It All Began With Dwarfing Draco

Ginny stared at the door where her headmaster had just exited through and involuntarily shook. Why would He come after her again? It didn’t make any sense! His face flashed before her eyes, the face she had thought she had fallen in love with in her first year, the face that haunted her dreams as a reminder of the pain cause by a stupid little book.

*Flashback*

*End of Flashback*

"Gin?" Draco’s soft voice brought her back to reality. She flinched at the memory and then turned to Draco. His face was concerned as he reached for her hand. "What is it?"

"Old memories," she replied quietly, lowering her gaze. Then she remembered that Draco didn’t know her story and it puzzled her. "You didn’t know about my first year?" He shook his head, eyes still concerned but now confusion danced in the slivery-gray pools then realization.

"You were the one, who was taken into the Chamber," he breathed as his eyes went round, his lips still parted from when he spoke. Ginny slowly nodded, words were beyond her at the moment as a lump grew at the back of her throat. Painful tears stung her eyes and she fought hard to keep them hidden. She had cried too many tears and didn’t want to cry anymore, especially here with Draco. She complied willingly however when he pulled her into his lap. She sat so she could lean against his undamaged shoulder.

"I’m so sorry Gin," he whispered and wrapped his arm around her waist. Ginny laughed, more cynical sounding than amused because that’s how she felt.

"It wasn’t your fault. It was…" She trailed off, remembering who had got her into trouble in the first place.

"Lucius," Draco finished for her. "I saw him slip something into your cauldron that day at Diagon Alley but I didn’t think about it until now. I’m sorry I didn’t do anything."

"And you really would have?" Ginny asked sarcastically. Draco sighed and kissed her forehead, knowing that she already knew the answer. "It shouldn’t bother me any more, but it still hurts like it just happened yesterday. I still see his face, like a ghost that won’t leave me alone. Why won’t he go away?"

"I don’t know Gin, I don’t know how to help," Draco said, his voice so quiet she almost didn’t hear him. Then he spoke again, louder this time. "I wish I could take it all away, everything that scares you or threatens you. I wish that I could stop everything bad before it happened…"

"But you can’t and I wouldn’t ask you to. Your life is much harder than mine." She stood, sliding off his lap. She needed time to be alone.

"Gin, I…"

"Don’t feel sorry for me, I have already had enough of that." She leaned towards him and kissed his lips gently before turning and walking up to the Phoenix statue, pulling its tail. A door opened before her revealing two doors. She entered the one that had her initials on it, walking over to the red four poster bed and flopping down on it. Crawling up in a ball, she tried to repress all that had resurfaced.

The sound of soft, staggered footsteps could be heard at her door.

"Ginny?" She didn’t roll over and kept her back to him so she couldn’t see the pity on his face.

"Don’t Draco, I just need some time." She heard a sigh and the pad of retreating footsteps. Closing her eyes, she drew in a shaky breath and willed the images to go away.

* * * * *

Draco sat on his new bed with his face hidden in his hands, listening to Ginny’s quiet sobs. Two hours now he had sat there and listened. He wanted so much to go comfort her but this is what she wanted and he would respect her wishes despite the stab of pain in his heart each time she cried out. Again his father had caused pain to someone he cared about and it angered Draco that he had done so it the one he cared about the most.

Another sob, making him flinched. Why did she want to be alone? Why wouldn’t she let him help take the pain away? He leaned his head back against the headboard, staring up at the ceiling and forced himself to stay put though it was a losing battle. He was being torn in two by what he wanted to do and what he should do.

Finally, he’d had enough. He slowly made his way off the bed, wincing from pain with every movement. He made it to the floor he began to walk out the door, eyes on the ground. He opened his door and nearly shot through the roof with surprise. Ginny stood in his doorway, tears streaming down her cheeks. She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his waist, laying her head against his chest.

"I can’t make them go away."