Disclaimer: I don’t own any of the characters you may recognize from the wonderful world of Harry Potter, they all belong to the revered JK Rowling; I just like to play with them a little.
BREAKING THE RULES
A CONSCIENCE
Draco kept his eyes firmly on the castle for any sign of Ginny. He hoped, foolishly, that she might be able to escape the attention of her oaf of a brother and his equally annoying friends. It became apparent the moment they returned from Hogsmeade the day before that Ron Weasley had decided to take up a new hobby: following his sister around.
After dinner the evening before, Draco and Ginny had decided to go to the library to do a little homework and spend some time together. The evening had turned into a huge game of hide and seek, covering almost the entire castle. While it had been amusing at the time, Draco didn't think he had the patience to endure the antics of her brother and his friends again.
"She's totally befuddled your mind."
Draco jerked and turned to face his amused friend. "Parkinson, can you at least cough or something when you approach."
"Why would I want to do that?" Pansy reached out and removed an invisible piece of lint from his chest. "It's such fun to see you jump."
"What do you want?"
"I was just passing."
"No you weren't."
"You're right, I wasn't. I've been sitting over there watching you." Pansy pointed to a small grove of trees where she could have easily hidden. "Do you know how funny you look every time there's movement at the doors?"
"I do not look funny."
Pansy shrugged. "If you say so."
"Just go away," Draco growled.
"I saw you yesterday, in The Three Broomsticks." Pansy smirked. "Already having lunch with the family? This must be serious."
"I was set up," Draco ground out.
"Really? And was your avian personality set up as well?"
Draco snarled at his friend. Students who had witnessed the mortifying event had reminded him of what her brothers had done to him countless times already.
"Oooh I'm sorry, that's a bit of a sensitive issue, isn't it?" Pansy stroked his chest in what was supposed to be a smoothing manner.
"I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"
"Ginny!" Draco plucked Pansy's hand from his chest and pushed it back to her own body with a little more force than was entirely necessary. "You made it alone."
"I see you didn't."
"Oh, don't mind me." Pansy grinned broadly at the younger witch. "I was just getting his heart racing for you."
"Pansy was just leaving." Draco threw an icy glare at his friend.
"Don't leave on my account," Ginny told the black-haired witch spitefully.
"I'm not," Pansy retorted with a deadly smile. "Draco, I'll see you at dinner."
"Yeah," Draco mumbled, willing the witch to just disappear.
"Ta ta, darlings."
Draco half-raised his hand to bid his friend goodbye, but it dropped back to his side when he saw the expression on his girlfriend's face.
"Mind telling me what that was all about?"
"It was nothing."
"It didn't look like nothing."
"Well, it was," Draco snapped.
"And you're acting as if I caught you doing something you shouldn't."
"I am doing no such thing."
"Well, tell me what she was doing here."
"She was talking to me. My friends are allowed to talk to me, aren't they?"
"Talk, yes. Touch, no." Ginny raised an eyebrow at him.
"Pansy is just a touchy, feely person."
"That's odd, she's always stuck me as the glacial, venomous type."
"You don't know her."
"No, but you obviously do."
Draco sighed heavily. He had the feeling he was digging himself a rather large hole at the moment. "Look, we've known each other since before either of us can remember. She knows it makes me uncomfortable when she gets touchy, so she does it to make me squirm. It's not a part of her personality that everyone sees."
"So, you're special then?"
"Ginny, there is nothing going on between Parkinson and me."
"I didn't say there was."
"You're insinuating it, which is even worse."
"If you're reading all that into it, you must be guilty."
"I am not guilty of anything. I've not done anything more than talk to a life-long friend," Draco explained slowly. "Now, are we going to take a walk or are we going to stand here until your bloody brother finds us?"
"Let's walk."
"Good."
They set off towards the lake in silence. Draco was trying to figure out a way to get Ginny to believe there was nothing going on between Pansy and him. At the same time his mind was coming up with ways to punish his friend for allowing that thought to blossom in Ginny's mind in the first place. He had no doubt Ginny was furious. She was walking exactly the same way she had the day before when they were walking down to Hogsmeade.
Although it was a move that could very well see him lose a limb, Draco slung his arm around her shoulders. "I have an idea."
"Do you?" Ginny tried to shrug his arm away unsuccessfully.
"Let's just forget about everyone else and just concentrate on us."
"You'd like that, wouldn't you?"
Draco stopped and turned her around to face him. "Ginny, I haven't looked at another witch since that first afternoon I saw you in the Quidditch change rooms. There is nothing going on with anyone else, nor do I want anything going on with anyone else. I want to be with you, and I hope you want to be with me."
Ginny blinked at him in disbelief. She'd never heard Draco speak so impassionedly about anything. "There's definitely nothing going on between you and Parkinson?"
"No, we're good friends and that's all. Look, I don't know about her, but for me the thought of snogging her makes my stomach churn. It'd be like kissing my sister, if I had one."
"All right, I believe you."
"Thank Merlin!" Draco muttered under his breath.
"But just so you know... I don't trust her."
"I can understand that, but just remember she'll often do things just to make me feel uncomfortable."
"Did you know she tried to warn me off the other morning?"
"When?"
"Remember when I was going to hex Zabini?"
"Yes."
"She'd just got through warning me off, in a round about way, before he arrived."
Draco sighed. "I'll have a word to her, okay?"
"If you feel you have to."
"I'll do it for you."
"You don't have to do anything for me."
"In reality it's more for me, because if she doesn't stop, and you hex her, I'm going to be spending a lot of time alone while you're in detention."
"Fine."
"Come here," Draco said, gathering her in his arms. "We're wasting valuable snogging time."
"We are," Ginny agreed.
Draco cradled her face with one hand and lowered his mouth to hers. He'd only just brushed her lips when a burst of giggles from somewhere behind him interrupted his flow. Draco pulled back abruptly and spun around to face the amused gathering.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pansy watched the scene unfold from a distance. She knew he would be furious with her and would most likely scare the wits out of the younger students, but they were a necessary sacrifice if her plan was to work. Besides they would get over it eventually.
Satisfied with the havoc she had instigated this afternoon, Pansy turned back towards the castle. Should they come this way, she didn't want to be caught spying on them.
She'd only just reached the courtyard when she heard a familiar voice coming her way. To say that she wasn't in the mood to deal with Cataleen Baddock was an understatement. The sixth year girl had been badgering Pansy since Friday morning about Draco. She simply couldn't understand what he saw in Ginny Weasley and had asked Pansy for her assistance in making certain this 'relationship' was doomed to fail. In short, the girl was driving Pansy to distraction. What Pansy needed was somewhere to hide, now.
Without any forethought, Pansy grabbed the shirt of the first unsuspecting wizard taller than her to come close enough. She turned him around and pulled him into an all-consuming snog before he could protest. After thirty seconds of so whoever it was stopped struggling and began to respond to her in a way she'd not expected. Pansy silently congratulated herself on subconsciously picking a man who obviously knew how to please a woman.
She felt his arms slowly encircle her and then gently encourage her to melt into his chest, not that Pansy needed any encouragement. In fact, a broad manly chest was just what she required at the minute — given her knees were beginning to feel dreadfully weak. When his velvety tongue begged permission to enter she didn't have the strength to deny him. This kiss was evoking reactions the witch had rarely felt, and more importantly thought weren't possible with a simple kiss.
Despite not wanting this union to end, Pansy had no choice but to withdraw gracefully. Her desperate need for oxygen had her panting lightly, or so she told herself that was the reason for her labored breathing. As they parted Pansy's eyes flickered open. The first thing she saw was freckles—lots of freckles.
Curious as to who was the owner of not only the freckles, but the magic tongue as well, Pansy stepped back and looked up a the boy. It was then that the screaming began in her head. How could she not have noticed whom she had grabbed?
"Well—err—that was—unexpected," Ron Weasley stammered. The initial shock of being accosted in such a manner by Pansy Parkinson, of all people, had evolved from disgust into anger and then, as his brain function transferred to its southern most site, all those negative feelings went by the wayside.
"Don't read anything into it. I was simply in need of a hiding place for a few minutes," Pansy snapped haughtily, pulling herself together and putting more distance between them. "It's not like I looked at who I was grabbing ... Because you know if I did, there's no way I would have gone anywhere near you."
"Yeah, well— Thanks to you I've got to Scourfigy my mouth now," Ron retorted weakly.
Pansy huffed indignantly and strode off with her nose in the air. The whole thing must have been her imagination, because there was no way Weasley could make her feel like that.
Just before the courtyard fell out of her line of vision, Pansy glanced over her shoulder. He was still standing where she'd left him, and he was staring at her. His expression was quite odd. She'd not had anyone look at her like that before. The moment he noticed her observing him she turned around and walked out of sight. For some reason her stomach felt a little strange, she frowned and put it down to what she ate for lunch, because it couldn't possibly have been caused by the way Weasley had looked at her.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
A group of six or seven first and second year witches were blatantly watching their every move, and giggling quite loudly at them. Draco snarled and took a step towards them.
"What do you think you're doing?" Draco snapped.
Silence fell immediately.
"Well?" Draco pressed impatiently.
The only response he received was a few owlish blinks from the now wide-eyed little girls.
"Draco, leave them alone. You're scaring them," Ginny whispered.
"Who sent you out here?" Draco continued, heedless of Ginny's words.
"Pa—" One of them began, but she stopped abruptly when a brown-haired bespectacled witch elbowed her sharply.
Draco smirked and advanced on the one who had opened her mouth. "Tell me who sent you out here."
"I—I can't."
"Of course you can," Draco said in his most convincing tone. "You can tell me anything."
The younger witch shook her head.
"Why don't I make it easier for you? I'll give you a name and all you have to do is say yes when I guess the right person." Draco paused to give the witch an opportunity to respond, but she just stood in front of him, staring at him with fear clearly in her eyes. "Was it Pansy Parkinson?"
The girl twitched, almost unconsciously, but it was enough for the blond seventh year standing over her.
"I knew it! She's trying to drive me insane," Draco growled.
"Draco, let's just find somewhere else," Ginny suggested. She didn't think they had conclusive proof that it was Parkinson's doing, but she did believe it had been her. For some reason Pansy Parkinson didn't want them to be together.
"Go about your business," Draco instructed the younger students authoritatively. "If we see you again you will regret it."
The young students scattered immediately. Draco snarled in the back of his throat just for extra effect as they ran away.
"I told you she doesn't want us together," Ginny said softly.
"Well, her antics aren't going to work," Draco growled. "I'll deal with her later. Shall we walk before she sends another group of her little minions to disturb us?"
Ginny took his proffered hand and they strolled further away from the castle. She was beginning to think this relationship was a very bad idea, no matter how good he snogged or how wonderful he made her feel in his arms. They didn't really have anything in common, so the attraction was purely physical and real relationships couldn't survive on that alone, even school romances.
"I think we're well hidden here," Draco muttered as he stopped and pulled her into a small cove of trees.
Ginny stiffened and stopped before he could pull her against his chest.
"Is there something wrong?"
"I was just thinking that this really isn't a good idea."
"We won't be seen down here, so if they can't find us, they can't disturb us."
"No, that's not what I meant." Ginny shook her head. "I mean this 'us' thing."
Draco took a step back and gazed at his girlfriend in confusion. "What do you mean?"
"We don't have anything in common."
"So?"
"All we have is physical attraction."
"That's enough for me."
"It's not enough."
Draco frowned and blinked a few times. Was she breaking up with him? Girls didn't break up with him. He discarded them when he was bored. "Are you saying you don't want to be with me?"
"I—" Ginny glanced into his eyes and saw something she'd never seen before flick through his beautiful gray eyes. For just a fraction of a second Draco Malfoy looked vulnerable. "I don't know what I'm saying."
"You were—"
"I think you should kiss me," Ginny said in a low voice, stepping towards him and running her hands over his chest.
"No," Draco replied, removing her hands from his body, so he wouldn't be distracted. "You said it wasn't enough."
"I've changed my mind," Ginny said simply, wishing she'd never opened her mouth.
"So, one minute it's not enough and the next it is?"
Ginny sighed heavily. Why did she open her mouth? "I was just thinking about what Parkinson is trying to do to us. What if we're not committed enough to get through that? She won't be the only one trying to split us up."
"Haven't I just got through telling you that I want to be with you? Nothing has changed in the last ten minutes. I still want to be with you and I won't let anyone tell me I can't have what I want."
This was not the response she'd expected, nor was it appreciated. "I'm not a possession."
"I didn't say you were."
"You implied it."
"I didn't mean to." Draco closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "What I meant to say was only you or I can make that choice. At the moment I want to be with you and I hope you still want to be with me, because I really couldn't give a flying Flobberworm what other's think of our relationship."
Ginny arched an eyebrow at him and bit back the urge to laugh. "Flying Flobberworm?"
"My mother is easily offended," Draco mumbled. He couldn't believe he'd just used that saying in front of a girl he was trying to impress.
"It's cute," Ginny responded amusedly.
"So, does this mean we're going to stay together?" Draco asked quickly. It seemed like as good a time as any, considering she was smiling.
"Yes, but it can't be all snogging and no talking," Ginny warned. "We need to get to know each other as well."
"If you insist," Draco drawled, looking her up and down predatorily. "I rather think I know all I need to know about you already."
"Oh?"
Draco nodded as he gathered her against his chest. "You have six brothers, who I'm not permitted to accept food from. You have an incredible body, and just the thought of you naked makes me hard—"
Ginny burst out laughing and slapped his arm lightly. "Excuse me?"
"That's quite an embarrassing situation when it happens in Potions," Draco defended touchily. "On with my list! You have the most incredible pair of lips."
"All right, I think that's enough," Ginny interjected.
"There's more," Draco offered.
"I'm sure there is, but aren't we wasting snogging time?"
Draco smirked. "Sacrilege!"
Ginny pressed against the hard planes of his body and beckoned him to lower his head. When he pressed his mouth onto hers all the doubts she'd felt earlier dissolved. All that mattered was the heat that was beginning to develop between her legs.
The next hour or so became a blur of lips and hands and mind-blowing feelings. At some point they had sunk to the grassy ground. Ginny didn't think her body had ever ached to be touched like it did when Draco was kissing her. She wanted to feel his hands on her, in places that a good girl saved for her husband. It was probably a good thing her inexperience in dealing with anything beyond snogging left her unsure of how to have him satisfy her aching need or things may well have easily got out of hand.
Draco rolled over onto his back and stared at the clouds moving across the sky as he tried to calm his breathing. He wanted her more than he'd ever wanted any other girl, and he didn't think he'd have a hard time convincing her either, but something was telling him not to go that way, that it was too soon. Not only was this Weasley girl different from the others in the respect she'd not hesitate to hex him if he dared to upset her, she was also making him act peculiarly. All he'd cared about in the past was getting a shag for his own personal satisfaction, but now he was actually considering her feelings. She was definitely screwing with his mind.
"Umm—maybe we should go inside?" Ginny uttered.
"It's almost dinnertime," Draco conceded.
"I'm not really hungry."
"Well, I'm starving."
"Oh," Ginny muttered disappointedly.
Draco frowned. "What's wrong?"
"I thought we could—umm—maybe—"
"Ginny, what are you trying to say?"
She took a deep breath and looked him in the eyes. His usual stormy gray orbs were almost black, and as naïve as she was at times, Ginny didn't need to be told that he desired her.
Draco's frowned deepened when she mumbled something that he couldn't quite hear. "I didn't hear you."
"I thought we could find somewhere more private," she said in a rush.
"Oh... oh." Draco couldn't quite believe his ears. She actually wanted to sleep with him. "Err—I think we should... go to dinner."
"Umm—you don't want to?"
Draco exhaled roughly. There was nothing he'd rather do right now, but that nagging feeling in the back of his mind was growing quite a voice. "It's not that I don't want to, because believe me I do—"
"But?"
"I don't think we should... not yet at least."
"My brothers scared you."
"No, it has nothing to do with them. I just want to wait until— it's right." Of course, regaining one's senses would be a good thing as well, Draco added to himself. What was he doing? She was right there inviting him into her knickers and he was turning her down. Hell had certainly frozen over.
"What do you mean 'right'?"
Draco shrugged. He was beginning to think it would just be easier to shag her now, but it just didn't feel right. Was he developing a conscience? The mere thought was ludicrous, but he was at a loss as to explain why he was acting in this manner. "I'm not sure."
"All right, I guess we should go into dinner then," Ginny said quietly, getting to her feet.
Draco quickly stood up and grabbed her hand, bringing her back to his chest. "I really do want to, you know that, right?"
Ginny nodded.
"I just—" Draco groaned in frustration. "In fact, I don't know what I want. I have absolutely no idea why I haven't already ripped your knickers off." He placed a light kiss on her forehead. "All I know is that something is telling me we should wait. Can you trust me with that?"
"Yes."
Draco dipped his head and claimed her mouth in a sensuous kiss. "I think we should go to dinner before I tell my conscience to go to hell."
Ginny laughed lightly and plucked a stray leaf from Draco's hair as they started back to the castle.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"What is this? Adopt a Gryff week?" Blaise asked as he took his seat at the Slytherin table.
"What are you on about?" Draco asked irritably, trying to keep an eye on how far Finnigan was leaning over his girlfriend.
"First you start locking lips with the littlest Weasley," Blaise pointed out. "Now Pansy's snogging the other one."
"What?" Draco frowned, taking his attention off the Gryffindor table briefly. "Don't be absurd!"
"I'm not. She just about devoured him this afternoon in the courtyard," Blaise said as he reached for a platter of roast beef.
"You must have been mistaken," Draco responded haughtily. "There's no way Pansy would touch that Neanderthal with a ten foot broomstick."
"I'm just saying what I saw." Blaise shrugged casually and began eating his dinner.
Draco turned his attention back to his girlfriend, pushing all thoughts of who Pansy might be snogging to the deepest recesses of his mind. After all, the mere notion of Pansy even looking at Weasel was preposterous.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
AUTHOR'S NOTES
Thanks to Rainpuddle13 for her amazing beta skills!
BREAKING THE RULES
A CONSCIENCE
Draco kept his eyes firmly on the castle for any sign of Ginny. He hoped, foolishly, that she might be able to escape the attention of her oaf of a brother and his equally annoying friends. It became apparent the moment they returned from Hogsmeade the day before that Ron Weasley had decided to take up a new hobby: following his sister around.
After dinner the evening before, Draco and Ginny had decided to go to the library to do a little homework and spend some time together. The evening had turned into a huge game of hide and seek, covering almost the entire castle. While it had been amusing at the time, Draco didn't think he had the patience to endure the antics of her brother and his friends again.
"She's totally befuddled your mind."
Draco jerked and turned to face his amused friend. "Parkinson, can you at least cough or something when you approach."
"Why would I want to do that?" Pansy reached out and removed an invisible piece of lint from his chest. "It's such fun to see you jump."
"What do you want?"
"I was just passing."
"No you weren't."
"You're right, I wasn't. I've been sitting over there watching you." Pansy pointed to a small grove of trees where she could have easily hidden. "Do you know how funny you look every time there's movement at the doors?"
"I do not look funny."
Pansy shrugged. "If you say so."
"Just go away," Draco growled.
"I saw you yesterday, in The Three Broomsticks." Pansy smirked. "Already having lunch with the family? This must be serious."
"I was set up," Draco ground out.
"Really? And was your avian personality set up as well?"
Draco snarled at his friend. Students who had witnessed the mortifying event had reminded him of what her brothers had done to him countless times already.
"Oooh I'm sorry, that's a bit of a sensitive issue, isn't it?" Pansy stroked his chest in what was supposed to be a smoothing manner.
"I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"
"Ginny!" Draco plucked Pansy's hand from his chest and pushed it back to her own body with a little more force than was entirely necessary. "You made it alone."
"I see you didn't."
"Oh, don't mind me." Pansy grinned broadly at the younger witch. "I was just getting his heart racing for you."
"Pansy was just leaving." Draco threw an icy glare at his friend.
"Don't leave on my account," Ginny told the black-haired witch spitefully.
"I'm not," Pansy retorted with a deadly smile. "Draco, I'll see you at dinner."
"Yeah," Draco mumbled, willing the witch to just disappear.
"Ta ta, darlings."
Draco half-raised his hand to bid his friend goodbye, but it dropped back to his side when he saw the expression on his girlfriend's face.
"Mind telling me what that was all about?"
"It was nothing."
"It didn't look like nothing."
"Well, it was," Draco snapped.
"And you're acting as if I caught you doing something you shouldn't."
"I am doing no such thing."
"Well, tell me what she was doing here."
"She was talking to me. My friends are allowed to talk to me, aren't they?"
"Talk, yes. Touch, no." Ginny raised an eyebrow at him.
"Pansy is just a touchy, feely person."
"That's odd, she's always stuck me as the glacial, venomous type."
"You don't know her."
"No, but you obviously do."
Draco sighed heavily. He had the feeling he was digging himself a rather large hole at the moment. "Look, we've known each other since before either of us can remember. She knows it makes me uncomfortable when she gets touchy, so she does it to make me squirm. It's not a part of her personality that everyone sees."
"So, you're special then?"
"Ginny, there is nothing going on between Parkinson and me."
"I didn't say there was."
"You're insinuating it, which is even worse."
"If you're reading all that into it, you must be guilty."
"I am not guilty of anything. I've not done anything more than talk to a life-long friend," Draco explained slowly. "Now, are we going to take a walk or are we going to stand here until your bloody brother finds us?"
"Let's walk."
"Good."
They set off towards the lake in silence. Draco was trying to figure out a way to get Ginny to believe there was nothing going on between Pansy and him. At the same time his mind was coming up with ways to punish his friend for allowing that thought to blossom in Ginny's mind in the first place. He had no doubt Ginny was furious. She was walking exactly the same way she had the day before when they were walking down to Hogsmeade.
Although it was a move that could very well see him lose a limb, Draco slung his arm around her shoulders. "I have an idea."
"Do you?" Ginny tried to shrug his arm away unsuccessfully.
"Let's just forget about everyone else and just concentrate on us."
"You'd like that, wouldn't you?"
Draco stopped and turned her around to face him. "Ginny, I haven't looked at another witch since that first afternoon I saw you in the Quidditch change rooms. There is nothing going on with anyone else, nor do I want anything going on with anyone else. I want to be with you, and I hope you want to be with me."
Ginny blinked at him in disbelief. She'd never heard Draco speak so impassionedly about anything. "There's definitely nothing going on between you and Parkinson?"
"No, we're good friends and that's all. Look, I don't know about her, but for me the thought of snogging her makes my stomach churn. It'd be like kissing my sister, if I had one."
"All right, I believe you."
"Thank Merlin!" Draco muttered under his breath.
"But just so you know... I don't trust her."
"I can understand that, but just remember she'll often do things just to make me feel uncomfortable."
"Did you know she tried to warn me off the other morning?"
"When?"
"Remember when I was going to hex Zabini?"
"Yes."
"She'd just got through warning me off, in a round about way, before he arrived."
Draco sighed. "I'll have a word to her, okay?"
"If you feel you have to."
"I'll do it for you."
"You don't have to do anything for me."
"In reality it's more for me, because if she doesn't stop, and you hex her, I'm going to be spending a lot of time alone while you're in detention."
"Fine."
"Come here," Draco said, gathering her in his arms. "We're wasting valuable snogging time."
"We are," Ginny agreed.
Draco cradled her face with one hand and lowered his mouth to hers. He'd only just brushed her lips when a burst of giggles from somewhere behind him interrupted his flow. Draco pulled back abruptly and spun around to face the amused gathering.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pansy watched the scene unfold from a distance. She knew he would be furious with her and would most likely scare the wits out of the younger students, but they were a necessary sacrifice if her plan was to work. Besides they would get over it eventually.
Satisfied with the havoc she had instigated this afternoon, Pansy turned back towards the castle. Should they come this way, she didn't want to be caught spying on them.
She'd only just reached the courtyard when she heard a familiar voice coming her way. To say that she wasn't in the mood to deal with Cataleen Baddock was an understatement. The sixth year girl had been badgering Pansy since Friday morning about Draco. She simply couldn't understand what he saw in Ginny Weasley and had asked Pansy for her assistance in making certain this 'relationship' was doomed to fail. In short, the girl was driving Pansy to distraction. What Pansy needed was somewhere to hide, now.
Without any forethought, Pansy grabbed the shirt of the first unsuspecting wizard taller than her to come close enough. She turned him around and pulled him into an all-consuming snog before he could protest. After thirty seconds of so whoever it was stopped struggling and began to respond to her in a way she'd not expected. Pansy silently congratulated herself on subconsciously picking a man who obviously knew how to please a woman.
She felt his arms slowly encircle her and then gently encourage her to melt into his chest, not that Pansy needed any encouragement. In fact, a broad manly chest was just what she required at the minute — given her knees were beginning to feel dreadfully weak. When his velvety tongue begged permission to enter she didn't have the strength to deny him. This kiss was evoking reactions the witch had rarely felt, and more importantly thought weren't possible with a simple kiss.
Despite not wanting this union to end, Pansy had no choice but to withdraw gracefully. Her desperate need for oxygen had her panting lightly, or so she told herself that was the reason for her labored breathing. As they parted Pansy's eyes flickered open. The first thing she saw was freckles—lots of freckles.
Curious as to who was the owner of not only the freckles, but the magic tongue as well, Pansy stepped back and looked up a the boy. It was then that the screaming began in her head. How could she not have noticed whom she had grabbed?
"Well—err—that was—unexpected," Ron Weasley stammered. The initial shock of being accosted in such a manner by Pansy Parkinson, of all people, had evolved from disgust into anger and then, as his brain function transferred to its southern most site, all those negative feelings went by the wayside.
"Don't read anything into it. I was simply in need of a hiding place for a few minutes," Pansy snapped haughtily, pulling herself together and putting more distance between them. "It's not like I looked at who I was grabbing ... Because you know if I did, there's no way I would have gone anywhere near you."
"Yeah, well— Thanks to you I've got to Scourfigy my mouth now," Ron retorted weakly.
Pansy huffed indignantly and strode off with her nose in the air. The whole thing must have been her imagination, because there was no way Weasley could make her feel like that.
Just before the courtyard fell out of her line of vision, Pansy glanced over her shoulder. He was still standing where she'd left him, and he was staring at her. His expression was quite odd. She'd not had anyone look at her like that before. The moment he noticed her observing him she turned around and walked out of sight. For some reason her stomach felt a little strange, she frowned and put it down to what she ate for lunch, because it couldn't possibly have been caused by the way Weasley had looked at her.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
A group of six or seven first and second year witches were blatantly watching their every move, and giggling quite loudly at them. Draco snarled and took a step towards them.
"What do you think you're doing?" Draco snapped.
Silence fell immediately.
"Well?" Draco pressed impatiently.
The only response he received was a few owlish blinks from the now wide-eyed little girls.
"Draco, leave them alone. You're scaring them," Ginny whispered.
"Who sent you out here?" Draco continued, heedless of Ginny's words.
"Pa—" One of them began, but she stopped abruptly when a brown-haired bespectacled witch elbowed her sharply.
Draco smirked and advanced on the one who had opened her mouth. "Tell me who sent you out here."
"I—I can't."
"Of course you can," Draco said in his most convincing tone. "You can tell me anything."
The younger witch shook her head.
"Why don't I make it easier for you? I'll give you a name and all you have to do is say yes when I guess the right person." Draco paused to give the witch an opportunity to respond, but she just stood in front of him, staring at him with fear clearly in her eyes. "Was it Pansy Parkinson?"
The girl twitched, almost unconsciously, but it was enough for the blond seventh year standing over her.
"I knew it! She's trying to drive me insane," Draco growled.
"Draco, let's just find somewhere else," Ginny suggested. She didn't think they had conclusive proof that it was Parkinson's doing, but she did believe it had been her. For some reason Pansy Parkinson didn't want them to be together.
"Go about your business," Draco instructed the younger students authoritatively. "If we see you again you will regret it."
The young students scattered immediately. Draco snarled in the back of his throat just for extra effect as they ran away.
"I told you she doesn't want us together," Ginny said softly.
"Well, her antics aren't going to work," Draco growled. "I'll deal with her later. Shall we walk before she sends another group of her little minions to disturb us?"
Ginny took his proffered hand and they strolled further away from the castle. She was beginning to think this relationship was a very bad idea, no matter how good he snogged or how wonderful he made her feel in his arms. They didn't really have anything in common, so the attraction was purely physical and real relationships couldn't survive on that alone, even school romances.
"I think we're well hidden here," Draco muttered as he stopped and pulled her into a small cove of trees.
Ginny stiffened and stopped before he could pull her against his chest.
"Is there something wrong?"
"I was just thinking that this really isn't a good idea."
"We won't be seen down here, so if they can't find us, they can't disturb us."
"No, that's not what I meant." Ginny shook her head. "I mean this 'us' thing."
Draco took a step back and gazed at his girlfriend in confusion. "What do you mean?"
"We don't have anything in common."
"So?"
"All we have is physical attraction."
"That's enough for me."
"It's not enough."
Draco frowned and blinked a few times. Was she breaking up with him? Girls didn't break up with him. He discarded them when he was bored. "Are you saying you don't want to be with me?"
"I—" Ginny glanced into his eyes and saw something she'd never seen before flick through his beautiful gray eyes. For just a fraction of a second Draco Malfoy looked vulnerable. "I don't know what I'm saying."
"You were—"
"I think you should kiss me," Ginny said in a low voice, stepping towards him and running her hands over his chest.
"No," Draco replied, removing her hands from his body, so he wouldn't be distracted. "You said it wasn't enough."
"I've changed my mind," Ginny said simply, wishing she'd never opened her mouth.
"So, one minute it's not enough and the next it is?"
Ginny sighed heavily. Why did she open her mouth? "I was just thinking about what Parkinson is trying to do to us. What if we're not committed enough to get through that? She won't be the only one trying to split us up."
"Haven't I just got through telling you that I want to be with you? Nothing has changed in the last ten minutes. I still want to be with you and I won't let anyone tell me I can't have what I want."
This was not the response she'd expected, nor was it appreciated. "I'm not a possession."
"I didn't say you were."
"You implied it."
"I didn't mean to." Draco closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "What I meant to say was only you or I can make that choice. At the moment I want to be with you and I hope you still want to be with me, because I really couldn't give a flying Flobberworm what other's think of our relationship."
Ginny arched an eyebrow at him and bit back the urge to laugh. "Flying Flobberworm?"
"My mother is easily offended," Draco mumbled. He couldn't believe he'd just used that saying in front of a girl he was trying to impress.
"It's cute," Ginny responded amusedly.
"So, does this mean we're going to stay together?" Draco asked quickly. It seemed like as good a time as any, considering she was smiling.
"Yes, but it can't be all snogging and no talking," Ginny warned. "We need to get to know each other as well."
"If you insist," Draco drawled, looking her up and down predatorily. "I rather think I know all I need to know about you already."
"Oh?"
Draco nodded as he gathered her against his chest. "You have six brothers, who I'm not permitted to accept food from. You have an incredible body, and just the thought of you naked makes me hard—"
Ginny burst out laughing and slapped his arm lightly. "Excuse me?"
"That's quite an embarrassing situation when it happens in Potions," Draco defended touchily. "On with my list! You have the most incredible pair of lips."
"All right, I think that's enough," Ginny interjected.
"There's more," Draco offered.
"I'm sure there is, but aren't we wasting snogging time?"
Draco smirked. "Sacrilege!"
Ginny pressed against the hard planes of his body and beckoned him to lower his head. When he pressed his mouth onto hers all the doubts she'd felt earlier dissolved. All that mattered was the heat that was beginning to develop between her legs.
The next hour or so became a blur of lips and hands and mind-blowing feelings. At some point they had sunk to the grassy ground. Ginny didn't think her body had ever ached to be touched like it did when Draco was kissing her. She wanted to feel his hands on her, in places that a good girl saved for her husband. It was probably a good thing her inexperience in dealing with anything beyond snogging left her unsure of how to have him satisfy her aching need or things may well have easily got out of hand.
Draco rolled over onto his back and stared at the clouds moving across the sky as he tried to calm his breathing. He wanted her more than he'd ever wanted any other girl, and he didn't think he'd have a hard time convincing her either, but something was telling him not to go that way, that it was too soon. Not only was this Weasley girl different from the others in the respect she'd not hesitate to hex him if he dared to upset her, she was also making him act peculiarly. All he'd cared about in the past was getting a shag for his own personal satisfaction, but now he was actually considering her feelings. She was definitely screwing with his mind.
"Umm—maybe we should go inside?" Ginny uttered.
"It's almost dinnertime," Draco conceded.
"I'm not really hungry."
"Well, I'm starving."
"Oh," Ginny muttered disappointedly.
Draco frowned. "What's wrong?"
"I thought we could—umm—maybe—"
"Ginny, what are you trying to say?"
She took a deep breath and looked him in the eyes. His usual stormy gray orbs were almost black, and as naïve as she was at times, Ginny didn't need to be told that he desired her.
Draco's frowned deepened when she mumbled something that he couldn't quite hear. "I didn't hear you."
"I thought we could find somewhere more private," she said in a rush.
"Oh... oh." Draco couldn't quite believe his ears. She actually wanted to sleep with him. "Err—I think we should... go to dinner."
"Umm—you don't want to?"
Draco exhaled roughly. There was nothing he'd rather do right now, but that nagging feeling in the back of his mind was growing quite a voice. "It's not that I don't want to, because believe me I do—"
"But?"
"I don't think we should... not yet at least."
"My brothers scared you."
"No, it has nothing to do with them. I just want to wait until— it's right." Of course, regaining one's senses would be a good thing as well, Draco added to himself. What was he doing? She was right there inviting him into her knickers and he was turning her down. Hell had certainly frozen over.
"What do you mean 'right'?"
Draco shrugged. He was beginning to think it would just be easier to shag her now, but it just didn't feel right. Was he developing a conscience? The mere thought was ludicrous, but he was at a loss as to explain why he was acting in this manner. "I'm not sure."
"All right, I guess we should go into dinner then," Ginny said quietly, getting to her feet.
Draco quickly stood up and grabbed her hand, bringing her back to his chest. "I really do want to, you know that, right?"
Ginny nodded.
"I just—" Draco groaned in frustration. "In fact, I don't know what I want. I have absolutely no idea why I haven't already ripped your knickers off." He placed a light kiss on her forehead. "All I know is that something is telling me we should wait. Can you trust me with that?"
"Yes."
Draco dipped his head and claimed her mouth in a sensuous kiss. "I think we should go to dinner before I tell my conscience to go to hell."
Ginny laughed lightly and plucked a stray leaf from Draco's hair as they started back to the castle.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"What is this? Adopt a Gryff week?" Blaise asked as he took his seat at the Slytherin table.
"What are you on about?" Draco asked irritably, trying to keep an eye on how far Finnigan was leaning over his girlfriend.
"First you start locking lips with the littlest Weasley," Blaise pointed out. "Now Pansy's snogging the other one."
"What?" Draco frowned, taking his attention off the Gryffindor table briefly. "Don't be absurd!"
"I'm not. She just about devoured him this afternoon in the courtyard," Blaise said as he reached for a platter of roast beef.
"You must have been mistaken," Draco responded haughtily. "There's no way Pansy would touch that Neanderthal with a ten foot broomstick."
"I'm just saying what I saw." Blaise shrugged casually and began eating his dinner.
Draco turned his attention back to his girlfriend, pushing all thoughts of who Pansy might be snogging to the deepest recesses of his mind. After all, the mere notion of Pansy even looking at Weasel was preposterous.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
AUTHOR'S NOTES
Thanks to Rainpuddle13 for her amazing beta skills!
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