A/N: WOW! I get more readers by the chapter! Lol! Thanks for reviewing guys! The more you review, the more I want to update!
Chapter
24: Devastation and Elation
Ginny stared at Narcissa. She was sprawled on the ground, a small smile on her face. Tears were dripping down Ginny's cheeks, but she paid no mind to them. She pulled against her chains, the sharp metal edges slicing open her wrists, not deep enough to kill her, but she could feel the blood begin to dribble down her hands. She screamed over and over again, her voice lost in the commotion. There were spells blasting around her, death screams shattering against the walls. Aurors and Death Eaters, locked in a battle to the death. And somewhere, Harry had found Voldemort, it would be over soon…but the brave woman, who had tried to save her life, was dead. Suddenly, a spell hit her shackle, and it was blown open, her wrist came free. She looked up, and Lupin was carefully aiming for the second one, and in a moment, she was free. She immediately ran to the woman's side, ignoring the red stunning spell that narrowly missed her head. She reached for the woman, tears blinding her, when something hit her foot. She gasped and looked down. It was a ring of keys. keys. Suddenly she remembered.
Draco! She grabbed the keys and bolted, as swiftly as a cat, to her love's side. She dropped to her knees and tried key after key, trying to unlock his shackles. The second he was free, he didn't even turn to thank her, he bolted back to his mother, and pulled her onto his lap, Ginny close at his heels. She sat next to him, in the centre of the rioting noise, and examined him. His face was dry of tears, but she knew his heart was broken. Every ounce of his attention was raptly focused on his dead mother. He brushed a strand of honey gold hair from her face.
"I…I promised her, you know." He said gruffly to Ginny. His heart was on fire, and his brain was frozen. All he knew, was she was gone, and he couldn't save her.
"What did you promise her Draco?" Ginny asked softly, tears streaking down her cheek silently. Draco rocked back onto his heels, then back to his knees again, in a way an insane person might, while huddled in a corner. "I promised her…" His throat was hurting again, every fibre in his body was screaming, tears welled in a tight painful ball, lodged in his throat. He was suffocating, and he couldn't even cry. He didn't know how…he just-
"I promised her…I said…I said mother…I'm going to get you out of this place…and you can be happy again…I PROMISED!" He shouted. He slammed his fist into the floor, and Ginny winced as she heard his hand break on the unyielding cement. Ginny put her hand on his cheek and turned him to her. His face was hot, but it was paler than she had ever seen it. She looked at him with all the love she could muster. Her eyes examining his blood streaked hair, and his eyes, full of grief he couldn't express.
"And now…" He whispered, his face full of pain, full of agony, making more tears fall down Ginny's cheeks. He wiped one away with his finger.
"And now I can't even cry for her…" Ginny couldn't take it any more. She kissed him. She kissed away the pain and the hurt. She showed him that it wasn't his fault. She wrapped her arms around his neck and held him close. He was shaking uncontrollably, but despite this, he kissed her back, softly at first, but soon the kiss deepened. Their hot lips locked together, and for once, Draco knew, someone cared. The broke apart, gasping for air, but there was something different about Draco, now that Ginny examined him again. The sorrow was still there, but the pain was gone…and a single, crystal clear tear slid down his cheek. Ginny gently kissed it away, and smiled sadly up at him.
"Thank you," He whispered. And Ginny nodded. She frowned though, as a shadow fell across them, and a sudden pain shot through the back of her head. It took her a moment to realise that some one was pulling her up by the hair. She gasped out in pain and spun around, the man's hand still clamped into her scarlet locks. She stared right into the face of one very angry Lucius Malfoy.
"You little bitch!" He snarled at her, and his her across the face, making her bruise throb with new pain. "You should have stayed in your place, and none of this would have happened!" He sneered at her. "This is all your fault!" Ginny froze.
'Stay in your place, Kitten.' He had told her…the very night they met…he had told her! 'Stay in your place, Kitten." Those five words had haunted her thoughts for months. They had followed her into her dreams, haunted her in her daily life…HE HAD TOLD HER! Suddenly Ginny smiled.
"Lucius." She said, he stared at her confused. She kicked him hard in the groin, and when he doubled over, she kneed him in the face, and when he stood up, she slugged him in the stomach. Finally, he fell to the ground, moaning in pain. "I am in my place." She hissed at him, then she kicked him in the back of the head, and grinned in satisfaction, when she realised she had knocked him out cold. Her grin left her though, when she looked around her. Dead body's lay everywhere, the stench of death was seeping into the stonewalls, and only a few people were still battling. Lupin, Kigsley, Moody, Tonks, Dumbledore, Zoe, Pansy, Harry, Hermione, and nearly all the Weasely's were still standing; also, a few other Aurors Ginny didn't know by name. Ginny had a brief moment of pain when she realised that Percy was dead, but the was quickly snuffed when the whole room went silent. Even the injured stopped moaning, for Harry and Voldemort had taken up their positions. Ginny heard Draco stand behind her. He put an arm on her shoulder and they watched, praying with all their hearts, that this was the end of Voldemort. The room was so silent, you could have heard a pin drop, so, when Harry Screamed,
"Avada Kedavera!" It was like a gunshot. Ginny watched as if in slow motion as the killing curse exploded from his wand, and rocketed towards Voldemort. And she watched, as the green light enveloped him, just as it had enveloped Narcissa Malfoy. The room was silent, and Voldemort crumpled, and withered into dust, and it stayed silent still, as Dumbledore raised his wand, and the remaining Death Eaters were rounded into a circle. But, suddenly, Harry raised his hands in triumph, and the room exploded with noise, cheering, screaming, frantic joy, elation filled every heart , and Ginny couldn't help herself, she spun around and snogged Draco again, right on the lips. She smiled against him, and whispered the happiest words of her life.
"We won!"
Dumbledore had announced a party would be taking place in the great Hall, after every one had been patched up and taken care of. The deceased had been taken out reverently on stretchers, except for Narcissa Malfoy, who, true to his promised, carried her out of the horrible place that had made her so unhappy. Now he knew, she could truly rest in peace. There would be a burial the next day for all those that had died in the great battle, and everyone knew what a sad day that would be, but now was the time for celebration. The Wizarding world was free again, all thanks to the Boy Who Lived.
Draco's broken hand was mended within minutes, as were his cut up wrists, and gashed chest. He washed the blood from his hair and put on a new Green Silk shirt with black trousers. After he was done, he firmly placed himself by Ginny's side, and would not be shooed away by any one. Not even by Dumbledore, who suggested that he get down to the Great Hall, before all the food was eaten. But Draco needn't have worried, Ginny just had a minor concussion, and nothing had been broken when Glacier had hit her across the face. After a simple de-bruising potion, and a quick wave of the wand to take care of the concussion, Ginny was free to go. She too washed the dirt and Grime from her hair, and changed into a comfortable pleated skirt, and a clean green blouse. Draco looked upon her simple beauty with such joy in his heart, she would be safe now. His Father was in Azkaban, and Voldemort was dead. Now he didn't need to go to sleep every night, fearing for her life. He took her hand and led her in the general direction of the great hall. Their footsteps echoed around the empty halls, as they walked together, side-by-side, fingers intertwined. Draco stopped before the great hall doors and turned to her. She smiled up at him, and he realised that he loved her. Loved her with all his heart, and he wouldn't be able to live another day without her. He smirked silently to himself, and together they opened the door to the great hall, the wall of noise hitting them like a physical thing. The party was a blur. There were people dancing, and eating, drinking and hugging. Congradulations were exchanged, and every one seemed to be insane with joy. The music was mostly fast, but every once and a while a slow song came on. Ginny would sit happily through these, she watched as Hermione and Ron swayed by. Hermione grinning like a cat who had just received a saucer of milk, while Ron was so red in the face, Ginny might have mistaked him for a tomato. Soon after them though, Pansy and Harry passed her line of vision, and to her complete surprise, Luna and Blaise tunred up dancing. Ginny hadn't even known Luna had come to the party. Feeling very much like the third wheel, Ginny sighed lightly to herself, trying to just be grateful that Voldemort was gone.
"And what, might I ask, has come crashing down from the heavens to make such a lovely lady sigh so heavily?" a familiar voice asked gently, tickling her ears. She turned to see Draco standing behind her, a gentle smirk on his face. He held out his hand to her, and she grinned.
"May I have this dance?" He asked softly, causing Ginny to simply grin even more. She took his hand and he lead her onto the dance floor. She leaned into him and breathed in his heavenly scent. He smelt like cinnamon and roses, so she rested her head gently on his solid shoulder, taking comfort in his presence.
"I love you." She almost didn't hear it, but there was no mistaking the words as hey brushed gently over her ears. She looked up and him , and he was watching her fondly.
"What?" She asked softly, and he kissed her fore head.
"I love you, Ginny." He said quietly. "With all my heart." Ginny smiled, she felt her eyes tear up and her heart melt. Not only had he said the three words ever woman in the world wanted to hear, but he had also said her first name.
"I know." She said, leaning her head back on his shoulder, "I love you too."
A/N There we go! A kiss, and a bunch of fluff for you all! Only because you all reviewed so nicely! Now, it is not quite the end, I still have an epilogue planned. I was thinking of maby making a sequel, but I don't think I will. I like the way this story has tuned out, and I don't really want to accidentally wreck it. All good things come to an end! But, I have the first chapter to my next story all written out and ready to be posted! So when I get the last chapter to this out, I hope you can all read the beginning to my newest D/G creation! It is post-hogwarts this time!
TATA FOR NOW!
Ashen
