Ginny's Window

The fact that it was a warm summer evening seemed wrong. The fact that it was a warm summer evening and Virginia Weasley was going to have her soul stripped from her seemed wrong. Why should the birds keep singing? Why should the world keep turning when they were going to take away the only thing that kept him alive? Why? Wasn’t that how it went though, good people died and the world didn’t notice. Especially when half the world weren’t aware of what was going on under their noses. He knew she had confessed to the über Trio a night ago. They would die, he noted to himself. Despite the fact Ginny had the backing of three of the most influential people in the Resistance, the truth spoke more. She had committed treason, and in these times, treason meant death.

No, treason meant a fate worse than death.

He watched, anger surging as he saw Potter holding her in his arms. That bastard! Potter was going to die, he'd make sure of that, whatever he'd done for Ginny.

There were not many people who were going to witness this. It was a ‘private’ death as such. It was not going to be a death though. It would be worse, much worse; it was going to be living death. He flexed his wand hand and made a small gesture toward the twenty or so others watching the proceedings from the forest. They went on the offensive, wands drawn. Blaise Zabini was closest to him, face darkly amused at what they were going to do. The others trusted Draco and Blaise completely, and he knew that, despite her red hair and the fighting side she had been born into, they respected Virginia. They would accept her when he rescued her.

After of course he had slaughtered Potter on principal. And of course any others he got hold of, including the Mudblood, and hopefully the older Weasel. In fact, any Weasel he got would be very satisfying for his current case of battle lust..

~~~~~~~~~~

Harry gently put down the girl in his arms. He wanted to throw up. He knew that after this had all happened, he would. That was, if he survived it. The fact she had committed treason didn’t matter to him. She was Ginny, little Ginny, who he’d saved from the Chamber all those years ago. He couldn't do anything though. Hermione, Ron, Charlie and other close friends argued for her, but it was no use. She’d confessed under a truth potion and so she was going to be punished.

He cringed, watching her straighten and lift her chin. The only sign she was not calm was the darting of her brown eyes, and the way she stood tall and straight, despite her predicament and her stature. He wondered what had happened between those two, Malfoy and Ginny. She never told all the details. Despite being under the potion she evaded the questions artfully telling only half truths, and twisted versions of events.

Ahead, next to the blaze of the fire in the clearing, stood Dumbledore and that … thing. That thing that would stop her being Ginny anymore. That would stop her being anyone anymore. She walked beside him; all too aware of the wand trained on her back by Hermione. Ron was behind them as well. Charlie was ahead with a few choice others. Harry watched her out of the corner of his eye as they walked. She had her hand to her neck and seemed to be fiddling with something there.

What was it? Something to help her escape? No, nothing could help her, and she’d been searched several times after her wand had been snapped. She must be just ... what? Harry sneered at himself, Nervous? Of course you bloody twit, he berated himself, she’s going to get the Kiss! I’d be fucking terrified! His feelings rose to the surface and guilt washed over him like a bucket of ice-cold water. He supposed that Ron must be nearly turning inside out from all this. He risked a looked back, but his best friend looked stony. His face betrayed nothing.

How?

How the mother of fuck could he do that?

Harry screamed mentally. His breathing began to speed up slightly, and his hand clenched around the wand he was holding. They were almost there.

Almost to purgatory for Ginny.

~~~~~~~~~~

Ginny’s stomach was empty. This was good or she’d be bringing up whatever she had eaten in the first place. She was nearly there. Her hands fisted with anger. The guilt was still there of course, it would always be there, but the anger was new. She was angry. Very, very angry. Her survival instincts had kicked in and with a jolt she had realised she didn’t really want to have her soul sucked out of her, whether she deserved it or not. She wanted to see him again, well, that really wasn't surprising. It was too late, but it was amazing that when she was about to have her very essence stripped from her, how everything took on a new clarity.

Events played in front of her eyes and time slowed down.

~~~~~~~~~~

She was sitting in front of the fire, wringing her hands and looking at the three of them. Harry was sprawled on the sofa, his dark head in his hands. Hermione was perched on a stool and looking at her with shell-shocked eyes. Ron, standing next to the fire, was the first to speak.

"You know, Gin, if this is a joke I'm not going to laugh," he looked at his sister with an expression that told her he'd be willing to laugh it all off if she did declare it was simply a jest. His eyes pleaded with her, pleaded with her to shake her head and lie, telling her that if she did, he would accept it.

Virginia looked away.

"Oh God," Hermione whimpered, as if it was finally sinking in, "you know what this means, don't you?"

"It means that your sister-in-law will be tried for treason." Unexpectedly, Blaise Zabini had come to their safe-house and overheard just about everything. Blaise was known to everyone as coldest operative there was, the only good point he had was that he fought for the Resistance. Merlin only knew what would have happened had he joined the rest of his fellow Slytherins.

"NO!" Harry stood up to face the disturbing Tom Riddle look-alike with no fear. "She will not."

"She must be." Blaise's face was impassive as he observed the Littlest Weaslette. Hermione took a shuddering sigh and leaned heavily on Ron. Ginny's face paled even further, but she accepted it.

"We won't let her." Ron's voice and face were set.

"Then you will all be charged for treason as well," Blaise informed him coolly.

Soon after, a very sombre group left The Burrow to meet fellow Resistance members in Kent. Harry had his arm around Ginny and the girl was too numb to even realise it. Blaise appeared cool as ever, save a slight twitch in the muscle under his throat. Hermione had gathered herself together and was wearing a look of stony determination. Ron's freckled complexion mirrored this. They were not going to let her go without a fight.

~~~~~~~~~~

Ginny snapped out of it. She didn't want to relive anything more. The clarity didn't go away and her anger was making her stomach burn. Her mind was working very fast, disjointed thoughts were flashing in and out of her mind.

She didn’t want to be soulless … She wanted to be with him … Harry was in love with her … No, she didn't want to be with Harry … Why hadn't she seen Harry looking at her like he was now? … Maybe because you were too busy worrying about your other … I want him … I miss him … Merlin I hate that arrogant bastard Zabini … He was only doing his job … I still hate him … At least he won't have the satisfaction of seeing this … It's your fault anyway … I don't want this … I'm pregnant …

WHAT?

Ginny's glazed eyes focused and she realised her stray thought was correct. Why in Merlin's name had she not seen it before? Possibly because of the fact what was happening to your own body was the last thing on your mind, she thought sarcastically, oh God … what have I done?

She was nearly at the fire. That thing was there, and she knew it was very happy. Of course it would be, it had just realised that there was a second life beating in ryhthm with her own. The miserable bastard. Before she was wasting away with guilt, but now, in the face of that Dementor, she found her personality returning. The personality that in the entire the war only one person had ever truly seen. She also felt a wash of what could only be described as maternal instincts. She would not let her child die. Her hand went to her neck, finding the chain and charm it held. Despite their searching, they would never find that necklace. Only three types of people would ever see it; the dead, the giver and the receiver.

They had arrived at the fire. No smiled greeted her and silence echoed around the clearing except the crackling of the fire. What am I going to do? Ginny's mind went blank and she felt like a small, helpless, angry red ant.

"Virginia Laura Weasley, daughter of the late Arthur Richard Weasley and his wife, the late Molly Regina Weasley, you stand charged with treason and have been found guilty. As punishment for your acts, or lack thereof, you are sentenced to the Dementor's Kiss. Do you have any last words before you receive punishment for your crimes?" Albus Dumbledore’s voice betrayed no tremor or nerves, he was calm.

They stood before each other, the world weary, aged leader and the world-weary young woman, two people who had seen too much. Around him others stood, some she had known all her life, some she had known since attending Hogwarts. They all did not put on such a brave show. George’s lip was trembling, McGonagall’s eyes were filling rapidly, and her other friend's composures would last for about three seconds into the ordeal.

Ginny lifted her head and made an instant decision. She would make a plea. A plea for her child, maybe for them to wait until her child was born, then they could do with her as they wished. All she wanted to do was live for a little longer and to see her child smile. Before she managed to open her mouth, all hell broke loose. Literally.

Dark shapes broke away from the cover of the dark trees surrounding the clearing. The figures were hooded and all the assembled group knew immediately who or rather, what, they were. Curses came flying at the people surrounding the fire. Green light streamed around her, and the clearing was lit in an unearthly light.

She stood still, not moving. She thought it she moved, she would die. She was not sure what was happening but a small incision of hope had began to open itself in her heart. The assembled people who were there to witness her execution were either fighting or disapparating.

She looked up, Dumbledore stood there watching her, calculating. He was unmoved at the murder and bloodshed going on around him and simply observed still, silent woman in front of him. As she looked back at him, her face shocked, background noise receded and her own breathing roared in her ears. He smiled, she felt he understood all this better than she did. She felt as if he knew something, something vital about herself, something that she did not.

"Everything happens for a reason." The words echoed in her ears.

Dumbledore then turned and spoke the words that would drive off that thing. It glided off into the forest. Ginny looked at Dumbledore in amazement. Why? He simply shot a curse at a nearby Death Eater and moved away. She watched him gather all the people he could find and disapparate with them. In the rush of curses it appeared she had been forgotten.

It was then she realised Harry was missing from her side, a chance to escape perhaps. She spun around, dodging a curse that went lancing her way. The fire hissed and crackled. The people who hadn’t disapparated were fighting fiercely. Screams filled the air, Ginny winced. She looked around and saw him a hundred metres away from her. He was duelling with another, Ginny recognised the hooded wizard.

Harry was going to die. She knew this with the certanty that she knew her own name.

Ginny ran.

~~~~~~~~~~

Harry Potter looked into the face of his opponent and saw death. He was going to die tonight. He was not going to die for the Resistance. He was not going to die saving someone. He’d already done that. She was going to be saved and he was going to die. It was as simple as that.

"HARRY!" a female voice screamed. Behind his opponent he saw her running at him, red hair flying about her face, eyes wide with fear. Fear for him. How did she know?

Something about her neck glinted and as he recognised it, he understood. Everything. He also understood what the green flash meant as he slowly let go of his body. It was time to move on. Move on to what? He wasn’t sure but he knew it would be somewhere where he could rest. Somewhere he could apologise to Cho, somewhere he could hug his parents and greet Sirius. A place where he would be happy.

A place where he could … rest.

~~~~~~~~~~

As Ginny collapsed at Harry’s side, she already knew. As soon as she’d seen his eyes focus on her ring, she knew. Only three types of people could see the Malfoy wedding bands; the dead, the giver and the receiver. That was the way it was. Harry had died. She did not feel guilt though, which was the strangest thing. He had been ... willing to go ... he was tired. It had been what he wanted.

"Oh Merlin," she moaned, and bent down to kiss his forehead. His eyes were already closed. A peaceful smile lingered around his lips. Wherever he was, it was where he wanted to be. She stood, letting her tears drop, and looked at his killer.

The man pulled his black hood back. Platinum hair was messy and wild, eyes of steel softened slightly as he approached her. She stood there, and within an instant he was right in front of her.

"Ginny," he breathed and kissed her. Ginny kissed him back with all she was worth, he teased her lips open and explored her mouth with his tongue. He nibbled her lips till she moaned and collapsed against him, "it’s been too long."

"How did you know where I was?" Ginny managed, as she pulled away from him slightly, trying to get him to talk to her. Draco was much more interested in nibbling and gently sucking on the delicate skin under her ear, but responded readily.

"Potter. He got a message to us, Merlin knows how the bastard managed to do it-"

"Draco-" Ginny said warningly.

"Well, he is. Was, actually. Then I found out they were going to give you the Kiss," Draco spat, grey eyes flashing in hate and anger, "so naturally, I intervened. Even though I hate the git, I’ll admit his information was useful. If we hadn’t had it, I don’t know whether we’d have reached you in time."

"Oh God," Ginny nearly collapsed again and Draco was the only thing holding her up, "what’s going to happen now? I’m a fugitive. I have nothing."

"Right now I am going to take you home, and on the fugitive thing, it isn’t life threatening," Draco said seriously, but with a hint of dark humour.

"But they found the Manor!" Ginny’s eyes popped open.

"You really think that was the only manor the Malfoys have? Granted, we have one less than normal, but we’ll get it back."

"What about Harry?"

"Oh leave him there."

"No." Ginny said, pulling away from him. Draco looked at her steadily for a while, and seemed to come to a decision with himself.

"Here," he handed her his wand.

"What-?"

"I’ll leave you with him for a while, then you can transport his body back with my wand," Draco said shortly, moving away, presumably to let her be with Harry and to gather his team. She knelt back down by Harry, letting her tears fall freely onto his peaceful face. She wasn’t sure whether she’d be able to form the words, but they came. She shuddered as they began to tumble from her lips. The words that she hoped he would hear, that he deserved to hear.

"What have I done? I don’t know, but I'm sorry. Everything is so messed up right now. I married Draco and I never told anyone, even though they deserved to know. I will never meet my family again except in fighting, and now you’ve just saved me despite knowing what I did. You stood by me knowing that I never loved you the way you loved me and you still did what you did. You believed in me when I wanted to be an Auror and no one else did. You were-" she stopped, drawing in a haggard breath, and began again.

"You know, when you took me from the Manor I thought I hated you. You took me from the happy illusion that was my married life and bought me back into the Hell I was trying to forget. Maybe it was for the best. Maybe I had to see them all again. I don’t know, but Harry, you were too good for us. Too good for this place, and most of all, you were ... are ... too good for me. What more can I say? I don’t know what’s going to happen. I don’t know why all this has happened. I don’t know which side I’m on and I’m so confused!" she stopped again, tears marring her vision and sobs choking her voice.

"I sit there and wonder, why? Why did it happen? Why are we here? And most of all, why are we doing this to each other? I just hope that you’re happy, wherever you are. Maybe ..." she hiccuped, "maybe you can say hello to Mum and Dad for me, and tell them ... I’m sorry, I’m so sorry."

She put her head in her hands and cried like there was no tomorrow. From his place a little way off, Draco watched his wife weeping over Harry. Merlin that name just stuck in his throat. Curiously enough, he didn’t feel any jealousy. I wonder why, he thought wryly to himself, she’s crying over a dead man. It was true though, that Potter had been smarter than Draco had ever given him credit for. He had obviously figured out what had happened between Ginny and Draco pretty fast after her confession, to get the letter out so quickly. Something Draco would never have thought Potter would ever have done.

Some hours later, Virginia Malfoy took her wand and performed the spell that would carry Harry back to the people who should rightfully bury him. As she did so, she was sure she could hear a little voice that sounded suspiciously Harry, whispering in her ear,

"This is your window of opportunity, take it."

So Ginny turned and walked away. Her hands settled on her now slightly rounded stomach, and through her tears she managed a smile. She wasn't sure any of the answers to her ‘why’ questions, and she wasn't certain of the future, but this was her opportunity with Draco.

~~~~~~~~~~

From the shadows Blaise Zabini watched the couple. He now knew that he could never go back to being the double agent he was. This was where he wanted to be. In the darkness, embracing it and letting it enfold him. That was the way it had been and that was the way it would stay. His eyes darkened and anyone who saw him then would have known he was a lost cause.