Note: This follows the previous chapter on that day itself.
Nothing you recognize is mine..i mean IF I were J.K Rowling, I wldnt be writing fanfic in the first place..A/n note cont'd below
Crazy for this Girl
She rolls the window down
And she
Talks over the sound
Of the cars that pass us by
And I don't know why
But she's changed my mind
Would you look at her
She looks at me
She's got me thinking about her constantly
But she don't know how I feel
And as she carries on without a doubt
I wonder if she's figured out
I'm crazy for this girl
She was the one to hold me
The night
The sky fell down
And what was I thinking when
The world didn't end
Why didn't I know what I know now
Right now
Face to face
All my fears
Pushed aside
And right now
I'm ready to spend the rest of my life
With you
- Evan and Jaron (The ultra hunky twins from Columbia)
Ginny met Draco that night by the lake.
He was sitting there, this time seemingly asleep. Ginny leaned down to make sure that he was in fact asleep. She had never seen him this up close before – with the fine contours of his chiseled face, the pale blonde eyelashes resting lightly against the bone under his eye, and a lock of icy blonde hair fallen on one closed eye alight in the moonlight.
He seemed so vulnerable, with all his defenses down and the icy cool façade gone. He looked like one of those celestial beings, the warm glow of the crescent moon illuminating his face like a halo and those aristocratic, almost godly features.
Suddenly, Draco's eyelids fluttered and she stepped away startled, stumbling on her own feet and falling back with a soft 'thud'.
This sudden movement woke him up, as he sat up with a jolt and realizing that Ginny Weasley was lying sprawled out on the ground in front of him. Draco stood up, holding his hand out to help her up.
"Are you alright?" He asked, showing genuine concern in his voice. She nodded, standing up without taking his hand. He smirked - she was always stubbornly independent.
They sat back down again and comfortable silence filled the air between them.
"Tell me what happened," she spoke, her words quiet yet powerful.
He knew what she was referring to. Even though she had no right to know (it seemed that nothing they were doing was right either), he told her. Not because she asked, but because he had wanted to tell her anyway - share with her his sorrow and pain.
He had not been willing to share it with anyone before. He was as closed up as an oyster and too private a person for that - but she, she was special. She had touched his heart in places he never even knew existed.
He began by telling her how his father had been undyingly loyal to Voldermort all his life, wanting even his son to join him as a Deatheater. In the end, though, Lucius' loyalty had not even mattered to Voldemort who no longer had any use for him, and was beginning to distrust him.
So, his father had been eliminated and everything Draco had believed in, and had been brought up to believe in since he was born, came crashing down on him.
Nothing was the same. Nobody was the same - especially not him.
None of the other death eaters respected the Malfoy name anymore, even now. His father, the man behind it the name, the only one whom they had truly feared because he had been Voldermort's right hand man was gone. Even the Ministry did not give two hoots about the Malfoy family anymore.
Not to mention the rest of the wizarding community had little respect for the Malfoys to begin with. He was nobody and nothing. His entire existence the past eighteen years had been a deluded illusion. He had no idea what to do.
His mother seemed to be affected the worst; she went into depression after the funeral, rarely coming out of her room. She had loved his father with all of her heart and soul, wanting to please him in every way possible. First, by giving him the son that he wanted and then, later attempting to raise that son up to be the heir that he had always wanted.
His father, however, had never been satisfied. He had been a perfectionist, a hard difficult man who was rarely satisfied. As far as Draco was concerned, he did not think his father had ever loved his mother. She was just his wife, someone who would accompany him on functions and help raise his son. It was sad to watch his mother so unhappy and even more so now that Lucius was dead.
In a bid to make his mother happy after his father's death, he had proposed to Pansy. His mother, however, deteriorated till she was reduced to a catatonic state of not feeling, not responding, not recognizing, and was as blank as an empty well.
By that time, he had realized that living on his father's assets and money was not going to be enough to support himself and his mother – with her ailing mental state she required special medical care.
There was nowhere he could continue the already defunct and bankrupt Malfoy business. So he had tried looking for a job but no one was willing to give a job to a deatheater's son.
He had been fortunate, however, to have people like Dumbledore and Snape, who had faith in him and believed in him and had been willing to help him, give him a chance. If not, he would have gone off the deep end. Snape who had been planning on retiring knew of his difficulties and had suggested him as the next Potions Professor to Dumbledore, who accepted him without questioning.
Professor Dumbledore's simple explanation on the night Draco had arrived back in Hogwarts to start his job, was that Draco had been a student of Hogwarts - that itself being a testament of the inherent goodness in his seemingly flawed character.
It was not to say things improved immediately. He felt terrible leaving his mother alone at home while working.
He was the only one she had to take of her. The situation became even more dire when Draco not knowing how to handle her catatonic spates, had summoned a healer from St. Mungo's. She was diagnosed then with catatonic depression. According to the healer, she had the history of a chronic depressive as well. Draco had never felt so shattered to realize how broken his mother was, his mother, the only person he ever loved unconditionally.
That was the reason behind his distressed state during the detention Ginny had had with him in the first term.
The healer had insisted then for Mrs. Malfoy to be placed at St. Mungo but Draco refused wanting his mother to at least enjoy the luxuries of the Malfoy Manor that she had cherished and maintained. But he had soon realized that the house elves could not care for her when he was at work.
She had proven to be dangerous when she unexpectedly came out of her catatonic state one day and made an attempt at suicide. He had been teaching at Hogwarts at that time and had had to rush home. That had been the family emergency. Thus, she could no longer be alone - only under special care. She was presently residing in the Magical Maladies ward of St. Mungo
The time when his mother had been diagnosed and his father had been killed had been the lowest points in his life and he never thought he would make it. In the still, intense darkness of the night, Draco told Ginny everything that he could remember of all those traumatic times. She listened without saying much, murmuring here and there; once or twice managing to ask a question.
They sat there for a while - he wondering what she thought of him and her pondering all that he had said. Ginny stood up suddenly, strange unfamiliar emotion taking hold of her. She wanted to put her arms around him and hold him, keep him safe. She wanted to protect him. Where that desire had weaseled out of she did not want to know.
Knowing that she could do nothing like that,
"Let's go swimming," she stated, looking down at him. He was staring up at her, surprise mingled with amusement and twinge of wariness.
There was a reckless air about her that excited Draco. He would forever remember this moment and love this aspect about her, the rare moments when she followed her heart. The night wind whipped her fiery hair off her face, her brown eyes shone with excitement and some other fierce emotion. It was too much for him to resist.
They discarded their robes, still fully dressed though; they ran towards the lake, laughing at each other's absolute craziness and insanity. But just before they jumped in, Draco impulsively grabbed her hand in his. Ginny had no time to react because the next thing she knew, she was in freezing cold water.
She spluttered, coming up for air, Malfoy bobbed up and down beside her. They stared at each other, as an owl flew ahead, a light went on and off in the Gryffindor tower and the water ripped around them from the wind.
"I'm sorry all that happened to you," Ginny said, looking down into the murky depths of the water, her soaked clothes weighing her down.
She admired him for his courage in going through all he had. Courage after all was not just fighting in a battle against dark forces. Courage was being kicked even before you begin, but beginning anyway and seeing it through no matter what. In her eyes, that was what Draco had done. It was amazing that he had not changed for the worse after he all he had suffered – he had in fact mutated into a better being.
"I'm sorry too," Draco murmured, watching her intently. He was glad that though she was sorry for the tragic events, she did not feel sorry for him. Draco never liked to be pitied, no matter what. He still had his Malfoy pride.
Ginny shivered suddenly as he smirked.
"Never go swimming in the night?" He voiced her thoughts. She nodded, smiling.
They swam back towards the bank. He helped her out and up.
Ginny was soaked, her clothes sticking to her skin. Draco's clothes were hanging off him, and his shirt had gone a translucent flesh color. He tried not to stare as he handed her robes to her.
As they walked back to the castle, she began trembling from the cold of the water and icy wind. Without hesitation, he pulled her into his arms, wrapping his cloak around her, attempting to keep her warm.
She had never felt warmer in her life, with the sensation of his arms around her, her head bumping against the crook of his neck and shoulder - the feel of his taut, rigidly muscular body so close to her own and his sheer masculine warmth suffusing into her.
Ginny slipped on the invisibility cloak at the Grand Entrance and with a squeeze on her hand from him, she departed, dreamy and temporarily sated.
Draco entered his room, his seemingly frozen body longing for a hot shower. That, however, would have to wait. Paulo was sitting at his desk in his room, arms crossed over his chest. For a man a few inches shorter than Draco, he looked fairly intimidating, but he had the added advantage of being a few years older.
"What do you think you're doing?"
In the last few months, Draco had become rather good friends with the DADA professor - The both of them being new members of the staff. Paulo was constantly entertaining him with stories about his wife and his two-year-old daughter's antics, of which he was extremely proud.
Paulo made Draco nostalgic, having never had a family like that before and wanting one very much. That was why he envied the Weasleys. Although they were materialistically lacking, their wealth was their unconditional love for each other.
He had never experienced that, because his father loved him only due to what he could become and his mother loved him because he was her only path to receiving love from his father. Draco had loved his mother though, very much, but the anguish of that never having been reciprocated filled his adolescent and adult years.
Now, however, there seemed to be another chance for him to learn how it felt to love and be loved in return – allegedly the greatest thing in the world.
Draco shook the water out of his hair, as he closed the door behind him. He knew exactly what Paulo was referring to.
"Nothing," he replied, innocently.
Paulo sighed, "You're her professor, Draco."
"Not in one month's time," Draco said as he grabbed a towel and started wiping his hair.
"But you are, now," he reminded the blonde man.
Draco shrugged, turning to face his friend, his eyes flashing, not with anger but with something else – crazy recklessness. Paulo knew that look, having had it in his own eyes before. Draco was dangerously in love. He would do anything just to be with Ginny.
"I thought you told me her family hates you."
"They do but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. Plus, I don't even know if she feels the same way," Draco pointed out, the fear of rejection evident in his voice.
"Could be only pity," he murmured more to himself than to Paulo.
Paulo could not reassure Draco and tell him that he was wrong, for he, himself did not know.
A/N:
So it's confirmed – Draco has the hots for Gin-gin..End of story? You wish! Just cos you know you love someone doesn't mean you can get married and live happily ever after, especially if you're Draco and Ginny..
So lots more stuff is going to happen..dun forget as Paulo said, he's still her professor..and he must tell her how her feels..at at least show her..
Patience, my dears, patience – all will be happening so stay bloody tuned..
Hope his explanation was adequate for all you highly critical flaming souls out there..and if you still think Draco's OOC..this MY fanfic and as clichéd it is to make him out to be this vulnerable nice guy, it IS NOT, in this story..he has EVERY reason to have changed..Am I being defensive? Yes, I am..if Harry can be some angsty brat in OOTP..why can't Draco change into a nice guy huh? Anyway he is not really that nice, just civil..he's not slobbering over Harry feet is he? Or kissing up to Hermione?
I should stop..
Apologies for any grammatic errors..hope you didn't go blind cos of them..i apologise for not having a few editor/beta readers at my beck and call like J.K Rowling..Thanks to Shauna for trying to make up for this shortfall..She is one rocking beta reader..
Yes, I am a girlie..female and all..
They both say Voldie's name without wincing cos he's already confirmed DEAD and I think it's stupid to fear something that's DEAD..not to mention how stupid it is to fear something like Voldie in the first place..He's an imbecile who deserves a tight slap courtesy of my mother..
Hope this chappie was long enough for you..worst come to worst, I will post the entire story in one chapter..will that be long enough sirs and madams??
And do tell me what you think, not about my new and improved cynical attitude but about this piece of writing..
Apolgies for my sarcarsm..to compensate I will give you a nice sneak preview..
"What happened last night?" Luna asked, she was not one to beat around the bush. Colin choked on his muffin.
"Last night? You and Malfoy?" He babbled. Ginny could not help but smirk.
"Nothing, we just talked." She replied, looking down at her food trying to conceal the blush creeping into her cheeks at the mere memory of last night. Luna was not fooled.
"Did he kiss you or something?" Luna asked, flat out. Colin choked again, spluttering, bits of chewed up food flying all over the place. Ginny made a face, moving a few inches away, disgusted. Luna across from them and in safe territory, waited for an answer patiently.
MUAHAHAHA..MEAN EVIL SARCARSTIC FANFIC AUTHOR WANTS MORE REVIEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Heh, I sound stupid
