To End a Feud

AN: Moved this to the General catagory, sorry if you're re-reading it.  I've got another chapter ready, but I'm working on the older fics first.

To End A Feud

When Draco starts acting oddly in sixth year, Harry isn't the only one to take notice. Can a pure-blood wizard take the help of a pure-blood witch when she's from a family that has been enemies with his for as long as either of them could remember? DM/GW, HP/HG, RW/LB, BZ/SB, other pairings will be announced as I think of them.

AN: Alternate reality, Sirius didn't die, just got hurt, taken to St. Mungos and is in custody pending results from an investigation and trial.

Chapter One: Task

           Harry wasn't the only one to notice the odd behavior of the Prince of Slytherin. While Harry was stalking the blond, intent on catching him at his evil tricks, Ginny Weasley was investigating things in her own way. And her way involved putting a feminine touch on things.

           At first, Ginny thought she was helping out Harry and, in doing so, cementing herself in his favor. After 'interviewing' three Slytherin first years, a second year and lastly Blaise Zabini, the blatantly neutral Italian snake, Ginny decided that the person who needed help most was Draco Malfoy.

           The first years had told her that the blond was going into a door that appeared in a fifth floor hallway, the second that he wasn't eating very well, and Zabini had speculated that the Dark Lord wouldn't be too pleased with the family of a man that had failed so terribly in the getting what his master wanted from the Ministry. Ginny did the numerology and came up with – Malfoy had been given a task that he was working on in the Room of Requirement and it was tearing him up inside.

           It didn't take a Ravenclaw to get that Malfoy's family was in danger and Ginny knew how far she would go to protect hers, so she knew that the blond boy was in deep trouble. After waiting behind a statue and watching the Slytherin pace the hall, Ginny watched him disappear into the room that was created for his use. Before the door closed, Ginny slipped through and found herself in the largest chamber she had ever seen, among mountains of junk. "Malfoy?" she hissed, but there was no answer.

           She moved forward, weaving between the stacks, watching for the Slytherin, as she looked about her. It was the sound of a bird that guided her to her goal.

           Draco stood holding a bird cage with two canaries in it. He looked up at a tall, draped object. Ginny hid behind another pile and watched a she he pulled down the cover and exposed a tall ornate cabinet. Whatever he was about, that cabinet was the key. Ginny watched him take an apple and put it into the cavity and close the door. He waved his hawthorn wand and waited, then opened the door and found the apple where he had left it. He cursed softly and threw the cover over the thing, picked up his cage and stormed away. Ginny waited for silence, then crept out and up to the hidden piece of furniture.

           She lifted the cover, to peak under it, and jumped with a hand grabbed her wrist. "What are you doing here, Weaslette?"

           Ginny looked up to see intense grey eyes glaring down at her with undisguised hatred. She knew it was just a reaction to the tension that had characterized their families' interactions for ever, but she had never been the direct recipient of it before. She was about to throw a snide word, an insult or a hex his way, when her inner voice of reason stopped her. "I-I was following you. I-I wanted to help you." she stuttered.

           "Help me? What are you talking about? Help me what?" he asked, his usual sneer momentarily replaced by confusion. Ginny was secretly thrilled to have had such an effect on him.

           "You're in this deep, Mal . . . Draco. I want to help you, . . . and your family. Tell me what I can do?" she said and he stared at her in silence.

AN: No, there won't be any M/M in this fic, unlike my other work. It's a response to the Ginny bashing that happens whenever I write a Drarry story, so here's my solution. I still don't like the whole Harry/Ginny pairing, so this worked better. Maybe I'm a blood purest?