Where'd You Go?

Chapter Four. And The Game Begins

The conflict of forces and the struggle of opposing wills are of the essence of our universe and alone hold it together.

-- Havelock Ellis

According to Madame Pomfrey, it was too dangerous to move Malfoy, so they had to stay at the Burrow for a few more days. In the meantime, her mother and father took it in turns to move their stuff to Grimmauld Place.

Ginny, however, was given the quite boring task of sitting in Percy's room with Malfoy (rather ironic, she grimly thought) and watching over him. Madame Pomfrey said it was necessary to moniter his breathing and make sure it remained regulated.

Really, it was a very boring duty. For the first two days, he was still unconscious. Ginny had nothing to do but flip through magazines. She scoffed at her mother's suggestion that she review through her schoolbooks to prepare for her coming home studies.

Being home-schooled made her sad. It reminded her of the days when most of her brothers were still at home. Ron was her constant companion. Fred and George played tricks on every single member of the family (some things never changed). And the bangs from their room! It got to the point where they all stopped investigating or even wondering about them anymore. Charlie would go on nature walks through the woods and always loved animals from the start. Ginny could remember him coming home with mud-splattered clothes and being scolded. Percy was never found without his nose in a book. Bill would come home for the summers, and they would all have a great time together.

Their mum would actually ban them to separate corners of the house, or sometimes outside. Together they would never get any schoolwork done. Ginny smiled at the memories of being home with her brothers.

It would be lonely by herself. She hadn't been alone in the house since Ron left for Hogwarts. And now she wouldn't even be home, she would be at gloomy Grimmauld Place in the middle of a war.

Ginny's attention turned to the form stirring in the bed. It looked like he was finally waking. She set her magazine aside and walked over to him. His ice blond hair was tousled and in disarray. Though a lot of his wounds had healed, there were still a number covering his face and chest, meaning he had to remain shirtless, which was something Ginny found didn't mind in the least. She had to admit, the boy was very easy on the eyes. His face was undeniably handsome and his body was very...toned. Ginny immediately felt a rush of shame and a heat covering her cheeks. What on earth had made her think that? Here she was admiring other boys' chests while her boyfriend was out saving the world. Get a grip, she told herself.

"Where am I?" he grumbled. His voice was hoarse, probably from the abuse. He was blinking and squinting as if to adjust his eyes to the light.

For some reason, she had the insane urge to smooth the hair away from his face. Considering all the pain he'd caused and the damage he had done, it was absurd that when she looked at him, she got a sense of almost innocence. Just the sickly mark on his forearm was enough to contradict that, and yet she felt it nonetheless. Until, that is...

"Oh hell, I'm at the damned Weasley dirt pile, aren't I?" he said and rolled his eyes. He slowly sat up, took in his surroundings and scowled.

Any sympathetic feelings Ginny might have had flew out the window at his words, to be replaced by indignation. "Hey, I would watch it if I were you--!"

"Just be glad you're not," he said sullenly.

"Funny, I didn't take you for the self-pitying type," she said, crossing her arms and smirking. "Actually, when I think about it..."

"If you were me, then that would mean I would be you, Weaslette," he spat.

"That's very interesting," Ginny said, smiling. "Considering I'm not the one who's supposed to be dead."

"But I'm not, so I win, Weaslette," he said smugly.

"And why is that?" Ginny asked, actually curious as to why he thought he was superior to her. From her view, she was in the enviable position.

"Isn't it obvious?" he scoffed. "I'm a Malfoy. I always win."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah," he said in a mocking tone.

"Well, the way I see it, you're wrong," she said simply.

"And how do you see it, Weaslette?" he asked, propping his pillow up and lying back against it. He also folded his arms behind, which only added fuel to her fire.

Ginny walked to the foot of the bed and leaned on the bedpost. She wanted him to have a clear view of her as she spoke. She vowed she would wipe the slimy grin - no, more of a leer, really - off his obnoxious face.

"I see it many ways," she started. "For one thing, I have a family. And a family that loves me at that."

"I don't like what you're saying--!"

"No, I expect you wouldn't. Your father's in Azkaban and would probably sell you to Satan himself to get out. Your mother might care about you, but only because she doesn't have anyone else to care about."

He didn't deny it, and Ginny knew she was right. She didn't quite get the satisfaction she thought she would, but she wouldn't back down either. She had a point to prove.

"I, on the other hand, have a family that would do anything for me. And I for them. It's what families do; they have each other's backs. We may not have a lot of money, but we have love in abundance."

"You sure have the money part down," he sneered.

"I also have friends," she continued as if he hadn't said anything.

"I have friends too! You don't even know me, who are you to say that, Weaslette?"

"I'm an observer, that's who. You have people that follow you. They're afraid of you because you have a father that bullies their fathers around. They know they have to give you some kind of respect. Don't mistake that pathetic worship for friendship."

"That translates to power, not that you would know anything about that. You're listing a load of crap that doesn't matter. I have what matters."

"You have nothing," she said quietly. "Because most importantly, I know what love is, and you don't."

"And how would you know that?"

"That you don't have it?"

"Yes - I mean no! I mean..."

"I just know," she said simply. "I love Harry, and he loves me."

"Potter? That fool?" He laughed. "And you call that winning?"

"Yes, I do," she answered fiercely.

Ginny wouldn't let the fact that he was belittling her love bother her. In fact, she almost felt sorry for him because he didn't, and never would, have what she had.

Ginny stood up straight and headed towards the door. She had enough of him for a while. It was time to let somebody else deal with him. But before she left...

"And I still win, you know that, right?"

"Why? Because you have your precious love with precious Potter? No thanks, you can have it," he said, shaking his head.

"No," she said as she stood in the doorway with her hand on the knob. "Unlike you, I have a shirt on. And that automatically makes me the winner."

Ginny left, laughing, after catching his shocked expression. She loved having the last word.

As she closed the door, a body crashed into her. Completely caught off guard, she stumbled to the ground and with Tonks on top of her.

"I'm so sorry, Ginny!" Tonks exclaimed, scrambling off the ground and offering Ginny a hand.

"It's okay," Ginny murmured, still trying to catch her bearings. Apparently, Tonks had been on her way in as she was coming out. Neither of them had been paying attention, though that was nothing new for Tonks.

"What the hell was that?" Came a whine from Percy's room. "What did you do now, Weaslette?"

"So I see my no-good cousin is finally awake, then?" Tonks said sarcastically. She swung the door open. To Ginny's slight disappointment, he now had one of her brother's old shirts covering his chest. She decided not to dwell on that.

Following Tonks into the room, she said, "Let's get one thing straight."

He rolled his eyes. "I've had enough of talking with you today - no, make that forever."

Once again, Ginny continued on as if not hearing him, saying, "My name is not Weaslette. As much I don't want to hear my name from your horrible lips, I would rather you call me by my name than that."

"He calls you Weaslette?" Tonks laughed.

Ginny glared at her, and Tonks sobered up. "What I meant to say is that's very immature of you, Draco. Show the girl a bit of respect."

"And why should I?" he scoffed.

"Because you two are going to be working with each other for the next nine months, that's why. You'll be doing your schooling together."

"What!" They both exclaimed at once. Ginny didn't particularly care for the grin on Tonks' face.

You," Tonks said to Malfoy and folding her arms. "Need to repeat your sixth year."

"That's not fair!"

"I think we both know it is," Tonks said coolly.

Having Malfoy in the house was one thing. She imagined he would be condemned to one of Grimmauld Place's more grim rooms; out of sight, out of mind. However, it was turning out that she was the one being condemned. How had had life gone so wrong in the matter of a few days?