1. Memories Of You...

Title: All Hands On Deck

Rating: PG-13 (some coarse language)

Summary: Draco and Ginny’s volatile relationship has ended and neither quite knows what to do. So whilst Ginny sulks, Draco plans a solo world trip. Will Ginny be able to realise what she’s about to lose? Or will she abandon ship and let Draco sink without her?

Authors Notes: This is my first D/G fic so be kind. Started this many moons ago, just after OotP I think- can’t quite remember. Just finished it and so I’m posting it all now :D No waiting for updates for this one- I’m posting it at once because it’s easier for me with my schedule.

All hands on deck

Don’t abandon the ship

You’ll never know what could have been

All hands on deck

My ship is sinking

Don’t let me go

Don’t let me drown

All Hand On Deck: Waking Ashland Memories Of You…

It was summer. The school year was almost over, again. The flowers around the grounds of Hogwarts were in full bloom and the last Quidditch match of the year was approaching.

Only two students seemed to not be bothered by the upcoming match, despite the fact that one of them was the captain of the Gryffindor team. Ginny and Hermione were hunkered down in the very back corner of the Prefect Common Room, frantically revising. Hermione’s NEWT exams were beginning on the Monday, as were Ginny’s sixth year exams.

The door to the common room banged open and Hermione slammed her books shut. Draco Malfoy had arrived and she was not staying one moment longer than she needed to.

‘C’mon, Gin,’ she said, shoving her books back into her bag.

‘I’m right thanks,’ Ginny said evenly. Hermione looked like she was going to say something, but at the last minute changed her mind and swept out of the room.

Ginny kept her eyes on her books for a few more moments, before getting up and heading over to the windowsill where they kept a jug of water and pouring herself a goblet full. She was raising the glass to her lips when a hand as white as snow took it from her and placed it back on the windowsill. She looked up, her heart beating wildly as she stared into Draco’s grey eyes.

‘Alone,’ she said, smiling. ‘Finally.’

‘Ginny,’ he whispered hoarsly. She said nothing, just allowed herself to be carried away in his…

‘GINNY!’

Ginny opened her eyes and almost screamed out in frustration. Her bathwater had gone cold around her and Hermione had just interrupted her day dream. Again.

‘Ginny, unlock the bloody door or I’ll get Ron!’ Hermione bellowed. Smirking to herself, Ginny climbed out of the bathtub and began to dry herself off as Hermione stomped around in the hallway.

‘Don’t do it, Ginny,’ Luna’s dreamy voice said quietly. ‘She’s gone to get Ronald.’

Ginny ignored Luna as well- she didn’t know why Hermione got so uptight when she took a few moments and had a quiet bath. She realised she had been in there for several hours, but Hermione should just chill out.

‘Gin, open the door,’ Ron said quietly, making Ginny smirk again as she pulled on her pyjama’s. ‘I’m giving you until the count of three! One- two-’

Ginny opened the door and looked at the crowd gathered in the small hallway.

‘Can’t a girl have a bath?’ She said, pushing her way through them and into her bedroom.

~*~

‘I’m worried about her,’ Hermione said a few moments later in the kitchen. Ron, Luna, Neville and Harry were seated around the kitchen table, sipping Butterbeers. Only Hermione was on her feet, pacing in circles around the kitchen.

‘Why?’ Harry asked and the others breathed a sigh of relief. Harry was the only one who would ask Hermione questions like that.

‘She shouldn’t be acting like this! It’s-’ she paused to give her words impact. ‘Malfoy!’

No one said a word. They were all thinking the same thing.

Ginny and Draco’s romance had been discovered in the dying days of the older members final year at Hogwarts. It had come as quite a nasty shock, but they had adjusted quickly. The year after they all left, Harry, Ron and Hermione moved into the house together and every weekend Ginny and Draco would come and stay. And in that year they had broken up five times, only to be back together by the following weekend. And that pattern stayed the same for the next two years after Ginny finished at Hogwarts and she and Luna moved in. Every few days they would fight and every few weeks they’d break up.

The cycle had finally ended a month ago, with Ginny pushing him out the front door for the final time. She had cried for a week and ever since then had taken to locking herself in the bathroom for hours on end.

‘Hermione, she just broke up with him. Give her time,’ Harry said, getting up and wrapping his arms around her waist to stop her from pacing.

‘I just- I just worry, alright?’ She replied, more to Harry than the others, leaning back and resting her head on his shoulder. ‘I’ll give her time.’

‘She might not have time,’ Neville said suddenly, in a voice that they hadn’t heard since their first year- timid and almost like he didn’t want to say anything.

‘What!’ The others all said at once, Ron and Luna jumping to their feet.

‘I- I didn’t say this, alright? I’m breaking the law here…’

2. ... And I Drown My Heart And Soul

Title: All Hands On Deck

Rating: PG-13 (some coarse language)

Summary: Draco and Ginny's volatile relationship has ended and neither quite knows what to do. So whilst Ginny sulks, Draco plans a solo world trip. Will Ginny be able to realise what she's about to lose? Or will she abandon ship and let Draco sink without her?

Authors Notes: This is my first D/G fic so be kind. Started this many moons ago, just after OotP I think- can't quite remember. Just finished it and so I'm posting it all now :D No waiting for updates for this one- I'm posting it at once because it's easier for me with my schedule.

All hands on deck

Don't abandon the ship

You'll never know what could have been

All hands on deck

My ship is sinking

Don't let me go

Don't let me drown

All Hand On Deck: Waking Ashland

…and I Drown My Heart and Soul

The stands erupted in a shower of red and gold sparks as he flew his broom towards the ground, fighting down the impulse to shoot red and gold out of his own wand. The Gryffindor team were still up in the air, screaming and hollering and crying. Draco was the last of the Slytherin team to land- he wanted to enjoy her moment for as long as possible.

He paused for a moment outside the Slytherin change room and arranged his face into a sneer and stormed in.

`Pathetic!' He bellowed, slamming the door. `My last game and all of you get a case of butter hands? Half of you don't belong in Slytherin! I am sick- you pretty much wrapped the cup up and handed it to the Gryffindors!'

Without getting a response from his team he stormed out of the room again and ran back up to the castle and barricaded himself into the prefect common room. He went immediately to the cupboard over the other side of the room and dug up the box he'd hidden in there earlier that morning.

The door opened and he smiled. She looked wonderful- her brown eyes were alight with happiness, her Quidditch robes dirty and creased, her hair had fallen out of the pony tail she had tied it in before the game and was messily framing her face.

She was beautiful.

`Congratulations,' he said evenly. Her face broke into a large grin and she sprinted across the room and wrapped her arms around his neck and started to laugh. Without thinking, he picked her up and they spun around the room together, both laughing.

`Well, we've always been the best team.'

`I'm not going to disagree,' he said softly, letting her go and giving her the box. `Here.'

`For me?' She whispered and he nodded.

`I ordered it months ago,' he said as she opened it and gasped. Inside the box was a delicate gold ring, with scarlet, gold, green and silver blending in and out.

She pulled it out of the box and gasped again and he knew she'd discovered the engraving.

`Slytherin and Gryffindor- forever united,' she read aloud. `Oh, Draco, I-'

`It's not what you think,' he said quickly. `I wanted to get you something.'

`I- I-' she flung her arms around his neck and started to sob on his shoulder. He patted the back of her head and after a few moments she pulled away. `I should go- I said I was going to the bathroom.'

`Tonight- meet me?'

`I'll try…'

`Draco Malfoy, you lazy son of a bitch, get off my couch now before I hex you back to the stone age.'

`Don't talk about my mother that way,' Draco muttered sleepily, sitting up and opening his eyes. `Blaise?'

`I couldn't be arsed carrying you through the Floo network to the manor, so I lugged you up Diagon Alley to my place. You've been passed out on my lounge all day. And I want it back- Pansy's coming over tonight.'

Draco's face hardened.

`Be careful around that one,' he said and Blaise nodded.

`I know mate, I know. But she's nothing compared to that Weasley chick. Now piss off back to your manor.'

`I'm going, I'm going!' He said, standing up and patting his pockets checking to make sure he had everything he thought he'd bought with him.

`Wait- before you go, when do you go?' Draco looked at Blaise for a moment, before Blaise realised what he'd said. `Oh, you know what I mean!'

`Tomorrow. One more day until I'm out of here for good.'

`And she knows nothing?'

`Longbottom knows better than to tell. Until I'm gone.'

`Well, good luck, mate.'

`Good luck with Pansy!' Draco called over his shoulder as he left the flat and closed the door. Blaise screamed something back to him, but he didn't hear clearly- however he believed he was being told to do something to himself that rhymed with duck. He pulled his wand out to Apparate, before deciding to walk to Diagon Alley and apparate from there. He really needed to get rid of his headache.

It was an overcast day and he was grateful- he hated sunny days. Sunny days always reminded him of her and that was the last thing he wanted. It was bad enough he dreamt about her every time he closed his eyes.

She was why he was leaving. She was why he had stayed and now she wasn't there, so he was going. He still couldn't comprehend what had happened and it had been a month. He was used to them fighting and breaking up, but it was never serious. Within an hour of the fight they'd be in each others arms again. But this time it was different. They had shouted themselves hoarse before she pushed him out the door. She refused to listen to him.

He knew it all stemmed from the day she had turned up at the manor unexpectedly. As had Pansy, only minutes before. Pansy's father had just died, in Azkaban, and she had turned to Draco for comfort, conveniently forgetting that it was Draco who turned his own parents in, causing his fathers death and his mothers imprisonment, then death. Ginny had walked in as Draco was trying to push Pansy away. The argument had started once Draco had thrown Pansy out and continued a week later. And ended a week later with Ginny pushing him out the door and- Draco sighed and put his hand into his pocket.

She had thrown her ring back at him. The ring he had given her when she beat him at Quidditch. The first step he took in showing her how much he cared.

Sighing again he pocketed the ring and without caring who saw him, he Disapparated.

-->

3. Rapid Hope Lost

Title: All Hands On Deck

Rating: PG-13 (some coarse language)

All hands on deck

Don’t abandon the ship

You’ll never know what could have been

All hands on deck

My ship is sinking

Don’t let me go

Don’t let me drown

All Hand On Deck: Waking Ashland Rapid Hope Lost

‘Neville, how could you keep this from us!’ Hermione exploded as Neville finished hurriedly explaining his story.

‘I’m bound by the law, Hermione!’ He exclaimed. ‘And he told me not to say anything anyway.’

‘She needs to know,’ Hermione said, standing up. Harry grabbed her hand and pulled her back onto her seat.

‘No, she doesn’t,’ he said firmly. ‘If there’s one thing Ginny’s made clear to us in the last month it’s that she doesn’t want us to interfere. If he doesn’t want her to know, then we won’t tell her. We have to respect his wishes.’

‘But he’s leaving tomorrow!’ Hermione argued.

‘We’re not meddling,’ Harry said firmly. ‘Now, I’d love to stay and chat, but I have practice.’

‘And I’m meant to be at work,’ Ron and Neville said at the same time.

‘And you should be writing,’ Harry said to Hermione, who said nothing. ‘Not pouting.’

‘I’m not pouting,’ she snapped, getting up again and heading upstairs. The three boys looked at each other.

‘I’ll go stop her,’ Luna said, getting up and kissing Ron quickly. ‘Enjoy your day at work.’

Harry smirked at his best friend as he stared dreamily after Luna as she followed Hermione.

‘C’mon mate, put your eyes back in, you can undress her for real tonight,’ Harry said with a laugh.

‘Like you can talk,’ Ron retorted, pulling out his wand. ‘Later man.’

He Disapparated. Harry gave a wave to Neville and Disapparated moments later. Neville shook his head at the pair of them and walked out the front door- he hated Apparating.

~*~

‘Ginny?’ Hermione knocked gently on the bedroom door. ‘Gin?’

‘Oh just bugger off,’ Ginny called moodily. Inside the bedroom she snapped the blinds shut and laid down on the bed and stared at the dark ceiling. She didn’t feel like dealing with Hermione- she had heard what Neville had said…

He was leaving. Because of her.

She had really messed up this time…

‘Draco?’ Ginny called letting herself into the elegant manor house. ‘Draco are you here?’

She heard a chair scraping on the stone floor of the library and she hurried in that direction. She flung the door open and then wished she hadn’t.

Pansy Parkinson was in there. With her arms all over Draco. Running her finger through his hair. Ginny felt sick from her head to her toes.

‘You… you foul little evil witch…’ Ginny spat, walking into the room. Draco jumped a mile and Pansy just smiled sweetly.

‘Oh… Ginny… we weren’t expecting you,’ she smirked.

Ginny kept walking firmly towards them. When she reached them she wrenched Pansy’s hand from Draco’s arm and slapped her firmly across the face. She then looked into Draco’s eyes and slapped him just as had as she had slapped Pansy.

‘Wait! Ginny!’ he called, chasing her out of the library back into the entrance hall.

‘Oh just go fuck her,’ she yelled at him. ‘She’s what you want- she’s more your type!’

‘What- Ginny- no, don’t go- wait-‘

Ginny didn’t hear the end of what he was saying. She was so upset and angry that she Disapparated from where she was standing.

When she arrived home she had fell into Hermione’s arms and sobbed for an hour. She knew Hermione was biting her tongue from saying ‘I told you so’. And she knew that was what everyone would want to say. But she didn’t care- her heart was breaking anyway, she didn’t care what they thought.

~*~

It was a week before he dared to come and visit. He knew what she was like. He’d walked through the house and up the stairs, feeling the eyes of all her friends bore into him.

If he’d thought about it he would’ve known what was coming just by the looks they were giving him.

She’d been silent for the first hour. He’d tried to explain what really had happened, but she didn’t seem to be listening.

‘What do you want from me, Gin?’ he asked finally. ‘What do you want me to say, what do you want me to do? Nothing happened that day- nothing has ever happened between me and Pansy. Nothing ever will. She’s a bitch, I can’t stand her.’

‘But she’s what you want, isn’t she?’

‘No! Gin- you’re what I want!’

‘But there is a part of you who wants someone like her, someone from your world… not a traitor…’

Draco just stared at her.

‘Ginny we have been together for three and a half years. Would I be standing here in front of you right now if I didn’t love you?’ He stood up and began pacing. ‘And to throw all that traitor stuff in my face- I’m not my father. I thought you would understand that.’

‘I did. Until I saw you with her.’

‘For fucks sake Gin, there is nothing going on!’

‘Then explain this!’ she yelled, pulling an envelope out of her desk and throwing it at her. Draco opened it wearily and pulled the contents out.

It was a pile of photographs. Wizard ones. He watched as his photographic self did things to Pansy that Draco knew he had only done with Ginny.

‘These aren’t real,’ he said hoarsely.

‘Oh pull the other one. Just get the fuck out.’

‘Where did these come from?’

‘Get the fuck out!’

‘Ginny tell me where you got these!’

‘Just fuck off! I don’t want to see you again!’

Draco shut the lid of his trunk and looked around his bedroom. It was a lot quicker and easier to pack than he’d thought it would be. There was only one thing left on his bed. The envelope with the fake photos.

He still hadn’t figured out where they’d come from. He had never been with Pansy how the photos depicted. He had kissed her in fourth year after the Yule Ball, that was it. She had always been obsessed with him.

There had to be a way to prove that the photos were fakes. Not that Ginny would listen. Draco knew he was best to cut his losses. After all- he was leaving tomorrow.

Maybe one day she would miss him.

4. Say Hello Wave Goodbye

Title: All Hands On Deck

Rating: PG-13 (some coarse language)

All hands on deck

Don’t abandon the ship

You’ll never know what could have been

All hands on deck

My ship is sinking

Don’t let me go

Don’t let me drown

All Hand On Deck: Waking Ashland

Say Hello, Wave Goodbye

Ginny waited until everyone was sitting down eating dinner before making her move. She crept out of the house as silent as a mouse and walked slowly down the street.

She had been toying all afternoon with the idea of going to see him. Now that she knew he was leaving. She didn’t even know where he was going. She wondered if he did.

The sun set whilst she sat on the swings in the park five blocks away from the house. It was nice to be alone, watching the sun set, feeling the breeze on her face.

‘Hey,’ a voice said from behind. She turned her face and saw Blaise Zabini standing there. ‘Do you mind?’

‘Maybe,’ she said coldly. ‘What are you doing here?’

‘I was in the neighbourhood,’ he said sitting on the swing next to her. ‘Saw you sitting here, thought I’d come and see how you are.’

‘Well I’m just peachy.’

‘I heard about you and Draco,’ Blaise said, swinging back and forth slowly. ‘Sorry it didn’t work out.’

‘I bet you are,’ Ginny stood up and stared at him. ‘So how are you and Pansy going?’

Blaise laughed.

‘She, well, she just dumped me actually.’

‘Well sucks to be you.’

‘Sucks even more to be you- she dumped me for Draco. Now that you’re out of the way I’m not needed.’

Ginny stared at him. His sentence echoed through her mind.

‘Now that you’re out of the way I’m not needed.’

‘It was you… it was you in those photos…’ she looked at him with disgust, things suddenly making sense. ‘Pansy stole Draco’s hair that night at the manor… that’s why she was playing with his hair… she made Polyjuice potion and made you drink it and then take the photos… you sent them to me… she used you to get to Draco… ’

‘It was for my benefit too, you know,’ he got off the swing and came towards her. ‘I’ve always thought Draco was a lucky bastard… I used her to get to you. I think it was quite smart.’

Ginny didn’t hesitate. She whipped out her wand and hit Blaise with the first curse she thought of.

‘Well I think it was disgusting and mean and evil. And I think I hate you even more than I did before.’

She turned on her heel and began running down the street, away from the park and Blaise.

~*~

Draco cooked a lonely dinner for himself that night and sat in the massive dining room on his own, every noise echoing off the walls. He wasn’t going to miss this place- he had held onto it for so long since his parents deaths to keep part of them with him, but he didn’t want anything to do with them any more. He had sold the manor and the land to a Muggle development company- it would make a fine housing estate.

He was extinguishing the torches when he heard her voice. For a moment he thought he was hearing things. He ran downstairs and threw open the front door.

But there was no one there. He sighed heavily and shut the door, leaning against it and rubbing his temple. He was starting to hear things. Not a good sign…

He climbed the stairs to his bedroom slowly and just looked around the room. It was so bare and lonely. And he didn’t feel like staying there. Not alone. He only ever really liked staying there with Ginny and they hardly ever did. She felt the manor was ‘creepy’ and only went there if she had to.

Holding onto the end of his trunk, he lugged it to the fireplace and threw some Floo powder in.

‘The Leaky Cauldron!’ he bellowed, vanishing in a cloud of green smoke.

5. Just Ask The Question...

Title: All Hands On Deck

Rating: PG-13 (some coarse language)

All hands on deck

Don’t abandon the ship

You’ll never know what could have been

All hands on deck

My ship is sinking

Don’t let me go

Don’t let me drown

All Hand On Deck: Waking Ashland

Just Ask The Question…

Ginny ran for hours without any direction or purpose. By the time she reached home again it was the little hours in the morning and she was exhausted. Her mind had been running as fast as she had, turning events over in her mind.

The only conclusion she could think of was that Draco had sent Blaise to pretend the pictures were fake so that she would forgive him and ask him to stay.

But she wouldn’t do that. It was what he wanted and she didn’t want to give it to him.

She unlocked the door and quietly as she could and crept in. She was halfway up the stairs, relieved she hadn’t been heard, when the light flicked on.

‘Shit,’ she muttered, turning around. Harry and Hermione were standing at the bottom of the stairs, both looking terrified and distraught.

‘Where have you been?’ Harry asked, his voice wavering. ‘Do you have any idea what you have put us through? Not just tonight but the last, well, few years?’

‘You’re not my father- I’m an adult. I can do what I want.’

‘I know I’m not your father- I’m your friend. Talk to us Ginny- tell us what’s going on. Don’t shut us out like you do.’

She regarded him for a moment.

‘Talk to you about what? The fact that I’m in love with a person you cannot stand even though he is a good decent person? The fact that I fucked up so badly that I can’t make it right? The fact that without him I will never be whole?’

Hermione started up the stairs and stopped just two away from Ginny.

‘You’re right- you can’t talk to us. I mean, what would Harry or I know about being in love? What would we know about having friends who didn’t care for the person we loved? What would Harry and I know about fucking up?’

Ginny felt slightly ashamed of herself- she knew that of all people she could talk to, it was Harry and Hermione. They’d been through everything- from Hermione’s relationship with Krum which lead to a big blow out between Hermione and the whole group in her seventh year to Harry revealing his love for Hermione in a very public way just days after her split from Krum.

‘Gin… we can’t tell you what to do, but we can ask you to please respect our feelings and not vanish like you did tonight. Ron and Luna are running around London looking for you. And Neville- Neville’s worse than us. He’s checking all the hospitals for you for gods sake.’

‘Look- I’m sorry guys. I didn’t mean to worry you all. I just- I had to get away. And I’m going to bed. Night.’

Without looking back she climbed the remainder of the stairs and went to bed.

~*~

Despite Luna’s protests that Ginny wouldn’t be at the Leaky Cauldron, Ron made them check it. They arrived there just as Ginny was arriving back at the house (something they would find out in about twenty minutes time).

‘I told you,’ Luna said gloatingly as Ron made it back to her after doing a full lap of the pub.

‘Yeah well we still had to check,’ Ron said wishing she wasn’t right. It was the most frustrating aspect of their relationship- the fact that Luna was always right. It drove Ron up the wall. ‘C’mon, let’s head back, we’re not going to find her.’

‘What’ve you lost now?’ Ron turned and saw Draco stumbling towards them from the shadows. ‘You’re always losing stuff. You’re a loser. Ha ha ha.’

‘Are you drunk?’ Ron asked watching Draco sway.

‘Only slightly, I swear,’ Draco said with a laugh. ‘C’mon, it helps numb my heart.’

‘Have you seen Ginny anywhere?’ Luna cut across and asked. Draco’s face fell and Ron was shocked to see that he was crying.

‘I wish,’ he said, looking at the floor. ‘I just- I just want her to say it.’

‘Say what?’

‘Stay. I want her to ask me to stay.’

It was then for the first time ever that Ron felt a feeling of almost like towards Draco Malfoy. Ginny had been telling him ever since their relationship had been discovered that he wasn’t as bad as everyone thought, however Ron ignored her. Draco to him would always been an evil git. But now as he stood in front of Ron, dribbling about how much he loved Ginny and how much he didn’t want to leave her and that he wanted to be with her for the rest of his life, Draco had become a person to Ron. Finally.

‘Listen,’ Ron said, placing a hand on Draco’s shoulder. ‘Get some sleep. You leave at what time?’

‘Midday.’

‘I’m going to do my damndest to get my sister there when you leave. I can’t promise anything, but I’ll have her there.’

6. ... Come Untie The Knot

Title: All Hands On Deck

Rating: PG-13 (some coarse language)

All hands on deck

Don’t abandon the ship

You’ll never know what could have been

All hands on deck

My ship is sinking

Don’t let me go

Don’t let me drown

All Hand On Deck: Waking Ashland

… Come Untie The Knot

It was the sound of her blinds going up and the bright sunlight that streamed in that woke Ginny. She opened her eyes wearily and saw Ron standing in front of her window.

‘What the devil?’

‘We need to talk.’

‘Ron it’s-’ she fumbled for her alarm clock. ‘7:30am.’

‘I know what time it is,’ he said, sitting on the end of the bed. ‘Remember that time when Luna and I were fighting and you told me to get over myself and just apologise for being wrong?’

‘What are you getting at Ron?’

‘Get over yourself and admit you’re wrong,’ he said sternly. She groaned and buried her head in her pillows.

‘Don’t give me a lecture,’ she said ‘I got one already.’

‘I’m not giving you a lecture. I’m giving you some facts.’

‘Facts?’

‘Fact one- Draco Malfoy loves you,’ he said, counting on his fingers. ‘Fact two- Pansy Parkinson is a devious little cow. Fact three- you love Draco Malfoy. Fact four- if you don’t drag your ass out of that bed and down to the International Apparation Office by midday you will lose any chance you ever had of being with Draco. He’s leaving at midday sharp and he told me he wants you there, regardless.’

‘When did he tell you this?’

‘Last night when I was tearing this city apart looking for you. I bumped into him. He said a lot of stuff- including something about fake photos- but it was the fact that he wanted you there that he kept repeating.’

‘Wait- he mentioned the photos?’ she asked, sitting up.

‘I didn’t quite understand him at first- but he began blabbing on and on about how he wished he knew who did them. And that he was going to kill Pansy because she had something to do with it,’ Ron looked at his sister who was looking like a deer caught in headlights. ‘And then he started rattling on about you said you’d never abandon him- you’d keep his ship afloat or something like that. I can’t remember. I tuned out.’

‘Oh man I’ve screwed up…’ Ginny whispered. ‘Was he at the manor?’

‘Nope. Leaky Cauldron. Said he was staying there cause the manor was too lonely. And it was easier cause he was planning on walking to the ministry to leave. He’d sent his trunk ahead.’

Ginny jumped out of bed and ran to her closet and began throwing clothes out of it.

‘Leave the room now,’ she said to Ron. He shrugged his shoulders and left the room. Within seconds she was dressed and running down the stairs. Harry and Hermione were both sitting at the kitchen table, wearily drinking coffee. They watched her run out and were about to go chasing after, when Ron came down the stairs.

‘I think she’s going to him. I think.’

~*~

Draco was quite cheerful as he paid Tom for his room and walked out into the bright sunshine on the muggle street. It was a nice day and he was glad he had decided to walk the five blocks to the ministry visitors entrance. He was going to be early, but he could pop in and see a few people and say goodbye before he left.

‘Draco!’ a voice called out, knocking him from his day dreams. He turned around and saw Ginny standing there, her hands on her hips. ‘Why was Pansy at the manor that day?’

‘Her father had just died. She wanted comfort,’ Draco said, feeling like he had explained it a million times to her.

‘And why was she running her fingers through your hair?’

‘I have no idea Gin- I was trying to push her away.’

‘I know,’ Ginny whispered. It took Draco a moment to realise what she had said. The muggles on the street around them were brushing past, all in a hurry to get to work. ‘She was running her fingers through your hair to get a hair so she could make Polyjuice potion. So she could turn Blaise into you so she could get the photos to break us up.’

‘What…’

‘Blaise told me everything. I didn’t believe him until this morning,’ she said, her voice shaking slightly. Draco stared at her in disbelief.

‘You mean- you believe me now? Believe that nothing ever happened?’

‘I always kinda did… I just didn’t believe myself for believing it… if that makes sense…’

‘It does,’ he said, smiling. Hearing that she believed him was the best thing ever. He forgave her for everything she had yelled at him in that final argument- she believed him.

‘All it took was Ron reminding me of our promise.’

‘What promise?’

‘All hands on deck.’

~*~

It was Draco’s last night at Hogwarts. Ginny didn’t know how she’d make it through her final year without their secret meetings to look forward too. Not that they were terribly secret now- it was the night of the Quidditch final that she had been caught sneaking out and everyone had found out. There was a major uproar- especially from her friends and family. He was a once suspected Death Eater, his family were as dark as dark could be.

But Ginny knew him better.

They met in the Prefect common room and sat on their favourite lounge, both saying nothing.

‘Hell of a way for our last few days here to be,’ he said with a laugh. ‘I think your brother was desperate to kill me.’

‘He’ll calm down… one day…’ Ginny said, snuggling in closer. ‘I don’t care what they all think of you- I know what I think of you.’

‘And what’s that?’

‘I think- no wait, I know- that I love you.’

‘And I love you too. Come hell or high water,’ Ginny giggled.

‘All hands on deck, captain Malfoy.’

‘Just don’t abandon me if I’m sinking.’

‘I won’t. I promise.’

~*~

‘So…’ Draco said, stepping closer to her, dying to just grab her and kiss her. ‘Where do we go from here?’

Ginny looked up into his eyes.

‘Stay. Stay with me.’

His heart soared- she wanted him to stay. It was the word he’d wanted her to say since he’d made his mind up to leave. But suddenly, he had something else in mind.

‘I can’t,’ he said. Her face sank. ‘I can’t stay. It’s all I wanted you to say. But I never really thought it through. I can’t stay- I have to leave.’

‘But… why… what…’ Ginny stammered on the verge of tears.

‘I want you to come with me,’ he said. ‘Come explore the world with me.’

‘What?!’ she exclaimed in shock.

‘Leave with me today. Leave it all behind. Explore the world with me.’

‘But I- I don’t have anything with me!’

‘We can buy new things,’ he said with a smile. ‘Come on, Gin, what do you say?’

Ginny considered what he was proposing and it was insane. Complete and utter bollocks.

‘I don’t have the approval to travel- it takes days to come through!’

‘Neville will help us. Come on Gin- will you come with me?’

She felt like laughing at the absurdity of the situation. Standing in the middle of a muggle street trying to decide whether or not to leave her home and family and friends behind and travel the world with the man she loved.

‘All hands on deck, right?’ he said and made her laugh out loud.

‘All hands on deck,’ she replied, slipping her hand into his. ‘I just hope Neville can organise everything.’

‘I reckon he can.’

7. Sail Away (Epilouge)

Title: All Hands On Deck

Rating: PG-13 (some coarse language)

All hands on deck

Don’t abandon the ship

You’ll never know what could have been

All hands on deck

My ship is sinking

Don’t let me go

Don’t let me drown

All Hand On Deck: Waking Ashland

Sail Away

September 16^th

Dearest Ron, Luna, Harry and Hermione,

Well, no doubt Neville has already told you what happened this morning. But I had to write and explain in my own words.

I went with Draco. I’m going to be away for about two years as we travel the world together. It was a split second decision and I don’t regret it.

We’ve been in Australia for a week now. We’re staying in a little town on the coast and it’s just wonderful- the weather is warm but not hot and we can go swimming most days. We’ll be here for about another two weeks then it’s off to do a capital city tour- Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Hobart, Adelaide, Perth, Darwin and Brisbane. Of course, we’ll be doing a lot of sightseeing at different places- I will send you muggle postcards if I can (there’s some real funny ones!)

From here we’re going to Asia, India and the Middle East, before onto Africa, then America. We’ll be finishing with Europe before we head home.

I wish I’d been able to say a proper goodbye to you all, however I get the feeling that you are all so incredibly happy that Draco and I finally worked ourselves out that you don’t really care. I hope so anyway.

I’m sorry for all I put you through in that last month. I didn’t mean any of it- I hope you know that. I was hurting. But I’m not hurting now.

And that’s not all. Draco proposed on our first night here! I said yes but said I don’t want to get married before we return home. He understands- well, so he said. He didn’t grow up with a close family and friends like I did, so he doesn’t understand a lot of family stuff, but he understands that I love my friends and family and I can’t wait to be back with them.

So I should go- we’re heading out for the day today, heading inland to have a look around. There is a town somewhere with a giant concrete sheep that we’re going to look at.

Hope you are all well and I will write again soon!

Lots of love from Ginny