Author's Notes: Sorry this one is late. School was CRAZY!! But I survived. Woop! Chapter 7?…I think this is…. I forget. Anywho- on with the show!
This week: Hershey's Hugs and Kisses. (Thanks BlahBabe! It fits REALLY well with this chapter!! Much Love!!)
Disclaimer: Two more restraining orders. Blast. Must tunnel through Warner Brother's Studio.
"I like her."
The words ran in Ron Weasley's ears. Draco Malfoy liked his baby sister?.. He couldn't believe it. Draco had always been a git to Ron and the Weasley family. Ron stared at Draco trying to read his face to see if he was lying. That was when Ron noticed that Draco Malfoy's face was different. He wasn't sneering and his eyes were not as cold. Thinking back Ron couldn't even remember the last time that Draco had done anything to them. He had mellowed out. Ron looked to Harry Potter, who shrugged. Harry was just as unsure about Draco's motives. But he had saved Ginny.
--
The class bell rang and the crowd in the hall immediately vacated to their classes whispering about what had just happened. Leaving Draco, Ron and Harry standing in the hall alone.
Ron walked closer to Draco, who flinched only slightly. Draco had never flinched at the Golden Trio before. He had always upheld that Malfoy sneer. Even after Hermione hit him back in their third year, Draco never flinched around her. Yet here he was flinching at Ron Weasley's advance towards him. Ron of course noticed this and halted a few feet from Draco.
"How is she?" Ron whispered.
Draco's eyes filled with worry again as he replied. "She has a fever." Harry and Ron both looked at him. "Madame Pomfrey kicked me out."
Ron looked to Harry who nodded and began walking to the nearest empty room. Ron followed and nodded for Draco to join them. Draco hesitated. Potter and Weasley, his most hated enemies were leading him into an empty room. The old Draco would have his wand at the ready, but the new Draco knew he would have to trust them. So Draco followed suit and shut the door behind him.
--
"Harry!"
"Yeah, I am way ahead of you Ron."
Draco looked from Ron to Harry. "What's going on?"
"We are going to see Ginny." Ron stated.
"Wait. You aren't going to hex me or kick the crap out of me again?" Draco looked at Ron.
"You saved my sister." Ron gave a half smile. "I need to see her. We can discuss your…. relations with her later. I need to see her."
"Didn't you hear me? Pomfrey kicked me out." Draco reminded them. "There is no way we are getting past that old bat."
"Yes, but we have a way around her." Harry spoke.
"How?" Draco said, mildly curious.
Harry and Ron smiled at each other as Harry put his bag down and began to pull something out of it. Draco noticed that his hand however, was still empty. He looked puzzled. "What is going to get us past Pomfrey?"
Now it was Harry who looked shocked. "You don't know what this is?" Harry held out his empty hand.
"Unless you are holding a very small object in your fist….No."
Ron and Harry looked at each other. "Of all the people I thought the Malfoy's would have one." Ron too looked shocked.
"One what?"
Harry threw something at Draco. It was a light, almost liquidy substance. Draco caught it and noticed that his hands had vanished. He gasped. "An invisibility cloak!" Draco gaped at Harry. "Were did you get this?"
Harry smiled. "It was my fathers."
"Wow. You are lucky. This are very rare."
"Harry and I thought you had one." Ron admitted.
"I wish."
"We will have to squeeze together but I think it will fit all three of us."
"Three?" Draco still gazing at his hands well, lack thereof.
"Yes." Ron replied. "You, Me and Harry."
--
Madame Pomfrey sat on the edge of Ginny Weasley's bed. The girl was still asleep with a bad fever. Pomfrey sighed as she dabbed the redhead's cheek with a cool towel. Poor dear. Judging by the breaks in her bones she had fallen a hundred feet or so. It was a miracle she was alive. Pomfrey had wrapped Ginny's sprained ankle and broken arm, but had not administered the healing potion yet. With the girl running a fever it would be very dangerous. So Pomfrey tried to keep the girl cool. The Healer stood to get some more cool rags as the Hospital Wing door opened.
--
"Ouch! Potter that was my foot!"
"SHH!" Ron and Harry simultaneously said pointing to Pomfrey's office.
"Sorry!" Draco whispered.
The boys silently shut the door behind them and made their way to Ginny's bed. Ron's fist clenched as he saw his sisters bandaged body. Harry put his hand on Ron's shoulder. "Pomfrey is the best. She will be fine."
"I shouldn't have yelled at her for snogging the git."
Draco coughed. "Hi."
Ron blushed. "Well it is true. If I hadn't yelled at her she wouldn't have stormed off."
"Although technically it was Hermione's fault." Harry pointed out.
"This is all screwy. Hermione, my best friend, betrayed my sister. And my worst enemy saved her."
Draco opened his mouth to reply but stopped as Pomfrey came back with an armload of wet towels. Pomfrey laid them on Ginny's arms and legs trying to bring the fever down. Pomfrey sat with Ginny for five or so minutes until Neville Longbottom brought in a second year Ravenclaw with a plant wrapped around his arm. Pomfrey rushed to them as Neville stated that Professor Sprout needed the plant back in tip-top shape.
Harry nudged Ron. The boys took one last glance at Ginny before they silently headed out the open door and down the stairs.
--
Once at the bottom Harry whipped the cloak off them. Draco instantly backed away; fearing Ron would want to have another conversation with him. Pomfrey was the best, but Draco still felt the sting from their last talk.
Ron turned to Draco, he knew that his sister was in good hands so it was time to talk business. "Why do you like my sister?"
Draco sighed, were to begin? "She is smart. She doesn't take lip from anybody, even me. She's strong, sweet and her eyes light up like the sun when she is laughing. Lightening when she is mad. She's fiery; she has freckles on her nose. She-" Draco blushed, realizing he was rambling.
Ron however, saw the new Draco. The one who wasn't a sodding prick, but had emotion. True he still was a bit leery about him, but if Ginny liked him…. He would deal. Ron owed her that much. He had been the prick lately, instead of Draco.
"Look, Mal- Draco." Ron stuttered. "Ginny's my sister, and I have been a bit of a jerk lately. Its just…she is the baby of the family. I don't want her to get hurt…I …." Ron found himself unable to say the words and turned a slight pink. Thankfully Harry stepped in.
"You have always been the jerk to us and her. We are just not used to you, being nice and all. So forgive us for being suspicious. But I think that what Ron is trying to say is that Ginny is his sister and well…he doesn't trust you. I mean, you are a Slytherin and all."
Draco nodded. "I know that. You have reasons to hate me. I have been a pig headed snot for years. I just ask that you give me a chance. I have changed. Truly." Draco looked at Ron. "Please, I like Ginny, more than you know. Please, just give me a chance."
--
Ginny Weasley woke dazed and sweaty. Gently opening her eyes she found herself staring at the Hospital Wing ceiling, the events of the last day or so a slight blur. Ginny went to move her right arm but found it bound to her stomach. She softly sat up to see her foot was also wrapped up. Ginny was moderately confused. The last thing she could remember doing was…flying. Yes, she had been flying….. on Draco Malfoy's broom and then….darkness. Judging by her current state Ginny guessed that she must have fallen. But how did she get here?
Madame Pomfrey quickly raced to her side. "Welcome back child!" Pomfrey quickly scanned Ginny's body with her wand. "Excellent! Your temperature is back to normal. Now you can take your medicine." Pomfrey grabbed a bottle from a rack by the bed. "Hear drink this dear."
Ginny took the bottle with her left hand, but not before asking, "How did I get here?"
Pomfrey laughed. "Of course! You were unconscious when Mr. Malfoy brought you to the Great Hall."
"Malfoy?" Ginny sputtered.
Pomfrey nodded. "Of course dear. Mr. Malfoy found you outside, nearly frozen early this morning. Though I haven't the slightest idea of how he got outside… But anyhow. He carried you in the moment the doors unlocked. Good thing to if-"
Pomfrey rambled on but Ginny didn't hear a word. Draco saved her? He snuck out to find her. HER. Ginny thought he didn't care. The way he had looked at her as Ron dragged her to the Gryffindor common room…Ginny was sure that he hated her and wouldn't speak to her again. That's why it startled her, last night. She was riding HIS broom. It scared her because she realized that there was no 'relationship' between them. It was all about kissing. And it killed her.
--
Draco lay on his bed staring at the green canopy above him. They didn't trust him with Ginny. He had just saved her life. But Draco knew he couldn't stay away from her, no matter what any one said. She had done something to him. Ever since he had found her last night he couldn't stop thinking about her. Worrying if she was okay, wondering how she felt about him, wishing he had been different in the years previous. Rolling over, Draco knew he couldn't change the past. No matter how he tried.
--
That night at dinner whispers broke out as Draco entered the Great Hall. No one had seen Hermione since the scene earlier. The students who had been in the hall recounted it to those who missed it.
"Hermione said that Ginny is snogging Malfoy!"
"I heard Ginny's in the Hospital Wing."
"Malfoy and Weasley! Who saw that coming?"
"Draco said he liked her!"
Ignoring the chatters, Draco seated himself at the Slytherin table. Pansy quickly began to drill him. "Is it true?"
Draco sighed. "Is what true?"
"Drakie-Poo, please don't tell me you like the Weasel?"
"Yes I do. And don't ever call me that again."
--
Ginny insisted that she wanted to have her dinner in the Great Hall with the other students. Pomfrey flatly refused. "You are still mending dear. The trip alone would exhaust you."
"Please, Madame Pomfrey. Just for an hour." Ginny begged.
"No. Now let me check that ankle."
"Please. Just dinner, then I promise I will come straight back and go to sleep!"
Pomfrey sighed, she had mended every Weasley child on many occasions and they were all stubborn. Pomfrey knew that Ginny would beg and plead until she got her way. "Fine. But I insist that I assist you down the steps."
--
Ginny did okay until they reached the doors of the Great Hall. She knew what lay on the other side, but she needed to know. Ginny needed to see his eyes. To know If he cared or not. Gulping as Pomfrey opened the door for her Ginny slowly limped into the hall.
--
An instant hush overcame the students as Ginny Weasley limped into the room. Her right arm was in a sling and she had a small wrap around her head. She paused only a second then slowly made her way to the Gryffindor table. Every eye watched as she, with the help of Madame Pomfrey limped down to the table.
--
Across the hall Draco looked up as she entered. Despite her various bandage, she was as gorgeous as ever. Draco felt his eyes water as he stood. Not caring what anyone thought Draco quickly walked to her.
Ginny stopped to find Draco Malfoy standing in front of her. She gazed into his silver eyes. They were full of worry and concern. She found herself unable to move. His eyes penetrated her very soul. He didn't hate her. He wouldn't have done what he had if he didn't. Seeing him now only confirmed Ginny's thoughts. She had feelings for him.
Then Draco did something that shocked everyone. He quickly closed the gap and pulled Ginny into a gentle hug. Ginny's body instantly crumbled against him. She silently cried as Draco wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close trying not to upset her broken arm.
The entire school watched in amazement as Draco lifted Ginny's chin and wiped her tears away. He stared into her eyes and gently kissed her forehead. Neither of them saying a word. They merely smiled at each other, oblivious to the stares of the hundreds of students.
Aw…tender….Thanks for patiently waiting. The last week has been….well…special. I will try to have the last chapter up by Single Awareness Day. Note the word try.
Much love to my faithful reviewers. Do what you do best. Let me know what you think!!