The Maltese Phoenix

Beginning day had reduced night to a thin smokiness when Harry sat up. At his side Ginny’s breathing confirmed her restful state. Quietly, he stepped out of bed and grabbed his clothes before going to change in the bathroom. Once he was ready, he stepped out of the room, and towards Ginny’s mink coat from which he extracted a small brass key and went out.



He apparated to her hotel, greeted the morning receptionist and proceeded to her room. Once there he let himself in, locked the door and turned on all lights before taking his coat off and beginning his search. He looked through every nook and cranny, every box, bag, cupboard and trunk, yet yielded no results. No bird. No clue or lead as to where the bird might be. Maybe she wasn’t lying after all…



He placed everything back in its place and let himself out as quietly as he had gone in. On his way to his apartment, he stopped at a store where he bought fresh ham, cheese and bread before making his way up to his place.



“Oh good,” Ginny said as he entered the kitchen and set down his purchases. She was wearing her dress again, her hair was wrapped in a towel. She smiled and motioned at the pitcher filled with orange juice. “I made it a few minutes ago, and I was just about to see what you had to cook breakfast with.”



He smiled and planted a kiss on her lips.



“You’ve done your part with the juice, so how about you go dry your hair while I make us sandwiches,” he said quietly. Ginny smiled and kissed his cheek before disappearing into the bedroom. Harry went over to her mink coat in the living room and slipped the brass key in before going back in the kitchen and cooking breakfast.



After she came back, her hair flowing down her shoulder in waves and her make up freshly done, they sat down to consume their breakfast; then made to go out. Harry and Ginny apparated right into her hotel room, she smiled and gave him a good-bye kiss.



“Dinner?” he asked.



She nodded. “Of course.”



________________________________________________________________________



Hermione Granger was saying, “No, not yet,” into the telephone when Harry entered his outer office. She looked up at him and mouthed ‘Lavender’ at him. He shook his head. “Yes, I’ll have him call you as soon as he comes in,” she said smiling and then hung up looking disgruntled. She followed Harry into his office. “That’s the third time she’s called. She says she was mugged last night, Harry, and that she was obliviated.”



“How does she know she was mugged if she was obliviated?” Harry muttered, placing his coat on the rack behind the door.



“Her wallet was missing, and she was laying out in an alley by your place!” Hermione said placing her hand on her hip. “You can’t ignore her like this, Harry, she was your lover before Ginny came back, and now that Lavender needs you you’re not there for her.”



Harry shook his head while taking a cigarette from his pocket and popping it in his mouth, Hermione extended her hand. Chuckling, Harry lit the cigarette in his mouth and handed it to her before getting out another one for himself.



“How’s Ginny?”



He nodded. “She’s fine.”



“Good,” Hermione said nodding emphatically, “that poor girl has been through so much . . . you better protect her, Harry, you owe it to Ron.”



He inhaled and sighed out the smoke. “I don’t feel as though I can trust her though, Hermione, sometimes she’s the Ginny we knew, but there are other times when . . . she scares me.”



Hermione frowned. “Scares you? What do you mean?”



He shrugged, green eyes staring at a stain on the wall. “Last night I had her over for tea and she got this look in her eyes . . . this glint . . . it reminded me of Voldemort,” he muttered, placing the cigarette between his lips.



Hermione swallowed at hearing the dreaded name and took a long drag which she blew out while saying, “Do you think he’s possessing her again?”



He shook his head. “No, that’s what scares me.”



Before she could reply, the black box on his desk started beeping and a voice came through: Malfoy’s.



“Potter, meet me at the Delphi’s restaurant.”



“Right now?” Harry asked. There was an impatient sigh. “What do you think?” and then silence.



Harry got out of his chair and grabbed his coat, Hermione got off his desk and followed him out of his office.



“I’ll be back soon,” he told her. “If Ginny calls tell her I’m at a meeting.”



She nodded, eyes disturbed by what Harry had told her. As soon as he was out of his office, Harry Apparated in the lavish hotel’s lobby. He made his way where the restaurant was and spotted Malfoy hunched over at the bar.



“Isn’t it a little too early for cocktails?” Harry muttered, nodding towards the drink in his hand. Malfoy ignored him and sipped his drink before turning to look at him. His eyes were deep in their sockets, dark circles and bags under them. His skin had a yellowish tinge, and his normally sleek hair was frizzed.



“I need to get the bird from her,” he muttered.



“She doesn’t have it,” Harry replied softly. Malfoy closed his eyes and shook his head.



“No, she truly doesn’t have it,” Harry went on. “I checked her room and there was nothing.”



Malfoy looked up, eyes haunted. “Really?”



Harry nodded. Malfoy sighed and buried his face in his hands.



“He’s going to kill me . . .” he muttered.



“Gave you an ultimatum last night?” Harry whispered as the bartender came to take his order, Harry declined.



“Yes,” Malfoy whispered drinking deeply.



Harry gave an understanding nod. “Well, I don’t know how getting drunk will help in your quest.”



Malfoy looked up at him furiously. “Fuck off, Potter, you don’t know what I’m going through.”



“The man has had a price on my head since before I was able to walk.”



“Well, you were never his follower,” Malfoy muttered looking back at his drink. Harry nodded. “True, I was never that stupid.”



Malfoy set his glass down and pushed his stool back leaving a trail of scuff marks on the rich carpeting. He glared at Harry. “I hope he kills you in the end.”



Harry smirked. “Why thank you, good luck to you to, Ferret.”



Malfoy stormed off. Chuckling, Harry walked out of the restaurant, through the lobby and out of the hotel. Once he was on the street he Apparated back to his office where he was greeted by Ginny who jumped up as soon as he appeared and with a sob, threw herself into his arms. Hermione, who had previously been hugging Ginny, looked up at Harry, eyes worried but relieved at the same time.



“What happened?” he asked looking down at the redhead whose tears were falling uncontrollably.



“He came!” she cried out. Harry frowned, “What?”



She nodded emphatically closing her eyes and letting out a shaky sob. “He broke into my room this morning right after you left.”



Harry took her by both arms, and led her into his office where he sat her down on the sofa and waved his hand towards the door making it close.



“What did he say?”



Ginny wrung her hands as tears rolled down her rosy cheeks. “He wanted the bird.”



“Come on, Ginny, give me something to work with,” Harry replied exasperated. Ginny sobbed once more and then turned to look at him. “He threatened to kill me, Harry, I had no choice . . . he made me tell him the name of the ship the bird was coming in.”



Harry frowned, lips parted. “What ship?” he grumbled.



Ginny took in a shaky breath. “There was never a break-in at my room in Hong Kong. That’s just what I told Rodolphus to account for the missing bird,” Ginny whispered, tears flowing down her face. She looked up at Harry who was eyeing her coldly while leaning against his desk, arms crossed. “I made a copy of the real phoenix. The day prior to the supposed break-in, I took the real one to the harbor and gave it to a muggle captain who was coming to London. I put up the fake one in our room and made it a portkey so that when the cleaning lady touched it, it along with her would disappear.”



“You wanted it for yourself?” Harry snapped. Ginny’s eyes widened and she shook her head. “No! I did that to lose the Dark Lord and Rodolphus, so that that way the real bird would be safe and I could give it to the authorities as soon as the ship landed at Tilbury.”



“And you couldn’t have told me this earlier, Ginny? Because I am a part of the authorities you know,” Harry mumbled between clenched teeth.



“Well, I wasn’t sure I could trust you,” Ginny whispered, eyes red. “Just as I’ve changed, you’ve changed too.”



Harry threw up his hands and let out a bitter laugh while pacing around his office. Ginny remained silent,hands clutching the burgundy fabric of her dress.



“Oh that’s rich,” he said in between laughs. “Oh, Ginny, you are too good . . . whoever instructed you deserves to be commended.”



“No!” Ginny cried out. “I mean it. I don’t feel that I can trust you. You and Malfoy seem to be all buddy buddy with each other, it wouldn’t have surprised me if you’d run to him with the information!”



“HE IS A DEATH EATER, I AM AN UNSPEAKABLE, I AM USING HIM, GINEVRA!” Harry hollered at Ginny whose crying resumed. “I’m sorry! I’m sorry, okay?”



“How on fuck earth am I supposed to help you when you won’t give me all the information, Ginny?!” Harry went on, his hand pulling at his hair. “You probably don’t even need my help, this is all probably part of your master plan, isn’t it?”



Ginny’s eyes widened along with her mouth. “No!”



“Oh, you are a liar! Such a liar!” Harry cried out exasperated. Ginny brought her legs up to her chest and began rocking while silent tears fell down her face. Harry went over to his desk and plopped down before lighting up and sitting, quietly collecting his thoughts.



“How come you’re alive?” he muttered after a few minutes.



Ginny looked up. “What?”



Harry got up from behind his desk and meandered to where she was seated, circling her like a vulture.



“You gave him the name of the train, and when it was coming, I presume. So why didn’t he kill you after?”



The redhead went pale, she stared at Harry with doe eyes. “Harry, I . . . you’re disappointed that I’m not dead?”



He sniffed humorously. “Stop it, Ginny, don’t twist my words. Answer me.”



Ginny swallowed and looked down at her french manicured hands from where her wedding band and engagement ring glinted at her.



“He left me no choice, Harry, he made me have sex with him.”



Harry stared at her silently, and then the side of his mouth went up. “He made you? Did he now . . . just like all those other times? Did he make you then as well?”



“I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Ginny exclaimed. “I’d never slept with him before, and I would’ve liked to keep it that way, but my life was at stake!”



Harry continued shaking his head and didn’t answer.



“I’ve checked out of my room. I don’t feel safe there anymore,” Ginny whispered. Harry looked up. “You’re not sleeping in my bed.”



Ginny huffed and looked away. “You’re acting as if I wanted this to happen! He forced me!”



“Had he forced you, you wouldn’t be walking as well as you are.”



Harry coldly extinguished his cigarette in the ashtray, he made sure to squish it until it lost its recognizable form. Ginny said nothing, instead she got up rapidly and exited his office making sure to slam the door. Harry sat at his desk with a deep sigh, he shut the curtains and brooded in darkness. Minutes later, there was a knock on the door.



“Come in.”



“I’m taking Ginny to my parents’ place,” Hermione said, her head peeking in. Harry stared at her for a moment and then gave a nod. “Be careful.”



She gave him a tight smile and closed the door. He heard the clatter of the women’s heels as they exited his outer office, their chatting voices dying down the further they got.