�I still think that was cheating,� Ginny said sternly as she looked at Harry across the table.

He blinked innocently back at her. �I�m wearing the shirt. I don�t see how that�s cheating.�

Ginny pursed her lips and didn�t say anything. She looked around through the Muggle restaurant and shook her head. She flicked her eyes back to Harry as he counted out the money he�d exchanged at Gringott�s.

�Well, I don�t believe I said you could transfigure the shirt into any old thing-�

Harry looked up at her. �I�ll have you know this is not any old thing. Besides, you never said I couldn�t transfigure it either. It�s not my fault I found a loophole in your desire to humiliate me.�

Rolling her eyes, Ginny took another sip of her wine. They�d decided on eating out in Muggle London after realizing every place along Diagon Alley would just be filled with people saying hello and stopping for a chat. She had to admit that she preferred this way of dining much better. Just her and Harry alone. It was almost as though they were a normal couple. Almost.

She hid a smile as she watched him and looked away. He�d worn the pink shirt, this much was true. However, when she had come out of the loo she�d found him dressed in a dark green shirt and jeans. He�d transfigured the shirt to look better, complete with small pink snitches around the collar. She knew he�d added the snitches as a reminder that the shirt was still technically the pink one. He had only made it look better so that he�d look better. And Ginny had to admit that Harry looked very nice indeed.

Reminding herself that they still needed to drop by and see her parents later, she pushed the naughty thoughts out of her head and waited for him to finish paying the bill.

�Is Muggle money that hard to understand?�

Harry looked up at her. �No. I was just figuring the tip. You know I�m surprised you don�t know how to do this, what with your father being the way he is and all.�

�Yes, well, we never had wizarding money to bother with, let alone the Muggle kind.�

�Oh Ginny, I�m... I didn�t mean...�

�It�s okay, Harry. You�re right I should know more about Muggle money. It�s a practical thing to know. Want to teach me a few things?� she said, her voice dropping an octave. She smiled at him with a raised eyebrow.

Harry shook his head at her. �How is it you can be saying the most innocent thing and then suddenly I�m thinking things I shouldn�t be?�

�You�re a typical male finally?�

�Hah. I think you�re a bit of a minx, actually. You do it on purpose.�

Ginny grinned and nodded at the bill. �Are you done?�

�Yeah. Come on, the quicker we get to your parents, the quicker I can get you home,� Harry paused and looked at her. �That is I�m assuming one more night together won�t crowd your space any.�

�Harry, don�t make me sound as though I don�t want to be with you. Because you know I do.�

�I know,� Harry said, rolling his eyes. �Can�t blame a bloke for asking though, can you? I mean, you are coming back home with me, right?�

Ginny laughed as they headed out of the restaurant. She turned to him as they walked down the crowded Muggle street. Snuggling closer to him she whispered in his ear.

�With the way you look in that shirt, wild trolls couldn�t keep me away from your bed tonight, Harry.�

Harry blushed and took her hand into his. Neither he nor Ginny felt the eyes that watched them as they walked on.

Far in the North Sea, in the coldest water known to man, an island sits undetected by Muggle eyes. It is a cold and forbidding place, a place where you were meant to forget things. A place where you were meant to be forgotten. In the eyes of the wizarding world, Draco Malfoy all but had been.

Azkaban prison was no longer under the hold of the dementors, but that did not mean it wasn�t just as tricky to get around. Concentrated charms, Locking spells and other protections were used and re-fortified on an almost daily basis. Sometimes, in extreme cases, hourly. Giants, the ones that were left over allies from the war with Voldemort, patrolled certain cells and made sure no one got out. However, they weren�t quite as adept at making sure no one got in. Especially when that someone was the son of an important person like Donald Fagan.

Louis smiled to himself as he slipped in through the weak point he�d come across. Now if only he were a good and dutiful son. He was sure his father would like to know that his Ministry�s prison wasn�t quite as secure as he thought...

He watched the Giant as it lumbered back and forth in front of the door that would lead him to Draco�s cell. Stunners wouldn�t work, that was sure, not unless he tried to hit it with a hundred of them at a time, but it didn�t matter. Louis had other plans.

Smiling to himself, he reached into the sack he had been carrying and let loose the Ropes of Knossos. He watched in fascination as it slithered after its prey. So snakelike and beautiful. This rope was the parent of his own personal one and it had much stronger and deadlier talents. He watched as it wrapped itself around the giant�s foot, almost loving it like a second skin. For a moment Louis thought the giant knew what was happening as it paused and looked downwards. As the huge body slumped to the floor the rope coiled higher and faster, kissing its poison over the giant�s skin. Louis grinned again and slipped past it. He�d let the rope make nice with the Giant for awhile.

He moved quietly down the hallway and stopped when he reached the enclosed space that Draco had been calling home for the past four years. It was the same cell Draco�s father had lived in... once upon a time. The younger Malfoy had apparently been less motivated to find a way out. Louis knew that was about to change.

�My my... look at this, a defeated Malfoy,� he whispered, his voice carrying across the silence.

The prisoner snapped up his head at the sound and his eyes widened.

�Who�s there?�

Louis pulled the Invisibility Cloak off of himself and leaned forward, putting his face in the moonlight so that Draco could get a good look at him. He held up a hand and jangled something, causing Malfoy�s eyes to flick back and forth.

�Your savior, Malfoy. I�ve come to let you out.�

Draco stood, his body weak, yet still stable. Louis knew the man had been trying to keep fit during his imprisonment. Vain, until the last breath, as always. Louis watched as Draco narrowed his eyes at him.

�Who are you? I don�t know you.�

�I�m your new best friend, Draco. Now listen, I�m only going to say this once. Are you ready to get out? Because I have a job for you to do, but I won�t waste my time on you if you�re not able to do what I want you to do.�

Something of the old Malfoy sneer was still visible in his face and Louis knew then that his plan would work.

�Why should I help you?� Malfoy whispered, his voice harsh from the lack of use.

Louis smiled and used the object in his hand to undo the first of the Guarding Spells.

�Because, I�ve got the key to your freedom in my hand and I�m going to be giving you a chance to settle some old scores. Some very old scores.�

Draco raised his eyebrow and Louis saw another whisper of the man that he�d once been.

�Yeah? Such as? There�s only one score I�d like to settle...�

As Louis worked on the second set of spells, he nodded at his new ally.

�Aye. I know. And yes,� Louis said as he paused, his face breaking out into a larger smile. �This involves Harry Potter. I need you to get him out of the way, once and for all. Are you up for it?�

Draco�s eyes widened and then he smiled, his face twisting into some strange mask of bitter glee.

�Getting rid of Potter? Are you joking? It�s the only thing that�s kept me alive.�

Louis chuckled and then undid the last of the protection spells. He pocketed the object in his hand and then stepped back.

�Then join me, Draco. You and I have a lot to talk about.�

�Oh Ginny dear, I�m so... well, I�m surprised, but I�m so happy for you.�

Ginny and her mother were using their wands to tidy up the kitchen after having dessert and tea with everyone. Bill, who had just arrived from France, her father and Harry, were all talking in the living room. Charlie was due to come home in the morning.

Ginny looked at her mother. �Are you really? I mean, I know you care for Harry-�

�Oh Ginny. I love Harry, you know that. And I always thought he had a soft spot for you, but I never... oh, I don�t know what I�m going to do, what with Hermione and Ron getting married and now you and Harry-�

�Mum, Harry and me are not going to get married. At least, not quite yet. We�re just dating.�

�Yes, dear. But anyone can see how crazy he is for you and Ginny, I loved Neville but I never thought he made you happy-�

�Why is it everyone thought Neville never made me happy and yet they managed to let me continue dating him for so long? Didn�t anyone think to talk to me about it?�

Mrs. Weasley shrugged. �Maybe we�ve finally learned to stay out of your business?�

Ginny gave her mother an exasperated look. �Yeah, right Mum. I am happy that you�re not cross at me though. I didn�t want you to think I�d been stringing Neville along or anything. I honestly didn�t... well, let�s just say Harry coming home made me finally face up to some things.�

�I do hope you were kind to Neville though, he�s such a good sort-�

�Of course, Mum. I couldn�t hurt Neville. It�s probably why I stayed with him so long as it is.�

Her mother gave her a hug and Ginny pulled away, smiling. �What was that for?�

�You�re so grown up now, Ginny. I�m proud of the woman you�ve become.�

�Aw... Mum,� Ginny said, her skin flushing with embarrassment.

�I don�t tell you children nearly enough how proud of you I am. And that includes you, Harry,� Molly smiled as she looked past her daughter. Ginny turned her head and saw Harry standing in the doorway, a sheepish grin on his face. He came into the kitchen and stood next to her.

�I know that, Molly. You�ve always made me feel like a member of the family. Even when we disagreed about things, I always knew you loved me.�

Molly nodded and gave Harry a hug. �Oh I�m so happy for the two of you. I�m just...� Her mother broke away and started to cry. Harry looked a little perplexed as to what to say.

�Oh, Mum,� Ginny said, �It�s okay. I thought you were happy? We�re just dating, we�re not engaged or anything.� Her eyes flicked to Harry�s, who seemed to be remembering that if it were up him, they would be.

�I know, dear. I�m just happy that everyone is happy. When you get to be as old as I am and have as many children, you�ll understand maybe. Oh Harry, take care of her, would you?�

Harry nodded and Ginny had to bite her tongue to keep from rolling her eyes. �And I�ll be taking care of him as well, Mum. Don�t forget that.�

Harry�s eyes laughed at her as she led her mother from the kitchen.

�Of course, dear,� her mother said and pulled a handkerchief from her pocket as she blew her nose. She went into the living room to join her father and Bill. Ginny felt Harry behind her and smiled when he wrapped his arms around her waist.

�You know,� he said softly, �that didn�t go quite as uncomfortably as I thought. I do so love your family, Ginny. I don�t know where I�d be if I hadn�t found them.�

Ginny turned and smiled at him. �And I don�t know where we�d have been without you. I certainly would be a bit lost.�

�Nah. You�d still be the brilliant, clever witch you are today. Of that I have no doubt.�

�Yes, but I�d be awfully lonely.�

Harry laughed and kissed the tip of her nose. �Are you ready to go home?�

�Mine or yours?�

�Well, my bed is bigger...�

Ginny giggled. �Yes, good point. I�m not tired though.�

�Yeah, me either.�

�We still have to stop by the office,� Ginny said quietly.

Harry was about to respond when Bill interrupted him.

�Er... are you two forgetting where you�re at or doesn�t it matter that your parents and brother are watching you snog your boyfriend, Ginny?� Ginny and Harry pulled away from each other as though caught doing something wrong.

�We were not snogging,� Ginny said, her face red as she entered the living room.

�Yeah, bit too close for me though. Watch it Harry,� Bill said in a good-natured voice.

Harry smiled but he cleared his throat nervously. �Sorry. Your sister she er...�

�What?� Bill asked, his eyebrow shooting up, �she had something in her eye?�

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley laughed cheerfully and Ginny watched as Harry�s cheeks turned pink.

�Harry merely wanted to confer with me about when we were going to leave. We still have to drop by the office, since tomorrow is Sunday and there�s no work,� Ginny said matter-of-factly.

�Conferring, eh? Nice word, sis,� Bill laughed and then put up his hands when Ginny opened her mouth again. �Okay, okay. I�ll ease up on you two, but you�d best not let George and Fred see you do too much of that. They�ll crucify you, Harry. It�s in their nature as two bitter bachelors. Mum�s just been telling me about them going after Ron and Hermione. I think we should keep an eye on those two for this party...�

As talk turned once again to the upcoming engagement party, Ginny sat down with Harry on the sofa. It would just be a little while longer and then they could pop in at work and then back to Harry�s flat. Ginny felt herself flush with happiness at the thought. Independence or no, she had to admit that being with Harry did something to her insides. She squeezed Harry�s hand and he glanced at her, his eyes dark behind his frames. She knew that he couldn�t wait to get some place more private, either.

The next morning should have been about sleeping in, but Harry and Ginny were awakened by the tapping of a Ministry owl on the window. Stumbling out of bed, Harry went to let it in, cursing the cold air on his feet. The owl hooted as it swooped in and Hedwig ruffled her feathers in her cage.

�Alright, just give me the letter,� Harry grumbled at it. Ginny stirred on the bed and sat up, rubbing at her eyes.

�What is it Harry?�

�I don�t know, but I hope it�s worth it, it�s not even light outside yet. Hand me my glasses, would you please?�

Ginny rolled over and plucked his glasses off the bedside table. She held them out to him and he sat down next to her on the edge of the bed. Once he could see properly, he pried open the seal on the letter with his wand. Ginny read the letter over his shoulder.

Harry felt a strange sense of foreboding and he looked up at Ginny and saw the same thought reflected in her eyes.

�I don�t believe it,� he said simply.

�Me either. I thought they had giants protecting Azkaban now?�

�They do.�

�So how do you think he got out?�

Harry shook his head. Draco Malfoy had been a broken man when he�d finally caught up with him. He didn�t think Draco had too much fight left in him. Obviously he�d been wrong about that. Getting out of his cell was one thing, but past a giant as well?

�Well, so much for enjoying a nice relaxing morning in bed,� he said as he got up.

�I�m going in with you,� Ginny said and made as though to get up. Harry turned around and stopped her.

�No, stay. Sleep some more. It�ll just be a meeting. I�ll find out more and then come back here and fill you in. No reason both of us should be grouchy and tired.�

�Well, maybe they could use a seer�s help, did you think of that?�

Harry hadn�t actually. Still, he didn�t want Ginny to go with him for some reason, he couldn�t say why.

�Gin, Amelia will most likely be sending out the Auror�s to try to track him, first-�

�All the more reason I should go-�

�Look, the letter was for me. If she wanted you-�

�She would have sent an owl to my flat, not yours,� Ginny said stubbornly.

�True, but the owl would have known where to go, after not finding you. Come on, stay all cozy and comfortable in bed so I have something to cheer me up as I think of it at work. Please?�

�Fine. But come back as soon as you can. I don�t want to be laying about without you for too long, Harry.�

Harry smiled and sat down again. He kissed her softly. �You know, one of these days we will actually get to spend a full morning in bed.�

Ginny smiled at him. �And what? Be boring? Not for me thanks.�

Harry laughed and then headed in to take his shower. He didn�t like the icy feeling that had settled into his stomach as soon as he�d read the letter. Having Draco running about didn�t sit well with him for some reason. He�d caught him before and Harry assumed he�d be able to do it again. It was just...

There�s more to lose this time around, isn�t there?

If Draco so much as looked in Ginny�s general direction Harry would make sure it�d be the last thing he ever did.