You Set Me Free
By Duck Goddess
Disclaimer: I don't own anything except the plot and Leah Campbell.
basketball15 – Okay, okay, I'll call you. Are we still having it at Mandy's house? Or did she cancel AGAIN? Now I feel so damn guilty for answering the question.
superspunky7 – I'm sorry your review isn't on the site. Damn FanFiction system. Grr. Thanks anyways!
eatingmania – Cool, best chapter so far? Hehe. You spelt tension right. Woohoo! I DID NOT go crazy over the spelling! Dammit, the mood ring isn't an actual mood ring? Cheap crap. It SAID it was a mood ring! Ah well, mood rings suck anyways.
blackfox360 – Thanks for the comment! I forgive your English Geek side…I'm kind of a geek myself. Well, sometimes…
Forgot to say - Happy 25th Birthday, Neville and Harry! Happy 40th Birthday, Jo!
Another note: Even though Things I'll Never Say, Hanging By A Moment and Locked in the Loo are finished, if you suddenly come across it, please review! I'd still appreciate it! If you're reading You Set Me Free for some random reason, REVIEW!
Chapter Three
Draco walked to the Room of Requirement, looking around cautiously for spies like Pansy. He got there and sat down quietly. His head was a mess. Draco was about to become a spy for the Order. HE was about to become a spy! How could this have happened? he asked himself.
Ginny was still pissed at him and Draco really didn't want to push his luck. If she's going to act like this crazy bitch, fine! he thought angrily.
Draco! You love her, no matter how angry she is. You know you want to be with her.
I hate you.
Draco heard footsteps and he looked up. Potter had arrived.
"Where's McClaggan?" he asked.
"I don't know," Draco replied.
"That's weird," Potter said.
"Mmm."
"Hey, Malfoy, do you think Ginny Weasley likes me?" Potter suddenly asked. Draco's jaw dropped. It was like he took a dagger and just thrust it into his heart. Don't act like that. That'll make him suspicious, he told himself.
"Er, um, what, um, makes you think that?" Draco asked, inwardly hitting himself.
"Well, I'll tell you this because I have to trust you now," Potter said, looking around quickly. Draco raised his eyebrows. Harry Potter trusted him?
"You trust me?" he asked.
"Well, I have to, don't I? I mean, we're fighting in this war together. It would be pretty stupid if I didn't," Potter replied matter-of-factly.
Draco nodded. Potter was right.
"Anyways, I like Ginny and I asked her out ages ago. She said yes. But then, at Hogsmeade, she said that we were really good friends and she didn't want to ruin our friendship. I really want to be with her so Hermione said I should just tell her how I feel because she might like me," Potter said quickly.
Draco's heart slowly broke. You messed things up and now another guy is going after her. Nice work, Malfoy! YOU'RE A FUCKING BASTARD!
"Um, I think you should wait," Draco said, trying to sound like that would work.
"Really? You think I should wait? But I feel like I NEED to tell her," Potter said, staring into space.
"Well, this has been a pretty hard time for her," Draco said, searching his mind for an excuse, "She just got attacked and now Creevey's missing."
"Hmm," Potter said, furrowing his eyebrow. Yes! Okay, talk to Ginny before he tells her! Draco thought frantically.
"Nah, I'll tell her. I even know how. Thanks anyways, Malfoy," Potter said, grinning. Draco gulped. Okay, talk to Ginny tonight. Where would she be?
"Do you know where Weasley normally is?" Draco asked, "Then, you can tell her there."
"Yeah, now that Hogsmeade was attacked, she's normally at the Hospital Wing," Potter said.
"Get off your arses, boys! Get in there now!" a voice barked. McClaggan.
Draco and Potter got up and walked into the room.
"Right, we've covered defence so now we're going to look at tactics! A Death Eater is normally pretty stupid and he gets frustrated easily. The best way to defeat him is to work in pairs and shoot spells at him at the same time," McClaggan said.
Draco and Potter looked at each other. They were obviously a pair.
"Now, think of this cushion as a Death Eater. I've charmed it so it can move around and shoot spells at you lads. GET TO WORK!" McClaggan shouted.
The pair rolled their eyes and looked at each other. Draco could almost hear Potter's voice in his head, saying "One, two, three…"
"Stupefy!" They cried in unison. The cushion stopped moving for a second and shot a blue ray at Draco. He dodged it.
"Impedimenta!" Potter shouted. The cushion slowed down and shot a Stunning Spell at him.
"Protego!" he said.
"SAME TIME, NOW!" McClaggan roared.
"Incendio!" Draco and Potter shouted. The cushion caught on fire and stopped.
"That was good, lads. Just remember, you're partners. You have to do more than say spells at the same time. For example, if Malfoy's in danger, you have to help him, Potter. Do you know what protego means?" McClaggan barked.
"Protect," Draco answered.
"That's right, Malfoy. So the protego spell isn't just for you. You could create a shield around Potter if a spell is shot at him and he doesn't know. Just say protego Harry Potter," McClaggan said and a shield was conjured around Potter.
"So, remember, protect and help each other. If you're going to become an Auror, you always have a partner. It's good training for that," McClaggan said. Potter instantly consumed that information.
They left the Room of Requirement.
"So when are you going to tell Weasley?" Draco asked casually.
"I don't know. Maybe tonight," Potter said. You have to talk to her before him, Draco.
"Well, see you later, then," Draco said quickly and he headed off to the Hospital Wing.
Ginny fixed Rose Zeller's nose and she watched her leave. They were so carefree, like they didn't know what the hell was going on in the world. Oh, Colin, Ginny thought sadly. Last night, Leah came into the dorm, sobbing. Ginny felt like crying herself. Please let him be okay, she pleaded.
It was a strange feeling, having your best friend gone, just like that. Her blood boiled at the thought of Dumbledore. Why wasn't he going to do anything? He was MISSING. Death Eaters took him! And he wasn't even making an effort to send people out to find him!
Ginny thought of Leah and how determined she was. Leah said that she was going to find him. Don't let her do anything stupid, Ginny prayed. Leah didn't think before she acted and that's what she worried about.
"Ginny," a voice said. Ginny jumped and dropped the glass bottle filled with a substance that could fix bones.
"Reparo," she muttered and the bottle was fixed.
She looked up and swore. The figure that stood before her was Draco Malfoy.
"Oh God, not now," Ginny complained.
"Ginny, I have to talk to you," Draco said.
"NO! I don't have time for your stupid apologies, alright? My best friend is MISSING!" Ginny hissed.
"I know! But I have to tell you something," Draco said. Ginny looked at him and couldn't help but feel a familiar twinge in her heart.
"Please, hear me out," Draco pleaded (A/N: Again, she's got him whipped).
"Urgh. Fine," Ginny said haughtily.
"During training, McClaggan told us to prepare ourselves for loved ones' deaths. And then, I saw you. I saw your body, lying on the ground. You came to me and I couldn't handle it. I can't live without you, Ginny," Draco said. Ginny looked at him. His grey eyes did seem sincere.
"I acted like a bastard and I'm really, really sorry. Please forgive me. I love you," Draco said softly. Ginny's jaw dropped. Did DRACO MALFOY just say 'I love you'? He was meant to be an ice-cold, unemotional, monster! She thought of what Ron said a week ago. She finally knew what to do.
"I – I forgive you," Ginny finally said. Draco grinned.
"So will you meet me there tomorrow?" Draco asked.
"No," Ginny said. Draco's smile vanished and was replaced by a scowl.
"Why can't you meet me tomorrow?" he asked angrily.
"Look, I can't be in a secret relationship. I can't keep secrets from my family and friends forever. They HATE you. They won't accept you. I can't defy them and run off with you because sometimes, my instincts are screaming, 'don't do this!' I can't live like this! I have to be with someone I can trust and I can tell my family about," Ginny said.
"Someone like Potter," Draco said furiously. Ginny didn't say anything.
"That's so typical! You and Potter, the perfect couple! You, Potter, Weasley and Granger will be one happy family! IT IS SO DAMN PERFECT! I know you can't live like that, Ginny! But you know what? Screw it! I'll be a good person and be happy for you! I'll join the Order and become a spy, I'll fight in the war and I'll even be a best man at your wedding!" Draco shouted heatedly.
"NOT EVERYTHING REVOLVES AROUND YOU, DRACO! MY FAMILY MATTERS AS WELL! I CAN'T RUN OFF WITH A PERSON I GREW UP TO HATE! WHAT WOULD THEY SAY? THEY HAVE TO ACCEPT YOU! BUT THEY DON'T! NOT RIGHT NOW! I LOVE YOU BUT I CAN'T BE WITH YOU!" Ginny screamed.
Draco stared at her. She stared back.
"What is this, Weasley?" he asked.
"It's our official break-up, Malfoy," Ginny replied, "Tomorrow, things will be back to normal. I'll hate you, you'll hate me. You'll continue training with Harry and I'll continue moping about Colin and heal people. We're done."
A/N: -sobs-. Don't kill me, please! But do REVIEW!
P.S.: Is this Chapter Three pointless as well?