Chapter Twenty-Six
Christmas break was peaceful and quiet. Ginny wrote letters to Draco at least three times a day. Most were just short little notes telling him that she was okay and that she missed him. Draco replied to every letter she sent him with the same information. Since he was at the castle Ginny wasn't too worried about his safety, but she still liked getting the little notes from him saying he was safe. On Christmas eve, before going to bed Ginny wrote Draco a long letter and sent it off with Pig.
Draco was pleasantly surprised when he was getting ready to climb into bed when he suddenly found a tiny owl banging at his door. He took the letter from the exhausted bird and put him into an empty cage he had in his room to rest. Once the owl had some water and food, Draco climbed into his bed to read the latest note from his love.
My dearest Draco,
I am missing you more tonight then I have any other night before. Christmas is a time to be with those whom you love, and I wish so much that we could be together for Christmas. It feels wrong for us to be apart on this holiday. If I didn't think it would upset my parents and siblings, I would just use my bracelet to leave my home and come to be with you. It has been a nightly struggle to not just use the charm to be with you every night.
Do you miss having me there when you sleep because I sure miss the feel of your arms around my body at night. I feel so cold and alone now when I sleep without you. I've turned to sleeping every night snuggled up with a pillow I stole from your bed just because it smells of you. I'm sorry for taking something from your room without asking.
I hope that you have a good Christmas at the castle. I am counting down the days until I can see you again.
Love,
Ginny
Draco smiled as he looked over at the other side of the bed where he had noticed the pillow missing from when break started. He had figured that Ginny had taken one of the pillows just the same as he had taken one of her sweaters before she'd gone. It was right beside his pillow on the bed so that he could sleep with the slight hint of Ginny near him every night. Taking out a bit of parchment, a quill and a small box from his drawer of his nightstand he penned a response to Ginny that he planned to send with one of the school owls later.
My sweet Ginny,
I am missing you so much as well. I wish we could spend our Christmas together. After this I plan not to spend another holiday without you. It feels so empty with you not here in my bed beside me as I sleep. I noticed the missing pillow, but I didn't care. I took one of your sweaters to sleep with every night. The hint of your scent remains but it is starting to fade the longer I spend snuggled up in bed with it.
I too am counting down the days until we see one another again. This has been the longest Christmas break that I have every experienced in my life. I have had to fight my urge to just leave the castle and come find you at the Burrow to steal you away back here to me. I doubt that your parents would be too happy with me if I came and stole you away. I really want them to like me or at least accept me.
I have sent a small gift for you to have this Christmas. I really hope you like it. Try to enjoy your Christmas with your family. We will be together again soon.
Yours,
Draco
p.s.
I will send the tiny owl back once he has recovered.
Once the letter was finished he secured the small box to the letter and snuck up to the owlery. He found one of the school owls that was awake and secured his package and letter to it before sending it off. Sneaking back to his quarters he took a different way to get there then he'd gone. He knew that the staff did patrols, so he had to avoid them. It took him twice as long to make it back to his quarters then it had taken him to leave them. It was just past midnight when he finally made it to his quarters to find someone sitting on his couch.
"Surprise." Ginny said quietly before she was lifted into Draco's strong arms. "Happy Christmas."
"This is a nice surprise. What are you doing here my love?" Draco asked as he kissed her.
"I couldn't afford to buy you anything for Christmas so I decided getting to spend even a little time together would be my gift for you."
"Ever second we have together is a gift."
"Oh how I've missed you Draco."
"I know my love. I just finished replying to your letter and sent it off to the Burrow with my gift to you." Draco sat down on his bed with Ginny in his arms.
"Well I will be sure to open your gift the minute it arrives. I can only stay for a few hours, but I want to spend every moment I can with you."
Ginny and Draco spent the next three hours kissing and snuggled up on Draco's bed. Neither of them wanted to part but they knew they had to if they wanted to still be able to see each other once break was over. Draco worried that if they got caught that Snape would remove the charms from Ginny's bracelet and they wouldn't be able to spend time together anymore. Ginny reluctantly grabbed the rose charm on her bracelet and returned to the Burrow. She wasn't ready to leave but she knew that if she wasn't in her bed sleeping when her mum got up around 4 to start cooking for Christmas she'd be in a lot of trouble.
When Ginny was climbing back into her bed she found a letter and small package sitting on her pillow. She quickly opened the letter and read it before opening the box. Inside she found a necklace that had a ruby encrusted heart with an emerald center. She quickly put the necklace on and the moment it fell upon her heart she felt a sudden warmth and pulse through it. Checking the box to see if there was any explanation to the necklace she noticed a tiny note at the bottom.
This necklace is connected to a pendant that I wear. Both will feel the heartbeat of the other person.
Draco
Ginny smiled and placed her hand over the pendant, just enjoying the feel of Draco's heartbeat beneath her hand. She knew that Draco was able to feel the very same of hers and finally felt a closer connection to him even with them being so far apart. She was happy to finally have something to connect her to Draco while they were forced to be apart. He just seemed to know exactly what to give her. She fell asleep still holding the pendant in her hand, soothed by Draco's heartbeat.
The rest of the break flew by for Ginny after Christmas. Whenever she started to miss Draco too much she just held the pendant in her hand. Most nights she slept with the pendant in her hand, so she could feel Draco's heartbeat. It was such a calming feeling for her. Also, Hermione, Ron and Harry had all gone to Hermione's house for the reminder of the break. It was just her alone at the Burrow with her mum. When she wasn't sleeping, she spent her time working on homework or writing letters to Draco.
Late on New Year's Eve however all the calm came to an end. Ginny was just getting settled to go to sleep when she heard the front door of the burrow burst open. Her mum let out a scream that was silenced quickly. Ginny got up to look out the door, down the stairs and saw a flash of platinum blonde hair go towards the kitchen at the foot of the stairs. She went to grab her bracelet when she noticed that the cauldron was glowing bright red. She only stared at it for a moment before she grabbed onto the Dragon charm.
"He's at the Burrow." Ginny said the moment she landed into Draco's quarters. "My parents are in danger."
"Snape just left to there right before you showed up. Everything will be okay." Draco quickly pulled Ginny into his arms since he could feel her heart racing through the necklace.
"I'm so scared Draco. He attacked my mum. I have no clue if she's alright." Ginny began to cry as the fear began to surface.
"Snape is there. He'll make sure that everyone is safe."
"I thought he said there was extra wards added to the Burrow. Why didn't they keep your father out?"
"I don't know my love. I don't know. All I know is that wild hippogryph couldn't make me let you go back to your home until Lucius is gone forever." Draco kissed her gently. "I promise that you're safe with me. I won't let him near you."
Ginny took a deep breath and tried to stop her body from shaking. "I never want to be away from you again."
They stayed in each other's arms until Snape returned to tell that what had happened. Molly had only been stunned so she had been totally fine when Snape had arrived at the Burrow. Arthur had heard his wife scream so he was prepared for danger when Lucius came into the kitchen. Both got off a few spells against each other before Snape had arrived. Lucius still ended up escaping even with Arthur and Snape sending stunner spells at him. When everything settled down from the dramatic fight, Snape told them he was moving Ginny to the safety of the castle.
Ginny spent the last two days of break in Draco's quarters. She only ever let him away from her sight when either of them had to use the bathroom. However, she would sit directly outside the door until Draco came back out. Even at night Ginny worried that Draco might disappear if she closed her eyes or let him go. She always ended up falling asleep laying half across his chest, so she'd wake if he moved.
Once the rest of the students returned to the castle, Ginny was forced to leave Draco's side. Her necklace became her lifeline that proved to her that he was still safe. She still spent every night and patrol glued to his side, refusing to let him go. After all the close calls of Lucius trying to get her she was terrified that Lucius would figure them out and go after Draco to get her. Draco did his best to attempt to calm her nerves but nothing he said would calm her fully.
January quickly flew into February. Two days before Valentine's Day, Draco received an owl from his mum with some of the greatest news he had ever heard. He quickly pulled out a quill to write a note to Ginny asking her to meet him outside the Room of Requirements before lunch that day. He had to tell her what his mum had told him, and he didn't think he could contain himself until their patrol that evening.
Ginny received the note from Draco just as breakfast was ending. She looked around the hall to find him and gave him a quick nod to say she would meet him before lunch. Once he smiled broadly at her she left to go to her classes. Her attention wasn't there that morning in classes so yet again she missed out on basically everything her professors taught that day. She was more focused on the clock than anything else, so she was the first one out the door.
"Where are you running off to Ginny?" Colin asked her as he tried to catch up.
"I have to go somewhere. Tell Hermione 'I had to talk to him.' She'll understand what it means." Ginny called back as she ran down the hall and to the room of requirements.
"Gods. Today has taken forever." Draco said as he pulled Ginny into his arms and kissed her deeply. "My mum wrote me a letter. She did it. The betrothal is ended. I'm free. We're free."
"Seriously? Does this mean we can stop hiding and sneaking around?" Ginny grinned as Draco just nodded.
"No more hiding. No more sneaking. We can walk through the halls together if we want to now and I'm allowed to kiss you whenever I want to as well." Draco punctuated his point by kissing her once more. "I want to take you on a real date this weekend. On Valentine's Day."
"Are you sure that's safe?" Ginny got a worried look on her face. She was still scared to leave the castle.
"I'm not letting you out of my sight for even a second in the village and I'll keep you safe. I promise."
"Alright. I trust you. Where we going to go?"
"Somewhere nicer then the three broomsticks but not as fancy as the restaurant my mum was going to take us to. You'd be fine in a skirt and blouse or a dress."
"I've got the perfect outfit." Ginny smiled as she began to mentally plan her look for their date.
"I had Dobby pack us a little picnic to share. I hope you don't mind. I'm just not ready to be apart from you yet."
Ginny and Draco enjoyed their picnic lunch before snuggling up together until it was time for classes again. Draco slowly walked Ginny to her class, never once letting go of her hand. He gave her a kiss before letting her go into her class.