I've enjoyed hearing from you guys! School has started again for me, but I'm pretty good at getting things done, especially when we are getting down to the last chapters. Anyways, this one's long and I hope you all enjoy it! So get on with reading:)

Summary: A new prophecy has both Harry and Draco training for the ultimate fight. Ginny has many secrets of her own, one involving the newly tattooed Draco. He has hatred and ruthlessness branded into him; will his love for Ginny give him new, more painful scars?

Discliamer: Wonderful Jo and her friends own it all!

Tear me open at the seams
Take everything you need
Take my heart if you like the beat
Take my lungs if it's hard to breathe, to breathe.

"I'm not cold," she said
But she's shaking as she's lying next to me naked
Pulled the hair back from her face to let that smile heat this place
And this feels so far from real
I'm lost and I love it
I can't take it, if you're waiting
I am ready to tell the world about a girl
who showed me love again for the first time
And it's everything I dreamed of

Tell me what you thought about when you were breathing oh so loud
Screaming oh so loud
Tell me if this is real
I need to know before I get too close

So here were lie in this beautiful mess of tangled sheets and beads of sweat
With my heart in your hand and my neck in the other
Should I be scared or should I come closer?
But it's still beating and I'm still breathing.
You haven't hurt me yet
Morning always comes too quick when you're around,
When you're around.
You leave me lying here so they don't find us out,
They'll find us out.

Tear me open at the seams
Take everything you need
Take my heart if you like the beat
Take my lungs if it's hard to breathe.

Cauterize, Still Breathing

:¦:--:¦:--:¦:--:¦:-
Ginny quickly looked at the scribbled note she held in her hand before she entered the dark classroom.

Ginny, it read in Harry's scratchy handwriting; Meet me in the north classroom, fifth floor of the conservatory at 8. -Harry

Looking up at the old plaque that adorned the door, she opened it confidently and went in to look for Harry. Only Harry wasn't standing there.

"What are you doing here?" Emlyn scowled at her. Ginny smiled weakly at the other girl as her stomach dropped and held up her note from Harry.

"Harry asked me to meet him here. Why are you here?" Ginny asked in return. Emlyn cocked her head to the side and smirked. Ginny frowned slightly and sighed at Emlyn's obvious reluctance to tell her anything.

Though neither of the girls knew the other very well, there had been an unspoken bitterness between them. Ginny had no idea why it was that way, but decided it was because of Harry.

Whenever Ginny was around Harry, Emlyn was nasty and rude. It wasn't as if Ginny flaunted her and Harry's close relationship, when in fact, Ginny was exactly the opposite. Ever since Harry revealed what he, Emlyn, and Lukas were, (and his not so tiny crush), Ginny had even tried to be friendly to Emlyn. But it hadn't worked, and Ginny prejudicially figured it was why Emlyn was in Slytherin.

And, what was worse, Emlyn knew that she and Harry weren't dating, or even liked each other like that, and she still treated Ginny like a little man-stealer.

"If this whole 'being bitchy' thing is because of Harry, it should have stopped when you found out we aren't dating," Ginny said suddenly. It was time to get this out, and she didn't feel like tiptoeing around the girl anymore. For some reason, the thought of Draco popped into her head.

"This isn't me being bitchy, Ginny," Emlyn scowled. "If you want to see 'bitchy,' keep talking," she snapped.

"I haven't done anything to you, and I'm certainly not scared of you. So stop it with the threats and try telling me what makes you so against being …nice," Ginny crossed her arms and stared at Emlyn.

Emlyn didn't say anything, but returned the stare full Slytherin style.

"Let me take a guess," Ginny started. "You think I will steal Harry from you?"

"Hardly," Emlyn scoffed, but she looked away and Ginny knew she was lying.

"You know I am just friends with Harry," Ginny told her, "and I know that you like him."

"You don't know anything," Emlyn chin jutted out and her eyes narrowed.

"I know that you obviously don't realize how much Harry likes you or you wouldn't be so insecure around me," Ginny said. Emlyn was silent, her eyes searching Ginny's face. She finally sighed, and Ginny saw her shoulders relax as she leaned back against one of the desks.

"He really likes me?" she asked.

"I think you know that he does," Ginny smiled cautiously. "And, just a piece of advice, don't play games with him for too long."

"What makes you so friendly these days?" Emlyn asked.

"I just wanted to help out, Harry's my friend too and he's been pretty pissed lately. I'm fairly sure it's because of you," Ginny smiled. "Way to go, he needs something to keep his mind off…" Ginny stopped and looked down.

"Yea, I know how he feels," Emlyn said softly. They were both silent in thought for a bit. "So you know everything about us then?" Emlyn asked Ginny.

"Everything," Ginny nodded. "So do you know why I am here then?"

"Well, I'm guessing it's because of what I found out this afternoon about a certain someone," Emlyn shrugged. Ginny felt her stomach drop again, but this time it was because she knew what Emlyn had found out.

"Draco?" Ginny bit her lip.

"Malfoy, yea."

"Right, Malfoy. What did you find out?"

"Well, I was going to wait until Harry got here, so I wouldn't have to go through it twice, but…" Emlyn looked at her watch, then shrugged. "I pissed Malfoy off and then we got into a huge fight."

"Why?"

"Well, it's pretty easy if you know how," Emlyn laughed. Ginny raised an eyebrow and Emlyn continued. "I talked about you. He can't stand it when someone even mentions you."

"What did you say?"

"Oh, the usual. I told him I was the one who changed the Slytherin password to 'Evil Red Hair', and then I told him you weren't dating Harry… ever." Emlyn laughed, but Ginny sat down at a desk, her face frozen in shock.

"Ginny?" Emlyn asked, concerned. "What's wrong?"

"Draco didn't know we weren't dating, he… nothing, nevermind. It doesn't matter now," Ginny said, waving her hand away.

"I'm sorry I told him, I figured out he didn't know after he almost exploded because he was so angry. If I had known that he didn't, I wouldn't have said anything." Emlyn apologized.

"It's alright. Was he really that angry?"

"That's how the fight started. We started cursing at each other."

"You didn't…?"

"No, I didn't use my Aspect, but I still almost got whipped. Which is one of the things I told Harry. Somehow Malfoy's been trained in wandless, and he's spectacular at it."

"He's been leaving the castle," Ginny said softly, looking down at her hands.

"And I saw his tattoo," Emlyn whispered and Ginny's eyes flew to hers.

"How much of it?"

"Just the head of the snake, there's more of it?" Emlyn asked.

"Yes, it goes all the way up his arm."

"How did you see it?"

"I healed him awhile ago."

"So it's not new?"

"He told me he got it for his sixteenth birthday," Ginny said, her heart fluttering. For reasons unknown, Ginny knew that it had to stay a secret. "It means nothing," she shook her head, but Ginny knew she was lying. Emlyn looked down at her skeptically.

"I don't think so, Ginny." Emlyn said. "Do you want to know why else I never wanted to be your friend?"

Ginny was silent.

"It was because I thought we couldn't trust you. After Harry told us that you know about Lukas and me, I was livid. Mostly because I thought you were dating Harry and leading Draco on at the same time. You came off to me as unconcerned and stupid, and I thought you would let it slip. But, I've come to realize that you are intelligent and caring and very trustworthy. Don't start lying to me now," Emlyn looked hard at her.

"I'm telling you what he told me," Ginny said, "But, you're right, that's not how I feel. I think it does mean something." Emlyn nodded in agreement.

"He was quick to cover it up, but I couldn't get more out of him."

"Draco won't tell you anything," Ginny told her.

Which, I think, is why Harry wants you here. Who better to tell us everything about Malfoy than the person who knows him best?"

"I don't know much about him," Ginny told her, "And besides, he hates me now."

"He's in love with you," Emlyn smiled.

"Right," Ginny said sarcastically. "Have you told Harry about the tattoo yet?"

"No, I haven't told him anything. I was going to tell him when he and Lukas got here." Emlyn took a seat besides Ginny and sighed. "I swear they'll never be on time, either of them."

Ginny laughed, "Harry's the worst because he gets so involved with things and then can't remember to be somewhere."

"That's exactly like Lukas," Emlyn laughed too.

"Will you do me a favor? Don't tell Harry about your suspicions about tattoo yet?" Ginny asked. "I know he'd want to know and will be pissed that we didn't tell him, but I just don't want to put too much into his head yet, especially when we don't really have proof."

"You want to find out what it is by yourself, don't you?" Emlyn smiled crookedly.

"Yes, I do. How did you know?"

"Because if the boy I loved was going to be accused of being a Death Eater, I would want to find out the truth myself first, too," Emlyn said.

"Exactly. But, I'm not in love with him," Ginny denied.

"In love with who?" Harry asked from the doorway. Lukas was standing behind him.

"Draco Malfoy, I'd guess," Lukas tried to keep a straight face.

"Does everyone know!" Ginny gasped, and everyone laughed.

They spent almost three hours discussing their concerns about Draco, the lack of Death Eater's activity, and Voldemort's next steps. In the end, they decided there was nothing they could do except wait and watch. But Ginny could tell that they were all suspicious, no matter what she said in Draco's defense.

Draco's tattoo was mentioned, but Emlyn played ignorant and Ginny was grateful. She wanted to find out for herself if she was defending the guilty, and that meant another confrontation. But this time she would be ready.

:¦:--:¦:--:¦:--:¦:-

That night, Draco stood in the darkness of Cassiopeia thinking of Ginny. He couldn't wipe her heartbroken expression out of his mind and it was tearing him apart. He wanted her back, but she wouldn't talk to him. And then there was Potter. She had never dated him, and as much as that pleased him, Draco knew she had also lied to him.

But he lied to her too. Draco closed his eyes and inhaled slowly. She made it clear she didn't care about him anymore, but it didn't matter to Draco. It was only a matter of time, he smirked to himself.

But in his heart, he had his doubts. Ginny was different from any other girl he had known. And the fact that he had screwed things up with her so many times did not help his case.

His eyes snapped open, searching the darkness, as he felt someone arrive.

He had been waiting for over an hour for his teacher to arrive. Only it wasn't his teacher who made an appearance.

Voldemort strode out of the darkness towards him.

"Anguistor," Voldemort hissed, "You're looking… ready," he cackled.

"I am looking forward to this, Master."

"I should not have to tell you, Anguisitor, that your whole future with my Family rides on this capture of the Teacher."

"I understand, sir, I will not fail you."

"I have great faith in you, My Apprentice, which is why I chose you. Your training this far has been spectacular and I am eager to see what you can do with the real Teacher," Voldemort spoke excitedly, then quieted. "I have one last lesson for you before you are fully ready."

"Yes, Master," Draco answered automatically.

"This is not something you can learn from Gruchis, it must come from someone who has done it and experienced the full effect," Voldemort looked at Draco curiously. "Do you know what I speak of?"

"I am not certain, Master," Draco said, though he felt what Voldemort was trying to say.

"Draco," Voldemort hissed, sending shivers through him, "I see myself in you. You have the thirst for greatness that can only be quenched by unlimited power. I am offering you this chance," Voldemort circled him, "but there are prices, ones that only stupid Muggles and Muggle-lovers attach themselves too. It is the greatest weakness you can have, Anguisitor. Do you know what I speak of?"

"Master?"

"You can not depend on another person with any part of your being." Voldemort hissed into the darkness. The sound reverberated off the walls and Draco was silent, letting the words echo around him. Voldemort continued, "That is the greatest weakness because it is certain failure. Trust no one, befriend no one, love no one. There is no one is as trustworthy or as talented as your own being. I have beaten every weakness out of you, my Apprentice. But the hardest of all will be accepting your seclusion. Mere mortals are weak and stupid, but you and I, we will be the greatest of them all."

"But, Master, aren't you trusting me to continue your work?" Draco asked.

"No. There is a difference. You have earned a place beside me, like your father. Do you understand what I am saying?"

"Trust those who have earned it, but never fully. Depend only on yourself."

Voldemort smiled in agreement. "It is the key to greatness, Anguisitor. And I am looking forward to seeing what you can do later this week."

"It will happen this week?"

"Yes, when you feel my call, Apparate to my side. The Death Eaters will need you with them; it will do you well to not delay your arrival."

"I understand, Master," Draco answered, but Voldemort had silently Dissaparated and Draco stood alone in the darkness thinking of Ginny.

:¦:--:¦:--:¦:--:¦:-

Ginny had not seen Draco the whole next day, despite watching for him everywhere she went. Even if she had found him, she didn't know what she would say, or how she would explain herself, and she was slightly relieved she hadn't seen him. But, her heart ached for him, and now sitting at dinner watching him from across the Great Hall, she wanted to just be near him.

Emlyn was sitting next to him, and caught Ginny watching Draco. Emlyn raised her eyebrows slowly, and Ginny knew what she wanted. Ginny shook her head negatively, that she hadn't talked to him yet, and Emlyn frowned. She looked away quickly when she saw Draco's head turn her way.

Ginny went back to eating and talking with Harry, Ron and Hermione. They were all laughing at a joke Ron had told and Ginny smiled to herself as Hermione lightly placed a hand on Ron's sleeve as she laughed.

They looked happy and Ginny wondered why they still hadn't realized that they both were crazy about each other. Lukas still studied with Hermione almost every day, though with the amount of studying Hermione did without Lukas, Ginny wondered what they did all that time together in the library. Ron wondered too, by the looks he sent Lukas sometimes, but was smart enough not to say anything. Or so he thought.

All he needed was a push to get him out there, and Ginny knew that Lukas had the potential to piss off Ron again.

Almost as if Ginny thought out loud, Hermione got up to leave with Lukas.

"Not study time again with your best friend, is it?" Ron said, almost nastily, but it came out as more of a plea.

"It is final exams week, you should be studying too," Hermione lectured while stuffing even more books into her already overloaded bag. Lukas who left his table, and a very upset looking Samantha Fawcett, made his way over to Hermione.

"Hello Ginny, Potter, Weasley," Lukas smiled at them. Ron scowled, and in usual Ron-fashion, said nothing in return. At least this time he waited until they walked off to start venting.

"Come on! What does she see in him? He's not even that good looking!"

"What makes you a judge on good looking guys, Ron?" Ginny asked, smirking. Ron missed the laughter and frowned.

"That's easy, he doesn't have red hair," Ron said in all seriousness. Ginny barely held back laughing and looked over at Harry who was having the same problem.

"No offense, Harry, but red hair is just too irresistible," Ron continued.

"I agree, but I think red hair looks much better on Ginny than it does on you or any of your brothers," Harry replied, putting his arm around Ginny's shoulders, twirling a lock of her wavy hair. They all laughed and Ginny put her arm around Harry's waist as they continued talking.

Which wasn't for long, because their conversation stopped as they realized that the whole hall was eerily silent. Ginny looked around to see the every pair of eyes on her and Harry, and at that moment she felt him.

She turned in her seat to see Draco standing behind them, his jaw set and his pale eyes frighteningly bright.

"Get up," he commanded, looking directly at Harry.

:¦:--:¦:--:¦:--:¦:-

Draco watched Ginny from across the Great Hall so intensely, he wondered why she hadn't looked over at him yet. He hadn't slept in almost forty-eight hours, and since Voldemort had bestowed his last lesson on him, Draco couldn't stop thinking about Ginny.

Trust no one, befriend no one, love no one.

The words echoed through him, and he could accept them. Except when it came to Ginny. He had already made his decision when it came to her. Draco had gotten through his training with her, and Voldemort had never discovered that he was not totally alienated from the world. He could never give her up because he didn't know what he would do without her.

That was his decision, and watching her from across the hall only strengthened it. Draco could still take the last lesson to heart, but keep his feeling for Ginny and Voldemort would never know. He was an extremely accomplished Occlumens, and Voldemort already trusted him beyond any of his other Death Eaters.

There was one problem: she wouldn't talk to him. He knew she was lying when she said she didn't care about him anymore. Ginny had the most expressive face when it came to her feelings; he had learned that long ago. But, watching her sit next to Harry, with happiness and love written all over her face was just too much for him to tolerate.

Ginny was his. He told her that, and now it was time to inform Potter that he was too late if he finally figured out that Ginny was grown and gorgeous.

He had a week until his time at Hogwarts came to an end, and until then he planned to make the most of it with Ginny. They would figure out their future later, he mused. Voldemort could wait, his training could wait, even Potter could wait. All that mattered was that he got Ginny back.

And then, right in front of his eyes, Potter placed his arm around Ginny and put his hand in her hair, and Ginny leaned into his shoulder. Draco saw red, and without thinking got up from the table and prepared to beat whoever got in his way.

No one touches her.

His thoughts were incomprehensible except for that one statement, and before he knew it he was ordering Harry to stand up and fight him.

"Get over yourself, Malfoy, I don't care what you want," Harry told him.

"Well, today is going to be different. You aren't dating Ginny so you should keep your filthy Muggle-loving hands off of her," Draco sneered. Fuming, Harry finally stood to face him amid gasps of other students and the quiet shrieks of outraged girls.

Ginny stood up, too. "What are you going to do, Draco? In case you haven't noticed, you've also never been my boyfriend, and presently, I can't stand you."

"Ginny, my love, I'm positive that I'm more of a boyfriend to you than Potter has ever been," Draco smirked. Ginny paled and glared at Draco who had turned his attentions back to Harry.

"Don't ever touch her, Scarhead, and I fucking mean it," Draco hissed, though his voiced sounded abnormally loud in the deadly silent Hall.

"What are you going to do…" Harry started, but his words were cut short by Draco's fist connecting with his jaw. Harry had no time to react and fell sideways into the Ravenclaw bench cracking his head.

"Merlin, Draco! What are you doing!" Ginny knelt down besides Harry to help him sit up. His head was bleeding where it hit the bench and Ginny pressed the sleeve of her robes to it.

She placed one hand on Harry's cheek before standing up to face Draco.

"Why did you do that?" Ginny shouted at him, her blue eyes ablaze with anger. "Were you defending my honor? Because you already ruined that when you stalked me through the girls locker room! Were you trying to prove you still like me? Because you just punched MY BEST FRIEND!"

"You have a funny way of answering your own questions," Draco smirked at her, gently touching her cheek.

"Stop it!" Ginny smacked his hand away from her face and glared at him. "Why? Just answer me that!"

"I don't know why," Draco's eyes narrowed at her.

"Lies," Ginny scoffed. "That's all you've ever had for me, is lies. You've hurt me, and now you've hurt Harry. Isn't that what you wanted all along?"

Draco was silently staring at her, his trance broke, reality seeping in. He wanted her back, and now she was even angrier at him.

"Get out of here before I stab you with my fork," Ginny said quietly, and turned around to bend down and help Harry stop his bleeding. She silently worked over him, and Draco found himself wondering if she had been as worried about healing his injuries as she was about Harry now. He missed her concern, he missed her love, he missed having her worry about him. The longer he stood there watching her help Harry, the more hurt he became.

"All I ever wanted was you. I did it because I can distance myself from the rest of the world, but not you. I can't stay away from you," Draco said quietly and he saw Ginny still. Harry looked up at him from behind her sleeve and scowled, but Draco didn't care.

"That makes a lot of sense, Draco," Ginny said sarcastically, but Draco could tell she was just trying to appear fronted so he would think she didn't care about what he was saying.

"You and I have never made sense, Gin," Draco took a step forward towards her. Ginny turned and looked at him and he saw tears forming in her bright eyes.

"Nothing has ever made sense because all you do is lie and use people. I don't want to be a part of your life anymore, I already told you that," Ginny said in a hushed whisper, but her voice was steady and commanding. "You can beat the shit out of Harry because I'm sure he will stand up for me,"

"Hell yea," Harry exclaimed.

"But it's not going to change how I feel or what you did," Ginny said, then turned away. All she heard after that were Draco's robes swishing as he walked away. She did not turn around to watch Draco walk away from her because she knew she would kick everything she had said and run after him. And then she would throw her arms around him and kiss him like she had dreamed about for the past months.

"Hey, guys?" Ron's voice punctured her thoughts, "What if I punched Lukas. Do you think Herm would go for me then?" Harry laughed so loud and so comically that Ginny had to laugh with him.

And then she realized that the Great Hall was still full and that the whole school had witnessed her fight with Draco. And that they were all still staring at her, their silent mouths open in shock.

:¦:--:¦:--:¦:--:¦:-

That night, Ginny couldn't sleep, and it wasn't because she was up until the early morning answering prying questions about her relationship with Draco. Or rather, lack of relationship.

Her restlessness came because her conscious kept tugging her thoughts towards Draco. He looked so forlorn and alone, standing there telling her that he wanted her. It tore at her heart and she couldn't get his expression out of her head.

She knew Draco, from the two years that they spent together she knew his tone of voice and his little quirks that made him the Slytherin Prince. And tonight, in the Great Hall, he was just… lost.

As much as she didn't want to think it, Ginny knew in her heart that Draco wasn't lying to her. And as she thought more on it, she knew he hadn't lied to her ever. They way he had pursued her, and kissed her, and wanted her… it didn't make sense that he did it all to get back at Harry.

It didn't make sense because she wanted it to be true, Ginny told herself, struggling with the concept of an honest relationship with Draco. He had had a motive. He used her. But did he?

She needed answers, and now seemed like the right time to get them, she thought grimly. Pulling on some pajama bottoms and a tank, Ginny quietly snuck down to the Common Room. She was halfway to the portrait hole when she heard his voice.

"Going to see him?" Harry asked from the large couch in front of the cold fire place.

"No," Ginny answered quickly, but then one glance at Harry's grin and she knew there was no point in lying. "Yes," she confessed.

"Thought so," Harry mused.

"How's your head?" Ginny asked, walking around the couch to sit beside him.

"Hurts. The bleeding stopped earlier tonight, but you were to busy dodging questions to notice," Harry smirked at her.

"What a mess," Ginny shook her head. They were silent, staring into the unlit fireplace, alone with their thoughts.

Harry sighed. "I hate to say this, but he loves you, you know."

"I know." Ginny answered, a single tear rolling down her cheek.

"I love you, too," Harry told her, wiping the tear away.

"I've known that forever," Ginny smiled at him. "Thank you for standing up for me today."

"Whatever happens, I want you to know I'll be behind you, wherever you are," Harry said quietly, smiling. Ginny smiled back at him, remembering it was what she told him that day she found out about his Prophecy. "But, best friend, I think it's time for us to move on to our new best friends. He knows you like no one else I've seen, and I still think he doesn't deserve you and that he's a Death Eater. But I know you're going to do what you want… Just remember I'll always be here to beat him down whenever he hurts you."

"If what I think is true, he'll never hurt me again," Ginny said quietly, her heart hurting and her eyes tearing. "I love you, too. But I know someone else who loves you even more than me."

Harry looked down at his hands. "Emlyn," he stated.

"If you know, why don't you do something about it?"

"She isn't ready to admit it," Harry told her, and they were silent again.

Suddenly, Harry pushed her lightly, "You have more important things to worry about than me. Go get your questions answered."

Ginny smiled as she pushed through the portrait hole and made her way carefully down the dark halls. She didn't dare light her wand, but the panic she should have felt was replaced with excitement at confronting Draco.

"Gryffindor love," she whispered to the statue guarding the door to Draco's Head Boy rooms.

The statue didn't move, in fact, it was snoring rather loudly. Ginny poked it with her wand and Boros the Bragged jumped awake.

"WHAT! WHAT?" it shouted in somewhat of a panic.

"Quiet! I gave you the password, let me in," Ginny told the statue.

"I obviously didn't hear it, girly! Do you have any idea what time it is?" the statue scolded her, and it was the first time Ginny actually considered that Draco might not be awake to talk to her. But it didn't matter, if she couldn't sleep, neither should he. After all, it was his fault she wasn't in her bed.

"What does it matter to you, you're a statue and you only pretend to sleep anyways. And your fake snoring is very obnoxious," she scowled at Boros.

"See if I let you in now, you little cretin," Boros folded his arms and turned his head away from her.

"I have the password; you have to let me in." Ginny glared at it.

"Well, if you had given me the password to begin with, we wouldn't be standing here in the middle of the night fighting and I could get back to my beauty rest," Boros said haughtily.

"Gryffindor love," Ginny ground out, exhaling fiercely.

"That's not it, he changed it," Boros closed his eyes. Ginny's heart dropped and tears sprang to her eyes. What was she going to do now? He wouldn't ever talk to her again. Ginny gulped and hastily wiped the lone tears that dripped from her eyes.

"Oh, come on, girly. I was just giving you a hard time, I didn't mean to make you cry. The password is right, you can go in," Boros said unconcerned.

"You are a very very rude statue," Ginny told Boros.

"That's why I guard the Head Boy," Boros smiled tightly at her and swung open.

"Eff-ing statue," Ginny muttered and then suddenly remembered where she was walking into.

The front room was so dark Ginny couldn't see her way in. The fireplace was cold and sent no light through the room. She took a few tentative steps forward and her foot hit against something. Leaning down she felt the couch overturned in front of her, and a few moments later her eyes adjusted and she saw that all of Draco's furniture was overturned and smashed into walls and each other. Her heart pulled unexpectedly.

She made her way around the mess and to his bedroom, where she knew he would be. Before reaching the door she stopped and took a deep breath, tears were coming to her eyes and she didn't want to cry in front of him.

Taking a step forward she put her hand against the door frame and raised her eyes to search the dark room.

"I didn't change the password because I knew one day you would use it," his voice came from the darkness.

"That's very arrogant of you," she answered, trying to calm her heart as it slammed against her ribs at the sound of his voice.

"Arrogance or hope, I wonder…" he mused aloud.

Her eyes adjusted once more to the darkness that surrounded him and she saw he was laying face up on his massive bed with his hands tucked behind his head.

"Come here to me," he commanded her, and Ginny obeyed. She crawled up onto the bed and curled up next to him, breathing him in.

"I've missed you, and it's only been six and a half hours since I've seen you last," Draco whispered in the dark. Ginny was silent for a moment.

"Did you mean what you said today?" she asked.

"Does what I said make sense?" he asked in return.

"To me, it was perfect," Ginny whispered.

"I meant every word, and I don't think I have to tell you that," Draco answered her, as he moved his arm from behind his bed to grasp her hand between them.

"If I ask you some things, will you answer them?" she looked up at his face in the darkness, but he was still staring up at the ceiling.

"Yes."

"Are you a Death Eater?" she said quietly, in almost an ashamed voice.

"Is that really what you want to know?"

"Yes."

"You already know the answer to that question," he sounded hurt.

"Is that what your tattoo is from?" she traced the inside of his wrist lightly with her fingers and she felt him shudder.

He was silent.

"You said you would answer me," she challenged.

"Does it matter to you? I can't change anything about myself; I can only tell you what I know for certain," he moved closer to her.

"Nothing in this world is for certain, Draco," she said sadly.

"Ginny, you are mine forever, never doubt that," he whispered to her. Ginny's heart squirmed.

"Why did you use me?"

"I never thought it would go that far, I didn't think I would care for you as much as I do," he told her.

"So you were planning on using me to get to Harry?" she asked him, lifting her face to rest on his shoulder.

"You don't understand. My… dislike… of Potter… runs deep. Some days I just can't function without hating him," Draco faltered, but his fingers lightly brushed hers. "But then come the days when all I can see and feel is you. I can't be without you, Gin, I'm not lying when I say that."

"I know," she said quietly, and the silence enveloped him. She thought of the profoundness of her statement. She had just forgiven him for hurting her, and he realized it.

"Be with me. Please?" his voice was almost a whisper, but Ginny did not miss the emotion behind it.

She smiled against his shoulder. "'Please' is not a normal word to hear from the Slytherin Prince."

"Nothing I do lately seems to be normal," he turned his face towards her and stroked her cheek with his thumb. His face was somber, but his light eyes shined for her.

"I love you, too." Ginny answered him. And he kissed her, folding his arms around her as if he would never let her go.

:¦:--:¦:--:¦:--:¦:-

Draco woke up early with curly hair in his face. He thought it might be another dream out to torture him but he couldn't feel his arm and was fairly certain there was a warm body next to him.

He pulled the hair back from her face and took in the peaceful sleeping form of Ginny lying next to him. The morning sun rays that entered through his large windows floated over her gracefully and reflected off her golden skin and silky hair.

Draco sighed with contentment and felt peace for the first time in many months. Everything was forgotten: his responsibilities, his training, his duty. She made him forget the world existed.

He pressed a quick kiss to her shoulder which, to his disappointment, woke her up.

"Draco?" she looked up at him.

"I shouldn't have woken you," he said, curling his arm around her drawing her closer.

"We… we need to go to class, I shouldn't have stayed here," Ginny said, trying to hide the panic in her voice from him.

"Class doesn't start for another hour, and of course you should have stayed here," Draco told her.

"And why is that?"

"Because… you are mine," Draco kissed her and she relaxed against him.

And that is how their last days at Hogwarts passed. Draco would find her in between classes and draw her into broom closets or classrooms. Ginny would ambush him in his room, anything to be together and make up for their lost time.

But it wasn't only the romance that was felt. Both realized that they had regained their best friend, which was invaluable, especially to Draco who emerged from the darkness that had held him for the past months.

"I have something for you, but I have to give it to you later,"

"Draco, concentrate. We are in the middle of our Potions final and I'm the only one answering questions," Ginny hissed at him, then blushed as he brushed his fingertips against her knee under their lab table.

"I can't think straight when you smell so good," Draco whispered to her.

"This is a partner exam, NOT A SOCIAL HOUR!" Snape bellowed from across the room, his eyes directed towards them. Ginny tried to hide her smile, and Draco tickled her knee again. She hit him playfully and they went back to their test.

After they had finished and the classroom was emptying, Draco pulled her to him and whispered to her again.

"I meant to tell you that I used Yarsbane to poison Michelle so I could be your partner today," he smirked at her, then kissed her cheek. "Meet me tonight in my room for your present." And he was gone.

Ginny sighed happily, watching him move out of the dungeon.

"Ms. Weasley, I warn you to be careful in the near future," Snape said quietly from across the now empty classroom.

"What do you mean?" she asked him, her eyes narrowing.

"You have no idea who you are messing with, or do you?" Snape said cryptically. "Good day, Ms. Weasley. I expect to see you back next year."

"Good day, Professor," Ginny managed out before he closed the potions door.

Mysterious, she told herself, when she knew exactly what Professor Snape had meant. Did she believe him? Draco never had spelled out the truth for her, but she refused to believe her gut instinct that he was involved with Voldemort. After all, he still had until graduation before his father forced him to do anything, right?

Yes, she convinced herself, Draco would never follow in his father's footsteps. Everything he had ever told her was horrible, how could Draco want to emulate him? Ginny pushed the thoughts out of her head, all that mattered tonight was that she was going to be with Draco.

And when she got to his rooms that night, he was waiting for her present in hand.

"This is for you," he said, smiling like Ginny had never seen him before. He held a racing broom towards her and Ginny gasped. It was a Momentum4000, the fastest boom on the market.

"Draco, this is too expensive!" Ginny said softly as she ran her hands over the broom.

"Stop thinking like that, I wanted you to have it. Now when we play we'll be evenly matched," Draco laughed.

"We were evenly matched when I had my Cleansweep, Ferret! Now I'm just going to be able to beat you easier," Ginny teased. "Thank you," she went up and wrapped her arms around him. He kissed her and pulled her closer to him.

"I have one other thing for you," Draco said quietly, almost shyly. He pulled a black box from his robes and gave it to her.

Ginny smiled up at him, excited because he was known for never giving gifts to any of his girlfriends. Actually getting something from Draco that was meaningful was just unheard of. Ginny looked into his eyes and memorized the moment.

"Open it," Draco urged her. So she lifted the lid and inside was Draco's green emerald band that was so dark it sparkled black. To her knowledge, it was one of Draco's prized possessions and he never took it off his index finger. Draco lifted it from the box, looped a long intricate chain through it and placed it around her neck. Ginny looked up at him as he hooked the chain behind her neck.

"It's something of mine that I want you to have with you always," Draco told her. "It's not a promise ring, or an engagement ring, or anything we don't care about right now," he paused, searching for the right explanation. "I just want to know that you have this," he said looking down at her, tracing the side of her face with her fingers. He smiled and Ginny forgot to breathe.

"I have something I want to give you too," she said when she regained her breath, and pulled a folded photo out of her pocket. "To my knowledge, it's the only picture that we're in together. Colin took it last year because I asked…" Ginny paused, flushing scarlet. "I mean, he just randomly took the picture. But … it's one of my favorite pictures and I pretty much have it memorized so I wanted you to have it." She unfolded the picture and handed it to him.

In it, Draco and Ginny were sitting across at a library table and Draco's feet were propped up on the table in his usual arrogant manner. Ginny was across from him, slowly twirling a quill in her hand. Draco had his usual smirk, but his eyes were concentrated on Ginny, who smiling at him in return. It was not an unusual picture on first glance, but a closer look revealed quite a lot. Around them in the picture, students at other tables worked busily, looked for books, and moved from table to table. Except for Draco and Ginny. They were as stationary as a Muggle photo, content to stare into each other's eyes for eternity.

Ginny tried to decide whether Draco found anything odd about the picture when he looked at it, and decided that he didn't when he immediately placed it on his bed side table. When Ginny had first received it, she had watched her miniature self for hours, willing herself to move around in the picture.

Draco interrupted her thoughts with a mind drugging kiss, and all Ginny could do was wrap her arms around him and kiss him back with all the passion that she felt.

Moments later that felt like an blissful eternity, Draco had removed Ginny's shirt and now only Draco's ring hung down on it's long chain between her chest.

"Stay with me?" he asked her, and Ginny knew she could leave if she wanted. But Draco was what she wanted, and with a smile she did what her heart told her. Slowly and seductively she pushed Draco backwards towards the bed until he fell backwards and brought her with him.

:¦:--:¦:--:¦:--:¦:-

The searing pain in his arm woke him. Slowly gathering his surroundings, he breathed in and accepted the white hot stinging until it lessened.

Voldemort was calling him, it would be today. Pure rage and excitement tore through him, unlike anything he had ever experienced. Today he would prove himself to Voldemort, to the Death Eaters, and to his father. His breathing quickened as he threw back the covers and studied the changing symbols on his arm. He could not miss the message; the floating symbols contained his directions to where Voldemort was and what was needed.

But something else caught his attention. A very naked Ginny was laying curled next to him, her back exposed when he had thrown back the covers. The moonlight bathed her in pale light and her skin and hair shone vibrantly.

Intense emotions conflicted with his excitement as Draco remembered the events of that night. Ginny had been amazing, and as Draco stared at her, it dawned on him that he was in love with her.

Trust no one, befriend no one, love no one.

The words echoed through his head and he ignored them, becoming angrier that he even thought them. Suddenly, pain in his arm unlike any he had experienced ripped through him. He understood it as Voldemort's impatience and Draco stood from the bed searching for his robes.

It was time; nothing could stop him from this.

Ginny was breathing evenly and peacefully and Draco idly wondered if she could stop him from this. He was proving his worth, he told himself. He would be back for her. But not without protecting her first.

Leaning down, he placed a kiss on her creamy shoulder and reluctantly pulled the covers back over her bare body. With one last look at her he turned to leave, but the picture caught his attention. Quickly, he grabbed it off the table, folded it and placed it in his pocket.

Out in the front room, Draco looked around at his rooms. It might be the last time he ever saw them and he took one last look before pointing his wand at the statue hole.

"Permanente Adsigno," he whispered, hoping that the curse would hold and that Ginny would be safe in his rooms before the abduction was over.

He touched the picture in his pocket one last time before he picked up the special floo powder and tossed it into the fireplace.

"Cassiopeia," he said.

It had begun.

WOOO... so, big chapter in more ways than one. Only a few more to go, and I'm excited to hear what you guys think! I would tell you what is coming next, but you can probably figure it out ;) And for those of you who have questions as to what happened the last time D/G were together, go up and read the Cauterize quote. Its pretty racy and poetically explainatory. :)

If I was on TRL I would shout out to all of you then scream really loud: Aellyr (Ah you've figured out my weakness! I love stories about secrets and angst :) I'm glad that you like the story though and that you think its frustrating! I'll take that as a HUGE compliment!) Alexandria J. Malfoy (funky is an excellent word to describe HBP! I'm still having a hard time adjusting to it! And oh geeze you are going to be mad at me cause I'm pretty sure no one says I love you anytime soon! It will be good though, I promise! I cant wait for the end:) woot! ) Dark Dawning (thanks for the review! What a huge compliment to be called mature, I was so excited to read your review! It is one of the things I strive to keep in place, along with keeping everyone in character. And if you like tension… get ready, cause there is definitely more coming!) Kirrashi (My biggest hint for you is that there is more story coming:) And I hope you liked this chapter because the next is going to be the BIG showdown, and that is going to be awesome too!) Kitty (I think they are stubborn because I am stubborn and I'm not ready for the end yet! And I love angst, that's probably a big factor too haha! And actually I wanted to thank you for reminding me about Lukas, I'm ashamed to admit that I kind of forgot about updating him and Sam in the midst of everything else that was going on. But don't worry because he's coming up soon!) Montequilladecacahuate (It makes me happy when you say things are well-written! I'm very insecure about those kind of things. And a personal apology to you because I was so slow with the update, I hope this chapter made up for it?) Liane (Thanks for the review! I hope you liked this chapter as much too! And I'm sorry about the slow update also!) Celestial-gal (Ahh… school started for me too, and even though it's the first week of classes, I'm already busy which sucks for my writing but is good for me! I hope you did well on your tests! And thank you sooo much for the huge compliment, I think that's some of my favorite things to hear! Or read…whichever. But still, thanks because your review meant a lot to me!) Blackness Angel (This is after the 5th book mostly, but to be honest, I haven't really tried to write in canon. If something comes up about the 6th book that isn't too drastic (like a certain someone's death) I'm going to try to stick to the 6th book too. I think my main goal is not to confuse anyone, if that makes sense? And Harry's eyes do darken when he uses the Power, and actually I forgot to even think if Ginny's eyes change color. I'm going to say that they do, but since she usually uses her Power to make her 'subject' see something else, no one really notices. I hope I haven't confused you! And thanks for the review! I hope you liked this chapter too)

WARNING SPOILERS AHEAD!

Blue Werewolf Boy (Someone had me going that Seamus was the HBP, and for some reason I believed them and was quite blindsided that it was Snape. I'm still holding out that Snape is good, because even though I'm not really a fan of his, I can't picture him killing Dumbledore like that. And the whole Ron/Lavender mad making out kinda of threw me for a wonky and I couldn't help but keep thinking that I was reading some tricked out fanfiction. Especially with the H/G romance, although I really liked that they got together, I never really expected details like that from the canon. And I'm not really sure what to think of Harry leaving school, and I don't have a prediction on the ending. I'm just hoping that Harry doesn't die lol. But otherwise, I really liked reading it even though it's not my favorite like I thought it was going to be.)

Neveralone89 (thank you for the birthday song! Would you believe that I didn't even get a cake for my birthday? It's true. But I'm not bitter, I promise. I'm so glad you loved the fight scenes, they are pretty much my favorite things to write. And I totally agree that Draco is hott, I think that's why I like writing about him so much haha! I agree about Tonks and Lupin, it was random and I always pictured Tonks with Bill. Through the whole book pretty much I thought that was why she was so sad. I think that's what Jo wanted us to think, and I fell for it haha. And WOW what a prediction! I waffle between Harry-dies and Harry-lives pretty much every day, and have heard awesome arguments for each side. I just really hope he doesn't die. Me, I liked the Ginny/Harry thing, but only because I'm also a G/H shipper sometimes. But half the time reading it, I felt like I was reading some awesome fanfiction. Hopefully, their relationship doesn't end there, and Harry doesn't die for the sake of Ginny. That would be sad!)

Pip08 (Thanks for the review! I did like the book, but I'm still getting used to it. It was messed up in some parts, I agree. And I'm still hoping that the person who killed the person is actually a good guy and that the person who died is still alive, because what is Harry Potter without the half-moon glasses?)

And to everyone who reads: Woot!

Alright until we meet again... have a wonderful week! And for those of you also starting school, good luck with everything! I heart you all! Read and review because you make my day! -xxx