AN: I don't own the characters, I just borrow them.
It was the last Yule Ball they'd ever attend, and they couldn't even dance together. The animosity between Slytherin and Gryffindor had escalated so much it was a miracle no-one had been seriously hurt yet.
Not that it mattered to these two students. They'd managed to see past all the preconceptions they'd had, somehow; seen each other just as people, not as enemies. It was unlikely, in fact it was unheard of, for a Malfoy and a Weasley to get along, but they did. They'd become friends, and then so much more. They both knew, however, that it had to be kept a secret – they'd both be branded as traitors otherwise. Consorting with the enemy simply was not acceptable.
He'd considered asking her to dance, but that would have meant approaching a frighteningly large group of Gryffindors, since none of them ever went anywhere alone any more. Not that he blamed them – the new regime at Hogwarts even had some of the Slytherins visibly worried at times.
She'd be hexed if she approached him – Pansy Parkinson was possessive, even though he wasn't remotely interested in her, and hadn't been since fourth year. Pansy thought of him as her betrothed, and they probably would end up married if Voldemort won the war. He shuddered, involuntarily, and hoped she didn't notice. That was a reason to betray his family, if anything was – he definitely couldn't cope with Pansy for the rest of his life.
So, since they couldn't be seen together at the ball, they'd arranged a meeting. Midnight, behind greenhouse three. Nobody had a reason to be there at midnight, so they should be safe. It was already nearing midnight, thankfully, so he left the Great Hall, making his excuses to various Slytherins as he passed them. A few minutes later, she did the same, but had to persuade Colin Creevey that she was capable of finding her own way back to Gryffindor Tower. Little did he know, that wasn't where she was going.
At two minutes before midnight, she turned the corner of greenhouse three, to find him there, waiting for her.
"I wasn't sure if you'd be able to get away."
"Colin tried to follow me. I told him I wasn't about to get lost in the castle."
"It's always him that tries to stop you."
"I'm used to it, Draco."
"I know you are, Ginny."
She wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head on his shoulder.
"I just want the war to be over, so we don't have to hide any more."
"It will be, one day."
He kissed her, softly, displaying a tenderness that no-one else ever saw.
They made a striking couple, especially like this, in the moonlight. Professor Sprout, doing her final rounds, checking on the plants, spotted them through the window, then ducked behind the Venomous Tentacula to make sure they didn't see her. They were going to find it tough, with the world against them, and she hadn't got it in her to disturb them. She'd have to give them detention if she did that, when all they wanted was some time alone. They weren't hurting anybody. Taking a final, admiring, look at the unlikely pair, she returned quietly to the castle.
AN: Read and review, please. If you're an author, you'll know how much reviews mean to me...