MetaFic

Ginny walked toward the dungeons of the castle. She had received an owl from Professor Snape asking her to meet him in his office after her classes had finished for the day. Harry was working with Professor Black that afternoon, giving extra tutoring to some third years who were having trouble in Defense Against the Dark Arts.

With only three more weeks to go until the end of the term, all of Hogwarts brimmed with chaos. The students were making ready to return home for the summer. The Professors were trying to get in the last few sessions of course work before final exams were given. Everybody seemed to be moving with a purpose.

Because of this Ginny was actually alone. It was one of the few times she had not picked up an escort of other students, and frankly, she felt relieved. While she appreciated the sentiment, she was tired of her footsteps being constantly dogged. She cheerfully whistled to herself as she made her way toward Snape's office.

Ginny caught the flash of movement out of the corner of her eye. As she turned towards it she just saw a raised wand. Before she could react a voice cried out, "Stupefy!"

Surprised, Ginny made no attempt to avoid the spell. The stunner hit her in the chest, and she crumpled to the floor.

*****
When Ginny woke up her first thought was that it was very cold and damp. Then she remembered being hit with a spell. Ginny looked up and took in her surroundings.

She did not recognize the room she was in, but it was clearly somewhere in the dungeons of Hogwarts. She saw her wand sitting on a table set into the wall opposite of her. She was tied to a wooden chair. Ginny tasted blood and realized she must have busted her nose when she fell. Crabbe and Goyle were both watching her closely, and when they finally noticed she was awake, Crabbe left the room. A moment later he returned with Draco Malfoy.

"So the little Weaselette's decided to wake at last."

Ginny glared at him. "Malfoy, have you gone daft or something? You're not going to be able to explain this away as some prank."

"I'm not going to be explaining anything to anybody, Weasley."

"What are you playing at, Malfoy?"

"I'm not playing at anything, Weasley." Draco leaned in and sneered. "Or should I say Mrs. Potter?”

"Snape's expecting me in his office," Ginny said.

"Snape never sent you any letter, you stupid bint. I sent you that letter to get you down here. I've seen how those ignorant Gryffindors have slowly quit watching you. Fools thought you were safe, let down their guard."

Ginny realized she was in real trouble. All she could do was stall Malfoy and hope someone came looking for her. "Why are you doing this?"

Malfoy turned on her. "Because somehow, someway, I know that you and your precious Harry Potter are responsible for the murder of my father! I saw the look that passed between you and that old fool Dumbledore! Tell me what you did!"

She looked him squarely in the eye. "I have no idea what you're going on about, Malfoy."

Draco reached out and casually slapped her.

Ginny's head snapped around, and she fought back the blackness that threatened to take over her vision. She spit some blood on Malfoy's robes. "Is that the best you can do, Malfoy?"

Draco looked at her with pure malice. "You'll not be so arrogant when I take you to see my Master. Oh yes, he is very interested in speaking to the wife of Harry Potter."

Ginny looked back up at him. If Draco was that closely connected to Tom Riddle-- "You're the one who let the Dementors into the dungeons at Halloween, aren't you? You're the one who’s been working on the inside for Riddle."

Draco slapped her again. "You will call the Master "Lord Voldemort!"" Draco laughed. "Yes, I let them into the castle. I wish they'd kissed every student in the dungeon. Wouldn't it have just been delicious to see the look on Dumbledore’s face when he found them all dead." He looked crossly at Ginny again. "You had to go and spoil it."

Draco spun away from her and looked at his two hulking henchmen. "Watch her while I make the final arrangement to take her to the Master."

Ginny watched Draco strut out of the room. Crabbe and Goyle settled across from her on a bench, both of them regarding her with small, beady eyes. She smiled at them as best she could through her busted lips.

"You two have no idea how badly you've screwed up."

Her guards simply smirked and continued to glare at her.

Ginny tried the ropes that were holding her, but they were too tight to allow her any progress. She looked across the room at her wand. She'd done a little wandless magic before, but always by accident. She was just about to try to summon her wand when a new person arrived.

Daphne Greengrass swished through the door of the room.

Ginny looked at the Slytherin girl with imploring eyes. Daphne's face remained an emotionless mask as she turned to her two house mates.

"Draco sent me to tell you that everything's arranged."

The two blocky boys looked at each other. They hadn't been told that Daphne was a part of Draco's plan, so they didn't know how to react.

"Um--" started Crabbe.

Daphne dropped something on the floor. It hit with a metallic noise. Ginny saw that it was a ring.

"Oh, clumsy me. Could one of you pick that up for me? I'd be so grateful," Daphne simpered.

Crabbe bent over to pick the ring up.

Daphne smoothly lifted her knee, smashing it on Crabbe's nose. As Crabbe howled in pain, Daphne drew her wand and stunned Goyle. Before Crabbe could recover Daphne turned and hit him with the full body bind.

Daphne quickly moved to untie Ginny. "Sorry, it took me awhile to figure out how to get you out."

Ginny retrieved her wand and asked, "How did you know?"

"I overheard Draco telling the goons that he had plans for you. I've been following him all day."

The two women stepped into the hallway. They'd gone about a dozen paces when they heard movement behind them.

They turned to face the sound, wands at the ready.

Draco Malfoy had a look of sheer panic on his face. He knew that if Ginny escaped, his plans would be ruined and the Ministry Aurors would be after him. He also knew his Master had a low tolerance for failure. He pointed his wand at Ginny and cried out, "Crucio!"

Ginny saw the curse coming at her as if in slow motion. She knew in her brain that she needed to dodge, but she was too tired and disoriented from her rough treatment. All she could do was stare at the curse as it sped her way.

Daphne suffered no such handicap. She pushed Ginny to the floor and took the curse herself. She started screaming as she fell.

Ginny managed to cast a disarming curse at Draco. He dodged it but lost control of the curse he was holding on Daphne. Before Ginny could attack again, Draco had summoned both Ginny and Daphne's wands to him.

Ginny half sat, half laid on the floor, watching Draco approach. Daphne was being sick from having taken the Cruciatus curse full in the stomach. As Draco stood over Ginny, she couldn't help but smile.

"What's so damn funny, Weaselette!? Don't you get that you and this traitor are going to die?"

Ginny laughed around the pain she felt. "I know something you don't know," she whispered in a sing-song voice.

Draco Malfoy opened his mouth to ask her what she meant, but before he could, a strong hand grabbed him by the shoulder. As Draco was spun around he saw the fist of Ron Weasley heading for his face at high speed.

Then he saw nothing at all.