Best Kept Secret
Chapter 8

Ginny had watched Draco since he walked into the prefect common room. He was graceful, slipping into the room with such ease and walking through the room greeting the Slytherin prefects. One girl was practically drooling as he discussed the next full moon with her, her eyes buzzing with desire.

Ginny shook her head at the girl before returning her focus to her essay, she was almost done. She only had another inch left, and she scratched away at the paper. Three inches later she dotted her last eye and watched the last person walk from the common room. Lily disappeared through the doorway, not wanting to miss dinner, even if she'd had a row with Harry.

Ginny didn't look up, but let her eyes move up to analyze the empty room. There was one person left and as she pretended to go over her paper, he leaned against a couch. His arms were crossed as he watched her intently, waiting for her to be finished. He didn't budge as the minutes ticked by, Ginny fighting back a smile as he waited for her.

"Come on, I'm sure it's perfect," he whined after another few minutes ticked by. He seemed eager to talk to Ginny, eager for her to give him her attention. It was odd for a moment, but not more than that.

Ginny looked up and smiled at him, "Perfect?" she asked innocently. She batted her eyes at him.

He walked over and planted his hands on the table before leaning in. He didn't kiss her; he just looked into her eyes. "Look, I don't know what it is about you, but you drive me insane," he said. His tone wasn't soft or tender, it was almost harsh.

Ginny was taken back, was he angry at her? It wasn't her fault, nothing was. He'd kissed her; he'd pulled her into that hug so many weeks ago. He initiated everything, not her.

Draco could see the pain in her eye, the tear that wanted to pool in the bottom of her eye, but wouldn't. He kissed her softly, their eyes fluttering closed as their lips touched. The kiss spoke volumes as love transferred between the two. The slow movement of their lips was loving and sensual, letting Ginny know he wasn't mad, he was ecstatic.

Draco almost crawled over the table to get closer to the girl, and he would've if she hadn't pulled back, their breath labored as they looked into each other's eyes. He smiled at her, a genuine smile.

She pulled back a little more and looked up at his hair. She smiled wickedly before raising her hands to his hair. She ran her hands over his hair over and over until every bit was sticking up, his eyes widening as she did so. When she stopped she looked back into his eyes, "Perfect," she said before pulling his lips onto hers.

They pulled back minutes later, gasping for breath, "I love you," Draco said in rasping breaths, the words rolling of his tongue softly and truthfully.

Ginny was taken back, she couldn't Draco in love, but she knew he wasn't just saying it, he felt it. He really did love her and she knew her own feelings, she knew how she felt. "I love you," she replied, her voice displaying her lack of breath, as her words, too, came out in rasping breaths.

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She makes my stomach tingle. She makes me long for the touch of a woman, but not any woman. She makes me long for her and only her. I only want her in my bed and now, I want it more than anything I've ever wanted before.

I take that back, I long for her but not for her to lay under me trembling, but for her to be in my arms, holding me tightly and her breath flowing over my neck softly. I long for her, but more so than long, I love her.

I know it's wrong to love a Gryffindor and I know it's wrong to love a Weasley, but I do and I'll never love another woman so long as I live. I'll never long for another girl in my bed, save for her, and when she's there I'll cherish her. When she's in my bed, it will no longer be the emotionless shag I've had; no it will be more, so much more.

I don't care if she's poor and if she's a Gryffindor, she's the love of my life, the woman, the only woman, I'll spend my life with.

I know it's wrong to think this, but I almost hope my father dies in this war. I want Voldemort to be defeated, because then, and only then, can I have my red haired angel.

What then, will I have to give up? When this war is over, who will I be and what will I have left?

I'd give up everything for Ginny, everything. She's my heart and my soul and everything I am and everything I will be.

How will this war end? Who will live and who will die? Where do I fall?

I have to betray everything I've ever worked towards, everything I've always thought I wanted. I have to betray Voldemort.

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He said he loved me and he meant it. He said he loved me. He meant it. He loves me.

I said I loved him and I meant it. I said I loved him. I meant it. I love him.

It's great, yet it's not. It's perfect, yet it's not. It's so romantic, yet it's not. It's so many things, yet it's not. It's a never ending circle.

He's probably number one on the long list of seventh years that are going to get the Mark when they leave Hogwarts, and that's only a few months away. He might even have it; I've never seen him with out his arms covered. What if he does, what then?

How can I expect him to change? To become good when he's been so bad for so long? Maybe I can't, maybe it's just a stupid dream and I should give up on him. But he loves me! That's enough! He can't be all bad if he loves, can he? That's what sets us apart, isn't it? Love. It's what will save us in the end, that is was I truly believe. Not just Draco and I, but the wizarding world. Love will defeat Voldemort, but at what cost?

Will I lose the one man I love to Voldemort? Will he die for our cause or Voldemort's? Who will he be? What life will he chose now that he's found love?

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Ginny looked down at the grounds, all the cold and ice gone. Spring had arrived and the grass was a shining green, the lake glowed from the moonlight, and Ginny could almost smell the pollen. She waited a little longer before getting on her Cleansweep and gliding down to the grass. It didn't crunch under her feet as it had so many times before, it bounced back up, green and luscious.

She looked at the Forbidden Forest with a calculating glare, taking in a sharp intake of air, and started to walk towards it ready to finally see what lay inside.

"Ginny," Draco yelled as he ran up to her, "where are you going?" he asked as he finally caught up with her.

She didn't look back, "The forest," she replied determined to go in. She wasn't going to let anything stop her from going in now, not even Draco.

"The forest?" he squeaked. He'd always been afraid of the forest, even if he didn't want to admit it. There were evil creatures there and he'd never wanted to face them. He looked at the forest, the darkness and fog shrouding it in mystery. He'd gone in before, but it was different then. Now, he could chose to go or chose to watch Ginny walk in alone. It was his choice to be brave and walk in or a coward and stay out. "The forest," he said firmly before he slipped his hand into Ginny's and they disappeared into the fog.

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Time passed quickly, so quickly that it didn't even register to the young couple. They'd spend their time sneaking to the prefect common room to see each other, slipping out into the night to find one another once more on the grounds.

They longed to be able to let their feelings known, to be able to walk down the hall talking happily with love struck smiles on their faces; but they couldn't. They had to keep their love a secret, keep the fact that their hearts raced at the sight of the other secret, hide the fact that when they kissed their hearts dropped down to their groin and they could feel it beating furiously between their legs.

It was all a secret, a well kept secret. No one could tell the two were in love, no one noticed that Draco hadn't so much as looked at another girl, no one could tell that Ginny's eyes were often glazed over. It was the best kept secret of Hogwarts, their love.

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Draco was shaking; he was nervous, more nervous than he'd ever been before. He fingered the object in his pocket and felt his stomach rumble. He felt like he was going to throw up and tugged at his collar with his free hand. He was waiting for Ginny, but she was taking forever.

He finally saw her, descending to the ground on her old broom, a broom he planned to replace soon. He wanted to give her everything he could; she'd never again have a hand-me-down anything. He fingered the object in his pocket once more and started to walk towards her.

She smiled at him and started walking towards him.

When they reached each other Draco pulled Ginny into a kiss so passionate her knees went weak and he had to hold her up, but their lips didn't part. They continued to kiss, Draco holding Ginny up as she pulled his body into hers.

He finally pulled back, both gasping for breath once more. He looked into her eyes and she could see his next words in them. "I love you," he said softly. He didn't wait for her to reply, "You're my world, my everything," he paused taking a deep breath, "without you, I'd be nothing. Now that I have you, I never want to let you go."

His stomach rumbled again and the nervousness returned. He fell to his knee, taking one of her hands in his own as he pulled the small velvet box from his pocket. The black box stood out in his hand, the corners sharp and precise.

"Ginny Weasley, I love you more than life itself," he said his eyes watering, "I know this is so corny," he said with a laugh, "but when I look of you my brain goes numb."

Ginny's eyes started to water as she looked at him, laughing along with his words.

He opened the box, "Will you marry me?" he said slowly, wanting every syllable to come out correctly.

Ginny stared down at the ring. The ruby glittered brightly in the moonlight and the detailed gold band shone. It wasn't plain in any way and it was in Gryffindor colors. She looked into Draco's eyes and smiled, the tears falling down her cheeks slowly. "Yes," she said before letting Draco slip the ring onto her finger.

He stood up slowly and pulled Ginny into a hug, a few more tears falling onto his shoulder.

"Ginny," he said softly, "I know we're young, and the war, and you still have another year at Hogwarts," he paused, "so, let's plan for a long engagement."

Ginny smiled, "I love you."

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AN: You've taken the time to read so please review!