Black, White, and In-Between

Author: Golden6Girl

Rating: R

Summary: Ginny Weasley has been taken captive by Death Eaters, and Draco Malfoy is her only hope for escape. Will she be able to remind him of his former humanity, or is the Slytherin prince to far gone to be redeemed?

Disclaimer: Nothing in the Harry Potter world belongs to me. J.K. Rowling owns it all!

A/N: I was never a Draco/Ginny shipper until I started reading the fanfiction, and let me tell you, this pairing is steamy! And extremely angsty... the best kind. Anyway, my take on Draco in this story is very different from most. He is not the smirky, taunting boy he once was, because he has had to distance himself from emotions in order to deal with the hand he has been dealt. You'll see what I mean. This is a one-part story. Enjoy!



Black, White, and In-Between

The most peculiar thoughts seem to enter a person's mind when that person is overcome with fear.

As Ginny Weasley was pulled unceremoniously by her hair through the ornately decorated French doors of the mansion, her attention was drawn to the tiled floor, which had just been stained by her blood. She wondered about the unfortunate creature that would be assigned the job of wiping her blood from the floor.

Any self respecting wizard who owned a house of such grandeur would most certainly have in their employment a number of house-elves... would they be forced to bleach out the stains on the carpet...? Would they feel concern for the person who had created the mess in the first place, or would they simply curse her for creating more work for them? Did it actually cross their minds that an innocent person had been gagged, beaten, and hauled carelessly across the polished floor? What would Hermione say if she knew that such vile responsibilities were required of the elves of this particular house?

Ginny was vaguely aware of the change in her surroundings as her glazed, unfocused eyes swept from side to side. The rooms that she had first been led through had been spacious and impeccable, but the hall through which she was now being pulled was narrow and cold, smelling suspiciously like dust, sweat, and some other odor that was wholly unfamiliar to her senses

They soon entered a small room that was even colder and dirtier than the hall had been, and Ginny yelped in pain as a large hand grasped her hair and yanked it- hard. Ginny's head was jerked up in a rather awkward fashion, so that she was now looking directly into the faces of half-a-dozen Death Eaters... or rather, looking up into the masks that successfully covered their cowardly faces.

The rough hand that had settled itself in her hair now made its way to her back, shoving her forward so that she was stationed in the center of the room. She sank down onto her knees, too weak to stand. The foremost of the Death Eaters, the one who apparently fancied himself the leader of the group, took a step forward, then sank down to her level so that he was looking her in the eye.

"Miss Weasley," he sneered. "It is such a pleasure to have you in my home. I do hope your stay will be comfortable." Ginny stiffened, recognizing the voice immediately. Lucius Malfoy.

Lucius reached out a hand to brush her hair out of her eyes, then ran one long finger down her bloodied cheek, before finally settling under her chin, tilting it upward. "I hope you will forgive my rudeness, Miss Weasley, in not extending a proper invitation. It's just that we couldn't risk the chance that you might decline our offer, and your presence is so very valuable to us."

As he spoke, Ginny vaguely noticed the other Death Eaters closing in around her, forming a tight circle that would be impossible to penetrate. She was going to die there. Barely eighteen years old, and her life was going to end at the hands of the scum of the wizarding world.

Didn't she deserve better? Ahh, but didn't Justin's mum deserve better? Or how about Dennis Creevey and his parents? They weren't spared from a merciless end...what makes you think you'll be an exception?

Sounds of heavy breathing were now emanating from the men, making Ginny sick to her stomach. She prayed silently that she would not be humiliated further by vomiting all over the grimy floor.

Despite the apparent hopelessness of the situation, Ginny felt her fear slowly dissolve to make way for a new, stronger emotion... anger. Wiping her sweaty read curls from her face, she glared up at Lucius, seething at his arrogance.

"I won't be telling you a bloody thing about Harry Potter. You're wasting your bloody time!" she spat, chest heaving.

To her chagrin, the slimy dog didn't even have the decency to appear affronted by her venomous words. Instead, Lucius merely laughed. Ginny was shocked when he slowly reached toward his face and pulled off the Death Eater mask, tossing it carelessly to the side.

As though they had been waiting for a signal from their leader, the rest of the masked men followed in suit, all tossing their masks to the side, revealing leering, predatory expressions. Ginny's eyes traveled slowly back to Lucius's icy blue ones, and she felt her insides freeze with fear as he leaned forward to whisper softly in her ear.

"I was hoping you'd say that. You see, my dear, it wouldn't be nearly as much fun for you to simply tell us what we want to know. In all honesty, I was hoping to coax it out of you."

He pulled back for a moment, allowing his eyes to travel the length of her body, before rising back up to her face. "Wouldn't want you to go to waste," he murmured. At that moment, the door to their chamber swung open, and three more Death Eaters entered the room, all laughing merrily as though sharing some light-hearted joke between them.

Lucius turned toward them, annoyed at the interruption. "Did you do what I asked?" he demanded coldly, and the other three quieted at once. "Is the location secure?"

Ginny wondered vaguely what location he was referring to, but her thoughts were soon elsewhere. As two of the men began to converse with Lucius, she noticed that one of the three was silent and staring.

There was shock and fear and pain in his grey eyes. And then it was gone, vanishing so quickly that Ginny thought she might have imagined it. The slender, grey-eyed man was now the only one in the room with his mask still in place, and as he removed it, Ginny felt her heart freeze in her chest.

Draco Malfoy stared back at her, his expression distant and impassive...his eyes cold.

After a pause, in which many of the Death Eaters had observed the silent exchange between the two young people, one of them men cleared his throat to get his leader's attention. "What should we do with the little bint?" he asked, his dark eyes cruel and unfeeling.

"Let's tie her up... have some fun with her," another suggested, reaching toward her face. Just before his finger was able to graze her swollen cheek, Ginny lunged forward in an attempt to bite his finger off, missing by mere centimeters.

The others hooted and hollered gleefully as the man glared at her with a menacing expression, before backhanding her across the face with a grunt. Tears of pain and humiliation stung Ginny's eyes as she was hauled to her feet by two gorillas; the cruel, mocking laughter of the Death Eaters still ringing in her ears.

As she was hauled bodily from the room, she caught Malfoy's piercing gaze, and she pleaded silently for him to help her, to show her that he could still feel human compassion. Don't you feel anything? Are you even human anymore?

As questions from the past echoed tauntingly in her head, Ginny allowed herself to be dragged into an adjoining room and tossed inside some form of a cage, metal bars and all. It was a living space unfit for vermin, let alone for a young girl.

But despite her fear, pain, and anger, there was the tiniest sliver of hope in Ginny's heart. Maybe, just maybe, he hadn't forgotten. If only she could get through to him, remind him what he had been to her... what they had been to each other.

Maybe she could make him remember what it was to feel. After all, she had done it once before...

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One year and nine months earlier...

He refused to look at her. There he was, at the very same table as she in the Great Hall, and he had the gall to pretend she didn't even exist. Ginny wanted to lash out, to scream, to throw something at him (preferably something heavy), just to get his attention.

She probably should have been grateful for his silence. Since the start of her sixth year, he had been nothing but nasty to her: insulting her family, belittling her friends, mocking her for being at Harry Potter's beck-and- call.

It was ironic, really, that he should mock her for having feelings for Harry Potter when he was the reason that she no longer did. Each time Draco cut her down, it was like a knife to the gut... but the silence was even worse. The silence fed a deep, raw ache in the pit of her stomach.

When the new school year had begun, his taunts had followed her everywhere... but she knew it was just for show. He was trying to fool everyone around them, including himself. But something had changed in the last couple of months. He no longer felt the need to cut her down because he no longer seemed to feel anything at all.

It scared Ginny. Deeply.

Whatever had been happening to him over the last few months had apparently rid him of his last shred of humanity. He rarely taunted anyone, the fabulous trio included, because he no longer seemed care what anyone thought. He seemed to exist solely for Lucius Malfoy's bidding.

Sometimes, when she was asleep and at her most vulnerable, Ginny would fall into dreams of she and Draco... ones that evoked memories she had been trying to escape from for the past six months. She often found herself waking in a cold sweat, her entire body trembling with emotion.

It was cruel that she should be constantly reminded of how his fingers felt upon her skin. She could once again hear his whispered promises, and see the way his beautiful grey crinkled in the corners when he smiled. It was a sight that she doubted few besides herself had ever seen.

Despite the complications that their secret relationship had aroused, the year that Ginny had spent with Malfoy had meant everything to her. But summer had crept upon them, and Ginny was forced to stand by helplessly as everything they had created was destroyed. She had never fancied herself naïve, but the day his letter arrived at the Burrow, Ginny cursed herself for being such a stupid, silly little girl. It was over.

She felt Hermione nudging her, and she turned to face the other girl, whose eyes were narrowed in suspicion.

"I'm surprised that Malfoy is staying at Hogwarts for the holiday," Hermione confided, her tone laced with bitterness. "Death Eaters always save the most important attacks for Christmas... surely Malfoy wouldn't want to miss the festivities?"

Ron looked up at them from across the table and nodded his agreement, sneaking a suspicious look of his own at the blond boy a few seats down.

"We don't know for sure that he's a Death Eater," Ginny muttered, half for her friend's benefit, half for her own.

"Surely you don't believe that, Gin," Ron scoffed. "Everyone knows that the little ferret joined the ranks. Hell, Seamus actually witnessed the wanker bragging about his role in an attack on a muggle family. Not a single student in this school doubts that Malfoy has followed in his daddy's footsteps."

Hermione nodded, leaning in close as though she were planning to divulge an important secret.

"When Malfoy passed by Colin in the Great Hall last week, after Colin had received word about his family, I saw Malfoy smile. Colin was crying and the slimy git was actually enjoying his pain!"

Ginny allowed herself a moment to absorb this disturbing new information, her heart heavier than it had been in weeks.

At that moment, as though he could sense precisely who and what they were talking about, Draco turned toward the three of them. He gave them a cold, arrogant nod, and pushed himself up from the table, heading toward the entrance to the Great Hall.

It was then that something inside Ginny snapped. After all that they had been through, after all they had said to each other, she refused to accept gossip and rumors as truths. She had to find out for herself. From him. Ignoring the shocked looks on Hermione and Ron's faces, Ginny jumped up from the table, intent on running after him.

"Gin? What are you...?" Ron called after her as she sprinted from the table, but she didn't slow down. She knew what she had to do, and damn the consequences of her reckless actions.

Ginny sprinted out of the Great Hall, glancing around for some sign of where Malfoy had hurried off to. Deciding the dungeons were a good place to start, she slowed her pace so as not to arouse any suspicion, and began walking brusquely in the direction of the Slytherin common room.

Malfoy was just a ways ahead of her, about to encounter the painting guarding the entrance, when Ginny called out to him.

Draco froze, but did not turn around. "What are you doing here, Weasley?" he demanded, still not looking at her. Ginny slowed down to catch her breath, unsure of whether or not it was a good idea to approach him. She hadn't been alone with him since before the summer, and already his proximity was giving her butterflies.

"I need to talk to you," she said quietly, and he finally turned to face her. He let out a short, violent laugh that resembled a bark.

"I don't have anything to say to you. Go back to your little Gryffindor friends and leave me the hell alone."

Months ago, a remark like this one from Draco's mouth would have felt like a punch in the gut, but Ginny was long used to him being cold to her. The pain of his rejection had dulled significantly over time, and she would not allow him to dismiss her so easily.

"I'm not leaving until I get some answers. You owe me at least that," she responded, trying to keep her voice even.

Draco didn't reply. Instead, he uttered the word "Billiwig", causing the portrait door to swing open. Ginny's blood boiled as he stepped through without a backward glance. Oh no you don't! After Draco had entered the Slytherin common room, he turned in surprise to see that Ginny was right behind him.

"What the hell..." he sputtered, looking surprised at her boldness.

"I wasn't done yet!" she exclaimed, flipping her long ginger hair over her shoulder indignantly. "I need to know some things and you're bloody well going to tell me." Draco expression instantly frosted over. Ginny could actually see his eyes hardening right in front of her.

"Who the fuck gave you the right to order me around?" he demanded, his eyes flashing angrily. "I don't take orders from little red-headed chits, or haven't you heard?"

"Why give me a warning?" she challenged him, refusing to back down.

"Gryffindors are notoriously stupid. Consider it a gesture of pity." He turned away from her then, intent on ending this conversation by heading toward his room.

"Did you help kill Colin's family?"

The question was spoken quietly, but it had the desired effect. Draco paused, his hands clenching into fists. "And why the bloody hell would I tell you that?" he asked her.

"Because you owe me an answer. Because I gave you a year of my life without asking for anything in return." She waited while he absorbed her response, fully expecting to be rebuffed again.

"No," he muttered almost inaudibly, gazing at the wall.

"What?"

"I said no!" Draco shoved his hands into his pockets, looking down at his shoes, toward the fire, at the staircase...everywhere but her face. "But I have done...things. To people. That was what you wanted to know, wasn't it?" He was looking at her now, his stance uncomfortable and his expression uncertain. But Ginny was distracted by his eyes. No matter what his body language might convey, his eyes told the truth. They were empty. Uncaring. Cold.

"What the hell did they do to you?" she whispered, her voice catching as tears sprang to her eyes. Draco watched her silently as she wiped the tears angrily with the back of her hand, disgusted with herself for showing such weakness.

"I did, you know." His voice startled her, and she looked up, unsure of his meaning.

"Did what?"

"Care about you. Isn't that also what you came to find out?" Ginny's breath caught in her throat. Those were the last words she had expected him to utter.

"And now?" She knew she was only asking for pain, but the question slipped from her mouth before she could tuck it back away in the dark recesses of her mind.

"I don't," he said simply, shrugging his shoulders. Ginny regarded him warily, her chest painfully tight.

"I don't believe you."

"Believe what you want, Weasley. I don't have time for this." He ran a hand through his hair and turned away from her once more.

Under any other circumstance, Ginny would have accepted defeat and walked away, scolding herself for being so pathetic. But she was determined. That expressionless face and those cold, unfeeling eyes had haunted her for too long. She was going to remind him what it was to feel. Even if it killed her.

She barged into his room, noting vaguely that it was the first time she had ever been inside. Draco used to beg her to shirk of class and come down to his room during the afternoons, and she would always refuse, though sorely tempted. How ironic that the first time she was to actually step over that threshold would be a time when she was determined to stay, but Draco wanted her to bugger off.

"Do you remember telling me how much you wished you could defy your father?" Ginny asked him rashly, though not unkindly. "Or when you told me how badly you wanted to stay with me and forget that the world existed?" Draco turned to her with a snarl, fury evident in his eyes. Good. If he's angry, then he's actually human. "I risked everything for you! I comforted you, and you used me!"

"What do you bloody want from me?" Draco demanded. "Are you trying to tell me that you would have wanted to be with me, knowing what I have become? Every belief I have is against every bloody thing you and your family stand for!"

"Don't say it like that!"

"Like what?"

"Like you're so much better than me!"

"Well I am!"

The two young people seethed in silence, glaring at each other from across Draco's room. It was at least a minute before Ginny opened her mouth again.

"Don't you feel anything? Are you even human anymore?" The questions came pouring from her mouth. "You've taken people's lives away...you've destroyed the families of some of my friends. People I love and care about." Draco gave her a humorlous smile.

"You just don't get it, do you Weasley? I'm so much stronger now. I've learned to separate emotion from everything I do. Emotion is weakness."

Ginny trembled as he spoke, unable to believe what she was hearing.

"How can I feel remorse when I no longer feel anything at all?" The vulnerable look in his face was gone now, the anger dissolving. She was losing him. Not now...not when I'm so close to my goal! Ginny ignored his question, choosing instead to walk casually over to his bed and sit down, disregarding the surprised look on his face. She gave him a sarcastic smile that he did not return.

"You say you don't feel anymore..." her voice was mocking, something that Draco noticed in irritation but chose to ignore.

"Well then, I expect you won't mind my confessing a little secret.... I've just been dying to tell someone the good news." She leaned forward with an expression resembling that of Hermione when she was ready to divulge scandalous information "It's just that the most incredible thing happened this summer." Draco regarded her wearily. What was she getting at?

"Harry and I shared our first kiss."

Draco froze. The look on his face told her everything.

"I must admit, I never thought he would come around. But then one night at the Burrow, we were sitting on my bed, and he asked me if I would mind if-"

"Shut up," Draco muttered, but Ginny continued as though she hadn't heard him.

"It was so sweet and gentle... he seemed to know exactly what I needed. Like he could read my mind. And he asked if he could do it again, so I leaned in close—"

"I said shut your mouth and get the hell out of my room!" Draco thundered, punching the wall with his fist. Hard. But Ginny wasn't giving him an easy out. She crossed over to him and got in his face, letting him know she wasn't going to back down until he gave her what she wanted.

"I let him touch me, you know," she murmured, staring up into his grey eyes and enjoying the pain she saw there. Good, let him feel the anguish that she had been feeling for the past six months. Let him know what it was to ache. "At least Harry is man enough to take what he wants. He doesn't have to wait for orders before he can act." And with that, Draco's façade came crumbling down.

In his rage, Draco grasped a lamp that was resting on his desk and hurled it across the room, causing Ginny to gasp in fright. Suddenly, he had her pinned against his door, his hands posed on either side of her head, trapping her. "What's the matter little girl?" Draco sneered, his soft blond hair falling into his eyes. "You wanted to wake the beast... well, here he is."

Ginny's eyes widened as she realized what a dangerous situation she had put herself in. Draco was the only one from Slytherin House who had stayed for the holidays, and if the scene was to continue as it had begun, no one would be able to hear her screams.

To her horror, Ginny felt tears welling in her eyes as she realized the real reason for following him to his room, and before she could stop herself, the truth began spilling from her traitorous lips.

"I just wanted to bring you back to me," she admitted softly, although it hurt her to hear the words aloud. "I know you're in there somewhere, Draco, and I'm not ready to give up on you." He looked almost surprised by her admission.

"Is that right? You liked it better when I lived to taunt your friends and family?" The attitude was back, but despite his proximity, Draco remained distant. "You want me to tell you that your parents are the sorriest excuses for wizards I've ever seen?" Ginny felt her blood begin to boil.

"How about I tell you that your brothers aren't fit to kiss the ground the Malfoys walk on?" He leaned close, grey eyes searching dark brown ones. "Should I warn you that that mudblood Granger is going to get what's coming to her, and that I pray daily that I will be fortunate enough to watch—"

"You horrible bastard!" Ginny shouted, all her pent up resentment from the past few months boiling to the surface. Draco looked at her coolly, but she could see in his eyes that he was as shaken up as she was.

"Better a bastard than Potter's whore," was his reply.

A cry of rage escaped from Ginny as she lashed out at him, hitting him as hard as could. It was only a matter of seconds before Draco gripped her wrists firmly with both hands, pushing her back against the door, the doorknob jabbing painfully into Ginny's back. She struggled against him but it was useless. He now held both wrists in one hand, and he pushed them against the door, above her head. The other hand came to rest on her exposed stomach.

The angry retort lodged in Ginny's throat as she felt Draco's cool fingers on her bare skin. It had been far too long since he had touched her like this. She wanted to scream at him. To make him pay for the misery he had caused. He didn't deserve to be standing before her, touching her softly, looking at her as though he was seeing her for the very first time. But despite her anger, Ginny was rooted to the spot, her heart pounding painfully in her chest.

Draco's eyes were wide, his breathing erratic, and Ginny was sure that own breaths were just as irregular. She unwillingly found herself searching out his eyes, and she was shocked to find an array of emotions stirring within them. He leaned in toward her, his breath hot against her ear.

"You said you wanted me to feel, didn't you?" he whispered enticingly as his hand began to travel. It crept upward across her stomach and found its way under her jumper, taking its time. In the deepest part of her mind, Ginny knew she should still his movements. He didn't deserve to be touching her. But her body screamed for his hand's attention. She needed him so badly she could have cried.

His searching hand eventually found her breast, giving it the attention it so desperately craved, and it was not long before his other hand founds its way onto her skin. It hardly mattered that Ginny's arms were no longer held prisoner above her head, because she couldn't have forced them to move even if she wanted to.

Ginny didn't say a word as he caressed her, but she knew the noises she was making were encouraging him. As his fingers left her flesh, Ginny cried out from the loss of contact, but Draco shushed her softly, resting his forehead against her own. He placed one of his hands on the back of her head, threading his fingers through her hair, while the other slid back down her flat stomach, heading southward.

And then he began to touch her in a way she had only dreamed about up till this moment, and it sent electric currents throughout her willing body. She rested her head against Draco's shoulder as his talented fingers explored her in the most intimate way possible. She bit her lip to keep from crying out, tears pooling in her eyes as the Slytherin prince brought her to the brink of insanity.

"Has Potter ever felt you like this?" Draco demanded softly, his lips brushing her ear. "Did Potter touch you the way I'm touching you now?" Ginny shook her head, her body trembling. She could have sworn she saw his trademark smirk reappear... but only for a moment.

Too soon, Draco stilled his ministrations. There was a look of wonder in his eyes as he gazed at the woman front of him. It had been so long since he had been able to watch her, to allow his greedy eyes to drink in the sight of her. He took her in, his eyes traveling across her eyes, her nose, her mouth. How had he managed to convince himself that not touching her was the best thing for both of them?

Ginny blushed as Draco's eyes roamed her face, feeling more embarrassed by his scrutiny that by their little escapade only moments before. She reached up slowly, noting the uncertainty upon his face, and threaded her fingers into his soft hair. She stepped toward him, tilting her face upward, but at the last moment, Draco wrenched himself out of her grasp and took a step back.

Ginny's heart almost broke at his reaction, but she found herself understanding his sudden timidity. She took another step forward, gauging his reaction, and when he did not pull away, Ginny reached toward him, grasping the thin material of his shirt in her hand. Her heart pounding in anticipation, she lifted Draco's shirt over his head, then let it fall to the ground beside them. Good lord, he was beautiful.

Even though it had been so long since they had been alone together, Ginny felt her shyness evaporate almost instantly.

She placed her fingers on his well-defined chest, exploring. She was even bold enough to place a few kisses on his bare flesh, enjoying herself immensely when Draco hissed in response. It was not long before he began to help her with her own clothing, and she soon found her way onto his bed, pulling his body down on top hers.

Draco gazed down into her face, fanning his thumb across her cheek, his gentle caresses wearing heavily on Ginny's restraint. She finally pushed herself off the bed, just slightly, in order to kiss his cheek, then the corner of his mouth, and finally, she brushed a chaste kiss across his lips. Then she pulled back, waiting to see how he would react. She could feel his heart pounding against her chest as he braced his hands on either side of her, and for one horrible moment, Ginny thought he was going to push himself off her and leave her cold.

But then his mouth descended upon hers in a bruising kiss, and all thoughts were lost in a haze of desire and need. Part of Ginny wanted to prolong their joining as long as possible, but a stronger part of her needed to feel him inside of her immediately. Not long after they became reacquainted with one another's bodies, Draco broke through her final barrier, and they were one. His body coaxed hers into mindless oblivion and they came together, crying out each other's names with complete abandon.

Afterward, they slept fitfully. Their bodies were facing one another, but their arms were resting safely at their sides. It seemed far too intimate, Ginny admitted, considering who they were and what the morning would bring. So I'm free to fuck my enemy, but cuddling is out of the question? Ginny had never been more confused in her life, but she knew she had no one to blame but herself.

A few hours later, she awoke to find Draco staring at her, a strange light in his pale eyes. She wanted to smile at him, but her heart was too heavy.

"You should go. It'll be daylight in a few hours." There it was again. The agonizing pain of a knife twisting in her heart. But he was right. She had risked enough going after him in the first place...what would her friends say if they knew where she had been all night? More importantly, what would Ron do? Ginny rose from the bed, and Draco watched her thoughtfully as she gathered her clothes and quickly slipped them on.

As Ginny sat back down on the bed to tie her shoes, she felt the weight on the mattress shift as Draco sat up. Her eyes fluttered shut as he placed a soft kiss to her shoulder, and she wished to God that she could stay in that room with him forever. But the world was calling. As Ginny gathered her scattered belongings and made her way to the door, she heard his voice call softly after her. "Ginny, I..."

She nodded, but couldn't bring herself to face him.

"I know," she whispered, and closed the door behind her.

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Ginny was dreaming. She was soaring through the air, her hair flying freely behind her. But voices were dragging her to the surface. No no! Please don't make me go back. Please don't make me...

"Oh, yes. She's a pretty one, ain't she?" Ginny awoke to the unpleasant sight of Goyle Sr. staring down at her with a lustful expression, licking his lips in anticipation. It had been two days of this. With nothing to do in her cage but sleep or stare into the darkness, she often found herself waking to find vile men leering down at her through the bars.

For some reason, none of the men had touched her yet. Ginny thanked God for that fact, but she had a sneaking suspicion that the other Death Eaters were simply waiting for Lucius to have his way with her before they were free partake themselves. Ginny sat up, noting that the door to the adjoining room was wide open, and there were only three men remaining. They appeared to be deep in conversation, and when one of the men gestured in her direction, Goyle nodded in response.

Finally, two of the men exited the room, and Goyle went out in the hall to watch them depart, before finally retreating back into Ginny's room.. "Well, girly," he breathed, a grin creeping across his face as he looked at her. "It's your lucky day." He sauntered over to her prison, gripping the metal bars with his meaty hands.

"Now I'm not supposed to lay a hand on you until Malfoy's had his way, but what he don't know won't hurt him..." Goyle laughed gleefully, unlocking, then throwing the cage door open. Ginny gasped in terror and shoved herself as far back into the cage as she could manage, which unfortunately was not very far. She frantically kicked out her legs, one of her shoes connecting with Goyle's chin.

"Well, aren't you the feisty one?" Goyle laughed, finally getting a hold on her ankle and dragging her out. Ginny lashed out at the enormous man, devoting all her energy to deflecting his advances, but it was no use... the man was too powerful.

He grasped her skirt, as though to haul it upward. As tears of rage and fear began to sting Ginny's eyes, she heard a loud voice rise above the clamor. And then, as though God himself had intervened, Ginny's attacker was on the floor, his eyes wide and staring. He wasn't breathing.

Slowly, Ginny turned her trembling body to face her savior. Draco's chest was heaving and his eyes were deadly. He looked positively deranged. He finally tore his eyes from Goyle's lifeless body to meet Ginny's, his face softening the slightest bit.

"Get out of here," he commanded. "Half the group will be returning soon, and you won't be able to make it out of here alive." He paused, waiting for Ginny to run, but she merely shuffled toward him, her legs almost buckling beneath her. She walked until she was standing directly in front of him, and he regarded her silently, waiting for her to move. Then, a deep, shuddering sob tore its way from Ginny's throat, and Draco's arms came around her, drawing her toward him.

They sank down onto their knees, still locked in an embrace, as Ginny willed her uncooperative limbs to stop shaking so she would be able to make it out of there on her own. Draco was whispering soothing words in her ear and pressing light kisses to her hair. Finally, he helped her up and led her to the same filthy hall that she had been dragged through 48 hours before.

Ginny turned to him, tears falling freely now. "Come with me," she pleaded. "There is nothing for you here." Draco shook his head and attempted a small smile, but it seemed those muscles had been ignored for far too long.

"Where would I go, Ginny? This is who I am... can't you see that?" Then, as though it pained him to admit it, "I can't be Harry Potter for you." Draco looked down at his feet. "I don't need you to understand. I just need you to be safe."

She felt as though her heart were dying, but Ginny managed turned from him, running as quickly as her injured limbs would allow down the hall, through the passageway, and into the Malfoy Manor. Soon her feet were slapping against the pavement of the street, and she didn't stop running until her legs could no longer carry her.

Unfortunately, she was in no condition to apparate, but it hardly mattered. By the time Lucius and the other Death Eaters had returned, Ginny was too far away to hear the outraged cries, the curses uttered, or the thud of the body as it hit the ground.

************************************************************************

Five days later, Ginny entered a London pub, hoping to spot three familiar faces.

"Gin! Over here!" she heard her brother call. She pushed her way through the crowded room, bumping into a waiter who gave her a disgruntled look.

"Excuse me," she muttered, dodging a tray and making her way over to where her friends were sitting.

Hermione immediately hopped up from her chair to give her friend a quick hug, rubbing Ginny's back comfortingly with a soft, "Alright, Ginny?" Conjuring a brilliant smile, Ginny waved off the concern of the other girl before pressing a kiss to her brother's cheek, and another to Harry's.

She sat down at the empty place on the square table, and the others followed in suit, eyeing her wearily. Harry cleared his throat. "The bruises are healing quite well, Gin. You've done quite the job on yourself."

"Yes, well... I suppose my healing courses have to been good for something," Ginny remarked dryly, taking a moment to scan the menu. Hermione smiled encouragingly, but Ron scowled.

"I'll tell you what they're not good for. Giving my baby sister ideas that she can traipse around Knockturn Alley, looking for dogdy wizards to heal." Hermione and Harry turned to glare at their friend, silently warning him to close the subject, but Ron just shrugged his shoulders.

"Hey, I'm just saying what everyone else is thinking." There was no stopping the boy when he was on a roll.

"Merlin knows what might have happened if Ginny hadn't managed escape by cursing that bastard Goyle! None of us can afford to take risks nowadays." He then gestured toward Harry. "This one here is so bloody foolish that he would risk being spotted by a Death Eater just to have dinner with his mates!"

Ron's tone closely resembled that of Mrs. Weasley's when she would scold the twins for their antics, but Ginny knew that behind his words there was a deep affection for his best mate.

Harry grinned. "Ah, but that's the genius of it, you see. No one would expect me to come out in the open at suppertime. Besides, there's a good reason I chose a muggle restaurant as our dining location."

Ginny turned to Harry, concern etched in her large brown eyes. "You'd better not be getting careless, Potter," she warned. "I may have made a few errors in judgment myself, but that bloody well won't stop me from lecturing you!"

Ginny was quite concerned about Ron's frequent insinuations that Harry had been taking liberties with his safety, lately. Harry had been there for her through thick and thin over the past few years, and Merlin help him if he thought he could get away with acting like an impatient child.

Harry smiled sweetly at her and took her hand in his, bringing it up to his lips so he could lay a kiss on her palm. "Not to worry, Gin. I've been a good little soldier." Ron snorted in the background. "I'm just glad you're okay."

Hermione cleared her throat impatiently, forcing the attention away from Harry and back to her. "I say we forget about all this nasty business just for one night, hmm? Surely there are much more pleasant matters to discuss."

As soon as the words left her mouth, Ron and Harry glanced at each other, a meaningful look shared between them. Harry leaned back casually in his chair, bringing his arms above his head as though to make himself more comfortable. His green eyes twinkled mischievously.

"As a matter of fact, Ron did happen upon some interesting news today at work." Harry informed the curious girls. "I expect the parade will be starting any moment, actually." Hermione and Ginny glanced back and forth between the two smug young men expectantly.

Ron took the invisible microphone from his friend, obviously proud to be the one breaking the news. "Malfoy's gone," he announced with relish. "Disappeared. Vanished. Hasn't shown up for work at the ministry in almost a week."

Ginny felt herself go numb as she processed what her brother had just said. Oh, God. It can't be true.

She noted vaguely that Hermione was not as thrilled by the news as the boys had obviously expected her to be. She tossed her bushy brown curls over her shoulder, her brown eyes flashing angrily as focused on Ron.

"This is the news that has made you so gleeful? That someone is dead?" She poked Ron hard in the chest with her index finger, causing him to look extremely uncomfortable. "Surely someone dying is nothing to be happy about!"

"But it's Malfoy..." Ron protested weakly. Hermione still looked disgusted.

"That's not the point, Ron! We've seen too much death over the past five years...too much blood has been spilt already." The two young men exchanged meaningful looks, obviously digesting Hermione's words. Ginny said nothing. Surely you expected it. You knew saving you would mean the end for him.

Ginny watched in amazement as Ron took the tearful girl's hand in his own, lacing his fingers through hers, and Harry did the same on Hermione's other side. Ginny was always in awe of how in tune the trio were with each other's emotions. No one had ever understood her like that. No one.

Someone did. Someone understood that ache in your chest.

"Shut up!" Ginny cried, startling the trio with her outburst. To her horror, she felt tears begin trickling down her cheeks, and she felt Harry grip her arm in concern. Hermione was by her side instantly, guilt evident in her expression.

"Oh, Ginny. I'm so sorry. How could we be so insensitive at to talk about this after what you've been through?"

Ginny stood, her legs shaky. If she didn't get some fresh air immediately, her vomit would soon be decorating the hardwood floor. She had to get out of that crowded, stinking pub. She didn't want to see the looks on her friends' faces. The ones that told her how sorry they were for her...how much they pitied her. She was sick of seeing those faces.

"Listen, guys. I'm just feeling a bit tired, that's all. I think I'll go home and have a rest." Ginny's blood was pounding in her ears.

Ron stood immediately, grabbing his coat. "I'll go with you, Gin. I don't want you to be alone right now."

She had been staying at Ron's flat for the past few months, waiting for the funds to buy her own place. Her brother had been so good to her the past few days, but she knew he wanted to spend some time with his two best friends... especially since Harry had gone into hiding.

"Don't be stupid, big brother," Ginny said, struggling to keep the tears out of her voice. She patted his cheek, then gave Harry and Hermione quick hugs before pushing her way through the restaurant towards the exit.

She could feel three sets of eyes burning holes in her back as she went.

By the time she reached the street, Ginny's strength failed her. She sank down onto her knees, sobs wracking her body. She wrapped her arms around her waist, hugging herself in an effort to derive some sort of comfort.

By the time she had reached an isolated location and successfully apparated to her flat, Ginny's cheeks were no longer streaked with tears...instead, she felt numb all over. Her limbs were moving, taking her in the direction she had intended to go, but her mind was elsewhere.

Physically and emotionally exhausted, Ginny noted that she had accidentally apparated onto her lawn rather than inside her and Ron's house, but considering her state, Ginny knew she was lucky that she hadn't gone and splinched herself.

A strange crunching sound caused Ginny to look up, and she noticed that someone was sitting on her porch. The figure was dark and unmoving...just as he was in Ginny's nightmares. The Death Eaters have come back for me! Her first instinct was to flee as fast as her aching limbs could carry her, without ever looking back. But something stopped her.

Ginny released a soft cry of surprise as the figure moved slowly toward her, and she covered her mouth with her hands.

Draco stood before her, pale as a ghost

There was a long silence in which neither could find the right words, choosing instead to drink in the sight of each other. Ginny felt her body sag with relief as she realized the he was real, that it was not a ghost standing in front of her... taunting her. Her hand trembling violently, Ginny reached toward him to cradle his bloody face in her hands. As she touched him gently, a small sob escaped his torn lips.

"Oh God, Ginny...I'm so fucked up," Draco whispered as she stroked his face soothingly. "I need you."

It was all she needed to hear.

Ginny took the beaten boy inside her house. She helped to bathe the blood from his body, found some clothes of Ron's for him to put on, and led him silently to her room.

As they lay together in her bed, Ginny put her arms around Draco and held him close, resting her cheek against his back. She held him while he cried, whispering sweet nothings against his skin, soothing his fears with her gentle touch.

They couldn't pretend that the world wouldn't be there when morning came. They didn't bother trying. But when all was said and done, Draco Malfoy had learned once more what it was to feel.

And that was enough for now.

Fin

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