The hours faded into days and the days into weeks.

Before either of them had realized it, they'd been gone for a month. Thirty days of late nights and early mornings. Thirty days of hunting Death Eaters and gathering information. Thirty full days of being in one another's constant company.

It was still strange to wake up and know Draco slept across the tent from her. It was still strange to see him and remember that he wasn't the person she had always thought him to be. In the days they'd spent together, she'd learned so many things about him; like how when he was six, he'd convinced his father to get him the best broomstick on the market and had promptly broken his arm on his first ride. Or how when he went to Hogwarts the first time, he had been just as scared as everyone else, but had been taught to never show fear. And Draco had learned just as much about her- like how growing up with six older brothers made a girl tough. Or how she had been riding brooms since six as well, but had never broken a bone in the process.

Ginny's idea had gone over well with Remus and the others; of course, her mother had not liked the idea, but Remus thought it smart. Trail different Death Eaters and report back on their behavior- their targets, Greyback, Dolohov, and Malfoy. A trio of men close to Voldemort, one of which had murdered several people in the last two weeks. Greyback was a madman that needed to be stopped and it had become Ginny's personal mission to ensure that happened.

And so that was how they found themselves deep in the woods, having trailed Greyback there. The werewolf seemed to be on a pause in his killing spree- his bloodlust lessened by the passing of the full moon. He was the top of their concerns, this blood thirsty monster that had attacked two children only days before. Ginny still felt guilt over that, for they'd arrived minutes too late to prevent the children from dying. A week before that they'd arrived in time, saving a grown man from the werewolf, but the fight had been tough, leaving both she and Draco with permanent scars.

"Ginny?"

Hearing her name she turned, smiling apologetically. "Sorry, you were saying?" She returned her gaze to the small fire that burned between them, the only source of light in their campsite. They'd come to a rest only an hour or so before, so late that they had decided not even to pitch the tent Ginny carried in a magical bag the size of a small purse.

"I said that it seemed like Greyback is looking for something," Draco repeated the words he'd said a few moments before, noticing how faraway Ginny was that evening. "You're a million miles away," he noted aloud, catching her gaze as she looked back up at him in surprise. In their weeks together, he'd grown to know her gestures, her moods, her inability to ever keep her thoughts to herself. It was strange for her to be quiet as she had been since their making camp.

"It's just... I..." Ginny paused, a sigh escaping as her eyes closed for only the briefest of moments. "I can't stop thinking about them." Her eyes fell upon his, the brown depths full of guilt as she fought to control her emotions. "Those kids."

Draco had already known what she was thinking about- she had thought he'd not noticed her tears that night, when she had laid in her bunk and cried. He wished he had known what to say to her in that moment, but instead feigned sleep until her sobs quieted and she drifted off to sleep. Even now, days later, he could recall the stricken look on her features when they had found the bloody corpses. And he could still remember the warmth of her body when she'd turned to him, her face buried into his chest. "It wasn't your fault," Draco stated the obvious, his mind churning as he fought to find the words to say. "We can't protect everyone, Gin."

She blinked, her gaze wide-eyed and wild, but she slowly nodded, understanding his words as the truth. He was right after all, no matter how hard they tried, of course they couldn't save everyone. But those kids... Those two innocent children who had yet to even get sorted into a Hogwarts House... Why them? Had they been unable to protect that old man, she'd have felt bad of course... But children? She shuddered at the memory of them, their mangled bodies too much for her to look upon. "I know... But..." She stood up, turning away from the campfire but it illuminated her, the light dancing off her hair like a crown. Draco stood up too, reminded of the night he had not known how to help her through her tears.

Suddenly, he knew what he needed to do.

Closing the gap between them, he grabbed her wrist, drawing her into his arms without a single word. She buried her face into his chest and Draco wound his arms around her, holding onto her as if his life depended on it. He could feel her shaking as she cried, her own arms finding their way around his waist after a few long moments. Draco couldn't really say how long they stood there like that, but it felt like an eternity when she drew away from him, leaving him surprisingly cold without her against him. "I'm sorry," she mumbled, making to turn away, clearly embarrassed by her sudden display of emotion.

"Don't be," Draco drew her back to face him, reaching out to swipe a thumb beneath her eyes still full of unshed tears, erasing all traces of them from her skin. She was close enough to him that he could feel her breath against his skin... Close enough that he swore he could hear the pounding of her heart within her chest. She was staring up into his eyes, her silence more profound than any words she could have said in that moment. She raised up one of her own hands, gently pushing a silvery blonde lock of hair off his forehead. "Ginny..." He heard himself murmuring her name, its syllables already so familiar upon his tongue. Draco couldn't quite say what posessed him to do what he did next- but in that insant, it just seemed right. And so he put his lips to hers.

The time that passed could have been seconds, but it could have been hours too; Ginny lost herself in the moment, everything else forgotten as Draco kissed her. When she finally pulled herself back, she blinked up at him, unaware of the smile that had begun to bloom on her features. How had something such as kissing Draco Malfoy felt so right? Even in all her years with Harry, nothing had ever felt so... So real. "Draco, I..." She fought to find something to say, but it seemed that even her voice was lost to her.

At once it was his turn to apologize, stammering the words as he made to let her go. Perhaps he'd been wrong to kiss her without so much as asking if she'd like to. Perhaps he had been wrong to hold her so close, even though nothing had ever felt so right in all of his twenty-one years of life. "I didn't mean..."

But she was shaking her head, drawing him back in with just a single phrase. "Don't let go," she whispered as she felt his hands release her and Draco was compelled to take her into his arms again, pressing his face into the crown of her head, breathing in her already familiar scent. They'd known one another for over ten years now, from their school days til now, but he'd never touched her like this. Up until a month ago, he'd only looked her in the eyes a handful of times. Up until a month ago, the closest thing to a conversation they'd ever had was when she hexed him in Umbridge's office years before. He had always seen her from afar, a bright beacon in the halls, but he'd never spoken to her. They had been from different worlds- but now... Now all of that was in the past.

"I won't," he murmured into her hair, feeling her body relax against his, his arms the only thing keeping her on her feet. The moments that passed were the best in all of his life- he could not remember feeling anything better than this, holding Ginny like he was. It was as if he'd waited all his life for this exact moment.

It wasn't until the moon rose high into the sky, its light finding them from between the tree tops, illuminating them both. They both drew back from one another, suddenly aware of how late into the night it had become, both aware of how long they had been standing there in one another's arms. She was the one to take the first step back, but her hand slid into his, a small smile on her lips. "We should try to get some rest before morning," she said, as normal as could be, as if what had just transpired was normal for the both of them. Draco gave a silent nod, unsure if he could find his voice, and allowed her to draw him towards their sleeping bags laid out by the dying fireside.

They climbed inside, the squishy bags reminding Draco of the year all the students had to sleep in the Great Hall, and realized they were the very same bags. He made a mental note to ask her in the morning how she had acquired the sleeping bags. "Good night," he finally spoke as he listened to her soft, even breathing beside him in her own bag. She didn't reply right away, making him think she had already drifted off... But then it came, soft and sweet, like music to his ears.

"Good night, Draco."

[ x x x ]

The days that followed brought a change- suddenly, they were no longer just partners on a mission, barely even friends let alone what it was that they had become. Draco found himself sneaking glances at her, only to find her already looking at him. He would open his mouth to say something, only to hear her saying the exact same thing. During their downtime, they continued to learn to know more about one another- Draco riveted by her stories of growing up the seventh of seven children, and she hanging onto his every word when he told her of his childhood. It felt, Draco realized, as if they'd known one another all their lives after a few short months together.

Summer had faded into fall and the days were growing shorter and colder too. Greyback contineud to be their main target, his killing spree from the summer never quite ending. Just when they thought perhaps he'd given up entirely, another victim would turn up. He'd begun to attack Muggles as well, which had their world in a frenzy. Ginny and Draco knew they had to act fast. They all had to act fast.

Voldemort was always on the move it seemed- though they tried, they could never keep tabs on him like they could his Death Eaters. Greyback was surprisingly easy to follow- he, unlike all of the others, didn't care who saw him. He felt untouchable. Antonin Dolohov was not nearly as open as Greyback, but his string of victims was as equally long. Only Lucius Malfoy seemed to stay out of the public eye, despite being Voldemort's one time right hand man. He remained at Malfoy Manor, Draco had told her early on in their mission, staying there to ensure all plans went as they were supposed to. He conducted meetings there, kept prisioners there, and conducted torture sessions there. He was, if nothing else, what kept all of Voldemort's plans going.

One of those plans was happening tonight.

Through their efforts, they had discovered Voldemort's intent on breaking into Gringotts, though what he was after none of them knew. And so that was how they found themselves hiding, along with several other Order members, lying in wait until the perfect moment arose. The only ones missing from their party was the Golden Trio, whom they'd not heard of since August, when an owl had come on Ginny's birthday with a message from each of them. Messages she'd not gotten until that very night on her own return to her childhood home after weeks away.

"They're here." Remus Lupin's soft vocals were in her ear and Ginny shifted slightly, turning her eyes towards the door of the bank as several bodies materialized on the stone steps. Sure enough, it was Voldemort at it's head, his six companions trailing the stairs behind him. "Let's go," Remus kept his voice low, but they all heard him, and at once they were on the move, giving up their positions to Voldemort and his men.

At once the street of Diagon Alley was ablaze with spells and curses. Voldemort remained before the double doors of Gringotts, watching as his men clashed in battle with the Order, his irritation rising to true anger. Here they were again, those blasted Order members- Remus Lupin among them, a man who was constantly a thorn in his side. And then there was Arthur Weasley, a blood traitor with a disgusting interest in all things Muggle. His eyes traveled among those fighting, seeing the others- Kingsley, Tonks, the eldest of the Weasley children... And then he saw them.

Voldemort could not help but to smile as his eyes fell upon the young woman locked in fierce battle with Greyback; the red hair, the brown eyes, he knew at once who she was. It had been years since he had last saw her- she'd been nothing more than a child the last time he'd looked her in the eyes, after all. Ginny Weasley was a curious woman, even he had to admit. She was strong, all his men had commented on her battle prowess. But more than that, she had fought back against Greyback and Malfoy's dose of the Cruciatus Curse. It was rare to find anyone at all who could do such a thing. He was impressed by her, if nothing else, and it was regretful of where her loyalties so strongly lay.

Speaking of Malfoy, Voldemort's eyes came to rest upon the son of his ever faithful Lucius, the young man that had turned his coat all to protect the Weasley girl. It was true, Voldemort had never truly believed in Draco Malfoy- he had always seemed weak to him- but he was the son of one of his most trusted men, and so his place should have been at his own side. To have him betray him and their cause... It was unforgivable. He watched Draco fling a curse at Dolohov before turning, his attention momentairly caught by the redhead, who had managed to knock Greyback off his feet. Impressive, Voldemort thought as he watched with a slow smile spreading over his features, his wand still yet tucked away in his cloak pocket. This would not be a battle he needed to engage himself in.

"Watch out!"

Ginny's voice rang out, reminding Draco that he stood in the center of a battlefield; there was no time for distractions, even if said distraction was Ginny. He whipped back around, blocking a curse from Dolohov at the last possible second. And again, he was lost into battle.

"You little bitch," Greyback muttered as he rose back to his feet, wiping a dribble of blood from the corner of his mouth. He had never been unseated by a woman's curse before- had he not been so angry, he might have been impressed by the girl's power. "You'll pay for that one." To his frustration, she merely grinned, her wand poised and her eyes set with a fierce determination. He could not wait to rip her heart from her chest. He flung curse after curse at her, each one missing as she dodged or blocked with what he could only call cat-like reflexes. Greyback was becoming increasingly angry as his every spell missed his target.

She'd regret this, he decided, remembering the one thing this girl was yet to be used to. A smirk flashed and saw his opening; "Crucio!" He bellowed, pointing his wand at her the moment she'd slipped on a loose cobblestone.

The curse hit its mark and in an instant she was thrown to the ground, the pain of the curse stronger than the last time she'd experienced it. Despite the pain, she forced herself not to cry out, and so she writhed in silence on the ground, shredding her lip in her effort to remain quiet. She could hear voices calling out to her- her father, Draco, Remus... But none of them could reach her as she lay there on the ground. Greyback hit her again and again, until her resolve was beginning to fade and she thought she might go mad with the pain.

Arthur Weasley knew he had to reach her. He had to get to her, his youngest child, his only daughter... He had to protect her from Greyback. Strengthened by his need to protect his child, Arthur blasted down the Death Eater before him, a man called Rowle, and made his way across the battlefield. There was nothing else on his mind but reaching his daughter, who by that time had been hit for a fourth time with the Unforgivable Curse. Arthur then saw it, the telltale sign of the curse that was coming next. And judging by his shocked shout, so did Remus, for he was on the move at that moment as well.

Draco saw it too, but he was just too far away from her to do anything. This wasn't going to be like that battle from months ago, where he could step in front of the wand pointing at her and save her. This was Greyback, a man who wouldn't hesitate at taking him down too. There would be no protecting her this time. "Ginny!" He screamed her name, feeling the heartbreaking ache of regret as he realized there was so many things he never got to tell her during their short time together... If only they'd had more time.

She was going to die.

Ginny recalled the last time she'd thought that very same thing, the time when Draco had stepped between her and his father. But that was then and this was now. There was no one close enough to save her, though they all were shouting for her. She opened an eye, only to see Greyback looming over her, his mouth twisted with a malicious smile. She closed her eyes, willing any other image to come to her, so the last thing she saw might not be Greyback. To her utter surprise, it was Draco's face that loomed in her mind, and she felt at peace. If only they had more time. She heard the words of the curse being spoken and prepared herself for what was to come- the end.

But it didn't.

She heard the curse as it made contact with something, heard the thud as something or someone hit the ground, and then silence. All of the fighting around her seemed to have cease and a moment later, she heard the whispered laughter of the Death Eaters. It was quiet at first, before it was ringing like bells around the battlefield, telling her something had happened. Ginny forced her eyes open and found herself to be staring at the back of someone and she felt her stomach lurch. "Bloody idiot," Greyback was laughing, his rage at the young woman lost now that his blow had taken another life. Ginny forced herself up, forced herself to reach out to roll the body onto their back, knowing a moment before she saw their face just who it was.

It was her father.