Disclaimer: I don't own anything Harry Potter.

A/N: looks around sheepishly I know, I know. It's been months. Months upon months, even. What do I have to show for it? A new chapter of MVV! I'm skipping a lot of action that I was going to include, because it was just really unimportant. You can basically infer what happened (Draco's escape from Azkaban made the news, no one knows where he is because he's in hiding, yadda yadda). This chapter spans about 3 weeks.

Chapter Fifteen: Disappearing Act

Ginny fell to the floor, barely breathing. She looked up and gulped, attempting to catch her breath and figure out where she was. It was only a few seconds later when she realized she was in the basement of her own home. She crept upstairs as quietly as she could, but the creaky stairs would not allow silence. The groaning wood signaled her arrival, and Molly appeared at the top of the staircase.

Confused, she asked, "Ginny, darling? What are you doing in the basement?"

Ginny swallowed nervously. "I was…just looking for the old photo albums," she lied lamely. "For memories."

Molly sighed heavily. "Oh, Ginny. I'm so sorry about all of this. You're too young to have to go through something like this. But, I suppose," Molly sat down on the steps with Ginny and wrapped her arms around her tiny daughter, "I suppose that it has happened to teach us something. Everything happens for a reason, and maybe this has happened to teach you about…love."

Ginny wiped her eyes. She felt badly for what she had just done and even worse for not telling her mother. Since she had been gone overnight, Ginny had to set up a hackneyed trick (a pillow under the covers so it looked like she was in bed). Now, Molly surely felt sorry for her, which made Ginny feel even worse . "Mum, I know that no one thinks I love him. 'She's too young, he's fooling her!' I know that's what everyone thinks. But I know in my heart what I feel, and I feel love for him. I would do anything for him."

"Don't do anything you'll regret." Molly stood and left, just smiling enough to comfort (or so she thought) Ginny.

Ginny pulled up her sleeve to reveal the Dark Mark and shuddered as she stroked it softly. The only reason it stayed on her skin was for the fact that she was faithful to Draco, and would hold herself to be a Death Eater if that meant saving him from twenty five years in Azkaban.

Ginny went up to her room and began to pack for the trip back to Hogwarts, for the Christmas holiday was over and soon she would return to school. How would everyone react to Draco's sudden disappearance? The more Ginny thought about it, the more she couldn't believe it. Draco's life was ruined because of his father. He'd have to live in hiding forever.

Ginny would live in a hole in the woods if she had to; the only thing that mattered was being with Draco, and she'd hide with him forever.

The first few weeks back at Hogwarts was quite uncomfortable for the entire group, especially Harry. No one really knew about Draco and Ginny, so Ginny was in the clear. However, her miserable demeanor and constant crying clued everyone in that yes, she was a little upset.

No one noticed Ginny's short absences in the beginning. At first, she'd miss dinner without an explanation. It gradually moved from that to missing classes, then to entire blocks of classes. Soon Ginny was gone for whole days, and no one had any idea where she was. Whenever anyone asked her what was wrong, she just dismissed them hurriedly and ran away, only to disappear again.

The truth about her disappearances was, of course, linked to her newfound status as a Death Eater. Ginny hated this new responsibility, but she had to uphold her duties. If she didn't, Draco would be sent back to Azkaban with an even harsher punishment. Yet, this was the price that Ginny paid for Draco's freedom. She comforted herself with this thought as she watched herself obey Voldemort's orders. Her main responsibility was just to spy. She hated betraying the trust of her friends and teachers, but there was nothing she could do.

Ginny was waiting to speak to Voldemort one day in the Malfoy's manor when she overheard a conversation between Voldemort and Lucius.

"And you're sure, My Lord, that this plan will work?"

"I am sure."

Lucius paused a moment, wanting to say something. Finally, a stream of speech incoherently flew from his mouth. "But My Lord, the previous plan failed. How are we going to be sure this will work?"

There was a sharp intake of breath. Lord Voldemort's voice lowered to a frightening level. "It will work because she is mine."

"The Weasley girl," Lucius stated.

"Yes. She," Voldemort snickered, "loves Draco. She will do anything for the stupid boy."

Ginny hung her head. Yes, I would, she thought.

"Soon Potter will be yours as well, then," Lucius declared, as if he was going to bring him Harry himself.

"Yes. As it was planned, so it shall be. You may leave."

Lucius opened the door to where Ginny was cowering. He sneered at her, and looked back at Voldemort. He looked as though he knew she was there the entire time.

"Come in, Ginny," Voldemort said coolly, cruelly.

Ginny stood up defiantly and cast a nasty glance at Lucius. He slammed the door behind her.

"My faithful Ginny, I have decided to bestow you with a very gracious gift. I have decided to make you the key player in our newest…and how I hate to use the word…scheme." Voldemort paused, allowing Ginny to register this. "You will be bringing Potter to me. Personally."

Ginny swallowed. "What do I have to do?"

"In one week from today, I want you to bring him to the dungeon – you know the place well by now – and he will accompany you here. That is all you have to do. It's very simple, isn't it?"

"And what will you do to him?" she asked boldly.

"That's a surprise," Voldemort said slowly. "Now, go."

Ginny dusted herself off as she left the fireplace in the dungeon. She looked around the dark room carefully, thinking back to when she confronted Draco and broke her ankle. Sighing heavily, she thought how much simpler things were then, and how complicated they'd become. She tried to regain her composure and walked up to the Great Hall, only to meet Ron, Hermione, and Harry at the door.

"Ginny, we need to talk to you," Ron said instantly. Ginny turned red and looked down, dreading the following conversation.

They ushered her into the library, which was completely empty due to the fact that it was dinnertime.

Ron immediately spoke. "What's going on with you? You completely disappear for hours at a time! You've missed countless classes and you're failing most of them. I haven't seen you for days. And have you seen yourself lately? You look like death!"

The statement reverberated in Ginny's mind. You look like death. Like death. Like Death…

"Ron!" Hermione said quickly. "She doesn't need to hear you attacking her." Hermione looked at Ginny with worried eyes. "We're just concerned, that's all. You obviously haven't been eating, and your grades are atrocious."

Harry rolled his eyes at Hermione's concern for grades. "So what's bothering you, Gin?"

Ginny gulped. "It's Draco." It made the most sense out of all her excuses. "Ever since he disappeared from Azkaban, I've been wondering where he is." It was partly true; no one really knew where Draco was. He was in hiding, after all. "I just hope that he hasn't been caught by the Death Eaters." She could almost feel the words LIAR and HYPOCRITE written on her face.

"That still doesn't explain your disappearances," Ron stated.

Damn. Ginny bit her lip. "I've been…in the dungeons. Draco spent a lot of time down there. Especially in one room…" Ginny drifted away into thought. That's a perfect setup, she thought. I can pretend that I want to show Harry the room next week. Ginny became disgusted with herself as she thought it.

Ron, Harry, and Hermione seemed to accept her answer, though they still looked suspicious. The following week, Ginny attempted to show her face a bit more and try to look at least a little normal. This seemed to appease everyone, and finally her teachers got off her back as she showed up for class.

The new week rolled around much quicker than Ginny had anticipated. The day finally arrived when Ginny had to bring Harry to the one person he feared more than anyone, and give him up. They weren't going to kill him, right? They would definitely kill Draco if she refused. She'd rather give Harry to Voldemort with him alive than have Draco dead. She knew she was only trying to satiate her own suspicions, but she tried her best to smother the thoughts.

"Harry?" Ginny asked lightly one night in the Gryffindor common room.

"Yeah?" he asked distractedly. He was in the middle of a particularly engrossing game of chess.

"Can I talk to you for just a second? I want to…show you something." This is it…

Harry looked up at her and squinted. "Okay." He nodded to Ron, who he had been playing, and followed Ginny out of the common room. Once on the other side of the portrait, Ginny started speaking.

"I know that everyone's really worried about me and everything. I know that I've been acting really strangely lately, too. I just want to show you where I've been for the past few weeks." Harry seemed to accept this, and he followed her to the dungeon without a word.

Upon entering the room, Harry finally spoke up. "Ginny, what does this room have to do with anything?"

"This is where I first really noticed Draco," Ginny said heavily. This was true, it was the first time she'd ever called him by his first name and the first time she ever thought of him as a person, rather than a thing.

Ginny crossed the room and lit the fireplace. The light from the fire illuminated the entire room. Ginny stood and rolled up her sleeves, exposing the Dark Mark. It took Harry a moment to notice it, and when he did, he swore loudly.

"I'm so sorry, Harry. I had to do it. I love him." Ginny was indistinguishable, as she was cast in shadows from the light of the glowing embers. She tossed Floo Powder in the fire and the room was covered in a green hue, eerily resembling the deep green of the Slytherin house.

"What – what are you doing?" Harry asked nervously, reaching for his wand.

"I took your wand," Ginny said sadly. "I'm so sorry Harry. You have to believe me." She pointed her own wand at him and a regretful appearance covered her face. "Petrificus Totalus."

Harry was immobilized. He watched in horror as Ginny dragged him in the fireplace and heard her utter the place where he was going…as a captive. Malfoy Manor.

A/N: Sucky situation, isn't it? Anyway...I'm trying to decide if I want a happy ending or a sad ending. So vote on it, reviewers...happy or sad ending?