Truth Will Out

TRUTH WILL OUT

THE GREEN EYED MONSTER

"Whose foolish idea was it to meet for brunch the morning after a ball?" Blaise grumbled as he slid into a chair between Draco and Luna. "I should still be sleeping!"

"Next time I come up with a stupid idea like this kill me or something," Draco muttered wearily.

"I promise," Blaise answered sincerely.

"It's all right for you lot, at least you can just sit here and die. I have to put a smile on my face and pretend I'm actually interested in whatever this git has to say," Ginny snarled.

"Sorry," Draco mumbled regretfully.

"So you should be," Ginny responded grumpily.

"Coffee?" Luna offered brightly.

The other three occupants turned their tired eyes on her. If they had possessed the energy she might have been in danger of being glared to death, but as it was only three weak replies to the affirmative were issued.

Draco managed a weak glare in Ginny's direction as the blonde witch bounced up to the counter of the café and placed their order. "Why is she here?"

"I invited her," Ginny admitted. "I felt awful going out again and leaving her at home."

"You shouldn't complain," Blaise said to Draco. "After all, she's getting the coffee."

"Point taken," Draco mumbled.

"Coffee's here!" Luna sang loudly.

Draco glanced at Blaise questioningly.

"Fine, we should have got our own coffee," Blaise conceded quietly.

"This is so good," Ginny declared. "Luna, you're an angel."

"I got double shots for all of you, because you all look like you've been attacked by Wrackspurts." Luna looked around at her companions with concern clearly etched on her face.

Draco looked like he was in pain as a deep frown creased his forehead. "What?"

"Don't," Ginny begged. "Please don't."

"Are we looking for yellow roses?" Blaise asked.

"Yeah," Draco answered.

"One just walked in." Blaise nodded in the direction of the door.

"Fuck," Draco breathed more than said when he spied the man with the yellow rose.

"Oh my God! I don't believe it!" Ginny was out of her chair and across the café before she finished speaking.

"She's not seriously going to entertain that--"

"Seamus Finnigan!" Ginny shrieked with more energy than she'd exhibited all morning.

"Ginny Weasley! How are you?" Seamus replied enthusiastically. "It's been years."

"I've been great," Ginny expressed, obviously ignoring the fact that she was suffering the hang over of the century. "I haven't seen you since you left Hogwarts."

"We'll have to catch up sometime," Seamus promised, glancing around the café in a distracted fashion.

"What about right now?" Ginny asked.

"I'm sorry, I'm meeting someone," Seamus explained.

Ginny's hand dove into her bag and pulled out a mangled yellow rose. "You're meeting me."

"You? Well I'll be!"

"Why don't we get a table?" Ginny suggested, aware that they were creating a scene, not to mention blocking the doorway.

"Sure," Seamus agreed.

"Fuck," Draco hissed.

"What's wrong?" Luna inquired innocently.

"She doesn't need to be getting involved with the likes of Finnigan," Draco whispered harshly. "He's got a reputation as a philanderer."

"Like you?" Luna asked.

Draco looked at her, his eyes growing wide before they narrowed viciously. "Worse than me," he ground out.

Luna giggled lightly. "There's someone worse than you?"

Blaise cleared his throat, knowing it took very little to distract the blonde.

"Are you all right, Blaise? You're not coming down with something are you?" Luna leaned over and placed her cold hand against his cheek.

"She's laughing with him," Draco snarled angrily.

"Settle down, mate," Blaise encouraged quietly. "They're old friends."

"He's looking for an easy shag," Draco growled.

"Aren't we all?" Blaise countered.

"I don't like him," Draco stated. "Look, he's touching her."

"That's so sweet," Luna trilled. "People who hold hands have a real connection, did you know?"

"It is not sweet," Draco determined fiercely.

Blaise cringed, knowing he had to say something before his friend did something foolish. "Malfoy, you're starting to sound a little--"

"What? Sound a little what?" Draco demanded furiously.

"Protective?" Blaise tried cautiously. It wasn't quite the description he was looking for, but he didn't have a death wish, despite how horrendously his head was thumping.

"I am not--" Draco started to growl dangerously, but stopped when he heard Ginny's shrill laugh.

Draco's eyes snapped over to the table where his best friend sat again. She was having the time of her life with the Irish git. There were tears streaming down her face, and he knew their cause wasn't grief. All of a sudden, he was staring straight into the eyes of Seamus Finnigan.

"Easy," Blaise said softly as he placed a hand on Draco's shoulder.

Every fiber in his body tensed and Draco narrowed his cold, furious eyes on the Irish wizard. All he could think about was ripping his head off. So caught up in his murderous plans, Draco failed to see Ginny get up from her table and walk over.

"Uh oh," Blaise whispered, moving his chair a few inches away from Draco.

"What do you think you're doing?" Ginny demanded.

"I don't like him," Draco snapped.

"Well, it's not about what you like, is it?" Ginny responded flippantly.

"Do you like him?" Draco asked incredulously.

"He's an old friend, Malfoy. We haven't seen each other in years and we have a lot to talk about."

"But do you like him?" Draco persisted. "As a potential boyfriend?"

Ginny frowned, thinking about how to answer the question. "I might."

"You've got to be--" Draco's rage, which had consumed him the moment she answered, disappeared suddenly. "You're lying," he said smugly.

"What makes you think that?" Ginny asked, tossing her hair over her shoulder confidently.

Draco smirked and his eyes began to twinkle with mischief. "I'd tell the truth if I were you, Weasley."

"I did," Ginny said stubbornly.

"Your body is telling me different."

"You just think you know me," Ginny snarled. "In reality, you only see what you want to see."

"No, I don't think so," Draco said calmly.

His cool demeanor was starting to really irk her, and her temper was beginning to climb towards boiling point. "I don't believe you," Ginny hissed. "You set this date up, and now you're acting like a complete bastard, because I'm actually having a good time."

"That's beside the point," Draco insisted. "The fact is that you don't want Finnigan for a boyfriend."

"I said I might," Ginny ground out. "In fact, I might take him home now and shag his brains out."

"Well, I can't stop you, but you might want to do something about your appearance first," Draco drawled casually.

"What?" Ginny looked at him as if he'd taken leave of his senses.

"It's just that he might be a bit put off by your appearance," Draco replied vaguely.

Ginny leaned over, so she was mere inches from Draco's face. "If you don't start making sense soon I'm going to hex that smirk off your face."

"Do you like Finnigan?" Draco asked.

"Yes."

"Do you think you might like to pursue a relationship with Finnigan?"

"Perhaps."

Blaise suddenly snorted with laughter. "I'm sorry... Really, I'm sorry, but she's--"

"Yes, I know what she is, Zabini," Draco responded evenly. "I'm just waiting for her to realize the consequences of what she's done."

Ginny looked around at each of the occupants of the table. Luna seemed almost oblivious to the conflict, Blaise looked ready to burst with laughter and Draco was obviously quietly amused, not to mention smug. "I'll talk to you tonight," she snapped in Draco's face.

"Oh, I think you'll be talking to me a bit sooner than that, Weasley," Draco said confidently as she walked away.

He watched her carefully for a reaction, because he knew it would be subtle. Draco wasn't disappointed. Her right hand slipped behind her back and the middle finger extended in a gesture that told him that she'd heard what he'd said at least. A smug smirk crept across his mouth, and his eyes twinkled as he watched Finnigan's face for his reaction.

It took a few seconds and several facial expressions, ranging from surprise to horror, for Finnigan to finally reach what Draco was waiting for -- hilarity. The fact that Finnigan almost fell off his chair sideways while laughing was a little bonus Draco hadn't expected, but the real reward was the man's inability to articulate and tell Ginny what was so funny.

She spun around to glower him, not that it bothered Draco, because he was expecting something, and her sharp gaze wasn't something that would do him any harm. Blaise promptly fell sideways, into Luna, unable to hold himself up while laughing so hard. Luna was more concerned with the hulk of a man leaning on her to pay her roommate any attention, which was a good thing in Draco's mind, because she'd likely spoil the fun by telling Ginny the problem.

Seconds later she was gone. Draco's amusement turned into a frown immediately. He hadn't been expecting her to just leave.

"Shit," Draco hissed.

"I think she's a bit pissed," Blaise said, trying to bring himself under control.

"I'd better--" Draco began.

"Better you than me," Blaise commented, still giggling to himself. "What sort of music would you like played at your funeral?"

"Very funny," Draco snapped as he got up.

"Oi, Malfoy, what's going on?" Seamus asked. "Ginny told me about the competition you two had going, so why did she--"

"Zabini, explain to the moron and take care of their bill," Draco instructed.

"Where are you going?" Seamus asked when Draco started moving towards the door again.

"I'm going after her," Draco said patiently.

"You might want to take this." Seamus picked Ginny's handbag off the chair next to him.

"Great," Draco muttered, accepting the bag. "She just had to bring the fucking pink one today."

"I think it suits you, Malfoy," Blaise said, snorting as he finished. "Pink really lifts the color in your cheeks."

Draco turned his cold, hard eyes on his friend. If he had the time right now he'd hex him until he begged for mercy.

"Then again, that could just be fury," Blaise continued, still not able to control his amusement.

With a snarl, Draco tucked Ginny's pink handbag under his arm and went after her. He looked down the street in both directions and couldn't see her trademark red hair anywhere, so he Disapparated.

When he arrived at her flat he hammered on the door. "Ginny!"

There was no answer, but he thought he could hear a muffled sound just inside the door. "Ginny, come on... Open up!"

Again, there was no response, apart from the muffled sound on the other side of the door.

Draco took a deep breath and weighed up his options. If he stood there all day, yelling and belting on the door, someone was bound to alert the Aurors sooner or later, so he had to get her to either open up or he had to get inside. The latter seemed the most likely to be plausible at the moment, even though it would probably put him in mortal danger, given that her distress would give way to anger at some point.

"Weasley, this is your last chance. Open up or I'm coming in whether you want me to or not," Draco threatened.

He counted to ten, hoping that she would respond, but not really thinking she would. His hand ran through his hair in frustration when he realized he had no choice -- he would have to Apparate directly into her flat.

The moment he landed inside the sitting room a projectile zoomed past his head and smashed into the wall opposite.

"You bastard! How could you?"

Draco dodged another missile, and then ran at her before she could pick up anything else. She wasn't easy to contain, but after a few minutes of struggle and cursing Draco had her arms safely pinned to her sides and her body flush against his.

"We're going to talk about this reasonably, Weasley," Draco said evenly.

"Let me go!"

"Not until I know you won't try to take my head off with a vase," Draco responded. "Are you going to stop struggling?"

"No," Ginny snapped, renewing her efforts to break free.

"I'm not letting you go," Draco growled into her ear.

She was getting harder to hold, but he was determined not to let her loose until she understood what had happened, and then she might not be so resolute in her efforts to kill him.

"You're going to listen to me, or I'm not going to let you go," Draco said quietly.

"Nothing you say is--"

"Weasley--Ginny, you need to hear this," Draco insisted. "I didn't do anything to you or anyone else."

"Liar!"

The irony of the situation wasn't lost on Draco, and he thought he might even find it funny later on or perhaps in a decade. "I'm not lying."

"You are! Let me go!" Ginny screamed.

"Not until you--" Draco's words were cut short as he was shoved against the wall and Ginny fell from his arms. "What the-- Aaugh!"

"Don't move a muscle, Malfoy," Ron snarled in his ear.

"Fuck, Weasley, get off me," Draco demanded.

"I always knew you'd snap one day," Ron continued. "It was just a matter of time."

"Ginny! Ginny, for shit's sake tell your idiot brother to get off me," Draco called.

"Ignore him," Harry said gruffly.

"You're under arrest, Malfoy," Ron said with something akin to glee. "You have the right to remain silent -- I actually advise you to take that right and embrace it -- you have..."

Draco's mind shut down as Ron Weasley continued reading him his rights. He couldn't believe this happening. Somewhere in the flat he could hear Potter's voice over the sound of a woman sobbing -- Ginny. Desperate to get to her, to soothe her, Draco began to struggle against her brother.

"You're really stupid, you know that?" Ron snapped.

A flash of light bright enough to make him see spots, followed by another burst of pain, and Draco found he couldn't move. He couldn't even bat his eyelashes. While his mind screamed for release, his mouth remained still. All he could do was stare up at Weasley, pleading with his eyes for understanding.

"That'll hold you, you mongrel," Ron spat.

Again, Draco tried to offer some form of explanation with his eyes, but the buffoon hovering over him was too stupid to realize he had anything to say.

Ron leaned over Draco, getting close enough to feel his shallow breath on his face. "I swear, if you've hurt her in any way I'm going to kill you."

Horrified that someone thought that he could or would hurt Ginny, Draco doubled his efforts to defend himself, but all he could do was scream inside his head. It was beginning to hurt and as he calmed himself down, he began to wonder why Ginny wasn't defending him -- demanding that her brother release him. He could still hear her crying and Potter's pathetic attempts to pacify her, but he couldn't tell where they were in the flat.

"Harry, I'll take the lowlife in," Ron said. "As soon as Ginny's calm enough--"

"We'll follow straight away," Harry said. "I don't think she's going to calm down for a bit."

"Maybe we should get Mum," Ron pondered aloud.

A trickle of fear, unlike what he was already feeling, snaked its way down his spine. The last thing Draco wanted or needed right now was Molly Weasley in his face when she thought he'd done something to her baby girl.

Harry blew out a lung full of air in a long, loud huff. "Do you really want your mum ranting and raving in the department? She'd want his balls off right away."

"Yeah, you're right." Ron sighed. "There wouldn't be enough left for the Wizengamot to deal with, and then we'd be left explaining."

If it were possible, Draco would have sighed with relief. He'd still have to face the Weasley Matriarch later, but he'd not be so vulnerable then, he hoped.

"The paperwork would be a nightmare! How about Bill or Charlie?" Harry suggested. "She's going to need someone, and we've got to interview the scum."

"Yeah, I'll Floo the Burrow and see if I can get one of them to come to the office," Ron agreed.

Bill or Charlie? Draco wanted to ask them to just kill him now. If either of those two got their hands on him while he was in this state they'd torture him until he begged for death, then they'd laugh at him and begin the torture all over again.

Draco heard heavy footsteps move away from his prone body, and he could hear Ron making the Floo call. The danger of the situation he was in was becoming all too clear. Weasley and Potter meant to charge him with something, but he wasn't sure they'd informed him yet. Of course, Weasley could very well have told him at some stage, but he'd zoned his voice out a couple of times.

The thing that was bothering him the most was the absence of his best friend. He understood that she was upset -- the projectiles had proven that -- but she must realize by now that her brother was intent on taking him into Auror Headquarters. Still, she obviously wasn't coming to his rescue at the moment, though he was sure she would if he could just explain to her what was going on. She might even find it funny, given time.

"Right, let's go, you lowlife," Ron snarled as he levitated Draco's body. "I want to get home for some lunch."

He'd have sneered at him, if he could have moved at all. That little fact was just adding itself to everything else that was irking him at the moment when he heard Ginny gasp in horror. A small wave of relief started to dilute some of the irritation. She was going to step in now and save him an embarrassing trip to the Ministry.

"Don't look, Ginny," Harry said. "It's never pleasant to see someone taken in against their will."

What? Draco's mind screamed. Don't listen to him, Ginny. Please!

"Is anyone coming, Ron?" Harry asked.

"Yeah," Ron answered. "When I told them what happened, Bill and Charlie said they'd meet us there."

"Excellent. I'm going to transport Ginny now," Harry said. "Do you need me to come back and give you a hand?"

"No, we'll be fine," Ron replied.

Draco felt a boot go into his side. His ribs screamed in pain, but he couldn't let the world know.

"Won't we, Malfoy?" Ron inquired maliciously.

"No problem. I'll see you when you get there then," Harry said offhandedly.

"Might be a while," Ron said dangerously.

Ginny... Ginny... Don't leave me with him, Draco screamed silently. HELP!

It was all in vain, because for all he knew, she didn't even look at him again. There was a deep pop, as Harry and Ginny Disapparated together. All of a sudden his chest began to ache, and he felt truly frightened. Whatever Ron did to him now didn't matter, not really, because if he lost Ginny's friendship over this stupid bet or competition or whatever it had turned into, his life wasn't worth living.

All of a sudden Draco was staring straight into Ron's cold blue eyes. He'd never seen such an expression on the redheaded wizard's face before, and it was truly alarming. The desire to shrink away from such a hateful glare was overwhelming, and Draco's heart began to thump heavily against his ribcage as he realized there was no escape. Ron's huge hands came down, like a hawk's talons, and grabbed his arms roughly.

"You and I are going to take a little trip to the Ministry now," Ron growled.

Draco furiously moved his eyes from left to right and back again, pleading with the man he'd known for twelve years to hear him out and believe what he said.

"Don't want to come with me, Malfoy?" Ron mocked. "Too bad. You should have thought about your freedom before you hurt my sister."

In an instant, Draco's body was thrown into a vortex of confusion. He couldn't tell which way was up, nor could he work out how to put a stop to the disorientation. His logical mind told him that Ron was Side-Along Apparating with him, but that did nothing to quell the panic that had gripped him.

A burst of pain greeted him the moment the spinning ceased. He'd come to rest on the floor somewhere, and Weasley had done nothing to cushion his landing. His head was squashed up against the wall and his body was twisted in an unnatural position, even though he was under a body-binding curse.

"I'll be right back," Ron grunted.

Draco sighed mentally. This day was going to go down as the worst day in history; he could feel it in his bones. At this point, all he could do was hope that they'd have the good sense to listen to him before they began the torture. He was honestly beginning to doubt that Ginny would facilitate his release today, perhaps tomorrow or next week when her conscience had time to nag her or Blaise had an opportunity to remind her of the conditions of the contract, but today she was too upset.

Footsteps, Draco thought detachedly. I wonder who it is?

"Right, Malfoy," Harry said gruffly. "If we release the binding curse, are you going to behave yourself?"

Yes, Draco's mind yelled. Just let me talk to her.

"I know you can't answer me, but I'll tell you what I'll do to you if you don't behave," Harry offered. "I'll send you straight to Azkaban and forget to process you for a week or so. Don't think that we can't do that either. It happens occasionally, when we're really busy."

Azkaban. Draco's heart began to thunder in his chest again. There was no way he could go to Azkaban. If they sent him there he wouldn't be able to talk to Ginny and get this mess sorted out. He wouldn't be able to see her each day either, and that alone would kill him.

"I'm going to release you now," Harry instructed. "Don't make any sudden moves or you'll become a long term guest of the Ministry."

I won't, Draco answered to himself.

The sight of Potter's wand should have sent a wave of relief through him, but Draco found himself fighting back terror. It was ridiculous, and he knew it, but there seemed to be little he could do to control his emotions today. Potter wouldn't do anything untoward; he wouldn't want to lose his position as a top Auror, and besides there were bound to be other Aurors around the department, even if it was Sunday.

A sense of emancipation flowed through his body, starting from his head and reaching his toes in seconds. Draco drew in a deep breath, relishing the feel of his lungs expanding properly, before he tried to move. Every muscle in his body protested when he tried to sit up. All of Potter's warnings about making sudden moves were nonsense, in Draco's opinion, because he couldn't move quickly even if he wanted to right now.

"Stand up," Potter ordered.

Draco groaned and tried to comply, but his legs just wouldn't bend the right way. "I--"

"Come on," Potter snapped. "I haven't got all day!"

"Problem?" Ron queried as he ambled up.

"Seems Malfoy has forgotten how to stand up," Harry sneered.

"We should remind him then," Ron said decisively.

Before he could protest Ron and Harry had each grabbed one of his arms and hauled him to his feet. His body screamed in unison with his vocal cords. There was nothing he could do to stop his reaction or the humiliation as they laughed loudly at his misery.

"Feeling a bit stiff, are we, Malfoy?" Harry asked.

Draco snarled in the back of his throat. It was all he'd allow himself at the moment, because he feared he'd cry out in pain again if he didn't keep his mouth firmly closed.

"We're going to an interview room now," Ron told him in a genial tone, as if he were some sort of hostess. "I don't expect it'll be comfortable for you, but I don't really care."

Under different circumstances, Draco would have hexed the redheaded arsehole, or at least given him a mouth full of abuse in return. As it was, he gritted his teeth and swore silently. He was determined to do nothing that would give them an excuse to throw him in prison until they were ready to deal with him.

The walk to the interview room took them through the department. Draco listened carefully for any sign of life in the large room, but he couldn't detect a thing. He wondered where Ginny was at the moment and how she was doing.

"In here, Malfoy," Harry said. "Stop dragging your feet. You're not going to see her."

"Where is she?" Draco asked in a soft voice before he could stop himself.

"She's where you can't hurt her," Ron snarled.

"I didn't--"

"Save it," Harry growled. "We'll get to what you were doing when we're ready."

Draco was shoved into a small room with three chairs and a wooden table. He was forced into one of the chairs -- the only chair in the room with chains clattering excitedly as his backside hit the seat.

Harry leaned over him and got very close to his face. "Do we have to make sure you're going to behave, or can we trust you to sit here like a good little boy?"

"I'll do whatever it is that you want," Draco declared emotionally. "Just tell me if she's all right."

The Aurors looked at each other for a moment. Draco couldn't quite make out what their expressions meant, but he thought there might have been an element of surprise in both their eyes.

"Ginny's fine," Harry said. "She's with Bill and Charlie now."

"What we want to know is how come you have to ask that question?" Ron sat down in a chair on the other side of the table and glared at Draco.

Harry sat in the only vacant chair, next to Ron, and looked across the table curiously. "What happened, Malfoy? The truth, because if you lie to us--"

"I won't lie, and you can check my story with Ginny or Blaise Zabini." He paused, knowing there was one other person who might back him up, but he didn't know whether she would make the situation worse. Still, it was another voice on his side. "Or Luna Lovegood."

Ron snorted and leaned over to Harry. "I love the smell of desperation."

Apart from smirking, Harry ignored his partner's comment. "Start at the beginning and don't leave anything out."

"It all started the other week when we were at the pub..." Draco explained in great detail what led to the contract.

"Hang on a minute," Ron demanded. "What's so bad about having lunch with the family?"

"Any family, but yours would be--" Draco stopped the insult just in time. Though he was now able to explain what had happened, he still didn't trust either of the men in front on him. "It's just something we pick each other about. Ginny does everything she can to get out of having Wednesday night dinner with my family, and I do the same for Sunday lunch."

Harry shook his head and huffed impatiently. "Go on."

"The contract was drawn up by Blaise Zabini..." Draco elucidated every last detail of the contract, as he remembered it. He also told the Aurors that Ginny wasn't interested in reading the contract before she signed it, and he had to read out the important parts, because she was getting impatient.

"Sounds like Ginny," Harry muttered.

"So how many dates did you get out of this?" Ron asked.

"A fair few," Draco answered curtly.

"What about Ginny?" Ron pressed.

"Again, the advertising was successful," Draco replied.

"So what happened this morning?" Harry interrupted.

"I had set up a brunch date for her at the café. Blaise, Luna and myself were sitting at another table in the café, so we could keep an eye on Ginny while she met this stranger." Draco's hands clenched into fists as memories of watching her with Finnigan this morning came back to him.

"Yes?"

"The date turned out to be someone she knew from school," Draco uttered, not really wanting to tell them who it was that Ginny had brunch with today.

"Who?" Ron demanded.

"Finnigan," Draco answered simply.

"I haven't seen him in years!" Ron laughed.

"How did she end up so distraught?" Harry asked.

Draco sighed. "Finnigan and Ginny looked to be having a good time, and I might have glared at him once or twice--"

Harry and Ron exchanged a knowing look.

"She came over to our table to tell me off, and I goaded her into a bit of a state, so when I asked whether she thought she might like to see Finnigan again as a romantic interest she lied to me and said yes."

"And she turned green and silver?" Ron inquired.

"Yes."

The table began to shudder, and then Ron burst into loud, raucous laughter.

"That is bloody brilliant," Ron managed.

Harry cleared his throat, obviously struggling to maintain control. "What happened next?"

"She stormed out of the café, so I followed her to her flat. I wanted to be close, so she'd have the opportunity to turn her skin color back to normal." Draco paused to regard the two men. He had the feeling they believed him, but he wasn't foolish enough to believe he was out of trouble yet. "I knocked on the door, but she wouldn't answer, so I Apparated straight inside. I didn't think it'd be a good idea to disturb the neighbors; they might call they Aurors or something silly--"

"You have that bit right," Harry said dryly. "We received an emergency Floo call from a neighbor who heard yelling, screaming and banging."

Draco nodded sadly. "As I landed inside her flat she threw a vase at my head, and it was quickly followed by something else, so before she could break anything else I contained her. That's probably when the neighbor heard her screaming."

"What happened then?" Ron inquired, having finally found some control.

"I tried to talk to her -- to remind her that she needed to tell the truth -- but I didn't get far, and then you two turned up."

"Let me get this straight," Ron said slowly. "If she tells you the truth she'll lose the green and silver stripes?"

"Yes, that's the way it works," Draco confirmed.

Ron sighed heavily and dropped his head into his hands. "This is so disappointing."

Draco stared across the table, completely confused. It wasn't a secret that Ron Weasley lacked in the intelligence department, but feeling disappointed that nothing had happened to his sister was being more dim-witted than Draco had ever given him credit for. He focused on Harry. "Can I see her? If she can't remember why she's turned green and silver--"

"I'll have to talk to her first," Harry said. "If she doesn't want to see you, I can't force her."

"But if she doesn't tell me--"

"I understand that, but--" Harry grimaced and shrugged uncomfortably.

"Just tell her I'm--" Draco swallowed and forced himself to say the words. "Tell her I'm sorry."

"He's not your owl," Ron pointed out.

"Ron, he didn't actually do anything, other than try to calm her down," Harry said. "We need to sort this out now."

"Sort it out?" Ron frowned at his friend. "We should just shove him in a room with her and let her have him."

Harry looked as though he was thinking seriously about Ron's suggestion for a few moments. "As tempting as that is, if she kills him here we'll be stuck doing paperwork for the rest of the afternoon."

"We wouldn't have to tell anyone," Ron argued.

"Then we'd have to dispose of his body and, I don't know about you, but I don't feel like digging a grave this afternoon," Harry reminded him.

"I suppose you're right," Ron agreed morosely. "Better go talk to her then."

"I'll go," Harry offered firmly. "You stay here and make sure he doesn't go wandering around."

"When will I be free to go?" Draco asked, surprised that Potter was still insisting upon supervision.

"You're free to go now, but I wouldn't risk running into Bill or Charlie before they understand what's happened," Harry explained.

"Of course," Draco murmured. He'd forgotten the other two men were even in the department.

"I'll talk to her and get back to you," Harry promised.

Draco nodded wearily as Harry walked out of the room, closing the door firmly behind himself.

"You two really made a bet to see if you could find each other dates?" Ron asked incredulously.

"Yes, we did," Draco answered impatiently. He'd just spent the last eon explaining all of that.

"So did she set you up with any good women?"

"Your sister's ability to chose suitable dates for me is somewhat lacking," Draco replied.

"No shags?"

"Unfortunately, no."

"For how long?"

"Since the night before we signed the contract."

Ron counted on his fingers and then grimaced. "Nine days! Ouch! How are you holding up?"

"I'm fine." Draco swallowed the sigh that would have provided evidence to the contrary. He was, in fact, as horny as hell, and if he didn't get a good shag soon he was likely to lose his mind.

"I don't know how you're doing it." Ron shook his head in wonder.

"There are ways," Draco said, trying to sound secretive.

Ron snorted. "Yeah, I'm well acquainted... We've all been through dry patches before."

Draco's forehead creased a little. "What on earth are dry patches?"

"You know, when you haven't got a girlfriend and you can't pick up a shag," Ron clarified.

"Weasley--" Draco leaned forward. "-- I haven't had a girlfriend since Hogwarts, and I've always managed to pick up a casual shag without trouble."

"You haven't had any this week."

"That would be because your sister thinks she's going to find me a potential wife, and with all the dates we've been on there hasn't been much opportunity to find a shag where I would usually look."

"You haven't tried to shag one of the dates?"

"No. Ginny made it perfectly clear that I was not to work that sort of charm into any conversation."

"Bugger," Ron expressed.

"Indeed."

All was silent for a short time. Draco's thoughts wandered to his best friend; he wondered if Potter had been able to explain what had happened yet. Time seemed to drag on and on, and Draco began to mull over the notion of looking for Ginny and attempting to explain himself, despite her two oldest brothers being dangerously close by, when he felt Ron's eyes on him again.

"What?" Draco asked.

Ron shook his head, looking uncomfortable. "Nothing."

"Weasley, you obviously have something on your mind, so just spit it out," Draco said impatiently.

"It's just-- Well, I was wondering-- Ginny nearly takes my head off every time--"

"What?" Draco demanded, tired of the other man's stammering and very tempted to take his head off at this point.

"Are you two-- you know-- shag buddies?"

Draco opened his mouth and closed it again. His thoughts were racing in different directions. On one hand, he wanted to snap the man's neck for even thinking that he would treat Ginny that way, and on the other... He didn't want to think about the other, because thoughts like that would see him burn in hell for eternity. "No!"

"I just wondered, because you do spend a lot of time together, and we all know she spends the night occasionally," Ron replied casually, as if he hadn't just asked an incredibly personal question.

"In the guest room!" Draco stared at the redhead incredulously. "She sleeps in the guest room!"

"Okay, I believe you."

"I'm offended that you'd think I'd treat her that way," Draco uttered in disgust.

Ron shrugged. "I was just wondering, because you never know."

"How you could even--" Draco gave up trying to express just how uncomfortable thoughts of that nature made him feel.

"It's just that you two are best friends -- yes, I've accepted that -- and if you can't trust your best friend with your heart, who can you trust?"

Draco thought about Ron's explanation for a second and decided that he might actually be making sense for a change. "You have a valid point, Weasley, but let me assure you we do not have a physical relationship."

Ron nodded absently.

"Look, we're best friends. We tell each other everything, and we're basically there for each other when no one else is," Draco continued for reasons unbeknown to him.

"Everything?"

"Yes, everything," Draco confirmed. "There's nothing I don't know about your sister."

"Don't girls need to talk to other girls about certain things?" Ron's face screwed up as a slew of girlie subjects paraded across his mind.

"Yes, but that doesn't mean she can't talk to me as well."

"You mean, she tells you about all that women's business?"

"We've had discussions," Draco acknowledged. He wasn't about to admit just how uncomfortable those conversations were for him, at least not to Ron.

Ron's eyes went wide with shock. "How do you--"

"Manage?"

"Yeah."

"I just listen to her," Draco replied. "It's not like I can offer any advice on those subjects, but I can let her vent. Sometimes that's all she needs to do to figure out the answer or to make herself feel human again."

"I don't think I could--" Ron's words ceased as the door opened. "Ginny!"

Draco stood up and spun around in the same move, sending the chair he'd been sitting on flying across the room and shoving the table into Ron's stomach. She was standing in the doorway, still green and silver, seemingly afraid to come into the room. "Ginny, are you all right?"

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"It's all right, love," Draco crooned. "No harm done."

She took a few steps forward, and then hesitated as her eyes landed on her brother.

"I'll give you two some privacy," Ron muttered, inching towards the door. "If that's what you want."

Ginny nodded and touched his arm as he passed.

Draco's eyes never left her. He noticed the warm caress Ron had received as he left and wished it were him she had touched like that, for everything would be all right between them if she were willing to make that sort of gesture.

As soon as Ron cleared the doorway, Ginny closed the door. Her movements were slow and almost timid. Draco ached to reach out to her and let her know that everything was truly all right between them, if that's what she wanted, and if it wasn't that he was prepared to fight for it to be.

"Are you really--"

"Harry explained everything," Ginny whispered. "I was so angry with you that I'd forgotten about the contract."

"I thought so," Draco replied gently.

Ginny slumped into a chair and dropped her head into her hands. "I'm so ashamed."

Draco moved to kneel beside her. "You've nothing--"

"I have." She raised her head and stared into his gray eyes. "When everyone started laughing I thought you'd set it all up -- the date with Seamus -- to humiliate me."

"Why would you think that?"

"I don't know. There's no reason--you've never given me any reason--"

"Shh, don't get upset again, Ginny," Draco crooned as her voice cracked.

"And all along it was my fault for not being truthful," Ginny wailed softly. "I can't believe I let them put you through--"

"Those two are nothing. A couple of want-to-be tough guys, but they don't really have it in them," Draco assured her, ignoring the pain in his side and back. "Now, how about you tell me something, so we can find your freckles again?"

"I--I--"

"Come on, Weasley, spit it out," Draco encouraged, keeping the mood light. "Looking at you like this is really disturbing."

Ginny took a deep breath and met Draco's eyes with determination. "I would never consider a romantic relationship with Seamus Finnigan."

"Feel better now?"

"Am I still green?"

"It's fading."

"Good."

Silence fell between them. Draco wondered if there was anything else he could do to repair the damage that had been done today. Regrets ran through his head, leaving him feeling bereft of any confidence. His eyes dropped to the floor, unable to meet her gaze, lest she see the festering guilt that was eating him alive. Until now, he'd thought only his mother was capable of making him feel these emotions, but it was clear his best friend had crawled into his heart and staked her claim.

A small movement made Draco glance up. As he met her tear-filled eyes a stab of guilt pierced his chest, taking his breath away. Her normal skin color had returned, but the pain in her face was a horrid reminder of everything that had gone wrong today.

"I'm so sorry," Ginny whispered ashamedly.

"Ginny, it was my--"

"No, don't say it." Ginny shook her head and placed a finger across his lips. "I'm quite happy wallowing in self-pity."

"But--"

"If I'd just remembered about the contract, I wouldn't have lied to you and none of this would have happened. You tried to tell me, and I wouldn't listen."

"It's not like you listen to me any other time," Draco commented, attempting to lighten the mood, but his tone failed miserably to convey any humor.

"That's beside the point," Ginny argued. "This was important and--"

"It wasn't that important," Draco corrected.

"Draco, you were arrested and hauled into the Ministry like a common criminal."

The pain in her voice was all too evident. Draco realized that while he'd been feeling guilty and remorseful, she'd been suffering the same, only tenfold. His heart ached for the pain he'd caused her.

"Lucky it's Sunday." He smirked, hoping to get a smile from her. "Less witnesses."

"It's just--" Ginny grunted in frustration. "I can't believe how stupid I acted."

"I can," Draco answered flippantly.

Ginny gasped and slapped his arm in fun. "I really am sorry."

"Stop saying that," Draco instructed. "It was my fault. I shouldn't have tormented you quite so much."

"You were just having fun," Ginny told him sincerely. "That's what we do, right?"

"Yes, that's what we do."

"And that's not going to change?"

"I can't see why it would," Draco answered.

"I'm glad." Ginny threw her arms around his neck and held him close. "I'm sorry, it's all my fault."

"No more apologies, Weasley," Draco commanded, holding her to his chest firmly. "You're starting to make me feel nauseas."

"I'm sorry," Ginny whispered.

"That's it," Draco declared as he gently removed her arms from his neck. "I'm going to have to punish you now."

Her wide brown eyes rose to meet his. There was almost an element of fear in them, but there was clearly a great deal of trust.

"No chocolate for a week," Draco declared firmly.

Ginny's face fell. "No chocolate?"

"You heard me."

"That's a death sentence," Ginny argued.

"It's not open for negotiation, Weasley," Draco drawled, fighting the smirk that was tugging at the corner of his mouth. "And if you keep going, I'll be forced to make it two weeks."

"Two?" Ginny breathed more than articulated.

"Painful thought, isn't it?" Draco chuckled at her expression. "So, are you going to behave now?"

"I'll behave," Ginny said earnestly.

"Good girl," Draco whispered, leaning forward to place a soft kiss on her forehead. "Are we all right now?"

"Of course we are," Ginny answered quietly. "If you can forgive me."

"You're forgiven, for the last time," Draco expressed quickly. The last thing he wanted was for her to launch into another round of apologies.

"We should probably let everyone know that we haven't killed each other," Ginny said diffidently.

"Potter will be pleased," Draco commented.

"Oh?"

"Apparently, he has better things to do than dig a grave this afternoon."

Ginny gave Draco a quizzical look.

"Lazy bastard didn't want to do the paperwork if you killed me," Draco explained.

She laughed, and Draco's heart soared.

"Okay, let's go and tell them to put away their shovels then," Ginny suggested.

Draco stood up and offered his hand to Ginny. When she was on her feet his hands drifted up to cradle her face. He leaned in and placed a firm kiss on her forehead before pulling her into his chest and wrapping his arms around her. "Never again," he whispered.

"Never," she returned faintly.

He held her for a few seconds longer, and then grabbed her hand as he released her. The physical connection was something that he unconsciously needed at the moment, so he simply did what came naturally. Draco opened the door and waited for Ginny to walk through first. Ron, Harry, Bill and Charlie were looking at them expectantly.

"She told the truth!" Ron hooted.

"We expected she would," Bill said dryly. "Are you all right, Ginny?"

"Yes, I'm fine now." Ginny smiled at her brothers. "Thanks for coming--"

"Anytime, Ginny," Charlie assured her with a smile. "I am a little disappointed though."

Everyone in the room turned to look at Charlie with questions in their eyes.

Charlie waved an arm in Draco's direction. "He's still very much alive, isn't he?"

Ginny rolled her eyes. "What did you expect?"

"I was hoping you might put us all out of our misery and do away with him," Charlie said. "I would have helped you dispose of the body."

"You're such a comedian," Ginny replied sardonically. She turned to Ron and Harry. "I'm sorry for all the fuss."

"No problem." Harry winked at her. "I'm just happy it all worked out."

"I needed a bit of comic relief today, so it's all good," Ron assured her.

"Comic relief?" Draco questioned.

"Come on, Malfoy, it's pretty funny when you look at it," Ron said. "At least, it is from our point of view."

"I hardly think--"

"A Slytherin colored woman, a ferret in a body-bind, and the story behind it all." Ron laughed loudly. "Like I said, I needed a laugh today."

"It's not funny," Ginny disagreed.

"Let's review, shall we?" Ron asked. "This morning you had a blind date with Seamus Finnigan, lied to Malfoy about wanting to see Seamus again, turned green and silver, had an almighty row that caused your neighbors to summon us, got your best friend arrested, and then you were forced to tell the truth about everything, so you wouldn't stay green. I don't know about you, but I call that funny."

The other men in the room, except for Draco, began to snigger. Whether it was at Ron's explanation or the actual events that had preceded his explanation, Ginny wasn't sure. All she knew was she didn't find it funny.

"Come on, when it's put like that, without all the drama in between, it's bloody hilarious," Bill said through his hilarity.

"Wait until the twins hear about this." Charlie snorted with laughter.

"You wouldn't!" Ginny challenged.

"They're going to give it to both of you," Harry teased.

Ron approached Ginny and Draco, placing a hand on each of their shoulders. "It is funny."

Draco leaned over to Ginny. "This must be one of those times that I'll find funny in about fifty years?"

"I'm aiming for a century," Ginny replied under her breath.

For the next few minutes, Ginny's foot tapped impatiently against the floor, as she waited until the men brought themselves under control. Her temper was beginning to flare and it was only the fact that Draco had hold of her wand hand that she hadn't threaten each of them with their lives.

"Now that everything is good again, are we going home for lunch?" Bill inquired.

Ron, Harry and Charlie all answered in the affirmative and started to move.

"Actually, can you tell Mum that I'm not up for lunch today?" Ginny asked hesitantly.

"Malfoy can come," Charlie said. "We won't torture him -- too much."

"No, it's not that. After this morning, I think I just need a quiet afternoon, and I won't get that with all the kids," Ginny explained. Or you lot, she added mentally.

"Fine, but don't blame me if Mum flays you," Bill answered matter-of-factly.

"I can handle her," Ginny assured him.

"It's your funeral," Charlie announced. "Let's go. I'm starving."

The journey to the Atrium was made with very little conversation. Ginny noticed that Bill and Charlie kept shooting dangerous looks at Draco and curious ones at her. She didn't want to get into their reasons for doing this, so she did her level best to ignore it, though their expressions left little doubt that they weren't entirely happy with Draco. There was little doubt in her mind that they'd have been happier if she vowed to hate him for the rest of her life, but that wasn't likely to happen any time soon. When they reached the hearths the four men bid them goodbye and headed to the Burrow. It was only once they were totally alone that Ginny relaxed.

"Your place or mine?" Draco questioned.

"Yours." Ginny smiled. "My mother will most likely be Flooing my place in about five minutes."

"After you," Draco said politely as he chuckled.

Ginny stepped into the hearth with a handful of Floo Powder that was slowly trickling from between her fingers. A nice relaxing afternoon on the couch with her best friend was exactly what she needed after such a traumatic morning.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*