Trademark smirks and Temperamental redheads

Chapter 15 - Understanding the enemy (Fifth Year)

"What?" Ginny demanded, staring back defiantly at the blond girl. She shrugged in reply.

"Just thinking how naïve and innocent you are."

"If you're going to start about how Malfoy doesn't really love me, he's just using me for the sex. You can quit now," Ginny began, annoyed. The other girl shook her head, her pretty golden curls reflecting th light of the fire.

"You should be smart enough to know you two can never be together. It can't be allowed, no matter how much Draco loves you and is willing to sacrifice for you. Don't you understand? He's risking everything he's ever known to be with you." At Ginny's bewildered expression, she continued.

"Honestly Weasley, did you really think it would be a fairy tale ending? He'd abandon the dark side, and then you two could live happily ever after? They will kill him if he dares to betray the Dark Lord. Fortunately, Draco has enough sense to realize that, even if you don't," she smirked at Ginny's stunned expression.

"He's going against everything he was brought up to believe, I admit I admire his valor, even if it is an obvious act of stupidity. He tries to fight even though he knows it's useless."

"But you love him, can't you help him somehow?" Ginny asked, her eyes insistent.

The blond snorted in an unexpected act of inelegance. "How?" she demanded. "We are all brought up to obey the orders we are given, the Dark Lord has great plans for Draco. And thus, he will suffer much more than any of us. That is why he is bitter, he lashes out at us all now, and the other Slytherins fear him. They hate him because they know what he is capable of doing." Her eyes took on a distant look.

"He used to be carefree, to be able to anticipate his future with shining eyes. I was his favorite; he'd tell me everything and share all his secrets with me. His father recognized his fondness for me, that's why our marriage was arranged. I was to be a tool for his father to use over him, to control him if he ever became defiant. It was the summer before our first year at Hogwarts.

"His eyes used to shine a hint of blue whenever he saw me, but after that day, the only thing I found in his eyes was loathing." She said this with a blank expression, almost as if she were narrating the story of another person. Ginny shuddered at her words, feeling the chill even in the warmth of the room.

"My parents were in no position to refuse Lucius Malfoy, we are not rich and powerful by heritage, only by association. The Malfoys are our association, contrary to your beliefs, not all Slytherins are Death Eaters. Don't believe me Weasley? Ask Potter yourself; he's seen the Dark Lord's minions. Draco's father promised my parents wealth, status, and most of all, a life of luxury and reputation for me. I didn't have a say in the matter of course, after all, I was only ten. But if I had been given the chance, I would have held my tongue. My family is the reason I keep up this charade; I will never allow my own desires to hurt them, ever. Although, I must admit, I wouldn't have denied myself the opportunity; to be Draco's wife, to have his shining gray blue eyes focused solely on me," she paused, her expression slightly annoyed.

"Draco is very perceptive when it comes to strategy and gain, he knew Lucius' plan. He despised me for this, thinking I had volunteered myself willingly. At first he'd set up a pretense whenever our parents were around, so his father would think his plan was working. It was enough for me; those moments of false affection were what I lived for. But as he matured, he grew tired of this charade; I'd see the revulsion on his face whenever he looked at me.

"Finally, he told his father the truth, he would never marry me, that I was filth to his eyes. I thought that was the end, Lucius would cancel the marriage and I would be banished away to Durmstrang. However, Mr Malfoy has a cruel sense of humor, he became even more adamant for our marriage to proceed. He does not take rebellion lightly, if I could not be used in one way, then I would do in another. For Draco to marry me would be a display of Lucius' dominance in the Malfoy family, to show Draco his inadequacy."

"Are you quite done?" came Draco's voice from the doorway, his tone was low and icy as he glared at the blond. Ginny jumped at the interruption, her hand going up to her pounding heart.

"I never stopped loving you," Pansy replied instead. "Even when you fooled around with the girls in school. Because I knew you didn't love them, and so it comforted me. I kept faith, believing you would come back to me. I am the only one who understands you - who will ever understand you. You need me whether you like it or not," she finished, staring defiantly at him.

He glared at her menacingly. "I do not need trash like you. I have tried to be civil toward you on account of Father, but I warn you, everyone has a limit, don't push me," he said in a low voice. The two stared at each other, forgetting about the third person in the room. Ginny sat on the bed, shock and guilt and realization coursed through her, making her want to scream out. The blond continued, her emotionless façade threatening to shatter around her.

"It's different this time isn't it? I can feel it. I know you love her...it doesn't matter though. You'll never be able to be truly happy with her. You know what I'm talking about Draco. You're endangering both your lives by rebelling against your father, he wouldn't hesitate to kill her," Pansy said firmly.

"I know what I'm doing, thank you. Now get out of my room. If I have to repeat it one more time, I will make you pay," Draco told her warningly, barely forcing the words out from between his tightly clenched teeth.

~~~

They lay together on Malfoy's bed in silence a long time after Pansy had left. Ginny placed her head on Draco's shoulder, closing her eyes as he softly stroked her hair.

"You really must hate your father," she said suddenly.

"No, I really don't," he replied, surprising her.

"But, aren't you angry for what he did to you?" she demanded. He shrugged slightly.

"Of course I'm angry, but that's irrelevant. He's only doing it the way he was taught, the way he sees fit to teach his son about the Malfoy way of life. As hard as it may be for you to believe this, my parents do love me in their own strange ways. It's just the way we've been conditioned to think, all people can be used for means of gain, even the people closest to you. In fact, they are probably the best candidates. Apart from being useful, you are at the same time ridding yourself of any emotional attachments that can get in your way later on," Malfoy explained seriously, watching her expression. She frowned at him.

"It's hard to doubt the logic in that. I can understand why your father hates mine, I can understand why Potter and Ron and the rest of the school hates me. You see, for me to hate my own father is the same as hating myself. I am what my father made me, no matter how hard I try to pry myself away from that mould."

Ginny was still for a moment, trying to absorb what he had said. "But no matter how good his intentions may be, he is still wrong. Why do you continue to follow him when you know that?" she asked him.

"Because I'm in too deep. Pansy is right, if I try to leave that world, they will kill me, and there's a good chance you will be in danger too," he explained, he turned to face her. "Virginia, can you accept me like this, knowing I can never change into the person you want me to be?"

She looked into his eyes, contemplating his question. "I don't know," she answered slowly, shaking her head. "I really don't know Malfoy. If you don't hate your father, then how can you hate Pansy? She's just a pawn, passed around between you and your father."

"Then what should I do? It is better this way, my father will leave her be, that way she won't be hurt as much. I had to sever my emotions for her Virginia; otherwise I'd sink even further into my father's shadow. I can't allow Pansy to get close to me, or my father will destroy her, he will turn her into a mindless puppet to manipulate me," he paused, seemingly to realize something. "Virginia, you can't understand what I'm saying because you didn't grow up in the environment I did. You were taught to believe in love and all things good and moral, you couldn't even begin to imagine our world."

"What Pansy said, it's true. She's the only one that can truly understand you," Ginny whispered sadly.

"Yes, she's probably right. But for that very reason, I will never allow her into my heart." Ginny could've sworn he looked almost regretful; she was suddenly hit with a realization.

"Then why am I allowed in your heart? Because I don't know anything about you? Because I have no power over you, I'm just a stupid Weasley who's too innocent and sweet to see the darkness in the world," Ginny said angrily.

"True, you are too innocent and sweet," he said quietly, looking directly at her. "Maybe we should never have been together in the first place, you don't belong with me."

Ginny felt a pain in her heart as her body tensed at his reply.

"I hate you!" she yelled at him, storming out of his room and across the Slytherin common room. She glared furiously at anyone who dared get in her way, her small bulk conjuring up a menacing presence. For once the Slytherins glanced at her with slight respect as the redhead left the room, leaving behind a feeling of the calm after a storm.

Draco closed his eyes tiredly as he continued to lie on the bed. It was over, and it hadn't even properly begun. He turned around to look at the moon; it was hanging low, barely visible behind the canopy of the trees.

It was better this way, it had to be.

~~~

Ginny was in the perfect mood for Quidditch practice the next day. She had been assigned as reserve Chaser for the Gryffindor team, after quite a simple try-out. They were going to be playing against the Hufflepuffs next week and Harry had made sure to have everyone training extra hard every night. As Ginny changed into her Quidditch robes, the rest of the team quietly glanced at her from the corner of their eyes. The usually subdued and tolerant redhead was throwing her belongings around as if they were somehow offending her. Ron could literally imagine her turning into a werewolf and begin growling at them, snout snapping loudly.

As they kicked off from the ground, Ginny relished the wind blowing through her hair, temporarily cooling the fire inside of her. She made a few rounds above the Quidditch pitch, before joining her teammates below to listen as Harry and Ron explained their strategy. For Ginny, it seemed to take hours, as Harry and Ron droned on and on about their new tactics. Finally, fed up of all the talk and lack of action, she interrupted them somewhat rudely.

"Look, I think all of us get the gist of it. And even if we don't, you're not going to get it through our heads while we're busy nodding off and trying to hold onto our broomsticks for dear life at the same time. How about we give some demonstrations and then split up to practice them?" she said evenly, her body eager for some action.

Harry and Ron looked slightly offended at having been told off like small children, but had to agree her plan wasn't half bad. After taking a look at the glazed looks on the other players' faces, it was decided.

"Right," said Ron, sounding very similar to Oliver Wood, Harry smiled to himself.

"Harry, me and-"

"Me," Ginny volunteered.

"Alright, the three of us will demonstrate the attack formation for the chasers, Angelina, Katie and Alicia you three play defense, Fred you take keeper. Ready?" Harry asked, at the nod of their heads, everybody flew out to take their positions.

Ginny took the center with Harry on her left and Ron on her right, she tucked the Quaffle under her arm and lowered her head, her mind focused on the goalpost. The tactic was a variation of both the Hawkshead Attacking Formation and Porskoff Ploy together, and if done right, was practically guaranteed to score. She sped along on her broomstick, just slightly ahead of Ron and Harry, aiming directly for the heart of the defense line. Alicia Spinnet came forward to meet her about 100 metres away from the goal post. She took a quick glance around, seeing Angelina and Katie both marking Harry and Ron with practiced ability.

After making sure everybody was in place, she sped forward, pointing her broomstick directly at Alicia, challenging her. She had to make sure to do this subtly though, or she'd have Madame Hooch calling her foul for blatching. Just as the two were about to collide, Ginny maneuvered swiftly to the left, throwing the Quaffle to Harry. Alicia had pulled up in order to prevent colliding with Ginny, breaking the defense line. Ginny circled over until she was behind the two boys, making sure Harry had secured the Quaffle.

She watched as Harry darted upward toward Alicia, Angelina on his tail. Once the two had Harry in a tight lock, he quickly dropped the Quaffle to Ron who was waiting below. Ginny moved forward again, this time heading for the Keeper, blocking his view of Ron and the Quaffle. At the last moment, Ginny pulled away allowing Ron a clean shot through the goal.

After the perfectly executed demonstration, they each swapped positions and practiced the new move until the sun began to sink below the horizon. As the tired Gryffindors trudged back toward the changing rooms, Ron sidled over to Ginny.

"Ginny, are you all right?" he asked nervously.

"Yes, I'm fine. Why?" she asked, taking off her arm guards with swift, rapid movements.

"You seem a bit...aggressive," Ron explained hesitantly. Ginny looked up at him, her expression unreadable.

"I just needed the exercise," she said with a shrug, speeding up her pace without looking back at Ron. She took a quick shower, bundling her dirty Quidditch gear under her arm and making her way to dinner in the Hall. She had chosen to leave her hair damp, so that it framed her face, the ends slightly frizzy. As she headed toward the Gryffindor table, Ron gave her a surprised look.

"What?" she demanded, trying to keep from frowning.

"Nothing, just surprised you're not sitting with Malfoy tonight," Ron said hurriedly.

"I like the view of Snape from our table better, the lighting catches his skin tone perfectly," she said with a shrug, moving past him to join Sara and Melissa.

Ron turned to Harry beside him, shaking his head in disbelief. "I don't believe this, it's only been a month and Malfoy's already starting to rub off on her. Why am I letting this go on? As if I need my own sister acting like a Malfoy double. Did you hear what she said? Snape! That's even grosser than Malfoy," he muttered sadly to Harry as they sat down at the table.

"Ron, she was joking," Harry said lightly.

~~~

The next few days went by in a blur for both Draco and Ginny. Every time they passed each other in the corridors, she'd walk by, never once acknowledging his presence. In a way, her lack of action hurt him more than if she had glared at him or hit him with an insult. Quite a few times he had wanted to shout out to her in the crowd, to stop her from walking away. But each time he had held back, after all, he had been the one who had told her to stay away. He watched the Gryffindors practicing out on the Quidditch pitch a few times, being careful to remain concealed in the shadows.

Ginny had deliberately locked up a part of her mind, unwilling to think about Malfoy and what he had said. She busied herself with schoolwork and Quidditch practice, forcing herself to look straight ahead whenever she passed him in the corridors. On the day of the Gryffindor versus Hufflepuff game, she changed into her Quidditch gear with the others, watching as a nervous excitement descended on the team. She sat on the sidelines watching the game, their new tactic allowing them to gain a clear lead barely twenty minutes into the game.

After another five minutes, Madame Hooch called a timeout when Katie was hit in the chest with a bludger. Ginny was sent in to replace her, the redhead for once glad to be a part of the action. Her heart raced and her mind was blissfully devoid of all thoughts associated with Malfoy as she dodged and rolled, the Quaffle tightly under her arm. By the time Harry caught the Snitch, they were in the lead by eighty points, the crowds went wild. Even the Hufflepuffs were cheering for the Gryffindors; it was the best game of Quidditch many of them had watched in a long time.

~~~

Draco watched Ginny from the Slytherin stands, unable to take his eyes off of her. Her face was flushed from the flying, her fiery hair flowing out behind her, making her look like a scene from a painting. He had never really thought of her as a Quidditch person, but this game had changed his mind entirely. She was perfect on a broomstick, and yet there was something wrong. He could see an unusual fierceness to her moves, an angry determination in the way she charged toward her opponent. It was almost as if she were trying to vent out her emotions through the game. He frowned at the thought that he had instilled such anger into this usually gentle person. Draco made his way toward the Gryffindor changing rooms, wanting to speak to her before he changed his mind again. He paused as he saw Potter walking over to her, his body stiffening as he felt the resentment course through him.

~~~

"Ginny, can I talk to you?" Harry asked, catching up with the redhead.

"Sure, what is it?" she asked, expression inquiring.

"I know I shouldn't ask, but I've noticed how you and Malfoy seem a little...distant," he said, catching her eye. "Ron's just glad you're staying away from him and refuses to come talk to you about it, so I thought I should."

"It's nothing," Ginny answered quickly.

"You can tell me you know. I mean, I'll be here to listen if you need me," he looked at her a bit, turning around to go.

"Wait," she called after him. He looked at her in surprise. "Stay."

Author Notes: This has to be my most favourite chapter so far. It was a pleasure to write, *looks around for nodding heads* anyone agree? Review and tell me what you think!! I told you I'd give you a Pansy with depth, did I a good job? Huh huh? ^-^ Sorry this chapter was a tad bit longer than usual, but I couldn't bare to cut anything out. Just had an angst moment while I was writing this, so once again I've sidetracked off my plot. *sigh* But that's the way the story wanted to be written, who am I to argue against its pure logic. O__o" Makes it more interesting though doesn't it?

Wow, the Quidditch part was pretty hard to write since I'm not a sports person. Especially not team sports, so I have no idea about strategy and stuff. What I wrote is basically information I got from the Harry Potter xicon as well as studying 'The Mighty Ducks' trilogy. Anyone seen it? Well my Quidditch strategy was a rip of their 'flying V' formation haha. Hey, it works on ice, why not in the air?

Oh and for those of you who don't know what 'blatching' is, it means flying to intentionally collide with another player. Although skinning means the same thing so...

"It's just the way we've been conditioned to think, all people can be used for means of gain, even the people closest to you." - 'conditioned' that has never been a part of my vocabulary, the only reference I can think of is Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, another text I had to study for English for my HSC. Lord, I can't believe that high school English is actually paying off haha, yes, it's 2am and I'm in no condition to realize what I'm rambling about. 'conditon'! I said it again! geehz what is wrong with me? Argh!