As Thou Being Mine
Author's jibberish: You're back? I'm glad =D Oh, things are going to get interesting…
Chapter 4: Scared
Who knew Weasleys could be so manipulative? Well, the day started out as normal. I received a letter from my mother, saying the usual 'How are you', 'Please eat; the last time I saw you, you were paler and thin…the usual. Do well on your practice NEWTs. Study hard. Love Mother.' The only irony is that a candle has more warmth…but I don't blame her. Not one bit…
Back to Little Red, she sent me owls every day and came to my room for help. Within a few days, she managed to finish Romeo and Juliet; I think she rather enjoyed it.
Recently, she just comes over while I'm studying and she sits quietly, reading. Her new mission is Les Miserables…good luck. It took me three weeks to finish that…and I was 14. I'm not sure if she has the same intellectual capacity I'm blessed with. After all, she does share blood with Potter's friend…
Anyway, it's been 2 weeks since she's been coming over. Every day at 6:30 she would arrive and she would leave at 8 o'clock right before curfew. It's getting to be routine…
Ginny let out a loud yawn and sat back against the chair.
Draco, sitting on his bed, rolled his eyes. Well that was ladylike… Why did she keep coming over? And furthermore, why did he allow her to? Was it all just blackmail? He couldn't think of a better reason. "Don't fall asleep here," he ordered her as he finished his astronomy reading.
"My eyes just hurt, that's all," Ginny stood and headed to his trunk. By pure habit, he kept his book compartment of his trunk unlocked. She had asked everyday to see his collection and it became so aggravating and bothersome, he let her read his books during her visits.
Ginny grasped a black cloth covered book. "'Edgar Allan Poe'… who is this?"
Draco closed his text. "He was an American writer in the late 19th century."
"Not only was he a muggle but American," Ginny simulated shock. "You never seize to amaze me. What did he write?"
"Mostly short stories and poetry," he said, grasping the book from her. He flipped through the pages until he found something to show her. "Here, read this."
She shook her head. "Can't. My eyes hurt too much. Read it to me, please." Ginny settled on the floor, beside his bed, resting her head against it.
"Are you that lazy?"
She nodded, smiling.
He shook his head. "All right, all right…
It was many and many a year ago
In a kingdom by the sea
That a maiden there lived, whom you may know
By the name of Annabelle Lee
And this maiden she lived with no other thought
Than to love and be loved by me.
I was a child and she was a child
In this kingdom by the sea
But we loved with a love that was more than love
I and my Annabelle Lee
With a love that winged seraphs of Heaven
Coveted her and me
This was the reason that, long ago
In this kingdom by the sea
That the winds came out of a cloud, chilling
My beautiful Annabelle Lee
So that her highborn kinsmen came
And bore her away from me,
To shut her up in a sepulcher
In this kingdom by the sea
The Angels, half so happy in Heaven,
Went envying her and me
Yes! That was the reason (as all men know
In this kingdom by the sea)
That a wind came out of a cloud by night
Chilling and killing my Annabelle Lee.
But our love, it was stronger by far than the love
Of those who were older than we,
Of many far wiser than we
And neither the Angels in Heaven above
Nor the demons down under the sea
Could never dissever my soul from the soul
Of the beautiful Annabelle Lee.
For the moon never beams without giving me dreams
Of the beautiful Annabelle Lee.
And the stars never rise, but I feel the bright eyes
Of my beautiful Annabelle Lee.
And so, all the nighttide, I lie down by the side
Of my darling! My darling, my life and my bride.
In her sepulchre, there by the sea,
In her tomb, by the sounding sea.
He looked down and narrowed his eyes. Ginny's long brown lashes were shut. "Hey Red," he tapped her shoulder. Another touch on the shoulder and "Wake up!" But instead, she began to fall forward, face heading towards the floor Draco dove after her. He fell on his back, grasping her at shoulder length, feet straight up in the air. "Damn it…" he gently guided her head against the bed. "I told you not to sleep here."
Now what? He could go across the hall and ask Granger to take her. Then he could make up a dumb "I found her like this" story. That seemed like the best thing.
Draco crouched down and allowed her back to fall against his arm. Then, he used his other arm to scoop her up. He got on his feel and staggered a bit, wondering how her 5'2" figure was heavier than she looked. She was skinny and her chest wasn't noticeably big…maybe it was her hips…
With staggering difficulty, he exited his room and knocked on the door across the hall that read:
HEAD GIRL: HERMIONE GRANGER
He must have knocked 8 times before he gave up. The girl was sleeping, studying or tongue-wrestling with Potter. Before he accompanied that thought with any visuals, he returned to his own room.
He was in no mood to go all the way to Gryffindor tower and a) leave her at the portrait hole, for it wasn't very gentleman-like, or b) run into Weasley who'll not listen to reason.
Draco gave a swift kick of the door and it shut behind him. He placed her down on top of his bed. Fearing she may dirty up his sheets, he took off her shoes and placed them at the foot of the bed. What Draco wouldn't have given for a house-elf at that moment.
He left her alone on his bed and she slept, undisturbed.
It was now morning. A newly showered Draco pulled on a white undershirt and boxers. He also pulled on his black pants. It was 6:30, a typical time for his morning to start. He flung his towel over his shoulder and immerged from the bathroom.
Ginny was already stirring. Quickly, he pulled on his white collared shirt and robes. When she finally opened her eyes, she remained in bed, on her back. Slowly, she sat up and threw her legs over the edge of the bed.
"Awake now?" Draco asked.
"Why am I still here?" she asked.
"You fell asleep here last night. I moved you upon my bed."
Ginny narrowed her eyes at him. "You didn't…did you…"
"That would make your morning, wouldn't it?" he teased. "Start the day off knowing I slept with you." He watched her face burn white and he smirked. "You're gullible."
"So, then, where did you sleep?"
He didn't. He had been pre-occupying himself for the past 10 years, ignoring the fact that a girl was sleeping his bed. He must have dusted each item in his room about 5 times and accomplished studying for classes. He had remembered the potion index A through M, and read the extended version of Quidditch Through the Ages. All the anxiety for the femme Weasley?
Yes, Draco's subconscious snickered. He was 17 after all.
"Why didn't you bring me to Hermione?" Ginny suggested.
"I did. She wouldn't answer."
"Well, what about taking me to my common room?"
"You're heavy," he excused.
"And what about a levitation spell? It's loads easier."
Now why didn't that cross his mind? "Yes, float you across the castle, and with your violent-compulsive brother…I'd rather give Crabbe a pedicure."
Ginny smiled. "If I didn't know any better, Draco, I'd say you wanted me to stay."
He rolled his eyes. "Rubbish. Now, hurry up and get out."
Ginny slipped her shoes on. She headed for the door that he held opened. "So, I'll see you tonight?"
He just closed the door behind her, not bothering to answer her. Of course she'd come over tonight. By now, it was natural. She'd arrive after dinner and they would mind their own business, unless she had a question about the literature she was reading. Draco laced on his shoes. He was beginning to be comfortable around her.
It was the one week countdown until the practice NEWTs. Hermione was looking pale at the breakfast table and Harry was massaging her left hand.
Ginny sat beside Ron at the breakfast table. "Morning."
"Not so loud," Ron told her. "Hermione can't take loud sounds."
"Why?"
"Because of the P.N.'s," Ron whispered. "Don't even mention the 'C' word."
"Why not? Is she spastic about the practice NEWTs?" Ginny asked.
That was a big mistake. Ron and Harry went wide-eyed the same moment Hermione slammed her hands on the table. Utensils and plates jumped.
Hermione took a deep breath before she exploded. "We have exactly 7 days, 2 hours, 22 minutes and 52 seconds until our practice NEWTs! You fell asleep in class yesterday Harry! And you started drooling on your notes Ron! What if that portion is on the test--?"
"Shh, Mione," Harry rubbed circles on her back with his palm. "Here, drink, please."
Hermione took a large gulp of her juice.
"I take it she won't stop for another 15 minutes," Ron guessed. "Got to say, Harry, you gotta have real inner strength to take all this."
"What do you mean by that?" she snapped.
"Uh…" Ron looked at Harry, looking for an answer.
"The Practice test," Ginny offered. "And also being Quidditch captain. Merlin knows how Charlie did it all…"
"Oh…" Hermione sighed. "Does that mean we shouldn't see each other Harry? I'm causing more stress to your life, aren't I? Oh, why didn't you tell me? What, with all the games, and the classes you doze in, and you're probably losing sleep because, well, um--."
"Why would he be losing sleep?" Ron inquired.
"It must be horrible also with--," she continued.
"Mione!" Harry interrupted. "You're not causing me anything! I want to see you. I can practice Quidditch and study also. Now please, eat…"
Obediently, she grabbed an apple and began to chew as Harry continued to rub her back.
"By the way, Gin," Ron turned to her, "I didn't see you before curfew. Where were you?"
Ginny gulped. Now what? Would she tell him she's been spending the evenings in Malfoy's room and that she slept over last night? "I was studying for my semester exams but I fell asleep in the library."
"Madam Pince didn't wake you up?"
"Well, I was in the far back and she didn't see me until early morning."
Ron's eyebrows lifted. "Weird…"
"Ginny's in the right mindset…" Hermione breathed. "And her tests aren't as…as…"
Ron sighed. "Hermione, as your friend, I'm telling you to shut up. You're going to have a heart attack."
"Mione, do me a favor," Harry asked. "Don't talk. Just eat breakfast."
Hermione whimpered and continued with her meal.
Maybe it was a good thing Draco didn't take her to Hermione's last night.
"Aren't you uncomfortable with your robes on?" Ginny asked.
Draco was lounged on his bed, hand propping his head up. His transfiguration text was open in front of him. "No. It's cold."
Ginny sat with her robes flung over the chair's back. The fire and the warming charm she cast in the room were more than sufficient to make it feel like it was spring. "You're crazy."
Draco glanced at her and then continued reading. He stifled a yawn.
"Tired?" she noticed. "Should I leave?"
"No," he answered. Wait; did that sound like he wanted her to stay? He couldn't have her think that. "I'm not tired," he soon added.
"But you yawned."
"So?" He squint his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose.
Ginny got up from her chair, dropping Les Miserables on it. She pulled his textbook towards her. "Where did you leave off?"
"Paragraph 4," he told her.
"You've been studying every night all week. You need to relax."
"No," Draco said again. He rolled over on his back.
Ginny sighed. She began to read where he left off. Who cares if she was sitting on his bed? Who cares if his dreams stopped? Who cares if she was reading to him? He was just so tired. Between studying, he had homework, Ginny's visits and Quidditch. Snape would resume his teacher's aide duties after the start of the new semester.
He listened to her read and for a few brief moments, Draco could see his mother, sitting close to him in bed, reading a book to him. Her platinum hair was loosely gathered in a braid, with its tail draping over her shoulder. She was wearing a dark violet night robe, her silver jewelry sparkling in response to the fire. Her voice was soft as candlelight, dulling his senses until they became one large blur.
He turned and kept his eyes ½ open. Ginny sat, in her school uniform, her gold and red tie askew on her white collar. The book sat on top of her lap, lying right over her pale legs. Ginny's fire-red hair was free; its ends passed her shoulders. 'Just rest my eyes for a few moments,' he said to himself, closing his eyelids.
Ginny looked up from her reading and noticed Draco's sleeping form. She shook her head, a smile lightly touching her pink lips. Ginny suddenly recalled when Penelope Clearwater, Percy's girlfriend, paid a visit to the Burrows a few years back. Percy had fallen asleep right next to her. Her mother had later explained that when you are comfortable with someone, you put all your defenses down. At the age 13, she didn't really understand it, but now… 'I wonder if Draco thinks that way…or anything remotely close to it…'
She made a face, seeing that sleeping in school robes could be uncomfortable. She unclasped the robes and gently pulled his left arm out of it. As she did, Ginny noticed markings on his forearm. She pulled his sleeve higher to examine it. The marks were dark, brown burns: a skull with a snake coming out of its mouth. Quickly she pulled his robes over his arm, removing the ugly sight. The blood escaped from Ginny's body and she fell to the floor.
Draco woke with a start. It took a few moments for his vision to clear. By then, Ginny had scrambled to the door. "What's the matter with you, Red?"
"S…St…" she stammered, hands clasped on the doorknob. She used it to pull herself up.
"What?" Draco got off his bed.
Ginny scrambled to open the door. "Stay away, stay away!" she demanded. She bolted out of the room and through the hall. Ginny ran without looking back.
Draco hurried to the doorway. "Hey!" he screamed. "Virginia!" he called her. "Virginia, get back here!"
The door across the hall flew open. "Malfoy," Hermione shook, trying to contain her composure. "Please, stop--." She turned in the direction he was staring at. She could see a figure at the end of the hall, running faster, getting smaller from view. "Who was that?" she asked Draco.
He just slammed the door shut in response. What the hell got into her? One minute she was reading to him, the next she ripped out of the room as if he were diseased. He paced, in front of the fire, but nothing logical came to mind. What had caused her to run?
~*to be continued*~
Author's jibberish (again): Agh, that was fun, wasn't it? =)
Poem that Draco reads to her is "Annabelle Lee" by Edgar Allan Poe…his work is so great!
Oh yah, my disclaimer… all characters and original storylines are of JKR…yah…ok, I know you all knew that.