Author's Note: Here, as promised is the next chapter! I think you guys are going to like this one :) The chapter title is a reference to the song "Here By Me" by 3 Doors Down, which I love. Enjoy the chapter!

Chapter 8: Here By Me

Ginny didn't breathe a word of the Order meeting to Draco. She continued with her Seventh Year material, joining Draco for flying breaks in between chapters. It wasn't until a lazy Saturday afternoon three weeks later that Ginny's silence caught up with her.

It was one of those rare fall days when the sun is warm and bright, and they were taking full advantage of it. Ginny had thrown some snacks and a blanket in a canvas market bag, and they were lying together in the tall grass.

"Okay, okay," Ginny said, "I've got one. Would you rather have to spend a week in the Forbidden Forest without you wand…."

Draco cringed, and Ginny grinned gleefully at him. "…or eat breakfast in the Great Hall completely starkers?"

"Starkers," Draco said immediately.

"No way!" Ginny cried, throwing a cherry at him. "You would sit there butt-naked for the whole of Hogwarts to see? What about the First-Years! You'd scar them for life!"

"Oh thanks a lot, Weasley," Draco said, making a face at her. "And I'll take that over dying alone and wandless in the Forbidden Forest any day, thanks very much."

"I didn't say dying…I said a week in there with no wand."

"Amounts to the same thing," Draco insisted.

"I could survive, I bet," Ginny said.

"And when the huge, hairy Acromantula comes at in the night, you would…?" Draco trailed off expectantly.

"Punch it in the face," Ginny replied.

Draco guffawed. "Punch it in the face!"

"Yep," Ginny confirmed. "Square in the eyes."

"All eight of them," Draco muttered. "Somehow I doubt that your punch would kill an Acromantula."

"You've obviously never been on the receiving end of one of my punches," Ginny quipped, and Draco laughed again.

"You would never," Draco teased, leaning over to kiss her.

"Well let that be a warning to you," Ginny said, moving her lips beneath his. Draco rolled a little onto his back so that she lay across his chest, and things were just getting a little more heated than usual when there was a loud cough behind them.

"I think you two better come inside," Fred said from where he was standing over them, his eyebrows raised at their compromising position.

"What's this about?" Ginny asked, quickly righting herself and throwing their food and blanket back into the bag.

"Lupin's here," Fred said, "He wants to talk to Malfoy. You better hurry back," he said, turning to Draco, "It's important." Ginny's heart was suddenly beating hard in her chest.

Draco shot Ginny a confused look, then shrugged and started back to the house at an easy jogging pace.

"Fred, what's going on?" Ginny said, and Fred shook his head at her somberly. His serious expression all but confirmed her worst fears. Fred was never serious unless something was really, really wrong. "Is it his parents?" Ginny pressed.

"His mother," Fred said, "She was found dead this morning. Remus says You-Know-Who tortured her. But she wouldn't say anything about Draco." Ginny felt bile rising in her throat.

"Oh, Merlin," she said. "This is going to kill him." Ginny started off at a run toward the house, but Fred grabbed her arm and held her.

"Ginny, he needs to hear this alone," he said. "There's nothing you can do."

"Nothing I can do now!" Ginny cried, pulling away. But she kept Fred's slow pace. "Bloody hell, I knew she was in danger. I should have told him!"

"Hey, hey, hey," Fred said, taking hold of her shoulders. "What are you talking about?"

"I spied on an Order meeting a few weeks ago," Ginny explained, "The Order knew the Malfoys were in danger, but they didn't do anything, and they said I shouldn't tell him because he'd do something rash."

"Which he would have," Fred said slowly.

"But now his mother is dead, Fred! Dead," Ginny said, all the fight suddenly going out of her.

"You did the right thing, Ginny."

She looked at Fred sadly. "I don't think he's going to see it that way."

She opened the Burrow door hesitantly, nervous about what she would find. Her parents, George, Bill, and Lupin were sitting around the kitchen table, somber looks on all of their faces.

"Where is he?" Ginny asked.

"He went upstairs," Bill said.

"Maybe it's better if you give him some time," Mrs. Weasley added, standing and guiding Ginny to a chair beside her. "Let me make you some tea, dear."

As much as she wanted to race into Draco's room and tell him how incredibly sorry she was and how deeply she felt his pain, Ginny knew that her mother was right. If this had happened to her, she knew that she would want to be left alone to grieve. At least for a little while.

Draco did not emerge from his room for days, and Ginny heeded her mother's warnings to stay away. "When Gideon and Fabian died," Molly Weasley said, rubbing her daughter's back, "I kept to myself for a week…wouldn't see anyone. Just give him time." At mealtimes, Ginny insisted that she be the one to bring a tray of food up to his door. She never saw him, but the food was always eaten and the empty tray placed back outside.

Finally, after three days, Ginny knew that she needed to at least check on him. That night, on her way to bed, she knocked softly on his bedroom door, and when there was no response, she let herself inside.

"Draco?" she said. The room was dark. "Lumos," Ginny whispered. By the light of her wand, she could see Draco lying on his back on the bed.

"What do you want?" he asked, his voice stiff.

Ginny walked over and sat down on the edge of the bed. She placed her hand gently on his leg. Draco was neatly dressed and even clean-shaven, but she could tell by the deep bags under his eyes that he hadn't been sleeping. The red rims beneath his lids showed that he had been crying, and Ginny felt a stab in her chest. She had never seen him cry before.

"I just wanted…," Ginny said softly. "I just wanted to see how you're doing."

Draco exhaled sharply, his breath hitching. "I'm fine," he said.

Ginny sighed and crawled up onto the bed next to him, molding her body against his side and resting her chin on his shoulder.

"Is it okay if I stay here with you?" she asked softly.

"Yeah," Draco replied.

They lay in silence for a long time. Ginny was beginning to think that Draco had fallen asleep when he finally spoke.

"I should have been there."

Ginny didn't reply, she just settled her hand on his chest so he knew she was listening.

"I should have stayed with her and taken the blame for my own failure. It was me he wanted. I should've been a man and stayed."

"Hey, hey, hey," Ginny soothed. "Your mum was the one who wanted you to come here and be safe, remember? She knew the risks. This isn't your fault at all. It's You-Know-Who's fault. His alone."

"But I should have gone back. If I had known she was in danger, I would have gone back and then she wouldn't be dead. I knew it was going to be difficult for her…convincing everyone that I was missing…but I didn't think…I never thought…." Draco trailed off, and the pain in his voice was palpable. "Damnit, if I had just realized how bad things were getting for her, I would have gone back!" he said suddenly, his voice rising.

Ginny's heart sank. She had to tell him. He was beating himself up, wondering how he could have missed the danger his parents had been in over the past few weeks. But in reality, they had all kept him in the dark. She had kept him in the dark.

"Draco," Ginny said slowly, "there's something I have to tell you. A few weeks ago, the Order got reports that your parents were in danger." Draco stiffened against her, but Ginny pressed on. "But they…I…didn't tell you, because we knew you would do something rash and…."

Draco cut her off, and his voice was terrifyingly cold. "You knew about this?"

Ginny cringed. "Yes, I did know. And I'm sorry that I didn't tell you, but I knew you would want to go back and I couldn't let that happen, Draco. You would have been killed or captured and…."

Draco shoved her away and stood, the anger obvious in his posture and in the harshness of his gaze. "So you did it for my own good, is that it? Does it look like I'm doing well now? Does it!"

Ginny sat straight, taking the full force of his anger. "Yes, it was for you, but it was also for my family. Do you know what would happen to us if you were captured and questioned? And who knows what they might have gotten you to tell them about Harry and Ron and Hermione? It was too great a risk!"

Draco mouth moved in a grimace, as if he wanted to yell a retort, but he stopped himself short. "Get out, Ginny," he said coldly, his eyes flashing in warning.

"No," Ginny replied. He had good reason to be angry, she knew, but she had done what she thought was right, and damnit, he was going to let her explain. "We are not ending this conversation that way! What chance do you think you would have had against You-Know-Who and all of the Death Eaters, huh? You're an amazing wizard, Draco, but you wouldn't have had a chance in hell! And even if you had given yourself up to them, they would have tortured you. They would have wanted to know who had been sheltering you, what Harry's mission was, everything about the Order. You have the understand that I couldn't take that risk!"

"So you just decided to sacrifice my mother on the alter of the cause without even consulting me?" Draco retorted. "Don't you think I should have gotten some say? I'm the one that has to deal with the consequences! The guilt, Ginny," he said, and his voice broke on the word. "The guilt of having someone hurt so horribly because of you…you have no bloody idea what it's doing to me. You have no bloody idea how this feels!"

Ginny didn't answer for a long time. Finally, she spoke so softly that Draco was caught off guard. "I do know." She paused, unsure how to continue. "Do you remember your Second Year? When the Chamber of Secrets was opened and all of those students were Petrified?"

Draco nodded.

Ginny laughed mirthlessly. "I've never talked about this with anyone," she said. She took a deep breath, exhaled. "I was the one who opened the Chamber."

She kept her eyes firmly fixed on the bedspread as she told him about the diary and Tom and the horrible feeling of waking up in the Chamber. She told him how, even now, she couldn't look at Hermione or Penelope or any of the others without feeling a pang of guilt in her abdomen.

When she finally stopped speaking, all of the anger had left Draco's eyes. He sat down next to her on the bed and put his arms around her, laying down with her on the bed. "Why haven't you ever said anything about it?" he said.

"I've never told anyone. Only my family and a few other people know. Being possessed by You-Know-Who isn't exactly an experience you want to dwell on," she said. "And anyway, your…."

"My father," Draco said, and the venom in his voice surprised even Ginny. She nodded. "I didn't think he could do something like that. He's always had a mean streak, and he loves to play mindgames, but an eleven-year-old girl?"

Ginny sighed. "It's the closest I've ever been to death, I think. And the closest I've ever been to killing someone."

"It wouldn't have been you who killed them," Draco said, burying his lips in her hair.

"Just like it isn't you who killed your mother," Ginny replied.

Draco was silent. "I still wish you had told me."

"I know," Ginny said. "Openness, from now on."

Draco sighed. "Okay."

"I'm glad I told you about the Chamber," Ginny said. "I really think that's the first time I've talked about it since it happened."

"I guess I understand why you're in love with Potter now," Draco said ruefully. "White knight and all that."

"Was. I was in love with him."

"Do you have someone else in your sights these days?" Draco teased, his laugh the tiniest bit forced.

"Are you fishing for compliments, Malfoy?" Ginny quipped, poking his stomach.

Draco sighed, and just when Ginny was about to change the subject, he surprised her. "I love you, Ginny."

Ginny's breath caught in her throat. She turned to look him in the eyes. "You…what?"

"I'm in love with you," Draco repeated. "There, I've said it. I think we've proven tonight that we're both irreparably screwed up and you're an absolute nightmare to argue with. And you're bossy as all hell…."

"Well don't flatter me too much, Malfoy," Ginny said, rolling her eyes.

"…but…it feels right. So there you have it."

"Are you done now?" Ginny asked.

Draco thought for a moment. "Yes."

"Good."

Ginny leaned over and kissed him deeply. She supposed that the high emotions of the night had forced everything out onto the table, and she realized that she had never felt closer to him than she did right now. "I love you too," she whispered. Their lips melted together, and Ginny rolled so that he was above her on the bed. She looked him straight in the eyes, and she knew he understood.

"Are you sure about this?" he said, hesitating. "If we go down this road…I don't know if I'll be able to stop."

Ginny nodded. "I'm sure," she said, meeting his lips again. Their emotions were raw and electric between them, and the stars and moon shone down on them through the skylight above.

Waking the next morning was a revelation. Ginny felt Draco's smooth skin against her own and sighed contentedly.

"Good morning," he said softly.

"Mmm, you're awake."

"Yeah," he said, kissing her forehead.

"How are you feeling?" she said gently.

He touched the crease that had formed in her forehead. "Better," Draco answered honestly.

They lay in silence for a while, Draco running his hands through her long hair, and Ginny contemplating the seemingly perfect contours of his face.

"So we're being open…from now on, right?" Draco said finally.

"That's the plan, yes," Ginny agreed. "Why? Do you have a secret to impart?"

"Of sorts," he replied cryptically, sitting abruptly and going to the desk.

"Oh," Ginny said surprisedly, sitting up herself and leaning against the headboard.

Draco produced an envelope from one of the desk drawers and came back to sit beside her in bed. "This," he said, tossing it into her lap, "came a week ago."

Ginny turned the envelope over and read the address. "It's to Ron," she said.

"Which for all intensive purposes, is me," Draco said. "Open it."

Ginny withdrew a piece of parchment from within the envelope and unfolded it.

"Dear Mr. Weasley", she read aloud.

"I am pleased to inform you that, after careful consideration of all applicants, we have decided to offer you the position of Deputy Portfolios Manager at our institution." Ginny glanced up at Draco, who gestured for her to keep reading.

"Your resume is very impressive…we would like to offer you a salary of…," Ginny skimmed. "We would like you to start next week…." She looked up sharply. "Draco, what is this?"

"Rainiers," he explained. "A Swiss bank. I applied for a position a few weeks ago."

"Wait, are you going to go?" Ginny asked, searching Draco's face.

"Well," he said, tenderly tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. "I think we should both go."

Ginny sat bolt upright. "What are you talking about?" she said sharply.

Draco sighed heavily. "I'm going crazy here, Ginny. I haven't left the Burrow grounds as myself for over a year now, and I can't…I can't take it anymore. I wasn't sure if I wanted to do this, because my parents were here, but now that my mum…," he stopped short. "In any case, I applied as Ron, but with my own resume. I'm sure they won't mind about the name change. No one knows me there anyway. And I could finally be myself again without worrying about running into Death Eaters on every street corner. But I want you to come with me, Ginny."

Ginny watched his excitement growing as he spoke, and she knew that he needed this. "I don't know if I can, Draco," she said slowly. "What would I even do in Switzerland? I don't even speak French."

"We can work on that!" Draco said. "And trust me, Ginny, any work you can find there will be better than sitting cooped up in the this house, afraid all the time."

"But, Draco, my family's here."

"Write to them," he said easily. "And we'll come home as soon as it's safe for us to start a real life here!" He paused and looked at her searchingly. "I know it'll be hard for you, because you've never moved away from home before, but I need this, Ginny, and I'm not going to do it without you."

Ginny sighed and flopped back onto the bed, mind racing. She knew that when Draco had finished his Seventh Year studies, he had hit a dead end. And she knew that she was fast approaching that same dead end. How could they start careers and lives here when there was so much danger? No, he was right, the only thing they had left here was perpetual waiting. If they were really going to grow up, it was going to have to be abroad.

Following her impulse, Ginny turned to face him. "Okay," she said. "Let's do it."

Author's Note: So, what did you think? I hope their declarations of love didn't seem too abrupt, but I think it fit. Ginny had just shared a very private part of herself with Draco (when she told him about the Chamber), so I think it makes sense that they would feel closer. Also, fair warning, I'm not going to be covering their time in Switzerland in detail. The next chapter will flash forward almost two years and you'll get to see a little bit of their life there. But then they're coming home. I couldn't leave England for long! Anyway, please review!