GONE

There's a thousand words that I could say
To make you come home
Oh, seems so long ago you walked away
Left me alone
I remember what you said to me
You were acting so strange
and maybe I was too blind to see
That you needed a change

Was it something I said
To make you turn away?
To make you walk out and leave me cold
If I could just find a way
To make it so that you were right here
But right now..

I've been sitting here
Can't get you off my mind
I've tried my best to be a man and be strong
I've drove myself insane
Wishing I could touch your face
But the truth remains..

You're gone..
You're gone..
Baby you're gone
Girl you're gone, baby girl, you're gone..
You're gone..
You're...

I don't wanna make excuses, baby
Won't change the fact that you're gone
But if there's something that I could do
Won't you please let me know?
Time is passing so slowly now
Guess that's my life without you
and maybe I could change my every day
But baby I don't want to

So I'll just hang around
and find some things to do
To take my mind off missing you
and I know in my heart
You can't say that you don't love me too
Please say you do

Yeeaah...

I've been sitting here
Can't get you off my mind
I've tried my best to be a man and be strong
I Drove myself insane
Wishing I could touch your face
But the truth remains

You're gone..
You're gone..
You're gone
You're gone...you're gone.. you're...
Gone

Ohhh...

Oh what'll I do
If I can't be with you
Tell me where will I turn to
Baby who will I be
Now that we are apart
Am I still in your heart?
Baby why don't you see?
That I need you here with me
Oohhh...

You're gone..
You're gone..
You're gone
You're gone
Gone
You're gone..

But the truth remains
You're...Gone

- N'Sync


She was in the garden, the morning sunshine filtering the dew in the air as she weeded – something she enjoyed doing in the quiet of such mornings, without having to tend to the children as she used to. Besides, it was Saturday morning, which meant her husband, and only remaining son would be sleeping in.

It was then, with a loud crack, Mrs. Purdsmore apparated, her blue eyes as wide as saucers. It was through years of interaction with Mrs. Purdsmore, that Molly had come to the useful conclusion that the wideness of Mrs. Purdsmore's eyes indicated how shocking the news that she bore was. Right now, it looked as if her eyes were going to pop out. Molly Weasley had little patience for gossips but she was sensible enough to know that there was a grain of truth in what they had to say.

"Molly, dear, you won't ever believe this but then perhaps you already know since it concerns your own daughter after all!"

Molly stiffened visibly, straightening up from her crouched position in order to stand and fix her gaze on the flustered, white haired, thin elderly witch who seemed to be watching her rather carefully. It was every mother's worst fear when her own daughter becomes town gossip – a surefire ruination of her reputation.

Molly attempted to conceal her anxiety, "You want some breakfast, Mrs. Purdsmore? I have some pancakes on the stove." Of course the elderly woman who was cursed with a daughter-in-law who could not cook, agreed, shuffling into the kitchen behind Molly.

As she sat down at the table, she began to speak in that excited nasal voice of hers, "Tell me, then, Molly! How come you never told me about your daughter Ginny's engagement?"

Molly who had been making tea, nearly lost grip of her wand. Thank Merlin, her back was facing the curious Mrs. Purdsmore. She composed herself adequately before turning around to serve the tea and some pancakes.

"Well, it was too early." Molly murmured neutrally, offering a feeble excuse.

Mrs. Purdsmore patted her hand reassuringly, "Of course dear, I mean at the rate things are going there might not be a engagement but don't worry, my sources saw them making up later. These young people when they fall in love." She flashed Molly a conspiratory grin.

Molly could only swallow hard. This was why she had more sons than daughters – she did not have to worry about them when it came to their personal lives. All it took was one mistake, one rash action based on emotions for a girl to ruin her life.

She was aching to know whom her daughter was engaged to, hoping against hope that it was someone respectable. But mother's instinct told her otherwise – if not why would Ginny not have told her about this herself.

"Nice engagement ring, I must say. Heard Rita Skeeter's going to do an article about it." Mrs. Purdsmore babbled on, "I mean it's not everyday that a Weasley gets engaged to a Malfoy, is it?"

Year before, Molly's late mother had suffered a petit stroke and long after, she had told Molly that it was possible for such brain events to happen in an instant, the time it took to speak a world. And after the exact three seconds it took for those dreadful words to sink in, Molly heard a cadenza of sound as loud as a ripsaw that sent the teacup in her hand, falling, falling downwards to the ground. And she realized just as quickly that no one else could hear it.

She reached up for her temple. The sound pounded but now with a transparent quality; she could hear everything around it, the scraping of the chair as Mrs. Purdsmore rose from her seat aghast, the shattering of the porcelain cup as it hit the floor, the wind in the maples like water rushing from a pipe. Bile sloshed over her tongue but she gripped the edges of the table, bent nearly double, trying to muster enough air to fight the gathering pitchy dots that licked at the space in front of her eyes.

"Are you all right?" asked Mrs. Purdsmore, backing off.

"I'm…all…right." Molly gasped.

"You didn't know." Mrs. Purdsmore realized instantly, the fear in her voice diminishing.

Anyway, Molly was now getting breaths that were more restorative. She looked up, at the sound of awe in Mrs. Purdsmore's voice, noting the thrilled look on the old witch's face from this sudden twist of events. She was sure to share this revelation with all parties concerned but that was the least of Molly's worries.

It was then her husband chose to step into the kitchen, looking bleary as he usually did on mornings he did not have to go to work. He greeted Mrs. Purdsmore amiably, before turning to his wife to kiss her as he did every morning. The look on her face stopped him – he knew the same way he did that morning so many years ago that something had happened to Ginny.

For Molly had the same look she had on her face when she had found out that Ginny had been taken into the Chamber of Secrets, and when Ginny as a six month old baby had fallen desperately ill with a scalding fever and lay whimpering in her crib. It was something about their daughters that made mothers react in a unique way, especially if it was their only daughter and a daughter they had dreamt about having their entire adult life.

Molly did not love Ginny the way she loved her sons, she loved her the way one would love a piece of themselves that held all hope and promise of everything they could have been. And now, this precious part of her was falling into pieces.


Dearest Gin,

Your father and I would like to speak to you as soon as possible. Pleasedrop byThe Burrow assoon as you can.

Love

Mum

Ginny folded the letter and placed in the pocket of the dark green bathrobe she was wearing, one that belonged to Malfoy and therefore hung off her shoulders in a rather becoming manner, as far as Draco was concerned. The man himself was in the kitchen conjuring some rabbit stew, a tad unsuccessfully. Ginny did not notice this though as she stepped into the kitchen, her mind miles away.

Just then an eagle swooped through the window, dropping the Daily Prophet on the table before flying off. Ginny seated herself at the table, unrolling the papers and reading it slowly and quietly. It was when she turned to the society page that she let out a gasp that resonated in the still air, bouncing off the wooden walls.

Draco turned around from his over boiled stew, to glance at his fiancé who stared at the society pages, horror painted over her pretty features. The entire page was splashed with pictures of herself and Draco – one of both of them seated in the restaurant smiling happily at each other, another of her throwing her napkin in his face, another of him grabbing her by the wrist.

"That's good isn't it?" Draco asked, having come around to the table, leaning down and checking out the contents of the page over Ginny's shoulder. Ginny shook her head, aghast, her mind numb with shock.

"I mean, you can just tell your parents that you had to meet for business and obviously we didn't get along." Draco reasoned.

Ginny shook her head again, pointing to the enlarged picture of her engagement ring. Then in a trembling voice, she read the last line of the article, "Never fear. Malfoy love is not as short term as most of us believe it to be. Since they were seen making up later, if you get my drift. Who knows? Maybe this will not be another Parkinson disaster."

"Virginia-"

Ginny cut him off, rising from her seat so quickly; her chair hit the floor with a thud. The letter her parents had sent her suddenly registered in her head and she knew instantly what it was all about.

"Draco, I've to go." With that she transfigured his robe into pants and sweatshirt and disapparated from sight.

As she walked up to The Burrow, she felt a twinge of guilt at leaving Draco like that but she had been left with no choice. She had to handle her family first. Even from the distance, she could hear the 'pop' sounds of people apparating – her brothers most likely. She shook her head, dreading this. It was inevitable. She would just have to convince them that she loved Draco and that he loved her and made her happy.

"Ginny." Her mother smiled thinly as she came into the living room.

Ginny bend down by the armchair nearest to her, where her father sat looking pale and worried. He smiled at his only daughter, wanting only her happiness. As she bent to kiss him on the cheek, his heart melted, and then suddenly constricted for he had caught an unfamiliar scent wafting around her – it was in the cloth she wore, faint but unmistakable, a foreign scent. Not from the embraces of her brothers, or gardening or from having just woken up. He knew then with a startling clarity that it was all true. Yet he did not begrudge her – love was love after all.

As Ginny moved towards her mother, she ignored the questioning looks from her brothers and the pained expression on Bill's face.

"Sit down Ginny. I think you know what we're here to discuss." Her mother began, her lips pressed in a thin line.

"I don't get it, really Mum, I don't." Disbelief laced her voice as she began, "Why is it that everyone is here to discuss my personal life, my personal decision?"

Ron snorted, standing up and moving to the window, restraining himself. "We never did this when Bill got engaged to Fleur." Ginny pointed out.

"That's because there's nothing wrong with Fleur and he had the decency to tell us himself!" Her mother was obviously angry. This much Ginny knew.

"I would have told you!" Ginny insisted, not preparing to back down.

"When! When the entire wizarding world knew! When you were happily married to him!" Her mother bristled with anger.

"Mum, please!" Bill cut in, in an attempt to calm her down.

"Yeah, Mum, we would have stopped it if it got that far!" Ron cut in, anger getting the better of him.

Mrs. Weasley shook her head, "And how would you have done that when this-this girl's hiding it from all of us!"

Ginny opened her mouth to insist that she would have told them and that was besides the point in the first place, when her mother turned upon Ron, her eyes wide as realization dawned on her. "You knew." She breathed accusatorily.

Ron went red, and then pointed his finger impulsively at Bill. "He did as well!"

His mother gasped, putting her hand to her chest as tears filled her eyes. "My own children," She murmured, "betraying me."

"Honey, it's not like-" Mr. Weasley did not like the look on his wife's face.

"Mum, I forbade her to go near him when I found out." Ron pleaded his case.

"And I really didn't want to upset you." Bill added, "I mean as the eldest brother, I felt it was my responsibility-

"TO TELL ME!" She exploded, rising from her seat, fury radiating off her.

Ginny had had enough. "THAT is NOT the point, Mum. Even if they did tell you, they wouldn't have made a difference! NOTHING can stop me from being with Draco."

A still silence filled the entire room, and Ginny could have heard a pin drop if it did. She stood, looking at her family's shocked, stunned expressions.

"See what I mean!" Ron, who was the first to come to his senses, turned to their mother who looked strangely blank faced.

She rose from her seat to face Ginny, ignoring Ron. The twins had remained surprisingly silent through out the whole thing, watching it like Charlie, with slack jaws and wide eyes. It was not that they were supportive of her being with Draco, but it was best to sit this one out since their mother seemed to be monopolizing the situation.

"You want to be with him?" Molly asked, in her dangerously soft voice that Ginny had inherited. Ginny hesitated before nodding her head.

"Then you can't be with us." There was a cruel bitterness to the taste of the words coming out of her mouth but she had to say them for the sake of her daughter, for the sake of her bright future. She was relying heavily on the fact that Ginny was her daughter and would put her family above everything else. All hell broke loose though at her words.

"Molly! Don't do that! Do you know what you're saying!" Arthur had risen from his seat, disgusted.

"Mum, you're just pushing her towards him!" Charlie deduced sensibly.

"Shouldn't our love for her be unconditional!" Fred stood, glancing at the devastated look on his sister's face.

Ginny stood there, shocked, watching her brothers and father tell her mother off and admonish her for what she had said. Ron stood apart from the rest, looking askance. Her mother had wearily retreated back to her seat.

Ginny had been made to choose. The moment of reckoning had come. Ginny shook her head, keeping her gaze downwards for hot, angry tears had filled her eyes. She would never forgive her mother for this. Never. Even if they did return to speaking terms or go back to how they were, she would never forgive her.

She disapparated, not wanting to hear anymore, or get hurt anymore, apparating with a loud crack back at the cabin. Draco was lying on the bed, fraught with worry. He sat up with a jolt at the sound of the loud crack and was met with the sight of Ginny standing at the foot of the bed, desolate, dejected, looking utterly vulnerable and lost. Draco moved towards her. It was when he attempted to put his arms around her, that he got the biggest shock of his entire life.

"Don't touch me." Ginny's voice rang out, cold and harsh, almost like his father's.

He took a step back away from him, suddenly wishing he was anywhere but where he was. "Virginia I-"

"Don't even think of apologizing!" She spat at him, full of vile emotion she never thought possible. "This is all you fault. I told you, I told you!" She began, backing away from him, wringing her hands in despair. The cold, mean act was gone. She was too upset for any act.

Draco was at his wits end about how to respond, how to make her feel better, how to make the pain she seemed to be feeling go away.

"You insisted to go for dinner there! You're the one! You knew this was going to happen!" It was then she began sobbing, tears streaming down her face in rivulets, making her look more beautiful than ever before.

Draco's heart was breaking. He could hear it, could feel the shards of his heart biting into his insides. "I just hated sneaking around like this, I wanted it out in the open." He explained, desperation lining his tone.

"We'll never..be..able to be together again.. and it's..all your fault!" Ginny sobbed, on the verge of hysteria.

"What did you tell your parents? Maybe I can speak to them?" Draco offered.

"Don't be stupid," She snapped, "My mother wants me to choose between you and my family. They think you're bad for me, they think we'll never work."

"But we will, Virginia, I'll explain to them."

"Easy for you to say," Ginny sniffed, wiping her tears, her stance still rigid with hurt. "Maybe they're right." Ginny said, quietly, after a moment.

Draco stared at her. "What did you say?" He asked, softly.

"I said maybe they're right, maybe we'll never work out! I mean we fight all the time, we rarely get along! You don't even know me, Draco!"

He stared at her, still reeling from her words. He felt as if he had taken a fist to his gut. "But that's because you never give me the chance to!" Draco argued.

"HAH! You just don't bother! You don't even love me! You've never even said it!" Ginny had never looked so furious anymore. All her tears had dried up but hurt was evident in each and every line on her face.

"You're right, you know, you're absolutely right." Draco said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Ginny stood stock still. Words said in anger were never true in its intent and not mean to be taken seriously. She had never expected him to agree with her. Twice in a span of an hour, she had been hurt as if someone had inserted a knife right deep down into her chest, slashing her heart.

She deserved this, for listening to her heart, for going along with her love for him. Here she was, having returned to see him, to remind herself of the reasons why he was worth all that she was going through and here he was reinforcing the very doubts she had about their entire relationship.

"I don't love you. I HATE you." Draco seethed with an insurmountable rage. This was what he got for loving someone as deeply as he loved Ginny.

Ginny closed the distance between them with two steps. She slapped him, soft hand connecting with his hard jaw with a sharp stinging 'crack'. His face remained impassive, a surprisingly blank mask that chilled her to the core.

"Get out." He bit out, his two words crashing against the silence that enveloped the cabin.

Ginny need not have been told twice. She left. It was a full minute after she was gone that Draco realized what he had done. He sank onto the bed, head in his hands, misery taking root from the very pit of his stomach. It was over, even before it had really begun.


A/N

Anyway forgive the errors – this is unbetaed. I posted this chapter quickly because I kind of want to get rid of this story. I have a looong way to go though.

You're right. There is something that she's all worried about.

As one of my favourite fanfic authors said if you say Draco is OOC you have no grounds because Draco-Ginny fic itself is OOC.

I'm glad someone out there likes my guy tips..i'm actually thinking of becoming a 'love doctor'..wat do you think?

No sneakie peeks because i am still deciding if i should continue this story or not. My main reason for this indecisiveness is because i don't exactly know where to go from now on with this story.