Chapter 8 Defended
Draco shoved Ginny roughly aside and drew his wand as the narrow shaft of light beamed on them through the opening. No one appeared to be in the doorway but then they heard a muffled gasp as a voice yelled, "Get your filthy hands off her!"
"No, Harry!" Ginny heard Hermione's voice shrill at Harry as their invisibility cloak dropped from around them. Harry had drawn his wand and Ginny quickly tried to step between Draco and him. "No!" Draco hissed, shoving her roughly behind him.
"I'm sorry, Ginny!" Hermione said distraughtly. "Harry, don't!"
"Close the door," Draco ordered in a low, menacing voice, his wand trained on Harry.
Hermione turned, quickly closed the door and pointing her wand said, "Colloportus!"
"Get away from her, Malfoy!" Harry growled; his wand still aimed at Draco.
Ginny tried once again to step in between Draco and Harry but Draco seemed to have anticipated this and held her firmly in place behind him with his free hand. "I said, no…" Draco hissed to Ginny through his gritted teeth but then turned his attention back to Harry.
"This isn't what you're thinking, Potter," Draco said softly, his narrowed eyes on Harry's.
"Both of you put your wands down now," Ginny said firmly.
"Please, Harry," pleaded Hermione.
Harry narrowed his eyes at Ginny as he lowered his wand to his side and Draco followed suit. "What's going on here?"
Ginny took a deep breath and stepped forward to stand beside Draco. "Harry, I'm here because I want to be,"
Harry's eyes widened as his jaw dropped. After a moment, he found his voice. "Ginny," he said horrified, "you and…Malfoy?" Harry seemed unable to finish the sentence.
"Yes."
"But…Draco Malfoy…"
"I think she knows my name, Potter," Draco said on a low growl.
Harry rounded on Hermione. "Did you know about this?"
"Some, but obviously not about their meeting at here tonight," Hermione looked apologetically at Ginny, "or I would have steered us to another place."
"Hermione!" Harry glared at her.
"Well, well," Draco snorted. "Looks like there are plenty of secrets coming out tonight."
"And that's what this has to stay," Ginny said leveling a look at Harry then Hermione. "A secret. Can we trust you with this?"
"Ginny, do you realize the position you're putting yourself in?" Harry asked increduously. "Don't you realize the danger you could be in if the wrong people found out about this?"
"Yes, I do and it's really not too different from the situation Hermione has chosen with you, is it? I mean, at least people aren't actively trying to kill Draco."
"With the exception of Potter and your brother…" Draco muttered.
Ginny swiftly elbowed him in the arm.
"Was that really necessary?" Draco said through his teeth surreptitiously rubbing his arm.
"Better that than the Bat-Bogey Hex though, eh, Malfoy?" Harry smirked and Draco's eyes narrowed and Ginny had to stifle a smile.
Hermione joined her hand with Harry's and quickly returned to the subject. "You can trust us. We won't speak of this to anyone."
"What about Ron?" Harry looked at Hermione incredulously.
"Please don't tell Ron," pleaded Ginny. "I think he should hear this from me and I'll talk with him when the time is right."
"Soon?" Harry wanted to know.
"As soon as possible," acquiesced Ginny. Then with a tilt of her head, "Does Ron know about the two of you?"
Harry and Hermione looked uncomfortable. "Er…not yet," Harry muttered.
"Well, let's not have a double standard, then," Ginny replied coolly. "We'll keep each other's secret and we'll each tell Ron in our own time. Agreed?" Ginny looked at Harry.
"Agreed," he muttered his eyes shooting daggers at Malfoy.
Ginny looked at Draco with narrowed eyes.
"Agreed," Draco said though his teeth.
"All right, then," said Ginny, just a little irritated. "Looks like we're all on the same page about this." Then to Draco, "We need to get going. I have some homework to finish before tomorrow." She walked him to the door and unsealed it. "I think it'd be best for us to leave separately," Ginny said quietly, giving Draco's hand a squeeze. "You go first."
"You'll be alright?" Draco glanced back at Harry and Hermione.
"Don't worry…goodnight, Draco,"
Draco leaned down to briefly press his lips to Ginny's then stepped through the door and closed it behind him.
Ginny took a calming breath and then turned to Harry and Hermione trying to ignore the shocked look on Harry's face presumably from the kiss he had just witnessed. "So, how long have you been together like this?" she asked, one eyebrow quirked.
"Just a few weeks," Hermione answered hesitantly.
"Why are you hiding this from Ron?"
"Hang on," interrupted Harry shaking his head. "I think we have other things to discuss."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Harry, Ginny and I have already talked. This isn't helping."
"But how do you know that Draco doesn't have ulterior motives in all this…"
"Harry! That's insulting to Ginny!"
"No, Hermione, it's alright. You asked the same thing remember? To be honest, I've wondered it myself and I'm still wondering, unfortunately." Ginny slowly wrung her hands then sighed and let them fall wearily back to her sides. "I know Harry's worried because he's my friend and wants to protect me. I'll try to answer his questions…but please know that I still have some of my own."
Ginny turned to Harry. "Do you remember about the graphorn chasing after me last week?" Harry nodded. "Well, you didn't hear the whole story. I didn't escape it by myself." Ginny proceeded to tell him the entire account of what had happened that afternoon.
"Well, hopefully any human being would try to help another in that situation…" Harry responded dismissively.
"Harry do you remember what you saw Draco do yesterday? You and he were fighting to get to the snitch and then he just left it for you."
"Stupid git got caught by the Bludger…"
"Harry, he intercepted a Bludger that was meant for me…Crabbe had been swinging them at me the whole game. He had bragged to Draco before the game that he was going to and Draco was trying to watch out for that. I was able to avoid all the Bludgers before but I wasn't even aware of that last one coming at me. I would have been the one with a broken arm and ribs lying unconscious on the pitch or worse if he hadn't taken it for me."
Harry was quiet, but looking at Ginny with skeptical eyes and clenched jaw.
"Please, Harry, I know you hate each other-trust me, I know why you do. But there are things about Draco that you don't know."
"What load of bull has Draco fed you?" Harry flung at her incredulously.
"That's between Draco and me," Ginny's eye's flashed.
"How do you know it's the truth?" Harry tossed back at her.
"Can't you just trust my judgment on this? Maybe I'm wrong, but I need to find out for myself."
Harry kept his eyes on Ginny but did not answer.
"Please," Ginny almost whispered.
"Gah…all right-for now, I guess," Harry said resignedly. "But I want you to know that I'll be watching him and if he puts one toe out of line where you're concerned, that's it. I will tell Ron and maybe even send an owl to your father."
"Harry!" Hermione looked at him askance.
Ginny mustered a smile. "Thanks, Harry. I hope you realize that Draco will have to go on acting like the `Draco' we've always known with the Slytherins and that includes Pansy…as sick as that makes me thinking about it."
"I hope it's only acting on his part, Ginny." Harry sighed.
They stood in silence for a moment then Ginny met their eyes. "I'd better go. Are we all right, then?"
"For now, I guess," replied Harry shoving his hands in his pockets and kicking at the floor.
Hermione hugged Ginny. "Yes."
"Alright, then, see you later." Ginny walked out the tower door.
After the door closed, Hermione once again pointed her wand at the door and said, "Colloportus!"
Harry turned to her. "I don't like this-the whole thing feels really wrong," he said shaking his head.
Hermione wrapped her arms around him laying her head against his chest and replied quietly, "I know. I'm worried about this, too. Ginny and I've talked some about this relationship but I think it's gone deeper than I knew."
"Well, hopefully she'll continue to confide in you so we can help her if she needs it." Harry pulled his hands from his pockets and wrapped them around Hermione as he looked out over the tower wall and into the darkness.
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