Disclaimer: Do not own
A/N: This chapter has taken so bloody long to get out, and I apologize. I won't talk. . . I have no time to talk anyway, so I just want to say thanks to all the great reviewers! I will get your names in the author note I write, but this is the last chapter you will see. Hope everyone enjoys it! 3 Sydney
Facing Fear
Chapter 13 A Priceless Find
~*~
"Fear is in the mind, like pain . . . it can be controlled."
~*~
~*~*~*~*~
"I want to fight you."
Ginny walked into the training room early the next morning, and found Draco at his usual spot behind the table, leaning over some book, learning about some new demon.
He raised a brow quizzically without ever looking up, only barely acknowledging her demand.
"I want to fight you. No more equipment. Just you." She smiled to herself; this was her revenge. She wouldn't tell Dumbledore, she wouldn't tell Ron, or Harry, or anyone about what Malfoy had put her through. It had all been a lesson for her, true, it had been the wrong way to go about teaching a lesson on Malfoy's part, but a good one all the same. If she wasn't going to tell on him, then she would simply get her revenge by beating the crap out of him.
But still he didn't look up.
"Warm up, Weasley."
Ginny laughed. Truly laughed and walked easily over to where Malfoy was seated.
"Teach me something new." Ginny demanded. "Or die trying."
He smirked, as if finding it funny that she would even try to hurt him.
"Alright." He relented. "Move over there."
They moved over to an open space.
"Now, I'm an evil vampire." Draco started.
"Surprise, surprise." Ginny interrupted sarcastically. "Just what you always wanted."
Draco dropped his arms and stood straight. "Do you want to fight or what?"
Ginny smirked herself, but then stopped the teasing. "Yes."
"Then shut up, and come at me like you would if you were going to stake a vampire."
Ginny leaped at him, threw a punch towards his face, which he ducked. He barreled into her with his back and head bent down, and knocked her to the ground. She immediately rolled over towards the wall, pushed him against it, and stood up. She kicked him in the abdomen, and while he bent forward in pain, she grabbed him by the cuff of his collar and pulled him to his feet. He grabbed at her shoulder and with a grunt tried to get a hand around her neck. But she was quicker, and instead had her hand around his neck, and her other took his arm and twisted it behind his back.
"Now," Ginny stated. "All I have to do is jerk your neck around and you would be as dead as any vampire."
Ginny could feel him swallow, and suddenly could feel the heat in the room. She could smell Draco's scent, that wondrous, enchanting aroma. Abruptly she released him, and he stumbled forward only slightly.
"Right," He stated, catching his breath. "Looks as if I've taught you well."
"Pfft." Ginny murmured. "I pretty much taught myself. You were only good for getting us in life-threatening situations."
His eyes left hers and he moved back to his original seat, wincing only slightly as he sat down on his sore bum.
"I was going through a rough time, okay Weasley?" He said, deliberately stating the obvious. "I know I messed up, but you don't know what it's like to see someone you care about die. Not that I ever cared for my mother that much . . ."
It was a typical guy thing to say, Ginny realized. She also realized that this was his way of trying to apologize, trying to explain.
"I don't need explanations Malfoy." Her hard tone softened. "It's okay. Just forget about it."
He caught her eye and laughed. "Forget about it? Sure, that's going to be quite easy."
Ginny's temper soared. "Well, what am I supposed to say!?"
He looked her from head to toe and then smirked.
"Forget about it is good."
~*~*~*~*~
"Tell me why we are doing this again, Ron?"
Harry glanced at his best friend, who was striding purposefully toward the Forbidden Forest. Hermione was walking fast, next to them, trying hard to keep up with their longer strides.
"I thought you hated the forest. Especially the forest at night." She stated, shivering as she glanced uneasily about the Hogwarts grounds.
"I do."
"So," Harry asked in his patient way, "Why are we following Ginny and Malfoy in there?"
"Because we don't trust Malfoy." Ron said angrily.
"He is her Watcher you know, they are only training." Hermione said.
"Don't ever trust a Malfoy."
Harry grinned at Hermione and then turned again to Ron. "Sounds to me like you don't trust Ginny."
Ron stopped abruptly, and glanced up again to run his eyes along the border of the forest, checking for Ginny and Malfoy.
"Come on, they are already way ahead of us." Ron changed the subject.
"Ron!" Hermione grabbed his arm and slung him around. "Look me in the eyes and listen." Harry smiled at her diligence. She continued. "Now, Ginny is sixteen years old, going on seventeen, she is more than capable of taking care of herself, and she doesn't need a babysitter. If you were my brother I would probably be going after guys like Malfoy too."
Harry laughed, but quickly died off at the expression Ron gave him. It was one of fury and reluctance.
"But she's my little sister! And he's Malfoy!"
"Right, so it's better to just leave them both alone." Harry said, turning around and heading back toward the castle. Hermione followed him.
"No!" Ron shouted. "Come back! All we have to do is just check on them . . . make sure nothing is going on."
"That sounds like spying, Ron." Hermione called over her shoulder.
"If you want to go into that bloody forest than leave us out of it." Harry exclaimed.
Ron stood fuming for a moment, looking from the forest, and back to his friends.
He turned around to follow them with a sigh.
"That's what I thought." Harry said, knowing that his friend wouldn't be caught dead alone in that forest.
"Shut up Harry."
Harry grinned at him. "Get over it Ron."
Ron sighed again and joined them.
"I will . . . in a few years or so."
~*~*~*~*~
Ginny sprinted ahead of Draco, motioning for him to wait as she dashed through the trees, their clinging branches brushing her face, leaving deep scratches. She had a stake ready in her hand and she heard the scuffling of feet as she approached a cluster of thick bushes. Two vampires leaped out into the path in front of her, the first charged at her hungrily, his fangs erect and his face a grotesque shape. She easily put the stake through his heart, and a piercing shriek filled the night as he dissolved to the ground.
The other vampire had caught on that Ginny was not some innocent schoolgirl, and he fled. The Slayer followed him closely as he weaved in and out of the trees. The demon was running fast and he seemed to know where he was going. Ginny could only do her best to follow and hope that she didn't lose sight of him. The terrain was getting rougher, and the land steeper.
Suddenly a rushing sound reached her ears, and for a moment Ginny couldn't figure out what the sound was. But she knew in only a matter of seconds as the vampire veered off the path. She came to a halt behind him and stood in awe. They were at a cliff, probably a hundred meters high, and below there was a rushing river, with many sharp rocks at the bottom. Trees lined the cliff on both sides of the river and a worn plank bridge was stretched from cliff to cliff above the foaming water. Ginny had not known of this river, and she doubted that Malfoy had ever been this deep into the forest either; he probably knew nothing of it also.
She turned her attention back to the vampire, who in turn gave her a wicked smile and started across the rickety bridge. It was a rope bridge that swung from side to side as the vampire crossed carefully. . . he obviously knew where all the weak points on the bridge were, because he kept stepping carefully around certain planks.
Ginny decided rashly to follow the vampire's steps. She wanted him truly dead so that he wouldn't lure other vampires, or humans, to the forest.
She started timidly across, stepping lightly from plank to plank as she had seen the vampire do, and held her arms outward for balance. She estimated the distance to the opposite cliff to be about forty or less meters.
After only a couple of steps, a sound alerted her senses from behind. She whirled around to find the most hideous creature staring at her, breathing heavily and looking quite angry. It was about eight feet tall, a demon like no other she had ever seen. It had curled horns growing out the top of his scabbed head. Its face was permanently distorted, and rough, shaggy hair fell into his face and covered his glowing eyes. The creature let out a war-like call and lifted the club that he had at his side with a threatening look at Ginny.
She glanced back at the vampire who was scuffling off into the bushes on the other side of the river and decided to forget about him for the moment.
"Alright." She said to the demon creature. "Move out of my way now."
A deep gurgle came from the back of his throat, and Ginny realized that he was laughing at her.
In anger she sprinted towards him, landing a hard kick right into his chest as she reached the foot of the bridge. He stumbled back only a bit but quickly regained his composure and charged at the Slayer.
"Whoa!" Ginny cried as he grabbed her by the neck. "Get your filthy, demonic hands off me!"
He walked calmly to the edge of the cliff and holding a struggling Ginny by her neck, dangled her over the edge with glee.
Ginny whimpered and cast a quick look down to the rocky water below. The demon laughed again.
"Bye-bye little girl." He said in a coarse voice.
"She's no little girl." A familiar voice from behind the demon said.
The demon turned and flung Ginny aside. But he was quickly met with a spell of sparks and charms that were expertly cast by Malfoy. The demon's raucous scream filled the air as he seemed to explode from the inside and rocketed into pieces in front of their eyes.
"You need to teach me that one." Ginny said as she pulled herself up off the ground.
"Obviously."
"I thought I was just a vampire slayer." Ginny stated with annoyance. "Does this mean I have to be an demon slayer too? I certainly hope not because that thing smelled really bad."
Draco rolled his eyes and turned around to head back towards Hogwarts.
"Seriously now Draco, what was that thing?"
"A bad-smelling demon." He retorted, with a sarcastic undertone.
"Oh come on." Ginny complained. "You must know.you read all those books on them don't you?"
"Yes, you might try picking one up yourself and learning some stuff on your own profession."
"Why should I do that when that's what you are for?" Ginny declared with a smart grin.
Draco turned and grabbed her shoulder. "Is that all I am to you? I just saved your life." He narrowed his eyes and Ginny found herself lost in them for a moment.
"Uh, oh yeah." She stuttered. "Thanks I guess."
"That's all I get?" Draco asked, a small smirk playing on his face. "A measly 'thanks'?"
Ginny was becoming nervous at his touch and she tried to shrug his hand off her shoulder before she did something stupid . . . her lips already seemed to be puckering up. They had a mind of their own. But Draco didn't let go.
"Hmm? Is that all Ginny?" His eyes were raking her face, and the smirk growing larger.
"I don't . . . don't know what else I can do." She muttered.
"Oh, I'm sure I can think of something." Draco whispered, moving his head closer to hers.
"Really?" Ginny said nervously.
He didn't respond but instead placed his lips lightly on hers. They lingered there for a moment and then pulled hesitantly away.
"Yes, really."
Ginny smiled. He placed his hand in hers and they walked through the forest together.
"You want to go read some?" Ginny asked as they emerged from the darkness of the forest.
Draco didn't have time to answer, as a vampire crashed through the trees.
"Watch out!" Ginny yelled as she pushed Draco to the ground and leaped over him. With a quick thrust she plunged a stake into the vamp's heart and he was gone.
"I could have handled him." Draco said defensively as he stood up and brushed off his robes.
Ginny rolled her eyes. "Does that mean you are completely over your fear of vampires?"
He looked at the place where the vampire had stood and then back to Ginny, who still held the pointed stake in her hand.
"I suppose so." He responded. "I think I should be much more frightened of you."
Ginny smirked and pocketed the stake.
"My name does send fear through all the vampire's dark hearts."
Draco only stared at her.
"Okay, well maybe not yet . . ." Ginny admitted. "But one day."
He smiled and took her hand again.
"One day Ginny . . . after much more of my expert training."
Ginny laughed and walked back to the castle with him. Her life had changed so much, and at first she had resented it. At first she had blamed Draco . . . he had ruined it with his stories of vampire slaying and Chosen One's. But now . . . now she couldn't be happier. She had found her place and he had helped her.
Maybe she had helped him too, Ginny realized. After all . . . he wasn't afraid of vampires anymore. They had faced their fears together, and found something priceless in return.
Love.
~ The End ~
A/N: This chapter has taken so bloody long to get out, and I apologize. I won't talk. . . I have no time to talk anyway, so I just want to say thanks to all the great reviewers! I will get your names in the author note I write, but this is the last chapter you will see. Hope everyone enjoys it! 3 Sydney
Facing Fear
Chapter 13 A Priceless Find
~*~
"Fear is in the mind, like pain . . . it can be controlled."
~*~
~*~*~*~*~
"I want to fight you."
Ginny walked into the training room early the next morning, and found Draco at his usual spot behind the table, leaning over some book, learning about some new demon.
He raised a brow quizzically without ever looking up, only barely acknowledging her demand.
"I want to fight you. No more equipment. Just you." She smiled to herself; this was her revenge. She wouldn't tell Dumbledore, she wouldn't tell Ron, or Harry, or anyone about what Malfoy had put her through. It had all been a lesson for her, true, it had been the wrong way to go about teaching a lesson on Malfoy's part, but a good one all the same. If she wasn't going to tell on him, then she would simply get her revenge by beating the crap out of him.
But still he didn't look up.
"Warm up, Weasley."
Ginny laughed. Truly laughed and walked easily over to where Malfoy was seated.
"Teach me something new." Ginny demanded. "Or die trying."
He smirked, as if finding it funny that she would even try to hurt him.
"Alright." He relented. "Move over there."
They moved over to an open space.
"Now, I'm an evil vampire." Draco started.
"Surprise, surprise." Ginny interrupted sarcastically. "Just what you always wanted."
Draco dropped his arms and stood straight. "Do you want to fight or what?"
Ginny smirked herself, but then stopped the teasing. "Yes."
"Then shut up, and come at me like you would if you were going to stake a vampire."
Ginny leaped at him, threw a punch towards his face, which he ducked. He barreled into her with his back and head bent down, and knocked her to the ground. She immediately rolled over towards the wall, pushed him against it, and stood up. She kicked him in the abdomen, and while he bent forward in pain, she grabbed him by the cuff of his collar and pulled him to his feet. He grabbed at her shoulder and with a grunt tried to get a hand around her neck. But she was quicker, and instead had her hand around his neck, and her other took his arm and twisted it behind his back.
"Now," Ginny stated. "All I have to do is jerk your neck around and you would be as dead as any vampire."
Ginny could feel him swallow, and suddenly could feel the heat in the room. She could smell Draco's scent, that wondrous, enchanting aroma. Abruptly she released him, and he stumbled forward only slightly.
"Right," He stated, catching his breath. "Looks as if I've taught you well."
"Pfft." Ginny murmured. "I pretty much taught myself. You were only good for getting us in life-threatening situations."
His eyes left hers and he moved back to his original seat, wincing only slightly as he sat down on his sore bum.
"I was going through a rough time, okay Weasley?" He said, deliberately stating the obvious. "I know I messed up, but you don't know what it's like to see someone you care about die. Not that I ever cared for my mother that much . . ."
It was a typical guy thing to say, Ginny realized. She also realized that this was his way of trying to apologize, trying to explain.
"I don't need explanations Malfoy." Her hard tone softened. "It's okay. Just forget about it."
He caught her eye and laughed. "Forget about it? Sure, that's going to be quite easy."
Ginny's temper soared. "Well, what am I supposed to say!?"
He looked her from head to toe and then smirked.
"Forget about it is good."
~*~*~*~*~
"Tell me why we are doing this again, Ron?"
Harry glanced at his best friend, who was striding purposefully toward the Forbidden Forest. Hermione was walking fast, next to them, trying hard to keep up with their longer strides.
"I thought you hated the forest. Especially the forest at night." She stated, shivering as she glanced uneasily about the Hogwarts grounds.
"I do."
"So," Harry asked in his patient way, "Why are we following Ginny and Malfoy in there?"
"Because we don't trust Malfoy." Ron said angrily.
"He is her Watcher you know, they are only training." Hermione said.
"Don't ever trust a Malfoy."
Harry grinned at Hermione and then turned again to Ron. "Sounds to me like you don't trust Ginny."
Ron stopped abruptly, and glanced up again to run his eyes along the border of the forest, checking for Ginny and Malfoy.
"Come on, they are already way ahead of us." Ron changed the subject.
"Ron!" Hermione grabbed his arm and slung him around. "Look me in the eyes and listen." Harry smiled at her diligence. She continued. "Now, Ginny is sixteen years old, going on seventeen, she is more than capable of taking care of herself, and she doesn't need a babysitter. If you were my brother I would probably be going after guys like Malfoy too."
Harry laughed, but quickly died off at the expression Ron gave him. It was one of fury and reluctance.
"But she's my little sister! And he's Malfoy!"
"Right, so it's better to just leave them both alone." Harry said, turning around and heading back toward the castle. Hermione followed him.
"No!" Ron shouted. "Come back! All we have to do is just check on them . . . make sure nothing is going on."
"That sounds like spying, Ron." Hermione called over her shoulder.
"If you want to go into that bloody forest than leave us out of it." Harry exclaimed.
Ron stood fuming for a moment, looking from the forest, and back to his friends.
He turned around to follow them with a sigh.
"That's what I thought." Harry said, knowing that his friend wouldn't be caught dead alone in that forest.
"Shut up Harry."
Harry grinned at him. "Get over it Ron."
Ron sighed again and joined them.
"I will . . . in a few years or so."
~*~*~*~*~
Ginny sprinted ahead of Draco, motioning for him to wait as she dashed through the trees, their clinging branches brushing her face, leaving deep scratches. She had a stake ready in her hand and she heard the scuffling of feet as she approached a cluster of thick bushes. Two vampires leaped out into the path in front of her, the first charged at her hungrily, his fangs erect and his face a grotesque shape. She easily put the stake through his heart, and a piercing shriek filled the night as he dissolved to the ground.
The other vampire had caught on that Ginny was not some innocent schoolgirl, and he fled. The Slayer followed him closely as he weaved in and out of the trees. The demon was running fast and he seemed to know where he was going. Ginny could only do her best to follow and hope that she didn't lose sight of him. The terrain was getting rougher, and the land steeper.
Suddenly a rushing sound reached her ears, and for a moment Ginny couldn't figure out what the sound was. But she knew in only a matter of seconds as the vampire veered off the path. She came to a halt behind him and stood in awe. They were at a cliff, probably a hundred meters high, and below there was a rushing river, with many sharp rocks at the bottom. Trees lined the cliff on both sides of the river and a worn plank bridge was stretched from cliff to cliff above the foaming water. Ginny had not known of this river, and she doubted that Malfoy had ever been this deep into the forest either; he probably knew nothing of it also.
She turned her attention back to the vampire, who in turn gave her a wicked smile and started across the rickety bridge. It was a rope bridge that swung from side to side as the vampire crossed carefully. . . he obviously knew where all the weak points on the bridge were, because he kept stepping carefully around certain planks.
Ginny decided rashly to follow the vampire's steps. She wanted him truly dead so that he wouldn't lure other vampires, or humans, to the forest.
She started timidly across, stepping lightly from plank to plank as she had seen the vampire do, and held her arms outward for balance. She estimated the distance to the opposite cliff to be about forty or less meters.
After only a couple of steps, a sound alerted her senses from behind. She whirled around to find the most hideous creature staring at her, breathing heavily and looking quite angry. It was about eight feet tall, a demon like no other she had ever seen. It had curled horns growing out the top of his scabbed head. Its face was permanently distorted, and rough, shaggy hair fell into his face and covered his glowing eyes. The creature let out a war-like call and lifted the club that he had at his side with a threatening look at Ginny.
She glanced back at the vampire who was scuffling off into the bushes on the other side of the river and decided to forget about him for the moment.
"Alright." She said to the demon creature. "Move out of my way now."
A deep gurgle came from the back of his throat, and Ginny realized that he was laughing at her.
In anger she sprinted towards him, landing a hard kick right into his chest as she reached the foot of the bridge. He stumbled back only a bit but quickly regained his composure and charged at the Slayer.
"Whoa!" Ginny cried as he grabbed her by the neck. "Get your filthy, demonic hands off me!"
He walked calmly to the edge of the cliff and holding a struggling Ginny by her neck, dangled her over the edge with glee.
Ginny whimpered and cast a quick look down to the rocky water below. The demon laughed again.
"Bye-bye little girl." He said in a coarse voice.
"She's no little girl." A familiar voice from behind the demon said.
The demon turned and flung Ginny aside. But he was quickly met with a spell of sparks and charms that were expertly cast by Malfoy. The demon's raucous scream filled the air as he seemed to explode from the inside and rocketed into pieces in front of their eyes.
"You need to teach me that one." Ginny said as she pulled herself up off the ground.
"Obviously."
"I thought I was just a vampire slayer." Ginny stated with annoyance. "Does this mean I have to be an demon slayer too? I certainly hope not because that thing smelled really bad."
Draco rolled his eyes and turned around to head back towards Hogwarts.
"Seriously now Draco, what was that thing?"
"A bad-smelling demon." He retorted, with a sarcastic undertone.
"Oh come on." Ginny complained. "You must know.you read all those books on them don't you?"
"Yes, you might try picking one up yourself and learning some stuff on your own profession."
"Why should I do that when that's what you are for?" Ginny declared with a smart grin.
Draco turned and grabbed her shoulder. "Is that all I am to you? I just saved your life." He narrowed his eyes and Ginny found herself lost in them for a moment.
"Uh, oh yeah." She stuttered. "Thanks I guess."
"That's all I get?" Draco asked, a small smirk playing on his face. "A measly 'thanks'?"
Ginny was becoming nervous at his touch and she tried to shrug his hand off her shoulder before she did something stupid . . . her lips already seemed to be puckering up. They had a mind of their own. But Draco didn't let go.
"Hmm? Is that all Ginny?" His eyes were raking her face, and the smirk growing larger.
"I don't . . . don't know what else I can do." She muttered.
"Oh, I'm sure I can think of something." Draco whispered, moving his head closer to hers.
"Really?" Ginny said nervously.
He didn't respond but instead placed his lips lightly on hers. They lingered there for a moment and then pulled hesitantly away.
"Yes, really."
Ginny smiled. He placed his hand in hers and they walked through the forest together.
"You want to go read some?" Ginny asked as they emerged from the darkness of the forest.
Draco didn't have time to answer, as a vampire crashed through the trees.
"Watch out!" Ginny yelled as she pushed Draco to the ground and leaped over him. With a quick thrust she plunged a stake into the vamp's heart and he was gone.
"I could have handled him." Draco said defensively as he stood up and brushed off his robes.
Ginny rolled her eyes. "Does that mean you are completely over your fear of vampires?"
He looked at the place where the vampire had stood and then back to Ginny, who still held the pointed stake in her hand.
"I suppose so." He responded. "I think I should be much more frightened of you."
Ginny smirked and pocketed the stake.
"My name does send fear through all the vampire's dark hearts."
Draco only stared at her.
"Okay, well maybe not yet . . ." Ginny admitted. "But one day."
He smiled and took her hand again.
"One day Ginny . . . after much more of my expert training."
Ginny laughed and walked back to the castle with him. Her life had changed so much, and at first she had resented it. At first she had blamed Draco . . . he had ruined it with his stories of vampire slaying and Chosen One's. But now . . . now she couldn't be happier. She had found her place and he had helped her.
Maybe she had helped him too, Ginny realized. After all . . . he wasn't afraid of vampires anymore. They had faced their fears together, and found something priceless in return.
Love.
~ The End ~