The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it. -Oscar Wilde


"Do you remember the first time we shagged?" he asked quietly.

Ginny turned to look him in the eyes, a small smile on her face.

"You mean the first time we made love?"

Draco raised an eyebrow.

"Really?"

Ginny leaned up so that their lips were touching, a coy look on her face.

"What about the time we made love?" she asked.

He looked over her quickly before leaning in and kissing her. A soft gasp escaped her lips as he pushed against her, a brief burst of need flaring up within both of them until he managed to gain control of it and pull away.

"Ever since then I've wanted to kill myself…"

A weak gasp escaped Ginny's lips as she woke up and stared at the clock resting on the nightstand beside the bed. It was one p.m. on day two of the Ministerial lock down and already her time with Draco was starting to become distant memories. They caressed her tantalizingly in her sleep and haunted her even in his presence. The idea of him leaving was starting to sink in and with it the horrible realization that what was happening now would end at any moment.

Clutching the soft sheets close to her, she rolled over to see that Draco was gone, leaving behind a cold, unforgiving pillow. She lay there for a while, staring at the empty space and trying to figure out how this was going to end.

She knew beyond a doubt that there was no way of swaying Draco from killing Greyback and in the process killing himself. The look in his eyes had made that very clear.

But there had to be a reason for him being here… if his only purpose for coming back to England was to commit suicide, then he would have destroyed Greyback by now. No… there had to be a reason for postponing such a destructive plan. Whether it was her or not was yet to be decided. Draco had an odd way of getting to the point.

Stretching her legs, Ginny winced at how incredibly sore she was. Eleven years of celibacy had not faired well with Draco's impassioned return. Groaning a little as she sat up, she looked around the room and noticed his owl perched near the desk, staring at her through knowing eyes. It turned its head slowly towards the master bedroom door and Ginny sighed.

This meant she would have to walk.

She slowly got to her feet and after getting dressed in some clothes that had been laid out on the couch in the corner; she made her way out of the bedroom and down the long, unfeeling halls of the Malfoy Manor. Paintings stared at her, most remembering who she was while others just snorted and returned to their conversations, uninterested with Draco's new arrival. When she reached down stairs, a house elf approached her and pointed towards the back of the house.

"Master went outside, Miss," she stammered, bowing profusely at Ginny. "If you want your coat, Lissy will get it for you."

Ginny frowned and shook her head, staring in the direction the house elf had pointed.

"No, it's really okay, Lissy. I can get my own coat," she replied but before she could protest, the little creature disapparated and reappeared a moment later with Ginny's coat and boots. Sighing, Ginny took the coat and thanked the house elf before she made her way to the back of the house where the back door was still open. Some snow was inside but there was no wind blowing at the moment and it appeared as if the snow had stopped falling. She quickly shoved on her boots and wrapped her coat tightly around herself before she stepped out into the snow covered gardens of the Malfoy estate. It was much more welcoming in the summer. Now it lay under the daunting shadow of the manor, untouched and unwanted. The grey sky above and the chill of winter only added to the grave atmosphere.

All the beauty and splendor of this unforgiving place was certainly depressing for those who lived long enough to see it endure the seasons.

Ginny took a deep breath of the crisp, misty air and then made her way along the path, following larger footsteps that she assumed were Draco's. She past the main gated area and found herself in a small covered meadow just before the woods, hesitating at the fence and looking around. It was unnerving to see just how sinister the manor looked from where she stood. The shadows seemed to move across snow-covered shrubs like demons struggling to be released. No wind blew and she could not even hear the sound of animals, who avoided this place of death like the plague. Turning, she faced the woods once more and stared at the tracks Draco had left behind. During her stay here eleven years ago, she had made it a point to never return to the forest where her entire life had been dismantled. Draco had respected that wish and they never ventured out here.

However, curiosity overrode her fear and revulsion of the place and she continued on, walking for at least ten minutes through the silent woods before she spotted Draco standing at the edge of a small clearing. His back was to her and he did not turn as she moved to stand beside him quietly, looking around for a moment before she glanced over at him. His jaw was clenched tightly and his eyes unreadable as he stood there, gazing out into the snow. They both stood there for several minutes, lost in time and pain while the outside world failed to gain entry before Ginny broke the calm.

"Is this it?" she asked quietly and he nodded silently. "I didn't know it was this far."

"The arena was under the garden, not under the house," he responded mechanically.

She glanced behind her and frowned. She could no longer see the manor from where she stood and could not help but wonder how she would have found her way here if she had not followed Draco's tracks. "You remember where it happened?"

"You don't?"

She looked up at him.

"I wasn't exactly paying attention to where Blaise was carrying me at that point in time," she replied bitterly but he did not blink. He just pointed to the spot on the other side of the clearing.

"You were over there… with my father," he murmured quietly, but his voice was easy to hear through the stillness around them. His hand moved a little. "Zabini was there." He then pointed to where they stood. "I was right here."

Ginny folded her arms over her chest and shivered a little.

"It was cold," she mumbled in remembrance and he snorted.

"That's not what you said."

Ginny froze at the statement.

"Draco…" she cried hoarsely, reaching out her hand painfully as if hoping he would take it and hold it. "Help me…"

Her eyes traveled up to him.

"You never came," she whispered and his eyes finally moved to meet hers. They stared at each other for a moment before she forced herself to look away and she began to make her way to the other side of the clearing, moving along the edge and keeping her eyes on the spot where everything had been taken away from her. She could feel Draco's eyes on her but refused to look at him as she finally reached the spot and knelt down, running her fingers over the snow which had once been stained with her blood.

"Potter found you," Draco replied and she looked over at him.

"At least one of the men I loved did," she said and he leaned against a tree, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I was busy."

"Killing your father?"

Draco snorted.

"I didn't kill my father until after you were found," he responded as he began to approach her.

"Then you just decided to leave me out there?"

"You stopped breathing," he pointed out when he reached her.

Ginny stood up and tilted her head to the side as their faces came close.

"Not even you're that stupid, Draco," she murmured and a smirk came to his face as his eyes moved down to her lips.

"No, I'm not," he said, leaning in and kissing her teasingly. "But I was busy."

She stared at him for a moment before she sighed and began to make her way back towards the Manor.

"You have an excuse for everything, don't you?"

"Always," he called before tilting his head to the side. "You should check and see if you're pregnant."

Ginny stopped in her tracks and her hands instinctively covered her stomach. The statement was so abnormal it took a moment for her to contemplate his meaning before she slowly turned around to face him. The humor in his face only masked the seriousness of his question and added to her terrified confusion.

"What?"

Draco walked right past her with that damned smirk on his face.

"Have you checked to see if you're pregnant?" he asked over her shoulder and she hurried to catch up with him.

"What the hell makes you think I'm pregnant?" she demanded and he snorted.

"Nothing," he replied. "It was just a question."

Ginny grabbed his arm and turned him around to face her, eyes narrowed as she searched his face for answers.

"Why are you so interested?" she demanded and he tilted his head to the side, raising an eyebrow as if the answer were obvious. They stared at each other for a moment before Ginny's eyes narrowed and she took a step away from him in disbelief.

"You're not serious, are you?" she gasped and he shrugged, walking away from her.

"I'm perfectly serious," he called over his shoulder. Her eyes grew in shock and a gasp escaped her lips.

"Don't you have any shame?!" she stammered as he continued on his path towards the manor.

"I married you."

Ginny ran over to him and stood directly in front of him, blocking his way.

"That's not funny, Draco," she hissed. She pointed between them. "This isn't funny. You can't just trap me here so that you can have your way with me and then impregnate-"

Draco leaned in and caught her lips in a kiss. Ginny tried to pull away but his fingers curled around her arms and held her still. After a moment, she released a growl of frustration and pulled away, hitting him hard in the arm.

"If you think for a moment that your lips are going to keep me from being-"

"I didn't trap you here to do anything, Weasley," he snapped before she could continue on her rant. He leaned in so that their faces were a hairsbreadth apart. "I just suggested that you see if you're pregnant. It's the responsible thing to do, right?"

Ginny opened her mouth to contradict him, but something told her he was being honest with her and a sudden fear struck her. Biting her lip, she turned and headed back to the manor, wringing her hands fretfully.

Was it possible for her to be pregnant?

Magical potions were good at telling if someone was pregnant before a missed period, but was she brash enough to try and see after one day of passionate lovemaking to a man she was supposed to hate?

"Oh bloody hell," she muttered and picked up her pace. "This is a complete mess!"


After a very wild and unconventional night of wanton and extremely satisfying shags, mixed only with the briefest of breaks to catch one's breath, Rachel Attingwood collapsed on top of Colin Rockwell, gasping for air and grinning as he swore a little. His sweat covered chest moved up and down heavily and she sighed when she heard his heart pounding against his chest, further verifying the knowledge of effect she had on him. Her eyes closed when his hands began to move up and down her sleek back soothingly and after a minute of harsh breathing, she managed to raise her head up and kiss his chest and neck, giving gratitude for the night's lovemaking. She would have said something but at the moment, she was too exhausted at the moment.

In the other room of the Hogsmeade flat they could hear Catherine shriek and the bedposts groan right before silence reigned as she and Goyle finished their little session.

"It sounds like they had fun," Rockwell mumbled, running his hand through her hair lazily. She did not bother moving off of him, knowing that her minute frame was not bothering him in the least.

"Hmm…" she hummed, enjoying the vibrations of his chest when he spoke and the warmth his body provided as they both lay there naked in his bed.

"Hmmm… That's all you can say?"

"I've had fun with Goyle before. It's wonderful, but not exactly as satisfying," she murmured into his skin.

A deep laugh rumbled in Rockwell's chest and her heart warmed at the feeling. She wanted him to do it again.

"Funny," he muttered. "I was thinking the same about Catherine."

"Then I suppose we're all perfect for each other," she replied quietly. "Goyle's probably asleep."

"And your sister is probably taking a shower."

Rachel raised her head up and looked at him.

"Why are we talking about the love lives of our former partners?"

He chuckled and captured her lips in a teasing kiss. She released a groan and moved a bit closer, opening her lips to his in a much more seducing exchange. After a couple of minutes, Rockwell pulled away and rested his head back down on the pillow, unable to keep his head up any longer.

"I don't know…"

A luscious, inviting smile appeared on Rachel's face as she grabbed the top of the headboard and raised herself up so that she was hovering over Rockwell.

"Ready for another go?" she asked, grinning at the way his eyes moved to her breasts. From the way he was looking at her, she did not really need an answer.

"Not yet," he muttered breathlessly, wanting nothing more than to feel her again. But their last romp, which had started in the kitchen, had worn him out completely and he needed time to get his bearings. In all honesty, he should have been down in the streets, looking for any suspicious activity besides his own. With the Ministry on high alert and no way to contact the others, he should have been more careful. Rachel had been the one to stop him.

His eyes closed when she ground herself fully into him and his hands instantly snapped to her hips as his breathing began to quicken. He tried to slow her movements but the position she was in gave her more leverage to do as she wanted. What she wanted was to have him again.

"Damn it, Rachel," he growled as she continued to move her hips against him relentlessly. She was going to kill him with this. "Give me a moment."

He somehow managed to stop her moving completely and that only made things worse. Sweat rolled off of her skin as her grip on the headboard tightened and her breathing became labored. With one hand she tried to move his hands away but he grabbed it and pressed it to his chest, forcing her to feel his heart beat against his ribcage, which only heightened her awareness of him.

"Oh bloody hell," she gasped, her back arching as pressure began to build in the pit of her stomach. The sweet torture of it all was becoming too much for her to handle. She needed to feel him and he was making that complicated. "Colin, please…"

She tried to wriggle out of his grasp and that only caused more friction, making her eyes close and inaudible pleas to escape her lips. His hands moved up her sides, pushing her away from the headboard so he could sit up, which increased the volatility of the situation. Their eyes met for a moment and she ran a hand down his face lovingly before leaning in to his ear.

"Please," she murmured, wrapping her legs around his waist so that she had more control over everything. She felt his lips move down her neck and the moment he began pulling at her skin, she could no longer keep in that one position and thus it began. Slowly at first, but both their bodies were unable to handle such a delicate flow and soon their lovemaking became aggressive and fiery.

"NO!!!!"

Rockwell and Rachel broke away from each other in a startled heap. Rockwell immediately snatched up his wand from under the pillow while Rachel grabbed the steak knife from the plate on the nightstand as well as her wand. She then tossed Rockwell his boxers while she shoved on a large shirt before they headed for the door. More screaming ensued and it was all coming from Catherine. The couple ran out of the bedroom and into the next room.

"Oh my God!" Rachel gasped.

On the bed was Goyle's body, ripped and bleeding from every orifice while Catherine sat there sobbing hysterically in nothing but a bloody towel. On the floor there was a dead man. Blood was everywhere.

"NO!!" she screamed, clinging to Goyle as she buried her head in a pillow. "NO!"

Before Rachel could run to her sister, Rockwell grabbed her arm in a bruising grip and yanked her back, eyes blazing.

"Contact Malfoy," he snarled, shoving her back to the hall. She sprinted down the hall to the door and yanked it open.

"Expecto Patronum!" she yelled and a tiger shot out, barreling its way out of sight. When she arrived back at the bedroom, Rockwell was dragging Catherine away from the bed, ignoring her pleas for him to stop. He took her into the hall and pinned her against the wall.

"What happened?!" he demanded and she shook her head, sobbing uncontrollably.

"He's dead!" she cried. "Oh my God, he's dead!"

He pulled her back and then slammed her into the wall again, ignoring Rachel's whimpers at the treatment.

"WHAT HAPPENED?!"

Catherine released another sob.

"I was leaving!" she shrieked. "I was taking a shower and… Gregory fell asleep… I came out and that THING!" she pointed to the dead body on the floor. "HE WAS THERE! That bastard killed Gregory!"

Rockwell released her and turned to the bedroom, seething inside. This was all wrong. Greyback was not supposed to attack…

But he did…

"Colin," Rachel whimpered.

"Shut up," he muttered. He had no time to listen to her.

"Colin-"

"I said shut up!" he snarled and she shrunk back into the wall, clinging to her crying sister.

BOOM!

The front door shattered into pieces and two hooded men appeared down the hall, wands at the ready. Rockwell grabbed Catherine and Rachel and before either one could scream, he disapparated.


Ginny sat on the edge of the bathroom counter, staring down at her pale legs that poked out from underneath the towel she was wearing. She continuously glanced over at the small vials of cologne and other vials that were on the counter by the sink, biting her lip as she waited for him to reappear.

She had been in the shower earlier, but Draco's enthusiasm had grown too much for her so she left him in there and now she sat there waiting. When they had come back from the forest, she had found what she had been looking for to test Draco's theory and after she had used it, she had found a towel and sat herself down on the bathroom counter, breathing in the hot mist that poured out from the shower Draco was still enjoying without her. It had taken several minutes for her to calm herself down, but afterwards she knew that this was how it was supposed to happen…

She knew he already knew by the way he had remained silent about her sudden and rather haphazard flight from his arms out of the shower, but she was glad he did not say anything to her about it.

They did not need to talk about it…

Not now…

Probably not ever…

It would be an understanding between the two of them and that was it…

Finally the shower turned off and he stepped out. Her eyes fell on him and in that moment her heart started to race madly as she contemplated shoving him back into the shower and starting from where they had left off when she had stumbled out.

He was perfect…

Like a Greek god stepping out from the ocean, dripping wet yet even more defined by that fact…

Draco caught her eyeing him and smirked at the obvious lust in her brown eyes as she bit her lip to hold back the tempting feeling to pounce on him. He could see her flexing her muscles, as if testing them to see if she was strong enough to have another go.

The real question was whether or not he was strong enough…

However, instead of saying something and embarrassing her, he ended up wrapping a towel around himself before he moved over to the sink, ignoring her completely.

She didn't mind.

His silver eyes fell on the vials on the counter as well, as if trying to figure out which one was the best contestant. Most of them were of the same nature, containing nice smelling fragrances that he barely wore. Two of them contained something he'd rather not think about.

One of them was deadly and the other contained the answer he did not need from Ginny.

Those two vials were close to Ginny and for a moment he contemplated using the deadly one on her.

His eyes fell on the one Ginny had used; a light blue compound that taunted him mercilessly.

If something had to go right since they had arrived from the Ministry, it had to be that…

Ginny watched him for a while before she went back to her dangling legs.

Draco's eyes finally fell on her and he surveyed her before turning his eyes to his arms, where there were several raised red marks bruising. A ghost of a smile came to his face as he remembered how they got there.

"You're rough," he commented casually, running a finger over the scratches.

"You're an arse," she muttered.

"Very feisty. Did I push you too much back there?" he asked.

Ginny ignored him, wanting him to shut up about the very passionate and very aggressive display of love she had shown towards him in the shower.

"You know, if we ever go back to the shower, I'd like to try something different-"

"Oh bloody hell," Ginny grumbled miserably, causing him to laugh at her discomfort.

It always amused him, even after eleven years, she would still be irritable and uncomfortable when talking about her response to the incredible sex they had always had. The funny thing was that she never acted this way when he used to talk about their love life in front of his cohorts. Just when they talked about it amongst themselves.

"You're wound up a bit too tightly. Perhaps we should go back to the shower now and-"

Ginny rolled her eyes.

"Oh will you shut up," she snapped before her lips formed a thin pale line, her eyes widening at her sudden and unwarranted fit. She stared at him for a moment, noticing his eyes darken at her words before she looked away, going back to staring at her legs.

Draco watched her for a while, remaining silent as he went over everything that had happened and was happening between them.

She was starting to get nervous, though he did not blame her. After what she had just discovered about herself, he knew she would start acting funny.

He did not figure it would start so quickly.

"Are you afraid?" he asked quietly.

She closed her eyes and shook her head, droplets of water sprinkling from her wet hair.

"No… I'm happy," she whispered.

"You certainly look happy," he observed and she looked up at him.

"I was happy a few minutes ago in the shower, I wasn't bouncing up and down, smiling and laughing like a moron."

Draco smirked.

"No, but you couldn't really smile… or laugh… bounce maybe-"

She hit him in the arm, her face growing red at the unnecessarily crass innuendo. He grabbed her hand before she could pull away and stepped in between her legs, pulling her right up against him as she continued to sit on the counter.

"You really don't want to start hitting me," he said.

Ginny looked him straight into his eyes and trembled at the honesty in the frightening grey eyes.

"Why?" she asked, feeling his grip on her tighten.

Draco leaned in and kissed her neck, his hand slipping under her towel and moving across her hip with deliberate slowness. He could hear her breathing becoming more labored as he moved further up her leg.

"I'd rather just show you," he whispered.

"Oh my God," she gasped as his hand grabbed her thigh roughly and thrust her fully against him, his arousal becoming all too real and much too hard to ignore. "Draco…"

He let out a frustrated growl when she tried to move and ended up causing more pleasurable fiction between them. Ginny released a loud groan and her nails dug into his skin as she struggled to maintain some remnant of mind.

"What?" he murmured into her skin.

She ran her hands down his smooth chest, resting them on the rim of the towel, tugging on it a little.

"I want you," she whispered, closing her eyes as a quick jolt of pleasure shot up her spine from his touch. "Please…"

That really was the magic word.

Draco grabbed her up in his arms aggressively, their bodies reacting instantly to each other as their breathing became more labored. Ginny let out a groan before leaning in and kissing him forcefully on the mouth, wrapping her arms around his neck as he thrust her firmly against him. Draco hefted her up, forcing her to wrap her legs around his waist, making their situation even more volatile. His lips left hers to move down her neck, biting her skin aggressively and inducing strangled cries to erupt from her lips as he continued his stimulating ministrations.

Ginny couldn't handle the mounting pressure within her anymore and shoved him away from her, panting desperately for air as he held her up in his arms. Draco released a growl and was about to lean in to kiss her again, but she stopped him with a finger to his lips, her eyes blazing with a feral need that intensified his want. She looked absolutely sexy as her disheveled auburn hair fell over her face and down her shoulders. Her lips were bruised and luscious, and he wanted nothing more than to devour her.

"The shower," she hissed, running her hands through his hair and pulling him closer.

Draco nodded quickly, running his hands up and down her back. Their lips met quickly and their tongues sparred playfully while Ginny's hands traveled lower down his body. Ginny's need took a turn for the better, in Draco's opinion, when she moved away from his lips and began chewing on his ear, muttering to herself.

"Damn it, Draco," she growled, growing increasingly impatient with his lack of movement. The idea of staying at the counter was not an option for her. She much more preferred the feeling of their bodies pressing against each other under the intense spray of hot water as they made love. It was much more pleasurable. "The shower."


"How much longer are we going to be here?" Reilly demanded as she, Rayne and Trent meandered through the streets of Hogsmeade. They had spent the night at the Three Broomsticks because according to local Aurors, Hogwarts was inaccessible. After eating breakfast there, the three had decided to leave the crowded place for a while and stretch their legs. Much to Trent's displeasure, Hanna had left quickly with Gordon and he had not seen her since.

"I'm sure they're finding a way to get all these students out of here. I can't stand being around all those people for much longer," Rayne replied, glancing over at Trent. When she caught the distant look in his eyes, she nudged him and leaned in so that only he could hear her. "Have you talked to Hanna yet?"

He shook his head and sighed.

"She ran off right after breakfast and that prick of a boyfriend was with her," he grumbled.

"Well, she did kiss you last night. That's got to count for something, right?"

"I don't know… Quinn's still in the picture and I don't feel comfortable getting in the middle of that," he told her and Rayne snorted.

"Getting in the middle? You blatantly told her that her boyfriend was a wanker and then tried to kill him in the bathroom a few minutes later," she said. "I think it's a little late for putting yourself in the middle of things."

Trent frowned and glanced over at her.

"Speaking of boyfriend, what happened between you and Nicholas?" he asked. "You haven't mentioned his name once since we've been here and you don't seem to worried about him."

Rayne looked over at Reilly quickly and coughed.

"Um, Reilly, could you give Trent and I a moment?" she asked and Reilly groaned.

"I don't want to be here by myself," she complained. Rayne rolled her eyes and pointed to a bench a few meters away.

"Just wait over there. We'll be right back," she responded before tugging Trent off towards the new Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes. When she was sure they were out of Reilly's earshot, she turned to her friend. "Nicholas… he killed some one," she confessed and Trent's eyes bulged.

"What?!"

Rayne grabbed his arm and pulled him to the side, shushing him heatedly.

"Be quiet!" she hissed. "I don't need everyone in this town knowing."

"But he-"

"I can't believe you!" Hanna screamed as she exited a café. Gordon came out right after her, knocking over a small child on his way out. Hanna looked appalled by his behavior and turned to the child, helping her out. "I'm sorry," she apologized to the mother before giving Gordon a very hateful glare. "Stay away from me."

"You don't know what you're talking about, Hanna," Gordon snapped, grabbing her arm and pulling him back to her. "Nothing happened!"

Rayne and Trent started in shock as Hanna smacked her boyfriend across the face.

"Nora told me you were a prick and I can't believe I didn't believe her," she hissed, yanking her arm out of his grip. "You've been cheating on me the whole time!"

"That girl's a bloody liar, Hanna," Gordon growled. "She's just trying to get me in trouble! None of it's true."

"She said you two had sex during the Halloween Ball!" she shrieked. "I barely saw you during the whole thing!"

"That doesn't mean I was off shagging some tart!" he retorted. "Why the hell would I cheat on you?"

"Trent said that you were only interested in having sex with me and I'm starting to believe that," Hanna replied somewhat hesitantly and Rayne glanced over at her friend, biting her lip. Gordon looked incensed at this point.

"Trent! That stupid little sixth year git you've been hanging around with lately?" he snarled and Hanna backed away from him, a distressed look on her face. "You believe him?"

Hanna shoved her hair out of her face and began to leave.

"I think it would be best if you and I didn't see each other anymore," she said over her shoulder and he grabbed her again, causing Trent to take a step forward, but Rayne stopped him. The couple was already having a hard time. If he interfered, things would probably get worse.

"Just because that little bastard told you I was cheating on you?!" Gordon yelled angrily.

Hanna glared at him.

"No. Because for the past few months I've realized that I'd rather be with a stupid little sixth year git than waste my time with you," she spat. Hanna pulled away from him and began to walk down the street. It was only then that she saw Trent and Rayne standing there.

"Trent," she gasped. "Oh…"

"You little prick!" Gordon raged and charged at them. Rayne whipped out her wand the very next instant and the large boy went flying across the street into a crowd of girls, who all scattered when they saw him coming. Several adults watched on in disbelief and disapproval. Ignoring the looks she was getting, Rayne tucked her wand in the back of her pants and motioned to where they had left Reilly.

"I'll be over there," she muttered and was about to go when she caught sight of the bench and frowned. "Reilly… ugh! Reilly!" She ran over to the bench and looked around anxiously. "Reilly! Where are you?!"


Hermione opened her eyes when Ron came into his office. After it had been made clear that they would not be leaving the Ministry soon, Ron had suggested that she get rest on his couch and she had been there all night while he dealt with security issues. She watched as he walked over to his desk and sat down heavily, releasing a sigh and rubbing his eyes. Through the dim lighting, she could tell that he was exhausted, physically and mentally, and it was very concerning.

"Have you slept at all?" she asked and he looked over to where she lay.

"Oh… I didn't know you were awake," he muttered, sitting up straighter in his chair. "I'm fine. Just a little tired, is all."

"Have you slept?" Hermione asked again and he sighed.

"Hermione, I'm fine, please don't worry," he begged as he began to shift papers around on his desk. "The Minister's secure in his office but now they're saying that someone's in the building."

Hermione sat up, alarm all over her face.

"In the Ministry?"

He nodded and looked over at her.

"That's why they haven't reopened the Floo yet. It's a mess, especially since they think the person's in the Department of Mysteries," he told her.

"But shouldn't we be somewhere a bit safer?" Hermione asked and Ron shook his head.

"Ever since we went down there in fifth year, the Department of Ministry has only had one entrance. If there is someone down there, they can only get out the way they came in."

"You don't seem too worried about this, Ron."

He could see the worry in Hermione's eyes and sighed. Standing up, he moved over to the couch and sat down beside her, taking her hands in his.

"Hermione, we've been through worse and survived," he whispered, kissing her temple. "Of course I'm worried about Sara, but… This whole thing is just some big power play by some restless Death Eater fraction that's pathetic enough to still be around."

"A power play?"

Ron smiled and shrugged.

"Those were Moody's words, not mine," he told her before getting up and going back to his desk. "We'll probably be out by tonight, Hermione. They can't keep this many people in here for this long. It'll only create bigger problems."


"How long are you going to be doing that?" Draco asked when he entered the room to find Ginny lying in bed, face in a pillow as she cried. After she had found out she was indeed pregnant, she had been doing quite a bit of that and it was starting to become very taxing on his nerves. He had enough pressure, he did not need Ginny Weasley sobbing every other minute.

"Go to hell," was her choked reply.

Draco nodded and moved to his desk, pulling out a piece of parchment and quill. He jotted something down quickly before giving it to an extremely old Judas, who flew out the window with the letter.

"Who was that for?"

He looked over to the bed to see her sitting up in it, clinging to the sheets tightly as she watched him.

"Redman."

"Philip Redman? The man who was supposed to make sure we were divorced?"

"Yes," he said, sitting down at the desk.

"Why?"

Draco looked out the window.

"Because certain people need to be protected…"

He had not heard her move until she was right in front of him, sheets wrapped around her body as she got up on the chair, straddling him.

"How protected?" she asked softly.

He reached up and pried her hands away from the sheets, watching as they pooled around her glorious hips and thighs, exposing her torso to him. For a moment he just stared at her, unable to pull his eyes away from the undeniable vulnerability of the moment. His hands moved up and touched her skin lightly, tracing the smooth contours of her breasts and stomach with such cruel deliberateness that she could not help but close her eyes and release a breathless 'yes' at the feel of his fingers. Upon her reaction, he leaned in and kissed the spot between her breasts lightly before pulling her to him and resting his face in the crook of her neck.

They were quiet for a while, neither of them moving as they submerged themselves in each others warmth.

"Forgive me…"

Ginny tensed at the words and she pulled away to look into his eyes.

"What?"

"Forgive me…"

"For what?"

His eyes roved over her briefly before he looked back up into her eyes.

"For what I've done…"

Ginny nodded, her eyes filling up with tears as she leaned in and kissed him, pressing herself as close as she could. She shivered when she felt his arms move around her waist, crushing her to him. She sighed into his mouth as his hands moved up and down her back before she buried her face in his chest as he held her close.

For a few minutes they just sat there, listening to each other breathe. Ginny then smiled when she caught sight of his arms.

"How are your arms feelings?" she asked quietly into his chest. She felt his arms tighten around her and she sighed into him, loving the security of it all.

"Like a woman scratched me mercilessly because I gave her the time of her life," he replied into her hair.

She reached out and touched one of the scratches, biting her lips at how bad they were.

"Does it hurt?"

"Malfoys don't feel pain."

Ginny snorted.

"Yeah, right," she muttered.

"You know, you're unpleasant after we make love," he commented.

"You're one to talk."

"I don't remember Pansy ever being so talkative. Well, she did scream-"

This time, Draco actually groaned under the force of her kiss. Everything about what she was doing was unbelievable and it took him a few minutes to recover from the shock. By that time, Ginny had pulled away from him again and rested her head and hands against his chest, closing her eyes as she tried to calm herself down.

She wanted him so badly, but at this moment she was unsure of whether or not her body would be able to handle the force and passion of him.

He had always been too much for her to handle and when he got it in his head about what he wanted, he sometimes pushed her too hard…

After a few minutes, her breathing calmed significantly and her mind cleared.

"Your one regret?" she asked after a while.

Ginny felt Draco laugh and she raised her head to see actual laughter in his grey eyes.

"My one regret?" he repeated. "My one and only regret is you… you shouldn't have been with me…"

Ginny bit her lip.

"Why?"

Draco snorted.

"You were looking for someone who wasn't Potter… and as much as I loathe to say this, you've fallen in love with someone who is exactly like him…" he said with disgust in his voice. "Suicidal, self-absorbed, vengeful… Except, of course, without the ugliness and green eyes…"

Ginny raised an eyebrow.

"Of course, I forgot about that," she whispered. "As for being self-absorbed, I think that was just you…"

Draco shook his head.

"I am not that self-absorbed," he muttered.

Ginny laughed at that.

"Not that self-absorbed? You think you're God's gift to woman kind!"

"Just because I like to state the truth does not mean I'm self-absorbed."

Ginny started laughing harder, burying her face in his chest as she tried to control herself.

"You're impossible," she mumbled into his cool skin as he ran a hand up and down her back leisurely, smirking at her amusement.

Somewhere inside of him, he was happy that she had given up on trying to stop him and had accepted what was happening. He was glad that she still found something to laugh about…

Even if it was about him…

"I'm glad you think that," he muttered, leaning down and kissing the top of her head as she continued to shake with mirth. "It's not that funny."

Ginny sucked in some air quickly and bit her lip to keep from laughing anymore before she raised her head to look at him.

"Sorry, you're right, it's not funny," she muttered, trying to stifle a smile. "You just compared yourself to Harry Potter, that's not funny at all."

Draco rolled his eyes as she started laughing again in his lap. She leaned in and kissed his neck as she struggled to stop laughing.

"What is wrong with you?" he asked.

Ginny shrugged.

"I guess I'm still a bit elated from the bathroom," she muttered and he instantly sobered up. She smiled at that, knowing this was hurting him more that he cared to let on. She took a deep breath and decided to go back to the conversation that had started her laughing fest. "So, if I'm not supposed to have the suicidal, self-absorbed, vengeful type, then what type of man should have I been looking for?"

He ran a hand down her side, eyes resting on her stomach.

"Someone boring… someone who hasn't killed people…" he whispered. "Someone more innocent than you…"

Ginny bit her lip, a slight twinge of guilt flooding her.

"Someone like Jason?"

Draco shrugged and leaned in, running his lips over her body like liquid fire before she stopped him, breathing hard. He looked into her eyes and saw her give him a look to stop… she wasn't ready to start that again…

He sighed.

"Yeah, I suppose… a pansy," he muttered bitterly.

Ginny laughed.

"I have to marry a pansy next?" she asked incredulously.

Draco smirked, leaning in and kissing her.

"Anyone after me is going to be a pansy," he whispered.

Ginny rolled her eyes.

"I married a prat," she muttered before they kissed again.

Draco smirked into the kiss.

"Yes, but at least I'm not a sodding pansy."

Ginny could not help the laugh that escaped her before she pulled away from him to look him in the eye. The amusement that had once again found itself in her eyes was breathtaking to him and he could not help but lean in and their lips a hairsbreadth apart.

"You're incorrigible…"

Before she could react his lips were on her devouring every piece of bare skin he could reach…

Her mouth…

Her neck…

Her shoulders…

Everywhere…

She was panting so hard that she was quickly going to pass out. His hands were roaming her greedily, grabbing and caressing her burning body until she thought she was going to shatter into a million pieces under the power of his touch. He coaxed a deep moan out of her before he covered her mouth with his, muting her as they continued to lose themselves in each other.

Suddenly Draco pulled away quickly, touching his lip and looking down at the blood that stained his fingertips. Ginny gasped before covering her mouth with a hand, eyes widening as she stared at his bleeding lip.

Their eyes met and she blushed under the hilarity that filled his eyes. For a moment Ginny just stared at him, unsure of what to say then she jerked and reached out to touch his lip.

"Draco, I didn't-"

His lips met hers with more aggression and desperation than ever before as he crushed her to him. Ginny could hardly breathe against him and after a moment she yanked away from him, gasping for air, her chest heaving as he watched her with lust pulsating in his stone grey eyes. She closed her eyes and took a moment to calm herself down.

After a minute she leaned back in and kissed him gently on the lips, taunting him mercilessly before she pushed the robe Draco was wearing off his shoulders and moved her lips down his neck to his chest, running her fingertips over his cool abdomen, marveling in his body as he pulled her impossibly closer.

"We need to slow down, Draco," she gasped. "We need-"

Ignoring her completely, he cut her off with a kiss that left her begging for more and forgetting her previous words. One of his hands moved forcefully up her thigh while the other roamed up her side and cupped her breast, causing her to tear away from his lips and release a rousing moan that only intensified his need for her. She ended up dragging her nails down his back as his lips left hers and couldn't help but sink his teeth into her burning skin.

"Draco please," Ginny pleaded. "Please!"

There was a sudden loud crack and they reluctantly pulled away from each other and turned to see a small house elf standing there.

Ginny pulled the sheets back up to her chest, blushing violently and looking away from both Draco and the equally embarrassed elf, heart racing as she felt his arms pull her to him possessively.

The elf was so embarrassed that she dropped the firewhiskey bottle she was supposed to bring up to the room. She then began apologizing profusely, bowing so low that her tea cozy fell of.

Draco sighed, annoyed with all the bumbling elves. Did they do this on purpose or did someone out there really just not want him to enjoy his time with the redhead.

"Snap out of it and tell me what's wrong," he snapped.

"Sir, Mr. Redman is here, sir. He is waiting downstairs for you."

Draco nodded and the elf disapparated, leaving him and Ginny in the room. The moment they were alone, Ginny turned to Draco with a curious look on her face.

"How is it that your lawyer got here without blowing up?" she asked and he shrugged.

"He knows the right path."

"How come I don't know the right path?" she asked and he snorted.

"Because you're not my lawyer." He took a deep breath and motioned to the door. "I have to take care of this," he whispered.

Ginny bit her lip and nodded.

"So it's really happening," she murmured sadly.

Draco nodded, gently pushing her off of him, forcing her to stand as he stood up as well.

"I have to."

She shook her head.

"No you don't…"

Draco sighed and leaned into her, brushing his lips gently across hers. She responded quickly, leaning into him and deepening the kiss. They stood there for a moment before Draco pulled the sheets tightly around her and pulled away.

He glanced over to the bed.

"Get some rest," he whispered. "This is going to take a while…"

A/N: Okay, I promise to do more of the kids in the next one. Scouts' honor! (holding up three fingers)

The Darkest wizard: There are a lot of people who need to survive. Draco's plans are pretty much set, but I could be swayed… maybe…

tamara72: I was honestly going to put a scene with Remus right after this last scene, but I realized that this chapter was starting to get a bit long, so I'll most definitely put it in for the next chapter! Promise! I'll see if I can put Harry in as well, but that all depends on how long I want Ginny and Draco to stay together.

Alsy: I think that was sort of what I wanted everyone to think about Draco in Semper Fidelis. Ginny, as I've mentioned a couple of times in this chapter and the previous chapter, still cares deeply about Jason (despite her very unconventional actions) and that chapter sort of put Draco in a bad light because he was the one who was ruining it for her. I'm so glad you like Jason. My purpose in this story is to get the readers to be okay with Ginny being with someone other than Draco and I really wanted you all to like Jason so that when this finally came around, everyone wouldn't be as angry as many people were at the beginning. Like I said before, I will definitely put Landon in the next chapter. Full moon lasts (visibly) for about two to three days. (So I have time!)

FreezingFire81: We'll see about Draco. He's not dead yet.

realityfling18: I love writing the parts with Ginny and Draco because despite the fact that they love each other, they can still be incredibly mean and standoffish, even after they've made love. It's really fun to write their dialogue.

purplegabby123: Thanks! I hope you liked this one as well.

Sorry, no chapter tease. This one was too long and I just finished it.