Ginny made her way to the back of the library. She needed to think and the only place she ever got any privacy was a secluded window seat in the back of the library. Her week had been hectic, and she still couldn't get rid of the nightmares that had plagued her since her first year. She hadn't slept well since then. Last night they had been so bad that she had slept through Transfiguration this morning. Professor McGonagall hadn't been pleased. The window was where Ginny came to cry.
I knew there was somebody somewhere
Even though she could probably explain her reasons, she didn't want anyone's sympathy or the looks that people used to give her back then. So, she dealt with it on her own. She turned the last corner, ready to just break down and cry when she stopped in her tracks. Someone was already sitting there. She saw him straighten, but he didn't turn to face her.
Ginny backed up, stammering, "Oh, I'm sorry, usually no one ever comes back here. I'll leave you alone," she said. She didn't really want to give him a reason to insult her family anymore.
To her surprise, all he did was bring his knees up to his chest, and rest his chin on them, "Plenty of room for both of us," he said, continuing to stare out the window, not even glancing in her direction.
Looking back on that day, Ginny firmly believed that if he had said anything else, or even said that in any other tone, she probably wouldn't have stayed. But he sounded so dejected that she was curious as to why he wanted her company. So she set her books down, and went and sat next to him on the window seat, mirroring his posture.
"Why do you choose this window?" His voice was so soft that Ginny wasn't even sure that she heard him correctly.
Ginny paused, wondering how often he had seen her back here, then answered his question, "Because from here you can see directly off Hogwarts grounds. I don't want to start to feel too safe. Seeing the outside world brings me back to reality," she said.
Draco nodded, "I don't think you need any help with reality," he said, and for the first time, actually turned to look at her, "I see you, you know. Always wandering the halls at night, claiming prefect duties. You have the nightmares don't you?" His tone wasn't accusatory, simply honest.
Like me alone in the dark
It was his tone that made her tell the truth, "Sometimes," she admitted.
Draco nodded, "So do I," he muttered, "So do I." He turned back to the window, "and just think, both of our nightmares are caused by the same man."
Ginny wondered if he was talking about Voldemort or his father; it could have been either. She had seen Draco around the school, even though he should have left it last year. She risked asking him about it, "I've seen you too, and I've wondered why you're still here."
Draco sighed, "Everything started fine, I made the decision to fight Voldemort and followed in Professor Snape's steps as a spy. I just got luckier than him. I escaped before I was killed. Voldemort knows I betrayed him, so I'm stuck here inbetween doing jobs for Dumbledore."
Ginny nodded, "I figured something like that." She turned and looked out the window, "you know, I come here to cry. See that tree over there, at the edge of the grounds. It grows stronger each year, but I know that it can be destroyed no matter how strong. When I get depressed, I come here to cry, and then I see that tree, and realize that Voldemort, like that tree, can be destroyed, no matter how strong he is. It gives me hope."
Now I know my dream will live on
"Hope is a very important thing," Draco agreed, then smirked, "you're one of the few people that I know that isn't afraid to say Voldemort's name."
Ginny let out a harsh laugh, "Well, once he's been in your mind, you kind of feel like you have the right to call him by his name. Besides, why is he so special to have people fear his name? I mean, all this nonsense about half-bloods and muggle-borns. Hell, he's a half-blood himself."
"How did you know that?" Draco asked, "It's not really something he spreads around."
"Well, his sixteen year old self wanted to make sure that everyone knew he hated his muggle father. It was one of the few things that he talked about," she answered, "Can we talk about something else please. My day's been bad enough."
Draco nodded, "I was sorry to hear about your father," he said.
Ginny felt tears come to her eyes and nodded, wiping her eyes, "Have you had any luck convincing your friends?"
Draco looked at her sharply, his eyes asking a question.
I've been waiting so long
Ginny shrugged, "Luna mentioned it." For some reason Ginny didn't yet know, Luna and Draco had slowly become friends over the past year. Luna and Harry had gotten together around the same time, but none of them would talk about how it all happened.
Draco nodded and looked at his hands, "Pansy's been convinced. She's spying for Dumbledore now. Blaise was found out a few months ago, the healers don't know if he'll ever wake up," he looked up at her, "What if I get all my friends killed?" he voiced a fear that had been nagging at him.
Ginny surprised herself and Draco by reaching over to touch his hand, "They made the right choice and you did the right think trying to convince them. Better them to die fighting for the light, than to die fighting for the dark, or even to live in the dark."
Draco nodded, "thank you, Ginny," he whispered, just as Madam Pince came over to rush them out. They stood up and Draco waited patiently while Ginny gathered her things.
Nothing's gonna tear us apart
They walked towards the door. Ginny turned to Draco, "By the way, Draco, I never asked, why did you choose that window?"
Draco smiled, the first real smile Ginny had ever seen on his face, "I wanted to meet you," he confessed.
Ginny smiled in return as they left the library.