Wow. It's been ten years since I last updated this story, and twelve since I started it! I'm sorry to everyone who enjoyed this story and was left hanging. Unfortunately, life just gets in the way sometimes, doesn't it? I really doubt anyone is still going to be reading this, but for the sake of getting it off my chest, I've decided to finish this story once and for all! It'll probably be wrapped up in a few chapters.
Blaise Zabini looked at his pocket watch as he strolled the dungeons of Malfoy Manor. He was on guard duty in the prisoners' cells overnight, unfortunately. It always irked him being here, watching his old schoolmates and previously respectable witches and wizards be starved and tortured to the point of delirium.
But, he told himself often, if he pretended they were strangers, he could sometimes deal with it. Act like the Death Eater he was.
It was Christmas Eve, but it was especially cold, and the darkness of the dungeons crept into his soul. Blaise leaned against the stone wall and observed the prisoners before him. Ollivander, the wand maker, was shackled in chains, lying on a thin, ratty blanket in the shadows of his cell. Mrs. Abbot was half-beaten to death, and she sat curled in a ball staring blankly at the wall.
Unable to look any longer, Blaise closed his eyes and took in a deep breath of the musty cool air. Not that it did anything.
The moment he would feel sympathy, Blaise encased his heart in a metaphorical vault. He would shut away all feeling to leave nothing being but a cruel numbness. It was how he survived when in the presence of the Dark Lord, how he survived knowing this was the only life he could ever lead.
At least if he felt numb, guilt wouldn't torture him inside.
A distance away, he suddenly heard a haunting sound. His ears pricked up to listen. Someone was singing with a voice so pure, so quiet that the hair on his arms raised. Who in bloody Merlin would be singing in these conditions? Unless one of the prisoners had finally cracked. Gone mental. Blaise's heart sunk. It was a dangerous thing to bring attention to oneself in the presence of Death Eaters.
Blaise steeled himself to go deal with the singing lunatic. He smoothed his robes and strode off through the dungeon corridor.
The culprit was in the next cell area, which happened to hold the most guarded prisoners: the hostages. Ones that were important for political reasons. Blaise opened the door and stopped short, entering cautiously. He closed the door behind him, and watched in wonder at the figure half-standing in shadows from the torch.
It was a girl, with long white-blonde hair that flowed almost down to her waist. She wore a cloak about her, with the hood drawn over her hair, keeping her eyes in shadow. Unlike any of the other prisoners, she was standing up, and leaning against the wall. He could see her smooth jawline and lips moving in the dim light. She was humming a Christmas carol that he couldn't quite remember the name of
3, oblivious to his presence. Her rendition was at once haunting yet cheerful. Unsettling, to say the least.
She suddenly stopped and looked straight at him. The light from the torch lit up her face, and her bright blue eyes caught him off guard and his jaw dropped. His heart sunk.
It was Loony Lovegood. No, no, no. Not another one.
"It's been a long time Blaise, have you been well?" She said in a quiet dreamy voice, as though talking to herself.
"I, uh... you... what?" he stuttered, taken off guard by the impromptu question.
Luna smiled. "You were one of the few people at Hogwarts that was ever kind to me. Do you remember?"
What? Kind to Loony Lovegood? Was I? He wondered, ultimately intrigued by this girl.
"It's okay that you don't remember. In my fifth year you helped me reach for my shoes. Somebody had hung them on the wall in the castle. I remember because most people avoided me that day, but you didn't."
Blaise paused and contemplated this. He really couldn't remember, but it seemed to mean something to her.
"That must have been an anomaly, I'm not generally a nice guy. I can't see why I would have helped Loony Lovegood, of all people," he scoffed, and folded his arms.
"It's okay if you think I'm crazy. I'm used to it."
Blaise wondered at her unconcerned, dreamy voice. That's not something one generally says without sadness, but there she was, back to her singing again.
"Cut it out!" he whispered harshly.
She looked at him, but didn't stop. He looked around. Everyone seemed to be watching her.
"Aren't you afraid?" He demanded, puzzled, and needing to know why she wasn't scared out of her wits like she should be.
Luna turned her calm gaze upon him once again. "Why does that matter? It won't help anything."
"You'll draw the unwanted attention of any Death Eater that comes this way, carrying on like you are. You keep singing like that and it's like asking them to come find you," he went on angrily. "And when that happens, you will be a target of torture. And you're okay with that?"
Luna fixed her eyes on his dark ones. "If my singing can lift the spirits of the other prisoners down here, or my own for that matter, then I'll bear the Cruciatus."
His brow furrowed as he became more and more bewildered by this girl. "Why?"
She continued in her soft voice, "I think being in your position right now is a great deal scarier than mine."
"How does that make any sense?" He asked. Every word out of her mouth was not what he expected. "You're the one who's locked up in a dungeon."
"Is that right?" She smiled sadly. "Do you really believe you're free?"
Blaise was silent as he searched her eyes. What part of him was really free in this dark, oppressive world?
"Being scared is giving up control. It's the way you perceive things that lets you be the person you are. If I give up control of my mind, then I can't help anyone. As a prisoner, I can think my own thoughts and stick to my beliefs, and despite what happens to me, I am free to think the way I like, because only otherwise will I be defeated. Are you even allowed to have your own thoughts? I know He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is a legilimens. So is Snape."
He felt like her piercing eyes were staring into his soul. After a moment, she continued, "So don't you think that maybe you're the one that's been imprisoned by Death Eaters, and I'm the one that's free?"
Blaise contemplated her words, realizing she was right. The world must be backwards if Loony Lovegood was the only one that was making any sense.
"It helps when you believe in something." She smiled.
He frowned, too curious not to ask. "What do you mean believe in something?"
"Oh, you know, in things you can't know for sure, but know are there. Like nargles." Her innocent eyes watched him.
"You're crazy."
She smiled wider. "Is there nothing you believe in?"
"I believe there's no hope for any one of you down here."
"That's sad," she said, "I wonder if that's true."
He watched her silently, unable to tell if she was sad for herself, or for him.
"As long as you keep faith in something, there's always going to be a little bit of hope. Since you can't believe in anything, Blaise, I'll believe in it for you."
Screaming sounded from a few cells down the hall, and casting a lingering look at her one last time, he turned and left the room.
For some reason, Luna Lovegood seemed to be the only sane one in an insane world.
It was very unsettling.
Draco always woke up at six. It was a habit from his adolescence. His household's rigid routine was unforgiving, and school had kept up the need for a morning routine, so, unfailingly, he woke up right on time to a dark room with a warm body next to him. The fire had gone out and the room had a bit of a chill to it.
Without opening his eyes, Draco nuzzled Ginny's shoulder and hugged her closer, breathing in the scent of her hair.
It was Christmas morning. Most Death Eaters still had families. If there was ever a time when they would be off duty it would be now. Either that or they would be on the job, but their anger would be aimed at the Dark Lord. Either way, it was the perfect time. He would tell her as soon as she woke up. They didn't have much time. In fact, he really only had a few hours before his life would change completely. The thought made him feel sick.
He had slept lightly with nightmares on the cusp of his consciousness, calmed only by the reminder of Ginny's sleeping figure next to him. He was unnerved by the deep disquiet of his mind. He had taken a leap last night that was equally terrifying as it was exciting.
He knew one thing for certain. Before, he had just been a deserter, but now... now he would officially be a traitor. And he knew the other side would not accept him with open arms. As much as he hated it, he would have to do his best to convince them.
But he couldn't afford to feel unnerved. He needed all his nerves if this was going to work. He took a deep breath. He would have to shelve his fears until the time came to face them.
In his arms, he could feel Ginny begin to waken. He brushed her hair aside and placed a kiss on her forehead. "Morning," he whispered.
Her sleepy eyes opened, focusing on his; eyes that were full of happiness, not loathing. "Morning," she replied sleepily. Her hand went up to his cheek and she kissed him slowly; seductively.
"Ginny, do you have any idea what you do to me?" He mumbled against her lips.
Ginny grinned, running her hands through his hair. "Show me," she whispered.
He leaned over her to kiss her deeply, inching his hand under her shirt.
"My pleasure."
Ginny stepped out of the bathroom, freshly showered and dressed, only to find Draco standing across the hall waiting for her, dressed in black.
He smirked, eyeing her attire. She had worn dark jeans and a black sweater. "Perfect."
"What?"
"What you're wearing is perfect for today. I had meant to tell you as soon as you woke up," Draco pulled her to him, resting his arms around her waist, "but you distracted me. Quite successfully, might I add?" He raised an eyebrow teasingly.
"I have no idea what you're talking about, Malfoy," she said coyly, looking up at him with playful innocence.
Draco laughed and placed a kiss on her lips before using his grip on her waist to push her further away before things got out of control. He groaned. "Merlin Ginny, I want nothing more than to do this all day, trust me. But, we need to leave... as soon as possible. That's what I wanted to tell you."
Ginny's eyes lit up and she looked at him with excitement. "What's the plan?" She asked.
"Well," he started uncertainly. "It depends a bit on you, really. Where are we going, for starters?"
"Ah, the important bit," she laughed. "The Burrow. My house."
His eyebrows went up at the name of her house, but he didn't comment. "Okay, and how can we get there?"
She thought for a minute. "There aren't too many ways, actually. It's heavily guarded with spells. I mean, it's currently under a lot of protection. You wouldn't be able to get inside the barriers right away, which might be dangerous if we're followed. The floo network is cut off except for a few sources – Oh! That's it! There's secret floo access from Fred and George's shop in Diagon Alley!"
"Diagon Alley?" Draco frowned. After a minute he nodded. "Okay. Tell me about the shop. How do we get inside?"
Ginny pondered for a minute. "If the alarm goes off, after 30 seconds, the whole building lights up in flashing lights and fainting fog is set out to make the perpetrator faint until they get there."
Draco hesitated, looking slightly ill at the thought. "Bloody hell. I hope you're joking."
Ginny held back a laugh at his expression. He was right, it wasn't funny. Their lives hinged on the ability to break in. "No joke. Their products are coveted by Death Eaters, and everyone knows they're connected to the Order. They have to keep people out somehow. But if we faint, we're done for. The Death Eaters will know where we are, and we'll be unconscious. Fainting fog only sticks around for about 2 minutes because long exposure can have damaging effects, but the fainting lasts for an hour."
Draco ran a hand through his hair, thinking deeply. "So how can we bypass the alarms? There must be a way."
"We'd have to pick the lock like a muggle. No wizard is going to try to break a lock without magic, so no one thinks of it. It was my dad's idea, for emergencies like this. And before you ask," she added quickly at the skepticism showing on his face. "I stole one of my dad's locks and learned one summer."
Draco looked impressed and disgruntled at the same time. "So, what happens after that?"
"There a secret room in the back with the fireplace. Set a fire, and boom, floo to the burrow."
Draco looked thoughtful. "If that fails, what other options are there?"
"Hogwarts?" She suggested lightly. It was true; McGonagall had the floo set up there.
"Hogwarts?" He deadpanned. He started to laugh dryly. "How would you propose getting there?"
Ginny raised an eyebrow and smirked. "I know a few secret passageways from Hogsmeade."
Draco looked at her incredulously, wondering whether or not she was joking.
"Well, that's a backup, in any case," he muttered. "Alright, listen. We are going to apparate near Diagon Alley, but not at the shop since we need time to break the lock." He paused, thinking. "It will have to be somewhere in Knockturn Alley. If any Death Eaters follow us, it'll be easier to lose them there with all the back alleys and dark corners. We'll find our way to your brothers' shop, pick the lock and floo."
He looked at her, satisfied. "What do you think?"
Ginny was surprised he asked her opinion, but she asked, "Do you know your way around Knockturn Alley well enough not to get lost?"
He smirked "Of course. I was practically raised there."
"But isn't it pretty much guaranteed that there will be Death Eaters there? What if someone sees and recognizes us?"
"Only in the shops these days. But you're right, we'll need disguises."
Twenty minutes later, Ginny was slipping on a set of black robes that Draco had handed her, telling her they would blend in better.
He laughed when he saw they were about a half-foot past her feet, and waived his wand to shorten them. "We can't have you tripping over your own feet now, can we?"
Ginny looked down at herself. They were Draco's robes. He was much taller than her, but still slender with toned muscles, so the fit wasn't too large, but it was clearly big for her. Ginny looked up at him, trying and failing to keep a straight face.
Draco now had dark chestnut brown hair, and brown eyes, successfully making him unrecognizable, but no less striking. Her own hair was now straight and black, and her skin was clear of freckles.
"Are you ready?" He asked. "Once we leave this door, there's no protection, and there's no turning back. We persist until we reach our goal."
Ginny took a deep breath, the reality of the danger fresh on her mind. She nodded resolutely. "I'm ready."
Draco grinned wolfishly before leaning and kissing her deeply. He threw her hood up over her head, shielding the new color of her hair from anyone who might be outside, and did the same to his own. Smiling, he grabbed her hand tightly.
As opened the door, he realized that for the first time, he had a real reason to fight. He wasn't alone anymore. He had someone to protect. From this moment on, he would no longer hide or fight out of fear.
Determination filled him as he stepped into the bright sunlight and immediately apparated to the dark shadows of Knockturn Alley.
Ginny oriented herself as she looked around a dark alley she didn't recognize. There was no one in sight, but the quiet felt more dangerous to her than if they had been surrounded by people. She had never ventured into Knockturn Alley before, but the stories she'd heard from her brothers and even Harry were on the edge of her thoughts as she looked around.
Draco, however, looked right at home. He caught her eye, and nodded to show the direction they were headed. "If we're separated, just keep north." Ginny nodded.
They stuck to the shadows as they weaved their way through a maze of alleyways. How he knew his way around, she didn't understand. It looked like it was designed to keep someone going in circles.
The first few minutes were uneventful. Ten minutes in, a cat hissed at them, and Ginny spotted an old hag watching from a dusty window.
As she turned a corner, someone grabbed her shoulder and she gasped, turning around with her wand pointed at a skeletal looking woman with dark hair and rotting teeth. "Need some galleons sweetheart? How about selling me some of those teeth and hair? Or how about an organ or two..."
"Draco, help!" Ginny reached for Draco as the old woman tried to pull her into an adjacent alleyway with her strong grip. Draco sent a blast with his wand at the old creature, sending her flying away.
Ginny's heart was racing, but she looked at Draco with fear, realizing what he'd done. Draco swore, grabbing Ginny's arm and running as fast as they could down some smaller alleyways. Once they were seemingly far away, He stopped, out of breath, and ran a hand through his hair.
"Fuck." Draco looked at her. "I shouldn't have done that." Using magic would get them killed. She had her own wand, but they were probably tracing her too.
In the distance, she heard shouting and someone running.
Draco pulled her into an empty alcove, and pushed her against the wall as a man in black ran past them. Ginny let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding, but fear crept up her spine when she heard the man's steps falter and turn around.
She saw a glimmer of fear in Draco's eyes as he realized the same thing. "Don't act scared," he whispered, "just play along."
Draco messed up her hair, opened her robes, and pushed her up against the wall, his shaky breath on her neck. She knew he was listening intently.
Suddenly a bright light shone on them. "What are you two doing?" Draco scowled and shot the man a glare. "Trying to find somewhere to shag without being interrupted. Do you mind?" He said in a Scottish accent.
The man smirked. "From out of town, are ye? It's best not to be out on the streets these days."
The man continued on his way and Draco made eye contact with her. She could see pain begin to show on his face, and looked down to see him grabbing is left forearm. She squeezed his hand. He shook his head and took a deep breath.
Once more, they snuck away into the shadows, disappearing before anyone could follow.
When they made it to Diagon Alley, Ginny felt relief flow through her. There it was, the twins' store. She was about to run across to it when Draco pulled her back. He gave a look or warning, and looked down the street. When there seemed to be no one there, he gestured her to follow him. He took them through the shadows until they made it to the doors of WWW.
"I'll keep watch," Draco said as he looked around. She grabbed a pin from her hair and started picking the lock. Her hands were shaking, and nothing happened.
Lock-picking was one thing that she could always do without fail, but today it just wasn't working.
After a few minutes, Draco turned to her and whispered. "How's it going?"
She looked back at him, on the verge of panic. "I just need another minute."
Draco stood still, watching the streets. After what felt like forever, the lock opened, just as she heard a shout and a spell fly past her.
Draco deflected their spells as she opened the door. She pulled him in after her and shut it, locking it from the inside.
They both stepped back as she heard voices on the other side of the door.
"Gin, turn around." Ginny whipped her head around and stared in shock at the door facing them. That must have been a new addition.
"Shit. This wasn't here before." She ran up to it and inspected the lock. The door was bolted with a padlock that had 4 numbers on it. "Damnit." She wracked her brain
There was banging at the front door and she could feel they were close. Draco had his wand aimed at the door, but he tried to help. "Your brothers are smart, Ginny. They created this setup with you in mind so that you could get back. They'd have chosen a password that you could easily guess."
Ginny tried her birthday. But it didn't open. Was it their own birthday? Nope. Was there an important date? Ah! She put in 1029, and it worked. The date she'd been taken from Hogwarts. Her mind whirled with adrenaline.
As she opened the door, she yelled at Draco to follow and simultaneously heard the alarms. "Come on! We have 30 seconds!"
She shut the second door, and bolted it from the inside, locking it with her wand since they were caught anyway. She ran inside with Draco, found the fireplace in the next room and ignited the wood with her wand. "Where's the floo powder?" She searched in nearby cupboards.
"Ten seconds!" Draco shouted.
"Got it!" Ginny held out the green powder to him and he took a handful.
"You first, Ginny!" She shared one last look before shouting "The Burrow" and jumping in!
After the whirling, stomach-twisting sensation of traveling through the floo network, Ginny heard a pop and a crash as she landed onto the floor of the Burrow. There were screams and sounds of shock. The next few seconds felt like an eternity as she waited for Draco to show up next to her. She heard him land, and let out a sob of relief.
Ginny was out of breath and took a few deep inhales before looking up to see nine wands on them, as well as the faint sound of a siren, as she realized they must be getting the alarm from the shop.
"Don't move." Arthur Weasley said threateningly. Ginny and Draco looked at each other, remembering that they were unrecognizable.
"Dad! It's me, Ginny!"
After a second, she heard, "Finite incantatum!"
Everyone gasped and though she expected a rush of hugs, only her mother began towards her, only to be stopped by Remus Lupin. Then she noticed that wands were still pointed. Not at her, but at Draco.
Ginny stood up and moved somewhat in front of him, blocking their aim.
Arthur Weasley glanced between the two of them. "What's going on?" He demanded.
Draco stepped up beside Ginny, sweat beading his forehead from the pain she knew was radiating in his arm. He tossed Mr. Weasley his wand, and grasped his forearm, trying hard to look normal and conceal his discomfort.
Draco grit his teeth and spoke. "I'm here to seek refuge."
"Refuge?" A shout of indignation came from one of her brothers, but she wasn't sure which. "He's a Death Eater! He's got the mark!"
"We should just use him as a hostage, like he used Ginny! You know who's been looking for him for ages. We can use him as a pawn. We can trade him for -"
Ginny could the panic hidden in his eyes. No doubt he was regretting his decision. He turned to Ginny, and she tried to smile reassuringly.
"Stop it!" Ginny's screech silenced the noisy room, and everyone looked at her for seemingly the first time. The look she gave them would have made anyone feel ashamed. "What's wrong with you lot?" She asked. "You're supposed to be on the side of the good. We DON'T have hostages, we don't hurt the innocent, and we certainly do NOT cast those away that need our help. So Merlin have mercy on my soul if you lot don't belt up and listen to what Malfoy has to say!" Ginny finished with a look so menacing that Draco was quite impressed.
"He's not innocent, Gin," Fred said. "How can we trust him when he's done his best to hack off our family in the past decade? Not to mention kidnapped our baby sister!"
"Fred," Ginny said calmly, "and everyone else." She looked around. "You will trust him because I trust him. You don't know the entire story. I'm the one he kidnapped, and since I'm the one saying this, you should believe me. He hasn't got me under any spells. I invited him here, because his other choice was to die under You-know-who's own wand. His coming here was my idea."
The others were silent.
"Plus he's an old school mate to you lot. How can you be so cold?"
Some of them were starting to look ashamed.
"I'd like to say something," Draco stated, and Mr. Weasley nodded in acknowledgement.
Draco took a deep breath and looked at them all one by one. "I realize that all of you have your own legitimate reasons to hate me, and I'm not claiming to be innocent," he started, "but I want to say a few things before you decide to send me off to my death." Draco's face betrayed none of the fear or pain he was feeling. He narrowed his eyes. "We have the same enemy, so in my books that makes us allies. I'm not perfect. I have the mark, and I've been involved in many terrible things. I kidnapped your daughter, or sister," he looked around at all of the angry redheads in the room, "but I didn't hurt her, and my choice, though maybe misguided, was a choice of survival. As you can see, Ginny is perfectly fine. I didn't bewitch her into bringing me here."
Draco stopped and he held the scrupulous gaze of the tall redhead at the back. He wondered who he was, but for some reason, he seemed the least hateful.
"That's not convincing anyone, Malfoy." He turned to meet the eyes of one of the twins, who was glaring at him.
"No?" Draco watched them all quietly for a minute. They all watched him, but their expressions varied from skeptical to curious to angry. "I should hope that since you lot are the Order of the Phoenix, you already know by that Ginny Weasley is the Dark Lord's most wanted number three, with Potter of course being the top hit." He avoided Ginny's glance, knowing full well she would be shocked by the news. "She was safer with me than she would have been at Hogwarts. You should be glad that I got to her first. If it was so easy for me to walk into Hogwarts and kidnap her, what do you think they would have done?
Bill looked at Draco carefully. "If you know so much about this, then who is second on the list?"
Draco hesitated, wondering if his next admission would get him into more trouble with the Order. "I am."
He could feel the shock go through the room, eyes narrowing in suspicion. He couldn't help but smirk. It almost felt like he was back at school with all the Weasleys around wanting to pick a fight. He had to resist the urge to bait them. "You're probably wondering what a prat like me is doing on that list, but let me assure you that there is a very important reason. I'm a liability. I know much more than I should, and I have much more power than they would like. Alive, I am a constant threat that makes the Dark Lord anxious. If you let me stay, that's the one thing I can offer you," he said, his voice wavering slightly. "Use me to your advantage. Just don't... use me as a bargaining chip."
They were all silent. He looked around the room, challenging anyone who bothered to meet his eyes. When he met Ginny's, they were at once full of questions, and anxious for everyone's reactions. Her eyes sparkled as she took in the family and the Order members, realizing that he had made the right impact.
Suddenly Arthur Weasley stepped forward, and put a hand on Draco's shoulder. Draco had the decency to look guiltily at the man that he'd tried his best to manipulate not so long before.
"I heard about your father, Malfoy. I am sorry for your loss." Draco's jaw tightened, and he gave a brief nod. "If you want to stay, that effectively means you're part of the Order. Are you ready for that?"
Draco looked pained for a moment. He closed his eyes and swallowed. There was no turning back now. "Yes, sir," he said.
"Then I can't say I like it, Malfoy, but you're now under our protection."
Molly finally ran up to Ginny and enveloped her in a warm suffocating hug that was shocking to Draco. The amount of love they all had for her… He was envious of her family for a moment. He watched as they swarmed around her.
He breathed a sigh of relief as he got a break from all the attention. Ginny met his eyes and smiled happily at him. He felt like his heart was in his throat, and he couldn't bring himself to smile back. He felt sick. This was effectively it. No turning back. He was, for all official purposes, a traitor. What would happen next was out of his control, and that was not a feeling he liked.
"Draco, dear," The stern, yet warm, tone sent a shock through his system and forced him to tear his eyes away from Ginny to look at the source. It was Mrs. Weasley. She led Draco by the arm to the kitchen, which was somewhat quieter. "Come have some breakfast, you look starved!" She sat him down and rumbled about the kitchen, piling the morning's leftovers onto a plate. She set it down in front of him with a glass of pumpkin juice.
"Eat up, dear boy. It looks like you haven't had a proper meal in weeks," she scolded, bustling about the kitchen.
"I'm, uh, not really hungry Mrs. Weasley," he said, but with one glance at her stern look, and he quickly changed his mind. He picked up a fork and watched the woman bustle around the kitchen, as he realized what a different world it was that he'd just become a part of.