Disclaimer: JK Rowling

 

 

Chapter Nine – Partners

 

 

Draco went around to the other side of the fire, cursing himself inside his head. How could he have allowed himself to kiss her? Never, not once, did it occur that he would be having feelings for Ginny Weasley when he pulled her from the water those few days ago. Had it really only been days? It seemed like years.

    He could feel her staring at him, and knew she was surprised and maybe even hurt that he’d suddenly pulled away. But she didn’t understand – if he hadn’t stopped, he would’ve never been able to let her go. The thought scared him; the thought of knowing he wanted her so badly.

    He was just about to sit down to try and make some sort of sleeping area when he heard Ginny gasp.

    “Harry?” she cried rather shrilly.

    Draco whirled around. Through the smoke of the fire, he saw another person stepping into the clearing. Sure enough, it was Harry Potter. He smiled nervously at them.

    “How – how long have you been here?” Ginny stuttered.

    Of course, she’s afraid her grand and wonderful Potter will hate her for kissing me, Draco thought, sneering. He returned to Ginny’s side of the fire so he could see Harry clearly.

    “I just arrived,” Harry answered rather breezily. “I saw you two in the restaurant back in town, eating breakfast. So I followed you.”

    “Why didn’t you say anything?” Ginny asked, nearly sagging with relief. She strode up to him and gave him a hard hug, which he returned briefly before taking a step back from her. She noticed his uneasiness, but she didn’t say anything. Frowning, she, too, moved back until she was once again beside Draco.

    “Why are you here, Potter?” Draco demanded. “Just waiting to turn us in yourself?”

    “Harry wouldn’t turn us in,” Ginny said, coming to his defense. “Right?” she added, shooting a pleading glance at him.

    While her whole family had either ignored her, given her pitying looks or glares, or just yelled at her, Harry had never really done anything to lead her to believe he thought she had used the Creciatus Curse. Whenever she caught his eye, he would flash her a quick reassuring smile and look away. She hadn’t ever gotten the chance to talk to him privately, but she always thought he was the one person (other than the Malfoys) who thought she was innocent. That assurance had kept her from going crazy before she even reached Azkaban.

    Harry ran a hand through his hair, which, as always, was already standing on end. “How are you, Ginny?” he asked abruptly, changing the subject drastically.

    Ginny blinked. “I’ve been better, Harry,” she said softly.

    He nodded and gave her a small smile – a smile that was hard to read. “I know. You’ve been through a lot, haven’t you? First the bus sinks, then the car accident . . . and to top it off, you’ve been running from the Ministry.”

    “Harry – I don’t have any choice,” she protested, wishing she didn’t sound so weak. “I’m innocent and I need to prove it.”

    “Running makes you look guilty,” he whispered, all traces of smiles gone from his face. But his eyes were sympathetic. He had yet to glance at Draco. “You should’ve just turned yourself in –”

    “Listen, Potter, she doesn’t need you to lecture her,” Draco cut in. “She knows what she’s doing, okay?”

    Ginny nearly smiled, feeling warm inside. Draco Malfoy was standing up for her. Harry’s eyes finally flickered over the other boy, and he looked rather ill in his company.

    There was a long stretch of silence then, and Ginny shifted her weight from one foot to another awkwardly. Draco was the only one who did not seem embarrassed at the quiet. When she glanced at him, he appeared to be deep in thought, staring coldly at Harry.

    “Are you going to stay?” Ginny asked at last.

    “Stay?” Harry blinked, confused.

    “You’d better leave before someone thinks that you’ve been helping us,” she elaborated.

    “Uh . . .” He looked down and scratched the back of his head. “I don’t really think –”

    And suddenly, the forest was alive with sound. The noise of many feet crunching over leaves, the swooshing of people gliding through the air, the voices of a group of people – all reached her ears at the same time. She instinctively took a step closer to Draco, pressing her shoulder against his. Her head was twisting in every direction, trying to locate who was coming and from where.

    Over a dozen people stepped through the trees. From above another dozen swooped down and landed, getting of their brooms. Ginny felt as if her feet were planted to the ground, and when she finally was able to recover, it was too late. Someone grabbed her roughly and jerked her away from Draco.

    Everything from then happened in a large blur. The faces of the people – obviously from the Ministry – swam before her as she felt hands patting her down, locating her wand. Someone else was using magic to bind her wrists tightly together behind her back. She tried to look for Draco, or even Harry, but tall men surrounded her and she could not see beyond them.

    Finally, all the commotion stopped. One grabbed her by the upper arms and pressed her back against them, making sure she could not wiggle her way out of his iron grip. She didn’t try – her mind was too stunned to even think straight, much less plot an escape.

    Her eyes searched frantically for Draco, and she finally found him. He had his back to her, and was talking with someone just a big taller than him but with his identical silver hair.

    He was talking to his father.

 

The instant Ginny seemed to be snatched from he side, a hand gripped one of his arms and pulled him not so gently to the side of it all. Draco was surprised to see it was his father. He turned his head to see what had happened to Ginny, but a solid wall of men blocked her from his view. He forced himself to focus on Lucius.

    “What are you doing here?” Draco managed to ask, unable to keep the surprise from his tone.

    Lucius grinned wickedly. “Have you not been keeping up with current times, Draco?” he asked rather pleasantly. “The day after the Weasley girl escaped Cornelius Fudge was fired. That’s two people who have escaped Azkaban custody with him as Minister and people were not happy.”

    Draco stared dumbly. He had heard what his father had told him, but half of his brain was too busy worrying about Ginny. What were they going to do to her? Send her to Azkaban? Or would they give her a Dementor’s Kiss for running so long?

    “You are daft, boy,” Lucius snapped. “I’m the new Minister of Magic. The rest of the Ministry voted for me.”

    “Voted for you?” Draco repeated, a sneer starting to creep across his face. “You probably threatened to kill their families if they didn’t vote for you.”

    Lucius did not look upset. He actually smiled. “And it worked, did it not?”

    “So you’ve been the new Minister for the past couple of days,” Draco stated. “And you couldn’t catch us, could you?”

    That caused the smile to drop off his father’s face. “I should skin you alive for running with that Weasley,” he snarled, his lip curling, giving him the look of actually baring his teeth. “And your punishment will come soon enough. But first she needs to be dealt with.”

    Draco sensed the conversation was over, but quickly added in, “What are you going to do to her?”

    His eyes, which were startlingly similar to Draco’s, glinted cruelly. “Nothing usual,” he said rather silkily. “All the usual punishments are far too gentle. I’ll need to think a bit on it.”

    Draco wasn’t sure why it felt as if his heart was in his throat. It didn’t matter to him what happened to Ginny . . . Why am I even denying it anymore? he thought viciously. Of course it matters. God, I can’t believe it, I’m concerned for her. I don’t want my father to hurt her.

    He remembered far too vividly the punishment he’d received in his lifetime from Lucius. The things he’d been through made a Dementor’s Kiss seem like heaven. And whatever Ginny got would be twice as worse as whatever Draco had endured.

    Lucius stepped by his son. Draco turned and was finally able to see Ginny, who was gripped by the upper arms by a man who looked two times Draco’s height and width. Draco’s fingers itched to rip her away from the man and beat him unconscious for holding her against him in such a manner, but he knew he would be the one beaten senseless if he attempted it.

    As Lucius approached Ginny, her chin quivered slightly in fear. But her eyes were bright and determined, and she did not look down when he met her gaze.

    “Did you think you could run forever?” Lucius asked quietly. “I had the Muggles after you, girl. There was no way you could’ve escaped.”

    She did not reply.

    “I had thought,” Lucius went on, his voice still low but dangerous, “that sending you to Azkaban was too soft a penalty. But it was not within my power to decide. Fortunately, now it is. When I’m through with you you’ll be begging for death.”

    Draco bit his lip to keep from arguing. Even the Minister of Magic couldn’t torture somebody, not to mention that Ginny’s family would probably kill Lucius if they ever tried to hurt their precious youngest sister and child. If his father tried to do such a thing, he would surely be kicked out of the Minister position, no matter how many people he threatened.

    “You have guts,” Lucius continued, “I’ll give you that much. But you would’ve never gotten so far if not for my son.”

    Draco forced his face to remain blank.

    “I am afraid I will never understand why he did what he did, but I won’t worry about that now. I’m more concerned about your future, girl. The rather short future you have. Potter, would you be so kind as to come here?”

    Draco had forgotten all about Harry, who had not moved from the edge of the clearing. He looked down, ducking his face, but slowly walked towards Lucius. When Draco caught the expression on Ginny’s face, he had never hated Harry so much. It was because of him her eyes were so wide and sad, her expression so hurt and betrayed. If only he would look up he would see what he’d done and how Ginny would never trust him again.

    “Potter volunteered to help find you,” Lucius said, almost proudly, clapping a hand on Harry’s shoulder.

    Harry finally looked up and saw Ginny’s expression. “I’m so sorry, Ginny,” he burst out, rushing to explain. “I – I was worried about you and so was your family and no one knew where you were . . . you should’ve just accepted your sentence at Azkaban, it would’ve made things so much easier –”

    “I DIDN’T DO IT!” Ginny exploded. “You know I didn’t! I would never, ever use the Creciatus Curse no matter how badly I hated someone . . . you know that, Harry! I thought you were the one person who would believe me . . .”

    She trailed off, lowering her head so her hair fell around her face like a curtain. Draco didn’t hear anything, but he could see her shoulders trembling as she cried silently. It took all his strength to stay where he was and not rush to hold her and try to stop her from crying. The urge was so terrible it was like a knife driving into his heart as he stood there, unable to do anything.

    How did I come to care so much? he wondered, getting angry with himself. I’ve never cared about anyone in my entire life before.

    Harry, too, looked broken as he stared helplessly at Ginny’s shaking form. Draco knew he was regretting what he’d done, but it was too late. He’d been an idiot and actually trusted Draco’s father.

    “Take her to London,” Lucius ordered. “Allow her parents one visit, that’s it. No one else is to see her.”

    Flanked with about six other people, the man holding Ginny turned and left the clearing. Ginny lifted her head, tossing her hair out of her eyes and revealing her tear-streaked cheeks, and walked with solid steps. Draco couldn’t help but watch her – she was definitely one of the strongest girls he’d ever met.

    The rest of the men left on brooms, leaving Draco, his father, and Harry in the clearing alone.

    “I brought your broom,” Lucius said to Draco, pointing to an extra broom leaning against a tree. “I will see you at home.”

    Then he turned and went after those who had left on foot.

    Harry remained where he was, watching as Draco snatched the broom away from the tree. As he straddled it and was ready to take off Harry said, “Malfoy, wait.”

    Draco turned his head, keeping his face unreadable. “What is it, Potter?” he drawled.

    “Why – why have you been running with Ginny these past few days?” he asked, looking anxious.

    Draco sighed, and turned his body fully. “I don’t have any reason to tell you,” he snapped. “Does it matter?”

    “Yes, it does,” Harry said, frowning. “You haven’t hurt her in any way, have you? Because if you did I swear –”

    “My, my, Potter, aren’t we the hypocrite?” Draco interrupted, sneering. “I haven’t hurt Ginny but it is clear that you hurt her more than even you realize.”

    Harry swallowed, lowering his eyes. “I did what I thought was best,” he whispered.

    “And siding with my father is best?” Draco demanded, arching one eyebrow. “Potter, you know that he’s a Death Eater and that he hates the Weasleys. Why the hell would he want to find Ginny to just do something good for her?”

    Harry jerked his head up. “You are the reason I agreed to help find her in the first place!” he said hotly. “You aren’t exactly the nicest person, either, Malfoy. I was scared for her, being alone with you . . . that’s the only reason I sided with your father.”

    “My father was always on the wrong side,” Draco said carelessly. “He’s convinced people that Ginny used an Unforgivable Curse so much that he’s beginning to believe it himself. I had always thought you knew that she was innocent.”

    “I did,” Harry said softly. “But then she ran and it only made her look guilty, and for the life of me I couldn’t explain how she could’ve lied through the Veritaserum –”

    Draco’s eyes flashed. “Did it ever occur to you, Potter, that even the innocent run? Why would you want to be put in Azkaban for something you didn’t do? Of course you’d run. Running from the Ministry shouldn’t mean anything. Everyone, even the guilty, would’ve run if they’d escaped.”

    Harry did not reply. It was clear he hadn’t thought too much about it.

    “If I were you,” Draco said, “and thank God I’m not, then I’d try and find everything in my power to get Ginny free again.”

    “Why don’t you?” Harry demanded quickly. “You’re obviously comfortable enough with her to call her by her first name. If you help me it will be a lot easier –”

    “I’m already dead as it is,” Draco said. “I would like a day long torture session before I die as opposed to a week long session. So thank you for the invitation, but I’ll have to pass.”

    “Damn it, Malfoy, I made a mistake,” Harry snapped. “You’re right – I have to get her away from the Ministry. But there is no way in hell I can do it without your help. I don’t care if you hate me –”

    “I do.”

    “ – just do this for Ginny. You heard your father. He’s going to do something terrible to her before he’ll allow her to die. And from the way you were kissing her when I came earlier shows that you care for her a lot more then you want to let on.”

    Draco wasn’t sure what to say to that. He swallowed, and asked, “What makes you think that I can help you?”

    “Your father’s the Minister,” Harry replied, starting to sound a bit hopeful. “You can find out where she is being held, and how to get her out. Listen, Malfoy, I know that we’re not friends and we never will be, but right now this isn’t about us. It’s about Ginny.”

    Draco stared. I can’t believe this. Potter is pleading with me to do something for him. God knows I want to help Ginny and I certainly could use the help. But with Potter? I hate him and he hates me. This will never work.

    He sighed. “When this is all over I’m never speaking to you again,” he said at last.

    A grin spread over Harry’s face. “Is that a yes?”

 

 

A/N: Another cliffhanger, I know. Well, thanks to those who reviewed but I don’t have time to list them all out (next chapter ;P). So review anyway!!!! Thanks !!

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