A/N: so I just want to say thanks to everyone who's reviewing… it is to you that I will dedicate this fic at the end :P so everyone.. REVIEW lol also, I know that you've had a lot of questions about what's going on in your reviews.. especially the draco-ginny-pansy triangle.. but be patient, this is where the explanation comes in :P also, I KNOW the chapters are short… but this is the only way I can update often, as I have a lot of work to do and don't have that much time :S so im sorry, but I don't think that will change soon.. I know it's annoying lol, but honestly, thts one thing I cnt rly change. :S:S sry! Btw, you might have difficulties understanding this chapter if you haven't read book six. SPOILER: a horcrux is one of those things you use to put a part of your soul in, so that if someone kills you, you can carry on living because they haven't destroyed that other part of your soul. You have to destroy all the person's horcruxes and then kill them, to actually kill them haha.. Voldemort has used these.

Chapter Eighteen

Draco sighed, and looked up at her expectant face tiredly.

"I am going to explain everything." Ginny didn't say anything. "The only thing I ask of you, is that you don't interrupt." Ginny nodded slowly.

"Maybe we should get dressed first though?" Ginny suggested, pointing to the clothes that lay in a heap not too far away. They slipped on their clothes in silence. Draco thought about what he was going to say, and how she was going to take it. Finally, when they were fully dressed, he got out his wand. It pained him to see that Ginny had flinched slightly. Doesn't she trust me? Draco thought angrily. She's probably right though…

"Impertiens Duens," he muttered. Ginny gasped as they were enveloped by what looked like half a bubble.

"What does it do?"

"It makes us invisible to other people. It also makes our conversation go unheard."

"Can I get out if I want to?" Ginny said, almost suspiciously.

"If you touch it, it'll pop."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"So, umm… are you going to…?"

"Sorry, yeah." Draco's felt like he had lost his voice. He opened his mouth to speak but no words would come out. Ginny seemed to sense he needed help, as she came up closer to him, and gave him a reassuring hug. It gave him the strength he needed. "Well. Alright. Maybe I should start from the beginning? So you were with Potter, flying overhead. Bellatrix was firing spells at you… and Potter. Though she was aiming for Harry, obviously, she got you. You blacked out."

"I know all of this."

"Please, just wait. When you were unconscious, the Dark Lord called us to a meeting point, where we had to decide what to do with you. It was agreed that you would be used as a trap to get Potter, and kill him. However, in the days that you were unconscious, something unexpected happened."

"Harry got the last Horcrux," Ginny said, her eyes widening.

"Exactly. Of course, if we used you as a trap to kill him, Potter might kill the Dark Lord instead. No one wanted to risk that—"

"Why would Voldemort have to be there at all?" Ginny interrupted, as Draco flinched at the sound of his master's name.

"He wants to be the one to kill him. So anyways, the Dark Lord decided that before facing Potter, he wants to find something that will make dying impossible for him… another Horcrux would be very hard… anyways, until then, you would stay under close—"

"Has he found a way yet?" Ginny said abruptly.

"What happened to no interrupting?" he said teasingly, but she didn't smile. "No, he hasn't, not yet. ANYWAYS, until then, you would stay under the close supervision of one of his Death Eaters: Lucius Malfoy. To avoid Harry coming looking for you, and killing Lucius, and maybe finding out the Dark Lord's secret hiding place, the Dark Lord had my father give the Daily Prophet an anonymous tip saying that you were dead.

"It was assumed true, and proven right when you stayed missing. We thought Potter would figure it out, but I suppose he didn't. And… that's it, really…" Draco finished lamely.

"No that is not bloody it! Did you know about me being "dead" to the world when I came to live with you?"

"Yes, I did. I'm sorry for not telling you, I really am… but the first days I didn't really care enough about you to let you know… and after that, when we became better friends, I didn't want to spoil what we had… and later I was just too happy to even remember, really…"

"Just slipped your mind, did it?" Ginny said hotly.

"I'm sorry, I really am. I thought you'd be so mad you wouldn't want to talk to me… If I could go back and change it, I would," Draco said apologetically.

"It's okay, I guess… I mean, that makes sense."

"Anything else you want to know?"

"No. Yes. Well, maybe, but it's a different kind of question."

"Go ahead, shoot."

"I just need to know. Pansy, how much did she mean to you, exactly? How could you just do it with her, and then jump into my bed ten minutes later? I mean, I know that I didn't really care then, but it's really starting to bother me. Like, you said she was just a sex toy, but was there any other reason? Do you love her, or what?" said Ginny quickly, as though she wanted to rid herself of these thoughts as soon as possible.

"Ok, I suppose those are fair questions."

"Damn right they are," she growled. Draco sighed.

"I won't pretend that Pansy didn't mean anything to me, because after all, we've been friends since school, haven't we? But I can't say I love her, or that we're best friends or anything like that. She's just someone I like to have fun with... well used to, I don't need her now that I have you, do I?"

"That doesn't actually answer my question though. First of all, if you've been "friends" since school, why was it so easy to let go of her as soon as I asked you to?"

"Well, it wasn't really. But at that point I would have done anything to keep you, including giving her up. And I mean, it's not like we really ever talked… we just did other stuff, so we weren't even really friends… just erm… partners."

"Well?"

"What?"

"If you "loved" me so much, why did you do it with me just minutes after you did it with her? Couldn't you just… I don't know… wait?"

"Well, Ginny, just think of it this way. Did I ever do anything with Pansy after we were together, like intimately, and in love?"

"Well…"

"Apart from when I was drunk," Draco cut in hastily.

"No."

"Exactly. The time I did, like right before we ourselves did, was just to get you jealous, really. I already liked you, but I wasn't a hundred percent sure that you liked me, as more than a friend… I know it was stupid, but I couldn't really think of another way…"

"Yeah, because asking would be way too hard, right?" said Ginny sarcastically.

"I'm sorry, I really am… if I could take it back, don't you think I would? I just had to be sure…"

"It's ok, I mean we weren't actually together, so it's not like you were cheating on me or anything like that. No use crying over spilt potion."

"Are we ok now?"

"I don't know. How am I supposed to let everyone know I'm alive?" Ginny said, wringing her hands frustratingly.

"You can't do that!" there was urgency in Draco's voice now. "You can't tell anyone Ginny!"

"What are you on about?"

"Don't you understand! It would ruin everything! First of all, I would be dead, for letting you escape when you're such an important part of the Dark Lord's plan. Second of all, he would find you, and kill you, or place you under the close surveillance of someone far worse than my parents… Ginny, you just can't risk that happening! I can't let you do that," Draco said, willing her to understand.

"I can't be dead forever Draco! What happens when he finds a way to stay immortal? What, I let him use me as a trap to kill Harry, and then let myself be killed as well? I don't think so!" Ginny said angrily.

"I'll protect you from him! I can say I still want you as a maid or whatever…"

"What about Harry?"

"What about him?"

"Draco! He's one of my best friends… he's… he's…" Ginny searched in vain for the right word. "I just can't let him die," she said finally. "I could never forgive myself if I did."

"What do you want me to do, Ginny?"

"I don't know, Draco… I understand that telling people I'm alive would be a bad idea right now… but I can't just sit and wait for something to happen!" Ginny turned to him, anguished. "Why do you follow him Draco?"

"Who?" Draco asked, nonplussed.

"VOLDEMORT! He's evil! He kills innocent people… he… he… he's horrible!" Ginny shouted. Draco flinched at the sound of the Dark Lord's name.

"I obey him because I have to. Because I know that if I don't, I'll pay with my life. I don't have a choice!"

"Yes you do! You can stop, you can join the Order, you can…"

"No. That might be ok with Harry Potter, but not with me. Besides, do you think I'll be welcomed with open arms? After Snape betrayed Dumbledore? Huh? Think of who you're speaking to! Draco Malfoy! Enemy of Harry Potter since forever!"

"I would tell them… I would defend you!"

"Sorry Ginny, but that'll never work." Suddenly, the bubble around them seemed to shake, as though it were about to break.

"What's going on?" Ginny asked, instinctively reaching for his hand.

"I don't know! Someone on the outside must have sensed it! They're trying to break through it!" Draco started sweating profusely. "I…can't…hold them…o-off…for m-much…lo-longer! On…three…I'll let go…we'll disapparate…ok?" Ginny nodded her agreement. Who could it be? Surely it wouldn't… it couldn't… could it?

"ONE!" Ginny shouted. The bubble was close to collapsing. "TWO!"

"THREE!" Draco suddenly screamed, and clutched his arm. Determinedly, Ginny took his arm, and disapparated, without even looking at the person or people who had been trying to break through the barrier Draco had set…

A/N: REVIEW! remember to tell me who you like better… Harry or Draco? .. or possibly neither haha ;) oh nd also: HAHA you can't complain.. this chapter is waaaaaaaaay longer than my usual ones ;) im so proud :D!