There were jets of light coming from every direction, and with Bellatrix standing in the shadows watching her Ginny sent off spells, just managing to miss everyone each time. She looked around desperately for Draco, but saw no sign of him. She did however see Blaise in combat with Hermione, but from where she was standing, it looked like they were having an intense conversation.
"Ginny?" Ginny was pulled from her thoughts when she heard someone beside her call her name. She spun around quickly, her wand raised only to find Harry standing there, looking at her with amazement.
"Merlyn, Ginny do you know how worried everyone has been, but don't worry I told them how it wasn't your fault, that Malfoy kidnapped you-"Harry said in a rushed voice as he reached out to grab Ginny by the arm.
The surprise and happiness of seeing Harry evaporated instantly. Draco kidnapping her? Ginny shook her head slightly, wondering what she had ever seen in this boy.
From the corner of her eye she saw Bellatrix dart from one shadow to the next. That's when it hit Ginny, Bellatrix wasn't here to make sure Lucius followed orders, she was here to make sure Ginny did. Ginny silently cursed herself for her own stupidity.
"-and you can come home now, Malfoy can't hurt you anymore, he must have had you under the Imperius curse-"Harry continued.
"Do you honestly know how long I've wanted to do this Harry," Ginny sighed as she took a step back from Harry.
Harry his wand held loosely at his side stopped talking and regarded her with curiosity.
Ginny took a deep breath, knowing there was no going back, and she found it easy to slip into her new role, bringing up all the dislike she had had for Harry lately. For all the times he treated her as a child, for all the times he ignored her, for all the times he thought she was a silly little kid with a crush. Then it was easy, almost too easy to raise her wand and smirk.
Harry seemed to see what she was up to just seconds before the words left her mouth and just dodged her curse. His face became impassive as he raised his wand.
"I'm sorry Gin, Expelliarmus," Harry yelled, throwing Ginny backwards as her wand went soaring.
"That's enough Potter," Blaise roared, flicking his wand, and sending Harry flying.
Ginny tore her gaze away from the scene in front of her as she wiped away the blood that trickled from her forehead as she frantically searched the debris for her wand. She saw a dark hand reach down, and she grabbed it letting it pull her up.
Blaise stood there, smirking as he held out her wand.
"Be careful next time red," Blaise winked.
He turned to walk away, but at the last second he shoved her out of the way as he got struck with a jet of red light.
This time Ginny didn't have to summon up the furry, it came easily as she saw Blaise's body lying on the ground. She didn't know when Blaise became more than Draco's cryptic friend, but then she didn't know when she became irrational. She threw a lot away, and embraced a lot more that day she met Draco in the astronomy tower, and there was no going back.
She felt a warm hand slink around her waist, she turned quickly wand at the ready, but to her surprise, it was Draco.
"We have to go," he whispered, grabbing her free hand.
Ginny nodded, letting him lead her away, and was only half-aware of Bellatrix grabbing her by the arm and apparating her back.
"Well?" Voldemort addressed them as the returned back to the manor.
His dark eyes never connected with any of theirs, as the group walked into the nearly full room. He was looking down at Nagini, as his bony hand stroked her skin, almost if he could care less what news they brought.
"My lord," Bellatirx said brushing past everyone to address Voldemort, "The auror Williamson was killed, the Zambini boy did it," Bellatrix said smugly.
Voldemort raised his hand, silencing her, then he slowly looked up meeting her eyes, and she didn't flinch, but instead seemed to swell up with pride. "And the matter we discussed?" Voldemort said softly.
Ginny didn't cringe away when his eyes slowly slide towards her, instead she stood tall with her eyebrows raised and a hand resting on her hip. She didn't however give Bellatrix a chance to answer she spoke up as soon as Bellatrix opened her mouth.
"I stuck to the plan," Ginny said coldly, meeting Voldemort's eyes.
"I didn't doubt your ability Ginevra," Voldemort responded with a small smile.
"And I wasn't aware that this was all a test for Ginevra," Lucius said coldly as he took a step forward.
"And why would that matter Lucius?" Voldemort said with a laugh, that a few other death eaters in the room shared with him.
"Just that Ginevra-"Lucius started losing some of his boldness.
"Just that Ginevra is dating your son, that means nothing to me," Voldemort said as his eyes went to rest on Draco who stood there silently. "Ginevra wasn't the only one being watched, we were keeping tabs on you Mr. Zambini," Voldemort said, his eyes sliding to Blaise.
"Your father seemed to run into a few problems with the ministry a few days ago, and as such your willingness to join-" Voldemort started
"You would base my loyalty towards you on the actions of one of my step fathers?" Blaise said with a laugh "If he betrayed you in any way it's the first I have heard of it," Blaise said in a bored voice.
"Really? Did the mudblood not tell you all about it? That they would put him and your mother under the Orders protection, was that not what she told you today?" Voldemort asked, rising from his chair and crossing the room towards him.
"I won't deny it," Blaise said with a shrug of his shoulders.
Ginny's heart sank, Blaise was still in contact with Hermione, and he didn't seem to care that he was caught; to make it worse he had just endangered the fate of Hermione as well as his.
"My lord, I didn't notice this," Bellatrix stammered.
"Enough!" Voldemort exclaimed, silencing her.
"My lord, if you knew I was talking to her, would you not also know what I found out, what I plan to do?" Blaise asked confidently, meeting Voldemort's harsh gaze without backing down.
"That is why I want everyone to leave me and the boy to talk," Voldemort said raising his gaze to address the room.
Ginny looked at Blaise once before she silently followed the others out of the room, she knew she had seen both Blaise and Hermione talking, how Voldemort knew was a shock to her though.
Lucius and Draco walked ahead of Ginny, carrying on a conversation in a low whisper. Ginny walked past them and silently into her room, trying to control her emotions before anyone saw her. She sat on the bed, and admired the build of the stone fire place.
"It helps if you start a fire," Draco's voice came from the door.
Ginny turned to stare at him raising an eyebrow.
"You're staring at a fire that isn't there," Draco commented with a shrug of his shoulders as he crossed the room, and sat down beside her wrapping his arms around her.
"I was just thinking," Ginny commented.
There was silence for a while before Draco spoke.
"I'm sorry Gin," Draco said suddenly.
"For what?"
"I didn't know that we would be going to your house, and what happened with Harry," Draco said.
"It is not your fault that we went there. I choice to do this Draco, and I won't drop out now, I knew what I was getting into."
"What if you would have had to kill one of them?" Draco asked looking at Ginny. "Could you live with that? I couldn't live with the fact you had to kill your family for me," Draco responded, tilting her face up so that he could meet her gaze.
"I love you, but maybe Potter is right," Draco said softly moving away from her.
"Harry! This is about Harry?" Ginny asked flabbergasted.
"If you were with Harry he could protect you," Draco said simply.
"If I was with Harry I wouldn't be happy," Ginny started
"But he would keep you safe, I don't deserve you if I can't take you anywhere without you getting in danger," Draco sighed.
"Nobody is safe Draco! There is a war going on," Ginny responded frusterated.
"And you are on the wrong side," Draco said, he turned to face Ginny. "Look at Blaise, he got caught talking to Hermione, what do you think will happen to him?" Draco asked.
Ginny looked up to meet his eyes, but he turned away from her. She knew how much he loved her, and she knew how much it was killing him for her to be here with him, and yet he didn't understand how much more it would kill her if she wasn't here.
"Draco, I made my choice, and I will do whatever it takes to stay here with you," Ginny said.
"Good that's what I wanted to hear," Lucius interrupted as he stepped into the room and shut the door softly behind him.