A/N: Give or take a few months, it's been almost a year. My deepest, most sincere apologies. Just yesterday, a reviewer named ASUKACHAN^^ left me a review that made me think about what the hell I was doing. Thank you, ASUKACHAN^^, for digging me out of this freakish hole and making me post this chapter. I've had this thing partially done for a long time but I could never bring myself to finish it...every time I read it I felt as if I could've done what I had done so much better and that what I had planned wasn't good enough. It's the ending to one of my most favorite stories and I didn't have the balls (considering I'm a girl, I probably won't ever have the balls haha) to post it. And my life's been such a mess lately...I've been trying to concentrate on my studies and I've had to deal with a few things and it's obviously not fair to you readers. I have an obligation to you all...for all that reviewed, I'm deeply sorry I wasn't able to fulfill my promise as a writer to continually update and I hope that my credibility hasn't been completely shot. I now have a renewed effort to do my best to uphold my obligation and I thank you for sticking by me while I dealt with the personal aspects of my life. I hope you enjoy the last chapter and I hope that you'll continue to read my stories, which, I promise, will be more quickly updated.
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To Bring You Back
Chapter Nine: To Bring You Back
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"Granger?"
A bushy head remained still in Draco's room. Draco sighed, rubbing his hair before walking towards her.
"Look, I don't really want to bother you or anything, but-"
"You should have told me," she muttered, her voice void of emotion. "You should have fucking told me that you two were...damnit Malfoy!"
Hermione stood up, her chair rattling to the floor as she twirled around to glare at Draco. Her red, puffy eyes, however, showed him everything that he needed to know.
"I guess you read it."
"Yes," she growled, "I did."
"Well, then you know why I didn't tell you. Why he didn't..."
"You should have told me! You should have told me that Ron isn't dead! That I've been...been mourning for no good reason! That I've cried myself to sleep for no purpose! That I still have a future with this man!"
"This is so much bigger than your marriage, Granger, you can't-"
"Oh, don't give me that bullshit, Malfoy! You just think this is 'so much bigger' because you're so desperate for some revenge on your father!"
"That's not true, Granger, and you know it."
"Someone should have told me," she whispered fiercely, her hands finding purchase on Draco's robe. "You should have told me! You should have fucking told me!"
"And what would that have done, huh Granger? You would've gone over there to see your husband and the entire thing would've been bleeding blown! You would have ruined everything that he and I worked for!"
"Everything you worked for? Everything you worked for?! What could you two have possibly worked towards!"
"Get your head together, Granger." Malfoy took a step back, pulling his robes from Hermione's grasp. "Voldemort was a mere figurehead, don't you get that? Even with him gone, the war isn't over. The ministry doesn't understand that, but I do. Weasley does. You should, the supposed genius."
"Don't you mock me," she said tearfully, swallowing. "Don't."
They remained at this standstill for a few moments before Draco sighed, taking a step back.
"You'll see him soon, Granger...but not until this is all over."
"I know," she whispered, nodding. "I know..."
"You know I...I didn't mean what I said earlier, about going after him myself. That I had to wait until you two read your letters before I exposed anything..."
"I know. Just...how is he not dead? I mean...I saw his body, Malfoy. I saw it...I held his hand, and it...he was dead, I know it..."
"It...it's hard to explain..."
"Well, you'll just have to."
"I will. Is Potter bringing Ginny?"
"They should be here any moment."
"I don't really feel like explaining it twice, so we'll wait until-"
"You fucking bastard."
Draco peered over his shoulder to see Harry entering the room, his eyes blazing.
"Good morning, Potter."
"Fucking genius bastard."
"Draco?" Ginny asked quietly, her eyes glancing from Harry to Draco. "Is...is it true? Is Ron allright?"
"Yes, but...I'll explain it all later, but we need to hurry. Lucius will be here soon...and we need to get started."
~-~-~-~-~-~
Ginny walked outside the ministry, her head a mess. This couldn't be happening, she thought. How the hell does this happen, even in the magical world?
The streets were full of muggles and it seemed like she was going in the opposite direction from everyone else. It always felt this way. A daily struggle to get where she wanted by the end of the day...a street her constant struggle.
An owl swooped towards her, a green letter dropping from its talons as muggles shrieked and hid for cover.
"Stupid," she muttered, wondering who the letter was from as she held out her hand. Yet the moment the green parchment touched her fingers it vanished.
That wasn't supposed to happen.
Ginny looked around, suddenly anxious to get home. She quickened her steps and pulled her cloak tighter around herself, glancing at the people around her warily.
"Lucius will be here soon," echoed in her head. Could he have sent the letter? Ginny had never heard of a letter disappearing at the touch of flesh from the recipient...was it some sort of tracking device, then? Some type of dark magic?
"Fuck," she whispered as she started running the familiar streets. This would be too easy for him, streets full of muggles. Waving her head around wildly she ran into a dark alleyway, knowing the Leaky Cauldron was only a few blocks away. A few minutes of running and she'd be there, a safe haven...
Just a few more goddamn minutes...
And she tripped.
Tipped forward with her eyes closing as she skidded along the dirty floor, sprawling amidst the dirt and filth and cold stone beneath her.
"Eugh," she muttered as she pushed herself up, glancing behind her to see what had tripped her, what had escaped her peripheral vision.
Nothing.
Now certainly shaken, Ginny started off running again only to fall once more, this time unable to get up. She couldn't lift her arms, couldn't twitch her fingers, couldn't move her legs. All she could do was feel the cold, dingy stone beneath her as her clothes stuck to her skin and her breath wheezed out of her, her heartbeat echoing painfully in her ears.
She saw her wand, felt it struggle in her pocket before it soared out of her vision.
"Virginia Weasley," a cold drawl whispered behind her and Ginny closed her eyes, praying, pleading to God it wasn't Lucius Malfoy.
This wasn't supposed to happen, she thought, Draco promised this wouldn't happen!
She once again tried to get up; she could feel her muscles flex with the effort but nothing happened, no movement occurred except her heart racing even faster than before and her lungs feeling as if they would explode, her breaths coming with quicker pants.
"Scream, you filthy mudblood lover."
But she wouldn't, she decided. She would never scream, never give him the pleasure of hearing her shriek with pain and terror. She'd remain quiet, remain strong until it all ended...until it all gloriously ended.
This wasn't supposed to happen...
"Come now," he muttered, and she knew. She knew it was Lucius, it had to be. No one else's words could send such a chill down her spine, make her feel dirty and revolted by merely hearing him speak.
And suddenly she could move, could feel something lift off her and she pushed herself off the ground with a force she didn't know she had, running and panting and trying to get away from him. She had to, had to get to the Leaky Cauldron, had to warn Draco that he was here, that he came too soon...
She heard him chuckle, a dark, maniac laugh that rung in her ears as she turned a corner, her pants echoing in his head and her footsteps reverberating between the parallel brick walls before-
"Fuck," she whispered, her heart feeling as if it had crawled up her throat and permanently lodged itself there.
It was a dead end.
And without her wand...
"Fuck," she whispered again, backing up quickly to turn back...maybe she could somehow run back and-
"Is the little Weasley lost?"
Ginny whirled around to see Lucius Malfoy in front of her, her wand in his hand. He looked...sickened, devoid of nutrition. His skin clung to his bones and his eyes had sunken back into his head and his mouth was like a gash on his white skin, lips red and eyes black.
"What a shame. Such a pity," he whispered, walking closer. Ginny backed up until she felt the brick wall behind her, the jagged lines digging into her back as she tried not to cower in front of her inevitable murderer.
"Stay away, you fucking bastard."
"Brave to the very last...but it will certainly be a filthy honor to kill you..."
"You can try," Ginny replied, looking around her. There had to be a way out, she thought...if only I had my wand...
Before she knew what was happening Lucius Malfoy lunged at her. For a few minutes there were only struggling limbs, clawing nails and fierce, punctured breathing before Lucius screamed, "Stupefy!" and Ginny was caught, ensnared in Lucius' arms as he dug his nose to her shoulder and took a deep inhale.
"I can see why my son fell for you, filthy mudblood," he whispered, his mouth descending to her now-exposed shoulder to leave a bite mark.
Ginny began crying then, despite everything.
"There, there little, vile Weasley...you'll be screaming soon..."
With his left hand he held Ginny's wand but his right hand delved into his robes to expose a short, rounded blade, which he brought up to Ginny's neck. She felt the cold metal pierce her skin and she inwardly grimaced as her blood rushed to the small cut, dripping slowly down her pale skin.
Lucius bent his head to lick her blood. Ginny could feel him smile against her cheek and she felt like throwing up, surely contaminated by his tongue...
"Get your fucking hands off of her."
Draco Malfoy stood a few feet away, his wand in his outstretched hand and a look of sheer terror and revolt on his face.
"Get your fucking hands off her!" he repeated, spitting slightly with the ferocity of his words.
"Draco," Ginny wanted to say, "Get the hell away from here." But she couldn't. The most she could do was look at him, silently plea that he leave...he had something to do, he couldn't blow it all because of her...
"Ah, Draco...so nice of you to join us..."
"I said to get your fucking hands off her."
"But she enjoys it so! You wouldn't want to take away such pleasure from her, after she's been devoid of you for so long..."
Draco's wand arm was shaking slightly as he looked at Ginny, his eyes glazing over.
Ginny smiled despite her tears, despite her situation.
It was working.
"I'm warning you for the last time," he muttered, his eyes narrowing.
Lucius stared at Draco defiantly before pulling his arm back and swiping his knife thickly across Ginny's throat.
"No!" screamed Draco, mixing with Lucius' hoarse, "Avada Kedavra!"
Ginny fell to the floor as Draco did.
A jet of green light hit Lucius in the back and he fell as well barely a moment later, a victorious look frozen on his gaunt face.
Draco stood on the roof overlooking the alleyway, smirking slightly.
It had worked, after all.
With a wave of his wand the bodies of Draco and Ginny disappeared before Harry and Hermione, leading a group of aurors, ran into the alley.
Draco took out a cell phone and punched in a few numbers before stepping back from the edge, walking to the elevator.
"Weasley? It's done."
~-~-~-~-~-~
"Cloning?"
"Sort of...not what the muggles are trying to do, it's something different. Weasley and I have been concocting this potion that's a form of the polyjuice, but it makes another version of yourself...a full bodied version."
"Well...it's..genius. Dangerous...but genius."
"Unlike the polyjuice, it doesn't wear off so the bodies don't disappear...that's why Weasley's body remained...but there is a spell I recently discovered that will allow it."
"And you perform it in front of this mirror?"
"Well, where's the body going to come from? It can't materialize out of thin air...you drink the potion while standing in front of this mirror. Then you step through it, you'll end up on the other side, don't worry, and your other body will walk out through the front."
"Extraordinary...this will grant you a few awards in experimental charming."
"It's just like you...same thoughts, same personality, same body. It will also contain all your memories and knowledge...so that's why I waited until after I told the three of you everything. That way, Ginny's 'clone' will know everything, know that she will have to sacrifice herself and bait Lucius into that alley. But we have to destroy it after he dies."
"What?"
"Do you know what would happen if people realized they could clone themselves?"
"...You're right..."
"I always am."
"Well...let's get on with it."
"Let's just hope it works."
"I'm sure it will."
"Are you sure Lucius doesn't know about this?"
"He can't. I'm sure of it."
"...If you're sure."
"Let's do it."
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Hermione paced the lawn nervously, absentmindedly tucking her hair behind her ear when she wasn't wringing her hands together.
"Hermione, calm down," Harry said, coming up behind her and rubbing her shoulders. "It's going to be okay."
"No, no it isn't!" she nearly shrieked.
"Hermione, really, don't worry," Ginny said, grabbing Hermione's hands and peering into her eyes.
"Ican'tdothis," she said quickly, running into the house.
Ginny glanced at Harry and smiled; Harry smiled back, shaking his head.
"He should've been here by now," Draco said, checking his watch.
Ginny looked at him, her heart swelling at the very sight of him. He really did love her...and he looked so delicious, sitting on the picnic table with his feet on the bench, that black shirt on him as he wore those low hugging jeans. Draco Malfoy in muggle clothes...
A flash of red caught her eye and she directed her gaze on the man that had just appeared in front of her holding a yellow rubber ducky. He caught her glance and gave her a small lopsided smile before walking towards her and pulling her close.
"Ron," she muttered, grabbing him and fisting her hands in his clothes. He chuckled, pulling back as he swept the hair away from her face.
"Gin," he whispered.
"We thought you were dead," she said, punching him in the arm. "You bleeding bastard, we thought you were dead!"
"I didn't know you'd miss me so much," he said, grinning.
"It's good to see you, mate." Ron turned around to see Harry standing there, tears in his eyes.
"It's good to see you too, Harry..."
They awkwardly shook hands before Harry hugged him, clapping his back before stepping away from him.
"You arsehole, making me cry like a bleeding baby," Harry joked, smiling at Ron as he wiped away his tears.
Ron heard Draco scoffing. Ron walked up to him and Draco got down from the picnic table, sneering.
"Weasley."
"Ferret boy."
Ron stuck his hand out and Draco shook it, almost smiling at him.
"Good job," Ron said, determinedly keeping his face serious. "I heard you killed the bastard."
"I should kill you."
Ron swallowed and looked behind Draco to see Hermione standing at the door, her hands on her hips and her hair crazy with the wind.
"Hermione," he whispered hoarsely as she marched up to him, glaring through tear-stained eyes.
"I should kill you, you fucking bastard."
"Hermione, wait-"
"Wait? Wait?! I thought you were dead! We thought you were dead! When you were really lounging away in America, breathing and completely, utterly alive!"
"Yeah, but you-"
"Don't you ever do that to me ever again! You hear me, Ronald?! You do that to me again and I will really kill you! I'll fucking kill you!"
"I love you," Ron whispered, cupping her face in his hands and tracing her jawbone with his thumb. "I won't ever do that to you again."
"That's right," Hermione said, now practically sobbing. "I hate you. I really do."
"I know," Ron said, "I know."
"I really hate you."
"I'm sorry, Hermione..."
"You better be..."
Harry took a seat next to Draco, smiling at the sight of his two best friends together again.
"Absolutely disgusting," Draco muttered and Harry grinned, turning to him.
"You're just jealous."
"Jealous of what?"
Harry raised an eyebrow and Draco smirked.
"Think you know everything, do you, Potter?"
Harry didn't reply. Instead, they continued to watch Ron and Hermione reunite, small smiles on both their faces.
Ginny walked over to Draco and slid next to him, laying her head gently on his shoulder. He wrapped his arm around her waist and kissed the top of her head. Harry, catching Ginny's eye, smiled and Ginny, grinning back, felt as if it had all been worth it.
No one had to tell her. It would be okay.
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Draco and Ginny were walking to her flat, a few blocks away from Hermione's house. The sun was beginning to set and they were nearly a street away when Ginny tugged on his hand, stalling their steps. For nearly the entire walk they had remained silent, merely enjoying the warmth of their held hands and the comfort of their shared strides.
"I'm sorry, Draco..."
"About what?"
"The aurors found your mum's dead body..."
"Oh...well, I knew he'd kill her..."
Draco sighed and swallowed, willing himself not to cry.
"...Draco?"
"Yeah, Gin?"
"What...what happens now?"
He looked down to see her peering up at him, an encouraging smile on her face. He rubbed his thumb across her skin as he asked, "What do you mean?"
"Well...now that it's all over...and you're free...what happens to us?"
"Us?"
Her hand was cold, Draco realized. He brought it to his lips and gave it a chaste kiss, smiling at her.
"What did you have planned, ms. Weasley?"
"Let me give you an idea."
Ginny stepped closer and thrust her hands into his hair, pulling his face to hers and kissing him for all she was worth. Lips met and tongues wrestled and Ginny decided she had infinitely missed this, this warmth.
"I think you should marry me," Draco whispered as he pulled away from her, licking his lips.
"Marry you?" Ginny asked, grinning.
"Yeah. I'm irresistible, and it's only a matter of time before we take a roll in bed. Why not make it official?"
"Are you sure you're done playing the field, Mr. Malfoy?"
"I've been done since we met, unfortunately."
"That is quite possibly the most romantic thing you've ever told me."
"Is that a yes?"
"It's a maybe."
"Maybe?"
"I haven't seen a ring yet."
"I wouldn't have considered you a materialistic woman, Ms. Weasley."
"What can I say, you just bring out the most horrible aspects of me."
She smiled and he leaned in for another kiss, his arms winding around her waist as hers found purchase once again in his silky mane.
"I've had time to think about it," she whispered as she pulled away a few moments later. "And I think we should, too."
"Good," Draco muttered, kissing her chastely on the mouth. "I knew you'd agree with brilliant me."
"Draco...thanks...you know, for everything you've done...I...I never realized how much you really...cared about me...and I'm sorry..."
"Anything to bring you back into my life."
"Woah, Draco, watch out...you're in danger of sounding like a romantic schmuck..."
Draco smiled, pulling her in for another kiss before whispering in her ear, "Somehow, I don't think you'll mind."
The end
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reviewing's good for the soul...
A/N: I'm thinking about an epilogue but for now, consider the story finished. Hope you enjoyed.