To my surprise, and my delight
I saw sunrise, I saw sunlight
I am nothing in the dark
And the clouds burst to show daylight
Ooh and the sun will shine
Yeah on this heart of mine
Ooh and I realise
Who I cannot live without
Ooh come apart without
-Daylight by Coldplay
Ginny felt like she was dreaming. Her head felt as if it weighed half of what it normally did, and her thoughts were jumbling so that she couldn’t think straight. The smells surrounding her kept reminding her of different things: she’d hear someone walk by and the scent of Draco would waft her way, the medicines Madame Pomfrey always kept in stock “in case of emergency”, and Hogwarts’ claustrophobic but calming aroma.
The voices came again, slow and melodic. They were talking right beside her, and yet she couldn’t see them. The same things as yesterday, “no change” and “catatonic” were being batted around. She heard someone muttering assent but the person’s voice sounded troubled.
Without a second thought, she opened her eyes to find the owner of the sad voice. She didn’t feel as though she could move, the effects of her accident opposite on her head than her body. Ginny turned her head in the direction of the voices, hoping to decipher which one was so upset. They both looked tired, Ginny realized as she looked on while Snape and Draco conversed.
“There’s nothing more Poppy can do for her, Draco,” Snape said quietly. “We may have to move her to St. Mungo’s. At least until she regains consciousness.”
Draco nodded sadly, his head hung low. “Alright,” he agreed miserably. “You can move her. But make sure it’s a private room, off the main corridor. I don’t want her where anyone can find her.”
Ginny cleared her throat, trying to catch the two’s attention. When neither looked her way, she coughed louder, despite her sore throat. Draco turned his head slightly, as if expecting nothing to have changed. When he saw that her eyes were open, he nearly jumped from his seat.
“Ginny,” he breathed, relieved. He moved closer to the bed, immediately kissing her on the forehead. “You have no idea how worried everyone has been.”
“Why?” Ginny croaked, her voice rusty from disuse. “It’s only been four or five days.”
Snape and Draco looked surprised. “How did you know that?” Draco asked curiously.
Ginny wheezed a laugh. “I was just guessing. But it’s good to know that I was right.” She grinned cheekily at the men sitting across from her.
“Yes, well,” Snape replied airily, trying not to smile, “I have business to attend to. I trust you’ll be comfortable with Mr. Malfoy’s presence whilst I’m away?”
Ginny nodded, hiding her own smile. “I think I’ll be fine.” As soon as Snape had left, she began playing with the sheets to avoid Draco’s gaze.
“I’m glad you’re okay,” Draco told her gently, reaching over to still one of her hands. “I don’t know what I would’ve done if you hadn’t been.”
His admission rocked her slightly. She hadn’t even considered the possibility that Draco would be speaking to her, after she killed his father. Tears filled her eyes as they watched the hand not covered by Draco’s fidget.
“You’re not angry with me?” Ginny asked dejectedly.
Draco smirked. “Admittedly, I am a little pissed. After all, you almost gave me a heart attack when you passed out out there.”
Ginny looked up at him, tears streaming down her cheeks. “No, I meant for killing your father. I was expecting you to never want to speak to me again.”
Draco looked genuinely confused. He placed the hand that wasn’t holding hers on her cheek, stroking away a tear.
“That man wasn’t my father, Ginny,” Draco said gently. His tone hardened as his memory flashed to Ginny’s bloody robes. “That man was just a sperm donor.”
Ginny nodded and used her hand as leverage to pull Draco closer. He wrapped his arms around her carefully, so as not to irritate any of her bandaged injuries. Madame Pomfrey had managed to close a few of them with magic, but some spells that Lucius had used had deflected the power of her potions.
“Ginny.” Ginny looked up at Draco, scared by his serious tone. “I realized something a few days ago, something important. I’ve been begging you to wake up these last four days, partly so I could tell you my revelation.”
Ginny looked confused.
“I love you, Gin,” Draco admitted softly, squeezing her hand a little tighter. “I wanted to tell you before the battle, before this mess, but I didn’t know how you’d react. So I stayed quiet.” He breathed a sigh. “I haven’t done a very good job of proving it to you, though. Letting you fight my father was the worst mistake I’ve ever made.”
Ginny rolled her eyes. “If you hadn’t have let me fight your father, Hermione would be dead right now, and so would you. Bellatrix would’ve killed you from behind, and I would’ve had to watch.” Draco looked shocked. “I saw the whole thing when McNair went down. I concentrated on what was happening in your battle, and to see if I should intervene. If I hadn’t, you wouldn’t be here.”
Ginny smiled up at him shyly. “And I wouldn’t be able to tell you that I love you, too.”
Draco’s shell-shocked expression melted into a grin, and he hugged her closer and kissed her forehead. She tugged his head down so that she could kiss him properly. The second their lips met it was like a homecoming for them both, the relief prominent. It felt as if nothing could break their union, at least until they heard a throat being cleared a few feet from the bed.
“Ahem.”
They broke apart unwillingly to see who was interrupting them. When they saw Madame Pomfrey, Draco moved a few inches away from Ginny. The med witch had caught him fondling Ginny’s hand when she’d been unconscious and had reprimanded him for interrupting her sleep. He supposed this was not what she would call “recovery”.
“Professor Snape informed me that you regained consciousness, Miss Weasley,” Madame Pomfrey sniffed. “I need to check your vitals, to see that you are recuperating well, but your parents would like to see you first.”
It was then that Ginny noticed the two redheads standing behind Madame Pomfrey. Both were wearing torn looks, as if they couldn’t decide whether to be angry at their daughter for kissing Draco Malfoy, or relieved that she had lived through a dangerous battle. They walked towards the bed, Madame Pomfrey fluttering off to tend to someone else for the moment.
“Mum, Dad,” Ginny greeted slowly. “You remember Draco, right?”
Molly Weasley gave Ginny the once over before looking at Draco. She stared at him appraisingly for a moment before returning her gaze to her daughter. Arthur thrust a hand in Draco’s direction.
“Arthur Weasley, son,” he said genially. “I hear you had a good part in rescuing my daughter.”
Draco shook the proffered hand. “Nice to meet you, sir. But actually, your daughter had a larger part in rescuing me. Saved me from the Killing Curse my father threw. She’s a hell of a fighter.”
Arthur laughed. “That she is, though I suppose that’s part of growing up with Fred and George. I’m glad you found her, though. We really owe you, son.”
Draco smiled but shook his head. “You don’t owe me anything, Mr. Weasley. I’m just relieved that Ginny’s okay.”
Molly finally spoke up then. “Ginny, what on earth were you thinking, going into a battle like that?” Ginny opened her mouth to retort but her mother cut her off. “These aren’t practice duels, Ginevra, these are real live fights in which you receive real injuries. I can’t believe your brother would involve you in this.”
Ginny held up her hand before her mother could say anything else. “Mother, you need to listen to me.”
Molly huffed but settled when Arthur put a hand on her back and nodded. She then folded her arms across her chest and glared at Ginny with silent resistance.
“I never had a choice to go or not,” Ginny said calmly. “None of us did. There was a prophecy which involved all six of us together. That’s why Draco, Blaise and I went with Harry, Ron and Hermione. We didn’t have a say, unless we wanted You-Know-Who to win.”
Molly’s mouth dropped open, and Arthur nodded his approval again.
“Before you get all excited and indignant, there’s something else that I have to tell you.” Ginny took a deep breath as Draco took her hand in support. “Part of the reason that any of us were at the school to begin with is because of me. In fact, the only reason we were here that night is because of me.” She shook her head and gripped Draco’s hand tighter. “You see mum, I’m a seer.”
Arthur raised an amused eyebrow and Molly gasped. Draco tried not to smirk at the way his girlfriend’s mother’s mouth hung open unattractively.
“Dumbledore knew, and I’m guessing that he told Snape before he passed on. Professor Snape insisted that I had to use my powers on this mission or else everything would be for naught.”
Molly was still standing with her mouth wide open, until Arthur reached over to gently nudge it with his index finger. She closed her jaw abruptly, then started stuttering madly. Finally, she took control over her words.
“Ginevra Molly Weasley, why on earth did you not tell your own parents that you could see the future?” she demanded shrilly. “I believe that’s a somewhat important character trait to share!”
“I haven’t used it since I was a first year, mum,” Ginny replied tiredly. “I wasn’t ever going to use it again, until Snape demanded it.”
Draco looked to Ginny, noticing the way her voice was gaining gravel. Her eyelids had started to droop, and her grip on his hand seemed to be increasing and loosening at once. He looked back at her mother’s red face, knowing an argument wasn’t going to help Ginny’s condition at all.
“Mrs. Weasley,” Draco said smoothly, “your daughter helped us out a great deal in the field. Without her power, I wouldn’t be standing here. My father would still be torturing innocent Muggles, and the Dark Lord would be one step closer to winning the war.”
Molly looked a little humbled at that. After a moment though, the fire was back in her eyes and Draco thought maybe his charms were overrated. However, her rant was not directed at Ginny this time.
“And you!” she exclaimed, flailing an arm towards Draco. “Look at how thin you are; worse than Harry, it is! We’re going to have to get some food in you straight away.”
Draco looked shocked as the woman started rambling out different dishes he’d have to try. With a command to stay with Ginny while she went to the kitchen ‘to fetch him a proper meal,’ she disappeared, dragging her husband off with her.
Draco turned to Ginny who was stifling her giggles behind her hand.
“What in Merlin’s name is wrong with your mother? I’m not malnourished,” Draco declared. “She sounded as though she was going to bring back enough food for a small army.”
Ginny stopped laughing long enough to clarify, “Not a small army. A giant one, made up of very large men. She likes to feed people, and God forbid you ever get injured.”
Draco shifted his shoulder almost imperceptibly, but Ginny caught the movement. She remembered him getting hit with a spell in that shoulder. She also remembered it being one that caused scarring that couldn’t be erased by magic.
“Let me see,” she said, leaning forward to grab that collar of his shirt. She pulled him to her, ignoring his grumbles.
Ginny gasped when she saw the thick pink line marring the porcelain of his skin. The edges were jagged, as if someone had taken a rock and sliced his shoulder open. Without a thought, she traced her fingertips from the top to bottom. It was almost from his shoulder to his elbow.
“I’m alright, Ginny.” She looked disbelieving. “I promise.”
He gazed into her eyes sincerely. When she decided she believed him, she pulled him down to lay beside her in the tiny hospital bed.
“I don’t know what I would’ve done if you weren’t okay.” The whispered words were almost too quiet for Ginny to hear. However, when she heard them, tears came to her eyes. She wrapped her arm around his torso and laid her head on his shoulder.
“Draco, I think you need to hear something,” she said quietly. He attempted to sit up but her weight held him down. “I’m okay, I promise. I just wanted to tell you that I don't know what I would do if you weren't here with me. You make this whole thing bearable.”
Her weight felt like nothing as Draco pushed his weight onto his arms. Ginny leaned up too, looking into his eyes carefully. In them she saw nothing but awe. Without a second though, she tilted her face towards his.
She wasn’t disappointed. Draco brought his lips to hers in a passionate, demanding kiss. With it, he let her feel every bit of his love for her, and demanded that she show him hers as well. Their tongues entwined in a natural dance of thrust and parry, and their hands came together sweetly.
It was only when Draco pulled away that Ginny remembered that she needed to breathe. Still, she glared at him as she panted for breath.
“Why’d you do that?” she demanded crossly.
Draco let out a low chuckle, his own breathing unsteady. “Your parents will be back soon, love, and as much as I fancy carrying on with that line of thought you’re chasing, they probably don’t want to be spectators.” He tugged her forward again and brushed a light kiss across her temple. “At least not until they know the extent of our relationship.”
Ginny felt her resolve to be angry weaken. She melted against his chest, sighing in contentment as he rubbed soothing circles on her back.
When the hospital doors banged in announcement of their opening, Draco moved from Ginny. He figured he was helping her avoid some measure of discomfort between her and her parents, being that they didn’t have the strongest of good feelings towards him. However, when she saw what she was doing she grabbed his hand and entwined his fingers with hers.
When Molly and Arthur approached them, Ginny seemed to have a fierceness in her eyes that had not been there before. Draco realized the expression as one of her determination and paled. She was really going to tell her parents, right now.
“Mum, Dad,” Ginny began, an almost defiant tone coloring her words, “I have something to tell you.” She glanced to Draco in a brief fit of apprehension. Quickly regaining her drive, she continued. “Draco and I are together. As in, no more Harry. At all.”
Neither one of her parents looked particularly surprised. In fact, if she didn’t know any better, she’d say that they already knew somehow. Suspiciously, she narrowed her eyes at them.
“You knew, didn’t you?” she asked skeptically. “Someone already told you!”
Molly giggled. “Of course we did. Besides the fact that you two were kissing when we walked in earlier, Draco saw your father and I earlier while you were still asleep.” Ginny turned to Draco with wide eyes. “He told us his intentions and asked your father’s permission before you even woke up, sweetie.”
Ginny turned to look at Draco incredulously. He nodded shyly, running a hand over the back of his neck. Without a thought towards her parents, she kissed him chastely.
“Well, your mother and I just came by to say hello,” Arthur said, obviously uncomfortable. “Keep in touch, Ginny, even if you can’t always tell us exactly what you’re doing. Alright?”
Ginny nodded, momentarily extracting herself from Draco’s hold to kiss and hug her parents goodbye.
“Love you,” she told them as they exited the double doors. Then she pounced on Draco. “You asked my dad for permission? You’re such a softie!” she squealed, clapping her hands together.
Draco looked less than amused. “That’s the way it’s supposed to be done, Ginny. If I hadn’t asked permission, your parents wouldn’t have been nearly as calm about the situation they walked in on earlier.”
Ginny suppressed a smile. ‘No one else sees this,’ she thought to herself. Then she remembered that she couldn’t thank him for his sweetness in the way she wanted to because she was in the hospital wing.
“How long am I in for?” she asked Draco. At his raised brow she plucked at her hospital gown.
“You’ll be released this afternoon,” came a business-like voice from behind them. They turned to see Madame Pomfrey. “Your vitals all came back excellent, as usual. It’s a wonder you didn’t wake up before you did, Miss Weasley. Your body was in perfect health.”
She handed Ginny a potion and watched as Ginny swallowed it, grimacing. With an approving nod, she took the vial back and flounced off.
“This afternoon,” Ginny said slyly. Turning to give Draco a coy look, she realized he’d already gotten off of the bed. “What are you doing?”
Draco smoothed the wrinkles out of his robes before answering. “I have some business to attend to. Do you think you’ll be alright by yourself until I get back?”
The question was serious but Ginny scoffed.
“Please. I’ve managed almost seventeen years without you, I don’t think a few hours are going to kill me.”
Draco turned a pout on her that she’d never seen before. Her heart stopped and her blood sang all at once.
“It doesn’t hurt you at all that I’m leaving?” Draco asked pathetically, pushing his bottom lip out a fraction of an inch. “Because it’s going to torture me the entire time I’m away.”
Ginny resisted the urge to tell him that she was sorry. She knew he was acting but he was damn good at it. Instead, she rolled her eyes and looked away.
“Well the sooner you leave, the sooner you can come back and stop torturing yourself,” Ginny retorted smartly.
Draco dropped the look and gave her a smile. He leaned down to kiss her softly before pulling away.
“Alright, I’ll be back.”
Ginny smiled at the domesticity of it all. “Alright, bye.”
When he was to the door, Draco turned around.
“I forgot something,” he said, just loud enough so she could hear. “I love you.”
Ginny hugged herself, feeling wonderful. “Love you, too.” She watched as the corner of Draco’s mouth lifted and he walked through the doors. Even though she was in the hospital wing, Ginny didn’t think she’d ever had a better day.
*****
“Ginny are you ready yet?” Draco called, frustrated as he yanked on his tie. “We’re going to be late, you know!”
Ginny appeared at the bathroom door, trying to put on a shoe with one hand while brushing her teeth with the other.
“I’m almost done,” she said around her toothpaste. She trekked back into the bathroom to rinse out her mouth.
“We’re supposed to be at your parents’ house in five minutes, you know,” he called again. With another quick glance in the mirror, he strode to the bathroom. Hauling the door open, he said, “They’re your own family and friends. I don’t see why you had to get so dressed up tonight.”
Ginny threw him a glare while running a brush through her long locks. “You were the one who insisted on this meeting in the first place. I had no idea that the business you had to take care of when I got out of the hospital wing on Wednesday was a meeting with the Order.”
Before Ginny had been released three days before, Draco had spoken to Snape about being inducted into the Order of the Phoenix. If he was going to be fighting alongside Potter and his mates, he might as well make it official.
The Order had accepted his offer, probably because the Weasleys made up such a large percentage. They’d arranged a dinner for that Saturday night, to induct him, Ginny and Blaise if he so wished. Ginny was not aware that she was getting inducted yet, although Draco had spoken with her about the possibility of that happening frequently over the past few days.
“Well if you don’t want to go, you don’t have to,” he said coolly. “I simply thought it would be nice to have some support while I’m amongst sworn enemies.”
Ginny rolled her eyes and left the bathroom, Draco trailing after her. She grabbed a black handbag sitting on the back of a chair, smoothed her dress down and walked to the fireplace. Turning back to Draco, who was entering the fireplace along with her, she said, “You’re so dramatic, Draco.”
He narrowed his eyes at her, but threw the Floo powder on the ground. He yelled “The Burrow” just as Mrs. Weasley had told him to, and within seconds they were in the Weaselys’ grate.
Dusting themselves off, Draco and Ginny climbed out of the fireplace. When Ginny realized that Draco had not gotten all of the soot off of him, she reached up to get a smudge off his cheek. He smiled at her gratefully as someone appeared in the doorway.
“Ginny, so nice to see you,” Remus Lupin said kindly, stepping forward to shake her hand. “And Mr. Malfoy, I was so glad that you called,” he added graciously, shaking Draco’s hand as well.
“Thank you for accepting my call,” Draco returned politely. When Remus ordered them to follow him, Draco took Ginny’s hand. She gave him a reassuring smile and his hand a small squeeze.
When Draco had been introduced to everyone and they’d been seated at the dinner table, the subject of the inductees were brought up. Someone asked if Blaise was going to be inducted, and when Draco replied, “Not tonight”, Ginny’s brother George said, “But you’re still going to, right Ginny?”
Ginny had turned to Draco, her face belying nothing. He’d nodded slightly and she’d asked to be excused for a moment. He’d made the same excuses and followed her out onto the front steps. She was hugging herself in protection from the cold, and he offered her his cloak. She nodded gratefully and he wrapped it around her shoulders.
“Did you know about that?” she asked quietly, staring out at the night sky. “About me getting inducted?”
Draco wrapped his arms around her from behind, hugging her to his chest.
“Yes, I did,” he said carefully. “When Snape spoke to them, I made sure the induction included you, Blaise and myself. I suppose I thought that you wanted to be a member.”
Ginny turned in his embrace and hugged him tightly, tears shining in her eyes. When she finally released him, one had fallen down her cheek. Draco wiped it away gently.
“Thank you,” Ginny said sincerely. “You’re right; I did always want to be a part of the Order. Mostly because all of the others were in it, and I felt left out. But also because I want to help, to fight against the Death Eaters personally. Now it doesn’t matter who else is with me,” she admitted, tucking a strand of hair away from his face. “As long as you’re here, I’m happy.”
He smiled at her before kissing her gently. Tugging her against his side, he opened the door.
“What say we get out of this cold and get ourselves inducted, yeah?” he asked, steering them into the warm living room of the Burrow.
Ginny nodded, feeling elated. For years she’d begged to be able to know, to help. Now Draco had handed her what she’d wanted all along: a place alongside the others who fought against Voldemort. He’d given her the second best day of her life.
*****
When the evening was over, and Ginny and Draco officially declared members of the Order of the Phoenix, Ginny wanted nothing more than to go back to Draco’s room and make love to him for the rest of the night. She hadn’t done so since before the battle that had put her in the hospital, and she figured it was high time to remedy that.
When they got back to Hogwarts, it seemed Draco had the same idea. He immediately went to kiss her, tangling one hand in her hair while the other found purchase at her hip. She moaned into the kiss, and she held his face in both hands.
Before she knew what had happened, Draco had peeled off her dress. All of the effort put into looking elegant that night was forgotten as her hair became tousled and Draco made sure she didn’t have the tiniest bit of lipstick on. The back of her legs hit the mattress before Ginny realized that Draco had been maneuvering them backwards while they kissed.
Ginny laid down eagerly, pulling him on top of her as she went. He shifted so that he entire body was on the bed, his hovering over hers. Her shoes were off a second later, and so were his. The only thing left between them was their undergarment and his pants, him having discarded his shirt without Ginny realizing it.
She started to snake a hand between them, but Draco hissed and pulled away. He stripped her of her underwear, never breaking the kiss between them. When Ginny thought Draco was finally going to rid himself of his pants, he pulled away.
“What are you doing?” she asked breathlessly, watching as he bent down to get something.
Draco kept a straight face as he threw his shirt to her. “As tempting as your naked body is -and believe me, it’s the most tempting sight I’ve ever seen- Madame Pomfrey said no strenuous activity for a full week.” Ginny’s jaw dropped in disbelief. “Put my shirt on. I’d wager it’s far more comfortable than what you were wearing.”
Ginny snatched the undershirt he’d worn earlier and tossed it over her head. Huffing, she laid down and curled up in a ball. She felt unwanted, like she was an old piece of clothing someone had tired of. She lost this feeling, however, when Draco curled up behind her, his arm around her waist and his erection nudging her bum.
“I love you, Ginny,” he whispered quietly, his lips brushing her ear. “This is torturing me far more than it is you, I assure you. Good night.”
Before his breathing steadied, Ginny pulled his arm tighter around her. “I love you, too.”
I saw sunrise, I saw sunlight
I am nothing in the dark
And the clouds burst to show daylight
Ooh and the sun will shine
Yeah on this heart of mine
Ooh and I realise
Who I cannot live without
Ooh come apart without
-Daylight by Coldplay
Ginny felt like she was dreaming. Her head felt as if it weighed half of what it normally did, and her thoughts were jumbling so that she couldn’t think straight. The smells surrounding her kept reminding her of different things: she’d hear someone walk by and the scent of Draco would waft her way, the medicines Madame Pomfrey always kept in stock “in case of emergency”, and Hogwarts’ claustrophobic but calming aroma.
The voices came again, slow and melodic. They were talking right beside her, and yet she couldn’t see them. The same things as yesterday, “no change” and “catatonic” were being batted around. She heard someone muttering assent but the person’s voice sounded troubled.
Without a second thought, she opened her eyes to find the owner of the sad voice. She didn’t feel as though she could move, the effects of her accident opposite on her head than her body. Ginny turned her head in the direction of the voices, hoping to decipher which one was so upset. They both looked tired, Ginny realized as she looked on while Snape and Draco conversed.
“There’s nothing more Poppy can do for her, Draco,” Snape said quietly. “We may have to move her to St. Mungo’s. At least until she regains consciousness.”
Draco nodded sadly, his head hung low. “Alright,” he agreed miserably. “You can move her. But make sure it’s a private room, off the main corridor. I don’t want her where anyone can find her.”
Ginny cleared her throat, trying to catch the two’s attention. When neither looked her way, she coughed louder, despite her sore throat. Draco turned his head slightly, as if expecting nothing to have changed. When he saw that her eyes were open, he nearly jumped from his seat.
“Ginny,” he breathed, relieved. He moved closer to the bed, immediately kissing her on the forehead. “You have no idea how worried everyone has been.”
“Why?” Ginny croaked, her voice rusty from disuse. “It’s only been four or five days.”
Snape and Draco looked surprised. “How did you know that?” Draco asked curiously.
Ginny wheezed a laugh. “I was just guessing. But it’s good to know that I was right.” She grinned cheekily at the men sitting across from her.
“Yes, well,” Snape replied airily, trying not to smile, “I have business to attend to. I trust you’ll be comfortable with Mr. Malfoy’s presence whilst I’m away?”
Ginny nodded, hiding her own smile. “I think I’ll be fine.” As soon as Snape had left, she began playing with the sheets to avoid Draco’s gaze.
“I’m glad you’re okay,” Draco told her gently, reaching over to still one of her hands. “I don’t know what I would’ve done if you hadn’t been.”
His admission rocked her slightly. She hadn’t even considered the possibility that Draco would be speaking to her, after she killed his father. Tears filled her eyes as they watched the hand not covered by Draco’s fidget.
“You’re not angry with me?” Ginny asked dejectedly.
Draco smirked. “Admittedly, I am a little pissed. After all, you almost gave me a heart attack when you passed out out there.”
Ginny looked up at him, tears streaming down her cheeks. “No, I meant for killing your father. I was expecting you to never want to speak to me again.”
Draco looked genuinely confused. He placed the hand that wasn’t holding hers on her cheek, stroking away a tear.
“That man wasn’t my father, Ginny,” Draco said gently. His tone hardened as his memory flashed to Ginny’s bloody robes. “That man was just a sperm donor.”
Ginny nodded and used her hand as leverage to pull Draco closer. He wrapped his arms around her carefully, so as not to irritate any of her bandaged injuries. Madame Pomfrey had managed to close a few of them with magic, but some spells that Lucius had used had deflected the power of her potions.
“Ginny.” Ginny looked up at Draco, scared by his serious tone. “I realized something a few days ago, something important. I’ve been begging you to wake up these last four days, partly so I could tell you my revelation.”
Ginny looked confused.
“I love you, Gin,” Draco admitted softly, squeezing her hand a little tighter. “I wanted to tell you before the battle, before this mess, but I didn’t know how you’d react. So I stayed quiet.” He breathed a sigh. “I haven’t done a very good job of proving it to you, though. Letting you fight my father was the worst mistake I’ve ever made.”
Ginny rolled her eyes. “If you hadn’t have let me fight your father, Hermione would be dead right now, and so would you. Bellatrix would’ve killed you from behind, and I would’ve had to watch.” Draco looked shocked. “I saw the whole thing when McNair went down. I concentrated on what was happening in your battle, and to see if I should intervene. If I hadn’t, you wouldn’t be here.”
Ginny smiled up at him shyly. “And I wouldn’t be able to tell you that I love you, too.”
Draco’s shell-shocked expression melted into a grin, and he hugged her closer and kissed her forehead. She tugged his head down so that she could kiss him properly. The second their lips met it was like a homecoming for them both, the relief prominent. It felt as if nothing could break their union, at least until they heard a throat being cleared a few feet from the bed.
“Ahem.”
They broke apart unwillingly to see who was interrupting them. When they saw Madame Pomfrey, Draco moved a few inches away from Ginny. The med witch had caught him fondling Ginny’s hand when she’d been unconscious and had reprimanded him for interrupting her sleep. He supposed this was not what she would call “recovery”.
“Professor Snape informed me that you regained consciousness, Miss Weasley,” Madame Pomfrey sniffed. “I need to check your vitals, to see that you are recuperating well, but your parents would like to see you first.”
It was then that Ginny noticed the two redheads standing behind Madame Pomfrey. Both were wearing torn looks, as if they couldn’t decide whether to be angry at their daughter for kissing Draco Malfoy, or relieved that she had lived through a dangerous battle. They walked towards the bed, Madame Pomfrey fluttering off to tend to someone else for the moment.
“Mum, Dad,” Ginny greeted slowly. “You remember Draco, right?”
Molly Weasley gave Ginny the once over before looking at Draco. She stared at him appraisingly for a moment before returning her gaze to her daughter. Arthur thrust a hand in Draco’s direction.
“Arthur Weasley, son,” he said genially. “I hear you had a good part in rescuing my daughter.”
Draco shook the proffered hand. “Nice to meet you, sir. But actually, your daughter had a larger part in rescuing me. Saved me from the Killing Curse my father threw. She’s a hell of a fighter.”
Arthur laughed. “That she is, though I suppose that’s part of growing up with Fred and George. I’m glad you found her, though. We really owe you, son.”
Draco smiled but shook his head. “You don’t owe me anything, Mr. Weasley. I’m just relieved that Ginny’s okay.”
Molly finally spoke up then. “Ginny, what on earth were you thinking, going into a battle like that?” Ginny opened her mouth to retort but her mother cut her off. “These aren’t practice duels, Ginevra, these are real live fights in which you receive real injuries. I can’t believe your brother would involve you in this.”
Ginny held up her hand before her mother could say anything else. “Mother, you need to listen to me.”
Molly huffed but settled when Arthur put a hand on her back and nodded. She then folded her arms across her chest and glared at Ginny with silent resistance.
“I never had a choice to go or not,” Ginny said calmly. “None of us did. There was a prophecy which involved all six of us together. That’s why Draco, Blaise and I went with Harry, Ron and Hermione. We didn’t have a say, unless we wanted You-Know-Who to win.”
Molly’s mouth dropped open, and Arthur nodded his approval again.
“Before you get all excited and indignant, there’s something else that I have to tell you.” Ginny took a deep breath as Draco took her hand in support. “Part of the reason that any of us were at the school to begin with is because of me. In fact, the only reason we were here that night is because of me.” She shook her head and gripped Draco’s hand tighter. “You see mum, I’m a seer.”
Arthur raised an amused eyebrow and Molly gasped. Draco tried not to smirk at the way his girlfriend’s mother’s mouth hung open unattractively.
“Dumbledore knew, and I’m guessing that he told Snape before he passed on. Professor Snape insisted that I had to use my powers on this mission or else everything would be for naught.”
Molly was still standing with her mouth wide open, until Arthur reached over to gently nudge it with his index finger. She closed her jaw abruptly, then started stuttering madly. Finally, she took control over her words.
“Ginevra Molly Weasley, why on earth did you not tell your own parents that you could see the future?” she demanded shrilly. “I believe that’s a somewhat important character trait to share!”
“I haven’t used it since I was a first year, mum,” Ginny replied tiredly. “I wasn’t ever going to use it again, until Snape demanded it.”
Draco looked to Ginny, noticing the way her voice was gaining gravel. Her eyelids had started to droop, and her grip on his hand seemed to be increasing and loosening at once. He looked back at her mother’s red face, knowing an argument wasn’t going to help Ginny’s condition at all.
“Mrs. Weasley,” Draco said smoothly, “your daughter helped us out a great deal in the field. Without her power, I wouldn’t be standing here. My father would still be torturing innocent Muggles, and the Dark Lord would be one step closer to winning the war.”
Molly looked a little humbled at that. After a moment though, the fire was back in her eyes and Draco thought maybe his charms were overrated. However, her rant was not directed at Ginny this time.
“And you!” she exclaimed, flailing an arm towards Draco. “Look at how thin you are; worse than Harry, it is! We’re going to have to get some food in you straight away.”
Draco looked shocked as the woman started rambling out different dishes he’d have to try. With a command to stay with Ginny while she went to the kitchen ‘to fetch him a proper meal,’ she disappeared, dragging her husband off with her.
Draco turned to Ginny who was stifling her giggles behind her hand.
“What in Merlin’s name is wrong with your mother? I’m not malnourished,” Draco declared. “She sounded as though she was going to bring back enough food for a small army.”
Ginny stopped laughing long enough to clarify, “Not a small army. A giant one, made up of very large men. She likes to feed people, and God forbid you ever get injured.”
Draco shifted his shoulder almost imperceptibly, but Ginny caught the movement. She remembered him getting hit with a spell in that shoulder. She also remembered it being one that caused scarring that couldn’t be erased by magic.
“Let me see,” she said, leaning forward to grab that collar of his shirt. She pulled him to her, ignoring his grumbles.
Ginny gasped when she saw the thick pink line marring the porcelain of his skin. The edges were jagged, as if someone had taken a rock and sliced his shoulder open. Without a thought, she traced her fingertips from the top to bottom. It was almost from his shoulder to his elbow.
“I’m alright, Ginny.” She looked disbelieving. “I promise.”
He gazed into her eyes sincerely. When she decided she believed him, she pulled him down to lay beside her in the tiny hospital bed.
“I don’t know what I would’ve done if you weren’t okay.” The whispered words were almost too quiet for Ginny to hear. However, when she heard them, tears came to her eyes. She wrapped her arm around his torso and laid her head on his shoulder.
“Draco, I think you need to hear something,” she said quietly. He attempted to sit up but her weight held him down. “I’m okay, I promise. I just wanted to tell you that I don't know what I would do if you weren't here with me. You make this whole thing bearable.”
Her weight felt like nothing as Draco pushed his weight onto his arms. Ginny leaned up too, looking into his eyes carefully. In them she saw nothing but awe. Without a second though, she tilted her face towards his.
She wasn’t disappointed. Draco brought his lips to hers in a passionate, demanding kiss. With it, he let her feel every bit of his love for her, and demanded that she show him hers as well. Their tongues entwined in a natural dance of thrust and parry, and their hands came together sweetly.
It was only when Draco pulled away that Ginny remembered that she needed to breathe. Still, she glared at him as she panted for breath.
“Why’d you do that?” she demanded crossly.
Draco let out a low chuckle, his own breathing unsteady. “Your parents will be back soon, love, and as much as I fancy carrying on with that line of thought you’re chasing, they probably don’t want to be spectators.” He tugged her forward again and brushed a light kiss across her temple. “At least not until they know the extent of our relationship.”
Ginny felt her resolve to be angry weaken. She melted against his chest, sighing in contentment as he rubbed soothing circles on her back.
When the hospital doors banged in announcement of their opening, Draco moved from Ginny. He figured he was helping her avoid some measure of discomfort between her and her parents, being that they didn’t have the strongest of good feelings towards him. However, when she saw what she was doing she grabbed his hand and entwined his fingers with hers.
When Molly and Arthur approached them, Ginny seemed to have a fierceness in her eyes that had not been there before. Draco realized the expression as one of her determination and paled. She was really going to tell her parents, right now.
“Mum, Dad,” Ginny began, an almost defiant tone coloring her words, “I have something to tell you.” She glanced to Draco in a brief fit of apprehension. Quickly regaining her drive, she continued. “Draco and I are together. As in, no more Harry. At all.”
Neither one of her parents looked particularly surprised. In fact, if she didn’t know any better, she’d say that they already knew somehow. Suspiciously, she narrowed her eyes at them.
“You knew, didn’t you?” she asked skeptically. “Someone already told you!”
Molly giggled. “Of course we did. Besides the fact that you two were kissing when we walked in earlier, Draco saw your father and I earlier while you were still asleep.” Ginny turned to Draco with wide eyes. “He told us his intentions and asked your father’s permission before you even woke up, sweetie.”
Ginny turned to look at Draco incredulously. He nodded shyly, running a hand over the back of his neck. Without a thought towards her parents, she kissed him chastely.
“Well, your mother and I just came by to say hello,” Arthur said, obviously uncomfortable. “Keep in touch, Ginny, even if you can’t always tell us exactly what you’re doing. Alright?”
Ginny nodded, momentarily extracting herself from Draco’s hold to kiss and hug her parents goodbye.
“Love you,” she told them as they exited the double doors. Then she pounced on Draco. “You asked my dad for permission? You’re such a softie!” she squealed, clapping her hands together.
Draco looked less than amused. “That’s the way it’s supposed to be done, Ginny. If I hadn’t asked permission, your parents wouldn’t have been nearly as calm about the situation they walked in on earlier.”
Ginny suppressed a smile. ‘No one else sees this,’ she thought to herself. Then she remembered that she couldn’t thank him for his sweetness in the way she wanted to because she was in the hospital wing.
“How long am I in for?” she asked Draco. At his raised brow she plucked at her hospital gown.
“You’ll be released this afternoon,” came a business-like voice from behind them. They turned to see Madame Pomfrey. “Your vitals all came back excellent, as usual. It’s a wonder you didn’t wake up before you did, Miss Weasley. Your body was in perfect health.”
She handed Ginny a potion and watched as Ginny swallowed it, grimacing. With an approving nod, she took the vial back and flounced off.
“This afternoon,” Ginny said slyly. Turning to give Draco a coy look, she realized he’d already gotten off of the bed. “What are you doing?”
Draco smoothed the wrinkles out of his robes before answering. “I have some business to attend to. Do you think you’ll be alright by yourself until I get back?”
The question was serious but Ginny scoffed.
“Please. I’ve managed almost seventeen years without you, I don’t think a few hours are going to kill me.”
Draco turned a pout on her that she’d never seen before. Her heart stopped and her blood sang all at once.
“It doesn’t hurt you at all that I’m leaving?” Draco asked pathetically, pushing his bottom lip out a fraction of an inch. “Because it’s going to torture me the entire time I’m away.”
Ginny resisted the urge to tell him that she was sorry. She knew he was acting but he was damn good at it. Instead, she rolled her eyes and looked away.
“Well the sooner you leave, the sooner you can come back and stop torturing yourself,” Ginny retorted smartly.
Draco dropped the look and gave her a smile. He leaned down to kiss her softly before pulling away.
“Alright, I’ll be back.”
Ginny smiled at the domesticity of it all. “Alright, bye.”
When he was to the door, Draco turned around.
“I forgot something,” he said, just loud enough so she could hear. “I love you.”
Ginny hugged herself, feeling wonderful. “Love you, too.” She watched as the corner of Draco’s mouth lifted and he walked through the doors. Even though she was in the hospital wing, Ginny didn’t think she’d ever had a better day.
*****
“Ginny are you ready yet?” Draco called, frustrated as he yanked on his tie. “We’re going to be late, you know!”
Ginny appeared at the bathroom door, trying to put on a shoe with one hand while brushing her teeth with the other.
“I’m almost done,” she said around her toothpaste. She trekked back into the bathroom to rinse out her mouth.
“We’re supposed to be at your parents’ house in five minutes, you know,” he called again. With another quick glance in the mirror, he strode to the bathroom. Hauling the door open, he said, “They’re your own family and friends. I don’t see why you had to get so dressed up tonight.”
Ginny threw him a glare while running a brush through her long locks. “You were the one who insisted on this meeting in the first place. I had no idea that the business you had to take care of when I got out of the hospital wing on Wednesday was a meeting with the Order.”
Before Ginny had been released three days before, Draco had spoken to Snape about being inducted into the Order of the Phoenix. If he was going to be fighting alongside Potter and his mates, he might as well make it official.
The Order had accepted his offer, probably because the Weasleys made up such a large percentage. They’d arranged a dinner for that Saturday night, to induct him, Ginny and Blaise if he so wished. Ginny was not aware that she was getting inducted yet, although Draco had spoken with her about the possibility of that happening frequently over the past few days.
“Well if you don’t want to go, you don’t have to,” he said coolly. “I simply thought it would be nice to have some support while I’m amongst sworn enemies.”
Ginny rolled her eyes and left the bathroom, Draco trailing after her. She grabbed a black handbag sitting on the back of a chair, smoothed her dress down and walked to the fireplace. Turning back to Draco, who was entering the fireplace along with her, she said, “You’re so dramatic, Draco.”
He narrowed his eyes at her, but threw the Floo powder on the ground. He yelled “The Burrow” just as Mrs. Weasley had told him to, and within seconds they were in the Weaselys’ grate.
Dusting themselves off, Draco and Ginny climbed out of the fireplace. When Ginny realized that Draco had not gotten all of the soot off of him, she reached up to get a smudge off his cheek. He smiled at her gratefully as someone appeared in the doorway.
“Ginny, so nice to see you,” Remus Lupin said kindly, stepping forward to shake her hand. “And Mr. Malfoy, I was so glad that you called,” he added graciously, shaking Draco’s hand as well.
“Thank you for accepting my call,” Draco returned politely. When Remus ordered them to follow him, Draco took Ginny’s hand. She gave him a reassuring smile and his hand a small squeeze.
When Draco had been introduced to everyone and they’d been seated at the dinner table, the subject of the inductees were brought up. Someone asked if Blaise was going to be inducted, and when Draco replied, “Not tonight”, Ginny’s brother George said, “But you’re still going to, right Ginny?”
Ginny had turned to Draco, her face belying nothing. He’d nodded slightly and she’d asked to be excused for a moment. He’d made the same excuses and followed her out onto the front steps. She was hugging herself in protection from the cold, and he offered her his cloak. She nodded gratefully and he wrapped it around her shoulders.
“Did you know about that?” she asked quietly, staring out at the night sky. “About me getting inducted?”
Draco wrapped his arms around her from behind, hugging her to his chest.
“Yes, I did,” he said carefully. “When Snape spoke to them, I made sure the induction included you, Blaise and myself. I suppose I thought that you wanted to be a member.”
Ginny turned in his embrace and hugged him tightly, tears shining in her eyes. When she finally released him, one had fallen down her cheek. Draco wiped it away gently.
“Thank you,” Ginny said sincerely. “You’re right; I did always want to be a part of the Order. Mostly because all of the others were in it, and I felt left out. But also because I want to help, to fight against the Death Eaters personally. Now it doesn’t matter who else is with me,” she admitted, tucking a strand of hair away from his face. “As long as you’re here, I’m happy.”
He smiled at her before kissing her gently. Tugging her against his side, he opened the door.
“What say we get out of this cold and get ourselves inducted, yeah?” he asked, steering them into the warm living room of the Burrow.
Ginny nodded, feeling elated. For years she’d begged to be able to know, to help. Now Draco had handed her what she’d wanted all along: a place alongside the others who fought against Voldemort. He’d given her the second best day of her life.
*****
When the evening was over, and Ginny and Draco officially declared members of the Order of the Phoenix, Ginny wanted nothing more than to go back to Draco’s room and make love to him for the rest of the night. She hadn’t done so since before the battle that had put her in the hospital, and she figured it was high time to remedy that.
When they got back to Hogwarts, it seemed Draco had the same idea. He immediately went to kiss her, tangling one hand in her hair while the other found purchase at her hip. She moaned into the kiss, and she held his face in both hands.
Before she knew what had happened, Draco had peeled off her dress. All of the effort put into looking elegant that night was forgotten as her hair became tousled and Draco made sure she didn’t have the tiniest bit of lipstick on. The back of her legs hit the mattress before Ginny realized that Draco had been maneuvering them backwards while they kissed.
Ginny laid down eagerly, pulling him on top of her as she went. He shifted so that he entire body was on the bed, his hovering over hers. Her shoes were off a second later, and so were his. The only thing left between them was their undergarment and his pants, him having discarded his shirt without Ginny realizing it.
She started to snake a hand between them, but Draco hissed and pulled away. He stripped her of her underwear, never breaking the kiss between them. When Ginny thought Draco was finally going to rid himself of his pants, he pulled away.
“What are you doing?” she asked breathlessly, watching as he bent down to get something.
Draco kept a straight face as he threw his shirt to her. “As tempting as your naked body is -and believe me, it’s the most tempting sight I’ve ever seen- Madame Pomfrey said no strenuous activity for a full week.” Ginny’s jaw dropped in disbelief. “Put my shirt on. I’d wager it’s far more comfortable than what you were wearing.”
Ginny snatched the undershirt he’d worn earlier and tossed it over her head. Huffing, she laid down and curled up in a ball. She felt unwanted, like she was an old piece of clothing someone had tired of. She lost this feeling, however, when Draco curled up behind her, his arm around her waist and his erection nudging her bum.
“I love you, Ginny,” he whispered quietly, his lips brushing her ear. “This is torturing me far more than it is you, I assure you. Good night.”
Before his breathing steadied, Ginny pulled his arm tighter around her. “I love you, too.”
Author notes: Thanks for all your reviews! Keep 'em coming!
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