Finally he lifted his head and groaned in pain. Ginny stirred and opened her eyes sleepily. She blinked incoherently at Draco's face that was contorted in pain before she said, "Good morning," and tried to sit up. When she failed, she just rolled onto the floor and gazed up at him. "You okay?"
"I have what has got to be the worst pain in my neck. I think that no one has ever felt such pain. I think it may be broken. I think I may be dying," he finished melodramatically.
"Oh be quiet, it's just a crick. You shouldn't have slept like that." Draco eyed her accusatorially. "What? It's not my fault. You could have shoved me on the floor."
Draco mumbled something unintelligible under his breath as he continued rubbing his neck.
"Oh stop being such a baby," Ginny cried trying to conceal her smile as she climbed back onto the couch. Draco noticed that her eyes were still only half open with sleep and that she had wrinkles on her cheek, and he smiled. "What are you smiling about? Turn around," she commanded playfully but sternly.
He gave her a look, but turned away from her all the same. She began rubbing his neck, and he felt as if he had died and gone to heaven. Then he pondered that heaven was probably not even as good as the neck rub he was receiving.
Ginny could tell that he was enjoying the neck rub and smiled. His skin is so soft, she mused to herself, it's as if it has never been touched. And never seen the light of day. I thought I was as pale as it comes, but this boy sure could give me a run for my money…
She stopped, and he made a noise at her. Ginny's shoulders shook with silent laughter, but did not continue. Finally, he turned to look at her with a big pout on his face, and she lost control and fell back onto the floor laughing while he looked down at her indignantly.
The next few days passed without much of anything exciting happening. They spent every waking moment together, and even a few sleeping, because Ginny would often stay in his common room until it was so late that she couldn't bring herself to walk up to Gryffindor tower. Draco, however, never made the mistake of falling asleep on the couch with her again. After she fell asleep, he would sneak into his room and sleep in his big, comfy bed and wake up early enough to sneak back into the common room and pretend that he had stayed there all night.
Finally, it was the last evening of the holiday, and the other students were due back for dinner in the Great Hall. After some convincing, Ginny had finally persuaded him that he could not eat every meal in the kitchen, and that he should at least make an appearance in the Great Hall every now and then so that people would know he was still alive. He had moaned and groaned the whole way up and sulkily sunk into a chair beside Ginny at the corner of the empty table to wait for the others.
I have never seen anyone act so childish, thought Ginny. Not even Ron, and THAT is saying something. He is pretty adorable when he does it, though. She snuck a look at him out of the corner of her eye and saw him moodily tracing the wood grain on the table. I never thought I would see a Malfoy pouting. I'm sure he is used to just snapping and getting his way. But not with me. I put my foot down. She nodded in determination, and he looked up at her frowning.
"Sorry," Ginny muttered and looked away trying to conceal her smile. Instead, she caught Headmistress McGonagall's eyes, which twinkled at her knowingly. That is weird. What on earth was that look supposed to mean? Before she could get any further in her silent investigation, however, the door opened and noise filtered into the hall with the returning students.
No matter how long she had been at school last term, Ginny was still caught off guard by the small number of students. She heard Draco mumbling under his breath.
"What was that?" she asked sweetly.
He gave her a death glare before replying, "Nothing." Ginny chuckled.
The truth was that Draco had gotten used to having Ginny to himself all of the time, and while she was not particularly social with the other students, he didn't want to share her. He especially didn't want to see the way that Colin was always looking at her. Like she was a scrumptious piece of chocolate. He glared at Colin for good measure, whose eyes widened as he skirted around Draco, who nodded in satisfaction. He was not sure where this possessiveness and jealousy had come from. It was not as if they were dating, but he still wanted her to see only him. It was not an unusual occurrence for Draco to feel that way, but it was unusual for him to feel it so deeply and to feel it for a Gryffindor. A Weasley Gryffindor.
As if trying to remove the thoughts from his mind, Draco shook his head, and his hair fell into his eyes. Before he could reach up and brush it out of his eyes, however, a small, warm hand reached over and did it for him. He caught Ginny's eyes, and she smiled. He looks positively divine when his hair is a mess and his eyes shine at me like that, she thought.
Ginny was too busy pondering the strange emotion that had caused her to brush his hair out of his eyes, and intimate act, she thought, that she completely missed Professor McGonagall's welcome speech. She finally snapped back to attention as the food magically appeared, and she realized how hungry she was.
After she finished eating, she sat back and waited for Draco. "I suppose we should go to bed early tonight. Early morning tomorrow, and all," Ginny said at last. Draco looked up at her and frowned.
"I guess so," the two made their way to the doors, and before turning to go to their separate dormitories, Draco said, "Good night, Ginny."
"Good night, Draco." He watched as she turned and disappeared up the hallway, a frown still playing across his features. Finally, he turned and walked toward the dungeons, unaware that the Headmistress had followed the whole interchange from the head table with a smile on her face.
The next day was a typical Monday. Draco and Ginny trudged sleepily to their first class, where they worked in silent communication on the day's potion. Then to Charms where Ginny corrected his wand movement several times, and he managed to set her crying when he was supposed be cheering her. Then after lunch, they went to transfiguration where they were to transfigure each other into tea-kettles and back, and Draco was stuck as a tea-kettle for several minutes while Ginny tried to remember how to turn him back. The remainder of the afternoon was spent in Herbology, a class in which both were quite skilled, so there were no mishaps.
There was, however, something very atypical about the day. In every class, the professors stressed the importance of the impending NEWTS, and in every class, they offered to let the sixth years sit the exam. Ginny was delighted. After all, I have been taking all NEWT level classes. I don't think that I am any less prepared than Draco. She knew that it would be a lot of work and that the rest of the year would be full of tension and stress, but she also knew that if she could graduate with the others, then she would gladly do so.
After that point, schoolwork became more intense than ever and Draco and Ginny barely saw each other in a non-school-related context. True, they went to all of their classes together and studied together, but there was not much playfulness going on.
The next week, as if things could not get any busier, Professor McGonagall announced that all students fifth year and up would be having career counseling, and that it was particularly important for anyone sitting their NEWTS that they have an idea of what they would like to do after school.
The morning before their scheduled meetings, Ginny and Draco were lounging in one of the few moments of peace they had found in the Slytherin common room. Ginny had taken to avoiding her own common room now that the others had returned, and Draco's was so quiet and calm that it was her safe haven.
"So what do you want to do after school?" Ginny asked. It seemed strange that they had been inseparable for months and that she didn't know something as important as that.
Draco smiled slyly at her before replying, "I'm not telling. It's a secret." Ginny pouted and he said, "No, I will not tell. I need to talk to McGonagall first to even see if it is possible. What about you?"
Ginny raised her eyebrows and looked away. In an airy voice she replied, "Oh, nothing. I can't tell you. It's a secret, you see." She looked back and shook her finger at him, "I cannot tell. No, no, no."
Draco rolled his eyes and said, "Fine, be that way."
They walked together up to the Headmistress' office, and Ginny waited outside while Draco had his meeting. He came out looking pleased and Ginny looked at him curiously, but did not have a chance to ask him anything before being ushered into Professor McGonagall's office.
The door closed loudly behind her, and Ginny took a seat. Her eyes took in the changes that had occurred since Professor Dumbledore had inhabited it. Her gaze stopped on the portrait of her late Headmaster, and it winked at her. Ginny smiled sadly before returning her gaze to Professor McGonagall.
"I see that you have decided to sit your NEWTS this year. I daresay you are prepared. You have one of the highest marks this year. In fact, you and Mr. Malfoy are running head-to-head for highest marks. Changes weekly, it seems." Again, she shot Ginny that knowing look, and Ginny looked at her quizzically before replying. It seems she has taken on Dumbledore's role as the quirky headmistress. I have no idea what that look meant, but I saw that twinkle in Dumbledore's eyes more than once.
"Thank you, Professor." Then she thought of something. "What did Draco decide he wants to do?" Professor McGonagall smiled and shook her head.
"I can't tell you that, I'm afraid. So, are you still interested in going to Healer's training at St. Mungo's?" she asked while rifling through a file of papers, a smirk hidden.
"Yes, Professor."
"Well, that's fine. You are good with potions and herbology, the two most important classes for the field. And your charms marks are very high, indeed, which will always benefit a Healer. I think you would be a fine candidate."
Ginny smiled broadly and replied, "Thank you, Professor."
Professor McGonagall gathered up a stack of parchment and passed it to Ginny. "Here is the information about St. Mungo's Healer Training program. I have also enclosed an application. It is due by the end of February. Of course, your NEWTS scores will be taken into consideration and you final marks here at Hogwarts, so you'll need to keep your grades up, but I am sure that won't be a problem. Also Madam Pomfrey takes a couple of apprentices every year if you are serious about it." Ginny nodded and the Headmistress stood. "If that is all, then you are free to go, Miss Weasley."
"Thank you." Ginny left the office, smiling again at Professor Dumbledore's portrait, which said, "Nice to see you, Miss Weasley," before she exited. She ran to the bottom of the steps and nearly collided with Draco at the bottom.
"Tell me now! You talked to her! I want to know!" she shouted excitedly.
Draco grinned and said, "Let's go back to my common room, and we can talk about it there. I am quite tired of standing, you know. You girls sure can chatter on. I'm sure you were up there no less than an hour. And me standing here waiting all the while."
Ginny rolled her eyes and tried to snatch the parchment from his hands. He clucked his tongue at her and began to walk back down to the dungeons.
After a quick walk, Ginny plopped onto the sofa next to Draco and said, "You can't put it off any longer! I want to know!"
"Tell me your choice, first."
"Why? I asked first!"
"Ahh, but ladies always go first. I am a gentlemen, you see," he said in a calm voice that he knew would irritate her.
"Fine. I am going into Healer Training at St. Mungo's. Now tell me." But Draco froze. Ginny huffed impatiently.
"Healer training? You want to be a healer?"
"No, I am taking Healer Training to be a Dragon Tamer."
He looked over at her, his face illegible. "I am going into Healer Training at St. Mungo's," he replied finally.
Ginny squealed and jumped up and onto him in the most poorly executed hug ever. She was much too excited to notice that she was smothering him, and he was much too pleased that she was so close to realize that he couldn't breathe.
Finally she pulled back, her face flushed and an enormous grin spread across her features. "We'll be in training together! Oh, I was so worried that I would never see you after graduation."
At this, Draco huffed indignantly. "Were you trying to get rid of me? I see how it is," and he pretended to be hurt.
"Don't be daft! If you had gone into something like Auror training I would never see you, and you know it."
"As if I could ever be an Auror. Half of them hate me. And the other half is too addled by their combat injuries to realize it was me, or they would hate me. Besides, I wouldn't want to hurt this." He made a motion across his face, and Ginny punched him playfully.
"I am so happy that we'll be together after school," she sighed and leaned back on him.
"Me too."
Draco, as much as he pretended like it didn't matter, was jumping up and down inside. He, too, had been worried about parting with her. Now he had a bona fide excuse to see her all the time! It made him nervous how much he had been dreading their separation. Malfoys were not supposed to be dependent on anyone, but he felt that without Ginny he would not have been able to go on.
Mostly he hadn't wanted to tell her what he wanted to do in case she wanted to do something else, and he didn't want her to know that he had changed his mind for her. He would though. If she wanted to be a radish farmer in Tibet, he would follow her. As long as he didn't have to get dirty. But she had chosen to be a Healer, which was his first choice also.
The two sat in amiable silence until Ginny fell asleep. Draco noted that she always managed to fall asleep in the most inconvenient positions. In order to move, he would have to pick her up. So he did, and as he held her, he noticed how small and innocent she looked, though he knew her to be a little spitfire. He moved to put her back down on the couch, but stopped and moved toward his room.
He placed her in his bed and tucked the sheets around her tightly. He knew how cold it could get in that room. He walked to the door and admired her a moment before turning away. Her red hair contrasted beautifully against his green silk sheets, and he suddenly had a pang in his chest that had become all too familiar in respect to Ginny. He wondered idly what her full name was before turning from the room and curling up on the sofa