A/N: I *know* I promised this chapter several days ago, but life got busy, so I'm late

A/N: I *know* I promised this chapter several days ago, but life got busy, so I'm late. Hope everybody like it anyway! I had a really hard time choosing a title for this one. It was a close competition between 'Why Did You Come Back?' and 'Goodnight Ginny', which obviously won in the end. But, only by a hair. I hope everybody gets the subtle hints I'm leaving . . . there're two. R&R!!!!!

Kelzery – More about the actual spheres next chapter. Try to spot the subtle hints about them in this one. One's pretty obvious, the other is subtle.

This chapter is dedicated to Draco's Lil Devil for being so patient and *understanding* about my cliffe! *grin*

Seventh Sphere

By Amanda H (aka Niffler)

Goodnight Ginny

Draco stood, chin raised, ready to take whatever pain his father could deliver. Suddenly a piercing cry emanated from the bushed on the other side of the circle. The Death Eaters standing in front of the bush jumped back. Out of the bush jumped a figure, screaming. It appeared to be a young girl with flaming red hair, tangled around her face.

"Ginny?" Draco though, amazed.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhh! Experimillicus!" She stopped screaming and shot the disarming spell at Lucious. The surprised Death Eaters around her finally came to their senses as Lucious's wand flew into the girl's hand, Draco's wand flew to Draco and Lucious was sent sprawling against a near by tree, momentarily dazed. Ginny took Lucious's wand in her hands and broke it over her knee. The crack echoed through the forest as the wood snapped, exposing the dragon heartstring.

"Come on!" Ginny yelled to Draco, tossing the broken wand on the ground and taking off into the forest. Draco took off after her, close on her heels. The Death Eaters suddenly cried out in frustration as their astonishment completely diminished. They chased after the two, stumbling over fallen trees and underbrush.

Draco thought Ginny might be lost. She was leading them deeper into the forest. Finally, when they could no longer see their pursuers, she stopped dead and lay on the ground, her face peeking over a fallen tree. Draco stopped and lay down beside her.

"Are you lost?" Were his first words. Ginny sat up and shook her head in frustration.

"No." She answered angrily. "I'm not lost." She sighed. "They'll be looking for us at the forest's edge and on the grounds leading to the castle. They wouldn't think to look deeper in, so we'll hid here for awhile, until they give up, then go back." She explained as though she were talking to a two year old. He stared puzzled at her.

"You're smarter than you look." He complemented, sitting up beside her. Ginny blinked hard and choked back an angry sob, merely nodded. She turned her face away from him and lay silent on the ground. Draco lay down flat, looking over the log. They sat in silence for several minutes, only broken by the frustrated calls of the Death Eaters. Finally Draco spoke.

"Why did you come back?" He asked softly, sitting up again. "I told you to go. If they had caught you I can't even imagine. . ." Ginny sniffled, and finally turned to look at him. Tear trails creased her cheeks and her eyes were slightly red. Draco's heart softened at the sight.

"I came back because I care about you Draco. I didn't want anything to happen to you." She answered honestly.

"You care about me?" He asked in utter astonishment.

"Yes you prat." She sniffed, wiping away her tears with the back of her wrists. "I do." She smiled a half smile. Draco leaned forward and brushed his hand against her cheek. It was soft and warm, just like she was.

"Don't cry." He soothed, sliding closer to her and putting his arm over her shoulder. They sat like that in silence for several more minutes. It was Draco who spoke first again.

"You know, the only reason I even said no was you Ginny." He said. Ginny looked up at him puzzled.

"I said no because you believed I could. No body had ever believed that I could before. No body had believed in me period." He confessed. The forest had gone completely silent again. Nothing moved.

"I," He hesitated, "I care about you too Ginny." He finally said, smiling genuinely at her. Her eyes sparkled back up at him and she nestled closer into his chest.

"I'm glad." She whispered happily. Draco draped his arms across her chest as she smiled serenely.

"Thank you. For saving me." He said, gently kissing the top of her head.

"It was my pleasure." Ginny muttered sleepily. Draco just smiled.

Lucious Malfoy leaned back against the tree trunk from which he had not moved since he had been pushed there by the disarming spell. The forest around him was filled with the cries and stumblings of his fellow Death Eaters. He had let them escape and his master would not be happy.

"A Weasley." He thought pensively. "Not only a Weasley, but the Weasley girl. She should not have so much power. Interesting. I wonder . . . Hummmm." He thought, cocking his head and peering into the brush.

"Perhaps this wasn't a total waste after all." He thought, an evil, cynical, almost senile grin creased his lips and his eyes gleamed with a tortured pleasure.

"A Weasley. . ."

Draco gazed down at Ginny. She had fallen asleep, lying against his chest in the forest. A wolf, at least he assumed it was a wolf, howled in the distance and Draco's spine tingled. Gently he shook Ginny.

"Ginny." He whispered in her ear. "Ginny." She stirred and slowly opened her eyes.

"Draco?" She yawned, sitting up.

"Yeah. You fell asleep, but I really think we should be going." He suggested.

"Yes." She agreed, stumbling to her feet. "Yes, we have to go tell Dumbledoor." She yawned, blinking to wake herself up.

"Alright. I give. Let's go see Dumbledoor." He consented, also getting to his feet and taking Ginny's arm. They stumbled out of the forest; Ginny tripping over logs and roots in her half sleeping stupor. They finally reached the edge of the forest as Ginny began to regain her composure.

"Sorry. It just takes me a while to wake up I guess." Ginny said as they crossed the yard to the castle. Draco nodded. They entered through the main doors and started to make their way to the Head Master's office.

Draco glanced repeatedly around the silent halls. It was the middle of the night and no one was around. Their footsteps echoed eerily in the stone corridors. Finally they reached the Head Master's office and, hoping he was still there, knocked on the stone gargoyle. Nothing happened. They knocked again, but still no one answered. As they were about to try and force the gargoyle aside Professor Vector appeared in the hall.

"Malfoy!" He seemed clearly surprised. "And Miss, Weasley is it?" He asked, glancing at her red hair. She nodded. "What are you doing out of bed so late? At the Head Master's office no less." He inquired.

"Professor, we desperately need to see Dumbledoor! It's an emergency! Could you please give us the password?" Ginny begged. The professor's sharp eyes bore into her skull.

"I'm afraid the Head Master is indisposed at the moment. But, please accompany me to my office and perhaps I can help." He suggested, though his eye darted about the corridor suspiciously.

Ginny was about to protest when the gargoyle sprung aside to reveal Dumbledoor, about to step out. He smiled in pleased surprise at them.

"Miss Weasley, Mr. Malfoy, Professor, what is going on here?" He asked pleasantly.

"Professor, we need to talk to you immediately! It's an emergency!" Ginny explained.

"In private." Draco added, glancing at Vector.

"Head Master, I will take care of them. No need to worry, come along children." Vector ordered, attempting to usher the two away, but they turned back to Dumbledoor.

"Please professor. It's very important." Draco asked, his voice urgent and cold. Dumbledoor nodded solemnly.

"Yes, of course. Professor, you are excused." Dumbledoor said, nodding to the professor. Vector stared at him, confused and insulted, but Dumbledoor merely ushered the two into the stairwell, following them closely. The gargoyle jumped back into place behind them leaving a frustrated and annoyed Vector in the hall.

"Please, take a seat." Dumbledoor instructed once they were in his office, motioning to the velvet chairs. The two sat down and glanced at each other. Ginny nodded and Draco took a deep breath.

"I was supposed to become a Death Eater tonight." He announced. However, instead of the reaction Draco had expected, Dumbledoor merely nodded somberly.

"Please continue." He asked. Draco bit his lip.

"I went out to the Forbidden Forest to meet with a group of Death Eaters." He began. "I told them that I would not join them. They didn't believe me and Voldemort, or uh, you-know-who's face appeared in the fire." Dumbledoor's face hardened, but he only nodded, and leaned forward. Draco swallowed and continued.

"He told me that he had big plans for me and I would go straight to his inner circle. I refused and he was furious. He instructed my. . ." Draco paused, "my. . ." Ginny laid a reassuring hand over his and nodded. "My father, to extract something from my brain, then kill me." Dumbledoor's eyes sparkled and he folded his hands on the desk, waiting for Draco to continue.

"Then, as he was about to perform some kind of spell, Ginny jumped out from behind a bush and disarmed him." At this a faint smile crept across Dumbledoor's lips. If Ginny hadn't known better she would have thought he was holding back laughter.

"We ran off into the forest and hid until the Death Eaters had gone. Then we came straight here." He finished. Dumbledoor's face was serious and grim. Draco bowed his head, ashamed.

"This is a very serious matter, you know that Draco." Dumbledoor said. He nodded. "Not many people have the strength to do what you did tonight, to stand up to Voldemort." Ginny shivered involuntarily. "You should be very proud of your courage and your strength." He said. Draco raised his head and looked Dumbledoor in the eyes.

"But I didn't do anything sir. Ginny did." He explained, unsure the old man had understood what he had said.

"Nonsense. You said no. You had the courage to face death rather than kill. I am very proud of you for that." Dumbledoor praised. Draco's eye glistened.

"You're proud of me?" He asked, astounded.

"Yes." Dumbledoor answered simply. Draco shook his head in thought.

"As for you Miss Weasley," he began, "sneaking out into the Forest is forbidden, hence it's name." He explained. "And you should never have gone with out calling for help. You could have both been killed." Ginny stared at him in shock.

"I did call for help! I sent up red sparks, but I guess no one saw them." She explained, exasperated.

"That does not excuse endangering you life. You are only a fourth year witch. You have no where near the capabilities necessary to go off and face a group of Death Eaters alone." He continued.

"She only came because of me." Draco interjected. "She was worried about me. It's not her fault." He explained.

"Draco, Miss Weasley has a very useful and intelligent head on her shoulders, and I'm sure she can make decisions by herself." Dumbledoor reprimanded. Draco fell silent, again staring at his lap.

"However, Miss Weasley," Dumbledoor began again, "it was a very brave thing to do and I commend you for it." Ginny looked up from her hands and looked at him curiously. Draco also chanced a glance at the contradictory man.

"Yes, it was unorthodox and highly dangerous, but your quick thinking and bravery allowed you to save Mr. Malfoy. A job well done." He commended, inclining his head to her. She beamed.

"Thank you sir." She replied happily.

"Now, I am assuming that you are asking for my protection Draco." Dumbledoor asked, turning again to Draco.

"Yes sir, please." He answered humbly.

"Good. I believe we have enough evidence to convict your father to a permanent trip to Askaban if, that is, you will testify against him in court." He asked. Draco nodded.

"And you Miss Weasley?" She nodded in return.

"Thank you. I know how hard this must be for you." He said sympathetically. "I am sorry, but I must ask." He said regretfully. "Draco, will your mother also testify against your father?" He asked, the answer real question subtly hidden within.

"Yes." Draco choked. "Yes, and the sooner you get her away from him the better." He answered.

"I'm glad to hear that." Dumbledoor answered, reaching across the desk and patting Draco lightly on the hand. He looked up into the Head Master's warm eyes.

"Thank you Professor." He choked.

"Thank yourself Draco, for not joining Voldemort." He replied, removing his hand from Draco's and leaning back in his chair.

"I will owl the ministry immediately." He informed, opening a drawer to his desk and pulling out a quill and parchment. He began to scribble almost illegibly on it then glanced up at them again over his moon shaped spectacles.

"Also, Mr. Malfoy, I regret to inform you that due to your unfortunate predicament you will be unable to attend any further Hogsmede visits or return home for the holidays. The Death Eaters will still be looking for you. It is also very possible that your mother will be brought here as well." Dumbledoor said, again scribbling on the parchment. The two remained seated. After a few seconds he looked up again.

"Now, it is very late and after such an extraordinary ordeal you must be exhausted, therefore I will excuse you from all your classes tomorrow and I suggest you head right to bed." He instructed. They both nodded.

"Also, please keep this experience to yourselves. I do not want to alarm anyone unnecessarily." He said, eyeing them warningly. They nodded.

"Now! Off to bed!" He smiled, going back to his letter. Ginny and Draco stood shakily and walked out of his office. They walked in silence along the empty corridors until the came to a fork.

"Well, goodnight Draco." Ginny said, turning to go her way.

"I'll walk you to Griffindor." He replied, turning with her. They continued in silence. As they approached the portrait hole Draco stopped.

"Thank you again Ginny." He murmured gazing into her deep brown eyes.

"He feels safe, happy, the fear is gone. The hate is less, much less. He feels at peace." She thought.

"I'm just glad I could." She replied. "Take care of yourself Draco." She smiled, turning to the portrait hole.

"Ginny!" He called; she turned back around, her face curious. "Ginny." He said softer, cupping her face in the palm of his hand. He leaned down and kissed her. It was so unlike before. This time she kissed him back, pulling towards him rather than pushing away. He let his hand run through her hair before he pulled away. Slowly she opened her eyes; they gleamed in the dull light.

"Goodnight Ginny." He said, smiling and turning down the corridor.

"Goodnight." She breathed softly, too quietly for him to hear as he turned the corner and out of her sight.