Ginny felt a dark cloud of foreboding descend upon her as her boyfriend stood and crossed the room to her. He smiled and pulled her up into his arms, attempting to kiss her on the lips.
Ginny pulled away.
He stared at her; was she still mad at him? “Gin-” he began.
“Harry,” she interrupted. “I…I think…” he smiled warmly at her. “I think we should break up,” she blurted out.
He froze. His smile became cold and forced. “Is this a joke?”
“No,” she murmured, tears springing to her eyes.
“But- but it was all working out so well,” he stammered.
“No Harry. It wasn’t you- you want to think it is, so we can keep on living this dream. And it is a dream, isn’t it? Harry Potter, the boy who lived dating-”
“The most beautiful girl at Hogwarts,” he finished hollowly. “I still don’t see anything wrong with the dream, Gin.”
“Let me talk. We… we fight too much, Harry, you know we do. And you’re so protective of me, until I want some protection and then you’re off saving the world or in the usual case, getting bored with me and hanging with Ron and Hermione. You’re either with me twenty four seven, stifling me, or not there at all! Harry, I know it’s partly my fault but as much as I hate to say this, I don’t like the person you are when you’re dating me.”
Harry shook his head. “It’s not just that, Ginny. You loved me these holidays, didn’t you? You couldn’t have after all… love doesn’t change her mind.”
“I did… I do,” she whispered miserably. “Just not in that way anymore.”
“Well I’ll- I’ll make you!” He grabbed her by the arms and pulled her up to him. He forced his lips against hers, pushing his tongue against her mouth, demanding access. Ginny felt a cry rise within her and she pushed him away.
He had tears in his eyes, and she realised that for all Draco’s words, Harry Potter did love her, or at least thought he did. He crumpled to the ground. “I’m sorry Gin, I’m so sorry,” he whispered again and again.
She began to cry too. “Oh Harry, I love you so much, but you’re just a brother to me. I… I thought I loved you in the way you love me, but I was just touched and honored that you… felt this way for me. I felt that… that I had to, seeing as this was all I craved for over my first years here.”
Harry smiled weakly, blinking back the tears and stood up. Ginny wrapped her arms around him, in the hug that she would have given to Ron or Bill, and Harry hugged her back trembling.
“So that’s it then,” he whispered.
“Yes Harry. That’s it.”
He smiled again, and began to go up the stairs, and Ginny sat down wearily in a chair and waited. After two minutes had passed, she began to count softly under her breath. “Five… four… three…. two….one….”
“GINNY!” came the enraged voice of Ronald Weasley who was leaping down the stairs two at a time.
“Hello Ron,” she said quietly.
“YOU BROKE UP WITH HARRY? WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING, YOU FOOL? HE’S EVERYTHING YOU’VE EVER DREAMED OF AND YOU’RE BREAKING UP WITH HIM?”
“Ron, please don’t talk to me like that,” Ginny began softly.
“WHAT POSESSED YOU, WOMAN? YOU’VE HAD A CRUSH ON HIM FOR YEARS AND WHEN YOU’RE ACTUALLY GOING OUT WITH HIM YOU FEEL THE NEED TO BREAK UP? WAS HE GETTING TOO BORING FOR YOU OR SOMETHING?”
“No, of course not I just-”
“I DON’T CARE WHAT YOU ‘JUST’ DID OR THOUGHT OR FELT. GO UP THERE AND APOLOGISE TO HIM NOW, MAKE HIM TAKE YOU BACK.”
“No Ron. I made the right decision. I have to stick by it now.”
“SO IT’S YOUR PRIDE THEN? YOUR PRIDE WHICH MAKES YOU REFUSE TO MAKE IT RIGHT WITH HIM?”
“No Ron, it’s more than that-”
“SO THERE IS THAT THEN. YOU ADMIT IT, YOU BLOODY WHOR-”
“I will not have you speak to me like that Ronald!” Ginny shrieked, losing her temper. “It’s my decision, I made it for all the right reasons and I’m sticking with it!”
“WHAT ARE THE RIGHT REASONS?” Ron bellowed back.
“I- I don’t love him, I’m in love with- with somebody else.”
Ron turned red, then purple. “What?” he said incredulously.
“Don’t worry about it,” Ginny muttered. “I’m going to bed. Thanks for making my evening such a pleasant one.”
“Wait Gin, I didn’t mean to yell, I’m just confused. Did you say you’re in love with someone else?”
“Yes.”
“And are you?”
Ginny sighed. “No of course not, I just said it to make you stop yelling,” the lie tripped smoothly off her tongue. “I broke up with Harry for different reasons- ones I’m not telling you. It’s between me and Harry.”
“Oh, right. Okay then. Hey, where were you this evening?”
“Lessons with Snape. Dumbledore’s making me take extra ones. Goodnight, Ron.”
“EXTRA LESSONS WITH SNAPE? WHAT THE HELL IS THAT FOR YOU-”
But Ginny had already left.
***
She did not stay in the Girls Dorm. She grabbed her broom from there, an old comet two sixty and flew out of the window, ignoring the annoyed mutters of some of the girls when cold air rushed into the dormitory. Her eyes glistened with tears, and her heart pounded hard against her chest. She flew directly to the astronomy tower, where she could just make out silver hair glistening in the moonlight. Swooping around in a circle, she flew through the window narrowly missing Draco Malfoy.
“I thought I told you to go,” he said sharply.
“You did. I didn’t listen,” she smiled sweetly at him and he snorted contemptuously. “Now, now Malfoy, if the wind changes and you’re still making that face it will be stuck forever!”
He sneered at her. “God you’re naïve,” he spat.
“No, Draco,” she said gently. “I just see the glass as halfway, instead of your bullshit about it being half empty.”
“So you’re one of those ridiculous optimists then.”
“No.” She sighed. “I’m one of those ridiculous people who don’t give a crap whether the glass is half full or half empty, because it’s still water.”
He didn’t reply. His gaze was fixed on a star outside; he was staring at it as if his life depended upon it.
“Draco.”
“Mmmn?”
She had a feeling he wasn’t listening. “I’m growing a beard out of green spinach.” No reaction. “I accidentally put my heart on the stove and now it’s melting.” Nothing. “I broke up with Harry.”
He spun around as well as one could do on a windowsill, albeit a wide one. “What?”
“Got your attention now, have I? Listen to me, you fool of a boy. We need to get along for this whole defeating evil thing to work. You don’t like me, I don’t like you-” Liar, liar, pants on fire. “But can we please just try and be civil?”
“Did you say that you broke up with Potter?” he asked impatiently.
“Why do you care, Malfoy?” she said carefully.
His eyes met hers, and held them. She saw strange emotions there, ones that she couldn’t quite define, but still feelings she had never thought she would see in Draco Malfoy’s eyes. She felt something surge in her heart, and her eyelashes fluttered with the sudden excitement that was consuming her.
He looked away. “I don’t.” Disappointment seemed to flood her body, and he saw her face was flushed and sad. He knew she had been waiting for something, some gesture from him… but he was a Slytherin, and she was a Gryffindor and a Weasley at that.
There was an awkward silence. Finally, he spoke. “Ginny, it’s late. We should be going back to the common rooms.”
Ginny shuddered. “I can’t.”
He was confused. “Why not?”
“I told you, I broke up with Harry. I can’t go back there; he’s their hero and all the girls will have found out by now. I really am not in the mood for being attacked.”
“Where will you go then?”
“I don’t know. Guess I’ll camp out here.”
“It’s winter. It’s freezing!”
“I don’t care.”
Draco surveyed her thoughtfully. “You could try the room of requirement.”
“What d’you mean?”
“If you wanted a place to stay overnight, I’m sure it would provide it for you.”
“Hey, that’s not a bad idea. Thanks Malfoy,” she grinned, eyes alight with the idea of sleeping somewhere knew. “What time is it?”
As if in answer to her question, the castle clock boomed half past two. Ginny groaned. “I’m going to be a wreck for class tomorrow,” she muttered.
“Why not wag?” Draco said suddenly.
“How can we? We’re at a boarding school, remember?”
“Yeah, but just send an owl to Potter and the Weasel- I refuse to call him anything else, Ginny- saying you don’t feel well.”
“What about the Hospital Wing? I could go there and get fixed up in a second.”
“Say that you can’t be bothered dragging yourself to get fixed up and that you’re loathe to miss a chance for a day off school.”
Ginny nodded thoughtfully. “I’ll probably be bored, but.”
“I’ll wag too, and come and hang out with you.”
Ginny giggled. “I never thought I’d see the day where I’d be ‘hanging out’ with Draco Malfoy.”
His cheeks tinged with pink. “Well, we could just practice spells and such, that’s what I meant.”
She smiled. “That’d be cool. What time should I expect you?”
Draco smirked. “Well it is a day off, so I on my part shan’t be getting up until eleven.”
“Hear, hear,” Ginny laughed. “So I’ll see you around quarter to twelve then?”
“That would be fine. Goodnight Ginny.”
“Night Draco.”
She left the astronomy tower and made her way to the room of requirement, sudden tiredness overwhelming her. Reaching the corridor she walked up and down it three times with only one thought in her head: A place for tonight and tomorrow, whatever they may bring. On her third walk back, the door appeared and gratefully she opened it and stepped inside.
It was a warm, cozy room with the same windowsill and drapes and a large bed with a thick quilt, soft pillows and soft mattress. Folded neatly on one of the pillows was a pair of pajamas: a cotton red tank-top with black pants were simple, yet warm despite her bare arms and Ginny, not bothering to notice the rest of the room, climbed into bed, pulled the covers over her head and fell straight asleep.
***
A bell clanged loudly waking her, and looking at a clock on the wall (that hadn’t seemed to be there last night) Ginny realised it was eleven o’ clock. Clambering out of bed and shivering as a cold wind hit her shoulders, she noticed another door. Opening it and peering curiously inside, she saw that it was a bathroom, with a shower and sink. Ginny smiled groggily and pulling her clothes off she stumbled into the hot shower. Smiling in delight as the hot water ran over her skin, she leisurely washed her hair and soaped herself down. She stayed in the shower for some twenty minutes, for if a teenager cannot have their long shower then what is the point of living? Finally stepping out of the shower, Ginny grinned at her reflection in the mirror and pulled a fluffy white towel around her.
The steam filling the bathroom heated the room quite nicely, so Ginny brushed her teeth in there and attempted to run a hairbrush through her knots. Both toothbrush and hairbrush had been found lying convieniently in a cupboard.
Walking back into the main room, Ginny suddenly remembered that she didn’t have any fresh clothes. She groaned; she hated wearing the same clothes, but just as she was contemplating flooing to the girls’ dorm and risking being caught, she noticed that the bed was made, and folded neatly on the pillow was a pair of black jeans, a black t-shirt (with MY FACE IS UP HERE emblazoned across the chest in bold white letters), a black cloak, a brassier and underwear. Giggling in delight, she pulled them on and dumped the towel on the carpet. It vanished.
“A room that cleans up for me; this rocks!” She laughed aloud.
Her wand lay neatly on a dressing table; she picked it up and ran her fingers along its smooth, polished wood. When she turned around, she realised that the bed was gone, clearing up a lot of space.
“Weird,” she murmured.
“What’s weird?”
Ginny jumped and spun around, seeing an amused looking Draco watching her. “How long have you been there?” she gasped.
“A few minutes. Did you not hear me enter?”
“Did you see me…” she waved her hands up and down frantically. “Dressing?”
Draco smiled. “No, I’m afraid I missed out on that privilege.”
“Oh thank God,” she whispered.
He studied her, seeming to look for something about her, some aspect that she could not tell. “Have I got dirt on my nose or something?” she said rudely.
“No.” he did not elaborate further.
“Well. What d’you want to do?”
He seemed to come out of a trance. “What say we begin practicing getting to our wands fast?”
“Huh?”
“Don’t say that, you sound like Goyle.”
Ginny shuddered. “Fine then, Mr I Was Reared A Malfoy And Have Manners, what do you mean?”
He smirked at her. “I mean we place our wands on that side of the room-” he pointed. “And start on the opposite side of the room and race to get there as fast as we can.”
Ginny frowned. “You sure we’ll need that in a fight?”
“Probably not, seeing as we’ll be taught to Apparate but it’s always good to know that you can get there fast.”
Ginny grinned. “Fine then. Let’s go.” They both put their wands down by the wall (which was completely bare, quite useful for their purpose) and started at the sprinting position at the opposite wall.
“One,” Draco murmured. “Two… three!” Both began to race across the floor, and they were about halfway across when there was a noise like a gun being fired. Both immediately and inexplicably tripped over, and the room was plunged into darkness.
Ginny shrieked, she couldn’t help it for the change was so sudden. She heard Draco’s voice come out of nowhere, swearing softly and she felt a soft trickle of fear creep over her. It was not, you must understand, the ordinary darkness where everything was a pale dark blue. Neither was it the shadowy darkness, where silhouettes and such are visible. It was pitch black, and Draco’s voice came to Ginny like a disembodied voice with no connection to a body.
“What- what’s happening?”
“I don’t know. Are you okay, Ginny? You didn’t hurt yourself when we fell?”
“No, I’m fine. What the hell is going on?”
“I’ve no idea. Hang on; I’ve got to go open the curtains.” Hands stretched in front of him, Draco stumbled across the room and feeling the heavy material under his hands, wrenched the curtains open.
Ginny blinked. “Have you opened them yet, Draco?”
“Yes,” his voice seemed almost fearful; yet Draco Malfoy did not get afraid, Ginny reminded herself. “It’s as dark outside as it is inside.”
“Maybe we should try and find the door.”
“Yeah.”
They crashed around for a while, but neither of them could find the door. Ginny sat down heavily on the carpeted floor; and sat on something sharp, and pointy.
“Draco, I’ve found my wand! Lumos!” Light flickered quickly and Ginny just caught sight of herself sitting in the middle of the room, with Draco on the far side and no sign of either door before the light went out.
“It won’t work,” she said somewhat tearfully. “Lumos, lumos, lumos!” This time, the wand didn’t even flicker. In her frustration, Ginny tossed her wand over her shoulder, not realizing yet what a stupid thing this was to do.
“Draco, where are you?”
“Judging by your voice, I’m several meters ahead of you.”
“I- I’m afraid.”
“Hey, it’s okay. I’m sure there’s a perfectly reasonable explanation for this.”
“Like what?” she hissed between clenched teeth. “Don’t treat me like a child, Malfoy.”
“Okay. I have no idea what the hell is going on, and it’s probably not reasonable. But the facts remain- its pitch black, we can’t find the door and we don’t know what’s happening. So our only option at the moment is to stay here.”
“I don’t want to.”
“What we want doesn’t enter into the bargain, Ginny. We have no choice.”
There was silence, as Ginny sat with quiet tears flowing down her face.
“Ginny? Are you okay?”
“Why do you care? Why do you care about anything?”
“Where are you?” he evaded her questions, tripping and stumbling his way towards her voice, arms out in front of him. Suddenly, his hand hit against her warm chest, rising up and down with her harsh breathing.
“Ow!” she cried out.
“Sorry! But I found you. Here, I’m here.”
Ginny stretched her arms out and contacted with Draco Malfoy’s robes. “There you are,” she murmured. “I… I think I should hold onto you, just so we don’t get separated again, what d’you reckon?”
In the darkness, Draco’s mouth curved into a wicked grin. “I think that would be for the best, Ginny.”
Her arms went around his neck, and he held firmly onto his waist. “There, that’s better isn’t it,” she laughed. “But, I’m feeling a bit weak at the knees from the shock of this. D’you think I should rest my head here?” She lay her head down on his chest and his heart skipped a beat.
“I think that’s a very good idea,” he agreed.
Somehow, by unconscious mutual agreement, they both shifted to a sitting position, Ginny still holding onto Draco, and facing him, on her knees. “Draco?” she murmured quietly.
“Mmmn?”
“We’re not friends, are we?”
He knew exactly what she meant, and he closed his eyes for a moment, though it made no difference in the dark. Yet somehow the dark was not frightening or evil anymore; it was full of good, or so it felt to him.
“No Gin, we’re not.”
“But…” her voice came slowly, huskily and her touch seemed to set every part of him aflame. “Are we enemies?”
“I- I don’t think so.”
“Acquaintances?”
“No.”
“Work mates?”
“No.”
“Are we…” there was a long pause, full of unspoken thoughts and Ginny did not need to finish her sentence. His lips dropped to hers and she felt like she was awaking finally after so many years. It was not like it had been with Harry, never had she felt such a powerful emotion wakening within her. Draco’s lips seemed to be fused to hers, and Ginny wanted to never let go. Their kiss did not fumble around; his tongue darted straight into her mouth and she led a merry chase, exploring the darkness that was held within Draco’s lips. They eventually, reluctantly broke apart, needing air.
“Why… did… you… break… up… with Potter?” his words were punctured by swift, sharp kisses.
“Because,” she whispered, lips resting on his ear. “He wasn’t you.”
Draco smiled and kissed her softly, sensually and Ginny basked as she would have in the sun. They came up again panting. “Seems a bit unfair,” he said laughingly. “Not everyone can be the most wonderful, handsome, intellectual boy in the world.”
Ginny’s lips fluttered over Draco’s face; teasing him. “Draco Malfoy,” she muttered. “You’re so arrogant that if it wasn’t for those delightful things you’re doing to my nerves, I would slap you.”
“Well, can’t have that, can we?” he growled, pulling her tighter to him. Her hands reached and stumbled over the clasp of his cloak, eventually getting it off and throwing it aside, deeming it was getting in the way. He did the same with her cloak, but by an unspoken agreement neither took anymore clothing off, much as Ginny wanted to.
“I’m a whore,” she whispered fiercely.
“No! Never say that. Why did you say that?”
“I’ve only been single for ten hours, and look at me now.”
“I don’t think you had much choice,” he smiled in the darkness.
“Of course I did. What d’you mean?”
“The prophecy.”
“What about it?”
“But all Wizarding World should fall if it is not for two young adults, witch and wizard one with hair as red as flame, one with heart as cold as ice. Only once united will the Dark Lord be defeated…” he quoted.
“Yeah, I know all that. So?”
“So maybe… united means more than just friends.”
“Oh! I get it now… and the flame reference!”
“What?” now he was confused.
“Don’t you see? Hair red as flame, heart cold as ice! Flame is the only thing that melts ice! And you always were a bastard, and cold. And I have a bad temper- a fiery temper!”
“Are you just looking for an excuse?” he murmured, lips on her neck, setting fire to her body.
“Come here.” she pulled him close to her and kissed him hard on the mouth, one hand tossing his hair around. Suddenly she pulled away. Draco moaned.
“Ginny-”
“Draco, that hair gel is too much. My hand is stuck in your hair. I thought you’d given up using it.”
Laughing, he pulled her hand out of his hair, knowing very well that she had been exaggerating. “My father likes it.”
“Well I don’t. And who kisses you better- me, or your father?”
Draco shuddered. “Ginny, I’m going to get nightmares for weeks.”
“You won’t be dreaming about anyone,” she whispered huskily. “Except me.”
He shivered and she smiled through the darkness, delighted at the effect she had on him. A sudden wave of tiredness passed over her, her eyes fluttered, and a yawn crept over her body. “Sorry,” she said apologetically. “I didn’t get much sleep last night.”
“Why not?”
She was drifting off to sleep, and only managed a few drowsy murmurs before her tiredness overtook her. “Too busy… dreaming… of you.”