-Chapter Five-
It was the slight chilly breeze that teased the contours of Ginny's face which reminded her that she had to get going. It was already 11 o'clock at night. She had just spent an hour or so reflecting on what had just occurred.
It also took an hour just for the newly ignited passion within Ginny to die down, and now it had just simmered down to a slow and steady tingle of pleasure.
Performing a quick drying spell on her legs, Ginny got her shoes on and shouldered her bag and headed for the interior of Hogwarts, all the while using every ounce of her stealth to get her back into the common room undetected.
Draco Malfoy composed himself right outside the gargoyle that guarded the Slytherin common room. Saying the password (powerplay), Draco swept into the dark and somber common room amidst stares and mutterings of his fellow house mates.
It had always been like that ever since Draco came back to Hogwarts.
A fair few of the Slytherins followed the Dark Lord, and they all knew of Draco fleeting exit, and abrupt return. Draco was simply surprised no one stabbed him in his sleep. Although that possibility never escaped him.
Once Draco had descended to the relevant safety of his dorm in the dungeons, he quickly slipped into his pajamas and retired to bed. Sealing himself in with an unperturbable charm, he finally relaxed.
So many thoughts going through his mind!
First, it was Ginny. He had kissed his family's sworn enemy. Well it wasn't as if he had much of a family now anyway.
Her beautiful hair made her stand out. It was a criteria checked off for her beauty. Her big chocolate eyes made Draco feel so at ease. So understood. Her white chocolatey skin had been criminally cut short by offending articles of clothing. Those lips that were sweeter than anything Draco had ever tasted had now made a mark on his own.
Sighing, Draco wondered what would happen now. That evening was so perfect. He got to spend around three hours working with Ginny in the library. Watched Ginny clean Harry's clock out and then he kissed her by the lakeside.
'If this is what I get for not standing by Voldemort anymore, I think I'll go join the light side,' thought Draco, smiling with amusement into the darkness.
"Ginny," spoke Draco softly. "Ginerva."
'Her name rolls off your tongue nicely… Shit! I just left Ginny by herself, at a lake at the dead of night! What kind of a boyfriend am I? Wait! I'm not even her boyfriend! Oh no! Oh yes! I've got it! I'll make her fall in love with me!' and with that many exclamation marks in Draco's thoughts, he felt exhausted and sleep soon claimed his consciousness.
Ginny had to admit, she felt a little intimidated by the dark. She had rounded a corner but slipped back because she heard footsteps coming in her direction. She held her breath until the footsteps passed and then re-rounded the corner.
Suddenly, fingers curled around her arm. Letting out a scream, Ginny froze in fright.
Suddenly, she heard a familiar voice say "lumos." Soon a welcoming face came into view. It portrayed concern.
"Ginny! What are you doing here so late at night? You should be in bed!" inquired Ron anxiously.
"I… I just needed some time to myself," replied Ginny secretively. Ron accepted this, since he his sister often liked to spend time by herself, away from her large family.
"Screw prefect duties, I'm taking you back to the common room, and then it's off to bed with you young lady," sighed Ron, pulling Ginny into a protective brotherly hug.
'Obviously he hasn't heard about Harry,' thought Ginny coolly.
"Hey Ron, where were you this evening?" asked Ginny with curiosity in her voice.
Ron mistook it as cheekiness and replied "with Hermione, and that's all you're going to know." Ginny could only respond with an external gag and an internal sigh of relief. At least she would be going to bed without Ron the Golden Trio bugging her.
But after Ginny bid goodbye to Ron, brushed her teeth, and slipped into her pajamas, she finally reflected fully on the complications of the evening she just experienced.
First of all, how could the enemy suddenly not be the enemy in Ginny's eyes? She just couldn't understand. Why had he changed? Why did Ginny feel this insane attraction to him? Why did he kiss her? Why did she even bother talking to him?
What changed?
And what will happen now?
All these questions kept crashing into each other, giving Ginny a headache. But one thing was clear. Draco wanted her.
But could he have her? How deep was her attraction? 'Well he certainly was a good kisser,' thought Ginny. Not even Dean, with a full on pash could make Ginny feel that way with such a short, simple kiss.
'Just imagine pashing him!' and this time Ginny caught herself. She wanted more. This was obvious enough… but everyone just wouldn't understand. This was so wrong in so many ways!
Suddenly, as if a emotional dam just broke, Ginny cried her confusion out and fell asleep dreaming of grey-blue eyes and platinum blonde hair.
"Ginny…" came a distant voice somewhere in Ginny's consciousness. Ginny groaned as she shifted around in bed.
"Ginny," again came the voice, this time clearer and louder.
"Whaaaaaaa," replied Ginny, face buried in her pillow.
"Ginny!" came the now sharp voice, commanding and exasperated. "You better get out of bed. Ron is furious," said Mari, one of Ginny's dorm mates.
"Oh fuck," said Ginny, her eyes snapping open. Getting dressed as fast as she could, Ginny stuffed her homework into her bag and rushed downstairs, bracing herself for what she was soon to face.
When she descended into the common room, she was met by a fuming fellow red-head.
"Ron, take deep breaths. As contrary to many beliefs, I don't want you to die," tried Ginny meekly. From Ron's angry gagging, she knew she had made the wrong move.
"Ginerva Stephanie Weasley, why did you punch Harry?" spat Ron, trying to keep his temper in check. He almost didn't believe Harry when he told him. Why would his little angel sister punch the lights out of his best friend, when evidently she still had feelings for him?
"He was trying to control me. Nobody, controls me. Not even Potter," muttered Ginny darkly, casting a ominous gaze in Harry's general direction.
Harry physically recoiled.
"What did he say?" asked Ron incredulously.
"Well he basically assumed I still liked him, and then proceeded to say that I was flirting with Malfoy just to get his attention. He's such a stuck up rats-arse. I detest it when people assume about me, when they don't know shit about me. Ron, you've got to understand. I did this out of pure self-defense. And I promise you, if Harry says anything like that again, I'll hit where it really hurts."
This time, Harry's mouth fell open, and his knee automatically rose up a bit to protect his closest friend.
Ron was only left to look at Harry with a intent look on his friend. Nobody said anything about Ginny and get away with it. But… this was Harry. His best friend. Suddenly a resounding thought struck Ron.
"Why were you talking to Malfoy anyway? He better not had done anything," ranted Ron, clenching his fists.
"I was talking to him, because I happened to have to sit next to him since there were no more seats. It was not flirting. Harry just doesn't get out enough," said Ginny with an air of self-righteousness.
And then Ginny said the worst thing possible. "And lately, I've found Draco's been okay. He hasn't been rude, or nasty at all. Something's changed…"
"ARE YOU MAD? THIS IS MALFOY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT! THE ENEMY! WHEN HE LEAVES SCHOOL HE WILL JOIN THE DARK SIDE AND FIGHT AGAINST US!" yelled Ron.
Ginny yelled back with just as much force. "NO I HAVE NOT GONE MAD, I'VE JUST SEEN A DIFFERENT SIDE TO HIM, THAT I NEVER KNEW EXISTED! I KNOW DRACO'S NOT GOING TO GO TO THE DARK SIDE! JUST YOU SEE!" and with that, Ginny gave Ron her hardest shove possible… which really was just a nudge, (Ginny is a petite sort of girl) and stormed off through the portrait, slamming it on her way out.
"Mate, Ginny's got problems," said Harry finally. But that was it, Ron couldn't control his actions anymore. He walked right over to Harry and punched him right beneath the eye, successfully knocking him back over the couch.
"Don't' say anything about my sister," yelled Ron again, mimicking Ginny and storming off to the portrait hole.
Staring straight ahead, chewing slowly on his bacon, Draco wondered about the classes he had to endure today.
He was distracted when he noticed a red-head swish into the great hall. Suddenly, all senses were overrun by the mere sight of her. Memories of the previous night suddenly came rushing back.
The pale skin, soft lips and sweet smelling hair.
Draco snapped out of it though when he saw Ginny stab at a pile of sausages. Draco had a faint inclination of what was going on. Draco continued staring at Ginny, oblivious to everyone else in the room.
This did not go unnoticed by Hermione.
Eventually, people exited the hall for their first class for the day, and soon only Ginny and Draco remained.
Ginny sighed and looked at her watch, jumping when she noticed she was already five minutes late for class. Swinging her bag to her shoulders and looking up, her breath caught, heart froze, eyes glazed when she saw Draco Malfoy sitting at the Slytherin table looking right at her.
Ginny's heart rate sped up even more as Draco rose from his seat and took steady steps towards her. It seemed like a lifetime, but in reality only a few seconds till Draco arrived by Ginny's side. Wasting no time, he wrapped her into hug.
Ginny only seemed to melt into Draco. She stood on tip-toes and buried her head in Draco's shoulder. It was just too crazy, everything felt so right.
Draco let her go after a few moments and looked Ginny right in the eyes. Ginny found she had to hold onto Draco's shoulders because her knees would give way any moment.
"Come see my tonight?" whispered Draco into Ginny's ear.
"Library?" replied Ginny with a grin.
"Yes Gin, the library," laughed Draco. "You'll probably need my help with transfiguration anyway."
"Shush you!" scolded Ginny, punching Draco lightly on the shoulder. "What happens now?" she asked in a more serious voice.
"I'm all yours," whispered Draco huskily, snaking his arms around Ginny's waist. He knew he wanted her, and he wasn't going to fight his feelings.
Ginny smiled out of sheer happiness. Not caring that she thought this might be happening too fast, she said in reply "we'll see how it goes," which clearly meant yes with equal huskiness. She then reached for his lips with hers, savouring this pleasure for as long as possible.
"Ginny, we're late for class. I don't care about mine, but I don't want you to fail because of me," said Draco after they broke apart. Ginny could only look at him with surprise, and threw herself at him for a hug again.
Who knew Draco could be so thoughtful and caring?
"C'mon, what do you have first? I'll walk you there."
"Charms," sighed Ginny.
And so, Ginny and Draco walked together to Ginny's first class. Draco didn't touch her because he could tell Ginny didn't want to show any public displays of affection.
As they reached the Charms classroom, Draco reached behind Ginny's ear and whipped out a single red rose in full bloom. It was small but beautiful. Draco handed it to Ginny and told her to watch out for the thorns.
A final kiss was shared before Draco disappeared around the corner composedly, blending right back into the Malfoy style. Ginny was simply left standing at the Charms classroom door, rose held limply in hand, feeling with such emotion like she had never felt before.
She felt loved and alive.