Confusion
By Lauren G. (aka RowlingIdol)
Author's Note: Well, I am sick, and have been super busy with school and my new job, yet I am writing this. Hope you enjoy it, I enjoyed thinking of it. :) Please review!!!
Chapter 12: Getting Into You
The boys dropped down from the houses walls and stared daggers at each other. Ron and Hermione entered the house first followed by Harry. Draco and Ginny hung back.
"You look wrecked." Ginny told Draco, reaching up and brushing his tousled hair out his eyes.
"I can't believe that pig." Draco muttered, wiping blood from his nose. He reached in his back pocket and took out a handkerchief and wiped his fingers.
"Here." Ginny said, taking the handkerchief from him. She dabbed at his nose and brushed at the dirt on his cheek. Draco stared down at her.
"Bastard." He muttered.
"Never mind him. He's moved on anyways. I don't know why he has such a problem with you."
"We've ALWAYS had problems with each other." Draco said. He paused. "What do you mean he's moved on?" Ginny's hand stiffened.
"I saw him and Hermione… Together… I guess you could say." Ginny said, not looking at him. She was now concentrated on checking his hand for any fractures or bruises.
"I see." Draco said quietly. "Like…. Together-Together?"
"Just kissing." Ginny said, shrugging one shoulder.
"I'd like to see her try to kiss him with that busted lip." Draco said, glaring towards the house. Ginny smiled a little. She imagined Harry with the lips of puffer fish trying to kiss Hermione. Draco leaned down and brushed her cheek with a kiss. Ginny stared up wide-eyed at him.
"GINNY!" Mrs. Weasley bellowed. She turned and ran into the house.
ooooo
Everyone was set at the kitchen table. Harry was holding a cool wet cloth to his lip. Hermione was trying to restrain from fussing over him too much in front of Ginny.
"Who started all this." Demanded Mrs. Weasley, pounding her fist on the table. Even Mr. Weasley, who was hanging back by the fireplace, jumped. Harry slowed raised his hand.
"Harry! I am ashamed!" Mrs. Weasley said, shaking her head at him. "Now who gave who what." She was indicating the injuries.
"Well, Harry tackled Draco first. Then Draco punched Harry in the mouth. Then Draco tackled HARRY…" Ron trailed off. Harry glared at Ron and mouthed `tattletale'.
"I'm not surprised." Mrs. Weasley said, glaring at Draco, whose nose still dripped.
"Harry was mean to Ginny though." Hermione spoke up. She gave Harry an apologetic look.
"DID HE NOW." Mrs. Weasley, whirling on Harry, who slumped further in his seat. He called Draco a named that rhymed with `Mother Ducker' softly enough for Draco to hear.
"I am disappointed in both you boys. Especially you!" She pointed at Harry.
"And YOU! Don't you get blood on my tablecloth!" Mrs. Weasley whirled on Draco. He hastily tried to mop up his nose.
"I want you three upstairs." Mrs. Weasley shooed the golden trio away. She then rounded on Draco and Ginny.
"SO…." She started, glaring at Draco. "You…"
"Mrs. Weasley-" Draco started in the most gentlemanly way he could muster. "Your daughter has been kind to me this past month and I have done nothing whatsoever to harm her. I would never hurt her."
Mrs. Weasley looked taken aback. She mouthed soundlessly.
"Well, I still don't like you." Mrs. Weasley snapped, crossing her arms in a very childish manner. Mr. Weasley stepped out from behind his wife.
"I don't understand how all this came to be." He asked. Ginny gradually explained how she found him and basically nursed him back.
"He was in my shed?" Whined Mr. Weasley.
"He ate my food?" Mrs. Weasley pitched in.
"It was delicious if I may say so." Draco said. Mrs. Weasley tapped her foot impatiently.
"Well, now that his trial has been held and is over with, I forbid you to see each other!" She finally said.
"But MUM!!!!" Whined Ginny. Her parents looked at her with surprised looks on their faces. Ginny's face grew red.
"And why not." Growled Mrs. Weasley.
"Well… I… I um…. Well…. We've been through a lot. I'm not going to abandon that." Ginny said quickly. Her parents looked at each other.
"I still don't like you." Mrs. Weasley said. Draco gave her a weak smile.
"Did you like my aeroplane magazines?" Mr. Weasley asked Draco. Ginny rolled her eyes.
ooooo
After her mother gave Draco a few more stares and told him two more times she didn't like him, they went to the backyard and sat at one of the patio tables. Ginny leaned across the table with a wet cloth and wiped the dried blood from his upper lip.
"Well, I know your mother doesn't like me." Draco started. Ginny smiled.
"At least they know the basics." She replied. There was more silence. Draco felt his nose.
"Does it feel broken?" Ginny finally asked. Draco shook his head.
"Why do you still want to see me?" He shyly asked. Ginny blushed.
"Why do you?" she asked in return. He shrugged.
"I don't know. You helped me. I just… can't let you leave." Ginny looked down at her finger at her new ring. She remembered the gold rings from the charm.
"Will you tell me why you still want to see me?" Draco asked. Ginny stared at the ring for a moment longer. She opened her mouth.
"Because I think I l….. Because… Because…" She sighed. "Because I think I LIKE being around you." She said. She couldn't tell him she thought she loved him. He'd laugh in her face, wouldn't he?
"Oh." Draco said. He had hoped for a moment she was going to tell him that she loved him because frankly, he thought he loved her. He frowned.
"Well, I like being around you too." He answered. They sat in continued silence until Draco cleared his throat.
"I have a crazy idea." He said. Ginny looked up.
"Let's get out of here. Let's go somewhere."
"That's not crazy Draco." Ginny said, shaking her head.
"No, I mean out of the country. A vacation."
"But I need to be at work on Monday." Ginny blurted.
"Work?" Draco raised an eyebrow. Ginny blushed.
"After your trial Scrimgeour told me I got the job at the ministry. Remember that day we went and I pretended to be interested in the job?"
"You got a job you pretended to want?" Draco asked. Ginny nodded. He laughed and smiled.
"Where do you want to go." He asked seriously.
"I don't know. Away. But not far! Too much money…"
"Ginny, don't worry." Draco said, standing up from his seat. "Meet me at the manor around 4:00?" Ginny paused.
"Sure." Draco gave her a small smile before Apparating home.
ooooo
Once home, he was greeted by several house elves running to take his cloak and bring him tea. He dismissed them all and headed to his room. He dragged out an oak trunk from under his bed and flipped the top open. He magicked several robes and shirts out from his dresser and loaded them into the trunk.
"And where do you think YOU are going." Sneered Snape from the doorway.
"Out, what does it look like?" Draco said rudely, not looking up while shoving pants in his trunk.
"It looks like you're going away for a while, not just out." There was silence. Snape continued.
"I see you passed your trial."
"Like you would care." Draco snapped.
"As a matter of fact I do. Your trial and mine both revolved around the same person. I got let off and I served my time in Azkaban. We're both lucky, but both different."
"You didn't have help though." Draco replied.
"Miss Weasley was kind enough to help you in your time of need. Your life has been spared and you are home. I suggest you let her go. Her work is done." Draco slammed his trunk shut.
"I'm not letting her go." Draco said glaring at Snape. Snape raised a greedy eyebrow at Draco.
"No? And why not? By chance are you going on some sort of whirlwind excursion with Miss Weasley?"
"So what if I am?" Draco said, heading to his closet to look for traveling robes.
"This marriage stunt has gone on too far. Next thing you know people will be reporting that this `get away' is your honeymoon."
"Surprised you know that word." Draco muttered under his breath. He stepped out of his closet. "So what if people do? I don't care what they say."
"Draco, you've fallen into a hole and your only way out is by means of some silly girl who just so happened to give you food and a place to stay." Draco angrily gripped the pair of shoes he had in his hand. He desperately wanted to throw them at Snape.
"Ginny is NOT some silly girl! She gave me a whole lot more than food and a place to stay! She cared!!!" Draco shouted. Snape looked calmly at Draco.
"You love her." He said.
"I do not." Draco lied.
"Yes you do, and she loves you too." There was silence between the two. Draco breathed heavily through his nose and kicked open his trunk. He shoved in the shoes and looked up. Snape looked seriously at him.
"Draco, I am trying to look out for you. I kind of view you as… as a son." For a second their eyes met, which Draco met with a question.
"Do you know what you are getting yourself into?" Draco asked. He slammed his trunk shut again. "Just because you're screwing my mum doesn't make you my father." Snape looked shocked, embarrassed, and angry all at once. Draco levitated his trunk with his wand and walked out of his room.
ooooo
Ginny arrived at the Manor with a small wooden trunk with Charlie's initials on the lock. She knocked with the giant snake shaped doorknocker. A house elf opened the door and ushered her inside. Two more elves came to retrieve the trunk.
"It's fine. Just leave it." Ginny told the elves, but they ignored her and brought the trunk in. Draco met her looking frustrated.
"What's wrong?" Ginny asked. "Did my parents send you a Howler? I told them I needed to get away and I don't think they suspected you but I don't know, they-"
"It's nothing like that." Draco told Ginny.
"Then what?" A house elf brought a tray of tea into the main hall, but Draco shooed him away.
"Someone is trying to play the role of `Dad'." Draco grumbled. Ginny's eyes fell to the floor. She knew he meant Snape.
"Oh." She said, shuffling her feet. "Did you think of where to go?"
"Yeah… Do you like chocolate?" Draco asked.
"Yes, why?"
ooooo
Moments later, Draco and Ginny had arrive at a sort of a log cabin. It was much bigger than any cabin Ginny had seen before.
"We are we?" Ginny asked, shivering from the cold wind. Despite it being summer, wherever they were felt like fall.
"Switzerland. This is our cabin." Draco said, opening the great wooden door with a tap of his wand. He walked inside, pulling his trunk with him. Ginny followed suit. The cabin had comfy looking brown couches and a great sheepskin rug in the main living area.
"Kitchen's to your left, rooms to your right. Bathrooms off of the bedrooms." Draco said, pointing in each direction. He then turned to Ginny.
"Get dressed in something warm. I hope you brought a sweater." Draco said. Ginny just nodded and pulled her trunk with her to the closest room. There was a sleigh bed with a surprisingly friendly looking quilt draped over the snow-white sheets. She dropped her trunk in front of the bed and took out a white sweater and black slacks. She shut the door and changed in the room. When she came out, Draco was waiting near the doors wearing a charcoal gray turtleneck sweater, gray slacks, and a black leather jacket. He had his Slytherin scarf hanging around his shoulders.
"I didn't bring mine." Ginny said, pointing to the sweater. Draco shrugged it off and opened the door for her.
ooooo
They walked down a path that passed several other cabins. Draco explained that rich wizarding families owned most of these cabins, but most were rarely used. The area was private but yet close enough to a small Swedish port town. Ginny hadn't realized how close they were to the ocean. As they headed down towards the main street, Ginny's hands were instantly chilled. She stuffed them in her slack pockets, wishing she had brought a jacket. Draco noticed this and quickly pulled her inside a Swedish goods store.
Minutes later they emerged with Ginny wearing a pair of black leather gloves that matched Draco's jacket. They walked in silence down the walk. Ginny looked at all the cheerful people passing by and the scenery of the gray ocean. She about bumped into Draco when he stopped.
"You like chocolate right?" Draco asked her, turning his head. Ginny nodded.
"Yes." She said, her breath misting in front of her. They had stopped at a vending cart where a man in a plaid hat with a bushy black moustache was serving Hot Chocolate. Draco ordered two. He hand one to Ginny and she smiled. Hers had marshmallows. Draco paid the man with some Muggle money, Ginny decided to not ask questions, and took her over to an overlook nearby. They leaned against an old wooden fence and looked out past the beach and the gray ocean.
"Why did we come here?" Ginny asked after taking a small sip of her drink.
"I felt we needed to get away. Snape reckons that anyone from the wizarding world who sees us here is going to call this a `honeymoon'."
"Surprised he knows that word." Ginny said. Draco grinned.
"I thought the same thing." He admitted. Ginny took another sip.
"They can think what they want. I don't care." She said. Draco looked over at her, the breeze rippling through his hair.
"You don't?" He asked. Ginny shook her head.
"Not really. I mean, its all a lie." She said. Draco looked down sadly.
"Yeah. It is." He looked up and opened his mouth. "Do you…" he started. He really wanted to ask her if sometimes she wished it wasn't a lie.
"Do you like your hot chocolate?" He asked instead. Ginny nodded.
"Yes, thank you." Ginny took another sip of her drink. Draco did the same. She tried to not let it show that she had hoped he had asked her if she sometimes wished the lie wasn't a lie. Lately, she had felt that way. Draco cleared his throat, which caught her attention again.
"I've really liked our times together." Ginny said quietly. Draco gripped his cup tighter.
"Me too." He replied. There was more silence between them. Draco looked at Ginny out of the corners of his eyes.
"Can I ask you something?" He asked, looking back straight ahead.
"Sure." Ginny asked.
"Why are you still here? With me?" He asked.
"You asked that earlier today." Ginny said.
"Actually, I think I said it yesterday." Draco said, pulling back the sleeve of his jacket and checking his watch. Ginny smiled.
"Will you answer again? Why you're still here, why you took me in, why you've done the things you have. Will you tell me?"
"That's more than one question, but I'll answer." Ginny said, turning her cocoa cup around in her hands.
"I felt bad when you came into the store that night. I thought you were dead, and you looked… So weak. I knew that we never had a good past together, but after the war…" Ginny sighed.
"After the war, lots of things changed. Enemies had to become friends. I guess that's just how I view the aftermath." She was quiet.
"Does that sound stupid?" She asked. Draco shook his head.
"No, it doesn't." He answered.
"Do you hate me?" Draco asked. Ginny looked surprised.
"No. I don't hate you." She said.
"Then how do you feel about me?" He continued. Ginny blushed and looked down at her shoes.
"I…." She croaked. "I feel a lot of things." Was her answer. It was Draco's turn to look down. Ginny sighed.
"That day, at the Ministry? When I lied?" Ginny began. "I guess I felt something then. I had helped you. You started to mean something to me… Like, a friend." Draco hung his head lower.
"All this stuff between us…. All my decisions, have focused around you. When I made up my mind, and my heart along with that… To… To live not for myself, but yet…" Ginny trailed off. The words of Draco's father Lucius echoed in her head.
`I hope you know what you're doing missy.' She sighed. `Do I know what I'm getting myself into?' She asked herself.
"Ginny." Draco said, reaching over and brushing back her hair. She looked up at him.
"In the time I ran away from the war, I had plenty of time to think and reflect on everything that I had been through and done. When I finally ironed out all my priorities, I knew I had to remove all my doubts. They just made me so unsure of the things I ask myself. I don't want that anymore."
As Draco finished speaking, his eyes were soft- yet serious. He brushed her cheek gently with his hands. Ginny reached up a hand and touched his. She looked him square in the eye and asked:
"Do you know what you are getting yourself into?" Draco lowered his hand, taking Ginny's with it.
"I'm getting into you, because you got to me, in a way words can't describe. I'm getting into you, because I've got to be your essential to survive. Ginny…. I love you. I'm going to love you with my life." Ginny's eyes swelled and a tear ran down her cheek.
"I'm sorry… I'm sorry." Draco said, letting go of her hand and turning away. Dammit, why did he just tell her that? Ginny continued to sniffle and cry behind his back. He turned around and saw her trying to dry her eyes with a napkin.
"Ginny, I've been a liar and I'll never amount to the kind of person you deserve to worship you. But I love you and I don't know how to stop…" Ginny sniffled and looked up at him.
"Draco, I'm not going to dwell on what you've done, but rather on what you do. I love you and that's what you are getting yourself into." Ginny ran into his arms and cried into his gray sweater. Draco hugged her close and breathed heavily into her hair. His heart was racing.
"I'm going to love you with my life." He whispered to her gently. "I love you and that's what I'm getting yourself into."
ooooo
They stood there in each others arms for a long time. Draco did not want to let her go. His arms curled protectively tight around her. Ginny moved her head and looked up at him.
"What now." She softly asked. Draco played with her hair.
"I don't know. What would you like to do?" Ginny snuggled against his chest, which delighted him.
"I don't know either." She said. "Any more CRAZY ideas?" She teased. Draco looked down at her and smiled. He reached for her hand and squeezed it.
"Yeah. I've got one." He grinned.
ooooo
The next thing that happened was a whirlwind, literally. They had gone back to the cabin and Draco insisted they floo back to England.
"Just for the moment." Draco had said to her. Ginny was under the impression that they were flooing back to the manor, but the house they appeared in was nothing compared to the manor. She had never been in this house before, but it smelled awfully familiar.
"Hello?" Draco called out. There was a lot of shuffling and a man walked into the room. The man gave a shout in surprise.
"My goodness, I did not expect company! Hello hello hello!" said the man as he bustled into the room.
"I heard the news! Good to see you alive and well Draco, even though you WERE a troublemaker at school." Professor Slughorn said, rushing to shake Draco's hand.
"Hello Professor." Draco said. Slughorn then turned to Ginny.
"Miss Weasley!! You've grown so much! No where near as tall as your brother Ron though!"
"Hi Professor." Ginny said, letting Professor Slughorn give her a hug.
"What bring you two here? Come to congratulate me on my achievement of creating the antidote for Gillyweed allergies?" Professor Slughorn puffed out his chest and indicated a plaque that was above the fireplace.
"Actually, no. But congratulations." Draco said. Professor Slughorn chuckled.
"Oh you kids!" He laughed. Ginny gave Draco a funny look.
"Did you come for a spot of tea? I was about to make some. Or would you care for some whiskey? Some rum? A brandy?"
"No thank you." Draco said, getting annoyed with the old man. "I have a favor to ask you."
"A favor? For a Slytherin, of course! What do you need m'boy?" Professor Slughorn cheerfully patted Draco on the shoulder. Draco looked down at Ginny.
"I want you to marry us." Draco said.
"What?" Professor Slughorn and Ginny said at the same time.
"I thought you were already married!" Said Professor Slughorn.
"You want to what me?" Ginny asked.
"I want to marry you." Draco said to her. Professor Slughorn staggered back.
"I need a brandy…" He then shuffled out of the room. Ginny sat down in a saggy cushioned armchair because she was feeling faint. Draco sat across from her on a piano bench.
"Ginny, I'd love you to want me, the way that I want you, the way that it should be. You'd love me to want you, the way that I want to, if you'd only let it be."
"I want you to be with me, but do we have to get married? Why can't we…. I don't know… date or something?"
Draco took her hands.
"Date Ginny? Ginny- you saved my life and I love you. I don't want to lose you. Not to Potter, not to anyone. Please be with me." Ginny looked down and then at Draco.
"All right." Ginny said, smiling. There was a burst of sobbing from the doorway. Professor Slughorn had returned and was now crying.
"That was… *sniff* so beautiful!" He cried. Draco and Ginny stood up. Professor Slughorn blew his nose loudly in a handkerchief and bustled over to a packed bookshelf. He brushed the dust of the bindings until he found the book he was looking for.
"Did you know I am an ordained minister, Miss Weasley?" Slughorn asked her. He licked his thumb and flipped through the pages of the book. Ginny shook her head.
"Its not every day former students come here to be wed." Slughorn chuckled. He made his way to the back of the room where there was a table with lit candles.
"Gather here, gather here." Slughorn gestured, beckoning the two over to him.
"Do you have ring, Mr. Malfoy?" Slughorn asked. Ginny held up her left hand and showed him the ring.
"Silly girl!" Slughorn laughed. "You're not supposed to wear it yet!" He held out his hand and Ginny handed him the ring, which he promptly handed to Draco. Slughorn cleared his throat and began to read off wedding vows. The minutes passed and Slughorn came to the end vows.
"Do you, Ginevra Weasley, take Draco Malfoy, to be your lawfully wedded husband?" Slughorn asked.
"I do." Ginny said, squeezing Draco's hand.
"Do you, Draco Malfoy, take Ginevra Weasley to be your lawfully wedded wife?"
"I do." Draco said. Draco took out the silver ring and slipped it on her finger.
"You are now husband and wife. Draco, please kiss your lovely new wife." Slughorn announced as he shut the book. Draco shifted nervously before leaning down and kissing Ginny. Slughorn began to cry again.
"Please stop crying, Professor." Ginny asked. Slughorn choked down a sob and gave Ginny a hug and slapped Draco so hard on the back he began to cough. Professor Slughorn collected himself so he could have the new couple sign a marriage certificate. With a tap of his wand, Slughorn made the certificate roll up and seal itself. He handed it to Draco and bade them goodbye. As Professor Slughorn raced off crying, Draco pulled Ginny towards the fireplace.
"Where now?" Ginny asked, yet again. Draco pulled out a bag of floo powder from his jacket pocket.
"One more stop before we head back." Draco said. They then flooed to the Malfoy mansion.
"I'm home." Draco called out, stepping onto the hearthrug in front of him. There was no answer from any adults, but a house elf came to greet them.
"I want you to put together a whole new room for Ginny." Draco told the elf. "No more guest rooms." He ordered sternly.
"Is Miss going to be staying long?" asked the elf, bowing low. Draco put his arm around Ginny, pulling her close to him.
"Yes." He said, looking down at her. "A long time."
oooo
After flooing back to the cabin, Draco wrapped Ginny up in a big hug.
"So, Mrs. Malfoy." Draco said, looking down at her. "What should we do now?"
"I want a relaxing bath." Ginny sighed. "My feet are killing me and I'm tired. What about you? What do you want to do?" Draco grinned.
"I'm not opposed to doing it." He said. Ginny shoved him playfully.
"Come on!" Draco said, trailing after her. "We're married! That's what people do on their wedding night!"
"I know that." Ginny said, opening the door the bathroom and walking in.
"So…." Draco asked, raising an eyebrow at her. Ginny just smiled and closed the door.
ooooo
Getting Into You
By Relient K
When I made up my mind
And my heart along with that
To live not for myself
But yet for God, somebody said
Do you know what you are getting yourself into
When I finally ironed out
All of my priorities
And asked God to remove the doubt
That makes me so unsure of these
Things I ask myself, I ask myself
Do you know what you are getting yourself into
I'm getting into you
Because you got to me, in a way words can't describe
I'm getting into you
Because I've got to be
Your essential to survive
I'm going to love you with my life
When he looked at me and said
I kind of view you as a son
And for a second our eyes met
And I met that with a question
Do you know what you are getting yourself into
I'm getting into you
Because you got to me, in a way words can't describe
I'm getting into you
Because I've got to be
Your essential to survive
I'm going to love you with my life
I've been a liar and I'll never amount to
The kind of person you deserve to worship you
You say you will not dwell on what I did but rather what I do you say
I love you and that's what you are getting yourself into
I'm getting into you
Because you got to me, in a way words can't describe
I'm getting into you
Because I've got to be
Your essential to survive
I'm going to love you with my life
He said, I love you and that's what you are getting yourself into
ooooo
Author's Note- BOOM! Did ya'll see THAT coming? I bet you didn't. Well… Maybe you did. At least not at the beginning of the chapter. Anyways, when I heard this song I knew it was perfect for this story. The story takes place in summer, but when I envisioned the hot chocolate scene they were someplace winter-like, so I thought of Switzerland. If this is totally off, I apologize. I think I'm just in a mood for cold weather and sweaters. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW! With the chapter ending like this I know you want to… So do it!
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