Terminus Est

Blaise didn't know what was so funny. She had asked a simple question, and the entire room cracked up. What was so special about that dumb attic anyways?

"Well," Draco said, between spasms of laughter, "it's a long story, beginning in my youth..."

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Hermione looked back over her shoulder. He was still following her. She smiled, because, lets face it, she thought to herself, Ron makes people smile. He's so clueless.

"Er...Hermione..." Ron said, looking uncomfortable. "Why are we cleaning the attic? Didn't Draco and Ginny already clean it?"

Hermione grinned, but managed not to laugh. "Yes, Ron, but they didn't quite finish. So I thought we could take care of it."

She opened the attic trapdoor, and recalled with a grin the last time she had come up here. What an unexpected sight that was.

"Damn it, Hermione!" a hoarse voice said.

Apparently today was the day for unexpected sights. Hermione looked into the far corner of the attic, and nearly fell down the stairs into Ron's arms. In the corner was none other than Remus Lupin. And someone else.

"Hermione?" a female voice asked.

TONKS? Holy Hera, Batman. Hermione turned around and headed straight back down the stairs. Ron quickly followed.

"Hermione, was that Lupin and Tonks?" Ron asked incredulously.

"It sure was," Hermione replied. "Oh...I need to go Scourgify my eyes!"

They raced back to the hallway, where Draco was involved in telling what appeared to be a highly amusing story. He broke off when he caught sight of her and Ron.

"Wow, that was quick!" he said, with a trace of his old sneer.

Hermione shook her head. "No...you see...it was...oh Merlin..." she gave up and sat on the floor, head in her hands.

Ron gave a full body shudder. Then, to Hermione's surprise, Lupin walked down the stairs, looking adorably rumpled. Adorably? Professor Lupin?

There was something in the air at Grimmauld Place. First Ginny goes and kisses Draco Malfoy, then Harry practically has a heart attack when Blaise Zabini walks in the room, and, to top it all off, Remus Lupin looked adorably rumpled after a snog session with Tonks. She idly wondered if there was some small magical creature who's bite induced feelings of attraction. It would explain the Muggle "love bug". It could be like broomsticks. Everyone knows witches fly on broomsticks, so maybe the "love bug" originated in fact.

"What's the matter, Hermione" Lupin asked with a broad smile. "Old people need love too!"

"I second that!" Tonks exclaimed, following Lupin down the stairs, oblivious to the dropped jaws of everyone in the hallway under the age of eighteen.

"No," Harry said, with a wicked grin. "No, Professor Lupin, Tonks, we just don't even want to know. Hermione, Ron, don't tell us. It will harm our poor, fragile minds."

"And I second that!" Draco said fervently. "What we don't know can't hurt us."

Hermione looked down the stairs. Blaise was staring at them all like they had grown extra heads. That girl was in for a wild ride.

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What Blaise was actually staring at was Harry. With that carefree grin on his face, he looked like a different person. But of course, Harry was a stupid Gryffindor.

A very attractive stupid Gryffindor.

Don't go there, Zabini, she told herself sternly, just look at what it's done to Draco. He's all nice and happy and stuff. Gross.

But she couldn't help noticing the way he looked at the little weaslette. Every time she saw it, she just wanted to say "Aww, how cute!" and maybe pat Draco on the head. Which was silly, as Malfoys never allowed people to pat them on the head. This thought was so arbitrarily ludicrous that she couldn't stifle her giggle.

Everyone turned to her, as she clapped her hand over her mouth. Draco had a small grin on his face. A very knowing small grin. She prayed to any deity who might be listening that he didn't know what she was thinking. He'd probably have fits. She grinned.

"I was just thinking," she said, "that Draco looks really hot when he's all dusty."

There. That ought to get a reaction out of Ginny. Spark her to do something. Maybe smack Blaise, knock some sense into her. This companionable relationship with these dense Gryffindors was way too out of character for her. She wasn't an evil Death Eater type, but she wasn't really a nice girl either. She wasn't ready to be kind to anyone, much less a quartet of asinine Gryffindors. No matter how extremely, ridiculously good-looking Harry Potter was. She pushed that thought aside as Ginny turned red. To Blaise's amazement, Hermione was the one who spoke.

"Blaise Zabini," she said fiercely, "stop that right now. Everyone knows what you're trying to do. Well," she added, with a fond glance towards the redhead beside her, "everyone but Ron, anyways. And that childish attitude is not going to get you anywhere."

That Hermione sounded more and more like Professor McGonagall every day. Damn her.

With that happy thought, Blaise turned around and stormed up the staircase.

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Draco watched Blaise go, slightly amused. She was good, all right. She had Ginny about to rise to the occasion, before Hermione stepped in. He wondered if that meant that Ginny cared. Well, he thought with a sardonic grin, he knew she cared a little. Man, that girl could kiss. Ron was going to murder him. Not that he especially minded, he'd endure worse than death for a kiss like that.

But before he was nixed, he was going to have a little talk with Miss Blaise Zabini.

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Ginny had overreacted. Blaise had pushed the right button and Ginny had jumped. That was her one fault, her rash attitude when annoyed. She hated it when she did that.

She had behaved like a child, and now Draco (her Draco!) was upstairs with that arrogant little upstart. She wanted to make like an ostrich and bury her head in the sand.

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What an odd turn of events. Harry was fazed to find he was in envy of Draco Malfoy. What he wouldn't give to be that slimy git, up there in Blaise's room with her.

Lets face it, Harry thoroughly fancied the sexy Slytherin. As in, he was completely, utterly, wholly, fully, entirely, altogether, through-and-through infatuated with her. This was not going to be a good day.

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"What is it with you, Draco?" Blaise asked unsteadily, her speech slurred. "You aren't the same."

Draco had stolen a bottle of firewhiskey from the attic, where he assumed Tonks and Lupin had left it. Not that he wanted to think about that. He had gotten Blaise thoroughly boozed up, in hopes of calming her down. But an unanticipated side effect was coming into operation. He believed his father had termed it "En Vino Veritas", or in drink there is truth.

"I don't know, Blaise," Draco said. "I just don't think I can live like a Death Eater any more. I don't think it's the right thing any more."

He had expected many reactions. He had expected her to deny it, to cry, to get angry with him. But he had not expected her to laugh.

"Well, no duh, Draco!" she snorted. "Woo! Lets go kill Muggles and Mudbloods! Jeez, Draco, did you even think for a moment that that was the way to go? Hmm..." she faked thinking hard, looking uncannily like Ron during the History of Magic O.W.L, "to kill people, or to let them live. To serve the evil Dark Lord, or fight on the side of good. Why do you think they called him the DARK Lord? As in dark, as in evil, wretched, immoral, rotten, wicked, BAD!" She rolled her eyes at him.

He was astonished. How could he have been so stupid? Maybe he didn't deserve Ginny after all. Maybe he was too corrupt for such a girl. Who had he been kidding, anyway? Ron knew it, Harry knew it, Hermione knew it, and so did Ginny, whether she wanted to admit it or not. Or maybe she had just kissed him because she felt sorry for him. Merlin, he didn't think he'd be able to face her again. How could he have thought for one second that he deserved Ginny? What had turned around in his head, so he couldn't remember those important words, Draco, you're evil.

Blaise spoke, interrupting his depressed musings.

"Hell, I'm glad Harry Potter practically did away with him. Left us to grow up in peace. Speaking of which, don't you think Harry Potter is hot?"

Well now, wasn't this unexpected? Draco raised his eyebrows, taken aback.

"I mean," Blaise said, blushing slightly, "he's got that totally gorgeous smile. And did I mention those beautiful eyes of his? Damn it Draco!" she added, seeing the look on his face. "You got me toasted, okay! It's not my fault you heard something you'd rather not have heard. I'm a lousy drunk, sweetheart."

Blaise pointed her wand at herself and muttered "Sobrietus". Then she turned her formidable glare on him. "Draco Malfoy," she said threateningly, "if you so much as breathe a word I said, I will curse you into the next century."

Draco raised his hands in mock surrender. "Okay, I promise I won't say a word."

This talk was not going as planned.

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Hermione and Ron were having a grand old time. They had left the kitchen, downcast for some reason. Probably because Harry was sitting there, a dark look on his face, a dejected air surrounding him. Ginny had already given up and stalked outside, even though she wasn't supposed to leave the house.

Which is why Hermione and Ron were laughing. It was so obvious that Draco liked Ginny, and vice versa. And that Blaise liked Harry, and vice versa. Today was turning out like a daytime soap opera.

Hermione and Ron had had to leave the room, lest they burst out giggling and offend the jilted lovers.

So they sat on Ron's bed, too overcome with laughter to speak. They just sat there, shaking with giggles, occasionally catching each other's eye, causing them to laugh all the more.

Then, suddenly, it was different. Hermione looked up at Ron, just as he looked down at her. They stopped mid-snicker; both of them abruptly out of breath. Hermione couldn't tell who kissed whom first. All she knew was that suddenly his mouth was on hers, and she didn't want it anywhere else.

When they finally broke apart three minutes or three hours later, it was hard to tell which, they both had massive goofy grins on their faces.

"Well," Hermione said without thinking, "now I know how Ginny feels!"

Uh Oh.

Ron's face quickly darkened. "What?!" he cried. "GINNY?! With who, Hermione?! She's been at headquarters all bloody summer long! Wait," he said, his voice quieting a few decibels. "Harry? No, couldn't be Harry. He's barely been out of my sight all summer. Then who..." it dawned on him, and his voice rose to an even higher level than before. "MALFOY?! BLOODY HELL, HERMIONE! MY SISTER DID NOT SNOG MALFOY!"

Ron looked extremely formidable. He also looked like he was going to do something impulsive. He also looked like he was about to do something impulsive, something along the lines of ripping Draco into tiny pieces and feeding him to the giant squid. He rushed from the room, Hermione on his heels, the former looking insanely angry, and the latter looking anxious.

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Draco sighed. He wondered if he deserved this. Ouch, he wasn't sure he deserved that, though. Ron had just walked up to him and, without preamble, punched him squarely on the jaw.

Harry and Hermione each grabbed one of Ron's arms, keeping him from punching every bit of Draco he could reach. What had he done now?

"MALFOY!" Ron bellowed, "YOU SNOGGED MY SISTER! I'M GOING TO RIP YOU LIMB FROM LIMB!"

Oh. Someone had told on him. Draco was in big trouble now. Now that he knew what Ron was mad about, he was sure he deserved what was coming next. Ron looked ready to spit daggers.

Draco didn't blame him.

Why had it taken him so long to realize that he wasn't good enough? Ginny Weasley, the funniest, cleverest (next to Hermione), prettiest, most vivacious witch in England. What had made Draco think he deserved such a prize?

He had been stupid. His teenage hormones had reared their ugly heads, and he had forgotten everything he was. His history was dark, dangerous, and nasty. He didn't have any right to soil Ginny's pure soul with such darkness.

So at least getting beat senseless by Ron would help keep him away from her. So he did what he had done for six years, and provoked the long-nosed Weasley boy.

Malfoy rolled his eyes. "So what?" he said, looking bored. "I snogged your sister. Ten points to me. I suppose you'd like to tear off my fingernails with a pair of tweezers, then?"

Draco was barely aware of Blaise emerging from her bedroom, looking curious.

Ron struggled savagely against Harry and Hermione. "Malfoy!" he yelled. "I'm going to rip out your kidneys and give them to Ginny to wear as earrings!"

"Wow, Weasley," Draco drawled. "That was quite an amazing threat. I'm impressed. But seriously, it's no big deal. Not like your sister wouldn't kiss anyone she could get her hands on. She's pretty desperate."

This was when Ron went over the edge. Breaking from his friends' grasp, he pummeled Malfoy with all the strength he could muster. Which was quite a lot of strength, come to think of it.

But no matter how much it hurt, Draco didn't fight back. He bore the pain, knowing he deserved every minute of it.

But then he heard Hermione's voice. "Stop it!" she cried worriedly. "Stop it right now! FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE RON! STOP BEATING MALFOY OR I'LL KICK YOUR FRECKLY ARSE!"

Ron stopped punching Draco long enough to stare at Hermione. He was not alone; Draco and Harry were staring too. Draco realized dimly that he probably looked like a huge git with his mouth hanging open like that, but he was too astonished to care.

"Hermione?" Ron said, in an awed sort of voice. "Hermione..." he looked as if he couldn't find the words. Then he grinned wickedly. "Hermione said arse, Hermione said arse," Ron chanted. Harry grinned and took Hermione by the hand. Ron grabbed her other hand and Harry's free hand, and the trio began to skip in a circle. Hermione was blushing hotly, looking highly unwilling to spin. "Hermione said arse, Hermione said arse," Harry and Ron chanted together.

Draco just stood there. Blaise looked as if she might be sick.

Gits, Draco thought idly. Time to break it up. "Hello?" he said. "Aren't I supposed to be getting my arse kicked? What happened to that?"

Ron glared at him. "If you insist, Malfoy," he said threateningly, advancing on Draco.

"Ron," Hermione said warningly, "don't make me curse you."

Everyone looked at Hermione in astonishment. Again.

"But he deserves it," Ron said. "You aren't taking his side, are you?"

Hermione sighed. "Ron, just don't. We have more important things to do."

"Yeah," Harry said. "Like, say, finding Ginny. She's been strangely absent. Usually that girl is in the room with one shout. You've been beating each other up for five straight minutes now, and she's not here."

He looked around as if he expected her to pop out of a convenient linen closet.

"I think she went outside," Hermione said. "Let's go get her."

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Well, Draco thought Hermione was taking this pretty well. But then again, she'd had some time to get used to it. He wondered if it had been her who had told Ron the happy news. Draco wished he had been there to see Ron's face.

Hermione was right, they should go get Ginny. So they headed down the stairs and out the door, careful not to wake Mrs. Black's portrait.

"Ginny?" Draco called, once they were outside. "Get your shapely arse over here!" It was worth a smack from the girl to see Ron's face. But, sadly, Hermione put a restraining hand on the tall boy's arm.

Harry noticed too, and made what sounded like a whiplash noise, grinning mischievously. "Oh, shut it," Ron muttered, his ears turning red.

Ginny had still not appeared. Harry called her.

"Oi! Weasley chick!" Harry shouted loudly. "Come inside!"

But she didn't answer. Draco was starting to get anxious. He had a bad feeling about this.

"Ginny?!" he called again, with a distinct note of apprehension in his voice. "Ginny?! Where in Merlin's name are you?!"

Where would he go if he were a fifteen-year old Weasley girl who wanted to mope? Somewhere out of sight. Somewhere it wouldn't be easy to find, unless someone was looking closely. In which case, Ginny Weasley would not be answering their calls.

He ran over to the side of the house, and his heart dropped to the approximate region of his liver as he saw the markings on the wall. Someone had drawn the Dark Mark in black chalk. Underneath it, lying on the ground was a long lock of red hair.