She swallowed and refocused. "Where's Neville?"

Ginny pulled at a loose thread on her jumper. "On the third floor. Recovering."

"What happened?"

"Nagini got her teeth in his side before he killed her. Right below his heart."

Hermione's pulse pounded, but Ginny's face was calm.

"I siphoned out as much poison as I could, and we took the passage back to the Hog's Head. The True Order was arriving just when we came through. I found Fleur, and she gave me a Portkey to Rabastan Lestrange's house. I got there just— just after they'd freed Ron."

Ginny cleared her throat. Hermione closed her eyes, imagining it. Ginny reconnecting with her brothers for the first time in a year, arms thrown around each other, faces held as they sobbed. Ginny showing Ron the Elder Wand, and telling him how she'd gotten it.

"And then we came for you."

Her eyes flew open to find Ginny watching her again. Her face was wistful.

Hermione's lip trembled. She wanted to tear out of bed and embrace her. Tell her how she'd missed her, dreamt of her, cried for her. But she was too afraid she'd lost that right, somewhere in the hallways of Malfoy Manor.

Ginny reached for a piece of toast on the tray at the foot of Hermione's bed, offering it to her. Hermione shook her head. Ginny sank back into her chair, tearing at the pieces with her fingertips.

"They want me to ask you where you sent Malfoy."

Hermione's legs jerked, her hands twitching on her knees. Ginny looked up at her, slightly pained.

"I don't know. He never told me where the Portkey went."

Ginny tilted her head, twisting her lips downward like Molly used to when confronting the twins. "But even if you knew," she said slowly, "you wouldn't tell us, right?"

Hermione let out a sharp exhale. "Ginny, I can't even imagine the things you've been through. And I know you must be sick of hearing this, but I'm sorry, Ginny. I'm so, so sorry." Hermione's throat spasmed. She choked it down. "I understand why you assumed the worst. But you have to believe me when I tell you it wasn't like that for me. Draco and I care for each other quite a bit—"

Ginny stood quickly. "I'm not— I'm not the best person to talk about this." She took a step backward. Widening the chasm between them.

"Ginny—" Hermione's throat closed again. Her fingers clenched in the sheets. "I know how this must sound, but he's not what you think. He's nothing like Avery—"

"Really." Ginny crossed her arms over her stomach. "Funny that the last night I saw him, he was negotiating with Avery for the chance to rape the two of us at once."

"That's not— it wasn't like that!" Hermione jerked her head. "He was there because I wanted to see you—"

"Don't."

The word slashed through her chest, ripping her open.

Ginny's face swam in her vision. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I just— I can't."