Okay, this is going to be a bit longer than most of the chapters I've posted lately. I've had this in my mind for a while and I was so excited to write it. I really hope you guys like it!

Chapter 28

Ginny shoved her hands through her hair in frustration. "You can't do this!" she said angrily, looking at her mother.

"I am your mother. And if I don't want you going back to that school, then you'll not be going!" Mrs. Weasley said loudly.

"Dad," Ginny pleaded, "please talk to her. I want to go back! Please!"

Mr. Weasley shook his head solemnly. "I'm sorry Ginny, dear, but I have to side with your mother this time."

"Dad!"

"They're taking children hostage to control their families, Ginevra. I can't let you go back to that." he said, "I'm sorry but you'll not be returning to Hogwarts."

"This is ridiculous!" she said, turning and fleeing to her room. She slammed her door closed and flung herself on her bed, reaching under her pillow for her book. Her hand closed around it just as her door opened.

Fred and George walked in and her hand released the book. She sat up, looking at her brothers.

"Not letting you go back, are they?" asked Fred.

She shook her head.

"Not surprising, really." George added. "They've been talking about it for weeks."

"Yeah, you didn't stand much of a chance, Gin."

"It's crazy!" she said, "Absolutely mad!"

"Bonkers." said the twins together.

"Why are they doing this?"

"They figure you're safer here." Fred explained.

Ginny huffed, rolling her eyes.

"Well, Fred," George said, "I think we should leave this one to her brooding."

"Right," Fred agreed. "Wouldn't want to end up with a Bat Bogey Hex, would we?"

Ginny smiled as she watched her brothers leave, closing her door behind them. It was nice of them to try to cheer her up.

Ginny reached under her pillow, pulling out the book. She opened it and turned to a blank page. Draco wrote to her every night. He gave her updates on Luna. And they talked about how it would be when they got back to Hogwarts. Back to the safety of their other reality. A reality I won't be going back to now. Ginny thought grudgingly.

She pulled out her ink and quill and wrote.

Draco...

Yes. What is it? You don't usually write until night.

My parents aren't letting me return to Hogwarts after break.

His reply took a moment longer to appear this time.

Why?

They say it's gotten too bad. It's not safe anymore.

Maybe their right. You've been punished enough to know that it's not the same anymore.

I know. But if I don't return, I can't see you again.

I know.

Doesn't it bother you? She asked him, hurt by his lack of concern.

Of course it does. But we knew this couldn't last, Ginevra. We talked about this.

I thought we'd have more time though. I thought we would be returning again.

So did I. But if your parents think it's safer for you to not return, then you shouldn't return.

Draco...

I told you before, Ginevra. I want you to be safe. To be happy. And I can't always be there at school. But your parents can be there for you. You're safer this way.

Ginny didn't reply.

I'll never forget you Ginevra.

She read the words before picking up her quill and scribbling one last message to the man she never thought she'd love. Tears fell from her eyes as she closed the book on the last words she'd ever write to him.


Draco looked down at the page, his hand trembling as he read her words.

I love you too Draco.

A single tear fell to the page as he closed the book that connected him to the first woman who had ever made him feel love.

"Draco!" he heard his mother call.

He quickly stashed the book in his desk drawer just as his door swung open.

"Mother." he said, turning to see her.

"Draco," she said again. "Come, come quickly."

His mother ushered him into a room, full with people. They were gathered in a circle. He noticed his father was among those gathered. In the middle of them was Greyback, standing next to three people, tied together.

The others must be snatchers. Draco guessed. His mother led him up to the group.

"We think it's Potter." she explained. "We would like you to look. To be sure. Before we summon the Dark Lord."

Potter. Merlin, they caught him! He couldn't believe it. Draco looked at the group before him. It is him. And Granger and Weasley too.

"Come, Draco," his father said excitedly, "come have a better look. Is it him?"

How could he tell him it was Potter. He wasn't supposed to be here. He was supposed to be out there, winning this war. Draco hesitated. He couldn't keep Ginevra safe. He couldn't give her the life she deserved. But Potter could. Potter could give her everything that he could not. Safety, security, a family.

"I- I can't be sure," he said at last, trying to keep his distance from both Potter and Greyback.

"Look carefully," Lucius Malfoy said. "Come closer!"

Draco didn't move.

He watched his father step closer, inspecting Potter's face. "Look here!" he exclaimed. "There's something here. It might be the scar. Come, look here, Draco."

Draco took a step closer and leaned towards him. There was no doubt. It was him. But still he hesitated. "I don't know." he said finally, retreating to stand beside his mother.

They resigned themselves on Potter and turned their attention to the others.

"What about this one, the Mudblood?" Greyback snarled.

From beside him, his mother spoke. "Yes." she said, "She was with Potter in Madam Malkin's before. I saw her. Isn't that the Granger girl, Draco dear?"

Draco wished they would just forget his presence and leave him out of this mess. He didn't want to be responsible for this. He glanced quickly before looking away again. "I... maybe." he said. "Yeah, it could be."

"And that one there," Lucius shouted, triumphantly, "That's the Weasley boy, isn't it? Draco, isn't that Arthur Weasley's son?"

"Yeah," Draco said quietly. "I- it could be."

The door of the drawing room opened behind them suddenly and his Aunt Bellatrix walked out.

"What's this? What's happening, Cissy?" she asked Draco's mother.

She walked slowly to the center of the room, looking around. She stopped when her eyes fell on Potter and his friends.

Draco sank back, as far away as he dared, to get out of this mess. He tried his best to ignore everything that was happening until Bellatrix called him.

"Draco!" Bellatrix shrieked. "Take this scum outside." she said, pointing to the snatchers on the floor. "If you haven't the guts to finish them, leave them in the courtyard and I'll do it myself."

His mother had opened her mouth to defend her son, who had drawn his wand to levitate the bodies away. His aunt continued to bark orders as he dutifully did as he was told.

He heard his father yell for him as he made his way back into the house. The first thing he noticed was Potter and Weasley were gone. "Draco, go get the goblin. We need him to inspect the sword."

He nodded and went to the dungeons. Panic shook him and he took out his wand and waved it, illuminating the area. "Stand back," he called, struggling to keep the fear from his voice. "Try anything and I'll kill you!"

Draco opened the door and walked out, wand in front of him. His hand closed around the goblin's arm and he dragged him upstairs. He shoved the goblin towards his aunt and backed away, excluding himself from what was going on.

There was a sudden crack from the basement and he snapped back to what was happening. "Draco," his father said and Draco started for the dungeons. "No," he said, "Fetch Wormtail. Have him check."

He nodded and went to fetch Wormtail. He gave him the orders his father had issued and headed back to the room.

Bellatrix was grinning wickedly and he looked around. His eyes came to rest on his father, who's sleeve was pushed up. His finger pressed to his Mark. Panic gripped him again. They've summoned him. It's over then...

Greyback was stalking towards Granger's unconscious and he had to turn, unable to watch another human be attacked by that monster, even if that person was Granger. Just then there was a loud scream and he turned to see Weasley running into the room, his wand pointed at Bellatrix.

"Expelliarmus!" he shouted and Draco saw his aunt's wand fly out of the air, landing in Potter's hand. His mother and father drew their wands along with Greyback. Draco followed suit. Potter took aim and fired a spell that hit his father, sending him crumpling to the floor.

Draco, with his mother and Greyback, flung spells back at him, though Draco's was only to disarm. Bellatrix shouted from the other side of the room and everything stopped. She had a blade to Granger's throat. She forced Potter and Weasley to drop their wands.

When they did, Draco was ordered to pick them up and he scrambled to do so.

"Now then, Greyback," Bellatrix said softly, "I'm sure the Dark Lord will not deny you the girl after all you have done tonight."

As she spoke, however, there was an ominous creaking from above and they all looked up as the chandelier came crashing down, shattering on the floor. He saw his aunt dive out of the way at the last moment before shards of glass flew at him, cutting parts of his face.

Before he knew what was happening, Potter was wrestling the wands out of his hands. He let them go and heard Potter yell a stunning spell. There was a loud thud as a body his the floor. Then his mother was there, ushering him out of the way of any more damage.

Bellatrix shrieked and he turned around. Draco watch as the man he had both envied and despised for the last seven year, the only man who could steal Ginevra's love away from him again, disappeared.