Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns all the characters.

 

 

 

Chapter Thirteen

Unforgivable Curses

Ginny was beyond happy and relieved as she stared down at the Various Veritaserum book in her hands. It was a large book, bound in brown leather with gold lettering, but other than that the cover was blank. Though it felt heavy in her grasp, she instantly fell in love with it. This was her key to clearing her name.

I'll give it to Dumbledore, she quickly figured, gazing fondly down at it. Yes, that's what I'll do. And he'll help me get a re-trial. Or maybe he'll make me another Veritaserum, this one by his own hand, and give it to me. Then Lucius would be caught! He'll go to Azkaban, not me!

She thought nothing could puncture her balloon of happiness at that moment. That was until she heard Draco intake his breath sharply, and when she tore her eyes from the book to see what was wrong, she followed his gaze to the door and felt her heart drop, as if it were made of lead, down into her stomach.

Lord Voldemort and Lucius Malfoy, the two people responsible for ruining Ginny's life, and would probably snuff it out as soon as they got the chance, stood in the doorway.

Ginny could never remember seeing a more disheveled Lucius before. He'd always looked smooth and sleek, perfectly groomed, just like his son. But now he was nearly shaking with compressed rage, his hair sticking up in every direction (reminding Ginny slightly of Harry), glaring viciously at her. Slightly behind him, Voldemort stood composedly, and carefully lowered his hood to reveal his calm, yet dangerous, white face. His red eyes flicked over the mess on the floor the collapsed table made, then over Ginny, resting on the book she gripped in her fingers.

She panicked instantly, realizing that they were going to take the book from her. They know I'll use it against Lucius, she thought. They'll take it and destroy it and I'll have no evidence against them.

She then figured that she had a lot more to worry about than the book. Like her life, for example. There was no way Voldemort would let her walk away alive.

Draco moved to step in front of Ginny, blocking her from the view of the two men in the doorway. More importantly, he was blocking the book from their vision.

He wants me to hide it, she realized, getting the message. But where could she? Every suitable place wouldn't be hidden by Draco's body. They'd see exactly where she hid it. Even if they didn't, all they'd have to do was use the Summoning Charm and it'd be in their hands in an instant.

She quickly decided to hide it on her. It was so bulky a book it'd clearly be outlined in her clothes, so she went for her wand and whispered a Shrinking Charm on it. When it was small enough to fit in her pocket, she slipped it in. Glancing down, though, she noticed it was still visible. And she couldn't have that.

So she used the Shrinking Charm again, and let it shrink until even when she put a hand in her pocket she could barely feel it. It must be the size of a pea, she guessed, and tucked her wand away in her back pocket.

"Fancy seeing you here," Draco sneered, the first to break the silence.

"I'm rather more surprised to see your son here, Lucius," Voldemort said slickly, and even though he turned his head towards Lucius, he kept his eyes on Draco. "I thought you'd have raised a better child . . ."

Lucius looked panicked for a moment, but then locked his stare on Draco, narrowing his eyes nearly to slits. "I'm not sure what went wrong with him, My Lord," he replied. "His mother must've been too soft on him."

"Then you should've disposed of her," Voldemort answered. "You have better judgment than that, Lucius."

"Quite -" Lucius started, his eyes widening as he realized he'd displeased his lord.

Ginny, who saw Draco stiffen at the comment about his mother, stepped out from behind him. She wasn't sure where she found the courage, but somehow she heard herself snapping, "And you'd reckon that you'd have the judgment to change the password to get down here once you figured out that Draco wasn't on your side anymore."

Draco shot her a blank look while Lucius glared venomously at her. Voldemort's lazy eyes widened slightly and he purred, "She does have a point."

"I - I did not think -" Lucius stuttered, trying to explain.

"Clearly," Lord Voldemort scoffed. Lucius sputtered some more, but Voldemort was already moving on to a different subject. "Now," he said as simply as if they were merely settling a small quarrel. "Where is this book?"

"The - the girl has it," Lucius spat out.

Ginny wasn't sure where all her bravery went. She was unable to answer. Now would be a good time to know how to act, she thought. To tell them that I don't know what book they're talking about.

Draco said it for her. "What book?" he demanded.

"Don't play a fool, Draco," Lucius snarled.

"No, that's your job, isn't it?" Draco shot back.

"We saw it the girl's hands just moments ago," Voldemort interrupted coolly.

"Right before you stepped in front of her," Lucius added, obviously trying not to get so angry at Draco's comment.

Draco glanced over at Ginny, swiftly running his gaze over her. When he turned back, he lifted his chin slightly and replied smoothly, "As you can see, she has no book."

"She must've done something with it!" Lucius declared. "Do you reckon we're stupid, Draco?"

Draco muttered something Ginny couldn't understand. Then, without warning, his father shot forward. He shoved Draco out of the way violently, and so quickly Ginny blinked and he'd gone from standing next to her to falling against the wall. His slammed his palms against it, attempting to rebalance.

She opened her mouth to say something - she wasn't sure what or to whom, maybe to ask if Draco was all right - but she was aware that now Lucius stood beside her instead of him.

So what? she thought. Forget him - go over to Draco.

She was just about to do that when Lucius grabbed her by her upper arms, his grip like iron - cold and hard. While Draco was stepping away from the wall, his wary stare on Voldemort, Lucius shoved Ginny against the stone an arms length away from where Draco was.

Lucius used such force that Ginny's head snapped back, slamming against the hard wall, and she bit her tongue painfully. She had to blink several times to get rid of the red mixed with stars that danced in front of her eyes. When she finally could see and think straight, she saw that Lucius had her pinned, his arm pressed diagonally across her chest and holding her there. His elbow dug into her lower shoulder, and combining that with her throbbing head she did not feel very well.

Draco must've heard because he turned his head back towards them and away from Voldemort. Ginny met his eyes for a second, seeing fury in them, and felt grateful that he was nearby. He had barely taken one stride when out of nowhere ropes slid around his wrists, then around his ankles and pulling them together. This caused Draco to trip and fall face forward, unable to break the descent since his hands were bound.

He didn't make a noise when he struck the ground, but after a moment he moaned and rolled onto his back. Ginny heard a sob escape her throat when she saw his face - he must've landed hard on his nose, because blood was pouring down, running over his lips and off his chin, smeared on his cheeks. His eyes had been closed, but when he got onto his back he opened them and did not make another sound. Then he started to struggle into a sitting position, avoiding Ginny's gaze, even though she wished, wished, wished he'd look over at her.

But then Lucius seemed to dig his elbow into her further, and swallowing another sob and trying to blink the tears out of her eyes, she returned her attention to him.

"Where is the book?" he demanded, his eyes narrowed at her. He seemed to be communicating silently with her - warning her not to mess with him. He's dangerous, she thought. He's trying to remind me of that.

It was amazing what one little look could say.

"Wh - what book?" she managed to ask.

Real smooth, she told herself, horrified at how her voice cracked.

Lucius actually snarled at her. He curled his upper lip to reveal his teeth, and Ginny wouldn't have been more surprised if he'd growled. Instead he snapped, "You know what I'm talking about."

"I don't." At least that sentence she managed to say without faltering.

Grabbing a handful of her shirt, he shook her aggressively, so hard that she nearly hit her head once again. When she smashed back against the wall she heard a little cry of pain escape her lips, and wished desperately that she wasn't acting like such a coward.

Lucius instantly reached up his free hand and placed it underneath her jaw, wrapped firmly around her throat and applying slight pressure. Ginny's face was forced upwards and she found herself staring at the ceiling, tears burning under her eyelids. It took all of her strength to not cry.

"Give me the book," he ordered brutally, "now. Or I'll find it myself."

"I don't have it," she whispered thickly.

"You lie!" Lucius shouted.

"Lucius," Voldemort's voice cut in softly and menacingly. "I believe that is enough."

He's sticking up for me? she wondered dazedly. No, he's probably got something else under his sleeve.

"She has the book, my Lord!" Lucius said, still screaming. Ginny flinched since he was practically shrieking in her ear. "She's just telling us lies! I saw her with it and she'll use it against -"

"Did it ever dawn on you," Voldemort said coldly, "that you can acquire the book after she is dead?"

"No, my Lord, we can't wait until then -"

"Bring her to me, Lucius." Voldemort used the tone of someone speaking to a young, insolent child.

"But my Lord -"

"Now."

He left no room for argument. Slowly, Lucius lowered his hand from Ginny's neck and removed his arm. She quickly wiped at her eyes, then rubbed the spot where his elbow had dug into her shoulder. Before she had a chance to really breathe a sigh of relief that Lucius wasn't in her face anymore, he grabbed her in his steely grasp and yanked her forward.

Ginny actually struggled to get free. She pulled back, most of her weight on her heels, trying to pull away. Lucius tugged right back. If she had been watching, and hadn't thought the situation was so non-humorous, she might've laughed. It was like a mother trying to pull her young son into the classroom on the first day of pre-wizard school.

But with one final jerk, Lucius managed to pull her right where he wanted - just before Voldemort. When she was there, and Lucius had stepped to the side, she thought she'd look too cowardly, like she was fleeing, if she ran from the spot. Plus, her muscles seemed to have locked in place, and she couldn't get her legs to carry her away.

Ginny was terrified. And she'd been afraid before; knew what it was like. She was familiar with the racing pulse and the pounding heart, which could go from beating quickly to slow steady thumps. She had experienced the sweaty skin, as the air suddenly became much warmer, and the prickling of the hairs on the back of her neck. She'd felt her mind shut down and jump to irrational thoughts, making everything seem much more dangerous than it really was (but the situation she was in couldn't get any more dangerous). She knew what it was like to hear the silence ringing in her ears, her senses perked up, trying to hear, see, smell, feel . . . anything before it happened. She knew the feeling that the air was closing in on her, and that she couldn't get enough oxygen, therefore breathing harshly and raggedly.

All those things she'd felt before and was familiar with.

She was not used to thoughts about Draco.

Draco Malfoy, who had been her enemy until a mere few days ago. Now he'd dug himself under her skin and made himself apart of her. Somehow, he'd wormed his way into her life and there was no way she could forget about him, even if he evaporated into air that instant.

She jerked her eyes from Voldemort and glanced over her shoulder at him. He was sitting across the room, and was working on the ropes around his wrists, trying to free himself. The rope was stained red, and Ginny couldn't tell if it was from the blood that dripped off his face or because he was cutting himself attempting to get undone. Either way, his face was unnaturally white, except for the lower part which was covered with crimson blood, and she could tell he was in pain. At that moment she'd never wanted to do anything but run over and help him. She wanted nothing more than to take his pain away.

Watching him work, watching him grit his teeth to keep from crying out from the tight cords around his wrists, she was suddenly filled with a sense of compassion. She realized he wasn't trying to get free to save himself - he was trying to get out to help her. He wasn't even thinking twice about it - he was just doing it.

That wasn't a natural Draco Malfoy reaction, was it?

Ginny wasn't all too clear on his feelings for her, but at that moment she had never been more positive hers for him. It might not have been love, since she had never experienced love before, but it had to be something pretty close. She'd definitely changed her perspective on him since the time they'd went to school together.

Why? Was it because she knew what a great person, deep down, perhaps way deep down, he really was?

And when had her feelings for him changed? When he'd gazed so tenderly into her eyes after their first kiss? When he'd kissed her so fiercely, so full of passion, on her front porch?

No, it wasn't either of those times.

It was the moment he pulled her from the seawater after the Cell Bus sank.

By doing that, he'd risked everything. He'd changed his world and he'd known it. Helping a Weasley, not to mention a Weasley his own father had sent to Azkaban on purpose, put his own life in jeopardy. He'd taken a chance of altering his safety and comfort to help her.

And Ginny would never be able to thank him for that. Nothing she could do or say could ever express how she felt about it. But if they made it out of there alive, she planned on trying to.

"I'm right here, Virginia," Voldemort snapped, his cold tone slicing into her thoughts.

She tore her eyes from Draco to stare at him. But she couldn't hold his gaze for long - she had to look back down at the floor.

"Do you know how to perform the Cruciatus Curse?" Voldemort asked casually.

At this Ginny had to snap her head up, trying to figure out what he meant by his question. His face revealed nothing - it was completely blank. How was she supposed to answer that? How did he expect she answered that? What was the point? Should she lie and say she did? But what would that gain her? Nothing.

"They teach you about the Unforgivable Curses at Hogwarts, do they not?" he pressed.

"Master, she is the daughter of Arthur Weasely!" Lucius broke in. "There's no way in hell he'd teach his daughter an Unfor -"

"Lucius, you are bothering me," Voldemort said calmly. "If you speak again I will slice off your fingers, do you understand?"

Lucius turned a fresh shade of green before swallowing and nodding.

Ginny, meanwhile, was contemplating what Voldemort had asked. Of course they'd taught her the Unforgivable Curses at Hogwarts. But they'd never taught how to perform them. Ginny knew to perform the Cruciatus Curse she said, Crucio, but there was more to it than that. There was a certain way to wave the wand, to pronounce each syllable. And Hogwarts had definitely never taught students how to do that.

"So far I've asked you two questions," Voldemort said in a low, angry voice, "and I haven't received an answer. So I'll ask you one more time - do you know how to perform the Cruciatus Curse?"

"No," Ginny blurted.

Voldemort gazed at her a moment before muttering, "Pity."

Why? she wondered, a bit curious despite herself. Why is it a pity?

Yet Voldemort did not explain for a long while. Minutes passed, but they seemed like hours to Ginny. Voldemort was lost in his own thoughts, but he clearly knew that Draco was attempting to get free. Lucius must've noticed, too, but they didn't see it as a threat so they let it be.

That must mean there's no way Draco's getting out of those ropes, Ginny realized. He's only hurting himself by doing that.

She longed to tell him that, but maybe Lucius and Voldemort really weren't paying that much attention. Maybe he did have a chance.

"I am going to make you a deal," Voldemort drawled finally, looking thoughtful.

A deal? And I'm going to trust you on it? she wondered incredulously. She almost snorted in disgust.

"If you use the Cruciatus Curse on Lucius," he began slowly, "then I will let you leave."

Ginny's jaw dropped and she whipped her head to gape at Lucius. He didn't seem too upset by this - in fact, he was nearly sneering. No doubt he knew she would refuse in an instant.

"Or better yet," Voldemort continued, "if you use the Killing Curse on him, I'll let both you and Draco leave . . . in one piece."

One piece? Ginny repeated. Why does that not sound reassuring?

Lucius was still looking confident that she would not agree. And every cell in her body was screaming at her to yell No! instantly, but for some reason she didn't. She actually pretended to consider it.

If she said yes, then she would have a reason to pull out her wand and use it. By doing that, she might be able to create a distraction that would let her and Draco get out alive.

As she opened her mouth, she thought better of it. What sort of distraction would she use? What would be big enough? Any possible spell that would create such a diversion would take several seconds to assemble, and by then Voldemort would have realized what she was trying to do. He'd disarm her or kill her. The only thing that might work was levitating a piece of wood from the broken table towards Voldemort's face. But even that left some risk, because he might see it in time and block it. Not to mention Lucius was there, and he'd manage to stop them before they left the room.

Plus, she didn't plan on leaving without Draco. How in the world could she create a diversion in less than a second that would disable both Voldemort (the most powerful wizard ever) and Lucius from bringing her plan to a halt, run over, free Draco, then sprint out of the room? Right past, might I add, she thought wryly, Voldemort, who is standing directly in front of the door.

She had to consider her options. One was to say no, I'll never use an Unforgivable Curse on anyone, and be killed instantly or tortured a great deal before being murdered. That would doom both her and Draco. The other choice was to say yes, I'll try, and use her wand. But to do what? What could she do? Nothing that wouldn't result in getting them killed.

This is hopeless! she realized, frustrated. Either way we'll end up dead! There's no way in hell that Voldemort will keep his end of the deal - most likely he'll kill me instantly after I use an Unforgivable Curse on Lucius.

She shot a swift look at Draco over her shoulder. He was still struggling with his bindings. Ginny fought the urge to cry. He'd always been there for her. It was her turn to be there for him.

But there's nothing I can do! she thought. I have no real options!

"I'm not going to wait forever," Voldemort said impatiently.

Ginny knew she had to hurry. She prayed Draco would look up and meet her gaze, just so she could feel a bit reassured by his eyes. But he continued with the ropes, as if oblivious to what was happening across the room.

What am I going to do? she wondered, lost. She felt useless; pathetic. Even though she knew this was a situation even the strongest of wizards couldn't escape, she still felt dumb that she couldn't think of something that would get them out unscarred.

Draco let out a smothered cry of pain, biting his bloodied lower lip, and Ginny forced to turn back to the man before her. She couldn't do anything. They're both watching me, she thought. Not even one of them is watching Draco to make sure that he's still bound.

The only thing she could do was say no, she would not use an Unforgivable Curse. She opened her mouth again to answer when a thought flashed back through her mind.

Not even one of them is watching Draco.

She jerked her head around to watch him once more. Of course! That was it! Why she hadn't thought of it sooner she didn't know. Draco still had his wand and he wasn't being watched - the only thing he had holding him back were those ropes. If she could somehow free him then he could create the distraction . . .

Yet, once again, how could she? She couldn't very well pull out her wand, spin around, shout out the words to rid Draco of the ropes, then turn back around and go about pretending to use an Unforgivable Curse on Lucius like nothing had happened. That would only result in Voldemort taking both Ginny's wand and Draco's, and they'd be killed.

Everything results in death! she thought angrily.

She suddenly remembered that her wand was in her back pocket. Maybe, if she was slick enough, she could pull it out behind her back and point it at Draco and whisper the spell to free him from his bindings.

Yes! That was it! It was worth the try, wasn't it?

No, it's too risky, another voice in her head argued. Voldemort's not an idiot - he's bound to realize what you're doing.

A risk? Well, Draco had taken a major risk when he'd saved her from drowning, hadn't he? Now it was her turn to take the risk. Not to mention that no matter what she did she'd end up being killed. This way she just had a slight chance that she'd manage to do it without him noticing.

"All right," Voldemort began, "you refused -"

Lucius looked so smug Ginny got the tiniest bit of pleasure by blurting out, "I'll try. I'll do it." Looking at him pointedly, just wanting to see him sweat it, she added, "I'll try the Killing Curse."

At this, Lucius turned several shades - green, to bright red, to pink, and finally going white. He struggled to swallow, his mouth opening and closing several times as if he wanted to protest but then seemed to remember Voldemort's threat about his fingers. His eyes darted nervously between Voldemort to Ginny before resting on Voldemort, as if pleading for him to spare his life.

Even though I'm not really going to kill you, Ginny thought, it serves you right to be afraid. This is what happens when you become a Death Eater - the Dark Lord won't think twice about murdering you.

She glanced at Draco one final time to see him staring over at them, his mouth slightly open. He was obviously amazed that Ginny had actually agreed to try the Killing Curse on someone. You should know that I won't, she told him silently.

"Very good," Voldemort murmured, his scarlet eyes dancing.

"Let me get my wand," Ginny said so he wouldn't think otherwise when she reached into her back pocket.

She slid her arms around to her back, hidden beneath her cloak that flowed down nearly to her ankles. Feeling the wand grasped in her fingers she instantly felt better. She slid it out of her pocket carefully, acting as though she was having trouble with it. "Dumb wand . . ." she murmured, making sure the Dark Lord could only hear snippets of her mutterings, "never comes out right . . ."

It was already out of her pocket, though. She turned it around and pointed it in the general direction Draco was sitting in, the tip of it barely evident through her cloak. Then, in her quietest voice, so quiet she could barely even hear herself, she whispered, "Loosivia."

She looked up sharply to see if Voldemort had heard. He continued smiling smugly and icily at her; Lucius continued to gawk and sweat with anxious fear. Surely if they'd noticed her using a spell they would've done something?

Feeling a bit more confident, and a lot more relieved, as if though a huge weight had been lifted off her chest, she pulled her wand back out from behind her. Then she turned to face Lucius, who almost cringed back away from her. It almost made everything seem worth it - the feeling of power she now had over him.

Whose afraid now, Lucius? she thought, twisting her lips into a cruel smile as a finishing touch for her act. Now if Draco will create a distraction I won't have to pretend to kill you anymore.

* * *

Draco knew he was gaping, but he couldn't help it. Ginny had actually agreed to try and kill his father?

But then Ginny had glanced back and caught his eye. In that instant he knew - he knew that she would never kill him. She was just saying yes to buy some time. Or because she was plotting something.

What are you thinking? he wondered. Whatever it is, you'd better hurry up, because I can't feel my fingers at all. And all this blood on my face is getting very annoying. I'm swallowing it by the tons.

He was also in a lot of pain. His whole face throbbed, having fallen on his nose, most likely breaking it, and his teeth crashing into the insides of his lips. He imagined that when and if he smiled, his teeth would be bright red.

Definitely not attractive.

He couldn't feel his feet since the ropes were so tightly wrapped around his ankles it was cutting of circulation. And his fingers were achingly stiff - he couldn't really feel them, but they did sort of hurt.

On the bright side, his wrists suddenly felt a lot looser.

Wait a minute, he thought, frowning in confusion. How can my wrists feel looser?

He glanced down, and at first he thought he must have been imagining it. The ropes appeared to have disappeared. Slowly, unbelieving, he pulled his hands apart with no problem. The outsides of his wrists were pretty sliced up but not too horribly. Blood caked his hands, sinking into his fingernail beds and underneath the nails themselves. He flexed his fingers, trying to get some feeling and blood coursing through them again.

Looking at his feet he discovered that the ankle ropes were gone as well.

Ginny must've done this, he figured. When she took her wand out she must've somehow gotten rid of the ropes.

Voldemort had his eyes on Ginny, and Lucius was busy staring at Ginny's wand. Neither of them noticed he was free, but he still couldn't stand up. Then they'd definitely notice.

Ginny had freed him for a reason. She wanted him to do something. Obviously - get them out alive.

That's always my job, he couldn't help but think, rolling his eyes. Yet he reached for his wand, his mind racing to think of something to do. What spell could he do that would defeat the Dark Lord - or at least, make him unable to stop them from leaving?

I'll have to distract him somehow, he recognized.

Now, Voldemort's voice interrupted his thoughts. "Well?" he snapped, causing Draco to turn his head to see what was going on. He was talking to Ginny. "Go on. Don't just stand there."

Ginny took a deep breath. Draco knew she wouldn't dare look over at him for fear that it would cause suspicion and Voldemort would look over as well. Then, she raised her wand even higher and opened her mouth. "Av - Avada - Avada - da," she sputtered in a quiet and weak voice.

Voldemort looked annoyed; Lucius brightened considerably. Draco had never seen his father so frightened before, and he actually hadn't minded it that much.

"You can't stutter!" Voldemort said snappishly. "You stupid girl, you have to say it clearly. Must I demonstrate on Draco for you?"

Fortunately, no one looked over at him when Voldemort said this. Ginny swallowed thickly and nodded, turning her attention back to Lucius.

I guess I should do something before she is forced to kill my father, Draco thought with a smirk. He held his wand in his hand, grasping it hard. Now . . . what was he to do?

His eyes fell on the mess of the collapsed table. Well, if he could somehow use magic to heave all the pieces towards Voldemort and his father . . . but then, Ginny would be caught in it too. Also, the Dark Lord was likely to see it and somehow prevent it.

If only they could fall from above, he thought, frowning now. Then Voldemort wouldn't see it until it was too late.

He raised his eyes to the ceiling. It was then he was struck with the most obvious, most ingenious idea. A grin started to spread over his face. It was worth a try, wasn't it? And who knew - it just might work for the purpose he wanted.

But he'd have to be quick about it. He couldn't jump to his feet - that would take too long. And he had to be sure that Ginny would be safe . . .

"Avada," Ginny started again, then paused. She took a very deep breath and exhaled slowly. "Avada Kedrava," she repeated slowly and clearly.

Draco quickly snapped his attention to Lucius. He was wincing, as if expecting to fall dead at any moment. But, since Ginny had no idea how to perform an Unforgivable Curse, it hadn't worked. She hadn't done it correctly.

Both her and Lucius seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.

"Try again," Voldemort said quickly.

"But my Lord -" Lucius started.

Voldemort fixed his bright red eyes on him. "One more word, Lucius," he hissed threateningly. "Just one."

Lucius went into silence.

Okay, I guess now would be the right time, Draco thought.

Ginny raised her wand once more and took another breath. "Avada -"

"Clurashio!" Draco hissed, his wand pointed upward. He moved it to the ceiling above Lucius and whispered the same thing.

He watched at the effect the spell had. The ceiling above both Lucius and Voldemort crumbled into several pieces. It rained down on them like a storm of fine powder, clumps of stone, and dust.

The ceiling began to crack in half, sprinkling dust all over the floor. It rose up in clouds, and soon the room became thick with it. Draco was having trouble seeing, but jumped to his feet. He started panicking - what if Ginny got hurt by accident?

He ran blindly towards where she had been standing. Now the room was misted with thick dust and Draco could barely see his busted nose in front of him, much less anyone else. He could hear Lucius shouting obscenities, the loud thuds the pieces of stone made on the floor. But both Ginny and Voldemort were silent.

Draco's heart sped up. Oh, God, had he made a mistake? Had Voldemort snatched Ginny and left the room? Is that why they weren't making any noises?

But then he heard her, and he'd never been so grateful to hear her voice. "Draco!" she called, though it was impossible to tell which way her voice was coming from. "Draco, where are you?"

Draco almost opened his mouth to yell, "Go to the door!" Yet then Voldemort and Lucius would overhear, and they'd intercept them. He would just have to find Ginny on his own, and together they'd leave.

There was something nagging in the pit of his stomach. Where is Voldemort? he wondered, feeling around blindly for Ginny. He had his eyes shut so nothing would get in them, though it wasn't like he could've saw anything more if they were open.

"Draco?" Ginny's voice sounded a bit panicked now.

"I'm here," he replied. Then he felt hands on him - delicate, gentle hands that he instantly recognized as hers. He let out a sigh of gratefulness and grabbed her hand firmly. "Come on, let's get . . ." He stopped, coughing violently as dust got into his throat.

"Out of here," she finished, and he could almost hear her smile.

They somehow found the door with no problems. When they emerged from the room they didn't hesitate - they broke out into a full run, holding hands. Draco had to remember how to get out of there quickly, since they came to new turns much quicker than they did if they'd been walking.

"Draco," Ginny panted after a while. "Draco, I think we're safe now -"

"Not yet," he argued, tugging on her hand a bit. "Come on, we've got to get out of this house."

And they continued to run.

* * *

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