Chapter 2

"Draco?" Ginny's voice and a soft knocking on his door awakened Draco. He groaned and rolled over to look at the clock; it was nearly 10 o'clock. He got up out of bed and without bothering to put on a shirt, strode over to the door. He opened it to see Ginny standing there, looking extremely tired; she still had tearstains on her cheeks and there were dark circles under her eyes.

"Everyone's out for the day. I thought you might want to talk about what happened."

"Oh, yeah." Draco opened the door a little wider so Ginny could come in. She walked over and sat down on the bed, looking tense. "Gin, it's just me remember?"

"What do you mean?" she gave him a confused glance.

"You're acting like … I don't know." Draco caught sight of the ring on Ginny's left hand and felt encouraged. "I … I'm sorry for barging in on you like this."

"Draco what's going on?"

"What do you mean Ginny?" Draco asked, avoiding her eyes.

"You show up on my doorstep mumbling to yourself and now you … you look like a train wreck. You haven't brushed your hair or shaved in who knows how long and the circles under your eyes are so dark you look like a bloody raccoon. Now tell me what's going on." Despite her harsh words, Ginny's tone was comforting and calm with a touch of worry.

Draco leaned against the wall and sank to the ground, hugging his knees and trying to fight back the tears. "She's gone … dead."

"Who's dead, Draco?" Ginny stood up and gave him an extremely worried expression.

"Mum." As Draco forced the word out of his mouth, he broke down. He hadn't really cried about it yet, but now he just couldn't hold back the tears any longer.

Ginny was at his side in a second and he let himself melt into her arms. She rocked him back and forth, rubbing his back and whispering comforting things in his ear. She ran her hands through his hair, just like he had told her his Mum would do when he was little and couldn't sleep. Within moments, Draco was fast asleep in Ginny's arms, tears still rolling down his pale cheeks.

Later

Draco groaned as he stirred from his, surprisingly, peaceful sleep. He figured it had something to do with the redhead who was curled up next to him.

"Ginny?" She yawned as her eyes fluttering open.

"Oh, Merlin. What time is it?" Draco laughed and wrapped his arms tighter around her waist; she really deserved the rest and he didn't want her worrying about when she had to be where, not for the moment at least. She'd done so much for him, more than he could ever repay. And, as strange as it seemed, his grief over his mother's death seemed very slightly dulled by her presence. Something told him that Narcissa would have wanted him to be around Ginny right then.

"Stay with me, please. Just for a little while." She hesitated, but seeing the pleading look on his face, settled back into his arms without another word.

"What happened?" she asked softly.

Draco sighed; he knew he would have to get it out sooner or later, and right now it was burning a hole in his heart. So he decided it was better to tell Ginny than to push her away and effectively loose her. "I came home … in the afternoon … I planned to tell her that I'd be eating at the Zabini Manor … I found him." Draco's voice held so much loathing and utter rage that it made Ginny shiver.

"Shh, its okay," she whispered, before kissing him lightly on the cheek and simultaneously rubbing the other cheek with her thumb. Draco reached up and took the hand that was still touching his cheek in his own, allowing their fingers to entwine, as he took a deep breath.

"He had … blood on his hands … Mum's blood. I didn't realize that's what it was until I saw her locket." Ginny squeezed his hand comfortingly, but said nothing, knowing that wasn't the end of it. "I grabbed my stuff and … I didn't know where to go … I tried to find Blaise but no one was at his house … the only place I could think of was here."

Just then, there was a light tapping on the window. The two looked up to see a white horned owl fluttering there; Ginny got up and opened the window. The owl flew in, dropped its letter in Draco's lap, and then flew back out. Closing the window, Ginny sat back down next to Draco.

"Who is it from?"

"That was Blaise's owl." Draco's brow furrowed as he ripped open the letter and started to read it:

Where are you? My mother is dead.

B.Z.

"Oh gods … oh gods no! Not this! Why!" Draco shouted, tearing the letter into tiny pieces. It was bad enough that he had to deal with losing his own mother, but now his best friend in the entire world had to go through the exact same thing. It did seem oddly fitting; they had gone through everything together, now this was just another event that they would deal with … together. Only that they weren't together, he had no idea where Blaise was and vice versa. "I have to go, Ginny. If Derek gets a hold of him … its bad enough I let my mother get killed, I'm not going to let Blaise have the same fate."

Draco stood up and started to gather up his belongings. After a few moments, Ginny finally understood what he was intending to do. Namely, go back to Zabini Manor and, if necessary, Malfoy Manor. She stood up and gave him an angry, worried expression.

"You stop right there, Draco Malfoy. There is no way in the seven hells that I'm letting you out of this house so that you can go put your life in danger. Your mother's death was in no way your fault. I'm not going to let you go out there and put your life on the line for no good reason. You're not thinking clearly!"

"Oh, I'm not thinking clearly! I wonder why in fucking hell I'm not thinking clearly! Have you ever lost someone! No! You haven't! You have no idea how this feels!" Draco glared at her as he pointed to the door. Willing the tears to stay back, Ginny returned his glare before storming out of the room, slamming the door behind her.

"Fuck!" he yelled as he realized what he had just said to Ginny. Shaking his head at his own stupidity, he sank into the bed.

The Burrow's Garden

"Mum says supper's ready … Gin why are you crying?"

"Oh, hi Ron. Nothing, I'm okay, just … having a bad day is all. Has Mum said anything about Draco?" Ginny stood up from her spot on the bench and wiped her eyes with her sleeve.

"No." Ron shook his head sadly as Ginny sniffed back more tears. "Hey, come here." She looked up to see her brother holding out his arms; she sniffed again as he enveloped her in a tight hug.

"Thanks … for yesterday … for everything really."

"Don't mention it Gin, that's what big brothers are for, yeah?" Ginny smiled despite herself as Ron pulled out of the hug and kissed her on the forehead. "Let's go have some supper." She nodded as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, comfortingly, and led her back to The Burrow.

Dinner passed in silence; Ginny was seated between Ron and Harry, who were continuously shooting her worried glances, along with Fred and George. Charlie had taken a page out of Draco's book and not shown up for dinner, nor was he anywhere else in the house. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley didn't even make an attempt at small talk; both were lost in their own world, hardly ever looking up from their plates, except to glance at each other and Ginny.

But that wasn't what was bothering Ginny; it was what Draco had said. She started to wonder why, exactly, she was risking her relationship with her family, as well as putting them all in danger, for him. Did she really love him?

Yes, yes of course she did. Right? She had stopped eating a few moments ago and was playing with the silver ring on her finger. She ran her finger over the inscription and took a deep breath.

Pop! Pop! Just then, Charlie and Professor Dumbledore appeared in the dining room. Charlie was looking angry while Professor Dumbledore was wearing an unreadable expression.

"We need to talk," Charlie stated in a somber voice, looking at Ginny. Mrs. Weasley looked at him questioningly, but he just ignored her.

"We'll get the dishes, Molly," Hermione offered as she and Harry rose and started to clear the table.

"Thank you, dear." With that, everyone except Harry and Hermione filed into the living room. Ginny was seated on the couch between Fred and George and with Ron on the floor in front of her. Charlie was sitting on the arm of the couch and caught Ginny's eye to give her an encouraging smile. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley sat down on the loveseat and Dumbledore remained standing.

"Would someone please go fetch Mr. Malfoy?"

"Of course, Professor," Ron said as he stood up and started up the stairs. Charlie stood as well and took his spot in front of Ginny on the floor. In any other situation, it would have seemed nearly comical to see Ginny surrounded by her brothers, as if they were forming a wall around her. But right then, it did wonders to calm Ginny.

"How did you know that Malfoy was here, Albus?"

"Please, Molly. All will be explained momentarily, but both Draco and I would appreciate it if you called him by his given name." Dumbledore smiled as Mrs. Weasley nodded vaguely and looked away.

A few minutes later, Ron came back down the stairs, followed by Draco. Ginny was extremely relieved to see that he had not left the house, which she half-expected him to do. Ron walked over to the couch and nudged Charlie with his foot; Charlie moved over a bit so that Ron could sit down next to him. Draco sat down slowly in the only vacant chair; the squashy armchair.

"I'm assuming you all know the situation between Mr. Malfoy and Miss Weasley." Everyone nodded, unsure of how Professor Dumbledore knew. Draco tried to catch Ginny's eye, but she just continued to look Dumbledore, ignoring Draco completely. "I have just received news of the recent death –"

"You mean murder," Draco interjected quietly, but bitterly.

"Yes, the murder of Narcissa Malfoy. I have also received word that Bethany Zabini was also … murdered." Draco inhaled sharply, but Dumbledore went on. "I hope it will not be an inconvenience to request that Draco be allowed to stay with you until the investigation is finished, Molly?"

"Isn't Hogwarts safer? I mean, I'd rather him be safe," Ginny stated meekly.

"No, it is not. The first place Lucius will look is at Hogwarts. And I have sneaking suspicion that he is more than slightly involved with Narcissa's death, but that is, of course, only my speculation. I will not force you to allow him to stay here, but it is my request." Mr. and Mrs. Weasley seemed to be silently contemplating it. "Why don't you give me a moment alone with Molly and Arthur?" Dumbledore asked, turning to the rest of the Weasley clan and Draco.

That was just too much for Ginny; she shot out of her seat, glowering. "No! This decision involves us just as much as it involves them! You know what, do whatever the hell you want! I don't really care!" Draco's heart sank at hearing Ginny's words. "But I'm not losing him, okay! If you make him leave, I'm leaving with him and I don't give a rat's ass what you want!" Mr. and Mrs. Weasley stared at Ginny disbelievingly as she ran from the room and out the back door, slamming it behind her. Draco was reeling.

"Now see what you've done! Why can't you get it through your thick skulls! Did you fall in love because it was the right thing to do!" Charlie didn't even wait for an answer, but just continued, having stood up when Ginny stormed out of the room. "NO! You didn't! You fell in love because you did! If I have to, I'll take the both of them to Romania with me, but you're not going to split them up because of some stupid grudge you've been carrying since you were teenagers!" Charlie started to storm out of the room, but before he reached the door he stopped and turned around. He strode over to Draco and, grabbing his arm rather forcefully, yanked him to his feet. With one final glare at his parents, he dragged Draco out the back door after Ginny.

The twins and Ron stared after him in shock; he had stood up to their parents the night before and several other times during his life, but he had never outright yelled at them. They were surprised at his bravery, quite frankly.

Outside, Near the Lake

Draco and Charlie walked up to Ginny, who was staring at the water with her back to them. She didn't seem to notice their presence, so Charlie spoke up. "Gin … Draco … look, I know there's something wrong between the two of you, so just talk okay? Don't worry about Mum and Dad … I'll fix things, I promise." With that, Charlie walked back to the house, shaking his head.

"Ginny … I'm so sorry … I –"

"Don't bother, Malfoy. I don't want to talk." Ginny's voice cracked slightly.

Draco stumbled backwards a few steps. One phrase kept running through his head: You get one and only one chance to snare your Erinys Amor Semper … You get one and only one chance to snare your Erinys Amor Semper ……

What if his one and only chance was already gone?

A/N: I'm soooooo sorry to all of you readers! I know I've been horrible! This will be re-posted again soon once its beta'd and I'll answer all review there, sorry again but I don't have time to do that right now. Please review, even though I've been a horrible person!