It was the first time that week that she made it to all of her classes. She made small talk with Neville with enough enthusiasm that he seemed to accept that she truly was okay. She ventured through the halls without flinching at each shadow.

Abruptly, a shoulder knocked into her with enough force to cause her to drop her things. Startled, she looked up to see Draco standing before her.

"Watch where you're going, mudblood lover," Draco sneered but there was no malice in his voice. He grabbed her things from the floor and threw them into her arms.

"I'm surprised you're willing to touch my dirty muggle loving things," Ginny retorted.

He stepped closer as other students began to avert their gazes and walk around them. Ginny tilted her head to look up at him and saw a hint of desire spark in his eyes as he took her in. "You should be punished for the shame you bring to the pureblood name," he whispered but it sounded like a promise.

Ginny's heart began to pound as she watched him walk away. Readjusting her books, she noticed a small note sticking from within the pages of one and quickly hid it in her robes.

During a break in the day hours later, she finally slipped the note from within her pocket. Merely a time and a place were written on the small sheet of paper that burned in itself once Ginny read it. She smiled, leaning back against the tall tree behind her. It would get her through the day.

Perhaps he would take her back to his rooms again tonight and she might find a way to look around his bedroom. She worried the longer she waited, the more likely that he had given the basilisk tooth to someone else. Maybe to Snape? Her stomach twisted at another possibility but she didn't dare continue that train of thought.

That night, Draco tended to his prefect duties but invited Ginny along on his patrol. He seemed oddly nervous, his eyes scanning the shadows but one hand holding tightly to something in his pocket.

"What's wrong?" Ginny asked him finally, eyeing his hand.

Immediately, he withdrew it from his pocket. "Nothing," he snapped, then added more gently, "there are other ways I'd rather spend my time at the moment."

Ginny grinned, stepping closer to wrap her arms around him. He kissed her, pressing her into a shadow corner, raking his hands through her hair, stroking her cheek. He pulled away quickly but took her hand in his as they walked the halls. Ginny could never have imagined that she'd one day walk the halls of Hogwarts hand in hand with Draco Malfoy.

It was a quiet night, the moon barely a crescent in the sky. So many sleepless nights were catching up with her. Walking was at least keeping her awake but the moment she sat down, she worried she'd fall asleep. She tried not to think about the last time that happened. This was the longest she'd gone without sleep. She closed her eyes as they walked, a brief respite.

"Are you all right?" Draco asked, pausing their round.

Ginny blinked open her eyes. She'd never thought Draco would ask her that question and seem to care about the response—even if it was his Deatheater mission. How odd her life had become—but she was surviving and soon, hopefully very soon, she would be able to make her family proud. Her hand reached for the locket on instinct and she stopped, touching her empty chest. She missed the weight of the necklace against her skin but too often guilt and shame cling to her when she looked at that picture. Perhaps it was for the best that she no longer wore it.

Draco noticed her hand on her chest, then pulled something from his pocket and offered it to her. It was a small jewelry box. She took it, gently opening the top to reveal a beautiful dark red jewel on a gold chain. The ruby was the size of her thumbnail and exquisite. Even in the darkness it seemed to find the only remnants of light and sparkle. Ginny had never owned something so beautiful.

"I'm sorry about your other necklace but I thought this would suit you better," he said, reaching for the necklace and placing it around her neck. His fingers lingered against her skin. "Do you like it?"

The stone was heavy and cool against her chest but it was undeniably beautiful. "I don't know if I can accept this," Ginny began. She touched the red stone and a pair of eyes flashed before her. She took a step back, reaching for the clasp.

"You don't like it," he stated, and Ginny stopped herself.

"It's thoughtful of you—uncharacteristically thoughtful," she teased, "but it's too much." But she didn't reach for the clasp, simply stroked the stone.

Draco shrugged, "wear it for a few days. If you don't like it, give it back."

"Deal," she said. She couldn't imagine taking it off now but it felt odd. Her locket had been a constant reminder of her family, or her worry for them. What reminder did this stone hold? She glanced at Draco and found him looking at her, smiling.

"What?" she asked.

He stepped closer to her, his hand cupping her chin and tilting it toward him. "Just thinking that it would look even more beautiful if you weren't wearing your robes."

Her blood raced at the thought. She kissed him, pulling his body against her. He pressed her against the wall, she kissed his neck as he squeezed her breast. She arched her back, wanting to feel his fingers and mouth against her. She started undoing the buttons of his shirt but he placed a hand on hers.

"Soon," he promised pulling her back down the darkened hallway, pressing a final kiss to her hand.

It may have been a couple hours later but the moment they Apparated into Draco's living room, Ginny began unbuttoning his shirt. He shrugged off his cloak and shirt, helping her with her own as their mouths met in a heated kiss. She reached for his belt, then broke away.

"Bedroom?" She murmured, unbuttoning his pants.

He picked her up and Apparated into the bedroom, depositing her on the bed as he removed the rest of his clothes. Ginny paused as she took off her skirt to admire him. He was beautiful.

He kissed her as he climbed onto the bed beside her, helping her out of her skirt. She kept her underwear on but undid her bra. Immediately, he captured her nipple his mouth, squeezing the other, making her arch and gasp. His hand trailed down to her underwear, and he glanced up at her, searching her gaze for something. He didn't remove them but slipped a finger inside and began moving his finger in slow circles as he kissed her lips, her cheeks, her breasts.

Pleasure began to build and Ginny closed her eyes as her breath quickened. When suddenly as quickly he started, he stopped.

Ginny opened her eyes to see Draco between her legs. Meeting her eyes, he slowly removed her underwear then settled between her thighs, resting on his forearms. He grabbed each thigh with a hand and pulled her to him.

The first brush of his tongue made Ginny cry out. His finger had felt so good, she hadn't imagined that something could feel even better. But with each stroke of his tongue, Ginny found herself climbing higher into pleasure than she'd been before.

Ginny's head spun, her only thoughts were of Draco's tongue licking and stroking her. Her hips jerked and moved with each touch. He reached one hand up and squeezed her breast hard enough to make her gasp and writhe against him.

"Please don't stop," she begged, and he obliged, moving his tongue more and more quickly, pleasure pulsing through her until she couldn't take any more and it exploded through her. He licked her gently through the last of her climax until she lay panting and satisfied.

Allowing herself to bask in the pleasure, she opened her eyes as Draco kissed his way up her stomach, chest, neck, to her lips. She could feel him hard and naked against her. She reached between their bodies to stroke him. He gasped as her hand tugged against his tip.

"I want to fuck you," he murmured against her cheek.

Her heart hammered at the prospect. Already, she could feel her desire returning. She gripped him hard in her hand and began to rub him between her legs. He gasped against her ear.

"If you keep doing that, I won't be able to stop," he said between gritted teeth.

"I don't want you to," Ginny replied. She wanted to experience whatever good was left in this world before the end. She continued to rub his tip against herself, pressing him against her clit so that it pulsed beneath his touch.

"I take a prevention potion, have you ever…"

Ginny shook her head.

Draco put his hand on hers, stopping her. "Are you sure you want this, Ginny?"

She was throbbing with desire, rolling her hips to feel him against her. He closed his eyes, his chest heaving, but stopped her again.

"We can stop," he said again, his voice low. He met her eyes and kissed her gently. "It's okay."

Ginny responded by grabbing him and fitting the tip of him inside of her. He groaned, pausing to watch her face as he slowly entered her.

She felt a sharp pain and buried her face in his shoulder, biting down against the feeling. He was trembling but didn't move.

"Are you okay?" he asked. The pain was ebbing.

She nodded, "keep going," she breathed.

He did. He kissed her as he slowly moved inside of her. He stroked her nipple with a calloused hand, then squeezed. She gasped, arching her hips into his and he groaned. He slipped his hand between their bodies and stroked her with his thumb as he moved, still so slowly. She closed her eyes to enjoy the sensation of him stroking her and being inside her.

"Faster," she said and he immediately obliged, moving quickly but too gently.

She lifted her hips, "harder."

He squeezed her breast as he began thrusting into her, his breath quickening. Pleasure began to build again as he stroked her and thrust, then exploded through her again and she cried out. He stopped stroking her, grabbing her hips and pumping into her. She moaned as she rode the last waves of pleasure. He gasped as she opened her eyes to watch him climax. His heart pounding against hers, he kissed her shoulder and neck.

It felt good to have him inside of her before he slowly pulled out. He lay beside her, his breathing slowing as he closed his eyes. Ginny turned on her side to watch him. He reached for her, pulling her naked body tightly against his, his face in the crook of her neck. Ginny kept her eyes open, feeling sleep too close.

It was only a few minutes before Draco was asleep. Ginny waited until she was sure, then carefully began to slip from the bed, scanning the room for potential hiding spots. Just as she slipped her feet out from the sheets, Draco murmured something and pulled her closer.

Ginny settled back against the pillows, enjoying the warmth of his body. She could rest just a few moments then look around, she thought distantly as she closed her eyes.