[HP] Three thousand days of innocence

The weekend passed slowly, and in order not to think about their possible reconciliation, Ginny went to the Agrippa von Nettelheim Library in Diagon Alley to study the barrier Harry had used on Draco.Instead of being encouraged, what she discovered dashed her hopes: anti-magic barriers, when applied to people, create spaces of extraordinary power, where magic cannot enter or work.This would effectively prevent Draco from using any wandless magic.

It also keeps Ginny from touching him or approaching him.

When she arrived at the Ministry of Magic on Monday morning, she received another blow.Harry called her into his office as soon as she arrived, and Ginny sat down across from him, trying not to look at the bandages on his ears.She wondered if his hearing had returned to normal.

"You need to speak up," Harry yelled, answering the question she hadn't asked. "I can only hear a little."

"Okay," Ginny said, without raising her voice.

"The lawyer for the Malfoy family believes that due to Malfoy's memory loss, the pre-trial date should be brought forward," Harry said. "Montgomery's right - if Malfoy needs to be treated by St. Mungo's, they should have as much time as possible to try to cure his memory loss. If it's a cure."

Ginny blinked.if? "But I remember Ron saying Hermione did the research," she said slowly. "I thought all amnesia was curable."

"What?" Harry said to her, stretching his neck.

"Nothing," she said.She called out to him: "If it's not Friday, when is the pre-trial?"

"Tomorrow," Harry replied. "Montgomery is insistent. That way they can formally investigate Malfoy's mental state sooner."

Ginny stared at him dumbfounded.tomorrow? Within 24 hours?Merlin - so much to do in such a short time - had to tell Draco what was going to happen - what he had to do - what was she still doing sitting here?

Ginny said goodbye to Harry, ran to her workshop, put her bag by the chair, then went to Ron's office and poked her head in. "Did Harry tell you the pre-trial was early?" she asked him.

"Just told me," he said, taking his foot off the table. "Seventh Court at noon. I want you to go—"

"Yes, I'll go right away." She smiled at him, then walked quickly to the elevator.These days, she feels like Persephone, going to hell on a regular basis.There are no windows in the detention room, because it is deep underground and the air is very dirty.It was like a place of the dead, and Draco loved playing rugby, and she knew the lack of sunlight must have hurt him.

When she got there, another witch guard was guarding Draco's cell, none other than Lynn Hargreaves, the witch who had helped Ginny catch Draco a few weeks earlier.Lynn waved her happily. "You caught the suspect without my help!" she said.

"Yes." Ginny replied politely. "I'm sorry for messing things up that day. I know you want to help me."

"Oh, it's okay." Lynn said with a smile. "I'm glad there's one less criminal on the street, no matter who caught it."

"That's right," Ginny said, forcing a smile. "I'm going to have to talk to Della now - the suspect. Circumstances related to the case. Something has changed."

"Okay." Lynn said happily. "Go in. If you need me, I'm here. Be careful of the barrier when you go in. Mr. Potter didn't tell me the diameter of the barrier."

Ginny knocked on the cell door with her wand, thankful that the anti-magic barrier didn't seem to fill the room.She walked into the dark cell, her heart pounding, as if it was about to jump out of her chest, and she took a few slow, deep breaths, rubbing her sweaty palms against the Auror robes.Draco was lying on his back on the cot, his pale eyes gleaming in the dim light of the hallway.He is looking at her.

To keep herself busy, Ginny closed the door and conjured up a lamp to hang on the wall, making the room even brighter.She heard him move behind her, the old bed groaning at his movement, but she was still startled when she turned and saw him standing about six feet away.

He swallowed, and his Adam's apple twitched. "Ginny--"

"Wait a minute." She pointed at Lynn with her wand, and whispered an ear-plug spell to her. "We can't say so," said Ginny, putting away her wand. "There are eyes and ears all over the Ministry, and I wouldn't be surprised if we're being watched all the time - especially after last week."

"Then—but if we've provoked suspicion—"

"Please," she said, and he closed his mouth.Draco walked towards her, and Ginny held up her hand. "You have a spell on you that keeps magic from you. Keeps me from getting near you."

"Can't you undo it?"

"Harry may have cast a Tracking Charm," she said. "That means if someone breaks the spell, the alarm will go off. I can't do that."

"I want to see where it extends," he said.He walked forward cautiously, getting closer and closer to her.She could see how gaunt and pale he was now, with very dry hair and heavy shadows under his eyes.He needs fresh air and sunshine—

When he was about two feet away from her, Ginny felt something push her. "Here it is," she said. "You can't get any closer or I'll be pushed against the wall."

He looked up into her eyes. "I guess it's better than nothing," he said softly.

"Yes." She agreed.

There was an awkward silence in the air that seemed to last for hours. "What's wrong with Harry?" he asked, frowning.

Ginny flinched. "You broke his eardrum. He's recovering, but pretty much deaf."

"Damn it," he grumbled. "I didn't even know I could—damn."

"Why were you such an asshole last week?" she asked him, frowning.

He moved his feet uneasily. "I told you I had a hard time trusting people, didn't I?"

She nodded. "continue."

"It's because of amnesia," he said. "I realized early on that anyone can come up to me and tell me who I am and I can't argue with them. But what if someone wants to make a cruel joke? Make me believe things that aren't true about me ?So I've learned not to believe what people say unless I can prove it myself. I only know you here." He looked down at his crossed fingers, then up at her. "I've thought about what you said for a long time. I agree with everything you say, as long as I don't have to deal with the people who come here."

"Okay." Ginny agreed, looking into his face.She stared at him hungrily, hating every inch of distance between them.Damn Harry and his barrier.He is damned.

"Two pence for what you think at the moment," Draco said softly.

Ginny smiled, her heart in her throat. "Are they worth that much now?"

He smiled at her. "You know how it goes. The strength of the pound against the dollar or something."

"Oh! I almost forgot!" Ginny reached into her robe pocket and pulled out what John had given her. "Stand back a bit, I need to get them back to their original size."

He stepped aside obediently, and Ginny placed the suitcase and scrapbook on the stone floor between them, muttering a spell under her breath, and the two grew bigger, and Draco's eyes widened. "These have all been checked," she said. "So not as well-groomed as John. They're mostly looking for wands, magical items that help you subdue guards, or—" She paused, and he looked up. "I also checked for sharp objects," she added almost inaudibly.

"Thank you." He knelt down and opened the square black suitcase on the ground.It was back to its normal size, and Ginny saw stickers for Florence, Paris, London, and even Casablanca, Moscow, and Cape Town. "Well done, Palmer," he said with a smile, producing a clean shirt and trousers. "He's thought of everything, hasn't he?"

"I asked him to get you some new clothes," she said. "I think—I mean, maybe those clothes you're wearing aren't very clean."

Draco sniffed his armpits and grimaced. "Indeed," he agreed. "At breakfast, I got a bucket of water to wash in." He grabbed a pair of jeans, an undershirt, and a gray Oxford shirt, threw them on the bed, and immediately began undressing.

Ginny stepped back, thinking he should be given some privacy - but he gave her a bold look up as he pulled his top off his head.The room temperature rose several degrees immediately.She looked at the familiar lines, his neck, shoulders, chest and thighs, as he undid his trousers, which fell to the floor.She was a fool—a complete fool.This man made her feel like she had never felt before, and she almost gave up everything.

"You haven't answered my question yet," he said, kicking his pants aside.

Ginny swallowed, feeling weak just seeing him. "What? Oh—you ask—what do I think?"

"Your thoughts." He bent down and pulled up his jeans.

"I—Okay." She smiled. "I had no coherent thoughts just now."

Draco pulled on his undershirt and oxford shirt, the corners of his mouth curled up. "Please," he said. "It's embarrassing. I can't believe you didn't see me blushing."

"You're nothing - nothing to be embarrassed about," said Ginny coldly.

He bowed his head with a smile and began to button his buttons. "Palmer's been working out really well," he said. "He's always going to the gym or something. I'm afraid I eat too much of my home-cooked meals."

"God, if you don't get dressed soon, I'm going to do something I regret."

He raised his eyebrows and rested his hand on the zipper of his jeans. "What's up?"

Ginny licked her lips, pleased to see his eyes darken. "I really hate Harry right now," he said as he pulled on his trousers.

She laughed.Draco, you don't know.

They ended up sitting at opposite ends of his bed - Draco at the head, Ginny at the foot - each with an arm outstretched on the thin blanket, as if they could pretend to be holding hands . "I'm here to tell you that the preliminary hearing is tomorrow," she whispered. "They will list all the crimes you have been charged with and ask you to declare whether you are innocent or guilty."

"But I don't know if I did those things," Draco said. "What is the use?"

"Your procedure will be different," she said. "Tell them you don't remember, explain everything Dr. Walcott told you about dissociative fugue, and the Wizengamot will investigate. You will be taken to the hospital, treated, and restored to memory. "

He froze. "You mean—I can remember everything again?"

Ginny nodded, suddenly speechless.

Draco looked down at the outstretched hand. "Do I want to remember?"

"What are you talking about? Of course you want to, which means—"

"It's going to change the way I look at everything."

"There's nothing like clearing you of all charges," she said. "That's our top priority."

"It's just as important," he insisted, sitting up straight. "You said I used to humiliate you when I was in school."

"so what?"

"Why did I do that? Is it because of money? Knowing that I once looked down on people who were poorer than myself, would I think so again?"

"Weasley and Malfoy have always hated each other," she said flatly, trying to get back to the point. "Look, if they—"

"If there's anything in my memory..." He paused, turning to look at her.Ginny's heart sank: that was the expression she had missed for a long time.He used to always look at her like that. "If I think of something and change my opinion of you..."

"You have to take the risk," she said, though the thought terrified her.Teenage Draco loathed the Weasleys; if he thought about it again, she couldn't stand it. "I won't let them send you to Azkaban."

"What if I did kill the boy? It would change how you treat me..."

Ginny looked down at her hands, surprised to see that she was clutching the worn blanket. "I wish I could tell you everything that's in my head," she said softly. "What I feel, what I think, what I want to say—but I can't. I shouldn't even be here, I'm an Auror in uniform—"

"Then you should leave," Draco said, leaning forward. "If you get into trouble, I will not be held accountable for my actions."

He stood up, and Ginny followed him to the door.Draco gave her one last look, eyes full of words they couldn't say aloud. "What you said last week," he said, "you mean that night—when I broke all the glasses and plates in the kitchen?"

She nodded.

"Everything you said that night—"

"It's fake." She said softly.

He ran his trembling hands through his hair.

She smiled at him sadly, she just wanted to throw herself into his arms and confess her love to him, instead of talking so covertly. "I'm talking ironic. It always has been. Regardless of the outcome of this trial."

He had the biggest smile on his face; his smirk always made her go hot. "Really?" he asked softly.

"Are you ready to go, Miss Weasley?" Lynn's voice came from the corridor.

"Yes." She replied, never taking her eyes off Draco.With her hands over her heart, she reluctantly left the cell, leaving him behind.