The Cruel Plan

"Yeah," Aubrey answered. "Let's drop this off in our dormitory, then head down to the Great Hall. I'm starving."

"Ok."

Draco and Lucille strolled up to the Great Hall much like they had that morning. Draco appeared to have had enough, and Lucille looked exactly the opposite with a look of content. When they walked into the Great Hall they noticed that many students looked up and began whispering. It didn't unnerve either of the two Slytherins, and both almost smiled knowing what was about to happen. Instead they continued to walk over to the Slytherin table. "Luc, I think they're buying it," Draco whispered into her ear.

"I know," Lucille answered, tilting her head up to look at Draco's face. "Let's sit here."

As they sat down, Lucille reluctantly withdrew her arms from Draco, but she sat as close to him as humanly possible. She glanced up from her plate to see students from other houses staring at her and Draco. She scowled and they turned their heads back guiltily what they were doing. All around them the other Slytherins were deep in conversation.

Frowning, she whispered to Draco, "I don't think that our house has taken any notice."

"They probably think its one of your phases. Like that phase you went through a few years ago where you wore bright pink ribbons in your hair. They probably think that you'll grow out of it. Either that or they have noticed and that's what they're talking about.

Shrugging, Lucille filled her plate with some food.

On the other side of the Great Hall, Ginny and Aubrey were talking about the future Quidditch match against Slytherin. "I can't wait," Ginny said anxiously," October fifth: the first game of the year.

"I can't wait either!" Aubrey exclaimed. Both Ginny and Aubrey were chasers for the team.

"Only six more days," Christina, a sixth year, said with a dreamy look on her face. She had been added to the team as the last chaser when her older bother, Troy, graduated last year.

"I don't know why you all are so interested in Quidditch," Hermione said, sighing. "It's a very risky game." (Herm 14 going on 40) sounds like our Herm

"Hermione," Harry said, pleading with his best friend," It's only dangerous if you don't know how to play."

"Yeah, Herm," Ron added.

"How come you don't like Quidditch?" Seamus asked, chipping in his bit of the conversation. Seamus was a beater for the team.

"Because it's so hazardous; look at all the times that Harry's ended up in the hospital wing."

"Yes, but Harry's always had the courage to get up and do it again, hasn't he," Dean, the other beater, added.

"That's may be true. But it has no effect on whether or not I like Quidditch." Hermione stubbornly replied.

"Fine," Ginny said," But you'll have to deal with the fact that we like Quidditch. You'll be at the match though, right?"

"Wouldn't miss it." Hermione said. Even though she disliked Quidditch, she enjoyed the prospect at beating Slytherin at anything.

"Great," Ginny said grinning with the rest of the team.

"Anyway, team," Harry began professionally causing Ginny and Aubrey to start laughing, "There won't be a practice today, but there will be a full one Monday through Thursday, then a short one Friday, so you have time to rest before the game."

"Ok." The team echoed.

"Um... Harry..."

"Yeah, Aubrey?" Harry said lazily.

"Ginny and I have a medi-witch class on Wednesday, so we might not be able to be there for the full practice."

"What!?!" He exclaimed.

"We would have told you earlier, but we just signed up today." Ginny said hastily.

"Ok," Harry began hesitantly," but stop by the pitch and if we're still out there then you'll practice with us, if we're not then go to the common room."

"Ok." Aubrey said.

Ginny and Aubrey stood up, and told the group that they were going to go to the common room.

"So, what's in the common room?"

"Christina just told me that there's supposed to be some new things on the Gryffindor Bulletin board."

"Really?" Ginny asked. Usually whenever Christina tipped Aubrey or Ginny off about something like this, it was something really neat. The last time had been last year; Christina had told Ginny that there was a special something on the bulletin board. It turned out to be a dance 5th through 7th year.

"Yup. Come on, lets go check it out," Aubrey said as they reached the Fat Lady.

"Esprit de corps," Ginny said to Fat Lady.

"I love that password," Aubrey said grinning.

"How come?"

"It's French."

"I didn't know that you spoke French," Ginny commented, "What does it mean?"

"It means the spirit of the group."

"Wow." Ginny said," That is a neat password."

By now, they had reached the Bulletin Board. Ginny and Aubrey perused the posters till Aubrey shouted, "Here it is, Ginny, here it is!"

"What is it?" Ginny asked

"It's a poster for a Halloween dance. For everyone---"

"Hogwarts has never done anything like that."

"Yeah, but they're splitting us up into groups. The 1st through 3rd years are going to be there for three and half hours, then we'll be there for three and half hours after that."

"That'll be fun."

"Yeah. We have 26 days till the dance." Aubrey grinned."26 days for our dream dates to ask us out."

"I know who you're thinking of," Ginny said, playfully hitting her friend.

Aubrey blushed, and returned, "Well, who do you want to ask you out?"

"Hmmm, well I never really thought about it. If you would have asked me two years ago I would have said Harry in a heart beat."

"I know. I watched you obsess over him. No offense or anything, but I'm glad that those days are over."

"Me too. Anyway, I suppose I think that Lance's friend Joshua is kind of cute. I wouldn't mind if he asked me out."

"You think Joshua is cute?" Aubrey laughed.

"Kind of," Ginny said, blushing and looking at the ceiling.

"I never knew that blondes were your type."

"Me either. Then again, he might not be my type. I'll never know though, unless he asks me out."

"I just hope that Lance asks me out."

"I bet he will."

"What makes you think that?"

"Oh, I have my sources." Ginny said mischievously.

"So," Christina, another sixth year said," What do you think of the surprise?"

"Don't sneak up on us like that, Christi. You scared the living daylights out of me."

Christina laughed, and said, "Sorry about that. But what do you think?"

"I think it's wonderful, the theme is really cool too-famous magical people through the ages," Aubrey said. "So are we still holding out hope on Lance?"

"Yes," Ginny answered for her friend. "I'm sure we're all holding out hope on all sorts of people, Christi." Ginny said.

"You bet I am." Christina answered.

The three girls walked up to the sixth year dorms still talking about what boys that they wanted to go to the Halloween Ball with, and all too soon they fell asleep.

The next morning Ginny woke to Aubrey shaking her, "Come on, Gin, get up. We have classes today."

"Huh? What? Great." Ginny said groggily." Today's Monday isn't it?"

"Just kind of. Now get out of bed." Christina answered sarcastically.

"Ok, ok. I'm coming, just give me a minute." Ginny said to her two friends.

On the other side of the castle, Draco and Lucille were talking. "Do you feel nervous about doing this, too?" Lucille inquired.

"Yes, but there's no backing out now," Draco whispered in her ear as he pulled her into a kiss.

When they pulled apart Lucille said, "That's our last kiss before the big break-up act, huh?"

"No."

"What do you mean no? You said you'd do this," Lucille said looking into his eyes, her hands on her hips.

"I'm going to do this, but that wasn't the last kiss," He said lowering his head, "This is."

After they'd pulled away Draco said, "We'd better go now."

"Herm, I'd ask who's taking you, but, since you and Ron are dating, that'd be a stupid question." Christina said.

"Yeah it would," Aubrey agreed, laughing.

"Christina," Ginny said, "Who do you want to take you to the dance?"

"Well, I'd like to go with Harry, but he's currently dating Lavender, so that's out of the question."

"Anyone else?" Hermione inquired.

"Well, Seamus is nice, and he's cute."

"Yeah," Aubrey said, " Too bad he's dating Padma Patil."

"I know," Christina commented. "But you know who's really cute despite (spelling) what he looked like in his second year?"

"Who?" Ginny asked curiously.

"Neville Longbottom. I mean he's almost as tall as Ron. He's got hazel eyes, and light brown hair."

"Yeah, but he's still a bit clumsy," Hermione commented.

"Yeah," Ginny agreed," but he is very nice."

"So," Aubrey said slyly, "You can't have Harry and you can't have Seamus. So you want Neville?"

"Yup."

"Dean is single," Ginny said.

"Yes, and he's nice too, but I like Neville." Christina said looking away from her friends, her cheeks pink.

"Awww." Ginny teased. "Well, I can see why you like him, he is very nice, charming, sweet, and cute."

"Hey, lets sit here," Hermione said. "Looks like the only place were we'd be able to sit together, so sure."

Lucille and Draco walked into the Great Hall a few minutes after Ginny and her group of friends had sat down. Lucille's contented smirk contrasted dramatically with Draco's foul mood. When they walked in the conversation stopped faster than it ever had for Dumbledore, Lucille scowled, her eyes narrowing, and gradually conversation filled the hall again. Draco sat down next to the other seventh year boys, and tried his hardest to get away from Lucille. She ignored his attempt, and snuggled closer.

"Oh my," Hermione said, watching the scene at the Slytherin table.

"What?" Christina asked.

"Look at Malfoy and Ventorian." Ginny said in awe.

The whole hall was quiet and watching. It wasn't uncommon for couples to break up; in fact, it happened a couple times a month at least. Sometimes more. It was uncommon however for a couple to radiate as much anger, and hate as Malfoy and Ventorian were.

"Lucille," Malfoy warned. Apparently, this did the trick, because she scooted in the other direction, and most of the Great Hall resumed eating their breakfast.

"Wow, I've never seen Malfoy that angry," Hermione commented, returning to her cereal.

"Me either," Ginny said.

"I'm just glad all that is over with," sighed Christina.

"I wouldn't be so sure it's over just yet," Aubrey whispered, her eyes still on the Slytherin table.

The four girls watched Ventorian and Malfoy again. Ventorian had started moving closer to Malfoy and once again he was edging away. He tried pushing her in the other direction, but to no avail.

In a tone that could freeze water Malfoy said, "Damn it, Lucille, quit that!"

"What?" Ventorian asked innocently. The whole Great Hall was silent awed at the anger they were radiating.

"Oh, you know exactly what you're doing Lucille." Draco shot back accusingly, as he stood up. The heat freely radiating off of him.

"No, Draco, I haven't a clue what you're talking about." Ventorian snapped back as she stood up to look Malfoy in the eye.

"Quit clinging to me."

"I haven't been clinging to you."

"Oh, you haven't had you?"

"No, I haven't." Ventorian said defiantly.

"Then what do you call walking around with your arms around me 24-7?"

"What do you mean, what do I call it?"

"Well, I call it clinging. What do you call it?"

"I call it caring for my boyfriend," Ventorian shot back angrily.

"Well, if you don't quit clinging to me you're not going to have a boyfriend," Malfoy said icily.

"Draco Malfoy, was that a threat?" Ventorian said, with a look intense enough to scare a dragon senseless.

"No."

"Then what was it?"

"It was a promise." Draco sneered.

"It was a what?" Lucille shrieked.

"A promise." Draco said simply.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ventorian screeched.

"What it means that there was an us five minutes ago, but as of now there is no us."

Ventorian opened her mouth to say something, but instead slapped him and fled from the Great Hall with tears streaming down her face. Malfoy looked stunned that she had slapped him, and stalked out of the Great Hall, a bright red mark on his cheek

."Wow," Ginny whispered

."You can say that again," Christina said.

"Never saw that one coming," Aubrey said in awe.

"Good morning, " Lupin greeted his class of Gryffindors and Ravenclaws. "Today we're going to go over curses and counter curses. Most of you will know them, but I'm going to require that you all successfully perform five curses and counter curses," Lupin paused for the class to look at the list of curses and counter curses on the board. "Anyone who does all twenty will earn an extra twenty points for their house."

At this the whole class clapped. "I'm going to be pairing you all up in a pre-determined pairs. When I call your name, go stand next to your partner and take turns with the spells. "Today, you'll have the whole class to practice the curses and counter curses. Next class you'll perform them in front of me. Ok?"

"Ok." The class echoed.

"Well then lets get started shall we?" Lupin said beaming at his class.

The whole class was spent with half the students throwing small curses, like the headlock curse, at their partner, and their partner muttering a spell to shield themselves, or muttering the counter curse if they got hit. A few times, Professor Lupin had to perform a counter curse on a pair who happened to throw the full body bind at the same time, and both in the pair being hit were unable to perform the counter curse. Ginny enjoyed her duel against Tyler, an extremely talented Ravenclaw.

At the end of the class Aubrey came running up to Ginny and said, "Guess what, guess what!"

"What?"

"Guess who asked me to the dance!" Aubrey said in excitement.

Ginny stopped dead in her tracks and turned to face Aubrey, "Are you serious? "

"Yes!"

"Oh my gosh! I thought he was going to ask you to the dance, but I didn't expect him to ask till last minute. That's great, Aub." Ginny exclaimed.

"What's great?" Christina asked as she caught up with the other two.

"Lance just asked me to the dance," Aubrey told her.

Ginny and Christina smiled as they listened to Aubrey go on and on about Lance. Ginny couldn't wait for the Halloween ball, and couldn't wait to see who asked her to go to it.

Tuesday Ginny dragged herself out of bed to the chatter of Aubrey, who was still excited about Lance. Both were looking forward to their first Medi-witch classes.

A cheerful Aubrey asked, "What's got you so down in the dumps?"

"Huh? Oh, nothing really. I'm just tired I guess."

"Oh. So are you looking forward the our first class?" Aubrey inquired.

"Other than being drowsy, yeah." Ginny pushed the door open while stifling a yawn, and entered after Aubrey.

"Good afternoon, girls." Madam Pomfrey greeted.

"Hello," Aubrey and Ginny said in unison. Behind Madam Pomfrey, Ginny saw about five other students, but suspected that there were others out of her range of view. The class looked to be made up of mainly sixth and seventh years. Then again, Madam Pomfrey did have classes on different nights, so there were probably students in the other years as well.

"Great, you're all here." Madam Pomfrey said. "Now then, for your first lesson, I'd like you to all follow me."

Madam Pomfrey led them into her office, then through another door, which led to a small laboratory.

"I'd like each of you to pair up into groups of two and make a Headache Removal Potion. The directions on how to make it are on page 523 of your books. I'll be observing your potions. Please ask me if you have any questions, and I strongly urge you to follow the book step-by-step. Okay. If there are no questions, then I'd like you all to begin."

Ginny pulled a cauldron over towards them, and gathered the ingredients as Aubrey read them off to her. Madam Pomfrey came over and checked on them about five minutes later. She commented, "Very nice, ladies, very nice."

The two girls turned to each other and grinned. It took them nearly half an hour to complete the potion, and they spent most of the time watching the clear liquid simmer in the cauldron. Ginny looked up when she heard a knock. Madam Pomfrey walked out of the room, and returned moments later walking straight towards Aubrey and Ginny with a vial in her hand.

She handed it to Ginny saying, "Ms. Weasley, would you please fill this up and give it to the young man in the other room?"

"Sure." Ginny said, as she handed the empty bottle to Aubrey, who immediately filled it up.

When Ginny entered the main wing again, Draco Malfoy was standing there leaning up against a wall. "Are you the one who needed the potion?" Ginny asked.

"Seeing as I'm the only here, yes," Draco answered sarcastically as he reached for the bottle.

After draining the bottle he casual tossed it back to Ginny, and left the room after flashing Ginny with a charming smile.

"SLYTHERIN IN POSSESION OF THE QUAFFLE." Jordan screamed again, "WAIT THE GRYFFINDOR CHASER GINNY WEASLEY IS IN POSSESION NOW, AND MAKES A CLEAN THROW TO CHRISTINA TABESON, ALSO GRYFFINDOR! HEY, WHAT ARE THEY DOING? LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE TRYING A NEW MANUEVER."

"NOW WHAT'RE THEY DOING! UH OH! TABESON'S DROPPED THE QUAFFLE! WAIT, WAIT! WEASLEY'S GOT IT!" Jordan screamed, trying to keep up with the fast paced game. "THEY BETTER WATCH OUT LUCILLE VENTORIAN AND MORGAN RIDDLETON ARE ON THEIR TAILS IN HOT PURSUIT!"

Ginny didn't need anymore warning from Lee Jordan, and she signaled to the other two Chasers to go into the next formation.

"LOOK AT THAT! GRYFFINDORS JUST SCORED ANOTHER 10 POINTS, AND THEY'RE STILL ON THE ROLL! PANSY PARKISON HAS THE QUAFFLE! OH WATCH OUT CHRISTINA, THAT'S A BULDGER!" Jordan shouted as a Bludger whipped past her with Seamus Finnigan in pursuit of it, "NICE HIT FINNIGAN! CLOSE ONE THERE VINCENT CRABBE! CAREFUL RON, VENTORIAN LOOKS LIKE SHE MEANS BUSSINESS, AND... SHE'S MADE IT TEN POINTS TO SLYTHERIN! WAIT! DRACO MALFOY MUST HAVE SEEN THE SNITCH BECAUSE HARRY'S NECK AND NECK WITH HIM. THEY BETTER PULL UP, CAUSE THEY'RE ABOUT TO LITTERALLY HIT ROCK-BOTTOM!"

The crowd watched as Draco pulled up feet from the ground. Harry however continued, and pulled up a mere meter from the ground.

"DOES HE HAVE IT!" Jordan screamed over the crowd, "YES HE HAS IT! GRYFFINDOR HAS WON! GRYFFINDOR HAS WON! THE FINAL SCORE IS GRYFFINDOR-210, AND SLYTHERIN 50!"

It was almost amazing that everyone didn't go deaf, because all of Gryffindors, Ravenclaws, and Hufflepuffs were jumping up and down and screaming at the top of their lungs. Most didn't see it, but all the Slytherins sulked off of the Quidditch field, and into the castle.

Later that afternoon, Ginny and the rest of the Gryffindors were partying in the common room. Harry and Ron had just come back from the kitchens laden with food. The party just started getting interesting even though it had started hours ago when Hermione walked over to Ginny and said, "Dumbledore just owled Ron. He wants you to go to his office. Ron's already left, and the password is bubble-gum drops."

"Any clue why he wants me up there?"

"None, he didn't say."

"Okay, thanks." Ginny said as she walked over to Aubrey, "Hey, Aub, I have to go. I guess Dumbledore wants me to see him, I'll be back in a few."

"Okay," Aubrey said, "See you in a few then."

"Okay."

A few minutes later, Ginny knocked on Dumbledore's office door.

"Come in!" came Dumbledore's voice. She opened the door, and saw her brother already sitting there staring at the ground.

"Sit down, please, Ms. Weasley," Dumbledore said in a kind tone as he waved his hand at a chair.

Ginny sat down and said, "Has my brother done anything again?"

"No," Dumbledore said. Ginny was relieved at that but couldn't help but wonder why she was needed. "Did you see the Daily Prophet this morning?" Dumbledore questioned the siblings. Ron snapped his head up, and looked at Dumbledore imploringly.

"I saw it." Ginny looked at Ron then to Dumbledore and back again.

"And you, Ms. Weasley?"

Ginny nodded.

Dumbledore sighed heavily, "Then I guess you both know that Voldemort attacked again, and that the Ministry refused to let the press know who was attacked until further notice."

"Oh, no, no, please say it's not true." Ron muttered still holding Dumbledore's gaze," Please say it's not them."

"I'm afraid so," Dumbledore said, "Percy is okay. Fred, George, Bill, and Charley have all been informed by owl-"

"What about my parents-," Ron snapped.

"I'm very sorry, Ron, Ginny, but your parents were-"

"No, this can't be..." Ron said, "They weren't supposed to die like this."

Ginny glanced over at Ron, who was trying not to cry, muttering over and over that his parents couldn't die by the hand of You-Know-Who. Dumbledore watched Ginny. She hadn't said anything, and this bothered Dumbledore. It wasn't unusual for a student to remain silent, but the Weasley's were known for hot-tempers and strong emotions. He was about to say something when she stood up so suddenly that her chair fell back.

Ginny stood up, her chair hitting the ground. She glanced at Ron and Dumbledore, and then dashed out the door and down the stairs, already starting to cry. By the time she reached the castle's front doors, she was sobbing freely.

Draco had been out walking, sulking about the match, and was, at last, heading towards the castle, when someone crashed into him. Dazed, Draco whipped around to see a red-haired girl running in the direction of the lake. He was about to turn around and continue on with his way when he realized who it was. Draco smirked started to run. He had to catch her; this was a perfect time to continue Lucille's plan.

Ginny threw herself on the ground, and wept with her head on her arms, hearing Dumbledore's words over and over inside her head.

Draco knelt next to Ginny. He could tell that she was crying even though she barely made a sound. Draco whispered, "Ginny?"

"Go away." came Ginny's muffled voice.

"No. There's something wrong, and I intend to find out what it is."

"It's none of your business. Let me be." Ginny cried.

"Ginny," Draco said rubbing her arms, "Tell me what's wrong."

Ginny pulled herself up into a sitting position and didn't look at him. "Please, just let me be alone," she whispered.

"I can't do that, Ginny."

"And why not?" Ginny snapped.

"Because, you shouldn't be alone. If you're this eager for me to leave you alone, then obviously something has upset you. Just tell me what it is," Draco said in a soothing voice. This is going to be easier than Lucille or I thought, Draco thought to himself.

"Why do you want to know?" Ginny said, finally looking at Draco.

"Honestly?" Draco asked.

"Yes, honestly," Ginny said, squinting at Draco through her tears.

"I honestly don't know why I care, but I do.."

"Oh," Ginny said.

"So," Draco said, "Why are you crying?"

"Voldemort." Ginny said bitterly.

Draco looked at her, aghast. He had no intentions of becoming a Death Eater, and knew that his father probably already knew his plans of helping the Light Side. "You don't mean..."

Ginny nodded, and started to cry again, and sighing Draco pulled her into his arms. Draco whispered, "It'll be all right, Ginny, it'll be all right."

"No, it won't," Ginny replied, "No it won't. I've lost my parents."

Draco rocked Ginny gently back and forth whispering comforting words, knowing that Ginny was right. It wasn't all right. Nothing would be right in anyone's life for a while.

Draco was to become a death-eater when he graduated, and he'd even looked forward to it at one point, but now-Draco continued to rock Ginny back and forth was he rubbed her back.

Within minutes, Ginny had cried herself to sleep. Sighing, Draco leaned up against a tree, and waited. He continued to rub Ginny's arms.

This is almost too easy, Draco thought to himself. Smirking he looked down at the girl in his arms. She's so naive, she'll never guess, Draco thought.

A.N.: I am really sorry that it took me forever and a day to get this next chapter out. I really am. I worked on it as much as I could. I promise that the next chapter should be out relatively soon. I already have it written, and I'm working on the one after it as we speak. So I'm hoping to the next two out as soon as I can.

I know I said that I'd have a kiss between Draco and Ginny in think it was the eighth chapter or later on. Well, I don't have a kiss planed for the eighth chapter, but don't give up hope because the next chapter has some vital information to the story line, plus I think you'll all like it. The next chapter is short, a lot shorter than this one, but it still has vital info.

The whole problems that ff.net were having a while ago actually had no effect on my how late this chapter came out.

Oh, yeah keep on reviewing, because reviews are some of my biggest motivation to keep on writing.

Again, I am very sorry that it took me forever to update, and I'm offering to e-mail you telling when I update, how far along I am, and when I plan on updating. Just e-mail me at [email protected]. Put the story title in the subject line otherwise your e-mail has the possibility of being deleted.

Thanks:

Leisa~ Thank you so much for beta reading this for me. You've been a great help, and I really appreciate you're helping me.

Chocagirl23~ I know there wasn't any D/G kissing in this chapter, but trust me its coming up. Thanks for being a dedicated reader.