Old Enemies New Loves

CHAPTER 4







Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and
situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but
not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast
Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or
trademark infringement is intended.(I have been lax in
adding this)

 

CHAPTER 4

 

Ginny was having so much fun with her classes. She always
knew that teaching was her calling. Every class had those who excelled and
those who fell behind. Ginny decided to approach McGonagall about starting some
tutoring sessions for students in their fifth and seventh years after the
holidays. Ginny even thought she may be able to get some of the better students
involved by awarding extra house points for participation. Classes were over
for the day and she got right to work on her proposal so that she could meet
with the headmistress in the morning.

 

Ginny was so absorbed in her new project that she lost track
of time yet again. When she finally looked up from her finished proposal it was
long after dinner, nearing lights out for the students.

 

‘Funny’ she thought to herself, ‘Why didn’t anyone come
looking for me or at least give me a floo call.’

 

Ginny rolled her shoulders and decided to make a late night
visit to the kitchens. Ah, the things her brothers passed down to her; like the
location of the kitchens and certain secret passages. Ginny smiled as she
walked down the corridors as she thought of George and Fred’s antics while they
were in school. There were still stories told about how they turned one of the
corridors into a swamp.

 

“Miss Weasley, just where do you think you are going at this
time of night?” A lightly nasal voice asked from behind her.

 

Ginny turned and smiled at the sandy blonde owner of the
voice. “Actually I am going to kip some dinner from the kitchens. Want to join
me?”

 

“It would be my pleasure.” Neville beamed at her.

 

“How are your classes so far?”

 

“Quite well, now that I am teaching I see now that it was quite
silly of me to be such a sacred little boy when we were in school but then
being friends with Harry quickly cures one of cowardice wouldn’t you say?”

 

“Neville, you don’t thinat dat do you? When we were in
school we had everything to fear. We saw things that people at that age, or any
age for that matter, should never see.” Ginny looked at her friend with concern
in her eyes wondering if Neville was hurt in the final battle. Not hurt in the
traditional sense but perhaps his mind was hurt. She hadn’t noticed before but
there was a haunted look in his eyes.

 

Unexpectedly there was a flash of lightning outside the
windows of the corridor and then the resulting crack of thunder. Ginny jumped
but was then pushed to the floor with Neville covering her body with his own as
if there was a danger to protect her from.

When she looked over at him she saw that he had his wand out
and he started to whisper.

“Quiet, they are close now, don’t want them to see us… ‘Gotta get them first…”

 

Ginny herd footsteps coming toward them and she saw the platinum blonde head of Draco come around the
corner and to her horror Neville yelled and jumped to his feet raising his wand
to Draco’s chest.

 

“Stop Lucius
Malfoy.” Ginny looked up at Neville his eyes were unfocused and it
seemed that he was seeing an entirely different time and place. “You will pay
for your crimes against the Ministry. Expelliarmus!” Draco’s wand came
flying out of his robes.

 

“Neville, what are
you doing?” Draco asked taking a few steps toward the wizard in front of him.
Ginny took her own wand out of her pocket and pointed it at Neville.

 

“Stay where you
are.” Neville’s eyes turned wild as he began to utter one of the Unforgivables, “Avada…”

 

“Stupefy!” Ginny screamed. She watched as
a shaft of green light shot from her wand and struck Neville in the chest.
Keeping her wand on Neville she sadly watched as he crumpled to the floor.

 

“What the bloody
hell was all that about?” Draco demanded rushing over to Ginny to help her up
from her own place on the floor.

 

“I’m not but but I
think we should get him up to Poppy.” Ginny looked with wonder at her friend.
What had caused him to act that way? Why had he thought Draco was his father it
just didn’t make sense. Ginny then whispered, ”Mobilicorpus.” Neville’s body rose from the floor
and followed Ginny as she started on the way to the hospital wing.

 

Draco retrieved his
wand from where it had landed and fell instep beside her.

 

When they came
through the doors to the wing a very agitated Madam Pomfrey
came out of her office. “Oh dear, what happened? Hurry, get him over onto one of the beds. Hurry now.”

 

“Poppy, we don’t
know what happened. One minute Neville and I were walking to the kitchens, the
next he was about to use the Killing Curse on Draco, I had to stun him.” Ginny
tried to explain. “He thought Draco was Lucius.”

 

Madam Pomfrey decided to keep Neville there until morning after
giving him a dreamless sleep potion and conjuring bonds to keep him there. They
would talk to Minerva in the morning abut his actions. Ginny had lost her by
then appetite and allowed Draco to escort her back to her room. She brewed
herself a cup of chamomile tea, that failed to soothe her nerves, but she
decided that night that some research was in order and she knew that the queen
of research could get it done in a matter of hours where it might takt Ginny days. Ginny wrote to Hermione detailing all the
events of the previous night and sent it right away with Pigwideon,
a small owl that had once belonged to her brother Ron.

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The next day at
breakfast Pig returned with a long scroll of parchment from Hermione. Ginny
smiled at the thoroughness of her friend’s research. She tucked the scroll in a
pocket of her teaching robes to read r whr when she had a few moments.

 

After classes were done for the day Ginny went
up to the hospital wing to visit Neville. He seemed fine but still had a
haunted quality around his eyes. After talking for a time Madam Pomfrey bustled over and shooed Ginny out.

 

Ginny went back to
her office and started reading through Hermione’s research. She quickly became
engrossed. At a knock on tfficffice door she absently called for the person to
come in.

 

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Hearing Ginny’s distracted
call Draco opened her door and found her hunched over a sheaf of parchment
reading intently. He took a moment and just watched her. He watched the way she
tucked her hair behind her ear and how her tongue dartut aut and touched her
top lip. Her head lifted and she turned her green eyes to him. His breath
caught in his chest. ‘Gods she’s beautiful.’ Her eyes shone like gems as she
looked at him and when she smiled at him again he couldn’t breathe.

 

“Draco, come here
you have to read this. I think I know what’s wrong with Neville.” Ginny looked
at him gravely at this announcement

 

Draco conjured a
comfortable chair next to her and took the parchments that she held out to him.
He felt a quick jolt run up his arm as their fingers brushed. Draco tried to
focus his concentration on the words in front of him.

 

Gin~

The incident you described to me sounded like
a flashback associated with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Enclosed is
information that Poppy can use to diagnose it. If it is PTSD then he should be
taken immediately to St. Mungos for treatment.

 

I’m so sorry this
happened to Neville. He is a good man.

 

Hugs,

‘Mione

 

The other papers explained that Posttraumatic Stress
Disorder is a disorder that can affect those who have experienced or witnessed
life threateninentsents. The PTSD can affect a person through nightmares,
flashbacks. These symptoms can ultimately adversely affect the person’s ability
to function in society.

 

After reading through Hermione’s research together Draco and
Ginny went to see Madam Pomfrey. They were relieved
that after she read the information they provided immediately contacted St. Mungo’s and Minerva.

 

They went with Poppy when she broke the news to Neville.
After he heard eveing ing they had to say and read Hermione’s research formselmself he looked relieved.

 

“Draco I want to apologize for attacking you. I really don’t
know what came over me there in the corridor. Honestly I had been having
episodes all summer and I should have never accepted this position in the first
place. I hope that you can forgive me.”

 

“Tell you what, you get better and that will make us even.”
Draco smiled at the other man and shook his hand.

 

Minerva swept in to the room with a couple of mediwizards at her back. She smiled kindly when she saw Neville
and Draco shaking hands.

 

“Neville it is time to go, dear.” Minerva said in a kind
voice. Neville nodded and rose from the bed. He shook Draco’s hand again and
gave Ginny a hug and walked away with the mediwizards.

 

Draco looked at Ginny who looked genuinely sad at the
departure of her friend. He moved closer to her and put an arm around her
shoulders lending her support.

 

Minerva turned and Draco just smiled as she cocked an
eyebrow at them. “Well, It looks like we are short a Defense teacher once
again. I’ll suspend that classes for now but could the two of you start a
Dueling Club just for fifth through seventh years.” Ginny and Draco nodded. The
headmistress turned making plans. “Twice a week after dinner I believe. The
great hall will be perfect…”

 

Soon after, Draco and Ginny were on their way to dinner
discussing plans for the dueling club and tried to decide who the headmistress
might get to teach Defense for the rest of the year
&
 

“You don’t think that Minerva will invite Snape back do you?”
Ginny asked Draco.

 

“She might but when I spoke im him he told me that he needed
a break from Hogwarts. It would take a lot more than his coveted Defense
position to bring him back. Maybe she will get potter heo teo teach. Who better than the boy-who-lived?” Draco finished with a
mild sneer. He and Harry were civil to each other but they would never be
called friends.

 

“I don’t think so. He is so busy at the Ministry. I don’t
think he could get away. Ron though is in France
so I don’t think he is available either. I wonder who else she could ask.”

 

The two began an animated conversation about the worst
Defense teachers they had while they were students. They talked long into the
night, and each marveling at how well they got on.

 

 

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Thank you to my beta Jessica Wu.

 

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