Chapter 5

Draco cautiously entered the small square room. The walls were covered with a mess of black and white photos, color photos, water color paintings and a few oil paintings. Nothing had been hung straight and there was no order to the groupings of pictures.

Draco's mouth opened slightly as he attempted to take it all in. Mysteriously the rest of the room was neat as a pin. The floor had nothing cluttering it, and the rug looked as if it had just been cleaned. There wasn't an article of clothing to be seen, not even an errant shoe hiding in a corner. The small white desk was carefully organized and the bed was crisply made. The only sign of disorder was the barrage of art hanging off the walls.

Ginny held her face expressionless as she nervously watched Draco approach the fruits of her hobby. He walked right up to the closest wall and studied each photograph and each painting. His head tilting this way, and that trying to gain a level view of the images. Each one was unique and distinct from the other, yet they all held a similarity that Draco couldn't quite put his finger on.

He moved around the perimeter of the small room, not saying a word and never looking at Ginny. The truth was that he almost forgot she was there. Draco was so engrossed he nearly forgot where he was himself. The images he was studying spoke to him in a way that he had never experienced. The shadows and angles stirred his emotions.

There were simple pictures of flowers and trees, but the angles spoke of a hidden danger or something sinister. They were menacing. The photos of people were ironic. An old woman in yoga kit, a child playing with a pipe and brief case. Draco sniffed in amusement at the photo of a priest getting his shoes shined while stuffing his face with a massive sandwich.

Pausing at certain pictures, then moving his face close to the wall Draco could have been confused for an art critic for all the attention he paid to each specimen. As he neared the largest of the oil paintings, Ginny steeled herself, read for any comment he might make. Up to this point she hadn't been aware of exactly how tense she was. Including her parents, she could count the number of people who had seen her work on one hand. She didn't like being this vulnerable with anybody, especially someone who had until recently been an enemy.

The largest painting hung above her bed, and was by far the most intriguing thing Draco had ever seen. At first he wasn't sure what he was looking at, but the more he studies the harsh angles and dim colors, the more he felt he was looking at something familiar. For the first time he chanced a glance at Ginny. His eyes full of questions he looked into the deep brown eyes that challenged him back.

Ginny saw the confusion and intrigue in Draco's eyes and almost broke down and told him what he was looking at. But someone had told her that art shouldn't have to be explained, so she held her tongue.

"It's Hogwarts!" Draco exclaimed once it hit him. He couldn't contain the shock and admiration he felt after finally figuring it out. He moved closer, placing one knee on the side of Ginny's bed. She had taken the perspective of what seemed to be either a large animal or very small child, looking up at the Astronomy tower. Initially Draco thought she had painted it at night, but the way the shadows fell would indicate the sun was high in the sky.

What shocked Draco the most was how cold and terrifying she had made it. There was nothing warm or protective about the building. It was big, scary and threatening. Draco let out the breath he had been unconsciously holding. Slowly turning around he was speechless.

Ginny waited for him to say something. She stood stock still in the middle of the room, her arms crossed over her chest. Draco took a tentative step towards her and saw her shoulders tense.

"Ginny, that is the most amazing thing I've ever seen." Draco said in a low, soft voice. He couldn't take his eyes off of the now blushing redhead. She allowed a small smile to creep into one corner of her mouth.

"Thank you" she whispered.

Draco didn't move but continued to turn around in the room trying not to miss anything. Suddenly it dawned on him what linked all these images. They were all sad. Not one, even the ironic or still life images escaped the artists sad slant. Draco was moved beyond words and with a wrinkled forehead and surprised eyes he looked once again at Ginny.

"What?" she said now slightly concerned. She had watched the look of admiration (which she had taken great pleasure in), fade to one of shock and concern.

Draco wasn't sure how to explain what he had seen, and how it made him feel. In fact, he knew he there was no way Ginny could accept what he was thinking in this moment, for it baffled even him.

Slowly closing the gap that separated him from the rigid woman in the center of the room, Draco reached out a hand and ran his thumb along the side of her face. Ginny's breath was taken away not only by the closeness of the man before her, but by the electricity that shot through her when he touched her.

"I'm sorry you've been so sad." That was all Draco could think of to say. Ginny looked at him with a mixture of surprise and incredulousness.

Draco dropped his hand and said softly, "Thank you for dinner, you can't imagine how nice it was to spend the evening with someone so intoxicating. I honestly hope this won't be the last time we see each other."

Ginny's mouth had opened slightly as she tried to process what Draco had just said. He leaned over and gave her a soft chaste kiss on the cheek and without warning disapparated from the house.