A/N: I posted Ch. 29 today also, so read that one first! Thanks!
-----
December
Ginny sat up suddenly to distant laughter. The girls in hall were laughing about something and it was no wonder why. Today was the day of the Yule Ball and everyone was excited. Ginny not so much as everyone else, although she couldn't wait to see the hall and see her brother dance with Maggie. Ginny had accepted Tom's invitation stressing that she was only going as a good friend and he insisted they would still have a wonderful time.
Ginny was mostly caught up on her homework and had gone with her friends to Hogsmeade and finished her Christmas shopping, buying her nieces toys and a little outfit for Harry and Hermione's unborn baby. She bought Draco the first item of clothing she had ever bought for a man; a blue soft, button down shirt that reminded her of his eyes. She had saved money during the summer and had enough left over to buy a nice dress for the Yule Ball, this time going for a black fancy one that was shorter than her green one from last year. She thought that the black one she could use again. Tomorrow she would be riding the train home and in three days she and Draco would be leaving to wherever place he had chosen. He had told her parents, but they said it was supposed to remain a secret and wouldn't tell her anything, except they were to return on December 30th in time for Ron and Samantha's wedding on the 31st. All she knew was that she was to apparate to his house on the morning of the 26th and she didn't need to pack much of anything.
Ginny went through her morning routine and headed off for breakfast, hoping to catch Harry early before class to give him the present she had bought for them. They were going to Hermione's parents for Christmas and for the first time wouldn't be around the Burrow on Christmas Day. Hurrying through her breakfast, she told Tom she would meet him in the Common Room at 7pm and headed off for her DADA class, happy that she did catch Harry early. They chatted about the holidays and the Yule Ball.
"How does Draco feel about you going with Tom?" Harry asked quietly, having her sit on a trunk while he locked it for the third years Boggart lesson.
"He's fine, but he really doesn't have a choice though does he?" Ginny jumped down, after the locks were secured. "He did tell me that many girls asked if he was going to be there, so he really isn't looking forward to dancing with so many females when all he really wanted to do was dance with me." Ginny saw Lisa come walking in and told Harry to have a good holiday and she would see him before she left for vacation and made her way to her desk.
"Do you have a date to the dance, Weasley?" Lisa asked and Ginny nodded as she pulled out her quill and parchment.
"I'm going with Tom McEwan."
The other students filed in and before Lisa could say anything else Harry dived right into the lesson.
Students were bouncing off the walls by the time their 2pm class was over. Most of the girls holed themselves up in their rooms, making themselves beautiful. Ginny wasn't really into trying to make herself as stunning as last year, so she opted for leaving her hair down and adding a touch of makeup, then donned her simple, black dress and headed downstairs, seeing Tom waiting casually against the wall leading up the stairs.
"You look beautiful," Tom smiled at her and offered her his arm and she smiled.
"Thanks. You look nice too," Ginny said complimenting him on his dark gray robes that made him look so different than the usual school robes. Chatting about upcoming exams they made their way down the to the Great Hall and entered into a splendor of twinkling lights, ice icicles hanging from the walls and ceiling…it was a winter wonderland and Ginny thought it was the most beautiful she had ever seen the Hall. Students were arriving in droves and it wasn't until eight that she caught sight of Maggie on the arm of Fred as they made their way over to the table where Tom and Ginny were eating.
"Hi guys," Ginny said still finding it hard to believe her brother was here. The couple sat down and pretty soon the four of them fell into conversations about the rumored Death Eaters that someone said they heard were spotted in Ireland. Ginny clung to the hope that since no one from the Order had said anything to her parents or Harry (that she knew of) that they were still rumors.
Ginny finished her dessert and heard the band start up. She looked around the room as Tom refilled their glasses and she caught sight of Draco talking to Professor McGonagall in the corner. As if he felt her looking at him, he looked up and met her eyes across the hall. She gave him a small smile and turned as Tom asked her to dance. She nodded and accepted his hand as he led her to the dance floor.
They were dancing in such a way that Tom had his back to Draco and Ginny could see over her date's shoulder that Draco was watching her. Part of her wondered if this was such a good idea to be here, with him yet not with him. She forced herself to concentrate on something Tom was saying about his plans for the holiday and they chatted amiably about how crazy Muggles were to ski. She entertained him with the story of Harry trying it for the first time last year with Hermione and how much time he spent sitting on the ground as opposed to standing on it.
The dance progressed nicely; she shared a dance with Fred whom she found out was an excellent dancer and she was
totally thrown by the way he was so attentive to Maggie, and acting so normal she wondered if George had slipped him
something. Maggie seemed to be totally enthralled with him so Ginny didn't mention how calm Fred seemed to anyone.
Tom led Ginny out to the balcony to cool off half way through the dance as they stood there each with a glass of
champagne she saw a shadow flit over them.
'Damn!' Ginny thought totally forgetting about the shrieking mistletoe as Tom gazed up a bemused look on his face.
"I reckon this is the shrieking kind isn't it?" he asked, looking back at Ginny who nodded.
"Afraid it is," she smiled at him a bit nervous about kissing someone else when she could see Draco through the doors dancing with Lisa who seemed to be enjoying herself immensely. She turned her eyes back to Tom and they looked at each other for a moment. She felt his hand come to her shoulder and she hoped he wouldn't try to do anything like sticking his tongue into her mouth. But, she was pleasantly surprised when she felt his warm mouth press against hers and rest there for a minute, then pull away. Then he leaned down towards her ear.
"I wouldn't want to get Malfoy mad," and Ginny jerked back and stared at him.
"What?" she said startled by the comment.
"I'm not stupid, Ginny. I saw how you two were last year and I know it's still there even now," Tom squeezed her shoulder and let his hand drop. "I haven't said a word to anyone and won't either," he promised.
Ginny was speechless and stared at him, then leaned up and kissed him quickly on the mouth.
"Thanks, Tom," she whispered and he shrugged, pressing a hand into her back and leading her back inside.
It wasn't until the last dance of the night that Draco made his way to Ginny who had just finished eating a biscuit. Tom was dancing with a prefect from Ravenclaw and Draco silently took her elbow and led her out to the dance floor. Ginny had to consciously make sure that she stood an appropriate distance from him and made sure her hands were where they should be.
"You look wonderful tonight," he said looking at her and Ginny willed herself not to blush. "I like it when your hair is down."
"Stop, Draco. Let's talk about something…platonic," Ginny said quietly feeling his hand tighten around hers.
"Like your kiss with Tom under the mistletoe?" he asked, his face neutral and Ginny rolled her eyes.
"Nothing like the ones we have shared," she whispered then told him what Tom had whispered in her ear.
"Smart man; I might have to just give him and "O" on his next exam," Draco joked and Ginny laughed.
"So, are you going to tell me where we are going in a few days?" Ginny asked and Draco shook his head, taking a half a step back after realizing they were dancing a bit to close for a student/teacher relationship. Ginny let her eyes wander and found them meeting a dark eyed Slytherin's. Lisa was watching her from where she was dancing with her date and glared at her.
"Good lord, I can't dance with you without anyone glaring at me," Ginny murmured moving her eyes back to Draco, who was rubbing his thumb against her back under her hair. She tried to ignore the feelings it brought out.
"They are just jealous," Draco said lightly. Ginny changed the subject to the new rumor about Death Eaters in Ireland and Draco shook his head sharply.
"I'm sure that is just a rumor, Gin, so don't let it bother you, not before the holiday's anyway," he lightened his grip on her hand as the song wound down.
"I'll try not too. By the way, I have your Christmas gift if you think you can sneak up to my room," she said and saw a small smirk settle on his lips.
"NO, not THAT, at least that isn't what I originally bought you," she said, feeling his hand press into her back before they grudgingly let go of each other.
"I'll see you later," he promised, thanked her for the dance and they each turned and went their own ways.
An hour later, Ginny had done rounds with Tom by her side, walking through the castle quickly then after a friendly kiss and hug they went to their respective dorms.
Ginny laid out Draco's gift on her desk in case he did show up, knowing he had to wait with the other teachers to make sure everyone was back in their dorms and to get the castle ready for all the students departing for the holiday's. So, she changed into her pajama pants and a soft long sleeve shirt and laid down on her bed, not even noticing she fell asleep until she felt someone's touch against her cheek. Opening her eyes, she saw Draco sitting next to her and she sat up suddenly awake.
"I'm sorry; I was just planning on relaxing, not sleeping," Ginny covered her mouth as she yawned. "What time is it anyway?"
"A little after one in the morning," Draco said quietly, reaching over to tuck hair behind her ear. Her heart and body responded immediately to his touch. She couldn't remember the last time they had even shared a nice snog with as busy as both of them had been, let alone sleeping with him. Clearing her throat she accio'd his gift and set it in his lap, then grabbed a flat package she had on her nightstand and set it on top.
"Go ahead, open them," she nudged him with her foot and he opened the shirt first, saying he loved it and was secretly pleased she had pegged his taste perfectly. He gently took the wrapping off the flat one and flipped it over when he discarded the last of the green paper.
Ginny watched his face carefully and saw a mixture of emotions float across his face. He looked up at her, then back down at the picture.
"It's…brilliant…," he said words failing him for one of the few times in his life and Ginny smiled, relieved that he liked it.
She had painstakingly gone through each memory of them trying to figure out which one would have the most meaning and finally realized that the first time she felt or thought anything but ordinary thoughts for him was when he talked to her in sixth year, under the tree telling her about a Prefect meeting that evening. She had drawn the picture of her sitting cross legged looking at him, which he crouched down in front of her, the tree and lake the only other items in the picture. She wasn't sure he would catch the meaning, but it appeared he had from the way he sat there silent for a full minute.
She watched his movements as he carefully wrapped the framed picture up and set it and the shirt on the trunk at the end of her bed, then slide up closer to her.
"Thank you," he whispered and took her face in both of his hands and kissed her. Ginny grabbed his shoulders and pulled him down with her, feeling him nestle into her as she wrapped her arms around his back, touching her tongue to his for a moment. She heard him groan as he pulled away.
"Dumbledore knows I am here so I can't stay," he rested his forehead against hers and she let out a quiet "okay" as she loosened her arms around his back and she kept her eyes on him as he backed off of her. He reached into his robe pocket and handed her a wrapped present.
"What? Draco…the trip is enough, you-," she began and saw him look at her meaningfully and she closed her mouth, then began opening the small package that she guessed was some kind of jewelry…she was really beginning to like jewelry she found out.
She flipped open the lid and let out a gasp. There, nestled in black velvet were a pair of simple earrings and if she wasn't mistaken they were diamonds. Her heart mixed with tears blocked her throat as she stared at them, touching them to see if they were real.
Looking up at him she smiled, blinking back tears, then she wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his shoulder, hugging him harder than she knew she could, managing to choke out that they were gorgeous. She was shaking for reasons she couldn't fathom as she held the box tightly in her hand. She fought her voice to verbalize the "I love you" she was thinking over and over in her head. Finally, she let go of him, wiping the tears off her cheeks.
"I can't put them in, I'm shaking so bad," Ginny looked down at her hands where his were cradling. He called her name softly and she looked up at him seeing a softness in his face she hadn't seen before.
"I wish it could be a ring, but with circumstances the way they are…," he held her hands tightly and she looked at him confused.
"You gave me a ring," and she looked pointedly down at her right hand and she felt him take her hands fully in his.
"Not that kind," he smiled at her naiveté. Ginny searched his face and felt a sense of nervousness radiating out of him. He held her left hand and brought it to his mouth, running his lips across her knuckles. "Can you see those," and he nodded towards the jewelry case still in her hand, "on a ring, on here?" and he kissed the spot on her left ring finger all the while staring into her eyes and for a few seconds Ginny sat confused then as it dawned on her and everything fell into place. She squeezed his hand hard.
"Really?" she whispered. The idea of an engagement ring on her finger from Draco Malfoy totally floored her.
"Really."
She felt as if she was another person; she never ever expected this to happen in a million years and all she could do was nod and enjoy the smile that came across his face.
"The end of June; I promise," he whispered in her ear as she hugged him yet again and whispered "ok", her voice shaking as she pressed her lips to his neck breathing in the warm spicy sent that was him; the one that she loved so much. She let her lips follow the curve of his jaw to his mouth where she met his warm lips and the thought that Dumbledore could go to hell crossed her mind as she pressed herself against him and felt him respond pushing her back against the bed shrugging off his robe and leaving it on the floor. She reached over and set the earrings on the nightstand and brought her hand back, running it down his back and, finding the hem of his shirt, she settled her hands on his bare skin. Her simple touch was all he needed to have the same thoughts about their headmaster and together their hands began the dance of removing clothing while stealing touches, heightening the sense of their passion…and for once she felt it was the wrong time and as her lips hesitated in kissing him back he pulled back and looked at her.
"Not here?" he questioned her and she nodded. Wanting the next time to be free of any strings or sneaking around.
With a long kiss he said goodbye and she walked him to the fireplace.
"Thank you for the earrings," Ginny kissed him one more time and he hugged her.
"Anything for you," he said touching her cheek then a second later he was gone.
Too excited to sleep Ginny poured herself a glass of water, drank the whole thing then managed to put the diamonds in her ears. She looked at them in the mirror; she knew everyone would probably think they were fake…which was fine for the secret she and Draco were keeping. Her close friends would know who gave them to her and that they were real but for now letting Lisa or Colin think they were fake worked into the grand scheme of things.
Keeping them in her ears she crawled into bed, her right hand touching her left ring finger where an engagement ring would rest and as she rubbed that part of her finger she closed her eyes and willed sleep to take over, so she could get home via the train, go through Christmas and just be alone with Draco.