They couldn't go far; he was much too weak. Even with Ginny doing most of the work of Apparation, they still reappeared much too close to Potter's stronghold. And it was definitely Potter's now. Any sense of egalitarianism had burned away, until what was left was a hierarchal structure eerily reminiscent of the Death Eaters. When Draco had pointed this out, Potter had gone into a fury, only stopping to demand that Draco take it back. He had, eventually, because he would have given anything to stop the pain.

Almost anything. He'd never mentioned anything about Ginny, no matter what Potter did. Potter knew there was something there, because he had been captured while supposedly menacing Ginny, but everyone who had seen them knew there had been no danger involved in the two of them simply holding each other. No one would have spoken, though, due to Potter's rage.

"You should leave me," Draco said to Ginny now. "Potter... I'm too weak; you should run... But you won't."

"No, I won't." She smiled crookedly. "For two reasons. One, I didn't go to the trouble of getting the man I love out of the dungeon just to discard him like yesterday's fish."

His heart skipped a beat, as it always did with her, and he said, "I love you, too," before crushing her against him.

She hugged him back fiercely, but her tone was wry as she said, "Well, I hope you still do after I confess that reason number two is that I don't have a plan."

Draco started to laugh, only to have it turn into a racking cough. At last he said, "I should still have some safehouses. We can stay in one tonight and then use the battle as a distraction while we leave the country tomorrow, after you've healed me and we've rested. We'll go to America first; I've always wanted to see a real jazz band, and meet a Red Indian."

The smile on her face was something to behold, and he felt a bit of energy crawl back into his body as she said in a sultry voice, "I suppose we could rest a bit, in between. We have some catching up to do."

"Come on," he said, and this time he took charge of the Apparating. He fell to his knees once they got there, too dizzy and weak to stand, and let himself slip into unconsciousness as she floated him to the bed in the room and lay down beside him. She would take care of him. He could trust her completely.