Chapter 8: Starlight

Ginny followed Draco into the Great Hall immensely confused. Did Draco Malfoy just call her attractive?

She took a seat next to some boys in her year and put some food onto her own plate. She watched the boys around her arguing about something that had to do with Quidditch and girls.

"Ask Ginny, she knows! Aren't I right, Ginny?" Travis O'Connor said loudly and all the boys around her quieted to hear her opinion.

"Yeah…sure…" She said uncertainly. The noise level went up again as the boys resumed there argument. Normally she would have argued the female role in Quidditch in more depth with her housemates but at the moment she felt there was too much on her mind.

She abandoned her lunch and decided to head back to Gryffindor tower to grab her broom. Flying always cleared her head and she needed that right now. After a quick stop to get her broom, Ginny was walking though the faintly chilly fall air on her way to the Quidditch pitch.

The minute her feet touched the spongy grass of the pitch she mounted her broom and took off, the wind whipping through her hair. She soared around the pitch first, to warm up. Then she came to a halt in front of the three goal posts, wishing she'd thought to bring a ball.

"Catch!" Ginny spun her broom around at the shout, just in time to snatch the speeding red quaffle out of the air. Before she could even consider what she was doing she sped at the goals and hurled the ball straight through the center hoop. A tall blonde figure on a speeding black broomstick soared behind the goals and caught the quaffle.

"Malfoy!" Ginny called, shocked, as soon as he got close enough for her to recognize him.

"Ginny." He said tossing her the quaffle. She caught it out of reflex and continued to stare at him in surprise.

"What are you doing here?" She asked harshly. She didn't care about being rude, she always came here to clear her thoughts and his presents wasn't making it any easier.

"Just decided I wanted some practice," He said innocently but his smirk said it all. She through the quaffle back to him as hard as she could and was pleased to see him flinch slightly as it slammed into his hands.

"Did you follow me?" She asked sharply and he laughed

"No of course not." But there was a mysterious amused glint in his usually cold steel eyes. "So are you going to play or not?"

He tossed the quaffle up and caught it again, his typical smirk in place. Ginny sighed and held out her hands to catch it. Draco smiled and shook his head.

"Its not going to be that easy, Gryffindor." He sped off in the opposite direction the quaffle tucked under his arm.

"Slytherins." Ginny mumbled before giving chase.

*****

The sun was just starting to set, casting shadows across the pitch. Ginny flew her broom toward the ground after her last goal, Draco right behind her. They both dismounted and Ginny took a seat on the soft grass laying her broom beside her.

"What are you doing?" Draco asked astonished to see her sitting on the ground.

"Resting." She said simply, lying back on the ground and staring up at the darkening sky. "I just skipped all my afternoon classes to play Quidditch. Now, I'm going to rest."

She saw him roll his eyes above her and then take a seat on the grass next to her.

"You can't possibly be tired!" He said looking down at her as she gazed at the appearing stars in the twilight. "Your brooms not even fast!"

Ginny managed to glare at him from her position.

"That's not the point." She turned to look at the stars, which were much brighter as the light dipped over the horizon. "Plus the speed of a broom doesn't matter, it's the skill of the player on it that does."

"I guess your right; you probably couldn't handle a fast broom anyway." He didn't appear to realize he'd said something offensive. He just mindlessly turned his head up to look at the stars as well. Ginny stared at him for several seconds before responding.

"I've just beaten you for the second time at Quidditch. I think I can handle a faster broom. You're the one who wouldn't have the skill to handle a slower one."

Draco laughed and lay back on the grass with her.

"Oh really?" He asked, amused.

"Yes. I'll prove it too. Next time you can have my broom and I'll ride yours." She could practically hear his arrogant smirk when he spoke next.

"Sure you can handle that?"

"Positive." She was confident her Quidditch skills far outstripped his own. They remained silent as the sky darkened. Finally, Ginny spoke.

"What time is it?" She asked without moving. Her eyes were tracing patterns in the stars as she recognized the different constellations. Draco propped himself up on one elbow and checked his shining silver watch.

"Eight thirty."

Ginny groaned and then sighed. She was hungry and now she had missed both lunch and dinner.

"Are you going in?" He asked and Ginny shook her head.

"No point, I already missed dinner." She looked over at him and was surprised to see him so close. He was still leaning on his arm and looking down at her. "You can go if you want, but I'm staying here for a little longer."

"Why?" He inquired curiously still leaning on his arm, his body leaning towards her. She looked up at him for a second then decided on the truth.

"It's peaceful." She sighed contently "It lets me forget about everything for a little."

She could sense him staring at her but she didn't turn to look. She looked up at the stars and picked out the brightest one. She stared at it; the softly twinkling light always mesmerized her.

She couldn't believe she'd spent almost an entire day with Draco Malfoy! It didn't seem real. Behind his arrogant exterior there was something else, an actual person. Though confused and well hidden there was definitely something there. Her natural curiosity burned in her veins. She wanted to know what he was keeping hidden and why.

Time passed in the same silent manner. And yet Ginny felt like she was learning more about Draco as the seconds pasted. When the sun had completely set a cold chill set in around the pitch. Ginny shivered as the wind blew across her. Draco noticed and sat up.

"We should go back." He said and stood up. He hesitated for a second then held out his hand to help her up. She stared at it briefly before grabbing it an allowing him to pull her up.

She stumbled slightly, her legs stiff from cold and lack of use, and she fell forward. Draco caught her and steadied her. She was surprised to find herself in his arms, both of them wrapped around her to balance her, her palms pushed up against his chest. He really was much taller then her. She looked up at him to see him staring down at her.

For a brief second she wondered what it would be like to kiss him again, to really kiss him, something strong and passionate. She wondered how many girls he'd even been with. She had had a lot of practice with her few boyfriends, but she'd never actually seen him with any girlfriends.

Neither of them pulled away, as he stared down at her with an amused smile playing on his lips. Ginny stared back, confused. She wanted to ask what was so funny but the words didn't seem to want to form. She could feel his heart beating and the rise and fall of his chest as he breathed. The close contact wouldn't allow her brain to work. All she could think about was the last time she had been this close to him and what had happened on that occasion.

She felt a strong passionate pull toward him, her childhood enemy. She could no longer deny it. Her once passionate hate had turned into passionate lust. She wanted to kiss him; she wanted to feel his arms around her, holding her closer, tighter.

Draco's face became serious as he looked down into her chocolate eyes and Ginny gave in to what she wanted. In one fluid movement she wrapped her arms around his neck and he wrapped his around her waist. She pushed herself up onto her toes and her lips found his. He greeted her with a surprising passion that matched her own.

Kissing Draco Malfoy wasn't quite like kissing anyone else. He ignited a fiery spark in her passion that had never been lit before, even when she had been with Harry. She didn't want to stop but when another gust of chilly fall air blew she couldn't stop herself from shivering violently.

Draco pulled away from the kiss and smirked down at her.

"Cold?" He asked and without waiting for an answer he bent down, scooped up both their brooms and headed toward the castle. Ginny rolled her eyes and followed, still shivering.

The warmth washed over her the second they entered the entrance hall. It was unusually quiet and dark.

"Five minutes until curfew." Draco said tossing her broom to her and heading off toward the dungeons. Ginny rolled her eyes again and raced up the steps toward the common room. She couldn't afford another detention.

Once she'd reach the safety of the common room she pushed through the crowded room and entered the quiet dormitory. She put her broom away and changed into her pajamas, she didn't feel like talking to Ariella tonight. As she lay in bed she couldn't help picturing Draco's face and his attitude towards her. She was still confused on many things but she smiled slightly at the next thought that came to her. He may not be romantic but Draco Malfoy was one hell of a kisser.

A/N: Another chapter :]

Hope you enjoyed it! Please review! Oh, and a quick reminder, I know it seems like a nice little love story right now, but bare in mind its going to get dark and dangerous in later chapters.