Forces of Attraction Chapter 20: Bring on The Bet, a harry potter fanfic

What's it been? Two months? Three? I'm sorry. I know I always say this but this time I really couldn't help it. I'm at some boarding school in the UK and they don't let you have internet on your laptop, so I couldn't upload this file to fan fiction even though I had written it a month earlier. And they have these slow as computers that you cant upload any disks too so all I could do was read your reviews hurrying me to post when I was helpless. I'm on two weeks break though and I'm up at my cousins where I can get internet on my laptop so.

Disclaimer: I will admit I like Robbie Williams, and I will admit I think Vanilla Ice is hot, but I will not admit that Harry Potter in no way belongs to me, because it doesn't.

Chapter 20:

Draco Malfoy walked back to the Slytherin Common Room in both hope and despair.

He thought about her. Of the many times she smiled at him, of the way her eyes glistened when she saw him from afar. He thought of her begging him to stay with her. Saying she needed him. She wanted him. He thought about that night. The night when everything he thought was important had suddenly lost meaning to her. The way the images of all his past lovers flashed before his eyes when he saw her and he realised that for five years he had been running around in circles. And the one place he wanted to be he had completely avoided. Until then.

He thought about love. About how he had never believed in its existence, until he found someone to care for, who cared for him. Someone to laugh with, who laughed with him. Someone to love, who loved him.

Except now, she didn't. Now he knew that he was being used by her. As a favour to get Potter. And now he knew that when she told him it was okay that night. It wasn't. That when she whispered 'I love you' to him, she didn't. Her I love you was out of pity. Her love that night was meant to calm him. Like when a wizard being taken to Azkaban was told that it was going to be okay. It wasn't. She wasn't. She didn't love him.

And for that reason, he didn't love her.

That was his despair. Because he knew that his heart had hardened like it never had before. He was unable to love again. Because he had no hope. He had no hope in love, no hope in trust. Maybe for the past few months he had believed in soul mates. He believed in I love you's. He believed in love. But now he didn't. Now he believed in games, and tricks, and coming out on top.

And that was why he did it.

That was why when he walked into the common room and saw Brocks eyes quickly glance and him and then back. That when he saw Brock whisper something to the Slytherin at his side and hurriedly run for the door he called to him. And he shouted, "Not so fast Brock."

He didn't know what he was doing. He wasn't the same Draco he had been last month, or even yesterday. There was something else. An anger. A resentment. It drove him. It forced a smirk on his face. It steered his steps. It brought him face to face with Brock. And made him say, "I believe we have something to discuss."

An hour later she hadn't stopped crying. She had never cried that much before. Never. She hoped she never would.

She wouldn't talk to Madame Pomfrey. She wouldn't even talk to Harry. She couldn't. She couldn't look into his green eyes. The green eyes she used to love. Because now, when she looked in them all she saw was her doom. A prison built around her that she had built herself. She couldn't stand to look at him because every time she did she was aware of the emptiness that rested in the pit of her stomach. She was aware that life with him would not be a life. It would be hell. Worse than death. Everyday. She was aware that the only person who could make her feel better, stop her tears, was Draco. And she had just turned him away.

How could it have turned out that way?

She sobbed, so hard her whole body shook with it. She could not console herself. Because she believed she didn't need consoling. The look that he gave her when he left the room. Those eyes staring down at her. Glaring down at her. Anger flaring through every inch of his body. And his voice, "Thanks for your services. They weren't needed."

At that moment she knew it was over. She knew exactly what Draco Malfoy thought of her. A whore. A liar. She had become worse than one of his whores. Because he treated them with indifference. Her, he lashed out at. Her, he hated. Despised. They had no more chance together.

And the worst part of it all was they had had a chance. The way he ran to her. The way he visited her. Like he cared. He did care. She wanted to run up to him and embrace him for an eternity. Bury her face into his shoulder, feel him breathe against her. Know that she was safe. Let him know that he was safe. Just in each others arms. She wanted to leave everything that had mattered to her. This school, Harry, Fred, George. Everything Because she found the one thing who could do what they couldn't. Make her life heaven.

She wanted to say to him a thousand I love you's. To hear him whisper a thousand back. She wanted to lay with him in silence. And ponder on the deepness of her love for him. She wanted to let him know how much he meant to her. To tell him that he made her existence worthwhile. That she got up every morning thinking of him. That she loved the way he held her, she obsessed about his touches. That days without him were torture. They slowly took her soul away. They slowly made her lifeless. She didn't want to live without him. She couldn't bear to live without him.

All those things she wanted to say.

But she knew that if she did, it would be for the worst.

She thought that if she did, he would disappoint her. She thought that if she did she would hurt herself.

So she lied.

It was the worst lie she ever told.

It was the worst thing she ever did.

She thought she could live with it.

She couldn't.

Every time she closed her eyes she heard his words. Every time she opened her eyes she saw him standing there, glaring at her.

She was exhausted. Her whole body ached from sobbing. Her whole inside hurt from the pain. But she couldn't help it. She wanted to make everything right. Shakily she got up from her bed, clasping the bedside table to stabilise her. She began walking. In search of Draco. To say she was sorry. To say she didn't mean it. To say all the things she wanted to say.

As she took her first step out of the door, sobbing as passionately as ever, she fell. She felt her last bit of energy drain from her as she made her way to the ground. Unconscious.

She wished to God, if he had any mercy at all, that she would never get up again.

"I can't right now, Draco. I need to run."

"This'll only take a second."

"I'll catch you later," Brock called walking past him.

"Brock," Draco huffed catching him by his sleeve, "I'm sure you can make time for me."

She woke up still in a fit of tears. Her body ached from the tips of her toes to the corners of her eyes. The brightness in the infirmary gave her pain. She could feel its path: Stretching the muscles of her iris, shooting up the insides of her lids and piercing down into the muscles of her brain. Immediately she shut them again, releasing more tears from her eyes.

"It's okay, take your time." It was Harry. She knew. His hand stroked her moist face, and cradled her burning chin. She shut her eyes tighter, trying to black out everything. Trying to go back in time. Or even, just trying to forget everything about today, and yesterday.

Harry took a moist towel left from her bedside table and dapped it on her face, hoping to cool her down.

He was taking care of her.

She tried to remember how Harry cared. And how she cared for him. How she longed for him to be by her side instead of her always at his. How there was no reason she shouldn't love him now, when he cared for her.

"Harry," she gasped softly.

"Yes? Yes, Ginny? What is it? What do you want?"

He was by her side now.

"Harry," she repeated, swallowing hard.

"Yes, love?"

"Go away."

He was by her side now. But it was too late. He had caused her so much pain. And he had just lost her Draco.

"Just go away, please."

Confused, Harry Potter walked slowly out of the infirmary, glancing back as Ginny collapsed into sobs again, wondering what of the many things he had done could have made her hate him like this.

"We have some business to discuss. You must know."

"I don't actually, but I'll make sure to make it my duty to catch up on this later," Brock said yet again trying to exit the room.

"Have you seen your Spion lately?"

"Funny you should mention that.. It went missing yesterday."

"Did it?" Draco laughed. "Seems strange you'd steal your own necklace."

"Pardon?"

"I found this in your room," He replied as he held up the chain in the air. "To be precise, your bin."

"Interesting."

"Very. Can you see it?"

"Not very clearly," Brock squinted. "Tell you what, leave it on my desk and I'll get to it la-"

"It's a perfect circle."

Brock let out a frustrated sigh.

"Which means," Draco continued, "I have just won the bet."

Brock plopped down on the couch.

"You weren't trying to skip out on our agreement were you Brock?"

"Of course not," he muttered… unhappily.

"Then I believe congratulations are in order."

"Congratulations," he grumbled.

"And of course, there's my prize to discuss."

Two days later Draco Malfoy walked arrogantly onto the Hogwarts Quidditch pitch, his Nimbus 3000 in hand. He looked at the beauty of the broom, its polished wooden handle gleaming in the sunlight, its bristles neatly combed to a point. Its silver handwriting scrawled across 'Nimbus 3000, D.M', made especially for him.

He looked up from admiring his broom to see Ginny walking arm in arm with Potter inside the Hogwarts Castle window. He scowled.

'Thank God that bet is over. I couldn't be happier.'

But as he looked at her fling her curls back as she laughed, he couldn't help but think, he probably could have been.

She couldn't have been happier, she decided as she walked along the halls with Harry from their last class of the day.

When he left her in the infirmary his head bowed in defeat she had time to think about everything.

Harry had not seen how much she loved him for almost 5 years, true. But at least he never ignored her. Never made fun of her. Never loathed her like Draco did.

His heart had belonged to Cho when they were together. But at least it belonged to her now. At least he wasn't in contact with Chris's and Pansy's and Meche's at all. At least she knew that he was being faithful to her.

At least he never hurt her. Confused her. At least they came from the same place. At least she still had him.

But as she glanced out the window to see Draco flying elegantly in the air she thought that that was what she was settling for: Least. And that was never in her character.

He was in the library when he saw her pass by. Silently she held a parchment in her hand roaming the halls by herself. She passed right by the door, not even glancing inside to see who was there. Straight ahead she walked. And he had this urge to go wherever she went. And he followed. He left his books disorganised on the desk, dropped his quill to the floor and without even putting on his cloak he left, curious to see where she had gone. Wanting to be as close to her as he could get, as close to her as he had gotten in the past few weeks.

It was when he turned his fourth corner, closely at her heels, trying desperately to make as little sound as he could that he realised:

He was stalking her.

Draco Malfoy never stalked anyone. In fact, he was always the one who was getting stalked. But now, he could almost smell her perfume, and he could notice freckles painted on her neck, if he was a stalker or not, crazy or not, he would not - could not stop. He needed to go exactly where she was going.

As she took a seat on the window ledge near to the Ravenclaw dormitories Ginny checked her watch: 8:50. She checked the note again, 'meet me near the Ravenclaw Dormitories at 8:45 sharp.'

Her first instinct was to ignore the note completely. To not show up. To not even think about it. But of course, her curiosity got the better of her, as it always did. She needed to know who wanted her there, why they wanted her there, what they wanted her there to do. So 5 minutes before the time given she sloppily put her hair into a ponytail, put her shoes on and made her way to the Ravenclaw Wing.

Now, ten minutes later, she wondered if someone was simply winding her up. If this was one of Ron's stupid jokes. Or if someone was trying desperately to get on her nerves. If they were, it was working.

Sighing, a frustrated angry sigh, she rolled her eyes and began walking back the way she came from.

"Wait! Sorry I'm late," someone was running up to her, breathless it seemed from the exercise. "Prefect duty. It always takes longer than you expect."

She turned on her heel to see probably the last person in the school she expected.

"Cho?"

"Yeah?"

She didn't understand what she could possibly have to discuss with Cho Chang. Or maybe she understood too well. Because there were only two things she had in common with Cho: Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy. Neither of which she was willing to discuss.

"What's with the anonymous card?" she asked, not liking the possibilities of the situation.

"Sorry about that. I wasn't even sure you'd come because of it. I just didn't want Harry to find it and figure it was me."

"Why wouldn't you want that?"

She sighed, "Ginny, there's something I need to tell you."

Ginny wasn't sure she quite wanted to hear it.

"I don't know what it could possibly be. We don't talk to each other. We're not in the same classes. You and Harry don't have a relationship anymore. And Draco and I are worst enemies. So what could you possibly tell me that could be of my concern?"

Cho glanced around the area unsurely, not knowing how to respond to Ginny's rant. She was obviously in no mood to have a friendly chat, so Cho thought it best to get straight to the point. "It's about that ring."

Ginny let out a small chuckle, "Oh really? What about it?"

She laughed as Cho neared the ending of her story.

What jealousy can do to a person, she thought.

According to Cho, the ring didn't belong to Ginny at all. In fact, it belonged to her. A gift Harry had given to her shortly before they broke up, to represent his undying love. It cost a small fortune, but Harry had said that she deserved only the best.

One cold night, he brought her out into the Hogwarts gardens, handed her a bouquet of red roses, and placed the ring, even though she graciously thought that she wasn't worth it, on her finger. Vowing that he would love her forever. And that she should take this as their engagement ring. A promise that he would marry her. Because that would make him the happiest man in the world.

Unfortunately, she had given it back to him thinking that it would be absolutely greedy of her to keep such an expensive gift when she had broken up with him.

To her surprise, the very next day, Ginny had worn the same ring. She couldn't live with herself if she hadn't told Ginny the truth. So she had dragged her here to let her know the true story behind this ring.

"I'm sure that's what happened," Ginny's voice was dipped in sarcasm as she turned her back and walked away from Cho. She didn't believe a word of it.

But she hesitated as Cho called to her, "Hold it up to the light if you don't believe me."

"What?" She looked back.

"Hold it up to the light," Cho repeated, "Our initials are engraved on the inside. It only shows in the moonlight."

Ginny shook her head in disbelief, "No thanks. I trust Harry. That's enough."

But as she walked down the halls her finger tingled and the ring seemed to whisper to her, retelling the true story of how it came into being.

A few feet before the Gryffindor Dormitories, she stopped, unable to deal with the doubts spinning around in her head. Unsurely, she lifted the ring up to the light seeping through the window.

She let out a sigh of relief, Nothing. Cho was a lying.

Then she saw it, a faint glimmer on the inside of the ring. She tipped it bringing it higher into the light. Slowly the words became visible : 'Harry and Cho Forever'.

Her breathing stopped. Beating ceased. She read it again, not believing what she had read, and again once more. As if on cue Harry emerged from the Common room door, "Ginny! Where were you, hun?"

She gulped, trying to hold back the pain inside. But she couldn't. She turn and glared as her response. Shooting daggers at Harry Potter.

"Whoah what did I do?" he said, his hands raised in the air. But as he saw the ring laying in her hands, the look of guilt crept over his face. He knew exactly what he had done.

Draco Malfoy was pacing back and forth contemplating whether to follow her into the Gryffindor wing when he heard it. A high shrill yell, "NO! Don't touch me!"

He recognised the voice instantly, Ginny. Who was she talking to? Who dared to touch her? He walked urgently down the halls to the sound of her voice, with the intention to make the person who touched her pay.

"Let go of me Harry!" He saw her. Anger seeping from her tone, and her eyes. Harry struggled to keep hold of her trying to make her listen to him. But she wouldn't have it. "Get off! Leave me alone!"

"No!" he called back. "Never! Ginny listen." He tightened his grip on her arm as she beat on him with all her force.

"Ow!" She yelled. "FUCK OFF! STOP IT!"

"What the hell are you doing Potter?" Draco turned the corner, running up to the fighting couple.

"Go away Malfoy," Harry replied, more pleading than menacing.

"She told you to fuck off."

"She doesn't mean it."

"I MEAN IT! I FUCKING MEAN IT HARRY! DON'T TOUCH ME!"

"It sounds like she meant it to me."

But Harry would not listen. Still he held on to her arms, even as she twisted against his hold, trying desperately to get away from him, her frustration and anger released in tears.

It pained Draco to see her cry. It made him angry that Potter would dare touch her, would treat her like this. Like how his father treated his mother. He would not let him do this. Draco grabbed Harry by his collar. All the anger he had been trying to contain inside of himself toward Harry for the past three weeks had erupted, he took one look into Harry's eyes, and then, thrust him away from Ginny, slamming him into a wall.

She stood there, gasping for air, her arm red from his touch. And she fell, but this time, Draco was there to catch her.

As he carried her into the Slytherin Common room, and laid her on the couch, taking a seat next to her, she climbed onto him, burying her face into his chest and silently, she cried. Whispering into him through sobs, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

Over and over again.

He never said she was forgiven. He never said forget about it. All he did was brush her hair away from her delicate face and place a soft, gentle kiss upon her head. All he did was hold her when she cried, stroking her arm gently to calm her down. All he did was to be there for her when she needed it.

And that was enough.

Slowly she brought her head up to his level, her cheeks wet with tears, and kissed him, gently. He accepted kissing her back, cradling her face in his hands, closing his eyes against the feel of her lips. One again, he was lost in the passion circling between them.

But reality found him once again as a cold voice interrupted them, "What are you doing Malfoy? The bet's over."

Well, I'm hoping most of you guys stuck with the story through the long wait, lol. Thanks:

August1: Umm.. Ginny's in Malfoy's potions class cause she's promoted and for the sake of the plot, lol. I'm glad you don't think the relationship was happening too fast. Thanks lots for reading!

VAMPIRE-DRAGON: I definitely will. Thanks!

xxxlisaxxx: You want to write like me? Wow… I'm honoured. I always think my writing is really simple, it's not poetic and it doesn't have hidden meanings, its not genius. It's just like me talking.

jennyfrmtx: I WILL DEFINITELY POST MORE SOON.. WELL I DID, BUT NOT SOON! THANKS FOR THE COMPLEMENTS, AND THE CAPS! LOL!

Little Red Riding Hood In Pink: Ah I always love your threats P. Don't blame me though, blame boarding school. LOL. Evil Evil. By the way, yes I do want to keep my eyes.

Nica: Omg I have read SB! I love it sooo much! I read it like almost a year or over ago. I cant remember. I think anyone who wants to write needs to be humbled by that story, I don't think it can get any better than that!

Jen103: Here's what happens to Draco. Everyone's out to ruin his fun. Poor handsome kid.

FickleFickleMuse: Thanks! I'm always glad when people tell me the chapters touched them, glad and surprised. Lol.. I will read your story within the week, because I'm on two weeks half term holidays and I have loads of time on my hands. Better me here than going to town and shopping like mad like I did yesterday. I cant afford it, lol. Please do continue reading!

cTpInKy-gErL: Wow! Thanks so much! I loved your review, what can I say, lol. I'm glad you liked the story. And I'm sorry I took so long but as you read above Boarding School (BS ß also equals bull Shit. Coincidence? I think not…) is taking a toll on my writing. But it's up now.

xxbabysparklesxx: I know I hate when they fight too. I only do it for the sake of the plot. It does make it more interesting though, doesn't it?

bBy x jUjUbee: Jesus Christ, I took ages didn't I? Not my fault though… it never is, LOL

Whit : My updating kinda went into a rut this time. I think maybe I'll try writing before I go back to school.

Goddess : Yeah, but really when we're in a panic or excitement like we was we revert back to old habits, you know?

Goldilocks31890: hahaha! Well as long as you like my smuttiness, I'm okay with that. It's all about the public! cough You are SO hilarious, lol.

dracosslytheringal: You know, I've watched Moulin Rouge a million times and never seen it? I never pay attention to it. For some reason I just don't like the movie, and I dunno why cause I never sat down and watched it. O.o odd…

Darcy16: Ah we should make a band of virgins! Lol.. They're so scarce nowadays. Thanks! I know Ginny was a bit stupid in that chapter, but we all have our stupid moments. Thinks of this guy in school Well anyway….

miSzjaYj0ckSz: Wow thanks! You need to read Serpents Bride. If you enjoyed mine you'll go crazy over that one.

Kagome loves Inuyasha: Yeah, the whole transition was a little blurry and I was a little concerned about that. But I didn't want to make it so obvious cause in life that's not how it is. You find yourself wanting someone and you wonder how the hell that happened, you know? Thanks, I liked that chapter also. I'm glad you like it so much.

Channy : I don't know if Draco and Ginny will get together. It depends on how I feel at the moment, on whether I think love is hopeless or not. Lol.. I'm trying to decide whether it is or not presently, which would explain all the twists and turns in the story.

Ashleigh : If you do slap her you'll get one aching hand and one dented screen. The beauty of stories, LOL. I know she was being really stupid. She's just confused I think.

aoi-yuki-yume: hahahah, I am evil. Mwahahha. I took ages to update too, I'm sorry.

Lalathana : Ah someone who understands. I'm a moody writer, I cant write unless I want to. Which is usually early in the morning when I get up. Lol.. Or some other odd hours. Last night I dreamt I got in trouble in boarding school for not signing into meals and I had to swim in the pool with these guys while some blonde popular girls and some jocks framed us for painting the building red. whew Sorry, just had to share that with someone.

Anna : Hahahah! So I've been told. I can be evil sometimes. Oddly enough, I like the evil chapters best.

Salina: Hmm.. Well I didn't know that. LOL! So that's probably gonna be a glitch in the story. But I mean, if you look at it Draco can be the rebel Death Eater that doesn't want to be a death eater. Just to cover up my little glitch.

C0lD-CrEePeR: If you think that was long you've probably grown a beard by the time this chapter was posted. Lol…

wowsergirl: Wow thanks! I'm glad all you guys like it. I haven't gotten a flamer in a bit. That's kind of worrying me.

Chikkalaura : LMFAO not even good in bed!! Hahaha! You are soo funny! Yeah well looks like they're head is stuck up their asses for a little while longer. People never know what they have until they lose it, you know?

xXtHiNg1Xx: Yeah Poor Ginny, she basically wrote her death certificate when she told Draco that but ah well, she's young.

Lizzyop : Hahaha, I know! I am evil! Every chapter they fall into some sort of conflict. I really should stop that.

Imperfect By Nature: Lmfao!! Twister! XD It was a nasty twist though, wasn't it? I need to be nice once in a while.

yellow notepaper: I'll be sure to try and read your story! Right now I'm trying to catch up on my friends and everything. But I'll have loads of free time. I need some stuff to keep me occupied.

Neya Trinidad: Yeah T&T, Caribbean island. I live on a Caribbean Island. Well.. Not now, sine I'm at boarding school in UK and its horrible weather. cries Anywho, thanks for reading the chapter. Poor Ginny, right? She had no idea what she did.

AsianBeauty05: Hahaha ! Everyone wants to slap Ginny. I love it!