Disclaimer: Do you really think I'd be using this tiny laptop if I had written the books? No? Then all credit goes to J.K. Rowling.

It Means Nothing

Draco Malfoy had been having the strangest dreams lately. In some, he chased something, something he couldn't see, something with red hair—and that alone was frightening. Then there were the other dreams, the ones that made even him blush. In those he had no trouble identifying the other person, and he knew they were the same one he chased in his other dream. Just remembering the dreams made him shudder. And yet, he found himself remembering them often—much too often. Simply reliving the fantasies he had made him shiver in pleasure. So when he turned the corner that night he was totally overcome with desire.

It was late, and Ginny was pissed. Dean treated her like she was totally helpless—like she had some horrible crippling disease. Well, now at least she wouldn't have to deal with him any more. That relationship was over. But she felt empty, without someone there to hold her. She knew it was just loneliness and unrequited love for Harry, but still she couldn't control the feeling of loss. So she had decided to go for a walk. And walk she did. Ginny wandered all over the castle, not caring where she ended up. Little did she know, someone else had the same intention.

She thought she was somewhere near the Charms corridor when she stopped and leaned against the wall. She was just staring into space when someone turned the corner, mere feet away from her when he stopped.

When Draco saw her just standing there, a surge of God-knows-what ran through his body. He was close to her before she could pull out her wand, and then he stopped.

"Malfoy! Get away from me, or—"

"Ginny." He grabbed her arm and she was shocked into silence.

"Did you just—what—" Did Malfoy just use her first name? What was going on? And why was Draco—Draco?—so close to her; why in Merlin's name did she actually enjoy his closeness?

"Ginny." This time he whispered her name, savoring the feel of the sounds on his tongue before kissing her roughly, shoving her against the wall. She was the one in his dreams, she was the one he'd been staring at for who-knows-how-long, she was the one he loved.

Ginny gasped as he kissed her, completely taken aback at the passionate kiss. Suddenly she felt herself leaning into him, kissing him back, because she found she really didn't mind snogging one of the hottest boys at Hogwarts.

Soon she felt Draco's hand slide under her shirt. She gasped and pulled away. "Not here, Draco," she said, and pushed him across the hall into a small alcove, where he was the one pressed against the wall. Ginny smiled seductively. "Here."

--

Two days later Ginny and Draco were in the Room of Requirement. Both of them were panting. Ginny's shirt was half unbuttonned and her skirt was askew, and she was in the process of removing Draco's shirt while he kissed her fervently. As his mouth made its way down her neck, Ginny slid Draco's open shirt down his arms.

Draco's lips froze in their place on her thin shoulder. He drew back immediately, his grey eyes suddenly hard and cold. His right hand clutched at his left forearm. "Get away," he hissed.

Ginny obeyed without thinking, stepping back as though burned. "Draco..." A vague suspicion formed in her mind at his odd behavior.

"Get out—I never want to see your face again, Weasley," he seethed.

He never took his hand off his arm. Ginny's eyes widened as she realized something. "It can't be...you're a Death Eater!"

Draco smirked bitterly. "Yes. It's the Dark Lord's revenge against my father." A lump formed in his throat, and he forced himself to keep his voice hard. "Don't blame me—it's not a matter of choice." As he spoke, Ginny seemed to recoil slowly, leaning slightly back from him. "Afraid of me?" he taunted. "Or perhaps just disgusted—I understand the feeling, you little blood-traitor." He didn't want to say these things—he loved her!—but stress, bitterness, and years of malice had made him hard-hearted.

Ginny's face twisted at his words. "Call me blood-traitor if you like—see if I care! It's better than what you are, you ferrety piece of filth!"

With that she turned to go, but never made it to the door; she collapsed in Draco's arms at his unspoken Stunning spell. His tears dropped silently onto her face as he laid Ginny gently on a couch. "I can't let you go back knowing this, my dear," he whispered softly. "I can't risk them knowing—it would mean death for me. Obliviate!" As he spoke the word through his tears, he saw it work on her face; something passed over her sleeping face, leaving it calm and more beautiful in its innocence than Draco had ever seen.

He sat with her as long as he thought he could risk, holding her hand. When she woke she would remember nothing of their meetings, nothing of Draco except the boy she always saw, the one she hated. When he knew she would awake soon, he brought her to the entrance of Gryffindor Tower and conjured an armchair for her to lay in. Before he laid her down, he looked into her face one last time, and kissed her lips softly. He felt her stir under his touch, and put her in the chair. "I love you, Ginny," he whispered in her ear, then ran off before she could see.