"Are you all right Jade?" Ginny asked helping Jade up.
Jade nodded and touched her cheekbone which flared in pain. She hit her cheek on the door hinge when Dean threw her on the floor. "Shit." Ginny said helping Jade back into her flat. "Where's the first aid kit?" Ginny asked.
"In the bathroom closet." Jade said touching her wound. Ginny returned with the first aid kit and opened a cotton swab, pouring alcohol on it. "Merlin Jade, don't touch it!" Ginny said dabbing it lightly on her cheek.
Jade hissed in pain and closed her eyes tightly as Ginny cleaned up the wound. "Does he hit you a lot?" Ginny asked softly.
"Surprisingly he never hit me until now. He just was never there most of the time." Jade said.
"Oh…I'm sorry this happened to you. I thought you both were close and…you know." Ginny said.
"Never. Being with him means that you don't have an identity of your own. You can't decide for yourself, you can't think for yourself. You're always being demeaned and disrespected." Jade said.
Ginny silently threw away the cotton swab and took her wand out. She muttered an incantation which healed Jade's cut.
"I…I really thought differently of you. I never knew you were so nice and also had to put up with him and his stupid ways." Ginny said sitting in front of Jade. "I guess you hate me too don't you?" Ginny asked.
"You know, I never did. I never hated you." Jade said.
Ginny looked confused and shook her head. "But why? I never spoke to you; I closed doors in your face. I spoke so rudely to you and you never once thought I was a rude prat?" Ginny asked.
Jade laughed and shook her head. "Goodness Ginny, I never knew you to call you that. I was disappointed sometimes when you'd walk away and what not on me, but what good would it do for me if I hated you? I had no business to do so. You never did anything terribly horrible to me to make me hate you. You never gave me a reason to." Jade said.
There were tears in Ginny Weasley's eyes as she recounted on her words. A deep remorse filled her up to her neck as she thought how horrible she was towards Jade. "I'm…I'm so sorry." Ginny said. Jade wrapped her arms around Ginny and hugged her, elated that whatever issue there was between them solved itself.
The bedroom door opened and Draco walked in to see Jade and Ginny hugging each other. Ron and Harry walked in, patting their hands and brushing off their dirty pants.
"What did you do to him?" Jade asked.
"What did we do? We didn't do anything." Harry said casually. Draco sat next to Jade and Ginny let go of Jade, getting up. "What's wrong Ginny?" Harry asked smoothing her hair out.
Ginny shook her head and smiled hugging her boyfriend. "Come on you two; tell me all about it in the living room." Ginny said pushing them outside.
"Wait, Jade, are you all right?" Ron asked. Jade nodded and thanked him. "It's all right. I'd beat up and pull down the pants of any hairy arse." Ron said kissing Jade's forehead. "Draco, good arse kicking." Ron said as Draco clapped his hand and shook it. Ron left with Ginny and Harry, leaving Jade and Draco alone.
"Does it still hurt?" Draco asked touching her neck.
"Not anymore." Jade whispered. She rested her head on his shoulder and felt lightheaded because for once, someone actually cared. Draco held her hand, rubbing her hand with his thumb. They sat still for a few moments in silence, enjoying the other's support and company. The door was slightly pushed open.
Jade and Draco looked up to see Alcaeus stand there, still confused at what happened. "Is everything ok?" Alcaeus asked from the door.
"Everything's fine. Come here." Jade said putting out her hand. Alcaeus walked towards them and sat between them. Jade hugged him and looked up to Draco who smiled. "You want some cookies?" Jade asked Alcaeus who shot up.
"Yes! Where are they?" Alcaeus asked.
"I'll make them right now, but first you have to eat some dinner. Let's go!" Jade said getting up. Jade turned around and jerked her head towards the door.
Jade and Ginny both giggled as they made cookies. Ron, Harry and Draco would sometimes turn around and wonder how in the world those two ended up from being in an incredibly uncomfortable situation to baking cookies with each other.
"Neville told me he asked you for the Yule Ball but your toe had gotten jammed by some door." Ginny said crashing next to Harry.
"The sad part about it is that I didn't lie about it either. My toe recovered just in time for the Yule Ball." Jade said.
"Who did you go with?" Ginny asked.
"Well…" Jade said blushing.
"Yeah, who did you go with?" Ron asked.
"I went with a boy in Durmstrang." Jade said picking Hugo up.
"Durmstrang? Why on earth Durmstrang?" Draco asked.
"Well Hermione and I were both asked at the same time. Krum's best friend asked me to go to the ball with him." Jade said.
"Oh, Krum's best friend? What was his name?" Ginny asked.
"Teres." Jade answered.
"Sounds like a girl's name." Harry said.
"That's not funny. He was a really nice guy." Jade said.
"Ron hates anyone associated to Victor Krum remember?" Ginny joked.
"Alcaeus, Rose, come on, dinner's ready." Jade said. She sat the children down and handed out their food and fed Hugo. After the kids were fed, Jade set the table for her and the others and they all sat down to eat.
"I have to go meet Hermione and the baby right after this. I don't know, I should take Rose and Hugo home shouldn't I?" Ron asked.
"Of course not. You and Hermione take your time. Rose and Hugo are fine over here." Jade said.
"That's right. If Jade needs help, I'm always here to help." Ginny said.
"Well I have an assignment tonight at the Ministry so I think I'll be leaving with you Ron." Harry said.
"Ginny you won't mind staying over would you?" Jade asked as Ginny shook her head.
"No of course not. I'll gladly stay over to help you watch Rose and Hugo." Ginny said. When dinner was over, Ron, Harry and Draco prepared to leave.
"Why don't you leave Alcaeus with me?" Jade asked Draco.
"I never really left him anywhere alone. I won't be able to sleep if I know he's not there." Draco said. Jade nodded and kissed Alcaeus goodbye, who looked incredibly annoyed that he was leaving and couldn't stay.
"Maybe another time?" Jade asked touching Alcaeus's cheek.
"You have to stay over one day at the Manor." Alcaeus said.
"At the Manor? Er…no." Jade said making a face.
"Why? What's wrong with the Manor? You stood there before." Draco said defensively.
"It's cold and feels empty with all those rooms and space." Jade said.
"I'll deal with you later. I have to go for now. I'll see you…" Draco trailed off.
Jade felt so caught up and flushed whenever he made the slightest impression that they were both seeing each other. "W-when are you free?" Jade stuttered feeling herself blush from looking like an idiot.
"Don't worry about me, when can you be free?" Draco asked.
"Well I have a two hour break in the primary school I work in." Jade said seeing him nod.
"So owl me and I'll pick you up." Draco said as Jade nodded. "Bye." Draco said. He only gave her hand a small squeeze since everyone was staring and left with Alcaeus.
It was only Ginny and Jade left with Hugo and Rose. "So how long have you been with Malfoy?" Ginny asked as they prepared the kids for sleep.
"Just a few days. Not for long." Jade said to Ginny's surprise.
"Just for a few days? So when did you leave Dean?" Ginny asked.
"Just a few days ago." Jade said with a laugh. "I should have left him long ago in hell." Jade said. Jade then explained what happened and how Draco and her came together. "So the night I walk away from Dean is the night I had my first kiss with Draco. It's just been two days so I can't completely say that he's the greatest man I've ever met in my life. But I what I can say is that I've never felt the way I do whenever I'm with him. Even before I broke it off with Dean, there would be some moments I had with him that made me want to live in it forever. Then after realizing how different he was from Dean and how he treated me opened my eyes to what was really going on with me and made me reconsider what I wanted in life." Jade said as Ginny nodded.
They put Rose and Hugo to sleep and sat in the living room, talking to each other. "To be very honest with you, the reason why I was so different with you was because I thought you were different. I thought you were a whore that Dean chose to settle down with and I'll tell you why." Ginny said. "During the time I was steady with Dean I was so naïve and so gullible and easily strayed by everything he said. I just easily gave my virginity up to him." Ginny said.
Jade widened her eyes and placed a hand over her mouth.
"And you know girls my age, they have someone they're making love to, they think they'll always be together and get married but not Dean. Not the types like Dean. He told me that if he was ever going to marry, it would be someone exactly like him, a cunning, manipulative and cheating bitch. He told me I never looked good enough to be with, he just fell in love with my body, that's all. Then when I found out you were dating him, I didn't want to associate myself with anything he's with. Then when Hermione told me you were marrying him, I really did think you were his replica and tried to take everyone I loved away from you. I would sometimes get so mad at Hermione for being friends with you. We had so many fights over you and both Hermione and Ron tried to explain that you weren't who I thought you were but I never listened to them. I'm sorry for thinking that way and I hope you understand where I'm coming from. I don't see you this way anymore, but I hope you can forgive me for what I put you through." Ginny said.
"Ginny, please don't apologize. Don't apologize to me ever again. You told me what happened and I understand. Anyone in your place would have done that. We're starting on a new page all right? I'm just glad that Dean's out of both of our lives. We've both been helpless by the same man and I actually thought he loved me no matter how big of an arse he was to me. Now that I think of it, he probably went out on a limb just to buy me an engagement ring just to sleep with me." Jade said.
"Have you?" Ginny asked.
"Never. You do not know how much I had to hear for that." Jade said.
"I'm proud you didn't." Ginny said.
The two women spent the entire night talking about relationships, the jobs, the interests they have and the future they want to build on. In the morning, Ron came over and took Rose and Hugo, while Ginny left for work.
Jade left to school, taught a few classes just before her break. She owled Draco, telling her that she was on her break and that she had just two hours. Draco immediately sent her a reply that he would be there in a few minutes to pick her up. True to his word, he was there and took her off to Hogsmeade for lunch.
"You look tired." Draco said as they walked side by side.
"I was up the whole night talking to Ginny about some things." Jade said. Draco prodded on to tell him what they spoke about but Jade refused. "I can't tell you! It's a girl thing." Jade said using the oldest technique in the book.
"Sure it's a girl thing. I bet it's just mindless chatter about boys and makeup and all sorts of weird things you girls talk about." Draco said.
"Yes, all mindless chatter about boys and makeup, that's all we talk about because we just had nothing better to do." Jade said.
"Well you did stay up the whole night, you had to either do something or just talk about absolutely nothing." Draco said.
"Well too bad you weren't there. You missed out on everything we spoke about." Jade said haughtily. Draco grinned and knocked his arm against hers.
Jade wanted to do nothing in this moment but to kiss him in public. She wanted to stop and embrace him, kissing him as slowly and as sensually as she possibly could just so people could watch at how proud she was to be with him and like him so much. She wanted an excuse to touch him and get him to touch her again, whatever it took.
They entered a restaurant and Draco demanded that they give a table in the darkest corner. The waiter took them to a table and Jade sat down, wondering why Draco chose a corner table.
"Why a dark corner table?" Jade asked taking her cloak off.
"If you're with me for a longer period of time, you'll be able to understand." Draco said.
Jade raised an eyebrow and Draco slid his hand to touch hers. He quickly let it go and sat up straight as the waiter came by.
"Here are the menus; I'll come back whenever you're ready." The waiter said. He left and Jade looked through the menu, wondering why Draco pulled back. Jade started to think that he was embarrassed to have her around in public but shook the thoughts off thinking it was ridiculous to assume the worst possible things already.
"Do you know what you want?" Draco asked.
"I'm fine with a grilled chicken salad." Jade said nodding.
"Anything else?" Draco asked. Jade shook her head and set her menu down. Draco called the waiter over again, gave the orders and the waiter left to get their food. Jade then wondered what Draco would do now since the waiter was gone and they were alone. He instead got even more uncomfortable and visibly irritated as the restaurant started to fill up with people.
People near them glanced by their way and whispered, just sitting there and watching them. A photographer was taken back outside because cameras weren't allowed inside of the restaurant. Not even once did they speak to each other during the lunch. They simply ate their food in silence and got up after the bill was paid for.
Draco felt guilty for not taking Jade out to a normal date where they could have peacefully ate and spoke without other people watching. He hated to not hold her hand in public and act as if he didn't know her, but he seriously did not want the media to attack her and rip her into pieces. He was fiercely protective of his personal life and didn't want the people he cared about to be the evening news for everyone.
Draco easily got to break off the photographers and he pulled Jade into Flourish and Blott's knowing that she was an avid reader and loved books more than she loved anything else in the world.
"Hey, have you ever read any of these horror books that were created centuries ago? Drullian Stoker made one of the best horror books in that century. I think I read all 120 books during Hogwarts and they were this thick." Jade said holding up an extremely thick text in front of Draco.
"Never heard of him." Draco said moving the hair from her neck and kissing it softly.
"What are you doing Draco?" Jade giggled.
"I'm trying to snog you blue in the middle of a bookstore." He said. Jade burst into silent laughter and turned around to kiss him.
He gently pressed her against the shelf and kissed her, trying to calm his desires, but kissing her ignited each and every single one of them. He tried to control the situation by being as calm as possible but as soon as Jade out a small sigh near his ear, he almost lost his senses.
"I adore you." Draco whispered in her ear. Jade felt she experienced every feeling and emotion inside of her in the last 25 years but she never once experienced what she was feeling for with Draco. Hearing him tell her that he adored her wanted to make her cry and throw him onto a bed all at the same time. She wrapped a leg around his waist and felt him run his hand on her thigh and give a strong and firm squeeze. He inched higher but the sound of a book dropping near them caused them to break apart.
They saw a man pick up a book and look up to see them. "Oh my goodness!" Blaise Zambini said faking his surprise. "You two here? Out of all places? In the back of Flourish and Blott's?" Blaise asked.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Draco asked straightening his clothes.
"Honestly I came here to pick a book up and lo and behold, I see you two here…checking out." Blaise said. Jade blushed furiously and Blaise nodded towards Jade. "How have you been Jade?" Blaise asked as Jade nodded.
"Good and yourself?" Jade asked.
Blaise frowned and looked towards Draco. "How can I feel good when Draco's left me for another woman?" Blaise asked.
The three of them walked out of Flourish and Blott's and Jade told Draco that she needed to go back to her school for the remainder of her art classes. Draco then dropped her off and after a long snog, left promising that he'd visit this week to see her again. He apparated and Jade almost died in happiness.