caress

i don't know who's side i am taking/

but i am not taking things too well/

i can see inside your aching

but it's still too early for me to tell/

i try to help you out/

through the hardest times/

sometimes your heart

is in your throat/

and i am speaking my mind/

though it looks as if it's over/

i am still not over you/////

i am still not over you/

if only she knew//

//Michelle Branch

//If Only She Knew//

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Just another sip, her mind prodded her. She took the sip thoughtfully, then took another massive one. She felt the familiar stinging of warmth wash down her throat before falling into the bed, feeling everything blur away around her...

~/~

He looked around. Just do it, just do it, he told himself confidently. It's just her. You've known her for years. Just do it. He picked up the phone, and hesitantly began dialing.

~/~

"How was the party?" Hermione's excited voice broke through the other line of the telephone. Ginny rubbed her eyes vigorously before taking a deep breath and answering.

"Ummm...there's something you should know," Ginny started to say - but a beep interrupted her. "'Mione, can I call you back? Somebody's on the other line."

"Sure, Gin," Hermione's muffled voice answered, and there was an audible click as the other person reached the line.

"Hello?"

Ginny jumped slightly. It was a male's voice.

"Hi," she replied tentatively. "I am sorry, who's this?"

"It's me." The voice was cool, collected as he said this. Her heart skipped inwardly.

"You..." she said, the word rolling off her tongue.

"Draco. Malfoy?"

The phone nearly dropped from her grasp as it shook. Ginny's voice quivered as she retorted, "Is this some kind of a joke?"

"No."

"But - you have a muggle telephone?"

"No. I am using one of those little muggle booth things..."

"A payphone?" she suggested.

"Yeah."

"How did you get this number?" she asked, disbelief washing over her. She was still not content with his short answers.

"You're listed," he merely said. "Why did you list yourself at the muggle directory though?"

She didn't answer. Pausing, she asked, "Why did you call?"

There was a long silence at the other end. "I wanted to hear your voice again."

Ginny felt as if she could collapse any moment. Her knees were shaking underneath her, and she leaned against the wall, one palm on the wall to keep her balance, closing her eyes tightly. She wondered if this was a dream. If it was, she never wanted to wake up from this bliss.

"Oh," she managed to whisper. "Was there - there anything else?" she asked, gulping in the process of saying this.

"Actually there is." He sounded feeble, even a bit nervous as he said this. "I was wondering - if we could catch up."

"Oh..." Ginny wittingly said. She was falling.

"Maybe go out for coffee."

"Oh..."

"You don't have...to..." his voice had a grimace as he said this.

"No, no, it's okay...err...when?" she finally croaked.

"I'll call you tomorrow and tell you. My time's running out, and I don't understand muggle money at all."

"Sure. Bye," she hurriedly said, and hung up the phone quickly, smashing herself against the wall and falling into the floor, her head tipped back, feeling a lump in her throat rise. She wanted to throw up.

The phone rang once more. Ginny reached for it.

"Hello?"

"Hey. It's me," Hermione's voice prompted.

"Hermione?"

"Mmm?"

"You won't believe what just happened..."

~/~