Sweet dreams are made of this

Who am I to disagree?

Travel the world and the seven seas

Everybody's looking for something

Some of them want to use you

Some of them want to get used by you

Some of them want to abuse you

Some of them want to be abused

-Emily Browning

Harry didn't know what to do.

The first shades of night had already begun to stretch across the sky, coloring it with deep hues of purple and red. At the moment, Harry was pacing in the foyer, an old broom clutched tightly in his right hand. There had still been no word from Draco, though Harry had sent several letters to the Manor with Atheria. The only thing that kept him put was the worry that as soon as he left, Draco would return and find the house abandoned. And if Draco was in any sort of emotional distress—well, Harry didn't know what sorts of conclusions he would jump to.

But how long was he supposed to wait? A day? A week? He needed to know something—anything! Just sitting here doing nothing was driving him mad. The idea that Draco was sitting somewhere, alone and in pain—why had he lied? Why hadn't he wanted to try the wand? Harry was plagued. Why had he looked at Harry like a traitor for even mentioning it?

If there was really a chance that the wand could save his father's life…why?

A knock sounded at the door.

Harry whipped around, his heart springing up into his throat. The broom clattered to the floor as Harry raced to the door. He grabbed the cold brass handle and pulled the door open.

"Draco," Harry breathed, his eyes going wide. Draco stood before him, his blonde hair wild and windswept. Mud caked his clothes and a deep blue bruise was blooming across a reddened cheek. With a shattering clarity, Harry saw wetness gleaming in Draco's bloodshot eyes, and he felt his heart crack.

"Harry," Draco said in a quick breath, positioning the duffle bag he was carrying higher on his shoulder. His hand was wrapped so tightly around the strap that his knuckles were a gruesome, stark white. Raising his free hand to Harry's chest, he pushed the Gryffindor back into the dark entryway, kicking the door shut behind him.

"Draco, what's happened?" Harry grabbed Draco's hand in his own. It was freezing.

Eyes glittering with an unbridled pain, Draco panted against him. "Harry, come away with me." Draco's whisper was like a rake across the silence.

A long silence followed, and Harry couldn't help the nervous laugh that bubbled up his throat to fill it. "What?"

"Dammit, Harry!" Draco fisted the material of Harry's shirt—the same way he always had in their years at Hogwarts. "You love me, don't you?"

"Y—yes of course."

"Then come with me!" His face seemed to crumple with desperation. "Merlin—please, just trust me! We don't have time!" Trembling, Draco shook him once, hard. Then, like a dam bursting, tears fell down his cheeks.

Harry felt a cold streak of fear shoot straight down his spine. He suddenly felt like he was back at Hogwarts in their sixth year, watching Draco's fractured face in the mirror over the sink in the Prefect's bathroom. His grip on Draco tightened. "Don't have time for what? Draco, what's going on?"

"Harry, please!" Draco tugged on his shirt once more. "Let's go! Please! Let's just go!" He was yelling now, and his voice seemed to break when he spoke Harry's name. His grey eyes were wide, his brows bulled tightly together, and the bruise on his cheek looked even darker in the dim light.

"Draco, just tell me what's—"

A resounding blast sent the two flying backwards.

Harry felt his back slam to floor, causing his vision to momentarily flash white with pain. There was a moment where his body felt overwhelmingly heavy, like he was an ant caught between the ground and a boot. His ears rang as he tried to pull air into his lungs. Instinctually, he grabbed for his wand, and at the same time his other hand reached for Draco. He found his wand first. He pointed it towards where he hoped the blast had come from, a stunning spell on the tip of his tongue—

"Expelliarmus!"

Harry's wand flew from his hand as the world around him swam into focus. He knew that voice. But…it couldn't be…

"Ron, get him off the floor will you?" Ginny gestured at him lazily from the destroyed doorway.

Ron stomped towards him through grey dust and shadows, his trainers thudding dully through the wreckage. He grabbed Harry by the arm and hauled him to his feet, his fingers digging roughly into Harry's skin.

Harry pulled against him, glaring. "Ron, what the hell are you doing? Let me go."

But Ron wasn't looking at him, he was looking at Ginny with eyes that held a cloudiness Harry wished he couldn't discern. He knew that look. He'd seen it before. A wave of cold swept over him that stilled his very heart.

The Imperius Curse.

Harry pulled again, harder this time. "Ron?" But it was no use—Ron had always been nearly a head taller than himself, and all muscle. His grip was like iron.

Ginny grinned, her white teeth shining in the darkness. "Hermione, retrieve Harry's wand would you?"

Hermione appeared out of the shadows of the wreckage and walked towards him with a notable stagnancy in her step, the same hazy fog misting her eyes. She plucked his wand from the debris and retreated back to Ginny's side.

Harry couldn't breathe. "Hermione! Hermione, listen to me! You have to fight it! Herm—"

"She can't hear you, Harry," Ginny's voice was like a chill on the wind. She took Harry's wand from Hermione and pocketed it.

"Ginny," Harry looked at her, and like tumblers, everything seemed to click together in his mind. Terror took hold and gripped him tight. "No. No it's not possible…"

"What's not?"

Harry swallowed thickly. "You're not her…are you."

Ginny gave him a pouting smirk and pressed a finger to the corner of her lips. "Of course I'm her. I am she and she is me. Though," she shrugged, "I don't really expect you to understand. It took me a while to understand as well, but now that I have—oh—you're just going to love it." Her eyes darted to the side, sparkling with malice. "Draco, do get up will you? You're being quite rude."

Harry turned his head to see Draco slowly pushing himself to his feet, his bag still clutched tightly in his hand. Dust caked his hair and skin so thickly that there seemed no difference between him and the shadowed entryway.

Harry's heart thundered in his chest, every instinct within him screaming at Draco to run. But he couldn't risk speaking—Ginny was already armed. So he threw every ounce of will and magic he had into begging Draco to look at him. If only he would just look!

"Now," Ginny's smile was feral, "you've brought that wand haven't you?"

Time slammed to a stop.

Draco's eyes narrowed. "My father is dead! You promised that—"

"I promised that I would release him from his curse," Ginny snarled, and the room seemed to quiver with the thunder in her voice. "It just so happens that the only release is death."

Draco's jaw tightened visibly, but said nothing.

"The wand, Draco!" Ginny's eyes sharpened, her gaze slicing through the air like blades.

The wand? Harry's heart was pounding. His mind was raging a war inside his skull, because in his gut he knew what wand Ginny meant, and yet there was no way Draco could have it. Because that would mean…that would mean…

Draco bent to reach into his bag, Harry felt his knees give way. Ron's hands gripped him hard, holding him upright, and Hermione stood motionless as Draco raised his hand—the Elder Wand grasped tightly in his fist.

"No!" Harry bellowed. "Draco—"

"Silence him," Ginny snapped, and suddenly Ron's hand was fastened over his mouth. "The wand, Draco!"

Draco's eyes met Harry's for the first time since Ginny, Ron, and Hermione had broken in. They were as sharp and cold as shattered glass. Defeat seemed to be seeping through the cracks of Draco's gaze, falling to the ground beneath his feet and creating a pool for him to drown in. Harry felt like a ship caught in a storm, waves battering at his sides and threatening to tip him over. And there was no sign of help in Draco's eyes—no sign of strength or bravery or resilience that gave Harry any hope to believe that this was a storm he could weather.

Draco had stolen the Elder Wand for Ginny. Or no…not Ginny.

"All coming together is it now, Harry?" Ginny cooed. She stalked over to Draco and snatched the wand from his hand, her eyes dancing delightedly. Draco's bag dropped to the ground with a loud thump.

Harry looked at Ginny, trying desperately to hold together the things that were breaking inside of him.

She turned back to Harry, and the movement was marked with a ghostlike grace. "I can see the question in your eyes. You're wanting to me ask why." She began walking towards him, slowly, her steps careful and pronounced. The shadows in the room seemed to follow her and cover her expression in a veil of darkness. "You know, I asked the same question over and over again all last year. And you know what was funny? Somehow it always circled around to the same answer—you. You were the one that started everything. I was there in the book store that day because of you. I got that diary because of you." Ginny stopped. She was close to him now—close enough for him to see the bloodshot whites of her eyes. "And Tom always told me it would end in blood."

Harry's heart stopped.

"I never believed him though. I always thought that you would save us—save everyone. Then my brother died." Ginny spoke the words as if she couldn't feel them anymore. And Harry saw something change in her then, as clearly as he'd ever seen anything in his life. As Ginny blinked, Harry saw her irises flash red, and he felt a hauntingly familiar pain rip through his forehead. Harry's entire body trembled as the world around him threatened to collapse.

It couldn't be.

Ginny's lips curled. "It's funny how death changes people isn't it, Harry? Especially young people. It's because they never think about it you know—they think they're invincible."

Harry shook his head. Everything was spinning and the tightness of Ron's hand over his nose and mouth was making it hard to breathe. This couldn't be happening—this couldn't be real. Destroying the diary had killed Tom. He'd watched it happen! This couldn't be happening. It couldn't be.

"Harry are you alright? You're starting to look pale." Her voice was laced with a mocking pity. "Don't be so distressed. Look, I have a gift for you—today's your birthday after all, isn't it?" Ginny's eyes sharpened and darted to the side. "Draco, come here."

There was a moment of harsh, still silence.

"I said, come here!" Her dark eyes flashed like lightning, and Harry heard the light sound of footsteps on creaking wood. When Draco finally came into his line of sight, Harry felt something in his stomach quiver.

Ginny grabbed Draco by the side of the neck, and forced him down to his knees, the Elder Wand pressed firmly against his throat. Harry jerked against Ron, but to no avail. A scream was building in the bottom of his lungs, but he held his breath against it.

It was a dream. This couldn't be happening.

"You look frightened, Harry," Ginny teased. "Afraid I'm going to hurt your precious little fuck boy?"

Harry's eyes went wide.

"Oh, yes," she flashed a razor-like smile, "I know everything about the two of you. It's all gone so much better than I planned."

Draco's shoulders were trembling. "Harry, I didn't—"

Ginny silenced him with a sharp hiss, but Draco flinched as if she had just slapped him.

When her eyes returned to Harry, they were glittering once more—her madness shining like a white-hot light that couldn't be concealed. Slowly, she moved the Elder Wand so that it was pressed against her own throat. Draco's mouth opened in an inaudible gasp.

"Want to see something fun?" she asked, grinning widely.

Harry very much didn't want to see anything she might consider fun.

"Watch." She drew the wand back slightly. "Lacero!"

Blood bloomed across her throat as the spell sliced through her skin. Then, Harry's ears were filled with the sound of Draco's voice, screaming in pain. Mind whirling, Harry's head whipped down to look at Draco and his stomach dropped with dread. Blood poured down Draco's neck like rose petals falling over snow, trailing down the pale column of skin. The spell had cut him too.

Harry jerked sharply and managed to free one of his hands long enough to pry Ron's hand from his mouth. "Stop!" he yelled, his voice cracking. "Stop it, please! You'll kill him!"

"Vulnera Sanentur!" Ginny's wound mended itself, but her blood remained, slithering down the collar of her shirt like a red snake. "It doesn't happen the other way around, you know. I could cut him with that spell all day long and I wouldn't have one scratch to show for it. Quite remarkable, isn't it?"

But Harry wasn't paying attention to her. Draco's wound was still open. His hands were clutched tightly around his neck, and his mouth hung open as he choked on blood and air. "Harry!" Blood gurgled in his throat and spilled wetly over his lips as he spoke.

"How endearing," Ginny stroked Draco's hair, her eyes never leaving Harry. "Even after he betrays you he still wants you to save him."

"Just because he took the Elder Wand doesn't mean—"

"You think it was just the wand?" Ginny laughed, though the sound held no humor. "Oh, you really are a pathetic idiot. He has always been mine. Who do you think sent him to you that day on the train? Why do you think he came to the Burrow? Why do you think he was welcomed with such open arms?" Something dark and cold was coiling in Harry's veins. It made him feel sick, and his throat burned like he had just swallowed acid. "Everything that's happened, has happened because of me."

Harry shook his head weakly. "No."

"Did you really think that Lord Voldemort would so lightly leave a Horcrux in the hands of a Malfoy?" she asked. "He bound me to them—their fate was tied to mine!"

"Ginny, stop it!" Harry yelled. "I killed Tom! I destroyed the diary with the basilisk fang!"

Ginny arched a thin brow. "You think magic like that is so easily defeated? You may have destroyed the part of me that lived in that diary yes, but never the part of me that lived inside of Ginny. Her mind was mine for months before you stabbed the diary, and during that time her soul became tethered to mine…maybe not completely, but it was enough. And magic that deep can't just be uprooted, Harry. Only death can destroy magic like that." She fisted Draco's hair roughly, and he gasped in pain as she lowered her face to his. Her skin looked pale, even next to Draco's—there was no color in it save for thin vines of blue veins that branched across her neck and cheeks. "Lucius can tell you that much." A wide grin stretched Ginny's lips. "Or he could. Draco should be thanking me really—I'm the reason he stayed alive as long as he did. But then again," She leaned in closer, "I'm the reason Draco's going to die as well."

Harry staggered back, his retreat succinctly stopped by the strength of Ron's grip. Die?

"In the end Lucius couldn't save him. He wanted so badly to kill his only son to save him from little ole me."

"Ginny…" Harry whispered.

Ginny straightened. "After you destroyed my diary, I'll admit that I was weakened…so I laid latent, always hiding in the darkest shadows of her mind, feeding off her anger and her hate, waiting for the moment I would be strong enough—and she weak enough—for me to return. You cannot possibly imagine the elation I felt when her brother was killed. She always knew I was there you know, deep down, but she could never bring herself to tell you. She thought you would hate her for it—that you would think she was broken and weak. Sometimes she would try to fight me—silly, pathetic attempts—but after the attempt that nearly destroyed her house, well…she practically gave herself to me after that.

"And once she was finally mine, all there was left to do was exact my revenge on you," Ginny's smile was a cruel, rancid thing. "And Draco was so very helpful with that part."

Slowly, she moved to stand behind Draco. Then, with both hands, she wound her fingers through his white blonde hair and pulled back, hard. Harry looked down at him. His skin was several shades paler than normal, and there were sickly blue rings shading his eyes, mingling with the mottled bruise on his cheek. Blood covered the front of Draco's robes, dripping onto the floor and pooling beneath his knees. Dim grey eyes stared back up at Harry, but they didn't see him.

"Stop," Harry repeated in a breath. "You're going to kill him"

"You don't even know what he's done to you, and you still want to save him?" Her grip on Draco's hair tightened and a fresh wave of blood spilled over his fingers. The red liquid poured over his skin like a crimson blanket.

Harry shut his eyes and felt hot tears spill over his cheeks. He couldn't look anymore. The pain of it all was making him sick. "Yes."

There was an anguishing pause.

"Promise me you'll come quietly—promise you won't struggle, or try to escape, and promise me you'll do exactly as I say—and I'll heal him."

Harry took a deep shuddering breath, trying to escape the feeling that was crushing against his chest. "Alright," he said. "I promise."

"Make me an Unbreakable Vow."

Harry's eyes snapped open and locked with Ginny's. They were so dark, like a starless midnight sky, and yet they pulled at him, because he knew that darkness—he'd seen it before, in Voldemort…and in himself. He remembered what it had been like to be lost in that darkness; how safe he'd felt, watching the world from somewhere so deep. Safe…and hollow.

"Harry," Draco whispered, "don't."

Harry looked down at Draco once more, and felt an overpowering swell of love. He couldn't help it. What Ginny said couldn't be true—there was something about it that Harry couldn't wrap himself around. No…Ginny was wrong about Draco. She had to be.

He just needed time.

"Fine, I'll do it," Harry said, with more bravery than he felt. "I'll make the vow. But you have to promise to heal him."

Draco sputtered, his lips forming words without sound.

Ginny's eyes lit like the strike of a match. "Deal." She shoved Draco to the ground. "Hermione, come. And Ron, let Harry go."

Ron's hands released him, and Harry went to his knees, grabbing Draco by the shoulders and pulling him close. "It's alright. It's alright, I'm going to fix this." Draco shook his head, his eyes bright with feeling.

"Harry," Ginny cooed, "come on now."

Reluctantly, Harry released Draco and got to his feet. Hermione stood close by Ginny's side, her wand poised and ready. Then, as if in slow motion, Ginny put her hand out. For some reason, Harry was violently reminded of his first few moments in Hogwarts, just before entering the Great Hall for the first time, when a young, pale, blonde boy had offered out his hand with a coy smile and malevolence gleaming in his eyes. Harry raised his hand and clasped Ginny's own. Pain erupted in his scar, so suddenly he felt his knees buckle and threaten to give. Ginny squeezed his hand harder, chuckling under her breath. Harry blinked away his tears and steadied himself, squeezing Ginny's hand as tightly as he could and glaring for all he was worth.

"Hermione," Ginny said, "you may begin."

The brunette moved to stand over their joined hands. She tapped her wand once on each of their wrists, and Harry watched as a silvery band of magic wound around their hands, gripping them like a molten snake.

Hermione spoke slowly, her voice completely void of feeling, as if her mouth was speaking words she didn't understand. "Harry James Potter, do you henceforth promise to follow all commands of Ginevra Molly Weasley, to do as she wishes and act in accordance to her desires?" The words were like a series of acidic shocks that traveled up his arm and through his body, and he could feel Tom in the magic—Harry could feel his presence like poison in his blood. "If you will do these things, say I will."

"I will."

The magic that bound them gave a sudden pulsing shock.

"And do you, Ginnevra Molly Weasley promise to heal Draco Thomas Malfoy of the wound you gave him and—"

"And never hurt him like that again," Harry interjected fiercely, forcing himself to ignore the throbbing pain in his head.

"—and never hurt him in such a manner henceforth. If you will do these things, say I will."

Ginny smirked, looking colder than a winter night. "I will."

The bond gave another shock, sharper this time. Hermione tapped her wand on both their wrists once more and the band of magic vanished in a wisp of smoke. "The vow has been made."

"Thank you, Hermione." Ginny released Harry's hand and pointed her wand down at Draco. "Vulnera Sanentur."

Then suddenly, a weight slammed against Harry's chest, throwing him back against the wall with a blinding force. Harry blinked through the stars that danced across his vision, gasping for air. Draco's face swam into focus, close and contorted with rage.

"You lumbering idiot!" Draco screamed, pressing his elbow painfully against Harry's sternum. "Do you realize what you've done!"

"Let him go, Draco." Ginny commanded tersely.

Jaw clenched, Draco stepped back, retreating to Ginny's side.

Harry stood shuddering, blood pounding in his ears like a drum. Air filled his lungs, but somehow it only made him feel worse. His head was still throbbing with pain, making him feel lightheaded, and not all there. The sight of Ginny and Draco standing side by side, shoulders touching, made his stomach turn. He was still pressed up against the wall, and he knew it was the only thing keeping him on his feet.

"Draco?" Harry's voice sounded broken and weak.

Ginny's grin was absolutely and undeniably wicked. "Oh…you're starting to see it now, aren't you."

Harry trembled.

"I told you, Harry," she said. "He has always belonged to me."

Harry waited for the denial—for the flicker of emotion in Draco's face that would tell him that Ginny was lying. But it didn't come. Seconds passed, silent and stretched…and it didn't come.

"Come here, Harry."

Harry stood still, his gaze fixed on Draco while Draco glared back at him, his grey eyes as sharp as daggers. The sound of Harry's quivering breath was the only thing that broke the stagnant air. His lips formed Draco's name, not daring to voice his silent plea. A moment hung between them as time stood still. Then, the Slytherin stepped back, shaking his head, and Harry felt his heart shatter.

"I said come."

Agony lanced through Harry's chest, as if his entire body was caving in on itself. He took a staggering step forward and felt the pain ease. But within a moment it was back again, shredding through him like shards of glass, commanding that he keep moving. Harry stumbled forward, falling to his knees at Ginny's feet. Tears welled in his eyes as the pain left him, and a harsh moment of clarity seemed to fill the silence.

"Don't you just love Unbreakable Vows?" Ginny murmured, running her fingers through Harry's hair in a way that made his stomach churn. "Now, Harry, I really do expect you to come quietly. We have so much to do. And maybe, if you're good, I'll have time to tell you a story."