Lucius Malfoy walked coolly into Draco's bedroom, noticing that there was something awry.
"What was keeping you so busy that you couldn't come to greet me?" He asked with a challenging gleam in his eye.
"I was getting ready for bed, Father. I had a long night."
"Indeed. That ball was tonight, was it not? The one for Christmas?"
Draco nodded cautiously, dreading how this was all going to end up.
"How did that turn out?"
"It was alright." Draco answered unenthusiastically.
"Did you go with anyone?"
Draco shook his head and wondered why his father was being so calm. He was normally agitated or outright rude.
"No. Pansy went home for the holidays."
"Yes, Miss Parkinson is to receive the most glorious of gifts. I came to tell you that your time is coming soon, Draco. Graduation in June also brings your day."
There it was. There was the reason behind the subtleness. He had been dreading initiation since he was five and he found out exactly what it meant to serve the Dark Lord. It was like living in Hell. His father would come home and, after unsuccessful missions, beat him, yelling that this was preparing him for his own future as a deatheater. If that kind of pain was brought from it, he wanted to share no part. But it wasn't until now, when he had met and fallen for Ginny, that he had the courage to speak against it.
He watched calmly as his father placed his cane up against the wall.
"No."
Lucius raised an elegant eyebrow in amusement.
"Excuse me?"
"I won't do it. I've changed and come to realize that I won't spend the rest of my life playing second best!"
Lucius was now furious and rapidly turning an alarming shade of red. He had grabbed his wand and it was pointed steadily at Draco as he yelled.
"You will serve The Dark Lord and you will rule the wizarding world with him! Crucio!"
Draco fell to his knees, holding his sides as pain coursed through him. He would not be weak; he would not let his father win.
Ginny crossed his mind as he tried to focus on anything, everything but the pain. The night had been so beautiful and so perfect, surpassing the night at the Masquerade.
His father's voice interrupted his thoughts and pain when he began to speak again.
"I raised you to follow and you will follow or you will pay. What made you change your mind? You may not have had Miss Parkinson, but there was certainly someone tonight. Who was she? Who was the pretty little whore you had?" He lifted the curse.
"Who was she, Draco?"
"There was no one! I told you that Pansy's at home!"
Lucius smirked and gathered himself.
"Very well, Draco. We'll play your games. But I will find out sooner or later. And you know that in cases that involve me... it's always sooner."
Draco kept his glare as his father walked out of his bedroom and into the main area of his chambers. He glanced around the room, making sure that Ginny had gotten out safely, but then he spotted the bathroom door cracked open with the light on. The rest of her clothes were in there. He prayed that his father wouldn't give it a second thought.
Luckily, he hadn't. He just kept talking.
"I could use the Imperius curse, Draco, and have you hurt her."
Draco's breath hitched.
"Or Veritaserum."
Lucius was, by far, enjoying the look on his heir's face. Oh it was too great for him.
"Which will it be, Draco?"
Draco straightened and hid his fear.
"There is no one, father. I went and met up with Blaise and Millicent when I got there. Then I left early because of the absence of too many of my fellow Slytherins. You know how incredibly annoying the other houses can be."
Lucius gave a Malfoy smirk and, just as Draco had thought he had his father convinced, raised his wand at his son.
"Crucio!" Lucius shouted again.
"I was not born yesterday, Draco. This 'denial' of your blood, your destiny, was not brought on by you alone. Who is she?!"
Draco was writhing in pain on the floor as the curse seared through him like fire.
"I know there is a girl, Draco. And obviously she is not worthy of the Malfoy line because of the way you are defending her so. Finite Incantatem."
Draco lay motionless, watching as his father, now in repossession of his cane, stepped closer.
"This would be a lot less painful if you would just tell me who is drawing you away from your place in line!"
"Father, if I had a girlfriend, she'd be worthy." Draco managed to say.
"Your fate is based on following the Dark Lord and, one day, being his right hand. You are not entitled to change that." To emphasize his point, Lucius thrust his staff into Draco's side. There was a sickening crack and Draco cried out in pain.
Ginny, from her hiding place in the bathroom, snapped to attention and was trying her best to hold herself back. This monster was beating his own son and she could do nothing to stop him. If Lucius found out about her she would be in even more danger than Draco was at the moment. She shouldn't even still be in his quarters. No matter how much Draco had claimed to love her, it seemed a surprise that he hadn't given in. It wasn't right letting him do this for her; it was all her fault.
Lucius began yelling again and she peeked through a crack in the doorway.
"You're a traitor, Draco! A fucking backstabber to the Malfoy line. All for some wretched whore!" His cane shot another blow, this time hitting Draco in the right side of his chest. He clutched the spot and began to sputter for air.
Lucius had a sick grin on his face as he twisted the point into Draco's skin.
Ginny felt like she was going to be sick as she watched blood begin to stain her boyfriend's bare chest. Tears began to fall from her eyes, but she bit down on her hand to hold back her sobs. She couldn't be found... no matter what.
"You're weak, Draco. And you're lucky that you are my only heir; otherwise you'd be dead."
Draco was holding his pressured fist to his bleeding wound; it was obvious he was trying so hard not to cry or slip Ginny's name.
'Ginny...' He thought, his mind leaving the torture he was receiving.
'Draco... oh, Draco!' Her ecstatic moans haunted his thoughts as he closed his eyes tightly.
'I love you.' With these words, he could vision her angelic form under him. The heaven they had created that night had been amazing. She was so beautiful.
The more he thought of her radiance, the more he thought horribly of himself. He had taken away what made her so innocent, so pure. And now here he was, lying helplessly on the ground while his father beat 'sense' into him about his inescapable future as a deatheater. He had been born to a world of hate and he had changed. But at this point, it all still seemed inevitable. It made him think of himself as dirty and contemptible of his beloved memories of Ginny and the night they had just spent together. If his father found out... he'd kill her. And if he had to become a deatheater... it would all be too precarious. He had to do whatever it took to protect her.
"Ginny." Draco's muffled voice came from where he was now laying face-down on the floor.
"What did you say?" Lucius sneered as he turned back to Draco.
Draco began to panic.
"Help me..." He groaned.
"You said her name!"
"No! There is no one but Pansy and she's away!"
"Liar!" The cane met Draco's face and Ginny jumped as his body was flung near the bathroom door.
She had to get out. They were too close to the bathroom door. But how was she supposed to go about that? And Draco... she couldn't just leave him at the mercy of his father.
"Since you're defending her so, Draco, she's not worthy and will suffer a most excruciating playtime with the Dark Lord, the deatheaters, and myself." Lucius announced, walking to the other side of the room.
Draco was laying completely still when he heard a gasp come from the bathroom.
'Oh gods... Ginny.' He clamped his fist tightly.
'She never got out. He can't find her. If he finds her, she'll be--'
Before he could finish his thoughts, his mind was thrown into a state of oblivion.
'What have you done with her? Leave her alone!'
'You thought you could hide her forever, Draco? How childish of you, my son. I warned you that day that once we found out who she was... she'd suffer unbearably. You just made her fate worse by keeping her a secret.'
Draco, who was chained to a wall, spat on his father's shoes.
'So foolish to defy my, especially with a dirty whore such as this one.'
Draco struggled mightily against his restraints. They had Ginny. He could feel it and, by the way his father was looking at him, he would see her soon. He had to save her.
'The rest will be here soon. Then your pretty girlfriend you've been keeping from me will make her entrance and you will receive your punishment.'
Draco felt like crying as he watched his father walk over and unlock the door.
'Don't hurt her. She's done nothing at all. Please don't hurt her.' He begged.
Lucius laughed and opened the door, allowing deatheaters to pour into the room. The last two were dragging along Ginny. Draco watched disgustedly as her body skidded along the floor.
She was wearing the gown that he had bought for her, except now it was tattered and bloodstained. There were cuts along her chest, that was almost completely bared except for bits of fabric that still covered it, and bruises festooned her delicate face. She was unconscious and looked so feeble and weak that it made Draco angry to look at her.
The two men carelessly flopped her unmoving frame on the cement slab table in the middle of the room.
'What did you do to her?! Just let her go! She's done nothing wrong!'
'Again, Draco, incorrect. She's leading you astray. She is the cause of all of this. If you had not gotten involved with her at all, you would both be fine. But no, you just don't know when to quit.'
At that moment, Ginny stirred from her place on the table.
'Draco.' She moaned. This was met with a vicious slap to the face and her cry of pain.
'Stop! Leave her alone!' Draco screamed.
Before the vision could go on any longer, he was forced back into reality.
"What the bloody hell was that?" Draco grabbed his head, wishing desperately for the intense throbbing to die down.
"Did you like that, Draco? While I couldn't see who the girl was, I controlled you little vision. That was what will happen if you don't tell me who the girl is. Now you know that I know that there is a girl. And you care for her too much, Draco. Tell me who she is."
"Never." Draco growled.
"I'm warning you now, boy, that you are making a huge mistake. If you loved her, you'd leave her. After all, loneliness is security. You're only putting your precious girlfriend in danger."
"Leave her alone! She's done nothing!"
Lucius laughed and struck Draco across the face again, leaving an angry red welt along his cheek.
"She's misguiding you! She is going to be the downfall to the family line, and you know that's all I really care about, you following your unavoidable future. If you're not careful in your decisions, Draco, she's going to become your sacrifice."
Ginny, who had been in shock from watching Draco struggle in his vision, began to cry again. Quickly, she slid out the other door of the bathroom and raced to her escape. She had to find someone that could get Lucius away from Draco. Quickly, she slid through the portrait and slammed it shut behind her, running as fast as she could down the corridor and around a corner until she bumped into someone.
"Weasley?" The figure asked before holding its hand out to help her up.
Lucius, who was now hovering over Draco, heard the main door slam and looked up. Draco relaxed his body again, knowing that it was Ginny and she had gotten out. He watched gladly as his father hurried over to the fireplace and stepped in.
"You have your warning, Draco. And this is not finished until she is. Malfoy Manor!" Lucius shouted, disappearing into the green flames. Just then, he slipped into darkness.
"Blaise-" Ginny gasped, trying to catch her breath.
"What the hell happened to you?" He asked, narrowing his eyes suspiciously at her tears and her red face.
"I-- Draco-- You need to come help him!" She, without thinking, grabbed his hand and pulled him in the direction of Draco's quarters.
When they arrived, it was dead silent. There was no noise, no motion, and Ginny began to panic. She ran to the bedroom and shrieked at Draco's corrupted body on the floor. Blaise hurried into the room behind her and stopped, eyes widening.
"Good Merlin." He breathed, walking over to where his best friend was lying unconscious.
"What happened to him?" He asked as he began to mutter simple healing spells for the small cuts and bruises that adorned him.
"His father was here, I had to hide in the bathroom. He said Draco was to be initiated at graduation and Draco refused. Then his father said he knew there was a girl and how he was disappointed in how Draco was handling this because his fate is inevitable." Ginny spoke through her tears, wishing desperately that Draco would wake up.
"His father was here?"
Ginny nodded.
"He threatened to harm Draco's mystery girl, right? You?"
She nodded again, this time kneeling down and taking Draco's hand.
"You should leave him. It's better for both of you."
Ginny looked up, shocked.
"Excuse me?"
Blaise met her eyes and locked his glance with hers.
"I said it'll be best for both of you. You don't want him in danger, and no human being alive would want to put themselves in harm's way."
"I would die for him."
Blaise raised a satisfied eyebrow.
"Good. Because you just might have to. Lucius won't kill Draco because he's his only heir to their precious Malfoy line, but he will cause unbelievable pain to him. That includes killing everything and everyone dear to him. You are Draco's most valuable 'possession', if you will, and when Lucius finds that out... he'll kill you."
Ginny gulped and dropped her head.
"What harm would he do to Draco? Would he have a punishment?"
Blaise nodded his head before answering.
"You."
Ginny focused her gaze back up, this time confused.
"Me? I don't understand."
"Gods, you're thick, Weasley."
He sighed and stood, picking up Draco.
"Draco would have to take you in front of all the deatheaters and the Dark Lord himself and then either kill you, or watch you be tortured and killed. Knowing Lucius Malfoy, he'll choose the latter, only because he finds sadistic pleasure in watching his son suffer for his mistakes."
He gently placed Draco on the bed.
"He'll wake up soon. Then he'll be fine. The wounds weren't too bad, not as bad as they have been before. But be warned, Weasley, the wrong decision about this could cause unimaginable havoc for both you and Draco."
He swiftly left the room, leaving Ginny behind, sitting on the bed next to Draco.
She wanted what was best for Draco, but she didn't want to leave him. After years of playing the fourth wheel to the Dream Team, she finally had a place where she belonged; it was with Draco. He made her feel safe and full of happiness, she couldn't bear to think about being without him. The past few months had been pure bliss, she knew, for the both of them.
Then there was the thought of what was to become of her once Lucius found out who she was. Not only was it dangerous to just be with Draco in general, but she was a Weasley. Their families were sworn enemies and there would be a most certain agonizing death for her once she was discovered.
"Ginny?"
She was pulled from her thoughts.
"Draco!" She cried softly, wrapping her arms around him.
"Ginny, you're okay." He pushed himself up, allowing her to crawl onto the bed with him.
"I got out and I ran to find Blaise, he healed most of your cuts."
"I'm sorry you had to hear that, Ginny."
He kissed her cheek.
"I'm sorry that I'm not the guy that can protect you from his own life. I'm sorry that I've been selfish and kept you with me, even though I knew that this would come eventually."
She nodded and laced her fingers with his.
"Draco, we both knew it was coming. I just... I don't know how to feel. I'm scared."
"I know."
Ginny laid down on top of him, snuggling against his chest, wanting nothing more than for the whole world to just disappear so they could be together without any obstacles.
"I don't want you to leave me, Gin. But I understand if you can't be with me. It's only fair for you to be safe."
She looked up at his soft grey eyes and kissed him lightly on the lips.
"I'm not going anywhere. I love you."
Draco looked as if he was about to cry. He slid his hands across her back and held her tighter to him.
"I will give my life to protect you, Gin. I love you so much."
He knew it was going to be hard, but he loved her and would kill his father if he ever laid a finger on her. He held her while she cried softly into his chest. After a while, her breathing had steadied and Draco knew she was asleep.
"Sleep well, mon ange."
He whispered, laying a soft kiss on her forehead before joining her in sleep.
A/N: Sorry, I'm so bad. This chapter has been rewritten three times. It was confusing the hell out of me. The next one won't take so long, I promise. I hope it's good. I still think it's awful. But maybe that's because it's human nature to think great accomplishments of your own aren't good enough. Oh, and "Mon Ange" means "My Angel" in French. Yay. Please review. More reviews = quicker update. I hope to have at least 35 before I update again. But if I get pen-happy, I'll do it anyway. Just please review. xxxx Nicole
"What was keeping you so busy that you couldn't come to greet me?" He asked with a challenging gleam in his eye.
"I was getting ready for bed, Father. I had a long night."
"Indeed. That ball was tonight, was it not? The one for Christmas?"
Draco nodded cautiously, dreading how this was all going to end up.
"How did that turn out?"
"It was alright." Draco answered unenthusiastically.
"Did you go with anyone?"
Draco shook his head and wondered why his father was being so calm. He was normally agitated or outright rude.
"No. Pansy went home for the holidays."
"Yes, Miss Parkinson is to receive the most glorious of gifts. I came to tell you that your time is coming soon, Draco. Graduation in June also brings your day."
There it was. There was the reason behind the subtleness. He had been dreading initiation since he was five and he found out exactly what it meant to serve the Dark Lord. It was like living in Hell. His father would come home and, after unsuccessful missions, beat him, yelling that this was preparing him for his own future as a deatheater. If that kind of pain was brought from it, he wanted to share no part. But it wasn't until now, when he had met and fallen for Ginny, that he had the courage to speak against it.
He watched calmly as his father placed his cane up against the wall.
"No."
Lucius raised an elegant eyebrow in amusement.
"Excuse me?"
"I won't do it. I've changed and come to realize that I won't spend the rest of my life playing second best!"
Lucius was now furious and rapidly turning an alarming shade of red. He had grabbed his wand and it was pointed steadily at Draco as he yelled.
"You will serve The Dark Lord and you will rule the wizarding world with him! Crucio!"
Draco fell to his knees, holding his sides as pain coursed through him. He would not be weak; he would not let his father win.
Ginny crossed his mind as he tried to focus on anything, everything but the pain. The night had been so beautiful and so perfect, surpassing the night at the Masquerade.
His father's voice interrupted his thoughts and pain when he began to speak again.
"I raised you to follow and you will follow or you will pay. What made you change your mind? You may not have had Miss Parkinson, but there was certainly someone tonight. Who was she? Who was the pretty little whore you had?" He lifted the curse.
"Who was she, Draco?"
"There was no one! I told you that Pansy's at home!"
Lucius smirked and gathered himself.
"Very well, Draco. We'll play your games. But I will find out sooner or later. And you know that in cases that involve me... it's always sooner."
Draco kept his glare as his father walked out of his bedroom and into the main area of his chambers. He glanced around the room, making sure that Ginny had gotten out safely, but then he spotted the bathroom door cracked open with the light on. The rest of her clothes were in there. He prayed that his father wouldn't give it a second thought.
Luckily, he hadn't. He just kept talking.
"I could use the Imperius curse, Draco, and have you hurt her."
Draco's breath hitched.
"Or Veritaserum."
Lucius was, by far, enjoying the look on his heir's face. Oh it was too great for him.
"Which will it be, Draco?"
Draco straightened and hid his fear.
"There is no one, father. I went and met up with Blaise and Millicent when I got there. Then I left early because of the absence of too many of my fellow Slytherins. You know how incredibly annoying the other houses can be."
Lucius gave a Malfoy smirk and, just as Draco had thought he had his father convinced, raised his wand at his son.
"Crucio!" Lucius shouted again.
"I was not born yesterday, Draco. This 'denial' of your blood, your destiny, was not brought on by you alone. Who is she?!"
Draco was writhing in pain on the floor as the curse seared through him like fire.
"I know there is a girl, Draco. And obviously she is not worthy of the Malfoy line because of the way you are defending her so. Finite Incantatem."
Draco lay motionless, watching as his father, now in repossession of his cane, stepped closer.
"This would be a lot less painful if you would just tell me who is drawing you away from your place in line!"
"Father, if I had a girlfriend, she'd be worthy." Draco managed to say.
"Your fate is based on following the Dark Lord and, one day, being his right hand. You are not entitled to change that." To emphasize his point, Lucius thrust his staff into Draco's side. There was a sickening crack and Draco cried out in pain.
Ginny, from her hiding place in the bathroom, snapped to attention and was trying her best to hold herself back. This monster was beating his own son and she could do nothing to stop him. If Lucius found out about her she would be in even more danger than Draco was at the moment. She shouldn't even still be in his quarters. No matter how much Draco had claimed to love her, it seemed a surprise that he hadn't given in. It wasn't right letting him do this for her; it was all her fault.
Lucius began yelling again and she peeked through a crack in the doorway.
"You're a traitor, Draco! A fucking backstabber to the Malfoy line. All for some wretched whore!" His cane shot another blow, this time hitting Draco in the right side of his chest. He clutched the spot and began to sputter for air.
Lucius had a sick grin on his face as he twisted the point into Draco's skin.
Ginny felt like she was going to be sick as she watched blood begin to stain her boyfriend's bare chest. Tears began to fall from her eyes, but she bit down on her hand to hold back her sobs. She couldn't be found... no matter what.
"You're weak, Draco. And you're lucky that you are my only heir; otherwise you'd be dead."
Draco was holding his pressured fist to his bleeding wound; it was obvious he was trying so hard not to cry or slip Ginny's name.
'Ginny...' He thought, his mind leaving the torture he was receiving.
'Draco... oh, Draco!' Her ecstatic moans haunted his thoughts as he closed his eyes tightly.
'I love you.' With these words, he could vision her angelic form under him. The heaven they had created that night had been amazing. She was so beautiful.
The more he thought of her radiance, the more he thought horribly of himself. He had taken away what made her so innocent, so pure. And now here he was, lying helplessly on the ground while his father beat 'sense' into him about his inescapable future as a deatheater. He had been born to a world of hate and he had changed. But at this point, it all still seemed inevitable. It made him think of himself as dirty and contemptible of his beloved memories of Ginny and the night they had just spent together. If his father found out... he'd kill her. And if he had to become a deatheater... it would all be too precarious. He had to do whatever it took to protect her.
"Ginny." Draco's muffled voice came from where he was now laying face-down on the floor.
"What did you say?" Lucius sneered as he turned back to Draco.
Draco began to panic.
"Help me..." He groaned.
"You said her name!"
"No! There is no one but Pansy and she's away!"
"Liar!" The cane met Draco's face and Ginny jumped as his body was flung near the bathroom door.
She had to get out. They were too close to the bathroom door. But how was she supposed to go about that? And Draco... she couldn't just leave him at the mercy of his father.
"Since you're defending her so, Draco, she's not worthy and will suffer a most excruciating playtime with the Dark Lord, the deatheaters, and myself." Lucius announced, walking to the other side of the room.
Draco was laying completely still when he heard a gasp come from the bathroom.
'Oh gods... Ginny.' He clamped his fist tightly.
'She never got out. He can't find her. If he finds her, she'll be--'
Before he could finish his thoughts, his mind was thrown into a state of oblivion.
'What have you done with her? Leave her alone!'
'You thought you could hide her forever, Draco? How childish of you, my son. I warned you that day that once we found out who she was... she'd suffer unbearably. You just made her fate worse by keeping her a secret.'
Draco, who was chained to a wall, spat on his father's shoes.
'So foolish to defy my, especially with a dirty whore such as this one.'
Draco struggled mightily against his restraints. They had Ginny. He could feel it and, by the way his father was looking at him, he would see her soon. He had to save her.
'The rest will be here soon. Then your pretty girlfriend you've been keeping from me will make her entrance and you will receive your punishment.'
Draco felt like crying as he watched his father walk over and unlock the door.
'Don't hurt her. She's done nothing at all. Please don't hurt her.' He begged.
Lucius laughed and opened the door, allowing deatheaters to pour into the room. The last two were dragging along Ginny. Draco watched disgustedly as her body skidded along the floor.
She was wearing the gown that he had bought for her, except now it was tattered and bloodstained. There were cuts along her chest, that was almost completely bared except for bits of fabric that still covered it, and bruises festooned her delicate face. She was unconscious and looked so feeble and weak that it made Draco angry to look at her.
The two men carelessly flopped her unmoving frame on the cement slab table in the middle of the room.
'What did you do to her?! Just let her go! She's done nothing wrong!'
'Again, Draco, incorrect. She's leading you astray. She is the cause of all of this. If you had not gotten involved with her at all, you would both be fine. But no, you just don't know when to quit.'
At that moment, Ginny stirred from her place on the table.
'Draco.' She moaned. This was met with a vicious slap to the face and her cry of pain.
'Stop! Leave her alone!' Draco screamed.
Before the vision could go on any longer, he was forced back into reality.
"What the bloody hell was that?" Draco grabbed his head, wishing desperately for the intense throbbing to die down.
"Did you like that, Draco? While I couldn't see who the girl was, I controlled you little vision. That was what will happen if you don't tell me who the girl is. Now you know that I know that there is a girl. And you care for her too much, Draco. Tell me who she is."
"Never." Draco growled.
"I'm warning you now, boy, that you are making a huge mistake. If you loved her, you'd leave her. After all, loneliness is security. You're only putting your precious girlfriend in danger."
"Leave her alone! She's done nothing!"
Lucius laughed and struck Draco across the face again, leaving an angry red welt along his cheek.
"She's misguiding you! She is going to be the downfall to the family line, and you know that's all I really care about, you following your unavoidable future. If you're not careful in your decisions, Draco, she's going to become your sacrifice."
Ginny, who had been in shock from watching Draco struggle in his vision, began to cry again. Quickly, she slid out the other door of the bathroom and raced to her escape. She had to find someone that could get Lucius away from Draco. Quickly, she slid through the portrait and slammed it shut behind her, running as fast as she could down the corridor and around a corner until she bumped into someone.
"Weasley?" The figure asked before holding its hand out to help her up.
Lucius, who was now hovering over Draco, heard the main door slam and looked up. Draco relaxed his body again, knowing that it was Ginny and she had gotten out. He watched gladly as his father hurried over to the fireplace and stepped in.
"You have your warning, Draco. And this is not finished until she is. Malfoy Manor!" Lucius shouted, disappearing into the green flames. Just then, he slipped into darkness.
"Blaise-" Ginny gasped, trying to catch her breath.
"What the hell happened to you?" He asked, narrowing his eyes suspiciously at her tears and her red face.
"I-- Draco-- You need to come help him!" She, without thinking, grabbed his hand and pulled him in the direction of Draco's quarters.
When they arrived, it was dead silent. There was no noise, no motion, and Ginny began to panic. She ran to the bedroom and shrieked at Draco's corrupted body on the floor. Blaise hurried into the room behind her and stopped, eyes widening.
"Good Merlin." He breathed, walking over to where his best friend was lying unconscious.
"What happened to him?" He asked as he began to mutter simple healing spells for the small cuts and bruises that adorned him.
"His father was here, I had to hide in the bathroom. He said Draco was to be initiated at graduation and Draco refused. Then his father said he knew there was a girl and how he was disappointed in how Draco was handling this because his fate is inevitable." Ginny spoke through her tears, wishing desperately that Draco would wake up.
"His father was here?"
Ginny nodded.
"He threatened to harm Draco's mystery girl, right? You?"
She nodded again, this time kneeling down and taking Draco's hand.
"You should leave him. It's better for both of you."
Ginny looked up, shocked.
"Excuse me?"
Blaise met her eyes and locked his glance with hers.
"I said it'll be best for both of you. You don't want him in danger, and no human being alive would want to put themselves in harm's way."
"I would die for him."
Blaise raised a satisfied eyebrow.
"Good. Because you just might have to. Lucius won't kill Draco because he's his only heir to their precious Malfoy line, but he will cause unbelievable pain to him. That includes killing everything and everyone dear to him. You are Draco's most valuable 'possession', if you will, and when Lucius finds that out... he'll kill you."
Ginny gulped and dropped her head.
"What harm would he do to Draco? Would he have a punishment?"
Blaise nodded his head before answering.
"You."
Ginny focused her gaze back up, this time confused.
"Me? I don't understand."
"Gods, you're thick, Weasley."
He sighed and stood, picking up Draco.
"Draco would have to take you in front of all the deatheaters and the Dark Lord himself and then either kill you, or watch you be tortured and killed. Knowing Lucius Malfoy, he'll choose the latter, only because he finds sadistic pleasure in watching his son suffer for his mistakes."
He gently placed Draco on the bed.
"He'll wake up soon. Then he'll be fine. The wounds weren't too bad, not as bad as they have been before. But be warned, Weasley, the wrong decision about this could cause unimaginable havoc for both you and Draco."
He swiftly left the room, leaving Ginny behind, sitting on the bed next to Draco.
She wanted what was best for Draco, but she didn't want to leave him. After years of playing the fourth wheel to the Dream Team, she finally had a place where she belonged; it was with Draco. He made her feel safe and full of happiness, she couldn't bear to think about being without him. The past few months had been pure bliss, she knew, for the both of them.
Then there was the thought of what was to become of her once Lucius found out who she was. Not only was it dangerous to just be with Draco in general, but she was a Weasley. Their families were sworn enemies and there would be a most certain agonizing death for her once she was discovered.
"Ginny?"
She was pulled from her thoughts.
"Draco!" She cried softly, wrapping her arms around him.
"Ginny, you're okay." He pushed himself up, allowing her to crawl onto the bed with him.
"I got out and I ran to find Blaise, he healed most of your cuts."
"I'm sorry you had to hear that, Ginny."
He kissed her cheek.
"I'm sorry that I'm not the guy that can protect you from his own life. I'm sorry that I've been selfish and kept you with me, even though I knew that this would come eventually."
She nodded and laced her fingers with his.
"Draco, we both knew it was coming. I just... I don't know how to feel. I'm scared."
"I know."
Ginny laid down on top of him, snuggling against his chest, wanting nothing more than for the whole world to just disappear so they could be together without any obstacles.
"I don't want you to leave me, Gin. But I understand if you can't be with me. It's only fair for you to be safe."
She looked up at his soft grey eyes and kissed him lightly on the lips.
"I'm not going anywhere. I love you."
Draco looked as if he was about to cry. He slid his hands across her back and held her tighter to him.
"I will give my life to protect you, Gin. I love you so much."
He knew it was going to be hard, but he loved her and would kill his father if he ever laid a finger on her. He held her while she cried softly into his chest. After a while, her breathing had steadied and Draco knew she was asleep.
"Sleep well, mon ange."
He whispered, laying a soft kiss on her forehead before joining her in sleep.
A/N: Sorry, I'm so bad. This chapter has been rewritten three times. It was confusing the hell out of me. The next one won't take so long, I promise. I hope it's good. I still think it's awful. But maybe that's because it's human nature to think great accomplishments of your own aren't good enough. Oh, and "Mon Ange" means "My Angel" in French. Yay. Please review. More reviews = quicker update. I hope to have at least 35 before I update again. But if I get pen-happy, I'll do it anyway. Just please review. xxxx Nicole