Chapter 18

"Ginny ... don't leave ... wait ... don't hurt her ... stop ..." Ginny woke up to see Draco thrashing about wildly in his bed and murmuring incoherently. She got up and walked over to his bed. She put her hands on his shoulders and tried to stop him from moving but considering the fact that he was a lot stronger than she was, it wasn't really working.

"Draco, it's okay, I'm here."

"MUM ... GINNY!!!!" Draco sat bolt upright in his bed, sending pain coursing through his entire body. He opened his eyes and looked around, confused.

"Shh, lay down, it's okay."

"Ginny?" he asked in a small voice.

"Yes, I'm here." Draco blinked a few times, before he finally understood. "It's okay, Draco." He allowed Ginny to push him back down into a laying position. She walked over to the table at the foot of his bed and picked up a bottle of Pepper Up Potion. She poured some into a cup and handed it to him. "Drink this, you'll feel better." Draco took it and nodded, downing the potion in one drink.

Ginny gave him a worried look as he attempted to sit up in his bed. "What happened?"

"I was hoping you could tell me." Draco propped himself up against the headboard and reached out his hand for Ginny's. She sat down next to him and took both his hands in hers. "You didn't come back ... after Christmas. So Dumbledore sent some people to your house and they found you there ... he said you were barely alive. They think it was Lucius, that's what Narcissa told them. She was able to apparate out but she couldn't save you. And then they brought you here."

Draco cupped Ginny's face in his hands for a moment before pulling her forward and enveloping her in as tight a hug as he could manage, being injured and all. She wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her head in his shoulder. Without making the slightest move to pull away, he asked, "Did he hurt you?"

"What? No, Draco he doesn't even know about us ... why would you think that?"

"Because ... I guess I dreamed. He was going to kill you, Ginny. And Mum too ... he was trying to get to me. He wanted me to be a Death Eater, to be you-know-who's ..." Draco trailed off and buried his head in Ginny's hair.

They fell asleep there, in each other's arms, and both slept better than they had in a very long time.

The Great Hall

"Hey, little one! Where've you been all this week? We've barely seen you at all." Ginny smiled at her brother, who looked like he really wanted to hug her but was a little afraid of what her reaction would be. She loved how well she could read her brothers.

"I've been helping McGonagall and I wasn't feeling very well so I was taking my meals in my room. Hope I didn't make you worry to much." Ron nodded fervently as Ginny gave him a tight hug. Ron smiled genuinely as he and Ginny made their way to the Gryffindor table.

In all honesty, Ginny was still extremely worried about Draco. But he was awake now, and if she didn't return to classes soon people were going to get more suspicious than they already were. She exchanged a weak smile with Hermione and Zi, letting them know that everything was okay and sat down between Fred and George. As over-protective as her brothers were, she could always count on Fred and George to cheer her up and make her feel wanted.

"So Gin-bear, how's your week been?"

"Gin-bear?" Fred shrugged.

"I was trying it out, but it doesn't fit you. Too innocent." Ginny smacked Fred, but laughed nonetheless.

"Don't you think I have enough names already?" She began ticking them off on her fingers, "Ginerva, 'Nerva, Ginny, Gin, little one. I mean honestly, how many names can one person have?"

"You forgot your middle name." George grinned as he did a pretty accurate impression of Ginny. "Molly, Mols, not to mention Weaslette, --"

"Okay, we get the point George!" George and Fred smiled cheekily as Ginny rolled her eyes. "To answer your question, how good do you think a week with McGonagall can be?"

Gryffindor Common Room

"Hey, you promise me you're okay?" Ginny put down her book as Fred sat down next to her on the couch.

"Fred, I'm fine. Why are you so worried?" Fred shrugged and looked at the ground sheepishly.

"I feel kind of bad ... I mean, I was talking to Charlie and –"

"Whatever he told you, it's a lie." Fred smiled weakly at Ginny's comment before continuing.

"We're always so protective, which is a good thing, but we don't really pay that much attention to you ... we feel bad for doing it and even worse for not realizing we're doing it." Ginny rolled her eyes at her brother, who was now acting like he was the cat that ate the mouse.

"Who's we?"

"Ron, George, and I." Ginny smiled and looped her arm through Fred's.

"I'm not going to say that it doesn't bother me, because it does. But to some extent, it's okay. I like my privacy ... look, I don't like it when you do it but I'm glad that you're finally recognizing and acknowledging it. Even if it is with a little push from Charlie." Fred looked up from the floor and smiled at his sister.

"So you're not mad then?" Ginny laughed and shook her head.

"I never was mad ... a little frustrated, yes, but never mad." Fred smiled and hugged Ginny tightly. "Oh yeah, and you might want to wait to rig the third floor bathrooms until after Filch has made his rounds. I heard he's changing it up tonight, third floor last."

"What would we do without you?!" Fred hugged Ginny again and kissed her on the cheek before running up the stairs to his Dormitory.

Hospital Wing

"He's asleep now, but you're welcome to go in." Madame Pomfrey smiled warmly at Ginny as she passed. Ginny nodded and walked through the hidden door to Draco's bed. She sat down next to him and watched him sleep. Tucking a strand of his white-blonde hair out of his face, Ginny noticed how peaceful Draco looked. Ginny could happily report that he had been smiling more, but his eyes never ceased to hold that little twinge of ... sadness, maybe, anger.

Ginny could tell he was holding back, whenever he kissed her. As if he didn't want to give himself to her, wholeheartedly. Ginny pushed those thoughts out of her mind as she leaned up against the headboard, Draco's hand still in hers.

"Gin?" Ginny smiled and looked down to see Draco's eyes flutter open. She kissed him lightly on the cheek as he sat up.

"Hi."

"Hi." Draco chuckled and turned to look out the window on the opposite wall. He took Ginny's hands, kissed them, and allowed his fingers to intertwine with hers.

"How are you feeling?"

"Like shit." Ginny forced a smile, but Draco apparently didn't notice.

"Do you want to talk about what happened?" The contented smile immediately faded from Draco's face. He swallowed hard and stared at the floor.

"I ... I don't know if I can." Ginny squeezed his hands reassuringly and laid her head on his shoulder.

"Draco, you can tell me anything ... I hate to see you keeping everything inside like this. Please don't shut me out now. We've come way to far to be doing that to each other." Draco sighed and nodded.

"It was the day before we were supposed to leave on the train ... I had another row with Lucius over being a Death Eater, but he didn't Crucio me or anything that time. It was just he and I yelling back and forth. Then he wanted me to talk to some of the higher-ups ... well I didn't exactly talk. I didn't say anything to any of them, which got Lucius even angrier. So then one of them tells him to do whatever he wants with me as long as he doesn't kill me." Ginny gasped involuntarily. Draco fought back the tears as he continued. "He was cursing me and Mum was screaming for him to stop. And then he turned and cursed her and I was trying to get him to leave her alone but he wouldn't stop ... he just wouldn't stop!" Draco collapsed into Ginny as the tears started to come and she cradled him, rocking back and forth slowly.

"Narcissa's okay, Draco ... she's okay, I promise."

"I can't ... Malfoy's never cry." Draco started to pull away but Ginny held him fast and gave him a stern look.

"You're not just a Malfoy and so what if you do cry? Lucius can shove his anti-feelings bullshit back up his ass." Draco chuckled at Ginny's choice of words before nodding and continuing.

"Then he Avada Kedavra'ed someone. I thought it was Mum, but I heard her scream afterwards ... so then I thought it was you. And I had this dream and he killed you and ..." Draco trailed off as he hugged Ginny tighter.

"But I'm okay, I'm here. You're here and your Mum's okay, that's all that matters." Draco sniffed and nodded.

"I love you, Ginny."

"I love you too, Draco. Try and get some sleep okay?" Draco shook his head 'no'.

"Whenever I fall asleep I get that dream again."

"I'll stay the night here, it will be okay." Draco sighed and repositioned himself into a more comfortable position with his head in Ginny's lap; he was asleep moments later.

A/N: All together now, 3 ... 2 ... 1, "Awwww!" Sorry for the wait, I had this burning desire to write a one-shot last night so I had to do that instead of finishing this chapter! Yes, Draco is among the living again, do the happy dance! Now, I take a moment and do the happy dance in honor of my lovely reviewers! I can't believe that I'm up to 101 reviews! That makes me feel so loved! I honestly never thought I would make 50, let alone 101!! Anywho, there's a lot of foreshadow-y stuff going on in this chapter. It makes me sad because we're about 2/3 of the way through this story! tear How did you like it? Did it suck? Was it great? You tell me!

Beckysue2: Yes, I'm all about the angsty-ness. Thanks so much!

Sandofia: Haha, Ron will find out, yes, eventually. Violence isn't always bad, LOL. The heir thing comes out more in the sequel, but I had to set it up in this one, so you will be wondering for a while. I am so utterly flattered! For the record, I love long reviews! Thanks so much and sorry for the wait. How was this one?

Paintedsecrets: Are you kidding? How could I not mention my craziest reviewer in my bio? I'm flattered ... and maybe a little bit scared. You'll be happy to know that almost every chapter of the sequel will have Drakey and Charlie Charles in them! No, Draco couldn't die! But neither can Lucius, so prepare yourself emotionally for that, LOL. How was this one?

CoolMilena: Haha, thanks so much! I'm flattered. I live in the US, Hell to be specific (aka Phoenix Arizona). How about you? What did you think of this chapter?

HarryPotterFan670: Charlie's my favorite character! He's the best! Thanks, how was this one?

Luna Gypsy: Haha, yeah, sorry about the wait for this one! looks at the ground sheepishly Thank you so much! Again, so sorry for the wait. How was this one?

Krystal1989: EEP! I'm so sorry for the long wait! I feel really terrible! Hope the content of the chapter made up for it?

Dark Rose: Well, you know, she did think he was dead there for a minute! Yeah, he wasn't supposed to show up, but I needed some cotton and I figured he would be there for her. Yes, he's definitely a sexy jerk! Yes, the title (though I don't remember it) was a stroke of brilliance, not really but hey. How was this one?

Dracoluver2009: Thank you so much! Sorry for the wait! How was this?

LaGau: Haha, thanks a bunch! Of course I couldn't kill Draco! I love him too! He's among the living again, LOL. How was this?

Lil Bre: LOL, yeah, he was an afterthought, but I figured what the hell? Yes, Lucius deserves to die ... but he probably won't. Merci beaucoup, sorry for the wait! How was this?

MasterHarperMenolly: Haha, yes today the happy dancing is in honor of you and all the other fantabulous reviewers that put me at 101! Oh yeah! Anywho, Gratci Gratci! Sorry for the wait, how was this?

Inukaino: Wait until the end of the sequel... you will love it! LOL, Thank you so much! Sorry for taking so long, but how was it?

MoonlightPrincess: Haha, troll ... Lucius ... what's the difference? Thanks so much, sorry I didn't update for so long! I love Charlie to death! How was this?

LunarianPrincess: Thanks so much! Sorry for the wait, but how was this chappie anywho?

DarkRose: Yay! You are #100! Much love! (dear not queer of course!)

This chica is the one who got me started writing fanfiction, she's the greatest, even though she does give me too much shit about a certain ... non-lobster like guy. Anywho, thank you so much! How was this one?

To All: Again, I bow down to the greatness of those who helped me to 101 reviews! So much love for all of you! Now, if I may get down on my knees and beg a favor? Please, please, please read Time to Burn, I'm Still Here, and First Day of My Life. They are all HP fanfics, and I'd really like some more feedback on all of them! Thank you again so much!

Disclaimer: All these people that can recognize the awesome writing that is this story (haha, just kidding) and yet, they can't figure out that I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER!