:: wipes away tear hastily :: Hey guys! Oh, God. Thank you so much for all the reviews. It made my day, really. I was so happy I was in heaven. Ok, I'm gonna stop before I get all schmaltzy and mawkish. Let's get it on with my last chapter! I do hope you guys love it.
Happy reading, everyone. :)
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Two weeks had passed by in a blink of an eye. Everyone was busy doing their homework in each subject, becoming more and more hectic when Snape had asked the students of each year to read 60 pages from their book and write a 20-inch long essay about it. Hermione had of course read it and was having an easy time doing all her assignments.
The fact that Ginny never saw Draco [except during meal times at the Great Hall] almost made her forget about him.
Almost.
But she tried.
She ignored all the emotions she was feeling every now and then – loneliness, depression, sadness and misery. She distracted herself by doing her homework [surprisingly, she had already read her Potions book that summer], chatting with Hailey and playing wizard chess with her brother, Ron [she won 2 out of 15 games].
One Saturday morning when she was sitting at the Gryffindor table with the Golden Trio and her best friend, Professor Snape had called her from the Professors' table. She gave her companions a nervous look. Ron shrugged carelessly and continued munching down his breakfast. Hermione scowled at him then turned to Ginny and gave her a encouraging smile.
Once Ginny was in front of Snape, he gave her a intimidating stare.
"Ms. Weasley, the essay you wrote was…" Snape's dry voice trailed off and he frowned.
Ginny frowned herself. What's wrong with my essay?
Snape cleared his throat and straightened up. "It was err, excellent."
A smile curved up her lips. "Really, Snape?" she said excitedly.
She immediately received a cold look from Snape. "Um, I meant Professor Snape, sir," she corrected, blushing slightly.
"Go and get it, Weasley, from the dungeon," he ordered coolly.
"Professor, where—?" Ginny started to ask but Snape had already gotten back to his food, waving his hand to dismiss her.
Ginny scowled and walked out of the Great Hall, turning to her left where the Potions classroom was.
Then her heart fluttered happily.
In spite of all the problems, she managed to get high on Potions. She beamed, nearing the dungeon.
When she was there, she opened the door then suddenly froze.
Draco Malfoy was there, standing in front of her.
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"'Mione!" Harry called from behind her, minutes later.
Hermione bit her lip, deciding if she would stop to talk to her best friend or not.
That's the point. He's my best friend.
She stopped and turned around. Her heartbeat pumped faster than the normal rate when she watched Harry ran towards her in a masculine way, his black hair getting to his eyes, which he brushed off hastily. When he reached her, she looked down at her feet.
Harry bent down and put his hands on his knees, catching his breath. "Hermione – I – need – to talk – to you," he said, panting.
"Um, ok."
When Harry straightened up, he grinned at Hermione. "You sure run fast for a girl."
Hermione smiled weakly and shifted her foot uncomfortably.
Harry noticed this and sighed.
"Hermione, I'm sorry," he said softly.
She looked at him. "You don't have to," she said bluntly.
He looked back at her, staring deeply. "No, really. I am sorry. All the things I did or said this past few weeks were so… horrible. I never dreamt of saying that to you. I guess I was just… carried away."
Hermione opened her mouth then closed it then opened it again.
"Um, ok," she said again, her voice quivering.
He gazed at her intensely. "Hermione…" he started.
Hermione felt her face get hot. She knew what he was going to say.
I know you love me but I don't and never will love you as more than my best friend.
Yes, she knew. Of course, what else will he say?
She looked away. She couldn't bear to hear his words and feel it strike through her heart painfully.
"I'll be going now, Harry. I'm on way to the Library to research," she mumbled, turning around and starting to walk away.
"Hermione…"
"Bye."
"I'll walk you to the Library."
Hermione smiled tightly. "No thanks."
"I insist."
"You don't have to."
"But I want to."
Harry beamed as he pictured the corner of Hermione's lips lift up into a small smile.
Hermione sighed and turned around. "Fine."
Harry smiled and walked beside her. They walked towards the Library quietly.
Suddenly, Hermione felt something warm against her hand. She looked down, feeling a wave of pure bliss explode in her heart.
She looked ahead as Harry's hand slipped through hers and stroked it gently.
It was the best feeling in the whole world.
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Ginny felt her face get hot as she stared at his face, blank and unaffected.
She cleared her throat and looked away, breaking their eye contact. She forced herself to look relaxed and calm.
"Excuse me," she muttered, stepping forward.
Draco remained still, staring at her with an impassive look on his eyes.
"I said excuse me," Ginny repeated coolly. "You're blocking my way."
This time, Draco stepped aside and let her pass. Ginny bit her lip as a tingle went up her spine when she felt his hand brushed ever so slightly against hers.
Ginny opened Snape's desk and looked inside. She searched for her essay, rummaging through all the parchments. She could feel Draco's heated stare at her back, which made her an uncomfortable prickle on the back of her neck.
Her essay was nowhere to be found.
Great, just great. Just as she finally got high grades in Potions, her work disappeared.
"Where is it?" she asked herself out loud then bit her lip.
"Where's what?" Draco's deep voice questioned her as she shifted on one foot uneasily.
"None of your business," she muttered bitterly to him.
Draco didn't reply and the eerie silence rang on her ears. She sighed, finally giving up.
What was she going to tell Snape?
She could almost picture him smiling coldly at her. "Then I guess you won't get a high grade then, Weasley." He would say dryly.
"Dumb luck," she muttered sulkily, turning around then stopped.
Her eyes widened as she saw Draco leaning against the wall casually, one hand inside his pocket and the other clutching a parchment that looked oddly familiar…
"My essay…" she whispered, trailing off in horror as she stared at him. "Give me my essay!"
A smirk crept up in his face, his eyes beaming with amusement. "You know I've read it, it's pretty good for a Weasley…"
"Give. Me. My. Essay," she snarled, breathing hard every word.
"…except of course for some grammatical mistakes that can be corrected easily. I corrected some for you," he drawled lazily, handing her the essay.
Ginny snatched it angrily, glaring at him. She turned around and looked at it.
Yes this was her paper, her essay. But something was different…
On the upper left of the parchment, something was written. She looked closer.
'Forgive me?' was written.
A slow smile crept across her smile before she could stop herself.
A pair of strong arms wrapped around her frail waist, pulling her closer.
"Forgive me?" Draco whispered huskily at her ear.
Ginny blinked. How she missed him – his touch, his strong arms…
He put his hand on her chin, tilting it so that she was facing him and then he leaned down and kissed her. The kiss was fierce and passionate as Draco wounded his arms around her, deepening the kiss. Ginny moaned instinctively in return, snaking her hands up to clasp the nape of his neck.
Pleasure they've been denied for weeks surged to the surface, dancing across their nerve endings and making them feel electric. As their tongue tentatively touched and tasted then hungrily took their fill, Draco moaned softly and pulled her closer.
After what seemed like a enduring moment, Draco began to rub each little vertebra on her spine, then leisurely and quietly pulled back.
Their dazed eyes met and locked, their gazes replete even though their bodies were telling them that the simple kiss had not been enough.
Draco smirked and Ginny rolled her eyes, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips.
They broke apart and Draco held her hand, leading her outside the dungeon. Snape was standing at the door, a sulky expression on his face.
He raised an eyebrow to Draco and Draco nodded in return. Ginny bit her lip, looking at the both of them curiously.
Snape sneered sullenly and went in, closing the door with a loud bang.
Draco, still holding her hand, stirred her away.
"What was that about?" she asked quietly.
Draco smirked eloquently, looking sideways at her.
"Let me tell you something, Ginny…"
Ginny felt a nervous pang on her heart as she gulped anxiously. "What is it?"
"You really didn't get a high grade on your essay," Draco said simply.
"I DIDN'T?!" Ginny asked loudly as her body droop disappointedly.
Draco smiled at her reaction. "No, you didn't."
"Oh, shoot."
Draco's hand snaked its way to her waist, pulling her closer.
"It was just a set up?" Ginny asked.
"Yup."
"Snape helped you?!"
"After hours of long beseeching, yes."
"For a moment there, I thought I was actually high in Potions," Ginny said thoughtfully as they rounded up the corner.
"For a moment there, I thought I was going to lose you."
Ginny looked at Draco and smiled warmly at him.
"Pansy? What happened to her?"
Draco let out a bitter laugh.
"Detention for a month with Professor Trelawney," he said conceitedly.
Ginny had to smile delightedly. "Yeah?"
"Yeah. For being in an adult bar… that night…" he trailed off, looking at her uneasily.
Ginny stared ahead, smiling unaffectedly. "It's ok, you know."
Draco smiled in return and they continued to walk, unaware that they were at the Quidditch Field.
"You remember that night?" Draco asked as they settled down at the great oak tree. "When you were crying because of Potter and I comforted you?"
"Yes," Ginny purred, the memory flashing briefly on her mind.
"Well, here we are again," Draco said, looking at the Lake.
"Yes. Here we are…"
Ginny rested her head on his shoulder and he reached out for her hand in silence, staring at the lake in satisfaction.
And the rest, as they say, is history.
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THE END.
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Yes, this is the end. The story is finally completed! My, my… I'm going to miss this story and all the kind reviews you guys gave. THANK YOU SO MUCH!
I hope you like the end, if you don't, I'm sorry. I do hope you review for the very last chapter of Being With the Slytherin Prince.
I love you guys so much. I hope you continue reading my other stories. I will continue My Boss, The Only Girl I've ever loved and If Looks Could Kill. All D/G goodness! Hehe. : )
Ok, bye now. smiling sadly I'll miss this story and the reviewers! I hope I'll not see the last of you guys.
Lots and lots and lots of love,
Remember to Review One last time
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