Chapter Four, Just Ginny

"My own little world is what I deserve,
cause I am the only child there is.
The King of it all, the belle of the ball,
I promise I've always been like this.
Forever the first, my bubble can't burst,
it's almost like only I exist.
Where everything's fine, if I can keep my mouth shut tight...tight...tight..." -'Center of Attention', Guster

Ginny returned Harry's cloak that night, only to 'borrow' it again the next night.

The corridors had been so quiet, the night sky so serene, that she just wanted to bask in it more. Sitting up in the Astronomy Tower with Draco in silence, was the most peaceful she'd felt all year. Probably even longer.

So she stole out of Gryffindor Tower, to explore the castle and find a place of her own. It was too cold to go outside, even though she was dying to see the lake. The brisk October nights were foreboding, and even being out so late inside was disconcerting, but Ginny pushed that aside, feeling calm in the silence of the castle.

She wound through the halls, and explored the different rooms as if it were her first time in the school. The Great Hall was so large and empty - it was amazing to see, because whenever she was there it was always bustling and full of people. She peeked into a few classrooms and even a few offices, but none held the welcoming aura she was looking for.

Finally, she reached the library. Madam Pince was long gone, and all the lights were out, but Ginny marveled at the number of books it held. She looked around, realizing that even if she did nothing but read for the rest of her life, she could never get through all these books. She walked around in awe, looking for a comfortable place to sit. She came across a window that looked out over the lake she'd wanted to see.

She took down a large book and transfigured it into a cushion, and put the cushion down on the window sill, creating a very welcoming window seat. She took off the cloak and put it on a nearby desk as she pulled down an interesting-looking book to read. She happily climbed up and sat down to stare out the window. She held the book in her lap as she looked at her view. The lake was just as serene as she'd imagined - it even cast off a faint glow that signaled its tranquility. Ginny was pleased with herself for finding such a wonderful place. Once she took in the view, she turned to the book on her lap and opened it.

After reading two chapters of what was apparently supposed to be an adventure novel, Ginny yawned. The book was boring and it was late - a very bad combination. So she reluctantly climbed down from her sill, put the book back, put on the invisibility cloak, re-transfigured the cushion, and forced herself to leave.

When she arrived back at Gryffindor Tower, she snuck up to Harry's room, relieved to find all five boys sound asleep, and replaced the cloak without incident.

She dazed off through classes the next day as per usual, and ignored all the teacher's remarks about how she never paid attention anymore. She just wanted to get through her day as quickly as possible.

And later that night, Ginny did return to her sill in the library. She had borrowed Harry's cloak again, and used the same book for a cushion, but chose to bring along her Healer handbook - she should probably have started reading that already.

She sat for a few minutes in the silence, and opened the book. Tonight's moonlight wasn't as bright as last night's had been, so she found a candle and lit it with her wand. She read for awhile, actually paying attention to the writing.

Suddenly she heard the door to the library open, and footsteps a few seconds later. She scrambled down from her seat and threw on the cloak, hiding the cushion and book with her.

Draco Malfoy walked over slowly, looking around for any out-of-bound students that he could punish.

"Hello?" He asked carefully. When he got no reply, he muttered something about people leaving candles lit, and how they were all going to burn, and blew out her candle.

As she heard the door shut behind him, Ginny exhaled the breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. Figuring that was enough excitement for one night, she retransfigured the cushion and returned it, and made her way back to her bed.

She returned to that window sill night after night for a week and a half, borrowing and returning Harry's cloak every night. Sometimes she brought a book of her own to read, sometimes she had fun just searching the library for something completely new and fascinating. She laughed at herself sometimes, thinking this was what Hermoine must feel like during the day. But during the day, the library was the enemy of all procrastinating students - and Ginny was definitely a procrastinator.

Every few days Draco would catch her in the library, but with the invisibility cloak, couldn't actually catch her. She kept it by her at all times, because she knew how astute he was, and if he saw one wisp of red hair he would know.

One quiet night, Ginny returned to her place at the window and noticed it was raining. She sat on her cushion and put her forehead up against the cold glass. Her breath created some fog on the glass, that Ginny smiled at and traced around with he fingers.

She watched the rain hit the lake, disrupting it's usual quiet glow. It was so rhythmic and soft that Ginny couldn't help but get lost in the pitter-patter on the roof. The sound soothed her unhappy soul, and erased everything from her cluttered mind. At that moment in time, she was just Ginny. She wasn't 'just another Weasley', or 'Weaselette', or the only girl of her family, or the baby, or the girl-who-opened-the-Chamber, or the youngest almost-member of the Order, or the Healer-in-training...she was just Ginny.

Ginny followed some raindrops as they made their way from the top of the window to the bottom, smiling every time they collided with another drop, creating one, large drop of water. She listened intently and focused on the sound. She was so lost in the ecstasy of the moment that she didn't hear the door to the library open. Or close.

"Weasley?" Ginny snapped back to reality so fast it almost gave her a headache. She jumped up and looked at the intruder, half angry and half scared. When she saw Draco her nerves stood on end. She couldn't hear the pitter-patter anymore, and since she wasn't facing the window, she could no longer see the rain. She was back in reality - a Weasley, and a rule breaker. It all came flooing back to her as she could feel the weight return to her shoulders - almost literally.

"What are you doing out this late? Granger's going to throw a fit." Draco said seriously. Ginny winced and looked at her feet in shame.

"I...I was just...Please don't tell Hermoine. Just...deduct points and get it over with. It won't happen again." Her heart sagged at the thought of having to abandon this place after just a few short weeks, but knew that she wasn't supposed to be out.

"What were you doing?" He asked, seeming to be sincerely curious. She considered telling him, but was afraid he'd just laugh at her. Then again, he'd been doing the same thing when she caught him in the Astronomy Tower, so maybe he'd understand. She decided that was her best shot.

"I was escaping." She said quietly. He looked at her in confusion.

"Escaping? Escaping from what?"

She sighed, "Oh, everything - the world, the War, school, my friends...my life..." she turned back towards the window so that she wasn't facing him - she couldn't bear to see his reaction if this went sour. "I just needed some peace and quiet, and the view from this window is so incredible...and the rain..." She trailed off as she noticed him come up next to her to examine the view for himself.

"Wow," he said after a moment oflooking out at her view, "that really is great."

She smiled softly at his approval, hoping that he would understand her.

"Is it really that bad?" He asked. She turned her head towards him, confused.

"Is what?"

"Your life." he stated. She frowned,

"No," she started - what else could she say? "I just needed some place to go...that's all...needed some time to myself."

Draco smiled a little. Ginny raised her eyebrows in surprise - it wasn't a smirk, or a grin, but a smile.

"I know what that's like." They stood there, next to each other, examining the view for a moment, before Ginny spoke up again.

"Please don't tell Hermoine, she'll kill me. And then Harry'll kill me. And then Ron'll kill me. And then Mum'll kill me...you don't understand - they would all kill me if they found out I wasn't in my room." She was almost begging now, and he just continued to look outside, still smiling.

"That's a lot of dying you would do." He joked. She smiled, realizing she'd died five times in that sentence.

"Well, it's true...you know how they are...and my Mum is even worse when it comes to being overprotective..." He didn't reply, but rather just continued to look outside. She found it odd that he was so entranced with the view. He didn't seem like the type who'd appreciate nature like that. However, neither was she, she just liked the quiet.

She wasn't sure what to do next, considering she'd already made her case. She was waiting for him to respond, but he looked just as lost in it all as she'd been. She marveled at what he looked like when his guard was down. He was so different. He looked handsome, almost welcoming. His entire aura seemed different. He looked like someone you'd want to be around. The sneer didn't suit hs face at all, it just contorted it. 'Wait a minute,' she thought as she immediately stopped herself. 'Why am I examining Draco Malfoy's face?'

"It's nice out here." He said softly. 'Oh yeah,' she remembered, 'my life is hanging in his hands.'

"Yeah, it is. Especially if you sit on the window sill. You can see into forever..." He moved closer to the window, to decide whether or not she was right, but didn't sit up on the ledge. Finally, after what seemed like forever, he turned back to her.

"Don't worry about it." he said simply. Her whole face contorted with shock,

"Are you serious?"

"Yeah," he replied, looking back towards the window, "I know what it's like to need to get away. Although you should probably head back now. It's way past curfew and someone's bound to notice you're gone one of these days."

"One of these days?" She asked innocently.

"I know it's been you this past week. In here with the candles and the books lying out. I mean, I didn't know until tonight, but it was you, wasn't it?"

"Yeah, it was." she blushed as she put everything back in its place. "Thanks, Draco. I really appreciate this."

"Don't mention it." They walked out of the library together, and she put on her cloak and headed back to Gryffindor Tower. She was so caught up in how insane it was that Draco had let her go, she didn't realize she was calling him 'Draco', and she forgot to return Harry's cloak.

She returned the next night, and the next night, forgetting to bother to return Harry's cloak. If he had really liked it, or used it, he would've noticed it was missing, right?

Two nights after Draco caught her, Ginny heard footsteps enter the library. She threw on the cloak, and saw him appear from behind a bookshelf.

"Weasley?" He asked towards the window.

"Ugh, please don't call me that." The window responded. He grinned as she threw off the cloak and looked him square in the eye. "I know I'm a Weasley, and I do love it, but up here, I'm Ginny. Just Ginny."

"Fine then, Ginny." He sat down in a chair at the desk near her, which he'd transfigured in to a large, comfortable-looking armchair. It was obvious that the window was her place, and was not to be touched. They sat in silence for a few minutes, just enjoying each other's company.

Ginny realized this, that if anyone were to be there, she was glad it was Draco, and grinned, trying to supress her giggles.

"What?" He'd apparently caught on to her change in disposition.

"Just...a thought..."

"Care to share?" He said with one eyebrow raised.

"Well...I'm just...don't laugh at me, ok?" She shot a look at him, telling him that she was serious before she continued. "It's just that I'm surprised at myself. Out of all the people I know, you're the one who finds this place, who found me here."

"And what's funny about that?"

"What's funny is that, out of everyone I know, you're the only person I'd want here. The only person I'd let sit here with me, or look out this window. If it were anyone else, I would have left, or thrown a fit. But it was you." He chuckled, understanding what she meant.

"Hey, you may be ok with me finding you, but I'm the oddball who came back." She cocked her head, realizing that he was right.

"Hey, Draco?" He raised his eyebrows at her, "What?"

"You called me 'Draco'."

"Yeah, so? This place takes away all that nonsense about family feuds and hatred and money. When you're here, you're Draco. Just Draco."

He smiled a small smile, "I've never...had a place like that." He finished. She looked out the window,

"Me neither, that's why I love it." Hanging her legs over the edge so that she was facing him, she continued. "Why did you come back?"

"I don't know," he said, "I guess it's just that...I like this place. It's nice and peaceful. And like you said - when I'm here, it's just Draco." She looked at him for a moment, assessing whether or not he was mocking her. She decided he really did look sincere.

"I really appreciate that, you know." They stared at each other for a moment, confessing a newfound mutual respect they had for each other through their gaze.

"Me too."

They both turned back to the window, and sat in companionable silence once more. Without a word, Draco got up and retransfigured his chair. Ginny followed suit, realizing how late it actually was, and they exited the library together.

" 'Night Weasley," Draco said as he turned towards the dungeons. Ginny smirked as she put on the invisibility cloak.

" 'Night, Malfoy."