Unofficial Portkey Archive

Chapter 2 Compelled

Ginny hurried to the Gryffindor table and sat down in the empty seat beside Harry who was already half way through his meal. "I heard about what happened to you earlier," he said glancing at her then back to his plate. "Are you okay, then?"

Ginny glanced sharply at Hermione who gave a small shake of her head. "I'm fine, thanks," Ginny replied, silently thanking Hermione for covering for her. "But I won't be going back into the forest anytime soon."

"Yeah," nodded Harry, swallowing. "I don't remember anything pleasant about my times in there."

"Me either." Ron shivered involuntarily. "Well, see that you stay clear of that place," he said in his big brother voice. "Thank goodness you were able to get away from that graphorn. (Oi! Neville, pass the mash.) I don't know how you did, though. Nasty buggers, those."

"Oh…well…just lucky, I guess," stammered Ginny, her eyes going back to Hermione who smiled and slightly shrugged her shoulders.

Ginny had begun filling her plate when thoughts of her afternoon invaded her mind once more. She heard again the tone of his voice as he tried to protect her-remembered the feeling of being pressed against him as they flew…

"Ginny?" Ron's voice broke through her reverie. "You okay?"

"What…oh! Yes, I'm fine." Ginny replied quickly. She realized she had stopped in the middle of helping her plate so that she was holding a spoonful of mash in midair. She quickly transferred the potatoes to her plate and tried to avoid Ron's eyes. `This can't be happening…' she thought and shook her head slightly. `Really, Ginny,' she chastised herself, `it was sodding Draco Malfoy…what are you think-'

Just then, the Slytherin table broke into loud laughter. Ginny's head snapped around to see Warrington mimicking her afternoon's ordeal while Draco looked on with a smirk. She heard Warrington say, "What'd you save a Weasley for, anyway? There's too many of them already!" Draco's response chilled her. "It never hurts to have someone in your debt." His calculating eyes met Ginny's.

Ginny rose gradually from her seat, her eyes glittering dangerously.

"Ginny?" said Ron his eyes widening at the look on her face.

She turned from the table and strode quickly from the Great Hall down the corridor and up the stairs. Ginny heard hurried steps behind her and then Hermione's voice said quietly, "I don't guess he'll be trying to avoid you." Ginny wheeled around furiously. "Did you hear him? He thinks I'm in his debt now! Of all the…that filthy…I mean…arghh!" Ginny couldn't find words that would do in that moment so she kicked the castle wall.

"Careful," drawled an amused voice behind Hermione. "Wouldn't want to damage your shoes. Your mum and dad might have to go without a few meals to come up with the money to replace them." Draco leaned against the corner, his eyes on Ginny.

"At least my dad can eat his meals in his own house!" Ginny tossed back at him.

Hermione had spun round, "Would you just leave her alone? Surely you have something better to do. Do I have to remind you that you're a prefect?"

Ginny was staring defiantly at Draco and his smoky eyes never left hers even when Hermione was berating him. Ginny was sure she had seen those eyes narrow slightly at her insult to his father but then thought she'd noticed a flicker of something else…

"Well, I can certainly think of some better things to do," Draco quirked an eyebrow tauntingly at Ginny and whatever else she thought she'd seen was gone. "Maybe some other time." And he turned and walked unconcernedly toward the stairs that led to the dungeon.

Ginny motioned for Hermione to follow her to the Gryffindor Common Room. When the portrait hole had closed, Ginny asked, "Did Ron and Harry notice what went on at the Slytherin table?"

"I don't think they understood what was going on because I didn't tell them the entire story. I kept it rather sketchy, just telling them that you had escaped from the graphorn-not how," Hermione said with an apologetic smile.

"No-that was brilliant. I don't want to deal with Ron's temper and Draco right now." Ginny looked around furtively. "I do need to talk with you about something. Can you come upstairs with me so we won't be overheard?"

They went quickly to Ginny's room and closed the door. Hermione turned and raised her eyebrows at Ginny. "Is something wrong?"

"You can't say anything to Ron or Harry…"

"I won't…what is it Ginny?" Hermione's voice was filled with concern.

Ginny was silent for a moment and found herself wanting to pace the floor but didn't. "I'm not sure how to say this…but well…I keep…I keep remembering how it felt to have Draco's arms around me-how it felt to be against him-his voice in my ear. It's driving me mad." The words tumbled out of Ginny's mouth and she sank down on the edge of her bed and dropped her head in her hands. "I can't seem to help it." She snuck a peek between her fingers at Hermione.

Hermione was gaping at Ginny but quickly recovered herself and went to sit beside her. Ginny could see that Hermione was valiantly trying to come up with some response that wouldn't indicate the revulsion she was feeling. "Well…hmm, maybe when we're in a scary situation and someone helps us out of it, it's…possible that it would be natural to…er, feel for that person no matter who they are at other times."

Ginny breathed a sigh of relief lifting her face from her hands. "Yes, that's what it is, then. I'm sure of it. Thanks, Hermione. You're a good friend." Ginny gave Hermione a quick hug then looked at her watch, wanting to change the subject. "Well, I need to get to the library. They're really pouring the homework on us this year."

"O.W.L. year is really rough, and trust me, I haven't forgotten this soon afterwards. You'll do fine, though. Let me know if you want any help. See you later, then." Hermione seemed just as relived that this conversation was over and quickly turned to make her way back down the stairs to the common room.

Ginny gathered her books into her book bag and set out for the library. She settled down at a corner table with her back to the room as she opened a large volume on potions. She was working on an essay detailing several antidotes due to Snape on Monday. Several times, Ginny had the odd feeling that someone was watching her but when she turned around the other students were busy with their work. `Paranoid!' She reprimanded herself and returned to her reading. Too soon, Madam Pince announced that the library was closing in five minutes. Ginny closed her book and stretched her stiff muscles. She gathered her things shoving them into her bag then turned to see that she was the last person left in the library. Ginny bade goodnight to Madame Pince in whispered tones, walked out the library door and down the deserted corridor toward Gryffindor Tower. As she neared one of the classroom doors, she thought she heard a sound but then shook her head at her seemingly overactive imagination. Just as she reached the doorway, a hand shot out and grabbed her arm jerking her into the dark classroom. Another hand clamped over her mouth before she could scream.

"Quiet!" commanded a voice in a whisper.

`Oh, gods!' Ginny's mind screamed as visions of Tom Riddle and her first year began racing wildly across her brain. `I've got to calm down!' she thought trying to gather her wits and steady her breathing. Instinctively, she began reaching stealthily into her robes with her free arm and brought her wand forward. When the hand released her mouth she quickly whispered, "Lumos!" The tip of her wand ignited and Ginny gasped and froze as the light suddenly revealed the angular face of Draco Malfoy. His eyes were steely and his body seemed poised to strike. Instead, Draco's hands seized Ginny's arms and hauled her to him. His eyes locked onto hers for a moment then Ginny felt his searing lips on her mouth. Her mind was had gone blank, seemingly unable to take this in but then she felt her own lips begin to move heatedly against his. Draco wound his arms around her and crushed her closer to him. Ginny's book bag and wand dropped to the floor with a thud and a clatter and the noise of it had her jerking away from him.

She and Draco stared at each other for a moment, their breathing ragged, then Ginny grabbed the front of his robes and yanked him back crushing her lips to his. Draco slid his hands in her hair and dragged her head back to deepen the angle of the kiss. He groaned and feasted on her mouth like a man starving. Ginny returned his kisses feverishly as her hands roamed the hard planes of his back. "Draco…" she moaned against his lips and at this, something in her mind snapped back into place. `Draco!' She gasped and eyes wide, stepped back. Looking into Draco's face, she saw his lips quirk almost into a smile.

"Well," he said softly, gazing back at Ginny, "who would've thought it?"

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