I know I've been kind of neglectful lately but I'm trying to keep writing on a daily basis during the week at least. I hope you enjoy this chapter. And remember to keep me motivated with reviews!

Chapter 22

Ginny looked around the room. Some members of the D.A. were gathered around Neville. He was giving them orders on their next mission.

"Right," Neville was telling them. "They've been taking people to the dungeons and chaining them up. We've got to sneak down there and set them free."

Cheers erupted from around the group.

"How are we going to do that, though?" Lavender Brown called out over the crowd. The question cause the cheering to stop and all eyes were back on Neville.

"I've got an idea." Ginny said, coming up to stand by Neville. "My brothers gave me a bunch of stuff from their shop. Darkness powder, puking pastels, extendable ears, the whole lot!"

"Brilliant Gin!" said Neville.

"How did you manage to get em into the castle?" Seamus asked. "They check everyone's trunks now."

Ginny pulled out a bag from inside her robe. "The twins helped. They enchanted a bag for me. This thing's got the whole lot in it." She opened the bag and pulled out some of the things her brothers had given her.

Everyone had gathered around her and were eagerly watching as she pulled out boxes of Weasley products.

"See, we can use the extendable ears to listen for anyone nearby and the darkness powder if we need to make a quick escape."

"And I don't suppose it would hurt to slip the Slytherins and Death Eaters some puking pastels," added Neville, causing a few people nearby to laugh.

"Right, that's settled then." Ginny said, "Shall we have a go at dueling then?"

All of the D.A. members split into pairs, preparing for practice. Ginny was forced to pair with Seamus as neither were favorable opponents. Nobody wanted to chance finding themselves on the opposite end of Ginny's bat bogey hex. Nor were they too fond of Seamus' ability to catch everything on fire.

"Thanks for not blowing me up today, Seamus." Ginny said at the end of their lesson.

Seamus laughed. "No problem, Ginny." he answered back as he followed Pavarti and Lavender out of the door.

"Ready to go, Neville?" she asked as the last student left the room.

Neville was standing by the mirror, looking into it intently. She walked up behind him and put her hand on his shoulder. "Neville?"

He shook himself. "Yeah?"

"What's wrong?"

He sighed. "I dunno, Gin. It's just, with everything that's happening; Luna being taken, Harry and the others gone, half the school on the run, it makes everything so real. This war, it's real. People are dying every day and here we are, prisoners inside this school."

"I know it's rough Neville, but all we can do is try." she told him.

Neville gave an awkward smile. "You're right. Let's get back to the common room before it's too late."

Ginny nodded and they walked to Gryffindor tower together.

Draco was sitting in the Slytherin common room with a book when he heard a group of Slytherins enter. Closing his book, he stood and started towards his dorm room.

"What's wrong, Malfoy?" called Goyle. "Too Slytherin in here?"

Draco turned, slowly walking up to the lot of them. "Are you implying, Goyle, that I am not a Slytherin?" he asked with a glint of annoyance.

"I'm saying, Malfoy, that you've gone soft. You've no authority over us anymore."

"Is that so?" he said, pulling back his sleeve which covered his mark. "Let's see yours then, hmm?"

All eyes fell to his dark mark. Nobody said a word. Nobody moved.

"That's right, you filthy little ingrates. I have the mark. I was chosen to bare it. If the Dark Lord so desired it, he would remove the mark himself."

"The mark can't be removed." Crabbe piped up.

"Then he'd take the arm! You idiot." Draco snarled. "He would do it, if he desired it. But," Draco said, yanking his sleeve back down, "he does not. Because he knows I remain loyal to him. And if you question that, you question him."

There was a quiet intake of breath from someone.

"Is that what you are doing?" Draco continued. "Are you questioning the Dark Lord himself?"

"Never!" declared Pansy. Goyle and Crabbe shook their heads.

"Then you would do well to shut your mouths from now on." he snapped at them all.

Draco turned and walked to the boys dorm. He slammed the door shut behind him, leaving the group of gaping Slytherins standing behind him.

He went to his bed and pulled the curtains shut around it.

He took out his wand. "Muffliato." Draco laid his wand down beside him on the bed and reached under his pillow for the book that connected him to Ginevra.

"Ginevra, are you there?" He wrote.

Minutes later, her writing appeared on the page.

"Yes, I'm here. What is it Draco?"

"I just wanted to see how you are doing. It's been a while since I last saw you ."

"I'm alright. We've been busy the last few days."

"You aren't planning any more stunts like the one where you went into Snape's office, are you Ginevra?"

"Draco, you said that you don't want to know what we're doing."

"I know what I said. But I don't want you to get caught doing anything stupid. You know the Carrows like punishing people."

"I know. I'm not going to tell you what we're doing though. But we're being careful."

Draco sighed. Somehow, he doubted that. Reckless Gryffindors. "Alright Ginevra. If you say so. When can I see you again?"

"I don't know Draco, we're pretty busy."

"What about tomorrow?"

"We'll be using the room tomorrow until eight."

"Then I'll come after eight."

"Draco, it's dangerous. You could be seen."

"It's been more than two weeks. I don't care how stupid it is. I'm coming tomorrow."

"Well you're right about one thing. It is stupid."

"Just be there."

Draco closed the book without waiting for her response. He lay back on his bed. He was throbbing with need for her. Every inch of him craved her. His hand grazed his erection and he groaned. This was torture.

Tomorrow can't come soon enough. Draco thought, trying to ignore his throbbing groin.