Chapter 9: Conflicted
"You did what?" said Hermione and Pansy at the same time. Ginny and the other ladies were looking through more bridal magazines at Grimmauld Place while Ron and Harry were off getting fitted for their wedding dress robes.
"I didn't mean to!" said Ginny, hands covering her face, muffling her voice.
"Oh no you don't Ginevra Weasley!" said Hermione, taking Ginny's hands from her face. "You are not going to cower away from us! What were you thinking?!"
"I wasn't, okay?! I had decided to throw together a nice birthday for Draco a few days ago, and it...I don't know...it just felt…'
"Like the right thing to do?" asked Pansy optimistically.
Hermione glared at Pansy.
"It couldn't have been. I mean of course it wasn't, I basically took advantage of him. I don't know what came over me."
"I do." said Hermione. "You fancy him."
Ginny looks dumbstruck. "How the hell would I fancy Draco Malfoy? He a hasn't given me a reason to! All I do is talk to him and take care of him. As I should. I am a healer."
"Yeah, but he listens to you talk." said Pansy.
"He really doesn't have a choice in the matter now does he? I'm sure he wouldn't care to hear a word I had to say if he was well."
"And how do you know that?" asked Pansy. "You never know. He could very well change."
"Draco Malfoy? Changing? Highly unlikely." said Hermione.
"Hermione, that's not fair." said Pansy. "Everybody can change. I was a total bitch in Hogwarts. I even tried to turn Harry into Snape, remember? And look at me now. I can still be a bitch, but I'm done with the pureblood supremacy. I'm marrying Harry Potter for crying out loud."
"Pansy, you weren't as bad as Malfoy."
"I really was, Hermione. I just didn't do the things that Draco did. But Draco didn't have much of a choice now did he? My family wasn't threatened. His was." said Pansy.
"You have a point." said Ginny. "But the war is over. Has been for eight years. Has Draco really changed since then?"
"Not all at once. But he has made improvements. You have to allow him the chance to prove himself. You never know how he will be coming out of this coma, Gin." said Pansy.
"I do find myself wanting to at least be his friend. The fact that I feel he is actually listening to me is comforting." said Ginny.
"Friends is just fine." said Hermione. "Just don't start snogging the git."
Later that day, Ginny found herself sitting in the parlor of Malfoy Manor, giving Narcissa progress report over tea.
"I'm glad to hear you are taking such good care of my baby, Ginevra and I'm so happy to hear you are getting to him." said Narcissa, appreciatively. "I'm confident he is in the right hands."
"Thanks Ms. Cissy." said Ginny, circling her finger on the rim of her teacup.
"You look like something is troubling you." said Narcissa as she dipped a biscuit into her tea.
"I did...something." said Ginny, hesitantly. "Something that was wrong."
Narcissa looked worried. "What do you mean? What happened?"
"I...kissed your son."
Narcissa looked stunned for a second, then she started to chuckle.
Ginny looked at the older woman, confused as to why she found it amusing.
"You had me thinking you did something horrible." said Narcissa.
"I feel horrible about it." said Ginny. "First off, I didn't have his permission. Second, I shouldn't be doing things like that with your son even if I did have his permission. He hates everything about me. From my red hair to my tattered clothes."
"You don't know that for sure, my dear. " said Narcissa looking sincerely at the girl. "You have been with my son since March and it is now June. You have been the one to take care of him, to keep him company, to make sure he knew that he had someone. Draco appreciates it, I'm certain he does. Outside of me, he has never really known much kindness and affection. And you have been nothing but that, even though you could very well be horrid. It hurts me to say, that you have been there for him much more than I have. And really, you have went above and beyond your duty as a healer. Especially with his birthday."
Ginny mulled Narcissa's words over. She truly had went above and beyond her calling. Coming in on her days off, taking care of him beyond cleaning him as she would any other patient. She enjoyed being around him, she could admit to that.
Narcissa looked at Ginny's face. She wore her emotions on it, and it was clear to see that she was wrestling with her emotions.
"I do believe you have fallen for my son." said Narcissa, knowingly.
Ginny smirked. "My sister in law and Pansy seems to think the same thing."
"Pansy was always good at reading people. Especially my son." said Narcissa.
"I can't fancy your son."
"And why not? You don't find yourself worthy?"
"For the most part. He doesn't like me nor my family. He probably doesn't want me near him." said Ginny.
"Maybe you should ask him." said Narcissa. "You say he blinks for you now. I'm pretty sure you can establish some kind of communication."
Ginny blushed. "I don't want to. Not now. He will probably have a go at me with his eyes for such a question."
Narcissus laughed. "You are such a vivacious and beautiful woman. But you sell yourself short. You never know. You may very well be the fire that melts my son's icy heart." she said, gently lifting Ginny's head by the chin.
Ginny grinned. "It would take an inferno to melt that."
