[A/N- I'm very sorry that this is has taken so long. I wrote almost an entire chapter and it was probably twice as long as my chapters usually are. Then I went to open it today and my disk has some kind of error on it. So yeah I'm a little unhappy right now. I don't really remember what questions I answered before. To make a long explanation short, for those who ask, those are just errors in my story. I don't edit my chapters at all because quite frankly, I don't care if I have minor errors as far as this story goes. Wipd cream and HP- sorry for the long wait! I did have a good reason though :) Thanks to everyone who reviewed, I really appreciate it!
I'm going on vacation Friday for a week to the Dominican Republic, so don't expect any updates before then. MAYBE I'll have another chapter out tomorrow, but don't count on it. Sorry for the gap, I'll try harder when I get home to write more.]
Only three days were left until Ginny would be able to return to the Burrow. She was so excited that she could no longer concentrate on her work. She hadn't been to her real home since the beginning of the summer, and she also couldn't wait to see her parents and Bill and Charlie. School was getting tougher, and the professors kept doling out more work. A vacation seemed like a godsend to Ginny.
The only thing she could see negative about Christmas break was the fact that she wouldn't be able to see Draco for a week. Ever since their encounter with Professor Snape a week earlier, the two had been together almost every night. But that had been two weeks earlier, and now they were both too busy even to sneak out at midnight. Still, just seeing him every day in the Great Hall, or having his arm brush hers in what seemed like an accidental manner was enough for her.
She also couldn't stand the thought of him alone in the Manor with his father. Out of all the things he had talked to her about, his father was the subject that disturbed Ginny the most. She thought that he was monstrous enough for doing what he did to her, but what he had been doing to his own son for almost sixteen years was definitely worse. He would have to go back there, and go through that abuse, and pretend like he's on his father's side, all without her there to support him.
At breakfast, Ginny pondered this intensely, her eyes automatically fixated on him. He was looking especially glum this morning, silently sipping a drink. She was used to seeing him look tired, and she knew she was the cause. Today, he was obviously stressed over something as well. Desperately, she wanted to see him, to let him know that he was cared about before he would have to go home.
A sharp kick to Ginny's calf brought her back to the earth. Next to her, Hermione continued chatting with Harry and her brother, but managed to shoot Ginny a meaningful glare. Ginny was immediately thankful for the heads-up from her friend.
Ginny leaned over, attempting to join the conversation. As always, she was boxed out of the whispers the three exchanged. More than ever, it was starting to get to her. She was, along with Neville and Luna, becoming extremely powerful thanks to the D.A. But still, none of them were good enough to hear anything private exchanged among the three leaders.
Frustrated, she stood up and picked up her bag. Class would start in another 20 minutes, and she thought that maybe she would go down to the library to finish her homework. She briefly thought about cutting class. She knew a lot of people were going to be today. It was bright and sunny, despite the snow on the ground. With Christmas so close, they would all sneak down to Hogsmeade to do a little last minute shopping.
Someone walked past her quickly, brushing her arm. Ginny looked up and saw Draco walking directly ahead of her. Something told her that he wanted her to follow. Keeping a distance, she did, pretending to be very interested in the decorations on the wall to avoid suspicion.
He turned into a hallway she did not recognize, but she followed anyway. The hall was very short and had only three doors. Together, they walked into the nearest classroom and shut the door.
Only 10 desks were in the room, but it was still cramped. Complicated charts and diagrams filled every available wall space. Bookshelves were on each wall. Ginny deduced that it must be an Advanced Arithmancy room.
As soon as the door shut, Draco greeted Ginny with a large kiss. "I need to see you," he whispered loudly.
"I know. I need to be with you, too," she whispered back.
"Can you cut class this morning?"
Ginny bit her lip and looked at the wall at a chart filled with numbers and symbols. It sounded so inviting, cutting Charms and History of Magic to be with Draco. But they had just been caught by Snape... would it be too stupid of them? She looked back at him, and found herself blushing at the way he looked at her. His eyes were full of unmistakable affection for what he was looking at.
"Okay," she whispered back, a smile spreading across her face unwillingly.
Draco's own face broke out into a big smile. He gave Ginny a peck on her lips, then whispered quickly, "Meet me by the staircase by the Great Hall in half an hour." He gave her another peck on her forehead, and then let her go first.
Ginny practically floated to the spot. Finally, they could be together, and properly alone. Gracefully, she settled down onto the dusty, dirty floor under the staircase, where no one would be able to see her.
She wondered what they would do together all day. They would probably go to his dorm, since boys couldn't come into hers. None of the people cutting class would be there, because they would be at Hogsmeade. They could talk freely, not being restrained by time or having to keep their voices quiet. They could kiss without the fear of getting caught.
A sudden thought jarred her mind. If they were going to his dorm, which they probably would be, there would obviously be a bed, which implied many things. She wondered if that was his plan all along. And if it was, was she ready for that?
She went through it in her head while she waited patiently for him. Around her, kids were hurrying to their classes. There had never been a guy in her life she had cared for more. If she wasn't very much mistaken, Ginny was beginning to think that she was falling in love with him. He treated her like a princess all of the time. She had friends with boyfriends, and they weren't treated nearly as well as she was. If it didn't work out with Draco, it would probably be a long time before she would find any other guy. And thanks to her low self-confidence, courtesy of Tom, any guy she would find would treat her badly.
Yes, maybe I will. If it comes up, that is, Ginny thought to herself. A small smile settled onto her face.
Twenty minutes later, the halls were completely empty. Even the groups sneaking down to Hogsmeade had left by now. She was beginning to feel impatient, sitting in the dark. She began to wonder if he would show up at all.
Footsteps were drawing closer to her spot. Ginny inched forward and peeked out of the shadow she was settled in. He was walking towards her, a smile on his pale face. She smiled back and stood up.
Briefly, he stood next to her. "Follow me like you did before," he muttered. Then he began walking away from her quickly.
Ginny followed silently like he told her to. While walking, she pretended to be distracted with the contents of her bag. Every once in awhile, she would glance up to make sure he was still relatively in front of her.
He stopped in a small enclave in front of a portrait. She walked up next to him and grabbed his hand.
"Nigellus," he muttered to the painting. It swung forward and they walked into the common room together.
The ceiling was low and the room was narrow and long, but Ginny knew it must easily be bigger than her own common room. Green armchairs were placed in an orderly manner along the length of the room. Fires burned well in the many fireplaces. It was nothing like the slightly messy, random placement of things in Gryffindor. Paintings were abundant, mostly of people who looked like they had lived 600 years earlier. Elaborate chandeliers hung from the ceiling.
"It's beautiful," Ginny breathed, genuinely impressed. Draco just smiled back and led her towards a staircase.
Together, they went up the spiral staircase and went into one of the sets of double doors. Ginny entered another large, well lit room. There were two four-poster beds on the left and on the right. The walls were covered in beautiful green and silver wallpaper. Directly ahead was a very large fireplace, crackling. Everything was very clean and proper looking.
Draco shut the door with a soft click. "That one's my bed," he said, pointing to the bed on the far left with his free hand. "The one next to it is Theodore Nott's, and Crabbe and Goyle sleep on the other side."
"This is so much nicer than Gryffindor," Ginny said.
"Well, you've clearly picked the wrong house," Draco said with a large grin.
Ginny laughed and wrapped her arms around Draco's neck. Their lips came together and they began kissing. Ginny closed her eyes as Draco began walking her towards his bed. Together, they flopped down onto the green comforter and kept kissing.
After several minutes, they broke apart and lay side by side on the bed. Ginny grabbed Draco's hand again and turned to look at him.
"I'm going to miss you so much next week," she murmured.
Draco sighed audibly. "I know." His eyes got a distant look and he appeared deep in thought. He stroked his thumb along Ginny's hand.
"I hate even thinking about you having to be alone with him," she said.
"I'll make it through. At least now, I have something here to come back to." He looked at Ginny meaningfully. She thought her heart was going to explode.
"Oh Draco," she sighed, placing a kiss onto his lips.
"It's just getting so ridiculous. I wish I had gone to Durmstrang. That's where father wanted me to go, you know. My mother needs me here, though. If I had gone there, I would be getting a real education. History of Magic is just a joke, Flitwick's off his rocker, and Umbridge is just insane. Then, of course, there's that damned half-breed mumbling his way through Care of Magical Creatures..."
Angry, Ginny let go of his hand quickly and crossed her arms across her chest. "Draco! How could you say that? Hagrid is a great person, regardless of where he comes from!"
"Oh, come on, Ginny, it's true! You take the class, and you have to admit, he's more than a little incompetent!"
Ginny shot him a glare and he shut his mouth. Hagrid was not only one of her favorite teachers, he was also a great friend. Nothing made her angrier than when people discriminated against him just because of his mother. She had come into the room only wanting to be with Draco, and now she didn't even want to speak to him.
He fumbled with the drawer on his nightstand, and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. Silently, he put one into his mouth and handed one to Ginny. Refusing to look him in the eye, she lit it and moved over to the end of the bed.
"You know, Draco, there's still so much that you don't know about people. I know you're on my side, but I have to wonder why. You still don't seem to understand that there is more to a person than what they were born into!" she said loudly, the anger in her voice obvious.
"I don't believe that, and I don't know if I ever can." he said evenly. He moved so he was sitting next to her.
"Then please, enlighten me, how can you possibly be on the good side?!"
Draco was beginning to grow angry, she noticed. "There's more to it than that! I'm on your side because it's wrong, but I don't necessarily believe it! You and I are both elite by birth, Ginny, don't you understand that? Our families have been in magic for hundreds, hell, thousands of years, and you're saying that someone who just bursts into our ancient world, first in their families, is just as good?"
"Yes, I am," she said defiantly. She stared into his eyes, which were narrowed to two silver slits. "It's the same magic, no matter what family they are! Look at someone like Hermione Granger! I know you hate her, but you can't deny that she's a great witch! Then look at someone like Crabbe, a so-called pureblood who couldn't write a paragraph on the difference between a spell and a charm! Draco, it's not what you were born, but what you make of the ability we all have that makes a wizard honorable."
He sighed deeply and ran a hand through his blond hair. They sat in silence for a full five minutes. Ginny had thoughts and angry arguments running through her mind, and she knew Draco must have the same. She was also starting to feel upset- it was the first time they had ever fought. What they had was so good, as short as it had been. Now it was in jeopardy, all because of their strong opinions.
Her eyes started to burn, and desperately Ginny fought back her tears. It was useless, and two warm tears began to slide down her cheeks. Draco looked at them, and his eyes changed from angry to concerned. He moved closer and held Ginny in his arms. He took both of their cigarettes and extinguished them.
"Shh, don't cry," he whispered into her hair. This just made Ginny cry even more. "You're right, Ginny, you're absolutely right. You always have been."
Now she was sobbing into his chest, but she was no longer sad. There was so much pressure, from the relationship itself, and having to hide it from her entire family, and it was all becoming too much for her. When he hugged her and tried to comfort her, it all felt so much better, but the reality that they would have to remain in private was really getting to her. Then to hear him admit to her that she had been right was too much for her to handle.
Ginny regained her composure and wiped the remainder of the tears from her cheeks. Smoothly, she said, "I just can't stand it, Draco! I need to be with you all the time, not in secret!"
"I know, Ginny. I feel the same way," he said, stroking her hair. "But we can't worry about that. We have to enjoy this time while we still have it."
Ginny leaned against his shoulder. It was no longer a question to her, or a maybe. She felt it stronger than ever, and wanted him to know. Quietly, she said, "I love you."
When she let it out, she felt like something huge had escaped from her chest. A different air surrounded the two of them. Ginny felt like she was floating, higher than ever. Saying it out loud had confirmed it even more. She was in love, and had never been happier.
Draco moved his mouth towards hers again, and they kissed. Butterflies filled Ginny's stomach just as they had when they had first kissed. Slowly, they both inched backwards until they were both lying comfortably on the bed. Draco's soft, strong hands made their way into Ginny's hair, stroking it and running through her long tresses.
He moved his mouth onto her neck, placing small kisses on the side and onto her collarbone. He stopped and looked up at her, his eyes full of sincerity. "I love you too, Ginny," he murmured.
Ginny kissed him this time. She couldn't stop herself. Saying it herself was one thing, but hearing it back was so wonderful. In his eyes, she could see that he really meant it, and that was the best part for her. All of these years, all she could find in herself were faults, and now another human loved her, just because she was who she was.
Their bodies and hands moved closer and started to cover more territory. "Hold on," Ginny whispered. Roughly, she pulled off her robe and through it on to the nearest bed. Draco did the same, throwing his onto a chair. Then he moved closer, his mouth on hers, until he was lying on top of her.
Gracefully, Ginny moved one hand towards his belt while the other stroked his back. It was as if she knew what to do naturally. Draco's breathing drew heavier as she unhooked his belt and unbuttoned his khakis. When she was done, she removed her hands from their positions and placed them at her sides expectantly, still kissing Draco's lips.
Draco's own hands found the bottom of Ginny's sweater, and began to pull it upwards. Together, they both sat forward until her sweater was over her head and discarded with her robe. While up, Draco quickly unbuttoned his own shirt, growing increasingly impatient with the slow work of his fingers. Then they both flopped back into their lying position, Draco's bare chest against Ginny's bare stomach.
Desperately, her body ached for his touch. They were all over her body, exploring everything as they had before. During their previous meetings, she had always known when it was time to stop, but now that moment wasn't coming. Just as she had been sure about telling him that she loved him, Ginny was growing even surer that whatever they ended up doing today would be right.
As if knowing that it was the point of stopping, as it had been so many times before, Draco broke their kisses and looked at Ginny. His face was flushed and sweaty, and his hair disheveled. There was obvious effort in his face in having to pull away. "Should we stop?"
Boldly, Ginny shook her head back and forth. "No."
Draco stared back at her, slightly confused for a second, and then smiled. His mouth came together with hers while his hands undid the button of her skirt, adding it to the pile of their discarded clothing. She unhooked her bra and threw it.
"Draco," she whispered as his mouth moved from her neck onto her breasts.
"I love you," he whispered back again, and she knew that there would never be another right moment like this one.
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After it had been done, there was no time for them to talk, let alone for them to think. Carelessly, they had forgotten about the time. Soon it would be lunch, and students would be coming into the common room. Desperately, Ginny attempted to locate her clothes and replace them, all the while shouting goodbyes at Draco.
"Oh god, where's my left shoe? Merry Christmas, I doubt I'll see you before tomorrow afternoon! I hope he's not so terrible to you. Goodbye, Draco, I love you!"
She ran back over to the bed and started towards the door.
"I love you, Ginny," he shouted at her retreating back.
Ginny completely skipped lunch and made her way to Flitwick and Binns, inventing an elaborate story about a terrible headache that had stricken her right after breakfast while she was in her dorm getting a book, so bad that she couldn't get down to the hospital wing. Both bought it, probably only because she was always so honest.
Then she went to her afternoon classes, but couldn't for the life of her recall what had occurred in any of them. She felt so changed and so different, all in the course of the day. There was, of course, the fact that she had finally told him that she loved him, and he had told her that he loved her back. Then they had sex, the first time for her and what she believed to be his first too. It didn't matter to her. All that mattered was that she was with him.
There was a D.A. meeting that night, the last before the kids going home for Christmas would leave the next afternoon. It was Patronuses that night, and Ginny produced hers easily. Never in her life had she had a happier thought than that of Draco. She thought that she could produce a million Patronuses of that same dragon.
Heading back to the dorms that night, Ginny was planning on taking Hermione hostage and telling her everything. The more she thought about it, though, the more she knew it would be a bad idea. First of all, and probably most important to Hermione, she had cut two classes. Then, she was experiencing love and sex for the first thing, two things her friend hadn't yet. Most of the time, she had been able to go to Hermione for advice, but now she was suddenly ahead of her friend.
Instead, she settled for a long bath in her dorm, contemplating the different ways her and Draco could be together in public without getting murdered. It started out as serious for her, and then turned comical.
Ginny finished packing her trunk and settled into her bed, falling into a deep sleep quickly. In just a few hours, she would be home, and with all her family, enjoying the holiday....
The next thing she knew, Ginny was being shaken roughly out of her sleep. The entire dorm was dark, and it took her a moment to register what she was seeing.
Professor McGonagall was standing above her in her nightgown and curlers. "Wake up, Miss Weasley! You must see the headmaster immediately!"
Groggily, Ginny sat up and got out of bed. "What... why... what's going on?" she mumbled, pulling on her bathrobe and shoving her slippers onto her feet.
"There's been an accident involving your father. You must come right away," was all McGonagall would say back.
Ginny's heart began to beat rapidly in her chest. Just what had happened to her father? Everything he did for the D.A. put a target on his chest. Maybe he's not hurt. Maybe he's already dead, she feared.
"Wait here," McGonagall snapped, leaving Ginny on the stairs. A minute later, Hermione emerged from her dorm with her, looking sleepy and extremely confused.
They arrived in Dumbledore's office, and Ginny's fears were confirmed. Her father had been seriously injured somehow, and nobody was certain if he was okay yet. The circumstances were still hazy, but somehow Harry and his dreams were involved. They would all have to go to Grimmauld Place now to wait for more news.
Ginny placed her hand onto the Portkey, and felt herself moving rapidly towards her destination. Her head was feeling light from all of the stress and worry she was feeling. Her perfect Christmas break was not turning out how she had expected at all.