Not What They Were- a Drinny fanfiction

Chapter 10

It had been weeks since he heard from her, weeks since she agreed to help him and he was growing impatient. Ginny was supposed to be the best Potions Master of their time, the identification should have taken a day or so, max!

..........But where did you get it? Ginny asked, concern knitting her brows together.

Don't mind that, just figure out what it does.........

If Ginny was unable to decipher the potion, Draco didn't have much hope for anyone else.

..........Ok, but who had it? If you tell me a little more about it, I might be able to figure out---

No! I can't! Just, just please try your best with what you have..........

He had been racked with guilt since that night, part of him believed Ginny had a right to know who the potion belonged too, but part of him wanted to protect her from the truth. Either way, he was losing. If she knew the truth she would be so jaded and hurt, Draco doubted she would trust anyone ever again. But if he kept it from her he ran the risk of her finding out on her own, knowing he lied to her, and she would never forgive him for betraying her. The thought of never speaking to her again was enough to crush him .

Weasley, the red-headed brat he hated in school, had slowly wrapped herself around his heart. Not a day had passed that he didn't think about her since she moved into Malfoy Laboratories. He hadn't expected to see her much if at all after he graduated, but her presence was so unexpected and warm, he couldn't deny the creeping inside him growing stronger. After school he had moved on from his crush, he had seen other women and tried to forget about her but she was always the one who plagued his dreams. And then, he had her. For one glorious night, he had her. Ginerva was his and no one else's. But he screwed it all up; he always screwed everything up. Why? Why had he been such an ass to her? His father's old ways had sprung to the surface; he had reverted to the facade he once wore and blown his shot at happiness with the one woman he knew would have accepted him for who he was past and present. He pushed her away. But he was determined, if he couldn't love her, at least he would be able to be near her. He wouldn't keep the potion owner's identity a secret forever, but he wouldn't tell her until she figured out what it was. He wouldn't be the one to hurt her again.

"Vivica!" Draco called from his place, perched on the edge of his desk, "Vivica!"

"Yessir?" a small, dark-skinned witch with bright white hair and a vivid white smile to match strolled into Draco's office without pretense.

"Can you see if Ginerva Weasley has made any progress with her project?" Draco asked.

"Yessir. But I doubt she has made much since this morning" Vivica smirked at her boss. The man who many people saw as a hard slave driver in the Aurora Department, was in fact, she knew, a kind-hearted child deep inside. He reminded her greatly of her own boys and she did her best to nurture his softer side. Closing the door behind her, Vivica left his office to check on Ginny's progress in person, disapparating and apparating a few moments later.

"Sir?" Vivica asked, "I just spoke with Ms. Weasley; she's done..."

Draco jumped from his seat behind his desk and bolted for the door before Vivica stepped into his path, blocking his exit.

"Don't!" She hollered as loud as she could, though she was small in stature, Vivica was mighty in heart. "Ms. Weasley said you are not to bother her Now she does not have the time at the moment. She said she would pay you a visit tonight."

"Unacceptable," Draco roared, "this is important, I'll go now." Draco made to move around Vivica but found himself blown back and knocked across the floor.