for dinner yet, or do I have a few moments to show Ginny around the Manor?" Narcissa smiled warmly.

"Take all the time you like. Dinner will be served when you've finished." Draco inclined his head. Ginny felt a burning sensation at the small of her back, then flushed pleasurably when she realized that it was being caused by Draco's hand. He'd placed his hand there to lead her out of the room.

Narcissa watched them go, a smile playing at her lips. Perhaps I'd better ask Lucius where he put his Grandmother's wedding set, after all.