Ginny ran from the parlor to the kitchen as fast as she could. As she reached the doorframe she caught sight of her brother Charlie and her father. They were both caring someone over to the table. As she moved closer to get a better look she stepped on a couple pieces of glass shards left by the plates and glasses that were thrown from the table. She looked down momentarily then looked back up to try and peak over her brothers. She could just barley catch a glimpse of the person.
It was a young man and from what she could see he was in dire need of help. He looked worse then most of the witches and wizards she had seen. He had large gashes upon his legs and he was twitching slightly but not making a single sound.
"Oh Author," Molly cried as she began to fuss over the body. "This is truly terrible."
"Did you see what happened to him?" Fred asked his tone was a mixture of emotions that Ginny couldn't quiet make out.
"No, we just saw him lying there."
"Should have left him." George said in disgust. Molly looked up at him in horror and disbelief. "How do we know-"?
"We don't know anything," Author interrupted. "And it doesn't matter. It should never matter in a time like this." His tone was firm, angry, and troubled. "In times like this we should stick together."
"Dad," Ginny said, catching his attention. He looked over his shoulder then turned fully to see her.
"Ginny," His expression softened as he rushed over to give her a hug and a kiss.
"I'm so glad your ok," she whispered against him. He pulled her away and just looked at her for a moment.
"Right now I want you to forget everything I taught you about right and wrong and I want you to do what you feel and know is right." Ginny nodded but really didn't understand what her father meant but she could tell it was important.
"Dad, Gin, we need you two over here." Charlie called.
"We'll be right there son," Author said then turned back to Ginny. "Do you understand what I just said?"
She understood very little but nodded anyway. "Yes, dad." He smiled a weary smile and walked her over the table. What she saw she wasn't prepared for. The sight alone sucked all the air out of her lungs. Right in front of her laid the enemy- Draco Malfoy.
"Oh my god," she said to herself as she edged, unexpectedly, a bit closer. She looked back at her Father with worried, anxious eyes. "What happened to him?" Author looked away, rubbing the back of his neck with hesitation of what he could and wanted to say. He then decided he should just tell the truth. There was no hiding behind the ministry anymore. His daughter deserved to know what occurred.
"We figure he was tortured by his own kind. The marks found on his body are of dark spells and curses that most do not know of. I doubt even the smartest and most cunning of us could even remember, let alone perform these spells," he said motioning to the marks up and down Draco's arms and legs.
"We assume he was put through the Cruciatus curse." Charlie said, filling in the blanks to what Author had just said.
"The poor dear," Molly said, as if to herself as she began to tend to the wounds as best she could. Ginny didn't say anything she just looked at him. This was the boy who had caused her and her brothers so much grief though all their lives. His family has hurt hers for so many years and now here he was at their mercy.
Something inside her told her to turn her back, reject him like he would do to her but a greater part of her just couldn't do that. That wasn't who she was and she never would want to be like that…to be like him. She could hate him all she wanted but that didn't mean she would allow him to suffer, to die. Not like this.
Slowly, she moved forward. He didn't even look like himself. Not the pompous brat she had known all her life. This man who lay before her was someone she had never met. But in an odd way he looked like someone who she would like to meet. Laying here so innocently he looked like a hero of some sort but she knew better. He was no hero, yet that didn't mean she couldn't feel pity for him.
He was so pale that he could be called colorless. Yes, the boy she loathed had smooth porcelain skin that looked of cream, but his skin was an unhealthy pallid color and it was anything but perfect. Scratches lined his face and oozed of crimson blood.
As she drew closer it even appeared that he had been crying. An emotion the boy she had known would never show. But seeing his tear stained cheeks pulled at her heart like she had never felt before. She pitied him, honestly felt sympathy.
"How can I help?"
"How can you help him?" Fred shouted, finally erupting in the emotion Ginny couldn't read before.
"Why would you even want to?" George threw in out of nowhere, coming to his twin's aid. "Have you forgotten what he has done through the years?"
"Or even recently?" Molly gasped.
"Fred!"
"No mum, I can't stand here and say nothing!" Ginny stared at her brothers. Maybe they were right. But then again…she looked back down at Draco and gently motioned for his hand.
"I don't care," she said quietly. She looked up to her brothers and repeated what she just said but a little louder. They looked over at her as if she just grew a third eye. "I don't care if he's a Malfoy or what he has done or what he hasn't done. I want to help him."
Molly smiled at her daughter then looked over at her husband who returned the look.
"I knew you would do the right thing," Author said, patting her hand that lay atop Draco's. "I'll explain more tonight. But for now, keep him in here and away from the others. I have to go back and try to find whomever I can. I won't be long."
"I'm going back with you," Charlie said walking past Fred and George who were still fuming. He looked over at them and sighed in a big brother sort of way. "Maybe you two should think about coming back with us and looking for survivors."
"They can stay with me and help in the other room." Molly interrupted, not wanting her sons out in that mess anymore then they had to. "I'm sure they can be of some help by cheering up the lot in there." They both nodded in unison.
"We can do that," they agreed.
"Best that you two behave," Author said, eyeing both of them. They nodded once more then turned to follow their mother from the room. "Well then, all set Charlie?"
"Ay dad." He said then disapparated from the room.
"Ok then, off I go." Before setting off he turned back to his daughter once more. "Thanks again Ginny. You've been more help then you know." She blushed a soft rose at the complement.
"Thanks." He waved his hand and then in a flash he was gone again. Ginny was now alone…alone with Draco Malfoy. She turned and walked back to his side. His twitching was dieing down a bit she noticed, giving him a once over and for the first time since he arrived he began to make some noise, which was a positive sign even if the sounds he made were not positive at all.
"I can't even imagine the pain your in," she said half to herself and half to him. He moaned almost in response but she knew better then to believe that he was already coming to. No… she would have to wait for tonight for that to happen, if even then. She sighed and stroked his hand softly. "I'll take good care of you though." Whipping out her wand she began to clean up the wounds that she could.
"Abracadabra." He began to whimper softly. She wished there was something more she could do for him but she could only do so much. "Episkey." She had felt like this with other patients but never did she see anyone that was in as much anguish as he was in. She could drive disease away from the wounds and fix as many broken bones as possible but sadly magic could only do so much.
Some time went by before Ginny felt that she had done all she could do for his condition. She actually had no idea what time it was. She had been so busy flipping through spell, charm, hex, and curse books. She knew most of his clause was not going to helped by a few spells but that was all she could do for now, or at least until he was awake.
"Ginny dear," Ginny jumped at the sound of her mother's voice. She hadn't realized how quiet it was in the kitchen until now. "Oh, I'm sorry it I startled you."
"No, It's fine mum. I just haven't heard anything besides his groans and my own voice for a while."
"How is he doing?" Molly sounded honestly concerned. She acted as if he were her own son even though she knew exactly who and what he was. But being a Slytherin or even a death eater didn't matter right now. Ginny was glad that someone else felt like what she felt like. It was almost as if as long as he didn't talk, he wasn't Draco.
"He's doing better since I've cleaned him up a bit," she responded idly as she walked to the counter to where a potion book lay. She started flipping through it. "I'd feel a lot better if he would come to. And if I could find a potion to maybe ease his pain a bit more." Molly grabbed another book that was thrown on the floor and started to leaf through it.
"Perhaps we could make some more blood-replenishing potion." Ginny shook her head.
"We're all out of crocodile teeth."
"Well I could at least whip up some bruise removal paste." Ginny looked over at her mom with a wirery smile.
"You would use something Fred and George made?" Molly scoffed and rolled her eyes.
"That is besides the point," She muttered as she headed over to the cupboard to look for the ingredients that she would need. Ginny busied herself in "100 Well Needed Potions for the Not So Everyday Witch" She was bound to come across something that she could have overlooked. Molly worked hard on making a batch of Fred and George's famous bruise removal paste. It wasn't too hard to make at all, in fact it was made from the simplest of things. It had to be since they came up with it when they were in their first year of Hogwarts. That's when their real experimentation began, Ginny thought to herself as she began to remember some of their first disasters.
"Ginny," Molly said turning from the cauldron in the corner. "You've really been a big help," she said with a thankful smile. "I just wanted to let you know how proud I am of you." Ginny blushed and turned back to her book, but after a few moments gave up deciding there was nothing that was going to help at the moment.
"Well there isn't much I can do right now," she confessed, taking a seat beside Draco. Molly watched her daughter from the corner of her eye as she worked on the paste. Ginny, without noticing what she was doing, stroked stray hairs from his forehead like a mother would do to a sleeping child. She held so much open and truthful concern for this boy even though there was a side of her that still hated him to his very core.
No one knew what he had gone through out there and no one would, not through his eyes. And Ginny realized this. She saw things and people differently then most. She always saw the good in people. She didn't dismiss their faults but the good always overshadowed the bad in these types of cases.
Sighing, Molly turned away from her task. "Ginny."
"Yes, mum?" She said, snatching her hand away from Draco without even realizing what she was doing. "An hour or so ago your father sent a letter."
"Is he alright?" She asked with a note of panic tucked into her voice while an uncomfortable knot settled in the pit of her stomach.
"Yes, yes of coarse," Molly said, hurriedly sensing her daughter's apprehension. "And your brothers are fine as well, even Ron," She added with a reassuring smile.
"Well then what's wrong?" Molly looked away for a moment and thought about what she was going to say next After a few seconds she decided there was no pussyfooting around the subject and that she would just have to come out and say it.
"Ginny dear, your father and I, that is we have decided, for your safety of coarse, and well the boy's." She glanced over to Draco who began to whine and mutter sounds under his breath in discomfort. "The ministry can't find out that your father has brang him back, seeing as he is-well you know…anyways, Ginny love, to get right down to it, we need you to care for him back at his own estate, where he can be safe." She paused and gave Ginny a once over.
She had gone absolutely pale behind her faint trace of freckles. Her eyes looked deep into Molly's for a second then quickly glanced over to Draco.
"Your father will explain more to you tomorrow, I expect. But for now I need you to agree with the plan, just for now."
"Away from my family and friends," she asked hesitantly. "Alone with Malfoy?" Molly looked away and sighed.
"Ginny, I know it's a lot to ask from you. I would do it myself if I wasn't so busy with worrying and charring about everyone here. Besides they need someone from the order to stay here since your Father will be gone that leaves me. But having him stay here is only risking his and our lives." Ginny listened carefully to her mother's side of the argument but all she could think of was how she would feel even more disconnected to everyone. But what could she possibly say? She couldn't just say no but she didn't want to say yes but the choices looked uncertain.
She nodded miserably but agreed nonetheless. Molly heaved a sigh in relief.
"Your doing the right thing, I promise. And it won't be long. Just until he's better then you'll be sent home." That made everything sound a bit better but her reaction to this news was still full of doubt and dread but a small thought hidden in the back of her mind kept fogging her thoughts... "In times like these, we stick together."