Blinded

Pushing Daisies: Blinded by Your Love

By Clairvoyant Snake

And she lifted my heart.

Lifting it to enter heaven with her kind soul.

Wherefore would she take mine own to be with her kind?

Humans, troubled by their deeds,

Have been probed by their conscious to overcome

their deepest fears -deepest desires.

The inhumane tortures that carry out our daily lives

failed to send us instructions for failure.

And the unfortunate deceit our hearts and minds

play with us, triple-fold.

***

Chapter 2

Suffer All That Live

Ginny had cried herself to a desperation that tugged at her very roots of sanity.

She wondered just why and how she could let her control leave her so suddenly. Never had she killed. And to begin her record of killing with the murder of her brother Ron. The first thing she remembered was the reason she had killed him to begin with.

Draco.

He had awoken and was mumbling incoherently about the lack of light.

Taking short steps towards his moaning pained self, Ginny was overcome with emotions that she had played down since the attack first started on Hogwarts. The attack that started the whole mess to begin with, she sadly recalled.

Everyone was sitting in on their second class for the day. It was a quiet Monday morning, and at 10:00 A.M. no one would ever suspect the night-notorious Death Eaters to attack in broad daylight. Given the fact that Dumbledore was attending to some important business in France concerning his old, dear friend -Nicholas Flamel's arriving death, Dumbledore was the one to arrange for his friend and his wife's funeral and will arrangements. He was the most trusted in Nicholas' eyes. It really was unfortunate that the Headmaster was not available when his school needed him most. But no one thought it would happen in the morning. No one thought it could ever happen at Hogwarts -Dumbledore or not.

"Draco?" she tentatively asked her boyfriend.

He raised one hand, another to his eyes and he spoke quietly to her.

"Ginny...where are you?"

She was startled. How could he not see her when she was a mere foot away from his eyes?

"Um, Draco? I'm standing right in front of you darling. I think it would be best if you went to the Hospital wing," she said all this with as much composure as she could muster at that moment. She couldn't believe Draco wasn't able to see her. And if he couldn't, there were always ways in which Modern Wizarding Medicine could help to retrieve his lost eyesight. Nothing to worry about there.

She realized that his hands never once left his eyes. He kept them there -covering, protecting, as if they were going to go under assault at any moment.

"Draco, take your hands off. Let me see," she demanded. And she hoped that she wouldn't see what she feared had happened to him.

Slowly, he lowered his blood soaked hands down to show her his new appearance.

Empty eye sockets stared at Ginny with a black depth that scared her to the core. Blood rimmed his once beautifully cynical gray-blue eyes, and all she could help thinking about was how much he reminded her of the terrible nightmare she once had of Voldemort. She never had seen Voldemort in real life of course, unless you counted Tom Riddle -but she knew that Draco's eyes were unexplainably hideous now. Nor would they be able to heal.

Impossible if there was nothing left to grow back.

She rushed over to his side and wrapped her arms around his bloody, fragile-looking self. He was slightly startled when he felt her approach his body. For he had no clue whether she was Ginny, or some other despicable human-being -just coming for him to finish up the botched job. Thing was -Ron was the despicable human-being that had attacked him.

"Oh god Draco!" Ginny sobbed into his shoulder heavily. This was pure torment to her soul. How could so much happen in all but one hour?

Losing her brother, and almost losing her lover.

Gods only knew who or whatever she had lost that day in total.

But she knew she had to overcome her fears, desperations, and tragedies. She had to survive after all.

Removing herself from the tight hold she held around Draco, Ginny gulped her tears and coming sobs back down into her stomach.

For Draco's sake, she kept telling herself.

Taking his arm and putting it over her shoulder, Ginny led the way for Draco through the deserted hallway. Once she reached the steps, and she heard no noise, no shouts, no screaming...she knew the battle must have been completed or the Death Eaters had left for the time-being.

As she made her way through the now carcass-covered floor, she had to withhold her urge to vomit. Her stomach churned with the images of that morning as it flashed back into her mind, playing back like an old movie that played on and on like a broken record.

***Flashback Begins***

Her classmates were either sleeping, taking futile notes on why the Goblins of 1427 attacked the Muggle village of Kent, or passing notes to each other in their History of Magic classroom. Old Transparent Professor Binns was droning on with his usual monotone voice -which put half the class to sleep on a regular basis. Ginny's sixth year class was shared with the Slytherins as well. Noting that everyone else was falling asleep, and why not her, for she had stayed up way past two to spend time with Draco...she rested her head on the wooden table for just a few minutes. This turned into the next twenty minutes or so.

No one suspected anything different was happening around the school. Seemed safe enough, for then why would their parents send them here instead of home-schooling? Times were tough, but when the parents could send them over to Hogwarts -at least they knew Albus Dumbledore would keep them safe.

How little they knew.

That was of course true only if you were one of the Death Eaters being led by an 'Imperious'ed Ron Weasley through the pathway leading from Hogsmeade to the front doors of Hogwarts itself. At that time Ginny had no clue he was being influenced by the illegal curse; Let alone the plot to disrupt the peace within the once-thought-of highly protected school. The only way you could've possibly known an attack was going to occur, was if you were part of Voldemort's closest followers. Ron Weasley had already informed his Lord of Severus Snape and Draco Malfoy's allegiance to the 'Old Coot' Dumbledore. Which was why the two had not been informed of this recent attack. If they had -no one would have been injured nor killed. Dumbledore would not have left that morning for France at Seven A.M. Severus Snape would not have been murdered by those he had once been obliged to. Killed by his past 'brothers', while teaching his subject to the class of First Years. All the First Years in his class had been murdered. All of the future Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors.

Ironically, the parent of a student -Lucius Malfoy, in a fit of rage at his once most trusted 'colleague' bashed the heavy door open and proceeded to send curses and hexes at all the unsuspecting students. Students began to fall to the floor of the cold, dungeon floor...crying out in pain for they were put under the feared Cruciatus Curse. Other more 'fortunate' students were put under the one curse that would guarantee a fast, painless death.

The Avada Kedavra curse.

Severus Snape of course was not stupid, and in a act of tragic heroism -from which he knew he probably wouldn't survive to tell the tale for- stepped in front of a young Gryffindor girl. She was the prettiest of the class, and from what Severus could recall from the past Death Eater raids -would attract un-wanted attention -sexual attention, from the disgusting pedophile Lucius Malfoy; Expert in all regions involving rape; Expert at torture.

Lucius backhanded the alarmed girl and Severus muttered a Stunning Hex on his rival. This only helped in irritating a continuously maddening Lucius. He had shouted, "Move out of the way Severus!" and shoved him out of the way. Before Severus had reached the ground he muttered the Killing Curse upon Lucius.

Lucius quickly muttered a Repelling Charm which sent the Curse back upon its creator. In this case it was Severus.

Falling to the ground with eyes wide open and a 'gone' look to his now softened features, Severus Snape died a Martyr.

During this confrontation, the Gryffindor girl had ran to hide under the table. Wide-eyed in natural fear, the young eleven year-old tried to keep her erratic breathing under control to dissuade the fuming Lucius from discovering her hiding place.

He did anyway.

Sending out a tracking charm, for he had no time to waste -the blue light made its way to the table and proceeded to circle the area in which the girl was hidden. With an evil grin that would have made Voldemort proud -had he been there to see it, Lucius slowly 'floated' over to the table. "Come out, come out little child. Don't you want to play with me?" he said evilly.

Taking a chance that she knew she would probably regret forever, the girl used whatever Gryffindor bravery was left in her, to sprint from under the table and to the door which lay on the ground in ruins. Lucius however was not stupid. He simply watched the girl run out with an eyebrow raised, and he flipped his long white blond hair over his shoulder. Some of it had come undone from the ridiculous mask all Death Eaters had to wear.

Confidently, he sent another tracking charm upon the girl. A charm that would stun her once reaching its target.

With a satisfying "thud" sound, Lucius gracefully walked over the bodies he killed and over the overly-damaged door.

He kept walking on and on through the dungeon corridor. When he reached the source of the thud, he lit his wand with the Lumos Charm and saw with satisfaction -the tragically beautiful Gryffindor girl sprawled on the floor in a corner.

With one purpose in his sick mind, Lucius proceeded to overcome the stunned girl and when the charm eventually wore off and she was sobbing hysterically for him to get out of her; to get off of her nude body...he simply smiled viciously at the little girl and spoke the Cruciatus Curse.

Leaving her body the way he last saw it, he made way for the upstairs halls. There were of course more students and teachers to kill and torture.

The girl's cries were alarmingly loud at first, but just as her other classmates that were put under this curse -she too passed on with her last starving breaths for air. Her cries now were muted permanently. Damaged beyond repair -mentally, and physically...the best thing that Fate had planned for her that day was to die.

The group of straggling Death Eaters had trailed around the school's open front lawn and slowly, yet very quietly infiltrated the empty halls of Hogwarts. Although Lucius was the first to arrive, and was earlier than the others. The other Death Eaters knew what his job was. The job nobody else envied -assassinating the traitors -which included-Draco Malfoy; the son who betrayed not only the Lord, but his own family. Disgrace was not common in the Malfoy family name; Lucius knew this and knew for sure that he was up for the task of killing his own son and his past best-friend.

Ron grinned maliciously and took it upon himself to try to encourage his baby sister Ginny to join his side. But first he had to make sure she was one of the ones to survive. He purposefully sent the Death Eaters along the opposite hall. Once the group traveled even further down the darkened halls of Transfigurations and Charms -Ron ran without a second glance to the History of Magic hall. He knew he had to alert her of the danger. Maybe she would join his side that very day? He could only keep hoping in the back of his free mind.

Opening the heavy oak doors to the classroom with a loud bang that sent all the slumbering students into a state of shock, Ron quickly entered the confused room and proceeded in making his way for his sister. He had a sole purpose in warning all the students...as long as his sister could get out. So he ran to the table and saw her sleeping. He smiled and let her continue. He thought thankfully, She must be so tired. Good. At least she'll know to stay put in this classroom then. He ran back out of the room, which further confused the already confounded students. All had eyebrows raised as they saw the oldest Weasley in Hogwarts (that still attended the school, that is) run back out of the room with a mischievous grin on his sardonic face.

Ron waited and waited for the Death Eaters to complete terrorizing, torturing, and killing the Professors and Students of the other hallway. When the screams proceeded to increase in volume, he waited for the History of Magic class to open the door in curiosity pertaining to the screams. Finally one unsuspecting Gryffindor named Alison Fleetwood peered out the crack in the door. She saw nothing but heard some screams. She called out for some of the other students to follow her to the screams, perhaps she thought she could save them?

A group of students proceeded to exit the classroom, as did Professor Binns -who demanded every student to report back to class immediately. No one listened to him. That is most of the Gryffindors failed to regard his reprimand as a warning for their safety.

The Slytherins had a minor feeling that some of their parents might be partly responsible for the screams.

The smarter ones led the more unintelligent to the back of the room. They all proceeded in hiding behind the large chalkboard and tall maps that hung on the wall around the room. Ginny remained sleeping throughout most of this exchange until one clumsy Slytherin tripped on a spare quill -sending him crashing into one of the maps that covered the walls and was protecting some of his house-mates.

Ginny awoke with a start.

Raising her head slowly, she groaned and winced angrily at herself. Thinking she had forgotten to get up for her lunch period and her now routine meeting with her secret boyfriend Draco -she bit her lip frustratingly and gathered up her books. She noticed that the Slytherins were still in the 'deserted' room. She was wondering what was happening, and why none of the Gryffindors were still in the room, but reasoned that perhaps they all had detention during lunch with Binns for some reason.

Thinking optimistically, and thinking she was being rational, for what other reason could the all the Slytherins be congregated in the back of the room...she swung her heavy book bag around her shoulder and raised one eyebrow in disapproval for her fellow 'bad' classmates.

She heard some sniggering. Thinking they were laughing at her, she quietly tip-toed to the map. They couldn't see her, but she could sure as hell hear them. What they were admitting sickened her to no end, and she was left blinking in shock.

One of the boys had said, "When our parents kill the Mudbloods and the other stupid arse Professors -we won't have to deal with that lot come Tuesday morning! And never again perhaps! I just wish they had told us about this attack. Suppose they were to kill one of their own children by accident?" A few grumbled assents assured the boy to continue with his rant-speech, "How ironic would that be?" The group started to laugh, well -it sounded more like as if they were a pack of hyenas laughing at their fallen prey.

Ginny trembled all over as she quietly exited the forbidding classroom.

What she saw once outside the security of her classroom made her jaw drop.

Death Eaters, mere children, her classmates, and her Professors were all screaming, dying, fighting, tortured or being tortured by each other. For the most part, and to her utmost shock -the winning side appeared to be the more vicious, more determined, more prepared Death Eaters. Small as the group seemed to her -she knew they had way more knowledge of spells, curses, and charms that would surely overpower even some of the more powerful Professors.

She could see the faint outline of a still Professor Minerva McGonagall lying on the ground beside a cluster of already-dead First years and some Fifth years that still held onto their wands -although they would never be using them again.

Thinking of only one person that she loved more than anything. She was determined to make it through the thick crowds alive to see her lover -even if it was her last time.

***Flashback Ends***

Wiping away the tears that Ginny felt as she remembered the tragic events of just an hour ago, her grip on Draco tightened. He could feel her tense shoulders, the way she seemed to be looking out for non-existent dangers and he was aware of her quiet steps; for some reason she felt the need to hide still. Even though it seemed to him for the most part over and done with.

Ginny stumbled a bit on a life-less hand that was sprawled out on the ground beneath her. The hand was reaching for another's. It was a boyfriend and girlfriend.

Parvati Patil and Dean Thomas.

So many lives were destroyed, so many people gone because of what a simple groups' ideals and thoughts consisted of differed from that of other more civilized people. Such as the Order of The Phoenix; this consisted of all of Dumbledore's most trusted informants, spies, and allies. When Dumbledore had approached her with this ultimate offer of trust, she couldn't help but accept. All her life spent in fear of a repeat of her actions from First Year, and she was still treated as a baby by her older brother. This managed to persuade her to join the fight and become a leading member of the cause. That was how she met Draco Malfoy after all; how she discovered he wasn't all that everyone made him out to be. He had also been very much a part of their cause, as was the late Severus Snape.

"Draco, watch out. There are bodies all over the floor," she managed to whisper out to him, despite the fact that a whisper was no longer necessary.

He merely nodded his consent, and continued trudging through the 'battlefield' with her arm around him -guiding him.

They had finally reached the infirmary doors and knocked quietly.

Madam Pompfrey opened the door a crack, and let in the two survivors.

"What can I do for you two?" she asked quietly. Her voice sounded hoarse from crying and yelling for assistants to help the other students lying on the hospital beds -there were of course survivors of any tragedy. The beds were covered with sheets here and there, marking the deaths of few. And all of the hospital was separated from the area they stood by a thin white fabric partition.

"Draco is hurt. He can't even see, his eyes are..." Ginny stopped and left the task for the nurse to observe.

The nurse gasped and put a hand to her mouth. At least the blood had crusted up and was colligating so he definitely wasn't going to bleed to death. Ginny bit her lip and Draco shifted nervously from foot to foot. He hated being examined, and not being able to see the other person's reactions appear on their own faces. Not seeing made him feel pretty empty.

Like he was missing out on a piece of the overall pie.

"Oh dear..." the nurse spoke sadly, she evidently knew something. Ginny saw her tense up and saw her blink back tears before the older woman spoke.

"You will never be able to see again, I'm afraid..." the nurse's lower lip trembled and she fought to not cry in front of her patients. But this case was one of the worst, most pitiful situations she had ever faced in her history as a nurse.

"I can cut off the feeling that travels from your brain to the eye sockets, but no more. The nerve ending tissue has been completely removed. Without such...important body pieces...you can not generate more cells to grow. No cells mean no growing. I'm so sorry... but the most I can do is that. And maybe even recommend you take yourself to the Headmaster. He arrived just a minute ago. Nine minutes too late for the rest of us..." she whispered sadly to herself the last sentence.

"What else ails you dear child?" she asked Draco, her voice coming out in low sad whispers.

"Well, my hand isn't a hand anymore than is a glove over the skin...And the bloody bastard -he carved out my Mark," here Draco pulled up his torn ragged sleeves to permit the nurse a view. Her eyes widened at the sickly sight of skin practically ripped off. When he continued to show her his mutilated hand, she felt herself skip a few heartbeats. Fortunately, the hand wasn't bleeding as freely as before -but the white bone still protruded Draco's torn skin rudely.

Madam Pompfrey slowly reached her palm out for Draco to lay his damaged hand on. Hitting herself with her palm, for she had quite stupidly forgotten that Draco couldn't see -she again lowered the palm and asked him to gently lay his hand onto hers. She let Ginny guide his hand down to hers. The nurse pulled her wand out from a side pocket and proceeded to heal his injuries with a few well-placed healing and rapid growth charms. Telling him and Ginny to take a seat as she prepared the ointment for his eyes, she left the two to sit alone.

"Do you want anything Draco?" Ginny asked him, she made a grab for his left hand and squeezed it tight. She wanted him to feel as loved as possible.

He shook his head and leaned the side of his head tiredly onto her shoulder. Sighing deeply, he squeezed her hand back.

Madam Pompfrey returned with a Mortar and Pestle. She had some herbal ingredients inside her apron around the waist that she pulled out and systematically added to the now pasty-thick concoction. The occasional few drops of Phoenix tears were added to the solution, and then poured into a small flask. She handed this to Ginny, and said, "Keep this with you at all times for Draco. He will most likely need you to apply it every time his eyes start to get pained."

The Nurse took the remaining substance and scooped it into a spoon. From there she took out her special Medi-brush applicator for Medicinal Remedies. But first she had to complete the most difficult task of all in the time-consuming and painful treatment for Draco...

She had to remove *all* of his old blood; Colligated crusty, old blood. She also needed to disinfect the skin around his infection-prone open skin; Disinfect the skin around his infection-prone open skin.

"Ginny dear? Do me a favor and hold Draco down for me," she whispered into her ear. "Draco, I'm afraid this will be the most difficult, dangerous, and painful step in your recovery. Be prepared for tremendous pain coming from your old scars. I will be removing them and quickly applying the remedy to the affected areas. The paste-solution will help calm down the nerves in your eyes...which is why people feel pain when they get hurt. The nerve endings are connected to your nervous system and will be cut off as soon as I apply this," she held it up for him to feel with his left hand. He gulped, and said, "I'm ready for anything."

With Ginny's help, and Draco's determination not to scream out in pain -Madam Pomfrey was allowed to remove the ghastly newly formed scars and she quickly applied the substance after each rip.

The bluish-green paste smelled faintly of Mint, Lemon, and sugar. And felt like ten thousand hornets that were stinging his eyes were killed in a millisecond. The Nurse was correct, the ointment *did* help him instantaneously. He only hoped it could last forever.

She finished up the job.

"You may go see the Headmaster now," she told them.

***

The pair trudged up the Headmaster's spiral staircase and knocked three times before they heard a voice emit from the inside, "Come in, come in my dear children," said the Headmaster.

Ginny slowly made sure Draco was alright and then they entered the familiar room together.

She saw the old Professor sitting sadly upon his throne, and he appeared Two Hundred years older than he really was. Ginny felt sorry for him.

He must feel so guilty for leaving us behind here, she thought sadly.

He motioned for her and Draco to sit down on the chairs opposite him.

With a lack of twinkle in his eyes he proceeded in informing the two of recent developments. How Harry and Hermione were injured and in the Hospital wing. Their own private room....So that's why we -I mean, *I* didn't see them! She thought vaguely.

Once he had finished up, she stated what their purpose for coming to him was.

He stood up and looked sadly down at his feet.

"I propose you two go into hiding for the time-being."

She sputtered indignantly, "Wha-what? Why?" She was followed up by Draco's 'Why's' as well.

Dumbledore turned to face the pair, with a sad look in his now increasingly pale complexion, he said, "Draco Malfoy, you are wanted for being a traitor to Voldemort. They will not succumb until you are dead. And quite frankly, I think we will rather have you alive and well. You are a major target if you choose to stay known in the Wizarding World. Virginia Weasley, you I'm afraid were one of the unlucky ones. You're name has been mentioned along with quite a few of my closest 'Phoenixes'...thereby proving to be a liability towards your own safety. Your brother Ron, apparently had some words with Voldemort about recruiting his family."

They sat shell-shocked for the most part, until Dumbledore spoke again.

"Mr. Malfoy, if you don't mind explaining -for I find that this would be a most personal question- just how did your eyesight become as such?"

Draco licked his lips and debated whether to tell the old man and Ginny, or not.

He chose to do so.

****

TBC in Chapter 3