Title: Healing Spells

Author: Kayla (Adamanthea)

Chapter: 5

Warning: Character death involved (no it's not Ginny or Draco), and it's mostly implied not shown.

~*~*~*~*


Hey everyone! This is the new-and-improved chapter five. The comments I got were quite unsettling so my beta reader fixed a lot of the characterization problems (not to mention my grammer...er..) Anyway, I wanna give thanks again to Misty. Thanks.

- Kayla


----------------Chapter five--------------------------------
"Missing?" Draco asked sarcastically, "You're telling me that she's
missing?"

"Yes," Hermione urged, "No one has seen her since yesterday. I thought she
was somewhere upset, but she would've shown up after a day."

"You've looked everywhere?" he asked.

"Yes, her friends helped me search the castle."

"You said you thought she was upset," he asked in a worried voice.

"Uh... yeah! She sort of thought you loved her and then you just left her."

"Her fault." he said attempting to keep his act up, but he was failing
greatly.

"Come on Malfoy," she said "Ginny loves you and you love her. Why'd you go
and leave her?"

He sighed "Did she tell you everything that happened in the Astronomy
tower?" He had to tell Granger the whole truth if he wanted to help Ginny.

"Well... yes. I didn't think she would, except she was distressed, greatly
distressed."

He tried to make the guilt leave him. He hadn't realized how badly he had
hurt her. "Then you understand why Granger. My father said he was going to
kill her. Because I love her..he wants her dead. I thought maybe, if we
didn't stay together, nobody would hurt her. My father is going to escape,
if he hasn't all ready."

"You were trying to protect her!" Hermione was delighted to hear it. She
laughed, completely happy.

"Wow, one point for Granger!" he said mockingly "What else could anyone
think? I thought everyone would've seen it."

"You don't exactly have a reputation for being all noble and brave," she
snapped truthfully.

"True," he said "They took her. I just know it... I think my father is still
in jail, but Professor Snape and I both felt like he had too much power to
stay captured. I think some of his spies took her."

"Spies?" she asked "Didn't Dumbledore tell both of you that there were going
to be more secure measures taken?"

"That old man has been beaten a lot in these last few weeks, today's just
not his day."

"Is there someway we can save her?"

Draco thought for a second and realized that there was a place. Last year
his father had told him of a place all Voldemort's followers hid safely. 'My
boy,' he had said 'When in peril or in waiting for our Lord, there's a place
our groups gather. Only those true enough to the Dark Lord will find it.
Will you be true?'

I'm going to find it whether I'm true or not. I'm pretty close to being
evil, I'll find it.

"Yes," he said softly "I know of a place, but first I need to send an owl."

~*~*~*~


Draco took up a quill and parchment. He paused to think and then wrote:
Professor Snape,

Great advice you gave me. Next time, let me do things my own way. Thanks to
your advice, I couldn't be there to save the one person I've ever loved.
They've taken her. I know you are out of the area on "personal business",
but I'm going to the place where our type go. I hope I am the one to find
it.

Draco


Hermione leaned over Draco's shoulder "So," she said "Snape told you to
leave Ginny?"

"Yeah," Draco said angrily " Made me worry... now I sort of..."

"Wish you hadn't." she said sympathetically. She was trying to be nice and
helpful, but it was sort of difficult.

"I've got to hurry." he said to her.

"I'm coming too," she stated firmly "If you are facing as much as you said,
then you are going to need my help."

"Fine then, but if anything-" he said cutting himself off, "Come on, I hope
we can get to where we are heading."

They snuck off the school grounds a half hour later, as it grew dark it
almost seemed to easy.

~*~*~*~
Ginny opened her eyes suddenly. The last thing she remembered was a wizard
putting a stunning spell on her and her blacking out. The place she was in
was very dark, it looked like a dungeon. The atmosphere was thick with evil.
"Draco..." she groaned realizing that she was tied up. He was all she wanted
right now, while in this dire peril. She didn't care if he loved her or not,
she just wanted to be with him.

She saw people standing above her. These two men didn't realize that she was
awake, for they stood with their backs to her as if she posed no immediate
threat.

"Hey," said the first one noticing her,"The spells have worn off. Should we
alert Master Malfoy?"

"I think we should leave Master Malfoy alone," the other replied as if Ginny
was not there, "His ordeal against the Ministry of Magic must have been
quite the strain. The Dark Lord has declared Malfoy as his personal
assistant since he escaped."

"Better than Pettigrew at his side. Isn't Malfoy lucky?"

"Yeah." The man pointed at Ginny "Wonder what this girl's done to make
Malfoy want her captured?"

"Has something to do with his son... the one that our Lord wanted to join
us." The man spoke with the tone of someone excited over a good piece of
gossip.

"Yes it does..." said a voice from the shadows. Within a second Lucius
Malfoy appeared before the two men.

"Sir," the first one said smiling.


"Idle gossip doesn't interest me, and you are not going to be punished," he
said with a dismissive tone
"Leave now, I can be on guard."

Both of the men left quickly. Lucius smiled sinisterly at Ginny "You've come
far," he said "Too bad it isn't enough. Do you have any idea what my escape
from the Ministry cost us all? It cost us our hundred percent chance of
safety and compromised the locations of one of our bases."

"I don't really care," Ginny snapped "It's your own fault."

"Brave child, you are so much like my own son... but you will lose as
quickly as he will."

"You think we're losing to you? We are never losing."

"Come on girl, why do you think I have you here? My son falling into another
trap of mine. I hate to tie his stupidity to my name, all the times he has
failed. Now his feelings for you will cost your life."

"Your son doesn't even care about me."

"Classic love story. You love him and change everything. To protect you, he
goes to the next girl he sees and leaves you. Still missing and loving you,
he is lured into a trap."

Pretending not to be impressed Ginny spoke: "What Voldemort gives you physic
abilities too?"

"Spies are everywhere on Hogwarts grounds." He laughed amused by her shock.
The little girl had not even begun to realize Voldemort's silent take over
of the world.

~*~*~*~
"Do you have a clue where you are leading me?" Hermione asked after walking
three feet behind Draco for about half a day. She was beginning to think
about the punishment they were walking into when they got back to school. If
they got back to school.

"Not exactly," he said not wishing to explain. "If I find it though, it will
be the right place, the place to find her."

"OK... fine, secret place, don't tell me."

"I wasn't going to." he said flatly.

"Great..." Working with Draco Malfoy was starting to get on Hermione's
nerves. How could Ginny ever be in love with him?

"Wait," Draco said suddenly "We are very close." His senses ached. He knew
that the place was near, it was within him to find it. "Come on Granger,
follow me, and stay quiet." They reached an opening in the ground. "Here,"
they went downward into the hole.

"What the..."

"Shut up, we're here."

I can't believe I'm doing this, Hermione thought, I am going to Death Eater
land with Draco Malfoy, to save Ron's sister. This isn't happening.

Hermione almost gasped aloud at what she saw. This was the area of
congregation for all Death Eaters. They were a very repulsive group, all
standing there talking in their black robes. She couldn't help make a slight
noise at seeing them.

"Shut up," Draco hissed at her. She was being too loud and this group did
not shock him; his father had often taught of the low ranking servants and
how worthless they were. They still needed to find Ginny without alerting
any of these men and women.

They turned down a corridor, heading away from the group and looking for
more of a secluded place. They turned into a stone chamber and began to hear
noises.

Hermione remained quiet on Draco's orders, but wanted to scream when she
realized what she was seeing. She was seeing Ginny Weasley, Lucius Malfoy,
and the Dark Lord himself.

Draco looked back to Hermione. She wanted to scream out. He knew, because
that was the how he felt too.

"Is the boy going to come around Malfoy?" the cloaked man asked, "I am very
interested in these powers you have seen in your son."

"I am sure he will be, my Lord," Lucius said smiling "You must see these
abilities... I am sure they give him much potential."

Abilities? Draco thought What kind of abilities were they talking about? I
don't have anything special about me...Draco watched Ginny intently. She
appeared to be beyond afraid, she didn't look at either Lucius or his
master. She kept herself from getting too scared.

Draco moved ready to burst in. "Are you insane?" Hermione whispered grabbing
his arm and pulling him back "You against your father... and You-Know-Who?
You'd die in a second!"

"What do I do?" Draco asked sounding a little more helpless then he had
intended.

Hermione put a hand to her head trying to think. ~What do I do? I wasn't
prepared to handle this!~ "I've got it!" she whispered "I know how to
distract them and possibly make them leave. I'll start a fire in the room
with all those people in it!"

"Will it work?"

"Worth a try, if it gets them out of the room... then get her out of there."

"I will," he said staring over the wall at Ginny, "Just hurry."

As she was leaving, he tried to catch Ginny's eye. He wanted to prepare her
for what was coming. He looked again over the wall at her. Voldemort and
Lucius both had their backs turned. She noticed him in an instant.

He nodded and tried to tell her what was coming. Her expression turned to
sudden fear. Her mouth formed the word No, it was more than obvious that she
didn't want him to get hurt.
Then he heard screams of 'Fire fire!' and other screams of 'Use an
extinguishing charm.'

"What is that noise?" Voldemort asked angrily.

"Sir, I think it's a fire," Lucius answered. If the situation were
different, it would have made Draco laugh to see his all powerful father act
so stupid.

"Come we must attend to it at once," the Dark Lord beckoned for Lucius to
follow.
"Master, it's just a fire... I'm sure the men will handle..."

"Silence!" Voldemort roared threateningly "What if it is those meddling
Aurors? Your imprisonment cost us several locations all ready... but you've
paid for that error, correct?
"Yes sir."

They finally left Ginny alone. Draco moved fast into the room. "Why?" Ginny
asked unable to say more.

"Never mind that," Draco replied "Come on, let's just get out of here."

He untied the ropes binding her and helped her to her feet. "You all right?"
he asked.

She did not look all right. She wasn't physically injured, but she looked
hurt in a way. His father was the master of painful mental curses, and Draco
felt that now was not the time to ask her what he did to her. Her arm around
his shoulder, they left running.

As they reached the end of the hall, they met Hermione. "Ginny!" she yelled
and then she looked to Draco "Is she all right?"

Draco shook his head slightly and motioned for them to follow. They heard
cries from behind them and didn't dare look back. The voice that was not
yelling was Voldemort. "Stop if you know what is good for you," he said
deadly calm.

Draco pushed Ginny toward Hermione and said, "If you can, run with her."

Hermione gripped Ginny's shoulders and tried to push her in the opposite
direction. "No Hermione," Ginny protested weakly "I have to be here
incase..."


"All right," Hermione said in an uncertain voice, "If you think it wise, but
stay back here. You seem too weak right now."

Ginny nodded unable to hide her fear right now. She watched Draco stand
facing the wizards.

"So this is the boy..." the evil Lord watched Draco eagerly "Very
interesting. You were right about the lack of fear, here he is facing me,
the undefeated... but is it fear or stupidity that drives this quest?"

"The undefeated?" Draco asked suddenly "From the stories I was told, that
isn't so. Or is it too embarrassing for the 'Great Lord' to talk about?"

"Silence," Voldemort said sternly "I do not usually try this hard to get one
to join our cause... but my servant Malfoy asks me to spare your death for
now, because of some deep rooted darkness and signs of power. Show me these
signs."

"There are none," Draco replied looking above Voldemort to his father.

"Certainly there have been signs, my Lord," Draco's father spoke worried
over his masters look of displeasure. "Take for one, as a child when
receiving punishments, he used to come at me with extreme powers for a small
child."

"Oh yeah, I did didn't I?" Draco asked smirking at the memories "I could
attack you with your own wand when I was five years old."

"Never mind Malfoy," the Dark Lord smiled under his cloak "I see it anyway.
The evil, the certainty, and you got yourself here and lead this girl to it.
You are true to me whether you like it or not. Perhaps I kill the little
girl right here?" He asked this question directly to Lucius Malfoy who
nodded.


Before Draco could try again to rush Hermione and Ginny away, Voldemort
spoke again. "I have a better idea," he grinned sinisterly "Why not have
your boy kill them both?" He motioned to Lucius who gladly took up his wand.

Before Draco could react, his father had whispered the spell "Imperio", and
he found himself helpless to the Imperius curse. No, he thought realizing
the meaning of this plan. In order to initiate him into evil, they were
going to make him kill Ginny and Hermione.

He had felt the effects of the Imperius twice in his life. Once was last
year in Professor Moody's Defense Against the Dark Arts class and the other
was when his father did it to him, around the time he turned ten. Neither
time had he been able to defeat it. Especially the first, when his father
had been very drunk and found the spectacle quite amusing. Instantly, his
father's instructions to kill them hit his mind.

He felt his leg lift off of the ground. He was walking toward them and he
couldn't slow himself. The instructions to kill them we even stronger. Just
listen, one voice in his head told him, just obey the commands.

He went up to them. Hermione looked pale, like she wanted to leave that
second, like she didn't trust Draco's control for anything, but Ginny looked
at him confidently. She forced Hermione backward. "He wouldn't kill me,"
Ginny said looking deep into his eyes.

'What makes her so confident?' The evil voice of his father came in to his
head, 'You should kill her for acting that way.'

He lifted his wand at Ginny. 'You're right,' he thought. He pointed it
straight at her, ready to strike the final killing blow.

He slapped himself mentally, when he heard his father laughing with his
master in the corner of the room. 'No, I am not going to kill her. I can't
kill her, I don't even know how.'

'It is easy,' the voices urged, 'let go and it will work.'

Hermione watched, but didn't dare move. Ginny seemed confident that she
wouldn't be harmed. You-Know-Who, the powerful Dark Lord, was enjoying the
show, like it was for fun.

"You won't kill me," Ginny said softly, yet clearly, "I know you can't." She
looked at him with eyes that told him that she cared for him, and trusted
him.

"Brave," Voldemort said softly "She is very brave, but the curse is strong.
You know you have to kill her sooner or later. Just a simple curse for those
that know how to do it."

"Not difficult at all," said a voice from behind Draco's father. With a
crashing sound, Lucius Malfoy fell to the floor bound magically. Of course,
it was Snape, answering to Draco's letter. "Brilliant plan Lucius ... make
your son kill the girl. Don't you wish you would have thought of that
earlier?"


"My God," Lucius said "Not you again... this scene is getting too familiar
to me. You're always here to try and save the day."

"It's over for you this time," Snape answered confidently "The Ministry has
been following me for hours. In minutes, hundreds of trained wizards will be
here to end this."

"Nice to see you again." Everyone looked to see the calm, pleasant voice
come from You-Know-Who.


He smiled at everyone's expressions. "Yes, it was many years ago, was it
not?" he raised a wand "I have wanted to kill you for a few years now... I
am pleased that day will be today."

"Are you all right?" Draco asked, going to his knees beside Ginny.

"Yes," she replied "I knew you couldn't hurt me."

"What is he going to try?" Hermione asked them, referring to Snape.

"No clue," Draco said in reply. He was finally confused. Sure Professor
Snape had shown up, the letter he'd written was a back up plan. Still, what
did he plan to do until the wizards showed up?

"Go now!" Snape said suddenly to Draco "Take the girls and get out of this
place."

His orders were so stern, Draco didn't dare disobey them. Everything in his
mind told him to disobey the Potion Professor's death wish... but Ginny was
looking more ill every moment.

He pulled both of the girls away. The last scene in the cave they saw was
the Hogwarts teacher they despised, facing off with the evil Lord.

Finally, they managed to find their way out of the cave. The fresh air was
very helpful. They didn't even dare walk, they had to run.

"How long have I been missing from school?" Ginny asked once they were far
enough to slow down.

"At least a few days..." Hermione responded "It took at least a day to find
you."

"Oh," Ginny said softly.

"We should get back faster then we got there," Draco tried to be assuring,
but truthfully he didn't think he could find Hogwarts. Hermione also was
thinking the same thing, they were lost.

"Look at that," Hermione said pointing to some people "Those must be the..."

"It's the missing children!" exclaimed a tall man.

They approached the group of people. "Where is the place?" one wizard asked
anxiously.

"Up that way," said Hermione pointing.

"About a mile and a half up. I think you need to hurry," Draco added
thinking.

"Helena," the man said to a woman with long silver hair "Can you get these
kids back to the school safely? Minerva has their parents at the school and
they're very worried."

"Sure," she replied "Follow me kids..." A little more walking and Helena,
the witch from the ministry began to talk. "Your parents are all very
worried, you've been gone for so long..."

"It's good that it's over," Ginny replied politely.

Ginny walked between Hermione and Draco. She was quite short for her age, so
Hermione looked over her head to Draco. She looked down at Ginny
meaningfully and he nodded. They both agreed that Ginny didn't look so good,
but maybe she was just tired out from all the happened to her. Once they got
back to the castle, they were lead to Professor McGonagall's office. It
didn't surprise them that Professor Dumbledore was missing and McGonagall
was taking over for now.

"Oh my," she said almost fainted when she saw them "You brought the children
back safely!"

"Not me," Helena answered "No, these kids fended for themselves out there.
I'm sure the story is quite interesting, but I've got to be going."

"Certainly," Professor McGonagall replied unable to hide her worry "Please,
children your parents are in the other room... they are very worried."

They walked into Professor McGonagall's office. In the back corner of the
room were Hermione's parents, the out of place Muggle family. In the front,
waiting anxiously was the mother of the Weasley family, along with a few of
her children.

To Draco's extreme shock, sitting in a chair, looking extremely
uncomfortable, was his own mother. As the two girls went to their parents,
Draco forced himself to go to his mother.

"What are you doing here?" he asked trying to sound cold.

"W... what am I doing here?" she asked "Your school sent me a letter that
you were missing, after all your father was... I thought you were in
danger."

"Why would you care?" he asked.

"Please," she said smiling hardly "I am your mother and I love you."

Draco couldn't hide either his shock or his anger. Here was his mother, the
woman who claimed to not follow his father, even though she stood back
through everything he did.

"You sure showed it..." he said annoyed that she'd even show up here.

"Please, Draco I know where you're going," she whispered not wishing for the
other families to hear.

"You bet I'm going there," he said not even wanting to consider her "I want
to know where you were all that time when he was doing those things to me.
Even when I was little... you didn't exactly stop him from doing that."

"I couldn't..." she objected.

"Oh, so you watched him invent new curses to put on a five year old?"

"Draco," she said fighting the urge to cry, she had come all this way to
show her son she cared. "You have to understand how it was to marry him. I
married your father when I was young. I was too young to understand that he
didn't love me, he just wanted an heir to his evil. That year, when you were
born, was the year that You-Know-Who was defeated. Lucius was angry, he had
to redeem his image in society. Often he took it out on you. I tried to
object to his ways... but when I did he..."

"Don't," Draco stopped her from getting into it, "Please, I don't even want
to hear it today. I can't listen to the things he did to you. Mother, just
today, he tried to get me to kill under the Imperius Curse. I can't take
hearing it today, maybe we'll talk about this another day?"

"Yes," she said resolved "Now that he is gone from us, maybe, could you
forgive me for all I did and didn't do? One day could you?"

He looked over to where Ginny Weasley was speaking with her mother. "Yes,"
he said "I think I could... I'm a very different person then who I was. I
can."

"Thank you sweetie," she said.

"Hang on," he said "I need to do something."

He walked over to where the Weasley's were. He approached Ginny, ignoring
the fact that her mother, and her brothers were watching him suspiciously.

"Are you feeling any better?" he asked her.

"No," she admitted "Since you got me out of there, I haven't been feeling
right."

"Did... did he... did my father do anything to you?" he asked.

"While he was guarding me..." she said quietly "Yes."

"Professor McGonagall," Draco said urgently "I think she really needs to see
a nurse now."

"Are you sure?" Ginny's mother asked.

Ginny's youngest brother, who was over with Hermione also looked very
worried.

"Yes," he replied "If my father did any kind of curse, she could be hurt."

"That's probably a very good idea," said Ginny feeling terrible.

Within minutes, the school nurse was inside the office. She looked over
Ginny mumbling, "Something here is not right..."

"It's a curse," Madam Pomfrey stated, then she walked over away from Ginny.
"I don't want to alarm the dear," she whispered "But I think it's a
poisoning curse, a weakening spell. I didn't know anyone could still do
them."

"He can," Narcissa Malfoy stated "I've seen him do it before."

"She needs to come straight to the hospital wing," Madam Pomfrey said firmly
to Mrs. Weasley, "I can't manage this kind of weakening curse alone, they
call it a poison curse because that's what it acts like, a poison."

She turned "Minerva, could you get one of the staff to go get that Doctor
Roland from Hogshead? He's the only one who knows enough about this, and
perhaps someone could get Flitwick too. That man knows his curses..."

"Certainly," Professor McGonagall replied obviously distressed by her
student's condition. She ran out of the room and suddenly everyone was
bustling around trying to manage the situation. Draco felt helpless, like
there was nothing he could do for anyone here. Everyone had a place except
him. Ginny's mother went crying with Madam Pomfrey to get her to the
hospital wing. Mrs. Weasley turned to her sons and said shakily, "Fred,
George, Ron... get back to your classes. Percy can you get the word to your
father?"

At once, everyone was to their own business. Hermione's parents and Draco's
mother completely ignored, Professor McGonagall walked in and said, "Mister
Malfoy, Miss Granger! I need to speak to you both."

Hermione and Draco followed her into a smaller room attached to the office.
"I need to ask you about what happened tonight."

Draco felt lost for words to describe the night. Hermione recognized his
feelings and began to describe it in a slightly nervous voice. "I knew Ginny
was missing, so I had no choice but to find a way to find her." That
sentence began the entire story, which poured out of her like a waterfall of
words. No one interrupted. After it was over Professor McGonagall asked
"Anything to add Mister Malfoy?"

"No," he said quietly he hadn't heard a word she had said, too focused on
Ginny.

"Well," she said "This letter was dropped off for you this morning from
Professor Snape." She handed a letter to Draco. He turned it around in his
hands, he didn't want to open it. Ginny was hurt, and he didn't want to hear
more bad news. Hermione looked at him like she expected him to open it. He
shook his head slightly and she understood why he chose not to. She hadn't
gotten top grades in school for being stupid. She knew that when Snape had
pushed them out of that place, that he was going to hold off You-Know-Who in
the only way possible. As much as she hated Snape for so long, Hermione
cringed to think of what happened to him.

"Well," said McGonagall softly "I have much business to attend to now, if
you wish, you both could go home with your parents or head to your
dormitories and get some sleep."

"All right, thank you Professor," Hermione said politely. After McGonagall
walked away, she turned to Draco and said "That was pretty amazing what you
did in there."

"Not really," he replied.

"I don't know what happened to you," she said laughing quietly "Last year I
just wanted to hurt you... but now..."

"Hey," he said trying to make light of the situation "You did hurt me, in
our third year, I've never been slapped so hard in my life."

"Still," she said "It's quite amazing, something changed you."

"Something?" he asked "I think it was more like someone."

"Never in my entire life, will I get used to you're sweet attitude."

"Get used to it," he said with a desire to leave.

"Oh," she realized his fears "Why don't you go see how she is? I'm sure
they'll tell you."

"Oh yeah," he said sarcastically "My father did this to her and they'll all
jump to tell me how well it worked."

"She's probably scared," Hermione pressed "It would be terrifying to
know..."

"All right," he left her with her parents. On the way to the hospital wing
he ran into his mother.

"I thought you left," he said.

"I was going to," she replied " Then I thought I could be some help to them.
I've seen Lucius use that type of weakening magic before. That poor dear
girl..."

"Did you help?" he asked urgently.

"As best as possible," she answered "I could slow it down. Give her more
time until that curse specialist shows up."

"Do you think it'll- can she survive it?" He struggled to speak, finding
himself choked up.

"I don't know," Narcissa answered truthfully "Honestly, I think you should
go on and talk to her. She isn't listening to anyone in there and she keeps
asking her mother where you are."

"I will," he said "I'll be there for her as long as she needs me."

He watched his mother turn to leave with a quick goodbye. "Wait," he said.

"What is it hunny?" she asked looking much more disheveled than usual. She
turned around and tried to keep a smile "What do you need?"

"Thank you," he said "Thanks for trying to help her."

"It's the least I could do."

~*~*~*~
Draco turned the corner into the Hospital Wing. No one was at the front desk
so he walked into a small waiting room. Usually this room was occupied by
injured students, but today it contained only Mrs. Weasley.

He turned to the woman he had made fun of a few years ago and asked, "Mrs.
Weasley?"

She looked up, her face pale. She recognized him and said "Oh, what is it?"

"Is she all right?" he asked almost embarrassed. It was more than obvious
that the entire Weasley family hated him.

"For now," the woman answered softly "Your mother did a very effective
stalling curse... really extraordinary of her."

"She's pretty surprising," he admitted.

"My daughter wants to see you," she said with a tone of regret. Her voice
grew to a murmur "I disapprove of your friendship... but if it will make her
feel better, please."

"Of course," he said "That's why I came, to see her."

Draco walked into the room, once he assured Madam Pomfrey that he had no
other plans but to see her. "Hi, how are you doing?"

She looked up at him and smiled "Oh, I am so glad to see you."

"Me too," he replied "I was really worried, you got me scared there."

"You?" she asked "Afraid?"

"Yeah," he admitted "I get scared."

"I can't believe you came and saved me," she started laughing. The strain
was a bit too much and she had to sit back in bed.

"I had to," he said.

"Why?" Ginny asked suddenly remembering why she was angry.
"Because, I care about you a lot. I tried to tell myself that I didn't, that
I couldn't. I gave myself tons of excuses, I wasn't good enough, you were
too nice to me, I'm too young, but none of them kept me away.

"Your girlfriend kept you away," she said coldly.

"Please," he begged "Let me explain please."

"You do owe me that," she replied.

"I do. My father, he said he was going to kill you. Earlier you laughed
about me being afraid. Well then I was afraid, afraid that you were going to
be hurt. I was told that maybe he wouldn't touch you if I didn't care about
you. That girl... she was the only thing that would make me let go."

"Wow," she said happily. He moved closer to her side and she put her arms
around his neck "You shouldn't have done that."

"I know," he admitted "I was wrong. I was too afraid to see the truth."

"That he'd hurt me anyway?" Ginny asked sadly "No one here would tell me
what was wrong with me. Why I felt so weak... but when your mother came in
to help, she accidentally said it, everyone was so busy that no one
noticed... except me."

"I'm so sorry I let him do that to you," Draco said smiling "If I'd gotten
there sooner."

"I knew he did something to me," she admitted "I just didn't want to seem
weak in front of you and Hermione. Both of you are a lot stronger than me
and I didn't want to seem more like the little girl."

"You didn't," he said "I swear you didn't act any less than you should
have."

"I feel terrible," she admitted "I feel terrible right now, I'm sort of
afraid. I am afraid that this will kill me... after all I got through with
you."

"It's not going to happen," he said choking again on tears. ~I hate this
crying thing. Why do good people have to cry so much?~

"How do you know?" she asked surprised by his show of weakness.

"I want you still," he said boldly "and I always get to keep what I want all
right?"

"I trust you. What's that?" she asked looking at the letter.

"Letter Professor Snape sent me... I got it from McGonagall a while ago."

"He's dead right?" Ginny asked "Professor Snape, I think so."

"I think so too," Draco admitted thinking on the one thing he had been
trying to avoid "I really think so, it was something about the way he told
me to take you out of there."

"That's so sad..." Ginny said sympathetically "I can't believe it."

"Me neither," Draco said comfortingly.

"Come on Malfoy!" yelled Madam Pomfrey "Three more minutes and I want you
out of there."

"I'll see you," he said.
"Wait," she said seriously "Can I tell you something?"

"Sure, you can tell me anything." He didn't like the look of urgency in her
eyes. It bothered him...

"You'll think I'm really stupid," she said laughing "but when you first said
you loved me, and I said the same thing to you... my mind was screaming so
many times, 'This is so stupid, I'm fourteen... you do NOT fall in love at
my age. Girls my age use boys, they don't love them' Then I realized that I
meant it."

"I know the feeling," Draco said "Cause I feel it too."

"I love you, and I don't care who tells me I'm too young... or not mature
enough to love you."

"Thanks, I needed to hear that."

"Malfoy! Get out of there, now." Madam Pomfrey's yells echoed into the room.

"He's coming ma'am," Ginny said. "Go on," she whispered "I'm feeling tired
now."


~*~*~*~*~
Draco walked up into the Slytherin common room. Everyone gave him a cold
stare. ~What am I now, the Slytherin traitor?~

He climbed up into his dormitory. He sat down on his bed, very worn out. He
finally decided to open the letter. It was short.

Draco,

My decision was a mistake. I just thought I could prevent for you, what
happened to me years ago. Apparently the situations were different things,
but they both involved a loved one. I was your age when I fell for my love
the first time. You aren't too immature to love. You are the ideal
Slytherin, I've always known it. I apologize for messing everything up. I
want to see my true love again as much as you do. Also, I knew your mother a
while back, she was several years below myself at school and the top potions
student of her year. I have wrote the Headmaster about her taking the
position.

Severus Snape

Draco couldn't deny that the letter saddened him. He grew close to the
Slytherin head of house over the years. He forced himself to remain stronger
though, because he loved Ginny Weasley and wasn't about to watch her die.