Matters of Blood and Connection

Chapter 6: Accusation, Warning, and Scheme

Thunder rumbled lazily in the distance as he stared at his hands. It was early the next morning and the Slytherins had just got word of Pansy's condition: she was going to be fine. Draco swallowed hard and looked around for Blaise, needing someone to talk to about the incident. For everything he had been through with Pansy, Draco was very relieved to know that she wasn't seriously hurt. He hadn't meant to shove her so hard.

Blaise was chatting quietly with Daphne, who was shooting glares at Draco, and sipping a cup of tea. He held the cup tightly against his lap and looked over at his roommate, shrugging.

"Do you know how it happened, Malfoy?" a bitter voice muttered from behind Draco. "I heard it was someone who hated Pansy that hurt her. Do you think it could have been the Weasley girl?"

At the mention of the redhead, Draco turned around and faced Theodore. "Weasley couldn't have done that. Besides, she doesn't hate Pansy enough to want to cause her harm."

Theodore Nott was one of the few Slytherins who didn't bother Draco much, until he started running his mouth off about Ginny, and as much as Draco didn't want to think about her, Nott wasn't exactly helping him. His gray eyes narrowed into slits as Nott looked at him with questioning eyes.

"Why do I get the feeling you're defending her?" he asked.

"She's a Weasley, Nott. Why would I do that?"

Theodore shook his head. "I'm not an idiot, Malfoy. You can be honest with me." Slowly, he leaned closer and said, "You fucked her didn't you? I can't blame you for that, though. She looks like she'd be an amazing lay. She's not as innocent as she makes herself out to be, is she? When you're through with her, maybe I'll have a go. I bet I could make her scream."

Draco felt the other boy's throat beneath his fingers, Nott's pulse speeding under his thumb, before he even realized what was happening. He stared at his housemate and muttered, "Don't ever let me catch you near her, or I will make sure I hex you so bad you'll never be able to sit again. Do I make myself clear?"

Nott's mouth twisted into a cruel smile. "You were always so selfish with your women, Malfoy. Where is she? You did send her away this morning. Your temper could have gotten out of control when Pansy came around. We all know she's been a thorn in your side for the longest time."

Draco's gray eyes widened in fury, and he wanted to break Nott's neck right in front of everyone. He slowly dropped his hand from the boy's throat and looked around at the people too deeply engrossed in their conversations to notice the ever-climbing tension between the two Slytherins.

"What are you accusing me of, Nott?" Draco snarled as he reached in his back pocket for his wand.

"You're not daft, so you know exactly what I'm saying." Theodore smirked. "If you're wondering what my angle is, it's very simple. I'm a Slytherin and, like you, I get what I want. What I want is that little redhead you've been spending time with. If you hand her over to me, I'll keep quiet about what I thought I saw out on the lake and you can go on with your life."

"Pansy knows what-"

Nott's smirk grew a little. "She might surprise you with that one."

Draco could barely contain his anger as he lunged at Nott and knocked him down onto the ground, the tip of his wand pressed into his neck. He heard people rustling around and whispering. He glanced around as he blew his blond hair from his eyes and watched a few people step back.

Blaise put his hand on Draco's shoulder, but the blond shrugged him away and stood up.

"He's going to hurt her," he whispered urgently to Blaise. "Please don't let him near Ginny."

Nott stood and brushed his clothes off. He gave Draco a suspicious look and said, "Why would I want to touch the Weasley girl? I know you have some sick fantasy about being with her, but that's you not me."

Draco's head started to pound as people around him murmured, believing Nott's lie, and he felt himself sway on spot, but kept his composure. "Don't stand here and lie to them."

"Who's lying, Malfoy? You were the one caught snogging her in the library by Blaise and Pansy."

"But I didn't-"

"You were angry that Pansy caught you with someone else after you broke up, so you decided to keep her quiet about the whole affair. After all, you've got a reputation to uphold."

The silence was deafening. As Draco listened to Nott his hands started to tremble, his wand falling to the floor with a clatter. "I would never hurt Pansy."

"Don't bullshit me. I hear the way you talk to her, and wasn't it just last week that you punched a wall in anger at something she said? I went to see her, and all she remembers is you screaming at her and pushing her head into that tree. She even started crying. I had to calm her down before I left."

With everything that was going on Draco faintly heard someone say, "He uses women."

His eyes widened as he recognized the voice. He had used her, and he would have done it as much as necessary to make himself feel better. Draco cleared his throat and quietly pushed passed Nott to the door leading into the hallway. He couldn't take much more of this. He had to find Ginny.

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She was sitting in the Great Hall when the door opened and she jumped. It was dark and she just needed to think. The common room hadn't helped much with that since there had been a few people still up and talking. She blew her long hair from her eyes as she whispered, "Is someone there?"

"Ginny?" came a raspy voice.

She almost tripped over herself as she stood up, walked to the door, and slipped out into the corridor. He shut the door behind her and stared at her. His breathing was very strange.

"Please," Draco whispered. He had never begged in his life, but he didn't have a choice now. "Please, I need your help."

Ginny watched as he leaned against the wall and slipped to the cold floor, his hands going around his head as he breathed heavily.

"I'm going to be expelled."

His words made all of the anger she had for him diminish as she joined him on the floor, taking hold of his hand. "That's ridiculous. Whatever you did I'm sure it can't be that-"

"They think I intentionally hurt Pansy."

"What?" Her eyes widened. "But you wouldn't."

As he explained what had happened he kept his head bent low in an almost cowardly fashion. The part where Nott talked about Ginny like she was some kind of whore made him sick. Once he finished, he dared a glance at the redhead; she was sitting very still with her eyes narrowed.

"Well," she said quietly, "I guess we'll just have to play his game."