Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter series. And I do have enough energy to think of something witty to say, so let's move on, shall we?

Alright guys, I DETEST how short this chapter is. It's only half the length that I usually demand of myself, but I just don't have time! We have to have our house fully packed, and use moved out, by tomorrow evening! It's just not realistic! But I didn't want you guys to be neglected. Lord willing, we'll be in our new house tonight and I'll be able to write some more then.

In the meantime, I know this chapter is short, but hopefully the content makes up for the length! Enjoy!

Without further ado…

Chapter 21

Ginny POV

I woke slowly, my mind taking its time to rouse from sleep. It was a pleasant feeling; one I hadn't felt months. Sleepily, I realized I hadn't been woken by a dream or nightmare. But no, I had, I remembered groggily. I'd had the good dream last night, the one with dream Draco and our unborn child. I remembered waking up with that familiar, desolate feeling. I had been crying when my door had opened.

It took all my self-control to lay still as a sudden realization hit me like a charging hippogriff. Draco must have heard me crying and come into my room, into my bed. He had held me as I clung to him, crying out all the heartache that I kept inside. And he was still here, beside me. I didn't move, or even open my eyes. He was pressed against my back, his body curled around mine and one arm draped over my middle. His fingers were trailing lightly across my stomach, butterfly soft. He was awake.

I kept my breathing even and body relaxed, feigning sleep. I didn't want him to know I was awake, didn't want to end this unlikely moment. We lay there for a long while, his fingers never ceasing their tender caress. The sunlight outside the window grew steadily brighter through my closed eyelids. Still I didn't want to move. Behind me, Draco breathed out a soft sigh, his fingers stopping as he gripped me a little tighter. His lips pressed against my hair before resting his forehead against me.

"I wonder if you'll ever know how much I love you," he breathed, the words surely meant only for my sleeping ears. "God, how I love you."

He loved me? My heart skipped a beat and tears suddenly pressed against my closed eyes. I forced them back, not sure what his reaction would be if he realized I'd heard him. Part of me wondered if I'd wake up soon and find the last twenty-four hours had all been in my wishful mind. I didn't think it was though, not really. He was real. The warmth of him pressed against my back, his breath ruffling my hair, his hand on my stomach was real. And this very real moment would soon pass, maybe never happening again.

"If you loved me, why didn't you tell me about that stupid bet?" I asked in a whisper, unable to keep my silence any longer. I had to seize this moment or I'd regret it forever. He froze against me and I rolled over in his arms, my face inches from his. "Why didn't you follow me when I ran away? Why didn't you fight for me? Why didn't you try?" With each question my voice grew a little louder and tears began to fall from my eyes. "If you loved me, you stupid git, why didn't you say something?"

His eyes, which at first were wide with surprise, softened sadly. "I wanted to, every second of every day," he said, his voice soft, strained. "But I had hurt you. You wanted nothing more to do with me. It was obvious you hated me."

"You need a lesson in women," I told him, blinking away the tears as I tried to compose myself. "If a girl runs away it's because she wants you to follow her." It was backwards logic, sure, but true.

"Would it have really been that simple?" he asked, perfect brow creasing, his gaze steady on my face. "Would you have just let it go?"

"Of course not," I scoffed, rolling my eyes. "But I loved you. I would have forgiven you eventually, if only you had fought for it, fought for us. If only you had tried."

"I did try," he pointed out softly, talking about the day in the library at the end of first term.

"By the time you did get around to trying to apologize, months later, it was too late," I told him with a sigh. "It was obvious I didn't mean enough to you for you to want to try and get me back before. How was I to know that you apologizing was more than just to clearing your conscious so you could feel better about yourself? You said nothing for months, Draco! Of course I hated you. You tricked me into falling in love with you and I gave you the one thing I'd never be able to give to anyone else."

"But I didn't," he protested softly, his stormy eyes pleading with me to understand. "It may have started with that accursed bet, but it became so much more than that. I found myself wanting to spend time with you for no more reason than enjoying your company. I was able to talk to you like I hadn't with anyone else. I truly wanted you, not because of that bet. It wasn't until it was too late that I realized I had fallen in love with you too. I didn't expect it, the feeling was so new. But I had messed up too much, hurt you too much. I didn't want to hurt your more by selfishly forcing my way back into your life."

"I wonder every day what might have happened if Blaise hadn't walked in," I sighed, dropping my head against his chest, feeling worn despite having just recently woken up. "Would Bill have been hurt? Would Dumbledore have died? Would we have been happy?"

"I don't know," his said, his voice soft as he reached up to stroke my hair. "I can't take back what I did to you, or the chain of events I started with that task the Dark Lord gave me. He would have killed Mother and I if I hadn't done it. It was a miracle that he didn't anyway. It took me a while to come to the realization that I couldn't continue to live like that. It was McGonagall that got me out, your Order that saved my Mother too. I regret the mistakes I've made, more than you'll ever be able to understand, but it's in my past now. I refuse to look back."

I wanted, with every fiber of my being, to believe him. His voice was firm, sincere. The weight that had been on his shoulders was enough to crush a weaker person. I lifted my head, looking back into those gray eyes. I didn't say anything, thought I knew what I wanted to. I wanted to tell him it was okay, that I believed him, that I still loved him. But I hesitated. Could I trust him? I didn't think I'd be able to handle going through that hell again. Was my heart truly safe in his hands?

"Please Ginny," he murmured, as if sensing my conflict. "Give me a chance to be the man I should have been to begin with. Trust me enough to let me try and win your heart back."

I hoped I would not be given a reason to regret this. "It's never stop being yours," I whispered, my voice shaking. "You've just got to find a way to open the cage around it."

"I'm pretty good at picking locks," he said, his face splitting into a boyish grin.

Alright, I know it was short, but don't hate me for that. I'll try and get you guys another chapter tomorrow but please, please review! I need those, you guys just don't understand! They are what motivates me! It shows me you guys care, and that you're obviously waiting eagerly for an update. If nobody reviews, then does anyone really care if I update fast, or at all? You know? Just let me know what you think! Or what you think is going to happen. Or what you WANT to happen! I'm open to suggestions!

Please remember that a happy author writes better and faster! So review and make me happy guys!