A/N: I know, I know, I 'm a bad, Bad person! Sorry, a lot's happened since the last chapter, obviously, especially some major writer's block about how to proceed. Hopefully this satisfies you and hopefully I'll get more out post haste! Cheers!!
"Honey, I'm home!" Thunk. Ginny groaned at the sound of something heavy being deposited in her living room, and cursed the training in the muggle world that had allowed Draco to pick up some annoying catch phrases.
"Gin?" Hearing her brother helped to wake her somewhat as she turned over in her large, comfortable bed. She knew he wouldn't go long before he began to search her out, and being his sibling left him few inhibitions as far as what was appropriate wake-up technique.
Ginny groaned and turned onto her back, looking up at the ceiling and wondering what possesses people to be up in the morning... especially when she had so much trouble managing a wink of sleep.
As light began entering the room, she groaned again and moved up onto her elbows to look towards the door and assure her brother that, no, conjuring water above her head was not necessary this morning.
"Hey Gin." It was the Smug Bastard.
"Get out." Most people would consider that her Dangerous look... he seemed unaffected.
"No."
"Well, I warned you."
Hermione, Harry, Blaise, and Ron didn't really need to ask what the loud crashing sound was in the hallway when Malfoy came, rubbing his shoulder and his head alternately, from the same direction. They did however have to try valiantly to smother their laughter... that they failed, can't really be held against them.
"Right, no going in the Weaslette's bedroom and she's not a morning person... check and check." He moved past the trio and began unpacking his things, starting with the kitchen... farthest from Her room.
Ginny wasn't long in following Malfoy from the hallway. Still wearing her pajamas and a disgruntled look, she glared at the laughing trio and began giving rough, gestured directions on where boxes should be placed.
"Why are you all here so bloody early, anyway?" She frowned at a picture of her, Draco, and Blaise that must have been dug up from training photos as she unpacked it. She did realize what it could lend to their cover, and so put it on the mantle, opposite a picture of the other ministry trio.
"Gin, it's after noon..." Harry pointed at the mantle clock.
"Oh." She didn't feel the need to be ashamed of her sleeping habits and thus went on casually unpacking... once again ignoring snickers and "looks" from the others in the room.
And so it began.
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Ginny and Draco had walked hand in hand into work the next day. And generally people took the stormy looks on their faces to be frustration with the number of questions they still had to answer on their relationship, and not really anything serious. Especially after Pansy Parkinson on the Daily Prophet announced them in her column to be unequivocally in love.
As such it proceeded with Draco picking Ginny up from work everyday. Obviously so that he could be with her and protect her from all those horrible reporters talking about "forbidden romances" and "star-crossed lovers" and generally prophesying their overall doom and the end of their relationship. Given the modesty of the relationship, there were also plenty of reporters just waiting to have the ultimate picture, the hot-blooded kiss, to add to their columns.
At home, the general bickering continued. Draco slept in an expanded towel closet next to Ginny's room, which was still off limits. They had moved into less intense arguing, however, after each of them realized how much of a drain that was on their time and energy. Thus, they lived with a nominal truce. Ginny did the cooking and Draco was actually very helpful where he could manage, going shopping and even casting a few cleaning charms every once in awhile. They did not go on public dates... despite Harry's urging that it would help their cover to keep from becoming suspicious.
Once a month the whole group got together at one of the houses to discuss how things were going within each group and to be able to talk to other people, without being watched so closely by their own guardian. Draco didn't take long to notice that Ginny did everything in her power to keep Blaise away from her... thus, without her noticing much, so did he.
Four months passed, just so, with no new information really coming in and quiet in all the homes. As things went on, the stormy looks faded from Draco and Ginny's faces as they held hands into work and they started looking for each other out of habit around the office, despite their differing departments. He began to notice what shampoos and soaps she liked, as well as her favorite ice cream, without a list for shopping. She began to note his favorite dinners, and they worked more and more into her rotation. Everything happened gradually, with no one really noticing. And then Harry had to go and insist they have that Bloody Date.
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They had gotten away with four months of no one questioning things and of them managing to get along just fine! Harry had set up dinner tonight though, in their name, and Draco had to go and agree with him! Ginny couldn't believe it. If she didn't go along, that was sure to cause suspicions somewhere and if she did... well, then she had to go on a date with Draco Bloody Malfoy!! Upon musing, Ginny began to realize that Bloody could not possibly be his last name and she had to remember to ask him so that she could use it if the occasion arose... for now, she was happy to improvise, coming up with some creative combinations of what to put between the two names she did know as she viciously ransacked her closet for a nice dress to wear.
Once she finally came up with a lovely green dress, which only suited, since she was supposed to be in love with a Slytherin and it went well with her hair, she began going at her hair and make-up. Once everything was fully applied, she admired her own sleek appearance quickly before storming into her living room to turn her anger onto the Middle Nameless One.
Both parties stopped abruptly when they came in sight of each other.
Upon noting the stormy look on her face, Draco held up his hand to stall her and took a quick step back before trying to explain himself as quickly and reasonably as possible. "This wasn't my idea. Harry didn't give me any more notice, or choice than you and I still have to think it's probably a good idea so that someone can't just say one of us has the Imperious on the other when we're out in public."
"Fine." He wasn't expecting her to be even this understanding, but he just chose to be glad for it as he held out his arm for her to take so that they could apparate together to the restaurant.
It was a sin that he had to look so good in that slate gray color... she had some really good insults worked out too.
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Somewhat unexpectedly for both, dinner was very pleasant, despite the expected gawkers and reporters who just "happened" to show up. Ginny and Draco were able to draw upon many of the similarities they had found during her first year of training as well as their first true discussion of what they had each been up to since their fallout with each other. Neither mentioned that little part.
After dinner, they decided to walk for awhile before settling back at home, since neither had gotten much chance to be out in the last few months, given their mutual fear of some massive insult session over something blowing their cover entirely. While this was a small fear at the beginning of the night, it seemed to fade as the hours went by, until it was late enough that even a reasonable couple would probably want to head home.
Upon arriving home, it became apparent that they were obviously expected. The reporters weren't doing a good enough job of being subtle as the once again vied for the picture of the Weasley-Malfoy kiss; at least, two aurors were easily able to spot them. They spoke in quiet tones before entering the apparation-warded house.
"What do you say, Weasley? After tonight we may as well get it all finished with, then maybe they can leave us alone." To anyone else this would look as a simple exchange of loving words, instead as further instigation of a large-scale scam on the public.
"Draco, given our history, I don't know if that's a good idea..." Dammit, did he have to stand so close? And what was with that whole leaning thing!?
"Come on, Gin, it's just a little kiss... that's all, there doesn't even need to be anything behind it, unless we put it there." When she didn't respond, he just leaned in and pressed his lips to hers, brushing against her mouth.
Well... if there was nothing behind that kiss, it certainly packed a punch. Neither one really noticed the flashes going off around them, and it's doubtful that either would have seen Voldemort himself involved in a wild naked snow dance in their yard once the kiss deepened.
Ginny did notice herself pulling him against her and she noticed his hand on her lower back as they tried to move as close as possible to one another. Draco was the first to notice that it would be indecent to continue this snog session on the front lawn, surrounded by reporters, as he began to fumble with the handle of the door to move them both inside. Once they were inside, nothing could stop him from pressing her up against the closed door and not even he could prevent the moan that escaped him as she wrapped her legs around his waist.
It was that noise that finally broke her concentration on seeing exactly how she could fit him and memorizing exactly what he tasted like. Ginny quickly broke the kiss and placed her hands on his chest in an attempt to get him to move away. With the connection broken, both took only a moment to jump clear of each other, exchanging nervous looks and taking in the disheveled appearance of their partner. Draco was standing in the middle of the living room, breathing heavily and his hair in disarray. Ginny leaned back against the door, letting it cool her. She was the first to move again.
She pulled down her dress and began to move towards her room. "Just a little kiss my arse."
Given his current state, I don't think we can hold the thought that it was also quite a nice arse against Draco.
Her door slammed and they each spent the rest of the night going over what could have happened, why it shouldn't happen, and what in the world they were possibly going to do about the fact that they wanted nothing more than for that very disaster to strike.
A/N: Just so everyone knows, reviews are why I didn't forget about this thing in the first place. Thanks to Claresse for the beta. And the Naked Snow Dance reference is due to the clever banter of Anywho and myself as we did our best to scare those who don't really know us. Cheers!
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