Chapter 10: Fighting It

His stomach lurched and for a moment, Draco contemplated sneaking away and hiding out until the girl had left her seemingly fixed post. He shook is head. Stop being dumb, he chided himself, she's infront of MY house afterall! That's right, she had come to HIS house, why should HE be worried? Draco took a deep breath and stepped forward. Soon the previously silent hall echoed the softs padding of Draco's steps. Ginny's head shot up and Draco wondered if his tongue would ever recover from the whole his teeth had just made, all while siltently praying to whatever omni-present being was closest to keep him from tripping over his all of the sudden numb feet.

Ginny looked like she would have permanent streaks on her face from where all the tears had been. But under that, she looked furious. The bright red curls bobbed as Ginny scrambled to her feet as Draco approached and for a second, the torchlight caught her eyes and made them flare.

Draco's mouth opened to ask what on earth she was doing there, but he didn't have a chance to form the words. A loud 'SMACK' filled the hallway and Draco's face whipped to the side under the force of one small yet powerful hand. Draco immediately covered his stinging cheek with his palm, the burning sensation told him there would be a mark there tomorrow, along with all of the other bruises he had accrued from the tossle earlier.

"Damnit Ginny!" Draco yelled, as he felt his lip starting to blead again. It was the second time Ginny Weasley had slapped him, and Draco hoped it would be the last. Someone must have given her private slapping lessons. Draco had been slapped on numerous occassions, but Ginny's hand championed all others. "What in the name of…" But he didn't finish again, for Ginny's hand has taken another strike at Draco's other cheek.

Draco was stunned, but had no intention of being Ginny's punching bag any longer. As Ginny's hand raised again, Draco grabbed her firmly by both wrists.

"I hate you!" she screeched, struggling with all of her might to get away from Draco's hold and mame him further with any of her flailing body parts. "I hate you! I just want you to die!"

This was familiar. "You're nothing! You're worthless!" Lucius would scream, kicking a fallen Draco in the stomach one more time after deciding his son had bled enough. He was used to being told this and worse. Draco knew how to take it from his father. But she didn't mean it! She couldn't. Even if Ginny did, Draco would not let her. He had to shut her up; she shouldn't keep saying these things!

With one hand around both of her skinny wrists, Draco's other hand wrapped around the back of Ginny's neck and forced her forward to meet his lips. Roughly he kissed her, bruising her soft lips so they'd never speak such words to him again. Her scream was muffled by Draco's lips and Ginny weakly continued to fight against his hold.

Finally, Draco let go of her wrists and Ginny fell into his arms as if her legs had buckeled below her.

"I hate you…" she sobbed quietly, pounding uselessy against his chest as they both sunk to the floor, Draco's arms now around her. The torches flickered in the empty hallway as a cold winter breeze swept through, rustling the hair of the two students holding onto eachother as they knelt on the floor.

Finally Draco got to his feet again, forcing Ginny up beside him.

"Sorting Hat," Draco said. Automatically, the wall on his left disappeared and the empty Slytherin common room revealed itself. Breathing heavily, Draco extended his pale hand to Ginny. She hesitated, knowing what it meant for her to accept it, but she took it. Immediately, Draco lead her into the common room and up the stairs without a word to his dormitory. Ginny went in first, and Draco shut the door behind her and applied a locking spell before turning back to her.

There she was before him, trembling. A long-time family enemy standing in front of his bed, knowing what was coming just as much as Draco did. Both knowing it was wrong. Both dreading the consequences. Both wishing they could stop it. And both knowing that that was impossible. Draco stepped infront of her, letting his robes slip off his shoulders and onto the floor as he walked. Raising and pale hand, his fingers slid down her face and grazed her chest.

"Say you don't hate me," he breathed, his lip touching Ginny's nose, making her close her eyes. "Say it."

Ginny inhaled deeply. "I don't hate you," she whispered.

The Great Hall was buzzing that night, students talking to each other about the fight and the eyewitnesses filling in those unfortunate enough to miss it. Some said Harry had beaten Draco up so badly that Dumbledore was sending for a casket. Others said Draco attacked Harry out of nowhere, making some of the more naïve first year students cry. Not many of the students knew what really happened outside of the Potion's classroom, and those that did found it much more entertaining to add their own versions.

In one part of the castle, two friends stood over the hospital wing bed of their beloved friend, one crying and the other plotting revenge. But in the bottom of the school, where only the green and silver lovers reside, two students from two very different walks of life were acting on impulses they had been harboring for several months. Draco Malfoy hated Ginny Weasley and what she had done to him. But he needed her and she needed him, and Draco Malfoy had never needed anyone.

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Ok, unfortunately when I was trying to redo my fic to put in chapters, it got totally removed from the site and I had to repost it. So now all of my previous reviews are gone, which really pisses me off. Anyhow, I'd adore it if you would keep reviewing for me. It helps with the writing, my overall self-esteem etc. lol

I don't know the name of the person who asked me because that review got deleted, but as this is only a PG-13 fic, I will not be going into any more detail then why I already have. We'll be cutting to an "after the fact" scene, but there won't be any foreplay description. Sorry. I hope you keep reading anyways!