A/N: Hi everybody! Just to let you know, this is the next to last installment of this fic. Hope you enjoy!
Chapter 13 Broken
Ginny woke the next morning and opened one swollen eye at a time. The images she saw were hazy in the dawning light, and she felt as though her head was going to split open. She could feel something covering her from head to toe. `What…?' As Ginny became more aware of her surroundings, she realized that she was lying on a couch in the Gryffindor Common Room covered by Harry's Invisibility Cloak. Ron was dozing on the couch with his arm across her feet and her head was in Hermione's lap.
`Why am I…?' It was as though a movie began to run in her head replaying the painful scenes from the previous night. A wave of sadness washed over her and she felt new tears coursing down the sides of her face. Ginny heard the portrait open and close. She saw Harry walk over to Hermione with several slices of toast in his hands. Harry nudged Hermione softly with his elbow.
"Hermione," Harry whispered.
Hermione stirred and opened her eyes.
"Shhh," Harry cautioned, holding a finger to his mouth.
"Thanks," Hermione mouthed, taking a slice of toast.
Harry walked around to Ron, who was starting to stir, and gave him some toast. Ron whispered, "Do y'think we should check on her?"
Hermione nodded and lifted her end of the cloak slightly to see Ginny's anguished eyes.
"Gin…" Hermione began but couldn't find anything to say, as tears also began to well in her eyes.
Ginny sat up hesitantly, and the other three enveloped her. After Ginny's tears had subsided, Hermione asked quietly, "Would you like to go up to your room and get a bath? No one's up yet."
Ginny nodded and stood up slowly. She turned quietly to her brother. "Thank you for taking care of me last night, Ron." And turning to Harry and Hermione, "Thanks to all of you…I can't tell you what you mean to me."
Harry nodded, and Ron gave her one last hug, before Hermione put her arm around Ginny and guided her up the girl's stairs.
*********
Ginny felt a little better soaking in the warm and fragrant water that Hermione had readied for her. Her feelings were beginning to vacillate between sadness and deep anger as she remembered Draco's mocking eyes.
As Ginny was pulling her hair up so that she could sink deeper into the water, her fingers found Draco's necklace. She yanked it off, breaking the chain, and flung it to the floor.
A small knock sounded on the bathroom door. "Ginny, can I come in a minute?" Hermione's voice called softly.
"Sure."
Hermione closed the door behind her, and leaned on the bathroom counter. "I didn't know whether or not you remembered, but today is one last Hogsmeade day before everyone goes home for Christmas tomorrow."
"Yes, McGonagall told us that when she announced the Christmas Dance."
"Do you still want to go? You're welcome to come with us or I'll stay here with you, if you want."
Ginny quickly said, "No, I'll stay here, but you go on and go-I'll be fine."
"Are you sure? I'll be glad to stay-it's no big deal. I've got all my Christmas shopping done."
Ginny thought for a moment, and then said, "Y'know what, I think I will go. It'll show Draco and everyone else that I'm not going to be done in by this."
Hermione smiled. "Good thinking. We'll have some fun and, hopefully, you can take your mind off this for a little while. I'll let you get dressed-come to my room when you're ready. We don't need to leave for another hour."
"Thanks."
Hermione turned to leave and noticing the necklace on the floor bent to pick it up. "This yours?" She held it the heart and chain out.
"Not anymore."
*********
Ginny gently hung up her now wrinkled dress robes, and ran her hand softly over them with a sigh. She pulled on some jeans, and a soft cream-colored turtle neck sweater, along with some small brown boots. Ginny brushed her hair and left it to flow down her back. She put a tiny bit of cherry lip-gloss on, and smiled tentatively at her reflection. The red puffiness was gone, but not the sadness. Ginny sighed, grabbed her cloak, gloves, and pocketbook, and then headed to Hermione's room.
Hermione was almost ready to go, dressed in jeans and a thick pink sweater, with her bushy hair somewhat subdued into a low ponytail. A few tendrils still rioted around her face as she dabbed on some pink lip-gloss.
"Ready?" Hermione asked gently.
Ginny nodded. "As I'll ever be…"
Hermione led the way down the stairs to the common room where they found Ron and Harry just standing up from in front of the fire place.
"Is it time, yet?" Ron asked. Then seeing Ginny, he walked to her and asked quietly, "Are you feeling better?"
Ginny nodded. "Some."
"Are you sure you're up to going?" Ron exchanged a glance with Harry who gave a slight shake of his head.
"I think so…" Ginny responded.
"We'd better get going if we need to get Luna." Hermione reminded Ron.
"She's going to meet us at the front entrance," Ron turned a little pink and glanced at Ginny.
Ginny gave him a small encouraging smile.
"I hope you don't mind, Ginny. I asked her last night before…" Ron broke off, not sure how to go on.
"I'm glad for you, Ron and I don't mind at all." Ginny patted him softly on the arm.
The group made their way to the front entrance where they found Luna and queued up to leave for Hogsmeade. Ginny was aware that she was a topic of interest among the whispers of the other students. Just as they were beginning to leave, she heard a familiar noisy group of Slytherins joining the end of the line.
Before she could stop herself, she turned and almost immediately locked eyes with Draco, who was obviously escorting Pansy. For an instant, surprise widened his eyes but just as quickly they narrowed. Ginny's eyes were icy as she held his gaze, tilting her head slightly. She had to consciously unclench her hands as she turned to leave with her friends.
*********
The group shopped, picking up the odd last minute Christmas gift as they went. They ended up at the Three Broomsticks around noon, hungry and cold. Harry ordered a round of butterbeer for everyone and they placed their orders for lunch.
Ginny was glad that she had changed her mind about coming to Hogsmeade. It had definitely lifted her spirits, and taken her mind off Draco. Watching Ron with Luna was bittersweet. Ginny hadn't seen him act this way with a girl…ever. She was happy for her brother, but had to fight the pangs of once-lovely memories jumping uninvited into her thoughts.
Ron looked at his watch and then at Harry. "We need to, er…run an errand. We'll meet you at Honeyduke's in an hour, alright?"
"All right, then," Hermione said with a surprised look. "I guess we'll meet you later." She squeezed Harry's hand as he got up with Ron.
As the boys opened the door, a faint crack sounded in the distance. "I hope the limbs aren't breaking from the trees,"
Luna said with concern, as she bent to pick up her glove that had fallen to the floor. In a muffled voice from under the table, "Several years ago, some people were killed just walking along when a large branch broke and fell on them. Some people blamed it on Bowtruckles, but dad and I thought sure it was caused by Egnims."
Hermione and Ginny exchanged quick amused glances just before Luna sat back up with the errant glove in her hand. "Well, let's hope that doesn't happen today." Hermione replied kindly.
"Where would you like to go next?" Ginny asked them. "We haven't been to that little gift shop next door yet."
"That's a good idea, especially since we won't have to deal with the boy's long-suffering sighs about "girly" shops." Hermione grinned.
"I'll be finished with my lunch in a couple of minutes, how `bout you Luna?" Ginny asked.
"I'll be done in just a bit, too," she replied.
Ginny heard the door open, and looked to see Ernie MacMillan walk in. Spotting them, he walked over. "Hi," he looked around the table. "Just visiting with Fred and George outside. They said they were thinking of starting a joke shop right here in Hogsmeade. Give Zonko's some competition, eh?"
"What d'you mean, just visiting with them?" Ginny looked confusedly at Ernie.
"Well, haven't you seen them? They were right outside a few minutes ago, talking with Ron and Harry."
"Are they still there?" Ginny began to get out of her chair.
"I don't think so. After our chat, I ran into the gift shop to pick up something, and when I came out, I saw the lot of them walking up the road toward the Shrieking Shack. Come to think of it, I wonder what Draco Malfoy was doing with them-that's an unlikely group, especially after..." Ernie stopped suddenly, and looked uncomfortable. "Oh, there's Hannah!" He suddenly gazed over their shoulders, and seemed relieved. "See you later, then."
Ginny turned her eyes on Hermione. "They wouldn't…"
"Yes, they would," Hermione looked deadly serious. "You didn't see how angry Ron and Harry were last night. Luna and I only stopped them from attacking Draco by getting Ron to see to you first."
Luna nodded. "Ron was almost frightening," she said dreamily gazing just over Ginny's head. "I think he would have taken Draco apart right then, but we convinced him that he needed to get you out of there quickly."
Hermione went on, "I saw Ron talking with Fred in the fire last night, but I couldn't hear what they were saying. I bet he and Harry were speaking to him again this morning, just before we got down to the common room."
Ginny vaguely remembered hearing Fred's voice last night. She hissed, "I can't believe they would do this without talking to me first."
Ginny grabbed her cloak and gloves and hurried out the door. She began to make her way quickly as she could through the snow and up the road toward the Shrieking Shack. Soon, she was past the shops and the crowds thinned.
Ginny saw several sets of tracks, in the otherwise unbroken snow, leading up a hill and away from the road. `I bet they're heading for that cave that Sirius hid in when he was still on the run.' She followed the tracks, and soon saw the almost hidden opening in the rocks.
Ginny stepped quietly inside and, as her eyes adjusted to the low light, she could see her brothers and Harry facing Draco with their wands pointed menacingly at him. Draco was already looking quite disheveled, and his cloak was askew.
"Alright, Draco," growled Fred. "If you won't talk, then go ahead and draw your wand."
Draco caught sight of Ginny, the look on his face unreadable, as his gray eyes locked onto hers. He reached inside his cloak and pulled out his wand. The four facing him tensed. But to Ginny's surprise, Draco held his wand out to his side and opened his hand. She gasped as the wand clattered to the rocks by his feet and he kicked it away.
Harry and her brothers heard her and glanced quickly in her direction, then back to Draco.
"Stay out of this, Ginny!" Fred said fiercely. George, Ron, and Harry were all looking warily at Draco, whose eyes remained on Ginny.
"What do you mean, `stay out of this'? This is about me…"
"Right now, this is between Draco and us, so stay back!" George said through his teeth.
Ginny clenched her fists, but stepped back. She heard a rustle as her foot connected with a piece of parchment lying on the ground. Glancing down, she bent to pick it up and unfolded it. Tilting it toward the light from the cave opening, she read:
Draco,
I have been informed that you have not heeded my earlier warning. Although you do not appear to care for your own safety, maybe you will consider the safety of the girl. Do not embarrass me further in this matter, or she will suffer.
Lucius Malfoy
Ginny heard Fred say to Draco, "Alright, if that's the way you want it!" Her head snapped up to see her brothers and Harry sprint at Draco who stood still, but then was knocked to the ground.
"No, stop!" Ginny yelled, but to no avail. Her brothers and Harry were pummeling Draco, but Ginny could see he was not fighting back.
"Stop!" Ginny screamed, as she ran and fought her way between Ron and George. Ginny threw herself on Draco, covering him as best she could, taking some of the blows raining down on him. Fred shouted, "Stop! Stop! Ginny, what the hell are you doing?"
Ginny raised her head and handed Fred the letter she had found. She heard Draco groan, and she slid off him to sit by his side. His left eye was red and swelling, his lip was cut and bleeding, and his nose was bloody. Draco rolled over to his side, wrapping his arms around his middle, and drew his knees up in pain.
"Draco…" Ginny said brokenly, as she scrambled to take off her cloak and put it under his head. "Someone get me some snow!" Ginny looked tearfully up at her brothers and Harry, who had apparently just finished reading the letter, and were standing, staring at Draco with incredulous looks on their faces. Harry rushed out and brought Ginny the snow she requested. She quickly formed it, and held it on Draco's swollen eye. He flinched but remained silent.
"Draco, how badly are you hurt?" asked Ginny fearfully, stroking his hair from his face with her other hand.
With difficulty, Draco ground out, "Don't think anything important's broken."
Fred walked over shaking his head. "Draco, my apologies," he said stiffly, handing the letter back to Ginny. "We seemed to have misjudged your actions last night toward our sister."
"Well, that was the plan," Draco managed.
The other boys walked tentatively over to Draco, still befuddled by this new perception of him. Ron asked quietly, "Why didn't you just tell her?"
Draco let out a harsh laugh, then grimaced and held his side. "Right. Do you think Ginny would have just accepted ending our relationship like that? I wanted her safe, and last night seemed the best way." Draco looked up painfully at Ginny. "I'm sorry…I know I put you through hell."
Ginny looked up at her brothers and Harry. "Would you please leave us?"
They hesitated, briefly looking at each other, but then they all nodded resignedly, and turned to go through the cave opening. Ron turned, and added, "Remember, we have about two hours before we have to go back to Hogwarts. We'll be back here in about an hour."
Fred was the last to leave, and he turned and pulled what looked like a purple sweet from his cloak. "Give this to Draco, and it will help stop some of the bleeding." Ginny took the sweet and nodded. "I'll see you in a bit."
After Fred had walked away, Ginny charmed an invisible barrier over the cave opening. She could see out, but anyone looking into the cave would see just rocks, and wouldn't be able to pass the shield. Ginny turned to face Draco and saw him watching her. Their eyes met for a long moment, and then she walked to him.
"Here, eat this; it'll help with the bleeding." Ginny handed the purple sweet to Draco.
"Are you sure…?" Draco eyed the sweet. Ginny nodded and he slowly bit into it.
Ginny conjured a small fire for warmth, sat down, and reached for Draco's hand. "I'm so sorry they hurt you…"
Draco shook his head. "They did what they thought they had to do concerning you…you're lucky to have people that care about you that way. I'm not hurting so badly now as I was."
"Why didn't you just tell me…we could have staged that little scene at the dance, and then gone back to meeting secretly…"
"You still don't get it, do you?" Draco said roughly. "You saw what my bastard of a father wrote, and you think we can just sneak around like it's some game of Hide and Seek that we're going to win? This has to end…now."
"I can't just stop my feelings for you…"
"And do you think I can for you? That's not what this is about, Ginny. If we stay together, you'll be hurt or killed. I can't say it more plainly than that…and I can't allow it to happen." Draco sat up gingerly and took her face in his hands. "We have what's left of this time together. Let's not spend it arguing."
Draco pulled Ginny's face to his, and gently touched his lips to each tear that was coursing down Ginny's face. He tasted her eyes and cheeks, and then his lips found hers and slowly caressed them. "Your touch reaches right through me." Draco breathed against her mouth. Ginny wound her arms around him, as his hands traveled gently though her hair. "Your hair shames the fire." Draco's mouth traveled down Ginny's jaw line to her neck, and back up to capture her lips again. "I crave the feeling of your lips on mine every second of every day." He slid closer to her, and pulled her nearer, easing her down to the cave floor with him. "You're beautiful, Ginny." Draco stroked Ginny's lips with his tongue, and she opened hers to him. Their tongues tangled slowly, and Draco savored her like a man taking his last meal. After a long while, their kisses ended. Draco entwined his legs with Ginny's, and pulled her closer to him, whispering, "I love you, Ginny. Never forget that no matter what happens."
"I belong to you, Draco…all of me," Ginny said brokenly, as tears began to course down her cheeks again. "I feel I've just gotten you back only to lose you again. What are we going to do…?" She buried her face in his neck.
"I don't know, Ginny…" Ginny heard Draco's voice break roughly and looked up to see tears welling in his eyes.
As they clung to each other, there was a knock on the cave's barrier. Ginny started to get up but, Draco pulled her back for one last tender kiss. "Never forget…" Ginny choked back a sob, wiped her eyes, and went to remove the ward. Fred, George and Ron walked in tentatively. Draco had stood up but had turned his back to the cave's entrance.
Fred stood quietly for a moment, his eyes going from Ginny to Draco, and said, "Ron, would you please take Ginny outside for a minute?" He bent, picked up Ginny's cloak and tossed it to Ron who nodded, helping Ginny put it on. He guided Ginny from the cave, and she closed her eyes against the harsh glare of the snow.
Ron put his arm around her in the cold, and she leaned into him. She wasn't sure her legs would support her much longer.
"I don't know what to say to you…I'm so sorry, Gin..."
Ginny gasped as her legs began to collapse, and then felt Ron lifting her in his arms. She buried her head in his chest and wept.
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