A/N: Thanks for all the encouragement! Hope you enjoy this one…
Chapter 9 Disclosed
The next several weeks went by quickly. Hermione tried to engage Ginny in conversation, aiming to talk about Draco, but Ginny sidestepped those discussions. She and Draco weren't able to spend a lot of time alone together in these past weeks, but there had been a few wonderful stolen moments in the Owlery and one of the Dungeon classrooms. Ginny made sure she always sealed the doors after their encounter with Harry and Hermione.
Ginny and Draco had so far managed to keep what they were to each other a secret from the rest of the school. Tonight, she was supposed to meet Draco in the classroom where they had shared their first kiss. Ginny was hugging that thought to herself as she walked down the corridor to Transfiguration. As she neared the room, she began to hear raised voices, one of which she was able to identify as Ron's. She hurried to see what was happening.
"Damn!" Ginny said under her breath as she saw Ron send a jet of red light at Draco in front of a crowd of onlookers and send him flying against the castle wall. The impact resounded with a thud as Draco's body slid down the wall. Harry was keeping his wand trained on Warrington, Crabbe, and Goyle. Ron looked as though he was about to send another curse Draco's way to finish the job.
"No!" Ginny cried out, running to place herself between Draco and Ron with her wand drawn at her brother.
"Ginny!" Hermione shook her head quickly with worried eyes.
"What the…" Ron started, his eyes widening. "Move, Ginny! That git sent a hex that just missed me!"
"No! Stop it, Ron! He's already hurt enough." Thinking quickly, she said, "I don't want you to get detention, he's not worth it!"
Draco was starting to stir. Without realizing what she was doing, Ginny turned and kneeled down beside him. "Are you okay?"
"What…where's the Weasel?" Draco scrambled up as quickly as he could manage and drew his wand at Ron. Ginny grabbed his arm. "No, Draco!" she pleaded.
"Ginny WHAT are you DOING?" bellowed Ron. Move your arse out of the way!"
"Yes, and get your filthy hands off me!" Draco flung at Ginny his eyes narrowed. Her eyes filled with tears.
"You watch how you talk to my sister, slimeball!"
Ginny backed away, tears streaming down her face.
"What is going on here?" Professor McGonagall's voice pierced the noise like lightning. "Mr. Weasley, Mr. Potter! Put your wands down immediately! Mr. Malfoy, that goes for you, too. Ten points from Gryffindor and ten points from Slytherin for dueling in the corridors. I keep hoping that you boys will outgrow this silliness, but I see that has yet to occur!" She turned and addressed the crowd of students. "Don't you have classes to attend?" she said, her eyebrows raised. The crowd quickly dispersed.
"I do not want to see anything like this again or I will give you each a week's detention," McGonagall addressed the three boys then swept into her classroom oblivious to their angry huffs.
Ginny tried to follow the Professor into the room but Ron took her arm and pulled her aside. "What was that all about?" he said, his eyes scrutinizing Ginny's then glancing toward Draco's departing back.
"What?"
"Don't give me `what'", Ron tossed back at her. "You…defending Malfoy, that's what!"
"I just didn't want you to get into trouble," Ginny said not meeting Ron's eyes.
"Come on, Ron! We're going to be late to Potions," Hermione tugged his other arm.
Ron allowed himself to be pulled away but said to Ginny, "We'll talk about this later," as he turned to follow Harry and Hermione.
Hermione chanced a distressed look at Ginny. Ginny gave a small shake of her head then turned and entered the Transfiguration classroom.
"Have a seat, please, Miss Weasley." Professor McGonagall said, but not unkindly. "As I was saying, there will be a Christmas Dance the second Friday night of December followed by a Hogsmeade day that Saturday. Fourth years and up may attend the dance. Please make sure to take care of your studies during the bustle of the upcoming holiday season."
Ginny had a difficult time keeping her mind on Transfiguration. Her hedgehog kept getting almost to the edge of her table before she rounded it up again.
"Concentrate!" McGonagall said to the entire class as she stood by Ginny's chair.
Ginny forced her mind to obey her and succeeded in turning her hedgehog into a pretty floral patterned teacup.
"You are quite capable when your mind is on your task, Miss Weasley," McGonagall smiled a small smile at Ginny.
Ginny's cheeks flushed. "Sorry, Professor."
The class ended and Ginny made her way slowly back to the Gryffindor Common Room. She climbed through the portrait hole to find Harry, Hermione and Ron waiting for her in the chairs by the fire. She walked over and sat in a chair beside Ron.
"We need to talk, Ginny," Ron said in a low voice.
Ginny looked at all three of them. "Why don't we have a walk by the lake?" she requested softly. "Let me put my books in my room and I'll be ready."
She came back down in her cloak and found the others ready to go. They all made their way down to the lake not saying much of anything. The group found some large rocks and had a seat by the water's edge.
Ron was the first to speak. "So what was that about today?" he asked Ginny.
Ginny hesitated. "I need to tell you something and I need you to hear me out before you say anything."
Hermione moved to Ginny's side and put her arm around her.
Ron watched this warily.
Ginny began, "I need to tell you about a relationship that's been going on for awhile now," she took a big breath and let it out. "Ron, I've been seeing Draco Malfoy in secret for several weeks."
There was a moment of silence, as Ron comprehended what Ginny had said to him then he roared, "WHAT! Dra…" Harry clamped his hand over Ron's mouth.
"Quiet, Ron!" Harry hissed looking around furtively. Ron's eyes were bulging over Harry's hand. "Can you control yourself?" Ron nodded.
"All right, then," Harry took his hand down.
"Ginny, what are you thinking? Ron said as he got up to pace. He ran his hand through his hair. "How did this happen?" Ginny wrapped her arms around herself and proceeded to tell Ron about Draco and the graphorn rescue as well as the Bludger incident. Tears began to course down her face as she disclosed without detail her clandestine meetings with Draco.
"But Ginny, this is Draco Malfoy…" Ron said, still in shock.
"I know who he is to you, Ron," Ginny said her tears building. "I think I've seen someone different from the person I thought Draco was. I need to find out if it's the truth and I hope you'll understand that." Ginny lifted her watery eyes to Ron's for the first time since beginning her story.
Ron let out a big breath of air as he stood up and paced for a bit but then walked over to Ginny and knelt down in front of her. "Ginny, I don't understand. This is the son of the man who almost caused your death. Remember where Lucius Malfoy is right now? Remember who we fought in the Ministry last June? Remember Sirius?"
"Ron, we've already talked with her about tha-" Harry started.
Ron turned on Harry, "What do y'mean you've already talked with her about that? How long have you two known about this?"
Harry looked at Hermione. She nodded her head almost imperceptibly. Harry took in a breath. "Ever since we…accidentally walked in on them in the Astronomy Tower one night a few weeks ago."
"And you were keeping this a secret from me?" Ron looked accusingly at Hermione and Harry. Both of them nodded and cast their eyes to the ground. Ron's eyes narrowed. "Wait a minute…what were the pair of you doing up there?" Then Ron's jaw dropped as Harry and Hermione tentatively met his eyes. "Merlin's beard…I realized the both of you were disappearing at times but…" he whispered and he looked at them incredulously before his expression became stony.
"Ron, this isn't the way we wanted you to find out," Harry said dismally.
"Please, Ron, try to understand…" Hermione pleaded.
Ron held up his hand as though he had had enough and Hermione lapsed into silence. "Just shut it!" he growled at the two and turned back to Ginny, his expression softening slightly. "You know I'll always be here for you even when I don't agree with what you're doing. Right now, I really hate what you've chosen but I love you and I'm for you no matter what."
Ginny flung herself into his arms, sobbing. Ron looked helpless, worry overflowing in his eyes.
"Ginny, promise me you will be careful…promise me that you will guard your heart. Please talk to us and let us know what's happening so that we can help you if you need it." Ron implored her.
Ginny nodded, not able to speak.
"Ron," Hermione said softly, "Its very important that Ginny's relationship with Draco remain a secret. Both of them could be in danger if their relationship were exposed."
"I think I can be trusted," Ron replied harshly.
"Please don't be angry with them," Ginny whispered. "I made them promise…"
Ron closed his eyes briefly and sighed taking Ginny's hand in his. "I need some time with all this, Gin. I'll see you later-please remember what I said."
Ron gave Ginny's hand a final squeeze before releasing it and strode off toward the castle without a backwards look.
Ginny and Hermione looked at each other, tears flowing freely, as Harry put his head in his hands.
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