I love you all so much!!! It really is unreal how much time you take to comment me! I love when you let me know how you feel, and by doing so I feel like what I write is worth while. Thank You.

This is the beginning of a three part cliffy. It is also the beginning of that fated moment you all have been waiting for. So….here we go….

Xx Where will I meet my fate?


Baby I'm a man, I was born to hate


And when will I meet my end?


In a better time you could be my friend

I wake up, it's a bad dream


No one on my side


I was fighting


But I just feel too tired


To be fighting


Guess I'm not the fighting kind


Wouldn't mind it


If you were by my side


But you're long gone


Yeah you're long gone now xX

PART I - See Me

Chapter 10

Draco stood motionless in the spot behind the branches. Between the green enveloping undergrowth he could see glimpses of her read hair retreating. He didn't run after her. Instead he remained hidden behind the protection of the branches. She didn't have to tell him anything for him to notice that she had refrained from saying something huge. The blush in her face reflected off the dull thickness of the trees. Involuntarily he thrust his feet forward and felt the crunch of a few branches. Instantly he was jolted from his coma, and began pacing around the sanctuary of trees. He had felt a sudden rush of violation when Ginny had first entered his hiding place. It was the only spot he had claimed as his own ever since his beginning days at Hogwarts. Now that she was gone he suddenly wished she was back again. With her presences she brought the dull trees to life, and filled the thick stale air with a flowery aroma. Normally he enjoyed the solitude he found behind the veil of hanging willow branches, but his palate had changed.

A rustle of leaves behind him forced a smirk to his face. He rooted himself to the spot, his arms folding across his chest. So she had returned? There was a swelling sensation in his chest, and glanced down at the rocks in front of him. Every crack seemed to curve at just the right angle creating her face in a series of concave designs. He forced himself not to speak first. He didn't just want to get under her skin, but he wanted her to know what it felt like to be left in the dark.

Her presence was felt just against his back, and the familiar smirk tugged at his lips again. A hand grazed the back of his shoulders, and with a breath he turned to face her.

A heavy fist collided with his face.

The impact was so quick and sudden that it sent him tumbling back into the heavy trunk of a tree. His eyes had slammed shut, but he could tell the fist belonged to someone smaller than he. Through the pain and rage he blubbered out a series of curses. Then the fist came at him again and hit him square in the jaw. He grunted, doubled over, and clutched at his face with another strong of curses. The feeling of another flying fist came at his face again, but this time he was ready for it. As the fist came flying at his face Draco hand moved with snitch grabbing speed, and wrapped around the wrist of the perpetrator.

"Why…" He swallowed, his eyes not moving from the dirt covered ground, " are you hitting me, Pansy?"

There was a stifled yelp, and Draco finally moved his gaze up to meet Pansy's. Her face was contorted maliciously as he held on to her, and the more she tugged to free herself, the tighter he held on to her.

"You bloody know why." She hissed, her arm jetting back again to pull away from him.

Draco closed his eyes, a trickle of blood oozing from the corner of his mouth. Had she seen Ginny leave the spot? Had she spoken to Blaise earlier? Draco spit the crimson wad on the ground, his eyes never once leaving hers. He should have just left her standing there. Everything would have been easier to deal with if he refrained from explaining anything. The only trouble with that was the horror of Pansy sending word to his father. If anyone suddenly began to grow suspicious of him now he was as good as dead. It was already hard enough evading the mind of the Dark Lord.

But Pansy was no Dark Lord, and throwing her off the scent of anything was like stealing cauldron cakes from an infant.

"Actually…" he drawled, his hand lowered finally, "I have no idea why you decided to storm in here pummeling away at me like I was a personalized punching bag. Which is why you should explain yourself Pansy before I get very mad."

Pansy shifted uncomfortably, but stood her ground. Behind her dark brown eyes, Draco noticed the flicker of fury, but doubted she'd release any more on him. If she did, well that would be something he'd have to deal with spur of the moment. Though the idea of hexing Pansy only brought him right back to his father again.

Pansy turned from him, her legs moving across to the hollow log that was sitting in the center of the little sanctuary. She climbed it, folded her arms, and turned towards him again. " I saw her leaving this place." She clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth. "I didn't believe Blaise this morning, but now how can't I?"

Draco smirked. Sometimes he loved the way Pansy attempted to look frightening. As she stood there on the log he stifled a short chuckle, though the sudden mention of Ginny made his eyes narrow. So she had seen her leaving? Draco stuffed his hands in his pocket, his fingers wrapping tightly around the base of his wand. The hard pressure of the wood in his hand made him bite back a sudden growl.

"You don't understand anything you are talking about Pansy." His teeth barely separated as he spoke, and a funny hissing noise erupted. "You are going to listen to me…and you are going to listen good…."

"No! You are going to listen, Draco." She jumped from the log and advanced on him. "I do not know what little games you may be playing, but it will stop now. I'm not so easily to forgive, but certain circumstances can sway a girl." The fire in her eyes illuminated, and Draco suddenly felt the tip of Pansy's wand in his own chest. "I will pretend that none of this has happened, Draco. I will close my eyes and pretend that you were not with that Bloodtraitor, and that you did not attack Blaise this morning. I will lie to your father if need be…and I will lie to the Dark Lord, but you must promise me that you will stop this little game you are playing with her." Her wand lowered slightly, "You are to be wed to me, and I will not have you spoiled by some muggle loving red head."

Draco, who never realized how much taller he was then Pansy, leered down at her. "And if I don't comply, Pansy? You wouldn't dare say anything for fear of ruining a bloody merger between two families. I could care less about marrying you, but I know that's all you think about these days…"

Pansy's lower lip quivered slightly, "What has happened to you, Draco?" her wand was in his chest again. "You used to tell me that we would be happy together, and now I find you gallivanting with her." The thought of Ginny seemed to burn something inside of the brunette Slytherin, and suddenly Pansy was at him again. Her hand collided with the side of his head so hard that it sent him tumbling to the ground.

His head spun as he clutched at the dark brown earth. His wand had managed to stumble out of his pocket and mix together with the various twigs on the ground. A sudden jerk in his side told him that Pansy was now kicking him, and he writhed in pain.

"You think this is going to change my mind, Parkinson?" He grunted as she administered a final blow.

"No…but I think a few little scratches on that Bloodtraitor may do the trick."

Draco swallowed the blood in his mouth. Pansy attacking Ginny wasn't a fair fight. Not when Draco knew that Pansy's idea of a fair fight was five on one. He pushed his hands into the dirt and looked up at her. At the sight of her face he noticed a concerned glimmer in her eye, but she shook it away. Draco gasped, his hand moving up to move his matted blonde hair from his forehead.

"Do what you want…I don't care about the slag. She's just a bit of fun, is all."

Pansy leaned haphazardly on one of the tree trunks. " Somehow I don't believe you."

He coughed, his hand groping at the dirt. "What do you want then? A bloody signed confession?" His fingernails dug deeper into the dirt until he was able to get a firm handle on himself. He was on his feet again, his eyes studying the deranged woman in front of him. From this angle Pansy suddenly reminded him very much like his Aunt Bellatrix.

"I told you what I want, Draco." The soothing tone of her voice caused him to cringe. "I want you to promise me that we will marry. Together we will be at the right hand of the Dark Lord, and we will rid this blast place of insignificant little twits like that Weasley girl."

He kept his facial movements in check. Pansy's games were old, and he knew that she was waiting for some sort of reaction. When he refrained from making any telling signs, she turned away and began pacing the small enclosed area.

There wasn't much of a choice. "Fine." His voice cracked slightly. "We will marry then, but only…"

"Oh Draco I knew you'd come around!" She was on him again, but this time she covered his face with her lips, his eyes slamming shut to keep her image as distant as possible.

"Only after the end of term, Pansy. Only after we finish with this place will I marry you." The words sounded so foreign on his tongue that he choked back the urge to vomit.

"That's ridiculous. We should be married straight away!" She kissed him again almost too desperately. "I will inform my father and yours…we will set it for the holiday break and then be rid of Hogwarts for the rest of our lives." She was frantically pressing herself against him as though he was bound to disappear at any moment.

Draco shoved his hands between them, pushing her back slightly. "We will wait until the end of the year. I plan on finishing my education."

Pansy's eyes narrowed. "Why? You never were keen on finishing it before. Why the sudden change in mind?" She was approaching him again, her hands grabbing the sides of his arms. "The sooner we are married, the sooner we can help the Dark Lord."

Draco scoffed. "Do you think the Dark Lord cares about weddings and pathetic attempts at love? No…" he stepped away from her again, this time his eyes finding the curve of the rocks that so resembled Ginny's face. "The Dark Lord would much rather be rid of bloody Saint Potter before allowing his servants to do something for themselves."

She slapped him hard again, this time connecting with his temple throwing him off guard. "Why are you making excuses, Draco?"

"Because unlike you, Pansy, I value my life, and understand how the Dark Lord works. If you are willing to throw yourself into the pit of death then so be it, but I will kill you first before you place my name beside your selfish needs."

There was a huff emitted from the back of her throat, and Draco pressed his eyes shut again.

"We will wait until the end of the year then." It wasn't a question, but a rather unenthusiastic statement. Draco smirked to himself, but again her fist connected with his body. "But we will be married, Draco. So don't do anything stupid."

She leaned forward and kissed him, her lips lingering far too long on his own. Malfoy gagged, but refrained from spitting on the ground. "As you wish, Parkinson."

"It's not as I wish, Draco. It is as I demand…and if I so happen to see that little red headed bitch within ten feet from your existence I will murder her on the spot. My father has given me the permission to exert my right as a loyal Pureblood, and I plan on executing it."

"You sound like Zabini."

"Well he seems to be the only one as of lately who makes any sense around here." She spun on her heel, her short dark hair trailing in a wave. " I don't know what has gotten into Draco, but you will start behaving the correct way again, or I will be forced to make you behave the correct way. Don't make me do it…I don't fancy hurting the man I love."

The kiss she planted on his lips was like sudden poison, and Draco flinched.

The tree branches parted, and Pansy vanished into the afternoon sun. Draco stood there among the security of his space for what seemed like hours. It could have been mere seconds, but the blow to his body sent him stumbling back into one of the larger trees. His heart thudded heavily against his ribcage. Draco Malfoy had never been scared of many things. His father frightened him often, but he was also a very powerful and intimidating man. The Dark Lord frightened him because whatever his father was, The Dark Lord was a thousand times worse. Yet despite it all he had come to finally believe that he would be able to break free from it all. There was the possibility that he would amount to something better than an attempted murder, something better then a Death Eater.

That's what Ginny had made him feel, and he had never felt anything more than pain and suffering his entire life. He had been programmed not to feel, and not to become susceptible to emotion. She had managed to slip through the tough skin he had placed over his bones, and she had changed that. Ginny had given him hope, and once again whatever freedom he felt had been ripped away by someone trying to dominate him.

He spat at the ground again, the image of Pansy floating into the forefront of his mind. He hated her, but couldn't do anything about it. For the first time Pansy had outsmarted him. If he tried to run from her she would tell her father. Her father would attack his father, and the Dark Lord would once again question the loyalties of the Malfoy family. The obvious cowards way out would be to marry her. A few months ago he knew that the easiest and safest choice was his favorite bet, but now…

Now he couldn't close his eyes without seeing hers staring back at him. He couldn't go to sleep without imagining her touch upon his hand, or the sweet flowery smell that seemed to drift from her hair to his nostrils. He hated her for making him feel so weak, but at the same time so bloody strong. He hated her for a million things, but he couldn't stop himself from wanting to be around her.

And just like that it hit him like a heavy sack upon his chest.

He had feelings for the Weaselette. Draco Malfoy had actual feelings for someone other then himself, and he couldn't do a single thing about it. If Pansy realized what was going on she'd do her best to get rid of Ginny permanently.

His hand slipped across his forehead, the dried bloody from Pansy's punches caking onto his fingers.

He would have to stay away from her. It would be the only way to keep him from doing anything stupid, and the only way to keep her safe from Pansy. His gut wretched slightly, and he grabbed onto the trunk of the tree to keep him balanced. For all the galleons in the world he would have gladly traded them in to get rid of the sudden aching in his chest. How could he stay away from her when his veins yearned to pump the fevered rush of blood she created within him? There was no choice in the matter. For the first time in many years the thing that Draco wanted most was something his father could not buy him.

Ginny sat huddled in the corner of the Gryffindor common room. Her favorite red chair had been occupied by one of the third years, but she preferred the private spot for her plotting. She had been cooped up in the corner for nearly six hours devising the perfect plan of attack. Even when Neville had asked her to join him for dinner she had simply refused, but was rather glad when he brought back a sandwich and a slice of peppermint pie. But that food seemed to be in her hands hours ago as she sat curled up in the corner. Her eyes casually moved from her parchment to the window as though she was waiting for Harry to appear right there on the grounds. He was the driving force behind her mission. If Bellatrix LeStrange wanted that sword there had to be something behind it that the Voldemort wanted. It was the only thing that made sense, and if Voldemort wanted it then Ginny knew she had to get it for Harry. If she couldn't help him while he was out there in the thick of it then she could certainly try to help him in Hogwarts.

A great black eagle owl swooped by the common room window, and Ginny broke away from her vacant staring. She knew that owl. Malfoy had often boasted about his expensive owl while in the Great Hall. Ginny watched as it lazily glided through the air, hovering just outside the window as though it was purposely watching her. Was he watching her? Had Malfoy sent his owl to spy on her in the Gryffindor common room. She frowned, and turned her back on the creature as it pecked against the glass to get her attention. She didn't move to open the window. Instead she folded her arms across her chest and continued to wait.

"Oh, look at that owl." Lavender Brown pointed past Ginny and out the window. "It's beautiful." She turned to Parvati who nodded in agreement.

"Will you open the window Ginny to let it in?" Parvati shifted in her seat, "I think it wants to deliver a letter."

Ginny bit down hard on her lower lip and shook her head. "It doesn't have a letter…I checked."

"Well why is it sitting there at the window?" Lavender twisted slightly to get a better look at the bird.

"Isn't that Draco Malfoy's owl?" Parvati had risen from her seat on the couch and began moving towards Ginny and the owl.

Ginny froze. If there was a letter from Malfoy and it was addressed to her what would the others think? Would Lavender or Parvati accuse her of fraternizing with a Slytherin? Would they tell Harry about it if they were to run into each other? Ginny panicked and frantically banged her fist against the window before Lavender had a chance to open it.

"It was Draco Malfoy's owl…Merlin that boy has handsome things." Lavender's eyes flickered towards Ginny, "Why did you chase it away?" There was an all too questionable look in her features.

Ginny scowled, "I don't want Malfoy's bloody owl at our common room window. If you haven't forgotten he is a Slytherin, and not exactly on the favorite list of Harry's."

Her stomach lurched as she combined their names in the same statement. For something that had once been so easy she could no longer think of Malfoy as the same foul git he had once been. Parvati's face had gone a bit crimson, and Lavender lowered her head.

"Sorry Gin." Lavender tugged gently on the sleeve of her robe which revealed a long cut that ran from her forearm to the end of her index finger. The Carrow's had punished her for reading The Quibbler in the corridor.

Ginny sighed as her gaze moved from the cut and back up to Lavender's face. "It's all right."

"We should head up to bed now anyway." Parvati, who had closed the distance between them, leaned forward and lowered her voice. "Good luck tonight, Ginny. Give Neville and the others our best too." She pushed out her most convincing grin and grabbed Lavender by the wrist.

"Thanks." Ginny smiled, her body falling back into the soft material of the armchair. She waved slightly as they disappeared up the stairs and out of sight.

When she was certain they had gone she twisted herself in the armchair and pressed her forehead against the window. In the pit of her stomach she had hoped that Draco's owl was still hovering there. The blackness of the night seemed to engulf her vision, and the disappointment of the creature not being there sent a shiver down her spine. What had he wanted to tell her? She hadn't seen him since earlier that morning, and that exchange had been a mixture between anger and what Ginny would have dubbed as concern. The foe stone he had given her was pressed into her hip, and she reached down to rub the pocket that it sat in.

"I'm not going to think of him." She pressed her eyes shut, "I'm not going to think of him." Though it was seemingly impossible as the stone stabbed at her, and the presence of the eagle owl hovered in her head.

A chair squeaked across the common room, and her eyes snapped open again. The small clock above the fireplace had chimed midnight fifteen minutes after Parvati and Lavender left, and Ginny had waited patiently for rest of the common room to clear out before she contacted Neville. It had been such a last minute decision that when she finally figured out the plans she had decided that smaller numbers would work better then a large group. Neville, Luna and Seamus Finnigan promised to be ready for her when the time was right. Sure enough, the third year who had been sitting her favorite chair was gathering his books and heading towards the dormitories. All thoughts of Malfoy suddenly seemed insignificant.

Holding her breath, she waited patiently to hear the click of the door before reaching under her own chair and pulling out a small bag. The galleon that Hermione had given them during the reign of Umbridge was nestled in the smallest pocket, and Ginny pulled it out and placed it in the palm of her hand. She tapped it twice, mumbled the code, and then quickly began shoving the galleon, and four invisibility cloaks that Fred and George had given her into the bag.

She drew the strings closed just as two sets of footsteps began coming down the boys staircase.

"That you, Neville?" She whispered, hoping beyond all things magic that it was.

"Yes, and Seamus." They appeared in the frame of the doorway, both boys dressed in black.

Ginny chuckled. "I told you I had cloaks…you didn't need to get all stealthy for me."

"Oh ha ha ha, Ginny. " Seamus stepped into the common room away from Neville. "I'm glad your humor is still intact…we're only going up into Snape's office to steal a priceless founder heirloom for your precious boyfriend. That's not at all frightening." He quipped, the sweat on his forehead glistening in the moonlight.

Ginny stepped forward to retort, but Neville placed himself between them.

"We are not doing this because Harry should have that sword, but because the Death Eaters want it. Ginny has made this very clear, Seamus, and I think we ought to start trusting her. "

Ginny let out a very deep breath, "Thank you, Neville." She shot Seamus a look, but restrained herself from snapping back at him.

Neville smiled nervously, but removed his wand and held it with unusual firmness. "We should hurry if we want to get to Luna before she leaves the Ravenclaw common room."

"We should…" Ginny opened her bag again and removed three of the cloaks. "My brothers sent these to me a few weeks ago. They've been whipping up invisibility items for the Ministry, but had to get rid of a bunch of them since the Ministry was infiltrated. They didn't want the Death Eaters to get hold of any so they sent me a few…" She handed one to Seamus and one to Neville. "With these on we should be able to get to Luna and then make it to Snape's office without being detected."

Neville turned the cloak over in his hands. "These really do work, right?" He looked down at the cloak a little apprehensively. " Remember those products Fred and George made while they were here…they weren't all flawless."

"Right… I don't want to end up invisible forever or something. My mum would throw a fit. " Seamus held his out in front of him.

"You wont end up invisible forever." The frustration in her voice was beginning to become evident. "Now put them on…Neville was right…we need to get to Luna now."

Silently the three of them wrapped the cloaks around their bodies. Ginny was first to turn in place and see the empty space where the two boys had just been standing. It was going to be difficult to remain together while they couldn't see each other, but she hoped that it would get them as far as the office.

"You there, Gin?" Nevilles voice came from behind her.

"Yes…" She hissed. " I'm going to leave my left pinky finger out of the arm hole… Neville you stay behind me and do the same for Seamus, all right?"

"What will we do with the sword once we get it, Ginny?" Seamus' voice rose from behind the invisible Neville.

"The room of requirement." She began moving towards the door, " Once we get it in there we can work out a way to get it out of Hogwarts and to Harry." She reached the portrait hole and took another much needed deep breath. "You both ready then?" Her right hand clutched her wand and her bag. A unified 'yes' came from both of them, and Ginny pressed forward and out the portrait hole.

"Someone there?" The Fat Lady, groggy from being woken, looked down at the empty spot where the invisible three stood.

Ginny didn't dare move. The Carrows had given most of the portrait's ultimatums when they had arrived at Hogwarts. If any student was to sneak out of their common room after curfew they were to report them at once. Not wanting to be on the end of the Carrow's punishment stick, Ginny wiggled her finger slightly and then slowly moved away from the portrait hole and around to the next corridor.

"That was close." Seamus whispered from somewhere behind her, but all Ginny did was issue a soft hissing noise telling him to shut up.

Somewhere in her head she had planned it all out to be perfect. They'd make it up to Ravenclaw without running in to any Professors, and they'd be able to get the sword out of the office and still have time to get in a short nap before breakfast the following morning. Once they reached the six floor landing that had changed. Filch was busy skulking around the corridors with Mrs. Norris. Ginny came to an abrupt halt when Mrs. Norris turned towards her, but Neville had failed to watch her motionless figure. There was a loud 'oomph', and Ginny felt the weight of Neville and Seamus hit into her from behind. Filch's eyes darted wildly up towards the staircase they were standing on, and Ginny held her breath as the shabby cat began moving towards them.

"What do you see my pet?" Filch quirked an eyebrow and also began moving up the staircase towards the three of them.

Ginny backed herself up against the stone wall. How many times she had traveled through the secret passageways, and for the first time tonight, of all important nights, she had decided not to use them. Her back stiffened as Mrs. Norris slipped by her, and she wondered briefly if Neville and Seamus had moved out of the way as well. Filch was six steps below them.

"Has someone decided to take a midnight walk?" Filch's voice cracked.

She held her breath. If she didn't breathe Filch wouldn't hear her. She only hoped the other two had enough sense to do the same thing. Filch paused directly in front of them, and for a brief second she thought she saw his eyes move down towards Neville's feet. Had he seen something suspicious? Mrs. Norris was already up on the landing when Filch took another step towards them. Ginny could smell his sweaty musty breath on her f ace, and her heart dropped right through her stomach and into her feet. A funny thought escaped her brain as she stood there. Draco should have come careening through the tapestry on the lower floor to save her. Just like he had done a dozen times this year Ginny slowly turned her eyes towards the tapestry half expecting it to happen. Draco wasn't there. He had told her that he wasn't going to help her anymore, and apparently he had been telling the truth. Her stomach lurched. She had grown so accustomed to his presence that the thought of him not being there killed her.

There was a scuffle in front of her, and Ginny turned her attention back towards Filch. He was studying the blank area that they were standing in. Ginny was pressed so tightly against the wall that she was surprised she hadn't busted through it. Behind her was an old portrait of an explorer in the pyramids, and when Filch asked him what he could see the old explorer told him to bugger off.

Neville drew in a sharp gasp as Filch stepped forward again, and this time Ginny was certain the old squib had heard them.

"Someone's playing hide and seek, are they?" His bony hand reached out towards Ginny.

Desperately she tried pushing herself in the wall even further, but she was already so close to the stone that it pressed harshly into the small of her back. She closed her eyes as his hand inched towards her, knowing very well of the repercussions she would have to endure. She could already see the Carrows smug little faces as she walked into detention with them. She cringed, and squeaked slightly as his hand came to brush just agsint the front of the cloak.

"I'm here!" Seamus stepped out from beneath his cloak.

Ginny felt her heart beat jet to a rapid pace. In one respect she was so thankful that Seamus had stepped forward so they could continue the mission, but in the pit of her chest she felt ultimately guilty.

"Well…well…" Filch stepped to the side and grabbed the invisibility cloak. His eyes bore directly into Seamus' and Ginny couldn't help but feel an even bigger pit in her stomach.

"Well well I'm here…you caught me….fancy timing on you." Seamus licked his lower lip, his eyes flickering towards Ginny momentarily.

Ginny felt Filch's eyes turn towards her, but miraculously enough he moved by her and Neville and confronted Seamus.

"I suppose the Carrows would like to know exactly what you were doing." The yellow in his teeth seemed to glow unnaturally, and Ginny sucked in another breath. Filch tensed. " You are not alone, boy." It wasn't a question, but rather a disturbing statement that forced chills up Ginny's spine.

Seamus shook his head. " No….I just rather seemed to enjoy gallivanting on the premises." He stifled a laugh, and Ginny mentally thanked him as Filch stepped away from her.

"I still think you are alone, boy." And with an uptight glare he reached out towards the spot where Neville was standing.

The cloak merely slipped on Neville's forehead and Filch furrowed his brow. Seamus didn't wait, he immediately shot up the stairs towards the South Tower.

Filch blurted out something obscene, and without bothering to glance back at where Neville and Ginny stood, he made after Seamus.

Ginny waited until she caught her breath before she said anything. Somewhere beside her Neville coughed, and she turned towards him. Merlin she felt horrible for Seamus. If Filch caught him there was sure to be severe repercussions. Yet he had sacrificed himself so they could continue on with the plan. It was very noble of him…very Harry like. Ginny smiled, but was shaken back into reality when Neville reached out to grab her arm.

"We should have been more careful." Neville finally spoke, but avoided Ginny's eyes.

"He'll be fine." She shot a look towards the staircase Seamus had disappeared on, and sighed. "I know he'll be fine." She hoped he'd be fine.

Ginny frowned, but moved towards the next corridor to lead them towards Ravenclaw's tower. Neville refrained from saying another word in fear that he may jeopardize their situation, but Ginny knew that Neville felt guilty about Seamus. When they passed by the statue of Ebineer the Elegant, Ginny pointed towards the wooden door that was adjacent to them.

"That's it." She whispered, and tentatively took a step forward.

"They have a door?" Neville hissed in her ear, and Ginny merely nodded her head.

"Luna told me just to knock and she'd come out."

A shuffling noise from behind them caused Ginny's body to stiffen. Had Filch followed them up through the castle? Slowly she turned her head towards the end of the corridor. The darkness that seemed to encase the distant walls made it nearly impossible to see.

"Can you see anything?" she asked Neville who had sucked in a deep breath behind her.

"No."

"There you are." Luna's voice caused them both to shriek.

"Merlin Luna!" Ginny pulled down the hood of her cloak, " how did you even know it was us?" Immediately she began to fumble through her bag.

"Well I heard movement outside the door, and I was quite certain that was Neville's voice just a moment ago." She reached out and took the invisibility cloak from Ginny.

"Yes well…." Ginny cast another glance down the corridor half expecting Filch to be standing there. " we heard something and thought Filch had followed us."

"Where's Seamus?" Luna tugged the cloak around her.

Neville, finally satisfied that nothing was down the corridor, turned to Luna. "Made a dash for it in order to keep Filch from finding us." He shook his head. " I should have gone with him."

Ginny slung her bag back over her shoulder. " And what would that have done? Hm? I need you here to help me Neville. We need to do this together, and besides….we are stronger in numbers."

"She's right." Luna smirked. "Now should we head to Professor Snape's office first, or should we see if the Room of Requirement is clear for entry?"

Ginny took a deep breath. This was it. She was going to finally pull of something that would allow them to help Harry. Her heart sang slightly though was tugged back into her chest almost immediately. Draco's face swam to the forefront of her brain.

"Gin?" Neville tugged on her arm.

Ginny shook her head and pointed towards the staircase that would take them to the Headmasters office. "We go get the sword first…the faster we have it in our hands ….well the faster we can get back to our common rooms and out of these corridors."

Both of them nodded, and they pulled their cloaks up over them completely.

"Right then…" Ginny whispered, " Follow me."

The three of them moved quickly behind Ginny and up towards the second staircase on the left.

Draco waited until they were completely gone before stepping out from behind one of the suits of armor. He knew he should have turned around and gone back to his common room. He had only gone down to the kitchens to grab some food. This was not in his job description any more. Pansy made certain of that. He had promised himself that he would stay away from her, that his distance would keep her safe from Pansy and the other bloody morons in his house. Yet the nagging feeling in his stomach forced him to do otherwise. He glanced quickly over his shoulder and move forward and follow her.

Lyrics in this chapter A Bad Dream by Keane

Ok so this is Part I of the big intense showdown. Parts II and III will be up as soon as I can finish transferring them from my notebook to the computer. Shouldn't take too long. While you wait you can do two things for me…. First make sure to press that little button and leave me some love in a review. It really pushes me along faster with the updates. Second…you can check out my Bio and vote in the polls I've set up. Be sure to keep an eye out for my Bio updates so you can see when the next chapter is coming. I love you guys!!! Thankies!!!