A stunned silence filled the air as Draco pulled away, but instead of talking, he just turned and walked away...
Does that mean everything's ok? Oh my God...Draco Malfoy just kissed me. I mean, that HAS to mean everything's ok, doesn't it? Boys are crazy - how could he just walk away like that? Ginny's mind was going a mile a minute as she watched him just leave. Soon, he was gone, and she was left there, by the lake, alone. She shook her head and realized she had ten minutes to get to Potions, or Snape would have her head, so she decided to forget what just happened for now, and focus on it later - or else she'd lose Gryffindor a good 50 points.
At lunch, Hermoine noticed that Ginny was oddly quiet and preoccupied, so she took her friend back to the Gryffindor common room for a chat.
"What's going on with you?" A curious Hermoine inquired.
"What do you mean? I'm fine."
"You're more than fine - you didn't even make fun of Ron when he finished his second sandwich before you even sat down."
"Well that's nothing new, he always does that." she retorted.
"And you always make fun of him! C'mon, Gin, something happened - what is it?"
"I've got a crush..." Ginny began
"Well I kinda figured that part out," Hermoine said mockingly, Ginny looked like she thought she'd been hiding it quite well. "Oh, c'mon. You can't fool me, Ginny, Ron may not want to see it, but you're glowing! So? Who is it? What happened?" Hermoine was almost giddy with excitement.
"You're not gonna like this..."
"If he makes you happy, of course I'll like it!"
"You asked for it. Draco Malfoy." she simply stated. Hermoine's giddiness immediately left her, and she looked confused.
"What? Seriously, Ginny - you can tell me!"
"I just did."
"Are you serious?"
"of course I'm serious! He's really sweet, Hermoine, you have to get to know him," Hermoine was almost offended at this point, and so Ginny speeded up her response, "Hermoine, no, please just listen. He's the only one who listens to me anymore, who respects me, he likes to be around me, and he doesn't judge me! Everyone around here tries to protect me, won't listen! I have no one, Hermoine. He's been there, and since Harry and Ron and you won't talk to him, I kind of feel like...I dunno...Like it's safe. Nothing I tell him will get out to my Mum or Dad, or Ron. He's my friend, and he's so sweet and caring and sympathetic and..." Hermoine was stung, offended and hurt, but managed to almost whisper,
"and what?"
"And he kissed me." Ginny said timidly, looking at her feet. The friends stood in silence for a few moments, until the tension got so bad, Hermoine turned to leave.
"Where are you going? Hermoine, what's wrong?" her friend turned around with a fire Ginny had never seen in her eyes.
"I'm leaving. Apparently I'm judgmental, rude, obnoxious, and a blabbermouth, and I have to go figure out what I'm going to do about you kissing that ferret." a little hurt at Hermoine's reply, Ginny stood up for her crush.
"Hermoine, he's not a ferret."
"He does nothing with his time but make fun of us! He calls you a blood traitor, and me a- a M-" It was here that Hermoine lost it, and broke down in tears. "How could you! Don't our feelings mean anything to you? He's awful! He's mean and awful! And what's wrong with talking to me? You can always talk to me - we're friends."
"I know we are, you're one of my best friends, it's just that you're closer to Harry and Ron, and I'm not fond of either of them. It's hard to get you without them tagging along, and whenever we talk I'm afraid what I say will get back to them, and then I'll never hear the end of it. It was just nice to have someone else - and he isn't awful at all, Hermoine, he's wonderful. He doesn't call me a blood traitor, I don't even think he thinks those things anymore. He's different now, he's changed."
"You can't know that."
"I do know that! I see it in his eyes every time I look at him," she trailed off, remembering those eyes. The girls sat down on the couch, and just stared at each other. Their eyes were silently conversing about how happy Ginny felt when she was with him, about how unhappy Hermoine was that it was Draco Malfoy who was making Ginny happy. Finally, Hermoine gave in and smiled. She hugged her friend,
"But if he calls me a mudblood one more time--"
"I'll hex his mouth shut." Ginny finished. Hermoine smiled, knowing how serious Ginny was, and how well she could do it.
----
A few days later, Ginny still reeling from the kiss and her fight with Hermoine, she hears a tap on her bedroom window late at night. She let the tawny owl in, and took the letter from his leg. She smiled as she saw the emerald ink on the parchment.
I hope you're not upset with me - I haven't seen you for a few days. Meet me in the Room of Requirement so we can talk. I'll be there in ten minutes.
Ginny leapt up, quickly brushed her hair, and ran to Hermoine to show her the note. As Hermoine read it, her eyes widened and she said,
"Don't worry, I'll cover for you." Ginny grinned and ran out towards the Room of Requirement.
As she ran down the hall for the third time, the door appeared, and she walked in. She'd never seen such a beautiful place. It looked a lot like a common room - a couch, a few chairs, a fireplace - but it was smaller, cozier, and more romantic. She walked towards to fireplace, and watched the flames dance in front of her. She heard the door open, and she turned to see Draco standing in the frame of the door, perfectly outlined. He shut the door, and the flames lit the room. They higlighted his silvery blonde hair, and the lines on his face. She watched him walk toward her, seeing the light move as he did. Soon enough he had embraced her, and she fell into his arms.
They sat on the couch and talked. He held her and they watched the flames dance. They talked about Ron, the incident, and what the school would do if they found out a Malfoy had kissed a Weasley. They talked about Hermoine, and their fight and the fact that none of Draco's friends dared follow him or challenge him. They sat there for what felt like most of the night, but decided around 2 in the morning that they'd better get some sleep. Draco accompanied Ginny back to Gryffindor Tower, and kissed her goodnight. Ginny walked dreamily up to her bed, and fell asleep immediately.
The next morning before breakfast, Hermoine entered Ginny's room for the full report.
"Well? Did you guys talk?" she asked excitedly.
"Yeah, all night. You should've seen the room of requirement - it was incredile, so romantic. Oh, and I told him what you said about the name-calling, and he promised, ok?" She just wanted to reassure her friend. She knew Draco wouldn't jeoprdize his mother's safety for a cheap shot at Hermoine.
"Well that makes me feel better..."
"Listen, could you do me a favor? I'm going to pretty much skip breakfast. I have an early class, and I'm not done my homework yet. Will you...sort of...tell my brother and Harry for me? I'm not sure I want to be there when they find out." Hermoine giggled, almost excited at the prospect of being the bearer of such...news. They girls went down to the Great Hall, and as soon as Ginny grabbed a blueberry muffin, she was out the door, grinning like a maniac.
"What's going on with her?" Ron wondered. Hermoine was only too excited to answer him,
"Well I'm glad you asked, Ron..."