Disclaimer: They're not mine.

Chapter Ten

Ginny rushed down to the Slytherin dungeons. Once there, however, she realized she did not know the password. Thankfully, breakfast had started about five minutes before she got there, and there were still a few stragglers hanging around outside the entrance. She threatened a first year into giving her the password and, hoping that she wouldn't be electrocuted by entering the common room of Gryffindor's enemy, stepped across the threshold.

Draco and Blaise were sitting in a way that prevented them from having a view of the door. However, Ginny heard them the second she stepped into the common room. Unfortunately, she heard the bad part.

"I just wonder if it was a mistake to even date her." That was, unmistakably, Draco's voice. "Maybe we just aren't meant for each other."

Ginny was unable to hear Blaise's response because she was already halfway down the corridor by the time he replied, tears beginning to pool in her eyes. She ignored the other people around her, only concentrating on getting as far away from Draco as possible.

Without even realizing it, Ginny was standing in front of the Head's dorm. Jezebel, seeing the girl's tearstained face, swung open without any prompting. Ginny knew going to the Head's dorm was potentially dangerous, because Draco would head back this way at some point. Nevertheless, she stepped into the common room. There was only one person who could truly help her.

Hermione had been preparing to leave for breakfast but when she saw Ginny, she dropped her bag and held her arms open. Ginny collapsed against the older girl, grabbing her shirt for support, letting the tears fall. Hermione led them back to her room and the two girls crawled onto her bed. Hermione held onto Ginny, letting her cry, waiting for the chance to try to get her to talk.

Ten minutes later, Ginny had calmed down enough to tell Hermione what she had heard. However, this brought on a new onslaught of tears and forced Hermione to wait again for Ginny to stop crying. After an eternity (but it actuality was only fifteen minutes), the tears stopped. Ginny didn't let go of Hermione and Hermione didn't push away.

"I'm so sorry, Gin," Hermione said, smoothing her hair out of her face. "Guys are jerks."

"I know," Ginny said, sniffling. "I just wish I had learned my lesson with Harry. Maybe I should just give up guys completely." She smirked slyly at Hermione. "You, uh, ever consider…you know…switching teams?"

Hermione smiled. "Nice to see you still have your sense of humor."

Ginny's face broke into a grin. "It was worth a try."

The silence that followed was disrupted by the sound of the portrait door opening. Hermione shot up while Ginny scooted further back on the bed.

"I can't talk to him," Ginny said, her eyes fearful. "Don't tell him I'm back here."

Hermione gave Ginny a kiss on the forehead and stood up. "Don't worry, sweetie, I won't."

The older girl left the bedroom while Ginny crawled under the covers, as if to hide herself better from Draco.

Draco glanced up when he heard Hermione. "Hey," he said, his voice quiet.

"Hey," Hermione replied, shutting her door softly. "What, um, is up?"

"Besides the fact that I just caught the love of my life kissing her ex, not much."

She sighed. "I need to tell you something. Sit down." She joined him on the couch and took a deep breath. "Ginny didn't cheat on you. She was just talking to Harry. She couldn't stand being mad at him anymore, and wanted to fix their relationship. She was just hugging him. She really does love you."

"I can't believe that," Draco said, but his voice wasn't quite as strong as he would have liked.

"Really? I just spent the last half hour consoling a girl who couldn't stop crying over the fact that she heard the love of her life say he didn't think they were meant for each other. Do you really think she would be this upset about something you said if she was so willing to throw away your whole relationship for some guy who cheated on her? If you really think that, maybe you guys aren't meant for each other."

Angry at Draco for being a prick, and angry at herself for getting so worked up, Hermione stormed out of the common room.

Draco, however, was too preoccupied to notice. He stood up slowly and cautiously crept over to Hermione's door. He couldn't hear anything through the wood. He quietly opened the door, careful to make sure it didn't squeak.

He didn't see Ginny but the lump on the bed had him thinking she was hiding from him. He walked over to the bed, keeping his steps light. He climbed onto the bed and scooted over to Ginny.

"Hermione," she said, her voice muffled, "I really don't wanna talk. Just make sure he leaves."

Ignoring her words, he slid underneath the blanket, pulled her flush against him, and wrapped his arm around her waist.

"Hermione?!" Ginny said in shock. She looked over her shoulder and, when she saw that it was Draco, her expression softened, although not by much.

"What do you want?" she asked, turning back around and trying to pull away.

Draco tightened his grip. "Hermione's bed looked so inviting, and you looked so comfy, I decided to join you."

The two lay in silence. Somehow, and neither were totally sure how it happened, Draco's hand crept up until her breast rested in his hand. Ginny didn't pull away.

"I can't believe you would think I would cheat on you," Ginny said finally.

"How was I suppose to know you were just hugging? It looked like a kiss," he said, while trying to ignore the growing hardness between his legs. Ginny fit against him perfectly and it was definitely turning him on.

"I could never do that to you. I love you."

Her words shocked him. Yes, Hermione had pretty much told him how Ginny felt, but it was still a surprise hearing it come out of her mouth.

"I, I love you too," Draco said.

"Then why did you say we weren't meant for each other?"

"I thought if you could cheat on me, then you must not really love me."

"Ha. That's funny, coming from the Slytherin Sex God."

His grip tightened even more, almost defensively. "I may have been with a lot of girls before you, but I have never cheated on any of them. And I don't intend to cheat on you. I've seen what that can do to people, and I don't want that to happen to us."

"So," Ginny said slyly, after a pause, "you really love me?"

"Yeah. I really love you."

"Who knew I could tame Draco Malfoy into love?"

"Trust me, I did not expect this to happen."

Ginny spun around so she was facing him. "But you're happy about it?" she asked, almost pleading.

Draco captured her lips in a kiss. "Yeah," he said, after pulling away, "I'm happy about it."

THE END