Chapter 13 – "Summersong"
A/N: It's been what? How many months? I'm really, really sorry. I've been thinking about the story a lot, I just haven't had time to sit down and write anything. I've switched jobs twice in the past couple months. It's been a bit crazy. But I'm hoping I can get settled and find more time to write. I'm so excited about future chapters of this story, I need to push through this difficult part.
So I know it's sort of the middle of winter (at least in my part of the world), but I've been so preoccupied with other stuff, my story timeline is still stuck in late summer. I guess this isn't a bad thing, just use your imagination and I promise we'll get to the cooler weather soon.
Also, I'm nearly finished with the next chapter, so expect it sometime this week or next.
Anyway, enough drabble. This chapter's song is: The Decemberists "Summersong."
Rambling, where to begin?
I taste the summer on your peppery skin.
Been saved, the warm of the waves…
Ginny pulled the brim of the straw hat lower over her forehead and crinkled her nose at the sun's offending glare.
She wiggled in her chair, pushing it deeper into the sand and let her legs stretch out in front of her. She pushed her toes into the sand, wiggling until she felt the coolness of the coarse grains not baking in the sun.
"I don't think I ever remember August being so bloody hot."
She was quiet, smiling under the shade of her hat, trying not to take so much pleasure in his discomfort.
"But darling, I believe a trip to the seashore was your idea," she giggled, peeking at him from under the hat.
Draco was lying on his stomach, a bright blue towel underneath him. He had coerced her into lathering him in sunscreen, but already she could see his pale back glowing pink.
"Well, that was before I realized it was so blasted hot," he huffed, wiping a line of sweat from his forehead.
"Don't forget how pathetically pale we both are," she said, pulling up her hat so that she could make a fuss of shielding her eyes from the glare of his white skin. He sat up in a huff, while she laughed at his angry glare.
"I'm no paler than you, darling," he drawled, tossing a fistful of sand onto her legs.
The combination of sunscreen and sweat made the sand cake onto her calves.
"That's it, I'm getting in the water." She stood and let her hat fall into the chair. She let her sunglasses fall on top of it before turning towards the ocean. "And I don't care if it's been half an hour since lunch or not," she called over her shoulder, kicking a bit of sand onto his sweaty back and side.
She heard Draco gasp and she took off at a jog down the beach towards the water, laughing. She ran into the crashing waves, shrieking with joy as the cold water rushed over her shins and Draco wrapped his arms around her from behind, smearing the sand and sweat mix across her back.
"Oh!" She gasped, struggling to turn around and face her attacker. "You're rotten!"
"Me?" he retorted, loosening his grip enough so that she could turn and face him. "You started it."
She opened her mouth to reply when he pulled her to him tightly, paying no attention to a large wave that crashed right on them. The force of the water knocked them both down, and washed over them completely.
She was struggling to stand again when she felt him pulling her upwards.
"Very mature, Mr. Malfoy," she replied, pushing her sopping hair from her face and trying to wipe the saltwater from her eyes. He swirled them around in the waves and began dragging her out into deeper water. "What do you think you're doing?"
"We have to get out of these breaking waves. And, we're dirty," he said, moving his hand to wipe at a streak of wet sand that had somehow stuck between her breasts. "I think we should wash off a bit."
"Oh, no you don't," she replied, pulling his hand away and holding it securely in hers. "This is a public beach, and you will not have me participate in any sort of indecent behavior."
They were now in water that just covered her breasts. He pulled the hand she still held so that she was reluctantly embracing him. "Like that time we made love on that hilltop? In public? Near your house?"
She blushed fiercely and focused her attention back towards the beach. He leaned his head down to kiss the spot where her shoulder met her neck. She reluctantly relaxed into his embrace.
"Touché, Malfoy," she sighed, leaning against him, "Touché."
"While you're acknowledging my superiority, I'd also like to point out that my spontaneous trip seems to be going over quite well."
She didn't have to lift her head from his chest to know he was smirking.
"Yes, well, can I help it I don't own a summer house in Greece?"
He laughed lightly and lifted his hand to drip water over her shoulders and across her cleavage, washing away the sand.
"No, I suppose I did have a small advantage."
"I'd say a fully furnished house with a private beach is a bit more than a small advantage," she replied, her voice dripping with insincere sarcasm.
"Just one of the perks to dating a Malfoy." She could hear a touch of his arrogant drawl laced in the deep baritone of his voice and was startled to realize it sounded foreign to her.
"Just one? How many perks are there?" She was smiling against his chest, breathing in the smell of saltwater and sunscreen on his warm skin.
"Far too many to list today, dear," he answered, tugging a strand of her hair just enough that she lifted her head to glare at him. "But this is another one," he breathed, leaning down to brush his lips against hers.
The kiss was sweet, gentle and slow, as if they had the rest of the year to go on kissing. When he pulled away, she smiled at him and his smirk was bigger than before, she was sure.
"You call that a perk?" she smile, taking a step away from him. "Why, I could make you a list of old Hogwarts mates that kiss better than that." The comment had wiped the smirk from his face and she couldn't hole back that laughter.
"Like who?" He lunged at her, laughing mockingly, but she was already dredging her way back towards the beach.
"Seamus, for starters," she called over her shoulder. His hand was on her elbow, but he stopped suddenly, his jaw clenched tightly. "And then there's Hermione and Mich - "
"Hermione?!" His eyes were wide with shock and he had dropped her arm.
She let out a shriek of laughter and took off again. "Just kidding!"
She had collapsed, giggling hysterically, back on her beach chair by the time he caught back up with her.
"I'll get you for that later, mark my words," he said, sitting on the edge of her chair and dripping water on her hat.
"Consider them marked," she mocked, snickering until he leaned down and kissed her again.
My girl, linen and curls,
Lips parting like a flag all unfurled.
She's grand, the bend of her hand,
Digging deep into the sweep of the sand.
Ginny was dreaming pleasantly when the loud crash of a door slamming woke her. She reached her hand out to Draco instinctively, but the spot where he had been lying when they fell asleep was empty.
She opened her eyes timidly, and immediately registered a green glow shining from underneath the door that lead into the study.
"Yes, of course. I'll be there in ten minutes." Even in her sleep-fogged stupor she recognized Draco's voice. It had been well after midnight when they had gone to bed, and she wondered vaguely who would be Flooing him at this time of the night.
The green light of the fireplace disappeared before she heard him shout.
"Dammit!"
She opened her eyes wide when she heard him swear, but closed them tightly when the study door swung open.
She listened to his footsteps and knew from the ragged sound of his breathing that he was upset. She heard him open a drawer in the writing desk next to the bed. He shuffled around for a moment, then she identified the distinct sounds of him unscrewing the cap from the inkwell and the scratching of his quill on parchment. He murmured a smell and she surmised that he must have his wand.
When she felt him sink onto the edge of the bed, she lay perfectly still, trying desperately to maintain the steady breathing of someone supposed to be sleeping.
She felt him lean towards her, and the warmth of his breath on her face made her skin tingle.
"I'm sorry, love," he whispered, dropping a feathery light kiss on her forehead. "I'll explain it all to you someday, I promise I will." His lips lingered on her skin, and she could hear the pleading in his voice.
It was lucky timing that he moved from the bed as soon as he had spoken, because she had broken the steadiness of her breathing. In fact, she forgot to breathe again until she heard him moving in the closet, pulling on proper clothing.
She did not move until she heard the sound of his disapparation.
"Lumos," she whispered, and the bedside lamp was suddenly glowing. She sat up and at once noticed that he had left something on the pillow beside her; a note and a bright orange tiger lily.
"That must have been what he was writing," she muttered to herself, unfolding the note and scanning it quickly.
Ginny,
Forgive me, but I've had an urgent Floo call from the office. You have my word that I'll return by morning.
Also, I forgot to mention it to you earlier, but I spoke with a realtor last week, after you mentioned how you wanted to start looking for an apartment. If you like, we can meet with him tomorrow afternoon in London.
Draco
She folded the note and placed it on the bedside table, a hundred thoughts careening crowding her mind.
Another middle-of-the-night call from work? This was the third time in little more than a month.
She was unsure how long she lay curled in the blankets, mulling things over, when she heard the sound of his return. She pretended to be asleep as she listened to him quietly undressing, only moving when she felt him slid into the bed with her.
She curved her body beside his and lifted her arm to lay across him bare chest.
"Is everything in order?" she whispered, sighing as she felt his arms slide around her shoulders.
"Yes," he breathed. Then, "I'm sorry."
"For what?" her eyes were closed, but she felt sure he was staring at the ceiling, his brow creased with worry.
"Leaving," he answered. "I know it's been happening more frequently lately, but there are several new employ-"
"Draco, I understand," she interrupted, pushing herself up to place a soft kiss on his cool lips. His face relaxed a little when she lifted a hand to caress his cheek. "Unless you're really sneaking out to see another witch," she joked, smiling while she moved his head to pretend-check for lipstick marks.
"Are you insane," he said, his voice unable to hide the slight irritation at her playful accusation. "I'd rather be here with you than anywhere else in the world."
She smiled at him, her hand idly tracing the curve of his jaw.
"I mean that," he whispered, placing his hand over hers and leaning into the warmth of her palm.
"I know you do," she replied, leaning down to kiss him again. She settled back down on the bed and let her head rest on his chest. "I rather like spending time with you, too."
They lay like that for several long minutes; enjoying each other's presence and listening to their silence. She was just about to doze off when she heard him whisper her name.
"Ginny? Can I ask you something?"
"Sure," she replied, unable to open her eyes.
"Would you still look at someone the same if you knew all of their secrets?"
"What do you mean?" She opened her eyes at the question, immediately more alert.
"Well….what if you thought you knew someone, but there was something else, something that the person hadn't necessarily lied about, just…" He seemed to be struggling for words, something he rarely did. "What if it was just a significant fact that should have been disclosed at some point in a very muddled past?"
"What? Draco, you're scaring me. Is something wrong?" She could hear his heart hammering in his chest and the sound of it kept her frozen to the spot.
"No, no. There's this thing," she heard him stop and take a deep breath and it was a long moment before he spoke again. "There's this person at work." She gave an audible sigh of relief and let go of his arm, unaware that she had been clutching it tightly. "He has a very…interesting past. And we've talked about it before. But it always seems like there's just something I don't know about him, something off, but I can't put my finger on it."
"Have you talked to him recently?"
"Yes, sort of. But I always feel like there's something he isn't telling me…."
"Maybe it's not important."
There was another long pause and she thought he had drifted off to sleep.
"What if it is?"
"He'll tell you on his own time," she answered. "I wouldn't worry about it, it's probably not like he murdered someone or something. "
She chuckled lightly, but he did not make a sound or move a muscle.
"It's not, is it?" she whispered, suddenly straight-faced.
"I don't know, Ginny. I wish I could tell yo- him that…I'm here for him. You know, if he needs to talk."
"I'm sure he already knows that," she said between large yawns.
"Nevermind, I'll figure something out," he said, pulling up the covers and holding her close. "Let's go to sleep, we've got a long day tomorrow."
And summer arrives with a length of lights.
And summer blows away,
And quietly gets swallowed by a wave.
"Sir, this residence has a spectacular view of Muggle London. These curtains here are covering floor-to-ceiling, one-way windows."
The tall, posh-looking man grasped one of the long curtains and pulled it back to reveal the window and Ginny could not hide her appreciative gasp.
The sun was shinning and London lay stretched out before her in almost every direction. It reminded her of the time Draco had taken her to the London Eye.
"Lovely view," Draco stated. "What are one-way windows again?
"You can see out, but no one else can see in. Anyone looking in will find that the windows look exactly like the other exterior walls." The man smiled brightly at Draco's nod of approval.
Ginny wandered away as the two men started discussing the size and cost of the apartment. She trusted Draco was far savvier to the business aspect than she was.
Her heels echoed slightly on the warm mahogany floors d as she walked down the main hallway and into each bedroom. She was rather surprised at the size and layout of the two large bedrooms, each with an adjoining bath. The tub in the master bedroom was large enough for several people, and the idea of owning such a thing made her cheeks flush with excitement. There was a linen closet halfway down the hallway, an empty room she could use as a large office or a small library, and a half bath just before the main living space.
She peeked into the airy and open living room and found Draco still in deep discussion with the realtor. The kitchen was just off the living room, moderately-sized with sleek lines and an island in the center she knew would be excellent for those times when she was up to her elbows in holiday cooking. There was room enough in the kitchen for a small table, so she was already imagining a use for the formal dining room. She glanced in the dining room and noticed how the afternoon sun was filling the room with brilliant gems of color and knew instantly the room would be perfect for her to paint in.
She was just closing the door to the coat closet when she heard the realtor clear his throat loudly.
"So ma'am, what do you think?" he asked, studying her reaction carefully.
"I love it," Ginny answered honestly.
Her eyes found Draco's and she was pleased to see the shadow of a grin, which she knew meant he agreed.
"I'll take it," she said, beaming.
"Excellent!" the realtor replied, clapping his hands together and smiling. "Let's see…it's nearly 1 p.m. now. If I get back to the office quickly, I can have the papers drawn up and ready for your signature before the end of business today."
"Wonderful," Ginny replied. "When could I begin moving in?"
"If everything clears alright, I'd say at the very latest, the end of the week, but probably sooner."
"Great," Ginny answered, stepping forward to shake his hand.
"Stop back by my office this evening at around 4:30 p.m."
Ginny nodded and allowed the man to usher them from the apartment, already thinking of paint and furniture and Flooing her brothers for a few extra hands moving her things.
She had started moving in on Tuesday and it was Saturday before the chaos and dust had finally settled.
Ginny was sitting on her new couch, (soft and red with beige pillows), resting her feet on the coffee table and sipping the first cup of tea she had made in her new apartment. Fred and Ron had just left after helping her unpack the last bit of furniture (they had shrunk most of it for the actual moving process) and helping her arrange it carefully.
After moving the couch to four different locations, Ron had shouted something about Auror work being less strenuous and she had decided everything was finally in the right place.
She sighed and took in the finished look of her surroundings. The couch was facing a fire place and the mantle was littered with moving photographs of her family and friends. There wasn't a photo of Draco there, not yet. But his absence among those she cared about was glaringly obvious. She had seen him only once during the past week when he had stopped by to ask her what help she needed. She had been working most of the day and was asleep when he had entered her bedroom. He had woken her long enough to kiss her and promise to stop by Saturday afternoon. A sharp rap on the door jarred her from her contemplations.
The tea cup rattled as she thrust it on the saucer. She jumped up and tried to smooth her hair. She had pulled it in a ponytail high on her head sometime that morning when she had painted her bedroom.
She pulled open the door and felt her heart flutter a little at the sight of Draco. He was as immaculate as ever, handome in black slacks and a short-sleeved grey sweater. She felt inferior next to him; her jeans and t-shirt were dirty and she wished she had showered instead of making tea.
"Hi. I'm sorry I look like such a wreck. Ron and Fred have just left and I think we've finally got everything unpacked and in it's proper place." She always rambled when she felt self-conscious. She stopped herself when he smiled, and opened the door wide enough for him to enter. He stepped just inside the room and moved his hand to the door, pushing it closed behind him. The door had not completely met the frame before his hands were around her waist and he was kissing her with the pent-up desire of being apart for several long days.
He scooped her up and started towards her bedroom, kicking his shoes off on the way.
"I missed you so much," he murmured against her lips. "I forbid you to move again."
She smiled against his lips and wrapped her arms around his neck.
He did not take the time to admire her work. He did not notice her new living-room furniture or the artwork she had hung on the walls of the hallway. He did not notice the dark green rug under her bed, or the white of her down comforter.
Instead, he kissed her mouth and her neck and peeled the work clothes from her petite frame. His actions were care and slow, as though a week apart had given him the need to discover her body all over again.
"I was going to give you a tour of the place," she breathed, her body tingling as his hands snaked up her naked thighs. "I wanted to show you what I've been doing all week."
"I got the abbreviated tour," he said, his voice an octave lower than usual. "Besides, isn't this the most important room?"
She giggled happily. "I suppose you could say that."
"Also," he started, "I did notice you painted your bedroom green."
"Oh?" His lips kissed their way up from her naval.
"And if I'm not mistaken, I'd say that it was Slytherin green."
His face was hovering inches from hers and she could not make out his eyes, though she felt sure they were twinkling.
"I am rather fond of a certain Slytherin," she breathed.
She felt, rather than saw, him smiling, before he let his lips fall on hers.
It was much later and a cold rain was lashing against the window in her bedroom. She was curled against Draco, his hand warm on the curve of her back. They had finished a while ago, and her breathing was slow and even. She was certain Draco had drifted to sleep and was just about to let it take her, when she felt him stir. She struggled to maintain her even breathing when she felt him press his lips to her forehead.
"Ginny?" She strained to hear the words he had whispered so quietly she might have dreamed it. She did not answer and she guessed he thought she was asleep. She felt his chest move as he took a deep breath. His hand tightened on her back and what he said as he exhaled made her dizzy. "I love you."
She lost track of time as she laid there, her heart beating madly. She felt lightheaded and giddy as she tried to let his whispered confession sink in. It was later, after she felt some semblance of normalcy returning and his breathing had become even, that she trusted her voice to speak.
"I love you, too."
And summer arrives with a length of lights.
And summer blows away,
And quietly gets swallowed by a wave.
A/N: Hope you like the new chapter. The next chapter has a LOT more action. And it's not the beginning of the end of summer, if anyone can guess what that means. Read and review! And look for the new chapter MUCH sooner.