A New Light by Mungihead
Summary: Fiery and stubborn Ginny Weasley is forced to be partners on an assignment for the Ministry with the elusive, self-righteous, and impossibly handsome Lord Draco Malfoy. They step into a world of magic, secrets, legends, and mystery. Little do they know what they are getting into..
Categories: Works in Progress Characters: Draco Malfoy
Compliant with: All but epilogue
Era: Post-Hogwarts
Genres: Romance
Warnings: None
Challenges:
Series: None
Chapters: 7 Completed: No Word count: 16908 Read: 22173 Published: Jul 23, 2010 Updated: Jul 19, 2011
Story Notes:
This is my first fanfic story EVER, so please enjoy and tell me what you think!
First Day by Mungihead
Author's Notes:
So, this is the first chapter!
You can't have a light without a dark to stick it in. ~Arlo Guthrie

"Mum! Really, I already told you, there is no need for any of this. Honestly." Ginny looked at her mother with pleading eyes, gesturing to the vast amount of food that was being prepared in the kitchen.

"Oh, but, my darling got a job at the Ministry! What's not to throw a party about!" Molly Weasley returned her daughter's beseeching expression with one of fondness and delight. "We'll invite the whole family! Ron, Hermione (goodness knows, she needs to get out, pregnancy can do things to you), Bill, Fleur, Victoire, Harry—“

“Mum! We’ve been through this!” Ginny had a falling-out with Harry after the war, and her romantic interest in him had begun to wane. Despite Molly’s valiant efforts to get them back together, Ginny was no longer attracted to him. Also, having an affair with a random blonde that lived next to his flat was certainly not something to be forgiven. However, due to his relentless begging, the Weasleys had not heard about this incident, so they kept pushing for Ginny to become a Potter, or at least to marry someone. Unfortunately, she had been single for a long time, which had prompted Molly to double her efforts.

“I know, sweetheart, but he’s such a nice boy,” She sighed wistfully, and then glanced at the clock. “My goodness, you’re late! Run along now, you cannot miss your first day of work! Ginevra Weasley, Junior Auror, in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement!” Ginny rolled her eyes at her mother’s proud voice and allowed her a fleeting peck on the cheek as she left the house.

*****

Draco Malfoy frowned at the sight of hundreds of papers splayed across his desk. He had seen his father do some work as a child, but this was absolute torture. Draco was immensely successful as the Head Auror, so successful, in fact, that he had been promoted to be the Junior Executive Chief of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. While being second-in-command to the Head of this department was extremely prestigious and all, Draco was bloody tired of it. I have enough bloody money to quit this job! Why the hell am I wasting my time?

However, as soon as this question entered his mind, his mother’s voice answered the question for him, as she had done every single time he complained.

“Because, Draco,” Narcissa had said, “We had to work very hard to rebuild our reputation after the fall of the Dark Lord. It is prudent that you live up to everyone’s expectations. You have a status, and you must maintain it, because I want an heir to the Malfoy estate. You had best form an alliance with a good family, and fast.

Draco shook the thought from his mind with irritation, and proceeded on to read the next paper. One more efficacious case, and he’d be sure to be the successor of his boss, which would definitely appease his mother, even if just for a little bit. Truth be told, he was fine being a bachelor and somewhat of a Playboy; marriage was the last thing on his mind. Hopefully, with a promotion, she would stop nagging him as much.

His mood lightened a little bit, Draco snapped at his secretary to get him a coffee, and got back to work.
*****

Dressed in her Ministry robes, hair in a tight chignon, high heels clacking against the marble floor, Ginny was completely ready for the workday. First she popped by the Auror section to see Ron in his office. She soon found a smiling Ron and a rather awkward Harry. Oh, bugger it, I forgot he was here. Harry was the previous Head Auror, but he decided that he didn’t like the actual law and investigatory part of it, just the whole let’s-blow-Death-Eaters-to-bits part, and since he was Harry-bleeding-Potter, they decided to just let him be the Chief of Action Forces instead.

“Hullo, Ron! Um..hi, Harry.” Ron beamed at Ginny, while Harry smiled slightly and acknowledged her with a nod.

“My little sister,” Ron started proudly, “an Auror. So whaddya think, Harry? Doesn’t she just look the part?” Apparently, Ron had less tact than a sandwich. The room fell silent and Ginny felt Harry’s eyes burning into her, lingering far too long on certain areas. The tension was tangible; Ginny used up all of her self-constraint not to slap Harry for looking at her that way.
If looks could kill, the two men should have been stuck in St. Mungo’s for a week. She muttered a quiet good-bye, turned on her heel, and stalked out of the room.

Really? Was that really necessary? Ronald, you are such an idiot, it’s unbelievable. Hey, but hopefully things will go well with Shacklebolt. I might even get a case! Thinking this happy thought, Ginny approached the Head’s office for her instructions.

When she opened the door, instead of a Ministry official, she found a ferret. A slimy, horrible ferret to be exact. Draco Malfoy sat in the handsome leather chair before her. His face had hardened, with more chiseled feautures, and his hair had finally shed the liters of god-awful gel in favor of a more flattering style. When he was younger, his aristocratic features made him look pompous, but now, Ginny grudgingly admitted, they made him look handsome, very handsome. Still, he’s a git, right? A gorgeous, Adonis-like git…but still a git. And what the hell is he doing in the Head’s office? Wait, I am the right room, right?

Ginny gaped as Draco asked nonchalantly, without looking up from his papers, “Hello, Weasel. Found the wrong office?” On the inside, he was a completely different story. What is that filth doing here, in my office? But, she has certainly grown up, hasn’t she? Nice legs. Nice…everything, really. Still, a Weasel? She’s probably lost, too stupid to find her way around here, just like her brain dead brother, the bumbling moron. He looked up at her with a questioning, yet frosty glare.

Kingsley abruptly walked in, taking note of their momentary staring contest.
“Well, at any rate I am glad to see you have already met each other. Miss Weasley, this is Mr. Malfoy, he is the Junior Executive Chief and former Head Auror.” Malfoy smiled smugly. “Mr. Malfoy, Miss Weasley is our newest Junior Auror.”

Ginny shot him a sarcastic imitation of his own smile. Two can play at that game, my dear Weasel. Draco sneered, while Ginny frowned back. Well, the snarky bastard doesn’t think I can glare back at him? What a shame, I was doing my best over-privileged-prat-who-should-be-stabbed-with-a-needle-so-his-overinflated-head-would-finally-burst look.

“Ahem! When you two are done shooting daggers at each other!” Both employees returned their attention back to their boss. “So, as I was saying, we have a large case on our hands. There has been a mass breakout in Azkaban, but this has been extremely well-hidden from the media. Merlin knows what would happen if Rita Skeeter got her hands on this.” He gestured to the file in his right hand. “This has all the information we have on this case, because there is suspicion involving the fact that the prisoners who have escaped have an ulterior motive.

“Miss Weasley, while you are very new to the Ministry, you are more qualified than a lot of our team in terms of skill and expertise in the investigative field, as most of them are only limited to capture. The others are helping Mr. Potter and your brother in the other cases. You will work on this case, along with a partner.”

Ginny was overjoyed. “Sir, I am delighted that you have chosen me for this case, but then why is that pr—I mean, why is Mr. Malfoy present? Where is my partner?”

Kingsley steadied his breath before answering. Well, this should be interesting.

“Miss Weasley, I believe you have misunderstood me. Mr. Malfoy is your partner.”
End Notes:
That's chapter one! Yay :) I would like to say that this wonderful world is J.K. Rowling's and not mine, as well as the characters, settings, and anything you recognize. No one is paying me any money at all for writing this humble story.

And now, I really do need to finish up chapter two :)
This story archived at http://www.dracoandginny.com/viewstory.php?sid=6937