A Piece of His Soul

A Piece of His Soul

Chapter Five

The Benefits of Felix Felicis

Still shocked from the kiss, Ginny decided to go and have a heart to heart with her sister-in-law. Hermione was one individual who knew about love. She was so blissfully in love with Ginny's brother that Ginny was sometimes jealous of their happiness.

The knock on the door was answered by a frazzled looking young woman with frizzy brown hair. She had an interesting pattern of flour on one side of her face and an apron tossed hastily over a pair of expensive dress robes. "Ginny, I'm so glad you're here. I need your help! This stupid cooking spell will just not work. The Cookbook lied to me! It's not easy cooking in five minutes! And Ron'll be home in ten minutes and I won't have any dinner for us!" Then she burst into tears.

Hermione was almost nine months pregnant and the fluctuating hormones and danger accompanying Ron's job had made her a bit of a basket case. Ginny began to wonder if it was the best idea to see her sister-in-law.

"Don't worry, Hermione. I'll help you make dinner. Everything will be fine. Mum taught me more cooking spells than I can think to use. What's wrong?"

A tearful Hermione lead her to the kitchen still sobbing. "The meeting I had with the German Minister of Magic ran later than I expected and now I only have ten minutes to make dinner. I'm so lousy at cooking the magic way that I usually cook the Muggle way but you can't make anything nice in half an hour!"

"How was the meeting with the German Minister of Magic?"

"It was fine. He agreed to help us by sending two hundred Aurors to fight Voldemort," she said indifferently. "But sod the Aurors and sod Voldemort! Britain's not in crisis; my dinner is in crisis!"

Hermione was now the leading diplomat in Britain and wouldn't let something like a pregnancy get in the way of her work. So instead of traveling overseas and she invited the foreign diplomats and foreign Ministers to her house. After all, Apparating long distances while nine months pregnant is dangerous to the mother and the unborn baby.

"That's wonderful news. That news will make Ron so pleased it will dwarf anything that could go wrong with the dinner," Ginny said, taking Hermione's arm and walking her into the kitchen.

"But you said that nothing would go wrong with the dinner! You promised! This the first day this week he's having dinner with me at home. He was in St. Mungo's last week when he got the brunt of a curse during that horrible raid. I want to make everything perfect. I didn't even take time to change out of my dress robes."

Ginny fixed the cooking crisis and Hermione filled the kettle with water and put it on the stove. "Tea?"

"Yes, please."

Hermione tapped it once with her wand and the kettle started to whistle and belch steam. Hermione poured the hot water over the tea bags and sat down at the kitchen table across from Ginny.

Hermione sighed and sat down next to her sister-in-law. "Milk or sugar?" Hermione asked, conjuring the items.

"Milk, thank you," Ginny answered, pouring herself some milk.

"So what do I owe this unexpected pleasure," Hermione asked.

"I just wanted to ask you about - I don't know how to exactly word it. Love? Relationships?"

"Ah. I see," Hermione said thoughtfully. "You're dating Blaise Zabini now right?"

"Yes," Ginny said, also taking a sip. "The thing is I don't think I love him. At first I thought I did, but the feelings come and go. It's strange. It's almost as if my feelings change as rapidly as they began."

"Is there someone else?"

Ginny turned to look down the hallway, "Did you paint the baby's room yet?"

"Not yet. We were going to do it a few days ago, but -- you know what happened."

"How is Ron?"

"He's doing fine. He was discharged from St. Mungo's this morning. He even went to the Ministry today to give in his report. He said he was just glad to be able to come home to me." Hermione smiled contentedly.

"When did you know that Ron was the one?" Ginny asked suddenly.

"I don't know. I fell in love with him at Hogwarts but we were both too cowardly to ask each other out. There was so much angst in our sixth year when we dated others to make each other jealous," she said, smiling reminiscently. "We dated in our seventh year, but it was after that other raid when I knew that I loved him and always would. When I heard that he was in critical condition I thought a part of me died. I would have done anything to change places with him. I would have gladly died if it meant that he would live. That was when I knew I loved him, when I realized that I couldn't live without him."

"Harry kissed me today."

"Oh." Hermione smiled knowingly. "Is that what this is about?"

"I bet neither of us ever thought I would say this: no."

"What do you mean 'no'?" said Hermione evenly without any note of accusation in her voice.

"He kissed me and I didn't feel anything. I wanted to feel something but I couldn't. It makes me feel like such a bad guy. And he said that he loved me and never stopped but I said that I didn't love him."

"Would you like to stay with us for dinner?" Hermione asked as the front door opened and the women heard Ron's voice calling.

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Draco's head hit the top of the carriage that was taking him up to the Hogwarts grounds from Hogsmeade. The moon gleamed down on the carriage and caught a luster in the bright red paint. It was a beautiful evening, the bright stars gleaming in their shadowing curtain. It would have been a very nice night to walk up to the castle, if he didn't feel like he was about to pass out. He had been hit by Voldemort's Cruciatus curse more times that he would like to remember.

However, the most disturbing part of the whole affair was that he'd taken a day's worth of Felix Felicis this morning. This time he had it brewed with Harry Potter's permission. He snorted derisively. Laws had never stopped him before. But it was always good to keep up appearances.

The Felix Felicis potion, in theory, would make his day wonderful but so far it had only helped him to get involved in a Death Eater assassination attempt and get tortured by the Dark Lord.

He didn't want to think what might have happened if he hadn't taken the potion. Would Voldemort have killed me for my impudence? When the potion wore off would Voldemort realize his mistake and then kill me for his impudence?

Draco would just to try not to think about it. It only made him feel more nauseous.

He stumbled out of the carriage and put his bag over his shoulder. He handed the coachman some money. The man called after him, "I'm glad that I won't be in your condition in the morning."

Great! This man thinks I'm a drunkard. All the residents of Hogsmeade will probably be speculating tomorrow about the Potions Master at Hogwarts who is a chronic drinker. At least they won't be speculating about if I'm a Death Eater.

He stopped in the middle of the Great Hall, wondering if he should speak to Remus about his encounter with Voldemort. The decision was hastily made when he almost passed out onto the Ravenclaw table.

He straightened when he heard a person calling his name. "Malfoy? Is that you?"

Marvelous! Of all people to see right now! He turned around and sighed, his voice gruff. "You need to work on your stalking skills, Weasley. It's better to skulk in the shadows instead of addressing your quarry directly," he said seriously.

"If you must know, I was just talking to Professor Lupin about the whole vampire and Horcrux thing. Are you... are you okay?" she said running up to him

"Is it not normal for the room to be spinning?" he asked giddily, almost falling over again.

"Malfoy, sit down!" she commanded, imperiously, pointing a finger at him. "You're white as a ghost.

"No need to insult my tan, Weasley," he said.

She seized his hands that he was trying to hide in his pockets. "And your hands are shaking."

"It's nothing. I just playing patty cake with a hippogriff and it... er..."

"I would have to be a very poor Auror not to recognize the effects of the Cruciatus curse," she said, glancing at the black robes peeking out of his bag. "How many times did Voldemort hit you with it?"

"Does it matter?"

"I guess not. Why was he so upset?"

"I criticized his choice of nail polish for his claws. I said that I didn't think mauve was his color." Ginny sputtered. Draco rolled his eyes. "He thought I was aiding the enemy."

"Because you killed that Death Eater? Why didn't you pass it off as an accident?"

"Would you like to take over my job if you think you can do it so much better than I can?" he snapped irritably.

"I'm just trying to help," Ginny snapped back.

"And you're doing a fabulous job."

"Well we can't all be as fabulous as you, Draco Malfoy," she said in the same tone.

"It's very noble of you to admit it, Weasley," he said politely.

"Did you find out anything about the raid and such?" Ginny asked, forestalling any further comments.

"No, I found out absolutely nothing. I just walked around with my eyes and ears closed all day."

"No need to be so snappy, Malfoy. Do you have PMS or something?"

Draco looked horrified. "I'm going to choose to ignore that comment. I did collect a lot of information today. I'll tell you once we get to my rooms."

"Why don't you tell me now? I'm not going to your rooms."

"As much as I would love to stay and chat," he said courteously, "I fear if I do not get some antidote for the Cruciatus curse soon I will pass out on the Ravenclaw table. And I don't think my students will appreciate it."

"No one's discovered an antidote for the Cruciatus curse. It's impossible"

"I don't criticize what you do in your spare time, Weasley."

Ginny sighed in frustration. "Will I ever get a straight answer out of you, Draco Malfoy?"

He smiled toothily at her. "Dunno." He tried to stand but instead sat down heavily on the bench.

"Here, let me help you." She rolled her eyes, hooking an arm around his waist. When he recoiled, she said, "I don't have cooties, Malfoy."

"I hope this is considered martyrdom." He said, hooking an arm around her shoulders as she grabbed onto it to help him stagger across the hall.

"Thank you, Weasley. After all I am such a feeble old geezer."

"Where are your quarters?" she asked, exasperated.

"In the dungeons, by the potions room. It's good that I have such a nice young whippersnapper to help me in my old age."

"Bloody hell, Malfoy! I'm only a year younger than you are."

"Getting up in the years too," he said seriously.

She let out her breath through her teeth in frustration. "Are you trying to irritate me?"

"Is it working?" he asked, looking at her and raising an eyebrow.

When they finally arrived at his room he told her the password and she dropped him into the first chair she saw. "Strange password. Do you always use potion ingredients for your password?" She looked down at him; his bright hair was sticking to his pallid forehead.

"Collecting information on how to break into my rooms?" he asked, closing his eyes and wiping his forehead.

"Where's the antidote?"

"Simmering in the back room," he said briefly. He cracked an eye open to watch her go.

After drinking it, he felt much better.

"You make a wonderful nurse, Miss Weasley," he said approvingly. "Do I get a complimentary massage now?" he asked looking up at her with innocent grey eyes.

"You're impossible." She shook her head, hiding a smile. She Summoned a chair and sat next to him, crossing her legs in a very business like manner. "So what did you figure out tonight?"

"What do you know about Horcruxes?"

"I know that we are going to destroy the last one tomorrow morning."

"Okay. Never mind then. I'll tell you about the raid. I figured out that you are still a target though Voldemort wants you alive."

"Yes, I can see how that could be true," she said, nodding, "because during the first attempt the assassins used deadlier curses, but this time, they only tried to stun me."

"That and the fact the Dark Lord yelled at me for not stunning you and bringing you to him. But I weaseled..."

"Ferreted." Ginny smirked.

"Weaseled," Draco repeated, "my way out of it by explaining that I was not informed of the plans. I explained that if I knew the Death Eaters' intention for raiding the house I would have done so."

"Would you have?" Ginny asked.

He shrugged. "I also noticed that Zabini used another potion on you before the raid."

"Why are you always so eager to blame Blaise? He didn't bring any wine or anything. I was careful about watching my drink the whole time. Though I don't think he's guilty of anything."

"He put a reflex-slowing potion into your tea when you went to answer to door. That way you would be hit by a curse or two during the raid. But he didn't expect us to come or stay for it."

Ginny jumped out of her chair, "How dare you criticize Blaise," she began passionately. "He...he..." she swayed slightly before crumpling to the floor.

"Weasley?" Draco asked, tapping her on the shoulder. There was no response. He lifted her as if she weighed nothing and laid her down gently on the bed. He felt her forehead. It was normal.

"Ennervate!"

Her eyes flickered open. "Where am I? What's happening? Why is everything so green in here?"

She sat up and looked around, "Oh, it's just your bad taste in designing."

"Because red and gold are such a fashionable combination," Draco said.

Ginny sat up and put her hand to her head. "What were you saying?"

Draco didn't respond. He only gaped at her.

"Now I remember - strange though. I feel like the whole thing was a dream. What were you saying about Blaise?"

"Er..." Draco was momentarily lost for words at her strange behavior. He soon recovered the gift of speech. "I was...er...saying that Zabini put you under a reflex-slowing potion."

"That does seem right. I did notice that I reacted a little slower than normal during the attack. It's strange though because that memory almost feels like a dream - like I was watching myself act. Did someone put me under a spell so I would feel this way? I've been feeling this way since last Monday or so. Since around my first date..."

"With Zabini?"

"Yes," she whispered, finally catching on. "What has he done to me?"

"I think he put you under a love potion."

"A love potion?" she said wrinkling her nose in disgust. "How did he give it to me?"

"In your wine or something while you were on your date. You went out with him on Monday and Tuesday, right? Then again on Saturday morning. I don't think he put any of the love potion in today because the reflex-slowing potion he used is red."

Ginny looked very confused. "I saw him on Monday, Tuesday and Saturday. How long does the potion last?"

"Usually about two days if you don't develop a resistance to it - which you have. Probably because that he gave it to you so frequently under such a small period of time. Any student of the science of potions would know - you probably don't care about a thing I was saying. What I want to know is how it could have lasted from Tuesday - when you were attacked by Death Eaters - to Saturday when you saw him again. Did he give you anything between then?"

"He sent me chocolates on Thursday," Ginny said. "It was a small box so I ate them all myself that day. I can't resist those caramel filled ones."

"You like the caramel ones?" Draco asked shocked. "I hate those ones. I like the ones with the cherry centers."

"But the caramel ones are so much tastier. The cherry filled ones don't even taste like cherries!"

"That never stopped me." Draco shrugged.

"But why would he put me under a love potion? That's pathetic! Surely that's not the only way he could get a girlfriend."

"He probably needed to give you some Veritaserum. He thought the easiest way to get close enough to you to give you the Veritaserum would be as a boyfriend. But Zabini knew that you would never date him normally because he's under suspicion of being a Death Eater," Draco said. Then he smirked. "And I know what you think of Death Eaters from personal experience."

Ginny had the grace to look embarrassed. "I have a thing or two to say to Blaise," she said, holding her wand so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

"Now I know the old Ginny Weasley is back. I hope you use the Bat Bogey hex on Zabini. That one's a classic."

"I should dump him right now," she said, jumping up and taking a step towards the fireplace.

He stood up and grabbed her roughly by the arm and then pushed her back onto his bed. She bounced and flipped over. She twisted onto her stomach and looked up at him through her eyelashes. "What was that for?"

He didn't answer immediately, only looked down at her. "I was thinking that you could pretend go out with him again. Maybe you can get some information from him about the Dark Lord and maybe even trick Zabini into confessing that he's a Death Eater."

"No one's stupid enough to be that open about their secrets." She rolled her eyes.

"Aren't we the little hypocrite today, Weasley. I remember that Zabini put some Veritaserum in your wine and made you do the exact same thing."

"I didn't confess to being a Death Eater," she said immediately.

Draco rolled his eyes and mumbled something that sounded like "Gryffindors." "Of course not. But you could put some Veritaserum in his drink and ask him a few questions." he smiled ruthlessly. "Return the favor."

"Do we know for sure that he's a Death Eater?"

"If he's not a Death Eater, I'm Celestina Warbeck."

"Really? I've never heard your singing voice, Malfoy."

"Nor do you want to."

"What do you want me to find out?" Ginny asked.

"The Dark Lord's favorite color," Draco said seriously.

"Why do you call Voldemort the Dark Lord?" Ginny asked suddenly.

"Because it's one of his names," Draco said slowly, as if speaking to a very small, very stupid child.

"Really. Why?"

"Is it important? I guess it's just a habit. Most Death Eaters refer to him as the Dark Lord and so I do as well. I've done it since I was young." Draco shrugged. "Why?"

"Because Blaise called Voldemort the Dark Lord too. Can you get some Veritaserum ready for me? I'm actually going out with Blaise tomorrow afternoon. Maybe you could ask Professor Lupin to leave a vial in his rooms. That way I can grab it when I come back from Romania."

"As you wish, your majesty. I'll give it to him this morning. Remus can probably leave it on his desk or something."

Sitting up, Ginny asked, "You never did finish telling me about how you became a double agent. You gave me a very abridged part of the tale that was really important. How did you convince Harry and Professor Lupin to let you into their circle? What's even more perplexing is how why you and Harry are friendly now."

Draco sat down in the chair next to the bed. "You are full of questions today. I suppose you won't leave if I don't tell you?"

She stretched out on the bed. "I won't stir from this spot of you don't," she threatened. Draco couldn't help but notice that her bright hair contrasted interestingly with the dark green bedspread. "I'm waiting."

Draco sighed heavily and began, "Of course Potter and I didn't start out on such good terms. The first time I knocked on Potter's door to speak to him about becoming a double agent, he shut the door in my face with sardonic glee. But I was nothing if not persistent. Potter grudgingly let me in and demanded to know what I wanted. I told him about my idea of becoming a double agent and he laughed in my face, his wand trained on me the whole time."

"That does seem more realistic," she said, rolling over onto her side and looking up at him.

"Er..." he said staring at her, "Yes, it does. But I explained to him that I knew how the Dark Lord Voldemort could be destroyed. I explained the whole thing with the Horcruxes and that I could help him find them and destroy them. He seemed so shocked about what I told him about the Horcruxes that I was afraid I would have to fetch the smelling salts. At first I thought he didn't believe me, but he explained he already knew about them. Potter was more shocked by the fact I actually told him about the Horcruxes."

"And then he let you be a double agent for him that easily?" Ginny asked, aghast. "I'm going to have to speak to him."

"Nothing is every that easy. Harry said he wouldn't let me be a double agent if I didn't first become an Unspeakable."

"An Unspeakable? That's random. Why is it so important to become an Unspeakable?"

"Unspeakables have a disgusting amount of screening to go through to prove they have no evil intentions. Trust me. I learned this the hard way. I got a lot of grief because of my Dark Mark, but I was able to prove to them that I was all good intentions. And I became an Unspeakable."

"But you're an Occlumens and an expert with potions. Couldn't you use those abilities to lie through everything?"

Draco laughed at this. "Not this testing. They are a bit more creative and old fashioned. They don't use any Veritaserum or Legilimency."

"So Harry accepted you?"

"Yes. He agreed to speak with me about it. He invited me to his flat and Remus was there also. They thought it would be best that I take over as the Potions teacher. It was beneficial for everyone. Horace Slughorn was ecstatic when he heard that he would finally be able to retire."

"But Slughorn died. He was the last Hogwarts Professors to be killed by Death Eaters. I know because I had to clean it up - disgusting. It was at that potions convention. Wait! Were you there?"

"It doesn't matter. Is there anything else you want to know?"

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Why do you still call him Potter? How did you become so friendly?"

"Old habits die hard. We both agreed that it was too strange to call each other by first names. We decided to stick with the surnames. We were at first just tolerated and respected each other a little. But when you work together so closely and your life is on the line every moment of everyday, you forge strange bonds."

"I can only imagine," she said, leaning forwards and toying with the tie of his robe.

"Any more questions?" Draco asked, glancing at her.

"No," she said, winked.

"That's good," he said, grabbing her roughly around the arms and kissing her.

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Ginny yawned and tugged on the blankets, smiling. Last night was wonderful even though Malfoy was such a blanket hog. She turned over onto her side to look at him but that also brought her in sight of the clock and she cursed. She was due at Dracula's castle in about five minutes. She quickly jotted down a note for Malfoy and threw on her clothes. She was about to run out the door when she realized she had put on Malfoy's shirt instead of her own blouse. She swore and grabbed it from under the bed and ran out the door.