Two and a half years after his failure to kill Albus Dumbledore, Draco has long been accepted back into the ranks of the Death Eaters. He is still obsessively searching for the rebel Ginny Weasley, but he hides that secret well. When she is found one snowy December night, he smuggles her onto the Death Eaters? train with him. And he begins to learn that nothing will ever be the same again?Category: Works in Progress
Poor, deluded Draco. He's going to have to face not only his sins, but his dishonesty to himself. I'm looking forward to seeing what your devious mind has invented for the new Azkaban. Thanks for the update!
I really want to know what is going on with Ginny. There are little hints that she is not happy about what she thinks is going to happen to Draco. But it seems like her emotions are as messed up as his. Will we find out, eventually? I guess I will try to stay patient, difficult as it is! Thanks for the update.
Hm. It seems as if Draco is still clueless. Nobody seems too perturbed by his plans. As always, they know more that he does. Poor Draco! I am, as always, looking forward to the next chapter.
This chapter is really artfully written. It started out so jumbled, then got gradually more coherent, so I felt like Draco must have, coming out of the fog. The scene with Snape was touching, even if it brought up more questions than it answered. And now I am nervous about Draco's plans for Ginny.
Oh, you are evil! Poor Draco. And poor Ginny. I got the impression that she got more attached than she would have liked. But I guess I should have expected something like this from Ron's behavior. And from the fact that you seem to be averse to happy endings... Anyway, thanks for the update. Maybe I'll go read the fluffy version to cheer me up.
Some answers! Though I still want to know what is between Ginny and Ron. That gets more and more interesting every time Ron shows up. You did a really nice job with Draco's vulnerability in this chapter--it seemed extremely realistic.
Hm. Draco certainly has gotten himself in deep, hasn't he? There's a lot to think about in this chapter (not that there hasn't been in all the others as well!). I am even more suspicious now that Snape knows or suspects what Draco is doing. Why else bring up Ginny? Unless it has something to do with the ceremony that Draco knows so little about. I see another turning point coming, and I am definitely looking forward to it!
Happiness? Of course that can't last! The reprecussions of not being able to get the information out of Ron and Hermione will no doubt come into play. And Ginny seems to be altogether too compliant. It makes me wonder if she has something up her sleeve. Ah, well. I guess I will just have to wait to see what is to come.
This story is incredibly fascinating. Draco appears to be projecting his own emotions onto Ron--he is convinced that Ron will break if Hermione is tortured because *he* would break if Ginny was. I somehow suspect that things once again will not follow Draco's expectations. I don't mind the cliffs as long as you keep updating regularly! I need to know if my speculations hold any water!
Oh, dear. This does get more and more complicated by the moment, doesn't it? I am really fascinated by what happened between Ginny and Harry, and what Ron has to do with it all. Thanks for the update!
These first two chapters are somewhat maddening. You hint at so many things, but say so little. I can see how this one might have grown like crazy. Anyway, I am very much looking forward to finding out all of the details that you have hung just beyond reach.
Oh, you did not just leave that there. For some reason, this seems worse than most of the other cliffhangers you've left in this story, probably because I have a sinking feeling that I am not going to like the answer very much. Ah well. Anyway, the sex scene was really quite lovely.
Why does Draco keep deceiving himself that he has any semblence of control? By now he should know that nothing is going to turn out the way he thinks it will. And I suspect that things won't go quite the way the other side thinks they will, either. Well, I guess I will just have to wait and see. I'll try not to get too impatient!
"I want some answers from her, that’s all, he told himself. If I never get them, it’ll drive me mad, the wondering." I, too, am about to go mad with wondering. And Draco's foray into Harry's mind didn't really seem to answer much at all, did it? Ah, well. I will cling to your statement that it will get better eventually. Thanks for the update!
Oh dear. I knew from the beginning of the chapter, when you had Draco thinking of what would happen when everything was over, that this chapter would end badly. But Scrimgeour is a wild card. And from what it sounds like, I'm not going to be very happy. I see now why you estimated 70 chapters, but I'm beginning to think that was an underestimate yet again. Ah well. I'll just have to wait and suffer, I guess. Thanks for the update!
Sometimes it bothers me that Draco is so dense in this story. Isn't it obvious which bond of blood will allow him to open the Room of Requirement? Doesn't he realize that he couldn't kill Dumbledore, not because of who he was, so much as that his parents weren't truly incentive enough? If he was given the same choice, but Ginny's life was on the line, I have no doubt Dumbledore would have died much more quickly. Ah well, such is Draco's fate in this story. He isn't nearly as intelligent as he thinks he is. Thanks for the update!
I have such mixed feelings about this chapter. (Though I am glad that I couldn't read the previous chapter until now--I think the cliffie would have given me a heart attack!) This chapter is so sad on one hand, and hopeful on the other. And we got some answers, even if the chapter brings up even more questions than it answered. For example, this mysterious Black that everyone thought was Draco--perhaps he is the character we haven't met at all. (I have some theories about who he might be, but I know better than to say anything because they are unlikely to be accurate!) I am definitely looking forward to the next batch of chapters. Thank you for posting!
"That bitch betrayed him as well as me!" Has Draco forgotten that he can't hold Ginny's betrayal against her too? I am continually amazed by his double standards. Anyway, it is interesting how the tree allowed Draco to hear Ginny and Snape's conversation. It makes me wonder what else it can do, and what part it will play in the rest of the story. I'm looking forward to hearing Ginny's story, even though I figure I won't like it any more than Draco will. Thanks for the update!
Hee hee. I love the last line of the chapter. Poor Draco. Nobody tells him anything. :)
Actually, my favorite part of the chapter was the beginning--Draco's philosophical musing. Your writing style echoed his thoughts of floating away. It was really quite lovely.
Thanks for the new chapter. I'm looking forward to finding out what Snape has to say!
It's so sad how Ginny and Draco can both be so wise. I suppose it is for the best, but I'm sure that things won't be as simple as Ginny waiting for Draco in six months' time. And I'm sure Draco knows that deep down. I'm almost dreading the parting in the next chapter. Thanks for the update!
I'm finally catching up on reading this, and it was kind of nice to read these last three chapters all at once. I love how everyone seems to have a plan, and Draco is still clueless about it all, but becoming more and more aware both of what is going on and just how clueless he is.
The scene in these two chapters, with Draco watching everyone come and go, was very dramatic in the sense that it reminded me of a play set in one room, with characters coming and going--maybe Arsenic and Old Lace, or something like that. I could picture everything clearly as I read.
Anyway, thanks for all the updates. I am definitely looking forward to the smut!
I don't think you're quite going to hell. Purgatory, maybe. :) Poor, tormented Draco. And what he has to do will probably torment him even more than missing Ginny. Well, maybe not. I like the way Draco is maturing--it is almost as if he is really comprehending reality for the first time, and at the same time, he is finally taking some responsibility. Thanks for the update!
I have to take back part of what I said in my review yesterday. Draco *is* maturing, but not quite as quickly as I thought. I guess that tolerating Ron is a good first step, but it wasn't what I expected. It wouldn't surprise me at all if Draco can't get into the room after all, even if Ron manages it. Bella is just too tied up in everything for it to be that easy. But I guess I will just have to wait and see, won't I? Thanks for the update!
"But think about how dull they?ve all been?have you seen even one book all day long that interested you??
?Well, no. Not really.? Draco had seen nothing but books about mathematics, particularly ones that involved word problems.
Hey! I take exception to that! I'm sure I would find those books to be quite fascinating. That Draco wouldn't certainly lowers my opinion of him. Not that I am surprised.
The library is fascinating. I can't wait to find out more about it. Thanks for the update!
Author's Response: Er... sorry about the math thing. You must be one of those shiny, favored few who actually likes math, and is good at it. (Anise, who may well be faced with repeating remedial college-level math, bows down. ;) Frankly, I see Draco as much more of a liberal arts boy. I could actually see Ron as being much better than math than he is.
If the smut in this chapter is anything to go by, the Smuttukah story ought to be excellent. Very nicely done. Of course, you have left us on an awful precipice. But I guess I'm getting used to that by now. I am eagerly awaiting more updates whenever they may come! (Pun not intended, but strangely appropriate nevertheless.)