Chapter 3 Vulnerable
Eyes wide, Ginny slowly backed away from Draco, her hand rising of its own accord, her fingers coming to rest on her swollen lips. His eyes followed hers, his expression unreadable. Ginny turned quickly and tore out of the classroom and down the corridor to the portrait hole. Once through, she sprinted through the common room avoiding the eyes of the other students and up the stairs to her dorm room.
"Hey, where's the fire?" called Ron laughing.
Ginny was grateful that none of her roommates were there. She threw herself onto her bed and almost tore down the hangings in her haste to close them. Grabbing her pillow, she buried her face and stifled the wail that had been sliding painfully up her throat.
Just then she heard a tentative, "Ginny?" Hermione's steps came closer and in a low voice she asked, "Ginny, what's going on?"
Ginny pulled a curtain back and allowed Hermione to clamber in. Seeing Ginny's tears, Hermione reached in her pocket and handed over some tissues.
"Thanks," muttered Ginny wiping her eyes.
"Ginny, what's happened?" Hermione asked softly.
Ginny was silent for a moment trying to compose herself then began quietly, "Would you believe it if I told you that five minutes ago," she paused, drew her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, "I was in a dark classroom kissing Draco Malfoy like I have never kissed anyone before?"
Hermione's jaw dropped then she gasped. "You what?"
"Yeah," said Ginny with a sardonic laugh. "Well, it's the truth. And the worst part of it is," she lowered her eyes, resting her forehead on her knees, "I liked it...oh, what am I going to do?"
"What…how did this happen?" Hermione asked faintly, her voice taking on a mixture of shock and concern.
Lifting her head, Ginny told Hermione about leaving the library and being grabbed from the hall. "It was horrible at first, all these visions of Tom Riddle running through my mind but then I saw his face and he just hauled me to him and…we went from there."
Hermione sighed heavily. "Ginny…this is Draco Malfoy. Remember what you heard him say at dinner tonight? Remember who his father is-where he is…why he's there?"
"I know…I know..." Ginny moaned as she rested her head on her knees again for a bit then looked up imploringly at Hermione. "I don't know what to think right now."
"Please be careful, Ginny," Hermione looked very distressed. "Draco never does anything that isn't in his own interest."
"I realize that, Hermione, and I know this looks like something I should run screaming from. But there was something different about him this afternoon before he realized we had an audience. I'm not ready to just dismiss it yet."
"But, Ginny, even if he was different when he was by himself-and I really think it was an aberration of some sort-his friends are with him most of the time. He's hardly ever without Crabbe and Goyle. You know that."
"I know you're right," said Ginny miserably. "But I have to find out what's really going on here before I can just leave it."
"But, Ginny, what about Harry? Do you still have feelings for him?" Hermione said, closely watching Ginny's eyes.
"No…I had the biggest crush on The Boy Who Lived for a long time before I even knew him…but I don't really feel the same way about 'Harry, My Friend'. And certainly not like I felt with Draco."
"So what did you feel when you were with him?"
"Hmm…it felt like I had live wires draped over my body while standing in the rain."
"Well…" sighed Hermione shaking her head. "Please just be careful, Ginny. I don't like this at all. His awful father almost caused your death and Draco seems cut from the same cloth given all his previous behavior."
"I will. And please don't let Ron or Harry know about this-at least until I figure out what's really going on. Thanks, Hermione-I don't know what I would've done without you today."
"I'm not at all comfortable with this, Ginny-in fact I'm quite worried. But I'm here if you need me and even if you don't." Hermione reached out and gave her a quick hug.
"Oh no!" Ginny gasped suddenly and jumped up breaking Hermione's embrace. "I left my book bag and my wand down in that classroom! I've got to go and get them-I hope Draco hasn't taken them!"
She jumped up, sprinted down the stairs and hurried out the portrait hole.
"Oi! Ginny! Training for a marathon?" called Ron to her disappearing back and shook his head. "What is with her tonight?"
Ginny ran back to the classroom but her bag and wand weren't there.
She walked dejectedly back to the common room. Ginny gave a tiny shake of her head at Hermione's questioning look. Hermione gave a tiny frown in response.
'Does Draco have my things? What's he going to do with them? How will I get them from him without people seeing?' Ginny's worried thoughts carried her upstairs and to bed.
*****
The next morning, Ginny awoke with a start at the sound of a tapping on the window near her bed. Pulling back the hangings, she saw a large unfamiliar owl perched on the windowsill looking expectantly at her. Ginny opened the window and the bird flew to her bed carrying a parcel. She untied it and whispered, "Thank you!" to the owl, giving it a stroke on its head just before it flew back out the window. Opening the package, she found her book bag and wand along with something wrapped in brown paper. She opened the smaller package and found some willow bark and a note. Heard you needed this. - D
Ginny sighed with relief hugging them to herself then smiled and shook her head wonderingly at the bark. She didn't know what to think and she suddenly shivered at the thought of another boy who had been so nice to her in her first year. Nice at first, that was. Ginny's heart began to pound and her breathing came faster and faster as awful memories of his betrayal began to seep through her mind. Her blood ran cold as the familiar dizziness started to build and she quickly wrapped the paper back around the bark and shoved it into her trunk. She felt greasy tendrils of nausea slipping up from her stomach and walked over to the still-open window to take some deep breaths of chilly morning air.
She hated these episodes but she took solace in the fact that it hadn't happened like this for a long time. Speaking to Harry about being possessed at Grimmauld Place last Christmas was the first time Ginny had spoken of her horrible experience in years-well, since it had happened, really. She stood quietly for a while, calming herself by watching the sunlight creep over the mountains. After a bit, she closed the window and dressed quietly trying not to wake the rest of the room then went to breakfast. Finding a seat beside Neville, Ginny got a few pieces of toast and some pumpkin juice.
"Good morning," said Neville brightly.
"How are you?" inquired Ginny smiling back wanly.
"Pretty well-looks to be a nice day"
"It does, doesn't it? That'll be nice for Quidditch practice later." Ginny wished she had chosen a seat away from everyone else. She liked Neville just fine but she just wasn't in the mood to chat inanely about things at the moment.
"Yes, I'm going to the greenhouses later-want to come and see what I've been working on?" Neville asked hesitantly, a hopeful look in his eyes.
"Er, I've got a nasty potions essay I've got to finish before class tomorrow and with practice this afternoon, I'll probably have to come some other time." Ginny responded, working hard not to let her mood show. "But thanks for asking."
"Yeah, too bad weekends aren't three days instead of two," said Neville a little disappointedly.
"Hello," said Ron as he plunked down in his seat. "I'm famished!" Ron heaped his plate with eggs and bacon.
'Thank God for diversions!' Ginny thought, relaxing a bit.
"Morning," said Hermione.
Harry sat across from Ginny. "Sleep well?"
"Mmhmm, how about you?"
"Pretty well, thanks."
"Ready for practice later?" Harry smiled as he helped himself to some kippers.
"More than," Ginny returned his smile and thought, 'Oh, well, so much for avoiding inane chatter.' At least she was beginning to feel a little better.
"Yeah," said Ron, "And Slytherin's our next match this coming Saturday. I've got some strategies in mind that need practicing today. I hope this weather holds."
"I thought they were playing Hufflepuff, not us, Captain," Ginny raised her eyebrows as her stomach fell. 'Oh, great…this is the last thing I need…'
"They were, but the schedule has been changed as two of Hufflepuff's chasers were injured in a collision during practice last week." Ron shrugged.
Just then a rather large and noisy group sat down at the Slytherin table.
"Speak of the devil…" Ron smirked, "There he is…he and his pet dog." Draco had just walked in with a simpering Pansy Parkinson hanging on his arm. His eyes met Ginny's for a brief second and his lips quirked into a knowing smile.
Ginny turned her attention back to her plate, her eyes narrowing.
"Everything all right, Ginny?" asked Harry looking from her to Malfoy and back.
"Yes," she replied resolutely and straightened her shoulders. "Just imagining another Gryffindor victory over Slytherin."