A/N: Okay for all interested parties the correct Chapter 21 should be posted now, thanks for pointing out the problem by the way. I'll try to update every week or at least every other week, but no promises.

Chapter 24: The Soul Mate Bond

Ginny noticed the silence in the Hall as Harry pulled away from her, she glanced around nervously trying to determine what was causing the disturbance. She felt cold fear clutch her heart and quickly dropping her hands from Harry shoulders, she took a step back. Standing in the doorway was the last person she expected to see.

Draco froze standing on the dance floor with Tuesday in his arms, standing in the doorway crusted in dirt and looking half-crazed, (really he was fully crazed but he didn't quite look it) was his father. He hadn't even heard that he got out of Azkaban; he didn't know how this could be possible. His father began shouting, calling him things 'muggle-lover' and 'blood traitor' as he advance across the room. He raised his wand and the only thing that Draco could think to do was push Tuesday out of his father's path as he stood rooted to the spot. He had let himself forget about his father and the consequences when he learned of his son's new friends. And here he was not only sorted out of Slytherin but, attending a ball with a former Hufflepuff, and he had made friends with Harry Potter and crew.

Harry knew that someone needed to act, Draco was just standing there, he was obviously terrified of his father, not that anyone could blame him. He glanced up at the teachers no one seemed to be moving, as he turned back to Draco, he heard Lucius speak, making sense for the first time, "You have betrayed Our Lord and for that you must pay! Avar…" that was all the older man managed to say before he was hit by seven stunners.

Harry sprang into action, "Tuesday, and Ron take Draco up to the common room. Ginny, go to the kitchens and ask Dobby to bring some tea up the common room." He turned to the others, Hermione had already conjured ropes to tie up Lucius, Neville was guarding him and Luna stood of to the side with her usual dreamy look on her face, some things never change. Harry quickly strode across the room and up to the staff table, stopping before the Headmaster he asked quietly, "What would you like us to do with him, Professor?"

"I'll take him from here, the ministry will probably need statements from all of you but, I think those can wait until tomorrow. Good night, and good work, I think it is good for the other students to see how you all look out for each other and work as a team." Harry nodded and wave his housemates over they quickly retreated up the stairs to check on Draco, while Harry waited for Ginny to return. She hurried over to him, and took his arm as the continued up to their common room.

Draco followed Tuesday and Ron up to the common room, totally numb, he had know all along that his father would be furious when he found out about his new house and his new friends, but he never would have believed that of him. To try to kill his own son, it made him sick, and that the ones who had previously been his enemies had been the ones to save him. It seemed so strange now to think about it, just how far they had come in just two months, but it seemed right, he knew that he could trust them, with his very life. In fact, their actions had saved his life, the Professors had been there but his housemates acted first. When they reached the common room, Tuesday gently pushed him onto a couch and sat down besides him taking his hand in hers. It amazed him how much of a soothing presence she had.

Tuesday sat down next to Draco, she was worried about him how was he supposed to cope with this. She watched him out of the corner of her eye, his handsome face was completely unreadable, and despite that she knew that he was confused and incredibly hurt, although he may not have realized that yet. She watched as a tea tray appeared on a small table and quickly began preparing cups for the entire house, handing Draco and Ron theirs. The others came in before she was done and took their seats as she handed them cups. Luna and Neville on the couch opposite herself and Draco, Ron sank into an arm chair and pulled Hermione into his lap, Ginny sat perched on the arm of Harry's chair. They all sat silently for several minutes drinking their tea, Harry was the first to break the silence.

"We all have to give statements to the ministry tomorrow, and I'd imagine Dumbledore will make some type of announcement at dinner." Everyone nodded dumbly and continued to stare at the floor no one wanted to be first to speak.

Finally unable to bear the silence any longer Draco spoke, "Thank you, I never would have imagined he would do something like this, well, to me any way. I guess no one wants to believe their father is a deluded bastard."

"You don't need to thank us," Ginny answered quietly, "we look out for our own, and your one of us now." Everyone murmured their agreement. Sensing that know one wanted to talk about the incident anymore, she said cheerfully, "Let's play a game."

Draco nodded, looking relived, he didn't know what else to say and now he wouldn't have to, "Sounds good what did you have in mind?" They passed the next hours quickly playing poker until everyone was exhausted.

Harry sat up with a book in his lap, he needed to talk to Ginny; he had to find out exactly what had happened between them. It was one of the strangest things that had ever happened to him why had he heard her voice when she wasn't talking. Suddenly his thoughts where interrupted by a familiar voice, 'Harry can you hear me?'

He quickly looked around the room, she was nowhere to be seen, well then he might as well try telepathy, 'Yeah, Gin, what's up?'

'I want to go to sleep, but I can't sleep in here and Ron and Hermione are snogging in the common room.'

'Do you want me to come get you?'

'Would you mind?'

'No problem, on my way.' Harry appeared in her room seconds later, he could get used to this teleporting thing. "Ready?" he asked out loud, when she nodded he took her hand and they were off. When they arrived he let go of her hand and waited while she climbed into his bed. "Gin, we need to talk, if you're not too tired."

Ginny bit her lip, no she wasn't too tired but she was afraid to hear what he was going to say. She let out a small sigh, "No, I'm not too tired." She left it at that, no way she was going to make it easier for him to tell her, that they couldn't be together.

Harry watched Ginny nervously, not sure how to begin, he cleared his throat, "Uh, what exactly happened tonight? I mean why can we suddenly communicate telepathically? I've never heard of anything like that…" he let his voice trail off unable to read the expression on her face.

Ginny could hardly believe her ears, he wasn't trying to let her down easily, "Well, I've heard of two things that cause such a connection, the marriage bond and the soul mate bond, but I guess it could be something else," she said the last part with a small shrug of her shoulders. She was fairly certain that this was in fact, the soul mate bond but, she didn't what to pressure him. "The marriage bond is fairly common, it is created whenever a wizard and a witch are married, it helps them communicate, and my parents always used it to make sure that the other knew when we were in trouble or not supposed to be doing something. It usually only works in an area, say the size of the Quidditch pitch, give or take a little. The soul mate bond is supposed to work over any distance, but that hasn't been tested much since it's so rare."

Harry couldn't believe what he was hearing, he sat down on the bed next to her, he was either married to Ginny or they were soul mates. "Okay, so how do these bonds form?"

"Well, a marriage bond is created by the exchange of rings in a wedding ceremony, and the soul mate bond is formed typically when the two people involve realize that they love the other and either say the words for the first time, or kiss, or something like that, it's just a display of emotion, basically."

Harry had never been so happy in his life, Ginny Weasley, was his soul mate. After he defeated Voldemort he would marry her…wait this was bad, he couldn't be with her, it wasn't safe. "Uh, Gin…"

Ginny knew what was coming; he was going to tell her that they would have to wait, that it wasn't safe, all that jazz. She cut him off before he could say it, and spoke directly into his mind, to remind him of just what they shared. 'Harry, I love you, and I want to be with you, please don't let Voldemort mess this up for us. I know that it's dangerous, but I don't care, I can take care of myself. What is the point of both of us being miserable?'

Harry didn't know how to respond; technically she was right she could take care of herself. 'Gin, I can't put you in more danger.'

'I won't be in more danger, he already knows that you will do anything to save any of the people you care about, and I am a Weasley we are already in the middle of the war. I want both of us to make it through this war, and I believe that we will, but if by some chance one of us doesn't I don't want the other to spend the rest of their life, thinking that their one regret was never being together.'

Harry couldn't fight it anymore, he could fight his own desires but, he couldn't fight Ginny, on top of that, 'Just promise me you'll do everything you can to remain safe, I can't lose you.'

'I promise, Harry.' She pulled him into her arms and they fell asleep.