Disclaimer: This AU idea came to me as I sat there watching Cruel Intentions and playing Clue. Anything you don't recognize is mine besides the song.
And if I've gone overboardThen I'm begging you
To forgive me
In my haste
When I'm holding you so girl,
Close to me
I cannot possibly describe Draco and my reunion without a sheer wash of confusion. The next day, we went out to Hogsmeade together and we were silent. Entirely silent. It was almost eerie, how impersonal the whole process seemed.
Of course we did talk over lunch, I think merely to keep up the appearances of the lie. He asked me how my classes were and I of him, we made plans for our travels during the summer, and then we went shopping.
Shopping had always been a private practice for us. We didn't speak, we merely flashed clandestine smiles at one another when we knew our fellow patrons and the shop clerks weren't looking. But now it was solemn and all too cliché. Draco sat patiently in the lobby of all the shops I entered, and waited until I was finished, and then purchasing the items I wished for.
I almost let out a scream of frustration halfway into the afternoon. But afternoons simply weren't the proper place to let out a scream of frustration. These are preferably early in the morning, or halfway into a social evening.
It was Sunday. Most people did not go out on Sunday, so we were able to keep fairly silent while still looking like the ideal couple.
Draco fetched me a soda water from Honeyduke's, and my eyes raked the town square with a slightly less sparkling air. And that is when I spotted it. I reached for his hand; handholding had not been a practice that we had ever engaged in, pre-Andrew.
He was, no doubt, surprised. He had just managed to get all my shopping bags in one hand as to hand me my soda water. His hand was cold and clammy initially, but as I excitedly led him through town, he got more affectionate, squeezing it gently.
Right as we got to the store I wanted to take him into, he pulled me back into a gentle kiss.
"I know you didn't kiss the bastard because he would have been a lot less gloating and a lot more smitten with you on the pitch." He growled into my ear, intent on ravishing me right there in the street.
I had better ideas.
"Oh, come off it, Virginia, there is no way I'm going in there."
"But Draco, it is only Suzette's. I promise you shan't die in there."
"I might as well cut off the family jewels and sell them to Avery because I am not going in there."
"Stubborn, is he?" Someone asked behind me, and I turned to see Hermione, alone for once. I smiled at her.
"Yes, just a bit." I answered. "But that can all be fixed."
"Of course." Hermione retorted somewhat huffily, although she sent quite an encouraging grin to Draco. "You better keep her behaving, Ron's perfectly inclined on beating Avery to a bloody pulp and my, that'll be disgusting to shower off."
"Although it won't stop you." I replied and she sent me another encouraging grin, nodding me into the shop.
"What is with you people today?" Draco muttered as I lead him in.
A woman in lingerie answered his question.
"Mints? Bath salts? Or something really naughty?" She asked, winking.
"I think we'll just browse today, Nora." I answered. "Do take these bags to the back, will you?"
I pulled a stunned Draco to the back of the store where I selected a particularly demure black silken dressing gown. "What do you think?" I asked innocently, pulling it up for him to see against my body.
"Don't bother." He growled, and I looked into his eyes. A possessive, domineering side of him that he almost never showed in public and rarely showed me was taking over him and he inched closer. "How 'bout I get the mates out of the dorm?"
His breath was so hot on my skin, I almost couldn't resist. But I pulled away. "I take it this one's a no."
I had never made Draco very angry, I think. Not even my misdeeds in the past few days had angered him, I think, perhaps because he liked a woman with a taste for vengeance. What he disliked were men who took advantage of this.
But right now, I think I made him slightly grumpy, if not angry.
"You're a fucking tease, Rockford." He muttered as I began browsing through the shop. There were some playful outfits, but Draco, although I had only slept with him once, did not strike me as a playful kind of guy. He struck me as the kind of guy who liked to begin quite patiently, thinking he had complete control over the situation of undress, but then he'd lose control and hate that he did, ripping at your clothes for lack of control and for a bit of leverage.
So flimsy was indeed a necessity.
"Draco, darling, I must send you along with my purchases, you've nearly spent the whole of your allowance on me." I whispered quite snootily in a cooing voice that I knew annoyed him.
"Mum will only be too pleased to replenish it, knowing I've spent it on you." He snarled, but obeyed my commands. "I'll get the mates out."
I nodded as if I hadn't heard anything, and then proceeded to purchase a filmy pale blue bouncy baby doll set that barely did its job, and it was trimmed in feathers. It was practically perfect for winning over the heart of a diehard Ravenclaw.
It should be noted that Ravenclaw kicked Slytherin's ass. And then some.
I asked if I could change in the shop, then slipping my Hogwarts robes over my new purchase.
I suppose you could say I took my own sweet time making my way back to the castle, greeting some of Draco's roommates on my way back to the castle, grinning merrily. I said the password at the portrait of the Grey Lady, and found my way to the sixth years' dorm.
Let's just say, Draco was not pleased about the wait.
I entered into a dark room and my eyes had to adjust to the lack of lighting. And out of nowhere, someone threw me onto a bed and even in the dark; I could see the curves of his face.
"Someone's aggressive." I murmured and, upon slowly unbuttoning my robe, he answered me in a sneer.
"You're damn right I am." He completely unbuttoned my robe and ripped it off of me, casting it aside. He looked down on me and smirked. "You have a way of personalizing your wardrobe, Virginia."
At this, I almost cried. I had 'personalized' my 'wardrobe' just the other night for Avery.
Now, he couldn't be in control. I couldn't let him without guilt overriding everything wonderful about this moment.
With strength I did not know I had, I flipped him over and started kissing him maniacally, and the face that had been so eager to tear my heart out moments before softened instantaneously.
"Don't do this out of guilt, Virginia." He whispered, grasping me taking me into his arms. And I'm pretty sure he forgave me.
And we didn't have sex.
My figure had drooped immensely after he had removed the guilt selflessly from my mind, and he slipped me under the covers, undressing a little and joining me. I was shaking, in spite of the self-control I had learned and rejected in a rage of boredom just recently. He was being Mr. Chivalrous again, and I couldn't believe how silently he had forgiven me, how honestly he had let everything go, even his own desires.
And I couldn't leave him. He cuddled me closer to him, his arms protectively embracing me and slowly, the shaking stopped.
It was late, perhaps a few weeks later. My O.W.Ls were over and I had come home from a party in Hogsmeade after the Gryffindors had successfully won the Quidditch Cup after a long, harsh battle with Ravenclaw.
Obviously, I was not spending the evening with Draco.
Ron, after having a few butterbeers that were slightly stronger than usual, was telling a group of his friends quite loudly how proud he was of his sister for 'coming back from the dark side' having been raised 'spoiled', of course referring to the night of Andrew Avery.
He sounded hopeful that I might stay with my brothers over the summer.
Gaggles of Gryffindors began heading back to the Tower before curfew was over, and while Hermione managed to bring Ron home earlier, Harry had not snagged such a fortunate, comfortable walk back. In fact, he was 'stuck' with us; Parvati, Lavender, Dean, Seamus, Neville, a seventh year named Brittany and I. We were all laughing as we walked through the crisp night and my hair, let loose for once, whipped me in the face as I turned to make sure he was still with us.
"Thinking, Harry?" I asked, almost giggling at the thought, a gust of wind pushing my dress and hair back.
"Yeah." He didn't smile.
"Not too good when you're pissed." Neville murmured and we all stepped back as he ran to the side of the road to puke.
"You okay, Neville?" Seamus asked, jogging off to fetch his dorm mate.
"He has a point. Thinking when you're pissed is a bad, bad idea. You do stupid things." I said honestly, although the one bottle of strong butterbeer
"I'm not pissed, okay?" He asked in a very flat tone. I raised my eyebrows and caught up with the group.
"Alright." I muttered.
We snuck into our tower carefully, and I headed to the kitchens to fetch a pitcher of water and a few glasses for those of us who were admittedly drunk unlike Mr. Uptight Potter.
And of course, none of them were nice enough to stick around when I nearly tripped into the Common Room.
"Fuck it." I muttered, pouring myself a glass of ice water. "A drink for a drink."
"You're a liar." Someone muttered upon gently pacing into the Gryffindor Common Room.
I looked up at the foot of the boys' stairs. Harry's breath caught in his throat, and I realized the fire and the scarlet surroundings must have made me look like an exploding sunrise.
"Not exactly a red morning yet, Harry. Water?" I poured him a glass.
"You're a liar." He repeated, throwing himself onto a sofa in front of the fire. I handed him the water, and sat down on the sofa, regardless of the lack of space, near his chest.
"Why do you say that?" I asked after a moment, memorizing the curves of his dimly lighted face.
"All that crap you dished out to Ron, it's a lie, I know it is." He repeated, sitting up to drink. We were a little too close for my comfort, so I stood up.
"Who told you?" I asked, sipping my glass nervously.
"Avery. And he was practically on his deathbed, so I know he wasn't lying. Of course, he's been perfectly recovered and glowers at me." Harry said, completely sitting up now and leaning forward on his thighs.
"Because he was honest with you, yes, I get the same thing." I shrugged. "What's it to you?"
"This bond between you and your brother is a lie. Doesn't that mean anything to you?" He asked this levelly, as if he knew my answer.
I turned and my eyes glinted in the firelight. "The bond between my brother and I is, firstly, none of your business and secondly, not a lie. I regret what I did. I regret that I hurt you and your precious house…" I began trailing off.
"It is also your precious house, as hard as it is to believe." He spat softly. He looked up at me. "I was hoping you were at least happy. That at least he made you happy."
No doubt who he was. "I was. Sorry, I mean."
"And now?" Harry stood, ignoring my obvious wish for space and pouring his refill a little too closely to me.
"Why do you care?" I asked venomously instead of retorting. A rage was building up inside of me and I was starting to think of myself as pathetic and wishy-washy. Just last month I had wanted to kill Draco slowly for practically kidnapping my social status and thrusting me aside for his precious—whatever. I was just a possession. And now I had begged for forgiveness about my reply to it all. And Avery…Avery had treated me like a pawn, like a toy! And Harry had always worshipped me and suddenly he wasn't taking my crap anymore.
"I just thought you cared. You always play this silly little damsel in distress for your brother so he can love you for what you're not." He said softly after a moment, after he saw the string of emotions flash on my face.
"He needs to be protected from the truth, Harry. He can't handle it." I answered meekly. I almost sobbed, and this time it wasn't an act for my brother who did indeed love me for a lie. It may have been true somewhere inside of me, this innocence and poor little rich girl crap, but what he knew was such a hyperbole I wanted to rip my tongue out.
"I'm really sorry, Gin." He whispered to me, and I was afraid he was about to take me into his arms as Draco usually had, not letting me see his face.
I looked up at him in the most vulnerability I had let myself show…anyone. Honest vulnerability, that is.
"Just a little nickname I've been kicking around the office. Your brothers…except for Ron always called you Ginny." He hugged me, and it was perhaps the least romantic gesture I had ever received from a non-familial-man.
And it felt good.
I wanted to ruin this moment; I wanted to try to seduce him. However, I found I could not. Harry stopped hugging me, we finished off the pitcher of water, and said goodnight.
The next morning, I dressed in a sedate black suit and pearls and put my hair up. I sat in the Gryffindor Common Room, writing my letters. I had one for my late father's lawyer, one for Narcissa, one for Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred and George and an owl of instructions for Mrs. White upon what to do with my things. I also penned a quick, affectionate note to Tony. I arranged to stay in Parvati's dormitory in order to ensure that I studied for my O.W.Ls and avoided Draco. I stayed out of the social scene and soon after my last final; Draco stormed up to me as I sat amongst my brother's friends.
"What the fuck is this? Are you trying to embarrass me in front of the whole school?" He demanded, throwing a dirty rag in front of my face.
I flipped the tabloid closed and raised my eyebrows apathetically at the headline. "Rockford Heiress Moves Out of Grimaldi Manor."
Many of the Gryffindors had heard, of course, and they didn't care, except my brother. "Are you moving out, Virginia?"
I nodded proudly. "I'm opening up Maxwell's townhouse again. There are so many guest rooms I'm quite sure all of you could move in, if necessary. Should Bella and Sirius decide to make it like rabbits in the kitchen and you decide it's not a proper place to eat any more."
"Sweet fucking Jesus Christ, Virginia, everyone knows you're my girlfriend and all of a sudden you move out of my house? It looks like we're not a couple!" Draco snapped, snatching the tabloid back from Parvati, who was very interested in a snapshot of Tony.
"Hmmm. How about that?" I commented, trying to hide my smile.
Angrily, without letting my brother or my friends come to my defense, Draco snatched me by the arm and pulled me straight out of the Great Hall.
"Draco, that really hurts!" I shrieked, yanking my arm away from him. "What is wrong with you?"
"Wrong with me? What is wrong with you?" Draco demanded. "This trash is true?"
"Yes! What's the point of me staying in that house? I think I'm perfectly capable of running a household and my brothers' lives, I've learned quite well from your mother." I said in a friendly and vapid tone. "Bill is getting into banking, both Charlie and Percy are making it in opposite sides of the spectrum of the Ministry, and Fred and George are entrepreneurs. Cedric's practically my brother, and he's doing quite well and—well, I seem to have a knack for running great social households."
Draco looked at me, and the floor, then back at me, and then he stared wordlessly at the floor. After shaking his head mechanically, he turned back to me. "There IS a benefit of sleeping in the same house!"
I couldn't help it. I started laughing. I started laughing maniacally. The shrieking laughing caused Ron, Harry, Hermione and Parvati to rush to the Entrance Hall in worry, and when they saw me doubled over and Draco's confused and somewhat frightened look, they too looked confused and somewhat frightened.
By the time I stood all the way up, there was a crowd behind my friends and brother. But I didn't care. "Hmmm, the only benefit I can see about firstly, being your girlfriend, and secondly, living in a huge house in which you can get away with murder, obviously because your mother did, is sleeping together." I let out another shriek of laughter. "And wow…we don't do that."
I looked him in the eye, my own pair dancing with mirth. He looked stormy, he looked embarrassed and he looked ANGRY.
"What? Going to hit me, Draco? You haven't before, but you seem to be turning into your father even more every day. Girlfriend in name only? Check. Uncontrollable bursts of violence? On it's way. Pureblooded snootiness? Oh, definitely, you people should hear what he says about you behind your back. Lots of money? Right. Vapid, boring personality? I think you've got it all." I remarked cheekily, smirking at him and crossing my arms over my chest.
"I am not my father." Draco managed in little cold bursts.
"Not yet." I retorted calmly. "I'm not your girlfriend, Draco, I'm your conquest." I rolled my eyes and made my way through the crowd.
To be continued…