A/N: I believe my Beta-Reader has dropped off the face of the earth

A/N: I believe my Beta-Reader has dropped off the face of the earth! Oh well, you think since there's a bunch of people helping writing this we wouldn't need one right?

Ohhh, I don't think so! Anyways, that's the tradegy of today, that and I'm furious with some of my friends. But lets not dwell on sad things….

Today I got to do the greatest thing in the world! REVIEW NEW STORIES!!!! I was soooo happy! I haven't had time to read any new stories in ages! Mostly just clicking

through favorites, but that's no fun. Hehe, yes well that makes me feel much better ^_^

Chapter Seven: Our Fear

"Draco,"

He stirred; eyes that were shut tightly opened slowly, painfully. The wind was rushing over his body, his long hair pushed out of his face. He was sitting upright, on a broom. His broom, he realized vaguely, the new one his father had bought him for Quidditch. A warm body was hugging him from behind, and he could feel the warm breath on his neck and ear.

"Draco," the person repeated, feeling him move. "Are you alright?"

"Ginny?" Draco asked, trying to clear his head. Now that he thought about it, the left side hurt, and when he brushed his hand against it, it stung horribly. He withdrew his hand, staring at the crimson color that stained them.

"Don't touch it," Ginny said, her arms tightening around his waist. "They hit you pretty hard."

"They?" Draco murmured.

"Can you remember?"

"Not well," he grimaced. "I suppose I got hit."

"Yes, it was a very brave and foolish thing to do." Ginny said softly. He felt one of her hands release his waist and stroke the hair by the wound.

"What happened then?" Draco asked, looking around him. They were flying over a village, one he recognized that was by his home. His father flew in front of him, two other men flanking him, and boxing in Draco, one of the men had an additional person who was leaning against him, as if he were sleeping.

"When your father came, he tried to get us to leave, saying that I would be needed after all. You started to argue with him when one of the other men came after me." Ginny explained in a hushed voice. "You tried to stop them but your father hit you with something and knocked you out."

"Ah," Draco said, still looking at the sleeping form. "Who is that?"

He felt Ginny shift where she sat to see what he was looking at. He heard her intake of breath before she spoke. "Harry."

"Harry?" he repeated dumbly. "Potter?"

"Yes,"

"What the bloody hell is he doing here?"

"He tried to stop them too," she said slowly. "You're both idiots. Harry especially, I don't know why he did something like that."

For you, Draco thought but didn't say it. His jaw tightened while looking over at the still form of Potter. "Idiot," he hissed. "He could have warned someone about what was happening."

"You knew this was happening did you?" Ginny asked, silencing him. "That's why you wanted to break the spell."

"Yes, and for other reasons." Draco admitted.

"What other ones?"

He didn't answer, for then his house came into view and they were slowly descending. It wasn't really a house, more along the lines of a mansion. It fit the Malfoy's very well, a dark grayish color, with candelabra's placed outside the large double doors of the entrance, marking their landing spot. Though it had been morning when they were taken, the sky was dark. A heavy fog took over the sky and ground, dimming any light the sun might have given.

They landed, before either Ginny or Draco could move one of the two men jumped off and stood beside them. Lucius got off his own broom slowly and turned to his son, studying him with cool eyes.

"I hope that nap let you gather your sense," he said coldly.

Draco sneered at him, but didn't answer. The man beside them started pulling Ginny off but she kicked him off of her.

"I can do it myself," she snapped, jumping off the broom. Draco got off as well, handing the broom to the outstretched hand of Lucius.

"Welcome home," a velvety voice interrupted.

Draco felt sick to his stomach as he looked up, past his father. He felt Ginny tremble beside him, and looked down at her with concern. She had her eyes not on the voice, but to the still body of Potter. While they were preoccupied, three other men had appeared and began to carry him away, into his house. Draco looked away, knowing that whatever trouble Potter was in, Ginny was probably going to be a part of it.

The voice that had welcomed them took shape into a hooded figure. The cowl lung how on the owners face, hiding all except her ruby red lips, that were curved in a smile. The lady faced him, ignoring everyone else, watching Draco carefully. Draco shifted where he stood slowly, watching the woman with weary eyes.

Lucius seeing Harry off finally turned to the woman and took the hand she offered.

"Has He arrived?" Lucius asked, his voice barely containing his excitement.

"He is on the way," the woman answered, never turning away from Draco. It looked as though she was speaking to him rather than his father.

Lucius regarded him, looking distracted. "Go inside, take the Weasley girl with you," he snapped. "And don't gawk, you look like a fool."

Draco closed off his face immediately and began to lead Ginny past his father and the woman.

A cold hand on his arm stopped him. He looked to see dark red nails digging into his arm to halt his procession foreword.

The hand went up to his cheek and caressed it slowly.

"No hello for you mother, Draco?" the cloaked woman asked, pulling the cowl back from her face.

Draco didn't answer, but turned to continue past her.

"Such a pretty girl," his mother's voice stopped him again.

Again he turned, to see Narcissa holding Ginny's face by the chin, and inspecting her carefully.

"Pity," Narcissa said finally, but her hold did not relent on Ginny's chin. Ginny stared at Draco's mother in a mix between horror and anger. "You have been mislead, good blood, yet the wrong state of mine. Pity," she said again. "You would have made a good wife if they chose to change you."

"What?" Ginny asked, jerking her head from her grasp.

Narcissa laughed bitterly. "Take her to the hall, Draco."

"She's not leaving my side," Draco snapped.

"I do not expect her to. You are, after all still under the spell?" Narcissa asked softly, her eyes flashing.

"Yes," Draco growled.

"Then go," Lucius yelled.

Draco grabbed Ginny by the arm and dragged her away from the couple, who watched them leave.

"That was your mother?" Ginny asked as they walked through the doors.

"That was my old mother," Draco said bitterly.

"I don't understand,"

"I didn't expect you too," Draco snapped, at her hurt look he explained in a gentler voice. "My mother's just as big of a supporter to The Dark Lord as my father. After he disappeared, she changed into a more...tolerant person. Since the last few years she's began to change back." he shook his head. "I'm surprised she lasted so long."

Ginny didn't responded, for then they had walked into the entrance hall. It was magnificent; the ceiling was so high that at least three Hagrid's could have stood on one another's shoulders and barely barley able to brush the top. The paintings on it were ones of ancient runes, and portraits of wizards, who did not move except blink their deep and wise eyes. Crystal chandeliers lit with hundreds of candles sparkled, magically suspended around the hall, illuminating the ceiling mural, and the room itself.

During the time she stared in wonder, Ginny had forgotten of her peril, her mouth open in an obvious way of admirence. Draco didn't even smile in pride, he didn't even look upwards or at Ginny. His stormy eyes were searching the room carefully, for any man who might be waiting for them.

The doors to the foyer were open, and the sitting rooms were as well. Light from the fireplace spilled from its double doors, and the shadows of many people flickered along with the murmur of voices.

Draco felt Ginny clutch his arm, her head turned to the front entrance. He glanced back, his mother and father approached them quickly. Lucius with his usual grim look, and Narcissa the smug smile from earlier. But what he saw next startled him even more. Trailing behind them, looking very grim, was Professor Snape.

"Y-" Ginny sputtered, her eyes wide with disbelief. "You?"

"I will question him," Narcissa said, not giving Snape, if he had planned to at all, a chance to say anything.

"What did he want with her?" Lucius asked, jerking Ginny from Draco. "Will you take her with you to question later."

"No," Narcissa said, addressing Draco along with Lucius, Draco had begun to go after her when Lucius pulled her away. "Take her with you, or lock her up somewhere until I am done."

"I will watch her," Snape offered. "While you question Draco."

Lucius shoved Ginny to him, who stumbled and nearly fell. Snape stepped forward and caught her from under her arms.

"Peter will keep you company," Lucius said shortly. He looked at Snape with mistrust and hatred before disappearing into the sitting room. Peter emerged from it moments later, a glare ready for Snape.

Severus returned the look tenfold and Peter, better known by Wormtail to Draco, quailed. He had tried to convince his Master of Snape being a traitor, but failed, causing him to look more of a fool in Voldemort's eyes.

Narcissa placed a hand on Draco's shoulder, her nails digging into it, "We must talk," she said, with a twisted smile. Nodding to the open foyer doors, she began toward them.

Draco looked one last time to Ginny, who was looking very pale, before passing his mother into the foyer. Narcissa smirked, glanced back at Ginny a promising look in her eyes, before walking into the foyer, the doors shutting behind her.

~

"Sit," Narcissa ordered. Two chairs sat by an unlit fireplace, beside one was a table covered in vials. Draco sat on the one that stood alone, and watched as his mother sat herself in front of him.

"You are no longer bound," Narcissa told him.

Draco blinked, realizing that her words were true. During the entire episode he had totally forgotten about the spell. If they weren't true he or Ginny would be dragged through the doors, but he hadn't noticed. His eyes flickered, the only response he gave her.

"But why?" she continued, ignoring him. Her nails tapped a vial she held in her hand. He hadn't even noticed her picking it up. She offered it to him, her eyes never leaving his.

Draco took it, and stared at the dark liquid warily. He expected a truth potion, but they weren't this color.

"It's not poison," Narcissa said smoothly, flashing her white teeth in a sort of smile. Draco smirked, he didn't suspect it was poison. He was the Malfoy's only heir, to poison him would sign her death warrant.

He pulled the stopper off and drank the entire contents of the vial in one drink. He made a face at the taste.

It burned as it went down his throat and settled in his stomach. He'd taken truth potions before, and he knew most did not burn or harm the person at all. Only force them to tell the truth, without hope of changing their answer. Draco, however, had been given truth potions from the mildest to the strongest since he was young. To build up resistance, his father had said before giving it to him and asking questions. It had helped; Draco could drink any truth potion without being forced to answer truthfully.

"What did you do to it, Narcissa?" Draco asked, using his mother's name to annoy her.

"A few required adjustments," she admitted. "You have a tendency to be able to lie around most potions. I must be sure of the things I will be asking."

"Ask away," Draco winced, the potion was very strange. Not only did it hurt when he took it, but every few moments, a burn would spread through his chest. "Get it over with."

"In your time with Ginny, did you ever manage to get any information that would help our cause?"

"No," Draco answered automatically. He looked surprised, never in a very long time had he answered so quickly, or even answered at all.

Narcissa smirked, "Required adjustments, like I told you. How did you break the spell?"

Draco concentrated, trying to manipulate the potion for his own use but he found himself answering, "We understood each other."

"Did you kiss her?"

Draco struggled. "Yes."

"So I heard from your father," she frowned. "This morning?"

"No,"

"I see," Narcissa chuckled. "She kissed you then. So, what made you want to break the spell?"

Draco managed to delay the answer this time. "She would be killed when father came for me,"

"How touching," Narcissa said, not sounding convincing at all. "So what was your reason?"

Draco closed his eyes as he pushed back the effect of the potion. He let out a hoarse gasp of pain, it felt as though someone had stabbed a knife in his heart and was twisting it slowly.

"What was your reason?" Narcissa repeated a look of annoyance crossing her fair features.

Draco felt a cold sweat break out on his forehead and upper lip as he concentrated. Gritting his teeth he glared at his mother.

Narcissa picked up another bottle from the table beside her. "Answer, or another one will be burning its way down your throat." she threatened.

"My reason is my own to keep," Draco gritted out, rewarded with a fresh burst of pain. His head spun and by accident, he bit his lip. He could feel the blood running down his chin and neck.

"One last chance," Narcissa said, tilting the bottle back and forth. She selected another from the table. "If you answer now I will give you the antidote, and no more questions."

"No," Draco hissed, but another wave of pain made his eyes water and the edge of his vision darken.

"I trust her, therefor she is my ally, and I love her."

"Now that wasn't so bad," Narcissa cooed. He felt her cold hand press against his forehead and he jerked away.

"Ginny has feelings for Harry Potter?" Narcissa said, forgetting her promise.

"Yes!" Draco practically shouted.

"Pity," Narcissa replied, mostly to herself. "Do you see him as a friend, Draco?"

"No,"

"Well your doing something right after all." Narcissa laughed. She forced the antidote down Draco's mouth before he could protest. The antidote burned just like the truth potion had, only the effect of it wasn't immediate.

"Love," he heard his mother laugh scornfully. "You do not even know what love is."

Draco agreed with her, as he concentrated on disattaching himself from the slowing stabs of pain in his chest. He had no idea, yet he proclaimed it under the damned potion. "It's hard to know an emotion that you're never exposed to," Draco said.

"That's because," Narcissa said, cruelty in her voice and eyes. "There is no such thing as love."

Draco didn't answer; he shut his eyes, trying to block her very existence from himself.

He heard her stand and move across the hall toward the door. "Severus," she called. Draco raised his head, anger coursing through him. The Potion's Master came into view, Ginny standing beside him. Draco pushed himself to his feet and moved toward them slowly, trying to hear what his mother was saying.

"Take him to his room," was all he heard, he'd missed the rest.

Narcissa grabbed Ginny and pulled her to her side. Ginny was staring at Draco in mute shock, he had blood dribbling from his lip, which looked as though he had been hit there.

Snape gestured to Draco to follow him, and he did, sending Ginny a look of comfort before disappearing from her sight.

"What did she do to you?" Snape asked, as they walked to his room.

Draco didn't answer him, though he shot him a look with his steel gray eyes, one of pure disgust. Snape looked surprised at the look, then it hardened.

"What are you doing here?" Draco asked.

"Do not worry about it," Snape responded, opening the door to Draco's room when the reached it. "But all's not as it seems."

Draco walked in and turned around abruptly to stare Snape straight in the eye. "You're the last person that I expected to come back," he said coldly, before shutting the door.

Snape stood there, staring at the mahogany door for a long time, a various number of looks crossing his face. Finally, with a resigned sigh, he turned back toward the stairs, his mind racing for a solution.

Draco had at first been stumped at what to do when he was in his room. He couldn't leave, because the house would be teeming with Death Eaters and he just knew that Lucius would expect him to walk out. His eyes drifted over to the huge picture window beside his bed. He was on the second floor, and the drop was a long way down. He might have jumped, if he knew how to heal broken legs, and if he had his wand.

It should still be under his pillow back at Hogwarts. Draco's eyes drifted over to a closed door beside the window. The closet.

Draco sprang to his feet and raced over to it, throwing the door open so hard it hit the wall and made a dent. He didn't care; he was too busy pushing aside clothes and boxes he kept inside it. His hand made contact with a smooth, polished piece of wood and his hand closed around it. He withdrew his old Nimbus 2002, the one broom he used until the year before, when his father finally had gotten him a Firebolt.

The Firebolt was with Lucius now, but he'd forgotten about the one he'd kept in his room. Without even bothering to close the door he raced over to the window and opened it. Clamoring out onto the narrow ledge, Draco mounted his broom and sped off into the night, heading toward the direction they had came.

~

"Why would they all be in there?" Ron asked skeptically as he and Hermione hurried toward the room Draco and Ginny shared.

"Killing one another?" Hermione shrugged. "Draco and Harry at least, but I checked down at Hagrid's and everywhere else I could think they would go and still haven't found them."

"I hope we're not too late, it'd be a good fight." Ron said. Hermione hit him on the arm, causing him to laugh.

The door was closed when they arrived, no sound came from inside to indicate anyone was there.

"I told you." Ron frowned.

Hermione shook her head, "Alohomora!"

"Hermione!" Ron cried as the door popped open.

Hermione ignored him and strode into the room, then froze. The windows were broken open so nothing but broken pieces of glass jutted from the windowsill. A table and two chairs were broken, as if there had been a struggle and there was even some blood on the floor.

"Bloody hell," Ron breathed his face white. "What happened?"

"My father," A drawling voice answered him.

Both jumped and looked up to see Draco climbing inside by the window. He landed with a crunch on the broken glass and stared at them. He looked a mess, very unlike him, for his visage was usually impeccable. The whole left side of his head was drenched in blood, and the dark robes he wore were worn and some parts looking bloodied. His face looked paler than usual, but he looked away and hurried over to his bed. From under a pillow, he withdrew a wand, which he twirled with his forefinger and thumb.

"Gotta go," he said, grabbing his broom from the floor.

"Wait!" Hermione cried. "You can't just leave and not tell us what's happened!"

"I did," Draco snapped, looking back at her. "My father happened."

"Where's Ginny?" Ron asked, some color coming back to his face. He looked angry. "If your dad did anything to her, Malfoy..."

Draco laughed bitterly, "You wouldn't be anything about it," he said gravely. "But you can do something for me. Go tell Dumbledore that Voldemort has Ginny Weasley and Harry Potter at the Malfoy Mansion."

Ron flinched at the name but glared at him. "I will not be going anywhere but with you. I need to get my sister you know."

"No," Draco said coolly. "You will be going to Dumbledore's office and telling him my message as quickly as possible, because if you don't," he paused for effect. "It may be too late for either of them."

"Are you threatening-" Ron started but Hermione interrupted him, she whispered something softly to him before looking to Draco.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, Granger, that you should go now and quit wasting my time!" Draco snapped. Ron disappeared out the door, his rapid footsteps fading. Draco nodded, and started back out the window.

"Wait-" Hermione cried, glancing back at the door. "Ginny...Harry are they fine? How are they?"

"I don't know Granger," Draco said irritated. "Ginny was with me until up to this point, Harry was unconscious and being dragged around by Voldemort's henchmen the last time I saw, but if you keep bothering me they won't be fine anytime soon!"

"I'm sorry!" Hermione said, "I'll go! You go! Hurry!"

Draco gave her an odd look before shaking his head and taking off with his broom. He hadn't seen Ron grab the forgotten invisibility cloak left on the floor of their room, nor did he know that an invisible fellow followed after him.

At least not until he flew into his room and tossed his broom beside his bed. Drawing his wand, he turned swiftly and pointed it at the open window.

"Alright, Weasley...or Granger, show yourself." he snapped.

There was a guilty pause, and then the red head of Ron popped up out of nowhere, suspended by nothing but air. There was a scowl on his face, and as he pulled the cloak off the rest of the way he asked, "How'd you know I was here?"

Draco smirked, "I don't have to see you to know you're around, Weasley."

Ron glared at him, tossing Harry's Firebolt he had used to follow Draco down beside Draco's Nimbus.

"So what now?" Ron asked, crossing his arms across his chest.

Draco still hadn't lowered his wand, but he stared at Ron coolly. "I'm making this up as I go along."

Ron threw up his hands, "Wonderful,"

"I'm sure they're not going to kill them anytime soon, I'll probably be given the honors to do off with your sister," Draco grinned, he wasn't serious, but he knew it would piss off Ron.

He was rewarded with a stream of profanities that almost impressed him. "Tsk, Weasley, and you kiss your mother with that mouth?"

After a few more minutes of exchanging insults to one another, Ron finally calmed down.

"Listen, this isn't getting us anywhere, do you have any idea what's going to happen?"

"Probably a nice little ceremony where they'll kill Harry," Draco shrugged. As he said that, his memory flickered, "And I'll have to join up with Voldemort."

Ron smirked, "I'm not surprised."

Draco leered at him, "Believe it or not Weasley, the thought of calling that thing Master, or even being named a Death Eater makes me sick."

Ron looked at him dubiously. "Right..."

"Draco!" a voice called from outside his door.

Ron cursed and dove down behind Draco's bed, just as the door opened.

"The ceremony is about to start..." Ron heard the voice say, but he wasn't paying attention to that. When he had fallen, a sort of shield that had been propped up against the wall had been unsettled. It began to roll slowly away, a dim scraping noise making the voices quite. Swearing under breath Ron reached out to stop the shield, but in doing so, it tipped over and fell, smashing his hand.

At Ron's loud, and rude, proclamation, the Death Eater who had come for Draco drew their wands. Ron stood; picking up the shield as if he were to throw it, then saw the Death Eater pointing the wand at him.

"Avada Kedavra!" the man practically screamed, before either of the boys could move.

Ron stood frozen as the green light screamed toward him, a look of disbelief on his face. He squeezed his eyes shut, just before it made contact, tensing his body, waiting...

Waiting...

He opened one eye. The Death Eater lay on the ground, dead. Draco was staring over at Ron with mild admiration.

"What?" Ron gasped, "How?"

"Good thing your stupid enough to not hold that shield right," Draco chuckled, "Or you'd be dead."

Ron looked down at the shield he held in his hands, he held it backwards, so it curved toward his body, rather out of it. The inside of the shield was metal; two leather stubs smoked slightly where the handle had been. The curse had reflected back onto the man.

"Wow," Ron laughed with relief; he let the shield drop with a loud clatter.

"No!" Draco cried, but he was too late. The sound of running feet toward the door made him drop his forehead into his hand. Idiot...

A/N: Thank you so very much for all the reviews, you really helped me with this chapter. I almost gave up when my desk went nuts, but I'm glad everyone wants me to continue writing this! I had just started the sequel too, heh, stupid thing! Regan made a pretty picture for the sequel, its on the Author Bio! Okay thank you to…

MochaButterfly (thanks! Keep up with all those stories!), w&m_law, Dauphin, Tessie, medea (lol! Your reviews are always halarious, thanks ^_^), Hermione Gulliver, amaia riddle, Wery good, Kit (Lily K. O'Connor), Ariana Black, AnandaStarChild (hehe…), Segev, Abienne Dawning, Shiina Kurenai, Shiina Kurenai, dmtomriddle, Krissy, cheerangel503, ~*angel's little diabla~*, Realms, FireSprite, Kristen, danadian sheep, cooldot, DarkKnight (Thanks! I'm evil I know ^,^), GryffindorChick, Starlight!

I hope you like this chapter, I'm not very happy with it, I think its kind of…I don't just I don't like it. It must be a writer thing, cause you guys love all the chapters I thought I did bad on hehe ^_^ Thanks for the support! - Archer