A/N: Please read and REVIEW! It'd be much appreciated. I borrowed the recurring idea that Ginny is gifted at healing because that really seems to fit her.
Disclaimer: Not my characters
Chapter Four:
She hadn't even noticed that he was leaving until she felt a sudden sense of loss. Ginny, whose eyes had been content for the last few hours to look out at the changing night sky, now turned her face inward to look at the vacant space of air that Draco had inhabited only moments before. He was gone. She looked down the corridor and saw his receding form making its way back to the dungeons. She allowed herself to let out a surprisingly girlish sigh as she raised her right hand to touch the spot on her left shoulder where Draco's hand had rested. She thought about the feel of his lips barely grazing the top of her head. What had just happened?
Ginny was more confused than she had ever been in her life. Draco Malfoy did not comfort crying girls in dark hallways. And certainly not crying Weasley girls! How could Draco Malfoy, the same boy who had tormented Ginny and her brothers for years, be the person to fill the void in her chest that had been growing since her first year? All this confusion, all these questions, left Ginny feeling quite overwhelmed, and more than a little anxious to get to her next 7th year magical healing class.
Ginny Weasley was not much of a student. She struggled in potions and astronomy and only just got by in many of her other classes. It was not until the discovery of Ginny's talent in magical healing that she began to feel she had some purpose at Hogwarts. Ginny was so gifted in this subject that she had been promoted to a seventh year course.
Unfortunately for Ginny, she was in a Slytherin healing class. Draco Malfoy had been scathing in his insults of the youngest Weasley. He felt threatened by having the younger girl in his class, she supposed, because he kept his comments limited to insulting her abilities in other subjects.
Now, as she shakily stood and made her way up to Gryffindor tower, Ginny considered the night's events and couldn't wait for her next healing class. She figured that she would get some answers from Draco's behavior.
If he acts differently...I'll know to make something of this.
She hadn't realized how far she'd traveled during her contemplations until she found herself staring at an expectant, and rather irritable looking, fat lady. Ginny muttered the password and the portrait swung open, accompanied by the lady's cursing of student's out of bed at all hours of the night. She climbed through the portrait hole, and silently made her way up to bed.
She was asleep before her head touched the pillow.
Draco Malfoy and Ginny Weasley were not seen at breakfast on sunday morning. Ginny lay asleep, curled up in her bed in Gryffindor tower. Draco lay on his back with one hand under his head, fast asleep in his room in the dungeons of Hogwarts. Ginny's mind dwelled on stormy eyes, Draco's on a sea of red curls.
It wasn't until 11:30 that Ginny stirred from her sleep. She felt completely rested, and the weight that had been bogging her down all week seemed to have been lifted. She hopped out of bed, feeling carefree and grabbed some clothes to take with her to the shower. After she had cleaned up and dressed, Ginny headed down to the Great Hall for lunch.
"Ginny!" Hermione almost shouted when the redhead approached the Gryffindor table."I haven't seen you since you stormed out of the Great Hall last night! Why were you in such a hurry?"
"Oh...I er-well all your talk of homework and classes reminded me that I hadn't even started my own homework. So I hurried off to get some work done," Ginny replied lamely."You're such a good influence on me 'Mione..."
Hermione didn't quite buy the excuse and Ginny knew it, but was relieved to see that Hermione was letting the subject go.
"Well you missed a spirited Quidditch debate down in the common room. Oh and your brother received an advanced supply of the Twins' latest gag sweets. Trust me...you don't want to know."
Ginny had lost her friend somewhere between Quidditch debate and the Twins. It was at that point that a certain blonde Slytherin entered the Great Hall. Draco swept past the Gryffindor table to his own table and sat down between Crabbe and Goyle. His eyes scanned the lunch crowd until they came to rest on her. Completely indifferent. Ginny stared back at Draco and felt herself quail under his gaze. There was absolutely no emotion in his eyes at all; he just looked at her as if she were a piece of furniture.
No...don't. Don't, don't, don't. Go away you stupid-
Ginny attempted to stop the tears that were forming in her eyes. Finally she pointedly looked away from Draco and gave her attention back to Hermione.
It had been his decision, after examining in detail the events of the previous night, that he should simply act as if nothing had happened. Draco could not give a reasonable answer to himself as to why on Earth he had felt so compelled to comfort the Weasley girl. And he certainly could not explain the focus of his dreams after finally falling to sleep. He had spent an hour after awaking that afternoon deliberating as to what sort of actions to take. The news from his father was not absent in his decision-making. He still didn't feel right about that Arthur Weasley business, but he couldn't spurn his father, he still felt some loyalty to him. The best thing to do would be to remain as normal as possible. Getting involved with the girl now was a bad idea.
He convinced himself of all these things before entering the Hall for lunch, but when he saw Ginny's eyes fill up with tears at his harsh look, he knew that this would never work. He was furious that this mudblood enthusiast could have such a huge effect on him. He actually felt his heart wrenching when he thought of the pain he'd caused her. He couldn't allow himself to think of the ramifications of his father's actions. Oh God...
He was in trouble.
