Quick suggestion: Listen to moon river(Andy Williams) while reading this one.
Sorry about the wait; due to my lack of intellect and resources, i am relatively proud to present:
The common room was bustling with its usual candor of activity, packed with students looking for the opportunity to relax and have some fun after a hard week of classes. It had been two weeks since Ginny's brief encounter with Draco Malfoy. She hadn't told anyone as of yet, after all, she did value her dignity and being associated with that Slytherin in particular was unwanted attention.
Under the cover of being immersed in a tome of potions antidotes, she stared out into blank space and let her mind wander back to the softly lit night that had permeated into her thoughts at every spare moment of the last days.
He had beautiful eyes. They had been so guarded, even with his all confessions and openness towards her. Without the veil of silver-blonde hair that fell into his vision every so often, she would have been completely transfixed with the depths of his gunmetal silver gaze. It was more than a relief when he reached up and brushed the stray hairs away, breaking the trance that she found herself in over and over. He had been starting to eyeball her in a funny way, as if he was dying to ask her what the hell her problem was.
The most captivating thing about it though, was that she found herself wanting to know more. More about Draco Malfoy, and his walls that so desperately needed to be broken down.
He was Just like her.
Guarded, insecure, but bound to his responsibilities as the only Malfoy child. Just as she was, being the youngest of the Weasley clan.
Oh and what high hopes her mother had in store for her. Settle down, raise a half dozen kids with a nice, kind boy. Mabye even get a job if her family life allowed.
Not on this life.
Writing was always something she'd held a particular flair for and she intended to utilize it to its full potential. A freelance journalist, maybe, or an editor for The Daily Prophet..........
But considering her compliancy towards living up to all of the expectations placed on her, her dreams would have to be put on hold.
Nothing had happened much beyond talking that night. Oh they had stayed out for hours, pouring out anything and everything they could to one another, but eventually Ginny's head began to loll onto her shoulders from weariness and Malfoy had escorted her up to the Entrance hall. Without so much as a thank you, he just mumbled something about keeping all that quiet and rushed off down one of the dark corridors.
That's just about all that could be expected though, right? I mean, what could she have expected? A repentance, or maybe a rebellion from all the things he feared? Not likely he would give up following Tom without something more to fight for. The stakes were too high to give it all up on some silly Gryffindor ideal like being true to oneself.
Ah well. Mabye next time........
Next time?
Not likely.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Draco Malfoy, the master of all that is elusive.
As far as he was concerned, any contact with Ginny was like taking a quick hop, skip and a jump down to a black-death cesspool. The show of weakness that had overcome him was pitiful. He hardly deserved to carry the name Malfoy after a melodramatic display like that. What's worse, It was in front of the Weaslette! Inconceivable, that, how he just let it all spill out. So much for being the rock and the hard place. He shuddered at the thought of the torment his housemates would put him through if they even suspected........
And for the life of him, he couldn't explain how it had all happened. There was crying...ok, then some guilt....less ok, but then, the situation just fell apart. Once he had gotten her back to the entrance hall, it hit him what a bloody sap he was being. Like one of those damn emotional Gryffindorks. Like that damn emotional Weaslette.
He did have to admit though, after thinking he had her figured out, an outburst like that was a little unnerving. Seeing a woman cry was one of the few things he couldn't stand. He already got enough of that at home.................
Enough of that! Doing it again!
As far as he was concerned, The little red headed weasel should just keep all that quiet and it would be done with. It really was a shame though. She was clearly distressed even more than she had let on with him there. Even if he couldn't have simple peace of mind, she should be able to let it all go and just be herself. All that stupid facade just to support Goddamned Potter and His Goddamned fan club. She shouldn't have to be satisfied with what she was given, she should be able to attain her dreams.
She deserved that.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
My bushy brown hair- a source of endless aggravation- was again fighting loose of the band i had used to pull it up out of my eyes. Without the urgent rush to study for my N.E.W.T s (Imagine! Only 5 months left!) I would certainly be in bed. All of the other Gryffindors had slipped off hours ago, hoping to sleep off some of the aftereffects of chugging obscene amounts of butterbeer (er.......generously provided by Dean and Seamus, what boys!) I, on the other hand, refrained from the festivities. After all, what kind of example would it set for the first-years to see their Head-Girl endorsing in that nonsense!
Just as I was Pulling out my Advanced transfiguration scrolls, the soft swooshing of a cloak and the sound of light footfalls caused me to freeze.
Was another one of those silly boys going back out for more mischief?
I placed to scrolls back in the bag and peered beyond the reaches of the warm firelight, through the darkness to try and identify the culprit. The last thing our house needed was to lose any more points -the third years had lost 50 this morning to professor Snape, being caught heading to the Slytherin dorms with a bag of dungbombs!- And I wasn't about to stand by and let anyone get caught out in the halls past curfew.
The soft shuffling of shoes on the stone floor had moved over to the far side of the room, towards the portrait hole, and the culprit was attempting to slip out without disturbing the fat lady.
Tutting softly, I strode over to the portrait hole and blocked the persons path with my arm. Whoever it was went rigid with shock, having not previously realized I was there.
"Im going to have to ask you what you're doing out here." I warned "Because I assume you know curfew was over 4 hours ago."
At the sound of my voice, the girl -as I could now tell she was- let out a long shaky breath and turned to me.
It was Ginny Weasley.
"Hermione," She started, "I can explain. I just needed to drop down by the Great Hall. I left my charms homework thereafter dinner and its due first thing in the morning."
Well. If its to the better of her education.... I suppose.......
"All right Gin," I nodded. "But Be back in an hour or ill send the professors to look for you myself!"
Ginny flashed me a grateful smile and slipped out into the corridor.
She had been acting a little different as of late. I couldn't put my finger on it, but she was somehow more.......
Oh well. I don't know.
Doesn't matter anyway, just so long as she keeps focused on her studies.
Speaking of which.......
Back to the books.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
It was another one of the nights. Like the one out with Malfoy.
Without even thinking, Ginny drew on her cloak and slipped out of the dorm. After a quick excuse to the ever-vigilant Hermione, she retreated outdoors to the encompassing beauty that made her feel like she belonged.
The grounds were bathed in silvery light from the waning moon in the starry night sky. It illuminated the knotted branches of the trees along the grounds that reached up to entangle themselves within the sky. Without even realizing it, she found herself at the Massive tree stump she had sat on just as before. Even without Malfoy being here, she could almost hear him breathing.
Hold on a second. That was creepy. She could hear him breathing.
She spun around, scanning the hill and finally spotted him, facing away from her, his hands in his pockets. The silvery moonlight lit his hair to a platinum hue and gave him a serene presence.
She still couldn't help but think of how he made her feel. Not love. Nothing like that, it was more than he would likely ever do for her. More like a sense of security.
No. A selfish, stupid hope that maybe, someone out there was feeling as betrayed and alone as her.
That's all it was. She should be ashamed for even wanting another person to be hurting, for her to confide in. He may have some issues, but she wasn't about to drag him any further into her own insignificant little problems farther than she already had.
Not tonight. Not ever.
She said a silent goodbye to Draco Malfoy and slipped away, back towards Hogwarts.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The moonlight was soothing at a time like this.
He had received the owl from Lucius less than two days ago. The longest two days of his life, to be sure.
Voldemort wanted the young Slytherins to be marked.
Crabbe and Goyle of course, were ecstatic, as well as a few other Slytherins in his year and even a young Ravenclaw girl. Draco, being the good little bad boy, gloated and celebrated with the others, but in reality he was very much unnerved.
From his father, this was a message within a message and it was plain to Draco what he must do.
It was his time to make the greatest choice of his life. Not only was he about to be initiated into the ranks of the Death Eaters, but he was also at the point where if he accepted this mark, he could never turn back.
He would never turn back.
He just wasn't that type of person. Either he was in, or not. There would be no holding back. Not in the torture, the rape, the killings and raids. He was going to do it full heartedly.
Even if it meant surrendering his soul.
Under the lead of Voldemort, he would be granted power, wealth, women, anything a man could want.
If he denied him and stayed here, he would be a refugee from the man who raised him and his master, but, he may be able to attain what his heart desired.
To be free.
To be his own man. To be Just. To find love.
Just about everything corny and sappy that he had ever sneered at.
So that's how he found himself out on the grounds, at an ungodly hour of the morning, contemplating the most difficult move he could make. That's how he found himself thinking of his previous encounter with the Weaslette and all that he had confessed to her.
He wished he hadn't. Saying it aloud made it real.
He had no doubt in his mind that he wanted to be free of Voldemort and Lucius, but being free of them was another matter entirely. It would mean endangering himself, and more importantly, anyone he associated with until they were both dead. He had nothing here to stay for. No true friends, only allies. Nothing.
Well, except his own morals.
That self-righteous Gryffindor mentality was really rubbing off on him. Damn it to hell.
The numb feelings in his fingers was beginning to recede, a certain sign of frostbite, so he turned to head back to the school and the familiar comfort of his dorm.
That's when he saw her.
Ginny Weasley was on the crest of the hill, walking away from him. He couldn't tell if she had seen him, but either way, he needed someone to talk to. Again.
"Ginny!" He called and ran up the hill to meet her.
Mabye he could figure this out after all.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Hearing Draco call to me from the bottom of the hill came as a surprise.
Even more surprising was when he asked me to talk to him again. Not being sure how to react, i did the polite, Ginny Weasley thing to do and offered him a seat on the stump.
He casually tried to comment on how he was about to be initiated as a death eater. As though anyone could pass it off as casual. I suppose i reacted quite acutely because at the look on my face he stopped and laughed for a minute until i scolded him and he went on.
He asked me if i knew anything about Tom, from what i might have heard off of Harry. I wasn't much help there seeing as Harry (as well as everyone else) avoided talking about the evil Lord who killed his parents as often as possible.
He wouldn't have admitted it but from the look in his strikingly hard eyes, i could tell he was covering for something and i was sure i could guess what it was.
He was having doubts!
That meant there was still time for him to get out, before he did something he would never be able to erase. I had seen the pained look Prof. Snape always had when he thought he was alone. Killing in the name of evil doesn't do much for ones conscience.
As far as I could tell, talking to me gave him an excuse to say what was on his mind out loud.
Saying it always made it seem more real.
He tried to make it sound like any conversation two people would have. He commented on the weather, he predicted the outcome of the next house Quidditch match, he even told me he liked my hair tonight.
His cloudy grey eyes flashed at the first mention of his father, so from then on, I avoided bringing Lucius up. I could tell he was scared, but I couldn't figure out why he just didn't go to Dumbledore and ask for protection. Neither Mr. Malfoy, or Tom would dare confront Dumbledore over a boy who abandoned a position he hadn't even accepted yet.
But he had so much to fight for!
His freedom, his life, everything a person should stand for! Instead of becoming one of the spineless worms that bow to that snake-faced bastard.
When he was finished making small talk, we just sat there, side by side in the untroubled moonlight. My worries seemed a little smaller, here in the night with my confidant.
My friend?
Yes. Even if he thought otherwise, Malf.....Draco, was my friend now.
That's a start.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I stole a quick glance at Ginny.
I hadn't yet decided what to do when the Christmas break came, and with it, the dark Mark.
Ginny had offered some useful insight. But I was a little bit perturbed at the fact that, again, I had entrusted in her.
She was Just a little girl who had helped me get some stuff off my chest. She was acceptable, i suppose, for a Gryffindor.
But it dawned on him as I took in her small profile.
She was the only person I had ever completely trusted.
She was his only true friend.
Heady thought, that.
Completely lost in her thoughts, Ginny failed to recognize the familiar voice of Professor McGonogall calling out her name.
At the bottom of the hill, the professor, as well as Snape and Flitwick, were fast approaching her and Draco. Both of them sat still, as if rooted to the stump.
Oh no! Hermione had sent them!
"Miss Weasley! Master Malfoy! Might I ask what you two are doing away from your beds at this hour?" Came the sharp voice of the transfigurations teacher.
Ginny, floundering for an answer, stuttered for a moment but before she could give anything away,Draco rescued her from McGonogall. Always calm in the face of the teachers, he avoided excess confrontation with a simple little lie.
"I was out of my dorm, patrolling the halls Professor," He started (As head boy, nightly patrol was his duty) " when I thought I saw a puffskin loose on the lawn from Hagrid's pen, I thought best to return It before it nested in any of the greenhouses. As i was returning, Ginny spotted me on her way back to her dorm and came out to investigate. We were just talking about her upcoming O.W.L.s and I lost track of time. I completely accept all blame for detaining her at this this late hour."
Snape shook his head and McGonogall looked skeptical but at a confirming nod from Ginny, they accepted his explanation.
Professor McGonnagall took Ginny By the hand to escort her back to Gryffindor tower and Snape strode off with Draco in tow, when they reached the great hall, Snape and McGonnagall bid one another a curt goodnight and split off in the direction their respective destinations but before they had left the main entrance hall, Ginny overheard Draco make a Simple request of professor Snape.
He wanted to Have a meeting arranged with Dumbledore.
It could have been a coincidence, Ginny thought, but when Draco looked up and caught her eye, she could see a marked resolve on his face. His eyes, like the sea, were clear and hard and betrayed everything to her.
He had made the right choice.
His eyes, like the sea that she had been chasing, met her own and he smiled.
Oh dream maker, you heart breaker,
Wherever you're goin', I'm goin' your way,
Two drifters, off to see the world,
There's such a lot of world to see,
We're after the same rainbows end,
Waitin' 'round the bend,
My newfound friend, Moon River, and me.
Moon River, wider than a mile,
I'm crossing you in style, some day . . .
Note: I didn't think Ginny and Draco should fall in love, i thought that they should be friends and confidants, with trust being the bond between them.
I left it kind of open ended, so if you were inspired by the story,(or want the relationship to develop) leave a
Thank you all for the reviews!
(~shibby~)
~Mags~
Ginny thought back to how he had left so abruptly and decided against approaching him. The last thing she wanted to do was make him uncomfortable. With his lack of emotion towards her since their last encounter, she guessed that he regretted ever even seeing her that night.
She had a small smile on her upraised face and her brown eyes were closed to the world, absorbing the tranquil quiet that was so rare in the world of Hogwarts.
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