Even Better Than the Real Thing

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Please note, that I do not own the characters Draco Malfoy or Ginny Weasley, or any other magical lingo.

This is a Draco/Ginny romance story.

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Chapter 6:  Walking After You

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            The sunset was breathtaking.  They slowed their pace as they rounded the lake and watched the purples and oranges flitting over the snow-covered hills surrounding the lake.  The lake glistened, a light mist hovering over the surface.  Ginny felt a chill run through her body.

            The cool air swept at her hair.  The wet snow was slowly seeping into her worn out boots.  And the warm hand resting in hers tightened its grasp.

            Ginny relished in these sensations.  She didn't want the moment to end.  She didn't want the path to ever end.  She didn't care about how outrageously cold it was, or even how late it was getting.

            She looked up to Draco's face.  The reds and blues of the glorious sunset lit up his face.  He looked…like a…Ginny didn't even have the words to describe it.  He just looked perfect.

            His eyes were wet, she could tell he was trying to desperately not to cry.  She knew, because she had six brothers, who think the only reason a real man would cry was due to a Quidditch injury.  Though his eyes were shining with tears, his face was set blank.  His slick hair was turning unruly, a few strands falling into his eyes, and the rest starting to ruffle up in the soft wind.  His nose and cheeks had turned a subtle pink.

            She squeezed his hand tighter, looking ahead.  He'd be fine.  He was strong.  He was Draco Malfoy.  He could get through this.  He could get through anything.

            They were nearly at the castle.  Ginny sighed.  There was a pain in her chest, which was making breathing difficult.  She sighed again.

            They climbed the stone steps extremely slowly, lingeringly watching the marvelous display the sun was putting on.  As they stood before the front doors, Draco pulled his hand out of her grip, looking slightly sheepish.

            As he opened the door and held it open for Ginny, she stomped her feet free from snow and stepped inside.  Several people were milling around, talking.  They turned to see Draco step inside right after her.

            "Oooh!  Look at that!"

            "Wonder why they're both so pink?"

            "Guess Malfoy's found a new pet…"

            Their taunts echoed through the Entrance Hall.  Ginny shrunk back, behind Draco, mostly embarrassed for him.  Poor Draco.  He didn't need their jeering.  She peeked up around his gray cloak.  Most people were starting to hurriedly enter the Great Hall or were turning quickly back to their conversations.  Ginny frowned, confused.  She looked up to Draco's face, and shuddered at the enraged glare that he was shooting at everyone.  She gave a small smile.  Yes, he'd be perfectly fine.

            And without a word to Ginny, not even a glance, he strode towards the staircase leading to the dungeons, shoving a couple of first year Ravenclaws out of his way.  She stood there staring after him, not sure whether she was disappointed or upset.

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            Draco raced down to the dungeons.  His boots were heavy and wet with snow.  His coat and cloak were feeling heavy on his shoulders.  And his hair was starting to misbehave.  But these weren't the only reasons he was ill at ease.

            When he stepped into the Common Room, he saw that it was packed with Slytherins, all gathered, talking or reading or playing games.  He weaved his way easily through the crowd.  He was nearly to the staircase leading down to his room, when he felt someone grab a handful of his cloak from behind.  He turned around, pulling at the cloak.  Pansy.

            She stood there, looking slightly uncomfortable under his fierce gaze.  She blinked a few times and recovered herself.  She even managed a sweet, simpering smile, as she ran her hand over his shoulder.

            "Draco, haven't seen you in a while.  Where have you been all day?"

            Draco pulled his leather gloves off and slipped them into his coat pocket.  He rubbed his hands together, trying to warm them.  Pansy took his hands in hers, pressing tightly, trying to warm them for him.

            "Look, Parkinson, what do you want?"

            She looked up sharply at him.  He never called her by her last name.

            "Draco Malfoy, let me get one thing straight," she said, flinging his hands down.  "As your girlfriend, I have a right to know what you have been doing all day.  So you'll tell me now, or…I won't get you anything for Christmas!"

            He snickered at her threat.  He laughed at her assumption.  Girlfriend?  Her?  He laughed some more, until he noticed Pansy's face turning a bright purple.  He swallowed, trying to keep the huge smirk off of his face.

            "Very well, Pansy, this year, I'll live without a present from you.  Anything else?"  He started to turn toward the stairs.

            "Draco!  What is going on?  What happened to us?"  She looked seriously hurt.  He wished with all his heart that he wasn't such a cruel bastard.  He would have given her a hug and said that things have changed, and they could only be friends, if even that.  But instead, he turned and started down the stairs without a word, walking out on the second girl that day.

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            She sat at the Gryffindor table, a thick strand of hair in her mouth.  She was nibbling at it, thinking.  Draco.  What was he doing?  What were his plans?  Is he going to be here for the rest of the year?  For next year?  What about his father?  And all of his money?  He'll need money…

            "Gin!  I swear I'm going to tell Mum."  Ginny rolled her eyes and looked over at her brother.  Ron was sitting a few seats away, on the other side of the table, next to Hermione.  She spit out the hair.

            "What?"

            "Your awfully disgusting habit there.  I'll tell Mum and she'll make you…cut your hair short or something."  Ginny frowned.  She loved her hair.  It was her favorite trait, what she considered her "best asset".

            Ginny shrugged in response.  She looked down at her empty plate and sighed.  She reached across Colin to get the dish of vegetables.  She grabbed a roll when the girl next to her offered her the basket.  She even piled up a few pieces of chicken.  She knew she would hardly touch any of this, but it was a matter of keeping up appearances.

            "So, have you looked at your Potions assignment?"  Colin asked her, politely, trying to make conversation.

            "Sort of," Ginny answered, vaguely.  She pushed around a piece of asparagus, dragging it through the potatoes.  She heard soft giggling at the end of the table, near where Ron was sitting.

            She watched Ron raise his head to the girls, listening to what they were saying.  A cloud passed over his face.  Ginny closed her eyes, hoping it had nothing to do with…

            She heard a shrill gasp, followed by someone noisily clambering out of their seat.  She heard someone stomping a few feet closer.

"Virginia Weasley!"  She opened her eyes to see Ron standing across from her, behind a confused looking Seamus.

"Yes, Ronald Weasley?"  She tried to keep calm.  She didn't want to be bursting into tears.  But she knew Ron's temper.  She also knew what was upsetting him.  She swallowed and stood up, deserting her dinner.

She walked toward the doors of the Great Hall, noticing Ronald was following, on the other side of the table.  His face was red, all the way to the tips of his ears.  His hands were shaking.  It was taking everything he had not to yell at her there and then, in front of everyone.

They stepped outside of the Hall, and into the Entrance Hall.  Ron towered over her, his hands gripping his red hair.  He looked like he was going to cry.  Ginny rolled her eyes, knowing he was exaggerating.

"Ginny!  Gin...I…how could…what…you?"  Ron stuttered.  He was trying to ask her a million questions at once.  His eyes were beseeching hers, wanting to hear that nothing he heard was true.

"What is it, Ron?"  She kept up the cool act.  Her heart was racing, and she knew they'd have a big row about this.  It was rather silly.

"Ginny!  You…I heard that…those girls…they said…"

"Yes, Ron, spit it out!  What did they say?"

"Ginny!  They said…you and Draco!  You were with Draco?  What… why… how?  Tell me it isn't true!"  Ron ran his hands down his face, squishing his cheeks.  He looked rather desperate.

"Well, Ron, I'm not sure exactly sure how to tell you…"

"Tell me what, Gin?  Tell me what?"  He was getting hysterical.

"Ok, Ron, calm down!  Calm down, right now!  I will not speak to you about this if you can't be rational."

He took a few deep breaths.  He bent down, resting his hands on his knees.  He was still rather red, but he was starting to calm a little.

"Sorry, Ginny.  Now tell me it isn't true."  Ginny smiled.  He was so adorable.  He couldn't stand the fact that Ginny was with another boy, much less the fact that the boy was Draco Malfoy.

"It's true, I'm afraid.  But I'm not sure what you heard.  We just went for a walk.  That's all, Ron.  We walked to the Quidditch Pitch and that's about it."  She made it sound so simple.  Not like the jumble of emotions that walk really was.

He tucked his chin to his chest, taking several more deep breaths, starting to shake again.

"Oh, Ron, grow up."

His head snapped up, his eyes wide.

"Me?  Grow up?  Ginny!"

"What, Ron?  What's making you angrier?  The fact that it's a boy?  Or the fact that it's Draco?"

            "Draco?!  It's Malfoy we're talking about!  Ginny!  I can't believe you!"

            "Ron, I can hardly believe myself.  Please.  Nothing is going on.  I can assure you.  He's still the cruel and insensitive ferret that he's always been.  No need to worry about anything happening between the two of us."
            Ron gripped his hair again, nearly pulling it out.

            "The two of you?  Oh, Ginny, you're killing me.  I don't care if there's no relationship, I don't want him anywhere near you!"

            She smiled a little at the way he phrased that.  Him anywhere near you.  He didn't want to sound like he was trying to control her.  He never did that.  He was just admitting he was uncomfortable with Draco being near her. 

She sighed.  Oh, Ron. 

"Gin.  I'm sorry.  I'm just worried."  He looked down at her, his eyes slightly wet.  He put a finger under her chin and raised her head.  She looked up to see his freckled face trying to smile down at her.

She burst into tears and flung her arms around her sweet, caring brother.  The guilt in her heart started to consume her.  She felt like she was lying to him.  But what he didn't know couldn't hurt him...more.

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Draco considered going down to dinner.  He had to do it eventually.  He couldn't very well eat all his meals in Professor Snape's chambers until he graduated.  He pulled himself up from his desk.  He had been there sketching, since he came down.

"Congratulations on the Weasley, Draco."  He turned around to see Goyle and Crabbe standing in the open doorway.  He flashed them a scowl.  They didn't seem to notice.

"Goyle, did you ever imagine Malfoy going for a girl like that?"

Draco watched them look at each, thinking that they were being entertaining.  He narrowed his eyes, waiting for the response.  Goyle saw the glint in his eyes and backed down.  He shook his head, and walked around to his wardrobe.  Crabbe followed.

Draco stormed out of the room.  He leaped up the stairs, almost dashing for the Common Room door.  When he reached the hallway, he slowed down, trying to decide where he was headed.  If he turned right, he'd be in the corridor that led to the Potions Master's private chambers.  If he turned left, he'd climb the stairs leading toward the Great Hall.

"Are you lost, Mr. Malfoy, or just confused?"

Draco sighed and turned to the velvety voice.  Severus Snape stood there, dressed completely in black, holding a stack of books in one hand and a large vial in the other.

"I…suppose I'm confused, Severus."  Snape started toward his office, so Draco followed.

"Well?"  Snape was waiting for him to elaborate.  Draco rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands.

"Do you think I should have dinner in the Great Hall tonight?  With everyone else?"  He watched the Professor set down the vial into a stand holding several others.  Then the Professor walked to his desk, and arranged the stack of books into the piles already assorted.

"You should do everything you can to keep up all pretenses.  You'll become a master of deceit before you know it."  Snape's black eyes pierced him.  Draco understood.  Snape was speaking from experience.

"Alright, so I'll join you for dinner tonight in the Hall."

"Good, I was wondering when you'd come to your senses.  Don't your peers ask where you go during mealtime?"

"Not really."  Draco walked over to a chair in the corner, and pulled it closer to the desk and sat down.  Snape wandered around the room, gathering bits of parchment, a few books, bottles, ingredients, vials.  He was arranging them on a work table against the wall.  When he heard Draco sigh, he paused.  Snape walked to his desk and sat down.  He gave Draco his full attention.

"Now, Draco, have you constructed the letter to you father yet?"

"The Headmaster is helping me with that tomorrow after breakfast."

"Very well.  Now, have you considered the plan that the Headmaster and I developed?  Are you prepared to perform the tasks we outlined?"

Draco crossed his ankles and stretched his legs out.  He put his hands over his eyes.  He hadn't given it much thought.  He didn't want to think about it, at all.

"No, sir.  I haven't really thought about anything."  He felt tears welling up.  He pressed his hands tighter over his eyes, trying to shut out the world.

"Draco," the Professor's voice was tender and quiet, "You've come this far.  There's really nothing you need to worry about now.  You've already taken the hardest step."

Draco sat perfectly still.  His elbows resting on the armrests, his hands covering his face.  He felt a hand on his shoulder and he tensed.  He pulled his hands away from his face and looked up.

Severus was standing next to his chair.  He reached down and grabbed Draco by both shoulders, standing him up.  Draco stood with his head hanging, still trying to hide his tears.  Severus' hands gripped his shoulders.  He pulled Draco in for a tight embrace.

"I was there the day you were born, Draco.  I held you in my arms, hoping for the very best for you.  And dearly wishing you were mine—" 

Draco heard his voice break, and hugged his teacher tighter.  He buried his face into Severus' shoulder and allowed himself to cry.  The man holding him now loved him more than his own father.  He wanted to save Draco.

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            Ginny sniffled softly as she walked up to the Owlery.  She wasn't sure why.  She considered sending a note to Draco.  But she had no idea what she'd want to say.  She climbed the steps slowly, wiping the tears from her cheeks.

            Ron walked back to Gryffindor Tower with Hermione, who came out of the Great Hall minutes later to check on Ron and Ginny.  He looked rather confused, still angry and disappointed.  Before walking off with Hermione, he ruffled her hair.  Ginny laughed a little through her tears.  She turned and wandered toward the Owlery.

            She opened the door and entered.  The room was dark, only a bit of pale moonlight filtering in.  A few torches were set about the room, but they offered little light.  Ginny sat down against a wall, trying to clear her head.

            A large gray owl swooped down and landed on her knee.  Ginny recognized it as Draco's eagle owl.  She reached out to stroke the bird.  Then she noticed a roll of parchment attached to the owl's leg.

            She pulled it toward her and raised it to her eyes, trying to read in the poor light.  She couldn't make out the words, only her name and a few others.  She stood up and walked toward one of the torches.

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Virginia –

I want to apologize for leaving you without a word earlier today.  I won't blame you if you'd rather not spend time with me anymore.  But I have to ask:  would you like to meet in the library after lunch tomorrow?  I have something I'd like to show you.

– Draco Malfoy

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            Ginny folded the note and stuffed into the pocket of her jeans.  She smiled, a little nervous about seeing Draco the next day.  She started to the Gryffindor dorms, straightening her lavender sweater.

            Not only did he apologize, but he asked her to see him again.  And he wanted to show her something.  She wondered what it might be.  She wondered if this was some cruel joke.  But if it was, she'd be a willing victim, glad to see Draco once again amused by someone else's suffering.

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U2 – Even Better Than the Real Thing

The Strokes – Hard to Explain

Weezer – Island in the Sun

Cake – Hem of your Garment

Moby – We Are All Made of Stars

Madonna – Don't Tell Me

Foo Fighters – Walking After You

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Please don't forget to review, I really appreciate your feedback!  Also, sorry this chapter was lacking in the "plot advancement" department.  My apologies.  I wanted to establish a little more character development.  Got both characters to cry.  That's good.  :-)  I know, I know…it's evil.  But it's good for their spirits.  They'll get better.  As Ginny said, Draco's a strong young man and he'll get through this…somehow.  And Ginny's really not going through much, she's just emotional and caring, so her feelings are all caught up in the whole situation.  The next day should be interesting…Draco's got a surprise for her.  it's not naughty…so get those minds outta the gutter!  It's indeed quite sweet, but they might get into trouble… we'll see.

Until next time

--Eclipsed Planet