I Never Thought I Would Be A Hero
Original Dark Angel
Disclaimer: I do not and have never claimed to own the genius of Harry Potter. That belongs solely to JK Rowling. I'm simply borrowing Characters, Places, and Spells to play with and expand upon.
Warnings: This story contains cutting, violence, language, murder and other elements of a dramatic romance filled with action. If a chapter deals explicitly with such a subject, a warning will also appear in that chapter. There are OCs in this. I defend my right to create OCs with the fact that JKR introduces new characters in every book (Colin, Lockhart, Remus, Sirius, Fleur, Viktor, Tonks, Luna, Slughorn, and Morfin to name a few).
Author's Note 1st Edition: For my readers from HPFF, this is the same story with the previous multiple short chapters grouped into decent-sized ones and revised. I plan on updating this story once a week, every Wednesday hopefully. Enjoy.
Author's Note 2nd Edition: For the HPFF readers, this version has the murder scene not permitted by HPFF. I forgot to mention that last time. Onward. I'm revising this entire story with my new beta Shuri 'in a world of black and white' so that small mistakes can be corrected and my grammar improved. I also intend to add new scenes to the story that were left out the first time for further clarification. Like the first run through, I intend to update with a revised chapter on Wednesdays, but only every other Wednesday since I have a demanding real life. Enjoy.
Prologue:
"Mummy?"
Ginny paused, one hand still on the light switch, and turned back to look at her beautiful six-year-old daughter, Sara. "Yes, sweetheart?"
"Evan told our class today that his daddy and mummy were friends with Harry Potter and helped him stop Voldemort. Did you or Daddy ever do anything important in the Great War?"
Ginny smiled. Do anything important in the Great War? Ginny thought to herself. We were the youngest aurors in almost three decades. We stuck together despite opposition from friends and family. We survived. It was so long ago, but I will never forget that fateful evening when Albus Dumbledore brought Draco Malfoy to #12 Grimmauld Place, will never forget the reactions of my friends and family, and will never forget how it changed my life. You see, darling, I never thought I would be a hero.
Chapter 1: Charades
Ginny and Ron were playing Wizard's Chess when it happened. Hermione had been draped over a chair, reading Hogwarts, A History for the millionth time. Neville and Luna sat in the corner reading The Quibbler (upside down and backward of course; there was a Japanese manga translation on ninja frogs in this edition). Harry was sulking by the fire with the magic mirrors that Sirius had given him. He was always sulking these days; these days; he even sulked straight through Bill and Fleur's wedding ceremony.
Then Dumbledore had appeared with Malfoy and sent the entire gathering into a frenzied disarray. Harry leapt up, ready to jinx the other boy, but Dumbledore calmly disarmed him, speaking patronizingly with his grandfatherly tone. "Draco is here on my invitation, Harry. Jinxing him would be poor form."
"He's a Malfoy," Harry spat angrily, eyes flashing. "His aunt killed Sirius, and his parents are deatheaters, and . . . and . . . and he's a Malfoy!"
"You're repeating yourself, Potter," drawled Malfoy carelessly. "My surname has little to do with who I am."
"It's everything!" Harry exploded.
"Harry, please sit down, or I'll be forced to stun you," Dumbledore ordered sharply. "I understand your feelings about this, but I'm afraid that I can't respect them. Draco has been my spy since he came here at eleven. The information that he has gleaned from his home and from the children of the other death eaters has proven valuable time and time again. In order to win the confidence of his family and friends, he pretended to violently dislike you all."
"Who was pretending? I don't like Potter, period," Malfoy corrected. "The same goes for Weasley, Longbottom, and Granger (although I do apologize for calling Granger a mudblood, since it was quite rude and unbefitting a gentleman like myself)."
Ginny snorted, but quieted when the unnerving silver eyes turned on her. After a moment, Malfoy shrugged. "I've nothing against Lovegood or the little Weasley."
"Thank you, Draco," Dumbledore cut in while Ginny fumed inwardly. Little Weasley indeed, she thought angrily. I'll show him. Tightening her hold on her rage, she forced herself to listen to Dumbledore. "The point is that Draco Malfoy is on our side. He is a highly skilled wizard, and he is an important member of the Order of the Phoenix."
"No fair," Ron exclaimed. "You said underage wizards couldn't join!"
"I have changed my mind. You will all be inducted tonight, should you decide that you are certain in what you want." The headmaster paused and studied Ginny for a long moment. "Ginevra, I need to know your answer now, because Draco's next assignment requires you."
Picturing herself in some daring fight, winning praise and respect from both the order and Malfoy alike, Ginny nodded. "I'll do it."
Ginny waited until she had left the meeting to give into the childish impulse to storm upstairs and flop onto her bed in a huff.
Malfoy's girlfriend . . . Ginny Weasley would pretend to be Draco Malfoy's girlfriend to infiltrate the circle of deatheaters and keep the Slytherin girls from attempting to get too close to the order's spy. Ginny was having a very odd day.
With a sigh, Ginny got up and laid out her oldest hand-me-downs for the next day; what would be the first day of a very long charade.
Ginny trailed along after her friends and family, visibly growing more sullen by the minute. Anyone following them would have seen her argue for new things in the previous shops. They would have seen her slighted by the Dream Team and condescendingly patted on the head by her father. Any silent watcher would have seen a fuming redhead build up steam and wisely vacated the premises.
Their next stop was Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor, where she planned to succumb to a fit of temper not entirely an act. Ginny waited for just the right moment, just after her father ordered her ice cream for her as he had done her entire life, and then . . . then she exploded.
"Can't I even choose my own ice cream? You've ordered the same thing for me since I was five-years-old. I'm not five anymore! I'm fifteen, and perfectly able to choose and order my own ice cream!"
"Here, Gin. Just order another cone." Harry shoved a galleon into her hand, his face a little shocked at the intensity of her display. Ginny threw it at the floor.
"My name is Ginny, not Gin, and I don't want you to give me money just to shut me up. I want respect. I thought that you of all people would give me some respect, but you're just the same as the rest of them! Last year, I was hurt and you were too busy with precious Hermione to give me a second glance. Well, I don't need you. I don't need my family and the stupid hand-me-downs. Just watch!" She stormed out, catching a glimpse of a dramatic sweep of Malfoy's cloak, the ever vampire-like Slytherin. Ginny heard him throw change on the table and follow her, but led him on a merry chase for a few shops before letting him catch her.
"I think I may have misjudged you, Weasley. You have real potential."
"What do you want, Malfoy?"
"To give you the respect you crave . . . Those fools didn't realize how special you are. Smart, talented, brave, beautiful," he offered.
Ginny frowned. Laying it on a little thick, aren't you Malfoy?
Malfoy continued though. "You deserve better than their junk heap. Come with me, I'll give you everything you ever wanted." All through this, Ginny had pretended to preen, but now she paused.
"Come on," he coaxed. "Try something a little dark and dangerous for once."
Well, if he was going to make the scene romance novel worthy, Ginny might as well play her part. Ignoring her family watching open-mouthed from the ice cream parlor window, Ginny moved closer to Malfoy, gripping his shirt with first one hand and then the other to stand on tiptoe. "Something dark . . . and dangerous . . . and mine." She mock-whispered the last phrase directly into his ear. "Sounds perfect," she added, leaning back but not releasing her hold. "I accept . . . on one condition. You have to promise to show me a great time."
"Done, m'lady."
Six hours later in the Leaky Cauldron, Ginny hung on Malfoy's arm with a cool nonchalance that Pansy could never hope to duplicate. Her clothes were new and darker than her mother would usually approve and the bags at her feet held the rest of her conquest. She sneered at her own family when they passed by on their way to the fireplaces. The twins and Ron stalked by, clearly not speaking to her. Her father's face tightened when he caught sight of the pair, and he hurried a fluttering, anxious Molly Weasley ahead of him in the same way that Ron had hurried Hermione. Harry alone turned back and called to her.
"Oh, I'll catch up. You go on ahead."
"I'm not leaving you alone in Diagon Alley with the likes of him wandering about!" Harry jerked his head in Malfoy's direction.
"Well, I'm not alone, am I, Harry? I have Draco to protect me."
Harry grabbed her arm. I'm not leaving you with a Malfoy as an escort!" He was suddenly blasted backwards away from Ginny.
Malfoy calmly pocketed his wand. "I believe the lady said that she wished for you to leave. Manhandling her is something I will not permit."
"That's underage magic," Harry protested. "You're not allowed!"
Draco raised an eyebrow. "The Ministry of Magic decrees regarding underage magic have been relaxed in consideration of the war effort. Try not to run afoul of or accost anyone else on your way home." He turned to Ginny and offered her his arm. "Mother is waiting for me in our private back room. Shall we go?" Ginny accepted his arm, and without a backward glance at Harry, followed Draco's lead.
"Draco, what is this?" Narcissa asked, prim and proper with surprise.
"I would like you to meet Ginny, Mother. I found her in the ice cream parlor and I couldn't take my eyes off of her."
"A Weasley? Your father . . ."
"She's much more sensible than the rest of her family."
"She's friends with a mudblood, Draco," his mother reminded him.
"Hermione Granger was never my 'friend.' She was merely using me to get closer to my brother, Ron," Ginny said, coolly. "Besides, it isn't a matter of blood. It's a matter of power. Power and desire."
"Well spoken." An impressed Narcissa leaned forward and studied Ginny openly. Ginny met her gaze with a cool stare. Narcissa finally nodded. "Pride, confidence, and beauty; an excellent combination, my dear. Draco is a fair judge of character, so I trust his instincts and hope to see you again." Lady Malfoy turned to her son and ordered, "Say good-bye, Draco. I need to get back to the manor."
"Yes, Mother." He turned to Ginny, brushing a kiss across her cheek genteelly. "See you on the train next week. I'll save you a seat." Then he handed her the bags and joined his mother. "Good-bye, Ginny." Ginny turned and stepped into the private flame and muttered her destination.
As she stumbled from the fireplace, Ginny was greeted by the others' cheers and loud war whoops. It took a few moments to work her way through her friends to the adults on the other side of the room.
Lupin nodded and patted her on the back. "Excellent performance, Ginny. Any spies would have been completely convinced. Remind me to compliment Draco on his equal acting talents when I next see him."
"Mrs. Malfoy never suspected then?" Dumbledore asked quizzically.
"Thinks I'm perfect for Draco and my cold attitude probably helped."
"You had us fooled and we knew the truth," giggled Hermione. "And you even got a free shopping trip out of it."
"An all-expenses-paid-for-by-the-Malfoys shopping trip," Ginny grinned. "Whatever I wanted. Malfoy just threw the money across the counter like it was peanuts."
"I overheard two old witches already gossiping about 'the mess the Weasley girl got herself into' and 'how awfully she treated that poor Potter boy,'" Neville added.
"Well done, Ginevra. I must go check in with Draco now. Good-bye all." With this final comment, Dumbledore stepped into the flames and disappeared.
Kings Cross, especially Platform 9 ¾, was always overcrowded on September 1st, but it seemed barren to Ginny as she trailed after her family. It seemed like she was the only one on stage and every member of the audience was focused on her. Keeping her pace sluggish so that she was well behind her family, Ginny tried to focus on the task ahead of her. She heard her name being called and turned to find Malfoy striding towards her. Ginny forced a smile as her 'boyfriend' came closer, instead of the usual scowl she reserved for Malfoy and his cronies. He slipped a possessive arm around her waist and brushed a kiss against her cheek, before gesturing sternly to his house-elves. The little creatures hoisted Ginny's trunk and rushed it with Malfoy's to the end of the train. Ginny felt bad for them as her trunk was considerably heavier than usual this year because of all her new things. But she held fast to her new position in life, and let Malfoy guide her to the prefects' car.
The car was filled to capacity, because the two new kids (foreign exchange students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang) had been told to report there as well. The girl chatted openly in broken English, but the boy had his hood pulled up and stared out the window quietly. Since there was nowhere for her to sit, Ginny ended up sitting on Malfoy's lap, one hand resting comfortably on his shoulder (he was a convenient height for that), drawing stares from all. Luna, Hermione, and Ron were making a point of ignoring her and a furious Colin Creevey followed their lead.
Pansy, on the other hand, was staring at her with a glare that if looks could kill, Ginny had no hope. Ginny stared back, until Pansy shifted uncomfortably and broke the silence.
"Finally got decent clothes, Weasel?" she sneered. "What'd you do? Sell your house?"
"Keep a civil tongue in your head when you're talking to my girlfriend, Pansy," Draco drawled. "If you don't, the consequences will be most painful."
"But . . . but . . ." Pansy burst into tears and ran from the compartment.
"Come on, Ron," Hermione sniffed. "We're supposed to be patrolling the train." They swept out, followed by Colin.
"Finally," Ginny muttered under her breath as she turned to look up at Malfoy. Complaining was a very normal thing for a girlfriend to do after all. "He's been such a pain, ever since Diagon Alley. I hate it when he-"
The train slammed to a stop, and she was thrown against Malfoy, hands against the walls over his shoulder, body against his, and faces an inch apart. "Any excuse," she whispered as the lights flickered.
"Damn straight," he muttered and claimed her mouth with his. Up until this point, Ginny had maintained a silent mantra of Act! Act Ginny, like your life depends on it because it probably does! But when Draco Malfoy kissed her, she no longer needed to act. The only thing she could do was react to it. She ignored the lights coming back on, the whistles, and footsteps, but she couldn't ignore Ron.
"Malfoy, get your filthy hands off my sister!" her older brother yelled, grabbing Ginny's shoulder and pulling her away. She stomped on Ron's foot, and jerked her head back, hitting him hard. "Ow!" Ron let go of her in favor of clutching at his nose.
Ginny turned on him with a fury. "I am fifteen years old, Ronald Weasley! And I'm certainly old enough to decide who I want to kiss!"
"Not if you pick bloody Malfoy!" Ron shouted, still holding his nose. With a glare, the older redhead threw open the compartment door and called down the corridor, "Dementors! The Malfoy boy is in here!" he called out into the corridor. He turned back to the frightened teens still remaining in the compartment. "The ministry sent dementors to escort the children of the imprisoned deatheaters to Hogwarts. He plans to meet them there for a little chat," Ron added spitefully.
"Ron!" Ginny had noticed how Malfoy went stark white at the mention of dementors. The exchange students, and the four remaining prefects looked little better. "How could you?" By this time a chill had filled the room and a dementor's hand closed around the doorframe. Memory of the quick and surprising kiss still running through her, she lifted her wand. "Expecto Patronum!" The silver asp that flew from her wand was no mist or vapor, but a full solid shimmering patronus that made the dementor turn away. Moments later a harassed ministry official appeared in the doorway.
"Miss Weasley, what is the meaning of this?" he demanded. "We're under orders to ensure that these students arrive at Hogwarts."
"There is no need for the dementors, Mr. Krane," she informed him severely. "I give you my word that Draco Malfoy will arrive at Hogwarts. Should you want to speak to any student at that time, I suggest that you clear it with Dumbledore first."
"So it is true . . . the rumors . . . I never would have thought it of a Weasley." Grumbling about teenage witches and lousy pay, Krane left, presumably taking the dementors with him since the room warmed up considerably.
Ginny sat down beside Malfoy and observed the marks made by fingernails on his palms. She then made a mental note to find out what Draco didn't want to remember.
Upon entering the Great Hall, Ginny was stunned to see that the long house tables were no longer in existence. Instead there were many small round tables with five chairs apiece. The new tables that were scattered throughout the hall bore all four colors, but Draco sat at the one directly under the Slytherin flag. Hermione, Ron, Harry, Neville, and Luna took seats at a table across the Hall under the Gryffindor banner.
Crabbe and Goyle joined them, but Ginny looked around nervously, hoping against hope that Pansy wouldn't appear to sit in the last vacant chair. Her heart sank as the other girl came forward, but then Malfoy called out.
"Blaise! Hurry up!"
Another boy sat on Ginny's other side. As dark as Draco was fair, Blaise studied her openly. Ginny didn't glare at him. She had the feeling he wouldn't respond well to it and this guy's opinion would be something she'd need long before Crabbe's or Goyle's. Finally, he nodded. "Good choice, Draco. Prettier, smarter, and sweeter than Pansy at any rate." He offered his hand. "Blaise Zabini."
"Ginny Weasley."
"Pleased to meet you." Ginny was surprised but not put out when the boy immediately turned to Malfoy and started interrogating him in Latin.
Malfoy shook his head. "May as well speak English, Blaise. Ginny speaks proper Latin as well as we do."
Blaise replied with a phrase that Ginny was only willing to translate as "but the two ogres don't." The idea he presented was highly improbable.
Malfoy grinned, whether at Blaise's joke or Ginny's incredulous expression, was anyone's guess. "Very true." Since he and Blaise continued in the language, Ginny couldn't be outdone and she entered the flurried discussion of the Fifth Year Potions Curriculum. The two boys were a wealth of knowledge for the subject she would have to take this year. They became so caught up in conversation that they almost missed the First Years' entrance.
"Did they row across the lake or swim it?" Malfoy inserted into the conversation, reverting back to English for Crabbe and Goyle's benefit. The blonde stood up to get a better look at the soaked First Years. "There are only seven of them, and then the two new exchange students of course."
"The girl looks about Ginny's age," Blaise put in. "But the boy looks like he's a Seventh Year." The new boy turned to look at them, making both Ginny and Blaise shiver at his cold expression. "Remind me not to cross him," Blaise added fervently.
Malfoy's hand tightened around Ginny's, bruising her fingers. She obediently slid closer to him. He wrapped his arm around her waist, and whispered into her ear. "Don't go near that boy unless I'm with you," he hissed. Ginny nodded and forced herself to smile, kissing his cheek as if her 'boyfriend' had said something sweet.
Dumbledore stood and waved for silence. "I'd like to introduce our two new exchange students, Dominique Delacour, Fourth Year from Beauxbatens, and Lucas Lestrange, Seventh Year from Durmstrang. We shall sort them first and then our first years."
Dominque Delacour was promptly added to Ravenclaw and Lucas Lestrange was placed in Slytherin with a speed that rivaled Malfoy's sorting from what Ginny had heard form her older brother.
The first years sorting took second place to the boy walking towards them. Dark hair, acid green eyes, and cruel stare in place, he advanced on Malfoy with a cheery "Cousin Draco!"
"Lucas." The blonde's tone was cold.
"What kind of welcome is that for your dear cousin? Pretty girl you've got there."
"Keep you hands and spells off her. Since there are plenty of girls at Hogwarts, there is no need to mess with mine. Try your talents out on Parkinson if you must," Malfoy said in disgust. "Crabbe! Goyle! Move aside for my cousin." Lucas moved a chair and sat between the two thugs. "Get to the point, Lucas, and tell us what the bloody hell you're doing here."
"No introductions, Draco?"
"Crabbe, Goyle, Blaise Zabini, meet my cousin, Lucas Lestrange."
"You forgot your pretty girlfriend."
"That was my intention," Malfoy said shortly. "Blast it. Dumbledore's finished. Parkinson can take the first years. I'll walk you to your common room," he directed towards Ginny, taking her hand in his, and leaving the others behind. Dropping behind the group of excited students, he whispered softly, "Stay away from Lucas. He's killed more girls than you could imagine."
"Dumbledore wouldn't let a felon-"
"He's not a felon. But just because you can't prove it, doesn't mean he didn't do it. And Dumbledore must have his reasons. I just don't understand why he didn't warn me . . ." He switched topics abruptly. "How do you think we did with fooling everyone?"
"Crabbe and Goyle are too thick to comprehend much of anything. Pansy is jealous. My old friends won't speak to me. Your cousin is drooling over me, which I do not appreciate by the way since he's creepier than you, but I doubt he realized anything was off. I'm not sure about Blaise."
"He's smart, and he'll be the hardest one to fool."
"I'm surprised you hang out with the two trolls over him."
"Crabbe and Goyle are my bodyguards. Blaise is my friend . . . I think." She could tell that he was struggling to keep his voice calm. "Look, he has always claimed to be against Voldemort and encourages me to stand up to my father. But he might be a very well placed spy, so be careful what you say to him."
"I will." She stopped in front of the fat lady's portrait. "Thanks, Draco."
He pulled her back and kissed her good night just as a group of her roommates came up the stairs. The kiss continued despite her friends' giggles, and when it finally ended Malfoy stepped back and brought her fingertips to his lips. "Good night Ginny." He turned and walked away. Ginny flushed and turning to the portrait, mumbled the password to enter before her cheeks turned any redder.