CHAPTER 14

"I was just thinking that you and I should go out some time. We haven't gotten a chance to hang out since training," Draco said smoothly as he leaned against the doorframe to Rosa's office.

Rosa was a pretty brunette, tall and thin like a model, with long graceful limbs and exotic features. She was the exact opposite of Ginny, and if he remembered correctly, Rosa had given him 'the eye' when they were in the training program together.

That was a few years ago, but maybe she still found him attractive.

She smiled shyly at him, her smoky eyes meeting his. "Sounds fun."

He smiled at her slowly, trying not to look too cocky. "Great. When are you free?"

"Maybe tonight, I'd have to ask Neville how much work we have tonight and see if I could get out early."

Neville was Rosa's new partner. Draco and Neville had been partners for nearly a year when, after a very stressful case, they had decided to ask for new partners. Draco had asked for Ginny and Neville had ended up with Rosa.

She looked deep in thought for a moment before a happy expression lit upon her face. "I know! We can make it a double date! Neville has a date tonight, too!"

She looked so excited that Draco had to cover up his groan of annoyance quickly. "Who is Longbottom's date?" he asked, suppressing a sneer.

Rosa looked at him strangely for a moment. "Ginny," she answered. "She didn't tell you?"

The world stopped.

He felt as though a strong stunner had just hit him between the eyes. He couldn't move, couldn't speak, and his chest hurt. He tried to breathe, but only a slight wheeze came out between his teeth. In the back of his mind, he knew Rosa was still talking. She went on and on about how fun it would be to go out together in a group and how it wouldn't be weird because everyone already knew everyone… but he didn't hear her.

All he heard was 'Neville and Ginny are going on a date' over and over again in his head.

'Why should I care? My ex-partner is taking out my new partner, who I'm heavily attracted to, on a date. No big deal. She doesn't mean anything to me; she's just a passing infatuation. That's all.'

Draco closed his eyes briefly and pictures of her with the Longbottom twit filled his mind. He growled as he imagined Neville with his arms around her. Touching her. Kissing her.

Jealousy flared up inside of his chest.

"It would be a lot of fun—"

"Do you know where Ginny is?" he asked, cutting Rosa off.

"Huh? Oh, she's in the training rooms. She—"

Before she could finish, Draco was on his way down the halls and onto the elevator.

What the hell is she thinking going out with a soft-headed prat like Longbottom?

The elevator dinged and he got off on the training floor. He prowled the training rooms looking for her. His hands balled into fists.

He's not good enough for her.

Draco pushed open door after door, looking for her. He passed the target room, stealth area, the obstacle room. She wasn't in any of them.

He won't make her happy.

Draco slammed open the door to the defensive and offensive flying room.

He's not—

There she was.

The room was charmed to look like a Quidditch pitch. During training it was used to show the new recruits how to fly defensively by using Bludgers spelled with a homing charm, forcing them to swerve and dive to avoid being hit. It also taught them how to fly offensively, engaging the students in an in-air duel.

The room was huge and many of the Aurors would come here on break to play a game of Quidditch or just fly around. Ginny was there, zooming around on her broom, and waving her hands in the air. He watched her, the way she was moving, it was almost as though she were dancing, and when she flew a little closer, he could see a pair of Muggle headphones that her father had given her for her last birthday hanging from her ears.

She had her eyes closed tightly and her arms open wide as she glided around the pitch.

He smiled, a small laugh leaving his lips, at the sight. She was beautiful when she was like this, carefree and unassuming. Draco grabbed a broom and a Snitch from the corner closet before mounting his broom and flying up to meet her. His anger and jealousy over her date with Neville was temporarily forgotten.

He flew lazily over to where she was hovering. As he floated closer, he could hear her humming and hear the buzzing of her headphones, telling him that she had the volume up all the way. Her eyes were still closed and she was making a very slow circle in the air as she hummed along to her music.

He reached out to her, brushing his fingertip against her shoulder. She gasped, her eyes shooting open as she grabbed her broom, trying to regain her balance.

"What the hell are you doing?" she demanded, pushing her headphones down to her neck. He smirked at her and she glowered, hoping that the heat she could feel rising on her cheeks wasn't too noticeable. "What?" she yelled again, annoyed that he was just sitting there, staring.

Draco shrugged his right shoulder, his lips parting in a bright smile. He raised his left hand out to her; opening his fist just enough so that she could see the fluttering Snitch trying to free its self from his palm. "Want to play?" he asked, an eyebrow raised in challenge.

Ginny's jaw tightened and her eyes glimmered. "Sure, if you're prepared to loose."

"Overconfidence shall be your downfall, Auror Weasley."

"My superior flying will be your downfall, Auror Malfoy."

He looked down his nose at her with a sneer. "It's a pity your Quidditch ability isn't equal to your wit."

"Who says it isn't?" she asked, flying forward quickly and grabbing the snitch from his hand. "Less talk, more play, Ferret," Ginny called as she flew to the other side of the room.

(((((0)))))

They had tied. He had won twice and she had just won their fourth match. They had tied, two to two.

She was still gloating over her win, the fluttering Snitch held between her fingers. Some strands of hair were plastered to her forehead with a thin sheen of sweat, and her smile was bright and lit up her whole face. She was beautiful.

Ginny giggled as she waved the Snitch in front of her face. Suddenly her face fell as something on her wrist caught her eye. She let the Snitch go quickly and turned the face of her watch towards her. A sharp gasp escaped her lips. "Oh! I need to get ready!" she exclaimed, aiming her broom towards the ground.

"Where are you going?" he asked, following her to the ground and fearing the answer.

She dismounted her broom and carried it over to the closet where they were kept. "I have a date tonight."

Draco winced, remembering. "Oh. That's nice."

He watched as she hurried to the women's locker rooms at the other end of the room. He sighed, rolling his shoulder and popping some of the bones in his neck in frustration. Shaking his head, he walked over to his own locker area to take a quick shower.

((((0))))

He stood against the wall across from the women's locker room. His hair was damp from the shower and slicked back. Droplets of water traveled from the ends of his pale hair, sliding down his neck and creating wet spots on his white button up shirt. His shirt was untucked and he had his hands shoved in the pockets of his charcoal trousers as he stared at the dress shoes that covered his feet.

The sound of a door creaking open interrupted the silence and he looked up to see her exiting the locker room. Draco's breath caught. She looked beautiful in her knee length black skirt and lilac colored shirt. The light purple of the shirt made her hair appear darker and made her pale skin stand out. It was a simple outfit, but it suited her.

Her hair fell around her long waves, framing her face. She was truly lovely. "You look nice…"

She jumped slightly. "Oh, I didn't know you would still be here," she said with a smile.

He nodded. "So, a date, huh?"

She blushed prettily. "Yes. I'm going out with Neville."

Draco snorted. "Why on earth would you go out with Longbottom?"

Ginny glared at him before throwing her hair behind her back and walking away.

Draco followed her, jogging to match pace with her.

Ginny looked at him out of the corner of her eyes and groaned. "What do you want?" she snapped.

"Just want to know why you would lower yourself, Weasley." He smirked.

She stopped walking abruptly. "I'll have you know that Neville is a very kind person. You should know that as well. He was your partner once, after all."

"Yes, he was my partner, and that's why I know that he's not worthy of a date with you."

"It's none of your business who I decide to date, Malfoy." She sighed and began to step away from him again.

Draco grabbed her arm, pulling her back. "He's practically a squib. You can do much better, Weasel."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Why the sudden concern in my love life?"

Draco shrugged, a lock of blond hair falling into his icy blue eyes. "Just looking out for you, partner."

"I don't need you to look out for me in this situation, partner," she spat, her temper flaring.

"Well, someone needs to look out for your terrible taste in men. Thomas, Potter, Longbottom…" He ticked off on his fingers. "Your taste is atrocious, Weasley."

She laughed at him, incredulously. "You are so ridiculous. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a date to get to," she said, walking around him.

Before she could move two steps, he had pulled her back again. She landed with her back against his chest, his arms on her shoulders steadying her. She felt him breathe against the shell of her ear, and a gust of warm wind caressed her as he spoke. "You can do better, Ginevra."

She shivered and pulled away from him quickly, turning to look at him. "It's none of your concern, Malfoy." He stared at her meaningfully and she laughed nervously. "I don't need another over protective brother, Draco."

"I'm not one of your idiot brothers," he growled.

She waved a dismissive hand at him, ignoring his insult, and made her way once more towards the exit. "Then stop acting like one of them."

She was almost to the door when a hand wrapped around her wrist, yanking her back and pushing her against a wall. Her brown eyes were wide and her mouth fell open in outrage as she glared up at Draco. "What the hell do you think you're doing!"

Draco smirked down at her. "You're angry."

"Wh—OF COURSE I'M ANGRY! YOU ARE BE--" she sputtered.

He pressed her farther into the wall, the feeling of his hips pressing into hers shocking her into silence. "He doesn't deserve you," Draco growled, his own temper spiraling out of control. He felt insanely possessive and jealous. His father had always said that Malfoy's always got what they wanted, and right now nothing was going the way he wanted. He was so angry that he wasn't sure if he wanted to shake her or… to kiss her.

His gaze searched her face under hooded lids, and when he looked upon her lips, he froze. Her lips were pink and parted slightly, her breath brushing against his collar. He knew he shouldn't, it would only mean trouble. It would only make things worse in the long run. But her lips… He remembered the way she had felt in his arms during their mission a week ago, the way her mouth had felt against his. Before he could think anymore, his mouth came crashing down upon hers.

His mind was rushing with questions of what was wrong and what was right. She was a blood traitor, she was a Weasley, she was everything he should hate, and everything he wanted. Draco felt her stiffen against him and he relieved some of the pressure on her lips, leaving only a sweet caress against her soft mouth.

After a moment she whimpered, grabbing at his shirt and pulling him closer. He was kissing her again! Ginny's eyes fell closed as she pulled him closer, her hands sliding up his chest and reaching up to tangle in his hair.

He opened his mouth against her lips, urging her to opens hers as well. She obeyed, deepening the kiss and sliding her tongue against his with a moan. Her body filled with warmth and her breathing became labored as their kissing intensified.

He ripped his mouth from hers with a gasp and moved to her neck, leaving a trail of kisses and sucks in his path. Pulling her shirt aside, he suckled at her collar bone making her moan. His hands traveled her body skillfully, caressing her sides and the reaching up to fondle her breasts, twisting at the hardened peaks of her nipples through her shirt.

She could feel wetness forming between her legs at his touches, and she bit her lip at the sensations. He rolled his hips against her and she sucked in a breath, releasing her bottom lip. He crashed his mouth against hers once more, kissing her deeply as he rocked against her. The wall was digging into her back, but she couldn't feel it over the sensations he was creating in her.

She bucked against him with a mewling sound, her right foot rising to rub at his calf. He groaned against her mouth, biting at her bottom lip as he lifted her legs around his waist, making her skirt rise up around her hips. She could feel him against her now, his shape pressing against her through his pants. She moved more freely against him as he brought a hand up to her breasts once more, his other remaining down at her waist. She arched her neck back, giving him better access. She whispered his name and he grabbed her chin, bringing his mouth against hers passionately.

His fingers slipped from her waist and traveled the length of her thigh before making their way under her crumpled skirt. He found the lacy edge of her panties and pulled it aside, pressing his knuckles against her sex.

She jumped at the contact, her body tingling, and let out a low moan of approval. "Touch me," she gasped, rocking against his hand.

Draco groaned. She was so beautiful, so intense. He was so hard and she was so very wet. He brushed his fingers against the lips of her sex and watched the way she moved at the touch.

She pressed against him wanting more contact and he brought his thumb up, rubbing against her clit. She cried out and he covered her mouth with his to muffle the sound.

He traced her opening with his middle finger before pressing it inside of her. She moaned against his lips, pressing down against his finger and he rocked his hips against her thigh, imagining her wet heat surrounding him instead of his finger. She made a deep keening noise at the back of her throat, and he moved his finger in a small circle inside of her, his thumb continuing to brush her clit. She moved her hips and he pulled his finger out slowly and then pressed it inside again.

He groaned at the feelings of her and entered another finger, wanting to feel more of her tightness. He moved slowly, savoring her cries of ecstasy as he fucked her with his fingers, moving them out and in agonizingly slow. She bucked at him, forcing him to increase his pace, and he kissed her, moving his tongue against hers in a rhythm matching his fingers.

He felt the first flutters of her orgasm around his fingers and increased his pace even more. He placed his mouth by her ear, caressing the lobe with his tongue. "Come for me, Ginny," he whispered.

She screamed, covering his hand with her wetness as her inner muscles clenched around his fingers. "DRACO!" She collapsed against him and he pressed against her, holding her up against the wall so that she wouldn't fall. She lowered her head to his shoulder, her breathing fanning against his neck.

He wanted to take her, bury himself inside of her and finish himself off, but something stopped him. He couldn't. She deserved better. Better than Neville Longbottom and better than him. She deserved a bed full of roses and words of love-- Things that he could never give her.

He felt her smile against his neck as she let out a small joyful laugh and guilt crept up his spine. He pulled away from her, setting her on her feet and helping her to fix her skirt. She smiled shyly up at him and he had to kiss her, just once more. He placed his lips against hers softly and then pulled back, looking down at her with his own small, sad smile.

He turned from her and walked to the door, opening it without a glance towards at her. His back and shoulders set in a rigid line. Without turning, he spoke, only loud enough for her to hear. "About your date tonight…"

He paused and she stood there, stuck to her spot as she stared at his back in confusion, trying to understand everything that had just happened.

"Cancel it," he said finally before walking out the door and leaving her behind.

A/N: Special thanks to my Beta Vickie. And thanks to my recent reviewers silverpheonix2, Jen, seeker17, jasmine, harrypotterchick4ever, beckysue2, mt-threat, wickedwitch319, and AuntAnnie