Traitoress

Misunderstandings

Dolohov yawned, settling against the tree more comfortably and listening to the muggle speakers from which tinny voices were issuing. One of the voices belonged to Harry Potter, who seemed to be planning a raid on Malfoy Manor, and Dolohov shifted uncomfortably as he thought of the muggle listening devices he had managed to install in the Burrow. The Dark Lord would not appreciate them owing the muggles something.

"So, we are aiming to incapacitate, not kill, Death Eaters?" Harry was asking.

There was a general murmur of assent.

"And we’re all clear that we want to capture Ginny?"

Again, people mumbled their agreement, some of them sounding eager.

"This evening, 7 o’clock, we attack Malfoy Manor!"

Dolohov shook himself awake, and after making sure that the Order of the Phoenix meeting was over, apparated back to the Manor to warn of the upcoming attack.

- - - - -

Draco opened his eyes to the sunlight leaking in through a gap in the curtains, slightly disorientated that he wasn’t in his own bedroom.

Ginny rolled over, sighing in her sleep, shuffling closer to him. He smiled at her peaceful face, pushing a strand of her red hair out of her face. But his light touch on her cheek made her stir and her brown eyes looked around the room in vague confusion until they alighted on him and relaxed.

"Hey…" she breathed, and touched his face gently with her finger tips, rewarded with a drowsy smile in return.

"Ouch!" Draco sat up suddenly, clutching at his Dark Mark while it burnt. Ginny sat up too, concern in her eyes.

"Who is it?" she asked. "Not the Dark Lord?"

"No…I think it’s Dolohov…" he breathed as the burning eased slightly. "I have to go…"

"It’s okay," she gave him a smile and climbed out of bed, in her underwear, looking for her bathroom things.

He watched her for a moment, cursing Dolohov for interrupting his time with Ginny, and wished, for Dolohov’s sake, that the news was important.

- - - - -

"Tonight, 7 o’clock?" Draco asked, sitting down in the green armchair by the ashes in the fireplace.

He was inside Malfoy Corporation headquarters, in his father’s office. The lighting was dim, as the heavy blinds were drawn across the window to hide Dolohov from possible Order of the Phoenix members.

"Yes," Dolohov confirmed.

"They’re aiming to rescue the mudblood and capture Ginny Riddle?" Draco asked, although it wasn’t really a question.

"Yes," Dolohov bowed to Draco and drew his wand to apparate.

"I’ll see you at the manor about 5 o’clock tonight," Draco said without looking up. "Tell Macnair and everyone else on non-essential business."

"Yes, Draco," Dolohov bowed again, then disapparated.

Draco sighed, already formulating battle strategies in his head. Many Death Eaters were on essential business, and he could only manage to call on Yaxley, Macnair, Dolohov, his parents, Bellatrix, his friends at the manor and about five other Death Eaters. This fight was going to be much too close for comfort, he thought, then his thoughts returned to Ginny and the danger she was in.

- - - - -

Ginny had spent the morning over a simmering cauldron, after looking at what potions the Malfoys were lacking. She was at the moment working on a healing potion that healed completely shattered bones, and she momentarily shuddered as she wondered why the store of this particular potion was so depleted.