Disclaimer: I don't own anything here except for Jake the big old butt head.
Shortly after Ginny left Draco received an owl. It was the letter he'd been dreading for a long time. It was in his father's scrawl and it read simply.
Success, I have Potter and his little friends too. Weasleys who call themselves wizards, and the mudblood that somehow is beating you in potions are the honored guests. Be at the shrieking shack at 9 and you will finally see the downfall of the sniveling little Potter. The Dark Lord will be avenged.
That was it, nothing else. No signature, nothing. His father must have written it in a hurry. Draco's heart hammered in his chest. His hands became sweaty and he had a sudden urge to vomit. His father had Ginny. Oh God, his father had Ginny! Without thinking, he grabbed his wand and sprinted out of the room. The journey to the shack was filled with thoughts of Ginny and her sweetness and of the many ways his father could ruin it all. Stealing away the only thing he'd ever cared about, the only thing he'd ever loved. If he hurt her he would pay. Father or not, Ginny was his priority. He forced himself to slow down, to assume an air of nonchalance. To act as if nothing going on inside the shack was on his mind. He paused outside the secret entrance and listened to his father's words.
"I'm waiting for my son. You're right though, why be bored until he arrives. I think I would enjoy having a little fun with a group of Hogwarts best. Now I'll get the chance to see how sturdy Dumbledore's finest really is."
"I'm here father." Draco stated loudly as he stepped into the room. "Finally caught Potter, eh? I knew you would. He's a stupid git after all isn't he?" Draco didn't even look at Ginny as he entered the room, he knew if he did he'd lose his composure. That was something he couldn't afford to do right now. He felt his slightly shaky hands and mentally commanded them to stop. His father could not see any sign of weakness from Draco or he'd lose any chance of helping anyone.
"Ahh! Draco, just in time. I was beginning to think you weren't coming. Why were you late by the way?" Lucius asked mildly, still keeping most of his attention focused on his hostages.
"Busy with something." Draco replied vaguely with a shrug.
"Something important obviously or you wouldn't have been late." It was a statement but also a question. His father cast him a quick inquiring glance.
"Yes, something very important." Draco replied nodding his head, and thinking of how sweet Ginny tasted and of the way she'd come apart in his hands. Love, she'd spoken of love. Her love was something he couldn't lose now. Thinking back, he certainly had been doing something important, something very important.
"It doesn't matter, all that matters is that you're here son." Lucius looked very pleased that his son was here with him and was about to witness the destruction of the boy who lived.
"Before you arrived I was devising ways of torturing our friend Potter here. I've found the perfect answer in that little tidbit over there." Lucius nodded toward Ginny and Draco looked over automatically. His eyes betrayed nothing but his mind was imploring her to realize he was on her side. Ginny and Hermione both looked terrified and he mentally cursed his father for putting her through this.
"Here, Jake take these." Lucius stretched out his hand to give Jake Hermione, Ginny, Harry and Ron's wands.
"No. I'll take them. Jake's a klutz, isn't that right? There isn't a glass within three feet of him that he doesn't break. It's no wonder he can't get any girls, they all figure you wouldn't know a toe from a tit." Draco cut in front of Jake's outstretched hand and took the wands.
Lucius smiled. "Really? You've never had a girl Jake? Are you a homosexual?" Lucius was enjoying taunting Jake. "Is that why you've been so keen to help me get Potter? You want him in more than one way, possibly?" Lucius laughed. "Maybe later little boy." Lucius turned to Draco again. "Now it's time for you to learn how to be a real wizard. Mudblood lovers are nothing but filth. They are no better than the muck you wipe off your shoes. Watch, son and enjoy the show." Draco turned toward Ginny. He was closer to her than his father was, Draco was very close to Ginny in fact. He just needed to get them back their wands.
"You enjoy the show too Potter!" Lucius looked at Harry with a look of pure venom. "Crucio!!!!" Lucius shouted and Draco realized he meant to use the curse on Ginny. Instinctively he threw himself over her and took the curse in her place. His body convulsed and he felt pain beyond anything he'd ever imagined. The pain was all over his body, he felt it all the way into his soul. The wands fell unnoticed from his hands. He was in the throes of too great a pain to see that Hermione had picked up her wand or to notice that Ginny was staring at him horrified. Tears began streaming down her face she was screaming loudly. Hermione thrust Ginny's wand into Ginny's hand.
Abruptly the pain coursing through Draco's body ceased. He collapsed on the floor, a foot away from Ginny.
"What the bloody hell are you doing?" Lucius roared.
Draco, pain still coursing through his body, couldn't manage a reply and glared up at his father from the floor.
"Answer me! What are you doing??" Lucius was furious now. More so than Draco had ever seen before.
"Leave. Ginny. Alone." Draco said strongly as he stood up to face his father. His body still ached beyond thought or even beyond feeling. A numbness settled in the pit of his stomach, he knew that his father wouldn't let him live.
"Excuse me?" The quietness of the question was more deadly than if Lucius had yelled it.
"Leave them alone. All of them." Draco grasped his wand tightly in his hand.
"And who is going to make me do that? I only wonder why you've suddenly found an urge to protect Potter? Going soft on me?" Lucius smiled venomously at Draco. "Or maybe you aren't protecting Potter at all, are you? You're protecting that sorry excuse for a witch. I wonder why...she must be one good lay for you to take it this far." Lucius looked at Ginny crudely then moved his gaze back to his son. "Draco, I hate to tell you this but you're supposed to keep her flat on her back. A woman any other way isn't worth the time."
"You don't know what you're talking about." Draco yelled the words at his father, unleashing all the anger he'd kept hidden for so long. "Just because you killed all the joy from Mother doesn't mean you can do it to me. I won't let you." Draco breathed deeply, bracing himself for whatever would come next.
"You'll see how much I can kill out of you, Draco. She distracts you, makes you weak." Lucius nodded toward Ginny. "Weak men love women. You're not really weak. You just need the distraction removed."
Draco moved so that he was now standing directly in front of Ginny. He was still a few feet in front of her but his father had no way of hurting her because Draco blocked his path.
"Move Draco, or I'll move you myself." Lucius told Draco.
"She's not a distraction. She's my salvation." Draco told him in a calm tone but the words held such passion, that it was obvious Draco meant them.
"Move out of the way!" Lucius yelled, appalled at what he'd just heard.
"Never." Draco said with a quiet certainty.
"Fine then, you leave me no choice." Lucius raised his wand. "CRUCIO!!" Lucius yelled forcefully and Draco was once again seized by unimaginable pain. He couldn't think or feel anything but pain. He thought he would rather die then feel the pain any longer, when it disappeared. He was lying on the floor, again looking up at his father.
"Why must you make me do everything the hard way??" Lucius asked not wanting an answer. Lucius raised his wand toward Ginny. AVADA-- Draco kicked Lucius' leg with his left foot, using all the strength he had left in his battered body before he let the darkness take over. Draco knew no more of what happened, he was now lying unconscious on the floor. His kick had been a feeble kick but it was enough to distract Lucius from what he was doing.
In this moment of distraction, Hermione raised her wand and yelled, "Expelliarmus!" She yelled it so loudly and forcefully that Lucius was thrown back ten feet. His head crashed into the floor as he landed and knocked him unconscious. Hermione was about to do the same thing to Jake but was saved to trouble, a voice from behind her called the command. She recognized it as the DADA teacher, Professor Lupin. Suddenly Hermione let out a huge sigh of relief because she knew that everything would be all right.
Ginny quickly got up, ignoring all the things going on around her and knelt next to Draco. She snatched him in her arms and pulled him into her body. He was lying on top of her lap with his head in her arm. Tears were falling from her cheeks onto his robes. She didn't care, all she cared about was that he was Ok. He had to be Ok, he had to be. She bent over and kissed him on the lips, running her hand through his hair.
"Draco? Oh god Draco, answer me. You have to be OK. Draco, please answer me." Ginny's tears quickly turned to sobs. "Draco! Draco!" She sobbed his name while hunching over him, trying to pour some of her life into him. Ginny was rapidly becoming hysterical. Her mind raced, she wasn't able to focus on anything but the person lying in her arms. She could no longer form coherent thoughts.
"We need to get him to Madame Pomfrey right away." Lupin leaned over her shoulder and told her. She shook her head, causing tears to fly in all directions. "Ginny, it's imperative that he get medical care right away. I know you're concerned but this is the best thing you could possibly do for him." Lupin placed his hand on her shoulder. "Please, you have to do this." Ginny nodded slowly and stood up as Snape conjured a stretcher and placed Draco's limp form onto it. Ginny found herself wrapped in Lupin's arms as she began to cry uncontrollably once more. Ginny heard Lupin utter words quietly into her hair and that's the last thing she'd remember until she woke up very early the next morning.
A/N: H-O-L-Y C-O-W!!!! I cannot believe so many of you loved it!! Ok I know that was a bad thing to do, have a cliffhanger like that, but I had to do it. I couldn't resist and here I've done another one, right? Sorry my apologies! But have no fear I will be posting the next chapter in about 2 days and that would mean Saturday or maybe late Friday night. And hey! You guys didn't answer my question about another story, or were you too caught up in this one to think about anything else?? I know I flatter myself eh?? Alright well thanks for all the reviews, I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THEM BEYOND ANYTHING!! No Kidding guys they make my day!! And some of them are pretty funny I have to say! The story is almost done I think the next chapter will be the last so thanks for reading!!
