Unofficial Portkey Archive

Chapter 20

We're strange allies
With warring hearts
What a wild-eyed beast you be
The space between, the wicked lies we tell
And hope to keep us safe from the pain

Look at us spinning out in the madness of a rollercoaster
You know you went off like the devil in a church
In the middle of a crowded room
All we can do, my love
Is hope we don't take this ship down
(The Space Between by the Dave Matthews Band)

Draco was beyond worried. Ginny promised she'd be home with him tonight, but it was nearly two in the morning and she still hadn't returned home. Her stupid brothers probably convinced her to stay, he thought angrily. He'd had enough with this. She didn't belong with them. She belonged with him.

He was pacing the length of their sitting room over and over again, glancing at the clock and cursing every few minutes. "Where the hell IS she?"

Even though he knew she would probably be angry, he had to take the chance. He was going over to the Burrow and he was going to take his fiancée back home where she belonged.

He swallowed a mouthful of polyjuice and assumed his Christopher Murphy persona before pulling a cloak on and leaving the flat.

The Burrow was completely dark and quiet and Draco took out his wand. "Lumos," he whispered.

His wand was only lit for a split second before the room was flooded with light. "Stop right there," a voice barked.

Draco froze.

Lupin held his wand out in front of him. "Who are you?" he demanded.

Draco trained his wand on his old professor. "Chris Murphy. I'm Ginny's boyfriend."

Lupin eyed him distrustfully, knowing Draco Malfoy lurked beneath the veneer of this man.

"Expelliarmus!" Lupin called out not wanting to take any chances.

"HEY!" Draco shouted angrily.

Lupin pocketed Draco's wand with his free hand, keeping his own wand pointed directly at the other man. "Mr. Murphy, Ginny Weasley is not here, I'm afraid."

"Where is she?" Draco demanded. "What did you assholes do with her?"

"We haven't done anything to her," Lupin replied calmly. "It seems that she couldn't live with her guilt anymore. She's with her brothers at Headquarters."

Draco felt his heart stop beating momentarily. "What guilt?"

"You tell me," Lupin said.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Draco spat.

Lupin nodded. "Well, I have to break this to you, Mr. Murphy. But Ginny is going to be heading to Azkaban." When Draco lunged for him, Lupin stunned him. "Easy there, Mr. Murphy...."

"Fuck you," Draco said. "Ginny is NOT GOING TO AZKABAN!"

"She's made a full confession, but I think you and I both know, she didn't do this alone," Lupin said his wand still pointed at Draco.

Draco began to panic. What was he supposed to do?

"Seeing as this is her first offence," Lupin said thoughtfully. "It's likely that the court could be lenient, but she did frame one of the Wizarding world's greatest heroes. That's not going to do anything for her in the court of public opinion. She could very well be facing as many as 20 years in Azkaban. Is that what you want?"

"What I want?" Draco asked, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.

"You love her, don't you?" Lupin asked.

"Yes," Draco said weakly.

"If you love her as you say you do," Lupin said quietly. "I think you know what you should do."

"You know," Draco said. "You've known all along who I am."

Lupin nodded. "And I do believe that you care about her, Malfoy."

"I do love her," Draco nodded. "I can't let her go to Azkaban for me."

"But you were willing to let Harry go?" Lupin asked angrily. "An innocent man...."

"I hate Potter," Draco sneered. "I don't give a flying fuck about him."

"I DO!" Lupin roared. "DO YOU HAVE ANY BLOODY IDEA WHAT YOU'VE DONE!"

Draco turned to flee but found himself bound with ropes.

"You've gotten quite good at running, haven't you?" Lupin asked him bitterly. "You are going to sit there and you are going to listen to me, Malfoy!"

"Fuck off," Draco said, cringing as he caught sight of his reflection in the mirror. Due to only consuming a small amount of polyjuice his appearance was already changing back.

Lupin shook his head. "There you are...so much like your father."

"I'm nothing like him," Draco glared.

"Oh?" Lupin asked sardonically. "Because from where I stand, you're the mirror image of him."

Draco said nothing, just glared daggers at the older man.

"He stood by while the woman he apparently loved died in Azkaban," Lupin reminded Draco. "But I don't need to tell you that do I?"

"I'm not saying a word until I know Ginny's okay," Draco said stonily.

"I'd be more than willing to take you to headquarters," Lupin said. "So you can see for yourself."

"Fine," Draco snapped.

"You'll understand if we keep you wrapped up, won't you?" Lupin asked dragging Draco to his feet.

"Just take me to Ginny," Draco replied.

Lupin nodded and took hold of Draco's arm as he Apparated them back to Headquarters.

Ginny was currently in one of the interrogation rooms with Charlie and Tonks. Ron and Luna were nursing cups of coffee in Lupin's office.

"Do you think Lupin will nab him?" Ron asked her.

Luna nodded. "You heard Ginny. She was supposed to be home with him tonight. I imagine he went crazy when she didn't show..."

"She said he'd probably show up at the Burrow," Ron replied. "To think of that fucking asshole walking around my home..." he pounded his fist on the table.

"Which is why Lupin was there," Luna said setting her cup down. "Hey, Ronald..."

He turned to face her.

As he did so, he caught sight of Lupin in the corridor with...Draco Malfoy.

"You son-of-a bitch!" Ron roared, pushing past Luna and lunging for Malfoy.

Lupin held out his wand and Ron was blocked by an invisible barrier. "Not now," he said quietly.

Ron glared at him.

"Where's Ginny?" Draco asked ignoring Ron.

"My sister is NO LONGER ANY OF YOUR CONCERN!" Ron roared, again trying to get at the blond.

Luna tried to hold Ron's arm. "Ronald, stop it!"

"HE KILLED MY FATHER!" Ron shouted. "He tore apart my family!"

"And he's going to pay for that," Luna said turning Ron around to face her. "Calm down, Ronald. Please. Let Lupin handle this."

"Listen to her," Lupin told him, pulling Malfoy along into the interrogation room.

Ginny looked up in surprise when she saw Draco.

"Gin?" Draco asked, his heart breaking at her tear-stained face.

"Draco," she sobbed. "I had to tell them... my father... he came and I couldn't keep it in anymore..."

"It's okay," Draco said. He looked to Lupin. "Can you please let me out of these things?"

"No," Lupin pushed him into the chair next to Ginny.

Draco rolled his eyes. "I'm not going to do anything."

"And I'm not going to take any chances," Lupin countered.

"Draco," Ginny reached for him.

"How--how are you?" Draco asked softly.

"I'm scared," Ginny had a hand on her stomach.

"Everything is going to be okay," Draco reassured her. "I promise you."

"No it's not," Ginny sobbed. "We're going to Azkaban."

Draco sighed. "Why did you tell them?"

"Because my father was there," Ginny whispered. "He told me I had to tell the truth."

"Your father?" Draco asked pulling a confused face. "Red, he's..."

"Dead?" Charlie asked bitterly.

Draco shot him a venomous look.

"No thanks to you," Charlie continued.

Tonks stood up. "Charlie, I think you should wait outside with Ronald."

"I agree," Lupin said. "We need Malfoy's confession."

"Fine," Charlie said reluctantly getting to his feet. "Gin, I'll be right outside."

"Okay," she wiped her eyes.

Charlie left the room and no one said anything for quite some time. Draco wished he could hold Ginny to tell her everything would be okay, but it wasn't and they both knew it. She was the best thing in his life and he loved her more than he had ever loved anyone in his life. As he looked into her eyes, he knew what he had to do.

"It really was an accident," Draco began.

Lupin nodded as a quill began to scribble Draco's confession.

"We were going to tell him about us," Draco continued. "But I knew he'd never accept me. I just wanted to take Red and go. But, she didn't want to leave her family. She thought they'd accept us..."

"And?" Lupin asked.

"He wouldn't accept us," Draco said bitterly.

"Ginny says that you went into Arthur's office polyjuiced as Harry," Tonks said. "Is that true?"

Draco laughed. "Yeah, that's true. He wouldn't accept me, but he'd accept Scarhead."

"Watch yourself, Malfoy," Tonks said icily.

"We knew if I went in there as me, he'd never listen to a word we had to say," Draco continued. "Look, he was going to take her away from me. And I wasn't going to let him do that. I just got angry and it happened. I didn't mean for it too, okay? If I could go back and change things, I would."

"You can't," Lupin said coolly. "You made your bed, Malfoy."

Malfoy nodded gravely and told Lupin and Tonks about the plan to frame Harry. He even confessed to how he'd blackmailed the judge.

Ginny was sobbing hysterically by this point and Draco longed to hold her and calm her down.

"She doesn't deserve to go to Azkaban," Draco said looking at his fiancée. "It was all me."

"She covered for you," Tonks said. "She was an accessory."

"She's pregnant," Draco hissed.

Lupin and Tonks looked at each other. "She'd be allowed to remain out until she has the baby," Tonks replied.

"On house arrest," Ginny explained in a weak voice.

"Basically," Lupin said.

"And afterwards?" Draco asked.

"Ron and Luna are going to---well, they offered to..." Ginny sobbed as she patted her stomach.

"No fucking way," Draco said shaking his head.

"Draco," Ginny bawled. "We have to think of our daughter."

"Ron and Luna will look after her," Tonks said. "They'll love her and provide a good home for her."

"I don't want my child raised by Ron Weasley," Draco struggled against his bonds.

"Draco, please," Ginny said. "He is my brother and he loves me and he and Luna will..."

"NO!" Draco snapped.

"Would you rather she was raised in an orphanage?" Ginny asked him pleadingly. "We have to think of what's best for her."

Draco didn't want to admit she was right. That and he was literally in no position to argue with anyone at the moment.

"I was thinking of asking my mum to do it, but she hasn't exactly been doing very well," Ginny explained. "And she's had enough to deal with as it is."

Draco remained silent.

"Draco, please---"

He looked at the woman he loved and for the first time in his life, truly felt his heart break. "If it's what you want," he conceded in a defeated tone.

"It's not what I want," Ginny said sadly. "I want to raise our daughter like we planned, but that can't happen, Draco. And we have to make sure she's going to be okay."

He looked down at the floor and sighed before nodding.

Outside in the hall, Ron was sitting with Luna and Charlie. He still couldn't believe any of this was actually happening. He was going to raise Ginny and Draco's baby with Luna. In a million years, he'd never have foreseen this happening.

"Are you feeling any better?" Luna asked quietly. She seemed to know what he was thinking about.

"Not really," Ron admitted. "You?"

"I'm feeling a little overwhelmed," she said truthfully. "I mean, we did just agree to raise a child together."

"You don't have to, you know," Ron said giving her an out.

"I'm with you all the way," Luna said without hesitation.

Ron leaned in and kissed her. "This is so surreal."

"Tell me about it," Luna agreed. "Harry's innocent and he can come home now."

"Things aren't just going to go back to how they were," Ron said quietly. "I treated them both pretty badly..."

"You were an arse," Charlie corrected. "We all were."

"Luna wasn't," Ron replied. "She believed him the whole time, like I should have. But I was too wrapped up in myself and losing Hermione that I couldn't see anything else."

"It'll take time," Luna said softly.

Ron nodded silently.

"I'm sure Malfoy loves the fact that we'll be raising his child," Luna said looking to the interrogation room.

Ron smirked as he looked at the expression on Malfoy's face. "I'd like to tell him myself, just to see him get pissed off."

"Ron," Luna admonished.

"He deserves every bad thing that comes his way," Ron looked right at her.

"I'm inclined to agree with you, but you have to think about the baby," Luna said.

"I'm not saying I want anything to happen to his child," Ron replied. "Just to him."

"Spending the rest of his miserable life in Azkaban is a start," Charlie said quietly.

Ron nodded grimly. "Even though Mum knows about Ginny, she's still going to have a relapse," he sat back down. "We'll have to do whatever we can to keep her mind off everything."

"Bill and Fleur mentioned something about having her come out to help with their baby," Charlie said thoughtfully. "Fleur's due any day now."

"That's a good idea," Ron nodded. "I think we should keep Mum as far from here as possible right now."

Luna nodded. "And it will be good for her to be with Bill and Fleur. She told me how useless she's felt these last few weeks."

Ron nodded as he stared into the interrogation room again. "What the hell's going on in there?" he asked, frustrated.

"I'm sure Lupin will tell us as soon as they're finished," Luna said. She watched as Draco shook his head and reacted angrily to something their old professor had said. "I imagine he's not too thrilled with us raising the baby."

"I'm sure he doesn't give a shit to what happens to anyone other than him," Ron said bitterly.

"As twisted as it is, I think he does care about her," Luna said thoughtfully as she watched Ginny put her arms around Draco who was still bound by ropes.

"This whole situation makes me sick to my stomach," Charlie said. "I keep thinking about her face when I looked like Dad."

Luna moved closer to Charlie and put her hand on his arm. "That was really brave of you to do that, Charlie."

"I guess," Charlie wasn't convinced. "I feel like the world's biggest arse."

"You had to do it," Luna told him.

"I wouldn't have been able to," Ron told his brother.

"And you may have gotten your sister back," Luna said softly. "I know it doesn't seem like it now, but the girl that we saw at the Burrow earlier was the old Ginny. The one who cared about other people. The one who loved her family..."

Luna made a lot of sense, Ron realised. "I know I said it before but I'm so glad you're here," he sat heavily down next to her.

"I love your family," Luna said smiling at him. "I feel like they're my own..."

"I love you," Ron said softly.

Luna took his hand. "I love you too, Ronald."

Despite the weight he felt on his shoulders at the current situation and the guilt he felt over tricking his sister, Charlie was happy for Ron. "You two are good for each other," he said.

"Don't let this go to your head, Charlie, but you're right," Ron said.

"Look who's talking," Charlie finally managed a slight grin.

"Ronald's going to move into my flat," Luna said dreamily.

"Since when?" Charlie asked.

Ron scratched his nape. "We....well; we thought it would be easier with the baby and all..."

"I think that's cool," Charlie interrupted. "Congratulations."

"Me too," Luna said happily.

Lupin opened the door at that moment and Ron shot to his feet. "What's going on?" he demanded.

"Malfoy made a full confession," Lupin told them. "Tonks is finishing up his statement and we'll be booking him later tonight."

"That's wonderful," Luna said. "Now Harry can come home."

"Well, it's not that easy," Lupin said quietly.

"Why not?" Ron asked.

"Harry's name is clear, but Hermione's not," Lupin explained.

"What?" Luna asked. "I don't understand...."

"I've been told by my superior that Hermione will be brought in," Lupin said. "She was key in Harry's escape from his sentence and despite the fact that he's innocent, what she did was still wrong."

"There's got to be something we can do," Ron crossed his arms. "Hermione's not going to Azkaban."

"It's out of my hands, Ron," Lupin said. "It's possible that she could have a lenient sentence because this is her first offence."

"It would still be on her record, Professor," Luna argued. "There has to be someway around this."

"I'll see what I can do," Lupin said. "But I can't promise anything."

"When are you going to tell them?" Ron asked, feeling even more guilty about what had happened to his two friends than ever before.

"Harry won't come back if he knows Hermione's in trouble," Luna added.

"I'm going to tell them now," Lupin said.

Luna looked at her watch. It was nearing five in the morning here and with the time difference there was a chance that Harry and Hermione would still be awake.

"Would you let us tell them?" Ron asked. "We... we might be able to convince them to come back."

"I--I don't know if that's such a good idea," Lupin replied.

"Why?" Luna asked.

"Look, I know that a lot has happened," Ron argued. "And I know he probably doesn't want to see me, but I think that I should be the one who tells him. Please."

"I'd have to clear it," Lupin said.

"Would you do that, please?" Ron asked. "They're my best friends. Somewhere in all this, I forgot that."

"I'll do what I can," Lupin patted Ron's shoulder. "They're lucky to have you, you know. Harry, Hermione, and your sister as well."

"I'm not so sure about that," Ron said modestly.

"I think they're lucky too," Luna leaned against him.

"What about Ginny?" Charlie asked Lupin. "Is she okay?"

"Not especially," Lupin replied. "She did get Malfoy to agree to let you both raise their child." he nodded at Ron and Luna. "You've got quite the responsibility here."

"We realise that," Luna said. "But we're going to do everything we can for that little girl."

Ron nodded in agreement. "She won't lack for anything."

"Can I see my sister?" Charlie asked. "I don't like her being alone with him."

"Tonks is in there with her," Lupin said. "They're going to be put in a holding cell in just a few minutes. Separate holding cells of course."

"Right," Charlie said.

"I have to go report to Kingsley," Lupin said. "As soon as I hear about Harry I'll let you know."

"Someone should probably let Fred and George know what's going on," Charlie said after Lupin had left them.

"And Bill and Fleur," Ron said. "What do you think we should tell Mum?"

"I don't even know where to begin," Charlie said shaking his head.

"We'll all figure it out together," Ron took Luna's hand in his.

"Everything," Luna agreed.

Back in the bayou, Hermione was reading a book in bed. It was an old classic that she'd found in a flea market that she and Harry had ventured out to that day. She'd gone a little overboard buying books, but Harry hadn't teased her too much.

"I can feel it," Harry paced the room. "Something's going on... I don't know how I know, but I do."

Hermione sighed as she put her book on the nightstand. "It's late, Harry. If something was going on, we'd have heard about it. Let's just get some sleep."

He sighed and sat down next to her on the bed. "I just feel too restless right now."

"Come here," she said motioning for him to sit in front of her. When he did so, she began massaging his shoulders. "You are pretty tense."

"I just want to know," Harry said, his shoulders relaxing a bit. "I want to know both of us will be safe."

Hermione leaned down and whispered in his ear. "We will be."

"Especially as long as you're okay," Harry said softly.

"As long as I'm with you, I'm okay," she said wrapping her arms around him.

He closed his eyes as she kissed the side of his neck. "I wouldn't be here without you..."

"Ditto," Hermione whispered against his skin.

The ringing of the phone made both of them jump. "Do you think...?" Harry stared at the receiver for a moment.

"I'll get it," Hermione said. "I'm sure it's okay, Harry."

"Hermione," Lupin's voice came over the receiver. "Malfoy's confessed."

"What?" Hermione asked taken aback. "Are you serious? When?"

"Tonight," Lupin said. "We've got his confession and both him and Ginny are in custody."

Hermione smiled. "That's fantastic!" She cupped her hand over the receiver and told Harry what Lupin had said.

Harry sat back in shock. "It's over?"

Hermione nodded. "We can go home!"

"Hermione," Lupin spoke over her. "I need you to understand something before you come back."

"What?" Hermione asked. "Do you think we should wait a couple of days before we go back home? It probably would be a good idea; we're just so ready to see our friends and family..."

"If you come back home now, you'll be brought in," Lupin said. "Harry's cleared, you still helped him escape."

"What is it?" Harry saw her expression change.

Hermione wordlessly handed Harry the telephone. This couldn't be happening.

"Lupin?" Harry asked tersely. "What is it?"

Lupin told Harry what he'd just told Hermione. "I'm sorry..."

"If I'm cleared then why isn't she?" Harry demanded furiously. "This is bullshit!"

"She helped you escape," Lupin explained. "Harry, I know it doesn't make any sense."

"We're not coming back until I know Hermione is as safe as I am," Harry said. "We'll leave here again if we have to."

Hermione shook her head. "Harry, you should go back..."

"Not without you," Harry said flatly.

"You have a life," Hermione said as tears pooled in her eyes. "You should go back. I'll be okay..."

"I'm not going anywhere without you," Harry faced her.

"Tonks and I are still trying to find some sort of loophole," Lupin said in a muffled voice. "And with this being Hermione's first offence, she'd get a lenient sentence."

"I don't care," Harry said stubbornly. "Either both of us are okay or we don't come back."

"I'll be in touch," Lupin said quietly. "I'm really sorry."

"If anyone tries to come for us we're leaving," Harry told him.

"I figured as much," Lupin said before hanging up the phone.

"If it's not one thing it's another," Hermione's eyes were still full of tears.

"I know," he said softly. He sat down beside her. "On the bright side, we get to spend more time alone together..."

She smiled a bit through her tears. "The silver lining," she said softly.

He pulled her close. "It's all going to be okay."

"No it isn't," Hermione sobbed. "You're free and clear but now they want to bring me in."

"Over my dead body," Harry said patting her back. "You're not going to prison, Hermione."

She didn't say anything, only buried her face in his shoulder.

"Sweetheart," Harry said softly.

"I'm scared," she whispered.

He cupped her face in his hands. "I know you are, but you know that I would never let anything happen to you. You risked everything to keep me out of prison."

"I'd do it again if I had to," Hermione said. "I always knew you didn't do this Harry."

"You're the one who's been on my side no matter what," Harry said kissing her forehead. "Always, even when you didn't agree with me or you thought I was overreacting..."

"Kind of like a mum," she leaned against him.

Harry laughed. "Um, no...."

"I love you," Hermione wrapped her arms around him. "I'd do anything for you Harry."

An idea suddenly came to him that he knew would get her mind off of their problems. "Anything?"

"Of course," Hermione looked up at him.

"Marry me," he said looking into her brown eyes.

"I already told you I would," Hermione was confused.

Harry shook his head. "Today."

Her eyes opened wide. "Today? But Harry..."

"I know you wanted to have your parents there and all of our friends, but I don't want to wait," he said smiling at her. "We've wasted so many years already. And when we get back to London, maybe we'll have a bigger ceremony with everyone..."

"I don't want to wait either," Hermione said softly.

"We can go to a justice of the peace," Harry said with a grin.

"Okay then," Hermione wiped at her eyes. It seemed a bit strange with everything going on, that they were planning to go get married but she wanted this as badly as he did.

"Really?" he asked her happily.

"Yes," she smiled at him. "I'll marry you, today."

Harry kissed her. "I'm going to make you so happy."

"You do already," she pressed her lips to his.

"We have a lot to do," Harry said when they pulled apart a few moments later. "I have to get a suit and you have to get a dress..."

"I don't want anything fancy," Hermione said. "Not yet anyway. And nothing's open now- we're in the bayou and it's past midnight."

"You want to get married in jeans?" Harry asked her. "Come on!"

"I'll get a dress," she replied. "But I just want things simple."

"We can do simple," Harry said dryly. "We've never done it before, but I'm up for new things."

Hermione stroked his hair back- it was growing fast and his eyes, even though he wasn't wearing his glasses, were as green as ever.

"Hermione?" Harry asked grinning at her. "You're going to marry me."

"Yes I am," she couldn't stop herself from smiling.

"I love you," he said giving her another kiss.

"I love you too," she answered. "I love you so, so much."

After they checked in the phone book, they found the address of the justice of the peace. They made plans to spend the morning finding clothes for the ceremony. After a few hours sleep, they both awoke to the sound of someone knocking on the door.

"Harry," Hermione shook him. "Harry... someone's here."

Harry awoke with a start. "What?" he asked groggily.

"There's someone at the door," Hermione had the covers pulled up around her.

Harry pulled the covers back and reached for his glasses. "Stay there..."

Hermione held her breath as Harry stumbled over to the door. "Can you see who it is?" she whispered.

Harry looked through the peephole and couldn't believe who he saw standing on the other side of the door. "It's...Ron...and Luna."