Disclaimer: I don't own anything, no matter how much I wish I did.
A/N: I'm no doctor, so if anything about Draco's condition is wrong, so be it. Anyway, I have some sad news. There may only be one or two more chapters left. So the next one might be the last one, or the one after that; I haven't decided yet. Thank you Ashley for helping me out with the rest of the storyline and being a great beta reader. Also, thanks to: wun-liddo-babi, m, Belinda, Peanuts, TOM LOVER, Sassy, Tina & Delta, Angie, Aisha, Diana, Ahoyhoy, Tash, Wuggles, Helen, Babalooey, ~*Danny's Little Girl*~, Arriana, Renee, chimerical, draco-m's-hun, starbright, Majesty, Moony, Pen2Paper, my fellow Lindsay, Tinytim, Happy Happy Joy Joy, O.J, patheticloser, lipstickandbruises, Bella O, Mia (I'm glad you liked it! See you at FF), and last but definitely not least, Katzi – definitely one of my most dedicated readers. Thank you all so much!
Chapter Twelve: The Truth Apart
The flight was silent. It was not the sort of silence that hangs comfortably among familiar people; this was the silence that looms in awkward places to settle for extended and excruciating periods of time. Each person in the flock of broomsticks was plagued by either confused or painful thoughts, except for those unconscious.
Harry was still wondering why he had Draco latched around his waist, though he would not question why. Ginny kept glancing over at Harry and Draco, once or twice catching Harry's eye and smiling weakly. He would only smile in return, his eyes glazed over in confusion. Ron was too much in daze to think of anything coherent, while Hermione lazily laid her head on Ron's back. Her breath tickled the nape of his neck, but he didn't want to bother her, for she was near sleeping.
The castle came into view as the sun rose. If they weren't so preoccupied with their thoughts, they would have realized how breathtaking the castle looked, with the early sunshine glow illuminating parts of the majestic castle. The dawn's cold blew mercilessly against the teenagers' pink cheeks as they descended upon the castle's front lawn. Ron tried his best not to wake Hermione as he landed. He picked her up off the broomstick and nodded his head to the door. Harry looked down at Draco, who was still passed out, and sighed. He bent over and wrenched him off the ground (though carried him gentler when he caught the look Ginny gave him) to carry him inside.
As they thought, Dumbledore was waiting for them. He was not alone in his office, however, as made apparent by a loud shriek accompanied by a sort of hoarse grunting.
"I…have never been so angry in my life!" Molly Weasley cried. "I yelled at you the minute you came home, and then you ran off again! Where on earth have you been?"
Dumbledore stood behind her, a small smile playing on his face. Arthur Weasley stood fidgeting with his hat next to Molly. She was still shouting on and on about Ron and Ginny when Dumbledore decided to step in.
"Molly," he said calmly, "perhaps we should allow them to explain."
Molly nodded, yet eyed them with intensity. She would evaluate their explanations carefully.
Ron made a move to speak, but Ginny cut him off. He shot her a warning glance, but she waved her hand and stepped forward from the group.
"We can't explain now. I know you want us to, but we've got to get Draco to the hospital wing. I think he's lost a lot of blood." Ginny's voice wavered and she nearly collapsed into tears, but she tried as hard as she could to keep her composure.
Professor Dumbledore looked to the unconscious Draco and nodded. Ginny hurriedly helped Harry grab Draco again to bring him to Madam Pomfrey. Harry thought Ginny did not notice the frequent glances he kept giving her, but she startled him when she spoke.
"Why do you keep looking at me, Harry?" she said suddenly.
He was caught off guard. "I am just really confused. I haven't any idea what's going on. I feel like I'm in a parallel universe."
Ginny sighed heavily and said in a softer voice, "I know. I suppose it'll all be explained soon. Dumbledore might not want me to tell you all about it, but only I can explain…some things."
"Like why we're helping Malfoy?"
Ginny swallowed. She knew this was coming. "Yea. But I don't think this is the right time to talk about that."
They had just reached the hospital wing when Madam Pomfrey saw them. She laid Draco on an empty bed and quickly checked his vital signs. Thankfully, he was still alive, but his pulse was very weak.
As usual, Madam Pomfrey did not ask questions. She merely tended to Draco while Ginny helped and Harry looked on. Into Draco's arm a needle was inserted, which from there a tube continued up to a container of blood. The blood flowed steadily into Draco's arm and returned the color of his naturally pale skin. Ginny, though still wearing a look of utmost concern, smiled as she noticed his heartbeat pick up a little.
Madam Pomfrey let out a little sigh. "He'll be all right. He just needs a little rest."
"May I stay with him awhile?" Ginny asked.
Madam Pomfrey normally did not let people stay with new patients, but the look on Ginny's anxious face made her give in. "All right, just don't wake him up, or startle him, or…well, you know." She smiled a little and left the room, leaving Harry, Ginny, and Draco.
"You can go on up to Dumbledore, Harry," Ginny said quietly, staring at Draco's still form.
Harry had too many bewildering questions to ask, so he decided to listen to Ginny and go back up to Dumbledore's office.
Ginny watched Harry leave without another word. She was glad to be alone with Draco for a moment, even though he was not awake. His near-death experience was too much for her. She just admitted to loving him, and could not bear him leaving so soon after.
"Draco," Ginny whispered softly, laying a hand on his chest and sitting on the bed. "I…I really do love you. I know that people will say that I don't, because of our age…but I know it's real."
Draco lay still and silent. Ginny sighed heavily and looked around the room for a moment before she stood and crossed the room to the window. She watched the early sun shine brightly on the dew-covered grass and warm the air.
"Ginny," a voice said from across the room. Ginny, startled, jumped.
"Draco?" she said, and wheeled around.
Draco was sitting up in bed, half-smiling at her. It was unnatural for Draco to smile genuinely, and it looked like he hadn't much practice at it. He restricted the smile to a mere smirk and kept it at that.
"Draco!" Ginny cried, and ran over to him, throwing her arms around his neck. "I'm so glad you're all right!"
Draco returned the hug and mumbled something into Ginny's hair. She pulled away and looked at him with confusion in her eyes.
"What?"
Draco sighed. "I just wanted to say…that…I…" Draco was forcing the words out. He wanted to say them so badly, but he had never done it before. Love was forbidden in his house, and any sign of speaking of it was severely punished. "I …love you."
Ginny's face was blank for a moment. Draco could feel his heart beginning to drop, a fifty foot fall down through his ribs, when Ginny suddenly beamed.
"I was hoping you'd say that!" she said happily, and threw herself on him once again. "Do you think you can move, or do you want to stay here? I can always –" Ginny was cut off by the sudden slamming of the hospital door and rushed speech.
"We're being generous. That's a minimum charge, that is." It was Cornelius Fudge, speaking very quickly. "Where is he?"
Ginny and Draco stared at the small, stocky figure of Cornelius Fudge in the doorway. A look of alarm reigned over his features as he looked to Ginny and Draco.
Dumbledore walked calmly in after Fudge. "Cornelius, couldn't you wait until the boy is rested and in good health? He has just arrived in the hospital wing."
"Madam Pomfrey," Fudge said, startling the nurse, "is Mr. Malfoy well enough to go?"
Madam Pomfrey stiffened. "I suppose, but I'd rather he rest."
"He is fine, then. We'll take him in." Fudge motioned to the two men with him carelessly.
"What's going on?" Ginny asked angrily. "Where are you taking him?"
Fudge ignored her.
"Draco Malfoy, you're under arrest for assistance in conspiracy and poisoning with the intent to harm."
Draco didn't seem surprised. In fact, he simply shrugged and climbed out of bed. Ginny's jaw dropped open as she watched the two large men seize Draco by the arms and walk him out the door.
"No!" Ginny started to the door, but Professor Dumbledore caught her by the shoulder to hold her back. She tried to fight him, but Dumbledore was quite strong for such an old man. "No! Let him go…no!" She was growing weary from the struggling, and resorted to glaring angrily at Fudge, who was standing rather uncomfortably, fidgeting with his bowler hat.
"I'm terribly sorry, Miss Weasley. He'll be held in Azkaban. He'll have a trial, I'm sure. Good day." Fudge crammed his bowler hat on and briskly walked out of the room.
Only Ginny's heavy breathing could be heard. Dumbledore released her and Ginny stood upright. Without saying a word, she left the room and proceeded to Dumbledore's office where she knew her parents would still be.
As she expected, they were still there waiting for news. Molly jumped out of her seat and hugged Ginny tightly, the sound of her choking sobs ringing in Ginny's ears.
Ginny detached herself from Molly and turned to her father. "Dad, a …friend of mine has been imprisoned for something he didn't do. I know it isn't your department, but he's going to have a trial and he doesn't have anyone to help him."
Arthur looked taken aback. "Well, if he's a friend of yours…sure I'll help. But, uh, what was he imprisoned for?"
Ginny looked at her feet. She was going to have to tell them sooner or later it was Draco they would be helping. "Technically, assistance in conspiracy." When she saw the looks on her parents' faces, she quickly added, "But he was forced into it by his father!"
Molly, still wearing an apprehensive expression, said, "Who is it?"
Ginny hesitated. They'd never help him, but it was worth a shot. "Draco Malfoy."
The look of apprehension shifted to sheer perplexity. "Malfoy? Why on earth would we help him?"
Ginny suddenly became aware that Harry, Ron, and Hermione were still in the room. Ron looked something close to livid, Hermione looked uneasy, and Harry looked absolutely puzzled. She took a deep breath and continued.
"Because I love him."
No one made a noise except for Hermione, who let out a shrill squeak. Ginny looked over to her, and Hermione was grinning with her hands clasped together beneath her chin. Ginny smiled, but stopped when she remembered everyone else was still around her. She bit her lip and waited for them to reply.
Molly cleared her throat. "Honey, maybe you just think that…"
"No, Mom. I know what I feel. I love Draco."
Harry cleared his throat, causing everyone to turn their heads to him. "Okay, someone really has to tell me what in the hell is going on!"
No one really knew where to begin. Molly ushered Harry into a chair and sat down opposite, grasping his hands in her own.
"Harry, dear, I want you to be calm when you hear this. I think that maybe it would be best if Hermione or Ron –" she looked at Ron quickly, and seeing his face purpling in vehemence because of Ginny's declaration, decided to change her mind "—or not. I'm sure Ginny would like to explain some things too."
Ron didn't seem to mind being shunted out of the explanation. He huffed and crossed his arms, slumping into a chair far away from the group.
Hermione rolled her eyes at him, but began talking to Harry. "This might sound a little weird, Harry, but it's the truth. It's December. You've been in St. Mungo's Hospital since around September."
Harry's eyes widened. His mouth opened but it took a few seconds for any words to come out. "Why?"
"You were poisoned. It made you almost exactly opposite from who you are. It was horrible; I've never seen anyone act like that before." Hermione grew rather uncomfortable, but Harry pushed her on.
"What did I do?" he asked hoarsely.
"It was cruel. You yelled at Neville once and threatened Ginny and me. You also punched Ron," Hermione added, nodding her head in Ron's direction.
"I wouldn't… I wouldn't do that…" Harry whispered, shaking his head.
"It wasn't you. It was the poison, remember?" Molly said softly, patting Harry's shoulder affectionately.
"Who did it?"
Ginny looked up at Hermione, her eyes fearful. Hermione fell silent and let Ginny take over, knowing that she was the one to tell.
"It was Draco," Ginny murmured. "But he was forced by his father. If he didn't do it, he'd be killed. He tried to save you, too!"
"I suppose you're going to defend him, now?" Harry asked scathingly.
Ginny's face fell. "No, Harry, that's not what I'm doing. I'm just trying to set the facts straight. Set the truth apart from the lies."
Ron shot out of his seat. "Ginny, don't defend Malfoy! He could have gotten Harry killed! Or he could have joined Voldemort's side! Do you realize what he could have caused?"
Ginny stamped her foot. "Shut up, Ron! Don't you think I know that? Don't you think he knows that?"
"No, I don't think he does. Honestly, Gin, I'm just worried. I think he's trying to lead you on to believe he's changed!"
Ginny clenched her jaw and kept her mouth shut. Ron was completely stubborn, and arguing was no use. She turned back to Harry and continued with the story, ignoring Ron's protests.
"We went to Macnair's to rescue you, because you were going to become a Death Eater. We managed to get you to drink the potion save him —"
"Because Hermione kissed him," Ron said grouchily from his chair in the corner.
Harry's mouth dropped open and Hermione reddened. "No," Ginny argued. "She made it look like she kissed you, Harry, but all she did was spit the potion in your mouth. It was sort of gross, actually, but clever nonetheless."
Hermione smiled shyly at him and shrugged.
Ginny continued, finishing the account of what had happened. "We got back here and now Draco's been arrested, right after almost being killed."
Harry couldn't say he felt too badly for Malfoy, considering they had been enemies for about seven years. The look on Ginny's face, however, made his heart heavy. Perhaps she really did love him, and the thought of him being alone and cold in a cell saddened her. Harry's thoughts of Ginny's relationship with Draco floated out of his mind and were replaced by his own images of what had happened to him. He could envision himself terrorizing poor Neville and the rest of his friends. Had he really done that? No one could have believed that was really Harry, right?
"Well, it's best we get you all home," Arthur said loudly, breaking the uncomfortable hush.
The teens did not say anything as they followed Molly and Arthur out of Hogwarts, bidding Dumbledore a solemn and silent goodbye. All six of them clambered into the car, too tired and achy to care. They all had a mass of thoughts crowding their minds, causing throbbing headaches. Harry, perhaps the most migraine-plagued of all, reached out and grasped Hermione's hand in comfort.
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A/N: What? What was that, an H/Hr moment? Maybe, maybe not. R&R!