She was falling… Falling faster and faster, voices murmuring around her, eyes watching her as she fell deeper into darkness. Was no one going to help her? Was no one going to reach out? Then a hand grasped hers and she snapped to a stop, her heart beating madly within her chest. She peered up into the darkness above her and a pair of stormy gray eyes stared back at her…. "Ginny…" a voice called out to her, a familiar voice, a male voice. "Ginny…" There it was again, the same voice and those same eyes staring back at her. And then she was rising, being pulled upwards to safety. Her feet landed on solid ground and she opened her mouth to speak, but the eyes were gone, the hand had let go, and she was alone once more. She took a tentative step forward, her heart beat quickening as her anxiety mounted. Another step forward and then she was falling once more, this time past familiar faces- her parents, her brothers, even Harry and her friends… This time, there was no hand to save her.

She snapped awake with a gasp; her body jumped up, red hair swinging as she twisted around, eyes searching the unfamiliar room. It reminded her of the Hospital Wing, but it certainly wasn't that. "You're awake," a male voice intoned softly and she jumped, turning to see Draco Malfoy standing at her bedside, regarding her with those gray eyes of his. Like in my dream…? She wondered to herself but she shook her head, clearing away the images. No, it couldn't have been. It had been just a dream, she told herself, only a dream.

Draco could not help but to stare at her; she was pale, her brown eyes bright with her fever, her red hair brilliant against the milky white of her skin. She was… Beautiful. He could not help himself from feeling such a way, though it confused him a little. Of all people, he never would have thought he'd think of her that way. "You're awake," he repeated, coming closer, taking a seat on the edge of the other bed. He had watched over her for two days now, coming and going to keep anyone from getting too suspicious about his disappearance. He'd heard whispers amongst the few students remaining behind that she had seemingly vanished, but most of them played it off as she had merely returned home at the last moment possible. "I was getting worried, it's been two days."

A slow realization began to dawn on Ginny's foggy brain; he'd brought her here. He'd bandaged her wounds. He'd been taking care of her. For two days! Now that she looked a little more closely, she could see he was somewhat disheveled, his hair askew and his clothing wrinkled. She looked away from him, holding up her arms, brown eyes sweeping over the evidently fresh bandages placed upon them. Her hands snapped back the blankets, her clothing all in place, but she could feel the bandages beneath them. She winced as she pulled the blankets back, her wounds tight, the healing skin threatening to burst beneath the bandages. Her brain was hazy and she leaned back, realizing a moment later she was riddled with a fever. "You… You did this for me?" She asked, turning her head to face him, her voice weak, her tone incredulous. Draco blushed slightly and stood up, moving around to the other side of her bed, to where a basin of water sat on the table beside it. "I don't… I don't understand." She shook her head, red hair tumbling across her shoulders as she leaned forward, her eyes on him. "Why?" There was so much she didn't understand. Helping her from detention was one thing- that was his job (she had overheard Snape referring to it as such a few weeks prior). But all of this…? This didn't make sense. She knew something was different about him, especially after that day by the lake, but that moment had been an irregularity. The only one of its kind. She had never expected all of this.

Why…? The question, as simple as it was, didn't have an easy answer. He didn't know himself, at least not fully. A heavy sigh escaped him and he turned back to her, the water basin abandoned. "When I… When I saw you, bleeding on the floor, something snapped inside of me." He replied, his honesty bringing a rush of heat and color to his cheeks. Her eyes were wide and her mouth hung open slightly, her surprise evident, and suddenly Draco wished the floor would swallow him whole. But… He'd already begun, hadn't he? He pressed on, despite fearing he'd say the wrong thing entirely. "I never wanted… I don't want to be…" Reaching up, he ran a hand through his hair, ruffling it more than ever, and then sank onto the edge of her bed, his gaze on the floor. "I don't want to be one of them." He said very quietly, so quietly that Ginny wasn't certain she'd heard him speak at all. Despite the sharp pain, she sat up, watching as something like relief passed over his features. How long had he been waiting to make that admission? His whole life? Slowly he lifted his face to her and their eyes met; several long moments passed and neither could find the words to say.

Something that felt strangely heartbreak filled her up, threatening to spill over in the form of tears. And she wasn't even a crier. Blinking fast, she forced them away and reached out a hand, slipping it over his; his skin was warm to her touch, as she recalled from that very first detention she'd had. There were so many things that she wanted to say, but instead she merely smiled, a sweet smile that he had never before been on the receiving end of. "Thank you," she finally said, giving his hand a squeeze, her heart swelling with something she wasn't sure she'd ever felt before.

[ x x x ]

As the next few days passed, the two did nothing but talk. It was surprisingly easy to talk to Draco, though had you asked her months ago she would have disagreed. He was anything but the boy he let everyone else believe him to be. He was not the pompous, prejudiced, spoiled Pureblood like he made himself out to be. They talked about everything; their childhoods (different in every way possible), their families, their fears and even their hopes for the future. She talked about her possession by Voldemort and he about being forced into almost murdering Dumbledore. They talked about his fears of getting out from beneath Voldemort and his father and she spoke of her fear of losing her loved ones. She offered him what wisdom she could and he reassured her that she could not be blamed for opening the Chamber of Secrets, for hurting people she cared about. They both hurt but for different reasons and in different ways. They both shouldered a little darkness.

It was the first morning of the second week when Ginny decided she was well enough to leave the Room of Requirement. Draco had insisted she remain hidden away until her wounds were healed enough that she didn't have to fear opening them again. By that eighth day, she was feeling much more like herself, a little sore perhaps, but ready to stretch her legs. She dressed in the outfit Draco had somehow managed to get for her- a pair of jeans and an oversized sweater in a soft blue. The door opened and she turned, coming face to face with him, his hair combed and his cloak thrown hastily over his clothes. He extended to her a folded cloak as well as a scarf she recognized to be her own- its thin stripes the crimson and gold of Gryffindor. "Draco, where are-" he cut her off, pressing a finger to her lips, winking.

"Come on, put your hood up," he instructed, unable to pull his gaze away as she wound the scarf around her neck and drew her hood up over her fiery red hair. He put a hand on her elbow and guided her out of the room and the moment they'd exited, the door vanished, gone until someone else required it. He led her down the corridor to the flights of stairs that would lead them down to the main floor, right to where the foremost double doors were. "We're going to Hogsmeade." He grinned when he saw her surprised face. "The only perk of who I am." He shrugged, pulling his cloak tighter, fastening it into place as he pushed open the doors.

The Decemeber air was cold and crisp against her cheeks and Ginny sucked in a deep breath, letting the chill fill her lungs for a moment before she expelled the breath in a cloud of white. "So what, does your father being You-Know-Who's right hand get you bonus Hogsmeade trips?" She shot him a smirk to which he returned with one of his own.

"I guess you could say that," he said and she laughed, the sound lovely to his ears, a sound he had become accustomed to over the last week. "Everyone knows who my father is so they don't care what I do. They assume I'm doing something important. Something my father instructed me to do." He shrugged as they walked, their steps steering them onto the snow covered pathway that would take them to the local village. "Anyways the Carrow's are too busy doing whatever it is they do to notice the students anyways. And Snape is still gone."

"Still?" She was surprised, this being the longest time Snape had ever been away from the castle. "Strange." She murmured, shaking her head, forcing away thoughts of the Headmaster. In all honesty, she wasn't looking forward to facing him for the first time since their last encounter. Nor the student body. Though her wounds were nearly healed, she still hung onto the red, angry slashes. Draco swore they would fade with time, but time wasn't really on her side. "He's never been gone this long before. Do you have any idea what he's doing?" Draco shook his head and Ginny sighed. "I guess he'll have to be back by the time the holiday ends."

"I suppose so." Draco conceded with another shrug. "He could be meeting with my father or with the Dark Lord, it's hard to say." They walked along the path in silence for a few minutes until finally the village of Hogsmeade came into sight. "I have a surprise," he told her, gesturing for her to follow after him as they went past the main gates of the village. The main street was decorated beautifully for the holidays- gold and tinsel covering everything. There was next to no one out, a few people perhaps finishing their holiday shopping, and a set of parents with their two young children, gazing at all of the decorations. Heading past them, Draco led her into the Hog's Head, and at first she opened her mouth to protest, that they could be seen inside there, but he didn't seemed worried so she kept it shut. The pub was empty aside for the bartender, an older man white a short white beard who hardly even looked up when they entered. "Close your eyes." He took her hand and led her towards a back room, which he opened the door to and pulled her inside, shutting it behind them, instructing her to keep her eyes closed. Giggling, she nodded, her hands over her face now that'd he'd let her hand go. "Okay, open them."

She opened her eyes and was shocked by the sight around her; everything was gold and silver and shining. A Christmas tree stood off to a corner, a fire raged in a fireplace against a wall. A single table was set up with drinks and food. "Draco, did you…" She trailed off, taking a step further into the room, her hand reaching out to gently tap one of the many ornaments on the tree. "Did you do this for me?" She whispered, her back to him, her eyes never once straying from the tree before her.

"Yes."

His answer, short and simple, was all she needed. She revolved on the spot, facing him, her eyes full of tears, a wobbling smile on her lips. Without warning, she flung herself into his arms, her own thrown around his neck; she felt his wind around her waist, pulling her closely; he smelled like cinnamon. Her hood had fallen down, revealing her hair to him once more. He breathed in her scent, floral and familiar, as if he'd known it all of his life. "You said you wished you had gone home for the holiday…" He said by way of explanation and she pulled back slightly, so she was able to look him in the face. "I wanted…" Draco felt his heart hammering hard inside his ribcage and he was well aware of the short space between them. His lips hovered over hers. "I wanted you to be happy."

Her lips found his the moment his voice died away; the kiss was long and breathtaking. When they pulled apart a few moments later, they held fast to one another, the world spinning around them. It was as if she'd been waiting all her life for a kiss like that. For a kiss from him. "I can't believe you did this- how?" She forced herself to pull away from him, shedding her cloak, letting it drape across the back of a chair. Her fingertips trailed along every surface, every detail within the room, her brown eyes wide as she took in all of the sights within.

"Another perk of being me, I guess," he said with a playful smile as he shrugged out of his own cloak, revealing to her for the first time his outfit. Black pants and a dark gray dress shirt, giving her some indication of how he probably dressed all the time. He tossed it over the back of the other chair and slid his thumbs into his front pockets, happy to watch her marvel at the decorations he'd painstakingly put up the day before while she'd slept. Luckily the old barkeep didn't mind them using the backroom and he was a quiet man who for whatever reason felt that he could trust. The clock behind them struck midnight and Draco could not help but to smile. "Happy Christmas, Ginny."

"Happy Christmas, Draco."

[ x x x ]

When they left the pub a few hours later, both were warm with drink and their own good spirits, and to their delight it had begun to snow. They walked along the path that would take them back to the castle, the falling snow a sight Ginny never tired of. She hugged her cloak tighter and felt Draco slip his arm around her waist, as if that was where it had always belonged. A smile twitched on her lips and she slipped her hood up as they approached the castle together. Late as it was, they could never be too careful. Opening the doors a crack, Draco peered inside, and deemed it safe; he pushed the doors open all the way and they dashed inside, the door falling closed behind them with a loud bang. A laugh tumbled from her lips and they both heard the footsteps coming in their direction. Clapping a hand over her mouth, Ginny shot Draco a quick glance. He took her by the hand and they took off at a run down the hall, Ginny's wand out and a quick spell muffled their steps as they ran. Up the stairs, one flight, two, three and then four before finally their steps slowed and they came to a stop on the landing. They collapsed against each other, panting and laughing, both excitedly talking about the narrow escape. Whoever it was must have decided they weren't worth chasing or had perhaps thought the door had been caught in the wind. Regardless of the reason, they were safe.

Breathing deep, catching her breath, Ginny looked up, her hood pushed back from her hair, her face cast into shadows by the dimly lit candles above them. He was staring at her and she smiled, opening her mouth to speak when his clamped down, sufficiently silencing her. His kiss was fiery and wild, his hands were moving, one buried deep into the soft, red locks, the other snaking around her waist. Their tongues met and it took only a moment more for them to find the perfect rhythm with one another. Ginny felt his teeth nip at her lower lip and she reached her hands up, both sliding into his platinum colored hair. Her knees went weak as he pulled her closer, his tongue slipping into her mouth as he gently pushed her back, forcing her back to the wall. His hands slid down the length of her body, both grasping at her buttocks, pulling her pelvis tight against his, where she could feel him beneath his pants. A shudder ran down her spine and she could not stop the soft moan that escaped her lips.

That sound, Merlin sakes that sound. Her moan was enough to send him over the edge and he fought to keep control over himself. He crushed her against him, his hands still on her buttocks, but he could feel her pushing against him, arching her back ever so slightly. "Should we…?" He pulled away long enough to speak those two words, knowing she would understand him. She nodded, a little pout papermaking as his hands released her. Draco took her by the hand and together they climbed three more flights of stairs and came to the door that appeared when they called out for it. Once inside, she was not surprised to see the room was exactly how they left it. Draco led her towards one of the beds, but did not force her onto it, instead he stopped beside it, and tugged the cloak from her body. He pulled his off too, before returning to the fierce kissing they'd been doing in the hall. His hands slid back to her waist, one gingerly slipping beneath the sweater, the pads of his fingers trailing along the small of her back. He felt her shudder with desire. He was rock hard instantly and he knew she could feel it as she was pressed tightly against him. "We don't have to…" He pulled away, his lips at her ear, whispering the words to her. She smiled and her hand was against him, the length of him pulsating into her palm through his jeans. Well, that was certainly a response Her lips were on his again and his hands were both wandering up the back of her blouse, to playfully snap at her bra, before they slid back out and grasped the hem of her sweater. They met each other's eyes and she smiled, giving him a small nod, indicating her consent to whatever was going to come next.

He was sliding the sweater over her head, throwing it off to the side, leaving her in her jeans and bra. She was unbuttoning the buttons on his shirt, peeling it away from his shoulders, letting it drop down around his feet. His thumbs went through her belt loops and he gave her a little tug, closing the gap between them just long enough to kiss her. But then his hands were working again, unbuttoning the button on her jeans, then helping her shimmy them down her legs. She was left standing before him in her bra and underwear and he came to realize that she had the lightest dusting of freckles over her shoulders. He drew her towards him and his lips trailed from her shoulder, over her neck and onto the corner of her mouth. Draco could feel her hands at his waistband, unbuckling his belt, letting that drop to the floor once she'd pulled it free from the loops. She was working on his pants as his hands found their way back to her buttocks, the skin beneath his palm soft and warm. His pants were gone then and he was dressed only in his boxers; no longer could he wait and he guided her towards the bed, gently pushing her onto her back. He climbed overtop her, his hands trailing all along her skin, the tips of his fingers tracing every scar from her Sectumsempra wounds.

His hands were everywhere, but his lips hardly strayed from hers. She felt them on her hips, her sides, her cheeks, every single inch of her. He carefully grazed every scar as if he wanted to memorize their placement against her skin. "Draco," she murmured his name and he lifted his face to look down at him, poised to move away from her, as if he thought she meant for him to stop. "Don't stop," she went on, a mischievous smile curving her cheeks upward. He returned her smile with a kiss and she felt his hands slide beneath her, to unhook her bra, and then he pulled the garment away completely. His hands were on her breasts then, his thumb rubbing circles over her nipple. His reward was her soft moan. With one hand still on her breast, the other moved to her hips, and it slowly began to inch her underwear down. She lifted her pelvis up a bit, giving him the space he needed to pull them off completely. Her hands were at his hips then, pulling down his boxers, revealing him to her. "Come here," she whispered, her voice a wisp of smoke. He did as she said and it was his turn to moan as she took him into her mouth. His hands tangled themselves in her hair and he arched his back against her, the feeling shooting through him intense.

No more, he could take no more! He thrust her back down and she gave a laugh, her brown eyes flashing as he climbed over her, positioning himself between her legs. One last glance to her and she nodded. He pushed himself into her and he heard her give a little squeak but soon she was moaning as he pumped away, her cries mounting as he went faster and faster. He was reaching climax and he slowed, his own moans loud and mingling with hers. He felt himself burst and one last thrust and he felt her release as well. Slumping over, he rolled off of her, one arm still slung over her slim body, their breathing in time with one another's. after a few minutes, he propped himself up, so he could gaze down at her; she blushed beneath his scrutiny, her smile however was unwavering. "You're beautiful," he murmured, his free hand coming up to cup her cheek, his own lips curving with a smile.

"Even if my scars don't go away?"

"Even if they do."

A smile brightened her features and she rolled over on top of him, feeling him harden beneath her. She lifted herself up just a little and a hand reached out, sliding him into herself. He let out a breath and tipped his head back as she began to rock back and forth, awkwardly at first until she'd found her perfect rhythm. He was moaning her name as she pushed him deeper into her, her own head thrown back, long hair falling down her back in soft waves. She was grinding against him, loving the control, loving the feel of him and the sound of his moaning as he rocked against her. Her name was on his lips as he came once more and it was her turn to roll off, to lay beside him in the crook of his arm. They stay that way for hours, until they'd both drifted off into a deep, deep sleep.

And that was the start of something wonderful.