Real Love
Chapter 8: Absence of Fear
Disclaimer: Not mine. The last line of this chapter in a slightly modified line from… "Real Love" by John Lennon/The Beatles.
A/N: Hey. Hope you like this chapter. I think I do. Haha. So, I'm thinking about changing the title of this story, as I never loved this one, just the song,but I'm not sure about the etiquette on that so we'll see. (Anyone like "Faithfully" better?? The original title was always The Power Of Love, hehe) So enjoy this section, and let me know what you think. Love love love those reviews, and thank you so much to those of you who have been reviewing so far. -Bella
Muscle and sinew
Velvet and stone
This vessel is haunted
It creaks and moans
My bones call to you
In their separate skin
I make myself translucent
To let you in, for
I am wanting
And I am needing of you here
Inside the absence of fear
there is this hunger
This restlessness inside of me
and it knows that you're no stranger
you're my gravity
My hands will adore you through all darkness aim
They will lay you out in moonlight
And reinvent your name
For I am wanting you
And I am needing you here
I need you near
Inside the absence of fear
-Absence of Fear, Jewel
Ginny sighed as Hermione walked right by her and sat down at the empty, opposite end of the table.
"Still not too happy with you I assume?" Ginny looked up and saw Blaise sitting down beside her. She shook her head. Hermione hadn't spoken to her since before the party, and its events, had occurred. Ginny had been ashamed enough of her behavior the next day. She didn't need any help from the head-girl.
"But look at everything you've accomplished!" Blaise gestured around the room. At each table was a sprinkling of students from different houses. Ever since the week before, students had been blending more and more; everyone was making a considerable effort to make the post-war world a very different one.
"You threw the party Blaise!"
"But you slept with a Slytherin. A Weasley became one with a Malfoy! The world will never be the same! Or so the story goes…" He winked at her.
Ginny scowled.
After Ginny's breakdown at the party, rumors had gone flying. Finally though, the Hogwarts student body had settled on Pansy Parkinson's account that Draco and Ginny had slept together, and that when Harry found out, he turned himself over to Voldemort. Some students believed that despair truly had driven Harry's actions, and some only believed that Ginny's guilt over the affair had simply driven her mad, but all seemed eager to know that the Gryffindor had visited the Slytherin's bed.
"You're eye looks better." Ginny gingerly touched where only a very small bruise remained.
Blaise laughed. "Yeah well, lets just say that was a long time coming." She thought she detected a blush on his cheeks "When are you going to forgive the bastard anyway Weasley?"
"Blaise…"
"He didn't know Ginny. I know he didn't know."
"Even if he didn't know, he doesn't care. I don't trust him. He told me himself he's a Death Eater, and he didn't seem to have much of a problem with it." Ginny held her ground.
Ginny watched as Blaise seemed to struggle with himself. Turning to face her he slowly unbuttoned the cuff of his crisp white sleeve and rolled it back. He lifted it just long enough for her to gasp at the horrifying mark on his forearm, and then hurriedly shoved the sleeve back down and fixed the cuff. Ginny glanced around to be sure no one else had seen.
"We've all been forced to do some tough things to get through this Ginny."
Ginny reached out and placed her hand on Blaise's. He cocked a grin at her.
"And while I am certainly not too proud to admit that in exchange for the sympathy of a beautiful girl, Malfoy would rather have you think he killed Potter himself than have you know there have been times in his life when he wasn't in control."
Ginny frowned and pulled her hand away from him.
"Just consider what I said Weasley. But for now, I'm off." He stood up and leaned in to give her a cordial kiss on the cheek. "See you later love."
"Bye Blaise." Ginny sighed once he was gone. She couldn't quite forget the mix of sadness and shame she had seen pass on his face as he had shoved his sleeve back down his arm, nor could she shake the feeling of shock from when she had seen the skull and serpent imprinted on his tan skin. While Draco had called himself such in his room that day, Ginny hadn't fully believed that the boy really had the dark mark. Did he? Blaise certainly had seemed to confirm it, and surely he would know.
Ginny shook her head, physically attempting to toss the thoughts from her head, because death eater or not, he was Draco Malfoy, and he did not matter.
"Your mighty close to that reputation you're working on Ginny." The bitter remark broke the days long silence between her and Hermione. Ginny didn't bother to turn to look at the other girl.
"Well slut takes a little longer than cold bitch. How's that working out for you anyway?"
"Harry and Ron didn't die so that we'd forgive Slytherin's deeds and hop into bed with them."
Ginny's heart clenched at the pain and bitterness in her best friends voice. Hermione's full speed- ahead approach to life had vanished since the news of Harry and Ron, and she seemed to be drowning in the memories of what her life had been.
"Hermione I miss them too. Everyday."
"Go cry to Malfoy Ginny."
And with that the head girl walked away.
Two days of Hermione ignoring her passed before Ginny simply found herself alone at dinner, no sign of the head girl. Ginny tried to force down the chicken on her plate. It was tasted like nothing to her and her stomach struggled to accept it. She hadn't been hungry in weeks, but that morning she'd noticed her robes were so loose that the extra fabric was actually becoming cumbersome.
Forcing one more bite down Ginny felt her stomach lurch a little and she pushed her plate away.
The nausea she felt was nothing new. It hadn't left her since her conversation with Blaise three days earlier. Every moment since had been a constant struggle to keep Malfoy out of her head. It hadn't helped the day before when Madame Pomfrey had asked Ginny if she could come help her in the infirmary for a few hours. The room had brought back so many memories. The way he'd looked at her when he'd caught her waist that day. The distress she'd witnessed as he slept. The way her heart had raced when she'd been so close to him.
Against her better judgment Ginny looked over at the Slytherin table. Malfoy was sitting with Blaise and several other Slytherins happily chatting. Blaise caught her looking and flashed her his best smile and a wink. She laughed and blew him a kiss, which he caught in his hand. After a moment of animated thought, the black haired boy grinned mischievously and clapped his hand across Malfoy's cheek. Ginny watched in horror as the blonde's expression quickly turned to a scowl. A small exchange occurred and suddenly his eyes were on her, his face blank and unreadable. She held his gaze for several moments before it became too hard. Ginny cursed Blaise and quickly left the great hall.
Draco felt anger rush through him when Blaise's manicured hand gently slapped him on the cheek. He still hadn't forgiven Blaise fully for his encounter with Ginny Weasley, or for spending so much time with her since the party.
"What was that?" he glowered.
"Weasley blew me a kiss. She wanted me to give it to you."
Draco's face froze when Blaise said her name. He turned to the Gryffindor table and found her staring back, shock written across her face. He wanted to smile, wave, do something to acknowledge her. Instead he stared at her, unable to show her any emotion until she looked down and hurried away.
"Give it a rest Zabini."
"Well if you're done with her then can I give it a go?"
"As far as I can tell you already are." Draco tried to be nonchalant whenever Blaise spoke about Ginny, but knew a hint of jealously had escaped him.
"As far as I can tell you're a prat," Blaise shot back, a chuckle in his voice. "Tell you what. You need far more help than I could ever hope to give you. Let's grab Teddy and use sneak out to go visit my brother and Tommy."
Draco was surprised by the suggestion. He and Theodore Knott never interacted much at school and they had barely spoken since the events of the summer. Then again he and Blaise had never spent significanttime together at school in years prior, though all three had been raised like brothers, along with Blaise's brother Varun, and Theodore's brother Thomas.
Seeing them all outside of the castle that had seemed so small lately sounded like the best idea Blaise had ever come up with.
"Yes. That's a good idea." He said calmly. Just because he was pleased with Blaise's spontaneity, did mean he had to know it.
He was awaiting a reply when instead Blaise burst out laughing. Across the room Longbottom was chasing a white owl as it flew back and forth across the Gryffindor table. He clumsily climbed up on the table, tripping over dishes while with arms extended in the air he called for the owl to stop. Finally with all the grace of an overgrown monkey Longbottom gave a flying leap. He failed to catch the bird, but was successful in land his face in a bowl of mashed potatoes. Then as if Draco had sent the owl to mock him himself, the snowy bird landed right in front the boy and dropped the letter.
Teddy had been eager to escape the castle as well, and came with Blaise to Draco's room just before curfew. They made it to Hogsmead through the path Ginny had shown them, and flooed to Diagon Alley courtesy of The Leaky Cauldron, and then made their way to the corner of Knockturn Alley where Varun and Tommy lived above a small pub they ran.
The two older boys had cheered with gladness to see the younger three.
"It's about time you snuck out to see us! How'd you do it?"
"Have a drink!" Tommy threw bottles from the fridge at everyone.
Draco had always liked the apartment. There was nothing fancy about it. The unfinished walls and floor gave the small flat personality. The aged furniture was comfortable and homey. He had no desire to ever live in such dilapidated conditions, but he'd always enjoyed escaping in them from time to time. Just being in the room, he began to feel his stress melting away.
He'd already had several drinks, and a few drags from Tommy's pipe when the voices of two women came calling up the steps from the bar.
"It's not worth staying open these days!" One familiar voice complained, as it grew closer. "You know Tom, you might have to find a real job one of these…" She stopped as she got to the top of the stairs. The busty red head smiled. "Well look what the cat dragged in! Hi boys!" she greeted them with loving eyes.
"Blaisey!" The second girl exclaimed and rushed the boy. Ora Zabini looked exactly like her brothers.
"Ugh. Don't call me that!" Blaise complained.
"You didn't mind when Daphne Greengrass did," Draco snickered. His ears had bled a the girl had repeated it over and over the year before when Blaise would sometimes invite her to their room and draw his bed curtains shut.
"Well if it isn't Draco Malfoy?" The redhead sat down beside him. Eloisa Peretti, Tommy Knott's fiancé of several years, was the only girl who had ever made him blush. He'd loved her for years and in his youth had spent countless nights in her company dreaming that someday he'd find a feisty redhead that he could call his.
Draco slumped in his seat.
Three hours. He had spent three hours without thinking about her.
"Have I finally gotten to old for you?" she laughed beside him.
"Oh don't mind him." Blaise was enjoying himself a little more than Draco had so far, if the bottles in front of him were any indication. "He's in love, and she won't have him."
"Won't have him?" Ora expressed indignantly. "Who is the little wench?"
"I'm not in love," Draco directed the information to Blaise. "And she's not a wench," he added a moment later.
"It's Ginny Weasley."
"Weasley?" Draco was surprised to see an approving look on Eloisa's face. "Remember Charlie Weasley?" She asked Ora.
"Oh I remember Charlie Weasley."
So maybe there was more than one attractive Weasley after all.
"Well, she must have her brother's looks if Draco here's interested in her."
"Trust me. No one blamed him for shagging her," Teddy piped up.
"Shagging her? I thought she wouldn't have you!" Eloise eyed him.
Shagged her. If only he had. Maybe she would have been a lousy lay and he'd have been done with her.
Done with her.
Would he ever be done with Ginny Weasley? Would she ever cease to invade his every thought? It seemed like an eternity since he had felt that first swell in his chest, as he watched her leap off the hill and resurface in the moonlight.
"So it is more than lust!" Ora deduced. "But not love?"
"Then what is it?" The girls giggled, and Draco found himself not quite as happy to see them.
"She's…she's a friend." Draco still struggled to call a Weasley a friend.
"Awww," both of the girls chorused together.
Draco looked around to the men in the room? Perhaps one of them had done something to evoke such a reaction. All of them looked back just as confused.
"You are falling in love," Ora Zabini sighed. "Who'd have guessed it."
"Tell us all about her." Eloise was suddenly leaning closer to him and Ora was crowding him on the other side.
"No."
"Fine." Eloise turned away and Draco was almost relaxed again when he noticed her flashing a smile across the room.
"Blaise? Won't you tell us about her?"
Blaise never needed a woman to ask him for anything twice, and this was no exception.
"Well let me begin by saying she's the most incredible kisser that I've had the pleasure of encountering."
Ginny nearly jumped out of her seat when Neville came bursting into he common room and yelled out her name in a strained voice.
"Ginny!" He panted as if he'd just run a mile. He held out a sealed letter to her, doubling over in exhaustion.
Ginny looked down at the letter. Her first name alone was scrawled on the front. Suddenly her heart was in her throat. She'd know the hand writing anywhere.
"Where did you get this?"
Neville could barely breathe, let alone speak. "Dinner…You left…Hedwig…"
"Hedwig? Hedwig is here?"
Neville could only nod in response.
"Oh Neville! Thank you!" She leapt from the chair and crushed him into a hug, before running from the room.
The lake was still and quiet on the chilly night, and the nearly full moon reflecting in the waters was bright enough to read by.
Gingerly, and careful not to damage the parchment, she broke the seal and opened up the letter.
Just his handwriting warmed her with comfort.
Dear Ginny,
Do you remember the back to school bash last year? When we played spin the bottle?
Ginny laughed. It was a strange start to a post-mortem letter.
My spin landed on you, and I kissed you so short and so chastely that even Ron called me a prude. And then you spun and gave Blaise Zabini the most incredible snog I'd ever seen. I had to tell myself you were just doing it to get back at me just to stop from exploding….
Ginny set the letter down from a moment. In her foggy recollection of the night, she had no memory of the boy she kissed being Blaise. All she remembered was following the neck of the bottle and planting her mouth on the boy in front of it. The whole time her thoughts had been on Harry, wondering if he was watching, if he was jealous.
Ginny used her tongue to ask for entrance to the boy's mouth. He accepted her and their tongues swirled together. Ginny held the kiss as long as she thought was the limit for a turn of the bottle, and then held it for a few moments longer before slowly pulling away. The moment she was close enough for him to reach, Ron's long arm lunged out and yanked her back into her seat beside him.
"What the bloody hell was that all about?" he yelled crossly.
"I'm not complaining." Ginny was vaguely aware of the boy she had kissed saying. She was busy looking for Harry. He was no longer in his seat in the circle. She frowned when she found him pouring himself a drink, Cho Chang standing so close to him she might as well have been attached. Ginny slumped in her seat.
"Ron, she's just having a good time. If she likes kissing people let her kiss people!" Hermione didn't hold her liquor well, but she was always amusing. "You can kiss me if you want Ginny!"
Ron's face was aghast.
"No you can't Ginny!" He commanded. "What's wrong with you?" he turned his attention to Hermione.
"Oh Ron, you're so uptight."
"I'm uptight? I'm uptight!?"
"Yeah you are!"
"That's something coming from you Mione," Ron said, irritated.
"If I'm so uptight Ronald would I do this?" And then Hermione planted her lips on Ron's. They came up for air just once, staring at one another in shock, before reattaching for the remainder of the evening."
It was Hermione's bold move that had given Ginny the courage to make hers.
She approached Harry where he was making himself yet another drink. Even the alcohol in her couldn't subdue her nerves when she was around him and it took her a moment before she could speak.
"Harry?"
He spun around and gave her a goofy grin.
"Ginny!"
"Hi."
Quickly he poured another drink and held it out to her.
"To the prettiest Weasley!" he toasted her. She blushed. She blushed harder when she choked on the burning liquor.
Harry either didn't mind or didn't notice though, as he took back the glass and grabbed her hand.
"Lets dance."
He'd done it for her. She'd been terrified she wouldn't be able to ask him to dance with her and then he'd gone and made it seem so easy.
The up-tempo song had Harry hopping around like a manic. He was the most horrible dancer Ginny had ever seen, and every move he made endeared her more. She was about to thank Harry for joining her when the song ended and a slow ballad came on, when suddenly his hands were on her waist pulling her close.
"Where are you going?" His words were slurred slightly, but she didn't mind. He was touching her.
Harry pulled her closer and Ginny took in his scent as they danced cheek to cheek.
"Harry" She didn't know what had come over her. She didn't even really know what she was doing until the words escaped her. "I love you."
She was horrified when Harry immediately pushed her way, and even more so when her shoes were suddenly covered in vomit.
Surely a simple 'Thank you, but I don't feel the same way,' would have sufficed.
"Oh Ginny your shoes! Harry look what you've done to Ginny's shoes!" Hermione was scurrying over, Ron remained in the corner retching.
"Oh Ginny don't cry dear! I can get them clean. Scrubi… Scrubou… Scr… Well I can do it the morning certainly. Now maybe we should get Harry back. Ron! Ron! Ron come on and help us, and stop being a baby!"
Ginny had always remembered the night as being one of the worst of her life, but now in this strange new world she was living in, it was suddenly one of the best. Her brother's protection no longer seemed so overbearing, and Ginny would give anything to see Hermione so relaxed and happy again. And no matter how horribly it had gone, she had kissed Harry and told him she loved him all in one night. And for one night, all of them had gotten to be normal teenagers, with normal problems. She had very few memories of her times with Ron, Harry, and Hermione that were not tainted with a lingering threat of Lord Voldemort, but that night the Dark Lord's name had not been mentioned once.
Ginny relished in her memories only a moment longer before returning to Harry's letter.
….I got up and left before you even pulled away from him and did a few shots too many. When you came up to me I was so determined not to let you slip away. You tried to leave after one dance, surely do to my horrendous dancing skills, but I couldn't let you walk away. It was then that I realized I couldn't stand the idea of you living your life without me. That's all I remember from the rest of the night, but I remember that.
I know now though that that can't be. I think I always knew sort of, and that's way I never dared to try anything with you again.
As you probably know by now, I am writing, to say goodbye. I don't have long to write this, as I've wasted most of my time thinking that it would be too hard to dare try and say goodbye, and admit to myself that I'm never going to see you again. But as I thought of you, and all the other people I'll never have a chance to say goodbye to, I realized just why this is what I have to do, and how I can die happy knowing you all will live on in peace, and without fear.
I know you're not happy yet, and I know you're angry at me, but please don't be. This is the only way, whether you want to believe it or not, and I'm at peace with that, and you should be too. Besides I've forgiven you for putting yourself at risk like you did for me.
That's one reason I knew I needed to write you, because angry as you may be with me, I know you're angrier with yourself. You're even more stubborn than Ron, but listen to people when they tell you helping Snape that night was the right thing to do.
You saved me Ginny, in so many ways. You saved me from the death eaters that night, you saved me from giving up, and most of all you saved me from forgetting what this war is all about. I've been lurking in terrible places with terrible people these past few months, but seeing you made me remember everything wonderful about everyone I love. You're ability to see the good in people and place your trust in them is so incredible. You glided through that room so effortlessly when even I was terrified. You were so sure of yourself and the people you were working with. With Voldemort gone everyone will be able to trust each other like you do. That's why I have to do this Ginny. I want the world to be a place where people who aren't as brave as you can have faith in each other too, and I'm proud to be the one who can offer them that.
Besides, now you don't have to worry about Malfoy and I fighting over you. I noticed something going on there when you approached him that night. When I found out who he was well… I can't say I understand, but I suppose the least I can do, after all of this, is trust you. Just tell Ron and the rest of your brothers that it's my dying wish that they leave the two of you alone. Tell Malfoy it's my thank you gift to him for giving me one last moment with you.
Please tell Hermione I love her and that I'm sorry I left her behind all this time but the world couldn't afford to lose a mind like hers. Tell her she was my best friend, and guide. And I've been lost on this adventure without her. Tell your family that they're the only family I ever had, and that is why before I left, I had the name on my Gringrotts vault changed to Weasley. The key is at the bank. Tell them I love them all.
Finally, know that I love you too, and, friend or more, my only regret is never telling you that in person, but this will have to do.
Goodbye Ginny, and thank you.
Love,
Harry
Ginny smiled and pressed the letter against her heart. Peace that she hadn't felt since that terrible morning washed over her. Harry had saved the world, and now he had saved her.
Draco sighed, as he stared up at the ceiling. Blaise had yammered about Ginny so much all night that now getting her out of his head was certifiably impossible. The memories off her body pressed to his, holding her close as she wept, the sweet kiss she'd given him even after she'd just seen Potter, made his skin crawl with restlessness that she wasn't in his arms at that moment, her pomegranate scent radiating around him. Yet every replay of the moments made him love her more.
Draco sat up.
Love her.
Love her.
He loved her.
"I love her." He announced, really to himself.
The only other person left in the room, Blaise replied with an exasperated, "It's about time."
"What's that I hear in there?" Tommy, Varun, and Teddy were coming up the stairs from the bar
"This calls for a toast!" Tommy reached into the kitchen cabinet and pulled down 5shot glasses and a bottle of expensive whiskey. He poured them out and handed one to each of them.
Draco, still lost in his epiphany, was barely aware of what was going on.
"To Malfoy in love!"
Draco downed the shot at the words.
"Bloody hell…" He was in love with a Weasley.
"Eh. Don't worry mate!" Varun clapped in the back. "If it doesn't work out you always have us!"
Draco grabbed for the bottle and poured out another shot, which he quickly took.
"I've managed to fall in love with a girl who despises me." This had to be god's vengeance for the years of torture he'd inflicted on others.
"Malfoy, you're a bastard. Everyone despises you," Teddy laughed aloud.
"The question is. Does she just despise you? Or does she love to despise you?" Varun raised his eyebrow.
"Oh will you lot shut up, up there!" Eloise called up from the bar. "Malfoy she doesn't hate you. From everything I've hear you've done something to piss her off and now she's mad at you. Apologize, tell her you love her, and she'll be right back in your arms! But you're too drunk to do that tonight and there's a whole bar or liquor down here that no one comes in to drink anymore. So I suggest you forget about it and you all come down and join us before we find a few decent men to keep us company!"
There was a mad rush for the steps, women, and alcohol. Draco stood thinking through what Elli had said. If only it were that simple.
Could it be that simple?
Ginny practically floated to the Great Hall the next morning for breakfast. She was slightly disappointed to see that Draco was not at his table. But was in too good a mood to let it bother her.
"Ginny! What did it say?" Neville was rushing towards her.
"Everything." She replied. She didn't mean to be vague.
"Did you show Hermione yet? I told her and…"
"You told Hermione?" She asked, alarmed.
"Yeah…Should I not have?"
"No. No its okay Neville. I just wanted to tell her to make sure it didn't upset her."
That wasn't totally true. Ginny had been strongly considering not telling anyone about the letter, and finding another way to express Harry's words to everyone. She hadn't counted on Neville in that plan.
"Have you seen her today?" she asked.
Neville shook his head in return.
"Oh well. I'll talk to her later then. But thank you Neville, you have no idea how much it means. It would have meant a lot to Harry too."
"Thanks Ginny."
Neither Draco nor Hermione were at lunch either.
Both were missing from dinner too.
Ginny felt deflated that Malfoy was nowhere to be found. While Hermione was often absent from meals, he was not.
What if she was too late? What if he wouldn't forgive her for all of her awful words?
Unable to handle those thoughts, she decided to seek out Hermione. She couldn't show her the letter. It said too much that she couldn't see, and too much that Ginny didn't want her to see. Hermione would have to settle for hearing it secondhand.
She approached the head girl's room after checking the Gryffindor common room and the library. She came to stop when several feet past Hermione's door Malfoy was opening the door to his room. She thought he was going to go in without seeing her, but just as he opened the door, he looked to his left and right at her. His door swung open but he stood still, silently staring at her.
She didn't have any words to begin to say all there was to say and before she knew it she had passed Hermione's room and was cupping Draco's face in her hands, pressing her lips to his.
Draco was frozen as Ginny rushed toward him. He was unable to respond when she first placed her lips on his, but soon took her face in his hands, caressing her soft cheeks. His heart sped as he became more and more aware of what was really happening.
"Bloody hell Weasley," he said when she pulled away. Panic shot through him when he saw her eyes were filled with tears.
"I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry for everything." Her eyes were pleading forgiveness that she didn't need. Draco grabbed her and pulled her into her room.
"What in Merlin's name are you sorry for Weasley?" he laughed at her.
"I said such horrible things, and thought worse…and I know they're not true." Her hands were draped around the back of his neck and she shook her head as she spoke.
"Ginny. I don't care about any of that, and I'm sorry too."
Ginny's jaw fell slight ajar.
He used a gentle fist to shut and tilted her face up. " I love you."
He watched Ginny's chest heave and her eyes widen, and it was at that moment that he realized her didn't care if she said it back, just as long as she knew. She knew he loved her and that was all he needed to get by. Leaning down, he kissed her, filling the pause so she would not feel pressured to respond.
When he broke the kiss she looked up at him, wide-eyed.
"I love you too."
"Do you have any idea how good that sounds?" he grinned at the red head, but he spoke too soon. She looked shyly at the ground before looking back up at him.
"Make love to me."
The words caused him to involuntarily shudder.
"Are you sure?" Having her change her mind now would be much more bearable than in a few minutes.
She giggled. "Its not like we haven't before…"
Draco's eyes widened and he cursed himself and his temper. "Ginny we never…Nothing ever happened that night."
"What? But you said! And I remember being…"
"We almost…but we never…" He was beginning to worry how Ginny was going to react when he was enveloped in a hug that threw him back onto his bed.
"Oh thank god! Oh wow!" Ginny was beaming. "You have no idea how upset I was that I couldn't even remember my first time!"
"Well I can't say I was too happy with how things ended at the time…but now…" He tucked a stray hair behind her ear and kissed her.
Gently he led her to the bed where they sat and the pair of them discarded their robes. Slowly he unbuttoned her blouse, relishing in each inch of skin as it was revealed. She hesitantly undid his, her hands trembling all the way down. With her shirt discarded he slipped one hand around and released her bra in one quick motion. She blushed as she shyly dropped the straps off her shoulders.
"Gods your beautiful." He pulled her closer and then gently laid her down on the bed. She tugged at her skirt to slip it down and he undid his trousers. Soon everything had been shed, and Draco found himself back where he had been so many weeks ago, only this time he could feel Ginny's nervousness. And unlike last time, he was nervous too.
"Relax," he whispered in her ear. "I'll never hurt you."
He took his time, making sure Ginny was comfortable until he finally felt her body relax and wrap around him.
"Draco," she sighed into his ear. It was nearly enough to bring it all to an end right there. Never had she addressed him by his given name, and it rolled of her lips like a prayer that sent shivers down his spine.
"God Ginny say it again."
"Draco…" she purred again. And again. And again.
"I love you Draco," she whispered when they collapsed in a sweaty heap and he rest his head against her chest.
Never had a woman held him so closely, so intimately.
"I love you too Ginny."
Draco closed his eyes and listened to her heart beat. Laying there with her, it was seemed like, all the things he had tried to be, and all the things he had done, all he ever really was doing was waiting for her.