Summary: When Ginny boarded the Hogwarts Express on the first of September, she was surprised to come face-to-face with the last person she expected to see back in school. He was still the same prat she remembered from years before, but now he has a much higher authority than ever before: he was this year's new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Ginny wished this was all a dream, but to her dismay she was stuck with him for an entire school year!
Disclaimer: Once again I don't want to go through all the mumbo-jumbo of having to write this out, so I'm saying this now: NOT MINE!!! I keep on forgetting to add this on to this one: MAIN HP CHARACTERS AREN'T MINE, those other names you don't recognize are mine as well as the plot, and also other stuff that you don't recognize, kapish?
Setting: Ginny's in her 7th year; Draco graduated the year before
PhoenixRae's Notes: to make up for the short chappie I posted earlier, well, here's a fairly long one, but let me warn you, I sorta got carried away with some drama here (although I doubt it), so let me know what you think, aight?
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XII. Damn Blasted Rumors!
Ginny had to run out of the castle just before dinner to get away from all the wondering eyes watching her. She knew almost every student in school were worried and wondering about her at the same time. Draco shouldn't have done what he did after he caught her Saturday during the match. If he wanted to kiss her so badly, why didn't he wait until they were somewhere more uh...private perhaps?
"God, what an idiot!" she exclaimed through clenched teeth, stomping angrily about near the pitch.
She was fuming mad, clenching and unclenching her fists as she walked back and forth, creating a hole on the very spot she was walking on. She needed to relax or she would explode. She heard a couple of second years whispering about her and Draco secretly meeting each other after hours for a quickie. As if! If she was getting some, it wasn't with Draco Malfoy! And she wasn't getting some, period! How dense could these people be?
"So what if he kissed me on the damn forehead? Maybe he was just relieved. Yes! He did say he was relieved that I was alright. If it had been Harry who caught me and planted a kiss on my forehead, would the entire school be talking about it? No! Of course not," she paused and thought about this for a while, "Hmm...maybe not since half of the school's population knew about my so-called big-arse crush on the blasted Boy Who Lived who has become nothing more than another annoying surrogate brother who couldn't stop nagging me at any given opportunity!"
"Talking to yourself, Weasley?"
Ginny jumped when she heard Draco spoke from behind her. She quickly stopped her pacing and whirled around to face the person responsible for the blasted rumors she had to deal with today.
"W-what are you doing here, Malfoy?" she managed to squeak out once her heart stopped racing.
Draco lifted an eyebrow and took a couple of small steps towards her, his hands clasped behind him and the front of his robe pulled tautly against his chest, spreading on to the broad expanse of his shoulder. God, why did he have to be so handsome? she thought as her eyes drank in the very sight of her Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.
"Making sure you're alright, Weasley," he answered with a casual shrug of his shoulders, "I saw you storm out of class red faced--and it wasn't from embarrassment because nobody embarrassed you in class. So I'm taking a wild stab here and say that it had something to do with what the students had been talking about, hm?" he lifted an eyebrow in query, his gray eyes holding Ginny's brown eyes.
"Very perceptive, Professor," she drawled out from under her breath, her eyes suddenly shooting daggers at him. How could he appear so cool and collected while all these kids in school were talking about them as if they were a couple traipsing around school in secret? Doesn't he give a hoot about what others might think about?
"Indeed?" he had the gall to looked slightly stunned, to Ginny's annoyance.
"You seem to be taking the rumors quite well, Professor, considering you were the one who fuelled it up in the first place!" she accused, finally losing her cool. She hated that he could act nonchalant about this whole thing while she was a walking, talking bag of nerves ready to explode any time now.
"Me?" now he had the gall to look slightly impressed.
Arrgh! Ginny wanted to pummel her balled fist right down his throat at the precise moment. He was making this difficult for her.
"Yes, you, Malfoy," she puffed out her chest and squared her shoulders, looked like she was in for some head-to-head battle with her professor. She took a few steps forward until she was standing at arm's length from him. "If you could've just kept your lips to yourself and never touched any part of me then none of this would've happened," she raised her arms in the air, gesturing as she continued her tirade, "None of the students would be doing some speculating. The blasted student and teacher would've remained nameless still if it hadn't been for that stupid stunt that you pulled!"
"Is that right?" his calm demeanor was starting to get on her nerves that anytime now Ginny would lunge at him and beat him to a pulp! After all, she did grew up with six rambunctious brother--plus a surrogate brother--who taught her how to handle her guys when they tend to get on her nerves.
"Arrgh!" she shrieked and turned her back to him, stomping away muttering under her breath. She stopped when she was a good five feet away and whirled back to glare at him, "Aren't you even the least bit ruffled by these rumors, huh, Malfoy?! I mean, come on! You're a teacher! Student-teacher relationships aren't allowed, unless of course we're siblings or family or...or like me and Hermione!"
"You and Hermione?" he raised an eyebrow maliciously at her, "Tell me, Weasley, exactly what kind of relationship do you have with Granger, hm?"
If looks could kill Draco Malfoy would be buried six feet under by now.
"How dare you imply that there's more to my relationship with Hermione than there is! She's the older sister I never had, you dimwitted blond git! Arrgh!" she turned her back to him once more and slowly counted one to ten. She never felt this violent before in her entire life! She wanted to commit murder and the first person on her hitlist was standing just a few feet away from her.
Draco tried as best as he could to conceal the bubbling mirth rising from within him. God, it was always a refresher to annoy a Weasley. He had to deal with how many students giving him leering looks all day, wondering if the rumors were true. Some even had the audacity to voice out their concerns while others merely studied him, especially during his last class for the day where Ginny was in. Half of his students hardly paid attention to what he was talking about in class; each of them--including his Slytherin students--were pretty much preoccupied with what was going on between him and Ginny, every one of his students except Derek Boones of course.
He watched the seventh year Slytherin blond throughout the entire Defense Against the Dark Arts period. The boy was shooting daggers at him for reasons he could not fathom. Derek couldn't possibly be jealous of him! His relationship with Ginny was already over, and after what he did Saturday during the game, Draco knew there was no way they would be rekindling their so-called relationship!
"Weasley--" he started, but he was brutally rebuffed by Ginny's angry, "Get lost!" but that didn't deter him from speaking his mind out. "Weasley, listen to me. I know what I did was wrong. I shouldn't have showed my emotion in front of the whole school like that, but like the other teachers--as well as your brothers, Potter, and Granger--I was only relieved that you didn't fall on the ground and probably broke your damn neck!"
Ginny turned around again to face him, her arms tightly wrapped around her waist. "But did you really have to kiss me on the forehead?" she questioned.
"It was instinct," he shrugged.
"Instinct?" she echoed.
"Yeah. You know, I mean, I'm sure one of your brothers would've done the same as soon as they have you tucked safely in their arms after what happened. Even your parents would've done the same thing too!"
"Yeah, they would've, but you?" she was having a hard time believing what she was hearing. This Draco Malfoy that stood before her was very unlike the old Draco Malfoy she knew from years before. Sure he could still be annoying as hell, but at the same time he was showing a different side to him that wasn't at all there before.
"What's wrong with that?"
"What's wrong?" Ginny let out a chuckle, "Malfoy, in case you have forgotten for a split second that you are not related to me either by blood or by family and that you're also a teacher here, you...just...don't do that sort of thing," she shrugged, at a loss for anymore words to say.
She raised her eyes and met his once again, holding his gaze and willing him--challenging him--to prove her wrong, to tell her that whether they were family or foe, a person was only human with real emotions that took over them sometimes when they least expected it.
Draco closed the distance between them, standing just a short distance away from her, their eyes still locked. The sun was already setting behind her, casting an orangey glow across the horizon and made Ginny's hair looked seemingly on fire. He reached out his hand and cupped her cheek, his thumb gently caressing her soft, silk-like skin.
"M-Malfoy--" she started to protest, but Draco raised his other hand and placed his index finger against the soft petals of her lips, silencing her.
"Shh...shh..." he shook his blond head no as it slowly made its descent down to capture her lips.
Ginny sucked in a deep breath as she anticipated the initial touch of their mouths. Dammit, this was wrong. This was all wrong and yet it felt so damn right it was sickening! First of all he was her teacher. Second of all he was a Malfoy. Third of all she was a Weasley. How twisted could their fates be for throwing them at each other together like this?
Draco gently touched his lips to hers, savouring the feel of its closeness without actually deepening the kiss. It was a feather-light kiss that sent tingles down Ginny's spine and went down lower until she felt it on her toes.
Oh God, what the hell am I doing?! her mind screamed in hysteria. She managed to command her arms to rise up and pressed against his chest. She pushed him away with all her might and averted her face.
"No," she said firmly and walked around him, giving them a much needed space that would sure serve them good. "No," she repeated the word again, shaking her head as she kept on walking, not stopping until she was certain the space she put between them was sufficient enough to keep him at bay.
"G--" Draco began to say, but Ginny stopped him from finishing a word by whirling around to face him, anger flashing in her now deep, dark brown eyes.
"I don't want to add more fuel to the fire, Draco Malfoy. If you kissed me and somebody saw us, it would only confirm their suspicion about us cavorting somewhere after class to do whatever we wanted to do with each other!"
Draco stood still, listening intently to what the petite redhead was telling him.
"I don't want to be the butt of any more rumors around here. I've had it being talked about, sneered about, ridiculed, and God knows what else they could think of doing to me! I tried to be strong, after what happened during my first year, every time I walk into class, sit down and listen to each professor drone on and on about their lesson, I kept my chin held high and looked down my nose at those who dared make fun of me. I know other students still talked about what happened, even after all these years there were still those who wanted to share every damn bit of information they wanted to find out about me. Sure I was often seen dogging after Harry, Ron, and Hermione or hanging out with one of their friends because I was scared of what kids from my year thought of me after what happened, but then I grew out of it," she paused and took a deep breath, holding the tears back from falling.
Draco watched her chin quiver. She was trying not to cry. She wouldn't shed a tear in front of him. Talking about what happened to her after that incident six years ago still hurt her, but she was strong and proud. She wanted to make a point and by hell or high water she would make her point without dissolving into tears like some sissy.
"Colin was the first to befriend. He was a really great guy. We hung out a lot and studied together. He helped me get over my insecurities over what others thought of me, and that was when I started to make friends and got a life. When I started to change, guys started noticing me, I got asked out on dates which I turned down either because Harry, Ron, or Hermione didn't approve of him or simply because I didn't like him. When I started turning down guys there was a rumor that I was gay. I just shrugged it off, of course, but deep down inside it hurts. Then Derek sought me out. I have to admit, I was bowled over by him. I don't know why, maybe it was him sweet-talking me, knowing all the right moves and shit like that, but he got me, hook, line, and sinker. I thought I found the right guy for me. I didn't care what my brothers said or what Harry and Hermione said. I thought I was in love and the guy I love loves me back," she chuckled, a mocking chuckle and she shook her head. "What an idiot I was. Derek doesn't love me, he only wanted to score with me, but when he couldn't he sought out somebody else who could give him what he wanted--a quick tumble between the sheets."
"Ginny--"
Ginny wasn't finished yet. She raised her hand to stop him from interrupting, "When I caught him necking with that chick, I swear I saw black and red. I embarrassed Derek in front of the girl as well as in front of my friends saying that he couldn't get his so-called 'equipment' to work properly that's why I didn't want to get it on with him. I dumped him on the spot and the girl dumped him on the spot as well, which didn't sit well with him, so he started a rumor about me again saying I slept around."
Draco heard about that. He couldn't believe it when he first heard Derek telling all his friends about him catching Ginny Weasley in the arms of some other guy inside some damn broom closet.
"He twisted the truth around," Draco drawled out, his teeth clenched tightly and his fists curled up in to a tight ball. "What an asshole."
"Ditto," Ginny nodded. "I have to live through all the taunting I got after Derek spread that rumor about me. I was happy when the school year was over and I was on my way back to the Burrow. I figured everyone would've forgotten about what Derek told them and I could go on attending school without people judging me, and it did. People stopped talking about what happened last year. Derek held a grudge against me for what I did and when he saw you and me in your classroom last Friday afternoon, he devised a plan to make my life a living hell once more."
"By starting the rumor about the nameless teacher fancying a nameless student."
"You got it. You see, nobody would've guessed who the teacher was and who the student was, but then you had to act all heroic and couldn't keep your damn lips to yourself. Now they have a face to the mystery couple and I have to live through another damn rumor, and I can't do that anymore, Malfoy. I'm sick and tired of pretending to be tough because I am not. Not really anyway," she admitted, biting on her lower lip to stop her lips from quaking. "I'm not strong enough to face another blast of fucking rumors to fight off, dammit!"
Draco didn't have to think twice of what he was doing. Ginny just opened up to me, admitting to him what she wasn't capable of doing. He hadn't realized until now how much she had been through since she started attending Hogwarts. He pulled Ginny into the circle of his arms, holding her protectively.
Ginny turned her face into his chest and let out the tears she had been trying to hold. She never opened up to anybody before. Nobody knew exactly what she went through every time a rumor about her was spreading, and she never told anyone about her feelings. She kept it locked up inside her thinking she would be able to hold it all in, but today it was the final straw.
Draco let her cry out the pain and frustration she felt. He gently ran his hand up and down her back, murmuring words of comfort and urging her to just cry it out.
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A/N: uhm...well, I dunno about this chapter! did I overdo it? did it even make sense? what do you think? I knew I had it all planned inside my head before I started typing it, but now...well, I think it sucked! oh well, I'll just make it up some other time! hehehehe, as always wanna hear/read what you think so please review, thanks!
HERMMES: yep, Hermione just have to walk on in them like that, hehehehe :::winks:::
*karly*: thanks, now here's a bit longer chappie to make up for the previous one, hehehe
kellyanne: it's okay, apology accepted. and yeah, it should be against the law to leave a chapter hanging like that, but look!!! you didn't have to wait too long for the next one, right?
Beccs: hmm...maybe it will, hehehe
SeZzA: hey, i sorta did make them kiss in this chappie, but...uhm...hehehe, well, no tongues involved yet *lol* and as for which story you should continue on first...you know what? go with whatever you have the inspiration for to do right now. that's what i do. i have two other fics that i left sitting there for like months now and couldn't damn continue with it and i worked on Mission which i finished in no time. i hope this helped. i really like both your fic, but if can't think of what to write for Beneath then move on to another one then come back to it once you've got the plot going again
Faltering Hues: yep...and...uh...I dunno exactly what this chapter established between their relationship...maybe a bit more of an understanding about Ginny for Draco's part?
sassw14: thank you sooo much! well, here's a bit longer chapter for you to read
