Saving Each Other

Chapter 3: Out of the Frying Pan . . .

"Shit!" said Draco aloud as he plunged his hands into his robes, searching for his wand.

"W-w-what-t-t?" Ginny asked through chattering teeth.

"Just keep you head down and hang on!" said Draco through clenched teeth as he finally found his wand. "Inivisibilus!" shouted Draco.

The world shimmered slightly as the charm took effect. They were now invisible to their pursues. Upon realizing they had used an invisibility charm, the cloaked individuals, now on broomsticks, started sending random curses and hexes through the air, hoping to get lucky and hit something.

Draco stared around, relatively safe for the moment, trying to figure out what to do next.

Head For Hogsmede, Draco thought. He turned and zoomed off in the direction of Hogsmede. Draco looked down and saw that they were almost out of the Hogwarts grounds. He looked back up just as they were about to pass over the boundary and mentally urged his broom to go faster when they were suddenly flung backward into the air over the Hogwarts grounds.

Draco's invisibility charm had died on contact with the invisible wall separating them from the rest of the world. Ginny was studying the air in front of them with faint curiousity.

"It-t's a env-v-vironment-t-t ch-charm," Ginny said faintly. "It-t p-p-prevent-t-ts anyt-t-thing f-f-from g-g-get-ting out-t-t and-d m-m-makes anyt-t-thing th-that t-t-ouch-ches it-t unch-charm-mable f-for a m-m-minut-te."

Unfortunately the Death Eaters spotted them about twenty seconds into their uncharmable minute.

"Hang on!" was all Draco had time to yell before he abruptly dove for the ground, causing Ginny to shriek and bury her face in his robes, twining her arms tightly around him.

Draco swooped over the lake, dodging innumerable hexes and curses, using every move he had ever learned in Quidditch to stay two steps ahead of their pursuers.

I wonder how much longer until I can use the invisibility charm again! thought Draco frustratedly as a stunning charm narrowly missed hitting him in the head. He corkscrewed straight up then wove a convoluted path back in the direction of Hogsmede, taking care to stay well within the Hogwarts grounds.

It HAS to have been a minute now! Draco thought as he dodged behind a tree which promptly blew up under a hail of hexes and curses.

Draco extracted his wand from his robes and yelled, "Invisibilus!" Time seemed to freeze in the few heartbeats it took to see if the charm had worked. Finally what seemed like an eternity later, the world shimmered and Draco dove sharply to avoid any last curses or hexes flung their way.

Draco breathed a sigh of relief and slowed significantly looking around, trying to decide where to go. His roving eyes finally settled on the Forbidden Forest. It was their only chance.

He flew low and fast into the forest heading for a cave he had found while exploring the forest the previous year. He had just plain gotten fed up with everything: his father, Dumbledore, the Dream Team, even his lackeys, Crabbe and Goyle.

They finally reached the cave and he dismounted his broom, still holding Ginny in his arms. He looked down into his face, a sarcastic remark on his lips. Instead he frowned and said, "Ginny?"

She didn't respond.

Shit, she's unconcious! Draco realized. I'm positive that no hexes or curses hit her so it must have something to do with get fall into the lake. I'm no medi-wizard!

Draco carried her into the cave and laid her down. He conjured candles into the air and conjured a sleeping bag and laid her in it. He felt her forehead as he looked at her since he didn't know what else to do. His expression changed from concern to panick and he flipped his hand over, feeling her forehead again.

"Oh fuck."