"My lord likes torturing young girls; maybe he'll even let me have some fun with you first!"

A figure detached itself from a tree and started walking slowly towards her…

Ginny's eyes darted round the clearing looking for an escape but the hooded figure had his wand pointed right at her heart.

The Death Eater walked forward one step more before crumpling to the ground. Ginny could see Draco standing behind the body holding a tree branch with both hands.

"Malfoy! Thank you, I thought you'd. Look... thanks!" she mumbled, not quite wanting to say she thought he'd run for it.

"Don't worry about it; I was saving my arse too. No wand, remember? I'd have been no use in a magic fight." Draco muttered, seeming distracted. He leant down and picked up both her wand and the death eaters and pointed both wands down at the figure with a look of pure malice on his face.

Ginny felt a little nervous. "Erm, Malfoy…" No response "Draco?" He looked up at the sound of his first name "What are you doing? Can I have my wand please?"

Draco looked at her, and then back to the motionless figure. "No. I'm going to kill him."

Ginny's eyes narrowed "You can't!"

"Watch me…"

"I know you aren't a murderer Malfoy, Harry told me."

Draco looked up at her "What would he know about me?"

"He was there the night that... when Dumbledore was murdered. He was… hidden. Harry told me that you couldn't - wouldn't go through with it."

Draco's head drooped "I wish I had killed him!" he said.

Ginny gasped "You bastard."

Draco gave Ginny a venomous look. "They killed my mother because of my failure to finish the old fool and I'M the bastard?" He spat the words out before he could regret admitting he actually had emotions.

Genuine sorrow showed on Ginny's face. "I - I'm so sorry. I can only imagine how awful that must have been and how much hate you must have for them… But killing him won't bring your mother back. It will just make you more like him. Like them."

Draco laughed "You have no idea how long my father tried to make me that person… He tried everything, coaxing me, beating me… And all he had to do was kill my mother and he could have had his 'perfect heir' years ago." he sneered.

"I won't let you become a monster like your father." Ginny said moving closer to the Death Eater's body.

"You have no idea about my Father. You think his name calling and taunting your family was bad. Try being the son that just couldn't live up to his Father's expectations. One minute spoiled rotten and treated like a god, the next being kicked, spelled at and punished for not winning that Quiddich match or not quite beating mudblood Granger in classes. What can a few jibes be compared to that?" Draco shook his head and looked at Ginny. She had gone pale and was looking far away.

"Name calling never bothered me Malfoy. What your father did to me… you don't know the half of it."

"Explain yourself." said Draco

"I... can't. I won't!"

"As much as I hate the man I think I have a right to know about my own father's actions."

Ginny shook her head and seemed to come out of her trance. She thought for a moment. "Ok Malfoy. I'll do a deal with you. You leave with me now and let my people deal with these two." she indicated with her head to the two Death Eater's bodies lying in the clearing. "In return I will give you all the gory details of my run-in with your Father. Not that it will be pleasant for me."

Draco considered her proposal. "Why do you want to help me; help them too I guess?" he asked, pointing to the bodies.

"Because I've seen enough bloodshed to last a life-time. I don't think I could stand to see one more person murdered. Let them pay the price for their cruelty by being imprisoned. Not by creating more death." Ginny looked at him "Last chance Malfoy. Take it or leave it."

"Well Weasley, I'm not used to taking orders from people outside of my family. Let's just say I'm used to getting my way. But I guess if it's a deal then I can handle that. I'll do what you want then but don't think I'm going to be pleasurable company."

"Fine, I'm not promising I am either. It's a deal then." Ginny said holding out her hand for her wand. Draco handed it back to her and she promptly bound and spelled the second body.

"Ok. There should be a port-key somewhere round here. I'll look over there; it should be in the roots of a tree." She dug around a little and soon had found an old green umbrella hidden in the roots.

"I'm sorry about this Malfoy, I'll explain later."

Draco threw her a confused look. Ginny pointed her wand and cast an Immobulus on him before he could blink. She held his arm to stop him from falling.

"I promise, I'll explain everything when we get there." Ginny seemed almost amused at Malfoy's predicament and all he could do was glare at her. She grabbed his arm a little more firmly and then leaned down and touched the umbrella…