The owl returned more quickly than she'd expected. Of course, Ginny was used to Errol's flights. More surprising, however, was that Hermes returned without a letter. He just flew in the dining room window on Sunday morning and perched on Percy's shoulder.

"Ahh, Hermes!" Percy smiled and greeted the owl, "Thank you for returning him so promptly, Ginny. It was quite good of you." He searched the owl for a return letter and, finding none, informed his little sister that her correspondant was quite rude and she ought to cease writing to whomever it was immediately because of the slight.

She smirked, Percy woud be pompus if he was flipping burgers. Of course, the smirk was only a cover and she walked up the stairs, grimbling. Stupid Percy. What does he- a beautiful Eagle Owl swooped into the room, a letter in its claws. Ginny reached and and took the heavy parchment, looking at the beautiful bird.

Ginny,

Thank you for the sweets and the pasty. It was just like being back at Hogwarts. I swear, I could almost see that fat old witch with the food trolley from the Express and hear the whistle again.

We're not doing anything terribly important right now. Well, nothing dangerous. Mostly just getting to know each other because we'll be working together once we cross into the Zone. It's tough to get to know some of these people. There's this little guy named Steve who keeps getting on my nerves by whistling show tunes under his breath. It'd be okay if he didn't whistle off pitch. You can tell, just by listening to the whistles, that he only knows the chorus and one verse to each.

I like writing to someone. It makes me feel like I have family again or someone who cares about me and the fact that I might very well have my head blown off by a stray hex while I try to tie my shoes in France. Thanks again for your letter, the pasty was superb. To thank you, I want you to take Gale, the owl. She's not going to like living in France and I don't want anything to happen to her. So, I'm giving her to you. Please take care of her for me, Ginny. She's the only thing I have left from that life at Hogwarts and I want you to have her.

On that note, I really should send this off because I feel that I am beginning to lose my well-bred Malfoy dignity.

Undignified,

Draco

Ginny sighed happily and added his letter to the other. She'd decided the night before to keep all of his letters together in a collection. She had a bag she'd knit after learning how from Hermione. It wasn't perfect; it was lumpy in a few spots and she had some places the pattern had confused her and she'd fudged it. But, it was green and she'd taken a yarn needle and sewn "Draco" across the front in silver yarn so she knew what was in there. It was pretty empty now, but she intended to fill it with the heavy parchment that Draco so favoured.

They sent a lot of letters that summer. Dumbledore wasn't planning on sending the aurors out to the non-apparition zone until he was completely sure that they would come back. Things weren't so desperate yet that they needed to be sent before they were ready and for that Ginny was thankful.

Ginny spent her days working in that café, trying to save money for tuition for school. In some ways it was a comfort to look out the big windows in front and see the corner that he'd caught the Knight Bus on. However, the happiness didn't last. She got into a fight with her mother a week before going back to school and it tainted the end of the summer unhappily.

"Ginny, I don't want you writing to that Malfoy boy anymore."

Ginny rolled her eyes. She'd heard it before, "Mom, he's lonely! He just needs a friend while he's out there. I thought you supported the war."

Molly shook her head and crossed her arms, "I do, Gin! Why else would I be alright with having all your brothers in it?" Her voice broke slightly, but it was obvious by now that Molly was tired of crying.

"You're not." Ginny replied in a small voice.

Molly looked daggers at her youngest, "I will not have you getting into a war romance with him. It's not worth it, Gin! You're too young to deal with that kind of pain."

She slammed down her fork and looked back at her mother, "Too young? Draco's only a year older than I am and he's heading to France soon!"

"Then where? What's next? It's horrible, Gin. I did it with your father." Molly was still standing in the kitchen, looking with pity at her daughter, "It's torture to know he's travelling but never knowing where he is. Do you really want to have a travelling auror on your mind all year at school?"

Ginny brushed the angry tears away, "It's not your choice to make, mother." She turned and stormed upstairs, the tears still coming.

Sitting on the handmade quilt, Ginny pulled out the ever growing bag of letters. She pulled out the latest one and read his lines again:

And, Gin, I don't know what's going to happen when I get back. I still don't even know if you have a boyfriend, but I know that you're the sweetest person I've ever known. I'm sorry I didn't get to know you better at school. Just know that you're always in my heart these days. It might be love, you never know.

She'd read them three times the night Gale came with that letter. She even fell asleep with it in her hand, smiling. It'd taken two days, however, to write back. I mean, what does one say to that? "Maybe I love you too, enjoy France!" Probably not.

Molly didn't want her to get into a war-time romance, but it was a little late for that. She liked writing letters to Draco. She'd learned a lot about him. She learned how much they had in common, how much he worried about what was to come, how hard it had been to turn in the only people who had ever really cared for a cause that didn't want him. Now, though, he would be heading into France and wouldn't be able to write nearly as often.

She recieved one more letter before fall term started:

Ginny,

I know you're scared of your N.E.W.T.s. They're a pain, believe me. A little hint? Try going to the professors and talking to them. I found Professor McGonnogal very helpful when I was preparing for Transfiguration. I'm sure she's the reason I got an EE in her class.

Also, I know you don't like him, but try talking to Professor Snape. He's really an excellent teacher once you get past the "I Hate Everything" persona. He just acts big and I know you know why.

You know, you're not the only scared one. Yes, a Malfoy is scared. Well, of course, being a Malfoy as I am I can't say that. I have to admit to worry, but never being scared. It might come off as cowardice. So, I can tell you that I am concerned. I am concerned because the very idea of heading into the non-apparition zone has me scared shitless. We don't any of us know what's there. All we have is intelligence from Snape that something's going to happen. It's the perfect place, too, because when the shit goes down we can't apparate out.

I'm scared I won't be coming home, Gin. I'm scared that I won't see you again. At least you're the only one who'll care what happens to me. The rest of the Wizarding World has me branded as a dirty snitch. I'm sorry if you get hurt because of me, Dear Gin.

You're in my heart,

Draco

Ginny put the letter into her pocket, a talisman for the journey to school. It'd join the others once she got there.

"GINNY!" Charlie bellowed up the stairs.

Ginny popped her head down, "What?"

"Mom wants us to get going. She'll skin me alive if I don't get you to King's Cross in time to catch the Express."

Ginny nodded, grabbed her knapsack, and headed downstairs to Charlie, Gale in the cage in her hand, "Sorry. I was getting Gale into her cage."

Charlie took the knapsack, "Pretty bird there, Gin."

She smiled, "She was a present from Draco."

Charlie pursed his lips. Some things just ran too deep, "Right, well…" He took one handle of the trunk in his other hand and popped out of the living room with the loud crack that followed apparition.

Ginny followed close behind with a ruffled Gale, "I don't think she liked that too much, Charlie." She grinned and fished an owl treat from her pocket, offering it to the bird, "Come on, take it."

Gale begrudgingly took the treat. Ginny thanked her brother, found of couple of Gryffindors to help her get the trunk onto the train, and wandered to the front compartments, her Head Girl badge pinned to her robes.