Draco Malfoy and the Gypsy Fortune-Teller

Draco Malfoy did not know what urged him to agree. Sure, he believed that the matter did need looking into. However, why did he have to go to Muggle New Orleans? What did it matter to him that there was some unauthorized wizard activity in the French Quartier? Draco scowled and bumped into a woman.

“Oh, sorry,” the woman said as she looked into the cold silver eyes of the man she bumped into. Her heart skipped a beat. Even with that foreboding scowl the man was breathtaking. He was tall and had platinum blond hair that she personally would have killed for. Wearing a long black coat over a loose white shirt and black slacks, he should have looked out of place in the crowded streets filled with color, but he just seemed to create his own place.

Draco nodded stiffly and moved on. Muggles, he thought dispassionately. He walked to one of the tents that seemed to have a huge crowd. He edged toward the end of the crowd. Two girls leaving were chattering animatedly.

“She is so awesome,” one girl said while sighing dramatically.

“It’s like she could read my mind,” the other one added.

Draco’s brow lifted. She couldn’t be a seer because all seers with even a modicum of talent are listed at birth. Hmm…maybe she’s a skilled Legilimens. However, if that was the case then she’d have to be using her wand and that would be obvious. Unless she was skilled at wandless Legilimancy. But if she was, then why hadn’t the Wizarding world heard about her? Wandless Legilimancy was a talent that very few wizards or witches mastered.

After five minutes, Draco noted that the crowd was moving rather slowly. He decided he would wait until she was about to close and talk to her at that point. He stepped out of the line and ducked in between two tents. The area was shadowy and would suit his purposes just fine. He set up an Apparition point, so he could come back easily, and Disapparated.

He walked in through the double doors that lead to the Auror department of the Ministry of Magic. Instead of heading for his office he made a detour. It was just the guy’s luck that he was in his office.

“Tell me, Potter,” Draco remarked as he stepped into Harry’s office. “I know we didn’t get along all that well in Hogwarts, but you’d think after the war was over, you’d get over this ridiculous prejudice you have of me.”

“Hullo, Malfoy. It’s great to see you too,” Harry said dryly. “Would you care to inform me what in the name of Merlin you’re talking about?”

“I’m talking about me being assigned to this crap assignment.”

“I don’t handle the assignments, remember? That’s Ron’s…” Harry trailed off, wincing slightly.

“Of course. Weasley,” Draco said between his teeth. “Just because his father is the Minister doesn’t mean he can pull junk like this.”

“Exactly what crap assignment did Ron give you?” Harry asked resignedly.

Draco explained the assignment to Harry and then took a seat in the chair across Harry’s desk and propped his legs on the desk.

“Why are we being pulled into America’s wizarding affairs?” Harry absently knocked Draco’s feet off his desk.

Draco gave him a look that said ‘Don’t you know anything?’ “Honestly, Potter, how did you get this job?”

“I believe killing Voldemort had something to do with it. That’s how you got it, remember?” Harry grinned crookedly. “Now, explain.”

Draco rolled his eyes. “Quite similar to the foolish ports pass, or whatever they’re called, that Muggles use that tell a person’s citizenship, a Wizard’s or Witch’s magic signal/energy source tells a their citizenship. Which in this case it shows us that the person’s British. And,” he continued, “added to that, our Ministry is far more superior than theirs is.”

“Oh,” Harry said sheepishly. “Well, I guess you got chosen because you’re a skilled Occlumens. Because the witch who’s doing this must have some Legilimency skills, right?”

“You think?” Draco spoke dryly.

“If you know all that why are you here?” Harry asked, sort of irritably.

“Mostly I wanted to complain.” Draco moved his shoulders in a way too lazy to be called a shrug.

“Still haven’t gotten over your spoiled, only child complex, huh?”

“Still haven’t gotten over your ‘look-at-me, I’m the Boy-Who-Lived’ stage, huh?”

“Don’t you have somewhere to be?” Harry asked. “Muggles to protect, countries to save?”

“Don’t make me hurt you, Potter,” Draco warned, turned around, and Apparated back to New Orleans.

Harry watched him leave with a slight smile on his face. While Draco wasn’t exactly a friend, he wasn’t an enemy any longer, either. They got along well enough; however, Draco and Ron still had a problem.

“Hullo, mate! Still working?” a voice shouted merrily.

Speak of the devil, Harry thought. “Hey, Ron. I was just finishing some stuff up.”

Ron nodded. “Uh huh. Well, I wanted to ask you if you’ve heard from Ginny.”

“No, Ron,” Harry replied resignedly. “You know she’ll contact us in a day or two.”

“Yeah, I know.” He raked a hand through his carrot-red hair. “It’s just that she usually gets in touch every week or so. And it’s been almost ten days! Ten days, Harry!”

“Ron,” Harry said firmly, before Ron could get into a snit. “Ginny can take care of herself perfectly well. You know that. And maybe, if you could have, oh, I don’t know, actually have told her this she wouldn’t have gone off.”

“What? Now it’s my fault?” Ron asked, outraged.

“No. And that’s not what I’m saying. I think that she left because no believed that she could take care of herself. That’s she’s someone other than the Minister’s daughter.”

Ron narrowed his eyes. “You know, that sounds remarkably similar to that dribble that Malfoy spouted to her a few days before she left.”

“Well,” Harry shrugged uncomfortably, “he may have had a point.”

“Harry,” Ron whispered scandalously. “Now, you’re going to tell me that you’re okay with hanging out with Malfoy.”

“Look, all I’m saying is that Draco Malfoy’s changed. He changed the day he joined the Order. Maybe he changed before that, even.”

“Oh, do you mean before or after he killed Dumbledore?”

“Draco didn’t kill Dumbledore, Snape did. And Snape did it to protect Draco, because that’s what Dumbledore wanted.”

“Sure, that’s what Snape says,” Ron scoffed.

“He said that under various truth spells and potions. Some of which Ginny and Hermione made. Are you saying that they’re behind this ‘Draco Malfoy’ conspiracy too?”

“No,” he said, deflated. “Where is that git anyways?”

“Shouldn’t you know? You’re the one that handles assignments.”

“Usually. I let Neville do it today because I didn’t feel like it.”

Harry shook his head. “He’s in New Orleans. A British witch is using unauthorized magic around Muggles. We don’t know what magic exactly because the American Wizarding government only monitors the use of magic not what magic exactly.”

“Hey, isn’t Ginny in America?”

“Yeah, but she wouldn’t use unauthorized magic around Muggles. Okay,” he corrected when Ron gave him a look. “She wouldn’t get caught using unauthorized magic around Muggles.”

Ron sighed. “I knew we should have kept her away from the twins. They were such a bad influence on Ginny.”

~*~ 

Ginny was currently in a trance. Or so it seemed like that to the Muggles in front of her. She peered into the crystal ball and said with a husky voice, “Your boyfriend is not cheating on you with another girl.”

The girl’s boyfriend sitting next to her looked infuriated. “Mandy! How could you think that? I would never cheat on you with another girl.”

“Oh, Billy,” Mandy eyes were almost overflowing with tears. “It’s just that you’ve been so distant-”

Ginny calculated this was the perfect time to drop the bomb. “He’s cheating on you with another guy.”

“What?” Mandy’s shock dried up her tears. “A guy?”

“Are you really going to believe this con artist, Mandy?” Billy asked and threw Ginny an evil glare.

Ginny mentally rolled her eyes. Of course, she thought sarcastically, it’s my fault he’s cheating on her. The man was about twenty, only a year younger than her but a lot more naïve. She suppressed a small sigh while Mandy started yelling at Billy, asking who the guy was. Sometimes she wished she had more excitement.

~*~ 

Draco Apparated back to the point he set up. Even though there was only about fifteen minutes until she supposedly left, there was still a line.

Draco reached into the pocket of his coat and placed his hand on his wand. As he wove threw the crowd he muttered a charm that made the Muggles remember another place they’d rather be at. He remembered that Ginny Weasley had made that charm to help with the Order because she couldn’t be in the war herself.

He frowned slightly as he wondered where she went. After Potter had killed Voldemort, Draco had stayed at the Order Headquarters to recover from his injuries and Ginny had been there. He hated anyone seeing him weak so he was short with her. He had yelled at her that all she was good at is hiding behind the scenes. That she had never done anything on her own. That was four years ago and she had walked out a few days after that. He never heard from her again, but he knew she wrote her family often so they wouldn’t worry.

As he reached the beginning of the line (or rather the front of the tent), an angry couple walked out.

“Not only are you cheating on me, but you’re cheating on me with my brother?” the woman screeched.

The man just kept his head down as he shuffled away muttering that it wasn’t like he planned it.

Draco raised a brow but didn’t say anything. He lifted the tent flap and walked in. In the center of the tent was woman dressed like a gypsy in a twirling dress of bright colors, dangling jewels, and a scarf around her dark black hair. The tent itself was not without color. There were rainbow colored cloths hanging down artistically, he supposed, from the ceiling and there was a lingering scent of incense in the air. And as the tent was bigger inside than it was outside, he was sure that the tent was a Wizard tent and that meant the woman had to be a witch.

The woman turned and their eyes met. For a second Draco thought she looked familiar but he couldn’t place her.

“Yes?” the woman asked. Her voice had a slight indiscernible accent.

“Hello.” Draco smiled charmingly. “I’m Draco Malfoy.” He held out a hand.

“I’m Madame Ariel,” the woman said and placed her hand in his. She was flustered slightly when he brought her hands up to his lips.

“A pleasure. I wonder if we can sit so I can explain what I’m doing here?”

“Ah, yes, of course. Let me get some tea.” Ginny turned around and busied herself with the teapot. Draco Malfoy had just walked into her tent. And he didn’t look that much different than the last time she’d seen him. It was all she could do to hold back her groan. Why, out of all the tents in the entire world, did he have to walk into mine? She was glad that she had changed since he last saw her, not to mention the glamour she wearing made it seem like she had black hair and blue eyes. Composed by that thought, she brought the tea tray to the table where Draco had seated himself.

“How do you prefer your tea?”

“Black would be fine.” Draco took a sip and waited until she had settled down. “Do you believe in magic, Madame Ariel? Witches and wizards and such.”

“Why do you wish to know?” Ginny asked as she raised an eyebrow.

“I’m looking for a witch. She has hidden herself.” Draco always thought that the best foundation of a lie was the truth.

“Ah, so you want me to find her?” Ginny asked with an outer calm she didn’t feel. She thought that she had covered herself by making her magic go undetected but she had probably missed something. She knew from letters by Harry, and various complaints from Ron, that Draco worked with the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. However, even while she was in Britain no one had discovered her and she was sure she hadn’t broken any American Wizarding laws. So, how had someone known?

“No. I know where she is. I just don’t know who she is.”

“I’m afraid I don’t understand,” Ginny said lightly.

“You do understand and that’s why you’re afraid.” Draco set his cup aside and leaned forward. “The witch I’m looking for is you.”

Her heart thudded but she showed no outer signs. “I’m not a witch, I’m a Gypsy. I wander around telling fortunes of woe-begotten people such as you, Mr. Malfoy.”

“Uh huh.” Draco was unconvinced. “And where do you wander from?”

“I’ve been to New York, Los Angeles, Dublin, and Londonderry. But originally, I’m from a bit south of Wales.”

“Various places I see. Where would you like to go next?”

“Paris,” Ginny said instantly, and was surprised that she had actually told him the truth.

“Ah, it’s a lovely city.” His voice got deeper.

“The soft lights, the mystical atmosphere. Where love just seems to hang in the air, like a mist surrounding the city.” He leaned closer until she was almost lost in the mercury depths of his eyes. “So, the Muggles don’t bother you?” he asked in the same voice.

“Not really. You get used to--” Ginny broke off and scowled. Damn him. She was doing well, but he caught her off guard.

Draco looked smug. Ginny’s hands itched to wipe that grin off his undeniably handsome face. “You’re not a witch, hmm?”

“I have a few friends that are witches,” Ginny retorted.

“Mmm-hmm.” Draco nodded. “I’m sure you do. Did you know that you’re breaking several American Wizarding laws?”

“I believe that would matter if I was a witch. Out of curiosity,” Ginny added, “what laws would I be breaking?”

Draco shook his head and smiled the same charming grin he had smiled. “If you’re not a witch then I wouldn’t want to waste your time.”

“What if it’s one of my friends that is breaking the law? I’d like to know so I could be warned.”

“She’s not exactly endangering anybody. If she was then I’d be a lot less nicer.”

“If she’s not hurting anyone, then what does it matter?”

“Don’t you believe in law and order?”

Ginny couldn’t help it. She laughed. Draco Malfoy talking about law and order? That was rich. Next thing she knew Fred and George would start talking about how pranks are wrong.

Draco liked the way the woman in front of him was laughing. She laughed with her whole body. Her face seemed softer and laughter rang across the room. “What’s so funny?”

“Draco Malfoy, talking about law and order!” she said between gasps. Sometime in between in the bursts of laughter she decided it was time to end the charade. She was tried of thinking about everything she said.

Draco raised an eyebrow. “I beg your pardon?”

“Oh, come off it, Draco,” Ginny said, her laughter subsiding. “All throughout Hogwarts, law and order were the last things on your mind.”

“So you are the witch I’m looking for.” Draco said, ignoring the rest of the statement. He looked at the witch more closely but he couldn’t recognize her. “I don’t remember you from Hogwarts.”

“Oh, you wouldn’t. I was a year younger than you and in a different house.”

“Which house?” When she remained silent, Draco continued, “Can’t be Hufflepuff, too tricky for that. We ruled out Slytherin. So that leaves Ravenclaw and Gryffindor.”

“If I took off my glamour you’d know in a second,” Ginny stated.

“So take it off,” Draco said between his teeth. He hated be the one that was guessing.

“Nope.” She shook her head. “You have to give me some incentive to do that.”

“Incentive? Woman, do you not realize that I’m a member of the Ministry? I could make you take the glamour off.” He leaned closer to her. “And if you continue to aggravate me, I might end up using spells that aren’t exactly Ministry approved.”

“You wouldn’t do that.”

“Won’t I?” he said quietly and drew his wand.

“No, you wouldn’t. You hate the Dark Arts as much as, if not more than, Harry Potter. Using a Dark spell would be like admitting defeat to you.” Ginny tilted her head as if she was studying him.

Draco narrowed his eyes. Who was this woman who knew him so well? And why didn’t he know her? He racked his brains trying to think of all the women who knew him that well, and he couldn’t think of a single one.

Ginny was growing slightly uncomfortable with the way he was staring at her, as if he was trying to see deep inside her. She was afraid he could. She was afraid of what he would see. “Before you give yourself an apoplexy, how about I get rid of my glamour?”

She took out her wand from a hidden pocket in her dress and muttered, “Dissumulo Desino.” Her black hair slowly turned back into the various shades of red, her eyes turned brown again, and her freckles reappeared.

The moment her hair turned red, Draco had figured out who she was. After the initial jolt of surprise, he watched her change and he realized that not all of the changes were due to the glamour. There was no denying it any more, little Ginny Weasley had certainly grown up. Once again the sensation of desire grew in his belly. Apparently, his feelings for Ginny Weasley hadn’t changed a bit, but he was determined not to show it.

“So how’d you learn Legilimency?” Draco asked almost casually.

Ginny looked at him out of the corner of her eyes. “Snape,” she replied shortly. She was hoping for a different reaction. But he just sat there staring at her like he expected it to be her all along. And once again the staring was shifting her insides.

“Snape?” Draco blinked; his long eyelashes touched his cheek. Ginny had to mentally sit on her hands to stop herself from reaching out and touching his face. “As in Severus Snape?”

“No, the other Snape. Yes, I mean Severus Snape.” Ginny shrugged. “When he was at the Headquarters, someone had to take care of him. I was elected. I asked him to teach me Legilimancy.”

“And he agreed?” Draco asked incredulously.

“Well, it did take a little convincing.” Ginny’s lips quirked as she remembered exactly how she convinced him. Not only had she threatened not give him his potion anymore, but she would give him a potion that would rip open all his wounds again. Snape had stared at her and then replied shortly that she should have gone to Slytherin and the Sorting Hat must have gotten confused because of the Weasley hair.

Draco didn’t know exactly what to think. After all these years, after he’d given up on his feelings for her, she had showed up again. He wasn’t exactly sure what he wanted to do, but he knew he didn’t what to give her up. “Does your brother Ron know you do this?”

“This?” she asked.

He gestured with his hand at the tent. “This. Wandering around pretending to be a Gypsy, bilking Muggles out of their money.”

“He knows that I travel around. I send my family letters every week or so. I don’t tell them about the whole Muggle Gypsy thing because,” she shrugged, “it’s better if there are some things that they don’t know.”

Draco studied her. “I suppose so. The Ministry wouldn’t like the fact that the Minister of Magic’s daughter is pretending to be a Muggle.” Draco paused before pushing on. “Why’d you start to do this?”

“Because-” she faltered, but then she seemed to strengthen her resolve. “Because of what you said to me all those years ago.”

Draco raised his eyebrow again but said nothing. Emboldened by his reaction, Ginny explained, “The thing you said about how I’ll be known as the Minister’s daughter, or the Girl Who Dumped the Boy Who Lived. I wanted to be just Ginny Weasley. Nothing more than that.”

Draco momentarily closed his eyes. He was going out on a limb here but he didn’t want to lose her again. “I didn’t mean that. Or not really.”

“Then why did you say that?”

“Because I was frustrated. Because you made me feel. Because you tempted me.” For the first time, since she admitted who she was, he reached out and touched her. He trailed a finger down her cheek. “You still do. I was running away from the Dark Side and then you were there. This breath of fresh air. I wanted to touch you but I couldn’t.” He abruptly moved his hand away.

“Why not?” Ginny asked, afraid of the answer.

“Because you were Ginny Weasley.” Draco couldn’t take it anymore. He stood up and started pacing. “Your father was the freakin’ Minister, your brother the best friend of Harry Potter, and I thought that you still had feelings for Potter.”

“You are an idiot,” Ginny said calmly, and she stood up and walked closer. Suddenly everything was clear. All the moments when he turned from being calm to freaked. When she thought he hated her and when she… “Did you ever think of asking me? Do you think I agreed to take care of you out of pity?”

“Didn’t you?” he asked quietly.

“Not entirely. I thought you were brave to come into a place where you knew everyone was going to hate you. You came just because you thought what the Death Eaters were doing was wrong.”

Draco took the step and closed the distance between them. He grabbed her hands. “I can’t believe that we wasted this much time, when all we had to do was talk to each other.”

Ginny laughed. “I suppose we should thank Ron for giving you this assignment. If it weren’t for him, who knows when we would have met up again.”

Draco smirked. “Can I be the one to tell him?” He pulled Ginny closer to him. “Can you tell what I’m thinking right now?”

“I don’t need to. It’s probably very similar to my thoughts.” Ginny smiled.

“Really?

“Yeah. Do your thoughts include me telling you your fortune with tarot cards?”

Draco’s brow furrowed in confusion. “No.”

Ginny laughed. “Neither does mine.” She leaned up and captured his lips with hers.

Fin