Regret and Betrayal

Chapter One

First Introductions... Again

'Who ever lov'd that lov'd not at first sight?'

~*~~*~~*~

"Aren't you ready yet?" called Pete from down the corridor. "I mean I know you're a girl but come on!"

"Shut up will you I'm concentrating." Ginny was having a hard time preventing the curling irons from burning her hair. "I'm almost done."

"Well hurry up the Chief's waiting." I hope we can pull this off, Pete thought. He was sitting outside cell two, Ginny was inside changing.

"I'm done, I think." Ginny stared at herself in the mirror above the sink. I can't do this, she thought. I'm not ready, it's too big, I'll blow it, and I know I can tell.

Her mind recalled to the week before.

~~~

"Ginny, Pete, I want the two of you on this," the Chief had called to them. His face was red and his cigar was near to its end in his mouth, but he was still drawing on it, which made his cheeks even rosier. This in turn made the vein on his temple stand out even more. The whole team in the conference room were used to this though, as it normally appeared when an investigation would start, as he would be awake all night trying to figure out plans and back-up plans and so on. It was enough to drive anyone crazy, but it still freaked her out to see it sit there throbbing on his head. All she could do in these conferences was sit there and stare at it. It was very hard to do anything else.

"The man is very worried; he has an enraged nephew intent on stealing more of his assets." Ginny tore hers eyes away to face him. "Your job will be to get in there and find out how, ok?"

"Ok," they simultaneously agreed.

"Now a week from today he will be having a get together, with his friends and colleagues. Pete?"

"Yes Chief?"

"One of his friends, um..." Ginny looked at him fiddling through his papers, imagining him practicing this in front of his wife. "A Mr. Goyle, he has a few brothers, quite a few it may seem. You are to pose as... Marcus," he said, fiddling some more.

Goyle, she knew that name.

"Well?" Chief Manning asked.

A short wave of silence filled the room; no one knew what to say. "Well, what sir?" Pete asked in return.

Chief Manning turned on all of them. "Why aren't you WRITING ANY OF THIS DOWN, AM I THE ONLY ONE WHO WANTS THIS TO GO OFF?!"

Every one began writing frantically, and there was the occasional looking over someone else's shoulder to see if they had left anything out. Ginny, who had been writing the second Manning started to talk was watching them with a smile on her face, as Pete borrowed her notes and began to copy them quickly.

Poor Pete, she thought. He never held well under yelling. Ever since she got this job she had looked at how different everything was, and how she loved it here compared to the reason she had taken it in the first place. To get away from someone, someone she did not want to think about right now, nor see ever again. She snapped back to attention.

"Apparently this Marcus is the only one of the infinite offspring that he hasn't met yet." He stopped long enough for everyone to stop writing. "I want a six man team, Pete, Ginny on the inside. The other four outside in case something happens, they need to make a quick get away. I know you are all tired at this point preparing for a large scale investigation, but no-one cock this up, it is paying me very well if it succeeds, is there any questions?" he reeled off.

How does he do that? Ginny wondered.

"No," the table agreed.

The group rose to leave; everyone looked at everyone, in their minds they were cursing the day they decided to take that dreaded exam that got them in here. But at the end of the investigation, they knew they'd enjoy the benefits. As they always did.

"Ginny," called a voice from behind her, it was the Chief. As the rest of them left, they cast a sympathetic glance to her as they exited the room. Knowing that she would have to be briefed even more now she was on the inside of the job. They knew there was more to do with it, but they also knew if they told her it could be their jobs too.

Ginny's head snapped round at the sound of her name. "I need to speak to you alone." The Chief then looked at Pete. "Everyone else leaves, get to doing whatever it is that you do." Pete looked at her, glanced the same look and left.

Ginny began to feel very nervous.

"Ginny," he said calmly. "There is this matter of your appearance." Ginny looked shocked and hurt. "Don't get me wrong," he added, upon seeing her reaction, "you're very nicely put together, but certain aspects of you need to change before you go in, so no-one recognizes you."

Ginny was bewildered, what on Earth is going on? Who would recognize me? She suddenly became very wary.

"Sir," she began meekly. "Who is this nephew, I've looked through all of my notes and I don't recall ever hearing or writing down his name."

"I'd better not, and I haven't told anyone else, so don't try asking," he lied. "You're a good agent Ginny I wouldn't want you losing your wits. This is an important operation after all. More so than your others, you'll need your brain in this one, as he's a sly fox, exposed all our agents before one day."

~~~~

Still staring in the mirror, she steadied her hands. "I can do this," she re-assured herself. Then eventually she opened the cell door and stepped outside.

***

"About time-," Pete, shell shocked stammered out his words. "Erm the - the chief. Wants you, to see you," He held his head, wincing, as if he were saying something stupid. "Err, office."

"Err, thanks," she said slowly, turning the handle as she approached the door, before she entered she turned on Pete. "Pete, are you okay?" He was looking at her very strangely.

"Y-ye-yes, I am, why?" he stammered, still looking at her.

At that moment the door rapidly opened by itself and they became face to face with the chief himself, she guessed he got tired of waiting.

"Ginny you look fantastic, are you ready?" he asked quickly.

Ginny looked down at herself making a mental checklist, ticking them off as she went down. "I think so," she said nervously.

"Right well let's get this show on the road," he said encouragingly, opening the door. In turn, revealing her to the rest of the team in the room. They had little gizmos out on the table and their wands out and they were all dressed in dark clothing, and stunned expressions as they looked up. It looked like a bad rendition, of a bad spy movie.

Ginny followed the chief in, making her way to the head of the table where they were to get their hearing spells put on, that way everyone else could hear them when they weren't in the room. As much as she tried to ignore it, she was still aware of all the wide eyes following her, from the rest of the team. She couldn't blame them though; it was very rare that she would dress up. Especially for work. She didn't even do it for her brother's wedding.

"Here you go," the Chief said, putting a necklace around her neck. "This will hold the charm for your hair."

"Ok," she said nodding. Partially, she had been dreading this all week. It looked very odd; she herself would never be caught wearing it.

"You can take it off, but I wouldn't encourage it myself. Fore if you remove it before the charm is reversed, the colour will remain permanently. Oh, I see you have removed your freckles," he said.

"Yes in the bathroom." He had asked her to do that too, why, she still didn't know. No-one was telling her anything, and she was beginning to get annoyed.

"Good, good, now the colour of the stone is the colour your hair shall be..." She looked down, the stone was black.

Oh dear. she thought.

"It's a complicated charm so I wouldn't, if I were you, try to reverse it yourself. Despite the simplicity of the subject, it is quite complex, some can remove it wandless, but only high ranking wizard families are equipped for it. No offence."

"None taken," she lied.

Chief Manning raised his wand and touched the stone that rested on her chest. "Ebininus color," he said.

A light like liquid swam out of the stone and surrounded her head. The light stung her eyes; water began to creep from them. Her hair ran around her head and her neck, like water trickling down her back. She felt as if her head was being lifted off the ground, as air rushed by her ears, whistling and rushing like an off course river. Then, it was gone. The room was silent, eyes and mouths open. Staring.

I must look either really ridiculous, or really good, she thought.

***

The Manor was extraordinarily beautiful, even at night; the stars looked as if they were enchanted to shine only above the Manor. Stepping out of the carriage she looked up, gripping Pete's hand; she stood in awe.

"Are you ready Mrs. Goyle?" Pete said through the side of his mouth.

"No problem Marcus," she smiled, steadying herself.

"Can you lot hear me? Is this thing working?" He tapped his ear.

'Would you just go inside already; you've checked us fifteen times since you left,' came voices in his ear.

They ascended the granite stairs, which led up to immense oak doors. And they entered the great entrance hall, which could have been a room of its own it was so large. Everywhere Ginny looked, was marble; green, crème, and grey. The white walls throughout the room added a maximum of light, from the great chandelier above that hung with valor, which complemented the texture of the alabaster stone ceilings, whose heights seemed apparently limitless. As intricate filigree lines of silver, threaded through the pillars, fused in the walls that suspended it. The glowing majestic staircase unrolled like a red carpet, leading upstairs to, unmistakingly lavish bedrooms.

Wow. Ginny thought.

"Shall we find this elusive nephew?" Pete said to her, bringing her back.

"Without doubt, that is the smartest thing you've said all night. But first, I need a drink."

'No drinks, stick to the job at hand,' was said in her ear.

"If you want the job done, then I suggest you let me have a drink, or else you will find yourself being honoured for the fastest job failed in three minutes flat," Ginny said matter-of-factly.

There was silence as a response.

"I'll be right back." Pete withdrew to the bar cautiously.

He left her leaning against a wall, was she even supposed to lean? Do rich people lean? Or do they just slant elegantly? She stood there twiddling her hair, trying to get used to the fact it was now black. It felt like liquid through her fingers. She didn't understand why she couldn't have just used the usual cosmetics sold in wizarding shops, they were just as reliable, all you needed was a wand, and a pair of gloves.

She looked around. Who could afford a place like this? she thought, desperately trying to untangle her index finger. Unlike many other Manors she had come across, this one didn't have a great plaque stating its name and its owner. People were busily mingling, with endless chatter that did not concern her. Damn this hair, she thought. I should've worn it clipped back, this is all Pete's fault, and he knows I always twist my hair when I'm nervous. Why didn't he warn me? She turned towards the wall, pretending to admire the architecture.

"Would you like some help?" came a voice behind her.

She turned knowing it wasn't Pete, but she had to talk to someone sometime. The person was quite tall, wearing a very expensive suit, probably enough to feed an army, but it didn't look as if he cared much for it the way he wore it. Unlike all the other men there, his shirt was not tucked in but it hung over his trousers and he wore no tie, as the top button was undone, very unusual, very casual, and like he did this all the time. It was as if he just did not want to be there, but he still looked good.

~~~

'Hello,' said that voice again in her ear. The guys really had to keep quiet; they were beginning to annoy her.

Outside the guys were hearing everything, and seeing it too, through Ginny's eyes. And they had just seen the nephew they were waiting for.

~~~

"No thank you, I'm fine," she said, eager for him to leave her alone. Avoiding eye contact. Where is Pete when you need him?

'No, no, no accept the help, accept the help!' said the voices. Ginny hushed her ear silently. As if they were standing right beside her.

"Are you sure? You look stuck?" he said. Putting down his drink he reached for her hand, and began to carefully unravel the raven black hair from her finger, which was in the process of turning blue.

"Thank you," she said. Finally looking up, really looking up. She saw a blonde haired man, looking at her with a sense of familiarity. Well isn't he's remarkably handsome, she thought and smiled before noticing, she couldn't help it. But she knew how he felt it was strange, she had this feeling they had met before. Then from somewhere came a well - known voice.

"Claire." Ginny turned, hearing her name-that-was-not-her-name. It was Pete.

***

The 'Get together' as his father called it was not going so good. Sure, it brought together friends he had not seen in years. But he didn't exactly want to see them either. Hence, the whole NOT seeing them in years. In fact it was the most boring 'Get together' he had ever been to. Until... he saw someone standing alone across the room. Possibly the only exciting thing he had seen all night. He tried to count back to a time he had seen her before, and then realized he didn't know her from anywhere. And part of the purpose of the night was to get to know people right? So he made his way over. As he did so, he could see that she had gotten her finger twisted in her hair, so she had turned to hide her embarrassment.

"Would you like some help?" he had asked, but she had refused. Not taking no for an answer, he took her hand after placing down his drink, and began to unravel the strands of hair. It was so dark, it was amazing.

"Thank you," she said looking up. She smiled, suddenly a wave of awareness overcame him, he somehow had the feeling they had met before after all. This was strange, as he certainly would've remembered. Her eyes were a deep blue surrounded by white skin, and ebony hair. It was an out of the ordinary ensemble, but beautiful nonetheless. He could only stare trying hard to recall. He smiled back.

~~~

'Pete, he's here' a voice said from outside.

"Well, I would hope so if this is his house." said Pete, lowering his voice.

'No he's with Gin, by the wall. You have to go over there now, it's very wrong to watch, I can't believe we're doing this to her.'

"What do you mean?" Pete asked.

'You've read his history files, what do you think we mean?'

Pete turned to the wall he had left her at; sure enough, there he was leaning all over her, playing with her hair.

Shit, he thought.

~~~

"Claire," a voice from his side said.

"Marcus," she said severing their connection, but still occasionally looking up.

Oh, don't tell me she's married, he thought.

"I see you've met the host of the party," Pete said with almost a bitter tone.

"You threw this-" she began to ask, realising they had found the elusive nephew after all, but was drowned out by Pete making his introductions.

"I'm Marcus," he said shaking his hand. "Marcus Goyle, I believe you know my brother."

"Oh yes Gregory, we went to school together," he said recollecting.

For the past week she had forgotten about this name, to pre-occupied getting ready for the party. When she was in the conference room and heard it she knew she had heard it somewhere before, but it just didn't click, but now... school? Goyle? Friend? Blonde? Oh no- it couldn't be.

"Honey," said Pete. "This is Draco Malfoy."

Shit, she thought. Oh my God I was actually attracted - eew. "Hi," she said smiling sweetly, partially wincing inside. Then Malfoy kissed her hand. Aargh, she thought again.

A young woman dressed very smartly in a suit, had just approached them and spoke very quietly in Malfoy's ear. His face hardened, and he looked across the room.

"My brother invited me. I asked him for some advice with a pressing issue I have; he said you were the best person to come to. Can we talk later?" Pete said trying to get Draco to focus his attention.

"Of course anything for a friend," Especially the ones who haven't spoken to me or contacted me in five years. "Later," he smiled picking up his drink and stalking off into the crowd quite quickly. Seeing someone calling to him.

***

"What the hell, who are you?" Draco looked at the man that had just Apparated into the centre of his office floor. His father had just left and his maid had called to him when he was engaged in a very interesting conversation. Everything was going well so far, until his servants caught his eye. Obviously not wanting to be identified they had sent someone over to him in order not to raise alarm.

"We don't know who he is Sir, he just appeared here when one of the maids were cleaning, I heard her screams and came straight here, that's when I found him," one of the butlers said. There was a maid whimpering in the background somewhere but Draco chose to ignore it.

"I am someone that you knew, long ago. Before you became the man you are today," the man said. He was gasping for breath, as if he had just run a mile. But with apparition there was obviously no need to. The heavy panting and sweating, along with the grasping of his heart could only mean one thing, poison.

"So what, are we childhood friends or something, because I am very sure that I would remember you." Draco didn't know what to make of it, a poisoned man apparates into his home and claims that he knows him. What was he supposed to think?

"My name is Zacharin, I am here to deliver you a message that someone is after you and your wife," he said slowly, trying hard to deliver each word clearly.

"My wi- my what? I do not have a wife. Why the hell would I want one of those? Are you sure you have the right Malfoy? Stop bleeding on my floor." The man started to cough and blood was coming out of his mouth.

"Listen to me, and take this, it holds what he is after, it can destroy you both. You must take it and hide it before he gets to you." He held out his arm slowly, Now Draco could see that he held a box in his grasp. Intricately detailed, and carved on its sides were roses and other flowers. The thorns especially shone out against the dark mahogany wood, as it reflected in the light.

"Who?" Draco asked.

"Paethozar Black."

Draco's face went solemnly straight. This was the last name he had expected to hear. "Cordon, take Josephine out of here now, and calm her down. The transparent butler, who had been staring into the corner of the room away from everyone also heard this name even though it had been spoken so softly, he tore his eyes away from it and nonetheless took the maid outside and proceeded with her to the kitchens to make a cup of tea without looking back. Josephine noted it and looked in the corner as he led her out, there was nothing there. What was he staring at?

Draco waited for them to leave before he continued, "Why would he be after me?"

"Because you were once someone that did a lot of damage to him." Zacharin swallowed hard it seemed like he were drifting in and out of consciousness. "And he will not rest until he sees you dead." His pace slowed and his eyes drooped. "Please heed my warnings, he is hunting..." The man fell unconscious.

"Oh bloody hell, Altair!"

***

"This is- by far- the most unfair thing that has ever happened to me," Ginny said on edge as she half walked, half ran outside unto the balcony. "Are you crazy?" she yelled. "You want me to-- eew," She lowered her voice noticing some people walking past them back inside. Ginny watched them go past. Then she continued, "I cannot do this- not with that... that... bastard, no, no I won't you can't make me." She leaned on the balcony to the grounds of the house. It was so dark outside, but the light from the manor picked out edges separating them from the shadows. Illuminating the stairs, that led into the garden. She watched them most incensed. Breathing shallow, breaths of anger.

"Listen Gin," Pete started, "we knew you wouldn't agree to do what we were asking if-." He stopped.

"We?"

"Hold on," he said, putting up a hand to silence her, he was holding his ear. "Chief?" he said uncertain to the person speaking. "Sir I don't think that-, no she's not-, well let me explain-, please sir-, just-," Pete winced as the voice in his ear rose. "Fine Sir," he said in defeat. He turned toward Ginny trying to figure out how to put this new plan on the table. They had planned it already, but then, Ginny wasn't involved. Now she was, and he was the one to tell her. And as predicted, she wasn't exactly happy about it.

"What is it? Tell me," she demanded.

"The investigation has taken a new turn," he began cautiously.

"What?" she said abruptly.

"The aim was to pose as Marcus and Claire Goyle."

"So?"

"Well there's a bit extra, - but first don't get angry, I was - we were ordered not to say anything because of your past experiences with Malfoy."

There was a chorus of 'Why did you mention me?' groans in their ears.

"There's that 'We' again, you mean the team was in on this too?"

'Yes, yeah, I knew, yep, uh-huh' rang in her ear.

Bastards, she thought.

"We were meant to claim to be in serious trouble, and stay in the manor in order to get limitless access to his files," he continued with caution.

"What?!" she screamed. People were watching again.

Pete had retreated a little, now that he knew she would still scream when there was a large crowd of people in earshot. "But now-" he mumbled shyly.

"But now? - but now what?" she ordered.

"From what the team have sent to Manning through your eyes, Chief says he's noticed how Malfoy, warms better, shall I say, to the opposite sex."

"Opposite sex?"

"Yeah," he said slowly. "So he says that with you knowing him personally, or better than we do anyway, and with past experience from previous investigations, that you can... carry on alone." He braced himself to receive her answer; strangely enough there wasn't a reaction.

It cannot get any worse, she thought cradling her head with her hands on the balcony.

"Which means that you will have to stay here... alone."

Bastards, shit damned bastards. She rounded on him. "You want me to do this alone?" she asked although she had a feeling she already knew the answer.

"Damned right!" cried the Chief. "Put differences behind you girl, and do your job."

She looked at Pete, he just shrugged. Ginny suddenly felt very tired.

"No bloody use disagreeing is there?"

"No." they all chorused.

She sighed and allowed herself with not much restraint, to be led back into the hall.

***

His study was not as she had expected it to be. By now all the guests were gone and the music playing had disappeared. It was large, but yet it had a certain intimacy that she couldn't pinpoint. She was sitting on a very comfortable chair, a large green, four legged chair with broad, thick, foam cushions. It suited the colour code of the room, green. Little did she know of the events that had just occurred, fore if she did, then she may not be sitting there right know.

Slytherin. she thought.

Near the window Malfoy and Pete sat at the desk talking or 'negotiating' it didn't matter, either way she was losing her dignity so she didn't care. Everything else was drowned out of her system. She looked up at the walls; all of them were curved in some way. Be it with columns fused within, or just the corners - that weren't corners, just - well, curves.

~~~

"So, you're Goyle's brother Marcus,"

"Yes," Pete answered cautiously, everything out of Malfoy's mouth so far had been questions.

"Are you older or younger?" Draco questioned.

"Younger, why? Is this a trial?"

"I'm sorry you must forgive me, I have to be sure you understand. As I have never met you before. Though I guess you already knew that, but I must say your playing for time is not supporting your, case?" He gave a wry smile at his comment, and then glanced at Claire. What was it that was so familiar? He couldn't guess. Claire didn't notice his gaze however, as she was to pre-occupied at giving Marcus a malicious glare that seemed to say, - 'Bastard you complete and utter, arse.' - Draco knew this stare as it had been given to him a few times over the years, quite a few actually, especially in Hogwa-.

A wave of recognition overcame him, that look. I knew I'd seen her before. That's who she is- Weasley.

Then, being extremely careful not to show his change of facial expression, he winced inside. Eew, I kissed her hand. Sick.

Hold on, doesn't she work for...

Then abandoning this thought, Wow she cleans up nice, I see she neglected those freckles, finally. Your MBI boyfriend however doesn't know the meaning of undercover (He was looking at 'Marcus' now and then behind him at the picture on the shelf he had never thought of looking at before. The one of Gregory Goyle's birthday, Draco himself hadn't been able to attend, so Goyle had sent him a picture of himself with ALL his brothers to make up for it. He went back to 'Marcus', he was talking about trouble or something like that.), from his looks, Draco thought, He's never been invited either. You, on the other hand must have. Still looking at her, he bit his lip. Wait, wait, wait, this is a Weasley, what the hell am I thinking of? Though, she does look remarkably beautiful in that dress. She could have transfigured the necklace though, bloody federal types, don't even know the nature of basic charms. They don't do their homework very well, every well off wizarding family knows what they are, as almost a third of its population uses them, all of them do look the same, or hadn't they noticed?

He was mesmerized by her long, black hair, slightly curled to bring out her face, falling between her shoulders unto her dress. He suddenly felt the urge to rip it o-.

"So, we're agreed." He heard somewhere in the distance.

"Oh yes," he agreed, still engaged in his lost thoughts.

"I can't thank you enough, so would you like her now, or tomorrow?"

"What?!" Draco exclaimed snapping back to Earth.

Bastards. Utter bastards. Ginny thought.

"Well you could have her later, but she's staying in an apartment, while I hide out, she's not very comfortable there though. And I have to leave on Thursday; I just don't want her caught up in my problems."

I'm sure you don't, he thought.

"I just told you this weren't you listening?" Pete asked.

"You did? Just know?" Draco asked.

"Yes, you nodded throughout it."

Draco had no idea what he'd just agreed to, but he was beginning to like the sounds of 'stay here.' This will be interesting, he thought. No, this will be fun. "I'll send someone for her tomorrow," he said still smiling.