Chapter 24- A Bump in the Road to Love
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Luna hummed Weasley Is Our King while she finished packing. She was looking forward to going back to school, where life would return to normal. Once she resumed her usual routine, surely her feelings would sort themselves out too. She shut the case with a snap.
The sound of a throat clearing drew Luna's gaze to the doorway. Her father stood with an unlit cigar in one hand and a tumbler of firewhisky in the other. Bottled courage at this hour of the morning? He had a very grave look on his face. She hoped nothing bad had happened to anyone they knew.
"Darlin', I need to talk to you about something, in the library."
She followed her father downstairs. Looking across the desk, she noticed that Daddy was now pouring another shot from his 'emergency bottle' of firewhisky. Oh dear. The news must be very, very, bad indeed. She wondered which relative had died.
Her father said gruffly, "Now, you know when it comes to selling papers that news is news."
"Yes."
Protuberant blue eyes so similar to Luna's looked down and then straight into her eyes. "This time, sweetheart, since the news is about a friend of yours, I bought all the photos and the rights, although I won't use them. I promise I'll only print the decent one."
What was Daddy talking about? In answer to her questioning look, he handed over a set of photographs.
Luna could only stare in shock.
They were of Blaise and Draco, beautifully dressed and attending a party. She shuffled through the pictures from the first where they posed with Mr. and Mrs. Zabini and Narcissa Malfoy, to the last where they were kissing passionately as confetti streamed and Draco's hands were under Blaise's skirt. Whoever took these photographs had followed the couple for hours. There were pictures of the two eating, dancing, talking, and groping–er–displaying affection.
She couldn't believe the images were real...and perhaps they weren't, really. She asked, "When were these taken?"
"New Year's Eve."
On New Year's Eve, Ginny and Blaise had taken Polyjuice Maximus potions and traded places for the evening. Blaise had confessed how much she had liked being a Weasley for a few hours, but Ginny had just said the evening was 'really special.' Yeah...Luna saw exactly how special...in colour. What a predicament.
She thought quickly. "Did you get the negatives?"
Her father gave her a look of admiration, pulled an envelope out of a drawer and tossed it over.
Luna held them up to make sure they were all there before calmly handing the single picture and negative of the couple with their parents to her father. She took the rest of the photographic evidence to the fireplace and waved her wand to burn everything to ash.
She returned to her chair. "When does the story break and how bad is it going to be?"
A proud smile curved around her father's fat cigar. "Daughter, you're going to be a fine editor one day. Damn fine. Story's in today's paper...page one in the Society Section. Wish I didn't have to do it, but the Malfoy/Zabini merger rumour plus wealthy pure-blood families setting up their kids makes this story one that housewives and businessmen love to read. Sold out almost as fast as the Potter interview...we're on a third printing right now."
He handed her today's Quibbler. Luna immediately looked at the section in question. She frowned at the picture that was going to cause Blaise so much trouble. It wasn't too bad at first glance, but if anyone studied the photograph for more than a moment, it was obvious that the 'Blaise' and Draco in the picture were more than fond of each other.
The way their arms curved around each other's waists as they leaned together, stared into each other's eyes, and laughed over something before the animated photo ended and started again said it all.
"I wish it hadn't happened, darlin'...from what you've told me, that's not her boyfriend, but if some sleazy reporter from the Intruder had got a hold of those pictures, the damage would've been a damn sight worse."
"I know. Thanks, Daddy."
Luna moved around the desk to give the rough-edged but kind man a soft kiss on the cheek. She smiled when her father pulled her onto his lap and gave her a hug. When she was little, the feel of loving arms and the smell of his cigar made her feel secure, gave her a feeling that everything would be all right.
Thankful that at least she still felt secure in his love, Luna returned the hug and then headed back to her room. She had a train to catch, and several friends to break bad news to.
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On Platform 9 3/4, Luna scanned the crowd but didn't see Blaise anywhere. Her roommates Mindy, Cindy and Bindy asked her to sit with them in the third to last compartment on the train again, so she agreed.
After storing her things overhead and telling the other girls she was going to take a walk, Luna stepped out into the corridor. She came face-to-face with Harry Potter. Luna didn't smile mistily, but she still smiled, happy to see him. "Hello Harry."
He smiled back, but it was half-hearted, distracted. "Hello. May I pass by, please? We're trying to get to our compartment."
Luna serenely stepped aside. As Ginny moved near, she whispered, "Have you seen the Quibbler today?"
The redhead halted. Looking impatient to get by, she said, "No, why?"
"Because Blaise and Draco posing with their parents on New Year's Eve are the front page story of the Society Section."
"NO!"
"Yes...and you're lucky my father bought all the pictures instead of the Intruder. I burnt every photograph except the one used in the paper, but even that one looks pretty bad for Blaise."
Ginny's face paled so dramatically every freckle stood out. She said faintly, as if in shock, "Oh my gods, I didn't mean to...it just happened...I never wanted…."
"I don't expect you did, but what are you going to do about it now?"
Ginny stared, and then shook her head. "Nothing. Terry knows Blaise traded places with me, so he shouldn't be too upset, and if you burnt the other pictures, then Blaise will never have to know I..."
"Kissed Draco with her lips after promising you wouldn't?"
The distraught girl grabbed her arm, looked into her face. "You won't tell, will you? The picture can't be that bad. It'll be laughed off, and everything will be fine."
Luna instantly knew what trait Ginny had inherited from Arthur Weasley. Unfounded optimism... She shook her head. "I'll bring my copy of the Quibbler round later. Take a good look at the picture and then see if you can tell yourself everything will be fine." She sighed. "I better get back to my compartment. I'll try and find Blaise before someone else shows her that article. Bye."
"Bye."
Harry was watching the girls from inside his open compartment door. He couldn't have overheard their low conversation, but Luna knew he had figured out that something was going on. His look said, 'What did you say to upset Ginny?'
Blue eyes lost any trace of mist. Didn't he know her better than that?
Instead of feeling hurt, Luna felt angry. She gave The-Boy-Who-Deserved-A-Hex-For-Jumping-To-Conclusions a 'none of your damn business' look and opened her compartment door. She closed it with a snap that startled the other girls. Hanging on to a vague smile with all her might, Luna resumed her place by the window and stared out–seeing nothing but the shocked look on Harry's face.
Incredibly, Luna couldn't decide whether she most wanted to laugh...or cry.
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A feeling of expectation made Blaise smile happily as she and Draco strolled toward the Hogwarts Express. Soon she would be with Terry and see him every glorious day. Life was beautiful.
"Thrilled to be going back to school. Are you mental, mate?"
Grinning at the boy who she knew was just as pleased as she was to leave non-maternal care and return to the arms of the ones they loved, Blaise bumped Draco's shoulder with hers. "Crazy in love, maybe. What's your excuse?"
A secretive smile on a classically handsome face made her gasp, "Oh my gods, you told her you loved her? When...oh when else, New Year's Eve, right? That's absolutely fabulous!"
She hugged her friend's arm in glee as she teased, "I don't need to ask what Ginny said. Who wouldn't love you?" She reached up to kiss his cheek and smooth white-blond hair, careful not to disturb perfection.
Glancing around, Blaise became aware that they were drawing an unusual amount of attention. She and Draco wore black clothing with long black leather coats, but lots of other Slytherins did too. It was nothing out of the ordinary. So what the bloody hell were parents and students gawking at?
Blaise said, "I'm going to find Terry. He said they'd be sitting in the second to last train compartment again. Drop by if you find out why people are staring…it's really starting to weird me out."
Draco's eyes flickered contemptuously over the nearby watchers. He said with a smirk, "Maybe they just haven't seen a couple as gorgeous and well dressed as us before. If we weren't us, we'd stare in awe too."
While he sauntered off to the prefect carriage, Blaise walked swiftly past other students, in a hurry to find her boyfriend and snog him silly.
Terry was alone in the compartment, although luggage was stored overhead. His deep blue eyes lit up as she entered and launched herself at him. As she pressed kisses to every part of his face, he chuckled and said, "Wesley, Fiona, and Morrigan went to buy a few papers to read on the trip."
"Good. Then I can do this without shocking anyone."
Touching her lips to his, she sank into his embrace. Deep, sweet kisses continued while her coat was being dragged off and thrown over on the other seat. Blaise ran her fingers through the long, brown hair she would never tire of feeling brush against her hands, her face, and her body.
The warmth of Terry's muscular frame against hers, the sensation of his hands sliding up her back underneath her top seemed as necessary as air. Perhaps there was something to the Snake/Slytherin reputation. She did feel colder whenever she couldn't see or touch her boyfriend. Blaise smiled against Terry's mouth as she envisioned herself hissing with pleasure.
Concentrating on making up all the kisses she'd missed out on while on holiday and stroking the incredibly warm skin underneath Terry's jumper, she didn't hear the compartment door open.
An amused voice said, "Well, girls, I can definitely say that yes, Blaise has found the compartment."
Fiona and Morrigan followed Wesley inside, giggling. Terry sat with his back against the window and his legs across the seat. Blaise leaned back against his chest and drew I-heart-U with her finger on the denim-clad leg draped over hers.
Terry wrapped his arms around her and asked the others, "So, what's with the sudden interest in the news?"
Waving copies of the Prophet, Quibbler, and Intruder, Wesley stashed them in the overhead compartment along with Blaise's coat. "Just wanted something the girls and I could read during the last hour of the trip. Merlin knows we'll need a distraction to take our minds off the snogging that will be going on before our scandalised eyes." The rascal held up a hand. "Don't say you'll use a Disillusionment Charm. It doesn't block sounds, love-birds."
Flint tossed her auburn hair. "He's just jealous because he's affection deprived, the poor boy."
Wesley didn't look deprived, although he made a comical face. "Kind of you to mention it." Jokingly, he added, "Are you offering to do something about that?"
Fiona replied, "Maybe yes, maybe no."
"I tell you, 'tis incredible to believe how much she loves me: O, the kindest (Fiona)!"
Flint looked so baffled that Blaise explained, "Wesley quoted Shakespeare- The Taming of the Shrew. I guess you're the shrew."
"A shrew!"
Wesley laughingly fended off several mock blows.
The friends were soon chatting about everything they'd done on holiday. Wesley had several funny stories to tell about his Muggle relatives and a film he'd seen on telly called Christmas Vacation.
The thought of loads of relatives piling into one small house to spend a zany holiday together was an alien concept to Blaise. The closest she'd come was New Year's Eve with the Weasleys. That had been really, really, nice...at least until Gred and Forge accused her of being a pod sister. What imaginations those two had!
She tilted her head to the side to watch the movement of Terry's lips as he shared their Christmas adventures and told about helping out at the winery over the holiday. Blaise didn't care what her boyfriend said as long as she could feel the vibrations of his chest against her back and gaze at the poetry in motion which was his mouth.
After the trolley witch came by, the group compared chocolate frog cards, debated whether or not to try certain Bott's Beans, and enjoyed being together again. The trip seemed to fly by. As Wesley had predicted, an hour away from Hogwarts, Terry performed a Disillusionment Charm.
While the couple kissed, the compartment door opened. "I need to speak to Blaise."
"Well, she's occupied at the moment, but if you leave a message with me, I'll see she gets it whenever she comes up for air, Ms. Lovegood."
Blaise laughed at Wesley's tone and became visible again. "Come sit by me and tell me what's up."
Luna hesitated. "Well, I don't know if you'd really want anyone else to hear."
"We're all friends, no secrets here, so sit and spill."
The blonde handed over a copy of the Quibbler. Wesley snickered as he rose and retrieved his copy and handed the other papers to the girls on either side of him,
"What's in your father's paper that's got you looking so serious, Luna?" Nimble fingers opened and began turning pages. "World news...boring. Quidditch...Cannons losing is hardly shocking. Society drivel...what...the hell are you doing in this photo with Malfoy, Zabini!"
Blaise felt as though she'd just fallen down the rabbit hole, "What the hell are you talking about, Roberts?"
Luna opened her paper to the photograph. Blaise turned to Terry. "This picture was taken New Year's Eve. You know where I was, we met after midnight. You know this isn't me!"
He nodded, but his eyes were stormy.
"Sure looks like you Zabini." Roberts' voice sounded steely.
Morrigan didn't like his tone, and her black eyes flashed. "If she says it's not her, it isn't, Ravenclaw."
"Then who is it, her evil twin?"
Fiona entered the argument. "I don't know, but I would've thought you'd have heard of a thing called magic, Roberts...you're supposed to be so bloody smart." She looked at Blaise. "Who was it?"
"I can't say."
"You mean you won't." Terry's voice was flat. His eyes showed his anger. "Malfoy was supposed to keep his hands to himself. Obviously, he didn't...he broke his promise...but you won't, will you? You'll keep on protecting your friend, even though you don't owe him a damned thing."
While she stared at Terry's set face, Wesley said, "If she doesn't tell who it really was, the whole school's going to think she's been cheating on you again, mate, and I don't like it!"
Luna leaned forward. "You know Blaise loves Terry and would never cheat on him!"
"Yeah, I do, but our friends don't, and our House doesn't, and neither will the rest of the school, or Terry's parents! That photograph makes him look like a bloody fool being led around by his..."
"Don't say it!" Blaise couldn't let Wesley say anything more. Everything sounded so much worse because it was true. People were going to think and say horrible things.
Beside her, Terry crumpled up the paper and threw it down. Visibly upset, he took her hands in his. "I didn't tell you, because I didn't want you to be upset, but my parents have been trying to get me to stop seeing you. My family thinks I won't because we're having it off...Aunt Hyacinth told them 'catching us in the act' caused her heart to go wonky Christmas Eve."
He laughed without mirth. "Every relative I have has been sending them old Intruder and Quibbler articles about your family, Blaise, but I didn't care, because that doesn't have anything to do with me and you. This does." His face creased unhappily. "My parents are probably sending a Howler right now."
She didn't know what to say. His mother's disapproval was what drove her to crawl all over him on Christmas Eve in a way that led to even more disapproval. Now this...how could she explain to Terry that she couldn't be mad at Draco for being in love, wouldn't ruin his happiness to try and make people think better about her? Her eyes and expression must have told him for her.
He let go of her hands. "...Malfoy...bloody...Slytherin...snake...bastard!"
The obscenity used every other word to describe the boy he loathed made Blaise flash back to the dungeon storeroom. Terry looked twice as dangerous now. He took a breath, and looked at her incredulously. "How can you stand him? Stand up for him? Constantly let him lean on you and use you? Malfoy's scum."
"No, he's my friend and I won't hurt him just because he made a mistake. It wouldn't help. Your family wouldn't think any better about me even if they knew. They made up their minds before they met me that I'm some rich bitch tart who's trying to ruin their baby boy's life, and you know it!"
Immediately, she knew she'd made a mistake to argue with her infuriated boyfriend. His eyes blazed as he said bitterly, "Maybe I do, and I could take that. What I don't know is if I can take that bastard being your friend, anymore. Not when he pulls stunts like this one every other damn month. I don't like being called whipped, baby, and that's going to be mild compared to the shite I'll be taking after everybody sees this photograph!"
Blaise could feel her cheeks flush as her breathing became laboured. Tears started to spill down her cheeks. "Terry..."
Blue eyes looked watery, too, as he pulled a square mirror out of his jacket pocket and put it in her palm and wrapped her fingers around it. "Maybe we should both take some time to think things over."
"No...please Terry, take it back...we can work it out." Was that her voice? It sounded so strange, thick with tears.
His face crumpled before he looked toward the window, away from her. "I need some time, Blaise. I can't think about anything right now except trying to stop myself from finding that friend of yours and beating the hell out of him."
The compartment was deathly quiet. Blaise lunged to her feet. Ignoring her friends' pleas to come back, she ran to the opposite end of the train and slipped inside a small storeroom.
Between two boxes, she huddled down, wrapped her arms around her knees, bent her head, and cried. Silent, gulping sobs that wracked her body and streaked her face while she rocked back and forth in the motion that had never truly comforted her as a child and didn't comfort her now.
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Draco had picked up a weird vibe as soon as he and Blaise walked onto the platform to catch the train, but he'd played it off for his friend's sake. Once inside the prefect carriage, he listened, bored, as the Head Boy droned on and on about the same duties and responsibilities he did every bloody time.
Feeling a stare, he turned and saw Granger giving him a disgusted frown. She always acted like he was something slimy, though, so nothing was new there. Weasel, too was giving him the evil eye. Did the rabid redhead think he had his eye on Granger? Malfoy sneered. He was sure that with a complete make-over and personality transplant, the SPEW poster child would be a fine girlfriend for a Weasley. Malfoys, however, had higher standards.
He curled his lip at the boy who'd probably have a brain embolism if he knew a ferret had put his paws on his little sister's arse. Draco glanced contemptuously away. Everywhere his eyes looked, however, some mental midget was gaping at him. It almost made him doubt his hair-styling charm.
Surreptitiously, he ran a hand over the do, reassured that it looked perfect as ever. Reminding the Prefects to Wah, wah, wah wah wah...the Head Boy left the carriage to go impress someone...maybe a first year...if he used a bad word...
"Hold on there Malfoy."
What was this? Weasel must have gotten some balls in his Christmas stocking. How nice for him that Granger hadn't busted them yet. In a drawl calculated to send Weasel into a fury, he said, "What do you want Weasley, to be something other than poor and plain? Sorry, I can't help you–better remember to send your list off to Father Christmas earlier next year."
Zabini's Mr. Freckles was looking at him the way his brothers had before one of the identical bastards helped Potty kick his arse. If Ronnie-Boy was planning on giving him a Muggle whipping, though, he'd be in for a surprise.
After the little episode on the Quidditch pitch, Draco had hired instructors over the summer to teach him Muggle duelling–at least the street fighting, down and dirty kind.
What the hell had the prat just said?
"You heard me, that picture in the paper with Zabini was low, even for you, Malfoy."
"What are you talking about, troglodyte?"
"This."
'This' was today's Quibbler's Society Page. A picture over the caption: Zabinis and Malfoys: Merging Families as Well as Companies? The picture showed him and 'Blaise' standing between their parents and laughing at the pretentiousness of the whole thing.
He didn't think it was amusing now. Were other pictures taken? Had Blaise seen this? What did she think, and was Tarzan giving Jane a hard time about it? Balling up the paper, Draco left the carriage, ignoring the Weasley rant that continued behind him.
He looked in the compartment where Blaise was supposed to be. She wasn't there. Terry-Boy was staring out the window like the sullen Ape-Man he was. His pal Roberts sat alone on the other bench, glaring daggers at the newcomer. A crumpled newspaper was on the floor. Not good. He snapped, "Where are the girls?"
Wesley looked at him with loathing. Malfoy took a step back, not wanting to know anymore, but the glaring bastard told him anyway. "Blaise ran out of here crying awhile ago and the girls took off to different compartments soon after, so I have no idea. Not that I'd tell you if I did, Malfoy."
Terry looked away from the window to snarl, "Get the hell out of here before I beat the shite out of you. Your little stunt may cost me my girlfriend, and I'd really like an excuse to make you pay...you bloody...selfish bastard."
What could he say? "If you think we're anything but best mates, Boot, you're insecure and need to talk to a medishrink about you're little problem. Blaise loves you, you stupid Ape-Man." Seeing the fury in Girly-Locks gone wild, Draco quickly jumped back, slid the door closed, and used his wand to ward it shut until the train arrived in the station. From the bellowing and pounding on the door, it was a smart move.
"That wasn't very smart."
Loony Lovegood offering advice...the day had officially gone down the toilet. He wasn't going to ask. Bollocks, he was. "Why not?"
"Because Terry's going to hate you more than ever now and Blaise loves him. If you really wanted your friend to be happy, you would've apologised and tried to get them back together."
"Did he break up with her?"
Lovegood shook her head yes and then no. "He said he needed time to figure things out, he didn't break things off. But he did return her mirror. Blaise ran out so fast we couldn't find her. I'm afraid she's hiding somewhere, crying."
Draco was afraid of that too. Bloody pangs of guilt almost made him open the door and let Tarzan stomp him into the floor–almost. Instead, he nodded his grudging thanks to Luna and opened Ginny's compartment. He could tell at once that the group in here had heard almost everything through the thin wall.
Ginny looked like she wanted to cry. Her beautiful brown eyes were shiny and sad. She asked, "Have you seen Blaise? Is she okay?"
He tried to smile, but couldn't. "No...and I don't know."
"Will you tell her I feel so bad about everything, that she's still my friend?"
Her eyes told him she felt awful, but what could they do? Potter had to butt in, frowning at his friend. "Why should you feel bad? It's her own fault for messing around with Malfoy."
His feisty Red told Potty to shut up because he didn't know what he was talking about. Draco's lips curved. Not even bothering to look at Not-So-Perfect Potter, he nodded to Ginny and left.
He spent the rest of the trip looking for Blaise. Unfortunately, his search, although made on the pretext of prefect duties and done as unobtrusively as possible, made the gossip fly faster than ever. Draco prudently scanned the Ravenclaw compartments through the glass panels only.
Once the train had pulled into the station, Draco searched from top to bottom and eventually found his friend in a tiny storage room. Pulling her up and into his arms, he carried her away from the carriages to where a few boats were left ready in case latecomers needed passage across the lake.
Blaise's silent, shuddery, tears were making him feel worse than ever. She just sat and cried with one hand holding her heart locket and the other clutching a mirror. As they floated toward the castle, Draco wondered miserably what he could possibly do about it.
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Ginny had never realised how much you could hear thorough a compartment wall until voices started rising on the other side of hers. It wasn't like she could hear everything, but certain loud statements like, "What...the hell are you doing with Malfoy" and "The whole school's going to think she's been cheating on my mate again!" and "...Malfoy...bloody...etc..." gave her a good idea what was happening.
Neville and Harry listened with her in quietly appalled fascination. The trio looked awkwardly at each other when they heard, "No...please Terry, take it back." Blaise had sounded so...gutted...it made Ginny feel guilty as hell. Especially when they heard the door slide open and light footsteps running away...that really made the compartment erupt. Flint and MacDuff cursed out Boot and Roberts and left shouting what anatomically impossible thing the boys could do.
Soon afterwards, Luna opened the door to their compartment and handed Ginny a paper. "Thought you'd like to see what you've no doubt been hearing about."
Luna didn't say hello or even glance at Harry, which was extremely odd. She just nodded and left. Looking down at the picture with Harry and Neville now crowded against her sides to get a peek, Ginny's heart sank. 'Blaise' looked way too friendly with Draco in the picture. Luna had been right. This situation was not going to be laughed off or 'fine'.
"Why would Blaise look at Malfoy like that if she loves Terry?" Neville's artless question echoed in the compartment.
Harry snorted. "Because it's Malfoy. He's a snake, and I guess she's one too."
Before Ginny could protest, they all stopped and listened as they heard someone beating on the door and cursing in the next compartment. She should have known that Draco was the cause.
He opened their door and focused on her. The boys probably thought the Slytherin was looking for his friend, but Ginny knew he was checking to see if she was okay. Harry sounded off like a prat about Blaise and she was happy to tell him to shut up. Silvery eyes gave her a look of appreciation that was the only good thing to happen that day.
After Draco left, Ron and Hermione entered. Finished with prefect duties, they sat and were quickly filled in by Harry and Neville about everything that had been happening.
Ron said, "We saw the photo in the paper. I told Malfoy it was low, even for him."
Hermione looked at her boyfriend. "Maybe you were right. Maybe Zabini's no better than she should be. This photograph looks really bad. You can't blame Boot if he breaks up with her."
When Ron just stared out the window without replying to Hermione, Ginny jumped to her feet. "I'm going to go sit with Colin. Congratulations, you two, you just became the biggest judgmental gits ever. Bigger than Percy and Penelope!"
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Colin, after she'd whispered all the details of the story, was realistic. "Malfoy came by here to check for Blaise. Everybody knows the story by now and no one's going to believe she and Malfoy are just friends. I don't think anyone but Lovegood, you, Boot and Roberts ever really did."
"What about you?"
"I didn't until I got her to do that 'Inuit Friendship Ritual.' Nobody having it off with Malfoy would've fallen for that one."
The friends shared a smile over Colin's triumph over the fair sex and the naiveté of a girl that seemed so sophisticated and Slytherin.
Colin whispered, "So...you're not going to tell anyone it was really you and Malfoy?"
"Do you think it would help?"
The features many called 'baby-faced' became serious. "No. Nobody would believe it. They'd think you were lying for her and blame that on Zabini too."
Disembarking, Ginny watched Draco methodically searching for Blaise. Catching his eye through a window, she'd waved and tried to smile. His twisted effort was just as sorry as hers.
The moment she reached the castle, Ginny brushed off Ron's apology and quickly hustled what gear she'd brought home back up to her room. Dashing out of Gryffindor Tower before anyone could question her, she tried to think what she would do if she were Draco. She ran to the boat entrance and met the boat as it docked. Ginny helped pull Blaise up the steps.
Inside, they supported the girl together. Draco frowned unhappily. "What should we do? She won't stop crying."
Taking charge in the manner of Weasley women throughout the ages, Ginny said confidently, "Madam Pomfrey will take care of her in the infirmary. Let's go before some little snotrag comes whining to the mediwitch for something."
Why he found her snarling so attractive, Ginny would never know. But the blond who looked even more gorgeous with tousled platinum hair and a worried expression on his face was giving her 'the look' again. The one he got before he pulled her behind a bookcase, or a statue, or into a dark corner where no one could see him kiss and touch her in ways no one else ever had.
Well, he could keep those smirking lips to himself...at least until Blaise was taken care of.
'Poppy' was a brusque but caring mediwitch. She saw Blaise and gasped, Oh heavens, what ails this girl?"
Ginny said, "She can't stop crying."
Giving the students an 'I never would've guessed that' look, the mediwitch bustled over to a cupboard and started rummaging inside. Over her shoulder she asked, "Hurt feelings or broken heart?"
Ginny looked at Draco, and thought of how she'd feel if he said to her what Terry had told Blaise. "Broken heart."
"Oh dear...no cure for that, I'm afraid. All I can do is treat the symptoms. This will stop the crying, and this will help her sleep. I'll keep her overnight, and you can come take her back to her House in the morning."
Ginny tried to lighten the mood when she and Draco left. "Remember when we couldn't sleep because we were dreaming of each other?"
"Of course, although you never did tell me if I was wearing clothes in your dreams. In mine you only had freckles on."
Ginny returned his smile. "Of course...not." When he looked smug, she added, "You were wearing a cloth diaper...Cupid."
"Cupid...you dare to call a Malfoy cupid?"
Ginny teased as she ran down the corridor, "Cupid, cupid, cutie, cutie, cupid!"
Strong fingers grabbed her wrist and pulled her into an empty classroom. Being pushed up against a door and snogged breathless by Draco was something Ginny was becoming addicted to.
Eventually, she admitted that Malfoys were love gods and not cupids. They stood holding each other long after they stopped kissing. Closing her eyes as his arms held her close, Ginny was guiltily grateful that Blaise chose not to tell anyone the truth. She loved Draco and he loved her, but it was so new, so vulnerable. They needed time to grow closer, stronger, before they tried to deal with all the problems being together would bring.
Before they returned to their Houses, Ginny looked up into Draco's face and tried to tell him everything would work out.
He shook his head and held her tighter.