Naked

He didn’t want to move, didn’t want to get up. What was the point? It would just be another horrible day that left him angry, frustrated and overall depressed. The letter from father didn’t help either. He barely made it through the day lately as it is. Why put himself through it again? Well, maybe she could…No, there was nothing she could do for him. She was just a pest.

Draco Malfoy lay in his bed and stared miserably up at the ceiling. If, and that was a big if, he was going to get up, he had roughly five minutes to get to class. McGonagall would not be pleased. The old bat would probably give him yet another detention for skipping class but that would happen anyway because there was no way Draco would be getting to class on time this morning.

Groaning loudly, he pushed himself out from underneath his warm, silky covers. Might as well at least get to his second class, potions. Pulling a neat, pressed uniform out from his wardrobe, Draco made his way to his personal shower.

That was the good thing about being a Malfoy. The only good thing. When your father was one of the most ruthless men in the whole of the wizarding world, you tend to get what you want. In this case, it was a private room and shower.

Half and hour later, he stepped out of the shower and gingerly wrapped himself in a fluffy white towel. Stopping infront of the mirror, he stared at his reflection and plastered a smirk on his face. But just as easily as it had slid on, the smirk was gone. It was fake, an illusion, something that shadowed his real emotions and hid them away. It was just a mask he put on everyday that he wore from dawn till dusk. It was the only thing he still had a hold of. The only thing he could control.

I wake up in the morning

Put on my face

The one that's gonna get me

Through another day

Doesn't really matter

How I feel inside

'Cause life is like a game sometimes

Later that day and a detention later, Draco wandered moodily down the corridor trying ignoring the stares he was receiving from the people he passed. He knew that he was an outsider now, no friends, no allies, no one. Except maybe… No she didn’t count. She just liked to pester him, follow him through the halls and pretend to be on friendly ground.

"Hullo Draco." How convenient, the brat had found him.

"Hullo Weasley," Draco replied dully without turning to the redheaded Gryffindor. He didn’t really want to.

"Didn’t see you at breakfast this morning."

"Wasn’t hungry." Draco turned around the corner in attempts to lose her but it failed. She matched his pace and stuck by him. Merlin she was persistent, and stubborn for that matter.

"Are you hungry now? We could go to the kitchens and see if Dobby could fix us something…" she babbled. Draco flinched at the sound of his old house elf’s name. Bad memories were attached to that name. Father had not been pleased when he got home that summer and Draco was apparently the only person he could take his anger out on. He had received many nasty bruises along with other things pretty much everyday…

"Hello? Draco?" He must have zoned out because the weasel was now pulling on the arm of his cloak, trying to get his attention. He turned and glared at her. She was beginning to bother him now and he was not in the mood to be bothered.

"Why, exactly, are you following me?" he asked in a rather harsh tone. Ginny visibly cringed but her cheerfulness was not effected by his bad mood. She just smiled and giggled. It was one of those smiles where you couldn’t help but feel happy, even if you’re miserable.

"You look like you need someone to talk to, that’s all," she said.

"And if I don’t?"

"Then you could use a friend."

"And if I don’t?" Ginny’s brow furrowed slightly

"My you’re grumpy today." Draco sighed and turned away from her, not wanting her sympathy. "Where are you going?"

"I don’t know," he muttered and then mentally ‘somewhere far away from you.’ Apparently Ginny had other plans. She grabbed his hand and began to pull him in the other direction, apparently headed somewhere. "What are you doing?"

"We are going for a walk."

But then you came around me

The walls just disappeared

Nothing to surround me

And keep me from my fears

I'm unprotected

See how I've opened up

Oh, you've made me trust

Draco hated this. She always found a way to get him to surrender somehow. Whether it be a walk or talking somewhere together. It made him feel so weak but he found it hard to object. Something about her made him feel like he had a…someone. Not a friend, he had no friends and didn’t plan to have any, ever.

She had led him out to the lake and the now sat underneath one of the big oak trees close to the shore, watching as the giant squid lazily swam by. Out of the corner of his eye, Draco watched Ginny. She had definitely grown to be quite pretty, beautiful some might say. Many heads turned when she walked into a room, especially members of the male student population. Draco had noticed this after a while and had felt a grin spread across his face, knowing how they must envy him.

It wasn’t just her looks that attracted the gawking boys, it was her personality as well. She was so kind and understanding which made it very hard not to like her. That changed however when something, or someone, made her angry. Gods help anyone who got in her way when that happened. Draco had been there before. He still had nightmares about that day in Umbridge’s office. She was not one to be messed with that’s for sure.

"Penny for your thoughts?" She was turned toward him now, her light blue eyes locked onto him.

"Pardon?" Draco asked, sort of startled out of his thoughts.

"Care to tell me what has got you in such a terrible mood." Draco sighed and lay back, placing his hands behind his head and shutting his eyes. Nosy little thing, wasn’t she?

"Not really," he said sternly but knew that it would not do much good.

"Oh stop being a stubborn prat and tell me what’s bothering you," Ginny demanded in an exasperated voice. "Clearly something’s wrong and it won’t do you any good to keep it in. You know that."

"And why, of all people, should I tell you?" Draco felt bad the second the words were out of his mouth. Opening his eyes slightly, he saw her almost flinch and looking like she had just been smacked. She was just trying to help. Turning away, she placed her hands on either side of legs and pushed herself up off the ground to leave. Draco cursed silently under his breath and sat up.

"I didn’t mean that, sorry. Please don’t go." He was apologizing! Why in the name of Merlin’s beard was he being so soft? Why did he care if she was hurt? Not half an hour ago he was calling her a brat and a pest. What was wrong with him?

"Why should I?" she asked coldly, crossing her arms over her chest and raising an eyebrow. "You clearly don’t want me around. Why should I sit here and let you make me feel rotten? Why…"

"Will you just shut your trap and sit down?" She hesitated for a moment, staring down at him and carefully measuring her options, but eventually sat.

Because I've never felt like this before

I'm naked

Around you

Does it show?

You see right through me

And I can't hide

I'm naked

Around you

And it feels so right

"So are you going to tell me what your problem is or am I going to have to start guessing?" Her sarcasm was coming through now and she would take every chance she could for payback, this was always the case. He would say something mean, she would look hurt, he would feel bad and apologize and she would turn around and ‘give him a taste of his own medicine’ as it were.

"Got a letter from father," Draco finally said, half trying to skip the last step. Why was he telling her this? She wasn’t involved, she had no right to be. But then why did he feel like she was the only one who would understand? They had talked before, Draco and Ginny, about what sometimes happens in the Malfoy household, She didn’t know much, just a faint outline but she knew enough. Enough to know what he meant by ‘got a letter’.

"Pressuring you again?" He nodded, picking up a rock and throwing it into the lake only to dodge it a second later when it was hurled back out at him. Ginny giggled, making Draco scowl.

"What did the letter say?" she asked after her giggles had stopped. Draco sighed and looked out at the lake.

"The usual. ‘Your time is coming soon, you know your place and what’s expected of you, get good grades and oh yes, your mother misses you’," he said, imitating his father. "It’s as if I’m not even alive to him. I’m just a tool to use. I’m nothing, a nobody."

"You’re not a nobody to me." Draco turned to Ginny, taken aback. Her cheeks had turned pink while she biting her bottom lip and playing with her hands. Her eyes were looking at everything except him. Draco felt the corners of his mouth turn upwards and a smile begin to form on his face. Only she could make him smile nowadays.

"Thanks Gin." Now he knew why he told her everything he did. He finally understood why he confided in her and her alone. She cared.

I'm trying to remember

Why I was afraid

To be myself and let the

Covers fall away

I guess I never had someone like you

To help me, to help me fit

In my skin

"It’s what I’m here for." She met his eyes and smiled. No matter how hard Draco tried, he couldn’t help but feel his insides melt a little. The ice around his heart was beginning to break off. She did this to him. It was all her fault. Only she made him feel this way and, he liked it. He could be himself, not someone fake who plastered a smirk or a scowl on his face every morning. She made him feel…real.

I never felt like this before

I'm naked

Around you

Does it show?

You see right through me

And I can't hide

I'm naked

Around you

And it feels so right

He reached over, just wanting to touch her, wanting her to know how much just saying that he was a ‘somebody’ really meant to him. Trailing a finger down her cheek and then, without even thinking, leaned in and gently pressed his lips against hers. Fireworks went off in his brain and electricity was now flowing through him like a wave, all from one kiss. He hadn’t felt anything like it before. Sure he had kissed other girls but with Ginny, it was strange but amazing at the same time. All his defenses faded, everything that he had done to protect himself and make people fear him melted away and he was Draco, just Draco.

Pulling back, he saw the shock in her eyes and immediately lost the new feeling.

"I’m sorry," he whispered and began to second-guess himself. ‘She hates me,’ he thought mentally. ‘I really am a nobody. She lied to me. How could I have been so stupid?’ He turned away, trying to bring up his barriers for protection but couldn’t. He had just put himself out there with making a bold move like that, only to be shut down.

He felt arms snake around his waist and someone’s chin rest on his shoulder. The scent of ginger tickled his nose. He knew that smell.

"Don’t be sorry," she whispered. "You don’t know how long I’ve waited for that."

I'm naked

Oh oh yeah

Does it show?

Yeah, I'm naked

Oh oh, yeah yeah

Happiness swelled inside Draco’s chest. He was a somebody, to Ginny, and that’s all that matters. He didn’t have to hide and be someone he’s not. No more layers and layers of lies to hide himself behind. He was naked.

I'm so naked around you

And I can't hide

You're gonna see right through, baby

Naked by Avril Lavigne

Author’s note: Well this is my first song fic, I really hope you like it. Please R&R!!! I want to hear what you think!!!! J J J

p.s.: thank you darkcharlie for helping me get the lyrics right, lol