Title: Sanctuary (9/?)
Author: Amethyst
Author E-mail: AmethystJackson@hotmail.com
Category: Drama
Sub-Category: Romance
Keywords: Draco Ginny Voldemort Dumbledore sanctuary
Spoilers: PS/SS, CoS, PoA, GoF, OotP
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Sometimes, sanctuary can be found where one least expects it - the only thing keeping it out of reach is pride.
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
A/N: Wow, I honestly hadn't realized it'd been over a year since I updated this. It…kind of only felt like a few months, actually. I guess time flies when you're having a life. Stupid decision on my part, that life thing. Destroying my muses, I say.
Sanctuary IX
"What the hell do you think you're doing, Malfoy?"
"Nice to see you, too, Weasley," Draco said, somehow managing to hide just how completely exasperated he was.
Ron glared and pulled his wand on him. "Get away from my sister, or I swear to Merlin, I'll -"
"You'll what, make yourself burp slugs?" he drawled, rather bored with the typical Gryffindor showdown and eager to return to what he'd been doing with Ginny.
"I'll have you know, my wand was broken then," Ron said, eyes narrowed, "And -"
"And nothing," Ginny cut in. "Honestly, Ron, I know you have that whole big brother complex, but you've got to let it go. I'm quite old enough to decide whom I'll be kissing, thanks."
"But Ginny, he's a Malfoy," Ron said desperately. "Have you forgotten what his father did you to first year? What he's -" Ron gestured to Draco with his wand - "done to all of us over the years? He can't be trusted!"
"Well, I do trust him," Ginny said softly. "I believe he's changed."
Her hand was grasping his tightly, and though he wasn't really afraid of Ron - it really was difficult, after the slug incident - he was glad to know she was firm in her belief in him. He'd never had that before.
Ron lowered his wand but shook his head, as if to himself. "Fine. You won't listen to me, I know. I'll just have to tell Mum and Dad. Maybe they'll be able to talk some sense into you."
Ginny sighed. "Well, go on, then. I'll wait to hear it from them."
Ron turned and left, his footsteps clattering down the stairs to the kitchen, presumably in search of Mrs. Weasley. Draco looked to Ginny, suddenly unsure.
"Look, if being with me is going to cause you trouble, maybe -"
"No, Draco," Ginny cut in. "We've come this far, haven't we? I won't give up on you now. They have to accept you eventually, and maybe this will help speed it along."
Draco arched an eyebrow. "Or it'll fuel their desire to put me on a one-way portkey to You-Know-Who's lair."
Ginny chuckled. "They may want to, but they won't. Dumbledore is on your side, and eventually the rest will follow. I mean, they came around with Snape, didn't they? Sure, most of us feel nothing but seething hatred for him, but we accept he's on the good side."
"Thanks, Gin. That's very comforting," Draco said dryly.
She grinned. "Anytime. Now, you should head upstairs. Lay low for awhile."
Draco nodded. "I'll see you later?"
"Tonight, after everyone's gone to bed." She stretched upward and pressed her lips to his once more, and he fought off the desire to pull her closer.
"Now go," she murmured, stepping away. "I'll clean this up."
~
The summer before Ginny was due to go to Hogwarts, her mother had taken her aside and given her the talk. After that day, Ginny had assumed - as well as hoped and prayed - that she would never have such a talk with her mother again.
Well…everyone knows what they say about assumptions.
As Ginny now sat across from her mother in the drawing room, she thought she'd die of embarrassment.
"…Now, Ginny, I, too, found myself attracted to a Slytherin or two in my day…why, Lucius Malfoy himself was quite the looker - still is, really - but I realized he could never be the kind of man every good, decent girl needs - a man like your father. I can understand how you could confuse that attraction with genuine affection, but I really think you ought to consider a nice, reputable boy instead…like Harry, perhaps. Or even Dean; he sounded like a sweet boy."
Ginny rolled her eyes. "Mum, you know I don't feel that way about Harry anymore, or Dean, for that matter, and I didn't befriend Draco because I was attracted to him. Honestly, I'm not some silly thirteen year old. I know the difference by now."
Her mother frowned. "But Ginny, dear, he's a Malfoy. He can't be trusted!"
Ginny had certainly had her disputes with her mother, but she'd never wanted to throttle her quite like this before.
"Have you missed the whole point of why he's here, Mum?" Ginny cried. "Dumbledore thinks he can be trusted, and what Dumbledore's decided has always been good enough for you before. Besides, I know him…maybe better than anyone does, and I trust him…and I care about him, and nothing you can say will convince me to stay away from him!"
Having said her piece, her raging temper drove her to storm out of the room. Her mother yelled after her ("Ginevra Molly Weasley, don't you dare take that tone with me! Get back here this instant!"), but Ginny ignored the screams and charged upstairs. She was headed, without every consciously deciding it, toward Draco's room, but before she could get there, Hermione intercepted her.
"Um…Ginny, might I have a word?" Hermione said tentatively. She looked nervous, and wisely so, Ginny thought. She was in no mood to have Hermione try to talk her out of her feelings as well.
"Look, Hermione, if you don't mind, I'd really just rather -"
"Please, this is really important," Hermione insisted, taking her by the arm and steering her back to the room Ginny and Hermione shared. Sighing, the redhead resigned herself to her fate and allowed Hermione to lead her away.
Once in the confines of the bedroom, Ginny made herself comfortable on her bed and raised her eyebrows at Hermione waiting for her to speak. Hermione wrung her hands nervously, paced back and forth a couple times, and finally opened her mouth to speak.
"Ron told Harry and I about you and Malfoy," she started bluntly. "I just hope you know what the ramifications of your actions could be."
Ginny scowled. "Ramifications? What are you implying, Hermione?"
"I'm not saying he can't be trusted, not for sure," Hermione sad hastily. "I certainly would like to believe the best in him, Ginny, but I don't want to underestimate him, either. If he's a better actor than you think, it would be a major risk to let him get too close - not just to you, but to all of us…Harry especially."
Hermione took a deep breath and continued, "If this were any other time and place, I'd leave it alone, Ginny. I know you're a big girl and I'd be worried about you, but I'd let you do as you pleased. But we're at war, and we both know that in the end, it's going to come down to Harry and Voldemort." Ginny flinched involuntarily. "If something happens to him as a result of your relationship with Draco, I don't know if I'll be able to forgive you. I just…need you to understand that."
Ginny swallowed. She trusted Draco completely and had no doubt that his intentions were pure, but Hermione's wrath was a scary thing, nevertheless. That didn't stop Ginny from exploring a bit of curiosity, though.
"You're in love with Harry, aren't you?"
Hermione reddened and sat down heavily on her bed. "We've been together for three months now," she said softly. "He insists we keep it a secret. I…I can't lose him, not now. He's it for me - it's only been a short time, but I know it. I need him to live through this."
Ginny felt her heart going out to the girl before her. She wasn't sure if she loved Draco, but she did know how hard it was to care for someone who had reason to fear for their life. That knowledge was a strain on her heart, and Draco might come out of the war without a scratch. Harry, on the other hand, had a destiny. Damage was…inevitable.
"Hermione…" she started tentatively, "Harry's like a brother to me. If I thought Draco might betray us, I'd be the first to push him out the door. But…he talks to me, Hermione. He's told me about his father and the thing's he's done to him…what You-Know-Who expects of his followers…it's terrible, and you can tell when you listen to him that he doesn't want that life. And he's helped us! He's given us information that's helped us capture several major Death Eaters. We can trust him. I promise."
Hermione nodded, smiling faintly. "I guess I'm not the only one who's in love, am I?"
Ginny shrugged, but couldn't help a blush. "I'm not entirely sure. He's…he's special, though. I believe in him."
"Well," Hermione sighed, leaning back on her bed, "Let's have the juicy details, then. How was that kiss Ron interrupted?"
Ginny grinned. "Phenomenal."
~
Much later that evening, Ginny finally made her way surreptitiously to Draco's bedroom. She found him wide awake and fully clothed, sitting up against his headboard, legs stretched out in front of him. She took a moment to admire his long, lean frame - not unlike Harry, in that respect, but where Harry appeared underfed, Draco carried it well. Something in his fair hair and skin, his strong jaw, his hollowed cheeks, his otherwise delicate features, made him look like a gaunt angel…a fallen angel…and a handsome one, at that.
The corner of his mouth quirked up in something halfway between a smile and a smirk. She supposed he'd never break the habit.
"So, any heart attacks in the family today?" he asked, quirking an eyebrow at her.
"Well, I had a terrible row with Mum, who's ceased speaking with me; Fred and George are plotting your abject humiliation as we speak; I think Ron's gone off to kill himself, actually, because I haven't seen him since this morning; and Dad has yet to voice his opinion. Oh, and Hermione threatened horrible things, should our relationship end up harming one hair on Harry's head. But other than that, all went well."
Draco rolled his eyes. "I always knew Granger would become Potter's lapdog one day."
"Draco, be nice!" Ginny admonished. "But how did you know about them, anyway?"
"Overheard her fretting over him when I was looking for you yesterday. Quite the sickening couple, if you ask me."
"Well, I think you ought to make an effort to be nice to them," Ginny said. "After the threatening bit, Hermione and I had a good talk. I think she might have come around to our side, actually."
"Good to hear." Draco grabbed her by the hand and drew her onto the bed next to him. "Still want to be with me, then?"
Ginny smiled. "For some reason, yes, I do."
"You sure know how to make a bloke feel loved," he remarked with his trademark smirk.
"Actually," she whispered with as seductive a purr as she could manage, "I really do."
Draco's smirk stayed on, his expression only changing with the quirk of an eyebrow. "Is that so?"
"Mmmhmm," she hummed as she climbed into his lap. No sense beating around the bush. Slowly, she descended her lips to his, and let everything else slip right out of her mind.
To Be Continued (hopefully much more quickly)