Redemption
Oblivion
I stared blankly at the fire listening with a deaf ear as Tiffany and Hermione prattled away about some Muggle T.V. show that they both used to watch as children. After several minutes, my gaze flicked to the clock over the mantel and I sighed. Harry had left for his mission almost three hours ago -where the hell was he?
"Could you stop that? You're giving me motion sickness," said Tiffany placing a hand on my knee and halting the unconscious bouncing of my right leg.
"Sorry," I whispered giving her an apologetic smile.
"He's going to be fine," Tiff said with a small one of her own.
"Yeah I'm sure he can handle himself," added Hermione.
"Harry's been in spots like this before," chimed Ron, "he'll be alright."
"I don't think they were talking about Harry, sweetie," Luna commented in her normal tinkling tone.
"Not talking about Harry?" Ron frowned. "Then who-" he cut off abruptly and scowled. "That prat deserves whatever he gets; personally I think if they blow him to smithereens then they'll be doing us all a favor."
My eyes snapped shut and I turned away.
"You jerk!" yelled Tiffany.
"Shut up, Ronald," growled Hermione.
"Ronald, that's not very nice," added Luna.
I ignored them all as they continued to badger him and he retorted cynically, once more focusing on the clock over the mantel. He had now been gone for a little over three hours, I sighed, should this really be taking so long?
Yesterday, to my immense surprise, Harry had promised to come right back after they were done and tell me how the mission had gone. I really hadn't expected that type of offer given his feelings about Draco, yet I got the feeling that somehow his notions of the other man had shifted in some way from the day before. I knew he had had a meeting with Draco earlier… had he said anything about me? Done something to change Harry's mind?
I jumped in surprise when Harry suddenly appeared in front of the fire obstructing the clock as though he were conjured by my thoughts.
"Hey! Where have you been?" I asked quickly giving a wide smile. "How did it go?"
Harry gazed at me for a moment, the look in his eyes making me increasingly nervous.
"What happened?" I whispered, my smile faltering.
He cringed a bit and I stood.
"Gin," he sighed, "things didn't go as we planned…"
"What does that mean?" I demanded.
"Harry what happened?" asked Hermione.
"Well you see -we weren't expecting. I mean, they kept saying that they wanted him to bring you -that they needed you to get to me…"
"Harry?" I pressed.
He looked at me guiltily. "It was a set up, they didn't want you Gin. They wanted him -and we handed him right to the bastards."
"What do you mean they wanted him?!" Hermione asked before I could.
"Just what I said."
"But why?" she quizzed.
"I don't know… they… well, they didn't say before they left…"
My eyes snapped from the floor where they had been focused back to Harry. "They left? Where?"
"I-" he gave a frustrated sigh, "I don't know -we don't know. They apparated out."
"What did Draco say?" Tiffany asked speaking for the first time since Harry had arrived.
The dark haired man winced. "He didn't…"
"What does that mean?" I whispered.
Harry stared at me for a moment before biting his lip. Then, reaching into his back pocket he slowly removed something. My mouth dropped and I collapsed back onto the couch as my legs gave out when I noticed what it was. Harry stepped forward, holding the item out to me and I took it with shaky hands, running my fingers lightly over the dark wood of Draco's wand.
"No, no, no, no! Where is he?!" I demanded frantically, looking up at Harry
"I don't know Gin… I'm sorry. They -well I don't know what they did… we heard them say that they didn't want you they wanted him. Then a moment later, he screamed, but by the time we made it into the building they were gone and that," he motioned towards the wand, "was lying on the ground."
My eyes went back to the item in my hands and I held it close to me, stupidly hoping that it would give me some type of flash or premonition like they had in those Muggle films and silently wishing that I were holding him instead. Tears gathered in my eyes as I once again replayed our last conversation in my mind except this time when he told me he loved me, I wasn't being stupid. I wasn't trying to protect my family from hurt by hurting him instead. I was honest with him -I said I loved him back. I told him we would be together no matter what. I kissed him deeply and made love to him passionately, not giving a flying cauldron about what anyone thought or who found out. But it was too late for that, I had already messed up beyond belief and he probably wouldn't accept my apology … would he? Would I ever even get the chance to see?
"I say good riddance to bad rubbish," Ron commented loudly.
My tear-filled gaze snapped to him.
"Shut up Ron," stated Harry.
"Cut it out Ronald," added Hermione.
"What?" Ron replied. "Ginny deserves better than that prat, he's only about himself and if he weren't already practically a Death Eater, then they wouldn't have wanted him."
"What I deserve is a better brother," I spat glaring up at him and taking no heed to the tears sliding down my face. "How dare you! Draco put his neck on the line to help out the Ministry, to help out the community-"
"Yeah and I'm sure he wanted something in return," Ron sneered. "That's if he wasn't double-dealing already. For all you guys know he could have been playing both sides, he may even be working with them!"
"Why would they kidnap him if he were working with them Ronald?" asked Hermione "That doesn't make sense."
"Yes it does if it's part of a plan," Ron replied. "I mean think about it, Malfoy tried to get some type of job with the Ministry right? But Kingsley was smart enough not to let him in. So he gets together with Crabbe and they concoct some story about trying to get to Ginny to reach Harry," he looked at Harry, "knowing that you guys are listening. Then, he refuses to help, which leads you to believe that he has changed so you guys invite him to help catch the bastards. He cozies up to Ginny, using her to suit his purposes just incase they do need her later -then they set up this elaborate kidnapping scheme. He'll turn up in a day or two, probably a bit bruised from his harrowing escape and looking the hero. Then `bam' he's a part of the Auror force and can feed them information from the inside."
We all stared at Ron in shock for several seconds.
"What?" he shrugged. "I've thought on this for a while and it makes sense."
"Yeah… except how would he know that we were going to seek him out to help?" Harry asked arching a brow.
"Simple deduction I would guess, I mean the guys a master at manipulation. Look at what he did to Ginny and Tiffany."
"Hey!" yelled Tiffany.
"How dare you," I glowered my voice coming out in a dangerous whisper. "You don't know shite about my relationship with Draco. You don't know what we meant to one another -what we mean to one another."
He scowled. "I know that you're just a puppet in his play! Draco Malfoy doesn't care about anyone but-"
"Me!" I interrupted standing and advancing on my brother. "And we would be together right now if I weren't so fucking concerned with what you thought! What everyone else thought and felt except what he did or what I did! I miss him and want to be with him, not that he would ever take me back after what I did."
"What you did?!"
"Yes, denying him, denying us because I didn't want you to tell mum, dad, and the rest of the family about our relationship. Acting like I was ashamed to be with him when I had nothing to be ashamed of."
"Yes you did. You had plenty to be ashamed of and you still should be. Running around with Malfoy. My God Ginny, what is wrong with you, I know the thing with Harry and Hermione-"
"For heavens sake Ronald, Harry and Hermione don't have a got-damned thing to do with this!! This is about me and Draco! I'm not in love with Harry!! I don't pine away for Harry!! I don't give a damn about Harry -I love Draco! Don't you understand that?!"
"Good God," he exclaimed aghast, "you really believe that don't you?"
"I know it, I feel it right here," I slapped a hand against my chest, "and here," I tapped my head. "And nothing you can do will stop it. Even if he never forgives me, I will always feel this way."
Ron shook his head. "You are bloody delusional, don't you realize or have you forgotten who you're dealing with?!"
"I know who I'm dealing with a hell of a lot more than you do!"
"Obviously not, or have you forgotten all that he's done. All of the people that he's hurt!"
"What about the people he's helped, the lives he's saved! You know nothing about him!"
"Live he's - what the hell are you talking about? Malfoy's never saved anyone's arse, but his own."
I scoffed. "That shows how little you know. Draco's saved at least five lives."
"Bollocks. Who?"
"Two little girls, he saved one when she fell out of a fifth story window. He got the other from in front of a speeding tuck before she could get hit. He also saved a family, a man, a woman and a little boy when their car was about to crash off of a bridge."
"When the hell-"
"The Guardian Angel from your article," Hermione cut it approaching me. "Draco's the Guardian Angel?"
I nodded then looked at Harry. "You once asked me how Draco ever met Tiffany -well that's your answer. He came to the flat so that I could interview him for my story and they met -hitting it off instantly." I waited with baited breath for the second argument, giving him a surprised look when all he did was nod. "You're not upset?"
Harry shrugged. "Not really, I figured it out a while ago… though I didn't know that was how he met Tiff. That was new."
"It also completely shoots down your theory Plumperdink," said Luna thoughtfully. "If Draco were still a D.E. he would never save the life of one Muggle, let alone five. He wouldn't lift a finger or wand to do anything, but harm Muggles -it's not in a Death Eaters nature, hence the name," she finished with a light shrug.
"Fine, maybe he's not in on it," Ron grumbled, "but either way if we're lucky maybe they've already off'd the prat."
Before I knew it Draco's wand was at his neck. "Don't you ever say anything like that again."
He gave me a surprised look before scowling. "What are you going to do Ginny? Hex me? Curse me to defend your little Slytherin boyfriend's name?"
"Ginny?" Harry said quickly grabbing my arm and pinning it to my side. "Don't, it's not worth it. And Ron sod off alright, leave her alone."
Ron scoffed. "I can't believe it, my only sister turned traitor for Malfoy trash."
My jaw clenched and I glared at him. "Get away from me Ron," I stated softly pulling free of Harry's grasp. "You don't give a damn about me, you only care about you. What makes you happy, what makes you uncomfortable, what makes you mad. You don't give a damn about what makes me sad, what makes me hurt, what makes me cry. You don't give a fuck about me. Well, I'll tell you what -go ahead. Tell mum and dad. Tell them everything; tell them that I was secretly dating Draco Malfoy for months behind their backs. Tell them that he made me feel incredible when I was with him and I died in his arms every time he made love to me. Tell them that he was who I went to Christmas night and damn near every night and day after that. Tell them that I love him and if he's willing to forgive me -willing to take me back then there's nothing any of you can do or say to stop me from going. Tell them that. And when you're done and feeling extra smug and proud of yourself tell them that Draco isn't the only thing that I want," I took a step back. "No. I also want you the hell out of my life Ronald Weasley, because if the only type of love you have for me is the conditional type… then I refuse to even attempt to conform any longer."
Having said what I needed to, I disapparated with a pop, appearing in my room a moment later where I collapsed onto the bed and cried myself out of tears.
******************
I winced and released a small grunt when the fist connected with my midsection again. Coughing heavily, I closed my eyes against the pain.
"Come on Draco, you know your death can be a lot more painless if you'll just tell us what we want to know," Hugo said in a bored tone.
I glared at him. "Fuck you, you prat."
He arched a brow then looked at the larger man who was ironically actually named Pratt. "Did you hear that old chap? The little blond prince says fuck you -I don't think he's showing you the proper amount of respect, do you?"
The chair tipped back from the force that of the blow that Pratt delivered to my face in response to the question. As Crabbe and the lanky guy whose name I'd learned was Stevens righted the chair, I blinked several times to git rid of the spots that had appeared in front of my eyes.
"Must you be so difficult Draco?" Hugo sighed. "You know I'll get the information from you eventually, you might as well just say what it is now."
I looked at the small vile that the older man twirled lightly in his long fingers. It contained the truth telling liquid Veritaserum. I blinked once more as my vision faded in and out a bit, noticing vaguely the feeling of the warm blood flowing down my face from my nose and head. Closing my eyes I allowed my head to fall back.
"Then why not just use it and get it over with," I drawled then looked back at him, "because that's the only way you're getting anything out of me."
He gave a slow grin. "Because I find this method vastly more entertaining," he shrugged, "you know you do look a lot like Lucius, you could have been his twin in his younger days." He arched a brow. "He was an insufferable little prat too."
I scoffed then grunted and twisted as beefy Pratt hit me again, this time in the side.
"Where are they young Malfoy?" Hugo inquired again lightly tapping the bottle with his finger.
"Sod off," I hissed, crying out when I felt a rib crack from another blow delivered to my midsection.
"Now that wasn't very well done of you," Hugo laughed merrily. I groaned and let my head fall forward. "You wouldn't be stalling would you young Malfoy? There's no reason you know. Do you really think that the Ministry is going to waste their time and resources looking for you? You don't matter, just another marionette on their string. They never would have even approached you had they not needed you… and by the way I still find myself thoroughly hacked off that you lead a team of Aurors to our lair." He took a step back and Pratt delivered a sharp kick to my side breaking another rib. "You were supposed to come alone… then again, I wasn't surprised after realizing that you were working with the Auror's," he arched a brow when I looked up at him. "What? You think we wouldn't know?" Hugo laughed. "Of course we did, though I admit you had us fooled at first. We thought you really were just getting to the Weasley bint for us when we noticed you hanging with her and couple pieces of Muggle filth in public, especially when you kept it to only Muggle domains. However, when you ventured into the wizarding community and to a party hosted by Potter himself no less… well that's when we knew it was a hoax. There is no way that Potter would allow you within ten feet of a party hosted by him, let alone in as a guest on the arm of his ex-girlfriend and best mate's little sister -unless he was in on it."
I closed my eyes and silently cursed Harry Potter and his bright ideas.
"However, it worked out. We were initially going to use the Weasley bint to send a message to the Ministry. But now that they let you play Auror for a moment and become a lesser version of one of their own, you can be used to suit the same purpose."
"So you're not going after the Weaslette then?" I asked my voice coming out scratchy and pain filled.
He gave a dismissive wave of the hand. "No point anymore, when they find your body that'll be message enough. Not to mention the fact that they'll be watching her too closely now."
I rolled my eyes and kept my face carefully neutral as relief swept through me -Ginny would be safe.
"I don't have time for your nonsense Draco -we have a schedule to keep. Where are the families?"
I clenched my jaw and glared up at him.
"Fine, then let's do this the hard way."
Pratt immediately came forward placing his hands around my neck and squeezed while Crabbe hovered over me with the bottle of Veritaserum. I squished my eyes shut and clenched my jaw, trying to force as much air as I could through my broken bloody nose. I couldn't let them give me that, everything would be ruined if they did. I struggled against the magic binding my hands as Stevens grabbed my shoulders and attempted to turn my head while Crabbe moved my lips and poured some of the potion into my mouth. When I used the little air I had left in my mouth to blow the mixture into Pratt's face Crabbe slapped me hard across my own. For his part Pratt squeezed harder on my neck and my mouth automatically opened a bit. That was all the other man needed and he immediately poured a nice amount of the potion into my mouth. Just as it hit the back of my throat Pratt let go and my body automatically swallowed before my burning lungs sucked in several rough gulps of air.
"Now that that's taken care of," Hugo commented after I had regained my breath. "Answer me. Where are your father and the other wizards who fled England hiding?"
I clamped my jaw shut as the urge to spill my family's secrets ripped through me.
"Must you be so difficult Draco," the other man sighed in a bored tone. "Pratt?"
The beefy wizard eagerly came forward his hand grabbing my hair roughly as he ripped my head back. His other hand slammed down over my broken nose and I bit my cheek to keep from crying out at the pain.
"How long can you hold your breath young Malfoy?" Hugo taunted.
My eyes began to sting as I fought tears. The fire built up in my lungs again and my chest started to hitch. I knew it was only a matter of time before I had to take a breath and so did they.
"Where in the states are your parents? What's their address? Where can we find them and the other wizards who fled -we know that they stuck together, but where?"
My vision clouded and tears slipped from my eyes, increasing steadily when my mouth automatically opened to breathe and the answers to his questions spilled from my lips. As I told him the state, city, and addresses of where he could find my parents and the others as well as my fathers place of work I mentally berated myself, hating myself and hoping against hope that somehow -someway the ministry would find out what they were up to before anyone other than me had to die.
"Very good Draco," Hugo said with a grin. "Did you get that Edwards?" he inquired of one of the other wizards who had just been watching in the background.
"Yes sir, I sure did," replied the other man holding up a piece of parchment with names and addresses written on it.
"You fucking tosser," I spat.
Hugo laughed. "Well since the serum is still in effect I can only guess that you really do feel that way. That's not very nice of you Draco." He tisked, "And here I was going to let you go a bit easier... now…well we'll just have to make sure you feel every moment of your death."
I let my head fall to the side and glared. "Fuck you."
He laughed once more. "I have to admit you have gumption kid." He looked over at one of the other men who had just been watching. "Emberson," the medium sized wizard with loud ginger hair stepped forward. "Kill him." He said as simply as ordering a spot of tea.
The other man nodded and came forward pulling his wand as the rest of the men disapparated from sight.
"You know," the ginger haired Emberson said in a surprisingly American accent. "I would just give you the killing curse kid -get it over with, but those were banned by the ministry, totally traceable. -I guess those are the breaks, huh? Don't worry about your parents though pal; you'll be seeing them soon enough I'm sure."
With a flick of his wand my chest was on fire as what felt like a hot sword sliced through me. I let out an anguished scream and my head flew back as the feeling of wanting to crawl out of my body assaulted me. As blood began to pool in my mouth I leaned my head forward once more, just in time to catch Emberson give me a cheeky grin and disappear from sight. `I had done it again, I had messed up and now more than one family would pay -my parents would pay. I should have never come back; everyone would have been happier, better off…' I coughed and my eyes drifted shut. `Please let the Aurors get to them in time. Don't let anyone else die because of me.' I thought desperately. As the blood continued to burn its way through my veins I felt my will and the last of my strength slipping away into a sweet numb oblivion and my mind flashed to a single image of a beautiful red haired nymph, with the smile of an angel and the mouth… of a sailor.
A.N. Woot! Who ACTUALLY updated -I did ^_^ ! That's right… lol Yeah too early in the morning for this. I would like to thank the 4 of you who took the time to review and let me know that you were still reading the story. I know it only takes a second but you took that time out and that was awesome. So Ash, RenMalfoy, Dracoxvolans and of course -Anonymous (I'm a Harry fan, so that's a small hint as to his character). I'll see you guys next week and don't forget to review as well as anyone else who wants to take a crack at letting me know what they think. Thanks!!
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