It rained all morning during the long car ride to London. Ginny could not look at Harry. It was too awkward for her to face right away. It had been thrilling, but she regretted it all the same. She suddenly knew why she had never kissed a male friend before. It ruined everything. Worse, she feared what would happen when she saw Draco. He could read her so well, and he would know that there was something different with her. Yes, things were over, but judging from her feelings, they weren't over. She remembered how he had begged when she had broken up with him. He was not going to be going after any other girls soon.
Maybe I'm just a stupid slut. Just like he always told me I was. Ginny held some truth to that idea. She did not care directly that she had kissed Harry, after breaking up with Draco. She cared more about the feelings of both. To her, it made no difference. Everything was screwed up, anyway.
At the station, Hermione's parents left them, waving with fervor and shouting goodbyes. Ginny went through the platform barrier together. "C'mon, let's get a spot," Ginny suggested, moving quickly toward the train. She wanted to put off seeing Draco for as long as possible.
Inside, Hermione followed Ginny to a car and set her things down. Harry and Ron were not far behind, struggling to keep up with the girls. Once their things were secured, Hermione and Ron pulled out their prefect badges. "We have duty," Hermione said guiltily. Ginny felt nauseous. As if things could not get worse, she and Harry would be alone.
Slumping down into a seat, Ginny leaned her head against the window. "I am so tired," she admitted. Harry laughed and settled in a seat across from her. "So am I."
Ginny smiled slyly. "I wonder, what could have been keeping us both up last night?" Harry returned the private smile.
Oh God, what am I doing? Why don't you just lead on another guy you don't actually like, Ginny?
The train started to move soon after, and Ginny found herself falling in and out of sleep. Out the window, the land grew sparser as they moved farther from the city and into the countryside. It was still raining, although not quite as hard. She hoped it would clear up before it was time to take the thestrals in.
Eventually, Luna wandered in, sitting down closely to Harry. Ginny talked to her friend about what she had done all summer, and what she hoped for the school year. Luna told Ginny all about the traveling she had done with her father in search of the two-toed niffler, although her eyes seldom left Harry. Harry pretended to appear interested, joining in the conversation whenever he could.
Neville showed up and left after a short conversation with them both. Ginny was just beginning to fall asleep again when Hermione and Ron returned, flopping down into seats.
"I am exhausted!" Hermione cried out.
"Join the club," Ginny remarked.
"Why don't we all take a nap?" Hermione suggested. She rose to slide the door shut for privacy, but stopped with a gasp. With interest, Ginny turned toward the door. Unwillingly, she started to gasp, but she put her hand over her mouth. Draco stood alone in the threshold of their car, preventing the door from shutting. Critically, he examined everyone, his eyes lingering on Ginny. She could not let her eyes leave him. As always, he exuded overconfidence, as if he owned the place. His mouth was set in a contemptuous sneer. Ginny knew that whatever words he used would be hateful and harsh, and yet, she craved them.
"Hello Potter, Weasel, Granger," he spat. Ginny's heart jumped at his purposeful exclusion of her own presence. She was never 'Weasel' or 'Weasley' to him. He always called her 'Miss Weasley', 'Ginny', or, her favorite, 'Love.'
Hermione was flushed red. "Get out of here right now, Malfoy."
Draco leaned against the doorway and locked eyes with Ginny. "No, I'm not ready to go yet." Her heart jumping, she knew the reason why he had come, and why he was lingering.
"Well, you should be, because, if it's not too obvious for you, nobody wants you here," Ron shouted. Everyone knew that Harry would snap the second Malfoy said something about Sirius, and they all wanted to protect him.
"So, did you children have a nice summer?" Draco sneered, still staring at Ginny. To everyone else, it was a sarcastic insult. But to her, it was an honest question. Ever so slightly, she moved her head from the left, and then to the right.
"Better watch your backs this year. You wouldn't want to get into any more trouble," Draco said lazily. Ginny moved her head up, and then down. Her eyes bore into his. There was something she needed to know, and he was trying to tell her. This was his way of telling her that they needed to talk.
"OUT!" Hermione shouted.
Sarcastically, Draco raised his hands as if he was under arrest. He backed out of the doorway and turned, swaggering down the hall. The trio spent the next half an hour stewing over what he had said, while Ginny stared out the window. Already, he was drawing her back in. She had been imagining what would happen when they met again all summer, and it had already occurred. In a meeting that would seem innocent to everyone else, he would take her in again as his prisoner. She had no choice. She had to meet with him again.
The feast was long and lovely, but Ginny was too impatient. From the moment the first student was sorted, she was aching to leave. Determinedly, she did not look over at the Slytherin table once. If she saw him, she was afraid she would be too obvious.
After the dessert was served and she took two bites, Ginny stood up. "I think I am going to go to bed," she announced. Harry looked at her, his eyes smiling. "Goodnight."
Deliberately, Ginny walked slowly through the hall, especially past the Slytherin table. To everyone else, she was just another student leaving the hall. But she knew Draco would notice her as she walked past him, nonchalant.
She walked all the way to the Fat Lady, and then turned around. It was all part of being stealth. Quickly, she took the alternate paths that were sure to be empty before reaching the Owlrey door. Turning to make sure she was alone, Ginny opened the door, shut it, and then raced up the stone steps.
As expected, she was completely alone. She slid down into her normal spot, a small area of stones untouched by droppings and hay. Nervously, she tapped her foot loudly against the stone, hoping he would show up.
Finally, she heard the door creak open. Her heart jumped as she looked towards the stairs expectantly. Then, he was there, leaning lazily against the stone, staring down at her. Quickly, she stood, staring at him face to face.
"Fancy seeing you here," he said with contempt.
"Same to you."
They stared at one another, exchanging harsh glares over silence. Then, his face broke, and he was smiling at her, his cold gray eyes cruelly inviting. Ginny grinned and rushed towards him, and he swept her up into a hug. It was the last thing she had been expecting over the long summer days. She thought it was all over. But really, they were just picking up where they had left off. His lips were on her hair, kissing the top of her head gently. In their embrace, she only came to his shoulder. "I've missed you," she murmured into his skin.
"You have no idea," he muttered back.
Ginny pulled away, and he held her by her hips. A look of concern filled her eyes. "How have you been? How was your summer?"
Draco sighed, his chest heaving against her own. Her skin tingled from the contact. Every breath echoed pain that entered Ginny. His eyes traveled towards the window, gazing at the stars. "It's been hell. Without you, it's been hell."
Ginny leaned her head against his chest and closed her eyes. Guilt from the night before flooded through her. Here was a man who really cared for her, and she had let it all go. As if things in his life were not bad enough, she had made it worse. She was the cause of everyone's pain.
Draco's hands were in her hair, running through it gently. "It was never really over, was it, Ginny?"
Ginny sighed. "Yes. It was. It really was over. It has been over, Draco." Just not to me.
His hands cupped her face, and he drew her into a kiss. Ginny moaned audibly as their lips touched. For the first time in a long time, she was able to feel. This was what had been missing from her life. As passion rushed through her veins, all of her instincts were screaming at her to stop. In that moment, she hated him and loved him at the same time. It meant everything to her, and yet, she wanted to let go.
But maybe not yet.
After the kiss, she and Draco stood close, staring at one another. "Sure. It's over," he whispered. Unable to control herself, Ginny giggled, leading him to laugh along with her. He kissed her forehead, and then her cheek. Her head turned as he moved his attention onto her neck. He knew just how to touch her. He knew how to make her let go. She hated that about him. For years, she had struggled to become independent. He ruined everything for her. "God, I hate you," she whispered, her breath heavy.
"I know," Draco murmured, his words vibrating invitingly against her neck.
Unwillingly, Ginny pushed him away. Draco continued to grope at her, but she held his hands down. "No. What is going on? I know you have to tell me something."
Draco sighed and hung his head. "Ginny, I don't want to do this right now. Let's talk about it tomorrow."
"No, tell me now."
There was a long pause, and then he spoke. "My dad may be away, but they're still always around my house. I wasn't able to leave all summer. I heard it more often than I wanted to. Something big is going to go down, I just know it. Obviously, Harry has to be looking out. And he needs to be practicing Occlumency. Ginny, if he can't do it, they're going to be able to get him. Tell him that."
Frustrated, Ginny demanded, "What else? We all know that. There has to be more."
"I swear, that's all I know. They don't include me in these meetings, of course. That's my mother's job now."
"Then why did you lure me here? I expected some elaborate plan or something."
Draco's hands slipped back onto her hips. Gently, he kissed her once. "Why do you think?"
Smiling, Ginny kissed him back. It's over. But we can still do this. Before she knew it, it was after hours. They had to get back to their dorms. Besides, she needed sleep. She did not want to be zombie-like on the first day of class.
"It was nice seeing you," Ginny whispered to Draco right before she left. He smirked at her, and then held the door open for her. Silently, she crept through the halls and made it back to the Gryffindor tower without being caught. As always.
When she entered her dorm, she saw one of her roommates look up at her before flopping back down on the pillow. Without a doubt, they had been talking about her and her absence from the normal bedtime. It didn't matter to her. It was no secret that she was not well-liked by the girls in her own year. That's just what happens when you're popular with the boys. With a smile, she thought of Draco. Especially the ones you would least expect.
