When Everything Breaks

CHAPTER SEVEN - WITH OR WITHOUT YOU

"Are you crazy?" Draco asked as he climbed through a shattered window into a disused building.

"No, are you?" Ginny replied with a smile.

"Why would you ask that?"

"The whole Voldemort/Death Eater thing jumps to mind." She lost her smile. "Why did you do it?"

They had walked for almost a day, and Draco still didn't understand why she wouldn't let him take her to Potter. Something strange was happening, he was beginning to like her, and he hated himself for it. She was pretty, he knew that, but there was something else, encouraging his growing affection.

"Why do you want to know?" he answered sharply.

"Why are you so hostile? What have you got against me?" she asked. He turned away, to hide his expression.

"It's the red hair, and the freckles, and the fact that you're a sworn member of the Harry Potter Fan Club."

"Hardly," she drawled. She flipped her legs over the broken windowpane in an attempt to climb through behind him into the deserted building. She began to fall, the ache in her side becoming too much for her struggling body, and suddenly felt a warm arm around her waist holding her upright.

"Are you hurt?" he asked softly. She never would have thought that this was the same boy that used to throw hexes at her in the halls simply because he could.

"A rib. I think a rib is broken."

"I can fix that if you want." He reached in his robes for his wand.

"No, it's okay," Ginny replied quickly.

"Still don't trust me with a wand, right?"

"Should I?" He let her go and she grimaced noticeably.

"Why don't you just go to Potter? He's the one you want," he said coldly.

"He is far from the one I want, or need." She looked him in the eye, challenging him. "Why do you hate him?" she asked.

"He never stopped whining, in fact he's probably still whining now. About how his precious Ginny is gone, and what not." Ginny laughed softly, careful of her now throbbing rib.

"You know, you're probably right. I really should try and send some sort of message though."

"We could try a wand-to-wand communication," he suggested.

"I don't think there's any other possible option," she replied, fingering the wand Draco had given her. Draco pointed to the exposed rafters.

"We could charm a bird to carry a message."

"Which is better?"

"I don't see any paper or quills available anywhere, so it's probably better to use a wand-to-wand."

"Okay, what should I say though?"

"Whatever you want to say, tell them we've eloped." Draco smiled wickedly.

Ginny held the wand out in front of her; it blew sparks and spluttered. She looked at it disappointed.

"Where exactly did you steal this wand from?" she asked, shaking it in an effort to make it more effective. It blew smoke in her face.

"It was Goyle's," Draco replied. Ginny dropped it like it was on fire; in fact it was on fire.

"Give me your wand," she said. He handed it to her and kicked Goyle's, now smouldering, into the corner. Ginny again held out her arm, this time the wand glowed minutely. Not perfect, she thought vaguely, but definitely better.

"Dragon heart string," Draco said quietly. Ginny nodded; not surprised that his wand contained the same centre as her own but knowing from the surface colour that it was not made from willow.

"Voco Concero," Ginny called loudly into the air. Draco smiled, that charm had been outlawed for seven years and he didn't really expect her to know it.

"Ginny? Ginny?" called a shrill voice. Not Potter, Draco thought smugly.

"I'm here," she replied.

"Oh blimey, where are you?"

"Just outside of Bromley, I'm safe." She paused. "Draco Malfoy is here with me."

"What?!" Ron shouted. The old building echoed, or was Draco only hearing that in his mind?

"Calm down."

"I will not calm down, what's he done to you?"

"Nothing." She paused again. "Except save my life."
"What's the catch?"

"No catch, Ron. I'm here, I'm safe, That's it."

"That is most certainly not it. Where are you? Someone will come and get you."

"Us."

"Wh, what?" Ron stuttered stupidly.

"Us. You will come and get us," she replied simply. Draco stared at her, and she nodded to him.

"Tell us where you are," Harry said evenly. Ginny's forehead creased into a frown and Draco groaned.

"Not without your word."

"My word on what?"
"Draco Malfoy."

"He's a git."

"Harry, please. This isn't helping."

"Tell me where you are, someone will come and get you. As an added bonus they can throw Draco Malfoy to the Dementors while they're at it." Draco let out a dry laugh, so much like his old self that Ginny was glad she had his wand gripped in her hand.

"I will not."

"What is wrong with you Ginny? You're protecting a known killer."

"No, I'm protecting the man who saved my life." Harry ignored her comment.

"If you don't tell us where you are, we will use a tracking charm and take Draco for kidnapping as well as murder."

"Go ahead, we'll run," she replied harshly. Draco watched her in silence, and he could see her next move even before she committed it. "Finite Incantartum," she said slowly. The connection was broken."Great, now he thinks I've kidnapped and charmed you," Draco said."He can think what he likes," Ginny replied angrily."That's okay for you to say, you're not the one he thinks should be thrown in Azkaban.""Should you?" she asked."Maybe." They stared at each other in silence, until Draco could stand it no longer and looked away. She would be the ruin of him.*****Harry tossed Ron's wand to the ground, irritated."What the Hell is wrong with her?" he growled."Perhaps she's telling the truth," Hermione suggested from behind him. "Perhaps he really did save her life.""Don't be stupid Hermione, Draco Malfoy wouldn't do anything unless it benefited his own sorry ass," Ron interjected. He retrieved his wand from the floor carefully; careful to avoid Harry's rigid body."Ron!" Despite the fact that they had not been together since their sixth year at Hogwarts, she still had that shaming effect on him that Luna never would. He blushed slightly and glanced at Harry in their all too familiar way.

"Well what do we do now then?" he asked. Hermione shrugged, that she didn't know.

"We wait," Mr Weasley called, "she's a smart girl. She'll contact us again."

"That's if he lets her contact us again," Harry replied.

"Don't talk like that, Harry dear," Mrs Weasley said quietly and Harry looked at the floor. Fine, he thought, I'll think it instead.

Harry felt guilty, he knew, but there was something more, masked by anger, and he refused to acknowledge it. It fuelled his hate, and strengthened his vengeful resolve.*****As Ginny slept, after her assurances that Harry would not do as he said but casting several blocking wards none-the-less, Draco sat watching her. He watched the splay of her hair around her face, he watched the rise and fall of her chest, and he watched her eyes dart back and forth beneath their lids.She dreamt of a river of blood, flowing through the halls of Hogwarts. She watched it rage and ebb around her. It soaked her bare feet where she stood and she cried silently.

Draco noticed the tears rolling over her flushed cheeks and wondered whether he should wake her or not. But how long would it be before they got another chance to sleep? How long before the war would begin? He took off his cloak and draped it over her still body and lay down beside her. Soon he himself was deep in slumber, his eyes too darting back and forth.

Draco stepped silently through the darkened hall of his dream, not knowing where he was. He looked up but there was no ceiling, expansive shadow rose above him into infinity. Something boomed from above and Draco stood, staring into the never-ending darkness in confusion.

Ginny ran through the soaked halls, splashing blood as she went. A bang sounded within and without her dream and she halted her erratic flight.

Sleep depravation guaranteed their slumber till Harry had gained entry. The door did not last long against the wands of ten aurors, and as it fell both Draco and Ginny sat up in alarm. Draco could remember little of the struggle that came next. He remembered calling to Ginny as she was taken by the mediwizards, and a charm hitting him sharply from behind. Then everything was blank.