Ginny and Draco made their relationship official, but the only people who knew about it were themselves and Hermione. Hermione had only found out because she had walked down Draco and Ginny's hallway on the way to class and saw them snogging on the windowsill, so now she was Ginny's confidant in all matters Draco.
When Ginny was with Draco she felt complete in a way she had never been before. She felt complete when her whole family was gathered around a table of good food, she felt complete when she lay in the sunshine in an empty meadow, she felt complete zooming across a Quidditch field on a broom. But when was with Draco or even lost in her thoughts of Draco, she was filled with content.
The Void that had haunted her for six years was now only perceptively present when she was far away from Draco in body and in spirit, which was rare. Of course it was still there, but like it had on the tower, it lingered in the back of her mind, content. It knew it was to be quenched soon, and so no longer had to persuade Ginny to slake its lust for fulfillment. Ginny didn't even bother to rebuild her mental walls that she had used to try to keep the Void incarcerated.
Of course, Ginny didn't have any intentions of sleeping with Draco any time soon. But the Void knew her thoughts and her desires, and was satisfied with waiting for the time being, as long as Ginny spent time every day with Draco.
Ginny, her own problems at bay, was now losing sleep over worry for Draco. He had told her everything; about his father and the abuse he suffered at Lucius' hand, about the torture of the prisoners, and about Rosalina. He had planned never to tell her about the last part, but one day on the windowsill, as Ginny stroked Draco's bare forearm where her name was clearly visible, she asked him,
"The first time we were here together, you said I reminded you of someone you loved."
Draco then told Ginny her story, not holding back any details. He told of the times he has tortured and she had forgiven, the conversations they had when Lucius had swept from the room, their horrendous first and last kiss, and her death. Draco cried with his face buried into Ginny's stomach, and she stroked his platinum hair, completely silent.
Ginny dreamt that night of being tortured by Draco, his sorrowful silver eyes locked on her green ones the entire time, and then of making love to him directly afterwards. She awoke with tears on her face and with a need to be in Draco's arms to remind herself of the person she knew he was. She still had images of Draco as a heartless serpent like his father, but she fought them back with the moments she felt faint with joy in his strong arms.
About a month had passed spent like this; spending their time together fighting the Void and inner demons, lying content on their windowsill or by the lake or in Draco's room (Ginny got a shock when she first saw it because it looked exactly like it had in her dream), or just talking together and enjoying each other's company.
Now Christmas was approaching, and as much as Ginny couldn't wait to get home, she didn't want to leave Draco for more than a few hours. She was also nervous about Draco going home alone. Not only was he at his father's mercy, but they had been trying to stop cutting together and she was worried that the solitude mixed with Lucius' cruelty would get him started again. It has been a week since she had seen a new slit on Draco's wrist, and she had stopped a few days before then. Two weeks before Christmas one weekend at Hogsmeade. Sitting alone on a log in the surrounding forest, Ginny asked Draco.,
"Do you really have to go home for Christmas?" Draco laughed and replied,
"Because I know that you will be here alone pining for me the whole time."
"No, but I'll be pining for you at my house. Unless you want to-" Draco cut her off with one finger against her lips.
"Are you really about to suggest that I go to your house for Christmas, when your family doesn't even know about me?"
"Well, yeah, I mean… Draco, what if we told them?"
"Yeah, and have me killed in my sleep by an army of angry red-heads? It is a really good idea in theory, but if you throw Ron into the mix… and the twins…. Uuugh!" Draco shuddered playfully, and Ginny, who was in his arms, sighed and leaned against him at the feel of his body quivering beneath her.
"Ron IS really thankful that you saved me, and he has definitely noticed that you are using first names and are… nicer. I actually caught him calling you Draco the other day. Of course, he did say 'Draco the ferret-boy', but it's not like he said 'Malfoy the ferret-boy.'"
"Uh-huh. Well, we can give it a try, but if he jumps me in the halls, I just might take my chances with my father." He laughed bitterly.
"You really don't want to go home, do you Draco?" Ginny asked softly. Draco laughed again.
"No, really? Would you want to go home to that?" He saw Ginny's hurt face and cradled her head against his shoulder. "Sorry," he whispered. Then he said, "No, I don't want to go back to that house. But I can only avoid it if I'm staying with a friend. And as I said before, I'm not sure I would be welcome at your house." Ginny laughed brightly at this, startling Draco at with cheeriness.
"Well, if not being welcome is what you are worried about, you haven't met my mom. All you really need to do is compliment her cooking and say something nice about her and you're in." Draco laughed as the times he had seen Mrs. Weasley ran through his memory, and he could match up Ginny's words perfectly with Molly's mannerisms. Then his face straightened and he asked,
"What about your dad? And your brothers? Especially your brothers; how can I be sure they won't murder me in my sleep?"
Ginny stroked his cheek, turning in his arms to find a new position and eventually settling on sitting on his lap with her back against his chest and her head leaned back on his shoulder as he leaned forwards to meet her eyes. She thought for a while before responding.
"Well, if we tell Ron now and owl mum and dad, they'll have time to get used to the idea before Christmas. And if Mum takes a liking to you, and you already have an in as the man who saved her baby girl, she can decree your safety in our house. No one would dare go against her orders. Directly, at least."
"And see, that's what I'm worried about!" said Draco. "All the stories you tell about your brothers, while funny, have made it apparent that they aren't worried about indirectly disobeying her."
"You forget that in all those stories, I was the ones covering for them." Ginny said. She wrapped her arm around his thigh protectively. "If they harm one hair on your head, I will make sure they won't be able to walk right for a month."
"You know, let's just forget about the subject of my death at your brothers' hands, and just figure out how we are going to break the news to Ron without giving him a heart attack." Ginny laughed and kissed Draco's neck affectionately. Draco sighed and wrapped his arms around her waist with a smile. Plans could wait.
Kinda long chapter because I'm trying to move the plot along. Also, it's the weekend and I have plenty of time to be writing. Hip hip hooray for Saturdays!!!