Disclaimer: I own nothing! ^_^
(A/N: I so totally owe you guys an apology – I haven't updated in forever, but no one will leave me alone long enough for me to even think about writing! God, that's frustrating! Anyway, hope you'll forgive me – I've managed to get a few things updated, and I hope you'll read 'em! I really appreciate the reviews, guys, and thank you!!! Luv ya! ~Lee ^_^)
~***~
11. Loyalties
~***~
…Draco cradled her against him, stroking her hair away from her face with a gentle hand.
.
"It's all right now, Gin – I've got you, you're safe…"
Ginny looked up at him hazily – something wasn't right…he couldn't really be there, rescuing her from Voldemort and the torture of mad Pansy…
She was just dreaming again.
But his eyes were so warm, his touch so loving…
She watched his hand lower itself to the bruises and angry, stinging red welts on her exposed skin, and felt ashamed –
"They're going to die," he promised her grimly, his light, clear eyes frosty. "I'm going to kill them for you."
"Draco…" Ginny shook her head – something was wrong…this wasn't him – this was a knight in shining armor, not sharp tongued, acerbic Draco Malfoy…
Not her dragon.
The ground beneath her shook, and she looked down in terror as everything turned black, and the world disappeared –
Crash!
"Fred!"
Bang!
"George!"
Ka – boom!
Ginny snapped awake, her heart pounding hard against her ribs, as the last clouded remnants of a nightmarish dream left her mind, and the unfamiliar feeling of blankets tangling around her legs made her feel slightly panicked.
Her eyes darted around her room, and she felt a rush of relief – at the same time as she felt the entire house shudder on it's foundations as another loud explosion rocked it.
"I didn't do it, no one saw me do it, and you can't prove anything!"
Ginny fell back onto her pillows, rolling her eyes as she heard one of her twin brother's shout the familiar denial from nearby.
"Bloody hell, the bed's on fire!" Ron yelled from somewhere overhead, promptly accompanied by an ear splitting crash.
"Who took my wand?" She heard Harry exclaim loudly, and then there was a loud curse and another crash.
Hermione shrieked in surprise down the hall, and there was a deafening groan and an angry, ringing rattle as the ghoul in the attic responded to the chaotic racket by pounding on the pipes.
Ginny closed her eyes as she heard her Mum shouting threateningly over it all, and felt an unwilling smile curve her lips.
She was home.
~***~
He was 'home'.
Draco tried to savor the dead silence surrounding him as he awoke from his uneasy sleep in his opulent bedroom, but constantly kept finding himself listening for the familiar noises of Molly moving about in her kitchen, and Ron pounding with obvious satisfaction on his door at daybreak, demanding that he get his 'lazy arse' up.
He rolled onto his side, and felt the soft, silky slither of his sheets slide against his skin, and found himself wishing, just for a moment, that the cloth was soft worn cotton, the bed not quite so wide, the world around him not quite so quiet…
Draco sneered at himself. He was becoming a sniveling, sentimental fool.
'That's what you get for spending all your time with those worthless Weasley's,' his late father's voice hissed inside his head suddenly.
Pushing it away, he lifted his arm to glare at the pink scar slashing across his skin, disfiguring the black mark Voldemort had placed there, and then he raised his hand to feel the other on his cheek, which marred the perfection of his face.
Damn Ginny Weasley. She'd thrown his life into complete turmoil – and he hated her for it, hated himself for letting her.
The gray light of dawn peeked through his heavy bed curtains, and he closed his eyes again, almost in desperate need of sleep – he was weary, and sleep did tend to keep his mind off Ginny for a little while, at least.
Draco buried his face into his pillows, and tried to shut out her memory – but her sweet, troubled face was there, her soft brown eyes haunting him, and after a few long minutes, he rose from his bed, throwing back the curtains with an impatient toss.
Catching sight of himself in one of the many wide, floor to ceiling length mirrors that covered the walls of the large chamber, he paused, and he felt his expression tighten into a mask of angry disgust.
Draco walked forward, slowly, and he looked at himself, his breathing suddenly coming fast and harsh in the silent room as he studied the ugly scar, which was slightly wider at the top of his cheekbone, and thinner at it's end.
Finally seeing the thing disturbed him. He'd almost forgotten it was even there – he'd avoided the mirrors in the burrow, and had paid no attention to the dark ones in his room the night before when he'd finally arrived home. He'd simply pulled off his clothes, tugged on a pair of black silk pajama bottoms, and fallen into his bed, exhausted.
As he watched himself, his nostrils flared, and his silver – gray eyes narrowed in anger beneath the disheveled fall of his stark, light colored hair, which was in clear need of a cut.
The uncharacteristic, unkempt raggedness of his appearance, and the pink scar standing out sharply against his pale skin mocked him.
He'd been changed forever.
All because of Ginny Weasley.
~***~
Every mirror in his room lay in sharp, glittering shards on the floor of his room when he finally flung open the heavy double doors leading into his outer chamber, and stalked over to the wide leather couch set before the large green and black marble fireplace.
Draco threw himself onto the overstuffed sofa, barely noticing the iciness of the surface against his bare skin, and frowned at the cold, empty hearth across from him. He then stared up at the ancient marble frieze above the doors, noting the fine layer of dust that rested upon it with a critical eye.
His mother had been letting the house elves grow lax since in his absence – he'd have to speak to them about it…
"I don't love you."
He slammed his eyes shut as Ginny's trembling words echoed through his mind again, sending a hollow ache through his chest.
Draco snarled and sat up, clenching his head in his hands, and leaned his elbows on his knees.
"She's nothing," he whispered fiercely, gritting his teeth, grinding his palms against his eyes.
"She's nothing!"
'Then why do you still love her?' asked a mocking voice in his head.
'I hate her,' Draco thought harshly, contrarily, 'she nearly ruined me, everything that I am. She made me lose my pride, had me nearly on my knees, kissing her bloody robe hem! A useless, good for nothing Weasley!'
'And you want her still, even now,' came the detestable voice again. 'You don't hate her – you hate yourself. For succumbing to your emotions, something you swore never to do…for being weak - '
"I am not weak!" Draco snapped at the bothersome voice, standing up to pace, feeling bitterly angry.
'She is a lovely little thing – innocent…maybe that's what draws you to her. Her delicate skin, those tiny cinnamon freckles, her flaming hair –'
'It marks her a Weasley – '
'She has a good heart…'
'That's exactly why I don't want it,' he growled mentally, pushing his hair from his face. 'I don't want her.'
'Of course you don't – that's why every moment of every night you dream about her – '
'I don't dream…'Draco denied heatedly. 'Leave me the hell alone…'
'Whatever you say, mate…but you're bloody lying to yourself.'
He shook his head, and stalked to the door. He leaned out of it, roaring impatiently for the house elves.
He was in desperate need of a drink.
~***~
"Ack!" Ginny shrieked as a cold hand jerked back the neck of her robes and a handful of icy snow was dumped down her back.
"Fred, George, you leave your little sister alone!" Her mother shouted out the back door.
"Aw, we were just trying to make her feel at home again – trying to welcome her back proper, an all," George called, grinning from ear to ear.
"I knew I shouldn't have come out here," Ginny muttered, wincing as she wriggled to remove the rapidly melting snow. "You two are not to be trusted."
Fred mock frowned. "Of course you can trust us, Gin – we're your brothers!"
"Yeah, you know we love you," George grinned, rubbing the top of her head with his knuckles.
Ginny stepped away, scowling. "I know you're both full of –"
"Ginny!"
She rolled her eyes as her mother yelled out the door again.
"I'm going inside," she announced glumly, turning away,
"Right - God forbid you actually see the sunlight," mumbled Fred from behind her.
Ginny wrapped a hand around the mark on her arm, hidden beneath her clothes, and moved across the yard to the back door.
She passed Hedwig huddled up resting on a snowy tree stump, and paused to pat the owl before walking inside.
She took off her wet shoes, robes, scarf and gloves, before climbing the stairs to her room, grateful to get away from the insanity of her well – meaning family for a while.
It was taking some time to get used to the routine again – she'd never really realized how frantic and fast paced her life was at home. It wasn't that she wasn't glad to be home – God knew she was – but that everyone was falling over themselves to make her feel welcome, and all she really wanted was to be alone.
Well, no, that was a bit of a lie – she wanted to be with Draco.
Ginny settled on her bed, pushing up her sweater sleeve to gaze at the mark burned into her forearm. It sickened her, and yet fascinated her…she caught herself staring at it all the time, waiting for something.
Waiting for it to start burning the moment 'he' summoned her.
Ginny again thought of Draco, wondering for what had to be the thousandth time, if he was thinking about her…
He'd told her he loved her.
That fact was still enough to make her cry – that and the memory of the hurt on his face when she'd thrown it back at him.
Ginny swallowed, and again fought the urge to send Pigwidgeon off with a note, telling him she was sorry, she'd just thought she was doing the best thing…
He probably wouldn't even bother reading it if she did send one…he was furious with her.
The day after next was the day they were scheduled to return to Hogwarts…she was incredibly nervous about the prospect. The Ministry had opted to keep her at home, as she might be a danger to the other students – and Ginny had agreed. But Ron, Harry and Hermione, not to mention her father, had put up a howl, and she was being allowed to return to finish her fifth year.
She was not looking forward to it – she'd be treated like a pariah, avoided, gossiped about, looked down upon – although no one would dare say a word against her, for fear of retribution.
Ginny closed her eyes and fell over on her bed, burying her face in her pillow.
She hadn't even thought about the fact that she'd have to see Draco nearly everyday…
Someone knocked on her door, and she didn't answer, hoping they'd go away.
"Aw, come on, Gin – I know you're awake…you've got an owl downstairs with a letter – you'll have to come get it. It nearly bit my hand off when I tried to take it for you."
Ginny frowned. Who would be sending her an owl post?
She stood up, and threw open the door to a very irate looking Ron.
Her brother arched a brow. "Well? Got the guts to come and see who it's from?"
Ginny's eyes flew wide. She pushed past him, and raced down the stairs, looking around wildly until she saw a pair of large, dispassionate looking golden eyes staring at her from the kitchen.
The large, elegant looking eagle owl hooted softly and hopped down from the back of the chair it had been resting on, onto the dining table. It lifted its leg, watching her impatiently.
She moved forward, holding her breath. She untied the rolled letter from the owl's leg, and absently offered it an owl treat.
The owl looked at her, affronted, and took flight towards the door – Ginny rushed forward to open it, and the owl disappeared out of it.
So whoever it was hadn't been expecting a reply.
She unrolled the letter, and examined the familiar green scrawl.
It was from Draco.
Ginny stared at the letter…and tucked it away without reading it.
~***~
They were late getting to the train, seeing as their Mum almost refused to let Ginny go.
And of course the first person Ginny saw was Draco Malfoy.
He was standing next to the train, his arms crossed over his chest, glaring at anyone who dared even a glance his way.
She hid behind Harry and Ron, as they moved along the platform to the train, hoping he wouldn't see her. She knew she was being a coward, but she couldn't quite bring herself to face him…
She squeezed her eyes shut as she heard a familiar drawl behind her as they boarded.
"I believe they have a special area reserved for us Death Eaters in the back, Ginny," Draco said in a carrying, sardonic tone.
Ginny blinked back tears as he mocked her, and several people around them gasped and stepped away.
"Shut it, Malfoy!" Ron snapped, stepping around to shield her.
She turned to look back at Draco over Ron's shoulder, and saw him smirk back at her.
In that moment, she realized it was to be as if the past months had never happened.
Draco's silvery eyes were icy as they rested on her, and she wanted to cry – the boy who'd risked his own to save her life, and professed his love to her so warmly and openly had completely disappeared.
She eyed the scar on his cheekbone regretfully – the tightening of his jaw was the only sign that the sight of her affected him at all.
"C'mon, Gin," said Ron gruffly, and she turned back around, and allowed Harry and Hermione to tug her up the steps into the train.
~***~
She'd thought it was going to be hard, retuning to school, everyone knowing what had happened, what she'd been through, but she'd been wrong.
It was bloody nightmare.
She always had people staring at her, staring at her arm, and then there were the people who openly ignored her, or were actually frightened of her.
Ginny knew it had to be worse for Draco – half the kids in his own house considered him a traitor, he received even more stares from people than she, with the scar slashing down his cheek, and he was always in trouble, even as sneaky as he was, for getting into fights with the other boys.
Spending a lot of time alone those last months hardened her up – she grew immune to the cruelty of her classmates, and became adept at avoiding Draco – not that he ever showed any interest in speaking to her anyway…
And then came the day late in the term, when he proved her thought wrong.
Ginny hadn't ever thought that anyone could be crueler than Draco when it came to teasing…
Which was why it was such a surprise to see hear him defending her.
She was walking out of the great hall, in the middle of the lunch hour, because she couldn't stand the staring anymore, even though Ron and the others had been trying to talk to her, and distract her…
She had her eyes on the floor, clutching her books to her chest, rounding a corner, when she heard his voice and stopped in her tracks.
"…Even think about her. She doesn't even exist to you."
Ginny flattened her back to the wall and peered rather guiltily around the corner, shaking her hair from her eyes.
Draco had three boys cornered by the stairs in the main hall – and she narrowed her eyes.
Was the boy never happy unless he was terrorizing someone?
"C'mon, Draco – we weren't going to hurt her – "
"Did I give you permission to speak, you little worm? I heard you – and what you three were planning most definitely would have harmed her…"
Ginny frowned, watching him step closer to the boys, whom she now recognized as three of the seventh years from Slytherin.
"- Did you honestly think I'd let you get away with even thinking about touching something of mine?"
She blinked at the acidic tone that belied the coldness of his near whisper. What was he talking about?
She stared at the tenseness of his shoulders, and then at the expressions on the older boys' faces. The tallest, meanest looking one, topping Draco by at least six inches, stepped forward, a sneer on his face.
"Come off it, Malfoy – she's just a bloody Weasley. Everyone knows what happened between you two – besides, we've never seen you with her, it's obvious she doesn't want anything to do with you…"
"You'd be doing yourself a favor, shutting up right now," answered Draco threateningly, and Ginny watched him fist his hands with a sense of foreboding.
"Even if she did want anything to do with you…didn't you know you're supposed to share with your housemates?"
From the look on the boy's face, it seemed even he had realized he'd gone too far.
Ginny bit back a gasp when she saw Draco's fist fly out and clip the older boy on the jaw.
Just as quickly, he had his wand in his other hand, and he stunned the other two advancing boys.
They slid to the floor silently.
She bit her cheek, watching him kick the tallest boy rather viciously.
"If I ever see you near her – hell if even hear her name escape your lips, I'll show you exactly just what kind of legacy my father left me, you craven bastard," Draco snarled through his teeth.
Eyes wide, she looked after him as he raked a hand through his hair, cast a look about him, and dropped his wand back into his pocket.
"See you boys at Quidditch practice."
Ginny watched in disbelief as he carelessly, lazily strolled away from the three inert figures without a backwards glance.
~***~
TBC
(A/N: I so totally owe you guys an apology – I haven't updated in forever, but no one will leave me alone long enough for me to even think about writing! God, that's frustrating! Anyway, hope you'll forgive me – I've managed to get a few things updated, and I hope you'll read 'em! I really appreciate the reviews, guys, and thank you!!! Luv ya! ~Lee ^_^)
~***~
11. Loyalties
~***~
…Draco cradled her against him, stroking her hair away from her face with a gentle hand.
.
"It's all right now, Gin – I've got you, you're safe…"
Ginny looked up at him hazily – something wasn't right…he couldn't really be there, rescuing her from Voldemort and the torture of mad Pansy…
She was just dreaming again.
But his eyes were so warm, his touch so loving…
She watched his hand lower itself to the bruises and angry, stinging red welts on her exposed skin, and felt ashamed –
"They're going to die," he promised her grimly, his light, clear eyes frosty. "I'm going to kill them for you."
"Draco…" Ginny shook her head – something was wrong…this wasn't him – this was a knight in shining armor, not sharp tongued, acerbic Draco Malfoy…
Not her dragon.
The ground beneath her shook, and she looked down in terror as everything turned black, and the world disappeared –
Crash!
"Fred!"
Bang!
"George!"
Ka – boom!
Ginny snapped awake, her heart pounding hard against her ribs, as the last clouded remnants of a nightmarish dream left her mind, and the unfamiliar feeling of blankets tangling around her legs made her feel slightly panicked.
Her eyes darted around her room, and she felt a rush of relief – at the same time as she felt the entire house shudder on it's foundations as another loud explosion rocked it.
"I didn't do it, no one saw me do it, and you can't prove anything!"
Ginny fell back onto her pillows, rolling her eyes as she heard one of her twin brother's shout the familiar denial from nearby.
"Bloody hell, the bed's on fire!" Ron yelled from somewhere overhead, promptly accompanied by an ear splitting crash.
"Who took my wand?" She heard Harry exclaim loudly, and then there was a loud curse and another crash.
Hermione shrieked in surprise down the hall, and there was a deafening groan and an angry, ringing rattle as the ghoul in the attic responded to the chaotic racket by pounding on the pipes.
Ginny closed her eyes as she heard her Mum shouting threateningly over it all, and felt an unwilling smile curve her lips.
She was home.
~***~
He was 'home'.
Draco tried to savor the dead silence surrounding him as he awoke from his uneasy sleep in his opulent bedroom, but constantly kept finding himself listening for the familiar noises of Molly moving about in her kitchen, and Ron pounding with obvious satisfaction on his door at daybreak, demanding that he get his 'lazy arse' up.
He rolled onto his side, and felt the soft, silky slither of his sheets slide against his skin, and found himself wishing, just for a moment, that the cloth was soft worn cotton, the bed not quite so wide, the world around him not quite so quiet…
Draco sneered at himself. He was becoming a sniveling, sentimental fool.
'That's what you get for spending all your time with those worthless Weasley's,' his late father's voice hissed inside his head suddenly.
Pushing it away, he lifted his arm to glare at the pink scar slashing across his skin, disfiguring the black mark Voldemort had placed there, and then he raised his hand to feel the other on his cheek, which marred the perfection of his face.
Damn Ginny Weasley. She'd thrown his life into complete turmoil – and he hated her for it, hated himself for letting her.
The gray light of dawn peeked through his heavy bed curtains, and he closed his eyes again, almost in desperate need of sleep – he was weary, and sleep did tend to keep his mind off Ginny for a little while, at least.
Draco buried his face into his pillows, and tried to shut out her memory – but her sweet, troubled face was there, her soft brown eyes haunting him, and after a few long minutes, he rose from his bed, throwing back the curtains with an impatient toss.
Catching sight of himself in one of the many wide, floor to ceiling length mirrors that covered the walls of the large chamber, he paused, and he felt his expression tighten into a mask of angry disgust.
Draco walked forward, slowly, and he looked at himself, his breathing suddenly coming fast and harsh in the silent room as he studied the ugly scar, which was slightly wider at the top of his cheekbone, and thinner at it's end.
Finally seeing the thing disturbed him. He'd almost forgotten it was even there – he'd avoided the mirrors in the burrow, and had paid no attention to the dark ones in his room the night before when he'd finally arrived home. He'd simply pulled off his clothes, tugged on a pair of black silk pajama bottoms, and fallen into his bed, exhausted.
As he watched himself, his nostrils flared, and his silver – gray eyes narrowed in anger beneath the disheveled fall of his stark, light colored hair, which was in clear need of a cut.
The uncharacteristic, unkempt raggedness of his appearance, and the pink scar standing out sharply against his pale skin mocked him.
He'd been changed forever.
All because of Ginny Weasley.
~***~
Every mirror in his room lay in sharp, glittering shards on the floor of his room when he finally flung open the heavy double doors leading into his outer chamber, and stalked over to the wide leather couch set before the large green and black marble fireplace.
Draco threw himself onto the overstuffed sofa, barely noticing the iciness of the surface against his bare skin, and frowned at the cold, empty hearth across from him. He then stared up at the ancient marble frieze above the doors, noting the fine layer of dust that rested upon it with a critical eye.
His mother had been letting the house elves grow lax since in his absence – he'd have to speak to them about it…
"I don't love you."
He slammed his eyes shut as Ginny's trembling words echoed through his mind again, sending a hollow ache through his chest.
Draco snarled and sat up, clenching his head in his hands, and leaned his elbows on his knees.
"She's nothing," he whispered fiercely, gritting his teeth, grinding his palms against his eyes.
"She's nothing!"
'Then why do you still love her?' asked a mocking voice in his head.
'I hate her,' Draco thought harshly, contrarily, 'she nearly ruined me, everything that I am. She made me lose my pride, had me nearly on my knees, kissing her bloody robe hem! A useless, good for nothing Weasley!'
'And you want her still, even now,' came the detestable voice again. 'You don't hate her – you hate yourself. For succumbing to your emotions, something you swore never to do…for being weak - '
"I am not weak!" Draco snapped at the bothersome voice, standing up to pace, feeling bitterly angry.
'She is a lovely little thing – innocent…maybe that's what draws you to her. Her delicate skin, those tiny cinnamon freckles, her flaming hair –'
'It marks her a Weasley – '
'She has a good heart…'
'That's exactly why I don't want it,' he growled mentally, pushing his hair from his face. 'I don't want her.'
'Of course you don't – that's why every moment of every night you dream about her – '
'I don't dream…'Draco denied heatedly. 'Leave me the hell alone…'
'Whatever you say, mate…but you're bloody lying to yourself.'
He shook his head, and stalked to the door. He leaned out of it, roaring impatiently for the house elves.
He was in desperate need of a drink.
~***~
"Ack!" Ginny shrieked as a cold hand jerked back the neck of her robes and a handful of icy snow was dumped down her back.
"Fred, George, you leave your little sister alone!" Her mother shouted out the back door.
"Aw, we were just trying to make her feel at home again – trying to welcome her back proper, an all," George called, grinning from ear to ear.
"I knew I shouldn't have come out here," Ginny muttered, wincing as she wriggled to remove the rapidly melting snow. "You two are not to be trusted."
Fred mock frowned. "Of course you can trust us, Gin – we're your brothers!"
"Yeah, you know we love you," George grinned, rubbing the top of her head with his knuckles.
Ginny stepped away, scowling. "I know you're both full of –"
"Ginny!"
She rolled her eyes as her mother yelled out the door again.
"I'm going inside," she announced glumly, turning away,
"Right - God forbid you actually see the sunlight," mumbled Fred from behind her.
Ginny wrapped a hand around the mark on her arm, hidden beneath her clothes, and moved across the yard to the back door.
She passed Hedwig huddled up resting on a snowy tree stump, and paused to pat the owl before walking inside.
She took off her wet shoes, robes, scarf and gloves, before climbing the stairs to her room, grateful to get away from the insanity of her well – meaning family for a while.
It was taking some time to get used to the routine again – she'd never really realized how frantic and fast paced her life was at home. It wasn't that she wasn't glad to be home – God knew she was – but that everyone was falling over themselves to make her feel welcome, and all she really wanted was to be alone.
Well, no, that was a bit of a lie – she wanted to be with Draco.
Ginny settled on her bed, pushing up her sweater sleeve to gaze at the mark burned into her forearm. It sickened her, and yet fascinated her…she caught herself staring at it all the time, waiting for something.
Waiting for it to start burning the moment 'he' summoned her.
Ginny again thought of Draco, wondering for what had to be the thousandth time, if he was thinking about her…
He'd told her he loved her.
That fact was still enough to make her cry – that and the memory of the hurt on his face when she'd thrown it back at him.
Ginny swallowed, and again fought the urge to send Pigwidgeon off with a note, telling him she was sorry, she'd just thought she was doing the best thing…
He probably wouldn't even bother reading it if she did send one…he was furious with her.
The day after next was the day they were scheduled to return to Hogwarts…she was incredibly nervous about the prospect. The Ministry had opted to keep her at home, as she might be a danger to the other students – and Ginny had agreed. But Ron, Harry and Hermione, not to mention her father, had put up a howl, and she was being allowed to return to finish her fifth year.
She was not looking forward to it – she'd be treated like a pariah, avoided, gossiped about, looked down upon – although no one would dare say a word against her, for fear of retribution.
Ginny closed her eyes and fell over on her bed, burying her face in her pillow.
She hadn't even thought about the fact that she'd have to see Draco nearly everyday…
Someone knocked on her door, and she didn't answer, hoping they'd go away.
"Aw, come on, Gin – I know you're awake…you've got an owl downstairs with a letter – you'll have to come get it. It nearly bit my hand off when I tried to take it for you."
Ginny frowned. Who would be sending her an owl post?
She stood up, and threw open the door to a very irate looking Ron.
Her brother arched a brow. "Well? Got the guts to come and see who it's from?"
Ginny's eyes flew wide. She pushed past him, and raced down the stairs, looking around wildly until she saw a pair of large, dispassionate looking golden eyes staring at her from the kitchen.
The large, elegant looking eagle owl hooted softly and hopped down from the back of the chair it had been resting on, onto the dining table. It lifted its leg, watching her impatiently.
She moved forward, holding her breath. She untied the rolled letter from the owl's leg, and absently offered it an owl treat.
The owl looked at her, affronted, and took flight towards the door – Ginny rushed forward to open it, and the owl disappeared out of it.
So whoever it was hadn't been expecting a reply.
She unrolled the letter, and examined the familiar green scrawl.
It was from Draco.
Ginny stared at the letter…and tucked it away without reading it.
~***~
They were late getting to the train, seeing as their Mum almost refused to let Ginny go.
And of course the first person Ginny saw was Draco Malfoy.
He was standing next to the train, his arms crossed over his chest, glaring at anyone who dared even a glance his way.
She hid behind Harry and Ron, as they moved along the platform to the train, hoping he wouldn't see her. She knew she was being a coward, but she couldn't quite bring herself to face him…
She squeezed her eyes shut as she heard a familiar drawl behind her as they boarded.
"I believe they have a special area reserved for us Death Eaters in the back, Ginny," Draco said in a carrying, sardonic tone.
Ginny blinked back tears as he mocked her, and several people around them gasped and stepped away.
"Shut it, Malfoy!" Ron snapped, stepping around to shield her.
She turned to look back at Draco over Ron's shoulder, and saw him smirk back at her.
In that moment, she realized it was to be as if the past months had never happened.
Draco's silvery eyes were icy as they rested on her, and she wanted to cry – the boy who'd risked his own to save her life, and professed his love to her so warmly and openly had completely disappeared.
She eyed the scar on his cheekbone regretfully – the tightening of his jaw was the only sign that the sight of her affected him at all.
"C'mon, Gin," said Ron gruffly, and she turned back around, and allowed Harry and Hermione to tug her up the steps into the train.
~***~
She'd thought it was going to be hard, retuning to school, everyone knowing what had happened, what she'd been through, but she'd been wrong.
It was bloody nightmare.
She always had people staring at her, staring at her arm, and then there were the people who openly ignored her, or were actually frightened of her.
Ginny knew it had to be worse for Draco – half the kids in his own house considered him a traitor, he received even more stares from people than she, with the scar slashing down his cheek, and he was always in trouble, even as sneaky as he was, for getting into fights with the other boys.
Spending a lot of time alone those last months hardened her up – she grew immune to the cruelty of her classmates, and became adept at avoiding Draco – not that he ever showed any interest in speaking to her anyway…
And then came the day late in the term, when he proved her thought wrong.
Ginny hadn't ever thought that anyone could be crueler than Draco when it came to teasing…
Which was why it was such a surprise to see hear him defending her.
She was walking out of the great hall, in the middle of the lunch hour, because she couldn't stand the staring anymore, even though Ron and the others had been trying to talk to her, and distract her…
She had her eyes on the floor, clutching her books to her chest, rounding a corner, when she heard his voice and stopped in her tracks.
"…Even think about her. She doesn't even exist to you."
Ginny flattened her back to the wall and peered rather guiltily around the corner, shaking her hair from her eyes.
Draco had three boys cornered by the stairs in the main hall – and she narrowed her eyes.
Was the boy never happy unless he was terrorizing someone?
"C'mon, Draco – we weren't going to hurt her – "
"Did I give you permission to speak, you little worm? I heard you – and what you three were planning most definitely would have harmed her…"
Ginny frowned, watching him step closer to the boys, whom she now recognized as three of the seventh years from Slytherin.
"- Did you honestly think I'd let you get away with even thinking about touching something of mine?"
She blinked at the acidic tone that belied the coldness of his near whisper. What was he talking about?
She stared at the tenseness of his shoulders, and then at the expressions on the older boys' faces. The tallest, meanest looking one, topping Draco by at least six inches, stepped forward, a sneer on his face.
"Come off it, Malfoy – she's just a bloody Weasley. Everyone knows what happened between you two – besides, we've never seen you with her, it's obvious she doesn't want anything to do with you…"
"You'd be doing yourself a favor, shutting up right now," answered Draco threateningly, and Ginny watched him fist his hands with a sense of foreboding.
"Even if she did want anything to do with you…didn't you know you're supposed to share with your housemates?"
From the look on the boy's face, it seemed even he had realized he'd gone too far.
Ginny bit back a gasp when she saw Draco's fist fly out and clip the older boy on the jaw.
Just as quickly, he had his wand in his other hand, and he stunned the other two advancing boys.
They slid to the floor silently.
She bit her cheek, watching him kick the tallest boy rather viciously.
"If I ever see you near her – hell if even hear her name escape your lips, I'll show you exactly just what kind of legacy my father left me, you craven bastard," Draco snarled through his teeth.
Eyes wide, she looked after him as he raked a hand through his hair, cast a look about him, and dropped his wand back into his pocket.
"See you boys at Quidditch practice."
Ginny watched in disbelief as he carelessly, lazily strolled away from the three inert figures without a backwards glance.
~***~
TBC