Chapter 9

The ground beneath her was muddy and damp with leftover rainwater. She folded her knees under herself and stared ahead of her at what she was touching; it had gotten rusty so quickly. Her nails scraped against the stone and she laid her head on its coolness. "I visited just like I promised I would. Are you doing alright?" she sighed, knowing full well how this sounded. But still she had to wonder; did they feel anything in the afterlife? She knew that he would have wanted her to be happy. "Do you remember Draco Malfoy? He's a good man, I swear it to you. Sure he has his vicious side, his bitterness and wrath, but that's who he is. He never wanted you or anyone to get hurt, it was all someone else's fault, oh, I guess you don't know about that. Well, you see, his name is Taka and he tricked myself and Draco into thinking that he needed us when in fact all he wanted was my soul. I haven't felt any sense of disruption in my body since that day in St Mungo's from my possessor, Kuro. It's been one month already and it's nearly Christmas. I arrived here only some time ago. I wanted to wish you a Happy Christmas and hope you're well. I have to go now, daddy. I love you and miss you."

Her eyes betrayed her and her vision blurred almost immediately as she stood. "You did good." He murmured and stepped beside her, looped his arm around her waist, his hair windswept and his eyes looking cloudy and vague. "I can't imagine what that's like for you." He held her closer as they walked out of the cemetery. "Do you want to go see your family now?"

Ginny bit her lip and said, "No, could we go for a walk? It'll help." He nodded gently and they headed for Hogsmeade. He took her to The Three Broomsticks and they sat in the back. Watching people's eyes widen he snarled at them and turned his attention back to his girlfriend.

"Order anything you want, my treat." he purred against her cheek as she leaned on him. Her skin suddenly felt moist as he pulled away and he heard her make a strange mewling sound. He peered at her, brushed the hair from her eyes, and wrapped his arms about her shoulders. "Please," he pleaded. "I'm sorry I suggested this."

"It's not-" she choked out "not your fault. It's mine."

"It is not. You've got to stop blaming yourself for this or it's going to eat at you."

"He," she sobbed, laying her elbows on the table and held her head "was my flesh and blood and he died never understanding why!" She threw herself into him and shut her eyes, her fingers clutching his clothing and she trembled. "He died without the knowledge he should have had."

Draco moved his hands around to her back and pressed nearer as he whispered, "I won't allow you to be alone in this and I know how I can help you. When Father was alive he made a potion that would allow its drinker to see a recent lost one, to communicate with them if they had questions. If you're willing we-" her lips sealed his for only a moment before she gave a weak smile.

"Thank you," her grip suddenly slackened and she sagged against him.

"Heh, all the crying made her so damn tired, typical of women." He smiled firmly, cancelled their food and carried her out into the drowning sun.

--

Her eyelids felt heavy as she struggled to open them. Something was dripping down her face, relaxing her completely. She heard herself moan lightly as the liquid turned to a solid and a hand cupped her cheek. She'd know that touch even if she were struck blind one day, she would know his caress anywhere, because she trusted her instincts. Finally she was met by his eyes, the softest gray she had ever seen. His white-blonde hair fell past his cheeks and he smirked. "What happened?" she sat up and looked around. She knew where she was the instant her eye caught sight of a glass vase on the granite-colored mantle.

"You fell asleep in The Three Broomsticks then somehow caught a fever. I've been taking care of you for the past two hours."

"Two...hours?" her head was throbbing and there was a musty scent that kept her down now, his scent, damnit. She watched him slowly as he removed the cloth from her forehead. She moved and his fingers brushed against her cheek, she felt herself flush.

"You need to lie still. I've took it upon myself to draw you a bath, to help keep your temperture down, so when you're ready I'll take you upstairs."

A bath...in Malfoy Manor?

"But-" she protested quietly. How could she refuse? It sounded lovely. Dumbly she nodded and was swept up into his arms, her head against his chest, and her legs tingled as the crook of his elbow came to rest behind her knees as his opposite hand held her around the back. He moved with grace, very surprising to her, as he walked up the asended the staircase. He turned right and she blinked at the lines of portraits along the walls. He turned sharply and entered his chambers. She saw a fireplace like the one downstairs and a room that looked similiar to the dorms at Hogwarts. He put her on the bed and told her to stay there until she heard the water running. Her ears picked up on a nice sound over the rushing of water; he was whistling. She peered into the bathroom and saw the white marble tub filled and Draco sitting on the sink gazing at her. "You're musically talented," she giggled as he stood and they both moved towards the tub. It happened in a flash, she pitched forward and reached out to grab his robes, someone screamed and coughed. "I'm sorry! Are you alright?"

Draco looked at her through wet stringy hair, his robes weighing his body down some before he discarded them and smiled at her. She averted his eyes before he grabbed her hands and laced them together, pulled her to him and cradled her head, which was soaked. "You idiot, heh, that's a good look for you."

"You look like a drowned ferret." She was laughing so hard that she had to resort to sinking into the water to stop. His fingers tangled in her hair and he drew her to his lips and kissed her fully, his hand curled in her long locks as she pressed him against the other side of the tub and he groaned lightly. Her body gave a convulsive shudder as his hand inched to her top, his nails scraping her shoulders and she gave a whimper. "What are you doing?"

"I don't know..." he murmured and his lips fastened to her neck, his hands resting underwater on her hips.

--

He stayed up the entire night watching her. He knew that he was letting his hormones get the best of him and he couldn't afford to have her run now. She was sitting in his bedroom on the bed with her cross-legged, glancing at him with a frown, her eyes roaming over his wet blonde hair and she smiled. She fucking smiled after an hour of the most unbearable silence. That was all she did, much to his dismay, then went right back to staring at her hands like she'd gotten something on them, something vile, indeliable. "Your turn," was all she had said.

"My-what do you mean?" he asked, confused.

She smirked again and said quietly, "I've said what I need to regarding the situation."

"You've said no-you have nothing to say? I told you that I-and you have nothing to say?" He rose from his spot on the floor and moved forward, grabbed her chin lightly and gazed into her eyes. "Nothing?" he replied, his eyes narrowing.

"You told me that you loved me, that you don't care about time, about anyone else, you only want to be with me. How am I supposed to react?" she looked angrily at him before shoving his hand away.

"You think I lied?" he mumbled.

"I don't know what to think." She shut her eyes and hung her head, not even moving when the mattress sank and his arms wrapped around her.

He held her closer and whispered, "But I do. No matter how much you think my words are false, I do love you, Ginny."

She pulled away and looked at him, really looked; his eyes searched hers breifly and his lip curled slightly as if he'd throw her from him, which he expected. His tie was seeming obscure, the way it sat against his chest, his chest that rose and fell with his every bitter, scorned breath. His shirt was wrinkling by his shoulder, her fingers smoothed it out but stopped when she felt his muscles flex. His eyes surveyed hers closely and he smiled. Her head was spinning when his lips crashed down on hers and she moaned. Feeling his hands against her hips again, she squirmed and bit his lower lip, recieving a most erotic growl. "You have to stop," her voice was strangled.

"Why?" he purred against her ear before setting his teeth into it which elicited a tiny cry from her. "Don't you want me?"

The moment his hands connected with her bare skin she wanted to die. "I do," she hissed quietly.

"You do what?" he looked at her with a bothered gaze.

"I do want you...so much...but I'm sick, remember?" he could hear her breath hitch slightly.

"Not too sick, I hope?" his eyes glinted with eagerness as he lifted himself to hover over her.

"Not too sick for that, no." she wrapped her fingers around his neck and brought his mouth down to hers. The candle that was lit to provide the only light extiguished, leaving them to surrender to their urges in the velvet darkness.

The evil could rest; tonight was their night.