Chapter Fourteen – Saved

Harry had been riding his broom for two hours. The mountains surrounding Hogwarts had disappeared only to show large meadows. The air had become crisp and cold during his nighttime ride. It seemed that riding non-stop for so long had caused his backside to become frozen, thankfully so numb that the pain had receded to an annoying twitch every few minutes.

The moon shone brightly on the ground far below. With only one hour till dawn, Harry picked up his speed, fearing what would happen if a muggle were to discover him. He winced at he went threw a cloud he hadn't seen.

Trying to keep his eyes open Harry finally noticed how tired he was. Regretting his rash idea to charge into Wallawalla and free Ginny, Harry decided to land nearby and get some sleep. If he was going to save her he had to have his strength.

Finding a secluded area he landed softly. Dismounting his broom he trudged over to a tree and propped but his firebolt. Sitting with his back to the large oak Harry drifted off to sleep.

Meanwhile back in Wallawalla Ginny was waking up from a restless night's sleep. After fretting about the Order back in Grimmauld Place Ginny had fallen asleep, dreaming about Tom attacking everyone while they slept.

The flashes of green as lifeless bodies fell to the ground, the screams that would fill the air as best friends died in front of them, the yells of spells being cast by both sides, and the stench of death had all penetrated Ginny's mind and haunted her. She could only imagine what had happened to those she loved.

Worse of all, it was all her fault. If she had only remembered to say the spell before she fell asleep. If only she had fought Tom, refused to marry him, deny his requests and questions, then maybe, maybe everyone would be okay.

Too late though, there was nothing she could do in her powers. Now all she could do was hope that her husband would feel mercy and let them go.

Letting out a frustrated cry Ginny grabbed some cloths from her walk in closet and went for a walk. Once on the grounds she decided, why not escape? If he is going to kill all those I love I might as well try to leave.

With determination in her heart she picked up her pace and began to speed walk. Her speed walking soon became a run, which turned into a full out sprint when she came close to the dark forest that surrounded his mansion. As she entered the forest she let out a happy yell, thinking that she was free from the man that she was magically bound to.

Slowing down she stopped to get her breath, only to feel her stomach begging to churn and a familiar pulling from her bellybutton indicate that she was being apperated. Where, she didn't know, but she just hoped it wasn't back to the castle.

When the spinning stopped Ginny opened her eyes to see eyes boring into hers. She gasped when she saw where she was. Grimmauld place was under attack and she had been transported right into the middle of it!

With a quick glance she calculated that half of the order was dead. Mrs. Black's picture was yelling insults at the Order and screaming at the death eaters as they destroyed her house. There were spells of all kinds zooming across the room, not all hitting their targets. One purple steam of light came really close to her head, forcing her to duck. When the spell collided with the wall behind her, flames grew rapidly and engulfed the room.

A tug on her arm pulled her to the stairs. Shoved down Ginny was put under an invisibility cloak and told to stay. Tom took only one last glance at her before sneaking an attack on McGonagall who was defending Fred Weasley who was corned by a group of death eaters. Tears streamed down Ginny's face as she saw loved ones die before her eyes. She wanted so badly to help but was incapable of moving from the stairs, due to a spell Tom had silently cast on her.

She let out a scream of terror as McGonagall collapsed in a heap, followed shortly by her brother Fred. Tearing her eyes away from the scene Ginny saw another brother, Bill fighting bravely against a man that suspiciously looked like Lucius. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Mad Eye Moody killing death eaters left and right.

The battle raged on as bodies fell to the ground. Death surrounded her, pain sank into her skin, and her soul cried for the loss of great men and women. Her body convulsed as she let out her sorrows, feeling helpless like a child.

Through the yells of the room Ginny only hear on thing, something that would ring through her ears forever, never to be forgotten. It was when Tom was hit by the killing curse. The spell was lifted and she rushed to his side, checking for a pulse.

Her cloak slipped off, exposing her to the fight yet she didn't care. She was puzzled by her actions yet for some reason she continued to perform CPR. He had a heart beat, very faint, but still enough to keep him alive. When she felt his chest rise and fall she smiled.

Backing away to give him more room she covered herself once again and returned to her seat on the stairs.

Tom, not understanding how he had been resuscitated called off the fight.

"Get out!" He yelled.

On his command all the death eaters left, leaving him and the order, with a hidden Ginny alone. Spinning around Tom picked up Ginny and left for his mansion in a hurry.

As the two landed in their room Tom uncovered her to expose her face with rivulets of tears cascading down. Trying to calm her, he put her on the bed and ran his hand through her silky red hair. Her sobs soon became quiet and the tears stopped.

Tom hated to admit it but he hated seeing her in her current condition. Feeling a pang of guilt he left his room to talk with his death eaters. He was curious which one had saved his life. He summoned them all by rubbing his right hand on his left shoulder.

Each one arrived with a loud 'pop' and began to circle him like usual. There were gaps in the circle, showing those who had died or were left behind. One third of his loyal followers hadn't come back.

"Who saved me tonight?" He asked.

Each deatheater looked around the room to see who had saved their lord but none admitted to it. Knowing it had to be one of them he asked again who had come to his aid.

"It must have been one of you."

One man stepped forward and Tom walked over to him.

"This man has done what all of you should have. He saved me. Because of this I will make you my most faithful." Tom slightly smiled at the man in front of him and gave a satisfactory nod.

"My Lord, it wasn't me…but I saw who had saved you." The death eater paused as if remembering the event.

"She was gorgeous. The reddest hair I had ever seen. Pale and thin, she looked as if under an invisibility cloak but it seemed to have slipped."

When the man stopped Tom prodded him on, thinking that he must have been mistaken.

"Are you sure she was saving me?"

"Yes, My Lord. She was giving you CPR. Once you started breathing again she pulled the cloak over her and left. I tried to hear where she went but with all the noise I couldn't hear."

Not waiting to get a full report on who was killed and who they killed, Tom jogged to the door, heading out to his rooms. Over his shoulder he said, "Meetings over."

He got to the door leading into his room and paused. Pushing his ear to the door he heard crying.

Not wanting her to suffer anymore he quietly opened the door and cast a spell to make her sleep without dreams for eight hours. Her body immediately became lip, lightly landing on the bed. Coming closer he covered her and went to change into a cleaner outfit. Arriving back at the bed he heard her snores and smiled. She may not like him, but she didn't let him die during the battle at Grimmauld place. She saved him when she could have let him die. Ginny could have saved those she loved; yet she chose him.

With that last thought, Tom fell asleep.