Chapter Soundtrack - Puppe by Rammstein
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The Defence Against the Dark Arts exams had overall been brutal.
The examiners had lined up a bunch of life-sized puppets along the wall and every now and then, one would raise a wooden arm and shoot a spell at random. The students had to use an array of advanced-level spells to parry, attack and protect themselves.
Luckily, thanks to Quidditch, Ginny had amazing reflexes and she felt confident she did well. It was probably the only exam she felt confident about- and thankfully, it was her last N.E.W.T. exam of the year.
She was huddled on the couches in the Gryffindor common room with Demelza, Jack Sloper, Jimmy Peakes and a few of her other Quidditch mates. Jimmy had some spiked Butterbeer that he'd smuggled in and they celebrated raucously. They had a lot to celebrate this year, considering they'd won the Quidditch tournament and Gryffindor was in the lead for the House Cup to boot.
It had been a good year.
Well, almost.
Ginny took a sip of her drink, contemplating everything that had happened.
It was hard to believe she would be graduating soon.
Madam Hooch apparently knew the coach from the Holyhead Harpies and promised to put in a good word for Ginny.
The future seemed bright.
Perhaps, with Hogwarts coming to an end, this would be a good time to bury the hatchet.
She thought about her last, late-night Floo chat with Harry.
"Hermione's been having a rough time. Maybe you should just talk to her? I know she misses you."
Ginny scoffed.
"How can you forgive her so easily? Forgive him so easily? You of all people should be the most upset by this!"
"She says he's changed and…I believe that. You didn't see him in the astronomy tower. I think he's been different for a long time now. War makes people grow up fast."
Ginny sighed.
"I know that…I just…It's his face. He looks just like his stupid, bastard father. It keeps bringing me back there. Back when I had the diary and…"
"I know, it's okay,"
"Why did she have to pick him? Out of all the snakes here, she had to go for the one that personally tried to kill and hurt half the people I love!"
"Maybe you should ask her. It's Hermione. She might not have an answer you'll like, but she'll have a good one. With bullet points, footnotes and probably a bibliography."
Ginny snorted.
"Maybe you're right. Let me just survive the exam apocalypse and we'll see about it after."
"Ginny?"
"Yeah?"
"I love you. Miss you and can't wait for you to come back."
Ginny grinned.
"Love you too, you big softie."
Ginny felt something tug at the sleeve of her robe, snapping her out of her flashback.
A nervous-looking second year shifted in front of her.
"Ginny Weasley? Erm…someone is outside for you. D-Draco Malfoy."
Ginny's face hardened. The second-year looked like they were about to wet themselves.
"And pray tell, what does he want?" Ginny asked, finding it hard to keep the scorn out of her voice.
"He said it's urgent."
"Urgent, my arse. Ignore him, Ginny. He's probably looking to brainwash you like he did Granger and Longbottom," Demelza advised, taking a gulp from her mug.
Ginny looked down into the brown liquid of her own mug, contemplating.
War makes people grow up fast.
"I'm going. But this better be quick," she grumbled, getting up.
Her friends made "oooh" sounds, laughing as Ginny stomped to the portrait.
"What?" She barked, staring down at Draco bloody Malfoy.
He looked up at her stonily. He always had that stupid, calm look on his face. Ginny felt like she almost could have given him a chance if he was easier to ruffle. His cool exterior just made him look haughty and so punchable.
"I need a word. In private."
Ginny glanced behind her. The whole Quidditch team was peeking over, clearly all very invested in why Draco sodding Malfoy needed to show his face in their territory.
"Fine. But no funny business. You get one minute."
She climbed out of the portrait, shut it tight and stood in front of Malfoy with her arms crossed.
"Is Hermione here?"
Ginny's eyes widened for a moment before she laughed harshly.
"Lost her, did you? Ever consider she finally came to her senses?"
Malfoy's eyes narrowed.
"So she's not in the common room?"
Ginny rolled her eyes.
"If she was, I wouldn't tell you."
"I think she's in trouble. She missed her Defence exam."
Ginny did pause at that.
That was… definitely odd.
"Maybe she's…" Ginny began slowly, trying to think of a perfectly reasonable explanation as to why Hermione would miss one of the most important exams of her life, but nothing came up.
"She tried to contact me."
"How?"
To Ginny's amazement, Malfoy pulled out a Galleon and began to explain to her how Hermione had a similar one and how they've been communicating all year.
Not for the first time Ginny was impressed by Hermione's ingenuity.
"I felt it burn in my pocket but I was in the middle of fighting those examination puppets. After the exam I waited for her, tried contacting her, but she never showed up. I checked the library, the Hospital Wing, the Room of Requirement. Nothing. I need to know she's safe."
"And why would I know where she is? I haven't talked to Hermione in months."
Malfoy a different at her.
"I know you know how to find her. You did it once…spied on her somehow. It's how you figured out she was seeing me, wasn't it?"
Ginny could tell he was losing patience. It just so happened that so was she.
"Your minute's almost up and I'm still not convinced she wants you to know where she is."
"I'm worried He might have her!" Malfoy finally snapped, "Look I wouldn't be here if it wasn't important. You really think I want to be asking you for help? Just- just find her and see for yourself if you want to tell me where she is or not! I just want to know that she's okay!"
Ginny's skin crawled.
"Who's 'He'?" She asked, though she felt like she could guess.
"Do I need to spell everything out? The nutter who poisoned Cho! Who else?"
Ginny's heart sank.
It couldn't be that, could it?
Wasn't that just a stupid prank that went far too wrong?
Still…It couldn't hurt to just check.
"Give me one second."
Ginny slammed the portrait shut in Malfoy's face and dashed up the stairs to her dorm, ignoring the calls of her friends asking what happened.
She lunged at her bed, summoning the map from her bag.
"I solemnly swear I am up to no good!"
Ginny scanned the map lines as they materialised.
"C'mon, Hermione. Be somewhere normal. The loo, the kitchens, anywhere…" Ginny muttered out loud.
She scanned and scanned but there was no sign of Hermione anywhere.
Did he take her? If so, where?
Could he have taken her out of bounds?
Malfoy said she called during Defence which was about an hour ago. The poisoner wouldn't've had time to get her out of the grounds unless he hauled her off on a broom.
Ginny scanned the potion labs, then the dungeons. She noticed the dungeons faded off into the bottom of the page. Even the Marauders didn't have the courage to see how deep they went, though that wasn't from a lack of trying.
It was a veritable maze to scry through.
Ginny gasped.
There she was.
Hermione's name was almost faded at the bottom of the page, but she was there, at least seven floors below ground, if not more.
And someone was with her.
Ginny stared at the name.
It took her a moment to register who it was and even then, she still wasn't certain.
What in the bloody hell was going on?
Ginny stuffed the map in her robes and ran as fast as she could, down the stairs, ignoring her friends once more as she careened out the portrait and skidded to a halt in front of Malfoy.
"She's in the dungeons! With some bloke called Kevin Entwhistle."
"Who the fuck is that?"
"I have no bloody clue. The name sounds familiar but I can't quite place him."
"Whoever he is, he's finished. Tell me exactly where they are!"
"I'll lead the way! No way you can find her on your own and I'm not letting some unknown git keep her prisoner!"
"You need to go get help! Teachers! This isn't some prank- he could be…could be…"
Malfoy trailed off. For a split second, his expression of annoyance and haughtiness fell. Ginny saw a flicker of anguish twist his features.
It was so sudden, so jarring, Ginny had to take a step back. She didn't expect to see Malfoy so out of sorts.
Perhaps he wasn't as cool as composed and he would like her to think.
Perhaps he cared more for Hermione than Ginny originally Malfoy show emotion was one thing- but to see him fretting this much over Hermione- perhaps Ginny had grossly misjudged how much Malfoy cared about Hermione.
As if on cue, Neville rounded the corner.
"Ginny? Draco?" He asked, flabbergasted at seeing them together.
"Neville! Go find McGonagall! Tell her the poisoner has Hermione, dungeons, seven floors down."
Ginny whipped out her map from her pocket and briefly showed Neville where.
"Wait what? Who has Hermione?"
"No time to explain! Just get McGonagall!" Malfoy yelled, "We need to go there now!"
"Then keep up!" Ginny yelled, breaking into a run, whipping her wand out. Malfoy immediately sprinted after her as they crashed down the hall at breakneck speed.
It was hard to dash while checking the map. Twice Malfoy had to yank Ginny's arm to keep her from pelting into a column or wall.
They were out of breath when they reached the dungeons but they still had seven floors to descend.
The dungeons had so many twists and turns, even with the map, Ginny had to stop at several intervals to make sure they were taking the right path.
It got darker and darker the lower they went. Even with two Lumos' combined, it was hard to see in front of them and they had to slow their pace considerably.
The smell was putrid. The stone floor made damp sounds as they hurried along. Centuries worth of mould, grime and Godric knew what else.
Eventually, they reached the seventh floor underground.
Malfoy paused.
"Turn your light out," he whispered.
"Are you crazy?"
"It's a straight line ahead and we want the element of surprise. If he knows we're coming he might do something drastic."
Ginny hated that he was right.
They turned their lights off and silenced their steps. It was pitch black.
They had to creep forward, without the map as a guide.
Ginny kept her hand on a row of bars, letting her fingers trail quietly against the metal so she knew she was going the right way. Malfoy's breathing was almost imperceptible. She could hear the shifting of Malfoy's robes, the only sign that he was following near her.
It was eerie to think someone brought Hermione here, in this frightening place.
Finally, a warm light flickered at the end of the hall.
Ginny and Draco carefully approached.
They slowly peered around the corner.
There was an open space, a large chamber of some kind.
In the middle, there was a wooden table with an ornate candlestick that held three, long, flickering candles.
A red table cloth draped over it, accompanied by two wooden chairs. There were also flowers. Baskets and baskets of roses collected all around. It contrasted strangely against the grimy stone walls and steel doors. There were even a couple of misshapen skeletons of varying sizes, propped against the walls and hanging from chains. One in particular stood out in the candlelight. It looked like it was grinning at them.
They were in an ancient torture chamber.
There was no one there.
Ginny went to unfold the map but Malfoy caught her wrist.
He was right.
It was still far too dark to read and it might make noise.
She slackened her arm and instead, held up her wand, pointing it in the direction of the hall.
Malfoy gave her a nod.
As soon as they stepped into the chamber, spells shot out at them from either side.
Even Ginny's quick reflexes couldn't protect her from a prepared sneak attack.
Her shield spell was shot up a moment too late, as she felt her limbs slow.
The Impedimenta gave her attacker just enough time to disarm and blast Ginny against the wall.
Chains wrapped around her arms and torso and she was lifted, dangling from the ceiling like some kind of metal cocoon.
She yelled and opened her eyes.
Hermione was standing in the middle of the chamber, her wand pointed at Malfoy as he struggled against his own Impedimenta.
Chains materialised, winding up his forearms and around his torso.
The sleeve of his shirt was pulled up and Ginny saw a glimpse of his Dark Mark for the first time.
Hermione kept her wand directed at Malfoy's heart as he struggled against his binds to no avail.
"I suppose all that duelling training came in handy after all," she mused and floated him over so that he hung next to Ginny.
Ginny stared.
Hermione wasn't Hermione at all.
Her eyes were glazed, her cheeks were flushed and her voice was breathy and slow, so unlike her usual brusqueness.
It was uncanny to see.
"Hermione! Hermione, snap out of it!"
The chains rattled as Ginny tried in vain to loosen the painfully tight links.
"I don't quite know why I dated you," Hermione mused, ignoring Ginny and vaguely studying Malfoy, "you're just a-" she glanced at his arm where the Dark Mark was visible, "- a traitor, aren't you? Funny how I didn't see it before."
"Hermione, you've been fed Amor Videri. This isn't you," Malfoy said calmly.
Hermione scoffed.
"Like you know what is best for me. You don't understand me like he does. Kevin knows me."
Her eyes shone. Ginny almost felt sorry for Malfoy if he didn't still have that stupid blank look on his face. Did he ever feel anything, in that thick, cold, skull of his?
"Hermione, it's me, Ginny! Your friend! Let me down and let's just talk, okay? You don't have to string me up like meat."
"Oh? Since when are you my friend? You wanted to split me off from Draco and now you've come to do the same with Kevin. Why can't you just be happy for me, Ginny? After all, I've never been happier…"
"Who the fuck is Kevin?" Malfoy finally snapped icily.
A figure walked out of the shadows, with his wand up.
How had Ginny missed him?
At the same time, once Ginny looked him over, she realised he was rather easy to miss.
He was the most unremarkable person Ginny had ever laid eyes on.
Brownish blond hair, bland eyes, a regular-sized nose, thin-ish lips. Not too tall, not too short. Not skinny but not fat either.
She could be describing anyone, really.
He had on a black and yellow uniform tie but Ginny had no memory of ever seeing him with any Hufflepuffs she knew. Not at any parties, in any classes, simply in passing, nothing. You'd think she'd have some memory of him, however vague.
"You've done wonderful, dearest. Come."
Even his voice was dull. A little on the nasally side, but otherwise as plain as the rest of him.
To Ginny's disgust, Hermione immediately swept over to him and planted a kiss on his nose.
Malfoy observed the scene coldly.
Ginny couldn't stand to watch.
"Let her go, you piece of shit!"
"Don't talk to Kevin like that! You're the ones interrupting our date!" Hermione defended shrilly, glaring at Ginny with enough venom to poison a Hippogriff.
"Teachers are on their way!" Ginny yelled at Kevin, "You'll be sent to prison and you'll rot there for the rest of-"
"Oh shut up. Kitten, will you do the honours?"
Hermione gave Kevin a full smile and waved her wand. Ginny's voice disappeared. She continued to shout swears and curses but nothing came out.
"Much better."
Hermione smiled with pride and nuzzled her cheek against Kevin's shoulder.
Ginny wanted to barf.
"You, on the other hand," Kevin continued, looking at Malfoy while his hand moved to absently stroke Hermione's cheek, "I'm absolutely dying to know what you have to say. You, who took Hermione from me. How does it feel, to see the woman you love on the arm of another man?"
Kevin's fingers dug slightly into Hermione's cheek but she didn't seem to mind. He pulled Hermione's chin towards him and he softly brushed his lips along her jawline.
It was frustrating how indifferent Malfoy looked.
Ginny couldn't figure him out. Didn't he care that Hermione was getting mauled by some git? Why drag Ginny down to the dungeons if he was just going to stand by and do nothing? Ginny was beside herself with rage but she could do no more than rattle her chains.
"This feels so much better than I imagined," Kevin murmured into Hermione's ear. Hermione sighed, enraptured.
"How did you know we were here?" Malfoy asked, sounding bored.
"Hermione's wards of course. It was all her idea. She knew people came to the dungeons for duels and such, so she suggested it as a necessary precaution. I was so certain we wouldn't be found here but I knew better than to contradict Hermione's instincts. She truly is the smartest witch of our age. I must say, I didn't know she was such a good duellist though. Such a talented girl. Is there anything you can't do?"
Hermione giggled.
"I suppose we must make the most of our time here, sweetling," Kevin murmured, taking Hermione in his arms and tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear.
Ginny shook her chains some quietly
Ginny didn't know how Malfoy managed to stay so calm. If it was Harry, she would be screaming and kicking up as much a fuss as possible.
"Isn't this lovely?" Kevin crooned, taking Hermione's hands in his and swaying with her to some imaginary music only he could hear.
"I'll follow thee and make a heaven out of hell. Isn't this indeed like our little piece of Shakespeare heaven. Two lovers who finally meet against all odds. It's almost as if I am Lysander and you are Hermia and we've been brought together by Puck's flower. I can think of nothing more romantic."
"I love listening to you talk about poetry," Hermione murmured, resting her head on his shoulder.
"Enjoy our time, darling. They'll be here soon enough, though it'll take them a while to find us. I'll have to Obliviate you, my sweet," Kevin said regretfully. Hermione hung on to his every word with admiration, her eyes shining.
"I'll Obliviate the redhead, too. As for Malfoy…We could blame this whole thing on him. He'll be locked away forever. Then you'd be free of him and then maybe we could finally have a real chance. Does that suit you, dearest?"
Hermione nodded quickly.
"Yes, get rid of him. I just want to be with you."
As Kevin and Hermione talked, Malfoy turned to look at Ginny.
He gave her a very pointed stare, then looked down at his leg.
Ginny saw it.
Trapped in the chains somewhere along Malfoy's thigh was the tip of his wand sticking out. When he had been hit with Impedimenta, he had probably tried to stash it away, knowing they would chain him up like Ginny and it had gotten caught there.
It wasn't completely out of reach. If she could just wiggle her hand free, perhaps she could swing to the side and grab it. But she needed to do it when Kevin and Hermione were distracted or they'd chuck it away before Ginny could snag it.
Ginny wiggled her hand. It was a tight squeeze, but she might be able to twist it free from the chains so she could grab Malfoy's wand.
"You were all set to leave Hermione alone on Valentine's. What changed?" Draco demanded.
Understanding suddenly dawned on Ginny.
He was being a cold git on purpose.
He was buying them time.
He was staying calm and asking questions so he could keep Kevin's attention until Ginny got her hand free. Didn't Harry once mention that Malfoy knew Occlumency? He was probably Occlumencying or whatever it was you were supposed to do to keep your wits about you.
She had to grudgingly respect his ability to make a plan under pressure.
Ginny twisted her arm, feeling the chains slide painfully over her hand.
Kevin's attention was completely on Malfoy.
"You changed everything," Kevin hissed.
He chewed his bottom lip for a bit and went on:
"You know, I never thought Hermione would be mine, but then I overheard Micheal Corner talking about making a love potion for Astoria Greengrass. Not just any love potion- love at first sight! I knew it was a sign. Destiny was smiling down on me, gracing me with my deepest wish! It was the easiest thing to just reach over and nip them from Astoria's bag."
"Oh, how careful I'd been. I knew I had to plant the potion somewhere Hermione would find and drink it, except she had to be alone. I followed her for a fortnight and found that her morning potion practice in the lab was the only time she was truly by herself without her dozens of sycophants trailing after her."
"But then you showed up. I watched from the shadows outside the lab as you entered the classroom. I spied on the both of you and saw you get your grubby hands on the second vial. I cursed myself for planting both, but I'd assumed it would increase my chances of Hermione taking one. I never expected anyone else to turn up, let alone you."
And just like that, weeks of careful planning, leading up to the moment where I would be finally united with my true love- foiled by Draco Malfoy."
Ginny couldn't believe her ears.
Why hadn't Hermione said anything to her?
Oh, but she had. Ginny had just been too angry to listen.
Before Ginny could feel the entire weight of her guilt, Kevin spoke again.
"Love is a dangerous thing. It traps you. You can't sleep. Can't eat. You can only think of your person. You can't escape."
He sighed.
"All I had wanted was one hour. One measly hour to finally know what it would be like to have Hermione Granger love me back. But I couldn't even have that. Perhaps I wasn't meant to have Hermione. Perhaps I was simply chasing a fruitless desire that was never meant to be mine."
Kevin roughly grabbed Hermione's wrists, yanking her closer to him. He seemed to have quite forgotten about Draco.
"I was ready to let you go but then I found out you had gone and fallen in love with him. How despicable! And then, I had to watch you flounce around with Malfoy for half the year. Draco Malfoy. The traitor. The coward. And it was my doing. You would never have been with him if it hadn't been for me! The world was far too cruel."
He roughly shook Hermione's wrists. She only blinked and smiled.
"What could you possibly see in him?" Kevin asked harshly, "Am I so undesirable? You would rather be with this scum than me?"
Hermione shook her head.
"No, my love. It's only you that I want. You are the cleverest, handsomest, most brilliant person I've ever met."
Kevin's eyes seemed to shine. There was a manic air about him.
"Do you…you really think so?"
"I think it was so wise how you tested your last batch of potion on Hannah to make sure it was safe for me. You thought of everything for us to be together."
Ginny froze.
What did Hannah have to do with any of this?
Kevin smiled. A wide smile that revealed his insanity.
"Of course, dearest. Recreating Amor Videri was probably one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. I drove so many rats and toads insane with my first round of test batches. My first passable potion took me months to achieve. It was lucky Cho drank it instead of you. It wasn't my best. Too heavy-handed. But with Hannah, I was able to perfect my memory charms and the Amor Videri formula. She had other uses for me as well."
Kevin laughed his little dry laugh.
Ginny was clenching her teeth together so tightly that her jaw threatened to snap.
He was a monster.
He deserved pain.
Ginny yanked and felt her hand finally twist free. She quickly hid it behind her back as Kevin turned back to them.
"And so you see, Malfoy- all this? This is your fault. You're the one who put your greedy hands on her. You're the one who decided to pit Hermione against her friends, against the whole school. It's because of you that she suffered all year! It's because of you that I had to bring her here against her will! I would have taken care of her! I would have treated her well! She wouldn't have been bullied or tormented or attacked if I had been with her! But no! You had to come along and turn her life upside down! Well, not anymore. She's mine now!"
"She's not. She'll never be yours. You're living a sad little delusion and if you truly loved her, you'd release her," Malfoy answered icily.
"Shut up! You don't know anything about love! Death Eaters only know killing! Pain! You've brought nothing but suffering to Hermione and I'm the one saving her!"
"You're not," Malfoy retorted quietly. His low tone seemed to drip with pure loathing, "Do you even know Hermione at all?"
"Of course I know her! I've loved her since year one!"
"Then you would know that she's independent, strong-willed, passionate and driven. Do you truly think someone like that would want to be saved from her own choices? Forced into something against her will?"
Kevin paused, his pupils zipping back and forth.
Ginny watched, her mouth slightly open. Had Malfoy actually gotten through to him?
Then, slowly, Kevin's face morphed. His lips curled up in a grimace, his eyebrows arched in a devilish frown, his eyes widened til they threatened to pop. He looked positively deranged.
"I don't believe anything you say, Death Eater. You're just jealous Hermione belongs to me now."
Kevin's hand travelled down Hermione's chest. He squeezed her breast.
Something seemed to snap in Malfoy.
His cold expression vanished.
Instead his face was twisted in anger, his teeth bared in white hot rage.
"No! Don't touch her!"
"For the time I have left, I will touch her how I wish and you shall watch. It is fine that I touch you, isn't it Hermione?"
"Yes, yes of course," Hermione said breathily.
"Don't listen to him! Hermione! HERMIONE!"
Malfoy was yelling. For the first time, he looked angry. No, not just angry. Furious.
Ginny watched in horror.
They were powerless. They had to just hang there and watch as Kevin dangled Hermione in front of them.
The abrupt change in Malfoy gave Ginny whiplash. It was as if he'd been trying to keep his anger under control but it was all flowing out of him in one wave.
"I swear I'll tear you limb from limb if you touch her again! Don't you fucking- GET AWAY FROM HER!"
Malfoy was straining, the chains rattling and digging into his neck and arms, leaving red welts. He shouted until his voice was raw, desperate to reach her.
Kevin smiled widely. He knew he had cracked Malfoy's shell and was clearly taking enormous satisfaction from it.
"Shall we continue our date, my dear? Show Malfoy exactly who it is you've chosen?" Kevin said smugly.
"Of course, anything you want."
"Anything I want?"
"NO! I'll kill you, I'll- GET OFF HER YOU SICK FUCK! HERMIONE! HERMIONE!"
Something flickered in Hermione's eyes. For a moment, she looked dazedly up at Malfoy.
Kevin yanked Hermione to him and kissed her sloppily her in full view. The moment of hesitation was gone and Hermione moaned loudly, clinging to Kevin's shoulders.
The room echoed with Malfoy's yelling.
Ginny had never really been scared of Malfoy. Did she think he was a waste of space? Certainly she'd thought that. He was a well-manicured, rich brat and she'd always figured one punch to his stupid face would probably do him in.
In that moment, as she watched him yell and struggle, his face lit with pure, unbridled rage, a vein pulsing in his neck, she honestly did not know if she'd be able to take him. It would be a fair fight, to say the least.
Kevin was now busy undoing Hermione's top. Ginny badly wanted to retch, but now wasn't the time.
Kevin and Hermione were clearly very distracted. Ginny had to act now.
She'd managed to free her hand up to her elbow. With a mighty heave, she thrust her body forward, trying to swing towards Malfoy's wand. Her chains rattled noisily, though neither Kevin, nor Hermione looked up.
Her arm darted out at an awkward angle, her fingers grazing the wand handle. She swung back, empty handed.
Ginny tried not to be distracted by Kevin who seemed to suction his mouth grotesquely to Hermione's neck. She had to focus.
Malfoy looked around at Ginny and seemed to get the gist of what she was trying to do.
His eyes were wild. He was breathing hard from shouting. He looked like a chained animal.
Ginny swung with all the momentum her body could muster. He tilted so that his thigh was as close to her as he could strain it.
The tips of her fingers touched the handle.
For a second she was worried she was going to drop it.
She pinched her forefinger and thumb together so tight she felt the patterns on the wand dig into her skin.
Kevin now had Hermione up against the table. The candles wobbled precariously.
It took Ginny three tries before Malfoy's wand worked for her.
She shot a counter spell at her bonds and crashed to the ground, barely managing to fall into a roll.
"What the-"
Before anyone could react, Ginny pointed her wand up at Malfoy.
The wand wouldn't work for her.
She jabbed it over and over, willing it to bend to her orders.
She could hear Kevin scrabbling around for his own wand.
Finally, a weak jet of light shot from the tip, releasing Malfoy.
He landed, agile as a cat.
"Catch!" Ginny shouted.
He caught his wand easily and shot a Stunner at Kevin.
Kevin barely had time to dive out of the way, knocking over a chair.
Ginny could hear Hermione shrieking but there was no time to look. She needed to find her own wand.
Ducking low, Ginny ran off in zigzags. Spells ricocheted loudly against the wall behind her, but she was too quick.
A skeleton exploded, sending bones and debris flying everywhere.
Rose petals littered the floor and floated in the air. Some of the baskets had caught fire.
"LEAVE HIM ALONE! I LOVE HIM!" Hermione was crying out.
Ginny scanned the ground, taking only a split-second to make sure the others were occupied.
Hermione and Kevin were both duelling Malfoy. He whipped his wand around at lightning speed, sending up protection spells and counterspells within milliseconds of each other.
If he could just hold them off just a bit longer- it had to be here somewhere.
Gotcha!
Ginny dove just as something nasty whizzed over her head.
She slid across the floor, wand in hand.
Without missing a beat, she pointed it at Kevin.
She got him right in the back.
Her Stunner violently slammed into him and he crashed into the table, upending the candles.
Flames licked his robes as he lay in the debris, unmoving.
"No! NO! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!"
Abandoning the fight, Hermione flew to Kevin's side, extinguishing the flames and pulling him into her arms.
"No, no, no, Kevin, please be okay, please! I love you! I love you!"
Tears were trailing down her cheeks.
Malfoy was approaching her slowly. He held out a hand to her, as if she was a lost puppy.
"It's okay…It's okay, Hermione. I'm here. He tricked you. But I'm here."
"Get away from me!" Hermione shrieked, pulling Kevin tighter to her. "We just wanted to be together! We just wanted one little date! Why can't we just be together? Why did you have to come and ruin everything like you always do!"
She started to cry earnestly.
How long did this bloody potion last?
Ginny could see Draco's hand waver. He looked like he was suffering the worst pain imaginable.
"Please…" he said softly, "I love you, Hermione, just come back to me, please…"
Hermione flinched at his words.
"I hate you! I hate you! I should've never trusted you! You're evil and all you do is hurt those around you!"
"Please…Don't make me do this…Hermione…I love you so goddamn much…"
Malfoy's voice broke. Ginny could see his hand shaking as he reached for her.
"Don't touch me! You never loved me! You used me! I'm just a Mudblood to you!"
She reached for her wand.
Malfoy was quicker.
His Stunning spell caught her on the shoulder.
She toppled over on top of Kevin.
Malfoy immediately rushed over, trying to pull her off her captor.
As if shaken from a reverie, Ginny ran to them, helping Malfoy extricate Hermione from Kevin's limbs and the rest of the broken table.
As Malfoy pulled Hermione onto his lap, Ginny cast a quick Incarcerous, wrapping Kevin's unconscious body in ropes. Then, after a short pause, kicked his nose in for good measure.
"I know that was difficult, but you did the right thing," Ginny assured Malfoy quietly, indicating Hermione's Stunned body, "she doesn't have to suffer this way and she can wait out the effects of the potion."
Malfoy sat on the ground and held Hermione in his arms, cradling her carefully. He didn't look up.
"The others should be here soon. They'll probably use Homenun Revelio to find us and then we can take Hermione to the Hospital Wing," Ginny added.
Malfoy didn't answer. Instead, he carefully buttoned up Hermione's blouse and smoothed the hair off her forehead.
It had taken Ginny long enough, but she finally saw it.
He was different. She couldn't explain how. But he was.
And he loved Hermione.
Ginny shook her head at the absurdity of it all. It was so hard to wrap her head around, yet the sight of Malfoy carefully pushing Hermione's hair off her face was all the proof she needed.
Godric, she had been a right pighead, hadn't she?
"Thank gods you had the sense to come look for her. It would have been far worse if not for you," Ginny said softly.
Malfoy still didn't say anything.
He just kept holding Hermione to his chest, running a thumb over her cheek to wipe the tear tracks away.
"I told myself I would never watch her suffer again. Not after what happened in the Manor. I failed her."
His voice was raw and filled with sadness, pain creasing his brow.
Ginny could feel a twinge in her heart.
She wasn't one for tears though. Instead, she sat beside Malfoy.
"Don't be stupid. You saved her, you twat."
They sat in silence for a beat.
"I was never able to do it," he finally mumbled. His voice was so low, Ginny was under the impression that he might be talking to himself.
"Do what?" She asked.
"Kill people. They tried and tried to teach me. Bellatrix insisted on it. 'You have to mean it,' they kept telling me. But I just couldn't-"
He took a deep breath.
"I think I finally understand it now," he said tightly, "If someone handed a wand to me and told me to kill him, it would be the easiest thing. I truly think he deserves to die. The only reason I can't is because she'd have my hide if I did."
He nodded down at Hermione, stroking her cheek with his thumb.
Ginny didn't know what to say to that.
So Malfoy had been trained to kill.
Did they torture him for failing? Probably.
She remembered what it had been like, last year at Hogwarts, with the Amycus siblings. Ginny had felt trapped, forced to practise magic she hated, sometimes on other students, and if she refused, she was punished mercilessly. It had been a veritable nightmare.
But she'd had Neville. And Seamus, and Parvati, and Demelza, and Luna for a bit, and so many others.
They were able to fight back a little. Keep each other afloat.
Who did Malfoy have when he was trapped in the Manor, forced to do much worse?
He had no one.
Perhaps Malfoy wasn't so different from the rest of them after all. Perhaps, in a way, he'd even drawn the shortest straw.
Ginny cleared her throat.
"I suppose you know that if you hurt Hermione in any way, you'll have me to answer to."
"I surmised," Draco answered stiffly.
"I hope you're prepared to hear that speech at least five more times because I guarantee the whole Weasley family will want to drill you at supper."
"...Supper?"
Malfoy looked at her incredulously.
Ginny smirked.
"You didn't think you could date Hermione Granger without going to Weasley suppers, did you? She's family to us."
Malfoy's expression of dumbfoundedness was priceless.
He was clearly regretting bringing Ginny on this rescue mission.
"I will be negotiating the terms for these…supper visits," Malfoy said tightly.
Ginny chortled.
It was such an absurd thing to imagine Draco Malfoy squeezed in at their rowdy table, giving off his airs and sniffing at the pudding.
Ron was going to have an absolute fit and George would no doubt hide Bertie Bott's dung flavoured beans in Malfoy's dragonhide shoes. Mum would probably aggressively cope by force-feeding Malfoy seconds and thirds.
Perhaps Hermione dating Malfoy wasn't so bad after all, she thought, as she watched him look down at her friend with nothing but the purest care.
