Banishéd

"I wonder what's keeping Ginny… " Draco wondered out loud as he sat in the gazebo. "It's nearly dark out, and she promised she would come. I hope she's not afraid of me. It would be a shame, to put all those roses to waste… " Draco glanced up into his room – well lit with candles, surrounded by roses, the best and finest silk he could manage on his bed. What more could a lady ask for?

"Ginny, Ginny, Ginny," Draco sighed softly. He tilted his head this way and that, wanting to better see the entrance to the Manor, but he couldn't. It was blocked from view by roses. "Roses, roses, everywhere," Draco hummed softly. "In the garden, on the stair. Round and round and round we go. Where we'll stop we'll never know." He laughed a bit and jumped up. Waiting out here would bring him nothing but chill. Which might have actually been good, considering the mood he was in…

Without another moment of waste Draco climbed up the gazebo and onto his balcony. It was very handy, that gazebo… In a flash, Draco was inside his room. It was very romantic, the whole getup and everything. Of course, he wanted it to be perfect for Ginny when she came. That is, if she came. Draco lay on his bed and tried not to think of Ginny, but for every second he tried not to think about her, some arousing image of her would spring in his mind and he would think about her even more.

There was a knock at the door that served as a cold shower to Draco. He sat up quickly and glanced around. The final rays of sunlight weren't even touching the horizon yet. Draco rose and opened his door quickly, and was glad to see Snape with the package in hand.

"Excellent," Draco purred as he took the package out of Snape's hands. He tore the paper off quickly, and was proud to boast the finest bottle of champagne his house had to offer. He smiled a bit and stashed it by the bed. It was really going to surprise her. He turned to thank Snape, but stopped. The usually proud and tall man was hunched over and had a terrible, drawn expression on his face. "What… what's going on?" Draco asked uneasily. Happiness rare is often the fastest to spoil.

"I can't believe it… " Snape breathed. Draco looked at him and closed his eyebrows together.

"Believe what?" Draco laughed nervously. "What's happened?"

"She's dead! She's been killed! She's dead!" Snape sank into a chair and started weeping quietly. "Cut down in the prime of her life! She had her whole life in front of her, and now she'll never see tomorrow!"

Draco shook his head, not believing the words he was hearing. "Can the gods be that cruel?" He sank to the bed and put his head in his hands.

"Ginny can, though the gods can not. Who would have ever thought it… Ginny… " Snape broke off, tears coming again.

"Why must you torture me so!" Draco almost shouted, tears falling from his eyes faster than he could count. "Did Ginny commit suicide? Say but "aye" and that bare word will have poisoned me greater than any potion could have. If I am not I, if there be such an "aye." If she is dead, speak but "aye." If she is not, then say no. Your words will determine my weal or woe."

"I saw it happen with my own eyes," Snape began slowly, the horror coming back to him. "There was smoke, and blood everywhere. Then she was gone, like that. Her eyes faded and went so dark… "

"No," Draco whispered. He wished for his heart to break, right there, for him to be rid of her sweet face forever, but he could not. Draco began sobbing.

"But why Crabbe? Why him? He was such a good student… " Snape pressed his face in his hands and felt the tears flow.

"What is this?" Draco asked, raising his head. "Ginny is dead and so is Crabbe? My dear friend and my dearer wife?" Draco shuddered and wiped the water from his face. "How did this come about? How, speak now, please, for my life, speak and tell me how this foul day came about!" Draco stared at his teacher from the bed and saw Snape lift his head.

"Hermione has died at the hands Crabbe; Crabbe has died at the hands of Ginny, and Ginny has been banished from magic forever." Snape fell back to his tears. Draco's tears didn't stop, but they slowed to a thinking pace. Ginny wasn't dead, but Crabbe was. His last living best friend… gone forever, killed by his love, who had been banished from the only world he had ever known. How could this be happening?

"I… How?" Draco couldn't speak. It was almost too much for him to bear. "Ginny, the sweet, precious girl I am bound to, has committed the most unforgivable sin in the world? Against my best friend?" Snape nodded. Draco was outraged. "Beautiful tyrant, fiend angelical! A damned saint, an honorable villain!" Draco paused in his anger and shook his fist at the sky. "Completely opposite to what she seems! God, when did you allow such a vile spirit into such sweet flesh? Oh that deceit be bound in such a gorgeous palace!"

"Where's a good stiff drink when I need it?" Snape sniffled. "Now I know why I never married – all women are the same. Candy outsides, rotten centers. No matter which you pick, you are bound to get a lemon." Snape stuck out his tongue in disgust.

"Why do you say such things?" Draco cried from his bed. Snape stared at Draco, unsure. "I was such a fool to speak… as I always am. Oh, forgive me, fair Ginny, that I ever thought wrong of you."

"Will you speak well of she who killed your best friend?"

"Will I speak ill of my wife? Crabbe would have probably killed Ginny, if she had given him the chance, and I would have hated life even more. But no, Ginny is not dead. She is banished from our world. From our realm to the foul realm of the Muggles, to God knows what." Draco sighed and threw himself against the sheets. "Yes, I am slightly sad that Crabbe is dead, I mean, he was the best friend I ever had, other than Goyle, but, Ginny is banished! That is far worse than seeing Crabbe dead a thousand million different ways. Nothing in the world, no earthly torture, no words, can sum my pain to hear of her 'banishment.' My whole family could die, I could die, and still my woe could not be measured."

Snape stared at Draco. What had happened to the eager boy he had known but two days ago? He had been so eager to live, to see the world. This Draco was worn by life and love, so grown up. What had happened?

"Where are my parents?" Draco asked solemnly, his eyes dry.

"They are at Crabbe's grave, paying respects. Would you like to join them? I could take you there… "

"No!" Draco interrupted. "More sorrow is to be spent on Ginny." He stormed to the head of the bed where he had put the champagne and pulled the bottle up. "Here, take this back. I won't be needing it, if Ginny is banished. The only way to get into this place is through magic, or a day's worth of travel. She won't come for me." Draco sighed and flopped on the silky sheets. It was over. His life, that is.

"No," Snape began slowly, an idea coming to his head. "Keep it. I am going to go find Ginny, and I have a hunch at where she is. Stay put. I'll be back before dark." With that, Snape apperated right out of Draco's room and to Hogsmead.

"Professor!" Ginny shouted as she ran to the black door. "Professor, please, please be home!" She had run everywhere, but there were people looking for her, searching for her. If she was found, she would be sent to prison for sure, and that was not a good thing. She had tried her house, no result. There, she had changed out of her dress, which she hid nicely in her huge closet, and changed into more comfortable running clothes, all the while crying her eyes out. She wore random jeans and a black tank top. Her All-Stars worked just fine for the running occasion, and her hair was down. She kept the large black cloak on, though, because it provided a better cover in the fading light.

After changing quickly, Ginny had tried Harry's house, but he wasn't home. She had tried everywhere, and finally, she found herself hid under her cloak and running the streets of Hogsmead. She didn't know she was banished from the town, but she ran anyway, her ignorance completely throwing off everyone. She had been running for nearly an hour when it struck her to go to the one place she knew she could trust: Dumbledore's.

"What, er, what?" Dumbledore called from the garden. The guests had just left but an hour ago, and she was back again?

"Oh professor!" Ginny wailed as she ran into the yard. "I didn't mean to do it, honest, but I did, and now… "

"Slow down!" Dumbledore whispered as he came close to her. "Tell me what happened, again, and slowly."

"Oh, professor!" Ginny said yet again. Tears fell from her eyes and it was hard to understand what she next spoke. "Hermione and Crabbe were in an awful fight, and I came in and begged Hermione to leave, so she did, but then Crabbe killed her, and I was so angry I killed him, but it was an accident. I only wanted to stun him, really… " Ginny sank to the ground and pulled her arms over her eyes. "What am I going to do?" she wailed. "How will Draco ever love me now that I have killed his best friend?"

Dumbledore sat back and thought about this. Hermione and Crabbe were dead. Not a very good sign. He sighed. "Ginny, I don't know what you are going to do. I can try everything in my power to protect you, but until then, I'm not sure."

There was a pop from the front of the house, and moments later, Snape walked into the garden. "Albus," he was saying, "I need to talk to you about… " His voice trailed off as he beheld the subject of his inquiry. "Ginny," he finished lamely.

"Yes, I know all about it," Dumbledore said to Snape as he put his hand on the top of Ginny's head and stepped over her slumped form. Her head was bent, her hands were open, and her eyes poured tears all over them, trying to wash the blood away that wasn't there.

"That's not all," Snape said, not even trying to keep his voice low. "I just heard out on the street, Ginny has been banished from the magical world forever."

"No!" Ginny cried as she threw her hands against the grass.

"They want your wand," Snape spoke directly to Ginny. "They are willing to let you live with your parents, but you can't practice magic any longer."

"NO!" Ginny cried again.

"And you're… " Snape coughed slightly. "Expelled from Hogwarts."

"No… " Ginny cried again, softer this time. "Why? Why did I have to be born? Why can't these troubles be someone else's? How is it that the happiest day of my life is also the saddest?"

"But at least you weren't sentenced to Azkaban, like anyone else would have been," Snape pointed out, stepping closer to Ginny.

"Death is more inviting that banishment… " That phrase brought a thought to Ginny's mind. She reached for the spade Dumbledore had been using and touched it with her wand. In a second, it was turned into a blade, and she smiled a little. She hid it in the pocket of her cloak. It might come in handy… later. But it might also be painful. She didn't want that.

"It is unfair," she spoke quietly. "That you may see him any time you please, but now I am doomed to forever look on the outside and gaze inward. The stars will see him, the roses will see him, his walls will see him, but I will not." A tear fell from Ginny's eye.

"Ginny," Snape began softly.

"It isn't fair!" Ginny shouted. "How am I supposed to live like this? I am married to Draco, I love him, and now, because of my name and that stupid party, I will never see him again! How could you even try to comfort me? You couldn't even begin to understand what it is I am going through. Maybe if you were in my shoes, yes, but never! You aren't even married!" Ginny broke away from them, wanting to cry, but nothing but anger would come.

"That's not what I meant," Snape tried again, but it sent Ginny into another fit.

"You don't know what you meant. There is no reason to it, I am simply 'banished.' There was no logic to it, I couldn't have gone to trial or had witnesses, I was simply kicked out of the only world I have ever known. I'm not even Muggle! How will I survive out there? Is there no form of swift death that can be brought down on my head that will take away the pain brought by being banished?" Ginny turned to Dumbledore, and put on her best puppy eyes.

"Professor, I know you have poisons of all sorts. Just let me have one taste, I swear, it will be over so quickly. No one will have to know it was you… " Dumbledore's face was as hard as a rock. She turned to Snape. "You? You're the potions teacher, surely you have something." She stared at him, long and hard, but he too had an iron will against her face. "Fine," she huffed, turning away. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the knife slowly. "I didn't want to do this, but I guess I must if I must… " She lifted the dagger high and poised it over her breast. All she had to do was pull down hard, and then it would all be over…

Her hand dropped, but the knife never came through her heart. It was gone. Ginny turned around, the animal coming out in her. They had taken it away… how could they? She searched her pockets for something that would cause her death, but she found nothing.

"Stop, you silly girl!" Snape shouted, flinging a stun spell at her. Ginny froze and fell to the ground, shaking slightly. "Now listen to me. I came to get you on Draco's behalf. He has gone nearly crazy over you. There is a hole in the carpet from where he has paced back and forth. Now, I came to get you, because I can get you onto the grounds." Ginny looked up, her face red with tears.

"He doesn't loathe me for killing Crabbe?"

"Nay, he rather thanks you. See, Crabbe was not the brightest fellow, and Draco considered him a thorn in the side, even though Crabbe was his best friend." Snape paused, and looked at Ginny. Her face hadn't improved much. "And you aren't in prison, which is the best thing that can happen to you."

"Must you speak of my banishment again?"

"Ginny, let me speak a piece," Dumbledore tried. "He's right, you know. A great philosophy to comfort you, even though you are banished."

"Again!" Ginny shouted. "Hang up your philosophy, professor! Unless your philosophy can make a Draco, displant a town, and reverse the Minister's doom, then your philosophy means nothing to me."

"Fine," Dumbledore huffed. "Take her where ever you must, but get her out of my sight before I lose my temper." Snape nodded and touched Ginny's shoulder, and in a minute, they were at the Malfoy Manor.

"Oh, how my heart lightens to see these grounds," Ginny sighed as Snape urged her along into the house. He took her hand and ran her up the stairs and down a long hallway. There was a large door, and this Snape knocked on. Ginny turned to ask him why, but he was gone. She sighed and faced the door again, knowing he had turned her into Draco's father for sure. She pulled the hood over her face as she heard the person come toward the door.

"Yes?" The man asked, looking around. Ginny didn't dare look up. "What do you want?" he gruffed. Ginny looked up to tell Lucius, but instead, she beheld Draco's face. Without a word, she rushed into his arms and held him tight. He held her back, happy beyond words. She was alive, she was here, in his arms. He pulled her back, and kissed her deeply and passionately, like he was never going to kiss her again.

"Draco," she cried, pulling him away. "I'm a monster, don't do this." She pulled out of his arms and ran to the open balcony, where the cool night air had just began to blow.

"You aren't a monster," he purred, coming from behind her and wrapping his arms around her. "You are not a monster. You're my wife. And I love you." He turned her around slowly and gazed into her green eyes. He wiped the tears from her face with one of his hands and she leaned into his touch.

"I love you so much," she cried as she pressed herself to him in a hug. "I don't know what I would do without you."

Draco pulled her back and smiled. He didn't say anything, he just leaned in and kissed her softly. At the same time, his hands wandered over her shoulders and her cloak slipped to the floor. He pulled on her, and she followed him. There was nothing she could do but follow, because she was absolutely lost in his eyes. He too was captivated by her, but he was also motivated. He leaned in and kissed her tenderly as they stumbled toward the forgotten bed.