The Gifted Amissio

Chapter 4

Strip Games are Always More Fun

Draco found himself once again on a balcony, in the rain, counting down the time until he could begin being happy.

Except replace "rain" with "sunshine", "happy" with "chronically depressed", and "balcony" with "rock".

He was sitting out by an abandoned pasture near Hagrid's hut, remembering what Dumbledore had told him two months ago in September.

"Mr.Malfoy", he had said, "Miss Zabini. Please have a seat."

He was talking in a hurried manner, so they obliged and sat down in a pair of wooden chairs in front of the Headmaster's desk.

"I have come to learn that the two of you are both being closely watched by your parents, whom expect you to join Voldemort's ranks, is that correct?"

"Yes", they both answered.

"I have also come to learn that you are both in danger of being thrown into a most deadly situation in which neither of you would like to be found in. We have learned from Professor Snape that the next round of initiations will be held during this Christmas Break."

It was only then that Draco noticed the Potions master lurking in the most shadowy corner he could find in the room; he looked reassuringly at Draco, who was growing sick with the knowledge that December held his worst fear. And there would be no avoiding it this time.

"Thus a decision has been made to hide the two of you away."

Draco felt the urge to vomit decrease.

"Mr. Malfoy, you and your mother will both be hidden. She is in just as much danger as you are." Draco nodded. It was true; when Draco was not available for beatings, Lucius would often turn his attention to his wife.

"We have arranged for a place that would be most suitable for protecting you two, and your Mother, Mr.Malfoy. You may not be happy with it, but it is safest. It is guarded heavily by the strongest ancient magic, and is also a place that you would most least likely be found." He said this last part with some amusement.

Draco waited for the name of this place to be announced.

"Where?" he finally queried.

"The Burrow."

The Burrow, as Draco had learned, was the lopsided house infested with the millions of children the Weasley family seemed to have. Draco had gotten even more disappointed when he had learned that none other that the fabulous Harry Potter would also be taking up board there for the entire duration of winter break.

The only merriment he got from this situation was the knowledge that none of the Weasley children knew about the guests they would be housing; only Mr. and Mrs.Weasley were aware of these plans, which was wise because if Ron knew he'd probably go about the school yelling about how unfair it was that Draco Malfoy would be staying at his house. He couldn't wait to see his face when he found out.

One month, twenty-four days left.

He sighed.

"Fuck."

* * *

"Ok Gin, you've gotta take it off!"

Numerous jeers and whistles erupted from the Room of Requirement, which had most recently transformed itself into a small room with a round table in the center, wooden chairs surrounding it. The reason for this? Strip poker.

Ginny blushed and laughed. "Seamus, this isn't fair. I don't even know how to play normal poker!"

Seamus held his hands up.

"Nothin I can do. Sorry Gin."

Ginny was already in her bra, and the only other person In the room without an article of clothing on was Colin, who was now sitting across from her with only one shoe. She sighed as she went to remove her skirt. She paused when her fingers clasped the top of it; she looked up and saw that everyone was staring at her very intently, most of them cheering and shouting, "Strip! Strip! Strip!" Everyone in attendance was male; they had originally come to play a game of poker when Seamus and Dean, who she hung around with often now, invited her up to join. Several minutes later it had been decided mutually by the group (minus Ginny) that the game should be upgraded into the strip version.

Ginny had become notorious for being outlandish and wild at party functions. So, with all eyes on her, she decided to make the game fun. The guys needed some proper entertainment.

So instead of taking off her skirt, she climbed up onto the table and started doing her best mock impression of a stripper.

The boys laughed and cheered before resuming the "Strip! Strip! Strip!" chant, which had raised in volume by several degrees.

She wiggled her hips as she spun slowly in a circle, lowering her skirt at an agonizing pace all the while. She stopped and pulled one side of the skirt down a few more inches, showing a glimpse of underwear; at this, her crowd roared even louder. Seamus and Dean were both laughing, looking like they were thoroughly enjoying themselves. Both were blushing slightly. Ginny laughed and continued her outrageous dance, including putting her hands up to her mouth and widening her eyes in mock surprise when the skirt finally fell to the table top as if to say, "oops! My skirt seems to have fallen off!" The group seemed to forget completely that they were playing cards. Despite the fact that the men outnumbered Ginny about 25 to 1, a party of sorts soon broke out; Ginny noted that someone had managed to provide butterbeer. Ginny remained on the table, in her bra and underwear, laughing at the guys who were collected around her, singing drunken songs and clanging beer glasses toge! ther.

Ginny spotted Seamus, who was still in the front row of the crowd around the table, laughing and shaking his head. Ginny made eye contact with him and offered her hand out to him, arching an eyebrow and trying her very best to look perfectly serious. Laughing, Seamus took her hand and got on the table with her, as the group clustered below them shouted and cheered for Seamus's accomplishment of getting up close and personal with the main entertainment of the evening.

He turned his attention back to Ginny, who had resumed her scandalous dance, grinning and winking at the boys.

He leaned in close to her ear, and shouted (due to the excessive noise), "Aah, the black lace ones, I see?"

* * *

Draco was wandering the halls when he heard it. What was that? Buzzing? He looked around for a bee. No, not buzzing...it was cheers. Coming from the wall.

He knew immediately what the blank space in this wall actually was. He walked past it three times, concentrating on finding the source of the cheering, and came to stand at the door that had just presented itself. Twisting the knob, he slipped inside.

"Oh my god," he remarked as soon as he had regained his ability to speak, "what are you people doing?"

Everyone turned to look at the Slytherin Prince who had entered enemy territories. Rather than starting a fight, however, the assortment of sixth and seventh years of the other houses (Slytherin didn't associate with such riff raff, so even had they been invited to this apparent party none would have shown up), a butterbeer was shoved in his hand and the noise level returned to its prior state (which was very loud indeed.)

Draco shrugged. Well, a party's a party. Plus they seemed to have gotten themselves a stripper.

It took him a good few minutes to realize that the delectable red head standing a top the table was none other than Virginia Weasley.

* * *

An hour later, everyone was thoroughly smashed. Draco had found himself having a remarkably good time - he had hung around mostly with the Gryffindors, seeing as they were most fun when drunk. In his opinion, the Gryffindor trait of bravery could actually be easily overlooked by their tendency to get piss drunk too often and hold far too many parties to be considered healthy behavior.

The party was still in full swing when he saw the Weaslette, who had reluctantly stayed on the "stage" for the majority of the party, collapse wearily onto Finnigan's shoulder in the crowd. She was still laughing, her face red; Finnigan was also laughing as he carried her through the sea of drunks, with her slung over his shoulder, her ass right next to his cheek. Considering their drunken state, neither seemed to care much.

Draco smiled. Everyone here was so happy. Whether they had all simply drunken their sorrows away, Draco couldn't be sure, but seeing everyone so carefree made the familiar pang return to his gut. He cut through the group, still enjoying their guy's night out, having to pause and refuse numerous drink offerings and an invitation to a tango from Harry (Draco hoped that he wouldn't remember that happening, for he feared it would scar him for life) to get to the door.

* * *

Thank God it was Saturday, or else she would have had to attend potions with a hangover, which, according to the twins' personal experience, could be a deadly mix.

She shuffled her feet down the stairs and across the common room floor, too tired to lift her feet up. Dean was sitting on the couch that was stationed in front of the fire. As she approached he patted the seat next to him, wiggling his eyebrows.

"Come 'ere, you dirty girl..." he purred.

Ginny laughed, trying to ignore her splitting headache, and took up the seat offering.

"Oh god, my head..." she groaned.

Dean nodded.

"You were completely pissed last night. You passed out at one point."

"What?" Ginny asked. "How did I get back up here?"

"Seamus carried you up," Dean replied, as the very same tousled-haired Seamus walked in to the room.

Ginny turned to face him.

"Good morning," she said.

"Hi," he replied, a boyish smile playing at his lips.

Dean was the only one who noticed the new spark of adoration that glinted in Seamus's eyes.

* * *

Harry sat alone in the library, searching through the ancient books. He didn't want Hermione or Ron to help him with this; they had had to go through so much already to help him in the past. Besides, this was nothing life threatening (at least, that is what he firmly believed.) But he still needed to find out what was wrong with him.

He absent-mindedly fingered the translucent tawny gem in his pocket...

* * *

Blaise sat under a willow near the lake. In less than two months she would be living with the Weasleys.

Personally, Blaise held no despise for the Weasley family; she just feared how they would feel about her.

Footsteps crunched on the fallen leaves behind her. She didn't turn around.

"Draco," she spoke, still looking straight in front of her at the glistening lake.

"Hey." He replied shortly, as he came to stand next to where she sat. "Doing some thinking?"

She smiled.

"Yes."

There was a pause.

"Care to elaborate?"

She sighed.

"I'm scared. My parents will completely flip out when they don't see me at King's Cross. They're not stupid. They'll figure out what Dumbledore is trying to do."

Draco and Blaise, for safety, were to be transported to the Burrow by car instead of risking their parents seeing them at King's Cross. Narcissa was to simply run away from the Manor as soon as the opportunity presented itself, which would be at the next Death Eater meeting; she would claim she was staying behind to wait and see if Draco turned up, and then take her bags and flee. Draco felt the effort put into this plan wasn't very clever.

"Me too," he said softly, as he bent down and took a seat. "But I've spoken to Snape about it. Evidently this..."Burrow" is centuries old. The protective magic on it is unbreakable; the counter-spell ritual for them has been lost for a couple hundred years."

Blaise nodded, but did not change her concentrated expression to relief. Her eyebrows remained drawn in together, her green eyes searching the waves of the lake in front of them. It took Draco a moment to realize a tear had slid down her reddening cheek.

"Hey," he said gently, putting a comforting arm around her, "it'll be okay."

Blaise leaned in to his embrace and started to sob as quietly as she could. Draco knew she didn't cry unless she was painfully upset. She thought crying made her appear weak.

They sat there until the sun lowered, and it was time to go back up to the castle.

* * *

Harry prodded his potato. He had figured out what was wrong with him; he just couldn't piece together how on earth that had happened.

Hermione and Ron were laughing together. They had recently become so flirtatious it made Harry near explosion trying not to yell, "JUST GO FUCK ALREADY!" He turned his head towards his right, where Seamus was talking Ginny and Dean, who were both shaking trying to control their laughter. Ginny had a hand clamped firmly to her mouth.

God, she was so beautiful. Harry had been at the poker party; Ron and Hermione hadn't come because they were too busy grinning like idiots at each other from opposite ends of the common room. Ginny was hilarious; she was the life of the party. It also helped that she had a fantastic body - she was tiny, but still had soft curves, long, slender legs and a flat stomach, and flawless breasts that fit her figure perfectly.

Harry frowned. It was clear that she didn't have the little schoolgirl crush on him anymore. It was unfair. She was beautiful, but down-to-earth, spunky, witty, smart and had a radiant personality. Damn.

He turned his attention back to his friends, whom were now playfully swatting each other on the shoulder.

* * *

They were drunk. They both were. Ginny watched through the crowd as they staggered about, arms around each other's shoulders. She walked up to them.

"Hey, you two," she had said, "having fun?"

Lupin had replied first.

"SPLENDID!" he shouted. Sirius, meanwhile, had stopped laughing and was staring at Ginny, completely serious. There was only a hint of a smile on his lips.

"And how are you, Virginia?" he asked, his voice low and soft.

Ginny only smiled in reply. There was a long silence until Remus, still drunk but now also with the serious expression adorning his face, spoke.

"We could make this interesting," he murmured seductively, speaking into Sirius's ear but also looking at Ginny.

Before long the three of them were up in Sirius's room at Grimmauld Place...

Ginny sat in her four-poster bed, the others in her room asleep.

It couldn't have worked.

Let him go...

But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't hold back the fat tears that rolled down her cheek.

Sirius...