Disclaimer: I own nothing except the plot.
"Weasley?!" The all-too-familiar drawl of Draco Malfoy rang through the air. He gazed at her, half entranced, half horrified.
"Sweet Merlin." She whispered, looking down at her hands that held his silver and black mask. She had kissed her father's enemy's son. She had just shared the most glorious night with Draco Malfoy.
"Weasley." She heard him breath and rolled her eyes.
"Say it again and maybe I'll disappear, Malfoy. I understand how disgusted you are. I, too, am disgusted. I just shared the most wonderful night with you!" She cried, making to stand up. He grabbed her wrist to stop her from leaving.
"Well you shouldn't have agreed to dance with me in the first place!" He yelled, standing up. Ginny shrunk back, intimidated under his towering height. He was at least seven inches taller than she was. She quickly regained her stance and pulled her wrist sharply from his grasp.
"You're the one that asked me to dance! One would think you, of all people, would know a Weasley's red hair and freckles! You make fun of them every chance you get!" Now she was angry.
"My perfect night... wasted on a Slytherin! And not just any Slytherin, but the Prince of Slytherin himself!" Before she could say anything else, he had grabbed her arm and pulled her tightly against his chest, overtaking her lips with his own. She gasped in surprise at how soft he still was but pushed him away; if he was going to be so horrified with a Weasley, she was going to be horrified with him.
"Where are you going, Weasley?" He called as she ran swiftly back to the castle. Surely he wasn't developing feelings. It almost hurt that she had run from his kiss. He shook himself and walked back up to the castle, carrying her mask.
He desperately searched the hall for her brilliant hair and gorgeous dress. No such luck, though. He walked out into the corridor and something in the shadows caught his eye. A tall body was pressed face forward against the wall. Taking a closer look, he saw there was another body, much smaller, struggling to be released. Being Head Boy, he decided that it was his job to help the smaller figure. He walked closer and saw that it was Anthony Goldstein, covering the girl that he had been searching for in the first place. He was angry now.
"It looks to me as though Ms. Weasley does not want you on top of her, Goldstein." He growled, pulling out his wand.
"Go away, Malfoy. No one asked your opinion. Besides, she likes it." Anthony turned and looked at Draco and let go of Ginny's wrists as Draco's wand pointed straight at his chest. No matter how much Ginny had hated him for ruining her night by being him, she slid next to Draco and took his hand.
"Don't let me catch you harassing any other female students or you will regret it deeply, Goldstein." Draco warned, replacing his wand in his robes. He turned with Ginny on his arm, not even sparing a second glance at the shocked Anthony.
"Thank you, Malfoy." Ginny whispered, once out of sight and earshot of Anthony. Draco looked down at her, trying not to smile.
"Whatever. Be more careful of the guys you choose, Weasley." He spoke, taking his arm away from her.
"In case you had forgotten, Malfoy, I had chosen you at the beginning of the night." She whispered, running away from him and up the grand staircase. He watched in fascination as she left. Her hair trailed behind her softly and her gown flowed three steps down. He listened as the click of her heels became fainter until he couldn't hear them at all.
"What are you doing to me, Weasley?" He whispered to himself as he walked to the dungeons. That night had been different. When they hadn't known who the other was, he almost felt as if he cared about the girl in his arms, like he never wanted anyone else to touch her. What was he thinking?! Caring about a Weasley. Finally reaching his dorm, he flung himself on his bed, not wanting to dwell on it anymore.
Ginny ran to the Astronomy Tower, not stopping until she was safely inside. She looked out of the tower and onto the school's grounds. The rain had stopped and now she could make out the stars in the deep navy sky. Tonight had been perfect. She had the most handsome boy in the whole school dancing with her, holding her.
"Why me? Why did I have to be stuck with Draco Malfoy himself? You couldn't have thrown anyone else at me... I had to develop feelings for Draco Malfoy, my family's sworn enemy." She sighed, still staring out of the window.
"Why does he have to be a Malfoy? Tonight was so wonderful. It was like he was a whole different person. He was holding me while we danced and I thought how perfect it was, how wrong Colin had been. I can't have feelings for a Malfoy. My family would never forgive me." The only thing there to listen to her was the sky. She let the cool night air blow through her hair, sweeping it across her face. Spreading her arms out to either side, she pushed her full weight against the wall below the window and closed her eyes.
"My father would never forgive me either." A low voice spoke. Ginny turned and gasped in surprise to see Draco standing there.
"What're you... How did you know I was here?" She asked, pressing herself against the wall as he came closer.
"I didn't. I came up here to think. You just so happened to be up here." He replied, brushing a strand of hair delicately from her face, almost smiling as she leaned her cheek into his touch.
"It wouldn't be right or fair to either of us." Ginny timidly spoke. Gazing into his silvery eyes. They were soft and caring, not the harsh steel they had been when she had seen them so many times before.
"You're right. But no one has to know." That's when he did what Ginny had been wanting him to do. He kissed her again. His one hand was wrapped around her waist as the other entangled itself in her fiery hair. One of her hands was on his abdomen as the other was at his shoulder. This kiss was filled with want, need, as they explored each others' mouths. Ginny gave a soft moan and Draco smirked against her lips. He moved his hand from her waist to her lower back and pressed her harder against him. She let out a gasp and slid her mouth away from his.
"This is wrong." She whispered.
"I don't care. After tonight, things changed, Weasley." He replied, almost angrily, as she tried to wiggle out of his grasp.
"We can't do this. This would kill my family. I'm sorry. I can't do this." She had finally gotten free from his arms when he pulled her back to him.
"Look, Weasley. I know that you feel this too; otherwise I wouldn't be making a complete fool of myself. I can just tell. Look at me; I'm Draco fucking Malfoy for Merlin's sake! I don't feel... but tonight was different." He looked down into her honey eyes and saw they were full of fear. He loosened his grip and cupped her cheek with his quidditch-roughened hand.
"Don't be afraid of me. Please don't be afraid of me. Just let me know that you feel whatever this is as well." He pleaded with her, running his free hand through her downy hair. She finally looked up at him.
"I do, but it's so wrong. You and I both know how erroneous it is." He nodded in agreement and bent forward so their foreheads touched.
"Tonight changed something though, when I didn't know who you were. I, personally, don't give a bloody care if it's wrong. You changed something in me tonight. I don't know if it was your voice or your laugh... but I've never felt that. Not with Pansy, not with any of the other girls that have flung themselves at me. It was weird to me to feel like that." His voice was so sincere to her. He brushed his lips across hers.
"But our families... what of them? I can't." Ginny whispered, pushing gently away from his hold and turning to leave.
"Please! Don't go. You said yourself, Weasley, that you felt the same!" Draco grasped her hand and held it tight, whirling her around to face him.
"Ginny." She corrected him.
"What?" Draco looked at her confused.
"Call me Ginny." She answered, not looking at him. Instead, she fiddled with the locket that hung from her neck.
"What is that?" Draco asked, touching a finger to the pendant that dangled against her fair skin.
"Harry gave it to me last year, while we were together. 'I'm going to marry you one day, Ginny Weasley. I promise.' Were the words he said to me." A sniffle escaped her and Draco snapped his head back to her face.
"And perfect fucking Potter cheated on you with that seventh year in your house, Brown, didn't he?" Ginny nodded and regained her composure.
"Then why do you still wear it?" He demanded, tilting her chin so she would look him in the eye.
"Because it was his promise. I need to go. I can't do this, it's wrong." Draco wouldn't let go though.
"You're not going anywhere. Not until we figure this out." Ginny glared at him and tried to shove him away.
"You, of all people, should know that this is wrong. Your father would be so disgraced with you if you knew you had taken a liking to the youngest and only daughter of his enemy, to a Weasley! Don't ruin your name, I'm not worth it. Now let go!" She demanded, grabbing his hand and struggling to free her other wrist.
"But you opened me up, you can't just walk away now, I won't let you!" Draco yelled, making her stop and look at him. Her glare turned into a look of curiosity as he let go of her hand and trapped her in an embrace.
"Tonight was the best night of my hell-bent life, Ginny. We're not our parents, the fight isn't between you and me. It's between them and their honor. I don't care about the thing my father likes to call honor. I don't. Spending tonight with you was the best thing I've ever done. I mean that." He spoke gently, letting the words dink in before he let his arms fall from her.
When he looked down at her, her eyes were glassy and her cheeks were red. She stood on her toes and kissed him, but before she could leave, he had his arms around her and was returning the kiss.
They finally broke apart and Ginny looked up at him. Her soft eyes seemed to be searching his for something.
"You're right. I do want this." Her slender arms wrapped around his hard chest and he held her close, relieved she had decided not to run again.
"Meet me here again tomorrow night. Eleven thirty." He whispered before releasing her from his arms.
"Until tomorrow... Draco." Hair blazing behind her, her steps were quick as she hurried out of the tower.
When she had reached the portrait hole, she muttered the password and stepped through, just wanting to get to bed and have the next day pass. There was a fire glowing and as she stepped closer to the couch, she realized Harry was sitting there.
"Harry? What are you doing here?" Ginny asked. She glanced at the clock on the mantle and saw it read one am. Harry looked up at her with his emerald eyes and sighed in what seemed to be relief.
"Ginny, thank gods you're alright." Harry stood. He took in the sight of her; she held her black heels and the hem of her gown in one hand as the other dangled by her side. Her hair was tousled and her cheeks flushed.
"Where have you been?" He asked, walking over to make sure she was alright. When he raised a hand to brush her cheek, she moved away.
"None of your business. I just needed alone time. Why are you up waiting for me?" She asked, annoyed that he was keeping her from getting the sleep she wanted.
"I was worried about you when you didn't come up after the ball. I just wanted to see how everything went." Ginny rolled her eyes. Harry suddenly looked very unappealing after her current run-in with Draco. They were so different. Harry and his disheveled hair, casual looks; Draco with his posh style and sophisticated life.
"I'm tired, Harry. I'm going to bed. Don't wait up for me anymore. I'm of no concern to you, and I never will be." Ginny spoke with supremacy and exasperation. Harry was taken aback but got over it quickly as he reached for her upper arm.
"What's gotten into you, Gin?" He asked, somewhat irritated.
"Nothing has 'gotten into me', Harry. The fact is that I am quite tired and you're keeping me from my sleep. You've made me so angry in the past month that I don't know I can stand to even look at you! Now let go of me and just leave me alone!" Ginny yelled, smacking Harry's hand away.
"What in blaze's name is going on down here?" Ron's voice called from the stairs drowsily. Ginny placed her face in her palms and let out a grunt.
"Ginny? Harry? What're are you two doing down here? And why are you still in your gown?" He asked. Ginny laughed at the sight of her brother, wearing only his pajama bottoms and his messed up red hair.
"Ginny just got back. I was waiting for her." Harry replied, smirking at Ginny, who, in turn, slapped his arm.
"Just got back? Where were you?" Ron asked, completing his journey down the stairs and across the common room to where his best friend and sister stood.
"I was out talking with someone. I'm tired. Let me go to sleep." She whined, trying to push past her brother. He was a good head above her, but not nearly as tall or toned as Draco. She pushed every thought of Draco from her head and got an angry façade. Ron held her shoulders.
"You know Harry and I care about you, Gin. We just want to make sure you're safe... out of harm's way." Ginny snorted a laugh and gripped her brother's wrists.
"Ron, I am sixteen bloody years old. I do not need you two to worry about me. I can stay 'out of harm's way' by myself, thank you very much. And Harry doesn't bloody care about me. If he did, he wouldn't have cheated on me with Lavender!" Ginny shoved past both of them and ran up to her dorm.
"About damn time." She whispered, not even bothering to take off her gown before she laid down on her bed and surrendered herself to sleep.
"Weasley?!" The all-too-familiar drawl of Draco Malfoy rang through the air. He gazed at her, half entranced, half horrified.
"Sweet Merlin." She whispered, looking down at her hands that held his silver and black mask. She had kissed her father's enemy's son. She had just shared the most glorious night with Draco Malfoy.
"Weasley." She heard him breath and rolled her eyes.
"Say it again and maybe I'll disappear, Malfoy. I understand how disgusted you are. I, too, am disgusted. I just shared the most wonderful night with you!" She cried, making to stand up. He grabbed her wrist to stop her from leaving.
"Well you shouldn't have agreed to dance with me in the first place!" He yelled, standing up. Ginny shrunk back, intimidated under his towering height. He was at least seven inches taller than she was. She quickly regained her stance and pulled her wrist sharply from his grasp.
"You're the one that asked me to dance! One would think you, of all people, would know a Weasley's red hair and freckles! You make fun of them every chance you get!" Now she was angry.
"My perfect night... wasted on a Slytherin! And not just any Slytherin, but the Prince of Slytherin himself!" Before she could say anything else, he had grabbed her arm and pulled her tightly against his chest, overtaking her lips with his own. She gasped in surprise at how soft he still was but pushed him away; if he was going to be so horrified with a Weasley, she was going to be horrified with him.
"Where are you going, Weasley?" He called as she ran swiftly back to the castle. Surely he wasn't developing feelings. It almost hurt that she had run from his kiss. He shook himself and walked back up to the castle, carrying her mask.
He desperately searched the hall for her brilliant hair and gorgeous dress. No such luck, though. He walked out into the corridor and something in the shadows caught his eye. A tall body was pressed face forward against the wall. Taking a closer look, he saw there was another body, much smaller, struggling to be released. Being Head Boy, he decided that it was his job to help the smaller figure. He walked closer and saw that it was Anthony Goldstein, covering the girl that he had been searching for in the first place. He was angry now.
"It looks to me as though Ms. Weasley does not want you on top of her, Goldstein." He growled, pulling out his wand.
"Go away, Malfoy. No one asked your opinion. Besides, she likes it." Anthony turned and looked at Draco and let go of Ginny's wrists as Draco's wand pointed straight at his chest. No matter how much Ginny had hated him for ruining her night by being him, she slid next to Draco and took his hand.
"Don't let me catch you harassing any other female students or you will regret it deeply, Goldstein." Draco warned, replacing his wand in his robes. He turned with Ginny on his arm, not even sparing a second glance at the shocked Anthony.
"Thank you, Malfoy." Ginny whispered, once out of sight and earshot of Anthony. Draco looked down at her, trying not to smile.
"Whatever. Be more careful of the guys you choose, Weasley." He spoke, taking his arm away from her.
"In case you had forgotten, Malfoy, I had chosen you at the beginning of the night." She whispered, running away from him and up the grand staircase. He watched in fascination as she left. Her hair trailed behind her softly and her gown flowed three steps down. He listened as the click of her heels became fainter until he couldn't hear them at all.
"What are you doing to me, Weasley?" He whispered to himself as he walked to the dungeons. That night had been different. When they hadn't known who the other was, he almost felt as if he cared about the girl in his arms, like he never wanted anyone else to touch her. What was he thinking?! Caring about a Weasley. Finally reaching his dorm, he flung himself on his bed, not wanting to dwell on it anymore.
Ginny ran to the Astronomy Tower, not stopping until she was safely inside. She looked out of the tower and onto the school's grounds. The rain had stopped and now she could make out the stars in the deep navy sky. Tonight had been perfect. She had the most handsome boy in the whole school dancing with her, holding her.
"Why me? Why did I have to be stuck with Draco Malfoy himself? You couldn't have thrown anyone else at me... I had to develop feelings for Draco Malfoy, my family's sworn enemy." She sighed, still staring out of the window.
"Why does he have to be a Malfoy? Tonight was so wonderful. It was like he was a whole different person. He was holding me while we danced and I thought how perfect it was, how wrong Colin had been. I can't have feelings for a Malfoy. My family would never forgive me." The only thing there to listen to her was the sky. She let the cool night air blow through her hair, sweeping it across her face. Spreading her arms out to either side, she pushed her full weight against the wall below the window and closed her eyes.
"My father would never forgive me either." A low voice spoke. Ginny turned and gasped in surprise to see Draco standing there.
"What're you... How did you know I was here?" She asked, pressing herself against the wall as he came closer.
"I didn't. I came up here to think. You just so happened to be up here." He replied, brushing a strand of hair delicately from her face, almost smiling as she leaned her cheek into his touch.
"It wouldn't be right or fair to either of us." Ginny timidly spoke. Gazing into his silvery eyes. They were soft and caring, not the harsh steel they had been when she had seen them so many times before.
"You're right. But no one has to know." That's when he did what Ginny had been wanting him to do. He kissed her again. His one hand was wrapped around her waist as the other entangled itself in her fiery hair. One of her hands was on his abdomen as the other was at his shoulder. This kiss was filled with want, need, as they explored each others' mouths. Ginny gave a soft moan and Draco smirked against her lips. He moved his hand from her waist to her lower back and pressed her harder against him. She let out a gasp and slid her mouth away from his.
"This is wrong." She whispered.
"I don't care. After tonight, things changed, Weasley." He replied, almost angrily, as she tried to wiggle out of his grasp.
"We can't do this. This would kill my family. I'm sorry. I can't do this." She had finally gotten free from his arms when he pulled her back to him.
"Look, Weasley. I know that you feel this too; otherwise I wouldn't be making a complete fool of myself. I can just tell. Look at me; I'm Draco fucking Malfoy for Merlin's sake! I don't feel... but tonight was different." He looked down into her honey eyes and saw they were full of fear. He loosened his grip and cupped her cheek with his quidditch-roughened hand.
"Don't be afraid of me. Please don't be afraid of me. Just let me know that you feel whatever this is as well." He pleaded with her, running his free hand through her downy hair. She finally looked up at him.
"I do, but it's so wrong. You and I both know how erroneous it is." He nodded in agreement and bent forward so their foreheads touched.
"Tonight changed something though, when I didn't know who you were. I, personally, don't give a bloody care if it's wrong. You changed something in me tonight. I don't know if it was your voice or your laugh... but I've never felt that. Not with Pansy, not with any of the other girls that have flung themselves at me. It was weird to me to feel like that." His voice was so sincere to her. He brushed his lips across hers.
"But our families... what of them? I can't." Ginny whispered, pushing gently away from his hold and turning to leave.
"Please! Don't go. You said yourself, Weasley, that you felt the same!" Draco grasped her hand and held it tight, whirling her around to face him.
"Ginny." She corrected him.
"What?" Draco looked at her confused.
"Call me Ginny." She answered, not looking at him. Instead, she fiddled with the locket that hung from her neck.
"What is that?" Draco asked, touching a finger to the pendant that dangled against her fair skin.
"Harry gave it to me last year, while we were together. 'I'm going to marry you one day, Ginny Weasley. I promise.' Were the words he said to me." A sniffle escaped her and Draco snapped his head back to her face.
"And perfect fucking Potter cheated on you with that seventh year in your house, Brown, didn't he?" Ginny nodded and regained her composure.
"Then why do you still wear it?" He demanded, tilting her chin so she would look him in the eye.
"Because it was his promise. I need to go. I can't do this, it's wrong." Draco wouldn't let go though.
"You're not going anywhere. Not until we figure this out." Ginny glared at him and tried to shove him away.
"You, of all people, should know that this is wrong. Your father would be so disgraced with you if you knew you had taken a liking to the youngest and only daughter of his enemy, to a Weasley! Don't ruin your name, I'm not worth it. Now let go!" She demanded, grabbing his hand and struggling to free her other wrist.
"But you opened me up, you can't just walk away now, I won't let you!" Draco yelled, making her stop and look at him. Her glare turned into a look of curiosity as he let go of her hand and trapped her in an embrace.
"Tonight was the best night of my hell-bent life, Ginny. We're not our parents, the fight isn't between you and me. It's between them and their honor. I don't care about the thing my father likes to call honor. I don't. Spending tonight with you was the best thing I've ever done. I mean that." He spoke gently, letting the words dink in before he let his arms fall from her.
When he looked down at her, her eyes were glassy and her cheeks were red. She stood on her toes and kissed him, but before she could leave, he had his arms around her and was returning the kiss.
They finally broke apart and Ginny looked up at him. Her soft eyes seemed to be searching his for something.
"You're right. I do want this." Her slender arms wrapped around his hard chest and he held her close, relieved she had decided not to run again.
"Meet me here again tomorrow night. Eleven thirty." He whispered before releasing her from his arms.
"Until tomorrow... Draco." Hair blazing behind her, her steps were quick as she hurried out of the tower.
When she had reached the portrait hole, she muttered the password and stepped through, just wanting to get to bed and have the next day pass. There was a fire glowing and as she stepped closer to the couch, she realized Harry was sitting there.
"Harry? What are you doing here?" Ginny asked. She glanced at the clock on the mantle and saw it read one am. Harry looked up at her with his emerald eyes and sighed in what seemed to be relief.
"Ginny, thank gods you're alright." Harry stood. He took in the sight of her; she held her black heels and the hem of her gown in one hand as the other dangled by her side. Her hair was tousled and her cheeks flushed.
"Where have you been?" He asked, walking over to make sure she was alright. When he raised a hand to brush her cheek, she moved away.
"None of your business. I just needed alone time. Why are you up waiting for me?" She asked, annoyed that he was keeping her from getting the sleep she wanted.
"I was worried about you when you didn't come up after the ball. I just wanted to see how everything went." Ginny rolled her eyes. Harry suddenly looked very unappealing after her current run-in with Draco. They were so different. Harry and his disheveled hair, casual looks; Draco with his posh style and sophisticated life.
"I'm tired, Harry. I'm going to bed. Don't wait up for me anymore. I'm of no concern to you, and I never will be." Ginny spoke with supremacy and exasperation. Harry was taken aback but got over it quickly as he reached for her upper arm.
"What's gotten into you, Gin?" He asked, somewhat irritated.
"Nothing has 'gotten into me', Harry. The fact is that I am quite tired and you're keeping me from my sleep. You've made me so angry in the past month that I don't know I can stand to even look at you! Now let go of me and just leave me alone!" Ginny yelled, smacking Harry's hand away.
"What in blaze's name is going on down here?" Ron's voice called from the stairs drowsily. Ginny placed her face in her palms and let out a grunt.
"Ginny? Harry? What're are you two doing down here? And why are you still in your gown?" He asked. Ginny laughed at the sight of her brother, wearing only his pajama bottoms and his messed up red hair.
"Ginny just got back. I was waiting for her." Harry replied, smirking at Ginny, who, in turn, slapped his arm.
"Just got back? Where were you?" Ron asked, completing his journey down the stairs and across the common room to where his best friend and sister stood.
"I was out talking with someone. I'm tired. Let me go to sleep." She whined, trying to push past her brother. He was a good head above her, but not nearly as tall or toned as Draco. She pushed every thought of Draco from her head and got an angry façade. Ron held her shoulders.
"You know Harry and I care about you, Gin. We just want to make sure you're safe... out of harm's way." Ginny snorted a laugh and gripped her brother's wrists.
"Ron, I am sixteen bloody years old. I do not need you two to worry about me. I can stay 'out of harm's way' by myself, thank you very much. And Harry doesn't bloody care about me. If he did, he wouldn't have cheated on me with Lavender!" Ginny shoved past both of them and ran up to her dorm.
"About damn time." She whispered, not even bothering to take off her gown before she laid down on her bed and surrendered herself to sleep.