Disclaimer: All characters belong to JK Rowling.
A/N: Credit for some of Draco's thoughts at the very end of this chapter goes to Dazzie who kindly allowed me to use her tagline for this story since it was so appropriate.
Chapter 9
Tears and Blood
Ron stared, agast as Draco quickly left the Great Hall. Behind him Pansy, softly commented, "I knew that Goyle had gotten expelled but I didn't know it was because he'd done something like that."
Suddenedly Ron whirled to face the others, "There is no way I'm going to let that prat comfort my sister. You with me Harry?" He barely waited for Harry's nod before turning around and heading for the door. When the boys arrived, however, they found their way barred by the Bloody Baron.
His deep voice sent chills up thier spines, "Return to the festivities, he will do what is right." He then floated in place until they had desisted and returned to thier table.
*********
Draco pelted out of the Great Hall just in time to see Ginny running up the stairs. He followed her trying to get her to stop. Finally he saw her go up into the Astronomy Tower. Finally, there's only one way out of there, Draco thought as he took the first of the steps up, I just hope she's not going up there to throw herself off of it. This thought added some unexpected speed to his steps and he made it to the top before Ginny was able to slam the door closed.
"Ginny?" his voice sounded hesitant even to him and he cleared his throat and tried again, "Ginny...Little Red?" Oh my god did I just call her that out loud? His only response however was the soft weeping coming from the corner of the room. A sudden thought struck him, I think this is the first time she's even thought about what happened let alone told anyone about it. It's going to be all over school tomorrow and it's going to make her life miserable. This is a good thing right? Draco slowly made his way across the room to where Ginny sat curled up into herself looking much younger than her fifteen years. He knew that he should be reveling in her hurt, after all she was a Weasley and her family were muggle-lovers, but for some reason the sobs coming from the bundle of red on the floor seemed to be cracking his heart wide open. In moments he was on the floor next to her gathering her unresisting body to himself and whispering softly. After a while her sobs seemed to abate.
"It was my fault," her voice was so low Draco had to strain to hear it, "it's my fault it happened."
"What? Your fault what happened Ginny?" Draco found he was still whispering.
"My fault that Goyle did that." Sobs threatened to overcome her once again.
"No!" The violence of his response shocked even him, "Never, ever think that Ginny, you did absolutely nothing to provoke what he did. He made that decision himself." It's just bad luck that he tainted two lives with his actions, he ranted silently, his and Ginny's. Not that I'm helping matters. He marveled at the perfection he held close to his heart certain she could hear it pounding in her ears.
"I could have done something though, hexed him or hit or something..." Ginny's voice trailed off as she continued to berate herself until Draco's voice cut through her thoughts.
"What Ginny? What were you going to do? He caught you by surprise, is definitely larger than you are," his gaze fell momentarily on the small red pixie he held, "he had a knife," unwillingly his eyes drifted to where just two weeks before there had been a gash, "you did the best you could, besides why should you validate his continued existence with something like that? Personally I just wish they had sent him to Azkaban instead of Juvenal Hall." Did I just say that? About Goyle? He shook his head this was NOT something he should be saying after all Goyle had been a friend...sort of. At least his father had approved of his friendship with the bigger boy anyway. MY FATHER! He almost yelped out loud but stopped himself in time, I'm not sure I even want to try and figure out what he's going to say when this gets back to him. He'll probably disown me at the least. He didn't even want to consider what else his father could possibly have in store for him. He would never admit it to anyone but he knew his father practiced the Dark Arts. A soft whisper brought him back to reality.
"I didn't even scream Draco. I should have done that at least." Ginny was beginning to start crying again.
"You were in too much shock from what had happened and from the cut to think, let alone scream Ginny." Draco started stroking her back softly. "I don't doubt that if I hadn't shown up when I did you would have brought the castle down in moments."
"Why did you do that Draco?" Ginny asked suddenly, " I thought you hated all of us Weasleys."
Her question caught him unprepared. He hugged her tightly while he tried to come up with a good reason for his actions that wouldn't send her screaming from the room. "Um...it was instinct, I would have done that for any girl in that kind of a situation. I may be mean and thoughtless," he cringed as the words tumbled from his lips, "but that's just wrong no matter who it's happening to." The excuse sounded flat even to him. Ginny lifted her face to look at him for the first time since running from the Ball. Her face was tear-streaked and her eyes were red and swollen but to Draco she still looked beautiful, even if some of the innocence that had seemed such a part of her was gone. Gone and she has no way of being a carefree as she was before but she still burns just a bright. Ginny seemed to be searching his face for something but Draco kept his face as blank and calm as any of the times that he had insulted Harry and his friends. The last thing he needed was for her to realize just how deep she had gotten under his skin. Finally she looked away with a sigh, she seemed to have realized that he wasn't going to give anything away. They had sat there for a while when Ginny suddenly spoke again.
"I surprised that Ron or Harry hasn't come up her to 'defend my honor'," the bitterness in her voice was unexpected. Draco looked at the still closed door to the Astronomy Tower. She was right, it wasn't as if there were very many places that they would have had to look to find her. He had actually been certain that Ron had only been a step behind him in leaving the Great Hall.
**********
Ron sat at the table grumbling and fuming, he had tried to leave the Great Hall twice already and every time he had headed for the exit the Bloody Baron had simply floated down and stood in his path until he had given up.
"Do you think if we all tried to leave from different doors one of us could get out and find Ginny before Malfoy does something to her?" Ron asked angrily.
"Not likely," Harry said, "the last time I tried to leave the Great Hall Peeves started trying to pelt me with bats." At this Pansy started checking to make sure he didn't have any stuck in his hair.
"You're alright though, aren't you Harry dear?" Harry winced at the tone she had used.
"I'm fine, it was just annoying." He said trying to get her to stop. This seemed to mollify her as she returned to simply holding on to Harry as if she was a drowning woman clinging to driftwood.
"I think that the Baron would not have interfered if he didn't think that Malfoy was trustworthy." Hermione finally spoke up.
"Malfoy? Trustworthy? Hermione did you even think about that before you said it?" Ron was livid, "This is Malfoy for crying out loud! Malfoy is about as trustworthy as a rattlesnake." This seemed to have galvanized Harry.
"All right Ron we'll try your way, you go out the main door, I'll take the side entrance, Hermione why don't you see if you and Pansy can't find some doors at the other end of the hall, whoever manages to get out can go look for Ginny and Malfoy." Pansy pouted at his words but nodded reluctantly. Ron and Harry set off for the declared doors with a determined stride. Hermione looked at the other girl.
"I suppose we should see if we can leave the hall, after all it would be better if you or I found them than if those two did," she said pointing at the departing boys, "they're likely to kill Malfoy right now."
"Come on I know where there is another exit," Pansy was a bit miffed at having been abandoned by Harry but she knew the other girl spoke truth, "if any of the ghosts try to stop us we can explain what's going on and hopefully they will at least let us pass."
********
Ron and Harry meet back up at the table they had just left.
"I got double teamed this time," Ron groused, "The Bloody Baron and the Grey Lady."
"Peeves had Nearly Headless Nick with him," Harry told Ron, "But look maybe the girls will get out." He pointed to where Hermione and Pansy were having an animated conversation with the Fat Friar. After a couple of minutes he looked over at the boys and, it seemed to Harry, reluctantly nodded and let the girls get by.
"Yes!" said Ron in triumph, "I'm sure they'll be able to find them and Hermione is the smartest witch in school, she'll be able to handle Malfoy." Harry just nodded grimly.
****************
"You feeling better now?" Draco asked Ginny. Her sobs had long since become just slight sniffles ever now and again. He figured she'd managed to cry it all out.
"Yes," she said sleepily, "Draco, why is that I feel so safe when your holding me all of a sudden? I mean you make me feel so secure that I don't want you to ever let me go. I wish I could stay right here all night, protected." She snuggled closer to him and sighed.
"You shouldn't think that Little Red, after all I'm the big bad Wolf," he spoke so softly he knew she hadn't heard him. I will do anything, just to hold you for a minute, just so I can say... I love you Draco stiffened with shock, I didn't just think that, did I? I did, and I mean it. When did this happen? He looked at the girl in his arms, after a moment he realized she had fallen asleep. Guess I should see if I can't get her back to Gryffindor Tower before her brother comes looking for us. Standing up carefully cradling Ginny, he made his way out of the tower.
***************
"So where should we start looking for them?" Pansy asked Hermione as they made their way from the Great Hall.
"Looking for who?" Draco's voice came from behind them, both girls spun around surprised.
"You actually Malfoy," said Hermione then she noticed the sleeping bundle he was carrying, "here let me take her, is she alright?"
"Yes, she just needed to talk it out." Draco relinquished his burden and ran a hand through his hair, "just...just don't bring it up unless she does will you? She's a lot more sensitive than she lets on." Leaving the two girls staring at him in shock he walked away and went to the Slytherin dungeons.
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