Chapter 4

Ginny awoke in her bed alone the next morning. However, judging from the smell of coffee and bacon coming from the kitchen, she was not alone in her flat. She grinned like a schoolgirl and buried herself under her covers, blushing. She still had her doubts about Draco, but she had to admit she was enjoying herself, and, er… him.

She found her pink silk robe and covered herself, and, sliding into her house slippers, she headed for the kitchen. An inviting sight greeted her. Draco Malfoy, in all his Greek-god glory, clad in only boxer briefs cooking breakfast like a Muggle. He looked her way and nodded, smiling.

"Have a good lie in?" he asked. She nodded, taking a seat on a stool at the countertop.

"I had no idea you could cook," she mused quietly, still waking.

"There are lots of things you don't know about me."

Ginny didn't respond to this. She knew she had treated Draco unfairly. A lot of time had gone by since they were in school. If he wasn't disregarding her because she was a Weasley, she should give him the same benefit of the doubt.

He finished making breakfast in silence and handed her a plate piled with bacon and eggs and a fresh mug of coffee. He took a seat on a stool beside her. She regarded him, ignoring her food for the moment.

"I'm sorry," she stated, resting her cheek on her hand and continuing to study at him.

"For what?" he shrugged.

"For being a prat, really. I mean, I guess you could still prove me right but I don't know why you'd go to the all the trouble of this," she indicated breakfast, "if you weren't genuinely interested."

Draco smiled at her with a mouthful of eggs. She slapped him playfully on the arm and tucked in to her plate.

A while later, Draco was practically begging Ginny to head out to the park with him. It was a nice, albeit crisp and cool, day outside and he wanted to spend it with her, he said.

"Alright, alright! Heavens if you aren't the most persistent man I've ever set eyes on!" Ginny giggled as she let Draco drag her through the door and out into the bright sunshine.

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On Monday morning, Ginny flooed into work with a refreshed, not to mention satisfied, spirit. Draco had insisted on taking her to dinner Sunday night and had then had her pack whatever she needed to get ready so that she could spend the night at his house that night. She had tried to protest that she had to work and it wasn't a good idea but, she learned, there was a reason Draco Malfoy got what he wanted. He was very convincing. His seductive pouts and whispers in her ear had been all it took for her to put together a bag and take her work clothes.

Pansy met Ginny in the study and thrust a picture in her face. It was a shot of Ginny and Draco holding hands in the park. Actually, there were a few shots plastered throughout the Society sections of the Daily Prophet. The caption for a brief article read 'Is Draco Malfoy off the market?' The article went on to describe how the two had been spotted during the weekend, someone from the hospital had leaked about her flowers, and someone had reported that Draco Malfoy spending the night at Ginny Weasley's.

Ginny cursed out loud. Her parents read the Prophet every day and her mother was always especially interested in the Society pages. Pansy was giddy, going on and on about how she knew she'd made a match, blah, blah, blah. Ginny wasn't listening. She was wondering how her mother was reacting to the thought that the paper reported Malfoy spending the night with her only daughter. Even if it wasn't true (which Ginny knew it was) her mother would have a problem with the fact that other people now thought this.

"Pansy, I am going to have to go home for a bit. Is it okay if I take half the day off?" Ginny said, face pale and mouth trembling. Pansy noticed her state and paused her giggle-fest.

"Ginny? What is it?"

"I just need to see my mum. I know she is at home having a fit right now and I'd rather not receive a howler in front of everyone here."

"Sure sweetie. Take the whole day. I'll cover for you."

"You're sure you don't mind?" Pansy nodded and Ginny left immediately.

xxxxxxx

Ginny sighed and took a deep breath as she stepped out of the fireplace and into the living room of the Burrow. She looked around. 'Everything in this room is still in tact, that's a good sign,' she thought. She saw the kitchen light blazing and heard muffled voices. She approached cautiously. Maybe her mum hadn't caught the paper yet.

"Mum? Dad?" she called hesitantly.

"In hear, love. Everything okay? I wasn't expecting you today," Molly answered. Ginny wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead in relief and pushed through the door to the kitchen.

"Um… yeah. I uh…" she saw the Daily Prophet lying open on the table, the Society pages with her pictures on them in plain view.

"Ginny? Is there anything you might like to tell your poor mother?" Molly said quietly.

"Mom, I met him at Pansy's. He sent me flowers, he's pursued me relentlessly!"

"Is that any reason to sleep with him?"

Ginny sighed and sat down at the table beside her mother, taking her hands. "Mum, you know I am not a virgin. You know that Harry and I… well you know about that. You know about Thomas,"

"Yes, but those weren't in the papers! Ginny, this is kind of embarrassing!"

"I know what you think of him, of his family, but he's changed! He really has! He fixed me breakfast yesterday morning- the Muggle way! He actually cooked!" Molly looked up, astonished.

"Do you know what you are getting into, getting involved with him? He's a very powerful wizard- not just as a wizard but in business. This isn't the first article or picture that will be in the papers about you."

"I hadn't really thought about that until I saw the paper today. And honestly, I don't know where this is going. The only thing I know is that I brushed him off at first because of who I thought he was. He deserves a chance just like anyone else and I… I like him. A lot more than I care to admit."

Molly saw the honesty in her daughter's eyes. "Are you ashamed, mother?" Molly nodded 'no,' and pulled her daughter into a hug.

"But if he hurts you, my baby, I'll hex his b-"

"Okay mum, I get it!" Ginny laughed.

xxxxxxx

Ginny flooed directly home after talking and having lunch with her mother. She found a large vase of orchids in her living room. There was a note attached.

Gin,

Sorry about the papers. I should have warned you about things like that. I'll go apologize to your family if need be. I'd like to take you out again this weekend. Let me know your availability. I will be gone most of the week. I'll be back Thursday night if you are free- I'd love to see you as soon as possible.

Yours,

D.M

Ginny smiled and admired the orchids. Draco certainly had exotic taste in flowers. She was enjoying it. She wrote a hasty reply telling him to come to the hospital when he got back on Thursday. Her shift ended at four in the afternoon and she had to work Saturday so perhaps they could have Thursday and Friday together.

She had a return reply later that night from Draco saying he would do as she asked and that he was looking forward to it. He also mentioned that he wanted to see his father. He had not visited him in some time and would she care to join him?

Ginny wasn't sure about that last part. She knew enough about his condition to feel badly for Lucius Malfoy, but she wasn't sure she wanted to come face to face with him. She was well over the pain he had caused in her first year at Hogwarts with Tom Riddle's diary, but she figured she'd find a way out of that request.

xxxxxxx

The next three days flew by and before Ginny knew it, Thursday had flown by. It was just past four and she was tossing her dirty scrub robes in the laundry. She flopped down in a comfy chair and closed her eyes.

The next thing she knew, someone was kissing her eyelids and nuzzling her neck. "Ginny… Ginny… get up Ginny."

She opened her eyes to find Draco's baby-blue gray's smiling into her chocolate brown ones. She smiled and yawned, stretching.

"Rough day?" he asked as he gave her a soft kiss on the lips.

"Uh huh. What time is it?"

"Near five. I went to see my father before I came up here. I… I shouldn't have asked you- I didn't think about it."

"Oh! That's okay. I don't think I would have gone but I knew you meant no harm in asking."

"Good. What do you say we head to my place and grab some take-out on the way?" Ginny nodded in agreement and took the hand he extended. They said good bye to a beaming Pansy who was making her way into the study after her rounds.

They apparated to Draco's flat after picking up some Chinese take-out in Muggle London. Draco made Ginny laugh histerically while trying to feed himself and her with chop sticks, at which he was not very talented.

Later, he commanded Ginny to stay in his living room while he fixed something in his bedroom. She waited patiently and he returned, bringing a red scarf with him. He slipped it over her eyes.

"Wha-?" she started.

"Shhh. Trust me. I don't want any peaking!" he said, sweeping her off her feet and carrying her to his room. He laid her gently on the bed and instructed her to take off the blindfold.

She did and opened her eyes. She took a quick breath in. All around her were candles large and small, lit. They adorned every surface. The bed and floor were draped in rose petals. There was soft music playing in the background. She smiled.

"Why Draco Malfoy, are you trying to seduce me?" she asked in a whisper.

"Is it working?" he grinned, climbing onto the bed next to her.

She nodded, fighting back a tear that threatened to run down her cheek. She had never been treated in such a romantic fashion before. She raised her arms and let Draco remove her t-shirt. She was patient as he undressed her and laid her down. He undressed himself and slipped under the covers next to her.

What she told her mother was true. She had had sex before. But with Draco, something was different, she was discovering. It was not just a physical act. There were emotions and passions in the act between them. She savored his touches and the soft words he whispered in her ear.

After their first round of the night, Draco stroked her hair as she lay in the crook of his arm. He placed light kisses on her forehead. He rolled her over onto her back and placed himself on top of her, supported by his elbows.

Ginny giggled. She wasn't used to being stared at or admired as he was doing. "Ginny… Ginevra," he cooed. "You have bewitched me, body and soul," he murmured as he took her mouth and her body once more.

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A/N: Go see Pride and Prejudice! It is where I got the last line Draco spoke in this chapter. I need to read it now. Someone was doing a good D/G fic based on Jane Austen's classic here. I wish they'd update soon! Thanks for the reviews!