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Warning! This chapter gets racy down towards the end. If it's too much for you please skip to the last two paragraphs before the author's note.

Chapter 17: Removing the Mask

Ginny woke up late on Saturday morning. She had decided that after the disgustingly long week she had had she was going to take a little time for herself and sleep in.

She awoke about ten o'clock and then proceeded to take her time showering for the day and getting dressed. She locked the door to Draco's room while she was in the bathroom because she didn't want to chance an accidental run in with the devil's spawn to ruin her guilty pleasure morning.

Eventually she could no longer put off going downstairs to help manage the decorating of the ballroom for the party that evening. But by the time she arrived down there most everything was done. Between Narcissa, Salvia and the houseelves had transformed the regal yet plain dance space to a completely decorated space fit for the ball later that night.

The whole room was decorated with the traditional Halloween colors of black and purple. There were tables scattered around the room at the two far ends with a large ballroom floor in the middle much like the set up of the wedding a few weeks earlier. Each table was covered by a black silk table cloth with shimmering silver place settings. All the plates were stamped in the center with the Malfoy crest. Each of the crystal stemware was magically lit from within so that it glowed purple as well. In the center of each of the tables were glowing balls of white light rather than a center piece. These balls were also scattered all throughout the room, levitated to be an eerie light source to supplement the candelabra that lined the walls. The ceiling had been enchanted in the same way that the Hogwarts ceiling had to reflect the weather outside so that tonight it would sparkle over the Malfoys and their guests with stars. The overall effect of the room was spectacular and Ginny could not wait to see it later that evening when the sun had set filled with all the guests.

When they were finished the three women made their way to the dining room for lunch where all three of their husbands awaited them.

Ginny was less than pleased when she saw Draco sitting at the far end of the long table with his father and grandfather when the women walked in. Thus far the pair had managed to essentially avoid each other entirely for the last week since their run in at the dress shop.

Now the thought of having to be civil to him in front of all his family during lunch and then in front of the 200 plus guests at the ball made Ginny sick to her stomach. All she really wanted to do was to claw the bugger's eyes out.

But like the adoring wife she was being paid to be she dutifully took her place next to Draco at the table and endured.

All throughout the meal neither said a single word to the other. They both talked to the elder Malfoys but did not so much as glance at each other and when they were finished the whole family went their separate ways again until later that night.

Hallie arrived at Malfoy Manor about 5:30 so that she could get her gown which was delivered with the others to the manor and then get ready for the ball with Ginny. When she got to the manor she was immediately escorted by Blinky up to Ginny's room and she entered without knocking.

Her best friend was sitting at her vanity wrapped in a towel with her wet curls hanging down her back. She was not making any effort to get ready, just simply staring at her reflection, obviously lost in her own thoughts. She was seemingly shaken out of her reverie by Hallie's entrance though. She turned in her seat and smiled. "Hi love."

Hallie smiled back. "Hi babe, what's up?"

"Just avoiding getting ready for this godforsaken thing." Ginny laughed and stood up from her seat. "Give me one second." She crossed the room to her closet and reemerged a few minutes later in the correct undergarments and a loosely tied robe. "Here let me transfigure you a vanity so we're not cramped at one."

Ginny turned and used the low coffee table to create a vanity set and a chair that matched Ginny's own. She then pointed to the two garment bags that rested on the bed. "Mine is on right and yours is on the left. Both masks are in that box in the middle."

The pair then set about the process of getting ready. While Ginny manually twisted her hair up into pin curls Hallie took a shower and then magically dried her hair so that she could scoop it up into an elegant up do.

Both women then set about doing their makeup. While they sat there applying it Hallie chattered on about one topic or another to fill the silence in the room. Ginny inserted the appropriate comments here and there so that her friend would not think that she was entirely swept up in her own reverie once again.

"Did you know that I lost my virginity after a Halloween Ball?" Ginny said randomly when a pause came in Hallie's rambling.

"Oh really?" Hallie said. She twisted in her seat away from her conjured vanity mirror to look at her best friend. "Do tell. It was to the arse hole in the next room I assume."

"Yes, yes it was." Ginny chuckled. "In my later years at Hogwarts we always had Halloween balls for the older students and in my sixth year while I was with Draco everything just clicked into place."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I was an emotional wreck just before the ball that year. The trio had disappeared about ten days before prior and I was sick with worry. I basically moved in to Draco's private rooms because being near him made me slightly less worried and I also couldn't stand the pitiful sounds of Allie crying over Harry any longer. Draco became my emotional rock in that week and remained such until we were officially over."

Ginny paused and took a deep breath then she too spun around in her chair. "It all happened so fast. I spent the entire ball basically glued to his side. We danced every single dance together and I know that is when people first became suspicious of us. There were always rumors circulating about Draco and I secretly being together back then. We always waved them off under the pretense that we had just become good friends because our best friends were very publically together. I'm sure everyone who saw us together that year felt entirely vindicated when Colin's piece on us came out in The Daily Prophet.

"It was just too big a change in Draco; because even back then he was a complete manwhore. He had slept with half of the school by the time we first got together and I honestly have never been able to figure out what it was about me that made him pull such a complete 180.

"From the time we first met as Draco and Ginny the year before, as opposed to Malfoy and Weasley, he had always been entirely focused on me. He never even looked at other girls and that night was no different. We did not separate once even though at least a dozen other girls asked if they could cut in. I felt so loved and so protected. It was entirely my decision when we finally got back to the room. I basically jumped him as soon as the door swung close. He tried very hard to be the gentleman and get me to realize what I was doing, to get me to slow down, even though I could feel how much he wanted me too through his trousers. But I kept pushing and before long he couldn't withstand any more.

"It was amazing. He was so sweet and gentle and made sure that I was entirely comfortable and hardly felt the pain. It lasted surprising long for being my first time and he actually was able to take me all the way. After it was all over we just laid there holding each other. After a few minutes he leaned down and kissed me and then he whispered I love you. Can you believe that? Draco Malfoy was the first one to say the three hardest words, not me. I immediately started crying and kissing him and telling him I loved him back with my whole heart. It was the most beautiful night I've ever spent."

Then Ginny went silent. She wiped a tear that was sliding slowly down her cheek away and then smiled at Hallie. She began to laugh at herself for all the dumb emotions that were coursing through her. "Bloody hell I'm a complete wreck!"

Hallie jumped up from her chair and immediately hugged her best friend. "No you're not! You're beautiful and amazing. And you deserve the absolute best in the world."

Ginny clutched her friend and nodded. "So do you."

Hallie pulled back and scoffed at her. "Psh, I would just take one that doesn't bail on me every time we have sex."

Ginny immediately scrubbed her face and focused on Hallie. "What do you mean? I'm so awful, I've been blubbering on and I never even asked you what happened with Theo. I'm so sorry love."

"That's totally fine because honestly, nothing happened with Theo. I took a few days off after the wedding because I was blatantly avoiding him and then when I finally got the courage to go back to work I find out that the day before the bugger had requested two weeks off. He said it was something about his mother but I don't know if it was that or if he just didn't want to be around me. He is supposed to be back on Monday." She grimaced at her friend. It was obvious that Hallie was battling feelings for Theo in much the same way that Ginny was battling her past feelings for Draco.

"I hate to break it to you love but he will actually be here tonight."

Hallie's beautiful face contorted into a grimace. "Great. This is going to be so much fun."

Ginny couldn't help but laugh at the blatant sarcasm. "Yeah tell me about it. We have to deal with those two inherently stupid men who just can't get it together when it comes to us. All I have to say is at least yours isn't your date."

"That is very, very true."

At 7:10 there was a rap on the door. Hallie swished across the room to answer it while Ginny pulled down the last few curls and magiced her hair into place. Both of the women were finally ready after a grueling hour and a half of preparation that reminded Ginny exactly why she hated these sorts of parties.

Hallie swung the door open to reveal Draco who was dressed in a perfectly fitted tuxedo with a vest and tie that were the exact shade of Ginny's dress. He leaned against the door in an annoyingly sexy way and smirked. He twirled his companion mask to Ginny's intricate on one finger looking bored as the girls put the finishing touches on their outfits and grabbed their masks, finally ready to go.

Draco bowed the ladies out of the room and let them lead the way downstairs. This was only partially out of good manners and mostly because he wanted to watch the two stunning women without them noticing. Once again Draco was struck by how utterly fantastic Ginny looked in the long blue dress. He allowed himself a few moments to take her all in before he steeled himself against her. He couldn't let how beautiful she looked affect him because tonight was the night he was to enact his revenge. He knew it was the perfect plan. It would require very little effort on his part but he knew that it would make her absolutely furious and he was going to enjoy every minute of it.

The trio then descended the stairs and made their way to the Grand Ballroom. When they arrived they found that the elder two couples already in the ballroom putting last minute touches on the décor and waiting for the first guests to arrive.

Before long Blaise, Luna and Theo were there as the firsts guests. They arrived slightly early but it was no surprise to Draco since these friends were always there to make sure there wasn't anything that Narcissa needed before one of her big events.

Tonight Luna looked absolutely stunning in a shimmery gold gown with a plunging neckline and very little back. Ginny remembered when she and Luna had picked out that dress; it was always one of her favorites. The extravagant gowns for all the various galas and balls that they attended was one of the few things that Luna always let Blaise buy without fail. Usually she refused to accept too many gifts from him and insisted that they pay the bills for their flat evenly.

The trio immediately started exchanging pleasantries with Ginny, Draco and his family and catching up on their lives since they had last seen one another. Before long more guests had arrived until it seemed as if there were a steady stream of people entering the ballroom and all three Malfoy couples greeted them graciously.

Finally the flow of people slowed and they were all able to disperse to enjoy the festivities along with everyone else. By that point the ball was in full swing. There were people waltzing their way along the dance floor and enjoying the splendid array of food that had been set out for the occasion. Guests laughed and smiled and thanked every Malfoy they came in contact with for hosting the amazing affair. The only one who didn't seem to be enjoying themselves was Ginny due to the tall, blond thorn in her side.

The problem was Ginny couldn't pin point the problem. He wasn't being obnoxious or his normal smarmy self, in fact it was the opposite. Draco was being the perfect gentleman and an even better husband. He stood by Ginny's side, fetched her drinks, danced with her as much as she desired, he was perfect. But it wasn't right. This was not Draco; not even his acting was that good.

She couldn't describe it but he knew exactly what he was doing. Draco was intentionally being the perfect date. He strove to make sure his eyes did not stray to look at all the gorgeous women in their formalwear; he doted on Ginny and was on his very best behavior. He did all this not because he wanted to or because the act would please his family, no, the entire charade was meant to piss off his wife. And it was working.

Draco could tell that beneath her calm exterior she was absolutely on edge and it was pissing her off more and more by the minute. It was a beautiful thing.

As the night wore on Draco could tell Ginny was growing closer and closer to snapping at him. He wondered if she made a public scene if his grandfather would be forced to fire her, that could be fun. But in the end he was disappointed.

The couple was standing his parents and the Minister of Magic and his wife, all conversing casually on this topic and that when Draco finally pushed Ginny over the edge. The minister had made a joke and the whole circle had laughed but when the laughter subsided Ginny felt Draco step closer to her and place a hand on the small of her back.

The feel of that intimate gesture sent a stab of white hot rage straight to Ginny's heart. She had to get out of that room right then or she might end up cursing him in front of everyone. So she planned her exit strategy and calmly said, "Oh well I am becoming far too flushed in here. Draco darling, would you mind going out onto the terrace with me for a few minutes. I really need some air."

Draco simply smiled a dazzling smile at her and said, "Of course my love. Anything you need." and her motioned for her to lead the way.

As soon as they had made it out to the terrace Ginny ripped off her mask and turned on Draco.

"Alright what in the bloody hell is going on?" Ginny demanded.

Draco carefully reached up and unclasped the fasteners that held the mask to his face. "I have no idea what you could possibly be talking about dear."

"See! That! What is all this dear and darling crap? You hate me and I hate you. End of story."

Draco shook his head and held out a finger. "Ah, ah, ah, not so fast. We're in love, remember. I'm just playing along in this stupid scheme. Isn't that what you're supposed to be doing? Restoring my image as my perfect little trophy wife? At least that is what I was under the impression you were doing here."

"Of course that's what I've been doing. I have been for the last 2 months. You haven't seen your name in any magazines or posed for any nude shoots have you? You are being cleansed."

"Perfect. Then what is the problem?" he reached up and ran over his face tiredly.

She threw up her hands in exasperation. "You're being too attentive! No husband is that good! You have been hanging on my every word, your eye has not wandered a single time, you have just been… there, right beside me all night attending too my every need."

"And how is that a problem?"

"Because that isn't you!" she cut him off. Her voice was now rising at an accelerated rate and there was nothing she could do to stop it. He had finally done it, unleashed the infamous Weasley temper and he was about to experience the full brunt of it.

Draco, realizing what was most likely about to happen, took out his wand and created a sound barrier bubble around the pair so that their argument would not draw the attention of any of the guests that spun on the dance floor a few mere metres from where they now stood.

"You are not that man!" she continued. "You are not kind or thoughtful or aware of other people's feelings. You used to be but now you are just this cold outer shell; nothing but a pale shade of the man that I fell in love with. I hate every moment that I am around you because the body that I see is so utterly beautiful and familiar but the man inside is a completely different person. I hate who you are now. Most days I want nothing at all to do with you because I never know what Draco I'm going to get. Some days you seem like a confused version of the man you used to be which absolutely kills me because you are so close yet so far away and then other days you are this vengeful self destructive piece of shit that I see right now. And you are self destructive. Everything you have become is screaming out for someone to help you. To take you off this path you have put yourself on…"

"Stop it." He hissed in a deadly whisper. He had listened to her go on long enough about exactly what she thought about him and the way he lived his life. "You," he spat out as if the very existence of the woman in front of him were a poison he sought to eradicate. "Lost all and any power you had to comment on my life when you left."

Ginny stuck up her chin in an attempt to hide the stabbing pain his words had caused to both her heart and her pride. "Well someone has to say something before you destroy everything about yourself."

"Not you."

They stared at each other fiercely; both in their formal wear, looking absolutely stunning, breathing heavily with the anger and surprisingly pure lust coursing through their veins.

Draco's eyes raked over Ginny's body. She looked like a fiery fairy of the night in the blue dress that blended in to the sky around them. Her hair whipped around her in the breeze creating a halo out of the wild ginger tresses. He had never hated or desired a person more in his life.

Suddenly the last months became far too much for him to handle and he closed the distance between them and scooped Ginny up for a hungry, desperate kiss

He was surprised when she did not shove him away but instead pushed back against him with what seemed to be the same wanton intensity that he felt for her. They pawed at each other trying to hold the other as close as possible and yet increase the distance while their lips and tongues danced across one another.

The kiss seemed to last an eternity and yet only a few seconds before as suddenly as it had begun it was over.

Draco looked down in to Ginny's big chocolate brown eyes and saw so many emotions swirling in them that he could barely process them all. Anger, lust, confusion and fear all present in one look. They were too much for him to handle.

He roughly stepped away from her, this time putting as much distance between their bodies as he could mange. But it was far too late.

That one kiss had awoken in him some deep yearning need. He needed to be close to her, to be inside her and the quiver of her lip as she stood there with her hands at her side told him that she very well might need exactly the same thing from him.

He reached out and grabbed her hand. When she said nothing, he turned and yanked her along behind him. He left the terrace through a side exit that did not lead back to the dance floor but to an inner parlour which he quickly exited.

Neither one said anything as he roughly pulled her along the corridor towards a door at the far end. There was truly nothing to say, only carnal instincts that must be sated.

When the couple finally reached the door, Draco shoved it open and finally dropped her hand. She saw his form move across the dark room and flip on a small desk lamp but before she could process the room as anything more than a good sized library he was back and pulling her body toward his.

Draco swung the door shut with a swift kick before spearing his fingers into her silky smooth red hair and capturing her mouth once again.

This kiss was filled with even more intensity than the last if that was even possible. Both tried to press to one another so hard that they sought to make every single line of their bodies match up.

Suddenly Draco moved his attentions away from her mouth and down to her neck making her moan with pleasure. The sounds spurred him on as he hiked up her dress slightly and lifted the tiny woman off the ground. Immediately Ginny's legs locked around Draco's waist and she forced his face back up to hers to kiss him again.

Draco moved them until Ginny's back was pressed firmly against one of the large shelves. Every movement they made was hurried and desperate as if at any moment they would snap out of the trance of physical need before achieving what they most yearned for. Reaching under her copious amount of skirt he wrenched aside her thin lace panties to slide first one and then a second finger into her.

His pace and determined lack of foreplay caused her to cry out in pleasure and pain. He continued his assault for a few tense minutes while she gasped and writhed but he had her thoroughly pinned to the bookshelf by his achingly hard pelvis.

Soon though it was too much for him to handle, he needed to be inside her and from the look in her eyes she needed that too.

Ginny braced herself on the shelves as Draco removed much of his support of her while he unfastened his belt and trousers and pushed all the material he had on aside to let his erection free of its confines. Before he allowed himself to enter her though he slid the panties down her legs and skillfully managed to slip them off without dropping her.

Then he once again pushed the shimmering blue material aside and thrust up into her making them both cry out. Draco held there for a moment while he rested his head against her chest. He had forgotten how amazing it felt to be inside her.

Without lifting his head he began to slowly thrust in and out of her. He could tell by the position of her body and the sounds that she was making that her head was thrown back and her back arched to get as much of him inside her as he possibly could.

He could not maintain the slow pace for very long before his desire forced him to speed up thrusting long, fast and hard into her.

Finally he began to feel her walls clenching tightly around him and both their worlds began to spin. With a few final powerful thrusts they both rode the waves of their simultaneous climaxes down together leaving them collapsed against the shelf panting hard and clinging to one another for support.

After a few minutes of just existing, Ginny reached one hand up to Draco's face and forced him to look at her. When he did and silver eyes locked with chocolate a surge of forgotten emotions coursed through each of them almost as potently as the climax they had just experienced. She ran her thumb along his bottom lip and then kissed him softly and almost chastely for the activities that they had just been involved with.

For some reason the kiss signaled the end of the moment for both of them. Draco slipped out of her and then lowered her carefully to the ground. Neither looked at the other, they weren't sure if they could or not. They just busied themselves with becoming presentable once again.

Ginny slipped out of the room before Draco could notice and silently made her way back through the winding halls before becoming totally lost and having to call Blinky to escort her back to her room. As soon as she was there though she lost every ounce of composure she had. Ripping off the gown as quickly as possible she collapsed on to her bed in only her bra and the underwear she had retrieved and broke down into uncontrollable sobs just letting all the emotions she was feeling wash over her.

Draco, for his part, never left the room. He collapsed onto the couch in the library where it all happened and tried in vain to sleep. He tossed and turned in his formal wear, tortured by visions of fiery red and creamy skin and before long the emotional torment caused even the stony, cold Malfoy man break down into silent tears.

Quick Note: Nina10966, of course you weren't criticizing me in the last chapter! I'm so sorry I missed that correction when I was rereading! It was totally a miss on my part and thank you for catching it for me! It's really hard to beta yourself well and sometimes I miss some things unintentionally. Thank you again!

Inspiration for the scene is kinda like the library scene in Atonement but no one gets arrested and there is no unhappy ending for this particular decision only some awkwardness.

Well this was a fun chapter. I know I was supposed to update FFF before this one but I was inspired to write this chapter and it all just came flowing out. It could be my favorite one to date just because of all the character development that just tool place AND they finally get some action (as requested by a ton of people). What will this mean for our favorite couple? More issues? Some resolved? Tune in next time folks! Lol

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