Ginny was miserable. She'd been miserable for five years. Everything around her was in a perpetual state of gray. The sunset was no longer beautiful, the flowers were bleached and dull, and she was deaf to birdsong. All she wanted was peace. She wanted to leave this horrible place they forced her to stay in and be with him again. She couldn't even kill herself because of her mother and Narcissa's wards and spells. They'd been shadowing her for a year since her suicide attempt. Her mother and Ron had come to the flat Ginny used to share with Draco, and found her in a pool of blood, almost dead.
She'd been surrounded by pictures of him, clutching his Order of Merlin, First Class in her hand. All she remembers is waking up in St. Mungo's, her family crying, and being on strict suicide watch for two months. Except for Blaise and Pansy, no one could understand that she just couldn't function properly without him. Oh, everyone else acted as if they did, but they didn't. They would sit with her and try to get her to talk, saying they missed him too, but he had died for a good cause, that he was a hero. She couldn't decide in those moments whether she wanted to hit them or throw up. Couldn't they see? He was her mate, her love, her fucking life.
Sure, they all said they cared about him, the goddamn hypocrites, and she supposed that they did. But she remembered the way things were. They had hated him, hadn't believed him until he'd shed blood for them. She had fallen for Draco Malfoy hard in her fifth year, and the shocking part, at least to her, was that he fell just as deep. They, along with Blaise and Pansy, had kept it a secret until his graduation. His father had been killed less than two weeks before he graduated, but he had been so strong. He'd been coming back down the stairs after giving the valedictory speech, and she couldn't take it anymore.
She was so proud of him, and she'd wanted him to know it. She'd wanted him to know she didn't care anymore what her family thought. So she'd ran up to him in front of the entire student body and their parents and kissed him hard, wrapping her arms around his neck. He'd frozen at first, then melted, kissing her back. Her brothers had rushed up to her, trying to pull her away, and she had turned with fire in her eyes, and told them exactly where they could shove it. The next year had been hard, the war had broken out, and she was trapped in her final year at Hogwarts while he was out fighting. After her graduation, she had immediately gone to his camp, mainly as a healer, but as a fighter too.
He proposed to her that very night, and less than six months later, brought down Voldemort without the great Harry Potter. Harry's troops had still been on their way when it had happened. She remembered it all like it was yesterday. The fighting had broken out at about nine a.m., and she had been throwing curses and trying to heal at the same time. Blaise and Pansy never strayed too far from her, they never did during a battle, and she knew Draco had asked it of them, though the stubborn bastards would probably have done it anyway. She'd looked up for some reason, and gasped when she'd seen Ron and Hermione being tortured by one of the Death Eaters.
She had tried to fight her way to them, but Draco was faster. He came out of nowhere, covered in blood, and the Death Eater's neck was broken before he knew what was happening. Draco had slung them both over a shoulder and brought them to her. She'd worked desperately to save Hermione, who had been much worse off than her brother. Ron had woken up saying that an angel had saved them. Ginny had grinned at him and said 'No, it was Draco'. Ron had looked so shocked, even though Harry, Ron and Draco had become friends during a year of battle and bloodshed. Then he made her promise to do whatever she could for 'Mione while he went back to fight. She got her into a stable condition, and heard everything fall silent, which just doesn't happen on a battlefield.
She'd looked up to see that Voldemort had arrived, and he was dueling with somebody. Then her heart had stopped. Draco, it was Draco fighting that madman. She had raced towards them as fast as her feet would carry her, her eyes never leaving them. They flung curses and blocked them, and time seemed to stand still except for the girl streaking through the crowd of still, silent observers, her hair like a banner of blood behind her, trying desperately to get to the man she loved more than her own life. She was almost there when she saw a break in Draco's defenses. A lone Death Eater had hurled a curse at him, and while he blocked it, the Dark Lord was going to take advantage.
She didn't know what curse he would use, she'd just known she couldn't let him succeed. Voldemort had raised his wand and screamed 'Crucio!' right as she threw herself in front of Draco. Pain ripped and exploded through her body, and in a haze she'd seen Draco turn to her. Rage contorted those lovely features, and wand forgotten, he'd launched himself at the Dark Lord, who was grinning. The grin quickly disappeared as halfway through the lunge, Draco had shifted into a huge, silver and white, fifteen hundred pound tiger. The tiger's mouth closed over Voldemort's face and neck, his claws digging into the soft stomach, and he'd ripped the head off with a sickening sound of crunching bone and tearing flesh.
The former Dark Lord's headless, maimed body had fallen to the mud and exploded into black ash as a suddenly pain-free Ginny had wrapped her arms around the beautiful, bloody tiger. Draco had rubbed his muzzle against her, and licked her face clean of blood. The battlefield had exploded around them in cheers, and many Death Eaters fell to the ground, lost without their leader. Harry's squad, which included all of her brothers except Percy and Ron, who were in their squad, had arrived just in time to see her throw herself in front of the unknown curse. She had soon been surrounded by a sea of redheads and Draco had switched back long enough to tell her he was going to look for survivors. He's taken off in tiger form once again as her brothers fussed over her.
About fifteen minutes later a defiant roar had shattered the happy celebration going on, as more and more witches and wizards had arrived as the news of the Dark Lord's downfall spread across the planet like wildfire. They had all looked up to see Draco on a distant hill, surrounded by Death Eaters that hadn't surrendered, and he was ripping into them brutally. There had been over hundred of them though, too many without his wand and some help. Ginny had screamed, once more running for the man who was her life, except that time she wasn't alone. Almost everyone had dropped what they were doing to run to their savior's aid, but Ginny had shifted into her own red and black tiger form and outdistanced them quickly. But not quickly enough. There had been a flash of sick green light, and the silver tiger had fallen limply to the ground.
Ginny's heart had shattered inside of her chest, yet still she'd run, a rage unlike any she'd never known enveloping her before grief and disbelief could take hold. She had reached the first Death Eaters in a whirlwind of claws and teeth. She'd cut through them like a knife through hot butter, but a few of the remaining Death Eaters had apparated away with the body of her mate. She'd stood frozen in the carnage left by his claws and hers, not even realizing that out of that many, over eighty lay dead at her feet. She threw her head back and one mournful roar after another had escaped her throat. She did not see the others draw near and stop at the sound that cut into their hearts. She did not see their tears falling or hear her brothers and her father calling her name.
She had circled and sniffed the ground where her mate's body had lain, and the roars turned to heartbreaking whines. She'd shifted back to human form without even realizing it, and curled up in a ball where her mate's scent was still strong, fingers digging into the soft soil. Tears flowed freely, but she took no notice. Hands and voices had tried to get her to move, tried to comfort her, but it had been useless. She'd growled them all away as she sobbed and screamed. The only ones she'd let near were the two tigers who curled around her, sharing her sorrow. Her family could not get her to move for over a week, keeping her alive with nutrition and hydrating spells.
She'd finally stood and left one day, feeling nothing except emptiness. She didn't care that he had left everything to her. The billions of galleons, the businesses, the properties...None of it mattered without him. But she'd taken care of it all the same, because it was his. She'd set Percy up with his own small firm, solely to manage the Malfoy affairs. Narcissa had married Snape, and moved to his family estate. They came to visit her regularly, and Ginny and Narcissa had soon found that they had more in common than just their grief, and had become friends. In the wizarding world, it's legal to marry someone who has died suddenly, especially in war. She was wed to Draco at his empty gravesite, in the catacombs of Malfoy Manor, and wore black everyday afterwards. She would never wed another, never even look at another.
The wizarding world watched her silently die inside from a grief stronger than any of them could imagine, and began calling her the Lady of Sorrow. Her world had collapsed down around her, and she wanted nothing more than death, because in death she would be with him. So she took up the most dangerous jobs they could offer, the ones that everyone else was scared shitless of, except for Blaise and Pansy, who came with her. They tracked down the last of the Death Eaters personally. A few may have survived, but they were powerless or hidden too well. They negotiated with the giants, tracked down escaped dragons, and went after any and every creature that no one in their right mind would go after willingly, including the remaining Dementors.
Her family was terrified for her, but they knew there was no stopping her. And in a way, they knew she was looking for death, but they never spoke of it. And then her icy, numb exterior had collapsed one day. Blaise and Pansy were on their honeymoon, and she had come to the flat she and Draco had lived in between battles, took out every picture of him that she owned, running her hands over the Order of Merlin that he'd never even gotten to see, and just couldn't do it anymore. She had done everything she could to avenge his death, and had felt it was time to join him.
She couldn't stand the gaping emptiness inside her soul anymore. She couldn't keep waking up every morning knowing he was gone, and never coming back. There were no colors, no music, no smiles, no happiness in her world without him. Everything was faded and gray. So she'd slit her wrists and plunged his dagger into her chest. She remembered laughing as she'd watched her blood pool around her, hearing a scream, and then nothing. Now, here she was, a year later, getting ready to go to the Burrow for Christmas, and she wanted to howl and rip all her hair out. But she didn't, she just felt dead inside, and continued to dress mechanically.
…………………………………………………………………………………….
Ron knew his sister was never going to recover. At first, he'd thought that maybe there was a chance of her pain fading, a chance of her living again. But he knew it to be a lie. His whole family knew it was just a passing fantasy. He would never forget that day on the battlefield. When Ginny had told him that Malfoy had saved him, he had rushed off to find him, to fight beside him. They had put aside past differences once the war had started, and they had actually grown to respect and like one another. That respect grew even more when Ron saw the women in the camp throwing themselves at Malfoy while he just sneered and told them to go sod themselves, he was taken and by a woman better than they could ever be, couldn't they see the promise band on his finger?
So Ron had run all over the place, trying to see that familiar head of silver hair. When everything had gone quiet, he knew something was wrong, very, very wrong. A flash of scarlet had passed him in a blur, and he'd realized that it was his sister, running faster than he could see, with two blurs right on her heels that he'd assumed correctly were Blaise and Pansy. He had followed her as best he could, and when he'd broken out of the crowd, he'd seen her throw herself in front of a curse meant for Malfoy, who turned at her scream as the pain had racked her body. An almost tangible rage had filled Malfoy's face and he threw himself at Voldemort, shifting and ripping his head off while gutting him with his huge claws.
Everything had seemed so perfect. Voldemort was dead, and the people celebrated right there on the gore-covered battlefield. Malfoy had disappeared, and the next they'd heard of him was a deafening roar. They had all run to him, but Ginny had shifted and made it there right as they killed him. She'd completely lost it then, ripping into the Death Eaters with a fury bordering on madness. Malfoy had killed over forty before they'd brought him down and apparated away with his body, and she'd killed just as many. We reached her as the last fell and she'd begun to mourn. It had broken Ron's heart to see his sister so lost and in such heartbreaking pain.
They couldn't get her to leave, she would just shift and snap at them before flowing back to human form and sobbing until there was nothing left. The whole family had stayed with her, including Harry and Hermione, and Pansy and Blaise had stayed, too, as they were best friends with both Ginny and Malfoy. They'd shifted into their Animagus forms, which were also tigers, and they were the only ones that she had let near her. When she'd finally rose, her eyes were dead, and it had broken a piece of Ron forever to see her once happy, smiling, charcoal eyes so very dull and empty. When she looked at him, he felt chilled to the bone and more than a little scared.
So she began looking for death. He knew that was what she was doing, though he never acknowledged it aloud. She took the Malfoy name and began to hunt. That was all it could be called. The only thing that kept him from trying to stop her was that she let Blaise and Pansy go with her. They began to be referred to as the Trio of Death, or the Trio of Vengeance. It made him laugh thinking how different it was from his own Golden Trio. And the world couldn't get over her undying love for the wizard who had saved them all. They constantly reported her victories over dark creatures, wrote down all her amazing feats in all their gory detail, and always mentioned that she did it for him. Lady of Vengeance, Lady of Sorrow.
And then Pansy and Blaise had gotten married. They hadn't wanted to go on a honeymoon at all, they had wanted to stay with Ginny, but she'd insisted. So Ron and his mum had decided to go visit her in case she was lonely. Which was a stupid reason, really, considering a blind man could see that she was lonely every moment of every day. They had flooed into her old flat and been witnesses to a scene that will stay burned into his mind forever. Pictures of Malfoy were everywhere, silently screaming and motioning for them to do something, anything, and Ron's baby sister had been lying on the floor in a growing pool of blood, a small smile on her otherwise slack face. It was the first smile he'd seen on her since the final battle.
They had flooed to St. Mungo's immediately, and had barely been in time. She'd punctured a lung and had lost too much blood. He and his mum had both donated immediately, and the rest of the family had arrived before they'd even had to send word. His dad had seen the family clock and known that their visit had gone horribly wrong. They'd all stayed the week she was in critical condition. His mum and dad, Bill and Fluer with their two children, Percy and Penelope, Fred, George and Alicia with their twins, Harry and Parvati with their son, and Hermione. Padma and Charlie weren't there because they'd died in the war, but Blaise and Pansy had returned immediately and blamed themselves no matter what the rest of them said.
They'd once again shifted into tigers and sat at the foot of her bed like silent, deadly sentinels. They'd utterly terrified the nurses, but everyone had known there would be no chance of getting them to leave. They stayed that week and the next as she recovered, when the rest of them had had to get back to their jobs. It was covered up, and the press was told that she'd been ambushed and attacked. His dad also let it leak that Blaise and Pansy had returned and stayed with her always. No one would be stupid enough to try to get at her with them there. None of their family could really believe it. They hadn't known she was actually suicidal. They'd known that a part of her had died, but for four years she'd survived by throwing herself into her work and leaning on Blaise and Pansy when things became overwhelming.
And that's why Blaise and Pansy couldn't forgive themselves. They hadn't been there that time. It didn't matter that they had protested leaving for months, didn't matter they had never wanted to leave her in the first place. But Ron didn't blame them at all. He was grateful more than anything else that they had been there for her all the other times. They'd done their best to try and help her heal, but it was useless in the long run. The physical wounds healed, but he had finally accepted the fact that his sister would never be whole again. And now here he was, a year later, sitting in the Burrow's living room, listening to his family chatter. Ginny, Blaise and Pansy were the only ones who hadn't arrived yet.
"...and the Russians won't stop!" Bill said, and Ron realized he must have been spaced out for a while. They'd been talking about different kinds off magical eggnog the last he'd heard.
"How much longer 'til they get here?" Ron asked.
"Mum said they flooed about fifteen minutes ago and said they'd be here in an hour." Bill told him.
"You know females," Harry laughed. "They take forever with anything. Poor Blaise."
Parvati hit him in the arm, smiling slightly as their son pulled on her robes. Suddenly, the sound of a deep roar outside reverberated through the living room, and everyone jumped to their feet. Ron ran to the door, throwing it open, and he almost fainted when he looked outside. Spots ran across his vision and everything lost focus for a moment. His family was pushing at him to move, and he stumbled down the steps, obviously hallucinating. Because a silver and white tiger was limping towards them with something thrown over its back. And the only Animagus who had that form was dead. He felt his family move up behind him, and he looked back and saw they, too, were gaping and shaking their heads.
"It has to be an escaped tiger from a zoo..." Fred said behind him.
"There aren't any real tigers that look like that, and none at all that large." Percy said in a shaky voice. Then gasps flew out of their mouths as the tiger shrugged off its load and changed back into an all-too-familiar form.
"Draco?" Ron said disbelievingly, and they ran towards him. The mercury-haired man was struggling to his feet as they approached, and it was like seeing a ghost.
"Oh gods," His mum breathed as the moonlight hit what could only be Draco Malfoy's slightly gaunt but still-handsome face.
"W-we didn't know where else to go." Draco croaked out, his voice dry and raspy.
"Is it really you?" Hermione asked, tears welling in her eyes. "How..."
"No, no. We'll ask questions when we get him inside and warm with food in his belly." Mum said.
"Don't worry about me." Draco said. "Padma needs your healing now, Mrs. Weasley."
"PADMA?!?" Parvati shrieked, running to the two limp figures on the ground. "She's alive?!? My sister's alive??"
"Yes." Draco said, his voice rusty. "Angelina's the other one, she's only under a sleeping spell. They wanted to come now, and the others are about half an hour behind. They wanted to watch that bloody place burn."
"Angelina? Angelina?" Fred said, his voice cracking. "Oh gods, my Angel." He said, running to the other bundle. His mum was huddled over Padma, healing away, and a simple 'Ennervate' from Fred and Angelina woke up.
"Fred?" She said, her voice as dry as Draco's. "Is it really you? We made it?" Fred just nodded, tears spilling down his cheeks as he held her. "Where's Draco?" She asked suddenly. "He pulled it off, didn't he? He's okay?"
"I'm fine, Angelina." Draco said.
"Thank the gods." She said, relief in her voice. "You idiot! I can't believe you put yourself at such risk! You could have left and come back with help! I can't believe what you did!" She tried to yell, but her throat was too raw.
"Okay," Ron's mum said. "Inside with everyone. Padma will wake up soon, and we have to feed these poor dears. They're skin and bones."
"Prison camps will do that to you." Ron heard Draco mutter under his breath. He put a hand on the weary man's shoulder and they walked inside. They removed the Death Eater robes they had on and sat in the living room. Harry laid Padma down on one of the sofas with her head in Parvati's lap. Tears of joy were running down Parvati's face, and Fred hadn't let go of Angelina, clutching at her like a lifeline. Alicia sat staring at her returned best friend with wide, disbelieving eyes, while everyone else's gaze was trained at the man they'd seen defeat the most evil wizard the world has ever known, and who was killed in front of their very eyes. His mum brought Draco (he just couldn't seem to call him Malfoy anymore, not now) and Angelina tea and sat down beside his dad. Finally, Bill blurted out what they'd all been dying to know.
"How?"
"I guess I should start at the beginning." Draco's tired voice said to the silent room. "They didn't kill me on the hilltop that day. They shot the killing curse at one of their own and knocked me out with fifteen stunning spells, as they liked to brag about later. They took me to an unplottable prison camp where they had about forty others. They tortured us whenever they felt like it, raped many of the women, and kept me in binds that wouldn't allow me to change. They never brought their wands when they came to torment us in case one of us got a hold of one. For five years, it was the same everyday. Torture, a bread crust, a mouthful of water, more torture... Many died, and they made sure we had no way to kill ourselves, didn't want us spoiling their fun. We grew as used to it as we could, and tried to keep each other sane."
"What he's not mentioning," Angelina interrupted, "is that he was treated much worse than the rest of us, and it was him that kept us alive, and that reminded us we had reasons to live." Draco just shook his head at the praise evident in her voice. "He saved my life a few times, let alone the others, and he's the only reason Padma's still breathing."
"Come now, Angelina." Draco said. "We all helped each other. But back to the story, they messed up today. Nott brought his wand when he came to torture me. I took it from him, neutralized the situation, and got the others out."
"And here he goes skipping parts again," Padma's dry voice rasped. Everyone turned to her, but she waved their comments down. "What he didn't mention, again, was that they had placedCruciatuscharms on us that activated if we tried to resist or fight back. Draco had been under it too many times already in the last few days, but risked insanity to free us. He snapped Nott's neck and lifted the charm off of himself not a moment too soon. We begged him to let us help him fight, but he refused. He said he wouldn't get us killed for something that might not even work, and that we didn't even have wands. He left the cells and we waited for the screaming. But there was nothing, not a single noise to tell us if he was alive. After a while, a Death Eater ran towards us. His gaze fell on me, and he kept me under the Cruciatus for almost twenty minutes before Draco had killed the last of them but him. The curse lifted but it was too much. I don't remember anymore."
"I do." Angelina said. "He killed the guard and let us out, handing us their robes and wands. As we went up through the tunnels, not a one of them had been left alive. Somehow, he managed to kill thirty Death Eaters without them raising an alarm before it was too late. He stopped when we got above ground and used the last of his energy to keep Padma alive, healing as much of the internal damage as possible. He put a sleeping spell on me saying he was bringing us here, and here we are. The others should be along anytime now."
"How many of you are there left?" Ron whispered.
"Not many." Draco answered, his face grave. "I haven't asked yet because I don't know what I'll do if she's married or something, but...Where's Ginny?" His voice sounded so lost and heartbroken and utterly un-Malfoyish for a split second that Ron wished he'd left some of those Death Eaters alive.
"Well," George said, trying to act like his eyes weren't filled with tears. "She is married." Draco's face fell and closed off all emotion within a single blink. Well, some things certainly hadn't changed. Draco's mastery of his emotions was legendary, and he had the best blank face Ron had ever seen.
"Of course. Is she happy?" He asked, his voice betraying him, and it showed just how drained and exhausted he was that he couldn't control.
"George!" His mum shrieked. "Don't you have a heart at all?? Draco dear, she married you." Draco's eyes shot up to meet hers.
"What?" He asked, shocked.
"She married you after they proclaimed you dead. And no, she hasn't been happy at all." Draco looked at her, not quite understanding, or maybe just not daring to hope.
"She's been dead without you, mate." Ron said softly. "In every aspect but the physical, and very nearly that. Blaise and Pansy have been looking after her. They'll be here shortly." Then Ron's eyes widened. "Ohhhh, Gin's going to freak out.'His family turned to look at him, the realization of what Draco being back would mean finally getting past their shock and hitting them full-on. He saw hope on their faces for the first time since Draco had 'died'.
"She hasn't forgotten me?"
"Never. I meant it when I said she's been dead inside without you." Ron said. The others nodded.
"Who else is it that's coming?" Harry asked, looking at Draco. There was a whistle outside as he spoke.
"Why don't you come and see for yourself?" Draco asked, standing and walking outside, the slight slump of his shoulders the only thing testifying to his bone-numbing weariness. They followed him and saw a group of hooded people who reeked of smoke standing in the yard. Draco walked up to them and started naming them, pulling back their hoods.
"Dean Thomas." He said, revealing Ron's old dorm mate.
"Gregory Goyle." The face of Draco's long-time friend appeared.
"Katie Bell." Alicia shrieked, running to her other friend as Angelina smiled.
"Neville Longbottom." He said, and a much-changed Neville smiled at us weakly.
"Ani MacBall." He said, revealing someone Ron had never seen before.
"Lee Jordan." Fred and George whooped, pulling him into a huge hug.
"Lavendar Brown." Parvati almost fainted when she saw Lavendar, and then started bawling again.
"Cho Chang." Everyone gasped as the hood slid off of her and revealed her scarred face. Harry ran up and hugged her.
"Luna Lovegood." Luna looked the same, except much skinnier, and she no longer seemed dreamy.
"Adrian Knight." Another person Ron had never met.
"And Charlie Weasley." As the last name was called Ron and his family grew quiet, not able to even really hope that it was true. Then the hood fell back and his older brother's weathered face broke into a grin. Their mum shrieked and fell all over him, sobbing. Their dad was crying too, and the rest of the family rushed him.
"Gods, Charlie, you're alive!" Bill shouted, picking up his brother and spinning him around.
"Yeah, thanks to Draco." Charlie gasped out. "And I can't breathe, you big oaf!" Bill laughed, setting Charlie back down. Mum stopped crying long enough to hug Draco furiously, thanking him with every breath. She charmed the house so there would be room for everybody and they trooped inside, asking a million questions. They had just entered the living room, Ron in front talking to Draco, when he looked up and froze. Everyone got quiet, looking to see why he had stopped. Ginny stood in the living room by the fireplace with an absolutely stunned Blaise and Pansy, and she looked like she'd just been hit by a train. Draco's eyes met hers and he stepped closer.
"D-Draco?" She said questioningly, stepping towards him. "Is it really..."
"Yes, love. It really is." Draco said, moving closer. She leaned towards him, touched his face, and fainted.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Ginny had had the most beautiful dream, and she never wanted to wake up. Draco had returned in it, and she couldn't bear to open her eyes and him still be gone. It was no good though. She was awake and could hear hushed voices around her, and crying. Maybe I've finally died, she thought wistfully. She opened her eyes, and then bolted upright. Because Draco sat next to her on her mother's couch.
"Am I dead?" She asked quietly, running a finger down his drawn face.
"No, love. You're not dead." He answered in a rough voice.
"How about crazy?" She asked, but that seed of doubt was crushed when she saw Blaise shake his head wonderingly. He wouldn't lie to her. Which meant...
"Oh gods," she whispered and threw herself on her mate, covering his face in kisses. "I've missed you. I've missed you so fucking much." She sobbed, running her hands all over him. "You're real, you're here, you're real, you're here...I love you, oh gods, I love you."
"I love you too, firefly. And I've missed you. More than you could ever know. You're all that has kept me alive." Draco whispered into her hair, and she felt her world right itself. Colors came back in sharp focus, the crickets sounded like a symphony, and there was more joy in her then she'd ever thought possible. Suddenly it was as if she'd been holding her breath for five years, and life was flooding back into her like air, overwhelming her.
"You're here, you're really, really, here!" She said happily, and laughter bubbled up in her throat. She had thought she was dead to laughs, to smiles, but it was trickling from her lips like a fine wine, and soon she was laughing hysterically and unrestrained. She knew her family was staring at her, she hadn't so much as smiled in five years, but she didn't care.
"Run with me." She breathed, and she heard some of the room's other occupants gasp. She hadn't gone on a run since that day that seemed so long ago now, and still felt like yesterday at the same time. Draco smiled at her, standing, and she really took in his appearance for the first time. "Dear gods, Draco...You can barely stand. Wait, no, wait, sit with me. How is this possible? How are you back? I...I watched you d-die."
She sat completely still as she listened to his story, tears running down her face, and the others who had escaped jumped in with parts he left out. Draco had saved each and every one of them, some of them more than once. He took no praise for it, though admiration, respect, and something like awe shown in their eyes when they looked at him. Tortured for five years? No, no, no, she thought, anyone but him. Why him? But he was here, and that overshadowed everything else for the moment. Then one deep voice spoke and she almost jumped out of her skin, turning to stare in disbelief. "Ch-Charlie?"
"Hey, sis." He said, giving her a small grin. She was torn. She wanted to jump up and hug the life out of him, but she didn't want to leave Draco even for a second. Charlie saw her inner turmoil, and came to her. She squeezed him hard, and he squeezed just as tightly before he was pulled back to their mum's waiting arms. All of her attention went right back to Draco, who was being smothered in sisterly kisses from Pansy, while Blaise actually had tears in his eyes as he hugged the man who had been a brother to him his entire life. Then her mum waved her wand towards the enlarged kitchen.
"Dinner now, all of you. Most of you are barely sticks." Everyone stood and began walking to the kitchen, when her mother's hawk eyes turned to Draco. "You're limping dear. What's wrong with your side?" Her mother asked, coming over to Draco and starting to remove his shirt.
"Mrs. Weasley, don't. I'm fine. Really, don't." He said, but Ginny's mother ignored him and slid his shirt over his shoulders. When she saw him, she gasped, causing the others to look over. Ginny's eyes welled with tears once more as she took in what had been done to her love's once-flawless skin. Scars covered his entire upper body. Some were old, some were still scabbed over, and the gash on his side was still bleeding enough to soak through the makeshift bandage he'd wrapped around it. The scars criss-crossed over his chest and back, and barely an inch of untouched skin could be seen here and there. Ginny did the only thing she could and wrapped her arms around him. She still found him just as beautiful as ever. No scar in the world could change that. Her mother looked at the others who had escaped.
"Do you all look like that?" Her mother asked them with a shaking voice.
"Not as bad," Charlie said. "But nearly." He lifted his shirt over his head and the others did the same, the women lifting theirs to just under their breasts. Every one of them was covered in scars, but Charlie was right. No one else's matched Draco's. Then Draco turned slightly to put his shirt back on, and they fully saw his back. It was covered in scars, she'd seen that much a moment ago, but there was a mass of scar tissue on his lower back that looked like someone had blown a hole in him.
"What did that?" Ginny breathed as she ran her fingers softly over the skin. Draco looked at her, saw that she did not find it repulsive at all, and so he answered her truthfully.
"Close range shotgun blast. They wanted to see how much a shifter could take without dying. Then they did a slap-shit job at healing it." He said calmly. Ginny marveled at how he could speak so blandly about it. She didn't think she would be at all calm about having a hole blown into her back. No, definitely not calm.
"They were coming to ruin his face earlier today." Cho said, the first words she had spoken, and they cut into Ginny's soul. She knew Draco could live with these scars, but his sanity wouldn't have survived the maiming of his face. "That's why Nott had his wand," Cho continued. "He was going to use the same spell they used on me." No one spoke as the gravity of what had been done to their friends and loved ones sank in. Conversation started again as they sat down to eat, and Ginny barely touched her food, because she couldn't take her eyes off the miracle named Draco sitting next to her. After everyone had eaten, her mother started assigning rooms. Ginny and Draco disappeared into the corner to speak privately for a few minutes, and then stepped back into the living room.
"Mum!" Ginny shouted over the noise, and everyone quieted as her mother turned in their direction. "We'll stay tonight so we can all go to the Ministry in the morning, but we'll be going to Malfoy Manor afterwards. I have a mansion to clean and decorate, if I could talk you and the girls into helping," she said, and looked up at Draco with a huge smile on her face, "and a wedding to plan." The room exploded in noise as all of the women agreed to help and her mother got teary eyed. After everything quieted down, Ginny's mum insisted on healing Draco, and when she was done, Ginny and Draco disappeared to her old room, wrapping around one another, touching and caressing, resealing bonds that had lain dormant for five years, and falling asleep happy for the first time in what seemed like forever.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
The next morning Ron helped everyone get ready before they all descended on the Ministry en masse. Ginny and Draco practically floated down the stairs, and were, for some reason known only to them, in tiger form. Blaise and Pansy joined them, and they batted at each other with huge paws, growling playfully and tackling each other all the way through the house. Usually his mum would have been up in arms over such an act, but Ron knew there wasn't a chance of it today. Mum practically worshiped the ground Draco walked on at the moment, and though he would rather throw himself off a cliff than admit it, so did he, though 'worship' was a bit much, it was still Malfoy...Oh, who was he kidding? Draco had not only saved their friends, but had also brought his brother back and made his sister alive again. Ginny had life in her eyes, something that he'd thought he would never see again. Schoolboy insults didn't really hold up to that.
When everyone was finally ready, they lined up in front of the fireplace. Ron went first, activating the floo, and Blaise and Pansy followed him, then the others. Ron stumbled out into the busy Ministry main room, and a few heads turned then went back to what they were doing. But when the two huge, very recognizable tigers bounded out after him, silence rippled through the room as everyone stopped dead to see why they were at the Ministry, knowing it had to be something big to get them there. Blaise and Pansy shifted back to their elegant, aristocratic human forms, and the others spilled through the fireplace. More and more Ministry workers were pouring into the room as news spread that something serious was going on. They stared in shock at people, at war heroes, believed dead for years.
They didn't know the two Americans, but every witch and wizard in Britain knew who the others were. Dean Thomas, who had fought off fifteen Death Eaters, allowing his boyfriend, Seamus Finnegan, to escape, before he was cut down. Gregory Goyle, who had sacrificed himself to save Draco in one of the last battles, revealing himself as a spy for the Light. Neville Longbottom, who had grown a backbone during the war and had risked his life countless times to save hundreds as a healer, and who didn't know yet that they had cured his parents three years ago. Luna Lovegood, who had been the only journalist besides Colin Creevey brave enough to report from the front line. Katie Bell, who had made sure every man, woman and child was out of a muggle building about to be overrun with Death Eaters, but who had never made it out herself.
Cho Chang, who had captured Peter Pettigrew and given Sirius his freedom, and later gave herself up in place of Remus Lupin. Lee Jordan, who snuck into an enemy camp and freed over twenty prisoners, but never returned. Lavendar Brown, whose gift of Sight saved thousands. Angelina Johnson, who threw herself in front of a curse meant for Dumbledore and forced her portkey on him, staying behind to die. Padma Patil, the missing half of Harry Potter's wife, who had lied and said that she was her sister so that Parvati could live and continue to See for the Light. Charlie Weasley, the only man who had been able to lead a squadron of dragons against the Dark Lord's forces. They were seeing ghosts from the past, but they were not ghosts at all.
Then two more very well known tigers leaped through the flames, and a shocked, unbelieving silence filled the room. They shifted into human form, and gasps and screams rang out through the hall. The Minister of Magic, Ollie Goffman, was running towards them through the crowd with a team of Aurors at his back, and skidded to a stop in front of them.
"L-Lord Malfoy?" Ollie asked, blinking rapidly while the Aurors looked stunned.
"Good Morning, Minister." Draco drawled in his familiar, silky voice. Ron's mum's healing spells had done wonders for him.
"But...how is this possible?" Ollie was looking him up and down, wonder on his face, and then took in the others who had returned. Blaise stepped forward.
"An unplottable prison camp." Blaise said, his voice carrying, the venom in it unmistakable.
"Draco saved us," Cho said loudly. "He broke free last night after a Death Eater slipped up and brought his wand into the dungeons with him." Ollie looked at her, shaking his head.
"Where are they? We'll send a squad immediately."
"They're all dead." Cho answered in a satisfied voice, looking Ollie straight in the eyes. "He killed them and freed us."
"What? How many were there? And how did they restrain some of the best witches and wizards we have known in centuries?" Ollie asked disbelievingly.
"There were thirty of them. We were held under Crucio charms, and they prevented Draco from changing. There were a few times he could have escaped, but he wouldn't leave us behind to die. He killed them, and we watched the place burn. We owe him our lives." Cho said, conviction in her voice as it rang through the hall.
"You owe me nothing." Draco said, sounding exasperated. Ron spoke up.
"We came to let you know that they still live, and so those that want to can return to their families and loved ones." Ron told him.
"The families have already been informed, I'm sure, knowing Natila." Ollie said. "They should be here any momen..." He was cut off by doors and the end of the hall being slammed open. A group of people rushed towards them, a crying Seamus leading them. He was followed closely by Vincent Crabbe, who looked like he'd been hit over the head. It seemed almost the entire Patil family had come with the Browns. Cho's mother, father and brothers were there, and Katie's parents and her fiancé were close behind them. Mr. Lovegood was running as fast as his legs could carry him to his only daughter, and the Jordans had come en masse. The Longbottoms were next, and Neville's face was priceless when he saw his cured mum and dad.
The Parkinsons and Zabinis had come full-out, flanking Narcissa and Severus Snape, whose faces were glowing, and every cousin, niece, nephew, aunt and uncle that bore the Malfoy name followed her, shock and joy written across their faces. Draco had saved them from a dark path by choosing the Light, and they adored him for it. He became the head of the family after his father's death, and they had to follow his lead due to old, old magic and blood ties. He had freed them in more ways than one, and they had not forgotten it. The Snapes were mingled in with them, and Ron caught sight of the press who had already heard that something tremendous had happened, and were clustered behind them, trying to get past the families' guards and the Ministry guards to see inside the hall so they could find out why some of the most predominant families in their society had been called in so unexpectedly. The families collided with their group, and hugs and tears were passed around wildly.
"We'll have to give a statement," Ollie said after about ten minutes, looking at the harassed guards. "Alhough, whether anyone will believe it is another story..."
"Then we will give the statement." Neville said, and the strength in his voice surprised everyone but those who had returned with him. The silent crowd had barely even glanced at the families, their eyes never leaving Draco for very long as he was welcomed back warmly. Narcissa was beside herself, Snape was smiling, and Ginny Weasley was laughing. They had plenty of reasons to gawk.
"Alright then." Ollie said, looking relieved. He turned to the watching crowd. "Alright, everyone back. Make room!" He said louder after no one moved. They shuffled back, looking almost rebellious at having to move. The families rearranged themselves behind their returned love ones, who were standing in front of the group, Draco and Ginny at its center by the others' demands. Ollie gave the call for the press to be allowed entrance, and they swarmed in like hungry vultures, then stopped dead at the sight before them.
"It can't be..."
"The dead walk!"
"No! Not dead! Look, the Lady of Sorrow smiles!"
"Merlin, you're right! It's a miracle! Touched by deity!"
"Quiet!" Ollie yelled above their exclamations. "It has come to our attention that those you see before you were held in an unplottable prison camp, and escaped late yesterday evening. They have agreed to answer questions, but let's do this in an orderly fashion, people!" The reporters nodded at his words, and turned on their visual and audio recorders, telecasting as a live, urgent bulletin on every wizarding station. The first reporter stepped forward.
"Lord Malfoy, how are you standing here? Over four thousand saw you fall at Duskaday Hill." She asked, her face shining with the same wonder everyone else's held.
"The killing curse was shot at one of their own while they stunned me. They faked my death well." Draco replied in that low, velvety voice of his.
"Lady Sorrow, is it truly him?" A different reporter asked.
"Yes. It's truly him." Ginny replied with a radiant smile that left her glowing and beautiful, and would be plastered on front pages and exclaimed over again and again in the days to come.
"Then we will need a new name for you!" The reporter said, grinning.
"What was it like at this prison camp?" Another bold reporter asked, stepping in front of his companions. Draco's eyes flashed, but Padma stepped forward before he could answer.
"What do you imagine a prison camp to be? It is your worst nightmares come to life. So hold your tongue on that which you cannot begin to comprehend. Lord Malfoy saved me from rape and death countless times. I owe him my life and my sanity."
"As do I." Ten voices said in unison, as the others he had freed stepped forward. Draco looked at them warily, and Ron later reflected that Draco had probably known what was about to happen by the tightening in the air, as if the earth itself sucked in a breath and stopped to listen.
"I invoke the wizard's rite, I invoke Fautor!" Gasps ripped through the hall, but Padma's voice cut through them. "More than one life debt do I owe thee, my lord." She said, her tone going slightly archaic as she invoked their most sacred oath, her eyes never leaving Draco's as she dropped to her knees before him. "And I do now lay my life and allegiance at thy feet, to do with as thee will. Will I be turned away to darkness, or shall my heartfelt oath be accepted?" The magic could be felt in the air all around us as Draco looked at her almost helplessly.
"Damn it, Padma...Rise, Lady, I accept thy oath." Something clicked in the wavering force around them, and one by one, the survivors dropped to their knees, as did Blaise and Pansy, who Draco glared at more then any of the others, and which they promptly ignored. They all gave the same oath for the entire world to see, and when the final, binding words were spoken, light flashed, and a million shining stars hung in the air around them. Parvati and Lavendar stepped forward, their hands clasped and their eyes gone distant with prophecy. They spoke in rough, twisted voices that came out as one.
"It begins, and so starts a legacy that will last a thousand, thousand years and more...When those loyal give their lives into trusted hands, the world will begin to see what we have Seen...Sworn fealty and soul oaths...It is time for changes, time to remember the old ways, time for a strong line to rule again...After two centuries of gliding in the dark, leaderless, see your King and Queen returned to you! All who matter shall bend the knee freely, and order and peace shall return to strengthen our race once more, to bring us back to glory and honor! Hail the new reign! Hail the Sovereigns! Hail Ice and Fire!"
Complete silence reigned as the two women dropped to their knees. No one spoke, no one breathed. Everyone had heard the ring of true prophecy, had felt the voice of deity ringing in their words. A total of three seconds passed, and then every person in the hall, including the Minister himself, dropped to their knees before Draco and Ginny and spoke as one, feeling the rightness of their words.
"Hail the new reign! Hail the Sovereigns! Hail Ice and Fire!"