Disclaimer: I don't own anything. J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter" Title: Empires Fall Rating: PG-13 Author: Punk up the Volume
All hail inexorable lord! At whose destruction-breathing word The mightiest empires fall! Thy cruel, woe-delighted train, The ministers of grief and pain, A sullen welcome, all!
From "To Ruin" by Robert Burns
Empires Fall
She came by night. It was only natural. Black intentions, black sky to cover them. What could go wrong? She had planned out this night for so long. Finally, it was here the day of reckoning. The day of judgement. The feeling in the pit of her stomach? It must have been anticipation! It must have been
The street, so familiar only hours before seemed do foreign to her now How many times had she crossed it? One hundred? One million? Did it matter? Did the sign on the street corner where they shared their first kiss matter? It did not, she thought, only for the sake of her mind. After tonight there would be no reason for memories.
"Miss Ginny!" Henry the nighwatchman said fondly. "I didn't think that Mr. Malfoy was expecting you to return, not after your fight and all."
"He's not." Ginny replied honey dripping from her voice. "I'm going to surprise him."
"Very good Miss." Henry nodded leading her toward the elevator. "May I take your coat?"
"No, thankyou." she answered with a warm smile as she pulled her coat tighter around her shoulders. "I won't be long anyway."
"Alright, Miss." Henry pushed the "door close" button and Ginny was on her way. Anxiousness...no, anticipation! Anticipation flowed through
her veins like life itself. It took her over, it controlled her. Anything she had ever wanted was in her very grasp and she refused to let it go.
Draco's door was unlocked. It always was. He had far too much faith in people. Draco, of all people! Was it faith, or ignorance? Forgetting her own question, Ginny eased open the door of Draco's flat sure not to make a sound. She had an advantage. She had surprise; she didn't want to lose it.
It was dark as night in the apartment. It made no difference to Ginny. She could see her way with hatred burning in her eyes. The faces of her family ran in her mind bringing tears to her eyes. This was for them. This was for them!
A light flickered on behind her in the hallway bathroom. There Draco stood, brushing her teeth as if all were right with the world. She still had a chance. Maybe her advantage had been taken away but she still had a chance.
"Ginny?" Draco mumbled his toothbrush clattering to the porcelin countertop. "Ginny, what are you doing here? It's one o'clock in the morning."
"I came back, Draco." Ginny explained. "I couldn't let things end between us this way."
"Nothing's ended." Draco replied stepping out of the light into the shadows. "You were being a prat is all." He let out a soft chuckle. "We fought. That doesn't mean anything's over. Jesus, Gin. You've got to stop being so fucking melodramatic." He brushed the hair our of her eyes and touched her cheek.
"I know" Ginny cooed, slipping out of his grasp and turning away. "I've just felt so awful later, Draco. So empty. Like I'm searching for something. I dunno what! I've just felt...sad."
Draco grabbed her hand and spun her around to face him. Slowly, he breathed in her ear, "I can fix that."
Ginny smiled sadly, cupping his face in her hands. "I'm not so sure that you can."
"I can try." he answered, kissing her lightly. "You want to stay here tonight?"
"Of course." Ginny said her voice muffled against his shoulder. His arms were wrapped around her tight his eyes closed contently. Smiling to herself, Ginny placed her hand into her cloak pocket. A few moments later she pulled out a long, silver knife. It shimmered in the light flooding in from the bathroom. Ginny stared at the reflection of their embrace dancing across the silver blade. It was distorted; Ginny didn't even recognize herself.
"Draco," Ginny's voice had turned frantic. The anticipation was taking over her now. "Draco, do you love me?"
There was no hesistation. "Yes."
"You were wrong." Ginny's voice had changed again. This time it was cold and harsh. "You were wrong."
"About what?" Draco's eyes stared down at her filled with confusion. Something sounded wrong to him.
"About everything. For you, it is over." Clutching the knife Ginny twisted it into his side, watching his eyes the whole time. Surprise and hurt echoed through them into her very soul. Letting out a muffled cry Draco slipped to the ground while Ginny watched with a smile.
Three Years Ago June 17
Ginny was alive with excitement. She was lying on her own bed for the first time in months! School had just ended and it seemed that her sixth year at Hogwarts had gone on forever. But finally, it was summer. Both Harry Potter and Hermione Granger had come to stay w/ the Weasley's for the entire summer and Ginny could imagine nothing finer.
"Ginny!" her mother called from downstairs. "Time for supper!" Ginny sighed. It was already eight thirty already, but her mother refused to have supper until her father was home from work.
"I'm coming!" Ginny called back. Shivering from the cold air flowing in from the open window, she crossed her room to show it. Happy just to see her home again, Ginny stuck her head out the window and breathed in deeply. She couldn't possibly understand why anyone would want to live in the city. Only in the country could you really breathe!
A shadow caught Ginny's eye as she surveyed the land around her. Craning her neck, Ginny could barely make out the shape of a boy. She could see he was tall, taller than Ron even! He stood beneath the roof of the porch talking to someone. But who?
"I'm not going to warn you again!" her mother called, this time in a frustrated voice.
"I'm coming!" Ginny shouted back, not thinking. The boy turned up towards her, but she was quick. She darted out of his line of vision before he could see her. But not before she caught a glimpse of his face. Draco Malfoy! Draco Malfoy? What could he possibly be doing at her house at eight thirty at night? It was mad!
Ginny was broken from her thoughts by a sudden crash. Crashes were normal in her household. Crashes meant that Fred and George were home for the weekend. Crashes were normal, but screams were not. And that's exactly what followed.
Ginny felt a sense of dread settle on her like a dark cloud. Something was not right. Had something happened. Another scream! Something must be wrong! Slamming her window shut, Ginny ran from the room and into the hallway, hoping to God that everyone was alright. She was relieved to see Ron and Harry darting up the stair in her direction. But the feeling of relief did not last long. Their clothes were tattered and torn. They were stained with...blood? Was that blood? There was so much of it, all over them. Where had it come from! And there were tears! Tears in Ron's eyes. Ginny had never once seen her brother cry and now that she had, she did not like the sight. He was supposed to protect her. How could he protect her if he was scared himself?
"Ginny!" Ron cried, crashing into her. His tears fell onto her and she could feel her skin start to numb. What had happened. Where was her father? Her mother? Fred and George! Oh, where were Fred and George! "We have to go!" Ron exclaimed grabbing her hand and pulling her towards the end of the hall.
"No." Ginny whispered softly, pulling out of his grasp. She had to see for herself. She had to see what had happened! She ran faster than she had ever run before, not hearing Ron shout after her, "Ginny come back!" She ignored his pleas and did not stop running until she reached the banister by the stairwell. She gazed down upon the battlefield that he living room had become and felt a sob rise in her throat. There were Deatheaters everywhere! Six, seven, eight of them; too many to count.
George crouched behind the couch, using it as a shield as he fired off spells at the two Deatheaters advancing towards him. Fred lay by his feet unmoving and unseeing. Percy, dear Percy who had stopped by to have dinner with them was being held by two of them as a third one raised him wand.
Her mother! Where was her mother? All she could see was her father, fending one of them off with his bare hands, his wand laying broken at five feet away. "Daddy!" she cried, unable to control her own voice. He looked up at her, fear in his eyes and screamed, "Run, Ginny! Please, run!" And then a flash of green light and he was silent. The Deatheater who he had been fighting turned to look at her and Ginny let out a sob.
Draco. Draco Malfoy had killed her father! Thoughts raced through her mind, going to fast for her to focus. She barely heard Ron yell, "C'mon, Ginny!" as he grabbed her hand and pulled her down the hallway. She did not resist; she couldn't. All the strenghth had left her body when she saw the green light hit her father in the chest. There was no force left inside of her. She could barely see as Ron pulled her into his bedroom, where Harry was waiting by the open window.
"I told you to go!" Ron shouted angrily, letting go of Ginny's hand.
"I wasn't going to leave you!" Harry replied resolutely.
"C'mere you little bitch." A husky voice demanded as a man grabbed Ginny by the neck. She let out a gasp but did not struggle. She could not struggle. It did not matter. In a flash, Harry was on top of him and Ginny was free of his hands. She stumbled backwards, into the windowsill as Ron rushed to help Harry. "Run, Ginny!" he pleaded. "Please, run."
The words struck Ginny like a lightening bolt. Suddenly, all of her energy had returned. Both anger and fear pushing her as she climbed through the open window and onto the slanted roof. The jump to the ground was easy. When they were young, she and Ron would sneak out of the house and into the woods to avoid their mother's wrath. But now it hurt Ginny to think about a time before now. How long had it been since everything was normal? Ten minutes?
Ginny collapsed behind a bush, at least a hundred feet away from the house. She kept her eyes closed; she could not dare to watch. Would Ron and Harry return. Would she be...the only one left. Ginny could not help herself, she began to cry. The tears rolled out until she heard voices coming closer. Trying to control herself, she listened, hoping it would be Harry and Ron. But it wasn't.
"You miserable bastard!" A deep voice called. Then the sound of hand hitting flesh.
"Don't hit me! It wasn't my fault!"
"You did nothing! You are a disgrace! How will you ever become one of us if you cannot even pull off a simple massacre!"
"I guess I'm not as good as you, father." the younger, softer voice replied.
"Come!" the older commanded, his voice growing distant. "I must decide whether or not to save myself some embarressment and just kill you now."
Peering through the bushes, Ginny caught a slim glimpse of a blond haired boy, straying behind his father. Draco's eyes gazed past her, staying on her. He frowned, opened his mouth to speak and then closed it and then walked away. Ginny let out a sigh as she waited.
"Ginny!" Ron called out a few mintues later. "Ginny, where are you?"
"Oh, Ron!" she called out, springing from the bush. "But...where's Harry."
Ron's gaze fell away from her. "There were to many, Ginny."
"No." Ginny cried. "No!" She ran away from him, from the only brother she had left deep into the woods. She wanted to cry, but there were no tears left.
A/N: The first of a few chapters. I'll keep them coming. Please review.
All hail inexorable lord! At whose destruction-breathing word The mightiest empires fall! Thy cruel, woe-delighted train, The ministers of grief and pain, A sullen welcome, all!
From "To Ruin" by Robert Burns
Empires Fall
She came by night. It was only natural. Black intentions, black sky to cover them. What could go wrong? She had planned out this night for so long. Finally, it was here the day of reckoning. The day of judgement. The feeling in the pit of her stomach? It must have been anticipation! It must have been
The street, so familiar only hours before seemed do foreign to her now How many times had she crossed it? One hundred? One million? Did it matter? Did the sign on the street corner where they shared their first kiss matter? It did not, she thought, only for the sake of her mind. After tonight there would be no reason for memories.
"Miss Ginny!" Henry the nighwatchman said fondly. "I didn't think that Mr. Malfoy was expecting you to return, not after your fight and all."
"He's not." Ginny replied honey dripping from her voice. "I'm going to surprise him."
"Very good Miss." Henry nodded leading her toward the elevator. "May I take your coat?"
"No, thankyou." she answered with a warm smile as she pulled her coat tighter around her shoulders. "I won't be long anyway."
"Alright, Miss." Henry pushed the "door close" button and Ginny was on her way. Anxiousness...no, anticipation! Anticipation flowed through
her veins like life itself. It took her over, it controlled her. Anything she had ever wanted was in her very grasp and she refused to let it go.
Draco's door was unlocked. It always was. He had far too much faith in people. Draco, of all people! Was it faith, or ignorance? Forgetting her own question, Ginny eased open the door of Draco's flat sure not to make a sound. She had an advantage. She had surprise; she didn't want to lose it.
It was dark as night in the apartment. It made no difference to Ginny. She could see her way with hatred burning in her eyes. The faces of her family ran in her mind bringing tears to her eyes. This was for them. This was for them!
A light flickered on behind her in the hallway bathroom. There Draco stood, brushing her teeth as if all were right with the world. She still had a chance. Maybe her advantage had been taken away but she still had a chance.
"Ginny?" Draco mumbled his toothbrush clattering to the porcelin countertop. "Ginny, what are you doing here? It's one o'clock in the morning."
"I came back, Draco." Ginny explained. "I couldn't let things end between us this way."
"Nothing's ended." Draco replied stepping out of the light into the shadows. "You were being a prat is all." He let out a soft chuckle. "We fought. That doesn't mean anything's over. Jesus, Gin. You've got to stop being so fucking melodramatic." He brushed the hair our of her eyes and touched her cheek.
"I know" Ginny cooed, slipping out of his grasp and turning away. "I've just felt so awful later, Draco. So empty. Like I'm searching for something. I dunno what! I've just felt...sad."
Draco grabbed her hand and spun her around to face him. Slowly, he breathed in her ear, "I can fix that."
Ginny smiled sadly, cupping his face in her hands. "I'm not so sure that you can."
"I can try." he answered, kissing her lightly. "You want to stay here tonight?"
"Of course." Ginny said her voice muffled against his shoulder. His arms were wrapped around her tight his eyes closed contently. Smiling to herself, Ginny placed her hand into her cloak pocket. A few moments later she pulled out a long, silver knife. It shimmered in the light flooding in from the bathroom. Ginny stared at the reflection of their embrace dancing across the silver blade. It was distorted; Ginny didn't even recognize herself.
"Draco," Ginny's voice had turned frantic. The anticipation was taking over her now. "Draco, do you love me?"
There was no hesistation. "Yes."
"You were wrong." Ginny's voice had changed again. This time it was cold and harsh. "You were wrong."
"About what?" Draco's eyes stared down at her filled with confusion. Something sounded wrong to him.
"About everything. For you, it is over." Clutching the knife Ginny twisted it into his side, watching his eyes the whole time. Surprise and hurt echoed through them into her very soul. Letting out a muffled cry Draco slipped to the ground while Ginny watched with a smile.
Three Years Ago June 17
Ginny was alive with excitement. She was lying on her own bed for the first time in months! School had just ended and it seemed that her sixth year at Hogwarts had gone on forever. But finally, it was summer. Both Harry Potter and Hermione Granger had come to stay w/ the Weasley's for the entire summer and Ginny could imagine nothing finer.
"Ginny!" her mother called from downstairs. "Time for supper!" Ginny sighed. It was already eight thirty already, but her mother refused to have supper until her father was home from work.
"I'm coming!" Ginny called back. Shivering from the cold air flowing in from the open window, she crossed her room to show it. Happy just to see her home again, Ginny stuck her head out the window and breathed in deeply. She couldn't possibly understand why anyone would want to live in the city. Only in the country could you really breathe!
A shadow caught Ginny's eye as she surveyed the land around her. Craning her neck, Ginny could barely make out the shape of a boy. She could see he was tall, taller than Ron even! He stood beneath the roof of the porch talking to someone. But who?
"I'm not going to warn you again!" her mother called, this time in a frustrated voice.
"I'm coming!" Ginny shouted back, not thinking. The boy turned up towards her, but she was quick. She darted out of his line of vision before he could see her. But not before she caught a glimpse of his face. Draco Malfoy! Draco Malfoy? What could he possibly be doing at her house at eight thirty at night? It was mad!
Ginny was broken from her thoughts by a sudden crash. Crashes were normal in her household. Crashes meant that Fred and George were home for the weekend. Crashes were normal, but screams were not. And that's exactly what followed.
Ginny felt a sense of dread settle on her like a dark cloud. Something was not right. Had something happened. Another scream! Something must be wrong! Slamming her window shut, Ginny ran from the room and into the hallway, hoping to God that everyone was alright. She was relieved to see Ron and Harry darting up the stair in her direction. But the feeling of relief did not last long. Their clothes were tattered and torn. They were stained with...blood? Was that blood? There was so much of it, all over them. Where had it come from! And there were tears! Tears in Ron's eyes. Ginny had never once seen her brother cry and now that she had, she did not like the sight. He was supposed to protect her. How could he protect her if he was scared himself?
"Ginny!" Ron cried, crashing into her. His tears fell onto her and she could feel her skin start to numb. What had happened. Where was her father? Her mother? Fred and George! Oh, where were Fred and George! "We have to go!" Ron exclaimed grabbing her hand and pulling her towards the end of the hall.
"No." Ginny whispered softly, pulling out of his grasp. She had to see for herself. She had to see what had happened! She ran faster than she had ever run before, not hearing Ron shout after her, "Ginny come back!" She ignored his pleas and did not stop running until she reached the banister by the stairwell. She gazed down upon the battlefield that he living room had become and felt a sob rise in her throat. There were Deatheaters everywhere! Six, seven, eight of them; too many to count.
George crouched behind the couch, using it as a shield as he fired off spells at the two Deatheaters advancing towards him. Fred lay by his feet unmoving and unseeing. Percy, dear Percy who had stopped by to have dinner with them was being held by two of them as a third one raised him wand.
Her mother! Where was her mother? All she could see was her father, fending one of them off with his bare hands, his wand laying broken at five feet away. "Daddy!" she cried, unable to control her own voice. He looked up at her, fear in his eyes and screamed, "Run, Ginny! Please, run!" And then a flash of green light and he was silent. The Deatheater who he had been fighting turned to look at her and Ginny let out a sob.
Draco. Draco Malfoy had killed her father! Thoughts raced through her mind, going to fast for her to focus. She barely heard Ron yell, "C'mon, Ginny!" as he grabbed her hand and pulled her down the hallway. She did not resist; she couldn't. All the strenghth had left her body when she saw the green light hit her father in the chest. There was no force left inside of her. She could barely see as Ron pulled her into his bedroom, where Harry was waiting by the open window.
"I told you to go!" Ron shouted angrily, letting go of Ginny's hand.
"I wasn't going to leave you!" Harry replied resolutely.
"C'mere you little bitch." A husky voice demanded as a man grabbed Ginny by the neck. She let out a gasp but did not struggle. She could not struggle. It did not matter. In a flash, Harry was on top of him and Ginny was free of his hands. She stumbled backwards, into the windowsill as Ron rushed to help Harry. "Run, Ginny!" he pleaded. "Please, run."
The words struck Ginny like a lightening bolt. Suddenly, all of her energy had returned. Both anger and fear pushing her as she climbed through the open window and onto the slanted roof. The jump to the ground was easy. When they were young, she and Ron would sneak out of the house and into the woods to avoid their mother's wrath. But now it hurt Ginny to think about a time before now. How long had it been since everything was normal? Ten minutes?
Ginny collapsed behind a bush, at least a hundred feet away from the house. She kept her eyes closed; she could not dare to watch. Would Ron and Harry return. Would she be...the only one left. Ginny could not help herself, she began to cry. The tears rolled out until she heard voices coming closer. Trying to control herself, she listened, hoping it would be Harry and Ron. But it wasn't.
"You miserable bastard!" A deep voice called. Then the sound of hand hitting flesh.
"Don't hit me! It wasn't my fault!"
"You did nothing! You are a disgrace! How will you ever become one of us if you cannot even pull off a simple massacre!"
"I guess I'm not as good as you, father." the younger, softer voice replied.
"Come!" the older commanded, his voice growing distant. "I must decide whether or not to save myself some embarressment and just kill you now."
Peering through the bushes, Ginny caught a slim glimpse of a blond haired boy, straying behind his father. Draco's eyes gazed past her, staying on her. He frowned, opened his mouth to speak and then closed it and then walked away. Ginny let out a sigh as she waited.
"Ginny!" Ron called out a few mintues later. "Ginny, where are you?"
"Oh, Ron!" she called out, springing from the bush. "But...where's Harry."
Ron's gaze fell away from her. "There were to many, Ginny."
"No." Ginny cried. "No!" She ran away from him, from the only brother she had left deep into the woods. She wanted to cry, but there were no tears left.
A/N: The first of a few chapters. I'll keep them coming. Please review.