Disclaimer : I own nothing that you recognise, it all belongs to JK, and any companies to which she has allowed rights. I am not making any money from the writing of this story, nor will I ever.

A/N: Thank you to Wiccan98 for beta reading this story for me!

This story is slightly different, Draco still has his task, but in this version, it is taking place in his 7th year. I had my reasons, I don't like underage sex so I wanted them to both be over 16. It had to be done. Hope you enjoy.

He sat on his bed; a letter in each hand, wondering which one he should dare to open first. He knew who each was from; he knew each of their scripts well. One of them, the bold and unforgiving script, was his father. No doubt writing to find out why Draco had not corresponded in the last few weeks. Or months. Whichever it was, he had stopped caring a long time ago.

The second letter, with the cursive and happy writing, was from her. His relief from everything over the past four months. His confidante. His lover.

With a deep sigh Draco decided on reading his father's letter first, it meant that when he read the other one, there was a chance it would cheer him up.

Son,

I trust this Owl finds you well, you have not written to your mother or myself for several weeks now, and we are concerned. Did we not request that you keep in touch, and let us know how your task is coming along?

No matter. I trust you will reply with haste and let me know how the task is panning out, with only a few months left until school, one would hope that it is good news that awaits us.

Wishing you well,

Father and Mother.

Draco sighed; he had never found it easy to read his Fathers letters. Somehow he had a way of patronizing him, even through words on paper. He loved his parents, but he hated how they made him feel at times. When something needed to be done, that was it, and they would not be the kind loving parents they normally were until it was done. Replying to that letter was not going to be an easy task. Draco had not been working on his task recently, he had been far too busy with the enigmatic little redhead that seemed to take up all his spare time, even when he wasn't with her. She consumed his thoughts, and made him think stupid things. But above all else she made him forget. And when he could forget, he could be happy.

He resisted the urge to rip her letter open, and instead settled for opening it calmly, with the letter knife he had abstained from using on his parents letter. He unfolded the note with careful hands.

Draco,

I have to keep this letter short, there are people hanging around, and you know we can't take the risk that someone could see.

Same place, tonight, 11pm, give or take, depending on how fast I can get away, you know how certain people feel about my late night "walks"…

G

Draco smiled as he read her letter. It was similar to the usual, occasionally he would receive a longer letter, and these were the ones he read until he fell asleep, the ones he kept safe tucked away in his trunk.

They had been doing this for several months now. It all started with a chance meeting outside the room of requirement one night. They had both been angry, and confused. And both had needed somewhere to sit and think. But they had needed someone to talk to even more. And they had become gradual friends. And then somewhere along the line, they had become lovers. He wasn't aware how it happened. All he knew is one night he had been holding her as she cried. And when she had looked at him, he had stared deep into her eyes, knowing in that instant that what he saw was heaven. He had kissed her for the first time that night. Knowing that it could never be real, that he could never be with her in public. Knowing that it was most likely wrong.

The main reason was who they were. They didn't fit together, and no one would accept it. Not her parents, nor his parents. Not her friends. Not anyone. Which lead to reason two; she was already with someone else. Someone Draco hated. The thought of this killed him, and whenever he saw them together, knowing that he couldn't speak to her, or hug her, or touch her, he wanted to kill the other man. The one who was keeping him from being with the one person he wanted to be with.

As Draco sat there he felt his heart rate pick up at the thought of that man touching her, kissing her, holding her when he couldn't. He thought of their stolen nights over the past few months. How she had not turned up once or twice because she couldn't come up with a good enough reason to leave her common room on her own. Her brother would always want to follow her. Most of the time she had to pretend to go to bed and then sneak past them later on. Draco always waited for her. In the Room of Requirement, on the small sofa where they had shared their first kiss. There he waited, sometimes all night, hoping against all hope that she would find a way to leave and come to him.

He leaned back, resting against his pillows as he allowed the sweet thoughts of her to consume him. The feel of her lips on his as they kissed and whispered to each other in the night. The feel of her body as they lay in bed talking, the way she made him feel as if nothing else mattered in the world. The way she accepted him for who he was, and never expected him to change. The reality of it should have been too much to bear, but there it was, and it was not about to change. As he closed his eyes, intending on resting before dinner, he wondered only one thing.

When had he fallen in love with Ginny Weasley?

He awoke much too late for dinner, and checking his watch, he realised that he had only one hour before he had to meet Ginny. He had never asked her why she came to him when she could have Potter any time she wanted. She was his girlfriend, and that was what girlfriends and boyfriends were supposed to do. Yet she came to him for her carnal desires. He knew deep down on some level that she did care for him, yet he knew she also cared for Potter as well. He wondered fleetingly if it was greed that kept her going to both boys. But then again, she was sixteen, and it was her life. She wasn't just stringing both of them along. They were letting her. On some level he wished he knew why she did it. But on another he didn't want to stir things up by asking the one question that he wanted the answer to.

Why is it that you do this with me when you can have Potter?

He began to get himself ready, opting to take a shower before he went to meet her. It was a Saturday, and he knew he could guarantee himself a decently long shower. Any other day the boys in his dorm would be shouting at the doors for him to hurry up. But they weren't in the dorm, and so they weren't able to tell him how long he could shower for.

As he stood under the stream of hot water, he ran his hands through his hair, making it stick up in several different directions. Gathering a decent amount of shampoo, he soaked his hair before massaging it in, feeling the soapy bubbles make their way down his torso and legs, before pooling around his feet. He wished that she could be there. They had taken a shower together once before. After they had been intimate, he had been thinking about how much he needed a shower, and one had materialised in the corner of the room.

Draco wrapped his arms around his own body as he remembered the feel of her, standing with her arms around his back, her head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat, as the water poured onto them. There had been no raw sexual desire in that moment, only pure bliss as he had watched her smiling faintly as she listened to his heart pounding against his chest. Pounding for her, for everything that they shared.

After a while he noted that he should make his way to meet her, and shook himself out of his daydream, stepping out into the steam filled room and wrapping a towel around his waist. He stood for a moment, looking at himself in the mirror. He had lost a lot of weight in the first month of school; the stress of that stupid task had been taking its toll on him. Lord Voldemort had promised to hide his father, keep him from Azkaban, if Draco completed this one thing for him. But there was the veiled threat. Draco knew that if he didn't complete this task, his father would be killed, and so would his mother. And perhaps Draco himself…although he wasn't sure. The Dark Lord was sick enough to keep him alive after seeing his parent's murdered.

He dragged himself back from the thoughts he was unwillingly having, and took a closer look at himself. He was more filled out now, his muscles looking more defined as he gained weight. The dark circles that were permanent residents under his eyes only four months ago, were now gone. Being with Ginny had allowed him to sleep soundly most nights, only waking once or twice after having nightmares about what was happening. He stepped out of the bathroom to find a still empty dorm, pleased that he didn't have to try and get dressed under his towel, he rummaged through his trunk for a pair of jeans and a comfortable t-shirt. He needed to be comfortable, and clothes that were difficult to get off would not be a help on a night like this. He hated thinking that he was only going for sex, but that was the truth of it. Where they had once used each other as a shoulder to cry on, they now used each other to get rid of the carnal desires that were in both of them. She had as much of a sexual appetite as he did, meaning that he was never bored with her. She never ceased to amaze him. No matter how many times he heard her moaning in pleasure, he could never get enough of it. Such a beautiful sound when she moaned his name, gripping the sheets as they found their release.

When he was dressed he made his way into the common room, not stopping as he walked past Blaise, Crabbe and Goyle who were sitting on the couches. He barely acknowledged them, his mind fixated on the red head that waited for him in the Room of Requirement. He was paying little attention as he left the common room, and almost knocked over a small first-year girl who was carrying some books. He kept going, barely noticing the bump on his hip and the small gasp that came from the girl as she backed away, clearly thinking that he was going to shout at her.

He almost smiled at the thought that he had just behaved excessively out of character. Normally he would have shouted at the young girl causing her to drop her books, maybe even cry. A few months ago he would have found it quite pleasing to do that. But now he wasn't so sure. Now he couldn't really care about anything apart from Ginny.

As he reached his destination, he looked at the blank wall, thinking of the words that would allow only him and Ginny to access the room. She would be able to get in; the door would appear for her, and only her. The clock on the small mantle around the fire chimed eleven as he walked through the door. It continued with all eleven chimes, the final one sounding as he sat heavily on the sofa to wait.

Roughly ten minutes later, a very dishevelled Ginny came barrelling through the door, her face flushed and beads of sweat on her forehead. Draco looked up as she stood near the door, panting, making sure that nothing could get through.

"I'm sorry I'm late. Almost ran into Filch and he tried to follow, so I had to come the long way" She said smiling slightly.

"Did you run?" He asked her lightly.

"Duh" She said, spreading her arms wide and grinning at him, before sliding over the back of the couch and landing with a heavy thump. He reached for her and pulled her to him, breathing in her slightly musky smell, a smell that he was so familiar with that it almost hurt to breathe the air that wasn't infused with it. She normally wore a scent that reminded him of Jasmine, he had never asked her what it was, but he knew he liked it more when she didn't wear it.

"Draco?" She asked, sounding hesitant suddenly.

He tensed, nodding slightly to tell her to continue.

"Do you ever think that what we're doing is wrong?"

The question hung in the air, and he drew in a deep breath before answering her.

"Of course it's wrong. Sneaking around the castle, you have a boyfriend…"

She looked dismayed at his answer. Again he sighed.

"Look, Gin, how can you think that this is all okay, when all it is, is another lie to add to the many I have to keep. But why question it now?"

She shrugged, and looked away from him.

"Tell me why Gin…" It was not a question. She sighed heavily before answering him.

"Harry told me he loved me tonight. And I don't know what to do Draco, I feel so muddled up. I care about him, but I don't think I love him, if I loved him then I wouldn't be doing this…"

She trailed off, shaking her head and muttering to herself, so quietly that he was unable to hear her. He shook his head and decided to take control, something which he rarely did, it was easier to let them both do what they wanted, things always went smoothly in the end. He cupped her chin and dragged her head around so that she was looking at him, but she wouldn't meet his eyes, they stayed downcast.

"Look at me Ginny"

She obeyed, holding his gaze until he thought he would cry from the joy of looking at her.

"Let's just enjoy the here and now, while it still lasts?"

She nodded, and leaned forward to capture his lips in a passionate embrace. He placed his hands in her hair and pulled her to him. She responded by shuffling forward and grabbing his t-shirt and fisting it in her hands. It was the most magical feeling ever as she shifted once more so she was straddling him. There was more passion in this kiss than he had ever felt, and he was completely overwhelmed.

He didn't know how he had fallen for her. But he knew he had. He was completely and wholeheartedly in love with Ginevra Molly Weasley.

And he couldn't have been happier.

He moved careful and stood up, grabbing her so she didn't slide down his body. He detached his mouth from hers so he could watch where he was going, and she moved to his neck, sucking gently on the spot that she knew he loved so much. He stopped moving for a second as she sucked on a particularly sensitive area, and took a deep breath to regain his composure. He made it to the large bed that was in the corner of the room, dropping her on to it and smirking as she backed up the bed until she was resting against the pillows. She threw him a coy smile as she beckoned for him.

He crawled over the bed, there was no time for words now, and he rested against her, his body moulding perfectly to hers as if they had been made for each other. He kissed her forehead, nose and each cheek in an uncommon sign of affection for him, before finally planting one soft kiss on her mouth. She moaned slightly, rolling her hips to show him that she wanted more. And he gave her more. He moved his hands until they were at the bottom of the t-shirt she wore, and slid his hands up her waist, pushing the shirt up. She moaned as he began to place little kisses along her stomach, the whole time pushing her shirt up further, exposing more skin that begged to be covered in kisses. She was impatient though, and she reached down and removed the t-shirt, sitting up slightly so she could manoeuvre it over her head.

When she had laid back down, he moved up to her breasts, teasing each through the fabric of her bra before reaching behind her and undoing the clasp, allowing her breasts to spill free from their confines. She moaned quietly as he took her nipple into his mouth, teasing it lightly with his tongue, before moving to the other one. His hands tracing a pattern on her abdomen the whole time, making her visibly shudder.

She reached down and started to try and pull his t-shirt off, which he assisted with, before continuing with his perusal of her body. Her hands roamed his back, sending delightful shivers up his spine every time she scraped her nails over his shoulders and back down again. His hands moved down to the light tracksuit bottoms she was wearing, pulling them off in one swift movement and dropping them onto the floor beside the bed. His hand found her centre through the light underwear that she had on, and she moaned in approval, arching her back and hips to meet his hand. He slowly began to work her, until she was moaning constantly, occasionally whispering his name.

"Draco…" came the throaty gasp.

He looked into her eyes, silently asking her what she wanted.

"I want you…please," she gasped again as his hand found a sensitive spot.

He moved quickly, stripping her of her underwear and then proceeding to remove his own jeans and boxers. She pushed him backwards slightly, smiling at him before taking his length into her hand, and then placing the tip gently in her mouth. She began to move her tongue in slow sensuous circles, rendering him speechless.

"Holy shit…Gin…Ginny, please…oh god," He gasped. She pulled back and cupping her hands in his hair, she dragged him back down so he was on top of her, he kissed her long and deep, manoeuvring so that he was placed at her entrance, and with one hard thrust, he filled her, feeling a surge of pleasure as she moaned his name and tightened around him.

They moved rhythmically against each other, both knowing what felt good for the other. Draco moved harder and faster as the time went on, striving to give her pleasure as well as find his own release. He felt her begin to tighten around him, signalling the beginning of her orgasm, he ground his hips harder and faster, and she came below him with a loud moan, clutching the sheets to stop herself from screaming. He followed not long after, looking into her eyes as he spilled inside of her.

As they looked into each other's eyes, both smiling, he felt completely at peace. He rolled to the side, and curled his body around hers. He knew neither of them would be leaving the room tonight. She played with his hands as he lay with her spooned against his middle, both arms wrapped around her.

"I could stay like this forever," She whispered, lightly kissing his fingertips. The show of affection made his stomach squirm in pleasure. Maybe there was hope; maybe she loved him too…

They fell asleep not long after that, the next day looming ahead of them, none knowing when they would be able to see each other next.

The next day at dinner, Draco walked in, happier than he had ever been. He had been smiling all day, since the morning when he and Ginny had kissed goodbye. The smile on his face had meant he had received a lot of strange looks that day. Most people knowing him for the sullen mood he seemed to be in so often. But he didn't care, because for the first time, he was completely and unconditionally in love. He wanted to sing it from the top of the castle, but he knew he had to tell her first. He had to tell her at some point. The thought made him nervous.

He was halfway through his first plate of food when she walked into the hall in her usual manner, smiling and laughing with some friends. She sat down, her smile lighting up the room for him, her red hair shining in the little sunlight that remained. He smiled as he watched her, though she was seemingly oblivious to his stares. But then his world almost stopped. Potter walked into the hall, flanked by his usual cronies. And he walked straight to Ginny and kissed her hello. And she returned the kiss. Smiling at him as he sat down and put his arm around her. It was too much for Draco to bear. Suddenly put off his food, he got up from the table and gathered his bag, eager to get back to his common room. He made it as far as the first staircase when he heard a quiet voice calling his name. He looked back, to see that she had followed him out of the hall.

"Draco we need to talk" She said, her hands wrapped around her middle, her face troubled.

He knew it could not be good, his stomach dropped slightly as he gestured for her to continue, not trusting his voice to work.

"I've been thinking, I don't think I can do this anymore…I mean, this, us. I don't know. I care about you, but I just feel so awful every time I go back to Harry after being with you" she said, her voice wavering. He simply stared at her, not wanting to believe what she had just said.

"Well if you don't like it then why don't you just come with me and leave him. You told me yourself…we have more of a connection than you do with him. So why…why would you do this?" He faltered. She looked as if she was about to cry.

"I'm sorry Draco, it's over," she whispered.

"Excuse me? What was that" he replied, not sure if he had heard her, not wanting to believe what she had told him.

"We had nothing Draco, I don't know where you're getting this idea that we had something more than what me and Harry have"

"Maybe because you told me?" He asked, his voice faltering

"Well…I lied. It's over," she said.

And then she turned on her heel and walked straight back into the hall.

And it was at that moment that the bottom fell out from under his feet. Her word's bouncing around his head.

She was in love with Harry. She lied to me.

His world slowly crumbled in front of his eyes. He had no idea how long he stood there, but when the first of the students began to trickle out of the hall after dinner, he came back to his senses, and began to walk. His feet found their way to his dormitory, where he had an urge to write a note to her, the only way he could think to tell her what she had to know. That he loved her. His hand shook, the words coming out shaky as he wrote them. He tightened his grip on the quill, managing to finish the note with a flourish. Then slowly and silently, he began to walk. Out of his dorm, out of the dungeons.

He didn't know how long he walked for, but soon he became increasingly aware that there were no students around. Chancing a look out of a window he saw that it was now dark, the moon painting a strip of white over the grounds, making them look calm and serene. It was late; there was no one around. His fingers still clutched the note he had written for Ginny. He needed to send it, so maybe a trip to the owlery would be the best idea. He shook his head and began to walk, making almost no noise as he drifted through the corridors.

He thought of his task, she had been his one distraction from the stress and pain of the situation he was in. And now she was gone, the reminder was fully there. He felt nothing but pain, when he thought of her, and when he thought of what he was going to have to do without her. His head hurt at the thought of pulling forward without her in his arms. He should have known it would never be perfect.

As his feet carried him up a set of stairs, he noticed that there was an unusual absence of noise from the owls. It was only when he reached the top that he realised he was in the astronomy tower. It was quiet and beautiful up here. He walked over to the balcony, leaning against it, watching the water rippling in the lake by the light of the moon. He was filled with a sudden compulsion, and he carefully stepped onto the balcony, closing his eyes and letting the breeze wash over him as he spread his arms wide. Was this what it felt like to fly? The numbness was growing inside of him, the pain washing away as he thought about how it would feel to fly. He opened his eyes, suddenly knowing the way to make the pain disappear forever. He closed his eyes again, smiling slightly.

"Ginny" He whispered, before leaning forward into the open air before him.

The sensation was much better than flying, for once in his life, he felt truly free. Out of the control of people, of himself. He gave it all up to fate; if he lived then he would be lucky. If he didn't, then it didn't matter anymore. He had known love, and that was enough for him.

He expected pain, there was none, but as he lay there on the ground, the last of his life seeping away from him, he managed a small smile. She had been worth it, worth his life. And she would know how much he loved her. The note that was now crumpled in his fist would see to that. He closed his eyes, his grip on the note relaxing so it rolled away from his hand, and he thought of the words as his took his last breath.

Ginny,

What I tell you know will not matter much I suspect. Nor will it ever matter. I write this only to tell you the words I should have told you long ago.

I love you.

Be safe, and be happy.

I'll be with you always.

Draco.

Thankyou for reading, please find it in your heart to review for me? This is my longest fic, and I worked hard, so press that little button and leave me a few words!