An Acceptable Risk

Part Twenty-Three

Last Dance


The Yule Ball was winding down to a close when Harry whispered something to Ron and passed him a piece of parchment. Ron took the parchment, grinned at Harry and crossed the dance floor and exited the Great Hall. Several minutes later, he rushed back into the Great Hall and sat down next to Harry. Ginny watched, with a bemused expression on her face, as she and Draco danced to the music of The Haunted Hags. The song ended, and Draco escorted Ginny back to their table. They had no sooner sat down when a large spotted owl swooped into the Great Hall and landed on the table next to Draco. He reached over and removed the parchment that was strapped to the owl's leg and unfolded it, while Ginny fed the bird a bit of Christmas pudding.

"Ginny," said Draco, folding up the parchment. "I'm sorry, I have to leave. I've just received an urgent message from my father."
"I do hope nothing is wrong Draco," said Ginny."
"No, I don't think so. His message just said for me to go to my dormitory and wait for another message. I'm going to miss the end of the ball. I'm sorry, but really, I have to go see what he wants."
"Of course you do Draco. You go ahead, I'm just going to wait down here for the end of the Ball and then go upstairs with the rest of my house."
"This isn't the ending I had in mind," he said reaching out to squeeze her hand."
"Oh, me either," said Ginny. But I'm sure glad it happened this way she thought to herself. "Go on, find out what your father wants, and I'll see you in the morning."
Draco left the Great Hall reluctantly, followed several minutes later by Pansy Parkinson.

Dumbledore announced the last dance of the evening, and The Haunted Hags broke into a romantic ballad. Ginny looked across the Hall to where Harry had sat, but he was nowhere in site. She stood up and moved to a dark corner of the room where she could watch the dancing unobserved. A tap on her shoulder caused her to turn around, but there was nobody there.
"Would you care to dance?" asked a disembodied voice.
"Harry?" she giggled. "Is that you?"
Harry's face appeared in front of her, floating in mid-air. She felt a small breeze and found herself enveloped under the invisibility cloak with Harry.
"Dance with me Ginny?" he asked again. She said nothing, but stepped closer and wrapped her arms around his neck. They swayed back and forth to the music in silence for several minutes before Harry cleared his throat.
"Ginny?"
"Yes, Harry," she whispered.
"I – well, I, Happy Christmas, Ginny."
"Happy Christmas to you also, Harry," she replied, trying to mask the disappointment in her voice. What were you expecting? she asked herself. A declaration of love? With you following that slimy git Malfoy around all the time? She bowed her head so that she was looking directly into his chest. Harry removed one of his arms from her waist and placed his hand under her chin and raised her face so she was looking at him. He leaned down and kissed her gently.

"Ginny, I," he began.
"Harry, where are you?" a voice whispered. "The Ball's over, and everyone is supposed to go back to their dormitories."
"Just a minute, Ron," he answered. "I'll be right there."
"Did you ever find Ginny?"
"No. No I didn't," he said, smiling down at her. "You go ahead, I'll be right up.
"Right," said Ron. "Bye then." They listened, as Ron's footsteps grew fainter. Harry leaned down and kissed her again, very tenderly.
"Thanks for the dance Ginny. You look very beautiful tonight. You sparkle like a star up in the sky." He kissed her one more time before he peered out from the cloak to make sure nobody could see them.
"It's all clear," he said. "Go ahead."
Ginny slipped out from the cloak and made her way across the Great Hall, catching up with a few straggling students who didn't want the festivities to end.

The following morning, Ginny closed the lid on her trunk and prepared to go down to the Great Hall for breakfast. She paused to look in the mirror while she remembered Harry's words from the night before. She ran a brush through her hair and went down into the deserted Gryffindor common room. She quelled her disappointment at not seeing Harry and hurried down to the Great Hall. She sat down in a deserted section of the Gryffindor table and helped herself to some bacon. She glanced over at the Slytherin table, but there was no sign of Malfoy. The Great Hall filled with the beating wings as hundreds of owls descended upon the Great Hall to deliver the morning mail. Pigwidgeon landed on the table next to her and pecked at her fingers. She fed the small owl a bite of bacon and removed the parchment from his leg.

Dear Ginny,

I got Hermione's owl. Oh, child, what have you done? Draco Malfoy in this house. Your father and brother's will explode. However, it is far more suitable than your other option. My daughter go to Malfoy Manor indeed! I'll meet you at Kings Cross today. Try to keep Draco away from your brother as long as possible."

Love, Mum

Ginny folded the parchment and slipped the parchment inside her robe and watched as Pig flew off in the direction of the owlery. Ron sat down next to her and reached for the pitcher of pumpkin juice.
"Was that Pig?" he asked, his eyes bleary from lack of sleep.
"Oh, uh, yes it was. Mum just sent me a note saying she'd meet us at Kings Cross today, that's all."
"I'm kind of glad we're going home this Christmas," said Ron. "I think it will do you a world of good to go home, and get away from some of the more unsavory element here."
"Unsavory element?" she asked, her voice rising a bit. "What do you mean, unsavory element?"
"Don't be dense Ginny, you know what I'm talking about," said Ron looking over at the Slytherin table.
"Ron Weasley, I think you need to keep your big fat mouth shut," said Ginny though clenched teeth. "Who I associate with is none of your business. I'm going to my room, and I'd appreciate it if you would just stay away from me!" She stormed out of the Great Hall, and straight into the arms of Draco Malfoy.

"Oh, uh, good morning Draco. I hope everything is okay with your father?"
"Well, actually, about that," he said flushing. "It turns out that the owl wasn't from my father. It was something Pansy dreamed up to try and get me away so that she could talk to me again. I'm sorry I had to leave you alone at the Ball. I can't believe I fell for such a stupid trick."
"It's okay Draco, really. The Ball broke up shortly after you left and I went to bed. So, are you all packed to leave? I got an owl from my Mum, and she said to tell you that you are more than welcome at The Burrow."
"Some how, I doubt that," said Draco dryly. "But it will give us a good chance to practice your apparating lessons as well."
Ginny smiled weakly and quickly excused herself.

As soon as Draco entered the Great Hall, Ginny quickly made her way to the Headmaster's office.
"Plum Pudding," she said to the statue and it slid back to reveal the passageway to the Headmaster's office. She made quick work of the stairs, and knocked softly on the door.
"Come in," said Dumbledore, and the door swung open. "Problems Miss Weasley," he said.
"Yes, well, perhaps," she said. "I'm not sure really. See, Draco invited me to go home with him for the holidays, and I knew that wouldn't be a good thing, so I did the only thing I could think of. I invited him to The Burrow for the holiday."
"That was quite wise of you Ginny," said the older man kindly. "For you to go to Malfoy Manor could have been tragic indeed."
"But sir, what about Harry?" asked Ginny. "Harry's coming home with us for Christmas, isn't he? What if Draco tries to hurt him somehow."
"Your concerns, though admirable, are unfounded. No harm will come to Harry from Mr. Malfoy over the holidays. I can promise you that."

Ginny thanked Dumbledore for his time and wished him a Happy Holiday before she made her way back to her room. Several hours later she sat with Draco in an empty compartment on the Hogwarts Express. The train pulled into Kings Cross and quickly emptied of students. Ginny and Draco got off the train and stood on the crowded platform 9 ¾. Suddenly Ginny grabbed Draco's arm and pointed.
"Look, there they are! Over there!" They pushed their way through the throng of students. The crowd parted and before them stood Molly Weasley, Ron, Harry and Hermione.
"Oh good, Ginny there you are," said Mrs. Weasley. "And this must be Draco," she added pleasantly. "We're all very happy that you'll be joining us for the holidays."
"Bloody hell," said Ron. "What's he doing here?"