To Bring You Back

A/N: I just finished reading Charles Dicken’s “A Tale of Two Cities” in my English class, and obviously, you guys can tell that I’ve had much too much time to dwell on “what ifs.” So yeah, this is just a story that was brooding around my head as I read this wonderful masterpiece–a classic y’all should read!

~-~-~-~-~-~

To Bring You Back

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summary: “I had to come back,” Draco whispered. “You wouldn’t understand.” Harry fumed, clenching his wand painfully as he shouted, “What type of idiot are you! To come back here, knowing that you’d be killed! Do you have anything to live for?!” Draco gave him a sad smile, chuckling as he replied, “That’s why I’m here, Pothead.” And Harry knew. He hadn’t come back for his mum. His dignity. The truth. He had come back for Ginny.

~-~-~-~-~-~

“Master Malfoy?”

“What is it,” Draco spat, rising from his bed in an unhurried manner. “It’s....bleeding 5:30 in the morning! What the bloody hell could you want with me now?!”

“I’m sorry, Master Malfoy, but your mother ordered that this letter be delivered immediately.” The young girl put the letter on his bedside table hastily, scared of what hex her master might put upon her. “Y-your breakfast will be ready shortly, if you wi–“

“No, just leave,” Draco whispered, rising out of his lavishly adorned bed, his fingers running through his blonde hair nervously. Whimpering, the young servant nodded, bowing before running out of her master’s chambers. Trembling slightly, Draco walked to his bedside table, staring at the familiar scrawling on the outside of the letter. Licking his dry lips and swallowing, he picked it up, the crisp paper feeling rough in his hand.

Opening the envelope with a Malfoy crested opener and laying it on the table, Draco began to read. His brow furrowing, Draco knew what he had to do. Calling for the young girl, who was in his chambers only moments before, he stabbed the blunt knife into the envelope, breathing heavily.

“Pack my clothes,” he ordered hoarsely, swallowing once more as he stuffed the letter into his coat pocket. “We’re leaving for London.”

~-~-~-~-~-~

Harry Potter sat in his backyard, staring aimlessly into the sky. How life had come to this, he didn’t know. His eyes reflected the triumphant joy of spring, yet triumph was far from his grasp.

“Daddy?” a small voice whispered, and Harry looked down to see his daughter, Chloe, gazing up at him sadly. Smiling slightly, he raised her up onto his knee, sighing into her hair as she wrapped her small arms around his neck.

“Where’s uncle Ron, Daddy?” Chloe asked, her green eyes blinking at her father. Seeing the tears gathering in his eyes, Chloe began crying as well, whispering, “Don’t cry, Daddy.”

“I’m sorry, Chloe,” Harry said, wiping his tears away slowly. “Uncle Ron...he’s in a better place.”

“Is he in heaven?”

“Yeah, Chloe...”

“That means he’s an angel now, right? With wings and a yellow hoola hoop on his head?” Laughing softly, Harry smiled, nodding. “Don’t cry, Daddy,” Chloe whispered, smiling up at her father. “Aunt Hermy said that Uncle Ron is going where he deserves to go.” Noticing the shocked expression on her father’s face, she smiled even more broadly before finishing. “She said that Uncle Ron was too good for all of us. Like Mommy was too good for us. I’ll miss him, won’t you, Daddy?”

Harry, gaping at her daughter, shook himself out of his stupor and smiled, breathing in deeply as he looked up at the clouds.

“Yeah, Chloe, I’ll miss Ron too.”

The two sat there for a while, staring into the sky. Harry, remembering the best of times, the worst of times that he and his best mate had shared; invisibility cloaks, Hermione, girls, adventures, near death, side by side combat, butterbeers, the Burrow, Hogwarts. Chloe, remembering the laughs and hugs and kisses, the smell that was distinctly Uncle Ron, the Christmas visits, the presents.

Sighing, Harry wondered why Ron had to be sacrificed.

How life had come to this.

~-~-~-~-~-~

“What’s the meaning of this!” Hermione screamed, her face as red as her blotchy eyes. “What the hell are you guys telling me!”

“We’re s-sorry, Mrs. Weasley, but–”

“Voldermort has been killed! Murdered! By definition, out of existence! And now you’re telling me that he’s somehow back?!”

“No, not at all miss, what we’re saying is–”

“And right when my husband was murdered by a hound of deatheaters, you come to my house, in the middle of the night, the day after his funeral, to tell me that you have evidence to believe that Voldermort killed my husband?!”

“N-no, if you would just listen–”

“You’re the one who has to listen! How dare you come barging into my house assuming that I’m going to accept these words of idiocy spilling out of your insignificant mouths, that somehow–”

“Hermione.” Hermione whipped around, her angry eyes searching in the dark.

“What the hell do you want,” she spat, her hands clenching her wand convulsively. “And how the bloody hell did you get into my house!”

“Hermione,” Harry said again, his green eyes boring into hers as he stepped forward, his jaw set. “Please, ‘Mione, just–”

“Don’t you ‘Mione’ me!” Hermione screamed, stepping slightly backwards as she pointed a finger at Harry’s chest. “Don’t you fucking dare!”

“Hermione,” Harry tried again, reaching out to lay his hands on her shoulders, when she sprung her empty hand backwards and spiraled it to smack Harry on the cheek. Ignoring the stinging pain, Harry stepped forward again, enveloping Hermione in a hug.

“Let go of me!” Hermione shrieked, attempting to escape Harry’s grasp. “Don’t you fucking touch me! Get your filthy hands off me!”

“Hermione, I’m sorry,” Harry whispered into her ear, his face buried in her hair. “I’m sorry.”

“I don’t need your bloody pity!” Hermione screamed, punching at Harry’s chest, kicking his shins, doing anything possible to escape his hold on her. “I don’t want your fucking pity!” But it was when she said this that the tears began to escape her eyes, flowing down her cheeks freely as she became too exhausted to fight her best friend. “I don’t fucking want it!”

“I know,” Harry choked out, and Hermione could feel something wet sliding down her shoulder, could feel Harry trembling. Finally laying her head on his shoulder and embracing him desperately, Hermione closed her eyes, hating herself.

“I don’t want it...” she whispered, and Harry rubbed her back, glaring at the two aurors who had arrived at Hermione’s house. Quickly taking their cue, they stepped out of the door and closed it behind them, the door clicking into place. Hermione stepped backwards, wiping her eyes hurriedly when she finally looked up into his exhausted face, the face she once looked to for hope, for encouragement.

The face that she depended on so heavily.

“Hermione,” Harry whispered, a tear running down his cheek. “There’s something you have to know about Ron’s death.”

“What is it?” she whispered back, taking a finger and wiping the tear away.

“He was murdered by a deatheater,” Harry said, swallowing hard as he began to tremble once more.

“I know that,” Hermione said, her brow furrowing.

“No, you don’t understand,” Harry replied, licking his lips nervously before croaking out, “It was Malfoy, Hermione.”

“M-Malfoy?”

“Lucius killed Ron.”

~-~-~-~-~-~

“I don’t believe it.” Ginny crossed her legs, her brown eyes glaring at Harry’s. “I just don’t, Harry!” Harry sighed, rubbing his temples as the door to the restaurant creaked upon with a jingle. “Draco had no part in it.”

“Regardless of his part in it, he is the only one who may be corresponding with Lucius that we know of. He knows things that we don’t, Gin, and we have to find it out.”

“But Harry, we don’t even know where Draco is. He...” Ginny swallowed, moving her noodles around aimlessly with her fork. “He left, remember?” Harry looked at Ginny for a moment, his eyes searching hers, before nodding mutely and turning his eyes to the door of the café.

Ginny’s head snapped up as she heard the sound of breaking china. Harry had dropped his coffee cup, the brown liquid splashing over the floor as Harry stared at a point beyond her head. Yet before Ginny could turn around she heard footsteps and suddenly there was a figure standing next to her, his stormy eyes unreadable.

“Hello, Virginia.”

~-~-~-~-~-~

Reviewing’s good for the soul...

A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed! A certain anonymous reviewer reminded me of a certain spelling mistake–I am so sorry I misspelled Voldie’s name! How horrible can I be–I really apologize for that. I’ve also gotten some feedback that this story is a bit confusing–I’d appreciate it if y’all would dictate what exactly was confusing. Is it the quick scene changes? Or maybe just the fact that it started in the middle of things–or it is merely the lack of information?

All you anonymous reviewers, thanks so much for your feedback. Unfortunately, I can’t personally acknowledge any questions or comments you might have, so...sorry.

Isabelle Marie, harryloveshermione2003, Draco’s Gurl, AnimalLover947, strawberry shortcake, and clanmalfoy, the answer to who Harry’s wife was will be answered soon. I guess I’m that type of person who indirectly hints at a lot of stuff; I hate it when books bluntly give away the ending. So yeah, sorry I can’t tell you yet! Hopefully you’ll be able to figure it out on your own though *winkwink* Also of mention, although I had hoped that I made this painfully clear, Hermione was married to Ron.

Also, clanmalfoy, the answer about the G/D-ness will be answered later. Be prepared to hunt for hints, like with the identity of Chloe’s mother.

Hilary, there MIGHT be some H/Hr-goodiness. I’m not sure if I want it to go that way...but I’ll think about it, lol.

Kayters, I think you’re the only one who actually liked (or mentioned that they like) the abrupt scene changes. It’s more movie ish, I agree, but hey–it’s just how I write!

BabyD: Nope, she’s not corresponding with him! Nice guess though!

Thanks to dracosgurl159, Draca, Cindergirl, Kim, Estaria, Nara, darkcharlie, LockaBlack, and Draco’sbabe137 for your feedback!

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To Bring You Back

Chapter Two: Worthless

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summary: “I had to come back,” Draco whispered. “You wouldn’t understand.” Harry fumed, clenching his wand painfully as he shouted, “What type of idiot are you! To come back here, knowing that you’d be killed! Do you have anything to live for?!” Draco gave him a sad smile, chuckling as he replied, “That’s why I’m here, Pothead.” And Harry knew. He hadn’t come back for his mum. His dignity. The truth. He had come back for Ginny.

~-~-~-~-~-~

“Hello, Virginia.”

Ginny swallowed hard, her fork clattering into her plate. Harry swiftly got up, his hand clenched around his wand.

“Malfoy,” Harry said, eyeing Draco.

“Pothead,” Draco replied, giving him a side glance. “I see that you still haven’t learned your manners. If you can’t tell, I’m trying to have a private conversation.”

“Well I’m sorry, Malfoy,” Ginny spat, rising as well. Draco turned his eyes back on her, narrowing them slightly at the bitterness in her tone. “But I don’t have time for your words. Harry, let’s go.” As Ginny turned to leave, however, Draco reached out and grabbed her arm.

“Let go of me!”

“Virginia, we need to talk,” Draco whispered into her ear, his hot breath tickling her neck.

“Well I’m sorry, Draco, but I don’t–”

“Please.”

Ginny froze, her brown eyes going wide as she relaxed. Draco stared at her, his face expressionless. It was the desperation in Draco’s voice that had stopped her from escaping.

“So now you need to talk?” she finally said, and in his shock he let go of her arm. Grabbing her coat, she threw Harry a look and walked briskly out of the café, her red hair billowing out behind her.

“Damnit,” Harry heard Draco say.

“What are you doing here, Malfoy,” Harry whispered, his eyes still on the door after watching Ginny’s exit. “Why now?” Draco sighed, his hands resting in his pockets as he swallowed.

“I needed to see her one last time.”

~-~-~-~-~-~

Hermione brushed her hair out of her face, tendrils sticking to her tears as they rolled down her cheek. Sniffing, she reached into her pocket and grabbed a locket, Ron’s last present to her.

“You will remember me when I’m gone, won’t you?”

Hermione clenched her eyes shut, her arm falling loosely to her side as she remembered the last time she had ever talked to her husband.

“Hermione, listen to me.”

She hated herself for not understanding. For not knowing that something was going to happen. All the damn signs! Everything Ron had said, and yet Hermione still couldn’t grasp it. Still couldn’t do anything.

“I love you...”

Still couldn’t save him.

“Hermione?”

She wanted to forget. Desperately wanted to erase her pain. Her dreams, her nightmares, were plagued with his smiling face, the ache in her heart.

“Promise me something.”

But she didn’t want to forget. Slowly, she knew, she would forget his smile. His touch. His beautiful eyes. She would forget him.

“Learn to let go. Revenge isn’t worth it.”

Hermione clenched the locket harder in her palm, allowing the soft breeze to kiss her tear stained cheeks as the sun’s warmth embraced her.

“I’ll see you sooner than you think. Don’t worry, like you usually do.”

Hermione turned around slowly, making her way back home.

“I’ll never really leave you, Hermione. Don’t fight it.”

Her footsteps crossed her old ones in the freshly paved mud as she made her way through the woods behind the Burrow.

“I’ll wait for you. Destiny had a different plan for you...something so much more...magical.”

Hermione’s eyes lifted up to the sky, the clouds hiding the sun from her view.

“You don’t know how much I’ll miss you.”

Slowly, she closed her eyes, suddenly desperate for his touch.

“I’ll be there, Hermione.”

A soft prickling on her shoulder, then her knee, tickling. Hermione opened her eyes, amazed to see what was around her.

Red autumn leaves were falling over her, the breeze carrying them to shower her.

“I love you. Don’t ever forget that.”

~-~-~-~-~-~

“What do you mean, see her one last time?” Harry asked, his eyes tearing away from Ginny to stare at Draco.

“It’s none of your business, Potter,” Draco muttered, sighing.

“It is too my damn business,” Harry breathed, taking two long strides to face Draco. “You leave her and all of a sudden come back, just to leave again.”

“You wouldn’t understand, Potter. I just...had to see her.” Harry snorted.

“That makes it sound like you love her, you know.”

“I know.”

“Do you?”

“Do I what?”

“Love her.”

“Love who?”

“Love Ginny.” Draco didn’t answer, his grey eyes staring into Harry’s green ones. Finally, he blinked, shaking himself out of his stupor and shrugging delicately.

“I don’t know.” Lifting his head up, soft tendrils of blonde hair cascaded down his forhead.

“Then why the fuck did you come back?”

“I told you already, Potter, you wouldn’t understand.” Draco turned to leave when a hand clamped on his shoulder, pulling him back around.

“Malfoy...” Harry said, struggling to find the right words. Draco shrugged Harry’s hand off, sneering slightly at his situation.

“Look, since you’re so desperate to know,” Draco began, his eyes finding sanctuary on the window. “This is the end for me. I know it. And for some bloody reason, I had to come and see her. Just to remind myself, I guess.”

“Remind yourself of what?”

“Just...a reminder of what could have been.”

~-~-~-~-~-~

Hermione sauntered into the Burrow, the smell of happiness invading her senses.

Sure, happiness wasn’t a smell. Or so people thought. But people also thought magic didn’t exist. That love didn’t exist. That miracles didn’t exist.

Hermione stepped out of her boots, dropping them delicately next to the door as she pulled her long hair into a ponytail. Noticing a certain redhead sitting at the kitchen table, Hermione smiled slightly, sighing as she went to sit next to her.

“Ginny, what are you doing here?” Hermione asked, noticing Ginny’s red, puffy eyes. “What happened?”

“Nothing,” Ginny said defiantly, sniffing.

“Now Ginny,” Hermione began. “You know better than that.”

“Really, Herm, nothing happened.” Hermione gave Ginny a side glance, and noticing the way Ginny stroked the necklace she was wearing, Hermione knew what had happened.

“Did Draco come back?” Hermione asked quietly. Ginny froze, her eyes darting up to meet Hermione’s nervously.

“W-what?” she stuttered, and Hermione laid her hand on Ginny’s, giving it a gentle squeeze.

“Did Draco come back?” Hermione repeated, and Ginny nodded, her eyes swarming up with more tears.

“What did that bastard want with you?”

“He...oh, Hermione, I don’t know!”

“Did he beg and grovel for forgiveness?”

“He wanted to talk...he said sorry...”

“Well, sorry just isn’t good enough.” Hermione frowned, her face set in frustration. “He doesn’t deserve your forgiveness. Not after what he did.”

“Maybe I just was expecting too much, you know. I mean, how could I seriously think that he loved me?”

“Ginny...”

“I mean, who would give up his inheritance, family, blood, for me? It’s just...idiotic.”

“No, not at all.”

“It would never have worked out anyway. I’m...glad...it ended this way.”

“Ginny–”

“No, really, Hermione. Quite happy.”

~-~-~-~-~-~

“The end?” Draco ignored this.

“Potter, I also came to see you.”

“Wha–”

“Deatheaters are regrouping. My...father...he’s revolting. He’s going to break out of Azkaban anytime now, and he’s planning on somehow building his own world, own society, one where darkness dominates. I’m going to try and save my mother.”

“But your mum’s in–”

“I know where she is, thank you. I’m going to save her, Potter. And I know that this is where it all ends. For me, at least. Look, I’m...sorry.”

“About what?”

“About Weasley.” Harry’s face paled. “I never did get to tell him I was sorry. Missed the funeral too. I just wanted to let you know, at least, that I was. You know...sorry.” Harry didn’t respond. “Wea...Ron, he was...a good man. The world’ll miss him.”

“Yeah,” Harry croaked out, his green eyes blazing as he looked up to meet Draco’s.

“I’m aware, Potter, that...my father was the one who killed him.” Draco waited for Harry to nod, and when he finally did, Draco continued. “I also wanted to let you know that I never wished this on him.”

“I know, Malfoy.”

“I never hated him.”

“Yeah.”

“Never hated you, either. Or Granger.”

“Malfoy–”

“I can’t believe these bloody words are coming out of my bleeding mouth.”

“Look–”

“But seeing as I’m going to Hell anyway...”

“You aren’t going–”

“Take care of Ginny for me, Potter,” Draco growled, his eyes dimming. “She deserves someone to love her.”

“Wha–” But before Harry could ask anything else, Draco had disapparated, leaving no trail to follow.

~-~-~-~-~-~

“It’s not like I loved him, you know...” Ginny whispered meaninglessly. “Not like I cared...” Hermione remained silent, deep inside her own thoughts.

“I just...I hate him,” Ginny muttered, her eyes tearing up once more. “I hope he dies. Dies in his own despair.”

“You don’t really mean that, Gin,” Hermione whispered.

“No, you’re right Hermione.” There was a brief silence. “I loved him...”

“I love you, Ginny. I’d give up anything for you...”

“...but that’s worthless too.”

~-~-~-~-~-~

reviewing’s good for the soul....

A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed! I was hoping to reach the 50 review mark buut I guess I didn’t make my happy limit, lol. I guess that just means I gotta add on that extra to the reviews for this chapter *nudges*.

Darkcharlie, all will come in good time. This story’s sorta sad, not really a lotta happy stuff happening...I feel bad about that...hmm..the only thing I’m decent at writing is depressing. Sorta sad...but I’ll try to add a little bit of light!

Ravaran, that’s a real interesting theory. I like the way you think...

Momentyne, I hope Draco doesn’t die before he sees Ginny either! lol.

Liz21, thanks for ur input on my fast scene changes. And I definitely agree, I know exactly where Ginny is coming from with the whole ignoring-feeling thing. Happens to the best of us, doesn’t it?

DarkenedQuasar, there we go! Thanks for that anonymous tip!

HarrylovesHermione2003, laila, you’re just desperate for some good H/Hr aren’t you?! So am I! Let’s just see if it works out...I’ll definitely be trying it out.

Animallover947, I hope that Draco isn’t TOO OoC. I like to think that even Drakie has to have a sweet side to him...as rarely as it comes out. And here the new chapter is! Sorry about the delay!

Thanks to sweetazuga423, Chikkalaura, kody, Ailleann, frecklegirl87, Luxe Quartermaine, Draco’s Gurl, mila and Animallover947 for your support!

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To Bring You Back

Chapter Three: Savior

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“Are you aware of what

You make me feel, baby

Right now I feel invisible to you

Like I’m not real...

...I was left to cry there

Nothing outside there

Grinning with a lost stare

That’s when I decided...

Why should I care

Cause you weren’t there

When I was scared

I was so alone...

...You need to listen

I’m starting to trip

I’m losing my grip

and I’m in this thing alone.”

-Avril Lavigne, “Losing Grip”

~-~-~-~-~-~

“S-sir?” the young servant whimpered as Draco calmly walked out of the café. “Are you ready, sir?”

“Yes,” Draco replied, scanning the streets. “Quite ready.”

“Sir, may I ask, sir, um...”

“Out with it,” Draco snapped, his eyes narrowing at the trembling girl before him.

“Who was the woman who stormed out a bit earlier?” Draco didn’t answer for a time, calculating his answer until he muttered, “No one. She’s absolutely no one.”

“That was Ginny Weasley, wasn’t it?”

“How do you know her?”

“She was engaged to Harry Potter a while back, wasn’t she? It was all over the wizarding news, I couldn’t turn my head without seeing her face.” Draco’s shoulders turned rigid.

“Yes, well, that didn’t turn out the way it was supposed to, did it,” Draco replied, nearly sneering.

“That’s true,” the young girl, said, frowning slightly. “What ever happened to the engagement? They looked so happy.”

“Obviously it wasn’t happy enough.”

“D-did you know her, sir?”

“Yes, I once did.”

“What does she have to do with you, sir?”

“What makes you think she had anything to do with me?”

“You have a picture of her in your room, sir. In a gold frame. The only other one is a picture of your mum, so I assumed–”

“A rule of life,” Draco interrupted, snarling, “is to never assume.” Draco took out pocket watch, and after cursing under his breath, motioned for the young girl to follow him. “We’re late.”

~-~-~-~-~-~

“Daddy!” Chloe yelled upon seeing Harry walk into the Burrow. Running to him she engulfed his legs with a hug, laughing as Harry picked her up and carried her into the kitchen under his arm.

“Harry,” Hermione breathed, smiling as she saw him enter.

“Daddy, I made a picture for you!” Chloe said, squirming for release. “I want to show you my picture, Daddy!”

“All right, go get it,” Harry said, setting Chloe on the ground and watching her zoom upstairs.

“Thanks for watching her today,” Harry said, sliding into the chair opposite Hermione’s and rubbing his temples.

“It’s been no problem, Harry. Besides, she’s family.”

“She is?”

“Of course.” Harry smiled, resting his hand on top of Hermione’s and giving it a gentle squeeze.

“How are you?” Harry asked, his eyes turning serious.

“I’m...better.”

“That’s good.”

“And you?”

“I’ve...I’m getting better. Well, no, not really.” There was a brief moment of silence before Harry said, “I talked to Malfoy today.”

“Ginny mentioned it.”

“Did Ginny stop by?”

“Of course, Harry, the girl lives here.”

“Well?”

“Well what?”

“Was she okay?”

“Of course, Harry. She just saw the love of her life for the first time in years and was jolly good about it.”

“It was just a question, I mean–”

“She’s fine,” Hermione interrupted. “She just needs time.”

“More time, you mean.” Hermione gave Harry a stern look, and Harry sighed, rubbing his temples once more.

“Draco...acted quite bizarre today.”

“Oh? As if suddenly appearing isn’t bizarre enough.”

“Hermione, no, just listen to me. He...he acted like this was the last time I was going to talk to him. He mentioned something about deatheaters, and said something about Lucius breaking out of Azkaban and making his own society. Draco acted like he came here to say goodbye.”

“What on Earth?”

“I know. He also said to take good care of Ginny. That makes me think that maybe, he means it. Malfoy’s never said anything of the sort to me before.”

“But still, Harry–”

“He also said,” Harry began, his voice cracking once more, “that he never meant for anything to happen to Ron this way, and that he was sorry for what his dad did. That he didn’t hate any of us, and–”

“Look, Daddy! Look!” Chloe had whisked herself to Harry’s side, brandishing a piece of parchment.

Chloe had drawn a picture of a blond haired stick figure holding the hand of a red haired stick figure, the two of them smiling as a black bird sailed over the two of them in the sunlight.

“That’s Aunt Ginny, and that’s Blackie, and that’s Malfy, and–”

“What?” Harry asked, his eyes narrowing at what Chloe had just said. “That’s who?”

“Malfy!”

“Who’s Malfy, Chloe?”

“I don’t know, but he was in my dream last night!”

“He...was?”

“Yes! There was someone crying in a corner and I walked to him, and I said, “Mister, are you okay?” and he looked up and he said, “Who are you?” and I said, “I’m Chloe, who are you?” and he said, “I’m Draklo. Draklo Malfy.” And I said, “Dra-Drae-Draaaaa–” and he said, “You can call me Malfy,” and I said, “Malfy?” and he said, “Or that.” And I said, “Do you need help, mister?” and he said, “No, Chloe, I’m pewfectkly fine,” and I said, “No you aren’t, you’re crying,” and he said, “I am not crying,” and I said, “But then you’re sad,” and he said, “I’m not sad,” and I said, “Why are you crying?” and he said, “Because I lost her,” and I said, “Who did you lose?” and he said, “Ginny” and I said, “Aunt Ginny?” and he said, “Do you know her?” and I said, “Yes, she knows my daddy,” and he said, “Who’s your daddy?” and I said, “Hawee Potta,” and he said, “Oh” and then I woke up!”

“Chloe...” Hermione said slowly, staring at the picture. “What does the picture mean, sweetie?”

“Well,” Chloe began, happily pointing at Ginny and Draco. “They’re in wove, and they’re happy, see? I think Malfy loved Aunt Ginny, Daddy, he was crying and looked so sad about losing her, but I dunno how he lost her. And then Blackie, Blackie’s my birdie, he’s protecting them, see? Because I think they need someone to save them.”

Harry was speechless, before Hermione whispered, “You know, she could see things too.”

“Who?”

“It must have gotten passed down,” Hermione whispered, ignoring Harry. “Genes. Maybe it is a hereditary thing. I never thought...believed...”

“It’s a beautiful picture, Chloe,” Harry said, rather loudly, as he took the picture from Chloe’s eager grasp and ruffling Chloe’s hair rather absentmindedly. “Could you leave me and Hermione alone for a little bit, go upstairs and draw some more pictures or play with–”

“Okay!”

But it was while Harry was staring at the picture and Hermione was muttering under her breath that Dumbledore’s head popped into the fireplace, looking as sullen as he did when he finally confessed to Harry the truth about him and Voldermort.

~-~-~-~-~-~

“Draco Malfoy,” Draco said to the receptionist. “I’m here to see my mother, Narcissa Malfoy?”

“M-Malfoy?” the woman stuttered, suddenly looking terrified at Draco.

“Yes, Malfoy,” Draco replied, exasperately. “Now, may I see my mother?”

“O-of course...just put your wand right here, and f-fill in this information right here..” Draco frowned while he inserted his wand into a holder, grabbing a quill and writing out the necessary information. “She’s in room 2112, but–”

Draco, ignoring the stuttering receptionist, marched down the hallways of St. Mungo’s to see his mother.

~-~-~-~-~-~

“There’s been a breakout, Harry,” Dumbledore whispered. “We need you and Hermione here immediately.”

“Who was it?”

“Lucius Malfoy.”

~-~-~-~-~-~

“Mum,” Draco whispered, opening the door. He saw his mother leaning against a window, her hand pressed up against the glass as she peered outside. “Mum?”

“Draco?” she asked, twirling around to face her son. “Is it...is it really you?”

“Of course.” Narcissa smiled, her once beautiful face aged with sadness.

“It’s been a long time, Draco.”

“I...I know.”

“Of course, I knew that you wouldn’t come here. Couldn’t, darling, come here.”

“Mum–”

“Where’s Lucius, Draco? Where’s my husband?”

“I’m right here, Narcissa.”

~-~-~-~-~-~

Harry swallowed. “What?”

“He’s escaped. We need all the aurors we can get on this case...Harry, I don’t think you understand the importance of this escape. Lucius was rumored to have been planning something. What he was planning we have no idea, but we can safely assume that it isn’t–”

“We’ll be there.”

~-~-~-~-~-~

Draco twirled around, his stormy eyes staring into the eyes he inherited from his father.

“Draco,” Lucius muttered, his tone cold and bitter. “What are you doing here.”

“I came to see you,” Draco whispered, his eyes narrowing.

“See me? See me?! Ha!” Lucius barked, his rancorous smile never reaching his eyes. “How could you have known.”

“You’d be surprised, I’m sure.”

“Oh, but of course. Ickle Draco, the new pet of Dumbledore. A disgrace to the Malfoy name.”

“No, father, that privilege was given to your undoing.” Lucius Malfoy stepped up to Draco and slapped him, a muscle twitching in his left cheek.

“Don’t you ever, ever disgrace my presence ever again, boy,” Lucius spat.

“I did what you told me to do,” Draco muttered, his fists clenching. “Now, you have to keep your side of the bargain.”

“And I will,” Lucius whispered, regaining his composure. “A Malfoy always keeps a promise. Especially to his own...blood. The Weasley won’t be touched.”

“What are you planning on doing, father,” Draco spat, clenching his jaw. “Because whatever it is, you’ll get yours in Hell.”

“I don’t believe such tone is necessary when talking to me,” Lucius said, a sadistic grin spreading across his face. “I am, after all, saving the one thing you care about most. Your dirty mudblood lover.”

“Don’t you ever call her that.”

“But she is one, is she not? How she brainwashed you, grabbed away from your rightful destiny...that bitch would be getting what she deserved...but...as I promised...she will live, unscathed.” Draco nodded, swallowing.

“Now, Draco, I’m glad you’re here. Now’s time for a new bargain.”

“A new bargain?” Lucius crossed the room in four strides and took Narcissa by her throat, yanking her head back and exposing her neck. “What the hell are you doing!”

“Lucius?” Narcissa whispered, her blue eyes wide and fearful. “Lucius, wh-what are you doing...”

“You do what I tell you to do,” Lucius began, slowly, “or I will kill her.”

“Lucius, i-it’s me...you’re wife?” Narcissa muttered, tears streaming down her face. “Narcissa?”

“Shut the fuck up, woman,” Lucius growled.

“Don’t talk to her like that!” Draco exclaimed, swallowing hard. “She–”

“Will be dead unless you comply.” There was a moment’s silence in where only Lucius’ heavy breathing, Narcissa’s quiet sobs, and Draco’s knuckles cracking could be heard.

“Fine.”

~-~-~-~-~-~

reviewing’s good for the soul...

A/N: And no, EW, Trelawny is NOT, I repeat NOOOOT Harry’s deceased wife! EW!

A/N: Trying to get this out real fast, so I’ll thank all my reviewers in my next chapters. Excuse any huge mechanical or grammar errors, sorry!

~-~-~-~-~-~

To Bring You Back

Chapter Four: Memories

~-~-~-~-~-~

Hermione and Harry ran outside and apparated to St. Mungo’s. Taking a deep breathe they ran in, unsurprised to see a mob of aurors mobbing the entrance way.

“Harry, Hermione,” Dumbledore’s voice begged, and the two of them ran over to him. “We require your presence.”

“Yes sir,” Hermione replied. Harry nodded.

“He doesn’t want to see anyone else but the two of you,” Dumbledore said, his eyes sorrowful.

“Who, sir, only wants to see us?” Hermione asked, but Dumbledore disregarded her question. They continued walking down the hallway and soon they stopped outside room 2112.

“Who resides in this room?” Hermione asked, but they all knew the answer. Narcissa Malfoy was forced into the mental ward after raving about her husband.

Dumbledore cast a charm on the door and after turning blue, it opened on its own. The three stepped in carefully before they noticed a man standing at the window, his shoulders rigid.

“Draco?” Hermione asked tentatively, and he turned around, his eyes hollow.

“Mr. Malfoy,” Dumbledore began.

“I’m sorry to say, Dumbledore,” Draco answered, avoiding looking Harry in the eye. “That my mother has escaped.”

“Malfoy, what-” Harry began, but Draco interrupted.

“Please,” he whispered, his eyes clenching shut. “Let me finish.” He swallowed, running his hands on the windowsill gently.

“I’m also sorry to say that I must confess something,” Draco finally said after a few moments. Draco turned around then, peering directly into Harry’s startled green eyes as he muttered, “I killed Ronald Weasley.”

~-~-~-~-~-~

“What’s the meaning of this!” Ginny screamed, running into the Ministry.

“Ginny, dear–”

“I demand to know what the bloody hell this is!” Ginny tried to get around her father but he restrained her, holding her wrists and speaking sternly.

“Harry is in there talking to him right now. Ginny, you have to understand, you can’t talk to him, you’re–”

“Don’t you say ‘You’re just a civilian’ because that’s not all I am! I need to talk to him! I need to know–”

“Go ahead, Gin.” Ginny turned to her left to see Harry walking through a door, the door turning a light blue then fading back to its normal wooden color. “You just have to be granted admission, and then you can go in and talk to him.” Harry’s voice was solemn, his green eyes hooded.

“Harry, he...he’s not really...”

“He says he did,” Harry replied, cutting Ginny off. “Regardless of whether that’s the truth or not, we don’t know. But that’s what he’s claiming.”

“Can’t we just give him veritasem or something? Prove it? I know he didn’t do it, Harry! Draco could never kill someone!”

“Besides the fact that he did.”

“Harry, you know as well as I that–”

“That’s enough,” Mr. Weasley said, laying a hand on Harry’s shoulder. Harry sighed, taking off his glasses and rubbing his eyes. “Just...don’t take too long, otherwise–”

“Thank you,” Ginny muttered, standing on tiptoe to kiss my father on his cheek. Harry tried to give me a small smile, but failed. She appreciated the effort.

After he cast a spell at the door, Ginny opened it cautiously, stepping into the room and closing the door behind her. She heard a series of clicking noises and she realized that the door had locked. Immediately, she saw a figure leaning against the window, his fingers drumming against the windowsill.

“Draco,” she whispered and his fingers stopped their motion, his body turning stiff as he realized who had spoken.

“What are you doing here,” Draco muttered, regaining his drumming. “You aren’t allowed to see me.”

“I got connections,” she replied, taking a step closer.

“I see,” was all he could say. He sighed, leaning his forhead against the cool glass.

“Draco?” Draco didn’t answer, but Ginny knew he was listening. “You didn’t really do it, did you?”

“I said what I said, Weasley,” Draco muttered, and Ginny tensed up at hearing the choice of name he had used. “And I meant every word.”

“You can’t expect me to believe you,” Ginny said, walking up to him.

“My expectations are none of your concern.”

“Why are you doing this?”

“I’m merely telling the truth. Is that a sin now?”

“Just stop it,” she whispered. “Stop lying to me.”

“What makes you think that I’m lying?”

“Because I know you. You...you didn’t do this. You wouldn’t.” Draco laughed.

“Well, obviously you don’t know me too well, do you, Weasley.” Ginny frowned, about to storm out of there and officially name him the bastard he once was when she noticed something peculiar about Draco at that particular moment.

He looked defeated. As if nothing in his life could possibly be worth fighting for. As if he’d given up.

And if Draco Malfoy had ever given up before she would drink one of Ron’s handmade potions.

Ginny stepped up to him then, wrapping her arms around his waist and burying her face into the crook of his shoulder and neck. She felt him tense up under her, but he didn’t turn away.

“Draco,” she whispered. “Don’t do this.” Draco sighed, his body relaxing as he welcomed Ginny’s familiar touch.

“I don’t have a choice,” he whispered, his jaw clenching. He ran his fingers lightly over her arms, sighing as he looked out the window. Ginny remained silent, biding her time before opening her mouth to say something.

“Look, Gin,” Draco said, turning around in her arms. “I have to do this...I’m not asking you to understand, but–”

“Then make me, goddamnit!” Ginny nearly screamed, tears forming in her eyes. “You know what’s going to happen to you? They’re going to give you the Dementor’s Kiss! You’ll...” Tears began to stream down her face as she wiped them away angrily. Sighing, she looked up at Draco’s eyes and saw the defeat, the hopelessness. The love.

Raising her hands, she touched the sides of his face hesitantly. Running her fingers over the smooth skin he closed his eyes, missing the warmth she always shared. Cradling his face in her hands she begged, “Don’t leave me again, Draco...”

His eyes snapped open as he looked at her, her flushed cheeks, her pleading brown eyes.

He leaned down for a kiss, his lips gently touching hers as he tried to lock away into his head the memory of this simple act of love. Suddenly he grabbed her by her arms, pushing her out of his room.

“Draco!” Ginny screamed as she was pushed through the door, the wood turning blue before it faded back into its usual dull gleam. “Draco!” She banged on the portal, sobbing. Harry tried to pull her back but she flew her arms wildly, abandoning all reason. “Draco! Fuck you! Draco!” She sobbed, leaning against the door as tears rained down her cheeks.

“Ginny,” Harry began but Ginny continued to sob, her useless attempts biting into her soul as she realized she might have just lost him forever.

Inside, Draco leaned against the portal, tears staining his cheeks as he pressed his palms on the door. “Please...hate me,” he muttered, shaking his head as tears splattered the ground. “Merlin, Ginny...”

~-~-~-~-~-~

(A/N: in this section, Draco’s going to be experiencing snippets of memories. Every ~-~-~ thing represents a fast-forward or rewind in his life, allright?)

Draco lay down on the cot, frowning and muttering in his sleep. But for once, it wasn’t plagued with nightmares. With memories of torture, of deceit. It was blessed with Ginny.

“What the bloody fuck do you think you’re doing?” Ginny muttered, glaring.

“It wasn’t my choice to be partners, Weasley. Deal with it.”

~-~-~

“Look, Malfoy, um...good job.”

“On what, Weasley?”

“On your game. Against Gryffindor.”

“The one I lost?”

“Yeah.”

“Fuck you.”

~-~-~

“Malfoy...could you even try?”

“Try to what? Be civil? Work with you?”

“Is that too hard for a Malfoy to do?”

“No, it’s just something I don’t find worth my precious time.”

~-~-~

“Malfoy,” Ginny whispered, running her hands over Draco’s wound. He flinched, biting back a groan. “What the bloody hell did you do?”

“Nothing, I–”

“Merlin, Malfoy, you’ve got marks all over you!”

“Get the hell off me.”

“You need medical attention!”

“I don’t bloody need anything, allright?”

“Just shut the hell up, Malfoy, and let me do my job.”

“You’re job?”

“Yeah, my job.”

“Priceless. What, your parent’s couldn’t afford the tuition so they forced their children to put scraps on the table?” She didn’t answer.

~-~-~

“Malfoy...”

“Yeah?”

“You’re not the arrogant bastard I once thought you were. At least, not as much of one.”

“I don’t give a damn for your approval, Weasley.”

~-~-~

“You betrayed your father?”

“What’s it to you.”

“I’m just...surprised, that’s all.”

“What, ‘cause Malfoys are all bastards? I was supposed to be the deatheater, was that it? Were you looking forward to seeing my bloody body sprawled on some battle field while you scurried around, trying to find some victim to save? Well guess what, Weasley, you don’t know bloody anything.”

“I guess I do now.”

~-~-~

“What the hell are you doing, Weasel. You know I don’t like you.”

“But you tolerate me. It’s more than I could ask for.”

~-~-~

“Draco, look at this mess you’ve put yourself in...” Ginny dabbed Draco with a vaccine.

“Who would’ve thought, a Weasley trying to save a Malfoy,” Draco sneered.

“Trying to save? Don’t worry, Malfoy, I’m not going to let you die.”

“You might as well. I don’t have anything to live for anymore.”

“Of course you do. We all have something to hold onto.”

“Obviously you don’t know me.”

~-~-~

“Thanks...Weasley.”

“You’re welcome, Malfoy.”

“No...not for just saving me...you’re the only one I know who actually gives a damn. And as much as that fucking gets on my nerves, I appreciate it. Sometimes.”

“It’s no problem, Malfoy. I’ve always been the one who drags in those helpless abandoned dogs and nurtures them to health. It’s in my blood.”

~-~-~

“Ginny! Get the fuck down!” Draco dove in front of Ginny, knocking her to the ground as the curse hit him instead.

~-~-~

“Why’d you do it?” Ginny asked quietly, brushing the tendrils of hair off of Draco’s face.

“Like you said...we all have something to hold onto.” Ginny smiled. Draco, turning his gaze away from her face quickly said, “I figured your life is going to make a difference. Might as well trade it in for mine, who won’t do a damn thing.”

“You don’t need to prove yourself anymore, Malfoy. You’ve done enough.”

~-~-~

“Look, I know I’m not like Blaise or Pansy, but–”

“Don’t you ever compare yourself to them!” Ginny froze, trying to swallow back tears. “You’re so much better than that. Don’t degrade yourself like that.”

~-~-~

“Draco!” Ginny yelled as she ran after him.

“Get the bloody hell away from me!”

“He doesn’t mean anything to me, okay?”

“Does it really seem like I fucking care? I don’t need any of your excuses, Weasley. I’ve known from the start that you and Potter were destined to be together. You think it’s startling to see it now?”

“Merlin Draco, get it through your bloody head! Harry means nothing to me! At least, not in that way!”

“Then what were you doing snogging him in a dark corner?!”

“He kissed me!”

“Oh, so that makes such a big difference? You didn’t stop him!”

“What am I supposed to do, Draco?! Harry’s like my brother, I can’t just walk away from him like that.”

“So you’ll just snog him and shag him, that it?”

“No!”

“I don’t know what the bloody hell I’m doing talking to you.”

“It’s because you give a damn! Because you fucking care! Admit it!”

“Why would I admit such a thing. I don’t give a damn, especially about a Weasley. You’re sadly mistaken.”

“Well there’s a reason your life is so bloody empty! You don’t let a fucking person in! That isn’t my fault, Draco, that’s yours.”

“Oh, so you’re just go running off to bed Potter. Of course.”

“Merlin, Draco! Would you just shut up for a second?! Don’t you think that maybe, maybe I care about you?”

“Why should you? I don’t expect you to.”

“Fine.” With that, Ginny walked away.

~-~-~

“Hey, Weasley?”

“What the bloody fuck do you want.”

“Do you love me, Weasley? Is that it? Was that what you were trying to tell me yesterday?”

“I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.”

“Just answer the question, Weasley.”

“I’ve already answered it.”

“Merlin, Weasley, do you always have to be this difficult? I’m trying to tell you that I fucking give a damn!”

“You...do?”

“I might. A tad.”

~-~-~

“Look, Draco, I love you, okay? I don’t know why. We haven’t had romance, we’re barely even friends. But–”

“It’s okay, Ginny. I understand.”

“So...do you?”

“Do I what?”

“Love me?” Draco sighed.

“I don’t know.”

~-~-~

“Merlin, Ginny, don’t...”

“What, what am I supposed to do? This isn’t about my life anymore, Draco! This isn’t about pride or honor. It’s about loyalty. I need to do this, I have to fight.”

“No, you–”

“I have to do this for me. For Harry. For my family, Draco.”

“I just don’t want to lose you.”

“There’s a chance I’ll get through this alive.”

“I know, you will live, you’ll–”

“And if I live through this, I want to be able to come back to something.”

“Yeah, I–”

“And I want to know now, in case...in case I do. You know, die.”

“Which you bloody won’t.”

“Do you love me, Draco? Or are you just...am I some prize? Something to hold over Harry’s head?”

“No...never...”

“Then tell me, right now, that you love me. That when I come back, I’ll–”

“I love you.”

~-~-~-~-~-~

“Ginny,” Hermione pleaded, running her fingers through her friend’s hair. “Ginny, don’t.”

“He didn’t kill Ron! He...”

“I know, Ginny, we know.”

“I have to do something.”

“There’s nothing you can do.”

“No...I don’t believe that...”

“Why’d you do it?”

“I don’t believe that at all.”

“Like you said...we all have something to hold onto.”

~-~-~-~-~-~

reviewing’s good for the soul...

Toryn, glad you liked the flashbacks. I do believe that was a stroke of genius myself (I don’t have much of an ego to stroke anyways...)

Emeraldisle, I guess I’ve just had how they met and fell in love planned out in my head. I might just have a prequel or something explaining it, maybe a one-shot of it...what do you guys think? Is it worth it?

Thanks to Violet Jersey, meg, Draca, Mrs_Felton (love the username, lol), dracomio, Momentyne, DarkenedQuasar, sweetazsuga423, hpdancer92, Laura, ???????, Draco’s Gurl, chillycoke123, frecklegirl87, and AnimalLover947 for your supporting comments!

Thanks to all you anonymous reviewers as well!

Just for info, snogging is the equivalent of making out, kissing, etc....doing the less-nasty.

~-~-~-~-~-~

To Bring You Back

Chapter Five: Revelation, part I

~-~-~-~-~-~

(Ginny)

“Harry!” I said, exasperated. “You’re not really going to condemn him!”

“What choice do I have, Ginny?!” was his reply. He sighed, chugging down his coffee as he finished, “Under the code of Merlin we have to.”

“But isn’t there a law that says–”

“I’ve gone through all the laws, Ginny! Don’t you think that I’ve tried everything under my power to try and stop this?”

“Well, obviously that isn’t enough!” Harry gave me a look then, a glare that sent a chill down my spine.

“Don’t you ever...ever say that to me again,” he muttered, clenching his jaw. “If you’re about to imply that I’m letting Malfoy take away the true culprit of Ron’s murder with a shrug of my shoulders, I–”

“I’m sorry, Harry,” I muttered, realizing just what I had just said. “I just...it just...he didn’t do it.”

“Yeah. I know.”

“So, what do we do about it?”

“I’m on my way to Hogwarts,” Harry said, his chair scraping against the floor.

“What for?”

“Snape.”

~-~-~-~-~-~

Hermione stepped into Draco’s room, sighing silently and walking briskly over to him. Draco was sitting at the table, his face rested on his fist while he drummed his fingers over the table top.

“Must you continue to do that,” Hermione snapped. Draco gave a ghost of a smirk, laying his hand palm down on the table. “Thank you.” Draco didn’t reply. Hermione sat down opposite him, taking out a muggle recorder. After making sure there was a new cassette and everything was working perfectly, she pressed a button and a whizzing noise was emitted from the small, black machine.

“What the bloody hell is that,” Draco drawled, his grey eyes narrowing at the recorder. “Some type of muggle contraption?”

“No need to worry, Draco,” Hermione said, tying her hair up into a ponytail as she glared at him. “It doesn’t bite.” Draco shrugged, leaning back in his chair. “We both know why I’m here,” she said after a moment of silence.

“No, please, entertain me and tell me your purpose,” Draco said, smirking as he caught a glimpse at her face.

“Bloody Merlin Malfoy, what in–”

“Let’s just cut this short,” Draco muttered, leaning forward in his chair as his eyes narrowed. “I stand by what I said earlier. I find it pathetic that such a high class auror like yourself is wasting her time to find a contradiction to something I promise you is the truth.”

“Promises or no promises, I don’t believe you.”

“Then what do you believe, hm?” Draco said, beginning to drum his fingers on the table top again. “That my father killed Weasley? Granger, you don’t honestly believe that I would cover up for my father, that piece of worthless shit. Why would I give up my life for that man?”

“Maybe you aren’t giving it up for him,” Hermione retorted, her eyes narrowing at Draco’s words. “Maybe you’re doing it because of something he threatened.”

“Nothing Lucius Malfoy could do would ever scare me,” Draco muttered, looking out the window.

“Oh, yes,” Hermione said, a small smile gracing her lips. “You didn’t leave England because of fear.” Draco froze, his shoulders turning rigid as he turned around to face Hermione.

“What the bloody hell does that mean?”

“I’ve figured it out, Malfoy,” Hermione said, staring right at him. “He threatened to hurt Ginny unless you fled. He didn’t want you here, spoiling his plans. So you fled. Because he knew the one most important thing in your life.” Draco remained silent. “Ginny.”

“You’re mad, Granger.”

“But you had to go and lock him up. The last thing you did before you went to America was to make sure that your father remained in Azkaban to the pitiful day he died. Then, you broke off all connections to your life and fled, finding solitude and a new life in America.”

“You–”

“But it didn’t work out the way you wanted. You knew you couldn’t forget Ginny, but you convinced yourself that living without her knowing she was alive was better than living without her knowing you were the reason for your death. But still you worried. You hadn’t broken off all connections. You made sure that if anything slightly peculiar, anything at all, was happening with Lucius Malfoy you would be the first to know.”

“I–”

“So then, one faithful day you got wind that Lucius Malfoy was planning to escape. You digged a little deeper and realized what his true intentions were. You hurried back to London, in search of your father to put an end to what you feared would happen.”

“My–”

“You tried to find Ginny, tried to explain to her what you had to do. For, of course, being Draco Malfoy, you always had a plan. You knew exactly what was going to happen and exactly what you were going to do.”

“No, I–”

“But you didn’t get to say goodbye. What you hadn’t counted on was Ginny turning her back on you; you thought that she would be positively ecstatic to see you. But luckily for you, Harry Potter was there. You could at least warn him of what could happen.”

“Yes–”

“But your plan didn’t work. While you were visiting your mum to use her for bait, Lucius had already used her to reel you in. You were caught. He threatened you, and here you are, admitting that you killed Ron Weasley. But you really didn’t.”

“Granger, you’re mad.”

“I’m brilliant.”

“What do you expect of me? To say that you’re right? To ‘admit’ that what you’re saying is the truth? Because bloody hell, Granger, you must be one idiotic–”

“No. My plan was to get you to know that someone does know the truth.” Hermione got up then, grabbing her recorder to check that it was working. “Just realize this. Lucius won’t want someone knowing. He’ll come after me, now.”

Draco could only stare as Hermione continued to fiddle with the recorder.

“You’re a bloody imbecile,” he muttered.

Hermione just smiled.

~-~-~-~-~-~

Harry swept onto Hogwarts grounds, his black cloak billowing out behind him as he nearly ran up the steps to the old castle. As he was about to touch the doors he heard a familiar voice.

“Potter,” McGonagall said, her lips pursed. She walked to him, quickly fastening her robes tighter around her waist as the wind threatened to blow it away.

Harry stood still, his green eyes blazing as his raven locks whipped around his face.

“What are you doing here?” McGonagall demanded, sighing. “If you’re here for Hagrid, Harry, he–”

“Actually, Professor McGonagall,” Harry said, smiling. “I’m here to talk to Professor Snape. He’s aware that I’m here. Or will be, shortly.”

“I see, Potter,” McGonagall said, her eyes moving to the village of Hogsmeade. Or what remained of it. “It’s a pity the Three Broomsticks isn’t here anymore, isn’t it.” Harry didn’t answer. “Often I find myself wishing for a warm butterbeer to soothe my nerves. But, of course...”

“I heard Madame Rosmerta saying that business was flourishing quite nicely in Diagon Alley,” Harry replied, his eyes now looking at Hogsmeade as well. “It was quite lucky that she was able to find an open property so fast after the fire.”

“Yes,” McGongall said, her lips pursing once again. “I really do miss Hogsmeade.” Turning back to Harry, she said, “You better go in. Professor Snape was never one who allowed tardies.”

“Yes ma’am.”

~-~-~-~-~-~

“So I’ve been researching the wizarding laws, Malfoy,” Hermione said, tapping the feather end of her quill against her nose as she grinned. “And I’ve found a very interesting case.”

“It’s nice to know how you spend your time, Granger,” Malfoy replied, glaring. “I’m not at all surprised that you spend it all immersed in books. The only true friends you’ve got, aren’t they.” Hermione’s smile faltered as she sighed, looking out the window. Draco, realizing what he had just said, closed his eyes before saying, “Granger, I–”

“That’s what I used to do, you know.” Hermione continued to look out the window, her chin propped up in her hand. “When I was little, I didn’t have any friends. Dolls I found pointless. My grandmum would take me out to the park, where we’d sit next to a tree and she would read me fairy tales and stories of ravishing brave princesses. She loved witches in particular. She thought Merlin was the most fascinating creature.” Her eyes glazed over as Draco listened to Hermione, his stormy eyes unreadable as he listened to her talk. “But one day...one day she died. Heart attack. Those doctors couldn’t do a thing to save her. I had my mind set that day that I would become a doctor, that I wouldn’t let another grandmum die and leave her grandchild alone in the world.” Turning to Draco, she whispered, “Because that’s what I was. Alone. All of a sudden, those books were the only things I had of her. Slowly, I started to forget her. Now, I only remember a few tidbits of her. How she always smelled like peppermints.” Looking down at the table, Draco saw a few tears slide down her cheeks and splash against the wooden top. “I’m an auror. Ironic, isn’t it, that my husband was the one to be killed by a deatheater.” She smiled then, a small laugh coming out of her mouth as she wiped away the few tears running down her cheek. “I don’t even know why I’m saying this. I–”

“It’s okay, Hermione,” Draco said, taking her hand and stroking it with his thumb in lazy circles. “I know.” Hermione’s brown eyes widened before she smiled. Draco and Hermione looked at each other in a sudden realization of understanding.

Hermione, for the first time, realized that maybe she had something in common with Draco Malfoy.

~-~-~-~-~-~

“Potter, you’re late,” Snape said as he saw Harry walk into the dungeons.

“My apologies, sir,” Harry said, taking off his cloak and draping it across his chair.

“I see old habits die hard,” Snape said, sneering. Harry didn’t reply. “So what was it that you desperately needed to see me for.”

“As you probably already know, Draco Malfoy is convicted of the murder of Ronald Weasley,” Harry said, his fists clenching at his sides.

“Yes, I’m aware of that.”

“Well, sir, I’d like to know why the bloody hell he’s making all this up.”

“I’m afraid I can’t answer.”

“Bloody Merlin, you fucking know–”

“Draco Malfoy is not one to act rashly,” Snape interrupted. “Every action he has ever done has been a result of intense analyzation.”

“I’m sure,” Harry sneered, thinking of all the times Draco had spitted out insults.

“Potter,” Snape said, sighing. “Don’t–”

“Don’t you dare tell me to not dwell on the past because you’re living proof that those mistakes happen often.” Snape fell silent, his black eyes glittering as his lips twirled up in a smirk.

“You’re quite right, Potter. Unusual.”

“I know you kept Malfoy updated while he was in America,” Harry said suddenly. Snape shrugged.

“I merely sent owls whenever I felt necessary.”

“That’s not particularly true.” Harry started to pace then, his hands burrowed in his jean pockets. “I know you know more than you let off, Snape, and frankly, it’s starting to piss me off.”

“This is why you were never good at occlumency. Another thing to add to the list of things you could never achieve–”

“Hermione thinks Malfoy is being blackmailed into this by his father.” Stopping his pacing to face Snape, he finished, “And I have a feeling that you know exactly what his father threatened.”

~-~-~-~-~-~

Ginny stepped into the room to see Draco holding Hermione’s hand, their eyes locked as they continued to smile. Frowning she made a clicking sound with her tongue and Draco turned to look at her, paling visibly.

“Ginny.”

“Malfoy.” Hermione turned around, noticing Ginny and sighing. She grabbed her things and wiped away her tears, smiling at Ginny while passing her.

“Take all the time you need, Gin,” she said before she stepped through the door. Ginny watched it turn blue then fade back to its wooden surface. She heard a chair scrape against the floor and she knew Draco had gotten up.

“What are you doing here, Weasley.”

“What were you doing with Hermione?”

“Granger? She was just questioning me.”

“You were holding her hand.”

“She needed comfort.”

“She has us for comfort,” Ginny retorted, twirling around to glare at him. “She definitely doesn’t need your shoulder to cry on.” Draco shrugged. “Don’t you dare take advantage of her, you bastard, she–”

“I don’t have any feelings for Granger, nor do I have any intentions of wooing her,” Draco said, a smirk on his face as he walked towards her. “I could if I wanted, of course.” Ginny snorted. Lowering his eyes to hers he cupped her face, whispering, “The only person I could possibly love is you, Gin.”

“I’m not here for your sweet talk,” Ginny snapped, pushing Draco away.

“Then what are you here for?” Draco replied, smiling lazily at her. “It can’t possibly be because you were in the neighborhood.”

“I wanted to know why you ran away,” Ginny said, raising her chin.

Draco sighed, raking his hands through his silver locks before muttering, “That’s something I can’t tell you.”

“And why the bloody not? You’re going to...die soon, why would it matter?”

“I wouldn’t have left you if I didn’t have to.” Ginny snorted, shaking her head as she crossed her arms across her chest.

“If you didn’t have to? And pray tell, what could scare ickle Drackie away.” Something flickered in Draco’s eyes then. He turned and glared at her, his cold eyes drilling into hers as he clenched his teeth.

“I don’t ask you to understand. If I had my way, I’d have you hate me again. It would make everything so bloody easy.”

“It would make what so bloody easy, Malfoy?” Ginny snapped, glaring back. “Running away?”

“Turning my back on the one thing I care about!” Draco nearly shouted. Regaining his composure, he muttered, “If there’s something I don’t need, it’s you. So just get out. Do yourself a favor and just walk away.” Ginny stood there, silent, as she absorbed his words. Draco sighed, turning away from her and walking to the window as he watched the rain outside. The slight melody of the raindrops was the only sound heard in the room for a few moments, until her deep footsteps echoed across the floor.

“I don’t care if you need me,” Ginny whispered. “I don’t care if you love me, still. I just want to know...” Ginny stopped, trying to find the words. “I just...”

“Ginny,” Draco muttered. “I–”

“Malfoy,” a voice boomed out and Ginny twirled around to see Harry standing in the doorway, Hermione running behind him. “We need to talk.” Ginny turned to look at Draco to see he looked slightly relieved.

“Come into my humble hovel,” Draco muttered, motioning with his hands. “What do you want, Potter.”

“Snape told me everything.” Draco’s smirk disappeared. Instead he frowned, his brow furrowed as he realized just exactly what Harry was saying.

Ginny stood in the middle, her glance turning from Draco to Harry to Draco again. She noticed Harry’s pained expression, Draco’s exhausted one.

“Well then,” Draco croaked out. “I guess we do need to talk.”

~-~-~-~-~-~

A/N: some of my pre-readers were wondering why Hermione exposed her painful past to Draco like that *tries to snap her fingers*. The truth is, that’s sorta based on me. With Ron gone, all her memories of her grandmum resurfaced and she’s having a hard time dealing with all of it. I usually don’t want to burden my friends with my problems if they have to go through the same thing...what ends up happening is I pour my soul out to a near random stranger, and I feel so much better in the end. Hermione just needed someone who wasn’t close to her to listen, and that happened to be Malfoy. In the end, she realized that he went through the same thing too...so it was a mutual understanding sort of thing. I can imagine Hermione doing that; if you guys find that OoC, do tell!

A/N: Pinksunryse, thanks for that exceptionally long review. I love long reviews! Glad to see that you approve. I, like yourself, am also a R/Hr–I really don’t like R/L that much, so any of my readers, don’t expect to see that. I know that ships other than what portkey approves of shouldn’t be included in stories, but that just means that Ron will either be single or his ship I will consider pretty low-key.

Thanks to hpdancer92, sweetazsuga423, Draca, Allie, dracomio, Emeraldisle, Carrots546, Draco’s Gurl, Peanut, meg, Austenlover, toryn (I love spicy Ginny too! And thanks for the long review), Alexandria, momentyne, mereschino (good guess *wink*), Shortcake, princessfab11210, Fiona, lavalamgronsgirl (yeah ff.net!), Rid, AnimalLover947 (thanks for your long review!), Squirtser35, and Pure Evil.

Thanks to anonymous for your reviews as well!

This chapter actually backtracks from the last, but I think it fit better having it after the first part. Hope that you guys agree.

I’m also thinking about making a one-shot of how Ginny and Draco got together...it’s the typical get together story, actually, but I still love the idea of it. You guys would have to wait a while, though, as I’ve also got a novel-length story in the works and I have to finish all of my other short stories too. Most of them are coming to a close, though, so yay!

~-~-~-~-~-~

To Bring You Back

Chapter Six: Revelation, part II

~-~-~-~-~-~

(Harry)

I trudged back to the Burrow, hands in my pockets as the wind ruffled my already messy hair. I sighed. I thought that going to Snape would finally find me some answers...but all I find myself left with are burning questions.

I needed Hermione’s help.

“Hermione?” I called out as I opened the door and walked in, glancing in the mirror. “Hermione? Are you here?”

“Harry, dear?” a voice wafted up from the kitchen. Briskly walking I rounded the corner and saw Mrs. Weasley sitting at the table.

“Hello, Mrs. Weasley.”

“Hermione’s at the ministry, I believe. Or at least talking to poor Mr. Malfoy.”

“Draco Malfoy?”

“Yes. Care for a cup of tea?”

“No, thanks.”

“This house has never been so alone,” Mrs. Weasley muttered, staring into her tea cup. “The only other time it’s been like this is when Arthur and Ron went to America for some convention...Hermione had her hands full at the ministry that weekend.”

“Yeah,” I said, not knowing what else to say.

After a moment of silence she said, “Chloe’s up in Ron’s...in the study.” Smiling up at me, she murmured, “She’ll be happy to see you.”

I smiled back, nodding as I turned towards the stairs. I felt her eyes rest upon me on my way up, a mournful, contemplating glance.

It’s horrible. In one moment, your life can just turn upside down. Often times I find myself still referring to Ron in the present tense, as if he was still alive.

I think it’s my own way of dealing with his death. I haven’t cried about it much...the only times I do are with Hermione, when she crumbles down and needs someone to lean on. I can’t bear to see her like this, so I break down, too. She’s my foundation as well. Without Ron, all we have left is each other.

Ron’s room was turned into a study when the rest of the Weasleys moved out. Due to financial trouble and the fact that Hermione and Ron both knew that they wouldn’t have much use for a home due to their work, Mrs. Weasley offered them a home in the Burrow. They agreed...I think Ron felt an obligation to make sure his mum wouldn’t be lonely.

“Chloe?” I asked as I opened the door. I saw her crouched in Ron’s old chair, her hand working furiously on scattered pieces of parchment.

Chloe turned around, and upon seeing me she screamed, “Daddy!” I smiled as she climbed off the chair and ran towards me, her pudgy arms outstretched. I embraced her in mine, holding her tight while I petted her hair gently. “I missed you, Daddy.”

“I missed you too, Chloe. I’m sorry I haven’t been with you lately.”

“It’s okay. I know. You have to go fix Uncle Ron’s life.” Her face was full of innocence, of pure bliss.

We all need to have a face like this to come home to.

“Come on, I wanna show you something! Look at what I’ve been drawing!” She took my forefinger in her hand and led me to the table, pointing at her pictures. “That one’s of me, and you, and mummy...that one’s of Aunt Hermy and Uncle Ron...that one’s Aunt Ginny, see she’s crying?”

My eyes raked over the pictures, biting my lip as I realized how alone we all looked. Impossible, I told myself, that little Chloe could portray this emotion with mere stick figures and a broken quill. Yet...

“Here, Daddy. This one’s for you.” She took the last drawing and held it up to me, her eyes glittering. I took it gently and smiled at the image, chuckling slightly.

It was a picture of me in Hogwarts, standing with Ron on my left and Hermione on my right. There’s a castle behind us, the lake seen in the corner and Hagrid’s Hut in the other.

“I see you looking at it all the time, Daddy...that pictcha on your beside table.” I ran my fingers gently over the image, trying to hold back tears.

I remembered that day. That was the day we all promised to never drift apart...the morning before our graduation. Hermione began crying, wiping away her tears as she explained that she didn’t want to leave, that this was home. Ron and I had looked at each other helplessly before she brought her arms around our waists, tugging us harshly into a six-armed hug and before we knew it, Ron and I were crying as well.

“Just promise me,” she whispered, “that n-no matter what...we’ll never lose each other, okay?”

“We can’t promise that, Herm,” Ron said gently, trying to smile at her. “You know we can’t.”

“Yes you can,” she said gently, her eyes glancing desperately at ours. “We can die proudly. We can be separated. But we’ll never lose each other...right?”

“I promise,” I whispered, nodding at her. I took her hand in mine, squeezing it gently.

“Me too,” Ron replied, taking her other hand. “I promise.”

We hadn’t lost Ron. But yet, we had. Hermione had wanted to make sure that during the battles with Voldemort, our morals would remain high and we would know we had each other’s support. It’s ironic, really, that Ron would be murdered after everyone believed it to be safe, finally free of evil.

I don’t think that can ever be accomplished.

“Daddy?” Chloe’s voice broke through my cloud of concentration and I blinked fiercely.

“Yes?”

“What’s that on the back?” she asked, pointing.

I turned the piece of parchment over in my hands, startled to find that the back was a letter.

Greasy has warned me of activity. Stay low, don’t owl back for few days. New Address.

Keep a good eye on her.

My eyebrows knitted in concentration as I tried to contemplate what this letter meant. And what was it doing, in Ron’s study? I glanced at Chloe’s other pictures and grabbed them, turning them over to find that they also were letters.

“Chloe, where did you get these?” I asked. She shrugged.

“I was playing with Blackie when I threw her and she hit that,” she replied, pointing at Ron’s book case. “These papers fell down, but they were tied together by rope.”

“How’d you get them out of the rope?”

“I dunno. I just wanted them gone and they suddenly disappeared.”

Amazing. My daughter could already do wandless magic, and she had no idea.

I read the other letters. They all had varying messages, but the last line was always the same.

Keep a good eye on her.

Who had been writing to Ron?

I walked over to the bookcase Chloe had talked about, chanting, “Accio, parchment!” All the papers from the top shelf flew into my hands. Most were blank. But there was one folded up, and blank to the eye.

My auror glance knew better.

I waved my wand and words began to appear on the paper. I immediately recognized it as Ron’s handwriting.

Will be my last. Has escaped, as you already know. Knows about me. Contacted. Will try to keep secret. It has been an honor.

She’s fine. On outside, bitter and hates you. But she still loves you. Maybe think about coming back. Can’t stand to see her cry. Especially over a prat like you.

I clutched this never-sent letter in my fist as I racked my brain, trying to figure out just what exactly this meant.

Suddenly, it all clicked. Everything fell into place. And Ron...

...I knew where to go for some answers. Obviously, he hadn’t told me the truth. Or at least the full truth.

And Snape hadn’t mentioned it, either. Or maybe he just hadn’t known.

“Sorry, Chloe, but Daddy’s gotta go now,” I said, bending down to kiss her on the forehead. I picked up all the letters and stuffed them into the inside of my robes, tucking them in safely.

“Will you be back soon?” she pleaded.

“I’ll try.”

“Tell Mr. Malfy that I say hi,” she said, smiling. “Tell him that I miss him.”

“You...what?”

“He’s been missing from my dreams, Daddy. It’s lonely without him.”

I nodded, frowning as I began to walk back down the stairs. I waved to Mrs. Weasley, who gave me a small nod.

I probably should get Hermione’s approval before rushing into this. But I knew my instincts...I knew what I was thinking, assuming, was right.

Raising my wand, I apparated.

~-~-~-~-~-~

Sorry that chapter was pretty short. Ah well. I think I might just be the Queen of Cliffies. I’m just so evil that way...

A/N: Thanks to Draco’s Gurl, desertstorm, Jenna Kathleen (it just might be H/Hr by the end! Or maybe the epilogue...I dunno, but I’m hoping it ends up that way too, lol.), hpdancer92, ~mrs~draco~malfoy~, Mrs Felton, Anna, pinksunryse (yet another long review! Man, you’re awesome! Chloe’s actually like my widdle sister Rachel...hehe, she just turned 7, she’s so adorable...), Lily Love (glad to get consent from an editor!), lavalampronsgirl (ah, another R/Hr...you guys must go through so much pain being on this site, lol), Austenlover, nymphtonks, chica, and all you anonymous reviewers for your amazingly supporting comments.

This entire story has been in third person, with the exception of the last chapter. Yes, that was meant to be...I dunno, that chapter was more of an out-take than it was a real chapter...well, who cares about what I’m saying! Finally, a new chapter! READ!

~-~-~-~-~-~

To Bring You Back

Chapter Seven: Revelation, part III

~-~-~-~-~-~

“Well then,” Draco croaked out. “I guess we do need to talk.”

Harry nodded, raising his wand and muttering an incantation. The door closed, a startled Hermione stepping further into the room.

“What’re you talking about, Harry?” Ginny whispered, her eyes darting from Draco to Harry. “What–”

Harry silenced her with a look.

“Out with it, Malfoy,” he spat. Enraged, his hands curled into fists and he gritted his teeth; even Draco looked a little scared.

“There’s nothing to tell, Potter, if you told me right.” They stared each other down for a few moments, blazing green and stormy gray.

“Harry–” Hermione tentatively began, but Harry raised a hand.

“Malfoy, Ginny deserves to know.” Draco paled but remained firm, his face set into a pained expression.

“It’s better if she doesn’t.”

“I’m standing right here!” Ginny erupted, turning from Harry to Draco in rage. “You don’t need to talk like–”

“What the hell do you mean, it’s better if she doesn’t?! She deserves to know!” Harry glared at Draco.

“She shouldn’t be burdened with it,” Draco muttered.

“A burden? Yes, Malfoy, truth is a burden–she thinks that you left her! She thinks that you left London because you were leaving her! Do you know how heart broken she was?”

“Well then she knows the truth already, doesn’t she? There’s no reason–”

“That’s not the fucking truth, and you know it!” Ginny’s eyes went wide as Harry made that statement.

“Harry–” Hermione tried again.

“And Hermione! And me! We both deserve to know!” Harry yelled.

“Harry–”

“You two? Why the fucking bloody hell should I tell you two?! What did the two of you do to deserve the truth? The fact that you and her already know it is beyond me–”

“Harry–”

“We deserve to know because we both...wait, what?” Harry stopped talking, blinking uncertainly.

“Harry–” Hermione tried again.

“What what?” Draco sneered.

“You said...what did you say?”

“Harry!” Hermione frowned, narrowing her eyes.

“I shouldn’t need to repeat myself.” Draco gave a bored sigh.

“HARRY JAMES POTTER!” Hermione finally yelled.

“What, Hermione?!” Harry turned to Hermione, exasperated. “What?!”

“I already know!”

“You already know what?”

“About everything!”

“That’s what I was saying, Potter,” Draco explained. “Both you and Granger already know, and I don’t want Ginny knowing, there’s no use–”

“Don’t want me knowing what?” Ginny interrupted. “What is there for me to know?”

“Nothing!” Draco yelled, turning to her.

“Then what’s Harry–”

“Potter is a raving, bloody lunatic! He doesn’t know what he’s talking about!”

“Then tell us, for Merlin’s sake, exactly what I’m missing.” Harry took another step forward, his fist clenching again. “We deserve to know.”

“Why do you think you deserve such an honor?” Draco sneered, mocking Harry as he tried to smirk.

Harry sighed, his green eyes blazing with anger as he muttered, “Because Ron died for it.”

Draco paled, swallowing nervously.

“H-how...you...”

“I went to Ron’s house after my meeting with Snape. But as I was playing with Chloe for a bit, I found something in Ron’s study...a bundle of letters. And I know all of them are from you.”

Harry sighed again, raking his fingers through his unruly hair.

“He...Ron...what did you have to do with Ron?” Hermione asked quietly, her brown eyes brimming with tears.

“Granger–”

“Tell me what the fucking hell you had to do with Ron!” Draco’s eyes slowly moved from Harry’s glaring eyes to Hermione’s desperate ones, and sighing, sat back down at the table.

For a brief moment, Draco’s eyes snapped up to meet Ginny’s, sharing a glance.

“I’ll have to start from the beginning,” Draco muttered, staring now at his hands. His shoulders were rigid, his stormy eyes exhausted. “I fell in love with Ginny...but I wasn’t aware of it then.”

Ginny’s heart leaped–he had loved her! Draco Malfoy had loved her!

But then her eyebrows knitted in confusion–in that case, why had he left her?

“She asked me if I did love her...and I told her no. I thought that it would be impossible for us, and more for my sake...I tried to get out of it. But even then I knew it was too late.”

Hermione nodded attentively, and Harry almost gave out a small laugh at her antics.

“But soon...I realized I couldn’t forget her. Realized what she meant to me. Yet I couldn’t tell her that I loved her.” Ginny pleaded for Draco to look at her but his eyes remained fixed on the floor. “But I told her that...told her I would die for her. That I would do anything to make sure that she could come home. To me, of course.”

Draco sighed, getting up from his chair and pacing the room nervously. He opened his mouth only to close it again–this reoccured nearly six times before he stopped moving and began to talk again.

“Soon...I knew she couldn’t come home to me. I couldn’t be her home...so instead, I decided no matter what would happen, I’d protect her.” Draco took a deep breath, sitting back down at the table and nervously drumming his fingers on the wood. “I went to my father...he was in the final stages of plotting Voldemort’s coming-up offensive. I told him that I would turn him in, give all the secrets I knew, make sure that he died...unless he promised me with Malfoy blood that he would do something.” Draco’s lips twisted up into a small smirk as he remembered. “I made him promise that he wouldn’t hurt Ginny...that nobody would. That she would live past this war, which I was confident the light side would win.” He nodded to Harry then, who, surprised, gave a small nod back.

“But Malfoy–” Hermione began, yet with a look from Harry she closed her mouth and instead looked intently at Draco.

“Father made a Malfoy blood promise. But he said that it wasn’t enough...he said that keeping the Weaslette safe was worth more. He said that I had to leave her...not have any contact with her. So I made a blood promise with him in return....one, that I wouldn’t tell anyone inside the Order any secrets, and two, that I would leave Ginny.” Draco swallowed, shaking his head. “But I found a way around the secrets. Dumbledore helped me with this–I would tell the Order inductees information before they were officially part of the Order. But for Ginny...no matter how much I tried to get around it...there was no way.”

“What do you mean?” Ginny asked quietly.

“Whenever I saw you...my feet went in the opposite direction of its own accord. Whenever I even heard your voice, I had to get away. I left England, Ginny, to leave you, yes...but you have to understand, I only...” Draco broke off, closing his eyes. “A Malfoy blood promise is where we drink a potion with their blood as the main ingredient...it magically bound us to the promise we held with the other.”

“That’s barbaric!” Hermione exploded.

“That it is,” Draco admitted. “But it was the only way to ensure my father’s word...the only way it’s removed is when the other’s promise is broken. That’s how I knew he had escaped...it’s possible to break a blood promise, you know. However painful and difficult...it’s possible. You have to understand, it’s only accomplished in the worst situations of desperation...when this happens, it causes immense pain to both parties. That’s how I knew my father had broken his promise, somehow.”

“Wait,” Hermione intervened. “How could Lucius Malfoy have broken your promise? Ginny hasn’t been touched–”

“That’s true,” Draco interrupted. “But if you remember correctly, the promise said that he wouldn’t hurt Ginny. It never specified how it would hurt her. The thing is, a cut or a scrape wouldn’t be considered hurting her. It would have to be a purposeful, physical wound...or something like a brother’s death. My father purposely killed Weasley, with the intention of hurting Ginny. He knew I would come.”

“But how...what does that have to do with Ron?” Ginny asked. “What did...Why did he–”

“That’s one thing that Snape also doesn’t know.” Draco began pacing again, his eyebrows knitted in concentration. “Snape believed that he was my only correspondent...but that wasn’t true.”

“No...” Hermione whispered, staring horridly at Draco’s pacing figure.

“Weasley also kept in touch.”

“So you killed him? What did he have to do for you?! What did you make him do!” Hermione screamed, fists clenched.

“I didn’t make him do anything,” Draco whispered, but by his stance, Ginny could tell he still felt responsible. “He found out about me quite by accident...I never meant to pull him into this.” Draco looked at Hermione, pleading, begging for her to understand. “Do you recall, about a year go, when Ron went to America?”

“Yes,” Hermione said slowly, frowning as she tried to remember. “He went with Arthur for an inventors convention, I think. But what–”

“He bumped into a young girl while strolling around after the convention. She was on a cell phone, and he heard her say, ‘Sorry, Mr. Malfoy...what were you saying?’”

“So he–”

“He followed her, naturally. Weasley curiousity.” Draco smirked. “She’s...not a witch. Squib, actually. But her family’s been Malfoy servants for generations...my mother was very fond of her. So she was the one I brought with me to America...besides, this way, I knew she wouldn’t mind melting into the muggle society.”

“Who was she?”

“Her name’s Miranda Figg. I think you know her aunt, Potter. Arabella? She used to be my nanny.”

“Where is Miranda?”

“I sent her to Arabella’s house before I came here. She’s probably worried about whether or not I just conveniently dropped her...she doesn’t have a job or education, otherwise.”

“Why didn’t you tell us about her?” Ginny asked. “We would’ve gone and told her or something, I–”

“Because I don’t want her in this,” Draco replied sharply. “She’s just an innocent girl, she doesn’t know anything...I knew if I mentioned her, aurors would be crawling all over her. I don’t want that.”

“A little overprotective?” Ginny muttered, slightly smirking.

“But anyway...he followed her. To my apartment, it seems. Knocked on the door a moment after she walked in. You can imagine my surprise at seeing him.”

“So what happened?”

“Nothing,” Draco replied, shrugging. “He demanded to know what I was doing there. Everything one would imagine an ignorant Weasel to ask.”

“Did you...tell him anything?”

“I had to. What would I do, having him dancing back to London and exclaiming he knew where I was? I had started my fresh life there, I couldn’t just kill myself and start a new identity. It was easy the wizarding way...but killing yourself as a muggle is just too much work. Too complicated. So much bloody paperwork. That’s a way our societies are too well the same.”

“So what did he do?”

“The Weasley actually offered to help me. I declined at first, saying that I didn’t need someone to screw up my perfectly made plans. But...he volunteered something that I couldn’t refuse.”

“And what was that?” Harry asked.

“To give me updates on Ginny,” Draco muttered quietly. “I knew I shouldn’t. I should’ve kept my head up and perform a memory charm...but for some reason...I agreed. To be honest, however, Weasley was in a perfect position to feed me the necessary information. He was an auror, closely related to all the people in high power and was someone that no one would expect me to correspond with.”

“Why didn’t he tell me?” Hermione asked Draco. “I mean, why didn’t...Ron is horrible at keeping secrets...you didn’t do anything, did you?”

“I had to,” Draco said quietly. “We did a blood promise...Ron was very hesitant, for his part. He said that he couldn’t hide something like this from you, Hermione, or you, Harry. Particularly Ginny...but in the end, he agreed. He knew it was the sensible thing to do...”

“What was your promise in return?” Harry asked. Draco smiled in an ironic way.

“That I would never tell you what he hid from you.”

“Then how–”

“Something slipped. I don’t know how...but word of it traveled, and Lucius heard of it in Azkaban. When he managed to escape...he came to the one correspondent he knew could give him information to my whereabouts.”

“Ron,” Hermione whispered.

“Another reason why I came,” Draco muttered. “Ron didn’t let anything else slip...but how Lucius found out about Ron, I don’t know...and I planned to find out.”

“But–”

“Lucius sent word to Weasley. Threatened him...Weasley went out to meet him, Granger. He went of his own free will...and I suppose that my father threatened to kill you if he didn’t tell him where I was, what I was doing, what I was planning.” Draco sighed, raking his fingers through his lengthened hair. “It was enough for Ron to break a blood bond...your safety, Granger, was more important to him than my whereabouts.”

“And then he...killed him...” Hermione muttered, her eyes wide.

“Yeah...” Draco stopped pacing, a sigh racking through his body. “I’m sorry, Granger.”

“You bloody well should be,” she mumbled, hands clasped on her mouth. “Oh Merlin...”

“Hermione,” Ginny said gently as she walked to the woman’s side.

“How could you do this to us,” Hermione said, staring at Draco. “How could you do this to him...put him in that situation? You...you foul, evil...bastard...you...”

“I’ve already apologized,” Draco muttered, his gaze slowly turning cold. “I didn’t force him into it. I don’t owe you anything else.”

The two stared at each other, seemingly sizing each other down.

“Malfoy,” Harry began, giving a wary look at Hermione. “There’s something I don’t understand...”

“Like that’s anything new,” Draco said, still glaring at Hermione.

“Why didn’t you just change your appearance and voice? I mean, why stay Draco Malfoy?” Harry asked, completely ignoring Draco’s taunt.

“I couldn’t,” Draco explained. “By changing myself, I wouldn’t be Draco Malfoy anymore...the blood promise wouldn’t let me. You can’t change anything about yourself that might possibly change the promise. It’s...complicated.”

“Well,” Hermione muttered, rubbing her temples. “You’re free to go, Malfoy.”

“Wh-what?” he stuttered, blinking. “What do you mean?”

“You just confessed to not doing the murder,” she wearily said, conjuring a chair and sitting on it. “So go ahead.”

“I...” Malfoy said, swallowing. “I can’t.”

“What?” Harry asked, unfolding his arms. “What do you mean?”

“My father...he’s...he’s holding my mum hostage,” Draco whispered. “If I...he’ll kill her, Potter. I can’t...she...”

The four of them remained silent, contemplating on what to do. Ginny snuck a glance at Draco to find him staring at her, and they gazed at each other until Hermione spoke.

“Go and find him,” she said. Trying to smile, she whispered, “We won’t let anyone know. I’m sure Dumbledore will agree.” She shared a glance with Harry, who had his eyes narrowed.

“I don’t know, Hermione,” he said. “This goes against everything we–”

“So now you’re going to stop breaking the rules?” she said jokingly, smiling. “Come on, Harry...” Harry sighed, shaking his head.

“For Ron, then,” he said. Looking up to watch Draco, he added, “But the moment you know where he is, you come and get us.”

“You expect me to come and get you bloody aurors?,” Draco said, shaking his head. “No.” Hermione narrowed her eyes, strutting so that she stood a few feet from Draco.

“I will murder this man,” she said, her voice breaking. “I don’t give a damn what you want to do with him.”

Draco sighed, taking a deep breath before putting his hands in his pockets.

“Weasley wouldn’t’ve want you to commit revenge,” he said. “You’re above that, Granger.”

“Maybe I am,” she said, raising her chin defiantly. “But all the same...Harry and I are coming with you. This is as much our problem as it’s yours.”

“No,” Draco said, locking eyes with Hermione. “Weasley wouldn’t have wanted it.”

“How do you know!” she yelled. “He’s not exactly here to raise any objections!”

The room turned deadly silent as Draco stared out the window, a forlorn expression on his face. Shaking his head he muttered, “You’re a stubborn ass, Granger.” As he turned around he added, “Fine. I will alert the two of you when I find him...but don’t expect me to wait around.”

“Fine by me,” Hermione said, waving her wand. A click was heard throughout the room and the door opened. “But hold on, Malfoy. Harry and I have to scan you.”

“Scan me?” Draco asked, frowning.

“Yeah, so that anyone who comes in thinks that they see you sleeping on the bed,” Harry explained, pointing his wand at Draco and moving it from his head to his feet. Then pointing at the bed a jet of pink light jetted out, a mirror image of Draco appearing underneath the blankets.

“We should give you a new face, too,” Hermione said, narrowing her eyes. “Harry? You want to do the honors?”

“Of course,” he said, grinning slightly. Draco swallowed, suddenly wary of whatever Harry was thinking.

“Potter, don’t–”

Harry bit his lip and flushed his wand in Draco’s direction, a jet of yellow shimmer floating out as it surrounded him. The shimmer settled upon his skin, and he felt his skin turn into wax...his closed his eyes as momentary pain erupted when his bones began to remold themselves...in a few moments, although un-Malfoy, Draco opened his eyes.

“Now you can go,” Hermione said, motioning towards the door. “Don’t take too long,” she added, almost smiling at Draco.

He walked to the door, attempting to run his fingers through his delicious golden locks only to find that they had become a dirty brown. As he entered the doorway he stopped, a sudden thought formulating in his head.

“Granger?” he said, turning around.

“Yes?” she answered curtly. “We don’t give a damn if you don’t like your new appearance, Malfoy, there isn’t a way you couldn’t look any better than what you–”

“Weasley sent me a letter,” Draco interrupted, fighting a smile, “in the off-chance case that he bit the dust. He instructed me not to read it...but to give it to you when it happened. It’s with Miranda...in case you want to get it.”

“Thanks, Malfoy,” Hermione said, a distant smile on her lips.

“And Granger?”

“Yes?”

“I...I can see why you married him.” Satisfied at the look on Hermione’s face he walked out, his hands in his pockets, an un-trademark smile on his face.

~-~-~-~-~-~

reviewing’s good for the soul...

That has to be the worst chapter I have written for this entire series. Granted, it was probably the most important, what with all the info I gave out...but all the same, bleh! I hate this chapter! Took me long enough to be half satisfied with it...anyway, D/G fluff should be coming up soon, I think. Don’t expect anything big, but hopefully they’ll be able to kiss a few more times, hm? Anyway, I’ve been so frustrated with this chapter that you’ll probably see loads upon loads of grammar...part of me says that I really need to find a beta, but yeah...

A/N: Thanks to all who reviewed the last chapter! I read all of your reviews, and each make my updating soo much faster...I know, I know, it’s so slow already, how could THIS be fast? But trust me, sometimes it takes way too much to motivate me...and school’s been a beyatch. Hope you enjoy! Sorry about whatever spelling or grammar mistakes there are, I’m trying to get this out as fast as I can!

~-~-~-~-~-~

To Bring You Back

Chapter Eight: Hope

~-~-~-~-~-~

“We shouldn’t be here.”

Harry glanced over at Hermione, taking in the sight of her biting her lip and wringing her hands in nervousness.

“Do you want to go back?”

“Of course not,” she replied, her eyes darting back and forth. “I just...we shouldn’t be here.”

Harry trudged on, the wind rustling leaves into his path. A satisfied crunch rang in his ears as he stepped on each leaf, a tenderness in his walk even he couldn’t understand.

He didn’t want to be here.

Harry sighed, his eyes raising to the familiar street. How he had hated living here...the moments he wished could be erased from his memory, the family he wished he had never met.

“Harry?” Hermione’s soft voice rang from behind him. Harry turned around, startled to see that Hermione was crying.

“Hermione...” he began, frowning.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, wiping her tears away. “I just...well...this brings back memories, that’s all...”

“Yeah,” Harry agreed, taking in a deep breath. “It does.”

“Do you ever...you know...think about them?”

“All the time. It’s ironic, though...I never thought I’d actually care enough to...to think about them, you know?”

Hermione smiled, stepping up to stand shoulder to shoulder with Harry.

“It wasn’t right, how they died,” she whispered, looking up at the house they were standing in front of.

“Yeah. They were...they were okay. In the end, anyway.”

Number 4, Private Drive.

They stood there for a few minutes, Harry’s blazing green eyes staring unblinkingly into the house that occasionally haunted his dreams.

And he thought about the family that had ultimately sacrificed themselves for him.

“Come on, Harry,” Hermione’s tender voice drifted. “Let’s go.”

Harry nodded, giving one last look to the place he once called home before smiling at Hermione and taking her hand.

“Let’s go.”

~-~-~-~-~-~

“Draco.”

The door opened to reveal a pair of twinkling blue eyes, a smirk that Draco hadn’t seen in a long time.

“Blaise,” Draco replied, nodding. Of course Blaise would recognize him, even with this Merlin forsaken disguise on.

“Your eyes are still the same,” she said, opening the door wider to allow Draco passage.

“Glad to know,” he muttered.

“So...” Blaise closed the door, walking towards the den. “What is this I hear about the return of the oh-so-famous Draco Malfoy.”

“I need your help,” Draco muttered, raking a hand through his dirty brown hair.

“What else is new,” she said airily, settling herself on her favorite chair.

“I hear you’re married to Marcus Flint.”

“I guess your ears are still functioning well. Tea?”

“No thanks.”

“Upset, are you?”

“Why would I be?” Draco asked, raising an eyebrow. Blaise smiled.

“Marcus isn’t all that handsome. Nor that great in bed...but he does know how to make a girl scream.”

“Save me the disgusting gossip, Blaise.”

“Yet he’s come from good blood, and my son is a wonderful boy.”

“Any child of yours would be wonderful.” Blaise smiled again, raising from her chair to walk towards Draco.

“I’m sure you would’ve been an excellent husband, Draco,” Blaise whispered, her blue eyes settling themselves deeply into Draco’s gray ones. “And I’m sorry I wasn’t given the chance to partake in such an experience.”

“So am I,” Draco replied truthfully.

“I’m sure,” Blaise said, returning to her calm self. “So what do you need?”

“I need to know where my father is.”

“Your father?” Blaise raised an eyebrow, adding, “What makes you think I know where he is?”

“You might not, but I’m sure Flint does.”

“Ah.” Blaise licked her lips, running fingers through her luscious black mane. “Flint.”

“Blaise,” Draco whispered, his eyes serious, “I need to know.”

Blaise nodded, taking a step closer to Draco as she entwined her arms around his neck. She pressed her body close, turning them so he faced the fireplace.

“He’s waiting for you,” Blaise whispered into his ear. “Please. Don’t go.”

“I have to, Blaise.”

“No, you don’t.” Blaise stepped back, cradling Draco’s face in her hands. “Be selfish. Leave. Escape. We both know you can do it...make another life for yourself. You don’t have to do this. You don’t have to sacrifice yourself...again.”

“I do,” Draco muttered, sighing. “I don’t have a choice. I can’t be selfish.”

Blaise remained silent for a few moments, her eyes roaming his face.

“You really love her, don’t you.”

“I do,” Draco replied. Blaise smiled sadly, stepping backwards again as she adverted her eyes.

“Of course.”

“Blaise,” Draco began tenderly. “It’s not that I don’t love you...you do understand that, don’t you?”

“You don’t need to explain anything to me,” Blaise replied, glancing up at him. “You don’t owe me anything.” Taking a look at his face she shook her head, smiling. “I’m all right, Draco. I’ve got a nice life, a loving son...I don’t regret anything I did. And I’m sure you don’t, either. I understand...”

“Thank you.”

“You have changed though, Draco.” Blaise laughed, shaking her head. “Never did I think I’d see the day...” She looked up, gazing into his eyes as she whispered, “She must be a wonderful person.”

“She is.”

Blaise smiled.

“He’s in France. In our summer vacation home...but don’t even think about going there. Wait until he comes back to England...Lucius was never patient, we both know that. Bait him, Draco. Don’t go fighting blindly. Do what you’re best at, execute your plans with grace. Wait for him to come find you.”

“That could take too long,” Draco said.

“Narcy is fine,” Blaise replied, taking Draco’s hand. “She is. Just play this right, and everything will be fine. I can’t help you any more, Draco...I want to, I wish I could, but I have my son to think of...”

“I know,” Draco said quickly. “I don’t expect anything more from you.”

“So here’s my portion,” Blaise said. “It’s been a week, Draco, since you’ve last talked to your father. It’ll only be a few more days till he’s worked himself up a frenzy. He’ll come back...and that’s when you can do it. That’s when you can finally finish the deed.”

“You’re telling me to kill him.”

Blaise didn’t reply. Instead she walked to the front door and opened it, smiling at Draco.

“Thank you,” he said as he began to walk out.

“Oh, Draco?” Blaise called out as Draco was a few steps from her front door. Draco turned around, raising an eyebrow. “Do make sure I’m invited to your wedding. Alexander hasn’t been able to meet his notorious godfather yet.”

Draco smiled, nodding as he turned to walk away.

Blaise leaned against her doorframe, smiling as well.

It was always good to see a familiar face. And she had missed him so.

“Have hope,” she whispered as Draco seemed to walk out of her life once again.

~-~-~-~-~-~

“Harry, dear!”

“Mrs. Figg.”

“It’s wonderful to see you again,” she said, smiling at him. “And Ms. Hermione Granger! What a surprise!”

“It’s nice seeing you again, Mrs. Figg,” Hermione said, smiling at the old lady.

“What brings the two of you here?”

“We, uh...” Hermione glanced at Harry, who nodded in support. “We needed to talk to someone, actually.”

“Oh?”

“Yes. Um...Miranda. Miranda Figg?” Mrs. Figg’s smile froze, a suspicious look replacing the kind warmth in her eyes.

“Miranda?”

“Yes,” Hermione said, hurriedly continuing. “I need to speak to her...D-Draco Malfoy informed me that she was holding a letter for me, and I–”

“Draco Malfoy?” Mrs. Figg interrupted, blinking. “He told you to come here?”

“Yes.”

“He didn’t really murder Mr. Weasley, did he?”

“No.”

“Ah,” Mrs. Figg said, nodding. “Well...do come on in, the two of you.”

Hermione and Harry stepped into the house, Hermione glancing around warily. Mrs. Figg walked into the kitchen, and the sounds of teapots whistling and spoons clinking could be heard throughout the house.

“Miranda, dear,” Mrs. Figg called up the stairs. “Do come down. You’ve got some company.”

“Company?” a voice filtered from upstairs. “Coming!”

Soft steps could be heard thundering down the stairs and a small face was seen peering around the corner into the kitchen, soft curious eyes scanning the room.

“Miranda, this is Hermione Granger and Harry Potter.”

“Hello,” she said slowly, her eyes darting from Harry to Hermione.

“Hello, Miranda,” Hermione said, stepping up to shake her hand. “It’s a pleasure.”

“The pleasure’s all mine...I think...” The teenage girl stepped up to shake Hermione’s hand, smiling at her sweetly. “You too, Mr. Potter.”

Harry was surprised to find that Miranda’s eyes did not peer up to his forehead. Instead, they gazed into his own, and it was unnerving the gaze Miranda held. Her eyes were unblinking, large, peering defiantly into his own...

“Soo...” Miranda began, her blue eyes staring unblinkingly into Hermione’s. “You’re here for the letter, then?”

“Uuuhrm....” Hermione swiveled around and gave Harry a begging glance, her face slightly flushed.

Suddenly, Miranda greatly resembled ol’ Mad-Eye Moody.

“Yes,” Harry interjected, stepping up to support Hermione. “We are.”

“Of course.” Miranda’s eyes went to Harry’s and peered again into its jaded depths. “I was actually instructed to not allow you to read the contents of this letter.”

“E-excuse me?” Hermione asked. “You...did you, I mean...talk? To, um, Ron?”

“Yes, I did,” Miranda replied, yet her eyes remained on Harry. “He gave me the letter personally and gave me specific instructions. One of them was to give the letter to you and not allow anyone else to read it.”

“What about the others?” Hermione asked tentatively. “Did Ron–”

“I’m not at license to say,” Miranda said airily.

Nope, Harry thought, not Mad-Eye Moody. Miranda’s another living, breathing Luna.

“But I do have to talk to you,” Miranda said to Harry after a moment of silence. “If you’ll come up with me to my bedroom...” Miranda then turned around and walked swiftly up the stairs. Hermione peered at Harry nervously before a piece of parchment swiftly flew to Hermione’s side, a familiar scrawl on the front.

Harry felt it was time to leave. He quickly gave Hermione a reassuring smile and walked up the stairs, taking two at a time to match his long stride. Harry wondered which door he was supposed to walk into.

That question was immediately answered the moment Harry stepped into the hallway. Miranda could be seen sitting on a bed in the room directly to his right; Harry took a deep breath and walked in casually.

“What did you need to talk to me with?” Harry asked. Miranda patted the seat next to her and smiled at Harry.

“Do you think you could close the door and cast a silencing charm before you sit down?” she asked. Harry nodded, although confused. He quietly closed the door and cast a silencing charm, then sat down next to Miranda on the bright red quilt laying elegantly on top of the mattress.

“I have a letter for you as well,” Miranda said, nodding as a piece of parchment drifted towards him. “Ron bewitched all his letters to find their readers the moment they came to see me. He trusted the two of you would find out, somehow. But before you read it...” Miranda sighed, closing her blue eyes momentarily as her shoulders drooped slightly. “Is Master Malfoy all right? I mean, he isn’t convicted, is he? I’ll be returning to America with him soon, won’t I?”

“Well...” Harry ran fingers through his hair, pondering on how to respond. “I don’t know if he’ll be going back...”

“Is it the girl?” Harry’s hand froze. “Virginia Weasley?”

“Uh...well...”

“He really loves her,” Miranda plowed on, ignoring Harry’s continual lack of words. “He has a framed photograph of her on his bedside table...he refused to visit Virginia, where his great-great-grandfather lives...on his mum’s side, anyway...it all makes sense.”

“Ahhuh...” Harry nodded. A photograph and ignorance of a vacation. Yes. Sure signs that a Malfoy loved someone.

“Wasn’t she engaged to you?”

Harry was speechless.

“I read about it in one of Aunty Figg’s letters, almost a year ago...she mentioned it in passing...it broke off suddenly, didn’t it?”

“W-well...”

“It was because of Master Malfoy, wasn’t it?”

“I...”

“She still loves him, right?”

“Um...”

“And you still love someone too, don’t you.”

“Wha?”

Now Harry was unnerved. Miranda smiled, her blue eyes twinkling mischievously.

“You’re so easy to read,” she said simply. Noticing the shocked expression on Harry’s face she laughed. “I’m not a full squib. I can’t do real magic, with a wand and everything...but I can read minds. Not the type that reads memories...I can see emotions. It’s like seeing auras, you know?”

“Oh.”

Now Harry was completely speechless.

“So tell me more about this Virginia Weasley.”

“W-well...I...”

“Or, rather, what happened between the two of you.”

“I don’t know...I guess she was trying to break away from what she didn’t want to feel...this was after I confessed I loved her...”

Harry had no idea why he was revealing all these feelings to this near-stranger. But there was something that made him want to open his mouth, made him want to say the truth.

It could have been Miranda’s powers, yes.

Or it could just be Harry being human. The fact that feelings can’t bottle themselves up for too long.

“Ginny...she still loved Malfoy, even after he left her and everything. I guess she managed to convince herself that she loved me instead...”

“Then what happened?” Miranda asked, a small smile on her face.

“It was our wedding rehearsal. I don’t know if you’ve ever been in one...but the final rehearsal, it just felt like...like it was the real thing. I saw her walking down that aisle, you know...absolutely radiating, her face slightly flushed, that smile...but when it came to the vows, she looked me in the eye and said, ‘I take thee, Draco Malfoy’...”

“Ouch.”

“Yeah.”

“There’s someone for you too, you know. I can tell.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah...you love someone. You just don’t know it yet...”

“Do I?” Both Harry and Miranda were shocked to see his harsh tone was full of bitterness.

“I’m sorry...I...well...I didn’t mean to upset you..”

“No, I’m sorry...I guess I’m just a little unnerved, still...”

The letter Ron had written for Harry was prodding his leg, hovered in midair. Harry bent over and opened it with his fingers. Miranda watched Harry’s eyes scan the page, and a few moments later, smiled as Ron’s warning came true.

Harry Potter promptly fainted.

~-~-~-~-~-~

reviewing’s good for the soul...

A/N: This story’s almost over! So sorry that it took so long to get it out...in any case, the whole “I take thee, Draco Malfoy..” is from Friends. Ha, Ross and Rachel! And the Dursely mention won’t be explained later on...it isn’t even fully developed in my head, actually, but I always liked the idea of the Dursleys existing for something than to torture poor, widdle Harry.

I’ve got another H/Hr AU fic in the works...but I’ll only start it once I finish this. Which should happen soon. I hope, anyway!

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.

~-~-~-~-~-~

To Bring You Back

Chapter Nine: To Bring You Back

~-~-~-~-~-~

“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.”

~-~-~-~-~-~

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.

~-~-~-~-~-~

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

~-~-~-~-~-~

reviewing’s good for the soul...

A/N: I’m thinking about an epilogue but for now, consider the story finished. Hope you enjoyed.