Where Two Paths Meet

Disclaimer: I don’t own any of the Harry Potter story.

Warning: Book 1-6 spoilers

A/N: Phew another Chapter. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far, especially Usha88, Michelle 14 hpfan and Lovely.Beat.For.Life.

Chapter 8: Sailing On Our Dreams

Harry’s eyes were beginning to sting from the wind. He had forgotten how much being in the air began to take its toll on you. Wherever Ginny was hiding, it was certainly far away. His whole body ached from being stuck on a broom for so long.

He noticed they were passing over a rather thick forest and frowned to himself. He had no idea where they were at all but it seemed Hedwig knew where she was going.

To his astonishment, Hedwig started to move towards the forest.

Harry nudged Hermione who was falling asleep against his back. “She’s descending.” He said pointing to Hedwig.

Ron smiled for the first time in hours at Harry’s words.

“Harry I think we’ve found her.” He said happily, the relief evident in his voice. Harry too felt relief wash over him. This proved she wasn’t dead.

Harry steered his broom down, as Ron did the same and they began to descend into the forest.

Hedwig stopped on the ground where there was a clearing but nothing was there.

“Uhh, Hermione there’s nothing here.” Harry said hopelessly, as his gaze looked about the empty clearing.

Hermione looked crestfallen and stared around the clearing.  Her brow was crunched up in annoyance or hopelessness, Harry couldn’t tell.

“But it should have worked. Hedwig should have taken us straight to her.” She said distracted, as she peered towards the trees.

Ron looked at Hedwig who had dropped the letter on the ground. A panicked expression rose to his face.

“Y-you don’t think she’s buried under there do you?” He said hysterically and immediately began to dig up the ground with his hands.

Harry and Hermione looked at each other, both shaking their heads at Ron’s lack of control. Ron was definitely losing it.

“Ron, what does your heart tell you?” Hermione said softly.

“That she’s alive.” Ron said breathlessly, as he stopped his frantic digging.

Hermione nodded and helped him to his feet. “So let’s look around the forest, okay?”

Ron nodded, distractedly. Hedwig was doing something odd and his gaze was transfixed on the white owl. He watched as Hedwig picked up the letter in her beak and immediately vanished into thin air as she flew forward.

All of them stared in disbelief.

“Did you see…?” Harry started.

“She just-” Hermione gaped, holding a hand to her head.

“-Vanished!” Ron said dumbstruck.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Ginny awoke slowly and stretched in the warm bed. For a minute she felt like she was back in her bed in the burrow about to be woken by the morning call of her mother. But Ginny wasn’t in the burrow. She was in a cottage in the middle of nowhere with Draco Malfoy.

Silently she got out of the bed and dressed herself in the old robe Malfoy had given her the first day she had came. She looked around the room but couldn’t see him; obviously he wasn’t up yet.

Ginny shrugged and started making breakfast for them. They were going to be leaving that day for goodness knows where. Draco seemed to know where they were going though.

Ginny heard the door open and turned around. A bleary eyed Draco greeted her with a nod before walking off to the bathroom. Ginny heard the water running in the bathroom and turned back to the food she was preparing.

Ten minutes later Draco walked out of the bathroom fully dressed. He watched as she placed two plates of food on the table and sat down.

“I guess we should figure out what we are going to do” Draco said, pulling his plate towards him, his hair still wet from the shower he had just had.

Ginny nodded. “Right, so where is this ?”

“.” Draco answered, as he spooned some porridge into his mouth.

He heard the clatter of a spoon and looked at Ginny’s stunned face.

“We’re going to ?” Ginny said blankly.

Draco looked at her, surprised that she hadn’t realised that after the French names.

“Yes,” he said slowly. “And we’ll have to go to to get a boat.”

“What? By boat?” Ginny exclaimed, now watching him through wide chestnut eyes. She had never even been on a boat before. In fact the only time she had left was when she went to that one time, but they had used as portkey that time.

“Yes Weasley, by boat.” Draco said tiredly. Honestly was the girl stupid or something, how else were they supposed to get there? It wasn’t like he could create portkeys for them.

Ginny just stared at him blankly.

“Well, how are we going to get to to get this boat?” She asked, now finding another flaw in his plan.

“We’re going to disapparate there, obviously.” Draco said, as he continued to eat his meal, not even bothering to look at her. Even if he had opened up to her last night, that didn’t stop his irritation with her annoying questions.

“I don’t know how.” Ginny said embarrassed, as she cast her eyes to her plate.

Draco rolled his eyes. “Well I do, so you’ll just have to disapparate with me.”

“You can do that?” Ginny asked surprised.

“Yes, but it isn’t something I like to do very often. However in the circumstances I’m sure we’ll be alright.” Draco said impatiently.

Ginny nodded. She went to eat her breakfast when something hit her in the head. Turning her face she saw Hedwig land on the table and a letter land on her lap.

Draco stared at her, his grey eyes hardening with suspicion. “Isn’t that Potter’s owl?”

Ginny opened the letter and read it, as her mouth dropped open.

Draco became impatient when she didn’t answer and glared at her. “Well, what does it say?”

“They’re coming to get me.” She said surprised, putting the letter down and staring absently at the owl on the table.

Hedwig hooted happily and took a drink of Draco’s orange juice.

“Who?” Draco asked confused but his question was immediately answered, as he followed Ginny’s shocked gaze to the window. There outside the cottage were Draco’s least favourite people. Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and worst of all, Ronald Weasley.

Ginny leapt out of her chair and ran to the door, opening it with a mighty pull, sending it slamming into the wall.

“Ron!” She sobbed as she flew into his arms, clutching him for dear life.

Ron fell back from the impact but clung tightly to his younger sister. “Ginny,” he said stroking her hair, a relieved smile on his lips. “You’re alive.”

Ginny pulled back from him and ran joyfully to Hermione.

“Hermione!” Ginny squealed, as Hermione wrapped her arms around Ginny, giving her a sisterly hug.

“Oh Ginny, we were so worried.” Hermione said trying to hold back her tears. Ginny prised herself of Hermione and let her eyes fall on the boy she had thought of more than anyone else during that time.

Ginny smiled shyly at him, as she gazed into those beautiful emerald eyes.

Harry returned the smile and walked over, pulling her into his arms. “Ginny,” he said croakily. “Don’t ever scare me like that again.”

Ginny sighed as she melted into his embrace. It was just like a dream; a perfect and wonderful dream.

“I missed you Harry.” Ginny said quietly into his shoulder, relishing the feeling of his strong arms wrapped around her.

Harry clung to her tightly before kissing her softly on the forehead. “I missed you too.” He whispered and smiled kindly down at her.

A drawling voice split through the air, which made everybody freeze. “As much as I hate to interrupt this touching reunion,” Draco sneered in anything but sorry accents. “I’m afraid that Weasley and I have a boat to catch.”

Ron spun around so fast he almost fell over. “Malfoy!” He said incredulously, his azure eyes narrowing with dislike. “You’ve been with Malfoy?”

Ginny let go off Harry and turned to face Draco, who had a twisted expression on his face as he watched them. She was shocked by different he seemed. It was like looking back into his old self.

“He helped me Ron.” Ginny said quietly but not taking her eyes of Draco.

Hermione gave Ron a warning glare, telling him to get a hold of himself. She turned back to Draco and looked at him suspiciously.

“What do you mean you have to catch a boat?” She asked Draco.

Draco turned his cold gaze to Hermione who did not flinch. A small smirk played on his face.

“Because Weasley and I are going to .” Draco said simply.

Hermione stared at him in shock, her jaw dropping, before turning to Ginny.

“Is this true?” She asked in a disbelieving voice.

Ron made a funny sound in his throat as if he couldn’t keep his thoughts to himself any longer. His face had gone a horrible blotchy colour and Ginny could tell he was about ready to burst with anger.

“WHAT? YOU TWO ARE ELOPING?” He exploded, unable to contain himself any longer.

Ginny started to giggle and even Draco found it hard not to laugh at Ron’s obvious fury and stupidity.

“No you dolt, we are not eloping.” Draco said mockingly, his lips twitching with clear amusement. “That is the last thing on my mind, believe ” He added, as his gaze fell on Ginny.

Ginny choked back her laughter and looked at Ron with a pitying expression. “I think you had better come inside so we can talk.” She said gently and steered him off inside.

Everyone else followed them back into the cottage and settled themselves comfortably in the chairs. Ginny, however, stood next to Draco as she looked at him with a worried glance. Draco nodded, encouraging her to tell them what was happening.

Ginny smiled at him and proceeded to give them the details of what had been happening the past few days, with Draco’s help. When they had finished everyone was silent, as they tried to get their minds around the strange tale of Draco and Ginny’s destiny.

Ron looked at Ginny, struggling to find words to his thoughts.

“So, you’re saying that you’re a seer and you have to help Malfoy find his destiny and that somehow he will help Harry defeat Voldemort?” Ron started to laugh but quickly shut up at Hermione’s ferocious glare.

Hermione turned to Draco and stared at him steadily through her honey brown eyes. “When are you going to ?”

“We’re going to first. We have to be there by noon to catch the tide.” Draco said, ignoring Ron completely and turning his full attention to Hermione. Ginny figured it was probably because she was the only one who appeared to have any grain of sense to Draco.

Hermione nodded. “That only gives us another hour or so.”

“Us?” Draco asked her, raising his eyebrow, as if to ask what she was talking about.

“Well you didn’t think we’d let you do this alone?” Hermione responded contemptuously, folding her arms in a defensive manner against Draco’s scrutiny.

Ginny smiled at Hermione and glanced back at Draco. “Hermione’s right, Malfoy. They’ll be a big help.”

Harry, who had been silent the whole time, finally looked at Draco.  Their eyes met and Ginny wondered what was going to happen. The tension in the room had dropped since they had first come in, but Ginny knew how much Draco and Harry despised each other, even if Harry did think Draco had some good in him.

“I guess we’re allies for now.” Harry said putting out his hand. Draco couldn’t help but notice the irony of the situation. It was much like the second time they had met when Draco had offered his friendship to Harry. Now the tables were turned.

Draco stared at him for a minute but then took Harry’s hand in a firm grasp. Ron watched open mouthed as they shook hands, sealing the truce they had made.

Draco pulled his hand away and turned to Ginny. “Well, I guess we should pack. It’s going to be a long journey.”

Ginny nodded, still slightly in awe at what she had just witnessed. It seemed everything that had kept the two rivals had fallen away with the desperation of the situation. She felt proud of both of them for putting aside their differences.

“Then we’ll get everything else ready.” Hermione said in a business-like manner and headed to the kitchen to get the necessary provisions.

Half an hour later, the five of them stood outside all clutching packs of supplies for the long trip. The sky was a radiant blue and promised a good trip across the seas.

Draco turned to face them with a frustrated sigh. “Do you know how to disapparate?” He asked Harry, Hermione and Ron.

Hermione and Harry nodded their heads, but Ron shook his head saying he had never actually done it properly.

“Figures.” Draco said under his breath. “Well, Granger or Potter can help you disapparate to . It will be hard to disapparate so far but hopefully you can handle it; I’m not wasting my time helping you if you get splinched.” He said carelessly, leaving them with no doubt that he meant what he had said.

Hermione frowned at him but didn’t say anything. She knew all too well how usless arguing with Draco would be.

“I’ll help him.” She said turning to face Ron. “You just have to give us the exact location to where we are disapparating.”

Draco told her the directions and took Ginny’s arm in a firm grasp. Ginny felt strangely comforted knowing that he would be helping her. She’d hate to get splinched because of some silly mistake.

“Don’t let go Weasley or you’ll regret it.” He muttered before Ginny felt a strange and rather painful sensation happening over her body.

She felt the scenery dissolving around her to be replaced by a grey alley with a couple of crates stacked in the corner. The smell of the ocean drifted to her and she knew they were now in .

“We made it.” She said happily, impulsively squeezing his arm in her relief.

Draco let go off her and looked at his watch with an impatient frown. Harry appeared out of thin air, closely followed by Ron and Hermione. They all looked at Draco expectantly.

“Well let’s go.” Draco said briskly, as he stared at their expressions.

They all nodded in reply and started to walk towards the docks.

Ginny fell into step with Harry and smiled up at him, her eyes shining with the happiness she felt in just seeing her there. Draco scowled at them and led the way to the docks, firmly keeping his eyes away from the red head now making sheep eyes at Potter.

He walked ahead silently, feeling his frustrations building with each moment. He felt like the odd one out and Draco hated feeling excluded. He looked back at the group trailing behind him and scowled again, as saw Ginny chatting animatedly with Harry, Hermione and Ron.

Of course she would ignore me. I help her and now she runs back to Potter, the insufferable mudblood and that stupid git of a brother she has.

Draco kicked a can and turned to look at them, his eyes betraying the emotions raging inside him.

“I’ll go arrange everything. You lot wait here.” He said shortly and headed off down the docks.

Ginny watched him walk off and felt just a little bit guilty for ignoring him. She had been talking to Ron, Hermione and Harry the whole time and had simply forgot about Draco. She felt bad, knowing that he was the one making it possible for them to even get to .

Frowning to herself, Ginny decided she would have to make it up to him later. She only hoped he would understand that she was just happy and relieved to see her dear friends again and that it was not intentional. She couldn’t bear to lose all the ground she had just made with him last night.

Ten minutes later Draco came back with the news that they had a boat.

“How did you manage that?” Ron asked astounded, his blue eyes flickering with suspicion, as if he thought Draco had done something dodgy.

“Because, you oaf, I have my own private yacht.” Draco said smugly, his grey eyes glancing derisively at Ron’s furious expression.

Ginny rolled her eyes at both of them. Those two could never be civilised to each other.

“Well, shall we go then?” She asked, firmly stopping anymore arguments that might arise.

Harry and Hermione nodded. Ron looked away in embarrassment and Draco merely smirked.

Ginny sighed. “Come on, Malfoy. Where is this yacht of yours?”

Draco led them onto his yacht, turning to glare at them slightly, as they all crowded on the deck.

“You can find cabins over there.” Draco said shortly. “Now if you don’t mind, I’d rather not be inflicted with your presence any longer so I’m going to my room.”

Ginny sighed as she watched his pale blond hair disappear into a cabin. There went her hopes of trying to smooth his ruffled feathers. She figured she would just have to let him cool down and try again later.

Turning her gaze back to the others, she smiled. “Well I guess we should go find some rooms. It will be a couple of hours before we get to from what Malfoy told me.”

Hermione nodded and took Ginny’s hand. “We need to have a talk, I think.” She said giving Ginny a pointed look. Ginny could tell by Hermione’s expression that this discussion was not going to be about the weather and frowned, as she followed her friend into a cabin.

Ron looked at Harry who shrugged.

“I guess we should find a cabin then.” Harry said quietly.

OOOOOOOOO

Hermione looked at Ginny, who smiled sheepishly back.

“Alright Ginny, what’s been going on?” Hermione demanded, giving Ginny an accusing look.

Ginny frowned. Why was Hermione looking at her so accusingly?

“What do you mean? I already told you what happened.” Ginny said, looking slightly confused, as her brows drew together.

“Yes, you told me but that doesn’t explain the weird looks you and Malfoy seem be sharing with each other.”

Ginny felt herself blush slightly. She had no idea what Hermioen was talking about and didn’t like what Hermione was implying.

“Do you like him Ginny?” Hermione asked in a brisk tone.

“I-I d-don’t know what you mean.” Ginny stammered, as she looked the other way. Ginny didn’t like Draco, it was Harry she liked. Draco…was just a friend….

“Please, Ginny. How long have I known you?” Hermione said with a small smile.

Ginny blushed and tried to avoid Hermione’s piercing gaze. “I guess you could say we’re friends; rather reluctant friends but friends.”

Hermione nodded, her eyes telling Ginny to continue.

“I have so much to thank him for.” Ginny said quietly, as her gaze became distant, as she remembered everything that had happened since she had found Draco.

“On the first day I found him, I had fallen unconscious out of exhaustion and sheer pain from my wounds. Malfoy healed me. He gave me a bath and made me food. He was so thoughtful about all my needs I didn’t know what to think.”

Hermione watched Ginny, smiling slightly, probably amused by imagining Draco being thoughtful.

“But then he ruined it all by yelling at me and getting rude.” Ginny said with an angry look, her eyes flashing at the painful argument. She remembered all too well Draco’s selfishness and his harsh remarks to her. She had called him childish and stomped off to bed.

“Still, the next day he apologised to me and even though we were still a bit rocky, we managed to sort things out.” Ginny continued, a warm glow coming into her eyes at her happiness in realising she was finally getting Draco to talk to her in a civilised manner.

“And then last night he finally opened up to me.”

Hermione looked at Ginny curiously. “What do you mean, opened up to you?”

“Well he shared a lot about himself.” Ginny said slowly, not wanting to divulge that personal conversation with Hermione. “And seeing him with a shirt off helped a lot in mellowing my mood.” Ginny said with a cheeky smile.

Hermione looked at Ginny with an amused glint in her eyes. “I’m sure it did.”

Both girls laughed.

Ginny smiled absently to herself, almost as though she had slipped into her own little world of memories. She played with the blanket and gazed at the stripy pattern, trying to find the words to explain how she felt.

“He’s not that bad Hermione.” Ginny said out loud, hoping that she could make Hermione see Draco how she saw him. “I know he acted like a real jerk at school, and he still does, but I know he’s a good person underneath it all.”

Hermione nodded her head. “You’re right. Clearly he’s not as black as we thought; I only hope Ron doesn’t do anything stupid. You know how much they hate each other.”

“Yeah, I expected worse. I mean Harry seems to be taking this well.” Ginny said thoughtfully.

“Harry knows that hating Draco would be pointless when they have to work together. If Malfoy can help Harry defeat Voldemort, Harry will accept his help. It’s as simple as that.” Hermione replied.

Ginny nodded in agreement. “Yeah, I think it’s the same for Malfoy. He said to me he didn’t want to help Harry but he knows that it’s the only way. Now we just have to hope that Ron can put his differences aside.”

Hermione smiled in a hopeless manner. “I have a feeling that might take a little longer.”

Ginny sighed knowing what Hermione meant. “So do I.”

Both girls fell into thoughtful silence, as they pondered over the strange events that had brought them to this point.

Hermione suddenly giggled, causing Ginny to look up in surprise.

“Never did I think I would ever be sailing to on Malfoy’s private yacht.” She said with another giggle.

Ginny laughed, seeing the irony of the situation. “Neither did I.”

OOOOOOOOO

Draco scowled at the roof, his grey eyes practically boring a hole where his intense gaze fell.

Get a grip. You can’t go losing your head over a Weasley. Draco mentally scolded himself, as he finally managed to wrench his gaze from the roof.

He had been fuming ever since he had seen Ginny smile at Harry. He didn’t know why it made him so angry, but seeing her smile like that just made his blood boil.

He couldn’t contain his frustration, as he angrily rolled over on the bed. She was nothing but an annoying girl who pestered him with questions, so why couldn’t he stop thinking about her?

He frowned to himself, realising it was possible he was simply annoyed because he was used to having her attention on him but somehow Draco knew that was only the tip of the iceberg. Perhaps if she was any girl he would feel that way but Ginny was not just any girl.

He remembered the way she had listened to him without judging him when he spoke of his worries last night and sighed. He had been lying to himself in saying he only found her annoying. He, who didn’t deserve a single scrap of her attention, had been allowed to share his fears with a girl who truly cared. She didn’t even know him and he knew she had been sincere with her sympathy for him.

Sure, he really did find her questions annoying but he was also fascinated by them and everything else about her. Ginny was like a breath of fresh air for him. Sometimes he felt like he was playing with fire and often made her angry but other times he felt like he had found a kindred spirit in Ginny. That more than anything else worried him…

She had broken down his barriers and forced him to show her the real Draco, the person behind the mask of indifference.

Sighing again, Draco closed his eyes, as the gentle lull of water against the yacht soothed his tensed body.  The ocean’s lullaby soon had Draco falling asleep, as his frustrations and worries seemed to just slip away.