AN: Hey guys, I am sooo sorry it took me this long to get out the next
chapter. I kinda hit a writer's block near the end of the chapter.
Hopefully, this will be adequate. And I promise next chapter won't be such
a long wait!!
Ch. 2 The Truce
Hours later, Ginny woke in a cold sweat. She started to sit up, shivering uncontrollably, but was thoroughly surprised when she felt two strong hands push her back. She looked up frantically and saw two icy gray eyes staring back at her.
"You need to lay down, Virginia," Draco told her calmly.
She stopped resisting and lay still.
"How do you feel?" he asked.
"C-cold," she answered, her teeth chattering slightly.
She could see the tip of his wand light up as he whispered something.
Instant warmth flowed through her as she lay down. Draco returned to the chair next to her bed, watching as she turned over and sighed contentedly in her sleep.
The following morning, Ginny woke to sunshine pouring in through the infirmary windows. She shifted slightly, trying to block the sun from her eyes, but felt a sharp pain run through her. She sat up with a slight moan.
"What's wrong?" asked a voice from behind her.
She whipped around to face it. It was Draco Malfoy. She wondered for a slight moment what he was doing here, and why he even cared what was wrong. She finally just mumbled, "My wrist."
He grabbed a vial from her bedside table and held it to her mouth. She swallowed grudgingly.
"You know I could have held it myself," she muttered, indignantly.
He just shrugged.
Ginny held her wrist up to examine it and was shocked to realize that it had not been healed. It was wrapped in layers of gauze covered with a thick bandage.
"Why hasn't Madame Pomfrey healed my wrist?"
"Are you serious, Virginia? Healing drains a person's magic. Then, you sliced yourself open." He scowled at her, in the way that one might if a small child tried to parachute off the roof. "If Madame Pomfrey had used any magic on you, it would have put you into shock. You probably would have died. So instead your wrists are being healed the muggle way."
"What's the muggle way?"
"Hah, I don't think you really want to know the answer to that," Draco said grimacing slightly.
Ginny shrugged. Then, looked thoughtful for a moment.
"Hey, you called me Virginia."
"So?"
He started to walk away, but Ginny stopped him.
"So, why are you being nice to me?"
"I thought that would be obvious, even to you," he sneered slightly. There was a pause. "You saved my life." He drawled, looking at her strangely.
"That's my job, helping people."
"Yeah right, like you don't want anything in return. I'm not stupid."
"Could have fooled me," she said scathingly. Then after a few seconds, "I just can't believe you would think I would do something like that."
"I grew up in Slytherin house, remember. We trust no one."
She scowled.
"Don't take it so personally."
"You accuse me of saving your life for my own gain, and I'm 'not supposed to take it personally'," she mocked.
"Look, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that."
"It's okay."
There was an awkward pause, in which they both wondered if Ginny was sincere. Then, she stuck out her hand.
"Truce?"
Draco looked at her for a moment. Then, he nodded.
"Truce," he responded. They shook on it, and Draco couldn't help but notice how small Ginny's hand was within his.
"So, when do we get out of here?" Ginny exclaimed.
"I think Pomfrey said around lunch, which is only an hour away," he said, glancing at the clock on the wall.
"Excellent, I'm starving!"
The thought of little Ginny bolting food was laughable, but Draco managed to keep a straight face. After all, hiding emotions was almost second nature.
"Want to play some chess," he asked, breaking the silence.
"Sure," she said, slightly surprised. "You'll have to conjure it though. I don't have a wand."
Draco swished and flicked. "Accio Draco Malfoy's chess board."
Ginny raised an eyebrow.
"I prefer to use my own board."
"Either that or you can't conjure," Ginny said with a smirk.
"Nobody asked you, Weasel," he muttered.
"What happened to the truce?"
He rolled his eyes. "Are you gonna play me or not?"
The first game went on for almost half an hour, while they played cat and mouse. Draco was down to three pieces: the king, a pawn, and a knight. Ginny had been moving in and out of check with her queen, and it was obvious she would win. Draco was just prolonging his misery, and they both knew it.
A few minutes later, Ginny crowed out, "Check mate! I win! HA!"
"Well, what did you expect? The only people I ever practice on are Crabbe and Goyle."
Ginny grimaced. "Why do you hang out with them anyways? I mean there are tons of other Slytherins with more brains than both of them together!"
"It is expected of me. Death eater politics," he added without thinking.
Ginny mouthed wordlessly for a second. "S-so you ARE a death eater?"
Draco saw red. How could she even think that? The very girl who had healed the wounds caused by the death eaters. How could life be so unfair? For the first time in his life, he had done the right thing, and where had it gotten him? No where but onto Voldemort's hit list.
"Fuck you, Weasley," he said vehemently.
He stalked away.
Madame Pomfrey bustled over a few minutes later.
"You kids can go to lunch now, but I'd like both of you to check in with me tonight after dinner. Especially you Ginny. We'll need to give you some more antibiotics"
She nodded and followed Draco's retreating back to the great hall.
Most of the staff was already seated. So Draco and Ginny were forced to sit across from each other.
"Could you pass the potatoes?" Ginny asked timidly.
Draco scowled and slid it towards her.
The rest of the meal went the same. Ginny speaking as little as possible, and Draco not at all. No one seemed to notice except one pair of twinkling blue eyes at the head of the table.
Ginny was hurrying out of the great hall when a hand stopped her. She whirled around to face the Headmaster.
"Good afternoon, Ginny. Feeling any better?"
"Much better. Thank you."
"Excellent," he said smiling pleasantly. "Now, I believe you realize Mr. Malfoy will be staying with us over the summer, correct?"
Ginny nodded nervously.
"I was hoping you wouldn't mind his sharing your rooms?"
"Oh, umm, sure," she stammered.
"Oh, wonderful! Thank you for being so generous. I'll go inform Mr. Malfoy."
As Ginny watched Dumbledore's retreating back, her brain screamed at her to call him back and explain that she couldn't possibly share living quarters with Draco Malfoy. What had she gotten herself into this time?
She walked back towards her rooms feeling utterly stressed. She only got halfway down the hall before a voice called out to her.
She pivoted slowly.
Draco Malfoy.
She waited on him to catch up with her. Then, they began back down the hall in an uncomfortable silence.
"Listen, Draco. I don't know what happened to you, or why you were in the infirmary, but I know I shouldn't have said what I did. And I'm sorry."
"Yeah right. Even if I did tell you what happened, you probably wouldn't believe me."
"Why don't you try me?" Ginny asked quietly.
"Maybe I will, but not now."
A few moments later, they were standing at the entrance to their rooms.
"Well, aren't you going to go down?" Draco asked impatiently.
"Umm, well, I would, but I can't use my hand," Ginny said staring at the gaping hole.
Draco gave a deep sigh.
"Can't you just do it one handed?"
"No, the ladder sways. And I'm- uh- scared of heights."
Draco rolled his eyes.
"I guess I'll have to carry you, then."
"Are you sure you can lift me?"
Draco snorted, looking Ginny up and down. "Yeah, I think I can handle it."
Without another moment of hesitation, Draco bent and lifted Ginny in his arms, as if she weighed no more than a feather.
AN: Thanks to all the reviewers of chapter one!! Ya'll are great. Yeah, I know that was kind of a weird place to end it, but I got sick of writing lol.
Ch. 2 The Truce
Hours later, Ginny woke in a cold sweat. She started to sit up, shivering uncontrollably, but was thoroughly surprised when she felt two strong hands push her back. She looked up frantically and saw two icy gray eyes staring back at her.
"You need to lay down, Virginia," Draco told her calmly.
She stopped resisting and lay still.
"How do you feel?" he asked.
"C-cold," she answered, her teeth chattering slightly.
She could see the tip of his wand light up as he whispered something.
Instant warmth flowed through her as she lay down. Draco returned to the chair next to her bed, watching as she turned over and sighed contentedly in her sleep.
The following morning, Ginny woke to sunshine pouring in through the infirmary windows. She shifted slightly, trying to block the sun from her eyes, but felt a sharp pain run through her. She sat up with a slight moan.
"What's wrong?" asked a voice from behind her.
She whipped around to face it. It was Draco Malfoy. She wondered for a slight moment what he was doing here, and why he even cared what was wrong. She finally just mumbled, "My wrist."
He grabbed a vial from her bedside table and held it to her mouth. She swallowed grudgingly.
"You know I could have held it myself," she muttered, indignantly.
He just shrugged.
Ginny held her wrist up to examine it and was shocked to realize that it had not been healed. It was wrapped in layers of gauze covered with a thick bandage.
"Why hasn't Madame Pomfrey healed my wrist?"
"Are you serious, Virginia? Healing drains a person's magic. Then, you sliced yourself open." He scowled at her, in the way that one might if a small child tried to parachute off the roof. "If Madame Pomfrey had used any magic on you, it would have put you into shock. You probably would have died. So instead your wrists are being healed the muggle way."
"What's the muggle way?"
"Hah, I don't think you really want to know the answer to that," Draco said grimacing slightly.
Ginny shrugged. Then, looked thoughtful for a moment.
"Hey, you called me Virginia."
"So?"
He started to walk away, but Ginny stopped him.
"So, why are you being nice to me?"
"I thought that would be obvious, even to you," he sneered slightly. There was a pause. "You saved my life." He drawled, looking at her strangely.
"That's my job, helping people."
"Yeah right, like you don't want anything in return. I'm not stupid."
"Could have fooled me," she said scathingly. Then after a few seconds, "I just can't believe you would think I would do something like that."
"I grew up in Slytherin house, remember. We trust no one."
She scowled.
"Don't take it so personally."
"You accuse me of saving your life for my own gain, and I'm 'not supposed to take it personally'," she mocked.
"Look, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that."
"It's okay."
There was an awkward pause, in which they both wondered if Ginny was sincere. Then, she stuck out her hand.
"Truce?"
Draco looked at her for a moment. Then, he nodded.
"Truce," he responded. They shook on it, and Draco couldn't help but notice how small Ginny's hand was within his.
"So, when do we get out of here?" Ginny exclaimed.
"I think Pomfrey said around lunch, which is only an hour away," he said, glancing at the clock on the wall.
"Excellent, I'm starving!"
The thought of little Ginny bolting food was laughable, but Draco managed to keep a straight face. After all, hiding emotions was almost second nature.
"Want to play some chess," he asked, breaking the silence.
"Sure," she said, slightly surprised. "You'll have to conjure it though. I don't have a wand."
Draco swished and flicked. "Accio Draco Malfoy's chess board."
Ginny raised an eyebrow.
"I prefer to use my own board."
"Either that or you can't conjure," Ginny said with a smirk.
"Nobody asked you, Weasel," he muttered.
"What happened to the truce?"
He rolled his eyes. "Are you gonna play me or not?"
The first game went on for almost half an hour, while they played cat and mouse. Draco was down to three pieces: the king, a pawn, and a knight. Ginny had been moving in and out of check with her queen, and it was obvious she would win. Draco was just prolonging his misery, and they both knew it.
A few minutes later, Ginny crowed out, "Check mate! I win! HA!"
"Well, what did you expect? The only people I ever practice on are Crabbe and Goyle."
Ginny grimaced. "Why do you hang out with them anyways? I mean there are tons of other Slytherins with more brains than both of them together!"
"It is expected of me. Death eater politics," he added without thinking.
Ginny mouthed wordlessly for a second. "S-so you ARE a death eater?"
Draco saw red. How could she even think that? The very girl who had healed the wounds caused by the death eaters. How could life be so unfair? For the first time in his life, he had done the right thing, and where had it gotten him? No where but onto Voldemort's hit list.
"Fuck you, Weasley," he said vehemently.
He stalked away.
Madame Pomfrey bustled over a few minutes later.
"You kids can go to lunch now, but I'd like both of you to check in with me tonight after dinner. Especially you Ginny. We'll need to give you some more antibiotics"
She nodded and followed Draco's retreating back to the great hall.
Most of the staff was already seated. So Draco and Ginny were forced to sit across from each other.
"Could you pass the potatoes?" Ginny asked timidly.
Draco scowled and slid it towards her.
The rest of the meal went the same. Ginny speaking as little as possible, and Draco not at all. No one seemed to notice except one pair of twinkling blue eyes at the head of the table.
Ginny was hurrying out of the great hall when a hand stopped her. She whirled around to face the Headmaster.
"Good afternoon, Ginny. Feeling any better?"
"Much better. Thank you."
"Excellent," he said smiling pleasantly. "Now, I believe you realize Mr. Malfoy will be staying with us over the summer, correct?"
Ginny nodded nervously.
"I was hoping you wouldn't mind his sharing your rooms?"
"Oh, umm, sure," she stammered.
"Oh, wonderful! Thank you for being so generous. I'll go inform Mr. Malfoy."
As Ginny watched Dumbledore's retreating back, her brain screamed at her to call him back and explain that she couldn't possibly share living quarters with Draco Malfoy. What had she gotten herself into this time?
She walked back towards her rooms feeling utterly stressed. She only got halfway down the hall before a voice called out to her.
She pivoted slowly.
Draco Malfoy.
She waited on him to catch up with her. Then, they began back down the hall in an uncomfortable silence.
"Listen, Draco. I don't know what happened to you, or why you were in the infirmary, but I know I shouldn't have said what I did. And I'm sorry."
"Yeah right. Even if I did tell you what happened, you probably wouldn't believe me."
"Why don't you try me?" Ginny asked quietly.
"Maybe I will, but not now."
A few moments later, they were standing at the entrance to their rooms.
"Well, aren't you going to go down?" Draco asked impatiently.
"Umm, well, I would, but I can't use my hand," Ginny said staring at the gaping hole.
Draco gave a deep sigh.
"Can't you just do it one handed?"
"No, the ladder sways. And I'm- uh- scared of heights."
Draco rolled his eyes.
"I guess I'll have to carry you, then."
"Are you sure you can lift me?"
Draco snorted, looking Ginny up and down. "Yeah, I think I can handle it."
Without another moment of hesitation, Draco bent and lifted Ginny in his arms, as if she weighed no more than a feather.
AN: Thanks to all the reviewers of chapter one!! Ya'll are great. Yeah, I know that was kind of a weird place to end it, but I got sick of writing lol.
