A/N: wow. well its sure been awhile since i've update. i really don't have any excuse this time. a short chapter, pretty much as long as the others. i think i've pretty much given up on the idea of having any "long" chapters. i apologize for the wait. thanks to everyone who's stuck with this fic so far. I really appreciate allyour reviews!


Chapter 15: Promises

Ginny tiptoed out of bed trying to avoid the creaking of the floorboards. The Order was staying the night in Number 12 Grimmauld Place, the final preparations for the War were beginning to take place. She had been so scarred when Draco had stepped into that room alone with Mad-Eye. She knew that he had some dark things in his past, even though he refused to talk about them. That's what worried her about him, sometimes she felt like he was hiding something from her, almost as if to protect her from it. But she won't let Draco's past intimidate her no matter what she found out.

"Ginny where are you going?" Hermione said, peering at her friend through squinted eyes.

"I'm going to see Draco. Please don't say anything…" Ginny whispered back.

Hermione nodded, before plopping her head back down on her pillow. "Just be quiet when you come back in. I'm trying to sleep." Whew, that was a close one. Ginny had almost been sure she was going to get some kind of lecture.

Finally, Ginny made it to the door and slowly turned the creaking handle and continued out into the hallway. She was afraid to use any light, just in case anyone was also lurking around the halls in the middle of the night. She doubted it though; the old manor was creepy enough during the day. Feeling her way around, she eventually found the sixth door on the left where Draco was staying. Turning the doorknob slowly, as to ward off the rusted screeching sound, she slipped inside the doorway and shut the door softly behind her, the darkness closing in on her from all sides.

"Lumos." A voice from across the room whispered, and a bright light illuminated the room, especially a pair of dark gray eyes, accompanied by a mischievous grin that tugged at the sides of his mouth.

Ginny couldn't help but smile back. "Shhh." She quietly made her way over to where Draco was sitting up in his bed. She sat down beside him, resting her head on his shoulder.

"How are you?" he asked, gently kissing her on the forehead.

"Scared," she admitted. "This war is really going to happen isn't it? "

Draco nodded. "Yeah, I believe it is."

Ginny snuggled up even closer to Draco. "You make me feel safe though."

"Good," he said wrapping his arms tightly around her. "Because I'm never going to let anything happen to you."

Ginny saw the look of seriousness in his eyes and knew he really meant it. "I know you wouldn't. But don't think I'm going to let anything happen to you either!"

Draco half-smiled, before a frown creased over his face. "But promise me something."

'What?"

"If anything happens to me during this war- I want you to keep going. Move on and be happy with you life."

"Don't talk like that-"

"Gin, just promise me!"

Ginny remained silent before caving in under Draco gaze. "Oh alright- I promise. But you have to promise me something too."

"What?"

"You won't push me away if it gets too dangerous or risky. If this war is going to happen- I'm not going through it alone."

Draco kissed her on the lips, but Ginny remained with a determined expression on her face, her arms crossed. She wasn't going to let him butter her up and kiss his way out of this one. She knew all his tricks by now, and this time it wasn't going to work.

"I promise." Only after Draco had agreed did Ginny return the kiss.

A smile of satisfaction crossed her lips, followed by a frown. War. This was serious- it wasn't some children's game that was played out in the park, with toy wands and silly children's spells. People were going to die- some more painfully then others. There was no way to know just exactly when Voldemort and his Death Eater were going to strike. It could be today, tomorrow, a week, a year from now. It was just so unpredictable, that it was eating her up. Ginny had never like not knowing, but ignorance of this sort of thing could cost lives, including hers and Draco's. She had lost him once, temporarily- that had torn her apart. But losing him permanently? She didn't even want to think about it.

Why did any of this even have to happen? Why? But that was something she was sure she would never rightly know the answer to.

"Gin? You alright?"

The sound of Draco's voice brought her back down to reality. "Yea… Just thinking I suppose."

"Don't worry- everything is going to be just fine."

Ginny gazed deeply into his eyes and knew that was one thing that he couldn't promise her. There lives were going to be different now. Harder in some many ways, but at least we have each other. Ginny smiled thoughtfully, pulling Draco closer.

Ginny felt her eyelids growing heavier but the minute, and a loud yawn escaped her mouth.

"You should get some sleep." Draco's warm breath whispered in her ear. "Come on I'll walk you back to your room."

Draco moved to get up but Ginny held him back. "I wanna stay here with you," she whispered back, gently kissing his neck.

"But your parents- the Order-" Draco argued feebly.

"I'm not suggesting we do anything. I just wanna sleep- with your arms around me." Ginny said, brushing some stray hair out of Draco's eyes.

It didn't take much to convince Draco. "Ok."

Ginny laid down, snuggling herself firmly against Draco's body. "'Nite," she yawned again, her eyelids fluttering shut.

He kissed her gently on the lips. "Sweet dreams."