Story written as a response to a short-writing challenge at the D/G Forum. A day too late but I still wanted to post it. :)
Shadows danced about the room as the pre-dawn light filtered in through the thick tapestry that adorned the windows. Draco opened his eyes slowly. First the left. Then the right, in a dance his face practiced daily. He swept his arm along the cold sheets of the empty side of the bed and sighed wistfully, sat up against his mahogany headboard and rubbed his face. His eyes alighted on a painting hung across the room.
Sometimes he wondered if he hung it there just to torture himself daily.
The painting looked bright and cheery; depicting two lovers wrapped around each other on the shores of a sparkling lake. The man was blonde with a smile playing about his lips while the woman, a redhead, had her head thrown back in the throes of laughter. On the horizon, the viewer could see the beginnings of a ferocious storm: the ominous warning of what was to come.
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"Draco, we can't keep this up," she had whispered one night after a particularly spectacular hour spent in the Room of Requirement.
"What do you mean," he asked, already knowing the answer.
He had been thinking about it as well. He had been sent back with a mission this year and he had so far failed in all attempts to carry it out. He had been so focused on it that he had begun to lose touch with himself. And then a ray of sunshine had come into his life. Embodied by a girl with fiery locks and morals and goodness flowing into everything she touched. For a few months, he had hoped that her goodness could even save him, but it was becoming more and more apparent that he needed to succeed in this mission or his family would be in peril.
"This thing that we've been doing. We can't keep meeting in the Room of Requirement, Draco! I need to show you how I feel at all times of the day. I want people to see the real you. The person who isn't so cold, so unfeeling!" She hissed, more passionate than angry.
He knew this, as they'd had conversations about it before. Hell, he'd even confided in her about his mission, although he had thought he would regret it. She never held it against him though; just gave him advice and tried to help him sort through his feelings and fears. She understood his torment. However, he knew that Ginny thought he was going to switch sides, give up on his mission and his family. He had never told her the fact that he had made up his mind long ago to do whatever it took to protect his family.
"I can't, Ginny. There's too much at stake. I can't have word getting back to the Dark Lord that I'm not even trying to kill Dumbledore," he exclaimed, letting his shoulders slump forward. He felt more defeated now than ever.
"Draco, I love you! Doesn't that count for something," she asked, now sounding more timid than he had ever heard her before.
He reached his arm out, fingers lightly tracing her cheek as he whispered, "It means everything to me."
He let his arm drop and sighed.
"But I can't be that man, Ginny. I just can't. You need a brave hero, someone who is good and can give you everything you deserve. I'm destined to sit in the shadows my entire life. I don't deserve you."
"Then this is it, is it? You're just going to run off and do the Dark Lord's bidding? For what? Power, prestige?" she cried, trying to hold on to him by baiting him.
"No," he sighed, "For my family."
She shook her head, and slipped off the thin gold necklace with a diamond pendant, which had been his present to her for Christmas, and held it out to him.
"Keep it. Remember me."
As the first tears fell from her chocolate eyes, he kissed her. It was a slow, sweet kiss, filled with everything he felt for her. With a sad smile, he left the room, never to seek her out again.
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A couple weeks after the Final Battle, he had received a package so big that three owls could barely manage the flight. On the outside was a small envelope with his name on it. He recognized the writing immediately.
Dear Draco,
I know we've had no interaction for a couple years now but seeing you that day made me think of all the good moments we had together. I want you to know I understand the choice you made and given the circumstances, I might have done the same. I wanted to show you how I will always remember those precious months we had together. Please take this as a gift of appreciation, if you will, and remember me fondly, as I remember you.
Sincerely,
Ginny
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He had torn the wrapping then to find the painting which was now the object of his attention.
He smiled, remembering her infectious laughter. Oh yes, he remembered her fondly.