Chapter 3

"Stop." She smacked his hand away, trying to concentrate on her paper. He wound his hands around her waist again, sliding them beneath her shirt.

"Stop, Harry" she muttered, grabbing his hands and pushing them back down. She shifted, so that she wasn't in front of him and sucked on the end of her quill. He moved in front of her and sighed in frustration.

"Why?" he asked, resting his head on the edge of the table.

"Because I have to work," she muttered. He glared down at his fists.

"What if I didn't give you the option?" he asked, glancing up at her menacingly. She gulped, before putting on a brave face.

"Try it. See what Hermione does to you, not to mention my brother." Her threat was weak, but it was the best she could come up with, she was scared. He grabbed her wrists, pulling her across the table and cradling her in his arms.

"Have you been talking to Malfoy?" he demanded, holding her in his lap. She squirmed, trying to break free of his grasp. His hands tightened, and he held her in place.

"No." she breathed, squirming again and kicking out her legs. He carried her to the couch and laid her down, before pinning her with his body. He smiled, stroking her face with his thumb.

"Why are you putting up such a struggle love, it's not like I'm trying to hurt you." He laughed and placed her wrists above her head. The common room door opened and Hermione walked in, sporting Ronald on her arm. Her eyes widened and then squinted together, observing the situation. Harry averted his eyes from Ginny towards Hermione and Ginny took the opportunity to knee him in the groin and roll from the couch before running from the common room. The only noise in the corridor was the soft pattering of her feet against the stone. She breathed heavily, and continued running until she was near the Great Hall, where everyone had assembled for lunch. She knelt down on her knees so catch her breath, glancing up at the curious looks coming from a few Hufflepuff first years. She stood straight after a few moments of ragged breathing and walked towards the double door leading to the lake. She pushed through them, blinded by sunlight and began walking across the damp grass. She slid her shoes and socks off, and sighed with slight relief. The wet grass felt good against her feet, and the sun felt warm against her skin. She slid the band from her wrist and positioned her hair into a pony tail before walking farther. As she walked, she slid off her robe, and began unbuttoning her t-shirt to reveal a black undershirt. The straps fell over her shoulders but left her arms bare. She rested her body against a giant tree near the lake's edge and stretched, closing her eyes in tranquility. Owl's flew over head, and the squid splashed playfully in the murky water. It glistened in the sunlight and she let her pale 

fingers extend to play with the petals of a red flower growing near the trees base. She opened her eyes, peeking from under her lashes towards the trees leaves. Watching as a bird pecked at the frail wood, searching for food. A nest sat close by and a few baby's chirped hungrily.

'it LIVES for something.' She thought, continuing to stare. 'It lives for its children. To protect them, to feed them, to make sure they grow up and become what she is. What am I living for?' She shook her head feebly. She hadn't had a good reason for living in quite a while. She couldn't really remember the last time she had enjoyed herself. Well, that wasn't true. She had enjoyed the banter with Draco a few days ago. She had enjoyed how easily she could speak, unafraid and unharmed.

'No. That couldn't have been the last time I had enjoyed myself. Not with Malfoy, not even in his presence." She thought, picking at the flower again. The water looked comforting, and welcoming. Cool, beckoning her. She glanced behind her, and noticed that no one was around. Probably because lunch had barely started and the students seemed more ravenous lately. She looked back and forth nervously for a moment before rising to her feet, and walking to the lakes edge. She glanced behind her once more before slipping off her undershirt and throwing it into the pile of other unwanted clothing. She slid off her skirt, leaving her in a red bra and knickers. She let her hair from it's pony tail, and jumped in.

Draco watched from the door, eyes widening as her clothing found the ground. He could feel his mouth drop open, his eyes quickly sweeping over her body as she dove into the dark water. He slowly pushed open the door and started walking towards the lake, keeping a careful eye on Ginny. Her form rose from the water, as she slicked her hair back with one hand. She smiled, her body glistening with the water. She bobbed on the surface for a moment before diving back in. Draco finally made it to the lake's edge and he knelt beside it, looking into the water. She didn't rise for a while and he wondered if maybe she had spotted him. He knelt closer, and put his face closer to the water. Suddenly, a hand shot out of the water and grabbed his shirt, pulling him into the water. He gasped before inhaling a mouthful of the murky substance, closing his eyes as the water rushed into his sockets. He kicked and broke through the surface and gasped for air, spitting out mouthfuls of water. Ginny was a few feet away, laughing merrily and clapping her hands.

"Best-expression-ever!" she laughed, barely able to breathe. She held her torso under the water, laughing harder and trying to open her eyes so she could stare at Draco. The look on his face sent her into another fit. Anger, puzzlement, and irritation.

"This isn't funny." He stated, starting towards the edge again.

"But….but it is!" she giggled, walking after him before realizing what she was wearing and ducking back into the water. He turned, raising an eyebrow and grabbing for his wand.



"That was entirely unnecessary Weasley, and now you owe me. Do you really want to be in the debt of a Malfoy?" he asked, carefully drying off his clothes. She shook her head slowly.

"I think you're the one in debt with ME Malfoy. Where's your sense of fun, of adventure, of spontaneity? I was livening up your pathetic little life. You should thank me." She smiled warmly.

"For soaking me?" he asked skeptically.

"Well, it's the only way I can have a normal conversation with you. By humiliating you. Now hand me my clothes. I'm cold." She glanced towards the pile and back towards Draco expectantly. He raised his eyebrows slowly and a small smirk found his lips.

"I don't want to." He said slowly, "I'd rather not." She looked shocked and then angry.

"Stop playing games, give me my clothes." She demanded, glaring at him.

"I don't think I will. I think I'll wait till you come out and get them yourself."

"Are you waiting for a free show? I'm not showing you my bum again now hand over the clothes, I'm cold." She complained.

"Nope, don't wanna." He said smugly, sitting down on the fresh grass. Then she did something he didn't expect, she got out of the water.

"Worthless, annoying, lazy little git.." she muttered, walking over to her clothes. Draco reached out and grabbed them, standing up. He was still a bit shocked, but not shocked enough to have a little bit of fun.

"Draco.." she said sweetly, trying to change her demeanor, "Give me, the clothes."

"No." She glared and walked towards him slowly

"I'm not kidding." She said dangerously.

"Neither am I." he smirked and started towards the Quidditch field. She ran after him.

"What are you doing?" she demanded, trying to keep up with his pace.

"Were going to race. For your clothes, that is. I'm going to get my broom out of the locker room. And I expect you to do the same. Although, I'm sure it might be a bit difficult for you to fly without clothing. Oh well." He smiled and entered the large gate, walking towards the other end of the field where the locker rooms were. Ginny stood there completely furious and looked down before turning dark pink.



'Weasley has a beautiful bo- No she doesn't. MERLIN what am I saying?! What am I DOING?! Having Ginny follow me around in her knickers. Her REALLY flatter- no. She isn't beautiful, she isn't charming or witty or…' he trailed off, cutting off his thoughts before entering the locker room and began searching for his broom.

Ginny walked to the Gryffindor locker room and grabbed her broom from her compartment. "What does he think he's doing? This is HIGHLY inappropriate, a bit exciting..but I won't enjoy it. Except for beating him, and winning my clothing back. Clever little deceitful git. See if I owe him anything now.." she continued muttering and walked outside and mounted her broom. Draco was waiting outside the locker room door and smiled, his eyes wandering over her figure.

"Not a bad look for you Weasley. Although, you might want to consider loosing a bit of weight. I see a bit of pudge beneath those endearing red panties.

'Lies. More lies. She's perfec- What the HELL am I saying? She is FAR from perfect, far from anything I'd ever want.'

She scowled at him, and narrowed her eyes."Don't worry, just for you I'll stop eating Malfoy. Now, can we get on with it?" she asked, grasping the broom handle and leaning forward.

"Sure." He said, gulping as he surveyed this new angle of her chest. "From here to the edge of the forest, where the bridge is." He said slowly, "First there wins. If you win you get your clothes back."

"And if you win?" she asked carefully.

"I keep them as a souvenir and you get to walk back to the castle naked." He smirked and she scowled but then smiled.

"Okay. Shake." She said, extending her hand. He extended his and their palms touched. Ginny felt a small rush flow through her and she smiled a small smile. Draco returned it and he mounted his broom.

"On the count of three." He instructed. "One…Two…THREE!"

And they were off. The air rushed against Ginny's face, her hair whipping behind her. Her thighs tightened against her broom and she kept her body low to grow momentum. She kept her eyes ahead and her hands tight against the handle.

Draco twisted around trees, avoiding trunks and trying to focus on the task at hand. He glanced towards Ginny and appraised the sight. Thighs tight against the wood, small muscles tightening. Her body resting against the handle. He looked up just in time to see the tree before smacking into it.



Ginny turned to see Draco falling to the ground. Her head bleeding and his body limp. She maneuvered her broom towards him and made a dive, catching him before he hit the ground. Her broom dropped a bit from the combined weight and she slowly lowered it to the ground. She got off, resting his body in the dirt and surveying his head. A pang of panic came over her and she hurried to take out her wand.

"Please, please, please be okay." She said out loud, running her wand silently over the gash and healing it. She cleaned the blood off of him and raised her hand behind her before smacking him hard in the face. He gasped hard and his eyes opened, his face stinging.

"What the HELL Weasley?! What was THAT for?!" he asked, sitting up and then laying back down because of the spinning.

"You hit a tree, moron. So I woke you up." She rolled her eyes, but smiled in relief. He shook his head.

"I guess this means you win" he grumbled, rubbing his head. She smiled and grabbed her clothes from beneath his robes.

"Thanks." She started sliding her clothes on and sat back down.

"I can't believe you hit a tree Malfoy, how did you not SEE it? It was right inf ront of you face" He glared and sat up again, the spinning a bit better this time.

"I was making sure you didn't have a lead on me, it doesn't seem like it mattered though does it?" Ginny leaned against a tree and set her broom with Draco's.

"Well, your in no condition to ride now. And my broom can't support both of us. So I guess we wait here until your okay again?" She tried hiding the evident satisfaction in her voice, to get to spend a bit more time with Malfoy. He glared but sat back as well, knowing he wouldn't be going anywhere for a bit.

"So…about Potter's fit the other day…" he began, looking nervous.

"What about it?" she asked quietly. She knotted her hands together. Messing with her finger nails.

"Did he hurt you?" he asked slowly, staring at the ground.

"Why do you care?" she asked throwing pebbles into the dark trees.

"I don't know…" he admitted, glancing at her. She looked back, not blinking.

"No. He didn't hurt me." She said slowly and looked away from him. Tears welled up and he extended a hand but then retracted it. It wouldn't be smart to get close to Ginny.



'I don't want to, I don't care about her. Fuck…I'm falling in love with her.' He had finally admitted it, and instead of feeling relieved he felt sick. Sick for betraying his family, sick for loving his nature born enemy and sick for knowing he could never do anything about it.

She moved away from him. "What about this Anna girl, are you two happy?" she asked, looking up again, ignoring the tears streaking down her face.

"In a way" he answered honestly. "She's happy. I'm not. I'm sort of trapped, there's no emotion besides the evident human affection, some form of closeness, but nothing like romance." Ginny nodded slowly and looked back towards the forest.

"Trapped?" she asked after a few minutes. He nodded slowly and smiled a small sad smile.

"She'll kill herself if I leave. I might be secluded, and a bit of an ass at times, but I'm not a murderer, and I'm not cruel."

"I believe you" she whispered and kicked at the dirt, before quickly wiping away the tears.

"Why don't you leave Potter?" he asked, watching her now.

"Because I owe him. And honestly, If I can't have the person I want than I don't want to be alone." She wouldn't meet his eyes. He was jealous, of the person she WANTED to be with and he looked away too.

"Who?" he asked slowly.

"Who what?" she asked confused.

"Who do you want to be with, besides Potter?" he asked, his fists clenching. That hadn't gone unnoticed.

"He's in a different house, but he's taken. He's trapped. And he doesn't want me. So why does it matter?" she asked, a new set of tears flowing.

He looked at her, wondering for a moment if it could be him before shaking his head. He couldn't deal with that sort of disappointment and he couldn't be with her even if he wanted to, even if he would be happy, even if it were allowed.

"You seem to have gotten better." She noted, "Want to go back?"

"Not really" he replied, "But I have a feeling Potter won't be too happy if you stay out too much longer." It came out angry and spiteful and she smiled slightly.



"See you in detention Malfoy. Thanks for the clothes back." She mounted her broom, "Good luck with Anna."

"I'd say good luck with Potter, but personally I think your better off alone." He got on his broom too.

"See you tomorrow Draco." She muttered.

"Bye Ginny." He smiled and took off. She waited for a few moments before doing the same.