Love, War and Friendship - The Wizarding Way

Told From Draco's POV

"Hermione!" Ron shouts running over to her. "Did it - did it work?"

"Yes," she moans the wind knocked out of her. "It's me."

"So that means -" the two look back at Ginny's who was flailing around worse than ever. "I've never seen her like this." He rushes back to her side. "Ginny," he calls in a low voice. "Ginny!"

He stares into her closed eyes with a blank expression as if he's gone unconscious himself before pounding his fist against the wall in frustration. "I can't get to her!" he turns to me. "I must not be her Keeper any longer."

"Keeper?" I ask. I'm so far past confused it's not even funny. They lost me way back after we left the dungeon.

"The closest person to her heart. The only one who pull her out. Draco you've got to try it!" Ron forces me closer to Ginny.

"What do I do?" I ask anxiously looking at her the same way Ron had.

"Exactly what you did at breakfast when you could talk to her by telepathy!" he yells. "Just do it!"

I close my eyes and try to think to her. Ginny? Ginny can you hear me?

Three sharp welts appear on her arms in response and one across her face. Hermione screams.

"What did you do?" Ron knocks me against the wall. "I said talk to her not rape her!"

"I didn't!" I choke as Hermione struggles to pull us apart.

"This isn't helping. Listen to me - no Ron!" she shouts. "Listen whatever's happening to her body isn't because of Draco it's because of what's going on in her head. Now we need to think of some way to get her out of there!"

Ron lets out a cry and clutches his abdomen just as Ginny's cloak slits itself with a sickening rip. I'd forgot that he could feel whatever she's going through. The huge slash across Ginny's face is starting to bleed through Ron's cheek though he doesn't have a cut.

Hermione grabs my arm tightly. "We've got to do something!" she looks at me desperately as if I should automatically know what to do but honestly I don't think I've ever been so scared in my life. Ginny's rapidly losing more blood every second that we waste and Ron looks about to pass out.

"If Ron's not the Keeper and you're not then who else?" Hermione wonders out loud. "It can't be Harry so who? ... Draco I've got it!" she grabs my hand and tugs me forward forcing me to bend down on my knees kneeling over Ginny. Seizing Ron's hand she does the same before putting our hands together.

"Uh Hermione?" Ron grimaces from pain looking down at our joined hands. "I don't really fancy anymore torture right now."

"It's for Ginny you prat! You're both the closest people to her. Now bring her back! Hurry!" she's close to tears. Without waiting for another order I try talking again. Ginny love where are you?

Draco? her voice is filled with pain. I can't get back I need - but her voice dies away and I can't hear anything more.

***

Told From Ginny's POV

I breathe a sigh of relief as soon as I feel my soul penetrate through the skin and find myself back in my own body. I was home! My happiness is only momentary though as I come face to face with Lucius Malfoy.

"Hello Miss. Weasley," he says with a false grin, baring all of his perfectly shaped white teeth. Bet they were fake. "We've been waiting for you."

"We?" I repeat my body trembling. This wasn't a normal vision. He shouldn't be able to see me.

"Yes," Draco's father steps back to reveal several other Death Eater's and in the center stood the very recognizable Lord Voldemort. He smiles grimly but stays as he is watching Lucius closely.

"I wanted to have a little talk with you," he says gesturing towards the empty armchair by the fire. I can identify the room vaguely as the one from the vision where I had seen Hermione dying. This must be the house You-Know-Who used to converse with all his cronies. As Lucius reaches for his wand I walk over and reluctantly take a seat. My stomach is a tangle of nerves. I think I can hear Ron calling for me faintly in the back of my head but I can't reply.

"Why would you want to talk to me?" I ask sounding far braver than I feet.

Lucius's smile widens at my readiness to do what they ask. He doesn't know that I'm only doing it because I'm being motivated by my fear. Every time he raises his wand my heart stops beating. Besides You-Know-Who he is the evillest wizard I know.

"There's a certain subject I think we both have in common."

"Draco," I say with dismay.

"That's correct. Aren't you a clever witch? I wish to discuss with you Draco Malfoy, my flesh and blood, my own creation even if you will, who was meant to serve the Dark Lord as soon as he reached his fourteenth birthday. There was a plan for him Virginia -" I wince at the usage of my full name - "has he told you about that?"

I shake my head slowly.

"He was born to wreak havoc and rid the world of all those indecent creatures."

By this I assume he meant Muggles and half bloods.

"My son was fully trained in the Dark Arts by the time he was ten years old. If he wanted to I'm willing to bet all my gold that he could kill you with a single Avada Kadavra. You see Miss. Weasley," Lucius continues running a stray finger down my bare arm. I yank it away instantly causing the rest of the circling Death Eaters to laugh.

"Draco was to be Lord Voldemort's right hand when the time came but then he met you," his glare could cut through glass.

"Met me? What are you talking about? He'd decided not to join up with You-Know-Who long before he met me."

"No," he shakes his head. "That's where you're wrong. It was that day in the bookstore. You were the first girl to ever stand up to him and that's where the infatuation began. I'm telepathic did he mention that? No," he says idly scratching his head. "I don't imagine he did. He's deeply ashamed of me that boy is. But that's beside the point. I cannot only speak to Draco but I know his thoughts. I can hear them. I knew you would be trouble so I gave you Tom Riddle's diary in hopes that it might destroy you but Harry Potter," everyone in the room gives a great shudder at his name, "Harry Potter proved to be the meddling fool he is and saved you so I sent Draco away to try to get him to delve further into the black arts but he met another girl, some veela," he says with a note of disgust in his voice.

I suddenly remembered Ravey throwing her arms around Draco on the train. She was veela wasn't she?

"Who tried to convince him to be 'good'. Think of that a Malfoy good," he scoffs. "Not likely."

I narrow my eyes at him. I hate him. I hate him for everything he'd just said, for everything he'd put Draco through and everything he'd continue to put him through. "Well it happened didn't it? Draco is good and there's nothing you can do to stop it."

A look of pure malice crosses Lucius's face as he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a leather horsewhip. I didn't take any notice of it figuring it's just another scare tactic when I feel its hard strap slap my face sideways. I taste blood in the inside of my cheek.

"My son is far from good, missy. You can't see what I see. There is a darkness inside of him. A darkness that will never go away no matter what you do."

I held on tightly to the edges of the chair as Lucius leaned his head close to mine. "You are my only threat and I am not going to let some little girl take away what is rightfully mine."

"What's rightfully yours?" I whisper my fingernail's digging holes in the shabby material. "You selfish bastard. Draco is not some possession of yours that you can do whatever you want with! He's a living, breathing human being. He's your son!" I scream as the whip hits me once again only this time striking the inside of my forearm painfully. I could now see where Draco got his sharp tongue and quick temper.

"Lucius," comes the soft rasping voice of the Dark Lord. "Tell her. Tell her why we brought her here."

Lusius drops the whip right away. "Yes Master," he bows down low. "This is a warning child. You are to stay away from Draco or worse fates will fall upon you."

"I won't do that," I say in a low voice almost afraid to speak.

Lucius throws his head back and laughs. "Do as you like because whether or not you do as we say we'll be coming for you. You have something very special that we need."

"And what's that?"

He laughs. "Later right now it's time for you to take a little nap," he picks up his wand sending me twirling into the air. I land hitting the right side of my stomach on something hard. I swear I can almost see those flying birdies Muggle cartoons have. What was I going to do now?

I cried out for them. I needed help.

I look around desperately but all I see is the Death Eater's huddled in a circle evidentially deciding what to do with me when I "woke". But just as I'm about to tell them I can't see it a huge burst of light beams towards me and I catch hold of it with my subconscious. Clinging to it tightly I find myself awake with a start in an empty corridor encircled by an anxious ridden Hermione, a very badly bleeding Ron and a white faced Draco.

"What happened?" I try to ask Ron stroking his cheek softly but before he has time to answer I've fallen into a pit of darkness once again.

***

Told From Ron's POV

I watch in fear as Ginny collapses on the ground. "Ginny," I whisper as Hermione begins to cry. I'm about to pick her up but Draco's faster. In one quick and easy movement he takes her in his arms and begins the long trek up to the hospital wing Hermione and I at his heels. We run past classrooms causing teachers and students alike to peer out their doors at us. Draco doesn't notice any of this his eyes fixed only on the journey ahead until we finally burst through the hospital wing doors.

"Mr. Malfoy!" Madame Pomfrey exclaims her mouth making an O of alarm when she sees Ginny. "Put her down at once!" she pats the closest empty hospital bed. "What happened?"

"She had a vision," I explain as Draco gently sets her down and Madame Pomfrey begins to check for temperature and inspect the horrible red cuts on her arms and face.

"A what?" Madame Pomfrey asks gasping at the sight of my own identical scratches. I shielded my face from her.

"She's a Seer. Something happened during one of her visions. Leave me!" I snap pushing her away. My cuts were a lot less deep than Ginny's and already beginning to heal by themselves.

"Is she going to be alright?" Hermione asks anxiously.

"It's hard to say. Now you young lady," she tosses Hermione a small first aid kit. "Are to help clean his wounds for me. I want you," she points to Draco. "Into bed and wait for a warm drink. No protesting! You're beginning to go into shock."

We all obey her orders leaving her to give Ginny her full attention, who gets whiter by the minute. I sit at the foot of Draco's bed grimacing with pain as Hermione gently cleans the cut on my face before slathering on some sort of magical ointment over it. They soon begin to fade away. I smile my thanks and the three of us fall into silence watching Madame Pomfrey at work. None of her magic's seemed to heal but Ginny's color was slowly coming back, her breathing a little less laboured.

The nurse sighs. "These scratches are just going to have to heal the Muggle way. They don't seem to be responding to any of my treatments. Do any of you know how she got them?" she asks at the same time thrusting a glass of hot juice into Draco's hands.

We all exchange puzzled looks. That had been the real mystery. It had just happened. One moment she was squirming around and the next she had huge gashes all over her body. A vision shouldn't do that. We all knew it just no one wanted to comment on it. Something peculiar was going on.

"Could you give her a potion for a dreamless sleep?" I ask not wanting to take the chance that it might happen again.

"Of course."

I rub my eyes in exhaustion. Nothing was ever easy anymore. I look over at Draco sitting up in the bed staring at Ginny sadly, his drink untouched. I feel sorry for him.

"Ron," Hermione says softly squeezing my shoulder. "Is there anything I can do?"

"Actually yah," I turn away from Draco to look at her. "Do you think you could send owls to my family and tell them what happened?"

She nods. "I'll go right away."

"Thanks."

She leaves just as Madame Pomfrey returns with a steaming goblet. Leaning Ginny's head back she slowly tips the cup so the potion can slide down Ginny's throat.

"It looks like she'll be out for a few days at the least," she tells me. "I'll alert Professor Dumbledore. I'm sure he'll want to talk to one of you and," she lowers her voice. "Watch him will you? He looks like he might try something dangerous."

I had to agree with her. I say Draco will be fine and after giving him another disapproving look she scurries off.

"Draco are you ok?" I ask. "Maybe you should drink some of that," I gesture towards the glass he's still holding.

"What? Oh," he looks down. "No I'm fine."

I'm want to say more but Harry rushes in cutting me off.

"Ron!" he exclaims through heavy breaths. "I came as fast as I could. How is she?"

I can tell he's caught off guard at the sight of Ginny lying so helplessly in the hospital bed. "My God," he whispers. "She's not -"

"She's just unconscious!" Draco says loudly his eyes changing from gray to a clear blue looking extremely fragile against his white blonde hair and pale skin. "She's going to be fine!"

Harry and I exchange worried glances at his fevered outburst.

"I know Draco," Harry says gently, reaching across the bed to pat his back reassuringly. "No one's saying she won't be."

***

Told From Hermione's POV

"Want anything?" Harry holds out the basket stuffed with food he'd gotten Dobby to prepare for us. We hadn't left the hospital for longer than half an hour since Ginny's "accident" as we were calling it, four hours ago. I shook my head and leaned my head against his shoulder, closing my eyes tightly.

It felt odd to be back in my own body again. I had been starting to get used to the copper hair that constantly fell in my eyes and the flashing thoughts of Draco but it was nice to be able to touch Harry again.

"Hey Hermione what's the third ingredient in a normal sleeping potion?" Ron asks from the window ledge. He's working on his potions, or should be anyways. It seems I'm the one giving him all the answers.

"Two pairs of beetle eyes," I say opening my own eyes to look at him. "You should have been able to answer that one since third year!"

Ron grins. "Why would I need to remember anything when I've got you, the human encyclopaedia?" His mood has lifted drastically since Fred had owled to say he would be arriving at Hogwarts tomorrow. I hadn't decided how I feel about this yet.

Draco gives a great snore, echoing through the room causing Ron and I to burst into a fit of giggles. He crawled up into Ginny's bed when the three of us had gone to get our homework or food in Harry's case from Gryffindor Tower. By the time we'd gotten back he was fast asleep next to Ginny one arm laying protectively across her, carefully placed as to not hurt her cuts.

"Pathetic," I hear Harry murmur under his breath in amusement.

"I think it's sweet," I say smiling at Draco. He was so readable and yet not one of us could understand him. There were so many dark secrets that lay buried behind those beautiful blue eyes of his. I wonder if Ginny would uncover any of them. Maybe she already had.

"I suppose," Harry agrees half-heartedly. "But it's just he's Draco Malfoy right? The same guy who always made fun of the Weasley family and has called all of us by horrible names and now he's trying to give me advice and falls apart every time something happens to Ginny?"

I try to think of a way to phrase my words so that Harry could understand but Ron sums it up perfectly.

"Do you remember the reason Draco punched me in the face yesterday?" he asks. "I think it's time we stop concentrating on what he's done in the past and start noticing what he's doing now. I mean I still don't like the guy but after all he's done for my sister..."

Harry nods looking embarrassed.

I incline my head upwards to give him a light kiss on the cheek. "Harry it's ok. Everyone's having a hard time getting used to it."

He doesn't say anything just stares into my eyes for a second with a frown. "Something's bothering you."

I laugh. "Of course there is! One of my good friends is lying in a hospital bed."

Harry shakes his head. "That's not it."

I bite down on my lip hard. "Ron do you mind ...?" I ask as I get up from my chair.

He doesn't even look up. "Take as much time as you need she's not getting better any quicker."

I blush guiltily even though I know he hadn't meant anything by his words as I led Harry out into the hall.

"So?" he folds his arms across his chest. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"Harry," I start when he interrupts me.

"Are you going to dump me?"

I stare at him. "What?"

"Are you going to dump me?" he repeats. "Because if you are can you just get it over with fast."

"Harry I'm not going to dump you," I say my mind now running in circles wondering why he would have thought that.

He looks comforted but still worried. "What's wrong then? I have this feeling it has to do with me."

Ok all those magazine columns are right. Harry is getting a big head but he is right this time. It does have to do with him.

I look at my feet. "I heard these fifth years talking," I whisper not wanting to remember what they'd said. "About me and - and you."

Harry smiled a little. "You didn't expect that?"

I'm surprised by his response. Why wasn't he angrier? "But the things they said Harry it was so -"

"I don't want to know," he says quietly. "Why are you so upset?"

"Why are you so not?" I retort.

"You always say to ignore things like this so just ignore it. People are going to talk but that doesn't mean we have to listen."

I sigh. "I guess you're right."

"I am," he says confidently and I do feel a little better. Now if only Ginny would wake up. I felt almost like it was my fault. If we hadn't switched bodies...

***

Told From Draco's POV

Ron, the last of the three left the hospital wing around midnight and he like everyone else tried to persuade me to come with him but not even Madame Pomfrey could convince me to leave. Eventually they all gave up figuring no harm could come from letting me stay and sleep. I didn't. I couldn't.

I lay listening to her shallow breathing come in and out staring at the ceiling. My heart stopped every time her breathing would slow and though my eyes began to droop come three o'clock I didn't let them close. She stirred several times throughout the night but never woke up or responded to my touch or the sound of voice.

I was the only one who knew what her cuts had resulted from. I had known from the moment I'd seen them. I guess no one else had looked close enough or just didn't recognize it because embedded in around the blood and redness there was a small symbol carved into her arm: the Malfoy family crest. It caused chills to run up and down my spine. There was only one person who could do that and that man was my father.

How he'd harmed her through a vision was anyone's guess. As far as I knew he had no links or connections to the spiritual world and the Dark Lord, who did would have no use for a fifteen-year-old girl. Surprisingly Lucius had made no contact with me since the event. I wished whole heartedly that I had listened more carefully during his lectures so I might still remember how to speak to him first without having to wait until I was spoken to. The only reason I could think of for him to hurt Ginny was to get to me. It was hard to think of anything else, as my father never did anything that didn't benefit him. As much of a thrill Lucius Malfoy may have gotten out of tormenting Arthur Weasley's only daughter I didn't think that was why. There was something more at work her but I was so sure the plan involved Hermione not Ginny.

I jump at a noise coming from the hospital wing entrance. Checking my watch I see it's only five thirty. Not even Weasley would wake up this early for his sister. Sitting up straight I get ready to protect Ginny if it's an intruder.

"What are you doing here Malfoy?"

"And what are you doing there so early Weasley?" I ask saying his name with the same amount of contempt as he had mine. I didn't trust him, not when his twin was a Death Eater. I know that's a hypocritical thought seeing as I'm a Death Eater's son but I had proven myself innocent. He hadn't. But I moved back anyway to allow him a moment with his sister.

"It's the only time to beat the rush at Mungo's," Fred says absently as he stroked the giant slash across Ginny's face. It hadn't gotten any better since Madame Pomfrey had looked after her.

"You can't take her away," I hiss in a low voice.

Fred looks up for a second from his kneeling position by the hospital bed. "The nurse reckons these are curse scars which is more important to me than your needs."

I scowl at him. "They're not curse scars."

He gives me a disbelieving look. "Right and I'm going to believe you over Madame Pomfrey."

"Look sometimes people enchant objects so that if they harm you magic can't heal them. It makes the injury more painful," I explain through clenched teeth.

"And of course you would know."

I pull back my sleeve to reveal a long red scar that runs down my left arm. "My father," I say. "Taught me that one the hard way."

The anger in his face vanishes and is replaced by a look of shame and pity. "I'm sorry. I didn't know," he says softly.

"Of course you wouldn't," I snap. "I've never told anyone."

"I didn't force you to tell me!" he shouts back. "Just like I'm not forcing you to be here. I'd like you to go. Leave!"

He is not going to kick me out. I won't leave Ginny. He'll have to physically move me to make me leave.

Crossing my arms across my chest I refuse.

"Ginny would want you to do as I say!"

I shake my head in disgust. I can't believe he's playing the Ginny card. I have to squeeze my eyes shut and hold on to my shirt from punching him. I want to throw him against the wall. But I don't because that I know Ginny wouldn't want me to do. So instead I just yell at him.

"You don't know what Ginny would want!"

"Yah no thanks to you!"

"What?" I gasp. "I didn't do it! You can ask your brother or Harry-"

Fred's face is redder than blood as he shakes with fury. "You may not have been the one who slapped her but that doesn't mean you didn't have a hand it."

I can't believe he's blaming me for this.

"I would never hurt her," I growl as he steps closer forcing me to notice that he's got two inches and maybe twenty pounds on me. I could still take him in a fight.

Madame Pomfrey had to come downstairs fifteen minutes later to break us up. She pulled us apart with surprising strength and kicks us both out saying to only come back when it was of a decent hour.

I glare at Fred. It's his fault and I hated him for it. Not that I liked any of the Weasley's besides Ginny anyway. I would kill him if something happened to her while I was gone. I would rip him to shreds. As Fred heads up to his old common room I stay and lean my head back against the hospital wing door finally letting sleep come until Ron wakes me up hours later. The last thought I remember thinking was begging my father not to hurt her again. I wasn't sure if he heard it or obeyed but at least I tried.

***

Told From Ron's POV

My day did not start off well. I was woken up hours before I wanted to be by Fred who ranted and raved about Malfoy until I feel asleep once more to which he promptly woke me up again. Finally when he left to go stew in the common room Harry and I were too awake to go back to sleep. Cursing Fred under my breath I dressed quickly and hurried downstairs to join him, Harry following close behind. I'm surprised Fred hadn't managed to wake up any of the others who slept in our dorm. I knew once the seventh years were up they'd all be clamouring around to talk to Fred. He and George had always been popular at Hogwarts, something I had always been jealous of though many people liked me as well.

"Hey Fred," Harry says in a somewhat flat voice. I guess he hadn't entirely gotten over the time he'd almost gotten beaten up by Fred or his brief stint as Hermione's boyfriend. Both had been stupid moves on Fred's part I'll admit but at this point in the game Harry should have realized Fred was no competition. No one could possibly hold a candle to the famous Harry Potter. If I sound bitter it's because I am. I've accepted the fact that Harry beats me at everything but it doesn't mean I have to be happy about it. I'm not but if you look on the bright side of things everything happens for a reason right? If Hermione and I had by chance stayed together there would be no hope for Ravey and I that is to say if there was any now. I thought of the necklace stored in my top drawer upstairs and wondered as I had many times before why she had given it to me and why it was so important to her.

"So how's Ginny?" I hear Harry ask politely as I tune back into the conversation. "I mean how'd she look?"

"Awful. That huge gash on her cheek," Fred shudders. "She better hope it doesn't leave her with a permanent scar."

"You haven't even seen the one on her stomach yet," Harry grimaces.

I close my eyes as the image of Ginny lying helpless on the cold floor as an unseen force breaks through her skin leaving angry red welts over her body. I didn't want to think about it anymore. It made me feel so sick and powerless. I had always been there to protect Ginny just as Bill and Charlie had before I was able to. Even Harry had saved her once or twice but yesterday there had been nothing I could do. In some ways I wished Ginny hadn't been able to switch their bodies. It wasn't that I wished Hermione any harm but maybe just maybe if it weren't Ginny lying in that hospital bed the overwhelming amount of guilt that hovered over my head would be a little bit less.

"I've got to ... go...uh...now," I say without really knowing what I'm doing I've gotten to my feet and left the strained conversation going on between the two. Fred, who seems to have gotten over his initial uneasiness as he whispers conspiratorially that I've always been extra sensitive to anything involving my little sister.

I storm out of the common room and down several staircases one moves while I'm mid step but I scarcely notice. I want a distraction. I mean I do know deep down that what happened to Ginny isn't my fault but ever since the fateful day I let her try out my new broomstick before Mum and Dad had taught her how to fly and she had fallen from sixty feet up (thankfully recovering with only a slight concussion) I'd promised myself, not to mention my dad that I would never let anything bad happen to her again. Somehow Ginny brought out the protective nature in people. I saw how Draco acted around her or maybe it was just how much she loved everybody without question. She was a deeper version of Lavender. I smile at the thought of Lavender. She had gotten to the hospital wing not long after Harry and right before Ginny's crowd of fifth year friends came traipsing through. She didn't say anything, no comments on Ginny's blemished state or apologies for what happened she just squeezed my hand smiled a small smile that said more than a thousand words ever could.

I feel a light touch on my wrist and look up quickly hoping to see Lavender. A surprised grin chases my thoughts away. I had found a suitable distraction.

"I missed you last night," she says her eyes sparkling merrily as if she hadn't a care in the world.

"Yah," I say shoving my hands deeper into my pockets. "I couldn't make it. My sister-"

"I heard," she says softly giving me the same look of pity I had seen reflected in everyone's eyes since yesterday. "I'm sorry."

I shrug. "No need. Not like you could have stopped it."

Ravey looks shaken by my rudeness. "I just meant-"

"I know what you meant," I break in apologetically. "I've just been a little on the edge since yesterday."

She nods. "I completely understand."

"Do you? Because so far everyone I've met has said that." I raise my eyebrows questioningly.

"Yes," she says looking me directly in the eye. "I watched my mother die."

I open my mouth to say something before closing it. Words failed me.

"You don't have to say anything," she assures me. "It happened a long time ago. I'm over it by now."

I can tell despite the flippant nature of her voice she was lying through her teeth but I chose not to comment.

"So..."

"So," she smiles back ducking her head slightly out of sight as two Slytherins made their way to the Great Hall.

"Are you embarrassed to be seen with me?" I ask bluntly as she watches them until they turn a corner.

"No Ron!" Ravey crumbles under my icy stare. Have I mentioned that Ginny's accident had put me in a very bad mood? During the brief period in which it looked Ginny would heal by morning I'd been happy but then Madame Pomfrey had tarnished that hope when she'd begun with the crazy talk of curse scars.

"I'm not embarrassed it's just you're a Gryffindor and if I associate with you ... You see how they're treating Draco-"

"You call him Draco?"

No one called Draco Draco until he told them they could. It was just the way things were which led me to wonder how exactly the two of them had met.

"Yes! But that's not really the point here. I can't talk to you in public because of that. Thing's are hard enough already-"

"So you thought we could be what secret friends?"

Ravey smiles delightedly. "That's exactly what I thought-"

"Well you can think again," I interrupt nastily. I could smack myself. Why was I being like this? I liked Ravey.

"What?"

"I don't want to be around someone who doesn't want to be around me," I tell her removing the hand that had been clutching my arm and walking away in the direction of the hospital wing. What had gotten into me? She was the third person I'd walked away from this morning and it was only seven o'clock.

When I get to the hospital wing I have to extract Draco from his sleeping position in front of the door before I can go in. Ginny doesn't look any better and for a moment I think she may be dead until I can feel her pulse beat steadily against my fingers and see the small raise and fall of her chest as she breathes.

"What happened to you Ginny?" I whisper taking her hand in mine wishing I knew some way to get her to wake up and talk to me.

***

Told From Draco's POV

I was grateful when everyone left especially Hermione who tutted disapprovingly when I told her I was staying here for the rest of the day. Dumbledore had already came by earlier to tell me and an eavesdropping Madame Pomfrey that I was excused from all classes until further notice. He also had a private talk with Fred Weasley who never reappeared.

I no longer lie on the bed but sit awkwardly in a stiff chair waiting for something to happen. I can't concentrate on my work or think. My mind's a blank although I'm making a point to keep it that way for a purpose. When he comes to me I don't want there to be anything for him to see. It's not too hard to keep a clear mind all I have to do is stare hard at a certain spot on the wall where the paint's chipped.

"Nothing to do?"

I look up to see Dumbledore back again, standing before me. I should ask him the same question. Shouldn't he be off thinking of ways to foil the Dark Lord's plans or even just dealing with Cornelius Fudge the snivelling prat?

"I think it's better that way," I say sitting up a little straighter. I had never had any type of relationship with Dumbledore, who was as I'd been told all my life a crackpot but it amazed me that he still showed me nothing except kindness.

"Possibly or there's the other option."

Curiosity got the better of me. "What other option?"

Dumbledore's long nose crinkles. "You could talk to her. Say things you can't find the way to tell her when she's awake.

Alright I've finally discovered the one thing I agree with my father about : Albus Dumbledore is the most eccentric fool you could ever meet. I return my attention back to the wall finding it was far more interesting.

"There's no point. She can't hear me."

"Maybe not but then again just maybe she can."

"There's still no point," I say in a bored voice. "You don't talk to someone who's asleep. They can't say anything back."

"The point is it might give you some comfort. Think about it do people who pray stop because God never answers them?"

Praying has nothing to do with talking to an unconscious person but before I have time to make a snide remark he's gone as fast as he appeared. That man knows way too much for everyone's own good. How does he find these things out? Hasn't he ever heard of personal privacy? But some part of me wondered if he was right.

I waited fifteen minutes or so before I turned away from the wall and ventured closer to the bed as if Dumbledore was hiding in one of the medical cabinets watching me and for all I knew he very well could be.

"I wish I could be telling you this when you could hear me but for some reason the words never come out. I tried," I'm whispering in case anyone's trying to listen. "But I can't. Oh God, I feel so stupid doing this,' I mutter to myself taking her hand. It hurt to look at her face, which had begun to bruise appallingly. She must be in a great deal of pain. I wanted to take the brunt of it for her if I could but it wasn't possible. A hatred for my father surged through my body stronger than ever before. Ginny didn't deserve any of the things that had happened to her since the day we'd spoken in the Leaky Cauldron.

"But I'm going to keep going anyway because you and Potter have such faith in that old nut. I don't know where to start so I guess I'll tell you the story of the man who did this to you," I say running my fingers through her red hair.

Somehow I found myself spilling out every twisted thing my father had done to me from deliberately losing me in a haunted forest when I was five in order to build me some nerve to forcing me to kill a defenceless rabbit using Avada Kedavra and on my first try it suffered painfully for ten long minutes before the curse worked. I had begged my father to put it out of it's misery but he of course refused telling me if I didn't like it I'd best get better at my curses. Unable to experience it over again I began practising on stray spiders. By my fourth year I had become accustomed to enduring bouts of the Cruciatus curse performed on me whenever I made my father mad enough. My voice breaks when I say I think my mother might be under the Imperius. I had never before uttered those words to anyone. I swear she even squeezed my hand lightly but when I say her name several times she doesn't move.

At this point I was beginning to get a headache from dredging up all those childhood memories that were better left in the past so I climb back up onto the bed and try to asleep, the warmth of her body comforting me considerably more so than Dumbledore's suggestion.

***

Told From Hermione's POV

I stood pressed up against the wall clutching the textbooks to my chest trying to stifle the sounds of my breathing as I listened to Draco, his voice barely audible without the help from one of Ron's extendable ears. Several times he sounded as if he would start to cry but he never did. I was glad. Somehow the idea of Draco crying shattered the strong image he'd always gave off. Although hearing the horrors of his past I began to realize something I'd always suspected that beneath all that he was really just a scared and very possibly damaged little boy.

I waited my heart on a stand still until I there was only the sound of gentle snores coming from Ginny's bed. Stepping out from behind the curtain I walked as quietly as I could to put the schoolbooks down on the bedside table. It was all the work Draco had missed this morning. Professor McGonagall had taken me aside after breakfast to ask me to be in charge of collecting any missed assignments he would have if he continued taking up residence in the hospital wing.

I jotted down a short note explaining what it was and when everything was due and left it on top of the pile of books. I gave him one last long book before turning to leave. His pale hair wasn't gelled back as it normally was but tosseled messily around his face giving him the look of a homeless man that is if you disregarded the expensive clothes he wore.

"Ooh!" I gave a muffled cry as I backed into something solid. "Fred!"

Fred smiled slightly as he put a finger to his lips and dragged me away from the two sleeping figures.

"I thought you took off," I say trying not to sound too hurt. I'd known he was here. All of Gryffindor house did but he hadn't even so much as looked at me since his arrival and when he hadn't come back I just figured he hadn't wanted to talk to me.

"You know I wouldn't leave without a good bye," he smiles the realest smile I'd seen grace his face since I'd discovered him down in the common room talking to Ron and some other sixth years. Despite the circumstances there's still a twinkle lurking in the back of his eyes and I didn't know what it was but there was something different about him. Something that brought a new sense vivacity to his appearance.

I look away feeling a pink blush spread to my cheeks. "I wasn't sure because of ... well ..." I don't have to finish. He knows exactly what I'm talking about.

"It's forgotten," he says though he looks to the side as well never looking me in the eyes. For some reason it gives me a small tingle of pleasure to know that he might still liked me.

Neither of us says anything more but when I finally get the nerve to look up at him I see he's watching me. I wonder again what he did something about him is more pronounced.

"So are you going now?"

He nods. "I just came to say good bye."

"Good bye," I whisper softly getting more and more uncomfortable by the moment.

Fred reached out and tentatively took my hand. "Hermione -"

I leaned forward to hear his words more closely when a flash of black and red hit my eyes and I pull back sharply murmuring, "Harry and Ron," in an undertone to Fred. He drops my hand guilty and takes a step back greeting the approaching persons cheerily though I could see a weary side to his grin.

"Hey," Harry says shooting me a suspicious look before slinging an arm around my shoulders.

"What are you guys doing here?" I ask weakly wishing Fred would say something funny so we could all laugh and forget about the awkwardness that popped up whenever the three of us were in a room together.

"We came to see what was taking you so long," Ron answers nervously glancing back and forth between his brother and best friend.

"And now we know," Harry adds tersely.

"Harry," I look towards Fred helplessly. "We were just -"

"Saying good bye," Fred supplies quickly. "I'm going back to the Burrow to let Mum and Dad know Ginny's going to be ok. Even though I didn't get to see her," he makes a face at Draco.

Ron sighs. "Get used to it. I don't think he's going anywhere."

"Not if I don't push him off a cliff he won't," Fred grins and he and Ron share a chuckle. I have a feeling this wasn't the first time they'd had a conversation that revolved around that same topic.

"Well you'd better get going then," Ron tells him. "Mum's going mad by now I expect."

I smile gratefully at Ron knowing exactly what he's doing.

"Right," Fred nods. "Take care of yourselves. Ron owl me if anything changes."

He doesn't say anything to me as he starts to walk away but he flips his hair out the same way he had that day in his bedroom and I finally understand what's so different about him.

"Fred!" I exclaim with laughter. "You didn't!"

Tearing myself away from Harry I run to throw my arms around Fred's neck. He grins.

"It turns you on doesn't it darlin'?"

I ignore his quip even though I know he's just joking around. "How?" I notice some spots of his hair are redder than others as if somebody just splashed a bottle of dye over it. "Not the Muggle way?"

"Dad did it for me. It was quite a load of fun for him. Kept his mind of Ginny."

I try to smile. "But why? It's not going to come out you know."

"I figured you could use a smile or a laugh even and hey it worked," he tweaks my cheek gently a sad far away look in his eyes. "But I really should be -"

I nod and step away giving him room to disapparate.

"What was that about?" Harry asks with a snap when I turn.

I shrug trying to contain the nervous laughter that threatened to spill out. "You wouldn't understand." I give him a hug and a small peck on the cheek. Over his shoulder I see Ron shake his head at me. They didn't think something was going on with Fred did they? It was nothing. Fred was sweet but he wasn't the one I wanted to be with.

I bury my face in the crook of Harry's neck away from Ron's disapproving eyes. It meant nothing.

***

Told From Harry's POV

"What are you all doing here again?" Draco yawns from his usual spot beside Ginny. Hermione's excited squeals over Fred had obviously woken him up. I felt another stab of jealousy hit at the thought of Fred and Hermione though I was the one she held close, her bushy hair obscuring my vision.

Draco cuts off his sarcastic battle with Ron to groan. "Must we be subjected to this?"

"Oh this is nothing compared to what I walked in on you and Ginny doing in her bedroom the other day," Hermione says as she pulls away from me to face him.

"What?" Ron bellows in outrage. "What did you do to my sister?"

Draco doesn't even have the decency to blush. "A gentlemen never speaks of his conquests Weasley," he drawls clearly enjoying his ability to provoke Ron.

"Conquests?" he repeats his ears going a brilliant shade of red. "Malfoy -"

"Oh relax Ron," Hermione laughs walking over to the bed. "It wasn't like that. I brought you your work," she turns her attention to Draco handing him the pile of books proudly.

"Oh joy," he pushes them away. "How 'bout you do it for me and I'll sign my name?"

"As if," Hermione glares looking hurt that her good intentions weren't appreciated.

Ron's glowering as well quite put off by whatever had gone on between Draco and his sister.

"Do you think she can hear us?" I ask hoping the mention of Ginny will stop the hell that's about to break loose.

"Dumbledore thinks she might. He told me to talk to her."

"And did you?" there's a pink tinge to Hermione's cheeks as she speaks.

"Yes," he replies giving her an odd look.

"What did you do tell her about all the new ways you've discovered to thoroughly annoy all her family and friends?" Ron asks sarcastically rolling his eyes at the look of fury Draco throws him.

I decide to stay out of it this time, as my last attempt hadn't been much help. Hermione however is watching Ron anxiously ready to stop him in case he tries to start a physical fight, which would get us all kicked out.

"Ginny wouldn't want you to talk to me like that Weasley," Draco says with a note of satisfaction in his voice. None of us can argue this as Ginny seems to have a certain weak spot for him but Ron knows how to hold his own.

"Just as she wouldn't want you to speak to me that way," he hisses back. "With a little luck maybe she'll wake up and see what the rest of us already do."

Draco's eyes flash as he gets to his feet. "Care to stay that again?"

"Uh-" Hermione grabs at Ron's arm desperately looking to me in worry. "Ron we have charms in a couple of minutes why don't we get going? You know how Professor Flitwick gets if we're late."

I doubted if Ron cared one bit over Flitwick but for some reason he responded to her consistent pleas and walked out of the room, ignoring Draco's mocking face.

"Coming?" she asks as she turns to follow.

I shake my head. "Not right away." I bend to give her a kiss maybe overcompensating a little because of my uncertainties.

"Scared Potter?" Draco smirks once Hermione left the hospital wing.

"Of what?"

Maybe staying hadn't been such a good idea.

"Hermione leaving you for another guy particularly Fred," he says suddenly going serious.

"I guess."

Truth was that had never crossed my mind. Back in July when I found out Hermione was playing both Ron and me, I had never assumed she would pick Ron arrogant as that may sound. When she told me she was going to go for Fred instead of me because she didn't want to ruin our friendships anymore the thought she might like him better than me hadn't occurred to me.

"She'd never leave you, you know. To her you walk on water or something."

"The same with Ginny," I say noticing the sad look he gives her when he speaks.

"No," he disagrees softly. "I don't think it's like that. Not the water part anyway. She knows better than anyone how -" he doesn't finish as if he'd started to tell me some awful secret he didn't want anyone else to know.

"Why do you talk to me like this?" I ask moving closer. "With Ron and Hermione you act like nothing's changed but with me..."

Draco squirms uncomfortably. "Do you mind if I don't answer that just now?"

" Sure."

"Thanks."

"Well I better get to class you know how Professor Flitwick gets when we're late," I do my best imitation of Hermione's distinctly bossy voice. I don't wait to see if I've amused him because Hermione's right and I don't fancy a detention but I'm pretty sure he appreciated my quip. He needs more humor in his life right now. Spending every waking not to mention sleeping moment with your injured girlfriend had to get a little tiresome.

***

Told From Ginny's POV

Everything here is blurred, there's no sharp edges or harsh colors. It's light and airy which gives an impression of security unlike the foreboding feeling I get whenever I have a vision.

"Ginny?"

I recognize the voice but like my surroundings it's softened and not altogether there.

"Who are you?"

I had never once thought to ask her wile in the hurried atmosphere of my visions but here it seemed only natural.

"I have no name," she tells me as she materializes before me like she'd been doing for as long as I could remember only this time she was clothed in a long, white gown compared to the dull robes I was used to.

"Well then what do I call you?"

It seemed absurd not to have a name. How did people find her if they didn't know who to ask for?

"You need not call me anything dear. I am from a group below the Powers identified as the Oracle. I'm something like your guardian angel if you will."

Guardian angel? I look from the white dress to her flowing blonde locks.

"Does that mean I'm dead?"

Normally the thought of being dead or dying would make me lean towards blind panic but my thoughts remained just as hazy as the air around me. I could only feel a small touch of anxiety grip my heart.

"No you are in between worlds, not quite dead but not entirely alive. Lost souls are sent here or those not worthy of heaven or hell."

Ok now the panic was starting to set in. I was awash with confusion. So I wasn't dead but not really alive? Was it just me or did that not hold the slightest sense of logic?

"How do I get back?"

"Do you want to?" she counters. "You can stay here as long as you like." She reaches out to lightly tap my arm with her wand healing my scars and transforming my torn robes into a gown much like her own.

"I want to go home," I whisper at the same time admiring myself in the reflection of the creek, which reminded me uncannily of the one down the road from the Burrow.

"No," she shakes her head. "You don't."

"But-"

"When you do you'll be free to leave. There must be something you need to figure out before you're ready to go back.

She disappears before I have time to question her further. I didn't understand. What did I possibly need to sort out and where was everyone else, all the other lost souls? I seemed to be very much alone.

"Hello?" I call out wrapping my arms around myself in a tight hug. "Anyone here?"

Despite the warm tone of this world I was beginning to feel the cold emptiness. Imagine being trapped here for eternity. I think I would rather burn in hell than walk around being lonely forever.

I jump. "Who's there?"

Lucius Malfoy couldn't be here. He couldn't have followed me. This is my place not his.

"It's what you want to know isn't it?" a child appears. He doesn't fit in with the rest of the scenery. It hurts my eyes to look from the light beauty to the sharpness of his black robes but with one look I know exactly who it is: Draco Malfoy. Although much younger than I had ever seen him it was still quite clearly him, the hardness that always lurked in the back of his even more prominent. As a child he hadn't been handsome as he was now. There was a runty look to him and the scowl never once left his face. I stare at him for a moment more until I finally regain my voice.

"No. I trust Draco. Lucius was just trying to scare me."

"He succeeded." The small boy smiles maliciously. "Here's a hint: never trust a Malfoy."

"You're one," I say not wanting to admit that Draco was frightening me too.

"I'm a shadow brought here to guide you."

"Guide me?"

"To show you what you need to know in order to understand."

"Understand what?" I cry.

Little Draco offers his hand, jutting out his chin with an eerie grin. "Me," he says softly. "I can take you to where the darkness began."

"And then?" I regard his hand with suspicion. He doesn't seem like the type of guidance my guardian angel would send. He was more like the devil.

"Once you've seen all you need you can leave, go home."

I agree and take his hand stepping into the blinding flash of light.