Yes, we realize it's not as long as you wanted it to be, but we felt the need to move on to the next chappie, so think of it this way... you get your next chappie sooner!
~Much Love from Texas and Oklahoma~
Ash and Cat
The Great Hall at Hogwarts was alive with the cheerfulness of dinner. Plates of food had been placed before each student, and they were all eating, quite happily at that. Among them were the students of Slytherin. However, two pairs of eyes rested upon the Gryffindor table. The obvious, Draco Malfoy, held his constant gaze on a certain Weasley, a small smile upon his face.
The other stared icily at The Boy Who Lived, never looking away as the post came. A small smirk formed upon the owner's lips as Harry Potter opened his mail for the day.
Harry, in the mean time, laughed with Ron as they shared a secretive joke amongst the two of them. They watched Seamus try a sample of the pumpkin pasty they had offered him, which Ron had wonderfully charmed to taste like troll bogies. They all three laughed together as Seamus reenacted his facial expression after the first bite.
However, Harry was soon whipped from his laughter as an unfamiliar owl swooped down, a small, scrawled on note left at his claws. Harry softly took it from it's grip, as the owl stooped down, grabbing the pumpkin pasty from Seamus' hand as it soared off, hooting as it dropped the cookie back onto some innocent Hufflepuff's head, after getting a taste of the manipulative treat. They all three hooted with a round of laughter before Harry set to work on opening the new letter, a curious wrinkle placed upon his scarred forehead.
He curiously opened up the finely-sealed parchment, sliding his emerald gaze over the looped letters. He raised a brow at the request, his eyes darting about wearily around the Great Hall, attempting to find the source of such a vague note. He quickly slid the paper into his robes pocket, slipping from his seat, and gave a lame excuse about finishing a paper to his fellow Gryffindors before strolling from the Great Hall, a feverish pace sent to his feet as he approached the Library, as the letter had requested, a bit of hesitation placed upon him as he reached for the door.
The pair of staring eyes no longer lingered upon the green-eyed boy and his friends. The person they belonged to had left as soon as the paper had landed in his hands, smiling as the owl stole Seamus' treat, only to drop it on some other boy's head. Two birds with one stone. That owl had been trained rather well, really it had.
With a creak, the doors to the library were shoved open and the Slytherin soon entered, sitting down in one of the many chairs lying about unused. Yes, most people were smart enough to actually EAT during lunch... save some of the rather obsessive Ravenclaws.
The door soon opened, revealing a very stressed looking Harry Potter. "Took you long enough, Potter." Drawled the voice of Miss Pansy Parkinson. "Have a rather low reading level, do you?"
"Parkinson? What the hell?"
"Hello to you, too." She replied calmly. "I'm not here to be a bitch... well... not to you anyway." She smirked, earning a brow raise from Harry. "Put it this way, Potter. You want her. I want him."
It was Harry's turn to smirk. "Oh, what a couple. The two biggest bastards of Hogwarts united."
"And the two biggest prissy wannabes of Hogwarts united." She retorted, crossing her arms. "Are you in, or are you out, Potter?"
He looked uneasy for a moment. "You can't hurt Ginny."
"Since when have you been making the guidelines?"
"Since I can go straight to Draco and Ginny and tell them you're up to something."
"That only keeps them together, Potter."
"Exactly, Parkinson."
The Slytherin's eyes narrowed. "Fine. No physical harm. Do we have a deal or not?"
The boy nodded slowly. "Alright. Talk."
* * *
The determined redhead leafed through the crinkled parchment of the tale she was reading, the bind of the book set strictly in the palm of her hand as her chocolate eyes scanned fixatedly over the scrawled pages. She only peered up as a Slytherin bumped into her, appearing to be deliberate. She looked up at him, a soft red brow slightly raised. "Can I help you?" She finally queried after a long pause, as he continued to stare down at her, a soft smirk plastered across his smug expression.
"I think so.." He quietly answered, stroking his hand across her pale, frail arm. "Heard you were a nice fuck, Weasley. Malfoy only clarified it for me." He added, winking at her with his pale blue eyes.
Her jaw dropped, the floor beneath her fell six feet under as her vision blurred. Her chocolate eyes pooled as she pushed away from the grubby pawed, menacing snarl on the Slytherin boy. Her pace only quickened as giggles and smirks were sent her way by other green and silver dressed students, driving her to a faster speed, before she abruptly bumped into the boy she wished to see, tears beginning to rush down her colorless, ivory cheeks.
* * *
She wasn't in the Great Hall. She wasn't out about the grounds. She wasn't in the corridors. She wasn't anywhere where Draco knew she should have been. No, he had an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach and so, his search had gotten slightly more frantic. After several bangings on the damned portrait he learned she wasn't there either, leaving the only place left as... the library.
Draco's feet would not allow him to go fast enough, it seemed, as he tore down the hall, earning the raise of a brow but no comment from Severus Snape as he walked by in the other direction. Left. Right. Left. Down the stairs. Left. Left. He paused, out of breath at the door and pulled it open just in time to see Ginny pull away from a fellow Slytherin, tears in her eyes as she headed for the door.
"Ginny?" he asked softly as she slammed into him, the tears only commencing to fall with such. "I'm sorry Ginny... What did they do to you?" He glared over her head in the Slytherins direction, all of such who met him back with the exact same stare. He couldn't take them all... not at once... "Are you okay?"
* * *
Ginny could feel his arms surround her, and for once it wasn't comforting, it was suffocating. Her hands were carved into small fists as he held her, pinning her against his chest. She used the force in her fingers to pry herself loose, pushing her away from him, causing him to stumble back a few steps. "How could you.. I-I-..." She stopped, gasping for breath in between her shuddering sobs.
She cleared her throat, hesitant tears making their way down her pale pink cheeks. Her chocolate eyes continued to brim with eternal drops. Her jaw grew taut as she stared into his concerned eyes. What a show he must have had to put on, she thought bitterly, her mind swarming with the times he had told he had loved her, how beautiful she was, what she meant to him. It had been nothing to him, and everything to her.
"I... Hate.. You." She quietly said through clenched teeth. A few of her red locks plastered to her pinkened cheeks with her tears, her red lips lightly quivering from her hurt, pain, and anger. She quickly stormed past him without another look, the tears already beginning to well up once more.
* * *
He could feel her back go rigid as though she was anything but comfortable in his arms, and as she shoved him away, he let her go. How could he what? What was she going on about? Had he done something? Had he taken too long to get here? Surely she wouldn't get mad at him for that...
"Ginny..." he attempted, only to hear three words he never thought would fall from her lips... Not now anyway. I. Hate. You. You might as well have taken a razor blade and etched those words into the blonde boy's wrists as he watched her, tears streaming down her face.
"Ginny!" She wasn't stopping. She just kept walking... right past him. She didn't even look at him. "Ginny! Please! Listen to me!" He wasn't quite sure what he was supposed to apologize for, but if she would take back what she said... God knows he'd apologize for every horrid thing known to man.
* * *
"That rat bastard.. I'll kill him.. I'll kill him..." Ron quickly made his way down the halls, ignoring the curious glances he attracted as he slammed his left first into his right palm, his cheeks a bright red with anger. His deep brown eyes were afire with a rage unlike one he'd ever experienced before.
He puffed his cheeks out with anger, his breathing augmented dramatically as he allowed his temper to get the best of him. His eyes simmered with a fiery glow as he cast his eyes upon the wretched being that, in his mind, was a lame excuse for a human, with his own sister's feverish tears spilling over her precious cheeks as she pushed past Ron, only teasing his anger more so.
He took one step with his lanky build towards Draco, his long arms ending with balled fists as he peered into Draco's eyes. "How dare you humiliate my sister like that, Malfoy?!" He demanded, his fingers making their way to Draco's collar, his knuckles turning white with the tight grip. "How dare you hurt her like that? You will pay..." His voice trailed off as his eyes narrowed upon Draco's.
* * *
So, big brother Ronnikins was coming to his darling sister's rescue. Well, this was just grand. Not only had his lover, blessed Ginny, walked away from him, declaring hatred in a fit of tears, but now he was going to have to deal with this. Ronald Weasley. The one he was sure would be the death of him.
Ron was lanky and well... he had a swing behind those arms of his, and no doubt it would hurt like hell if he got a decent hit. He wasn't like Potter, no... he was much better, and Draco was rather certain he wouldn't miss. He sighed softly. It wouldn't be too long before that fist crashed into his face... Joy.
"I didn't." he muttered, knowing it was no use. "I didn't do anything."
* * *
Ron simply shook his head, a smirk of disgust crossing over his angered features. "Didn't do anything? Didn't do Anything!?" His voice slightly rose, gaining even more attention than he had attracted before. "Let's try spreading rumors about my sister, Malfoy." He said, his grip tightening along the blonde's collar, digging into his neck.
"Oh, it's no rumor, Ron!" A voice chimed from the crowd. "He didn't do something.. He did someone!" An echo of laughter screeched across the crowd, Slytherin's malevolent laughter deafening to even Ron's ears.
Ron noted the immediate colorless cheeks on Draco, causing Ron to raise a suspicious brow, he slightly loosened his grip, yet not much, gulping down another throe of anger as the crowd continued to laugh, prickling his ears.
"You'll have to get me in with your sister, Ron, that is if Malfoy here didn't tucker her out.." Another Slytherin commented, giving a wink and nudge as he exited the library, a reign of chuckles emitting from him and his following friends. Ron's face merely went a scarlet red as he turned his gaze back to Malfoy, his fist making a loud crackle across the Slytherin's nose.
* * *
Realization seemed to dawn on Draco as he realized just what had happened. Someone had known... How? How could they possibly have known?! No one was there... unless... If the blonde hadn't been quite aware of the fact that he was being held up by a certain redhead, he probably would've released the growl forming in the bottom of his throat.
Who would be out to break the two of them apart? His eyes flitted around the room. Ginny in tears. He quickly removed his gaze from such a sight. Ron. No, Ron had given in. Hermione. No, she wasn't cruel enough. Blaise. Blaise wasn't sick enough. But there... they were standing across the room, but both had a smirk of triumph, one that was enough to make the Slytherin sick to his stomach. Potter and Parkinson...
His thoughts were torn from the two as a fist hit his nose, a sickening crack emitted. Draco made no attempts to squirm free from Ron's grasp. What was the point? It would undoubtedly only earn more frustration and make him look stupid, more stupid rather, than he was now. The only movement he made was to wipe one of the large pools of blood from under his nose, before he met the boy's fiery gaze once again. He could die here, and then all of this blasted pain would disappear. He wouldn't have to think about anyone or anything... especially that Ginny Weasley... now in the arms of him. The boy who lived. The boy who always got what he wanted. Harry bloody Potter.
* * *
TWO WEEKS LATER
* * *
Harry paced nervously back and forth in the Gryffindor commons. Dumbledore had announced the winter ball was soon to come, not giving him near enough time to do what he'd been wanting to do for ages, to dance with that fiery redhead held close to him. Oh yes, that bloody plan of Pansy's had worked its charms for dear Harry. Draco hadn't even come close to reuniting the two, although he couldn't exactly say that he tried.
In fact, there had been no love letters begging for her forgiveness in the span of the two weeks they'd been apart. Wasn't he at least going to grovel? He REALLY wanted to see him grovel! And then the sweet pleasure of seeing him being turned down... Ah... it would be wonderful. So very, very wonderful indeed. He smirked slightly. Malfoy was a bastard, and he was treated like one with every breath he took while still at Hogwarts.
Green eyes continued to rest upon the stairway leading to the girls' dormitories. Surely she'd be down soon?
* * *
"It's really not as bad as you think, Gin." Hermione sat next to Ginny on the redhead's bed, softly running her hands through her fire-red locks, attempting to soothe her friend.
"Not as bad as I think, 'Mione?" She asked, pulling her head from the pillow that she had previously had her face engulfed within, tearstains placed randomly across the fabric. She softly ran her fingers across the material, picking at a loose string for a moment before diverting her gaze to the speechless Hermione beside her. At least, the Slytherin boys had stopped with the wisecracks about a firework show they would make for her, followed by a few random high-fives, chuckles, and a curt 'sod-off' from the pissed-off Weasley.
Yes, things had been wonderful.
She slowly recoiled from Hermione's grasp on her locks as she murmured something about homework, and as she descended the stairs to fetch her bag, ignoring the glances she inevitably attracted from younger and older students alike. She came to the opening, only to feast her eyes upon a nervous Harry as he paced in front of the fireplace, almost bringing a soft smile to see him so deep in thought. Almost.
"Is there something the matter, Harry?" She absentmindedly asked as she reached for her bag.
* * *
Harry fidgeted slightly under Ginny's gaze. He hadn't seen her come in and felt like a total moron, just sitting there while she watched him. She probably thought he was the biggest moron alive. God knows he wasn't near as good-looking as half the guys she could easily wrap around her finger... especially with her... er... interesting reputation.
"No." He replied automatically. Such had become his response whenever he was asked if something was wrong. You see, people didn't honestly want to hear what was going through his mind, just to make sure he wasn't going insane or thinking of Avada-ing himself... anything along those lines...
"I just erm... I wanted to..." He sighed softly and took in a deep breath. This was ridiculous. She was just going to turn him down anyway, wasn't she? Of course, there was that small, pathetic shred of hope she'd say yes... Oh hell. He might as well. "To ask you... Ginny would you go to the ball with me?"
* * *
"Ha-arry. I-I.." Of all the things, that was definitely the last thing she would ever expect to hear seep from The Boy Who Lived, Gryffindor Seeker, Harry Potter's mouth. Or Pothead, as Draco liked to call him, causing a twinge of a smile to grace her red lips at the thought.
"Harry, that's really sweet of you to ask, but.." She trailed off.. But what? 'You see.. I was simply waiting around for Draco to ask me.. You know.. Since he seems so eager to and everything..' Yeah, that worked.
"I'd love to." She restrained a wince as the words left her mouth, as well as the falseness in them. She gave him a light hearted smile as she reached down for her bag, thankful her Weasley locks fell in front of her face to hide the expression of regret and disappointment pronounced loudly across her features.
* * *
That's really sweet of you to ask, but... There were so many different answers that popped into his head at that point in time. "But I'm not ready to see someone else yet." "But I'm already going with someone." "But I just don't like you in that way. We could still be friends?" "But I wouldn't go to a ball with you if you were the last bloody person on Earth, you git." Okay, so perhaps his imagination had gone a bit vivid on the last one.
Either way, he hadn't expected her to say yes, and he most certainly hadn't expected her to say she'd love to and give him a light-hearted smile. Harry's heart fluttered in his chest as he let out a sigh of relief. She'd said yes! She'd said yes, damn it! It was all the boy could do not to jump up and down and holler and whoop.
"Right... so um... would you like me to walk you to class?"
* * *
She inwardly cringed as he offered to escort her to her class. She could always make up the excuse that it was just around the corner... but then again she'd be lying... or she could tell the truth and say she had Potions.. Surely he wouldn't be up for trailing after her all the way down to the dungeons.. Yet, as she stared into those eager emerald eyes.. She figured he'd follow her to the moon and back, something she surprisingly wasn't too fond of.
"Erm, all right..." She agreed, brushing her red locks from her face as she gave him a lighthearted smile. "But, if you're walking with me you have to help me carry my things." She teased handing him a few books and a quill as she hefted her own bag over her shoulder.
She found the deafening silence between them unbearable as they walked together, their mere footfalls on the stones beneath them the only noise breaking the stillness. She gave light smiles and soft nods of her head as Harry attempted at conversation, each subject more dull than the last. It's not that she didn't enjoy Harry's company, it was comforting, especially after the latest events, and they were still good friends after everything, which she immensely appreciated. It was just.. He wasn't Draco.
* * *
"Right... I'll see you at seven." Draco turned away from the blonde girl with a soft sigh, coming face-to-face with the person he least wanted to see... especially now.
"You asked HER to the ball, Drakey?" The boy rolled his eyes.
"No, Parkinson. I'm tutoring her in potions" He muttered, beginning to gather his things for class.
"Then who?"
"Nobody."
Pansy looked pleased. "And why not?"
"You know why not." The pleased look instantly vanished.
"She doesn't want you." She hissed. "Don't you see her? With Potter? Why are you waiting around for her?" She moved her hands to his shoulders, massaging them as she whispered into his ear. "There are plenty of girls twice as pretty as her who would kill to go with you." Draco shoved her away from him with a growl.
"There is no one as beautiful as her."
That said, the Slytherin prince left the room, a cold, angry air about him as he moved through the dungeons. How long had it been? How long since he'd held her in his arms? How long since he'd seen her, head thrown back in passion as she cried out his name? How long since he'd spoken with her... just smiled and was able to call her Ginny? How long since he'd told her he loved her? Too long... And now it was too late...
His breath caught in his throat as he saw them together... Ginny smiling as Potter carried her books. No... no... no.. This couldn't be happening... No... Not Potter. He quickly looked away and toward the ground, though his eyes were only diverted back once more.
* * *
Love... did anyone really know what that was? Was there such a thing? Did people excuse themselves to carry on with their petty lives, and miniscule activities, planning crazy plots and half-baked schemes... then amounting it all to one thing... Love. Did they just use it as an excuse to be able to act such a way? Or was there indeed an emotion, so strong and pure? Something that you woke up for in the morning, and lived for during the day, only to look forward to that night, for it was guaranteed for the next? Or was it? Could you depend on something so fickle as love, to bring you through your life? Your trials, your hopes and dreams, they could all come true in one saying, yet all dashed if not spoken at all. Something so changeable, inconsistent, was able to determine the fate of one life, to make it or break it?
Ginny's mind began to swarm and dart between what was fact and fiction, what was reality or a farce, what was true.. And what was not. Could she love someone that would betray her so? Was she truly in love in the first place? Was she even old enough to know what love was?
Yes... a million times yes. As she saw the pain in Draco's eyes as they made contact for that brief moment, she hoped hers were etched with that same hurtfulness and anguish, to match his. Was he doing this because he wanted closure? Well, he wouldn't get it from her, not now, not ever. She wasn't -fine-. -Fine- seemed like such a distant memory, or perhaps, something to reach for in the far future.. But not now.. -fine- was just some far away dream, almost an unfathomable idea. The world had opened up and swallowed her, the earth was collapsing in on her, the universe was disintegrating around her very being. Ginny Weasley was dead.. Maybe not physically, but emotionally.. Mentally.. Which was what truly mattered. And she would never be the same. Not without him.
She opened her mouth to speak to him, yet no words came, she wanted to cling to him.. Tell him she loved him, she wanted him, -needed- him. Yet her hands stood firmly at her side, her mouth tightly closed as she sent Harry another polite nod after another useless ramble. Could he tell? Could Draco se the pain engraved into her eyes? She knew she could see his. And that's what hurt the most.. To know he was suffering just as badly as she. She forced her mouth to give him a polite smile, she could at least be civilized to him, and yet, it held no comfort or her usual sweetness, if anything, it looked cold, perhaps forced, yet, it was all she was able to give. For now.
* * *
~Much Love from Texas and Oklahoma~
Ash and Cat
The Great Hall at Hogwarts was alive with the cheerfulness of dinner. Plates of food had been placed before each student, and they were all eating, quite happily at that. Among them were the students of Slytherin. However, two pairs of eyes rested upon the Gryffindor table. The obvious, Draco Malfoy, held his constant gaze on a certain Weasley, a small smile upon his face.
The other stared icily at The Boy Who Lived, never looking away as the post came. A small smirk formed upon the owner's lips as Harry Potter opened his mail for the day.
Harry, in the mean time, laughed with Ron as they shared a secretive joke amongst the two of them. They watched Seamus try a sample of the pumpkin pasty they had offered him, which Ron had wonderfully charmed to taste like troll bogies. They all three laughed together as Seamus reenacted his facial expression after the first bite.
However, Harry was soon whipped from his laughter as an unfamiliar owl swooped down, a small, scrawled on note left at his claws. Harry softly took it from it's grip, as the owl stooped down, grabbing the pumpkin pasty from Seamus' hand as it soared off, hooting as it dropped the cookie back onto some innocent Hufflepuff's head, after getting a taste of the manipulative treat. They all three hooted with a round of laughter before Harry set to work on opening the new letter, a curious wrinkle placed upon his scarred forehead.
He curiously opened up the finely-sealed parchment, sliding his emerald gaze over the looped letters. He raised a brow at the request, his eyes darting about wearily around the Great Hall, attempting to find the source of such a vague note. He quickly slid the paper into his robes pocket, slipping from his seat, and gave a lame excuse about finishing a paper to his fellow Gryffindors before strolling from the Great Hall, a feverish pace sent to his feet as he approached the Library, as the letter had requested, a bit of hesitation placed upon him as he reached for the door.
The pair of staring eyes no longer lingered upon the green-eyed boy and his friends. The person they belonged to had left as soon as the paper had landed in his hands, smiling as the owl stole Seamus' treat, only to drop it on some other boy's head. Two birds with one stone. That owl had been trained rather well, really it had.
With a creak, the doors to the library were shoved open and the Slytherin soon entered, sitting down in one of the many chairs lying about unused. Yes, most people were smart enough to actually EAT during lunch... save some of the rather obsessive Ravenclaws.
The door soon opened, revealing a very stressed looking Harry Potter. "Took you long enough, Potter." Drawled the voice of Miss Pansy Parkinson. "Have a rather low reading level, do you?"
"Parkinson? What the hell?"
"Hello to you, too." She replied calmly. "I'm not here to be a bitch... well... not to you anyway." She smirked, earning a brow raise from Harry. "Put it this way, Potter. You want her. I want him."
It was Harry's turn to smirk. "Oh, what a couple. The two biggest bastards of Hogwarts united."
"And the two biggest prissy wannabes of Hogwarts united." She retorted, crossing her arms. "Are you in, or are you out, Potter?"
He looked uneasy for a moment. "You can't hurt Ginny."
"Since when have you been making the guidelines?"
"Since I can go straight to Draco and Ginny and tell them you're up to something."
"That only keeps them together, Potter."
"Exactly, Parkinson."
The Slytherin's eyes narrowed. "Fine. No physical harm. Do we have a deal or not?"
The boy nodded slowly. "Alright. Talk."
* * *
The determined redhead leafed through the crinkled parchment of the tale she was reading, the bind of the book set strictly in the palm of her hand as her chocolate eyes scanned fixatedly over the scrawled pages. She only peered up as a Slytherin bumped into her, appearing to be deliberate. She looked up at him, a soft red brow slightly raised. "Can I help you?" She finally queried after a long pause, as he continued to stare down at her, a soft smirk plastered across his smug expression.
"I think so.." He quietly answered, stroking his hand across her pale, frail arm. "Heard you were a nice fuck, Weasley. Malfoy only clarified it for me." He added, winking at her with his pale blue eyes.
Her jaw dropped, the floor beneath her fell six feet under as her vision blurred. Her chocolate eyes pooled as she pushed away from the grubby pawed, menacing snarl on the Slytherin boy. Her pace only quickened as giggles and smirks were sent her way by other green and silver dressed students, driving her to a faster speed, before she abruptly bumped into the boy she wished to see, tears beginning to rush down her colorless, ivory cheeks.
* * *
She wasn't in the Great Hall. She wasn't out about the grounds. She wasn't in the corridors. She wasn't anywhere where Draco knew she should have been. No, he had an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach and so, his search had gotten slightly more frantic. After several bangings on the damned portrait he learned she wasn't there either, leaving the only place left as... the library.
Draco's feet would not allow him to go fast enough, it seemed, as he tore down the hall, earning the raise of a brow but no comment from Severus Snape as he walked by in the other direction. Left. Right. Left. Down the stairs. Left. Left. He paused, out of breath at the door and pulled it open just in time to see Ginny pull away from a fellow Slytherin, tears in her eyes as she headed for the door.
"Ginny?" he asked softly as she slammed into him, the tears only commencing to fall with such. "I'm sorry Ginny... What did they do to you?" He glared over her head in the Slytherins direction, all of such who met him back with the exact same stare. He couldn't take them all... not at once... "Are you okay?"
* * *
Ginny could feel his arms surround her, and for once it wasn't comforting, it was suffocating. Her hands were carved into small fists as he held her, pinning her against his chest. She used the force in her fingers to pry herself loose, pushing her away from him, causing him to stumble back a few steps. "How could you.. I-I-..." She stopped, gasping for breath in between her shuddering sobs.
She cleared her throat, hesitant tears making their way down her pale pink cheeks. Her chocolate eyes continued to brim with eternal drops. Her jaw grew taut as she stared into his concerned eyes. What a show he must have had to put on, she thought bitterly, her mind swarming with the times he had told he had loved her, how beautiful she was, what she meant to him. It had been nothing to him, and everything to her.
"I... Hate.. You." She quietly said through clenched teeth. A few of her red locks plastered to her pinkened cheeks with her tears, her red lips lightly quivering from her hurt, pain, and anger. She quickly stormed past him without another look, the tears already beginning to well up once more.
* * *
He could feel her back go rigid as though she was anything but comfortable in his arms, and as she shoved him away, he let her go. How could he what? What was she going on about? Had he done something? Had he taken too long to get here? Surely she wouldn't get mad at him for that...
"Ginny..." he attempted, only to hear three words he never thought would fall from her lips... Not now anyway. I. Hate. You. You might as well have taken a razor blade and etched those words into the blonde boy's wrists as he watched her, tears streaming down her face.
"Ginny!" She wasn't stopping. She just kept walking... right past him. She didn't even look at him. "Ginny! Please! Listen to me!" He wasn't quite sure what he was supposed to apologize for, but if she would take back what she said... God knows he'd apologize for every horrid thing known to man.
* * *
"That rat bastard.. I'll kill him.. I'll kill him..." Ron quickly made his way down the halls, ignoring the curious glances he attracted as he slammed his left first into his right palm, his cheeks a bright red with anger. His deep brown eyes were afire with a rage unlike one he'd ever experienced before.
He puffed his cheeks out with anger, his breathing augmented dramatically as he allowed his temper to get the best of him. His eyes simmered with a fiery glow as he cast his eyes upon the wretched being that, in his mind, was a lame excuse for a human, with his own sister's feverish tears spilling over her precious cheeks as she pushed past Ron, only teasing his anger more so.
He took one step with his lanky build towards Draco, his long arms ending with balled fists as he peered into Draco's eyes. "How dare you humiliate my sister like that, Malfoy?!" He demanded, his fingers making their way to Draco's collar, his knuckles turning white with the tight grip. "How dare you hurt her like that? You will pay..." His voice trailed off as his eyes narrowed upon Draco's.
* * *
So, big brother Ronnikins was coming to his darling sister's rescue. Well, this was just grand. Not only had his lover, blessed Ginny, walked away from him, declaring hatred in a fit of tears, but now he was going to have to deal with this. Ronald Weasley. The one he was sure would be the death of him.
Ron was lanky and well... he had a swing behind those arms of his, and no doubt it would hurt like hell if he got a decent hit. He wasn't like Potter, no... he was much better, and Draco was rather certain he wouldn't miss. He sighed softly. It wouldn't be too long before that fist crashed into his face... Joy.
"I didn't." he muttered, knowing it was no use. "I didn't do anything."
* * *
Ron simply shook his head, a smirk of disgust crossing over his angered features. "Didn't do anything? Didn't do Anything!?" His voice slightly rose, gaining even more attention than he had attracted before. "Let's try spreading rumors about my sister, Malfoy." He said, his grip tightening along the blonde's collar, digging into his neck.
"Oh, it's no rumor, Ron!" A voice chimed from the crowd. "He didn't do something.. He did someone!" An echo of laughter screeched across the crowd, Slytherin's malevolent laughter deafening to even Ron's ears.
Ron noted the immediate colorless cheeks on Draco, causing Ron to raise a suspicious brow, he slightly loosened his grip, yet not much, gulping down another throe of anger as the crowd continued to laugh, prickling his ears.
"You'll have to get me in with your sister, Ron, that is if Malfoy here didn't tucker her out.." Another Slytherin commented, giving a wink and nudge as he exited the library, a reign of chuckles emitting from him and his following friends. Ron's face merely went a scarlet red as he turned his gaze back to Malfoy, his fist making a loud crackle across the Slytherin's nose.
* * *
Realization seemed to dawn on Draco as he realized just what had happened. Someone had known... How? How could they possibly have known?! No one was there... unless... If the blonde hadn't been quite aware of the fact that he was being held up by a certain redhead, he probably would've released the growl forming in the bottom of his throat.
Who would be out to break the two of them apart? His eyes flitted around the room. Ginny in tears. He quickly removed his gaze from such a sight. Ron. No, Ron had given in. Hermione. No, she wasn't cruel enough. Blaise. Blaise wasn't sick enough. But there... they were standing across the room, but both had a smirk of triumph, one that was enough to make the Slytherin sick to his stomach. Potter and Parkinson...
His thoughts were torn from the two as a fist hit his nose, a sickening crack emitted. Draco made no attempts to squirm free from Ron's grasp. What was the point? It would undoubtedly only earn more frustration and make him look stupid, more stupid rather, than he was now. The only movement he made was to wipe one of the large pools of blood from under his nose, before he met the boy's fiery gaze once again. He could die here, and then all of this blasted pain would disappear. He wouldn't have to think about anyone or anything... especially that Ginny Weasley... now in the arms of him. The boy who lived. The boy who always got what he wanted. Harry bloody Potter.
* * *
TWO WEEKS LATER
* * *
Harry paced nervously back and forth in the Gryffindor commons. Dumbledore had announced the winter ball was soon to come, not giving him near enough time to do what he'd been wanting to do for ages, to dance with that fiery redhead held close to him. Oh yes, that bloody plan of Pansy's had worked its charms for dear Harry. Draco hadn't even come close to reuniting the two, although he couldn't exactly say that he tried.
In fact, there had been no love letters begging for her forgiveness in the span of the two weeks they'd been apart. Wasn't he at least going to grovel? He REALLY wanted to see him grovel! And then the sweet pleasure of seeing him being turned down... Ah... it would be wonderful. So very, very wonderful indeed. He smirked slightly. Malfoy was a bastard, and he was treated like one with every breath he took while still at Hogwarts.
Green eyes continued to rest upon the stairway leading to the girls' dormitories. Surely she'd be down soon?
* * *
"It's really not as bad as you think, Gin." Hermione sat next to Ginny on the redhead's bed, softly running her hands through her fire-red locks, attempting to soothe her friend.
"Not as bad as I think, 'Mione?" She asked, pulling her head from the pillow that she had previously had her face engulfed within, tearstains placed randomly across the fabric. She softly ran her fingers across the material, picking at a loose string for a moment before diverting her gaze to the speechless Hermione beside her. At least, the Slytherin boys had stopped with the wisecracks about a firework show they would make for her, followed by a few random high-fives, chuckles, and a curt 'sod-off' from the pissed-off Weasley.
Yes, things had been wonderful.
She slowly recoiled from Hermione's grasp on her locks as she murmured something about homework, and as she descended the stairs to fetch her bag, ignoring the glances she inevitably attracted from younger and older students alike. She came to the opening, only to feast her eyes upon a nervous Harry as he paced in front of the fireplace, almost bringing a soft smile to see him so deep in thought. Almost.
"Is there something the matter, Harry?" She absentmindedly asked as she reached for her bag.
* * *
Harry fidgeted slightly under Ginny's gaze. He hadn't seen her come in and felt like a total moron, just sitting there while she watched him. She probably thought he was the biggest moron alive. God knows he wasn't near as good-looking as half the guys she could easily wrap around her finger... especially with her... er... interesting reputation.
"No." He replied automatically. Such had become his response whenever he was asked if something was wrong. You see, people didn't honestly want to hear what was going through his mind, just to make sure he wasn't going insane or thinking of Avada-ing himself... anything along those lines...
"I just erm... I wanted to..." He sighed softly and took in a deep breath. This was ridiculous. She was just going to turn him down anyway, wasn't she? Of course, there was that small, pathetic shred of hope she'd say yes... Oh hell. He might as well. "To ask you... Ginny would you go to the ball with me?"
* * *
"Ha-arry. I-I.." Of all the things, that was definitely the last thing she would ever expect to hear seep from The Boy Who Lived, Gryffindor Seeker, Harry Potter's mouth. Or Pothead, as Draco liked to call him, causing a twinge of a smile to grace her red lips at the thought.
"Harry, that's really sweet of you to ask, but.." She trailed off.. But what? 'You see.. I was simply waiting around for Draco to ask me.. You know.. Since he seems so eager to and everything..' Yeah, that worked.
"I'd love to." She restrained a wince as the words left her mouth, as well as the falseness in them. She gave him a light hearted smile as she reached down for her bag, thankful her Weasley locks fell in front of her face to hide the expression of regret and disappointment pronounced loudly across her features.
* * *
That's really sweet of you to ask, but... There were so many different answers that popped into his head at that point in time. "But I'm not ready to see someone else yet." "But I'm already going with someone." "But I just don't like you in that way. We could still be friends?" "But I wouldn't go to a ball with you if you were the last bloody person on Earth, you git." Okay, so perhaps his imagination had gone a bit vivid on the last one.
Either way, he hadn't expected her to say yes, and he most certainly hadn't expected her to say she'd love to and give him a light-hearted smile. Harry's heart fluttered in his chest as he let out a sigh of relief. She'd said yes! She'd said yes, damn it! It was all the boy could do not to jump up and down and holler and whoop.
"Right... so um... would you like me to walk you to class?"
* * *
She inwardly cringed as he offered to escort her to her class. She could always make up the excuse that it was just around the corner... but then again she'd be lying... or she could tell the truth and say she had Potions.. Surely he wouldn't be up for trailing after her all the way down to the dungeons.. Yet, as she stared into those eager emerald eyes.. She figured he'd follow her to the moon and back, something she surprisingly wasn't too fond of.
"Erm, all right..." She agreed, brushing her red locks from her face as she gave him a lighthearted smile. "But, if you're walking with me you have to help me carry my things." She teased handing him a few books and a quill as she hefted her own bag over her shoulder.
She found the deafening silence between them unbearable as they walked together, their mere footfalls on the stones beneath them the only noise breaking the stillness. She gave light smiles and soft nods of her head as Harry attempted at conversation, each subject more dull than the last. It's not that she didn't enjoy Harry's company, it was comforting, especially after the latest events, and they were still good friends after everything, which she immensely appreciated. It was just.. He wasn't Draco.
* * *
"Right... I'll see you at seven." Draco turned away from the blonde girl with a soft sigh, coming face-to-face with the person he least wanted to see... especially now.
"You asked HER to the ball, Drakey?" The boy rolled his eyes.
"No, Parkinson. I'm tutoring her in potions" He muttered, beginning to gather his things for class.
"Then who?"
"Nobody."
Pansy looked pleased. "And why not?"
"You know why not." The pleased look instantly vanished.
"She doesn't want you." She hissed. "Don't you see her? With Potter? Why are you waiting around for her?" She moved her hands to his shoulders, massaging them as she whispered into his ear. "There are plenty of girls twice as pretty as her who would kill to go with you." Draco shoved her away from him with a growl.
"There is no one as beautiful as her."
That said, the Slytherin prince left the room, a cold, angry air about him as he moved through the dungeons. How long had it been? How long since he'd held her in his arms? How long since he'd seen her, head thrown back in passion as she cried out his name? How long since he'd spoken with her... just smiled and was able to call her Ginny? How long since he'd told her he loved her? Too long... And now it was too late...
His breath caught in his throat as he saw them together... Ginny smiling as Potter carried her books. No... no... no.. This couldn't be happening... No... Not Potter. He quickly looked away and toward the ground, though his eyes were only diverted back once more.
* * *
Love... did anyone really know what that was? Was there such a thing? Did people excuse themselves to carry on with their petty lives, and miniscule activities, planning crazy plots and half-baked schemes... then amounting it all to one thing... Love. Did they just use it as an excuse to be able to act such a way? Or was there indeed an emotion, so strong and pure? Something that you woke up for in the morning, and lived for during the day, only to look forward to that night, for it was guaranteed for the next? Or was it? Could you depend on something so fickle as love, to bring you through your life? Your trials, your hopes and dreams, they could all come true in one saying, yet all dashed if not spoken at all. Something so changeable, inconsistent, was able to determine the fate of one life, to make it or break it?
Ginny's mind began to swarm and dart between what was fact and fiction, what was reality or a farce, what was true.. And what was not. Could she love someone that would betray her so? Was she truly in love in the first place? Was she even old enough to know what love was?
Yes... a million times yes. As she saw the pain in Draco's eyes as they made contact for that brief moment, she hoped hers were etched with that same hurtfulness and anguish, to match his. Was he doing this because he wanted closure? Well, he wouldn't get it from her, not now, not ever. She wasn't -fine-. -Fine- seemed like such a distant memory, or perhaps, something to reach for in the far future.. But not now.. -fine- was just some far away dream, almost an unfathomable idea. The world had opened up and swallowed her, the earth was collapsing in on her, the universe was disintegrating around her very being. Ginny Weasley was dead.. Maybe not physically, but emotionally.. Mentally.. Which was what truly mattered. And she would never be the same. Not without him.
She opened her mouth to speak to him, yet no words came, she wanted to cling to him.. Tell him she loved him, she wanted him, -needed- him. Yet her hands stood firmly at her side, her mouth tightly closed as she sent Harry another polite nod after another useless ramble. Could he tell? Could Draco se the pain engraved into her eyes? She knew she could see his. And that's what hurt the most.. To know he was suffering just as badly as she. She forced her mouth to give him a polite smile, she could at least be civilized to him, and yet, it held no comfort or her usual sweetness, if anything, it looked cold, perhaps forced, yet, it was all she was able to give. For now.
* * *