Chapter 22
Disclaimer: Nothing but the plot, Payton and Chloe belong to me! Everything is J.K.'s!
A/N: Thanks for all of the very lovely reviews! Here is chapter 21! And don't worry it's not the end!
Enjoy!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Draco picked up the letter and stared in shock at the letter before him once more. Dead? Dies in the line of duty no doubt but still he was dead.
Draco was unsure whether this was the best news he'd heard all day or the worst news. On one hand, he was his father and he had made sure that Draco was "safe" and he had given Draco his education. But on the other hand, the man was pure evil. He killed people almost daily, followed the orders of some old madman to take over the world, and he had on occasion beat Narcissa.
It was one in the morning and he was completely confused. He only knew of one person in the world he could wake up at one o' clock in the morning to talk to.
Draco picked up his black cloak and headed off toward the ever-familiar hospital wing.
*~*~*~*~*
Ginny lay awake in her small little hospital cot thing, and thought about her day so far. She was sort of surprised that Draco wanted to be her friend again or still. But she would take what she could get. For now anyways.
She was just about to drift off to sleep when she heard someone approaching the room. Ginny snuggled down further into her covers and closed her eyes tightly. She didn't know who would possibly be coming to see her at one in the morning. And she wasn't sure she wanted to know.
When she heard the person enter the room she opened an eye slightly and was able to make out that it was a man. He was a lot bigger than Colin in height and brawn.
Ginny inwardly groaned and thought to herself,
"Not again."
~*~*~*~*~*~*
At first glance, it appeared as though Ginny was fast asleep but Draco then noticed how tightly she had her eyes closed and knew that she was just pretending.
"Ginny?" He asked quietly.
The redhead opened her large brown eyes and looked in his direction.
"Draco? What are you doing here?" She asked him, sitting up in her bed.
"I got some - uh - news from my mum by owl just now." Draco said, taking a seat next to her on her bed, not daring to face her.
"What is it?" She asked him, eyes full of concern and dread.
"My father - he died in the war."
Ginny stared at him, not knowing how to react. The memories flooded back of her first year at school and how Lucius Malfoy had set her up for deceit and death. Just because she had seen this side of him didn't mean that he was a horrible father, perhaps Draco hadn't learned the same principles as Lucius had. Ginny hadn't the faintest idea whether Draco was happy or sad or what. Finally, she spoke.
"Oh, Draco, I'm so sorry." She whispered hugging him from around his back. Draco reached up to pat her arms that encircled his chest and he let his hands linger on her warm skin. He could feel every breath she took and he felt her rest her cheek on his head. Her breath lightly tousled his loose hair.
"No biggie." He said, feeling thunderstruck.
"Sure it is." She said softly, still embracing him. She loved his touch and she loved how it made her skin tingle when he put his hands on top of hers. She loved to breathe in the scent of his cologne and shampoo.
"Nah."
"I could see in your eyes when you first sat down that you were disappointed." She told him.
That was the word Draco had been searching for. Disappointed. He knew she would know the right word to describe how he was feeling. He wasn't sad or happy or any of that stuff, just disappointed.
"I guess I am disappointed." Draco agreed. "But nothing more than that."
"Whatever you say, Draco." Ginny said, pulling away from him. The rush of energy stopped flowing and the warmth was gone. She situated herself sitting next to him on the edge of the bed with her feet hanging over the side but not touching the floor. She needed to feel it again. She grasped his hand.
"If you ever need to talk, you know where to find me! I won't be leaving here until I'm entirely stable and after that I'll be back to the good old monotonous life I used to have." She said remembering the Pre-Colin, Pre- Draco, Pre-complicated version of her life. Sure she missed it but she liked where she was now, with Draco.
"Ah, yes, the wonders of monotony. Amazing how much you despise it until your life takes a wild turn and you miss having 'just another okay day'." Draco mused, enjoying her hand in his. Almost like old times. That scared him; it was because of the old times that Ginny had gotten hurt, they couldn't risk it, so he pulled his hand away.
"Well, listen, I'm really glad you came to me about your father and I really am very sorry." Ginny said getting back to the reason why Draco had come to her bedside that morning. She hated that he had to pull away from her like that; he just needed to stop complicating things so much.
"Thanks, Gin. I knew you wouldn't mind my barging in here in the wee hours of the morning." He winked.
"Nah!" Ginny smiled.
"Well, then, I'll see you tomorrow I guess." Draco said reluctantly standing up.
There was a short and awkward silence before Ginny spoke up.
"Draco?" She asked sweetly.
"Hm?" He questioned, looking into her large brown orbs.
"Will you sing me to sleep?" She asked him.
"Gin! You can't make me do that! I'm horrible!" Draco whined.
"Oh yeah, Draco, you're so horrible that they kept you in this contest up until now just because they love how much your voice resembles a sick cow in labor." She agreed sarcastically.
"Probably." Draco mumbled spitefully.
"Please Draco? Please sing to me." She asked once more.
"Fine, fine. What do you want to hear?" He gave in.
"Something pretty." Draco made a face at the thought of singing something 'pretty'. "Something romantic." She corrected herself, laughing at Draco's disgusted face.
"I think I know just the right one." Draco said. "I think you'll find it funny though, not romantic or soothing, but more entertaining. Is that okay with you?" He asked.
"I guess." Ginny pretended to pout.
"Here goes nothing then!" Draco breathed in deeply and dramatically. "She doesn't own a dress, her hair is always a mess. If you catch her stealin, she won't confess. She's beautiful." He sand, looking into Ginny's eyes. She giggled softly, looking up at him and urging him to go on.
"Smokes a pack a day . . . She never compromises, loves babies and surprises. Wears high-heels when she exercises, ain't that beautiful?" He sang melodiously.
Ginny shuddered slightly at the thought of exercising in high heels.
"Meet Virginia." Draco sang out.
"Hey!" Ginny exclaimed playfully punching him in the arm.
"Fine, fine!" He said, smiling at seeing Ginny laugh her gorgeous laugh.
He told Ginny to snuggle back down into the covers and he sang to her, "That's when I'll stop loving you," softly.
Draco stole a look at Ginny's peaceful face and realized just how grateful he was that she was safe. He knew that if she had died he couldn't have lived with himself.
Draco got up to leave, feeling a lot more confident and comforted about his father. He was almost to the door when a small delicate voice stopped him.
"Why'd you do it?"
"Do you ever actually sleep or do you just like to pretend at night?" Draco chuckled.
"I'll sleep just not right now." She said.
"Why'd I do what?" He inquired.
"Save me after what I did to you?"
"I knew you wouldn't just dump me for another guy. I mean, who could top me?" He said teasingly, sounding very arrogant.
"Oh come off it you pompous prat and tell me why you really did it, not the little alibi you made up for everyone else." She said, turning serious.
"Well, since I really did know that there was something wrong I came. But that's not the reason I stayed." He began. He wasn't going to tell her that he was still in love with her yet, so he gave her another (true) reason. "You reminded me of my mum. My dad used to abuse her as well and I'm so defenseless against him. You had it worse that Mum though. I knew I could do something for you, so I did." He explained.
"Oh." Ginny said. "Night then."
"Night."
"Draco?"
"Yeah?"
"Thanks."
"Any day."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Disclaimer: Nothing but the plot, Payton and Chloe belong to me! Everything is J.K.'s!
A/N: Thanks for all of the very lovely reviews! Here is chapter 21! And don't worry it's not the end!
Enjoy!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Draco picked up the letter and stared in shock at the letter before him once more. Dead? Dies in the line of duty no doubt but still he was dead.
Draco was unsure whether this was the best news he'd heard all day or the worst news. On one hand, he was his father and he had made sure that Draco was "safe" and he had given Draco his education. But on the other hand, the man was pure evil. He killed people almost daily, followed the orders of some old madman to take over the world, and he had on occasion beat Narcissa.
It was one in the morning and he was completely confused. He only knew of one person in the world he could wake up at one o' clock in the morning to talk to.
Draco picked up his black cloak and headed off toward the ever-familiar hospital wing.
*~*~*~*~*
Ginny lay awake in her small little hospital cot thing, and thought about her day so far. She was sort of surprised that Draco wanted to be her friend again or still. But she would take what she could get. For now anyways.
She was just about to drift off to sleep when she heard someone approaching the room. Ginny snuggled down further into her covers and closed her eyes tightly. She didn't know who would possibly be coming to see her at one in the morning. And she wasn't sure she wanted to know.
When she heard the person enter the room she opened an eye slightly and was able to make out that it was a man. He was a lot bigger than Colin in height and brawn.
Ginny inwardly groaned and thought to herself,
"Not again."
~*~*~*~*~*~*
At first glance, it appeared as though Ginny was fast asleep but Draco then noticed how tightly she had her eyes closed and knew that she was just pretending.
"Ginny?" He asked quietly.
The redhead opened her large brown eyes and looked in his direction.
"Draco? What are you doing here?" She asked him, sitting up in her bed.
"I got some - uh - news from my mum by owl just now." Draco said, taking a seat next to her on her bed, not daring to face her.
"What is it?" She asked him, eyes full of concern and dread.
"My father - he died in the war."
Ginny stared at him, not knowing how to react. The memories flooded back of her first year at school and how Lucius Malfoy had set her up for deceit and death. Just because she had seen this side of him didn't mean that he was a horrible father, perhaps Draco hadn't learned the same principles as Lucius had. Ginny hadn't the faintest idea whether Draco was happy or sad or what. Finally, she spoke.
"Oh, Draco, I'm so sorry." She whispered hugging him from around his back. Draco reached up to pat her arms that encircled his chest and he let his hands linger on her warm skin. He could feel every breath she took and he felt her rest her cheek on his head. Her breath lightly tousled his loose hair.
"No biggie." He said, feeling thunderstruck.
"Sure it is." She said softly, still embracing him. She loved his touch and she loved how it made her skin tingle when he put his hands on top of hers. She loved to breathe in the scent of his cologne and shampoo.
"Nah."
"I could see in your eyes when you first sat down that you were disappointed." She told him.
That was the word Draco had been searching for. Disappointed. He knew she would know the right word to describe how he was feeling. He wasn't sad or happy or any of that stuff, just disappointed.
"I guess I am disappointed." Draco agreed. "But nothing more than that."
"Whatever you say, Draco." Ginny said, pulling away from him. The rush of energy stopped flowing and the warmth was gone. She situated herself sitting next to him on the edge of the bed with her feet hanging over the side but not touching the floor. She needed to feel it again. She grasped his hand.
"If you ever need to talk, you know where to find me! I won't be leaving here until I'm entirely stable and after that I'll be back to the good old monotonous life I used to have." She said remembering the Pre-Colin, Pre- Draco, Pre-complicated version of her life. Sure she missed it but she liked where she was now, with Draco.
"Ah, yes, the wonders of monotony. Amazing how much you despise it until your life takes a wild turn and you miss having 'just another okay day'." Draco mused, enjoying her hand in his. Almost like old times. That scared him; it was because of the old times that Ginny had gotten hurt, they couldn't risk it, so he pulled his hand away.
"Well, listen, I'm really glad you came to me about your father and I really am very sorry." Ginny said getting back to the reason why Draco had come to her bedside that morning. She hated that he had to pull away from her like that; he just needed to stop complicating things so much.
"Thanks, Gin. I knew you wouldn't mind my barging in here in the wee hours of the morning." He winked.
"Nah!" Ginny smiled.
"Well, then, I'll see you tomorrow I guess." Draco said reluctantly standing up.
There was a short and awkward silence before Ginny spoke up.
"Draco?" She asked sweetly.
"Hm?" He questioned, looking into her large brown orbs.
"Will you sing me to sleep?" She asked him.
"Gin! You can't make me do that! I'm horrible!" Draco whined.
"Oh yeah, Draco, you're so horrible that they kept you in this contest up until now just because they love how much your voice resembles a sick cow in labor." She agreed sarcastically.
"Probably." Draco mumbled spitefully.
"Please Draco? Please sing to me." She asked once more.
"Fine, fine. What do you want to hear?" He gave in.
"Something pretty." Draco made a face at the thought of singing something 'pretty'. "Something romantic." She corrected herself, laughing at Draco's disgusted face.
"I think I know just the right one." Draco said. "I think you'll find it funny though, not romantic or soothing, but more entertaining. Is that okay with you?" He asked.
"I guess." Ginny pretended to pout.
"Here goes nothing then!" Draco breathed in deeply and dramatically. "She doesn't own a dress, her hair is always a mess. If you catch her stealin, she won't confess. She's beautiful." He sand, looking into Ginny's eyes. She giggled softly, looking up at him and urging him to go on.
"Smokes a pack a day . . . She never compromises, loves babies and surprises. Wears high-heels when she exercises, ain't that beautiful?" He sang melodiously.
Ginny shuddered slightly at the thought of exercising in high heels.
"Meet Virginia." Draco sang out.
"Hey!" Ginny exclaimed playfully punching him in the arm.
"Fine, fine!" He said, smiling at seeing Ginny laugh her gorgeous laugh.
He told Ginny to snuggle back down into the covers and he sang to her, "That's when I'll stop loving you," softly.
Draco stole a look at Ginny's peaceful face and realized just how grateful he was that she was safe. He knew that if she had died he couldn't have lived with himself.
Draco got up to leave, feeling a lot more confident and comforted about his father. He was almost to the door when a small delicate voice stopped him.
"Why'd you do it?"
"Do you ever actually sleep or do you just like to pretend at night?" Draco chuckled.
"I'll sleep just not right now." She said.
"Why'd I do what?" He inquired.
"Save me after what I did to you?"
"I knew you wouldn't just dump me for another guy. I mean, who could top me?" He said teasingly, sounding very arrogant.
"Oh come off it you pompous prat and tell me why you really did it, not the little alibi you made up for everyone else." She said, turning serious.
"Well, since I really did know that there was something wrong I came. But that's not the reason I stayed." He began. He wasn't going to tell her that he was still in love with her yet, so he gave her another (true) reason. "You reminded me of my mum. My dad used to abuse her as well and I'm so defenseless against him. You had it worse that Mum though. I knew I could do something for you, so I did." He explained.
"Oh." Ginny said. "Night then."
"Night."
"Draco?"
"Yeah?"
"Thanks."
"Any day."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
