Hi everyone. Thanks for the reviews. If you look at the bottom, you'll see some replies to your comments, etc. Sorry this chapter took so long to get up, I've been incredibly busy with school and stuff. Usually I try and post every weekend, but things have gotten out of control over here, so it didn't happen. Thanks for you patience and here we go!

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Chapter 12: Mornings After and Goodbyes

Draco curiously examined the girl, whose arms were wrapped around his bear chest, breathing deeply. The silver moonlight had seeped through the foggy dorm window and seemed to create a permanent spotlight on her fair face, illuminating Ginny's defined features.

It had all happened in a whirlwind of emotions-- arms and legs moving wildly, hands groping, clothes flying, skin touching skin—with no sense of control or order, need being the only driving force. Ginny had immediately fallen asleep afterwards, perhaps because she was physically drained, or maybe because she thought it was all a dream anyway—she just had to go back to sleep and it would be erased from her memory like other dreams. Perhaps she wanted to forget it, Draco mused as his fingers traced the straight line of her spine down her exposed back.

She won't be able to though, no matter how hard she tries, Draco thought to himself as he scanned her still form. He had taken her virginity. She wouldn't forget that, girls were silly like that. It meant something to them, like a treasure they kept locked away from prying eyes until they were willing to share it with someone special. Ginny hadn't told him Draco was her first, but he had slept with enough girls to know better. The gasps she made during the act were sign enough. No, she would never forget.

Draco's eyes rested on her bright face, as innocent and chaste as it had always been. Draco sighed, she was still Ginny. His plan of desacration had failed. But somehow it didn't seem to matter. Draco still had gotten what he wanted. Last night it was Ginny in his bed, Ginny saying his name, and Ginny asleep now at his side—not Potter's.

Frowning, he looked over at all of the room in his silk-sheeted bed. Ginny was still clinging to him tightly, and Draco grimaced. He liked his space and now he was sequestered to the very edge with a girl who seemed to be holding on for dear life with no hint she'd be moving any time soon. Why was she on his side when there was all that room over there? Normally, he would have woken up his bedmate and made her move away to give him room. But he didn't this time. With a frown still etched on his face, Draco closed his eyes and tried to sleep in this new strange position of closeness.

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Ginny's eyes fluttered open as Draco shook her softly.

"You should leave before anyone else is up," he said toneless before returning to his task of packing his trunk.

Ginny sleepily rolled to her back and blinked a few times through her mess of red curls, obviously trying to force herself awake. The room was still dark as the sun had yet not risen and the appearance of night only made rousing more difficult. Draco noticed Ginny's searching eyes as he pulled a bundle of shirts out of his drawer and put them sloppily into his trunk. Ginny enhaled sharply and bit her lip, looking at the 3 other beds in the Slytherin dorm room.

"Don't worry, they're not here," Draco said, seeing her discomfort. Ginny immediately relaxed and Draco continued packing. He couldn't blame her, if they had been in the Gryffindor house, Draco would have been just as uncomfortable. Whatsmore, being in this vulnerable position with Crabbe and Goyle in the same room would not be enticing to any Hogwarts girl, or boy for that matter.

"Draco, what are you doing?" She said slowly, pulling the green sheet up to her chin with a sudden burst of new-found modesty.

"I'm suspended, Dumbledore is shipping me home," Draco replied, not slowing his packing pace but still smirking at Ginny's embarassment.

"Oh," she said quietly, looking down at her fumbling hands. There was no need to ask why. "For how long?"

"Two weeks," Draco answered awkwardly. This was the longest civil conversation Draco and Ginny had ever had. They had one full minute so far and Ginny wasn't in tears and Draco hadn't threatened her yet. Draco was surprised the world hadn't collapsed in on itself in utter shock, the day was already full of surprises. Maybe there is something to this communication thing afterall- she said something, I responded, then she responded, then I said something. But it took all of his concentration to bite back the cutting remarks circling in his head—"You were raised by wolves," "You're a worthless excuse for a witch," "Your house looks like several cardboard boxes stacked on top of each other." Draco stiffened his jaw and pretended to concentrate on packing, though his trunk was already full to capacity.

"Oh," Ginny said again.

Her pressence was beginning to annoy him—Draco was torn between throwing her out and smothering her lips with his animal kisses. He hated how she could bring out this inner struggle while looking so calm.

"Draco?"

"What?" He snapped back, more harshly then he had intended.

"Could you pass me my clothes?" She asked timidly, pointing with one hand to the pile of material shed for its restrictive quality the previous night and using the other to keep the sheet tight to her chest.

Draco gathered them up and tossed the clothes to her. He couldn't help but watch the girl as she dressed, fumbling awkwardly with her bra in her nervousness. Looking at her flushed face, Draco wondered if there would ever be a time when Ginny was not so blantantly uncomfortable in his pressence. Not that he minded. He enjoyed how she trembled at his frigid touch; how she recoiled when he carressed her; how she allowed herself to be so dominated.

Ginny slipped out of the bed after donning a sweater with a horribly mishapen 'G' knitted on the front, the silk sheets slightly clinging to the bare parts of her skin. Her cheeks had gone back to their normal fair tone, though Draco's eyes never left her. After finally slipping on the jeans she wore the day before and running a hand through her tangled hair, Ginny made for the door.

"I'll be seeing you then," she said, as if asking a question instead of making , a statement, and not daring to look Draco in the face. Silence invaded the room, almost stifling their breaths. Draco wanted to tell Ginny she was just another girl to be had and then booted out, to make her understand that they could never be, to tell her this would be the one and only time.

Draco opened his mouth, trying to force out words he knew he had to say. "Look," he began, stepping towards Ginny.

"No, you don't have to say anything, I understand," she interrupted, lifting a hand up to silence him and shifting uncomfortably as she opened the snake encrusted door.

Draco's gaze fell to the floor. Ginny knew it was impossible, just as much as Draco did. They were too different, from two different places, with two different lives ahead of them. Gryffindors and Slytherins weren't meant for each other.

Suddenly Ginny turned around and stepped back in the room, not ready to leave the room where her life had changed or the boy who had changed it. "Can I ask you something?" she said hesitantly but with a suprising look of confidence.

Draco nodded curiously.

"Harry told me you used your wand first in the fight. Is it true?" Their gaze locked. Ginny's soft brown eyes were pleading for the truth.

"No," Draco said plainly, stunned to hear himself and even more stunned when a smile passed over Ginny's lips, instead of the disbelief he had anticipated.

"You know, I think there's more good in you then you realize Draco Malfoy," Ginny said softly, her lips still tickled with a grin, before turning on her heels and disappearing down the stairs.

Draco closed the door behind her and leant against it, staring at his open trunk. If she only knew what tomorrow had in store for me, she wouldn't think so.

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Oh, another thing before responding to reviews, I have a number of short little ficlets on here I'd love for you all to read. Most of them… ok, well, all of them are angsty. The newest one is about Cedric Diggory and deals with putting up emotional walls, etc. So feel free to check them out.

marylani: I'm so happy you like it! Sorry about not updating for so long, I'll keep trying though!

Joalim: Wow, I really appreciate your comment. It's really important to me to write Draco this way. Call me a fanatic, but I've created this whole little world of Draco and his past in my head. I am so glad you appreciate it. Thank you for following my fic for so long, it's good to know there are people out there that enjoy it even though they don't post.

Erised: Draco's mind has been elsewhere, lol. Also, like I said, I didn't want to be very graphic, so that's why I didn't do any snogging before hand. I'm happy you like it though!

ASL aka Ryan, hey babe! Thanks for the review. Glad to see you enjoy me and my angsty ways. ;)

kayumanggi: Thanks for sticking up for me and my fic. I honestly wonder how people find so much time to make such dumb "criticisms." Honestly, I wish I had that much free time, though I'd use it in other more productive ways. I'm happy my story "struck your interest." I do my best! Thanks for the comments.

burgosdamasco: You're my new best friend! *sigh* Someone who understands Draco the way I do! I totally agree with you on everything you said. Draco, to me, has so much baggage that has made him the way he is today. He possess every evil, cruel feeling I have ever had. But he's not COMPLETELY emotionless. As you will see in the next chapter, things are going to get a lot more dark and complicated for Draco. As much as I adore Draco, his life isn't about to get easier. He might have find some comfort somewhere, but it can't be compared to what he'll endure on the other side of the spectrum. Thank you so much for your comments, I really appreciate them. You have no idea.

Orlandoluva: Thanks for standing up to Crissylang, who apparently wasn't observant enough to realize all those things. You gotta love flamers, eh?

Crissy Lang: I really don't have anything else to say to you after what Orlandoluva and kayumanggi have said. I just think that you're a pretty contradictory person that would look somewhat smart if you kept your mouth shut.

TarynMalfoy88: I hope you liked this chapter just as much. J

reddevil7: Wow, thank you for telling me that. I'm so honored you were so moved!

To everyone else, thanks again for the comments. Please keep commenting! Let me know what you like and don't like, etc.