~ Angel, Unbreak My Heart ~
* Interlude to Part Two
***********************************************************
"You want me to what?"
Ginny Weasley said this incredulously. She couldn't believe what she was hearing and could scarcely comprehend the logic behind Dumbledore's kind offer. Well, actually, it wasn't really something to be considered an offer, it was more resembling a decision with only one choice: to do it. More like an honor, she supposed in the back of her mind. But something tugged there as well. Why her? She repeated his words over and over in her head and yet, she was shocked to say the least. All these years, never once had she been seen as anyone of importance, or even deserving of any remote attention. And now this. What made her so special all of a sudden?
Dumbledore repeated himself without any touch of impatiency in his tone, and it was all she could do to nod her head and meekly say "Yes." She hoped she didn't sound too reluctant. In fact, she was secretly thrilled! Now she would no longer feel so lonely all the time if she was kept busy.
"Good, Miss Weasley. Your training begins first thing in the morning. I've already spoken to your professors and they gave high recommendations for you, with the exception of Professor Snape who didn't give an exactly flattering recommendation, but good enough nonetheless. You will no longer be taking your regular classes, but you will be trusted to private lessons and self-study. Most of your time will be spent in the infirmary. You were Madam Pomfrey's assistant last year, weren't you?" He paced around in his office, fiddling with his beard and absentmindedly stroking it, keeping his eyes locked on hers.
"Yes." And she was. She learned many potions, charms, spells and remedies both simple and complicated for all sorts of accidents and illnesses that often befell those unfortunate students who happened to fall victim. Although she never did anything hands-on (she mainly worked in the back looking up symptoms and running around doing errands and other miscellany) she had more experience than any other student in Hogwarts. This fell to her advantage, as she would later discover.
"Good. Madam Pomfrey will still be here with us for the next week and then she'll be leaving. That means you, and you alone, will be running the infirmary during her leave of absence," he informed her quietly, approaching his words delicately.
Ginny's head snapped up. "Only a week of training?" she asked.
"Yes, yes. I know it sounds a bit...much, but I trust you'll be able to handle it." Saying no more, he gestured for Ginny to rise from her seat, excusing her. "Thank you again, Miss Weasley, for your help."
And she said no more as he kindly escorted her from the door and left her with her contemplations alone in the hallway outside his office.
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The girl slipped quietly out of her bed and outside the dormitory where she and several other girls slept soundly, through the common room and down the hallway till she crept outside the gate, heart pounding in excitement and fear, as it always did as she made her nightly trips. Thankful that yet again she escaped without getting caught, she swiftly made her way down to the lake and to her tree. Under the brilliant gaze of an ever watchful moon, the girl and "her tree" were in complete contentment. It was a serene night and the beautiful reflection the moon gave off the thin sheet of ice that was forming on the lake just added to the mystical allure.
The wind was soft and caressed her skin as she just thought and watched the world around her suddenly still, frozen in a moment of time, literally. And in this moment of time there was only the girl, the tree and the girl's thoughts. She dug inside her robe pocket and found to her pleasure that there was still some miniature roseate fruits left that she had quickly grabbed from her secret stash. She nibbled contentedly on one and sighed. Magical nights like this always made her shiver and tingle. She heard a sound and her heart began to race.
"Who's there?" she whispered, hoping that it wasn't Filch or his disagreeable cat.
Then a voice spoke up from behind the girl, on the other side of the tree, again depriving the girl from her inner thoughts. It was neither friendly or amiable, but it wasn't cold and cutting either.
"You shouldn't be out here this time of night."
She couldn't see the person, but could tell by the voice that the owner was male. "And neither should you," she replied softly.
He said nothing in reply at first. There was a long pause of silence, but then the boy said smoothly, "I won't tell if you won't tell. If we don't tell each other who we are, then we both won't get into trouble." Sounded fair to her.
"Hm," she agreed quietly, spitting the seed out and burying it under the glistening snow with her hands. Well, without a doubt she wouldn't be able to concentrate and ponder with someone else's presence near her. She sighed, watching her breath make a puff of steam that curled and disappeared.
"So," she said, trying to strike up a polite conversation, "Do you come here often?"
"I guess you could say so," he answered. "How about you?"
"All the time," she admitted honestly. "What for? I mean, what do you come here for?"
The boy didn't say anything immediately and the girl wondered if he was going to answer her at all. "I think about things," was all he said, but the girl understood.
"What kind of things do you think about, if you don't mind me asking?" she inquired curiously, chewing on another piece of fruit.
There was another void of silence. "The meaning of life," he finally whispered, almost as if he didn't want her to hear. But she did.
"Ah. That old puzzler." The way she said it sounded like she was referring to a long, lost friend. "I used to think about that too."
"Ever figured it out?"
"Something like that, I believe. You interested?"
"Perhaps."
She exhaled and held her palm out around the tree, looking away from the figure. He looked, careful to stay in the shadows on his side of the tree. She was holding four fruits. He hesitated and wondered whether or not he could trust her.
She felt his reaction and then chuckled. "I'm not going to poison you, if that's what you're worried about." Then as if to reassure him, she popped a fruit in her mouth to show him that it was safe.
The boy examined the fruits. They were the same type, but they looked different. He chose the plumpest, juiciest-looking red fruit and slowly tasted it. And as soon as he bit into the tender skin surrounding what he thought was a sweet pulp, he felt his mouth pucker at the bitterness of the fruit. It assaulted his sense of taste and burned his tongue. Immediately, he spit it out and cried in disgust.
"What was THAT?" he demanded angrily.
The girl said in all seriousness, "First lesson of life. Things aren't always as they appear. Maybe you shouldn't have chosen the prettiest looking fruit of the bunch. Looks are deceiving. Try another."
He glanced between the two remaining fruits warily and then took the brownest, foulest and shriveled one and eyed it suspiciously before repeating his actions and biting, carefully this time, in his mouth. Again, he spit it out, his tongue starting to feel numb from the pure sensation of sour juices stinging.
"That was no different," he scoffed, his voice almost sounding cruel and angry.
"Lesson number two of life. Don't believe everything people tell you. Make your own decisions and act accordingly to what you believe, not just solely on what people say." The girl said this solemnly and slowly. "Try the last one. But this time, don't spit it out."
He didn't know why he listened to her, there was something about her. He couldn't quite place his finger on just what it was that drove him to force his lips closed when he gingerly tasted the last piece of fruit. It drove him insane. The burn, the sourness...and just when he thought he couldn't take anymore, it suddenly stopped. The juices turned from acidly bitter to deliciously sweet. And not just ordinarily sweet; the pain through which he endured made his victory all the sweeter. And altogether too soon, he had swallowed and all that was left was a lingering aftertaste. The boy was evidently hungry for more, but to his disappointment, there were none left. Her palm was empty.
"Thirdly, give life a chance. You may be pleasantly surprised."
He said nothing again, and let the words sink in.
"I have to go now," she said gently after awhile. "Thank you for talking with me."
"You're entirely welcome. And thank you," the boy replied emotionlessly.
As the girl stood and pulled her worn, old cloak to cover her face, he called out after her. "What about you? What do YOU come out here for?"
The girl didn't turn around, she just stopped and then replied, her face suddenly overcome with a grin he could not see, even with the brilliant moonlight dancing on the snow. She said simply,
"I wait for inspiration."
And with that, Ginny Weasley returned to the castle, leaving a very enlightened Draco Malfoy under her tree, still licking his lips, savoring the flavor of the fruit.
***********************************************************
Author's Note: Ok, that was NOT how I intended for this chapter to come out, but it just popped into my head! I just want to thank my lovely reviewers, I had no idea so many of you would respond! I'm sorry it took so long too, I was on vacation ^_^ as always, I would always appreciate feedback on this chapter and on the story.
* Interlude to Part Two
***********************************************************
"You want me to what?"
Ginny Weasley said this incredulously. She couldn't believe what she was hearing and could scarcely comprehend the logic behind Dumbledore's kind offer. Well, actually, it wasn't really something to be considered an offer, it was more resembling a decision with only one choice: to do it. More like an honor, she supposed in the back of her mind. But something tugged there as well. Why her? She repeated his words over and over in her head and yet, she was shocked to say the least. All these years, never once had she been seen as anyone of importance, or even deserving of any remote attention. And now this. What made her so special all of a sudden?
Dumbledore repeated himself without any touch of impatiency in his tone, and it was all she could do to nod her head and meekly say "Yes." She hoped she didn't sound too reluctant. In fact, she was secretly thrilled! Now she would no longer feel so lonely all the time if she was kept busy.
"Good, Miss Weasley. Your training begins first thing in the morning. I've already spoken to your professors and they gave high recommendations for you, with the exception of Professor Snape who didn't give an exactly flattering recommendation, but good enough nonetheless. You will no longer be taking your regular classes, but you will be trusted to private lessons and self-study. Most of your time will be spent in the infirmary. You were Madam Pomfrey's assistant last year, weren't you?" He paced around in his office, fiddling with his beard and absentmindedly stroking it, keeping his eyes locked on hers.
"Yes." And she was. She learned many potions, charms, spells and remedies both simple and complicated for all sorts of accidents and illnesses that often befell those unfortunate students who happened to fall victim. Although she never did anything hands-on (she mainly worked in the back looking up symptoms and running around doing errands and other miscellany) she had more experience than any other student in Hogwarts. This fell to her advantage, as she would later discover.
"Good. Madam Pomfrey will still be here with us for the next week and then she'll be leaving. That means you, and you alone, will be running the infirmary during her leave of absence," he informed her quietly, approaching his words delicately.
Ginny's head snapped up. "Only a week of training?" she asked.
"Yes, yes. I know it sounds a bit...much, but I trust you'll be able to handle it." Saying no more, he gestured for Ginny to rise from her seat, excusing her. "Thank you again, Miss Weasley, for your help."
And she said no more as he kindly escorted her from the door and left her with her contemplations alone in the hallway outside his office.
***********************************************************
The girl slipped quietly out of her bed and outside the dormitory where she and several other girls slept soundly, through the common room and down the hallway till she crept outside the gate, heart pounding in excitement and fear, as it always did as she made her nightly trips. Thankful that yet again she escaped without getting caught, she swiftly made her way down to the lake and to her tree. Under the brilliant gaze of an ever watchful moon, the girl and "her tree" were in complete contentment. It was a serene night and the beautiful reflection the moon gave off the thin sheet of ice that was forming on the lake just added to the mystical allure.
The wind was soft and caressed her skin as she just thought and watched the world around her suddenly still, frozen in a moment of time, literally. And in this moment of time there was only the girl, the tree and the girl's thoughts. She dug inside her robe pocket and found to her pleasure that there was still some miniature roseate fruits left that she had quickly grabbed from her secret stash. She nibbled contentedly on one and sighed. Magical nights like this always made her shiver and tingle. She heard a sound and her heart began to race.
"Who's there?" she whispered, hoping that it wasn't Filch or his disagreeable cat.
Then a voice spoke up from behind the girl, on the other side of the tree, again depriving the girl from her inner thoughts. It was neither friendly or amiable, but it wasn't cold and cutting either.
"You shouldn't be out here this time of night."
She couldn't see the person, but could tell by the voice that the owner was male. "And neither should you," she replied softly.
He said nothing in reply at first. There was a long pause of silence, but then the boy said smoothly, "I won't tell if you won't tell. If we don't tell each other who we are, then we both won't get into trouble." Sounded fair to her.
"Hm," she agreed quietly, spitting the seed out and burying it under the glistening snow with her hands. Well, without a doubt she wouldn't be able to concentrate and ponder with someone else's presence near her. She sighed, watching her breath make a puff of steam that curled and disappeared.
"So," she said, trying to strike up a polite conversation, "Do you come here often?"
"I guess you could say so," he answered. "How about you?"
"All the time," she admitted honestly. "What for? I mean, what do you come here for?"
The boy didn't say anything immediately and the girl wondered if he was going to answer her at all. "I think about things," was all he said, but the girl understood.
"What kind of things do you think about, if you don't mind me asking?" she inquired curiously, chewing on another piece of fruit.
There was another void of silence. "The meaning of life," he finally whispered, almost as if he didn't want her to hear. But she did.
"Ah. That old puzzler." The way she said it sounded like she was referring to a long, lost friend. "I used to think about that too."
"Ever figured it out?"
"Something like that, I believe. You interested?"
"Perhaps."
She exhaled and held her palm out around the tree, looking away from the figure. He looked, careful to stay in the shadows on his side of the tree. She was holding four fruits. He hesitated and wondered whether or not he could trust her.
She felt his reaction and then chuckled. "I'm not going to poison you, if that's what you're worried about." Then as if to reassure him, she popped a fruit in her mouth to show him that it was safe.
The boy examined the fruits. They were the same type, but they looked different. He chose the plumpest, juiciest-looking red fruit and slowly tasted it. And as soon as he bit into the tender skin surrounding what he thought was a sweet pulp, he felt his mouth pucker at the bitterness of the fruit. It assaulted his sense of taste and burned his tongue. Immediately, he spit it out and cried in disgust.
"What was THAT?" he demanded angrily.
The girl said in all seriousness, "First lesson of life. Things aren't always as they appear. Maybe you shouldn't have chosen the prettiest looking fruit of the bunch. Looks are deceiving. Try another."
He glanced between the two remaining fruits warily and then took the brownest, foulest and shriveled one and eyed it suspiciously before repeating his actions and biting, carefully this time, in his mouth. Again, he spit it out, his tongue starting to feel numb from the pure sensation of sour juices stinging.
"That was no different," he scoffed, his voice almost sounding cruel and angry.
"Lesson number two of life. Don't believe everything people tell you. Make your own decisions and act accordingly to what you believe, not just solely on what people say." The girl said this solemnly and slowly. "Try the last one. But this time, don't spit it out."
He didn't know why he listened to her, there was something about her. He couldn't quite place his finger on just what it was that drove him to force his lips closed when he gingerly tasted the last piece of fruit. It drove him insane. The burn, the sourness...and just when he thought he couldn't take anymore, it suddenly stopped. The juices turned from acidly bitter to deliciously sweet. And not just ordinarily sweet; the pain through which he endured made his victory all the sweeter. And altogether too soon, he had swallowed and all that was left was a lingering aftertaste. The boy was evidently hungry for more, but to his disappointment, there were none left. Her palm was empty.
"Thirdly, give life a chance. You may be pleasantly surprised."
He said nothing again, and let the words sink in.
"I have to go now," she said gently after awhile. "Thank you for talking with me."
"You're entirely welcome. And thank you," the boy replied emotionlessly.
As the girl stood and pulled her worn, old cloak to cover her face, he called out after her. "What about you? What do YOU come out here for?"
The girl didn't turn around, she just stopped and then replied, her face suddenly overcome with a grin he could not see, even with the brilliant moonlight dancing on the snow. She said simply,
"I wait for inspiration."
And with that, Ginny Weasley returned to the castle, leaving a very enlightened Draco Malfoy under her tree, still licking his lips, savoring the flavor of the fruit.
***********************************************************
Author's Note: Ok, that was NOT how I intended for this chapter to come out, but it just popped into my head! I just want to thank my lovely reviewers, I had no idea so many of you would respond! I'm sorry it took so long too, I was on vacation ^_^ as always, I would always appreciate feedback on this chapter and on the story.