Torn

"Headmaster," Draco called, sprinting to catch up with Dumbledore. The old man turned around and waited patiently for him to approach.

"Yes?"

"I wanted to ask you a few things," he said, panting. He fell into step as Dumbledore began walking slowly.

"Of course."

"What's going to happen to my father?"

"I believe he's going to be sent back to Azkaban," Dumbledore said gently. Draco nodded, not looking the least bit surprised or upset.

"And Pettigrew? What of him?"

"He shall suffer the same fate, I'm afraid."

"What happened to the snake?" Draco asked, unable to mask the curiosity in his voice. Dumbledore gave him an enigmatic smile.

"I believe Professor Snape is going to keep her for a while," he said quietly. Draco's eyes widened. "Since Voldemort is gone, he no longer has control of her. Severus has developed quite an attachment to her over the last day or so, I'm afraid."

"But that snake tried to kill Gi-" he caught himself, but missed the twinkle that sprung into Dumbledore's eyes. "Weasley."

"The snake was acting under orders from Voldemort. I hardly think she's much of a danger to anyone now."

"Headmaster, Weasley wasn't the only one having dreams. I've been having them too."

"I guessed as much," he said, nodding. Draco arched an eyebrow at him.

"And why would you have guessed that?" he asked suspiciously.

"I believe your father had used the Imperious Curse on you, and more than once. It's actually quite common for victims of the curse to have nightmares about the moments when they were being controlled."

"But I didn't have those," he protested, shaking his head. "In my nightmares, everything was black, and someone was following me." Dumbledore turned to him.

"Voldemort needed a sacrifice to be able to strengthen his powers. Your father, from what I've been told, offered you." Draco sucked in a deep breath. "Perhaps you were not dreaming such things on your own."

"You think that someone forced me to have those dreams? That can't be possible. I've been having them for six years."

"I do not profess to possess the third eye," Dumbledore said softly. Draco was surprised at the laughing tone he'd adopted. "You would have to speak to Professor Trelawney, or Professor Firenze, and ask them about the dreams from your past. All I can tell you is that I don't believe you'll be plagued by those dreams in the future. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some people to contact about yesterday's events." Draco nodded silently and watched him disappear up the stairs to his office, then turned and trudged towards the Slytherin common room.

Once inside, he felt as though he was being suffocated. The rooms had been cleaned, but the images of the horror that had occurred were burnt into his mind's eye. He grabbed his things and went to shower, then dressed, and headed towards the Great Hall. Once inside, the noise died off, and everyone turned to stare at him. Before he could say anything, the doors opened behind him, and Ginny and Harry entered, holding hands and smiling. There was a very tense moment as emerald eyes met with stormy silver eyes. Then Harry did something that surprised everyone in the room.

He offered his hand to Malfoy.

Malfoy stared at it as though it might bite him, then slowly put his own hand in Harry's. Harry grinned as they shook, then pulled his hand away and grabbed Ginny's with it. The Great Hall erupted in raucous applause. Ginny followed Harry to the Gryffindor table, and Draco moved to the Slytherin table, where he was immediately inundated with hundreds of questions about what had happened. In the middle of it all, Draco looked up and caught Ginny's eye.

She smiled at him, and he was filled with warmth.

It was a brand new day, after all.

Alternate Ending

**NOTE: This scene picks up after the confrontation, when they're all in the infirmary. Harry is still asleep, and Draco has just woken up.

Draco's eyes fluttered open, and he squinted at the bright sunlight that filled the infirmary. He sat up and shielded his eyes with his hand.

"Mordred, Morgaine, and Nineve," he swore softly. "Doesn't anyone know what curtains are?" He heard a giggle and his eyes flew swiftly to his left, where Ginny was sitting up in bed, smiling at him.

"I forgot that you're not used to waking up with windows in the dungeon," she said sweetly. She lifted a delicate china teacup to her lips, and he watched as she stuck her pinky out.

"How are you feeling?" he asked softly. She glanced at Harry, who was still sleeping.

"I've been better," she admitted. "What about you?"

"Potter accused me of having feelings for you last night," he said, rubbing the back of his aching neck. Her eyes widened.

"He what?"

"We didn't fight," he said quickly. "He just asked. Git's brighter than I took him for." He grinned at her, and she smiled brightly, filling him with warmth.

"I'm sorry I wasn't able to get to you in time," she whispered, staring into her teacup. "Turns out I'm weaker than I thought."

"Don't say that," he said quietly, shaking his head. "No one has ever risked their life for me, Ginny. No one."

"I couldn't just leave you there. You're my friend." She tugged her eyes up and looked at him.

"Thanks," he said sincerely. He looked down at his lap, then back over at her. "I'm sorry about the way I've been treating you."

"No need for apologies," she said, shaking her head. "Today is a brand new day." He nodded slowly and smiled at her.

"You're absolutely right." He was silent for a moment, then swung his legs over the side of the bed. He glanced over towards Harry's bed, confirming that he was still asleep, then moved closer to Ginny's bed. Her eyes widened in surprise, but she made no move to shrink away from him. He cupped her face gently in his hands and planted a firm kiss on her lips. When he pulled away, she had to struggle to catch her breath.

"Why did you do that?" she whispered. He stroked her cheeks lightly with his thumbs and gave her a wry smile.

"I'll be damned," he said softly. "The bloke was bloody effing right." Her bottom lip began to tremble as he sat down on the side of his bed and lowered his face into his hands.

"What time is it?" Harry's sleepy voice asked. He turned over and fumbled on the nightstand for his glasses, and Draco had to turn his face to hide his smirk.

"I'm not sure," Ginny answered, craning her neck to look for a clock. At the sound of her voice, Harry's eyes flew open, and he jumped out of bed, ignoring the ache in his side. He flung his arms around her, causing her tea to slosh over the side of her cup. She laughed.

"Oh, sweet Merlin, Ginny," he swore, squeezing her to him. "I was so afraid for you last night!"

"Potter, could you and the Weasel save your nauseating romantic escapade for another time? Dumbledore's headed this way." He caught Ginny's eye and winked at her, and she smiled back. Harry sat down beside Ginny and gripped her hand.

"Good morning," Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling. "I trust that you're all feeling better."

"Are you going to tell us what happened?" Harry blurted. Dumbledore smiled at him.

"Why do Potter and I have snake bites when we weren't attacked?" Draco asked.

"You suffered them along with Miss Weasley," he said simply. Ginny's mouth fell open, and Draco frowned.

"And why, pray tell, would that happen?"

"There is a legend," he said, folding his hands. Harry groaned.

"Not another one of those!" he protested. Ginny smothered a giggle.

"There is a legend that speaks of something called the Admiris Nexus. Are you familiar with it?" Ginny frowned and the boys both shook their heads. Dumbledore nodded slightly, then continued. "Admiris Nexus is a very strong bond between two people that usually only occurs when the couple falls in love. It has been rumored that a couple who experience this bond are so in tune to the person they love that they can actually share the other person's emotions during times of great joy or great sorrow."

"You still haven't explained anything," Draco said, arching an eyebrow.

"But there are three of us," Ginny said, her bottom lip beginning to tremble slightly. Dumbledore nodded.

"Indeed. And until last night, I wasn't completely convinced that the Admiris Nexus even existed."
"You said emotional experiences," Harry pointed out. "You didn't say anything about physical."

"True," Dumbledore said, gazing intently at Ginny over his half-moon spectacles. "The legend didn't say that more than two people couldn't share this bond, although I've never heard it mentioned before. It only follows logically, though, that if someone were attuned enough to their beloved during a time of great stress that their significant other would feel some of that as well."

"So what you're saying is that we both felt Nagini's attack on Ginny because we both..." Harry's voice trailed off, and he turned surprised eyes towards Draco, who was staring up at the ceiling.

"Oh my God," Ginny whispered to no one in particular. Harry was still gaping openly at Draco.

"Then what made me feel as though I'd been stabbed while Ginny was still with me?" he asked, waiting for Draco to look at him.

"I can only surmise that somehow you and Draco have formed a bond as well, and you felt the pain that was being inflicted on him." Harry wrinkled his nose and looked disgusted.

"I do not love Potter," Draco said emphatically, shaking his head. Dumbledore laughed softly.

"I didn't say that the bond between you was one of love. Perhaps it was your feelings for Miss Weasley that created a common bond between the two of you." Draco forced himself to meet Harry's eyes, and they stared in silence. Ginny was chewing on her bottom lip, her face flushed and her eyes frightened.

"I've been having dreams," she said softly. Both boys turned their eyes to her, and she looked up at Dumbledore. "Dreams where I'm with a man who has blonde hair and green eyes."

"A sign of your mixed feelings for the two young men present," he explained softly. "Or caused by their feelings for you, I would expect."

"Unless she's in love with both of us," Draco said quietly. Harry glared at him, then looked slowly at Ginny. A single tear rolled down her cheek, and his heart nearly shattered. Did she love Draco, too?

"That is something the two of you will have to discuss with Miss Weasley," Dumbledore replied softly. "An announcement has been made about last night, and I believe that your housemates are all looking forward to you returning to them. If you should wish to speak with me about anything else, feel free to come and visit my office. The password is chamber music." He gave them a smile before leaving.

"Well that was about as helpful as a lame house elf," Draco said, sounding amused.

"Ginny, do you love both of us?" Harry asked softly. She lifted her eyes to Harry, feeling her heart swell at the hurt she saw. She turned her eyes to Draco, whose expression was completely masked.

"Yes," she whispered. Draco's eyes widened, and Harry covered his face with his hands. She stared into her teacup, wishing that she could climb inside it and drown herself.

"How is that possible?" Harry croaked, his voice barely audible. "We're so different from each other! How is it possible to love us both at the same time?"

"Harry, I've loved you from the first moment I laid eyes on you," she explained softly, gripping her cup in an effort to keep her hands from shaking. "But this last week, I've seen a side of Draco that I never imagined existed."

"It didn't exist before you," Draco said quietly. Harry looked up at him, and was surprised to find that he looked entirely sincere - and almost as tortured as Harry himself felt.

"You can't go on with the both of us," Harry said, his voice breaking slightly. She nodded, still refusing to meet either pair of eyes.

"I know."

"Does that mean you're going to choose?" Draco asked, his heart leaping into his throat. She exhaled slowly and shook her head.

"No. I will not choose. Choosing one of you over the other would hurt all of us."

"What do you suggest, then?" Harry asked, his heart shattering.

"I think it would be best for all of us if you both just forgot about me. Pretend I never existed." Both of the boys sat up and began protesting at once.

"How could you ask us to do that?" Draco raged.

"That's impossible! I can't forget you!" Harry said, his face flushing. Ginny covered her face with her hands. Her body began shaking with sobs, but before either of the boys could comfort her, Madam Pomfrey was by her side, administering a sleeping draught. When Ginny was finally resting again, the boys stared at each other.

"Well, at least I can honestly say I never thought you and I would be in love with the same girl," Harry said, trying to make light of his heartbreak. Draco tried to wear his signature smirk, but Harry could tell that it was strained.

"I never thought I'd be in love, period." They were silent again.

"Will you be able to let her go?"

"Will you?"

"No."

"Same here."

"What do we do?"

"I don't know," Draco said, sounding uncertain for the first time in his life. "What is there to do? She's made her choice - she chose not to decide. Maybe it's better that way."

"How can you say that?" Harry asked, his temper spiking. "That makes all of us miserable! At least if she picked someone, there would only be one miserable person left out." The glare that Draco was receiving made it clear to him who Harry thought would be left out. His eyes hardened.

"And how is that, Potter? Did you ever stop to think that if she chose one of us over the other, she'd be miserable, too?" Harry sighed, his anger dissipating back into sadness.

"So we're just supposed to forget her and go on our merry little way?"

"I suppose," he drawled softly. After a while, Madam Pomfrey came back towards them. Harry watched as she checked over Ginny. She lifted her shirt and inspected where the snake bite had been, then took her temperature. When she'd finished, she turned to look at Harry.

"You're free to return to your dormitory, Mister Potter." She turned to Draco. "You as well, Mister Malfoy." Both boys rose silently and left without looking back.

Four years later

Draco sat at the table, nursing a cup of coffee. He'd developed an affinity for it over the summer, when he'd visited some friends in America. The steam tickled his nose as he opened the Daily Prophet. He nearly choked on his mouthful, and grabbed a napkin to wipe his chin off, before turning and staring at the headline on the front page.

Minister of Magic to Preside Over Potter's Wedding

In an unprecedented move, the Minister of Magic, Arthur Weasley, has agreed to preside over the wedding of one Harry Potter. Potter, also renowned for his part in the defeat of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, will be married this Saturday near the small town of Ottery St. Catchpole. All friends and family are invited.

Draco swallowed hard. His eyes skimmed the article frantically, but there was no mention of who the bride was. His heart began to pound wildly. Was Potter marrying Weasley? He had to know. Tomorrow is Saturday, he thought suddenly. And the article did say that friends were invited - if she's the bride, I can go. I am her friend. Or at least, she said I was, once. He nodded to himself and went to find something to wear.

**

The wedding was a grand affair, which surprised Draco. There were more Ministry officials in the church than he knew had even existed. He waited impatiently for the event to begin, squirming in his seat. When the wedding march finally began playing, he stood with the rest of the crowd and turned anxiously to see the bride walking down the aisle.

His heart dropped into his stomach when he saw the red hair cascading down her back. He sighed noisily; how had he thought that she would have been able to stay away from Saint Potter? He sat down heavily in his seat and had to force his eyes towards the front of the chapel. Potter leaned forward and lifted the veil away from her face, and Draco gasped.

It was Susan Bones!

The rest of the wedding moved in slow motion for Draco. His eyes immediately began scanning the throngs of people present, looking for copper hair. He thought he spied her as everyone was exiting the building, but he lost her again when the crowd surged forth to throw rice at the newly wed couple. He stopped in front of a pretty woman who was holding a small red-headed girl on her hip.

"Excuse me," he said politely. The woman turned her eyes to him, and her mouth fell open in surprise.

"Malfoy," she said quickly. His brow furrowed in confusion.

"Have we met?"

"Are you joking?" she asked, surprised. He shook his head. "Of course we have! We went to Hogwarts together. You really don't remember me?"

"No, I'm afraid I don't," he said, trying to be polite.

"Hermione Granger." His mouth fell open.

"Wow," he breathed. Her cheeks immediately turned crimson, and a tall red-headed man wrapped a protective arm around her shoulders. Draco recognized him right away. "Weasley." He nodded. Ron nodded back curtly.

"Malfoy."

"I take it you two are married, then?"

"Yes," Hermione said, still surprised by his pleasant tone.

"How long now?"

"Two years."

"How nice. Congratulations. Is this your daughter?" Hermione nodded mutely, and Ron gaped as Draco cooed at the little girl. She gave him a toothless grin, and he smiled before he could stop himself.

"What happened to you?" Ron blurted. Hermione elbowed him in the ribs.

"Ron!" she hissed. Draco arched an eyebrow and smiled at them.

"People change, Weasley." His eyes darted around, and Hermione bit her lip, realizing who he was looking for.

"She's not here, Malfoy," she said quietly. His eyes fell back on her. "She couldn't get away from work long enough to come."

"And where might that be?" he asked, trying to sound casual.

"St. Mungo's." His eyes widened, and Hermione nodded. "She's a MediWitch."

"Is she?" he said, more to himself than anyone else. He gave them a curt nod. "Thank you. It was nice seeing you again." He ignored their looks of utter surprise, and headed towards the door. When he got there, he caught the eye of the groom, who gaped at him.

"Congratulations, Potter," he said softly. Harry nodded, then looked at Susan and beamed. Draco turned and wove through the crowd until he'd finally passed everyone, then disappeared with a loud crack. When he reapparated, he was standing outside the doors to Purge and Dowse, Ltd. He took a deep breath and spoke to the dilapidated dummy in the window.

"Draco Malfoy, here to see Ginny Weasley." The dummy nodded slightly, and Draco took a step through the window. Once inside, he strode to the information desk.

"What floor is Ginny Weasley on, please?" The plump woman behind the desk didn't look up from her copy of The Quibbler.

"Fourth Floor, Spell Damage." Draco nodded and headed towards a staircase. When he got to the fourth floor, he went to the nurses' station immediately. "I'm looking for Ginny Weasley."

"You're a little late," a thin, blonde woman told him. She didn't look up; she was writing something on the chart in front of her. "She went to lunch about ten minutes ago."

"Do you know where?" he asked, starting to feel a hint of desperation. She looked up and dropped her quill, staring in surprise.

"Draco!" she breathed. He blinked. Was everyone he saw today going to be someone he knew but didn't remember? "It's me, Millicent Bulstrode!" His eyes widened.

"Can't be," he said, shaking his head. She nodded and gave him a shy smile.

"Well, me after quite a few beauty spells," she laughed.

"You look great," he assented, smiling quickly. "I'm sorry, but I'm in a bit of a hurry. Do you know where Weasley went for lunch?"

"Oh, sure," she said, nodding. "She's in her office." She stood and led him down a bright hallway, stopping just outside a door with no windows. She smiled at him again. "It was good seeing you." He nodded and watched as she walked away, then took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

"Come in," he heard a soft voice call. He turned the knob and went inside, closing the door gently behind him. She had her back to him, and he felt his heart leap wildly when his eyes fell on her copper hair. It was pulled up into a loose ponytail. She turned in her chair and froze when she saw him.

"How have you been?" he asked softly. She stared for a moment, then shook her head as though she was trying to clear it.

"I'm sorry, I've forgotten my manners. Please, have a seat." She gestured towards one of the chairs that rested beside her desk. He sat down and placed his elbows on his knees. A lock of blonde hair fell into his face, and he brushed it away quickly.

"I never thought you'd become a MediWitch," he said, his eyes roaming over the room. She smiled and reached for her drink. "I didn't mean to interrupt your lunch either." He glanced at her desk, noting that there was no food present, except for three small carrot sticks. He turned questioning eyes to her.

"You didn't. I don't really eat when I'm here. I just take a lunch break to get away and relax for a few minutes," she said, pushing a stray hair away from her cheek. "I'm really surprised to see you. I would have thought that everyone would be at Harry's wedding today."

"I was there," he said quietly. She looked surprised.

"You were?"

"Yes. I saw your brother and Granger." She smiled.

"Weasley, you mean." He grinned.

"Of course." They were silent for a moment, and she turned her eyes towards the floor. "I thought it was you who was marrying him today." Her eyes flew back up to his.

"Why would you think something like that?"

"I never heard from you again after leaving Hogwarts, and I just assumed that you and Potter reconciled." She shook her head.

"After what happened, Harry and I were still close friends, but nothing more. When he became a Professional Quidditch player, he saw Susan again at a press conference. She works for the Daily Prophet. They started dating immediately, and I guess as they say, the rest is history." She smiled.

"Did you ever get married?"

"No," she said, an odd closed look creeping across her face.

"Any boyfriends?"

"No."

"None?" he asked, surprised.

"No," she said again, her cheeks flushing. "I was too busy with my training. When that was finished, I started working here. I don't have time for dating."

"Oh."

"What about you?" she asked curiously.

"What about me?"

"Are you married?"

"No."

"Any girlfriends?"

"I've had my fair share, I suppose," he said dryly, shrugging. "None that really held my interest for very long. In the end they were always just interested in my money."

"That's really sad," she said, shifting in her chair. He leaned back and nodded at her.

"I suppose."

"Well," she said, looking at her watch. She stood up and smoothed the front of her lime green uniform out. "It's been nice talking to you, but it's time for me to get back to work."

"You still have ten minutes left," he pointed out. She blinked at him.

"How would you know that?"

"Bulstrode told me how long you'd been gone."

"Oh."

"Why are you in such a hurry to get away from me, Weasley?"

"I'm not," she sputtered, trying to remain calm. "I just have patients to see to, that's all." He stood and took a step towards her, and she stumbled backwards. He moved forward until her back was pressed against the wall, and their noses were almost touching.

"Why didn't you go back to Potter?" he whispered, his warm breath caressing her trembling lips.

"You know why. What do you want from me, Draco?" she asked breathlessly. His heart fluttered wildly at his name on her lips.

"I want what you refused to give me four years ago."

"And what would that be?" she asked, her pulse roaring in her ears. He slipped a finger gently beneath her chin and forced her to look at him. Without saying another word, he brushed his lips against hers. Her knees began to wobble, and just as they began to buckle, he slid one arm around her waist. His free hand snaked slowly up her back, then gently cupped the back of her head, pulling her closer to him.

He touched his tongue to her lips, and she opened to him immediately, surprised at the depth of feeling that was returning to her. She'd thought she had all but forgotten her feelings for both he and Harry, but he was proving her wrong. The longer he kissed her, the more she wondered why she'd tried to forget him in the first place. When he pulled away, his silver eyes were stormy. She was struggling to catch her breath.

"Was that what I refused to give you?" she asked, her heart pounding painfully.

"That's one of the things you refused me, yes," he said quietly, catching her gaze and holding it.

"What else did I refuse you?"

"Yourself." Her heart leapt into her throat.

"Draco, what are you talking about?" she asked, feeling her entire body shake at his near proximity.

"You wouldn't make a decision between me and Potter. Obviously Potter has moved on. I never could."

"Of course you did," she said. "You told me yourself, you've had lots of girlfriends."

"I also told you that none of them held my interest for very long. It's hard to be interested in a woman when you're in love with someone else." Her breath caught in her throat, and he nodded at her.

"Are you saying that after all this time, you-"

"I'm still in love with you, Ginny Weasley," he said quietly. He leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers again, cupping her face gently with his hands. He stroked her cheeks with his thumbs, then pulled away and gave her a wry smile.

"I'll be damned. The bloke was bloody effing right." She smiled and gave a strangled laugh as the tears began to fall.

"I can't believe you're here."

"I was just thinking the same thing about you."

"What do we do now?"

"Live happily ever after."