Desire Burning

Desire Burning

Chapter 1

Should you let yourself be hurt

Let yourself fall to the dirt

Ginny Weasley bolted the door and removed her travelling cloak. She flung it to the floor before performing charms on her door to ensure her safety.

Her love was away fighting the Dark Arts, and his friends and her brother had gone with him. She could have gone, but Harry - her love - had feared for her life.

So now she would come home, after wandering the city, and lock herself into her home. Fear had captured her heart and soul. But she was not scared for herself, but scared for Harry, Hermione, Ron.

She pointed her wand to the empty fireplace, and conjured up a glorious fire. She sat on the worn sofa and shivered. The city in which she lived had become desolate. The muggles had sensed that something wasn't right, and it was only a matter of time before someone told them. She'd been reading The Daily Prophet - it said that the Minister was thinking about telling the Prime Minister to tell the world.

The room was silent, except for the crackling of the flames leaping up the chimney. She could feel the warm glow on her face, on her skin, through her clothes, but inside she was icy cold and hollow.

Then she heard it, the soft, slow creaking of the main door opening.

Instinctively, she grabbed her wand and stood up. She heard soft footsteps climbing the stairs.

Only a matter of time, she thought icily. She marched to the door and unlocked it, and flung it open.

She got no surprises to see a Death Eater on the landing.

He (or she) shouted a curse, but Ginny deflected it and screamed, "Demorcious!"

The Death Eater spun round quickly on the spot and fell to the wall, gasping. Ginny ran over and took the wand off him, and pointed the wand to his neck.

"How many are there?" she barked.

"Just me! But I needed to warn you."

Ginny glared. "Warn me?"

"Yes. Warn you."

"Who are you?"

"Weasley, its Draco."

Ginny let her fury show. "You slimy little - you were going to kill Dumbledore! The whole good wizarding community hates you!"

"I know that. I don't want that. I never planned to kill him. I wanted to help him escape...I never dreamed Severus would do that. I mean, I planned to kill Dumbledore, but I realised - Dumbledore made me think - that it wasn't the right decision."

"That's no excuse."

"Ginny, I just said. I'm here to warn you. In a few minutes, more Death Eaters will arrive. They don't know I'm here."

"So why are you here?"

"I don't want you to get hurt. This sounds stupid, as I hate Weasleys," Draco confessed. "But I don't want you to get hurt. Lets say, Cho didn't want you to get hurt."

"Cho? As in Cho Chang?" Ginny asked, confused.

"Yes, her...she's been encouraging me to leave the Death Eaters. She asked me to save your life," Draco told her. "She wouldn't say why."

"You and Cho," Ginny said, confused.

"We're together, yes."

"Since...when?"

"Since fifth year. Shortly after she broke up with that git Corner, as a matter of fact."

"But you've been with Pansy for - oh, since I can remember..."

"Not anymore. She ... lets put it this way, she was angry that I wouldn't tell her of my 'plans'."

"I don't get that, if you understand me."

"I do. Now go."

"Go?"

"Cho is at the Drop Inn. Apparate there."

Ginny raised an eyebrow. "And you?"

"I'll follow shortly. Now go!"

Ginny frowned and apparated.

She appeared in a dimly lit hotel room, painted red with a wooden floor.

"Ginny..." Cho Chang walked through a door, looking beautiful, wearing a white dressing gown. "Thank God."

"Hello..."

Ginny looked around. "Why am I here?" she asked.

"I was asked to save you," Cho told Ginny. "By Harry."

"Harry?"

"He heard of the plot to kidnap you. I met him, and he requested that I saved you..."

"Oh - did he leave...a message?"

"He did, as a matter of fact. He said, 'tell Ginny I'm sorry. Tell her I'm OK. Tell her I'll be back soon. Tell her I love her.' He looked so sad. He really did love you."

"Did?"

"Does, I mean."

Draco then appeared in the room, a cut going down his cheek. "They found me," he gasped. "Found out what I'd done. They said they would tell if..."

Her began to cry. "If I killed someone."

"Draco...please - tell me you didn't..."

"I didn't, don't worry Cho...well I did."

"Draco!"

"I killed them."

Cho hugged her lover tightly. "I can forgive you for that." She touched his cut gently. "How...?"

"Never mind, Cho. I must go back to Him. I'll tell a lie...if you understand me...along the lines of, 'I killed Ginny, but she killed them as well'."

"Cheers," Ginny muttered.

Draco turned to her. "If he thinks you are dead, then...you are safe."

Ginny rolled her eyes. Draco left, and Cho sighed heavily. "He is not a natural killer," she murmured, to no one in particular. "He is playing a dangerous game."

"I know that."

Ginny sighed. "Where shall I sleep?"

"Oh, on the bed, I suppose. Me and Draco have been sleeping on the sofa."

"Why?"

"I don't like beds."

Ginny thought this was odd, but climbed onto the bed. She fell into an exhausted sleep.

***

"Do you take me for a fool, Draco?" Voldemort hissed.

"No, your Lord."

"Then why lie to me?"

Draco was silent. He should have known.

"I'm sorry, my Lord."

"The girl is not dead. You killed my men. Your friends. She is alive, and well," Voldemort screeched. "You will pay."

Draco gripped his wand. "Sir-"

"Enough, Draco...you are not worthy of my time. You are a traitor."

There was a flash of green light, and a dull thud.