Chapter Five: Relationship Put to the Test

Back at Hogwarts, Ginny and Draco walked down the corridors together. They held hands, kissed in front of other people and went over to one another's house tables in order to chat during breakfast. It was clear that no one really approved of what they were doing, but they didn't care in the slightest.

Ginny was quite upset because Ron had been ignoring her and Harry had been constantly 'in his ear' about how Draco had punched him. Hermione, however, remained neutral and, in doing so, kept Ginny from becoming an emotional wreck.

It was a beautiful, sunny, Saturday afternoon and Ginny and Draco were strolling by the side of the lake, talking gaily about Ginny's experiences during the holidays.

'You know, you're father sounds like a really decent man. I never really knew before,' Draco began. 'My father,' and his voice deepened in disgust, 'Always speaks of him as if he is dirt, not worth a backward glance. I suppose that's what made me prejudice against your family before I knew the full story. I'm sorry'

'It's ok, really Draco. I've heard quite a lot of stories about your dad too. Are all those rumours myths?' Ginny asked hopefully.

Draco cast his eyes down, 'No, unfortunately they're true.'

'So he really is...'

'A Death-Eater,' Draco finished for her, miserably.

Ginny was silent for a moment. 'But you're nothing like your father, Draco. I've gotten to know you. You're so different.'

'Am I?' They stopped walking. Draco looked around to make sure they were alone 'You want to know what I did during MY holidays? I spent all my time locked in my room studying the dark arts, worrying about my future........................because, you know what? My father wants me to become a Death- Eater too.'

Ginny couldn't suppress her gasp of horror.

'You have no idea Ginny, no idea. The pressure my father has been putting on me. The countless times he put me under the Cruciatous spell "just to keep me motivated in my studies" he kept telling me.'

'On.....on his own son?!' Ginny whispered incredulously.

'Yes,' Draco said.

Ginny looked at Draco. How could this person, the one she loved, ever become a Death-Eater?

'You see me differently now don't you? I can understand. It would be hard to love someone you know may...............' Draco hesitated, 'May be forced to become a Death-Eater. I regret telling you, but I'm also glad. I didn't want to keep anything from you, but I suppose things between us will change now, but I don't blame you for anything.' He looked out over the lake.

Ginny could see the hurt, the pain, the sense of loss in his eyes. She watched as his eyes became glassy and slightly bloodshot in the attempt to prevent the tears from flowing. And as she did so, she felt her heart breaking.

She moved closer to him. She place her hands on either side of his face, gently manoeuvred it so that he faced her and then placed her hands back by her sides. His eyes, which had been glinting steel became blue; filled with warmth and love as he looked at her and a single tear slowly trickled down his cheek. He quickly wiped it away, angrily with the back of his hand. Ginny snatched it as he did so and held it between each of her hands. 'Draco,' she said seriously. 'I love you, nothing's going to change that. What you've just told me has had no effect on my affection for you whatsoever. Nothing is going to change what I feel for you ok? NOTHING.'

Draco's arms snaked around her and brought her to him. He hugged her tightly and buried his face in her neck. Suddenly, Ginny heard a very muffled 'You're wearing a lace bra, aren't you?' She pulled back from the embrace and slapped his arm playfully. He grinned and then picked her up easily.

Ginny squealed in delight and started saying, 'Put me down, put me down.'

'What would you do if I threw you into the lake?' He smiled evilly, a hint of mischief and amusement in his eyes.

'I really don't think you want to know,' Ginny said. He put her down and they laughed.

The next morning, however, Ginny's happiness dissipated. It was during breakfast, that an owl flew down to the Griffindor table and dropped a letter in front of Ginny. She wondered who it was from. She hardly ever got mail any more. She opened it and read:

Dear Ginny, Ron has told us that you are in love with Draco Malfoy and we can certainly say that we are more than a little surprised. Ginny, surely you remember his father? All those incidents between Harry and Draco- why, he punched Harry just the other day didn't he? The point is, we don't want you to even associate with the likes of Draco Malfoy and you are to stay away from him. Do you understand? We are only doing this because we love you Ginny. The Malfoys are bad news. Ron will be telling me if you're doing as you've been told. This is for your own good Ginny...

Love Mum and Dad.

Ginny's eyes narrowed and she looked up at Ron, across the table. He was avoiding eye contact, but he was bushing furiously. He knew what the letter would be about.

'Ron, I want to speak with you, NOW,' Ginny said dangerously. Ron rose from his chair and followed Ginny out of the Great Hall. There was no one around and so, Ginny began her lecture. 'Why did you send this?' Ginny asked between clenched teeth.

'You know why I did it Ginny. Even Harry told you before, Slytherin and Griffindor don't go together Ginny,' Ron replied calmly.

'So?! Slytherin, Griffindor? What's the big deal Ron. They're both school houses. I didn't see you kicking up a big stink when Harry had a major crush on Cho Chang –A RAVENCLAW.'

'Yes, but that was different.'

'How is it different, Ron? Cho was someone from a different house. Harry was in love with her. Draco is someone from another house and I'm in love with him.'

'But Cho's dad wasn't a Death-Eater now, was he?' Ron asked, his anger rising. His remark hit home with Ginny and she slapped him across the face, hard.

Ron's face remained frozen in its position; to the side. 'Despite what you may think,' Ginny's voice quivered with her anger, 'Draco is nothing like his father.'

Ron slowly turned his face back to Ginny. 'Like father like son, Ginny. You will never change that,' his voice was dangerously quiet.

'People can change. Draco was never really like father to begin with.'

'So you are the expert on Draco Malfoy now, are you? You've been going out with him now for..............what, a month? And you assume you know everything about him.

'I know enough about him. We have no secrets from each other.'

'You shouldn't be going out with him Ginny. He's bad news. His whole family is, everyone knows it. You should be going out with a Griffindor- you should be going out with Harry.'

'HARRY!?' Ginny exploded. 'Let me tell YOU something Ron, if you knew the way that Harry has been treating me................I would never even contemplate going out with Harry. He held my wrists so tightly; he shook me and shouted at me- he wouldn't let me go. If Draco hadn't arrived and punched him to keep him away from me, God only knows what he would have done. I swear, I thought he might have raped me- he's gone half mad. Don't you see? Draco was protecting ME when he punched Harry, and that's the truth.'

Ron's jaw tightened in defiance of this new information. There was a long pause. 'Incidentally,' he finally said. 'You may find that Malfoy's father received a letter similar to the one sent to Mum and Dad,' and with that, he turned on his heel and walked back into the Great Hall.

Ginny stood frozen for several minutes and then she feel to her knees. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she held her heads in her hands. After remaining so for about ten minutes, she ran upstairs to the Common Room and locked herself in her dormitory. She stayed in there all day, and when her room-mates came in, she closed the hangings and didn't say a word to any of them.

---------------------------Hey all. Yes, I know this chapter is EXTREMELY short, but I thought that it would be best, considering its content. Stay tuned for the next chapter- I am writing the first part up now. My apologies for being so slack. Hope you enjoyed this chapter. And thanks Siran, I had mental block and got Cho's house mixed up with Cedric's. My apologies once again. Well thanks for all the reviews and the constructive criticism. I'll try to use it to make future chapters more enjoyable for all of you. Till next chappie..............Ciao! = ------------------------------ -----