A/N: That took forever! I'm so sorry it took so long for me to update ANYTHING; what's it been, a month? Two?! I've lost count. I'm terribly sorry, I've just been so busy. Any free time I've had away from my horrible schoolwork has been dedicated to my violin, our Youth Orchestra concert's coming up and I desperately needed some good practice. I think there's only one or two more chapters of this story left (I'm only covering 7 days, after all) and I think my other D/G story "To Bring You Back" should be ending in two chapters. I'm almost done writing it. Then after that I got another H/Hr AU fic in the works, and I've also got a one-shot coming up. Wow. Yeah. I'm overwhelmed, too.
I was so surprised to see that this story got the attention that it did. If you guys enjoyed this, try out my other D/G fic, "Fading." It's my favorite story by far, but it hasn't been getting the feedback that some of my other more popular stories have. Curious.
Alli1489: damn straight, Malfoy's hot!
Lavalampronsgirl, sorry, but there is no kiss. It's not even a love story. Everyone else has tied Ginny and Draco to Romeo and Juliet-at first I thought it was cool, now I'm sick of it...too much of a good thing really is bad.
Ditto, HPluver4life42 and swimchick1614!
Jenna Kathleen, it's confusing isn't it, since I never post Draco's thoughts. But I'll let you in on a little secret-he doesn't HATE the little weasel.
Also muchos thanks to: khermione85626,werewolfgal4, Dawn Matthews, TheGreenFairy, HPFAN1, Eri, Boe, Dearg-Due, lukkiseven, monagy3, PurEvil, KourtTears, Wisegirl, Pottersgirl2003, Rainbow16, willow, Shayna4H/Hr, and you anonymous reviewers for your time!
~-~-~-~-~-~
Seven Days Later
Chapter Two: Falling
~-~-~-~-~-~
It was Friday. It was day three, and we only had three days to find something, memorize it, practice it, and make it absolutely perfect by day seven.
Ha.
Yeah, right.
Thank the lord we didn't have to do Romeo and Juliet, like Harry and Hermione. Although I'm glad they enjoy it...Hermione managed to convince a blushing Harry that in order to get the scene right, they had to kiss. Gotta love Hermione. It was me that suggested she do that...
What can I say. I'm brilliant.
In any case, Malfoy and I were currently disagreeing about what scene to do.
He must've drunken too much pumpkin juice, or something, because I don't know what possessed him to think that I would ever agree with him.
"Malfoy," I began in a sweet voice. "You are a sodding, bloody idiot."
"Well, we are not doing the scene you want."
"And why not?"
"I don't need to explain myself to you, Weasley," he muttered, sighing dramatically.
"You know nothing about 'Antigone,' Malfoy! How do you know if you'll like it?"
"Because you like it."
"So?"
"So? All Weasleys have horrible taste! Nothing you like could I, a Malfoy with impeccable taste, agree." I snorted.
"Like I said before. Sodding, bloody idiot."
But really. Quite a handsome idiot.
Ew.
My Merlin.
I did not just think that.
"Agreeing to your scene, Malfoy, would be like saying you attract me." I snorted, crossing my arms and raising an eyebrow.
Was I daring Malfoy?
Malfoy's lips curled up, a glint sparkling in his eyes as he slowly walked towards me. Like a predator. I felt my heart race-surely it wasn't Malfoy's influence, was it? I was just...just..overheated, that was all. It was might stuffy in here. Libraries need more windows.
"Are you implying that you're not attracted to me, Weasley?" Malfoy murmured, his lips centimeters from mine.
Damn.
I gulped.
"I-I'm not."
Arg! I stuttered!
Malfoy took another step towards me; I could feel his body temperature through our close proximity.
"Weasley," he coaxed into my ear. A shiver vibrated up my spine, settling somewhere in the middle of my back as I began to tremble slightly. "Tell me we're doing my scene."
"You must be bloody insane," I whispered. I felt him smile.
Don't tell me I was enjoying this.
"I'm warning you, Malfoy," I growled, but I knew it was no use.
Where was a white flag when I needed it?
I wasn't enjoying Malfoy's body so close to mine. I wasn't. Nor did I want to capture his lips and prove every girl's gossip of his magnificent talent. No. I didn't.
"Fine," I muttered, pushing him away from me. He didn't even stagger, merely took a step back.
I hated that smirk. That egotistical, I'm-so-much-better-than-you smirk.
"I'll memorize this by Sunday," I said, gathering all my things. "No need to meet tomorrow. Seeing you every day has been horrible for my eyesight." I quickly turned around and walked away as promptly as I possibly could.
It was horrible. Absolutely horrible. I couldn't be attracted to Draco Malfoy. I loathed him, after all. People who loathe each other just don't like each other, much less find each other attractive. It just denies...everything.
None of my thoughts, however, could deny that I sorely missed the subtle feel of his body next to mine.
He was still a bastard.
~-~-~-~-~-~
"Ginny, have you seen Harry?"
"Nope...why?"
"I think he's hiding from me..." I snorted.
"Hermione, why would Harry hide from you?"
"I don't know..."
I attempted to hide my smile.
The truth was, Harry was becoming a little..oh, what's the word..intimidated by Hermione's advances. She always complained about how boys were oblivious...well...I guess it's true that all women are hypocritical.
"Don't tell her I'm hiding in the astronomy tower," Harry whispered to me from behind the statue of Boris. "Please, Ginny, I'll do anything..."
So that's why I had Harry's firebolt in hand, ready to go to the quidditch stand for some intense practice.
Or leisurely flying.
I love saturdays.
"Well, allright," Hermione said, looking quite distracted. "If you see him..."
"I'll tell him Voldemort has captured you and taken you to his lair," I said, giving her a smile. "Don't worry so much, Hermione, it's not like Harry's hiding from you or anything. I'm sure he's just busy."
"Yes," she murmured, a faraway glance in her eyes similar to Luna's. "Okay."
That woman has bitten off more than she can chew, I mark my words.
I flew off into the sky on Harry's broomstick, the wind whipping my hair back away from my face. I loved the feel of flying, the complete relaxation it brought. All my worries, my doubts, my life...it was left on the ground, waiting for me as I escaped all my troubles for a brief moment of time.
I flew over the Forbidden Forest, the tall trees skimming my toes. Something glinted from beneath me and as I flew back around for a closer look, I finally realized what it was.
Malfoy.
The sunlight reflected from his head boy's badge. He was lying in a clearing, his broomstick laying a few feet away from his still body. His eyes were closed...he wasn't breathing..
Oh my bloody Merlin...
I raced down there as fast as Harry's broomstick could take me, my heart pounding in my ears. Malfoy couldn't be dead. He couldn't. He was a bastard. Bastards just don't die. What was life without Malfoy, anyway?
"Malfoy!" I shrieked, running to him once my feet touched the ground. "MALFOY!"
"What?!" he exclaimed, his eyes snapping open. "What the bloody fuck?"
"You're alive!" I screamed, jumping on him.
"Yes, I'm alive!" he said, raising himself to sit. "My Merlin, Weasley, get off me."
"Oh," I squeaked, clambering away from him. What the bloody hell was I doing? I was totally hugging Malfoy! Draco Malfoy! Me! Hugging! Malfoy!
Malfoy was giving me a strange look, one of those perfect eyebrows raising.
"You're not supposed to look directly at the sun, Weasley," he finally said, slowly.
"Shut it, Malfoy," I snapped, getting to my feet. Harry's broom was a few feet away, laying in the grass. What the hell was I doing, who cared if Malfoy was hurt? Don't ask, Virginia. Don't. Don't. Don't. Don't.
"You weren't worried about me, were you?" he asked, a mischievous glint forming in his eyes. "Aw, was widdle Ginny Weasley scared that icky Malfoy was dead?"
"No." Don't. Don't. Don't. Don't ask if he's okay. Don't. Don't. Don't.
"Well I'm fine, little Weasley," Malfoy yawned, laying back on the grass. "You can go fly away now."
Yeah, duh, damnit, why the bleeding hell did I fly down here anyway? Who cared if Draco was dead!
Oh, Merlin...I called him Draco...
Draco...
"I have a name, you know."
Oh, my. Who said that?
Draco's eyes slid open, gazing at me in curiosity.
I couldn't have said it...no. I should go. Go. Before I say something I'll regret, before I spend more time...no...waste more time on Dra-Malfoy. Malfoy. Malfoy. His name is Malfoy.
"I have a name, you know."
I did not just say that again. What was I, a bleeding broken record?
"Really," Malfoy breathed, blinking. "Finally ashamed of your surname, Weasley?"
"I'm not Weasley," I said, louder. "I'm not Ron, for Merlin's sake."
This was important...how?
Dra-Malfoy blinked again. His lips, I noticed, weren't arranged in a curling smirk, or a frown, or in that adorable pout.
Ugh.
I did not say adorable.
I must be going bleeding insane! First, I care that he might be dead. Then, I call him Draco! And then I'm actually TALKING to him! As if his opinion MATTERED! WHAT THE BLEEDING HELL WAS I DOING?!
"You're right," Malfoy finally said. "You're not."
"Yes," I said, nodding. "I'm not."
"All right, Virginia," Malfoy said, raising from his laying position and gently wiping away grass from his pants.
Wow.
I never knew my name could sound so...so...
...so wonderful...
Ew! Oh Merlin, I had to get out of here. Someone must have poured a love potion in my drink, because this just wasn't normal. No. I was beginning to act like Draco was Harry!
MERLIN! I JUST DID IT AGAIN!
I almost tore my hair out in frustration.
"I have a name, too, you know."
I can't have talked again.
Malfoy was looking at me, as if waiting for a reply.
Oh! Haha...I didn't actually talk that time...haha...ha...
Save a room at Mungo's...
"Of course you do," I said, blinking. What was he getting at?
"I'm not Malfoy," he said, looking straight into my eyes. It was then I truly recognized the gentleness in his gaze... "I'm not my father."
I saw his fists clench, something flicker in his eyes before all gentleness disappeared. It was once again the sharp, intense gaze I was so accustomed to. "I'm not."
There was a tinge of pleading, of desperation in his words. It was as if he needed to hear it from my mouth...as if he wanted to know, to reassure himself, that he wasn't like Lucius Malfoy.
"You're not," I said, a small smile adorning my features. "Of course you're not."
We flew back to Hogwarts together. We didn't talk anymore, and the moment we hit the quidditch pitch Malfoy got down and walked silently away. I watched his retreating figure, wondering how in bloody hell everything came to this.
I could've sworn he gave me one last fleeting look before walking back into the castle.
My life was ruined.
It was absolutely ruined.
I was falling for Draco Malfoy.
I walked back to Hogwarts after stashing Harry's firebolt into its proper place in the broom shed. It would nearly be lunch time, and I was desperate to get my mind off of Malfoy. Maybe I would memorize Antigone once more. Or I could borrow the Daily Prophet from Hermione, she should've gotten it by now...
And just to my luck, it was Hermione's figure I saw sitting among a few others at the Gryffindor table. She had the daily prophet open in front of her, clearly avidly reading it.
"Hermione!" I said as I plopped next to her. "I need to-"
"Have you heard?" she whispered, her eyes wide. "Oh Merlin, Ginny, have you?"
"Have I heard what?"
This was curious. Hermione wasn't a big ear for gossip. How could she have known about Lavender and Neville? I bet it was Parvati, she can't deny good gossip, even if it is her best friend-
"Malfoy." That caught my attention.
"Malfoy what?" I asked, blinking. Hermione nodded to the article she was reading, and the headline explained everything. Malfoy's odd behavior today, that look of desperation...everything...
"Narcissa Malfoy killed by husband, burned alive," Hermione whispered. "It's horrible. I wonder-wonder if Malfoy knows."
Merlin.
~-~-~-~-~-~
reviewing's good for the soul...
A/N: some of my friends think that Ginny was wildy out of character in this chapter, but if Ginny and Draco were ever to get together, I always envisioned it happening somewhat along these lines. I mean really, enemies do make the best of couples, and who's a better vixen than a sexy, upset Draco Malfoy? Just to clarify, the first portion was Friday, and then the part where Ginny goes on a broomstick is Saturday. So yes, they are different days.