Ginevra was running again. It had been two more months since her first encounter with Draco and she had freed Pansy Parkinson in the mean time. She had been sure Pansy was going to be the one to choose the Death Eaters and end her campaign, but Pansy had surprised her at the last moment and asked if she would do the same for Draco. Of course Ginevra said yes, and apparently that was all Pansy needed to know. She now stayed at headquarters, keeping the place clean and cooking, making sure everyone who stopped by had a warm place to sleep, and was generally improving morale.
Finally she found a place deserted enough to turn and once again tossed her wand aside.
"Not this again!" Draco sounded exasperated.
"What else? Why'd you follow me? You must have known what was coming."
Draco raised his wand and shouted "Avada" before stopping. She hadn't flinched. Her eyes hadn't changed. "You really don't care if you die, do you?"
She smiled that infuriating smile of hers. "No, I do not."
"How is that possible? Even those who accept their deaths care." He spoke as though he was trying to understand an insane person's logic.
She shrugged. "There are many who would willingly lay down their lives for those they care about. There are some who would willingly lay down their lives for strangers. As you say, they may not complain but they do regret that it must happen. When I made the decision to do this, to provide this opportunity to as many people as possible, I accepted as a matter of course that it would end in my death, eventually. In a way, I have come to view myself as already dead. It will happen, there is no denying that, so if it happens today at your hand it is not surprising. Would I prefer to live longer, accomplish more before I die, yes, of course. Do I desire to spare my family the pain of losing me as long as possible? Without a doubt. So I suppose, in a way, I do care, but not the way you consider caring. I regret that it must happen, but I believe the result much more than worth the cost. I am prepared to die, perhaps that is a more adequate way of expressing it than saying I do not care if I do." She paused for dramatic effect. "Why would I flinch from that which I do not fear?"
Draco raised his wand again and Ginevra raised her eyebrows. Their eyes were locked. He could see the peace, determination, and conviction that made up the core of her being. She could see the pain, confusion, and turmoil that was wracking his mind.
He dropped his wand arm and ran.
She returned to the burrow and sunk into a deep wing chair in the library.
"He ran again, didn't he." Pansy handed her a cup of tea. Ginevra nodded. "He'll come around. He'll take longer than the rest of us because he is so proud and yet so afraid. He saw things we only feared and has felt things we cannot comprehend. His pride is so much above ours but he has so much more fear deep within him. Give him time. I know it is hard on you but he needs what you have to offer more than anyone."
"How are the others." Ginevra was so tired.
"Harry, Ron, and Hermione have disappeared again. Remus left this morning on another mission. Snape is sleeping upstairs and will leave in the morning. Theodore and Goyle are explaining Death Eater training to your family and a few aurors for the fiftieth time." Ginevra did not miss the fact that Pansy had not answered her question. Querries seeking knowledge of well being were almost always answered with information regarding activity now. "Oh, there is this, Fluer is expecting. It has everyone terribly worried, but you can tell it is also providing them all with a bit of hope and strength as new life always does." Pansy had turned out to be quite deep and perceptive once you got to know her and Ginevra was glad for her friendship.
"That's excellent." A weak smile spread over her face. "I think I'm going to go get something to eat and sit in on the meeting." Pansy nodded and followed her down to the kitchen.