Out of reach

Aurora North

Rating: NC17
Genres: Angst, Romance
Relationships: Draco & Ginny
Book: Draco & Ginny, Books 1 - 5
Published: 15/12/2003
Last Updated: 15/12/2003
Status: completed

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

Chapters

1. untitled

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.