(Title: Change of Heart
Rating: PG-13 to R
Summary: "There was a heavy feeling in the air, like something was about to happen--something big. Little did she know that she was going to be one of the main characters in the epic story that was unfolding in that very moment."
A/N: For bidingmytime who requested a dramatic fic with the first line in the summary. This fic is EXTREMELY dramatic around the end and I hope that no one hates me for it. I tried my best to keep the characters… well, in character, but I don't know if I pulled it off or not. Still, I had to do two drafts on this and I worked quite hard on it, so I hope that it worked out okay. Please review and let me know how I did and enjoy!
Tone/Mood: Drama/Romance (Mostly Drama)
Can incorporate HBP canon or no: Yes)
Change of Heart
Ginny Weasley was not one to worry. She took things as they came and moved on with it. Still, as she stood there in the soft grass outside the Burrow, she felt that feeling that she hated feeling-that worried, paranoid feeling. She ran a hand through the auburn curls that were being carried on the wind. Harry, Ron, and Hermione had disappeared not long after Bill and Fleur's wedding, and she couldn't help but wonder if they were alive at the moment.
She had lost all contact with her brother and his friends, and she didn't like the fact that things were getting worse. People were dying left and right-so the Daily Prophet said. The Death Eaters were getting more ruthless. Those who hadn't been killed had been put into St. Mungo's for some sort of mental ailment due to the Cruciatus Curse or the Imperius Curse. Some had just disappeared-like Professor Sprout.
She closed her eyes and placed a hand over her heart, feeling the soft beating against her palm, the wind becoming all the more chilling. There was a heavy feeling in the air, like something was about to happen--something big. Little did she know that she was going to be one of the main characters in the epic story that was unfolding in that very moment.
--
Her eyes shot open in a flash. A creak had resonated throughout the room, waking her immediately. She arose, reaching for her wand, but just as her fingers brushed the wooden handle, a hand clasped over her mouth. Ginny screamed against the flesh, but it was far too muffled to catch the ears of her family. Her eyes shot to her attacker. Though masked by the hood of his cloak, there was no mistake as to who it was. Those gray eyes made it clear that her attacker was none other than Draco Malfoy.
"Just be quiet," his voice was harsh, but not as playfully cruel as it once was-it seemed more desperate than anything.
Ginny, who had no idea what else to do, merely glowered at him from the corner of her eye. Draco placed a binding spell on her-one she couldn't remember ever learning or hearing about from Harry. She figured it was probably illegal. He kept his hand over her mouth and raised his wand, spun, and Ginny found herself squeezed in that tight tube that Harry called Apparation. When she hit the hard, cobblestone floor of wherever she was, her chest was throbbing and her eyes were watering.
Malfoy's robe was right in front of her nose and Ginny realized why she hurt so badly. She had landed on her stomach, and she had broken a rib-or at least bruised one. She wasn't sure. All she was sure of was that it hurt like hell and that Draco Malfoy hadn't done a thing to prevent it. Still, he made no movement to run-not that he had to. She hadn't managed to grab her wand before she was transported to this---dungeon?
"Alright, Malfoy! Tell me where we are!" she yelled.
He jumped a bit then turned in a flash, eyes burning, "How do you know who I am!"
"Your eyes gave it away. Now tell me where we are!"
Draco's voice lowered in a haughty way, "I don't believe you're in the place to make demands."
"What do you want from me anyway!"
"What else? You're Potter's girlfriend aren't you?"
"No, I'm not," Ginny growled, wheezing slightly with the pain in her rib.
"Either way, Lord Voldemort has decided that he can use you."
"You can't possibly want to do this! What about what happened back at Hogwarts!"
Draco shuddered slightly, "FORGET HOGWARTS! I'M A SERVANT OF THE DARK LORD NOW!"
Ginny pulled back slightly, wincing, "B-but you… didn't want to… k-kill… D-Dumbledore-"
"SHUT UP!" Draco slammed his foot into her side, sending pain searing through her veins and making her scream.
His hood fell from his head, revealing that familiar pale face, yet it was more of a sickly yellowish-white than it used to be. His hair hung in his face now and it looked more white ever. The one startling difference was a large scar over his right eye-one large line drawn over the side of his face. Ginny quieted, holding her breath, trying not to cry. Draco's wand was out and pointed straight at her. His teeth were gritted and his hand was shaking, his wand making a slight swishing sound in the air.
"I see," Ginny said in a darkened tone, "You still can't kill me, because you can't kill. You don't have to do this!"
"Yes, I do!" Draco screamed, "AVADA-"
"That's enough, Draco," came a reeling voice from the corner.
Ginny turned to see a man, much like the other, standing in a lit doorway- Lucius Malfoy. Ginny recoiled upon herself. If anyone scared her, it was Lucius Malfoy. After all, he was the one who started the entire Tom Riddle fiasco. Frightened though she was, she hated him and raged at him far more. She gripped her fists tightly, biting through her lip and tasting blood on her teeth.
"F-father. Forgive me… I-I lost control," Draco said, his voice shrinking.
"Watch that control, Draco," Lucius growled, dangerously, "Don't mess this up for me. I've already screwed up once. I don't need you adding to my problems."
Draco said nothing. Ginny stared, surprised. She had never seen Draco take words. He almost always had a smart-ass comment or an angry retort, but, alas, there was nothing. Lucius looked to her, making Ginny feel uncomfortable yet frozen.
"You cannot kill her… yet."
Ginny gulped and remained still, hoping she could just disappear. Stupid Harry. Of course word would have gotten around that they were together-word always traveled fast at Hogwarts. Now that he had left her, physically and romantically, she was stuck with the consequences. Leave it to Harry to make her miserable without meaning to… again. Lucius turned on his heel and stalked back up the stairs.
"The Dark Lord will be in shortly. I suggest you remain here and keep calm, Draco. Otherwise, it will be your head, not mine. I promise you," Lucius hissed before slamming the door behind him, the sound resonating off the stone walls.
Draco leaned against the wall in silence, his breathing harsh. Ginny stared at him. He looked dead. He obviously didn't want to do this, but what choice did he have? No one ran from the Dark Lord and lived except Snape, but he was different-the bastard. Draco ran a hand through his hair and let out one last long sigh, calming down.
"Shit," he said, banging his fist against the wall behind him.
Ginny remained silent, praying he'd forget she was even there. Sure, she pitied him, but not enough to stop hating him. After all, he did capture her and bring her to this awful place. Those stormy eyes trailed up to her again and Ginny brought fingers to her swollen, bloody lip, fearful of what he would do.
"Sucks, doesn't it, Weasel? Being stuck in a place like this, eh?" his tone was strange, almost on the verge of insane, just like his eyes.
Ginny found no answer. Of course it sucked! She could be at home in her nice warm bed, dreaming happy dreams of Harry and the others coming back and saying they defeated Voldemort, but no. She was stuck here of all places… with someone who certainly was not Harry, Ron, or Hermione. Draco kneeled beside her and grabbed her chin. Ginny made to scream out but Draco's grip tightened and jerked her head towards him, cutting off her voice. He ran a finger over her lip, sending shivers up her spine-which she not only hated but had a strange curiosity about-and wiped up the crimson fluid.
"Get your nasty hands off me," Ginny said, though she lacked conviction.
"Get over yourself," Draco spat, pulling out his handkerchief and wiping away anything that was left then cleaned his finger.
Ginny wrenched her face away the moment he released her, then crossed her arms and tried to ignore him.
"You're pretty feisty for someone who's probably gonna die," Draco said in that mocking tone that she hated.
"I'd rather go down fighting than like some puny coward like you."
"You don't see me in a grave yet, do you?"
"I could say the same thing to you, Malfoy," Ginny said crossly.
"Bitch."
"Fucker."
"Ooh, someone has a dirty mouth," Draco mused.
Ginny whirled on him, ready to attack, "AND!"
"Just saying," Draco said, a playful, yet half-hearted smirk on his face.
"Sure, whatever, asshole. I want out of here. The last thing I want to do is listen to your annoying voice for the rest of my miserable life."
"Miserable! You think your life is miserable!" Draco raged.
"Only with you in it," Ginny spat.
"Ya' know, you're a pretty audacious little brat," Draco barked venomously.
"And you're an ugly son of a bitch," Ginny finished just as harshly.
Draco went for his wand, but paused, then dropped his hand, "Bitch."
"Honestly, do you want to start that losing argument again?" Ginny whirled back around with her back to him-not a smart move, but she was stubborn enough to do it.
"God, this sucks!" Draco yelled, "Of all the people I had to kidnap, why'd it have to be you!"
"Uh huh, like this looks better in my situation," Ginny glared over her shoulder at him.
"I should just crack my skull against that rock over there," gestured Draco, "Life would be better for both of us."
"Number One: No it wouldn't. Number Two: You'd be dead, so it wouldn't be life, now would it? Number Three: I'd still be stuck here, not at home, but with a dead guy with me! Now, how would that make life better for the both of us!"
"Just shut up, okay!" Draco yelped, looking more on the verge of crying than exploding, "I get enough bullshit every day. I shouldn't have to put up with yours."
Ginny raised her middle finger at him then went back to ignoring him. Silence pursued, but it actually annoyed her even more that he wasn't talking. Her rage was calming, but her curiosity remained. Why did Draco have no choice but to do this anyway? Sure, there was the fact that Voldemort had a lot of connections and such, but hadn't Dumbledore offered him safety and a hiding place? Wouldn't McGonagall and the other teachers at Hogwarts do the same? Surely there was something else in the mix.
"…So what happened to your face?" Ginny asked, staring off into nowhere.
"Why do you care?" Draco snarled.
"I don't," Ginny assured him, irritated again-how did he come to make her so angry? "I was just… curious."
Draco sighed, "I got slashed. What else is there to say?"
"Slashed? How? Were you in a fight?"
"Do you always ask this many questions!" Draco snapped.
Ginny quieted, feeling a bit smacked. She massaged her ribs with a hand, feeling pain shoot through her veins again. She winced and pulled away quickly, groaning. She felt his eyes on her, that paranoid feeling washing over her. She glanced at him through the corner of her eye, those faded silver eyes watching her ever-so-closely.
"What?" Ginny asked harshly.
Draco's eyes immediately averted elsewhere, "Nothing."
Ginny stood, flinched due to her hurt rib, then lowered her eyebrows confidently. She stalked up to Draco and crossed her arms, glowering at him. He was at least a head taller than her-she had unfortunately fallen on her mother's side when it came to height-but she still managed to get a pretty good glare in at him.
"Are you gonna tell me why you're doing this?"
"Why should I?"
"Because… well…" Ginny said reluctantly, "Maybe I can help you."
The door slammed open and Ginny flung herself behind Draco, sandwiched between him and the wall. There he stood before her and Draco, the Dark Lord. Draco actually took on a slightly protective air and raised his wrist from his side slightly in a slight block.
"Back away from her, Malfoy."
Draco glanced fearfully back at Ginny and moved slowly to the side. Ginny didn't expect him not to. No one defied the Dark Lord-no one smart did anyway. Still, he hesitated and that was enough to quell any anger she felt at him at that moment. Ginny never thought she'd see the Dark Lord face-to-face. He was as hideous as Harry had described, nothing like the Voldemort she knew-Tom Riddle. He waltzed across the floor with a manner of superiority. He looked at Draco.
"Bow."
Draco stared fearfully at Lord Voldemort, and Ginny could see him visibly trembling. She knew he would have bowed if he hadn't been frozen to his spot. She swore his eyes were going to roll back in his head and his mouth would foam over, and perhaps he would die right there, but Voldemort didn't give him time.
"You will not bow?" he hissed questioningly.
Draco tried to speak, but only let loose a whimper that she had never heard. Voldemort pulled out his wand and pressed it to Draco's chest.
"Crucio," he said, almost lazily in an obvious been-there-done-that manner.
Draco's scream filled the room, ricocheting off the stone walls, making it even louder and bringing out every pained note of his voice. He collapsed the ground in a shivering heap, whimpering and looking even sicker than before. Voldemort turned his amused smile back to Ginny.
"So… you're the girl that Potter loves," he said 'Potter' with disgust.
"Used to love," Ginny specified, "And no, I don't know where he is, so don't even ask."
Voldemort slapped her then slammed his wand into her chest. Ginny held her breath to prevent her scream.
"You have some audacity, girl… but I can't kill you yet. I still have uses for you," he mumbled before turning toward the door.
He turned to Draco, "Know your place, boy."
"Y-yes, sir… For-forgive me…" Draco mustered shakily.
Voldemort left. Draco checked to make sure he was gone, turned, and wretched on the dungeon floor. Ginny's pity grew after that situation. She had no idea of the abuse that he received. She reached out, almost as shaky as he was, and placed a hand on his back. He turned quickly, swinging at her head, missing by a hair. His eyes were misty and his face was covered in a cold sweat.
"Why don't you run?" she asked softly.
"Don't you see what would happen?" he whispered harshly, "They wouldn't kill me-no, that would be far too convenient. They'd kill my loved ones and torture me."
Ginny had never felt more sorry for the Malfoy boy. She was sure this was the reason Harry saw him crying in the bathroom-a secret kept between the two of them. He still had a small white line on his forehead where the Sectumsempra had hit him, but his chest was covered, leaving the imagination to work. Ginny grabbed his wrist and pulled him up off the floor.
"Malfoy…"
"Don't dare go feeling sorry for me, Weaslette," Draco hissed, "That's the last thing I need."
"You need help."
"Oh, no way, Weasley. Impossible!" Draco drawled, irritated.
"Don't argue with me, Malfoy! I'm trying to help you!"
"That's not what you were trying to do before. No one can help me," Draco murmured.
He looked forlorn and pale and sick. Ginny placed a hand on his shoulder and he flinched, jumping away, causing Ginny to wince in pain.
"Ow…"
Draco quieted, analyzing her once more. Ginny glanced at him, then turned away once more.
"I'm sorry," Draco said reluctantly.
"For what? For kidnapping me?"
"For kicking you… and yelling at you…"
"Forget it."
"You could always kill me and escape, ya' know," Draco sighed, leaning his head on his knees.
"You know I can't kill. You can't even kill. How the hell could I?"
"That's true."
"Malfoy, why don't you and your family go into hiding like Dumbledore offered?"
"Because he'll find us."
"Not if you hide well enough!"
"Don't you get it! The world isn't as happy-go-lucky as you think it is! Just because I go into hiding doesn't mean I'm gonna be okay, Ginny. It doesn't mean that everything's gonna return back to normal. It doesn't mean anything!"
Ginny felt as if reality had crashed on her head, with good reason. Draco Malfoy was right. Any positive outlook she had could probably be shot down. She nodded after a minute or so, agreeing.
"That's what I thought," Draco said darkly.
"Well, at least you're not alone," Ginny said, trying desperately to smile or at least to make him smile.
"Yeah, I've got someone to argue with so I can die angry and go to Hell where I belong."
"Don't say that. You're not a bad person Draco. You're just… in a bad situation."
"How can you just shift all the words around like that?"
"I don't know. I guess I get it honest. My family's a bit positive about things like that. But I'm serious though! You didn't kill Dumbledore because you don't want to kill, right?"
"Psh," was all Draco said.
"Snub me off all you want, Malfoy. I'm still going to believe that, because that's what Harry believes."
"Can't you go thirty minutes without mentioning Potty?" Draco snapped.
"I only speak fondly of him because I care for him."
"Potter isn't that great," Draco sighed, "And what's with the sudden one-eighty in attitude?"
"Well, anyone would be angry to be kidnapped right? And Harry is great, thank you."
"I guess it depends on who thinks so. Harry's a show-off."
"You're the show-off, Malfoy," Ginny couldn't stop herself.
"Just shut up for awhile, okay?" Draco growled.
Ginny silenced and stared at the floor. There had to be someway to stop this.
"We should escape," Ginny said.
"No, we should stay here in hopes that we actually survive this ordeal."
"Are these my last hours, Draco?"
"Yeah, they are, I have to say. As soon as they get what they want from you, they'll kill you… I'm sorry."
"No, it's okay," Ginny said, tucking her hair behind her ear. "If I have to go through with it, I will."
"Are you… scared?" Draco asked, sounding quite a bit like a child.
"…No. I always had a feeling that my future was sealed when I fell in love with Harry Potter."
"Do you still love him?" Draco asked after a moment of silence.
"…"
"Well, do you?"
"I don't know."
"Well, do you feel the same about him as you did before?"
"…No… I don't."
"Then you don't love him anymore."
"That doesn't prove anything," Ginny said quickly.
"Does it really matter? You'll probably never see him again," Draco sighed, "What makes him so much more than everyone else anyway?"
"He's a hero!"
"Always with the hero. He's never been a hero to me. He's been the cause of all my problems."
"I guess I can see it from you view…"
"Glad you can for once. All you ever see is what Harry's done for you guys. Not for me. That's why we hate each other."
Ginny glanced at him for a moment, then approached him once more, "I don't hate you, Malfoy."
It seemed it surprised him for a moment, to hear those words. He then sighed and leaned against the wall.
"It's nice to hear, but be honest."
"I am! You're not as bad as you let on."
"No, I'm not," Draco said reluctantly, "I am so sick of being bad. Can't I be a healthy neutral?"
"What about being good?"
"I still have a reputation to keep, ya' know."
Ginny gave a soft laugh which ended quickly due to the pain in her ribs.
"I guess I look really stupid and weak for you to stop fighting with me so quickly, Weasel."
"Well, you're probably the last person I'll ever really talk to," Ginny said, trying to fight back the ever-growing mist in her eyes.
"…You can cry… if you want to," Draco whispered.
Ginny gave him a withered look, tried to smile, then broke down. Never in her life did she think she would cry in front of a Malfoy, but she didn't want to die. Sure, she accepted her fate, but she didn't want to leave the Earth, not yet! Suddenly, Draco wrapped his arms around her and buried his head in her shoulder. Together, the two sat there, relying on each other's embrace to keep them steady as the minutes of their life were ticking away. Ginny wasn't sure if Draco was crying or not, she was just trying to cease her awful sobs. She squeezed him, just looking for an ounce of support, and it was there. He pulled back and wiped away a few tears from her cheeks, silver eyes a dull gray now.
"I'm sorry," she said, sniffling.
"Hey, you're gonna die. It's natural for you to cry."
She gave a tearful nod, "I'm glad we're not fighting anymore."
"Yeah…"
He stood, helping her up as well, and began walking to the door.
"What are you doing!" Ginny asked as he pulled out his wand.
"It's simple. The doors are guarded heavily, but if I hold them off, you can escape. Still, even if I win against them, I'll have to kill myself to give them the idea that you attacked all of them and escaped on your own. Otherwise they'll kill my family."
"Draco, I can't let you do that!" Ginny yelped, her voice cracking.
"Face it. You're way more useful to this earth than I, and you don't want to die, do you?"
"No, but, I don't want you to die for me!"
"But-"
The door slammed open again, revealing the Dark Lord once more. Draco immediately bowed, looking frightened.
"It is time girl. I want information now!" Voldemort hissed.
Draco stared at Ginny as if she were a ghost, then bowed his head, not wanting to watch.
"I'll tell you nothing!" Ginny screamed.
"I suggest you do," Voldemort said, pointing his want at her chest.
"You can kill me for all I care! You can drive me mad, but I will not speak!"
"What about torture?" Voldemort said with an evil leer.
"Go to Hell!"
"Crucio!"
Ginny screamed and hit the floor, a pain like no other slamming through her very soul. Voldemort pointed his wand at her again as the pain began to wither away, leaving her in a shaking heap.
"Speak, vile woman."
"Never!"
"CRUCIO!" Voldemort yelled with more conviction and enjoyment that before.
Draco sat in the corner, shaking and pale and crying. The only thing worse than being tortured was watching someone who didn't deserve it being tortured.
"CRU-"
"STOP!" Draco screamed, his voice harsh, "SHE DOESN'T KNOW OF HIS LOCATION! PLEASE, SIRE, I BEG OF YOU TO STOP!"
"Be quiet, boy," Voldemort scolded, sending a shot his way.
Draco quieted and curled up, watching the young girl scream. It was enough to drive him mad.
"Will you speak now?" Voldemort probed.
"I will tell you this now, Voldemort," Ginny whispered, not able to raise her voice any higher, "I will never tell you what I know about my family or my friends… because… I love them…. And I would go through any amount of pain…" (She began to pull herself shakily up.) "To know they're okay. Y-you c-can't… get to them… t-through me… TOM!"
"Avada Kedavra!" Voldemort screamed in rage.
Ginny's form collapsed to the ground and remained unmoving. Draco's eyes widened and his pupils grew thin. He began shivering violently as his throat began to choke up.
"No…" he whispered.
He hadn't been able to save her…
Lord Voldemort had killed his only lasting friend. Voldemort turned to Draco without a hint of guilt, but plenty of satisfaction.
"Come Draco, we have much to do. We must find Potter and kill him."
Voldemort left once more, leaving Draco very much alone. He sat there for nearly an hour, shaking and trying to deny what had happen, then finally gathered the courage to crawl over to Ginny Weasley's lifeless form. He shook it slightly, but it made no movement.
"Don't be dead," he said, as if it would change the situation, "Don't be dead…"
But she was dead, and he hadn't been able to prevent it. Why hadn't she listened to him! She would have been free, but no longer. He clutched the now deceased girl to his chest and let acceptance settle over resentment, though it came far too slow. He couldn't stop thinking he could have done something, and her words were still echoing in his head, all that she had said before her untimely death. He didn't want to kill-she was right. The effect was far too devastating, and now, there was but one escape. He stood and pulled out his wand, pointing it to his own chest.
"See you soon, Weasel," he said.