Draco opened his eyes and found himself in very close proximity with Ginny and she pulled her hand and its tender caress away from his face.
"You're awake" he said, turning his gaze slightly away from her.
"So are you."
"Yeah, um, how are you feeling?"
"Better; I had a pounding headache, but it's receded a bit." She looked at him for a moment; slightly embarrassed at being caught in such a moment of admiration she felt the need to cover it up with a bit of friendly banter. "I can't believe you stayed so long," she said, a hint of a smile showing on her features, "if I didn't know better, I would think you cared."
Draco could have laughed and teased her back, he could have just let her statement go but it angered him so instead he turned to her. "Is that what you really think of me?" he asked. He knew she was just joking around like they usually did but her words cut him. "That I don't care about you?"
"Draco, I was just joking."
Draco took her face in his hand, "Ginny, when I saw you fall into the lake my heart stopped. I can't even describe to myself the desperation I felt, it scares me to know I care that much and all you can say is that . . . that I basically have no heart, even when it comes to you." He held her with his gaze, trying to make her understand.
Ginny was shocked by his admission, she realised how much it must have cost him to admit that. She also knew it was sincere because Draco just wasn't the type of person to lie about his feelings, in all the time that she had spent with him he had skirted around his emotions, always toning them down. Now she knew that he really /cared/, and what on earth was wrong with her? Here she was, listening to the admission that she had so craved and all she could do was gape.
Seeing the look of shock on her face, Draco began to regret his words, but he refused to turn away. It was the first time in . . . ever that he had truly cared about someone other than his parents and he was going to know once and for all if all his feelings were reciprocated. If they were then he would be ecstatic, if not then . . . then he would leave, he was not content to remain as just a friend and he would prefer to cut the strings on their relationship if that was the case. So he forced himself to sit still and listen to her response.
"Um, wow. I honestly didn't know you cared so deeply for me but obviously I was wrong." Draco cringed as he listened to this and braced himself for the kind words that would crush his heart. "And I'm happy that I was."
"What?" said Draco confused.
"Of course. For ages I've considered you one of my closest friends and now I know you do too and, oh, I'm so happy" Ginny finished in a rush and she leaned forward and drew him into a tight hug. Draco, who was somewhat unfamiliar with the gesture, remained slightly stiff in her arms but stayed still enough. However, he still had to tell her about his not so platonic feelings, he had told her so much and he wasn't going to stop halfway.
"Ginny, I have to - "
"Actually," Ginny interrupted, "I have a confession of my own to make." She stopped, seeming unable to continue.
"Well?" said Draco, impatient to get his own feelings out.
"Okay, I might as well spit it out. I . . . I like you as more than just a friend." She said in a rush and taking sudden interest in the blankets covering her legs.
"Oh" was Draco's rather surprised reply.
"Oh? All you can say is oh?!" Ginny asked as she felt shame and anger building up with her. Was she really foolish enough to have thought he would return her feelings? Why would he deign to? He had so many better choices at hand. At the same time she wanted to strangle him because he felt that he should feel that way about her, that he should love her for some irrational reason. "I'm confessing my deepest feelings to you and /that's/ your response?"
Ginny rose out of her bed and made to stalk away but her head felt light as soon as she stood and she had to grab a nearby table to steady herself. Still, Draco came to her side.
"I'm /fine/."
"Yeah, right. Where were you planning to go anyways? Up to Gryffindor tower in a hospital robe?" he asked sarcastically as he made her sit back down and covered her with blankets.
Reluctantly, Ginny allowed him to tuck her in. "I'm still angry" she said as he drew the blankets around her and tucked her in.
"You're also recovering from hypothermia. /Please/ just stay in bed."
"Fine" Ginny huffed.
Draco sat down again and didn't say anything.
"I'm still angry" Ginny repeated
"I know, I heard."
Both stayed silent for seconds, then minutes.
Finally Draco said, "I'm sorry."
"Wow, another shocking statement from Draco Malfoy today." Ginny said not looking at him.
"Will you listen?" Draco demanded, and then said in a much softer voice. "I'm trying to say I feel the same way."
"What!?"
"You heard me, don't make me repeat it."
"Eek!" Squeaked Ginny as she pulled him into another tight hug, this time instead of holding himself stiff he relaxed into her arms.
Draco shifted slightly out of her embrace and turned to face her. "You realise this means you can't be with anyone else right?"
"Why would you think that I would?" asked Ginny, slightly confused.
"It doesn't matter. Just promise me you'll stay away from Creevey."
Ginny laughed, `so this is what he's worried about' she thought. "Don't worry, I promise, no Colin."
Draco sighed in relief, he felt so happy all of a sudden, like a weight was lifted off his heart and from the expression on Ginny's face she was just as light hearted. So he did what felt most natural at that moment and leant in for their first kiss.
.
A/N: There was a lot of DG fluff this chapter and there will be lots in the next as well, after that the storyline will move along. Sorry, I had to fill my craving for meaningless romance, I hope you liked my fix, please review.
Disclaimer: I don't own Draco Malfoy or Ginny Weasley so please don't sue.