Chapter Seventeen
An Important Decision
Draco pressed the rag to his lip, not at all surprised when it came away bloody. Guess that's what I get for picking fights in alternate universes, he thought bitterly. He wasn't saying he was the best fighter, after all Ginny and Hermione both had kicked his ass at one point in time.
He was once more behind bars, waiting for his trial. Or death sentence.
He hung his head. He couldn't even save himself and he wanted to save Ginny as well. Ginny was a better knight in shinning armor than he could ever be.
He smiled, thinking of her again.
He was about to drift off into a nice Ginny fantasy as Voldemort pranced around somewhere plotting his doom, when he heard a small voice.
"Psst! Misters Malfoy!"
He looked up at the bars of his cage to see Dobby sitting there.
"Dobby? What do you want?" he demanded quietly.
Dobby grinned, "This will help!"
Draco blinked as the elf held out a glittering necklace. He reached for it and Dobby let him have it. It was another time turner. He blinked again. "What?"
"Draco Malfoy will use it to get away. To go home." Dobby chattered.
Draco looked at it.
"Draco Malfoy will press the two turners together and he will go home."
Draco stared again at it. His ticket home. His chance to keep his soul. All he had to do was-
Leave Ginny here. He swallowed hard. Three days ago it wouldn't have been a choice. Six hours ago he would have barely hesitated. Three hours ago he would have paused.
But that was three hours ago. He tossed the necklace to Dobby with a command of 'Catch'
Dobby caught it and looked at him. "Draco Malfoy?"
"I don't expect you to understand, Dobby. But I helped get us into this mess. I'll see it through. I won't leave her here."
Dobby grinned. "Mister Malfoy makes a good decision. Dobby not give him the real turner. Mister Malfoy would still be stuck here and Miss Weasley would not know what she does now."
Dobby pointed one small arm. Draco's head whipped around. Ginny Weasley was standing at the edge of the bars, hands pressed to her mouth. She had a sword at her hip and a turner glittered around her neck.
"You... you mean it?" She whispered.
He smiled. "Every word of it. I know I'm a jack ass and I know I don't deserve you but damnit I will try. And if you'll let me, I'd like to kiss you now."
All the while, Draco had been moving closer to her.
Ginny grinned. She shot one hand into the cell and took him by the shirt, dragging him close for a breathtaking kiss.
Twenty years into the past, Ginny and Draco appeared once more with a small crack, still kissing furiously as Goyle and Crabbe stared.