Love or Lose

Chapter 8 –

Disclaimer – um. Yeah. Not mine. (insert tears here)

Summary – Draco loves Ginny, Ginny loves Draco, and no they actually HAVEN'T slept together yet, well they've slept, but they haven't slept if you know what I mean, I mean they actually did sleep so that makes no sense, and this sentence is way too long! (gasps) Ginny's having weird dreams in which she sees what she believes to be a very ugly future, Harry's been getting headaches, and I'm about to do a time jump! Just a little one, a couple of hours, so Draco's finished with Dumbledore, Snape, and McGonnagall. La di da. I skip plot development and just get straight to …well, the plot. I dunno. It works in my head….

Thank you's – Kalypso5 – thanks! (resuscitates), SamiJo – mwaha, Swimfan –AAAAAH IT'S A SWIMFAN! DON'T KILL ME!, anon – funny how time changes some things, huh…, Ali – tankies, DobbyMania89 – (drawls cowboy style) why thank y'all, liddle lady! Lenne's*Spirit – so you're a bit of an anime fan? Thanks! Darcel – yes. You have. Mwahaha. Unfortunately so have I. (sighs, and gets confused by herself) Ezmerelda – thankies!, Voldie on Varsity Track – w00t! Ana – yeeha! I cried writing some of that stuff too… uh, is that a bad thing… who knows… I definitely don't… and all those reviewers from the past couple of months, it takes too much effort to reply to you, so mwah I love you all.

I know it's been forEVER since I last updated, and hopefully it'll be less than an eternity before the next one! Don't kill me too much! I promise I haven't given up.

~~~^~~~

"Albus, what are we going to do?" Minerva McGonnagall said as she watched Severus pace in circles around the Headmaster's office.

Albus Dumbledore sighed. "I'm not sure exactly what we can do, my friends. It looks to me as if all we can do is… wait."

Snape exploded. "Wait? Wait? We know that the Dark Lord is near Hogwarts, perhaps even on the grounds themselves, and that one of the students is having visions of the future full of pain and death, and all you can think of doing is waiting? I'm sorry Albus, but I won't stand for it!"

The old headmaster watched his potions master storm out, and fell resignedly back into his chair. "Minerva, call the teachers together. Raise the Wards, see if you can put up any more defense spells."

"What about the Yule Ball?"

Dumbledore had forgotten. It was two nights away. "It will go ahead. Call the prefects to me."

~~~^~~~

-DREAM WORLD-

"Did you honestly believe I could change…"

"Did you mean it?"

"I'm sorry Ginny."

"But what if I went away?"

"no, ginny, don't die, don't die…"

I'm… still here… Draco… hold me…

"Voldemort will pay. He will pay for what he has done…"

…He will pay… He will pay… but not in your blood… please…

"Potter… Weasley… Granger… where are they? Are they gone too?"

They will die. My brothers, my friends. I wish it didn't mean what I thought it would.

"Avada Kedavra!"

…Draco don't do it!

~~~^~~~

Ginny woke with a start, to find herself alone. There was a note on the pillow.

Gin, I've gone to see Dumbledore. ~D.

Ginny fell back against the soft bed. "It won't make any difference…"

~~~^~~~

-ok, it's been a whole… few sections, so here's a FLASHBACK-

"Are you sure about this?"

"Of course I am, why wouldn't I be?"

"No I'm serious, Ginny. Because if you're not… I don't want to pressure you into something you're not ready for yet. I can wait."

Ginny grinned mischievously. "Well, I can't."

-END FLASHBACK-

~~~^~~~

(A/N – ok ok ok so I changed my mind about the sex thing… my bad. Now, I better get back to the story before you all kill me. I'm going to finally maybe have some plot development... actually no, can't be bothered, mwahaha.)

It was the night before the Yule Ball, and Ginny could barely stand, no mind protect the school from the expected attack. She sat in front of the fire in Draco's arms, holding perhaps a little too tightly to him. But she couldn't help it. She just had this... feeling. A feeling of total loss. She was so afraid she was going to lose him in the unavoidable confrontation with Voldemort's forces.

The possibility of an impending attack on the school was a complete secret, so naturally, everybody knew. The prefects had been summoned to Dumbledore's office and briefed in almost military fashion. Ginny had almost expected Dumbledore to, once he was aware of the threat, to cancel the Yule Ball, an event that would place every student and every teacher in the one room, easily ambushed if the wards on the school were breached. And they would be. Ginny had foreseen it.

And there would no stopping the second slaughter of innocent children in as many years. The Wizarding world had never gotten over Voldemort's first rain of destruction, all those years ago. And now they would face it again without the one hope they still had: their children.

Ginny clung to Draco, trying to keep his voices out of her head. Trying to keep out the words he had said, the words he would say, the words which would bring him to his own doom. The most unforgivable of curses was, even if used in defence, unforgivable. There could always be another way, they had been taught as much. There should never be a time where killing another was your only way out. Ginny wished she could somehow take Draco away from his own fate.

But, deep inside her, she knew there was no way. Their future was laid out in front of them, and there was no changing it.

~~~^~~~

Draco looked down at the girl in his arms. He couldn't help thinking that this would be the last night they shared together like this, that no matter what happened, their lives would be changed forever. He felt Ginny's nails press into the skin of his arms as she held onto him just that little bit tighter, just that little bit longer.

He knew what she was thinking. She was thinking of her prophetic dreams that she had still not explained to him in full. All she had told him was that something was coming, and when the time came, he had to be prepared to let her go. He still didn't completely understand, but he was terrified of the possible meaning behind her words.

A thought occurred to him.

"But what if I went away?"

Ginny sat bolt upright and squirmed out of his arms, as if his words had burned her skin. "What... What did you say?"

Draco took in her horrified expression. "What if I die tomorrow and not you? What if you've got the whole vision mixed up?"

Ginny burst into tears. Instantly he had his arms around her again, holding her tightly. "I'm sorry love, I didn't mean to scare you, I just... I thought it needed to be said. You still haven't told me what you saw, I'm just working off my own paranoid thoughts."

Ginny sniffed. "I... I didn't see anything."Draco stared at her.

"I... heard things. I heard things you've said in the past, things you'll say in the future. And you just said one of those things to me. I... I heard you telling me not to die. I heard you... I heard you..." and her words were lost among her tears. All Draco could do was hold her, and let her pain run its course. She couldn't tell him, and he couldn't force her to tell him. In many ways, it was better that he didn't know.

"Perhaps..." he started, but he couldn't finish the sentence. He couldn't tell her that perhaps they could change things. That the future wasn't set in stone, and that everything would be alright. That his words of a moment ago were just pure coincidence. That not every prophecy came true.

He wasn't sure if he even believed himself.

~~~^~~~

The hall was full of students, trying their hardest to keep up appearances. They sang, they danced, they drank the punch. The couples tried their hardest to make out, and the friends tried their best to laugh. The teachers tried their best to find reasons to remove points. But nobody really felt like it. Apprehension and anticipation filled the room. The band wasn't helping. They were possibly the worst group of musicians the Great Hall had ever seen. The fact that the five-piece group all wore masks that covered their entire heads certainly didn't improve matters. Students wondered why their professors and prefects weren't worried about the threat the five musicians (if you could call them that) were. They also couldn't understand why the drummer would beat the life out of his drums every time Draco held Ginny's hand protectively, or why the off-key singer kept grinning at the newest couple to join the ranks of more-than-just-friends.

~~~^~~~

-FLASHBACK-

(a/n - guess who? ^_^)

Ron looked up from the open chest as he heard the door open. "Harry, you- Hermione!" He hurried to find a shirt. "You're supposed to knock, you know? I could've been naked! I could've been Seamus!"

Hermione blushed lightly but stood her ground. "I needed to talk to you about something."

"Well, hurry up, Harry'll be back from Dumbledore's office in a minute, and I don't want him getting the wrong idea or anything."

Hermione frowned, hands on hips. "How could he get the wrong impression from two friends having a private discussion?"

Now it was Ron's turn to blush. He knew he was being an idiot. In truth, he couldn't've been gladder to see her, there on what possibly could be the last night either of them lived through. And she looked... just a second... for the first time Ron noticed what Hermione was wearing.

Or rather, what she wasn't.

Hermione smiled as Ron's light blush deepened as he struggled to take in the rather revealing burgundy negligee she wore.

"Harry's not coming back here tonight. Neither are any of the other boys. I pulled in a few favours they owed me. This wasn't exactly what they had in mind when they agreed to give me whatever I asked them for all those essays I wrote for them over the past couple of years, but it doesn't matter. This is what I wanted. I just... I needed to talk to you tonight."

Ron gulped as his own personal fantasy glided over to him and gently ran an elegant finger across his cheek.

"I needed to tell you that I was in love with you. Just in case I don't make it."

Ron gave up trying to keep control of himself at that point. There was nothing he could think to say in response to the words he had been dreaming of her saying to him for so long. For too long. He grabbed the hand that still lingered on his cheek, perhaps a little roughly, but he had been waiting for what seemed an eternity for this chance. Ron entwined his fingers almost possessively among her own, used his other hand to pull her tightly to him, and kissed her, violently, passsionately, almost painfully.

Eventually she pulled herself out of his tight grip, uncertainty showing clearly in her eyes. She stepped backwards towards the door. This was what she had wanted, wasn't it? For him not to say anything, because Ron Weasley could never really find the right words. But maybe such an aggressive response wasn't what she had been truly searching for. And maybe it was all she was going to get. Maybe he didn't love her the way she longed for him. Maybe... her doubts melted away from her as he looked deeply into her eyes.

"Hermione. I love you. I've loved you for so long, I can't remember not loving you. And if you leave here tonight, it will be the biggest mistake of your life. So I'm not going to let you."

And he grabbed her again, and kissed her. But this time the kiss was gentler, more lingering, and Hermione's head spun.

And in the end, she was thankful she'd called in those favours.

-END FLASHBACK-

(a/n - rw/hg-er's, dance for the puppet master! the rest of you, just sit back, there's still more to come! yes I am aware this is the longest chapter so far, but it's been a long time coming. A long time.)

~~~^~~~

Neville and Lavender did indeed make a beautiful couple.

~~~^~~~

Shadows moved throughout the school grounds. Whispers whispered as wards were banished. And the words for a spell sounded, a spell that had never been used before and that would make history that night.

~~~^~~~

The magically amplified instruments' sound died.

The candles floating throughout the hall fell to the ground.

The ceiling of the Great Hall turned to stone.

The paintings froze.

Hermione's hair became noticeably more frizzy.

Harry's glasses broke and his scar disappeared.

And Dumbledore fell back into his chair, a look of total terror plastered on his aged face. He had not expected such a move from Voldemort. Professor Mcgonnagall turned to him. "Albus, what has happened?"

The hopelessness couldn't help but show in his eyes. "They have taken away the magic. We are defenceless."

~~~^~~~

And the battering ram slammed into the castle gates.

~~~^~~~

Draco grabbed Ginny's hand. "It's starting."

~~~^~~~

"May I have your attention, please?"

Every eye turned, frightened, to the Headmaster.

"We are about to come under attack by Voldemort and his Death Eaters. They have placed a curse on the school that no magic can be used. They will most likely come at us with muggle weapons. Please, those of you who are familiar with those weapons, please brief your friends. Find whatever you can to defend yourself. And please, be caref-"

He was interrupted by a thunderous crash. A few students screamed, and many huddled together. The ramming continued every half a minute or so, until the main doors of Hogwarts came falling to the ground.

A moment later, two hundred Death Eaters ran in, brandishing muggle "weapons" ranging from small pistols to microwave ovens, and yelling their war cries.

They were faced with the ten teachers and near five hundred students, standing silently, with their hands behind their backs.

In those hands, some held forks, some held chair legs, and some held entire chairs, but each prefect had a very special gift given to them by Professor Dumbledore two nights ago.

They had swords.

And they were prepared to use them on any that came into their range.

Draco turned to his beautiful girl and took her free hand in his.

~~~^~~~

-FLASHBACK- (a/n - this is an extract from "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets", any added bits are in brackets, they're all thoughts.)

"Leave him alone, he didn't want all of that!" Said Ginny. It was the first time she had spoken in front of Harry. She was glaring at Malfoy. stupid git, thinks he owns the world, just jealous 'cause he didn't get his photo taken

"Potter, you've got yourself a girlfriend!" drawled Malfoy. just like Potter, takes anything handed his way, I bet all the girls are all over him, him and his stupid scar Ginny went scarlet what business is it of his if I was Harry's girlfriend, bet he's just jealous 'cause no girl would take him

-CHANGE FLASHBACK- (a/n - back to normal stuff, no more extracts)

Malfoy pulled out his wand. "I'm warning you Weasley. Get out of my way and stay out of it."

Ginny bowed deeply and very formally, but she did not move to the side. "Find another way, Malfoy. I'm standing here now. You can stand here later if you really want to."

"Move girl, or I will be forced to -"

But Ginny's wand was suddenly in her hand, raised threateningly and pointed directly as his nose.

-CHANGE FLASHBACK- (a/n - have you figured out what I'm doing here yet?)

"Draco… It's okay to cry sometimes, you know. Nobody will think any less of you. And anyway, nobody's here but us. Your reputation wouldn't be ruined or anything."

Draco looked at her for a moment. Why couldn't she see? He didn't need to cry. The only thing he needed to do was… But she would never let him get close enough. And the apparent fear of his touch that she still carried gave him more pain than his mother's death…

-CHANGE FLASHBACK-

As he sat there by the lake with the love of his life in his arms, Draco Malfoy wondered (and not for the first time) what Ginny would do if he kissed her.

-CHANGE FLASHBACK-

"So are we friends now?"

Ginny laughed out loud. How strange it felt, to be friends with a Malfoy.

-CHANGE FLASHBACK-

"If I had been only a moment later…"

-CHANGE FLASHBACK-

As they turned the corner, Draco grabbed her around the waist and pulled him to her, their hips touching in all sorts of places.

"Did you mean it?" He wasn't quite sure how to interpret their kiss.

Ginny beamed up at him. "What do you think?" And she kissed him again.

-CHANGE FLASHBACK-

"Gin luv I'm right here, I'm right here, it's okay…" he held her close, swaying back and forth.

-CHANGE FLASHBACK-

"Are you sure about this?"

-END FLASHBACK-

~~~^~~~

He looked into her eyes.

"I love you, Virginia Weasley. And neither of us are going to die, because I plan on marrying you once we're out of this. Right?"

Ginny blinked. Of all the times for him to pick to propose, Draco had picked the moment she couldn't be distracted by something like this.

"Can we maybe talk about this later?" she yelled over the din. The Death Eaters were still massing through the doorway, and none had reached them yet.

Draco grinned and pulled his sword from behind his back. He raised it over his head, and yelled at the top of his voice: "Dumbledore's Army: Attack!"

~~~^~~~

TBC

yes yes I know. Evil. Blablabla waited forever blablabla short chapters blablabla flashbacks waste of space blablabla leave me alone I have writer's block.

Meanwhile, read my other harry potter d/g fic, "the once and future dragon king", much funnier, slightly longer and completely random. review it if you can, I always like the little emails I get from the fanfiction review alert bot.

and a cookie for whoever knows what the title of this chapter comes from!

-tulz