"Not by his choice. Nott almost killed him. Professor McGonagall had to drag him up here. He didn't say anything to us, but Hermione had to stop Ron from going after him," Ginny said, watching Harry's reaction to the news.
                              
      "Is he alright?" Harry asked, curiously. 
                              
      Ginny stared at him for a few seconds, before answering, "Yeah, he snuck out as soon as Madam Pomfrey finished mending him from Nott's attack," Ginny paused again briefly, but continued. "Malfoy? How can you care about him? He took you to Voldemort," she finished, more confused than anything else.
                              
      "I don't know..." he truthfully said, "but I couldn't let them kill him."
                              
      "But he wanted them to kill you," Ginny said, amazed.
                              
      "No, he didn't. I saw it in his eyes. He was just as scared as I was," Harry said, quietly leaning back and looking up into the ceiling.
                              
      Ginny left it at that, but as Harry sighed in pain, she hesitantly asked, "Are you going to drink your potion?"
                              
      She indicated to the potion still on the table next to his bed. He was starting to daze again, and he got a reproachable look from Ginny, so he agreed. He drank it and quickly fell asleep without another thought.
                              
      He woke up the next morning to Ron and Hermione's loud whispering, which seem to be about Malfoy. He had not opened his eyes, yet, but tried to hear what they were saying.
                              
      "I find it hard to feel sorry for him. His father was a Death Ea-" Ron spat.
                              
      "His father was just killed, Ron!" Hermione whispered. "And he was almost killed by Nott, too!"
                              
      "...that little prat, I oughta go down there and give him another black eye," Ron growled loudly.
                              
      "Ron! Shh! You'll wake him up!" Hermione hissed.
                              
      "Too late," Harry said with difficulty.
                              
      They all jumped, as he opened his eyes and looked at them. Ginny was again sitting sleepily in her chair, sending a look of annoyance to Ron and Hermione, who now had equal looks of concern on their faces.
                              
      "Harry! We're sorry we woke you," Hermione apologized.
                              
      "Don't worry about it. It was bound to happen eventually," he said, smiling, but pain hit him as he tried to sit up. 
                              
      "Maybe you shouldn't get up, mate," Ron said, almost putting his hands up to stop him.
                              
      "I'll be fine," he grimaced, but pulled himself into an upright position anyway.
                              
      The pain was starting to lessen. He was starting to regain control over his muscles, again. The shaking had decreased, but he still ached in pain. No one had said anything as he got up. It was silence that he was well used to. Every year seemed to end this way.
                              
      "Leave Malfoy alone, Ron," he said, quietly, looking up at him.
                              
      Ron did not respond. Harry doubted he would have done anything, but he was making his feelings clear.
                              
      "Harry, are you alright?" Hermione said, tears forming in her eyes, as she sat at the end of his bed.
                              
      "I don't know," he said, slowly. 
                              
      The reality of Dumbledore's death had not sunk in, yet. There was also a grim knowledge that now he was the only one who can fight him. It was his destiny. He glanced over at Dumbledore's vacant bed.
                              
      "So, what'd I miss?" he asked, nonchalantly.
                              
      "Not much. Nott fired the Dark Mark into the sky and then he went after Malfoy, who barely managed to Disarm him. The Ministry came and arrested Nott. They are looking for Seamus and his mother. Apparently, she killed Seamus's father a while ago," Ginny said.