Die to Live

Chapter Twelve

By Mell8

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Ginny slowly left her bedroom, shuffled down the hall, and clomped leisurely down the stairs into the kitchen. She sat down in front of the breakfast setting left out for her and moments later her mum was filling the plate with food.

Ginny sighed. Ever since she had been cleared of murder charges at the trial her mum had made it a mission to feed Ginny back all the weight she had lost while ill. That meant that she had two steaks in front of her, three eggs fried in grease, a large handful of bacon, and hash browns and she was expected to clean her plate. Ginny slowly ate an egg and had one piece of bacon and a forkful of potato before sneaking out of the kitchen and away from her mother.

She made it outside and collapsed on a bench in the garden before she ran out of energy. Ginny had been lethargic and tired ever since the trial and it was only getting worse as the days passed. At first she had been up for a lively game of Quidditch but now the thought of being on a broom put her to sleep.

She was just so tired.

Ginny had a good idea why she was exhausted. She had spoken with Hermione about why she and the boys had become so sick and Hermione had mentioned something about a soul bond before running off to find Ron so they could begin packing for their extended vacation. Ginny had luckily still had energy back then and had promptly gone to Flourish and Blott's to look up what a soul binding was. That was why she knew that Draco and Blaise's absence where what was causing her fatigue.

What she did not know was why they were absent. Ron had gone to their sentencing for Ginny, as she had not been allowed into the room.

When Ron returned he had smiled at her and said, "I'm sure they'll be around eventually."

"So are they free? Where they acquitted?" Ginny had asked excitedly.

Ron had smiled down at her but Ginny was too keyed up to notice that he was sending a poignant look over her head towards Harry and Hermione.

The days passed and grew into weeks and eventually, months. Every day Ginny wondered why she was alone. She woke up wondering why she felt so cold. Why weren't there two bodies keeping her warm. She wondered why they did not come back for her.

Ginny sat at the bench all morning and it was well into the afternoon when Molly Weasley went looking for her daughter.

She found the tiny red head on the bench in the garden and at first it looked like Ginny was sleeping but as Molly quietly crept closer she saw that Ginny's eyes were opened.

"Ginny?" Molly called softly. She waved a hand in front of her daughters face but Ginny's eyes did not see her. Instead the girl seemed to be looking outward towards something that Molly couldn't see.

Towards someone, someones, that Molly couldn't see.

Molly reached her hand out to gently shake her daughters shoulder but stopped when Ginny slowly turned her head to focus on the older woman.

"Blaise? Draco?" Ginny whispered in such a broken voice that Molly's heart clenched in pain. She watched, horrified, as a wet tear slowly made it's way down Ginny's smooth cheek. With a mother's tender care, Molly gathered her baby in her arms and gently began to rock her.

"Where are they Mum?" Ginny gasped. "Why haven't they come for me?"

Molly closed her eyes and hid her face in her daughters' long hair.

"Where do you think they are Ginny?" she asked kindly. It was obvious that Ginny had not been informed and Molly thought she knew the reasoning behind that action. Maybe if she told Ginny slowly the girl could handle the news instead of breaking down like Ron thought.

Because nothing, nothing, could be worse than seeing Ginny like this.

Ginny slowly stood up from her mother's embrace. "Thanks Mum," Ginny said and smiled.

Molly Weasley watched as her baby girl slowly walked into the house and away from the gentle protection she offered.

Maybe Molly would tell her later; once Ginny had gotten a bit of her life back together Molly would tell her daughter the truth. Until then she would just have to watch over Ginny and make sure that she did not suffer too much.

When Molly Weasley walked back into the house Ginny was gone and the Floo was still burning brightly.

Ginny crouched down and wiggled out of the too small fireplace. She stood up and stepped into the tiny room. Dust had settled over everything since the last time she had been here. Ginny grimaced as she looked around and saw all the cleaning she would have to do to get their home back to the pristine condition they had left it in.

Her cloak was still lying across the back of the couch and Draco had left his toothbrush on the table again. She found Blaise's jeans in a pile in the hallway and his dirty apron from work was thrown over the back of the doorway.

In the closet Ginny found two wrapped packages. Her birthday presents for a happy day they had missed because Draco and Blaise were missing.

Her tears wet the paper as she slowly opened the presents. Draco had gotten her a necklace and Blaise had given her the matching earrings. With shaking hands she put the jewelry on and turned to look at herself in the mirror.

A sob escaped her throat. Blaise should be standing there admiring her earrings and joking with Draco that his gift looked better on her than Draco's necklace. Draco should be there, gently stroking her neck with one hand and yanking a handful of Blaise's dark hair with the other.

"Where are you?" Ginny screamed. "Why have you abandoned me?"

She stepped backwards until the backs of her knees met the edge of the bed and let her body collapse into a heap on the huge mattress.

III

The court secretary stood with a paper in his hand and waited while the Wizengamot filed out of the room to go back to their respective lives. It was up to the secretary to read the verdict and to make sure that the orders contained on the paper were carried out.

The door closed behind the last member and a cold wind whipped through the courthouse ruffling the all-important paper.

"Mr. Draco Malfoy has been found guilty and has been sentenced to life in Azkaban," the secretary called out into the shocked room. Everyone thought the lawyer had done a much better job than that. Most of the witnesses in the room had been convinced of Malfoy's innocence.

"Mr. Blaise Zabini has been found guilty and has been sentenced to fifty years in Azkaban."

A loud outcry filled the room at that statement. It had been made perfectly clear that Blaise Zabini had wanted nothing to do with the Death Eaters. How had the Wizengamot gotten this wrong too?

III

"Look Malfoy, Zabini, you know your sentence. Let Ginny go. If you pull her with you she'll get sick again and I can guess that you don't want that to happen." Ron sneered at the blond and black boys. "Let her go. You'll injure her and yourselves less this way."

Draco dropped his head and focused his glare on the shackles around his wrists and ankles. It would be better for Ginny if she didn't know that her boys were behind bars. She would not be as hurt if she remained ignorant and Ginny would not try to spend every waking moment in Azkaban with them. She deserved to spend the rest of her life living outside in the sun with her loving family.

No, Draco did not want to hurt her. He would let her go.

Draco looked up into Blaise's face and saw the same feelings echoed there. He quickly leaned over to Blaise and pressed his lips to the other boy's in a quick goodbye and a soft thank you for all their years of love and friendship.

Blaise would be released in time to give those same sentiments to Ginny. Draco would never see either of them again.

"Come on Malfoy," Ron growled and began leading the boy into the depths of the prison. Draco saw Blaise being led in the other direction.

III

He was locked in a dark, dank cell with a small barred window near the ceiling and a slot for food to be delivered in the door. At first he ate when food was pushed into the cell. Then moving from his damp bed over to the door became too much of an effort. He was content to sit and watch the sun pass across the sky from dawn to dusk and then watch the moon in her many faces as she followed the sun.

He was just happy that Ginny was able to let the sun warm her face during the day and the moon was able to guard her dreams at night.

He was just happy that Ginny was free.

"Where are you? Why have you abandoned me?"

Two heads simultaneously jerked up from their sad positions in their cells on opposite sides of the huge prison. She was crying. She was hurt. All thoughts of her happiness flew from their minds as they realized that their absence was hurting their angel more than keeping her happy.

Twin cracks that rang through the stone walls of the prison were the only warning the guards received that something was wrong. Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini were missing from their cells. Somehow, both of them had disappeared at the same exact time from cells that had so much warding on them that not even an ant could move undetected inside. One guard immediately ran to get an Auror for help.

III

"We're so sorry Ginny," Draco murmured in a tear choked voice as he and Blaise carefully climbed onto the bed with the sobbing girl. They gathered her in their arms and gently kissed her head and cheeks and lips and neck and wet tears.

Ginny sobbed louder but this time from happiness rather than despair. They were back. Back in her arms and in her bed. She clutched them to her and let them stroke her hair and curl themselves around her shaking body.

They would worry about consequences in the morning. For now it was more than enough to be back in each others arms.

III

Harry Potter looked up wearily at the panting prison guard.

"Auror Potter! Malfoy and Zabini have disappeared from their cells!"

Harry sighed and ran a tired hand through his hair. Why did Ron and Hermione have to go on a second honeymoon this month? Everything bad that could possibly happen was happening and he was alone in the office.

Ginny was missing and Mrs. Weasley was frantic. Now Malfoy and Zabini had disappeared as well. It was his job to find them again.

Harry had a pretty good idea of their whereabouts but it would still mean a lot of paperwork once he found them. Plus, all three would have to go back in front of the Wizengamot for a re-evaluation of their crimes. It was possible that Malfoy and Zabini would never see the light of day again and Ginny could end up behind bars for harboring dangerous criminals.

Harry sighed, thanked the guard, and apparated home. Ginny, Malfoy, and Zabini would still be in their home tomorrow. Harry might as well get a good nights rest before having to deal with the backlash.