Note: This is a story I have taken from my other pen name and have decided to repost here as it flows more with the type of darker fiction I will now be writing. Please be sure to review, as this story is SUPER OLD although it remained unfinished. I am planning on finishing this and revamping it slightly as I have found a new creative muse that has sparked a darker deeper side of my writing.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or world of Harry Potter. All credit is given to J.K. Rowling and her brilliant mind.

The first part of this chapter is taken from chapter seven of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. All other ideas and characterizations are my idea and reflect solely on my interpretation. Slightly AU.

Plot: Harry, Ron and Hermione have fled the Burrow in search for the remaining Horcruxes. Ginny however has been forced to return to Hogwarts and suffer the consequences of the new Hogwarts rule. What happened to fiery Ginny Weasley while she was separated from her best friends? Along with the rest of Dumbledore's Army Ginny plans on helping Harry inside of Hogwarts the best she can. The Death Eaters think otherwise. Resistance will not be tolerated, but Ginny has refused to allow the Death Eaters and the Ministry take over the innocent. In times like this she is forced to befriend the one individual who she has despised her whole life in order to slip through the cracks of Hogwarts undetected. The only problem is how can she trust the man who has been the bane of her existence for the last five years? Can a man truly change his ways because of one unexplainable feeling, or will the underlying belly of the serpent continue to work for his own sinister self?

Vindicated

xX It doesn't matter what I want

It doesn't matter what I need

It doesn't matter if I cry

Don't matter if I bleed

You've been on a road

Don't know where it goes or where it leads Xx

Prologue

" I couldn't think what to get you," she said. In her head she had planned it this way multiple times. She knew exactly how he would react. He was Harry of course, and Harry was far to modest to actually think people wanted to get him birthday presents. His eyes continued to look everywhere but at her, and for a second she felt betrayed by his dismissal. Didn't he want to share one last moment with her? What if- No. She wouldn't allow herself to succumb to such thoughts.

"You didn't have to get me anything."

She smiled when he finally glanced at her, and fumbled slightly with her hands in front of her. Normally she didn't mind being alone with Harry, but ever since their break up a few months ago things remained a bit awkward. Now standing there before him about to let go of her truest feelings she felt utterly exposed. How had she planned it again? Racking her brain for what seemed like an eternity, Ginny stepped towards him and closed the small distance that had emerged. This was going to be it. A tiny little chuckle escaped her after her next comment, and she once again took another step towards him. It was right then he said it. The opportunity she had been waiting for to finally express to him exactly how she felt.

"There's the silver lining I've been looking for."

It was a fevered kiss. Perhaps more passionate then any other kiss she had exchanged with another. Sure she had kissed Dean a few times with lustful fury, but never had she wanted to emit the same thing she was trying to extend to Harry. Merlin she loved him. It was everything she did to try and show him that while she kissed him. As if on cue he had pressed his hand against the small of her back and pushed her closer against him. She took it as another opening and wrapped her own arms desperately around him while trying to destroy any space that was still available.

And then it was ruined. Ron had kicked in the door with such a passion that Ginny practically stumbled backwards into the white dresser she had placed against her wall. Of course Ron looked more than embarrassed, and the heavy breathing coming from both Ginny and Harry only increased that embarrassment. It was ruined. Everything that she had planned was snatched up and discarded in a matter of seconds, and not wanting to show how much she was truly going to miss him she turned away. Hot tears seemed to finally break free from the place she kept hidden, and she heard him mutter a goodbye before closing the door.

Then everything went fuzzy and the whole thing replayed again. It went on like this for Merlin knows how long until she finally gave a jerk of her body, and tiny Ginny Weasley woke from the disjointed slumber. Her eyes were fuzzy as she batted her eyes open, and with a deep yawn Ginny glanced out the window to observe the surrounding scenery.

The Hogwarts Express moved with smooth elegance along the tracks, and Ginny adjusted herself on the plush seat. She had no idea how long she had been sleeping. Mostly because she had been plagued by thoughts of Harry over and over again. The last moment she had seen him was in the scuffle at the wedding. Now it seemed like her mind was spiting her by replaying that scene like a broken record in her dreams. She sighed and moved her focus away from the window and back to reality. The reality that Harry was out on the road trying his best to survive. A yawn escaped her parted lips and she pressed her mind to the moment she had stepped on the Hogwarts Express and away from the comfort of her family. All she could remember was Neville and Luna both being assigned to different compartments by a woman she had recognized from the previous years attack on Hogwarts. Alecto Callow. Why the blasted woman was on the Express Ginny had no idea, but she was deeply aware that her sixth year was not going to be the same comforting place she had attended for the last five. Carrow's instructions told her such. She had purposely separated every member of Dumbledore's Army with the hope of keeping resistance low. Ginny was now sharing a compartment with a two first years and Gregory Goyle.

Goyle had given her a hard time when she had first sat in the compartment, but now the daft Slytherin was sound asleep against the window on the other side of the compartment. If there was one thing Ginny despised more than being stuck with Slytherin's it was getting stuck with a minion of Malfoy's. It only reminded her of the pale faced ferret, and Ginny wanted nothing more than to lash out at Goyle for mere association with the pointy noised git. Hell it was Malfoy who had initially been responsible for Dumbledore's death. If he didn't mend that vanishing cabinet she wouldn't be stuck on her way to school with a bunch of Dark Art obsessed fools.

The first years chatted on casually in low tones to keep Goyle at bay, and noticing Ginny's open eyes eagerly smiled in her direction. Doing her best to remain cheery she smiled back. If only Harry was there to keep her company.

Harry. Her dear, sweet and noble Harry. After the incident at the wedding she had been interrogated thoroughly by Lucius Malfoy on Harry's whereabouts. She of course had absolutely no idea where he had gone off too, and with that had received a terrible blow from the eldest Malfoy. But she didn't know. She really truly didn't know, and it was killing her. For all the tears she actually cried nothing seemed to satisfy her twisting heart. Dumbledore dead, Moody Dead, George injured, and now Harry, her Harry, was on the run with Ron and Hermione. Her gut wretched slightly, and she silently cursed her mother for sending her back to Hogwarts. So what if the Ministry demanded all wizards and witches of age must attend? Ron was faking spattergroit so why couldn't she? Then again Harry had broken things off with her. Was it worth all of this pained worry when he had told her that they couldn't even be together anymore?

"Do you think it's true then?" A timid looking girl with long blonde hair asked the boy across from her. "Will they make us…will they make us wear chains and shuffle to class like prisoners. My Dad reckons they will now that certain Professors have joined staff."

Ginny turned her head and looked at the girl who was obviously wide eyed with worry. "Don't let your worries get the best of you. Everything is going to be perfectly fine."

"Think so Weasley?" Goyle had pushed himself up from the window and yawned. "Filthy blood traitors are in just as much trouble as Mudbloods. I'd be counting my prayers if I were you really. Hear they have a special cell for all Mudblood lovers and Halflings."

Ginny scowled, and placed her hand on the girls shoulder. "Don't listen to the big oaf. He wouldn't be on the train right now if his Mummy and Daddy didn't bribe the school. See they don't usually let oversized baboons study magic." The tiny girl exchanged a look of laughter with the younger boy, and Ginny smiled.

"You take that back you filthy little Bloodtraitor." He was standing now with his wand pointing directly at her face.

The first year girl whimpered, but Ginny remained calm. "Wow fancy wand tricks now too, Goyle? Being Ferretless has done wonders for you. What's next? Learning to tie your shoes by yourself?"

There was a quick bang and Ginny felt herself hit the window with a tremendous force. Her head snapped back against the glass, and both the first year girl and boy screamed at the top of their lungs. Ginny was sprawled out on the floor trying her best to stay conscious. It wouldn't do her any good to pass out now with Goyle still in the compartment. But before she had a chance to remove her own wand and defend herself the compartment door swung open and two figures stepped inside. The first figure was Alecto Carrow again, and her voice squeaked over and over as she demanded Goyle to leave the compartment before he did something stupid. The other figure just stood there motionless, and Ginny couldn't make out the face at all. Her sight was still blurred from the blow she had taken to the head.

She heard the two first years explain what had happened, and Carrow huffed in obvious frustration.

"You take care of her then. I need to see to Goyle and remind him about the limitations he needs to oblige by. He is not one of us yet."

Ginny groaned as the door of the compartment slammed shut, and the two first years shuffled to the other end of the compartment. The silent figure continued to stand over her without so much as offering one single word of concern. Her head spun like a sodding top, and she reached to her forehead with her right hand. A firm grip stopped her from touching her forehead and held her arm in midair still remaining completely silent. Ginny squinted against the light slipping through the window. The face was sunken in somewhat, but the features of the face still remained hard and pointed looking. His hair fell unkempt in his eyes unlike any other time she had encountered him. Instantly she jerked her arm, but he held it firmly in her grasp. Her head spun far too much to protest, and she closed her eyes to stop the spinning room.

She knew what he had done to Dumbledore. Harry had told every single detail the last evening they spent together before the break up. For the first time in a long while Ginny felt her heartbeat quicken beneath her chest. Would he kill her too? She was a Bloodtraitor after all, and he had detested her from their very first meeting. Suddenly she felt so incredibly weak.

Imagine that, she thought to herself. Ginny had always deemed herself the epitome of Gryffindor bravery, and here she was terrified of what Draco Malfoy could do to her in this condition. "Don't touch me…Death Eater…" She muttered out of the corner of her mouth. Letting out another groan she opened her mouth again to throw a biting remark when he silently dropped her arm from his grasp.

The tip of his wand rested gently against the side of her head, and Ginny imagined Harry on his quest to save the world from Voldemort. Was this how it was going to end then? On the Hogwarts Express alone with two first years and a Death Eater. What a bloody brilliant way to go.

Then as quick as it had happened, Malfoy muttered a healing charm and hoisted her up off the floor. For a second she thought he was going to do something else, but he placed her gently into the soft seat instead. Her eyesight grew clearer as the charm worked to mend the blow she had taken to the back of the head. Ginny wondered what her expression must have read as she sat there. It was such an odd occurrence that the headache she was finally getting rid of came storming back into place. Had Malfoy really just helped her? Her eyes darted quickly to the door but Malfoy was already turned on his heel heading out the compartment door before she could say anything to him. Her eyes had to be playing tricks on her. Yes, that was definitely it. Her eyes were playing a dirty rotten trick on her, and Malfoy was just a figment of her imagination.

Yet as the two concerned first years clambered over towards her Ginny recognized the smell of leather and polished wood. Something about it reminded her of only one person, and she felt her stomach wretch slightly in disgust.

Ginny let her head rest on the Gryffindor table as her fellow housemates ate during the 'Welcome Feast'. After everything that had happened on the train her appetite seemed obsolete. Neville had done his very best to try and get her to eat something, but she had continually waved her hand in front of him swearing that she was fine. Worried glances seemed to be exchanged between Seamus and Parvati, but Ginny disregarded them. Her head was still spinning, and what was worse was the funny feeling that she was being watched. Once she had moved her gaze across towards the Slytherin table, and she could have sworn she saw Malfoy glancing back at her. The same uneasy feeling in her stomach rose again, and she turned her forehead back down to press against the table.

"Welcome to another year." A voice drawled from the front of the room, and Ginny felt the hairs on her neck rise.

"No way." Neville whispered beside her, and Ginny finally lifted her head from the table and felt her eyes go wide.

"NO!" She screamed so loudly that half the Great Hall turned to look at her. There was only a split second before she was on her feet pointing her finger towards the front of the Hall. "How can you let this happen?" Her eyes darted towards McGonagall and she felt her arm tremble at the sight.

Severus Snape stood firmly in place at the golden podium with his eyes resting steadily back on her. There was a scuffle of chairs from the front of the room, and both Alecto Carrow and McGonagall stood.

"Miss Weasley I dare say that's enough." McGonagall gave her a stern look, the corner of her eyes flickering towards Alecto and her brother Amycus who was also standing now.

"You let a murderer come back as Headmaster? After everything he did? You let him run this school? Let go of me, Neville!" She pulled away from Neville's grasp, but he found her arm again quickly.

"I suggest," Snape paused " that you remove Miss Weasley from the Hall Mr. Longbottom before we take drastic detention measures."

"Come on Ginny." Neville was pulling her back towards the door.

"Let go of me!" She screamed again, and spat on the ground while throwing a disgusted look towards the front of the Hall. "You disgust me! You filthy murderous git!" A sharp gasp echoed like thunder through the Great Hall.

Snape's hand rose out in front of him. "Hold her there a moment Longbottom."

Ginny continued to squirm beneath Neville's grasp, the headache that she had been trying to rid herself coming back at full force. She hated being back at stupid school. Harry was gone, Snape was Headmaster, and actual Death Eaters were now present in the school. Ginny felt a scowl form upon her lips as Neville continued to hold her back. A few students from other houses were looking between Ginny and Snape with a frightened expression. With everything that had been going on within the Ministry the rumor was most students were terrified of stepping out of line. Apparently Ginny had been the first to do so, twice if they counted the train, and worried looks seemed to rise from the crowds.

"As everyone can clearly see Miss Weasley here has become a prime example of the much needed discipline needed here at Hogwarts. It is this reminder that I want to thoroughly emphasize to all of you. Resistance will not be tolerated." Snape's mouth twitched slightly. "As new Headmaster of Hogwarts I extend this fair warning." He glanced towards the Carrows, "All students who step out of line will be punished to demonstrate the severe new guidelines here at school. For all of those who need a prime example of what we mean…" Snape extended his hand towards Alecto Carrow and turned away towards the large seat reserved for Headmaster.

Alecto's eyes beamed brightly as she removed her wand from her pocket. "Diffindo"

The red beam shot from the end of Alecto's wand and hit Ginny square in the face.

At first she was unsure what happened, but McGonagall's outward gasp and a scream from Lavender Brown confirmed Ginny's sudden shock. With her left hand Ginny reached up to the throbbing sensation now apparent on her cheek and gasped herself as blood seeped from the wide gash that was present there. Neville fumbled for a handkerchief in his pocket and instantly pressed a red and gold cloth to her face. Ginny glared up at the front of hall. How could the other Professors allow this to happen right in front of their eyes? She bore holes into the back of Snape's head as he kept his back to her. "Face me then!" She screamed, her eyes watering at the now rising sting in her cheek. "You damn right coward!" Her red hair whipped madly across her face.

That was all that needed to be said before there was a roar of uprising from the students. McGonagall looked aghast and pointed towards the door out of the Hall. "Mr. Longbottom please!" Her voice begged Neville to remove Ginny from the hall, and with another final tug he bashed through the door and out into the corridor.

There was screaming going on inside the Great Hall, and Neville forced Ginny back towards the staircase. "You need to get to the common room now, Gin. If you don't go now they may-" But the door to the Great Hall slammed open, and both Alecto Carrow and Severus Snape stood in front of a bloodied Ginny. Neville's grip loosened, and he took a step to the side and placed himself in between Ginny and the two Professors. "I'll take her to the common room."

Alecto was already pushing Neville aside, her wand coming to rest inches from Ginny's nose. "For a measly little Bloodtraitor you certainly have a lot of spunk." Alecto's eyes bled nothing but cruelty and hate. "How would you like it if I blasted another gash across your face, Weasley? Or better yet…" Her voice twitched the most excited notion of glee, "how about we go and see your parents? Let them know what a foul little girl they have produced?" Her voice hissed, and Ginny bit back the urge to spit in her face.

"Enough Carrow. Go back and create some order in there." He nodded towards the Great Hall, and Alecto huffed with disappointment. She turned however and stormed back into the hall screaming for silence at the top of her lungs.

"Listen here, Weasley." The greasy tips of his hair hung down low over his nose, " Do not tempt me to place you in a confined cell because I will not have any problems doing so. Your precious Potter wont be here to save you this time." He stiffened as the door to the Great Hall opened and a few students began to filter out. "Times have changed, Weasley. I suggest you control that temper of yours and watch your step. I do not need any unplanned deaths occurring this school term." An echo of silence split between them, and Snape turned his shoulder on her and returned to the Great Hall as well.

Ginny lowered her eyes to the floor, her eyes doing their best to refrain from crying. She hated her mother for sending her back to school. She hated Ron and Hermione for leaving her alone. Most of all she hated Harry for leaving her to defend the honor of Dumbledore against the man who killed him.

"Gin?" Neville placed his hand on her shoulder, but she shrugged it away silently.

"Thanks Neville. I just-" She sucked in a bit of air. "I need to be alone right now." Wiping the streaming blood from her cheek, Ginny turned up the staircase and bolted off down the first corridor she managed to get to. All she wanted was the comfort of Harry's arms but he had long since gone from anywhere near Hogwarts. Her tears found the corners of her eyes, and she cursed at herself for being so utterly weak and pathetic. She needed to get a hold on herself. It didn't matter that they were separated now because in the end they'd find their way back together again. Wouldn't they?

Draco Malfoy sat alone at the end of the Slytherin table. For once he had grown tired of the constant blabbering coming from Pansy Parkinson's mouth, and the grunting of approval from Crabbe and Goyle. In fact their mere presence made him sick to his stomach. A portion of kidney pie found its way to his mouth, and he practically forced himself to shovel it down his throat. A few murmured stares shifted down towards his end of the table, but Draco ignored them. Most of the whispers pertained to his newly sunken appearance and the disheveled look his hair had given him. Draco remained unnerved. For once in his bloody life he wasn't concerned with what people whispered about him. His shoulders sat with heavy bricks upon them and he wanted nothing more then to finish the sodding feast and head to his dormitory to sleep.

For some unknown reason he felt himself glancing casually at the Gryffindor table where the redhead of Ginny Weasley sat motionless. After the blast she had taken on the Express he had half expected her to be in the hospital wing, but he should have known better. Weasley was too damn stubborn to let someone else get the best of her. She probably fought tooth and nail to go to the feast and avoid the hospital wing. Ina sick twisted way she was an awful lot of Slytherin rolled up into the body of a righteous Gryffindor.

His attention shifted up towards the other end of the table briefly and Pansy waved frantically to get his attention. Draco ignored her again and turned back to his kidney pie. He had just finished the last few bits when a piercing call sounded from across the Hall.

"NO! How can you let this happen?"

Draco furrowed his brow at the sudden outburst until he recognized the mess of deep fiery hair from the Gryffindor table. Weasley. Draco turned his gaze up towards the front of the Hall where Severus Snape was standing quietly. He had not expected anyone to create such a scene. Sure he knew that most people would probably be terrified with Snape as the new Headmaster and the Carrows stepping in as Professors. He should have retracted that thought when he stepped into that compartment with Weasley earlier. As always that blazing look in her eyes was present even when she was injured. He hated the sodding girl for it, and yet felt a cushion of minimal respect as she straightened herself up to Alecto Carrow.

The hushed whispers around him only intensified the scene, and intrigued Malfoy pushed his body up a bit to get a better view of the situation. The red burst of light shot across the room so fast that even Draco hadn't heard the curse that Carrow had thrown. He watched Ginny stumble back into Longbottom and a girls high pitched scream rang through the hall. Commotion overtook the surroundings and he watched as a pale and bloody Ginny Weasley was forced out of the Great Hall by the prat Longbottom.

"She's a feisty one." Zabini chimed up from his left. "Doesn't seem to understand that her family is number one on the tracked list. I mean they have harbored Undesirables and Muggles at their residence…if you could call it a residence." Zabini snorted back a laugh and stuffed a piece of bread into his mouth.

Malfoy merely grunted in agreement and steadied himself to his feet. Alecto Carrow and Snape had followed Weasley and Longbottom out, and now a few students were beginning to return to their dorms. Apparently the nights little surprise festivities hadn't gone over well with the new first years. Most were crying and complaining about going back home. Malfoy pushed his food away and stalked by the rest of the Slytherin table without muttering a single word.

His eyes greeted the entrance hall with much fevered interest. Longbottom was standing at the end of the staircase looking up at it with a troubled expression. Malfoy snorted out a chuckle and stood at the side of him. A trickle of blood had formed on the first few steps and he immediately knew what Longbottom was staring up at. "Longing to take Potter's place then, eh Longbottom. Too bad your nothing but a sniveling worthless waste of space." Not bothering to wait for Longbottom's retort, which would have been pathetic anyway, Draco moved up the staircase and turned to the right down the first corridor.

Just as he had suspected another droplet of blood tipped off her presence, and he found himself moving up another staircase in pursuit. For all the galleons in the world he didn't know why he was following her. She disgusted him more than any other bloody Gryffindor if he now counted the fact that her brother, the Mudblood and Potter were gone. The corridors twisted slightly and he followed the path as though he could find her blindly if he wanted to. He could have blamed it on his need for status and power. Anything to belittle her to make himself feel better was always a win-win situation. After everything he had endured under the hand of his father and the Dark Lord nothing seemed better then putting the poor Bloodtraitor in her place.

Up ahead a loud crash forced him back to his senses, and he immediately Draco drew his wand out of precaution. If he had learned one thing over the last year it was caution. Turning the corner a silver suit of armor had crumbled to the floor. At first he assumed that she had knocked it over and continued on. The large pieces of armor were definitely that of some half-breed giant, and the torso piece alone stood a good five feet off the ground. He approached it, his wand still wavering slightly in front of him, and just like that a small noise sounded from behind it.

"Show yourself." He aimed it directly behind the armor only to see the rising form of the youngest Weasley. She looked a jumbled mess as she rose across from him, and a twinge of excitement shot through him. "Pathetic really, Weasel."

Her face lifted to greet his, and her stomach lurched slightly. He had already caused her enough mind games on the train. She wasn't much in the mood for another round after what had just happened with Carrow. "What do you want?" He voice was cold, but cracked slightly. The gash on her face had yet to cease from bleeding, but Draco could tell she had done her best to stop the oozing. Unfortunately it was harder to perform healing magic on oneself.

"Don't you think you should be a bit kinder to me. I am the one after all with the wand pointed at you." He smirked his usual cocky Malfoy smirk.

"What are you going to do then, Malfoy? Hex me? Curse me? Kill me?" She wiped at her face again and let out a bitter laugh. "Couldn't do it last year to Dumbledore. What makes me think you have the nerve to do it now?" Her hands slipped to her hips and she stared at him disdainfully.

A tick of a second flashed by, and he was grabbing her at the throat. "Don't you dare speak to me as though you understand! Don't you dare!" His eyes swam with fury, and like that brief moment on the train Ginny was scared again. "You have no idea what the hell you are going on about. Filthy Bloodtraitor…" His words hissed, his face mere inches from her own. "I could kill you now you know. No one would question your death. No one cares about your bleeding poor excuse of a Pureblood family. A waste of breeding stock. That's all you are."

"Malfoy.." She coughed, " let go…you…you are hurting me." Her eyes watered as the lack of air began to catch in her throat. "Malfoy…"

"Where's your precious Halfblood boyfriend now , Weaselette? Left you behind after he got everything he wanted out of you then? Must admit it was one of his better moves. I wouldn't want to touch a dirty little Bloodtraitor either." Rage poured out from him, and he tightened his grip again disregarding her choking.

"Please…" Her voice had slipped low and desperate, and Ginny looked up at him her eyes pleading with him.

His cold gray eyes searched her chocolate brown ones and as quick as it had happened he let go. Ginny coughed frantically while falling down to her knees. Her breathing was short and needy, and for a moment she felt her a blackness cover her eyes. Slowly her breathing returned again, and she looked up to still see Malfoy standing over her. His wand was still pointing down at her face, and she back up slightly and pushed shakily to her feet. "What the…hell is wrong …with you?" She choked out.

He didn't say a single thing. A mixture of ridiculous emotions came over him and suddenly he wished nothing more then to kill her on the spot. He could save the respect of his family then. By one single kill he knew it would somehow place earned merit upon the eyes of the Dark Lord. He could get his father back in the Dark Lords good graces. His mother would no longer have to fear for her own life in her own Manor. With one single kill of a sodding Bloodtraitor he could earn himself a spot back where power was at his fingertips.

A flash of light pulsed out the tip of his wand, and Malfoy watched as Ginny slammed her eyes shut. "Clean yourself up. You are a bloody disgrace." She reached up to feel her face, and her eyes widened at the mended gash upon her cheek. His robes billowed behind him as he turned to leave her standing there. His own mixture of bewilderment mimicked the reaction of the girl he left behind.

Each chapter will contain portions of a song, and I really suggest downloading the song and listening to the full track to emphasize the emotions I'm trying to hit. This chapter contained lyrics from It Doesn't Matter by Alison Krauss.

It's exciting to get this fic going again. Please let me know what you think via Review. Thanks!