Redemption
Awakening
(Ginny)
I lay in bed staring blankly at the wall my mind a muddle of thoughts, memories, and feelings and my emotions very near the breaking point once more. It had been I don't know how long since I apparated back to the flat and cried myself to doze. Not to sleep, I would not sleep until they found him.
Sighing I laid on my back and studied Draco's wand, running my fingers along the dark wood surface and the worn handle. It was the same wand he had gotten back when he was a kid, the same one he used in Hogwarts. I lightly fingered the tip as my mind processed the fact that the wand in my hands had been used to shoot spells at my friends and family, it had been used to conjure the dark mark, it had been used to save the lives of a little girl and a family of three, and it had been used to make sure that our nighttime habits didn't result in any new lives.
I was pulled out of my reverie by a loud banging at my bedroom door. "Ginny!" Tiffany called out. I closed my eyes ignoring her. "Ginny!!" She banged again. "Ginny!"
"Go away!" I finally called back squishing my eyes tighter.
"Ginny! Open the door!"
I tuned her out.
"Ginny!!" A different voice called; this one male. I sat up, immediately recognizing Harry's voice. Jumping off of the bed I rushed to the door and ripped it open.
"Harry? What happened?!" I inquired anxiously.
"We found him Gin, we have him. He's at St. Mungo's," Harry sighed, quickly wrapping his arms round me when I threw myself into him.
As I sobbed uncontrollably I distantly heard Harry tell Tiffany something about coming back for her right before the familiar pull of apparation took over. I pulled back from Harry a moment later, noticing that we were now in a beige colored waiting room.
"The healers are still working on him," Harry said setting me down in one of the plush chairs next to Hermione, who had been waiting for us.
"What happened?" I whispered.
"I'll tell you what I can in a moment, just let me go and get Tiff-"
He cut off when there was another pop. Looking over, the three of us were surprised to see Tiffany appear in the arms of Ron. I closed my eyes and dropped my head, rubbing my temples.
"Not now Ronald, I can't do your-"
"Wait Gin, please okay," he said. I looked up to see him kneeling in front of me. "I'm not here to argue, I just -well, I thought a lot about what you said before you left and… well, I just wanted to be here to support you. You know, just as your brother…"
I frowned. "What about those comments about how you hoped they had killed him?"
He winced. "I'm sorry, that was a bone-headed move if I've ever made one. As much as I may not like Mal- er, Draco, I don't wish that on anyone."
"To late, you already did," I sneered before finishing in a hurt whisper, "now it looks like you may get your wish."
"No, I won't. I'm sorry Ginny, it'll be okay you'll see," Ron crooned gathering me into his arms when I began to silently cry once more. "Tell her Harry."
My brother pulled me over to a couch and into his arms while Tiffany took my chair next to Hermione. Harry stood in the middle of the room, his arms crossed over his chest and a small frown over his face as he relayed what he could to us.
"There's only so much I can tell you," he sighed rubbing his face, "this is an ongoing investigation. However, what I can say is that Mal- Draco's in with the healers right now. They're doing what they can to help him," he ran a hand through his hair. "The Death Eaters worked him over pretty good… I mean I hardly recognized him when we found him, there was so much blood…"
"Harry," Ron warned when I began to cry harder.
"Sorry, I -uh, sorry. I mean he's going to be alright we think. The healers were able to mend his broken bones and a lot of his cuts." He rubbed the back of his neck and looked at the floor then back at me. "The main issue is the gash across his chest. It was caused by a spell called `Poistromina'."
When Hermione's mouth dropped my heart sped up. "What kind of spell is that, what does it do?"
Harry sighed and looked at the floor once more and I turned my gaze to Hermione.
"I-it's a cutting spell," the older woman whispered a frown on her face. "Similar to the `Sectumsempra' one that Harry learned from the Half Blood Prince, except it doesn't just cut, it also poisons. It slices into the skin and releases a potent toxin that attacks the blood cells making them burn away -it -it's quite painful…" she shook her head and whispered, "what a horrible way to di…" her head shot up and she looked at me, "not that he's going to- I mean if they catch it in time-"
"Which we did," added Harry, "the healers are using blood replenishing potions and several spells to block the old blood from infecting the new. However, they kind of have to… well, in essence, bleed him out. Get the tainted blood out of his system so that he won't relapse and that can take a while."
I nodded slowly. "Will they be able to do it?"
"They've already started, they did as soon as we got here -but it's a slow process Gin, you guys could be here for hours."
"I don't care," I stated.
"Me either," added Ron, I threw him a surprised look and he shrugged. "I'm trying this new moral support thing -don't give me a hard time about it alright?"
I gave my brother a watery smile and a jerky nod before wrapping my arms around him and settling in for the long haul. As much as I appreciated that Ron was staying, the way he let me curl up against him, and how he threw his robes over me so that I would be warm. As sweet as he was and considerate as he was trying to be… I couldn't stop myself from wishing that Draco were holding me instead.
***************
(Draco)
I groaned and shifted slightly, my sore body immediately protesting the movement. Opening my eyes slowly I blinked several times to adjust to the light in the room before lifting my hand and running it lightly over my face. As my vision cleared, deep green walls similar to the color of my flat came into focus, along with several chairs. One of which containing one of the last people I expected to see.
"It's about time you woke up," Harry Potter said standing from the seat and stretching. "You've been out for hours."
I frowned and looked around the room. "Where am I?"
"St. Mungo's," he shrugged walking to stand next to the bed. "How do you feel?"
"Like shite," I muttered, lightly touching my scratchy throat. As my fingers grazed the skin I winced from the tenderness quickly recalling just why my throat probably hurt so much. "What happened?"
Potter smirked. "You got your arse kicked."
"Har-har," I replied closing my eyes.
He chuckled. "No really, we found you and got you here as quickly as possible. The healers had to give you a transfusion and you went through a lot of blood replenishing potions, but you'll live."
"Gee thanks," I smirked before shooting up in the bed amid a protesting body. "Wait!" I winced touching my burning throat once more.
"I wasn't leaving," Potter replied arching a brow.
I ignored him. "You have to get to the states, warn everyone-"
"It's taken care of Malfoy, relax."
"But my parents-"
"Are on a plane that will be touching down in England any minute now," he finished placing a hand on my shoulder and lightly pushing me back down onto the bed. "Relax we've handled it Draco, everyone's safe. We got all of the families out and moved and were able to set up stings in the locations. We even caught most of the bastards when they showed up."
"Who didn't you catch?"
"A wizard named Masterson, Stevens and…" he sighed and shook his head disappointingly, "and Hugo."
I scoffed lightly. "Why not them, but everyone else?"
"They didn't show, it looks like Hugo sent his men to do his dirty work while he stayed somewhere safe," Potter frowned. "Either way we got most of them and I'm sure that we can get descriptions of Hugo and the others from you."
I nodded then frowned. "Wait, how did you know-"
"The easy listening charm," he stated simply, "they didn't know you had it on you. I think they figured you would just return with the information. -It's actually how we found you." He took a seat on the edge of the bed. "When they apparated you out the sound faded out and we had forgotten about the charm ourselves as we rushed to figure out what to do. But while in a meeting going over strategies on how to best locate you we heard a snippet of conversation -that's how we knew that it was still working. We had already realized that it was unlikely that they had taken you out of he country, but now we were able to use listening charm as a type of… homing device if you will. When we reached an area where the conversation was crystal clear, then we knew that you were in a certain radius. And once that was done it didn't take us long to locate you. Once we had the target area, other agents were dispatched to the states and our American counterparts were notified."
My brows furrowed as I processed what he had said before I threw Potter a look.
"You were in the basement of an old abandoned Muggle home," he offered catching the questioning expression on my face. "I'm sorry we didn't find you sooner. It was actually your scream that let us know the exact location. Another Auror and I were combing through the neighborhood you were in when we heard it. That narrowed it down to two houses, he took one -I the other." He frowned. "I was the one who found you…"
"Of course…" I muttered.
Potter laughed. "Yeah, we do seem to be bound like that don't we?"
I rolled my eyes and he chuckled once more, as my gaze dipped and focused on the sheet. "Uh… Harry?"
"Yeah Draco?"
My eyes flicked to him briefly before returning to a crinkle in the white bed spread. "I -well I wanted to say that…" I sighed, "I'm sorry…"
"For what?"
"A lot of things I guess -how rotten I was as a kid. Trying to hex or kill you on more than one occasion. For not saying thanks the last time you saved my life." I shrugged. "I guess mostly for being so weak. I never should have given those families up like I did… I shouldn't have told them anything -I should have held out longer."
"Well, for the first couple of things that's okay and I forgive you. I also apologize; I did my share of hexing and trying to kill you too." Potter replied, I looked up at him and he gave a small wry grin before his face went serious. "However, for the last one that's bollocks. You don't have anything to apologize for."
"Nothing to apologize for -Potter I almost cost families their lives!" I exclaimed ignoring the pain in my throat. "If the charm wouldn't have been on me then you never would have got to them in time! I put myself in a position where-"
"You didn't put yourself in anything! We put you in that position, the Ministry did -you had cut off ties with Crabbe until we approached you and asked you to join our team." Potter interrupted intensely; I looked away. "As for the telling the part, you forget Malfoy, we heard. We heard them working you over; we heard them choking you -torturing you. You didn't give up anything; you had it taken from you." I looked over in time to see him shaking his head in wonder. "I was honestly shocked by how long you held on after the Veritaserum was given, it's the longest I've seen anyone last. You're a hell of a lot tougher than I gave you credit for Malfoy."
Not sure of how to take the grudgingly given compliment, I just shrugged.
"So…" Potter said after a moment, looking as uncomfortable as I felt. "There are some people outside who want to see you…"
I gave him and perplexed look. "Did my parents make it in already?"
"No," he chuckled. "I wasn't talking about them."
"Then who?"
"Tiffany and Ginny… they've been waiting all night to see you."
My eyes snapped shut at the sound of her name as a new type of pain ripped through me. "I don't want to see her," I stated softly.
"Not in the mood for visitors?" Potter inquired with a frown.
I looked up at him with one of my own. "Tiffany can come in."
He stood there for a moment, processing exactly what I was saying before scoffing. "She's been here all night waiting to see you, Malfoy. You can't just say that you don't want to see her."
"The hell I can't. I just did."
"You bloody prat."
"Fine," I sighed I was too tired for this. "then tell them I don't want to see anyone. But I will not see her -at all. Period."
Potter turned away and ran a hand through his hair before turning back to me. "Please Malfoy," he sighed with a pained look. "It would mean so much to her…"
"So?" I sneered sitting up. "Just because it means something to her I'm supposed to bend over backwards to do it? I'm surprised you're even pushing for this. I thought all of you wanted her as far away from me as possible -and the last I checked she had obliged; happy and carefree with her new boyfriend."
He gave me a surprised look. "Draco-"
"Get lost Potter, you've worn out your welcome," I stated, lying back on the bed and staring blankly at the ceiling.
He stood there for a moment longer before exhaling and turning to walk out of the room. As the door closed I told myself I had made the right decision. So what if she wanted to see me now, she had said herself that there was no future for us. She had told me to my face that she didn't love me. I wasn't some fucking salve that she could throw on her guilt to make it go away -she didn't owe me anything and vice versa. I don't give a damn if she has decided that she finally wants to see me again. My days of pining for Weasley are over -one of the things that this whole thing as taught me is that life is way to short to spend it miserable. Another was that I had definitely made the wrong choice when I decided to return to England.
**************
(Ginny)
I sat up eagerly when Harry walked back into the waiting room, my hopeful gaze centering on his face. When looks of unease and dismay crossed over his features, I stiffened and slowly stood.
"Harry?" I inquired softly. "What's wrong -did something happen? Is Draco-"
"He's fine," the dark haired man cut in. "He's up, alert -he was even asking questions about what happened."
I grinned and released a relieved sigh.
"Can we see him?" Tiffany asked standing from her seat next to Hermione and stretching a bit.
"I… well…" his face flushed a bit and he looked between the two of us.
"He doesn't want visitors?" Tiffany quizzed with a frown.
Harry looked down as if deliberating for a moment before sighing, "It's not that. He… well, he would like to see you."
At that comment Tiff and I looked at one another in confusion for a minute. Then it clicked. I felt my body sway unsteadily and my brother quickly place a hand on my back, but I paid no heed as my gaze fixed on Harry once more.
"He doesn't want to see me does he?" I whispered.
Harry looked at me guilty. "I'm sorry Gin… he- well he refuses…"
"What?!" exclaimed Ron. "That fucking pr-"
"Stop it!" I yelled sitting and running a hand through my hair. "It's his right -and, I, well I don't blame him. The way I treated him…" I broke off as my hand flew to my mouth in an attempt to muffle my sobs.
"Ginny," Ron and Harry whispered, each sitting next to me and putting arms around me.
"He just needs a little while," offered Harry.
"He's just being a git," added Ron.
I sniffled and glared at my brother. "Don't do that. Don't call him names… you don't understand Ron, I…"
I cut off with a shake of my head, unable to tell them about what I had done that night, what I had said to him. How I had broken his heart. Why should he forgive me? What had I done to earn his forgiveness -he didn't even know that I loved him because I had been too much of a bint to tell him so.
"I'm sorry Gin," my brother whispered pulling me closer, "I just hate to see you hurting like this. I don't understand why you're letting yourself get all wound up over a guy like Mal- Draco. And as your brother, I instantly dislike any bloke who makes you cry," I felt him shrug. "I can't help it, it's built in. Like some type of brother accessory, the need to beat the crap out of any bloke who hurts your baby sister."
I sniffled and shifted, pulling him into a hug. "I understand Ron," I whispered before standing. Reaching into my back pocket I pulled out Draco's wand and looked at it for a moment longer before handing it to Harry. My eyes went back to Ron. "But what you don't understand… is that I hurt him first."
With a sad sigh and a watery smile I disapparated from the hospital, arriving back at my flat and collapsed onto the floor. As I curled into a ball and cried until my chest hurt, I idly wondered why I even had legs when they didn't seem to hold me up anymore. I felt someone's arms slip under me and lift me, carrying me to the couch and sitting down gingerly and holding me close. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and buried my head in his neck, continuing to sob uncontrollably he rubbed my back and crooned words of comfort in my ear. After a while my tears subsided and he rocked me gently until I began to drift off. As the fog of sleep descended upon me I silently thanked him for all that he was doing; however, I couldn't stop myself from wishing that the red hair that I could see from my location resting against his shoulder were blond instead.
A.N. Don't kill me!! I know I'm late, the last week has been HEC-TIC, siblings make you want to kill them sometimes, sisters in particular. Only about two or three more chappys to go and it is done. The chapters are typed AND beta'd already, all I need to do is post them *whispers* Actually I'm supposed to be studying for a test in Theories of Society RIGHT NOW…. But I'm doing this instead…. >.< Don't tell anyone. Thanks again to you guys that reviewed, you put the Awwwwe on AWEsome ^_^ I'll try to update again soon!
-->