Having sex against a tree in the forbidden forest was one thing. With Hagrid gone, who was going to catch them? Doing it right next to the lake was another situation entirely. It would take almost nothing for a first year, probably trying to hide from Crabbe and Goyle, to run behind the great tree and witness Draco Malfoy and Ginny Weasley doing all manner of things a first year should never see.

Ginny considered this as she climbed off of Draco and took up her spot in the grass next to him, breathing hard.

"Ginny." Draco said, sounding rather breathless as well.

Ginny didn't answer at first, taking a few more minutes to let her heart rate slow to a normal pace. Then, she rolled on to her side, resting her head in her hand.

"I missed you." Her voice was soft and she looked away as she spoke, as if embarrassed to admit that he meant so much to her.

"Where were you?" She asked, unable to hold on to the question. She didn't want him to see how much she needed him there, but her desperation to know why he had left her alone was overwhelming.

"I…" Draco paused, watching Ginny carefully as he spoke. "I had to go home for a while." He said finally, hoping that she would not inquire further.

Ginny considered this for a moment, her fingers absentmindedly stroking Draco's pale chest.

"Are you going away again any time soon?" she asked, abandoning any attempt to pretend like his absence hadn't bothered her.

"I don't know." Draco whispered, leaning over to press his lips to her forehead.

Ginny sighed. Draco spoke again.

"How are you feeling now?"

Ginny laughed. She had been so relieved to see Draco that she had completely forgotten about the way she had felt earlier.

"I'm good." She smiled. "I don't know what happened. It just got so hot and I couldn't see properly. I freaked out. I don't know why."

"Hmm." Draco murmured, clearly still concerned.

"I'm fine." Insisted Ginny, sitting up now, "And we have class."

"I don't if you don't…" Draco said quietly, smirking.

Ginny laughed again, grabbing Draco's hand and standing up, pulling him to his feet as well.

They re-did the buttons on their shirts and Ginny checked for any tell-tale grass or leaves that might've gotten caught in her hair. Slipping out from behind the oak, they walked up towards the castle. Ginny felt close to giddy, considering all of the possibilities of this moment. There were so many empty classrooms and remote towers in the castle, not to mention un-used wings and offices where no one would think to look for them. Ginny's world seemed a little brighter now, with Draco holding her hand, practically running up the steps into the castle. She could tell that he was as eager as she was. It was a very nice thought to consider that maybe he had missed her too. She couldn't help but wonder if this thing that they had meant something to him, like it did to her. In a very short period of time they had developed a very unique connection that Ginny found herself eager to hold on to.

It seemed like an eternity before they reached the first empty classroom that they could see. They had barely locked the door before they began tearing each others clothes off, more than just a little bit eager to express exactly how glad they were to see each other. Ginny kissed Draco furiously as she moved her hands over his chest, lowering one slowly to stroke his hard-on, teasing him gently. He groaned softly as Ginny lowered her head to kiss along his neck and then his collar bone, moving downward inch by inch and kissing his pale chest, smiling to herself as she slid her tongue slowly down his body. She could tell she was driving him crazy. Draco wrapped a hand in her long, red hair, encouraging her with his soft moans as he reached out with his other hand to grab hold of the nearby desk, steadying himself.

***

Ginny laughed to herself as she rolled over and propped her head up against her fist. She and Draco had finally made it to a real bed last night. They'd gone from the empty classroom to Professor Burbage's now abandoned office to dinner in the great hall and then to her dormitory. She was not above comparing, and Harry definitely wouldn't have been able to go as long after dinner. Her dormitory, which normally would have been occupied by four other girls, was empty. Her roommates had all left Hogwarts, with the exception of one who generally just spent her nights in the beds of various males all over the castle. Ginny was thankful to have the room so nearly all to herself, for whatever reasons that it may have come to be that way. She looked over at Draco and began to consider the day before, as she had not yet had time to do so. Draco had told her that he had been at home, but there was obviously more to the story. Ginny was aware that home for Draco meant a family of death eaters influencing and pushing him to follow in their footsteps. In the back of her mind she had an idea that his return home had to do with his mission from Voldemort. It didn't seem likely to be a coincidence that she had overheard Snape talking about it the very same day that he went home. Ginny did not want to think about it. Having Draco here made her happy. For the first time in several months she felt like someone cared again.

She got out of bed slowly, being careful not to wake Draco, who was wrapped up in her soft red sheets with his beautiful blond head buried in the pillows. She tiptoed across the room and considered putting on clothes, but changed her mind immediately, deciding a shower would be perfect just now. She wandered into the bathroom, reveling in the ability to walk around naked as she pleased. She had decided, as most people do after spending a day without them, that clothes were a necessary evil and life would be much nicer without them.

Nearly forty five minutes passed before Ginny emerged from the bathroom, wrapped in a towel, smiling in anticipation of what she expected to do next with Draco. The only problem being that he wasn't there.