Hello my faithful readers!! Sorry once again for the late update. If finals weren't bad enough, a few days before my exams I got in a car accident (my poor car with my Slytherin bumper sticker is totaled) and was a bit out of it for a few days. I'm fine now, but between being too sore to type, studying and taking finals, and saying goodbyes, writing got a bit delayed.
But the good news is it is now summer break, and I don't start school or work for a few more weeks, so I'm hoping to pop out a few more chapters in my free time.
Also, I'd like to introduce a fairly-new beta, Wolfey. She's been editing older chapters for another site, and this is the first chapter she's edited for this site. So thanks to her for getting this chapter done so quickly.
Now, on to the show! This chapter is in dedication to all of my readers. Thanks for being patient.
Chapter Eleven
As Draco slowly pulled back the covers, Ginny felt like her heart was going to burst. The last time they were on her bed together, the action between them was so fast paced, that it didn't give Ginny time to think. But now Draco was taking his time, clearly trying not to do what he did before - by rushing. Once the sheets were pulled back, Ginny discovered she was wearing a long T-shirt, just like she preferred to wear to bed at Hogwarts.
When she noticed that Draco too was studying her in the long shirt, she blushed. She suddenly wished she were wearing something sexy--maybe a lacy nightgown. As Draco's eyes moved from her hips to her eyes, she wondered if he had taken many women, and how beautiful they were.
Before she could start to feel self-conscious, Draco crawled over her and kissed her hips, lightly at first. The pressure was so soft that Ginny almost couldn't feel it, until the kiss deepened. Ginny ran her hand through his hair, and not being able to help herself, she tugged on it slightly. Draco moaned against her lips, and to her surprise, dug himself into her.
Ginny gasped at feeling himself on her, and when she opened her mouth it gave Draco entrance with his tongue. It prodded gently, but when Ginny kissed back, it intensified. Soon Ginny's arms were around his neck, holding him down as close as he could get, and Draco's hands were tangled into his hair as his body was pressed up against her own. Ginny felt her blood rise and a sweat break out; she felt like she couldn't get enough of him. She just wanted to taste him; she wanted to have him. At the moment, she understood Draco's obsession for her, because she felt she couldn't get enough of him.
Draco pulled back, leaving both of them panting. His hair was out of place, and his cheeks were red. Without a word, he lifted himself up enough so he could reach down and tug at the end of Ginny's T-shirt, pulling it up her body. Ginny lifted herself off the bed as Draco drew it over her head, and then he tossed it aside.
She was left in only her underwear and the strapless bra she wore under her dress. At least those two garments were sexy, she thought to herself. Draco seemed to take little notice of them, though, only that they were in the way. His hand dug beneath her back, and finding the hook, he undid the bra so quickly that it either impressed Ginny - or made her slightly apprehensive. He too tossed that aside, and before Ginny could feel the cool air hit her bare chest, he bent down and enveloped one nipple into his mouth.
Ginny gasped aloud at feeling Draco's tongue swirl around her. His lips sucked on her gently at first, and then seemed to grow hungry and the pressure increased. Ginny's back arched at his touch as the pleasure intensified, and just when she thought it couldn't get any better, she felt his other hand snake down to her underwear and slip underneath the material.
Ginny almost jumped when she felt his fingers between her legs, but they were barely there before he slipped them inside, this time making her buck.
"Oh!" she gasped. She didn't know what to concentrate on: Draco at her breast, or his fingers curling inside of her. The pleasure doubled as Draco pulled his fingers back out and then in, each time with more force. Ginny gripped her hands onto his shoulders, feeling the need to hold on to something. But then her hands moved from his shoulder to the front where she hastily tried to undo the dress robe, and tried to push it off his shoulders. She needed to see him naked; she needed to touch him like he was touching her.
Draco lifted his head from her chest, his mouth halfway open and panting. He shook his head as he continued to work his fingers in her, pumping them and curling, working them harder and harder with each stroke. "You first," he said before he kissed her, biting the bottom of her lip. "First you come, and then we move on."
Ginny couldn't answer; the pleasure she was feeling was too intense. Her hands let go of him and dug right back into the sheets. Her body strained and shook as Draco's other hand felt the sensitive nub between her legs, and when he encircled it with his thumb, Ginny felt herself burst.
Her climax left her panting and feeling weak. As she lay there, feeling completely helpless, she lazily watched as Draco climbed out of bed and took off his clothes and shoes. To the eye, he seemed so relaxed about doing it, as if it was everyday he would undress when he had a half-naked woman in bed next to him, whom he just made orgasm. But when Ginny looked closer, she saw his fingers were shaking as he undid buttons, and he practically kicked his shoe off. When he went to push down his boxers, Ginny couldn't help but blush and look away.
When she felt him climb back onto the bed, she looked at him and felt her face grow red. She forgot how gorgeous he was when naked. Tentatively, she reached over and touched his chest, grazing her fingers over the hard surface, and down to his stomach where the abs poked out. She glanced up at Draco's face and saw his eyes closed. Ginny couldn't help but smirk at knowing how she affected him. And, before she lost her courage, her hand drifted down farther and grasped his length.
Draco's eyes popped open when she wrapped her hand around him, and then slowly at first, she began to move her hand up and down. Draco let out a groan and his body buckled slightly, but he kept his weight up as he sat next to Ginny in bed. Ginny's other hand pulled his face towards her and she kissed his lips hungrily as her other hand continued to pump him, growing with intensity. She had never done anything so exhilarating; giving Draco pleasure was an amazing feeling to her. It was a complete power trip.
Draco let go of her lips and put his head on her shoulder as he panted. She felt his muscles strain and tense as her hand moved. She felt he was close to climax, but as soon as she thought he'd come, he pulled away from her.
Ginny frowned. "But, Draco-"
Draco shook his head before his hands reached down for her underwear and hurriedly pulled them off. "If you keep on doing that, I won't be able to do anything for awhile," he said before leaning back up and kissing her.
Draco laid on top of Ginny, this time his legs between her own. As his naked body pressed into her own, Ginny's heart raced. She knew what was going to happen next--for the first time ever, she was going to have sex. She was going to loser her virginity to a Malfoy, and she had no guilt about it anymore. But the thought made her quickly look at the frame next to her, and to her happiness, found that Draco already turned it around.
She looked back to see Draco looking at her. "Are you sure, Ginny?" he asked. "Because I can't stop now. I can't-"
But Ginny just grabbed his face and kissed him. It reminded her of how she would kiss Harry to silence him, but it wasn't like that anymore. She wanted to silence Draco, but to have him keep on going.
Draco took her kiss as a yes, because he nudged her legs apart farther with his knee. His hand slipped between her legs again, and played with her briefly before he pulled his hand away and positioned himself at her entrance.
Ginny gripped the pillow underneath her head, waiting for the pain she knew she'd feel. Draco bent down and kissed her lips, and with one quick thrust, he entered and filled her.
But instead of the pain she thought she would feel, she only felt immediate pleasure. Both groaned and stayed still for a moment, before Ginny lightly bucked her hips up and then Draco started to move. Just like when his fingers were in her, he pulled out slightly, but then thrusted back in, each time harder and faster. Ginny grabbed onto his shoulders as she felt herself whimper out of pleasure; she never knew it could feel that good. Draco bent down and kissed her hard between each thrust, digging his hands into her hair as he held himself up and over her.
Ginny's hands released his shoulders and her nails scratched down his back, causing Draco to moan and then quicken his pace. Sweat covered both of their bodies as they moved together frantically. Ginny's legs wrapped around Draco's body tightly as she felt the familiar ache of pleasure swell up in her. She didn't know why, but she made sure she was looking straight into Draco's eyes as she came again.
As soon as she came, she felt Draco's body shake as he came right after her. Draco dropped on top of her and he breathed heavily into her ear, but she welcomed the weight. Her hands skimmed his sweaty back as they both breathed heavily, both of their hearts racing.
After it seemed Draco was able to move, he pulled himself out of her, to her disappointment, but when he rolled off, he pulled her with him. It felt odd to her to be cuddling up next to him, with his arm around her and pressing her into his naked body, but considering what they had just done together, she figured it shouldn't be that weird.
Soon, weariness tugged at her heavy eyelids, and Ginny's breath matched Draco's calming heartbeat. Ginny let the sudden exhaustion she felt overtake her, and she closed her eyes for a troubled sleep.
~*~
"Do it, Weasley."
Ginny looked up--she was no longer lying next to Draco. She looked around with horror on her face and a knot in her stomach. She was back in her cell at prison.
A dagger was thrown into her cell, mixing in with the hay on the floor. Ginny stared at it in horror, but couldn't move. "No," she whispered to the cloaked person that stood at the door. "No, I won't."
"Fine then," a female voice said. "Then die tomorrow by the Dark Lord. I'm just trying to do you a favor, that's all."
The woman left her with a cruel laugh, leaving Ginny alone with the sharp object. She stared at it, her arms wrapped around her knees, for a whole hour, and didn't move until screams filled the hall.
"No!" a woman sobbed. "No, please no, I don't want to die! Please, I'll do anything!"
A smack filled the hallway, silencing the screaming woman. Someone in the cell next to hers cried quietly. Ginny covered her ears. "Shut up!" she screamed. "Just shut up-get out of my head!" She wanted the screams to stop, she was sick of all the crying. Why couldn't they be strong like Hermione? She never cried when they took her to her death.
The moonlight reflected off the dagger, catching Ginny's eyes. She wondered if her family cried, or if they faced death bravely. Or what about Harry-did he go down fighting for his life, or did he give in, too weak to survive?
Ginny inched over to the blade, crawling on her hands and knees. She'd give anything just to see her family again, just to share one more hug and one more smile. She picked the dagger up in her hand. She was so alone, so empty. Everyone had gone and deserted her. Everyone had to die and leave her alone.
She felt something warm on her wrist. She looked down and blinked, seeing blood flow from an open wound. When did she do that? She glanced at the red tip of the blade held in her hand, and didn't even flinch as she took it again and dragged it over the open wound, pressing down even harder.
She heard footsteps down the hall and two men talking. "He won't notice if we took a little break," one man said. "We guard her all day long anyway."
Quickly, she told herself, pressing down harder, causing more blood to stream out over her skin. A small puddle collected on the floor. She started to see black spots as she closed her eyes. She felt suddenly heavy, and she dropped the blade with a clang as she felt her body fell back, suddenly tired.
Almost there, she whispered to herself. Soon she would see her family. Soon.
Ginny awoke with a sharp gasp-she couldn't breathe or move-something was holding her down. She squirmed as she let out a sharp scream. She needed to fight death; she couldn't die.
Whatever was holding her down released her. She bolted up from sitting position and found herself naked. Why was she naked?
"Ginny? Ginny!"
Someone was shaking her shoulders, making her dizzy. She felt herself fall backwards, but someone caught her.
"Easy now," they told her as they lifted her into their arms. "Just take a deep breath. You're having a panic attack."
Yes, she decided, breathing was good. She listened to the voice and took a deep breath, her pulse racing. She shut her eyes tightly, and didn't open them until she could focus straight. There staring at her with a worried face was Draco.
"What happened?" Ginny asked as he laid her down on the bed.
"You had a nightmare," he said as pulled up a blanket and wrapped her in it. "You were twitching and moaning then suddenly you freaked out and woke up."
Ginny stared at him. "A nightmare?" she asked. She stared at the top of the canopy bed, trying to remember what she dreamt of. She remembered voices and screaming. It was dark and-
Suddenly Ginny clutched her left wrist. "I remember," she said as she stared at the long, pink scar. "It was when…when I tried to kill myself."
She felt Draco's body stiffen. "I remember that night," he said. "Crabbe and Goyle left their guard duty- they found you in a pool of your own blood with a dagger."
"Oh," she said softly, "so those were the voices I heard."
Draco shook his head. "I almost killed them after that. I don't even know how you managed to get a dagger in the first place."
"A woman gave it to me," Ginny said, "while the guards were gone."
Draco scrunched his face in confusion. "What do you mean a woman? What did she look like?"
Ginny shook her head. "I don't know-her hood was up, and her voice was odd, like she used a charm to hide it. It still sounded feminine, just couldn't recognize it."
Draco ran a hand through his hair and got up and paced in front of her. Ginny blushed at seeing his naked body. "But that doesn't make sense," Draco said. "There were no women on duty that night. And why would anyone do that in the first place?"
"She said she was trying to help me," Ginny said quietly. "She said that I was to be killed the next day, and that if I had any Gryffindor courage, I'd take my own life before I let someone else do it."
Draco stopped in front of her. "But you were never on the list to be killed," he said. "All the guards knew that you weren't to be touched."
Ginny stared at him. "Then why would she do that?"
Draco shook his head. "I don't know. Unless-" He paused and shook his head.
"Unless it was Pansy!" Ginny yelled, sitting upright in excitement. "It must have been her! She was always treating me horribly in prison, not to mention when I ran into her at the robe shop."
Draco ran a hand through his hair. "Sure, she hates you, but enough to try to kill you? What would be her motive? But it couldn't have been her--she was with me that night."
Ginny paused at his words. Like when she had wondered earlier if he had been with other women, the thought crept into her mind again. She stared down at Draco, naked, and thought of what they had just done together, and if he had done it with other women. Of course, she highly doubted that he too was a virgin before he took her own virginity. An image of Pansy being on top of Draco crossed her mind, and it suddenly made Ginny feel ill. The thought of any woman touching Draco made her feel sick, in fact. It didn't make her feel right thinking that Draco could have touched someone else the way that he touched her.
Ginny stared at her hands and licked her lips. "Did you and Pansy ever…" was all she could spit out.
Draco was silent for a moment, making Ginny's heart plummet. Of course they were together; everyone knew they were an item at Hogwarts. Since Ginny could remember, Pansy was always following Draco around, swooning after him like Ginny did to Harry. Except in Ginny's situation, she had never felt strongly enough about Harry to actually have sex with him.
Draco's deep laugh knocked Ginny out of her thoughts. She looked over at him, amazed.
"Not you too," he said as he lay down onto the bed, with his arms behind his head. "Though I guess everyone did think we were shagging at Hogwarts."
Ginny's heart filled with relief, and as she looked at Draco smiling and with a twinkle in his eyes, she decided he had never looked so handsome.
"So, you two never…"
Draco shook his head and stared up ahead of him. "It's actually kind of funny if you think about it. I guess we were like you and Potter--just for show. Father wanted me to date her--said it looked good for my appearance to be with a Pureblood. Pansy was of course happy about it. She's liked me since we were little."
"But to never had done it--she must have been willing."
"Oh, Pansy tried several times," Draco said. "I can't even count how many times she tried to jump me."
Ginny frowned. It didn't make sense for a teenage boy to pass up sex with his willing girlfriend. "So why didn't you-"
Draco looked at her. "Because," he said, "she wasn't the one that I wanted."
Ginny paused at his words, and was aware of a blush creeping over her face. He had said enough, and it only made her question once more how long he had wanted her for. Did it start back at Hogwarts? Of course, it must have, but for how long? How long did he want her while he continued to tease her family and her friends? During all those times of making her cry, of getting in fights with Ron and Harry, was he secretly obsessed with her? Ginny wondered about the torture he must have felt from his feelings for her; of everything he boasted to be and stand for, what were the odds of falling for the enemy?
Ginny was aware of Draco staring at her. He reached up his hand and cupped her face. "Come here," he said softly, as he lightly pulled her down so he could kiss her.
Ginny leaned down and kissed his lips softly. It just felt like the right thing to do, instead of worrying about how long he wanted her. And she knew he would never tell her--the fact that he wanted her at all was never actually spelt out. He just showed it in his own ways.
What started out as a soft kiss ended left Ginny breathless. With Draco lying down, she was aware that she was in control of the kiss, and of whatever else she wanted to do. And at the moment, she wanted to keep on kissing Draco. To know that he had never been with Pansy, and that he had just been with her only moments ago, made her want to claim him once more. She suddenly wanted Pansy to know that she could never have him. She wanted Draco in the way that Harry had always wanted her. It was like a fever; it made her hot and sent chills throughout her body, but it was something she never wanted to come down from.
Ginny pressed down harder onto Draco's lips, feeling as if she couldn't get enough of him. Suddenly feeling daring, or maybe enough passion had built in her that she just exploded, Ginny tossed the blanket off of her and climbed on top of Draco.
She glanced down at Draco's face to see his eyes widen at her move, but before he could get a word in she bent down, and bit his bottom lip as she dug both of her hands into his hair, tugging slightly.
Draco's hips bucked up as he let out a groan. Ginny couldn't help but let out an impish grin. This is what Draco must have felt when he was on top of her, having his way with her. Ginny bent down and kissed his neck, sucking lightly on it before she followed her way up to his ear and nibbled on his ear lobe. She felt Draco strain underneath her as her kisses moved down his neck and onto his chest. Further and further down she went, licking his navel, and the further down she went the heavier he breathed.
When she had gotten to between his legs, Ginny paused and looked up at Draco. His eyes were halfway closed, his cheeks were red, and his mouth was open and panting. She had never seen him so undone. If he were already like this, he would be squirming in a moment.
And just like in the dream she had of him, the one where he was in her bed, Ginny bent over and captured his length in her mouth. Draco's hips jumped at her touch, sending him even further into her mouth, and Ginny took him greedily. He had always been so personal with her, and this time, it was her turn. She wanted to know what he tasted like, what he felt like. She wanted to make him as much hers as she was his.
"Oh, Merlin," Draco muttered as she sucked and licked him. Though the only time she had done this was in a dream, her mouth and hands seemed to know what to do. She seemed to know that if she licked him here, it would make Draco jump, and if she applied more pressure there, it would make him moan.
But just when she was getting the hang of it, Draco strangled out, "Ginny, Ginny please, I can't hold it must longer. Climb-climb on top of me."
Though she wanted to continue to please him, she was only too willing. Getting him off was giving herself the same effects, and she felt that if she didn't have him in her in another minute, she would die.
Ginny let go of him, and crawled back up to him. Draco was now sweaty and red in the face, but he was able to move his arms and his hands gripped her hips. He directed her over his length, and the moment she felt him poking her entrance, Ginny slammed down on him.
They both gasped out loud at the force of her move. Ginny's knees dug onto either side of Draco's body as she straddled him, and in a moment she was able to move again. She wanted to tell Draco that she didn't know what to do, but to her surprise her hips started to move, and she began to ride him. Draco gripped on her hips tightly as he helped lift her up and down, each time faster and harder. Now on top and in control, Ginny couldn't help but speed things up. Before Draco had taken his time with her, not wanting to hurt her, but now Ginny wanted it fast and hard. She knew she'd be sore the next day, but she greatly welcomed it with each thrust when she felt Draco hit her at a certain angle that left her moaning.
And being on top hit angles that she didn't feel before, Ginny discovered. Ginny leaned forward a bit more, and practically saw stars as she thrusted down onto Draco. Her pace quickened as she felt the knot of pleasure build up in her; she was determined to intensify it before she exploded. She looked up at Draco, and he must have known what she was trying to do, because his hands quickly grasped her breasts and pinched her nipples.
Draco's touch sent her flying over the edge. She arched her back as she came and let out a yell, and managed to stay on top until Draco came too, shortly after. As soon as he was done, Ginny collapsed on top of Draco, feeling she would never be able to move again.
Her heart was racing and her breath was short, but she felt glorious. She had never known that sex could feel so good. She had wondered why she had waited so long, but was suddenly glad that she got to experience her first time with Draco. In fact, she had gone through many first times with him, only having kissed Harry.
Ginny rolled off of Draco and let out a moan of pain at her sore hips. She knew she rode him too hard. Draco looked over at her and frowned. "What's wrong? Did I hurt you?"
Ginny shook her head and lay down next to him. "Not like that," she said. But at her own words she paused, and fear started to creep into her belly. Not like that…not like the pain she was supposed to feel from being a virgin…not like the pain she didn't feel when he took her the first time.
She sat up quickly and turned onto Draco. "It didn't hurt," she said quickly, her eyes wide. "It didn't hurt--why didn't it hurt?"
Draco deepened his frown and sat up. "Ginny, what are you talking about?"
But thoughts and images started to pour into Ginny's head, of just having found out hours before that Luna was raped by Flint, and then of Flint attacking her himself. And panic rose in her as she thought of the month she spent in prison, and of hearing night after night of women getting raped, and always waiting for her to be next. Always waiting every night to be woken up with some man on top of her. But to her knowledge, it never happened.
Suddenly she couldn't breathe. Ginny gripped at her chest as tears stung her eyes. She felt Draco jump next to her, and then he was in front of her and his hands were on her shoulders. She was reacting the same way she did when she thought Hermione was raped by Flint, only it wasn't Hermione, but it was Luna, and the thought still made her sick.
Draco shook her shoulders. "What is it? What's wrong?" he asked frantically.
Ginny struggled to breathe and could only shake her head. Finally she took a sharp breath and spit out, "Did anyone ever come into my cell?"
Draco pulled back. "What are you talking about? Of course not; Crabbe and Goyle guarded it."
Ginny shook her head, this time crying. "But how could you trust those two?" she asked, finally able to breathe freely now that she could spit out what was going through her mind. "How do you know those two never tried anything, or that they did let anyone in?"
"Because they would have known I'd kill them," Draco said.
"That's if you found out," Ginny said. "And you wouldn't have known of anything if I didn't know of anything."
Draco slowly shook his head. "Ginny, what are you talking about?"
"I-" Ginny said, but had problems saying it now. "Something's not right. When…when we did it, the first time, I didn't feel any pain. Not one bit of it."
Draco's face scrunched in confusion. "So?"
"So I was a virgin, Draco! Remember-I told you I never had sex with Harry. I never had sex with anyone, but when I had sex with you, I felt like I had done it already before."
Draco was silent for a moment, but then he slowly started to shake his head as the realization crept in. "No one touched you, Ginny," he said. "I made sure of that. That's why I had Crabbe and Goyle guard you, so you wouldn't get-"
"Raped?" Ginny said. "Like every other woman in that prison?"
But Draco kept on shaking his head. "No, no, it didn't happen," he said. "I would have known--you would have known."
"Not if they erased my memory," she said, quieting down. It just all started to make sense. To live in such a place for a month and to never be touched just didn't seem realistic. Knowing how Flint wanted her, how were Crabbe and Goyle to be trusted?
But now Draco was pink in the face. "It didn't happen," he said, his tone angry. He let her go and jumped out of bed and reached for his clothes and hurriedly put them back on. Ginny watched in slight shock as he struggled to put his dress robe back on, with his face pink and his hair messed up.
"Where are you going?" she asked. Had she angered him at her accusation? Did he think she was implying that he had done something to her in her cell? Ginny stopped at her own thought--did she think Draco could even be capable of that?
"To talk to Crabbe and Goyle," Draco said, finally done with his dressing. He looked up at her. "If you want proof, I'll get you proof."
But before Ginny could answer, Draco walked out of the room, slamming the door as he left. Ginny stared at the door in shock, her mouth wide open, and after a moment she gathered the blanket around her naked body and curled up into a ball.
Was she being overdramatic for thinking such a thing could happen to her? Or was it probable to assume the worst? She had always counted herself lucky to not be raped in prison, but how lucky was she? If someone had once tried to kill her by suicide, wouldn't have someone at least tried to get at her in another way? She thought of Luna, and what had happened to her, and even Hermione, and wondered if anything had happened to her. Draco said they were protected, but Ginny could only imagine the things that went on behind Draco's back.
Her mind was racing with too many thoughts to fall asleep, so she stayed awake and waited for Draco to return. She wondered if he had gone back to the party to find Crabbe and Goyle, and of what kind of trouble he would get into there. Surely Flint would have awoken by then--what would happen if he ran into Draco? And Flint would have told Pansy about Ginny's appearance; suddenly, Ginny worried more about Draco's safety then her own situation.
She must have drifted off to sleep, because Ginny awoke with a start when she heard a loud bang coming from downstairs. She sat up, holding the blanket to her chest.
"Draco?" she called out, but there was no response.
Now worried, Ginny got out of bed, wincing as her tired legs were put into use. She let go of the blanket and reached her robe that was on the inside of the bathroom door. She jumped when she heard another bang from below, as if something was knocked over.
Ginny tied the robe as tightly as she could and then crept out of the room. The lights in the hallway were dimmed for the night, and the whole setting sent a chill down her spine. She started to walk towards her room to grab her wand, but when she heard someone--or something--shuffle downstairs, she stopped. Hoping she wasn't making a mistake, she headed towards the staircase instead of wasting time getting her wand. For all she knew, Draco was in trouble, and needed her attention right away.
She walked down the stairs and into the dark main foyer. Her heart raced as she stood in the dark room; she held her breath as she waited for another noise, a signal, something that would direct her on where to go. She suddenly wished that she had her wand, and thought of going back to get it when she heard another noise--voices coming from the drawing room.
As she neared the room, the voices grew slightly louder, but they were muffled. Ginny had a hard time telling who they were, but more importantly was why they were in Malfoy Manor at that time of night. Did Draco bring Crabbe and Goyle back to prove to her that nothing happened? Ginny drew the robe tighter around her; she didn't want those two or anyone to see her in that condition. She got enough from the party that everyone assumed that as Draco's prize, she was sleeping with him. How could she explain to them that it wasn't like that, when she herself didn't know exactly what it was. She had been too wrapped up in everything else to even go over the fact that she did sleep with Draco Malfoy, and that most confusing of all, was that she liked it.
Lights shone from the drawing room entrance. She stopped when she was just outside the door. Here she could hear two distinctly male voices speaking--Draco and Snape. Confused, Ginny pressed her back against the wall, and holding her breath, she very slowly looked around the corner, and tried not to gasp at what she saw. Draco was sitting on the couch, facing her, with what looked to be a cut along his cheek. Snape was standing in front of him with his wand out, and Ginny only had a glimpse of a bit of blood from the wound before Snape cleared it away.
"I really don't know what you were thinking showing up like that," Snape said as he put his wand away. "It didn't take Flint long to realize who attacked him."
Draco gingerly touched his healed cheek. "I didn't think he'd have the guts to go after me," he said. "All this time I thought he was all talk."
Draco stood from his seat and walked over to the bar, crossing the door and making Ginny hide her face. When she heard the clang of glasses and knew that Draco was occupied, Ginny looked back in the room and watched as Draco took a sip from a glass of brandy before walking back and giving another glass to Snape.
Snape sniffed the liquid before he put the glass down on the table. "How Flint reacted is beside the point. It was risky enough for you to attack him like you did-"
"He was the one attacking Ginny!" Draco yelled, slamming his glass down on the table. "Did you expect me to just let him have a go?"
"It was risky enough for you to attack him like you did over someone who is a blood traitor and a mere prize," Snape finished. "For you to attack a fellow Death Eater over a Weasley-"
"I'm only protecting what's mine," Draco growled. "Flint would do the same over his own woman."
Snape's eyebrows rose. "Are you suggesting that Miss Weasley is your woman?"
Ginny saw Draco's face pale slightly before he grabbed his drink and began to pace the room. "All I'm saying is that she is mine, despite the content," he said. He stopped moving and stared at Snape. "And you were only too quick to help me with Flint. Why the sudden loyalty to a Weasley?"
Ginny held her breath, and for once congratulated Snape on his complete seriousness. Of course, her conversation with Snape on where his loyalty stood was a complete secret. Ginny herself still wondered if Snape was true about him being on her side, and it didn't occur to her until now how odd it must have seemed for Snape to help her in front of Draco.
But none of this must have appeared troublesome to Snape, because his face barely flickered with emotion. He calmly picked up his glass, took a sip of his brandy, and then settled the glass back down before looking at Draco. "In the world we live in now, it's hard to have those you can side with. I thought you would take my aid with appreciation instead of being critical."
Ginny watched Draco eye Snape before he let out a sigh. "Of course, my apologies," Draco said. He took another sip of his brandy. "Does Flint have any idea you were involved?"
Snape shook his head. "Once you and Miss Weasley were safely away, I revived Flint and made it appear I had just found him. But that's not the problem here. Let us hope that your choice of actions will not get back to the Dark Lord. He won't take your behavior lightly, despite it being over a…prize."
Draco was still before he slowly nodded. "I don't think Flint will take it that far," he said before he finished his drink. But as Ginny watched him continue to stare at his glass, she wasn't so sure how convinced he seemed.
Snape cleared his throat. "I couldn't help but notice that you were speaking with Crabbe before Flint attacked you. Did it have something to do with Miss Weasley?"
Draco looked up at Snape with confusion. "How did you know?"
Ginny watched Snape fight a smirk. "It seems that the only orders you have been giving him and Goyle these past few weeks have been over her. If I'm not to be mistaken, their extra attention towards her has certainly been in her favor."
Draco ran a hand through his hair, which was still slightly ruffled. "That's what I've been trying to tell her," he said. "Ginny--she--" Draco paused and stared at the floor for a moment. "How can you prove something when you know it never happened?"
Snape frowned. "Complexity at its best," he said. "Is there no way around it?"
Draco shrugged his shoulders. "She thinks something may have happened, and that her memory was erased to prevent her from knowing about it. But there's nothing that can get through memory blocks, right?"
"Not necessarily," Snape said. "Some say that lost memories can be recovered when triggered by something powerful. And then there are those like myself who are trained to seek out if a person does indeed have a memory blockage. I can take a look at her, if you want. I won't be able to tell you what is being blocked, but I can tell if it's there."
Ginny's heart leapt. A part of her wanted Snape's help, and wanted to know if her memory was blocked, but the other part was troubled. What would be the good in knowing that her memory was blocked, when she couldn't find out what it was hiding? To know such a fact may drive her insane with wondering what had happened in her life that was so big, so horrible, that someone chose to erase it.
Draco must have come to the same conclusion, because he shook his head. "No, I don't think that will be necessary. What she fears I know didn't happen. She'll just have to trust me."
"Does she?" Snape asked. "Trust you, I mean."
Ginny felt just as startled as Draco looked at Snape's question. Trust--what was trust? Did trust exist in a world full of evil? Could she ever truly trust Draco, when she still didn't know what his true motives were with her, when she knew he was still full of secrets, many of them including her? Could she ever learn to trust the man that took part in killing all those she loved? She closed the bathrobe around her tighter, suddenly aware of how naked she truly felt.
"Trust," Draco finally answered, "is a tricky thing that I don't think any of us should take lightly."
It must have been enough of an answer for Snape, because he nodded before he stood from his seat. "I must be going--it's late. I expect you at work soon, yes?"
Ginny didn't wait for Draco's response, but tried to walk away as fast from the room as she could without making a noise. She held her breath as she climbed up the stairs, praying neither of the men would come out to find her there and realize that she had been listening the whole time.
Ginny just slipped into the covers of her bed when she heard the door open softly. She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to control her breathing as she listened to Draco take off his clothes and then sink into the bed next to her. Her heart nearly jumped out of her throat when she felt him grab for her and pull her body close to his, but when his breathing fell into a steady pattern, so did hers.
As Ginny lay there, with Draco holding onto her, she couldn't help but rethink what Draco said about trust. He didn't truly answer Snape's question--did he doubt her trust for him? Did he too realize that he had done little to gain it, and that there were still too many things unanswered? Draco shifted slightly, and Ginny felt her face grow red in realization that he was completely naked. It wanted to trouble her that she could sleep with a man that she had little to no trust in, but she had figured that so far everything with Draco made no sense to begin with.
And as she felt Draco's heartbeat against her, and listened to his easy breathing, she for the first time allowed herself to relax and take things as they came.
~*~
Look! No cliffhanger! You guys should be so proud of me!
Hope you enjoyed! Please review!