By Adaia Swordmaiden
Disclaimer: What do I put here again?
Chapter 6
Ginny hurried back into the kitchen.
"Sorry," she said to Guinevere who was sitting at the breakfast bar. Guinevere smiled.
"It's okay," she said. "So you were talking about your family?"
"Oh yes," Ginny said. "So now Fred and Angelina live just above their shop with their son, Zachary. He's got the same prank-playing habits as his father and- Well so he frequently turns up here or at Mum's place seeking asylum from Fred." She smiled and Guinevere laughed. Ginny finished making tea and sandwiches and set them on the breakfast bar. "So what about your family? If you don't mind me asking." A sad look swept over Guinevere's face.
"My true family," she said hesitantly, "is dead. My mum and dad and younger brother and sister. I think they were killed by Death Eaters. The only other person I would consider family-" she paused. "Well I don't know where he is." Ginny put her hand on Guinevere's.
"I'm so sorry," she said. "I know what it feels like to lose a sibling. I didn't tell you before but I lost two brothers. Charlie and George. Fred and George were twins." Guinevere smiled at her.
"Well we'll survive," she said. Ginny nodded and then turned.
"Sammy!" she called out. "Come on out and have your sandwiches." The red-headed girl hurtled into the kitchen, grabbed the plate of her sandwiches and hurtled back out again. Ginny laughed. "Her Aunt Hermione taught her how to read and gave her a junior spell book for Christmas," she explained. "And now she's reading every spell book in the house."
"She'll certainly know a lot of spells by the time she gets to school!"
"Yes. Are you doing anything tonight?" Guinevere shook her head. "Well would you like to come around to dinner tonight? I'd love for you to meet Harry and my brother Ron and his wife Hermione."
"Oh thank you. I'd love to."
"Right then. Is seven o'clock okay?"
Guinevere knocked on the door of the Potter house and took a step back, fiddling with her purse. Ginny opened the door and grinned out at her.
"Hi," she said. "Come on in. Ron and Hermione got here early." She led Guinevere to the kitchen where a tall, red-headed man, a bushy-haired brunette and- Guinevere paused as her eyes stopped on Harry who was watching her back with a mixture of shock and apprehension. "Harry, Ron, Hermione, this is Guinevere. She moved in just across the road about two weeks ago. Guinevere, this is Harry, my husband, Ron, my brother and Hermione, his wife." Hermione smiled and came over, shaking Guinevere's hand. Ron also shook hands and then it was Harry's turn.
"I didn't think I'd see you again," he muttered so that only Guinevere could hear. She heard it clearly but showed no sign of such.
"Anyway," Ginny said. "Tonight we're having chicken schnitzel…"
Blaise Zabini stood on the sidewalk outside the house, gazing in the window at the group of people laughing and talking as they ate. He knew all of them. Harry Potter, Ginny Potter nee Weasley, Ron Weasley, Hermione Weasley nee Granger and Guinevere Moore. His eyes paused on Guinevere. She had been released from Azkaban and was now having dinner with the Ministry of Magic's top Auror. He shook his head and let out a long, low whistle. There was a rushing sound and then a soft thud. Zabini didn't even turn to look at Strello.
"The little girl's asleep upstairs," he said, pointing at the second story window on the far right. "You go get her and bring her down here. But act as if it's just all a nice game. We don't want her to scream and bring out every wizard in the street." Strello nodded and flew up to the window, melting the lock with her breath and slipping inside. She landed on the floor with a soft thud and looked around. The walls were covered in drawings, obviously done by the little girl. Strello turned and saw the little girl herself sitting up in bed, clutching at a soft toy of a hippogriff.
"Who are you?" she asked with a slight hint of fear in her voice. Strello smiled, carefully not showing her teeth.
"I'm a friend of your mother," she said. "She sent me up here to get you. We're playing a little game downstairs." Sammy's face brightened and she hopped out of bed.
"Ok," she said. "Let's go." She began to go to the door.
"Wait," Strello said. "I can fly. Would you like to fly down outside?"
"Oh yes!" Sammy said, going over to the window where Strello was, still clutching her hippogriff. Strello smiled again and picked her up before slipping out the window and flying down to where Zabini was waiting. She nodded at Zabini and they went over to the wide, kitchen window. Zabini smashed it and the people inside yelled out, instinctively diving away from the window. Strello flew Zabini, Sammy and herself inside the kitchen.
"Who are you?" Harry yelled as he got up. "What do you-" His voice suddenly stopped as he saw Sammy, held in Strello's arms, and his face paled.
"Get up," Zabini commanded menacingly. "All of you." Harry quickly helped Ginny up and soon they were all standing staring at Zabini, Strello and Sammy.
"Can I please go to my Mummy now?" Sammy asked, struggling in Strello's grip. "I don't like this game."
"Be quiet," Strello snarled at her and Sammy shrieked and cowered as she saw that Strello had two inhuman, sharp teeth. Vampire teeth.
"Who are you?" Ginny quavered. "What do you want? Please- don't hurt her."
"Well the two questions I can answer but…" Zabini shook his head in mock sorrow. "I'm afraid I can't guarantee that last bit. My name is Blaise Zabini and my companion is Pipistrello of the English Vampires. And I want revenge. Strello's just along for the fun and a meal." Ginny choked back a sob and stared at Sammy, looking as though she was going to faint.
"Please," Harry began, his throat dry. "Let the others go. You want revenge with me, not them."
"I suppose you're right," Zabini said. "But, thing is, if I let them go, they'll call the Ministry. So I think I'll just kill them here and now. Quick and fast. That's all the mercy they deserve." he raised a stolen wand and began moving it slowly, moving from Ginny to Hermione to Ron and finally settling on Guinevere. "You can go first."
"NO!" Suddenly a tall cloaked figure barrelled in between Zabini and Strello, hitting them on the back of the head so that they were dazed and lost their sight for a moment and grabbing Sammy. The person spun as he reached the shocked others. Harry reacted in an instant, whipping out his wand and stunning Zabini and Strello. They crumpled to the ground. Then he turned his wand on the cloaked person. Silently, the person set down Sammy who ran to Ginny. Suddenly Guinevere came around the cloaked person and lifted back the hood of their cloak.
"Draco," she breathed, staring up at him. His hair was long and his face bore a scar along his cheekbone. He silently turned to Harry.
"I suppose I'll be carted back to Azkaban," he said, his voice resigned and his pale blue eyes staring at the ground.
"I don't have a choice," Harry murmured. "Even if you did save Sammy."
"No!" Guinevere said, suddenly dashing in between Harry and Draco, blacking Harry's wand. "You can't. Just let him go. Please." Her hazel eyes were filled with tears. Draco set his hands on her shoulders and gently but firmly pushed her to the side.
"No, Guinevere," he said. "It's time for me to go back. I've had my freedom. I've managed to keep you safe from as much as I can." Guinevere turned to him but before she could speak he shook his head. Then he looked at Harry and nodded. Harry hesitated a moment and then raised his wand again.
"Stupefy."
A/N: Pipistrello will turn up sometime later in the story but not Zabini, it think. vote if you think otherwise.
After the war
By Adaia Swordmaiden
Disclaimer: It's all J.K.'s.
Chapter 7
"Draco?" Draco's head jerked upwards and towards the cell door.
"Guinevere…" he breathed, getting up and going to the cell door. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm here to take you to your trial," she murmured, gazing at him.
"Trial?" he asked, not really thinking.
"Veritaserum trial," she said. "Harry and I managed to get you one."
"But-" Draco said but she cut him off.
"Look, your sentence, as it is, is for life so it can't do any harm to try," she said. Suddenly Harry appeared with a couple of guards.
"Come on," he said to the guards and they unlocked the cell. Harry held his wand at his side as the five walked down the corridor. They came to the magical portal that would take them to the Ministry and Guievere went through first with one guard. Harry then turned to Draco. "I never properly thanked you before for saving us," he said. "Over two years ago it was and I finally say thank you." Draco nodded and then he and the guard stepped through the portal.
"Veritaserum review of charges hearing on the fourth of August," Arthur Weasley called out. "Reinvestigating charges supposedly committed by Draco Mauvais Malfoy. Interrogators: Arthur Horatio Weasley, Minister for Magic; Rosemary Myrrant Thyme, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement; Terence Willard Cartwright, Senior Undersecretary to the Minister. Court Scribe, Steven Gregory Skeeter." Arthur coughed and shuffled his notes. Guinevere gazed down at Draco, sitting calmly in the chained chair below. Harry sat beside her, also looking down at Draco. "The charges against the accused are as follows: That he did, knowingly, deliberately and not under the influence of another, murder seventeen muggles, Mr Fred Aristotle Weasley, Mr Kingsley Colin Shacklebolt and Mrs Arabella Doreen Figg." Arthur looked down from his notes at Draco. "You are Draco Mauvais Malfoy?"
"Yes," Draco said, gritting his teeth but the words still coming out.
"Do you deny committing any of the afore mentioned charges?"
"No."
"Did you commit the charges under the influence of another?"
"Yes."
"Under the influence of who and what?"
"Lucius Hector Malfoy's Imperius charm." The Wizengamot began whispering and muttering amongst themselves. This went on for a full minute and then died out.
"The Wizengamot has reached the conclusion that you are indeed innocent of the murders of the seventeen muggles, Mr Fred Aristotle Weasley, Mr Kingsley Colin Shacklebolt and Mrs Arabella Doreen Figg. We deeply apologise for your imprisonment of ten years and one month. You will be given amnesty and a grant of five thousand galleons. However, as you participated in a prison break in which two guards were killed and you assaulted Mr Harry James Potter, an Auror working for the Ministry, although you yourself did not kill either of the guards, you will be put on parole for the time of three month," he said. A smile of relief broke over Guinevere's face and she suddenly broke into tears of mixed sadness and joy. Draco looked up at her and suddenly his eyes were glistening too. Then he looked at Mr Weasley and Harry.
"Thank you."
Draco stood in the hall of Malfoy Manor, looking around. Suddenly the fireplace flashed green and he turned to see Guinevere standing there.
"I'm free," he said after a moment. "I'm free."
"I know," Guinevere said, tears welling up in her eyes again. Draco crossed the space between them in tree strides and hugged her. After a moment, they drew apart.
"Now that my parents and family are dead," Draco said, gazing at Guinevere. "This place will seem awfully empty. So I'm selling it."
"You can come and live with me," Guinevere offered. Draco nodded.
"I'd like that," he said. And kissed her.
(A/N: this is about six months after the last part.)
Someone knocked on the door.
"I'll get it," Draco called out as he walked along the hallway. He opened the door. He paused as he saw Harry outside. "Hello." Harry grinned.
"Ginny and I would like to invite you two over to dinner tomorrow night," he said. "We're eating out at the new restaurant in town. Formal evening dress."
"Yeah, sure we'll be there," Guinevere said over Draco's shoulder. "What time?"
"We've got a reservation for eight o'clock," Harry said. "But we might be able to move it."
"No, eight's fine," Draco said. "We'll meet you there." Harry grinned and turned, going across the street. Draco closed the door and turned to Guinevere.
"See?" she said. "I told you I needed that dress." Draco groaned and rolled his eyes.
"Are you sure I look okay?" Guinevere asked for the tenth time as she looked in the mirror. She was wearing a long, skin-fitting, strapless, sparkly mauve dress with a short-bodied, long-sleeved jacket made of the same material with fake leopard fur at the neck, hem and cuffs. Her hair was knotted elegantly up off her neck. Draco sighed.
"Yes, you look beautiful," he said. "Now come on. It's half-past seven and it takes half an hour to get there."
Guinevere waved goodbye to Ginny and Harry as they walk off down the street.
"So where shall we go now?" she asked Draco, smiling at him.
"How about home?" he said, raising an eyebrow suggestively and creeping his hand across her waist and down slightly. She punched him in the arm softly.
"You've had too much wine," she giggled. "But I still like the idea." Draco grinned and bent down to kiss her before he hailed a taxi.
A/N: I'd better cut it off here before I have to raise the rating. evil grin