Kreacher appeared with the usual popping noise that accompanies apparition, and immediately began grumbling under his breath about serving the filthy half-blood, when suddenly he noticed Draco. His already large eyes bulged and he went back to his muttering, but now showing some confusion regarding the presence of a pureblood in this filthy mix of bloodtraitors, half bloods, and mudbloods.

"Kreacher, did you steal a locket from this house?" Kreacher twisted his hands in the heavily soiled pillowcase that he wore, obviously not wanting to answer, but compelled to by his master. He nodded. "Kreacher, bring me the locket." Kreacher disapparated with a pop, never having ceased grumbling and apparated again a few minutes later bearing the large, heavy locket.

"Specialis Revelio" Ginny said with a flick of her wrist, and sure enough, Slytherin's crest appeared on the gold front of the locket. Everyone grinned at their success, except for Kreacher who took their attitudes as dismissal and vanished with one final pop. Harry picked up the locket somewhat gingerly.

"This must be it. But how do we destroy it? Dumbledore never told me that much, but he must have known how, because he destroyed Gaunt's ring." Ginny contradicted him.

"He didn't destroy Gaunt's ring, remember? You told us that it just had a crack in the stone. So you must have to destroy the soul, but you don't necessarily have to destroy the object. You didn't destroy Riddle's diary either, you just destroyed the soul with the basilisk poison." Harry nodded thoughtfully.

"So it's possible that the souls are mortal, like bodies almost, since you destroyed the diary Horcrux with a poison," Draco pointed out. Harry nodded.

"But how do I penetrate the Horcrux?"

"Especially without hurting yourself, Harry. Remember Dumbledore's hand?" Ginny asked. Draco started pacing, trying to remember what he'd read in his father's book about Horcruxes. Suddenly he stopped.

"I think I know how to open the locket. But we need to be able to destroy the locket as soon as we open it. I think if we open it, and pour poison into it, it should destroy the soul, right? But it needs to be a really powerful poison."

"I'll check in the attic," Harry said. "Mrs. Black had all sorts of dark things up there, I don't see why poison wouldn't be included." He left, leaving Draco and Ginny alone. She went into his arms almost immediately.

"I'm glad you're here," she whispered. "Don't tell anyone, but I'm scared." He laughed softly and she looked up at him, startled.

"Ginny Weasley, you never cease to amaze me. You've been possessed by Voldemort, nearly killed by him, and yet you still say his name when people who have never come face to face with him can't. You face down all of your brothers at any given time and you are braver than any girl I've ever known. And now you tell me you're afraid and not to tell anyone. Don't worry, your tough image is safe with me." She laughed then, and snuggled against him.

"What if this doesn't work," she asked quietly. He was quiet then for a long time.

"Then we figure something else out," he said. "We have to." She heard the core of steel in his voice that had been building, unseen for years. She had thought he was cold and cruel, but he had been afraid too, afraid of the disapproval of his once-beloved father. She wondered what it had been like. She had always been the adored youngest daughter of a warm and loving family, alternately pestered and protected by six big brothers. She had enjoyed true friendships, while his were based on familial prestige and bullying. What kind of life had he led, compared to hers. All her life she'd been poor, but she wouldn't have traded her life for all of the Malfoy's wealth. Then they heard the door open, and they broke apart. Harry came in carrying a small black vial, and accompanied by Ron and Hermione.

"Let's do this," he said grimly.