Chapter 30
Draco emerged from the bathroom and saw Ginny kneeling by the fireplace, her head engulfed in green flames. Draco allowed himself a small grin as he buttoned the last few buttons on his shirt.
A moment later, Ginny sat back on her haunches and rocked herself up onto her knees.
"Who'd you call?" he asked.
She looked over her shoulder at him. "Luna. I asked if she would mind watching Jasper for another day and night."
Draco cringed only slightly, and Ginny laughed. He hated Jasper. He had been by her apartment a few times to go over their case files and every time, Jasper would prove to be an annoyance to him. Jasper was very protective of Ginny and had decided that Draco was his rival for her attentions when he came to visit.
Jasper fought dirty, too. He would wait until Draco took his seat and then hurriedly scramble onto the couch and make a bed out of Draco's lap. If Draco tried to move even the slightest bit, Jasper would hiss and scratch at him. When it was time for Draco to leave, Ginny would have to pick the cat up and hold him in her arms so that her partner could stand.
"Are you ready?" he asked after a moment, and Ginny nodded, getting to her feet. She still felt a bit guilty that they were leaving for Paris when they were under direct orders to further search Avery's home, but the idea of going to Paris (even if only for a day) was exciting, and in her mind, worth any verbal lashing Kingsley or Tonks might give them; if they ever found out, that is.
Ginny grabbed her purse from the nightstand and shrank it down to pocket size before moving over towards the door.
"Where are you going?" Draco asked with a smirk.
"Ar—Aren't we going to Paris?" she asked in confusion.
"Not through any door," he answered, moving to her side.
His proximity to her made her slightly dizzy as she looked up into his eyes. "Oh, then how?" she mumbled, amazed that the words sounded clear and strong through the fog in her mind.
He reached out a long fingered hand and pushed thick locks of red hair behind her ear as he leaned in to her. Her breath hitched and she shivered as his lips brushed her ear, his hand sliding down her hair until he wrapped his fingers around her upper arm.
"We're Apparating," he whispered, warm breath sliding against her face as he spoke. A moment later, she felt the familiar squeeze as he Side-Along-Apparated them to their destination. When the world came into focus again, Draco moved away from her and she felt a rush of cold air meeting the places he had kept so warm.
"Welcome to Paris," she heard a man say to her left as she looked around her. They were in a large building that was very obviously magical. It had ports of Apparation, multiple fireplaces along the walls, and beautifully detailed moving paintings decorating the large room. It was very crowded as magical people of all shapes and sizes came in and out in a hurry, reminding her of King's Cross station. She realized that the building must look unassuming to Muggles from the outside, a way for magical people to travel in and out. One could not just Apparate onto the streets of Paris, after all. There was too much risk of being caught.
She looked to the man that had spoken and gave him a small innocent smile. "Thank you."
Draco came back to her side and led her to two large doors to the right. He opened the door for her and held out a graceful arm. "Madame," he said teasingly, and she rolled her eyes as she stepped out onto the streets of Paris.
Time flew by so quickly that she almost wished that she had a Time-Turner so that she could take everything in. They started out by making their way along the Champs Élysées, across the Jardin des Tuileries towards the Louvre. The Lourve was magnificent, but not wanting to be there all day, they were only able to see part of the humongous museum. They continued their sightseeing as they made their way to Notre Dame Cathedral, in all its glory. Soon morning slid into afternoon, and they stopped at a café for lunch.
Nothing seemed to slow Ginny down as Draco pulled her from place to place, millions of questions spewing from her mouth as they walked and explored.
"Where to now?" she asked excitedly.
Draco kept his face an emotionless mask as he led her to the Grande Boulevards. "Now?"
"Yes, where are we going?"
"Oh. To get you a dress for dinner, of course," he said, hiding a smirk.
Her mood immediately turned sour as she stopped and stared at him, crossing her arms under her breasts. "I don't wear dresses." She glared, looking strikingly like her mother would when reprimanding one of her children.
"You wore one at Hogwarts," he taunted, moving over to her side.
"That was different. I didn't have a choice."
"I'm not giving you a choice right now, either," he admitted, grabbing her arm and dragging her forward.
"Draco! Ferret! You can't make me!" She pleaded, feeling childish as she attempted to dig her heels into the ground.
"Stop throwing a tantrum. We're in Paris, celebrating a successful mission, and you will wear a dress."
"But—" She attempted warily as the fancy dress shop loomed before her.
The door jingled loudly as they entered the shop, and Ginny was immediately assaulted by bright colors and shiny fabrics. "Draco…" she whispered, her voice tinged with fear.
"Bonjour!" the salesman said as he walked over to them. He spoke briefly with Draco in French, and soon, Ginny was pulled into a dressing room, many dresses in various styles being thrown at her.
She had half a mind to just sit in the corner and pout; she HATED trying on clothes. Especially dresses. But she was in Paris, and Draco was nice enough to get them there and show her around. She glanced at the growing pile of dresses with a sigh. They were celebrating a job well done and it couldn't hurt to wear a nice dress to a nice dinner, right?
She made a face as an apple green dress was hung on the door, and with a deep sigh, removed it from its hanger. She had just slid the slinky dress over her head and was attempting to zip up the side when she heard the door jingle once more.
Her head shot up and she froze in place.
He wouldn't. Would he?
She slammed the dressing room door open with all her might and tumbled out. "Draco!" she yelled as she watched his silver hair disappear into the crowd outside.
"Madame," the salesman called as he tried to push her back into the dressing room.
"No!" she said, shaking him off. "Where is he going?" she demanded hotly, her voice a little higher than usual.
Draco had left her here, in the clutches of these… people and their, she shuddered, fabrics!
She was slightly shell-shocked as the salesman called a woman out from the back. The woman cooed at her in French and led her back into the dressing room, helping her out of the apple colored dress.
Ginny attempted to cover herself, and the older woman laughed at her as she picked another dress from the ones hanging on the door. The woman continued to change her in and out of multiple dresses, and Ginny felt dizzy from the colors and price tags that she was seeing.
Finally, the woman found a dress in the pile that was not brightly colored or too shiny. She held the dress against Ginny's chest for a moment, and Ginny guessed she was looking at the color against her skin. It was difficult for Ginny to find colors that didn't clash horribly with her milk white skin or her bright red hair.
The woman's face lit up as she lifted the dress and slid it over Ginny's curves.
Ginny smoothed the dress down her body and the woman zipped it up slowly. It was tight, but Ginny could still breathe, and at least it wasn't entirely uncomfortable, like the one with the wired bodice she had tried moments ago.
The woman stepped back, giving Ginny a critical eye, like she had done with the last few dresses. Ginny sighed as she waited for the woman to say, "No!" once again, but this time, instead of a word, all she heard from the woman was a gasp.
Ginny met the woman's eyes, her brows drawing together.
"Parfait!" the woman exclaimed, opening the dressing room door and pulling Ginny out by her hand.
She was led out of the main sales room and into another room that she recognized as a salon. The salesman from earlier was there and when he saw her, he clapped quickly, a large smile on his face. People seemed to come out from no where and she was rushed to a chair as she was attacked by five people with combs, brushes, and more… color.
A man behind Ginny's back began combing her hair upwards, pulling it painfully tight as he struggled with her thick mane, trying to style it. One man worked on her makeup, while another shaped her eyebrows and a small woman measured her shoe size before hurrying out of the room.
Another woman glanced at her fingernails, and Ginny wanted to curl her fingers from view, embarrassed by her bitten nails. It was a nervous habit that she had never really grown out of. As if sensing Ginny's embarrassment, the woman gripped her fingers tightly and began to buff them in earnest.
She had no idea how much time had passed before all of the people stepped back, giving her room to stand. She stood slowly, her legs achy from walking all morning and into the afternoon and then from sitting for so long.
When she stood to her full height, the shoe woman laid a pair of strapped heels in front of her, which Ginny carefully stepped into, surprised when they fit comfortably.
When the shoes were on her feet, the salesman appeared again. He led her over to a platform surrounded by three angled mirrors, and Ginny stepped up, taking a deep annoyed breath before looking at her reflection.
Her breath caught in her throat as she glanced upon herself, and her fingers touched her lips in shock. She watched as her reflection copied her movements, almost shocked that it was her image she was seeing.
She looked… she looked…
"Magnifique," the man said as he looked up at her, and Ginny blushed lightly as she continued to stare at herself.
Her hair was swept up into an effortless looking chignon that sat tight near the crown of her head. Her makeup was simple and elegant, and Ginny was pleased to see that they did not try to cover up her numerous freckles. The dress, however, was stunning. It was a deep midnight blue -a color that Ginny would have never picked for herself, but now, seeing the color against her pale skin, she never wanted to wear any other color. It illuminated her skin and made a wonderful contrast with her fiery hair.
The dress was stylish and flirty with a sweetheart neckline and rouging between the breasts. It wasn't too low cut and wasn't too long either, falling a few inches below her knees. It was tight from her breasts to her hips; showing off her athletic figure and making her hips and chest appear larger, giving her the illusion of an hourglass figure. At her hips, the tightness of the dress ended and it flowed out around her thighs (happily covering up their thickness) and knees. It had fluttery sleeves that gave it a romantic look, and the entire effect left her as an image of loveliness.
That's what she looks like, she decided finally--
She looked like a girl. Not an Auror who took down wanted wizards for a living, but a primped and pampered girl. Her expression became sour and annoyed again, just in time for Draco to walk into the shop, sending the bell above the door ringing.
She crossed her arms under her breasts as she turned to face him, looking down on his from the platform. She opened her mouth to say something to him and then closed it with a snap. He stood there in a black suit and tie, his hair sleek and perfect. He looked handsome, but that was not what had stopped her, making her heart thump loudly against her chest.
It was the way he was looking at her, his eyes wide and filled with swirling emotions that he never showed or even hinted to. He was looking at her with open adoration and wonder.
She could feel her skin grow hot as he reached a hand out to her, helping her down from the platform. Their eyes met and they just stared at each other for a long time, neither sure what to say or do. The silence soon became awkward and Ginny reluctantly broke it.
"You look stuffy," she said with a small smile, her eyes never leaving his.
"You look girly," he countered, leaning forward to capture her lips with his. His mouth was only a breath from hers when a cough to the left disrupted them. Ginny jumped back as if she had been scalded and Draco growled as he went over to pay the impatient salesman.
When he was done, he walked over to the door and held it open. "Our reservation is waiting," he grumbled as she walked over to him, not meeting his eyes again as she walked out onto the streets.
He cursed quietly as he followed her out.
They made their way to the restaurant in relative silence, and Ginny found that she was only mildly surprised when they arrived to find that they did indeed have reservations at the ritzy restaurant.
They were seated at a small table near the back, and Ginny took her time looking around. "I've never been somewhere so fancy," she said after a moment.
Draco nodded. "I'm sorry if you're uncomfortable, but I wanted to bring you here. It really is one of the best, and it was my mother's favorite," he said as he relaxed into his seat.
She looked at him, studying him as she had done to the room before admitting, "I'm not uncomfortable at all."
He brought his eye back to hers and she offered him a small smile.
The sommelier arrived holding a bottle of wine and offering them a taste before taking their wine orders and rushing off to fulfill it. Draco ordered their food and wine, while Ginny tried in vain to understand what he had ordered for her.
Dinner was a long affair, and Ginny thoroughly enjoyed it. They spoke lightly about what they had seen that day and about the food. She hinted as casually as she could that she would like to see the Eiffel Tower before they left but Draco didn't respond, and it was quickly forgotten.
The wine and atmosphere left her with a warm bubbly feeling, and the food was delicious. She indulged herself until she was full and as she took the last little bite of her desert with a little hum of satisfaction, she felt completely relaxed and at ease.
Draco paid the bill and they left the restaurant, making their way through the streets once more. In the back of her mind, Ginny realized that she couldn't feel her feet anymore. What were originally comfortable shoe, were now cutting off her circulation, but as they reached the banks of the Seine River, she found that she didn't really care.
The sun was setting on the horizon, creating ripples of gold, red, and purple on the water's surface, making it sparkle with life. Looking upon it now, she knew why painters like Renoir and Monet could not help but to attempt to capture it on canvas.
Nearby, she could hear a string quartet playing a romantic arrangement with soft warbling notes and passionate vibrato.
"May I have this dance?" Draco asked, and she turned to see him with one hand stretched out towards her and another behind his back as he stood in a half bow.
She smiled shyly at him before placing her hand in his and allowing him to move her in slow circles.
They let the gentle breeze and sweet music wash over them as they moved, her left hand clasped in his and pressed against his chest, while her other arm was wound around his neck. It took all of her will power not to run her fingers through his hair as she focused her gaze on the water below.
"I'll pay you back, when we get home," she said after awhile.
"No, you won't," he corrected, and he could feel Ginny stiffen in his arms.
"I can afford it, you know," she said bitterly.
"I know you can afford it, but I won't accept your money. I wanted to show you a good time in Paris, and I wanted to foot the bill. End of story."
"Oh. Thank you." She paused for a moment, debating with herself. "I still want to pay you."
"I know," he said, his mouth curving upwards in a half smile. "Have you had a good time?" he wondered aloud, the sun passing below the horizon and the stars slowly becoming visible above them.
"Yes," she admitted, biting her lip to keep herself from saying what she was thinking, that she never did get to see the Eiffel Tower.
"Good. But there is one more thing that I want to show you," he whispered, and with a pop, they were Apparating again.
She stumbled as they landed and fell against Draco's chest. He caught her easily and helped her to stand. She took one glance around, wondering where they were, and let out a small noise that sounded like "Guh!"
The Eiffel Tower stood before her, sparkling with millions of lights against the darkness, brighter than any star, and more wonderful than she had ever imagined. She took a small, imperceptible step forward and Draco moved with her. Without her even realizing it, her hand found his as he led her to the Tower's entrance. Draco paid the entrance fee and they made their way to the elevators.
It was a slow ride to the top, and when the doors opened, Ginny was bursting with excitement. Even at this time of night, the tower was crowded, but as Ginny made her way to the railing and looked over the edge at the city lights below, she felt as though she and Draco were the only people truly there.
He stood beside her, his arm brushing hers as they looked out at night-time Paris. It was exhilarating, and she could feel her heart thumping against her chest as she looked out.
"It's amazing," she said, turning to face him. He nodded slightly, and she watched as he took a deep breath, his eyes not on the city below, but instead on what he could see of the sky above.
The lights from the tower cast a warm yellow glow on his face, and she was struck by how handsome he was. She bit her bottom lip as she once more looked out into the night, but for some reason, her eyes strayed back to his countenance.
"Draco," she whispered, and he turned his face to her. She smiled at him gently and placed her hand on his cheek as she lifted herself onto her toes, her lips meeting his.
The kiss was short and sweet, just a pressing of lips that sent warmth cascading through her being. She pulled back slowly, her eyes fluttering open to see him.
He appeared shocked, and the look of wonder was back in place upon his features. "You kissed me," he said dumbly, and Ginny bit her lip again to contain her laughter.
She reached her hand up and caressed the back of his neck; bring his head down to hers. "I can't let you take point all the time," she explained quietly before pressing her lips to his once more.
This kiss wasn't short; it was long and passionate, filled with longing and desire.
He met her lips eagerly, his mouth fitting against hers tightly as his fingers traced over her sides, making her shiver. One brave hand found its way up to her chest, and she felt his knuckles brushing along the underside of her right breast as he gathered her closer.
Her mouth fell open in a gasp as his thumb brushed over her nipple, rubbing it through her dress, and he surged forward, deepening the kiss and sliding his tongue against hers.
He pulled away slowly, peering down at her smugly and making Ginny flush. Draco looked around them quickly before grabbing Ginny's elbow and pulling her away from the crowd to a more secluded area of the tower near the stairs.
"What…?" Ginny asked him as they stopped, her words being cut off as he swooped down once more, capturing her lips with his.
She sighed against him, going slack in his arms as he held her tightly, possessively. Her arms wound around his neck as his slid his around her waist snugly.
They shouldn't be doing this, Ginny knew. They shouldn't be in Paris, France, kissing atop the Eiffel tower, but she couldn't help her body's reaction to his. She couldn't help but give in to his touch and his presence, and for once, she was admitting to herself that she -Ginny Weasley- desired Draco Malfoy, because when he was near her, like now, she forgot that they had once hated each other, forgot their history, and that he wasn't her "type". She forgot what it meant to be a Weasley or a Malfoy and all of the connotations that came with bearing those names.
Ginny could feel him fumbling for something in his pocket, and as he whispered the Disapparation spell against her cheek. She found that she didn't care where he was taking her.
o..o..o..o..o..o..o..o..o..o..o..o..o..o
They appeared in their hotel room with a quiet 'pop', their mouths meeting each other hungrily as they stumbled towards the bed.
Draco kicked his shoes off as he pushed her backwards towards the thickly padded mattress. When the back of her thighs hit the edge, he lifted her up until she was sitting in front of him.
Her mouth was warm and wet against his, and he took his time, enjoying the taste and feel of her as she whimpered against his mouth.
She pulled at his shoulders, sliding her nimble fingers under the jacket of his tux and pushing it down so that it fell down his arms. Without breaking the connection between their lips, he helped her by shrugging his shoulders and letting the item fall from his body.
She reached up to loosen his tie and he helped her, hurrying to remove it before throwing it aside and moving closer to her. She fell back against the comforter and slid back so that her head was resting on the pillows. She licked her lips, her eyes heavy lidded, as he climbed up to meet her.
He removed her shoes slowly before sliding gentle hands up her calves and towards her thighs, making her shiver and creating a burning sensation in her center, making her feel feverish and damp.
She bit her bottom lip as his hands slid higher and as his lips met hers once more. She felt her legs parting as he leaned closer, his hands exerting a very persuasive pressure that made her head feel light and her throat dry.
His lips whispered against hers as he leaned over her. He brought his hands up so that they were settled on either side of her head, supporting his weight above her so that their bodies weren't touching anywhere except for his mouth caressing hers.
She raised her head slightly, wanting to deepen the kiss, and he simply moved back, anticipating her movement and making sure that there was still space between them. She groaned, wanting more contact, and bucked her hips up to meet his. She felt him shudder against her as he sucked her lower lip into his mouth, nibbling at it like he always wanted to when he saw her biting it oh so seductively.
She raised her hands up and unbuttoned his shirt, her fingers sliding against the skin of his smooth chest. He pulled away from her briefly and she made a small whine of disappointment, her eyes never leaving his as he unbuttoned the cuffs at his wrists and flung his shirt across the room. His eyes had a darker quality now, different than she had ever seen them. They were the color of molten silver, and his the way his eyes were lidded and his lips were pink and swollen from their kisses made her heart pound against her chest.
He leaned down to her again and she slid her hands to his back, resting them near his shoulder blades and pressing down, making him lay full out on top of her, their bodies only separated by her dress and his pants as their mouths met again, the passion building until she could feel sweat springing up upon her brow and their breathing was labored.
She could feel him there, where she wanted him most, his hard length pressing against her center through his pants, making her body feel tight and aware, as if she could snap any moment. She groaned as he sucked at her neck, placing open mouth kisses on her flesh and making her arch her back, her head pressing into the pillows as her hips rolled up to better feel his length against her.
He hissed at her movement and one hand moved to her thigh as his other cupped her breast through her dress, his thumb and forefinger teasing the pebbled flesh of her nipple through the material.
Oh gods, she was wet. She could feel her panties growing damp as they moved against each other, the skirt of her dress riding up as they continued to grind against each other.
Draco lapped at her neck, his mouth leaving a trail of kisses down the column of pale flesh, ending at the hollow of her throat and tasting her there. She moaned and he pressed harder against her, simulating an act with her that he had been dreaming about for months.
He shivered as she moved against him, her thrusts meeting his stroke for stroke, creating a sweet friction that made his stomach muscles flutter.
Oh, how he wanted her. Wanted to feel her wet sheath surrounding him; had wanted to for a long time, and it had only gotten worse after he had touched her there, in a moment of passion and jealousy over two months ago.
As if his fingers had a mind of their own, they moved up between their bodies and slid between the slip of fabric that was her underwear, making her breath hitch as his knuckles rubbed lightly against the bundle of nerves near the top.
Her hips bucked awkwardly and he gasped against her, his mouth meeting hers in a bruising kiss as one finger pressed against her opening.
She was getting over excited now and she was so wet that when she moved again, his finger slid between her folds and inside of her. The moan he received as a reward was enough to make him press harder against her as he entered another finger.
He moved his hand against her, curling his fingers just slightly in a gesture that had her emitting small gasping shrieks of pleasure. He couldn't take it anymore; he had to have her, here on this bed, in her black dress with her perfectly coifed hair mussed against the pillows.
She moaned his name breathily against his lips, and it was all he needed as his hands moved away from her and he began to fumble with the button and zipper of his pants.
Before he could pull the zipper all the way down, however, she was pulling him towards her again and kissing him breathless.
Ginny's body was tingling pleasantly, almost tickling in its intensity, as he brought her close to the edge of sanity with his mouth, body, and fingers, and she wasn't even naked yet.
Naked. Sex. Sex with Draco Malfoy.
She smiled against his lips as she helped him to slide his pants down with her feet and hands, leaving his boxers on. Suddenly her brow became troubled as he sucked at her breast through her dress.
Draco was more experienced than her; much more. What if she wasn't good enough?
Doubt niggled at her consciousness as he pressed against her, his hardness much more noticeable now that his pants were gone, making her eyes roll back into her head at the exquisite feeling.
It was no secret that he had been with many women; she had known that for a long time. Why did it bother her now, now when she should be—had been enjoying herself until just moments before.
She might as well be a virgin compared to him. She would be a virgin if it hadn't been for a few hurried and awkward trysts over five years ago with…
She froze, her body becoming icy as if someone had dumped a bucket of cold water over her head.
Harry.
She closed her eyes tightly as Draco pressed an open mouthed kiss to her throat, laving gently at her pulse point and making her shiver from both the feelings and her thoughts. Her guilt rose like a tangible lump and settled directly in her stomach.
She felt sick and abhorrent. She was acting like a slag, cheating on a man who loved her while away on a business trip. She tried to smother the small sob that escaped her, but she knew that Draco had felt it, had sensed her tense up.
Ginny kept her eyes closed, waiting for him to pull away in disgust, sneer, say something… Instead, she was surprised to feel his weight settle heavily on top of her as his arms found their way around her back. His face was buried in her neck, soft puffs of air warming and exciting her already tingling skin.
The room was deathly quiet for too many seconds, and Ginny swallowed nervously. "I'm sorry," she breathed, feeling a chaste kiss upon her chin.
He raised himself up on his elbows and gazed down at her, his grey eyes capturing hers. "There's nothing to be sorry about," he replied.
Ginny groaned, her hands coming up between their bodies. She pressed the heels of her palms into her eyes and began to laugh quietly. "Gods, what you must think of me," she said, and he didn't respond, just remained where he was, half on-half off of her. "I mean, what are we doing? We're partners and… Oh, I've really messed up this time."
Long fingers curled themselves around her hair gently. "I thought that it was perfectly clear what we were doing. If not, then I must be doing something very wrong," he said lightly and was pleased when he saw her remove her hands from her eyes.
She looked up at him, her eyes wide and damp, making her lashes clump together. She licked her lips a moment in thought, and he couldn't help but to dip his head to taste her once more.
She kissed him back briefly before tensing again and pushing him away a few inches. "I… I can't do this, Draco. I have a--"
"Shh," he whispered, a thin finger falling over her lips. "I know."
She nodded slowly, her gaze falling from his. She searched the room with her eyes, her mind everywhere at once, and her heart still beating rapidly.
Draco's weight shifted above her, and before she could blink, he had toppled them to the side so that they were lying facing each other on the bed.
Ginny glanced at him briefly before looking down at her hands. She could feel his eyes on her, but she couldn't bring herself to look into them.
Just moments ago we were…
She felt his fingers glide down her arm and her breath hitched slightly at the contact.
"What now?" she asked timidly.
"Maybe we should get some rest," he conceded.
"I'm not tired," she responded after a moment. There was no way she could sleep, not with the way her head was spinning.
"Neither am I. Maybe we could… talk," he offered, and she couldn't help but smile at the sound of distaste that his own words had brought.
"About the weather?" She prodded with a gentle laugh, attempting to make the knots in her stomach uncoil.
"Why don't we talk about you?" he murmured, his hand rising to her cheek.
"There's nothing to tell. You know everything."
"What do I know?" he asked with a smile in his voice.
"My name is Ginevra Weasley. I'm an Auror on a mission in France. I'm five feet, six inches and have red hair and freckles…"
"What else?"
"I grew up in a large family, attended Hogwarts and was sorted into Gryffindor house." She stopped and looked into his eyes inquiringly. "I don't know what you want to know."
Silence over came them once more, but this time it was a more comfortable kind of quiet. Ginny found herself wondering how he could always do that; how he could always make her comfortable.
"Was he your first?" Draco asked suddenly.
Yes, Draco Malfoy had the uncanny ability to make her comfortable one minute and completely uncomfortable the next.
"W-What?!" Her eyes popped open wide and she stared at him in shock, only to be greeted by his famous smirk.
"You heard me, Weasel. I was wondering if Potty was your first —surely you're not a virgin." He demurred.
Ginny huffed at him. "You're terrible," she said at last, pushing at the hold that he had on her.
"Come on. We'll swap stories and eat popcorn. It'll be a grand little sleep over!" He begged and Ginny glared at him, but stopped trying to push him away. "Excellent! Ok, you already know the rules to this one. You ask a question and I have to answer honestly. Then it's my turn to ask a question."
"What if I don't want to answer?"
His gaze heated once more as he looked into her eyes. "I will never force you to do anything you're not ready for." He purred, and she bit her lower lip in acceptance of his answer.
She could still feel him; he was barely dressed as he lay beside her, and she could still feel his heat. Still taste him on her lips.
She caught sight of the clock in the corner and realized that almost two hours had passed since they had arrived. Meeting his eyes once more she mumbled, "Who goes first?"
"I believe my question has already been asked."
After a moments contemplation she finally answered. "Yes." She waited a beat for his reaction, when she saw that his expression was blank she continued. "Who was your first?"
"Pansy. Was it romantic?"
"No. How many have you been with?"
"…A few. You?"
"A few?"
"You didn't answer." He pressed.
"…One. How many is a few?" she countered.
"Eight," he answered easily. "What was it like?"
"What?"
"Your first time. You said that it wasn't romantic, so what was it like?"
She gaped like a fish for an embarrassing amount of time before breaking into uncontrollable laughter.
"What's so funny?" he asked with a chuckle.
"This." She motioned between them. "You're half naked, lying on a hotel room bed with me, your work partner, talking about our sex lives after the most amazing day in Paris. And then when we got back… It's just surreal."
He watched her for a moment before crossing his arms over his chest and rolling onto his back. "You're avoiding the question."
She giggled and turned onto her own back, looking up at the ceiling and sighing loudly. "It was as expected. Horrible, messy, sweet… short."
"But not romantic?"
"Merlin's beard, no. It was at the Burrow after a family Quidditch match. We were both sweaty and smelled horrible." She laughed as she remembered. "It was on the floor of the shed where we keep our brooms and my father's muggle artifacts."
Draco snorted. "Sounds like Potter."
Ginny felt her guilt rise again and shifted on the comforter. "What about you?"
"It was perfect. Well, at least I thought it was. It was fourth year at Hogwarts and I had arranged to have the dorm to myself that night. I spelled candles to float above us and managed to get a hold of some very expensive champagne. I even had my friend Blaise, who was better at charms than I, to fill the room with rose petals."
"Wow."
"Yeah, it would have been perfect, but I was inexperienced and… Well, I've gotten much better since." He preened and Ginny laugh raucously.
When she calmed down and looked at him expectantly, he realized it was his turn to ask a question. "Oh. Well, when was the last time for you?"
"How long ago?" She clarified and he nodded. "Five years ago," she answered reluctantly.
"You haven't made love in five years?"
"Nope," she admitted on an exhale.
"Why?"
She shrugged. "Just never met anyone worth the time. I was focusing on my training and then on my work. I didn't have any time for men."
"Now you have two men vying for your affections." He pointed out, turning his head to the side to see her face.
Ginny let her own head fall to the side as she searched his face, not voicing the questions rolling around in her mind.
"…I think its time for bed," Draco said finally, breaking the silence once more.
It was then that she realized that somewhere along the line their game had lost its structure and she had lost all control over the conversation. Maybe she had never had any control to begin with? But, that was how it was with Draco, somehow he always made her structure crumble, leaving her scatter brained and breathless.
He pushed himself up into a sitting position, and leaned down, reaching for his clothes that had fallen to the floor and giving Ginny a nice view of his muscular back.
'Stop it,' She berated herself.
She watched as he gathered his things from the floor and stood, making his way over to the couch that he slept on. He placed his things on top of his suitcase and began to arrange his pillow and blanket.
Ginny sat up as he fluffed his pillow, not sure what to say. Not entirely sure what she wanted to say. His eyes met hers across the room and she flushed. "You don't have to sleep on the couch." At Draco's cocked eyebrow, she hurried on in explanation. "I mean it can't be very comfortable, and there's plenty of room on the bed…"
Their gazes remained locked for a long moment before he smiled at her, a slow lazy smile that made her heart tighten. "I think that it would be best if I sleep over here."
"But..."
"Ginny," he whispered, holding up a hand to stop her, "I don't want you to ever regret anything between us, and you would regret tonight."
With a small nod, she climbed under the covers of the bed, not even bothering to change as she curled up against her pillow. She heard him whisper for the lights to go out and the room was surrounded in darkness.
Sleep didn't come easy. Ginny Weasley was used to living a life of simple decisions. It was always 'yes' or 'no', and she had made sure that it was that way -black and white-ever since her first year.
She wasn't prepared for this.
A/N: I know its been a long time since I've posted! Please forgive me! I fell very ill in early december and spent much of the month in the hospital and recovering. I'm still dreading the hospital bills to come! Eek!
I havent abandoned this story as many of you may have feared, it is still running, but as I am still recovering and just started back at work today I'm not sure how long the next chapter will take although it is already half written.
I love all of you and all of your reviews! Thank you so much!
Fact: Aimsaru blushes when she writes smutty scenes. I'm not sure I captured 'them' as well as I could have in this chapter, and some day I may go back and change some things but for now, this is it. Hope you like! and I hope you havent abandoned this fic, b/c I havent (: