Don't Leave Home

With the rain stinging her face and soaking her clothes, Ginny Weasley ran to the lake. She sat down under a tree, sobbing into her hands. Why didn't Ron understand that she and Draco were together? What was so wrong with it? She continued to cry, wondering what was so wrong with Draco Malfoy. Sure, he had been cruel to her family, but he had apologized, many, many times to her. She knew that he could not lie to her, she could see in his eyes. Those eyes… Ginny laughed at the memory of when she first gazed into his eyes. Her cheeks flushed a vibrant red and a small giggle escaped her lips. She thought he'd kiss her, but he only brought their foreheads together and kept a steady gaze into her eyes. Draco's eyes were a silver-grey, with specks of green and blue. They reminded Ginny of a kaleidoscope, the pattern ever changing; the emotion ever changing.

Just then, a rumble of thunder jostled Ginny from her state of reminsicing. She realized that she had stopped crying but she was still upset. Leaning back into the curve of the tree, Ginny exhaled a shuddering sigh. She was freezing, mainly because of the rain but also because she didn't wear her sweater today. It was late January but Ginny didn't think the weather would be so harsh. Was I wrong.

"Ginny?" A deep, silky voice came from behind her. Draco Malfoy placed a hand on Ginny's shoulder and knelt down beside her. "Oh, Ginny, are you alright?"

Ginny sniffled and looked into her boyfriend's eyes with a watery smile.

"Of course, Draco… I'm alright." Ginny lowered her head again.

"No, you're not." His eyes flashed concern as he wrapped an arm around his precious Ginny.

"Fine. I'm not," she relented. "but you don't need to be so concerned. I'm fine, really."

"What happened?" Draco asked placing his forehead near hers. "Tell me."

"Don't you know?" Ginny looked back up into his eyes, confused. "You— you weren't there?"

"No… But I suppose it has something to do with Ron…? As soon as I stepped foot in the Great Hall, he lunged at me like he was trying to kill me." He chuckled weakly.

"That's because he was trying to kill you." Ginny bit her lip. "I— I was re-reading one of the poems you wrote for me… Hermione… she— she asked to read it. I told her no, because it was private. Of course, Ron overheard and began this lecture about how I was his younger sister and wasn't supposed to have anything private. Midway through, he caught me shoving the poem back in my pocket and he Accio'd it out."

"It was the one I signed, wasn't it?" Draco sighed, causing Ginny to giggle a bit.

"Yeah… it was." She pulled herself into his arms and relaxed.

"What happened afterwards?" Draco tightened the embrace.

"His eyes widened at the name and demanded to know why I had a poem from you in my possession. I— I couldn't lie… you know that. I told him the truth. His face turned all red and I swear, he looked like a tomato with a tuft of hair." Ginny giggled again at the image. "You should've been there…" She paused, thinking. "Actually, I think if you were, he'd have murdered you then and there. He had a bit of time to cool off between my dashing out the door and your entrance."

"Who else knows?" Ginny tilted her head up so she could look into his eyes.

"The entire school."

Draco turned pale and his eyes widened.

"A— Bu— how?"

"Oh, did I not mention that he shouted, 'YOU'RE WITH DRACO MALFOY?' loud enough for the entire school to hear? Not to mention that they did hear it."

"I'm guessing that includes Slytherins, huh?" He sighed.

"Yeah… and they all turned red as well, vowing to head you off."

"What did the teachers do?"

"They told them to control themselves and that our business was none of theirs. 'Course, Ron went into another lecture about how I was his little sister and all of my business was his. Professor McGonagall didn't like that at all and gave him two nights' detention. Professor Snape, on the other hand, was speechless. He looked like a guppy out of water." Both Draco and Ginny giggled at the mental image of Snape with fins, flopping around by the lake.

"So that's why the Slytherins tried to hex me."

"What!" Ginny's eyes widened, her face full of disbelief. "They— they tried to hex you?"

"Yeah. But, you're worth it." Draco placed a soft kiss on her forehead. "You know that, right?"

Ginny snorted in a very unfeminine way. "You're the only one that thinks so. Everyone else just narrowed their eyes at me… The way they looked at me it was…" Ginny could feel tears pricking her eyes. "Even Joan and Beth… they turned away from me as to say, 'Don't expect anything from us anymore.' It hurt. Deeply." Ginny burst into sobs taking comfort in Draco's shoulder.

"Oh, Ginny." He stroked her hair. Her body was shaking from the sobs. "Ssh… it's ok." Draco rubbed her back, trying to console her. "It's alright."

"Draco, they all hate me!" She cried into his shoulder.

"Ah, poo. You don't need them, Ginny. If they won't accept your decision, they're not your friends."

"But Ron… he… he…" Ginny hiccuped.

"He's your brother, not your friend." Ginny smiled lightly.

"I guess you're right."

Like a ghost don't need a key
Your best friend I've come to be
Please don't think of getting up for me
You don't even need to speak
When I've been here for just one day
You'll already miss me if I go away
So close the blinds and shut the door
You won't need other friends anymore

Oh don't leave home, oh don't leave home

Draco and Ginny stayed embraced all through the storm. When it stopped, Ginny looked up at Draco.

"Thank you." She tried to smile but it only came out as a sideways frown. Draco kissed her cheek as a 'You're welcome.'

"I'm cold, Draco. Hold me."

"Let's get you inside, Ginny. You're shaking."

Draco picked her up and carried her to the infirmary, worried she might catch a cold, or worse.

If you're cold I'll keep you warm
If you're low just hold on
Cause I will be your safety
Oh don't leave home

Madam Pomfrey was quite disgruntled when Draco carried in a shaking Ginny. She 'tsk'd' at them both for being out in the rain for so long, but led Draco to an empty bed where he laid her down. Shooing Draco out so she could change Ginny into dry clothes, Madam Pomfrey closed the curtain separating Ginny from the rest of the infirmary.

That's the end of Chapter One. I'll update as soon as possible, more than likely, tomorrow. xoxo Trinee