Disclaimer: Alas, I own none of this. It has been claimed by the mother of the world of Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling. Oh, and Warner Bros. Stupid them.
Road signs:
--x-X-x--, --o-O-o--, etc: a few months have passed, or sometimes a few weeks
a/n: authors note
p.s. If you are reading this and it is after the 25th of august, then I have made some minor changes to things that made no sense. So if you have read my story before there's no real need to go and read it again, unless you would like to read my changes (ex: the part with Draco's mom). Some are quite big though. Thanks!
--x-X-x--
Look for me by the Moonlight
The heavy rain pounded on the uneven roof of the Burrow, beating at about the same tempo as Ginny's heart. Her suitcase was packed and ready to go on top of her neatly folded bed, her cloak carefully folded on top. She wiped the last of her tears away as she glanced around her little room for the very last time. She would have said a proper good-bye, but if her parents, and not to mention her brothers, knew why she was going they would never allow it, especially Ron. She sighed and walked over to her moonlit window, quietly unlocking it and getting it ready. At exactly midnight, he would come. He, the one that would change her life forever, and the one she loved with all her heart. She would do anything for him, even if it meant giving up her life.
--o-O-o--
Flash back
"Draco, you're doing it again."
"Doing what again?"
"Staring at my chest."
"Oh," He gave a small cough, "Well it's your own fault they're so bloody big. You need to put a caution sign on those bludgers or something."
Ginny gave him a cold hard stare. "Excuse me? It's not my fault I'm a woman, and besides, you just can't help it."
Draco just laughed and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Then he moved to her lips, and she kissed back. They held it for what seemed like hours, yet it was only minutes. Finally, Ginny pulled apart.
"I'm going to be late, I'm sorry."
He gave a deep sigh. "Gin, please don't go, I'll miss you too much. Who's going to find the remote without even using magic? And what if I forget the charm to find it? What if it's lost forever and I'm stuck having to get off my lazy ass to press the buttons manually? What if I press the wrong button and the T.V. explodes? It is a muggle contraption after all!"
She laughed. "Draco, you won't forget. You've survived months without me already, a couple more won't kill you. Besides, I'm only at Hogwarts, it's no biggy. As soon as summer hits, I'll run away with you."
He smiled, and then kissed her again. "Ginny, I love you."
"I love you too."
"No, I really mean it. I'm not just saying it, I really do love you. Ginny, you are my world. My universe, for God's sake. Gin, if you're gone, I'd die."
A tear rolled down her cheek. "I don't want to go, but if I want to be a Healer then I have to. Plus I'm not the kind of girl who skips school and never graduates."
He smiled. "Ok, ok, fine. Go to school, but don't forget to owl me every week, or else."
Ginny gave a sly smile. "Or else what?"
Draco ran his finger across his neck, and Ginny poked him in the gut. She gave him one last kiss before opening the door of the car Draco rented. She took one last glance at the man she gave her heart to before weaselling her way around crowds until stopping in between platforms 9 and 10. There, she faced her family of red-heads, just minus Percy, Bill and Charlie.
"What took you so long, dear?" Mrs. Weasley said, who was pushing Ginny's trolley.
"Oh, um, I was in the bathroom. Wasn't feeling to well, you see."
It seemed the family had bought her little lie, for they all nodded and said it was just back-to-school butterflies. They all passed through platform 9 ¾ one by one to face a giant red steam engine known as the Hogwarts Express. Ginny hugged and kissed her family good-bye, and as she got to her mother she whispered in Ginny's ear, "Stay for a while over the summer, please. It's not the same without you."
Ginny nodded weakly and quickly mounted the train before her mother could see her cry. If only Mrs. Weasley knew what her daughter was hiding, and if only she knew that this might very well be the last time she saw her.
--o-X-o-
Harry,
Something's not right. It's not like Ginny to leave her family and move away into an apartment ALONE and just saying she wants a break. I've also seen her with Malfoy at times…you don't think he did something to her, do you? She still likes you, I know that for sure. I need to know what's going on though. Please owl me as soon as you can.
Ron
Dear Ron,
I've seen Malfoy with Ginny too. My guess is he's using her for some plan, probably involving me. Just a guess, but I think he's talking her into becoming a Death Eater. I've talked to other people and even some of her friends after you sent me that last letter, and they all said they had seen Gin with that ferret more than once. The Aurors and I will be coming around your house at about 6 to talk about this. Oh, and don't tell your parents yet, alright? We don't want to shock them before we have the story straight.
Harry
P.S. you don't have to reply, just keep Hedwig with you until I come.
Ron was sitting on the front steps, broom in one hand, and traveling cloak in the other. He squinted and could make out five shapes in the distance. As they came closer he made out Harry, Lupin, Hermione, Moody and Sirius (). They all landed neatly beside him and stepped off their brooms.
"Baby sister in trouble, eh?" Moody said, magical eye whizzing in its socket.
Before Ron could speak, Harry answered. "It's Malfoy. We're positive."
"Harry, Ron, we know that you don't particularly like Draco, but you just can't go blaming him for everything!"
Harry shot him an evil glare. "What's that supposed to mean? I thought you agreed with me when I said he was a Death Eater, so why are you saying he's different now? Someone can't change who they are just like that!" He snapped his fingers.
Lupin was about to continue, but Hermione cut him off. "Harry," She said sternly, "Ginny is fine. She's big now, and can take care of herself. So what if she might be in love? She sent me a letter saying-" But she immediately grew quiet when she saw Harry's face of astonishment.
"A letter? Can I see it?"
All eyes turned back to Hermione. "Erm, it's a little private, but…" She pulled it from her robes and Harry snatched it greedily. He opened it and read it quickly one, two, three times.
Dear Hermione,
Is it OK to love someone you know that no one will approve of? I mean, I'm really in love with someone, but I don't know if I can spend the rest of my life with him. I really want to, but…oh it's so confusing!
Can you keep a secret? I'm not living alone; I'm actually living with him. Once I graduate from Hogwarts I'm going to run away with him and be happier than I ever have. But that time is drawing nearer and nearer, and when it comes I'll have to choose between him and my family. I already know my family won't approve of him, not to mention Ron and the twins, but I love him. Oh, Hermione, I need help! I just don't know what to do…
Love,
Ginny
"AH HAH! So it is Malfoy! I knew it! He has to be brain washing her or something, because she would never love a Malfoy, not ever."
Ron had just finished reading the letter and was turning paler by the minute. "No, no it can't be…can it? It has to be a trick; Malfoy could never love my sister. The only person that could love Ginny is Harry, everyone knows that."
At this, Hermione put her foot down. "NO."
Everyone stared at her. "No?" said Harry.
"NO! Ron, Ginny isn't a baby anymore, she can do anything she wants, even if it means loving an enemy. Just because you don't' like him doesn't mean you can control her! And Harry isn't the only young man in the world, you know! She can do whatever she wants, love whoever she wants and live wherever she wants. YOU JUST CAN'T STAND IT BECAUSE YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO BE THE HERO! AS SOON AS GINNY DOES SOMETHING ON HER OWN YOU HAVE TO BE THERE, ON'T YOU? BECAUSE YOU CAN'T STAND IT!" With that, Hermione mounted her broom and flew off.
Everyone gaped at her as she flew. "Bloody hell…" Sirius mumbled. Everyone nodded. Harry was the first to come to his senses.
"Ok, we need to make a plan to get Malfoy."
"Harry-"
"We need to plan it after Gin graduates, because that's when he'll strike," Harry continued.
"Harry what if-"
"We'd need to gather all available Aurors and attack, and I'm guessing he's going to bring backup, possible Crabbe and Goyle. Now if we-"
"HARRY!" Lupin, Moody and Sirius hollered.
Harry stared at them blankly. "Yes?"
"Did it ever cross your mind that maybe Ginny IS in love with Draco?" Sirius asked.
Harry gave him another blank stare. "No."
Lupin just shook his head. "Harry, Harry, Harry… you called us here because you said there was an emergency. Ginny falling in love with someone you don't like is not an emergency. Now if you don't mind I'm going home to Tonks-"
"OH, SO YOU DON'T CARE IF GINNY IS MINGLING WITH A DEATH EATER!?!? YOU DON'T CARE IF SHE'S BEING APART OF SOME PLAN AND IN THE END SHE''LL PROBABLY DIE?" Harry yelled, temper flaring.
Ron had turned a shade of green at the mention of Ginny possibly dying. "P-professor L-Lupin, please, h-hear Harry out. What if h-he's right? It is Malfoy after all."
Moody bit his already scared enough lip. "Well, we could do a back-round check, see what he's been up to, take in a couple suspects, the usual. If you're certain that something's up…"
"I'm positive!" Harry growled, "And besides, I saw her getting out of a car, his car, at the station. It's just not right. A Malfoy could never love a Weasley! Never!" Everyone went quiet after that. Since no one was saying anything, Harry decided to continue. "I'm going home to get some rest. But I will get to the bottom of this, by any means necessary." Harry then mounted his broom and zoomed off in the direction of London, leaving a very dumbfounded Ronald, a tired looking Lupin, an angry looking Sirius and, well, we're not quite sure what mood Moody was in.
Harry's mood was flaring. How could he not know? How could he not know that Ginny was hiding this? He loved her, after all, so shouldn't he know everything that is going on in her life? He was beginning to hate Draco more and more, if that was even possible. As he flew closer and closer to his house, he was ready to scream out in fury. He hated Malfoy, he hated lies, and he hated the fact he had no idea Ginny was flirting with a Death Eater. He wanted revenge, and he wanted it now. He wanted to hurt Malfoy, make him scream. If he wanted Ginny all to himself, he would have to eliminate the enemy. And eliminating the enemy meant killing Malfoy, which he was planning to do anyway.
Harry tossed and turned in his bed, anxious and restless. All he could think about was Ginny. He wanted her near him, with him, day in and day out. He wanted her to whisper how much she loved him in his ear, and he wanted to hold her tight for the rest of his life. If he told anyone else this, he knew their immediate reaction would be, 'oh, you're eighteen! That's much too young to be in love! You can't seriously think of being with her forever, you've still got the rest of your life to fall in love!' But anyone who said that would be wrong. Eighteen is not too early for him to be in love; in fact, it might be too late. The more he thought about it, the more horrid thoughts engulf him about Malfoy seducing Ginny to do his every command. He broke out in a sweat, thinking about Malfoy stealing Ginny from him for good. But Ginny is much too smart to be seduced by a Death Eater, she would go for the more sensible, heroic types. Like him. Exactly like him. Finally he fell asleep in a heap on the floor, too tired to pick himself up. His book lamp that he left on flickered, then ceased into darkness. It was then when Harry's living Hell was just getting worse.
He was standing in a church, hair neatly combed back and dressed in a black tuxedo. He was at a wedding, his wedding. Harry looked up to see a beautiful Ginny wearing a long white wedding dress with a vail covering her gorgeous brown eyes. She smiled up at him, and he smiled back. She walked down the aisle; she was so close to Harry, her smile growing wider with every stride. Suddenly there was a menacing laugh behind them. Ginny turned to see Draco Malfoy bash through the doors of the church on his broom, laughing like a maniac. He grabbed Ginny and flew off with her; Ginny screaming and crying. Harry ran after them, hearing Ginny's sobs and Malfoy's laugh, until suddenly his body froze. No matter how hard he tried, his body had stopped and would not allow him to move. All he could do was watch Malfoy fly off with his bride. Ginny was crying and yelling for Harry to save her, but all he could do was stare.
"NO!" Harry yelled, jumping upright from the floor he had slept on the whole night. He was panting and sweating, his heat beating at an irregular speed. 'It was only a dream,' Harry thought, 'only a dream.'
For the next few nights, Harry had been having the same identical dream, and he was going into a state of paranoia. His hands were starting to shake, and every where he turned he thought he saw Malfoy. Every laugh he heard Harry pictured the menacing laugh of Malfoy, and every happy couple he saw he remembered Ginny being snatched up from under his grasp. After the seventh night of the nightmares, Harry had his wand in his hand at all times, and he wanted to kill Draco more and more.
"'Arry," Moody said one day in the office, "I think you should take some time off, yeah know? You just seem a little, err," Harry twitched, and Moody continued, "…off."
"I'm fine, Moody," Harry said, giving Mad-Eye a dark stare.
Moody simply shook his head. He reached into his drawer and pulled out an old flask. He muttered an incantation and it glowed for a few seconds. "'ere," Moody said, handing the new port-key to Harry. "Take it and go home."
"Bu-" Harry didn't get to finish, for the port-key zoomed him off and before he knew it he was at home. He growled. He needed to cool off, so he grabbed his broom and went out the door. He knew exactly where he was going to go.
--o-O-o--
It had been two months without her, and already Draco had managed to lose the remote eight times, break the T.V. four times and forgot the charm on how to fix the T.V. and the remote three times, so at the moment the T.V. was still broken. He sat on the couch, angrily glaring at the blank big screen and wondering why in the world muggles would create something that causes so many problems.
Ever since Ginny had moved in, Draco's life had been amazing. They had gotten a small apartment together and for this whole time Ginny had told her parents she had been living alone. What a dirty little liar, Draco smirked; I must be rubbing off on her. He decided to go drown his sorrows in a good bottle of fire whisky with Blaise in Diagon Alley. He flooed to The Leaky Cauldron and when he got there flooed his head to Blaise's place. He found his friend sitting in front of a widarding radio, knuckles white from gripping the table as he listened intensely to a quidditch game.
"Blaise!" Draco called.
Blaise turned his head madly before turning back to the radio. Draco sighed, then pushed his whole body through the fire doing a summersault and landing with a splat at Blaise's feet.
"BLOODY HELL!" Blaise yelled, falling out of his chair.
"Uh, hi there," Draco said, "Just thought I'd drop by…"
"Ha, ha, very funny," Blaise said, picking himself up. "So, what can I do you for?"
Draco bit his lip. "I need to talk, man to man. Say over a couple bottles of Fire Whisky?"
"So this is the girl, huh?" Blaise said over his second bottle.
Draco nodded. "Positive. You know, I never thought I could fall in love with a Weasley, and every one thought it would be me and Parkinson. At least, that's what my father wants." He growled as he mentioned his father.
Blaise noticed this, so he kept on talking. "So, do you think you'll, you know, marry her?"
Draco paused. He did love her, and when she was around he felt free. He finally answered Blaise's question with a simple, "Yes, I think I will."
They talked for over two hours, just like old times. They mostly talked about Ginny, but they also mentioned the War that was still to come, and other things of not so much importance.
"MY GOD, look at the time, Blaise, I really have to go." Draco said, quickly pulling out a handful of knuts and slamming them down on the table. Blaise was about to protest but Draco shook his head. "You're paying next time."
Blaise smiled. "I'm glad we had this chat, Draco, and I really hope that all goes well with, you know, with Ginny and all."
That's all Draco really wanted to hear. He smiled. "Thanks, Blaise," and with a pop, he was gone.
When Draco left, Blaise turned his attention to the radio. "Who's winning?" he asked a shabby looking witch who was smoking a long pipe. At this moment, the door to the pub opened, and in stumbled The Boy Who Sadly Lived. Blaise grunted. "Potter," he shot a cold look at Harry, who was stumbling over to a small table after ordering a large drink.
Harry looked at Blaise. Without warning, Harry shot up, knocking over the table, and grabbed Blaise by the collar and dragged him outside into a side alley. "ZAMBINI! WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT GINNY?"
Blaise looked horror struck. "P-Potter? What are you talking about?"
"YOU KNOW DAMN WELL WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!! WHAT IS MALFOY PLANNING?"
Blaise stopped. Potter knew? "P-Potter please, I know nothing."
"LIAR!" Harry shook Blaise. "TELL ME WHAT MALFOY IS GOING TO DO TO HER!!"
"NO!" Blaise cried, "I WILL NEVER TELL YOU!"
"HE'S GOING TO HURT HER, ISN'T HE?" Harry screamed at Blaise.
Blaise looked shocked. "N-NO! NEVER!"
Harry pulled out his wand. "Don't make me hurt you," He hissed.
"I'd like to see you try."
"CRUCIO!"
Blaise screamed and collapsed in a crippled heap. "I-I won't tell you!" He sobbed.
"Wrong answer." Harry snapped. "CRUCIO!!"
Blaise started screaming again; tears streamed down and he started to twitch horribly.
"DON'T MAKE ME KILL YOU!" Harry yelled.
"KILL ME!" Blaise cried, "I WILL NEVER TELL YOU ANYTHING!"
"AVADA-"
"WAIT!" Blaise screamed. "HE-HE WANTS TO MARRY HER!"
Harry stared at him. "What?"
Blaise sobbed even harder. "K-KILL ME, HARRY, I-I DESERVE TO DIE."
Once Harry had come to his senses, He replied darkly, "I was planning on doing that anyway. AVADA KEDAVRA!"
A green flash erupted from his wand, and Blaise did one last sickening twitch before his heavy breathing stopped. Harry kicked Blaise's body until it reached the end of the dark alley before he hopped on his broom and flew off.
--x-X-x--
The great hall was abuzz with conversation, as people enjoyed their dessert before trudging back to their common rooms to start on their homework. Ginny was having a conversation with Colin about muggle cameras, when suddenly an eagle owl came zooming through the window and landed beside Ginny. She immediately reconized it as Draco's, so she grabbed the letter and stuffed it in her pocket. She stroked the eagle owl before it flew off to the owlry and she slipped out of the great hall and running to the Head Girl dormitory. As soon as she was safe in her room, she ripped open the letter and read it through.
Dear my beautiful, gorgeous Ginny,
Something's wrong. Blaise is dead and Potter is out to get me. I think he knows about us, and I know he's going to do everything to pull us apart. I'm going to have to hide for a while, so please don't reply to this owl. Also, I want you to stay with your parents for a while in the summer, and don't come back to the apartment until I send you another owl. Whatever you do, don't tell ANYONE that we're together, and I mean anyone. I would say that you could tell your closest friends, but…well, you see, Blaise was tortured, and Harry was supposedly at the scene. I just don't want that to happen to someone you know, even Granger. Please, Ginny, be careful. I never knew that loving you could be so dangerous; maybe I should break up with you now…KIDDING, kidding. I'd never leave you; I couldn't even if I tried.
Ginny, I love you so so so so so so so so so so so so so so MUCH. Please, be safe. If anything happened to you, I swear I would die.
Signed,
Draco Malfoy
Ginny collapsed on her bed and started to cry. She had too much on her plate already; N.E.W.T.s, running away in the summer, keeping a huge secret from her family, now this? Having to worry about her boyfriend being hunted down like a dog? It was too much for her. She formed into a tight ball and sobbed. Ginny was really starting to hate this. But she had to keep going, she couldn't back down now. Although she couldn't help thinking, 'Harry? HARRY killed Blaise?' She shivered. 'No, that's just what Draco thinks. Harry wouldn't, he couldn't…would he?'
--o-O-o--
"…At last, we say good-bye to our class of 2000, and hello to a future full of bright new witches and wizards that are ready to make a difference in our world. Congratulations, class of 2000, and good luck!"
The graduates erupted in cheers, whistling and clapping as they all threw their hats up in the air. Ginny cheered after McGonagall's speech and Mr. And Mrs. Weasley came over and hugged her.
"Oh, Ginny, we are so proud!" Mrs. Weasley sobbed.
"Congrats, Gin-Bug," Mr. Weasley said, patting her on the back.
She smiled for what seemed like the first time in months. Then she remembered why, and her face fell a bit, and Mrs. Weasley saw.
"Gin, what's wrong?"
Ginny quickly made something up. "Um, I just can't believe that I'm actually leaving Hogwarts for good. I mean, it was a second home to me." Ok, so that lie was pretty much true, and she was pretty sad that she was leaving.
"Aww, darling, I was sad too. But now you have a new life ahead of you," Mrs. Weasley said, hugging Ginny harder.
Mr. Weasley took a look at his watch. "We better get going," he said, trying not to break their tender moment. They started to head to the station in Hogsmead when Ginny spied someone she had been keeping an eye out for quite some time.
"Uhh, you two go ahead, I'll catch up in a bit. Just want to take one more look at the school."
They agreed and she waited until they were out of sight before she went to Draco's eagle owl, which had been quietly waiting in a tree nearby. It flew down and landed on her shoulder, allowing her to untie the letter attached to his leg.
My Dearest Ginny,
I am coming to get you at exactly midnight on the first full moon of summer, so have your bags packed and ready. I'm taking a wild guess here and saying that you haven't told your parents you're running away, so I'll be as quiet as possible. I'll be coming on my broom, so don't expect me to be throwing rocks at your window, I thought I might just fly up and knock. I hope your N.E.W.T.s went well, and that you can become a Healer, because you do a pretty damn good job at fixing paper cuts. I can't wait to see you; it's been torture without you here. I miss you laugh, I miss your smile, I miss your strawberry smelling hair, and I especially miss your bludger sized boobs. Ok, ok, on to serious stuff. I need you. I can talk to you, about stuff I could normally never talk about. I miss you so much; I think I'll go insane soon. I love you so much; to the end of the universe and back. No, farther. All I need you to do is to look for me by the moonlight, watch for me by the moonlight, I'll come to thee by the moonlight, though Hell should bar the way.
With love,
Draco Malfoy
--x-O-x--
Harry figured out Draco's exact plan. 'It's simple;' Harry thought, 'Malfoy has done God knows what to Ginny to make her fall in love with him. He's then going to run away with her and they'll get married. She'll then be turned into a Death Eater, where I'll show up, save Ginny, kill some Death Eaters, and hopefully Voldemort as well. So simple.' Next he had to figure out when he'll strike, and Harry will need to round up some Aurors and tell the Weasley's what was going on. Since he was Moody's apprentice, he could easily get a hold of the most skilled Aurors out there, and he figured he should tell the Weasleys tonight, with Ginny being home and all. As of this moment, Ginny was fair game. Anything could happen, at any time. He gazed out the artificial window in the office he shared with Moody, and decided that he should leave soon to tell Mr. And Mrs. Weasley the sad news.
Molly was in tears. "My only girl, my baby girl; love sick to this monster? I-I can't believe it. I-I don't want to believe it! Oh, Harry, dear!" She drew him into a bone crushing hug.
"I'm so sorry, Molly and Arthur, I truly am. Now we need to make a plan to catch this ferret, and to do that we need bait."
"No," Arthur said. "I will not have my only daughter be dangled off a hook so some twisted young man can snatch her. I have a better idea. If she really is going to run away, then he has probably made a time and date already. All we need to do is figure out when he's coming. Harry, I give you permission to raid my daughter's room, for she is at a graduate party tonight. Molly and I- well, we're just going to talk about this." He put a hand on Molly's shoulder.
Harry climbed up the stairs until he got to Ginny's small bedroom. His eyes scanned the room. Ginny's room was like a 5 year-olds haven; with pink walls, a mountain of stuffed animals and a desk with a large mirror littered with make-up and jewellery. Harry immediately started looking. He emptied drawers onto the floor to find nothing, so he moved to the closet. He threw out dress after dress, school robe after school robe. He found nothing there as well, and he was starting to get edgy. Harry then moved to the pile of stuffed animals, which he hexed into oblivion until he found what he was looking for. A gift box had been hiding under the now destroyed stuffed animals, and Harry eagerly opened it. Inside, he found layers and layers of notes and letters, all from Draco Malfoy. The first one in the box must have been the very first one he ever sent her, for he sounded a bit shy. He asked if she would like to go to the first Hogsmead trip with him. 'Wait a second,' Harry thought, 'The first Hogsmead trip was in October…That means that they've been together since then! So it hasn't been a recent thing…wait another second! It says he'll meet her in the Great Hall…HE'S STILL AT SCHOOL!' Realizing that Ginny had been dating him for over a year, he shred up the letter with a flick of his wand and went to the next one, then the next. Letter after letter, Malfoy started getting more confidant, saying things like, 'You are my world, my universe,' as well as, 'I would die if you were gone.' There were also little things like that Malfoy wanted her to go out with someone so no one would get suspicious. 'Well that's a laugh,' Harry thought, as he shred that one up too. The love letters progressed on, becoming more sweet (or sickening, in Harry's mind) and more caring. Finally, Harry got to the last one and found what he wanted; 'I'm coming to get you at exactly midnight on the first full moon of summer.' "Bingo," Harry smiled, tucking the letter in his pocket. He walked out the door, turned around and muttered, 'Reparo', so Ginny wouldn't find her room looking like a battle field.
It was the first official day of summer holidays and Ginny wanted nothing more than to spend her last few days with her family. She came down to breakfast to find her mother looking tired and pale. Never the less, she smiled as Ginny grabbed the coffee pot.
"Ginny, darling, we rather hopped that you would spend your first week here at the Burrow before running off- I mean, going off with friends." She smiled weakly, trying not to make it seem as though she knew what Gin was up to.
Ginny remembered what Draco said in his letter and sat beside Molly. "Actually, I was planning to do that anyway," She smiled. Molly smiled back, weakly, and stared down at her coffee mug, chocking back the tears she had cried all night long.
End of flashback
"Alright, we all here?" Harry asked, as the final member of the hunt apperated into the Weasley's kitchen. "OK. Tonight, at exactly midnight, Draco Malfoy is going to kidnap Ginny Weasley. Our job is to not let that happen. We are going to catch him and bring him down."
Suddenly, they heard footsteps. Wands at the ready, they all turned to see Ginny, who was silently creeping down the stairs.
"Wow, I just came down to say goodnight, I didn't know we were throwing a party." Ginny said, looking puzzled. She had made up her mind earlier and decided that she would say goodnight to her parents one last time, just so… oh, what the hell. She missed them already and she hadn't even left yet.
Harry emerged from around the corner. "Yes, Ginny, we'd like to think of it as a, 'Going Away' party." A wicked smiled crawled over his face, and everything clicked. He knows, Ginny thought, They all know. That explains everything; the misarranged letters in her box, her mother acting strange, all the Aurors being here on the night that Draco was coming. They figured out, it's too late. Then it was as if everything happened at once; Ginny tried to disapperate away, but Harry was too quick and caught her in a leg-locking jinx. Suddenly she found herself tied up in a chair in her little room surrounded by Aurors, with Mrs. Weasley begging them to let her go.
"Harry, Harry, please! Let her go, this isn't necessary! Please, PLEASE!" Mrs. Weasley sobbed even harder with Mr. Weasley at her side.
"Can someone please get Mr. And Mrs. Weasley out of here?" Harry hollered. Three Aurors Ginny didn't even know- come to think of it, Ginny didn't know any of the Aurors in the room- led her struggling parents out. Ginny was now left with Harry and four other aurors. Harry then turned to face the struggling and sobbing girl.
"Ginevra," He said calmly, "We know Malfoy's plan. It's simple. We're basically trying to keep you safe."
"Safe?" Ginny yelled, "From YOU maybe! Harry, what has gotten into you? You used to be caring, loving, kind, everything! That's why I fancied you so much! Bu-But now you're just a monster!"
"ME?" Harry shouted, "MALFOY IS THE MONSTER! HE'S GOING TO TURN YOU INTO A DEATH EATER, JUST LIKE HIM!"
Ginny stared at him, shocked. "You have absolutely no idea what you're talking about," she said quietly. There was complete silence after that.
The Auror closest to the window looked out and said, "Potter! He's 'ere!" Sure enough, a figure was fast approaching the Burrow.
"Alright men, show time." The Aurors quickly left the room, but Harry stayed behind and approached Ginny. He turned her chair around so she was facing the window. "Thought you'd like to see the view," Harry whispered wickedly in her ear, then giving her a kiss on the cheek.
"You bastard," She hissed.
"Tut, tut, Gin, language." He slipped her wand in her back pocket. "Just to stir things up," He smirked. He then left the room, leaving Ginny all by herself, crying in the moonlight.
Ginny thrashed about, trying to reach her wand. Her heart was beating faster and faster, her breathing short and detached. They're going to kill him, they're going to kill him, Ginny kept thinking over and over in her head. Harry is going to kill him! Now she believed Draco when he said that Harry killed Blaise. He was a madman, a monster. She twisted her hands behind her, which were now wet with either sweat, blood or both. She looked out the window to see Harry and the other Aurors hiding in the trees, as Draco came faster, not knowing who he was about to run into. She screamed. She had to do something to warn him. If only she could reach her wand… Suddenly a memory flashed into her head that she had wanted to forget about for the longest time.
It was last year, the year that Harry, Ron and Hermione were graduating and the War had just begun. Everyone was at the Burrow and having a Congratulations Party when Harry pulled Arthur aside. Naturally, well, considering she grew up with the twins, she grew suspicious and pulled out her own pair of Extendable Ears and started to listen to their conversation. They wandered out into the deserted hallway and Ginny hid behind a wall and gently stuck the Extendable Ears out to start doing their job. Harry had looked around before turning to Mr. Weasley and letting out a deep sigh.
"Mr. Weasley, Arthur," He started, "you know that I love Ginny more than anything in the world, right?"
Arthur was just smiling and nodding at that point, so Harry took it as a chance to keep going.
"Well, the truth is, I can't live without her. I need her more than anything in the whole world. So I was hoping; no, begging, that you would allow me to ask for …her hand in marriage after she graduates?" Harry was holding his breath, desperate for an answer.
Arthur's eyes widened a little, and then his expression softened. "I knew that one of these days you were going to come up to me and ask that," He chuckled, but then his look became worried. "But Harry, what will happen when you go off to the War? And what if you don't come back? I can't stand to see my little girl sad, and I just don't want her to be worrying about you when you go off."
Harry smirked. "Oh, don't worry, I'll come back. I always come back."
Now Ginny was hopelessly staring out the window, thinking about what she could do. She already knew Draco's fate; there was no way around it. He was going to die, and it would be all her fault. Then Harry would propose to her, while she would never love him because her heart has already been taken. Harry was a monster, and she already knew that his mind was made and nothing can be done to change it. She finally grasped her wand, but she knew it was useless. Even if she did break free, there would be no hope for Draco. He was a dead man, and he still had absolutely no idea. Ginny lost her will to live. The man she wanted to be with for the rest of her life was going to die, and she would then be snatched away by another man she despised. She sighed one last time, and prepared herself for what she was going to do next. She pointed her want at the small of her back, and while doing so she remembered what Draco had said in one of his letters.
"Wow, I never thought loving you would be this dangerous."
"You're right, Draco," She whispered, "Nor did I."
A flash of green lit up the night sky. Draco stopped in mid-flight, and immediately recognized it as the Killing Curse. Although this one was different; it shone a dark green and was obviously done in a different style, but served the exact same purpose. Draco then knew what was going on.
It had been two years ago. He had gotten off Platform 9 ¾ after finishing his 6th year, and was waiting for his mother. He waited and waited and waited, until finally calling the Knight Bus to come and pick him up. When he got home, he immediately went looking for his mother to find out why she never showed. After looking in all the wings, bedrooms, dining areas and living rooms, he finally went up to her most favourite place; the tower. When he was little, he would always find her there reading or just staring endlessly out the window. When Draco got to the top, however, he found his mother holding her wand to her chest with tears running down her cheeks.
"I'm so sorry, Draco," She whispered, "I tried so hard. I just can't go on..." And then choked out, "Avada Kadavra!"
A blinding dark green light shot through the tower and out the windows. When it cleared, Draco saw his mother lying there, pale and cold. His father had died shortly before that, and that was why; she had lost her will to live, and Draco and another reason to carry on in life- to hunt down his father's murderer, and he knew exactly who he was.
Draco would never forget that flash of green and his mother lying lifeless, and it would scar him for the rest of his life. But now seeing it again had awoken that dark memory, and he knew that yet another someone he loved deeply was gone forever. Ginny Weasley, Draco's love of his life, had taken her life to save his. His mind went blank and his heart stopped. Time came to a screeching halt as he drank in what just happened. If she really was dead, then there was no way he could live anymore. He already knew his fate, Ginny made it clear. Harry was there, and he was going to kill him mindlessly, just like Blaise before him, and his father. Draco continued flying into the trap with his head held high, tears pouring down his face, and screamed, "HEY, POTTER! YOU WANT ME? COME GET ME!"
At that point the Aurors and Harry flew out of hiding and attacked. Flashes of red, green and gold flew every which way, taking down different Aurors this way and that. That was Draco's goal; to take down everyone and leave him with Potter. If he was going down, Potter was coming with him, no doubt. Now he stared into the eyes of his enemy, the same enemy he despised since the beginning of his time at Hogwarts, and the same enemy that he will always loath until the end of his days. And the end looked like it was coming soon.
"FEELING ANY GUILT, POTTER? YOU'VE MANNAGED TO KILL TWO PEOPLE ALREADY, YOU KNOW THAT? BLAISE AND GINNY!"
"SHUT UP!" Harry yelled, "I NEVER KILLED GINNY! SHE'S STILL PERFECTLY ALIVE!"
Draco laughed in a sick way. "You didn't see? Or is your ego too thick for anything to get through?"
"AVADA KADAVRA!!"
Draco dodged the flash of green, then yelled, "GO AHEAD! KILL ME! I DON'T CARE, GINNY IS GONE, AND THAT'S ALL I NEEDED IN THIS WORLD!"
"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?! YOU WERE USING HER! YOU WERE GOING TO TURN HER INTO A DEATH EATER, JUST LIKE YOU!"
Draco stopped. "Potter, I would never do that to Ginny! AND I AM NO DEATH EATER!" He shot a Killing Curse at Harry, but he dodged it. "GO AHEAD!" Draco yelled, stopping in mid-flight, "KILL ME! DO IT NOW, AND THEN GO RUN HOME AND TELL EVERYONE YOU KILLED THE SON OF LUCIUS! BETTER YET, TELL THEM YOU ALSO KILLED HIM, HIS SON, BLAISE AND GINNY AND JUMPED TO TOO MANY CONCLUSIONS!"
"AVADA KADAVRA!" Harry yelled.
This time Draco allowed himself to be hit. He came tumbling down, and was dead before he hit the ground. He lay there, silent and still, limbs out at odd angles. Harry starred down at the lifeless body, and spat at his feet. He then flew up to Ginny's room, to tell her the good news. He peered through the window, and saw her in her chair lifeless, just like Draco said. "NO! NO, NO, NO!!!" Now Harry's body ached with sadness, something he hadn't felt for quite some time. Tears poured down his face and he shook violently. He flew back down and sat on the front step, head in his hands, only to be interrupted by three figures zoom down next to the house; Lupin, Hermione and Sirius. Hermione came running to him first, tears streaming down her face.
"HOW COULD YOU?" She screamed at Harry, pushing him into the wall. "HOW COULD YOU, HOW COULD YOU, HOW COULD YOU?" She burst into tears, then disapperated away. She then apperated moments later, holding Ginny's lifeless body. "WHAT THE BLOODY HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?" She shrieked. "KILLING DRACO, TAKING HIM AWAY FROM HER-" She fell to the floor, sobbing.
"WELL WHAT WAS I SUPPOSED TO DO, LET HIM GO? HE'S A DEATH EATER! I HAD TO! HE WAS USING HER!" Harry yelled at Hermione, so close to hitting her.
"No- He- WASN'T!" She sobbed. "H-he- was-going to- pr-propose…"
Harry walked over to Draco's body, and he saw, clenched in his left hand, there was a small box. He took it and opened it to reveal a beautiful diamond ring and a note. Harry opened the note and read,
My Dearest Ginevra, June 1st, 2006
If you are reading this note, that obviously means that I've asked you if you would marry me, and I'm praying that you said yes. Ginny, you are my life; if you were gone, I would die. So that's why I am telling you the truth, the whole truth. Sighh…
Whenever people see me, they would always jump to conclusions about me because of my father. My father is one of Voldemort's most respected followers, so naturally people thought I would follow in his footsteps. The truth is, I don't want that. I don't want to kill people like my father, I don't want to follow Voldemort like my father, I don't want anything to DO with my father. My father is dead to me, he's always been dead to me. People think that I am already a Death Eater, but that's not true. I would rather die than become something my father is. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, I really do. Ginny, you are my moon, my sun and my stars. You are the only one worth living for in this world, and I am now living for you and you only. Please, Gin, stay with me. I love you more than anything in this whole world.
Ginny, I love you.
Signed,
Draco Malfoy
Hermione ripped the letter from Harry's hands and read it, staining the page with her tears. "Harry, now do you believe me? He's been planning this since last summer! How-"
"HE'S A LIAR!!" He yelled. "SEE? HE HAS THE MARK!" Harry bent down and grabbed Draco's left arm. "See? I'll even show-" Harry went silent.
"Harry," Hermione whispered, "There- there's nothing there."
--x-O-x--