Author's note: You people really, really, don't like cliffhangers, do you? I get the point! I can't promise that you won't see any more in this story; you might even think the end of this chapter is a cliffie, too. They really are a great way to end a chapter! It keeps you guys coming back for more and that's what I want. So, I hope that the fact that I update regularly helps make up for my cliffie dependence problem. Please read and review!
Chapter 11
Trouble
"Oh, no, I see
A spider web is tangled up with me
And I lost my head
And thought of all the stupid things I'd said
Oh no, what's this?
A spider web and I'm caught in the middle
So I turned to run
And thought of all the stupid things I'd done
And I never meant to cause you trouble
And I never, never meant to do your wrong
Ah, well if I ever caused you trouble
Oh no I never meant to do you harm"
(Coldplay/Trouble)
"I'm pregnant," Ginny repeated.
Draco didn't say anything. He sat there, his mouth partially agape in shock.
"You could say something," Ginny said quietly.
"What the fuck do you want me to say, Ginny?" Draco said abruptly. The tone of his voice startled Ginny.
"I understand it's a shock, but we have to decide what we're going to do," Ginny continued.
He stood up from the bench and paced back and forth in front of her, running his hands absently through his hair.
"You understand it's a shock," he repeated coldly. "I came down here to get in some flying practice and the next thing I know; you are in my face telling me you're pregnant. I'd say that's more than a shock, Red. I'd say that's pretty much the end of the world."
Ginny cringed as his words stung her.
"We have to decide what we're going to do," Ginny said. "I just found out a few hours ago from Madame Pomfrey."
"You went to the nurse?" he asked, rounding on her. "Merlin's beard, Ginny! She's going to tell everyone about this."
"She said she wouldn't tell anyone," Ginny retorted. "She said that it would be my decision to tell everyone. She was really quite helpful, actually."
"You have to be the most naïve person I've ever met in my life," he said, laughing. "She's not going to just sit on this news while your stomach keeps expanding over the next nine months."
"Which is why I think we need to tell our parents," Ginny said, ignoring the coldness of his voice. "The sooner the better."
He stared at her. "Tell our parents? What kind of dream world are you living in, Ginny? Our parents would be deadest against you and I being together, let alone having a child together. My dad is in prison thanks to that scarhead you call a friend. If he even knew that you and I were shagging, he'd be none too pleased, to put in nicely. Not to mention the fact that your parents---hell, your entire family can't stand the sight of me."
"I know all this," Ginny said, getting to her feet. "I remember raising these same objections to you just a few weeks ago. Do you remember what you said? Because, I remember every single, solitary word that you said, Draco. You said that we'd make them see. We'd make them understand."
Again, he was silent. He turned away from her.
Ginny felt hot tears welling up in her eyes, but she wasn't about to let him get off this easily.
The realization of what he'd done hit her like a ton of bricks.
"Oh, I get it," she said, her voice trembling. "I get it all now. You're right, Draco. I am the most naïve person in the world. I was living in a dream world. I actually thought that you loved me; that you cared about me."
"I do care about you," he said quietly, not facing her.
"When it's convenient for you," she spat back at him. "When no one is watching. When there's no complications. I bet you still cut me down in front of your friends, don't you?"
He didn't reply.
"Typical," she said, shaking her head. "Typical Draco Malfoy behavior. But, I didn't want to see it, did I? I didn't want to believe that you were playing me for a fool, but you were, weren't you? The whole entire, bloody time-that's exactly what you were doing. Was it some sort of bet? I bet you and your Slytherin cronies sat in your common room just laughing yourselves silly over you being able to get little Ginny Weasley into bed. Well, congratulations, Draco. You went above and beyond. You've gotten me pregnant. Well done, Malfoy. Well done, indeed. You should be very proud of yourself."
"You don't understand," he said, turning around to face her, but averted his gaze from her.
"I understand quite clearly now," she said. "You're not going to be there for me, are you? You're not going to be there for me and the baby?"
He was silent.
Ginny gave a half-hearted laugh.
"Harry and Ron were right about you," she said, backing away from him. "You're nothing but a cold-hearted, scared coward."
She gave him one last look before running back towards the castle. Tears falling freely down her cheeks. She barely even noticed that it had begun to rain.
Malfoy's own eyes were aglow with angry tears.
"Damn it," he said quietly.
"DAMN IT!" he yelled at the top of his lungs.
<<<<<<<<<<<<
Harry and Hermione were just about to the castle when it started to rain. They made a mad dash for the castle as the rain started to come down in sheets.
They were laughing as they ascended the staircase for their suite. Their teeth were chattering and they were both soaked clear through to the bone.
"You know if you hadn't insisted on stopping and kissing me on the path back, we would have escaped the rain," she said, looking back at him.
"As I recall it was you who grabbed me," he said.
"Yeah, well you weren't protesting, were you?" she asked cheekily.
"Of course not," he said.
They made it back to their suite and quickly muttered the password and watched as the portrait hole opened and they walked in. Instead of making their way to their respective bedrooms, they went and stood in front of the warm, roaring fire.
Hermione knelt down and enjoyed the warmth of the fire. Harry grabbed a blanket from the couch and wrapped it around her. As he did so, he noticed how the light from the fire illuminated her face. His hand lingered on her cheek.
"You're all wet," he said.
"So are you," she whispered. She felt the blanket fall to the floor. He didn't know if it was the fire or the rain, but he was filled with this overwhelming sense of desire and want as he touched the soft skin on her cheek. Without thought, he grasped her hard behind the neck and pulled her to him. If Hermione had wanted to say anything, she wouldn't have been able to as their lips crashed together in an out of control kiss that nearly bordered on violence.
Their hands were everywhere on each other's bodies. Their wet clothes were becoming a hindrance.
Hermione whispered in his ear, "Let's go into your room."
He smiled at her and before she could protest, he knelt down and picked her up.
"Harry," she said, laughing. "What are you doing?
"Being romantic," he said. "I saw this in a movie once."
"Oh, Merlin's beard," she said. "I'm going to break your back."
"You're not heavy," he said cheekily. "Much."
She slapped his back.
"Just kidding," he said. He clumsily walked toward his bedroom, which was a little hard to do when he was carrying her and his eyes were fixated on hers. He opened the door of his bedroom and then softly lay Hermione down on the bed. They were both laughing as he did so, but the laughter quickly stopped as Hermione pulled him down on top of her.
The kissing resumed with an intensity that scared and excited Hermione at the same time. She knew they should stop, but she didn't have the strength or the willpower to do so. This felt too good and too right to stop.
She was shivering.
"Are you cold?" he asked.
"No," whispered. "I'm just-"
She didn't really have an answer. As she looked up at him, looking down at her, all she could think was that in her whole entire life, she'd never wanted anyone or anything so much. Their lips met again in a tender kiss.
She unbuttoned his shirt and he pulled away from her so he could take it off properly. As he did so, she tugged at the t-shirt he was wearing and with one look at her, he lifted it over his head and threw it to the floor.
Hermione sat up on the bed and pulled her own jumper over her head. She felt suddenly self-conscious as she sat there on his bed, in only her jeans and bra. She looked away from him.
"What?" he asked her.
"Nothing," she said evasively.
He brought his hand to her face and lifted her chin to look at him.
"You're beautiful," he said, caressing her cheek.
She smiled shyly at him and took his hand in hers.
"I'm sorry," she said quietly.
"Why?" he asked.
"We were moving a little too fast," she said. She noticed the look on his face and quickly put her hand on his arm.
"You weren't making me do anything, I didn't want to do," she said. "I wanted you so much. I do want you. It's just that we weren't thinking a few minutes ago. We got a little carried away. As soon as we started taking off clothes, it got to be a little too real, too quickly."
"It's okay," he said. "You're right."
"You're not mad?" she asked.
"No," he said. "I won't lie to you and say that I'm not disappointed, because I am, but I'm not mad."
She beamed at him. "I'm disappointed, too."
"We can still be together, you know?" he said to her.
She raised her eyebrow at him.
"Not like that," he said. "I'm saying that you could sleep in here with me tonight. We could be close."
She looked thoughtful for a moment and for a moment, Harry thought she'd refuse. To his delight, she nodded her head.
"I'll just go change into my pajamas, then," she said.
"Okay," he said.
She kissed him quickly on the lips before getting off the bed.
"I'll be right back," she said with a wink.
"I'll be waiting," he said, smiling at her.
He got up from the bed, too, and quickly changed into his own pajamas.
He fell back onto the bed.
This was definitely a test. How was he going to be able to sleep side by side with her and not want to…
Well, first off, Harry, don't think of it like that. You are not an animal. You can sleep beside your girlfriend and not want to have your way with her. Besides, you understand. You understand that she's special. You understand that you will be with her one day when the time is right.
Yet, tonight, with the rain and the fire, it had sure seemed and felt right.
She knocked on the door and he stifled a laugh as he said, "Come on in."
She was dressed in her blue pajama bottoms and a lacy white camisole top.
"Ready?" she asked.
"Yeah," he said.
She's worth it. She's definitely worth it.
"You better not hog the covers or snore," she said as she climbed into his bed.
"Same goes for you," he said, winking at her.
"I do not snore," she said, trying to look affronted. "Besides, I've had to put anti-noise charms on the walls so I don't have to hear your snores."
"I don't snore!" he exclaimed.
"Uh-huh," she said.
He responded by tickling her and she dissolved into giggles.
Their lips met again and it was Hermione who deepened the kiss. She arched herself against him.
"This is how we got into trouble before," he said, as she kissed his neck.
"Mmmm," she whispered against his neck.
"You are an evil woman," he said with a chuckle.
"Yeah, but you love me for it," she said.
"I do," he said, wrapping his arms around her.
"Good night," she whispered.
"Good night, love," he replied.
******
Ginny tiptoed down to the Gryffindor common room. Her eyes were puffy and red from crying. She'd given up on getting any sleep. It wasn't going to be possible tonight.
She couldn't believe how foolish she'd been. She could just hear Ron now telling her how stupid and idiotic she was for getting involved with Draco Malfoy.
Again, her thoughts went to her family. How on earth would they react to this news? They'd be so disappointed and angry. She couldn't see them being any more disappointed and angry at her than she was at herself.
She had hoped that when she'd run off from Draco earlier that he would have followed her. She'd wanted him to follow her. She wanted him to tell her that everything was going to be okay. He hadn't done that. She was slowly beginning to realize that he would never, ever do that.
She was alone. It would be she who would pay for their joint mistake.
Alone.
She looked around the deserted common room and walked over to one of the large armchairs in the corner. She curled up on it and pulled her blanket tightly around her.
She saw on the floor a crumpled up parchment that announced the Yule Ball. It would be held next weekend. She couldn't believe how she'd thought of going with Draco. How romantic and naïve, she mused to herself.
Everyone would be there. She certainly couldn't go now, could she? She didn't have a date, for a start. Ron would be going with Luna. Hermione would be with Harry.
Ginny rested her head on the back of the chair and thought wistfully. Why couldn't she have found someone nice, brave, sweet and handsome like Harry?
Hermione's so lucky to have someone like Harry. I bet if he got a girl pregnant, he wouldn't desert her and leave her to fend for herself! He'd take responsibility. He'd be heroic and strong like he always is.
A sudden thought occurred to Ginny. She quickly tried to shake it, as it was nearly too horrible to even consider.
It would solve all my problems, though. Mum and Dad, would be angry, but they'd get past it quickly. They've always considered Harry a part of the family. This way, he'd really be part of the family. We'd have someone to take care of us.
She shook her head vehemently. She couldn't do that to Hermione. Hermione was her friend. She was just like a sister.
Desperate times call for desperate measures. It could solve all my problems. But, I can't do that. I cannot do that to her or to Harry, can I?