Chapter Seven
"Draco?" Ginny didn't know what to expect. There were many things ranging from the worst to the best case scenario running through her mind at rapid speed.
Draco's eyes still were on the stone of the balcony beneath his feet, his face thoughtful as if trying to either find a way not to tell her and a way to at the same time. He then suddenly smirked to himself in an almost cynical way.
"There's no way to tell you with out telling you everything," he said, not looking up.
"I've got all the time in the world right now Draco," Ginny replied softly. This finally made Draco look up. He scanned her face, as if testing whether she was sincere, and then nodded. He pulled her back inside her flat, leading her to her worn, red coloured couch and motioning for her to sit down.
He stood, pacing before her, gathering his words carefully. His face was stern. Finally, he sighed and began to speak.
"In all honesty Gin, I never expected to see this curse ever again so I never told anyone. I thought it died with the Dark Lord but apparently, I was wrong. The Sebonist curse, as you experienced, first starts out with the blindness of its victim and then quite literally sucks them into a world made up of their own fear. You had help so you were able to fight it off and we got the cure to you on time but for most, they die in a world where they can't protect themselves. You knew it was all in your head so you were strong against your fear but many don't realize it and become consumed.
"The Dark Lord created this curse, perfecting it on hundreds of innocent Muggles. He then passed the knowledge on to his servants closest to him, my father being one of them who then passed it on to me in hopes that I would use it someday. He taught me that curse along with all the other Unforgivables when I was eight. Through out school, he tutored me, making sure I could perform these curses with out emotion. By my sixth year, I could have killed any one I wanted with a mire flick of my wand. Dumbledor knew this and began to pay more and more attention to me. I confronted him one day, demanding the reasons for his interest. He told me that he knew what my father had taught me and he asked if I really wanted to kill people so freely as Voldemort would and did. After that day, my life changed. Dumbledor offered to help me change and said that he could keep it secret.
"In seventh year, I had changed sides but no one knew besides Dumbledor and myself. Even my father was oblivious. He thought I was still going to be the next in line to receive Voldemort's confidence and his mark. Whenever I was home, I pretended I was loyal to Voldemort when in actual fact I was spying for Dumbledor. I was a better resource than anyone on the inside because I was the son of someone closest to the Dark Lord." He paused and kneeled before Ginny, taking her hands in his.
"My seventh year was also when I started watching you. I followed you just to be nearer to you but never giving away anything. I acted the stubborn asshole that you had always seen me as because I didn't know what you would think of me if I told you how I really felt.
"At the Yule ball I couldn't hold it in. I asked you to dance."
Ginny remembered that night. She remembered dancing with someone unknown because they hadn't revealed their face to her. It was one of her fondest memories and it meant so much more now that she knew who it was.
"When I graduated, Dumbledor took me under his wing and I became a part of the Order along with Potter, Granger and your brother. It wasn't long after that that the war started. I hated it when they sent in the strongest of Hogwart's and other school's students to help in the fight because you were one of them. I remember watching you once. You looked so scared but brave at the same time. I went over and talked to you." Draco laughed. "We talked about how Snape looked like a rat with all that greasy hair."
"You thought that he and Umbridge would make a perfect couple," Ginny said between her own burst of laughter.
"That made the war far away," Draco chuckled, but then his face went stern again. "At least for the moment. That was the same day you got hurt."
Ginny's laughter died at his words. One of the most horrible days of her life was that day. She had thought she was going to die. She remembered sitting in a bed very much like the one she had been in a few hours ago. He family had been there, waiting over her with the same worry they had held before she had woken up. She almost didn't make it then either but, just like this time, she had managed to pull through.
"I watched from the sidelines while your family waited and then celebrated," Draco said in a sad voice. "I thought that if I got involved, someone would hurt you. So I moved away and shielded myself, avoiding you in hopes that no one would know. Well, you can see how well that turned out.
"When I left you at the hospital, I went to search for my father. I found out that my assumptions were correct when I confronted him. He put that curse on you to teach me a lesson. He said only fool's fall in love and he thought I was weak. It was my fault you were cursed. I'm sorry." Ginny's eyes went round as she jumped to her feet.
"No, Draco! It wasn't your fault! How can you say that?"
"Do you see any other possible reason?!" Draco snapped as he stood, turning away from her. "It was my fault Ginny, he cursed you because of me…"
"That doesn't make it your fault!"
"If I had of never shown any emotion towards you, if I had never looked at you or been nice to you…"
"We wouldn't have what we do now." Draco stopped his ranting and whipped around to face Ginny. "Would you go back and take this all away so I wouldn't have to be curse by your father? Would you do that just so I wouldn't be hurt?" Draco said nothing as he ran a hand through his hair looking away from Ginny once more. Ginny walked towards him and brought a hand to his face, pressing gently to force him to look at her. "Would you?"
"I almost bloody died this week. I felt a stab in my heart every time you screamed. Your pain was my pain and I never wanted that to happen to you, ever."
"That didn't answer my question." Ginny's voice was soft but had a demanding tone behind it that told Draco that nothing would be right again if he didn't answer her. His eyes dropped. "Look at me Draco." He did. His silvery-gray eyes locked with her ocean blue. "Would you?"
"No." Ginny gave a sigh of relief. She was so scared that he might of said yes that her legs had begun to shake despite the composure and determination on her face and in her eyes. She wrapped her arms around Draco's waist, resting her head on his chest. She closed her eyes, breathing in the woodsy smell that was Draco. She soon felt his arms around her shoulders and his chin resting on the top of her head.
"It wasn't your fault Draco. It was Lucius' and no one else's." She looked up at him and smiled. "I don't think my life would be the same without you and I wouldn't have it any other way."
"Even if it means you had to spend over a week in a hospital bed?"
"Especially because I had to spend a week in a hospital bed." Draco raised an eyebrow and smirked.
"You're lying."
"You're right," Ginny said and giggled. "I could have done without that but that just makes life interesting now doesn't it?" Draco chuckled. "I love you Draco and nothing will ever change that."
"I love you too Gin and I will tell you that every day for the rest of our lives." Draco leaned forward, gently pressing his lips against Ginny's.