**~Ignorance Is Bliss~**
CHAPTER 3
Ginny used a fork to dart around at the limp and cold pancake on her plate. Where in the world was Draco, she asked herself. Usually he would be up extremely early just to greet her at the Gryffindor portrait hole. Everyday, without fail too. However, due to the late night Draco had yesterday, he decided to sleep in a little, but of course Ginny didn't know that.
" Are you going to eat that?" Hermione's voice interrupted her thoughts of Draco.
" Soon." She replied simply.
" Ah ha...he wasn't there this morning, was he?" Hermione probed.
" No." Ginny replied in another dull tone, still darting around at the flimsy pancake.
Obviously, Hermione had been sent by Ron to check up on her. Although Ron ultimately would never approve of their relationship, he didn't like to see his little sister unhappy as well. Ginny Weasley was the pet in the family. Everyone fought over who could take care of her better and who loved her more. Ginny and Ron hadn't spoken for sometime, ever since she made him, Fred and George swear not to owl their mother about it. After many attempts of blackmail and utter pleading, she somehow did convince them to keep quiet.
" Look, Hermione, tell Ron that I'm fine and I don't need him hovering around me all the time, I can take care of myself, thank you very much." Ginny said finally looking up.
Hermione looked towards the other end of the table, only to catch Ron's hopeful eye. She could only give him a look which said " I don't know what to do either!" Ron's head drooped and he just waved a helpless hand, signalling to Hermione to forget it.
" Ginny, you have to talk to your brother. You just have to! If not for you two's sake, then for mine! It's just driving me nuts, this damned silent war between the both of you and all the ' O Herm, PLEASE tell Ron blablabla ' or ' Herm, go and find out about Ginny and Malfoy! Go! And by the way, can you tell her blablabla' I can't take this SHIT anymore! Talk to him for Pete's sake! Give me some peace!!!" Hermione shouted. Bad move. Everyone eating dropped their forks and spoons to watch the erupting bookworm. Ron was looking fairly guilty too.
" And that goes for you too Ronald Weasley!" Hermione shouted when she caught Ron glancing at her. With a final gush of irritation she stormed out of the Great Hall, pushing pass a very dazed looking Draco Malfoy.
Ginny just crossed her arms with a very black expression on her face.
As Draco made his way to sit down next to her, he felt the pairs of eyes on him. Usually it wasn't this bad, people would stare or give him a shove when he sat down at Gryffindor table but by now he usually just got the usually whispering and glances. He could smell the tension in the air and with the school bookworm storming out of the Great Hall, something was definitely wrong. Thread carefully on dangerous waters, he thought.
" Ok...Are you going to tell me what happen? Or is it just me?" Draco said softly. Immediately her face relaxed and turned into a tired sigh.
" Draco, do you think that all this was just a dream? That if you pinch me now, everything will disappear and just go back to when we were still mortal enemies?" Ginny said with her sad eyes looking back at his. It was this look that broke his heart, the look that meant she was going to cry.
" Virginia, if this was a dream, I don't think I ever want to wake up. Not now, not ever. Because it would mean that I had to lose you and everything wonderful in my life now. But you know what? This isn't a dream because everything I've been feeling is real. You are real, your touch is real, your kisses are real, your love...that's real too."
All Ginny could do was smile a sad smile, Draco melted her heart once again.
" Alright, are you going to tell me what's bothering you? I'm assuming it has something to do with Granger and your brother?"
" Well, I - "
" How about we get out of here first? All the tension and peering eyes are giving me the jitters. C'mon, and stop torturing the poor pancake already, we'll talk by the lake."
" But it's freezing out there, Draco!" Ginny protested.
" You can use me as a fur coat any day" Draco said, taking Ginny's hands in his.
~**~**~
" I'm sorry! What more do you want from me?" Ron pleaded.
" What more do I want from you? This has never been about me! These outbursts I'm having now, it's not about me!"
Ron had chased Hermione back to the Gryffindor common room where once their other housemates saw the current situation, evacuated immediately. They knew better then to cross the hot-tempered couple in a heated argument.
" Well, then what was all that about?!" Ron shouted, event though he knew perfectly what it was about.
" Don't get innocent with me, Ronald Weasley! You know EXACTLY what I'm mad about! Why are you Weasleys all so stubborn?!" Hermione retorted, throwing her hands up in frustration.
" Look Herm, it's not MY fault Ginny's not talking to us anymore. It's that bloody Malfoy! He's leading her astray, probably putting ideas in her head, getting her to turn against us! I told her Herm, I told her that he wasn't good for her, but NO, she wouldn't listen!"
" That's nice Ron, just tell her what to do, tell her what's wrong and what's right! Why don't you chain her to a chair and check on her every hour to make sure she's not getting shifty with Malfoy. Why don't you just do that and then maybe she'll forget him and obey your orders!"
" She is still a baby Herm, she doesn't know what's right or wrong. If I really wanted to chain her to a bed, I would've owled mum a long time ago but I respected Ginny's wishes and shut my mouth. Isn't that understanding enough?"
" Don't give me that crap, just don't! How dare you even say you respect her wishes? The only reason you kept quiet is because she would tell your parents that you spent all your pocket money gambling on Quidditch! Do not insult my intelligence, Ronald Weasley, I am better than that."
Ron was speechless for a while before he managed to say something. The silence was eerie, something major had just happened.
" Are you telling me that you're on Malfoy's side?"
" I am not on anyone's side, Ron! Why can't you see that? Why do you have to think that everyone is against you, when all we're trying to do is help. I can't see you do this to your own sister, Ron. Can't you see the pain that she goes through every single time you tell her that you detest she and Malfoy being together or when you tell her that you hate her because she is associated with Malfoy? Do you not see how much she suffers?"
" I have NEVER said that I hate her and I will never say that either."
" You may not have said it, Ron, but that is what she hears. And now you're not talking to her too? She is falling apart, Ron! Malfoy is the only one she can count on now! She used to have you, Fred and George to turn to but now you three have shunned her like a stranger."
" We have not! She's the one who refuses to speak to us," Ron claimed.
" You know that is not true, Ron. I know you see it too, the hurt in her eyes when her brothers turn their backs on her. Why are you so stubborn, Ron? Why are you so bent on winning? Learn to lose, Ron, learn to lose."
" You don't understand Hermione!"
" Well then enlighten me to what I don't understand, I'm all ears" Hermione crossed her arms, which usually meant she was really pissed.
" She is my younger sister, Hermione! My ONLY sister. I was the one closest to her while growing up! I was the one she went to when she was afraid of thunder and lightning, I was the one who stood up for her when Fred and George teased her. And now someone has taken my place, do you know how that feels? And to think that person is someone I've grown to hate ever since I entered Hogwarts. I can't just say ' oh, here you go Malfoy, just take care of my sister and don't get her pregnant.' I cannot trust him to be there for Ginny when she needs him. I cannot trust him to love my sister enough or even to take care of her. How can you expect me to lose my sister to the one I hate so much?"
" I know how much you love Ginny, Ron. I know that it'll be hard letting her go into the arms of someone else. But have you ever spared a thought for Ginny? You can't expect her to give up her happiness for yours. Talk to her, Ron. Just talk to her, tell her what you feel from the heart, Ron, not your fist. I don't want to talk about this anymore."
Hermione turned to go up to her dorm, leaving Ron in a mess. While going up the stairs, Hermione turned and said something to cut deeper into Ron's heart.
" You've changed, Ron. I think the person I fell in love with years ago is gone now, and I don't think he's ever coming back."
~**~**~
Ginny had just explained to Draco what that little incident was all about. They were both seated on a frosty snow covered bench which seemed to be freezing Draco's behind.
" So that's why Granger was screaming her head off," Ginny shot Draco a glare.
"What? That WAS what she was doing and your brother went after her too,"
" Don't be mean Draco, Hermione was NOT 'screaming her head off' as you put it. She was just a little er...agitated." Ginny shivered form the cold slightly and Draco pulled her closer to him.
" Furious is more like it, her hair was getting frizzier than it already is!" Draco said with a smirk, which earned him a frown from Ginny.
" Ah...so now we're back to frowning again, aren't we?" said Draco. He was shifting around a little, trying to feel if his ass was still there.
Ginny just pouted and her attention wondered to Draco's fidgety body.
" Draco dear, would be as so kind to tell me why you are moving around so much?"
" Well Virginia dear, since you asked, I am actually trying to feel my arse. It seems to have been frosted by this darned bench." Draco said, finally settling down. " If you don't mind, could you be so kind as to give it a little pinch or squeeze? Whatever you please my dear. Just so long as my ass returns to it's normal state."
Ginny burst out in giggles, here she was sitting next to the boy she loved and he's asking her to pinch his butt. Draco on the other hand, seemed pretty serious.
" You are joking right, Draco?" Ginny asked with her eyes wide. Draco merely raised his eyebrows.
" O dear..." Ginny managed. " Would you look away, Draco? It's a little embarrassing,"
Ginny took a deep breath and daringly pinched the left butt cheek - hard. Draco gave out a loud "OWWWWW!" and Ginny giggled even more, it was quite exhilarating actually.
" God, that hurt like hell!! Sheesh, remind me never ever to let you lay a finger on my ass EVER again! What an unworthy exchange, a bruised ass just to make you happy again." Ginny never realised Draco whined so much.
" Served you right, Draco Malfoy, fancy playing such a cheap trick on me!" Ginny said playfully as she laid her head on Draco's shoulder.
" Malfoy charm, m'dear, Malfoy Charm," Draco kissed the top of Ginny's head gently, allowing hi to inhale the sweet smell of her hair.
Ginny looked up at Draco and kissed him gently on the lips; she was going to miss him during Christmas so she had better treasure all their moments together.
" Draco?" Ginny said softly.
" Mm...?"
" Promise me you'll owl me everyday during the holidays."
"Ginny, actually I was thinking of something better. We won't have to be apart, we won't even need to owl." Draco said, stroking Ginny's hair.
" I'm not sure I'm following you, Draco." Said Ginny with a puzzled look in her eyes.
" I mean, I want to meet your family. And if your parents permit, allow me to stay over at your place for the holidays." This got Ginny up immediately, she stared at him to see if he was joking. But he wasn't, his steel eyes were unfazed and sincere.
" Draco, you don't have to this - "
" I want to do it, Ginny. It's on my own free will. Sooner or later, they'll have to know about me anyway." Draco said calmly as he pushed a stray hair behind Ginny's ear.
" But, but, there are complications Draco. Ron is definitely one of them and it won't only MY family you'll be facing, it'll be Harry and Hermione too. You'll be eaten alive!" Ginny made an expression with her hands that made Draco laugh.
" You sound as if you don't want me to meet them,"
" It's not that, Draco, but I worry for you AND my brothers if you guys get into a fight or argument of any sort. I hate to say this, but I'm sure you know how some of my brothers feel about you, and how my parents feel about your family name. It'll just be...difficult."
" I'll be the perfect gentleman, Ginny, I'll be tame if you want me to! I promise! I swear that I won't get into any fight's or arguments with anyone and I'll be civil to all your brothers. If I ever break this promise, I'll face castration - " before he could finish his vow, Ginny pressed her fingers to his lips.
" Shush! Slytherins don't keep promises and I do NOT want you ending up with no testicles!" Draco just grinned and kissed her fingers.
" I win. As usual." Draco said smugly.
" Don't be too sure yet, Ron is currently the biggest problem I have now. It's impossible to convince him that a Malfoy is going to be staying at the Burrow." Ginny slouched into her seat and gave out a sigh.
" Well. That's not MY problem, now is it?"
Ginny just scowled at him.
~**~**~
REVIEW
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CHAPTER 3
Ginny used a fork to dart around at the limp and cold pancake on her plate. Where in the world was Draco, she asked herself. Usually he would be up extremely early just to greet her at the Gryffindor portrait hole. Everyday, without fail too. However, due to the late night Draco had yesterday, he decided to sleep in a little, but of course Ginny didn't know that.
" Are you going to eat that?" Hermione's voice interrupted her thoughts of Draco.
" Soon." She replied simply.
" Ah ha...he wasn't there this morning, was he?" Hermione probed.
" No." Ginny replied in another dull tone, still darting around at the flimsy pancake.
Obviously, Hermione had been sent by Ron to check up on her. Although Ron ultimately would never approve of their relationship, he didn't like to see his little sister unhappy as well. Ginny Weasley was the pet in the family. Everyone fought over who could take care of her better and who loved her more. Ginny and Ron hadn't spoken for sometime, ever since she made him, Fred and George swear not to owl their mother about it. After many attempts of blackmail and utter pleading, she somehow did convince them to keep quiet.
" Look, Hermione, tell Ron that I'm fine and I don't need him hovering around me all the time, I can take care of myself, thank you very much." Ginny said finally looking up.
Hermione looked towards the other end of the table, only to catch Ron's hopeful eye. She could only give him a look which said " I don't know what to do either!" Ron's head drooped and he just waved a helpless hand, signalling to Hermione to forget it.
" Ginny, you have to talk to your brother. You just have to! If not for you two's sake, then for mine! It's just driving me nuts, this damned silent war between the both of you and all the ' O Herm, PLEASE tell Ron blablabla ' or ' Herm, go and find out about Ginny and Malfoy! Go! And by the way, can you tell her blablabla' I can't take this SHIT anymore! Talk to him for Pete's sake! Give me some peace!!!" Hermione shouted. Bad move. Everyone eating dropped their forks and spoons to watch the erupting bookworm. Ron was looking fairly guilty too.
" And that goes for you too Ronald Weasley!" Hermione shouted when she caught Ron glancing at her. With a final gush of irritation she stormed out of the Great Hall, pushing pass a very dazed looking Draco Malfoy.
Ginny just crossed her arms with a very black expression on her face.
As Draco made his way to sit down next to her, he felt the pairs of eyes on him. Usually it wasn't this bad, people would stare or give him a shove when he sat down at Gryffindor table but by now he usually just got the usually whispering and glances. He could smell the tension in the air and with the school bookworm storming out of the Great Hall, something was definitely wrong. Thread carefully on dangerous waters, he thought.
" Ok...Are you going to tell me what happen? Or is it just me?" Draco said softly. Immediately her face relaxed and turned into a tired sigh.
" Draco, do you think that all this was just a dream? That if you pinch me now, everything will disappear and just go back to when we were still mortal enemies?" Ginny said with her sad eyes looking back at his. It was this look that broke his heart, the look that meant she was going to cry.
" Virginia, if this was a dream, I don't think I ever want to wake up. Not now, not ever. Because it would mean that I had to lose you and everything wonderful in my life now. But you know what? This isn't a dream because everything I've been feeling is real. You are real, your touch is real, your kisses are real, your love...that's real too."
All Ginny could do was smile a sad smile, Draco melted her heart once again.
" Alright, are you going to tell me what's bothering you? I'm assuming it has something to do with Granger and your brother?"
" Well, I - "
" How about we get out of here first? All the tension and peering eyes are giving me the jitters. C'mon, and stop torturing the poor pancake already, we'll talk by the lake."
" But it's freezing out there, Draco!" Ginny protested.
" You can use me as a fur coat any day" Draco said, taking Ginny's hands in his.
~**~**~
" I'm sorry! What more do you want from me?" Ron pleaded.
" What more do I want from you? This has never been about me! These outbursts I'm having now, it's not about me!"
Ron had chased Hermione back to the Gryffindor common room where once their other housemates saw the current situation, evacuated immediately. They knew better then to cross the hot-tempered couple in a heated argument.
" Well, then what was all that about?!" Ron shouted, event though he knew perfectly what it was about.
" Don't get innocent with me, Ronald Weasley! You know EXACTLY what I'm mad about! Why are you Weasleys all so stubborn?!" Hermione retorted, throwing her hands up in frustration.
" Look Herm, it's not MY fault Ginny's not talking to us anymore. It's that bloody Malfoy! He's leading her astray, probably putting ideas in her head, getting her to turn against us! I told her Herm, I told her that he wasn't good for her, but NO, she wouldn't listen!"
" That's nice Ron, just tell her what to do, tell her what's wrong and what's right! Why don't you chain her to a chair and check on her every hour to make sure she's not getting shifty with Malfoy. Why don't you just do that and then maybe she'll forget him and obey your orders!"
" She is still a baby Herm, she doesn't know what's right or wrong. If I really wanted to chain her to a bed, I would've owled mum a long time ago but I respected Ginny's wishes and shut my mouth. Isn't that understanding enough?"
" Don't give me that crap, just don't! How dare you even say you respect her wishes? The only reason you kept quiet is because she would tell your parents that you spent all your pocket money gambling on Quidditch! Do not insult my intelligence, Ronald Weasley, I am better than that."
Ron was speechless for a while before he managed to say something. The silence was eerie, something major had just happened.
" Are you telling me that you're on Malfoy's side?"
" I am not on anyone's side, Ron! Why can't you see that? Why do you have to think that everyone is against you, when all we're trying to do is help. I can't see you do this to your own sister, Ron. Can't you see the pain that she goes through every single time you tell her that you detest she and Malfoy being together or when you tell her that you hate her because she is associated with Malfoy? Do you not see how much she suffers?"
" I have NEVER said that I hate her and I will never say that either."
" You may not have said it, Ron, but that is what she hears. And now you're not talking to her too? She is falling apart, Ron! Malfoy is the only one she can count on now! She used to have you, Fred and George to turn to but now you three have shunned her like a stranger."
" We have not! She's the one who refuses to speak to us," Ron claimed.
" You know that is not true, Ron. I know you see it too, the hurt in her eyes when her brothers turn their backs on her. Why are you so stubborn, Ron? Why are you so bent on winning? Learn to lose, Ron, learn to lose."
" You don't understand Hermione!"
" Well then enlighten me to what I don't understand, I'm all ears" Hermione crossed her arms, which usually meant she was really pissed.
" She is my younger sister, Hermione! My ONLY sister. I was the one closest to her while growing up! I was the one she went to when she was afraid of thunder and lightning, I was the one who stood up for her when Fred and George teased her. And now someone has taken my place, do you know how that feels? And to think that person is someone I've grown to hate ever since I entered Hogwarts. I can't just say ' oh, here you go Malfoy, just take care of my sister and don't get her pregnant.' I cannot trust him to be there for Ginny when she needs him. I cannot trust him to love my sister enough or even to take care of her. How can you expect me to lose my sister to the one I hate so much?"
" I know how much you love Ginny, Ron. I know that it'll be hard letting her go into the arms of someone else. But have you ever spared a thought for Ginny? You can't expect her to give up her happiness for yours. Talk to her, Ron. Just talk to her, tell her what you feel from the heart, Ron, not your fist. I don't want to talk about this anymore."
Hermione turned to go up to her dorm, leaving Ron in a mess. While going up the stairs, Hermione turned and said something to cut deeper into Ron's heart.
" You've changed, Ron. I think the person I fell in love with years ago is gone now, and I don't think he's ever coming back."
~**~**~
Ginny had just explained to Draco what that little incident was all about. They were both seated on a frosty snow covered bench which seemed to be freezing Draco's behind.
" So that's why Granger was screaming her head off," Ginny shot Draco a glare.
"What? That WAS what she was doing and your brother went after her too,"
" Don't be mean Draco, Hermione was NOT 'screaming her head off' as you put it. She was just a little er...agitated." Ginny shivered form the cold slightly and Draco pulled her closer to him.
" Furious is more like it, her hair was getting frizzier than it already is!" Draco said with a smirk, which earned him a frown from Ginny.
" Ah...so now we're back to frowning again, aren't we?" said Draco. He was shifting around a little, trying to feel if his ass was still there.
Ginny just pouted and her attention wondered to Draco's fidgety body.
" Draco dear, would be as so kind to tell me why you are moving around so much?"
" Well Virginia dear, since you asked, I am actually trying to feel my arse. It seems to have been frosted by this darned bench." Draco said, finally settling down. " If you don't mind, could you be so kind as to give it a little pinch or squeeze? Whatever you please my dear. Just so long as my ass returns to it's normal state."
Ginny burst out in giggles, here she was sitting next to the boy she loved and he's asking her to pinch his butt. Draco on the other hand, seemed pretty serious.
" You are joking right, Draco?" Ginny asked with her eyes wide. Draco merely raised his eyebrows.
" O dear..." Ginny managed. " Would you look away, Draco? It's a little embarrassing,"
Ginny took a deep breath and daringly pinched the left butt cheek - hard. Draco gave out a loud "OWWWWW!" and Ginny giggled even more, it was quite exhilarating actually.
" God, that hurt like hell!! Sheesh, remind me never ever to let you lay a finger on my ass EVER again! What an unworthy exchange, a bruised ass just to make you happy again." Ginny never realised Draco whined so much.
" Served you right, Draco Malfoy, fancy playing such a cheap trick on me!" Ginny said playfully as she laid her head on Draco's shoulder.
" Malfoy charm, m'dear, Malfoy Charm," Draco kissed the top of Ginny's head gently, allowing hi to inhale the sweet smell of her hair.
Ginny looked up at Draco and kissed him gently on the lips; she was going to miss him during Christmas so she had better treasure all their moments together.
" Draco?" Ginny said softly.
" Mm...?"
" Promise me you'll owl me everyday during the holidays."
"Ginny, actually I was thinking of something better. We won't have to be apart, we won't even need to owl." Draco said, stroking Ginny's hair.
" I'm not sure I'm following you, Draco." Said Ginny with a puzzled look in her eyes.
" I mean, I want to meet your family. And if your parents permit, allow me to stay over at your place for the holidays." This got Ginny up immediately, she stared at him to see if he was joking. But he wasn't, his steel eyes were unfazed and sincere.
" Draco, you don't have to this - "
" I want to do it, Ginny. It's on my own free will. Sooner or later, they'll have to know about me anyway." Draco said calmly as he pushed a stray hair behind Ginny's ear.
" But, but, there are complications Draco. Ron is definitely one of them and it won't only MY family you'll be facing, it'll be Harry and Hermione too. You'll be eaten alive!" Ginny made an expression with her hands that made Draco laugh.
" You sound as if you don't want me to meet them,"
" It's not that, Draco, but I worry for you AND my brothers if you guys get into a fight or argument of any sort. I hate to say this, but I'm sure you know how some of my brothers feel about you, and how my parents feel about your family name. It'll just be...difficult."
" I'll be the perfect gentleman, Ginny, I'll be tame if you want me to! I promise! I swear that I won't get into any fight's or arguments with anyone and I'll be civil to all your brothers. If I ever break this promise, I'll face castration - " before he could finish his vow, Ginny pressed her fingers to his lips.
" Shush! Slytherins don't keep promises and I do NOT want you ending up with no testicles!" Draco just grinned and kissed her fingers.
" I win. As usual." Draco said smugly.
" Don't be too sure yet, Ron is currently the biggest problem I have now. It's impossible to convince him that a Malfoy is going to be staying at the Burrow." Ginny slouched into her seat and gave out a sigh.
" Well. That's not MY problem, now is it?"
Ginny just scowled at him.
~**~**~
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