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.
Enjoy! And please review! I live for your reviews!
Please check out the site I've created to accompany this story (it's mostly pictures of Draco and Ginny):
www.lorddave.com/evenbetter
I know I'm geeky. But I can't help it!! Anyway, I hope you guys get a kick out of it. Enjoy the story, and please visit the site!
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Chapter 8: Wonderwall
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"Here. Take my cloak. It's enchanted. It should be plenty to keep you warm. Far better than your coat, anyway." He slid it off his shoulders and threw it to her. He was wearing a button-up shirt and a sweater and his school robes. Ginny wondered if he'd be warm enough. They were climbing the stairs leading to the Entrance Hall.
She wrapped the gray cloak around her neck, adjusting the clasps. She felt the warmth radiating from it. She cuddled deep into it, enveloping her entire body in the cloak. She inhaled the clean, soft, masculine scent. It smelled like expensive cologne. It was far too long for her, and dragged slightly on the floor.
When she looked up, Draco was heading out of the doors. She jogged to catch him, leaping down the stairs.
Falling into step, she looked around. It was nearly lunchtime. Maybe only a few minutes past twelve. The grounds were empty and silent. The pale blue lighting worked wonders on the landscape. It was snowing lightly, barely enough for Ginny to tell. She spread her arms, facing the sky, catching a few flakes on her tongue and her bare fingertips. She smiled to herself, basking in the frozen silence.
Draco reached out and pulled the hood of the cloak over Ginny's head. It drooped forward, covering her face all the way to her chin. He laughed. Ginny giggled as she tried to straighten the hood.
"So where are we going?" They weren't walking on a real path. But from what Ginny could tell they were headed toward the cliffs overlooking the lake.
"My sanctuary." Out of the corner of her eyes, she watched him stare straight ahead, thinking, off in his own world. She tried again to start a conversation.
"By the way, your hair looks great."
Draco stopped in his tracks. His eyes were wide and his mouth twisted into a frown. Slowly, a gloved hand ventured to his head, feeling around, and he used his fingers to comb the blond hair back as best as he could. He shot a glare at Ginny.
"What?" Ginny grinned. "I meant it! It looked nice…before you went and messed with it some more."
Draco exhaled, his frown fading. He was looking around, and began picking his way through the snow again. Ginny watched him, as she walked alongside. His movements were smooth, very graceful. His robes fluttered behind him. Not a crease in his pants. And though walking through the snow, his shoes stayed perfectly clean. He was a rich man's son. It showed through every fiber of his being.
A few snowflakes settled onto his eyebrows and lashes. They sprinkled his robes and melted into his hair. His cheeks were rosy – though Ginny wasn't certain it was entirely due to the weather.
"Virginia?"
She shivered. She loved it when someone called her by that name; it made her feel more important. She shook herself, and focused on his eyes.
"Yes?"
"What would possibly make you believe that you have no friends?"
Ginny swallowed. Damn journal. She turned to look up at him, but he turned to stare ahead.
"I…well, I'm just not very close to anyone," she paused, thinking, "Nobody has ever taken the time to get to know me… except for Ron, he's my best friend."
Draco snorted. Ginny rolled her eyes.
"What about the rest of the Harry Potter fan club? Any of them fond of you?"
Her mouth fell open. How dare he? She sputtered, trying to say something. Anything! But she couldn't manage anything. Draco turned and looked down at her. A slow smile lit up his face.
For a moment, Ginny was distracted by the way the wind tousled his hair, and he way his eyes were almost shining. She closed her mouth, pretending to be angry with him. She looked ahead, keeping her head high.
"Tell me, Virginia." He was taunting her. And part of her was enjoying this game. She smiled to herself, glad that Draco was still able to be himself, even if that meant being a prat.
"Why should I? You'll just make fun of me. I'm not going to give you more material which you can torture me with, Mal-foy." She purposely used his last name, sounding remarkably like her brother. He frowned down at her.
"No need to get nasty. I just thought maybe you were friends with that pesky camera kid or at least the Granger girl."
Ginny sighed.
She wasn't so sure they were her friends. She knew them well enough, but had they ever really cared to get to know her? Not really. Not as far as Ginny could tell. And that was what always made her feel so insignificant.
"It's like everyone sees through me. I'm not even there." Her voice was quiet, lost on the wind. Draco didn't hear her, or at least pretended not to.
She blinked a few times, the snowfall was getting a bit heavier. Her face was starting to sting a little from the cold, but the rest of her body was well shielded. She looked around to see that they were nearly to the edge of the cliffs. Walking closer, she noticed the view was breathtaking.
Ginny had never ventured far off of the school paths, so she'd never imagined coming up to the cliffs. Draco walked along the edge, off to the right, so she carefully scampered after him.
He stopped abruptly and turned around to face her. He searched her face for a long moment, while reaching behind him to pull the hood of his robes up. He tilted his head, motioning for her to follow him.
Then before Ginny could even react, she watched him step right off of the edge of the cliff! And she did the only thing she could think of doing; she screamed.
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He felt nervous. This afternoon with Ginny was supposed to help him relax, clear his mind, be distracted. But he was nervous. His stomach ached from hunger. His head was starting to hurt. And he was freezing cold. Most of his school robes had not been enchanted. But he pushed this all to the back of his mind.
He pulled his hood up over his head. He looked down at Ginny, scrutinizing her closely. What a funny thing life can be. What a strange relationship this was. There she was, her inquiring eyes watching him closely. She was buried in his cloak. It was far too long for her, but she wrapped it around herself tightly, adjusting the clasps to her fit.
His cloak. The Malfoy family crest. On a Weasley. Who would have ever thought? His mind spun at the irony of the whole situation. An unexpected friendship between a Malfoy and a Weasley. He smiled. He stepped to the edge of the cliff and looked down. It was a few hundred feet down at the least. The view was familiar to him; he'd been coming here for years.
He licked his lips and after checking for the signs carved into the stones, he walked off the lip of the stone cliff. The expected gust of wind hit him from below, but he also heard a startled scream.
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Time seemed to stand still for Ginny. Was she imagining things? Was she seeing things? She frowned as she watched Draco, standing in mid-air, turn to look at her. He was standing. In mid-air. As if there were solid ground beneath him.
"That's not funny."
She wanted to hit him. For scaring her to death. Dear Merlin, she thought he was jumping, to his death. She raised a hand to her heart and took a deep shuddering breath.
He didn't say anything. His face was blank. He put out his hand, urging Ginny to follow him. She shook her head. Not a chance.
"Occaeco Levitas." Ginny stared at him, not sure if she heard him right.
"What's that?"
He was starting to look impatient. He lowered his hand. He looked up to the sky, as Ginny took a step back, away from the edge.
"Virginia, don't you trust me?"
She swallowed, and took a tentative step toward him. He raised his hand to her again, and she took it. She closed her eyes, and let Draco pull her toward him. She felt a rush of wind from below. She felt his body close to hers and when he took his hand away, she clutched his robes.
Slowly, she opened her eyes, and looked down. She smiled at the sight of the frosty lake below, making tiny splashes against the rock face. She was standing on air. Literally. She turned to Draco to ask him what this was, but quieted herself when she noticed his brow wrinkled, as though in deep concentration.
He pulled his wand from his robes.
"Descendio."
And as soon as he said that, whatever they were standing on starting to lower. Ginny shrieked, in surprise, though not fear. She kept herself steady, as they traveled down, swiftly, but not breakneck.
Draco removed her hands from his robes and tried to straighten them out. He even took half a step back. The wind rushing around him barely affected him. Only the hood over his head fluttered with the wind. He was staring at her, intensely.
Ginny stood there, the cloak nearly floating around her. She clutched at it, and laughed, like it was a game. The wind blew the hood off of her head, sending her hair flying wild.
But within moments, only about one fourth of the way down to the lake surface, the "air platform" slowed, and finally stopped, one third of the way down. And Ginny saw why.
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Her hand was tiny. He guided her toward him, exactly between the two stone markers. She stepped up close, pressing against him. A little too close for his comfort.
The wind rushing from below always made him feel free and careless. Not in control. He wanted to throw back his head and scream. But he resisted. He wasn't sure why, but her touched pained him. It made him feel weak, the closeness, the wind. But he would endure it.
When he released her hand, she grabbed for his robes. He tried to ignore it as he pulled out his wand and performed the spell which lowered the Occaeco Levitas.
She yelped out, and clutched at him tighter. His heart was nearly racing, the wind rushing around him was exhilarating. He wasn't anticipating this to be such an ordeal. He's done it a million times. Just never with Virginia Weasley.
He pried her hands from his robes and released her wrists, trying to put space between their bodies. She played with his cloak, trying to keep it from flying above her head. Her hood flew back and her hair was set free, aflame in the wind.
The vision of her, laughing and grasping at bits of the cloak, he nearly broke all of his restraint. The look on her face of innocent happiness was so genuine and satisfying, warming his heart. He was about to take a step toward her, to envelope her in his arms, when the Occaeco Levitas started to slow. He closed his eyes, concentrating on regaining control over himself. His hood waved around on his forehead. He focused on that sensation, until he felt the platform finally stop.
When he opened his eyes, Ginny had her back to him, facing the entrance to the Retreat. He'd seen it a thousand times, so it didn't take his breath away, like it used to. He'd learn to appreciate it, but had outgrown marveling at it.
He tried imagining looking at the entrance for the first time. His heart soared, feeling a rush of pride and admiration, at the same time.
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The best word Ginny could think of to describe it was "cave". But that implied that it was unrefined, naturally made, and nearly uninhabitable. Instead, it was like a giant…she blinked several times, taking it in again…like a giant antechamber of some kind. She stepped out of the wind, off the platform, and onto the smooth marble.
She shook herself, and took it all in again, now steady on real ground and hair settling down out of her eyes.
In the face of the stone cliff, a large entrance was carved. She couldn't even comprehend what might be beyond. She took in the perfectly square gaping hole in the rock. She estimated that each side measured about 50 feet. Inset, was a large, perfectly cubical room, about 50 feet deep into the cliff.
The floor was one enormous slab of white marble. The two walls on either side were of the natural stone cliff, the only part of the whole place that seemed even remotely cavelike. They were cut straight, but completely covered in carvings, swirls and stars. The stone ceiling was a bit rounded, each side arching up and meeting in a single point in the exact center. From that point, a beautiful 5 tiered chandlier was hung. It was brimming with candles, lighting the room abundantly.
The far wall, directly across from the open face, was the one that made her breath catch in her throat. It was a mosaic of green, silver, black, and white tiles. Forming a pattern of snakes and vines, dramatically intertwining. Two large oak doors stood in the direct center.
Everything looked faded and ancient. She felt so small. So insignificant. The room seemed to swallow Draco as he stepped forward toward the doors. Ginny turned around and gasped at the astonishing view from the cliff wall.
The lake stretched out, from the foot of the cliff, off toward the rolling green hills beyond. The castle, she knew was far off to the left of this cliff, maybe a mile away. A thick mist was settling on the surface of the lake, dense gray clouds hovering overhead.
She heard a loud groan of a door opening, and she turned quickly to see Draco, lowering his hood, standing with the door open waiting for her. She felt tears pricking her eyes, as she was overwhelmed by the beauty of this moment. She rushed toward him. He gestured for her to go through the door, so she did.
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For a moment, Draco thought she was going to hug him, just like that day back in the Owlery. But instead, she walked straight through the door into the Retreat. He followed after her, feeling oddly disappointed, closing the heavy door behind him.
This room was also fairly breathtaking. And it had a rather homey feeling to Draco. It should. He stepped slowly beside Virginia, trying to interpret her reaction to all of this. He smirked. Probably not used to such extravagance.
"Like it?"
She jumped. She had been scanning the room. When she turned to look at him, he looked around the room himself. It was about twice the size of the entrance platform, though the ceiling was the same height. It was a bit darker, a bit moodier.
On the wall opposite the doors, a roaring fire danced in the enormous fireplace. It scaled about twenty feet wide. A little bit much, but he was never one for putting limits on décor. The mantle high above the fireplace was carved from stone, two intertwining snakes.
The walls were all a deep green, though if you looked carefully there was a glint of silver to them. Four chandliers loomed overheard, each spaced evenly on the ceiling, the candles burning low, keeping the room from becoming too bright. The rugs, the furniture, the art, the books. All of the highest quality, the best money could buy.
A door led off to a lavish bathroom on the right wall. And on the left wall, there was a door that led to an empty room, his thinking room. He took a deep breath, a bit apprehensive about sharing his secret lair with some little girl he hardly knew. He looked at her. She was staring up at him, with soft wet eyes.
Draco frowned and stared back at her. He pulled off his right glove, paused to idly scratch his jawline, and then pulled off the other. He set them down on a huge wooden table, centerpieced by a large vase full of fresh pale flowers. He unclasped his robes, slipping them off of his shoulders and tossing them onto a nearby chair. He kept his eyes on Virginia, and she stared straight back at him.
They stayed like that for a few minutes. Neither wanting to move, or speak, or even breath. It was absolutely silent in the chamber, only the soft crackling of the fire.
Draco was glad that the rushing wind was no longer present. His mind was calm. He'd regained control. And with the control, the rush of emotions were back.
The fear, the sorrow, the sense of loss. He was just relieved to be here with Virginia. The nervousness had melted away, but there was lingering trace of awkwardness. He swallowed, watching the firelight flashing behind her, casting small shadows on her face, as she started to smile.
"Sure, it's big enough…but just look at the location!"
Draco laughed. He laughed harder than he'd laughed in ages. Minutes later, he was still struggling to regain control. He was leaning over the wooden table, gasping for breath. When he turned to look at Virginia, she had a huge smile plastered to her face, watching him.
"So what do you think, Virginia? Suitable?"
She arched a brow, pretending to be unimpressed with the surroundings.
"I suppose. It's decent." She said it as if it were an insult. Her smile quickly lit her face up again. "It's beautiful. It's amazing. It's more incredible than anything I could even imagine."
He smiled, taking a deep breath.
"Care for a drink?" He ushered her to a sofa near the fireplace. She perched there timidly, looking rather uncomfortable. Draco wandered over to the oversized oak cabinet to the left of the fireplace. He pulled open the two doors, revealing shelves brimming with fine glasses and goblets, wines and spirits, and bottles of butterbeer and water.
"Er…I'll just have a water, thanks." Her voice was low and distracted, and when he looked over his shoulder at her, she was still glancing around the enormous room.
He took two glasses, hand blown with a rare form of green glass, and filled one with water, the other with wine. He picked the wine bottle randomly, not caring right now about the vineyard, year, or enchantment spells preserving it. Normally he selected his drink rather carefully, examining each bottle. He poured a little of the wine into his glass, only filling it a quarter-way.
"What is this place?"
He turned with a drink in each hand, and walked toward the black leather sofa she was sitting on. He offered her the water and took his wine and stood in front of the fire, facing the flames.
"I call it the Retreat. Originally, it was called the Arcane Insula. The Secret Island." He turned slightly, looking over his shoulder at her, and sipped on his wine. It had little effect on him, but he just enjoyed the taste, swirling the liquid around his tongue.
"Originally? By who?"
"My father. Professor Snape. Their group of friends, Rosier, Avery, Wilkes, Lestrange, made it during their third year at Hogwarts. It was where they came during the nights to escape the idiocy of other students. Or on weekends to simply relax and enjoy themselves. A retreat, as I like to call it."
That was the superficial reason. They wanted this chamber to escape their fates for short periods of time. When in the Arcane Insula, nobody was to mention strength, or wealth, or Lord Voldemort, the rising power of the time. Here they were free of the world. They were free to be themselves, in the comfort of each others' company. Not just a retreat for them, but the ultimate sanctuary.
"They made this?" Her eyes grew large, with newfound respect for the older Slytherins, creating such a place during their school years.
"They had limitless wealth, between the lot of them, and quite a bit of magical aptitude. It was originally my father's idea, but Severus was the one with the knowledge of how to actually create it."
"I never imagined…" Her voice trailed off as she re-examined her surroundings, realizing people younger than her had created it.
"I'd never have imagined it either. During my third year, Severus showed me this place, taught me the charms and wards that protect it and shield it. And he allows me to use it."
"So you can share it with your friends?"
He grit his teeth. He'd never even mentioned this to his friends. He had always carried the secret of this sanctuary in his heart. And here he was, sharing it with Virginia. She didn't even understand the magnitude of the moment. He sipped his wine.
"I could. Until now, I'd chosen not to."
She sat a moment drinking her water. She mulled over what he said, and when she understood she looked up to him. She stood up and joined him by the fire.
"What does that mean?"
He closed his eyes. So naïve.
"Virginia, I brought you here. You are the first person I've even told about this place." He waved his glass around, gesturing to the room surrounding them. "But only because I need your help."
"My help? Since when does a Malfoy need any help?" She smiled, proud of her little joke. But her smile faded when he burned his eyes into her. His face set blank, he looked deep in her eyes. Here he was trying to open his heart to her.
"Virginia, this isn't a joke. Please. This is hard for me, but I need you to help me." He turned and walked toward the center of the room. The heat of the fire was making him dizzy.
He stood in the middle of the room and threw his head back. The darkness inside him were struggling to engulf him. Tears pricked his eyes, as he reminded himself why he was here with Virginia. He needed to talk. He wanted to tell her about everything. For some reason, he wanted her to know everything. He didn't care that she wouldn't be able to help him much. But it would be like a cleansing for his heart.
Because, after Friday, she may never speak to him again. He certainly would stay as far away from her as possible. It would be difficult, but he'd only be endangering her. She didn't need a friend who threatened her life.
His body trembled, as he imagined being in the presence of Lord Voldemort. Or for that matter, having the Dark Mark burned into his arm. Burned. It would hurt him. And not just his skin. But his heart. And yet, he'd chosen this path.
He set his drink down on a table, before it slipped from his shaking fingers. He slumped down into a soft armchair and closed his eyes. A few tense moments passed.
"Draco, what can I do?"
When he opened his eyes, she was kneeling at his feet, looking up to him. He noticed her glass of water had joined his wine on the table. He stared into the green glass, trying to form in his head the words he needed.
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Her head was still spinning with the splendor of the room and the fact that she was the first person Draco has shared it with. And he wants her help. She realized, in that moment, that she was ready to do anything for him, in a heartbeat.
Suddenly, nothing else mattered to her. She wanted to be here for him. She wanted to hear what he had to say. And see if she could help. Maybe her father could help them. He knew people at the Ministry. And maybe even Percy. Or her brother Charlie could hide him in Bulgaria. Her head spun, and she lowered herself to her knees inches from his feet.
His eyes were closed, his head slightly tilted back. His face was pale and his hands were shaking. If she could, she'd have wrapped her arms around him and defend him from the world. He reminded her of a lost little boy.
When she heard him talking about his father and his friends, she thought it would be a touchy matter. But apparently it wasn't. It was obvious he still loved his father. But it was also obvious that he shared a special relationship with Professor Snape. He even started calling him Severus. And Snape shared this place with Draco. The Arcane Insula. The Secret Island. She thought those words described Draco perfectly. Elusive and alone.
"Draco, what can I do?"
He opened his eyes and looked down at her, a forlorn look in his eyes. He looked to the table beside him and stared at their glasses. She waited for him to speak. He seemed to lose himself for a moment. At this point, it took all of her strength to not pull him into her arms. Her motherly instincts fighting to comfort him.
He took a deep breath, bringing his eyes back to meet Ginny's.
"Will you listen to me?"
Her heart was nearly flooded with relief. She nodded, knowing her voice was caught in her throat. She took his hand and stood up, pulling him to his feet as well. She led him to a nearby sofa and sat down. He sank into the leather cushions next to her.
His hand was clutching her hand so tightly, it was hurting. But she didn't say anything or even move to take it away. He was still trembling.
"Tell me, Draco. Anything you'd like."
He lowered his head to his chest. He was breathing deeply. His eyes were closed. Ginny sat back slowly into the seat, sinking into the soft leather.
"On Friday, I'm leaving."
Her heart skipped a beat. She didn't interrupt.
"I'm taking the Hogwarts Express. I'm to meet my father in London at 4:00 pm exactly. He's taking me to our Manor to prepare for my first meeting with the Dark Lord."
He paused, making a small choking sound in his throat. Ginny felt her wet eyes finally overflow. The tears ran down her cheeks, and she used her other hand to wipe them away before he saw. He's meeting the Dark Lord! She nearly wailed aloud.
"It's my birthday, Friday –"
He broke into tears. Seeing him cry broke her little heart. And she didn't care about her own stream of tears as she leaned over to envelope Draco in a hug. She squeezed him tighter as his sobs raked his body. She rubbed one hand on his back, trying to sooth his nerves, knowing it wouldn't really work.
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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
Smashing Pumpkins – 1979
Oasis – Wonderwall
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Man, this is getting really sad. :-( Poor Draco. He's scared. Hell, I'd be scared too. I don't wanna meet the Dark Lord, much less take his Mark on my arm! This is what I would call the beginning of their friendship. And for various reasons, it will be difficult for Draco to see her after he returns. His feelings will change, as will the way he acts toward her. Ginny will have her fair share of despair as well. Whew. It'll get better, I promise! These are just dark times for all of our characters, really.
Here's a look into the future (post-Hogwarts):
Ginny will be about 22 (exactly 5 years after her graduation) and unemployed. She'll be living at home, with her parents. There will be good explanations for each of these things.
Draco's future I will keep a little more secret (mostly because I'm not positive about what I want him to do for a living). He will have inherited his parents' wealth, though only his mother is dead; his father is "missing-in-action".
The two will meet again, though through not very pleasant circumstances. But it won't be depressing/sad like this first half. It'll be more interesting as well, as far as personality interactions.
Anyway, hope you've enjoyed. This chapter was really difficult for me to write. That's why it took so long. Also I had an exam on Friday. I have another on Tuesday, so I'm afraid that the next chapter won't be out until at least sometime on Wednesday.
In the meantime:
Please check out the site I've created to accompany this story (it's mostly pictures of Draco and Ginny):
www.lorddave.com/evenbetter
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Latin terms:
Occaeco Levitas – invisible levitate
Descendio – descend
Also (for later):
Ascendio – ascend
"Sure, it's big enough…but just look at the location!" – Though I was inspired by the movie Shrek for this line, Ginny was not. She knows nothing about the movie and neither does Draco, but I just thought it was a funny and appropriate quote.