7. Secret's Out
"AND THE HARPIE'S WIN AGAIN! WHAT A STUNNING VICTORY FOR THE SEVEN WITCHES! THAT'S 8 WINS OUT OF 9 SINCE THE MALFOY TAKE OVER! WHAT A FANTASTIC MOVE FOR THE TEAM THAT TURNED OUT TO BE! AND GINEVRA WEASLEY MOVES EVER CLOSER TO A NEW GOAL SCORING RECORD! CAN THINGS GET ANY BETTER FOR THE HOLYHEAD HARPIES?!"
Ginny landed on the frozen ground and beamed as she waved at the fans who were now cheering all around one half of the stadium. Everything in her life was going wonderfully. The Harpies were going from strength to strength and they were almost dead cert to win the league this year. She had been saving up her money and had almost enough to move out of Harry's house and get her own place. And to top it off she had a gorgeous, supportive boyfriend who loved her and doted on her. She smiled at him now as he strode across the pitch towards her, a huge smile on his own face. There was only one tiny problem. He was a secret. The biggest secret. The best secret of her life. But he was still a secret. So she couldn't throw her arms around him and kiss him like she was longing to do. She would have to wait until they were alone. Behind closed doors.
Ron and Hermione were applauding the Harpies' performance in the stands. However, while Ron was busy beaming and telling everyone surrounding him who would listen that Ginny was his sister, Hermione was watching Ginny and Draco with narrowed eyes. Something about the way he touched her so casually made her feel uncomfortable, although not nearly as uncomfortable as the way she let him. Hermione continued to watch as Draco placed a hand on the small of Ginny's back and whispered something into her ear. Ginny looked him dead in the eye before giving him a slight nod. Hermione felt her insides grow cold as realisation flooded through her body.
Hermione slammed open the door to the Harpies' changing rooms and found Draco and Ginny alone and almost touching. Her eyes narrowed as they both turned to face her. "Hermione!" exclaimed Ginny, "what are you doing here?"
"Well, good game Weasley", said Draco, "we can discuss your new ideas for strategy more fully in the board meeting on Monday", he said nodding to her, "Granger", he added, nodding to Hermione before swiftly exiting the room.
"You're sleeping with him aren't you?" asked Hermione, her eyes steely. Ginny's eyes widened for a split second before she composed herself and answered.
"Why would you ask that?" she said, feigning ignorance.
"Oh, come on Ginny, don't insult my intelligence it's obvious, how long has it been going on?" Ginny didn't answer, she couldn't even understand how Hermione knew about them … just when things had been going so well everything had to start falling apart. "Look, Hermione … the reason I didn't say anything -"
"Is because you knew damn well that no one would accept this?!"
"Well yeah, maybe … look I just thought … that if everyone just got to know him, as a person and not as my boyfriend we might have a chance …"
"Boyfriend?! Ginny are you mad?! Have you forgotten everything he did at school, everything he put us through, all those things he said?! Ginny! Have you forgotten Dumbledore?!"
"He wouldn't have killed Dumbledore", said Ginny shaking her head, "even Harry agreed that there was no way he'd have done it!"
"Harry! Ginny …? Is this just to get back at him?!"
"No of course not! What do you take me for?! I love Draco!"
"You love him?" repeated Hermione quietly, "you love him?"
"Hermione please! Please don't do this! Look I should have told you, I know that! You're my best friend Hermione, but you have to understand, he makes me happy! Happier than I've ever been in my whole life! Please Hermione, I need you to be on my side for this one! Will you have dinner with us? You and Ron?"
"Does Ron know?!"
"No of course not … I thought maybe … it would be better coming from you …"
"Well I won't deny that … I'll talk to him, but there's no promises Ginny, and I'm still not happy about this. I'm going to take a lot of convincing"
"Thank you."
* * *
Ginny arrived back home and poured herself a large glass of wine and gulped half of it down at once. She wondered if Hermione had told Ron yet, that thought only made her even more terrified and she topped up her glass before heading into the sitting room, what if they tell Harry? She though, fear gripping her, sure she had ended it with Harry, but she didn't want him finding out from an irate Ron that she was now dating Draco Malfoy. She shuddered at the thought of how angry Harry would be on discovering the truth. A loud bang on the door interrupted her thoughts and she jumped up, grabbing her wand as she did so. She walked over and opened it cautiously. She needn't have worried, it was only Draco. As soon as he was inside the house she threw her arms around him, he held her back tightly, something told him that she was upset about something. Finally she pulled away from him slightly so she could look into his eyes, "they know", she said simply.
* * *
"Now Ron … I don't want you to get angry … but I have something to tell you", began Hermione, wringing her hands as she paced up and down in front of the sofa on which Ron was sat. Ron watched her, half worried, half amused. He hadn't seen her this tense since her job interview. "Hermione, you're wearing a hole in the carpet", he said after a while. "OK Ron", she said stopping finally, "this might be a bit of a shock but -"
"You're pregnant!" Ron burst out. "You are aren't you?! I know we were waiting until after the wedding but that's fan -"
"No! No Ron, I'm not pregnant!"
"Oh", said Ron, lowering himself back onto the sofa.
"But you'd be happy if I was?" asked Hermione, momentarily distracted.
"Well … yeah … wouldn't you?"
"Well, yes … yes of course I would …"
"So what do you want to tell me?" he asked, grinning at her.
"It's about Ginny …"
"Oh don't tell me, she's going to get back with Harry …"
"No""Oh good"
"Why 'good'?"
"Because it's weird, my best mate dating my sister …" Ron shuddered slightly.
"Right … well no, anyway, she's erm, she's met someone else …"
"Oh, who? Will I approve?"
"I doubt it"
"Who is he?"
"… Draco Malfoy", said Hermione finally, she looked at Ron but her appeared to be frozen to the sofa. She took advantage of his temporary silence to try and explain, "now Ron, I know it must be a shock for you, I'm not at all happy about it myself but Ginny is very happy with him and she wants us to understand, so uhm, she invited us for dinner … but you know if you don't want to go then -"
"OK", said Ron interrupting her.
"What?" she asked.
"I said OK"
"Ron did you hear me?"
"Yes, Ginny and Malfoy want us over for dinner. OK."