Looking intently at her reflection in the full length mirror, she tried to find some hint of the girl she once had been. Her violet eyes stared back familiarly, full of resignation and resentment. Her long black hair hung in damp clumps down her back, as it always did after she showered. Her skin was creamy, unmarked and unblemished. Her cute little nose turned up slightly at the end. No, Ginny Weasley was nowhere to be found in this mirror. It wasn’t really a surprise; Ginny Weasley didn’t exist anymore.
Drying her hair, she pulled it back and clipped it into an ornate silver barrette at the top of her neck. She dressed carefully, pulling on a form-fitting halter dress that fell just above the knee and tying it behind her neck. The dress was a lovely emerald green with a slim silver belt around the middle. Next were the strappy silver sandals. A few silver bangles and a pair of silver hoop earrings completed the outfit. She was ready to go.
She grabbed her overnight bag and her purse and set off for the city. This would be the first time she’d stayed in a hotel there, but she intended to get very, very drunk, and driving home again would not be an option. It wasn’t often that she drank. It was rare that she got dressed up, rarer still that she went into Washington at all. This was a special occasion, though. After all, it was on this day, five years ago, that she had died.
The hour and a half drive was uneventful. She wound through the semi-rural area she lived in and then followed the busy highways that took her to her destination. Navigating around the city was a little more difficult, but ultimately she made it to the hotel.
“I have a reservation for Erin McIntyre,” she told the front desk clerk.
“You’ve been compromised, Miss Weasley.”
Snape’s face was impassive as he spoke to her, but Ginny knew him well enough now to see the concern in his eyes.
“They do not yet suspect Mr. Malfoy. They believe you took up with him to gain intelligence for the Order. Naturally, this situation is very grave.”
Ginny closed her eyes and took a deep breath. This had always been a possibility, but somehow she’d never believed it could happen. Subconsciously, she had thought her purpose and her youth made her invulnerable. At least Draco was still safe, for now.
“What happens now?” she asked, hoping her voice would not reflect the terror she felt building inside her.
Her former teacher bowed his head and sighed wearily. A moment later he raised his head and looked at her once more. “Now they will kill you,” he said matter-of-factly. “Your death is a high priority for the Dark Lord and his servants. To keep suspicion away from him, Mr. Malfoy has been forced to vehemently call for your immediate execution.”
Ginny nodded. Of course he had to; Draco would already lose standing for having brought a traitor into their midst. He couldn’t show any sympathy for her without raising questions about his own loyalty.
“Do my parents know?” Guilt for what she was about to put them through made her heart ache.
Snape shook his head. “Very few people have been alerted. We cannot take the chance that someone might try to rescue you.”
“When are you taking me back?” Tears were spilling from her eyes. Her face was tight, her resolve to keep from sobbing hysterically weakening by the second.
Snape stood and walked to the door of the meeting room. Ginny knew he was trying not to intrude on her grief. “I will go prepare for our departure and return for you in five minutes. We dare not wait longer than that.” With a quick swish of his robe, he had left the room.
Ginny tried to rise from the table, but her feet would not support her. Crumpled in a heap on the floor, she wailed with regret for the life she had to leave. The faces of all the people she loved flashed through her mind. She couldn’t even say goodbye to them.
Her mother, who welcomed all her children’s friends with open arms and cared for them as if they were her own.
Her father, who’d never lost his child-like sense of wonder in spite of the horror he had seen.
Her brothers, each so different, but all of them with a deep sense of responsibility for their baby sister.
Harry and Hermione, as much a part of Ginny’s family as her true siblings.
The members of the Order of the Phoenix all had different roles, responsibilities and personalities, but all of them were united against Voldemort. None would hesitate to sacrifice themselves for the cause.
And Draco, poor Draco, whose lifelong beliefs had been crushed after his father’s arrest. Who learned about true love and loyalty slowly, but who finally shared his whole heart with her. Ginny knew he loved her; she knew that losing her would violently test his newfound faith. There was nothing she could do to help him; she could only hope that he would trust in her love enough to let it pull him through the darkness.
By the time Snape came back for her, Ginny had managed to pick herself off of the floor. She looked at him with bloodshot eyes and smiled grimly. “Let’s get this over with.”
Drying her hair, she pulled it back and clipped it into an ornate silver barrette at the top of her neck. She dressed carefully, pulling on a form-fitting halter dress that fell just above the knee and tying it behind her neck. The dress was a lovely emerald green with a slim silver belt around the middle. Next were the strappy silver sandals. A few silver bangles and a pair of silver hoop earrings completed the outfit. She was ready to go.
She grabbed her overnight bag and her purse and set off for the city. This would be the first time she’d stayed in a hotel there, but she intended to get very, very drunk, and driving home again would not be an option. It wasn’t often that she drank. It was rare that she got dressed up, rarer still that she went into Washington at all. This was a special occasion, though. After all, it was on this day, five years ago, that she had died.
The hour and a half drive was uneventful. She wound through the semi-rural area she lived in and then followed the busy highways that took her to her destination. Navigating around the city was a little more difficult, but ultimately she made it to the hotel.
“I have a reservation for Erin McIntyre,” she told the front desk clerk.
“You’ve been compromised, Miss Weasley.”
Snape’s face was impassive as he spoke to her, but Ginny knew him well enough now to see the concern in his eyes.
“They do not yet suspect Mr. Malfoy. They believe you took up with him to gain intelligence for the Order. Naturally, this situation is very grave.”
Ginny closed her eyes and took a deep breath. This had always been a possibility, but somehow she’d never believed it could happen. Subconsciously, she had thought her purpose and her youth made her invulnerable. At least Draco was still safe, for now.
“What happens now?” she asked, hoping her voice would not reflect the terror she felt building inside her.
Her former teacher bowed his head and sighed wearily. A moment later he raised his head and looked at her once more. “Now they will kill you,” he said matter-of-factly. “Your death is a high priority for the Dark Lord and his servants. To keep suspicion away from him, Mr. Malfoy has been forced to vehemently call for your immediate execution.”
Ginny nodded. Of course he had to; Draco would already lose standing for having brought a traitor into their midst. He couldn’t show any sympathy for her without raising questions about his own loyalty.
“Do my parents know?” Guilt for what she was about to put them through made her heart ache.
Snape shook his head. “Very few people have been alerted. We cannot take the chance that someone might try to rescue you.”
“When are you taking me back?” Tears were spilling from her eyes. Her face was tight, her resolve to keep from sobbing hysterically weakening by the second.
Snape stood and walked to the door of the meeting room. Ginny knew he was trying not to intrude on her grief. “I will go prepare for our departure and return for you in five minutes. We dare not wait longer than that.” With a quick swish of his robe, he had left the room.
Ginny tried to rise from the table, but her feet would not support her. Crumpled in a heap on the floor, she wailed with regret for the life she had to leave. The faces of all the people she loved flashed through her mind. She couldn’t even say goodbye to them.
Her mother, who welcomed all her children’s friends with open arms and cared for them as if they were her own.
Her father, who’d never lost his child-like sense of wonder in spite of the horror he had seen.
Her brothers, each so different, but all of them with a deep sense of responsibility for their baby sister.
Harry and Hermione, as much a part of Ginny’s family as her true siblings.
The members of the Order of the Phoenix all had different roles, responsibilities and personalities, but all of them were united against Voldemort. None would hesitate to sacrifice themselves for the cause.
And Draco, poor Draco, whose lifelong beliefs had been crushed after his father’s arrest. Who learned about true love and loyalty slowly, but who finally shared his whole heart with her. Ginny knew he loved her; she knew that losing her would violently test his newfound faith. There was nothing she could do to help him; she could only hope that he would trust in her love enough to let it pull him through the darkness.
By the time Snape came back for her, Ginny had managed to pick herself off of the floor. She looked at him with bloodshot eyes and smiled grimly. “Let’s get this over with.”
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