Chapter Fourteen

"I know how they can return to their world." Hermione whispered across the table to Ron and Harry.

Both boys put their forks down and leaned in closer. Hermione looked down the table to where Draco was eating his breakfast. They had tried to be polite and speak with him but it seemed he had too many things on his mind at the moment. After satisfied that no one was listening, she began:

"Well, in order for them to have come into this world, they must have done something in the other world. I think they unconsciously acted upon magic."

"How can they do that?" Ron asked, scratching his head.

"Well, there is magic all around us, in the air…in everything! Witches and wizards are just able to harness it and Muggles can't. They must have touched upon the same magic at the same exact time for both of them to have entered our world. And I think that if they could just reverse the effects in this one, they will return."

Hermione sat back, finished with her news. She saw the utter confusion in the two boys' face and rolled her eyes. She couldn't explain anything to these two!

"We have to talk to Virginia and ask what she had done twenty four hours previous to entering this world, and then ask Drake the same thing. They both will have one thing in common and that's our answer!"

"But how are we going to ask Drake that without him suspecting something?" Harry asked.

Hermione looked down, "I don't know."

All three took a side glance at Draco. He was picking at his food, still deep in thought. He suddenly turned to face them and they all quickly looked at their plates or at the ceiling.

"I wonder what's wrong with those three?" Draco thought.

He had had enough of his breakfast and he stood to leave. He noticed that Ron, Harry and Hermione were watching him as he exited, but he didn't care. He went directly to his dorm room, which was thankfully empty, and sat on his bed. He rubbed his hands through his hair in frustration and let out a loud scream of anger. And that's when he noticed an envelope had dropped from his bed to the floor. Draco bent down to pick it up and opened it.

"Draco,

Everything went fine, thanks again for all your help. I've begged my…er…your parents to let me return to Hogwarts early, telling them I needed to do some research in the school library for an essay. I'll be coming this evening. I have something I need to talk to you about. Meet me by the lake at 9:00.

Ginny."

Draco involuntarily brought the parchment to his face, inhaling the perfume that Ginny always wore. Realizing what he was doing he crumpled the parchment in his fist and threw it across the room.

"Get me out of here!"

~*~*~

The winter night was cold and there were patches of snow on the ground from the last snowfall. The lake hadn't frozen over but it was metallic looking and reflected the few stars in the sky that dared to shone themselves. Draco was waiting in the same spot they had met the previous time, glancing at his watch, willing it to strike nine. He wrapped his cloak around him tighter, feeling his legs going numb by the minute.

The sound of footsteps falling on the snow and muddied ground attracted his attention. He looked up and saw a shadowy figure coming closer and he knew it was Ginny. She walked quickly, stepping around the mud puddles and careful not to slip on the slushy ice. She finally reached him and they both stood in silence for what seemed ages.

"Hello." Ginny said.

Ginny was wearing a fur lined cloak and the hood was over her head. A few red locks of hair came cascading down her shoulders. Her cheeks were pink, giving her a fairy princess look. Draco felt underdressed and wished he'd borrowed someone else's cloak.

Draco nodded his head in reply to Ginny's greeting. "There was something you needed to say?"

"Yeah," Ginny stopped.

"Well, were you going to tell me now or wait until I get frost bite?" Draco snapped.

Ginny took a deep breath. She needed to collect her thoughts and while she was she noticed the flimsy cloak Draco had over him. He was shivering slightly, but looked as if he were trying to calm his shivers in front of her. His hair was moist and hung lazily across his head, getting into his eyes. He looked so different from the Draco she had known the year before. His hair was messy, his clothes were rags and he was shivering. She had never seen him shiver before.

"You look cold." Ginny stated without thinking.

"No duh!"

"Come on," Ginny took Draco's hand in hers and she led him away from the lake towards the Quidditch pitch.

Draco wanted to protest, but walking caused warmth to stream through his veins and Ginny's hand on his own warmed his fingers. Ginny stopped in front of the broom shed and opened the door and led him inside. With a quick flick of her wand she had lit a small fire and she sat Draco down in front of it.

"Why don't we just go back to the castle?" Draco asked, holding his hands out towards the flames.

"I didn't want anyone interrupting us." Ginny sat down next to him and took the hood of her cloak off.

Draco couldn't help noticing the mass of red curls that hung limply on her back—it too was moist. He quickly took his eyes off of her and resumed his glare at the fire.

"Here it goes," Ginny started. "I had told Hermione about what happened, hoping she could help us. I know you think I shouldn't have, it's just I want to get out of here so desperately I just had too." Ginny stopped, waiting for Draco to begin yelling.

"You hate my life that much?" Draco said.

Ginny was startled by what he said. She had expected something completely different and was even ready for a quick defense, but his words made her think. Was Draco's life really that bad? Well, yeah, but she felt there was something else. Being rich was nice, for a while. She didn't have any other siblings to deal with which was a definite plus. Why was she in such a hurry to get back? This was like the dream vacation she had always wanted!

"Um," Ginny said, breaking the silence.

"Well…"

Draco was waiting impatiently. What was taking her so long? All she had to say was "Yes, Draco, I hate your life, it sucks and I never wanna go back to it again!" Sure, he'd be a little crushed, it was his life. It wasn't like Ginny's life was any better. All those stupid siblings, having to hang out with the famous trio, being known as the shy one. It was ridiculous…but was that the reason he didn't want to be here any more?

"It's not that I hate your life. I'm not fit for it, you know? I can't be prim and proper twenty four hours a day. I can't look down at other people and I like having friends and a family." Ginny paused. "It's just…new things are happening to me and I'm afraid and I think that if I was back in my own life I'd forget all about them." Ginny said the last part in a whisper, looking down at her hands.

"I feel the same way." Draco said, turning his gaze towards Ginny's.

Ginny looked up and smiled. She loved the way the fire danced in Draco's eyes. At that time she actually loved everything about Draco. The way his hair matted his head, the way his eyes were slanted in the corners, the way his lips parted ever so slightly. Ginny could feel her face blush at thinking these thoughts. She turned away and was prepared to get up when she felt herself being pulled back down.

"What—" Ginny began but as she turned to question Draco he moved in and gently kissed her lips.

The fire burning before them was nothing compared to the fire burning within them. Once Draco had his first taste of Ginny he didn't want anything else. Her lips were so soft and seemed to fit perfectly into his own. Ginny wasn't complaining with how his lips felt either. Draco scooted closer to Ginny and wrapped her in his arms, never letting his lips leave her skin.

Suddenly the fire died down low and they were engulfed in blackness. The only sound was the sudden gush of wind outside.

"Draco," Ginny whispered as he began moving his lips down her neck to her shoulder. "I don't think we should be doing this. We shouldn't be here."

"Stay…please." Draco whispered into her ear.

"Draco…I promised my mum I wouldn't…you know…until I was ready. I'm not ready."

Draco kissed Ginny gently on the forehead. "Ok." He could feel Ginny's body relax. "Can I just hold you then? Just tonight, here in the shed?"

"Yes."

Draco laid against a pile of sacks and Ginny laid next to him, wrapped in his arms, her head laying on his chest. The last thing she remembered before falling asleep was the rhythmic beating of his heart.