Out of reach
by Aurora North

Rating: NC17
Ship: Draco & Ginny
Canon: Books 1 - 5
Genre: Angst, Romance
Status: Complete
Length: 5,722 words in 1 chapter
Published: 15 Dec 2003
Last updated: 15 Dec 2003

After all it wasn’t as if he didn’t deserve it… He had saved the chit’s life after all. A bloke should be rewarded for
heroic bullshit like that. Parts of this has been previously posted to my LJ. This also contains the good stuff

From the Unofficial Portkey Archive: https://portkey-archive.org/story/1404/

------------------------------------------------------------------------

1. untitled

Out of reach

Rating: NC-17
A/N: Thanks ever so much to Angylinni and Alfred for the beta. You make my writing so much better.
Summary: After all it wasn't as if he didn't deserve it… He had saved the chit's life after all. A bloke should be
rewarded for heroic bullshit like that.

It was one of those gray and dreary late summer days, the kind of day where you realize that fall is just around the
corner and the cool, gray rain makes you shiver as you run from one shop to another trying to protect yourself from the
elements.

Ginny Weasley had almost finished her shopping. She had picked up her newest schoolbooks from Flourish and Blott's along
with her brother's and Harry's books. The boys and Hermione were too busy at number 12 Grimmauld Place to take the time
to do their own shopping, but since Ginny was not a member of their little circle she had been sent out to do the menial
chores. She had run all the errands her mother had asked her to, and had one last stop before she could return home. Ron
had asked her to pick up some owl treats for Pig and Hedwig at the Magical Menagerie. This unfortunately had slipped her
mind earlier when she was buying another set of secondhand school-robes, so that meant that she had to go all the way
back down the alley once again. She sighed before picking up her bags and heading down the street.

She had just passed by Gringotts when the screaming started, the frantic pleas for help coming from every direction. As
she saw the black mark hovering over her and the black robes weaving their way through the crowds she realized that the
massive death-eater attack they had been waiting for the past couple of years was finally here.

She spotted a death-eater wearing those eerily familiar black robes and mask making his way through the crowds, heading
straight for her as she stood frozen in fear and disbelief on the steps outside the wizarding bank. The exits at both
ends of the alley would be blocked so she quickly scanned the street looking for some place to hide. She ran for the
open doors leading into the bank her best chance of avoiding detection, but the doors were already closing and with a
resounding thump her chance for escape was cut off as the goblins ensured their own survival.

Her eyes focused on the dark and dank set of stairs on the opposite side of the street. Knockturn Alley. Hesitating for
only a split second, she dropped her bags and ran as fast as she could towards the stairs. Nearly laughing out loud in a
moment of hysteria she realized that, the only place she had ever been forbidden to step into would be her only chance
of salvation.

---

He felt a cool shiver of excitement run through him as his prey ran for cover. "Silly girl'" he mused, "if she thought
she could escape him in the dark shadows of Knockturn Alley, she was very much mistaken." He knew that place like the
back of his hand, having played there as a child. He knew every shortcut, every opening and every dead end intimately.

Picking up speed as he chased her, he felt the familiar twisting in his gut. "This," he thought, "This is the reason I
joined the Death Eaters in the first place." His excitement grew at the prospect of a good hunt. For the past year he
had been forced to forgo his pleasures as the attack on Diagon Alley had been planned. The Dark Lord wanted no hint of
his plans revealed and had forced his followers to keep a low profile... A twisted smile grew on his face as he ran down
the narrow set of stairs. The old adage was true, restraint heightened the pleasure.
Ginny felt her heartbeat racing as she ducked into an alleyway, then another, jumping over trashcans, crawling under
fences then another alleyway. Her lungs burned and she could feel herself tiring. But she couldn't slow down, couldn't
stop. A silent mantra repeated with each frantic beat of her heart. Run! Run! Run!

He chased the girl through dark back-alleys, feeling his lust heighten with every step. It would be so good, better than
anything he had ever experienced. This was the way things was supposed to be, he was the predator and the girl his prey.
He couldn't wait to catch her. He could tell that she would put up a good fight; it was always better when they tried to
fight. When he could truly revel in the sound of their screams and pleas for help, and then the look on their face when
they realized it was over. That split second after he cut their throat, when their eyes went wide with disbelief, before
they were forever frozen in death. That was what he lived for, first defiling their body and breaking their spirit, and
then finally their life.

He was closing in, slowly but surely, each step bringing him just a little bit closer. Soon he would be able to reach
out and grab her by that long, luscious red hair. He smiled at the thought, he really liked that scarlet hair, maybe
later; when she was dead he would keep that as a reminder.

Ginny could feel the cool, metallic taste of blood in her mouth as she raced down the street, trying to find an exit,
any exit. Oh goddess! Help me! She prayed with desperation. The man chasing her was both faster and stronger and she
knew that if she didn't reach security soon, it would be too late. She ran across the cobblestone streets faster than
she had ever ran before, looking for any place that might offer her some safety, but every shop was boarded up and
closed and with chilling clarity, she realized that they had known. They had all known, because the street was empty and
deserted. Not a soul was out on this dreary August day. As the realization sunk, in she felt her left ankle twist
beneath her, falling to the ground screaming in pain and despair.

As he watched her fall, he couldn't help feeling just a tiny bit cheated, his hunt had been cut short. She would pay for
that later, he reasoned, losing himself in the heavenly sound of her scream.

Once, as a child, he had gone hunting with his father. They had hunted down a doe with a fawn. He could still remember
the how desperate the doe had looked after they killed the fawn. And even sweeter was the look in her eyes as he cut her
throat after he had placed a body bind on her. He had drunk her blood, solidifying his first kill while the doe had
still been alive, her frantic heart pumping the blood into his mouth.

He wondered if the girl's blood would taste as sweet. Probably not. The girl would be tainted, nothing like the sweet
innocence of the doe. The girl was probably not even pureblood, but it didn't really matter. Her struggle would still
please him.

Ginny sobbed silently as she felt a large hand close around her neck and haul her up to a standing position. "Please,"
she begged. "Please don't hurt me."

He didn't speak to her; to speak to her would destroy it. But he didn't mind her talking; her sweat pleas and screams
would make it so good. He never spoke to his prey; after all they were no better than animals.

He pulled her into a small alley between the shrunken heads and the poisoned candle shop; he really didn't have to,
seeing as the street was deserted, but still, it would be inconvenient if anyone interrupted. It was best to err on the
side of caution. The alley was dirty and muddy, but he didn't mind, his black robes would hide the worst and the girl
would be dead soon enough, so she wouldn't care for long.

Ginny's screams split the silence of the abandoned street as the Death Eater started pulling aside her clothing. If he
had cursed her, killed her, hit her, any of those things she could handle, but not this. Dear gods, please not this.

---

The sound of a woman screaming cut through the air like a blade. Draco was poised at the entrance to Knockturn alley,
picking up the slack for Walden McNair, who had been posted as guard here. As the scream resounded through the air,
Draco turned towards the sound; it had come from inside the alley. He ran towards the noise; if some sort of scuffle had
broken out, he had better investigate it.

As he ran down the streets, the sounds struggle grew louder. As he reached Borgin and Burkes, a movement caught the
corner of his eye. There. They were in the alley. Drawing his wand, he entered cautiously.

"What the hell is going on here?"

Macnair was on top of some girl. Looking again, he realized that she was practically a child and Draco felt his
simmering annoyance and anger start to boil. He had disagreed with this blatant attack on Diagon alley from the
beginning; he found the mindless slaughter to be thoroughly unsettling. But this, this was worse. Rape was nothing
uncommon among the Death Eaters, many of those who had joined the Dark Lord had done so to find an outlet for their
darker urges, but this was despicable. Not only had Macnair left his post to pursue this girl, but now he was
jeopardizing the safety of the mission by leaving his post.

Macnair's head whipped around at the sound of Malfoy's voice and he groaned. Not him! The youngest Malfoy had joined the
Dark Lord right after his father's imprisonment in hopes that he could find a way to get Lucius out of Azkaban. He had
succeeded and quickly risen through the ranks to become one of the Dark Lord's lieutenants. Unfortunately, Draco did not
share Macnair's tastes.

Macnair gave the girl a solid punch to the face, ensuring that she wouldn't be able to move for the next couple of
minutes before getting up and facing his much younger superior.

"Look kid, this will only take a couple of minutes. I'll kill her when I'm done, no harm done."

Draco snorted, "I'm sure it would be over quicker than that even."

Macnair knuckles whitened with anger but he managed to remain calm, the youngest Malfoy had not risen in the ranks so
fast on account of his good looks, and Walden Macnair was by no means stupid enough to believe that he could kill
Voldemort's little pet without reprisal.

"Get back to your post Macnair and stay there!" Draco's voice was low and dangerous.

Macnair started moving towards the street but stopped and paused, "The girl…"

"I'll take care of it." Draco hissed, "Now get back to your post!"

Macnair cursed under his breath as he exited the alley and headed for the top of the stone steps. Not only had Malfoy
interfered with his hunt, but he had refused to let him to kill the girl as well.

---

Draco knelt beside the girl, checking her pulse. She was still breathing but several ugly bruises were already forming
across her face and neck. It sickened him, he had grown up in a Death Eater household and knew probably better than most
what horrors awaited those women unfortunate enough to fall into his father's clutches. Hell, he had seen similar
bruises across his mother's face often enough. Even though the abuse had always sickened him; he had joined forces with
the Dark Lord despite it. He had joined even if their behavior repulsed him, and he had fought side by side with men he
knew very well had shared his mother's bed, not caring whether she was a willing participant or not, knowing that it was
the only way to ensure his own survival.

The girls head lolled to the side and she opened her eyes, warm hazel meeting his cool gray ones and even though he wore
a mask, he saw the recognition pass across her face.

"Please," she whispered, her voice hoarse and broken, "Please just kill me."

Draco shivered at the fear and resignation he saw in the girl's eyes. She thought he was here to finish the job Macnair
started, not that he could blame her. After all, what else was she suppose to think, he was a Death Eater.

"Get up."

"What?" Ginny said, blinking her eyes in confusion.

"I said. Get! Up!" Draco hissed.

She sat up gingerly, her left side painful after her rather harsh impact with the ground and Macnair's rough treatment.
Draco grabbed her elbow and hauled her up to a standing position.

"Hurry up girl" he hissed, "I haven't got all day"

"Where are we going?" she whispered as he dragged her along the wet and grimy alley.

"I'm getting you out of here."

"Out of here?" Her voice reflected the disbelief that was plainly written across her face. "But why?"

Draco rolled his eyes, didn't she realize that with every interruption she increased the chance of them being
discovered.

"Shut up." He hissed between clenched teeth. "If you keep on talking someone might hear us. And I don't think you want
that."

Ginny looked at the man standing in front of her, Draco Malfoy, Slytherin poster boy and Gryffindor enemy number one.
Oh, he might wear a robe and a mask, but it still wouldn't make any difference. Those gray eyes and the tendrils of
platinum hair escaping his hood gave him away. She had feared him ever since their first encounter at Flourish and
Blott, hated him almost as long yet now he was what? Helping her?

"Well, excuse me." Her voice was filled with slick contempt as she gave him a measured stare. "You'll just have to
forgive me if I don't trust you. You know, the six years of bullying and trying to feed me to a basilisk might be
involved. Then there is that trust-inspiring uniform."

"Look girl-" He started.

"Ginny." She interjected.

"What?"

"My name is Ginny," she explained.

"You're a Weasley!" He exclaimed, for the first time noticing the red hair shining through the mud that seemed to cover
her from head to toe. "I can't believe I'm helping a Weasley." He sighed deeply before grabbing her elbow once more and
dragging her down the street. "Look, I'm going to try to get you out of this but you're going to have to trust me."

"Fine." Ginny huffed as she tried to keep her balance with him pulling her down the slippery street, "But would you mind
not pulling me down the street, I can walk you know."

Draco gave her a scathing look. "Listen Weasley, I'm trying to save your life here, so shut up and do as I say. Is that
clear?"

Ginny nodded and followed him as he loosened his grip slightly and together they ran towards Borgin and Burkes.

He pulled her into a side street and opened what looked to be an employer's entrance, Ginny wanted to ask him where they
were going, but the simmering anger in his eyes warned her to stay silent.

The shop was dusty, filled with various dark artifacts. Cleaning up Knockturn Alley had been on the ministry's to do
list for years, but for some reason they never quite got around to it. As Draco pulled her across the shop, Ginny peered
around, fascinated by all the knick-knacks that surrounded her.

He stopped in front of the wall a large fireplace taking up most of the space, and signaled for her to make the fire.

"Are we Floo-ing out of here?" Ginny looked at the young man standing over her. "But is that safe? Father told us to not
use the Floo anymore since they suspect someone inside the department of transportation is passing information to the…
well…you."

Draco looked at her with something close to respect. "Oh, so you figured that out? I'm almost impressed. Maybe your
father isn't such a dunderhead after all. Yes it's true we are monitoring the Floo, so we have to go somewhere
inconspicuous."

Ginny simply snorted in response.

The fire started catching hold now and Draco pulled her up from her kneeling position on the floor. He held her close as
he tossed a pinch of Floo into the fireplace and pulled her with him as he called out "Malfoy Manor!"

Ginny coughed and wheezed as she stumbled out of the large fireplace onto the marble floor. "Inconspicuous?" She
repeated, "Malfoy Manor is inconspicuous?"

"To a Death Eater it is."

Ginny looked down at the Italian marble floor, studying that drops of mud falling from her cape and hair. She was a
mess, covered in mud and drenched to the bone. Standing inside the house that if her father was to be trusted, was the
Death Eater stronghold in Britain with a man who had never tried to hide how much he despised her and her family.

"Why…" She stammered, trying to find the right words, finally giving up and going with the direct approach instead. "Why
are you helping me? I thought you hated me, why did you save me?"

Draco watched the girl in front of him, knowing that there was not even a full year separating them but still seeing her
as a child. She seemed so incredibly young and lost, a wet, dripping mess in the middle of his ancestral home.

"I don't know," he whispered. "I don't know why I helped you." His voice was filled with both anger and sadness and
Ginny looked up to see his face. She couldn't see it of course, he was still wearing that mask. Like a shield protecting
him from her prying eyes.

"Go upstairs" he said gruffly, "and try not to get too much dirt on the furniture. There is a bathroom on the second
door on the right, I'll come up with some towels and you can clean off a bit before I send you home."

Ginny wanted to say something, thank him. But she couldn't find the words, they all seemed too small, after all what do
you say to your enemy when he has just saved your life? So instead, she silently turned and started walking up the
stairs.

---

He could hear the shower running as he came to a halt outside the door. For a second he considered simply leaving the
towels outside the door, but then he righted himself and grabbed for the doorknob. After all, he was Draco Malfoy, not
some spineless little wimp. So what if the girl unsettled him? All the more reason to confront her.

The door opened soundlessly and as he stepped into the hot, steamy bathroom Draco nearly dropped the towels. She was in
the shower all right. He had forgotten that the shower doors were transparent.

He watched her. She was facing away from him, letting the water run across her face and chest, baring her lush backside
to him. Her hair was longer than he had thought, not that you could tell by that messy bun she always kept it in, and of
course Draco had never paid much attention to the state of Ginny Weasley's red locks ether. Released from its
restraints, it flowed down to the small of her back, curling slightly at the ends, drawing his attention to the white
creamy skin of her arse. He was overcome by a sudden urge to bunch all that glorious velvet into his hands, burying his
face in it,

He groaned as that vivid mental image sent jolts of lust shooting straight to his groin. Why the hell was he getting
exited at the thought of Ginny Weasley's skinny rear and fire red hair anyway? She was after all, nothing but a Muggle
loving Gryffindor. Unfortunately, his lower regions didn't think the same way and Draco adjusted his pants with
well-practiced ease.

He stood there for a moment pondering his options. He could leave the girl to his shower; go to his room for a sorely
needed wank, before sending her back to that ramshackle lump of bricks she referred to as home. Or… or he could undress
and join her in the shower. After all it wasn't as if he didn't deserve it… He had saved the chit's life after all; a
bloke should be rewarded for heroic bullshit like that.

The battle between his integrity and her body was short and swift, He was a seventeen year old boy with dubious morals
and Ginny Weasley had a body to die for.

---

She turned around to wash the soap from her hair and for a brief second it was as if time froze. Their eyes met and for
that one second he didn't care if her hair was Weasley red or if they were ever found out it would probably mean the
death of them.

He pulled off his robe and let if fall into a heap at his feet, then his tie and shirt. She didn't move for a second,
standing inside the shower with the warm water beating down on her. Then she reached out and opened the glass door. As
she stepped out of the shower he wanted to pull her to the floor and fuck the living daylights out of her right there,
but he didn't. Instead he waited for her to come closer, for her to make the first move.

Ginny let one hesitant hand reach out to touch him, just above his heart, then further down, her gentle fingertips
skimming across his hard abdomen. Down to his belt then up again. She felt a blush creep up her chest then spill across
her face but she didn't stop her soft exploration.

He groaned as she scratched her nails across one nipple, a part of him wanted to take her right here, to dominate her.
But there was something so very soft about this girl, something fragile that he feared breaking so he kept himself in
check. He let his hands copy hers in a soft exploration of her body, exhibiting a gentleness he had not known he
possessed. But soon he could not restrain himself; he wanted her with a passion unlike anything he had ever felt before.

"Come." he whispered, his voice was hoarse from lust as he reached out one hand for her.

She took it and followed him out the door, leaving a wet trail across the carpets as he led her through the hallways
towards his bedroom. They stopped outside a tall dark wood door which resembled every other tall dark wood door that she
could see lining the hall.

"I want you to be sure about this," he said. "Because if you enter that room with me I don't think I'll be able to stop
later on."

She pushed the door open, and it was answer enough.

---

The room was not that of a young man, instead it looked like that of an overzealous antique dealers filled with dark
wood and wall hangings that gave it a shadowy, gothic feel. A monstrosity of a bed, dark mahogany with hunter green
drapes; the Slytherin color theme obvious, dominated it.

Ginny took a nervous breath as she ventured further into the room. For some reason her nudity seemed almost painful in
this overdressed room. Her only protection from the roaming eyes of the portrait lining the walls was the scant covering
her wet hair offered.

Draco watched as she looked around his room with the wide-eyed awe of those still innocent, the thought of her purity
seemed to set his entire being on fire. He wanted it, her, more than he had ever wanted anything else.

"Ginny." His voice that was no more than a whisper seemed to echo through the silence of the room.

Ginny turned to face him, but whatever words she had intended to say never made it pass her lips as she saw her own nude
body reflected in his lust filled gaze. So she did not speak, she did not utter a sound as she reached out her hand for
him to take and let him lead her to the bed.

The soft, silken covers seemed like a lovers caress against her naked skin, as Draco's lips enveloped one of her
nipples, his caress was magnified by what seemed like a sinful embrace of the smooth fabric.

She moaned as he moved his attention from one breast to the other, but the feeling of loss didn't even have time to
fully form before his skillful hands replaced his mouth. A whimper made its way across her lips as he set her body on
fire, her every nerve ending aching for his attention.

"Please." she whispered, but she did not know what she was begging for, just something wonderful she could sense
building just out of reach.

"What do you want Ginny?" His whisper against his throat was more intimate than a caress, it was the voice of her lover,
she realized. Her first.

"I don't know." Her voice was reduced to a whimper as his clever attentions became more intimate, making their way in a
slow decent, from her breast, down her ribs across her softly curved hips, ever closer to that illusive pleasure she was
striving for.

As his mouth left her breast, she almost cried out with the loss but his lips followed the path of his hands, softy
making their way lower until his chin rested on her hip. She felt her breath hitch, and as his fingers parted her most
intimate part and his softly invading tongue caressed her aching flesh she realized that the scream resounding in the
room was her own. It was not that of pain, but that of a pleasure so intense it was close to painful. In some muddled
part of her brain she would in retrospect, remember thinking that it was no wonder the Slytherin had a snake on their
house crest when they were so orally talented.

His mouth on her was like nothing she had ever imagined, of course she had read about things like this, but according to
the girls she knew that had actually had sex, it was something of a disappointment, but nothing they had told her had
prepared her for this violent pleasure that his touch had kindled.

And then it stopped.

---

Ginny blinked a few times before summoning herself enough to pull herself up into a sitting position as she glared at
Draco who was kneeling in front of her with a smirk that seemed much too satisfied for her liking.

"Why did you stop?" Her voice was still hoarse with desire and she couldn't help herself as one of her hands seemed to
stray on its own accord between her spread legs, in some vain hope that she could keep that blazing fire he had lighted
within her alive with her own touch.

He arched an eyebrow as he caught the hand with his own. "Tutt, tutt, Miss Weasley, so impatient, that's one of those
Gryffindor traits. We can't have that."

Ginny glared at him and yanked her hand from his grasp. "Why did you stop, damn it?"

Draco grinned and leaned closer; his hot breath seeming to almost sear her skin as he whispered into her ear. "Let's
play a little game then, you will give as long as I receive in kind, does that sound to your liking?"

She looked at him with wide eyes, pondering what he had just said. She then looked at his bulging erection that she
could see clearly outlined through his pants.

She seemed to contemplate her options for a second, chewing softly on her lower lip before nodding slowly, a blush crept
across her face as she scooted to the end of the bed and reached out with trembling hands to undo his belt. The
undressing took some time, her fingers were shaking so hard that she had difficulties unbuttoning the fly of his pants
and he had to let his hands come to rest above hers. She drew a shivering breath as she finished and peeled the fabric
back to reveal him, Draco Malfoy, in all his masculine glory.

She moved back onto the bed to allow him room as he crawled onto the bed, coming to rest on his back next to her.

"Are… Are you sure this is how it works?" She asked, with her doubt of its possibility clearly mirrored in her tone.

Draco grinned and nodded as he helped her move her hips above his face, giving him free access to her, and even better,
giving her access to him.

The rules to this little game had been clearly stated, she would receive as long as she repaid in kind.

As he felt that first tentative stroke of her fingers, he groaned, his cock seemed to become impossibly harder as she
stroked him slowly. And as touched his tongue to her, he felt her hot, wet mouth wrap around his girth. No matter who
came first, he was convinced that this game had been his best idea to date.

In the end, it was Ginny who gave in first, she was so ready for him that it took only a few minutes of his tongue on
her clit and his fingers buried inside her to push her into a violent climax. Her knees buckled with the force of it and
she screamed his name as wave after wave of white soaring pleasure soared through her.

She was so lost in pleasure that she didn't even notice that he rolled her onto the mattress and turned, so that when
she opened her eyes again she was surprised to come face to face with him.

"Wow." Her soft voice was filled with an awe that almost made him smile, he probably would've if he wasn't so filled
with the desire to bury himself deep inside her.

As he lifted one of her ankles and placed it on his shoulder, he saw the frown of confusion that flittered across her
face, but it was too late to stop and take it slow now.

He lowered his head and captured her lips with his, catching her up in his kiss.
With his hips, he pressed her thighs wide, and then reached down between their bodies. His questing fingers stroked
through her damp curls. Hot wetness met his fingertips as he slid one long finger slowly, steadily into her soft core.

Her body arched lightly under his as he stroked then withdrew, then pressed another finger in alongside the first.

Her hips lifted, tilted in response and he couldn't help that satisfied smile that bloomed on his lips. Overwhelmed by
the kiss, she responded instinctively to the intimate caress, opening to his penetration, hips and thighs easing,
relaxing.

He shifted, rising over her, pressing his hips deep between her thighs. Withdrawing his fingers to her entrance, he used
them to guide the throbbing head of his erection into her. He pushed himself inside her and came to a halt just inside
her, giving her a moment to get used to him. As soon as he felt her relax around him, he eased fractionally back and
flexed his hips sharply.

As he drove himself deep into her body he felt the fleeting resistance of her maidenhead give way to the slick heat of
her as she clamped tightly about his rigid length.

Her cry seemed to tear at some long forgotten part of him. As she tried to push him away his arms encircled her and he
stroked her head, murmuring soft words of comfort. As she stilled beneath him and gradually became accustomed to his
girth inside of her, he let himself start to move.

Soft rocking motions at first, then harder, deeper thrusts as the ecstasy took hold of him, when Ginny's hips rose to
meet his thrusts he gave up on holding back; the only thing that mattered at this moment was to reach blissful oblivion
in her arms. He let himself go as he felt his release approach, and roared her name as he shot his seed inside of her.

---

Ginny looked up into to the stormy eyes of the man that she had never imagined would be her first lover. It was silly
really, she thought as she felt tears start brimming in her eyes, but she had never even imagined that her first time
would be like this.

As Draco saw the first tear roll down her check, he felt a sinking weight in his stomach, a deep feeling of unease that
he had never felt before. He pulled himself out of her and sat up, balancing on his heels. As he watched her cry he
wanted to embrace her, to take away the pain she was feeling, but he didn't know how.

He tentatively stroked her hair. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

Ginny glared at him, and then slapped his arm lightly before throwing himself into his arms.

"Don't you dare," she whispered into the crock of his neck, "don't you dare be sorry."

They stayed in each other's embrace for what seemed like hours, exchanging softly murmured words of foolish things like
love. When Ginny finally pulled away from him, wistful longing painted her features.

"I need to leave."

Draco nodded as he helped her off the bed.

Nether off them wanted it to end, but they both knew that their time together had to end.

"You know" Ginny whispered, "If you ever want to leave this…" she gestured to his opulent surroundings.

"I know."

She lowered her head so that he would not see the tears brimming there. "Then I guess this is goodbye."

Draco watched as she draped one of the sheets around her nude form and headed for the door. He followed her as she
walked through the corridors backtracking their earlier steps to the bathroom where she dressed hurriedly under his
unwavering eyes.

She made her way down the stairs, towards the fireplace they had used mere hours ago, even if it did seem like a
lifetime.

"Ginny!"

She turned slowly and her eyes met his.

"I'll see you at Hogwarts."

She gave a faint smile before turning back to the fireplace, as she took a pinch of Floo-powder she looked at him and
smiled. "Yes Draco, I'll see you at Hogwarts."

Then she was gone, in a blinding blaze of green light that would take her home, to safety, and out of his reach.

Draco smiled as he made his way up the stairs; after all, it was already the 15th of August.

Fin.
