Safe at Hogwarts

Ginny lay on the grass, staring up at her opponent. She was alone and unarmed. She had been ordered to apparate somewhere safe. The only problem was that it wasn't as safe anywhere as it used to be. But she had been so sure that here... No one should have been here, especially not him.

Just by staring through the slits in the Death Eater's mask she could tell whom it was.

'Very clever, little Weasley,' he purred, 'coming here, running for safety. You're nothing but a bloody coward. Won't even stand up for your little boyfriend.'

'Don't you dare call me a coward, Malfoy,' Ginny yelled. 'You have no idea what I have endured this summer because of you!'

'What could I possibly have done while I was in hiding, Weasley?' he shook his wand at her. 'While my mother and I were keeping from being killed by the Dark Lord, what were you doing? Tell me.'

'Try spending countless nights in your room all alone, wishing for your life to go back merely two months to when your life made sense!' Ginny cried.

'You think that's bad?' Draco said, lowering his wand. His voice was quiet and sorrowful. 'Try spending your spare time in a bathroom with a depressed ghost, telling her how afraid you are that you might be killed for not being able to kill the greatest wizard in the world.'

Draco pulled off his mask and dropped it on the ground. He stared at her coldly. 'At least you have a mother who isn't being tracked down by Death Eaters. And a father who's more concerned about Dark Lord than you.'

His words hit her like a slap in the face.

'You have a great life, Weasley,' he said. 'Don't take that for granted.'

He dropped his wand at her feet. 'I'm not bad enough for the Dark Side and I'm not good enough for the Light Side. I have no where to run to. Here's your wand.' He tossed it to her and she caught it, getting to her feet. 'Kill me.'

Ginny stared at him. 'Excuse me?'

'Kill me,' he repeated clearly. 'Weasley, I have no more reason to live. I don't want to live. I want to thank Dumbledore for everything he's taught me. I want to be able to know that I died telling someone from the Light Side that I'm sorry. And I want to know that someone can forgive me for everything I've caused.'

'No,' Ginny said firmly.

'Weasley, just do it,' Draco said. 'I have no reason to live!'

'It has nothing to do with whether I hate you or not, Malfoy,' Ginny assured him. 'Nor does it have to do with whether you have a reason to live. I cannot kill you because I won't.'

'What do you mean you won't?'

'I mean, even if I wanted to kill you, which do not, I can't because I could never kill someone. Especially if they were unarmed.'

'And if I was armed?' he said, looking at his wand.

'I still wouldn't do it, Malfoy,' Ginny said, dropping her wand next to his. 'You are not a killer and neither am I.'

'And if I was a killer?'

'I still wouldn't be,' Ginny said, looking at the wands. 'Because my wand is on the ground.'

'And if I threatened you?' Draco offered.

'Then so be it,' Ginny said indifferently. 'You are not the only person who thinks there is no reason to live.'

'What's so wrong with your life that you feel life isn't worth anything?' Draco asked.

'Harry's marked for death, he broke up with me in May, Bill's cursed for life because of Greyback, Dumbledore's dead, and everyone in my family is in danger, just like the rest of the world.' Ginny's eyes were filled with burning tears. 'Life isn't that perfect for anyone right now, Malfoy.' She took a deep breath to calm herself. 'Give me your hand.'

'What?'

'Give me your hand, Malfoy,' Ginny repeated gently. 'Whether you believe it or not, you do have a choice. Give me your hand and I can help you.'

'What if I don't want help?' Draco said fiercely.

'Then you're a stupid git. You have so much to live for, so much to prove to people. If you want to just throw it all away because you're too bloody proud to ask for help, that's fine with me, just don't ask me to finish it for you.' Ginny held out her hand at arm's length towards him. 'If you want the chance to start over, give me your hand.'

Draco stared at her for moments that seemed like hours before he slowly reached out his hand and closed it around hers. 'Will you help me?' he said tentatively.

'I'll do everything in my power to help you, Malfoy.' Ginny said with a faint smile. It was still safe at Hogwarts.