Chapter 22
‘Til Death Do You Part
~
Hello Ginny,
It’s Julianna, if you hadn’t realized.
I know I haven’t written; I’m not much of a writer. I hope you don’t think I’ve decided to just forget everything we were told in San Francisco, because I haven’t. I’ve been practicing everyday.
I want to be ready, when the time comes.
It will, Ginny, it will. I know it doesn’t feel like it now, but its coming. I know it is.
I’m worried, actually.
I recently dug out my old Tarot cards and decided to do a reading. For some reason Draco came to me. The cards I got frightened me. No, not Death. The Death card is actually rather good sometimes. No, it wasn’t death. It’s too difficult to put in a letter what I saw, but it scared me.
Is he alright? Are you alright?
You can deny it all you like, Ginny. You “have a thing for him,” as Ali put it. I hope everything is alright, with you, with him, between the both of you. As much as you fight, I hope you remember one thing.
You are the Phoenix and the Dragon. You are the leaders of the Warriors. You have to be united, so that the Warriors can be united behind you. Ginny, think! You have a responsibility. You can’t let a stupid argument be the thing that lets the demons and this Voldemort win. You need to put aside your differences and work together. Like it or not, you’re a team. And a damn good one. You’re stuck with each other until either this war ends, or one of you dies, gods forbid. ‘Til death do you part. You might as well be married to each other for the duration of this war.
Just be careful and don’t do anything stupid. Same goes for Draco.
Sincerely,
Julianna
~
“Well that’s reassuring,” Cassie said dryly, handing Ginny back the letter.
The two girls were sitting on Ginny’s bed, both looking grim.
It’d been four days. Four days since the Quidditch game. Four days since the arrow hit Draco. Four days of worry.
The last rumor Ginny had heard stated that Draco was still holding on, still in a coma, still somewhere between life and death.
The day after the Quidditch game, Ginny had seen Narcissa Malfoy walking out of the infirmary with Professor Snape, wiping tears from her eyes. Something had seized Ginny and she made a beeline for the two adults.
“Miss Weasley, move out of the way,” Snape had sneered upon seeing her.
Ginny ignored him and turned to Draco’s mother.
“I’m sorry about what happened, Mrs. Malfoy.”
It was amazing the calm and detachment that had settled over her. It’d scared her at first, but she realized that her choices were either being practically a shell of a human, or a watering pot.
Narcissa looked at her, seeming surprised. “Weasley? You’re Arthur Weasley’s daughter?”
“Yes.”
Narcissa nodded. “Thank you.”
Ginny ducked past them and hurried to the library, where she collapsed at a table, feeling as though she’d run the length of the Quidditch field.
The redhead shook her head, returning to the present.
Cassie was still sitting at the foot of the bed, staring down at Juli’s letter. It’d come that morning during breakfast. Ginny had untied the parchment from the owl’s leg and had turned several shades of white only a few seconds later. She’d grabbed Cassie’s arm and had all but dragged the Wicca back to their dormitory.
“Is there any way you can get in touch with her soon?” Cassie asked, chewing on her lip. “Ask her what she saw in the Tarot cards?”
Ginny shook her head. “I don’t even know if she’s connected to the Floo Network. And it’s not safe. The Floo is always being watched.”
“Oh, and this is safe?” Cassie waved the letter over her head. “A letter like this could be the reason Draco’s almost dead.”
Ginny shot Cassie a withering glare. “Don’t.”
Cassie sighed. “Ginny, I’m sorry, but he should have come out of the coma by now.”
“I know, Cassie. Please, I don’t want to think about it.”
The American girl frowned, but handed Ginny back the letter.
“We’re gonna be late for Defense,” Ginny said, changing the subject.
Cassie nodded and got up, grabbing her bag. “Let’s go.”
The two girls made their way out of the dormitory in silence.
As much as Cassie was trying to help, it irked Ginny. Cassie was determined to figure out the situation. Who had shot Draco, who ordered the assassination, how they had found out, and most importantly, why? All Ginny wanted to do, was to forget about what had happened, just pretend it never had.
She felt as though she were in a suspended animation. The whole world going on around her, but unable to do anything but watch with detached interest. She was surprised by her lack of emotion. She hadn’t shed a single tear, hadn’t even felt like crying besides that first day. She’d barely slept, barely eaten. She’d thought about going to see Draco, but unlike Harry, she didn’t have an Invisibility Cloak, and would surely get caught.
If she’d had it her way, Ginny would have gladly crawled into bed and slipped into a coma herself. Or, better yet, gotten a Time Turner and stopped Draco from leaving his dormitory that day. Sadly, though, life was not that simple.
She’d gone on getting up each morning, going to class, listening to her housemates discuss Draco, speculating on what had happened.
The Trio had unexpectedly drawn back into their secrecy mode. Sitting apart from everyone at meals, conversing in whispers, and so forth.
It annoyed Ginny to no end.
After another impossibly long Double Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson, where she lost twenty points for failing to looking interested enough in Snape’s lecture, Ginny was almost glad to get into the Great Hall for lunch.
The first thing she noticed was the level of chatter.
Ginny and Cassie exchanged surprised glances, before something nearly behind them caught Ginny’s attention. She spun around so fast it ought to have caused whiplash.
The Slytherin table was loud with chatter and laughter. Parkinson was gossiping with some other seventh year, both grinning stupidly. Crabbe and Goyle were arm wrestling with vigor, and Zabini was singing something to a giggling Bulstrode.
Ginny’s heart leapt. The first real emotion she’d felt in days. She all but ran to the Gryffindor table.
“What’s going on?” she blurted out, scanning the chattering table.
Seamus saw her eager face and chuckled. “Never took you as one for gossip, Miss Ginny.”
“Seamus, don’t tease.”
“Alright, alright.”
By now they had attracted the attention of the whole table. Seamus gave a sigh of long suffering.
“Malfoy woke up. Sorry you asked now?”
Ginny tried to keep her elation from showing on her face.
“Oh. Right. So, um, when did he wake up?”
This time Pravati spoke up. “This morning. But this is what’s strange; I heard Madame Pomfrey talking to Professor McGonagall, and they said that Malfoy didn’t have any of the poison left in his body. As though nothing had ever happened.”
Lavender nodded enthusiastically. “I heard that Malfoy was so well when he woke up, that Professor Dumbledore let him leave the infirmary. He’s excused from classes for a week, but doesn’t have to stay in the hospital wing!”
“Bet Madame Pomfrey wasn’t happy about that,” Colin muttered.
Ginny laughed, drawing some stares. She didn’t care.
Draco was alright! He was alive! Oh, sweet Circe, Draco was fine!
Conversation resumed at the Gryffindor table and Ginny took the opportunity to drag Cassie out of the Great Hall for the second time that day. Safely out of sight and earshot, Ginny turned to Cassie, who was watching her with barely concealed amusement.
“He’s alright!” Ginny breathed and hugged Cassie. The Wicca laughed and hugged her back.
“Well what are you waiting for?” Cassie asked, stepping back. “Go!”
Ginny looked at her, confused. “Go? Go where?”
“To Draco!”
Ginny sobered. “I can’t.”
Cassie gave her a Look.
“You’ve spent the past four days like a freaking zombie because of him. I don’t care what you say, Ginny. He means a lot to you, and you need to go and see him. Especially if he’s as alright as-” Cassie paused, flapping her hand in the air. “That girl-”
“Lavender?”
“Whatever. You need to go see him and that’s that.”
Ginny bit her lip. “You think?”
“I know.”
~
Somehow, at nearly nine in the evening, Ginny found herself in the fourth floor alcove, cursing Cassie and her stupid ideas. She was trying to stare down a suit of armor and remember a password, all while portraits whispered all around. Really, they had no shame.
“Wondered if she was going to show up,” one snooty woman whispered.
“If? I thought she’d be here hours ago!” A fat nobleman answered.
Shut up! Ginny thought. She reached for the suit of armor’s hand.
“Cauliflower,” she said softly.
The suit of armor stepped to the side and bowed her in.
Walking in, she wiped her sweaty palms on her jeans, wishing she’d worn something other than jeans and an old black sweater. She reached up to knock on the door and realized that her hand was shaking.
She knocked three times.
“Blaise, when I told you to fuck off I meant it!”
The door swung open and Draco’s look of irritation changed to one of surprise.
“Ginny.”
She stared at him, willing herself to say something, anything, but not being able to. She just stared and took in his paler than normal skin, tousled hair, and the bandage on his shoulder.
Cruelly, her mind replayed the instant when she saw him falling off his broom.
“Draco,” she sobbed, before pitching herself into his arms.
Draco seemed taken aback for a moment, but then wrapped his arms around her, one hand cradling the back of her head, embrace as strong and comforting as always.
“You’re alright,” she whispered pitifully, four days worth of tears breaking free. “You’re okay.”
“I didn’t know you cared,” Draco drawled softly.
“Of course I care, you great pillock!” she cried, swiping at her eyes and trying to pull away. Draco didn’t let her. She fell back onto his chest, sobbing again. He took a step back, taking her with him, and shut the door behind them.
Softly, Ginny felt him kiss the top of her head, and the gesture made her heart melt.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered.
Ginny looked up, bewildered enough to stop crying. “What?”
Draco pushed a piece of hair behind her ear, seeming to think on his answer.
“I’m sorry for being a complete arse,” he said with a slight smirk.
Ginny blinked at him, still surprised at his uncharacteristic behavior.
“Forgive me?”
She swallowed back another bout of tears.
“Forgiven. And I’m sorry for overreacting. It was a stupid argument, and I was being a complete idiot, and-”
Draco cut her off with a kiss. Soft and sweet, and much too brief.
“Forgiven,” he said, pulling back.
On impulse, she stood on tiptoe and kissed him. Draco responded immediately, but didn’t deepen the kiss. It was a long, lazy kiss, neither seeming to want to end it. Ginny had the rather wild thought that if she were given a choice to spend eternity in some version of paradise, or to spend it exactly as she was then, she would have chosen the latter without a second thought.
Finally, when air became a necessity, they broke apart. Draco was smirking at her, as per usual, and it made Ginny’s heart leap. Her gaze landed on his bandaged shoulder and she gingerly trailed her fingers over it.
“Does it hurt?” she asked after a moment.
Draco snorted. “Considering that I had a gaping hole in my shoulder for three days- no.”
“I’m sorry,” Ginny said again, looking up at him.
“It’s Potter who should be apologizing,” Draco muttered darkly.
Ginny’s eyebrows drew together in confusion. “What do you mean?”
Draco looked down at her, surprised. “That arrow was meant for Potter.”
Ginny’s jaw dropped.
“But it was a demonic arrow.”
Draco nodded. “The Dark Lord is working with demons now, Ginny. What better way to try and get rid of Potter than by ordering some low class demon to try and assassinate him?”
Assassinate.
The same words Cassie had used. She and Draco were obviously better at this than she was.
Ginny gasped and could almost hear the click as the pieces of the puzzle came together. Draco flying out of nowhere, Harry’s worried look, the Trio’s new secrecy.
“You saw the arrow coming,” Ginny said softly. “And you flew in front of it so that it hit you instead of Harry?”
Draco scowled. “Stop making it sound bloody heroic.”
“Draco, you saved Harry’s life! He wouldn’t have had a chance if the arrow hit him.”
Draco Malfoy, supposed Death Eater, had saved the life of Harry Potter, Boy Who Lived.
“Can we please change the subject?” he asked, still scowling.
A smile broke out onto Ginny’s face. “Deny it all you like, Draco. There might actually be a decent human being in you.”
Draco rolled his eyes. “Stop, you’re making me sick.”
“Fine then,” Ginny said, rolling her own eyes. “Why were you telling Zabini to fuck off when I knocked?”
“He’s been by here three times already, complaining of how bored he was while I was in the hospital wing.”
Ginny grinned. “I’m guessing that never saying anything outright is a Slytherin thing?”
“No,” Draco answered, with a rather wicked gleam in his eyes. “That’s a female thing. Never saying anything outright to do with feelings is a Slytherin thing.”
Ginny lightly swatted at his uninjured arm. “Very funny.”
Draco grinned and kissed her again. A short, sweet kiss, but intoxicating nonetheless. When they pulled apart, Ginny saw Draco grimace. For the first time since she’d seen him, she stepped out of the circle of his arms.
“I should go,” she said quietly.
“What? Why?”
“It’s nearly curfew and,” she hesitated, knowing Draco wouldn’t like what she was about to say. “You’re still hurt.”
Draco scowled. “I’m perfectly fine and to hell with curfew. You still haven’t told me about Jones.”
Ginny was taken aback. “Haven’t told you? You never gave me the chance.”
As soon as the words left her mouth, Ginny realized it was a mistake. What she’d said was bound to spark another argument. They’d just smoothed over a previous argument, and there she went, starting another. Sweet Merlin, why couldn’t they get along? She saw Draco’s eyes flash, but he didn’t say anything. He stepped back a few steps and sat down on the black sofa, looking exasperated.
“Do you think it’s possible for us to have a normal conversation?” Draco asked a few moments later. His voice was calm and he actually looked amused.
Ginny shook her head, too drained to be shocked by his strange behavior. “I don’t think so.”
Draco chuckled and motioned for her to sit by him. Ginny hesitated.
“It’s nearly curfew,” she said.
“Bloody hell, Ginny. Since when have you cared about curfew?” Draco was looking irritated.
He had a point.
She went and sat down beside him, looking up expectantly. “Well?”
Draco smirked rather wickedly at her. Ginny narrowed her eyes, expecting the worst.
To her surprise, Draco wrapped one arm around her waist and lay back on the sofa, taking her with him. In a few short seconds, she was lying on her side between him and couch, one hand on his chest, feeling surprisingly comfortable. She gingerly rested her head on his uninjured shoulder.
“Now,” Draco began. Ginny could hear the smirk in his voice. “Tell me what a celebrity I’ve become over the past few days.”
Ginny rolled her eyes. “You’re a pompous arse, you know that?”
“Yes.”
She rolled her eyes again, but couldn’t help grinning. She knew she’d regret it later, but she went ahead and told him how he’d been the subject of nonstop conversation for nearly five days. Then, somehow, the conversation turned to Cassie. Draco seemed glad to have more information on demons, but rather irked that someone now knew their secret.
“Draco, we know her secret, too.”
There was a pause.
“Fine.”
He sounded resigned more than anything.
Ginny shifted a bit, finding a more comfortable spot for her head. She closed her eyes, trying to relieve the stinging aftermath of crying. How was it that one moment they seemed so close and then the next they were arguing? It was exhausting really. If they could always just be like they were right then, she might just fall in love with him.
Ginny’s eyes flew open, the thought shocking her.
“What’s wrong?”
She looked up at Draco’s concerned face.
“Nothing,” she said, shaking her head. “Nothing.”
Draco didn’t look convinced, but dropped the subject. Ginny lay her head back down on his shoulder, trying to figure out just how such an insane thought had gotten in her head. Fall in love? With Draco Malfoy? It was insane.
But it was too late. The realization hit Ginny like a Bludger to the stomach.
She was falling in love with Draco.
‘Til Death Do You Part
~
Hello Ginny,
It’s Julianna, if you hadn’t realized.
I know I haven’t written; I’m not much of a writer. I hope you don’t think I’ve decided to just forget everything we were told in San Francisco, because I haven’t. I’ve been practicing everyday.
I want to be ready, when the time comes.
It will, Ginny, it will. I know it doesn’t feel like it now, but its coming. I know it is.
I’m worried, actually.
I recently dug out my old Tarot cards and decided to do a reading. For some reason Draco came to me. The cards I got frightened me. No, not Death. The Death card is actually rather good sometimes. No, it wasn’t death. It’s too difficult to put in a letter what I saw, but it scared me.
Is he alright? Are you alright?
You can deny it all you like, Ginny. You “have a thing for him,” as Ali put it. I hope everything is alright, with you, with him, between the both of you. As much as you fight, I hope you remember one thing.
You are the Phoenix and the Dragon. You are the leaders of the Warriors. You have to be united, so that the Warriors can be united behind you. Ginny, think! You have a responsibility. You can’t let a stupid argument be the thing that lets the demons and this Voldemort win. You need to put aside your differences and work together. Like it or not, you’re a team. And a damn good one. You’re stuck with each other until either this war ends, or one of you dies, gods forbid. ‘Til death do you part. You might as well be married to each other for the duration of this war.
Just be careful and don’t do anything stupid. Same goes for Draco.
Sincerely,
Julianna
~
“Well that’s reassuring,” Cassie said dryly, handing Ginny back the letter.
The two girls were sitting on Ginny’s bed, both looking grim.
It’d been four days. Four days since the Quidditch game. Four days since the arrow hit Draco. Four days of worry.
The last rumor Ginny had heard stated that Draco was still holding on, still in a coma, still somewhere between life and death.
The day after the Quidditch game, Ginny had seen Narcissa Malfoy walking out of the infirmary with Professor Snape, wiping tears from her eyes. Something had seized Ginny and she made a beeline for the two adults.
“Miss Weasley, move out of the way,” Snape had sneered upon seeing her.
Ginny ignored him and turned to Draco’s mother.
“I’m sorry about what happened, Mrs. Malfoy.”
It was amazing the calm and detachment that had settled over her. It’d scared her at first, but she realized that her choices were either being practically a shell of a human, or a watering pot.
Narcissa looked at her, seeming surprised. “Weasley? You’re Arthur Weasley’s daughter?”
“Yes.”
Narcissa nodded. “Thank you.”
Ginny ducked past them and hurried to the library, where she collapsed at a table, feeling as though she’d run the length of the Quidditch field.
The redhead shook her head, returning to the present.
Cassie was still sitting at the foot of the bed, staring down at Juli’s letter. It’d come that morning during breakfast. Ginny had untied the parchment from the owl’s leg and had turned several shades of white only a few seconds later. She’d grabbed Cassie’s arm and had all but dragged the Wicca back to their dormitory.
“Is there any way you can get in touch with her soon?” Cassie asked, chewing on her lip. “Ask her what she saw in the Tarot cards?”
Ginny shook her head. “I don’t even know if she’s connected to the Floo Network. And it’s not safe. The Floo is always being watched.”
“Oh, and this is safe?” Cassie waved the letter over her head. “A letter like this could be the reason Draco’s almost dead.”
Ginny shot Cassie a withering glare. “Don’t.”
Cassie sighed. “Ginny, I’m sorry, but he should have come out of the coma by now.”
“I know, Cassie. Please, I don’t want to think about it.”
The American girl frowned, but handed Ginny back the letter.
“We’re gonna be late for Defense,” Ginny said, changing the subject.
Cassie nodded and got up, grabbing her bag. “Let’s go.”
The two girls made their way out of the dormitory in silence.
As much as Cassie was trying to help, it irked Ginny. Cassie was determined to figure out the situation. Who had shot Draco, who ordered the assassination, how they had found out, and most importantly, why? All Ginny wanted to do, was to forget about what had happened, just pretend it never had.
She felt as though she were in a suspended animation. The whole world going on around her, but unable to do anything but watch with detached interest. She was surprised by her lack of emotion. She hadn’t shed a single tear, hadn’t even felt like crying besides that first day. She’d barely slept, barely eaten. She’d thought about going to see Draco, but unlike Harry, she didn’t have an Invisibility Cloak, and would surely get caught.
If she’d had it her way, Ginny would have gladly crawled into bed and slipped into a coma herself. Or, better yet, gotten a Time Turner and stopped Draco from leaving his dormitory that day. Sadly, though, life was not that simple.
She’d gone on getting up each morning, going to class, listening to her housemates discuss Draco, speculating on what had happened.
The Trio had unexpectedly drawn back into their secrecy mode. Sitting apart from everyone at meals, conversing in whispers, and so forth.
It annoyed Ginny to no end.
After another impossibly long Double Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson, where she lost twenty points for failing to looking interested enough in Snape’s lecture, Ginny was almost glad to get into the Great Hall for lunch.
The first thing she noticed was the level of chatter.
Ginny and Cassie exchanged surprised glances, before something nearly behind them caught Ginny’s attention. She spun around so fast it ought to have caused whiplash.
The Slytherin table was loud with chatter and laughter. Parkinson was gossiping with some other seventh year, both grinning stupidly. Crabbe and Goyle were arm wrestling with vigor, and Zabini was singing something to a giggling Bulstrode.
Ginny’s heart leapt. The first real emotion she’d felt in days. She all but ran to the Gryffindor table.
“What’s going on?” she blurted out, scanning the chattering table.
Seamus saw her eager face and chuckled. “Never took you as one for gossip, Miss Ginny.”
“Seamus, don’t tease.”
“Alright, alright.”
By now they had attracted the attention of the whole table. Seamus gave a sigh of long suffering.
“Malfoy woke up. Sorry you asked now?”
Ginny tried to keep her elation from showing on her face.
“Oh. Right. So, um, when did he wake up?”
This time Pravati spoke up. “This morning. But this is what’s strange; I heard Madame Pomfrey talking to Professor McGonagall, and they said that Malfoy didn’t have any of the poison left in his body. As though nothing had ever happened.”
Lavender nodded enthusiastically. “I heard that Malfoy was so well when he woke up, that Professor Dumbledore let him leave the infirmary. He’s excused from classes for a week, but doesn’t have to stay in the hospital wing!”
“Bet Madame Pomfrey wasn’t happy about that,” Colin muttered.
Ginny laughed, drawing some stares. She didn’t care.
Draco was alright! He was alive! Oh, sweet Circe, Draco was fine!
Conversation resumed at the Gryffindor table and Ginny took the opportunity to drag Cassie out of the Great Hall for the second time that day. Safely out of sight and earshot, Ginny turned to Cassie, who was watching her with barely concealed amusement.
“He’s alright!” Ginny breathed and hugged Cassie. The Wicca laughed and hugged her back.
“Well what are you waiting for?” Cassie asked, stepping back. “Go!”
Ginny looked at her, confused. “Go? Go where?”
“To Draco!”
Ginny sobered. “I can’t.”
Cassie gave her a Look.
“You’ve spent the past four days like a freaking zombie because of him. I don’t care what you say, Ginny. He means a lot to you, and you need to go and see him. Especially if he’s as alright as-” Cassie paused, flapping her hand in the air. “That girl-”
“Lavender?”
“Whatever. You need to go see him and that’s that.”
Ginny bit her lip. “You think?”
“I know.”
~
Somehow, at nearly nine in the evening, Ginny found herself in the fourth floor alcove, cursing Cassie and her stupid ideas. She was trying to stare down a suit of armor and remember a password, all while portraits whispered all around. Really, they had no shame.
“Wondered if she was going to show up,” one snooty woman whispered.
“If? I thought she’d be here hours ago!” A fat nobleman answered.
Shut up! Ginny thought. She reached for the suit of armor’s hand.
“Cauliflower,” she said softly.
The suit of armor stepped to the side and bowed her in.
Walking in, she wiped her sweaty palms on her jeans, wishing she’d worn something other than jeans and an old black sweater. She reached up to knock on the door and realized that her hand was shaking.
She knocked three times.
“Blaise, when I told you to fuck off I meant it!”
The door swung open and Draco’s look of irritation changed to one of surprise.
“Ginny.”
She stared at him, willing herself to say something, anything, but not being able to. She just stared and took in his paler than normal skin, tousled hair, and the bandage on his shoulder.
Cruelly, her mind replayed the instant when she saw him falling off his broom.
“Draco,” she sobbed, before pitching herself into his arms.
Draco seemed taken aback for a moment, but then wrapped his arms around her, one hand cradling the back of her head, embrace as strong and comforting as always.
“You’re alright,” she whispered pitifully, four days worth of tears breaking free. “You’re okay.”
“I didn’t know you cared,” Draco drawled softly.
“Of course I care, you great pillock!” she cried, swiping at her eyes and trying to pull away. Draco didn’t let her. She fell back onto his chest, sobbing again. He took a step back, taking her with him, and shut the door behind them.
Softly, Ginny felt him kiss the top of her head, and the gesture made her heart melt.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered.
Ginny looked up, bewildered enough to stop crying. “What?”
Draco pushed a piece of hair behind her ear, seeming to think on his answer.
“I’m sorry for being a complete arse,” he said with a slight smirk.
Ginny blinked at him, still surprised at his uncharacteristic behavior.
“Forgive me?”
She swallowed back another bout of tears.
“Forgiven. And I’m sorry for overreacting. It was a stupid argument, and I was being a complete idiot, and-”
Draco cut her off with a kiss. Soft and sweet, and much too brief.
“Forgiven,” he said, pulling back.
On impulse, she stood on tiptoe and kissed him. Draco responded immediately, but didn’t deepen the kiss. It was a long, lazy kiss, neither seeming to want to end it. Ginny had the rather wild thought that if she were given a choice to spend eternity in some version of paradise, or to spend it exactly as she was then, she would have chosen the latter without a second thought.
Finally, when air became a necessity, they broke apart. Draco was smirking at her, as per usual, and it made Ginny’s heart leap. Her gaze landed on his bandaged shoulder and she gingerly trailed her fingers over it.
“Does it hurt?” she asked after a moment.
Draco snorted. “Considering that I had a gaping hole in my shoulder for three days- no.”
“I’m sorry,” Ginny said again, looking up at him.
“It’s Potter who should be apologizing,” Draco muttered darkly.
Ginny’s eyebrows drew together in confusion. “What do you mean?”
Draco looked down at her, surprised. “That arrow was meant for Potter.”
Ginny’s jaw dropped.
“But it was a demonic arrow.”
Draco nodded. “The Dark Lord is working with demons now, Ginny. What better way to try and get rid of Potter than by ordering some low class demon to try and assassinate him?”
Assassinate.
The same words Cassie had used. She and Draco were obviously better at this than she was.
Ginny gasped and could almost hear the click as the pieces of the puzzle came together. Draco flying out of nowhere, Harry’s worried look, the Trio’s new secrecy.
“You saw the arrow coming,” Ginny said softly. “And you flew in front of it so that it hit you instead of Harry?”
Draco scowled. “Stop making it sound bloody heroic.”
“Draco, you saved Harry’s life! He wouldn’t have had a chance if the arrow hit him.”
Draco Malfoy, supposed Death Eater, had saved the life of Harry Potter, Boy Who Lived.
“Can we please change the subject?” he asked, still scowling.
A smile broke out onto Ginny’s face. “Deny it all you like, Draco. There might actually be a decent human being in you.”
Draco rolled his eyes. “Stop, you’re making me sick.”
“Fine then,” Ginny said, rolling her own eyes. “Why were you telling Zabini to fuck off when I knocked?”
“He’s been by here three times already, complaining of how bored he was while I was in the hospital wing.”
Ginny grinned. “I’m guessing that never saying anything outright is a Slytherin thing?”
“No,” Draco answered, with a rather wicked gleam in his eyes. “That’s a female thing. Never saying anything outright to do with feelings is a Slytherin thing.”
Ginny lightly swatted at his uninjured arm. “Very funny.”
Draco grinned and kissed her again. A short, sweet kiss, but intoxicating nonetheless. When they pulled apart, Ginny saw Draco grimace. For the first time since she’d seen him, she stepped out of the circle of his arms.
“I should go,” she said quietly.
“What? Why?”
“It’s nearly curfew and,” she hesitated, knowing Draco wouldn’t like what she was about to say. “You’re still hurt.”
Draco scowled. “I’m perfectly fine and to hell with curfew. You still haven’t told me about Jones.”
Ginny was taken aback. “Haven’t told you? You never gave me the chance.”
As soon as the words left her mouth, Ginny realized it was a mistake. What she’d said was bound to spark another argument. They’d just smoothed over a previous argument, and there she went, starting another. Sweet Merlin, why couldn’t they get along? She saw Draco’s eyes flash, but he didn’t say anything. He stepped back a few steps and sat down on the black sofa, looking exasperated.
“Do you think it’s possible for us to have a normal conversation?” Draco asked a few moments later. His voice was calm and he actually looked amused.
Ginny shook her head, too drained to be shocked by his strange behavior. “I don’t think so.”
Draco chuckled and motioned for her to sit by him. Ginny hesitated.
“It’s nearly curfew,” she said.
“Bloody hell, Ginny. Since when have you cared about curfew?” Draco was looking irritated.
He had a point.
She went and sat down beside him, looking up expectantly. “Well?”
Draco smirked rather wickedly at her. Ginny narrowed her eyes, expecting the worst.
To her surprise, Draco wrapped one arm around her waist and lay back on the sofa, taking her with him. In a few short seconds, she was lying on her side between him and couch, one hand on his chest, feeling surprisingly comfortable. She gingerly rested her head on his uninjured shoulder.
“Now,” Draco began. Ginny could hear the smirk in his voice. “Tell me what a celebrity I’ve become over the past few days.”
Ginny rolled her eyes. “You’re a pompous arse, you know that?”
“Yes.”
She rolled her eyes again, but couldn’t help grinning. She knew she’d regret it later, but she went ahead and told him how he’d been the subject of nonstop conversation for nearly five days. Then, somehow, the conversation turned to Cassie. Draco seemed glad to have more information on demons, but rather irked that someone now knew their secret.
“Draco, we know her secret, too.”
There was a pause.
“Fine.”
He sounded resigned more than anything.
Ginny shifted a bit, finding a more comfortable spot for her head. She closed her eyes, trying to relieve the stinging aftermath of crying. How was it that one moment they seemed so close and then the next they were arguing? It was exhausting really. If they could always just be like they were right then, she might just fall in love with him.
Ginny’s eyes flew open, the thought shocking her.
“What’s wrong?”
She looked up at Draco’s concerned face.
“Nothing,” she said, shaking her head. “Nothing.”
Draco didn’t look convinced, but dropped the subject. Ginny lay her head back down on his shoulder, trying to figure out just how such an insane thought had gotten in her head. Fall in love? With Draco Malfoy? It was insane.
But it was too late. The realization hit Ginny like a Bludger to the stomach.
She was falling in love with Draco.
Author notes: I have about six chapters of this that I never posted on here, and plan to write more this summer. Enjoy :)
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