Chapter 17- Draco and Ginny the Happy (awwww!)
Hello, hello. Yes been gone for ages. A case of life interfering I'm afraid. Never mind, here you go, the last chapter. Epilogue will be up very soon. Oh and before you toodle off to read the story I would like to ask you all to go to Hecate Academy and apply. It's really fun, I think you'd all really enjoy it. It's a roleplaying site where you get to make up a character and have them interact with others at the school. It's like Hogwarts and such a giggle. I'm kind of the Draco at the school, yay for me! Anyway the address is: So shoo, go and apply, you'll like it, I promise! Anyway to the story.
Disclaimer: The characters belong to JK Rowling and Warner Brothers. I own nada except this flimsy little plot thingy I've been meandering along with.
Still in the greenhouse Ginny fingered one of the plants leaves which was hanging over her shoulder. Sighing she dropped the leaf and leant against his shoulder.
"So how do we figure this one out?" she asked quietly. Draco similarly sighed and pushed her away from him so he could look her in the face.
"You know how much I enjoy these cryptic conversations we have but in the interests of saving time why don't you explain yourself a little bit more clearly?" he said stolidly.
"What happens when we go back to the castle and face everyone? Do we tell them we're together or that we're friends or that we're still enemies?"
"Or we could tell them nothing at all and hope that they powers of deduction do the rest." He suggested and Ginny rolled her eyes.
"Don't be a moron." She sighed, "It's better we tell them something."
"Yeah, I thought relying on their mental capabilities was a long shot." He smirked, then he became more serious, "They'll be angry." He warned her.
"They'll be angrier if we don't tell them." Ginny pointed out.
"How about I leave the country and then you tell them?" Draco suggested.
"How about I disappear again and let them think you've done away with me?" She bit back.
"Hey that's an idea!" Draco exclaimed, "We could just bugger off!"
For a second Ginny let herself imagine what it would be like to just escape with Draco and be together far away from the rivalry and restrictions associated with the social rules at Hogwarts. But then she shook her head to clear the image.
"Could you try and keep your suggestions at least slightly realistic?" she asked grumpily, "You know we can't just leave."
Draco considered whether he should argue his point simply for the sake of the fight but he let the matter drop. He knew he could never leave Hogwarts himself let alone convince her to abandon her family and friends for him.
"Worth a try." He grimaced.
Ginny looked up at him and then, hesitantly, moved forward and placed a light kiss upon his cheek. She wasn't entirely comfortably with shows of affection and wasn't quite sure how they were going to handle that.
"That was kind of half-arsed." Draco commented with a smile that made Ginny blush and look away.
"Come on, we shouldn't put off the inevitable." She went to stand up but topped back with a cry of pain as weight hit her ankle.
"Yeah watch the ankle." Draco said much too late. Ginny shot him a baleful look then held her arms out to him. With a sigh Draco stood up and gathered her up against his chest once again. "My arms are going to be so sore tomorrow." He complained and Ginny shot him a furious look.
Draco bore her up the steps to the castle and through the main door. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Colin had obviously been waiting for them as the four of them bounded up to the pair as the door opened.
"Ginny!" they all shouted as one and she batted at Draco's hands for him to put her down. He reluctantly released her and she was instantly swept up into Ron's arms.
"Oh thank Merlin you're alright!" he exclaimed.
"Thank Malfoy you mean." Draco murmured but they all ignored him.
Ron passed Ginny to Harry who hugged her tightly, causing Draco's jaw to clench a little tighter, and then Colin and Hermione came forward and greeted her enthusiastically.
"Come on." Said Ron after Ginny had been swamped by them all for a few moments, "Let's go up to the common room and you can tell us what the whole thing was about."
"Ron!" Hermione hissed agitatedly.
"What?" he asked, completely bemused as to what he'd managed to do wrong that time. Hermione cocked her head in Draco's direction and Ron's face fell. "Oh right." He said looking coldly at the lone Slytherin in the group.
The six of them stood around awkwardly for a moment and then Draco snapped.
"I get the hint!" He brushed past Ginny whispered "Stay strong in the face of evil, I'll see you later." Gave her waist a quick squeeze and then was gone.
Ginny smiled briefly then turned her attention back to her friends. "Yes, let's go up to the Gryffindor tower, I've got a lot to tell you."
"So he saved you?!" Ginny nodded in response to Hermione's outburst.
"Why wouldn't he?" countered Dean who had been sitting in the common room when they'd all trooped in and who had been brought into the conversation.
"Um, because he hates her!" Colin pointed out.
"Enough to leave her dangling in a pit in the forbidden forest though?" Dean asked.
"Wouldn't put it past him." Ron said glumly.
Ginny sat back and listened to them discuss Draco's intentions. She knew it was pointless to interrupt at that stage. She was letting them have their rant now whilst her brain whirled, trying to find some way to break the news of her and Draco's new relationship.
"So Ginny, what happened after that?" Harry asked.
"Well we went on to Esmerelda's..." Ginny continued with her story. They all listened biting their tongues to stop themselves exclaiming over each new revelation until she reached the end of her story. "And then we met up with you guys. I know it's strange but after everything we've gone through we've kind of got a bond and we really like each other." She finished, of course she had left huge amounts of the narrative out.
There were some things they just weren't ready for and perhaps would never be ready to hear. Probably the most major piece of information she left out was the fact that she was the one who had gotten them attached in the first place. She knew it was cowardly and she was ashamed of herself but she wasn't quite ready to take the blame onto herself.
It seemed so much easier to let Draco continue to take the rap for her. She told herself that eventually she would tell them. Maybe when the fact the whole thing had come about because of her obsession with Harry wasn't quite as humiliating for her. The wounds were too fresh, she'd already turned Harry down and made her choice in Draco, how would it look if she exposed the depth of her fixation on Harry now?
"So what does that all mean?" Ron asked finally. There was a long silence and then he added, "I still really, really don't like him, Gin."
"Me either." Harry said quietly. Hermione reached over and gripped Ginny's hands.
"I would try to like him if it was important to you that I did but as it stands, I hate him."
"He's a jerk Ginny, he doesn't even try and hide it anymore!" Colin pointed out.
"Yeah." Dean agreed. Ginny removed her hands from Hermione's.
"I know all that." She said shakily, "And I'm not expecting that to change. I'd like it to but I don't expect it to." She stood up and smoothed her cloak down. "Excuse me." Ginny slipped out through the portrait hole and hurried down the corridor.
She wasn't sure why she was so upset about their feelings towards Draco. After all she'd felt the same not that long ago. Maybe it was because he'd poured her heart out in her story and they'd still rebuffed her and Draco.
Back in the common room Hermione, Ron, Harry, Colin and Dean sat in dead silence looking round at each other.
"That went well." Hermione commented.
"Well how well did you think it would go down?" Ron snapped, "Harry and I didn't save my little sister in her first year for her to ruin her life with a Malfoy!" Hermione shot him a filthy look but the other boys were all nodding.
"Ergh!" Hermione exclaimed, exasperated, "Well I'm going to go and find her and apologise." She got to her feet and looked round at them all. "Well?!" she demanded.
"Well what?" they all asked in unison.
Hermione sighed, "You and you." She pointed at Harry and Ron, "come with me. You and you." She pointed at Colin and Dean, "Can apologise later."
They all began to protest but she held up a finger to silence them. "No arguing. Right now Ginny thinks your hatred of Malfoy overrides your love of her and she's hurt. Apologise now before it becomes too big of an issue. Harry and Ron you have more ground to make up so I'd better be there when you attempt to say you're sorry. More likely than not you're going to need me to interpret your muddled mutterings."
Ron and Harry seemed to consider for a moment whether to be offended by this but then seemed to understand that Hermione was speaking the truth so they just shrugged and hauled themselves to their feet. Although they weren't too keen on the idea they followed Hermione, without any further protests, out of the common room and down the hall.
Even though Hermione was expecting a quite detailed search throughout the large castle it only took them a few minutes to catch up with Ginny. Rounding a corner they caught sight of Draco and Ginny talking, she was gesticulating wildly, obviously telling him something that she was very mad about.
"Well, what did you expect?" Draco asked calmly and Ginny hung her head. "Come here." Draco instructed pulling her to him and wrapping his arms around her possessively.
Ron and Harry both made furious movements towards the pair of them bit Hermione held them back.
"If you stuff this up again, you're on your own." She informed them, "Get this done as quickly as possible and for Merlin's sake try not to say anything stupid! Ginny!"
The couple in front of them broke apart and watched apprehensively as the golden trio approached them.
"Oh look out Virginia, I think we're about to be lynched by the Gryffindor brute squad." Draco said nastily.
"Why do you call her Virginia?!" Ron burst out before any of the others could react. "It's not her name!"
"It's not?" Draco looked at Ginny questioningly and she shook her head.
"No, it's Ginevra." She said quietly, "I told you numerous times that Virginia wasn't my name and to call me Ginny but you didn't listen."
"I thought that was just because you didn't like it." Draco said with a shrug, "Oh well, it makes no real difference, I'm still going to call you Virginia." He turned his attention back to the other three and scowled. "Now what do you want?" he asked rudely.
"To apologise to Ginny." Hermione said firmly gripping both Harry and Ron's arms tightly although whether to keep them from attacking Malfoy or to stop them running away it wasn't clear.
"Yeah we're sorry." Harry said gruffly,
"But you took us by surprise." Ron added.
"You didn't really think we'd like the idea of you two together, did you?" Harry continued.
"Because, honestly, it makes us sick." Ron finished.
"Well," Draco snorted, "as apologies go I think that one has to rate as the worst I've ever heard."
"Can I talk to you for a moment?" Hermione asked beckoning the Slytherin over to one side and surreptitiously pushing Harry and Ron forward towards Ginny.
"What do you want mudblood?" Draco asked but it was without it's usual cruel edge. It was just like he was insulting her out of habit. He was watching Ginny talk with Harry and Ron with narrowed eyes. Hermione sighed,
"You know Malfoy, this tolerance business is going to have to work both ways. I won't insult you if you won't insult me. It will be mutually beneficial, I promise you."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Draco said absentmindedly, "Look, I've really enjoyed this chat mu...Miss Granger but I'm going to go over there and see what they're doing now." He began to pull away from her but stopped as he saw Ron pull Ginny into a hug and Harry lay a hand upon her back and lean in close to whisper something to her. Hermione tugged lightly on Draco's sleeve.
"Come on," she murmured, "This isn't really for the two of us." Draco wanted to protest but seeing Ginny relax into Ron and smile contently he curtly nodded and followed Hermione.
"But if she comes back and says they've forbidden us to ... well you know..." Draco was still having difficulty classifying their relationship but Hermione seemed to understand as she nodded, "Well if that happens I'm well within my rights to beat the absolute..."
Hermione cut him off with a laugh, "They won't do any such thing, Malfoy." She said with conviction, adding with an evil glare, "And believe me when I say if you beat either my boyfriend or best friend you'll see just how good a witch I've become!"
"So it seems that our greatest objectors have been silenced." Draco commented as he and Ginny made their way down to breakfast in the great hall the next day. Ginny smiled and nodded.
"So indeed it would." She agreed looking behind them at Harry, Hermione, Colin, Ron, Dean, Seamus and other Gryffindors who were also on the stairs. They were all chattering away happily and although their eyes maybe flickered a bit more often to the couple in front of them then they should have they seemed fine with the change in her romantic status. Draco, following her gaze, sighed.
"What did you say to them yesterday?" he asked. Ginny smirked and nudged him slightly with her shoulder.
"Wouldn't you like to know!" she laughed, "Sorry little snake, it's a Gryffindor thing." He rolled his eyes knowing how much she was enjoying throwing his own words back in his face and then held the door to the great hall open for her, making sure to let it swing shut in the faces of the gaggle of Gryffindors behind them.
"Malfoy!" Ginny said warningly, the next second however Harry had opened the door again and shot a hex at the Slytherin which turned his face into a mess of boils and warts. Ginny put her hand over her mouth to stifle the giggles and looked up at Draco. "You should really see someone about that acne." She said, trying hard to be serious whilst huge laughs kept threatening to burst from her, "The way they spring up without any warning is worrying really!"
And then she collapsed into hysterics whilst Draco sent Harry a blisteringly angry look and said coldly,
"Take it off, now, Potter!"
Harry's wand shook as he was laughing so much but he did eventually remove his hex and Draco even managed to grimace something which almost looked like a smile.
Their antics had aroused quite a bit of interest from the rest of the students and staff in the hall. Heads were turned in their direction and necks were craning to get a better view. Seeing Draco and Ginny together whispers erupted all around them as students turned to those nearest them and began to hiss like agitated geese.
"What's their problem?" Ginny asked in confusion, standing alone with Draco as the rest of the Gryffindors had taken their seats at their table.
"I think we're their problem." He said, his eyes glittering with anger as he scanned the room. "Is that it?" he asked loudly spreading his arms out to include everyone, "Is it us that's got you gossiping like there's no tomorrow? What? You don't have lives of your own to worry about so you're fixated on ours?"
"Draco!" Ginny hissed grabbing his arms and pulling them down, "Don't make a scene."
"Don't make a scene? But that's what they want, isn't it? They want a scene. Well, you want a scene, you got one!" He looked down at Ginny and grinned, "You ready for this?" he asked her quietly.
"Ready? Ready for what? Malfoy what are you planning to do...eek!" she squealed as he suddenly grabbed her and then dipped her in an elaborate fashion. Whilst she was in that powerless position he lowered his mouth and kissed her soundly making it more slow and dramatic then he usually would have for the benefit of the gawking students.
After several long minutes during which catcalls and whistles began to fill the hall Draco straightened her up and released her. "Right then!" he shouted, "If anybody has any questions that were not just answered by that they may send them to the Gryffindor common room. Thank you and now you can get back to your breakfasts and the mundane issues of your own lives."
Ginny was bright red both from the exertion of the kiss and the embarrassment she felt from snogging in front of everyone. She pulled Draco down with her to the Ravenclaw table which they had gravitated towards out of habit.
"That," she hissed, "was humiliating!"
"Kissing me is humiliating now?" he asked with an attempt at a hurt expression, "If that's your feelings on the matter than I'm afraid we are doomed to failure. I certainly have no intention of stopping kissing you any time soon whether you like it or not."
"Forcing me into romantic trysts? Geez that should make our relationship sucessful." Ginny said sarcastically.
"Whatever works..." Draco joked and Ginny laughed.
"You know what Malfoy?"
"No what?"
"I don't reckon you'll ever have to force me." She grabbed the collar of his robes and brought him down so their noses were almost touching.
"Well that's a relief." He murmured his breath caressing her lips, "I think I've had enough Gryffindor agression to last me a lifetime."
"You know you love it." Ginny whispered.
"Yes, and maybe one day I'll love y..." Draco's final word was cut off as Ginny caught his lips in her own.
The word was left unspoken and yet it was there for all to see.
Authors Note: Awwwwwww throws up in background Well that's it! Apart from the epilogue and the sequel. I hope you liked it.
Thank you to:
FNP: No, it's alright, I promise I'll finish. Glad you're looking forward to the sequel, hope to see you there! Thank you for reviewing and showing your appreciation.
Alenchic: Yep, more fun. Thanks for the cheer :)
Kjata: Hope you managed to bring yourself back to life in the mean time, I wouldn't like to lose one of my favourite reviewers! Thank you for dying for my story : p
Kittybro: Glad you like it so much and don't worry I will finish this! Thank you for reviewing.
Hadhafang: Hmm let's see. No, they will not be aurors (kinda been done if you know what I mean), there will be huge amounts of jealousy and fights never you fear and there will be a family friend...just not on Ginny's side. And that's all I'm saying! I know I should make my chapters longer but they're almost double the length of my first fanfic so I'm getting there!
Bigreader: You can kiss someone without loving them! And it was a very effective way to shut her up! Thank you for saying you love my story, you do realize you're the reason in continue to write, don't you?!
Julia: Thank you and I will do!
Mo the Deatheater: Plenty of smooching for you! Thank you for saying I'm doing a wonderful job, I'm almost done! Thank you over and over again.
ginevraXmalfoy: wow, three loves?! You must like it! Thank you so much for saying so.
Laina3: Well thank you, I always think my chapters are awful because I've read such good ones which are a million times better! Anyway thank you for reviewing.
Padfootedmoony: yeah they're well and truly together in this one. I hope you like it. Draco will always be a stubborn prat, I'm not changing that for anyone! Hope you'll read the epilogue and maybe even the sequel. Thanks for your excellent reviews.
KawaiiRyu: well of course he came for her! I'm glad you liked the discussion of their...relationship! Thank you for reviewing.
Dragonsprincess: Thank you for forgiving me and liking the last chapter. Yeah I like Draco's lines, he's the most fun to write. Thank you for always reviewing and knowing exactly what to say to make me feel motivated to push through the writers block.
lilblondeiy214: Oh bless, aren't you nice! It was enough of a thank you to read my story, oh I want to cry you're so sweet! And you gave me licence to take my time, and I did, sorry about that. Thank you for your super fantastic review.
KuTiExAzNxAnGeL: Thank you, I haven't updated soon but hopefully you'll forgive me.
RomanceFaerie16: Thank you for being so excited about my story. I really do hope that you read the epilogue and sequel, it would mean a lot to me.
Iced Faerie: Glad you think so! Thank you for reviewing.
Charmed-Goddess-07: Draco has got his act together! Well I hope you will like the sequel, it's going to be so much fun to write as I've got the foundation done already. Yay, thank you for your reviews.
Dracoluver2009: Thank you and I have!
Dorthey Star: Oh thank you so much. Believe me, I understand the late at night syndrome! I'm pleasantly surprised you like my Ginny and Draco, they take some getting used to, but thank you. Your review was very much appreciated!
Sclarius: And I still love you! How sweet are you? My story continues to amaze you? Oh bless and you think it's one of the best. I like you a lot, I think I'm going to put you in a box and you can sit next to my computer and tell me how wonderful I am! Thank you and keep it up!
MemoriesOfYou: Wow, you read the whole thing in one go and you still want more? Now that's determination! Thank you so much for saying you need more, here it is!
Depth of Soul: Wow, you're so wonderful! I like your friend a lot too, it's such a nice feeling to think that people read my story and like it enough to tell other people about it. I wasn't sure about that conversation at the end. I didn't want him to say he loved her because it seemed too fast. I'm going to wait until the sequel I think. I'm so happy that you're excited about the epilogue and the sequel, they're going to be so much fun to write! Yep I guessed what you were thinking, we've obviously got such a bond through my story! Thank you a million times over for your wonderful review, this is all for you!
Anuri-Chan: Wow that concert sounds awesome, I love moshing but I agree, you certainly get a few bruises for your troubles! I didn't really notice the spelling mistakes, I'm no great shakes at it either so I wouldn't worry! I'm glad you kept a bit of energy for me and my story. There will be an epilogue and sequel and that's it. No more real chapters for this little baby. Thank you for reviewing, hope you're fully recovered by now.
Rednight-rider: Sorry, it is a bit obscure it must be said, still at least you liked the other chapter :) Thank you for saying you love my story regardless.
Dolores: Yay, you're in love with my story. Great story line, great writing, and the rest? Well thank you very much, I'm so flattered. Hope you like this chapter too.
Elvencherry07: Well you're not going to like this one then, fluff ahoy! Thank you for reviewing.
Obviously Oblivious: Will do, thank you for reviewing.
Riotgirl-gc: Oh you're so nice for saying you liked that chapter. How do I get all the idea? Um things just come to me throughout the day but mostly they just pop into my head as I type. I guess I'm just lucky. Usually there is one line that I base my chapter around and I just extend it from there. For example for this chapter I started with the line "If anybody has any questions that were not just answered by that they may send them to the Gryffindor common room. Thank you and now you can get back to your breakfasts and the mundane issues of your own lives." Draco was referring to Ginny because he'd picked her up and she was heavy. Men in tights is like my second favourite movie "We're men, manly men, we're men in tights, YES!" I love that movie so much! Hence I think there was a quote in one of the chapters. Never fear, I'm going to finish this story if it kills me! Thank you for not rushing you, you're the greatest. I loved your review, thank you so much!
Phoenix-Star-08: Thank you, good review!
NGI: It does, I hope you continue reading!
susand1861: Wow applauds I tried to do that the other day but even I couldn't read my story again all in one sitting! Mystery chapter 17 is here, click away! Wow the best one? You are so wonderfully fantastic to say so! Thank you over and over again, your review made me so happy wipes tears away
Noire1: cringes sorry! Well I'm back with a vengeance as they say. Of course I'm going to continue, epilogue and sequel don't forget! Thank you for always reviewing and being so relieved that I come back each time after my long absences.
Yay another one bites the dust as they say. Anyway, don't forget about the Hecate Academy thing, the more the merrier.
Love you all, Jess/star123