Chapter 18

They say nothing is as simple as we hope it will be...

Ginny Weasley lay flat on her back as she stared up at her ceiling. Her eyes glazed over as they fixed on one small speck of black; she frowned. Breathing in and out slowly, Ginny let her body relax, falling into a daze. The woman had been lying there for hours, watching the speck, barely noticing when the day turned into dusk, the dusk turn into night, and the night go black. All that mattered was that speck; that one speck that kept her going. What would happened if the speck moved, would she notice? What if it grew bigger, would it eventually swallow her whole?

"That's what i need," she said to herself, as the speck stayed exactly the same, "something to swallow me whole, and take me away from here." As the red head lied there, she thought about how being in her own bed felt foreign. Her family had brought her home over 2 months ago, and she wasn't liking it one bit. Since her return, her family had treated her just like she knew they would; like a fragile,china doll ready to break at any moment. Ginny sighed in anger; they actually took shifts as to who would watch her. She hated it, she loathed it, she rather them treat her like a regular person, than some patient at the mental ward.

Ginevra sighed once again, this time one a bit more sympathetic. Truth be told, she felt like a mental patient. There had been times, many times, in which she felt like the walls around her were closing in, and she'd run out side in a panic, just wanting to smell the fresh air. At night, Ginny had terrible dreams, and apparently would wake the entire house up, and all of them would rush to her room, wands at the ready, as she was shaken awake from her dreams. There had been a few other things that the family felt they should worry about, but Ginny didn't care for any of it. She didn't care that she had night terrors, or she felt frightened to go to sleep, she just wanted to go back to "Ginny, future wife of Draco Malfoy."

However, since the Manor, nothing went back to normal. It wasn't only her family, but the fact that Draco hadn't returned. That was worse than any night terrors, or having the walls close in on you, that was the world ending. Not having Draco there, helping her when she needed him more than anything, was terrible. There were somedays, in which Ginny would just sit on the front porch, and wait, and wait, and wait. She'd wait from dawn till dawn, hoping to see him coming from the skies. Or she'd pick the hill in her back yard where he proposed, and stare at it, hoping to see him coming over it, hands in his pockets, his eyes glistening with love.

But none of it happened.

Some days, Ginny swore she saw him, his blonder hair being whipped by the breeze, but it was only her imagination. Draco never came, Draco would never come and Ginevra was still having a hard time coming to terms with it.

She wasn't completely alone however, she found bit of normalcy in talking with Harry. Sure, it took a while before the two -or he- could talk to her, but when they got over their own prejudices against each other, they found something: friendship. Ginny never thought too much of Harry when he came over for his "shifts". He'd usually bring her some tea, and ask if she wanted to talk. Normally, she declined, and he would nod, leaving the tea near by and finding a place to sit until her mum came home. However, there were some days, when Ginny just got tired of waiting for Draco or the images in her head were just too strong for her to handle; and she would sit with him.

He was always polite, always attentive, always listening to whatever she was saying. It was... nice... that was the best word Ginny could think of. It wasn't like it used to be when they were first in love, when they would hang on each other's words, just happy to be hearing each other's voices. And it certainly wasn't like Draco, in which she would hang on his every word, staring into his gray eyes and at his soft lips as he spoke. No. It was just nice. She didn't like to look at him, she hated looking into his green eyes and see his admiration for her. That's not what she wanted, she didn't want a replacement for Draco, she didn't want some one to love her, she just wanted some one who didn't treat her as if she was something daring to go off and explode.

Ginny, after a long while of staring at her speck, let her self fall asleep. It was dreamless, completely black. The red head loved this kind of sleep. Where images weren't swirling in her head. Where she didn't have to relive the manor, seeing the faces of Death Eaters who raped her, or feel her skin bleeding. No, these dreams were nice.

All too soon, the red head felt the need to rise. She opened her brown eyes but closed them quickly again, she didn't want to start another day. She didn't want to see her family change shifts, or her mother tentatively talk to her about the weather, or the latest news about babies of her siblings. No, Ginny wanted to lay in bed forever, and wait for Draco to come home to her.

Suddenly, a cold wind came over her, she shifted; she hated it when she left the window open. She opened her brown eyes slowly. Was her celling always so high? She attempted to move her body, but found her hands were unable to move. Looking at her hands, she found brass clamps around her wrist attached to the bed post. She pulled at her hands, she didn't get what was going on. Ginny's breathing grew heavy, why was she chained to her bed? Looking around she realized she was no longer in her own bed; she was in the Manor. Her lip trembled as she closed her eyes tight, "this was a dream... it is just a dream..." she said to herself, praying that she would wake up.

Opening her eyes again, she found she hadn't left, she was still bound to the bed, wearing nothing but a revealing night gown. She looked at her arms and chest, seeing bleeding scars and small red marks all over. Ginny knew exactly where she was, where her dreams decided to take her today. The red head closed her eyes and shook her head

"Wake up!" She screamed, "WAKE UP!" She opened her eyes again, and found herself still in her dream. The sound of a door opening made her head snap to the side, and she let out a cry.

"Morning" said the low voice of Lucious Malfoy. Her body began to tremble as she looked at his naked body. He grinned devilishly at her, and sauntered over to her, licking his lips. A tear leaked out of her eyes as he sat on bed, putting an arm on either side of her body.

"No" she breathed as he kissed her neck. Feeling scorching fire on her skin where he had kissed.

"Whats wrong?" he asked, running a hand down her body, "Aren't I as good as my son?"

Ginevra screamed.

Harry sighed as he opened the front door to the Burrow. He took off his traveling robe and hung it on the hat stand in the hall way. Running a hand through his messy black hair he sighed, Molly asked him to take an extra shift. He rolled his eyes as he walked towards the kitchen, hoping to get something to eat before he went to wake up Ginny. He hated calling it "his shift" but Arthur insisted that he try to keep himself from getting too close to Ginny. He didn't know what that meant, exactly. She wasn't some mental patient, not really anyway. Not at all said a voice in his head, Ginny is just... delicate. He nodded to himself, yes that was the word, delicate.

Harry didn't know what to think at this point. It had been months since she was brought home and it had been hectic since. He was actually very mad at her when she was first brought back to the Burrow. She had lied to him and made him believe she was some one else. SHE PRETENED TO BE A MAN! How more bloody bizarre could one get? He hated his shifts, even refused to talk to her during them. Harry just sat there blandly, watching her as she sat at a window for hours and hours, or sitting on one of the hills in her back yard, staring off into space. He never did ask her why she sat out there, he just assumed she was some how putting herself back together. After what she had been through, he would probably do the same.

Come to think of it, Harry did do just that after the fall of Voldemort. He sat in the Hogwart's hospital wing, and looked out the window for hours and hours, just searching. Hoping to find an answer fall from the sky, and tell him what to do with himself. Harry's pride had been so hurt when she woke up. Ginevra had caused him so much pain, so much emotion that he wasn't used to, and he resented her for it. She was his first love, his first real kiss, his first lover, his first heart break, his first everything. She meant more to him then he would let on. And when he saw her, after one of her "episodes" he couldn't help but fall deeper and deeper in...

"Harry?" called some one from the kitchen.

Harry walked into the kitchen and smiled at Molly as she placed a few eggs on a plate. Turning around, her gray hair even more evident than ever, she smiled at him. It wasn't as warm as it used to be, Harry noted, as she silently handed him a plate. Then again, did he really deserve her warmth? No, he supposed he didn't. He had done so many things, had completely ruined so many things for her family, and yet she could still smile at him? TheWeasleys were too good for him, and everyone knew it.

"Morning Molly." he said softly, as he walked to the table.

"Morning Harry, dear. How was work?"

"Long, as usual." he told her, as he took a bite of toast. She smiled.

"Well, thanks for taking the morning shift, I've got so many things to do today."

"It is no problem, Molly." Harry replied, thinking of how he could spend the morning with Ginny. "Its my pleasure." There was no reply. He looked up to see Molly giving him her "I know what it is you're thinking" look. He took a sip of his tea.

"Harry." she said finally, as she took off her apron, hanging it on a cabinet. "I don't think..."

"I should get so attached." Harry rolled his eyes. "It's not like that Molly."

His mother figure didn't say anything, only stared at him, her eyes calculating him like always.

"I've known you for too long, Harry" she said finally, walking towards the living room. "I know your tells."

"I don't think I have any tells." he remarked shortly, stuffing his mouth with bacon. He heard her sigh.

"I know that look in your green eyes, Harry." she said. "You still love her." He stayed quite.

"I know what your thinking now too, you're thinking "That batty woman doesn't know..."

"I never stopped loving her, Molly." the green eyes man said softly. "I left because I had too, not because I stopped loving her." Molly walked back into the dining room, her traveling robe on her shoulders. "Besides, it's different now, too many things have changed." She placed her purse around her arm and sighed at the man.

"I know that Harry." the red head replied. "And I also want you to know, Ginny feels the same way about Draco." he looked up at her quickly, furrowing his brow at her words.

"Think about it." and she walked to the fire place, throwing in a hand full of Floo Powder, and was gone with a whirl wind of green.

Harry shook his head, the woman had gone a bit batty over the years. He couldn't blame her all the same, after the War, losing Percy, and then almost losing Ginny, he could understand her... only a bit however.

"In love" he said, finishing off his tea. "I may have never stopped loving her, but... I know... I'm not in love with her." he nodded his head reassuringly. "at least... I don't think so."

Harry sat there for a few moments, thinking about his feelings for the youngest red head. He did like spending time with her. And, yes she was still as beautiful as he remembered her last, and ... well... of course he was attracted to her, who wouldn't be? So, he got off of work early to take Molly's shift, even though he knew Fred could do it. What did it matter that he came here after work everyday just to check up on her? If Charlie could do it, why couldn't he? They were still close.

Your losing it Potter. Said a voice that sounded oddly like Draco Malfoy.

"Malfoy" Harry breathed angrily. Just thinking about that Slimy git made his blood boil. What did he think he was doing? Why, Harry should go right up to Ginny and tell her ex....

Harry all of a sudden dropped his cup as the sound of screaming was heard. He grabbed his wand and ran up the steps, knowing it to be Ginny's voice. He reached her room, and found it vacant. The covers had fallen off her bed, clothes discarded all over the place. He furrowed her brow and when he heard a crash coming from the bathroom, he sprinted up the steps. Harry knocked on the door, only to hear a hight pitched cry. He pressed his ear closer, the water was running. He knocked again and heard Ginny's distinct crying. The green eyed man placed his wand on the door, and with an Alohamora, opened the bathroom door.

A cloud of steam blew in his face as soon as the door was opened. The bathroom was completely clouded with steam as the shower ran. He looked at the sink and saw many potions and products broken with in. Looking at the mirror above it, he saw it smashed to bits, few sharp edges hanging from the frame. He heard the sound of sniffling and turned to the shower which had the curtain drawn.

"Ginny?" he said softly, only to get a sniffle in return. "Are you alright?" she didn't reply. Harry readied himself for what he might see, and quickly pulled the curtain away.

After the steam cleared what he saw broke his heart into a million pieces. Ginny was huddled in the corner of the bath, the scalding hot water running over her naked body. She was shivering, letting tear after tear fall down her sad face. She looked at Harry with frightened eyes, rocking herself back and forth.

"They wont stop bleeding" she told him, holding her arms to herself. He put away his wand, and grabbed a towel. He got closer to her, only for her to huddle closer into the corner, he sighed.

"What won't stop bleeding?" he asked, as he stood there, not knowing what to do exactly.

Ginevera held out her arms and Harry looked away. Her arms were bleeding badly, she obviously had smashed the mirror, bits of glass were stuck in her forearms.

"The scars won't stop bleeding" she told him shakily, her body racking with tears. "They won't go away." Harry quickly turned off the water, and wrapped the towel around her body.

Ginny gave a loud cry as Harry picked her up in his arms, carrying her back to her room. The blood from her arms was seeping onto his shirt, and all over her own body as she hugged herself. He sat her back on her bed, and grabbed a robe, putting it around her exposed body.

He then took his wand and healed each of the wounds, trying to stay calm for her. Ginny's crying was so painful, it made his heart ache. She still so fragile.

"When will they go away?" she asked, as he finished. Harry only sighed in response. "Do they ever go away?"

"I don't know." he told her softly, rubbing his own scar, she cried more.

"Do you think, if they went away" she started, as she got up, going to the window. "Draco will want me back?" the man just stared at her blankly, watching her as she stared at the window.

"Ginny..."

"Why would he want me back?" her crying had stop, and her voice had gone monotone. It was as if all emotion had left her body, and she was now a stone. "Lucious told me Malfoy's never go back to their whores."

"Don't you think about what that Minger said to you Ginny." Harry told her sternly. "Don't think about it for one second, he was evil, you know it."

"But he was right." she said. "Because if he wasn't, Draco would be here with me."

"Ginny, don't talk like that!" he barked. "Do you hear me? You're not a whore!" Ginny had stopped talking, with a dull look on her face, she stared at the window. "Ginny?" she didn't respond, and Harry knew she was now going to recoup in her own solace.

Harry walked out of her room, and shut the door quietly behind him. He rubbed his fore head and sighed. It was time to take a visit to Lewisham.

Adrian Sander's bit his lip as he reached his hands deep inside. Feeling the oil rub against his skin, letting his skin get slippery. He wiped his forehead on his sleeve and kept working. He almost had it, a few more pushes and he would be finished. With one last jerk, he was done; standing up, wiping his hands on his shirt, he smiled. How he loved fixing carburetors. The gray eyed man looked at his job well done.

Adrian looked about the garage he worked at with a satisfied smile. He started working at "Lewisham Garage" about two years ago, then only being an apprentice. As soon as he started working, he knew that he loved not only working with his cars, but with his hands. It kept him occupied and blocked out all other thoughts. Now, he was one of the top mechanics in all of Lewisham; earning up to £2,000 every fortnight. With that money, he was able to get himself a nice flat about 3 block from here and a nice car that took him where he wanted to go, when he wanted. Ah yes, this was the life.

The blonde haired man loved his life. He got up every morning at 8 am, and had the cereal of his choice, with his flat mate, Ian. Then he would leave at 8:45, taking the 5 minute walk from his flat to the garage, getting some coffee on the way. He would then come in, and clock in at about 9 am. From then till well past closing, Adrian would work and work on anything that was given to him, only to take a break for a cup of tea at about 5. Then, at about 8:30 pm, he would wipe his hands on his blue shirt with his name sewed on the front, and leave for home. The rest of the night was spent watching the television with Ian, and then, at about 11 pm falling asleep in his own bed.

Adrian loved his life. It was simple, it was neat, it was his own. He didn't have to worry about Wars, family, or politics. He didn't have to watch his back for enemies, or even friends. Adrian was in no pain and felt no guilt in this life. He was just a simple man, with a simple life that he loved. And what Adrian epically loved about his life, was that he wasn't tormented with the thought of a beautiful red head that was once his.

"Oi, Adrian!" called Laurence, one of the other blokes who worked in the shop. "Wanna go for a pint?" The gray eyed man rolled his eyes, he always asked that.

"Nah, I'm good mate!" he called back, going back under the hood of the car. He heard Laurence sigh, and walk towards him, he knew what was coming.

"Oh! Why not man? You haven't been out in... well... as long as I've known you! C'mon, i went to this new pub on the West end, and there were so many girls!"

"No thanks." he replied with boredom, reaching for his wrench.

"C'mon Adrian! I know you've got to be dying for some! Hell, its been two weeks and I am! Don't you... like girls... mate?"

Adrian shook his head. "Yes, Yes i do Laurence, don't worry."

The other man held his hands up. "Ay, I was just asking! But you've got to come today! I saw these two blonde waitresses, I think you will like 'em, mate! They asked me to come, and bring a friend! And seeing how women look at you, I know you will get some easily!"

"I prefer red heads, thanks." was Adrian's only response. He heard Laurence sigh, and begin to walk out.

"Fine! But thats the last time this week I ask you to go out!"

"Promise?" Adrian quipped back.

"Well, I"m leaving, you close up shop?"called his friend.

"Yea, I got it! Get out of here!" and with a ring for the bell on the door, Laurence was gone, leaving Adrian in his loved solitude.

It was about an hour later, that the shop door was opened again. Adrian cursed himself for not locking it, not wanting to deal with any costumers. He had just fished repairing an engine, and was dead tired. He stood up, hearing foot steps coming his way.

Wiping his hands on a red rag laying near by, he ran a hand through his hair. The footsteps stopped not too far behind him.

"Sorry, we're closed" he said, not bothering to turn around. He put away some of the tools, wondering if the person was still there.

"Is that how you greet costumers, Malfoy?" He stopped. The man took a deep breath and shook his head.

"Get out." was all he said, as he started putting away the rest of his tools. The other man didn't respond, only kept quite, and the blonde could tell he was watching him.

"Whats wrong, Draco? Can't give your old friend a hug?"

"You, Potter, were never my friend." Draco shot back, feeling his old ways seep in. Harry only smiled.

"Ah, there's the Malfoy I loathe." he quipped.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"What? No tea?" Draco shot him a look, Harry sighed. Opening his mouth to speak but Draco cut him off.

"You know what, I don't want to know. There is nothing you could say that could tempt me to want to talk to you... or any of them. Leave!" he turned around and stared at him, watching Harry's face turn to stone. "LEAVE! You promised you would leave me alone!"

"Oh Malfoy!" came Harry fiercely, "You are one to talk about keeping promises!"

"What promise haven't I kept, Potter!"

"You betrayed me!"

"I did no such..."

"You took her from me!" there was silence. Harry began to breath heavily as he looked at Malfoy, thinking of the reason he was here. "I asked one favor Malfoy, ONE! That you take care of here while I was gone..."

"I did!" replied Draco.

"But you fell in love with her!" the other man shut his mouth. "You did! You broke the one and only thing I ever asked of you!"

"I took care of her!" said Malfoy with a hint of regret.

"No, what you did was make her forget about me!"

"Well, you should have told her..." Harry cut him off.

"You were 1 out of 3 people in the world who knew where I was the entire time! You knew I had to go into deep training even before I did! You were my partner, we were supposed to look after each other! As I recall, I asked you, before I left, to take care of her, and make sure she would be alright when I came back for her!" Potter yelled, feeling all the hatred he ever felt for Draco coming out. Draco only turned around, pretending to wipe the oil from the engine off.

"You never wrote to her." he retorted, turning around to face him.

"But I did tell you to send her my love."

"Like it would have been the same coming from me, Potter. Considering I would then have to say 'but I don't know where he is!'" Draco scoffed at him. "Is this why you are here?" he asked, feeling his temper about to explode. "Because if it is, you are wasting your time."
Harry didn't say anything for a few moments, only looked at him with disgust. Thinking that he should just turn around, and walk about the door. He knew it would be uselss trying to convince him, but he had to try... at least. He took a deep breath and looked at Malfoy dead in the eye.

"You have to come back."

Malfoy looked at him as if he had just turned himself into a woman. A very grotesque sight; he then gave him a disbelieving laugh.

"No."

"Malfoy, you don't..."

"NO!" Draco yelled. "Listen, I told you I was never coming back. I don't care! I don't care what's going on!" he shook his head. "If some one died, I'm sorry, send my regards. But there is nothing, I repeat NOTHING that will make me go back to that world! I hate it!" he looked at Harry disbelievingly. "I cant believe you even stayed there!"

"If you will just listen to me, Malfoy. There is something..."

"NO!!" he yelled! "NO! I don't care! I don't care what's happening! I don't care! Leave me alone! I've left it all behind. The Wizarding world can go to hell, I DON'T BLOODY CARE!" Draco breathed in and out heavily, wishing for nothing more than to have him leave. He didn't want to go back, he had a great life here, a simple life here. One where he could die in peace. There was nothing in the world that would make Draco Malfoy go back, absolutely nothing.

"She's awake."

Then again...

Draco furrowed his brow, blinking furiously at the words Harry had just said. Awake? She...

"Ginny's awake." He looked at Harry as if he had just sprouted four other heads. He watched as Harry took a deep breath. "Shes been awake for 5 months now." Draco's head exploded. He quickly turned around, and picked up the rag he was using earlier, scrubbing furiously at the oils in the car. "She hasn't been doing to well." He scrubbed harder. "But, she's coming around. Its been hard for her; there are so many things –images- that she relives time and time again, and it scars her every time. Most are about your father..." Draco stood up, walking to the other side of the garage. His mind had melted, he didn't know what he was saying, and yet he did. It was a mess of jumbled words that he could barely make out.

Ginny, awake, 5 months, hard, images, scars, your father...

"Its been so hard, not only for her, but for all of us. It's so terrible watching her trying to cope with all that she's been through, but she has. She's doing so much better, and I cant help but feel that I helped." Draco stopped pacing, and looked at Harry, who was staring at him intently. "I'm with her every day." he said, Draco furrowed his brow. "I've done what I can, and she's learned to once again trust me, love me even..."

"Then why are you here?" asked Draco dangerously low. "Why have you come? To throw it back in my face? To make me feel even worse than I already do?"

"I am here Malfoy..."Harry stopped, he looked down to the ground and took a deep breath. "I am here, because as she loves me, she will never love me as much as she does you. She will never fully heal with out you." Draco didn't reply. "I can only do so much, but if you came back, if you returned to her, I am sure in no time she will be back to normal. You are the only one who can bring her out from where she is. She loves you, she loves you more than she ever did me. And I am man enough to admit it."

"Well, don't you deserve another medal." Draco quipped, Harry shook his head.

"Are you even listening to me?" Malfoy turned around, and finished putting away his tools, wanting so much to go home and get drunk off his ass, but Harry-unfortunately- had more to say.

"I am just going to tell you this last thing." Draco turned his head toward him. "She's going to die here, Malfoy. Maybe not physically, but mentally she will. She can't stand to be here, but she's waiting for you, that's the only reason she will stay." Draco opened his mouth, but Harry cut him off. "But she will also listen to me, and she loves me, she trusts me. So i am here to tell you, that if you don't come back for her in a fortnight, I am marrying her." The blonde clenched his fists. "I am marrying her, and taking her far away from England and far away from the Wizarding world, and the only people who will be able to find us is us. I love Ginny too much than to let her sit here, and suffer for you. She deserves so much better." Harry then turned around and began to walk out. However, when he reached the door, he turned to Draco who was glued in his place. "If you're not there in two weeks, Draco, don't expect to ever see Ginny again." and with a ring of a bell, Harry Potter was gone.

A/n: how long has it been since I posted? Too long I dare say! Well, I hoped you all liked this chapter! And I just want to tell you all that this is the 2nd to the last chapter! The next one will be the conclusion of this story! And, I will be so sad when it ends! It was a great story, I think my best work, and I am soo happy that you guys have stayed around to read it!! you are all so great!! and by you I mean...

..Calla-ForEva ..shayomac ..ayumi-dono ..siriusforeva ..MissyNoGrace ..Icy Lullaby ..Dearg-Due ..UIY ..Tom Felton's One and Only ..ako Kanmu ..Kawaii Tropical Oasis ..Brokentoy19 ..CrazyStarz ..Yodarox ..FireRoseRed ..Dracosbaby ..carameLisSa ..Kris-Tina4 ..Virginia-Draco28 ..Terriah ..XxRakellyxX ..Sunflour ..Lenne Li ..Lilblondeiy214 ..Etre-Loup de Madame ..purus.flere ..Charmed-Goddess-07 ..stoictimer ..Iced Faerie ..Missers ..Sazzy7 ..AnitaBlake/BuffyFan ..TarynMalfoy88 ..Nikki ..Kazte ..Wizzabee ..Krystal989 ..da-Koreangirl ..WinterNightfall ..Zohra89

Thanks all of you for your love and support! And thank you to all those who said a few words about my Best friend, it meant a lot to know that people know where I am coming from. You guys are so great!!!

I love you all so much! You've meant a lot to me over our time together!!!

Love,

YvettE S. Aka Evy

Next To Come:
The Waiting Game
Taking a Walk
And...
Winning a War...

I've saved the best for last!