So It Goes

Chapter 1: Bothers and Butterflies

A horrible face. It was such a horrible face. A man, a demon, with the head of a snake and bloody angled eyes. A forked tongue flicked in and out of his slit of a mouth. His slippery body slithered. He came closer. She knew that she should run, run far away, but she couldn't move. She was paralyzed. Her stomach churned as as he leaned closer and closer toward her. Her lungs seemed to have stopped taking in air and her body wasn't obeying a single command. His sulphur breath reeked. Her eyes wouldn't close and she couldn't turn away. Fear knotted itself firmly in her gut. The snake's hot reeking breath made her shiver in anxiety. He started to whisper softly in her ear.

"I need you. You need me. You never felt so whole as when I was with you. Ginevra, we need each other," the snake man hissed as he moved, no slithered, forward.

"...N - no," she groaned.

He was seducing her, and she couldn't stop it. She was succumbing to his influences and she was powerless to it. A small smile crept over his features. She had thought that he could get no worse, but this smile was the most horrible thing she had ever seen. She felt nauseated and she knew she would be sick.

The snake man laughed and then, just as she was about to pass out from the combination of his sour breath and his grotesque visage, she woke with a start.

The sun was barely rising outside over the vast countryside. Ginny Weasley lifted a hand to her head and it came off slick with sweat. It was met with slick, cold sweat and goose bumps.

She felt ill, so she decided to get a cup of coffee, and try to get a grip. What was that dream? She asked herself, she could barely remember any of it now, only that she was terrified and...that face. She shrugged her shoulders unsuccessfully trying to shrug off the memory along with it.

When she got downstairs, she saw that her mother was already awake, busily preparing breakfast. The kitchen could be called small, for the size of the family it served, but Ginny saw it as cozy and welcoming. The long wooden table, situated snuggly in the breakfast nook in the far corner, was worn from years of use. The wooden benches set on either side wobbled whenever sat on as none of the legs were the same size, but nonetheless, the kitchen was Ginny's favourite part of the house. As Ginny entered through the doorway, one of the old floorboards creaked, causing Molly Weasley to quickly turn around, finally catching sight of her daughter.

"Ginny, dear, you could have slept another hour or so. I'll not be waking up Ron for a while, now. Well, you could help me with breakfast if you wanted to, but I thin--Ginny, what's wrong?"

Ginny had sat down on the bench and laid her head on her hands, in lethargy more than anything else.

"Oh, Mum, nothing. I just had a bad dream. Some coffee should be the cure," she answered with a weak smile.

Her dreams, nightmares rather, used to be quite frequent. Since her first year at Hogwarts when she'd been possessed by Voldemort's younger counterpart, Tom Riddle, she had been experiencing vivid and horrific nightmares. She had confessed to Dumbledore about these dreams during her second year after her dorm mates complained that she was screaming in her sleep. He gave her a private room off the Gryffindor Tower. She had her own way in and out so that if she had a particularly alarming nightmare she could go to Dumbledore right away without disturbing her classmates. Although in the past two years she had not had one nightmare, during the summer they returned with vengeance, just as terrible as before. Ginny brushed this aside and attributed it to her growing fear of the war over the past year and she accepted that they would be returning. She didn't want to bother anyone with the foolish business that she was having nightmares, so she kept them to herself.

Nearly two hours later, Molly Weasley headed outside after hearing a car horn. She called for Ron to carry the trunks out and to start packing them into the back of the cab.

"Goodbye my darlings. If I hear you're in a fight, and you're almost killed, I'll hunt you down and finish the job. Be safe," she said pointing an accusatory finger at Ron.

"Mother! When have I ever been reckless?" Ron grinned.

"I'm being serious. With this war, I don't even know how safe Hogwarts will be. I want to hear from you every week so that I know you're alright."

"Yes Mum, I know. You expect frequent family dinners and owls. Why not just hire a detective?" Ginny smiled. "I know, Mum."

"Well, I need to know you're safe. Goodbye dears, owl me as soon as you get there!"

Molly had become quite occupied with the Order of the Phoenix and she would not be dropping them off at King's Cross. This would be Ginny's first trip into London without one of her parents. Even though it was just to the train station, she was quite excited.

As the pair piled into the cab, Molly waved from the drive and pulled out her hanky.

"Does she have to cry every time?" Ron asked indignantly as he immediately opened a Quidditch book, not waiting for her answer.

"I suppose, Ron. I suppose it's her job." Ginny looked lovingly back at her blubbering mother in the drive. Even though Ginny was annoyed at her over protectiveness from time to time, she had always known it was with the best intentions. Ginny gave another small wave out of the window as the car drove away.

"Well, I sure wish that it wasn't. It's bloody annoying. I'm almost of age. I don't like being treated like a kid," Ron mumbled, obviously flustered.

Ron had been in an extremely bad mood since the week before. Harry had written him telling him that he had just arrived at Grimmauld Place. Ron asked if he could join Harry, and Molly had quickly and reverently declined. Ginny understood her mother's growing concern since the fiasco at the Department of Mysteries, but apparently, Ron did not.

"Well, so it goes Ron...so it goes," Ginny replied with her new favorite response.

She wasn't sure what it meant exactly, but she liked it. She liked to think that it meant that things would pass and she should accept them, because she was powerless against Fate.

"What does that even mean?" asked Ron, red faced with already present irritation, furthered by frustration of Ginny's siding with their mother.

"Nothing," she said, smiling to herself.

Ginny began to think about what her mother had said. That Hogwarts might not be safe anymore. She hoped to Circe that she was wrong. Ginny had always thought of Hogwarts as a safe haven. A place that people went for sanctuary. If Hogwarts were to be opened for attack, where would they go? If Voldemort had grown so bold as to attack Dumbledore head on, did they have any hope in the war? She shivered and tried to forget the thought as she opened a book. Nonetheless, she thought, my sixth year will be a great year...different, but great. I just know it.

*~*

Draco Malfoy had very different thoughts running through his head as he found himself a compartment on the Hogwart's Express. His father had given him a stern talking to the night before he had left for King's Cross.

"You know it's your duty, Draco."

"I know father, I've never known anything else."

"Don't go soft on me. I need you. He needs you. We need you."

"Yes, father."

"This is not something to be taken lightly..."

"Yes, father."

"...And you need to grow up and take is seriously..."

"Yes, father."

"Stop just saying 'yes', you bleeding disrespectful prat of a boy."

"Yes, father."

Draco did not remember anything soon after that.

All he did remember was that later on the evening he had gone to his favourite pub, the one he had been going to since he was fifteen. They always served him because they knew who he was. He had gotten thoroughly sloshed and had taken home one of his regular girls from the bar. The girl knew that he had come because of a fight with his father and this was his favourite way to forget about it, and they both knew that he was just using her for instant gratification. And just as every time before, she left early in the morning, before he awoke.

Draco had always had his pick out of all the girls in his small town, the town that surrounded Malfoy Manor (which, literally, was his). He knew that every girl worth knowing would want him, and he liked that fact. He was always dressed well, in dark slacks, and handsome button-up shirts that made him look positively gentlemanly, and he was incredibly good looking. He had light blonde hair that was just long enough so that it would fall into his ice blue, piercing eyes. If he ever wanted to get a girls attention, he would push his hair from his face and give her the look. Any girl's knees would give way, along with her inhibitions if he gave her that look. He was very tall and thin, yet muscular. His well defined cheek bones made his face always seem serious and smoldering, that is, until he smiled. Everything changed when he smiled. His face lit up with a child like genuine joy when he smiled a real smile. An emotion he never wished to evoke. So, he decided that no one would ever see him smile fully.

He was now speeding along on the train back to Hogwarts, his very own hell. His head felt like it would implode at any second, and his ill advised behaviour with Frita the night before had not made it any better. He felt lower than lower. The only thing that could make it worse was...

"Hey Draco, honey. It's been a long summer." Pansy Parkinson sauntered into his compartment.

"How did you know I was here? I'm supposed to be doing Head Boy duty." Pansy smiled.

"I saw a second year walking around with your Head Boy pin. He said you asked him to take your shift, so I--"

"Did you not see that the blinds were drawn? What if I had been in here with another girl?" Draco interrupted without even opening his eyes.

"Oh, Draco. I would have heard her," she giggled irritatingly as she sat on his lap. "I know people always can hear me when I'm with you." She bit her lip and tried her hardest to look seductive.

"That's just because you're the loudest and most obnoxious girl I know," Draco retorted opening one eye. "You look ridiculous. Stop that. You're such a bother," he muttered, scoffing.

"That's not what you said last year. You seemed to think that I was quite sexy." She swung one leg over his lap so that she was straddling him about the waist.

"I was young and stupid," Draco sighed closing his eyes again, wondering if he had actually ever found her attractive.

"Oh, stop it Draco. You know you're just going to give in and shag me right here. Just get over the fighting part. I want you, baby," Pansy whispered into his ear as she began nibbling his neck.

He pushed her back off his chest so that he could look at her. She was not horrendous-looking. Maybe last night's excursions hadn't been enough. Maybe he needed another go at it, and he would feel like his old self again.

She bit her lip again and without warning, he aggressively pushed his lips against hers. She willingly opened her mouth, deepening the kiss with matching intensity.

He pulled away, breathing hard, and looked at her seriously. "You know we're not going to date. You know I don't even like you," Draco said after he pulled away.

She raised herself off his lap and walked towards the door of the compartment, "You know you say that every time," she answered, slyly locking the door.

She pushed Draco to lie down onto the bench across the compartment as she began to unbutton his crisp white shirt before starting on her own.

"I'm very aware that Draco Malfoy doesn't date," she murmured as she took her shirt off and leaned down to his mouth, kissing him fiercely.

"I guess I can only hope..." she said breathlessly, unzipping his pants.

"...That things will start to look up for me," she smirked, looking down at him. "Oh, Draco, dare I say the same for you?"

He could barely mutter, "I dare say you may," before he pulled her down onto him and for that moment, instant gratification was enough.

*~*

"Pansy, I thought you understood the arrangement," Draco drawled as he tried to pry her off of him. "No cuddling. That goes under the 'no dating' category, remember?"

"Damn it, Draco. I know when I'm not wanted. I'll leave," she snorted huffily as she finished buttoning her shirt. "I just thought that after an amazing shag we could just bask in it, you know? But, I guess you're just a 'wham, bam, thank you ma'am' kind of guy. Fuck, Draco. You'd think after so many years I'd have learned that. Why do you have to toy with my emotions?" Her retort had soon turned into a sob and as she grabbed her shoe she ran out of the compartment.

"Good riddance, I can't deal with hormonal girls," Draco muttered after she slammed the door.

He had been wrong about shagging her, he didn't feel any better. He now felt even worse than that morning. Get a grip, mate. You used to love a good shag.

"Well, not anymore. I have to take things 'seriously'," he murmured to himself as he sat down and banged his head against the wall of the compartment. As he bent down to pick up his dress robe that had been thrown on the ground in excitement, a piece of parchment fell out of the pocket that he had not noticed before. He opened it, seeing his aunt's blunt, practical script. He knew nothing good would come from a letter from his aunt Bellatrix, she was all business, a business that Draco secretly wanted nothing to do with.

Dear Draco,

The Dark Lord has entrusted me to take charge of this very important task, a task that I was to pass onto you. Your father is learning more about it as you are reading this, and he will give you further instructions as the plan develops. The Dark Lord wanted you to be away from home when you found out the details, so that you wouldn't do anything stupid, like decide to decline and run away. I know that you're not that stupid, and I know that you'll respond properly, like you've been taught, and I know I can entrust this to you.

As you know, in your second year, Ginevra Weasley was used by the Dark Lord's journal in the Chamber of Secrets; he drained all of her power into his apparition from this journal in an attempt to once again be in human form. He failed, as you know, and the girl recovered fully. There is only one thing. On this night when Harry Potter destroyed the journal and all of the Dark Lord's hopes, he did not know that part of the Dark Lord was still living in the Weasley girl. That part still lives inside her today and it is the missing piece that the Dark Lord needs in order to be restored to his full powers.

Now, knowing this I trust you know what you have to do. You must retrieve the girl and bring her to the Dark Lord. Because of the fragility of the girl you cannot take her by force, she must go willingly into any place that the Dark Lord may be waiting for her. So, and this is the task at hand, you must get her to trust you. She must trust you completely and be willing to follow you anywhere, even, unknowingly, into the Dark Lord's trap. As I said, your father will send further instructions and specifics of a when and where. In the meantime, don't let the girl out of your sight. It will be your responsibility to charm her, trick her, do whatever you need to. Just get her to trust you.

Sincerely,

B.L.

"Bloody hell. How do they expect me to charm the Weaselette?" He banged his head against the wall numerous more times.

Oh well, at least it's a challenge, he thought to himself, I haven't had one of those in a while. Fuck it. So it goes. He didn't remember when he'd picked up the phrase, but he quite liked it. He couldn't change what was going to happen, so he might as well accept it and try to think of a way to charm a girl who was likely still in love with the biggest prat to walk the earth: Harry Potter.

*~*

"Hey, Harry!" Ginny yelled off the platform as she exited the train. She had had a peaceful trip; she had slept the whole time. After the nightmare the night before, she needed to catch up on her sleep.

"Oh, Ginny! Come in the coach with us." Harry smiled and Ginny felt her stomach churn. He was actually inviting her to go with him. Not even just that, he was holding out his hand to help her inside.

"Thanks," she responded with a sheepish grin.

Harry situated himself rather close to her on the coach. Ginny wasn't sure if she should necessarily take that as a compliment as Neville was on his other side, with Trevor the toad, who smelled unusually bad.

"I tried a spell on him last school year, a spell that would make it so that if I lost him I could always find him by smell. Over the summer it got...well, it got worse so that now he always smells." Neville smiled half-heartedly before he went back to petting his toad lovingly.

After Harry was through giving Neville a sufficiently strange look followed by a shrug he turned to Ginny, making their faces inches apart. She had full blown butterflies, now.

"So, Gin, how was the rest of your summer?" He smiled brilliantly.

He had never called her Gin before. "Oh, it was nice. Relaxing, at times a bit too relaxing, but nice."

"Well, I'm glad to hear it," he smiled uncomfortably. "Gin, I was thinking...well, maybe one day...I don't know, if you don't want to, but maybe if you weren't busy and you wanted to...well, I was thinking..." Harry looked down into his lap where he was twisting his hands, which were, all of a sudden, extremely interesting.

"Yes?" Ginny asked leaning closer with anticipation, the butterflies in her stomach were now raging all out war.

"Doyouwanttopraticequidditchwithme..." he said all in one breath, looking up at her, cheeks flushed.

Ginny smiled. "Oh, sure, that would be fun..." Harry smiled back at her, but seemed unable to find anything else to say, so he quickly turned to Neville to talk about Quidditch.

Even though Neville wasn't well versed in the sport, Harry seemed keen to keep the conversation going. Normally, Harry would have Ron to talk with about it, but since Ron had started, officially, dating Hermione at the beginning of the summer when she came to visit, Harry had felt rather like the third wheel. He was determined not be in their way this year, but it was already proving difficult to only be in close contact with Neville. Ginny was disappointed, in his response, but after years of disappointment, she was used to it.

Ginny hoped, though, with Harry letting Ron and Hermione have their 'alone time', Ginny would have time to finally tell Harry how she felt, without Ron breathing down her back. Ginny had been in love with Harry for as long as she could remember, even while she was dating those other boys, those immature, un-heroic, non-Harry boys, even while she was dating them, she loved Harry.

Over the summer, Ginny had grown-up though, mentally and physically. She had let her deep, vibrant red hair grow out into flowing waves past her shoulders. She now adequately filled out the top of her uniform shirt, and her 'baby fat' now flowed into well-constructed curves that left her stomach flat and her legs long and lean. Over the summer, during one of her trips into town, a Muggle boy had even asked for her number, calling her a 'regulation hottie'. She hadn't known what he meant by her number so she politely declined, but she was relatively sure that being a hottie was a good thing.

Although she still had this crush on Harry, she was determined not to let it get the better of her. So, when Harry visited that summer, she kept her cool and treated him just like any other friend. Harry seemed to notice the lack of obsessive behaviour from her because the second week he was there, he spent almost as much time with her as he had with Ron.

That summer had given Ginny confidence that she never thought she would have. She was sure that this year would be different, she would tell Harry how she felt, and he would take her seriously. She looked over at Harry until he looked at her. He smiled and she smiled back.

"Harry?"

"Yeah, Gin?" She liked that he was calling her Gin.

"This year will be great, okay?"

"Okay. It will be great," he said smiling at her. She smiled back appreciatively at him. She slowly set her head on his shoulder, and he let her as Neville continued explaining all of the different smells Trevor had taken on during the summer.

*~*

"We need to talk Draco. I have something to say to you," Pansy whined through the door to Draco's private Head Boy room.

"Pansy, there is nothing to talk about," Draco drawled as Pansy continued to throw a fit in his corridor. He returned to rummaging through his trunk for his cigarettes, needing a smoke after such a stressful day. Before he found them, he saw the letter from his aunt. "Damn it to hell..." he said to himself as he thought of the task before him.

"What? What did you say?" Pansy screeched.

"I wasn't talking to you, dear," Draco said as he left his room and passed her in the corridor. He planted a kiss on her cheek. "I would never say that to you."

He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her softly on the lips. She smiled and fell into his arms. He smirked and pushed her off him. You still have it.

"I'll see you later, love."

"Wait, where are you going?" she pleadingly asked after him.

"For a smoke, doll." He turned around. "You know smoking is one of my favourite things. I trust you can at least remember that this is my alone time, when I think, I don't need company."

"Oh, okay. Just come find me later, Draco!"

"Oh, sure..." He smirked. If I can charm a girl who wanted to kill me two minutes ago, I can charm anyone. This could be more fun than I thought.