In Your Heart

Chapter Three: New and Old Beginnings

His mind immediately went into overdrive. Ginny? Ginny Weasley? He actually expects me to live with that little Weasel? Once again he remembered her pretty features and fine figures and shook his head to rid himself of the image. He would not think about that, he told himself sternly. She was a Weasley, a poor blood-traitor, who cares if she's somewhat decent looking. He was so wrapped up in his own thoughts that he didn't hear Kingsley until he practically yelled his name.

"As I was saying," he went on, giving Draco a hard look, "you will have one week to gather whichever possessions you plan on taking with you to the flat. You are both expected to be moved in by next Wednesday. The flat is located at number Three South Street. Although the flat is in Muggle London, Ministry officials have placed special charms over it, allowing you to perform magic inside the house without worrying about being seen. Wards have also been placed to ensure your safety."

Draco thought for a minute. Wards? He didn't think at first that what he was doing would be dangerous. In his mind it was just his father's old comrades. Then reality caught up with him. Of course it would be dangerous, and it would be bloody hard to get them to give him information too.

"Right, well if that's all then?"

Sticking out his hand once more for Draco to shake, Kingsley walked briskly to the door.

"I expect your first report two weeks after you have settled in, Mr. Malfoy, no excuses. Good day."

After Kingsley had departed Draco slumped into the plush black chair. He was running his fingers through his hair and wondering idly how the day could get any worse, when one of his house elves came barreling through the door to tell him that his ham dinner had been transfigured back into a pig and was currently trampling through his ballroom and eating the tapestries

Sighing briefly Draco stood up and went to make the best out of a bad situation.

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

"No, Miss Weasley, you must listen closely, it's Tempero Sensus, not Tempero Senses."

The Auror, Tomlin, who was in charge of her training sighed as she tried once again to get the spell for controlling an enemy's emotions right. She hadn't been doing badly at all up until this point. When training had started last Wednesday she had been perfectly able to perform all of the spells, hexes, and jinxes, her trainer had taught her. Maybe it's something about Mondays. She was due to complete her first week of Auror training in two days and wanted to make sure she made a good impression.

She was about to utter the incantation once more when they were interrupted by a loud knock on the door.

"This is a confidential training session! No one is permitted to enter until the session is over!" Tomlin yelled impatiently. The door swung open and Kingsley stepped in. Her trainer, looking thoroughly abashed, apologized profusely to his boss.

"That's quite alright Tomlin, I just needed to speak with Miss Weasley for a moment if you don't mind." Gesturing that she should precede him, they made their way down the hall to his office.

"Now, Miss Weasley, I understand that you will be completing your first week of training in two days? How are things going so far?" he said as they sat down on either side of his desk.

Ginny managed a faint "good", not sure of what to make of the situation. Earlier that week she had managed to burn a large hole in the wall accidentally, whilst trying to procure a jet of fire designed to halt an enemy's attack. Was he going to reprimand her for it? She was about to open her mouth to apologize when he began.

"Tomlin has confided to me that you are very well advanced for your age and is very impressed with the skills you have displayed thus far."

Ginny looked down, feeling a faint blush creeping up her cheeks at his praise. He continued,

"I have therefore decided to pull you from training and give you an opportunity to serve. It is an important assignment and we need a young woman capable of handling herself to help. Are you willing?"

She looked up excitedly, eager for a chance to do some real work.

"Yes!" she yelled. Then gaining control of herself, she said in a much more professional voice, "Yes of course, I would love to help in any way possible. What does this assignment require?"

He looked amused at her sudden outburst but continued anyway. "You will move into a London flat to gain crucial information about a band of Death Eaters. However, only your partner will interact directly with the Death Eaters, while you help him with other tasks. You've only begun training and we don't want you to get hurt."

She felt slightly put out by being relegated to an assistant and was about to ask why she couldn't help in the field, when she registered the use of the word 'him'. Looking up into Kingsley's face she asked, "Him? Who's 'him'?"

"Me."

She jerked her head in the direction of the noise and was startled to see Draco Malfoy standing in the doorway.

She stared in shock for a minute then burst out, "You? You're kidding me right? This is a joke." She looked back at her boss, "You don't honestly expect me to work with him?" She realised how incredibly childish she must sound, and in an effort to regain her composure she took two deep breaths and continued, refusing to look where she knew Malfoy was standing with a smirk on his face.

"Very well," she conceded.

Her boss smiled kindly at her. "As I have already explained to Mr. Malfoy, you both will be expected to be moved in by Wednesday. The flat is located at Three South Drive. You should both set to work immediately. Mr. Malfoy will inform you of your duties after you have settled in."

"Wednesday? But that's only two days from now!" she complained, desperation getting the better of her.

Her boss was apparently tired of her complaints, as he said, "Yes Miss Weasley, two days. Therefore I suggest you go home and begin to pack. I will communicate with you in two weeks time."

Ginny, a little put out by his abrupt dismissal, stalked out of his office, knocking rudely into Malfoy as she stomped down the hall. She looked back when she reached the lift and had just enough time to spot Malfoy's sly smile before he slipped into Kingsley's office.

Furious, she continued to the foyer before Apparating home to the Burrow.

Her mother and father were waiting for her as she appeared with a 'CRACK' in the living room.

"Happy nineteenth birthday, dear!" her mum shouted as she embraced Ginny in a bone cracking hug.

Sputtering, Ginny managed to get in between breaths, "Mum, you're squeezing too hard." Apologizing, Mrs. Weasley let go of her daughter and instead continued to kiss her cheek. She had forgotten that today was her birthday. Untangling herself from her mum, Ginny stepped back and was about to tell her parents about what happened that day at work, when her mum whipped something out of her pocket. She passed it to Ginny, who took it and began to remove the wrapping. Inside a small box she found a beautiful black ring. In the center was a detailed black dragon with blood red ruby eyes. She saw that its tail formed the band. She looked it over. She knew it must have been expensive and was about to ask her mum why she spent so much, when she interrupted her.

"It was my mother's ring. And her mother's before that. It dates all the way back to the fifteenth century. It's supposed to protect whoever wears it. Although some old wizarding families believed they could use these rings to do Dark Magic. Which is nonsense of course." Her mum looked away disapprovingly as she said 'old wizarding families'. Ginny knew exactly which family she was talking about and resolved not to mention Malfoy to her mum. "There were only four ever made. My great-great-great-great-great grandmother got it from her lover." Her mum looked wistfully at her husband and Ginny coughed. Looking back at her, her mum smiled. "Keep it with you always dear," she finished.

"Thanks mum, dad, it's beautiful." She gave parents a tight squeeze, pocketed the ring for now and followed them into the kitchen.

"Oh and by the way, today my boss told me I would be starting my first assignment. Part of it involves moving in with a...coworker. He said I need to be moved in by Wednesday," she said carefully, waiting to see how her mum would react. And sure enough, Mrs. Weasley burst into hysterics again. Rolling her eyes as she fought off another attack of hugs Ginny said she was going upstairs to begin packing.

She sighed as she conjured a box and began randomly throwing clothes into it. Moving to her desk she rummaged through her drawers to excavate anything important and stopped when she found an old photograph of her and Harry. She sat down on the bed and stared at it. In the picture Harry was behind her with his arms around her waist . She watched as he swung her around to face him and kiss him passionately, then giggling and turning around again before the magic picture replayed itself. Wiping away a loose tear, she thought, Harry, I wish you were here. I can't do this. I can't move in with Malfoy. Please help me, anything. But the only sign she got that he had heard her was silence. Placing the photo gingerly on top of the pile of boxes she went downstairs to eat before finishing up.

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

Wednesday came too quickly and when her alarm clock rang at nine in the morning she picked it up and threw it at the wall. Groaning she pulled her pillow over her head and tried to get back to sleep. After all her boss had just told her Wednesday, he hadn't said a specific time on Wednesday, so she felt perfectly at liberty to fall right back into the perfect dream she'd been having.

Eventually hauling herself out of bed and showering, her dad helped her to send all of her boxes to Three South Street. Giving her mother and father a quick hug she walked over to the fireplace and flooed into her new flat. Coughing, she stepped out of the fireplace to look around. At first glace it didn't look like much, but then she took note of the expensive furnishings she saw. Walking the rest of the way into the living room she saw a black leather sofa and armchair, two antique side tables, a large oak coffee table and a black fur rug. She ran her hand over the leather sofa. Everything was obviously very expensive.

"Bet you've never been anywhere near anything this extravagant your whole life, have you, Weasley?" she heard a voice behind her drawl. She turned around to see Malfoy with his hands folded over his chest and smirking at her. "This," he said pointing to the black fur rug, "is probably worth more than that pathetic thing you call a home."

"At least a have a home and a family who loves me, and morals too, for that matter," she responded quickly, her anger catching up with her. She thought she saw a shadow cross his eyes but it disappeared a moment later, his face becoming impassive once more.

"Is that what you think Weasel? That I have no morals?" he was closer to her now. She could see his chest rise and fall as each breath he took seemed to take more effort to make. "You think that I'm a heartless killer? A horrible Death Eater who doesn't have a soul?" he was only a scant six inches from her now. She could feel his hot breath on her face and it made her stomach do somersaults. He bent his head and lowered his face as if he was going to kiss her. "You'll see," he whispered in her ear and stalked away, leaving Ginny standing in the middle of the living room, breathless and more than a little scared.

Regaining her composure, Ginny resumed her tour of the house. She couldn't find Malfoy anywhere, which was fine with her. Upon inspection she saw that their flat consisted of a small but cozy kitchen, a bathroom, a small office/library, the living room and two bedrooms. She saw that the bedrooms where the same size, but noticed Malfoy had claimed the one with a walk in closet and better carpet and paint.

She sighed and flopped onto her bed. This was going to be difficult. How could she possibly live with Malfoy of all people? He hated her and she hated him, end of story. She didn't think she could forgive him for making Harry's, and her, life miserable and she didn't see how this was going to work.

Putting on some old Muggle classical music that she picked up from her mum, she sang along with Ain't No Mountain High Enough while she unpacked her things. Getting into the music she started to dance around her bed and sing. She temporarily forgot about Malfoy and was beginning to loosen up, while she shook her hips and held an old water bottle as a microphone. Doing an elaborate spin after the end of the song she tripped and fell right into Malfoy's arms, who apparently had been standing in the doorway the whole time, watching.

He smirked at her while she struggled to right herself. She glared at him. "Where the hell did you come from? I thought you left," she said accusingly.

"It doesn't matter where I was. But if we're both living here, pretending to be dating, then that has got to stop." He was still sneering at her.

Her jaw dropped. "Dating?! No one ever said anything about dating!" she screamed at him in shock. Living with Malfoy was one thing, but dating?

"Relax Weasel, we're not really going to be dating. I think I'd rather date a Hungarian Horntail than you."

She tensed when she heard that, her mind subconsciously remembering her third year when Harry was in the Triwizard Tournament. He watched her as he gauged her reaction, a smirk creeping over his aristocratic features. She looked away for a moment to gain control over her emotions which began to viciously churn at the mention of Harry, then turned and stared at Malfoy with a blazing look in her eyes. Draco was glad for a moment that looks really couldn't kill.

He changed the topic quickly when he saw the first signs of the Weasley temper surfacing. "It's part of our cover. My job is to gain the Death Eaters' trust, work my way back into their graces. This is where you come in. I'm going to pretend that my girlfriend works at the Ministry and I can get inside information from her when really I can relay information to the Ministry about the Death Eaters' plans."

She continued to stare at him. "How do I know you're not really going to turn your back on the Ministry and become one of them again?" she asked nastily.

"Back to my morals are we?" he asked almost bored looking. "Look Weasley, that's the plan, if you don't like it, leave." He stepped aside and gestured out the door.

She almost considered doing just that when she stopped herself. She was a Gryffindor after all, and Gryffindors never backed down from a challenge. "And what exactly am I going to be doing besides being your 'girlfriend'?"

The corner of his mouth twitched into what she supposed was a mocking smile. "You will research the Death Eaters, get information on their backgrounds and current whereabouts, and sometimes accompanying me on trips to look up on the Death Eaters." He said the last part of the sentence forcibly, making Ginny realise that Kingsley was probably forcing him to take her along. "In other words, nothing of importance."

"Oh no. I'm helping more than that. I'm your partner remember? We work on this together." She challenged him.

He laughed at her, a cold heartless laugh. "Partner? Good one, Red. No, this is my mission and I'm not going to let some whinny teenager mess this up."

Now her anger got the best of her. Calling her names was one thing, but actually making her feel like she was useless and stupid was another. She took two quick steps towards him and raised her hand. He caught her wrist as it was about to make contact with his porcelain cheek. His eyes bore into hers as he said quietly, "I wouldn't even think about it."

Dropping her hand he stalked out of her room, leaving her staring at the spot where he had just stood and wondering exactly what she was going to do.