Chapter Six:

Her fingers tightened around her skull and she stayed quiet whenever he struck her. A demon to the core with a devilish attitude to match stood before her. She didn't cry, nor did she cringe when the finally blow came...she took it because she was strong enough.

Her throat seemed to close up as she stared at the eternal darkness that wrapped around her like a velvet cloth. She could feel a sticky substance on the bed where she knew she lay. Blood, it had to be...and it was hers. What happened to her? Her head was pounding with a fury and she felt detatched, unable to move without the slightest bit of pain.

"You're safe now...he's dead. I killed him." a soft voice made her nearly jump out of her skin before she realized who it was. He had saved her? The question burned deep inside of her for hours.

"Why?" It took all her energy not to cry as she dropped back down on the pillows.

"Why? I should have thought that was obvious. I'm not ready to let you go yet, Weasel...Far from it, in fact. I intent to keep you safe and secure whether you like it or not. That's what boyfriends and men in love do, they protect what's theirs." The tiniest of smiles creased Draco's lips in the dark.

"And Blaise...?" Her voice caught; everything had ended with a death that was never supposed to be. What had gone on in Blaise's mind in those few minutes of her kidnap, and as he saw his own death coming?

"An overly jealous egotistical prat and those are his good qualities," hollow laughter filled the air suddenly and she cringed. "He was convinced that he could have you...that you would come at his call...when you didn't, he was so full of rage that his brain couldn't handle it...All reason faded away and then he kidnapped you. He's been sick for awhile though; I heard him taking about something called a Tumour; an abnormal benign or malignant mass of tissue that is not inflammatory, arises without obvious cause from cells of preexistent tissue, and possesses no physiological function. Although his pressed on the part of him with feelings for you and turned them sinister. Do you understand?"

"You knew? You knew what it was and what it was doing to him?" She couldn't help the hurt that drained from her at that point. She saw his outline move and then the mattress sunk underneath his weight and he touched her face, letting his thumb stroke her jaw.

"I did not know that he would come after you. It was only after I went back to the common room that I found the note. He said that he was going to take you and that I would never find you again. If I hadn't come-If I hadn't killed him-he would have killed you." She felt small tremors radiate from his body, for his fingers twitched on her skin. Silence ripped inside both as they sat frozen, staring at the others shadow.

"I have to go..." She slipped away from him and found as she touched the floor that she limped towards the door. She couldn't deal with all this right now. She had to clear her mind.

Strange things have been happening and I don't know who to turn to. Draco's scared of losing me and I'm just afraid of what could have been. That bastard could have raped and killed me. But now Draco's going to be found out and then I'll never see him again. I know what I have to do...

­-

"Please..." She stood in the middle of Professor Dumbledore's office, her mind shut off from any rational thought. She had just confessed to a murder that she hadn't committed and now she awaited her sentence.

"I hardly think she did this, sir." came the rattled voice of none other then Professor Snape. Ginny stared up at him with a mix of fear and disbelief. "Do you really believe that this child-whose had more trouble then needed-is physically capable of taking a life?"

"No, Severus, I do not. But she is obviously scared of losing whomever may have done this. Now, Miss Weasley-who murdered Blaise Zabini?" How was she to get out of this now?

"I told you who did it!" She shouted, letting the tears leak out. She didn't care anymore. Snape looked taken aback at her outburst, however, Dumbledore remained calm.

"You must be under the impression that we, that is to say Severus and I, are complete dunderheads to think that you could have done this. Ginny-it is essential that we know."

"It was an accident! He didn't mean to! He was protecting me!" She was on her knees now grasping the floor, determined not to break anymore then she already was. "It wasn't his fault, Blaise-"

"What did he do, Miss. Weasley?" Someone spoke from her side, she ignored attempting to figure out the voice.

"He was sick," Ginny shook with anger now. "He was bloody sick and that's what made him kidnap me! That thing in his head was pressing on his brain!"

"Pardon, but did you just say that he was sick? Albus, did you know?" Severus turned slowly around to stare at the Headmaster.

"I did know, yes. But the question is...How did our young Miss. Weasley find out, I wonder?"

"Malfoy knew," Ginny said quietly. "He told me about it. Draco was furious when he found out that Blaise had taken me from right under his nose," she found it difficult to balance with her arm in a sling. "He didn't mean for this to happen...He was so angry...He loves me, so I can't possibly be mad at him for this."

"Nevertheless," Dumbledore said heavily. "He will need to go on trial for murder. I will contact The Minister of Magic immediately. In the meantime, Severus, will you go with Ginny to get Mr. Malfoy?"

"He won't want to see me, Professor."

"She may be right." Snape frowned and swept from the room without another word. Ginny kept her head low and her useful arm wrapped around her knees.

That's it...It was over...She had lost everything.

He dared not look at her when he entered. His mind was wrapped around this betrayal. You rotten bitch, how could you? He bit his jaw as he was questioned in the company of Minister Fudge, Professor Snape and his Headmaster. Ginny sat in the corner and wept silently.

"-He deserved it, he was always lusting after everything I had!"

"Why hadn't you hit him before her?" Fudge threw a nasty glare at Ginny. Draco felt his hand curl into a fist.

"She's worth ten times more then any of those idiots!" Draco admitted hotly to everyone in that damn room. "I loved her even before I knew what I was getting into."

"By that you mean-the intamacy of your relationship?"

"We've done nothing of the sort. I just meant that before I knew how her parents felt, really."

"They despise you, don't they?" He said it with such cruelty that Draco wanted to slug him.

"Letting off topic, aren't you, Fudge?" Snape interjected fiercely.

"You went outside and your intent was to kill that boy," a smirk curled on those lips and a silence followed his next words. "because he had his hands all over that wench you call a girlfreind, is that right? You murdered for that slut!" Her scream was drowned out by the fearful yelp from Fudge as Draco withdrew his wand; his eyes were like nothing anyone had ever seen; wrathful, soulless, empty.

"Who the fuck are you to speak that way about her? I killed that bastard because he would have killed the one I love if I hadn't stopped him. This trial was pointless as you have no authority over me while I am in this school."

Nobody moved or tried to stop him.

"You're a mere child," Fudge's eyes grew hard and Draco felt someone grab him from behind. His fingers outstretched to Ginny before he began to struggle. "who shall be punished eternally for his ways. Take him to Azkaban and make sure that he meets his fate." Fudge directed whomever held him.

"Minister! Don't do this!" Ginny cried and felt a slow hatred built inside her body. He was walking away, dragging Draco to the depths of hell. "Crucio!" The man was on the floor before anyone really knew what was going on. Pain consumed his body and he withered before beoming still.

Author's Note: I'm sorry that I left this for awhile. Things were going on and I couldn't update. But I'll be added more everyday from now on. I know this chapter was a bit confusing (hope not). Thank you for reading. Review please!