A/N: Hmm…Probably the 2nd to last chapter. Or 3rd. Maybe there will be an epilogue.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. The song 'Letters To You' belongs to Finch.

Chapter 12: Letters To You

'Can't you see

That I want to be there with open arms

It's empty tonight

And I'm all alone

Get me through this one

Do you notice I'm gone?

Where do you run to so far away?

I want you to know that

I miss you

I miss you so…'

She was in love. But she couldn't be. She simply could not be. And she told Alison so, giving her every reason.

'No, Alison! I'm not! I can't be…I won't…'

' Your heart says differently.'

'B-but…that's not possible—it doesn't make sense. Why would I love him? What has he done other than to make me feel like a loser?'

' No one ever said love made sense.'

" Bastard!" she yelled, flinging her pillow at the opposite wall. If only he could see her right now. She hated him so much, she wanted to strangle his blonde head. She wanted to hurt him for making her feel so confused, hurt him for making her fall in love with him. Hurt him for all those times he had told her things that weren't nice.

'You can't do anything by yourself, you're merely a lowly Weasley, the lowest one of them all. You can't even swim. You're a failure'

And after so long, those words still cut into her like a thousand whetted knives. They threatened her, making her feel hopeless, on the verge of tears. And after all those reasons, why the hell should she love him?

" I won't. I refuse to have feelings for him. And I'll prove it. I'll prove to the whole world that I can be cold, harsh, and I'll prove to the whole world that I'm not a failure. I'll win the swim competition. And I will show him." Determination etched into her usually soft face, she wasted no time. Changing into her swim suit, she ran out of the cabin, and down the familiar path once again.

~*~

The crowd was roaring, albeit a rather small one, and the water glimmered almost mischievously, daring anyone to cross it, to make it across with the best time. The sun blared down on them, making most pant, but Ginny, she wasn't dropping a bead of sweat. Her hands were wringing in apprehension, lips pursed in anxiousness. She had done everything. Practiced her strokes, her kicks, timed herself, done simply everything to improve. Practiced like crazy. Yet she missed one thing. Confidence. She repeated to herself various times, telling herself that she could do it, that she would do it. So why was the doubt still there, in the back of her mind? The competitors gathered round, the time to start growing near. Draco stood high on a chair, whistle by his throat. His eyes were covered by a pair of black sunglasses, but otherwise, Ginny expected them to be cold and sneering. Getting into position, she watched him closely, waiting for the whistle's shrill 'tweet!'.

As the whistle finally blew it's shrill tone, Ginny dove in simultaneously with the others, adrenaline pumping through her as she frowned through the water, moving furiously, no thoughts registering into her head. The water was ice cold, but that didn't stop. She pushed harder and harder, until she felt her arms burn, until she felt her legs turn to jelly. Until she felt her stomach ache. And finally, after what seemed like hours, she felt the grassy ground above her. Panting, she climbed onto it, stomach heaving, frowning in pain. Was she the first one? Closing her eyes for a moment, she turned around. Her heart sank considerably as she realized she was not the first. Already a blonde and a brunette had managed to beat her.

She chanced a look toward her friends, and she saw them beaming at her. Shaking her head, she pushed those thoughts away and beamed back. Had she not done the best she could? She had gotten third place.

And as they awarded the winners, Ginny proudly accepted the medal that she had received—her very first one. What was the word? Pride. Pride rang through her, making her beam to no end. She had achieved something, and that was more than words could say. Perhaps they were right. Anything was possible, if you set your heart to it. Smiling, she ran over to her friends, gathering around for a big hug.

" Oh, Ginny! We're so proud of you!" Marie cried, squeezing her.

" Thanks." Ginny replied meekly, still admiring the medal. Alison opened her mouth to speak, then her eyes widened. Before Ginny could turn around to see what she was staring at, she had whispered, " We'll talk to you later."

And then, she, Marie, and Lena was gone. Frowning, she turned around. And who to see but Draco himself, looking ever so solemn? Narrowing her eyes, she threw him his own trademark smirk back at him, full of disdain.

"Malfoy?" she asked spitefully, hands on her hips. He did not speak right away.

" Third place, eh?" he said after a while, stepping closer. Ginny moved away, nodding.

" Yup. Third place." She whispered the last part, letting the words sink in. Then, straightening up, she patted him harshly on the shoulder.

" After all, I owe it all to a great teacher." All traces of a smile gone, she stared at him, challenging him to say otherwise. He did not speak. And as she finally strutted away, she could swear she saw his shoulders slump.

~*~

" I am beautiful. In every single way…' she sang softly into the night, eyes closed, wet tears around the edges of her eyes. She had achieved something, she had won—but she still felt the same. Still confused, angry, resentful. Because she loved Draco? She didn't want to. She wanted him to erase from her heart, so she would never think of him again. Then again, she wanted to spend all day staring at his face. And maybe all she wanted was one kiss.

She stared upward, at the cornucopia of stars scattered everywhere.

" There's no time." She whispered. The summer was over, was it not? In a week , she would be gone again. Leaving a part of her heart to someone she never intended to love. Leaving a part of her self in this quiet, peaceful paradise.

" I've been through this before." She murmured tiredly. And so she had. She was tired of thinking. So, she walked back to her cabin, waiting for sleep to claim her

~*~

" Oh, god…" Lena murmured softly. It was a rainy, muggy afternoon, perfect for the mood. The day it was all over. The past week had flown by, possibly being the most uneventful one of all.

And today was the day it was all over. All the summer magic, the lovely summer nights. To be gone, for another year. And who knew if they would meet again? For Ginny, it was hard. To leave so many things behind, though those things were intangible. What she wanted more than anything was to stay. To just once more feel the warm summer breeze brush across her cheeks.

" I'm going to miss this place a lot." She finished, looking regretfully around. Marie and Alison nodded sadly. But Ginny, she was busy. Busy looking out the window and feeling empty. How she ached. They would never know. Throwing in the last of her things, she suddenly slammed her trunk. Looking at her friends as if to say, ' Sorry,' she ran out, out into the pouring rain, out into the day where the skies were crying. Out into the beautiful scenery, to search for something that she was about to lose.

~*~

He sat there alone. Thinking about everything, the rain, the summer, his life, but most of all, a certain red head. His heart pitter pattered to the rhythm of the rain, and he was soaked. But it didn't matter. Because he was a bastard, and he deserved it. He didn't have anything in life. And the only thing he could've had, he had lost. Her. And after all those endless nights, wishing he could hold her, he still did not admit the fact to himself. He couldn't let his guards down, couldn't let the beautiful music flow into his ears.

~*~

She didn't know how she found him. She was wet, and she could not think. But she found him. Found the one person she had been aching to see. He sat below the tree, looking far more troubled than she had ever seen him to be. She knew she was already crying, though her tears mixed with the rain. She watched him with longing, standing above him. And neither spoke. For the moment was too sad. Each for a moment, letting everything go, letting the rain wash their thoughts away. But finally, after minutes, he stood up, prepared to walk away from her forever. But a small hand grabbed his, surprisingly warm. And when he turned around, he saw two brown eyes amidst the sea of red hair. They begged him to stay. And it took all his strength to stay with her. To linger a moment longer.

" Draco." She whispered. He did not speak. Lips quivering, she fell forward and hugged him tight, sobbing into his shoulder. He made no motion. But if she had looked up into his face, she would have noticed his tears.

" I'm so confused." She whispered in his ear. She sounded so much like a small child, like a small, lost girl, separated from her mother. He wrapped his own arms around her, and rubbed her back, gritting his teeth, trying to stop the tears from falling. Damn this girl. She pulled back suddenly, looking up at him so innocently. Her mouth forming an 'o' of surprise, her fingers brushed his tears.

She hesitated, then reached up slowly-- and kissed him gently. And the one kiss sent millions of feelings. The rain seemed to stop in midair, and he found himself in awe. The moment was so beautiful, so painful, so perfect. He stared down at her, lips tasting sweet, gray eyes wide and for once, full of warmth. And she stared up at him, brown eyes full of spark.

" I love you." She whispered with feeling, meaning every bit of it. His heart tore into a million pieces. He shook his head, preparing to run away. But she stopped her once again. She touched him, and he froze. She stared down at his arm, suddenly in shock. Her perfect face furrowed in amazement. Great tears flowed out of her eyes, by the hundreds, and Draco closed his eyes, knowing. Knowing that the mark was there.

" Is this why?" she asked softly. Yes, yes, it is. But no matter how much he ached to say so, he would not. So he shook his head. Shook his head and let another part of his heart wash away.

" Draco, do you love me?" And he laughed. Laughed because he was going crazy. She had asked him a question, the one question he could not answer. He ran. Ran as fast as he could, tripping, falling. But he did not stop. He could not stop. Not until he met the edge of the lake. Not until she was out of sight, and not until the pain was unbearable. He couldn't do this. He couldn't go on like this.

It was pain a thousand times worse than the cruciatus. A thousand times worse than dieing. But he had to. .Love was bitter, sad, sweet, beautiful. Delicate as the passing wind, sad as the rain. But no matter how much the angels sang to him, he could not admit it. Loving her meant changing everything about him, being someone else. Draco Malfoy was not capable of love. All his life he had been told that. Loving someone destroyed everything he was, and it made him insecure. Everything he had believed about himself, about life, was wrong. If he could indeed love someone, then everything he knew was being thrown out the window.

~*~

" Ginny. Ready to go?" he asked, looking tentatively at his daughter. She was staring off into the rain, looking so melancholy. But then, she smiled weakly, nodding.

" Of course I'm ready." And slowly, she got into the car, staring one last time at the beautiful scene before her. The music still floated into her ear, of the magic that existed here. Of the magic that this simple place brought to her. True magic. And it hurt oh so much. Too much. To just get into the car, and stare out the window. And he wasn't there. His beautiful face was nowhere to be seen. She felt hurt; anger. And her heart wondered if she would ever see him again. To ever kiss his lips again.

'Goodbye, Draco.'

A/N: R/R