Author's note: Thought I'd given up on this fic? I know, I'm a horrible person, I let this hang for almost a whole year! Hopefully you'll forgive me?
I've sort of drifted away from HP fandom, if you noticed in recent months. There's no hate (I still love HP, though not as passionately as I once did), it was all very progressive and, I guess, natural, but yeah updates for Sinners aren't my first priority. Just wanted to let you know before you ask for swifter updates. I will try to produce, but my muse is uncontrollable. Not to mention I'm kind of in the middle of a writer's block. I really wanted to get this out, though, for ya'll who've been waiting forever. Gosh, you're patient.
CHAPTER SIX: BARGAIN
Ginny awoke to warm shivers running along her spine the next morning. Stretching luxuriously within that shifting warmth, she sighed and moved her head to allow it access to the nape of her neck even as she tried braving the dimmed sunlight filtering in through the curtains beyond the sinfully comfortable bed that wasn't hers.
"Morning," a sleep-husky voice rumbled softly in her ear, the very male body to the voice pressing intimately against every inch of available skin. She could feel his every intake of breath, the peaceful lull of it imprinting itself to her own so that her heartbeat soon matched his own. "Slept well?"
Well, she'd done it, hadn't she? Slept with Draco twice in as many days and completely baffled herself along the way. "Yes," she breathed, burrowing into the plush pillow beneath her head as though it could delay her consciousness from snapping completely to life. No, moments like these should never be shattered with the call of reality.
Draco's hand spanned and stroked the length of her thigh almost absently, waking idle nerve endings all along the way. "Do you have to be anywhere soon?" he asked, his intentions quite clear not from his words but from every detail of brushed lips and (barely safely) wandering hands.
Grunting, Ginny flipped over onto her back and grimaced as she squinted into Draco's room. "Is there a clock," she demanded sourly.
The mattress dipped as Draco leaned over her to presumably check the time. "It's a little before eight."
It'd be tight but… "One hour," she sighed, then turned her bleary squint on him, coy suspicion replacing her deep disgust in the early time. "What d'you have in mind?" she breathed as he slithered over her and dipped his head to quickly lap at a budding nipple.
He resurfaced with a lazy grin that she couldn't help but mirror. "Oh, nothing much. A kiss or two…" he trailed off before leaning in. "… in a strategic place or two. And if there's still time, maybe breakfast."
"Insufferable," Ginny guffawed, slapping his cheek only half-heartedly.
"I do like making people suffer from my biting–" he nipped on her neck to illustrate the word "–wit."
Even as she rolled her eyes, Ginny tilted her head to allow him better access to her sensitised skin, going as far as to pull him flusher to her body. "I think they're merely unwilling to give in to your challenge."
"And yet here you are," Draco retorted mock-dryly. "Or maybe you are willing…"
For mere answer – the git wouldn't get a verbal one, that was for sure – she slid a leg up Draco's hip, watching with fascination as his pale irises dilated and his lips parted on an exhale.
He forced himself to rally despite the temptation right in his arms. "So what are you doing tonight."
Ginny couldn't help but note that his voice had sounded too strained to muster a questioning note. "Are you asking me out, Malfoy?"
Draco's mouth twisted fairly. "Dating," he grumbled tonelessly, "that's what we agreed."
Raising a brow in dry amusement, Ginny laughed. "You don't have to make it sound like it'll kill you," she said, meaning the stark – forced – soberness he'd employed for his foiled attempt at asking her out properly.
He at least had the grace to look embarrassed as he rolled off her. "Give a man a chance here," he grunted.
Aww, she'd bruised his ego, Ginny thought as something inside of her went soft and gooey. Following his movement, she landed half over him, playing with the fine, pale hair at the nape of his neck. "I didn't say no. I just–" Oh crap. "I'm babysitting," she suddenly plucked out of her memory.
Draco's face would have been comical had it been any other moment.
Before he could speak, she huffed. "I do have a big family you know," she said tartly.
"Right." After a beat of slight discomfort he cleared his throat rather uncharacteristically, awkwardly. "Breakfast?" He didn't wait for her answer but rather just drew her up on the way.
Ginny looked unblinkingly up at him. "What if… what if you came with me?" she blurted out suddenly in thoughtful consideration. "I could use the help. We Weasleys require experienced handlers."
Draco's gait stopped at the door. He swivelled slowly to peer back with a look that screamed "are you crazy", complete without question mark. "And you think I have any?"
"Well, no…" Ginny trailed off, inching off the bed and closer until she'd reached him. There, she simply drew up on her toes and quickly pecked him. "But two heads are better than one, right? I'm sure they won't mind if I owl them in advance."
Still he eyed her warily. "Who's they?" he asked even as he stroked her spine and then buried a wandering hand in her slightly sleep-dishevelled hair.
Ginny hesitated just enough for him to dread her next words. "Ron and Hermione?" Bingo.
Draco's lips thinned, but in his defense he didn't say a word as he drew her in. Then he pursed his lips, steel and resolve in his eyes. "I need an incentive and a reward after. Deal's off otherwise."
Rolling her eyes, Ginny groaned aloud. "You know, deep inside you're still a slimy bastard," she gritted through her teeth.
Even through the hard stare, he delivered an amused wink under a thick blond fringe. "And you're absolutely gorgeous all fierce and bitch-minded in the morning," he said, stealing a quick kiss.
"Flattering," Ginny grunted dryly.
"Clock's ticking," Draco reminded her none-so-subtly. Then he leaned back fully against his door, silently daring her with half-mast eyes that heated her right to her core.
Ginny licked her lips. On the one hand, the whole idea was a bribe and they were the worst sort of thing to barter with. On the other… "I hate you," Ginny growled even as she drew up to his height to capture his lips between her own. Yeah, on the other hand, could she really think about declining his offer?
"I thought we'd established I was date material," Draco commented carefully between nips that he didn't contribute to. Nope, he was Making It Hard For Her.
Ginny pursed her lips wryly. "I'm seriously reconsidering, to be honest." She paused between kisses, frowning suddenly. "Yeah, the odds are against you."
"Pfft." But with a grunt and a roll of his eyes he kissed her finally and palmed her arse, bringing her flush to him. "How about now?" he muttered, raising a brow.
Blindly, Ginny wrapped her arms around his neck. "Hmm, considering…" she purred into his ear, arching her naked body into him and sending shivers of awareness down his body with light, wandering fingers that soon wrapped around his hardening cock. One long stroke and he pressed his mouth to hers, tongue twining with hers in a clear imitation of what he wanted to do but would have her work hard to get.
She wasn't to be deterred by his lack of active involvement, however. She slithered her leg up his calf quite sinuously and smiled into his mouth when one of his hands cupping her arse went to grab the thigh that rested snugly against his hip… holding her in place.
His muffled moan resounded in her ears when she swept the head of his hardening cock. "Think you'll hold?" she whispered hotly against the crook of his neck before licking her way wetly up his throat.
His answer was blunt fingernails digging into her flesh and a seeking mouth biting into her bottom lip.
At the same time, Ginny slid the tip of him into her. "I think you're ready to… snap," she murmured again when she felt his whole body tense as she rolled her hips shallowly into him, taking him just a tad deeper and then retreating each time. "I think I can make you lose easily, Draco. I can make you… let go." Smiling, she clenched her inner muscles, the walls around him sheathing him tightly.
A harsh grunt, and he twisted them around, pushing her roughly up against the door and then into her to the hilt. A shudder went through them both before he began driving into her, the bet all but forgotten as he simply sought release in her warmth. Ginny's breathless mewls roiled through him, completely taking over his mind. Nothing else mattered but the gentle fluttering that… soon…
She moaned his name brokenly, clutching him to her desperately. Her whole body wrapped and tautened around him in sweet pulls drove him helplessly over the edge. Pressing her back into the door, holding tight, he… let go.
#
His hold on her slackened after a long moment, finally allowing her to slide back down to the balls of her feet. Draco sucked in a breath, attempting to slow down his racing heart.
"Deal's on, then?" Ginny panted, fairy fingers making his sensitised skin jump and tingle.
"Looks like," he replied in a surrendering voice, gloom lacing his words. Oh, he was a dead man tonight. Still… "Don't forget my reward. I have to have something to look forward to when your brother's shooting charmed daggers at my head."
Her sparkling giggle bounced through him as she stretched up to press her lips against his. "He's not that bad, you know."
Draco didn't believe that one minute. "Go take a shower," he evaded gruffly. As she scoffed indignantly, he had something else prepared to avoid him her total wrath. "I'll order breakfast. Poached eggs, crepes, the like." Slapping her generous rump, he watched her skip away with a delighted squeal. And shook his head. Passionate lover one second, spitfire the next, and still joyful the next. Never a dull moment.
#
He was waiting unexpectedly just outside the shower with a heaped plate in his hands and a fork in his mouth when she stepped out. Naturally, she let out an ear-splitting screech and rammed back into the shower stall.
"Merlin's cripes, Draco," she then giggled nervously, opening the door again, "you scared the shit out of me. Ooh, this looks heavenly."
The incident instantly forgotten, Ginny focused on the plate hovering before her eyes, and chose a crepe roll with wild berry and hazelnut cream stuffing. Biting into it, she licked the excess stuffing off her fingers, and moaned her approval.
Draco fed her another bite with his fork. "Am I to understand you prefer this to sex with me?" he quipped smugly as he did, causing Ginny to choke comically on the food in her mouth and make protesting sounds as she was currently unable to speak without making an embarrassing spectacle of herself. "I'm hurt, Gin, hurt."
Withering glare and all, she slapped him. Hard. Hey, she'd grown up with six brothers.
"And now doubly so." Draco pouted.
With difficulty, Ginny finally swallowed and wasted no time in turning her verbal stinger on him. "Do you have to be so crude?"
"You grew up with–" he started haughtily.
Ginny raised a half-amused, half-exasperated eyebrow, then crossed her arms over her chest defiantly. "My point exactly. And you," she added, suddenly remembering their bargain, "will have to be on your best behaviour tonight."
Draco, bless him, made no face and didn't complain, but handed her the plate of delicious crepes and walked away. Boys and their big wounds, Ginny thought as she stuffed another roll into her mouth and went in search of her wand and her clothes to change yesterday's look. Not that she'd complain about spending the night over.
