A/N: I'd like to say one thing about the music I pick. I don't necessarily like the artist/song that I have on a chapter, but it fits the best, like this chapter. I loathe Justin Timberlake. I hate his music. But his song fit's the idea of the story. So there. Happy? Thanks to LaughingGasGirl, Adela H, Luna Writer for reviewing. I churned this one out pretty fast, because it was only 4 pages long when I typed it out. Please review, even if it is bad, I don't care. You don't go into fan fiction of you can't take bad comments.
Chapter XII- Like I Love You
"people are so phony/knows it 'cause their lonely/aren't you sick of the same thing/they say so and so is dating/love you or they hate you/and it doesn't matter anyway/'cause we're here tonight/if you smile than that should set the tone/…aint nobody loves you like I love you/you're a good girl and that's what makes me trust you…"
Like I Love You, Justin Timberlake, Justified
Hermione found Ginny lying face down on her bed, not moving, still fully clad in her dress robes. She perfect hair was in shambles, looking like she had tried to pull it all out by the roots. Hermione sat down on the edge of the bed, and placed a comforting hand on Ginny's back. Ginny didn't make a sound or movement.
"Ginny? Is everything alright?"
"If everything was alright, then I would be at the dinner right now, dancing with a little fuck off named Draco Julius Malfoy." Ginny said simply, her voice muffled by the covers of the bed.
"Would you like to tell me what happened?"
"Oh nothing major. Just when I was going out to find Draco, and I found him was kissing Pansy Parkinson. You know, that horrid girl who dated him at Hogwarts? Yeah…" Ginny said, her voice still even, not wavering with hurt, tears, no sign of emotion what so ever.
Hermione gasped. How can Ginny not be distraught over this? Or was she expecting it?
"It's alright Hermione. I'm never talking to him again. Even if he came crawling to me on his hands in knees though a pit of dragon urine and hippogriff shit, just to get me back."
"I would you know." Draco said suddenly. He had not made his presence known to Ginny. She groaned, but didn't lift her head. "Get out of my house. You'll contaminate my clean carpet with you lying, dirty, cheating, discussing, overrated, prissy, selfish, Italian leather shoes." Ginny spouted insults like they were greetings.
"I don't blame you for hating me, but it's not what it seemed."
"Oh, okay, you kissing Pansy was just a figment of my imagination?"
"No, it was real, but you ran to quickly before I could explain."
"Explain what? That you were kissing another woman like you kissed me?"
"Pansy was drunk. She advanced on me. I was just about to push her away when I heard you run down the steeps. I was calling your name, just you didn't listen. I can prove it too."
"Liar. You had no intention of pushing her away. You were pulling her closer! You put your hands of her hips…" She tailed off, rolling over, putting her back to Hermione and Draco.
"Ginny listen to him. He's telling the truth."
"Oh your siding with him are you?" Ginny replied bitterly.
"I have a pensive. I can put my memory into it so you can see it." He said, his voice soft. He walked over to the other side of the bed, wanting to see her face. Ginny shut her eyes.
"Ginny, please. I would never chose Pansy over you. I love you. Not some silly girl from my past."
Ginny opened her eyes and let Draco fill her sight. His face was close to hers and his gray eyes were clouded with worry and sincerity.
"Where is the pensive?" She asked, sitting up, drawing her knees to her chest. Draco turned around and lifted the white ceramic bowl from Ginny's desk. He set it by her feet, and put his wand to his temple. He drew out a long slivery ribbon from his head, and placed it into the pensive with his wand. Ginny looked deeply into the bowl, and felt herself be drawn into it, and soon the veranda of the Nubian ballroom filled her mind.
Draco stood in the far corner, and lit up a cigarette. He took a long drag and blew out a lengthy stream of smoke. Seconds later, as Draco was about to put the cigarette back up to his lips, Pansy swaggered out one of the tall French doors, and hic-coughed. She smiled a sinister grin as she tried to make her way over to Draco.
"Long time no see…Draco!" Pansy slurred. Her breath reeked of wine and beer.
"Hello Pansy. Your drunk." He said simply, trying ignore her.
"You're not happy to see me? Or is that little Weasley whore all you're shagging right now?" Pansy giggled
"You would know all about whores, Pansy, and Ginny's not one of them." He replied, throwing his cigarette to the ground, and stamping it out with his shoe. He turned away from her. With brute force no one would ever guess Pansy possessed, she spun and unsuspecting Draco around and locked her lips onto his. Ginny saw herself come out the same French doors Pansy had exited from, and heard herself gasp. She ran down all the way across the veranda, and disappeared down the stone steeps. Draco pushed Pansy away forcefully, and shouted
"Ginny! Ginny wait! Virginia!" He shouted chasing after her. Draco ran to the front of the ballroom where he saw Ginny get into a driverless carriage. The vehicle scrambled away on it's spider like legs towards the city out Nubian. He tried to chase after the carriage but it was much to fast. He sighed, out of breath and upset. Her went back into the ballroom with his head hanging low, to tell Ron where Ginny had gone.
Ginny opened her eyes and found herself back in her own room once more, with the pensive at her feet, the silvery memory swirling in a circle. A single tear leaked out of her eye but she brushed it away quickly. Draco moved the bowl back to her desk and embraced Ginny tightly. Hermione took her cue to leave, shutting the door softly behind her. Ginny was sobbing now, her weeping making the shoulder of Draco's robes damp.
"I- I'm- I'm sorry…sorry Draco. I should have b- believed you." She stuttered though her hysterics.
"Shhhh, it's alright Ginny. Everything's okay, I promise. There isn't anyone who loves you like I love you." He said softly, into her ear. He sobs quieted and her desperate breathing slowed to a normal pace.
"I'm so sorry Draco. I should have believed you when you told me. I'm sorry I doubted you."
"People are so phony, she must have just broken up with her latest boyfriend, and I just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. She could have been lonely. I'm so sick of her, not letting go of things that happened five years ago. You're a good girl, Ginny, and that's why I trust you." Draco said, holding her hands tightly, like he didn't want to loose her.
"Draco, I love you. I should have stayed to let you explain." Her faced was flushed, and her eyes glossy and blood shot from her crying.
"I would have done the same thing. I don't blame you for your reaction." He said kindly. He pushed a stray hair that fell out of her up-do and tucked it behind her ear gently. He brought his face close to hers, cupped her face in his hand, and kissed her gently, slowly increasing in passion until a knock came on the door.
Ginny sighed and rolled her eyes "Yes?" she said testily.
"Mum's apperated over. She insists on seeing you." Ron's voice sounded just as exasperated as Ginny's. Mrs. Weasley must have been worked into a frenzy, demanding to see if Ginny had died of heart break yet.
"Come on, she'll want to talk to you too. Bring the pensive just in case." She said, opening up the door and heading down the stairs.
Harry and Gwyenth arrived in his apartment late, and both feeling pleasantly tipsy from the champagne at the dinner. Harry threw off his robe to reveal an undershirt and a pair of black dress pants.
"Woooohoooooo! 'Arry could work at Le Moulin Rouge!" Gwen giggled and said a spell that unraveled her curly hair that was magicked up in an elegant twist.
He rolled his eyes at her and flexed some non-existent muscles. Harry have never been sturdy of build, but always extremely tall and wiry. Unlike Ron, who developed a muscular physique that impressed all of the girls at Hogwarts in his late teens, Harry remained lanky and proud.
"Yep, I bet your just so impressed with my brute strength!" Harry joked, and kicked off his shiny dress shoes.
"Oh yes 'Arry. You could be Mr. Universe!"
"Mr. Universe?"
"It is like a beauty pageant for men. They oil themselves up like pigs about to be roasted, and flex their steroid muscles in brightly colored Speedos for a panel of judges." She explained, laughing.
"I refuse to don a small swimsuit, or grease myself up. How indignant." Harry replied leaning against the kitchen counter.
"I'm glad to hear that 'Arry." She said though a yawn.
"Tired are we Mademoiselle L'Esapnye?" Harry joked, and put a kettle on the burner for tea.
"Yes, I am a bit sleepy. Will 'ou make me some tea while I go change my clothes?" She asked.
"I was planning on it." Harry said and Gwen smiled at him and turned the corner to go the hall to her room that she was staying in at Harry's apartment.
Harry stared at the wizard stove that had a magical blue flame heating the tea kettle that was hovering a few inches above the small blaze.
Harry busied himself getting out cups, saucers, and tea bags. He leaned on the counter, and ran his hand though his unruly thick black hair. He stared off into space, thinking of nothing in particular, when not only the kettle whistle brought him back into the real world.
Standing in the kitchen doorway, was Gwen. Harry widened his eyes, trying to take in her garb. She was wearing a pair, of what Harry recognized as his boxer shots, and one of his muggle dress shirts, along with a blue and red striped tie to match. She was wearing a pair of her own socks, tall ones that came up to her knees that reminded him very much of socks that muggles places stereotypically on witches. Her puffy blonde hair was pulled into pig tales on her head, and on her nose was her cat-eye reading glasses.
Harry raised his eyebrows at her, and Gwen walked slowly into the room, chewing on a wad of gum, and blowing a large pink bubble.
"What do you think 'Arry?" She asked, standing quite close to him, placing her slim fingers on his hips.
"Are those my underwear?" He asked, wanting to back away from her, but his back was against the wall.
"Yes, your very observant. Do you think you look nice on me?" She asked, her voice lowered to a deep whispered.
"You're drunk." Her replied, moving her hands off of his hips. He was becoming uneasy, and Gwen wasn't taking any subtle hints.
"Yes, but you are to. Come on 'Arry, lets 'ave some fun." She said pushing herself closer to him, their bodies plastered against the wall.
"Gwen, I'm saying no. I don't like you like this, I'm sorry. And if we did go into my room and have sex tonight, we would regret it in the morning because our whole relationship would be different." He replied soundly, pushing her away with just enough force for her to get the point.
"Oh, 'Arry! Why don't you get over 'Ermione and open your eyes! I've been in love with you since I first met you our seventh year of school." She walked away with a hand on her head.
"This is to fast, is all I'm saying Gwen. It's not like I would never consider dating you." Harry's voice softened to a kind note, making Gwen turn back around.
"I know, I should have just, Oh 'Arry, I do not even know anymore."
"Shush, it's alright. We're both a little bit tipsy, and very much tired. Let's go to bed." He said, putting his arm around her shoulders in a friendly way, guiding her out of the kitchen and down the hall.
"Can I sleep in your bed?" She asked with a child-like smile.
Harry's eyebrows arched once more, "I'm just joking with you 'Arry!" Gwen replied with a laugh, and went in to the spare bedroom.