Uncompromising

by The Boudicca

"We will be avenged. Our people will be avenged. Our power will return in my daughter, the next Lady will rise. Once betrayed, she shall awaken. Twice betrayed, she will avenge. Thrice betrayed, all will fear her and love her as she reigns. The power to save or damn will rest in her hands." Ginny is Slytherin and powerful with a prophecy guiding her. GW&DM GW&HP GW&TR R/R Pls

4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Whisper

"FILTH DEFILING MY FAMILIES SACRED HOME! SCUM!"

Fred and George must've woken up Mrs. Black's portrait again. I buried my head in the pillow and tried to ignore the loud screeching filling the hallway. It was nice when I was sleeping; It was nice when I wasn't here. "HOW DARE YOU BEFOUL THE HOUSE OF MY FATHERS WITH YOUR VILENESS!"

My door cracked open and Fred stuck his head inside my room. "Sorry Gin - do you mind?"

No one was quite sure why, but Walburga Black's portrait had developed a strange fondness for me in the month I had lived at Grimmauld Place. Ron and Mum thought it was because I was a Slytherin. I thought it was because I was the only one who treated her with any courtesy.

I grumbled and pushed my hair out of my face, stumbling out of bed, throwing a jumper over my nightgown and slipping on a pair of shoes, and made my way down the hall.

"SCUM! FILTH! YOU HAVE DEFILED- oh, dear Ginevra, have I woken you?" Mrs. Black's screeching halted as soon as I turned the corner.

"No, Madame Black, of course not. I just wanted to apologize for my brother's behavior in accidentally waking you. You have been so kind to us to share your home. I will deal with my brothers, please Madame, return to your sleep." I muttered.

"What a thoughtful girl." The portrait said, "I will do just that!" and with that, the drapes snapped shut in front of her portrait and blissful silence filled the hallway. I sighed and leaned against the wall, closing my still heavy eyes and lolling my head sleepily. I hated it here.

"Kreacher!" I called out. "Tea, please?"

Just like Mrs. Black's portrait, Kreacher was willing to help me, and only me. He appeared with a pop next to me and a warm cup and saucer found their way into my hands. I stared at the brick colored liquid, thankful that Kreacher had made it strong. "Thank you, Kreacher." I muttered. The elf bowed in my direction before scowling at a shadow walking down the hallway.

"So they woke you up to handle it this time?" The hall light revealed the shadowy man to be Sirius, his voice gruff. His eyes were distant and sad, his long hair was disheveled, his body was thin and haggard. Sometimes, I looked into his eyes and saw the same despair that hounded me. He was haunted like me. He; however, had absolutely no idea of how to handle me. He wasn't the only one. The whole Order was conflicted, but Tonks and Sirius seemed to struggle the most. I was a Slytherin, therefore I could not be trusted. But, I had saved Harry last year, so I could be trusted. But, his mother's portrait and Kreacher liked me, therefore I could not be trusted. But, Remus had repeatedly vouched for me, so I could be trusted. But, I was dating a Malfoy… and on and on it went. His eyes tracked me wherever I went as a small battle around what he thought of me obviously raged inside his head. He couldn't determine if I was a friend or a foe and it made him incredibly awkward around me.

"Morning, Sirius." I nodded in his direction before taking a sip of tea. He shifted awkwardly in front of me, leaning against the other wall in the hallway. "Any marching orders yet?"

He chuckled before looking conflicted about laughing, "I'm sure Molly's in the kitchen making the list for today." I nodded and headed towards the kitchen.

As soon as I stepped off the train from Hogwarts, I was given list after list of tasks to complete written in my mother's scribble. First, I had 30 minutes to pack up anything I'd need from the Burrow and prepare to move. No one was interested in if I wanted to move, it was our duty and Dumbledore was relying on us to set up the Order's Headquarters. No one listened to my logical argument around why we should not abandon our family property. No one listened as I explained the blood wards we could enact at the Burrow and how it would protect us. No one cared as the decision had been made by Dumbledore and he was infallible. Infallible, my arse. Cedric was dead. Tom was back. In my opinion, more than a large part of the blame laid on Dumbledore's shoulders.

As soon as we arrived at Grimmauld Place, I hated it. It was dark and dirty. The house lay in disrepair and you could feel the latent anger and depression in the walls, seeping into the air. It was suffocating. Immediately, I was given a massive list of areas to clean around the house. When I wasn't cleaning, I was in charge of preparing breakfast and lunch for whoever was at Headquarters. Apparently, it was my duty to help with what my mother deemed "the womanly arts" of cooking. I openly scoffed when she told me this, but it was pointless to argue with her. I did my appointed duty, silently cooking and cleaning for the Order members who filtered in and out of Headquarters.

Last summer, Mum had ignored me, but after Percy's departure from the family, she watched me with suspicious eyes. Percy was one of her good boys, one of her Gryffindors, and he had hurt her so badly. I pitied her and thought for a brief moment that Percy's desertion might serve to bring us back together. But instead of prompting a reunion, I could see her thinking through the damage I would cause when I, inevitably, left. So, she was determined to keep me at arms length, if not farther. She kept me busy and kept one suspicious eye on me at all times. When no one was around, I would wandlessly complete my chores, otherwise, I had to complete these inane tasks without magic. The list was never ending and my mother was unyielding in her requests. At least, it was something to do.

True to my word, I had cut down significantly on the amount of potion I drank on a daily basis, but without it, I was trapped. I was inundated by grief and anger and pain. I was surrounded by people who didn't trust me, people who refused to see me struggling to get out of bed everyday. I wasn't allowed to write to Draco more than once a week. I wasn't allowed to leave the house. I wasn't allowed the space to breathe. I grieved the loss of my woods, the loss of my solitude and privacy, the loss of my opportunity to grieve. I had sunk to the bottom and was slowly suffocating.

Mum wasn't in the kitchen yet. Sirius had followed me into the room and took a seat at the table as I began to prepare breakfast. He sat with his back to me, and so I let the magic pour through me; peeling the potatoes and cracking the eggs. I waved my hand and the kettle was full and placed itself neatly on the stove to boil. I twirled my finger and a spatula began to flip the eggs in the pan. I let myself lean against the cabinets and lazily drink my tea. Suddenly, Remus bustled into the room, his eyes widening at the sight of the fully bustling kitchen. I grumbled and stretched before walking over to manually cook the rest of breakfast. "Morning, Remus."

"Be careful, Ginny, one of these days your Mum is going to catch you using magic." Remus cautioned, sitting at the table.

"What are you talking about, Moony?" Sirius quickly turned around to stare at me. "I've been here the whole time. She hasn't said anything."

Remus shrugged and I watched Sirius mentally add this mystery to his list. As soon as Remus sat down, the rest of the Weasley clan poured through the door and into the kitchen, demanding breakfast. Fred and George helped me carry the bowls and platters to the table and I sat, slowly drinking tea, as the chatter rose around me. Kreacher appeared beside me to refill my cup and I quietly thanked him and he disappeared just as quickly. I wish I could disappear. I thought glumly.

"... Ginny." my name cut through the meaningless chatter around me, the voice who used it filled with disdain. My head snapped up.

"What do you want, Ronald?"

"I was just telling Sirius that maybe he should ask you how Harry's doing. You know, because you've been breaking Dumbledore's rules and writing to him." Ron sneered at me and I audibly sighed. Did he have to bring this up again?

I sat up straight in my chair and looked Ron straight in the eyes when I replied. "He wrote to me once, Ron, after you didn't answer any of his other letters. And of course I wrote back. Dumbeldore is wrong. He shouldn't be alone right now." I placed my teacup on its saucer. Sirius smiled at me and Ron's scowl deepened.

"Don't speak poorly of Dumbledore in this household. You should have followed the rules, young lady." Mum spoke up, glaring at me across the table. I growled low in my throat, but said nothing as she lifted another long list of to dos up in the air. I pushed away from the table and picked up the list on my way out of the room.

I walked into the library, the room I was tasked to clean for the day. I snapped my fingers and the books began to shake, the dust dropping from them onto the shelves. I snapped again and the books stilled as a rag began to gather the dust from the shelves. I liked this room, mostly because of the large Black Family Tree tapestry. Sirius and Nymphandora had been blasted off of the tree, but I could still see Bellatrix and Narcissa. Draco's face sat underneath Narcissa and it seemed to be the closest I could get to him in this dreaded place. I walked over to a moldy settee next to a window, threw the curtains open, and sat down, basking in the moment of warmth.

A shadow criss crossed over the sun and when I opened my eyes Morrigan hovered in front of my face, two letters in her talons. I cracked open the window and she flew inside. She circled the room before dropping the letters in my lap and landing on my shoulder. I stroked her inky black feathers and made quick work of reading the two letters she brought. One was from Harry. Ron was not going to be pleased that he wrote to me again. In fact, I didn't even know if I was pleased that he wrote to me again. But I would not ignore him, even if that's what Dumbledore asked of us. It was needlessly cruel to leave him alone when I knew he had to be suffering. The second letter was from Draco. Gods, I missed Draco. I thought of him everyday and I missed him desperately. I missed his teasing. I missed his smirks and his rare smiles. I missed the warmth of his arm around my waist and how his fingers tapped against my hip. I missed his presence. He was concerned. I had promised to write him every day on the train, but now I was barely reachable and only writing once a week. But there were certain things I couldn't tell him and he understood that. I hadn't received a letter from Theo; he had only replied to two of my letters all summer. He wrote that he had gotten a girlfriend, Pansy Parkinson, and I guess she was keeping him busy.

I whipped out my quill and quickly wrote my responses to Harry and Draco, oblique as they may be. I asked Morrigan if she needed a rest, but she cawed that she did not and quickly swooped the letters out of my hands and flew out the window. I watched her fly away from my prison with extreme envy. She cut across the sky, a black arrow in a sea of clear blue. Suddenly, I had a thought. Hypatia once whispered in my ear that I could transform into any animal, if I tried hard enough.

My mind made up, I threw a locking charm on the door and stepped out of my shoes. I screwed my eyes shut and focused, willing the magic to course through my limbs, willing the magic to transform me. It was an agonizing few minutes but when I opened my eyes, I felt different. My body was light and compact. I tried to flap my wings, unsuccessfully at first, but eventually was able to hover near a mirror to get a good look at myself. I was a mirror of Morrigan, a small dark raven with iridescent black wings.

Before I could talk myself out of it, I flew through the open window. I spread my wings as far as they could stretch and took my first free breath for a month. I could have cried. But there was no time to cry, I was free. I could breathe. I could fly. With no thought to where I was going, I took off. I flew high up into the sky and floated along air currents. Wind rushed past my face and ruffled my feathers. It was cold and sharp and it kept me alert, kept me afloat. I could hear whispers on the wind, murmurs and mutterings that called to me. And then, I heard her.

A soft humming sound pulled at my soul like a magnet. I had no choice but to follow that sound, wherever it led me. I trusted my ears to guide me and I found myself flying into a small tower near a river. Inside, a woman sat, lyre in hand. She had flowing blonde hair, loosely tied into several sections with heavy pieces of embossed gold. She wore a simple piece of purple chiffon which floated over her curves. She was beautiful, but her beauty was nothing compared to the pure majesty that was her music. She sang in ancient German and I could not understand what she was saying, yet through the emotion in her voice, the depths of the chords she struck, I understood everything.

I landed on her windowsill and listened, transported by her music. I closed my eyes and saw her, a young woman who worshipped the Lady and spoke in prophecy. Her people celebrated her, claiming she was a living goddess, and looked to her to lead them when Rome invaded. They brutalized her people, destroyed their temples, and still she did nothing, merely listened to the wind. Finally, her moment had come. She anointed Civilis, a Batavian leader and previous Roman ally, and incited a rebellion. Their victory was foreseen, and as long as Civilis kept true they would push the barbarians out of her land. But Civilis had a weak ego; he saw these victories as his alone and killed the Roman general sent to treatise with her. This betrayal affected fate's will. Civilis was captured and killed, the Romans regained the land they had lost. But, she remained in a state of exultation. Her people secretly worshipped her as their connection to the Lady. The Romans feared and respected her, they asked for her guidance.

The wind whistled past my ears, whispering one word in a deep, velvety voice. Veleda.

I opened my eyes wide in surprise. I'd never heard the wind before, but the voice was a welcome embrace. I recognized it, dark and soft and velvet. I remembered her gift to me, her taking away the pain and healing my wounds when I faced the Dementors. The wind carried her voice and I would listen to that voice no matter what it said.

"Ginerva." This voice wasn't velvety, it was raspy and ethereal. She lightly drug her fingernails up my forearm. "I have been waiting for you, my Lady." I jumped, I didn't remember returning to my human form. But as soon as I turned my eyes to look at her, I found that I didn't particularly mind. She was captivating and I felt myself magnetically pulled to her.

"I see you." She stroked her hand down my arm as she wandered across the room towards a window facing the river. "I see your struggle, I see your pain, your grief. I wish I could tell you that I see its end, but that is hidden from me." The wind pushed at her hair and I heard that velvet voice whisper one word.

Lady.

"You have been burying your pain, but this cannot last. It will suffocate your kindness; it will suffocate you. You must learn how to release it. You must recall how to breathe. Air is often overlooked until you need it, and then you must struggle to regain it's favor. But once you have, the air can buoy you and lift you to new heights." As she spoke, she slowly began to float, to fly in front of me. She then willed herself back down, returning to standing in the windowsill. "I can help you; I can help you find your voice. But before you can speak, you must listen to our Lady. Listen, and learn." As she spoke, I heard the wind whisper in agreement, creating a harmony for a mere second.

Lady. Listen. Learn.

It was beautiful. Beautiful and haunting. Once again, without realizing it, I had walked to her side. She smiled and held her out her hand, palm up for me. I placed my hand gently in hers. Her other hand rose to stroke my hair. "This will allow you to hear." And with that I felt a stinging sensation behind my right ear. "And this," she said, focusing on my ring, "This will allow you to speak." As she spoke, the silver band on my ring seemed to come to life, the silver band became hollow and pushed itself into intricate designs, creating a delicate puzzle around my finger. Veleda looked at me with an inherent sadness, "This will not be easy. If I could, I would take this from you. But you must remember to stay strong and to trust in our Lady. Our time is brief, but I am here to help you. You are not alone. You matter, my Lady." She pressed a delicate kiss to my forehead and with a pop, I found myself back in Raven form. I made to protest, but the air sensed her will and I was carried away in a strong gust of wind. I knew there was no point in fighting the inevitable. My time with Veleda was gone, but I would carry her with me, just as I carried Hypatia and Circe.

I trusted the wind to carry me back to Grimmauld Place and, in a distracted haze, I soared into the open window in the library and turned back into my human form. My thoughts were captured by Veleda, captured by her mystique, captured by her wisdom. I had barely slipped my clothes back on when the door slammed open, Remus and Sirius stumbling into the room. Without a thought, I sent a bright red stunner from the palm of my hand at the door and tucked into a neat roll, finding cover behind the old settee by the window.

"Merlin!" Remus cried as he threw himself on the ground to avoid my spell. Sirius was not quite as lucky and was thrown against the wall, stunned.

"Remus?" I asked.

"Good Merlin, Ginny! Come help me with Sirius." He replied, pushing himself off the floor and brushing himself free of the dust. He turned to look at me with shrewd eyes, "How'd you do that, Ginny? You moved so quickly it almost looked like you didn't even use your wand."

"Now is not the time to go around surprising anyone." I ignored his question and brushed off his questioning look as if it were nothing. "I hope I didn't hurt him." I said, turning my attention towards Sirius. I waved my wand and he came to.

"Ow." He said, accepting the hand Remus offered as he pulled him off the floor.

"We surprised you?" Sirius asked, turning wide eyes on me. "We came to find you after getting Dumbledore's letter and then I'm barred from entering this room, a thing that shouldn't be possible in this house as I am the Black heir, by the way, and you don't respond to any of our shouting? We thought someone had come to get you as well." Sirius grumbled.

"As well?" My heart dropped to the bottom of my stomach. "Who was attacked?" My eyes darted between the two men. "Bill? Charlie? Dad?" At the thought tears filled my eyes.

Surprisingly, it was Sirius who gently took my hands into his and held my eye contact steadily. "No. Your family is fine." I released a breath I did not know I had been holding. "Someone sent something after Harry. He's been expelled. Dumbledore and your father are at the Ministry right now, doing what they can."

"Is Harry okay?" I asked. Sirius nodded and squeezed my hands.

I cleared my throat, trying to shake the panic clear of my vocal chords. "Well, it's about time Harry was taken away from those terrible people. I'll say it again, he should never have been left alone with those muggles." I tried to move out of Sirius's grasp, but he tightened his grip on me. I saw in his eyes the same magnetism I felt towards Veleda earlier. I yanked my hands from his grasp, breaking eye contact and ending the moment. Sirius quickly turned away, blushing and looking confused.

You call to him. A velvet voice whispered in my ear, floating in through the still open window. You call to all of those in his bloodline. They once worshipped at our altar.

Hearing her voice again, I jumped. I didn't expect to hear her so casually. Her words shocked and confused me. What does she mean, I call to his bloodline?

"When did you get a tattoo, Ginny?" Remus asked, choosing to ignore Sirius's odd behavior. My hand quickly flew to the still stinging skin behind my ear.

"What? Oh, it's new." I said.

"A crescent moon?" Remus asked. I nodded although his guess was as good as mine, I hadn't had a chance to analyze my gift from Veleda yet.

"When do we expect Harry?" I changed the subject.

"Any time now." Sirius said.

"Well, let's go wait in the kitchen." I said and slipped past the two men and down the hall. I shook my hair loose from its braid to cover my new tattoo and sat at the table. Kreacher brought me another cup of tea and I waited to hear of Harry's fate.

Harry was okay. Well, he was physically fine. Mentally, he was a mess. And the order for silence had not helped him over the summer. In fact, he was rightly pissed at Ron, Hermione, Remus, and Sirius and was not shy about letting them know it. But none of that seemed to matter as soon as he saw me. He had grown over the summer, and was nearly as tall as Draco. His eyes were still a burning emerald and his hair was still uncontrollable, sticking out in every direction. As soon as he walked into the kitchen, his gaze found me and his eyes noticeably brightened. He gulped before walking straight to me and wrapping me into a giant hug. I was surprised, to say the least, and froze in his embrace. If he noticed my stillness, he didn't seem to mind and continued his fierce hug. Finally, he released me only to grasp both of my forearms. He kept me at arms length as he recited everything that happened with the Dementors with wide, panicked eyes. I nodded in the appropriate places and tried to lodge his hands off of my arms. Finally, Remus intervened to help free me and Hermione and Ron stepped in to comfort Harry and prepare him for his trial at the Ministry. I quickly backed against the wall, looking for safety among the shadows. Remus turned to Sirius and muttered something to him. Sirius chuckled, "Potters and their red heads, eh?" My stomach churned. I floated away from the group, hugging the walls, before silently leaving the room.

His hands had been hot on my skin and his panic had seeped into my psyche. I had to get out, but I had nowhere to go. Feeling the need to run, I flew up the stairs, climbing until I could climb no higher. I found myself in a room with Buckbeak and a grand piano. I bowed to the Hippogriff and he bowed back. Gasping for air, I crossed the room and threw open the windows.

Gods, was it only this morning that I met Veleda? I could already feel the walls closing in on me, my sorrow threatening to drown me. With nothing else to do, I sat at the piano and rubbed the sore skin behind my ear. I now had crescent moon scars on both of my wrists and a crescent moon tattoo behind my ear. Suddenly, as if she spoke from the spot behind my tattoo, I heard Veleda's bewitching voice echo through my brain. Lady. Listen. Learn.

With this guidance in mind, I prepared to make an utter fool of myself. I gathered my courage and spoke aloud, "What does it mean?" I received an answer.

It is my marker. The wind whispered into my ear. I jumped at the piano. It is a sign of the power of all things feminine and female. It is forgotten and it is holy.

I could not deny the wind's words. In fact, as soon as they tickled my ears, I felt them reverberate in my core, ringing with truth. Their power scared me, but I was used to being scared. I was always scared. I was always angry. I was always hurting.

These unbridled emotions resettled on my shoulders so profoundly that my spine curved from the crushing weight of them. My hands splayed on the keys of the piano as if to catch my descent and a discordant sound bellowed from the instrument. Buckbeak turned to look at me sharply. It was harsh and uncomfortable, but upon hearing it, I felt a shred of the pain I carried melt away.

Desperate, I pressed a different set of keys on the piano in front of me. This sounded different than before. It was an aching sound, both painful and yet, beautiful. My fingers moved on their own accord and different sounds bloomed around me. Each new chord vanished a little more of the anguish that hounded me. I practically sighed with relief. I closed my eyes and straightened my spine, trusting my ears to guide my fingers. With a strengthening breath, I began to play.

Emotion poured out of my fingertips and into the music, dispersing my sorrow and agony into the air around me. I felt a pull in my chest and opened my mouth, releasing a honey voice I did not know I possessed. Singing felt like a breeze across a still lake and I was surprised to hear my tone was silken and celestial. I continued singing, matching the haunting melody with whatever sound or words my subconscious commanded. As I played and sang, everything except the music faded away. Momentarily, I forgot the dank prison of Grimmauld Place, forgot my grief for Cedric. And for a brief moment, as the music poured from me, Tom's shadow stopped its incessant taunting and did not plague me. It was the ultimate gift, the gift of reprieve.

I don't know how long I played, but when my fingers stilled and my voice calmed, I felt as centered as I had after a night in the woods behind the Burrow. I took a deep, liberated breath and couldn't help the soft smile that graced my lips for the first time all summer.

I opened my eyes and twenty sets of eyes stared back at me. Literally, the entirety of Grimmauld Place; every Weasley, Harry, Hermione, Remus, Sirius, Snape, Moody, Tonks, Dumbledore, Buckbeak, Kreacher, and several Order members I had not yet met stood around me, staring at me with adoring eyes and baited breath. Every picture frame in the room held a beguiled witch or wizard. I stared back at them with wide, shocked eyes. Then the air around me shimmered and I saw it; a glimmering, gossamer spider's web of sound waves enchanting all who heard it. In that moment, I knew that I held them in the palm of my hand, that they were mine to command.

Your siren's song. A velvety voice murmured in my ear. I felt a heady rushing to my head and flushed. I didn't like this feeling, or perhaps, I liked it too much.

Uncomfortable, I loudly cleared my throat, dismantling the labyrinth my song had built. Consciousness slowly dawned in those around me and I avoided their gazes, studying my hands in my lap instead.

"I didn't know you played." Harry's voice broke the silence in the room. His voice seemed to break the spell completely, shaking the rest of the room free.

"Yes," Dumbledore muttered. "What a delightful surprise." His voice regained its strength as he continued, but I could feel the weight of his calculating gaze remain on me. "But now," he turned away from me and directed his command to the rest of the room, "we must return to our meeting. And surely, Molly has given each of you a task to help prepare our headquarters." He said with a grin. He then turned to the man beside him and began to chatter aimlessly as he determinedly departed the room.

With visible effort, Harry pulled his eyes away from me, "Professor!" he called out, chasing Dumbledore down the hall. Ron and Hermione chased after Harry. Slowly, the room began to clear. As they left, I felt the gaze of each person, looking at me with confusion, with a new sense of devotion, or, in some cases, with pity. Snape stepped out of the shadow and purposefully held my gaze. He nodded to me briefly, "Ms. Weasley." His voice was laden with emotion and he looked like he wanted to say more, but instead, he stalked out of the room.

I did my best to avoid everyone for the remainder of my time at Grimmauld Place. Ironically, I was suddenly grateful for the endless list of to dos my mother provided. I threw myself into my chores, working so intently, so furiously that when others were around, no one could interrupt me. I practically wore holes into my jeans as I scrubbed the floors and deep cleaned everything around me. I rarely spoke to more than a few words to anyone except to thank Kreacher, especially when he started bringing meals to my room.

In my self-mandated solitude and silence, I learned to listen in ways I never had before. I spent hours by myself, sitting next to the open window and listening to anything the wind chose to say. First, she forced me to recall the prophecy I witnessed in my first year; the memories of the anguish I had tried to forget. She told me that I must learn our history in order to understand it, to not repeat it. With that in mind, she began to educate me about how our people used to worship. She spoke of the eons that she reigned with a powerful divineness. She spoke of the thousands of times that she had given to her children and the thousands of times that she had taken from them. She explained that everything had a cost and she spoke of vengeful anger and of joyous gifts, and how all of it led to a thriving, welcoming magical community. She taught me things I foolishly assumed I understood; how to walk, how to speak, how to move, how to breath. Under her tutelage, I felt the majesty of the magic in every item, the godly essence in every moment. She taught me how to purify my body and mind, how to be closer to her, how to harness my own divinity. I felt her teachings reshape me; my posture straightening, my muscles strengthening, my body maturing to accommodate her grace.

But that wasn't all she shared. She told me the secrets the Order were discussing downstairs. She told me which of their schemes would fail, which would succeed, and which one's had not yet been determined by fate. She told me that she had been waiting for me. But she wouldn't tell me what she wanted with me.

Harry seemed to take my purposeful separation the hardest and was dogged in spending any time with me. He waited by my door every morning to walk me to breakfast and began helping me with the cooking and cleaning, apparently something his wretched relatives made him do. He tried to coax more words out of my mouth every day and when I didn't acquiesce, he filled the air around me with chatter. He told me all about his childhood and the dreams that haunted him across the summer. He told me of Cedric's ghost and of the image of the hallway that plagued him. He told me his opinion on each Hogwarts professor and all about his love of quidditch. He recited every joke he knew, determined to hear me laugh. He told me that I always seemed to make him smile. He told me about how he asked Cho to the Yule Ball and how he wished he had asked me to dance last December. He told me how much he loved my voice and how my song had made him feel things and how it had been stuck in his head ever since he heard it. At times, I was grateful for his warmth and his determination to make me smile. At other times, I came very close to screaming and cursing him if he didn't leave me alone. Sirius, Remus, Tonks, Snape, and Dumbledore's eyes tracked me wherever I went, paying particular attention to Harry and I as we bustled around the kitchen before meals.

Time tracked on slowly and Harry's trial came and went. As expected, his expulsion was reversed. Our Hogwarts owls arrived and Hermione and Ron were named Prefects, giving the twins a perfect excuse to tease Ron endlessly and a perfect excuse for Mum to throw a party, meaning more to dos for me to complete.

I walked into one of the many rooms on my list to clean, Harry following behind me, and what I saw stopped me dead in my tracks. Bill lay on the floor, bloody and beaten and clearly dead, with my mother sitting across the room sobbing uncontrollably.

"Bill?" I asked, my unused voice cracking. Tears welled in my eyes as I stumbled into the room, blinded by grief. I fell to my knees behind my mother and reached out one trembling hand towards the mangled body. I watched as Bill flickered in front of my eyes; turning into Charlie, then Percy, then Fred and George, then Ron, then Dad, and then Harry. Every time the visage in front of me changed, I heard a new heartbreaking sob leave my mother and felt a new depth of sorrow and grief in my heart.

"Riddikulus!" Remus shouted from the doorway. And with that, the boggart fled back into the cabinet. He rushed to my mum and began to whisper soothing things to her.

Harry ran to my side, holding my face in his hands. "Ginny, are you alright?" He said, wiping away the tears on my face with his thumb.

"Ginny?" Mum questioned, looking around the room; she had not seen me.

"Mum?" I replied, my tear glazed eyes looking deeply into hers. I could see her absolute terror to lose her family and her absolute shame that, when she thought of her family, she had forgotten me. She fled the room, Remus chasing after her.

This realization stabbed at my heart and I crumbled under the pain of it, but Harry caught me. I couldn't stop crying and I couldn't find the will to pick myself up. He lifted me into his arms with surprising ease and carried me to my room. He placed me in bed and stroked my hair until I fell into an uneasy sleep. When I awoke, Harry was by my side, running his warm hand up and down my arm to comfort me. He fussed over me, brushing the hair from my eyes, and insisted on doing my chores himself for the rest of the day. I quietly thanked him for his kindness and he smiled sadly. He stared into my swollen eyes and tried to say something several times, tripping over his words. Eventually, he gulped once and then gave up, breaking eye contact and focusing on the few strands of my hair he had unconsciously twirled around his fingers.

At Dinner that night, Mum avoided my gaze as if it were damning. I sat next to my Dad and silently held his hand, grasping onto it as if he would flicker away. He looked at me with solemn, sad eyes and held onto my hand just as tight. Images of my dead family plagued my thoughts and I knew from the Lady that, if it was what fate commanded, I could do nothing to stop it. But, I was determined to try.

You can try, but I cannot promise them to you. The wind muttered. With this confirmation, I felt the weighty heft of pain relodge itself onto my shoulders.

Despite my strong desire for the relief that music offered, I was steadfast in my refusal to return to the piano or to sing, even in the shower, while at Grimmauld Place. I couldn't trust that no one would hear me in this rickety, bespelled house and everytime I felt the pull of music, I could feel the weight of Dumbledore's calculating stare on my back. Instead, I wrote intensely long letters to Draco, waiting impatiently for the time in the week when I could send them. While I waited, I reread every one of Draco's letters like the lifeline they were and silently counted down the days until I could leave this cursed place.

When the day to return to Hogwarts arrived, I practically shot out of bed at dawn. I brushed my teeth and slipped into a strappy green chiffon sundress. Looking in the mirror, I did not see a gawky 14 year old; I saw a young woman molded by a celestial power. My golden eyes were ageless, brimming with grace. My body was strong, flexible, and powerful. The dress hugged my newly developed hourglass figure and my hair fell in fiery, loose ringlets down to my lower back. I shrunk the robes Mrs. Malfoy had given me for Christmas and placed them in my pocket before levitating my trunk to the foyer. Then, I put the kettle on and began to cook breakfast. Only a couple more hours until I was out of Grimmauld Place. Only a couple more hours until I was back at Hogwarts and free to do as I wished. Only a couple more hours until I saw Draco. My cheeks flushed at the thought. But before I could analyze my reaction, Harry burst through the kitchen door. He looked relieved to see me. I guess I must have surprised him by breaking our routine of him walking me to the kitchen in the morning. Then, his eyes widened as he took in my appearance, not used to seeing me in anything other than jeans and a jumper. I could see the attraction bloom above him and he blushed from head to toe. He stammered his good morning and nervously began to help me prepare breakfast. Every so often, our paths would cross or our hands would brush and he would jump as if I had shocked him. As people poured into the kitchen, Harry and I brought over the platters of food. I took a seat at the table and Harry placed a steaming cup of tea in front of me, steeped extra long with one teaspoon of sugar, just how I liked it. He blushed and smiled one of his classic Harry smiles at me. I shot him a surprised look, but thanked him nonetheless. Then the group began to discuss how we would get to King's Cross, arguing about who would act as security detail. I let people argue around me as I drank the tea Harry had made and focused on watching the clock slowly tick towards my freedom. I was to travel with two guards to the platform after Harry and Ron arrived. Harry had petitioned for me to be in his group, but he was overruled by Moody. As I had over the past few weeks, I said nothing and did as I was told, itching to get out.

As soon as I arrived on the platform, I was ushered to stand with the rest of the Weasley clan, our bright red hair acting as a beacon. My eyes scanned the crowd, looking for a different, but just as distinctive, beacon of silver blonde hair. I finally found him standing with his mother and father and began to purposefully stride towards him, ignoring the calls for me to stay with the rest of the Weasleys. He had grown, his shoulders broadening and his tall form filling with muscles, no doubt from endless quidditch drills over the summer. I floated towards him, effortlessly weaving through the crowd, and finally caught his eye. When he saw me, he stopped mid-sentence and his mouth lifted in a quick half smile. I grinned back at him. Gods, I had missed him. His father must've been annoyed by Draco's inattention because he swung around. When his eyes landed on me, his scowl was so deep and so dark, it almost slowed my approach.

"Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy." I nodded in acknowledgement as I stepped to stand beside Draco. "Draco." I smiled up at him and quickly pressed a kiss to his cheek. Draco's half-smile turned into a smirk and he cocked an eyebrow at my greeting, but said nothing.

"Ginerva," Narcissa nodded in my direction while her husband did his absolute best to ignore me. Lucius then proceeded to prattle on with a tremendous sense of self-importance to his wife and son, but frankly, I couldn't focus on what he was saying. My hand was tantalizing close to Draco's and occasionally his fingers would graze mine, making my stomach clench pleasingly. Finally, Draco made his goodbyes to his family and began to escort me to the train, his hand on the small of my back burning through the gauzy material of my dress.

"Malfoy." Harry had stepped in our path, flanked by Ron and Hermione.

"Potter." Draco drawled. The two teenagers stared each other down, dislike for the other saturating the air around them. Harry's wand hand tremored in anticipation and I decided enough was enough.

Turning towards Draco, I placed my hand on his shoulder, "Draco," I muttered, looking up into his eyes. I knew he would understand my look, understand that I was silently asking him to ignore Harry's challenge. "Please." Draco cocked his eyebrow at me again, before nodding and taking my hand from his shoulder and placing a kiss in the center of my palm. I felt my cheeks flush and bit my lip. I dropped my gaze from Draco, turning back towards the train. Harry was practically steaming in anger. I gave him a pointed look which he returned with his own intensity. We then proceeded to partake in a nonverbal argument, relying on the other to understand the meaning behind each look, each shake of the head. Ron and Hermione watched with confused eyes while Draco scowled. I delivered the final blow of the argument, a soulful look that seemed to make Harry deflate just a smidge. He clenched his jaw several times, but eventually he nodded his agreement. "Excuse us, Harry." I said, the first words spoken aloud in several minutes. Harry growled, but he turned to the side to let Draco and I pass.

Draco picked an empty compartment and helped me load my trunk before putting a locking spell on the door. He crossed his arms and leaned against the doors, studying me with an unreadable look in his eye. I felt myself flush again.

"What was that about?" He asked.

"What was what about?" I asked back, fidgeting with a piece of my hair.

"Well, where do I start?' Draco volleyed back, smirking.

It was the smirk that did it. My eyes flitted down to his lips and suddenly, I knew what I wanted to do, what I had been thinking about all summer. Had it been anyone but Draco, I would've been nervous. But Draco was my friend; I deeply cared for him and he deeply cared for me. And without another second of hesitation, I sauntered up to him. He raised both of his eyebrows as I stood on my tiptoes and wrapped my arms around his neck. His arms uncrossed and wrapped around my waist quite naturally. I looked up at him from beneath my lashes and pressed a gentle, but passionate kiss to his lips. I pulled back after a second to see his reaction and when I looked into his eyes, they had darkened to stormy grey.

He pulled me closer against him and kissed me deeply, one hand raising to thread through my hair. Rolling warmth began to spread throughout my body and I kissed him back with renewed fervor. This time, I deepened our kiss and explored his mouth with my tongue. I leaned into him and his hands began to roam. His hands dragged up and down my back before slowly crawling up my front and cupping my breast. I gasped, breaking our kiss, and he chuckled low in his throat. I had thought his hands were burning through my dress before, but now I felt the heat of his touch in a way I never had before. I felt him everywhere. I felt everywhere he wasn't. I wanted more.

He lightly squeezed my breast and I arched my back, pressing further into him. I pressed a kiss to his jaw, feeling the tiniest bit of stubble, before moving onto his neck. Trusting my instincts, I kissed and licked my way down his neck and toward his ear. I lightly grazed his earlobe with my teeth and he groaned aloud. At that sound, the heat in my core grew several degrees hotter. Seamlessly, he switched our positions and I was pressed against the door, one of his legs between mine, propping me up. He kissed me deeply, both hands roaming my body and I surrendered to the rolling lava inside of me. My leg curved around his hip, pulling him closer to me, and I kissed him with a wild abandon. Suddenly, I had a deep need to feel his skin under my hands. I pulled his shirt out from his belt and started to fumble with the buttons. He left a trail of hot kisses down my neck and ground himself against me. I couldn't help the breathy moan I released.

Abruptly, he pulled away from me, taking several steps back. His sudden distance left me reeling and I made a small mewling sound in protest. I moved towards him, fully intending to continue, but he put up his arms to stop me. "Wait." He was breathing heavily and he ran his hands through his hair. "We need to stop." His eyes burned into mine and I could see his desire, his need for me, "We can't do this here," he moved to the other end of the compartment, putting space between us, "no matter how much I may want to." I nodded in disappointed understanding.

I took a second to right my dress while he tucked in his shirt and made his own adjustments. Then we sat on opposite benches in the compartment. The distance wasn't helping much. Our glances became more heated and I bit my lip to stop myself from leaning forward to kiss him again.

"Maybe we should put on more clothes." Draco suggested after a beat. I agreed and took out the robes in my pocket. Without thinking, I used nonverbal, wandless magic and returned them to their normal size before slipping them on. Another thought and the robes buttoned themselves closed while I detangled my hair. When I looked up, Draco was watching me in awe. This time, I cocked my eyebrow at him in a nonverbal question.

"You're incredible." he breathed. He moved forward and cupped my cheek gently, as if to check that I was real, and I leaned into his hand, quickly pressing a kiss to his palm.

"You're not so bad yourself." I smirked back at him.

"Not a great compliment, but it will do." he joked. I laughed and he grinned, not smirked, but grinned. It is a rare feat to make Draco Malfoy grin, and nine out of ten times I was the cause. I wore that like a badge of honor.

He turned away from me, slipping on his own robes, and continued. "In all seriousness, the things that you can do; I don't even think you realize how incredible it is." He turned back to look at me, the levity gone from his eyes. "You need to be more careful. I can't lose you."

I stepped closer to him, naturally fitting in the circle of his arms. Our previous heat was dispersed by his chilling statement, replaced by something much more significant than lust.

"You won't." I promised.

Hogwarts was the same as before, and yet, it was irreparably different. Cedric's absence was prevalent, especially for Cho Chang and the Hufflepuff table. Their eyes were swollen and their auras were clouded by a deep melancholy. Like last year, hungry eyes stared at me as I crossed the Great Hall and I relied on Draco to shield me from the worst of it. Warrington practically drooled when he saw me and I cringed in disgust. Theo sat at the Slytherin table, Pansy Parkinson practically hanging off of him. I smiled softly when I saw him and gave him a quick hug. Pansy hissed at me and then proceeded to pout aggressively at Theo who looked slightly annoyed, but returned to her side. Pansy loudly chatted throughout dinner about everything and nothing, laughing at her own jokes in a grating high-pitch voice. Every so often, she would turn to Theo and attack him with a sudden kiss or other public display of affection. I rolled my eyes, but said nothing. If this is what Theo wanted, I would bear it for him.

But that wasn't the only change at Hogwarts. The tides had once again turned against Harry. Hogwarts's golden boy was once again a pariah. People whispered behind his back and openly scowled at him in the hallways. The Prophet had spent their summer spreading the Ministry's gospel; that Harry was an attention-mongering liar, and for the second time in two years, the whole school was ready to believe the worst of him. The leader of this gospel was a woman with a toad-like face covered in pink tweed. Delores Umbridge.

She is dangerous. Beware. The wind warned what I had already sensed and her little welcome speech confirmed what I already knew; the Ministry would be interfering at Hogwarts this year. I shot Draco and Theo a look, silently saying that we needed to speak privately later. Pansy loudly whined when Theo nodded in response.

That night, Theo shook Pansy off of his arm long enough to escape to my room to meet Draco and I. My furniture from last year was set in my room, but a piano sat against the wall, near the window. I found a note on the keys, scrawled in nearly indecipherable writing: Talent should not be ignored. No name was signed, but I could think of only a few people who would be able to arrange this and furrowed my brow. I cast a locking and silencing charm on the room, and, to be extra safe, I placed sound cancelling ruins around the windows and door frame. Draco and Theo watched me work with curious looks.

"What's with the piano?" Theo said as he threw himself onto my divan.

"It's a long story." I muttered to myself. I just wished I knew who it was from.

Draco cocked an eyebrow, "Do you play?"

"That's not what I have to talk to you about." I said, attempting to change the subject. "What is the Ministry doing here?" I turned to look at both boys seriously.

Theo responded first, "The Ministry wasn't too happy with Dumbledore's end of year speech last year. Umbridge is here to discredit and control Dumbledore and Potter."

"It would be wise," Draco added, "to at least appear to agree with the Ministry." I shot him a sharp look.

"But, we know that they're wrong. He's back." My sentence hung in the air as both boys avoided my gaze.

"Yes." Draco finally said.

I slumped onto my bed. "What are we going to do?" I placed my head in my hands and rubbed my temples.

"We will get by. We won't draw attention to ourselves and we will follow the status quo." Draco moved to sit beside me. "We will stay safe."

"I won't lie." I said, my tone bitter.

"Then say nothing." Theo responded, walking to stand in front of me.

Draco nodded. "It may hurt your pride, but at least you won't be a target."

"That's not a solution. It's a bandage." I looked up at both boys, eyes full of dread. "What are we going to do?"

An uncomfortable silence filled the room. We all knew what was being left unsaid. Draco and Theo's families were Death Eaters. Mine were not. Where would their allegiance lie? Where would mine? What would that do to our friendship?

"Let's settle for the bandage for now." Theo said, avoiding my gaze and leaving the room.

Draco held my hand in heavy silence before he, too, left the room.

Draco made it a point to walk me to Defense Against the Dark Arts and introduce me to Umbridge himself. I kept my face blank and stayed silent. He used his greasiest tone when speaking to her and took care to specify that I wasn't a regular Weasley. She simpered over him and practically swooned at the injustice I must've faced this summer with my anti-Ministry family. She then assured the both of us how much she, and the Minister, appreciated our support despite the rampant lies Harry Potter spewed. I squeezed Draco's hand tightly in annoyance and he shot me a quick warning glance.

Before leaving, Draco warned me, "She will try to goad you, test you to see if you actually support Potter. Be careful." I nodded in understanding and sat through an incredibly mundane class filled with a propaganda speech, several barbed comments meant to identify students who disagreed with her, and silent rereading of a book I had memorized in first year. I kept my head down and said nothing and by doing so, I had gained her favor. It was a good thing I did, for she soon became the High Inquisitor, a nonsense position created to give her more power.

The bandage solution, as I had been referring to it, hung heavily on my mind. Since my second year, Draco and Theo had my trust and I had theirs, but if any of us chose to pledge loyalty to Tom, a honest conversation between us could mean our deaths. I, better than anyone, knew that Tom did not share and he would demand to come before all others for any who chose to serve him. Unless I was fighting for Tom by their sides, they would be punished for being with me. They were my only two friends, but I could see the same dread in their eyes as was in mine. Doubt clung to our every interaction, threatening potential catastrophe, and we each did our absolute best to ignore it.

My dreams began to turn against me, each dream filled with dancing and Tom's cold laughter as he punished Draco and Theo. Once again, I found myself dreading sleep, dreading the horrors that waited on the insides of my eyelids. The anxiety began building in me, making me feel as trapped as I had been over the summer. So, one day at lunch while Pansy was hanging onto Theo, I turned to Draco and asked him to take me flying. His eyes brightened and he began making plans. He sent for a Nimbus 2001 from his father and we agreed that we would go out to the pitch as soon as it arrived.

A large, broom shape package arrived on Thursday during lunch. Warrington and Flint shot me interested glances, but Draco was so giddy to get to the pitch that he didn't even notice. That afternoon, after classes, I met Draco on the pitch where he stood with two brooms and a large trunk. He had removed his robes, sweater, and tie and was unbuttoning the top few buttons of his crisp white shirt. I followed his guidance, leaving me in my button up and black school skirt, and threw my bunched up clothes onto the trunk before tying my hair up in a high ponytail. He looked me up and down, his heated gaze on my figure, and smirked sexily. I flushed, but rolled my eyes and held out a hand to collect the broom. Draco began to carefully explain the basics of flying to me, but as soon as my hand grasped the broom, his voice faded away. Of course, I had flown before; I was the seventh child in a quidditch loving family. But, this was the nicest broom I had ever held by far. It was incredibly well balanced. The wood was sleek and the tail was neat and orderly. Most importantly, I could feel the little sparks of magic from the broom shooting up my arm, calling to the magic in my muscles, in my blood.

Giving Draco no warning, I quickly mounted the broom and kicked off. I soared up into the sky, higher than most would dare to go. Then I hovered for a second before plummeting straight towards the ground. My stomach lifted in my free fall and the wind howled past my ears. My hair flew behind me like a bloody banner, fire flying across the sky. At the last possible minute, I tucked into a tight corkscrew, leveling out and sweeping the grass with my fingertips. I let out a brazen, husky laugh before shooting back towards the sky.

Draco joined me in the sky and shot me an amused, impressed look before we began an impromptu race around the pitch. Two blurs, silver and red, darting and spinning across the sky. The cold air pressed into my lungs, making me feel alive. I giggled. I hadn't giggled since before Tom, but it felt natural in this moment, soaring through the air with Draco. Draco had stopped, hovering about 15 feet from me, and beamed at me. I held his gaze and smiled freely back at him. Then, he pulled a snitch out of his pocket, and shot me a challenging glance. I nodded back at him and he threw the snitch high into the air. The snitch barrelled into the sky before sprouting wings and taking control of its flight. It glimmered in the sunlight, darting around at such speeds that it was almost impossible to see. But, I could feel it's trek through the air in my bones. I let Draco and I chase around the sky before I fearlessly shot across the pitch, headed where I knew the snitch would be. I rolled so I was flying upside down and tightened my legs around the broom before dropping both hands, palming the snitch easily before twisting my thighs and spinning on the broom so I was right side up again. Draco's mouth was agape, looking at me in awe and I winked cheekily back at him.

Duck. A velvety voice whispered in my ear.

I flattened myself on my broom and a bludger flew right where my head was a mere second ago. My head turned towards the pitch and I saw a small crowd gathering towards the entrance. Flint stood near the stands holding a beater's bat, Warrington watching me in hungry, cruel calculation. I glared at both of them before flying towards the bludger and using the end of my broom to bat it back towards them. I urged the wind to carry the full force of my displeasure and the bludger was delighted to shatter Flint's bat before slamming into Warrington's stomach.

Draco had already descended and was headed towards Warrington's coughing form on the ground. I flew to meet him and I smoothly hopped from my broom into a neat jog. I caught up to him just as he reached Warrington, currently being supported by Flint. Draco had a murderous gleam in his eye as he approached the two Slytherins.

"Flint! Warrington!" He barked, reaching for his wand. I grabbed his arm and shot him a look.

I quickly stood on tip toe and whispered into his ear, "Not here." He shot me an irritated look, but nodded when I gestured to the crowd of students watching us with wide eyes.

"Flint, take Warrington to the hospital wing." He drawled loudly. Then, in a much darker, quieter tone he threatened, "This is far from over." Flint gulped and kept his eyes on my hand, restraining Draco's wrath before hobbling away with a doubled over Warrington.

Draco was clearly furious and was having a hard time not exploding in anger. His eyes tracked Flint and Warrington's departing figures and his hands clenched into fists. Under my hand, I could feel the muscles of his arm tensing, preparing to fight. I pivoted to stand directly in front of him, cutting his view of the two older Slytherins, and pressed my other hand to his cheek.

"Hey." I said quietly, "I'm right here. I'm okay."

"It was a cheap shot." He growled, his jaw ticking.

"Yes." I agreed. "But, I'm fine." He still wouldn't look me in the eye; he was still seeing red.

"They know not to hurt you. Not to touch you. Not to look at you. You are mine." His words stilled me, a ghost of Tom ringing in my ears. But I saw the desperate, panicked look in his eye. I saw what he was trying to say. I sighed.

"Yes, I am yours." I muttered. His eyes snapped to mine, filled with an intense passion. My stomach lifted as it had when I was flying. "I'm going to get our robes, and then we can go." I said. He nodded stiffly and crossed his arms, focusing on controlling his emotions. I turned to jog to the trunk near the entrance to the pitch. It was only then that I noticed the details of the crowd on the pitch, the red and gold on ties and trim. Gryffindors. They were gathered for their team's tryouts. I shot a quick look to a still fuming Draco. This had the potential to be very bad. I set my shoulders, rushing to the trunk and quickly grabbing Draco and my things.

"Ginny!" A concerned shout came from over my shoulder. I twisted and saw Harry, Fred, and George approaching, leaving Ron sitting on a bench looking slightly ill.

"Are you okay? I couldn't believe that they would do that to you!" Harry rushed forward, concern evident in his face.

"I'm fine, thanks." I said, throwing my sweater and robe over my arm and reaching towards Draco's things.

"Excellent catch, Gin." George said.

"Great dodge, too." Fred said. I sent a small smile in their direction.

"Yeah," Harry said, running his hand through his messy hair, "I didn't know you could fly like that."

"Of course she can fly like that." Fred started.

"She's a Weasley." George finished. Both twins smiled smugly. Harry chuckled.

"I didn't know you could fly; I didn't know you could sing or play piano." Harry said, sending me a charming smile. "You're a regular woman of mystery, Ginny."

"That's because you don't know her." A cold voice said behind me. Draco. I spun around to face him. His palpable anger had hardened into a frigid rage, directed at Harry.

"Draco!" I said in a high pitched voice. "I'm just about ready to go." I threw our ties over my arm, hoping we could leave without a fight.

"I know her just fine." Harry replied, his hackles raised.

"Excuse me?" Draco seethed, cracking his knuckles.

"I'd say we're pretty close." Harry answered, stepping forward. Fred and George automatically moved to flank him, swinging their beaters bats.

"Harry." My voice cracked in the silence, meant to reprimand him. But neither boy was willing to break eye contact with the other. The tension rose around us as both Harry and Draco sized each other up.

"Stop it right now!" I huffed, standing in between them. "I refuse to be part of this inane bickering. You're both 15; act like it." I shot sharp looks at both of them. Harry blushed and looked guilty.

"Sorry, Gin." he muttered. Draco's furious eyes stayed on mine and his scowl deepened.

"Ginevra, let's go." He growled out. He took the pile of clothes from my arm and gripped my hand hard. I almost winced at the intensity of it, but I kept my head held high as we walked off of the pitch. He walked with such wide strides that I struggled to keep up, but I said nothing until the pitch was far behind us.

"Draco, slow down." I muttered.

He swung us into an empty classroom and locked the door behind us. Throwing up a silencing charm, he snarled at me, "What was he talking about?"

"What?" I asked, rubbing blood back into my now free hand.

"Potter. What was he talking about?" he seethed. He saw my confusion and clarified, "Did something happen between the two of you?"

"What? No!" I answered. "He spent some of this summer with my family, you know that." Draco clearly wasn't happy with my response and he began pacing in front of me.

"What else?"

"He helped me with some chores, but that was it!" I protested. In his stoney silence, more details poured out of me, "He talked to me a lot, but I barely said anything the entire break. And there was an incident with my Mum and a boggart and he helped me. I was a bit of a mess after, but I didn't ask for that!" I rambled. I took a deep breath, "I didn't do anything and it's not fair that you are mad at me!"

Draco turned to me, looking slightly apologetic for a quick moment. "It makes me crazy. He makes me crazy. He's always staring at you. I know you had that whole thing at the Third Task last year, but still. And the fact that he knew something about you before me? Unacceptable."

"What does he know about me that you don't?" I asked, clearly skeptical.

"This whole thing with the piano." He explained, clearly flustered. "I've never heard you sing, but he has?"

"Draco, the whole house heard me. And I didn't mean for them to. I played once and I haven't since." I sighed, crossing my arms over my chest protectively. "Something happens when I play music, okay?"

"Well," he said, turning on his heel, "I want to hear it." His jealousy was apparent and he pouted like a tantruming toddler.

"Draco, you sound like a child right now." I answered.

Draco stopped his pacing and looked at me with eyes filled with yearning and tinged with self-doubt. "Do you like him?" His voice was tentative and weak and it hurt my heart.

"Draco," I walked up to him, my own yearning coloring my gaze, and placed my hands on his chest. I looked up at him from beneath my lashes. "I think I've made it very clear who I like."

His lips descended on mine fiercely and I was swept into his arms. Without breaking our kiss, his hands dropped to my ass and he lifted me in the air, my legs wrapping around his waist. He walked, carrying me, until I felt my butt bump into an old desk. I dropped onto it and pulled Draco closer to me. Soon, we had much more important things to focus on than Harry Potter.

Draco didn't forget his demand to hear me play, and hours later, we found ourselves in my room, silencing charm on the door. Draco sat on my divan across the room. The piano in the corner had called to me since I arrived and I practically quivered approaching it. I delicately sat at the bench and rested my fingers lightly on the keys. The ivory beckoned to me and as soon as I pressed onto the keys, I felt the sweet relief I had denied myself for months. I played with the intensity I had kept buried. The fear and dread, the doubt, the sorrow that had been threatening to submerge me flowed out of me and created something undeniably beautiful. As before, I did not attempt to control the music, but let it build around me. When my voice joined the melody, I did not question it. The music pulled at my soul and I let myself go, holding nothing back.

By the time I stopped, I felt infinitely better. I had finally released the feelings inside of me and I breathed free air again. Draco had moved across the room while I played and now stood behind me. As I turned, I could see that he had been entrapped by my song and that his eyes overflowed with adoration. I felt a heady rushing feeling and this time, I chose to use it. I could no longer settle for the bandage solution.

"Be honest, Draco." I commanded, my voice still sounding ethereal. I reached for his hand, purposefully dropping back to my regular voice. "What are we going to do?"

Draco was still enthralled, his eyes never leaving mine, but I saw more of his essence return to him. "I don't know, Ginevra." He sighed, moving to sit beside me on the bench. "I don't have a choice in the matter. He has my family." He held onto me desperately, begging me to understand. "When he asks, I will serve him. I have to." He turned to look at me, question clear in his eyes.

My heart broke inside my chest. "I can't, Draco." It was everything I had feared. "Not after what he did to me. I can't."

"What if I can protect you from him?" Draco asked, pain evident in his face. For a brief moment, I saw it. Draco would rise within Tom's ranks, keeping me separate but safe. I would hate it and, at times, I would hate him. I would hate myself, but I had hated myself for years. I could settle for this version of hell as long as I meant I could keep him. But, in a flash, I saw the images of the boggart flash before my eyes; dead Dad, dead Bill and Charlie, dead Fred and George and Ron and Harry. My silent support of Draco as a Death Eater would be silent support for their deaths. I couldn't abide that, even for him.

"I'm so sorry." I answered. This was a nightmare. This was what I had dreaded. This was me losing my best friend. "I can't." Tears streamed down my cheeks and I pulled my hand out of his grasp, turning to look away from him. I felt the distance between us as if it were miles. Already, I ached for him.

Desperation filled Draco and he grabbed at my retreating hand, "Then we'll run." My head snapped towards him. "As long as we don't take a stand against him, he may leave us alone." Draco continued, "I just inherited a manor in the south of France that I can ward against anyone but us."

"Draco," I began, " Your family-"

"Maybe I can convince Mother to come with us." He answered. "This could work." He said, trying to convince himself.

I thought about it. Could I do it? Could I be a coward and hide from the danger? Could I do nothing as those I loved fought and died? Could I stand still and let the world change for better or for worse around me?

"Ginevra, please." Draco begged. He grasped my hand and turned the full weight of his silver eyes onto my gold gaze.

"Okay." I muttered, my eyes dropping in shame of my cowardice, my selfishness. He gathered me in his arms and pressed kisses into my hair. I grasped onto him just as tightly, burrowing my head into his neck.

Liar. The wind whispered. I shivered.

The school year continued. Umbridge consolidated more and more power. Draco and I did not speak of our pact, but our every interaction felt more significant with the weight of our decision. He began sleeping in my room every night, something that the Slytherin Common Room gossiped about endlessly. But the rumors and whispers that surrounded me were off base. I will admit I was tempted several times, but we never did anything more than "heavy petting" as my mother would've called it. More so, after our conversation, Draco and I realized how precious our time together was. We slept easier, deeper when we were together. He protected me from the worst of my nightmares and I protected him from his. Theo did not seem to approve of our new sleeping situation and began to pull further away from us, to Pansy's delight.

Gryffindor won the first quidditch match against us, despite Ron's pathetic performance, and I could see the fury rolling off of the Slytherin team. I rushed down from the student seats to the field, hoping to prevent Draco from doing something stupid. Sure enough, he was taunting Harry, Fred, and George while Umbridge approached behind the Gryffindors. Suddenly, Harry gestured towards me and Draco turned to look at me. Then, a vicious smirk overtook his face and he turned back towards the Gryffindors to say something. I couldn't hear what he said, but I watched Harry and George absolutely lose it. They raged forward and Harry actually punched Draco in the face. I gasped and ran forward.

Umbridge was already there, confiscating their brooms and punishing all three Gryffindors with multiple detentions. Draco held his hand over his eye, but I could tell he was just milking it to make it worse for the three Gryffindors.

"Perhaps a Quidditch ban would help them understand the value of rules, wouldn't you agree Professor?" I heard Draco drawl, a vicious smirk still on his lips. Fred and George practically turned green and Harry looked close to screaming. I knew I had to step in before things got worse.

"Draco, you can't be serious." I said, graciously entering the conversation. "The High Inquisitor and Undersecretary to the Minister of Magic himself has much more important work to do than enforce quidditch bans for three lowly people. She is here to enact significant change and ensure our schoolwork meets the rigorous Ministry standards!" I parroted words from her own speeches back towards the lady and sent her a sweet smile.

"Quite right!" Umbridge said, smiling at me. "Detentions will have to do for now, but I am watching you three." She said before stomping off, the Gryffindor's brooms flying behind her. Draco rolled his eyes at me.

"Thanks Gin." George said, color returning to his cheeks.

"Don't even start with me." I hissed back, voice quiet but harsh. "What is wrong with you all? I've specifically asked you to grow up and you punch my boyfriend?"

"You don't know what he said about you!" Harry started.

"I will deal with him later, Harry. Right now, I'm dealing with you. You're lucky I could talk Umbridge out of that Quidditch ban. I expected better from all three of you." I said. I could see Harry was still furious, but he nodded at me anyways. Fred and George still looked dangerously angry. So, I turned on my heel and grabbed Draco's hand and pulled him off the field.

I was fuming and as soon as we were out of the public's view, I turned on Draco. "What is wrong with you?" I said.

"What?" he said cooly, dropping his wounded act almost immediately.

"What did you say, Draco?" I asked.

His eyes darkened and his hands ran up and down my sides. "You are so damn beautiful when you're angry." Draco said, pulling me flush against his body. His fingers drummed a beat against my ribs and his breath was hot on my neck. But, I refused to let him change the subject.

I stepped out of his reach. "What did you say, Draco?" I asked, my voice deceptively calm.

He sighed and refused to meet my gaze, looking over my shoulder. "I said something about Weasel King growing up in a bin and Potter said that you grew up there too."

"And?" I prompted.

"And," he paused, "I said something to the effect of that must be why you were so quick to jump into bed with me." he rushed out, his cheeks coloring.

My jaw dropped and the blood drained from my face. I took several steps back. "You said that to my brothers?" I asked, my hands tremored.

"Look, it's not that big of a deal." He started, but I cut him off with one raised hand. I shook my head at him and then stormed off.

He was not welcome in my room for a week. Draco apologized profusely, and I made a great show of forgiving him and allowing him back into my bed. In reality, I hadn't had a decent night's sleep without him. I had missed how he held me while I slept.

One night, right before Christmas break, a sharp knock sounded on my door. I shot up in bed, wand at the ready, before I heard the characteristic drawl of the Slytherin Head of House, "Ms. Weasley?"

I shoved Draco out of bed and whispered for him to hide before throwing a robe over my sleep shirt and cracking the door open.

"Professor?" I asked. He pushed through my door and walked into my room.

"There's been an incident. You need to gather your things for the holiday and come with me immediately. I will give you five minutes to collect yourself." he said, resting his eyes on my rumpled sheets.

"Of course, sir." I said, ushering him out of the room. As soon as the door closed, Draco crawled out from under my bed as I threw a pair of shorts on, tucking my long shirt into their waistband.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"I don't know." I answered, already grabbing a few items and throwing them into a bag.

Draco grabbed my wrist to stop me. "When will you be back?"

"I don't know." I answered, looking deeply into his eyes, before continuing to shove things into my bag.

He nodded. "Write to me. And if you can't get back here, you know where to meet me." he nodded, referring to our plan to run to the south of France.

I stopped my frantic packing. "Draco, I-" I started.

"I know." He said, a soft, sad smile on his face.

I stood on my tip toes and pressed a quick, passionate kiss to his lips, hoping my lips would impart the words I wasn't quite ready to say. Then, we heard the door knob turn. Draco turned and threw himself under my bed just in time. Snape was back, looking annoyed and still suspiciously analyzing my sheets.

"I'm ready, Professor." I stated, trying to draw his attention from Draco's hiding space.

Snape shot me a look before turning and gesturing that I follow him. I shrunk my bag, placed it in my pocket, and stepped into my shoes before leaving the room. I followed Snape down the stairs and out of the Common Room. From there, we trekked through the silent hallways until we found ourselves at the base to Dumbledore's Office. My head snapped towards Snape, suddenly understanding the seriousness of this nightly stroll. Snape avoided my gaze and my heart fell to the bottom of my stomach. I ran up the stairs and threw open the door to the Headmaster's Office, eyes wide in panic.

Fred, George, and Ron sat morosely on a couch with Professor McGonnagall while Harry paced manically in front of Dumbledore. As I entered, Harry turned to look at me.

All the blood drained from my face, "Who is it?" I whispered, my heart dangling off of a precipice.

"Ginny, I'm so sorry." Harry started, his voice wobbly.

"Who is it?" I asked again, my voice shaking as I pushed out each word.

Fred stood up and walked towards me as slowly, as if I were a cornered animal. "Dad's been attacked. He's at St Mungos. We're going to Headquarters now." he explained, tears in his eyes. I didn't understand.

"Attacked? By whom?" I asked, my fists clenching. I felt the air gather around my fist, echoing my panic.

"A snake. He was on Order business." Ron said, holding his head in his hands and rubbing his nose with his sleeve. Order business meant Dumbledore business. Dumbledore did nothing to stop Tom from coming back. Dumbledore did nothing to help save Cedric. And now, Dumbledore sent my Dad to be attacked.

I turned sharply towards the man himself. "What did you do?" I seethed.

"Ms. Weasley," Dumbledore began, but he did not get a chance to finish his sentiment. Panic and anger had collided inside of me, clutching at my lungs and pulsating into my heart. My whole body tensed and I felt a different strength emanate from them. I flexed my hand and released the air swarming around me in his direction. The gust knocked him from his feet, before returning to me with a small thought, leaving him gasping for air.

"What did you do to my Dad?" I spit out from between my teeth. I glided forward powerfully on the air current. I could hear McGonagall and Snape protesting behind me, but their pleas fell on deaf ears and their spells ricocheting off of a shield I had subconsciously called. I stood above Dumbledore with a cold fury, a divine fury.

"He didn't do it!" Harry called, running in front of me and grabbing at my hands. "I did it! I don't understand how, but I was a snake and your Dad was there and I attacked him!" Harry cried, falling to his knees in front of me, clutching my hand to his bowed head.

I turned my focus to Harry, returning air to a choking Dumbledore. "Harry, look at me." I ordered. Harry raised his tearstained eyes to mine and I wove my hand into his hair, tilting his head back. I dove into his memory, watching the snake sink his fangs into my Dad three times before slithering away. It was horrific, but more horrific to me was the voice controlling the snake. "Tom." I practically growled.

Harry stared at me in desperation. I released my grip on his hair and rested my hand on his cheek. "Harry, this wasn't you. This was him. This was Tom, you just saw it." I said softly. "George, Fred, Ron, let's go see Dad." I called. I waved my hand and conjured a teacup out of thin air. I waved my wand over it and held it up. "Touch this, all of you. We have five seconds."

I turned towards Dumbledore, currently righting himself in his chair. "This discussion is not over. My family are not your pawns." I said, my anger palpable.

Before Dumbledore could reply, Harry, Ron, Fred, George, and I all disappeared and reappeared in the kitchen of Grimmauld Place. Sirius and Remus were already there, still rubbing sleep from their eyes.

"Kreacher!" I called. He appeared beside me with a loud pop. "Take me to St Mungo's now." I ordered. Harry and Sirius dove for me, but it was too late, Kreacher and I were already spinning out of the kitchen. We appeared in the hallway of St Mungo's. "Kreacher, stay with me." I ordered. He nodded and kept to my side.

I stormed down the hallway, panic battering against my ribcage. I trusted the wind to guide me, and sure enough, I entered a room with several Healers bent over my unconscious father. I couldn't see much of his wounds through their huddled forms, but I could see he was unresponsive and covered in blood.

"Move." I commanded in the honeyed voice I used when singing. It was ethereal, otherworldly. Immediately, the Healers in front of me stepped away from my Dad's prone body. "Silence." I called. I stepped forward and laid my hands on his body. I closed my eyes and listened to his heart, listened to the blood following in his veins. I could hear the poison flowing in his veins, trying to reach a vital organ. I could hear his broken rib, dangerously close to puncturing his lung. I called on the water in my dad's blood, called upon it to help me isolate the poison. Once it was isolated, I used the air around me to evaporate it entirely. Then, I used a gentle air current to push my dad's rib back into place. Satisfied that he would survive, I opened my eyes. I was surprised to see my hands glowing gold above my Dad's wounds, which were actively stitching themselves closed. The silent Healers watched me with wide, amazed eyes. "Forget this. Forget me." I ordered in my siren's voice.

I felt exhausted. "Kreacher," I called. "Take me back." I muttered, suddenly dizzy. St. Mungo's spun away from me and I found myself back in the kitchen at Grimmauld Place. Kreacher released my hand, but things still seemed to be spinning. I stumbled, clutching at Fred and George. "He's okay." I murmured, my lips dry and heavy. "He's going to be okay." I managed to get out before everything went black.

When I came to, I was resting against someone's chest. They held a glass of water to my lips, coaxing me to drink. The water was cool on my parched throat and I drank greedily. Then, warm fingers began to push the hair away from my face. I sighed, that felt nice.

"Ginny?" the deep voice of the man holding me in his arms asked. I recognized that voice.

"Bill?" I shifted in his arms to see his face before throwing my arms around him. "Bill." I muttered into his shoulder.

"Ms. Weasley," a voice called. I turned back, leaning against Bill's chest, and found the Order of the Phoenix staring at me. Dumbledore stood with Snape, McGonagall, Remus, Hagrid, Sirius, Tonks, and Charlie.

"Charlie." I smiled drowsily at my brother.

"'Lo Ginny." He answered, far more subdued than I expected. Snape stood at Charlie's side, holding a familiar piece of wood between his fingers. My wand. And suddenly, the past several hours resurfaced in my brain. I tensed against Bill's chest.

"I'll take my wand back now, thank you." I said, eyes narrowing in suspicion at the adults around me.

Snape scoffed but it was Dumbledore who spoke. "Ms. Weasley, we have a few questions to ask you." he said in a kindly voice.

"I'm sure you do." I replied. "But, I'll take my wand back now." Snape sneered and tightened his grasp around my wand. "Fine." I sneered back in contempt. I opened my hand and my wand flew from Snape and into my palm. I caught it smoothly, quickly spun it, and held it at the ready.

Bill and Charlie gasped. Sirius and Remus looked at me with shocked, wide eyes. Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Snape's eyes gleamed and I realized I had fallen into their trap and shown more than I had meant to. I grumbled, mindful not to show more of my magic than what they had already seen.

"Ms. Weasley," Dumbledore began again. "Clearly you have some advanced magical abilities and we'd like to help you hone these skills, help train you for the coming battles."

"I'm sure you would." I replied, body tensed and ready to attack.

"Ginny," Remus spoke up, "He-"

"He" I interrupted, "Is all too comfortable letting children die as long as it benefits his plan." I spit out. The room grew uncomfortably silent. "Surely, he's told you how he knew Tom would come back? How he knewone of his students would die?"

"Ms. Weasley," Dumbledore began again, "You said yourself that it was foreseen, that it was inevitable."

"And you didn't even try to stop it. You sent Cedric to his death." I accused.

"Be that as it may, you have shown incredible gifts tonight; elemental control, nonverbal and wandless magic." Dumbledore continued.

"Talent should not be ignored." Snape added.

"We would like to help you with this talent." Dumbledore finished.

"Meaning you would like to use them for yourself." I scoffed.

"Ginny!" Bill exclaimed. "The Order would never-"

"Obviously, Bill, the Order would." I lifted myself away from his chest and stood, stretching my muscles nonchalantly. In reality, I scoured the room, identifying the exits, muscles tensing powerfully should I need to fight my way out.

"Perhaps we are too late with our offer." My head snapped in the direction of Snape's greasy voice. "Perhaps, she has already given her allegiance." Snape suggested. Bill and Charlie gasped again. My eyes narrowed into a dark glare. "Perhaps you gave your allegiance to the Dark Lord long before this. You've spent a lot of time with Mr. Malfoy and after the incident in your first year-" suddenly Snape stopped, clutching at his throat and making strange, strangled sounds. I hadn't even realized I had called the air from him. I needed to regain control, and soon.

"Do not speak of what you know nothing about." I hissed. Snape dropped to his knees and turned slightly purple. "Watch your tongue or I shall do it for you." I threatened, holding his panicked gaze before allowing air to return to him. Snape gasped in huge breaths of air as Dumbledore bent to help him.

"Gin," it was Bill who spoke up again, standing up and stepping in front of Snape as if nothing had happened. "Tell me, please, that you haven't sworn yourself to You-Know-Who."

I turned sorrowful eyes towards Bill, "You don't know me at all, do you?" I asked. "If you could think I would side with him after what he did to me…" I trailed off, turning my head in a wounded manner.

"Then, let us help!" Remus interjected. "Ginny, you once trusted me to help teach you. If you open up to us, if you tell us what he did, we can help."

"You think Tom did this to me?" I threw back my head and barked out a dark laugh. The wind whipped around me and joined my haughty laughter. Sirius, Snape, and McGonagall visibly shivered at the sound. "Typical." I slowly looked over the seven witches and wizards, judging each of them and finding them wanting. "You never wanted to know what he did to me before, and I certainly am not going to share those details now."

The room sat in silence.

"Ms. Weasley," McGonagall stepped forward. Professor McGonagall was not the warmest person, but she had always been fair with me, treating me as she treated every other student. She spoke to me as if she were explaining something in the classroom. "The Order needs your help, your family" at this point, she looked pointedly at Bill and Charlie, "need your help, and perhaps we could help you in return."

"The enemy of your enemy is your friend." Snape added. I wondered if he was telling me or reminding himself. He had righted himself and watched me with cautious eyes.

I looked the group up and down slowly, "I will consider your offer." I said, nodding in McGonagall and Snape's direction.

"Gin-" Charlie began.

"The best thing you can do now is to attempt to earn my trust. Explain to me what you are doing to actively stop him." My gaze shifted to Dumbledore, "Explain to me why you had my father posted outside of the Department of Mysteries."

"Your father knew what he was getting into," said Sirius. "This is how it is - you don't understand - there are things worth dying for!"

"I understand all too well, Sirius." My voice was clipped. "There are things worth dying for." I said solemnly. "And then there are things that are not worth dying for. Like guarding a hallway in the Department of Mysteries." I scoffed.

Dumbledore answered, "There's a weapon. He didn't have it last time, but he will be dogged in getting it this time."

"A weapon at the Department of Mysteries?" I questioned.

The wind heard my call. A Prophecy.

"Of course," I said aloud, acting as though I had just pieced it together myself, "a prophecy."

Dumbledore's eyes widened, but his voice stayed steady. "So, you see why we had to have someone guarding it." he explained.

"Why guard it at all?" I asked, arching an eyebrow. "Only those included in a prophecy can touch it. Clearly, the Order has someone involved, otherwise, you would not know of its existence. Go get it, take it to a safe house under Fidelius, and keep it safe from him. Why risk it?" My question was met with silence.

I tilted my head at Dumbledore and the answer appeared in my head. "You want to force him to reveal himself." I said, my tone cold. The resounding silence was all I needed to hear to confirm my logical leap. "So, your game of chicken with a madman is worth the life of my family?" I growled, my muscles clenching powerfully, prepared to attack.

"Ginny," Remus started apprehensively.

"Your plan is sloppy." My cold voice sliced through the air. "Even if you are able to force Tom to retrieve this prophecy himself, the public will not see him at the Department of Mysteries. It is isolated. If this prophecy is truly so important, move it and replace it with a fake in a more public location." I shot a look at the adults in front of me. Snape's brow furrowed as I ripped apart their plan. He was annoyed at my impertinence, proud at his Slytherin's reasoning abilities, fearful of my magic, and becoming entirely captivated by me. I was glad I no longer had to attend classes with him. Dumbledore said nothing, but continued to stare at me with unrestrained interest.

"I will not help you while you still operate on hairbrained, inane plans." More silence. "And I will not allow my family to suffer due to your incompetence." I waited until Dumbledore nodded, acknowledging my implicit command. Then, I gave a sharp nod to the gathered members of the Order, turned on my heel, and blasted the doors open with a mere thought.

Fred, George, Ron, Hermione, and Harry all sat outside the door, extendable ears in hand. Harry's eyes flashed bright green at the sight of me and he flushed again. I nodded at them, before floating upstairs and settling into the Black library. The group of Gryffindors followed me and sat around the room, preparing to bombard me with questions.

I sat in cumbersome silence for approximately one minute. "What?" I asked, opening the floodgates.

"How did you do that last night?"

"What did they talk to you about?"

"How do you know Dad's okay?"

"What's going on?"

"Can you forgive me?"

Questions came from all of them, Harry's giving me the most pause. Sirius, Remus, Bill, and Charlie quietly entered the room behind the other Gryffindors, leaning against the wall. Their eyes tracked me like a hawk.

"I'm not allowed to speak of Order business. I saw Dad in the hospital, and he is doing fine. He will likely be home soon. And Harry, what on earth do I need to forgive you for?"

Harry's eyes darted around the room. "I mean, you saw what I did."

I sighed, "Harry, you didn't do anything."

"Yeah, mate." Ron said, "You did a good thing. Cut yourself a break."

Harry scoffed. "You have no idea what it's like to have him inside your mind!" he cried, burying his face into his hands.

I couldn't help myself. I tilted back my head and laughed darkly. "Don't I?" I asked. The blood drained from Harry's face as he turned to look at me.

"I forgot." He said, clearly ashamed.

"I wish I could forget." I replied glumly.

"Did he-" he gulped, "did he take me over?"

"Did he possess you?" I clarified. "Have you lost any time? Are you hearing any voices?" I asked seriously. Harry shook his head no.

"I don't know what this is, but it's not possession. You still control yourself. But, I would talk to Dumbledore about Occlumency lessons. You need to strengthen your mind." I answered.

"You don't understand." Harry said, he hopped off of the sofa and began pacing in front of me. "Maybe he is waiting, maybe he is going to take control of me when I don't expect it." He was manic in his state of panic. I rose from my seat, hands held open in the air, attempting to calm him.

"Harry," I said confidently, "Trust me, if he could possess you, he would have by now. And if he was waiting, you would know."

Harry stopped pacing, "How?"

"Because I know him; I know how he thinks." I said, dodging the question.

He grabbed my forearms. "How?" His eyes pleaded with me. Emerald met gold and I felt compelled to tell the truth, despite those around us.

My focus narrowed onto Harry. "Because, if he could, he would punish you."

"Maybe this is his punishment." Harry suggested.

I shook my head sadly. "His punishments leave scars." I said softly. I felt more than saw the collective wince from the room. Ron physically turned away from me.

"How?" Harry asked again, his eyes sad and wide.

I said nothing, merely broke eye contact and looked out the window.

"Oh, Ginny." Harry muttered. Panic was still written all over his face, but he couldn't seem to take his eyes off of me. He looked more enamored by the second and pulled me closer to him, desperately clutching onto my forearms. He buried his face in the loose waves around my shoulders, his breath hot against my throat. He breathed in the smell of my hair and I saw the muscles in his back and shoulders tense and then relax. I flinched in his embrace and my eyes widened in discomfort.

Hermione noticed the look in my eye and approached him gently, laying her hand comfortingly on his shoulder. "Harry, maybe you should sit down." Harry did not budge.

"Alright, Harry." Sirius approached seriously. "It's time you let go of her." There was an inherent threat in his voice and it shocked several of us in the room, Sirius included. He stopped in his approach, once again, deeply conflicted around his intentions towards me.

When I finally spoke, it wasn't in my regular voice. "Harry," I spoke in my honeyed voice. "Let go." I could see the fine golden filaments weave around Harry, weave around the room. Harry lifted his head from my shoulder, his eyes locking onto me, mesmerized. His hands opened, releasing me. I turned away from him and strode to the other side of the room, rubbing my arms and actively avoiding the confused and captivated stares still following me.

I made an effort to return to my normal voice, dispelling the magic around me. "Thank you." I felt drained again, using the siren's power without an instrument took a significant amount of energy from me.

Reason returned to Harry's eyes. He stared at his hands as if he didn't recognize them. "Sorry." he muttered. He looked around dazed. "Ginny," he looked up at me, "I'm sorry." I avoided his gaze and nodded, before leaving the room.

I fled the room, bounded up another flight of stairs, and locked myself in the attic with Buckbeak. I threw myself in a moldy armchair near the window. What the hell was that? My stomach flipped and I felt nauseous. What was the cold fury that had filled me? The anger that had made me comfortable suffocating those who crossed me? That was not like me.

It is your divine right. You can choose to bestow gifts, like you did to your father, or to act on your righteous fury. Images flashed through my mind of golden healing and gifts; dappled sunlit abundance. Next, I saw righteous battlefields, warriors channelling the Lady's fury, dripping in gore. Either way, the grace within you will tempt you to extremes. Be wary that you do not give in and lose yourself.

I was not comfortable with the thought of me experiencing blood lust of any kind. Shifting gears, I thought back to Harry's sudden adoration. What was wrong with him?

He feels it now; your inevitability. Your fates are bound together, you felt it when you met. Now, he sees you and he feels your connection. He is drawn to you powerfully but he does not understand his feelings. The wind whispered into my ear.

I stiffened. I didn't want that anymore. I hadn't wanted it for several years now. But I couldn't help but feel a cold shiver cross my body as I remembered feeling the power of inevitably when I met Harry. I felt it when I met Draco too.

Oh Gods, Draco.

Your fates are bound together as well. But, he has always felt it. You call to his mother's bloodline, and therefore you call to him.

I turned cold. What do you mean I call to his bloodline?

He cannot help his devotion to you. His ancestors swore their fealty and their blood to us for our favor. Everything has a cost. Wind whipped around my ears, images of generations of the Black family worshipping filling my eyes. With a small push, they will serve you again.

This information reverberated inside of me. I thought of Draco and my relationship, of our heated kisses and gentle caresses, of him holding me in the night, of him comforting me, of him agreeing to leave his family and run with me. Suddenly I felt sick to my stomach. Did he want any of it? Choose any of it? Was it his true desire or his inherited duty?

"Is any of it real?" I asked aloud, my voice thick with emotion. But the wind stayed silent.

"Did he choose this? Did I make him?" I asked again, panic shortening my breath. No answer.

I collapsed against the armchair, sobbing helplessly.

What I had learned from the wind stung me, causing me to rethink Draco and my entire relationship. He was my friend. He was my confidant. He was close to being my lover. Had I robbed him of his choices? Robbed him of his freedom? I was nothing more than a monster.

My nightmares returned with a vengeance; Tom taunting me turned into me morphing into Tom, controlling Draco on marionette strings. Hermione was often awoken by a sudden shriek accompanied by me flying out of bed and hyperventilating. At first, she was very considerate, comforting me to the best of her ability. But after several days of interrupted sleep, she merely shot me a questioning glance before rolling back over.

A silent pact to not mention my behavior or abilities to my parents had been enacted in Grimmauld Place. Once again, I tried to keep to myself. I cooked and cleaned and restocked potions. All the while, the Lady's words about Draco silently haunted me and Order members not-so-silently hounded me. No one in the Order approached me, but they all whispered, they all watched. When Mum announced Dad would be returning home, she gave a massive list of chores to prepare for his arrival. I accepted the tasks without a word and Bill winced, but said nothing aloud. When Dad arrived, it was clear he did not remember my visit to St Mungo's, but something in him recognized me as something more than his daughter, and he too watched me with dazed, captivated, cautious eyes.

Everything has a cost. The wind whispered in my ear. But, I couldn't deal with any more revelations from the Lady. For the first time, that velvety voice wasn't welcome. I struggled to ignore that voice and tried to become deaf to it. I doted on my Dad all Christmas. I alone knew how close he was to death less than a week ago. So, I did what I could to make sure he was comfortable and hugged him a little tighter whenever I could.

Harry cornered me the day before we returned to Hogwarts and he apologized again.

"Don't worry about it, Harry." I said, avoiding eye contact.

"It made you uncomfortable and was incredibly inappropriate." He said. "I know you're dating Malfoy and I'm sort of, kind of dating Cho Chang now." My face flushed at Draco's name and once Harry noticed it, his blush rose to meet mine. "I mean, we kissed." Harry continued.

"It's really okay, Harry." I said, rising to leave the room.

Harry grabbed my wrist. "I have a favor to ask." I stilled. He flushed again and quickly dropped my hand.

"You know how we aren't learning anything in DADA because of Umbridge?" Harry grumbled. I nodded. "Well, Hermione and Ron and I started something of a secret club called the DA."

"Defense Arts?" I asked.

"Dumbledore's Army." he answered, grinning.

I laughed aloud. "No wonder she banned clubs from existing."

Harry beamed at me. "Anyway, we meet to teach interested students how to defend themselves from what we know is coming. Just a couple of basic spells with some students in almost every House." Suddenly, he got very serious. "You said that you knew how Voldemort thinks. Do you still?"

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Did you-" he stuttered, "Did you ever fight him?"

I thought back to my first year, to channeling the lady in my mind, to gathering enough strength to slit my wrists, to being swung around like a rag doll. The blood fled from my face, leaving me looking like porcelain.

"Not physically." I said, my lips feeling thick.

"Of course, he didn't really have a body for you to fight." Harry said, rationalizing my answer. "Do you know how he fights? How he may instruct his Death Eaters to fight?" Harry asked.

Images of me brutalizing Warrington flew into my mind, him encouraging my ruthlessness, him pouring more and more darkness into my soul until it was stained.

"Yes." I said, cold seeping into my bones.

"Could you teach us?" Harry asked tentatively.

"Yes." Harry shivered next to me.

When I stepped out of the Headmaster's fireplace at Hogwarts, my thoughts were far from my promise to Harry. I retreated from the office to the dungeons, feeling Snape and Dumbledore's eyes on my back the entire way. As soon as I entered the Slytherin Common Room, I ignored everyone around me and headed straight for my room. Draco's eyes widened in relief, and then surprise, and then annoyance at me ignoring him before he followed me up the stairs. He closed the door behind him and threw up our standard locking and silencing charms.

"I was worried." He turned and walked towards me, his arms opening to me.

I backed away from him and he stilled immediately, a scowl on his face.

"I have to tell you something." I said.

"What did Potter do?" He growled out.

"Nothing." I said, "It's something I learned." He nodded once and set himself on my divan, giving me his full attention.

"What is it?" he prompted.

"Well, it turns out," I fumbled, "your ancestors owed my ancestors a debt." That wasn't the exact truth, but it was close enough.

"I am certain the Malfoys never owed the Weasleys anything." He scoffed.

"It's not the Weasleys per se," I interrupted. "It has to do with me being the first female Weasley in ages." I began to fidget with my hands. "Anyways, your ancestors owed my ancestors a debt and I think it's influenced you." I looked up at him, brimming with anxiety.

"Influenced me?" Draco prompted.

"Do you remember when we met at Flourish and Blotts?" I asked. Draco nodded. "Do you remember feeling something?"

"Are you asking if I liked you at first glance?" Draco asked, clearly amused.

"I'm serious, Draco. Do you remember feeling something?"

Draco furrowed his brow, clearly thinking. "I remember seeing you and I felt like something snapped into place. Does that make sense?" My heart sank.

"I felt the same thing." I said.

Draco smirked at me, "So you liked me at first glance."

"Draco," The smirk fell off of his face when he saw the dread in my eyes. "I think that was a sign of the debt being collected."

"What?" He asked, clearly confused.

"Your ancestors owed mine a magical debt and you inherited it. And I think when we met, you were prompted to act on that debt." I could feel slivers picking at the cracks in my heart, waiting to pry it open.

"So? Who cares?" He asked.

"It means that this isn't real!" A deluge of emotions bubbled over and poured from me, tears clouding my eyes. "It means that none of this was your choice. That I've forced this on you." Tears streaked my cheeks, "I'm so sorry."

"What are you talking about?" Draco asked seriously, standing and walking towards me. I backed further away from him. His eyebrows shot up.

"None of this was really your choice. You don't actually feel what you think you feel for me." I said, heartbroken.

"Hey - look at me." he intoned softly, I lifted my head to look in his eyes. "I know what I feel for you. I know what we have is real. It's the realest thing in my life." He stepped towards me slowly. "No one controlled me into choosing you, into lo-... Into caring for you." He pressed his hand against my cheek and I leaned into it. We fit like puzzle pieces.

"You can't know that." I whispered, my voice breaking. "And I can't do this to you."

"What are you saying?" He asked, confused.

"I can't be with you." I muttered. "I care for you too much to take away your choice, your freedom."

He stepped away from me, eyes going cold. "You're not making any sense." he hissed. "I'm telling you now that I am choosing to be with you."

"That's the debt!" I cried. "It's not what you actually feel!"

"It is what I feel!" Draco screamed back. Tears poured down my cheeks like a faucet.

"I'm so sorry, Draco." I said, stepping further away from him.

"You can't be serious." Draco stiffened, his expression turning guarded. "You're ending this over some nonsensical ancient debt you think has something to do with me?" he scoffed. "Well, I always knew you weren't the sharpest quill in the pack." he sneered.

"I'm so sorry, Draco." I repeated.

"No one else will want you now that I'm done with you. Everyone knows that you're used goods." he hissed, trying to hurt me.

I smiled a teary smile and nodded, not trying to argue with him.

"Ginevra, I won't wait around for you to realize the mistake you've made. If I leave this room, it's over between us. I mean it." He threatened.

I nodded again.

Panic filled him and he grabbed me. "Don't do this." he commanded. I said nothing, just continued to cry and looked deeply into his silver eyes, trying to hold onto this moment, onto him for as long as I could.

"This is insane!" Draco yelled, storming over to my desk, throwing my chair, and kicking it to pieces. I continued my silence. Draco slammed the door as he left.

I felt the pang of his absence immediately and I collapsed to the floor and sobbed.

News got around the school quickly that Draco and I had split. It was confirmed for the entire school when, for the first time since my second year, I didn't sit at his side in the Great Hall. Pansy and Theo broke up quickly after and Pansy began throwing herself at Draco. They became the newest item and he glared at me before every interaction with her. Every touch, every kiss was a shot into my heart, but I sat with a blank, sad expression, as passive as stone. My nightmares only grew worse as sleep continued to elude me without Draco to comfort me, to guard me. I began to sip on Circe's potion again, freezing my capacity to feel to prevent my heart from exploding, and more importantly, to keep me from murdering Pansy at the breakfast table.

Occasionally, I would hear the beginnings of the wind whispering in my ear, but I did my best to shut it out. Her last truth had ruined my life, and I lived in fear of whatever revelation she would bring me next.

"You realize it isn't even a comparison?" Theo muttered in my ear, sliding into position next to me. He was referring to Pansy, who was currently hanging off of Draco's arm and preening like a peacock. I hadn't realized I had been staring.

I shot Theo a sad smile. He must be hurting just as much as I was. "How are you doing?" I asked quietly, my voice barely above a whisper.

"There is one thing that would make me feel better..." Theo smiled, nudging my shoulder with his, "A real smile from you." I chuckled and did my best to give Theo a real, true smile. Theo and I had always gotten along. We were two people who preferred the shadow over the spotlight. Two people who didn't mind silence, who understood the power in being quiet. I was grateful to have him back as a friend, especially as he was the only one I had left.

Draco could no longer hold off the deluge of Hogwarts men, and a few women, who propositioned me with dates. Even though we were over, he must've sent the word to Slytherins that I was still off limits, because only a few of the seventh year Slytherins approached me, ignoring Theo beside me, lust clearly shining in their eyes. I politely declined all of the offers. Rumor was that I was still hung up on Draco, but once I had been given time to get over him, I would surely be open to dating around. Let them think what they want, I thought to myself.

Theo wasn't the only one I spent time around. Upon hearing Draco and I were no longer together, Harry began to once again take an active interest in my life, much to Cho Chang and Draco's distaste. Similar to this summer, he insisted on walking with me to classes after lunch, even if it was in silence. I think Theo hated it more than anyone else as he insisted on walking with me as well. I became used to feeling Cho's glare on me throughout every meal.

Shortly upon my return to the castle, Umbridge asked me to stay after class. I waited in her office, filled with chintzy cat plates, as still and frozen as a block of ice. She expressed concern for me. She had heard rumors about my split from Draco and about Harry had been making a play to be my boyfriend. She had been so proud to tell the Minister that not all of the Weasleys were fooled by Harry's lies, and warned me against spending time with the young Gryffindor. I think she expected me to interject into her speech at some point, but I stayed silent. Unsure how to move forward, she asked me to join her Inquisitorial Squad, explaining that this move would show the rest of the school that I still sided with the Ministry. I understood that her request was actually a command, so I thanked her and added the badge onto my robes before leaving her office. She tutted after me and I added my Inquisitorial Squad rounds onto my list of to dos.

News of the Azkaban Breakout hit Hogwarts hard. Several Slytherins were related to the criminals snarling in the pictures on the Daily Prophet and several students from other Houses were related to their victims. I kept one eye on Draco's back, knowing that Bellatrix Lestrange was his Aunt and he may be a target for angry students. No one approached him, but they all whispered behind his back. Students skirted around each other, analyzing how this breakout fit into the Ministry's propaganda. Umbridge banned the article and banned discussion of the topic, but it's damage was done. A large portion of the student body began to open up to the possibility that Harry had told the truth.

Besides classes, meals, and the Inquisitorial Squad rounds with Graham Montague, a sixth year Slytherin who practically drooled when he looked at me, I kept to myself. Occasionally, I spoke with Theo or Harry, but I once again, fell silent for what felt like weeks at a time. The wind whipped around me and students whispered wherever I went, but I ignored them both.

The day had arrived for my session with the DA and I stood huddled next to Harry under his invisibility cloak. We waited for Millicent Bulstrode and Vincent Crabbe to walk past us on their rounds, their Inquisitorial Squad badges shining prominently on their robes, before silently walking up to a wall on the seventh floor. We walked back and forth in front of the wall three times and a door appeared. Once we were inside, Harry took the cloak off of us and turned to the group with a large smile on his face. However, it wasn't welcoming smiles that greeted us in return.

"Seriously?" asked a Ravenclaw that I later learned was called Michael Corner, "A Slytherin? A member of that damn Squad?" he sneered. I looked him up and down once and he blushed bright red and stopped speaking.

Ron and Hermione immediately went to stand behind Harry, lending him their silent support.

"I'm vouching for her." Harry spoke up. "She is here to help us, regardless of what would happen to her if anyone in her House found out." he paused. "She's not like the rest of them." he shot me an apologetic look. I did not flinch. I stood impassive, cold, and strong and slowly scanned the crowd in front of me.

Fred stepped forward, "If you have a problem with her,"

George met him in front of the crowd, "You have a problem with us."

A blonde Ravenclaw from my year stepped forward, "Welcome, Ginerva." She said, her voice tinkled like keys on a piano. Luna Lovegood. I smiled in her direction. I had always liked Luna.

"Thank you, Luna." I said.

"How is she going to help us?" Cho bit out, glaring at me intensely.

"Some of you may remember that Ginny faced Voldemort in her first year," Harry began. The whole room shivered except for Harry and I. "She is here to help us understand how we can best prepare to fight him."

"What exactly happened three years ago?" Cho called, challengingly.

"She isn't here to talk about it." Harry said, shooting Cho an emphatic look. He shot me an apologetic shrug and then pointed towards the front of the room, where a dueling area was set up.

I stepped forward, taking off my robes and quickly braiding back my hair. I could feel hungry eyes roaming my figure, but chose to ignore it and focus on why I was here. I turned towards the crowd of Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, and Ravenclaws.

"It is crucial that you understand your enemy and your boundaries before going into battle. As Sun Tzu said in the Art of War, 'If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.'" I called out. "Death Eaters capture, torture, or kill, depending on the order issued from command. They do not show mercy, even if you beg." The room shivered again, Ron looked at the ground. "You must know your intention as well. Are you intending to capture? Maim? Or just to escape with your life? Know your goal before the battle and let it guide you. Do not be distracted from it or you will lose." My tone was sharp and brutally honest.

Neville Longbottom spoke up, "We are only students. We're just trying to learn how to defend ourselves." I remembered him asking me to the Yule Ball last year, he had grown his confidence significantly over the last year and no longer struggled to meet my eye.

I nodded at him. "You are assuming that you will always be on the defensive, but you must prepare yourself for the offensive. Know your strengths and determine your boundaries. Do this while you still have time, before entering the battlefield. You must be focused entirely on the battle at hand, there is not time for any internal strife." A few Ravenclaws nodded, understanding the finer points of this strategy, but most of the students looked confused.

"Harry," I turned to face him, "assuming you are ready, let's duel."

"Yes," Harry called out to the group, "Ginny is going to use nonfatal tactics Death Eaters use to try to capture me." Then, he turned to face me on the dueling platform.

He bowed in my direction, his eyes never leaving me. I nodded back in his general direction before raising my wand and rapping my head twice, disappearing entirely. Harry shot a disarming spell where I had previously stood, but I had already tucked into a roll and it hit nothing. Harry listened furiously, turning in every direction, firing madly, but I continued to silently dodge the stream of spells. I glided around him, til I stood at his side. Then, I shot a nonverbal spell Tom had taught me, binding him in ropes until he fell on his face. I reappeared silently above Harry, my wand leveled on him. "Yield." I commanded and he muttered his surrender. I cancelled the spell and stepped back, offering Harry my hand to help get him back on his feet. I enjoyed dueling, but it was difficult to control myself, to refrain from the more complex, more dangerous magic itching to be released. I did not want to actually hurt Harry.

"Great!" Harry called out, turning towards the group, "What did you learn?"

"She didn't play fair!" Dean Thomas called out. "She disappeared in a duel! You can't do that!"

"Who says you can't?" I asked. "Do not expect your enemy to play by the same rules you do."

"Who even taught you that spell?" asked Ernie MacMillan, his tone suspicious. I did not answer, but instead leveled him with an intense stare. He fidgeted and backed away, looking away from me.

"Try again but have Harry be invisible this time!" called another blonde Ravenclaw, Cho's friend named Marietta.

I turned to Harry, a question in my eyes, and he nodded. "Fine." I replied.

Before getting into position, I closed my eyes and quickly stretched my body, arching my back and reaching for the ceiling before bending and flattening my palms on the floor. I felt the grace in my muscles, the magic in every atom of my body. As I rose, I subconsciously held my hands in the position of worship I had learned from the Lady. Then, I got into position, nodding at Harry. Harry bowed back and rapped himself on the head, turning invisible. I tuned into my senses, listening for the sound of his heartbeat or shuffling shoes. I zeroed in on his location, as easily as if he was visible, and grinned tauntingly. Harry attacked when I knew he would. As the spell approached me, I kicked into the air, spinning into a flip. The spell flew into the air beneath me and I fired my own spell back at Harry who, to his credit, blocked my spell with a shield. I landed in a crouched position and immediately tucked in a roll. Harry, already out of breath, was now louder than ever, and his disillusion spell was waning his reserves. I began to nonverbally shoot stunners faster than one could imagine, constantly moving so as to not make myself a target. Harry moved onto the defensive and was holding up a battered shield. His shield made him visible to everyone and so, I shot a spell at his feet "Terremotus" I called, causing the dueling stage to split, half of the ground at Harry's feet lifting into the air while the other half dropped suddenly. Harry threw himself to one side of the moving platform and while he was gripping onto the moving earth, I once again used the spell Tom had taught me, binding Harry in ropes. I took a running leap and somersaulted myself onto the elevated platform, landing neatly and holding my wand on a struggling Harry. Again, I commanded, "Yield." and again, he muttered his surrender. I releveled the platform before ending the spell on Harry.

Harry popped up, beaming at me. "That was bloody brilliant, Ginny." he turned to the crowd, "What did you learn?"

"I learned not to mess with my sister." Fred said cheekily. The group chuckled.

"She listened and waited." Luna spoke up. "She didn't cast a spell until she knew where you were." I smiled at Luna.

"You were always moving." Hermione addressed me, analytically. "My instinct is to find a corner where I have good visibility and attack from there, but by doing that, I am making myself an easier target." I nodded at Hermione.

"Where did you learn these spells?" Susan Bones echoed her housemate's earlier question, but her tone was less accusing and more awed.

"Would you like me to teach you?" I asked. The group nodded and I began to explain the complicated magic around the disillusion spell and the rope binding spell. Harry circulated, helping to correct wand positioning and encouraging the group.

After about 30 minutes, Zacharias Smith, a snobby Hufflepuff from my year, stepped forward. "I want to duel you. But I don't want you to hold back, Slytherin." he said, his chest puffed up. The entire DA rolled their eyes at him. I guess this was typical of him.

"You don't want to do that." Harry and I warned at the same time.

"I'm not afraid of Draco Malfoy's leftovers." he hissed, looking at me with a combination of lust and hate. My hackles raised and my brothers and Harry shouted in my defense.

"Harry," I hissed, "control your people."

Harry tried to intervene, but Zacharias was already climbing onto the platform. He bowed quickly and before waiting for me to bow back, he shot the Terremotus spell at my feet. The ground barely shook. To accommodate, he cast a complicated spell to transfigure his tie into a knife which he then threw at me. It missed my head by about a foot and lodged into the wall behind me. My muscles clenched powerfully and I felt righteous anger fill me.

"Zacharias!" Harry yelled, but it was too late. Hermione and Ron grabbed his arms and held him back as I bowed back, beginning the duel.

"This is your mistake." I growled at him. For every move that Zacharias tried, I parried effortlessly. I blocked his every move, choosing to let him exhaust his reserves. Then, with no warning, I switched from defensive to offensive. I attacked the foolish Hufflepuff with renewed vigor. It felt good to give into the call of the battle, the anger within me. I whirled around like a tornado of destruction, destroying everything in my path. Stinging hexes plagued him. Bat bogey's attacked his eyes viciously. A casual spell had him lifted into the air, strung up by both arms, his wand laying uselessly on the ground near him. I felt the power of the battle, beckoning me to spill blood, but I refrained. I pulled back. "Yield." I called darkly.

"I yield!" cried Zacharias from his perch. I was still furious and struggled not to use the power sparking at my fingertips. I turned away from Zacharias, stretching into another pose of worship, attempting to call down. I did not end my many spells on him, instead letting his classmates lower him to the ground. Harry freed himself from Hermione and Ron's grip and began sprinting towards the stage. I was still so angry and I could feel the power coursing through me, begging to be released. I shook my hands, and quickly blasted away a portion of the wall, trying to release the energy. The entire group jumped.

"He needs medical attention!" cried Marietta Edgecombe. I rolled my eyes before walking up to the group. The students scattered from me.

I surveyed the bruised and crying boy lying at my feet indifferently. "What did I say at the beginning of my lesson?" I asked, loud enough for the room to hear me. Harry was already climbing the platform. "You need to understand your enemy before doing battle with them. And you thought it was a good idea to make me your enemy?" I sneered at him. "You attacked me before I agreed to a duel. You are lucky to be alive." Harry jogged up behind me, breathing heavily.

"Ginny!" Harry said, resting his hand on my shoulder. "He made a mistake."

"Yes," I said. "He did." My eyes did not leave the Hufflepuff. I had not determined what to do with him yet.

"He didn't mean anything by it." Harry continued.

"He threw a knife at me." I said, the calm before a storm.

Harry hooked two fingers under my chin and turned my head gently so he could look into my eyes. "I promise you that I will deal with him." He said seriously. His eyes sparkled and I felt some of my rage disperse. "Please, help heal him." He shot me one of his patented Harry smiles and I rolled my eyes and sighed.

I waved my wand over Zacharias in a complicated pattern and he began to heal at a rapid pace.

"Thank you." Harry said seriously, reaching down to squeeze my hand.

"He will be very tired for a couple of days, but there will be no other damage." I said in a bored voice to Harry. Harry nodded and helped Zacharias up, taking him off of the platform and sitting him in a corner of the room, angrily whispering at him.

The rest of the DA group watched me with wide eyes, some filled with awe, most filled with fear. Cho glared at me with rampant jealousy. I stood on the stage with my head held high, shouldering their hefty gazes as if they were nothing. I would not be judged by anyone here.

Then, Luna started applauding. "Bravo, Ginevra."

This opened the floodgates and suddenly I was inundated with requests.

"Could you show me that healing spell?"

"What spell did you use to hang him in the air?"

"How did your shield stay so strong during his attack?"

"How did you do that thing with the bats?"

"Would you like to get a butterbeer sometime?"

The rest of the session was filled with me teaching the group the healing spell I used and answering small questions, mostly around spells I would use in different situations and books I would suggest. I chose to ignore half of the questions asked of me. I also chose to ignore the group of students who seemed too frightened of me to speak for the rest of the hour.

The DA dispersed, slowly, waiting to depart until they were sure the Inquisitorial Squad was elsewhere. I pulled Hermione to the side, quickly explaining the standard rotation and round requirements for Umbridge's Stupid Squad, knowing she would be able to determine a thoughtful way to avoid skirmishes with them. Her eyes lit up with this insight and she began to quickly scribble on some parchment. Luna approached me.

"Thank you for doing this for us, Ginny." Luna said. "I feel much better about my chances in battle."

"Thank you, Luna." I replied. "I would never bet against you in any duel. I learned that after you bested Theo in DADA last year." I half smiled at the memory and a delightful tinkling laugh fell from Luna's lips. She sent me a shy smile.

"I heard about you and Draco. I'm sorry." She said seriously, "I thought you were good for him." Her hand rose to rest comfortingly on my forearm.

I dipped my head, hiding how hard her words hit me. "Thank you. It's been hard." I said very softly. We stood in comfortable silence for a beat before she started again.

"Has Harry told you about the article?" she asked.

"What article?"

"Harry's done an article with Rita Skeeter that my Dad's going to print in the Quibbler about everything that happened last year with You-Know-Who. It's going to be published tomorrow." she explained.

"He didn't mention it." I said, turning to look at the raven haired boy currently whisper-fighting with Cho Chang.

"Fine then, Harry. What would I know? I'm only your girlfriend!" Cho practically screamed. "Don't follow me!" she yelled as she stormed out of the doorway, quickly followed by her friend Marietta. Hermione and Ron rushed over to Harry, checking to see if he was okay before he shoo-ed them away and they both left the room.

Harry, Luna, Neville, and I were the only ones left. We gathered at the center of the room.

"Okay, Harry?" Neville asked. Harry looked a bit frazzled, but nodded that he was fine. Neville turned to look at me. "Ginny, thank you for coming today." he said, blushing furiously, "I would want you by my side in a fight."

I smiled softly, "You would only have to ask, Neville, and I would be there." Neville smiled and looked at his feet. Harry beamed at me.

"Alright, Neville. It's about time for us to go." Luna called, linking her arm through his, and walking purposefully towards the exit. She smiled at me kindly over her shoulder before slipping out of the room.

I turned and walked towards the stacked dueling pads in the corner. "Luna told me about your article." I said in Harry's direction.

"Oh?" he answered, coming to help me carry the pads to the nearby trunk.

"Umbridge is going to be furious." I said, an evil smile on my lips. Harry threw his head back and laughed.

"How goes your Occlumency lessons?" I asked.

"Not great." He said, "Snape isn't a great teacher." We threw the pads into the trunk and closed the lid.

"Why is Snape teaching you? Why not Dumbledore?"

Harry shrugged. "I don't know. But, I'm doing the best I can."

"Are you still concerned about possession?" I asked, sitting on the dueling platform. Harry came to sit next to me.

"A bit. I keep having these dreams of me in front of the Department of Mysteries. Snape said I should block it out, but I really want to know what's inside that door."

"Just ask Dumbledore, he knows what's in there." I said, Harry's eyes widened and he shot me a confused look. "Harry, it is important you try and listen to Snape. You don't want to give Tom any leeway into your mind."

Suddenly, Harry slipped my hand in his, weaving his fingers between mine.

"Ginny," his tone was serious again, "How did he punish you? I need to know." He looked at me with wide, pleading eyes.

"Harry," I sighed. "I told you that you would know if he was punishing you." Harry's eyes didn't leave mine, and once again, I felt his emerald eyes beckoning, pulling me in, compelling me to tell the truth.

"It depended on what I did." I said quietly, my voice barely audible. "If I was lucky, he would break my bones. Cruciatus when he was mad. And when he was very mad, he would take memories from me; obliterate them completely." My eyes clouded, thinking back to the blistering pain, "He laughed once. Laughed at how easy it was to break me."

Harry squeezed my hand and broke me from my reverie. I cleared my throat and looked away from Harry, my eyes resting on the trunk in the corner. "If he was able to possess you, he wouldn't be able to resist hurting you, Harry."

Harry's fingers hooked under my chin again, turning my head to meet his gaze. "You are so much more than he could have ever known." He whispered, looking deeply into my eyes. "You are fierce and kind." His fingers flicked up to stroke my cheek. "You're brilliant and funny." He leaned forward so he was mere centimeters from me. "You are unyielding." His eyes rested on my full lips. "You are so beautiful." he murmured. Then, he gently pressed his lips to mine.

I was shocked and wasn't sure how to respond. Harry moved against my lips, his fingers looping through the strands of my hair. Something within me begged me to give in to him, to this moment, so I did. I closed my eyes, kissing him back. My hand tentatively rose to comb back his thick, always messy hair. He sighed before deepening the kiss. It felt different than kissing Draco. Draco tasted of mint. Harry tasted sweet, like butterbeer. With Draco, I felt fire, I felt alight with passion. Kissing Harry was like standing in a summer rain storm, warm and gentle and soothing. Harry pulled me closer to him and his throaty moan echoed in the room. It brought me back to myself and I pulled my lips away from his.

"Harry," I said. "We can't."

Harry rested his forehead against mine and groaned in frustration. "I know." His fingers were still playing with strands of my hair.

"I should go." I freed myself from his grasp and moved towards the door.

"Ginny, I-" Harry started, his eyes wide, the words dying on his tongue. I wasn't sure what he wanted to say, but I nodded anyway, before exiting the Room of Requirement.

The next day, the Quibbler hit the stands and became the next hot topic around the school. The students buzzed with Harry's story, buzzed in memory of Cedric, buzzed of Tom. Umbridge was furious and announced that she would ban the article, immediately making it the most popular item in Hogwarts. Once again, the tide turned in Harry's favor. Students all over the hall devoured the article and turned shocked, saddened eyes towards Harry. Meanwhile, Harry watched me intently, desire darkening his emerald eyes to jade. He watched me as I read the article. He watched me as I made and drank my tea. He watched me eat my apple. He watched me review Theo's homework. I did my best to ignore his stare, but others were starting to notice it. Specifically, Dumbeldore, Umbridge, Cho, Draco, and Theo. Dumbledore and Umbridge watched Harry watching me, their eyes calculating. Cho stormed out of the Great Hall. Draco scowled and glared in Harry's direction, Pansy cooing in his ear. Theo turned to me and quietly suggested we leave. I gathered my things and tried to ignore Harry's heated gaze as it followed me across the hall. Theo took the place to my right and placed his hand on the small of my back, shielding me from Harry and Draco's gaze and guiding me out of the hall. I softly smiled at him in gratitude. We left the Great Hall and sat outside in a courtyard, sitting together in the sun and quietly talking. Without meaning to, I saw Theo through Circe's insight. He was happy to be with me, but he carried a deep sadness and jealousy still curled around the edges of his every thought. I remembered my vow to respect his privacy and did my best to refocus onto Theo the person. Theo told me all about the drama in the fourth year Potions class, a subject I tested out of last year, and I laughed lightly at his Snape impression. I had missed Theo. And I told him that. He very gently took my hand in his and looked seriously into my eyes, "I missed you too." Theo walked me to class, still holding onto my hand so gently, as if I were made of glass, as if I were precious.

The next few weeks were filled with so many twists and turns, I felt like Hogwarts had become my Mum's favorite radio drama show. First, Umbridge accused Harry of starting the DA and tried to expel him, but Dumbledore said he started the group. Then, when Fudge and Umbridge attempted to arrest Dumbledore, Dumbledore easily disarmed them before disappearing with his phoenix. Umbridge declared herself Headmistress, despite being locked out of Dumbledore's office. Then, during O.W.L.s, Fred and George chose to leave Hogwarts with a literal bang, setting off fireworks and an impressive display of magic as a giant fuck off to Umbridge. They set Peeves off on an elaborate pranking saga and literally created a swamp in the corridor. I could've easily cleaned up the swamp, but I enjoyed watching Filch and Umbridge struggle to cart students across it, and kept that knowledge to myself. Then, Umbridge evicted Hagrid from Hogwarts and managed to critically wound McGonagall in the process. More and more foreboding filled me, haunting my thoughts, but I refused to open myself up to the wind; scared of what she might reveal. My nightmares continued to grow worse until they were out of control. I began to rely more and more on Circe's potion, growing colder everyday but still trying desperately to stay present. Throughout every twist, Theo sat by my side, quietly making snarky comments to make me laugh or simply holding my hand to comfort me. While I could tell he didn't like it, he said nothing as I grew colder and fell even more silent. I think he enjoyed having time for just the two of us.

I had just finished my last NEWT for the year, confident that I had, once again, finished top of my class in Transfiguration, Runes, and Arithmancy. Next year, I was set to take the advanced classes for History of Magic, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Astronomy. I had also petitioned to take the Apparition lessons one year early. I was quickly running out of classes to excel in and was expected to graduate early, at least according to Snape.

Suddenly, my Inquisitorial Squad badge began to vibrate, meaning that someone was attempting to break into Umbridge's office. I only knew one person brave enough and stupid enough to do this. Harry.

I hurried down the hall, arriving after Umbridge had caught them red-handed. Harry, Hermione, Ron, Neville, and Luna were all held at wand point by the Inquisitorial Squad as Umbridge crowed in front of her captives. I slid into the back of the room, shifting in the shadows until I stood on the side of the room. Draco's eyes landed on me and he shot me a warning glance, shaking his head minutely, before remembering to glare at me. Umbridge called for Snape and asked for more veritaserum. He informed her that she had used the last of his stock on Marietta Edgecombe in her interrogation about the DA. Then, Harry shouted out something about Snuffles being in danger. Umbridge demanded to know what he was talking about and Snape said that he had no idea before flicking his cloak and stalking down the hall.

Umbridge, her face looking more toadlike by the minute, turned towards Harry. "Well," she simpered. "What the Minister doesn't know, won't hurt him. I think the Cruciatus Curse should loosen your tongue." Hermione, Ron, and Luna gasped. Neville and Harry paled instantly.

"Professor-" Hermione began, but Umbridge cut her off. Neville's eyes darted around the room and came to rest on me.

"Ginny," he pleaded. Every eye in the room turned to find me standing casually in the corner. "Please, help us."

"Ginny! He has Snuffles. He has Snuffles like he had your Dad!" Harry called, his eyes desperate.

Umbridge turned her hateful toad eyes on me. "Ms. Weasley! What are they talking about? Do you know what that code means?"

"I'm happy to explain, Headmistress." I smiled sweetly. Harry and Neville's faces fell, Ron flushed and growled, Umbridge smiled greedily, and Draco, Hermione, and Luna watched with cautious, curious eyes. I pushed off of the wall and walked in between the Squad and the DA members they held captive. I hadn't done this before, so it would require a lot of effort on my end. "Listen carefully." I focused intently on the sounds coming out of my mouth in my honeyed voice. I began by humming softly, carefully crafting my sticky siren's web to avoid key people in the room, "Sleep now for two days."

Umbridge and all of the Inquisitorial Squad fell to the ground, knocked out cold. Except for one member, who lunged forward to catch me as my knees gave.

"Ginny!" Harry cried, jumping forward to catch me only seconds after Draco scooped me up.

"Ginevra." Draco growled, gathering me to him while still holding his wand on the Gryffindors and Ravenclaw in front of him. "What did you do?" I leaned heavily against him, basking in our momentary closeness. Despite my exhaustion, it felt so good, so right to be close to him.

"They will be fine." I mumbled.

Draco propped me up on Umbridge's desk. "And will you?" he asked, arching an eyebrow at me. Suddenly, I flashed back to the last time Draco had propped me against a desk; we were in an abandoned classroom, my legs wrapped around him, his hands all over me. I blushed and cleared my throat.

"Yes, it just wipes me out." I said. He realized how close we were and two patches of warmth momentarily lit his cheeks. I smirked, glad I wasn't the only one affected. "Sorry about your girlfriend." I smiled cheekily, referencing the now snoring Pansy on the floor.

"I should thank you for the reprieve." he muttered, half-smiling back at me, before straightening to glare at Harry who was inching towards the wands clutched in Goyle's fingers. "Don't even think about it." Draco sneered and Harry froze. "Look what you've done now, Potter. First, Dumbledore, now Ginevra. Whose life will you ruin next?" I rested my head on Draco's shoulder.

Harry ignored him. "Ginny, are you okay?"

"I told you that you only had to ask, Neville." I said, nuzzling into Draco's shoulder. Draco shot me a confused look while Neville and Luna beamed at me. "Draco, pepper up potion, please." I muttered into his neck, my lips buzzing on his skin. He cast a quick summoning charm, and a vial flew towards us. Using his Seeker skills, he caught it flawlessly, popped the cork and tilted back my head to pour it in my mouth, all while keeping his wand on the DA members in front of him. My ears steamed and I felt energy fill me again. I stayed pressed against Draco for one more glorious moment before stepping back from him. I saw the same longing in my eyes reflected in his and struggled to turn towards Harry.

"Harry," I started, "What do you mean he has Sirius like he had my Dad?"

"Sirius Black?" Draco asked, surprised. Harry glared at Draco and didn't say anything.

"Harry." I called. "Look at me. What do you mean he has Sirius like he had my Dad?" I repeated.

Harry focused on me and told me about his vision. About how he fell asleep during his OWLs and had a dream like he had with my Dad, where Voldemort was torturing Sirius at the Department of Mysteries. He explained that he had just tried to Floo Sirius but that Kreacher had told him that he was home alone.

"And you tried to send a message through Snape." I said.

"I don't know if he understood my message, or if he'll even do anything. He doesn't particularly like Sirius." Harry replied.

"It feels like a trap to me." I said. Hermione quickly agreed.

"Harry," She said, turning to him. "He took Ginny into the Chamber of Secrets to lure you there; it's the kind of thing he does, he knows you're the — the sort of person who'd go to Sirius's aid! What if he's just trying to get you into the Department of Myst —?"

"I can't let him die." Harry interjected, his eyes desperate. "Ginny, hewas using the Cruciatus on him. You know how that feels when he's mad." Draco's eyes slammed into the back of my head and I could hear him growl. Ron and Neville winced and avoided my gaze.

I nodded my head and turned to face Draco. "I'm going with them."

"You're out of your bloody mind." Draco bit back. When I did not budge, he tried a different tactic. "If you go with them now, you will have publicly placed yourself against him. You will have marked yourself." He gave me a pointed look.

"Draco," I returned his look with a pointed one of my own. "I can't let him die like that."

Draco's jaw ticked. "Fine." He snapped, "I'm coming with you."

"No. I need you here." I replied, "I need you to get to Snape and tell him that he needs to give this message to Dumbledore: 'It is prophesied that the Phoenix flies at the Department.' Then tell him what Harry just said." I knew that Snape would never let Draco join us at the Department. Draco would play messenger for me and by doing so, Snape would keep him safe.

"Send one of the Gryffindors to do that, I am not leaving you." Draco said.

"Snape will never listen to them." I argued. "He will listen to you. He will help you." I urged. I could see Draco begrudgingly understanding my point, but he still disagreed.

"Then you come with me to get Snape." he demanded.

"I can't." I said, "It feels like a trap to me, and I won't let them die." I nudged my head in the direction of the five witches and wizards behind me.

Draco groaned and paced around me. "You make me absolutely crazy!" he exclaimed. I grinned. Gods, I had missed him.

He turned back towards me, "Ginevra," he said, his tone deadly serious. "Even if it's not a trap, you are putting yourself in extreme danger. They will try to capture or kill you." I nodded my understanding and he growled again. "No, you don't get it! If you're captured with them, I won't be able to protect you. I won't be able to make any deals to save you. And if you're killed, I-" he stammered. "I won't make it without you."

The words rushed out of him. He turned and looked deeply into my eyes. My world narrowed to just his silver eyes, shining so bright they glowed. "If you do this, you don't hold back. Do you understand me? I don't care who you hurt. I don't care who you kill. You come back to me."

"Draco, I-" I started.

"No," he interrupted, "I don't care about your stupid decision - I never did. I can't sleep, I can't focus. I've been miserable without you. And I think you've been miserable without me. I am telling you right now, this is my choice. I choose you. You have to come back to me." The silence sat heavily around us, and I couldn't bring myself to turn from his gaze, to disagree with him.

"And if it isn't safe for you to come back to Hogwarts…" he continued.

"I know where to find you." I ended.

He smiled at me, a genuine smile. My heart fluttered against my ribcage. "I'll wait in the Hospital Wing for 72 hours, then I'll wait for you there. We will figure out what's next. If we have to, we run."

"If we have to, we run." I agreed. He grabbed me, one hand around my waist while the other threaded through my hair, and pulled me close to him. He kissed me deeply, making my toes curl and my blood pump hotter. He pulled me into a close embrace.

I heard the beginnings of the wind, coming to whisper in my ear, but I shut her out again. I didn't care what she said about Draco, he was mine.

I reached up on tiptoe again, allowing myself one more passionate kiss, before forcing myself away from him. "Go, get Snape." I said. He studied my face fervently, maybe for one last time, before turning and running down the hall at a sprint.

I turned to face Luna and the Gryffindors, a small smile still on my face, "So, how are we getting to the Ministry?"

The small group of DA members had varying reactions to witnessing Draco and my private moment. Luna was still beaming at me. Neville blushed, but still shot me a small smile. Hermione looked hung up on whatever magic I had used to knock out Umbridge. Ron was clearly angry and uncomfortable, his nostrils flaring. Harry was staring at his shoes, looking like someone stole his puppy.

Luna was the first to respond, "I was thinking about this during your conversation," Ron scoffed at the word conversation. "Thestrals." she proclaimed.

"Thestrals?" Hermione jumped in, "Of course! If we use the spell Ginny taught us, we would keep from being seen by most everyone."

"Any other ideas?" Neville asked.

I bent to retrieve their wands from Goyle's hand. "Thestrals it is, then." I turned and held out the group's wand to each person.

"What did you do to them?" Ron asked, eyes on Goyle's sleeping face.

"I put them to sleep." I said casually. "They will wake up completely fine in 2 days."

"How'd you do it?" Harry asked, looking directly at me for the first time. His gaze burned.

"It doesn't matter." I said, looking away from him. "I can't do it again, it takes too much out of me."

"How'd you do it?" he asked again.

I met his gaze head on. "Don't ask questions you aren't prepared to hear the answers to."

He dipped his gaze and cleared his throat. "Thestrals work for me."

We took off down the hall, running into the forest to find the herd. Harry, Neville, and Luna walked at the head of the group as they could see Thestrals. I didn't mention that I had also seen death, that I had been death.

It had been so long since I had walked in the forest, I audibly sighed. The forest greeted me as an old friend; growing soft beneath my feet, lovingly brushing my arms and legs with twigs and leaves. The earth around me offered energy and strength, and I gratefully accepted as I walked, preparing for the battle ahead.

As we entered the clearing, I glided up next to the skeletal thestral, lovingly stroking its ghostly face. "We ask a boon of your herd. Will you grant us safe transport?" I asked. Harry shot me a surprised, then concerned look, but the thestral bowed to me and screeched out a chilling call for five others of its kind. I climbed on its back. Neville gulped before climbing on the thestral in front of him. Harry and Luna helped Ron and Hermione climb on the backs of different members of the herd before settling themselves. I leaned forward to whisper to the beast beneath me, "The Ministry of Magic in London."

We shot forward in the sky, flying at a tremendous speed. The air pounded against me, pressing cold air into my lungs, making me feel alive. I laughed aloud in joy and the thestrals around me responded with their own screeching replies.

We arrived at the Ministry of Magic as the sun set in the sky. The thestrals landed gracefully and we slid off of their backs. I leaned forward and pressed a kiss to my thestrals forehead which glowed gold before sinking into his leathery skin. "Thank you." I whispered to it before it screeched again and flew back into the sky.

We entered the Ministry of Magic, my eyes and ears alert, my wand held at the ready, but were met with nothing. Not a soul was in the atrium. "Be on alert." I whispered, my voice carrying in the silence, "Security has been taken out." Neville gulped again, but we all gathered in an elevator and descended to Level 9. We entered the Department of Mysteries and found ourselves in a room with twelve identical doors. Before closing the door behind me, I drew a large X on it with my wand.

"Which door, Harry?" Ron called. His voice bounced around the room and Hermione sushed him. Harry shrugged, looking lost.

"Harry," I murmured, "which door did you go through in your dream?" He closed his eyes and thought, before approaching one of the doors.

"This one." he uttered. I nodded.

"Harry in the lead, then Ron and Hermione, then Luna and Neville, and I'll take the rear." I ordered. "Stay close together, keep your eyes open and your wands at the ready."

Harry opened the door and I knew we were in trouble as soon as I did not hear screams echoing around the chamber. I caught Hermione's eye and mouthed the word "trap." She nodded seriously, turning worried eyes to Harry. We got into formation and slowly crept into a room glittering with shadowy orbs, each containing a prophecy. I scowled, hoping Dumbledore had taken my advice and replaced whatever prophecy Tom wanted with a fake one. We inched down aisles of prophecies, Harry leading us until we found ourselves at the spot from his vision. No one was there.

"Where is he?" Harry asked.

"He's not here, Harry." Hermione said, putting her hand on his arm.

"We should leave, now." I commanded.

"This says your name, Harry." Neville said, pointing at one of the orbs.

"Don't touch it." I said immediately.

"It's my name." Harry said, clearly baffled.

"Harry, don't." Hermione warned.

"Harry, look at me." I called, but for the first time, he didn't comply with my request. I felt the air around me, feeling the powerful compulsion charm coming off of the prophecy. "Get in position." I called to the group, knowing that Harry was not himself. Neville and Luna snapped into place beside me and Ron and Hermione attempted to grab Harry, but it was too late. As soon as he lifted the prophecy, twelve Death Eaters shimmered out of the shadows.

Hermione and Ron pulled Harry back to our group, his hand tight around the small glass orb.

"Very good, Potter." a cold voice called. "Now, give me the prophecy." He wore a mask, but I recognized his voice as soon as he said "Potter"; he sounded just like his son when he did that. Lucius.

Harry recognized it too. "Malfoy." he named him. Lucius took off his mask.

Idiot, I thought.

"Yes, Potter. Now turn around, nice and slowly, and give that to me." he said. Harry stepped back, closer towards our group.

"Where's Sirius?" Harry called out.

"Where's Sirius?" A feminine voice taunted. Bellatrix Lestrange sauntered forward, not wearing a mask either. "What a fool." she laughed cruelly.

"Oh, you don't know Potter as I do, Bellatrix. He has a great weakness for heroics; the Dark Lord understands this about him. Now, give me the prophecy, Potter."

"Tell me where he is!" Harry called,

"You must learn the difference between dreams and reality, Potter." Lucius drawled. "Hand me the prophecy." Harry stayed silent and Bellatrix stepped forward, choosing to taunt us.

"Look, Lucius. He has brought me some toys. A blood-traitor and a mudblood." Her gaze flickered over Ron and Hermione. "Is that the Longbottom heir? How's Mummy?" she cackled at Neville. "I'll get the whole set." she taunted. Neville went to lunge at her, but Luna held him back. "And he's got a little girlfriend for me to break as well." Bellatrix sneered, looking at Luna. Then, her gaze fell on me. "Oh, but who's this pretty thing in Slytherin robes? She smells like a pureblood."

"What else do I smell like, Bella?" I intoned darkly, trying to draw her eyes onto me and off of the others.

She cackled again. "Oh, I like her." She made a great show of sniffing the air, "You smell like -" but then she paused, "You smell like family." She said, confused. My lips twisted into a smile. "You smell like home." She continued, more bewildered than before.

I stared into her maddeningly dark eyes. "Bellatrix Orion Black." I beckoned, my voice sultry and welcoming. She tilted her head, as if in a daze and began to walk towards me.

"No, Bella." Lucius's arm stopped her. "She has been claimed." he said emphatically. Bella shook her head, freeing herself from the cobwebs of my call.

"But I want her." Bellatrix said. "Surely, he will not mind. He said she has such a sweet scream." Harry moved to stand beside me.

"You know he will not allow it." Lucius replied, his eyes leveled on me, pity shining in their depths. His words chilled me to my core, but I put them aside in my mind. Focus on the battle, I thought. Lucius turned his gaze back to Harry. "The prophecy, Potter."

"No." Harry replied. Bella shot off a summoning spell which I misdirected with a quick flick of my wand. Several prophecies fell to the floor, ghostly specters hovering out of them, speaking prophecies over top of eachother. Bella laughed, delighted, "Oh, I really like her." She said, sliding her eyes on me. "Pity she has chosen to side with this half-blood."

Harry tensed. "Did you know Voldemort's a half-blood too? Yeah, his mother was a witch but his dad was a muggle — or has he been telling you lot he's pureblood?" he taunted.

"Do not speak his name!" Bellatrix hissed, anger rising, firing a stunner at Harry which I directed into another shelf.

"Bella!" Lucius called, "Calm yourself!"

As the prophecy orbs shattered, I whispered out of the side of my mouth, trusting the wind to send my message to my compatriots. "On my call, head to the doors. Stay near me." Harry squeezed my arm gently, letting me know he heard and understood.

"Potter," Lucius called, "Haven't you always wondered about the connection between you and the Dark Lord? The reason he wasn't able to kill you when you were an infant? The reason for your scar?" Lucius began to inch towards us, Bellatrix following close behind. "I could tell you, I could explain everything. All you have to do is give that to me." he gestured towards the prophecy. Harry tensed besides me.

"He's waited fourteen years." I stepped in between Harry and Lucius. "He can wait a little longer." I said, a confident, dark smile on my face.

"Move, Ms. Weasley." Lucius growled.

"Mr. Malfoy," I pursed my lips and blew gently in his face. "No." He and Bella looked baffled initially, but their eyes began to widen as the shelves of prophecies around them began to sway in the breeze I had created. I smiled cruelly at the twelve Death Eaters in front of me.

"NOW!" I called both to the winds and the students behind me. At my call, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Neville, and Luna began running towards the door, stupefying everything around them, and the winds in the room picked up, howling around the remaining Death Eaters, spinning at high speed, creating a vortex. Prophecies and ghostly specters disrupted their view and large heavy shelves fell around and on top of them. I heard the dual screams of two of the masked men, falling and not getting up. Do not let yourself be distracted now, I thought.

I asked the wind to help carry my friends through to the next room and to slow those who chased us and I felt myself speed down the hall, the first to reach the door. I ripped it open and ushered Luna and Neville through. Ron and Hermione were next, Harry brought up the rear. As soon as they were through the door, I slammed it closed. Splitting my palm with a thought, I hissed and dipped my fingers in my blood before drawing a locking ruin on the door. It glowed golden and I healed my palm.

"It won't hold them for long." I cried, "We need to move!" We looked to the entrance room, twelve identical black doors stood before us. The X I had drawn had been erased.

"Stay together!" Harry called, before approaching a random door. He opened it and ran through, and as soon as he did that, we could not see him.

"Damn." I said, before ushering the others into this room. I cast a locking charm and closed the door behind me. I found myself falling. The air formed a small cushion around me to catch me and the others about a foot from the ground. Hermione wasn't so lucky. She had fallen in a strange position and landed on her ankle. She cried out in pain and instantly, Ron was by her side. In front of us stood a giant dais with a large stone archway. What looked like a piece of chiffon hung in between the pieces of stone, shimmering and moving in the stagnant air.

Foreboding filled me. "Don't." I called out to the group. But, Harry and Luna walked forward.

"I hear voices." Harry said.

"I do, too." Luna replied.

I allowed myself to listen for one minute and I heard it too; the sweet promise of rest, or relief, of absentia; the cold breath of Death. I shut him out.

"Don't listen to him." I called, physically grabbing Harry and Luna by the arm and pulling them back. "Stay away from the veil." I ordered. Harry and Luna shot me confused looks. My voice dropped, "Death is calling." I explained and they both shivered. Suddenly, the door above us slammed open.

"Get behind me!" Harry called, standing on the platform and raising his wand. I felt the magic in my muscles, the majesty in my bones and tensed, prepared for battle. The Death Eaters began to apparate around us, appearing with loud pops. Their number had dwindled down to nine, meaning we had taken out three in a shower of shelves, prophecies, and basic defensive spells. Lucius appeared in front of us, angrier than I had ever seen him. He had several thin cuts on his face, undoubtedly from the shattering glass of prophecies, small dribbles of blood pooling into droplets on his cheek and forehead.

"The Prophecy!" he yelled. "Now, Potter, or we begin to torture your friends!"

Bella pointed her wand at Neville, "Yes, Potter, let me send little Longbottom to the looney bin to join his parents." She taunted. Luna stepped in front of him protectively. All at once, the Death Eaters attacked, trying to stun those of us around Harry. Harry dropped the prophecy in surprise and Neville stepped on it, destroying it. The prophecy went unheard in the chaos of the room. Lucius roared in anger and the battle began in earnest.

My heart beat like a wardrum in my chest. Spells of varying power and color flew through the air. Shouts and skirmishes filled the air around me, creating a harsh, crazed melody and I leaned into it, dancing around spells effortlessly and replying with treacherous magics of my own. I fell into the rhythm of the battle, almost enjoying it, until I heard Ron cry. I watched in what felt like slow motion as a stream of orange light hit his side. He released a cry and fell onto a limping Hermione, his head bashing against the ground. Hermione fell to the ground to support him, only to get hit by a stream of purple light from the same Death Eater, who I later learned was named Rabastian Lestrange. She slumped against my moaning brother who had begun bleeding from a wound in his head, her eyes closed. I felt a fine river of rage bloom within me and I did not try to control it.

I twisted towards the offending man, pocketing my wand and conjuring a pair of lethal daggers studded with lapis lazuli, and threw them with an experts hand. The daggers flew through the air, one slamming into his arm, slicing through bone, the other stabbing into his stomach. He screamed in pain and dropped his wand, calling for his brother. The other Death Eater arrived at his side and tried to grab at the daggers impaling his brother, but they would not move. His brother cast a purple spell in my direction, but I kicked and flipped, flying above the purple spell and, with a hand gesture, I called the daggers back to my hands. They ripped through the fallen Death Eater, causing more anguished screams, before returning to me. The other Death Eater called for Bella, screaming in panic before I sent my own purple beam back at him, knocking him unconscious immediately.

More pops filled the room and I turned, daggers in hand, to find Sirius, Remus, Tonks, Kingsley, and Moody. In the chaos of the Order's arrival, another Death Eater screamed and rushed at Harry. I shifted my grip on my daggers and jumped forward. I spun like a cyclone, slashing him across the chest, his blood splattering across my face and hands, before delivering a powerful kick to his head that knocked him to the ground, unconscious. I threw my daggers at another Death Eater, slicing his wand in half and pinning his hands to the wall, and ignored his screams. The Order of the Phoenix members rushed onto the dais and surrounded the students. I called back the daggers and disappeared them with a flick of my wrists.

"Cover me!" I called to Remus, sliding across the platform to reach Hermione and Ron. Ron was moaning incoherently, a strange orange tentacle wrapping around his arm. Hermione lay on top of him, pale and unconscious. I pulled out my wand, quickly casting healing spells on both of them. I split my palm again and painted a rune for healing and protection on both of their foreheads in my blood. Like with the door, the rune shimmered gold. Instantly, color returned to Hermione's face and the tentacle disappeared. Ron quieted and joined Hermione by falling unconscious. "Harry! Neville! Luna!" I called. Luna was bleeding from her mouth and Neville had a chunk of his hair singed off. He held a broken wand in his hand and looked lost without it. I quickly handed him Hermione's wand and conjured a handkerchief out of thin air. I cast a quick portkey spell over the fabric. "This will take you back to Hogwarts in five seconds, get them to Madame Pomfrey immediately." I ordered. They both nodded. I placed Ron and Hermione's hands on top of the Handkerchief and Neville and Luna grabbed onto the handkerchief with one hand, the other holding on to Ron and Hermione. "Harry!" I called, but Harry did not answer. He stood between Remus and Sirius, dueling Death Eaters.

"Harry!" I called again. "Let's go!"

"We've got them on the ropes, Ginny!" He argued and missed his chance. The air spun into a loud pop and the four students holding the handkerchief disappeared.

"Damn it, Harry!" I yelled back.

A red spell hit Moody and he cried and fell. I pushed him behind me and stepped into his spot, shielding and shooting vicious spells in turn. I felt the battle flowing through my veins and easily blocked Bella and Lucius's attacks while Sirius and Remus tried to get Harry out of the room. Kingsley shot me a surprised look as I pulled back my hand and cracked my wand like a whip, knocking Dolohov across the room and splitting his Death Eater mask in half. A gash appeared across his face, blood pouring from it. He screamed and fell unconscious.

Righteous anger coursed through me, demanding screams, demanding blood. I felt it pool in my stomach and, with a guttural cry, I pushed with my hands, directing the fury within me in a powerful pulse against the Death Eaters surrounding us. Death Eaters, conscious and unconscious, banged into the skin heard my fury and split into hundreds of cuts, bleeding across their arms and faces. I felt strong, I felt godlike. Bella screeched in pain and excitement, turning to me, utterly enthralled. But before she could do anything else, Sirius called out to Bellatrix, distracting her from her study of my profile, and the cousins began to parry back and forth on the dais.

The remaining Death Eaters were losing steam and began to focus their attacks on those around me, avoiding my ire as much as possible. Remus ducked behind me and pulled Harry off of the platform, attempting to get him to safety. Then, Dumbledore appeared, fury on his face, and the Death Eaters began to rethink their strategy. The remaining Death Eaters raised their wands, attempting to disapparate. I quickly cast an anti-apparition jinx, trapping the cowards in the room with us. Lucius shot me a glare and ran down the corridor. Without a thought, I chased after him.

Lucius ran upstairs, expertly navigating each corner of the Ministry until I realized we were several floors above the atrium. I felt heady with blood lust and called to the air, feeling it envelop and lift me until I literally was flying down the hallway. I soared at tremendous speed, quickly flying past Lucius and landing in front of him, wand at the ready.

"Lucius." I sneered. Lucius raised his wand and took a breath, preparing to attack me, but I took the air directly from his lungs. He dropped his wand and clutched at his throat. I summoned his wand to me and returned the air to him. He gasped and looked at me with shocked eyes. I pointed my wand at him. "What am I going to do with you?" I drawled, my heartbeat pounding in my chest.

He looked at me, chest rapidly rising and falling, before dropping his head in defeat. "Make it quick, Weasley." He said.

I raised my wand, ready to make him suffer. Suffer for what he did today. Suffer for what he did to me my first year. Suffer for what he did to Draco.

Draco.

The thought of him stopped me in my tracks. "You were foolish to come here tonight and even more foolish to unmask yourself." I paused, my wand in my hand itching to attack him.

My pause made Lucius raise his head again, meeting my conflicted gaze. His eyes, so like his son's, sparked with hope.

"Run." I said suddenly. "You and I both know that he will not forgive this failure. Take Narcissa and run. You have the money; you could escape the continent. Leave and keep them safe." I whispered with intensity.

Lucius worked his jaw up and down, clearly at a loss for words.

"I'm giving you one chance, for Draco." I said. "If I meet you in battle again, I will kill you." I threatened viciously.

He nodded. "For Draco." he whispered.

"For Draco." I repeated, forcibly lowering my wand. I lowered the anti-apparition jinx around us and kicked his wand towards him. Lucius grabbed for it and disappeared with a quick pop.

I turned and headed back down the hall, wand still at the ready. I had spared Lucius, but fury still pumped through me and I was ready to take out any Death Eater I saw. Suddenly, I heard loud screaming from the atrium. I ran towards the sounds, the air lifting me easily. Bellatrix lay, trapped by a statue, and Harry leaned against the fountain, sobbing. Dumbledore dueled a shadowy figure I couldn't quite see. I dove over the balcony, flipping and letting the air guide my path, landing in a crouched position. Dumbledore and the figure he dueled both looked up in surprise as I rose, unharmed from my dive.

"Ginny! It's-" Harry cried, but he was interrupted by the voice that haunted me.

"Ginevra?" His voice echoed across the hall. "MyGinevra?" He cast a wall of fiend fire and Dumbledore was distracted, trying to disperse it safely. Suddenly, he was there, in front of me. My blood ran cold. He was heinous. A pale, snake-like creature that was a far cry from the handsome boy who captured my eleven year old heart. But his eyes were the same, two pools of cruel, fathomless black.

My lips felt heavy, "Tom?"

"I have missed you, my Queen." he replied. His words echoed in my head, placing me back in the Slytherin Common Room, writing in my diary, placing me back in the Chamber, dying. He raised one paper white hand to stroke my hair. I was revolted and the air sensed my panic, lifting me to hover in the air before shooting me across the hall and away from him. He smiled a lipless smile. "My, how you've grown."

Dumbledore cast a large fire lasso, trapping Tom and directing his attention back to their duel. I held onto the wall, grasping for something real, gasping for air. I tried to calm my heartbeat, but I felt like I was going to throw up. He knew. He called me his Queen. He knew. The panic spread throughout me, freezing my muscles, freezing my brain.

Suddenly, Tom turned hungry eyes to Harry and jumped into his body. Harry flailed on the floor and Tom spoke through him. Tom taunted Harry about Cedric, taunted him about Sirius's death. Grief hit me in the gut, images of smiling, kind, haunted Sirius studying me all summer flickering in front of my eyes, sending my reeling again. I fell to the floor. Tom taunted Dumbledore, asking him to kill him, and in doing so, kill Harry.

Dumbledore dropped to his knees beside Harry, "Don't give up, Harry." he cried, his voice echoing around the destroyed atrium. "Don't fall into the hate, the grief. Think of how much you loved Sirius, how much you love Ron and Hermione, how much you love Ginny." I felt heaviness in every muscle in my body. "Fight for them. Fight for her."

Harry writhed on the floor, moaning in pain before forcing out one word, "Ginny." Tom was thrown out of him and fell to the floor and Harry's body stilled.

The fireplaces around the hall sprung to life, Ministry officials in their pajamas poured into the atrium. Tom hissed and scrambled to Bella, still trapped underneath the statue and pulled her out. "This isn't over." he called out to Dumbledore, to Harry, to me. He smiled one more evil, lipless smile before disappearing.

A rotund man with a ridiculous mustache tottered forward.

"Merlin's beard — here! — in the Ministry of Magic! — It doesn't seem possible — how can this be —?" Fudge turned baffled eyes to Dumbledore, but Dumbledore ignored him and instead turned to a red haired man who had just shot out of a fireplace, wand at the ready.

"Arthur!" Dumbledore called, "I could use your help here." He then began directing Aurors towards the Department of Mysteries where they would find the captured Death Eaters.

Dad rushed forward, kneeling besides Harry and checking his vital signs. Harry opened his eyes and lifted one finger towards the wall, croaking out something. Dad's head popped up, clearly alarmed.

"Ginny!" He cried, panicked, running towards the shadows that protected me. "Ginny!" he cried again, a level of desperation I had never heard before in his voice.

"Daddy?" I replied, my voice small, my body curled into a tight coil, hugging the wall.

"Ginny!" He ran to my side, scooping me into his arms and holding me close, rocking back and forth. "Help!" he cried out. "Help! Please! My daughter!" he screamed, "Please help!" Tears streamed down his face.

"Arthur," Dumbledore called, "Bring her here. We will get her to Poppy."

Dad lifted me as if I was still a small child who had fallen asleep on the couch. "Albus," Dad said, still crying. "She's covered in blood and she's hyperventilating." he rushed me towards Dumbledore who stood over Harry. I couldn't find it in me to mention that it wasn't my blood. I couldn't find it in me to do much of anything. Tom had shocked me deeply, had frozen me to my core. My Gods, he knew. I was finding it difficult to remember how to breathe, black spots filling my vision.

Dumbledore directed Dad to place me next to Harry and he ran a few diagnostic spells over both of us. Harry faced me, his eyes filled with deep agony. I understood his grief and he understood my fear, my panic. He reached out one hand towards me and I was able to focus enough to mobilize my arm, reaching out and grasping his hand. He squeezed my hand and he rolled, wrapping his other arm around me. Sound dissipated until I could no longer hear the chaos around me, could no longer hear my Dad screaming for someone to help me, I could only hear Harry's steady heartbeat, his arm warm around me. Then, everything went black.

I woke in a crisp, white bed with the warm figure of Madam Pomfrey above me. Harry lay on a bed near mine, still holding my hand. Ron lay on my other side, a bandage wrapped around his head, drinking a smorgasbord of potions in front of him. Hermione, Neville, and Luna lay in beds across from me, all bandaged and bruised, but awake and smiling. Behind a partition, Umbridge and her Inquisitorial Squad lay on hospital beds of their own, still asleep.

"I am sorry to interrupt, Mrs. Longbottom," the tinkling sound of Luna's voice rang clear in the room. "But, I do think that Ginevra is awake."

"Ginny?" Neville asked.

"Ginny!" Ron called.

"What happened?" I croaked out, my throat dry. Pomfrey helped me sit up in bed and helped to free my hand from Harry's before passing me a large glass of water. I gulped it down before falling back against my pillows, my body feeling heavy.

"What happened is you kicked arse!" Neville said, "Sorry, Gran." he added.

"No apology needed, I understand we have this young lady to thank for my brave grandson's safe return to Hogwarts." Neville's Grandmother called out, proudly gazing at him. Neville blushed.

"Luna told me that you saved Ron and I." Hermione called, her voice soft. "Casting healing spells during the duel and getting us back here." She took a labored breath, "Thank you."

Ron turned to look at me, "Yeah," he said, "Thanks Gin." He smiled at me and my heart swelled. I smiled back at him for the first time in years.

I turned my head to look at Harry.

"Harry?" I asked. I didn't need to say more, I knew he understood what I needed to know.

Harry nodded at me, his voice full of concern. "He was there. I saw him go to you but I couldn't see what he did." I remembered seeing him, seeing the monstrous thing Tom had become. I remembered what he said and I felt nauseous. The same panic from last night flooded my veins and the blood drained from my face.

Harry dropped his voice to a whisper, "Are you okay?"

BANG!

I jumped. The door to the Hospital Wing flew open and I could hear someone screaming at the Order members guarding the door.

"Draco?" I asked, my voice carrying to the scene at the door.

"Ginevra!" Draco called, shouldering past Bill and Remus and running into the room and towards me. He practically crashed into my bed, visibly relaxing at the sight of me. "Are you hurt? Are you okay?" He asked, his eyes scanning over me.

Bill and Remus followed Draco into the room. Bill held his wand casually, threateningly in his hand. Remus looked like he had aged 15 years within the few hours I had been unconscious and said, "Mr. Malfoy, as I've told you already, only family is allowed into the Hospital Wing at this time."

Draco ignored him and turned panicked eyes to Madam Pomfrey. "What's wrong with her?"

Bill growled and Remus sighed, but Madam Pomfrey took pity on him and answered his question, "She will be fine, Mr. Malfoy. She needs rest and time." she said. He nodded at her gratefully and she gave him a small smile.

Draco turned to Remus, "Does she need a lawyer?"

"Why would she need a lawyer?" Harry asked. Draco ignored him.

"Does she?" he repeated, looking at Remus seriously.

"Not currently." Bill cut in. Draco stared blankly at him until he continued. "Dumbledore is handling it and the Ministry will most likely not press charges."

"Charges?" I asked. Draco turned back to me.

"Ginevra," his voice was soft and calm, "You did what you had to do. You have nothing to be sorry about."

"Charges?" I repeated, my eyes welling.

He reached out and held my hand in both of his and took a breath, leveling an intense stare at me, "You killed three Death Eaters."

"I killed three people?" I asked in a high pitched voice, a cold weight settling on my chest. He nodded seriously.

"You crushed two under debris from your spell in the Hall of Prophecies and Rabasitan Lestrange died last night due to blood loss and internal injuries." Remus said, looking at me with tremendous sadness. Suddenly, I remembered the rest. I destroyed those shelves, purposefully aiming them to fall towards the Death Eaters. I sunk daggers into Rabastian's body. I killed him with no regret, in fact, I relished killing him.

I sat up and heaved, Draco placing a bowl in my hands as I emptied the contents of my stomach into it. Bill rushed forward and stroked my back while Draco held back my hair and called for Madame Pomfrey. I laid back, spent physically and emotionally, tears in my eyes.

"Don't worry Ginny. Dumbeldore will fix this." Bill said, clearly distraught.

"He will do you this favor." Remus cut in. Shivers broke out over my arms and Draco tensed up again.

"In exchange for what?" he said, tensely.

Harry sat up. "In exchange for nothing." he said angrily at Draco. "He will help her because it's the right thing to do."

Draco did not move his gaze from Remus. "In exchange for what?" He repeated and was met by Remus's stony silence. I looked into his eyes and understood implicitly. To ensure my freedom, I would have to fight for them. I visibly deflated and Remus turned away from me, ashamed but unapologetic.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Draco seethed. "She's 14 years old! You can't make her fight on the front lines!"

"What are you talking about?" Ron said, sitting up himself. Harry's head turned, trading confused looks between Draco and Remus.

"This is typical." Draco sneered, settling into a chair next to my bed. "The Gryffindors get their messes cleaned up, but when a Slytherin does something to help you,you use it against us." Suddenly, the Gryffindors in the room caught on to what Draco was saying and they were not pleased.

"Professor, surely, you're mistaken!" Hermione spoke up. "She's a student! She's a minor!"

"You have to understand." Bill said, standing beside Remus to defend the Order's decision. "She used dark magic."

"Yeah, against Death Eaters!" Ron cut in.

"She defended herself." Luna's lilting voice replied.

"She saved our lives!" Neville added, leveling an accusing glare on Remus and Bill.

"You saw her fight! I've never seen anything like it." Remus justified, "We need her."

Mrs. Longbottom stood up furiously. "While I am unbearably proud of my grandson and his friends for taking a stand, we must not forget that they are children. And children do not fight in place of adults in our wars."She stormed past Remus and Bill and approached my bed, "You just let me handle this, Ms. Weasley." She lifted her head high and stormed out of the Hospital Wing, Remus chasing after her. Bill stood conflicted before returning to guard the door.

"I like your grandmother, Longbottom." Draco said dryly. Neville smiled at him.

Draco turned to me, his eyes clearly saying: if we have to, we run. My eyes welled with tears and I shook my head softly. I couldn't say it here, but I had so much to tell him. I let his father go. I asked Lucius to take his family and run. And then there was Tom. How could I tell Draco that even if we ran, Tom would hunt me down? That his best chance was to flee with his family now? His eyebrows rose in confusion and he whispered, "What is it?" I stayed silent, trying to tell him with my eyes that we should not discuss it here. But, our time apart had thrown our nonverbal communication off track and Draco didn't understand.

He turned, frustrated, to Harry. "What isn't she saying?" I turned to Harry, panicked.

Harry's eyes were filled with pity. "Maybe you should wait to talk about it when you're alone."

"Say it, Potter." he said, his voice deadly serious. I shook my head at Harry, but he held Draco's eye.

"Your dad was there last night." Harry said. I glared at him before turning to Draco.

"He got away." I cut in, grabbing onto Draco's arm. "As far as I know, he was unharmed. But, the Ministry will be chasing him." I whispered. Draco's jaw ticked and he dipped his head. I could see the immediate pain storming underneath the surface. He was filled with panic, filled with uncertainty, and even though he would protest if I ever said anything, he was filled with love for his father, for his family. He took a deep breath and turned to me.

"I need to go speak to my Mother and put our affairs in order." He stared at me intensely, his silver eyes imparting the depth of his emotions towards me. "You have nothing to be sorry about." He repeated. He grabbed my chin between his two fingers. "I will see you soon." It was a promise. My stomach rolled. Everything had changed and I had so much to tell him, so much to explain. My fingers itched to grab him, to wrap myself in his arms, to fit myself to him. Before I could move, Draco stood and swept out of the room.

I ached. My eyes filled with tears. My mind clouded with shame for taking three lives so casually.

Do not dwell on their passing. The wind rushed past my ears. I was too tired to shut her out and her velvety voice was a welcome reprieve. Their deaths were justified and predetermined by fate. Do not grieve for those who cross you.

"Ginny?" Harry asked. "Are you okay?" His eyes overflowed with the knowledge that his life had changed, that he would be hunted for as long as Tom lived. The same knowledge haunted me.

"It doesn't matter." I muttered, my head turning into my pillow. "Nothing matters now."

I am sorry, my child. It is only the beginning. The wind whispered.

"What did Voldemort do to you?" Harry asked.

I said nothing, closing my eyes.

"I'm so sorry, Ginny. I did this. I didn't listen and I got you hurt again and now Sirius is dead." Harry's voice broke and I reached out one hand towards him. He grabbed it as if it were his lifeline and we sat in silent mourning together.

I woke to Bill and Dad standing over Ron and I in the Hospital Wing. They stalked between us, radiating anxiety and practically shaking from their panic. Theo stood at the door, my trunk floating behind him. He raised a hand in greeting, sadness emitting from him. I waved back and Bill flinched, tracking my gaze to Theo. He approached the door and began furiously whispering at Theo before floating my trunk inside the room and slamming the door in his face.

"What's going on?" I asked. But no one replied. Instead, Dad rushed Ron and I to touch a portkey and we spun away, landing in the kitchen of the Burrow. I felt sick, and not just from the portkey. I needed to talk to Draco and Theo, needed to determine where we stood, needed to come up with a game plan.

Dad and Bill appeared shortly after us and as soon as they landed, they began to cast complicated protection spells around the house with a manic energy.

"Dad?" I called. He turned to look at me, staring at my ear to avoid my gaze. "What's going on?"

He deflated. "Sit down, Gin-Bean." Dad said, settling on the couch, finally looking me in the eye. "The Order has received a credible tip" he paused, struggling to push past his fear and mental anguish to articulate what he needed to, "that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has issued an order for your capture." He was deathly pale.

"What do you mean?" I muttered, filled with dread.

Bill paced in front of me, finishing warding every door. He focused on me and said, with the utmost sincerity, "You're being hunted."