Disclaimer: I own nothing.

A/N: I am SO sorry! Since school started, I have been so busy and it's hard to find time to write. Well, anyway, my dearest friend Ashley has just finished beta-ing so I submitted this as soon as I could. Enjoy!

Chapter Fourteen: Monster's Doorbell

Ginny was devastated. There were no more words to define her state of mind other than devastation. The world around her had fallen and she was too broken herself to pick up the pieces. She had begun hysterically crying as soon as she left the courthouse and did not stop until she reached her bedroom.

Draco was in Azkaban. There was no way he would be let out before 25 years, unless he was paroled. But surely Lucius would have none of that. Ginny knew there was no way to get out of Azkaban, except the way Sirius had. Sadly, Draco was not an Animagus. The dementors would surely suck out hers and Draco's souls if he tried to escape. They were evil, those dementors, and they only…

Ginny sprang up from her bed into an upright position.

"Dementors…" she whispered breathily.

Before Ginny even realized what she was doing, a plan had been formulated in her head. She would be returning to school in two days and time was running out. Ginny ran downstairs and grabbed her cloak, turning only to tell her mother she was going out for a short fly.

Flying, yes, but flying to where was left unmentioned. Ginny grabbed Ron's broom outside the shed and hopped on, blank thoughts in her mind. She kicked off the ground and soared into the air, the force of the wind surprising her. The late afternoon sun feigned heat in the wintertime and instead blew icy air upon Ginny's chapped skin. She licked her lips incessantly but this only broke them open and let the blood dry coldly on the split skin.

She descended upon her destination shortly before sunset. The wind whipped through her thoroughly tangled hair and pushed her further away from the ominous mansion. She kept on walking, though, her head held high and stiffness obvious in her spine. She placed a foot on the cold concrete staircase and sucked in a stingingly icy breath.

Another foot raised and tapped lightly on the steps. Her breath was released and formed into a wispy cloud in front of her face. She stepped through the transparent mist and continued to the next step. Finally, she reached the large double doors of the Malfoy home and raised a frosty hand.

Boom. Boom. At the Weasley house, the sound emanating from one's knock was a cheery, inviting rapping. Here – it was slow and deep, like a monster's doorbell. Ginny waited nearly an eternity before the door opened. It was just open a crack…a tiny sliver of wintry light leaked in to illuminate the darkened room inside. Ginny's breath caught in her throat and she had to swallow before she could speak.

"I'm here to see…him," Ginny whispered. She figured whoever opened the door would understand what she meant.

The door opened wider, allowing her entrance. Ginny stepped inside and immediately was overcome with darkness. Her eyes frantically adjusted to the sudden change of light.

A hand placed itself upon her shoulder and led her into a room directly to her left. Candles flickered on as she entered the room and cast everything into shadows. Ginny looked around the room, seeing no one.

"Miss Weasley. What can I do for you?" a voice hissed behind her.

Ginny jumped and spun around. There she was, standing face to face with the most hated creature in the wizarding world. Ginny's mouth gaped open.

"Staring is not polite, Ginny."

Ginny took a deep breath and began. "Draco Malfoy was thrown in jail for doing his father's dirty work."

"Mmm, this I know."

"I want him out."

"Yes, well, Azkaban does not just let out its prisoners."

"You can control the dementors."

Voldemort smirked. "I do not control them; I merely attract their darker qualities. They'd rather support me, of course."

"You can get Draco out of jail, can't you?" Ginny demanded.

"Yes, I could. But why would I do such a thing?"

Ginny gulped. "I'll do…whatever you want…if you get him out."

Voldemort mockingly put a finger to his chin. "Well, normally I'd ask for Harry Potter in return…"

Ginny started to shout, "No!" but Voldemort silenced her.

"No, I knew you'd refuse. I want you…to be a Death Eater."

Ginny gasped involuntarily. "I…I…don't…I don't know if I can."

Voldemort sighed with annoyance. "It's not a question of if you can or cannot, it's if you will or will not. It's not as if you will be dying, Ginny – just evolving into a more exceptional witch. Just think…you'll be saving your beloved Draco."

Silence flooded Ginny's mouth and throat. Voldemort's gaze bore into Ginny's eyes. She felt him looking right through her, digging through her mind and finding her answer…

Yes.

Yes, she'd be his slave, she'd join his band of killers – she would be a Death Eater, to represent everything she was trying to save. Ginny Weasley loved too strongly to refuse an offer such as that.

"Yes." It was not a voice; it was a breath of air, as if speaking straight from her heart and her heart controlling her lungs.

Voldemort merely smirked and waved his hand. Ginny's eyesight blurred and did not realize she was being led away. Across the entrance hall, up the stairs, down the hall, through the door…darkness once again overtook her.

"You'll stay here. Draco will be out tomorrow night. You'll be inducted then as well," a raspy voice spoke. Ginny didn't know who it was.

She swallowed but did not manage to find the ability to speak. The door snapped shut. Ginny laid back on the bed she was sitting on, forgetting that she was supposed to cry.

Draco's cell was disgusting. It wasn't as if he was expecting velvet drapes and a carpet, but at least a little housekeeping would have been nice. Slimy goop oozed from the walls and gave off a stench powerful enough to kill an ox. The bed coughed up dust every few minutes and cockroaches managed to find shelter under the pillow more than once. Still, it was better than being near the dementors.

His cell was in a good place. The dementors were stationed at three-cell intervals, and Draco's was in the middle. He was nearly dementor free. If only he had the powers of Dumbledore – or even Voldemort – he could get out.

Draco paced his cell. He wasn't fond of boredom and this was driving him insane. Sanity was a funny thing to question in Azkaban. Of course he'd heard (and on occasion, seen) the people in the prison. They were all crazy. Draco never understood before; he always figured the prisoners were weak.

He understood now. Azkaban was never quiet – nonsensical mumblings and high pitched shrieks bounced off the concrete walls. As much as this perturbed Draco, he couldn't see himself going crazy. He was too secure in his own mind to let people drive him insane.

The sun was setting on his first day in Azkaban. He could see the sky turn pink and purple through his little barred window. Draco never truly appreciated the beauty of the sky until he was holed up in a disgustingly small room, and the only chance to feel free was ruined by metal cylinders. As the sky faded from purple to black, Draco could only wonder how he'd ever let go of Ginny.

Clank. Draco's eyes snapped open. He jolted, causing the bed to shudder under his weight and creak menacingly. Draco frantically looked around his cell, urging his eyes to adjust to the darkness. He could barely make out three shadowed figures standing a mere five feet away.

"What's going on?" Draco croaked. His voice was hoarse; partly from being out of use and partly because of fright.

 Someone made a sudden movement and whispered something Draco couldn't understand. Draco suddenly felt his mouth become rather tight – he couldn't open it. Tried as he might, his mouth was sealed shut.

His arms were seized and he was dragged to his weary feet. Draco fought the men but was overpowered suddenly when his stomach sank and his mind drained. He felt like he was spinning in circles, and a cold wind swept across him. Every happy feeling…every memory with Ginny…was wiped from his mind and all he could hear was a cold mirthless laugh and see the piercing slate gray stare of his father…the gray darkened and swallowed him whole, leaving Draco with nothing but grief in his unconscious mind.

He woke soon thereafter, in a room so dimly lit he thought he was still in his cell. The scent, however, convinced him that he was very, very far away from the Azkaban.

"Draco…"

He was in Malfoy Mansion. And Ginny, of all people, was there as well.

"Ginny!" Draco exclaimed in shock. He attempted to go to her, but a hand grabbed his shoulder roughly and jerked him back. Draco looked up angrily and realized he was staring into the face of Voldemort.

"Draco, calm down," Ginny pleaded.

"What's going on?"

Ginny opened her mouth to explain, but Voldemort cut her off. "Your dearest Ginny has made the most honorable sacrifice for you."

Draco blanched. "Sacrifice?"

Voldemort smirked serenely. "She has."

Ginny moved forward and placed her hand upon Draco's cheek. She shuddered when she felt how cold he was. Her mouth attempted to curve into a comforting smile, but her sadness overcame her and forced a frown. She let go of Draco's face and slowly slid the arm of her sleeve up. Draco wasn't sure what to expect. The idea of Death Eater hadn't even entered his mind and yet…

There it was.

Draco never noticed how grotesque it was until he saw it compared with the beauty of Ginny's perfect skin. She was marred. Draco's jaw dropped and he involuntarily shook his head.

"No...Ginny…what did you do?" he croaked hoarsely.

She dropped her gaze. "I got you out."

Draco couldn't respond. He was grateful that she had gotten him out of an absolutely horrible place – but he was so angry with her. She was as good as dead. They would never let her live.

"As touching as this moment is, we have work to do. Ginny has to go back to school, doesn't she?" Voldemort said lightly, his lips curling into an evil smirk. "And you, Draco, are no longer our concern. You obviously cannot attend school, so I think you might want to consider going into hiding."

Draco hadn't even thought of this. Apparently, neither had Ginny. Her jaw hung open in frozen disbelief.

"So Ginny should return home now," Voldemort added, raising his wand to her.

"No," Ginny whispered lightly, and held out her hand to Draco. They barely touched as Voldemort whispered a spell and made Ginny disappeared.

Draco kept his hand out, clutching the air that Ginny once touched.