Candlelight flickered gently across the walls in the dark room as Ginny sat cross-legged in an oversized maroon armchair.
Candles sat scattered around a large coffee table in front of her. The walls of the large living room were covered in dozens of paintings of landscapes, but little could be seen of them through the thick darkness that was only slightly shredded by the candlelight.
An armchair sat across from where she sat, and in it was Hermione Granger.
"Tell me, Ginny...what is it that you want to tell me?"
Ginny looked up from the mug of hot chocolate steaming in her hands, her lips curving into a dangerous smile.
"I've found something that I never thought I'd find again." she said simply, staring into her best friend's concerned eyes.
Hermione paused for a moment, seemingly trying to read her friends expression.
"Have you met someone?" Hermione asked, shifted her weight in the comfortable armchair.
"Not exactly."
"Ginny? What is it...you've been acting strange all evening, what with the candles and the darkness...what's with all of this?"
"Do you remember Draco Malfoy, Hermione?"
"Of course I remember, how could I fo-...."Hermione paused yet again, her eyes widening in what was almost a look of terror. "Your not...!"
"I am."
"But...don't you remember what an asshole he was?"
"I'm glad you see it past tense as well Hermione. He is not cruel anymore...I've discovered his other side and Hermione...I think I might love him."
"No...no this is too strange...you can't love...Draco...I mean, I'm on your side completely as your friend, but Draco MALFOY? He has to be the biggest jerk on the planet and don't you remember how he was to you?" Hermione said, her face confused with disbelief.
"Your missing the point, he is a changed man now...that side of him is gone. I've changed him."
"You can't change that kind of evil...oh my god and you love him..."Hermione seemed extremely taken back. She seemed to be thinking as if it were impossible. She glanced up at her friend, who was sitting pompously in the chair across from her. "It's your decision, Ginny...I just hope, as your friend, that you have made the right one."
Ginny smiled at Hermione and set her mug down on the coffee table next to the dozens of candles on it's surface.
She stood up and walked over to her friend, wrapping her arms around her.
"Thank you for understanding, Hermione..." she said, her smile true and shining on her beautiful face. A tear fell down her cheek as she pulled away and sat on her knees in front of Hermione.
Hermione brought her hand down to Ginny's cheek, cupping it gently. "I have complete faith in you, Ginny. I know that whatever decision you make will be the best for you. Just don't let yourself get hurt."
With that, Hermione stood up and grabbed her jacket off a coat hanger, sliding it on and fixing the cuffs.
"Call me if you need me, I need to get home and see Harry, he's getting back from Romania today. Bye hun." Hermione smiled one last time at her friend, who was still crouched in front of the armchair, and turned towards the door, opening it and walking out.
At the soft click of the door shutting, Ginny rested her head against the edge of the armchair. Closing her eyes, she sat there for a moment, her thoughts drifting to Draco.
She could only hope that she was making a wise decision. On the other hand, how could ones heart be wrong?
~*~
Ginny hadn't heard from Draco since they had departed from the cemetery. She had run home and sent an owl to Hermione immediately, asking her to come down for her confession.
Since that was said and done, Ginny felt the urge to see him again. She could do nothing but hope that everything that was happening was real. Her mind kept screwing with her, causing her to think things that she shouldn't be thinking.
One thought prominent in her mind was: What if I'm wrong?
Trying not to think about what was right or wrong was something that was very hard for Ginny, but she was letting go of that for just today.
Slipping on her coat, Ginny glanced at herself in her bathroom mirror. I hope I don't look bad, she thought nervously.
She walked out into her living room, preparing herself for apparation. She concentrated hard on the Malfoy Manor, picturing right outside the huge iron gates.
A rush of air swept over her as she opened her eyes, seeing the iron gates in front of her. The sky was dark and cloudy, remnants of the storm still lingering behind.
The mansion looked dark and mysterious at the top of a large hill, dead grass surrounding it, adding to the already supernatural appearance.
Ginny shivered as a cold draft swept by her, causing her red hair to fly freely around her face. She opened the iron gates carefully, trying hard not to make any sound.
Stepping inside, she shut the gates again and began to walk up a long stairway to the front of the great manor. When she'd reached the top and was on the doorstep, heavy ran began to fall behind her.
Shivering again, she pressed eagerly on the doorbell.
Silence. She waited for a few minutes, then knocked forcefully on the door. "Hello?" she shouted, hoping to get someone's attention.
The door creaked open and a tiny house elf stood timidly on the other side of it.
"Hello, Miss...is you here to see Master Malfoy?"
"Yes, yes I am." Ginny said, smiling pleasantly at the small elf.
"Master Malfoy is in his office, Miss...Blinky will show you the way." The tiny house elf opened the door wider so Ginny could step inside, and then gently shut it behind her.
Blinky began to walk up the stairs, motioning for Ginny to follow. The house was enormous. The roofs high and the walls covered in paintings. Ginny walked delicately up the grand staircase that seemed to stretch upward for miles.
Blinky stopped at the second floor at a large door that stood shut right at the edge of the stairs.
"Master Malfoy is in here, Miss."
"Thank you." Ginny said politely, watching the house elf slink back down the stairs.
Turning towards the door, Ginny turned the knob quietly and pushed the door open, listening intently to the quiet creak it made. Stepping inside, Ginny shut the door behind her.
The room was dark except for a tiny strip of light coming from a large window that was almost completely covered in thick curtains. A desk could be seen near the window and a table and armchairs were in a nice arrangement in the center.
Ginny squinted in the room, her eyes adjusting to the darkness.
"I told you to leave me alone...dumb house elves," a deep hoarse voice said from somewhere near the window.
Ginny inched closer towards the speaker, noticing a dark silhouette of a man standing by the window. She stepped close to him, so close she could reach out and touch him.
She reached, but was caught before contact. "I told you to -" Draco said angrily, rage filling his voice as he whipped around and grabbed Ginny by the wrist, stopping when he realized it wasn't his house elf.
"Ginny.." he said softly, his grip hard on her wrist. Ginny froze, staring into his eyes, not moving or flinching.
Draco let go of her and let his arm fall to his side. "I'm sorry, I didn't know it was you." he said simply, glancing away from her to look out of the tiny slit in the curtains.
"I came to see you...thoughts of you were still fresh in my mind." Ginny said, inching closer to him, resting her hand on his shoulder. He winced at her touch, which caused her pain to see. "Why do you flinch when I touch you?"
"Because I am not used to being touched in a gentle fashion. I've grown used to beatings."
Ginny felt anxiety fill in her stomach at the thought of him being beaten. Poor boy...she thought, turning him to face her. His face was empty, his eyes deep steel holes that burrowed into her conscience.
"Will you look at me, Draco?" Ginny said, almost urgently, tugging his face to stare into hers. "I need you to be open with me, tell me the truth...tell me how you feel."
"What is it you want to know?"
"Where are we going?"
Draco paused, his mouth opening to say something but closing again quickly.
Ginny's heart fell. He doesn't want me...she thought solemnly. She felt her heart ripping in two at his silent demeanor. Her eyes were staring into his, slowly filling with tears that she couldn't hold back.
His eyes were empty, empty holes. Why is he like this? she thought. Why does he hold back...
Sobs threatened her so she cleared her throat, glancing down at the ground and then up at him again. "I understand." she said softly, stepping back from him.
She began to walk away, her head hung low and her head swimming with I told You's.
She felt a hand grab her's, pulling her forcefully back. She felt herself be turned around and fall into his embrace. "Don't leave...I'm sorry but I am not very good with words when they involve so much emotion." Draco said, his eyes swimming with a substance that Ginny couldn't understand.
She opened her mouth to speak, staring up into his eyes, feeling tears streak down her face. What was this confusion? Why was he doing this?
Draco moved in swiftly, crushing his mouth down on hers. Ginny pulled away immediately, looking up at him almost angrily.
"Answer me Draco, don't leave me in the dark! This isn't right, we can't just sit here and let emotions run wild when there's no sense to it!" Ginny tore out of his arms and glared ferociously at him.
Draco stood there, unmoving, his arms at his side and his heart in his throat. He needed this, oh how he needed her. But how could he say it? How could he tell her the truth...
"I can't be with you Virginia, though I can't tell you why so please do not ask."
"How can you say that? How can you say that after you said you wanted to discover what we were feeling?...How can you say that after I let you into my heart?" Tears were steadily falling from her eyes now as she stared pitifully at Draco, who stood tall and empty.
His mouth twitched slightly at her last words, and he felt pain throb through his entire body. He wanted her so badly, but he couldn't place her in the immense danger that she would be in if she came into his life.
"I can't protect you, Virginia, it will never work."
"Protect me from what? What is going on Draco? Stop hiding things from me, I have a right to know!"
"It is not your business."
Ginny lifted her hand and slapped him hard across the face, a sudden burst of anger wiping away her tears. Draco lifted a hand to touch his face where she had hit him, the spot where throbbing pain shut out the already present pain in the rest of his body.
"I'm so sorry...I don't know what came over me...oh dear..." Ginny muttered, slowly turning around, looking for anything for his face. She saw a bucket filled with ice that held a few wine glasses in it and walked over towards it, placing a few ice cubes in a white cloth that sat nearby.
She walked back to him and placed the cloth on his cheek, over the spot where she had hit him.
He stood motionless, not looking at her while she nursed the red mark on his cheek.
The pain from the slap shook him, but he couldn't help see the realization in it. Love was standing there, nursing him, mourning over him, and he was doing nothing but standing there feeling sorry for himself.
Maybe we can stop it together, he thought helplessly. Maybe we can prevent Voldemort's assassinations together.
He placed his hand over hers, taking it and the cloth away from his face slowly. He turned to face her, their faces just inches apart.
"Will you give me a second chance?" he said softly, placing his hand on her face.
"If you explain everything to me."
"Alright."
~*~