Draco was a complex man. He was almost soft, but not quite. His body was soft enough for comfort, but hard enough for security. And I felt completely safe in his arms. Laying my head on his chest and just listening to his heart beat is calming, soothing, and familiar.
"It's midnight," his voice said as his chest moved slightly with his words.
"Damn it," I said sitting up. The covers fell ungraciously from my body to reveal my nakedness. I looked over at him, unabashed, to see his reaction. I wasn't disappointed. He looked hungrily at my breasts and a small smirk started to crawl across his face. "It's too late now," I cut him off before he could ask. If he asked, I wasn't so sure I could really say no.
He sighed with disappointment. I smiled in a self-confident way. Leaning down I quickly kissed him, and pulled back before the kiss could deepen dangerously. "Tomorrow night."
He looked at me with an expression that could only be described as promising. I swung my legs over the edge of the bed, uncaring that they were still under the covers and the covers jerked away from my bed partner. I smiled as I wrapped the blanket around myself and left him in the nude on the bed. He was obviously enjoying it, so I didn't bother to turn back to him.
I scrambled around the room and gathered up my clothes that I had haphazardly rid myself of three hours before. I stumbled upon his clothes on occasion and tossed them on the bed. I was careful not to look at him, knowing I would once again be trapped in the bed with him if I did.
I stood a few feet from the bed, out of his reach, to dress myself properly again. Once I did I tossed the blanket back on the bed with him carelessly. "Good night," I called over my shoulder as I exited the room.
I didn't bother to look in the dungeon common room as I made my way out and back to my own dorm. If someone was going to see me, they were going to see me now matter what I did. My days of careful planning and even more careful exits had ended awhile ago. At least now, if someone were to see me, I wasn't acting suspicious and guilty. I didn't even feel guilty anymore. I had made my choice and accepted it almost graciously.
"Ginny!" I heard someone call my name from behind as I ascended the staircase to the Gryffindor dorms.
Swinging around cautiously I saw Dean coming up behind me. I placed a smile on my face and said, "Dean, what are you doing around this time of night?"
"Better question is what are you?" he shot back, but he still smiled genuinely.
"Oh! I came from the library," I supplied automatically.
"I thought I saw you coming from the dungeons?" he asked cautiously. A small amount of suspiciousness had slid into his voice, but he was still as genuine as ever. He wasn't untrusting; he was worried.
"No, the library. I passed the dungeons avoiding Filch, but I came from the library," I explained breezily, amazed that it was coming so easily.
"Oh. Sorry." He looked genuinely sorry for his accusations.
I smiled. "It's fine. Do you want to walk up to the dorms together?" When he nodded I took a step closer to him. I slid my arms around his waist and leaned upward to give him a small kiss on the lips. "Thanks for coming for me."
"I wasn't coming for you," he denied, but his eyes told the truth. I only smiled, kissed him again, and began walked back up the stairs. I ignored the ache of betrayal gnawing at my insides. I am not betraying Draco, I tried to convince myself silently.
"Gin," Draco whispered a few weeks later.
I grunted acknowledgement to his inquiry, and stared up at him.
He pushed a few stray hairs from my hair back gently and looked into my eyes. It was one of the sweet moments. Those moments were almost better than the raw sexual moments that consumed most of our time together. "Summer's almost here."
I nodded sadly against his chest. I sighed and moved closer to him, if that was possible. "Normally I look forward to summer. This year... Summer means no you." Normally I wouldn't have said something so sweet and clingy, but he was acting so tender that I allowed myself.
He leaned down and merely brushed his lips against mine. He sighed heavily as he leaned back against the pillows. It seemed odd to me that he didn't reassure me that he would be here next year. All I saw was pain mixed with longing in his eyes. Secrets were promised at their depths, yet I hadn't reached them yet. I didn't mind, normally, not knowing, but with the look in his eyes I felt an empty feeling because of his lack of trust. There was something about the tender way he was acting that told me there was something wrong.
At a loss for words I crept upward and began to leave a trail of wet kisses. "Ginny." I pushed him back down when he began to sit up. This was the only way I knew how to make him feel better, feel good.
I kissed him deeply, demanding he returned the kiss and passion it held. It didn't take long to make him reciprocate. "You'll be late," he warned. I only kissed him again.
Barely twenty-four hours passed when I heard the news. He was gone. Fled. From Hogwarts. From me. He had kept a secret I couldn't bear to even think about. A secret of murder, of death, of betrayal.
Draco had run away and I never got the chance to tell him my secret. My secret was that I fell in love with him. Unfortunately.