By Jedi Tess of Gryffindor

Here's part two. I would like to apologize for the lameness of some of my made-up curses. It's hard to do when you don't speak Latin. I would also like to add that there probably won't be a sequel. I've got too many other interesting ideas to toy with and feel as though I've gone as far as I can with this one. If it makes you happy, this section was possibly the most inspired out of this entire piece.

Disclaimer: I regret to inform you that this is the end. I'm going now - and I don't expect I shall ever see you again. I bid you all a very fond farewell. Goodbye - ugh, now I have something else to disclaim. In the words of John Cleese - RIGHT! Everything except this disclaimer is J.K.'s. The disclaimer belongs to the Lord of the Rings screenwriter and John Cleese is "well and truly, all [his] own."

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"You have impeccable timing, Miss Weasley," Voldemort's grin swam into Draco's vision.

"Leave her alone, you filthy, disgusting - " Draco was halfway to his feet when a booted foot slammed into his gut, sending him back to the floor with a grunt of ill-concealed pain.

"Draco!" Two sets of hands pulled him to his feet. Ginny was looking up at him from one side and Aden held his other arm in a death grip. His gaze was pulled back to the anxious redhead.

"Wait - how did you - but the spell," he blurted in confusion.

"Long story," she returned. "And don't you dare curse me ever again!"

He smiled faintly. Suddenly the world seemed a far cheerier place. Sure, he was about to die and Ginny wasn't safe and Aden and Jacie were screwed, but considering the circumstances, he was feeling unusually happy.

The aforementioned redhead turned to face the Dark Lord. She stepped forward.

"Look, this whole thing was caused because of me," she said boldly, though her voice trembled. "Just take me and leave my friends alone."

"I'm afraid it's not that simple, my dear," Voldemort grinned nastily at her and she took a step back. Draco reached out a still-shaking hand to pull her back against his chest. He knew he hadn't much hope of protecting her, but he'd be damned if he let Voldemort take her. Death was more merciful. The Dark Lord was still speaking.

" . . . has now become clear to me that Lucius is no longer loyal to me," the pompous lord was saying. "So perhaps it is fitting that he be the example." Raising his wand once again, he pointed it at the speechless Lucius.

"Avada Kadavra!" He intoned, almost lazily. A burst of sinister green light erupted from the end of the wand and slammed into the former Death Eater. When the light had dissipated, Lucius Malfoy's corpse lay before their eyes.

Ginny stifled a scream and turned to bury her face in Draco's chest. He tightened his arm around her. He might have been more upset by the ghastly sight had he not seen his father commit it so many times before.

"Why are you doing this?" Jacie asked softly. She and Aden stood close together behind Draco and Ginny. The four were standing before the crowd, facing the Dark Lord. It was, Draco decided, rather like an old stadium tournament in which the prisoner and the lion faced each other for the entertainment of a large group of sick and twisted on-lookers.

"A little lesson, that seems to have affected at least one of you properly," the Dark Lord said, seeming quite pleased.

"I'm not afraid of you!" Ginny spat, tears of anger springing up in her dark eyes. "Not anymore. I've just never seen anything so horrible."

"You've always feared me, Ginny," Voldemort smiled placidly, his sneer back in full force. "I've always had power over you."

"No!" Ginny shouted, stepping forward, fists clenched. "I'm not a little girl and I've not got silly fantasies about you being some great benefactor. I don't serve you and I think you're a - an ugly git!"

"How do you know this guy, Gin?" Aden asked, staring down at her in wonder.

"I'll explain later," Ginny snapped.

"I'm afraid there won't be a later, Virginia," Voldemort's eyes were glowing slits in his awful face. "Now that I have you, I'll just dispose of these traitors and - "

"Now that you have me?" Ginny interrupted. "Hang on a minute, Tom!"

"Don't call me that!" the Dark Lord took a menacing step forward.

"Then don't call me Ginny!" she yelled.

"Gin," Draco yanked her back to him, putting the protective arm firmly around her middle. He knew that, brave or just stupid, taunting the Dark Lord was the last thing anyone who wasn't suicidal should do.

"Ah, how touching," Voldemort sneered at him, and Draco found it in his power to sneer back as a sudden thought struck him. It would buy time, anyway, and the more time they had, the better. Dumbledore being the conniving little man that he was, Draco had a feeling that a task force might actually show up tonight and he wanted to be alive when that happened.

"Jealous?" he smirked.

"Of what?" Voldemort's voice had gone deadly.

"Well, I used to love you, didn't I?" Ginny broke in, clearly realizing what Draco was trying to do. "After all, I wrote in the diary and got to know you. But I outgrew that childish crush, didn't I? And now I've fallen in love with the most amazing man I've ever met. You're nothing on him, Tom. Nothing!"

Draco was torn between utter delight at her words of praise and the sinking feeling that she'd gone too far.

"I can promise you that those words will cost you, girl," the Dark Lord barked. "Crabbe! Goyle!"

Draco's former best friends and their fathers came forward from the guests.

"I believe," Voldemort said softly, "that the younger Mr. Malfoy will be the first to die. Just for fun."

"No!" Ginny shrieked, as she was wrenched from Draco's grasped by an enthusiastic Vince Goyle.

"Draco!" Aden was struggling madly against both the elder Crabbe and Goyle. Draco felt himself being pulled backward by Greg but was too weak still from the Cruciatus Curse to be able to fight. The younger Malfoy felt himself being manhandled to the center of the stage - as it had now become - and saw his brother, Jacie, and a hysterical Ginny being pulled off to the side.

"Before you die, Mr. Malfoy, there are a few things I'd like cleared up," Voldemort said almost thoughtfully, running his wand along his jaw. "How is it that Miss Weasley came to stay here?"

Draco might have felt inclined to refuse to explain anything, but he felt the need to rub the Dark Lord's own oversight in his face.

"I overheard Greg and Vince's mums babbling on about kidnapping her at a party," he said smugly, watching both the senior Crabbe and Goyle go rigid with horror. "I gave Dumbledore a heads up and then told Aden. He and I figured it would be easiest to hide Gin here with the Fidelius Charm, since this is the last place anyone would look for her."

"Brilliant, I must admit," Voldemort conceded. "Pity it was all for nothing. Just out of curiosity, who was the Secret Keeper?"

"Dumbledore," Draco said firmly. Voldemort scowled horribly. Then he turned to Ginny. "But then, how is it we can all see you?"

"Draco tried to put a deep sleep curse on me before coming down to keep me safe," she said softly. "Dumbledore happened to try and contact us tonight, and saw me asleep. He used the counter-curse to wake me. Then I had him release me."

Draco was mildly surprised that Voldemort had passed over the question of why Dumbledore had called. Ginny looked as though she hadn't meant to let that slip, which meant it had been important. She mouthed something at him after Voldemort turned away.

'Look for De'Lyon.'

At first, Draco thought she meant Jacie, but then he realized she meant the Auror. His eyes scanned the room for Jacie's 'father.' He wasn't present and seemed to have been forgotten in the excitement. Draco glanced back at Ginny. She was smiling in satisfaction. Evidently, she had something up her sleeve.

"Well, thank you for satisfying my curiosity, Mr. Malfoy," Voldemort's harsh voice brought Draco back to reality. Voldemort's wand was once again pointed at his heart. "It has been a pleasure." Draco closed his eyes, forcing himself to visualize Ginny's face. He even felt a smile curl upon his lips as her laughing expression filled his mind.

A sudden flash of blinding light, even visible through his closed eyelids, made him sure the end had come. However, he didn't seem to loose consciousness and the light remained. Slowly, he opened his eyes - or rather, squinted. At first it was too bright to identify the source of the light. As it began to dim a bit, he was able to trace it, and he wasn't sure whether to shout in relief or just off himself now and save himself the pain.

Jacie had transformed.

She was dressed in the same dazzling white robes as she had been the night they'd seen her from his bedroom window. Her hair billowed around her in an unseen wind, her eyes shown white, and a white light glowed around her.

"Lord Voldemort," her voice had deepened as well into a rich baritone. She was regarding the Dark Lord with thoughtful curiosity. It was the first time - and the last, Draco figured - that Voldemort was, had ever been, or would ever be speechless.

"Ah, I see you're a bit slow today," Jacie continued conversationally.

"A dryad," the Dark Lord's eyes were slowly beginning to glitter as well. "Indeed, it is an honor to see such a lovely creature in our midst."

Jacie bowed her head. Draco felt himself shiver. As his brother had explained to him and Ginny, as a dryad Jacie was as dangerous to them as to Lord Voldemort himself. She wasn't necessarily on their side anymore.

"Let us dispense with pleasantries, my lord," Jacie went on, gazing superiorly down upon him from where she floated several feet in the air. "I have a proposition for you."

"What is it?"

"Give me the man - Aden," she said - his name sounded strangely alien on her lips, "for he is my true love and I wish to keep him."

"And the others?"

"Do what you like - I care not," Draco could just see Ginny through the light that was Jacie. The girl had winced, but didn't look terribly upset. She was obviously remembering the facts she'd learnt about dryads from all her research.

"And in return?"

"I will serve you, as your right hand," she said, smiling a blinding and twisted smile.

"Jacie - no!" Aden, still struggling against Crabbe and Goyle. The dryad turned to face him.

"Oh, but you are so beautiful," Jacie's long fingers trailed across his pale face. Aden winced, and Draco remembered Ginny mentioning that she'd read of a dryad's light burning. Indeed, the right side of Aden's face was reddening.

"You can't do this," Aden persisted. "You can't let him take Draco and Ginny."

"Even if I did wish to save them, the Dark Lord could probably stop me," she reminded him. "After all, I have yet to be fully trained in my specie's ways."

"You're not dryad - you're human!" Aden snapped, glowering up at her. Draco noticed distractedly that his brother was avoiding direct eye contact with Jacie.

"I'm not, really," Jacie smiled faintly. "I only play one for fun sometimes."

"I know that's not true!" Aden shouted. "I know what you're really like and that's the part of you I love!"

Jacie stared down at him as he ranted on.

"I won't let you give yourself to him," he nodded the unhurt side of his face toward Voldemort, who was watching the scene unfold with wicked amusement. "And I won't let you hurt Draco or Gin. I love you, Jacie! I love you!" And with a sudden burst of strength, he wrenched himself free of Crabbe and Goyle and pressed his partially burnt lips against Jacie's.

It was as though the world had exploded. The room might have burst with the rolls of intense thundering and the crackling white lightning that was consuming the entire ballroom. Through the noise, the blinding illumination came the most breathtaking sound Draco had ever heard.

Music.

It sounded like a voice, but no being on Earth could possibly have made such a perfect sound. As the music filled him, he felt the strange electric zaps from the white lightning mute, heard the thunder fading into the background. All he could hear was the magnificent music. It was all he ever wanted to hear again. Dimly, he felt his limp arms lift of their own accord and close around something. He couldn't figure out what it was, but he didn't care. He held it, and drifted through the music as though floating upon white clouds, through dazzlingly bright skies . . .

He was brought sharply back to reality but someone screaming. Not a person's scream of pain but a shriek of animal agony. Through the mesmerizing music and light came the screech and a thick, liquid blackness. It seemed to wash over Draco, choking him, filling his lounges with inky liquor. He gasped, but couldn't breathe. Then the light seemed to flash back, drowning the dark in its turn. It dissolved the liquid in his lounges, pierced the darkness with radiance, until there was only light -

Only light.

Burning. Oh, how it burnt. Her lips seared his, as though he were kissing flame. Nothing he had ever experienced had ever hurt like this.

And he wanted more.

Aden pulled her closer, the agony as blinding as the ethereal glow Jacie emitted. He knew what to do, as though it had been branded into his mind. He pushed her unresisting lips apart with his tongue and met hers halfway. She gasped into his mouth and let forth the most beautiful music he had ever heard. It was as though she were singing without moving her mouth. Her voice echoed down his throat, filling him with the purest of all emotions.

Love.

Her love for him was intoxicating. It was her whole existence - this one feeling. It became Aden's. Nothing - nothing - matter except her. The burn upon his lips suddenly cooled, as though it had never existed. He drank in her scent, her beauty - her.

The kiss of a dryad. They said that like it was a bad thing.

When the dark, pitch-black fluid poured over them, trying to suffocate them, they battled it together. It was almost too easy. They knew what it was, and no longer feared it. Together they fought, they conquered. As the blackness disintegrated, so too did the light begin to diminish. Aden tried to hold it - but couldn't. With unwilling acceptance, he let it pass and simply held Jacie.

He blinked.

His eyes opened.

A mass of gold met his vision. Within its halo was a face. The most perfect face in the world. Aden didn't think.

"I love you," he murmured, running a hand over her curls.

"I love you, too," Jacie's tears of joy spilled onto his face as she leaned down to kiss him. Once again, her mouth rendered him lost to time - lost to everything.

His rude awakening was a sharp tap on his shoulder. He rolled his head awkwardly until he could make out the face of his brother, who had Ginny clasped to his chest.

"Not that that wasn't the most amazing thing ever," Draco said, sounding a tad breathless, "but we're in deep shit, bro."

Jacie rolled off him and Aden sat up. The crowd of stunned on-lookers were staring at the four 'star-crossed lovers' in wonder - and horror, in some cases. Aden sat bolt upright, looking wildly around as he realized who was missing.

"Where's Voldemort?" he demanded, still holding Jacie against him.

"We were hoping you'd tell us," Draco said uneasily. "Some of these blokes aren't looking too happy at the moment."

"He's gone," Jacie said softly. "Aden and I saw to that."

"He can't be gone!" the elder Crabbe was beginning to look a bit incensed. "He's the Dark Lord. He can't be gone."

"Oh, he is," Jacie smirked at the reddening troll with some amusement. "Nothing as evil as Lord Voldemort could have survived the purest music on the planet."

"But - wait, I'm confused," Ginny was scratching her head and indeed appearing befuddled.

"Then I shall explain," Jacie was sounding unnaturally jaunty and Aden had a sneaking suspicion that she was about to explain why. "You know how there's that dryad every century or so who falls in love?"

"Yeah - think we'd established that it was you," Draco snorted, rolling his eyes.

"Shut up, Malfoy," she said good-naturedly, ruffling his too-perfect coiffeur and eliciting a shout of protest as his hair stuck up wildly all over his head. "But you're right. It had to be me. Thing is, if you recall, no dryad in our history has ever been voluntarily kissed by their true-love before, so the results could only be guessed at."

She smiled faintly, and ran a hand over Aden's cheek. "The only thing anyone knew was that the kiss would have a lot of power. Nothing, you understand, is more powerful or pure than the love of a dryad. It's rarely given, but if given willingly, nothing can match it. And one thing we know for sure about Voldemort was that he doesn't understand love. How can you fight something you can't even begin to comprehend? So when the purity of our kiss hit him, he couldn't handle it. The blood of far too many people, the number of lives he's ruined, the dirty work he's been involved in, caught up with him and the compound overload of it destroyed him."

"So that was what that black thing was," Ginny said triumphantly. Draco, an uncharacteristic, silly grin on his face, pulled her down and kissed her. Aden pulled Jacie up with him as he got to their feet, Draco and Ginny right behind them.

"But there's more," Aden continued, turning to face his brother and Ginny. "I felt it. Something changed when the light started to fade, didn't it, Jac?"

"Yup." Jacie looked a bit rueful but very relieved. "The thing is, conquering Voldemort was no easy trick, even with dryad power. I had to put all my strength behind it, and when it was over - " a grin suddenly split her face, " - I had nothing left. I'd spent all my power."

"Which means," Draco said, beginning to smile. "You're not a dryad anymore."

Jacie laughed joyfully. "That's right. All the white light you saw was my power expending itself. I'm - I'm only human, as they say."

Aden grinned broadly and threw his arms around her, right as the ever door to the ballroom burst open.

"Ah, yes, Miss Weasley," De'Lyon called from the head of the motley group of what appeared to be Aurors, seventh year students, Professor Dumbledore, Professor Snape, Professor McGonagall, Professor Flitwick, and eight incensed Weasleys. "Good thing you suggested I speak with the good Head Master here when he called this afternoon. Would have arrived too late otherwise."

"I believe," Dumbledore said with a twinkle of the eye as he regarded the four heroes, "that they did just fine without us." He glanced around at the crowd of Death Eaters, half of whom were on their feet with drawn wands.

"We are servants of Lord Voldemort," one shouted, looking a bit deranged, "and we shall not go down without a fight."

The room exploded with curses.

Ginny was so shocked that she couldn't move. It was Draco throwing her bodily behind a statue of a partially naked nun that brought her back.

"Stay here," the blonde snapped, yanking his wand out.

"Like hell!" Ginny shot back, pulling her own from her sleeve. "What have I told you about trying to protect me, Malfoy?"

"Can't remember, but I'm sure it was fascinating," and kissing her hard Draco dove out from behind the statue, throwing curses at everyone within range and narrowly missing the Boy Who Lived.

"Watch it, Malfoy!" the raven-haired youth snarled, hexing a Death Eater who was sneaking up on Ron.

"Where's my sister, Malfoy?" the redhead demanded as he, Draco, and Harry stood back to back, firing hexes and curses left and right.

"Right here, big brother," Ginny dove into their midst, digging herself a spot between Harry and Draco.

"All right, Harry - Incendio! - lovely to see you," Ginny smiled, throwing a glance at him.

"Yeah - Wingardium Leviosa! - Happy Christmas, by the way," Harry returned, blasting an approaching Death Eater across the room before he could curse Draco.

"Wingardium Leviosa?" the said blonde echoed in disgust, not realizing he'd sent an Auror floating helplessly into the air and consequently saved him from the killing curse. "What kind of half-assed - Abis Fortel - curse is that?"

"Don't knock - Avertaise Thataine - that one," Ron called over the noise. "It's how we snuck into your common room in second year."

"No way - Immobulous!" Draco turned to look at him. "You aren't smart enough to do that."

"Right, you - Gelatinous Extremitus - are. It was Hermoine what made the potion and thought of sneaking in. She also put Crabbe and Goyle out with a sleeping draft."

"Brilliant, that Mudblood is," Draco conceded, blasting said former friends threw the ceiling.

"You know," Ron said a few minutes later, "this is getting ridiculous. Why can't they just - Constricus Trunculon - bloody well give up?"

"Never give up - never surrender," Ginny put in, taking out a Death Eater who was aiming at Harry. "Damn stubborn, aren't they?"

"Yes, we are," said a voice and suddenly Narcissa Malfoy appeared, seemingly out of nowhere.

"Mum, what in - " but Draco's question was strangled off as, from what Ginny could see, Narcissa slammed her small fist into his stomach and he doubled up, dropping to his knees. For some reason, Ron of all people took exception to this and hollered, "Intrancula Immento!" Narcissa fell to the floor, looking stunned.

Throwing another glance in Draco's direction, to check that he was all right, Ginny saw something that made her scream. By all accounts, Narcissa's feeble punch should not have immobilized Draco. However, it was understandable that the ceremonial dagger now embedded in his gut would.

"Draco!" Ginny dropped down beside him and Harry moved quickly to cover them.

"He won't survive," Narcissa's words were slurred, as though she was drunk. "Why merely stab the traitor when I could poison the blade as well?"

"No!" Ginny dove at the woman, slamming well-trained fists into every part of her that was accessible.

"Ginny!" Ron was pulling her off the bloodied older woman. "Not now." Ginny saw what he meant. Draco was not bleeding as badly as he might have been, as apparently the blade of the dagger had made a clean cut, but the poison was evidently beginning to take effect. His eyes lolled and he looked as though he were about to pass out, whether from pain of from the tainted knife.

"Don't let his fall asleep," Harry snapped, pulling her effectively out of her horrified trance. "He's got to stay awake or he'll die."

"What'll we do - come on, Draco, stay with me - we've got to get that poison out of his blood," Ginny called desperately. She shook Draco gently. "Don't do this to me, Malfoy. Stay awake, you git!"

"Can't. Kinda tired," Draco said thickly, eyes watering with agony.

"Listen, you great prat," Ginny cried frantically, slapping his face none too gently several times, "I love you and if you die, I die, so don't die yet, okay?"

"Sure thing, love," Draco mumbled, shuddering slightly and grinning blearily at her. Apparently, the poison had a calming effect, possibly the cause of his sleepiness.

"Gin," Ron called suddenly, "I've got it! Find Snape!"

"Snape?" she stared, unconsciously slapping at Draco's face. "Why?"

"Don't be daft," Ron hollered over the noise, throwing another hex across the room. "Snape's the Potions Prof, right? He'll know what the poison is and how to stop it."

"But I can't leave Draco alone," Ginny told him, staring down into the reddening grey eyes that were begging for her help.

"Leave that to me," Ron said, smirking in a right evil fashion.

"I'll cover you," Harry offered, curses seeming to fly from his wand of their own accord. "See that group of redheads over there? Head there first. Reckon you can jump from group to group until you find Snape. Ready - go!"

Ginny darted between Ron and Harry's legs and dashed across the room, throwing herself behind Charlie just as a leg-locker curse hit her, knocking her to the ground.

"Gin!" her brother shouted as his little sister dug out her wand and performed the counter-curse. "Get out of here!"

"No - gotta find Snape!"

"Snape? What - Embellismo Titantica - for?"

"Poison - no time to explain," her eyes darted around, landing on a group consisting of Hermoine, Fred, George, and the formidable Molly Weasley. She patted Charlie on the back.

"Thanks," she said swiftly before diving between him and De'Lyon and dashing into the group she'd been aiming for.

"Mione - need Snape," she gasped.

"Over there," Hermoine answered, both she and Ginny trying to ignore a frantic Mrs. Weasley who was ordering her daughter to exit the premises. The seventh year also had the good sense not to question Ginny. "See that brown haired bloke and - Enflatum Nocturnous - that gorgeous girl with the long golden - "

"Jac and Aden - thanks, Mione!" Ginny called. She judged the distance. Too far to make a dead run. She turned to her brothers. "Need a clear path, boys. Over to Snape."

"Whatever, sis," George returned congenially, throwing several well-aimed Filibuster's Fireworks in that direction. As they exploded, Ginny belted across the now clear floor way, hopping several chairs and too many bodies. She made it behind Aden just as he blocked a well-aimed hex.

"Gin!" he called, sounding grim. "It's not safe. Get out - "

"Shut up!" she snapped, whirling to face Snape's back. "Professor - it's Draco. He's been stabbed with a poisoned blade."

Snape swore. So did Aden.

"How long ago?" he demanded.

"Five minutes or so," Ginny told the men, feeling despair beginning to grab at her heart.

"I need a fireplace," the Professor called. "He doesn't have more than ten minutes of life left, if that. Aden, we need an exit."

"Take that one, by Dumbledore," the elder Malfoy shouted, blasting a red- faced Mr. Goyle through the ceiling to join his son. "We'll cover."

"Come on, Weasley, I'll need your help," Snape snapped, grabbing her arm.

"Wait for it - run, now!" Aden yelled sending a volley of red and green sparks into the area to block them from view. Ginny dashed after Snape, who was moving quite quickly, and moments later, they stood panting before the door.

"Albus, we've got to get to a fireplace - no time to explain!" Snape told the Head Master shortly.

"Go now," Dumbledore ordered. "It should be safe. Since there's an apparition barrier around this room and every door is blocked, no Death Eater should be outside these walls."

"Come on, Weasley," Snape took her arm and pulled her through the door. "Closest fire?"

"Lucius Malfoy's study," Ginny decided. "This way."

She led him along two narrow corridors and up a flight of stairs and shoved the door opened. Snape swept in, digging a packet from his pocket.

"Floo powder," he said shortly, offering her the packet and taking some himself. He stepped into the fire.

"Hogwarts dungeons!"

Ginny followed.

Her mind was so preoccupied that she didn't even register the nauseating spin of the room until she fell gracelessly onto Hogwarts' cold, stone floor.

"Come," Snape ordered, pulling her roughly to her feet and leading her through a door and into what appeared to be his private storeroom. He dug through the cabinets, cursing the lack of proper organization. Ginny stayed silent, resisting the urge to laugh giddily at the usually composed Potions master.

"Here we are," he said at last, pulling a jar of slimy lumps that looks like body organs of some poor animal.

"Are those bezoars?" Ginny asked, her interest in medicine suddenly peaked.

"Very good, Weasley," and Ginny couldn't mistake the veiled approval in his voice. He turned and led her out, before continuing, "From the stomach of . . . ?"

"A goat," Ginny recited, glad of anything that might distract her from Draco. "Used save people from most poisons, although it can only be applied in liquid form, as an ingestion of more than a few drops can be lethal."

"I must say that I'm impressed, Weasley," Snape spoke over his shoulder as he took a pestle from a shelf in the Potions classroom they had just entered. He set it down before carefully tipping the jar so the slimy goat intestinal component slid into it. "And do you know the spell that liquefies it?" At his nod, Ginny raised her wand.

"Imbeviless!" she cried confidently and the bezoars dissolved into a puddle. Snape took the pestle and dipped the end of a long syringe into it, sucking up a bit of the liquid. He capped the syringe and pocketed it.

"Condensom!" he said, pointing his wand at the remaining contents, which disappeared under his wand tip.

"Let's go," he said, motioning to the fireplace behind his desk. Ginny took her handful first.

"Malfoy Manor!" she shouted. A moment later she tumbled into the study, jumping out of the way into time to avoid being trampled by Snape. The professor glanced at his watch.

"Three minutes."

"Going somewhere, Snape?" a gruff voice said from the door. Ginny nearly rolled her eyes in frustration. Misters Crabbe and Goyle were blocking the doorway, their wands trained on her and Snape.

"Now is not the time to mess with me, Vincent," Snape warned icily.

"Oh, really?" Goyle grinned, a rather stupid look in Ginny opinion. "Big words for a traitor. How do you plan to move us?"

"Expelliamous!" Crabbe and Goyle's wands flew from their grasps, sailing - along with their owners - across the room and into a wall.

And to Ginny's amazement, Blaise Zabini, followed by Pansy Parkinson and Millicent Bulstrode strolled into the room.

"Go on, Professor," Blaise called from where she was standing over Crabbe and Goyle. "The battle's over, but Draco's just about had it."

Without a word, Ginny and Snape sprinted from the room.

The battle was indeed over, as was evident from the groups of Aurors, students, teachers, and Weasleys cleaning up and gathering Death Eaters up for arrest.

"Ginny!" Harry's voice rang across the room and Ginny grabbed Snape's arm, pulling him with her.

Draco lay where they'd left him, though now several people stood around him. Ginny dropped to her knees beside him and Snape joined her.

"Gin," Draco smiled faintly, his eyes glassy.

"Don't move, love," Ginny ordered, her eyes tearing at the sight of him. "Professor Snape's got your antidote and you're gonna be fine."

And indeed he was. A few minutes later, a group of Ministry mediwizards burst through the door and began moving through the bodies upon the floor.

"Mr. Malfoy'll be just fine," the old wizard who'd found them first informed them after looking Draco over and placing several protective charms around the boy. "The bezoar was an excellent idea, Mr. Snape. However, he will need to be moved to St. Mungo's for further treatment."

"Of course," Snape returned, though his eyes remained upon Draco, who was in turn gazing at Ginny.

"Well, we always knew it would happen," he smiled dazedly up at her.

"What?" she giggled, tears of relief streaming from her eyes.

"That me falling in love with a Weasley would get me committed."

*Three weeks later*

Ginny sighed. She was exhausted. Although school had begun again two weeks ago, she had been permitted a few weeks much-needed R & R at home. However, far from helping her relax, the extra time allotted her had only given her a good lot of time to dwell upon the events of the last month. Actually, the memories of her time with Jacie, Aden, and Draco were really mostly fond. It was the dying image of the latter blonde that had haunted her nightmares for almost every night.

As it happened, the youngest Malfoy was doing fine. He had been in recovery at St. Mungo's for a week, then been sent home to be looked after by his brother and Jacie, who were now officially engaged. Draco had written her once after he'd arrived home, telling her about how Aurors were now clearing out Malfoy Manor and how he and his brother and Jacie were confined to their rooms.

'I don't go into Aden's room without knocking very loudly,' Draco had written. 'Never know what those two get up to and I really don't want to know.'

The letter had continued in that vain, with much complaining about sappiness that Ginny knew to be real happiness at the prospect of finally having a sister.

Ginny's other consolation over her break came in the form of a large parcel from one Professor Snape.

'These books,' he had written in his concise accompanying letter, 'should help you begin to study up for your new class, Magical Healing, which will begin when you get back with Madam Pomphrey. I've marked all the pages you will need to have read before your return.'

Ginny had sent a profuse letter of thanks, which she was quite sure would be burnt and had read and memorized every book by the end of the first week.

Now, it was three days before her return to school, and though she was looking forward to it, she couldn't help feeling a bit disappointed on one count.

"I promised you the best Christmas you've ever had," were Aden's words. In all the excitement of her return home, everyone had forgotten that Ginny hadn't celebrated Christmas, as her return had been the day after. She felt a bit down on that front. She hadn't even opened her presents, and in fact wasn't sure where they were anymore.

Not that the presents matter so much, she supposed . . .

A soft knock of her door brought her out of her reveries.

"Gin," Charlie's deep voice came through the door. "Mum's made us lunch." Charlie had stayed home with her all three weeks to keep his 'favorite sister' company.

"Coming," she called, getting up off her bed and crossing to the door. Charlie grinned cheerfully as her and she felt a bit better as she stepped into the hall.

"You know," Charlie said, as they descended the stairs together, "reckon some of the garden gnomes have finally been knocked one time too many."

"What do you mean?" Ginny giggled. Her brother's chuckle answered.

"Well?" she turned to face him.

"Nothing much," the dragon trainer shrugged, continuing down the stairs and pushing her in front of him. "Just found some weird stuff out in the yard, is all."

Something in his tone made Ginny push passed him and hurry down the stairs to the back door. Forgetting a jacket, she pushed the door open and stepped into the frigid winter afternoon.

She gasped, stared, and burst into tears.

She was facing a large, sparkling igloo, obviously just built from many blocks of snow. And standing beside it -

"My snowman," she giggled through her tears of joy. She knew who'd built it.

"God, woman, you're always crying," a voice drawled from the entrance to the igloo. A moment later, Draco Malfoy came crawling out, expensive black robes peppered with white powdered. He got to his feet and folded his arms over his chest.

"Well?" he smirked. "Aren't you happy to see me?"

Ginny almost knocked him over as she threw herself into his arms. She was laughing now. She didn't know why, but hysteria seemed a good way to go that afternoon.

She pulled back and stared at him in wonder.

"But - how did you - I mean, I would have seen you building it - wouldn't I?"

"Not if we put charms on all the windows," he positively smirked at in satisfaction. "And we got your brother to help by making sure you didn't go outside."

"I was wondering why he was blocking the front door when I went down for breakfast this morning," Ginny said thoughtfully.

The sneer became a grin. "You're quick, Weasley." Then he bent and crushed her lips beneath his. She smiled against his mouth, happier than she'd ever been in her life. She felt him pushing her lips open and deepening the kiss and sighed into his mouth.

"Oi! Get a room!"

Ginny gently pulled back, giggling at Draco's disgusted expression and glanced over his shoulder.

"Aden!" she squealed, pulling away from Draco and giving her second favorite Malfoy a tight hug.

"Heya, princess," he, too, was grinning at her.

"Hey, Gin!"

"Jacie!" she moved to give the girl a warm embrace, but pulled back quickly, looking around in confusion. "Not to sound ungrateful or anything, but what're you all doing here?"

"Well," Jacie said, taking her arm. "Several things needed to get done before Den and I got married, so we thought we'd better do them now." She led the way into the igloo. Ginny followed.

"Son of Merlin!" she whispered in delight. It was lovely. Multicolored faerie lights that clung stationary to the walls lit the igloo with a green and red glow. A monster of a Christmas tree that, by all rights, should not have fit inside the igloo, stood against one wall. Under it was piled a respective mountain of presents. A small table off to the side that, upon closer inspection wasn't so small after all, held a Christmas dinner fit for a king. She felt an arm around her shoulders and another slide around her waist.

"I promised you the best Christmas you'd ever had, right?" Aden smiled down at her. "It's just a little late, is all."

"It's perfect," she murmured, as tears once again swam in her eyes.

"For Merlin's sake," Draco's somewhat exasperated voice met her ear as he pulled her down onto the pillow-laden Persian rug that covered the entire igloo floor. "You cry enough to flood a small city, Weasel. This is supposed to make you happy."

"I am happy, you clod!" Ginny laughed yet again, punching his arm. And she was. She'd never been happier in her entire life. "Shut up and hand me a present."

As it turned out, none of the others had gotten around to Christmas, either, so it took a good long while to open everything. Ginny was delighted to receive an entire Quidditch outfit from Charlie, including a pair of lined, black leather pants, knee-high dragon hide boots, gloves, shin guards, and flowing green robes. Bill had sent his promised 'personalized school survival it' which consisted of all her favorite blends of coffee and a Quick-Start Coffee Maker that would instantly transform the packets of instant coffee into the best latte or mocha she'd ever tasted. There was even a bizarrely shaped mug with a grinning and waving picture of her and Bill in their Weasley sweaters at last year's Christmas dinner. From Fred and George, some newly patented joke items that were rather unpredictable, but in Fred's words, "The best prank materials in existence today."

"Can't wait to try these out," Ginny giggled.

From Percy, she'd been surprised. He'd bought her a set of flowing white dress robes entirely made of silk. From Ron, she'd gotten almost every kind of candy Honeydukes made, with a note. "This about sums up all the candy I've ever stolen from you." Harry's gift was, surprisingly, a brand new Fire Bolt. "I reckon it'll look quite nice with Charlie's present," he'd written. Her mum and dad had bought her some pretty new clothes, a Weasley sweater, and a new supplies of Potions ingredients, "We were so proud to here that you've been accepted into Magical Healing, dear." Aden and Jacie had gone over the top and bought her an owl and a cat.

"Thing is, Gin," Aden explained when all the presents had been opened and four happy people reclined amongst the wreckage, "we couldn't really decide. See, owls are lovely for letters and junk like that, but there is no more brilliant animal in the world but a cat."

"He's lovely," Ginny breathed, stroking the pure white kitten with delight, while regarding the pitch-black owl with wonder.

"You can name 'em later," Aden said, getting up and plunking himself down at the table. "But right now, I'm starved. Let's dig in." Ginny was only too eager to comply. Chitchat ensued while they ate, until several questions occurred to Ginny.

"So when are you getting married?" she asked.

"Soon as we get Dad's estate thing sorted out," Aden rolled his eyes and took a bite of potato. "It's a nightmare, I'm telling you. He didn't leave a will for anything, except the estate, which is mine. Problem is, the Ministry's got a job cleaning all the dark junk out, so they're thinking about taking the house."

"Plus there's been this bloody inquiry that we've had to deal with," Draco said disgustedly, taking a long drink of pumpkin juice. "We've been hauled into about twenty departments for questioning. They want to make one- hundred percent sure that Voldie's really kicked the bucket before anything is announced."

"Another problem has been sorting out Death Eaters," Jacie went on, dipping a spoon into the gravy and spreading it liberally over everything on her plate. "Most of the wedding guests had criminal histories, but some of the kids have yet to be sorted out."

"I can testify for Blaise and Pansy and Millicent," Ginny spoke up. "They probably saved Snape and I from severe disfigurement."

"Right, that's the problem," Draco said. "And no one can really prove they're any more innocent than any other Death Eater in that room."

"And there's also the fact that Lucius - may he burn - didn't leave Draco anything - not a knut in his name," Aden muttered resentfully. "So he and I have to work out dividing up the inheritance."

"Er - what about your mum?" Ginny asked hesitantly.

"She died in St. Mungo's last week," Aden said quietly. "Bloody witch deserved it." Ginny saw Draco's hand go to rest over his stomach in memory. Jacie's hand came to rest calmingly on Aden's. Casting about for a change of subject, the redhead finally came up with,

"Can I be in the wedding?" This had the desired effect. The mood lightened considerably.

"Sure," Jacie smiled at her. "How does Maid of Honor sound?"

Ginny gaped at her.

"Really?"

"Sure," Aden lifted an eyebrow at her. "It's mostly your fault Jacie got landed with me, after all."

The rest of dinner progressed with more of the same lighthearted banter, but finally, when they couldn't eat another bite, Aden flicked his wand and the food and dishes vanished. He stretched, sighed, and stood.

"Well, Gin," he said, looking down affectionately at her. "We'd best be going. Gotta get back to the Manor and it's a hell of a long way from here."

They exited the igloo, and stepped into the frigid night, where snow was just beginning to fall.

"The igloo'll stick around until the snow melts," Jacie told her. "Then it'll just kinda vanish." She smiled and gave Ginny a long hug. "I'll let you know about the wedding. I'm thinking summer and I'm thinking bachelorette party." Ginny squealed. Jacie stepped back and Aden pulled her into a long hug.

"Write to us and let us know what's happening at school," he said. "If you're lucky, we'll have you and Draco come to stay over the Easter holidays." He grinned, and stepped back beside Jacie, gripping her hand.

"Don't take too long, Drake," he ordered, with a mischievous wink.

"I'll catch you up," Draco said. Jacie and Aden mounted their broom and shot off into the night.

"I didn't give you my Christmas present yet," the blonde explained, turning back to Ginny. She smiled.

"You didn't have to get me anything."

"Of course I did - it's my job to spoil you," he retorted, though the corners of his mouth were twitching. He pulled a small wrapped box from his robe pocket and handed it over. With trembling fingers, Ginny pulled the bow and paper from it and lifted the lid of the white velvet jewel box within. She gasped, for the umpteenth time that evening. Then she looked up at Draco with anxiety written all over her face. He laughed.

"It's not an engagement ring," he assured her, and she sighed with relief. "You really liked Jacie's so I had one made for you." It was the same band of interwoven platinum and yellow gold, with one white and one blood red gem. The two shared a setting and molded together into a helix shape. The symbolism was hard to miss, but Ginny couldn't have cared less.

"Oh, Draco," she threw her arms around his neck and smiled joyfully as his arms wrapped around her waist. "You're so lovely."

"What can I say?" he gave her a cheeky smirk. "Sometimes, I even amaze myself."

______________________________

THE END! IT'S THE END of my most popular story so far - although I suppose that's not saying much^_^ - and I'm still not entire clear on why you like it - but, hey, I'm not complaining. Anyway, thanks so much to all my readers and double smoochies for the nice, long reviews that helped me along or pointed out plot holes.

Bless you, dahling!

J.T. of Gryffindor