Scandalmongers: Chapter 4: the new life

Author's note: George Wickham is, of course, borrowed from Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Richard Fitzwilliam is too, though you might know him more under the guise of Colonel Fitzwilliam from P&P.

Disclaimer: I do not own HP or Jane Austen characters.

Chapter 4: the new life

Your eyes that were once never weary of mine.
~ William Butler Yeats, "Ephemera"

Been losing grip
Oh, sinking ships
You showed up just in time
~ Taylor Swift, "This Love," by Pansy Parkinson for this story

From Lee Jordan's segment on the Quaffle Report, a Quidditch show on the Wizarding Wireless

"I am joined today by Lee Jordan, the Daily Prophet's senior Quidditch correspondent," Rufus Micawber said, turning towards his companion. "Thank you joining us, Lee."

"I am happy to be here, Rufus," Lee replied, smiling into the camera. Besides the Quaffle Report, very few Wireless shows used videography, though it was gaining in popularity since an enterprising young Muggleborn adapted the technology for magical usage.

"We have been discussing how recent trades may impact the remaining matches of the regular Quidditch season. I'd like to get your thoughts on the Weasley trade in particular. It is amazing to me that Bailey would trade Burton for a draft pick and an unproven Chaser with a history of injury."

Lee nodded. "I see what you are saying, Rufus, but Ginny Weasley has greater potential and Burton has been on the downslide for the past few seasons. He's nearing 45 and I don't see how he could keep up in the playoffs."

"True. He is nowhere near the stats leader that he was, but … we have little to judge Weasley's performance."

"Really?" Lee scoffed, "Because she was on fire with the Ducks before her injury and her Hogwarts career speaks for itself. She was second in her draft year, higher than Malfoy."

"Malfoy has proven himself in the major league. I don't see how you could compare the two."

"I'm not comparing them. They are teammates anyway."

"Malfoy was picked third in the European Quidditch Draft, the year before Weasley."

Lee smiled. "Careful, Rufus, your fanboy is showing."

Rufus grumbled, but took the jab. "I am a Wasp homer, I admit."

"Ginny Weasley, though … I firmly believe that she has great untapped potential, which," Lee made a vague gesture with his hands, "scouts seem to agree with. I can't get into details here for confidentiality reasons, but the scouting report which I've been privileged to read, outlines her strengths. She has a great arm and speed, good endurance, she's tricky …"

"But she's unproven."

"She is unproven in the sense that she was buried in the Ducks for so long. The Magpies have a history of undervaluing developing talent and trading away draft picks and prospects in favour of established, if aging, stars. It's why they haven't made it past the first round of League playoffs in six years."

"You are not wrong," Rufus said. "But, the fact remains that she does not have playoff experience and the Wasps are poised to make the playoffs easily for the fourth year in a row."

"As a team, the Wasps have plenty of playoff experience, and with the reacquisition of Richard Fitzwilliam as Seeker and Malfoy moving to Chaser permanently, I'm sure they will be a strong contender. You know I am loathe to admit anything positive regarding Malfoy, but he is a much stronger Chaser than he has ever been a Seeker."

"He is lethal as a Chaser," Rufus agreed.

"It will be interesting to see how line chemistry develops over the second half of the season."

Rufus nodded. "You were at Hogwarts with both Malfoy and Weasley, so what do you think of the potential there?"

Lee laughed. "Well, Weasleys and Malfoys did not get on together at school, that's certain."

Rufus laughed too.

"Malfoy is smart enough to recognise talent, especially when it benefits him. That has not changed since Hogwarts." Lee continued, "Like I said, Ginny has the potential to be one of the league's best Chasers and I am really glad to see her on a team that will appreciate her skill set. As a right-winger, she is a quick passer, generous enough to pass to her centre when the situation demands instead of insisting on all the glory of goals for herself."

"Malfoy is right-handed, which was a factor in trading for her, besides the clearance in cap space. I suspect that Malfoy will be getting a significant raise with his new contract," Rufus replied.

"Yes, but they will need to sign Ginny to a contract while she is a restricted agent, though she can't yet draw the numbers that Malfoy can," Lee added.

"But you think that she will?"

Lee grinned. "Absolutely. Ginny Weasley is going to be a star, mark my words. Malfoy and Ginny on a line together? I have a feeling that this is going to be something else. Hub Bailey knows this. His boss and Wasp owner Frank Churchill has been crowing about this."

"I am going to hold you to that declaration," Rufus laughed.

"Sure."

"Past Malfoy and Weasley animosity aside, eh?"

"'Course that would be interesting to watch too. I don't think we've had an on-pitch fight between teammates since Oliver Wood and Marcus Flint were on the Falmouth Falcons together."

"No, no, you're right," laughed Rufus again, "but let's hope not too right."

"Let's."

"Her past injuries are worrisome if you are a teammate or a Wasp fan."

Lee sobered, "That was one of the worst illegal hits that I've seen firsthand in my career. I still think that McLaggen should have been suspended for the rest of the season."

Rufus agreed with that assessment.

"Ginny's agent has said that her health is recovered now and she was cleared by league healers for the trade. I have far more confidence in the Wasps organisation than the Magpies. They will act in her and the team's best interest."

"That was a shocking lack of responsibility on the part of the Magpies. I'm glad to see the League take it up in drafting new rules dealing with headshots and concussion protocol."

"Yes, the league needs to reform in that area. I'd like to see something in line with the Continental League's rules."

"On that note, we will take a break. When we return, we will be joined by Sylvain Fleury of the Continental League, where we will discuss the British League's reforms on headshots."

The assembled players remained gathered around the coaching staff in the practice pitch at Weymouth, listening to announcements and the afternoon's agenda. Coach Edgecombe was stern as he introduced the two additions to the team, explaining what he would expect of them and of the team as a whole. His players respected him and listened, a strange concept given the Magpies' general disregard for their coaching systems. But then, Edgecombe himself was a legend in English Quidditch, taking the Arrows to a league title eleven times in his Chasing career. One could do worse than to listen to Edgie whose "Quidditch sense" was legendary too.

Ginny recognized some of the players from her days with the Manchester Ducks, the farm team of the Montrose Magpies. The Wimbourne Wasps sometimes held practices with their own farm team, the Weymouth Wasps, or Baby Wasps as they were colloquially known. The management and coaches felt that the shared practices helped to create and maintain chemistry in case of call-ups and reinforced consistency in the system. Therefore, some of the assembled players were quite known to Ginny on the pitch; she knew some of their moves and idiosyncrasies, and she meant to use that knowledge in leverage, to take advantage of their weaknesses and prove herself on the senior team.

In particular, she knew: Romilda Vane, her former Hogwarts housemate and a Chaser with the Baby Wasps; Malfoy the Seeker; and Melusine Hervey, the Keeper for Wimbourne who had dated Charlie at Hogwarts. She knew Mellie only vaguely, but at least she was a friendly face – which was more than could be said for Romilda. Or Malfoy. Maybe.

Fitz, Ginny knew by reputation, because she had crushed on him, hard as a teen, when he'd first been drafted by the Wasps and was the love of every young witch's heart – behind Harry Potter anyway. How she had raved when he had not been picked to represent England at the World Cup a few years ago.

She also knew one of the Beaters, George Wickham, by reputation, if not by experience. He had dated Lavender a few times when she had been dazzled by his good looks and status in the Quidditch world. Wickham could be charming, Lav had conceded, if he were not a complete snake. His current unabashed leering of Ginny made her skin crawl and she could not imagine ever finding the wizard charming. He was known for his pursuit of attached witches, having been cited in two divorce cases so far. She shuddered. At least she didn't have to fly with Wickham.

Ginny had been introduced almost immediately. She could not help meeting Malfoy's cool grey gaze as she nodded to her new teammates. He didn't nod back to her as the others did in acknowledgement or murmurs his welcome as those closest to her. Not unfriendly exactly, but disconcerting in a way she could not recognise and far different from the almost playful Malfoy she had met the other evening at the ball, or the sleepy Malfoy she had met in the offices that morning. Intense, perhaps that was the word crawling to her when she stared back at him, his lip turned up in a half-smirk. She wouldn't turn away, because doing so would seem too much like a defeat, even though the smirk widened the longer she stared back. It made it difficult to keep track of the coach's words.

She didn't mind it, and Malfoy's gaze was different from Wickham's leer. It wasn't threatening, though she could not say why – that she would feel Malfoy to be non-threatening would be enough to send Harry into apoplexy.

Ginny turned her attention resolutely back to the coach, when Edgie introduced Richard Fitzwilliam, the other addition to the team. Fitz was a Seeker reacquired from the Ballycastle Bats for second and third round draft picks. He'd been a popular re-acquisition, having led the Wasps to the semi-finals in the League Title playoffs three times in his earliest years. He'd always been popular with the fans, and Ballycastle fans were reluctant to see him go. Ginny and Fitz had been welcomed with somewhat friendly cheer, though the players would wait for a true welcome after they had been assessed in practice. Or, at least Fitz had been welcomed enthusiastically. He was a known entity and cousin to Malfoy, their captain. The Wasps were always snobbish that way – understandably so, as they were counted to be an upcoming Cup threat.

Ginny listened to the coach, to noting his instructions, especially as he went over drills, indicating which passes to practice, which players would be assigned to which keeper, etc. Or, rather, she tried to focus solely on her coach's instruction, which was increasingly difficult given the little scene playing out to the side. Though Ginny had assumed that a full-grown Romilda Vane would be somewhat professional, she had not changed so much since her Hogwarts days as to ignore the proximity of an attractive wizard. Even Ginny could admit that the form-fitting capeless practice kit did wonders for Malfoy's physique, a patch of pale skin at his neck a beacon against the black attire. It was distracting, enough. She could almost see the faint mark of Harry's Sectumsempra curse.

Apparently, Romilda thought so too, as she appeared to be attempting to climb Malfoy's leg, so close was she hanging on to his arm. He frowned and pushed her away. At least she was daring, Ginny would give her that. Malfoy was their captain after all.

Malfoy frowned and hissed at Romilda, causing her to redden and pout, and caught Ginny's eye as he moved a few feet away from his harasser. He raised an eyebrow at her smirk, even as he turned his attention to the team, speaking to them as their captain.

He talked about their last victory, which was messy at best, and against a better team than the Cannons would have been a defeat. It wouldn't do to grow complacent in the middle of the season even though they had a comfortable lead in their conference. He spoke of faulty plays and how they could be bettered, noting each's player's strength in changing those plays. To Ginny's surprise, he didn't really talk about weaknesses, apparently leaving that to the coaching staff. His job as captain, apparently, was to concentrate on the strengths and keeping them cohesive and whole. She was surprised. So many captains in professional Quidditch revelled in the glories of captainship while leaving its responsibilities to the coaches. She'd heard enough and seen enough to know that Malfoy took his Quidditch career and his role as Captain very seriously.

Before today, she hardly had any room for comparison since the end of the war. But, Ginny was impressed. At least on this first day, she was impressed and more than a little relieved. Malfoy had real leadership qualities. He was not hostile and she did not exactly know what to do with that.

Ginny's general unease and jittery hands since her laps around the pitch quietened, at least until she made it in the air again. Trades were never an easy business and her situation made it even more difficult. She had to prove herself twice as much as the others. The Wasps had to see that they had not been mistaken in their assessment of her, that she was worth the risk. She'd been buzzing all morning, hyper-aware of everyone and everything, so much so that she felt that it must be the post-concussion symptoms rearing their ugly head. Soon, she'd be flat on the ground, shaking and hiding her eyes against all the garish colours and smells and sounds.

But she wasn't. When she took to the air again to begin the drills, her course was steady, and though her hands shook slightly on the broom, no one could see the evidence beneath her gloves. She had to find her legs again, so to speak.

Somehow, the fact that the cool, clinical Malfoy was captain helped. His confidence in the team and their abilities strengthened her own. She didn't need his support, exactly, but it helped that school-boy Malfoy was long buried beneath the grown-up version. If nothing else, she could trust his unbiased assessment of her abilities. He'd never tread with kid gloves and she could trust his assessments. He wouldn't mince words. That was something real. She had confidence him as her captain – surprisingly. Wouldn't Harry's head explode?

Still, it was more than awkward to be hovering mid-air next to him as they waited their turn in drills.

Malfoy did not speak for a long moment as he observed the players taking turns, his quick eyes darting and taking mental notes. Though she was only hovering at his side while she waited her turn in the drill, his eyes strayed to her, resting for a moment, though whether it was to assess her as well or whether it was merely an absence of mind, she could not say. He was, as ever, very difficult to read. But then, she had not said anything either, and was determined to break the awkwardness, when he did speak.

"Do you often hide from your fiancé at social functions?"

After his narrowed focus on the team all morning, this was the question least expected from him. "What?"

"It just seemed like you were trying to avoid Potter on Saturday. Not that I can blame you, but I am curious. You always seemed like the type to follow blindly at his heels." His tone was amused rather than mocking.

"I was not avoiding Harry! Why in Merlin's name would you think so?"

"You were hanging about with Slytherins and all sorts of miscreants."

"Are you calling yourself a miscreant?"

"Actually, Ginny, I was referring to Blaise. He is abysmally amoral," Malfoy said.

"And you are so very moral yourself, I'm sure." She pinked at the pointed reference to her name. The way she had blurted out her name that morning like a dork. Ugh. Why were they having this conversation at all, while their teammates flew laps and passed Quaffles all around them? Fitz dived beneath them just then, having spotted the Snitch, which they both observed in silence for a moment. After his cousin freed the Snitch again, Malfoy turned back her.

He was almost relaxed, this pitch evidently a second home, and all the ins and outs of captaining and managing a team second nature. Malfoy really didn't think too much about switching hats and Ginny wondered if he even realised that he did so. "I never said that it was a bad trait, Ginny. Certainly better than the sanctimonious drivel that usually spouts from Gryffindor mouths."

"I am going to ignore that slight, magnanimously, because I am a Gryffindor," she responded in a deceptive lofty tone. How long would he continue to stress her name in that teasing, slightly slurring of the G way of his? It embarrassed her tremendously.

His smirk was almost a smile.

"But, I was not hiding from Harry." She smiled.

"No? It must have been my mistake, but I could have sworn that you dived behind Blaise and Daph when you saw him coming."

"Oh that," she dismissed. "I was avoiding Rita Skeeter. She was tailing Harry all evening, and I wanted a respite."

"So you left Potter to the wolves."

"He's big boy. I have no doubt that he can take care of himself."

"How very Slytherin of you, Weasley."

She was about to remark that Houses shouldn't matter now, but Coach Edgecombe interrupted, urging her to take the Quaffle. "You're up, Weasley."

Her nerves flared again, and Ginny realised that she had forgotten her anxiety during her banter with Malfoy. She almost wondered if he had done so on purpose. But this was Malfoy. He may be a good captain, but he was not so considerate or sensitive as that.

She nodded and moved ahead to take the Quaffle from the left-wing Fergus's outstretched arm. She knew that Malfoy must be watching her, as he had watched every player in their turn. Her heart seemed to beat in her throat and pound in her ears. Nervous again, perhaps more so for Malfoy standing so close. At least Coach Edgecombe was a reasonable distance away, though he, too, watched. She wanted to impress them both. Perhaps a little of school rivalry remained, because she wanted Malfoy, in particular, to be dazzled by her skills. Instead, she felt more like Hogwarts Ginny, slightly sick and wanting to be the perfect girl and swallowing that fear and hoping to appear so confident.

She tossed the Quaffle, catching it and feeling the weight and roughness of the leather like sandpaper against her gloves. Considering her move, her best approach. How to trick Mellie the Wasp Keeper, whom she had never played against. How to show them that her concussion had not hampered her natural skill nor her Quidditch sense.

"Just breathe," she whispered to herself. At least her broom held steady, even when she risked another glance at the critical and thoughtful captain Malfoy.

She darted forward and her mind blanked white. She must have done well as some of the Baby Wasps hanging about the side clapped, and the junior coach Watson nodded in appreciation. Ginny felt … okay, solid, confident, like pre-concussion Ginny, who believed if she just worked hard enough, reached far enough, she'd make the major team.

Unnaturally short of breath from that brief excursion, Ginny slowed to the side to join the others as they organised to practice Quaffle passes. Suddenly, an object, hard and heavy and vibrating with energy, struck her side, unseating her. Her feet dangled in mid-air, but she held onto her broom even when she was certain that she was falling. She couldn't breathe; wheezing, gasping, all the air seemed trapped inside her lungs, making her dizzy. The ground seemed to be rising to meet her, just like before, when McLaggen had aimed a Bludger at her head. Not again.

Her head was pounding from the lack of air, and her broom was somehow shaky for she could not find purchase enough to pull herself up. And then, the broom stilled, seemingly of its own accord and a hand appeared to help her pull herself up. Fitz.

"Damn Beaters," he muttered, as she pulled herself into position again.

"Thanks," she gasped, her cheeks burning. This was not how her first practice was supposed to go. Damn. Damn. Damn.

Fitz seemed to want to say something more to her, but thought the better of it. Undoubtedly, she looked as miserable and embarrassed as she felt. He only nodded and just as he turned towards the Seeker coach, he said, "Good job on the drill, Weasley."

"Thanks," she muttered again.

She wished she could hide her face in her hands. If there had only been a time turner at hand to undo the damage she had just done to her own career. The caution flag didn't matter; she should have been more aware of her surroundings, especially of the unpredictable Bludgers. Even with a Beater standing by to deflect, a professional Quidditch player would know not to trust in only that. She knew that; she did, but perhaps she had lost some of that Quidditch sense after all. Damn, damn, damn. She was going to be relegated to the Baby Wasps. Fuck.

Ginny pressed a hand to her side, no blood, and she did not yet feel pain. That would come later when the adrenaline wore off. For now, she would not let her teammates see how much she had been rattled by a rogue Bludger, like a silly Hogwarts student.

Her breathing still uneven, she refocused her attention on the practice. Fitz nodded to Malfoy in response to something before returning to his own Seeker exercises. It was deliberate.

The tip of a wand stuck out of a practice holder, now exposed at Malfoy's waist.

A wand.

He had not taken his turn in drill though he had been right behind her. There'd been enough time passed, but he remained in the place she left him, his brow furrowed, angry.

And someone had stopped her broom from shaking or at least steadied it against her own shaking.

And as captain, Malfoy was the only player allowed to bring a wand on the pitch during practice.

Had he …

He called Wickham over to receive the full force of his anger. He was the assigned Beater at their end of the pitch. She could barely hear the words over the distance or the rushing of her own ears, though the raising ire of "fucking imbecile, can't you see the caution flag?" carried.

"I can't be everywhere at once," Wickham defended, growing louder himself.

"It is your job to protect the Chasers and the Seeker, especially with a fucking caution flag." Caution flags were sacred in professional Quidditch, where injuries could easily be career-ending or even life-ending. No decent captain could let such a mistake slide.

"I know my job Malfoy."

"Then act like it."

"Fuck, do you know how many Bludgers and Chasers are flying around the pitch right now?" Wickham argued, gesturing towards the entire pitch.

Malfoy's expression was thunderous. The contempt and questioning in Wickham's voice was not something the captain could or should ignore. His voice was icy blue heat and the resemblance to Lucius Malfoy so strong that it caused chills to break out beneath Ginny's practice kit. "You were assigned Weasley's caution flag. If that is too much responsibility for you, Wickham, then perhaps you need a conditioning stint with the Baby Wasps."

Wickham opened his mouth and quickly shut it again, resembling something like a guppy, if a guppy could be simultaneously flushed in anger. But he seemed to know better than to push his captain further.

The argument had been loud enough to draw the attention of everyone on their side of the pitch, and even Ginny had been moving closer without being aware of her movement. Malfoy was usually more controlled, Ginny gathered from the chatter around her.

"Wow," she heard Mellie whisper behind her, "and with the Arrows game coming up in a few weeks."

"Wickham should know better than to challenge the captain or the coach. Merlin's fucking beard, we aren't at Hogwarts," was the left-wing Chaser, Fergus Donnelly's assessment. "This isn't a democracy."

The coach flew through the small crowd of players, speaking with both Wickham and Malfoy in hushed tones before sending Wickham away. Towards the Baby Wasps, Ginny was careful to note.

"All right, Weasley?" Coach Edgecombe asked.

"Yes sir."

"Better have Dashwood take a look just in case."

Ginny nodded and then saw that Malfoy was staring at her again, though the expression was unreadable now. Strangely, she was pleased that Malfoy didn't ask if she was okay when he could plainly see that she was, and knew that she would be properly assessed shortly. There was a definite freedom in not having to constantly reassure everyone around her that she was, in fact, okay.

Her first practice might not have been flawless, but okay. It was something to improve upon and to prove herself to the Wasps. "Don't worry, Ginny," Mellie said, patting her shoulder before flying off back towards the goals, "happens to all of us one time or another." Coming from another player, the words were reassuring. They were all professional athletes and had likely been in her shoes.

"Thanks, Mellie," she said.

Ginny needed to see Dashwood, but she wanted to hang back just to watch Malfoy's turn at the drill now that practice had resumed. She admired his elegant seat as he flew a few small circles to gather momentum, his sleek, quick movements meant to throw off Mellie's judgement (which it frequently did). He crouched over his broom to dodge a Bludger and never paused, though he maintained speed and direction with seeming ease – a feline grace she envied. He was a born Chaser. She had noticed his flying skills at Hogwarts and later during his season with the Baby Wasps, but she had never been so close to notice the smallest details. He had always been a remarkably stylish Seeker, but his skills were never showcased in this position. As a Chaser, his fluidity was stunning.

"Thanks for drawing my bath, Harry," Ginny murmured, leaning back against the tub. Regardless of her annoyance that morning, she was pleased to find him waiting for her, and Harry was so rarely available in the evenings. She opened her eyes briefly. "Why don't you join me? My muscles ache and it would be nice to just lie here with you."

"You sure?" Normally, Ginny did not like to share a bath.

"Absolutely," she smiled. "Come on, get naked with me Potter."

Harry quickly shed his clothes and slid in behind her so that she rested against his chest. Then, he tapped the tub to enlarge it comfortably, and dropped his wand to the side. "That's much better," he said. "So, how was your first day as a Wasp?"

"Brutal drills. Edgecombe is a much tougher coach than Langdale ever was for the Ducks. But, he is good and creative. Did you know that the Wasps and the Baby Wasps practice together sometimes? I wish that they'd done that in the Magpies organisation." Malfoy was a tougher and better captain than she expected too.

"Were you cleared for contact?"

"Not yet, but increased drills, so I think that it should be soon."

"How do you feel?"

"No headaches so far," she hedged, beyond the Bludger episode she had no intention of disclosing.

Harry urged her up a little so that he could massage her shoulders. "Good." His fingers stilled when they brushed across a bruise. "I thought you said that you weren't cleared for contact."

"A rogue Bludger. I'm okay though." His fingers continued tracing the outline of the bruise, larger than she expected, a little larger than her hand even. It hadn't seemed so large when it hit her side and caught her off-balance; it hadn't even hurt at the time. She waited for her lecture, silent and bullish, though Harry couldn't see her expression.

Please don't say I told you so, she thought, even uncharitably for as often as they argued about her career, he had never said such a thing. She expected it though, somehow.

"I still wish that you had taken more time off."

She sighed. "I'm fine, Harry. I promise." She turned slightly and pressed a kiss to the hand resting on her shoulder.

"It was a nasty concussion, Gin. They had to levitate you off the pitch."

He always had to push, though he knew her temper had been quick since the concussion – even as she recognised that she was slightly unreasonable in this respect.

"I swear to Merlin that I'm fine," she said, irritably. At his hurt expression, she amended, "I'm sorry, Harry. I know that you've been worried. I'm just sore and grouchy."

Ginny felt Harry's furrowed brow resting against her temple, the tightness about his arms that bespoke his frustration more than his voice had betrayed. He'd grown so used to keeping his emotions in check after her injury. She'd been so sensitive to others' moods as well as her own that Harry had begun to hide so much from her – to protect her, because he could not bear to see her cringing and huddled, glasses and tables shattering from her uncontrolled magic. And now they were both strangled with the fears and thoughts.

"And you had to deal with Malfoy all day. That would make anyone sore."

Ginny turned back and closed her eyes, enjoying Harry's ministrations, allowing her mind to wander. Malfoy flew so effortlessly, more effortlessly than anyone she had ever seen in person. Harry had been a better Seeker in school, but he could not match Malfoy's flying in later years. And his aim in goal-scoring. He could trick a Keeper so easily – swerving and feinting and deking. Flying on his line in practice had been exhilarating. They clicked so well. Perhaps it was their former animosity, but she could feel where he was on the pitch – as she had nearly always been aware of his presence in a room.

And, for whatever his reason, he had not remarked or mocked or scolded her for the Bludger incident. It had not been her fault, but her weakness was; her judgement was at fault. And Malfoy had not said a word about it afterwards, or about much at all to her.

"Ginny?"

"Oh, what, Harry?" she asked, grateful that he could not see her flushing cheeks.

"I asked if Malfoy had been awful to you."

"No, why would he be?" She answered, grateful that Harry had let the bruise slide so easily.

"Honestly?"

"Harry, that was just a school rivalry. Malfoy and I are on the same team now. It would not be in his best interest to start something with his line-mate."

"I suppose not," he conceded reluctantly.

She reached for her shampoo and handed it to him. "Suds me up, will you?"

He obliged, slowly massaging her scalp just as she liked. "I still don't like you working with him so closely. Malfoy can still be dangerous."

"We are all grown-ups now, Harry. The war was a long time ago."

"Not so long ago and he still has terrible connections."

"Which you know that he is trying to get past."

"How do you know that?"

"Well, he is certainly not taking part in Death Eater raids, is he? Not with Edgecombe's schedule."

Ginny didn't have to face Harry to read his irritation. He would never see reason where a Malfoy was concerned, and he was an Auror through and through. The war was over and he'd had a part in that, but he also had a part in the keeping of the peace. He would always strike against the monsters in the shadows instead of learning to live with them.

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