"I've
been looking in the mirror for so long.
That I've come to believe
my souls on the other side.
Oh the little pieces falling,
shatter.
Shards of me,
To sharp to put back together.
To
small to matter,
But big enough to cut me into so many little
pieces."
-Evanescence
November had passed to quickly for Ginny's liking. Most of her days were woven around a silent fear that seemed to grow inside with each passing day. The only time she felt secure and relaxed was when she was in Draco's presence. Almost every one of her nights was spent in the Astronomy Tower with Draco. Each night she had let herself go; each night she fell into his arms with a comfort in her mind.
"Ginny, are you alright? You seem really tense," Draco said.
"Hmm, what?" Ginny asked snapping out of her train of thought.
"Well you just seem really tense tonight. All the other times you were relaxed and calm, is everything okay?" he said again.
"I don't know. I guess I'm really nervous about going home tomorrow. I mean what if nothing has changed?" she began," I want to believe that my stepfather is changing, but something tells me what happened over the summer is nothing compared to what else might happen."
"Gin, look at me," Draco said as he turned around and stared into her eyes," I can't promise nothing will happen, but I can promise whatever does happen I will always be there for you."
Draco began to fumble in his pocket for something. Ginny looked at him with curious eyes, which quickly turned to surprise when he pulled a small dark green, velvet box out of his pocket.
"Happy Christmas, Gin," He whispered, giving her a kiss on her forehead. Ginny gently opened the lid and gave a gasp of astonishment when she saw what was inside. It was a small silver fairy with one blood red ruby on its wing. The fairy was attached to a chain made of real silver. Ginny felt happiness and gratitude wash over her.
"I thought since I couldn't be with you all the time to help you, this necklace would remind you that even though I'm not there physically I'm always watching over you. But if you don't like it I could-" Draco began to say quickly but was cut off when Ginny gave him a big hug and a kiss on the cheek.
"Draco, I love it. More than any other present I've ever received. I just feel horrible for not being able to get you anything that would even come close to this," she whispered.
"Gin, I don't want you to get me anything for Christmas," he said, but added so she couldn't hear," All I want is you."
"What'd you say?" she asked.
"Oh, nothing. I'm glad you like it."
Ginny flashed him a smile a gently laid back in his arms. She wished she could stay warm and content in his arms forever.
It was seven when Ginny awoke. She sat up gently with a sigh, wishing the night before had never ended. The fear she had pushed into the back of her mind was slowly creeping forward. She gave a small shudder and urged herself out of her bed and into the bathroom. Ginny locked the door behind her and began to run the water. She began to undress and looked at herself in the mirror. She looked at each cut and the pale scars each one had made. In the light she could see the words she had cut. "Anyone else who saw these would think I was sick," she thought to herself. Everybody would think she wanted to kill herself or was just begging for attention. But not Draco. He knew what drove her to each cut and he knew her secrets. Ginny stepped into the shower and welcomed the hot water she felt tingling her skin.
She stepped out of the shower and put on some old jeans and a black long sleeve. She used a quick drying and straightening spell on her hair and it hung limp around her face. Ginny walked over to her bed and laid back down. Everyone else had gone to breakfast and the room had an eerie silence.
She pulled the covers closer to her body and tried to remember all the good times she had with Draco. She knew she would surely need them if she wanted to survive when she returned home. Ginny only wished she could write to Draco, but he was staying at the manor and his father kept a close watch on him. She drifted off into a light sleep with the thought of being in Draco's arms.
"Ron, Harry, do you think both of you could walk with a little more haste?" Hermione snapped with annoyance in her voice.
"Someone woke up on the wrong side of Harry's bed. What's up your butt 'Mione?" Ron asked as both boys burst out with laughter.
"Oh yes, Ron, you're a stand up comedian," she replied rolling her eyes, "Did you forget that we have to go get Gin? It only said on the letter your Mum sent, don't forget about Ginny."
"I guess Ginny forgot or something. She always seems to make it a habit of avoiding us," Harry said.
"With you two I wonder why," Hermione said with obvious sarcasm in her voice.
"Gods Hermione, why are you obsessing over Gin? Yea, I know she's just a little girl and she needs help with practically everything, but lately all you've been talking about is her," Ron began.
"Something's wrong with her, Ronald, and it has been annoying me since that fight we had. What she said just made me wonder if there is something bothering her," Hermione said with a serious expression.
"Gin does not have a problem. Like I told Harry, she's just playing one of her little girl tricks to get everyone's attention. Just keep on ignoring her and she'll stop," Ron said as Harry shook his head.
"I think the problem is we ignore her too much," she said quietly to herself.
"What was the 'Mione?" Harry asked.
"Never mind. Let's just get Ginny before it's too late and the train leaves," Hermione said.
The trio began to hurry up the stairs hoping Ginny would be in her room. As they entered the common room Hermione walked over to the girl's dorms and knocked on the door.
"Gin are you in there?" She called. When she heard no reply Hermione stepped into the room and saw Ginny asleep on the bed.
She walked over to Ginny's sleeping form and watched the girl. She was about to wake the girl up when she noticed her sleeve had been rolled up in her sleep. In the light she could see two very pale scars on Ginny's arm. Hermione grabbed Ginny's wrist to examine it closer, but in doing so Ginny jolted awake and yanked her arm back.
"What are you doing Hermione?" She asked quickly.
"I was about to wake you when I noticed those two scars on your arms. Gin what are they from?" She asked suspiciously.
"I got them in Care of Magical Creatures," Ginny lied quickly, "We were looking after pixies and I wasn't paying attention to mine. It scratched me pretty deep to get me to notice it."
But when Hermione's suspicious expression didn't leave she added, "I'm fine Hermione, really. So what is it you want?"
"Oh, the train should be here any minute and you need to get all of your things together," Hermione said.
"I'll just finish gatherings my things and I'll meet you in the common room in a few moments," Ginny replied as she pulled back the covers and stood up.
Hermione left in silence still contemplating what had happened. Ginny's scars were quite thin but visibly deep. Although pixies were small creatures they're nails couldn't possibly be as thin as the scars.
Ginny gave a deep sigh. She had almost been caught, almost. Lucky for her Hermione had seen her older scars; the ones when she had just begun cutting. They almost as thin as a paper cut so she could only hope Hermione believed her story.
The train ride for Ginny so far had been quite boring. She shared a compartment with the trio as they talked excitedly about the upcoming holidays. For the past hour she sat in silence thinking of Draco. But then it suddenly occurred to her that Draco was on the train as well. He only said he would be going home for the holidays. Ginny quickly left the compartment and headed toward the area Slytherins usually sat.
Ginny noticed Draco step out of his compartment and quickly walked toward him. He saw her and flashed her a grin.
When she approached he gave her a quick hug and asked, "Gin, what are you doing here?"
"I decided to take a walk and see you one last time before I had to go home," she said.
"Is something else wrong? I mean besides your stepfather you seem a little worried," Draco asked.
"Hermione, she, umm, she saw two of my scars," Ginny said quietly.
"What? How?" Draco asked.
"I was asleep before the train left and Hermione went into the dorm to wake me up. I guess my sleeve most have been pushed up when I slept and she saw my scars. I woke up when I felt her Grab my arm," Ginny started.
"What did you tell her?" Draco said.
"She wanted to know how I got them. So I lied and told her a pixie scratched me in Care of Magical Creatures. But I could tell she didn't completely believe me."
"Well I don't know what to say, Gin. Just be really careful when she's around. IT would only make the problem worse if her and the trio knew," he said.
"I know. I guess I better get back to my compartment, the train should be arriving soon," Ginny said and gave him a hug. Draco held her close and placed a kiss on her forehead.
"Remember the necklace Gin," he said softly. Ginny shook her head and turned to leave. She kept looking back until she left the compartments and Draco was out of sight.
"Now entering Platform 9 and ¾. Please wait until the train has come to a complete stop before exiting." Ginny stood up and grabbed her luggage as she felt the train come to a slow stop.
Ginny stepped onto the platform and gave a deep breath. She was walking right back into the lion's den and there wasn't a thing she could do to prevent it.
A/N: Sorry it took so long to update, I've had so much going on with school that I've had barely anytime to write. I promise next week I will be able to update a couple more times.