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document.write(''); chapter twelve: Angst

Draco Malfoy was going mad. Absolutely stark raving mad. And he couldn't blame it on a spell or a lack of sleep or anything like that. There was really only one thing that he could blame for it.

Her name was Ginny Weasley.

Draco had been with his fair share of witches. So many, in fact, that a group of wizards had once written a petition trying to force him out of the dating game so they'd stand a chance. Okay, so he couldn't really remember if that had actually happened or if it was just a fantasy of his, but it was a nice thought. The point was, he'd been a very eligible bachelor, and he'd never once had the slightest inkling of settling down.

Hermione had been the closest he'd gotten, only it had been more because they got along so well than that he was in love with her. Not that she didn't have her more attractive qualities, but he just didn't feel that all-consuming passion with her.

Ginny had been very much the same as the other girls at first. He'd started out merely being attracted to her; she was, after all, a stunningly beautiful individual, a truly remarkable feat considering her genetics. But then she'd been surprisingly funny, and he'd found himself growing fond of her. That was where it should have stopped. The odd thing was, the more time he spent with her, the more time he wanted to spend with her. And the more he was around her, the more incredible she became. Was it possible for anyone to be so simultaneously graceful yet endearingly awkward, so mature yet adorably innocent?

Draco's first inclination had been that she must be casting a spell on him. It came as a gradual and unsettling shock that she was, just not one with wands or incantations.

The thought was so unsettling, in fact, that he knew what he had to do. He just had to break up with her, and that's all there was to it. Then he could move on to someone else, and Ginny would just become like a distant memory. And she could find someone who could appreciate her as she truly deserved.

He knocked on the door to her office, a bouquet of roses in one hand. This was the classy way to do things, he knew. Give the girl something pretty and she might be distracted enough not to get angry.

*All right,* Draco prepped himself, * Remember, let her down easy. It isn't pleasant losing a looker like you, but we all have to have our disappointments in life...* With that clearly established in his mind, he pushed open the door.

Ginny was seated behind her desk, chewing thoughtfully on a pen, deep in thought. At the sight of Draco she grinned and rose to her feet.

Before he could stop her, she had kissed him with those warm Weasley lips and then pulled back, positively glowing at him. " Draco, are these for me? How lovely..."

Draco swallowed heavily, trying to think of the best way to let her down. " I love you and I want to marry you!" he burst out suddenly.

Where the heck did that come from??!!

Ginny stared at him, clutching the flowers. " What?"

And Draco-Draco MALFOY-was babbling before he realized what could happen. " It wasn't supposed to be this way...you were just like a fling, you know? But then...cor, how did this happen? I can't stop thinking about you and I get these warm fuzzy feelings that I used to think people only made up and I think I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

Silence.

Ginny suddenly seemed very preoccupied. She moved around her desk and began sorting through her drawers. " Today is awfully busy, Draco, I don't know if I have the time..."

Draco stared at her dully. " I somehow get the inkling that you're not going to say 'I Love You' back."

Ginny refused to meet his gaze. " It's...complicated."

" Not really," he returned dryly, " you just open your mouth and form the words--"

" That's not what I meant!" Ginny snapped, and finally met his gaze. " Draco, you know my family. They're just beginning to tolerate your existence, much less considering you as a member of the family. I couldn't possibly..."

Draco stared at her, stunned. " You're embarrassed of me."

She rubbed a tired hand over her face. " I didn't say that, Draco."

" You didn't have to," he retorted. "What, do you think it's been all puppies and daisies falling in love with you? Your family is absolutely atrocious-who knew that the cure for not having enough money was having more children? And don't even get me started on your brothers...pathetic losers, the lot of them."

Ginny's nostrils flared. " Well at least my family has never gone insane and tried to murder me!"

It wasn't an unjustified outburst, but it still hurt so badly that Draco felt as though he had no air in him. " Well," he croaked finally, " it's good we got this out in the open, isn't it? I would hate to have wasted any more time on someone who thinks I'm not good enough for her."

There was an awkward, painful silence. Draco wanted her to say anything, to either make him hate or love her with her response. But just as Ginny had opened her mouth, the door to the office flew open.

"Ginny!" her secretary, a plump but pretty girl named Ronda, cried. She glanced at Draco in surprise. " Mr. Malfoy, we've been looking for you, too."

Draco frowned at this. " Why, what's happened?"

" Hermione's missing."

***

Harry and Hermione had fully intended to go to the beach. Harry specifically reserved a room by the ocean for that very same fact. Only, it was the fifth day into their honeymoon, and they hadn't yet managed to leave the room yet.

Oh, they sincerely aimed to go down to the beach. Every morning they would wake up and vow that this would be the day. Only, something always seemed to come up. The first day, Harry had come out of the bathroom in just his swimming trunks, and his chest was so firm and lean that Hermione just couldn't resist...The opposite problem occurred the next day when Hermione came out in her swimming suit, which happened to show off her legs rather nicely... Similar things kept coming up, only today Harry and Hermione were bound and determined that they would actually make it to the seashore.

Hermione came out of the bathroom first, a robe wrapped rather determinedly around her. Harry grinned at this and came forward, fingering the fabric. " This is nice," he said.

Hermione smiled at him reproachfully. " Harry, you can't possibly find anything sexy about this bathrobe."

" I would like to suggest otherwise." Harry said solemnly, moving closer.

She giggled. " Harry, I'm practically covered from head to foot. There is nothing remotely sexy showing."

" That's what makes it fun," Harry complimented. " You're like a birthday present that I get to unwrap..."

A few hours later, Hermione was back in her bathing suit and was practically forcing Harry into the bathroom to change. " Honestly, Harry, we need to go outside for at least one day. Think of how nice it will be to tan..."

" I don't see why I can't just change out here," Harry argued, being purposefully difficult. " We're married now, after all."

" We've tried that before," Hermione reminded him, blushing, "and it didn't work." Her eyes lingered on his body for a moment before she quickly shook her head. "Now get into the bathroom and CHANGE!"

Obligingly, Harry complied. It was only a few minutes later that he emerged, this time wearing a white t-shirt with his bathing suit for Hermione's benefit. " There, is that..." His voice drifted off as he looked around the room and realized that Hermione wasn't there.

It looked as though there had been a struggle. The door was splintered as though someone had busted in, and various pieces of furniture were overturned.

Numbly, Harry stepped further into the room. " Hermione?" he called out, knowing instinctively that it was futile.

His gaze caught on something in the corner. Slowly, tentatively, he made his way across the room, picking up Hermione's wand from the dresser. A horrible sinking feeling overcame him, accompanied by an overwhelming wave of panic.

***

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A/N: Well, honestly, what did you expect from a chapter called 'Angst'? :) Thanks for all the reviews,and I'll try to keep cranking 'em out!