Ch 3
The Tuesday following her 'evening' with Draco Malfoy, Ginny walked into the Healer's study and was surprised to see a beautiful bouquet of red roses in a lovely crystal vase sitting on one of the tables. Pansy shrieked and ran across the room to her, pointing at the roses.
"What did you do to him, woman?" Pansy said, grasping Ginny's hands. Ginny, looking confused merely looked back and forth between the roses and Pansy. "They're for you. They're from Draco!"
A deep blush rose in Ginny's cheeks. "Oh, er… we uh went to his place after." Ginny looked nervously down at her shoes.
Pansy tilted Ginny's chin back up. "What? Didn't you have a good time?"
"Yeah. It's not that, it's just you know, Draco is a ladies' man right? I figured it was kind
of a-- I mean he's a good looking guy and I thought it would be fun I mean, what harm could it do," Ginny stopped, realizing she was rambling.
Pansy threw her head back, laughing. "Take a look at the card would you?"
Ginny put down her bags and leaned over the table, taking the card from the flowers.
Ginny,
Dinner this Friday? I would like to see you sooner but I am out of town. Let me know.
Would love to repeat last Friday.
D. MGinny blushed and part of her wanted to be mad but part of her was slightly flattered.
"So now he, what, wants me as a… um you know…"
Pansy giggled. "I don't think you know Draco that well. He doesn't sleep around or anything- not like you might imagine anyway. He's a one-woman man. He's just never stayed with anyone very long. So, enjoy it, have fun, and maybe don't get too attached. But, I dunno. You were totally his eye candy the other night. I've never seen his attention that focused," she mused, raising her eyebrows.
Ginny rolled her eyes, picked up her bags, and went about preparing for her day. She felt flustered all day. She had accepted Friday night for what it was and was caught off guard by this morning's delivery.
The week passed quickly. She had sent an owl back to Draco declining his dinner offer. She had not heard from him since. She settled back into a lounge chair in the Healer's study and took a minute to just relax. She had been on her feet all day. She heard Pansy's loud voice from the hallway and groaned.
"This way! Come on," Pansy was saying as she pushed open the door to the study. She was followed by someone and immediately Ginny knew who it was. "There you are! You have a visitor," Pansy raised her eyebrows as she slipped back out the door.
"Hey you," Draco smirked.
"Er… hi," Ginny fumbled. She was really too tired for this. She guessed that by declining him, she'd made him want her even more.
"So is there no way I can get you to dinner tonight?" he asked, taking a seat on a couch across from Ginny.
"Oh, it's just been such a long week! My feet are aching and my back… I am afraid I wouldn't be good company."
"Then perhaps you'll let me take you somewhere else," Draco said, thinking quickly of a good spa he knew.
Ginny could not believe his forwardness! "Look," she began, leaning forward. "Yeah I get what happened the other night and I know you are looking for a repeat but I…" she found herself at a loss when she saw Draco merely smirking.
"I know what you think. You think I sleep around and you were a one-nighter that I want to repeat. Truth is, I do want to repeat it. But, after taking you on a proper date. I am slightly embarrassed that I let my body get ahead of me the other night but you looked so beautiful and you were so willing… I couldn't control myself."
Ginny was flabbergasted. She was still at a loss for words. "The thing is, I like you. I haven't met anyone I like in a long time."
"But you don't even know me!" Ginny accused. Draco was just trying to sweet talk her, to get his way with her, she thought.
"I know you well enough to know I want to get to know you more," he reached out for one of her hands and she flinched, eyes wide. "Pansy has already told me that you aren't currently seeing anyone."
Ginny didn't know what to say or to do. She let him take her hand and she just stared.
"How about you go home and have a relaxing night tonight, then tomorrow night you let me take you out, hm?" he asked, brining her hand to his mouth and kissing it lightly. 'Man, he is good,' she thought.
She shrugged. "Sure. It's a date then. What time—
"I'll pick you up at six. You're in the floo network?" Ginny nodded. Draco cupped one of her cheeks and kissed the other one. "Til then," he said and sauntered out leaving Ginny to gape after him.
Pansy came scurrying in shortly after Draco had exited. "So?" she asked excitedly, then paused, taking in Ginny's state of shock. "What's the matter?"
Ginny shook her head. "Nothing. I just… don't know what to think that's all."
Pansy took a seat on one of the lounge couches and pulled Ginny down beside her. "Hun, what are you afraid of?"
Ginny shook her head again. "I guess I just need to let go of how people used to be, or how I thought they were anyway." Pansy nodded.
"A lot of people have changed since the war ended Ginny, even before it. I couldn't be happier for the changes I have seen in Draco. I used to love him, you know. But I was skeptical at first, when I came back. He was trying to be friends with me again and buddy up with Philip. He's not that same sixteen-year-old boy from Hogwarts anymore. He's older and more mature. And he likes you."
Ginny sighed and leaned back into the couch. She hadn't been looking for this—for anything-- with anyone
Saturday night, Ginny had fretted over what to wear. She didn't want to seem like she was trying too hard, but she didn't want to seem like she didn't care about her appearance either. She had flooed Pansy for advice and Pansy had popped right over and picked out a nice shirt and skirt. If the evening was formal, it could look formal. If it was to be a more casual affair, Ginny would appear casual.
Draco had flooed in at precisely six o'clock. Ginny had been putting the finishing touches on her hair and a bit of make-up. She walked out into her living room when she heard Draco floo in and there he had been, waiting with a bouquet of pink lilies. Ginny blushed instantly.
"You look amazing!" Draco commented.
"Thanks. You… uh look nice too," she managed. Draco did indeed look nice in his button-down shirt and khaki slacks. She already knew his body was nice but seeing it covered made the longing she felt worse.
"So I thought we'd go out for some sushi and wine and see what kind of good conversation we can have," Draco smiled as he reached for the vase Ginny had retrieved from the kitchen for the flowers. She leaned in to smell them, getting orange pollen on her nose. Draco chuckled because she obviously couldn't see the pollen and wiped it from her face. Ginny's blush deepened.
Over their sushi dinner- Ginny had not tried sushi before but had decided to be adventurous- the pair had talked about the past few years, family and friends, and finally they drifted into talking of times back at Hogwarts. Ginny could tell Draco was becoming slightly uncomfortable.
"I made a wonderful chocolate almond cheesecake today. Would you like to go have some dessert?" she offered as he paid their check.
"Certainly! I've never been one to turn down chocolate or cheesecake."
Back at Ginny's, she sliced the cheesecake and handed Draco a piece on a small plate. He tucked in and a look of pure exhilaration filled his features.
"Ginny, where did you learn to make this? It's incredible!"
Ginny smiled. "Baking and cooking is what my family is known for."
Draco nodded, closing his eyes and savoring the dessert. Once he had finished, he was able to return to conversation.
"I'll bet there is one thing you really want to know but you are afraid to ask."
Ginny knew what he meant, and he was right. She certainly was not going to bring the subject of the end of her fifth year, Draco's sixth, up.
"Let's just get this out of the way, shall we?" Draco stated as he lead her to the couch. "I know that you were always on the right side and I… well, was not. I also know that you were close to the late Professor Dumbledore and that my father—"
"Draco, you don't have to—"
"No, I really do. I need you to understand that I am not, nor have I ever been, a killer."
"Oh! I know that! I know you went to work for the Order, with Snape, after the Unbreakable Vow he made and—"
"Yes, yes I know you do. But I want you to know why I almost did what I did. Ginny, I never grew up in the kind of family I know that you have. Even though my emotions towards my father weren't what you'd call love and admiration exactly, the man was still my father. The thought of letting him down was agonizing, despite how poorly I was treated as a child." Ginny nodded.
"Also, my love for my mother bled over into her love for my father and thus, I didn't want to see her hurt when he died because I had failed. Or, for that matter, to see her die because I had failed. I felt like there was no other way. I felt like I had to do the things being asked of me. If I would have known what Dumbledore would offer me when I tried to kill him, I would have gone to him sooner perhaps. Maybe not, I don't know. But he offered me something I had never had- a choice. And I chose not to kill him- well I like to think I chose. Part of me knows I never would have done it.
"My father is now dead. My mother is alive and well and remains safe at our family Manor. I know what some would say about me, despite which side I ended up on. It is important for me to know that you understand these things I have told you and that you won't judge me for them."
Ginny clasped his hand and gasped. "I could never! I… I actually thought all that you did was quite brave. Harry told us everything you know and then when I heard you had come back to be on our side later that year, I knew I could admire that about you."
"But you never thought you'd admire anything else about me, did you?" he said sadly, as he brushed her cheek with his hand.
"Honestly, no."
They talked a little while longer about more meaningless things and before Ginny knew what was happening, she and Draco were making out on her couch, clothes flying across the room. Draco carried her into her bedroom and made love to her twice that night before cuddling her in his arms to sleep.
He told she was beautiful and that he'd always thought so, even when he was supposedly 'evil' at school. Ginny, although she would never admit it to anyone- least of all him- had of course always found Draco attractive, just like any other girl in school. She thought their physical chemistry definitely made up for any misgivings about him she may have had, but something was still nagging at her about the whole situation.
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
This is un-beta'd and just something fun I am writing while I write more serious D/G stuff. I need some fluff every now and then. Reviews welcome, and yes, I know Draco is out of character per se, but he has grown up and I just want him to be good! But maybe not all good……..