A/N: don't own anything but the people unrecognisable

Thanx as always for the reviews, you guys rock cheers to kneh13 for being my beta and kicking me when I got lazy. Keep reivewin ppl, I know it aint very long but enjoy =) xx

The lyrics at the beginning are from 'One Heart' by O-Town

Chapter Thirteen – Sacrifices

Would you make a sacrifice
if you knew if it were right
Well the answers' there, if you look inside
Will you run and hide
Or will you fight the fight

Cause there's a power
Inside you
And there's a battle to be won
And every victory has a beginning
The way it always has begun
With the power of one

Coming back to earth the next morning Ginny groaned and tried to sit up, falling back against the pillows when a pain shot through her body from her kidnapping the day before. Leaving Draco sleeping peacefully besides her she wriggled out of his arms and pulled on the pair of shorts and the shirt from last night, buttoning up a few of the buttons and wandering out onto the balcony, a hot mug of coffee a tittering House elf had just handed her before scurrying off, clasped in her hands.

Watching her stare out at the hills in the distance Draco felt a strong pull in his heart and wondered dazedly what it was. The rising sun cast a harsh white glow on her skin, highlighting the shadows under her eyes from last nights excesses and the cut on her cheek and his eyes narrowed as he remembered how terrified she had been before anger took over her.

Rising silently from the bed he wrapped the sheets around his waist and crossed the room, wrapping his arms around her and expecting a self-defence move. He was not expecting her to lean back against him, drop her head against his shoulder and caress his imprisoning arm.

"Ginny! If someone grabs you from behind you do NOT stroke their arm and rub against them!"

His voice was uneven and he sounded as though he was being strangled.

"I knew it was you though."

She looked up at him as she tilted her head back with an innocent smile that sent pangs of lust piercing into him. He lowered his lips to hers in an awkward kiss and Ginny suddenly understood why Noah and Juno were so close after one night; she knew everything to say and do and when to say or do it to him and she felt as though she had known him forever.

"Draco?"

His lips were busy teasing the tender flesh of her neck and he grunted to show he was at least half-listening.

"Have you ever been in love?"

Ginny's eyes had fluttered closed from his caresses but they flew open when she felt his lips and body abruptly leave her. She turned around to see him already across the room and staring out of the window in the next wall, his hands resting on the ledge and his forehead pressed against the cool glass.

"I've come close."

His voice was blank as he shifted his gaze further up, stiffening slightly when Ginny reached out to him. She hauled herself up onto the ledge and sat with her back leaning against the window and one hand splayed on the centre of his chest, his skin cooling her hand.

"Close?"

Her gaze was fixed on him as she willed herself not to chew her bottom lip as she waited for his answer.

"There's one time that's the closest."

He shifted slightly, subtly drawing closer to her as he moved his piercing grey eyes from the distant hills to her face.

"Who?"

Her voice was no more than a whisper as her bottom lip trembled of its own accord and her breath came in little gasps, her chest heaving.

"Someone I should never have even looked twice at."

He was drawing even closer as he spoke, their voices below a whisper as his face inched closer, tears brimming in her eyes as her heart sank.

'This is the closest.'

His voice rang out in her head and she jerked her head up to look at him, her eyes cavernous as colour flooded back into her face.

"How close?"

Her lips brushed his as she spoke and he pushed a tendril of dark red hair behind her ear, his knuckles stroking her freckled cheek.

"Too close."

He lowered his lips to hers, burying his hands in her hair as she clung to him, her fingers digging into his upper arms as the intensity of his passion ignited hers and filled her with trembling lust.

A frenzied banging on the door made them jump, Ginny slamming her head into the window with blinding force as Draco dropped the sheet keeping him decent and the door flew open.

"Hey honey, I'm home."

Blue froze in the doorway, his gaze flickering from Ginny killing herself laughing and Draco frozen in shock. Looking down Blue raised an eyebrow and Draco turned as pink as he could.

"Why Draco, I had no idea you cared so much."

Blue tittered, fluffing his hands about his face and putting on a high-pitched voice, ending in a flurry of giggles as Ginny fell off the window ledge laughing.

"Shut up! To what do I owe the pleasure of your annoying presence?"

Draco pulled the sheets back around him and glared at Blue as he sauntered over, kissed Ginny on the cheek and dropped into a chair by the window.

"Didn't you know? All the Six are staying here until we've figured out what the prophecy is about."

Draco scowled at him and marched into the bathroom, grabbing a set of clothes as he passed and emerging looking the usual God he acted. Ginny rolled her eyes at the pair of them and darted into the bathroom, pulling on yet another of Draco's shirts; this time black and another pair of his silky green shorts. Blue wolf-whistled when she came out, her hair in two braids and her face naturally flushed with happiness.

"Noah wanted to see you; he's down the hall with some of your stuff."

Ginny nodded at Blue and left the pair of them to their discussion, pushing open the only other door in the hallway and falling on her best friend giggling and chatting. Collapsing onto the bed she paused when she saw a framed wizard photo of herself and Harry lying discarded on the bed and she picked it up.

"Didn't do as he should have did he?"

Ginny looked up at Noah and shrugged vaguely, her eyes on the pair of them laughing and rolling around in the snow; if Harry had been her Mate things would be so much simpler. She didn't hate Draco anymore, he was growing on her and she had no doubt that she could spend the rest of her life with him as the prophecy foretold, but if it had been Harry then her family would have accepted it more easily and things would have been so much more straightforward.

"What's that?"

Not buying into the innocent look on her face, Noah dropped onto the bed next to Ginny and tapped a finger on the glass covering the photographic images of the frolicking friends.

"He was meant to suddenly realise how much he wanted you and spend the rest of his natural-born life kicking himself over letting you go."

Ginny snorted lightly and nodded, swiping at a misguided tear and gazing down at the pair of them, discreetly studying the marks Draco had left on her body while pleasuring her.

"Yeah well."

Noah watched her for a moment before dropping a hand under her chin and lifting her head so he could see her eyes.

"Why are you lying to me?"

Ginny jumped out of his grasp, startled and stared at him nervously. He sighed and dropped his hand to her leg as she let her head fall onto his shoulder.

"-'There is no turning back now. You've woken up the demon in me.'-"

She sang lightly, quoting one of her favourite songs and feeling Noah stiffen as he realised what she meant and he gazed down at her, his huge amber eyes amused.

"And about time too."

Ginny started and turned to look at him in surprise, her eyes lowering when he gave a knowing smirk that made her flush and she elbowed him in the ribs, hard.

"What is it you dragged me into here for anyway?" She grumbled.

Noah lowered his gaze and twiddled his fingers shiftily, looking thoroughly uncomfortable, miserable and guilty.

"Dumbledore wanted to speak to you downstairs in the drawing room."

Ginny watched him suspiciously before getting to her feet and heading down the stairs after a hovering house elf. Standing outside a large black door with the same serpents as in every other room entwined on it she felt a terrible sense of foreboding sweep over her and she wrenched her hand away from the door handle as if it was on fire.

"Come in, Miss Weasley."

Ginny jumped as Dumbledore's voice rang out through the door as it swung open on its own with a loud eerie creak, revealing Dumbledore and Narcissa Malfoy sat opposite each other in high, hard-backed uncomfortable looking black leather chairs by the fire roaring in the black marble fireplace.

Feeling completely unsettled she stepped in, her feet protesting at the contact with the freezing cold icy marble floor as she crossed the room, stepping gratefully onto the thick black rug before sinking into an identical black chair conjured by Narcissa.

"You wanted to see me?"

Her voice trembled with the sinister feelings filling her and Dumbledore looking oddly grave as he watched her over his joined fingers, his eyes darkened to navy blue as she bit her lower lip.

"Yes, you and young Mr Malfoy..."

Ginny flushed and looked down at the floor where the fire was reflected in the glittering slabs of marble.

"You can't stay together."

Her head jerked up and she stared at him in disbelief, her mouth hanging open as she goggled from one to the other, Narcissa looking more miserable by the second.

"What?"

Her voice was barely above a whisper as her lip trembled and her eyes began to sting with furious tears. Her hands were gripping the arms of the chair so tightly her knuckles were white, the dark red nails glimmering in the firelight as they dug painfully into the wood.

"If Kendra finds out about the Prophecy, which she will very soon through her resources, she will do anything to prevent it. She won't hesitate to kill you or your Mate to stop it."

Tears traced down her cheeks as she averted her gaze from his sympathetic eyes into the heart of the fire, she didn't hear Dumbledore get up or see him approach her until he was kneeling in front of her with one hand on top of hers.

"You have to stop it."

She slowly raised her eyes to his and he winced at the pain searing from them, tears drowning them and turning them to a very dark coffee colour.

"How? You know yourself once a vampire finds their Mate there's nothing you can do."

Her voice was barely above a whisper as Draco's image swam before her eyes and she squeezed them shut, remembering the feel of his hands on her, his lips on her body, his bare skin against hers, his sweaty hair mixing with hers and his face above hers framed by moonlight as he whispered endearments into her ear.

"You're right there is no way, but you have to prevent Kendra from discovering who he is. Give him doubt of your love, take away the certainty he holds of how you feel."

Ginny swallowed hard on the tears building in the back of her throat and she looked down and sideways, away from his gaze. He had no right to ask her this, no right to snatch away the chance of paradise, the only thing she had ever been a part of that felt right and real.

"You know he'll fight for us."

Dumbledore nodded kindly and Narcissa winced, she knew her son loved this girl even he couldn't hide it and now she was helping take away the first person he had ever really cared for. She had noticed that lately he was happier, more sociable although no one but her would notice the change and she was positive Ginny had inspired this change.

"You have to do this; you must make him hurt briefly now to save him later. One day he'll understand."

Ginny nodded and got to her feet numbly, perfectly aware he wouldn't understand, ever, even if she did tell him her reasons. She paused out side his door, her heart racing; did she have to do this? Sighing she pushed open the door to find Draco laughing with Blue, looking more relaxed than she had ever seen him.

-=-=-=-=-=-

((Draco's POV))

A light sleeper Draco was awake before Ginny had even left the bed properly and he watched her through eyes narrowed to slits so she wouldn't notice, his silver lashes framing her as she crept across the room in last night's clothes towards the balcony.

Hiding a laugh when she accepted a mug of coffee from his personal house elf with a puzzled expression on her face he got quietly to his feet and draped the sheets around his lean hips, wincing silently at the two sets of red half-moon marks in his shoulder blades where Ginny had dug her nails in last night.

He crept over to her and grabbed hold of her, bracing himself for a self-defence manoeuvre and almost choking when she lay back against him and ran a hand up his embracing arm.

"Ginny! If someone grabs you from behind you do NOT stroke their arm and rub against them!"

Hearing the slight break in his voice he winced at the cause when she did it again, the soft rounded cushion of her behind innocently rubbing against him and he swallowed, hard.

"I knew it was you though."

Eyeing the innocent look on her face he inwardly groaned and lowered his lips to her jutting pink ones, unable to contain himself as pinpricks of desire speared his entire body.

"Draco?"

He made a noise at the back of his throat as his lips were busy sucking at her throat his tongue, teeth and lips arousing her within seconds.

"Have you ever been in love?"

He started inwardly and drew away, crossing the room in a split second and dropping his forehead against the window, his hands flat on the window ledge.

"I've come close."

Even to him his voice sounded empty and he stiffened involuntarily as Ginny laid a warm hand on his back before climbing onto the window ledge besides him, her hand on his bare chest.

"Close?"

He didn't look at her as he answered, his heart hammering against his ribs as he analysed his feelings quickly, as he had been doing so much lately.

"There's one time that's the closest."

Removing his gaze from the view he looked over at her to see her chewing her bottom lip nervously until it turned a dull red colour and he realised if she continued it would be bleeding.

"Who?"

If they hadn't been so close he wouldn't have heard her question and he could tell she was gasping for breath out of nerves.

"Someone I should never have even looked twice at."

Never moving his gaze from her he inched closer, seeing the tears springing to her eyes as his hand drifted to her waist underneath her shift, gently rubbing the soft skin he encountered there.

'This is the closest.'

The moment her head snapped up, nearly knocking him out he knew she had heard him and the corner of his lips twitched at the joy pooling in her eyes.

"How close?"

Their lips brushed as she spoke and he gently pushed some of her hair behind her ear, the back of his hand caressing her cheek.

"Too close."

Their lips met and his hands shot up to her hair, twisting his fingers into the silky strands as her grip tightened on him, her nails digging into the taut white flesh in his upper arms. His stomach met his jumping heart and lust burnt a trail through him, seeming to bring hers to life as she leant against him as though growing faint with the intensity of their passion.

He heard Ginny's head crack the window with a sudden force as an almighty banging on the door made her leap away from him, taking his sheet with her.

"Hey honey, I'm home."

Turning to look at the figure framed by the doorframe he scowled at Blue who was looking from his groin to Ginny two-double laughing and then up to Draco's infuriated face.

"Why Draco, I had no idea you cared so much."

Ginny fell off the ledge besides him in fits of laughter as Draco glared furiously at Blue's impression of a girl, wincing when he kissed Ginny on the cheek and a white-hot pain shot through his temple as Blue dropped into the chair nearby.

"Shut up! To what do I owe the pleasure of your annoying presence?"

Draco yanked the sheet up off the floor and tied it back around his hips.

"Didn't you know? All the Six are staying here until we've figured out what the prophecy is about."

Glowering at him Draco grabbed an outfit from his wardrobe and crossed the room into the bathroom, glaring at Blue as he whistled at Ginny emerging from the bathroom looking sexily beautiful in another of his shirts and shorts.

"Noah wanted to see you; he's down the hall with some of your stuff."

Ginny nodded and left the room with Draco's eyes on her, he turned back to Blue and collapsed onto the end of the bed, turning faintly green and checking the back of his pants before clicking his fingers for his house elf to change the sheets.

"So."

Draco looked at Blue steadily, wondering how much he had figured out and how much he was willing to tell him.

"So."

Blue rolled his eyes and leaned back in the chair, his slender body slouching elegantly as he stretched his long legs out, encased in black leather and rested his head on his left fist.

"You slept with her then."

Draco shrugged, his face impassive as he watched Blue smirk at him in that annoying way that Draco had no idea he himself had occasionally.

"Sure you did, you're bloody glowing. You've fallen hard haven't you, Drakey-boy."

Blue mocked lightly, smirking at him to hide his shock when Draco actually blushed and averted his gaze. He sank back onto the bed as the house elf, used to doing things exceptionally fast to avoid Lucius Malfoy's morbid punishments, left bowing low as he backed out of the room backwards.

"Shut up, Blue."

Blue raised an eyebrow at him and cocked his head to the side, he'd always been able to read Draco before when no one else could and it was obvious now that the whole Mate thing with Ginny wasn't the whole reason he spent time with her, he knew his friend was falling in love; something he neither knew how to identify or how to handle.

"I think you have it bad, love."

Blue winked at him and Draco turned away to hide the flare of pleasure in his eyes at his words. Swiftly changing the subject he moved the attention to Blue himself;

"So, you and Frankie?"

Blue cocked an eyebrow at Draco and smirked.

"Have you?"

Smiling slyly Blue raised both eyebrows and shrugged innocently, a wicked glint lighting his eyes up.

"I'm working on it."

Draco laughed and shook his head, surprised that he wasn't remotely attracted to any other girl but Ginny these days.

"I'd have thought you'd like a classier type of woman."

Blue chortled and shifted in his seat, looking at Draco rather a fox would look at another fox upon sensing a rabbit.

"There's nothing classy about what I want to do to that girl."

They both jumped and Draco lowered his eyes guiltily as Ginny pushed open the door. He immediately knew something was wrong when Ginny wouldn't look him in the eye and he got to his feet, crossing the room in a heartbeat to reach her.

"What's wrong?"

Ginny looked up at, the concern in his eyes twisting the guilty knife in her heart and she stared at him, wondering if she could go through with what she had been sent there to do. He watched her curiously when her eyes hardened with determination and she pressed her lips briefly against his before wrapping her arms around him and leaning against him, her head on his chest as his arms closed around her.

"Nothing at all."