Chapter 3

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A/N: Sorry it's been so ling since we last updated but we have been very busy. This chapter was supposed to be a bit longer, but we decided to post this so that you guys would not think that we forgot about the story. We hope to post the next chapter soon but we cannot make any promises. Sorry for the delay, and we hope you like this chapter. Please R&R.

When Ginny woke up the next morning, the first thing she did was rush over to Malfoy's side to check how he was. She felt his forehead, and was happy to see that the fever had broken down, but was still worried because he was moaning in his sleep. Then she went to the bathroom to shower and brush her teeth. Once she got out she noticed that it was one in the afternoon, but she had been so tired the night before, that she was not surprised that she had overslept.

When Ginny went down to the kitchen to get some breakfast for herself and Malfoy, she was surprised to find her mother there.

"Good morning mum, how are you?" Ginny decided that she would ignore everyone's behavior from the previous night.

"Oh, I'm alright. I took a pepper up potion when I woke up" Molly said, without looking up from the newspaper she was reading. This made Ginny nervous. Did she remember that Malfoy was staying at their house because of her own invitation?

"I was surprised to find Draco in your room this morning, but then Moody came in and explained everything. He told me that he saw Draco coming towards the house, looking very ill, just as he was returning to get his cloak. He had forgotten to take it with him since he was…well, you saw how he was acting yesterday. He said he saw me invite him in, and that you took care of him, but he did not want to go near the boy, he does not feel too comfortable around him because of…well his history. But I must say that I am very proud of you Ginny, for taking care of him. You did a very good job."

Oh thank God! Ginny thought, she was relieved by what her mother had just said."Thanks mum. I tried to do the best I could, but he has some gashes in…"

"Oh don't worry about those dear, I already took care of that. Ginny I know that this is a lot to ask, but I am going to need you to help me with Draco."

Ginny already knew what her mother was going to ask her, and to her surprise, she was glad to do it.

"I know that this will be hard for you, but I really need help. I am very busy, I have Order meetings all week, I have to get this house back in order, you have no idea the chaos we caused last night, plus I have all of your brothers, Harry, and Hermione staying here."

"I understand mum, but what to I need to do?"

" Well I'm going to need you to make sure that he is okay, make sure his wounds are clean, and cured, and that he is not sick. And I'm also going to need you to spend time with him, make sure you make him feel welcome and comfortable and that he has someone to talk to." Molly said, little surprised that her daughter was glad to help with this.

After hearing her mother say all this, she remembered something. "Mum, I'll be glad to do it but, do Harry, Ron and Hermione know that he is here?"

"Oh no, of course not, only you, Moody and I know. The rest are still sleeping. But I think that it is best to keep it quiet for now, and I will tell them when the time is right, and when we know why Draco is here."

"Oh okay, that sounds good."

"Why don't you go see he if he is awake, and I'll bring you both some breakfast in a little bit?"

Ginny nodded and made her way up to her room. When she got there she saw Draco, already awake looking around the room, with and expression that she could not read. He looked at her with the same blank expression. She smiled at him and told him that her mother would bring them breakfast soon. At this he looked relieved, as he was obviously hungry, and then muttered a very weak "thanks". Well at least it was something, Ginny was thinking. He began toying with the sheets on her bed with his fingers, obviously, feeling very uncomfortable and embarrassed. He looked so innocent to Ginny.

"How do you feel?" she asked trying to make some conversation.

"Fine" he said sounding surprised at his answer. He could not understand how he could feel so…peaceful after everything he had gone through. For a second he suspected it had something to do with the red haired beauty standing in front of him, but quickly pushed the though away.

"So what happened to you, why are you here?" Ginny knew that it was too soon to be asking him this, that she should try to gain his trust first, but she just had to know.

He took a deep breath, he had been dreading this moment, but he sensed that she really needed to know.

"I couldn't take it anymore. They are mad they are ALL mad. I don't want to do that, not anymore. I don't want to be like them. I'm sick of it. I'm miserable Weasley, I always have been, and I don't want to be anymore. I don't want to be a part of that, not after what happened to Dumbledore, and to my mother…" tears started to roll down his cheeks, as he took a pause from talking "…and what they planned to do to me. I want it to stop. I want it all to be over. I can't take it anymore!"

Ginny did not know what to say. Was this really Draco Malfoy, son of Death Eater Lucius Malfoy; soon to be death eater himself, the one who had tormented her and her family for years? Yes that was him, but it didn't seem to be.

"Who is them?" she asked cautiously.

"All of them, the Death Eaters, my father, and…and…him." He looked absolutely terrified. Ginny knew from the beginning that asking him these questions was a mistake, but she had to know.

"And what did they do to your mother?" Once she said this, his eyes filled with sadness and tears. She felt sorry for him.

After a minute or two he answered her with difficulty. Well they…they tortured her in many ways…in front of me, and I couldn't do anything…" he decided to avoid her further questions, and told her the rest of his story. "…Then they told me they would do the same to me, just a bit worse. Then they gave me a preview, with the Cruciatus curse. That's when I made up my mind to leave. It took me a week to escape, and I came here because well…I don't know why, I just did."

Ginny sat on the corner of the bed, which he didn't even notice; he was deep in thought looking at a random spot on the wall in front of him. Suddenly he threw his head in his hands and began crying. "I saw my mother die, right in front of me, in the hands of my…my father!"

Ginny did not know what to do. What do you say to a person that has suffered so much? Fortunately for her, her mother came in with two slices of left over cake and two glasses of milk.