Real Love

Chapter 18: Look After You

Disclaimer: not mine.

A/N: I'm sorry this took so long. I'm not really satified with this chapter, but think I need to move on, so it will do for now. Hope you all like it. I think there arrreee two more chapters? Three? I'm not 100 but its almost done. Yay!

If I don't say this now I will surely break
As I'm leaving the one I want to take
Forgive the urgency but hurry up and wait
My heart has started to separate

Oh, oh,
Be my baby
Ohhhhh
Oh, oh
Be my baby
I'll look after you

There now, steady love, so few come and don't go
Will you won't you, be the one I'll always know
When I'm losing my control, the city spins around
You're the only one who knows, you slow it down

Oh, oh
Be my baby
Ohhhhhh
Oh, oh
Be my Baby
I'll look after you
And I'll look after you

If ever there was a doubt
My love she leans into me
This most assuredly counts
She says most assuredly

-Look After You, The Fray

Ginny twirled about in the big grassy field, she felt light as air. Familiar laughter lifted her heart as two boys whirled by her head flying away from her. Ginny laughed and watched, eager to join them. Off in the distance the boys swooped and swirled about the air on their broomsticks.

"Ginny come on already!" Ron nagged her.

"Aren't you coming Gin?" Harry looked towards her hopefully.

"I'm coming!" She called after them. "I just had to talk to Charlie." She took off over the big grassy field. In the distance Harry swooped down, and hovered above the ground, waiting for her to hop on with him. "We better hurry! I hear the twins coming!" She ran across the field and felt as though she would never tire. The ground was soft and lush below her bare feet, and her white dress blew gracefully around her. She scowled when a warm hand reached out and held her back.

"Hermione! Let go! Ron, tell her to get off me!"

"Ginny you can't leave us," Hermione commanded her.

"I'll be with Ron and Harry. I want to go with them." Ginny tugged at the arm with all her might.

"Fred help me," Hermione cried out. "George go get your mother! Ginny please!" the girl pleaded with her.

"I'm fine Hermione! Just let me…"

She heard her mother cry out from somewhere far away, and soon the room was filled with more cries of despair as her brothers joined in.

The sun began to set behind Ron and Harry and Ginny relaxed against Hermione's grip.

"I'm not ready yet," she whispered.

"Are you coming Ginny?" Harry asked her one more time.

"No." she said quietly, suddenly feeling very tired and heavy. "No I have to stay."

The boys nodded and took off into the horizon as the sun set completely, and everything went dark.

Ginny's eyes fluttered open to the tall stone ceiling of the dim, familiar room. She was in the infirmary. She frowned trying to recall how she could have gotten there. Had she fallen asleep? She turned her head to the side, hoping to find something on the bedside table to give her a clue, and what she found was Draco, passed out on top of all the blankets on the neighboring bed. His brow was furrowed and he was twitching in a way that Ginny knew meant he was having a nightmare.

She used the bedrails to pull herself up, feeling quite weak, but as she did a ripping pain shot through chest and into the pit of her stomach.

"Ah!" she cried out from the pain gripping her belly with her arm.

"What are you doing?" Draco bolted upright. He was at her bedside before she could catch her breath. With one hand cradling her head and the other arm around the small of her back he lowered her back down onto the bed gently.

Ginny let out a small laugh when her head hit the fluffy pillow. "Oh. Right."

The night came flooding back to her. By the time the death eaters had come for her it had felt like days had passed since Narcissa's visit.

She was surprised when Snape untied the silk scarf that had been keeping her mouth clamped shut, but did not hesitate to take advantage of the opportunity. She had decided quite soon after being given back her wand that revealing she had it too soon would be a mistake. She hadn't planned on stealing that filthy death eater's, but when the moment was upon her she knew it was her best chance.

The unfamiliar, knobby, stick had felt uncomfortable in her hand and she was sure she would be able to do nothing with it. Let alone what she planned. All day she'd tried to think of a happy memory that didn't lead to a sad one. All of her best memories reminded her of Ron and Harry, filling her heart with a longing that couldn't be anything but sad. She trembled in fear, but in that split second that she feared she wouldn't be able to muster a happy thought, Draco's cloudy grey eyes caught hers. It was as if every moment he'd looked into her eyes flashed before her, not a single one of them a bad memory. And before she knew it a grey mist spouted out from the wand. She felt the power swell within her and waited for her mare to take form, and was thoroughly shocked when an enormous dragon spread its wings and took off across the room. She cursed inwardly. Would anyone even know it belonged to her? Surely Hermione would figure it out. Or perhaps Remus.

Her eyes pricked with tears as a hard fist swiped across her cheek, and a searing slice drew right under her eye. The green scarf was quickly tied back around her mouth and she was bound to the chair. No longer able to move, she knew there was little else she could do.

She watched Draco struggle to keep his composer, beside him Blaise's face twitched with anxiety. It was clear that his trust in Snape and Draco's planning was waning and he was itching to step in and end it.

Draco spoke and Ginny braced herself for what might come next. She was fairly confident that Richard Deakins would be unable to do her any harm. After all, if boys like Draco and Blaise had been unable to fulfill their tasks, then someone and innocent as Richard would surely be rendered still at the opportunity.

She watched the Slytherin boy shift uneasily and his father spoke to him and silently thanked the Lord when Snape was the first one to speak up.

"Perhaps Malfoy would be willing to show our newest member what to do," he suggested.

Ginny tensed. Snape should have offered to do it himself. He understood the sacrifices that were sometimes needed to win. He would have hit her to make the others believe it. He would have treated her like any other member of the Order. Draco surely wouldn't be able to harm her. The gig would be up in less than a minute. That wasn't enough time. If they wanted any chance, she'd have to make him come after her.

She cocked a quick eyebrow at him, only breaking her fearful gaze for an instant. He needed to know she was ready to play. His approach felt as though it happened in slow motion. With each of his long strides it felt as though as hour had passed. She saw him hesitate before he reached a trembling had around and released the knot on the gag, sending it fluttering to the floor. His sweaty hand then gripped her chin firmly, he closed his eyes and pressed his lips to hers.

Her heart fluttered at the contact. How long had it been since he had last kissed her? She felt his hand loosening on her face and knew he was losing his will. Flinching even as she did it, she slowly brought her leg in between his and jutted her knee upwards with as little force as she thought would get her point across. A sneer that she hadn't seen on his face for years flashed over her him, but still he didn't fight back. Ginny glared back at him and without warning spit right at his face.

It hit him on right beside his eye and she was sure she saw the moment that he gave in to her. Her neck jerked as he gripped her blonde hair and tore her from her seat. She landed on the floor with a thud, much softer than when she had been thrown into the dungeons earlier that day. Draco crawled on top of her, holding her down by the shoulders, her hips pinned by his. She wiggled as if trying to escape and let out a few cries.

"Reach of my skirt," she whispered in between her struggles.

He shook his head, forlorn. "I can't."

She scowled. "Just do it! My left leg." God help him if he didn't listen. He did and she felt a bit smug when she saw the realization in his eyes and he tugged the wands out of their place.

"No stop!" she reached her own hand up her skirt and linked her hand with his. She gripped her own wand and then tucked in her pocket.

"Severus please!" she called out.

"It'll be over any minute now love."

Ginny processed this. He agreed the Order would be here soon. She could keep it a bit longer. Even if she did have to go as far as to show her breasts. They weren't really hers anyway.

But lost in her own thought, she lost her chance to keep it going. Draco had leapt off her and was standing. "It's over now!" he growled.

"Draco no!" she gasped.

And then there was a pop, followed by two more, and another and another.

They were there. The Order was there. Ginny climbed to her feet as was in awe of how quickly death eaters were being taken out. Many weren't even fighting. Just running, or surrendering. She saw Draco rush forwards and stepped to follow him; however, she was blocked when a tall black cloaked male stepped in front of her.

"Stay beside me Miss Weasley." Snape spoke low. She obeyed. Curses were being thrown more freely now that only the desperate remained, and she knew she wasn't skilled enough to fight them. She watched as Draco crossed to a deserted alcove in the room and discreetly pulled open a mirror, revealing a passage way. He was motioning for Richard to step in when in the reflection of the tilted mirror Ginny saw him. Turpin stood there, his wand poised as Draco ushered the younger boy away. Ginny tugged at Snape's robes but as she did a blast hit them and their wands went flying from their hands.

There was no time to retrieve them and Ginny tore away from her Professor. She'd never run so fast in her life and it didn't seem nearly fast enough. He didn't see her coming and she was terrified she wouldn't make it.

Her hands fell onto his chest with all her might just as the jet of light came towards them. Draco went flying backwards and the curse hit the mirror right where he had been standing. The mirror gave a great crack and shattered above her. It came down in so many pieces that she could have never felt the pain of each individual shard piercing into her. Instead her whole body seared at once and she felt to the ground, darkness slowly creeping over her.

"Is that better? Does it still hurt?" Draco hovered above her.

"No. No it feels fine. Was it bad?" she asked curiously.

"I was scared I'd lost you," he whispered to her. Her heart clenched. Had it really been that bad?

"You're awake!" Hermione's voice sounded happily. Ginny turned her head and saw the older girl rushing towards them. "How do you feel?"

"Sore," Ginny admitted.

"She tried to get out of bed," Draco frowned.

"You what? Did you tear a stitch? Let me check. We'll have to get Madame Pomfrey if you did. You don't mind if I peek at you do you Ginny?"

Ginny chuckled. "No Hermione, it's fine. I don't think I broke a stitch though."

"Oh good," Hermione sighed. "Draco do mind giving us a minute?" Ginny saw the protest in his eyes but he slipped off the side of her bed and nodded.

"No problem," he agreed.

Ginny felt a slight loss as he disappeared out of the room.

"I know it isn't anything he hasn't seen before, but you're mother could walk in at any moment. Besides I don't really fancy being in the room while Malfoy gets all riled up."

Ginny blushed a little and laughed as hard as she could without feeling pain.

She quickly undid the buttons of the pajama top she was wearing and allowed Hermione to inspect her chest. Ginny was shocked to see herself. Her stomach was covered in stitched up sores.

"Oh wow…" she uttered.

"You gave us quite a scare Ginny. You're family was so scared. I was so scared. When Fred and George brought you back to Grimmauld Place I thought you were dead…"

Ginny reached out and grabbed her friend's hand.

"I felt so guilty Ginny. I suddenly knew how you must have felt that night you found me, and you saved me. And I didn't know if I could save you."

"Hermione…" Ginny began but the other girl shook her head.

"I made Fred pluck the pieces of glass out of you while I went behind him and tried to stop the bleeding. He was trembling so badly, and I was too. I didn't think we could do it."

"But you did," Ginny smiled.

"Well once you were safe to move we brought you here and Madame Pomfrey did the rest. She kicked Fred and I out. She tried to kick out your mother…"

"You said Mum's here?" she asked.

"You're Mum? You're whole family's here!"

"All of them?"

As if on cue the doors the infirmary blew open and a heard of red heads pushed their way in.

"Ginny!" they all chorused.

"Oh Ginny!" her mother tearful cry stood out among the male voices of the rest.

"Hi guys!" she smiled, feeling tears brimming.

"How are you feeling?" George asked her eagerly.

"Good. Just a bit sore," she gave a little smile.

"Just a bit? You look bride-of-Frankenstein under there!" Fred howled.

"Fred!" Molly and Hermione scolded him at the same time.

"Yeah Gin. I think our dragon keeper brother might just have some competition for the most scars in the family." Bill grinned and elbowed Charlie, who didn't laugh.

Ginny didn't laugh either.

"Am I really going to be that scarred?" she turned to her mother frantically. Charlie was a roadmap of old scratches and wounds.

"No dear. Of course not!" he mother coddled her.

"You'd still be beautiful even if you were Ginny," her father said reassuringly.

"Yeah Gin! Charlie's still beautiful!" George quipped.

Ginny finally chuckled at this. "You are beautiful Charlie." He still didn't smile.

"Isn't anyone else angry at her?" The stone demeanor that Charlie had worn since he entered the room broke as he exploded.

Ginny flinched from the outburst and looked up at her brother with concern.

"Charlie…" she started.

"You almost died. And for what? I can't believe you were so reckless. What would we have done? Wasn't losing Ron enough?"

"Charlie I…"

"I thought you died in my arms Ginny!"

Fuzzy images of Charlie leaning over her flashed through her mind. 'We're all fine Gin-bug,' he had told her.

"Oh Charlie," she whispered. "I'm so sorry."

Tears brimming in both their eyes Charlie sat on the side of her bed and gently engulfed her into his arms.

The stayed there silent for a moment before Ginny whispered again. "I'm so sorry." She paused only a moment before adding, "But I had to. I had to do it."

Charlie took a deep breath and his chest heaved against hers. "I know," he admitted. He too paused for a moment before adding, "It's just that you're my favorite sister."

Ginny laughed and pushed her brother away. Everyone laughed as well, and the noise was just enough to finally draw the attention Ginny had been dreading.

"Really. I told you all the most visitors I could possibly accommodate at once is three." Madame Pomfrey tutted as she rounded the corner. "Oh Ginny! And no one came to fetch me?" The nurse scowled. "Everybody out. I need to examine her."

Ginny heard her mother give an grunt of protest but Ginny squeezed her hand reassuringly. The redheads filed out of the room.

"Ginny how are you feeling?" The woman's tone had softened considerably.

"Well. Just a bit sore when I move."

"No nausea? Chest pains? Light headedness?"

"No. Nothing like that."

Madame Pomfrey smiled. "Then I expect you'll be quite recovered by tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Ginny asked, excited by the prospect.

"Of course dear. You know stitches don't take that long to heal up, and if you're not experiencing any other symptoms…"

"No. None at all!" Ginny insisted.

"Then you should be back in your own bed tomorrow night. Now get some rest dear. I'll let your family back in shortly."

Draco gave one last pace before deciding he'd given them long enough and reaching for the door. Just as he did the heavy door swung open, only missing the tip of his nose by an inch. He backed away and made room for the pack of wizards and witches to file out.

"She kicked us out," Charlie Weasley told him.

"Madame Pomfrey just needs some time with her," Granger amended, her voice cheery.

"Do you think they'll be long?" he frowned back at her. He knew he shouldn't have waited so long.

"You might as well come join us for dinner dear," Molly Weasley instructed him.

The woman hadn't once asked him about why he was there, or exactly what his relationship with Ginny was. She hadn't scolded him for getting her daughter involved in such a charade and not being able to protect her, nor had she tried to exclude him from any knowledge of Ginny's condition during the two days since everything had happened. She had scolded her boys every time they called him Malfoy, which had left him with the tricky task of calling all of them by their given names, but somehow in that short time, Draco found himself becoming comfortable with the Weasleys.

He'd been skeptical when Blaise had told him how nice they all really were. After all, Blaise had a certain way with people that Draco did not. The family seemed intent in proving Blaise right however, and Draco's only consolation was the thought that surely Ron Weasley would never have been so accommodating.

They made their way to a guest room where the Weasley's had been put up while staying with Ginny. There, the house elves had set up a selection of the great hall's nightly feast for the family to choose from.

Draco took a small plateful, unsure that he could really eat much of anything at the moment, and sat down the table. Granger took the seat beside him, and smiled politely.

"When do you have to leave Draco?" Mrs. Weasley questioned when she settled into her seat.

"Tomorrow," he replied. "Early."

"But Ginny's just woken up!" she protested. He did note that none of the other's seemed to share the sentiment.

"I'm glad I was here for it," he answered her. "Blaise should be arriving sometime the day after though, so she won't be minus one guest for long."

"Oh Blaise! She'll be so glad. He's such a nice boy. I had hoped they'd work out." she sighed.

Draco felt himself tense and in that brief moment he saw a satisfied smile and a flash of understanding cross over Molly's face. She'd had him.

"Anyway, as soon as Ginny's released we're all leaving too. She'll have to jump right back into her studies to catch up and be ready for NEWTS. I'll not have less than half my children graduate." She gave Fred and George both dirty looks. "And I'm not about to pretend that Ron graduating would have been some sort of given." she mused.

"Nah, Mum. He had Hermione! He'd of been just fine." Bill chuckled and Granger blushed.

There were a few moment of silence until Arthur Weasley brought the conversation back on course. "Will you be rejoining Severus for the indictment process, Draco?"

"Yes. Hopefully not for long though. Just long enough…."

The truth was anymore time away felt like too much for him. Even being away from the infirmary to eat was a struggle. He wanted to be with her at every moment.

The question was, what did she want?

Ginny gave one last tearful hug to her mother before shooing her away and closing the door to her room. She sank against the door and gave a heavy sigh. She was sad to see them go so soon, but happy to finally have a moment to herself.

She had been surprised that morning when Draco wasn't passed out in the bed beside hers, and more surprised when he wasn't at lunch when she surprised her family after her release from the infirmary. And then her mother had told he he'd left, and wasn't coming back.

There was a a rap at the door, rattling the wood against her back. Ginny took a few deep breaths to calm the tears she had felt coming all day before turning to the door.

"Mum…" she laughed as she swung it open.

The blond standing there raised an eyebrow at her.

"Oh…" was all she managed, stepping aside to allow him in. She shut the door behind him and turned, folding her arms across her chest. "I thought you'd left…"

"Without saying goodbye?"

"Well Mum said you had to get back so I figured you'd gone." She struggled to sound casual, and she could tell by the look on his face, Draco wasn't buying it.

"I've spent every night since we got here by your side. I wasn't about to leave without telling you."

"It'd have been fine if you did. This wasn't your fault you know. You don't owe me anything."

"I'm not here because I think I owe you something, Weasley." He scowled and the anger in his voice made Ginny flinch a bit. "I'm here because I love you," he added more softly.

"Draco…" Ginny didn't know what to say. Her relationship with the man in front of her had become very blurry over the past days, and she no longer knew how exactly to define it. She no longer knew which moments had been real, and which had been a façade. She felt as though she no longer knew anything.

"I need to know what you want Ginny. I know you still love me. You told me so. And my mother, she told me what you said."

There was a friendly, familiar, pompous smirk in his eyes where he added the last bit that made Ginny relax a bit and stepped towards him.

"I don't know what I want," she told him honestly.

" I know I was cruel to you Ginny. If I could take it back I would never even consider doing things the way I did. I'd never try and play the hero when I'm clearly not one."

"You…" she began to argue. He had been so brave through the whole ordeal. How could he think he was a failed hero.

"… needed you to swoop in and save me," he finished the sentence a bit differently than she would have.

He moved forwards, closing the space between them and pressed his face to hers.

"I want to be with you Ginny."

"I want to be with you too," her heart was beating faster than it ever had. "But I don't know if I can." She pulled away. "Being here in this room, with you. I just can't stop thinking about what you did."

"Ginny I know. You have to know doing that to you was the hardest thing I've ever done. The past year was nothing in comparison."

"But how could you?" she felt the flood of hurt she had hidden from him for so long starting to break through the dam. "You just don't get it. If I could make you feel the way I felt when you… But I couldn't. I could never do something to do that to you. I never want you to feel the way I felt."

"Ginny…"

"I couldn't even sleep with Blaise because I was so scared of what it would do to you if you found out." She hadn't even known those words were true until she heard herself speak them.

"Ginny…"

He wasn't going to stop her now. It was too late, she'd opened the floodgates.

"But you weren't so concerned about me were you? You didn't try to spare me at all! You just let her come and send me away like yesterday's garbage. You wanted me to feel like garbage." She growled.

"Ginny! What are you talking about?" he stared at her.

" I'm talking about you fucking Eloise Nott!" she yelled and felt a pang rip across her chest as she said the words.

She watched Draco's eyes widen and his chest heave. He reached out for her hand with she ferociously rejected.

"Ginny I never slept with Ellie," he said in a quiet voice.

"Draco please…" She rolled her eyes.

"Ginny I didn't. I swear."

"I saw you."

"You saw her. After I'd refused her, and after I'd kicked her out and left."

"She look awfully comfortable to me."

"Ginny when I'd found out what she'd done. That you'd seen her and she'd…I could have killed her. I held my wand to her neck and I wanted to do it. I never wanted you to think I would…"

"So you… You never?" Ginny turned away from him. Her eyes clenched shut as she tried to process everything. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I couldn't." he whispered. She hadn't realized how close her gotten until she felt the breath of his words on her neck. "I knew if I saw you I'd lose it. I'd break down and tell you everything. I knew I'd never let you leave my side again. I couldn't Ginny."

Ginny's chest was clenched so tight she was sure her heart would stop. So many things were swimming around her head. Months and months of stress and torment were suddenly becoming unraveled and she felt as though she'd never sort it out.

"You're leaving again now aren't you?" the thought suddenly stuck her and she spun her head back to face him.

He sighed. "I don't want to."

"But you have to," she muttered. He simply nodded in return.

"Draco, what do you want?"

"I want you to wait for me." he spoke honestly. Ginny could see the hope in his eyes, even as his body language seemed to suggest he was waiting for rejection. His shoulders hunched and his chin dipped, not quite hiding the way he bit his lip.

Ginny reached her hand out and brushed his hair off his face. Her fingers gently grazed the back of his neck. "I've waited this long already," she said and finally broke a small smile.

"I'm not sure how long it will be," he warned her.

She shook her head. "It doesn't matter. I don't care how long. Just as long there're no more secrets and no more lies."

"Never."

He stood, there, silent and patient, as she attempted to take it all in, and when she stood on her toes, and pressed her lips to his, his entire body relaxed against hers. He wrapped his arms around her, and held her tightly to him.

"You don't know how long I've been waiting for that," he whispered as their mouths parted, his eyes still shut. "I missed you."

"I missed you," she admitted. She blushed a bit, but his lips were back on hers before he could have possibly noticed.

His kiss wasn't quite as sweet this time, and he dug his fingers hungrily into her waist as he nipped her lower lip. This time the warmth flashing through her wasn't in her heart. Ginny released her grip on his neck and fumbled with the buttons on his shirt. Each one released with more ease than the one before it, and soon she was slipping the cotton material from his strong lean shoulders. Her hands quickly moved on to his silver belt buckle which was where his hand met them.

"Ginny," he said breathlessly. " Are you sure you want to do this now? I'm leaving again and…"

"I've waited this long already," she looked him in the eye.

He growled and freed her hand to get back to its previous activities. As soon as his pants were around his ankles, he was eagerly kicking them off while simultaneously shimmying her top off of her.

She watched him frown as he took in her exposed body, and instinctively shrunk away from him. He gripped her tightly, denying her the escape. Slowly he reached his hand to her chest to a spot just north of her breast, where right above her heart was a long pink scar. He ran his thumb tenderly across the mark. His touch gentle, as though he might hurt her if he pressed it any harder. She watched unidentifiable emotions flicker through his eyes before her bent his head, and with even more softness than his hand, he pressed his lips against the scar. He moved along the line, covering each inch with a tiny kiss. He continued up her collar bone and end with one, equally small kiss on her lips. Her eyes fluttered open, when the warmth of his mouth left her completely. He stood before her, staring at her, his eyes full of apology.

Just and gently as he had touched her, Ginny found herself reach out and taking his arm into her hand. She rotated it so his forearm was facing up, exposing the mark he always tried so hard to keep out of sight. She ran her fingers across it, and could feel his muscles twitched below the skin as he struggled not to pull away.

She carefully looked into his eyes before she lifted his arm into the air, and pressed her lips to the mark. Sure that she covered the whole thing, she then dropped his arm and placed her hands back around the back of his neck.

"We all have our battle wounds," she whispered, hoping to relieve him of any lingering guilt for anything.

She took the tender kiss she received as an affirmation, and being swept into his arms as a bonus.

He laid her down on the bed, cradling her in his arm as he lowered himself onto her He finished undressing her with care and when they were both fully unclothed, he moved so slowly she wasn't sure she could stand it.

It was unlike experience she'd shared with him before. His eyes were locked in hers the entire time. The feeling blossomed deep with in her, and kept building even when she thought it could grow no more. When the moment finally came, she brought him with her. She was vaguely conscious of her voice calling his name, but intensely aware of the vibrations that shook through her as his head dipped into her neck and his called hers.

"I love you," he panted into her ear.

"I love you," she replied.

"I'm going to take care of you this time Ginny. I swear it." He promised, tightening his embrace around her.

She in return tightened her arms around him and said, "And I'm going to take care of you this time."

They fell asleep in each others arms, and in the morning took their time saying goodbye, before Draco slipped away.