Disclaimer: Not mine...
Summary: "For now we are going to get everyone to a safe place. Ron and I will be taking Hermione and Fred somewhere to be healed. Malfoy, you need to take Ginny back to the Malfoy Manor. Can you do that?"
Author's notes: This is a very short chapter. It's basically just here to make a transition between the Burrow and the Malfoy Manor.
Draco stood, slack-jawed, as he stared at the people whom he had thought to be dead. Draco noticed Ginny next to him with the same expression on her face, only she looked as if she was about to faint. Draco quickly regained himself and looked to the two men sitting by the fire.
"Well, hello," Draco said, as calmly as he could even though he was still in a state of shock.
"What are you doing here, ferret?" Ron nearly yelled as he jumped out of his chair and walked over to Ginny. "Are you alright?" He asked her. Ginny simply nodded and stared at her brother in disbelief. Ron brought his gaze back to Draco as he stood up straight. He was very tall, maybe a few inches taller than Draco, but he was gangly and had barely any muscle on his thin arms.
Just then Harry cleared his throat and made his way over to the trio.
"Well," He began, "Now that we've all been acquainted once more, why don't we have a little chat?" Harry ushered Ginny and Draco to a love seat on the opposite side of the room, "Before I begin," Harry said as he and Ron sat in two matching red chairs, "I would like to know how you managed to get to the Burrow, Malfoy."
Draco sighed. "Well, Potter, I came to save Ginny."
"Save her from what?" Ron nearly yelled.
"Hush, Ron!" Harry ordered as Hermione began to stir. Ron sat back in his chair with his arms folded and a scowl on his face.
"He saved me," Ginny said, in nearly a whisper, "Those men–the Hunters–they were going to…"
Harry appeared to understand immediately and he simply nodded. "Well, thank you, Malfoy," Harry said with a smile, "For saving my fiancée."
"Your fiancée?" Draco and Ginny asked in unison.
In his chair, Ron was giving the two of them strange looks as he noticed their odd behavior.
"Yes," Harry said, "Before I left we were engaged…"
"Harry," Ginny interrupted, "You've been gone for two years. I thought you were dead…wait, where have you been all this time?"
"I suppose it is time I told you," Harry said with a sigh, "You see, I wasn't there the day that we graduated. McGonagall had held an earlier service for me, so that I could search for the horcruxes sooner…and alone. I didn't even hear about the attack on Hogwarts until two weeks after it happened. I wanted to come back, to let everyone know that I was alright, but I couldn't. So, for the past two years I have traveled in search of the horcruxes. I have found them, and destroyed them. Now all I have left to do is destroy Voldemort himself. But, the Muggles make it very complicated. When they kill Witches and Wizards, they drain the magic from them and hold it in the X's that they wear. And, once a month, a group of the Hunters goes to Voldemort, where ever he may be, and gives him the X's."
"So," Ginny said quietly, her head down, "This means that Voldemort has obtained all of these people's magic? Wouldn't that make him–"
"Invincible," Draco said causing another look from Ron. Draco reached out and grabbed Ginny's hand without thinking, "What are we going to do?" He asked.
"For now we are going to get everyone to a safe place. Ron and I will be taking Hermione and Fred somewhere to be healed. Malfoy, you need to take Ginny back to the Malfoy Manor. Can you do that?" Draco nodded, "Good, I will write you weekly under a codename. The owls are being intercepted like mad. Do not try to contact us. Eventually, we will formulate a plan and seek you out. Until then, this is goodbye."
Ginny and Draco said their goodbyes and then, together, they Apparated to the Malfoy Manor.
"Didn't you think that was odd?" Ron asked Harry as soon as Draco and Ginny had Apparated away.
"Did I think what was odd?" Harry asked as bent down to check on Hermione.
"THAT!" Ron yelled, "Ginny and the ferret, I mean. They were finishing each others sentences and holding hands. It was……well, odd."
Harry laughed. "Don't be silly Ron. You're just imagining things. Ginny and I are engaged. She wouldn't–"
"Harry," Ron said with a sigh, "You've been gone for two years. I think she might be over you."
"Maybe not," Harry whipped a strand of Hermione's hair from her face, "We need to get these two to some Healers, and quickly. I don't know how much longer they'll last if we don't."
Draco and Ginny sat in Draco's room a few hours later, contemplating what to do. Neither had a very good plan and their time was running out.
"I'll just hide in the closet," Ginny suggested, "I'm used to hiding."
"Don't be silly!" Draco said, "I'm not putting you in the closet when there is so much room in the dungeons…" Draco laughed as Ginny face paled, "I'm only joking. I'd never put you there. No, I believe you'll be fine here. My father will soon be departing for business. But, before then, you have to stay in here. And you can't go into anywhere else or you'll set off the alarm. You see, we have this jinx on the house. If anyone other than a Malfoy is in here without my father's consent, then it will go off."
"So," Ginny said, "The only way I could get around is if I had Malfoy blood?"
"Yes, but it's impossible…wait a minute." Ginny sat on the bed as she waited for Malfoy to return. He was back within seconds with a sharp knife.
"What are you doing?" Ginny asked cautiously.
Draco didn't answer and instead took the blade to his hand and sliced it. Ginny winced as blood began to pour from his hand and onto the floor. Draco then turned to Ginny and grabbed her hand. Ginny pulled her hand away and looked at Draco fearfully.
"Don't worry," Draco reassured her, "You can trust me."
Ginny sighed and held out her arm. Draco gently grabbed her hand and cut it with the blade. Ginny winced a little but said nothing. Then, putting the blade down, Draco put his cut hand on Ginny's and laced their fingers together.
"Now," He said, "My blood runs through you. We are one. You can go anywhere in the house, as long as my father doesn't see you."