Chapter 15 – Frozen Impulse
Ginny woke tired the next morning. Her hands had welts on them where the bow had worn into them whilst she practised her archery. She had found that, using the same theory about re-projecting herself; she could visualize the arrows back to her after she had shot them. This was very useful as to begin with they were assured to go completely off target. Soon, though, she found that she could control the way the arrow flew through the air as well. All the concentration and tenacity was very wearing though and Ginny was completely shattered
Persephone came into the dormitory and did a double take when she saw Ginny. "What happened?" she exclaimed, taking in the messy red hair and almost sickly pale skin.
Finally, Ginny grinned, knowing now that Resumbria was no longer to be feared for the Shadowers. She could hold her own. "Just a bit of self-defence," she explained. She moaned in pain as she tried to lift her right arm – her shooting arm – apparently the muscles weren't accustomed to so much exercise in one go.
"Yes..." her friend agreed slowly. "Because we all do self-defence in our sleep."
Ginny grinned unhelpfully. "The banshees have left the Forbidden Forest," she said happily.
Perse nodded. "That's good." She rubbed her head, wincing slightly.
"Headache?"
The black-haired girl shrugged. "We need to go to breakfast," she stated instead.
They walked in silence together to the great hall. Ginny was slightly alarmed to find it was quite awkward. In the few months that she'd been best friends with Persephone they'd hardly had an uncomfortable moment.
"So, the ball in a couple of weeks eh?" Ginny started, trying to make conversation.
"I guess," replied Persephone.
Out of Ginny's line of sight she grimaced against the pain in her head. Her heartbeat felt strong in her ears, overwhelmingly so, but she couldn't let Ginny know there was anything wrong, Ginny had to go and meet Draco. Today was a very important day for the rest of her life and the black-haired Gryffindor was determined not to undermine it in any way. So Persephone stuck a grim smile on her face and tried to participate in the conversation that her redheaded friend had struck up.
Breakfast was a very quiet affair as they were quite late. Sundays were always quiet in Hogwarts, most students preferring to sleep or finish outstanding homework.
"Are you ok?" Ginny asked as they left the hall.
"I'm fine," Persephone replied fixing the most upbeat grin she could on her face. "You should go and tell Malfoy about the Banshee removal."
Ginny thought for a second. "Yes, I think I will. See you later." She gave Perse a slightly forced cheery smile before spontaneously hugging her. "I hope you feel better soon!"
Persephone watched her red head disappear around the corner, a slight smile touching her features.
A twang from her head sent her doubled over in pain.
Draco skimmed a flat stone skilfully across the flat surface of the lake. It made five bounces before the Giant Squid's tentacle lazily reached to pluck it from the air.
He felt her long before he heard her. Their aura link had ebbed quickly, either that or they had become more like each other – Draco was uncertain – but if he concentrated he could still pinpoint where she was. She perched on a rock just a little way behind him, he could imagine him in his mind's eye, playing with a tendril of fire between her fingers, watching and waiting for him to acknowledge her, looking stunning and not even knowing it...
He shook his head to clear the visions that had arisen, unbidden, from somewhere best kept buried. These thoughts, and the feelings they aroused in him, could muck up everything. They could put people's lives in danger.
Finally, he turned, meeting her eyes straight on. What he wasn't prepared for was the curl of her lip as she smiled at him. She smiled at him! Draco caught his breath, all he'd ever got from Ginny before had been seriousness, blind hatred or overwhelming fear, but she'd never smiled at him before.
He skimmed another stone half-heartedly; it only hit the water twice before sinking, and then turned around to go across to her. Curiosity was incited at why she was here but he knew that his face gave nothing away, stone cold as ever.
"I have good news," she said, starting the conversation.
"Really," Draco deadpanned, trying to ignore the beautiful smile that lit up her face.
"The Banshees have left the Forbidden Forest, so I – and you – are no longer in danger." Ginny smiled again, this time self-satisfactorily, before turning to go back to the castle.
"Is that all you came here to say?" he asked her retreating back.
"Well, yes."
He walked to stand in front of her, his six foot considerably dwarfing her height. "So you came all this way just to tell me that we're safe?" It wasn't so much as a question as a statement but she nodded all the same.
"Yes." Draco seemed to be looking for more information, this irritated Ginny. "Then we'll never have to see each other again!"
There it was, thought Draco, the spark of hatred that had become less pronounced since his time with her at the beginning of term, but nevertheless it was still there.
He started to walk towards her, unaware that his pose was quite threatening. In response, Ginny back away. "So why did you come all this way just to tell me that?"
"I don't know what you're trying to get at here!" she exclaimed still backing away.
"Why did you come to see me to tell me that you weren't going to see me?"
She shrugged seemingly calm, but continued to back away from his advancing steps. "Is there a problem with that?"
"If you really didn't want to see me, you could have sent someone else."
She was at a loss of what to answer, what was he trying to say about her? "Well I didn't. Is there a point to this?"
"Admit it; you wanted to talk to me."
"I did not!" Ginny abruptly found herself against a tree – they had reached the edge of the Forbidden Forest and she hadn't even noticed! She looked at Draco. "We shouldn't be here."
"I thought you said it's safe?"
"It is... but no one can see us." Ginny cursed the plaintive note in her voice.
"You're in no danger," he replied, leaning an arm against the tree behind her, effectively blocking Ginny in. She seriously disputed his comment, but decided against saying anything.
"I thought you'd be happy that you wouldn't have to see me anymore?" Ginny tried a different tactic.
"Weasley, in the past month I've taken a night time diversion into the Forbidden Forest for you, saved your life twice, been publicly embarrassed and-" he leaned very close to her and whispered; "I wouldn't change it for the world."
Ginny frowned. "But you hate me, you hate everything I stand for. You hate my family and you hate my friends. Are you telling me that's changed?" The disbelief in her voice was obvious.
"No," smirked Draco. "I'm not, but I am telling you that I would go through it all again – even the public humiliation - just to have moments like this with you." The blonde cursed that he sounded a lot like the lovesick Zabini.
Ginny marvelled – that sounded a lot like sincerity in his voice. "I am so confused," she stated.
He smiled. "You're not the only one."
"This can't happen. All my life you've been nasty to my brothers –to me. You're father and you're family they're-" she was going to say Deatheaters but caught the dangerous gleam in his eye just in time, "so different to mine. And I hate you," Ginny finished. She stood on tiptoes and murmured in his ear; "Passionately."
Draco pushed her closer against the tree, efficiently pinning her to it. Their breath mingled in front of their faces and their eyes clashed fiercely, both caught in the moment.
"It can't happen," he agreed, moving his left arm to her hip. Her breath caught in her throat, Ginny felt her heartbeat quicken.
She pushed herself backwards into the bark, finding a root to balance on that brought her almost to his eye-level. "We could never be together, our families would go insane."
He nodded, moving the hand on her hip beneath her robes, his cold fingers coming into contact with Ginny's burning skin. She shivered, bringing her arm down his with the purpose of pushing his hand away. This idea failed miserably about halfway down when his lips met her throat.
Her eyes fluttered close, their bodies pushing together, trying to get every bit of contact possible. The passion that was always there, whether they were arguing or not, exploded around them, transferred into something that both felt very wrong and simultaneously very right.
His lips on her neck were driving her insane, the sensuality overwhelming her senses. Ginny used a hand to push him away from her neck, replacing it with her mouth. The kiss that ensued was not sweet, or gentle, it was not the same as the one they'd shared in the forest - that had been desperate, it was not loving or kind; it was demanding and fiery. Their tongues sparred in the same way their minds did, each fighting for space and possession.
If a comet had landed on Hogwarts right then neither Ginny nor Draco would have been any wiser. A moment of gallantry on Draco's part had brought them together and now something beyond their control was holding them there.
She pushed beneath his black t-shirt, running her hands up his chest. He growled and pulled her impossibly close, plunging his tongue into the depths of her mouth, trying to assert dominance. Ginny was having none of it, in return she ground her pelvis against his, rolling her hips tantalisingly.
Who would have thought the littlest Weasley had it in her, Draco thought to himself. His body reacted to her seamlessly, her curves more pronounced as he ran his hand along them.
Finally they broke away panting. He still held her firmly against the tree though.
She traced his swollen mouth with her finger thoughtfully. He watched her, taking in the tousled hair, the darkened eyes, and the now very pink lips, thinking that he'd never seen anyone look more beautiful or deadly in his life. Deadly to his heart.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked, brushing hair away from her eyes. She smiled resting her head against his hand. "We'd have to be very careful."
She nodded, thinking of the stir it could cause. Thinking of what her brother would do if he knew. "It's strange," she said softly, "an hour ago I was fully prepared to have nothing to do with you. And now it's like I've found a whole new level of being. It's like I've channelled the last six years of hate into that kiss."
"It was less like a kiss, more like a fight," he agreed, playing with a lock of her hair between his fingers. "I'm sorry I made you hate me. I didn't know any other way."
Ginny smiled taking the hand that played with her red locks and entwining her fingers with it. They both stared at the tangled hands, finally understanding that things would be very different from now on.
Persephone had only made it to the stairs before she collapsed. Her breathing came hard and violent, the very action seeming to suck energy. Her head felt like it was exploding – or imploding – she wasn't sure. She couldn't think, she couldn't react and her sight was going blurry and hazy, the world swimming in front of her eyes.
Blaise knelt in front of her. He pushed black hair away from her face, tilting her chin up so he could see if she was awake.
"Persephone?" he inquired gently.
Blue eyes fluttered open, reeling depths stared back at him. Blaise thought he'd never seen someone look so vulnerable at one time before. They droop closed again, almost in defeat, he could do whatever he wanted and she wouldn't stop. Blaise thanked the powers that be that it had been him who had found her, as there were some rather unsavoury characters in the sixth and seventh years – mostly in Slytherin – and he hated to think what they might have done.
Blaise hefted her into his arms, astonished at how light she was. He carried her gently down the stairs towards the Slytherin common room, mercifully not passing any students. Just before they reached the door, he took a sharp left down a passage that would otherwise have been invisible had you not known about it.
He came out in the prefect quarters. Malfoy wouldn't mind if he used his room.
He laid Persephone gently on the bed, feeling her forehead to see if she had a temperature. She didn't.
She moaned slightly, moving her lips, muttering to herself. The dark-haired Slytherin felt the beginnings of panic. He should have taken her to the Hospital Wing, he knew he should, but he thought he could help her.
Blaise browsed quickly through Malfoy's in-room potion collection. He promptly found a painkiller potion, the only problem being that he didn't know what exactly was wrong with the Gryffindor.
Deciding to take the chance, Blaise administered the potion to Persephone, lightly easing her mouth open and coaxing her to swallow, which was very difficult as she was muttering at the same time.
He placed the bottle down on the desk, schooling himself not to look at Draco's various pieces of parchment.
The Slytherin lay on the bed next to Persephone, making soothing noises in his throat, trying to calm her fervent mumbling. But she only seemed to become more distressed, writhing in place. From time to time she would clench up, pulling her arms in tight to her chest.
Blaise put his arms around her, trying to still the thrashing, but only succeeded in almost getting knocked out as one of her arms was flung out strongly to the side.
Finally, he lay at the edge of the bed, watching her quietly, willing her to be still. After a while she was and he sighed in relief. The only sound in the room was her laboured breathing. Then the unthinkable happened.
She stopped breathing.
Blaise was quickly at her side, jerking her shoulders to try and wake her, to bring her back, he cursed fluently under his breath, pleading with her to be ok. Her chest began to rise and fall again, quickly, as though she'd run a race. He took a step back, afraid that he was crowding her, but thanking whatever god was listening.
Persephone moved, bringing her hand up to her face, wiping away some of the clamminess. Her eyes painstakingly opened and she looked up into his face.
She managed only two words.
"Get Ginny."
Before falling back into the feverous unconsciousness.
A/n: Yes, there really is a big relationship focus in this one, the next one will be more plot orientated i think. I'm really sorry this chapter took so long! But I hope you all enjoyed it.
Reviews are, of course, always welcome, so tell me what you think (or didn't think as the case may be), but even if you don't i hope you had fun reading my story so far :)
xx Susannah xx