Ginevra let out a blood curdling scream as she fell, but it was suddenly cut short when her body hit soft grass and the wind was knocked out of her in a loud oomph.

It was a few moments before she managed to orient herself as she slowly pushed her body off the dew-covered ground, and she inhaled the rich, familiar scent of roses wafting on the breeze accompanied by the steady bubbling of fountains in the distance. Ginevra didn't know whether to cry, or to throw up.

She was home.

Draco was suddenly on her, hauling her to her feet and dragging her along behind him. Ginevra was shaking so hard she didn't bother to protest his man-handing, the adrenaline thundering loudly in her ears.

"You pushed me." She heard herself say dumbly, though she wasn't sure Draco heard her.

"Ginevra!" someone called her name from across the lawn, and she had to blink back tears at the familiar voice. Before she knew what she was doing she'd pushed Draco's arm away, and was racing ahead of him, faster than she'd ever run in her life.

Narcissa stood at the Manor's entrance, her arms spread open as though she'd been waiting for her adopted daughter, and Ginevra couldn't care less that this woman probably didn't know who she was. She flung herself into Narcissa's arms, letting the older witch embrace her and smooth her hair.

"You're home now, darling." Narcissa whispered in her ear, as she gently brushed away the tears that had begun to spill freely down Ginevra's cheeks.

The action was so typically Narcissa that Ginevra couldn't help the strangled sob that slipped from her throat. "C-Cissa?" Ginevra stuttered the name she'd christened her guardian before she'd learnt to talk, and it was met with a watery smile.

"It's really me," Narcissa told her with a meaningful look, before Draco ushered the pair inside. "Lucius, they're here!" She called, and the man in question appeared at the top of the grand staircase.

Ginevra felt a second burst of joy at seeing the man she'd idolised as a father-figure, but Narcissa squeezed her hand before she could move toward him. Cissa must be the only one who knows, Ginevra thought with a shudder, suddenly less comforted by the presence of Lucius Malfoy. She'd never before found him to be an intimidating man, but now she was unsure of how to act around him; If Draco had hated her on sight, she could hardly bear to think what the patriarch of the Malfoy family's opinion of her might be.

He looked down his nose at her, his gaze shuttered, and she could tell from his barely concealed contempt that he was not happy with the current situation. When his eyes raked over the now filthy hospital gown she wore and her lack of footwear, she almost had the grace to blush.

But Ginevra Weasley had been raised with as much poise and dignity as any Malfoy, so instead of crumpling to the floor and weeping from the humiliation of it all she let go of Narcissa's hand, raised her chin, and moved across the foyer looking the very portrait of composure... Ginevra just hoped to Merlin that no one could see her still-shaking legs beneath the stiff fabric of her gown.

Lucius' expression didn't falter, but she still breathed a sigh of relief when he turned on his heel and marched down the upper landing. "This way."

Narcissa, Draco and Ginevra hastened to follow him, and when she glanced at Draco his tightly pressed lips said volumes about their predicament.

Instead of dwelling on his tight expression, Ginevra took in her surroundings, drawing strength from the ancient manor she had called home for most of her life, and knew that here she was untouchable.

Draco hadn't missed the inexplicable familiarity between Ginevra and his mother, nor had he missed the blatant affection the two seemed to share for each other.

Draco also hadn't missed the lack of Ginevra's ever present disdain for his father. The flame of utter reprehension she had carried for him since the incident during her first year at Hogwarts had been burning furiously for as long as he'd known her.

Perhaps the most interesting - or the most baffling - thing that Draco hadn't missed, was how she knew her way about Malfoy Manor. The place was like a maze, even to Draco on occasion, yet she'd gone forward without the barest hint of hesitation or uncertainty of her surroundings.

He filed away the observations, certain he would have plenty of time to piece this puzzle later.

"We don't have much time," His father was saying as he led their little group to the end of the corridor. Lucius paused, as though hesitant to reveal any of the Malfoy's secrets to an outsider, but Ginevra kept walking as though she had known all along that the solid wall at the end of the hallway was just an illusion before she disappeared through it. Draco exchanged a perplexed look with his father, but his mother had followed the Weasley girl as though this kind of thing was common occurrence. "What in Merlin's name...?"

Narcissa leant back through the tapestry. "We don't have much time," She told the men, and Draco knew his expression had turned as dark as his father's.

But now wasn't the time, and he followed his father through the tapestry where his mother and Ginevra had made some decent headway up the gloomy spiral staircase. Their shadows flickered eerily along the stone walls of the passage as the four of them walked single file toward the highest point of Malfoy Manor.

After a while their party stopped, Narcissa and Ginevra moving slightly further up the staircase to make way for Lucius to unlock the well concealed door. This part of the stairwell was exactly the same as the rest, with absolutely nothing to implicate it as a place of significance. This final passage was the best-kept secret of Malfoy Manor, more than ever now that the Aurors had made sure to pull the mansion apart after the last war. They had of course discovered this hidden stairwell, but so far as they were aware it only lead to a hidden vault, where some of the most treasured Malfoy possessions were kept. Other than that, there was no other nefarious purpose for the hidden passageway on the first floor of the East wing... that the Aurors had found.

Lucius plucked a long strand of hair from his head and wrapped it around the wand he had sleekly pulled from where it was hidden in his cane. He then crouched and pressed the tip of his wand to a stone that was as perfectly uniform as it's brethren. "The master of Malfoy manor seeks sanctuary."

He said, and a section of the wall slid away in a rush. He marched through the new archway, and Draco waited patiently for his mother then Ginevra to slip through the opening before taking the rear.

"Everything has been arranged." Lucius called back to him as they continued down the new passageway. "Narcissa and I have been to a banquet at the Nott's this evening. You made a brief appearance to attend to some business with Theodore and Blaise, after which the three of you left the estate to visit The Leaky Cauldron where you were seen by multiple eyewitnesses - Theodore will unfortunately be difficult to track down for the foreseeable future, while Blaise will cover for both your whereabouts and tell the Aurors that you are with Theodore until this... situation has been resolved.

"Undoubtedly the Aurors will be upon us soon, if they haven't arrived already. The House-Elves have been instructed to escort them through the manor in my absence, as we have nothing to hide, and to fetch me from my engagement as they ordinarily would during an impromptu visit from Ministry Officials."

"Ordinarily?" Ginevra cut in. "As in, they do this often?"

Draco didn't need to see his father's face to know his expression was nothing short of contemptuous. "Of course, Miss Weasley. Where did you think your beloved Potter disappeared to at all hours of the evening?"

"Lucius," Narcissa said, her tone reprimanding. "Do not speak of things you know nothing of."

Draco couldn't help but notice that Ginevra didn't jump to Potter's defence, as he'd been expecting her to. "What Potter may or may not be doing at any time of day is not something I'd ever care to know about, except when it threatens me or mine." She said, somewhat ambiguously, and he wished he could see her expression.

He raised his eyebrows when Narcissa let out a gentle laugh, as though she understood Ginevra perfectly. Merlin, this is weird.

Before the conversation could continue, their party reached another door. The sleek mahogany was barely visible beneath the collection of mismatched keyholes covering the surface, all leading to a different kind of refuge - or mortal peril, if you were careless in your choice.

Draco's eyes widened at finally seeing the Malfoys' most fiercely protected Dark object. It was something only to be used in dire need, and so he'd never even had the opportunity to be in this part of the Manor, let alone to stand in front of the magnificent door that had featured in some of his favourite bedtime stories when he was a boy. His mother had weaved a different tale every evening; every trip through the door held a new adventure.

Like any magical object, if you hadn't been taught how to use it you might be more likely to destroy it - or yourself. Draco knew that he, being one of the people to enter whatever room was summoned, would have to unlock the door.

Lucius moved aside and Draco stepped forward. "Invenio," he murmured, and a keyhole to the top left, plated in ebony and gilded in gold, glimmered.

"Patefio," he said, and there was a slow grinding noise as the lock began to twist.

Draco waited with bated breath until the door finally unlocked with a 'click', taking a moment to steel his resolve before reaching forward and twisting the doorknob. With an ancient groan, the heavy wood swung back on it's hinges, and Draco stepped into the darkness beyond.

Ginevra couldn't help but gasp as Draco was swallowed in the thick black that seemed to leak from within the room he had revealed.

She had been to this door once before, when she was a very young girl. It had been so long ago that she'd almost forgotten the day that Narcissa had led Draco and her through the then-frightening corridors. They had seemed almost cavernous to her and impossibly long, almost as though they might never end. Her little legs had ached as Narcissa ushered them down the deserted halls, and it felt as though they had walked for days though she now knew it couldn't possibly have been for longer than a few minutes.

"Hurry up, my darlings," Cissa had encouraged them intermittently, sounding so steadfast that Ginevra hadn't noticed the tiny quiver in her voice at the time. "We only have a little ways to go until we reach the safe place."

The walls of the mansion had seemed to shake with every crash that echoed from behind them, and Ginevra's tiny body had quaked with fear at every shattering crash that chased them through the dark.

Then they'd reached the door, the three of them stopping in front of it. Narcissa had carefully taken Ginevra and Draco to the side of the corridor, sitting them a safe distance away from the object. Ginevra had wrapped her little hand around Draco's as Narcissa paced before them like a lioness protecting her cubs, and he had allowed her the small concession, even though at seven he was too grown up for those sorts of things - as he'd told her time and time again since his last birthday.

Ginevra had stared at the door then, the glossy wood barely visible beneath the door's decoration. Her bottom lip had curled in distaste at the motley mish-mash of keyholes, some ornately decorated with gold and jewels, while others seemed nothing more than holes gouged into the wood.

Still, she had been unable to stay the hand that slowly raised to brush against a particularly plain one with a child's curiosity; nothing more than stainless steel with a clunky, old-fashioned keyhole carved in the centre of it.

Narcissa had quickly spotted her reaching hand and immediately darted over to stop her. "I know it doesn't look it darling, but it's very dangerous," she'd told Ginevra in a patient voice. "Do you remember the stories I used to tell you at bedtime? What happened to little Eponine Malfoy?"

Ginevra had pouted when Draco stole her chance to answer. "Eponine Malfoy was a naughty little girl who wouldn't do as she was told, and one day she got lost exploring. She found The Door and when she tried to push it open, she got sucked through a keyhole," he'd told his mother matter-of-factly.

"But her father found her," Ginevra had said, now recalling the tale. She had always thought Eponine was a silly little girl, but envied the fact she got to go on such a great adventure.

Narcissa had nodded solemnly, leaning down to give Ginevra a gentle hug. "That he did, my love. But that was many years later, and he missed his little witch very much. What would Lucius and I do without you?"

Ginevra had stuck her tongue out at Draco over Narcissa's shoulder and he returned a nasty face in kind just as the door swung open, and Ginevra had been unable to help the tiny yelp that escaped as she imagined all kinds of beasts lurking in the dark beyond.

"It's ungentlemanly to behave in such a manner, Draco," someone had said from the shadows, and she'd recognised Grandfather Abraxas' voice.

Narcissa had straightened, shooting a pointed look at Draco that made Ginevra smirk, but she hadn't commented on either of their behaviours. Instead, she'd taken each of their hands just as another thunderous crash shook the house and ushered Draco and Ginevra through the dark doorway. "Grandfather will take care of you until your father and I get rid of the bad wizards."

Ginevra had faltered, reluctant to let go of Narcissa. "But Cissa, I don't want to be like Eponine," she'd said tearfully.

Draco had taken her hand once more then, and Ginevra had blinked up at him in surprise. "I'll keep you safe," he'd told her solemnly, and Narcissa had kissed each of them on the cheek before the door had swung closed.

Now, she looked on with bated breath as Draco plunged into the thick dark the door had revealed, feeling a tremor of what might have been concern for a man she hardly knew. Narcissa gently twined her fingers through Ginevra's own, as though she could sense the inner turmoil roiling through her.

There was a deafening silence as the three looked on tensely, waiting for something.

"Lumos," came a whisper. The darkness fled and Draco appeared, standing within a richly furnished sitting room – exactly like the room she had just remembered. He turned to look at them, having thoroughly searched the room. "It's clear."

Narcissa embraced Ginevra, pressing a tender kiss to her cheek, just as she had done so many years ago. She lingered a moment, whispering, "He'll keep you safe once more," before leading Ginevra to the door.

Lucius gave them a solemn look as he stood just outside, Narcissa moving to take his arm. "We'll return once it's safe," he said, then the door swung shut with an audible click as the lock sealed them within.

Ginevra stared at the door somewhat blankly as Draco took a better look around the room, his heavy footsteps a steady beat in time to her own pounding heart. After all that, she and Draco were just supposed to sit here... and wait.

"There's food," Draco remarked casually, then there was the rustling sound of a curtain being drawn, "and a bathroom, which you might want to –"

"Don't you dare," she snapped fiercely as she turned to face him with her hands on hips, but was startled to find the corner of his mouth upturned in a smirk. Her temper flared once more as she remembered the moment they'd had on the rooftop in a rush, and she could feel her cheeks begin to grow hot. "You threw me off a building!"

He crossed to a small table in the centre of the room where, just as he'd said, some food had been laid out. Draco picked up a crisp green apple and took a bite, only offering her a shrug.

"You threw me off a building, and you don't seem to be the least bit remorseful," Ginevra snarled at him, her fists clenching and unclenching.

Draco eyed her as he crossed to a plush lounge suite situated before a fire, taking his time to finish chewing another bite of his apple before answering. "'Throw' is an awfully strong word, isn't it? I thought it was more of a push."

"Feet off the furniture," she told him as he sat down, clearly intending to rest them on a low coffee table, and she had to stifle a rise of emotion at the familiar exchange. "You threw me, and I am not going to debate with you over semantics."

"Then take a deep breath and make yourself comfortable. I did what was necessary to get us out of there. Have I had a single thank you for it? No, so if anyone should be complaining then it should be me for having to risk my neck, my reputation and my position for you," he told her somewhat snarkily, taking another bite of that damned apple.

Ginevra scowled at him. "Of course, how utterly impolite of me. Thank you, Draco, for being an ignoble git who wouldn't know chivalry if it struck him in the face."

"You seem to be confused about which of us was raised with manners," Draco said with a sneer and Ginevra felt a thrill of satisfaction that she'd got a rise out of him.

"Ah, yes, who am I supposed to be? A peasant Muggle-lover, or some such rot," she snapped. "In case you didn't notice, Draco, I'm not."

With that he was off the lounge, advancing on her, and she had to prevent herself from backing away. He stopped, his expression blank though she could clearly feel the tension in those taut muscles. Her breath stopped altogether as he made to grab at her, but he only took her hand, lifting it so he could take a good look at the diamond perched delicately on her finger. "I was wondering about that, actually," His voice was low as he ran a thumb slowly across her knuckles, barely grazing the ring. "Who exactly are you, Ginevra?"

She snatched her hand away at his searing touch. Ginevra was tired – so spent that she couldn't bring herself to feign her usual cold indifference. Instead, she merely offered him a sad look, unable to hide the raw emotion raging in her heart. "You're asking the wrong person..." I hardly know myself.

Author notes: Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to review, I really appreciate it. :)

Tune in next time, where Draco and Ginevra may or may not end up murdering each other while they're stuck in a confined space!