Chapter Twenty-Nine:
(A/N. Sorry about the mix-up with the last line. Ginny's NOT going to the Malfoy Manor. She's just going with him to Hogsmead. K? Anyways keep up the reviews.)
All through the night, Draco had not slept. He had sat by the window staring out at the grounds bathed in the light of the full moon. His eyes had been open but he was not seeing, in his mind the dark visions replayed haunting him and chasing away any thoughts of sleep. Soon the pink light of dawn replaced the silvery light of the moon and Draco stood up. He stared at the empty beds and sighed. A whole piece of his life was gone. To think that only years before had this happened he would have been with them. Turning back to his bed he pulled out his wand and flicked it with a muttered word. All of his clothes and belongings flew from their places around his bed and on his desk and neatly folded themselves into his open trunk. Closing it with a kick of his long legs, Draco turned away. This would be the last time he saw this room. With that painful realization, the blond Slytherin with the warm heart walked away knowing some house elf would pick up his trunk and bring it down. Right now he had more important things to do; like finding Ginny. Trotting out of his room and through the common room he made his way toward the Great Hall. His thoughts were elsewhere as he walked through the corridors but the sounds of furious yelling slowly drew his attention.
"I don't see how any of this is your business!" the now familiar voice of Ginny made his head snap around and he quickly headed in the direction of the noise.
"I'm your brother! Of course it's my business!"
"Oh really? And all those times I wanted to be part of your life and you pushed me out like some irritating pest? Blood hell!"
"Watch you're tongue!" Draco shook his head at Hermione and imagined the look on Ginny's face. As he turned the corner he no longer had to imagine it; he was able to see it for himself. At the moment Ginny looked like something sprung from the famous tales of warrior princesses. Her dark eyes flashed with a fury that matched the wreathing crown of living flame that was her hair which hung down past her shoulders since the time she had cut it. Her small fists were clenched at her sides, her knuckles white in the effort. Her face was flushed and it sharpened the intensity of the gaze. Draco let out a silent whistle of appreciation and grinned.
"How dare you?" Ginny cried and Hermione winced at the cold fury in her voice. Ron stepped forward and glowered down at his sister.
"She's your friend Gin! Frankly, I think all this impudent behaviour has gone on long enough!" Ron roared and Ginny gave a mocking laugh.
"Oh wow Ron! I had no idea you even knew what impudent meant!" Ginny snickered but Ron didn't seem to care about the barb. A wicked smile spread across his face.
"You know, sister dear, I think Mum and Dad should finally hear about you canoodling with the son of a Death Eater! I can't imagine father hating anyone more than Lucius Malfoy and I doubt he feels much different about his son."
Ginny blanched and her glare turned icy. "You know nothing, Ron. Most especially not about Draco!"
"What is there to know? He's an evil, selfish, heartless bastard!" Ron growled. It happened in a second and it took longer for everyone to realize what had happened. Ginny had stepped forward and slapped her hand across her brother's face. Ron touched his quickly reddening cheek in amazement.
"I will not stand by and watch you insult the man I…the man who saved my life," Ginny hissed. No one noticed the amendment made at the end.
"Yes, why did he save your life? So he could keep laying his dirty hands on you! That's why! To get to us through you just like his father did to you in your second year!" Ron shrieked. Ginny's eyes gained a haunted look which she quickly pushed away.
"Draco had nothing to do with that!"
"Oh no, that's true, but he made it quiet clear that he wouldn't mind at all if any mix-blooded students died," Harry cut in and Ginny glanced at him over her brother's shoulder.
"He's different," she said quietly and Draco was touched by her sanctification and wondered if he deserved it.
"People don't change," Hermione stated and Ginny nodded slowly and Draco felt a cold hand grab onto his heart.
"You're right," she said, bowing her head, and the trio exchanged a triumphant look that was quickly wiped away as she raised her head her eyes burning a fiery brown copper. "People don't change, they grow up. They learn from their mistakes and grow all the better for it. There is more to life than the lives we lead in these halls. Then the misperceptions instilled in us since birth. If we can learn more than what we have been told then we can become a better person. That's what makes us human," Ginny spoke quietly but her voice carried over the crowd that had assembled to see the outcome of the fight.
Her brother shook his head, "Malfoy is not a human. He is a Death Eater scum and you are not my sister if you have chosen to be his slut instead of standing at our side!" The sudden silence roared around them and Draco's eyes changed to molten silver. Stepping out from his hiding spot he crossed to Ginny in a few long strides and placed his elegant hand on her right shoulder feeling the sinews tight with stress. She recognized the touch without even looking at him and she felt her relax a fraction and she raised her right hand and clutched the hand that lay on her slim shoulder.
"That's enough out of you three," Draco stated his voice dangerously quiet and filled with a deadly calm.
"Stay out of this," Harry hissed as he stepped forward his fingers inching toward his wand. Quicker than a cobra sticking Draco pulled out his own wand and muttered three "expelliarmus" spells in quick succession and the Golden trio were disarmed before they could blink.
"See, Potty, I was going to stay out of this. I really have no flair for public displays of enmity you see, but then you three went and insulted my girlfriend. But you have a way of making me really brassed off," Draco grinned and the look he gave them would have sent the bravest knight skittering away. The crowd swayed and muttered all around, having been scandalized by the admission that the two were actually a couple.
"You—" Harry began but Draco cut him off with a gesture of his wand and Harry found he could not longer speak.
"Now, if you three ever touch, insult, speak, or so much as look at Ginny in a way I don't like," Draco paused and shrugged. "Well…" He flicked his wand at a statue nearby. It was an ugly statue and Draco had often wondered what it was doing here in such a beautiful castle. Now the statue which had bothered his aesthetic side was naught but a puddle of bubbling metal. Turning back to the trio he saw fear flicker in their eyes.
"She's not yours!" Ron blurted out and Draco's eyes narrowed to silver slits and then he smiled.
"Quiet right dear Weasel. She's not mine. There's no ring on her finger, I don't own her by any law, she owes me nothing, and I haven't even taken her to my bed, despite your allusions. No, she is not mine," Draco concluded then the fury was back in his eyes like a snowstorm. "But neither is she yours and she will do as she pleases." Ginny grinned and slithered an arm around Draco's waist gently leaning her head against his shoulder and planting a kiss on the corner of his lips. Ron turned scarlet and shook with his barely contained anger.
"Ginny! You can't—" Ron sputtered and Ginny nodded her head with a deep finality.
"I can and I will. You lost the right to dictate what happened in my life long ago."
Draco bowed mockingly and followed the insistent pulling on his shirt from Ginny to get away. Before they had completed the turn he stopped and glanced back at the trio over his shoulder. "Oh yes, I forgot one last thing. Though she may one day consent to me and be mine through marriage, she will never be yours again, Ronald. The same goes for you Hermione and you Harry. Never." With a curt nod the couple walked away. Soon, they reached the Great Hall and Draco stopped though his appetite was long gone. He turned to Ginny and nodded at the hall.
"You want to grab a bite before we go?"
Ginny shook her head. "I'm not really feeling peckish right now," she admitted and he took her back in his arms and they continued walking until they had stepped outside. There, Ginny stopped him and turned her to face him.
"What's the matter?" Draco asked gently touching her cheek. She leaned into the touch and then pulled away.
"Did you really mean what you said? Would you want me as a wife?" she whispered and Draco led her over to a bench. He sat her down and began to pace.
"Malfoys don't love. Malfoys don't cry. Malfoys don't show any feelings whatsoever. Malfoys don't care about anyone but themselves. Malfoys serve the Dark Lord," Draco stated as he stared out at the stunning view that surrounded the Hogwarts castle. "That's what I always knew, until I got to know you. I've never cared about anything in my life. Not even a pet. Nothing. I care about you Ginny. I worry when you're in danger. I rage when someone hurts you. I feel jealous when you hug anyone but me. I've had many women before. But…when I think of you it's not some hot passion that will burn out as soon as it is spent. It's something invincible; something that makes me feel complete. Something that could last a lifetime. I've never loved, Ginny, I don't know if this is love but…you made me feel when I had sworn not to. I don't think either of us is ready for marriage, but I can admit to these feelings I'm having. These new feelings… If this is not love, I don't know what is," Draco sighed heavily then shook his head ruefully. "Oh bollocks, I probably botched this up didn't I?" He spun around and gaped at the sight before him. The small redhead was sobbing tears turning her eyes into a liquid chocolate that could melt any man's soul.
"Oh Draco!" she wailed and he ran to her, kneeling at her side and his eyes flickered over his face silver eyes wild with confusion.
"Ginny! I don't understand! Why are you crying?" he cried shaking his head and clutching her small hands in his. The young woman threw her arms around him and continued to sob into his chest. "Oh come on, Ginny, it can't be that horrible looking," he said trying to lighten the mood. He heard muffled laughter and grinned.
"See! I knew I could get a grin; now tell me what's wrong."
"I love you too, Draco," he heard past the fabric of his cloak. The young man frowned and stared down at the mass of red hair that was all he could see.
"And that's why you're crying?" he asked incredulously though his heart fluttered at the revelation. "Cor! Women!"
"No you dim-witted git!" Ginny growled and pulled away to slap his arm. Her eyes danced with merriment, however, and Draco couldn't begrudge her the hit if it meant her cheering up. Her face grew serious however and she sat back on her heels. "My parents…Ron was right. I don't think they'll like this relationship at all."
Something feral flashed in Draco's eyes. "I'm not about to lose the one thing I care about in this world. I don't care what you're parents think."
"But I do!" Ginny cried hopelessly. "I love them Draco. I love you too! I can't just walk away from the world without glancing back!" The tears began to well up in her eyes again and Draco scooped her up into his lap.
"Then we'll find a way to convince them. Together. If you want their blessing then Merlin you'll bloody well get it," he grinned his voice hoarse with emotion. Ginny giggled and threw her arms around his neck.
"I do love you, Draco."
"You are a very odd girl, you know that?" he demanded and she sniffled softly and patted at her cheeks.
"Oh bugger, I must be a horrid sight."
The Slytherin prince smiled, "Are you daft? You're always beautiful. Now stop fannying around, we have to get to the Manor." She looked sufficiently contrite and he shook his head and got up, helping her up as well. Together they walked toward the horseless carriage waiting for them that would take them into Hogsmead. Soon he'd be on his way to Malfoy Manor.