She was there again. She was always there, without fail.
And that was how he found her. He knew where she was, where she would be, after the great downpour.
Standing just outside her line of vision, he watched her, lying on a grassy knoll just hidden from the view of the castle. Feet crossed in front of her, as she sprawled on the dewy grass on her back, her hand traced patterns in the damp grass, her eyes affixed on the sky above her.
He moved towards her, silently. Pausing behind her, he quietly marvelled at how the sun glanced off her hair, crowning her with a halo of gold. His own head bent, he stuck his hands in his pockets and studied her through his lashes.
"Could you move, please? Your shadow is in the way."
"Sorry, Your Majesty."
He was pleased, when she tilted her head up and grinned at him. She had such a pretty smile. He gave a little smile back, moving to sit next to her. He was uncomfortable with smiling; it was much easier controlling emotions, at least for him. Suddenly, he felt her arm brush his as she looked skywards, and his senses ignited, leaving him with a nice tingly feeling.
"Shucks. The sun shifted."
She scrambled up from her reclining position, clambering up the small hill to the tree at its very peak. She sat against the tree, cross-legged, as she peered upwards. Sighing, he picked himself up, and set off up to join her. Impulsively, as he lowered himself onto the grass, he laid his head on her lap, resting his hands on his abdomen.
Looking down, she threaded her hands through his hair, weaving patterns in it. Not unobservant, she took in his haggard expression, the dark circles under his light eyes.
"Poor thing. You look tired. NEWTS a bit stressful?"
Startled that she had noticed, he lowered his eyes and muttered dismissively, "Yeah well. It's not easy studying for it, but I'll survive, Keep your pants on."
Glancing up, he cocked a cheeky grin at her, as she scrunched up her face, sticking her tongue out at him.
"I was just concerned, you prat. You ought to rest more. Wouldn't be good to fall sick during the exams now, would it?"
"Yes ma'am."
"Well, you'd better."
There was a slight pause, not uncomfortable, before he spoke up.
"So, how are the rainbows today?"
A smile flickered across her face unconsciously, as she pondered.
"They're beautiful, as lovely as ever. Rainbows have nothing to hide. All those splendid colours, after a storm – it's like hope after a disaster. It's just spell-binding, and… Oh I don't know how to describe it! There's this feeling, that at the other end of the rainbow, there's someone for me, and it's just so magical. Rainbows are wonderfully magical."
Closing her eyes as he listened to her lilting voice, he smiled a little to himself, at her dreaminess and eagerness, barely conscious to register the fact that he was falling asleep.
"… Draco! Hey, psst! Sleeping beauty! Draco!"
Semi-conscious, the first thought that offered itself was about how sweet her voice was. Drowsily, he wondered if he was one of the sailors in those Greek myths of sailors lured by the melodious voices of the beautiful sirens. Like the songs of the sirens, harmonious and enticing.
The voice was calling him, he suddenly realized. His eyes fluttered open, and were immediately met by a pair of brown concerned ones.
"Ah good. You're awake. Didn't sleep at all last night did you?"
Her voice was accusing and searching.
"Uh no. Was studying Potions."
She sighed and massaged his scalp, mussing up his hair. "Please take care of yourself. Seriously now, before I'm forced to baby-sit you or something. Besides, you're already brilliant at Potions."
He shot her an impish grin. "I'd like that. The baby-sitting I mean."
Pasting a mock-annoyed look on her face, she smacked him lightly. Suddenly, she said, "Look! A star! In the morning too!"
He looked up, and to his amazement, there was indeed a star. "Interesting, now aren't you supposed to make a wish or something?" He had to force himself not to say, "Or something equally as ridiculous." He didn't want to hurt her.
Glancing at her, he noticed that her eyes were closed, hands clasped in front of her, her expression rapturous. A side of his mouth tilted upwards in amusement, and he looked back upwards, this time at the rainbow.
Red orange yellow green blue indigo and violet. He counted. Mesmerizing. The colours seemed to strike a chord deep within his soul. He just couldn't help wondering, is there really someone at the other end of the rainbow for me?
"I've made my wish."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Want to know what it is?"
"Won't that make your wish invalid or something? Disqualified?"
"Who cares. I want to tell you anyway."
"Oh. Okay then."
"I wished that I'd find my rainbow connection."
He smiled at her innocence, not doubting for a minute that she'd find hers. Peering at his watch, it suddenly occurred to him that he had to get back to his Charms revision.
"Bollocks. I have to go. Revision calls. Bugger."
As he got up, she stood up and forced him down. At her feet, he looked up beseechingly. She glared back at him fiercely.
"Nuh-uh. Today's Saturday, and you are going to relax today. Get it? Enjoy the fresh air, escape the dankness of the dungeons -"
"Hey! They are not dank!"
"- whatever. Basically, you're not going to study, even if it means I've to baby-sit you for the whole day. Understood, Mr Malfoy? Now I'm going to get breakfast from the kitchens, and you are staying put here. Merlin help you if I find you've wandered."
After a last ferocious glare to even rival his own deadliest, he submitted, and leant back against the smooth bark of the tree, watching her figure disappear into the castle.
He thought back to what she had mentioned, and he acknowledged, that perhaps, a small haplessly romantic and sappy part of him agreed. His soul whispered something to him, stirring the depths of his being, and he realized, with a jolt, that the little secret divulged to him was probably true.
He looked at his hands, then at the blue sky, with the spectacular rainbow and the glowing morning star, taking in the view of the unblemished beauty, his mind drifting over her words.
"And I think I've found my rainbow connection. It's right here with you, Ginny Weasley."
-- finis
A/N: Found this little piece loitering around on my table (yes it was handwritten). So I typed it out and voila! Here it is.
So review and tell me if it was good or bad.