Ginny stumbled as Malfoy pulled her through the Riddle House. He grabbed her by the waist and hauled her back against him. She shuddered as his mouth lingered near her ear.

"Careful now, Weasley," he said in a harsh whisper. "Wouldn't want you to hurt yourself. That's my job."

Ginny didn't respond. She was more concerned with the wand still in the back of her jeans, which she hoped he could not feel. She was pressed so hard against him; she thought he would at any second. And if his hands decided to roam, he'd certainly find it.

He didn't though. He seemed to have something else in mind as he pushed her before him, his wand clutched tightly in his hand. He kept pushing her between the shoulder blades with it and pain juddered down her spine with each jab.

"Stop poking me with that damned thing before I turn around and shove it up your nose," she growled after a particularly hard jab. Malfoy laughed in a pleased sort of way.

"There's that old Weasley spirit I admire. I was worried for a moment. Didn't want to break you so soon, not when I've just started playing with you..." he said.

"Where are you taking me?" she asked as he pushed her with his wand toward a pair of double doors. The woodwork was at least a century old, if not older. The house would be very impressive if not for the air of evil which clung to every nail and knob in the place. She didn't want to be in here, not at all.

"Patience is a virtue. Though I've already taken most of your virtues..." he mused. Ginny felt like spitting at him. Instead she walked through the double doors, squinting in the candlelight that flooded the room.

There were four Death Eaters without masks sitting around the plush room. She saw wands in their hands and fear gripped her again. Their attention turned to her and smiles broke out over their pale faces. Ginny drew back a step, but Malfoy pushed her forward again. Stumbling, Ginny looked up, her eyes rounded in surprise as her gaze landed on Marietta Edgecombe, who was backed into a corner clutching at her left forearm. She was trembling and looking terrified.

Their gazes met and surprise sprang into Marietta's eyes. Surprise and horror.

"You..." Ginny started, disbelief making her eyes water. "You're the one. You betrayed me..."

Marietta, upon hearing the accusation in Ginny's voice, shrank back against the wall and shook her head. She was looking horrified again and her face was as pale as new milk. "No...no I..."

The Death Eaters laughed and Blaise Zabini drew Marietta close. "It all worked perfectly, Weasley. Marietta delivered you to us and you delivered Potter. Heard you sang like a bird."

Tears welled in Ginny's eyes and spilled down her cheeks in scorching rivers. She loathed having these people see her cry, but she could not stop them from coming.

"I didn't mean to...I just wanted it to stop," she said softly. Malfoy breathed down her neck once more and she could sense his delight at seeing her unravel before them.

"Don't cry princess. The dragon has a surprise for you," he said. He started to lead her toward a door on the opposite end of the posh study, but a tall, dark haired man several decades older than anyone else in the room stepped in front of the door.

"What are you doing Malfoy?" he demanded in a gravelly voice. Something about him was familiar, though Ginny couldn't place him until Malfoy said his name. "It isn't time to deliver the package yet."

"I'm bringing our package a little surprise, Rabastan," Malfoy said to Rabastan Lestrange. "Surely it won't hurt to throw salt in the wound, will it?"

Rabastan scowled. "Master didn't say--"

"Who is in charge here?" Malfoy said haughtily.

"Not you," Rabastan countered, bearing down on Malfoy. "Since your father was killed, you've been right full of yourself you little ferret. You may be the Dark Lord's pet follower right now, but I think your time is almost up--he's removed the Fidelus Charm on the Death Eaters, including us. Your little accident with the girl has not pleased him and now we're paying the consequences."

"Afraid of the Aurors, Rabastan?" Malfoy snapped.

"I spent twelve years in Azkaban little boy. I know more about fear than you ever will," Rabastan answered in a low voice. "Which is why the Dark Lord left me in command."

Malfoy sneered at Rabastan and grabbed Ginny by the throat, hauling her back against him. "Perhaps, but he knows I'm far more valuable than one old Death Eater. I've done more for him in his service than you ever have in all your long years."

Malfoy's words hit a raw nerve and Rabastan growled. He seemed to consider hitting Malfoy or pulling out his wand and cursing him, but he merely moved out of the way of the door a moment later. He looked as if he just wanted Malfoy away from him as quickly as possible.

"On your head be it. And if your Aunt isn't pleased by your arrival, don't say I didn't warn you," Rabastan said, clearly washing his hands of the matter.

"Why?"

"The Dark Lord doesn't want anyone but her near the package and she's taking her work seriously," he explained. "You know how she gets."

Malfoy smiled fondly, though Ginny didn't like the look on his face. It was bloodthirsty and longing. "Then I'm sure she won't mind seeing my new pet. She'll be pleased."

Rabastan merely shook his head and sat down. Malfoy turned back to Ginny, so close she could see the scabbed over scratches still on his face from where he'd attacked her and she had retaliated. She stared hard at the scabs and wished she could do it again.

Malfoy tugged her forward and opened the doorway with his wand. Ginny looked down a dark staircase and felt fear closing over her. What did Draco want her to see?

It didn't matter though. She'd already made up her mind that whatever was down there, she was going to destroy. She couldn't do a thing about Voldemort, but there were enough Death Eaters in the house to make it seem worthwhile. And from what little she'd picked up from Rabastan, the package they were to deliver was very important to Voldemort.

If it was important to him, she had to destroy it.

Draco pushed her toward the stairs and she brought one hand back to grope for the wand tucked inside her jeans. She felt it and snatched her hand away quickly. Once they got to the bottom of the stairs she'd grab it and pull it out. She prayed she'd be able to blow the house up before he could disarm her.

They hit the last step and just as she was reaching for the wand, she was slammed against the wall, a hand around her throat. Nails dug into her skin as she came face to face with Bellatrix Lestrange.

"Draco? What are you doing? What is this?" she hissed, inches from Ginny's face.

"Brought our package a little present," Malfoy said in a soft voice. He glanced toward the middle of the darkened basement and smiled nastily. Bellatrix's face hovered in front of Ginny's. Her full lips were twisted up over her straight teeth. She looked distressed. "Don't you want him to suffer, Auntie?"

Bellatrix looked back at Ginny and she seemed to recognize her after several moments. She drew back slightly and loosened her grip on Ginny's neck. Ginny gasped for air, but she couldn't move, let alone reach for her hidden wand.

A sly look came over Bellatrix's wasted face and she smiled. It reminded Ginny of Malfoy's bloodthirsty grin and she wanted nothing more to shrink away form it. "Yes...yes. I'm going to enjoy this I think. Draco..."

Malfoy obeyed her unspoken command and grabbed Ginny by the arm, wrenching her around to face the darkness. She could just make out the outline of something sitting in the middle of the floor. Something slumped over.

Bellatrix walked foward and crouched before the slumped shadow. Ginny's blood ran cold as she heard her say, "Wake up. Wake up and meet your betrayer."

Malfoy shoved Ginny forward and she stumbled and fell to the ground, landing on all fours before the slumped figure. Malfoy jumped on her from behind and wrenched her head up by the roots of her hair. Light flared to life as Ginny looked up and she was momentarily blinded by it. She blinked red sparks from her vision and slowly the light shrouded figure came into focus.

A scream of horror came tearing out of her throat as she saw the figure tied to the chair before her.

It couldn't be...

He lifted his head and their gazes met. Ginny moaned, feeling like she was suffocating.

"Harry..."

Hermione drew back from Nott, her mouth falling open. She couldn't believe what she had just heard. Her blood rushed in her ears and she found herself asking, "Harry Potter? Is...is Harry Potter alive?"

She didn't dare hope that it was true. A moment later her hope soared again as Nott, still suffering under the effects of the Veritaserum, nodded. His eyes flicked between the six of them.

"Yes," he said simply.

"Merlin's beard," Remus said breathlessly, looking up at them all. He had peculiar look on his face. It was a look of hope mingled with horror. "Why would they keep him alive all this time? Surely Voldemort..."

"Master wants him to suffer as much as possible," Nott answered Remus's question and they all looked back down at him. Hermione took a sharp breath as Tonks made a disgusted noise in the back of her throat.

"Of course," she said. "You-Know-Who is going to take over first. He knows that's the one thing that'll hurt Harry the most."

"What have they done to Harry? Where are they keeping him?"

"Bellatrix Lestrange has been torturing him since his capture. He is in the basement of the Riddle House," Nott answered.

Hermione couldn't stop the cry of horror that spilled from her throat at hearing Nott's words. She wasn't the only one either. Ron grabbed her hand and they looked at one another. Silently, Ron gave her strength.

"They're torturing him. God Ron...we have to save him before they leave to take him to Voldemort," Hermione said, clutching at Ron's hand. His brown eyes were huge and he looked like he was going to be sick. He nodded and swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down.

"We will, Hermione," he said, his expression turning hard. He turned back to Theodore Nott. "Is there any way to get into the house without being seen?"

"Yes."

Hope flared again. Hermione resisted the urge to grab Nott by the shoulders and shake the answer out of him. "HOW? Where?"

"The church. There is a tunnel that leads to the house. The Dark Lord created it as an escape route many months ago," Nott said.

"Where does it come out at?" Tonks pressed.

"The old caretaker's cottage," he answered.

"Is there anyone guarding either entrance?" Lupin asked, glancing down the empty, darkened street.

"No," Nott said.

"Where is the entrance located in the church?"

"In the floor behind the pulpit. Tap the stones," he answered obediently.

Everyone looked at each other and nodded. It was the only plan they had and it would have to do. "What do we do with him?" Ron asked, gesturing to Nott, who was still staring blankly into space.

Tonks stood and seemed to be contemplating him. "Tie him up and put him somewhere, I guess. We need to hide the rest of these sots. Put him with them and come back after..." she said, gesturing toward the three dead Death Eaters on the ground.

It didn't take long to stash the bodies in an alley to the side. Nott, still bemused by the truth serum Hermione had given him, sat there as they tied him up and bound his mouth. They hoped he wouldn't be able to get free and warn the others.

Silently they took off toward the only church in the town, which was just down the road from the Riddle House on its hill. The road was tree lined and they took advantage of the darkness and thick branches as they made their way toward the church. There were no lights on in the Riddle House, but that could mean nothing.

"He's probably spelled the windows so no one knows they're there," Hermione whispered as they reached the ege of the church's graveyard. They weaved their way toward the church, stopping midway to crouch before a yew tree standing proudly amid the tombstones, which pushed up through the overgrown grass like broken, gray teeth.

"We'll go first. The rest of you follow us," Tonks said, gesturing to Lupin to follow her. Crouching low, they both ran toward the church. Hermione heard her mutter a spell as they reached the church's double doors. They flew open on their rusty hinges with a crack and Lupin gestured Fred and George forward.

The twins ran quickly toward the open doors and as soon as they reached them, Ron grabbed Hermione's hand and pulled her foward with him, his long legs devouring the short distance with ease. He pushed her inside and he and Lupin closed the doors behind them with a soft click.

Tonks was already crouched behind the pulpit and was tapping the stones with the tip of her wand. There was a grating sound as the stones clicked together, then folded back to reveal a long, dark hole in the ground. Tonks stood at the edge of the hole and peered into it.

"Its now or never," she said, looking up at them. Her gaze met Remus's and he nodded. He went first, dropping down into the tunnel with a muffled thump of shoes on packed earth. His wand flared to life a moment later and light flooded the hole. "How's it look Remus?"

"Its okay. It looks pretty long though. We're going to have to hurry," he said, looking up at them. He moved aside as Tonks dropped in after him. Then Hermione went, her knee nearly buckling as she landed on the hard packed floor of the tunnel. Dust itched the air and she could see the sides of the tunnel had been carved from rock up to a point and the rest was more packed earth; the roof was made up of by roots and more rock. The air was chilled as well and she knew they were several feet down.

Ron, Fred and finally George dropped into the hole as well. Remus and Tonks took the lead, Remus's wand the only light in the darkness. Hermione dropped back to walk beside Ron. He glanced at her, but didn't speak.

It seemed they were both too overwhelmed with emotion to fully express what they were feeling. Hermione's heart was beating fast and she kept swallowing, attempting to clear throat of the lump that had formed there. She didn't know what to think. She had hope raging through her, but she was scared as well. What if they were too late?

What if...

But she couldn't allow herself to think of Harry or Ginny at the moment. She knew there was going to be another fight once they entered the Riddle House and she needed to focus on it. Ron looked similarly preoccupied and Hermione knew him well enough to know he was a ball nerves and that his nerves would give him an edge in the fight.

"We're there," Tonks said softly so that they barely caught it. She and Remus had stopped and Hermione peered around George's shoulder at the end of the tunnel.

It was a stone portal with steps leading upward. There was a wooden trapdoor in the ceiling. Hermione realized it must lead up into the caretaker's cottage Nott had mentioned.

Tonks turned around and faced them, her face grave in the dim light of Remus's wand. "There are seven Death Eaters in the house. We're outnumbered, but that doesn't mean we can't win. Fred, George...you're not trained for this but--"

"We're not babies either Nymphadora," Fred snapped, knowing the use of her name would annoy her.

"I know," she said, ignoring the pointed barb. "I know you'll do your best. But remember--the minute you see Ginny...and...and Harry, I want you to take them and Portkey out of here. Promise me you will?"

George looked mutinous, but he nodded. "We will."

Tonks nodded and then Remus climbed the steps and threw open the trapdoor. There was no going back now.

Harry's green eyes were disbelieving as they peered at her, squinting, the milch-cow print of black and purple bruises on his face standing out against his pale skin. He was covered in blood and the smell of it was thick in the air. He swayed in his chair, his mouth open slightly.

"Harry?" Ginny choked out, Malfoy's breath in her ear again. He was laughing as he wrenched her head upward. "Harry!"

"Say hello, Potter," Malfoy said against the shell of her ear. "Its your Weasel!"

Harry shook his head, as if to clear the image before his eyes away. "No...no you're not real..."

Bellatrix Lestrange laughed shrilly from behind the chair Harry was tied to. She leaned forward and grabbed Harry's throat in her taloned hands and forced him to look down at Ginny and Malfoy. Ginny felt more hot tears scorching her cheeks. Everything blurred before her and she found she couldn't look away from Harry's shattered form.

"I'm real! I'm real!" she sobbed, attempting to throw Malfoy off of her and reach him.

"No, no you're not. She...she gets in m'head and makes me see things. Make m'see you, Ginny," Harry croaked, leaning forward. He was rocking slightly and he kept squeezing his eyes shut, as if to clear his vision.

"What have you done to him?" Ginny shouted, choking back her tears as she looked up at Bellatrix Lestrange. Bellatrix smiled and leaned forward over Harry's shoulder.

"I didn't do this to him, little girl," she said. "You did."

"No! I didn't!" Ginny protested, feeling more tears well up in her eyes. "I..."

"You did!" Bellatrix screeched in delight. "You opened that pretty little mouth of yours and told us everything we wanted to know. You betrayed him, Ginny darling."

"You made me!" she gasped, wincing as Malfoy tore at her hair. "You wouldn't stop...it wouldn't stop…I just wanted the pain to stop!"

"So you were saving yourself, were you? Tell your little secret and we'd stop torturing you? You should have known better!" Malfoy said harshly in her ear. Ginny sobbed harder at his words.

In her mind she kept trying to tell herself that they were lying. She hadn't betrayed Harry.

But she had. Shame welled inside of her. She might not have meant to do it, but she had done it anyway. She had told them the exact thing that they'd wanted to hear. She should have died rather than tell them where Harry was, but she hadn't.

Ginny collapsed forward, burying her face against the floor. She didn't want to look at Harry. She couldn't bear to see what she'd done to him.

"Tell her Potter!" Bellatrix was saying. "Tell her what she did. Tell her that you know."

Harry moaned as Malfoy wrenched her head up. Harry's eyes were filled with pain. A single tear coursed down his bruised cheek. "Ginny would...would never do that to me! She loves me..."

Another soul-wrenching sob tore out of Ginny's throat at his words. Harry tried to pull away from Bellatrix. Something of his old self came to his eyes and he turned his head to look at the dark-haired witch beside him.

"Stop making me see her. It's not going to work. She's just a dream..." Harry said softly, anger in his voice.

Bellatrix laughed again and circled around to face him. "Do you really think so?"

"She has to be," he said. "I don't want her to see me like this. So she has to be a dream."

Ginny wanted to cry out again from the tone in his voice. He sounded like he was trying to convince himself. He looked down at her and another tear spilled down his cheek. Ginny lifted a hand toward him, to touch him and show him that she was real.

Malfoy gave an angry cry and was suddenly pulling her to her feet and away from Harry. Ginny moved out of instinct, eyes watering with more than pain from the way he was wrenching at her hair.

"So, she isn't real, Potter?" Malfoy asked in a nasty voice. Unbidden, a shudder slipped down Ginny's spine. She thought she knew what was going to happen next. "Then you won't mind if I check for myself, do you?"

"Malfoy..." Harry breathed, as if seeing him for the first time. He squinted, looking feverish. "No...don't..."

Malfoy pushed Ginny back down to the ground at Harry's feet. Ginny knew what he was going to do and fear paralyzed her for a split second.

Then anger hardened her heart. She was not going to let him touch her again. She twisted just as he grabbed at her, her hand plunging into the back of her jeans and closing over the handle of the wand she'd hidden there.

She started to pull it out just as something exploded overhead. Bellatrix and Malfoy's attention shifted upward as the house shook around them. Harry moaned in his chair as it teetered. Dust and debris rained down on them.

"What in bloody hell?" Bellatrix spat, stepping forward. "Draco--stay here!"

Ginny squinted through the dust choking the air as she darted toward the stairs. She was up them and out of sight, leaving Harry and Ginny alone in the basement with Malfoy.

Ginny looked up at Harry and saw his eyes were closed. Fear flew through her again.

It was now or never.

She pulled out the wand.

Ron ducked over Hermione as the entire outside wall of the Riddle House exploded inward, sending debris and chunks of wood and stone flying about. Dust choked the night air. Tonks and Remus, who had blown the wall apart, rushed forward over the settling debris. Ron let go of Hermione and followed, his wand out.

The Death Eaters inside the house didn't disappoint them. They surged from the debris, wands out and ready.

Tonks, at the front, went for the first one she saw. Ron recognized Blaise Zabini and winced as Tonks hit her with a closed fist, not even bothering with her wand. Blaise's head reeled under the surprise blow, but she recovered quickly, lifting her wand.

Ron attention turned from Blaise to Lupin, who was far ahead of him in the debris. Rabastan Lestrange and he were locked in a duel, jets of light flying. Remus narrowly avoided getting hit with a Stunner, ducking just as the rest of the Death Eaters emerged.

Fred and George, hands full of rejected Weasley Wizarding Wheezes items took on Armand Dervish. Dervish, seeing the items coming his way, tried to deflect them. Several broke open upon the surfaces of chairs and debris, strange things happening where they hit. More plants sprang up and wood split, acid bubbling up. Dervish's eyes widened as he saw the effect they had. He tried harder and harder to keep them from hitting him.

"GRANGER!" someone screamed suddenly. Ron's attention snapped to the right. His eyes narrowed as he saw Antonin Dolohov emerge from the debris, wand pointed directly at Hermione.

Hermione's wand was already up, though her eyes were glassy with fear. She shot a Stunning spell at Dolohov, but he ducked and shot a cloud of black smoke at her. Ron's eyes widened and he threw himself forward, lifting his wand and waving the black smoke away.

"Ron, no!" Hermione said, but Ron had already started forward, anger flowing through him.

"You and me, Dolohov!" he shouted. "For too long you've been shadowing Hermione's steps! Now its my turn."

"And who are you, little boy, to stop me?" Dolohov sneered. "Granger is the only of you worthy to face me."

"We'll see about that," Ron growled, ducking a wayward spell as it scorched the air. Lupin was still locked in combat with Rabastan Lestrange. He didn't know where Tonks was, but he could hear her shouting.

Dolohov smiled and looked past Ron at Hermione. Ron stepped in his way. Hermione was saying something to him, but ignored her. He knew he'd promised her to let her deal with Dolohov alone, but they'd both known he'd been lying. He wasn't about to let him get at her again. He'd hurt her too many times and Ron was ending it.

Dolohov's smile widened. "Fine, Weasley. Have it your way. First I'll kill you and then I'll kill her."

"You can try," Ron spat.

Then the battle began in earnest. Dolohov was quick on the draw, twirling his wand and sending one spell after another at Ron. Ron spun and protected himself with a shield just in time. The smell of scorched metal was heavy in the air.

Ron sent another volley toward the older Death Eater and watched as he attempted to avoid them. Another cloud of black smoke roiled toward him from Dolohov's wand. He avoided it once more and it dissipated, leaving the air feeling heavy.

On and on it went. Ron was hit with a blast and knocked backward into a support beam. Pain exploded in his side and he heard Hermione scream. He landed on his knees and quickly got up, feeling as if his ribs were broken. He ignored the pain and sent a spiral of bright white light toward Dolohov. And then another. Dolohov couldn't avoid both of them.

The second one hit him and sent him spinning backward. He shouted as he landed, his wand clattered from his fingers.

Ron advanced on him, intending to end it. Something suddenly blocked his path. Ron looked up into Bellatrix Lestrange's face in surprise.

He didn't have time to block her spell as she blasted him straight over her head and backward. Ron landed with Hermione's shouts in his ear and everything went black.

Hermione shouted as Bellatrix hit Ron with a powerful blast of light, sending him sailing over her head. He landed on his back amid a pile of fallen, smoldering stones far into the house behind Dolohov. He didn't stir.

She started forward, anger and fear making her tremble, though her mind was calm. Out the corner of her eye, she saw movement and lifted her wand just as Marietta Edgecombe opened her mouth.

"Granger! It's just you and me! I've wanted to do this for a long ti--"

"iPetrificus Totalus!/i" Hermione said calmly, hitting Marietta with it. Marietta's legs clamped together and arms snapped to her sides and she immediately fell backward in the debris. Hermione turned away from her frozen body and walked toward Bellatrix, who was standing amidst the debris like Aphrodite on her shell.

Ron groaned and started to get up as Hermione walked forward.

Bellatrix smiled and watched her approach. "Come to mother."

Disgust rose up in Hermione. Behind Bellatrix, Dolohov was climbing to his feet.

Time seemed to slow down. The part of Hermione's brain that never shut down, no matter what she was doing, calculated the distance between herself and Bellatrix. She added up the numbers, the force it would take...wind sheer...

She did it all with a cool mind and a calm heart.

Bellatrix lifted her wand. Hermione never gave her the chance to curse her.

"iSTUPEFY!/i?" she shouted and red light shot from the end of her wand. Bellatrix was hit and she flew backward, landing atop a large pile of wood. Hermione winced as she saw one of the pieces pierce Bellatrix's leg, jutting up from her thigh, blood streaking it. She didn't even cry out. Less than a second later, Hermione had turned back to Antonin Dolohov, who was attempting to stand, unsteady on his feet.

"Granger..." he growled. "Looks like I get a taste of you after all."

Hermione didn't answer him. Hatred showed plainly on her face. She looked at the man before her and utter loathing flowed through her. She'd known him as a lethal entity shadowing her life for many years. In the midst of a battle, he would appear and he always got the best of her.

He'd been playing with her the whole time and she knew it. She'd tried to tell herself it was just coincidence, no matter how many times Ron told her otherwise. The fact was, she just didn't want to think about it. He terrified her.

And Hermione hated to be terrified. It made her feel out of control and she wasn't going to stand for it any longer. She was in control now.

She lifted her wand, the Killing Curse on her lips.

"iAvada--/i"

Before she could get the curse out, Dolohov's body arched upward and Hermione was shocked to see a large piece of blood-smeared wood protruding from his chest.

Dolohov cried out and clutched at the wood impaling him. Blood bubbled from his lips and he shuddered, and then fell forward on his knees. Hermione's eyes widened as she saw who was behind him.

Ron, his head bleeding, his chest heaving as he swayed on his feet, stood behind Dolohov's stooped figure. He looked disgusted as Dolohov sucked in a lungful of air, the sound like water in a drain. His body shook and then he fell forward and was completely still.

He was dead.

Hermione met Ron's eyes. They stared at one another for several moments, both too overcome with what had just happened to speak. Hermione's horrified gaze softened slightly as she saw a tear well up in Ron's eye.

"Help me! Someone help me!" Hermione's attention snapped to her left. She saw Lupin struggling with a pile of wood and stone. An arm was sticking out of it the rubble, blood running down and dripping off the wrist. "Tonks! Can you hear me?"

Hermione gasped and ran as fast as she could toward the pile of rubble. Ron swayed over too, breathing hard, blood from the cut on his head dripping into his eyes. They started shifting the pile of rocks, revealing Tonks beneath them.

"What happened? Where are all the Death Eaters?" Hermione asked as Fred and George limped over to them. George had an arm slung over Fred's shoulders, supporting him. Both of them were dirty and flecked with blood, but they looked fine otherwise.

"I killed Rabastan Lestrange and I turned around in time to see Tonks and Zabini get buried the stones," Remus said. His face was pinched with fear and he had Tonks' bloody hand in his own.

"We got Dervish with one of our products. Turned him inside out," George said, setting Fred down. Both of them looked sick.

"Where is Zabini?" Ron asked as they hefted Tonks out of the rubble. Remus took her weight and cradled her in his arms. She was unconscious, but breathing. Hermione heaved a sigh of relief.

"Over there," Remus said, jerking his head in the direction of another pile of rocks. They could just pick out the twisted remains of Blaise Zabini trapped beneath the rubble. Hermione winced and looked around again. "The others...?"

"Dolohov is dead. I cursed Marietta and Bellatrix--" Hermione stopped as her gaze fell on the spot Bellatrix had been. "She's gone! Bellatrix is gone!"

Ron cursed and Remus shook his head. "First rat to abandon a sinking ship," he said sourly, his gaze on Tonks. Her head rolled against his shoulder and he took a deep breath, and then looked up. "That's six of the Death Eaters--where is Malfoy?"

Ron looked up and swore again. "And where are Harry and Ginny?"

Hermione stepped forward, her eyes falling on a door in the wall. "The basement."

"What are you going to do with that, Weasley?" Malfoy spat as she pulled the wand out. He looked surprised, his pale features twisted. He glanced at the doorway and then back at her.

"I'd intended to blow up this goddamned house with your precious Dark Lord inside of it, but as you can see, things didn't go my way," Ginny said, climbing to her feet. From a distance it seemed, she heard shouts from overhead. The ceiling shook again and more dust rained down on them.

Malfoy moved backward toward the stairs. His wand was still pointing at her, but he looked less confident than he had before. His gaze kept flicking upward and she knew that whatever was going up there was distracting him. By the sounds of it and from the tremors pushing through the house, she thought there must be a tornado or an army converging on them all.

"You wouldn't. Not with Potter here!"

Ginny fought the urge to look at Harry. "No...no I won't blow it up now. I have only one thing I want to do now. I want to take a horrible person out of this world. Someone who doesn't deserve to live."

Fear flickered in Malfoy's eyes. "You wouldn't kill me! You don't have the nerve!"

"Maybe I didn't mean you?" she challenged, a single tear coursing down her raw cheek.

Malfoy looked at her slyly. "Don't do it Weasley. Potter isn't worth killing yourself over."

She was slightly taken aback at his tone. "I...no...I wouldn't..."

"The hell you say! You came here on a suicide mission, Weasley. You think I don't know what you're thinking? You've already killed yourself for what you did to Potter. And he isn't worth it."

Ginny shuddered and made herself not look at Harry. If she looked at him she'd lose it. "He's worth anything I can give him. I love him."

"I know you do. That's why I ruined you for him," Malfoy said in a cold voice. "He won't ever want to touch you now. He'll know I've been there and you'll disgust him. He won't love you any more…"

The wand shook in Ginny's hand. "It doesn't matter. I'll always love him. No matter what."

"So much you'd kill yourself for him? You think he'll thank you for that?" Malfoy countered. Ginny was getting confused. Another tear spilled down her cheek. "Are you going to use that thing or not?"

Ginny couldn't answer him. She was shaking and aware that something was moving behind her. She saw Harry out the corner of her eye. He lifted his head again and peered at her.

"Ginny..." he croaked. Ginny felt her chest contract at the sound of his voice.

Malfoy saw she was distracted and lifted his wand. His smile was ghastly as he leveled his wand not at her, but at Harry. Ginny saw his intention and panic raced through her system.

"NO!" Ginny screamed and the next instant she had brought her own wand up. "iAVADA KEDAVRA!/i"

Bright green light slammed into Malfoy, knocking him backward. His body sprawled across the stairs, wand clattering from his lifeless fingers. The green light died around him and he was left staring upward, eyes unblinking and his mouth open in shock.

Ginny trembled and stared at his sprawled form on the stairs. The wand slipped from her fingers and she fell to her knees, tears welling up once more. She didn't know why she was crying--she was too overcome with emotion to sort through them--but she cried just the same. She buried her face in her hands and let the sobs come.

Gradually she became aware that someone was saying her name. She lifted her head, raw eyes peering through the dusty room. She was vaguely aware that the shouting and blasting from overhead had stopped.

"Ginny...Ginny are you real?"

Harry was sitting up in his chair once more, fever-bright eyes locked on her crouched figure. He seemed to be struggling to get free of his bonds. Sweat ran down his forehead and he looked weak, far weaker than he had when she'd first been brought down here.

"Harry? Harry!" she sobbed. She became aware that someone was in the room with them, but she didn't care anymore. Her attention was on Harry and she couldn't look away from him if she tried.

"She...she made me see you! I don't know if you're real!" he said, tears flowing from his eyes. "Please be real!"

"Harry..." she said, crawling toward him. His gaze was fevered and filled with fear. "Harry I'm real! I'm real!"

He shook his head. "S'just another trick...can't be here!"

Ginny lifted a hand and slowly brought it to his cheek. A shock went through her as their skin connected. Harry leaned into her touch as if he wanted more, wanted to make sure she was real.

"I'm real Harry, I'm real," she said over and over again. "I love you...please! I'm real!"

Harry nodded his head, his eyes wide. "I love you, I love you..." he repeated. "I can feel you..."

Ginny felt another sob wrack her body. She was soon lost in her tears, Harry's battered face before hers. The room began to spin and she was aware of someone saying her name. The voice was familiar, but distant. Before her, Harry slumped forward, his eyes fluttering closed, her name on his lips.

She followed him a moment later, the world going black.

She knew nothing for a very long time.