Misconception

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and such. Keep in mind that this is a pre-HBP fic, and there will be little to no references to HBP.
Author's Note: I hope you will be happy with this chapter. I tried to make it sound as natural as possible.Sorry, short chapter. Warning: FLUFF.

Chapter 13: Right Kind of Wrong

A week later, Draco found himself waiting at Platform 9 ¾ , once again. As always, he took the late train back to Hogwarts, under Dumbledore's orders. Christmas had been exceptionally quiet this year, and there was no celebration. His mother had been sleeping the whole day from the sheer exhaustion from the Christmas Eve ball. His father had been out, and Draco did not see him for the whole day.

Draco had hoped that the ball would be the last time he would ever see Helen again. However, a few days later, she had written him an owl, inviting him to another social event that took place the last day of the holidays. Draco blatantly ignored the owl, but Narcissa eventually found out about it.

Now, Draco was here at the train station, exhausted from another stupid ball. He was smoking one of his last cigarettes in the pack, and he was also in a really bad mood. The train pulled up about twenty minutes later.

He could not sleep from the long train ride back to Hogwarts. There was still snow falling outside, and it was freezing in the compartments. It did not improve his mood at all. By the time he arrived at Hogsmeade's train station, it was already midnight.

Draco stepped out of the train, feeling very tired. The snow was falling gently all around him, and he shivered in the cold. He looked at the ground, feeling exhausted and cold. A weary sigh escaped from his lips, and he slowly looked around the train station. Draco expected it to be completely empty as it was silent, but—

"Ginny." he breathed.

Indeed, Ginny was standing a distance in front of him, a shy smile upon her. She walked toward him until she was just a few inches away from him. Her face was flushed from the cold around them, but her smile instantly made the warmth within her ignite. Draco found himself searching for the right words to say, and it was not like him to be speechless. He would have never thought that Ginny would wait at the train station for him, despite the freezing weather. Before he could show any kind of gratitude, Ginny flung her arms around him.

"Welcome back," she whispered into his shoulder.

Draco gently pushed her away and asked, "What are you doing here?"

"To welcome you back," said Ginny brightly.

Draco chuckled slightly and felt a bit uneasy in her presence.

"You waited hours in the cold just to see me, Weasley?" said Draco skeptically.

Ginny blinked and said, "Is that so hard to believe?"

It was very hard to believe. In fact, it was just too good to be true. Draco didn't know what to say or do in these situations. He looked at her and drew in a long breath from the cold air.

"It is hard to believe," he said flatly.

There was a look of disappointment in her eyes.

"Well," began Ginny slowly. She pulled out a beautiful necklace from her pocket, and it glimmered. "You really didn't have to, Draco…Ron and Harry got really suspicious about it when they found out…"

"Right," said Draco coldly, annoyed that Potter's name was mentioned. "We wouldn't want our precious Harry to be worried…"

"It's not like that," Ginny explained, quietly.

Draco felt infuriated and swept past her before she could say another word. He spent that much money on her, and he didn't even get a "thanks"? He refused Helen for her (even though he found Helen very aggravating); he spent the rest of the holidays thinking about none other than Ginny Weasley, a filthy blood traitor…

"Draco," she called. He did not turn around; in fact, he could not even explain the sudden anger he felt. Is this what jealousy truly felt like—this sudden madness?

Ginny firmly grabbed his wrist and said determinedly, "Let me finish."

Draco turned around and angrily pulled his arm away from her grasp. Before he could even spat something angrily like he had planned to, Ginny's soft lips were on his. The jealousy and the madness went away as quickly as it had occurred. Now he was sure that she was his. There was no doubt in their kiss that what they felt was real. Maybe it was wrong, but at that moment, it felt perfect. The way she ran her fingers through his hair, the way her lips were locked onto his, the way she took every breath away from him—it was all a perfect symmetry.

Between their kisses, Ginny whispered, "I want to be with you, Draco…Not Harry or anyone else…"

Draco stopped, feeling the stinging realization of reality. How could it be? How could their relationship ever last? He also knew the dangers of falling for a Weasley, especially since he was a Malfoy. But why, why, why did he have to have feelings for her? Why did those feelings run deeper as each day passed, as if he had known her for all his life?

"This," muttered Draco, looking away from her. "Ginny, this is wrong…"

Ginny looked at him with determined eyes and said exasperatedly, "Then why does it feel so right?"

She clasped his hands in hers and searched his eyes desperately. Draco found himself thinking about the consequences of their relationship more than the thought that he wanted her more than anything at that moment. Not only would their families be against it, the Death Eaters and the Order alike would also forbid it. How could they have a bond when it is between opposing groups? Although Draco was on the Order's side, he was nothing but a spy, and it would ruin his cover…but he felt that he needed Ginny more than ever, and he didn't even know why…

Draco sighed and said bitterly, "You don't want to be with me, Ginny…"

The snow was slowly falling down, but Draco could not feel the cold anymore. White specks were falling on Ginny's auburn hair, as they were falling onto her eye lashes. She blinked, and Draco saw tears were held back in her eyes.

"But I do," said Ginny earnestly. "Draco, you have no idea how sure I am of this—of us. I know my family and your family won't see eye to eye but—"

"I'd only hurt you." said Draco, tonelessly.

Don't get involved…You have no idea how much I want to be with you, Ginny. But don't you know what I am? Don't you know what I've done…?

Ginny laughed hollowly, which Draco took by surprise. She wrapped her arms around Draco and rested her head on his shoulder. Draco did nothing to stop it, for he firmly pulled Ginny closer to him.

"That's all a misconception." she said gently. She looked up at him, and said, "Ever since you saved me from Blaise, I knew…you're not as people say you are…Ever since then, I sort of...fancied you."

Draco smiled wryly and thought, Does she fancy me only because I played the hero role as Potter once did for her in the Chamber of Secrets?

He did not say anything, only held her in his arms. She looked down, rested her head against his shoulder and continued, "When we spoke that night and the morning after, I thought I'd continue hating you since you were such a prick…but I found myself fancying you even more…I didn't even know why…And when I saw that you flew at night, I would watch you. I guess you can say that I was a bit obsessed like I was with Harry."

Draco inhaled sharply at the sound of Potter's name, and Ginny giggled. She looked up at him and teased, "Jealous?"

"No," said Draco defiantly and frowning. "I just don't like him."

"Even if that was true--" began Ginny.

"It is!" protested Draco.

She laughed and continued, "Even if that was true, I can assure you that I don't fancy Harry. It's true I've fancied him since first year until…this year—until you."

Draco could feel his heart beating faster. He realized that she was telling him all of this because she was willing to make it work, no matter what. She had given up Potter for him, a bloody Malfoy! His heart almost ached with happiness and a feeling that he could not explain. When had anyone cared for him as much as Ginny? Now, in the spur of the moment, he didn't care what the consequences were. All he cared about was being with Ginny because that was all that mattered right now.

Words seemed to fail him. He stroked her hair and moved her face toward his. Gently, he kissed her. And that was his answer.

(Author's note: I was a bit worried about this chapter because I didn't know whether I was going too far or not. I thought it would be about time that they got together...so sorry for all the fluffiness amidst the angst. I hope you enjoyed. Reviews are nice!)