Envy and Manipulations: Rewrite 36

by rrabbit

Sixteen year old Ginny Weasley has her first summer job at the Folk Hills Country Club, the most prestigious high society club in the wizarding world. When Draco Malfoy comes home from his summer internship at the Ministry of Magic things get complicated, dark, and twisted. Rewrite.

4. Chapter 4

He looks so handsome.

Why did he always have to look so sharp? He's wearing a well fitted black suit with a dark dress shirt with his hair so perfectly styled. I watch him approach, trying to hide my smile so he can't tell how happy I am to see him. He's holding a disposable coffee cup in his right hand and he looks up as the awful jazz music swells loudly in some awful saxophone solo. He smirks and then spins on his fancy shoes like he was dancing to the music. I laugh a little and when he gets near, he sets the coffee to the side before leaning over the counter with his palms pressed into the top of it. He hops up a bit and places a sweet kiss on my lips.

It's the cutest damn thing I've ever seen.

"Good morning," he says.

"Good morning," I whisper with a pleased blush on my cheeks.

He gives me that charming smile again, looking pleased with himself. He knows exactly what he's doing. I have no choice but to like him when he acts like that. He settles back on his heels and then slides the coffee cup to me.

"I got this for you."

I look around to make sure Delsia isn't near before picking it up and taking a tentative sip. It tastes good… like vanilla and hazelnut.

"I find that people who don't like their alcohol to taste like alcohol also don't like their coffee to taste like coffee."

"Well, you're right about that," I say, smiling at him. "Thank you."

His eyes flick down to my outfit. I changed three times this morning, settling on a simple white dress with my hair down and straightened. I told myself that I wasn't doing it for him… that I didn't wake up early to do my hair and my makeup just to please him… but I was lying to myself. I wanted so badly for him to be proud to have my attention just like I was proud to have his.

"You look nice," he says, his voice gentle. "I wish I had time to take you out today."

I find myself blushing again.

The day before had felt like a dream and a part of me was convinced it didn't even happen at all. It seems like such a strange thing… to spend the day with Draco Malfoy and have it not be completely awful. Who would ever have guessed that? I blush when I think about what we did on top of his bike and I turn slightly away from him so he won't see how embarrassed I am all of a sudden. He said he lets his anger get away from him sometimes, but I definitely let my lust get away from me.

I hope he doesn't think that I'm easy or that I'm that kind of person.

Worried thoughts come to me that I didn't have before and I glance at him. What if he kissed me that way because he thought I put out for Harry and assumed I would do it with him too? I was wearing such revealing clothes at the pub and I just let him do what he wanted even though I barely know him…. Do I give the impression that I'll sleep with anyone who's nice to me?

You probably shagged half the blokes in Gryffindor Tower.

What if that was the game? The game Zabini mentioned and my brother warned me about. That this all was just an elaborate hoax to get me to sleep with him. To give Draco Malfoy something that couldn't be given back. That would be such a big joke and way to torture my brother… my family. I want so badly to be a part of something that I will believe whatever Draco and his friends tell me without looking between the lines.

But why would anyone do that?

Hermione was right. I am gullible. I've proved that time and again. I've already acted like a wanton slag- straddling him and letting him kiss my neck. I can imagine what he'd say to Ron and it makes me wince. He has enough ammunition to make my life miserable for the rest of the school year… maybe even the rest of my life. He would tell everyone that I was a stupid whore and how pathetic I was for even believing he would want to be with someone like me.

How easy it was to get me in such a compromising position. Apparently all one had to do was smile and buy me lunch.

"Are you alright?" he asks, reading my expression, his voice serious when I look at him.

"I'm fine," I say, putting the coffee down. He narrows his eyes when he detects the lie but doesn't call me out on it.

But I can't stop thinking about it. I can imagine Draco and Pansy laughing at me when he tells her about how ready I was to just jump on top of him. He'd make fun of my dress, and my body, and maybe the way I kissed. He'd tell people about the money that I kept… that he paid for it anyways. Suddenly everything I've ever done with any boy comes to the forefront of my mind. Kissing Michael. Letting Dean Thomas feel me up but being too afraid to touch him back. Harry holding my hand and the things I would do to my own body when I discovered the pleasure it could bring.

I have a headache. I blink and bring a hand up to my temple- trying not to think of it anymore…. But I can't help it.

Suddenly I can hear Tom's voice and I smell the damp and musty smell in the chamber. I was lonely then too. I felt cast aside and unimportant and he knew all the right things to say to me. He made me do things I didn't want to do and say things I didn't want to say… but at the time I was convinced that I would do anything he wanted because my little girl heart loved him. Influenced by his darkness, I let him wrap himself around my soul and it was all just to get to Harry.

No one even knows your name… he whispered in my ear. But the boy wizard will come because you're someone's someone, right?"

I start picking at my lip- lost in the memory. I pick, peel, and scratch.

"Ginny," I hear Draco but I see Tom because I trusted him once too. I thought him handsome once too. And he used all my fears and insecurities against me. "Stop it."

I blink and look at Draco for the sharp way he spoke to me. He has his eyes narrowed and then he looks at my lips. I lick them nervously and realize I had made them bleed.

He says nothing. He just stares at me and I stare right back. It was obvious something passed between us but I'm not sure what it is.

"Why are you so dressed up?" I ask to distract myself, turning away quickly, embarrassed.

"I intern at the Ministry," he explains and I can feel him eyeing my back as I bring my hand up to my wounded lip. "I can't stay long, actually. I have to go in at nine."

"What do you do there?"

"Right now I'm shadowing a Wizengamot representative. Nothing too exciting, really..."

"Do you get to see the Minister?" I ask just to make conversation.

He nods his head. "All the time."

"That must be so neat."

He gives me a look at me using the word neat and I look down, feeling silly.

"I guess it is neat," he says, smirking at me.

My Dad works at the Ministry, but I've never even been in the same room as the Minister of Magic.

"Do you like him?" I clear my throat uncomfortably.

"He's kind of thick, actually." He says with a shoulder shrug as he looks at the lights overhead. "His wife is really the one who does all the work for him… She's pretty fucking frightening, actually. I wouldn't want to be on her bad side."

"Do you want to work at the ministry eventually?" I ask. "Is that why you're there?"

"That's the plan," he answers and I remember what Daphne had said at the pub- Draco has a plan for everything. "This internship puts me in a good position to build the right relationships and to get my name out there. Politics is all about who you know and what story you have to fall back on." He smiles at me again. "But that's boring. What about you? What do you want to be when you grow up?"

"I don't know," I lie. I know exactly what I want to do… I just don't have enough courage to explain it to him and give him something else to make fun of me for.

He watches me for a moment, like he knew I was lying again before turning away.

We stand in silence for a minute and I take another sip of the coffee. It really does taste good and I'm grateful for the thoughtful gesture, but it's not going down smoothly. I guess because of all my terrible thoughts. I struggle within myself and look up only when Draco leans across the counter. He looks into my eyes before glancing down at my lower lip.

"Would you like for me to heal that?" he asks gently.

I don't answer and he pulls out his wand. I watch him as he lifts it and flicks his wrist.

"Episkey."

My lip becomes cold before I feel the tingling of a healing charm. He pockets his wand and I lick my newly healed lip.

"Thanks."

I give him a little smile and he studies my face.

"Do you want to show me the dress you wanted?"

I forgot all about that.

"It's okay," I say, shaking my head quickly. "I don't really need it."

"But you want it."

"We don't always get what we want."

"Don't we?" he asks with a little smirk.

I didn't get to answer because Mrs. Randolph appears at the end of the hall and is walking our way with a stupid looking hat on her head. Draco glances at her and then moves to the side.

"Hey, Gin." he says with a smile as she takes off the hat and plops it down in front of me

It's made of yellow flowers and crushed velvet.

"Hello, Mrs. Randolph," I say, glancing at Draco.

She starts digging through her white purse. It's patent leather and shiny and it has a big golden H on the front of it.

"I have the women's luncheon at noon," she says, huffing. "The dress code is formal and hats are required but apparently I'm not supposed to wear yellow. That wasn't on the invitation, you know. What's wrong with yellow?"

"My mother is sick of the color," Draco says and Mrs. Randolph looks at him in surprise. She was too busy complaining to even realize he was standing there. "She says it doesn't do any favors for women over a certain age and ever since Everence put it in his spring show she has had an aversion to it."

"Oh," she seems caught off guard and I look in between them, feeling like I was intruding on something. "Well, yes," she smiles as he takes my coffee and takes a drink of it for himself. "Of course, that makes sense. Your mother has such a good eye."

"So do I," he says, winking at me.

"Do you want me to check this or…" I trail off because of the way she is looking at him. Her beautifully made up face with all its charms looks so artificial next to Draco's very real attractiveness.

"I can change the color, if you'd like," he offers, his wand already out. "She is partial to magenta right now."

"Oh well," she looks down at her ugly hat. "If you wouldn't mind."

Draco smiles and flicks his wrist, saying the simple spell that changes the ugly hat from an awful yellow to a very bright, eye watering pink.

"Thank you so much," she says, picking the hat up and putting it on her head. She looks stupid in it but I was in no place to tell her that. "You are so kind and helpful."

He smiles at her.

She looks at me and then she turns to Draco again. It's like I don't even exist.

"I heard that the debutante ball was going to be at Malfoy Manor this year," she says, turning more towards him with her hand on the counter. Her nails are long and painted yellow and I wonder if she will ask Draco to change those as well. "I hear your ball room is the grandest in all of England."

"I suppose it is," he says with a shrug, sparing me a little look. My face was doing something unpleasant again… and he noticed because he tilted his head.

"Of course," she says. "Only the best for the Malfoy family."

He smiles politely.

"I bet you're pleased," she laughs. "To have your home full of all those beautiful young ladies."

"I think my parents are just disappointed that they never had a girl," he said with another polite smile. Another drink of my coffee. "They may be living vicariously through everyone else. Sons aren't nearly as fun to dress up."

She laughs for a while. It wasn't even that funny but I have learned that Draco could play the part of the polite young aristocrat quite efficiently and women- young and old- wanted to smile for him when he was being nice. Maybe that's why he was mean all the time. It meant the sun would start shining for anyone he was kind to.

"I know you'll have your pick of dance partners," She says, sighing as she looks at him. It was apparent that Mrs Randolph also thought Draco Malfoy was handsome. "Any young woman would be lucky to be on your arm."

His eyes slide to mine.

"I agree," he says and he smirks when I roll my eyes.

"You'll have to make sure Benny and I get an invite, of course. I love seeing all the beautiful dresses and you know Benny just admires your father."

I make another face but Draco doesn't see it.

"I'll mention it to my mother."

She stares at him for a moment before blinking out of her daze and looking towards me.

"Sorry, Gin. I forgot you were there for a moment," she says. I resist making another face as she digs into her purse and takes out a few coins. "I'm just going to check my purse. I don't want to have to worry about carrying it around."

"Of course." I take the purse and go back to the lockers.

"You're always so sweet."

I say nothing to that. I really don't feel all that sweet. I push her white bag into the locker and wait for the magic to seal it closed. When the ticket pops out, I walk back to give it to her.

She looks at me and then she looks at Draco… and then back at me.

"Do you two go to school together?" she asks when she realizes we were around the same age. "Oh, of course you are both at Hogwarts, are you not?"

"We are," I answer, handing her the ticket.

"Gin, you're so pretty." God. She was going to do that again. "Draco, don't you think Gin is pretty?"

"I think Gin is very pretty," he answers.

I can't even look at him.

"You know, I'm always telling Benny that they need prettier faces in the restaurant." She looks back at me and I give her an uncomfortable smile. "I think Gin would be a perfect waitress and you know she has that blue ribbon…."

"Mrs. Randolph, I like my job," I lie to get her to stop talking.

"Nonsense," she said, batting my words away. "Perhaps you could have a word with the powers that be," she says looking at Draco. "Help Gin out. I just can not have another meal looking at that frizzy haired girl with the overbite."

"It's really not necessary–"

"What do you say?" She cuts me off and then looks at Draco expectantly.

"Of course," he agrees after a moment.

"See," Mrs. Randolph turns to me again and winks like she had done me a huge favor. "Malfoy's get things done."

She sets a couple coins on the counter and then says goodbye to Draco before walking off.

"That was embarrassing," I whisper to myself, flicking my eyes to his. "Does your mum really like that pink color?"

"No," he said, fiddling with his wand. "She hates it and she also hates her," he says, nodding to the woman's retreating back as he places it in his pocket. "Social climbing no one," he says hatefully.

I frown. I know Mrs. Randolph's back story. That she came from nothing and married well…and apparently that was a cause for disdain. For some reason that made me feel bad about myself, so I turned away from him.

"It's funny that she mentions your ribbon," he says, reaching out and grabbing my wrist. He runs his fingers over the blue ribbon when my eyes snap to his. "When hers would be yellow."

I look at him. It's like he's trying to convey something to me with his eyes… like it wasn't the fact that she had been poor… it had been her blood status that made her disdainful…. But that didn't make me feel any better.

"Do you really have a ball room?" I ask uncomfortably, pulling my hand back.

"Yes," he says. "Didn't you hear? It's the grandest one in England."

"Of course," I mock Mrs. Randolph's stupid voice. "Only the best for the Malfoy family."

"Well," he says, his voice suddenly serious. "She isn't wrong about that." After a thoughtful second he narrows his eyes at me. "Would you prefer to be working in the dining room? Is that what you want?"

"Not really… well…" I stop and look at him. "I mean, I wouldn't mind it. The waitresses make more money," I admit as I think of the writing retreat. I stare at him for a few moments before deciding that I am going to tell him more about myself. "There's a writing retreat I'm saving up for. It's next summer and it's really expensive… I've been saving up for it for a while now."

"You're going to pay for it yourself?"

He seems surprised.

"It's why I'm working here," I say, motioning around me.

"How much is it?"

I bite back the answer. "It's expensive."

"How expensive?"

"It doesn't matter," I say quickly, turning around and walking over to the lockers. "I'm going to pay for it myself."

"If you want to work in the dining room- I can make sure that happens for you," he says and I glance at him over my shoulder. He looks serious now, thoughtful. "All you have to do is ask."

I remember what Delisa said when I first started. She told me there were no open spots and the only way I would be transferred there was if someone quit or was fired. I couldn't have that on my conscience so I shake my head.

"I'm fine here."

"Good," he says and I give him a surprised look. He's drinking the coffee he brought for me again. "I don't think I'd like having you out there anyways."

"Why not?"

"Because I can't do this," he says, hopping completely over the counter and pushing me up against the lockers.

I inhale a sharp breath and look at his throat as I hit them with a thunk. He moves so fast, it catches me off guard and I do nothing as he bends down to kiss me with one of his hands firmly pressed against my hip to keep me in place. When he pulls back, he looks down at me with darkened eyes.

"I have to go," he whispers, smirking at the face I make. He takes out his wallet and I look around the hall to make sure no one is coming and that no one saw what he just did. "You're going to meet Pansy in the foyer after your shift," he says, taking out a small card and sparing me a little glance. "She's going to take you shopping."

"What?"

"Don't let her run you into the ground, though," he said, handing me the card and ignoring my question. "I know she can be tedious at times."

"What is this?" I ask as I look down. When I see the vault number in the corner of the card- I nearly drop it. "This is your bank card."

"One of them," he said with a shrug.

"You can't just give this to people," I say, trying to give it back but he won't take it.

I couldn't even imagine the damage someone could do with a Malfoy Gringotts card.

"I'm not giving it to people," he says. "I'm giving it to you."

"Why?" I ask, holding it in my hands like it was a precious stone.

"Just give it to Pansy when you see her," he says with an eye roll. "She'll know what to do with it."

I nod my head, uncomfortable.

"Don't lose it," he says, giving me a fake stern look. "The Malfoy fortune is counting on you."

"Don't say that," I say, giving him a panicked look. "That's too much pressure."

He smiles and leans forward, giving me a sweet kiss on the forehead. A forehead kiss? When did he become so sweet?

"I'll see you later. Be good."

Be good.

I hold onto his card like it was pure gold for the rest of the day and eventually tuck it into my wallet. But it weighs heavy on me. What was he thinking? When my shift is over, I mull over whether I should go to the foyer to meet with Pansy. I don't want to go shopping again. I can't keep spending money… but I can't be responsible for Draco's Gringotts card anymore and I find her waiting for me by one of the large pillars, her arms crossed, wearing a cute navy romper. Daphne is bouncing around beside her, wearing all purple tulle.

"I've been waiting here forever," Pansy huffs when I approach, my uncomfortable heels sliding up and down again. "I thought you got off at three."

"Three thirty," I correct her and she exhales in annoyance.

Daphne pulls me into a hug, her cheeks pink and her hair curled.

"I don't mind waiting on you," she says, giving me a sweet smile.

"I don't really want to go shopping," I say, stepping back to take out my wallet. "I think I'm just going to go home. I don't think my mum–"

Daphne gasps and Pansy makes a strange sound when I take out Draco's card.

"He gave her the gold one," Daphne whispers in awe with her hand on her heart. She grabs Pansy's arm. "Oh, I wish I could go!" I look at her and then look at Pansy who seems just as surprised. "You know how much I love spending Draco's money."

"Good God," Pansy says as she takes the card from me and then looks on the back of it. "We are going to have one hell of a time."

"I hope you guys have fun," I say, giving them a tight smile. "I've got to head home."

"Draco didn't give you his gold Gringotts card just so I could use it on myself, you dingbat," Pansy says and I narrow my eyes at the insult. "It's obviously for you to use."

"Oh, please use it!" Daphne curls on her toes. "His allowance is insane. I don't even think he checks his bank statements. You could buy just about anything you want."

"I don't want to buy anything."

"He must trust you," Pansy says, flicking her dark eyes to mine. "He handed you the keys to the kingdom here."

"No," I shake my head. "He told me to give it to you. So now I have to–"

"Come On," she says, grabbing my hand. "I'm not taking no for an answer. Not when I've been waiting years to get my hands on this card."

"I don't—"

"Shut up, Ginny," she says, pulling me towards the door. "We are going. Swallow your pride and take one for the team, please."

I look over my shoulder at Daphne as she waves at me with a disappointed pout.

"Why isn't Daphne coming?" I ask, glancing at Pansy.

"Well," she says shortly. "She did that to herself."

"What–"

She lifts her wand and apparates us.

We land outside of Weber and Koch- an upscale department store I've never been inside of. I look up worriedly at the big red clock slowly ticking on the roof- knowing how angry my mum is going to be and wishing I had more steel to just say no to people.

"We're going to get shoes first," she says, pulling me inside. "I never want to see those black heels on your feet again."

A very nice sales lady measures my feet and then brings out a few different styles. I sit heavily on a green patterned stool and look up at the bright lights as I contemplate just leaving. Pansy gives her the yes or no whether or not she approves of them, but I only ask about the price.

"Will you stop doing that?" she hisses when the sales lady goes to the back to get a pair of red high heels that Pansy says are to die for. "It doesn't matter how much they cost."

"I'm not letting Draco buy anything," I say flatly, trying not to have those bad thoughts again.

He will not buy my affection. I can see what a trap that is to fall into and he probably sees me as an easy target.

"Why the hell not?" She asks.

"Because I don't need him to buy anything for me."

"Why the hell not?" She repeats with more disbelief.

"Because I just don't want him to, okay?" I snap as I stand up and slip on my old heels. "All of these shoes are too expensive," I say, grabbing my purse. "I don't want to try any more."

"Fine," she says. "But we are getting you fitted for a bra and you will be buying one."

When the sales lady comes out, Pansy grabs the shoe box and tells her we will be back. I tell her to not hold her breath. There are so many different brands on the floor… most I don't recognize and all of them cost too much money. Pansy knew them all and told me all about how sustainable they were and who the designer was. I acted like I cared but it was all so overwhelming that my brain kind of shut down and I just let her throw clothes at me to try on.

Apparently I needed a few staples in my wardrobe to be considered a well rounded person. A nice black dress. A fitted pair of jeans. A plain white t-shirt. A modest swimsuit with a cover. A pair of nice black heels…. And a classic trench coat.

"I'm not buying a trench coat," I tell her as I try on five black dresses. All of them simple and all of them too much money. "That's just silly."

She makes a noise but says nothing else about it.

I pick out a dress to buy just to get her to shut up about it. I guess it would be nice to have one on hand and it's not as expensive as the others. I could use it again. I let her hold it while she tries to get me to try on swimsuits.

"I have a swim suit," I say flatly, moving hangers to the side on one of the sale racks and making faces at it all. "I don't need another one."

"Well, is it a nice one?" She asks shortly. "What does it look like? He probably won't even want you to wear it if it doesn't fit you properly like some of your other clothes."

I shoot her a look.

"He doesn't get to decide that."

She rolls her eyes. "He is just weird about things," she explains like it was normal. "He doesn't like clothes that are too revealing. His mum is weird about it too… She likes the classic look and really gets on Draco about his girlfriends."

Girlfriends.

"Then he shouldn't wear such slutty suits."

She pauses a moment before smirking at my joke. She doesn't press it further.

In the lingerie section, a sales girl with a face full of freckles brings me back to a small pink room where she has me stand on a podium. Pansy sits heavily on one of the white chairs and watches as the girl takes out her measuring tape and pulls it around my bust and around my ribcage.

"I'm just going to fucking buy the shit anyways and put it in your bag," she huffs, angry at me for checking the prices and putting things back that were too expensive.

"They want ten galleons for a t-shirt," I say, huffing right back. "That's ridiculous.

"You don't even have to buy it!" she yells and then she closes her eyes, inhaling deeply through her nose. "He wants to buy things for you," she says, trying to cool her temper. "I don't understand why you won't take advantage of that."

"I have money," I state bitterly.

"Yeah, well, you don't have much money," she says, annoyed. "You know, you could continue to save your money and let Draco buy you some fucking clothes."

I narrow my eyes and glare at her. I can't let him control me with his wealth. I just can't and I don't want to feel like I owe him anything.

I bought your sister some shoes, Weasley, and then she jumped on my dick. I cringe at the intrusive thought…. But it does seem like something he would say.

"He didn't mean to offend you," she says as the sales girl measures me again with a different colored string. I put my arms up and try not to look at my face in the mirror. "He just wants to be nice."

"Throwing money at me isn't nice."

"If throwing money at someone isn't nice, then I don't know what is," she says flatly.

The sales girl agrees with her and I give her a look.

"Ginny, you're being ridiculous. This is how he does things. He knew most of the things that we would be buying today would be for his benefit."

"What do you mean?" I ask as the sales girl goes to the drawers along the wall and picks out a few different styles in my size.

"Well, the dress is a date dress," she said, nodding to the dress draped over her arm that I am being peer pressured into buying and the very same one I am now determined to return the next day because it's way too much money. "So when he takes you somewhere nice you have something more than a cotton patterned sundress."

My ears start burning and I turn my head away because I am embarrassed that she noticed that those were the only dress up clothes I had.

"We should get a swim suit for boating on the lake and the red shoes," she says, holding up the heel she wants me to try on that she's been carrying around with her. "Just look good."

I step off the podium and grab the shoe box, looking at the price. "I'm not getting those," I say. "You can put them back."

"Of course not," she says with an eye roll as the sales girl hands me a handful of bras. "Why would you do anything that makes sense?"

I don't bother to reply. I go to the changing room and take off my dress. The bras my mum insisted on buying me had no support, were too small, and not beautiful at all. The bras the sales lady picked out for me were… the opposite in every way. But bra's are so expensive! I kind of understand why I was stuck with such dumpy ones because they cost so much.

The first one is a basic nude bra with an underwire. She said that every woman needed one to wear under their clothes. It was comfortable and supportive. It was amazing what a supportive bra could do… It changed the whole look of my body. The next was a black satin bra that pushed up my breasts and made them look amazing. The sales lady said this one was for under dresses because it completed the silhouette and the last was an emerald green lacy one that she said was just for fun.

"Can I come in?" Pansy knocks on the door as I hook the green one behind my back.

"No."

"I'm coming in anyways," she states and I can hear her using her wand to unlock the door. A moment later the door opens and I give her an irritated look as I grab my dress and start to put it on so I'm not just standing in my underwear. "Oh wow," she says. When she comes closer, she stops me from pulling the dress up over it. "Now, that one is for everyone's benefit."

"I don't need this," I say, turning away and looking back at the mirror, uncomfortable with her seeing me as I hold the dress up to cover my stomach.

"Please, let Draco buy that one," she sighs. "He will absolutely love it."

"It's not like he's going to see it."

She laughs at me. She laughs and laughs.

"You have the perfect figure to fill this out," she says, coming near me and looking in the mirror. "Imagine how turned on he'll be when he sees you wearing this knowing he was the one who paid for it. Just the thought of it under your clothes would probably drive him mad and he won't be able to contain himself."

I furrow my brows at the idea…. Not quite able to look at her anymore.

"I'm not ready for that," I say quickly and she gives me a patient smile.

"Not yet," she says. "But you will be one day…. He doesn't mind waiting, you know," she says gently, bringing her hand up and running her fingers along the lacy top on my breasts. It's too intimate and I find myself embarrassed. Goosebumps rise on my skin and I swallow hard "Imagine all the things he can teach you when you're ready for him."

She looks at me in the mirror.

"He likes being able to pay for things, you know," she explains. My breath has sped up, my chest rising and falling under her fingers. "He'll like seeing you wear things for him knowing you bought it with his money. When you're ready, of course," she says with a smirk. "He'll probably like it enough to give you his gold card again."

"I thought he didn't like revealing things," I whisper, my breath shaky as I turn away so she can't touch me anymore.

She smiles.

"I'm sure you noticed he has a couple of hang ups," she explains. "He likes revealing things, obviously. He's still a guy… but he only likes it when they're just for him. It's kind of sexy, in a way, isn't it?" She asks, looking at my reflection in the mirror again with her eyes dark and glittering. "How possessive he can be?" It was like she was trying to convince me of it, but I was buying whatever she was selling me because it was making my body feel some sort of strange way. "Suddenly your body is his and he doesn't want anyone else to have it? Doesn't that turn you on just thinking about it?"

She runs her hand up my back, her fingers gently dancing up my spine. I don't say anything. I inhale a shaky breath.

"You think you're giving him all the power," she says, looking at my profile. "But by wearing this, using his money, and doing things he likes… you'll have control over him," she says seriously, waiting for me to look at her and smiling when I do. "See how bent out of shape he got with the outfit you wore to the pub? Did you see how much power you have over him… over how he reacts and how he feels? You could ruin his whole fucking day if you wanted to."

I look at her. Is that why she gave that outfit to me? To get a rise out of Draco?

"He'll do whatever you want if you try to please him. If you listen to what he says." She smiles. "He has the means to give you everything…. But you have to give him a reason."

She starts playing with my hair.

"He'll say Ginny, don't talk to your ex boyfriend again…but you get to say Draco, pay for my writing retreat- and he will." I swallow hard and she takes another step towards me. "He'll say I told you not to wear that skirt so take it off and you get to say, they were being disrespectful - fix it. And he will. He'll say Ginny, spread your legs for me and you get to say give me whatever the fuck I want- and he will."

I stare at her.

"Do you see how much more you benefit by giving in to him?" She smiles as she pushes hair over my shoulder. "Do you understand?" She waits for me to answer so I nervously nod my head. "See? You just have to be his good girl and he will give you the world."

Good girl.

"It's not like you aren't going to like what he does…" she steps back. "Because deep down you will. Even if it feels wrong at first because Draco isn't Harry Potter or Dean Thomas. He isn't a simp and he will be difficult at times…. I'm just saying you have more power than you know." She looks away and then flicks her eyes to mine. "Will you let him buy it?" She asks, her voice barely above a whisper. "Just this one thing? It will make him so happy."

I hesitate a second before nodding my head again.

"I'll go find the matching bottoms."

She leaves with a smile and I look back at the mirror, hardly recognizing myself.

I feel uncomfortable now. I feel out of place and off in my own body. I quickly take off the bra to put on my simple white one and then I pull up my dress. I feel shaky and my stomach kind of hurts. What even was that?

"Is there anything else you need?" the sales girl knocks on the door.

"I'm fine," I say, and my voice sounds high- squeaky. I don't like it and I clear my throat. "I'm fine."

I decide to buy the nude color one…To be safe. To be boring… but I can't bring myself to buy another thing. I just can't. I find Pansy shopping around on the floor and I tell her I'm ready to leave, not quite able to look her in the eyes. As we walk through the floor sets of different brands, I stop short in front of one of the mannequins. It's the red dress. The one I had wanted my mum to buy for me. But this one was a little different. The material was nicer, thicker, and it was lined. Instead of it being a tiered skirt ,it was layered- like a birthday cake- and it was darker in color. More of a cherry red.

I liked it better.

"What?" she asks, looking at me admiring it. "Do you like that one?"

"I wanted something similar," I admit, touching the skirt. "At Julie's. They had a dress almost identical to this."

She looks at me looking at the dress. "Some lower priced stores copy the designs of better brands," she explains, looking at the dress and touching the skirt. "It happens a lot."

I find the dress on the floor and check the price.

It's about three times more than the knock off version and I sigh sadly to myself.

"Nevermind," I whisper.

She stays behind to pay for the bra and I walk through the shoe department to return the red heels to the counter after she asks me to take care of it. I see a pair of gold sandals on one of the displays towards the back and I stop again. They are so pretty. I pick the display up and twirl it around in my hand. They are slip ons with woven metallic leather that look like flower stems.

"The Oro's are on sale today," A sales person comes over when he sees me looking. "Do you want to try them on?"

I nod my head and tell him my size.

He disappears and I sit down, putting my bag with the dress and nude bra beside me. When he comes back, I slip off my shoes and watch him remove all the paper and cardboard from inside.

"This style goes with everything," he says, his thick trendy glasses slipping down his nose. "I love metallics for summer too."

I give him a polite smile and then he helps me slip my feet into them like Cinderella. Goddamnit, I like them. I stand up and walk over to the mirror to get a better look.

"Those are perfect," he says, standing behind me. He has his hair back in a pony tail and he's wearing a sharp outfit. He gives off a kind of confidence that makes me trust his judgement.

"How much would they be?" I ask and he goes to check the display again.

"They'd be nine galleons and three sickles."

I nod my head. That's not bad. Not great either… but I do want them.

"I'll buy them."

He puts them back in the box, carefully wrapping the tissue paper back around before putting the lid on and walking towards the register.

Pansy finds me, holding a few bags on her arm. She peeks at the shoes I'm buying and nods approvingly.

"What is that?" I ask as I sign the receipt, nodding to the bags.

"I told you I was just going to start buying you things," she says. When I open my mouth to protest she lifts her hand to silence me. "Listen, I don't want him getting all pissy because you didn't listen. I just grabbed a couple things."

"Fine." I say flatly, taking the bag when the cashier hands it to me and giving him a tight smile.

"And…" I glance at her. "You won't tell him if I buy myself the red shoes, will you?" She asks with a smile. "My dad says I've reached my clothing quota for the month."

I hesitate a second, not sure if that's the right thing to do…

"He won't be mad?" I ask softly.

"God no," she says, rolling her eyes. "He won't even notice."

"I won't tell," I say and then she makes a delighted squealing sound before asking the salesperson to grab her size.

I hang back while she tries them on and busy myself with the perfume counter where a nice old woman lets me smell all her different scents. I like them all but then get a headache from it. I have to back away and I'm still reeling when Pansy finds me again. She has two more bags in her hands and she pushes one on me.

"I told you I never want to see those black heels again."

I sigh and take the bag.

We leave the store and at the app zone my troubled thoughts come back as I think about what Zabini said… So Pansy can guilt you into doing whatever the hell she wants…. I look at her from the corner of my eyes. Is that what she does? Spread your legs for me…

"I'm not going to…" I trail off as Pansy looks at me. "I'm not going to sleep with Draco."

She laughs a little. "Of course not. You just started dating."

"We aren't dating."

"Then what are you doing?"

"I don't actually know," I admit, blinking at her. "I don't know."

"It's okay," she says, giving me a gentle smile. "Let's go to dinner. And then get dessert. And then get drinks… and then go somewhere else. I'm just excited to finally have his card. It will also get us into a couple places I haven't been before."

I give her a questioning look.

"Gold card places."

I give her a blank stare.

She sighs loudly. "You really don't understand anything, do you?"

"I need to go home," I say uncomfortably. "My mum is probably worried."

And angry. She's probably really really angry.

"Oh fine," she pouts, crossing her arms. "Just know that I'm not happy that you're not taking absolute advantage of this. I may never see this card again."

"Will you tell him I said thank you," I say, looking down at all the heavy bags in my hands. "He didn't have to do this."

"Tell him yourself," she says before lifting her wand and leaving.

I apparate home, intending to hide all the bags in my room… but my parents are waiting for me at the kitchen table when I get inside.

"Where have you been?" Mum asks, her voice deep and angry. She looks at the bags on my arm and narrows her eyes dangerously. "Did you go shopping?"

I nod my head and look at my dad. He looks mad too.

"You can't just go places without us knowing," he says as my mum stands up. She walks around the table and peeks into one of the bags. Thankfully it's the one with the dress. "We need to know where you are, Ginny. Things aren't safe out there."

"I know," I say, flicking my eyes to my mother as she narrows her eyes again. "I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking."

"Weber and Koch's?" She says, noticing the name on the bags. "That is an expensive store, Ginny."

"I have my own money," I say uncomfortably.

"She can spend her money how she wants, Molly." My dad says in response to my mum's glare. "But you can't go without permission. You're only sixteen years old."

"Whose boots are these?" My mum asks, going over and grabbing the boots from the Malfoy house that I left by the door. "Who gave them to you?"

"I just borrowed them—"

"Who was it?"

"What's the issue?" My dad asks as my mum looks at the bottom of the boots and then furrows her brows. "What's wrong with them?"

"They're Giovitos."

"Am I supposed to know what that means?" He asks.

"It's a designer brand," she says, glaring at me again. "A very expensive one."

She would know.

"They belong to my friend."

"What friend?"

"Ginny, take a seat," Dad motions to the chair in front of him with a sigh. "Molly, you too."

I sit down and stuff the bags under the table. She makes an angry noise before sitting down as well.

"We want you to have friends," my dad says. "This is your time to be young and have fun- but the world is getting darker," he says. "It's not safe anymore."

"You can't just go places on your own." Mum says. "That ends today."

I look at my dad.

"She's right, Gin," he says gently. "We've been talking about maybe you quitting Folk Hills."

"What?" I say, dismayed. "I don't want to do that."

"I know," Dad says gently. "But with your brother gone and the rumbles of the Dark Lord's return to power I just think it would be best if you stay close to home."

Close to home? With no one here to talk to anymore?

"Please, don't do that. Mum," I look at her pleadingly. "Please don't do that to me. I need to get out of this house. It's not fair."

She shares a look with my dad.

"I know it's hard, sweetheart." She says and when she sees the tears starting in my eyes, she puts her hand on top of my father's and gives him a look. "Maybe we can compromise. Let me or Dad take you to and from work. Folk Hills has great protection charms and I'm sure you'll be safe inside… We just want the added layer or protection.."

I give her a hopeful look.

"But you can't just go and do whatever you want anymore. If you want to hang out with your friends- we will have to find a safe place where everyone can be. Does that sound fair?" She asks and I nod my head. "We are going to close the floo line and you can't give the ward code to anyone. We have to be safe. We have to be smart."

"I understand. Thanks, Mum."

"Good," my dad seems relieved. "Glad that's all sorted."

He gets up and goes out of the room, leaving me staring at my mum.

"Can I go upstairs now?" I ask, biting the inside of my cheek nervously.

"I remember what it's like being your age, you know," she says, raising an eyebrow. "Just try not to do anything stupid, okay? I'm serious when I say that things are dangerous out there. I need to know you're safe now that your brother…" She gets choked up talking about Ron. I get it. Even though I'm hurt… I'm worried about him too.

I give her a little smile. "Okay."

She lets me leave and I gather up all my bags to run upstairs. I take out everything I got from the store and place it all out on the bed. Pansy picked up more than a few things. About a dozen pairs of sexy underwear and four new bras. A few t-shirts and three pairs of jeans. Two swimsuits, a navy shirt dress with a belt, a pair of nice closed toed black heels…. and…. And the red dress that I wanted.

I pick it up and hold it up against the light. She remembered my size and I smile at it. I know I said I didn't want to use his money but…. But it felt nice to have all these new things. I hug the dress to my chest before my mum screams my name.

I panic and grab my wand, running down stairs to find her by the front door.

"What is it?" I ask in a panic.

"Why is there a house elf with your bike ringing our bell?" She snaps, giving me a nasty look.

I glance outside and see Linny on the other side of the gate, my sparkly bike leaning against her side.

"Oh," I'm at a loss of what to say as Linny presses the bell again. "I left it at my friend's house yesterday."

I run out before she can say another thing and I open the gate.

"Thank you," I whisper as the elf hands the bike off to me.

The elf just looks at me before popping away. In the basket are my cheap flip flops and the letter from Harry. I sigh in relief but that relief soon vanishes when I see Mum waiting for me on the porch.

"Who is this friend of yours?" She asks when I get closer to the house. I let the bike fall to the ground after grabbing the letter and sandals. "Ginny, you tell me right now."

"Just someone I met at work."

"A person you work with has a house elf and wears Giovitos boots? What is their name?"

"Pansy."

"Pansy who?"

I look at her, taking in her narrowed eyes and angry face. My dad knows your mum…

"Parkinson."

"Parkinson?" She says, her voice angrier than before.

Maybe I should have lied and made up a name. I didn't expect her to be so upset.

"You can't see that girl again."

"What? Why not?" I ask, matching her tone.

"I know that family, Ginny. They are not good people."

"How would you know?"

"If this girl is your age then her father must be Pierce Parkinson. I want you nowhere near him, do you understand me?"

"How do you know they're no good?"

"I just do."

"You don't even know Pansy," I say, angry. "You can't judge someone you don't even know. She's my friend."

"I went to school with Pierce," she says sharply. "I grew up with him. I know the kind of person he is and I don't want you anywhere near it."

"From school?" I say, blinking at her. "That was ages ago. People change."

"Not that much."

"Well," I flick my eyes down her outfit in a way I saw Pansy do to Delsia. "You sure did."

She inhales through her nostrils. "Go to your room."

"Gladly."

I stomp inside and slam my door when I get to my room. Angry, I pace back and forth… thinking bad thoughts about my mum before I look down at the letter in my hands. Harry's handwriting is still bad and it's still sealed. I don't know why I thought Draco would open it. It seemed like something he would do but it looked like it was left alone. I guess I was just as bad as my mum. Judging people, and all that.

I sit down on my bed and turn it over before ripping it open.

Inside isn't a letter… but a card. A birthday card with a panda on the front that's wearing a pink party hat.

I hear you're sixteen, It says. I open it up and a bit of glitter puffs out. I make a face at it and bat it away. I hope the day is as sweet as you are.

He didn't even sign it.

I look on the back and then turn it around a few times before realizing that is really all it is. I make a face and then put it down on my bedside table. That just figures. Hermione probably bought it for him to give to me anyway. I walk over to my vanity and stick it in the mirror and then I find myself glaring. The panda seems to be mocking me and it tells me all I need to know about how Harry Potter feels about me. I pull it out again and then I rip it up into tiny little pieces that I sprinkle over the floor.

I go back to the clothes on my bed and run my fingers over the fabric. I smile a little to myself as I hold up the green bra and I try to imagine what Draco will say when he sees it.

He will absolutely love it. Pansy had said. Maybe she was right.

I step on the pieces of Harry's card as I walk back to the mirror and I put it on, staring at myself in the mirror and running my fingers over the lace just as Pansy had. I like to imagine Draco's hand instead of my own and I smile to myself before jumping back on the bed and hiding under the covers as I fantasize about things I've never thought to fantasize about before.

… and all of them involve Draco Malfoy.

---

XXXX

"I think I'm going to go take a nap," I say in passing to my mother as I walk towards the stairs. "Don't bother waking me up for dinner. I'm pretty tired."

I even find it in me to fake a yawn.

"Are you sure?" Mum asks as I start up the stairs. I pause and look down so I can convince her not to check on me. I have plans that would be ruined if she decided to check on me. "I'm making lasagna tonight."

"Yeah, I'm sure. I ate a big lunch." Stop talking to me. "A huge lunch, actually. I don't think I could eat another bite and I'm so tired. I just really need to sleep."

"Alright….If you're sure."

"I'm sure!"

"Hey Gin!" My dad calls in. "I thought you were going to help me clean out the attic today."

Oh, shit.

"I can't. I'm tired."

"It won't take long."

"Well," I look at him when he comes into the room and then I look at my mum. "I have cramps."

"Cramps?" he asks, not understanding. My mum raises her eyebrows and throws her kitchen towel over her shoulder as she walks away. "Do you need some medicine?"

"No," I say, starting to go up the stairs again. "I just need to be alone to sleep it off."

"Molly, do you have a potion–"

"I'm on my period, Dad," I say shortly to make him uncomfortable enough to leave me alone the rest of the night.

"Oh," he says, blinking a few times. "Well, hope all goes well then…"

I give him a tight smile before running to my room.

My parents have been all over me these past couple of weeks and it's been awful. It's like because they don't let me go anywhere anymore that they feel the need to fill in the gaps by spending quality time with me… but quality time with them usually involves manual labor and cleaning.

When I get to my room, I close the door and lock it. I smile a little to myself and then I go over to my radio. I turn it loud enough to where my parents can hear it, but not loud enough for them to yell at me for it. I want them to think I'm in here, after all.

I strip out of my clothes and then I put on the green bra and matching knickers. I look at my body for a moment in the mirror. I haven't worn it yet… What Pansy had told me had done something to me and I was nervous to open that door. There was still a small part of me that whispered a warning in my ear that if I did do what my body wanted to do… then I would regret it.

I try not to think of it. Things have been going so well and I've been having fun.

I take out the red dress and put it on. It fits even better than the one I wanted for my birthday and I like the way it looks.

I tie the bows at the shoulders and I smile a little to myself before doing my hair and make-up, curling my hair with my wand and doing my eyeliner like Daphne had showed me. I twist a couple pieces of hair and tie them together with a matching red ribbon at the back of my head. I step back to appraise myself, trying to see what other people will see… What he will see. I smile to myself. I hope he likes it. I swish the skirt a few times and then look at myself over my shoulder.

Not bad.

I go to my closet and pull out the small pink shoe box that I have hidden under a pile of clothes. I open the lid and take out the golden sandals to slip on my feet. Whatever buyer's remorse I had about purchasing them is gone because they are so comfortable and they go with just about everything.

I can hear my mum in the hallway. She's humming to herself… probably cleaning out Ron's room because he and Harry left it such a mess. I glare at the door.

Just because I'm not allowed to leave the house… doesn't mean I'm not going to do it anyways.

Ron isn't the only one who can break the rules.

That's why I'm crawling out the window in my new dress and shimming down the drain pipe with my purse over my shoulder. I run to the shed, trying not to call too much attention to myself as I wheel out my bike. I tip toe along the path until I reach the gate and then I send a cautious look back to the house before taking off down the road.

Freedom.

It feels good and I smile to myself as I bike my way towards Draco's house.

I've made one rule for myself… and it is that I can't hang out with him one on one anymore… not just yet anyways. I wanted too much from him and I could feel him wanting things from me too. Things I wasn't ready to give… but I felt myself weakening. The resolve I once had seemed to be melting away with each visit and each touch. He was understanding… annoyingly understanding, actually, but even then I could feel his frustration with me with my insistence on having other people around.

I was being seduced by all of it… not just by Draco but by his friends too.

Their friendships, and their wealth, and the lifestyle in which they lived all created a longing in me I didn't know was there. Money was no issue to them… They always did what they wanted when they wanted and didn't seem to have anyone to answer to. They had been friends since they were small children… playdates and etiquette classes brought them together in a way I would never understand. They were loyal, funny, and smart and they trusted each other even though not all of them necessarily liked each other.

I had been homeschooled and my mum was too busy wrangling my brothers to make sure I had those early friendships. It was why I was so lonely my first year of school. I had no one but Ron. He was my best friend growing up…but he was so busy with his own friendships that by the time I started Hogwarts I truly had no one to lean on. It made me susceptible to Tom Riddle and his poison… and here I was again… letting myself fall deeper and deeper into a different world just to belong because I was lonely.… but I wasn't alone anymore. Not really.

I didn't feel cast aside at all. In fact, sometimes it felt like too much attention was on me. Draco's affection was like the sun and when it shone on me sometimes I could feel it burning. He could be cold and indifferent but also passionate and thoughtful. He made me feel special and wanted even if it was almost too much sometimes. His eyes were always on me- so were his hands. He would visit me at work and push me against the lockers to kiss me, not seeming to care if anyone saw. He would tell me what I was going to do and when I would do it in regards to the plans he made and the friends I saw. His care boarded on control and every time I got an inkling of something being wrong, I would remember Pansy in the dressing room with her dark, sparkling eyes whispering into my ear. It's sexy, isn't it? How possessive he can be.

It was, in a way.

I liked that he wanted me so much. I liked that he was always thinking about me and he always had a plan. There was rarely awkward silence or what do you want to do's being thrown around when he was involved… because he always knew what he wanted to do and he was never awkward. I have only seen him a handful of times since kissing him on his bike- but each time I found myself getting deeper and deeper in trouble.

Because that's what Draco Malfoy was- trouble.

I liked it when he put his hand on my thigh… and the way he would give me a look when he thought I was talking to someone for too long. I liked how he dominated my time and my mind and how his friends always seemed to defer to him. I liked how he led me when we walked and paid for everything when we went out. I knew what Hermione would say if she knew. Put aside that it's Draco Malfoy and all that he's done… She would tell me that no man should tell you what to do. You shouldn't rely on a man for anything…. Make your own money, make up your own mind, and never give up your agency.

But how could Hermione understand just how handsome Draco was when he would look down at me and tell me he would take care of it.

Because he took care of everything.

He knew exactly what to say to me… Exactly how to touch me… and kiss me… How to make me feel like I was the only person in the room. He moved like he had every right to do exactly how he pleased and my body seemed to agree with him. I knew it was wrong. I knew what Pansy had said to me in that dressing room wasn't right either… but I found myself wanting to be his good girl like she had said. I wanted to make him happy because his happiness meant I would be happy too.

I need to stop thinking about it. I find if I think about it too much I get confused.

I shake my head and keep going until I reach the intimidating gate on the outside of Draco's summer home. I slip off of the bike and wheel it towards the little speaker box, pushing the button and waiting for it to beep back.

"Malfoy residence," the same raspy voice that's always there answers and I smile a little. I think I should learn his or her name… but Draco says I'm too nice to the house elves and I make them uncomfortable.

"Hey," I say in greeting. "It's Ginny. I'm here to see Draco."

The gate creeps open and I wheel my bike inside. The elf greets me before I can reach the house.

"The master is down by the lake," she says in a tired voice as she grabs my handlebars. "Linny will put the bike in the garage."

"Oh," I say softly. "Okay. Thank you, Linny," I say as I let her take the bike away from me. She starts heading down the path towards that garage, and I make a face. It looks really odd because the elf is so small and my bike is a lot bigger. "Do you need any help?" I ask as I take a few steps towards…her? I'm not sure what gender the elf is, actually. I'm just assuming it's a girl at this point.

Linny the elf looks over her shoulder for a surprised moment before shaking her ancient head and trudging towards the garage again.

Stop doing that, I can hear Draco in my ear. You make them uncomfortable.

"Alright then," I say as I turn to the left to take the opposite path towards the lake. I try to keep myself from running down the concrete stairs. I find myself giddy everytime I'm near him, constantly smiling and bouncing on my toes. I know that's pitiful. I know it- but I can't help it.

I think I like him more than I ever liked Harry.

That's dangerous because I have loved Harry Potter most of my life… but what kind of love was that? The fake kind. The surface kind because I never knew Harry and he didn't even know me at all.

I get all the way to the dock before squinting my eyes and catching him in the water. Draco is a swimmer. He told me that it's his preferred sport, but his father made him stop doing it in a league so he could focus on quidditch. He says that he goes for a swim every morning to clear his head and he prefers it over flying. It explains the amazing body he has. He has the body of a swimmer, long and lean with broad shoulders and a narrow waist.

I slip off my sandals and sit on the end of the dock to watch him as I put my feet in the water. I glance to the left… he has his towel folded up and beside that is a heavy leather bound book. I pick it up and flip through a few pages curiously. It was a heavy tome on mathematics and blood magic. I don't understand any of it, but I stop when I notice what he's using as a bookmark. Stuck halfway between two pages towards the middle is a blue ribbon. I pick it up and glance down at the pages…It's a chapter on blood curses and ancient runes…Something that goes completely over my head… but the ribbon is mine. I recognize it from Folk Hills and I feel something warm spread over my chest when I realize he has kept it.

I think I'm even smiling.

I put the ribbon between the pages and gently close the book. The visual of him sitting by the water, reading a book with his shirt off as he wraps my ribbon around his fingers was something I found incredibly attractive.

I swallow hard at my own imagination and I glance back up to find him.

He reaches an orange buoy in the middle of the lake and then he pauses a second to catch his breath. I see him stop and put his arm on the buoy to keep him afloat as he shakes some water from his hair. I wonder what he thinks about when he swims. I wonder if he thinks about me as much as I think about him. He turns his head towards the dock and I bring my hand up to block the sun from my eyes after putting his book back. He's far enough away where I'm not sure if he can see me or not, but I suspect he does because he starts swimming towards me.

I smile as the water ripples around him. He's like a shark in the water. His movements are so fast and graceful. I wonder what it would be like to swim like that. I wouldn't know. I'm such a chicken when it comes to deep water. Once he reaches the dock, he stops and flicks his wet hair from his face. It falls over his left ear and he smiles up at me.

I want him to be my boyfriend.

I shake my head to rid it of that thought. He hasn't asked me yet… even though he acts like it most of the time. Even though I think he'd kill me if I tried to date someone else.

"Hey," I say with a little smile as he inhales deeply to catch his breath.

"Hey," he replies as he grabs my ankles. I panic for a moment thinking he's going to pull me in, but I relax when I realize he won't.

"How was the swim?"

He puts his hand up on the dock by my leg to keep himself up and he runs his other hand up and down my calf. Thank god I decided to shave my legs this morning.

"Invigorating," he says with a smirk. "Do you want to join me?"

"I didn't bring my swimsuit."

"I don't mind," he says, giving me a devilish smile.

Yeah… no.

I gulp at the darkness in his eyes and look behind me as I cross my arms nervously.

"Where is Pansy?" I ask as I glance around so I can avoid looking at him.

"She'll be here shortly," he says and then I feel him kiss my knee.

I look at him in surprise. He glances up at me, his lips still against my skin. He smiles.

Seduction.

It's like all he knows how to do.

"Come into the water," he says as he pushes off the dock. When he swims on his back I can see the defined muscles on his stomach and I look away again, feeling the attraction pulse between my thighs. "It feels great."

"I'd rather not," I admit as I look down at the water.

"What are you afraid of?" he asks, back at my side again. "I won't let you drown if that's your worry. We have extra suits inside."

"I…" I look at him again as he stares curiously up at me. "I can't swim," I admit and he smiles a little.

"I can teach you."

He says that to me a lot. Apparently there's a lot I don't know.

"It's not so much that I can't swim," I try to explain. "I just… I don't like it when I can't touch the bottom… or see the bottom," I say, looking at the green water and seeing my distorted reflection. "It makes me freak out a bit."

"Really?" he says with an eyebrow arched. "You're so daring with everything else."

He swims back to the dock and he pushes himself up, turning so he can sit beside me.

"Yeah," I nod, feeling the wetness of his skin pressed against my arm. "I was fishing with my dad when I was little and I fell into the water…I didn't have a life jacket on and he didn't place any charms on the boat…"

I was old enough to still remember what it felt like. Going under and the moment I realized I wasn't going to come back up. The panic that set in when I could no longer hold my breath and the suffocating feeling of water entering my lungs as I looked up at the surface that started to get farther and farther away.

"I've kind of panicked in deep water ever since." I say not quite looking at him.

"Then we'll just have to stick to the shallows for a while, now won't we?" he says. He leans in and gives me a gentle nudge. "Wouldn't want you to have a heart attack or anything," he says.

I smile for him and he leans in to place a sweet kiss against my lips. He deepens it for the quickest second and I laugh when he pulls back.

"You taste like toothpaste," he says.

I smile as his hand comes up to my neck. "I brushed my teeth."

"How thoughtful," he smirks before kissing me again.

My stomach feels that strange twisting thing again. That thing that tells me I'm happy, and nervous, and turned on all at the same time… That feeling that almost makes me shake.

"You're all wet," I whisper, watching the droplets from the lake slide down his face and chest.

"If you just give me a minute- I can get you in that state as well," he says as he pushes me back.

I laugh against his lips and then let him deepen the kiss as he leans over me, his right hand on the dock holding him up so he doesn't crush me. I stop his hand when it starts creeping up my thigh. He takes it smoothly and moves it to my waist, only to bring it up the bow on my right shoulder.

"Draco," I whisper in warning as he starts untying it.

"It's like unwrapping a present," he says with a smirk.

I always have to stop his hands from doing things. That's another reason why I don't want to be alone with him because I know eventually I'll give in. I want to give in… but I know I shouldn't.

"Draco…" That didn't sound as worried… it almost sounded like a moan and it embarrasses me.

"You don't trust my hands," he whispers against my neck.

"I don't trust myself," I admit and he looks down at me, a curious tilt to his head.

He pauses a second before pulling back and untying the other bow.

"Tell me to stop," he says as he gently pulls down the top of the dress. When he sees the green bra, his eyes go dark. "Nevermind," he says quickly. "I probably won't listen if you do."

He kisses me hard… It feels heavier now. I know he's turned on and I take some pleasure that I could do that to him… but I'm nervous now. Nervous because he's touching me on the outside of the bra I shouldn't have bought. Touching me in a way I hadn't been touched over a bra I shouldn't have worn around him. I bring my hand up to move it away…. But I just end up running my fingers up his arm instead.

He pulls back to look at me, his face trying to read my expression like he was asking for permission to keep going.

"Is this one I bought?" He whispers, his hand now between my knees, gently nudging them open.

I remember what Pansy said. How he'd like knowing he paid for the things I wore… How it would turn him on.

I nod my head shyly.

"You also paid for the dress," I whisper and he gives me a pleased smile before leaning down to kiss me again as his hand goes further up my skirt.

He pushes my dress up so he can see the matching bottoms and I shiver. It's not cold outside, but the air in a place that's always covered makes my body react. He tilts his head to see them and I can feel the nervous bumps rise on my skin because no one has looked at me like. He brings his fingers up and traces the delicate lace at the top.

"Did I buy this too?" He asks darkly.

When I don't answer right away, he glances at my face.

"Did you use my money to buy this, Ginny?" He asks, his voice serious and demanding. It sends a shiver right through me again. "Is it mine?"

I inhale a shaky breath. I'm so uncomfortable… I'm so turned on and I'm not sure if I should play along or not. The feeling between my legs is almost painful and I know I'm in a great position to make some bad decisions. I'm not even sure if he's talking about the pants anymore. I don't even care at this point.

"Yes." I whisper and he rewards me with his charming smile before leaning down and kissing my collar bone.

"Do you want me to stop?" he asks.

I don't even know the answer. I bring my hand up to brush some wet hair off of his forehead and I lean up to kiss the corner of his mouth instead.

"Do you want me to stop?" he asks again, a little firmer as bends down and kisses the top of my breasts. He moves to whisper in my ear, his fingers now against my sex as his warm breath makes it pulse between my thighs. "I told you I'd get you wet," he says with a devilish smile when he notices. "You're going to have to answer me or I'm not going to stop."

"No," I whisper, a little breathless. "I don't want you to…"

"Ginny? Draco?" Pansy's voice is loud and I move away quickly, snapping my legs shut. Draco cusses and lies back with his eyes clenched shut. I work quickly to tie up the dress as I turn to the lake to hide my blush. "Where are you guys?"

"We're down here," I say after I find my voice and I stand up as her and Blaise walk around the boat house. Draco sits up as well and grabs his towel, drying off his hair as they approach.

"Perfect timing," Draco sneers sarcastically and I glance at him before nervously tucking hair behind my ear. "How's it going?" he asks and Blaise smirks when he looks at me. Then his eyes slide to my shoulder.

"Not as good as you, apparently."

"Your dress is untied," Pansy whispers as she comes towards me and she ties the bow at my left shoulder before looping her arm through mine. "What were you two doing?" she asks as she wiggles her eyebrows at the crimson blush on my cheeks.

"Just talking," I lie quickly and she laughs as she starts steering me towards the boat house.

"Let's get everything ready. You know the boys are useless."

"I heard that," Blaise says shortly and Pansy smiles at me.

The boat house is a large building made in a similar style as the main house… a log cabin vibe while being too luxurious to ever actually be a log cabin. It had stone wall arches on the bottom that housed the boats. There are four of them all together but I don't exactly know what kind. One of them is a jet ski, though. I can recognize that. A set of steep stairs leads to an upstairs apartment and I follow Pansy, her short skirt swishing with each step and showing off her dark underwear. I try to look away from it.

When we get inside, Pansy goes straight to the kitchen nook on the right side of the large room that's decorated like a fancy hunting lodge.

"Blaise has been in a terrible mood all morning," She says. "So ignore him if he's being odd today."

He's always odd to me but I don't tell her that. I look out the large windows at the amazing view of the lake and the hills beyond.

"Why is he in a bad mood?" I question.

"He found out that his mum is remarrying again," she says with a sigh, like she thought he was being ridiculous. I sit down at the counter and watch as she goes to the fridge to take out the food.

I ask if I can help, but she says no.

I guess we're having some kind of a cook out before the party. I'm glad we're eating because my stomach is starting to hurt. I lied to my mum about being full... I didn't even eat lunch because I was too excited to come here.

"She is marrying some Greek heir who's twice her age," she says. "She's young like Draco's mum so she can still get it."

"Why would he be so mad about that?" I ask and then she looks at me like I was stupid. "I mean, if his mother loves the guy… wouldn't he be happy that she's happy?"

"Uh, no," she says with an eye roll as she takes condiments out and places them on the counter. "Blaise's father died when he was young and he hates his mom. Every time she remarries she forces him to go on a bonding weekend with his new step father and he hates it. Hates. It." she says so I will understand. "The men are always old and they are always boring and Blaise is always so bitchy about it."

"Does she love him?" I ask and Pansy looks at me like I was silly as she pulls out a few beers and butterbeers, placing them in a stainless steel cooler she pulled out from under the sink.

"No, she has a shopping addiction to feed," she says dismissively. She pulls out her wand and taps it against her mouth. "Are you any good at cooling charms?"

"Not really," I admit. My own parents can't master them.

"Ugh, I always struggle too," she says before flicking her wrist and saying a word that makes all the drinks in the cooler become cold with a slight layer of frost on the outside. She smiles at me, proud of herself before closing the lid. "Anyways, Blaise's mum had a hard time holding onto the Zabini fortune and most of it is tied up in a trust. Basically she only gets the smallest stipend. She's still in society and gets to keep all the nice things for Blaise's sake but she's making sure she has a back up for when Blaise comes into his inheritance. I think once he turns eighteen everything gets turned over to him and she'll really be in trouble then."

"Oh," I say, blinking.

Families were so complicated.

"How young is Draco's mum?" I ask curiously, placing my chin in my hands as she pulls out premade salads and packages of meat. "You mentioned she was younger."

"I think she had Draco when she was twenty?" she furrows her brows as she thinks of it. "Maybe nineteen? I don't know but she was pretty young. She's only in her thirties now." She's thoughtful for a moment. "I wonder if it's better to have kids young so you're still able to enjoy life afterwards… or wait like my parents did and practically be falling apart by the end of it."

I laugh because her dad hardly looked decrepit.

"Or you can be like my parents and start young and then just keep going until you're old."

She laughs at that.

"No thanks," she smiles. "I don't even know if I want one. What about you?"

Have I thought of it before? Of course I have. Doesn't every girl? When I was younger I'd say I wanted ten kids… but that's silly. I know what it's like to have a house full of siblings and I never want to do that to my own children.

"Maybe two or three," I say honestly and she flicks her eyes to mine.

"I like the thought of Draco having a handful of badly behaved ginger kids running around his manor," she says and I blush that she would even add him into my equation when we weren't even officially dating. "Serves him right for that attitude of his."

I don't say anything to that, I just look away uncomfortably.

"Will you grab some plates and silverware please?" She says, nodding her head. "They're in that cabinet."

I grab four plates then I go through some drawers before finding the silverware and grabbing four of each.

"Who's all coming tonight?" I ask as I close the drawer with my hip

"The usual people," she says with a shoulder shrug as she starts putting everything in a large basket. Salads, bread, meat, and cheese…."And maybe some more. When Draco has people over, it can get out of hand."

"Where are Draco's parents?"

"They're on holiday," she says dismissively like it was common knowledge.

"Are they ever coming back?" I question. "I mean, they just leave him alone like this? When my parents go on holiday, they usually take us." Not that we ever go anywhere very often, but still. The fact that Draco seems to always be alone and have the run of his own household is so strange to me.

"They always do," she says with a shrug as she picks up the basket. She tells me to grab the cooler. "I wish my father would leave me alone some time. It would be nice."

"My parents never leave," I mumble before we go outside, finding the boys on the concrete patio by the pool.

Draco and Blaise are setting a fire in a large silver grill that looks like it's never been used.

"What time is everyone coming?" I ask as Pansy starts pulling out the food and putting it on a wooden table nearby. When she takes out the meat, she hands it to Blaise who smirks and pinches her bottom when she turns around.

"In a couple hours," Draco answers me with a shrug of his shoulder as he turns the dials on the grill. I have no idea what for and he doesn't seem to know much about it either.

He's changed into some dry clothes and I check him out from the corner of my eyes. He's wearing a black and white striped t-shirt that fits him well and tan slacks that are rolled up at the bottom to reveal taupe colored boat shoes. He looks like someone from a magazine. That casual luxury that you find between glossy pages trying to sell you things you don't need. When he puts on his sunglasses and tosses his hair casually as he reads some kind of manual for the grill, I find myself wanting to kiss him again.

"Can I have a drink?" Blaise asks. I look at him as he raises his eyebrows, nodding down to the cooler I'm holding. Oh, I guess he is talking to me. "Hello?"

"Oh, yeah," I say awkwardly as I set the cooler on the ground and open it up. "What would you like? Regular beer or butterbeer?"

"What do you think?" he asks flatly.

I grab the regular beer and hand it to him.

"Thank you," he says sarcastically, giving me a surveying look before walking back towards Draco. He twists open the cap and takes a drink. "Fuck," he says, licking his teeth. "Damnit, Pansy. Will you please work on your ice charms?"

"Why?" she asks, frowning as Blaise takes out his wand and comes back to the cooler. "What's the issue?"

"It's so fucking cold it nearly broke my teeth, that's the issue." He looks at me before performing the spell again to correct it. "They're all going to be flat now because you froze them," he says, giving her a nasty look. "Here," he looks at me like it was my fault too and closes the lid with his foot. "You're welcome."

I don't know why he said that to me. I didn't do anything. He senses me looking at him and he narrows his eyes right back before smirking at me like he was in on some funny joke I didn't understand.

I feel kind of useless so I go to help Pansy unload things from the basket. I take the lids off the salad and place the plates around the table. It is getting hot now and I can feel my face getting red. The bugs are coming out with the humidity and I look up at the sun, squinting before going back to the cooler and picking out a cold butterbeer.

I pick it up and put it to my cheek… before putting it on my forehead and then on my chest between my breasts to try to cool myself down. I close my eyes and sigh, trying to remember if there's some kind of sunscreen spell that I can use but I don't think there is… my mum would have been all over that with us. When I open my eyes, I find Draco staring at me. I put the bottle down quickly and he smiles behind his sunglasses before turning back to the grill.

It takes a while to get it to work properly. There is a lot of frustrated cussing on Draco's end and Blaise actually ends up kicking it before they got it to do what they wanted it to do. They burnt most of the hamburgers but I was so hungry I didn't mind. It was one of the best meals I've had all summer. Maybe it was because I was hungry… or maybe it was because I never thought I'd see Draco Malfoy cook anything.

"…. So, he's walking down the hallway," Blaise has been telling this story for the past ten minutes and I take a drink from my bottle to wash down the salad as he lights a cigarette with his wand. "And then he just wipes out," he says, making a hand motion to replicate how it looked. Pansy laughs and Draco smirks.

I have no idea who they're talking about, so I smile politely and stare at his watch. His is gold instead of silver and it has a brown leather band. I look at the watch face wondering of the shapes and colors. I have never understood wizard watches and no one has taken the time to explain them to me. Blaise sees me looking and gives me a strange kind of look that makes me turn away. It was tradition in pureblooded families to give boys a watch when they came of age. Ron got my dad's old timepiece but it wasn't nearly as nice as the fanciful things Draco and Blaise wore.

"And you know Dex, he just sat on his ass for like five minutes before getting up and acting like nothing happened. I mean, I have never seen anyone fall like that. I swear to God I saw his feet fly above his head."

"Who decided he was a good idea," Pansy says as I wipe my mouth with my napkin and then place it back on my lap. "Jeez."

"I would have liked to see that," Draco says with a smile as Pansy fans smoke away from her face with a scowl.

"Could you not smoke while we're eating?" she snaps at Blaise as he taps his ashes to the ground. "That's disgusting. Not all of us want lung cancer."

"We're all going to die somehow," he says, but he throws his cigarette on the ground anyway. I look over at the pool. It looks so nice. Crystal clear and surrounded by stones… "Isn't that right, Ginny?" I wasn't expecting to be involved in the conversation. I have to clear my throat a few times because it surprised me and I swallowed wrong. Pansy pats my back to help out. "So, how do you like working at Folk Hills?" he asks. I glance at him before looking back down at my plate and taking a drink once I get myself in order. "What do you do all day in that weird little closet?"

"Stop antagonizing," Draco says dryly as he pushes his sunglasses to the top of his head to see us better.

"It's an innocent question," Blaise says with his hand up. "Do you really just stand there and put things in a locker? Is that all there is to it?"

"Pretty much," I answer honestly. "The money isn't bad, considering what it is," I admit and Pansy purses her lips.

"How much do you make?" She asks and Draco shoots her a look.

"Stop being tactless," Draco says and then he glances at me. "Don't answer that question, Ginny. It's impolite to talk about money."

"Oh," is all I say like an idiot.

"Can you grab some more napkins?" Pansy asks me, nodding to the basket on the other side of my seat as some dressing drips on her fingers. "I forgot to pull them all out."

I nod and scoot over so I can lean down and open the top of the basket. I put my hand inside but it just keeps going down. I feel around for a minute, my entire arm lost inside until I find them. I pull up, a little flustered as I place them on the table.

"Sorry," I whisper, pushing my hair over my shoulder. " I didn't realize how deep it was."

"Do you like that?" I look at Blaise. He has a bit of sauce on his ring finger and he puts it in his mouth, slowly licking it off as he stares at me. "When things go deep?"

I look away quickly, uncomfortable.

"Don't," I hear Draco say and I look up to see him giving Zabini a serious look. "Don't do that to her."

"I forgot our Ginny is one of those good girls," he says with a smirk but Draco keeps glaring at him. Zabini must feel it because he sighs loudly and lets his smile fall. "I was just playing."

"Well, don't."

Blaise shrugs, not quite looking at me.

"Ignore him," Draco says, leveling me with a look. "Zabini is a cad."

"Yes," Zabini sighs as he takes a drink of his beer. "Apparently, I can't help myself."

"Do you like working there?" Pansy continues after an awkward pause. "At Folk Hills, I mean," she explains as she looks between Zabini and Draco.

There's a tension there, but it goes away when Zabini sits forward.

"Do you like working with Nadia the slag?" Blaise adds and I make a face at the name.

"Why did you call her that?"

I narrow my eyes. I don't even like Nadia that much, but I didn't think it was fair that he should say such a thing being who he is and all.

"Because she's a slag," Blaise says with a laugh and he looks at Draco for support.

"She kind of is," Draco answers when he looks at me. "You have to know what she does."

"What do you mean?" I ask. Pansy starts laughing into her napkin like she was in on a big joke.

"Obviously Nadia doesn't just sit around, checking bags and cloaks all day," Blaise says with an amused smile. "Don't you ever wonder why she makes so many tips?"

"Well, I mean…." I lick my lips. "She just dresses better…"

"She dresses like a whore," Pansy says with an eye roll.

I make a face at the word and then I look around the table. They all know something I don't and I don't like it.

"What are you talking about?" I ask, upset that I seem to be out of their little secret joke. I look at Draco for help and he raises his eyebrows like he thought I was joking.

"You don't know about her 'special service'?" Draco asks. I remember some guy mentioning it to her one time, but I didn't know what it meant. "Ginny…" he trails off and shakes his head like I was doing something adorable. "She makes all her tips by…you know," he says, raising his eyebrows. "She 'services' people who pay her."

I look at Blaise, he pretends to be sticking something in his mouth like a… oh, like a blow job. Oh, disgusting….

"Prostitution is illegal," I say because I can't think of anything else and they all laugh as I cross my arms. "Are you sure that's true?" I ask as I lean across the table again. "I mean, she has kids." That wasn't a very good argument, but I couldn't think of anything else.

"Oh, it's true," Blaise says with a laugh as he finishes off his drink. "Ask anyone."

"Have you…" I look at Draco and he shakes his head, but then he sends a sly look to Blaise. "Blaise, you've done stuff with her?" I ask in horror and then I look at Pansy who's giving him a nasty look.

"What?" he says in defense. "It was only one time and it cost me a couple gallons. I would not recommend it. She used too much hand."

I don't even know what that means so I look down.

"I didn't know she was a slag," I say to myself and they laugh again. "No wonder she makes more money than me."

"Ginny, you're so cute," Pansy says as she squeezes my shoulder. I look at her and find a bit of humor in the situation as well. I smile a little.

I try not to be distracted by the information I learned about Nadia while I finish off the rest of my plate, listening closely to the conversation the other three seem to be having. They talked about literature and current events and Draco was very keen to bring up political things he had learned from his internship at the Ministry. I found myself very impressed with them, even if Blaise made a few sex references every now and then. I used to think all this group talked about was clothes, money, and hating everyone that lacked the first two.

"People are going to start showing up soon," Pansy points out as she stands. "We should head inside."

We all get up. Just out of habit, I start gathering the plates and napkins until I feel a hand on my arm. I look up, realizing the sun is starting to set as Draco stares down at me. "No," he says with a head shake. "Leave them."

"But what if animals…" I trail off and look at the leftover food just waiting to attract unpleasant things.

"We have house elves for a reason."

I blush, but don't say anything and I let him lead us inside. The back doors open up into what Draco calls the recreation room. It was full of comfortable places to sit, a pool table, a few arcade games, and a bar in the corner. Pansy takes my purse and tells me she's going to lock it with hers in one of the bedrooms. I pull out my wand so I'm not without it, but I don't know where to put it… This dress doesn't have pockets.

"I'll hold it," Draco says, having noticed my dilemma. He reaches behind me to pluck it from my fingers and then he puts it in his pocket. "Let me know when you want it back."

I nod and give him a little smile. Pansy comes back into the room and she makes her way over to the bar. She starts pouring herself a drink as Blaise falls down heavily on one of the arm chairs and props his feet up.

"Draco, can Ginny take some shots with me?" Pansy asks as she fills another small glass.

I look up at him, trying not to frown. I don't understand why she asked him and not me.

"I want you to have a good time," Draco says as he glances down. He puts his hand around my waist for a moment to make sure I'm listening to him. "You'll be meeting a lot of my friends tonight so I want you to be comfortable… but don't get too comfortable," he says, giving me a look. "Do you understand?"

I make a face, annoyed that she asked him in the first place. "I think I will," I tell him, ignoring his little speech as I walk over to Pansy.

After two terrible tasting shots, people start showing up and Draco pulls me away from Pansy and the bar to introduce me to a few of them. I recognize most of the last names, actually. Brenda Libowitz's father owns a majority of the sports stadiums in Europe. Spencer Mallory's great great great Grandfather invented the moving photograph and Misha Sullivan's family owns a handful of famous hotels.

It's intimidating and I have nothing to offer so I just stand beside Draco and smile politely. I answer questions when they're asked and I let Draco steer the conversation however he likes because I have no idea what to do. I'm glad that I had taken the shots because it helped me not be so awkward in such an awkward situation.

Draco senses my boredom and goes to mix me another drink before coming back and pulling me to meet more people. I met a boy from Nigeria whose grandfather was the Minister of Magic in the eighties and I met a group of girls from the French school of magic who were heiresses to large fortunes in their own right. I had to wonder if one of them knew Draco's old girlfriend… but I didn't think it appropriate to ask.

I sipped the nice tasting drink he gave me and tried to look engaged even though I didn't want to meet one more person. The strangers would smile politely at me and then truly speak to Draco because I was nothing to them and I had nothing to offer. I was just there with him and they were only nice to me because of that.

My face was becoming flushed with alcohol and I was finding myself talking more and more with everyone, but I still strained to be polite and respectful. I wanted Draco to be impressed with my conversation just like I was impressed with his.

"You're doing well," Draco whispered against my hair as we walked into the kitchen where Daphne and Pansy were deep in discussion with Pansy's younger sister. "Thank you."

He kisses my temple and I give him a smile.

"I'm glad I can live up to your standards," I joke, tingling in my fingertips.

"They are high," he says. "I'm going to leave you here with the girls. I'll be in the living room if you need me."

"Okay," I nod and then watch him walk off, feeling like I'd prefer to go with him. I like touching him and the more I drink the more I want to. When I turn back, they're all staring at me. "Hi." I squeak, like a loser. Ivy raises her brow and then she walks past me.

"Don't mind her," Daphne says as she takes my arm. "She's a bitchy drunk." She explains and then she grins at me. "Let's get a few more drinks in you and you can tell me all about your shopping trip with Pans, yeah?"

We go back to the bar and the next time I look up, I find the house crowded with people I have never seen before. The place is suddenly packed. People are drinking, smoking, and taking pills…. Rubbing up against one another playing games and kissing. I blink a few times, trying to make sure it is all real before letting myself get pulled around by Daphne. She keeps handing me drinks and I keep drinking them to the point where I can't really do much of anything.

I'm not even sure how it happened, but I started playing some kind of card game with Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle in Draco's little breakfast nook. I found them to be quite funny. Or maybe it was because I was drunk… That was probably it. The alcohol had me thinking everyone was just great. I was talking loudly and asking questions and hugging people I didn't know. I complimented just about every single person I saw and I'm not even sure if I'm playing the game right but I don't think either of these morons mind.

Crabbe was a bit mean and didn't seem to like me very much, but Goyle wasn't too bad and every time it was their turn to take a drink they burped really loudly like it was a contest.

"Are you having fun?" Someone whispers against my ear.

I tilt my neck up and smile at Draco as I hold my cards against my chest.

"I'm winning," I gloat and he smirks.

I want to kiss him, but I resist. Turning away with a sigh.

"Of course you are," he says as he bends down so his face is up against mine and his hands are on either side of me on the table. "It's really not that hard with these two idiots," he says. I laugh and Crabbe and Goyle don't even try to deny it. "Are you almost finished?" he asks against my neck as I hold out my cards so I can make my next move. "I want your company."

"Not until I win," I sing as I lay down two cards. Goyle groans and I smirk as he picks up his pint to finish it off. I like winning things, I've decided. Draco doesn't move for a while and I glance towards him again as Goyle makes his move. "Are you going to stand there the whole time?" I ask and he gives me an irritated look.

"You're done playing," he says sharply. He takes my cards and throws them face up on the table.

"Hey!" I snap. "I was going to win."

"Come and sit with me," he says, trying not to strain his voice as I glare down at the cards. I look over at Crabbe and Goyle who are looking at me with raised eyebrows. Well, it's not like I wanted to hang out with them that bad anyways.

"Alright," I say with a sigh as I stand up. "Since you asked nicely," I add sarcastically.

He makes me sit with him on one of the leather couches- but I have no idea why. He's not even talking to me. It's almost like he saw me having too much fun without him and decided to ruin it. I feel like a student who was talking too much in class and had to sit by the teacher… and that's what Draco was. A stern and boring teacher who wanted to have absolutely no fun.

As I look around, I can see couples snogging and flirting and taking shots together. They are playing drinking games and swimming in the pool outside. I glance at Draco. He is having a heated debate with some older bloke with a goatee. The stranger, who no one bothers to introduce me to, is wearing pressed slacks and a nice shirt that tells of his wealth. He sits in the leather armchair beside us with a brandy in his hand that some dark haired girl fills up for him every time it gets low. I frown at her when she comes by again.

Who the hell is she?

They are going back and forth about some bill being pushed through at the ministry and I get the impression that goatee man works there as well. They both know so much and it's weird that Draco seems so invested because he is still pretty young to care about all that stuff.

I know I don't care.

Draco puts his hand between my knees and squeezes my thigh every time I try to move or get up so I stop trying and just sit like he wants me to. Obedient and dull, I try not to pout and I pretend that I find Draco's watch really interesting. Looking at the emerald face that's home to symbols and inscriptions I don't understand, I touch it with my fingertips.

I wonder if he'll let me up if I pretend I have to go to the bathroom.

Pansy walks up and I sigh in relief, thinking she's going to sit with me so I have someone to talk to. She just gives me a sad little smile like she knew I was stuck and hands me another mixed drink that's a strange orange color. I watch her walk away, disappointed. I look back at Draco. He's acting like I'm not even here and every time I try to enter the conversation I'm either ignored or my comment is brushed aside.

Goatee has no love for me and gives me tight little smiles every-time I talk like I was annoying him so I stop doing that too. I try to follow the conversation, I really do, but I give up trying to understand when it's clear neither of them care to explain it to me. I decide to stare at Draco instead. I'm drunk, so I don't mind blatantly checking him out.

I bring my hand up to run through his hair. He glances at me in surprise as my hand settles on the back of his neck and he gives me a suspicious look before squeezing my thigh and turning back to his friend.

They just keep on talking about boring things that I don't know about and I start to get really restless. So restless in fact, that I start to fidget again and Draco gives me a sharp look. I slouch back in the seat with my arms crossed, no longer willing to act like I want to be here and he glares at me for it.

He leans over, kissing my pouting face. "Be a good girl," he whispers. He waits for me to reply so I uncross my arms and nod my head. He smiles. "Good."

I go back to looking at him and he goes back to his conversation, my fingers tracing the rim of the drink that Pansy handed me.

I like his hair. He has a very nice hair cut… It's short like most modern boy haircuts, but it's longer on the top and styled in a way that is always so perfect. Nothing like Harry who's hair was always all over the place all the time. I wonder if he has a professional do it each day because it looks that good. I wouldn't pass it by him. I like the color as well… It's such an interesting platinum blond.

"Is that your real hair color?" I blurt out my inquiry and his friend stops talking as they both stare at me. I'm pretty drunk, so I don't even care. "I mean, your eyebrows are darker," I say in defense and the goatee kid smiles.

"Yeah, Malfoy," he smirks maliciously as I sit forward. "Does the carpet match the drapes?"

"Luckily for you, Ginny," Draco says as he leans in closer. "You are in a prime position to find out," he says with a smirk before turning back to his friend and steering the conversation back to politics. It takes me a few delayed moments to figure out what he meant by that and then I make a face.

I take a few sips of my drink… It's some kind of pineapple tasting thing… almost too sour… I make another face and then go to stand up to put it in the sink, but Draco tightens his hand on my thigh.

"Stay," He says.

I put the glass down on the coffee table in front of us and inhale an angry breath. I am not a dog. I shouldn't just do what he wants if I don't want to do it…. But I end up doing it anyway. I want to be good for him. I want him to smile and tell me I'm his good girl. Is that wrong to think?

I take his hand and place my hand against his as he speaks, noticing how much larger his hand is than mine. There's something to that, I think. He has beautiful fingers as well and when I look at his fingernails… really look at them… I realize that they're in better shape than my own. I quickly hide my hands and make a deal with myself to stop biting my nails. I need to take better care of them.

With a bored sigh I start playing with the layered fabric at the bottom of my dress, leaning slighting into Draco's arm and putting my head on his shoulder. If he makes me sit here any longer I might just fall asleep. He doesn't seem to mind. He starts tracing circles on the inside of my thigh and I close my eyes. I wonder if he'll mind if I just take a little nap.

Someone turns up the music and I pop my head up. In the other room I can see people dancing. Someone turned out the lights in the dining room and they had pushed the long table against the wall. I spot Daphne and Pansy in the group and I smile as I see them moving in the darkness.

"I know this song," I say in excitement as I sit up on my knees. Draco looks at me as I put my arm across his shoulders. "Oh, I want to go dance," I say and then I turn to him as I climb off the couch. "I'm going to go dance."

I don't wait for him to reply and he doesn't try to stop me as I grab my drink and run towards the dining room. Should I have asked him if I could? Why do I get the feeling he would have preferred that I ask his permission…. I make a face at the thought. Of course I shouldn't have. That's a stupid thought.

"Hey!" I yell at Pansy as I start to push my way towards them, holding my drink up so I don't spill it.

"Ginny!" Pansy's a little drunk as well and she puts her arms around my neck, giving me a hug. "I'm going to do it tonight." She yells against my ear as we dance.

"What do you mean?" I ask with a laugh as she continues to hold onto me.

She takes my drink and downs it. I frown. I wasn't done with that yet.

"Blaise. I'm going to finally ask him to be official with me," she says, pulling back and giving me a girlish smile. "I think he'll say yes this time."

"This time?" I say with a snort. My drunk mind is not realizing I need to be sympathetic right now. "Do you think now is a good time?" I ask. I glance towards Zabini. He's dancing with some dark skinned girl in a pretty pink dress. "I mean, he's dancing with that girl and all."

Pansy's head snaps like a snake and then she narrows her eyes at the dancing couple before turning back to me, plastering a fake smile like she could care less.

"We have an open relationship," she admits and I make a face as I jump to the music, running my hand through my hair and messing it up because I like the way it feels. "But… after tonight it will be different," she says and I look at her as she sends a nasty look towards the dancing couple before turning back to me. "That doesn't mean we can't have fun right now," she says spitefully.

Three more shots and a rum and coke later I was dancing with everyone. After a while, I opened my eyes to see Pansy dancing all up on some tall guy in a yellow shirt. It seemed very sexual and I felt uncomfortable watching it. I wondered what Zabini would think if he saw. I blink a few times before continuing to dance against someone... someone who smells like smoke and sweat and has his hand on my stomach. I was having a good time until I felt my arm being tugged on, pulling me away from the crowd.

Someone pushes my back against a wall and I look up to find Draco glaring down at me. I smile at him but he doesn't smile back. He's looking at me like I had done something wrong. Did I do something wrong? I can't remember. I'm out of breath and sweating from all the dancing so I take out the ribbon to run my fingers through my hair and I smile again.

"What are you doing?" I ask, breathless.

He glares at me for a few moments before bringing a hand up to twist in my hair, tugging it back as he places a harsh kiss against my lips. It shocks me and I don't move.

I don't like the rough way he was treating me in front of his friends and I just want to go back to dancing…. But it can't be serious, right? He can't really be doing this to me? I try to push him back, but he holds me in place firmly, biting my lower lip hard until I whimper. The pain makes me realize he's not kidding and it seems to sober me up pretty quickly.

He gathers my hands in one of his to keep me in place as the song changes to something more techno. I'm tense now and my body rejects his affections… but I eventually relent and open my mouth for him, forgetting about everything else because my body is still buzzing and it is a little funny. Because if it wasn't funny then it would be bad and I don't want it to be bad.

He lets go of my hands and I take the movement to bring them up to his face to kiss him even deeper. Tilting my head and liking the feeling of him against me as I curl up on my tiptoes to reach him better…. But then he pulls back. He's still looking at me so coldly now and I don't understand it.

"Why did you do that?" I whisper as I bring my hand up to touch my lower lip because it still hurts.

"You have your rules," he says, his eyes narrowed. "I have mine."

He's so bloody serious.

His hand is still holding onto my hair so I can't turn away from him and I feel him bunch more of it up to tighten his grip. I bring my hand up to his wrist to deaden the pressure.

"Let go."

"You want me to do what you want now?" he asks. "When you can't even listen to me? I told you not to drink too much."

He loosens his grip in my hair and then he places the hand on the wall beside my head. His other hand he uses to grab my hip, pushing me against the wall like he does when he kisses me against the lockers at Folk Hills. I start playing with the fabric of his shirt, trying to catch my breath.

"You do not dance with other people like that," I look up at him. Even angry he was so handsome and I wet my lips, wanting him to kiss me again. "Especially not in front of me. Especially not at my house. Do you understand?" He raises his eyebrow before glancing at Pansy like he was mad at her for it. She stands off to the side, looking troubled with her arms crossed as someone turns down the music "Will you keep her in check, please?" he says hatefully.

Pansy gives me an uncomfortable look.

I feel the anger boiling in my stomach and I stop fiddling with his clothes when the seriousness hits me like a brick. I look around. Someone had turned on one of the lights and a few people were staring at us. I feel embarrassed and instead of being shy- my rage wins out and I glare at him.

"Don't talk about me like that," I say, the alcohol in my blood giving me courage. "No one needs to keep me in check. I'm not a child and you don't get to pull on me like that either."

I rub the back of my head, my eyes narrowed and upset. He's still standing too close to me.

"You," he starts. He looks down at me, taking a step closer so his body is pressed right against mine. "Were dancing with every guy here," he says and I open my mouth to protest, but I stop because I think he may have been right. "I was sitting right in there, Ginny. I could see you."

"It was just dancing," I try to defend myself.

I know everyone is watching us now and I glance around quickly with my cheeks heating up. I feel like I might have been wrong and everyone is looking at me like they hate me. No one cares about me here… they were all loyal to him. They're his friends and this is his house. Who was I? Just a stupid girl who fucked up, apparently.

"It was just fun," I say because I wasn't dancing with guys because I wanted to dance with them. I was just dancing and they happened to be there. It wasn't like I was grinding up on them like Pansy was.

"It wasn't fun for me," he replies dryly. "I would appreciate it if you wouldn't do it again."

I look at Pansy for some back up, but she's just standing there with her arms crossed. When I make eye contact with her, she looks down.

"It's not like we're official," I mumble.

I know that's not what I wanted to say, but I just thought of Pansy and Blaise and how they were dancing with other people. They weren't pushing and pulling each other and causing a scene. Something dangerous flashes in Draco's eyes at my words and I know I said the wrong thing.

He looks around sharply at the people who have all stopped dancing to watch our exchange and he grabs my arm, pulling me towards the back door. I push his hand off of me when we get outside, angry that he's just dragging me around like he is.

"That may be so," he says as he slams the back door. It makes me jump.

There were a couple of people in the pool but they get out when they see what's happening. His anger was palpable- it was a thick hateful thing that hung in the air between us. I watched the strangers run back inside, wrapping towels around themselves as the party lights that hung on strings above us made everything seem soft in a golden glow…. But there was nothing soft or glowing about the way Draco was looking at me.

"But do what you want on your own time. Do not embarrass me in front of my friends."

"How am I embarrassing you?" I ask. I don't want to cry- I really don't- but I feel the tears in my eyes anyways. His reaction surprises me and I don't know how to navigate it. "I was just dancing."

"You do realize blokes will try to get you in compromising positions just because you're with me. You know that, right?"

"Why would anyone do that?" I ask, not understanding and he pinches the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes like he couldn't believe how stupid I was.

"Because people are fucked up, Ginny, and I have a lot to envy. Do you not know how the world works?" He looks at me again, his eyes flicking down my body. "No," he says meanly. "I don't think you do."

"I didn't do anything wrong," I say, trying to stick up for myself even if no one else will. "I was just dancing."

"You are only here because I want you to be," he says and I look up at him, trying to mask my hurt. "I don't want to watch you rubbing up on other people. How would you feel if the tables were turned?" he asks. I think of Draco dancing with other girls, especially Cho and jealousy prickles my brain. "Hm, how would you feel if I did that to you?"

"I wouldn't like it," I mutter in defeat and then I glance up at him again. Does he have a point? "You're right," I say after a few moments, deciding that I was in the wrong… but still not liking how he acted towards me. That was wrong too, wasn't it? I've never seen anyone act like that before and I'm still embarrassed by it. "I really didn't realize… I was just dancing. I've had so much to drink," I admit, bringing my hand up to my forehead.

"That's not an excuse," he says hatefully as I try to blink back the tears. I won't let them fall. I just won't. "That just tells me that if you drink a little bit then you will go off and do whatever the hell you want…. and that's when I'm here," he throws his hand up. "What happens when I'm not?"

I swallow hard. I'm not sure what to say to him anymore and put my hand on my neck, looking down. My embarrassment shifts from the way he acted to how I had acted. I try to think of what I did and then I remember the feel of a stranger's hand on my stomach. A chest pressed to my back. Warm breath on my neck. I make a face, suddenly feeling so dirty.

"Now I get to go in there and take care of a situation I don't want to have to take care of because it's not okay for other blokes to be touching you, right? No matter how fucking drunk you are or how you act to the contrary. You do understand that I can't let that slide?" He narrows his eyes. "Look at me," he says sharply. I reluctantly look up. "You forced my hand and I'm about to cause an even bigger scene because of you."

I don't know what he means by that and I start picking at my fingers nervously.

"I just introduced you to everyone in there that is worth knowing. They all know you're with me and that I cared enough to let you meet them," he explains, his voice still sounding so mean. "It can't be known that Draco Malfoy lets guys fuck around with his girlfriend while he's sitting right there. Do you see what you've done?"

I clench my jaw and then I nod my head, trying to appease him because he's so very mad.

"I'm sorry."

"What was that?" He asks sharply. "I didn't hear you."

"I didn't mean to upset you. I didn't even…" I inhale a deep, shaky breath. "You said…" he tilts his head, trying to get me to look at him again. His jaw is tight and the fingers of his wand hand are flicking against his side. "You said you were going to try to work on your anger."

That catches him off guard and he stands straight.

Someone opens the back door and steps outside. I glance at Pansy and then I turn away because I'm embarrassed.

"Why don't we take a walk for some fresh air," she says. "Yeah?"

She takes my arm and I look away again, upset with this odd fight I seem to be having with him.

"Go on the dock to cool off?" she offers and she looks at Draco like she was asking for permission and he nods his head tightly. "Let's go, Gin," she says as she puts her arm around my shoulders and starts steering me towards the concrete stairs.

"Is my lip bleeding?" I ask as we walk down the back stairs to the dock.

Pansy looks at me.

"No, why would it?" she asks as I bring my hand up to my mouth.

"I think he bit me in there." I look over my shoulder as Draco walks back into the house.

"Oh," she says and then she gives me a smile as she squeezes my shoulder. "I told you he could be difficult sometimes."

"Difficult," I whisper bitterly. "Is that what that was?"

She looks at me, but doesn't say anything as we make it down to the water. I sit at the edge of the dock and cross my legs with my shoes still on because I don't want to put my feet into the water when it's so dark outside. My head is reeling. I already have a headache. Draco was right… I did drink too much. I'm so stupid. Pansy sits beside me with a heavy sigh and I glance at her from the corner of my eyes. The lights are on around the boat house but Pansy and I are mostly in the dark.

"Oh, Gin," she sighs again and brushes a tear away from my cheek that I let escape. "Don't cry."

"I'm not," I say shortly, turning away and rubbing the evidence off my face. "Are you still going to ask Blaise about being official?" I ask to get all the attention off of me and she shrugs her shoulders.

"I don't know… maybe I should wait until we're both sober."

"I think that would be best," I admit and she looks at me with her head tilted to the side before facing forward again. "You like him a lot," I point out and she shrugs again.

"I guess so… he's so hard to figure out." She says and I frown.

"How so?"

"He's just… I never know what he's thinking. I think his Dad dying messed him up because he never lets me in and he can be so mean."

"Like Draco?" I ask, remembering the coldness in his eyes but she shakes her head.

"No, Draco…. Draco can be cruel, but his cruelty is usually honest. He notices everything and he'll point it out. He likes things a certain way," she says, talking about him like they were old friends. I guess they are. "But Blaise…" she shakes her head. "He just lies, and half the time it's about stupid things. Like the other day he told me he was going to transfer schools but I knew it was a lie because he already bought all of his things for Hogwarts. He said it just to see my reaction."

"That's odd," I say and she nods her head, dipping her toe into the water.

I hesitate a second. I know that Pansy is Draco's friend but she's my friend too, isn't she?

"Do you think what Draco did inside… was that… I know he had the right to be upset or whatever. I shouldn't have… I shouldn't have done that," I say in a timid voice as I stare at my knees. "But is that okay what he did?" I ask cautiously. None of my girlfriends had ever been in relationships and this is a whole other world to me. I could never imagine Michael or Dean ever treating me in such a way… but they weren't like Draco. He was a different kind of person. "He kind of hurt me when he did that," I say as I bring my hand back up to my lip.

"Draco is intense," she admits and I think of what Daphne had said to me at the pub. He's intense… Don't go out of your way to make him jealous. "What he did wasn't so bad. I mean, you were kissing him back for a while there so it looked like you were into it." She gives me a tight smile. I don't know if she even believes what she's saying. "You're new to our group and he probably felt compelled to put it out there that you were with him despite your actions."

Despite my actions? So she thinks what I did was bad too. I turn away. Back at the water. How could I have not understood? Maybe I was dancing in a worse way than I thought. Maybe something else happened that I didn't see or understand. I'm so disappointed in myself and now I feel so terrible that I would do that to Draco.

"That didn't feel sexy," I whisper, remembering her words from the department store.

She doesn't say anything for a minute. She looks back out at the lake.

"He's just… give it some time, yeah?" she says, looking into my eyes again. "He has trust issues."

"Why?" I ask.

"Why do any of us have issues?" she asks as she stands up and dusts off the back of her skirt. "Blame the parents," she says with a smile and I figure it's a joke so I laugh a little as well. "You know, Draco decided to have a cook out earlier because he thought you would like it. None of us have actually done one before. He can be thoughtful sometimes."

"Oh," I whisper. "I didn't even realize…"

"It's okay," she says with a smile. "It was fun…Do you want to go back in? I think Draco has cooled down enough. He'll be nicer to you now."

"Is that why we came out here… for him to calm down?"

"And you," she says with a smile. "I meant what I said," she says as we start walking back. I stop and glance at her. "Before… Draco can be a good guy. I know sometimes it's hard to see that… but underneath it all he is good. You just have to, you know… not do shitty things around him."

"Yeah," is all I say because now I feel bad.

I know that his old girlfriend had kissed somebody else at a party at his house. He had lost his temper then too but maybe what I did brought up those feelings of betrayal and that's why he acted that way. I feel so stupid. Why did I let myself do that? I thought I was just having fun but if I just would have sat down on that couch with him I wouldn't feel so bad right now. I should have stayed beside him and just fell asleep.

"Do you think he's still mad at me?" I whisper and she looks at me, tilting her head down to view me from the corner of her dark eyes.

She looks like she's trying to find the right words to say.

"I don't think so," she says gently. "His anger is probably focused elsewhere right now."

That makes me feel bad too and I glance up at the house wondering what damage I caused there.

"He knows you're not like that, Ginny," she says, gently squeezing my arm. "You just messed up, is all. It's not like you would have done anything… You don't even let him do anything." I look at her again. "You know, he might not be so compelled to get upset over things like that if you let him actually touch you sometimes."

"What?" I ask, surprised and finding my voice again. "What do you mean?"

He touches me all the time.

"When you're ready," she says quickly. "Look, I know that you haven't done anything with boys and I know this feels new to you," she says. "Draco could teach you a lot if you let him and maybe he would feel more secure if you let him… you know…." She says. I don't say anything to that and she sighs. "Just give him some incentive?"

The look I give must tell her how I feel.

"Sorry, it's just that I don't want you to get all caught up on who he is instead enjoying being with him, you know? Having a boyfriend is fun. Sex is fun… I just don't want you to limit yourself for any reason… and if he sees you acting…" She exhales slowly. "I mean, you won't let him even use his fingers but you'll grind up on some guy you don't even know. You can see how that looks to him, don't you?"

I look away and clench my teeth together... Maybe I should just go home.

"Just apologize to him again. You might even get an apology back if you're lucky and do that thing…" I look at her. "That thing where you bite your lip." I unconsciously do it and she nods her head. "That. Do that. He likes it when you do that." I want to ask her what else he says about me but I guess now isn't really the time. "Let's get back inside and pretend like we're not bothered by anything," she sighs, taking my arm again. "And that boys and their feelings don't ruin everything."

"Where is she?!" I stop walking and blink a few times at the ridiculous screaming from the house. "No, let go. Where is she?"

"Oh, for fucks sake," Pansy sighs and I look up at the house as two figures come stomping down the stairs. I realize halfway down that it's Millicent and Daphne.

Daphne sends a panicked look to Pansy as Millicent sets her eyes on me. It looks like she's been drunk girl crying, her eyes red rimmed and her mascara smeared. I let go of Pansy and take a step back as she comes barreling down.

"Back off it, Millie," Daphne scolds as she tries to hold her back. "This is such a bad idea. You'll know what he'll do if you…"

"Oh, shut up," Millicent snaps, pushing Daphne to the side. She falls and makes a whimpering noise. "I have something to say to you, Ginny Weasley."

She's drunk, I can tell. She's drunk and angry and I clench my fists in fear. I don't want to get into a fight and especially not with her. I'm still on edge because of Draco and he has my wand.

God, he has my wand!

"Go away, Millicent." Pansy rolls her eyes as Millicent passes her, headed towards me. I take another step back. She's wearing a purple halter dress and she hikes it up when she approaches. "It's not her fault he doesn't want you."

"Shut up, you skinny bitch," Millicent says and Pansy looks at me with a smirk.

"At least she said skinny," Pansy jokes and I manage a smile before gulping once Millicent is right in front of me.

"You have no idea what I've been through!" she yells at me and I flinch, looking to Pansy for help. She looks as worried as I feel and she starts inching towards the stairs. "I have done everything!"

"What are you talking about?" I ask her and she sneers as she takes out her wand.

I look at it and gulp. I feel naked without my own. Defenseless and pathetic, I look behind her to see if Draco is nearby. I don't even care that he's mad at me anymore. I would take his angry scolding over Millicent's unhinged ranting.

"I did everything I was supposed to. I changed everything," she says. I wonder if she's talking about the charms and surgery she had to make herself beautiful. That's the only change I can see. She's still rotten on the inside. "But I'm still not good enough. What makes you so special?" she hisses. "You're poor and you're not even that pretty."

"Hey," I say, offended. "You don't have to be so rude."

"And to top it off you're the help. The. Help," she says slowly, like it would sink in for me. "You never make the help your girlfriend!" She stomps her foot and wipes her eyes, smearing more of her eye makeup. I look for Pansy again, but she's nowhere to be seen. Where did she go? My breath starts coming out in short little gasps and my stomach feels on edge. "I stopped eating chips for this!" she yells at me. I would laugh if it wasn't so scary. "Do you have any idea how hard that is!?"

"I don't know what you want me to do," I say, trying to stay calm but really I just want to cry because this night has just gone to shit. Why does everyone hate me so much? "Maybe we can talk when you're not drunk and shouting at me."

A fire ignites in her eyes.

"You know what you can do," she says as she takes a step closer to me. I take another step back and realize I'm at the edge of the dock. I look behind me at the lake, to the deep dark water. "You can go away. Just go away!" she screams at me before bringing her hands up and pushing me.

My back smacks against the water.

I wasn't lying when I told Draco about my fear of deep water. It's too dark, I'm still a little drunk, and I'm panicking. I stay under for a few moments before surfacing and spitting some water out so I can catch my breath. I really can't swim, so I try to dog paddle my way back to the dock, but I'm in too much shock to do much good. I feel myself sinking further down and I can hear my heart beating in my ears. Then suddenly I am seven again. Fishing with my dad out in the middle of nowhere going further and further under the water.

I just want to go home.

I shouldn't have lied to my parents. I shouldn't have snuck out and now I'm going to die in a fucking lake in Draco Malfoy's back yard. The options are swim or die and I'm pretty sure I'm going to die. I can't breathe. I can't move. I can't do anything and I clench my eyes shut because the water hurts. I can't even think of anything solid right now… nothing… shapes, sounds, my mum….

Then I feel a hand grabbing my arm and it pulls me out of the water. I inhale a deep and painful breath when we surface and then I start coughing up the water I swallowed. I don't even care about the disgusting noises I'm making as I try to catch my breath and I end up throwing up a bit.

"You're okay," I hear him say.

When we get to the dock, I grab it with my hand then look at Draco. He had jumped in fully clothed and now he truly does look livid. He pushes hair away from my face and I hug him tightly around the neck as he holds onto the dock to keep us afloat. "You're okay," he repeats and then he looks up. "Pansy," is all he says as he pushes me up with his strong arm under my legs.

I'm reluctant to let go as Pansy comes running over. She puts her hands down to help pull me out of the water.

"That was scary," she says seriously, looking shaken up. "You went under. I didn't think you were coming up," she whispers. When I reach the safety of the dock, Daphne runs over to me holding a towel and she wraps it around my shoulders.

I just need to sit down.

"Oh, Ginny. I'm sorry," she says and I glance back at the water as Draco climbs out. His clothes are soaked and he looks… well… he looks like he's going to kill someone. "I didn't think she'd actually push you in. Pans and I went to get Draco to make her leave you alone… we didn't know she'd do that."

"I c-can't swim," I say with a chattering jaw and she gives me a sad smile.

"I kind of noticed that," she says.

"She likes him," I state as I spot Millicent with a gang of girls around her, all trying to fix her makeup.

"She kind of hates him, actually," Daphne whispers as she rubs my arms to keep me warm. "She just wants him." She looks at me and gives me a little smile. "Everyone wants him."

Draco starts walking to me, his shoes squeaking with each step. I realize he jumped into the water with them on and I look down at my own feet in a panic. I'm missing one of my pretty gold sandals. I look out at the water as Draco gets closer to me and I feel like crying again.

"Are you alright?" he asks as he kneels in front of me and Daphne moves away.

I nod my head.

"Just a little surprised," I whisper and I glance at him. He sighs and runs his fingers along my nose and under my eyes. When I realize he's fixing my fudged make up, I blush. "I think one of my shoes is still in the water. I think it fell off," I say quickly, trying not to cry. I just bought them. I'm allowed to be upset about it. "Will you Accio it for me?"

I don't know if it will work for me in the state I'm in.

"It was just a joke," I hear Millicent's annoying voice. I glance up at the house as people start coming out to watch the show. "How was I supposed to know she couldn't swim? What kind of idiot doesn't know how to swim?"

Draco narrows his eyes and then he stands up. I watch as he turns around and starts walking towards Millicent who's standing by the edge of the dock with her arms crossed, trying to defend her actions. "Draco," she says as he approaches with determined steps. Daphne sits beside me and puts her arm around my shoulder as I watch their exchange. "It was just a joke."

"It wasn't funny," he says flatly and she makes an exasperated sound.

"Who doesn't know how to swim?" she says in disbelief and my ears burn in embarrassment again, but it's short lived because Draco pauses for a few moments before bringing his hands up and pushing Millicent in the lake.

I widen my eyes when she splashes against the water.

He said he would never hit a girl but I guess pushing them in a lake is still on the menu.

I don't even mind.

"Fuck, Draco!" she yells once she resurfaces and I stand up so I can see how she's doing.

Unfortunately, she can swim.

"I don't want to see you again until you've thought up an adequate apology," he says coldly. I shiver and it's not because of the water. "While you're in there, I want you to find Ginny's sandal," he says as she starts to pull herself out of the water. He puts his foot on top of her hand to stop her and she looks up at him fearfully. "It's gold." His eyes flick to mine. "Find it and then leave my fucking house."

"Oh my," Daphne whispers.

I look at her. Even she looks surprised.

"Come on," Draco says as he grabs my hand.

I don't protest as he pulls me towards the house and I glance over my shoulder once to see Millicent's shocked face.

I can't help but smile just the smallest bit.

"You're shivering," he says as we walk up the stairs to the patio.

I nod my head but don't say anything. When we get to the back door, I see Blaise leaning against the house with a cigarette in his hand. He winks at me as Draco walks past him.

"The party's over," Draco says flatly and Blaise throws his cigarette on the ground.

"Yes, General," Blaise says with a mock salute as we head towards the foyer where the two stairs curve up to the second level.

I let myself get led like a child until we reach a bedroom on the second floor. I can hear the music get turned off and the voices leaving the house. Draco disappears into a closet and I tighten the towel around my shoulders as I slip out of my one surviving sandal… feeling… Well, I don't know how I feel. Confused, maybe? Cold. Upset… and pleased? There was something so satisfying about seeing Millicent hit the water.

I take the towel off and use it to dry my hair. His room is large, with light walls and large windows. It's clean looking and bright, unlike what I imagined his room to be. I expected something dark and foreboding like the rest of the house.

"One of my t-shirts should be fine," he says. When he walks out of the closet, he's only wearing a pair of gray sweatpants that rest low on his hips. I look away quickly… but that makes me look at his bed. It's also big… so much bigger than my own… with a white down comforter and a modern looking leather headboard. "It will fit you like a dress anyways."

"Alright," I say as I take the shirt. It's red and it has a pocket on the chest. I look around for a few moments until I find a bathroom. I walk towards it, stopping only when I realize something. "Can't you dry my clothes with magic or something?"

"You were in lake water," he says, going over to a dark set of drawers and opening the top. "They need to be washed and I'm sure that dress needs to be dry cleaned."

"Oh," is all I say before disappearing into the bathroom. It's a black tiled masterpiece with a white clawfoot tub. I take a moment to take it all in. The patterned floor, the brass faucets, the large framed mirror. Good god. I sigh and then peel out of my wet clothes. I place them carefully on the tub ledge and I slide his shirt on. It smells like him and it's the softest cotton.

"Draco?" I say softly through the doorway, turning on the sink and cupping some water to swish around my mouth.

"What is it?"

I spit and turn off the water.

"Do you have something I can wear underneath?" He doesn't say anything for a moment. "My under.. things… were wet too."

Underthings? What is wrong with me?

A couple moments later, he opens the door. He's wearing a tight black t-shirt and he's holding a pair of plaid shorts.

"They'll be big," he says, handing them to me. I nod and step back, unfolding them. He doesn't close the door to give me privacy, he just looks at me. "Do you want to take a shower?" he asks, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh," I glance behind me at the tub and the shower head. "No… I… I should go home."

"Not in my clothes, you're not," he says. I think he's joking again so I give him a tight smile. "You really can't swim, can you?"

I shake my head. "I told you I couldn't"

"Yeah, well…" he trails off and puts his hands on the door frame. I try to put the shorts on without lifting the shirt up too far. They aren't that big. They still stay up and I roll the waistband a few times, very aware that he's staring at me. "You were right," he says and I look at him, confused. "I did tell you I would try to work on my anger," he admits, not quite looking at me. "I let it get away from me tonight."

"It's okay," I say quickly.

Why did I absolve him so easily? He didn't even apologize but I wanted it to be done and I wanted to forget it ever happened.

"I shouldn't have danced with anyone else," I admit, taking a step closer. I cross my arms because I don't have a bra on and I feel uncomfortable without it. "You believe me that I wasn't doing it on purpose, don't you? I didn't even know how bad it was. I don't want to embarrass you or make you feel like…." Like what? I don't know. "I'm sorry."

He looks at me and then he smiles a little bit, like my apology pleased him.

"You look tired," he says, coming forward and placing his hand on my arm. "Why don't we lay down for a bit? We can wait for them to clean your clothes."

I know I shouldn't. I know I should just go home now in wet clothes and dry them by myself… but I look up at Draco again as he gives me the sweetest kiss. I don't protest.. I don't do anything as he walks us to his bed and then he turns down the covers.

"I won't touch you anywhere I shouldn't," he whispers as I climb in. "Unless you want me to," he adds with a smirk.

He turns off the lights and then he slides in beside me. I turn on my side to face him and I inhale a deep breath when I feel his hand on my hip, slowly moving up.

"I can't believe you pushed her in," I whisper.

He scoots closer so I lay on my back. He props himself up on his elbow and his hand moves to my stomach.

"I can't believe she pushed you in," he says as he moves his fingers under his shirt. "I didn't think she was that stupid."

"She likes you," I point out and he makes a noise as he grabs my waist. "I mean, Daphne says she hates you, but she wants to be with you."

"That would never happen," he scoffs. "Magic can't fix everything," he says, leaning down and placing a kiss at the corner of my mouth. "Personality- for example." He says and I laugh a little.

"We should go back down," I say my voice breathless as his hand inches further up.

"Not yet."

His hand finds my breast and I suck in a breath. Then he kisses me. He kisses me hard and deep. I bring my hand up to thread it through his hair, liking the way he feels. He pulls back. I can barely make out his face in the darkness but I can feel everywhere he touches. He pushes up my shirt and the cold air hits my skin, making me shiver again.

"My parents are going to kill me," I whisper worriedly. "I've been sneaking out to see you. If they found out…"

"Why have you been sneaking out?"

He removes his hand, and I feel myself being disappointed when he lowers my shirt.

"They don't want me to go anywhere now," I whisper, shifting my legs when it becomes uncomfortable . "They don't even let me go to work alone anymore."

"Why?" he asks, his hand back on my hip as he kisses my neck.

"Because…." I stop myself. I shouldn't tell him, should I? He didn't need to know about what Ron and his friends were doing. "I don't know."

He pulls back. I can feel him staring at me in the darkness.

"Does Harry Potter stay at your house?"

"What?" I ask, surprised he would ask such a thing.

"Does Harry Potter stay at your house over the summer?" he asks again, looking down at me with his hand gripping my waist a little tighter.

"Why would you…" I furrow my brows. "How did you know that?"

"Nott told me," he says.

"Theodore Nott? How would he even–"

Luna.

The thought strikes me hard and I press my brows together.

"That has to be quite convenient for him," he says, his voice is getting mean again and I don't like it. "He could just sneak into your room wherever he wanted."

"Harry isn't like that."

"He's not? What is he like?"

He's nice. I resist saying because I don't think he'd appreciate it.

"He stays with Ron," I admit, feeling uncomfortable and not liking his tone of voice. "It has nothing to do with me."

"That's not what I hear." He puts his hands between my legs and I inhale a sharp breath.

"You heard wrong," I say, feeling the anger rise in my heart but it's mixed with the arousal I feel at his touch. With the alcohol still buzzing in my brain I don't know what I'm going to do. "Half the time it's like I'm not even there and when he does realize I'm alive it's really weird and awkward. It doesn't even matter because they aren't even there anymore."

"Where are they?"

I shut my mouth. I said too much.

"I don't…" I stop myself. "I don't know."

"You don't know?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"I bet."

I think about what Pansy said- about he would be more inclined to trust me if I let him…

"You can.." I swallow hard as I put my hand on top of his to move it under the waistband. "I won't stop you."

He stares down at me, his hand disappears inside the shorts. I inhale a short breath as his fingers run along my sex.

"You shouldn't say things like that to me when you're drunk," He whispers. He removes his hand and lays back. "It's not fair." He must feel my questioning look. "When we do stuff like that I want you to be sober so you know exactly what I'm doing to you."

There was a dark promise to his words. Something underneath that made me swallow hard and shift uncomfortably again. He pulls me to him and I rest on his arm, closing my eyes. I didn't realize how tired I was and I liked being close to him without the pressure of doing anything else.

He says something, but I'm not sure what it is. I find myself walking that fine line between wake and sleep where nothing feels quite real. I can feel Draco touching me. His beautiful fingers dance over the curves of my body as I settle more against his hard chest and put one leg over his.

When I open my eyes again- it's morning.

I sit up quickly and look around. Draco's not in bed with me and I look at the clock on the bedside table. It's seven o'clock. My father will be getting up for work soon.

"Fuck," I whisper, squinting against the morning light as I jump from the bed.

I spot my clothes. My dress is laying over one of the chairs by the window, my green underwear is folded on the cushions, and my crossbody purse is hanging from the arm rest. I strip quickly and pull my newly cleaned clothes on, all the while cussing softly to myself, praying that my parents haven't noticed that I'm gone.

"Fuck," I say again as I slip on my one shoe and leave the bedroom. I throw my purse over my shoulder. "Fuck, fucking, fuck," I say as I go running down the steps.

"Watch your mouth." I stop in my tracks at the bottom of the stairs and I sigh in relief when I see Draco looking amused. He's dressed already, standing by that round table with the flowers. "Ladies shouldn't be cussing," he says with a smirk as he holds out my gold sandal.

"She actually got it?" I ask.

I take it from him and slip it on my foot.

"Of course she did," he says, like everyone always follows his orders.

I look him over. He looks all refreshed and ready for the day. He's wearing another suit and his hair is combed neatly into place. I think of my own disheveled appearance and I sneer inwardly. I hate him a little right now.

"Why didn't you wake me up?" I ask as I run towards the front door, angry with myself. "You knew I had to be home."

"I wasn't going to wake you," he says as he follows behind me. "You looked like you were too comfortable. It's a nice visual, you know," he smiles when I look at him. "You in my bed."

"My parents are going to kill me," I mutter to myself as I start off towards the garage so I can get my stupid bike. "I'm going to be grounded until I'm thirty."

"Only if they find out," Draco says. "Let me Apparate you."

"They'll hear it," I say, shaking my head. A house-elf wheels out my bike and then I speed walk it toward the front gate with Draco by my side. "I hope they're still asleep," I whisper to myself.

I hop on the bike, but Draco slides in front of me.

"Aren't you forgetting something?"

"Oh," I say, getting off the bike and going to him quickly to place a kiss on his mouth. I go back to my bike and he laughs at me.

"That was nice, but it's not what I mean."

I look up, confused, only to find him pulling my wand out from a pocket on the inside of his jacket.

Oh.

"Forgetting your wand again," he says, putting it in my white basket. "Didn't I already tell you to not leave home without it?"

"Well." I say shortly. "Thankfully I have you to remind me."

"You should be thankful," he says. "You're lucky to have me."

I look at him, squinting against the sun.

"You're lucky to have me too," I say sharply, annoyed with him.

"Yes," he smiles. The beautiful one. "You're right."

I narrow my eyes. Why am I so irritated with him right now? Oh. I know. Because he didn't fucking wake me up knowing I needed to go home. Now I'll never be let out of the house.

"Goodbye."

"Goodbye," he smirks.

I go to move around him but he grabs my bike seat, hooking his fingers under it to keep me from moving. I give him a look.

"Let go."

He lets go but he grabs the seat again when I try to roll forward and he yanks it back.

"Oh, wait." he sighs, rolling me towards him. "I forgot something."

"I have to go home," I snap. "You're going to get me in trouble."

"You're already in trouble," he says, looking down at me with a brow raised.

I clench my jaw and exhale slowly.

My weakness from the night before seems so distant now that I have a headache and it's day time and the music isn't so loud.

"What are you going to do?" I ask, glaring at him. "Ground me?"

"Maybe," he says, his other hand grabbing my handle bars firmly.

What is he doing? He knows I have to leave!

"You're grounded," he says and I scoff at him. "No more parties." He smirks, the sun catches his gray eyes. "No more drinking. No more going out with friends. Not until you learn your lesson."

"What lesson!?" I end up shouting and he blinks at me, amused by my outburst.

"Well, you can't yell at me for one," he says, smiling.

"Whatever," I say, rolling my eyes as I try to jerk my bike away- but he holds firm.

"You think I'm joking," he's smiling as he leans down to kiss me. When he pulls back, his face is set and incredibly serious. "I'm not."

The way he's looking at me now has stamped out any attitude I had. I swallow hard and look away, down at the basket that has my wand. Things feel serious again and he still hasn't let go of my bike. His right hand grips my handlebars and his left is hooked under the back of my seat. He's staring down at me like he was expecting something and I glance up at him once before looking away again.

"Okay," I say because I don't know what else to say.

"Okay." He smirks and then lets go of my bike. "Be careful going home. I will talk to you later."

"Later," I whisper before taking off.

I speed home and pretend like that conversation didn't happen. I creep back into the yard and carefully place my bike back in the shed. I grab one of our old practice brooms so I can fly to my bedroom where I left the window slightly cracked. Inside nothing looks disturbed. My door is still locked and the radio is still on. So far so good. I peel out of my clothes and crawl into my bed in my underwear, falling into a deep sleep.

Then my alarm goes off.

"Goddamnit."

---

XXXX

"Ginevra," Dr. Carroll smiles at me with her tortoiseshell glasses on the bridge of her nose. "You've grown up so beautifully. I'm so happy to see you doing well."

"Thank you," I say politely as I put my hands on my lap and look around the room. Not much has changed in the three years I've been gone. There are still blue and white bird paintings on the wall behind her and there's a bookshelf full of children's books to my right. "It's good to see you too."

She looks older than I remember and her hair is shorter. I've always thought she was pretty and I like the way she dresses- pencil skirts and pretty blouses that make her look so professional and stylish.

"I'm glad to hear that," she says as she picks up her quill. "So to get right into it… how have you been?"

"I've been fine," I tell her and it's mostly true. "I've got a summer job and I'm saving up for a writing retreat that's next summer."

"You're still writing?" she asks as she marks something down with her quill. I learned when I was eleven not to be bothered by it… but sometimes…. Sometimes I wanted to rip the paper off of her lap and see what she was saying about me.

"Yes."

"What do you write about?"

I shrug. "Stuff."

"What kind of stuff?" she presses.

"Just stories I think up and things like that… nothing like a diary," I finish so she doesn't think I'm falling back into that dangerous habit. "I only write topical things from my life when I'm mad."

"Do you get mad often?"

I glance at her before looking away. "Not really."

"What kind of stories do you find yourself writing?"

I shrug again. Mostly they involve death but that doesn't seem like the right thing to say. "All kinds."

"I'd love to read some of them one day."

I glance at her. She smiles.

"Do you ever find yourself writing about what happened during your first year? When you were eleven?"

We both know what she's talking about and I find myself almost flinching at the thought of it.

"No, I never even think about it."

Another partial truth. Sometimes it comes to me in the darkness of night. When I am alone and I feel unloved… but other than that I can usually keep it contained in a box at the back of my mind. I'm good at compartmentalizing my trauma. It makes it easier to live life. I have boxes full of painful things just sitting there locked up forever after.

"Never?" she questions with her sharp eyebrow raised.

"Never," I confirm, wanting to drop it.

"Dr. Carroll?"

Someone beeps the speaker on the table and she apologizes to me before leaning forward and pressing a button.

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry to bother you, but Eddie Meyers is out here. He says it's important."

She looks at me and then back at the speaker. "I'll be there in a moment," she says. "I'm sorry, Ginevra," she says as she stands up and tucks the clipboard under her arm. "I have to see what this is about. Make yourself at home while I'm gone," she says gesturing around the room before leaving me alone with the door closed behind her.

I frown, wondering what that Eddie Meyers guy needed that's so important. I sit back and look around the room, my fingers tapping against my stomach. Dr. Carroll is a children's psychiatrist and everything in her room is designed to put young people at ease. The windows are stained glass beauties and she has wooden toys in the corner for the younger kids to play with. Faceless dolls, rainbow stackers, and feelings flashcards are set up in little baskets on the shelf alongside stuffed animals and simple board games.

I stand up and walk around, messing with the awards on the shelf behind her desk. One of them is a glass ball on a pedestal that I pick up to get a better look. Inside is a blue glittery cloud made of some type of magic that I don't understand. I accidentally drop it- catching it before it hits the floor. I exhale slowly in relief before putting it back quickly, my heart hammering in my chest. I shouldn't be messing with her stuff anymore. I go to walk back to my seat, but stop when I spot an old looking book on the shelf by a plaque from her university. I glance at the closed door and then pull it out. It's a heavy thing with leather binding and gold lettering across the front.

Blood Moon Fairy Tales

I raise my brows before sitting back in my seat and setting the large book against my lap. I flip through it, looking at the pictures and scanning a few words here and there. I know some of these stories. They are old wizarding fairy tales that have been passed down for generations… but the illustrations are pretty graphic. Gory, almost, and disturbing. Not at all appropriate for children and I look at the cover again. There was no title page…. No author name… no preface…. Just the stories and the awful drawings.

I bite the corner of my lip before settling farther back and picking a place to start reading.

The Tale of the Serpent and the Queen

This one seems good and depressing. There's a drawing of a snake with its tail dipped in blood. When I start reading, the snake starts moving. Slithering around the page and weaving in between the words. I stop and look at the snake. It stops moving.

I frown before sitting straight and starting to read again.

A very long time ago- when the world was new-a warlock king was traveling through a small village in disguise to see how his people lived.

An illustration of an old man appears, a crown of gold on his head and he walks with stilted steps along the bottom of the page. He throws up his hood and when I glance at him- he stops moving.

While walking, he saw three beautiful sisters sitting in a garden, braiding each other's long, fair hair.

Three women appear. They are naked and I blink, surprised as they act out the story in black splashy ink.

Entranced, he approached the sisters and hid behind a rose bush to listen to their sweet voices.

The oldest sister, by far the tallest of the three, said that if she were to marry the king she would fill each hall with jewels and golden coins in his honor to please him.

The second sister, by far the smallest of the three, said that if she were to marry the king she would hold a weeklong festival for everyone in the kingdom to attend in his honor to please him.

The third sister, by far the fairest of the three, said that if she were to marry the king she would give him two strong sons who would grow up to be very powerful wizards who will one day rule the world.

The fairest sister stands up and moves about the page. Swimming through the parchment like it was water and smudging the ink.

The king revealed himself to the three sisters and chose the third to be his bride for he liked what she had said. When the youngest sister married the king and became queen, the other sisters grew jealous and they planned to ruin her.

Ruin her…. My eyes focus on those words for a moment. Ruin…

I'll ruin you, little Ginny.

I inhale sharply at Tom's voice and I throw him back in the box, locking it with a key before going back to reading like I had never heard his voice at all..

The new queen became pregnant and the king rejoiced, but was soon called to war. While he was away, the queen gave birth to twin boys who were both healthy and strong. The sisters, in their jealousy, kidnapped the children and brought them to a lake where the water was cold and black. They put each infant under the water until they stopped breathing.

I make a face at that last sentence and turn the book over to read the title again. Blood Moon Fairy Tales. What kind of fucking fairy tale was this? Why would Dr. Carroll even have such a book in her office?

A dark and crafty wizard saw what the sisters had done and changed himself into a serpent to hide his form. When the children were pulled from the water, the Dark Wizard noticed that each boy had a spark of magic still left in them. Knowing them to be from a strong lineage with powerful magic, the Dark Wizard cast a spell on the children to keep that spark of life preserved before the sisters buried them in the King's Garden. Two rose bushes grew over night where the boys had been buried and they would whisper to each other when no one was around.

"Good Lord," I whisper. Making a face at the picture that forms. Two illustrated babies surrounded by roots underground grow up into bushes with red gold roses that glimmer.

The oldest sister had taken two small dogs from the country and warped them with wicked magic. When they were beyond recognition - she placed them in the princes' cradles. Finally, when the queen awoke from her birthing chamber, she asked to see her children. The oldest sister told her that she had given birth to beasts and she showed her the mutilated dogs as proof. The queen was distraught. She knew in her heart that something terrible had happened, but when the King came back from war and was shown the two dogs by the middle sister- he did not believe her.

The king, thinking his new queen was a dark witch, snapped her wand and banished her to the sea. On a small boat, where she was sure to die, the queen spent days alone in the middle of the ocean. On the seventh day, the youngest sister was near death when the Dark Wizard found her and disguised himself as a serpent once more, appearing on her small boat.

The Dark Wizard told the youngest sister he could bring her children back to life only if she would make an oath to swear by magic that one of her descendants would give themselves to someone from his bloodline, making them heir to the kingdom and passing on the powerful magic of her family to his. The serpent also added that for the resurrection to work, the queen would have to die by her own hand.

"What the fu…"

The queen was sad, but knowing she was going to die on the boat anyway, and wanting her sons back, she considered his offer. The youngest sister asked the serpent when and who the descendants would be and the Dark Wizard looked far into the future, having the gift of sight, and he replied that when the seventh moon is in the second house, their families would become one.

The youngest sister was hesitant, but wanted her children alive again so she agreed. A dagger appeared in front of the sister and she plunged it in her chest.

"Oh, my," I whisper as I raise my eyebrows. What kind of person reads this to a child? There's even a picture….

She died, sealing the agreement with the Dark Wizard who went to the King's Garden to awaken the sleeping children from the dirt. They had grown in the roots and soil. Time and magic passed them by and they were nearly men by the time they were pulled from the dirt. The boys went to their father's house. The king knew them as his sons and when they told their father of the older sisters' misdeeds he had them burned as dark witches in front of the entire kingdom.

When the seventh moon is in the second house a powerful union between…

"I'm so sorry that it took so long."

I jump and slam the book shut as Dr. Carroll comes back into the room, looking a little flustered.

"Let's see," she says as she sits down and takes out her notes again, placing her glasses back on her nose. "Where were we?"

I put the book on the table between us and stare at the cover for a few moments. What a disturbing story.

"Ah, yes," she says with a small smile and then she looks at me, becoming serious once again. "Have you had any nightmares recently?"

"No," I say quickly as my palms begin to sweat and I wipe them on my skirt. Being here with her is bringing back things I'd rather not remember right now. "Not since… the last time I talked to you," I say awkwardly. She nods and writes something down.

"No headaches or panic attacks either?"

"Nope," I say, trying not to be uncomfortable. "I mean.. I did have a headache recently but… I just thought that was… nothing…." The last time I had a panic attack was when I was thirteen. I went into my grandmother's basement to get a jar of peaches and the damp smell of the room triggered memories of the chamber and the snake and him…My father found me an hour later, curled in the corner trying to catch my breath. I avoid triggers like that now. "Other than that I've been just perfect."

"Let's move on," she says and I nod. Thank God. "Why do you think your parents wanted you to see me again?"

"Because they're annoying and overprotective," I say bitterly and she looks at me before nodding her head. She doesn't say anything, so I give in. "Ron left with his friends… no one knows where they went and my parents are worried. That's why I'm here."

"Do you believe the Dark Lord is back?" she slams that question on me and I blink a few times.

"What?"

"I know Harry Potter has been blasted in the media for saying so. Do you believe him?"

"Of course," I say with a furrowed brow, thinking it was strange that she brought it up. "My whole family does."

"Why?" she questions and I pause a moment, trying to think of what I want to say, and then I narrow my eyes for her even questioning it.

"Why would anyone lie about that?" I snap and she smiles at me again, a serene and irritating smile.

"Indeed," she says. "So maybe your parents have a reason to be overprotective."

She lets that sink in and I sigh.

"You-know-who has always been around," I admit. Harry has fought him just about every year. "He never actually leaves."

"Does that trouble you?"

"Doesn't it trouble everyone?" I ask flatly. "I don't understand why he just won't die."

It felt blasphemous to say… to speak the words out loud. A part of me believed we would never be free of him.

"The last time we spoke you still quite liked Harry Potter. I know he-who-must-not-be-named being out there is frightening… but is it not also calming to know Harry Potter is also among us? He saved your life… he saved us all when he was just a small baby. There is some light in this tunnel, is there not?"

"I don't like him anymore," I say quickly, ignoring her hero love of Harry. "I mean… I do still like him… just not like… not like that…."

"You're quick to point that out," she says, squinting her eyes. "Why is that?"

"I'm dating someone now," I say as I think of Draco, not wanting her or anyone else thinking I'm still hung up on Harry Potter even if he is the savior of the wizarding world. "I like him a lot."

She smiles at me… it's a genuine one this time and I'm glad that the heavy subject matter is dropped. "I'm pleased to hear that. Is he a good guy?" she questions.

"Not really."

Why did I say that?

I feel the alarm rising in my throat and I give her a panicked look. What could I tell her? That the guy I was seeing was bossy and temperamental and he very recently grounded me.

"I mean he kind of is… in a different way," I tug on the bottom of my skirt, thinking of him. I wonder if he would think this skirt is too short. She looks at me oddly for the admission and I bite my lip because I'm about to say something very revealing, something that I haven't even admitted to myself. "He reminds me of Tom."

I haven't even dared let that thought come to the surface but now that it's there I can't shake it.

"How does he remind you of Tom Riddle?" she says, her voice taking a different tone. A serious tone. A worried tone.

"He's really smart," I say as I start rubbing my hands along the fabric of my skirt again. She notices it, so I start doing it even more. It's a nervous gesture I haven't done in years. "He's handsome," I say as I start pressing my palms into my thighs until it actually starts burning.

The box where I keep Tom Riddle starts to open... I can see his pale fingers peeking out as the lid unlocks.

"He can be cold and cruel, but charming when he wants to be. He makes me feel special." I remember that look that flashed in his eyes during the party at his house… that jealous and malicious look that made me feel so small.

I know why now… it reminded me of him.

"What do you mean by cruel?" she asks as Tom climbs out and stands up. He smiles at me. "Does he treat you well?"

"Very well," I admit because he does… most of the time. "And my parents would hate it if they knew who he was."

"Why is that?" she asks. "Who is he?"

Might as well tell the truth, she is under legal obligation to keep my secrets anyways. "Draco Malfoy."

The name hangs in the air for a while and I know she hasn't been able to come up with a proper response just yet.

"Draco Malfoy?" she repeats, like she was testing the name out. "His father is Lucius Malfoy," she says and I nod again. "The man who gave you the diary that started all of this in the first place?"

"Yes." I'm not an idiot.

Tom comes to the forefront of my mind… handsome and devilish… just like a wicked dream.

"And you think that's a good idea?" she asks, but I stand up, wiping my fingers on my skirt one last time.

"I have to go to work," I say quickly because I don't want to talk about it.

"Alright," she says as she takes off her glasses and then she pulls out a thin sheet of pink paper. Prescription paper. "I know you've been off medication for a while," she says as she scratches something down. "But I want you to fill this. They're anti-anxiety pills. If you feel an attack coming on, I want you to take two."

"Okay," I say, grabbing the pink paper from her. "See you later."

"Goodbye, Ginny," she says as she stands up as well. "Be safe."

When I reach the waiting room, my mum is sitting on one of the maroon couches with a magazine across her lap. When she sees me, she stands with a smile on her face.

"How was it?" she asks as she walks towards me, noticing the pink slip in my hand. She glances at the clock. "You're done early, right?"

"I don't want to go back," I tell her hotly as I hand the prescription to her and I stomp outside so she can apparate us to Folk Hills. "You're overreacting. I'm perfectly fine."

"I just thought with Ron gone, and things being as they are, that you would want someone to talk to again."

I cross my arms and huff. "I'm fine."

"If you say so," she says sadly as she puts her arm on mine. When we apparate to the club, she puts my hair behind my shoulder and studies my face. "You would tell us, wouldn't you, Ginny… if you were having the headaches again?"

I see Tom again. I want to stuff him back in the box but I don't think he'll fit anymore.

"Of course," I say with an irritated eye roll and she kisses my cheek before seeing me off to work. I'm a little early, so I wander around the back hallways for a while before heading to the check out station. Nadia is working and when she greets me I can barely manage a smile.

I can't even look at her.

I try my best to avoid getting in her line of sight, but being in this little closet is making it very difficult.

"Ginny?" Nadia says as I pretend to clean the same section of the counter with a cloth I found.

Going to Dr. Carroll was such a stupid fucking idea. It opened up things that didn't need to be opened and I fear I will never get them back where they belong.

"Hm?" I ask, trying not to glance behind me. I don't want to see her and make a face after finding out about her 'special service' stuff.

"Are you angry with me?" she asks worriedly. "You haven't been speaking to me all day. It's making me feel weird."

"No, I'm not angry with you. Why would I be angry with you?"I laugh nervously as I wipe the counter yet again. "I'm just feeling unwell." I say and then I make a face. I'm just feeling unwell? What the bloody hell does that mean?

"Oh, well, I hope you feel better."

"Thanks," I say awkwardly and I look up when I see movement. Daphne and Pansy are walking towards my booth, flanked on each side of a very sour looking Millicent Bulstrode. I would hide if it wasn't so obvious.

"What can I do for you ladies today?" Nadia says nicely, but they ignore her as they slide in front of me.

"Do you have something you'd like to say to Ginny?" Pansy asks as she pushes Millicent towards me. I flinch a bit.

"I'm sorry I pushed you into the lake," she says flatly, obviously not meaning it. I'm glad I'm behind my work counter because I don't know what I would do with myself if I didn't have the barrier. "It was careless and rude of me. I'm sorry."

"Don't act like you mean it or anything," Daphne says with an eye roll. "What do you say, Ginny?" She says as she looks at me with twinkling eyes. "Do you forgive her?"

"Um…" Is all I say because this is awkward. I glance at Nadia, but all I can see is Blaise doing the blowjob movement and I turn away quickly.

"Can we just get this over with so we can tell him it's fine now?" Millicent says with a huff as she crosses her arms.

"Tell who?" I ask but no one says anything so I'm guessing it's Draco. I remember his face when he put his foot on top of Millicent's hand… the coldness in his voice as he told her to leave his house. "Whatever. It's okay," I say so she'll go away.

"There, see, everything is fine. That means I'm good for the boat thing tonight, right?"

"What boat thing?" I ask, looking at Daphne but she just sends an uncomfortable look to Pansy.

Millicent makes a face before walking off, leaving Daphne and Pansy to smirk in her wake.

"Draco really laid into her again," Daphne smiles a little as she leans over to counter. "It was kind of sweet actually," she says as she fixes my hair. I make a face as she pushes the hair away from my eyes, but I don't go to stop her.

"If you say so," I say and I look at Pansy who's watching Nadia with an arched eyebrow. "Uh, well…What are you guys doing tonight?" I ask, trying to get the attention away from the girl I work with.

"Not too much," Daphne says with a shrug as she starts picking her nails. "Sleep over maybe."

"What boat thing was Millicent talking about?" I ask, feeling the tension.

"Oh," Daphne looks at Pansy again. "Should we tell her?"

"Now you have to tell me," I say with a frown.

"Well, you know you shouldn't feel bad because Draco sometimes grounds me too," she says and I narrow my eyes. "Well, I mean- he doesn't call it that but my mouth gets me in trouble and he doesn't let me… I mean he doesn't want me around sometimes."

"He was serious about that," I whisper, blinking and looking at Pansy. "Really?"

"You're not missing anything," Pansy reassures me. "It's just drinking but on a boat."

"And I'm not invited."

"It's not that you aren't invited," Daphne says, patting my hand. "It's that you're not allowed to come just yet."

That doesn't make it better.

I pull my hand back. "And that's okay with you guys? That he can do that?"

"Well, I mean," Daphne looks at Pansy. "It is his boat."

"That's messed up," I whisper, crossing my arms.

"We can skip it and hang out with you if you'd prefer," Daphne says. "What do you say, Pans? Maybe we could hit up the boardwalk. I haven't even been on the Ferris Wheel yet."

"Yeah, sure," she says flatly, still staring at Nadia. I cough to get her to look at me… but she doesn't. "So, your name is Nadia, right?" she asks snidely and I look at Nadia as she nods her head nervously. "How does it feel to suck—"

"Oh, okay," I say quickly, cutting her off and actually sliding in front of Nadia. "Enough of that. Nadia, do you want to take your break? I'll watch the floor," I say quickly.

"Yeah. Uh, okay," she says with wide eyes and then she leaves. Once she's gone I turn to Pansy and make a face.

"I'm glad you didn't finish that sentence," I say and Daphne laughs as Pansy hops on top of the counter with her legs crossed.

"I almost wish you would have let her keep talking. How does it feel to suck sounded like such a wonderful way to start a conversation."

Pansy laughs a little, breaking her cold façade as she shrugs her small shoulders. "Oh well."

She eyes me for a moment.

"You know, Draco will get over it soon."

"You mean I won't be grounded forever?" I say sarcastically. "It's not like he's my boyfriend," I say bitterly. "I don't care if he doesn't want me around."

"It's that kind of talk that gets you grounded," she jokes. "I think we're going to go to the pool for a little bit," she says and I nod my head in understanding. "I'll get a hold of you later, yeah? Just not tonight," she says, sparing Daphne a look like she just realized what she agreed to. "Gotta let him think he's getting his way for a few more days."

I make a face at that.

She starts walking away and Daphne stares at me from her spot on the counter. She looks at Pansy's retreating back before glancing down at me.

"Want to meet up tonight?" she whispers. I hesitate a second before nodding my head. I haven't done anything all week and no one has answered my owls. Now I know why. "We can go to the spring at Yellow Springs. I haven't been there yet."

"Daphne," Pansy stops walking when she realizes Daphne's not with her. "Come on!"

"Meet me at nine at the front gate," she whispers as she hops off. "And wear your swimsuit."

"Thanks Daphne," I whisper and she gives me a cute little wink before flouncing off.

I get back to work, putting rich people's things into a locker and getting paid for it. Nadia comes back from her break some time later, and I try to ignore her.

"So…" She starts, but I cut her off… rather rudely, actually, but I try not to feel bad about it.

"I'm going to dust in the back," I tell her and I take the cloth and go towards the back by the lockers.

"Whatever," I hear her mumble bitterly. I guess she's fed up with the way I'm acting towards her and I can't say I blame her.

I start wiping down the lockers, pretending to clean when I hear high heels tapping against the marble floor. I don't bother looking until I hear Nadia's voice.

"Mrs. Malfoy," she says and I freeze. Mrs. Malfoy? "It's so good to see you."

I look over my shoulder at Draco's mother.

"Charmed," is all she says and her voice sounds like a pleasing little bell.

Mrs. Malfoy is beautiful. Incredibly beautiful, actually. She's tall and thin with light blonde hair that always looks so perfectly styled. She's wearing green today… A sage green sheath dress with a matching cardigan around her slim shoulders that has pearl buttons.

I look back at the lockers, my stomach feeling tight.

"What can we do for you today?" Nadia asks and I peek over my shoulder again, trying to hide my face.

She's wearing large black sunglasses and she brings a gloved hand up to pull them off. She's looking right at me and a slow smile creeps onto her lips as her ice blue eyes look me over. I gulp and face the lockers again, feeling my cheeks heat up.

Draco has her smile….the beautiful one… and it makes me so uncomfortable.

"Just put these away for me please," she says and I dare another glance.

She's taking off the delicate white gloves and she's still looking at me. Surveying me… judging me. Does she know about me and Draco? I feel my heart drop… does she know I slept over at her house?

"Of course, Mrs. Malfoy," Nadia says as she gathers up her things and starts walking back towards me by the lockers. She makes an excited face and puts them away, taking the ticket that pops out. "Malfoy's tip so well," she whispers happily before walking back to Draco's mother.

"Here you go, Mrs. Malfoy," Nadia says, handing her the ticket.

I feel very uncomfortable and I tuck some hair behind my ear before smoothing out my skirt nervously.

"I will see you ladies later," she says.

She waits for me to look at her and then she winks. I blink in surprise and then she smiles before turning around to leave.

I put my hand on my forehead once she's gone and I lean against the wall as Nadia counts her tips.

"Jeez," she whistles as she puts the coins in her purse. "She just tipped me two weeks worth of pay. Can you believe that?"

I don't say anything.

"Why was she looking at you so much?" she asks. "That was kind of weird."

"I don't know," I say quickly, going back to cleaning.

It remains awkward and uncomfortable until my shift ends and I leave as quickly as I can so I can meet my mother at the apparition point. While I'm going down the back hallway with my bag slung over my shoulder, I hear an odd thumping noise coming from one of the closets. I've learned my lesson not to bother with it. When I hear strange noises coming from places like that I should just walk on past. Then I think of finding Cho and Draco in the closet and something like paranoia runs through me.

What if he's in there with Cho again, fooling around with her when he thinks I'm not here?

I put my bag down and take out my wand before going back towards the closet. Unjust jealousy is pooling in my stomach as I imagine all the terrible things Cho is probably doing to him. All because he was angry at me for dancing at a party. I throw open the door without warning– only to find a very surprised looking Luna and Theo the Creep.

"Oh," I say as I lower my wand. She quickly lowers her purple uniform and he smirks as he pulls up his trousers. "Oh," I repeat because Luna is the last person I thought I'd find doing dirty things in the maintenance closet. "What?" I end up saying as Luna straightens herself out before turning to me, not looking the least bit embarrassed.

"Hello, Ginny," she says like it was an everyday occurrence for this to happen and I open my mouth a few times to reply…. but nothing comes out.

"Luna," I whisper as I send a look to Theo as he buckles his belt. "You barely know him," I settle on saying and she smiles at me.

"Ginny, you're one to talk," she says and I raise my eyebrows in surprise. "You snog Draco all the time, and in a roomful of people where everyone can see," she says and I open my mouth to defend myself before realizing she wasn't even at the party when that happened.

"How do you know that?" I ask suspiciously and then I look at Theo who's smiling at me like the creep he is.

"Theodore told me," she says as she pats down her hair.

"I bet," I say, sneering at him as I cross my arms. "Seems like you two talk a lot."

"It's not a big deal, Gin. Everything is consensual so stop looking at me like that."

"Yeah, Weasley- don't be a prude," Theo says with a smirk. "Not when you and Malfoy are playing out your kink in front of everyone."

I give him an affronted look.

"You like that bossy boyfriend thing, don't you?" he says and he laughs when I glare at him. "Be docile and sweet and do everything he says until he finds a reason to punish you… which he always will, you know."

"What are you talking about?" I hiss because I don't like him.

I want to hex him. I tighten my hand around my wand… but resist hitting him with something in his smug face because I'm sure Delsia will give me an earful for cursing a member.

"At Draco's party," he says as he walks past Luna to tower over me. "I was there, you know. I saw what happened. I wonder," he whispers. "What did he do to you after we all left? Whatever it is, I bet you liked it."

He smiles at me, his dark puppy eyes shining with mirth. I feel my cheeks heat and my eyes slide to Luna as she looks between us with her big eyes blinking.

"Perhaps I was wrong," he says with a loud sigh as he steps back. "Malfoy is nothing if not a gentleman, of course."

"Luna," I look at her again and ignore that Theodore Nott is even here. "Do you want to walk with me to the apparition point?" I ask so I can talk to her some more but she shakes her head.

"Not particularly."

I glare at her. She doesn't notice so I glare at Theo the creep instead before turning on my heels and leaving angrily with a blush on my cheeks. Without fail my mother is outside waiting for me. I don't say anything to her. When we get home I spend the rest of the time in my room. I eat dinner with my parents at the table as they wonder and worry over Ron and his friends while I pick at some bread and mashed potatoes. Once I put in enough time, I tell them I'm going to bed and I go upstairs to get dressed.

I put on a swimsuit, one that Pansy picked out. It's just a plain black one piece with a sweetheart neckline. Not fun, flirty, or cute… but it will do. I put on a pair of denim shorts and then slip on my gold sandals. It gets colder at night so I grab a long sleeve flannel from my closet to tie around my waist. I check the clock before opening my window and climbing down the side of the house with my purse slung over my shoulder. I land in the garden with a thud before I walk to the gate. No bike tonight. There's no good place to put it at Yellow Springs, but the walk is long when it's night time and you're alone.

I keep my head down and my purse close as I walk the dirt path.

In the woods, I hear that strange whispering again and I stop, carefully taking out my wand. I stop and look around, staring into the deep darkness and wondering of the noise. I hear a strange hissing sound so I start running. To hell with bravery. I run through the woods and don't stop until I reach the main gate of Yellow Springs where Daphne is already waiting for me.

"Oh, Ginny," she says as I put my hands on my knees to catch my breath. "Why were you running so fast?"

"I got scared," I admit between deep breaths and then I stand up, arching my back with my hands on my hips.

"Did you think something was chasing you?" she asks worriedly, looking over my shoulder.

"Just spooked myself."

"Let's go to the spring before it gets too late. Pansy and Ivy swear by it. They say it makes your skin glow."

I follow her into the wooded hills, following her Lumos wand tip as we walk through the darkness. She seems to know where she's going and I stop on the stairs when we get to the spring. There is magic around it and the darkness shows it for what it is. There are strange hazy lights flying around the spring like fat blinking lightning bugs and the yellow rocks glitter against them. It didn't look like much in the daytime… just a regular thing in the woods… but at night… with the lights… it felt different. It seems to vibrate and I let Daphne take my hand to walk me to the shallow pool.

She pulls off her dress revealing a one strap swimsuit in a swirling blue pattern. I untie my flannel and take off my shorts as she watches me.

"Oh, Gin, I like your suit," she says, grinning at me. "Looks very retro."

"It's one Pansy picked out," I say uncomfortably as I slip out of my sandals and dip a toe into the water.

"That makes sense," she says, jumping in and making the water splash around my legs. "Looks like something Draco would like."

"I guess that's the point," I say with a sigh. "Pansy seems to want to dress me up as a doll for his pleasure."

She looks at me, her blue eyes curious.

"Do you like him, Ginny?" she asks. The magic lights swirl around her, making her hair shine like gold. "I know we can all be overwhelming but if you don't like him…It would be better to tell him now than to lead him on."

I frown at her, wondering why she would say that. I don't think I'd have it in me to lead anyone on. I step further into the stream and then walk over to the rock where the water tumbles down, creating the yellow rust.

"I do like him," I say, smiling a little when I think of how handsome he is. "But…"

"What?" she asks curiously, coming over to me and running her hands under the spring.

"I've never met anyone quite as dramatic as he is."

"Dramatic," she says, giggling at the word. "He would love being described that way."

She cups her hands and brings the collected water up to her lips. She takes a tentative sip.

"Why are you drinking that?" I whisper, making a face. "What if you get sick?"

I once read a story of a guy who died from a brain-eating amoeba that he got from getting some dirty pond water up his nose.

"It's supposed to be lucky, of course," she says, offering me her hand. "You want some?"

"Not really," I say, making a face. I guess I'm willing to splash around in the water in the middle of the night but I draw the line at drinking it. I watch her take more little sips of the water and she glances up at me when she finds me looking. "You were right about him being intense, you know," I say, bringing the conversation back to where it was as the spring water drips down her chin. "Draco, I mean. The other guys I've dated have never… would never…"

"I know," she says, giving me a sweet smile. "He's a different breed, isn't he?" I don't answer, I just turn away as I try to not think about it. "There aren't many families left who can match the Malfoy wealth so they are kind of like an island all by themselves… and he's an only child… Heir to a mass fortune and all that. Can you imagine?" she asks, blinking hard. "Having all that sitting on your shoulders?"

I really can't and I shake my head. It doesn't make me feel any better. It just makes me wonder again why he would ever want to be with me when I have nothing to offer.

"His parents just love him, you know. They. Love. Him. Their expectations are high but he's so ambitious and smart and confident… Things do get handed to him, but he knows when he has to put in the work." She looks at me, giving me a weird kind of smile. "Draco has always gotten everything he's ever wanted…" She trails off for a moment, blinking. "Well…. That was until he met Harry Potter. That's why he hates him so much. He just can't stand someone else besting him at anything. It doesn't help that everyone loves Potter. Even you," she says, giving me a knowing look. "It's hard for him, you know. To compete with that."

"I don't love Harry," I whisper quickly.

"Well, then maybe he loves you?" she asks, blinking at me. "It was kind of a known secret last year. Everyone could tell."

"Could tell what?" I ask, confused.

"I mean," she smiles. "Do you really not know, Gin? Pansy could tell and she's not even in your house. I think it was during the quidditch season and you must have still been with Dean Thomas…Harry Potter isn't exactly subtle. Even Zabini made fun of him a few times for it. Nearly got knocked off his broom for it. Harry can have a temper too, you know." She gives me a serious look. "That's not just Draco."

I finally understand… and I shake my head.

"Harry has had plenty of opportunities to tell me how he felt if that were true." I think of his stupid birthday card and scowl. I could get lost in his good looks and his bravery… I could still want him after all this time because that would be easy…. Because Harry was kind, courageous and always did the right thing in the end… but he has never looked at me like Draco has. "It's just… you know he doesn't truly know me. Not really, anyways, and he has never made a point to get to know me either."

She looks at me as a few of those odd floating lights move past her face. Her eyes are such a beautiful shade of blue… kind of like Ron's. Thinking of him makes me worry for them again so I look down.

"Do you think you could love Draco?" She asks me, her voice just as soft. I look into her eyes and I don't know how to answer. It was way too soon to even entertain the idea but I would be lying if I said I never thought of it. "I think it would be good for him," she whispers, reaching out and taking my hand. "To have someone like you love him. I know he can be a lot," she says gently, nodding her head as the golden curls bounce around her face. "He's not very nice a lot of the time… but can you imagine what it would be like to have someone like him love you? God, the doors that would be opened for you…"

"Maybe," I whisper, feeling uncomfortable.

"And it's not just one sided, Ginny," she says quickly. "You would open doors for him too." I give her a look because I know she's lying. "He would be so lucky to have you love him."

She takes the pause in conversation to gather some water and then she splashes it in my face. I blink in shock and then laugh at her giggle. I splash her back and we splash back and forth for a while, our laughs carrying on a summer night wind until we are both soaked and out of breath. I sit down on one of the dry rocks outside of the pool and she plops right down in the middle of the water…. running it up and down her arms.

"Thanks for hanging out with me tonight," I say, looking at her beautiful face. "Even though a boat party does sound fun."

"Us girls have to stick together," she says, reaching out and gripping my ankle. "And I don't like when they boat drink," she says, making a face as she pulls back. "Blaise always gets too drunk and then he tries to race Draco and Draco can't just let things go and has to race right back because you know he always has to win. Can't let anyone beat him at anything. They go too fast. It's not fun because they take it too seriously…Blaise gets mad and then Draco gets even madder and then they end up fighting…" She shakes her head. "They're going to get someone killed one of these days."

"Sounds awful."

"It is," she says. "You're lucky you're grounded."

She said that so seriously I have to laugh. When we're done rubbing the spring water all over ourselves- I guess I do feel a little better. I don't know. I stand and pull up my denim shorts. I watch Daphne put on her dress as I push my arms through the sleeves of the flannel.

"Want to go on the Ferris Wheel?" She asks, taking arm as I push my feet back into my sandals. We walk back up the stairs. "I love riding it at night. All the lights!"

"Sure," I say, giving her a tight smile as I wring out my hair.

The boardwalk is packed again and the red lanterns are blazing with the golden gas fire. We push through the bodies to go buy tickets and stand close to one another as we wait in the long line. I listen to Daphne talk about her family and her little sisters as I look up at the sky. It's such a clear night, the stars are shining and I can make out a few constellations. Daphne stops talking abruptly and I look at her to find her staring at something over my left shoulder.

"Are you alright?" I ask, following her line of vision to see Blaise Zabini staring at us from a few yards away.

He's wearing a casual button down shirt and a pair of tan colored shorts that stop just above his knee. He is dressed well, but he looks a little disheveled. His hair is messier than usual and his shirt is untucked on one side. He also had a vicious looking cut on his face and his wand hand was twitching. He looked… unwell. Which was hard to do when you looked like he did.

He narrows his eyes for a moment before approaching us with steady steps.

"What is he doing here?" Daphne whispers harshly.

When he gets near us, he smirks and looks at me before focusing his amber eyes on Daphne.

"Interesting," he says, tilting his head.

I notice her look away, her jaw tense.

"Are you okay?" I ask because something feels different in him and he has that pretty gnarly looking cut on his cheek. It was jagged and deep… and it looks like it was one smile away from bleeding again.

"Do I not look okay?" he asks, glancing at me. His voice sounds mean and nasty. "Hey, Greengrass," he says, leveling her with a glare. "I thought you weren't feeling well."

"I'm not," she says, raising her eyebrows. "Doesn't look like you're feeling well either."

"Well," he says, glancing at me before looking back at her. "I feel much better now."

The line moves and we move with it. The tension in the air is weird and I don't like it.

"Did you guys fight?" Daphne says after a heavy pause. "You can never keep your head when you race."

"You weren't there," he says. "So you wouldn't know anything about it, now would you?"

I turn away from them, feeling awkward..

"I know Draco probably kicked the…" She stops and glances at me.

He scoffs.

I bring my hand up to bite my nails. We are almost to the ticket booth so I open my purse to take out some money as Daphne and Zabini bicker back and forth.

"By the way," Zabini says, getting my attention. "What are you doing out?"

I don't answer, I just inhale a deep breath and turn away from him to pay for my ticket. He pushes my hand out of the way and pays with his card. He hands me a ticket and then hands one to Daphne while keeping the third.

"We are not riding with you," Daphne says as we walk towards the Ferris Wheel. I walk ahead of them, wanting them to stop talking to each other. "So I hope you're good with being alone up there."

"We'll see," he says.

We have to wait in another long line, but I stay in front, staring down at the ticket and trying not to pay attention to the insults and sharp words they are throwing to one another. It feels really uncomfortable and I'm glad to hand the worker my ticket when we get to the front. The cart is powder blue and I slide into the seat, looking back to see Daphne and Zabini elbowing each other to get on beside me.

Zabini wins out and throws his ticket at the poor guy before sliding beside me and shutting the bar over our laps. He flips Daphne off as the ride starts moving up and I look over the back of the cart to see Daphne, red faced and huffing on the loading area.

"Much better," he says, settling back and then looking at me. "Don't look so happy, Weasley. You're making me blush."

"What are you doing?"

"Daphne is fucking annoying," he says, looking out over the side of the cart as it starts slowly jerking up and around. He settles back to look at me. "You look nice."

I blink and turn away from him, pressing myself against the side of the cart so I don't have to touch him.

"Why's your hair wet?" he asks, yanking on some of it.

I give him a harsh look as I pull my hair back and he smiles.

"Did you go swimming?" he asks. "At night?"

"How was the boat party?" I ask instead of answering. Zabini seems jumpy, his foot is bobbing and he keeps looking over the side of the cart. "You did go, didn't you?"

"Yes," he says shortly before looking back at me. "Sorry you couldn't go. Draco can be a real prick sometimes."

"What happened to your face?"

"What?" he asks sharply, bringing his hand up.

"You have a cut on your cheek," I point out.

"Oh," he runs his thumb down the cut and winces at the pain. "That old thing."

The Ferris Wheel jerks forward and then it throws the cart into the air. I hold onto the bar tightly and then look over the side to see the lights of the boardwalk down below. I smile a little as I crane my neck to look up at the stars, trying to ignore the fact that I'm riding with a person who I do not like at all. I glance at him- surprised to find him staring at me.

"What?"

"Nothing," he says, smiling a little before turning away. I give him a look before looking out again as we fly over the hills and skim the lake. The world looks different in the dark. It looks magical and glittering… I like it. I find myself smiling again and I reach my hand out to feel the wind pass by.

"Thanks for paying for my ticket," I say, figuring I should even though he was being so weird about it.

"Well, I am not always a rogue," he says, adjusting himself in the seat.

For some reason I think of Draco. How he told me that girls didn't have to pay when a gentleman was present. Though I would hardly call Zabini a gentleman, I noticed he did make a point to pay for Daphne as well. It seemed to be an ingrained rule that their friend group all adhered to. Even Daphne didn't seem surprised by it and continued to bicker with him afterwards.

So strange.

Zabini says nothing else and I don't bother trying to say anything to him either. When the cart gets back to the wheel, I hear Zabini cuss.

"That fucking bitch," he hisses, looking over the side.

"What is it?" I ask, looking over his lap to see Daphne down on the boardwalk… With Draco, Pansy, and Vincent Crabbe.

"What's the problem?" I ask, glancing at him as I sit back and hold on again when the cart attaches back to the wheel with a few jittering clinks and clanks.

He doesn't answer and he sits staring straight again, working his jaw as the wheel slowly turns us back to the bottom. The worker unlocks the bar and Zabini jumps off like he was on fire. I slide out too and thank the worker because it is the polite thing to do. I step off to the side and follow Zabini who is walking too fast and too far ahead of me.

He's so rude.

When we get to the others, I look up at Draco and give him a little smile…. But he doesn't smile back. He just tilts his head and then he narrows his eyes at Zabini. I try to ignore it and I go up to them.

"Having a good time?" He asks. His voice does not sound pleasant- I try to ignore that too.

"I'm glad you're here," I say, giving him another smile as I timidly take his hand, unsure if he would want me to.

He glances at me in surprise, tilting his head thoughtfully at the gesture.

"Hm," he says, glancing at Daphne as he brings my hand up to his lips to place a sweet little kiss there. "Having a nice little girls night?"

"Until Zabini showed up," she says, sparing him a hateful little glare.

Draco slowly lowers my hand from his lips and I give him a pleased little smile, feeling the blush spread over my cheeks.

"Yes," Blaise sighs and stretches his back. "I do ruin most things."

"You really do," Pansy says, narrowing her eyes.

"Malfoy's father showed up," Crabbe says, looking at Zabini. "He wasn't happy about the boat."

"I'll pay for it," Blaise says flatly.

"You have a lot to pay for," Draco says sharply, finally turning away from me. "You destroyed the Garrett's dock," He says, narrowing his eyes. "They are looking for any reason to sue my family."

"I'll take care of it," Zabini says, a tick in his jaw. "No need to get all worked up."

Draco glares at him and then he looks at me, his head tilted and thoughtful.

"I'll walk you home," he says, gripping my hand to pull me away. "Come on."

"I don't want to go home," I say and he stops to look down at me. A part of me wants to tell him exactly what I intend to do and snatch my hand back… but I don't. I don't want him to be mad at me again. "Can we…" I glance behind me. Only Daphne is watching and Crabbe is watching her- a look I recognize as desire. Pansy has pulled Blaise off to the side and seems to be having a heated discussion with him. "I would like to stay. Maybe we can ride something else or play a game?"

He doesn't say anything and I press my brows together.

He can't really mean to hold up that whole grounded thing, can he?

"Maybe we could just walk around?" I offer. "I just really don't want to go home."

Back to my jailers with their never ending chores.

"Is that what you want?" He asks flatly with a brow raised.

He looks up when someone on the Ferris Wheel screams in excitement and I find myself admiring his throat.

"Yes," I whisper, liking the way he looks. I tilt my head to look at what he's wearing and how his body seems to fill it out so nicely, feeling that deep attraction in myself that makes me slightly breathless.

He glances at me and it's like he can sense what I'm thinking because he smiles, his eyes suddenly looking dark.

"We could go back to mine," Pansy says, approaching with her arms crossed. "My Dad is out of town and everything is about to close."

Draco looks at her, wetting his lower lip before squinting his eyes like he was trying to make a decision.

"I mean," she flicks an annoyed look over her shoulder. "Blaise didn't wreck one of my boats."

"You wrecked a boat?" I say, looking at Zabini as he walks up to us, running a hand through his thick hair. "Are you hurt? Is that what that thing on your face is from?"

His eyes snap to mine. Like he was surprised I would ask and then he narrows his eyes suspiciously.

"Draco can heal that," I say and then all of them look at me. "I mean," I clear my throat and look up at him. "He healed a cut on my lip before. He's good at it."

I feel really uncomfortable with the way they are all looking at me and I swallow hard. Why was that a weird thing to say?

"Can you…" I look up at Draco. "Not…heal him?"

"I can," he says, his eyes flicking to Zabini. "But I'm not going to."

An awkward silence falls.

"Well…" I take out my own wand. "I can heal it, then." I raise my wand and flick my wrist, saying the spell I remember Draco using. "Episkey."

The cut closes up and Zabini raises his hand to his cheek. Everyone is staring at me again and I put my wand away, very aware of the eyes on me. Again I feel like I had done something wrong… like healing Blaise had been a major faux pas.

Draco looks down at me, his eyes flicking all over my face before he inhales deeply through his nose, his chest rising- filling with air.

"I'm taking you home," Draco says flatly, making the decision as he grabs my wrist.

There was no more discussion after that and I let myself get pulled along until we were away from the crowd. I look over my shoulder once to see the four of them staring at me with different expressions of confusion. Outside of the gate, Draco drops my wrist, but I walk along with him anyway.

Too late to turn back now.

"Why are you wearing a swimsuit?" he asks.

I look down. How could he even tell under the flannel?

"Daphne and I went to the spring. The one that's in the woods," I say, looking down at my clothes. "She says it's good to… I guess… rub the water on your skin? It's not really deep enough to bathe in. So it was just sitting in a puddle. She said if you drink it it brings good luck."

"Do you feel any luckier?" he asks, sparing me a glance.

"Not really," I whisper, crossing my arms. "But then I didn't drink it."

He nods and looks away. We walk in the dark, neither of us bothering with our wands and I listen to the noises of the darkness and Draco's steady breathing.

"I really don't want to go home," I end up whispering, stopping just outside the woods. He glares. "Are you… are you angry with me?"

"You know what I don't like?" He steps closer to me. The darkness makes his features look wicked and I want to light my wand- but it doesn't feel right. "I don't like being told that my girlfriend is going on romantic rides with a fucker who just wrecked one of my boats into someone else's dock and then apparated away leaving everyone else on the boat struggling to get off. That pisses me off."

"Well, it pisses me off that you didn't invite me to your boat party."

"Why?" He says. "So you could coddle Zabini some more?"

I make a face. "You've never asked me to be your girlfriend," I say, feeling stuck on that word. "And if I was then why wouldn't you want me at a party you are hosting?"

"Well, I think you know why," he answers shortly. "On account of what happened last time."

"Nothing actually happened last time," I say, the anger rising.

"And do you make a habit of letting guys who aren't your boyfriend feel you up?"

I blush, glad for the dark.

"You know what? I can walk the rest of the way myself."

"I thought you didn't want to go home?"

"Well, now I do."

I turn and start walking the dirt path into the woods. I cross my arms and tilt my face down, pulling out my wand to light a Lumos spell so I can see the road in front of me. The woods are alive, they sway and shudder and make strange noises. I stop when I hear a movement in the grass and an odd whisper in the dark.

I turn my wand to the noise and nearly scream when a hand comes up behind me and grabs my wand hand, making the Lumos spell extinguish.

"Shh.." he whispers in my ear before apparating us to the front gate of his summer mansion.

"You scared me," I whisper breathless as Draco steps beside me to put in his ward passcode. "You can't just creep up on people."

"You knew I was there," he says flatly as the gate slowly opens. "Did you really think I was going to let you walk alone in the dark?"

"This is kidnapping."

"You aren't a child."

"Abduction, then."

"Feel free to go home," he says, walking backwards past the gate. "It's not like I took your wand or anything."

I hesitate. His look is challenging and he says nothing as I stare at him. I could go home… I could walk or apparate to the fields and risk it. He waits for me to decide and I struggle with the decision.

"You were wondering about what you missed out on tonight," he says. "Let me show you."

It only takes a moment for me to decide and I walk forward to take his hand. The gate closes behind us and instead of going inside we walk around the house and down the back patio to the boat house. The four arches only have three boats inside of them and I suppose the other one is wrecked somewhere out on the lake.

"Was it bad?" I ask. "The wreck?"

"Bad enough," he says, hopping into the first boat and turning around to me. "Come here."

I come close, nervous as the boat slightly sways in the water. There are golden lights shining from the arch above and the lake water looks almost black.

"Closer," he says, reaching out and grabbing my waist.

I know what he intends to do and I'm not all that comfortable with it. I try to step on myself but he manages to lift me up with my hands steady on his shoulders and he places me carefully on my feet. I'm impressed with his strength… I never considered myself a petite girl and the thought of him being able to lift me so easily made me feel good about myself… and about him too. He winks at me before turning around and walking into the cabin of the boat. I'm not sure what to do so I cross my arms and look around. The boat isn't all that big, but there's a seating area in the back portion where I'm standing, benches covered in smooth tan leather and a small table bolted to the floor. The boat itself seems to be some kind of olive green color but it's hard to tell in the golden light. It was sleek and smart and looked fancy… I glance at Draco.

Just like him.

I watch as he turns on a light inside the cabin… some polished wood lined thing with even more seating and a small wet bar. I watch him as he takes a set of keys from a hook on the wall to start it up.

The boat comes to life, lights bursting along the floor boards so I can see more of it. It's all so nice and polished looking.

"Zabini ruined the Speedster or else I would have taken you out in that," he says, not bothering to turn around. "This is a little bigger than I would have preferred."

"Should I be wearing a life jacket?" I ask worriedly, walking closer to him. I grip one of the chairs in the cabin when he moves the boat forward.

"If you want," he says, but his voice tells me that was not something he was very concerned about. I look out of the cabin window, seeing the lake water ripple with the movement of the boat and I start picking at my fingers nervously. "You'll be fine," he says when he notices my worry.

I just nod my head. I feel like I am now always putting myself in stupid situations and I sit down heavily on one of the nice leather chairs as Draco lurches the boat forward into the waiting night.

There's silence for a moment as I glance at him… only to find him already looking at me.

"Why were you riding that thing with Zabini?" he asks, his tone serious and unwelcoming.

"I didn't do it intentionally," I say, frowning at him. "He kind of pushed his way on."

He nods and turns away. I think he accepts my explanation but I see his eyes narrow and he looks at me again.

"I don't like that."

"Well, I didn't like it either," I say, thinking of Zabini and making a face.

"Don't do it again."

"I don't want to do it again."

I see the smallest smile tilt the corner of his lips as he looks away. After a heavy pause, he moves something by the steering wheel and steps back when the boat seems to stall in the water.

"Do you not know that we are together?" he asks, tilting his head. "Has that fact slipped your mind?"

"It's not like you've ever asked me," I say, feeling a knot in my stomach because this was a real conversation. An adult feeling conversation that I didn't feel all that equipped for.

"Did I need to?" he asks, smirking at me as he crosses his arms. "Was it not obvious what I wanted?"

"Nothing with you is obvious," I admit, not able to look at him anymore.

"Well, then let me make it obvious for you."

He moves quickly. He is always so shockingly fast when he corners me and he pulls me from the chair with his strength- jerking me into a punishing kiss that feels like fire. I inhale a surprised breath as he turns his head and deepens the kiss with his hands wrapped around my arms. He holds me there for a while before pulling back and going over to something on the console. He turns off the lights on the boat and then walks away from me, going to the back of the boat where he sits down on one of the seats.

I pause a second… My face is burning and so are my lips. I bring my hand up to touch my neck and I watch him sitting there in the darkness. It's like he's waiting for me to do something. Almost daring me like he thought I was too much of a coward to do anything at all. He leans back, his arm along the back of the bench and his right ankle on the opposite knee. He looks so at ease. How can he be that way after he kissed me like that? Why am I the only one left flustered and out of sorts?

"Do you want me to be your boyfriend, Ginny?" he asks, his head tilted towards mine.

I look at him in the moonlight and step out of the cabin. His button down shirt is a light blue color and easy to spot. The sleeves are rolled up to his elbows and I turn my eyes to his silver watch, shining against the pale light above.

"If you do," he says, his voice serious and heavy. "You are going to have to show me."

I'm not sure what he means by that and I don't want to ask. I wait for as long as I possibly can before I walk towards him. He is so charming and his smile was so beautiful… It was no wonder I couldn't help myself around him. Being liked by him was much better than being hated by him… Both of which he did with a brutal intensity. I sit down beside him and give him a sweet kiss on the lips. Had I been bolder and more experienced, I would have straddled him and kissed him as hard as he kissed me… but I was unsure of myself…. I felt nervous and a part of me worried he might push me off if I tried. When I pull back, he gives me one of his kind smiles.

For some reason I started thinking of Luna in that closet with Theodore Nott. Why was she bold enough to do something like that with him when I was still timid and unsure? Draco Malfoy was leagues above Theadore Nott- who did not deserve to have any girl touch him in any way, let alone someone as great as Luna. I bite the corner of my lip and I look up at the stars. They are shining so clearly tonight and I resist talking about the constellations because now is not the time.

"Don't do that," he whispers, his voice sounding odd.

He turns his body and brings his hand up to my face, letting his thumb run over my bottom lip so I have to stop biting it. He kisses me gently and then pulls back.

"Do you want to be mine?" he asks.

My heart is beating so incredibly fast. Why did he have to say it like that? Why couldn't he just ask me to be his girlfriend like a normal bloke? There was a heaviness to his words… a promise of something I'm not sure I'm ready to give, but I nod my head anyways because he is so handsome and my stomach is doing that strange fluttering thing again. I'm not sure if he will ever want to ask me again so I have to be sure.

He feels like a now or never kind of guy.

"I thought you might," he says with another smirk before rewarding me with one of his all consuming kisses.

It feels different this time. Before I could easily stop him and he would take it in stride, but this time I didn't feel like I wanted to stop him from doing anything. Even though he could be ridiculous. Even though he got angry at me over stupid things and he was demanding and sometimes mean… I found myself wanting more from him. Wanting to always see him looking only at me… smiling only for me… Taking care of things only for me…

I touch him back. My hand on his neck, then his chest, then tentatively around his belt… but I pull back when I realize I am not nearly that brave.

"You shouldn't have worn a swimsuit," he says against my lips as he pulls back and takes off my flannel shirt.

"Then you shouldn't have bought it for me."

He pulls back to look at me at those words and then a pleased smile creeps on his lips.

"You'll have to take the whole thing off for what I have planned," he says, maneuvering me so quickly that I don't have a chance to protest.

He puts me on the bolted down table in front of him and he starts lowering the straps of my suit as I put my hands behind me to stead myself.

"No one will see," he says when he notices the worry written on my face as I look around the lake.

Still I am nervous and unsure, so I look away, not knowing what to do. Should I say no? Should I put my shirt back on and ask him to go back to the dock and take me home?

But I don't want to go home.

"I can not be the only one who wants this," he says, his fingers gently grazing my thigh when he notices my hesitation. "You want me too, don't you?"

It was strange to want something so badly… to feel it so deeply… and still be so completely terrified to let it happen.

"Yes," I end up saying and he smiles again.

"I was hoping you would say that."

I let him lower the top and then I watch him looking at me with darkened eyes before he goes to take off the rest of the suit. I hesitate, stopping his hands. His eyes flick to mine.

"All of it," he tells me like it had to be done.

So I let him. I just let him. I grab my flannel but he says nothing as I slip it on. I'm suddenly shaking as he takes my swimsuit and throws it to the side. He gently pushes me back and I rest on my elbows as he stands over me. He looks over my body and I become self conscious, moving to tie the flannel up to cover myself, but he stills my hands and then his fingers disappear between my thighs, gently pushing them apart.

Spread your legs for me… I remember Pansy's words from the dressing room…. And I get to say…. give me whatever the fuck I want. It didn't feel that transactional when I wanted the exact same thing.

"Okay?" he asks. He waits for me to nod my head before his fingers move inside of me. I inhale a sharp breath. The feeling was a strange one… It was an odd kind of pressure at first before subsiding. "God," he whispers. "You're so wet already."

"It feels weird," I admit.

"Have you never touched yourself down here?" he asks, leaning down to kiss me again.

I found out a while ago that I didn't need to put anything in anywhere to have an orgasm. I don't need to tell him that, though, so I act like I didn't hear him. Almost like he could read my thoughts, he moves his hand and runs it over that bundle of nerves that makes everything feel so nice. I close my eyes for a moment, trying to get out of my own head and just try to live in the moment.

The moment of being fingered by Draco Malfoy on his boat in the middle of a lake.

Who would have ever thought?

"Are you telling me I'm the first person here?" he asks, seemingly happy with that fact and he smothers me with another passionate kiss. "Do you have any idea how much that pleases me?"

He tells me he's going to add another finger and I arch my back. I can feel him looking at me as he works his hand but I can't look at him, not right now. His palm seems to be hitting that good spot again and I can feel my body building to that familiar feeling of release… but before that happens he pulls back and I look at him as he sinks down to his knees.

"What are you doing?" I ask, leaning up to see him staring at my sex.

It made me want to cover up again… the intensity in which he stared at a place I've never even seen was a little overwhelming and it made me feel incredibly exposed. I go to close my legs, but he puts his hands on my knees and shakes his head, never once looking away.

"Let's see if you bring me any luck, Ginny," he whispers before his head disappears between my thighs.

If I thought his fingers were a different sensation, then his mouth was something else all together. His tongue seemed to know what it was doing down there too and I could feel my face getting flushed as I brought a tentative hand up to run through his hair. When I touch him, he stops and looks up at me, my arousal on his lips.

"Be a good girl," he whispers before dipping down again, his hands firm on thighs so I can't close them.

My body was building again. I could feel it happening and I looked up at the stars as he used his mouth and fingers to do something to me that has never been done before. I was close to that feeling. I knew it was coming and I almost wanted him to stop because I could tell it was going to be too much… but I don't think he would have even let me if I tried. He seemed like he was on a mission and I was making little gasping sounds with each of his movements, even finding myself tugging on his hair when the feeling bursts in waves to flow all through my body from my center that he was manipulating so masterfully.

He pulls up to watch me as I arch my back and clench around his fingers, pressing my legs together as the feeling ebbs away.

I settle back on the table, out of breath and sweating as he stands back up. I stare up at the sky… literally seeing stars.

"You liked that," he points out.

I nod my head, feeling warm and content for a moment.

Should I thank him? I'm not sure. Do I need to… return the favor? I don't know either so I just lay back as I try to get my body under control.

"I have something else you're going to like," he says as he starts unbuckling his belt.

Before I can say anything to that, a beeping noise comes from the cabin and Draco looks over at the red blinking light by the steering wheel.

"Don't move," he says, walking over to the light and picking something up.

I can't see whatever it is but he holds something to his ear. For a moment he says nothing and then he sighs loudly.

"We'll have to finish later," he says, coming back to me and picking up my swimsuit on the boat's shining floor. "Time to head back."

"What was that?" I ask.

He gets on one knee and holds the suit open for me. I give him a funny look before balancing on his shoulders to step into it after taking off my shirt. It was kind of funny to be dressed by him but there was nothing funny about the way his hands slowly moved up my body, pulling the tight swimsuit into place around my curves and valleys as he looked at every single inch of me on the way up. Finally he pulls the straps over my shoulders and then he leans down to kiss my cheek.

That almost felt more intimate than what he did with his fingers and I find myself breathless again.

"My father is back," he says, going back to the cabin and turning the lights back on. I blink against them and slide on my flannel.

"Your father," I whisper in a small voice.

He says nothing else. He turns the boat around and moves it back to the arches under the boat house. I look down as I pull on my shorts. I had my shoes on the whole time. Naked on a boat getting eaten out by Draco Malfoy and I kept my sandals on. Why does that seem so funny to me? When he pulls into the lighted arch, he parks the boat and turns it off. I watch him from the corner of my eyes as he turns away to adjust something in his shorts. When I realize what he's doing, I blush again and wonder if he's annoyed that I didn't do anything to him.

He turns back to me. I notice his cheeks are flushed and he looks pleased with himself as he comes towards me.

"Terrible timing," he says, helping me off the boat and then stepping beside me on the dock. "But my god did you look beautiful."

I look at him in surprise and then he bends down to give me a sweet kiss. I can taste myself on his lips.

"Try not to look like you just came all over my face."

He smirks at the look that I give him. A surprised, shocked look because sometimes the things he says are so bad. He puts his hand on my waist, hooking his thumb into the belt loop of my shorts as we walk up the stone stairs. When we get to the patio with the string lights hanging over the blue shining pool, I go to walk around the side of the house.

"What are you doing?" He asks, grabbing my hand.

"I'm going home," I say, nodding to the darkened path.

"Why?"

"Because your father just summoned you."

"That doesn't mean you need to leave."

I think of Lucius Malfoy- his sneering face and his wicked eyes.

"That is exactly what that means."

"Draco," I feel my heart sink when I see his father come out of the back doors of the house. He's walking right towards us and I feel something unpleasant settle in my chest. "The Garrett's have agreed not to press charges," he says as he approaches. His eyes slide to mine as I hide slightly behind his son. "I've written to Ruth but who knows if she'll care enough to read it…"

He says some more things… some boring things… but I can't help but feel like something has taken hold of my heart and will not stop squeezing it. I can't stop looking at him. His long hair is pulled back and he's wearing the black dress robes of an elder statesman. I've seen him before at the club…. But he's never looked at me and I have never been so close. Every once in a while, his curious eyes will flick to mine and I find myself breathing heavily… to the point where I can't quite catch my breath.

I remember when he passed Tom's diary off on me. I didn't know it then but I can see it now. The hateful look of disdain he gave my family…. How he stuffed the evil thing in my cauldron and killed the girl I once was. He ruined the person I could have become had Tom Riddle not poisoned me so completely.

The smell of the chamber comes back to me… the slithering sound of a giant snake moving through pipes in the walls seems to be all around me now.

Dark magic lingers, little Ginny….

I can hear Tom's smooth voice in my head. He always had such a pleasing voice- deep and smooth. It didn't have the posh diction that Draco's voice had but it did have something else. Something darker…. Something sweeter…. Something even more forbidden. I can see him standing in front of me handsome and dark haired in a set of Slytherin robes as he draws lines mapping out the veins under my skin. I can hear his laugh and see his sadistic smile as he tells me no one will ever love me like he does. No one would ever come close.

"What is wrong with her?" I hear Lucius Malfoy say cruelly with no ounce of feeling.

I feel like I'm drowning again, only this is worse. Much much worse. Why can't I breathe? Why can't I seem to get myself under control? Why is this happening right now? It's so embarrassing but the embarrassment just makes it worse and I can feel my throat tightening.

"Ginny," I hear Draco but I can't seem to see him. "Ginny, look at me."

"Perhaps I should leave," I hear Mr. Malfoy say and I nod my head. "Oh, and she agrees." I can practically feel the sneer.

"That's not helping," I hear Draco say to his father. He gets even closer to me and speaks in a soft, calming voice. "Just calm down. Everything is okay."

It is not okay. It is not okay. It is not okay.

I struggle to open my bag and try to pull out my wand. Why? I'm not sure… I just know I need it. I manage to pull it out… but my shaking hand drops it and it clatters on the patio. I move to get it, blind to the world around me as I get down on my knees…but being down on the cement patio reminds me again of the awful thing that happened when I was eleven. I laid once on the chamber floor with Tom lounging beside me- whispering secrets into my ear with his teeth slick with blood.

I can't hear Draco anymore. He's talking to me, but I can't hear him so I just clench my eyes shut until it all stops and things go dark.

When I open my eyes again I'm on a boat in the middle of the sea talking to a snake with a dagger in my hand.