Author: sunnycouger (sunnycouger@lineone.net)
Category: Drama, Angst
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: The characters of Harry Potter don't belong to me, I'm just taking them out to play and I promise to get them home to JK Rowling in time for the next book :) But, just in case you were in any doubt as to who they belong to have a look at this: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Authors Notes: This is it, the Sequel to the Somewhere In Between arc. Now I wasn't going to write this but if there's ever a way to persuade a writer to produce a fic it's to have one of their best friends threaten to blank her when she comes back in the country to go to uni :lol
Anyhoo, this is a bit random...and probably not particulary good but it does the job and leaves enough room if I ever expand, which I doubt. Anyway:
The order is:
[link=pub48.ezboard.com/fditchthelogicalaroswellucboardfrm19.showMessage?topicID=4.topic]Somewhere In Between[/link]. As always you can read that first and find out how the whole thing ends or you can take it as a stand alone and imagine your own ending.
This follows on to
- Of Purple Mice and Floating Paperweights, In The End, It Started With A Kiss, Meet The Parents...Weasley Style and Hopelessly
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Never Say Never
3 days. 3 days and 7 hours. 3 days, 7 hours and 37 minutes.
Ginny Weasley had been engaged for 3 days. Or she would have been if it hadn't been a ghost that had asked in a letter from beyond the grave.
She pulled a box up onto her bed and ran a hand through her hair. His whole life was being packed away and as soon as it was that would be it. Over.
Nothing else left to remind her of him save a few photos, a letter and a ring. Ginny Weasley sat down and looked at the walls of the room that had been like a home to her. She had spent more nights here than she had in her own room. It had comforted her at the time being so close to him. Being wrapped in his arms.
His body touching hers as they slept.
Now it left her feeling hollow, empty. Alone.
She lay back on the bed and stared up at the ceiling trying to think of something, anything other than him. Trying to make her mind blissfully blank like she had tried to keep it since it had happened.
Of course, laying here in his room, with his stuff in boxes around her that was near an impossible task.
She rubbed her forehead: some one would want the room that she had spent so much time in. Someone would be unpacking their life here in a few days maybe not even knowing about the person who had been here before.
She let out a scream as she covered her eyes with her hands. "For crying out loud Ginny, get over it already. Life goes on."
Apparently.
She didn't get up as there was a knock on the door and it opened. The first time it had happened she had expected him to walk through the door: blonde hair stuck to his forehead, tense scowl on his face and with a statement about how he would have to kill himself if he had to stay at the school and teach for the rest of his life. Of course when instead of him it was Minerva who had walked though the door she had hid how disappointed she was. How heartbroken she was.
How she would have given anything to take back the 2 days before he died again.
Instead she had smiled at the deputy headmaster and continued with the packing pretending that nothing was breaking inside.
So this knock on the door she didn't even react. It didn't matter who it was - it only mattered who it wasn't. And it wasn't him.
"Ms Weasley?"
She lifted her head to see the black clad Professor of potions Severus Snape standing in front of her. He hadn't made it back for the memorial service...actually, he hadn't made it back since it had happened.
"Professor Snape. How can I help you?" she began as she sat up on the bed and looked at the tall man who's sunken eyes actually looked more sunken than they ever had in the past. Of course, she reasoned, Draco had been a favourite of his for his entire school career so he would be upset.
"I...I heard about what happened," he said hesitantly as he turned away from her.
"Yes..." she began quietly, "it...um...happened 5 days ago...um, his mo..." she stopped because she couldn't force the word out so she took a deep breath as she continued. "The woman who gave birth to him killed him."
He nodded his head sadly as he took a deep breath and spoke quietly. "I am aware of that. I was actually present...when it happened..."
She stood up and looked at him. Her brown eyes wide as she felt her breathing quicken. She couldn't have just heard that. "Ex...cuse me?"
He span around and looked at her. "Believe it or not, this is not quite what you think and if you sit down I will explain what happened..."
"You were there? When...it happened? Did you...did you try and stop them?"
He flinched slightly as he shook his head. "Not exactly..."
Not Exactly? Her head was spinning as she looked around. She had to get Dumbledore, Lupin, anyone...Snape had been there. He had let them...
"Virginia..."
She looked up at him and in a moment of blind rage lunged at him aggressively. He kept his balance as she fought violently to get any kind of contact with him as he grabbed her wrists to keep her off. She began kicking at him in a bid to free herself.
"He trusted you!! He said you were the only one who could really understand! And you! You were there when everyone he needed most in the world betrayed him! He saw you when they were torturing him!" she managed to get one of her hands free as she struggled into her robes and pulled her wand and pointed it to him, angry tears filling her eyes as he let go of her other hand and took a step back. "You are even worse than his father!" she whispered, unable to trust her voice to go any louder.
He looked at her and took a slow step towards her as she clasped her wand tightly. "Are you planning on killing me?"
She pointed her wand at him and nodded her head. "You don't deserve any better."
He nodded his head as he took another step towards her causing her to thrust her wand further forward. "Stay back!"
He stopped and looked at her intently. "You know, we could sit down and discuss this and you will realise how mistaken you are..."
"We have nothing to discuss, murderer!" she spat the last word out as she glared at him.
"Pity..." he let out a slight smile as he turned away from her for a second before pouncing forward quickly and knocking her wand out of her hand as she fell to the floor. He immediately pulled his own wand and looked at her darkly. "Perhaps we will sit down now and discuss things now, what do you think?"
She shook her head as she glared at him. "I think that if you are planning on killing me you should do it and get it over with you murdering bastard!"
He let out what sounded like an exasperated sigh as he looked at her. "I am not going to kill you."
"Why not? Is it no fun without an audience or are you too much of a coward without the whore encouraging you?"
"I understand that you are rather upset. But we do not have time for this I'm afraid. Professor Dumbledore is expecting us..."
She shook her head, he was lying. Dumbledore would never, ever let a murderer go free. "Liar."
He shook his head as he looked at her coolly. "You are as pig headed as the rest of your family, girl! Now will you please act your age instead of indulging in petty name calling and sit up and let me talk to you before I put you in a body bind!"
She never took her eyes off him as she began to stand slowly. How could she get away from him and warn the others? She looked at him defiantly as she took a step back. "You are twisted..."
"You do not even comprehend what I am."
She took another step back as she noticed how far away her own wand was. There was no way she would reach it and if she didn't...he could get away. She couldn't let him escape.
In that second she span around and ran for the open door hoping that she could reach someone, anyone.
He let out a groan as he whispered a spell and before she had reached the door she felt her entire body go limp. Her legs unable to support her torso and her neck unable to support her head she fell roughly to the ground. She struggled vainly to move her limbs as he walked over to her and levitated her up off the floor. He brought her to eye level and shook his head sadly. "You brought this on yourself. How ever was Malfoy able to stay sane when he was with you?"
"Don't...you dare talk about him!"
He closed the door and sat her down on the foot of the bed keeping his control so she didn't fall over. "Unfortunately that is why I am here. Come, we do not have a lot of time."
She fought the overwhelming feeling of helplessness that was quickly overcoming her. She had never been so completely at someone else's power since Tom in the Chamber of Secrets and it terrified her. Nearly as much as her hatred for the man in front of her consumed her. "Drop dead!"
"Yes, we are reaching new levels of maturity today," he began with a sneer as he picked up her wand and put it in his pocket. "You are coming with me Weasley, whether you agree or not, so don't bother arguing."
He walked over to the fire and pulled out a satchel of floo powder. Her eyes widened - where was he taking her? In that instant he picked up his wand and chanted quietly. She felt the feeling return to her limbs but she was still in his utter control as she floated above the ground: like the Muggles had done at the Quidditch World Cup. He turned and looked at her. "If you were more co-operative earlier we wouldn't be in this situation."
He returned her to her feet but kept his wand trained on her as she looked at him bitterly but didn't reply.
He grabbed her by the arm and shouted the name of the Shrieking Shack into the flames where they appeared instantly.
As she arrived she looked around at the empty house expecting to see Death Eaters lurching around waiting for the kill. As none appeared she looked at him. "Why are we here?"
"Oh now you want to talk?" he began icily as he looked around the floor near the fire looking for something. "If you had been as co-operative before we would be there already. As it is, we are pushing it to make it on time. Now make yourself useful girl and help me find a goblet."
She looked at him, shook her head and refused to move. She wasn't going to help him of all people.
He looked at her and shook his head in annoyance. "I told Dumbledore he should have come. Insolent Gryffindor! If you want to get out of here you will help me find the port key, as soon as we arrive at the destination you will be able to leave. If not I will simply put you under the imperious."
"I would point out that that's illegal but you don't seem to give a damn about that!"
"Evidently not, now move."
He gave her a second to respond and when he was met with nothing more than silence he glared at her. "You have one second to get moving or I will make you look and it will not be pleasant. Do not test me Virginia, I am not close to being in the mood."
She turned around and began searching feebly as he looked around with vigour.
"Found it," Snape said with triumph as he walked over to her without the goblet. "Come over here."
She wandered over beside him and he grabbed a hold of her wrist. "I apologise for this, but there really is no other way. Accio!"
The goblet came flying towards them and he grabbed a hold of it. In a split second Ginny felt herself being tugged roughly backwards as the Port key took them wherever it was that it was supposed to.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
She arrived at the destination and collapsed on the floor. She had never been in such a turbulent ride before which meant that they had went a long way. She gasped for breath as Snape stood up and walked over to the window. She looked up at the dusty room and coughed. "What do you want me here for."
"Professor Snape brought you here at my request," a voice said from behind her. She looked around and saw Dumbledore standing at the doorway with her father beside him. "I apologise for the methods, we had hoped it would be less...traumatic but evidently it hasn't turned out that way."
"Dad?" she whispered as she stood up warily, her eyes filled with tears. What was going on? "Dad, he...he was there. He saw them...Draco...he was there. You...you have to arrest him."
Arthur walked over to his daughter and wrapped an arm around her protectively. "Shh Gin, it'll make sense in a minute, I promise," he turned and looked at Dumbledore angrily. "This should have been dealt with better!"
Dumbledore nodded his head gravely. "If I had known the situation sooner it would have been, but you know the reason it was done in as much haste as well as I do."
"It's too much for her!"
She looked around and felt overwhelmed. "Will you all stop talking about me like I'm not here!"
Dumbledore turned to her and gave her a small smile. "Of course, my apologies. We all realise that this must be quite upsetting for you."
"No kidding?" she said quietly as she looked down. "Maybe someone would like to explain why a murderer kidnapped me? Or why my father and head master is acting like nothing is amiss? Or where the hell I am?"
Dumbledore looked at her briefly before turning to Severus. "Did you not tell her anything?"
Snape scoffed as he turned around and shook his head. "I couldn't. She is as stubborn as the rest of her family and tried to attack me before I could say anything."
Dumbledore sighed and looked at Arthur with a shake of the head before turning to Ginny. "Severus is not a murderer, Virginia..."
"He was there! He may as well have used the curse...I bet he used the crucio," she turned and glared at Snape aggressively. "Did you? Did you use the crucio on him?"
Snape looked at her, a dark look in his eyes as he looked even paler than usual. "Yes."
Arthur and Dumbledore flinched as Ginny let out a pained gasp before turning to her father and Dumbledore wide eyed. "You...you see? You...you both heard!" she looked at them desperately as her voice fell to a whisper. "Why...why aren't you doing anything? You must have heard! Dad? Arrest him...why aren't you getting him? He...he...arrest him! Please...you must have heard what he did..."
"Ginny...we heard. You have to calm down and we'll explain."
She took a step back in disgust. "I don't want any of you to explain! I want you to arrest him! It was an unforgivable! He needs punished!"
"Will you be quiet you stupid girl!" Snape said irritably as he stormed over and stood in front of her. "I am well aware of your opinion, you have been spouting it for the past hour."
"Snape! Do not talk to my daughter like that!" Arthur said as he stood in front of a very confused Ginny.
What was going on? Why was none of this making sense anymore? She reached up to her neck and fingered the ring that was attached to the gold chain...this was already hard enough.
"Your daughter has to learn to listen to what is being said!"
"I think you should both be quiet!" Dumbledore's voice sounded over the bickering causing Ginny to jump. "Virginia, I know this is very confusing for you but you have to believe me that it will all make sense in a minute."
She shook her head as Dumbledore pushed past Arthur and Snape and guided her over to a seat. She looked up at him sadly without opening her mouth.
He looked at her with a smile. "Severus brought you here for a reason. We are near Prague, a small town near the city. Now before I continue, I need you to know that your father and I only found out about this yesterday."
"Found out about what?"
Dumbledore knelt down in front of her and looked in her eyes. "That we were overly premature to assume the worst 5 days ago."
"The...the worst about what?"
He reached over and touched the ring on her neck and gave a small smile. "I think you know...deep down."
She shook her head and stood up. No. No! She wouldn't listen to their lies. It wasn't fair to torture her like this. "This...this is wrong. You are all sick...sick in the head. I don't know what I did to deserve this but..."
"Ginny, we aren't lying..."
She shook her head as the emotions she had wrestled with spun around inside her head causing her head to pound. He was dead, they had buried him. Snape had been there. They had a memorial service, it had all happened! "Why are you doing this to me?"
Arthur walked over and knelt down in front of Ginny. "I know this is strange for you, but we only just found out ourselves...he, didn't exactly die..."
She let out a laugh as she stood up and walked to the door. "Not exactly? How the hell can you not exactly anything! You either do or you don't! There are no half ways!"
She looked at the three men and shook her head as she felt a sob escape. This wasn't fair...
"Ginny, please. This is hard enough for us to get our heads around ourselves so you have to bear with us," Arthur began gently as he looked at his heartbroken daughter. "The last thing we wanted, any of us wanted, was to hurt you."
"Why did you bring me here then?"
Arthur sighed as he looked at her sadly. "Because if we didn't, he would have went back for you and the whole thing would start over again."
Ginny shook her head and turned around. Every fibre of her wanted it to be true but she had realised days ago that you can't change the past.
He was dead. He was buried. He was gone. "He's *dead*...we buried him. It's a lie...please stop saying it."
"Ginny, I assure you I am not lying to you," Arthur walked over to his daughter and looked into her eyes. "I swear to you that I am telling the truth. We thought he had died, and that was the point. Severus saved him..."
"After he tortured him?"
"Yes but..."
She shook her head as she wiped her eyes, what was she supposed to believe? Things like this didn't happen. "But what? If...if he's alive then why isn't he here?"
Arthur looked at Dumbledore before continuing slowly. "Because he doesn't know you're here."
She let a laugh escape as she backed away from them. "You are all mad...he wouldn't put me through that! He wouldn't let me believe he had died!"
Snape looked at her coolly. "He wasn't in a position to let anyone know anything: he had just died after all."
"Severus," Dumbledore began sternly, "Ginny is confused so if we could try and keep this as simple as possible."
"People do NOT come back from the dead! No matter how much we want it!" she screamed as she ran out the door pleading with herself to wake up from this nightmare. It had been hard enough before but with the events she had to deal with today, it could only be a nightmare - real life couldn't hurt that much.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
She walked quickly from the building out into a large garden. It was then she looked around: it was really a beautiful place she had been taken. She walked down towards the bottom of the garden trying to clear her head and dealing with everything. She sighed as she saw a tree and out of habit she climbed up onto an overhanging branch and tucked her legs up. How many times had she done that? Throughout her school career and even before whenever she had to escape. A tree by a lake. A place she felt safe and secure. A place he would always find her or she would find him. A place where they could be alone or together... But here and now she was alone like she had been in the years before they had even become friends let alone anything else.
She lay her head on her knees and rubbed her eyes. What if what they were saying was true? He could have been lying up there for days alone with only his torturer for company.
But, another voice reasoned, people don't come back from the dead. Colin didn't, Dean didn't, Cedric didn't, Draco didn't. It doesn't happen. Wishing doesn't make it happen.
She began banging her head against her knees as the hopeless feeling she had felt since she had heard he had died threatened to overwhelm her again. "Wishing doesn't make it happen...of course it doesn't..."
But why would Dad and Dumbledore lie? They wouldn't do it for no reason. They said they just found out...
That was a question she couldn't answer. Her father would never hurt her. Never. But he couldn't be right...it didn't happen.
She looked out at the pond and tried to work it out as she pulled the ring off her neck and began playing with it as she thought, gently sliding it on and off her finger. She wanted it to be true so badly. So badly it hurt. But, at the same time, it scared her so much that it might not be true. It would be like losing him again and that would kill her. There would be nothing left of her if she had to go through that pain twice.
As she looked out at the water she heard shuffling footsteps walk towards the pond which caused her quickly to tuck her legs up closer and pull her dark robes up over her red hair and covering most of her face in an effort to hide from whoever it was. She couldn't face a talk from Dumbledore until she had worked out everything in her own head.
As the footsteps stopped close to the pond she squeezed her eyes shut as she breathed quietly under the robes desperate for them to leave. When, after a few minutes, they hadn't left yet she opened her eyes slightly and pulled the robes slightly away from her face in an effort to get some air to breath. As she adjusted the robes silently the ring that she had been holding fell quickly from her hand. She looked desperately as it fell and swore silently as it landed with a soft ping onto the hard ground at the tree base.
She closed her eyes desperately as she heard the footsteps walk slowly again - no doubt to pick up the ring.
"I knew you wouldn't believe them..."
She strained to hear the quiet voice until it spoke again. "That's why I told them not to do this to you. Not like this."
She let out a gasp as she immediately felt her eyes fill with tears. It couldn't be... "D...Draco..."
She pulled the robe away from her face to look around praying that her mind wasn't tormenting her. She had had so many dreams and they had all felt this real until she woke up and was faced with the reality. She looked down and saw him looking down at the ring he was holding and felt her breath catch in her throat.
Her heart began to pound as he spoke gently. "You get to say it again..."
She felt overwhelmed with emotions and couldn't trust her body to move. She was frozen solid, scared to move in case it woke her up to the empty bedroom and the painful future alone. "Say...say what?"
He didn't look near her as his hand grasped the ring tightly as if he was scared to move as well. "Tell me that you told me so. That's been twice you've been right and I've been wrong."
The tears were now streaming down her face as she fought to gain enough composure to form a coherent sentence. "I...did...I didn't want to...to be right this time..."
He nodded his head as she looked straight ahead, unable to force herself to look down. "I know that."
They stayed in silence for a second before Ginny couldn't stand it anymore. She closed her eyes and offered a silent prayer before she reluctantly spun her legs around from the branch before jumping down from the tree agilely. She landed behind him and forced herself to look at the figure in front of her impassively: she couldn't set herself up for a fall again.
He stood for a second before turning around slowly to look at her. As his eyes met hers she felt a gasp escape as she looked at his bloodied and bruised face, his arm wrapped tightly in a bandage and his fingers so badly broken that they were splintered separately with the tips encrusted in blood where they had been burst from the force of whatever blow broke them. She looked in his grey eyes and backed off slightly. What had they done to him? What had he let them do when he hadn't listened to anyone? "What happened?"
He shrugged his shoulders as he looked at her but didn't make a move to close the space between them. "Everything you said would happen."
She looked up at him and shook her head. "Not that. How...how did you get away? When did you get away?"
"I...don't know," he began earnestly. "I thought I was dead..."
"But you weren't..."
He shook his head. "Evidently not."
Evidently not. She took a second as she looked down. All that pain, all the tears she had cried, all the hatred and anger and guilt...it had been for nothing. The agony she had went through for him and it hadn't been real.
"So, when you realised you weren't did you think about letting me know? Did you think that I might be a bit upset?" she began angrily, filled with uncontrollable rage. He had put her through all that without even having the decency to let her know when he woke up? "Was it some kind of punishment because I dared to walk away from you?"
She knew she was being irrational but she couldn't stop as he looked at her wide eyed. "You think it was intentional? I was unconscious for 5 days!"
"You woke up yesterday! And Snape could have let us know, but you two were only interested in yourselves!"
"If I had known it was going to happen I would have, of course let you know but as I was in a fucking coma I think I deserve a tiny bit of a break if you can get over yourself! Besides," he began bitterly, "last I heard you said you didn't care either way."
She looked at him and straightened up quickly before walking over to him and slapping him hard across the face angrily, ignoring how painful it already looked. She took a step back and shook her head. "I didn't care, but I could have got to Munich a few days earlier if I didn't have to make an appearance at your funeral."
Her heart began to ache as a look of crushing pain crossed his face for a second before his eyes turned cold as he gave her a cool sneer as he pointed into the distance. "Don't let me stop you then, Germany's that way."
She stormed past him angrily before stopping a few feet away. What was she doing? What were they doing? She had wanted this more than anything and she was arguing with him over it? Over the fact that he hadn't died? She spun around to look at him the same time he turned to look at her with a remorseful look on his face as he shook his head and shrugged his shoulders, clearly asking himself the same questions she had been asking herself.
She looked at him apologetically but couldn't find the words to say it. To say how sorry she was that Narcissa had betrayed him. How sorry she was that he had to go through that alone. How sorry she was she hadn't spoken to him that night at the Burrow...
He took a pained step towards her first. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry I put you through all of this, Ginny. You are the last person I would do this too..."
She shook her head as she looked up at him. "You didn't do anything wrong..."
He took another step until he was standing only a few paces away from her. "I brought you into this, I didn't listen to you, I let you walk away from me, I didn't get in contact sooner, I made you cry..."
She smiled slightly as she looked down as her eyes filled with tears. "I didn't cry..."
He hesitantly reached over and lifted her chin up so that she was looking at him. As her eyes made contact with his the tears began to fall. It was real. She wasn't going to wake up.
He reached over and wiped the tear drops from her cheek with a sigh. "I can see that..."
"Good..." she began quietly, savouring the contact of his touch. "What happened? I want to know everything...it all, not the edited version."
He looked at her sadly as he dropped his hand and the distance between them emerged again. "I went to see my...my..." he looked down and clenched his unbandaged hand tightly as he tried to force the word out.
"You went to see Narcissa," she said for him so he didn't have to say it himself. "You went to see her and your dad was there."
He nodded his head. "And professor Snape, and ironically Crabbe and Goyle...they were all apparently the people I had 'betrayed' most when I had betrayed the Dark Lord and as such they were the ones that should exact their revenge."
She bit her lip but didn't open her mouth as he spoke. "It...was decided I might be able to tell them...about Dumbledore or anything relating to the Ministry because..."
"Because of my Dad and Percy?"
He smiled slightly and nodded again as he took a deep breath. "So, they gave me some Veristratum...well, Snape gave me something that the others thought was Veristratum. It helped dull the sensations: the pain and...that kind of thing. So the lot of them asked the questions and as I couldn't give them the answers they..." he flinched slightly before shaking his head defiantly. "That doesn't matter, what matters is I lost consciousness before I became aware of Snape whispering some enchantment in the Dungeons. I wasn't sure what it was but he said it would keep me safe before he forced some potion down my throat. Next thing I remember is being dragged back to the others and..." he took another deep breath before looking up. "And that's when it happened. I woke up here early yesterday..."
She nodded her head as she looked at him trying to mask the utter pain he was in unsuccessfully. "Draco...I am so sorry I was right."
He shook his head as he kept his gaze down. "Don't be, I was stupid not to realise it myself."
She took a step towards him and reached out and took his hand which was clenched so tight the knuckles were white. "You weren't stupid."
He looked up at her sadly. "You didn't say that at the time."
"No, I didn't..." she conceded gently as she looked at him. "But I...might have been wrong. I might have done the same thing if I was you."
"The difference," he said quietly as she reached up and gently touched his swollen cheekbone, "is that you wouldn't be in that position."
"No, I wouldn't...but it's in the past," his eyes were misty and it broke her heart to see it. He had wanted to be right so badly. He had needed it so badly. "It's not your fault that it happened, Draco."
"Everyone saw it coming..." he began slowly, "everyone else. They all told me...don't be stupid, it's a trap. Did I listen..."
"We all knew how much it meant to you..."
He looked up at her - his lip trembling slightly as a tear fell and he whispered quietly. "I hate her so much...I really hate her..."
She felt her own eyes fill as she wiped his tears away quickly. She would kill Narcissa for this.
She looked at him and tried to say something that would comfort him but couldn't find the words. She knew what she wanted to say: she wanted to tell him that she loved him, that she would always be there to help him through it. That she would give anything to take the pain from him. But she couldn't bring herself to say it, the pain of him leaving her refusing to let her. And she hated herself for hurting him because of her pride. "I...know...I don't know what to say..."
He took a step back as he wiped his eyes quickly and looked at her sadly as he seemed to come to some realisation about her. "You don't have to say anything."
She looked at him as they stood in an awkward silence which they both wanted to break but didn't know how. After a minute she took a deep breath and began to talk quickly, trying to force the words out before she could think about what she was actually saying.
"I...I wrote you a letter, you know. Before I found out...it was, I never posted it because I was just getting the owl out of the cage when I found out. But..." she took a deep breath. "But in the letter...I said that I wanted you to be safe and that as soon as you got back we would have to talk, because there was a lot to work out. What I mean is...that's true. We have a lot to talk about before we make any decisions....you know...we should take some time and talk..."
She couldn't believe what she was forcing herself to say. Every fibre was screaming at her to take it back before he could respond but she couldn't.
He looked at her and nodded his head. "Yes, I agree. But..." he looked at her sadly before forcing his shoulders back and forcing a smile. "But, I believe that we should leave that talk for a few months. I mean, you have a life back home and I don't and...and it would maybe be easier for us to make informed decisions afterwards. Don't...you agree?"
Inwardly she felt every defence crumble as her insides constricted again. Why was she doing this to them? Why couldn't she let them both be happy? Why couldn't she say no. Why couldn't she just tell him she wanted more than that? "Yes...I...agree."
"I suppose there is nothing else left to say?" he said quietly without looking at her.
She bit her lip, everything inside her screaming at her to say that she had more to say. "I suppose..."
He nodded his head as he looked at her before reaching out and taking her hand in his less injured hand and reaching down and kissing it gently. "Stay well Ginny, be happy."
"You too..." she sniffed and closed her eyes tightly as he hugged her close. She couldn't fight the sob escaping as a voice called from behind them. She pulled away and spun around to see who it was.
"Dad...what is it?"
Arthur looked at her sadly. "I was looking for you both."
She forced a smile and nodded her head as she turned back to look at Draco who was now gone from where he was standing. "You found...Draco?"
"He apparated. I...guess you two had a chance to talk then? You see we weren't lying?"
She nodded her head as she looked at the empty space that Draco had been standing in. "Yes...we..are taking a few months..." she turned and looked at Arthur. "Where...where would he have went?"
He looked at her in concern. "Did you two have a fight?"
Ginny shook her head. "No...it's just..." she rubbed her forehead hardly believing she was saying the words out loud. "He left me for her. He was willing to die to prove a point and he didn't think about me or my feelings at all...how can I be with someone like that? I tried to pretend that it was okay to him but...it's not. It's not."
"Narcissa?"
She nodded her head sadly. "I know I'm a horrible person...but...it hurt me so much when I thought he had died and...if it happened again..."
"It would be too hard? I understand that and it doesn't make you a horrible person, Gin," Arthur looked at Ginny sadly. "You have had to deal with so much today and I wish so much that it had been me or Dumbledore who had come to get you then you would have maybe understood."
"Why didn't you come for me?"
Arthur sighed and shook his head. "Because we had to talk to Draco, he was slightly uneasy at being alone with Snape after what happened. It was very hard for him..."
She nodded her head. "I know that..."
"Sweetheart, I know I'm not Malfoy's greatest fan. Actually, I'm not a fan of his at all but...I've grown to appreciate what happened to him and how hard it was for him to do what he did. I am sorry I made it as hard for you and I'm sorry I doubted the depth of his feelings for you. Especially after what he said yesterday..."
"What...what did he say?"
"Did he not tell you?"
She shook her head as Arthur continued. "Well...he woke up just after Dumbledore and I arrived and the first thing he asked after he was coherent was where you were and where you safe. As soon as Dumbledore told him what happened and what we had all believed he lost it. Completely off his head as he tried to get back to Hogwarts. He actually cursed Snape for refusing to tell him where he was and for lying to everyone. He couldn't understand why he would put you through that..."
Ginny nodded her head. "I have a hard time dealing with that myself..."
Arthur took a deep breath as he sat down on the ground beside Ginny and indicated for her to join him which she did. "I have never seen a man look that crushed before - he never said it but the whole situation - his mother, Snape, you...he blamed himself for it all..."
"Was he..."
"He was broken. The only way we could stop him coming for you there and then was promising him we would let you know."
"But you didn't...not right away..."
"No, but we had to weigh the options," Arthur reached out and took Ginny's hand as he spoke gently. "As far as You Know Who and the Malfoys were concerned he was dead, that was a good thing for him, for the two of you. He now could have a full life out of Britain or a half life in it. That's what we told him..."
Ginny nodded her head; finally it was starting to make sense. "What...did he say?"
Arthur allowed himself to smile almost proudly. "He said he'd take the half life if that's the only way he could talk to you."
She closed her eyes as she smiled sadly. "He never told me that..."
Of course he didn't, you didn't give him a chance.
She couldn't help but smile as she thought about him: so alive and fighting to see her - to explain it to her. And she hadn't even gave him the opportunity...
"Well, maybe after you both have your break he'll do it," Arthur said with a look at his daughter. "Of course, I know how happy you both should be so I'm surprised that you're here with me just now instead of with him. But, I understand why you're upset so we'll head home as soon as you're ready, okay?"
Home? She looked at her father with shake of the head as her hand went up instinctively to her neck only to realise that the ring wasn't there, and the locket she wore before hand wasn't there either. Every link to their relationship was gone and her heart began to pound in the realisation that she had gave up everything she had ever wanted out of her own petty pride. She couldn't leave him, deep down they were meant to be together and as much as she could pretend she wanted it otherwise the fact was she didn't want them to be apart. It was even more than that - she couldn't live with them apart because of this.
"I...I can't go home yet. I...I just got here."
"But, you have nothing to stay here for," Arthur began gently, "do you?"
"No...yes..." she began quietly as she looked at the house. "I don't know..."
He reached over and took his daughter's hand. "Maybe you should think about it then? Before we leave?"
"Maybe..." she stood and looked up at the house, what did she really have to think about? Nothing. She knew what she wanted. "I should go in...apologise to Dumbledore..."
Arthur smiled slightly not fooled for a second as he wiped his glasses on his robes. "Well, don't go near the summer house out the back then. Dumbledore said we shouldn't go near that because that's where Draco spent all of yesterday..."
She allowed herself to smile. "Really? Okay, I should go...thanks Dad."
She bent down and hugged her father before running towards the back of the house and trying to find a summer house. She looked around until she saw the small building nestling in amongst the trees and a smaller pond in front of it. She took a deep breath and began walking quickly towards it.
As she reached it she stopped and opened the door tentatively only to find it empty. A look of disappointment flooded over her as she stepped out the house and looked around fighting against the impulse to call his name.
"Draco where are you?" she whispered quietly as she bent down and touched the cool water in the pond with a sigh. How could she lose him again? Out of her own stupidity. "Idiot Ginny. Complete idiot."
She jumped slightly when she heard a voice coming from the trees behind her. "I wouldn't say that. Idiots don't generally make such good decisions."
She spun around to see Draco leaning against a tree as he looked at her.
"I was looking for you," she took a deep breath as he took a few steps towards her. "You disappeared before I could talk to you."
He nodded his head. "I thought it would be for the best. For a few months, a clean break and all that."
She bit her lip as she shook her head. "I never said that."
"You said we were taking a few months before we discussed things."
She looked at him and folded her arms. "Well, that was when I thought we would be in different countries."
"And we will be as soon as you leave."
She bit her lip gently as she fought the need to smile as she spoke quietly. "Well, I can't leave...you have something that belongs to me."
He sighed as he looked at her, his bandaged arm held close to his chest to ease the paid. "Ginny, everything I had of yours is still in Hogwarts. You can take whatever it is...it isn't like I can go back and pick it up anyway."
She shook her head and pursed her lips. "It's not in Hogwarts. And I...I'm not leaving until I have it back."
He looked at her in confusion as he reached up and touched her forehead to feel for a temperature. "Snape didn't curse you did he? Because I swear you are not making sense. I haven't got anything here: I only own what I am standing in at the moment."
"Exactly," she shook her head and forced herself not to smile as she looked at him expectantly. "so, hand it over Malfoy."
His eyes narrowed slightly as he began to lose his temper. She bit her lip again as butterflies started in her stomach. Even bruised and beaten like he was he could still make her heart do somersaults with a look.
"Oh it's Malfoy now? Fine Weasley, tell me what I apparently have because it may be down to the fact I have been unconscious for the best part of a week and in considerable pain but I can't think about what I could possibly have that belongs to you."
She held her hand up and wiggled her ring finger with a smile. "You picked up a ring that belonged to me, a gift I was given."
He gasped before letting out a laugh as he shook his head as she began to smile slightly. "Uh-uh, no way. That ring is mine, Weasley..."
"But it looks better on me and I was given it, albeit under false pretences. So give it back..."
"In that case," he pulled the ring out of his robe pocket and held it up to her as he took a step towards her. "Definitely not..."
She smiled moved forward until they were merely inches apart. "I told you I'm not leaving here until I have it..."
He looked down at her and his breathing quickened slightly before he shook his head. "I guess you're not leaving then."
She reached up and touched his face with the palm of her hand. "Guess not..."
He looked at her hesitantly before bending down and kissing her gently. As his lips made contact with hers she immediately felt released and free again as she kissed him back hungrily before pulling back. "I'm sorry. I made a mistake...I don't want us to take time."
He smiled as he looked at her. "You made a mistake 2 years ago..."
She reached up and stroked his face tenderly. "I've made a lot of mistakes, but not that. You hurt me so much when you left though..."
He nodded his head as he looked at her. "I know I did. You...you got me back though when you wouldn't talk to me at the Burrow."
She closed her eyes as the memory of his pained eyes looking straight at her as he projected into the Burrow replayed. "I remember that...I was so angry at you..."
He touched her skin gently. "With good reason."
She shook her head. She didn't need to go over that again. She just wanted to forget the last week ever happened. "It's not important anymore. It's in the past..."
He looked at her probingly. "Are we? In the past I mean?"
She shook her head vehemently. "No. I hope not anyway," she looked at him sincerely as she continued, "I really hope not."
He smiled slowly as he looked at her. "Me too..."
She reached up and kissed him again, careful not to hurt him. As she pulled away from him she looked at him disapprovingly. "If I had my wand I could have fixed this for you. I can't believe no one bothered to heal you."
"I wasn't very co-operative..." he gave her a slight smirk. "I am apparently the worst invalid that your father has ever seen."
"My father really likes you, you know?"
He looked down and nodded his head. "He said he had a new found respect for me...of course that was after I had cursed Snape so I wasn't sure if that was why he said it."
She let a laugh out as she took his hand. "I wish I had seen that."
"I wish I would have been able to enjoy it more...but I was in a blind rage apparently."
They stood in silence for a minute before she looked at him with a slow smile. "So?"
"So what?"
"Can I get my ring back?"
He let a laugh out as he shifted slightly trying to mask the look of pain that the movement caused. "It always comes back to the damn ring doesn't it?"
"You know it."
He looked at her with a sigh as he held the ring up and examined it before looking at her. "I can't give it to you..."
"Why?"
He took a step closer to her as he whispered. "I can't give it to you it unless you let me put it on you - marry me Ginny...I know I have made mistakes, a lot of mistakes and I know I hurt you...but I swear I will make it up to you," he dropped down slightly so that he was eye level with her. "I love you more than I thought was possible. Marry me..."
She felt her eyes fill with tears as the words that had broken her heart days ago on the letter filled her with such unbelievable joy. "Yes Draco...I will marry you."
"Really?" he looked almost shocked as she wiped her eyes as she laughed gently.
"Really."
He grinned happily ignoring the pain as he reached down and slid the ring on her finger before leaning his head forward and touching her forehead. "Thank you."
She looked at the ring and closed her eyes savouring the moment. She knew that they had a lot to deal with still. But, she also knew they could do it because they had made it through this and nothing could be worse. It had been a roller coaster - a torturous roller coaster that had come to a stop where it always should have come to an end.
Draco alive, them together, free and in love.
And she wouldn't give that, or him up for anything.