Don't Put Out The Fire
AN: This fic has been written for Rowan's "Ginny Draws Draco" Challenge. It comes as a welcome change to me from Realisation Hits Late as RHL has been giving me problems! It's the second time now that Rowan has encouraged me to write something! Thanks Rowan!
Disclaimer: I wish the characters were mine. I would have made sure Draco and Ginny ended up together. Alas, they are not mine and unfortunately, for DG lovers, Ginny is now married to Potter. Bah. The song is Don't Put Out The Fire by Saga.
Chapter Notes : I know my story may have you confused if I don't get to explanations now. This story is set right after the War in DH and does not comply with ANYTHING after the war. Kingsley Shacklebolt is the New M.O.M. Hogwarts has re-opened and McGonagall is now the Headmistress. Two minutes silence may please be observed for Dumbledore, Snape, Fred, Lupin, Tonks, Colin, and Voldemort as they are still dead. Sorry to anyone who has been offended. I know a few characters, specifically Draco, may seem OOC at present but all your doubts will be cleared in due time, my friends.
Also, thanks to Rowan for the awesome beta!
That is it, I guess. On with it now.
Suffering in silence
Your patience is climbing the walls
You've tried to reach somebody
But there's no answer when you call
Burning with passion
How long have you been this close to the edge
You walk around in circles
And hold back a silent scream
You need to touch somebody
Somebody you saw in a dream
Burning with passion
How long have you been this close to the edge
You are burning with the heat of your desire
And you may never feel this passion again
So, don't put out the fire
The way that you're behaving
You'd think you've no will of your own
But with a little imagination
You'll never be alone
Burning with passion
How long have you been this close to the edge
We may never ever feel this passion
We may never ever feel this again
We are burning with the heat of our desire
And we may never feel such passion again
So, don't put out the fire
Feel the fire
We may never feel this passion again
Feel the fire
-Saga
"There comes Weirdo Weasley with Loony Lovegood. Nice pair, they both are," Blaise commented, sneering at the sixth year girls.
Draco looked up from his parchment to see them enter together, Lovegood fervently muttering something to the Weaslette, the former as usual armed with a long sketchbook and a set of Muggle puncels. Or was it pencils? Oh whatever, he thought to himself, rolling his eyes and going back to his work.
Slytherin House had named the two girls "Weirdo Weasley" and "Loony Lovegood".
Lovegood had always seemed a bit cracked to Draco, but Weasley had gone weird after the war. It was understandable to him to quite an extent. Quite.
Sure, she had lost her brother - Fred? George? Well, either one - but that didn't mean that she should let herself get sucked into the sorrow that was around everyone. Wasn't she supposed to be a courageous Gryffindor, one who never backed down from any challenge, or some crap like that?
In some ways, she was proof that the war had changed everything. Instead of the being the fiery, cheerful redhead that she used to be, she was now a much more sober and subdued girl.
She was there, yet she wasn't there. She would talk to people, listen to them, respond, laugh at the right places, and even comfort the others, but her spirit was gone. It was visible to everyone but who would bring her back? Every person had their own post - war pieces left to gather.
The only hint remaining of the passion that had once characterised her being could be seen when she sat sketching somewhere. What she sketched in that notebook of hers, no one knew. But once she started on with her sketches, the passion would be back, it would be there consuming her - evident from the furious, almost feverish, movements of her hands and fingers. Sketching the outline and smudging the details carefully, she would work on her subject like a devotee chanting mantras for his deity.
Draco had always been curious as to what was there in her notebook. He wanted a glimpse of what was it that made her so animated, brought back the passion in her. What made him so curious, he did not know. Not that he was the only one curious. Students from all Houses wanted to know what was that she sketched but she denied them. Most of them respected her wishes and let her be. Slytherins were never included with most, anyways.
From what they told him, Crabbe, Nott, and a few new students - transfer students mostly - had very politely asked her to show them the sketches. Well, as politely as any Slytherin could. Things had turned bad only when she had refused.
Thankfully, he had come upon the scene before they could execute their plan of body binding her and then going through it. He did not understand why, but he felt the need to defend Ginny, even if it was just her stupid notebook that needed saving.
"Give it back to her, Crabbe," he had commanded; his voice held no place for discussion or persuasion.
"But, Draco -"
"Now!"
Crabbe had grumbled, but given it back to her without a moment's hesitation. One sharp look from Draco had been enough to make him shut up.
It was nice to know that the Slytherins still respected him the same way. Not many of the Slytherins had remained after war. Once Hogwarts had re-opened, the remaining had come back.
There were new students too, of course. Transfer students and first years.
Slytherin House was as good as ever-as good as it could be without Severus Snape.
Now with Professor Jack Carmel, the new Potions teacher, and the new Head of Slytherin House, things were just not the same anymore. Draco doubted they would be for another twenty or so years; Merlin knew how long people would take to trust them.
Now sitting in the library, working on his Transfiguration essay, the blond Slytherin still did not know why he did it. Why had he gone against his housemates? Why had he stopped them from seeing her notebook? After all, wasn't it just a stupid notebook? What difference would it make even if they did see her sketches?
Questions kept swimming in Draco's head, popping in and out like those irritating gnomes people had in their gardens. The only difference was that he could not toss these questions out of his head.
What he did know was that he was happy, almost, that he did it. For the first time since the starting of the term, this was the first time he had seen an emotion cross her eyes. He could see her face behind his closed eyes now. How she had looked at him, relief settled in her features, and gratitude shining in her eyes.
She didn't say thank you, but he knew she was silently thanking him. His 'welcome' to her was an imperceptible nod of his head.
"What are you thinking, mate?" Blaise's voice broke him out of his reverie.
"Nothing," he said, sighing.
"Sure, whatever you say." Draco knew that Blaise was his good friend, but he was also a Slytherin. His housemates had been incredulous over his actions.
Saying that he was thinking about the Weaslette now would not be good for him; Draco's position in the House of Slytherin was at a very fragile stage.
One of the new transfer students from France, Pierre Philips -also a seventh year- was proving to be a threat for him. It was only due to the old students - who still treated Draco like the Prince that he used to be - that the new students feared him.
A Malfoy, even without money, had power. He was an example of that. He could hex Philips into oblivion in just a second if he wanted. But he did not want to take a chance by turning the new students against him.
"Well, I'm done," he said to Blaise, neatly folding his parchment, and arranging his book bag.
"In a minute, mate," Blaise replied, stuffing his books in his bag, and slinging it over his shoulder.
The two crossed the now odd pair of the school, both the girls working in a companionable silence.
"What wouldn't I give to see what the Weaslette sketches," Blaise said, sighing and once again turning back to take a look at the two.
Draco made a noncommittal sound at the back of his throat.
"I know you're interested too, Drae. I don't understand why you protected her. You do know your risking your position. If there's one thing that hasn't changed is Slytherin honour. And you very well know that Philips is just looking for a chance to knock you off your position."
Draco sighed. "I know Blaise. And that's what I'm asking myself. Why did I stop them? Why indeed?"
The two entered their common room and made it to their dorm without any event, namely without encountering Philips.
"Think about it, Drae." Blaise's quite voice carried over from his bed.
Draco did not make any reply, but he knew that he was going to do just that.
AN: Back with another note. You know you guys love me!
Anyways, this is to all of you who are going to read it but are going to ignore the cute lil' "Review" button. Normally, I am not that persistent for reviews, but since this fic is for a challenge, I'm going to need all the encouragement, opinion, and advice that I can get. So, please don't ignore that my button, for my sake. Be gentle with the poor author.
Review if you want me back with the next chapter!
Love,
Niki.