Disclaimer: I don't own these characters.

12 Let Dead Men Lie – Under the Cover of Dusk


"Miss Weasley, I can safely say you are in good health." Smethwyck chirped before leaning closer, murmuring into her ear. "A touch underweight, perhaps." His features dropped into a knowing look.

Ginny absorbed the pointed comment. "Thank you, sir."

The elderly Healer patted her gently on the knee before bustling out of the room. His dark-haired assistant followed him without a word.

"Who is he?" Ginny asked, watching the two men leave.

"Smethwyck's replacement. He'll be the family Healer when the old man actually retires." Draco closed the door behind them, venturing closer to the witch.

They sat in silence for a moment, savouring the tentative friendship that draped over them.

"I can't remember if I ever asked you, but what happened to my broom?"

Draco smirked. "It wasn't as lucky as you."

"Bloody Hell," Ginny swore.

"You can have one of mine, if you want." Draco offered suddenly, surprising himself with the charitable offer.

"No way, I couldn't!" Her family would kill her if they knew she'd taken anything from the Malfoy's.

"Ginny, honestly. A new model was released the other day; I was going to replace it anyway." He lied to make it easier for her.

It would be rude - so rude not to accept, she reasoned. She cloaked her face in what she hoped was reluctance, stamping down the excitement that threatened to burst through her façade.

Draco strode across the room, letting a whisper of a grin wash over his lips. "Are you coming, or not?" He called from the hallway.

Ginny supressed a giggle, chasing him through the maze of corridors as he led the way.

He opened the door to cavernous stone room, and she couldn't help the gasp that escaped her lips.

"Merlin, Draco." Awe was written clearly over her face. "It's like a bloody shop in here!"

She stared the wall lined with red Quaffles, squirming Bludgers and fluttering Snitches; her mouth dropping as she recognised the grey and white jersey proudly displayed on the far wall.

"You have a set of Falmouth Falcon robes?" Ginny had ceased being surprised at the blatant shows of wealth.

"Originals, too." Draco smirked. "Father is a stout supporter. Brooms are that way." He pointed to the large cupboard against the wall.

Ginny practically ran across the room and wrenched the door off its hinges.

"Oh," She whispered, the wonder filling her eyes and making them glow. She hungrily drank in the gleam of the neatly lined broomsticks as she ran her fingers over the polished wood.

"Want to take one for a test run?" He startled her by being so close, she hadn't heard him move.

"As if that's even a question," Ginny enthused, pretending that her heart was beating faster from the scare.

"Well, hurry up!" He smirked as he grabbed the nearest boom before darting out the door.

She bolted after him so fast she wasn't sure her feet touched the ground. He was already in the air when she broke into the sunlight, lazily circling her from above the rooftop.

"You'd better get a move on if you want a chance of winning," she called out, leaping onto the broom and rising to his altitude. She could see the confusion flickering over his chiselled features.

"Winning what?" He asked, clarity beginning to dawn on him.

"The race!" Ginny called over her shoulder, shooting into the air.

"You little witch-" The trail of Draco's outrage was carried away on by a breeze as she urged the boom to go faster. The thing was a delight to fly, responding to her slightest touch. As a child, she had literally dreamt of flying something so magnificent.

She was knocked off course by a flash of platinum blonde hair.

"Ferret!"

Ginny flattened herself to the broom, streamlining her body. There was absolutely no chance that she was letting him win. She slowly closed the gap, every fibre of her being screaming for the broom to go faster still. And miraculously, it did.

"I won!" she squealed as the broom inched past her opponents.

She could practically feel him rolling his eyes.

They slowed to a more reasonable speed, enjoying the feeling of the wind rushing past.

"That race was a joke."

"Are you just bitter because you lost?" Ginny teased.

"Of course not." Draco denied venomously.

Still reeling from the endorphins, Ginny happily threw herself into a loop-the-loop. "Admit it, you had fun."

They moved in sync for a while, flying with no destination in mind.

"You're a pretty good flier, for a Weasley." Draco allowed, however begrudgingly.

"That's pretty generous, for a Malfoy." She retorted. "Where are we, anyway?"

Draco peered over the rolling hills. "Somewhere over Oxfordshire, by the looks of it."

"Seriously?" Ginny veered violently as she stared down at the vibrant green landscape.

"Steady," Draco cautioned. "There's no wards to catch you this time."

"I don't fall," Ginny said snidely, hoping she came across as haughty.

"The splintered remains of your own broom tell me otherwise." Draco let the jibe drift towards her.

"Yeah, well." Ginny muttered, kicking the casual speed up in retaliation. "It's not like you've never done something stupid." Although she heavily doubted it.

"We should probably head back, if we've gone this far."

"Already?" She couldn't help the regret that seeped into her voice.

"Come on," Draco took a sharp left after studying the landscape intently.


She stepped off the broom and winced.

"God, I have not missed that." She grumbled, rubbing her backside gingerly.

Draco chuckled, trying valiantly not to stare.

"Been a while since you've spent the better part of an afternoon on a broom?"

"Can you tell?"

"No, not at all." Draco kept his face blank.

Ginny scrunched her nose at him, turning her face to the fading sunlight. "Made it just in time."

He watched the vanishing daylight caress her face for a moment before deciding that the gentle glow suited her.

"Ginny…" He started, before losing the words.

She turned to face him, her hair becoming a flaming halo floating around her.

"Don't, Draco." She smiled grimly. "Whatever it is, I don't want it to ruin this."

He outstretched his hand instead.

"I've had a really good day with you," Ginny said softly, eyes fixed on their interlocked fingers. Draco tucked a wayward lock behind her ear, the softness of her hair echoing in a distant memory.

He brushed his knuckles against the curve of her cheek as she smiled, and under the cover of dusk Draco stole the briefest of kisses.


I am so embarrassed with how long it took me to write this chapter, and I apologise to every one who waited. In a positive light, my final year of uni starts next week - and I always find myself more inclined to write when I'm procrastinating!

Thank-you to Katereena, Marinka, SamanthaSparklesInTheSun, DD, Purple389, Icebabesfire, Orangepigeon19, DreamerDancerStarkid , Magali, xxBabyT-ranxx, and Anon (who never leaves their name) for the ongoing encouragement. It is honestly, and deeply, appreciated.