An Apology is Just Words

An Apology is Just Words

Chapter 15: "Gifts and Curses"

She is the one this gift is my curse for now.

I see your face with every punch I take,

With every bone I break,

It's all for you.

-"Gifts and Curses" Yellowcard

Draco sat in the carriage, waiting for his father and Voldemort to arrive. He was slouching, which is something he does not usually do. His hair was a mess, and his robes weren't put on nicely. Lucius opened the door to the carriage, and saw Draco's appearance.

"Straighten up; the Dark Lord will be here any moment!" Lucius order. Draco, sighing, fixed his hair and his robes and sat up straight. His father took the seat next to him. Lucius scoffed and looked forward.

"Don't tell me you have been thinking of that Weasley. It's over between you two. Remember, you have a job to do," Lucius said his voice emotionless.

"I know," Draco muttered, just as Lord Voldemort entered the carriage.

Voldemort stared at Draco for about 10 seconds, scoffed, and sat across of him. Draco was frightened of Voldemort, but he made no indication of it. Voldemort spoke to Lucius, but Draco tuned it out.

'I hope Harry's taking care of Ginny,' he thought. Voldemort and Lucius continued to talk as Draco vaguely listened.

"What of the Zabini girl?" Lucius asked. Voldemort scoffed.

"I think the parents could handle that," he replied. Draco tried to keep a straight face.

"And what of this Weasley child?" Voldemort asked Lucius, looking at Draco.

"I think Draco can handle that, right Draco?" Lucius said, a smirk on his face.

*-*

"You can't sit up here forever." Ginny turned around to see Harry standing at the doorway to her dormitory. Ginny sighed, and turned away.

Ginny didn't speak. Harry knew that she wouldn't. Harry stood at the door, watching her. They stayed like that until Blaise joined them, squeezing one of Harry's shoulders. Blaise sighed and stared at Ginny.

"How long have you been here?" Blaise asked softly. Harry sighed. It's been a while since he actually spoke. He turned towards Blaise, kissing her on the forehead.

"About half an hour," he answered; his voice as soft as her voice. Blaise looked at Ginny. It's been 2 weeks since Draco had told her that it wouldn't work out between them, and she is in the same state as when he left. Blaise turned away, looking at Harry, who was watching Ginny.

"Maybe it's time that we tell her the truth," Harry muttered. Blaise's eyes widened. Blaise knew that what Harry wanted to tell Ginny would not lighten the mood.

"No. It's simply not possible," she said. Harry turned to her and grabbed her shoulders. Harry looked into her eyes. 'I have to tell her,' he thought to himself.

"It's the only way," he said. Harry turned and walked towards Ginny, while Blaise trailed behind him. Blaise looked straight ahead, at the wall behind Ginny.

'This is not going to be good,' Blaise thought to herself.

"Ginny," Harry started. Ginny turned towards him, her expression not changing. "I have something to tell you."

*-*

Hermione and Ron sat in Dumbledore's office for quite sometime before Dumbledore actually arrived. Dumbledore smiled and greeted them warmly. "Mr. Weasley, Ms. Granger, it's great to see you," he said, taking his seat at his desk. Hermione smiled, but Ron just sat emotionless.

'I can't believe we're doing this,' Ron said. Hermione was the first to speak. "There is something you should know Professor," she said. Dumbledore raised an eyebrow.

"What is it that I should know?" he asked, staring at Hermione. A lump created in Ron's throat when Hermione didn't answer him right away. Was Ron supposed to tell Dumbledore? Ron was about to speak when Hermione spoke again.

"As you know, Draco Malfoy has left the school, along with all but one Slytherin. Blaise Zabini is still in the school, but she is a valuable asset to all of us. She has told us the plans that You-Know-Who has to destroy Hogwarts," Hermione said, her voice was clear and crisp. Ron let out a small sigh, and glanced at Hermione. It was his turn to speak.

"But Blaise isn't the only valuable asset to this school. Draco Malfoy also is. He's joined his father, but his heart does not lie with the Death Eaters. Before he left the school, he told us of his plan to stop Voldemort from even coming to the school," Ron said. He surprised himself with the maturity he had.

"Ah, so Draco is doing what exactly?" Dumbledore asked, looking at both of them. Ron and Hermione exchanged glances.

"He's going to destroy the carriages at they are coming to Hogwarts in. He put a spell on all the carriages, expecting them to all explode the moment they reach Hogwarts' gates," Hermione said. Ron cleared his throat.

"Wouldn't Draco be in the carriages as well? Would he also die in the process?" Dumbledore asked.

Hermione chuckled. "No, he won't. He took a potion that Professor Snape concocted. It makes him immortal for 24 hours," she replied.

*-*

"What?" Ginny yelled, getting up. "Are you telling me that Draco really isn't becoming a Death Eater, and that he broke up with me so I would think he was?"

Harry knew that Ginny would be offended by what Draco had done, but he never expected for her to be yelling.

"It was for your own good. It was to protect you! He had to break up with you so it would look like he has become faithful to the Death Eaters," Harry reasoned. Blaise nodded in agreement.

"Why couldn't he just tell me about this plan? Why did it have to be a big secret?" she demanded, her voice rising. Harry glanced at Blaise.

"Like I said, it was to protect you. It was for the best," Harry said. Ginny scowled and turned away.

"I can't believe that you would lie to me about this. You knew all along about Draco's plan and you decide to tell me now, a few hours before the attack!" Ginny said, looking out at the setting sun.

"I'm sorry Ginny," Blaise said. Ginny glanced at Blaise.

"I am beginning to hate that word!" Ginny burst out, running out of the dorm. Harry tried to stop her, but he couldn't.

Ginny didn't stop running until she reached the gates. She stared out, watching for the carriages. 'Harry had to be joking. Draco would never do anything like that,' she thought. She sat down, staring out.

An hour passed by the time that Harry, Blaise, Hermione, Ron, and Dumbledore arrived. They too were waiting for the carriages. They all exchanged glances then looked out in the direction that Ginny was looking.

In a distance, they could see a sea of black horses coming towards the castle. Ginny stood up slowly, taking out her wand. Everyone one else followed in suit. 'This plan of Draco's can't be entirely foolproof,' Hermione thought to herself. A few minutes later, they were joined by the rest of the staff at Hogwarts. They all stood inside the gates, wand at the ready.

The horses finally stopped a few yards away from the gates. From inside the carriage, Draco muttered to himself. Lucius looked at Draco and asked, "What did you say?" But before Draco could answer, the carriages exploded.

Everyone at the gate covered their eyes. The explosion was loud and bright, lighting up the dark sky. Ginny started to run to the carriages, but Ron put his hand on her shoulder.

"Wait," he said softly. A few moments later, a figure emerged from the rubble. His blonde hair stood out in the moonlight. 'It's Draco,' Ginny thought to herself.

Draco walked towards Ginny and the rest of the group, his pace quickening with every step he took. Finally he reached them and he took Ginny in his arms. He kissed her on the cheek.

Finally he let go to look her in the eyes. "Why did you do it?" she asked. Draco smiled. His smile was sincere and unwavering.

"I did it for you," he said, and kissed her.

*-*

Two years has passed since that fateful day. Both Draco and Ginny worked at the Ministry of Magic, while Harry was the Minister of Magic. Ron, Hermione, and Blaise became Aurors.

A month after graduating from Hogwarts, Ron and Hermione married. A few months later, so did Harry and Blaise. Two months after Ginny finished her years at Hogwarts, Draco and Ginny tied the knot.

Ginny sat in their two bedrooms flat, looking at all the old photographs of her and Draco. Draco sat behind her, looking over her shoulder. She came across a picture that they both would not forget. It was a picture of the two of them, with Harry, Ron, Hermione, Blaise, and the Hogwarts staff behind them, and behind everyone else was the rubble of the accident.

Ginny smiled and turned to Draco. "I love you," she said, kissing his cheek.

"I love you too," Draco said and he kissed her.