Author's note: I just want to say thank you to every one that has reviewed so far. I do have a beta now, and she is going through the chapters retrospectively, so am sure any typos or mistakes I have missed will be picked up by her when this chapter gets sent! So thanks again to English_Rose, and hope you enjoy this chapter.
Disclaimer: I own the plot but everything else belongs to the legend that is J.K. Rowling, we salute you!
Summary: Ginny finally finds out the Truth.
Chapter 8: The Truth.
Draco moved to the bank of the stream, picking up blades of grass distractedly. The Truth? It was something he
hadn't used for a long time, whether it was under interrogation or as unspeakable. He knew it would be difficult
but maybe this was the time for the truth to come out, maybe it would be a relief.
"How much do you know?" he said quietly, not looking at her.
"Not much. I know that you were admitted to St. Mungo's almost a year ago. It was after the liberation of
Moorefield but I don't know what you had to do with that. Where you involved in the rescue or were you..?" she
trailed off, obviously not wanting to continue.
"A Prisoner? Yes Ginny, I was imprisoned at Moorefield for almost 2 years, although I had no idea it was that long
until I was freed." He was speaking very matter-of-factly. "After Ron took you away from the first battle in
Diagon alley, the other Death Eaters over powered me. I was taken with many others to Moorefield. That was the last
time I had any real human contact, other than the 'interrogations'." He gave a cold laugh after the last
statement causing Ginny to shiver.
"These sessions became fewer as time went one, probably because the Death Eaters were losing more battles at this
point, not that we knew that! One day my father came to see me. He told me that they had you," his voice shook
with emotion for the first time since he started talking, "that they'd let you go if I gave them information.
I begged him not to hurt you, to let you go but he only smiled. In the end I refused hoping it was a bluff, I was
right. He reacting by beating me unconscious, I'm not sure how long I was out for but when I woke I was in St
Mungo's."
Ginny desperately wanted him to look at her, but his eyes were fixed on the ground, the grass blades still twisting in
his hands.
"I came to see you," she whispered, "but you'd gone!" Suddenly the pain and anger she had been
storing up for so long came to the surface.
"Where the hell were you?!" she yelled jumping to her feet, spinning him round to face her. The bolt of electricity form the touch was not lost on either of them.
"You left me, again! Did they take you? Or did you just decided to disappear? Or did you…" suddenly the idea that had just come to her was too horrible to think about, let alone say out loud.
"Did I join the Death Eaters?" he stared straight at her, his voice cold as ice. It was Ginny's turn to look away. "Yes I joined the Death Eaters." It was a whisper but it rang loud in Ginny's ears. Her face snapped up to look into his silver eyes, looking for a trace of humour or maybe a lie but all she saw was a deep sadness and acute pain. Eyes still locked she reached forward gently taking his left arm. His eyes widened slightly but he stood firm. Not breaking eye contact she pushed the arm of his jumper up, only looking down when it was rolled up past his elbow. She let out a gasp, dropping his arm, the grotesque mark swimming before her closed eyes.
"I did it for you." His voice was barely audible, a deep sadness obvious now. This, however, was no comfort to Ginny.
"You joined…them, for me? How can you say you joined that…that monster for me?!" She was almost hysterical now, not believing how badly she misjudged the man in front of her for so many years.
"It wasn't my fault!" he yelled back, thankful for the opportunity to get rid of some emotion, emotions he'd been holding in for years. "I didn't ask to be taken away! But I had to help the order, had to show I was worthy of helping."
"So you joined the death eaters?" Ginny was thoroughly confused now, what he was saying made no sense. What she could sense though was he was telling her the truth, how ever hard it was to hear.
"I was drafted as an unspeakable, sent abroad to collect information, to spy. The original plan was to just lay low, hope to gather information for the enemy by deception but it soon became clear I would fail with this method. I was too well known in the wizard community, especially within the Death Eaters. We decided I would have to go deeper under cover, to tell the Death Eaters I had seen the error of my ways, that I wanted to join, to become one of them." He was looking at her, pleading with his eyes for her to see that he wasn't evil; that he did all the things he had for the right reasons.
"I had to do unmentionable things to prove that I was serious. The ministry promised me amnesty as it was an undercover mission, they knew it could bring down the other side. They weren't keen at the beginning, obviously thinking I would actually rejoin the Death Eaters, that 2 years in that…place" he spat the word out, "wouldn't have made me loyal to the order!" he was pacing up and down the river bank now, the tale pouring forward freely now.
It was obvious to Ginny he had never shared this much of his life over the last 3 years with any one. She sat back down on the tree slump, drawing her knees up to her chest and watched him pace.
"But I did everything they asked me to do. I recovered a lot of information that will bring down the Death Eaters, information about Voldemort that many of them don't know." He stopped in front of her, looking into her eyes again.
"But not anymore Gin, it's over."
"Why are you back now?" It was a question she didn't know if she wanted to know the answer to.
"The Death Eaters are losing, the ministry doesn't need any more information. The final battle is round the corner Gin, I want to fight on the side I am truly loyal to. I can't lie though, I didn't want to come back." The hurt looking in her eyes made him realise what he was saying.
"Not like that Ginny. You were the only thing that kept me going over the last few years. When Potter told me I was now a free man, I didn't want to believe it because I couldn't believe it. I didn't want to let myself feel again in case it wasn't true. That it was some cruel joke."
"But you're back now, back for good?" She whispered, getting to her feet again.
"Well, I don't plan on going anywhere," the trade mark smirk was back in place, "besides; I've got a promise to keep."
They were inches apart now, neither really knowing how they had gotten there, neither wanted to move away.
"Oh yes, your honourable intentions." Ginny whispered as their lips were about to meet.
Mrs Weasley's voice rang out causing the spell over couple to back.
"Dinner's ready."
"Coming mum!" Ginny turned back to Draco, who was pinching the bridge of his nose.
"I swear you family are conspiring against me!" Ginny laughed, grabbing his hand.
"Thank you for telling me the truth. I don't blame you, you had to do what was right." His heart swelling, not quite believe the words he had longed to hear for years had just been said. He tried to pull her to him but she laughed again and began pulling him back towards the house.
"We'll talk later, ok?"
"Of Course," replied Draco, following her up the law, "but first, the firing squad."
***
Dinner started well enough, all the Weasley Boys behaved themselves and the stolen glances between Draco and Ginny were not missed by any at the table.
Mrs Weasley fussed over Draco through out the dinner, trying to make him eat as much as possible. This was all very well and good in theory but turned out to be a very bad idea. Half way through pudding Draco jumped up and turned to Harry. Harry, noting the greenish tinge in Draco's already pale skin, automatically said, "upstairs, third door on the right."
Draco took off into the house at a run, hand clutched to his mouth. He found the small bathroom and retched until nothing else would come up.
"Are you alright?" Ginny's voice came from the doorway.
"Fantastic, thanks for asking!" He snapped, retching again.
"Fine!" she snapped back, turning on her heel and began making her way back down the landing.
"Look, I'm sorry" he called out. "I'm not used to people caring if I'm not well. I haven't eaten anything in about three days, especially anything that rich." He moved away from the loo and sat back on the bathroom floor, resting against wall, leaning his head back.
Ginny moved back in through the doorway, noticing the thin film of sweat on his forehead, and sat on the edge of the bath. Her mother appeared in the doorway.
"Draco dear, are you alright, you're awfully pale?"
If he hadn't been concentrating on not being sick again he would have pointed out he was always pale, but however much he tried not to, he felt deeply touched by the concern in her voice.
"He's fine Mum, just hasn't eaten such good food in awhile. I think you should go to bed Draco." Ginny said turning to him. He was about to reply 'only if you come with me' when he remember her mother was still in the room and sensibly just nodded his agreement.
"I'll go and set Charlie's room set up." Mrs Weasley bustled out of the room, obviously happy to be doing something useful. Draco tried to protest but Ginny held her hand up to stop him.
"You're in no state to apparate and I'm guessing you haven't bothered to set your flat up to the Floo network?" he shook his head, not trusting himself to speak as a fresh wave of nausea overtook him.
Mrs Weasley reappeared, a pair of tartan pyjamas folded in her arms. If he had been in any fit state he would have refused point blank to wear such tatty night clothes, Malfoy pride still etched in. Instead he took the garments gratefully and waited for the two women to leave.
Mrs Weasley did but Ginny just gave him a defiant stare. Never one to turn down a challenge, Draco smirked and began undressing. Pulling off his jumper, he started to unbutton his shirt revealing a well defined chest. Normal he would have been proud of his body but he knew the gasp that came from Ginny was not an appreciative one.
"I would say 'like what you see' but I don't think that's the case." She didn't smile at the joke.
"What did they do to you?" she whispered, still staring at his bare chest.
Draco suddenly wanted to be alone; he couldn't bear the look of shock and pity in her face. "Would you mind waiting outside?" she nodded absently still looking at the zig zags of livid scarred across his chest. "Gin?"
"Huh? Oh, right, yeah sorry, I'll be outside." She walked quickly out of the room, closing the door behind her.
He was out in a couple of minutes, changed and his breath smelling of mint. He followed her silently up another flight of stairs up to Charlie's old room. Draco felt a tinge of jealousy at the name plate on the door, nothing so personal had been allowed in Malfoy Manor.
The room was small but very tidy. A cosy glow was coming form the lamps on the desk and bedside table. The only other pieces of furniture were a chair and the bed, which stuck out in the middle of the room. A patchwork quilt lay on the end of the bed, clashing horrible with the flying colours from the peeling Quidditch posters on the walls.
"It's…" Ginny raised an eyebrow at him, "nice." He finished lamely. She grinned, moving back towards the door.
"My room's at the end of the hall, if you need anything then just come in and wake me up. Do you want a glass of water or anything?" Draco shook his head, his gazing falling on the bed that was staring to look very appealing. "Ok, well Goodnight then."
"Goodnight Ginny." He waited until the door had clicked shut to remove the night shirt, suddenly feeling incredibly hot. Pulling the bed clothes down, he placed his wand and watch on the bedside table and climbed under the covers. He lay awake for a while, listening to the hustle and bustle of the house until all became quite, only then did sleep finally come.
***
A/N: Ok so there it is. This is the second to last chapter in Part 1 of this fic and the last Chapter will be up very soon.