Harry Potter 1. Vanquish

**A sequel to Boys of Quidditch since a got a few requests for it. :) It's only Ginny and Draco's part of the story though. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter!**

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Chapter 1

The scent of death filled the air.

It was pungent, nearly putrid. It was sharply stinging the eyes and extremely irritating to the nose. It was a thick, heavy smell that clung to their clothes and enmeshed in their hair. Draco tried to wipe the well of tears prickling on the bottom lid of his eyes, tears caused by the odor of death, but the scent was continued to get caught up in his nose, creating the blur at the edge of his eyes.

Nauseating and sweet, the smell was so thick that he could taste it on his tongue. It had the same taste as blood - coppery and metallic. There was also a hint of a charcoal-like air; the smell of burning hair.

Draco thought for sure he was dead, that the smell filling his nose was coming from him. Leaking out of his skin and wafting around his face. He considered just floating away, following the scent of decay; the smell of the corrupt. Maybe then he would be at peace. Maybe then he wouldn't have to fight anymore.

Maybe he could be with Ginny.

He could see her in his mind as clearly as the day he left her. Her hair was tousled around her face. The red curls like little streams pouring over the white of her pillow. Her full pink lips were curled up in a content, cat-like smile. Her creamy, soft skin blended in with stark whiteness of her sheets. The early morning light was like a warm wash spread over her body, casting it in an amber glow. It was beautiful to watch the change of colors on her skin. The freckles were like fireworks cart wheeling across fields of champagne and apricot. Around her neck was the jade necklace he had given her at the ball his seventh year at Hogwarts. The necklace was spelled so that Draco was able to locate her wherever she was at. The dark jade stone rested against the collar of her throat. Draco wanted to stay and bury his nose in her, to breathe in that familiar scent of Japanese cherry blossoms one last time. But Draco knew he couldn't stay with her and somehow Ginny had known that this goodbye was different than the other goodbyes...

_The smile on Ginny's face vanished so quickly that it was like it had been magically removed. She sat up in the bed, watching him try to sneak out. Just as he got his hand on the door handle, she spoke softly, meaningfully, "Good-bye, Draco."_

_The sound of it was quiet but it still managed to freeze Draco in his tracks. He found that he couldn't do it, he couldn't open the door. He couldn't leave her yet. Not when he knew what was going to happen to him. He stared at his dull reflection in the slick curve of brassy handle, silently asking it for answers. His reflection only stared back at him, forcing him to solve things on his own. _

_He could tell her goodbye, open the door and leave her. Or he could ignore the problems staring him in the face, turn around and climb back into bed with her. It would be so easy... He's not really that much of a help anyway. He can just forget about everything and lose himself with the woman he loves._

_Draco dropped his hand away from the knob. With a sigh, he turned back to Ginny. She was still sitting up in the messy bed, her hand clutching a sheet to her small breasts. He could see the outline of one of the rosy tips pressed against the thin sheet. The light from the window bounced off her hair, highlighting the different shades of red in her flaming hair. _

_Seeing the change in him, Ginny smiled shyly and reached her hand out to him. "Are you going to stay?"_

_Draco took her hand and let her pull him into the warm sheets. "Yes, Ginny. I'm going to stay."_

_"Good, because, without you, I would die."_

_He tilted his head at her with a curious expression. "That's a little dramatic."_

_Ginny's face changed - her smile disappeared and her eyes turned cold. "I'm serious. Without you to protect me, I will die, Draco."_

_"Ginny, are you okay? This isn't like you." Draco wrapped his arms around Ginny, holding her close, trying to protect her._

_Before his eyes, the beauty of Ginny slowly melted away. The cute curves of her face became sharp and wicked. Her lips twisted into a ruthless smile and her eyes were callous. Even her hair seemed to lose the multilayered magnificence it had before. It looked flat and dull, brown and ugly. Ginny leaned her head back and laughed. The laugh was cruel, inhuman and mocking. It was also very familiar._

_"Ginny?"_

_The laughter stopped. Ginny stared right into Draco's eyes and, for a moment he thought her appearance had returned to normal. He let out a breath of relief as he ran his gaze over Ginny's once again pretty features. When his gaze returned to her eyes, though, the former brown color were now a flat black. Startled, Draco looked closer and saw the gleam of malice in the black pools of her eyes. Without warning, Ginny threw her head back once again but this time the force of the throw snapped her neck. The sound was a sudden crunch like a thick branch that broke, splintering. The splintered part of the bone cut through her neck and caused the fleshy trunk to rip away easily. Immediately the scarlet red streams of new blood started running down the creamy white of her neck. As her neck ripped away the flow of blood came out faster and faster until it was gushing, staining the sheet that she still clung to her chest. Draco was pretty sure that much blood wasn't possible, but he couldn't react as he held Ginny's body in his arms. The white bone of her spine stuck out through the pouring blood. Some of the flesh of her head was stuck on the spinal bone and the skin kept her head hanging against her back. Draco had been paralyzed with shock, but now he felt his stomach heave. Even though he felt sick, Draco kept his hold on Ginny's body._

_Through all this, the laughter continued on._

"Draco!"

Draco's eyes flew open. His mind reeled as he awoke to the tangle of confusion and frustration. In a flash, Draco remembered that he didn't stay with Ginny. When the moment came, he had said goodbye, turned the door handle and left her where she was safe; as far away from here as possible.

"Well, well, little Draco. You were gone for a long time in that one. You obviously like to fuck the little slut. What would your father say if he knew about the little blood traitor? I think when I am done with you I'm going to have to go find her and snap her head for real. It's what your father would have wanted. Maybe I should keep you alive long-"

The cruel voice had bounced off the dungeon walls but something - or someone - had cut him off, making him unable to tell where Draco was at. The spell made him able to know exactly where Draco was at but, with it broken, Voldemort no longer knew the location of the young Malfoy.

Shaking off the last of the spell, Draco looked around trying to spot the person behind it. Every surface around him was built of long, thing stones - the floor, the walls, the ceiling. It was hard to see clearly because the space was dark. The only light was from the torches lining the walls. But the light from the torches wasn't the usual warm, orange-y glow. The light was an eerie green that when shone off the dripping walls made the stones look sick, diseased.

Bodies were lying everywhere. The skin of the dead was black and curling off the under flesh. Most were Death Eaters that Draco and Harry had surprised when they started attacking. They managed to actually kill off a few members before Lord Voldemort became aware of their attack. After that things had became more complicated.

Draco could hear the fierce battle that had moved on from this room. There were cries of agony and terror. There were screams of pain as Death Eaters died. He hurried towards the door that would take him to the fighting. Blocking the door was another heap of a body. This body had long white slivers pouring away from it. They were strands of silver-blonde hair.

Lucius Malfoy.

Draco stepped over the body, not caring about the man who lay there. He had stopped caring about his father a long time ago; he didn't even bat an eye when he saw that Lucius had turned his wand on Harry. Draco had simply killed him and continued in the fight. Now, his father's emotionless eyes stared up at his son, but Draco ignored it as he hurried ahead. He had worked for months to make himself cold and unfeeling, so he wouldn't be affected in the final battle against his family and people he knew since he was a child.

He followed the sound of the fight up ahead as it echoed down the tunnel. Light shone through the bars overhead and created greenish-yellow squares on the ground. Draco hoped that whatever cut Vodemort off from the spell would keep him distracted enough to not send someone down to find him. If he was caught, Voldemort would recast the spell that caused Draco to be trapped in daydreams and then Draco would be unable to help Harry. Draco hurried his footsteps as they thudded against the wet stone.

Inside a much bigger room, the last of the Death Eaters were watching the face-off between Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort. Even when it looked like their Dark Lord would need help, they didn't step in. They were orders to stay back and let Voldemort finish what he has been waiting years for. Draco used their distraction as an opportunity to take out a few more. He knew he could never fight off more than two or three at once, even with his training, so he decided to quietly take them out, one at a time.

The dungeon room was dark enough for what Draco needed to do. It also helped that the Death Eaters wore black so they would be lost in shadow. He had to hurry before Voldemort realized he was losing his allies and completed his spell. He pressed himself against one of the round pillars and surveyed the remaining Death Eaters.

Of course, Bellatrix Lestrange was right behind her master. She would be exceptionally hard to kill and Voldemort would notice immediately if she was gone.

_She will have to be last. _

The rest of the Death Eaters were alive, either out of luck or sheer will. Draco squinted in disbelief that his old friend's father Crabbe was still alive. Draco had been sure he would have died in the spell that got Harry and him into Voldemort's hideout in the first place. Draco, technically being a Death Eater himself, had been the only one able to perform the spell that sent the blast into the room.

Draco studied the rest of the Death Eaters. There was a tall, pale man with black hair who looked like his face had been crunched and twisted a few times. Draco recognized him as Antonin Dolohov, a man that had visited his father frequently. There was also a large, burly blonde Death Eater named Thorfinn Rowle and finally, Augustus Rookwood, a pock-marked and greasy man.

Except for Bellatrix, Draco felt these Death Eaters weren't very special and that they wouldn't put up much of a fight. Before he moved out if his hiding place, Draco cast a quick but strong Disillusionment charm. It was one of the spells he had been perfecting since leaving school. He would have just used Harry's cloak but it was lost somewhere back at the entrance to the maze of dungeons.

Deciding to kill the stupidest first, Draco crept along the walls towards Vincent Crabbe Sr. The Death Eaters weren't paying attention to each other, keeping their focus on the two dueling in the center of the room. Draco moved up behind the large man, pointed his wand at his back and performed an unspoken Silencing charm. Before Crabbe could notice that he couldn't speak, Draco wrapped his hand over the other Death Eater's mouth and yanked him back into the shadows. The larger man tried to fight him off but Draco had spent months making himself strong enough for this. When he got Crabbe far enough away, Draco felt around for his knife. Casting the Killing Spell would have been easier but the green light would have alerted the other Death Eaters, something he didn't need yet. Deciding Crabbe wasn't worth much effort, Draco simply plunged his knife into the man's back, right up to the silver hilt. When Crabbe finally stopped struggling, Draco slowly lowered him to the ground. He didn't bother to clean his knife before he went after another Death Eater.

Thorfinn Rowle was taken out quickly, like Crabbe, but he was discarded much more carelessly. Draco paid him no thought as he tossed his body down on Crabbe's and went back for another Death Eater. Antonin Dolohov and Augustus Rookwood were very close to each other so he would have to be extra careful as he got one away from the other. They were also closer to Harry and Voldemort than the other two had been, so more light was on them. If Draco wasn't careful, Bellatrix would notice something from her place.

Draco stayed against the wall and moved towards Dolohov. He looked for any way to grab the man, but nothing came to him. Even though he didn't want to, Draco knew he would have to perform the Imperius Curse. Even though he had become a killer on multiple occasions over the last year, Draco still didn't like performing any of the Unforgivable Curses. Right now that didn't matter, though. He had to get rid of the rest of the Death Eaters and help Harry complete the spell they had been planning.

_"Imperio,"_ Draco said in his head while pointing at Dolohov. At once, the tension in Dolohov's body slipped away and the muscles appeared to have loosened up. In his head, Draco commanded him to tell Rookwood that he was going to check on how Carrow was doing and slipped away before Voldemort noticed. From what  
Draco could see, though, Voldemort wasn't going to miss much.

_Harry is putting up a good fight_, Draco thought proudly.

Dolohov moved away from his fellow Death Eater and walked into the darker shadows without any hesitation. Draco followed him into the place where he had laid the other bodies. He commanded Dolohov to stop and turn towards him. When the Death Eater was facing him, Draco handed him his silver knife.

A few seconds later Dolohov fell to the growing heap of bodies.

Draco bent down and picked up his now very bloody knife. He felt that the men didn't deserve distinction and they sure as hell didn't deserve a clean knife to die by.

_One more._

When Draco returned to the large dungeon room, he found that Harry was starting to get an upper hand. Bellatrix was pacing back and forth, looking ready to jump into the fight at any minute, and Rookwood had his wand pointed at the young wizard. He must have forgotten Voldemort's orders because a second later a flash of green came out of Rookwood's wand and headed straight for Harry. Draco held his breath as the bolt of light made for Harry.

"No! I must kill him! I _will _kill him!" shouted Voldemort's cruel voice, as he lifted his wand.

Somehow, moving incredibly fast, Harry managed to avoid the shot and make it up a couple of steps, obtaining the higher ground.

Angry now, Draco made for Rookwood. Without paying attention to what he was doing, Draco spelled the older man and pulled him into the shadows like the rest. Only this time, he was moving with rage. Rookwood stumbled but quickly regained his footing and tried to use his height to yank Draco off the ground. Draco paid him no mind as he pulled out his silver knife, now thick with Death Eaters' blood. The young Malfoy shoved Rookwood back against a wall. This made him able to look the Death Eater in the eyes as he killed him, something he hadn't done with the others. Trying to fight the spell, Rookwood's body shook slightly but none of his limbs made it very far.

Draco plunged his silver knife up in between the man's ribs. When it was as far as it could go, Draco twisted the knife until he felt a pop in the hilt. He removed the knife and watched as Rookwood struggled for air. Draco had punctured the diaphragm and now Rookwood couldn't breathe. The Death Eater was able to move his arms far enough to grab at the wound. His hands soon became drenched in blood but he continued to try and stop the flow. After a few seconds, Rookwood realized that breathing was becoming more difficult and he abandoned his wound to clutch at his chest.

Draco's mouth twisted in contempt as he watched the Death Eater struggle for air. Rookwood sank to his knees and tried to pull the abandoning air into his lungs. His pock-marked skin turned purple as Rookwood suffocated.

In a flash, Draco's hand grabbed Rookwood's throat and held it up, baring it to the air. With a sneer, Draco swiped his knife across the man's throat. The sharp blade created an easy, smooth cut in the flesh. A line of blood started leaking out, pouring down and staining his robe.

Draco watched, frozen with the reminder of his spell-induced daydream. Augustus Rookwood stared up at him, his hands clutching at his lungs and his throat. He still tried to breathe and the action created a gurgling sound in his throat. He coughed and choked until blood came up out of his mouth.

It took a long time for him to die and, while Draco knew he should go back and help Harry, he kept watching the man choke on his own blood. Finally, he collapsed into the pile of bodies. Feeling malicious, Draco kicked him before turning around and going to join Harry in the fight.

He made it back to the large dungeon room where Voldemort now had Harry in a heap on the floor. Draco hurried forward, worried for his friend, before he saw that Harry was picking himself back up. Draco moved towards the duel until he realized something unusual.

His Aunt Bellatrix was no longer there.

"Well, well, well, little Draco. I was wondering where you had run off to. Gone to play with the other Death Eaters, have you?"

Draco turned to the voice of his mocking aunt. She had crept up beside him and was blocking the door that led to where his pile of bodies lay. She must have thought he would try to make a run for it, but she didn't know that he was here to fight now.

"I killed them," Draco spat.

"Feel proud of yourself? Little itty bitty Draco killed some big bad Death Eaters," Bellatrix laughed. "They were nobodies. They were going to die anyway."

"They were just a warm-up. I had to prepare myself to kill you."

Bellatrix's lips twisted in a contemptible smile. "Can't kill your auntie, can you? Not after everything I taught you."

"You taught me nothing worth knowing!"

She laughed as she took a step forward. "What about all of the silent spells you just performed? Oh, yes, I figured it out. How else could you have gotten those fools out of here? Who taught you how to perform silent spells, Drakie? Who taught the baby nephew his very first spells?"

Draco realized that she was backing him into the room, towards the duelers. With Voldemort at his back, it would be difficult to fight off any attacks. He couldn't turn around, though, because he knew Bellatrix wouldn't hesitate to kill him.

"Did you kill your daddy, too, Drakie? Did his dead eyes remind you of how he used to look at you? Without any emotion? Poor little Drakie. He never cared about you, did he? Not like your Aunt Bellatrix."

Draco sneered as he moved his feet back. "You didn't care about me. You were just preparing me to join with him. It must have broken your heart to find out that, even when forced, I will never be like you."

Bellatrix laughed, her black hair shaking behind her. "Oh, Draco, nothing you can do would break my heart. You were never part of my heart. I gave that away a long time ago to my Lord."

"So, that's it then? You are going to kill me now?"

She moved closer, her body wiggling like a snake. Holding a finger in front of her, she shook it slowly, making it slither back and forth. "No, dear boy. You are going to try and kill me."

Draco's brows rose. "What?"

"Yes... I want to see how much you CARE!" On the word 'care' she leaped forward. Out of impulse, Draco raised his wand at her. She stopped suddenly and smiled. "Very good, Drakie. Now remember, hold it straight. Don't waver."

Noticing that his wand was, indeed, doing that, Draco held his grip tighter, forcing it to still. "I will do it, Aunt Bella. I will kill you."

"Do it then. Come on, Drakie. Make your Auntie proud. Do it. DO IT!" Bellatrix snarled. The sound startled Draco and his wand fired. It wasn't the Killing Curse, as Bellatrix expected. It was Sectumsempra, which Harry had taught him earlier the year. One of the many spells Draco had learned for this mission.

Bellatrix was surprised, but years of dueling had taught her to react quickly. She managed to move in time to avoid the whole spell. A few cuts tore into her face, causing little trails of blood to pour down her skeleton face. Shocked, she looked up at him. Draco realized that she thought he would never curse her and now that he had, she was ready to fight for real.

"_Expelliarmus!" _Draco shouted out loud before she could lift her wand again. A jet of red light hit her and forced her wand to fly out of her hands. With her distracted for now, Draco hurried towards Harry. The young wizard was in a stand still with Voldemort, who actually looked a little worse for wear. Unfortunately, so did Harry.

Draco reached him, just as a flash of green light came flying at him. Since Draco didn't feel dead, he assumed the light missed him as he made it behind Harry. He turned around and watched as Bellatrix found her wand and came at him. With Harry at his back blocking Voldemort and his wand in front of him, Draco felt a little better for now.

"How you doing there, Harry?" he gasped.

"Oh, I've been better," answered Harry, as he moved to keep Voldemort in his sight. Feeling him move, Draco changed to, keeping his back to Harry and his eyes on Bellatrix. "Are you ready for the spell?"

Draco shook his head. "We can't. Not until I can get closer to him."

"I was afraid of that."

"Rookwood! Dolohov! Kill the extra!" shouted Voldemort.

"They're dead, my Lord!" screeched Bellatrix. "My pathetic excuse for a nephew killed them!"

For the first time, Lord Voldemort looked around him and realized that all of his people - save one - were dead. Even if he wanted someone else to kill Harry now, there was no one left. He quickly figured out that Lucius Malfoy's son wouldn't die as easily as he thought he would. Voldemort had his own spell to complete and it looked as if things had gotten a bit more difficult.

Silently, he melded into a wisp of black smoke and made for the stairs that Harry was recently on.

"Er, that's not good," said Harry.

"What is it?" asked Draco, still unable to see behind him.

"I think he's going to finish the spell. We have to follow him!"

"What about her?" asked Draco as he nodded towards Bellatrix.

Harry rubbed his eyes beneath his glasses. "He have to follow Him but we can't let her go too. I need you to finish the spell but I'm not sure you can kill her."

"I can kill her."

"Draco-"

"Go, Harry. I'll take care of it."

Harry nodded and took off up the stairs. Draco automatically circled around, keeping Bellatrix from being able to run up the stairs and join Voldemort.

"Oh, take care of it will you, little Drakie?" Bellatrix laughed.

"I have to. I have to go help Harry but we can't risk you getting up there too." Draco shrugged, like killing his aunt was no big deal. After killing his father, she shouldn't have been but Draco couldn't stop remembering how she had took interest in him when he was younger.

"You won't do it. You love your aunt Bella. That is where you are a fool, Draco. I don't love you so I will have no problem killing you."

"I'm sure."

"But poor Drakie baby, you can't do it. There is a special place in your heart for your dear Aunt Bella. You love too much."

"Then maybe it's time for you to get out," Draco said coldly.

Bellatrix started to laugh but then she saw the resolved look on his face. The time for talking and mocking was over and now it was time for one of them to die. She sneered at the thought as she studied her nephew.

"Good bye, Draco. Your father would have been proud."

"I'm glad he's not here to see this then."

Bella nodded. A second passed and then she took a step forward. "_Avada Kedavra_!"

_"Avada Kedavra!"_

Two streams of green light burst through the air in opposite directions. One jet of green hit the other person while the other flew harnlessly into the cold dungeon air.

Draco stared at the body of his lifeless Aunt.

He turned and ran up the stairs.

The top landing opened right into the outside air. They were on a cliff at the edge of the sea and a storm was currently going on. Flashes of lightening darted across the sky, jumping out from black thunder clouds. Rain, sharp as ice, hit their faces like tiny little pins poking them over and over. Cold air blasted their faces and made their eyes water. They whirled around, looking for where Voldemort had gone.

Right on the edge of the cliff was a stone altar-like shrine. In the stone were etchings made of an old language, unreadable to these two. The lines of the letter burned red, making them stand out in the dark of the night. The air was filled with the same cruel, mocking laughter of before. The two boys ran closer to the shrine and saw that Voldemort had returned to his normal shape. He had his cold, spider-like hands gripping on two pieces of stone in front of him and he was yelling an incantation to the sky. Bellatrix was watching, excitedly, from the corner of the shrine.

"Do you think you can get close enough?" asked Harry.

Draco nodded. "He doesn't have his wand in his hands so he can't do anything. If Bellatrix sees me, I'm dead though."

"You can do it."

Taking a deep breath, Draco took a step forward.

"Stop right there, boy!" shouted Voldemort over the sound of the storm. "I know what you are trying to do! You think I'm not aware that only my Death Eaters can get close to me? I made the spell that way, you foolish boy!"

Draco froze, unsure of what to do.

"You thought I didn't know? I am Lord Voldemort! I know the minds of people who try to defeat me! I know the ways of stupid, foolish wizards such as you! You may be hard to kill for my Death Eaters but I'm more powerful that any wizard! I can kill you where you stand, even without my wand! For you see... I have a connection to my Death Eaters and because you let yourself become one, I have a connection to you, too. With one simple spell, I can suck the life out of my Death Eaters using their Marks."

"But Bella-"

"Bellatrix is dead. My last fighter is gone and you will regret having killed her. If you had kept her alive I might not have performed this spell but with everyone out of the way it does not bother me to use it."

Draco studied the stone altar, calculating how fast he can move through it.

"When you are dead it will just be me and Harry Potter left. But with the complettion of this spell I will finally have the last of the power I need to kill Harry Potter!"

Draco hurried back to Harry, who had hidden behind a stone statue. He ducked down, the rain dripping from his face as he looked at Harry. His friend's face was covers in scratches and cuts. Draco was sure his looked pretty much the same. "I'm going for it."

Harry was shocked. "Draco, you heard him. He is going to kill you."

"I'm the only one who can finish the spell. Without his protection, you can kill him, Harry."

"But I-"

"Harry, you have to. There is _no one else._"

Harry stared at him in awe from behind his round glasses. "What will Ginny do to me if she finds out I sent you to your death?"

Draco took in a deep breath. "Tell her... tell her I made the sacrifice. Tell her I had to, that I... helped save everyone." His mouth curved into a half smile, a sad smile. "She'll like that. She likes seeing me as a hero."

Harry blinked, unable to speak. They had been travelling together for a year, every since they found out what they were supposed to do. Through a few life saving events, and some near death experiences, their contempt for each other had turned into reluctant trust and that had turned into friendship. What surprised Harry the most though was that Draco had been steadily becoming colder over the last year. He didn't mention Ginny anymore when he used to talk about her all the time.

Draco stood up, slowly. "Oh, and Harry?"

"Yeah?"

"Tell her I lo-I'm... sorry I couldn't protect her forever like I promised to. That's not such a tragedy though. She won't need protecting anymore."

Harry stared at the stone and nodded.

Draco tore out from behind the statue and raced through the rain towards Voldemort. The Dark Lord had his head turned to the sky and, without warning, a long bolt of blue lightening came down to him. A ring of lightening circled the altar and moved away from it, towards Draco. The fire of the stone burned and the smoke swirled up to the sky creating the Dark Mark overhead. Draco jumped over the ring of blue lightening that had been moving towards it. With it now behind him, Draco looked ahead and saw nothing else that would stop him from reaching the goal.

Lord Voldemort started shouting into the bolt of lightening. Draco felt a stab in his arm but he kept running. The pain was a million times worse than it had been when he had recieved the Mark. It felt like every knife in the world had been heated until it was white-hot and then poked into his skin. Even though his arm felt heavier, Draco kept running, his eyes never leaving the Dark wizard ahead. The Mark turned blood red and the ink started to spread on to the rest of his skin. Everywhere the red ink touched, Draco felt pain. It was slowly working its way up his arm and was now causing pain to his shoulder.

Voldemort raised his hands to the bolt of lightening. As his chanting got louder, the pain in Draco's arm steadily spread. Draco winced as he raced up the stone steps. Somewhere in his mind he thought he could hear Harry yell something but Draco didn't stop to find out what it was.

There was a flash of green light, a bolt of blue and then nothing.

Pain. Excruciating, terrible pain.

Draco felt himself plummet. The feeling of freefalling was oddly peaceful.

His last thought was about Ginny.

Inky blackness engulfed him.

* * *

**If anyone wonders why Rookwood dies so much more painfully than the rest, he's the one who possibly killed Fred. I was too nice to him. **


	2. Numb

Chapter 2

It had been two months since Harry and Draco's final battle against Lord Voldemort. The world was safe once again; the wizarding world had started a clean-up for the mess going on the last seven years and Harry had returned home.

Without Draco.

Everyday, the memory of Harry's return invades her mind. She had run out with the rest of the family, expecting to take part in celebrating the hero's return, until she realized that one of them had not returned. Her knees had given out from under her and her body had been staring to collapse. Her dad had reacted quickly, catching Ginny before she could tumble to the ground. She remembered she had clung to the front of his robes and wept.

It had been a long time before she stopped.

Now the days pass in a blur. Ginny couldn't distinguish night from day; the sky outside her window had no stars, no moon. There was nothing but an inky black sky. Everything was dark; exquisitely, suffocating dark. Ginny just lay on her bed, curled up with her back to the door. She didn't even want to see the line of light under the door peeking into her dark world. The sound of family would creep under the door, laughing and joking as they went on with their lives. How can life go back to normal so quickly? She knew they would never understand how important Draco was to her, but they could at least pretend, for her sake. But Ginny couldn't bring herself to get angry at them. She didn't begrudge them their happiness. She was thankful they left her alone.

Ginny wanted to fade away in peace. Not quite wanting to die, she just wanted to become a ghost of herself. That way she wouldn't be a burden to the people around her.

Her pillowcase was stained with tears from her first month of crying. There had been no sounds coming from her room during that time, except for the sound of her tears. Sobs, raw and unrestrained, could be heard through the door. Her family members would pass by the door, hear the muffled sound, raise their hand to knock, but in the end, left her alone.

Until one day there, was silence.

They had been hopeful, waiting for Ginny to return to normal. But the Ginny that came out of her room had become a shell of her former self. She felt as if she was sleepwalking through life. She couldn't eat, not in an attempt to starve herself, but because she was too tired to lift the fork from her plate to her lips. And she still hid in the darkness of her room.

She didn't think about him anymore. That hurt too much. She was scared she would see those beautiful silver eyes in her mind. The eyes that made her love him. She didn't want him to see her like this, not even in her mind. He wouldn't love her if he saw how weak she had become. Ginny couldn't even take comfort in the memories of them together. The smiles, the laughter, not even the tears. Remembering the mistakes she had made devastated her. The idea of all that time she had wasted...

Ginny would lie on her bed for hours, staring at the ceiling and listening to the world pass around her. She couldn't remember her thoughts. She wasn't even sure she had any during that time. Everything kind of flowed together, one idea indistinguishable from another. There was a hot pressure behind her eyes; it made her skull throb. Her blood felt cold, her skin like ice. Her body would shiver and her bones felt numb. Muscles in her body had weakened and pain seeped through her veins.

Time felt dull and passed very slowly. Ginny didn't pay any attention to the pain her body felt as she passed the day staring at the ceiling. She didn't notice that she was almost always alone in this dark and dismal place. The cold walls would feel like they were closing in, the ceiling she stared at would at times feel closer than it did before. Sometimes the door would open and light would invade her dark space. Crisp, fresh air would waft through the stifling room and Ginny knew that someone else had come to sit with her.

Ginny never paid attention to this person. She just concentrated on the flat ceiling, and on her breathing. As cliché as Ginny knew it sounded, it hurt her to breathe. Her chest felt too small for the air she tried to force into her lungs. Her heart would pound against her chest like it was trying to break out of its prison. Sometimes, it would climb to her throat and choke her as she struggled to pull in more air.

What hurt Ginny the most, however, was that knowledge that she was allowing herself to be this way. Her heart couldn't stand the depression she was putting herself through. Ginny hated herself for being so weak. Sometimes she would try to fight the sadness and pain that engulfed her very being, but then she would collapse with exhaustion and continue her cycle of empty living.

Sleeping was her only refuge. She found it a wonderful way to escape the reality of life. Time passed quicker and she could be anywhere in her dreams. They were warm, fluffy dreams that had no substance. They were never about anything, or anyone. Almost no nightmares invaded these light, almost pleasant, dreams, save for one nightmare. Every now and then, Ginny had a dream she was drowning. She didn't know why or where it came from, but she would remember vividly when she woke up.

Ginny tiredly lifted a fork to her lips. The food tasted like cotton, no taste and full of air. It was hard to chew the dry texture. Everything was colorless, dreary. She closed her eyes and let her body feel as if it was floating even, though she was sitting in a chair.

"Ginny! Please, stop it." Her mum's pleading voice broke through her empty thoughts. "You can't just sit here day in and day out and do nothing! It's not what Draco would have wanted."

Her body jerked when she said his name. Ginny opened her eyes and stared at the table. In a monotone voice, she answered, "How do you know what Draco would have wanted? You knew nothing about him."

"I know that if he loved you, he would not have wanted to see you wilting away."

"We are worried about you," said a soft voice. Ginny looked up to see Luna and Harry sitting across from her. Luna had an expression of love and understanding on her face as she reached out across the table. Ginny just stared at her hand like she wasn't seeing it. Harry didn't speak. He just kept his eyes on his own hands in front of him.

"We all are worried about you," put in her Mum as she sat next to Ginny. "Your dad and brothers would have been here, but you know they are no good at this type of thing. And Hermione..."

"She still hasn't set an owl back from her expedition. I think they are in Southern America now so it might be awhile before the owl finds them," said Luna as she pulled her hand back.

"Just leave me alone," Ginny said, her voice still flat.

Her mum picked up her hand and massaged it with her fingers. "Ginny, this isn't like you. You used to be so strong. But then that boy came into your life and stole part of you away."

"And we miss you, Ginny," said Luna.

Molly cleared her throat. "What we are trying to say, Ginny, is... Maybe it's time for you to move on."

The words were like an invisible knife, piercing deeper into her heart with each word spoken. Ginny turned to look at her Mum, her face still emotionless. "'Move on?' It's been two months. I think I'm allowed to grieve as long as I like."

"Grieve, yes. But this repetitive, empty thing you have going on? It's not healthy, Ginny and frankly, it's starting to scare me."

Ginny felt lonely, so very lonely. These words weren't encouraging to her. They didn't offer support or comfort. They made her feel fragile and helpless. "I'm sorry," Ginny said in the same dreary voice. "Can I go to my room now?"

"No! Ginny, you are not listening to us."

Ginny pulled in a breath. It would have been a sigh if there had been any emotion behind it. She tried to concentrate on what they were saying but the edges of her brain felt fuzzy. "I just want to go to sleep." Ginny started to get up.

"Ginny, Draco is dead."

She froze and stared at her mum. "Stop it."

"Why? It's the truth. He's dead."

"Stop it!"

Molly gently pushed Ginny back into her seat. "You haven't said it yet, Ginny. I don't think you have even heard it. Maybe it's time. Maybe it will help you come to terms with it."

Ginny shook her head. "No. No, it won't help."

"It might. Say it, Ginny. Draco is dead."

"No. No, stop it."

"Mrs. Weasley, is this really a good idea?" asked Luna.

"She has to hear it. She will never accept it if she doesn't."

Ginny covered her ears. "No, no, no." Before she could stop it, memories flooded her mind. She could feel his lips pressing against hers. She could see his arms holding her tight, keeping her safe. She could hear his deep, handsome voice making her laugh. The ache in her heart felt bigger. It was like a wound that would never get better, never truly mend. Tears flooded Ginny's eyes and started running down her cheeks.

"Ginny, I'm so sorry but I can't see you like this anymore. You have your whole future ahead of you. You can't dwell on this anymore. As much pain as it brings you, you have to accept that Draco is dead."

"But what if he's not!" yelled Ginny. Her mum jerked away from her in shock, Luna looked like she was going to cry; even Harry looked up from his hands.

"What?" whispered Molly.

Ginny jumped up. "What if he's alive?" She pointed to across the table at the Boy-Who-Lived. "Harry never found his body! Harry never even liked him. Maybe Harry didn't try hard enough. Maybe he-"

"HOW DARE YOU?" roared Harry as he jumped up. Luna immediately tried to pull him back down, but he shook her off. "He became my best friend, Ginny! He saved my life multiple times! I did everything - EVERYTHING - I could to find him. I couldn't accept that he was lost in Voldemort's spell, so I searched for him. Even when it was hopeless, I searched because I refused so come back without him."

"Then why did you?" demanded Ginny. "Why did you have to come back?" Suddenly, she felt overwhelmed and fresh tears poured out of her eyes. "Why couldn't you let me think he lived? That he was out there... doing... something good."

Harry's eyes softened as he sat back down. "Because I had to tell you... what he told me."

_Tell her I made the sacrifice. Tell her I had to, that I helped save everyone. I'm sorry I couldn't protect her forever, like I promised to. That's not such a tragedy, though. She won't need protecting anymore._

"But I do," Ginny whispered. "I need you here to protect me from this pain I'm feeling now."

Her heart had once been full of love. It was now shattered. It had become tiny little pieces that would take forever to put back together. And even when she did put it back together, however long that took, it would be a cracked, deformed image of its former self. Without a body, it was like Draco never existed and that was too cruel a thought to bear.

Ginny looked up into Harry's green eyes. "He's dead?"

Slowly, Harry nodded.

She looked at her Mum. "Can I go to my room now?"

With sympathetic eyes, Molly nodded. "Yes, dear."

Ginny turned to leave.

"Dear?"

She turned back to look at the three people sitting there.

"I love you."

Ginny nodded and continued to her room. As soon as the door closed, Ginny broke down. Her eyes stung with the water that had been continued down her cheeks. She felt as if a part of her had been ripped away. With scream of torture, she grabbed her unused lamp and flung it against a wall.

"Ginny? Ginny, dear?"

She immediately turned to the door and silently said the spell that would make them unable to get in. It wouldn't take long for her mum to figure out the counter spell so she wanted to use the time she had to feel the flare of anger.

But she found she couldn't. As quickly as it came, the feeling fizzled out, leaving her cold and empty once more. Ginny quickly withdrew back into herself and, somehow, she made it to her bed before she curled up into a ball and wept. For once her mind rejected the idea of sleep. She just stared at the ceiling and let the blackness close in around her. Her gaze was sluggish and her mind was half drowsy.

The world was a blur once again.

After a while, she heard the sound of her mum releasing the spell on the door. But she didn't come in.

Ginny felt tired, but she refused to go to sleep. She didn't want to escape anymore. She simply rolled over and stared at the ceiling like always.

All of her memories of Draco ran through her mind, one at a time. It was like she had stuck her head in a pensive and now had to sit through everything all over again. She didn't react to anything her mind threw at her. She didn't cringe with embarrassment as she thought about how she first pursued Draco; she didn't get a rush of sorrow when she thought about how she had broken his heart. She didn't even react to the memory of him around her, filling her with warmth and happiness.

She rolled to her side and brought her knees to her chest. With a silent spell, her blanket was pulled over her body. She tried to shut her drowsy eyes but they wouldn't stay closed. Then she tried opening them, but they insisted on dropping down again. She pulled her jade necklace out from under her shirt and clutched it in her hands. Draco had given it to her over a year ago. The necklace made it possible for him to find her no matter where she was at. The timing had been perfect the day he'd given it to her. He found her that night when she had been in danger.

_Draco is dead._

She had known. She had known for months. But she supposed that a small part of her had kept a small piece of hope in her heart. Maybe that's what all the waiting had been for. She had been waiting for him.

But that was over now.

Ginny cried long and hard, flooded in new misery and shock, her Mum's words and Harry's yells echoing in her ears. Eventually a numb stupor took over. Only one thought rang clearly in her mind, over and over.

_Draco is dead._


	3. Dreams

Chapter 3

Ginny was asleep in the middle of her messy bed. She was restless and sweating and very beautiful. Her hand had a tight grip around her jade necklace and tucked under her cheek. There was a line of anxiety across her brow. Her coppery red hair was clinging to the side of her face as he lightly touched her cheek. Her skin was too warm and damp to be comfortable. Under her eyes, he saw the residue of tears and it made his heart twist.

He touched her softly, pushing her hair away from her eyes. Ginny stirred uneasily and murmured incoherently. He was pretty sure she was having a bad dream, but he didn't want to wake her up. Not yet. She looked so enticingly beautiful. He took in the pale, almost luminous skin, her delicate features, and the stubborn chin. Her curled fist showed she was a fighter, even in sleep. He smiled and took one of her curls in his fingers. She might not believe it, but he knew how strong she was.

Silently, he vowed never to leave her for so long again. Not just for her sake but for his. He had been worried, coming back to see her. While away, he had made himself stop caring about things so much. It made everything he had to do easier. He had even had to stop thinking about Ginny. But one look at her brought all the feelings he had buried back full force.

"Draco..."

He froze, worried that she had waken. But he quickly saw that she was talking in her sleep. Her voice came out in a hoarse croak as if it hurt to speak. Her murmurs told him she was frightened; scared for him. "Shh, Ginny, it's okay," he said quietly.

Ginny started shaking in her sleep. Her muscles shuddered violently as she started coughing as if she was trying to breathe. He grabbed her arms and tried to hold her still, but her shaking only intensified.

Carefully, he shook her. It didn't do anything but add the shaking motions to her already trembling body. Her hands let go of the necklace and started clutching at the blankets like she was fighting for something. This made it much for difficult for him to hold on to her jerking body.

"Draco, I'm-"

"Ginny, sweetheart, wake up," he said, clear and loudly.

Ginny's eyes fluttered open as she pulled in another gasp of air. Her eyes lifted jerkily to his face. Ginny squinted in the darkness, trying to ignore the feelings of fear and the ache of terrible longing. "Dream...?" she asked in a rough voice.

He shook his head. "No, Ginny. You were having a nightmare."

"No... you. Dream?" Ginny winced as she struggled to think.

He smiled. "No, Gin. I'm real."

Ginny nodded like she understood. "Ghost," she said simply. Then as if afraid that this obvious figment of her imagination would disappear, Ginny remained as still as death. She stared so long that her eyes stung and started tearing but Ginny forced them to remain open, willing her vision to stay.

Slowly, he reached for her cold hands and brought her trembling fingers up to his face. She found that the skin beneath her fingertips was soft and warm, albeit a bit rough. His eyes closed under her tender strokes. "See? I'm real," he said gently.

Ginny shook her head and pulled her hand back. "You're dead," she said, with a catch in her voice.

He pulled up her and gathered her in a mass of sheets and gently pulled her into his arms, soothing her still slightly quivering limbs. Her body was too warm and a bit moist but he pulled her as tightly to him as he could. Ginny gasped at the relief of it; her body melted into his.

For her, it was like coming out of a long, dreamless sleep. Sobs broke out of her chest and, the sounds uncontrollable and tender. He buried his face into her hair and murmured softly. Ginny wrapped her arms around him and held him even more tightly. He didn't protest. He understood she needed the strong, almost painful, pressure of his body. "Oh, Draco, please... please be real."

Draco ran his fingers through her red hair. "Of course I'm real. There's no need to cry- Shh, Ginny, please-" He pressed his lips to her temple. "I don't like seeing you cry so much," Draco said huskily.

"I'm s-sorry. I thought you were d-dead," Ginny said into his shoulder, her forehead on the rough, unfamiliar clothes. "I was so lost..."

"I told you I'd come back to you. I was just... delayed a little bit."

"I didn't know what to do. I felt empty. You would have hated it. You would have hated how I was," Ginny was rambling. "I was so weak and... and-"

"No, Ginny, you're not weak," Draco said as he smoothed her hair.

"And I kept having these nightmares. These terrible nightmares where I was drowning-"

"Drowning?" asked Draco sharply.

"Yes," Ginny said shakily. "I never knew what happened before I hit the water but I would just fight and struggle for air. I would usually wake or the nightmare would change before I died."

Draco shook his head. "You wouldn't have died, you would have fought and struggled to come back... to me."

Ginny pulled her head back to look at him curiously. "Draco, did you-"

"Shh, we can talk about everything tomorrow. I just... I need to be with you right now, Ginny. I knew that if you ever left me or it something ever happened to you, I would fall apart but I never considered how hard it would be to leave you. I would have gone crazy if the idea that I was making the world better for you didn't keep me going."

Ginny smiled drowsily as him. "Are you sure you're real? I'm not dreaming?"

"I'm not worthy of your dreams, Ginny, but you are in every single one of mine. So if we are dreaming right now, why question it?"

Ginny picked up one of his hands to press a kiss to each of his fingertips. "Draco, every time you say something like that, you remind me that you are an amazing, incredible man who is crazy enough to be in love with me."

Draco smiled at the faint echo of a conversation they had before. For a second he thought about telling her about the many people he had to kill, the rage he had felt, how the very hands she was kissing should be tainted in blood. But he decided that wasn't important now. All that mattered was Ginny and doing whatever he could to keep her around. With a smile, Draco gave her a quick kiss and pulled away. "I have something you'll want to see."

"What is it?" Ginny asked.

He started rolling up his sleeve. Ginny watched with a curious expression as he showed her his arm. His bare arm. The Dark Mark was gone. The skin was smooth and pale with no sign that it had ever been there. Ginny looked up at Draco with wonder in her eyes.

"It happened after Harry killed him, I assume."

Ginny tenderly picked up his arm and pressed a kiss to the bare spot. In the next instant, his lips were pressing gently against hers, opening her mouth. They kissed like first time lovers, finding their way with each other again. His hands clasped her waist and then slid her down until he was positioned over her on the bed. His body was completely covering hers, but held up enough that he wasn't crushing her. Still, Ginny could feel him hardening above her.

She felt a warm spread of longing move through her. She had missed him so much and she had believed she lost him forever. With that in mind, Ginny clung tightly to him. Draco slid his hand beneath her nightshirt and rested his cold hand on her stomach. He kept it there for a moment to let her get used to his touch. Slowly, he began to move his hand, re-exploring her body, trying to become familiar with it again. His mouth moved over her jaw, her eyes, and her neck. When he hit the soft pulses in her neck, Ginny's lips began muttering soft sounds and she thrust her fingers into his hair to keep him there.

Carefully, Draco peeled her nightshirt over her torso, her breasts and her arms. When she was more exposed, he caressed her more earnestly, fascinated with every inch of her body.

Ginny trembled and reached for his shirt. "Draco."

"What?" he mumbled.

"Hurry up."

Draco chuckled. "Why? I'm in no hurry."

"Are you kidding? It's been almost-"

Draco's hand slipped under the waistband of her pajama bottoms and stroked down to the inside of her thigh. His very adept fingers began gradually circling her skin with an almost cruel gentleness as he lightly brushed them around the skin between her thighs before moving away to tease another part of her body and then move back again. "Do you have anything else to say?" Draco mocked.

Ginny shook her head and clutched the bedding between her fingers. She moaned with anguish and tried pushing her hips up into his hands. Draco merely chuckled at her struggles and gently brushed and teased the space between her legs.

After several minutes of this, Ginny got frustrated. With a growl, she pushed her self up and launched at him.

"Ginny? What-"

"Clothes, off. Now," she said as she grabbed the edges of his shirt and yanked it up.

"Yes, ma'am." Draco laughed and removed her bottoms slowly as she hurried him out of his clothes. But just when she thought she was starting to get the upper hand, Draco pushed her back down against the mattress and kissed her between her legs. Ginny shuddered as she felt a long, cold finger slipping between her wet folds and bury itself up to the second knuckle. The movement was so quick that it caused Ginny to jerk in surprise and let out a moan. With his other hand, Draco spread her folds a little more so he would have better access. She gasped and squirmed but He slipped his hand out of her and grabbed her hips to hold her still. When he had his grip on her, Draco slipped his equally skillful tongue inside of Ginny. She moaned and gasped as he circled her with the tip of his tongue. Her hands returned to clutching the bed sheets and she tried to keep her sounds in her throat.

Determinedly, Draco turned his gentle licks into faster, more lapping type motions. Ginny felt the pressure in her body rise and she gasped for air. "Draco, I can't- It's too much..."

With a smile, Draco kissed the warm skin of her thigh. "I'll stop for now. Only because it's been too long and I want to be inside of you."

Ginny nodded and reached for him. Draco covered the full length of her body again and tenderly kissed her lips. Ginny could taste herself on his tongue as she wrapped her legs around his torso. His kiss became rough as he thrust himself into her warm body. Ginny's lids lowered and she moved her body to enhance the pleasure he was giving her.

Draco made love to her as if the world had ceased to exist. His body moved slowly, almost lazily grinding into hers. Draco's arms had her boxed in and Ginny clutched them as a lifeline. She could feel his muscles flexing under her fingers where he was using his strength to hold himself up as he moved. Ginny felt the incredible tension inside of her and she squirmed and thrashed and cried of with the sounds of building desire. Ginny looked up into his stormy grey eyes and saw the love there.

She had almost lost him. She thought she had lost him. She was never letting him go again.

They continued like this until as last, Ginny saw an explosion of color and the world was no longer grey. Draco pulled her hard against him and kissed her roughly as they fell over the edge, taking her cries into his mouth when their violent climax crashed through them.

Draco held her tightly for a long time after, his face was buried in the crook of her shoulder. Her fingers were in the damp tangles of his silver-blond hair. Their breathing was the only sound that could be heard for awhile.

Ginny pressed a kiss to his forehead. "Draco, I missed you."

Draco chuckled. "I missed you too, Gin." He lifted his head to look at her. "Now that nothing else is standing in our way, I'm never letting you get away from me."

"I'm the one who chased you. I'm the one who was left behind. I fought pretty hard for you, Draco Malfoy. And you always left. But now I'm the one who is not letting you go."

"I may have left, Ginny, but I always came back. I always will."

Ginny snuggled against him. "I love you Draco."

Draco smiled. "Not nearly as much as I love you, Ginny Weasley."

* * *

**Just so everyone knows she was not dreaming. He's back. Yay! As for where he's been, I wrote the first version of this chapter with him explain it (this tripe about falling off the cliff and washing ashore and being saved by muggles) and after reading it I thought, "Uhhg, no one caaaares!" Really, it was dragging down the chapter. So, sorry about that. Hope no one gets too mad.**


End file.

Harry Potter, Drama, Romance