A/N: I know, you can give me 10 lashes for taking so long with this. I've been majorly side tracked by this other plot I've been pursuing, and then my original has been calling relentlessly to write. So yeah, I'm sorry, but this is kind of interesting, and I love Michelle Branch, so it's all gravy. For anyone who wants to know, this was 6 pages long typed. Thanks to the lovely reviewers: orangetoastypickles (haha, you're a mofo, my original is so much better!), Madame Rose, Luna Writer, Peaches, and X, whom always chooses to leave the name space blank.
Chapter XV- Goodbye To You
"tears form behind my eyes/but I do not cry/counting the days that pass me by/I've been searching deep down in my soul/words that I'm hearing are starting to get old/feels like I'm starting all over again/the last three years were just pretend/and I said/goodbye to you/goodbye to everything I thought I knew/you were the one I loved/the one thing that I tried to hold on to/I used to get lost in your eyes/and it seems that I can't live a day without you/closing my eyes and you chase my thoughts away/to a place where I am blinded by the light/but it's not right…./it hurts to want everything. And nothing at the same time/I want what's yours/and I want what's mine/I want you/ but I'm not giving in this time…"
Goodbye To You, Michelle Branch, The Spirit Room
Ginny sat on Draco's bed, her legs crossed, brushing her long flowing hair.
"We should get going." Draco replied, looking at his watch.
Ginny rolled her eyes at his watch. "One minute. I'm almost finished."
"Hurry. Are we to apperate, or floo?"
"I'd rather apperate with you. I don't want to get my new dress robes dirty if I happen to make a crash landing into our lounge." She laughed, throwing the brush on the bed, and picking up the box that contained her and Draco's dress robes.
"Here, I'll take that." He replied, taking it from Ginny's arms.
"Honestly! I can carry a box of clothes! I'm not a stick figure, I can pull my own weight. Anyways, knowing how much money you more than likely spent on that robe, the most I can do it carry it!" Ginny argued, taking the box back,
"Fine, take it! Come here, let's apperate." Draco replied, giving in and taking her hand. Ginny smiled, even though she was beside herself on the topic of Draco. Just seconds later, they 'popped!' into the Weasley lounge. It was empty, other then Mr. Weasley reading the 'Daily Prophet' in a chair by the kitchen door. He stood when he saw them. He embraced his daughter first, and Ginny planted a kiss on his cheek. Next he shook Draco's hand like he was an old family friend.
"So Ginny dear, have you heard from Hermione today?" Arthur asked, digging for information.
"No, I've been at Draco's all day. Besides, wasn't she supposed to be here all day today, helping Ron pack his things?"
"Yes, well she was. Until she found out." He said seriously.
"He didn't tell her! I can't believe it! One thing is that he did it in the first place, but that was being a really huge git for not telling her the truth!" Ginny replied putting her hands on her hips.
"Umm, am I supposed to know what's going on here?" Draco asked confused.
"Ron made a promise not to have any serious relationships with other women while he was in America. But, he went off and well, broke his promise to Hermione, who just found out today. I'm not sure how she figured it out though, Hermione's sharp as a tack, I don't know how she didn't realize before," Mr. Weasley said, rubbing the back of his neck.
"So I guess Ron's not talking." Ginny replied.
"Yep. He's been up in his room all day. He refuses to eat anything, and Molly made Shepard's pie for lunch and he wouldn't come down. He won't talk to any of his brothers. I was hoping, Ginny, that you could get him to open up and talk about it. He can't go off to work like this; an emotional train wreak he is!" He said, gesturing up the stairs.
"I'll go talk to him. Don't worry, I'll find out what's going on." Ginny replied and jogged up the stairs. Mr. Weasley nodded to Draco before heading into the kitchen where sounds of banging pots and pans could be heard.
"You know, I am supposed to be at the Burrow right now?" Hermione said putting another bite of rice into her mouth.
"Yeah, so I am. Ron's going to be mad at me. But hey, I think you need me right now more than he does so it's justified." Harry replied, slurping a noodle from his chopstick.
"It's his fault in the first place. Maybe if her was honest with me from the get go, I would have been more likely to forgive him. But there is not forgiveness this time. I refuse to get my heart broken for the…I don't know…third time by that man. It feels like I'm starting over again, that the past three years were just fake, pretend in a way. That's how long I've been with Ron, Harry. It's so long, and I can't believe I didn't walk away before. I used to get lost in his eyes, like I could just forget everything I was doing. All of my research, all my stress, everything would just melt away. I was blinded by the light, but it's not right." Hermione replied, setting down her set of chopsticks and folded her hands in her lap. Her eyes look dazed, and had a cloud of haze over them.
"Do you want him back, Hermione?" Harry asked.
"Part of me wants to go over to the Burrow right now and just kiss him until I die, and then live happily ever after. But then, a bigger part, a more sensible part, tells me to stay away for a while, that Ron isn't the man for me, and never will be. Our relationship was just jaded from the beginning. We are too stubborn, we butt heads all the time. We can never agree…can you imagine us married? It would be one fight after another! It's an odd feeling I have about this. It's like I want everything that Ron has, but I can't have it because, it would mean being with him, as a girlfriend, and I don't want that. I want him, but not all this shit." Hermione said, looking up at Harry, who was paying rapt attention.
"To me, it sounds like you just want to be friends, like we were in school." Harry said simply.
"Exactly! That's exactly it. I don't want to rid myself of Ron, because Ron's a part of me, like he's a part of you, and all his siblings, and even Malfoy. I grew up with Ron, and you just don't forget and leave a friend like that. What I am afraid of, is that he will always want more."
"I think you both need to be away from each other for a while. I'm sure the four months between now and Christmas Holidays will be fine. You can concentrate on you research, and Ron can concentrate on teaching, and you guys can forget each other for a while. Hopefully, you will be out having fun!" Harry said, laughing at the end.
"Harry, you know I don't drink." Hermione said.
"Oh really, you don't drink do you? Do you remember you 18th birthday? It was on a Hogsmeade weekend, and you got so drunk, you went right up Snape and planted this sloppy kiss on him? You should have seen his face! I was the most hilarious thing in the world! Even McGonnagal was laughing!"
"That is exactly why I don't drink anymore. I don't want to make a fool of myself, and I hated the fact that the next morning I couldn't get out of bed my head hurt so badly, Madame Pompfrey had to come to Gryffindor tower to give me some blue potion. I puked at least twenty times that day. It also didn't help that you and Ron laughed like hyenas behind my back!"
"So what we laughed a bit. It was funny, you only had one pint, and you were drunk off your arse. You do not hold alcohol well. Bu we were there to hold back your hair while you puked into the po by your bed…" Harry trailed off a smile playing at his lips.
"That was probably the worst I have ever looked in my entire life, other than when I came out of my mother!" Hermione laughed for the first time that night.
"See I knew that would cheer you up." Harry smiled at her.
"Yeah, it did." Hermione said, smiling at him from across the table, and continued eating.
"So Draco, have you taken my little sister's innocence yet?" Fred asked Draco when he, along with his twin apperated into the lounge.
"Come now Fred, we all know Ginny has no innocence anymore, even before she met Malfoy!" George laughed. Draco blushed lightly. Her brothers were discussing their sex life!
"Of course, of course, but tell us Draco, have you two shagged?" Fred questioned, wiggling his eyebrows at him.
"Don't think Ginny would like me to divulge that information." Draco replied, keeping a straight face, even though he knew that they shag like rabbits.
"Good answer, mate!" George replied, slapping him on the back. Draco inwardly let out a sigh of relief. He knew however, that the twins were the easiest of all of the brothers to win over. The continued into the house further, their mother squealing with delight to see them. He could hear Fred protesting "Mum, let go a little! I can't breathe!"
He was distracted however from their conversation, when a person came sliding into lounge from the fireplace, followed by another. The first person stood up quickly, and turned to the other, helping them up from the floor. They turned around, brushing off their cloaks. He recognized the pair as Percy and his wife Penelope. Percy's eyebrows shot up when he saw Draco standing idly in the lounge.
"Oh hello there, Draco! Didn't see you standing there. Where's Ginny?" He asked, looking around the room.
"Talking with Ron." He said, gesturing up the stairs.
"Oh, yes, quite unfortunate isn't it? And right before he is leaving for Hogwarts, what a shame. I wonder if Ginny is getting though to him? Dad owled me and told me how distraught he was, he wouldn't even talk to Bill or Charlie. Oh, sorry Draco, I didn't introduce you to my wife! Penny, this is Draco Malfoy, he's Ginny boyfriend." Percy said smiling.
Penny steeped forward and shook Draco's hand "Nice to meet you."
"Nice to see you again Draco, if you will excuse us…" Percy trailed off.
"Oh yes, or course." Draco replied knowing he wanted to go see his mother and father. Draco was alone in the lounge when he surprisingly saw Ron coming down the stairs, Ginny behind him, smiling proudly at himself. Draco walked to the stair to meet them.
"Hey mate." Draco said simply, clapping Ron on the back.
"I am not your 'mate' Draco. Harry is my 'mate' but I can assume his isn't here, and with Hermione." He replied darkly. Ron looked a mess. His hair was sticking out at all angles like he had ran his hands though it at least a million times. His face looked rather pale, and his tee shirt and jeans were rumpled looking.
"Ron, be nice. I'm sure Harry wants to be here, but is busy."
"Yeah, getting busy with my girlfriend!" He scoffed.
Ginny visibly rolled her eyes and continued into the kitchen, Draco following. Molly was busying stirring some kind of vegetable in a pot. Ginny cleared her throat to get her attention. She looked over, and he face erupted with a large smile when she saw Ron's sullen face looking down at the tile.
"Ron! I'm so glad you decided to join us, after all, this dinner is for you!" She exclaimed, throwing her arms around him.
"Mum, please? Can we just get this over with so I can go?"
"You are not going anywhere young man! You are staying here tonight, I will not let you go out to the pub!" Molly said, pointing at him with a wooden spoon.
"No I don't want to go out the pub, I want to beat the living shit out of Harry Potter!" He yelled.
"Ronald stop it! This is not Harry's fault, it's yours and you know it; don't go blaming it on Harry." Molly said turning back to the stove.
"No, it's not but it is his fault that he isn't here with me, but out with Hermione." He said, and walked past them all to the back yard, where a large table was set up. Molly sighed deeply.
"Oh Mum, I don't know what to do about it. He's going to have to suck it up and just deal with it. And what is this deal about Harry? I mean, he has just as much right to be out with Hermione, she needs him right now too!" Ginny replied, putting her hands on her hips.
"He thinks Harry should be here with him because he thinks that Harry is trying to steal Hermione out from under his nose. He still thinks Hermione is his girlfriend, which she clearly isn't…" Mrs. Weasley replied, trailing off.
Ginny just sighed and rubbed her temples.
Hermione laughed as Harry walked her to the door steep.
"Thanks for taking me out tonight Harry. I know you could have been with Ron, but you chose to be with me, and I really appreciate it." Hermione smiled at him, getting out her keys.
"No problem, Mione; just being a friend." Harry said, waving off her thank you.
"Oh Harry, I really feel bad about Ron, but I don't know, I'll have to do some thinking." She said, and gave him a hug. Harry embraced her tight, smelling her shampoo.
"I want to kiss her so bad right now." He thought. "Hermione, don't worry, I know you'll make the right decision, what ever you decide to do." He replied, releasing her.
"So, yeah, I'll see you later." Hermione replied, turning to unlock her door.
"Mione, wait…I don't think you should stay the night here by yourself." Harry said hurriedly.
Hermione giggled. "Harry, I'll be fine really. Ginny is always at Draco's house anymore. I bet she'll move in soon. I'm always here at night by myself."
"Not it's not that, it's that I'm worried about Ron coming over, dunk or worse…" He trailed off, rubbing the back of his neck.
Hermione slumped her shoulders. "I guess you're right. Come in real quick, while I get some clothes." She replied, quickly opening the door, and stepping in, Harry following and shutting the door behind him.
After dinner, Ginny quickly went up to her room to change her clothes and do her hair into a simple French Twist. She put on a little bit of Muggle make-up, painting her lips a pink shade, and curling her eyelashes slightly with mascara. She came down the steps as quickly as her heels and long skirt would allow. As she approached the last landing, she head wolf whistles and woops coming from her brothers as she came in view down the steeps. Ginny rolled her eyes as she walked into the room.
"Ginny, dressed to kill!" Bill shouted.
"Strut your stuff girl!" George called.
"Walking the catwalk! Model it for us Gin!" Charlie yelled.
She did her best imitation of a run way model, putting on a pouty face and swinging her hips dramatically.
"Ginny I think you missed your calling." Fred said.
Ginny laughed and stood next to Draco, "You are a sight for sore eyes. Don't stay out too late now." Mr. Weasley said, kissing his daughter's cheek.
"Thanks Mr. Weasley." Draco replied, and offered Ginny his arm, which she gladly took. They waved goodbye as they apperated from the small, shabby house to lobby of a richly furnished wizard hotel. Everything was either made of sliver, gold or fine marble, which made Ginny automatically feel nervous. Draco sensed her mood,
"What are you nervous about? You look stunning. We won't stay long, just long enough for me to say I was here, and then we can just apperate back to the flat and call it a night." Draco told her as they walked down the long corridor to the grand ball room, where a squirmy man in a tail coat greeted them and asked for Draco's name. He checked his list and let them in, where immediately people began descending on Draco.
"Malfoy, I see you've made it. Who is this exquisite woman on your arm?" A plumb man in a strict tuxedo said.
"Hello Mr. Moffatt, this is Virginia Weasley, my girlfriend." Draco replied shaking the man's hand and presenting Ginny.
"You are quite a lovely specimen, Miss Weasley." The man replied silkily, kissing her hand. Ginny smiled politely, and quickly took her hand away from his hold.
"I am much more than a specimen, Mr. Moffatt." Ginny said, her voice somewhat sharp.
"It was nice to see you again, Mr. Moffatt." Draco replied, steering Ginny away from the man.
"Ginny! You can't say things like that here. People here think they can do whatever they want, and if you lock horns with them, you'll loose in a major way!" Draco whisper to her, and before Ginny could say something back, another group of men began to crowd them. Ginny shook so many hands, and the names flew in her head at the speed of light. Morton, Robertson, Phillips, Scythe, Shaffer, Stoovers, every name under the sun Ginny heard. In an attempt to ground her spinning head, she excused herself to the water closet. She splashed cool water on her face, and then reapplied her make-up quickly, then exited to find Draco once more in the mass of tipsy executives and aristocrats. Ginny was walking along the far wall of the large room, looking for a flash of platinum hair. Her search was sidetracked by a large man block her way suddenly when she turned around.
"Why isn't it the little girl with Draco Malfoy. You are quite a piece of beauty." He replied, giving her a smile that was full of crooked teeth.
"I am very sorry Mr. Moffatt, but I must find my boyfriend. I am afraid I am feeling rather ill, and I need to be going home." Ginny forced her voice into a civil tone.
"Oh, no, no, Miss Virginia, you will not get away that easily." He replied, clasping her arm, pulling her body towards him. "Such soft skin, so innocent…" He trailed off. Ginny felt his hand travel south, grapping his bottom. She gasped, and slapped the man hard on his cheek. His reflexes slow, due to the alcohol, Ginny managed to slip away, quickly, jogging to the middle of the room. He wouldn't dare try it again in the middle of the crowd. She felt a pair of arms snake around her waist, which made her jump, and force them off. She turned around swiftly to find Draco stand in front of her, looking hurt. She heaved a great sigh of relief and threw her arms around him, feeling safe.
"Ginny, what's the matter? Is there something wrong?" She asked her, worried.
"It was that horrid man, Mr. Moffatt. I was coming out of the lavatory, looking for you, and her cornered me. He pulled me towards him, and grabbed my ass, oh Draco it was horrible! I want to leave, I can't stand the thought of being in the same room as him." Ginny replied, feeling sick to her stomach.
"It's okay Ginny, I was just looking for you so we could go. Let's just apperate…" He replied, pulling out his wand in a hurry and said the spell, causing them to appear in the lounge of Draco's apartment, when Ginny opened her eyes again. Draco hugged her close to his body, as Ginny began to cry. He comforted her while she drained her eyes.