Astray in Endeavor





Summary: Ginny Weasley disappeared within a week of graduating from Hogwarts, and Draco Malfoy swore that he would find her if it killed him. Now, three years and an anonymous tip off later, it just might do that. And if he's not careful, her too. In order to protect the world and the woman he fell in love with from a new and perhaps even more dangerous threat, he must swallow his pride and team up with his childhood nemesis before someone else disappears.



Disclaimer: I own nothing. I'm a University student. I have no money.



Note: This is nearly the last Chapter. I'll probably wrap it all up in one more chapter, then throw in an Epilogue for good measure. Enjoy!





Chapter 9



Draco coughed soot out of his lungs as he landed on the hard floor of the emergency floo in the Medical wing of their old school. It obviously hadn't been used in a long time. The first thing he saw when his eyes cleared was Madame Pomfrey fluttering at him.

"Mr. Malfoy! This is highly inappropriate. The floo system is not to be used lightly! The claxon nearly gave all my patients a heart attack!" She yelled at him angrily, bearing down on him, much like she had while he was in school. She pulled up short, when she saw Ginny.

"Good lord, what's happened?" She said, removing the young woman from his arms and swiftly getting her into a bed.

"She was attacked, kidnaped and imprisoned by Death Eaters." The woman sucked in a breath.

"Oh dear. I'll start looking for anything out of the ordinary." She ran off to fetch her Dark Magic kit. The thing had gotten many uses during the war. She returned quickly and went about her business, swiftly dismissing him as under her feet, and getting him out of the way by sending him to fetch Dumbledore. So that's what he did. He found the elderly gentleman roaming the hallways, rather distractedly.

"Professor Dumbledore!" He called out. He turned around, and his eyes glinted.

"Hello, Mr. Malfoy. I take it that you have been successful?" He said. Draco thought for a moment, and then remembered that the man always seemed to know everything.

"Yes. We've found her, Madame Pomfrey is checking her over right now. She sent me to get you."

"Indeed. Well, lets go then." The Professor turned back the way that Draco had come, and set off for the Hospital Wing, Draco on his heels It felt odd to be following the headmaster after being out of school for a couple years, but familiar and reassuring.

Though it had only been a few moments since he had left Ginny with Madame Pomfrey, by the time the pair of men had gotten to the Hospital Wing, she had finished her examination, and was tucking Ginny further into her bed, having changed her into a hospital gown.

"Hello, Headmaster. I didn't think you'd be far away." She said, putting away her tools.

"Is she alright?" Draco asked.

"Oh, I dare say she'll be just fine Mr. Malfoy. There is no lingering effects of any sort of spells. What she needs now is some rest." Mme. Pomfrey told him, smiling. Then Draco thought of something else.

"Is there any way to make sure that she's still Ginny Weasley?"

"I beg your pardon?" The nurse looked astonished.

"She may not be herself." He said, the woman looked at him, confused.

"I think what Mr. Malfoy is trying to say is that there's a possibility that Tom Riddle's mind may have gained control over her body. He wants to make sure that this is not the case." Dumbledore clarified. Mme. Pomfrey nodded.

"Ah. I've already checked for anything like that. I had to wake her up to do it, but it's definitely Ginny Weasley in there. Now, out! Both of you. She needs undisturbed rest." The nurse shooed them out of her way, out the door, into the hall before shutting the door.

"Well Mr. Malfoy. I think you have a few people to get in touch with, don't you?" In a flash Draco remembered the several people he told he would get in contact with first when he found her. Top of the list was her mother, and a close second was Lavender and Ron. Followed by the rest of the Weasley family, and then Colin Creevey. He also needed to get his daughter back from Hermione.

"Yes, sir. I wonder if I could borrow your fireplace?"

"Go ahead."



Several hours later, Mrs. Weasley had promised that she would come to the school in the morning, so as to give Ginny time to recover, the rest of the Weasleys had barreled through, one by one, just to see their sister with their own eyes. Creevey had been annoyed about being woken up in the middle of the night again, and threatened to hex him, before retracting that statement when Draco said that he'd got her. He also promised to stop by in the morning. With Longbottom in tow. Harry turned up in Dumbledore's office at around eleven, complete with a stack of paperwork for them to fill out, and a Witness officer to take their statements. It was midnight before Draco realized that the man hadn't said a word about the curse he'd used on the two Death Eaters.

"Potter."

"Yeah?" Harry looked up from his pile of papers.

"That Ministry guy. He didn't say anything about that Dark Magic."

"Well that's because I didn't tell them it was you." Harry said, turning back to a jailing order. Draco stared at him.

"You what?"

"I told the Ministry, in my report, that one of us reflected one of the curses they sent, back at them. I said I couldn't be sure which one of us it was, it got so confusing."

"You covered for me." Draco stated. Harry thought for a moment.

"Yeah, I guess I did."

"Why?"

"Because it wasn't a big deal. They were the bad guys, and Ginny was trouble, you can't responsible for your actions in that area. And because to see Ginny again is worth fibbing a bit on one report."

"I guess that means I have to say the same in my report."

"Yup. Can't have an incongruity."

"Thanks, Potter."

"Anytime, Malfoy."



At twelve-thirty, they were finally finished with the paper work that needed to be done, consumed many cups of coffee, and were heading back to the Hospital Wing. Draco had filled out his report to the letter, making sure to put in the bit about the Dark Magic. He was exhausted, but he wanted to get back to Ginny before he fell asleep. Harry also seemed to be dragging his feet. It wasn't surprising, considering what they'd been up to the last few hours. Upon arriving at the Hospital Wing, they found Hermione, and Ron around Ginny's bed. Ron was sitting in the chair next to it, and Hermione was standing next to him with her hand on his shoulder, her other arm occupied with holding a sleeping Andrea. She looked at them when they came in, and squeezed Ron's shoulder before walking over to them. Ron looked devastated. Harry took Andrea from Hermione, and then kissed her cheek, wrapping his other arm around her waist.

"What's with him?" He asked, nodding at Ron. Hermione sighed.

"We just spent the last few hours convincing him that she really did go missing, that she really did have a baby, and that she was in real danger. He couldn't refute what we said, since Silvanna was physical proof of what had happened. And then it just all sort of cascaded down on him. Before we got Harry's owl, he was going crazy. We've been here a couple hours, and he hasn't moved."

"Poor guy." Harry said.

"Where's Silvanna?" Draco asked.

"Lav took her to the bathroom. The poor kid was a little restless too. She won't sleep until she sees you, Malfoy. I think she wants to make sure that you really are still here." Hermione said. At that moment, the door opened, someone squealed.

"Daddy!" Draco turned around just in time to catch the little girl as she threw herself at him.

"Hi tiger." He said to her, she grinned at him, and hugged him. "Have you been good?"

She nodded, and buried her face in his shoulder and sighed. Hermione was smiling at them. Draco chuckled.

"What?" He asked. She shook her head.

"Oh nothing. Nothing at all." Lavender came over to join them.

"She was fine. A little excitable, but the manners of royalty. Kid like that makes me want to have one now." She said. Hermione laughed, obviously trying to picture the same thing that Draco and Harry were. The war had changed Lavender Brown just as much as it had everyone else. She'd grown up that year, and outgrew all of her old mannerisms. Instead she'd become something of a tom-boy, and she'd even started playing Quidditch with Ron while they were only just going out. She was almost as good as Ginny had been. Now she was the manager of the Furies, after sustaining an injury while playing with them the first year she was out of school. Picturing her having a baby was a little amusing. Lavender frowned at them, but grinned again a moment later.

"Yeah, I can see why you'd find that funny. However, I need to be getting my husband home and into bed before Madame Pomfrey needs to put up another Weasley for the night." She said, ruefully, before wandering over to Ron and kissing his cheek.

"Come on then, Ron. Ginny needs her rest. And so do you, she'll still be here in the morning." She told him, shaking him gently. He looked up at her, and nodded dumbly. He followed her to the door, she opened it and ushered him out. She turned back to them before she left.

"I'll bring him back tomorrow. Then at least she might be awake." She said, then left, closing the door. Hermione turned to Draco, but addressed both of them.

"We should get home too. Andrea needs to go to bed, and to tell the truth so do I. And I can tell you do too, Harry. We'll be back tomorrow too." She said. Harry nodded in agreement.

"I think everyone will be back tomorrow. See you." Draco said, and he turned to Ginny's bed as the Potter's left the room too. He took Silvanna with him to the chair that Ron had recently vacated. He sat down with her, noticing that she'd fallen asleep on his shoulder. He smiled, then turned his attention to Ginny. She was sleeping. This close, he could tell that it was not a peaceful sleep, but at least it was a natural one. He took her hand, and traced the contours that he knew so well. Wondering just how he'd managed to get through 3 years without her. She twitched in her sleep and Draco locked his eyes on her face. She didn't wake up, but she did move a little closer to him. He closed his eyes briefly, remembering the last time he had sat with her like this. Not surprisingly, she was there because of the same thing, Death Eaters. The only difference was that the last time, it was only one who'd put her there.



****



Draco knew exactly where his father was going to be waiting for him. And seeing as Ginny said that Crabbe and Goyle weren't part of the major assault, at least one of them was probably with him. It wasn't long before he reached a small clearing. He drew up short, not quite sure which way he was heading.

"If it isn't Malfoy." A voice said to his right. He turned, wand at the ready, and stood face to face with Goyle.

"Where is he?"

"Where is who?"

"Who do you think, you lumbering idiot. My father and his assorted cronies." Draco growled.

"I'm not going to tell you." Draco grabbed the other boy's collar.

"If you don't, I'll kill you now." He hissed. Fear flashed in Goyle's eyes. Despite being an inch or two taller, and at least a hundred pounds heavier, there would always be that element of the dangerous about Draco that would terrify him. He pointed into the forest, managing to look smug, but afraid at the same time. Draco released him, and went into the forest, in the direction he had pointed.

It wasn't long before he reached a second clearing. This one holding what he was looking for, and of course, a black cloaked figure.

"Father."

"Good evening Draco."

"I don't see anything good about it." Lucius Malfoy turned around.

"No, I don't suppose you do."

"Shall we have it out now, then. Or are you waiting for your puppeteer to pull your strings?" Draco hissed. Lucius frowned at him, but then he smiled knowingly. Draco frowned, then gasped when someone grabbed him from behind.

"Ah, ah, ah. You forgot to watch your back." Crabbe laughed in his ear.

"You always did fight dirty." Draco said, to the pair of them.

"There now, that makes life easier for me." Lucius said. He raised his wand, but just before he was about to fire an attack on him, Goyle lumbered into the clearing, dragging a violently struggling Ginny with him. He had her wand, but she was giving him a run for his money.

"Here, look what I found. An itty bitty Gryffindor, wandering the forest all alone." Goyle laughed.

"Ah, this makes things much more amusing. You really should have left her alone you know." Lucius sneered.

"Really, a Weasley? What were you thinking?" Crabbe laughed. In a split second Lucius turned his wand on Ginny and fired off a curse.

"Crucio!" It hit her, and Ginny screamed, convulsing in pain. Goyle let go of her, and she fell to the ground. At the same time, Draco growled and pulled against Crabbe, trying to get him to loosen his hold. Lucius hit her with another Crucatious curse before she fell unconscious.

"Well, at least we won't have to worry about her anymore. I might as well dispose of her along with you." Lucius leveled his wand at her again, and Draco felt cold fury fill him. Driving both his elbows back, he felt Crabbe double up, he stepped on the other boy's feet, and then elbowed him again, harder. Crabbe's hold finally loosened, and Draco sprung away. His wand was in his hand in a second. He aimed swiftly at his father.



"Avada Kedavra!" He screamed. His father crumpled, and he turned to Goyle. The boy gulped, and apparated away.

"Coward." He hissed at the empty space. Then he turned to Crabbe. He was recovering from Draco's attack, and pulling out his own wand. Draco beat him to it.

"Stupefy!" Crabbe fell. For the first time in the last 20 minutes, Draco breathed easily. He rushed over to Ginny and checked her. She was going to be fine. But for the moment, he was needed elsewhere, Goyle was probably with Voldemort now, and Potter and company wouldn't be expecting him. In a flash, Draco followed Goyle into battle.



****



He'd gotten to Potter just before Goyle took him out with the Killing curse. But he'd beat the lumbering idiot to it. Potter had heard, and acknowledged it with a single glance, and then they both went back to what they had been doing. He looked back at the sleeping Ginny. No, she hadn't changed a whole lot. Her face had slimmed a bit since he'd last seen her, but that had probably been the weight she'd been gaining with Silvanna. She'd also let her hair grow long. At the end of her seventh year, it had just been hitting her shoulders, curly and full. Now, while it was still curly, it had to be hitting her waist. He picked up a strand of her hair and twirled it around his finger. It was still as soft as used to be. Silvanna had inherited her hair type from her mother, that was for sure. Hers, though a strawberry blonde, was just as soft and curly. Although, the shine she must have gotten from him. He took Ginny's hand again, and closed his eyes for a moment, he was exhausted.



When he woke up, the first thing he was conscious of was Silvanna, still sleeping, but in a slightly different position, nestled against his chest, instead of his shoulder. In his sleep, his own head had rested on hers. The second thing was Ginny's hand, squeezing his. He opened his eyes, and blearily tried to focus in the morning light.

"I don't think I've ever seen anything more beautiful in my life." A soft voice said. He finally focused on her face, to find her eyes open, and gazing at them. She was smiling. He woke up completely and stared at her.

"What?" He said, dumbly.

"You and Sylvie. No one can doubt she's yours when you two are side by side." She said. How long had it been since he'd heard her voice? Three years, seemed a lot longer all of a sudden. He quirked a smile.

"Funny, I was thinking she looked more like you." She smiled wider, but then her face fell a little.

"Are you very angry at me, Draco?" She asked. He must have died and gone to heaven. Hearing her say his name was like absolute bliss. He squeezed her hand a little harder, then brought it to his lips, kissing each one of her knuckles.

"No. I'm not angry with you at all."

"At all? Not even a little bit?"

"No. Why should I be angry?"

"Well, for starters, there's not telling you about Sylvie. Then there's the running away factor. And then there's using Blaise as a secret keeper, to keep you from finding me. And if that wasn't enough, getting in trouble so that you had to come and rescue me. Again."

"But I understand why you didn't say anything. I also understand why you left. I don't care that you used Blaise as a secret keeper, because I've got you back now. And, getting in trouble is not your fault. It's the Death Eaters fault. And in a strange and messed up way, it's Voldemort's fault. So there's really nothing for me to be angry about."

"I would have come back soon anyway, with or without this problem with the Death Eaters. You know that, right?" She sighed.

"I know that now, yes." He answered, moving to explore the palm of her hand. She giggled when he reached her wrist. "Do you know how much I wanted to hear you do that again?"

"Do what?"

"Laugh. I've missed your laughter, Ginny. I've missed everything about you."

"I've missed you too." She sat up in bed, and reached with her other hand to caress his face. "Lord, how I've missed you too." They were just leaning in toward each other, when Madame Pomfrey came into the room.

"Oh, good. You're awake, dear. There are quite a number of people waiting to see you. How are you feeling?" Ginny drew back from him a little, and raised an eyebrow.

"I'm feeling okay, actually. A little tired, but considering what's happened, that's not surprising. A number of people, you say? My, my, how did they know I was here?" She squinted her eyes speculatively at Draco. He smiled at her, another one of her expressions that he'd missed.

"Well, I promised a lot of people that they'd be the first to know when I found you. Couldn't let them down." He said innocently. She smacked his arm playfully.

"Alright. Go find someplace for her to sleep without being bothered, and then I will see all these people." She said, indicating the still sleeping Silvanna.

"You can put her in my office. It's quieter there." The nurse offered. Draco smiled a thanks, and then gently lifted himself off the chair. He was quite stiff, but he made it to the bed in Madame Pomfrey's office, and laid her down. He smoothed her hair as he tucked her in. Then he went back out into the wing, stretching as he went. When he was back with Ginny, she nodded to Madame Pomfrey, who opened the door.

Instantly, a swarm of people came through, led by Mrs. Weasley, who rushed straight up to the bed and grabbed Ginny up in the biggest bear hug imaginable.

"Oof. Hi, mum." Her mother smiled, and continued to smother her with kisses.

"Hey, come on, mum, let someone else have a go." One of the twins, must be Fred because Angelina was next to him, said. Mrs. Weasley blushed and smiled, but gave Ginny another hug, before getting up and letting the next Weasley in line jump on her. By the time all the brothers, and their respective wives had all hugged her, they moved on to friends. Colin grinned at her as he hugged her.

"Welcome back, Gin."

"Thanks, Colin." He stood up and gazed at Draco, and stuck a hand out.

"We're even now, Malfoy. Thanks, and take care of her." Draco took his hand and shook it firmly.

"See you around, Creevey."

After everyone had gotten their 'Ginny' hugs, she sat and looked around at all the welcoming faces.

"There's just one question I have before you all start throwing ones at me. Where's Ron?" She asked. Hermione looked sad, and handed Andrea to Harry before going over to sit on the bed with her.

"Lav sent me an owl today. After she took him home last night, he took off. We don't know where he is. He was really shaken." She said, patting Ginny's hand. Her face fell.

"Oh." Draco came up to sit beside her as Hermione moved away.

"He'll turn up. For now, you have some explaining to do."





End of Part 9

Stay Tuned for Part 10