It All Began With Dwarfing Draco

1. Chapter One

“WEASLEY!” Draco's little voice bellowed. “WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!” Even though Ginny Weasley stood towering over Draco Malfoy, she trembled. He had been insulting her family and had taken it way too far by insulting her mother in a why no one should ever do. Ginny had screamed and whipped out her wand from her robes. She yelled something, she didn't know exactly what but before her eyes Draco shrank. He shrank until he was about the size of her thumb. Ginny's eyes nearly popped out of her head. She dropped to her knees infront of him.

“Oh my…” she breathed.

“Oh my? OH MY! That's all you can say after you turned my into a bloody fairy!” Ginny had had enough of this. She hated Draco more than anyone and he deserved to be tiny. He could finally feel how she had felt when he insulted her, little.

“Shut up Malfoy!” Draco stared at her. He had expected her to give in and apologize but not this. Apparently the little mouse had could roar. “Do not even think of insulting me now because I will crush you if you do not shut that wicked mouth this instant. Now, how are we going to fix this?”

“We? Oh no Weasley. You made me this way and you will change me back this instant.” Draco stomped his foot like a spoiled little child. Ginny glared at him.

“Malfoy, you're an inch high. You really expect me to listen to you?” Ginny spat. “Now listen here. You will help me make you normal again. Is that understood?”

“But how can I help when I'm only, as you have so subtly pointed out, an inch high. I can't exactly pull books off the shelves of the library, now can I? And what if someone squashes me?” Ginny felt a headache coming on and it wasn't going to be nice. She sighed and rubbed her temples with her fingertips. He was right, if some one stepped on him or dropped their bag in the wrong place… Ginny really didn't want to think about that.

“I don't know what to do,” Ginny whispered. She buried her face in her hands and tried to think of an answer, anything to get them out of this mess but no enlightenment came. What were they going to do?

“I have also drawn a blank I'm afraid,” Draco sighed. “I guess we will have to take a visit to the library now won't we?” Ginny looked up and her face looked so innocent but thoughtful at the same time. She nodded slightly and her eyes became hopeful. Draco had to force himself not to stare. He did not want to fall for this red headed weasel. There would be way to many complications that he would just as well avoid.

“Right, we should,” Ginny said and began to stand but something struck her. “Umm? Draco? How are you going to get to the library?” They where standing a little ways down the corridor from the Great Hall and for someone the size of Draco, it would take a few days to get to the library.

“Well this is a problem, I guess you'll just have to carry me.” Ginny wasn't thrilled with the idea but it was the only way.

“Fine but you have to promise me something,” Ginny said shortly.

“And what would that be?” Draco didn't know what Ginny was about to say but he knew that it would be an easy promise to keep.

“Since we are going to be working together, you have to promise me that you will be civil.”

“And what about you? You're no angel yourself.”

“Fine, do we have an agreement.” Draco rolled his eyes dramatically but nodded in agreement. “All right.” Ginny knelt swiftly and scooped him into her hand. He yelled and glared at her.

“You could have warned me,” he spat. Ginny gave him a warning look and began to walk down the corridor, being careful not to drop Draco. They did not speak at all, making the walk to the library long and uncomfortable. When they arrived, Ginny scanned the room for an empty table. She spotted one but noticed she had to go around a table of Slytherins. Draco apparently noticed this as well.

“Put me in your pocket,” he quietly said. Ginny was just about to question why but a shrill voice spoke before her.

“Talking to your hand now Weasel?” Ginny knew that voice and cringed every time from it's shrillness. It was none other than Pansy Parkinson and she was walking right towards her. She carefully dropped Draco in pocket of her robes. She heard a soft grunt as he landed and then silence.

“Draco will be sorry he missed this,” Pansy sneered. “Oh well. Really Ginny just because you have no friends doesn't mean you should start talking to your hand. You'll be in St. Mungo's before you know it if you keep that up.” Ginny glared and walked past the seventh year Slytherin, determined not to have a confrontation with the pug-faced girl. Pansy clearly had other plans. She grabbed Ginny's arm and whipped her around.

“You really need to learn better manners. You don't walk away when someone's talking to you. It's not very lady like, now is it?” Pansy smirked as Ginny's anger rose.

“And you are?” Ginny fired back. “You need to learn to leave other people alone when you know your not wanted.”

“Now. Temper, temper. We can't have you mouthing off to someone who could crush you in seconds,” Pansy threatened. Ginny ripped her arm out of Pansy's grip and slapped her as hard as she could. The slap echoed and Ginny thanked any gods listening that Mrs. Pince was not in the library at that moment but was glad to have an outlet for her anger. Pansy was second to Draco on Ginny's hate list and she wasn't going to let her push her around. Pansy's eyes widened as she brought a hand to her face.

“You couldn't crush me if you tried,” Ginny whispered in a threatening voice. “Now leave me alone.” She turned and swiftly walked out of the library. She didn't get far when she heard a screech behind her. She turned to see Pansy racing towards her. Ginny sprinted from were she stood, Pansy close behind. She ran up to the Gryffindor tower, yelling the password as she drew near but not loud enough for Pansy to hear. The painting swung open and she launched herself through. She heard Pansy scream on the other side when she was shut out. Ginny's heart felt like it was going to fly out of her chest when she remembered Draco was still in her pocket. She turned swiftly and walked up to the girl's dorm room, by-passing her brother and his friends. She sat on her bed and pulled the curtain shut around it. Placing a silencing charm on the curtain she gently took off her robe. After laying it carefully on the bed, she opened the flap of her pocket. Draco slowly walked out, scowling.

“Are you alright?” Ginny asked. Draco didn't speak for a moment. Ginny was shocked when he smirked at her.

“I couldn't believe it when you slapped Pansy. Maybe you are good for something after all.” Ginny didn't know whether to take this as a compliment or and insult. “That was quite a ride in your pocket you know.”

“Sorry,” Ginny said sympathetically. Draco looked around to see curtains all around him.

“Where are we?”

“In my room.” Draco eyes widened and he raised his eyebrows. “Where else was I supposed to go when that screaming banshee of a girl was chasing me?” Draco shrugged and nodded, walking towards the end of the bed. Ginny watched him. The way he walked seemed almost perfect. She suddenly realized how hansom he really was. His hair wasn't gelled back but fell down into his silvery-gray eyes. His face looked like an angel's when it wasn't scowling.

“Done staring?” Ginny was snapped back to reality. She muttered and apology and looked away. She shifted to lay on her back, turning her head to the side so she could keep the Slytherin in sight but be comfortable at the same time. Draco sat gracefully and his eyes flicked up to hers.

“So…” he started. “What now?”

“Well, I have to find a way to get you back to your common room while not getting you as well as myself killed and find a spell to change you back.”

“Why can't I just stay here?” Ginny was taken aback but sighed.

“It would make my job a little easier but would you want to stay in a Gryffindor girls dorm room?”

“Lets think on this Weasley, why wouldn't I want to stay in a girls dorm room even if it is in the Gryffindor tower?” he drawled, a wicked smirk playing on his lips.

“Be serious.”

“I am.”

“Malfoy.”

“Fine. Well seeing as I would probably be squashed if you took me to my common room, I think it would be logical just to stay here,” he said matter-of-factly.

“Where will you sleep?” Ginny was a little nervous about asking this question but it had to be asked.

“Will it take that long?”

“I'm not going anywhere near the library tonight. Pansy will rip me apart with her bare hands.” Draco looked around the curtained bed.

“Why don't you hang something up on the railing, in the corner over there so I won't be seen?” Ginny nodded and put a finger to her lips, signaling Draco to be quiet. She slipped off her bed and out of the curtain. Draco heard some rustling from the other side and Ginny soon returned with some kind of material in her hands.

“What's that?” he asked a little confused. It was folded into a triangle shape and had a silver dragon pattern over the black material. Draco had seen all kinds of napkins but never one like this.

“It's called a bandanna.”

“A ban-what-a?”

“A bandanna. My brother Charlie brought it back for me from Romania, said that a lot of Muggles wear them.”

She gently picked Draco up and set him on the railing, which was conveniently just wide enough for him to sit on. Ginny then tied the three corners of the bandanna into the corner of the railing. She then took out her wand and muttered a securing charm on the three corners where she had tied them to the railing. Satisfied with her work, Ginny nodded and looked expectantly at Draco.

“Is it safe?” Draco asked hesitantly, staring at the bandanna as if it was a death trap waiting for a victim.

“I think so, try it out.” Draco shimmied down the railing and lightly put a foot into the bandanna. It sank slightly when he applied his weight but was sturdy. He placed his other foot in and slid into it. Slowly, he let go of the railing. The contraption seemed to be steady enough. Draco looked up to see Ginny smiling.

“It' seems safe,” he muttered, still not totally sure. Ginny nodded and then, to her embarrassment, her stomach rumbled. A light pink colour brushed across her cheeks making Draco stare.

“I need to get something to eat. Would you like anything?” Draco shook his head, eyes unmoving from her face. “All right then. I'll be back soon. And don't get yourself into trouble.” She grabbed her robe from the bed once again disappeared through the curtain.

Draco lay down on the material that was now his bed and stared at the ceiling, listening to Ginny's retreating footsteps which faded by the second till they were eventually gone. It wasn't the most comfortable thing he had ever slept in but it would do till he was back to normal again. `How long am I going have to be stuck like this?' was the only thought passing through his mind, minus the thoughts of Ginny as his eyes began to close. It didn't take long for him to drift off to sleep with dreams of a certain red head.

2. Chapter Two

Author’s note: I once again forgot to say these characters are not mine. Whoops! I’m really glad you like my story so far and thanks for the encouragement. Hope you enjoy. Please keep reviewing J J J

Ginny worked her way down the corridors to the Great Hall as quietly as she could as to not attract unwanted attention. People were starting to file out in slow, lazy crowds and chatting amongst themselves about various things. Sneaking her way over to the Gryffindor table, she grabbing a napkin and started to pile food on it. When she had finished, she folded the corners up to keep the food in and carefully made her way back to the Gryffindor Tower. She must have looked very paranoid, checking around every corner to make sure she wasn’t being followed or have the pleasure of an unexpected pummeling. She had almost made it up to her room without being caught when she heard a voice behind her.

"Hungry Gin?" It was Hermione. Ginny turned to face her and gave a small smile.

"I have a lot of studying to do so I figure I’d eat upstairs tonight," Ginny lied. Hermione raised an eyebrow in suspicion but nodded and turned back to her own. Ginny turned and walked into her room, crawling into her bed and giving a heavy sigh. That was a little to close for comfort. She didn’t enjoy lying to Hermione but she didn’t feel like explaining the fact that she was keeping Draco Malfoy up in her room and the reason why.

"Hey Draco, I’m back," she said as she crawled into her fore-poster and closed the curtain. No answer came. Ginny looked up at Draco’s "bed", noticing the bulge in the center and stood up. Looking over the edge she saw Draco curled up and fast asleep. Ginny smiled and searched in her robe pockets, pulling out an unused tissue and draping it over Draco’s small form. Draco rolled over and grabbed onto the tissue, pulling it up under his chin. For the first time, at least to her, he looked actually innocent. This, to Ginny, was a disturbing thought and she shook her head to get rid of it. She gingerly sat down and began to eat the food she had brought back with her while many questions flooded her thoughts. How long would she have to hide him up here? How long would it take to find a spell to turn him back? But did Ginny really want to turn him back? He was being civil to her. If she changed him back, would he go back to being the mean, nasty Draco Malfoy he had always been or would things be different? Ginny stared up at where Draco lay. What happens if she started to fall for him?

* * * * *

Draco woke in the middle of the night. He blinked his sleepy eyes and remembered where he was. The light was off and the room was dark, sounds of the night floating in from the open window. An owl hooted somewhere, looking for a meal probably and crickets sang their sad song.

Crawling to the edge of the bandanna, he stared down at the sleeping Ginny. The curtain was open slightly and a sliver of moonlight fell softly on her face. ‘She’s beautiful’ Draco thought as he watched her sleep, wondering if he really wanted to be changed back. He wanted to be full size again but here, he could watch her, be close to her and not be disowned or worse. His father would kill him if he knew the thoughts going threw Draco’s head right now, but at the moment Draco didn’t care. So he watched Ginny while he could before he fell back into a blissful sleep but even there, her face haunted his dreams.

* * * * *

Sunlight shone through the curtain. Ginny’s light blue eyes fluttered open. She stretched and yawned, rolling over to see Draco sitting on her pillow making her jump with surprise.

"Draco!" she hissed. "Don’t do that!" She only received a smirked. He had his chin resting on his laced fingers and his elbows on his bent knees. Ginny glared at him and stuck her head outside her curtain to see that all of her roommates were already gone. For this she was grateful that no one in her room slept in on Saturdays even though she thought it was the oddest thing ever. Not sleep-in on a Saturday, that was wrong in so many ways.

She opened the curtain all the way around her bed and slid out, pulling her fingers through her crimson hair. Draco watched her with curious eyes as she walked to her trunk at the end of her bed and began fishing through it. She threw a pair of old, worn jeans and a black long sleeve turtleneck that looked relatively new onto the bed. She had saved up her money for that shirt and did the same two summers ago with her jeans. She then grabbed her toiletry bag and looked up to see that Draco was still staring at her.

"What?" she asked in an aggravated tone. When he said nothing she gathered up her things and stood. "I’ll be back in a few minutes." It was eerie how he had been staring at her like that and she didn’t like it. She felt like she was under one of those Muggle micro-scups or whatever they were called.

She went to the girl’s bathroom, still checking around every corner for the pug-faced Pansy that could potentially rip her head off, and quickly got dressed. She then put her hair in a ponytail and brushed her teeth. The toothbrush that Hermione gave her was quite handy and she didn’t have to use a cleaning spell on her mouth anymore or trust one of her family members to do it for her.

When she was satisfied with her appearance she walked back to the Gryffindor Tower. After putting her sleep wear and toiletry bag back in her trunk, she looked up to where she had left Draco only to see that he wasn’t there. Panic suddenly filled her and images started to form in her mind. She pushed them aside and started to look for him.

"Draco?" she would call but heard no response. She leaped on her bed and looked into his to see him lying there. "Why didn’t you answer?" He shrugged. Ginny could have pounded him if he wasn’t so small.

"I was ready to have a heart attack Draco!" Draco sat up and smirked at her.

"You were worried about me? How touching," he teased.

"Well of course. When you are the size you are and I’m supposed to look after you, yeah I’m going to be worried when I can’t find you," Ginny snapped. "How did you get down and back up there anyway?"

"I climbed the railing," he replied as if it was nothing. "Well breakfast seems like a good idea right now I should think." Ginny rolled her eyes and gave a heavy sigh. He was going to be the end of her. She held out her hand to him and he gracefully stepped on, sitting in her palm. She carefully slid down from her bed and walked out of the room. She started to walk down the stairs when she heard voices at the bottom.

"But Hermione, Ron will kill me if I’m not at the pitch," Harry whined.

"That’s just to bad, you know we have a potions test coming up. In fact, Ron should be here studying with you." Ginny looked at Draco. How could she get past them without them seeing him? She slowly retreated back into her room and shut the door softly.

"Now what do we do?" she whispered.

"Don’t look at me! I usually don’t have this problem seeing as I’m usually as tall as Potter!"

"I could use some ideas right now cause I’m fresh out and if we don’t think of something than you won’t get breakfast or out of this room even."

"Your robe! If I have to I’ll ride in there." Ginny nodded and set him down on the nearest table. She retrieved her robe and slipped it on. Gently picking up Draco by the waist, she slipped him into her pocket. Taking a deep breath, Ginny walked back out of the room. When she reached the bottom, Harry and Hermione were on the couch studying.

"Morning Gin," Harry said warmly, Hermione echoing him.

"Morning," Ginny replied as friendly as she could. Harry beamed at her and then returned to his studying.

"Did you get your studying done?" Hermione asked.

"Uh…Sort of, still have a lot to do," Ginny lied once again. "Just going to the Great Hall to grab some food before going back at it."

"What sort of studying is it, maybe I could help?"

"No, that’s okay I’ll be fine. Besides, wouldn’t want to get distracted now would I?" Hermione nodded understandingly and dropped her eyes back down to the book in her lap. Ginny took her queue and exited the common room stopping just outside and letting out the breath she hadn’t realized she had been holding.

"If you keep this up Weasley you might get to be as good at lying as me," Draco said as he poked his head out of her pocket.

"Well when in the company of one such as you, your bad habits begin to rub off on me and besides, I would rather not explain why you were in the Gryffindor Tower in the first place. If Ron found out I would never heard the end of it." Draco smirked and then slid back down into her pocket. Ginny groaned and headed down to the Great Hall. She casually walked over to the Gryffindor table, sitting by her friend Colin and began to pile food on her plate. Every so often she would slip some toast or a piece of un-syruped waffle into her pocket for Draco.

"Ginny what are you doing?" Colin asked when he caught her slipping a piece of waffle in her pocket.

"Umm… Nothing. Just taking some food for Pig," she lied. Colin raised an eyebrow and then turned back to his food. Ginny sighed with relief. Finishing quickly, she grabbed an extra piece of toast before saying her good-byes to Colin and heading outside. She walked down to the lake and sat down by a big tree, drawing Draco carefully out of her pocket before she sat. She drew up her legs and set him on her knee. A light October breeze blew across the lake. Ginny broke off a small piece of toast for Draco and gave it to him. They ate in silence while watching the giant squid lazily swim. Ginny leaned back against the tree and looked down at Draco to see him looking straight back at her.

"What are you thinking about?" Draco softly asked. Ginny was a little taken aback by how sensitive he sounded. She would have never thought that Draco would have asked her this.

"Why do you want to know?" she replied defensively. Draco shrugged.

"Just curious." Ginny looked back out at the lake and tucked a piece of stray hair behind her ear.

"About how we are going to change you back and if you are going to turn back into the snobbish jerk you used to be or continue to be…civil." She closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Thank you," she heard Draco say softly. She opened her eyes and stared down at him.

"For what?"

"For taking care of me, not letting me go off and get myself killed." Ginny’s eyes nearly popped out of her head. "I just wanted to thank you Ginny, not a lot of other people would have helped me."

"Y-your welcome," Ginny stuttered. "Hey you just called me Ginny."

"I know."

"Thanks, I mean it’s nice for you not to call me Weasley or weasel." Draco nodded but his face was un-readable. He wasn’t showing any emotion and was just staring at Ginny. She didn’t know that he wanted to run a hand along her cheek and kiss her so badly it was ripping him apart inside.

Draco turned his head away to try to control himself. He couldn’t fall for Ginny. If his father found out he would kill her.

"Draco? What’s wrong?" Ginny asked. She knew something was wrong but she didn’t know what.

"Nothing. Nothing, I’m fine," Draco replied but didn’t look at her. So what if his father found out? He’d protect her. But then he remembered that he could do nothing when he was the size of a thumb.

"Uh huh, sure," Ginny said sarcastically. "Really what’s wrong? You can tell me."

"I’m just thinking okay," Draco snapped. "Lets go."

"Okay," Ginny replied, a little disturbed at his sudden outburst but offered him her hand and slowly walked back to the castle.

* * * * *

They sat in the library for hours. Reading book after book and still coming up with no answers. The sun was going down outside and the chatter of studying student was dying away.

"Where is Hermione when we need her?" Ginny asked under her breath. They were at the very back of the library so no one could hear them, this being Draco’s request.

"Oh no. That bossy-boots is not going to help us." Draco had been in a sour mood ever since that morning and had snapped at her every time Ginny proposed an answer.

"All right, all right, keep your shirt on. Why are you so defensive? Ever since this morning you have been so on edge that I half think you’ll explode any second now." Draco had been sitting on the table and now let himself fall back. Ginny watched him with curiosity.

"Sorry, I just have a lot on my mind that’s all."

"I think it’s time to get some supper and turn in for the night," Ginny suggested. "It’s been a long day."

"That sounds like a good idea." Ginny stood up and held out her pocket to Draco. He hopped in and Ginny walked out of the library and down to the Great Hall. She put some food on a plate, grabbing a knife and fork and took it back up to her room. She closed the curtains around her bed and set Draco on the bed after gently pulling him out of her pocket. She then cut some of the food into small bits for Draco. They ate in silence for a few minutes when Ginny decided it was time to break it.

"So are you going to tell me what’s on your mind?"

"I’d rather not, if you don’t mind," Draco said in a quite voice.

"I do mind. I can’t help if you don’t talk to me," Ginny coaxed. Draco said nothing and stuffed another piece of chicken in his mouth. "Draco."

"I can’t."

"Why, what can’t you tell me?"

"Because I don’t want him to hurt you." He stood abruptly and turned, walking to the end of the bed and climbed the railing into his bed. Ginny was concerned. She stood, stepping over the plate of food and walked over to him.

"Who will hurt me? Please tell me Draco."

"Leave me alone." Draco had his back to her and was lying on his side.

"Draco…" Ginny began but Draco interrupted her.

"Please, just don’t." He sat up and faced her. His face was stern but there was hurt in his eyes. If he were any bigger, she would have wrapped her arms around him and forced him to talk but she couldn’t and she hated it. She slowly nodded and sat down underneath him staring at the plate of food. She was hungry but not at the same time. She knew she should eat and tried but couldn’t. She took out her wand and muttered a charm to clear the plate. Setting the plate on her bedside table, she got out her shower and nighttime things.

Her mind dwelled on Draco as she let the steaming water of the shower fall over her when she reached the shower room. When she returned from the showers, she checked on Draco. He had fallen asleep, his face hidden in the tissue that was wrapped around him like a cocoon. What had disturbed him so much that he had pleaded with her. Who was going to her hurt if he told? It all didn’t make sense and Ginny was already frustrated so this just added to her worries.

Crawling under the covers, she hoped for sleep but none came till late in the night. She stared at the bandanna where Draco slept, her mind disturbed with thoughts of him. Without her knowing sleep eventually swept over her, only bringing bad dreams.

3. Chapter Three

Draco woke up sweating, his platinum hair plastered to his forehead and his heart beating so fast it felt like it would leap out of his chest. He was having a nightmare. He didn’t have many but when he did, the images those nightmares brought could make him cringe with fear. In this one, he had watched Lucius torturing Ginny. She had pleaded with Lucius but the monster only smirked at Draco who was running towards them but never reaching them. He woke when Lucius said the final fetal words that silencing the only person he really cared for.

Draco wiped the sweat from his brow, Ginny’s screams still ringing in his ears. He looked over the edge of his bed to see that she was safe and sound in hers, fast asleep. Draco let out a sigh of relief. This was not going to be easy. Everyday he felt more and more for her. Was this the love he had always wanted. No. Malfoys don’t love. He would just have to keep himself under control. ‘Just until I’m back to normal’ he told himself as he crawled back to the middle of his bed. But he wondered how long it would take and how long he could last.

* * * * *

The next morning they were in the library. Ginny noticed that Draco’s hair was looking a little greasy and his cloths were beginning to get dirty. She was not used to this. Draco was the kind of person who had to be perfect every second of his life and seeing him like this was a little disturbing.

"Hey umm Draco?" she said hesitantly. He looked up at her. This was going to be difficult. "Umm…Do you…Umm…Want a…a…bath or something?" Ginny hid her face behind a book so Draco couldn’t see her face turning the same colour as her hair.

Draco began to snicker and then he was overcome with an all out laugh. Ginny’s face was redder than ever. Why did she do it? Why couldn’t she just let it go? She peered over her book to see Draco on his back, holding his stomach cause he was laughing so hard. It wasn’t his normal mean and cruel laugh but a true laugh that made his face light up with joy. Ginny’s face burned as she sunk back into her book. Draco’s laughter started to die down but Ginny’s embarrassment still showed in her cheeks. Draco walked around her book, still holding his stomach. Ginny pretended to be deeply interested in her book infront of her and willed with all her might for her cheeks to calm.

" Oh man," Draco laughed. "Sorry Gin, but that was too funny," he chuckled as he wiped a tear of mirth from his eyes. "Anyway, yes I would love to have a bath, this is starting to get disgusting." Ginny looked down at him to see that his eyes brighter than she had ever seen them, it was weird. She set down her book and held out her hand for him to step on. She lightly set him in her pocket and worked her way back up to her room. She charmed a large barrette into a cup and realized her lack of water.

She left Draco and stole down to the kitchens for so warm water, which Dobby gladly gave her in abundance. On her way back she heard some Slytherin students talking about the missing Draco. Deciding that it wasn’t a good idea to stick around, Ginny hurried back up to her dorm. Thankfully it was a nice day and everyone who was anyone was outside enjoying it. Closing the curtains around her bed, she began preparing Draco’s bath.

"Shall I put some of my bath soap in or do want just water?" she asked Draco hesitantly after pouring the water into the cup.

"Soap would be great." Ginny nodded and added some of her strawberry and vanilla bath gel to the water and stirred it slightly with her finger. She placed the cup on her bedside table and then turned back to face Draco who was already beginning to get undressed. Ginny blushed slightly and tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear.

"I’ll use a cleaning spell on your cloths if you’d like." Draco nodded and Ginny set him on the table before turning her back so he could get fully undressed. She heard a splash and she turned around. Draco had left his cloths in a pile at the base of the cup and Ginny carefully gathered them. She muttered cleaning spells on them and laid them out for Draco to put on after his bath. How strange and yet normal this felt, taking care of someone. Ginny found it very puzzling but was careful not to show it on her face.

"Hey Gin." She looked up to see Draco resting his arms on the edge of the cup and looking at her.

"Yeah?" Draco opened and closed his mouth a couple of times.

"I’m sorry for last night, I was being fairly rude," he said in a quiet voice. Ginny smiled sweetly.

"Don’t worry about it. I would be pretty uptight if I had something on my mind that was bothering me." Draco nodded but his face stayed grave.

"Could you turn around please, I’m getting out now." Ginny turned and played with the hem of her skirt.

"Umm…What are we going to do tomorrow. It’s going to be Monday and we have classes."

"I don’t know, you can turn around now." Ginny turned to see Draco looking how he should be, perfect in every way. His school uniform was now shiny and clean.

"We have to ask Hermione, she is the only one who can help us minus the professors." Draco groaned and walked up to sit on her knee. "Draco, we haven’t come up with any answers and Hermione knows everything."

"She won’t help, she hates me."

"She will if I ask her," Ginny said confidently.

"Are you sure?" Draco looked up at her suspiciously. Ginny smiled and nodded. "Okay, it’s worth a try." Ginny gently picked Draco up and walked out of the girl’s room. She found Hermione in the common room staring at the book infront of her while Harry and Ron were playing a game of wizard’s chess on the floor.

"Uh Hermione?" Ginny asked cautiously. "Can I talk to you?"

"Sure." Hermione stood and followed Ginny back up to the girl’s dorm. They sat on Ginny’s bed, remaining silent for a moment or two. Hermione noticed Ginny being careful when sitting but didn’t comment but then she noticed the cup. When she asked, Ginny stared down at her fidgeting hands "Ginny? What’s wrong?"

"I need you to help us." Hermione raised an eyebrow.

"Who’s us?" Ginny sighed and reached in her pocket, gently pulling out Draco. Hermione stared at him and then looked back up at Ginny. Draco stood in the palm of Ginny’s hand. "Is that what I think it is?"

"It is me Granger. Can you help me to be back to normal or not?"

"Draco," Ginny said in a warning tone.

"What is going on here?" Hermione demanded. Ginny sighed and then launched into the story of how Draco became this size and how they were trying to find someway to change him back but were so far having no luck.

"You can help us Hermione, I know you can," Ginny pleaded when she had finished. Hermione was silent, apparently taking in all she had heard. "Please Hermione."

"I think you used the Dwarfacis spell."

"The what spell?" Draco asked, confused.

"Dwarfacis is a very rare spell. It shrinks the object or person it is aimed at so they’re size is decreased dramatically…" Hermione began.

"Is there anyway to change it back?" Ginny interrupted.

"Hmmm…I’ll have to check in the library but I think it can be reversed. Don’t go anywhere." She stood and began to head towards the door.

"Uh, Granger?" Hermione turned her hand on the doorknob. "Err…Thanks," Draco hesitantly said. Hermione smiled slightly and left the room.

"Told you," Ginny said confidently and gave a very Draco-like smirk.

"You’ve been hanging around me too long," Draco mocked. "You’ve adopted my smirk." Ginny rolled her eyes and smiled. She set Draco down on the bed and stretched when a knock came at the door. Ginny looked around, panicked to hide Draco and threw her robe over him as a last resort.

"Come in." Ron stuck his head around the door, Harry close behind. Ron began to look around the room. "What are you doing Ron?"

"Looking for Malfoy, Hermione told us he was up here and I plan to pound him."

"How did you get up here in the first place?"

"Oh come on Gin, I can’t tell you that no where is he so I can rearrange that way to pretty face of his."

"You certainly will not," Ginny said in her most commanding voice. Ron stopped and starred at her.

"Come again?" Ron said, dumbfounded.

"You will not touch him."

"But…" Ron whined. "When the bugger is only an inch high, I think a pounding would be good for him. Show him what it’s like when he picks on people like you."

"No Ron, now out. Your not supposed to be in the girl’s room. What would mum think?"

"What would mum think if she heard a Malfoy was…"

"She think that I was doing a good deed because I am helping someone without thinking about myself," Ginny returned confidently. With that, she shooed Ron and Harry out of her room and shut the door. She leaned against the door and sighed in relief. Draco crawled out of her robes and dusted himself off.

"Thanks Gin, your brother would have certainly throttled me."

"I would have let him if he tried." Draco smiled at her and Ginny walked over to the bed. She spread her arms and flopped down on the bed, careful not to land on Draco. This had been a very stressful weekend and she was glad that their troubles would be almost over. She felt tiny hands around her thumb and she turned her head to see Draco holding it. His eyes were soft and he was staring at her.

"What is it?" Ginny asked softly. Draco looked down and shook his head as if he were waking from a dream.

"Nothing." Ginny sat up slightly and looked at him with concern. "It’s nothing."

"I can’t help Draco if you don’t let me. You said someone would hurt me last night. Who and why?" Draco looked away from her and let one of his hands drop from her thumb. "Draco tell me." Draco sighed heavily and looked back up at her.

"My father, would hurt you if he found out that I might be…that I’m…"

"You’re what? Draco you can tell me," Ginny coaxed.

"I think I’m falling in love with you," he whispered. Draco squeezed his eyes shut and wrapped his arms around her thumb, holding it tight. "I don’t want him to hurt you Ginny." Before Ginny could comfort him or even come out of her own shock, Hermione burst through the door with a massive book clutched in her arms. Ginny pulled Draco out of the way just in time before the book was slammed down on the bed where he had stood moments before.

"I’ve found it." She sounded out of breath from running. The book infront of her looked old and worn from use. The cover was faded and torn in places. Hermione gently opened the book and flipped through the pages. She stopped at a page, her eyes scanning over it faster than any normal human should. Apparently not being the one the one she wanted she flipped through again and finally stopped on a page and began to recite.

" ‘Dwarfacis: the spell that shrinks the person or object to the size of a normal human thumb. This spell maybe countered by the word ‘Sicafrawd’.’ This is it, we can change Draco back to normal with this spell." Hermione’s face suddenly fell. "He can go back to being the obnoxious, stuck up, spoiled brat he always was." Her words were cold and spiteful as she glared at her tormentor with hatred in her eyes.

"I think Draco has changed Hermione," Ginny said gently. "I don’t think he will be bothering any of us like that any more. Am I right Draco?" She looked down at him with a warning look in her eyes. Draco shuddered slightly. He knew what Ginny could do to him if he didn’t agree.

"Yes," he said shakily as he looked back at Hermione. "I don’t plan on taunting you or anyone else like that anymore, on my honor as a Malfoy." Hermione looked suspicious but nodded at him.

"Like that’s a fat lot of good to me but I trust you. Don’t make me regret it. I don’t think that it would be a good idea to change him back in here however," Hermione warned, turning back to Ginny. "Ron is waiting downstairs to slaughter him when he comes down. Take him outside and change him back." And with that Hermione and her book were gone. Ginny stared after her and gave a heavy sigh. It was time. She looked down at Draco.

"Ready?"

"Ready as I’ll ever be." Ginny stood up and grabbed her robe, lifting Draco into her pocket and set off. Just as Hermione had said, Ron was waiting at the bottom of the stairs. Ginny smiled at him sweetly, kissing her brother on the cheek and walked past. She heard him scurry up the stairs when she had her back to him. Hermione was sitting on the couch with Harry, looking at her with amusement and thoughtfulness in her eyes. Ginny mouthed a "thank you" to her and walked outside. When she reached the lawn, she hurried as fast as she could without attracting attention to the tree she and Draco had been the morning before. She slid around it and looked around to see if anyone could see them. After checking that the coast was clear, she gently pulled Draco from her pocket and set him on the ground. She took out her wand and pointed it at him, trembling slightly.

"Do it Ginny, I trust you." She nodded and raised her wand.

"Sicafrawd!" A bright light surrounded Draco. Ginny had to squint to see him, holding a hand over her eyes. The light grew brighter and Ginny had to close her eyes to shield them. From behind her eyelids, she saw the light fade and then a pair of strong arms wrapped about her. She looked up to see Draco, once again full height, smiling down at her. Ginny reached up to touch his face just to make sure it wasn’t just her imagination. She traced her fingers over his eyebrows, down his nose and along his lips which gently kissed her fingertips.

"Thank you Ginny," he whispered softly. " I meant what I said up there, I do think that I’m falling in love with you."

"Well I’m glad because I think I’m falling in love with you Draco," Ginny said while her hands snaked up and around his neck. Draco smile widened as leaned forward, gently pressing his lips against Ginny’s. Fireworks went off in their minds and electricity flowed through their bodies. They did not notice a pair of spying eyes that had been drawn by the strange light. Those eyes belonged to none other than Pansy.

"Very interesting, Mr. Malfoy will not be pleased when he hears about this."

Author’s note: Oh boy! What will happen next? Thanks for reviewing, hope you like this chapter. I’ll try to get it up soon. Keep reviewing J J J

4. Chapter Four

That night at supper, many people were surprised to see Draco walk through the oak doors of the Great Hall. He and Ginny had prepared for this and went in separately, not wanting to draw attention. The minute he sat down, Draco was overcome with questions from the curious Slytherins.

"Where the hell have you been?" was the main question.

"Like I need to explain myself to you lot. I was having a little vacation if you must know," Draco replied in a convincing tone but noticed Pansy smirking at him. He didn’t want to know what was going on in that twisted mind of hers so he didn’t ask. Instead, his eyes flicked over to the Gryffindor table, instantly finding Ginny. She was apparently trying to pay attention to something the Creevy kid was talking about but her gaze locked with his. He winked at her playfully, noticing from even across the Great Hall that her cheeks were tinged with a bit of redness but she did not break eye contact. A challenge.

"Ginny!" Ginny was snapped out of her staring match with Draco when Colin yelled at her.

"What?" she asked, a little annoyed that she had lost the game she started in a matter of seconds.

"You haven’t paid attention at all!" Colin exclaimed. "Honestly, what is so interesting over there that makes you this distant?" Ginny smiled to herself. If only he knew.

"Nothing. Well I’m off, going for a walk before bed. Night Colin." She gracefully stood up and left the Great Hall. After reaching the corridor, she looked back to see that Draco wasn’t far behind with a large grin on his face. She laughed to herself and began to walk a little faster, heading outside. Looking back over her shoulder, she saw that Draco was beginning to catch up. Ginny squealed with laughter and took off at a run. She ran down to "their" tree and leaned against it, waiting for Draco. When he didn’t come she poked her head around the tree only to see empty grounds. She crept out a little farther and jumped when she felt arms wrap around her waist, hearing Draco’s laughter in her ear. He kissed her crimson hair and then rested his head on her shoulder. Ginny laced her fingers with his and let out a content sigh.

"You know what Ginny?" Draco whispered in her ear playfully.

"What?" she replied just as playfully.

"I love you," he said and kissed her ear.

"I love you too." She turned around in his arms and rested her hands on his shoulders. Standing on her tiptoes, she lightly brushed his lips with her own. Draco pulled back and rested his forehead on hers. The starlight shone on his platinum hair making him look more like an angel than ever.

"Get your filthy hands off my son!" a commanding voice bellowed. Ginny and Draco snapped their heads up to see Lucius Malfoy standing not to far away. His eyes were practically bulging out of his head. His wand was at his side, clenched in his fist and looking like it would snap from pressure. Draco stepped forward so he was placed between Ginny and the man he called father, taking the most defensive stance possible. Ginny ducked her head, trying to stay hidden from the monster that had cause her pain and almost her death in her first year at Hogwarts.

"Move aside son," Lucius instructed. "I must teach this mudblood loving wench never to touch something that is more valuable than her life as well as her families’." Draco didn’t move. He glared at his father with more hatred and scorn than he felt for anyone else still living. If looks could kill, Lucius would have died a thousand and one times and be six feet under by now.

"No," he said in a defiant voice, planting his feet.

"You’re not seriously protecting that little piece of filth behind you? Come now, move aside," Lucius said sternly but Draco stood his ground. "If you do not move I will do it for you."

"You will not hurt her Lucius," Draco growled. Lucius sighed dramatically and stuck out his wand. Draco was thrown aside and slammed into a tree. Ginny screamed. She looked back at Lucius to see his wand pointed at her. She frantically looked from side to side, looking for a means of escape but there was none. Her hand slowly reached into her pocket, nervously trying to find her wand.

"I wouldn’t try anything that is going through your thick minded brain right now Miss Weasley. I do believe that the best lesson for my son would be to take you out of the picture. It will teach him not to fall in love with unworthy scum like you." The word love fell from his lips like a deadly poison. "Love is a vile thing that needs to be destroyed and it will start with you. Good bye, Miss Weasley." He raised his arm above his head, his smirk so evil it stung Ginny like acid. She quivered with fear, was this really the end?

"Avada…"Lucius began but before he could finish the rest, Draco tackled him to the ground. Lucius’ wand went flying. The two of them wrestled, rolling over and over while punches and kicks flew everywhere. Ginny grabbed her own wand out of her pocket. She tried to aim but every time Draco got in the way. Suddenly, Lucius was on top of Draco, ready to punch him hard.

"Stupefy!" Ginny screamed at the top of her lungs. Lucius dropped to the ground unconscious and frozen. Ginny raced over to Draco. She could see the pain in his face. She ran a hand along his cheek as tears slid down her own. He smiled weakly and gently brushed the tear away.

"It’s all right Gin," he grunted. Ginny looked over at Lucius, a smirk was plastered on his face. She wanted to kick him, punch him, beat him as hard as she could for hurting Draco. A low growl sounded from deep in her throat and began to get up but Draco pulled her back, shaking his head.

"Help me up." Ginny nodded and took the hand he offered her hands, gently pulling him to his feet. She pulled his arm over her should to support him and then glared at Lucius motionless form. She knew she could leave him there no matter how desperately she wanted to. She pulled out her wand hesitantly.

"Windgardium Leviosa," she whispered and Lucius body floated a little above the ground. She steered both him and Draco back into the castle purposely letting Lucius’ head hit every step, satisfied when hearing the thump every time it made contact. The door swung open before them and there stood Professor Dumbledor, Harry, Hermione and Ron. The trio were breathing heavily and Ron was giving Draco a death glare but made no move towards him.

"Well done Miss Weasley, Mr. Malfoy," Dumbledor said with a kind smile. He pulled out his own wand and took Lucius from Ginny. "Take Mr. Malfoy to the Hospital Wing please Miss Weasley. I shall deal with Lucius." He then turned and walked down a separate corridor, Lucius limp form hanging in the air before him.

"Gin?" Ron asked in a demanding tone.

"Not now Ron," Ginny pleaded. "I’ll explain it all later." She then walked past her brother and led Draco to the Hospital Wing. She held the hand that was on her shoulders comfortingly but remained silent on the way.

Madame Pomfrey almost had a fit. She demanded to know what happened while she lead the two of them to an empty bed. Ginny helped lay Draco in the bed and then launched into her story of what had just happened. She gripped Draco’s hand, shaking slightly. Draco squeezed her hand to comfort her, knowing she must being going through a lot in her mind right now.

"Well, Mr. Malfoy, that was very brave of you, you too Miss Weasley. It takes a lot to stand up to a man like Lucius Malfoy. I assume you will want to stay here then Miss Weasley?" Ginny nodded sheepishly, causing a smile to form on the older woman’s face. "All right but right now I have to take a look at Mr. Malfoy. It sounds like he took quite the beating."

When she had finished her examination, Madame Pomfrey found Draco’s shoulder to be dislocated and he had a cracked rib. She easily fixed Draco’s rib and shoulder with her wand, apologizing when he winced. Wrapping a bandage around his rib cage and then putting a sling around his arm, she nodded, satisfied with the job she had done. "He is going to be sore for the next couple of days but he should be all right. I want him to stay here tonight and tomorrow just to make sure nothing else was damaged that I couldn’t find tonight. I’ll go get a potion to help him sleep."

"Thank you," Ginny said softly. Madame Pomfrey smiled.

"It’s what I do dear, I couldn’t not help him now could I?" She chuckled softly and walked away. Ginny watched her leave and the turned to Draco. There was pain behind his eyes but his face was brave. Ginny smoothed the hair out of his eyes and kissed his forehead.

"Ginny," he croaked. "I’m sorry."

"For what?" Ginny asked softly running her hand down his cheek.

"For almost getting you killed."

"It’s not your fault." Draco looked away and pounded his fist on the bed, wincing in pain afterwards.

"I knew it, I knew if he found out he would try to hurt you."

"Shhh. It’s okay, it wasn’t your fault he found out. I’m still alive and fine and I don’t plan on dying anytime soon." Draco turned back to her, his eyes hopeful. Ginny smiled at him and kissed him tenderly. She pulled back and kissed him on the nose. "I love you Draco." Draco brought a hand to her cheek and she leaned into his touch.

"I love you too Ginny, I don’t know what I would do if he had killed you. You mean so much to me." He gently pulled her face down to his and kissed her once more. They broke apart when they heard someone clearing their throat behind them. Ginny snapped her head around to see Dumbledor and Madame Pomfrey standing there with smiles on their faces and exchanging knowing glances. Ginny blushed and an embarrassed smile formed on her lips. She heard Draco chuckle slightly and then her own giggles came forth. Soon everyone in the room was laughing at the pair’s embarrassment.

When the laughter died, Dumbledor’s face went stern but his eyes did not lose their sparkle.

"Mr. Malfoy, I don’t know what kind of news this will be to you but your father is being escorted to Askaban prison tonight for, as you already know, the attempt of murdering Miss Weasley here by using one of the Unforgivable curse," he said calmly.

"That is good news to me, sir," said Draco as confidently as he could though his voice was cold and full of hatred directed towards his father. Dumbledor nodded.

"Well now that I have been the bearer of what has proved to be good news, I must retire for it has been a long night for me. Mr. Malfoy, Madame Pomfrey has told me of your condition and you may be excused from classes tomorrow. Miss Weasley may stay with you as well. I will have your professors send you work."

"Thank you Professor Dumbledor," Ginny said gratefully. Dumbledor nodded once again, his eyes twinkling as he smiled at them. "And sir? How did you know when we were at the doors?"

"A few young birds told me, three to be precise, and we were about to come to your rescue when you were on the other side of the door," Dumbledor said with a wink. He then turned and disappeared through the Hospital Wing doors.

"Well, its time for that potion Mr. Malfoy," Madame Pomfrey said while she gave Draco the gray coloured potion. Draco took the potion but looked at it hesitantly. "Drink it Mr. Malfoy, now. You won’t heal properly if you don’t." He obeyed and lifted the flask containing the potion to his lips, draining it. His face screwed up instantly at the taste. Ginny giggled only to receive a glare from Draco, which softened into a smile.

"I’ll be back to check on you in the morning, goodnight you two," Madame Pomfrey said in a tired voice. Ginny bid her goodnight and as soon as she was out of sight, she crawled into Draco’s bed. She curled up against him, resting her head on his un-damaged shoulder and sighed contently. His arm was immediately wrapped around her but when she looked up, Ginny met a sleeping face.

"Goodnight Draco," she whispered even though she knew he was beyond hearing and deep in his dreams. She kissed him softly and then returned her head to his shoulder, her eyes fluttering closed. She yawned widely and then, within minutes, she too was asleep and dreaming.

5. Chapter Five

Draco woke the next morning when the sun shone through the Hospital Wing windows. His eyes fluttered open, feeling a small body curled up against him. Looking down he saw his angel, Ginny, her head on his chest and an arm lazily slung over his stomach. He smiled softly, noticing how much he loved watching her sleep. He knew how corny and silly that sounded but it was the honest truth. She looked so peaceful, as if nothing in the world could harm her or make her afraid.

Draco made a silent vow to himself to never let anyone hurt Ginny again. He came way to close to losing her last night and he didn’t know if he could take losing her if anything did happened. He wrapped his free, undamaged arm over her shoulders protectively, even though at the moment there was no one to protect her from. It re-assured him however. A tendril of crimson hair had fallen infront of her face. Draco tried to brush it away but when he moved his other arm, it screamed in protest by sending pain shooting through it. He winced and abandoned his attempt. Raising his gaze, he noticed a flock of white birds fly by with movements so graceful, so planned looking, it could have been a dance. A sudden urge came over Draco. He wanted to dance with Ginny. That was the second corny thought that passed through his usually anything-but-corny mind. This was more folly than he had ever been in his entire life. How could she do this to him without even being awake?

"Penny for your thoughts," a soft voice whispered. Draco chuckled.

"I didn’t realize you were awake," he replied just as softly before lowering his gaze to the face he loved most. Ginny was smiling and rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"You were too wrapped up in whatever you were thinking about," Ginny mused. "You had that look on your face."

"What look?"

"The one when you’re thinking about something."

"I figured that much. Care to share in your observations?" Ginny giggled.

"You look like your far away, some where else that no one else can see but you."

"I would rather no one knew what goes on in this head of mine, might frighten them off." Ginny rolled her eyes dramatically before sitting up and fixing Draco with a curious stare.

"Care to share?" she said, quoting his earlier comment. Draco smirked but before he could "share" Madame Pomfrey came through the Hospital Wing doors.

"Good morning you two, I was beginning to wonder if you two would ever wake up. I have to give you your check up now Mr. Malfoy," Madame Pomfrey said cheerfully from her office door. " Miss Weasley, you may go and get some breakfast and get changed if you’d like." Ginny nodded gratefully and slid off the bed.

"I’ll be right back," she said, kissing him softly on the cheek and then sliding of the bed. She was almost at the door when Draco called her. She turned and saw the smile that made her insides turn to liquid.

"I love you."

"I love you too Draco." She blew him a kiss and giggled when he pretended to reach out and catch it. Sliding her way out of the Hospital Wing, she sighed and then practically skipped her way down the corridor.

"You look cheery this morning," said the Fat Lady when Ginny reached the Gryffindor Tower. Ginny beamed and said the password (Butterbeer and Chocolate Frogs (upon Neville’s request)). The portrait swung open and allowed her inside. She more than grateful when she didn’t see Ron in the common room as she hurried up to her dorm, that would have been a disaster and a half. She grabbed her shower kit, a pink tee shirt, a pair of old gray pajama pants and her towel before hurrying down to the girl’s showers, slipping her wand into her shower kit as she left. Her mind buzzed with what had happened the night before as the hot water sprayed over her body. Every muscle in her body tensed up when Lucius’ face stuck out in her mind. She grabbed her shampoo bottle and squeezed it hard, venting some of her anger and fear, then scrubbed her hair with a little too much force and pulled her hair in the process. Ginny groaned and calmed herself before she got hurt anymore which she knew was possible. She soon finished, turning off the tap and wrapping her towel around her. She changed quickly before drying her hair with a spell and brushing her teeth.

She returned to the Gryffindor Tower a little distracted this time, thankful that the Fat Lady didn’t comment when letting her enter the common room. She was so distracted that she almost jumped a mile high when she heard a voice behind her.

"How’s the ferret doing?" Hermione asked, giggling at Ginny who turned around and gave a sigh of relief.

"Draco got knocked around a bit last night. Had dislocated shoulder and a cracked rib. He’s sore but he’ll be okay. I’m staying with him today because he has to stay in the Hospital Wing and could use some company." Hermione smiled and nodded understandingly.

"I better get down to breakfast, I’ll bring some food up to you two if you’d like."

"Oh please? I think Ron would have about a dozen quaffels if I run into him and tell him about Draco and me."

"Sure no problem Gin," Hermione replied, laughing. "If you don’t mind me prying, what is there between the two of you?" Ginny smiled broadly, a dreamy look forming in her eyes.

"I love him Hermione. Its weird because I never would have thought in a million years that I would ever love a Malfoy but I do. Other than that I can’t explain it." Hermione mouthed and "oh" but smiled.

"I can see why you think Ron will blow. Listen, I’m always here for you if you need anyone to lend a helping hand. I know how hard it is to find someone to talk to around here."

"Thanks Hermione, that means a lot," Ginny said. They exchanged a sisterly hug and the two said their good byes, arranging to meet later when Draco was out of the Hospital Wing. Ginny went up and dropped her cloths from the night before into her trunk and headed back down to the Hospital Wing. She received a few strange looks from some of the students, noticing her clothing even though it was a Monday morning and uniforms were required, but didn’t care. She just wanted to get back to Draco. When she arrived at the Hospital Wing she saw Draco in the same place she left him, his eyes shut. Ginny smiled and walked over to him. She sat down beside him and laid a hand on his chest. He opened his eyes and smiled at her.

"Dressed down quite a lot today aren’t we?" he mused, taking in her appearance as he rested one of his hands over hers.

"No harm in being comfy." Draco rolled his eyes and pulled her down to him. Ginny giggled and laid her head down on his chest while he wrapped his undamaged arm around her, kissing the top of her head.

"Dancing," Draco said quietly.

"Huh?" Ginny lifted her head, confusion practically painted on her face.

"Dancing, that’s what I was thinking about."

"Dancing?" Ginny asked in an amused tone, her lips turning into a smirk.

"With you."

"I think we need to arrange this and soon."

"I concur," Draco chuckled. His smile faded as he slid the back of his hand down Ginny’s cheek before she leaned forward, gently pressing her lips against his. She loved his kisses. She would gladly just sit here and…

"Get off my sister you bloody ferret!" Ginny whipped her head around to see Ron standing at the doors to the Hospital Wing, face twisted into a scowl and beat red from anger. "I said get off her!" He began to approach them. Ginny had to do something or Ron could potentially make Draco hurt a lot more than he already did. She jumped off the bed and stood infront of Draco just like he had the for her night before. Ron stopped in his tracks and stared.

"Are you mad?!" Ron bellowed. "Your sticking up for Malfoy?!"

"I won’t let you hurt him Ron," she said defiantly.

"Ginny, you’re my sister and I love you but move right now or I will do it for you," Ron threatened.

"I won’t let you hurt him," Ginny repeated, unmoving. Ron growled and took a step forward when the doors behind him and Harry and Hermione ran to stop their friend. Harry reached Ron first and grabbed him around the shoulders before he could charge. Hermione ran to Ginny.

"Are you guys okay?" Ginny nodded. "Sorry, he asked about the amount of food I had when I was about to bring it up here and I stupidly said I was bringing it to you two. I’m so sorry. I’m glad he didn’t hurt either of you."

"Hey," Ginny said, grinning. "It’s okay. Ron wouldn’t have hurt me. I’m the beloved sister remember. Thanks for coming to our rescue any way though."

"I suppose we had better get him out of here before he breaks Harry in two trying to get to Malfoy," Hermione joked. "Oh and sorry about your food, I kind of left it in the Great Hall." Ginny giggled, telling her not to worry about it and looked over Hermione’s shoulder at her brother who was yelling and squirming as much as he could to get out of Harry’s grasp. Hermione turned and nodded at Harry and they both began pulling, pushing and dragging Ron out of the Hospital Wing while he yelled at the top of his lungs. Ginny let out a heavy sigh and turned to Draco. He reached out a hand, taking hers and gently running his thumb over her knuckles. He drew her to him and Ginny gingerly sat down, cuddling up against Draco.

"Thanks."

"Well I couldn’t have him thrash you into next week now could I?" Ginny asked sarcastically. She looked up and smirked at Draco.

"No, definitely not." Draco smirked back and then kissed her gently. He leaned back against his pillows and ran a finger down her cheek. A frown formed on his face however when e saw the distress on Ginny’s face. "What’s wrong?"

"Ron," Ginny whispered and sat up, turning her back to Draco and drawing up her knees to her chin. "He’s really mad. Probably hates me." Draco’s fingers drew small circles on Ginny’s back comfortingly.

"He may be a little angry right now, but you’re his sister," Draco said gently. "Like he said, he loves you, he will forgive you." Ginny couldn’t help but believed him. It was going to take a while but her brother would forgive her. She heard Draco grunt behind her as he tried to sit up. She turned back to him, shaking her head and putting a hand on his undamaged shoulder to force him back down onto the pillows.

"Don’t sit up, you’re still hurt. You have to rest," she said in a mothering tone while smoothing the hair off his forehead. Draco caught her hand and held it to his chest, looking up at her with hurt in his eyes.

"Ginny, you know how much you mean to me but I will understand if we can’t be together because of Ron and your family." Ginny let her face show the confusion she was feeling inside.

"What?"

"I will understand if you don’t want to be with me because of our families."

"How could you even think that Draco? There’s no chance I would give you up over family differences. Do-d-do you want to-to…Do y-you want me to l-leave?" " Ginny stammered.

"No! No never!" Draco eyes held shock in them. He brought a hand to her face and cupped her cheek. "You mean way to much to me. If I lost you I don’t know what I’d do." Ginny smiled and lay down next to him, hugging him as tightly as she could with out hurting him. What was this feeling? There was love there of course but there was something else. Whatever it was, it felt right and she never wanted it to leave. She could stay right here with Draco for the rest of her life and be perfectly happy. Reality hit her in the gut however when he spoke next.

"How are we going to tell everyone?" Ginny winced. She didn’t want to think about this right now. It was enough that Ron was mad at her but telling her parents would be suicide. Her friends would understand after a while but her family, they would throttle her and Draco at the same time. She hated this family feud.

"I don’t know," she whispered and buried her face in Draco’s shoulder.

"I want to be there when we tell your family." Ginny shot up and stared at him as if he had two heads.

"Are you mad?! They will kill you from the moment you come into their sight range!" Ginny exclaimed. He was asking for an early death if he was serious.

"I can’t let you face them on your own," Draco said sternly.

"But you don’t understand! My family will kill you the moment you reach the gate! They hate you with a passion!"

"I don’t care Ginny, all I care about is you and I want to show your family that. If I wasn’t there then what would that make them think? That I was too big a coward to face them?"

"And the fact that Ron will beat you into a bloody pulp doesn’t bother you in the least I see." How could she make him see that it was like walking into a hungry dragon’s den?

"Don’t worry, it will all be okay," Draco said comfortingly. He ran a hand along Ginny’s cheek and stared into her eyes. "I want to be there. Please don’t tell them without me."

"I’m not going to change your mind, am I?" Ginny asked sarcastically. Draco smirked and shook his head.

"I’m a stubborn git, you should know that by now," he mused. Ginny rolled her eyes and smiled.

"Fine, but if they try to kill you it’s not my fault." Draco chuckled. "Now how are we going to tell your mother?" Draco’s face fell with her words and he looked away.

"We can’t," he said sadly.

"Why not?" Ginny asked cautiously.

"She wouldn’t be able to hear us if we tried," he whispered as if afraid to let anyone else hear. "Lucius didn’t find her…necessary anymore and did what he does best. He killed her last summer and was gone before anyone could catch him, the bloody sod." He said his father’s name with hatred as if it burned his tongue to say it.

"I’m sorry Draco." Ginny didn’t know what else to say. How could a man so easily murder his wife? Then the answer came to her because she had known it all along, he was Lucius Malfoy. She took his hand and kissed his knuckles. She dropped her eyes to see Draco’s hand shaking slightly. When she raised her gaze to his face again, she saw him clenching his jaw. His eyes, even though they weren’t looking at her, held pain and anger. It more than obvious that he hated his father more than anyone living, it looked like he always had. She lay down beside him and wrapped her arms around him comfortingly. She felt his undamaged arm snake it’s way over her waist and Draco turned his head to look at the ceiling.

"I hate him," he whispered as if knowing the thoughts going through Ginny’s mind. "He is not my father. No real father would do what he has done to my family and you. I hope he rots in Askaban."

"It’s okay Draco," Ginny said softly. "He can’t hurt us anymore."

"He killed my mother Ginny, and then he tried to kill you. I cannot forget that so easily."

"I know, I never said that I wanted you to forget it. Just remember that he can no longer control you." Ginny turned his face to look at her with her hand on his cheek. "You don’t have to be afraid anymore." He leaned into her touch and then kissed her palm before returning his eyes to her face.

"Thank you Ginny."

"For what?"

"For being here, helping me, loving me." Ginny smile and kissed his forehead.

"I would do anything for you." Ginny was surprised at her own words but apparently it was just what Draco needed to hear. Happiness once again filled his eyes and a smile was already on his lips. There was love there too, love for her, filling Ginny with her own happiness and brining a gentle smile.

There had been some shuffling out in the hall as people slowly made their way back to their morning classes but now all was quiet until Draco’s stomach softly growled. They both burst into laughter.

"I guess I’ll go get some food then," Ginny mused and was about to leave when Draco grabbed her hand, pulling her back and pressed his lips against hers. He then pulled back and grinned broadly.

"What was that for?" Ginny asked a little surprised.

"Do I have to have a reason?" Draco replied, his grin turning into a smile. Ginny giggled.

"No, I guess not."

"Good." Draco kissed her lightly but it was Ginny this time who pulled back.

"We won’t get any food if we keep this up."

"That’s fine with me," said Draco but as if on queue his stomach rumbled again. He rolled his eyes and glared at his stomach as if scolding it for not doing what he wanted it to.

"I’ll be right back," Ginny said as she giggled and left the hospital wing. She smiled to herself, her mind swamped with thoughts of Draco. She didn’t realize how distracted she was until she almost ran into someone. She apologized and then looked up to see the smiling face of her headmaster.

"Good morning Miss Weasley," Professor Dumbledor chuckled. "How is Mr. Malfoy today?"

"He is sore but doing better. Thanks for letting me stay with him today Professor."

"It’s no problem at all Miss Weasley. I assume your going down to get some breakfast?" Ginny nodded. "I was just about to stop by for a piece of that marvelous lemon pie, do you mind if I accompany you?"

"Not at all," said Ginny and they began to walk.

"So I heard that your brother doesn’t like the fact that you are staying with Draco, am I correct?" Normally, people asking her about what had only happened half an hour ago would disturb Ginny, but she knew that Professor Dumbledor knew basically everything.

"Yes Professor," Ginny said quietly. "I don’t know how to tell him that Draco isn’t half as bad a person as everyone thinks he is."

"He will eventually get used to the idea."

"How do you know?"

"He will have to face facts soon enough. Your brother is a very stubborn young man but he does care a great deal about you."

"Yes but I don’t like the fact that he feels like he has to protect me from everything. I’m not the little five year old trying to degnome the garden when the gnomes are half my own height any more. He just doesn’t understand that I can take care of myself," Ginny explained in an exasperated tone. There was something about Dumbledor that everyone could feel comfortable when telling him about his or her secrets and Ginny was no exception.

"He is just being an older brother," Dumbledor said as he reached out and tickled the pear. The painting swung open and Ginny and Dumbledor stepped inside. Dobby was immediately infront of them.

"Professor Dumbledor sir, what can Dobby get for you?"

"For myself a slice of that wonderful lemon pie and for Miss Weasley here some breakfast for two." Dobby scampered away and a moment later he was bringing a large slice of the pie while two other elves brought a huge tray of food for Ginny. They placed the tray in Ginny’s hand’s that almost dropped it because of it’s weight from the amount of food piled onto it.

"Will there be anything else sir?" Dobby asked in a polite voice.

"No that will be all. Thank you Dobby." With that Professor Dumbledor and Ginny left the kitchen. When outside, Dumbledor stopped and turned to Ginny with an understanding look on his face.

"He will understand Ginny, just give him and your family some time to adjust." He then turned swiftly and left Ginny staring after him in confusion. How could he have known that they were going to tell her family?

Author's note: Well another chapter done. Hope you liked it. I really like getting reviews so keep posting!!! J J J

6. Chapter Six

Ginny carefully made her way back to the hospital Wing, managing not to drop the tray once. Draco smiled at her when she tip toed into the room and sat the tray on the bedside table. She helped him sit up carefully and set tray over his lap.

"Breakfast is served," Ginny announced quietly and picked up a piece of toast. Draco chuckled and started on a plate of waffles, cutting small squares with his fork with one hand. Ginny watched him as he ate. He was perfect and precise when he was doing such a simple thing as eating! He was so dignified when even he didn’t mean too. Ginny sighed and shook her head.

"What?" Draco asked, a piece of waffle halfway to his mouth.

"Its nothing," Ginny replied and giggled. "You just cease to interest me."

"Well, I do try." Ginny just rolled her eyes. They worked their way through the food on the tray until there was nothing left but some crusts of bread and left over fruit.

"Wow, I needed that," Draco said contentedly.

"Me too," Ginny said as she stood up and placed the tray on the table. She sat back down beside Draco and laid her head on his shoulder. Draco drew circles lightly on her back and rested his head against hers. The remained in a comfortable silence, just enjoying each other’s company but the silence was broken when Madame Pomfrey scuttled into the room.

"Well Mr. Malfoy," she said when she had finished checking Draco’s injuries. "Your shoulder and rib are healing up quite nicely. You should be back to classes by tomorrow." She handed Draco a potion, instructing him to drink it and threatened that she would be back to check that he did. After handing Ginny and Draco their schoolwork, Madame Pomfrey retreated into her office.

Ginny slid down to the end of the bed, determined work and not to be distracted. Draco was apparently not on the same line of thought. He maybe took one look at his work and then put it aside. Ginny however had started work on her potions easy and was trying very hard to concentrate. Draco watched her as she bit her bottom lip in concentration and tapped her paper with her fingers.

"What are you working on?" he asked.

"An essay for potions," Ginny replied bluntly. "I hate Snape, he always gives a mound of homework each night. And he is the only one who gave me work today."

"When’s the essay due?"

"Next Monday so that only give me a week and this is a major assignment."

"Let’s see." Ginny handed Draco the paper and he looked it over. "I can help you if you’d like." Ginny nodded excitedly and shimmied over to sit beside him. They worked for a little over two hours and her essay was done.

"Wow! That was fast, thank you Draco," Ginny exclaimed.

"No problem." Ginny put her essay on the bedside table and sat back with a content sigh. She would be glad to get out of the Hospital Wing but she didn’t mind being there as long as she was with Draco. She jumped slightly when she heard the door open. Ron’s head poked around it. His face was stern and he glared menacingly at Draco who returned his glare.

"I thought I told you to get off my sister Malfoy," he said in a threatening tone.

"Ron…" Ginny pleaded but he shook his head.

"Don’t Ginny, this is between me and Malfoy." He stepped inside the room and began to walk towards the bed where Ginny and Draco sat.

"Ron, stop," Ginny said but he continued to advance, ignoring her.

"Get out of that bed Malfoy, we are going to settle this once and for all."

"Don’t you dare," Ginny whispered to Draco.

"I’m waiting ferret," Ron hissed as he took a fighting stance. Despite her warning, Draco began to get out of the bed. He winced with every movement but slowly stood.

"I will not fight you Weasley," he spat.

"And why not? Too hurt or too afraid that I’ll pound you into the ruddy ground." Draco snorted as his famous smirk appeared.

"Me? Afraid of you? There’s no chance of that." Ginny sat horrified in the bed. She had to find a way to stop this, and fast.

"You bloody sod, I’m going to make sure you’ll never go any where near Ginny again."

"Ron!" Ginny yelled.

"You’re pretty confident for someone with barely half a brain."

"Draco!"

"You’re one to talk, you slimy git. I’m going to make you hurt so bad that your head’s gunna spin for weeks." Ron raised a fist, ready to strike. Ginny bounded forward just as he let his fist fly, taking the punch in her cheek.

"Ginny!" the boys cried in unison. She fell to the floor, bringing a hand to her cheek that was already beginning to bruise. Struggling to her feet, she stood back and glared at both the boys while tears stung her eyes from the pain. They stared back her, eyes wide.

"Ginny, I…I…" Ron stammered.

"Ginny are you all right?" Draco asked, his voice full of concern. They both moved towards her but she stepped back.

"Why can’t you two grow up and get along! Do you realize how stupid you both sounded?!"

"Gin, I’m so…"

"Save it Ron," she snapped. "I am so sick and tired of having the two people that mean the most to me bickering and threatening to crush the other into the ground every time they meet. You know what?! I’m not going to stand in the way any more! Go ahead, kill each other for all I care! Maybe then you will listen!" With that she stormed out of the Hospital Wing, leaving Draco and Ron staring after her with their mouths hanging wide open.

She practically ran down different corridors, her face flushed and tears threatening to spill from her eyes. How could they be so stupid? It was absolutely how thickheaded they both could be. Ron fought to control her life while Draco enjoyed teasing him. Honestly, when would they grow up?

Ginny stopped and leaned up against the closest wall, sliding down to the floor. She drew up her knees and hid her face in her hands. She didn’t know how long she could take this.

"Gin?" She raised her head and saw Harry standing over her, looking concerned. "What happened to your face?"

"Ron," she replied bluntly.

"What happened?" he asked as he sat beside her. Ginny sighed and told him what had just gone on in the Hospital Wing. Harry’s face looked shocked when she told him that she had stepped infront Ron’s punch. By the end of her story, she was almost crying.

"And then I left because I couldn’t take hearing them apologize and then start fighting all over again. I’m sick of it Harry and I don’t know how I can make them listen." She leaned her head up against the wall and let a tear slip down her cheek.

"I don’t think they will ever get along Gin. They have been fighting for so long that it would take a good couple of years to sort everything out."

"I know," Ginny said shakily and wiped away her tear. "I just wish they would start."

"I know they both care for you and that they will do a lot, you just have to give them time," Harry coaxed as he put a hand on her shoulder. "Don’t worry, every thing will sort out in time."

"Thanks Harry, I need to hear that. I’m glad that I have some one to listen like you."

"Anything for you Ginny. You’re the closet thing to a little sister I’ve got. If you need anyone, anyone at all to talk to, I’m hear, okay?" Ginny nodded and stood. When Harry was on his feet, she reached over and hugged him, like a little sister would. He wrapped his arms around her and patted her back. "I think you have a war to stop."

"No kidding. Thanks again," she said and then steeped away. She began to return in the direction of the Hospital Wing but stopped when Harry called her.

"Hey Gin, its official."

"What?"

"Me and Hermione as of ten minutes ago." A huge grin danced on his face and a slight blush crept onto his face.

"Well its about time! Don’t you have a girlfriend to go see then?"

"Yup, going to see her right now, tell Ron we need to talk to him."

"All right." Ginny smiled and then turned back to the direction of the Hospital Wing.

Author's note: Well I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please keep reviewing!!!J J J

7. Chapter Seven

Ginny stood nervously outside the Hospital Wing, her hand on the brass doorknob. There was silence from the other side, no yelling, fighting or even talking from behind the oak doors. This worried her. She wanted to go in but she was afraid that she might see her brother and Draco lying on the floor or worse. Nothing but her soft breathing could be heard and no one was in the corridors. She had waited around the corner from where she had talked with Harry, collecting her thoughts and what she would say before slowly making her way back to the Hospital Wing.

She gingerly cupped her bruising cheek, wincing at her own touch. She should go in at least to have Madame Pomfrey take a look at it. Her mind screamed at her, telling her to back away and let them settle this but her heart fought back saying that if she didn’t help there would never be peace between Ron and Draco.

She sighed heavily as her fingers of the hand that was still on the door handle trace the brass ridges. Why couldn’t they just make a sound, talk, scream, anything, just so she could know what she was going to be faced with instead of waiting out here and questioning her bravery.

"Some Gryffindor I am," she mused to herself before taking one last deep breath. She slid her hand all the way around the handle, turning it quietly as she could and flinching when it screeched in protest. ‘Stupid handle,’ she mentally curse and pushed the door open.

Expecting to see a blood bath, she shut her eyes for a moment before stepping in. When she reopened them, her jaw dropped. There were no bodies on the floor, no blood at all. Draco was back in his bed while Ron sat at the one across, both glaring at the other with determination. Neither had marks of any kind from what she could see and looked perfectly healthy. What in the name of Merlin’s beard was going on here?

They both looked up when the noticed her standing in the door. Ron got up and walked over to his sister before crushing her in a great bear hug.

"I am so sorry Gin, I never meant to hurt you," he said softly squeezing her tight. Ginny slid her arms around her brother.

"I know Ron," she replied gently.

"I would never hurt you on purpose…"

"I know Ron," Ginny repeated. "I stepped infront of your punch so it was my fault but you shouldn’t have tried to hit Draco." She felt his body tense with her words. "I don’t want you to fight with him anymore."

"Easier said than done Gin." Ron pulled back and rested his forehead on hers. He had often done this when they were small, making a connection between them. It was a comforting gesture.

"I think you should look a little closer before judging him."

"I just don’t want him to hurt you like he has done to the rest of us."

"There is no chance of that Weasley," Draco said from his bed. He had over course been listening to their conversation and decided that it was time he started to defend himself.

Ron turned to glare at him.

"How can I trust your word when everything you say is poison?" he sneered.

"Ron, just listen to him," Ginny pleaded. "That’s all I ask, hear him out and then pass your judgement." Ron glanced at Ginny and nodded slightly before releasing her and walking to the end of Draco’s bed. He crossed his arms over his chest and stared piercingly at his long time enemy.

"All right Malfoy, tell me why I should trust you period let alone with my sister." Draco struggled to sit up and shook his head when Ginny moved to help him. He returned his eyes to Ron and returned his stare with his determination in his eyes.

"I don’t expect you to trust me and I never will but I will not plead for your approval either. I can assure you however that I will never intentionally hurt Ginny. I would die myself before that day ever came. I love her too much to allow it." Ron’s arms dropped to his sides and his lips parted. His eyes were as round snitches and shock was visible on his face.

"Y-you…What?"

"I love her." Draco’s voice was steady and confident. Ron whipped around to face Ginny.

"How long?" he asked anxiously.

"Few days," she replied timidly.

"And you didn’t tell me?"

"Would you have listened?" Ron’s mouth opened as if he was going to reply but then it shut again. He dropped his head and chuckled slightly, slightly out of humor but mostly out of realization.

"Probably not," he muttered. He looked back up at Ginny with soft eyes. "Do you… you know…" He nodded towards Draco in an almost childlike manner. Ginny smiled softly and nodded. Ron’s lips formed and "oh" and he dropped his gaze again. "Can I talk to you out in the corridor Gin?" She nodded again and sent a hopeful look to Draco. He winked and smiled, the one that always made her feel warm inside. Ron was apparently oblivious to this look and ushered Ginny into the corridor.

"Are you serious?!" Ron snapped. "He’s a Malfoy!"

"You are quite the obvious one aren’t you?" Ginny replied sarcastically trying to lighten the mood.

"Don’t be smart with me Ginny," Ron said in a fatherly tone. He pinched the bridge of his nose with his fingers and squeezed his eyes shut. When he looked back up at her, his eyes held hurt in them.

"Do you hate me that much?"

"What?!" Ginny exclaimed. "You’re my brother, I could never hate you."

"Did I do something that made you run to him then?"

"No! You didn’t do anything! How can you think this?"

"Well you’re with him now, it must have been something I’ve done to make you do it."

"What’s wrong with you?" Ginny was baffled, there was no reason for him to think this way. "I love Draco because I got to know him."

"Why didn’t you say anything?"

"Because like you said not two minutes ago yourself, you wouldn’t have listened. You would have probably marched down to the Slytherin common room and tare his head clean off." Ginny stepped up to her brother and wrapped him in a hug. "I never wanted to hurt you Ron." Her words sounded so much like the ones he had said earlier and only after that did she realize it.

"I love you Gin, always have always will. I don’t want to see you hurt, that’s all."

"I know Ron but you have to trust me. You have Draco’s word, will you take mine?"

"I think you already know the answer to that question." He gave a sigh and then stepped back. "Fine, he’s on trial. If he harms a single hair on that head of yours or hurts you in any way, he’s in for a Ronald Weasley pummeling. Do we have a deal?" He stuck out his hand infront of him in a business like manner. Ginny smiled and took his hand, shaking it firmly.

"Deal."

"Good. I don’t want that git harming my favorite sister." Ginny rolled her eyes.

"I’m your only sister."

"All the more reason for you to be my favorite." A goofy grin formed on Ron’s face, making Ginny laugh. "Well you better get in there before you’re lover boy dies of heart-ache." He put his hand over his heart and pouted, apparently trying to mimic what he thought Draco would look like. Ginny swatted his arm playfully with a mischievous smirk on her face.

"Oh! Harry and Hermione want to talk to you."

"Finally hit it off did they?" Apparently Ron already knew. "Well it’s about time! I’ve been trying to get those two together since our first year!" Ginny giggled, she had heard the stories of his attempts.

"You better get going before you’re late for class," she warned and laughed when Ron yelped. He kissed her cheek and turned on his heel, bolting down the corridor.

"You seem rather happy about something," Draco sarcastically remarked as she re-entered the Hospital Wing, noticing her smiling face.

"Seeing as I just got my brother to agree not to pummel you and to give you a trial, I’d say that’s a good reason for me to happy don’t you?"

"Trial eh? What for?" he mused. He took her hand when she was close enough, pulling her gently down to his side and shimmying down so he could lay his head on her lap. His eyes closed as she began to play with his hair, feeling himself slipping into sleep.

"You don’t need me to answer that one. I believe you are quiet capable of doing it yourself." Draco groaned softly in response, not re-opening his eyes. "Are you falling asleep on me?"

"Mm-hmm." Ginny let her hand fall away from his hair and began to trace his face. Her fingertips gently grazed over the pale skin of Draco’s face. First his eye lids then his cheeks and lingered on his lips. She ran her thumb along the top and then the bottom, her eyes scanning his face with a soft look in her eyes. She couldn’t help but jump when he gently took her hand. His eyes opened and stared at her as a smile began to tug at the sides of his lips.

"I can’t sleep if you’re doing that Ginny." He brought her hand to his face and brushed his lips against her knuckles. She muttered an apology and tried to relax against the pillows that Draco had been propped up on. She watched as his eyes closed once more, her hand clutched in his and resting on his chest. She felt her own eyes closing. It had taken a lot out of her today, with Ron and all, and now that there was a moment for sleep she was willing to accept. The moment was swept away however when a screech came from the door. ‘Bloody hell, just what I need.’

"Get your filthy hand off him Weasley!" Pansy stood just inside the door, eyes bulging and her hand clenched into fists at her sides. Ginny heard Draco groan, apparently just as displeased with the pug-faced girl's presence as she was. Why couldn’t everyone just leave them alone?

Author’s note: I’m really glad to get all of your reviews. Thank you so much! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Keep posting. J J J

8. Chapter Eight

"Go away Parkinson," Draco grumbled, not bothering to open his eyes. Ginny smirked as she watched Pansy nearly fall from shock.

"But-but Draco…" she stammered.

"Stop stuttering and leave us alone." Draco’s tone was cold as ice. Ginny recognized this tone all to well and was glad he was using it on someone other than her. A twinge of panic hit her however when the shocked girl turned into a fuming one, facing her with more anger than Ginny had ever seen from this certain Slytherin. That included when she was chasing her down the corridors a few days ago.

"What have you done to him, you little wench?!" Pansy began to charge but Madame Pomfrey’s sudden appearance made her stop.

"Leave my infirmary this instant!" she bellowed, making everyone in the room jump. Pansy hesitated and threw a nasty look at Ginny before stomping out of the Hospital Wing, slamming the door childishly behind her. Madame Pomfrey then turned to Draco and Ginny. "I must go and speak with her head of house now. I will not tolerate that kind of behavior." With that, she turned and followed Pansy.

"That was close," Ginny whispered.

"I wouldn’t have let her do anything to you," Draco said confidently, his eyes now open and looking up at Ginny who raised an eyebrow from curiosity.

"Oh really, and what exactly would you have done oh crippled one?" she said sarcastically.

"I’m no cripple and I would have…" Draco began but Ginny cut him off with a finger pressed to his lips.

"Absolutely nothing cause I won’t allow you to hurt yourself when you are already injured," she said, her motherly tone returning.

"Yes mother," Draco chuckled as his eyes began to close again. Ginny watched as he began to drift once more into sleep. She ran her fingers through his soft hair as her mind returned to telling her parents about him. How long would they wait? Christmas Break was not to far off but to close as well. The end of term was far enough away but it wasn’t close enough ether.

She sighed heavily, not knowing how much longer she could go without exploding from the stress that was mounting from their situation. She looked down at his angelic sleeping face. ‘Well burn that bridge when we get there.’

"I love you Draco," she whispered, knowing full well that he couldn’t hear her. She lay back against the soft pillow and drifting into sleep after him.

* * * * *

She was beautiful. Her white dress danced around her as the sun shone on her crimson hair. She looked like a goddess. Her arms were raised, reaching out for him. Draco smiled and ran to Ginny across a field of purple flowers. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her as close to him as possible. When he pulled back, she smirked and started to laugh. She stepped away from him as her laugh grew louder.

"Ginny?" Draco asked, his fear mounting.

"You fool," Ginny spat but it wasn’t her voice. It was changing into a deep tone that Draco knew all to well. "Don’t you realize you’re digging her grave." She laughed shrilly as her form began to change. She wasn’t Ginny at all. Draco stared in horror as the thing turned into his father.

"Father? Where’s Ginny?!" Draco demanded. The sky above them clouded as Lucius laughed again.

"You choose her over your lord Draco. By not letting her die when she at my wands end, you have sentenced her to death,"

"NO!" Draco screamed. He ran at his father only to fall through him. Draco fell to the ground. His father wasn’t really there! How could he protect Ginny when he couldn’t defeat the threat?

"Draco, Draco. Have I not taught you better. Your ignorance will cost her life." He pointed across the field to were Ginny was hung. Her wrist were tied and were hanging, unconscious, from a rope went upwards but had no end. Draco ran to Ginny to pull her free but as he ran a green light shot past his head and hit her frozen body. Her scream pierced the air and she fell from the rope where she hung. She hit the ground, lying motionless.

"Ginny!" Draco ran to her side. He pulled her into his lap. A trickle of blood ran down her chin and dripped onto the white dress. In an instant, the once pure white dress was midnight black. "Ginny, please, please, wake up! Ginny, come on love wake up! Ginny!" Draco yelled as he shook her slightly. Her face was pale and she was limp in his arms. Angry tears rolled down his cheeks. "Ginny!"

* * * * *

"Ginny, Ginny," Draco whispered in his sleep. "Wake up." Ginny stared in confusion. She had been risen from her own dreams when she heard her name.

Draco began to scream her name and his whole body trembled. Ginny shook him.

"Draco! Wake up!" Draco’s eyes flew open. There was horror and fear behind his eyes. He tried to sit up but winced in pain.

"Ginny, I’m so sorry. I never wanted him to hurt you. Ginny, please forgive me," Draco whimpered. Ginny smoothed the hair off his forehead and cupped both of his cheeks in her hands.

"Shh…It’s okay. What were you dreaming about? You were screaming. What happened?" she cooed. Draco took a deep breath and a tear began to form in his eye.

"I saw you in a field," he began. "I ran to you but you weren’t you. You were my father. He said that I had disobeyed the Dark Lord and you would be killed to teach me a lesson. I lunged at him but he wasn’t there and I fell through him instead of hitting him. He pointed to where you hung from a rope and I ran to you but before I could get close a green light went passed my head and it hit you. When I got to you, you were…you were…" Draco’s words caught in his throat.

"What? I was what?" Ginny coaxed.

"Dead," Draco whispered. "I’m sorry Ginny. I never thought that this would happen. I don’t want you to be killed because of me, ever. Oh Ginny." Ginny wrapped her arms around him comfortingly and kissed his forehead.

"It’s okay, I’m here. Everything’s okay now," Ginny whispered. Madame Pomfrey came running though the Hospital Wing doors.

"I heard screaming," she said in a worried tone. "What happened." Draco had buried his face in Ginny’s stomach. Ginny looked down at him and smoothed his hair. "Miss Weasley?"

"I think we need to speak to Professor Dumbledor, Madame Pomfrey," Ginny said softly. Madame Pomfrey hesitated but nodded and exited the Hospital Wing. Draco looked up at her in confusion, fear still in his eyes.

"Why do we need to talk to Dumbledor?"

"Because there must be a reason for this. Trelawny may be a fake but she always warned us about dreams." Just then Professor Dumbledor and Madame Pomfrey hurried through the doors to Draco’s bed.

"Madame Pomfrey tells me that you wished to speak to me," Dumbledor said gently. Ginny nodded and looked down at Draco.

"Tell him Draco." Draco hesitated and sat up, with some help of course. He then retold his dream as he had told it to Ginny. His voice shook as he spoke. Ginny took his hand in hers, squeezing it every so often for reassurance. When Draco finished, Dumbledor remained silent for a few moments.

"Tell me, Mr. Malfoy," he finally said. "Have you had dreams like these before?"

"Yes, before Lucius came after us the first time and before he killed my mother," Draco said hesitantly. Dumbledor nodded, apparently wrapped in thought.

"I think you two should come with me. Can you walk Mr. Malfoy?" Draco, with Ginny’s help, carefully sat up, wincing with pain. He carefully set his feet on the floor and stood up. He walked but his legs were wobbly and Madame Pomfrey insisted on a wheelchair. She disappeared into her office and wheeled out an old and rusty looking one, muttering how useful some Muggle items could be. Draco gingerly sat down and rested his feet on the two platforms that Madame Pomfrey pushed down for him.

"Thank you Madame Pomfrey," Dumbledor said gratefully. "Miss Weasley, will you do the honors?" Ginny nodded and took hold of the handlebars, pushing the chair along as they left the Hospital Wing. They walked in silence down the corridor, Dumbledor slightly ahead of Ginny and Draco, leading them down numerous corridors. The only sound that could be heard was the odd buzz of an afternoon class and the squeak of the chair’s rusty wheels. Eventually, Ginny finally gave up trying to figure out where they were going. They reached a statue of a huge, silver unicorn. Dumbledor reached up and ran his hand along the unicorn’s nose. The spiraling horn on it’s head lit up and then the unicorn slowly slid aside to reveal a solid oak door. Dumbledor stepped forward and turned the brass handle, opening the door. The room was bright from the sunlight that shone through the open windows. There were shelves and shelves of books of all kinds. There was a wooden desk filled with parchment, ink and quills. A fire burned in the hearth making the whole room warm. Ginny pushed Draco to the center of the room and stared at her new surroundings. She was startled out of her awe when Dumbledor cleared his throat.

"Why have we come here Professor?" Draco asked from where he sat in his wheelchair. The old man brought his hands infront of him, clasping on over the other, and fixed his eyes on the pair.

"I need the two of you to not take what I say lightly," he began, his voice stern. "I did not know when your abilities would surface but Mr. Malfoy, you are part Seer." Draco’s lips parted slightly and his eyes went round with surprise.

"What?" he asked in a confused tone.

"You have Seer in your blood," Dumbledor rephrased. "Your mother, although not strong, was a Seer. She had apparently passed her abilities onto you, hence the dreams. Though not realistic, your carry warnings. Your latest ones, as you have told me, have warned you before an attack made by your father to the ones you care about. From what you told me today I fear that the two of you are in danger." He then turned to Ginny. "With your experience with the Dark Lord I would not be surprised if he come after you again." Ginny cringed and forced back memories that she wished never to resurface.

"Again?" Draco asked curiously and turned to her. Apparently his father had failed to tell his son of his plans that had just about killed her.

"Tell you later," she replied quietly.

"I would like you two to remain here for your safety. Only you two, Madame Pomfrey and myself know the existence of this room. I will inform your parents and your brother here about the situation Miss Weasley. I will also notify your heads of house if any of the students begin to ask questions. Madame Pomfrey will make regular check ups to see that you heal properly Mr. Malfoy and I will make sure you are brought food as well as your assignments. To get to your rooms, pull on the Phoenix’s middle feather." He motioned towards a small statue of a perching Phoenix.

"Faux," Ginny said quietly, remembering the great bird that had pulled the DADA teacher, Ron, Harry and herself from the Chamber of Secrets. She heard Dumbledor’s soft chuckles.

"Yes, he doesn’t like it much though. Well I must go. I have many to attend to," he said as he walked towards the door but turned back to them when he reached it. "Please, first of all do not leave this room and second, don’t do anything you will regret later." He then left, Ginny and Draco staring after him in confusion.

Author’s note: Well that’s the end of chapter eight. I hope you enjoyed it. Please R&R!!! J J J

9. Chapter Nine

Ginny stared at the door where her headmaster had just exited through and involuntarily shook. Why would He come after her again? It didn’t make any sense! His face flashed before her eyes, the face she had thought she had fallen in love with in her first year, the face that haunted her dreams as a reminder of the pain cause by a stupid little book.

*Flashback*

A girl hunched over, trying to make the pain stop.

"Why are you doing this Tom?" the crying girl pleaded. "Why are you hurting them?"

"Because they are scum and do not deserve leniency," he sneered.

"But why? You’re half Muggle too, why should they be treated so badly?" He hit her again, his fist hitting her jaw, throwing her against the stone beard of Salazar Slytherin. A loud hiss rang in her ears and she trembled.

"I am nothing like them!" Tom screamed. "You would do well to remember that Virginia as well as never to question me again. Is that understood?" She nodded and whimpered as tears rolled down her cheeks. She had to get rid of the diary, tonight.

*End of Flashback*

"Gin?" Draco’s soft voice brought her back to reality. She flinched at the memory and then turned to Draco. His face was concerned as he reached for her hand. "What is it?"

"Old memories," she replied quietly, lowering her gaze. Then she remembered that Draco didn’t know her story and it puzzled her. "You didn’t know about my first year?" He shook his head, eyes still concerned but now confusion danced in the slivery-gray pools then realization.

"You were the one, who was taken into the Chamber," he breathed as his eyes went round, his lips still parted from when he spoke. Ginny slowly nodded, words were beyond her at the moment as a lump grew at the back of her throat. Painful tears stung her eyes and she fought hard to keep them hidden. She had cried too many tears and didn’t want to cry anymore, especially here with Draco. She complied willingly however when he pulled her into his lap. She sat so she could lean against his undamaged shoulder.

"I’m so sorry Gin," he whispered and wrapped his arm around her waist. Ginny laughed, more cynical sounding than amused because that’s how she felt.

"It wasn’t your fault. It was…" She trailed off, remembering who had got her into trouble in the first place.

"Lucius," Draco finished for her. "I saw him slip something into your cauldron that day at Diagon Alley but I didn’t think about it until now. I’m sorry I didn’t do anything."

"And you really would have?" Ginny asked sarcastically. Draco sighed and kissed her forehead, knowing that she already knew the answer. "It shouldn’t bother me any more, but it still hurts like it just happened yesterday. I still see his face, like a ghost that won’t leave me alone. Why won’t he go away?"

"I don’t know Gin, I don’t know how to help," Draco said, his voice so quiet she almost didn’t hear him. Then he spoke again, louder this time. "I wish I could take it all away, everything that scares you or threatens you. I wish that I could stop everything bad before it happened…"

"But you can’t and I wouldn’t ask you to. Your life is much harder than mine." She stood, sliding off his lap. She needed time to be alone.

"Gin, I…"

"Don’t feel sorry for me, I have already had enough of that." She leaned towards him and kissed his lips gently before turning and walking up to the Phoenix statue, pulling its tail. A door opened before her revealing two doors. She entered the one that had her initials on it, walking over to the red four poster bed and flopping down on it. Crawling up in a ball, she tried to repress all that had resurfaced.

The sound of soft, staggered footsteps could be heard at her door.

"Ginny?" She didn’t roll over and kept her back to him so she couldn’t see the pity on his face.

"Don’t Draco, I just need some time." She heard a sigh and the pad of retreating footsteps. Closing her eyes, she drew in a shaky breath and willed the images to go away.

* * * * *

Draco sat on his new bed with his face hidden in his hands, listening to Ginny’s quiet sobs. Two hours now he had sat there and listened. He wanted so much to go comfort her but this is what she wanted and he would respect her wishes despite the stab of pain in his heart each time she cried out. Again his father had caused pain to someone he cared about and it angered Draco that he had done so it the one he cared about the most.

Another sob, making him flinched. Why did she want to be alone? Why wouldn’t she let him help take the pain away? He leaned his head back against the headboard, staring up at the ceiling and forced himself to stay put though it was a losing battle. He was being torn in two by what he wanted to do and what he should do.

Finally, he’d had enough. He slowly made his way off the bed, wincing from pain with every movement. He made it to the floor he began to walk out the door, eyes on the ground. He opened his door and nearly shot through the roof with surprise. Ginny stood in his doorway, tears streaming down her cheeks. She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his waist, laying her head against his chest.

"I can’t make them go away."

Author’s note: Sorry it’s so short but I really wanted to get this chapter up. Hope you enjoyed it. Please R&R!! J J J

10. Chapter Ten

"I can’t make them go away." A sob shook its way through Ginny’s small frame as she buried her face in his chest. "I can still see them." Draco wrapped his healthy arm around her and led her over to the bed, gently forcing her to sit down. He kneeled infront of her and took her hand in his undamaged one.

"Talk to me Ginny," he said softly. "I know it’s hard and you don’t want to remember but it might help if you talked about." She shook her head and looked down at their hands.

"I haven’t told anyone," she whispered so quietly that it was hard for him to hear.

"No one? Not even your parents?" She nodded, still not raising her eyes and brought a hand to her face to wipe it across her cheeks. "You’ve kept this to yourself all this time? Does even anyone know you were even down there?"

"Harry and Ron knew, they came to save me and reported to Dumbledore. Professor Lockhart came with them and lost his memory when his spell backfired on him. Dumbledore told my parents what had happened. Madame Pomfrey demanded an explanation when he took me to her for a once over. Harry and Ron told Hermione and my parents told my brothers. A lot of people knew I had been down in the Chamber but I never told them what happened."

"Why? Why didn’t you tell them?"

"I thought they would pull away. I don’t even know if I can tell you."

"You know I would never Ginny. I know how it feels to not be able to tell anyone anything and I would never want that to happen to you."

"I know."

"You can trust me," Draco said and kissed her hand. She nodded but turned away from him as if she didn’t want to see his reactions.

"I thought I loved him…" she whispered. She saw Draco cringe slightly out of the corner of her eye. Turning back to him, she gave a weak but reassuring smile and looked him straight in the eyes to show him it wasn’t the case now. He visibly relaxed and waited patiently for her to continue. "But he hurt me. He used me to hurt others as well. I cannot forgive myself for allowing that to happen." She looked around the room and laughed to herself though it was not from amusement. "I can remember everything that happened when I was with him like it happened yesterday but there are gaps in between that no matter how hard I try, I cannot remember at all. Harry said that when he came to save me Tom told him that I walked like a zombie under his influence, writing bloody messages on walls, opening the Chamber. Oh! And to top it all off, the Tom Marvolo Riddle I thought was falling in love with was really Voldemort in his sixteen year old self that he decided to leave in a diary so he could come back to kill Muggles and half the wizarding world." More tears spilled down Ginny’s cheeks. "Its amazing really, how stupid a eleven year old girl could be when given a diary that belonged to the Dark Lord himself." Draco struggled to his feet and sat on the right side of Ginny so he could wrap his arm around her, pulling her close.

"It wasn’t your fault Gin, none of it…" Draco began but he was cut off.

"Of course it was my fault. I was the one who wrote in the diary and opened the Chamber, almost getting one of my best friends killed!"

"But it was my father who slipped the book into your cauldron," he replied patently.

"He didn’t force me to write in it though."

"How could you have known what it really was?" Ginny didn’t reply but she did not look at him either. Instead she got up, and walked a few steps away. "You can’t blame yourself for something that you didn’t do purposely, you could never hurt anyone like that."

"I could have stopped him, I could have done something…"

"Like what?"

"I could have showed Dumbledore the diary."

"It looked like a normal book, nothing out of the ordinary."

"It talked back to me!"

"They sell ones just like that in Diagon Alley."

"Yes but this time there was a person on the other end who was trying to kill off the Muggle born in our school!" She was yelling now, losing control completely. Hot tears streamed down her cheeks at their own will. "It doesn’t matter that I didn’t do it on purpose! I was a part of it and I didn’t do anything to stop it!"

"What could you have done?" Ginny didn’t answer, she couldn’t. Too many un-cried tears were forcing themselves forward and sobs choked in her throat. Her legs wobbled and she slid to the floor, dropping to her knees. Draco was by her side in a moment, despite his pain. His arm was around her and pulling her close as he cooed into her hair to comfort her.

"Why can’t I forget?! Why can they leave me alone?!" she whimpered as she folded into him. Draco’s heart sank. There was nothing he could do except comfort and stay by her. He felt the front of his shirt being soaked with her tears. He slowly began to rock back and forth gently to calm her

"If I could take everything that hurt you, everything that makes you afraid and destroy them all I would. But no matter how hard I wish, I know I can’t. I’m sorry, I don’t know what to do other than be here for you." Ginny’s tears slowly died and she lifted her head.

"That’s all I need," she said softly and smiled. Draco smiled back and then, as gently as he could, he kissed her lips and then pulled back to hug her tighter. "Thank you Draco, you don’t know how much that means to me."

"I would do anything for you Ginny." She let out a shaky sigh before trying to stifle a yawn. "You look like you could use a nap."

"Mm-hmm," Ginny replied as her eyelids began to droop. She gingerly stood and walked over to Draco’s bed, crawling under the covers.

"Shouldn’t you go to your own room?" Draco asked hesitantly. Ginny shook her head.

"I’d rather stay here with you." Draco chuckled lightly and joined her, groaning as he lay beside her. Ginny immediately snuggled into him once her was beside her and let out another sigh.

"I love you Draco," she said as she began to fall asleep. Draco kissed the top of her head as he felt her body relax against him.

"Love you too Gin," he whispered and watched her sleeping face. Many a thought went through his mind at that moment. Things like how beautiful she was and what had he done to deserve her love as well as he would protect her from what ever was coming for them and what was coming.

Draco felt his own eyes burn with tiredness and closed them, not noticing the figure flying by outside the window in search of the pair.

Author’s note: Sorry this took a while to get up but I got a little stuck. Hope you enjoyed. I’ll try to make the next chapter longer and sorry for the shortness of this one. Please R&R!!! J J J

11. Chapter Eleven

A figure on a broom circled the Hogwarts grounds, spying eyes darting every where for the two people her master ordered her to find.

"Come out, come out where ever you are," she sneered as she began peering into windows. Frustration was beginning to course through her. Where could that batty old professor have hidden them? The girl had over heard Dumbledore talking to Madame Pomfrey, telling her that he had taken them to the room. Which room? There was so many of them in Hogwarts alone as well as the ones under the grounds and in Hogsmeade not to mention the ones in Diagon Alley, Muggle and Wizarding London and the rest of the world!

"Where the hell are you?!" the girl hissed before giving a sigh and steering her broom towards the Quidditch Pitch. She landed lightly and got off her broom, dragging it towards the broom closet where she had first retrieved it grumpily.

"Parkinson." A voice from the shadows made her jump. She turned to see long platinum blond hair and steely silvery-gray eyes.

"Mr. Malfoy! I thought you were sent to Askaban!" Pansy exclaimed.

"Quiet you stupid girl!" Lucius snapped. "Do you really think that with the Dementors gone from the useless excuse for a prison can hold me or the other Death Eaters for that matter?"

"Does Dumbledore know? Does Master?"

"Of course the Master knows! He was the one who set us free! As for Dumbledore, he probably already knows. If not then soon."

"Why does Master want Draco and the Weasley girl?"

"You question his orders?"

"No sir! I was just curious. Please don’t think me disrespectful!" She saw him laugh cynically. This man scared her. He would definitely be an interesting father-in-law.

"That will all become clear in time Parkinson. What I find amusing however, is the fact that my son chose a weasel over you. And why would that be I wonder?" Pansy didn’t have time to reply but the scowl was visible on her face. "The Master orders you to keep searching. Tell Zambini, Crabb and Goyle to do the same."

"Yes sir," Pansy replied through clenched teeth. With a final smirk that he and his family had become famous for, Malfoy senior was gone.

Pansy continued to the broom closet, grumbling and cursing all the way.

"You will be mine Draco," she promised to herself. "No Mud-blood loving weasel will have you."

* * * * *

Dumbledore paced nervously in the common room of where he had hidden away Draco and Ginny. He was known to pace. He was usually the calm and controlled one who watched others create holes in the floors as they circled.

"Albus, sit down," Madame Pomfrey pleaded. He stopped but did not sit. He stared at the door to Draco’s room where he knew the pair slept and sighed heavily.

"War will be upon us soon Poppy," he said distantly. "Not only does the Dark Lord want Harry, now he wants young Mr. Malfoy for not joining his Death Eaters and because of his Seer abilities as well as Miss Weasley. I do not know why he wants her, maybe just because of her involvement with the Chamber or maybe with Mr Malfoy. Whatever the reason, he has set his sights on Hogwarts."

"We have to get the students out of here," Madame Pomfrey exclaimed and began to stand but stopped when Dumbledore turned to her, a stern look on his face. There was concern in his eyes as well.

"If we send the students home, Voldemort will target them and their families. The safest place for them right now is here."

"But you just said that He was on his way!" Dumbledore held up his hands to silence her.

"I know Poppy but they are better defended here, with all our staff and older students, then they would be on a train or with their families at home. I have already informed the Ministry and they will be sending out the warning to all the wizarding families to find shelter away from their homes. Many will be coming here and the rest will go to the Ministry. I need you to be ready Poppy. I don’t know how soon Voldemort will come but he is coming. This will be the beginning of the end for either Voldemort or our kind." Madame Pomfrey gasped. "I am making an announcement tonight in the Great Hall. Make sure all the staff know and tell them to let their students know to be there. I don’t know how the students will handle this news. They might need your assistance."

"I understand."

"Good. Now go tell the staff." Madame Pomfrey nodded and hurried out of the room. Dumbledore turned to look out the window. He walked to the ledge and looked out. Two figures caught his eye. One tall with platinum blond hair and the other a student who was holding a broom. Dumbledore sucked a breath through his teeth. They were here already.

He stepped back and then followed Madame Pomfrey’s exit, thanking every god and goddess he knew of that he had put those one way, see-through bricks on all the windows in that secret room.

* * * * *

"Stop it Tom!" Ginny screamed. She backed away as he tried to pull off her cloak. A wicked grin was on his face as he followed her retreat. "Don’t!"

"You are mine Virginia. Don’t tell me what a will and will not do." His voice was husky and thick with desire. Ginny felt the large statue of one of the basilisk heads against her back. She was trapped with no way out. Tears streamed down her cheeks as he placed both his hands on either side of her head and pressed his lips forcefully against hers. He then moved down her neck, kissing and biting.

"Please," Ginny begged as he pushed back her shirt collar. "Please don’t." Tom raised his head and smirked at her, his eyes full of lust and evil.

"You are mine Virginia," he repeated and ripped open her robes.

Ginny’s screams brought her out of her sleep. She sat up, drawing her knees up to her chest and dug her hands into her hair. Tears fell from her eyes like a waterfall.

"Ginny?" she heard Draco whisper groggily. She sank slightly in the bed as Draco sat up and wrapped his arm around her.

She still felt dirty and unclean. She could still feel the touch of Tom’s lips.

"What did I do to deserve it?!" she screamed into her lap. "What did I do?!"

"Nothing Ginny," Draco cooed in attempts to calm her. "You did nothing wrong. It wasn’t your fault." She hadn’t really told him what had happened in the Chamber, only a brief glimpse. He still thought she was talking about what she did. How could she tell him? He wouldn’t understand. He would pull away from her.

"Tell me what you were dreaming about Ginny."

"You wouldn’t understand," she said before thinking.

"Wouldn’t understand what?"

"What I’ve been through."

"I can’t if you don’t tell me. Don’t pull away. Don’t keep tormenting yourself." Ginny let out a shaky sigh and turned to hug him, afraid that he would run away and never listen to her again. "Gin?"

"He ra…He…Raped m-me," she stammered. She felt Draco’s body tense in her arms.

"He did what?!"

"Please don’t make me say it again," she pleaded. Squeezing her eyes shut she began to pull away, thinking that he would bolt but she found herself being wrapped tighter in his one arm almost to the point of feeling pain.

"Oh Ginny, I’m so sorry. It should of never happened to you." More tears flowed from her eyes, some were of joy that he didn’t run but most were from the painful memory. She trembled and sobs shuddered through her. "Why did you keep this to yourself? Why didn’t you tell me sooner?"

"I thought you wouldn’t listen," she sobbed.

"You know I would have. I promised you that I would never pull away. I thought you trusted me."

"I d-do." The rest of her words choked in her throat. She was crying so hard now that she barely heard the door open.

"Not now," Draco snapped but was clearly ignored. Ginny looked over towards the door, tears blurring her vision, and saw Dumbledore along with Madame Pomfrey standing at the door. Madame Pomfrey had a hand over her mouth and went to move towards the bed but Dumbledore stopped her movements.

"I am sorry to interrupt but it is of great importance that I speak with the both of you."

"Can’t it wait?" Draco asked, annoyance in his voice.

"I am afraid not," Dumbledore replied apologetically. "It is a matter concerning Voldemort, the two of you and Mr. Potter." Draco felt Ginny flinch and Voldemort’s name.

"Us?" he asked in a confused tone.

"Yes Mr. Malfoy. As I told you earlier on today, you and Miss Weasley are in danger. Voldemort has spies in the castle. We have confronted one of them, Miss Parkinson to be precise, and have heard a few of the details. We now know for certain that the Dark Lord is after the two of you."

"Why is he after us?" Ginny asked shakily.

"That I do not know."

"Parkinson," Draco growled apparently more disturbed with Pansy’s involvement with Voldemort.

"She was seen talking to your father near the Quidditch Pitch."

"My father? But he was sent to Askaban!"

"He and many others of Voldemort’s followers have escaped via the Dark Lord himself." Dumbledore paused for a moment. Everyone in the room went silent. Everyone knew what this meant, they were just too afraid to voice it, too afraid to recognize the inevitable.

"How long?" Draco asked hesitantly.

"I cannot say. My guess is not long. The Ministry has already begun recruitment. I expect they are going to call on students soon as well." Draco nodded and turned his head to Madame Pomfrey.

"Will I be ready by then?" Madame Pomfrey looked shocked but it faded, turning to understanding and concern.

"Yes, Mr. Malfoy, you probably will be. I would expect you would go even if you weren’t," she replied knowingly. Ginny’s eyes shot up to look at Draco’s face. Fear, confusion and sadness were in her eyes. Draco gave her a tight squeeze but continued to look ahead at Dumbledore, nothing but seriousness on his face.

"I will leave you now, I have to make the announcement to the school," Dumbledore said calmly and nodding at Madame Pomfrey, quietly saying "I will wait till you arrive" before leaving the room. She heaved a great sigh and slowly walked towards the bed.

"I have to take a look at your wounds Mr. Malfoy."

A few spells and potions later, the bandages had come off and Draco was almost as good as new. He moved around a bit, rolling his shoulders and turning his upper body to test himself. He winced a few times however.

"Careful," Madame Pomfrey warned. "Your better but not completely healed. It’ll be a few days yet till your perfectly healthy again." Draco nodded to her and sat back against the pillows. "Listen you too. Promise me that you will both be careful, you especially Mr. Malfoy. Don’t go looking for trouble. Do you understand?"

"Yes Madame Pomfrey," Ginny and Draco said in unison. After gathering her supplies, Madame Pomfrey left the room while glancing once more at the pair with a worried expression on her face. Ginny waited till she heard the outside door close before she spoke.

"You’re going to fight?"

"Of course I am, what did you expect?"

"But what if you get hurt?! What if you get killed?! What if…" She was silenced when Draco pressed the fingers of his newly healed arm to her lips.

"You thought I would stay?" Ginny sighed and shook her head.

"I just don’t want to lose you that’s all." Draco cupped her cheek and kissed her gently. When he pulled back, she could see the compassion in his eyes.

"You could never lose me, even if you tried," he chuckled. Ginny gave a weak smile and giggled a little. She then leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Draco’s waist. "I’ll be all right Gin, you don’t need to worry."

"Too late."

Author’s note: Well, this is chapter eleven. I hope you enjoyed it and that it was long enough for you. Please R&R!!!! J J J

12. Chapter Twelve

The sun rose lazily on the horizon, making the morning sky turn red. It made the darkness in the room begin to fade before the blue eyes that watched as the shadows pulled back. Exhausted as she was, Ginny hadn’t slept at all night. She had watched Draco fall asleep and wished to do the same but was too afraid that the horrible dreams that had haunted her for over five years would return.

Slowly, carefully, she untangled herself from Draco’s arms and slipped off the bed. With one last look at his sleeping face, Ginny silently made her way over to the window seat. She gingerly slid into the soft cushions, pulling her large, long sleeve pajama top closer around her and looked out to watch dawn breaking

It was beautiful. Gold was poking through the treetops as the sun got higher and higher in the sky. A few fluffy looking clouds floated lazily overhead but all in all, it was the makings of another beautiful day. Why couldn’t it be rainy or at least overcast? It would match her mood perfectly.

Ginny sighed heavily and crossed her arms over her stomach, leaning her head against the windowpane. Her mind was buzzing with stray thoughts. There were too many unanswered questions to keep track of. Will we win the war against the Dark Lord? Will my family be safe? Will Voldemort come for me? Will I die?

All these thoughts raced the through her mind along with many more. She glanced over at Draco and more questions stirred inside her. Will he really go and fight in the war? Will he come back to me? Alive?

He moaned in his sleep, apparently disturbed by his dream. Ginny watched as his brow furrowed and his jaw clenched. His fist closed around the sheets so tightly that his knuckles turned white. He then reached out with his other hand, calling her name softly. Ginny smiled, almost like a mother would who was watching over her child, and walked over to him. She sat on the edge of the bed and took his hand that was reached out for her in her own. She ran her other hand along his cheek but he pulled away, yanking his hand out of her grasp. What was he dreaming about?

"Draco," she cooed softly and put her hand over his that was still holding the sheets.

"Don’t," he whispered. "Don’t do it." He grabbed her wrist, non-too gently at that.

"Wake up Draco," she coaxed, panic in her voice. "Wake up!" She gently shook his shoulder but his other hand flew up and grabbed her other wrist. "Draco!"

"I won’t let you!" he yelled. A vision of Tom passed through her mind, holding her wrists as Draco did now. She tried to free herself from Draco’s grasp but it was to tight and was getting tighter. She winced from his force. If he didn’t let go soon, he was likely to break a few bones.

"Draco! WAKE UP!" Ginny screamed. Draco’s eyes shot open. She could see the shock on his face immediately. He released her and sat up and Ginny felt the pain a lot more. She clutched them to her chest and let out a gasp. Looking down at them, she could see the bruises already beginning to form. A tear slipped down her cheek as a memory forced itself into her mind. She remembered having bruises just like these when Tom…No. She did not want to remember. Shaking her head slightly, she forced the memory from her mind.

"Gin, I’m so sorry," she heard Draco say. Concern and shock were in his voice and when Ginny looked up, she saw them in his eyes as well. She watched him as his gaze traveled down to the tear on her cheek and then to the flowering bruises that she was too late in hiding. His eyes, if possible, went even rounder and his lips parted slightly.

"Oh gods," he whispered. "Did I do that?" Ginny nodded slightly and brought her hands around infront of her. She had tried to hide them when she realized that he would soon see them by pulling her hands behind her back, but apparently she wasn’t quick enough.

"I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean too! I never meant to hurt you! I…" Draco rambled but stopped when Ginny pressed her fingers to his lips to silence him.

"I know Draco," she replied as calmly as she could, dropping her hand. "I know you would never do that on purpose. You were dreaming and had no idea what you were doing." No, she would not compare Draco with him and she would not tell Draco about that memory. She looked down at her wrist and winced before looking away again, not wanting to be reminded.

"I promised myself I would never let anyone hurt you and then I turn around and do it myself," Draco said quietly. His eyes were on the bruises but they were distant and unfocused. "I promised. I made a promise and broke it without even knowing I was breaking it in the first place."

"Draco, listen to me," Ginny said softly. "You didn’t break your promise. You didn’t know what you were doing. Don’t blame yourself for something you didn’t mean to do."

"But I hurt you."

"I can barely feel it."

"You’re lying." He looked up and wiped away the tear that had been resting on her cheek. Ginny had completely forgotten about it. She caught his hand before it fell away and pressed it against her cheek, wanting to convince him that she was all right.

"I’ll be fine," she said in a gentle tone. She leaned forward and kissed him gently and whispered an "I forgive you" against his lips. His hand slipped into her hair as he kissed her back with the same gentleness. When she pulled back, she smiled at him in a reassuring way. She was startled but grateful when he wrapped her in is arms. She snaked her own around his waist, needing him more than any other person alive at this moment in time.

"I love you Gin," Draco whispered into her ear.

"I love you too."

Author’s note: Okay so it’s another short chapter. Sorry but I was completely stuck and couldn’t figure out how to make it longer at the moment. I’ll try to make the next chapter longer, promise. Please R&R!! J J J

13. Chapter Thirteen

As the days passed, more and more news of the Dark Lord’s return was being announced. The Ministry had sent warnings to all the wizarding families of England and then to the neighboring Ministries. People began to arrive at Hogwarts only a few days after Dumbledore’s announcement. The school buzzed with activity as the staff found room for the new arrivals. More than one argument had arisen between different families and the tension was high in the castle. Even hidden behind a secret door, Ginny and Draco could tell that no one was at ease.

"Thomas and Finnigan are going at it again," Draco said dully from the window in the common room. He watched as the two men started yelling at each other, their son’s at their sides trying to pull them apart, knowing that soon a fist fight would begin.

"That’s not surprising," Ginny replied. She was sitting on one of the overstuffed chairs by the fire, working on a herbology assignment and a scanning a large text book she had charmed to float infront of her. She looked completely calm at the moment but Draco knew otherwise. It had been…different between them since that morning. The bruises had disappeared with a swish of Madame Pomfrey’s wand but Ginny still held her wrists from time to time, when she didn’t think he was watching.

Scanning her face, Draco remembered the dream that had caused her fear.

~Dream~

A circle of Death Eaters, a hundred or more of them surrounded them. Ginny was clinging to Draco, trembling with fear. He held her protectively and tightened his grip on his wand, ready to fight.

"Give it up boy," a cold voice sneered.

"The Dark Lord will have what he wants," another said. From out of no where he was hit with a leg-binding spell, causing his whole lower body to go stiff as a rod. He tried to keep his balance but it was no use and he fell to the ground, Ginny coming down with him. His wand flew out of his hand and landed somewhere out of sight.

"Grab the girl!" Ginny was pulled from his arms. Draco reached out to grab her hand but she was out of reach and only their fingers brushed. She screamed his name and struggled as much as she could. Biting, clawing, kicking, punching. No matter how hard she tried, she could break free of them.

"Ginny!" Draco watched with horror as she was thrust forward infront of the Dark Lord himself. She stared up at him, petrified, as he pulled out his wand black robes and positioned it before her forehead. Draco began to crawl forward with his hands, trying to get to Ginny. Someone from behind however, pulled him back by his locked ankles. He was flipped over to see a Death Eater staring down at him. The person behind the mask stoked his face lovingly and wrapped their hand around his.

"Oh Draco, don’t worry about her. Now you and I can be together." It was not hard to recognize who was behind mask now that she had spoken. Pansy pulled it off and a wicked grin appeared on her face. Draco rolled away and pulled his hand out of her grasp. He began to crawl forward again.

"Don’t! Don’t do it!" he yelled as Voldemort began the Unforgivable curse. Draco awkwardly got to his feet, despite the spell, and leapt at Dark Lord. He grabbed his one wrist, the one with the wand, and twisted it to make the wand drop to the floor. Voldemort other skeleton-like hand was on Draco shoulder, pushing him away, but Draco snatched that one too.

"You’re a fool," Voldemort drawled with amusement in his voice. "To think that you could come between me and what is mine. She is mine to kill Draco and this pathetic attempt at heroism will not save her. You’re only prolonging the inevitable."

"I won’t let you!"

~End of Dream~

Draco shook his head, hating that he could recall every moment of dreams like that. Pushing it to the back of his mind once more, he walked over to Ginny and planted a kiss on her cheek. He kneeled beside her and placed his hands on the arm of the chair. He tucked a stray lock of hair out of her face then let his fingers trail along her jaw and then back up her cheek.

"I have to do my homework," she said but not turning away from her work. "You should be too."

"Finished it hours ago," he mused while tracing her ear. She caught his hand and turned to him. A serious look was in her eyes but there was a smile on her lips.

"You know that if I don’t get it done now I probably won’t get it done at all, don’t you?"

"Can’t you take a break? Just for a little while?"

"Draco…" Her tone was a warning one that Draco had heard before. He held up his hands in defeat, realizing that there would no way to distract her when she was so set on not being distracted.

"Can I at least help?" he asked in a pleading tone, just wanting to be near her.

"I’ve got to do this on my own or I won’t learn properly," she said in a finalizing tone.

"But you let me before…"

"Draco, I’ll be done in a while. Be patient." She gave him a quick kiss and returned to her work. He sighed and stood, leaving her to it. He walked over to the bookcase just behind her and began studying the titles. They were Muggle books, he could tell by the titles. He flipped through a few of them, one being Moby Dick, but found none that really interested. He moved to the next bookcase, these being wizarding books, and again saw nothing to captivating. Boredom was already beginning to set in so he decided to explore the rooms.

He started in the bathroom. Of course he had used it many times already but he began noticing the little things. He tested Ginny’s soap, opening the top and letting the thick, lavender smell tickle his nostrils and remembering the bath he had taken in her dorm. It had been a different soap then, something with strawberry in it.

Setting the bottle back down, he retreated into her room. The smell of flowers floated in the air. The first things Draco noticed were the pictures of her family that were set carefully on her dresser. The first was only her and her siblings. Draco recognized most of the laughing and beaming red heads but there were a few he didn’t. He picked Ginny out right away seeing as she was the female there. She was hugging a man with a ponytail and laughing at something he was telling her. Ron and the twins were laughing beside a snobbish looking Percy who had a thin smile on his face and staring ahead. Then there was another man, pulling faces behind Percy and apparently the cause for the younger boys’ laughter. Neither of the two men was Mr. Weasley, Draco had seen him before. He knew Ginny’s family was big but he thought he had seen all of the Weasleys. Now there was two more?

The next picture was of her parents, the balding Mr. Weasley and his wife. Behind them was a tottery home that looking like it would fall over any minute. Their children kept on popping in and out of the picture, much to Mrs. Weasley’s dislike and annoyance. She would scold them any time she saw them which made them laugh and duck out of the picture again. Mrs. Weasley would sigh and go back to smiling.

"What are you doing?" Draco smiled. He’d been caught.

"Just looking at your pictures." He turned to see Ginny standing in the doorway with her arms folded over her chest and a smile playing on her lips. She walked over and let her eyes drift on the pictures. She ran her fingers over the frames, letting them linger over the one of her and her brothers.

"You miss them, don’t you?" She nodded and let her hand drop.

"Haven’t seen Bill or Charlie since the beginning of summer and Percy and dad still aren’t getting along so we’re seeing more of him but not much. The twins are working at their joke shop now so that just leaves me, Ron, mum and dad around the Burrow these days." They were both silent for a few moments, just staring at the smiling pictures. Draco reached out and took her hand, lacing their fingers. Ginny moved closer and rested her head on his shoulder.

"They are going to be fine, all of them," Draco said, knowing what she was probably thinking. Ginny sighed.

"It’s not just them I’m worried about." She looked up at him with sad eyes. "I’m afraid something will happen to you."

"Nothing will happen…" Draco began but could not continue.

"But you don’t know that!" Ginny snapped, taking a step away. "You cannot tell me that you know nothing will happen to you! You seem to be one of the targets as well now so it’s not hard to see that yes something will happen! You don’t know how much it scares me to think that you will go off to war and never come back!"

"You think that that doesn’t scare me too?!" Draco yelled, his frustration mounting. "I am terrified that I will never see you again!"

"Then why go?!"

"Because I have too!" They were screaming at each other now, both letting out their anger and frustration.

"Why?! To get revenge on your father?! To bring down Voldemort?!"

"Exactly! My father murdered my mother and almost did the same to you! Voldemort himself almost killed you! Why wouldn’t I go to fight?!"

"Because you could die!"

"I’m not afraid of dying Ginny! I’m afraid of letting the Dark Lord win and taking everything I love away from me! I will not let him do that!" Tears were visible in Ginny’s eyes now and she tried to blink them back but was failing.

"And what about him taking away everything I love from me?! If we win the war but you die because of it, nothing will be taken from you but you are everything to me!"

They paused, both breathing heavily from yelling. Ginny’s tears were streaming down her cheeks and she glared at Draco, who was returning her glare. The stood as if they were a pair of duelers, challenging the other to make the next move and say something, anything, so they could start screaming again. It was only then that the two of them noticed that their fingers were still laced. Ginny was the first to realize this and looked down at their clasped hands. She felt the roughness of his palm against hers. A swell of emotions hit her in the gut, many of them familiar. Pain, anger, sadness, fear, disappointment, all melded into one get big heartache. She felt a tear drop from her chin and land on their hands.

Draco felt the tear hit the tear hit the back of his hand. His eyes flicked down to see the silvery drop slide down his hand and onto Ginny’s fingertips. His eyes softened as he watched the tear disappeared behind one of Ginny’s fingers. He felt his anger began to fade till there was nothing left but…guilt. He swallowed hard as it washed over him like a wave. He hadn’t even thought about what would happen to Ginny if he died. His mind was suddenly full of images of Ginny crying over a black coffin. But she was wrong. If he did die, he would still lose everything. He would lose her.

Draco raised his eyes to her bowed face and thought about things he would never see again. Never seeing her beautiful eyes, never seeing her smile or listening to her laugh, never watching her sleep or waking up with her in his arms. There were more nevers then he could count, too many things he would miss. How could he survive, even if it was in some other place? A life of any kind, here or in the next world, without her would be no life at all.

He released her hand and swept her up in his arms and pulled her as close as he possibly could, never wanting to let her go again.

Ginny gasped. She expected him to yell again or at least walk out of the room, not hug her so tight that she could barely breath. She got over her shock quickly, however, and snaked her arms around his waist. She clenched handfuls of his shirt in her fists as more painful tears forced themselves out. She buried her face in his shoulder. Draco tangled his hand in Ginny’s hair and pressed his cheek to the side of her head.

"I don’t want you to die," Ginny whimpered and pulled back, staring into his eyes.

"I know Gin," Draco said softly. He took his hand out of her hair and wiped away her tears. He took a deep breath before continuing. "I would gladly stay here and not go off and fight but you know that isn’t an option."

"But it is! You don’t have to…" Ginny began but stopped when Draco shook his head.

"We’ve been through this. I have to go, to protect you and help protect the rest of the wizarding…" Before he could finish, a large crash shook the whole castle. Ginny flew to the window, despite Draco’s pleas, and almost screamed at what she saw. Death Eaters, too many to count. They swarmed out of the Forbidden Forest like bees, wands pointed at the school and firing all kinds of curses.

Draco froze for a moment when he saw what she was looking at, remembering his dream. He watched the black robed people emerge from the forest as fear swept over him. He had to fight hard to regain control again. He grabbed Ginny around the waist before he pulled her away from the window and hiding beside it. That didn’t protect them however. The Death Eaters were firing every where and even with out seeing the windows of the secret rooms from the outside, a curse struck the wall where Ginny and Draco stood. They were sent flying with bits of wall all around them. They landed hard near the door and Draco struggled over top of Ginny to protect her from the debris. He winced as the large chunks hit his back with and audible thud. When all the pieces had landed, Draco stood, dragging Ginny up with him.

"Hide! Don’t let them find you!" he ordered as they hurried out of Ginny’s room.

"What about you?!"

"I have to go help but I’ll come back for you, I promise!" With a chaste kiss, Draco grabbed his wand from his room and hurtled out of the door. Ginny was stunned for a moment, staring at the entrance where the door was left open. Snapping out of her daze she began to move towards it but stopped when she heard voices on the other side.

"Find the girl!" one voice ordered. "The Dark Lord wants her most! You two! Run after the brat! Don't let him get away! The rest of you spread out!" Ginny looked frantically around the room before running into the bathroom and locking the door. She stuck her hands inside her pockets for her wand but remembered she had left it in her room. The voices were just outside the door. Ginny watched with terror as the lock slowly began to turn. She seized it and pushed it back with all her might but it was no use. The door flew open, revealing a tall man in black robes. The only thing she could see of him were his eyes through slits in his mask. They were a cold, silvery-gray and she recognized them instantly.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" Lucius sneered. "I am surprised to see that you have not found yourself a better hiding spot, Miss Weasley. And what’s this? No wand? Well this does make my job easier. Stupefy!" Everything went black before Ginny’s eyes as the curse hit her in the stomach. She was unconscious before she even hit the floor.

Author’s note: Hope you like this chapter. Please R&R!!! J J J

14. Chapter Fourteen

"Stupefy!" The curse shot from the end of Draco’s wand and hit the nearest Death Eater in the chest. The stunned man fell immediately and landed in a heap on the corridor floor. The second stepped over his comrade and began advancing towards Draco. Even with the mask hiding everything but his eyes, it was obvious the man was smirking.

Draco stood his ground, glaring at the approaching man and forming a plan in his mind. So far, disarm and stun. The was too much at risk to give this brute a chance to throw Draco’s own curse back at him and disarming would make it much more easier to knock the Death Eater out.

"Expelliarmus!" Draco yelled and watched the wand fly from the man’s hand. The Death Eater stumbled a bit but soon regained his bearings, shaking his head slightly before beginning his charge. The man was running fast but Draco was faster. He aimed his wand at the man’s hidden face and shouted the stunning curse. It hit the Death Eater right between the eyes causing him to stop in mid-step before falling to the floor like his friend.

Draco stood over the man for a moment, staring down at what his father had wanted him to become. Rolling the man over, Draco pulled down his mask and recognized the face behind it immediately. It was Goyle’s father and the other man proved to be Crabbe’s. Just like their son’s, the two men were best friends and went every where together, worked together and would probably die together, side by side.

Draco shook his head and stood. He glanced once more at the faces he had known since child hood before sprinting down the corridor to join the fight outside. Crabbe and Goyle had caught him close to the Great Hall so it would not take long for Draco to find the great oak doors that led out to the grounds.

When he arrived, he paused with his hand on the brass doorknob and remembering Ginny. Would she be safe? He looked back the way he had come, debating whether or not to go back. It felt like something was pulling him back. Was she in trouble or was he just getting paranoid?

A scream came from the other side of the door, forcing Draco to decide. With one last look down the corridor he turned the doorknob and flung it open, rushing forward to aid Dumbledore and the others. The scream had come from a woman who had a Death Eater chasing her. Draco threw a body-binding curse at the Death Eater and ran to the woman.

"Are you all right?" he asked her, gently grabbing her shoulders. She nodded and thanked him before standing to retrieve her fallen wand. Draco turned and took down a few more Death Eaters before he heard a voice calling his name. It was Ron. He ran up to Draco and demanded where Ginny was.

"She’s safe," Draco said, more to convince himself than Ron. Before he could say anymore, Ron shoved him out of the way and shouted a stunning curse. Draco wiped around to see a Death Eater fall to the ground. He let out a sigh, relieved that it had been the Death Eater to fall instead of himself. He turned back to Ron and saw the smug grin on the freckled boy’s face.

"Couldn’t let you get killed now could I?" he said sarcastically. Draco shrugged before sending his own curse to an approaching Death Eater. The curse just barely missed Ron’s ear on it’s way to the chest of the Voldemort minion. Ron’s eyes went wide and his grin slipped off his face which brought a smirk to Draco’s.

"You almost took me out along with that Death Eater you prat!" Ron yelled when he got over his shock. Draco chuckled and scanned their surroundings. A frown formed on his face. "What is it?"

"The Death Eaters," Draco replied quietly. "They’re pulling back."

"What?" Ron looked around as well and saw the Death Eaters retreating into the forest even though there was a good number of them still standing. "I don’t understand…"

"Neither do I." Draco’s eyes flicked skyward and saw the tail of a broom just disappear behind the treetops. Puzzled, Draco summoned a broom and, ignoring Ron’s questions, pushed himself off the ground. He flew high enough to see clearly over the trees. There was nothing but green leaves and blue sky. No brooms, no people, no birds even. Draco turned his broom back to the castle and saw the gapping hole in the wall where he and Ginny had stood. Ginny!

Panic washed over Draco as if a pail of cold water had been thrown on him. He leaned forward and zoomed towards the secret room. He flew inside the gap and threw his broom to the side once he’d landed. The rumble still lay scattered on the floor and made things difficult. Draco tripped many times trying frantically to get to the next room.

He searched each room from top to bottom, calling Ginny’s name at the top of his lungs but it was no use. No Ginny. Draco dropped to his knees in the common room, his whole body stiff from shock.

"Ginny." Dumbledore burst into the room and, for the first time ever (in Draco case anyway), there was panic on the old man’s face. A moment later, Ron, Harry and Hermione entered the room. Ron immediately ran passed Draco in search of Ginny. He stopped in the doorway of Ginny’s room and stared at the chunks of wall spread out on the floor.

"She’s gone Ron," Draco said quietly. "They took her." Ron tackled him. Draco found himself pinned to the ground, staring up at Ron’s furious face while his friends tried to pull him off.

"You said she was safe!" he roared. "You said she was safe and I believed you! Where is she now Malfoy?! Where is she?! Where’s my sister?!"

"I don’t know," Draco replied, looking Ron in the eye. "I wish I did but I don’t." Ron punched him in the cheek. Draco heard Hermione cry out, begging Ron to stop but nothing could stop Ron.

"You bastard! You were supposed to protect her! I trusted you to keep her safe!"

"Mr. Weasley," Dumbledore said sternly. Ron turned on him now, furious.

"And you! You promised us that she would be safe here, that no one would find them!" He stood and tried to move forward but Harry grabbed him around the stomach, pinning his arms to his sides. "Let go of me Harry! Let go!"

"We’ll get her back Ron, just calm down!" Harry pleaded while tightening his grip. Ron struggled as hard as he could, trying to free himself from Harry’s grasp. "Ron stop!"

"NO! I’M GUNNA BEAT MALFOY INTO THE RUDDY GROUND!" Ron bellowed.

"Petrificase Totalus!" Hermione cried. Ron’s legs snapped together and his arms locked tight to his sides while the rest of his body went stiff. "Sorry Ron but you were beginning to get irrational and we don’t need you losing your head right now." She had been standing back as Harry struggled with Ron before finally deciding to step in.

"Thank you Miss Granger," Professor Dumbledore said in an appreciative tone as Hermione stowed away her wand in her robes. "Are you all right Mr. Malfoy?" Draco nodded and shakily got to his feet.

"I’ll be fine."

"Good." Dumbledore took in a deep breath before settling himself on the couch. He pressed his fingertips together and looked thoughtfully at the four students. "We need a plan."

"I have to go after her," Draco said immediately but Dumbledore shook his head.

"I don’t think that would be wise Mr. Malfoy seeing as they are after you as well." Ron moaned something but whatever it was, it was not understandable due to the fact that his lips as well as his body were stiff and motionless. With a nod from Dumbledore, Hermione release him from the full body bind.

"Let me go after her," Ron said quickly. "They don’t want me, it won’t matter if I go after her."

"But you would get yourself killed Ron," Hermione protested. Ron opened his mouth to reply but closed it again when he could not think of one.

"No Mr. Weasley," Dumbledore said quietly. "It would be too dangerous for you to just barge in there alone. We must form a plan." They were all silent for a moment, minds buzzing with thought.

"There has to be something we can do," Ron groaned. Then Harry, who had remained silent thus far, let a grin slip on his face.

"I think I’ve got an idea."

* * * * *

Ginny moaned. Her whole body ached and she was shaking from the cold. She felt the hard stone beneath her, damp and icy to the touch. She didn’t remember how she got here, wherever here was, but she knew it was not her choice. Then her memories came flooding back. Draco. The Death Eaters swarming out of the forest. Hiding in the Bathroom. Lucius.

She rubbed her temples and opened her eyes. Nothing but stone walls met her eyes and the only light in the room was coming from a small grate in the wall where a little sunlight spilled in. Ginny stood up and walked over to the grate. Standing on her tiptoes and looking out all she could see were trees, lots of them, none looking like the ones on the Hogwarts’ grounds.

She sighed heavily and turned away from the grate, sliding down the wall. She pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. Resting her chin on her kneecaps, Ginny’s mind began to buzz.

"How am I going to get out of here?" she mumbled to herself.

"You won’t," a cruel voice sneered. Ginny leap to her feet, her eyes flicking in every direction to seek out the person that belonged to the voice. The room seemed to get colder, if possible, when the voice spoke and it sent a chill through Ginny.

"Who are you?" she demanded. "What do you want with me?" The voice just laughed mockingly. "Answer me!"

"You are in no position to ordering anything Virginia so I would sit down and keep my little mouth shut if you know what’s best for you. Do not fret, the Dark Lord will deal with you in good time." Ginny froze and her eyes went round. The Dark Lord? Meaning Tom Riddle? But the voice said no more, leaving her with silence once more.

She retreated into the far corner of the room, pressing herself into the crease in the wall. Collapsing into a ball, she felt herself begin to rock and panic fill her entire body.

"Draco," she whispered. "Where are you? Come save me."

Author’s note: Well this is chapter fourteen. I hope you liked it cause it will be a while before the next one comes up. I’m going away for a week so I’ll try to get the next chapter up as soon as possible when I get back. Just so you know, I really appreciate all the reviews you guys are putting up. They are really encouraging and I’m glad you like my story so much. Thanks again for reviewing and keep doing so please!!! J J J

15. Chapter Fifteen

It was cold, laying there on the floor with nothing but her damp Weasley sweater and her thin pajama pants to keep her warm. Ginny’s body began to ache more and more over time from the chill in the air and her cloths that was now clinging to her weren’t helping. She stared at the door, willing it to open and set her free with all her might. She had tried the door-handle many times but it wouldn’t budge, causing her to be frustrated as well as being cold.

Another thing that bothered her immensely was the silence. It was deafening, no other sounds except Ginny’s own breathing and a rare sound from the other side of the grate, a creature’s whine or the creek of the old trees.

Finally, Ginny could stand it no longer. She began to sing. It was a song that her father used to sing to her when she was younger to put her to sleep. He would sit on the edge of the bed or squat beside it, singing the song that he had learned from a Muggle book he had once read. Ginny remembered every single word as if he had sung it not moments ago and found that it was comforting, even in the cold, damp room. She sang quietly at first, getting used to the new sound of her voice filling the room and as she gained confidence she got gradually louder.

Little girls kneel at the foot of their bed,

Droops over their little hands their little gold heads,

Hush, hush, whisper who dares,

Ginny Weasley is saying her prayers.

God bless mum I know that’s right,

Wasn’t it fun in the bath tonight,

With the cold so cold and the hot so hot,

Oh, God bless dad I quite forgot,

If I open my fingers a little bit more,

I can see Draco’s dressing gown on the door,

It’s a beautiful blue but hasn’t a hood,

God bless Draco and make him good.

Mine has a hood as I lye in bed,

And I pull the hood up over my head,

And I shut my eyes and curl up small,

And nobody knows that I’m there at all,

Thank you God for a lovely day,

And what was the other I had to say,

I said bless dad now what could it be?

Oh now I remember, God bless me.

Little girls kneel at the foot of their bed,

Droops over their little hands their little gold heads,

Hush, hush, whisper who dares,

Ginny Weasley is saying her prayers.

It used to be one of her brothers’ names in the song, instead of Draco’s, but his name slipped into place as if it had been there all along. Ginny sang it over and over again, now filling in the names of all her brothers at the right parts and then she did the same for Harry and Hermione because they too were just like family. It was a corny old song but it was helping her relax and fight of the aching that seeped through her. But as she went on, her voice began to fail and her throat became sore from the dampness and chill. She didn’t let that stop her however, it was the only thing really keeping her sane at the moment and she was afraid of the silence that would surround her if she did stop.

She rolled onto her back as she started the song over again, this time for Bill, and stared at the ceiling. Night would fall soon and it would be very dark, she could tell by the growing shadows that were now filling the corners of the room and beginning to pull across the ceiling. Ginny felt herself tremble at the thought of being in a room where you could see nothing and knowing that that was very dangerous, especially in a place like this.

Ginny immediately sat up, fear washing over her once more. Her song stopped for a moment and the terrifying silence filled her ears. Before she could start her song again however, the voice sounded in the room.

"I was beginning to wonder if you were ever going to stop that racket," it sneered. Ginny trembled again and pushed herself backward into the corner again. "Poor little Virginia, all locked up and no way to get out."

"What do you want with me?!" Ginny shouted in desperation even though there was no hope of getting an answer.

"All in good time Virginia, all in good time. Patience is a virtue you know," the voice drawled. Ginny was shaking violently now, despite her efforts not too. She wanted to scream at the voice and demand some answers but it would be no use and her throat would just hurt more because of it. So she stayed quiet, waiting for the voice to speak again but it never did.

Ginny pulled her knees up to her chest and began signing her song again, starting with Draco’s name. Tears began to sting her eyes as she raised her head to look out the grate. The sky was turning a dark purple and the sun was almost set, confirming that complete darkness was very near. It was going be a very long night.

Authors note: So I’m back. I don’t know how much you guys will like this chapter because it’s kind of short. Sorry, writer’s block in progress once again. The lullaby I used in this story is actually the one my dad sang to me when I was younger and it was originally the lullaby for Peter Robin from Winnie the Pooh. I hope you like this chapter, despite the shortness and I promise the next one will be better and longer. Please R&R!!!! J J J

16. Chapter Sixteen

He brushed his fingers gently over the picture frames, tracing where hers had been earlier on that day. The family members were still all smiles, blissfully unaware of what had happened. The steely eyes watching them flicked from one redhead to the next before focusing on the one they longed to see most.

Draco picked up the picture and stared at the laughing Ginny. He was startled when she looked up and waved as if knowing he was there. But then the others began waving as well and Draco scolded himself for getting his hopes up.

Setting the picture back in it’s place, Draco turned his gaze to the newly repaired window. The moonlight that streamed through the glass panes was the only light in the room but it shone so bright that that did not matter. Silvery light touched every surface and only a few shadows lived in far corners.

Turning from the window, Draco made his way over to Ginny’s bed and laid himself down upon it. He rested his head against the pillow and pulled the sheets up around him. Her smell was everywhere. On the sheets, on the pillow, in the air. It was driving Draco mad. He would smell her and turn around as fast as he could only to see thin air, no Ginny.

He twisted a corner of the sheets in his fingers as he felt sleep beginning to take over which was odd seeing as he was going ‘round the bend from worry, anger and fear. But no matter how hard he tried to fight it, sleep over took him and sent him into a horrible new dream.

~Dream~

A small girl with crimson hair sat rocking in a corner of a stone room, knees pulled up and head down.. She was singing something but it was only coming out in a harsh whisper. The room was completely dark minus the trickle of moonlight that came through a small grate in the wall.

A door opened and in came a group of people in dark robes. They swarmed in by the thousands, packing into the tiny room and surrounding the girl who still hadn’t raised her head. The mass parted in two and a gigantically tall man came through them. His black robe hid his face from view and he laughed as he approached the girl.

"Virginia," he said in an amused tone. "You tremble so much that you look like you should be a leaf in the wind." The girl’s head shot up and her face was shown for the first time. Her blue eyes were wide with fear and her lips parted slightly. She pushed herself hastily backwards as far as she could into the corner, her eyes flicking wildly around to find any means of escape. The man laughed again and continued his approach.

"No, please," the girl begged, shaking her head as tears began to stream down her face. The man reached out and leaned down to her to brush his scaly and scabbed hand along her cheek. The girl flinched at his touch, her whole body shaking now.

"I told you I would have you. You are mine Virginia and no one is going to save you." The man took out his wand and stood, pointing it at the girl. The killing curse was said and a green light shot from the end of the man'’ wand. The girl screamed.

~End of Dream~

Draco’s eyes shot open. He leapt from the bed and ran out of the room, out the secret door and down the corridor. He ran until he reached Dumbledore’s office and began yelling every password he knew. None of them worked.

"Dumbledore!" he shouted desperately. "Dumbledore! Open up!"

"Mr. Malfoy?" Draco whirled around to see the ancient professor coming from down the corridor. He was in his night robes and carried with him a piece of some pie.

"It’s Ginny," Draco said breathlessly. "I saw her. She is in a stone room and Voldemort’s going to kill her!"

"Calm down Mr. Malfoy and tell me everything that you saw." Draco nodded and told him everything that he had seen in his dream. When he had finished, a worried look came over Dumbledore’s face.

"We don’t have much time. Go wake Mr. Potter, Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley. We will see if Mr. Potter’s plan will work."

"But we haven’t got it perfected yet…"

"It’s the only plan we’ve got at this point and time. We will have to make do with it for now." Draco hesitated but nodded. After receiving the password, Draco hurtled down the corridor towards the Gryffindor Tower. When he reached it, the Fat Lady gave him a curious look but excepted his password and allowed him in. He ran up the stairs to the left first and soon found the seventh year dormitories.

"Potter! Weasley! Get up!" Groans came from all over the room and heads began to pop out of the closed curtains.

"Malfoy?" Ron mumbled as he pulled his curtain back. Harry was now doing the same while putting his glasses on.

"Get up! Now!" Draco yelled.

"What are you doing here?" Dean asked from his bed but Draco ignored him.

"We don’t have much time!" Draco urged. Harry and Ron finally got the hint and scrambled out of their beds, grabbing sweaters and shoving their feet into their shoes. Draco then turned and headed out of the room and down the stairs. He tried to climb the ones to the girls’ dormitories but found that the moment he got to the fifth step, the stairs flattened and formed a slide. Draco fell forward and then slid to the bottom. Harry and Ron were snickering at the bottom.

"Can’t use the stairs mate," Ron said, very amused. "Boys aren’t allowed in girls’ dorms."

"Then how the hell were you two able to do it when I was in Ginny’s?!" Draco bellowed as he got to his feet.

"Simple." Ron pushed a picture of rather snobby looking man to the side. There was a hole in the wall and Ron stuck his wand inside. The stairs automatically popped themselves up. Draco looked back to Ron. He shrugged but did not pull his wand out of the wall. Harry started up the stairs.

"I’ll go get Hermione, you two wait here." He continued up the stairs and disappeared around the corner.

"And what, pray tell, is the reason for pulling us out of bed?" Ron mused as a door opened and closed upstairs.

"I had a dream," replied Draco.

"So."

"So, I see things in my dreams. I went to tell Dumbledore and he sent me to get you three."

"You’re a Seer?" Ron said in an awe struck voice, which brought a smirk to Draco’s face.

"Only part." Before they could speak anymore, Harry and a sleepy looking Hermione came down the stairs.

"What’s going on? What happened?" Hermione asked when she saw Draco.

"Dumbledore needs to speak with us," Draco said and then turned, heading towards the portrait hole. "Come on." The four hurried to Dumbledore’s office as quickly as they could, the three Gryffindors sharing similar confused glances behind Draco’s back. When they arrived, Dumbledore was waiting for them. He was fully clothed now in his day robes. He nodded to them but was not the first to speak.

"What happened Professor?" asked Harry.

"I fear Miss Weasley is in great danger at this moment. It is time to put your plan into action, Mr. Potter."

"But we don’t even know where she is!" Ron exclaimed suddenly.

"I am well aware of that Mr. Weasley. I have already taken care of that and we should know the whereabouts your sister soon." At that moment, as if on cue, Faux came swooping through the corridor and landed gracefully on the stone gargoyle, a piece of bark and what looked like house tiling clutched in his beak. The pieces where then dropped into Dumbledore’s outstretched hand. He studied them carefully before looking back up at the great bird.

"Well done Faux," he said and turned back to the four students. "It is time."

Author’s note: Okay, I made a huge mistake. When I said in my last author’s note that it was Peter Robin’s lullaby it was really Christopher Robin’s lullaby. And I’m supposed to be a Winnie the Pooh fan. Gah! Okay well here’s the next chapter, I hope you like it and I’ll try to have the next one up soon.

17. Chapter Seventeen

Taking a deep breath, Draco tried to control his trembling hands. He balled them into fists and squeezed them as hard as he could. When he reopened them again, he saw the half moons where his nails had dug into his palms from his force. He shook his head and glanced around his room, eyes flicking everywhere for anything he might need.

His fingers unconsciously found his wand in it’s holder, safely on his belt. He had checked about a hundred times in the last five minutes, letting his paranoia take hold. But, of course, he had good reason to be paranoid. Going into a Death Eater hideout without a wand to fight the Dark Lord and his army wasn’t exactly the best idea.

Draco took another deep breath.

"Okay," he muttered to himself and turned towards the door. "Let’s do this." Slowly, he made his way towards and out of the door to his room. He stopped just outside however and stared into Ginny’s. The feeling of something pulling him, telling him to go in, washed over him like a wave. In the end, he was grateful he did.

After taking a only few steps into the flowery smelling room, Draco saw something poking out from under Ginny’s bed. Curious, he walked over and pulled it out. He was amazed at what he found. Ginny’s wand!

"Thank the gods!" Draco whispered to himself and rolled the wand over in his hands to make sure it hadn’t been damaged. It was perfectly all right minus a tiny scratch that wouldn’t do anything to it’s performance.

As if anxious to get back to it’s owner, knowing that it was needed, the wand sent tingles through Draco’s skin. Laughing slightly, Draco pocketed the wand and left the secret room a little more hopeful. This changed things a bit indeed.

* * * * *

Ginny’s eyes began adjusting to the dark. She could see the grate and the outline of the door but not much else, course, what else was there except stone wall?

Her voice had died not too long ago so she was giving it a rest for the mean time. The silence was driving her crazy. From now on, Ginny vowed, she would surround herself with as much sound as possible. Until she went mad from being surrounded by sound so she would shut it all off again. Until she became afraid of the silence and turned everything on again. It would be a vicious circle, never ending. Ginny couldn’t wait.

She began thinking about all the things she would listen too. It calmed her a bit, thinking about all the sounds she knew and loved. The way her mum’s stove would grumble sometimes when it was baking something inside and how mum would hum as she worked over it. The sound of the grandfather clock chiming ever time a Weasley got home. Fred and George laughing about something or other and then the loud bang that would follow.

Ginny laughed at the memory. Every time there was a bang, the twins would always come out with ashen faces and snicker quietly as mum scolded them till she was blue in the face. Mum’s yelling. May sound crazy, but at the moment, Ginny even missed that. Anything, even being on the receiving end of her mother’s shouts would be better than this.

Oh, but the thing she missed most right now, was Draco. His laugh that was always heartfelt and sounded like music to Ginny’s ears. His soft breathing as he slept at night. His voice that sounded silky smooth and carried sarcasm just as easily as it did compassion. That was the sound she wanted to hear, Draco’s voice. She wanted to hear it so much that she practically could. Wait a second.

Ginny leaped to her feet and scrambled over to the grate. She squinted to see through the darkness. Her heart sunk into her stomach a moment later as disappointment washed over her. There was no one there.

"Get a hold of yourself Gin!" she scolded herself quietly and left the grate, returning to her corner. She sunk back down and hugged her knees to her chest. "There’s nothing out there. Nothing." Tears began to sting her eyes again as she started to sing once more. She didn’t know how wrong she really was. Someone was out there.

* * * * *

They stood not far from the building, huddled behind some of the old trees. Faux had led them well. It had taken a while but they had made it.

Draco looked nervously over his shoulder at the old run down building. It looked innocent enough but of course, that’s what they wanted you to think. Soon, he would have to enter that building although by which means had not yet been determined.

"Draco!" Hermione hissed. Draco snapped back to reality, blinking as if being woken from a dream. "Pay attention! This is important!"

"Right, sorry."

"Okay," Harry said after receiving a nod from Hermione. "Everyone knows the plan then. Ron you’re with me. Professor, Hermione, I need you two to make the first distractions. That’ll help me and Draco and Ron get inside."

"Did you grab the invisibility cloak?" Hermione asked.

"Got it right here," Harry confirmed and pulled the long, thin material from under his baggy shirt. Hermione gave a quiet sigh of relief and visibly relaxed, but not by much. Dumbledore cleared his throat then, startling everyone.

"I want you all to listen and listen closely," he said in a very serious voice. "Take the utmost care here. We are on dangerous ground and far from safety. Do not go out of your way to make trouble." The ancient professor glanced around at his four students but let his gaze linger on Draco for a moment longer than everyone else. Draco nodded to the headmaster, knowing the reasons for his speech and why he watched him now, before walking over to a near-by tree. He leaned against it, crossing his arms over his chest and losing himself in his thoughts.

"You ready for this mate?" Ron asked calmly. He was standing beside Draco now and staring at the building, his face emotionless.

"Ready as I’ll ever be," Draco replied honestly. It was the truth. As much as he loved Ginny, it was scaring the hell out of him right now of what might happen while in that building. He was more afraid of what could happen to Ginny then he did himself. Very un-Malfoy like but then again, he hadn’t considered himself to be really Malfoy-like at all for quite a while now.

Ron turned and looked at Draco with very serious eyes.

"Look, you don’t have to go." Draco was surprised. He hadn’t expected Ron to say anything like that, especially from the person who had hated him the most for his seven years at Hogwarts up to now. Draco took a deep breath and shook his head.

"Yes, I do. I won’t, I can’t stand by and watch you risk your life while it was me who got her in this mess in the first place. I love her to much to do that. I’m going in." Ron sighed, understanding Draco’s reasons and respecting them. He would probably feel the same way if he was told he could sit it out.

"Don’t do anything dumb okay? Ginny would kill me if she came out alive and you didn’t."

"Same to you." Ron nodded and clapped Draco on the shoulder before turning away to talk to Dumbledore.

Out of the corner of his eye, Draco saw Harry pull Hermione aside to whisper quiet promises and pull her into his arms. A twinge of jealousy hit Draco in the stomach as he eyed the pair. He did not know why. Maybe it was because he feared that he and Ginny might never have a chance at having that again. There were to many things that could go wrong tonight to tell himself that he was being stupid.

He turned away to give the couple their privacy and scanned the house infront of him, his cockiness getting the better of him. ‘Some hideout,’ he thought. The place looked like a rundown shack, weathered and falling apart. It was as if they were inviting their enemies to come and raid the place. It wasn’t out in the open but as long as you knew what you were looking for it was easy enough to find. It was too easy and that disturbed Draco.

There was a small grate, low on the stone wall. It wasn’t very large at all, maybe up to Draco’s shins and a few feet across. An odd place for a grate. But then he saw something. Red hair, behind the grate. His breath caught in his throat. Ginny! Taking a step forward, his eyes went round and his jaw slackened. He couldn’t believe it, she was safe. Apparently she couldn’t see through the darkness because her eyes wandered aimlessly across the trees infront of her. Draco took another step. He wanted to shout out to her, tell her to be strong and that he was coming but before he got any further a hand was on his arm. It was Hermione.

"No Draco," she said in a stern voice. "Too many things could go wrong. She could be hurt, or worse. Don’t do anything that you’ll regret." Draco wanted to protest but he knew Hermione was right. Ginny could be in danger if he was stupid and did something rash. With a heavy sigh, he nodded and watched as Ginny disappeared from view.

"I’m coming Gin," he said quietly to himself. "I’ll be there soon."

Author’s note: Okay, I’m sorry I have taken forever to get this chapter up but I was kinda grounded. Well anyway. I hope you like this chapter and please, please, please R&R!!!! J J J

18. Chapter Eighteen

"Let’s move." They crept quietly through the forest towards the shack. Hidden beneath the invisibility cloak, Draco’s hands were shaking. He couldn’t help it, the nervousness inside him was just to strong. Balling them into fists, he tried to stop them but only felt the sting of his nails digging into his palms.

"Everyone ready?" Harry whispered. He looked behind at his two friends and the headmaster who gave him a quick nod. "Draco?" he asked, looking in the Slytherin’s general direction. Harry had learned the tricks of the invisibility cloak almost to perfection. He could pretty much tell where a person under a cloak was by looking for certain signs: footsteps, breathing, etc. Draco found it rather creepy and unnatural.

"Almost too ready," he replied as confidently as he could, trying not to let on how scared he really was.

"Right. Professor, Hermione, I need that dis…"

"Way ahead of you Harry." Hermione already had drawn her wand and pointed it directly at the shack before muttering a spell under her breath. Purple light shot from the tip and sped towards the blacked building. There was a huge crash as the front door flew off it’s hinges and disappeared inside, followed closely by many screams and shouts. Death Eaters immediately began to flood out.

"Find them, find the brats! The Dark Lord wants them dead!"

"Nice to know that we’re loved here eh?" Ron mused cynically. Ten, fifteen, twenty! The Death Eater’s just kept coming, like clowns that filed out of the small cars in those Muggle circuses. Only this time, they weren’t clowns and were definitely not happy. A moment later, Hermione jumped to her feet and aimed her wand at the approaching hooded figures.

"Immobulous!" she screamed and smiled victoriously as every single Death Eater stopped dead in their tracks, some even falling over. Her pride was quickly swallowed though, as reason began prodding her once more. "Get going!" she hissed. "Before more come!" The boys didn’t need to be told twice. They hurtled towards the now open doorway and crept in side, wands out and ready.

"Okay," Harry whispered as they slowly moved through the building. "Draco, you need to go find Ginny. Ron and I will keep watch all right?"

"Got it." Draco scanned his surroundings through the cloak, trying to decide which way was the right one. There were three different corridors, all leading in different directions. Choose the wrong one and your screwed.

"Hey Draco?" It was Harry, his voice concerned and hesitant. "Be careful, all right? And bring Ginny back to us, we don’t want to lose either of you."

"Thanks mate," Draco whispered back. "I’ll be careful. You two do the same." There was a moment of silence as the newly formed bond of friendship strengthened a little between the three.

"Enough of this," Ron said, his voice sarcastic to match the grin on his face. "It’s time to go kick so Death Eater butt!" Harry and Draco couldn’t help but chuckle.

"As soon as you have Ginny, get out of here and head towards Hogwarts. We’ll catch up," was Harry’s last order before and Ron took off down the middle corridor, Ron cackling like an idiot as they went. A second later, curses were already being thrown.

Draco took a deep breath and began making his way down the corridor to his right, remembering the grate on the wall outside. It was dim with little light, the only source coming from a floating torch every so often. There were doors on either side, way too many doors and Draco was beginning to run out of time. No doubt reinforcements were already on their way. He looked desperately from one to the next but none gave any indication of which door hid Ginny. They were all the same.

"Damn," he quietly cursed. Then an idea struck him that made him hit himself in the forehead because of his stupidity. A locating spell, it was so obvious! He quickly muttered the spell and watched a blue light trickled from his wand, forming a map that outlining the entire building.

"Ginny," he said forcefully and waited for something to direct him. His eyes flicked from one end to the other in search of anything that would hint on Ginny’s whereabouts. There! A red light shone brightly in a room about ten feet from where he stood. Then suddenly, the light went out and appeared in another room, on the other side of the building! Frustration began to twist his insides as the light jump to yet another room. There must be something wrong with the spell, something made it faulty within the building walls.

"Where are you Ginny?"

* * * * *

Ginny ran to the grate, hearing a loud crash outside and then many angry voices.

"Find them, find the brats! The Dark Lord wants them dead!" Death Eaters were pouring out of the building. There were so many that she couldn’t keep a count of them.

"Immobulous!" someone screamed, causing the Death Eaters stopped dead in their tracks while others fell to the ground.

"What the…" Ginny began but stopped in mid-sentence when two figures ran out from the forest towards the building. Both were tall and through the darkness, Ginny could just make out a messy mop of red hair. Wait a minute. She glanced quickly at the other. There was a flash or a reflection of light off of something on the other person’s face. Glasses.

"Ron! Harry! Over here!" Ginny cried out but they didn’t hear her, more like couldn’t. Ginny had exhausted her voice quite a while ago now and there was nothing left but a hoarse whisper. She watched in despair as they ran right past and out of sight.

Slamming her hand against one of the bars, she groaned and said words that would have definitely have made the twins proud. Rage suddenly filled her. Why had she gone and sung her voice out?! Harry or Ron would have surely heard her for sure if she hadn’t. She wanted to scream but couldn’t and that made her even more angry.

Grabbing the bars tightly in her hands, she began trying to shake them. Pulling and then pushing with all her might, trying to shake them loose. But the more she pulled, the more her anger faded and was replaced with understanding and hope. They were coming for her! They would find her!

Ginny wiped around and sprinted the short distance to the door. They wouldn’t know where she was so she would help. She pounded her fists on it as hard as she could, praying to the gods that they could hear her.

* * * * *

Draco’s head shot up from the map. Thumping, he heard thumping, as if someone was pounding on a door. It was muffled almost to the point that it was barely audible but it was there. The question was however, where was it coming from? He began pressing his ear to each door, one by one. He felt the pulling sensation again as he moved forward. It was just like how he felt in Ginny’s room. That confirmed it, it must be her. He moved quicker, afraid that she might stop.

"Keep going Ginny," he whispered. "Let me know where you are." There! It was coming from behind a solid oak door. Draco hastily grabbed the old, rusted handle and twisted it as hard as he could. It wouldn’t budge. He tried using the unlocking spell but the door remained locked. He pulled at the handle again out of desperation but was only left with it in the palm of his hand. The stupid thing had come loose and fallen out! He threw the handle angrily at the door with a satisfying bang and searched his memory for anything that he could use.

* * * * *

Ginny’s heart nearly leapt out of her chest with joy. They were here! They’d found her!

‘Come on!’ she mentally cried out because her voice wouldn’t do it for her. ‘I’m in here! It’s me! Come on!’ She kept pounding, urging the person on the other side on while tears started to spill down her cheeks.

* * * * *

"I hear you," Draco whispered. What spell had Hermione used? What was it?! He lightly tapped the heel of his palm against his brow, trying as hard as he could to remember. Then suddenly it hit him.

"Ginny! STAND BACK!" Hoping that she had received his instruction, he moved back and shouted a spell that sent the door flying backwards into a stone room. He sprang into the room and found Ginny pressed up against the wall beside the doorway, breathing heavily. Draco ripped off the invisibility cloak and before it even had a chance to hit the floor, Ginny had flung her arms around his neck and was crying into his shoulder. Draco wrapped his arms around her and held her as tightly as he possibly could. He kissed the top of her head and gave sighed with relief.

"It’s all right," he cooed, saying it partly to convince himself as well as Ginny. "I’m here. You’re safe." Ginny pulled back and stared into his eyes while reaching up to touch his face. It had only been a day since she had been taken but it felt like an eternity to her. Later she would laugh amusedly at this feeling but for now, it ran alongside her feelings of love and want. She didn’t know how much alike her feelings were to Draco’s.

"Are you okay?" he asked gently as he brought up a hand to wiped away her tears. She slowly nodded, causing a worried expression to form on Draco’s face. Ginny smiled as best she could, fighting the urge to cry again. Standing on her tiptoes, she gently pressed her lips against his and was grateful when he kissed back. For a moment, she felt her world slide back to normal and that everything was going to be okay. But that was only for a moment. Suddenly, cynical laughter filled the room causing her to flinch and pull away from Draco.

"It’s about time you graced us with your presence, Draco."

Author’s note: Okay, another chapter is up. I hope you like it. Sorry I haven’t been getting the chapters up as quickly as before but exams and year-end projects are starting, seminars and stuff like that. It might be a while till the next chapter is done but as soon as school and exams are over, I’ll try to write a lot more. Please R&R!!!!! I love reading them and you guys are my encouragement. Thanks for reviewing my story. J J J

19. Chapter Nineteen

"It’s about time you graced us with your presence, Draco." He knew that voice, it belonged to…to…No, he couldn’t put his finger on it but he had heard it before. He remembered hearing it in his father’s office. It was a cowardly sounding voice and you couldn’t mistake it for anyone else once you’ve heard it. Who was it? Then it hit him like a curse, making his insides twist with loathing.

"Pettigrew," he hissed.

"I thought you wouldn’t remember," the cynical man cackled. "I’m touched." Draco pulled Ginny closer, trying to protect her from the enemy he couldn’t see but knew was lurking nearby. The man may be a coward and not too bright but he was also insane and worshiped the very ground Voldemort walked on let alone the Dark Lord himself. Peter Pettigrew would do anything his master and was definitely not one to be trusted.

"What do you want with us?" Draco demanded. Pettigrew laughed. "Stop playing games and answer me!"

"But I love these games and so will the master. Oh how he will reward me! I’ve captured the Weasley girl and the young Malfoy, in two days no less! I was much faster then those other half-wits who say they are loyal! They didn’t even try! Oh, he will be so pleased! I will be his most faithful servant once again!"

"Stop babbling you rat and tell me what you want with us!"

"Have I not already made it obvious? Well, you are not as clever as you are said to be…"

"Pettigrew!" Draco felt Ginny winced in his arms and looked down to see her eyes tightly shut. She was visibly frightened and had apparently heard this voice before because she cringed when Pettigrew spoke again.

"No need to be hasty, you will find out soon enough." Ginny’s head shot up, her eyes round with horror. She knew what was going to happen but then again, so did he.

"We have to get out of here," she whispered. "He’s coming." There could only be one monster she could be referring to, Voldemort. Draco nodded and looked up at the ceiling, pretending to remain interested in what the small man had to say.

"What does that old bag of bones want with us?" he mused, knowing that Pettigrew would fall for the bait. He did. No way would he allow anyone to dishonor his lord and master.

"Bag of bones! BAG OF BONES! That’s what you’ll be when master is done with you! Bag of bones indeed!" he scoffed. As he continued, thoroughly distracted and probably pacing somewhere, Draco slid his hand down inside his pocket and pulled out Ginny’s wand. He lightly pressed it to her stomach but did not look down, fearing that if he did his plan would be ruined. Thankfully, Ginny caught on. She folded herself against him, appearing to cower in fear, and took her wand from him. Carefully, she pushed it up her sleeve and hid it from view. Pettigrew hadn’t noticed a thing.

"You’ll be sorry, you little brat. I will enjoy every minute of your torture. Yes, yes I will…" As Pettigrew ranted on about how much he would enjoy Draco’s death and the many ways it would happen, Draco managed to whisper to Ginny. He thanked the gods that Pettigrew was easily distracted.

"Grab the cloak and get out of here," he said as quietly as he could, taking a quick glance at Ginny. "I’ll meet you later."

"What about you?" she whispered back.

"I’ll be fine. Turn left and follow the corridor, you’ll see the door that will lead you outside. Harry and Ron are still in the building and Hermione and Dumbledore are in the forest. Find them and get back to Hogwarts."

"I can’t…"

"Ginny, do this, for me. I couldn’t bare it if you go hurt while I could save you." Ginny slowly nodded, tears forming in her eyes once again. "I love you."

"I love you too." Draco smiled and kissed her forehead. "Okay. One, two, three!" He shoved Ginny out of the way and prepared himself to defend her, placing himself between her and the part of the ceiling where Pettigrew’s voice had been coming. Ginny grabbed the invisibility cloak and threw it over herself. Glancing over his shoulder, the last thing Draco saw of her was her tattered shoes before they too disappeared.

"You horrible brat!" Pettigrew screamed. "Where did she go!"

‘Be safe,’ Draco mentally thought. ‘Be safe, my love.’

Author’s note: Okay so it’s a short chapter I know but I have a lot of stuff to do, year end projects and exam prep, that sort of stuff. Just wanted to get this up before I forgot what I wanted to write, lol. Well hope you like it and please R&R!!!!

20. Chapter Twenty

Ginny hurtled down the corridor. ‘Turn left and follow the corridor,’ Draco had said, ‘you’ll see the door that will lead you outside’. Her eyes now flicked madly around her, searching for this said door. They all looked the same for Merlin’s sake! She would have stopped long ago had the fear of lurking Death Eaters not terrified her.

Suddenly there was a light breeze in the stony hall. It smelled of the woods that Ginny had longingly gazed at while imprisoned in that cell. It urged her on, giving her new strength. As she ran the breeze grew stronger, so strong in fact that the invisibility cloak was blown under her feet. It tangled around her ankles, binding them together and sending her sprawling across the cobble stone floor. She groaned.

‘This nightmare needs to end,’ Ginny mentally complained, struggling to her feet. Looking around, she saw what she thought was a door only it wasn’t where it should be. It was on the floor and broken into many pieces but some remained intact, mainly the part around the brass handle. Puzzled, she turned around and would have screamed with joy had her voice not been…silenced.

The doorway to freedom. She burst outside, feeling free and happy but stopped dead in her tracks and became scared once more. The Death Eaters were still frozen around her and she hated them more than anything else, other than Voldemort himself that is. Trembling, she crept her way through them, forgetting that she still had the invisibility cloak wrapped around her until she tripped again that is. She caught herself just in time. A death Eater was standing and inch from where her nose now was. If she would have fallen any further…she didn’t want to think of that.

Then she saw them. Hermione and Professor Dumbledore stood a few paces within the forest boarder, barely visible in the darkness. Hermione’s tired eyes stared nervously at the doorway in which Ginny had just came through but Dumbledore had a wide smile on his face. He saw the pale, shaking girl behind the cloak and gave a sigh of relief. He did not want another event like the one in the Chamber six years ago.

"It is all right Ms. Weasley," he called out to her in his calm, thoughtful voice that could only be associated with him. "The Death Eaters are under our control. They will not harm you."

"Ginny?" Hermione asked confused, now searching for her beloved friend. Ginny slowly pulled the cloak over her head, exposing down to her shoulders. Hermione squealed with glee and lunged at Ginny, wrapping her arms around the missing redhead as hard as she could.

"Oh Ginny," Hermione cried, tears of happiness rolling down her cheeks. "We were so worried."

"Me too," Ginny croaked. Hermione pulled back, her tears ceased, and gave Ginny a confused look.

"What happened to your…"

"I’ll explain later," Ginny interrupted, her voice no louder than a harsh whisper, and looked over Hermione’s shoulder at Dumbledore. "Draco’s still in there. We have to save him!"

"Harry and Ron too," Hermione said, turning to Dumbledore as well while worry filled her eyes again. Dumbledore nodded and brought a frail looking hand to his chin, stoking his beard. He then looked up over his half-moon glasses and peered at the girls.

"Did Mr. Malfoy give you your wand, Ms. Weasley?"

"Yes sir." Dumbledore nodded and then lowered his gaze again. His light blue eyes flicked back and forth as if reading a book or scanning over a paper for information. "Please sir, we don’t have much time. What should we do?" A smile formed on Dumbledore’s lips as his aged mind concocted a plan.

"You will be needing that wand soon Ms. Weasley. Now gather round both of you, we must prepare."

* * * * *

"Where did she go!" Pettigrew roared, making Draco smirk.

"That’s for me to know and you to never find out," he replied nastily.

"You will pay for that! Oh you will pay dearly! I will see to it myself if I have too!" Draco laughed as mockingly as he could.

"Why don’t you do it then? Or are your cowardly rat instincts taking over?" There was a soft pop, the sound of someone apparating. Draco’s smirk grew wider as he turned around. There standing before him was Peter Pettigrew himself, shaking with fury and his face as red as a tomato. His hairline had receded a lot since the last time Draco had seen this man, course a lot of stress could do this to someone. His fingernails had grown to an amazingly long length (for a man at least) and his front teeth were even more bucktoothed than Granger’s used to be.

"My you look well Pettigrew," Draco said sarcastically. "A little more cynical looking though I must say. You really need to see one of those Muggle shrinks or something." Pettigrew shrieked with anger and sent a body-binding curse flying at Draco who easily dodged it and sent his own curse back.

"Expelliarmus!" Draco shouted. The curse hit and knocked Pettigrew’s wand out of his hand. Draco expected the small man to cower but the rat dared to smile and laugh. "I don’t see anything funny here Pettigrew, especially for you, knowing that I can blow you to pieces in a heart beat."

"Oh but I think it is quite humorous, my boy." Draco grinned and lowered his wand.

"I was wondering when you were going to show up," he drawled. " Thought I would have to come get you." He turned around and met the steely eyes so much like his own.

"I like to take my time with these things," Lucius said. "I had no doubt that Peter would botch this whole operation, as usual."

"Ohhh," Draco chuckled and looked over his shoulder at the now trembling Pettigrew. "So this wasn’t your idea. And here I thought it was you who was the master-mind behind this brilliant scheme." Draco spoke with every single word dripping with sarcasm. He laughed silently as he saw the vein in Pettigrew’s forehead begin to grow and pulse. The corner of one of his wrinkled eyes twitched slightly and his hands balled into fists.

"Calm down Pettigrew," Draco mused. "Wouldn’t want you having a heart attack now would we?"

"Stop teasing the poor man Draco," Lucius said, his tone almost the same as Draco’s. He then cleared his throat and put a serious look on his face. "Now, I do believe we have some business to attend too." Draco turned to the man he had once called father and scowled.

"You read my mind, old man." Lucius drew his wand out of his walking stick where he had so cleverly hidden it and aimed it towards Draco. The younger Malfoy laughed shortly and did the same. "Let’s get this over with."

Author’s note: Okay, chapter 20!! Oh yeah, I am really loving the reviews your giving me! Wow! Oh yeah I just remembered that I could reply to your reviews so I’m gunna start doing that more often. Just so ya know. Well, keep R&R!!!! J J J

21. Chapter Twenty-One

"This is ridiculous," Hermione grumbled under her breath. "And here I though Dumbledore was supposed to be the most intelligent wizard who ever lived." Ginny and Hermione peered out from the safe boundaries of the forest, waiting for Dumbledore’s signal. He had disappeared into the night a moment ago, leaving the two Gryffindors with their instructions. Hermione was fuming.

"Oh come on," Ginny urged, her voice slowly returning. "It’s not that bad and besides, haven’t you always wanted to know what your animagus form is?"

"Yes but we are acting just like that bloody Skeeter woman!" Hermione exclaimed. "Dumbledore knows that we aren’t allowed without proper training! We don’t even have licenses! He didn’t even think about the kind of consequences that could happen! Imagine if we get caught… ""Too late ‘Mione," Ginny interrupted and pointed up to the sky. Fawks flew silently above, creating the signal Ginny and Hermione had been waiting for. "All’s clear. It’s time."

Ginny muttered the spell that would change her into an animal and prayed to any gods listening that it wasn’t a weasel. She was not disappointed. As she watched, her hands became large, powerful paws while the rest of her body began sprouting sandy fur. She was turning into a lioness.

"Ginny…" Hermione whispered in awe, her eyes widening in awe as her friend became the powerful beast. "I definitely won’t doubt you again when you say you can handle something." Ginny cocked her proud head to the side and lifted her chin before sitting back on her hind legs, patiently waiting for Hermione to make the change. With a deep breath, Hermione quietly said the spell and closed her eyes. Dark feathers suddenly sprouted from her arms and began covering her body. A menacing beak exploded from her face and her eyes became fierce looking as they reopened.

‘A hawk,’ Ginny thought, rather impressed.

‘And proud of it!’ Hermione replied happily. ‘Wait, I just heard what you said! Sirius never said anything about this.’

‘Is it really that surprising?’

‘Well yeah, a little anyways.’ Ginny snorted while gracefully rising onto all fours and turned to the shack from where she had come not ten minutes before. The thought speaking wasn’t that surprising to her but did make things interesting.

She crept stealthily through the night, feeling the strength of the lioness every time she moved. Her new senses were intense. She could see like it was day and the smells…wow. It was like having every scent you knew strengthened by a million, to put it in human terms that is. And then there were the sounds. Ginny felt herself getting distracted, slipping into the background and letting the lioness inside her take over. She forced herself to stop and focus on her mission. Apparently she had come back to reality just in time. Hermione had a problem.

‘Uh Gin, I can’t see very well.’ Ginny stopped and looked up, watching as Hermione swooped down to land on a still frozen Death Eater’s head.

‘You’re a hawk, how can you not? Aren’t hawks supposed to have the best eyesight around?’

‘Hawk eyes are accustomed to the day, they’re useless at night. What do I do?’ Ginny’s mind raced. Time was ticking and they still hadn’t gotten inside the building.

‘How far can you see?’ Ginny asked. If they could get inside the building, Hermione would be fine. The corridors had torches all along the walls so Hermione could surely see well enough in there.

‘Not very,’ Hermione replied sadly. ‘I can see you and to the door but that’s…’

‘Great! If you can see the door then we are still in good shape.’ Ginny started forward again, weaving in and out between the Death Eaters while Hermione flew overhead. The slowly made their way to the open doorway and carefully walked inside.

‘This is much better,’ Hermione said, perching on one of the rafters.

‘Okay,’ Ginny muttered, remembering Dumbledore’s plan. Her golden eyes scanned the room that she had run through earlier, picking up every detail. She sniffed the air, instantly picking up Draco’s scent. She remembered it from before, strong even to her human nose, a spicy smell that lingered on him and she loved it. If she followed her nose, she would be led right to him. She turned back to Hermione who was still on her perch.

‘You go find Harry and Ron,’ she said. Even in thought speech, her voice was worried. ‘I’ll get Draco, he may need my help.’

‘Right,’ Hermione agreed. ‘Be careful Gin.’

‘You too.’ With that, Ginny turned and trotted down the corridor. Her ears were perked up, listening for any sounds and easily picked up the voices that were not too far off.

"You read my mind old man. Let’s get this over with." It was Draco’s voice but then there was another, a deeper and more sinister sounding one.

"Why so eager to die? You know you can’t win." Lucius. It was not hard to recognize that voice, even without lion ears. Ginny flattened herself to the ground, cool stone grazing her underside as she crawled to the doorway. Peering around the corner, Ginny saw Lucius raising his wand arm.

"Avada…" he began but could not finish. Ginny had lunged at him, claws spread wide, and dragged him to the ground. Lucius cried out and his wand fell from his hand as he dropped to the floor, a close to 425-pound lioness on top of him. Ginny batted the wand in one direction and grabbed the neck of Lucius’s cloak in her mouth before tossing him the other like a rag doll. She growled at Pettigrew who immediately pushed himself into the closest corner.

‘Teaches you to mess with a Weasley,’ Ginny thought victoriously and snarled. She then turned to Draco. For the first time, she saw how scared he looked. His wand was lowered but he stared at her with amazement and fear. Purring, she slowly approached him.

‘It’s me, Ginny,’ she cooed but he didn’t look relaxed. ‘Draco, it’s okay.’ Still, no change. She gently nuzzled his hand, trying as hard as she could to make him see that she would not harm him.

* * * * *

Draco flinched as the lioness touched her muzzle to his hand. He felt stiff, afraid to move or even breathe. She could take his hand of in one snap of her jaws if she wanted to and Draco didn’t want to test her. He had watched her throw his father across the room and wasn’t particularly keen on having that done to himself.

She butted his hand again, a deep purring coming from inside her. Draco slowly ran his hand down the side of the lioness’s face. Why did she come to him? Why she protect him from Lucius?

He knelt down on one knee slowly, coming to her eye level, and set his wand at his side. She was beautiful, this lioness. Her courage sort of reminded him of Ginny but he brushed it aside, thinking it was stupid and Ginny was already outside and safe. He didn’t know how the lioness got here or where she came from but she appeared to be on his side and he was glad for that.

* * * * *

Ginny could’ve jumped for joy. He trusted her! She had been so afraid that he might turn his wand on her.

Her happiness was short lived however. Movement caught the corner of her eye. Turning, she saw Lucius crawling across the floor to fetch his wand.

‘Now Lucius,’ she mocked in her head. ‘When will you learn.’ She pounced and growled. Lucius stopped dead in his tracks, staring up at her with wide eyes that were full of fear. He scampered back to the wall and trembled.

"Get this damn beast away from me Draco!" Lucius hissed, not taking his eyes away from Ginny whom was mentally smirking. With a flick of her tail, she bent her head and snatched the wand up in her mouth.

"Put that down!" Lucius commanded. "Don’t touch that!"

‘To late.’ With one snap of her large teeth, the wand was bitten into three pieces. Lucius yelped as he watched the splinters fall to the ground.

"NO!" he screamed, losing all his so-called Malfoy control.

"Shouldn’t have tried to order her around I guess," Draco said nastily from behind. Ginny cocked her head again with pride before strutting over towards Pettigrew. The rat was too scared to even move, let alone use his wand. Ginny easily took it from his hands and mentally laughed as he tried to shrink back against the corner where she had done so hours before. She walked back to Draco and nudged his hand, urging him to take it. He slowly slid his fingers around the thin rod and pocketed it.

"Well," he said, looking down at her curiously but with kindness. "I think we have got ourselves a couple of prisoners here haven’t we girl?" Ginny purred and rubbed up against him like a house cat.

"I think the situation would be the opposite actually," a raspy voice said. At that moment, a tall hooded figure walked through the doorway. "Well done Virginia but I’m afraid you cannot fool everyone and of course this animal could not stand a fighting chance against the Dark Lord himself."

"V-Voldemort," Pettigrew stuttered before flinging himself at his master’s feet and kissing the hem of the black robes and muttering words of praise as well as begging for forgiveness.

"What do you mean master?" Lucius asked, also bowing. "Virginia Weasley escaped, no thanks to Pettigrew, and surely could not be here."

"You question me Lucius?" the Dark Lord sneered.

"No master," Lucius immediately replied. "Of course not."

"It is not wise to doubt what I say but I will ease your disbelief, if not for my own pleasure." He turned to Ginny, his face still hidden. "Oh my Virginia. I thought you would be something more tame." A sinister laugh came from under the hood as he slid his wand out from his robes.

"Ginny?" Draco asked so quietly that only she could hear. Not taking her focus off of Voldemort, Ginny pressed herself against Draco’s legs and purred softly to comfort him. "I told you to get out of here!"

‘I couldn’t leave you!’ she tried to reply but knew he couldn’t hear. Her mind raced, panicking to form a plan but not really coming up with any. Voldemort blocked their only real escape and had more experience with curses then Ginny and Draco combined.

Ginny snarled. They were in big trouble now.

Author’s note: Sorry this took so long but I was away for a week with drumcorps (for any one who knows what that is and for everyone else it’s an awesome sport!). Okay so I don’t really know if the whole thought speech happens. It probably doesn’t but I was just re-reading the Animorph books so I thought it would be cool. Yeah I know I'm a geek but whatever. Anyways, I hope you like this chapter and please keep R&R!!!!!! J J J

22. Chapter Twenty-Two

"Such a beautiful creature," Voldemort drawled. His wand was raised, aimed at the lioness and the disowned Malfoy child. It was easy to tell that he was smirking underneath the dark hood, his face didn’t need to be seen to know that.

Ginny felt a shiver run though her flank. Even with the strength and pride of the lioness within her, Voldemort still terrifying. She felt Draco’s hand touch her shoulder blades, his fingers absently playing with her fur. It was for comfort, she knew, but it didn’t tame her fear.

"Why do you hide behind that animal, Virginia? You know it can’t save you or your beloved Draco."

‘Bastard!’ Ginny mentally hissed. She felt a growl rumble low in her throat as she squat down, ready to pounce, but Draco’s arms were around her neck before she could make her move.

"Don’t Ginny," he whispered as she struggled against him. "Please don’t do this. I know what you’re thinking but it’s not worth it. I don’t want to lose you." She could’ve easily thrown him off and attacked the Dark Lord without a second thought. It would be easy. Who knows, she might have had a chance. But something inside her held her back, preventing her from causing as much damage as she possible could to her childhood tormentor. She heard Draco’s please, begging her not to do what she wanted to most in the world. His words made her anger subside but were not able to control it completely. She rubbed against his chest affectionately but kept her gaze pinned on the Dark Lord that stood before her. Voldemort laughed.

"So this is your weakness," he said nastily. "This boy. Yes I remember him. You told me once of your hated for him and his father. I can still sense it know. Deep down you hate him still."

‘No! You liar! It’s not true!’ Ginny screamed at him through her mind. She felt Draco’s arms stiffen around her and when she looked up there was hurt in his eyes. ‘Don’t listen to him! He’s lying! I love you!’ Nuzzling his face, she wished with all her might that he could hear her. ‘Please, don’t listen to him. Remember that I love you.’

‘Gin? Ginny, are you there?’ Another voice was in her head. She knew it by heart and could never forget it.

‘Ron?’ she asked, searching the room with her eyes for her brother.

‘We are on our way, just hold on.’ Hope suddenly filled her heart but it was crushed in a moment when Voldemort spoke again.

"I’ve waited long enough I think," he said in a bored tone. "You shall be first, my dear Virginia, but I don’t want to kill you just yet, oh no, I want to make you suffer. Crucio!" The curse hit Ginny’s shoulder and sent her flying into the wall. Draco cried out but it was no use. Pain shot though her every muscle, sending her into violent spasms that made her shake and tremble.

"Fight it Ginny! Fight it!" Draco yelled but she could barely hear him. She roared in agony, never having felt so much pain in her life. "Come on Ginny! Don’t give up! Fight it!"

Rage filled Draco’s every thought, every feeling. He had felt the pain that she now went through and it was killing him to see her fall victim to it. He turned on Voldemort and wiped out Pettigrew’s wand from where it had been hidden in his pocket.

"Let her go!" he commanded though gritted teeth. "Right now!"

"You are either incredibly brave," the Dark lord mocked, "or incredibly stupid. I’m willing to bet it’s the latter." Ginny roared again, sending chills down Draco’s spine.

"Stupefy!" Draco shouted. Lucius immediately stepped infront of the Dark Lord, preventing him from being hit, before falling to the floor unconscious. Draco shouted the curse again, this time hitting Pettigrew purposely and then turned to Voldemort with a smirk on his lips. "No one to hide behind now."

"You think I need them?" Voldemort asked sarcastically but dropped his wand anyway. "Oh look, our little Virginia here has decided to take her true form." Draco didn’t dare look, knowing that if he did the Dark Lord would surely finish him off.

A great roar came from the corridor. Voldemort wiped around only to be trampled by a huge, white stag. But as the great beast fell on him, the robe went limp as if a real body had never truly worn them. The stag sniffed the material before pawing at it slightly. He then reared up on his hind legs, kicking the air with his front hooves, before landing heavily and shaking his antlered head.

Draco turned from the stag and knelt beside Ginny. The Dark Lord hadn’t lied. She had returned to her human body and was no longer the lioness. She lay motionless on the stone floor and faced away from him, her long crimson hair spread out behind her like a fan.

"Ginny?" Draco breathed gently pulling her into his lap. Her head fell back, revealing deathly pale skin. Draco cradled her in his arms and brought her as close as possible. "You can’t be dead. That curse couldn’t have killed you. Please don’t be dead Ginny."

A hawk gracefully landed at Draco’s side but was unnoticed.

‘Oh no. We’re too late.’

Author’s note: I know this is a short chapter but I’m sort running into a block. I hope to have the next chapter up soon and I promise it will be longer. Please R&R!!!!!! J J J

23. Chapter Twenty-Three

‘Oh no. We’re too late,’ Hermione gasped. She turned her still feather-covered head to look over at Draco. His face was blank, showing nothing of his emotions. Only his eyes showed what he was really feeling. Anger, fear and agony were visible there as he stared down at the motionless Ginny. His heart was probably being torn in two and it hurt to watch him this way.

Turning away, Hermione saw Ron standing in the doorway. His large, grizzly bear body was too large to fit though the narrow doorframe and Hermione could tell that he was not happy about it. He had been surprised when he had found out what his animagus form was but had said many times as he clobbered Death Eaters that he loved the power this creature had. Clearly, he did not care for the power anymore.

‘Is she okay?’ he asked in a quiet voice. Hermione said nothing, unable to for once in her life. Ron immediately understood, flopping back on his haunches and letting his head hang. ‘Ginny.’ A tear fell from the corner of one of his brown eyes, landing with a tiny splash on his large paw before sliding off. Hermione had never seen a grizzly bear cry, frankly she didn’t think it was possible, but apparently many things changed when you became your animagus.

Harry, the white stag, also let his head fall. Ginny had been like a sister to him and had often thought of her as his own despite the no relation. He had loved her and protected her like a brother would. The feeling of guilt pulsed through him now and he couldn’t help feeling like he had failed her. He could not however, he admitted to himself, even begin to imagine how Ron or Draco felt.

A slight movement caught Hermione’s expert hawk eyes. She looked down at her beloved friend and noticed her chest rise a little then drop, rise again and drop.

‘Oh my gods,’ Hermione whispered in her mind before shouting ‘SHE’S ALIVE!’

‘What?!’ Ron and Harry asked in unison.

‘She’s alive!’ Hermione repeated. ‘But only just. Harry, go find Dumbledore. He’s the only one who can help.’

‘Right,’ Harry replied with a nod before galloping at lightning speed out of the stone room, leaping over Ron as he went. Hermione quickly muttered the spell to reverse her transformation. Slowly, her feathers disappeared and her body was human once more. She put her hand on Draco’s shoulder and gently spoke to him.

"She’s alive Draco," she said softly. "Help is on the way." He glanced up at her, his eyes questioning, and then lowered his gaze to Ginny. Carefully, slid one hand up to her neck and pressed his fingers to her pulse point, knowing that he was supposed to look for a heart beat. Under his fingertips, he felt the delayed rhythm as her heart worked to keep beating and his hope was renewed. Kissing her forehead, he wrapped his arm around her once more and rose to his feet. He turned to see Ron, also back in his human body, hesitantly making his way forward. Draco nodded and handed Ginny over to her brother, knowing it was what Ron wanted. Ron, in turn, smiled a little in gratitude.

A moment later, Dumbledore stepped through the door with Harry not far behind. The old man had his finger pressed together in a triangle and stared at the four students over his half-moon spectacles. His eyes wandered to the unconscious Ginny in Ron’s arms before motioning for the boy to come forward.

"What happened?" Dumbledore asked in a calm, studying the faces of his students.

"Voldemort," Draco said first, causing Hermione and Ron to wince. "He put her under the Cruciatus curse while she was still in animagus form and did not release her until he was trampled by that white stag." He gestured toward the stag, still not knowing the creatures true identity due to the fact that the boy behind the antlers and white fur still had not come forth.

"By Harry," Hermione corrected, as Harry finally made the change to become human once again. If Draco was surprised, he did not show it. He merely gave and understanding nod before returning his attention to the headmaster.

"And the Dark Lord?" Dumbledore inquired, voice still level and sounding as if he already knew.

"Gone," Hermione replied disappointedly. "He disappeared underneath Harry’s hooves and left nothing but his robes. He also left his followers behind." It was true. Lucius and Pettigrew still lay on the floor where they had fallen. Dumbledore glanced at the pair and the empty robes, his features thoughtful.

"Hope he dies from a chill," Ron said bitterly, causing Dumbledore to smile a little and shake his head amusedly. The ancient professor then turned his attention back to the youngest Weasley. Under his breath, he began reciting an incantation. Ginny’s body began to glow, letting off a soft light. Ron’s eyes went round with awe, Hermione clutched Harry’s arm and Draco waited by himself, praying that whatever Dumbledore had done worked.

Slowly, the light died and Ginny’s skin returned to it’s pale colour.

"You may open your eyes now Miss Weasley."

Ginny winced. A dull pain stirred in her chest and the rest of her body felt like they were weighed down with a heavy stone. She groaned and allowed herself to finally open her eyes. The first face she saw was her brother’s.

"Ginny!" he cried and crushed her against him in a hug. "You’re alive!" Ginny giggled softly and wrapped her arms around Ron’s neck. Peeking over his shoulder, she saw Harry and Hermione happily smiling back at her. Draco stood near by. There was relief in his eyes as he mouthed an "I love you".

"Ron?" Ginny asked sweetly, whispering to him. "May I go see Draco." Ron rolled his eyes and grinned.

" ’Course, have to see the boyfriend before the brother," he joked.

"Oh please…" Ginny began but was cut off.

"I know Gin," Ron said in his loving, brotherly voice. He carefully set her on her feet, making sure that she wouldn’t loose her balance, and walked her over to his former enemy. Ron gave them both a knowing look before clearing his throat and turning to his friends and headmaster. Dumbledore immediately understood.

"Mr. Potter, Miss Granger? Would you be so kind as to help me with these two? I’m afraid that spell has rather worn me out." Harry and Hermione smiled and agreed, levitating Lucius and Pettigrew and following Dumbledore into the corridor.

"Behave you’re selves," Ron mused and then exited the room. Ginny watched him go before turning back to Draco and seeing the seriousness in his eyes.

"I was scared that I was going to…" Ginny pressed a finger to his lips, silencing him.

"Shhh…" she hushed. "It didn’t happen. I’m still alive and I have already told you that I’m not going anywhere."

"That was before you were almost killed by the Dark Lord himself."

"The Cruciatus curse can’t kill, you should know that," Ginny said in a very Hermione-like voice. She paused for a moment, not sure if she should really say what was on her mind.

"Hurt like hell though didn’t it?"

"That is an understatement of a life time." Draco laughed quietly. He put his forehead to hers and locked his eyes with hers.

"I love you Ginny."

"I love you too." Draco slowly pulled his forehead away, still keeping his eyes on hers till the last moment before he leaned in to kiss her. They were so caught up in their moment however, that they did not see the pair of round, yellow eyes that watched them from the other side of the grate.

Author’s note: Okay, so this is going to be the last chapter for a while. I’m going away for a few weeks with my drumcorps (again for anyone who knows what that is (yay DCI!!!)). So I hope you like this chapter, sorry its short but I wanted to get something up before I left. Please R&R!!!!! J J J

24. Chapter Twenty-Four

Hissing sounds filled the previously silent room as a giant snake curled around her master’s feet. Her forked tongue licked the stale air while she relayed her information to the man in a dark robe above. He reached out a pale, almost scaly hand to caress the snake’s head and let a smile form on his thin lips. As the large yellow snake eyes closed, the man let his thoughts wonder. His victory was at hand and the knowledge he now possessed may bring it sooner than he had hoped.

"Well done my pet," he said softly before walking to the only window in the dark room. His black eyes scanned the landscape infront of him. The trees were nothing but dead wood and the ground below was almost sand. Only the vast night sky remained alight with life.

"Soon," the man whispered in a distant tone. "Soon this world will be mine and no one, not even Potter or Dumbledore, will be able to stop me." Chuckling cynically, he turned to the snake and gave her her orders. He silently watched the snake slither from the room, listening as her belly ran over the rough floor and the hissing that came from deep in her throat. Turning to the window once more, he stared up at the twinkling stars dusted across the great, dark blanket.

"It won’t be long now."

* * * * *

They walked in silence, the old headmaster and his students, away from the blackened shack. Lucius and Pettigrew hung limply in the air infront them, both still unconscious. Every so often, they would get hit by something or run into a tree. Ron would snicker a little and would cast a glance at Hermione who would only give him a disapproving look in return. As much as she hated the two men, she didn’t want any more violence to take place this night.

"But Hermione," Ron had protested. "It’s not like we’re hurtin’ them all that badly and besides, seeing what they’ve done for a living, it’s about time somebody gave them a little taste of their own medicine."

"Yes but that somebody won’t be you, Ronald Weasley," Hermione sternly replied. Ron had grumbled quietly and grudgingly obeyed for about ten minutes before he started all over again, steering them into tree branches or letting them fall ‘accidentally’. Hermione eventually gave up trying to reason with him and had resorted to glaring angrily.

Slowly, the group made their way through the forest and just as the sun was beginning to rise Hogwarts came into sight.

"Now there’s a sight for sore eyes," Ginny said distantly as her light blue eyes stared lovingly up at the ancient school.

"Sight for sore eyes?" Ron echoed, sarcasm evident in his voice. "It’s been what? A day? You really missed it that much?" His cheeks immediately flushed and he carefully looked over a Dumbledore, afraid of what he might do. The professor only smiled and laughed before clapping a hand on the red faced Weasley’s shoulder and continuing up the hill.

"Well," Ginny replied, giggling slightly. "After being trapped in a stone room, thinking that I would never see Hogwarts again, of course I missed it." Ron nodded mutely and followed Dumbledore. Laughing quietly Harry and Hermione went behind, talking lightly as they went.

"Gin?" Draco gently pulled at her hand, beckoning her to stay behind. Gently, he tucked a lock of her red hair behind her ear.

"What is it?" Ginny asked, somewhat concerned by the look in his eyes. "What’s wrong?"

"Why are you with me?" She took a step back, trying to grasp onto the words he had just spoken.

"Excuse me?"

"Why are you with me?"

"Because I love you," Ginny said without hesitation. "Why are you asking me this when you already know the answer?"

"I don’t understand how you still could after all this." Ginny cupped his cheeks in her hands and looked desperately into his eyes. They were sad and almost fearful.

"Why are you saying this?" she pleaded. Draco took her hands in his and kissed both palms.

"I’ve been thinking," he said quietly. "I don’t want you to be hurt anymore…"

"Draco, no. Don’t…"

"I don’t want you to be put in anymore danger because of me…"

"Please, don’t say this."

"Maybe it would be best if we…" Draco began choking on his own words. No matter how much it made sense in his mind, his heart wouldn’t let him say it. He watched as tears began to form in Ginny’s eyes and it was killing him inside, knowing that he was causing this pain.

"I came to close to losing you tonight," he said shakily while trying to control his voice. "I…"He paused, still unable to say what he thought was for the best.

"Why are you giving up?" Ginny asked. Her voice was small and sounded bewildered, and rightly so. She couldn’t understand why, after all they had been though, he would end it all now.

"I would rather have you safe and not with me than with me and in danger." Ginny shook her head, squeezing her eyes shut as hard as she could and prayed to any god listening that this was a dream. Her prayers weren’t met however.

"I love you Ginny, you know I do. I love you with all my heart and soul. But I also love you enough to let you go, for your safety." It took all of Draco’s restraint not to take her in his arms and tell her he was lying. Rigidly, he kissed her forehead and walked past her towards the castle.

Ginny stood stiff from shock, unable to move. Her chest heaved as she tried to breathe in but her lungs wouldn’t allow it. Tears spilled from her eyes and down her cheeks. Regaining control of her body, she spun around to see Draco slowly moving away. She screamed his name. He halted for a moment, almost looking over his shoulder, before he continued his retreat.

‘It’s better this way,’ he mentally told himself even though it was taking all of his strength just to move his legs.

"Draco!" Ginny screamed again but this time he didn’t even stop. "Draco." Her legs gave out beneath her and she fell to the soft ground below, her tears now uncontrollable as she watched him walk away.

Author’s note: I’m back! DCI was great! We came tenth in our division and we are pretty happy. Sorry for the short chapter but I thought I should get something up seeing as it’s been so long. Well, I hope you enjoyed it. Please R&R!!!!!! J J J

25. Chapter Twenty-Five

Ginny wandered aimlessly down one of the many Hogwarts corridors, a look of shock still on her face. Why, after so long, after all they had been through, why now did he decide to end it?

"I love you Ginny, you know I do. I love you with all my heart and soul. But I also love you enough to let you go, for your safety." These words repeated themselves over and over again in her mind and yet she still didn’t understand. Why did he want to put an end to all they had?

‘Because he wants to protect you,’ the voice of reason reminded her.

"If he wants to protect me then why isn’t he here?" she whispered back through clenched teeth, smothering the voice inside her head.

Turning to the wall on her right, she pressed her forehead and then the palms of her hands against the cold stone. Her fingertips gently ran over the creases that they found as tears began to fall from her eyes again. But as she traced, a light glow was left behind. Pulling back, Ginny stared at the glowing lines and watched as more began to form. Soon, the pattern of wisteria blossoms was before her. The pattern spread from the ceiling to the floor and about the width of Ginny’s left fingertip to her right when her arms were spread.

Carefully, Ginny reached out and touched one of the blossoms. She jumped when it came to life, pushing it’s self out of the wall and letting it’s blue-violet petals fan out. Then another sprang to life, and another, and another. Within seconds, what used to be stone was now nothing but wisteria and vine.

Ginny stared in awe as the sweet smell of the beautiful flowers washed over her. Before she could react, the wall of wisteria opened up and revealed a dusty staircase. Along the walls beside the stair the same flowers grew, each blossom giving off their own soft glow.

Curiosity getting the best of her, Ginny pushed through the flowers and cautiously began to ascend the staircase. She let her fingers run through the soft petals as she climbed, still amazed by her find. Once she stopped, close to the middle of the long, winding staircase, to wipe the tears from her cheeks and to take a closer look at the wisteria. They were real enough and Ginny trusted her senses but she still questioned as to how they got there and why they were there in the first place.

"Virginia," a soft voice said. Ginny froze in her place, her eyes darting everywhere to determine where the voice had come from.

"Who’s there?" she asked hesitantly, her own voice still shaky from crying. Despite her fear, her legs began forward again and forced her up the stairs. But as she climbed more upward, her interest began to outweigh her panic. Who was the owner to the voice she had heard?

Climbing the final stair, Ginny stepped onto a dusty landing and met eyes with a tall, thin woman. The woman said nothing at first but smiled kindly. Ginny’s brow furrowed slightly as she studied the stranger. The woman had long, dark hair that matched the colour of a rich soil and woven through out it was the same wisteria blossoms Ginny had seen on the walls. She also wore a long green robe that swayed around her feet even though she wasn’t moving herself. But it was the woman’s eyes that intrigued Ginny the most. They were clear, crystal blue and shone with laughter and mirth but looked like they held the secrets of the universe as well. There was something odd about this woman and Ginny intended to find out what that was.

"I’ve been expecting you," the woman said in an all-knowing but lighthearted voice.

"Who are you?"

"My name is Antheia," the woman replied.

"Why have you brought me here?" The woman laughed quietly and spread her arms wide.

"I didn’t bring you here my dear Virginia. You called me."

"But I…" Ginny choked on her words, unable to make her lips form and say the right ones. "How?"

"Your heart," Antheia said. "Your heart is breaking and you want to understand why?"

"But I know why," Ginny protested. "I just don’t understand why…"

"He has chosen this way to protect you." Ginny’s jaw dropped slightly but nodded, knowing that asking how this woman whom she had never met before in her life how she knew this would only get her a predictable answer. Antheia seemed amused by Ginny’s silence but said nothing. Ginny however hadn’t noticed the woman’s amusement. Her head was bowed and her thought s were only of Draco.

Another tear fell from Ginny’s eye before she could stop it, landing with a splash on her shoe. Without even realizing that the woman had moved, Antheia was by Ginny’s side and wrapping and arm around the sorrowful girl’s shoulder.

"All will be well in the end," Antheia cooed comfortingly. "You will see."

"It doesn’t look that way right now," Ginny retorted, more nastily then she had meant to. But Antheia just laughed again, brushing off the comment.

"I have something for you," she said in the same lively voice she had used this whole time. But as Antheia knelt before Ginny, the look of joy in her face melted away to become stern. "You must promise me to take great care with this gift you are about to receive. If fallen into the wrong hands, I’m not sure how long this world will be safe. Do you swear to guard it with your very life?"

Ginny hesitated for a moment. What was this gift that was said to be worth risking her life for? And why was she, Ginny Weasley, of all the people in the world, being entrusted with it?

‘What have I got to lose?’ Ginny mentally asked herself and then nodded. "I swear." Antheia smiled and gracefully stood once more. From around her slender neck, she unclasped the amulet that hung there upon a thin, gold chain. She handed it to Ginny, delicately placing it in the palm of the girl’s hand.

"Though it doesn’t looking like much, this amulet holds a great power all it’s own," Antheia began. "It will find anyone when asked, where ever or even when ever they are. Use it carefully Virginia and remember that some things are better left unseen."

"I understand," Ginny said, willing her voice to sound more confident than she felt. She lowered her eyes to the amulet in her hand. It was a small, marble size ball with a string of gold coiled around it. Inside the ball was the smallest wisteria blossom Ginny had ever seen. It was pure white and surrounded by the same blue-violet colour of the wisteria on the stairs. The blossom itself though was not yet open. How such a thing possessed so much power was beyond Ginny but then again, good things came in small packages too right?

"Thank you," Ginny said but when she raised her eyes from the amulet, it’s giver was gone along with the wisteria and the room itself. Ginny was back in the corridor she had been in before the wisteria had formed.

"Use it carefully." The voice of Antheia floated through the corridor and into Ginny’s ears.

"Don’t worry," she replied. "I will be." With that, Ginny slipped the chain over her head and tucked the amulet safely under the neck of her sweater before making her way towards the secret room behind the unicorn with a new hope.

Author’s note: You guys worry way too much. It isn’t the end for Ginny and Draco. No sir. I hope you liked this chapter. Please keep R&R!!! I love getting your reviews! Oh! And to the person who asked which drumcorps I’m in, I am proudly a part of the Dutch Boy Drumcorps.

***I did not make up Antheia but this is my view of her and please no one get offended.

"A Crete goddess. Antheia was the goddess of vegetation, lowlands, marshlands, gardens, blossoms, the budding earth, and human love."

-Encyclopedia Mythica

26. Chapter Twenty-Six

When she arrived at the secret room they had shared, Ginny found all of Draco’s things to be gone. He left nothing and it was as if he hadn’t been there in the first place, no hint of his presence.

Ginny felt another pang her heart of loss, the same kind as that matched ones she’d been feeling ever since Draco had…ended it between them. Her eyes scanned the room that he had stayed in for the few days before the Death Eater attack. Memories shuffled through her mind, some good and some bad.

"I would do anything for you Ginny."

Unable to stand there any longer, Ginny turned from the room and shut the door. Wiping a tear from her cheek, Ginny sighed and slowly made her way into her own room. The rubble that had lay on this floor not two days ago was gone and the wall remade, as if that whole day had never happened.

"I’m not afraid of dying Ginny! I’m afraid of letting the Dark Lord win and taking everything I love away from me! I will not let him do that!"

With small, delayed steps, she walked over to the dresser where the pictures of her family sat. She let her fingers run along the frames, remembering how she had caught Draco holding them. Shaking her head sadly, she backed away from the pictures and sat gingery on her bed. Putting the toe of her one shoe to the heel of the other, she slid her foot out of her shoe and then did the same with her other. With a tug, she pulled her Weasley sweater over her head and deposited that too on the floor beside her shoes. Only then did she remember the amulet. She looked down to see it hanging loosely just above her nightshirt, swaying slightly from side to side.

"It will find anyone when asked, where ever or even when ever they are," Antheia had said. Ginny nibbled nervously at her bottom lip, afraid to test it but also afraid of what she might see.

"To see or not to see…" she said absently, remembering the quote from a Muggle play. Taking a deep breath, she carefully took the amulet between her thumb and her middle fingers.

"I would like to see Draco," she asked hesitantly and then as an after thought, "please." The white wisteria blossom began to open and as it did so, the room around Ginny faded and was replaced with a new one. It was blurry at first but got more and more defined by the second. The silvers, greens and blacks were the first colour she made out. As the room got clearer, the sinking feeling in Ginny’s stomach got stronger. Even though Draco was a Slytherin, she couldn’t help but feeling a little out of sorts by being in a Slytherin dorm room.

The room wasn’t exactly cozy per-say but it wasn’t uncomfortable either. It had lots of overstuffed chairs and a nice, big bed but the room was dark with it’s only source of light coming from the fire place across from the bed. There were no windows and Ginny was beginning to understand why the Slytherin bunch were so ill-tempered all the time. The room itself was immaculate, everything neat and clean. It was as if this boy had never created a mess in his life.

Suddenly, Draco came marching into the room and slamming the door behind him. Ginny panicked. What would he say if he found he here? How would he react? But he didn’t say nor do anything. It looked like he didn’t even see her. He just turned to stare at the door, his heavy breathing causing his shoulders to rise and fall.

"Damn it!" he yelled. He dug his hands into his hair and looked ceiling-ward, his eyes closing as he did so. Blindly he moved backwards until his legs touched the bed, causing him to sit. With his elbows on his knees he dragged his hands down over his face but let them pause at his lips, his fingers touching the tip of his nose and his thumbs under his chin.

"I’m sorry Ginny," he whispered. He then looked over at his night table where a small picture fame sat. He reached out and gently picked up the frame and then pulled his wand out of his pocket.

"Ginny luv," he said and tapped the frame twice. Where there had once been no picture at all, Ginny’s face appeared. The real Ginny was in mild shock. Where could he have gotten that picture? She didn’t even remember it being taken. The Ginny in the picture was sitting on one of the up-turned tree roots by the lake, the wind softly blowing through her hair.

Curious, Ginny stood from where she had been seated on the bed and circled around until she was directly infront of Draco. She kneeled down and peered up at his face. There was sorrow in his eyes and, not for the first time, Ginny watched a tear trickle down his cheek. On instinct, she reached up to brush it away but when her fingers were supposed to make contact with his skin they never did. Instead, her hand went straight through. She recoiled and stabbed at her hand with her other. It felt real enough to her but then why did it go through him? She reached for the picture frame and saw her fingers disappear only to come out on the other side.

"He cannot hear, feel or see you Virginia."

"I’ve kind of figured that out already," Ginny said sarcastically and turned to see Antheia standing near the doorway. The woman just smiled in an amused way and nodded before disappearing.

"What’s with immortals and the disappearing act?" Ginny asked herself and shook her head before turning back to Draco. She put her hand to his cheek, trying her hardest not to go through him, and spoke softly to him and knowing full well that he couldn’t hear her. "I know you love me Draco but why did you end it? How can you protect me when you’re not with me? Please, come back, don’t leave me."

"I so sorry Ginny," he whispered again, as if he heard her. He then tapped the frame with his wand again and the picture disappeared, leaving an empty space behind. Replacing it back on the night table, he fell backwards onto the mattress and closed his eyes. Ginny stood and smiled sadly at him before clasping the amulet once more.

"I’ve seen enough," she said and glanced around to see the room fading again. The last thing she saw before her room was completely formed was Draco lying on the bed, her bed, but as she walked towards him he grew fainter and fainter until he wasn’t there at all. Tears slipped down Ginny’s cheeks as she collapsed on the bed.

"Oh Draco."

Author’s note: Okay, sorry this has taken forever to get up but I’ve been a little distracted the last couple of days and sorry for the shortness but again, I was distracted. I will try to have a longer and better chapter up soon but I hope you like this one all the same. Please R&R!!!!J J J

27. Chapter Twenty-Seven

Draco lay alone in his dorm room, his heart aching as if it were trying to escape his chest through his ribs and skin. He stared at the ceiling through the frame of his four-poster. All he could think about was Ginny screaming his name while he had walked away. He had heard her scream before, but they were all dreams and were either figments of his imagination so they weren’t real or gifts from the seer in his blood and hadn’t happened yet. And never had he been causing the pain in these dreams. But this wasn’t a dream. It was his reality and he had hurt her, defying his promise never to do so.

He rolled over onto his stomach, face down in his sheets, and dug his hands into his platinum blond hair. Cursing himself, he apologized to her in the silence of his room. He knew very well that she couldn’t hear him but he needed to say it, he needed to say it over and over again till he could say it no more. Even now he questioned his reasons for ending it. He had said it was to protect her. In his mind, he thought it was the right thing but his heart screamed at him and told him he was making the biggest mistake of his life. The battle of heart vs. mind waged on and, not that Draco was surprised, his heart was winning.

In one sudden movement, he pushed himself off the bed and began walking towards the door. He would go to her, no more apologizing to thin air. But as he put his hand on the door, his mind put up one more argument.

‘What if she dies because you were to stupid and let your father kill her as a punishment?’ Draco paused, ignoring his heart for a moment. ‘What if she gets hurt because Voldemort thinks she would be good leverage to get you to join the Death Eaters?’

"No," Draco fought back. "I’ll be with her. I’ll be protecting her."

‘You can’t always be there to protect her Draco.’

‘Don’t listen!’ his heart fought back. But it was too late. Draco’s mind had won and with it’s victory, it smothered his heart’s pleas for the time being.

"Damn it!" Draco yelled and walked back to his bed, collapsing heavily onto the mattress. He buried his face in his sheets and yelled as loud as he could.

* * * * *

The next week was one of the longest in Ginny and Draco’s lives. The school was still in a state of panic from the Death Eater attack. Everyone was on edge and it didn’t take much for a fight to break out. Parents that were once great friends began snapping at each other for no reason. It didn’t matter how much the staff tried to calm them. Every one could feel the air of war that had settled over the world as they waited for the Dark Lord to make his move.

For Ginny and Draco themselves, it was like hell on Earth. The most awkward part was when they saw each other in one of the corridors for the first time in days, Draco going one way and Ginny the other. Both had their heads down and both walked straight into each other. They began muttering apologize, picking up their scattered belongings. Draco stopped for a moment when he noticed who it was that he had run into. He raised his head and nearly jumped out of his skin.

Ginny kneeled before him, looking like a ghost. Her face was pale and she looked like she hadn’t eaten anything in a while. In fact, she looked like she looked like she hadn’t slept at all either which was evident by the bags under her eyes. Her eyes themselves were blood shot and void of any emotion.

‘She looks horrible,’ he thought and then his reason came back to him. ‘Well what do you expect? You did this to her.’

Ginny stopped as well, frowning when she recognized the voice. Looking up from her pile of papers, she met eyes with the silvery-gray ones that she had longed to see. She hadn’t used the wisteria blossom since her first trip, despite her desperate need to see him but couldn’t bring herself to do it. Her wide eyes scanned his face while her jaw slackened and her lips parted slightly.

"Draco," she whispered. Forcing a smile on her face, Ginny fought hard not to cry and wrap her arms around his neck. "I’ve missed you so…"

"Ginny, I can’t," Draco said as firmly as he could manage, his heart tearing in two as she watched the pain come over her face. He looked away and stood, gathering his things before turning to walk away.

"Don’t go," Ginny begged, grabbing his hand as tears began rolling down her cheeks. "Please don’t go." She saw him shake his head and she felt her heart sink deep into her stomach.

"I’m sorry," he replied, shaking his head. "I can’t do this."

"You can’t do what?!" Ginny asked, her voice slowly getting louder as her frustration and sadness began stirring inside her. "Why are you walking away from everything that we have?!" Draco spun around, his brow furrowed as he stared down at her.

"I’m not walking away," he said through clenched teeth but was cut off from continuing.

"Then what are you doing?!" Ginny yelled as she stood. "I don’t think you realize how much I’m scared that if I let go of your hand, you’ll leave me forever…" More tears cascaded down Ginny’s face, causing Draco’s heart to ache even more. He wanted to pull her into his arms and never let go but his mind fought against him, telling him that he would loose her.

"I love you so much Draco," Ginny said, her voice softening. "Why are you so willing to throw that all away?"

"To protect you," Draco said in a steady voice, more to convince himself then Ginny. He dropped his gaze to the floor beneath him, unable to see the hurt in her eyes anymore.

"How can you protect me when you won’t even look at me?" Draco cringed at her words. "I don’t need protecting Draco. I need you to stop avoiding me and be here, by my side."

"And what if you’re taken," Draco asked, raising his gaze to hers once more. "What if something happens to you because of me? What then Ginny?"

"If that happens, it will be because of something I have done," Ginny said calmly. "Not because of you…"

"And Voldemort? My father?" Draco persisted. "They are both after you!"

"The Dark Lord wants me for different reasons," she explained. "Not because of you. Your father was just following orders and he’s in Askaban now."

"He’s broken out of there more than once."

"He won’t this time." Draco’s brow furrowed as his confusion grew.

"What?" he asked. Ginny took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment before looking him meeting his.

"He won’t be able to escape Askaban because…" She stopped for a moment, stumbling for words. "Because, he’s already received the Kiss."

Why had Dumbledore burdened her with telling him this? Ginny had been distracted by it all day and that was the reason why she had run into Draco in the first place. She didn’t know what she thought his reaction to her news might be, maybe to jump for joy or to be at least a little happy. Frankly, she was afraid of what he would do when he found out. But for all the possibilities she had thought of, this certainly wasn’t it. He eyes were darkened and he dropped his head into his chest.

"When did this happen?" he quietly asked, completely calm with no emotion in his voice.

"This morning," Ginny replied, cautiously taking a step closer. Draco didn’t move away, in fact he didn’t react to her movement at all. "Draco?" He let out short, almost cynical sounding laugh.

"I’ve hated the man for so long and now that he’s gone, shouldn’t I be happy?"

"I…" Ginny tried to give him an answer but found that none would come to her. "I don’t know…"

"How did you find out?" He looked up at her once again, his face stony but Ginny knew it was just a mask.

"Dumbledore," she said. "He sent me to tell you." Draco nodded and ran his free hand through his already somewhat ruffled hair.

Taking this as an opportunity, Ginny stepped in and wrapped her arm around him while keeping her other hand still on his. She leaned her head against his chest and listened to his heartbeat while her eyes fluttered closed, loving being this close to him again. She felt him stiffen against her and fully expected him to push away but to her surprise, he lowered his arm to lay it across her shoulders. Gently he pulled her closer, laying his cheek against the top of her head and taking in a shuddering breath.

"I’ve missed you so much Draco," Ginny repeated as she felt more tears threatening to spill over. She clutched his the back of his robes and squeezed her eyelids together as hard as she could, willing herself not to cry.

"I know Gin," Draco whispered. "I’ve missed you too." Ginny’s eyes shot open and she looked up at him, shock on her face.

"I thought you’d forgotten…" she said, overwhelmed by his answer. "Or moved on or…something…" Draco laughed a little and smiled.

"Ginny Weasley, I think that’s probably the most idiotic thing I’ve ever heard," he said and put his forehead to hers. "Never. I could never forget you. Or move on for that matter."

"Then why are you avoiding me?" Draco began to answer but she beat him to it, reciting the words he had spoken to her only minutes before about protection. He nodded again and fell silent. "Do you really believe that I can’t take care of myself or that you being on the other side of the castle would help if the Dark Lord is after me?" He paused, unsure how to answer for a moment but the shook his head and sighed.

"I don’t know what to think anymore," Draco replied honestly. "I don’t know how to handle this and it’s driving me insane." Ginny smiled and snaked the hand that held the back of his robes, back around and brushed a few loose strands of his hair out of his eyes.

"We’ll take it one day at a time," she promised. "Everything is going to work out Draco. But, I need you with me, not turning me away." Ginny held her breath, silently praying that he would agree. She could tell through his eyes that he was weighing the situation with great care, the wheels in his head turning almost audibly.

‘Don’t do it Draco,’ his mind argued. ‘You won’t be able to keep her safe this way.’

‘And being, as she so subtly said, on the other side of the castle helped any?’ his heart fought back. ‘She isn’t that useless with a wand either. You remember well that incident with the "Weasley surprise". And she’s acquired an animagus now. Give her a chance, she may surprise you. If you let her go now, how knows when you’ll be together again.’

This last statement was won Draco over. He smiled, his answer clear, and watched as the life come back into Ginny’s eyes. Tears of happiness fell from her eyes as she dropped his hand and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. Draco laughed and picked her up, spinning her around in the middle of the corridor. When he set her down, he hugged her fiercely and apologized like he had wanted to for the past week.

"I’m so sorry Ginny," he whispered into her ear. "Please forgive me."

"Already done," Ginny laughed and pulled back, putting a semi-stern look on her face. "Now don’t you ever scare me like that again sir or you’ll regret it." Draco did a mock salute, causing Ginny to laugh again.

"Yes ma’am," he said before raising his hand to her cheek and brushing the tears away. He then did the thing he had been craving to do most, under apologizing of course. Pressing his lips lightly against hers, he whispered an "I love you" before pulling her close and kissing her properly.

A soft wind blew through the corridor, brining the soft sounds of laughter and the smell of wisteria blossoms. Ginny smiled slightly.

‘Thank you Antheia,’ she thought, knowing the goddess would have heard, before getting swept away in Draco’s kiss.

Author’s note: So sorry that this has taken so long to get updated but I’ve been a suffering from a bit of writer’s block. Schools starting next week so I’m not sure when the next update will be so I hope you enjoyed this chapter cause it might be the last for a while. Oh, by the way. I totally recommend listening to Seether and Amy Lee’s Broken. It was sort of my inspiration for this chapter. Please R&R!!!!! I love reading them!!!!! J J J

28. Chapter Twenty-Eight

"No," Pansy hissed. She watched the pair from the end of the corridor, her face red with fury and her hands balled so tight the her nails were creating small crescents in her palms. The air around her sparked with electricity as she felt her jealousy boil beneath her skin.

After the incident with Mr. Malfoy, all the teachers in the school had kept Pansy under close observation. Along with Filch and many concerned parents that had caught wind of her actions, she barely had space to breathe. The only moments she had alone were at night and the odd time in the corridors. This was one of those times.

"You can’t have him," she whispered, glaring at the back of Ginny’s head. If looks could kill, Ginny would have died many gruesome deaths and buried six feet under within seconds. Over the past few weeks, Pansy had imagined many with a grim satisfaction.

"Stinking, slimy, good for nothing weasel," she spat, her voice getting steadily louder as her anger began to flow through her body. "You can’t have him!" Pansy screeched and sprinted forward. She lunged at Ginny and tackled her to the ground with all her strength, which was a surprising amount.

Ginny yelped in surprise as she felt another pair of arms wrap around her waist, ripping her away from Draco and sending her to the floor. A sharp pain shot through her shoulder as it was slammed into the cold stone. She rolled onto her back, favoring her right shoulder, and stared up at Pansy. The insane Slytherin was straddling her torso and staring down at her, a look of craziness on her face, while she fiercely grabbed Ginny’s upper arms.

"Get off!" Ginny demanded, trying to squirm out of Pansy’s grasp but her grip was strong. Her shoulder screamed with protest as Ginny moved but she still fought, scared of what might happen if she played the weakling.

"Parkinson!" Draco bellowed and reached down to remove Pansy only to receive a row of deep scratch marks across his cheek. He raised his hand to them mutely and saw blood on his fingertips when he pulled it back.

"If I can’t have you Draco," Pansy raved, her eyes wide and wild looking. "Than no one will." Pansy released Ginny’s injured arm and fumbled inside her robes. From an inside pocket, Pansy pulled a steak knife that she had pinched from last night’s diner. She had hoped for an opportunity like this as she had looked down at it during supper, her imagination running wild with the possibilities.

Pressing the knife against Ginny’s neck, Pansy smirked as a thin line of blood ran down into Ginny’s hair. Draco made a move towards her, ready to pounce, but stopped when Pansy spoke again.

"Step any closer Draco and I’ll kill her," she said, not looking up but examining the wound that she had caused with a sickening curiosity. Ginny squeezed her eyes shut as the knife pressed a little harder into her neck. She was terrified and thought that her heart would leap out of her chest if there weren’t skin and bone to prevent it.

"Stop it Parkinson!" Draco shouted, his mind fumbling to think up a plan.

"It’s Pansy!" Pansy shrieked, turning on Draco and pulling the knife away from Ginny’s throat for a moment to point it at him as she spoke. "You never call me by my real name! I’ve known you longer than this piece of filth and yet you don’t call her ‘Weasley’ or ‘Weasel’! Not even we were together did you call me Pansy! It’s was always ‘Parkinson’ or ‘Pug face’!" Draco laughed a little despite himself but immediately regretted it. Pansy screamed and launched herself at him; the knife she had used on Ginny now turned on Draco. The blade narrowly missed his stomach as Pansy clumsily swiped at him, ripping a straight line through both his school blazer and dress shirt.

"Now Parkinson," Draco drawled, stepping into his cold mask that he had created many years ago to protect himself from losing control of his emotions. "That’s not very nice."

"Go to hell Draco!" she screamed and lunged again. Draco easily dodged the attack and Pansy fell into the wall, her knife getting lodged deep in a picture fame while she herself smacked her head against it. Draco took his chance, pulling out his wand while Pansy was still stunned.

"Stupefy!" Draco felt the spell course through him, all his anger, fear and hatred being focused at Pansy. He never felt so much power go through him with such a simple curse and watched with mild shock as Pansy fell to the floor, her body bucking violently for a moment before becoming still.

"D-Draco," Ginny croaked hoarsely from behind. The skin on her throat where the blade had broken through. Pansy had not pressed hard enough so that the cut could be fatal but the fact that she had drawn blood so soon indicated to Ginny that her life was more threatened now then it had ever been. The powers of Darkness were every where, including buried deep with one girl’s jealousy.

"Ginny? Are you okay?" Draco asked despite the obvious answer before shaking his head, concern heavy in his voice and visible in his eyes. "I have to get you to Madame Pomfrey."

Draco’s head buzzed with commands, advice and the annoying little voice that practically laughed an ‘I told you so’ making him want to scream or rip his head off. Either felt like they would be suitable but he knew it wouldn’t help Ginny. He gathered her up in his arms easily, her resent diet making her weight as much as paper which was not a good thing. Mindful of her shoulder and neck he raced towards the Hospital Wing, leaving Pansy in a heap on the floor.

Author’s note: Wow! I am so sorry for not posting sooner! I’ve had a lot of school work lately and have been kind of busy. Well I hope you like this chapter and sorry for it’s shortness. I will post again as soon as possible, I promise! Please R&R!!!!! I love hearing from you guys! J J J

29. Chapter Twenty-Nine

"She’s crazy! She’s an absolute lunatic! I thought you said you were dealing with her!"

"Calm down Mr. Malfoy."

"She almost killed Ginny! Am I just supposed to ignore that?!"

"I’m not saying anything of the like Mr. Malfoy but if you don’t calm yourself, nothing can be accomplished here."

Draco scowled, resisting the fierce urge to break something, and sat down in the high back chair across from Professor Dumbledore. Balling his fists, he leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. He took a deep breath but his glare would not his face.

"Why wasn’t she being watched?" he asked, his voice as level as he could manage. "You promised that she wouldn’t be let out of anyone’s sight…"

"Now that, Mr. Malfoy, would be a breach of her privacy," Dumbledore replied, his tone still cool and collected as ever.

"I don’t care if she doesn’t have a moment to herself ever again," Draco said through clenched teeth, lowering his gaze from the Headmaster’s. "She took the knife at dinner last night. Why didn’t anyone notice?"

Dumbledore chuckled lightly, a smile forming on his wrinkled lips and the laugh lines around his eyes becoming even more noticeable. He stood gracefully, as if his age didn’t effect him, and walked around his large desk to stand beside Draco.

"I admire your persistence Mr. Malfoy," he said softly, pressing the tips of his fingers together and leaning forward slightly so came to Draco’s eye level. "But you are close to losing your head completely and that would be most unfortunate."

"I don’t care if I go to St. Mungo’s so they can reassemble my sanity like that thick-headed oaf Lockhart," Draco shot back, pushing himself out of the chair so that he stood face to face with the ancient professor. "What I do care about is the fact that Ginny was almost killed by that raving maniac that you decided should be given another bloody chance!"

"It is my belief that everyone, no matter what their crime, deserves a chance to prove themselves to skeptics," Dumbledore replied, his voice unwavering from it’s usual philosophical tone.

"So you would give Voldemort another chance if he came begging to you?!" Draco roared, his anger flaring up once again. ‘He’s cracked!’ his mind screamed. ‘He has actually lost his marbles!’

It’s a strange thing, when Dumbledore’s mood changes. You can tell when he’s happy because the room or area he is in is always warm and inviting like his mood. But when something troubles him, everything changes. The room gets cold and you feel a shiver creep across your skin, sort of like when a ghost walks through you. Draco felt this only a moment after his words had escaped his mouth. He watched with a mild sense of fear as Dumbledore’s smile faded to sternness.

"That is the one person I never have given a second chance," he said, his voice quiet and distant as if he was reliving a moment that had passed by long ago. "And I’ve regretted that decision ever since."

"Professor?" Draco asked hesitantly. How exactly do you console a man who you had known to be the strongest, bravest and wisest one to walk the face of the Earth? Draco certainly didn’t know. He watched warily as Dumbledore slowly shook his head and let out a small sigh.

"I regret few things Mr. Malfoy," the old man said honestly. "But I do not wish to allow another person’s chance at a better life slip through my grasp again, especially if it means lives of the innocent can be spared."

"Professor I…" Draco said, shocked at Dumbledore’s confession. He fumbled for words but was cut off when Dumbledore raised his hand for silence.

"You haven’t offended me," he said softly as his smile returned. "You merely asked for reasoning to what you would think to be madness. Had I been in your position, I’m sure I would have done the same."

Draco rubbed the back of his neck nervously, not quite sure of how to reply. Thankfully, he was spared when someone knocked on the door.

"Come," Dumbledore said, every trace of being troubled moments before gone from his voice and replaced with his usual warmth and amusement. "Ah, Mr. Filch, I was just about to send for you."

Turning back to Draco, Dumbledore smiled and gave the Slytherin a knowing look. "Run along now Mr. Malfoy. I have a feeling there’s someone downstairs is as anxious to see you as you are her."

"Yes Professor," Draco replied with a nod before turning to leave. Before he could reach the door, Filch stepped in his path. He met Draco’s eyes, holding them for a moment before bowing his head.

"I’m sorry," he muttered. "For endangerin’ Miss Weasley."

Draco felt like a buldger had hit him full force in the head. Had Filch, the nasty, rude, uncaring caretaker actually apologize? Draco wanted to laugh at the absurdity off the whole situation but couldn’t find the voice to do so.

"I should’ve been watchin’ that Parkinson girl more," he continued in a voice that showed he was annoyed with himself. He couldn’t have noticed Draco’s look of utter shock and amazement because he then did something that was basically unheard of nearly knocked the wind out of Draco’s chest. "Please tell Miss Weasley how sorry I am?"

"O-Of course," Draco stammered in reply. Filch gave one of his rare, lopsided smiles that looked more like a scowl but with teeth and then stepped aside, allowing the Slytherin to pass.

‘Ginny is never going to believe this,’ Draco thought once he reached the corridor below Dumbledore’s office. He looked back for a moment, watching the gargoyle leap into its former position as the guard of the Headmaster’s office. Shaking his head he moved away, heading towards the Hospital Wing.

‘Never in a million years…’

Author’s note: Sorry this has taken so long and that it is yet another short chapter but I thought I’d better get something posted. I’m planning on wrapping this up soon, or at least that’s what I hope so I can maybe start on something else, lol. Well, I hope you enjoy and please R&R!!! J J J