Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters you may recognize from the wonderful world of Harry Potter, they all belong to the revered JK Rowling; I just like to play with them a little.
COVERT OPERATIONS
PART TWO
She could hear voices, distant sounds that didn't seem to be quite real. As the grogginess lifted from her mind the scene in the forest slowly came back to her. Ron and Harry had caught them together. They had Draco. Panic gripped her suddenly and she sat up.
"Draco? Where is he?"
"Just rest, Ginny. He's where he can't hurt anybody again," Molly Weasley responded gently, stroking her daughter's hair lovingly.
"Mum, he never hurt me." Ginny paused to swallow a large lump in her throat. "He saved my life."
"That's not what Ron told us. He said-"
"Ron has it all wrong! Draco didn't hurt me, and he didn't force me. He'd never do that."
"Ginny, he's a Death Eater."
"I know, but he doesn't want to be. He hides when the killing is taking place, he doesn't follow orders. Please, Mum, tell me what they did to him?"
Molly Weasley's lips formed a harsh line on her face. She didn't know what to believe or rather she didn't want to believe her daughter.
Harry's head poked inside the tent. "Did I hear Ginny's voice?"
"Yes, she's just woken up," Molly answered evenly.
"Harry! Where is he?"
"Malfoy? He's locked up safely where he can't hurt you again."
Ginny groaned in frustration. "He never hurt me."
"Ginny, he-"
"No! Harry, he didn't. I was there by my own choice."
"Your own-"
"Yes. There are things you don't know about him. Things that could get him killed by other Death Eaters."
"Like what?"
"He still can't kill anyone, he's never been able to, and when all the fighting is going on, he's usually hiding some place, so he doesn't have to be a part of it. That's how he saved my life."
"He was hiding and he saved your life?" Harry had heard her mention something like this in the clearing, but he hadn't been overly concerned with the details at the time.
"Yes, he was hiding and he saw me on the street, so rather than leave me there at the mercy of other Death Eaters, he dragged me into a store and we hid together."
"I don't understand why?"
"Neither do I, not really, but I do know that he's not like the rest. I think he wants to change sides, but he doesn't know how and he fears for his life."
"Well, if he wants to change sides so much, he's not saying anything to help himself."
"He doesn't trust you. Let me talk to him. Maybe I can convince him to talk."
"No, you're not to go anywhere near him, Ginny. He's dangerous."
"He's not! What's he going to do to me?"
"Rape you again!"
"He didn't rape me!" Ginny had a feeling that no matter how many times she said it no one would ever believe her, and it wasn't just because it was the truth, it was because they didn't want to believe such a thing.
Harry sighed wearily and rubbed the back of his neck. He knew deep in his heart that she had no reason to lie about what had happened, and therefore she must be telling the truth, but the thought of her going to him willingly made him feel sick to the stomach. "What else do you know? Did he tell you anything that might help?"
"No, we never discussed the war."
"Are you sure he never let anything slip?"
"Positive."
"Fine, I'll go back and see if I can't convince him to tell us something again."
"Let me speak to him."
"No, we'll deal with him."
"Who?"
"Ron and I."
Ginny closed her eyes and drew a deep breath. She could just imagine what her brother's idea of interrogation was and just how much Draco would be suffering about now. When she opened her eyes again Harry was gone, and she was left alone with her mother, who was looking at her like she no longer knew who she was.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Ginny had argued with everyone for a week about allowing her to at least speak with Malfoy, but no one would listen, let alone side with her. If everyone else was to be believed, Draco Malfoy was a dangerous, murderous Death Eater, and she should not go anywhere near him, especially as he had previously targeted her. Not one person would believe, or admit to believing, that she went to him of her own accord, because that would be as good as acknowledging he wasn't really dangerous.
The tent where he was being held was heavily warded and had a guard posted outside the door. Draco couldn't put a toe over the threshold without subjecting himself to mind numbing pain, but members of the Order of the Phoenix could walk in and out as they pleased. It was something that both Harry and Ron spent an inordinate amount of time doing in an attempt to get information from him. As far as Ginny knew, Draco had yet to talk and it was looking less likely every day that he would ever spill the secrets of the Death Eaters. She knew there had been some talk of shipping him off to Azkaban if they didn't get anything useful out of him soon. It was something that didn't have to happen, if only he'd speak to them, tell them what he knew.
Ginny knew she couldn't wait any longer to act. She had to get into that tent and talk to him, convince him that the best thing for himself was to tell Harry what he needed to know. Of course, getting into the tent could prove to be a problem. Harry and Ron had made it abundantly clear that she was not to go anywhere near him, and she suspected the sentry had been told not to let her pass. Given that just walking in was out of the question, she spent much of her time over the past couple of days watching the tent and scouting around the rear of it, looking for a possible way to sneak in without being seen, but it was all for naught. The rear of the structure was well secured with a charm adhering it to the rough ground on which it was pitched. The only option open to her was to get past the guard and use the entrance. Not an easy task, but one she was not afraid to try, after some serious consideration of course.
It was after a spot of tea with her mother that Ginny found herself hiding close to the tent where Draco was being held. The perfect plan had formed in her mind while she had been nibbling on a biscuit, and pretending to listen to her mother natter on about someone she didn't care about. She didn't know why it hadn't occurred to her sooner, but it had now and that was all that mattered. After a quick detour to her twin brothers' tent to collect the supplies she required to put her plan into effect, she came directly to her hiding spot and she was now waiting for the right time to act.
The guard on Draco's tent was wandering about aimlessly. If she could time it just right, he wouldn't even see her enter the tent. She popped a Miniature Canary Cream in her mouth and chewed it slowly, but kept the gooey mess in the cavern of her mouth for the time being. It was imperative that she swallowed at precisely the right moment to allow her maximum time to get from her hiding spot into the tent. While she waited, Ginny mused over the geniuses her twin brothers were. The Miniature Canary Creams were an adaptation of their original Canary Creams. Unlike Canary Creams, Miniature Canary Creams transfigured the consumer into a canary of a comparable size to a real canary. As the guard passed the doorway again, Ginny swallowed quickly. In seconds she was a small yellow bird sitting on the ground. She took to the air and flew directly for the tent opening.
Once inside the dim tent, Ginny landed in a vacant corner and waited for the charm to wear off. She didn't want to alert anyone, even Draco, to her presence until she was able to defend herself, if it became necessary. It seemed to take forever for her body to start changing back to its normal form, but finally she could feel the familiar tingle run through her veins.
From her position in the corner she could see Draco on his bed. If it weren't for his open gray orbs, she would have thought he was asleep or dead. Before she made her presence known, she regarded him carefully. He looked broken, resigned to death in a way she'd never seen before.
"Draco," Ginny whispered, taking a step out of the corner.
He scrambled backwards, obviously startled by her sudden presence. "How did you get in here?"
"Shh, I snuck in, but I'm not supposed to be in here." She could almost see him gathering his dignity and poise, pushing away the fear he felt when he first saw her and replacing it with something cold.
Draco sneered. "Come to gloat, Weasley?"
"You know I wouldn't do that."
"Do I? From what I see you got the result you were after."
"This isn't what I wanted and you know it," Ginny responded angrily.
"Was Potter pleased when your little plan came to fruition?"
"Harry didn't know anything about you... no one did." Ginny paused for a moment to examine her lover's face. There was a hint of something she'd never seen before just below the surface of his ugly expression. "Just like you never told anyone about me."
"No, I never did," he answered coldly.
"You need to talk to them... Tell them what they want to know."
"NO!"
"You've got nothing to lose. You said yourself many times you didn't want to be a part of it anymore, so help us put a stop to it... Help us to kill Him."
"You don't know what you're asking of me."
"I know exactly what I'm asking... I'm asking you to save yourself."
"What for?"
She felt like shaking him until he rattled. Couldn't he see that she cared for him? Somehow he'd crept inside her heart, and now she didn't think she could live without him. "For me," she whispered emotionally.
"You don't really want me. We had a tawdry affair, nothing more."
"It was more... It is more." A single tear escaped from under her eyelashes. Her heart ached more than it ever had before. The thought that she was going to lose him forever if she didn't do something drastic soon thundered through her mind. "I love you."
He stared at her, as if trying to fathom what she had said. "No, you don't."
"Yes, I do with all my heart." Ginny reached forward, placing her hand on his naked chest over his heart. "I don't understand how or why or even when it happened, but it's true."
His mercurial eyes searched hers for any hint of untruth, but there was none to be detected. She was different from anyone he'd ever known, and there was something about her that was making his chest hurt in an unfamiliar way. Perhaps it was her declaration of love. It had been years since anyone had told him he was worthy of being loved. His mother was the last, but he hadn't seen her since before the war had begun in earnest. Regardless of whether he was capable of doing unspeakable things, he was still a Death Eater, and to the greater part of the world that alone equated to evil. Unable to resist touching her, he brought his hand up to her face and caressed her cheek with reverence.
Ginny allowed him to explore her face. He'd never touched her like this before - never with so much feeling or tenderness. When his head began to dip towards hers, her eyes slipped closed and her mouth parted slightly in anticipation. It had been an eternity since she'd felt his lips on hers and it wasn't until this moment that she realized just how much she'd missed his touch.
His lips brushed hers, barely making contact, before retreating, and then again for just a fraction longer. Each time their lips met it was a little bolder, a little longer and with a fraction more emotion. He was accustomed to taking what he wanted from women, including Ginny, so this slow progressive contact was entirely new to Draco, but it felt right at the moment. The need to connect with her in a way he'd never done before, to show his appreciation for everything she had come to mean to him was uppermost on his mind. What he couldn't express in words, he could certainly try to convey in actions. Her lips were softer than he remembered, but then they weren't in the throes of passion at the moment, like they usually were when they kissed. There were no words to describe how intoxicating this unhurried kiss was for him. The sensations shooting through his body with each caress of her lips were akin to fireworks streaming through his veins.
Ginny could do nothing more than surrender her body and soul to the only man responsible for making her feel alive. His lips caressed hers in a gentle teasing way. He seemed to be giving her more of him than he'd ever done before with just this one simple tender gesture. Gone was the neediness, the intent to take rather than give, of their past unions. Her hands drifted up to tangle in his platinum hair and draw him down to her. The gentle stroke of his tongue along her bottom lip politely requesting permission to deepen their union sent tingles to her extremities.
Draco began his explorations with trepidation. In the back of his mind, he constantly reminded himself to be gentle with her, for if he didn't, his hormones would see her on the narrow cot he slept on and stripped naked in seconds. He savored every touch, every sensation, fearful that he would lose it forever. This one kiss was to be embedded into his memory for the rest of his life. He hoped it would be enough to sustain him whatever happened. His tongue glided across hers, encouraging it to join him in a sensual dance as he pulled her flush against his body.
She moaned softly into his mouth. Though the need for air was becoming a problem, Ginny pushed it to the back of her mind and concentrated on the man making her body react so sensually. She never wanted this union to end. If she could feel like this until the end of time then she would die a happy woman. Of course, it was never going to last forever and she hid her disappointment well when he began to pull away from her little by little.
They parted the same way they came together-unhurriedly with sporadic contact. Draco embraced her tenderly, unwilling to give up the softness that reminded him of better times, of who he could have been, or rather of who he wished he could have been. It was that thought that spurred him to make a life changing decision.
"Get Potter... I'll talk," Draco said breathily.
Ginny nodded and allowed a small smile to tug at her lips. She knew he was risking far more than life in Azkaban by agreeing to talk, but she also knew it was the right thing to do and the only way she would ever be able to help him.
Draco watched her walk to the threshold of the tent and stick her head out. He could hear her telling the guard to fetch Potter and then responding to his question of how she got in there in a not very polite fashion. While he waited, Draco tried not to think about what he'd just agreed to do, but something deep down inside of him reassured him that no matter what happened to him personally everything would be all right.
"He's coming," Ginny said as she joined him again.
"I don't want you here when I tell him what I know."
"Why not? I'll find out anyway."
"I just don't want you here."
Ginny took a moment to examine his resolute expression. She decided it was better to hear the information second-hand than to risk him not talking at all. "Okay, I'll wait outside."
Draco nodded and reached for her hand, entwining his fingers with hers.
"Are you scared?" Ginny whispered.
"No." Draco half-smiled at her. "For the first time I'm really not afraid."
She'd never seen him smile with any warmth before, and she decided that she rather liked the way his eyes lit up just a little when he did.
"What is it, Malfoy?" Harry demanded as he entered the tent. "Ginny, what the bloody hell are you doing in here?"
"Talking to Draco and convincing him to talk to you."
Harry looked at each of them and sighed wearily. This was going to have Ron ranting, raving and promising to commit unholy murder for a month. "What is it you've go to say, Malfoy?"
"I'll wait outside," Ginny offered instantly.
Draco held her hand for long enough to kiss her soundly before allowing her to walk away from him.
Ginny knew he wouldn't say anything until she was out of earshot, but she hoped she might be able to hear what was being said through the canvas wall of the tent. She pressed her ear up to the side of the tent and listened carefully, but all she could hear was whispered mumblings then Harry incanting a Imperturbable Charm over the tent. With an annoyed huff, Ginny moved away. No one would hear what was going on in there now.
At first, she stood under a nearby tree, keeping her eyes fixed on the doorway of the tent, and then after growing restless she began to pace, her eyes not leaving the front flap of the tent for more than a second at a time. When her legs began to grow fatigued, Ginny sat under the tree, leaning against the thick trunk. Harry had been in there for hours and she was beginning to worry. How much could Draco have to tell him?
Just as the sun began to dip low in the sky, turning it from shades of rose to violet, Harry emerged from the tent. He looked exhausted to Ginny's trained eye.
"Harry?"
"He talked." Harry grinned broadly at her. "Once he started he couldn't stop himself."
"Good."
"I'm a bit worried about his mental state. I want you to stay with him for now and report any changes to me as quickly as you can."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, he's given up everything, so there's a chance that he'll make an attempt on his own life."
"He wouldn't."
"You never know. Anyway don't leave him alone. I'm removing the outside guard immediately, so if you have any problems just yell for someone at the doorway."
"All right," Ginny answered softly.
"I'm counting on you to keep him alive. We're going to need his testimony against others if they survive."
"I will, don't worry about it."
Harry hugged her tightly. "I'll see you later."
"Okay," Ginny muttered uncertainly. As Harry strode away, Ginny knew there was more going on than he was telling her, but she also knew Harry well enough not to push the issue. He was a terrible liar and it was awful to see him stammer through an untruthful explanation, so she kept her queries to herself for the time being.
Draco was sitting on the edge of his bed waiting for her. He looked a little lost when she entered, but when he saw that it was her standing there his face brightened considerably. "I didn't know if you were coming back."
"I'm your new guard," Ginny replied as she sat next to him. "You're apparently mentally unstable."
"Me?"
Ginny nodded. "Harry's worried you might try to kill yourself."
"Not likely," Draco scoffed.
"I know, but Harry has stationed me in here with you to make sure you don't do anything silly."
Draco placed his head in his hands. "What have I done?"
"You've saved your own life and the lives of hundreds, perhaps thousands, of innocent people."
"I may not have saved myself," Draco muttered quietly.
"Well, that makes what you did all the more noble."
"Who'd have thought? Me, Draco Malfoy, acting noble?"
She ignored the sarcasm in his tone and smiled warmly. "Well, I knew you had it in you all along, you just had to find it in yourself to act."
"Yeah," Draco uttered.
"Are you hungry?"
"No, not really."
"All right." Ginny sighed heavily. They hadn't really been in this position before; having time to talk without fear of being discovered was something entirely new to them.
"If you're hungry you should eat," Draco said.
"I'm not hungry either. I just thought you might be."
Draco nodded.
"So are we going to sit here all night staring at our hands or are we going to do something?"
"Believe me, there's not much to do in here."
Ginny smirked at him wickedly. "Oh, I don't know about that."
Draco raised an eyebrow at her questioningly.
"We've never done it on a bed before," Ginny said casually, testing the mattress with her hand for what little spring it had left.
"I assure you the forest floor is far more comfortable than this thing Potter calls a bed."
"Well, we can't leave the tent, so we're stuck with the bed."
"This is true."
"Well?"
Draco thought about her proposal. It wasn't that he didn't want to, because if he were sent to Azkaban he'd probably never see the light of day again, let alone feel the softness of a woman again, but he desperately wanted to do this differently-properly. "On one condition."
"And what might that be?"
"I want to make love to you," he muttered into his chest. "Not just shag or fuck or whatever it is that we usually do."
"I think I'd like that very much."
A shy half smile tugged at Draco's lips. He couldn't remember the last time he'd truly made love to a woman, and his body was already beginning to stir just at the mere thought of the opportunity. It wasn't like he loved her or anything foolish like that, but he had to admit that his actions this afternoon did show that he undeniably cared a little. He stood and offered his hand to her.
Ginny gazed up at him from under her lashes. There was a notable difference in his demeanor from a few minutes ago. While he appeared more in control, there was an attractive vulnerable presence about him as well. She smiled warmly at him and placed her hand in his, allowing him to assist her to stand. He ran his hands down her arms, leaving a trail of gooseflesh under her clothing and starting a fire in her core. His eyes bore directly into her soul, as if they were trying to share her secrets, to see what she had kept hidden from him all this time-her true feelings.
As his head lowered to capture her lips, he watched her eyelids flutter and close. He never noticed just how beautiful her eyes are before, how alluring and warm they are, but now he found himself feeling disappointed when he could no longer see them. His lips grazed hers in the barest of touches, but it was enough to send tingles through his entire being.
The disappointment she felt when he pulled away after only the briefest of kisses, if it could have even been called that, made her heart sink. Thoughts of him not being able to go through with his request plagued her mind. She searched his mercurial eyes for answers and noticed they were darkening before her to a deep shade of slate. There was something softer about them, yet at the same time they displayed certain intent. Just as a frown began to crease her forehead, she felt his fingers gently tugging at the buttons on her shirt. His eyes didn't leave hers, not even for the briefest moment while his busy hands made short work of the buttons.
Unaccustomed to undressing a woman without having to worry about being discovered, Draco took his time and relished each inch of newly exposed flesh. He rolled her blouse off her shoulders, exposing her plain cotton brassiere. Then his hands felt their way around the waistband of her skirt and slid the zipper down. He held it to her for a moment before allowing the garment to fall to her feet and expose her simple white knickers. All the oxygen in his body suddenly seemed to have disappeared, and he drew a shuddery breath. There was something more sensual about her standing before him in her modest underwear than if she were completely naked and begging him to take her.
Ginny could feel herself growing warm under his scrutiny. When he reached out to take her hand in his, she noticed he was shaking ever so slightly. The sensation of his wet lips pressed to the top of her hand sent a thrill through her body like never before. It was such a simple gesture and if she hadn't been standing before him in her underwear it could have been prudent, but she was standing in front of him in her underwear and her mind was roaming to the wicked sensations she knew he would make her feel.
He knelt before her, running his hands down her legs all the way to her feet. With a gentleness she didn't think him capable of, he lifted each of her feet and removed her shoes. Then he traveled back up her body, stopping only periodically to caress her skin lightly with his lips. Ginny could feel her knees beginning to grow weak when he paused at the top of her thighs and placed a kiss on each leg enticingly close to the fabric of her knickers before continuing upwards.
After kissing her soundly, Draco scooped her into his arms and gently laid her on the cot. Though he knew better, he thought she looked like some sort of virginal sacrifice against the worn sheet. Ever conscious of what he was doing, he swallowed hard as he removed his trousers and then gracefully positioned himself beside her.
The narrow bed creaked in protest with his added weight, and he felt as though one wrong move would see him on the dirt floor very quickly, but the feel of her soft body against his was more than enough to compensate for the fear. He began to slowly worship her body with gentle caresses and deep kisses, traveling the full length of her body, until she was trembling beneath his touch.
After a while, Ginny had trouble deciphering exactly where his hands and mouth were on her at any one time. Echoes of past caresses were confusing her mind, but she didn't have the strength or the desire to confirm where either was at the present. She didn't think he'd left an inch of her skin untouched and her entire being felt as though it were on fire.
Desperate to feel all of her without any barriers, Draco rose to his knees and worked his way carefully to the end of the bed. He hooked his fingers in her now sodden knickers and unhurriedly brought them down her legs. His tongue flicked out unconsciously and he licked his lips. The sight of her crisp red curls glistening with moisture was more than enough to stimulate his appetite.
She held her hands out and Draco assisted her to sit up; his hands went to the clasp on her bra, her mouth descended on his neck. She worked her way lower, concentrating on his chest for sometime before drifting slowly downwards. Her tongue wove through the light trail of blond hair leading from his navel to his manhood and then up his shaft to the very tip. His moan of appreciation encouraged her to take him into her mouth. His skin was so velvety soft against her tongue it felt like she was suckling on clouds of fine silk. The random noises of pleasure he kept emitting were making her blood pump faster. Just the knowledge that she could render a man defenseless with a simple flick of her tongue was empowering and very arousing.
Draco sank back against the iron bar at the base of the bed. It was digging into his back, but it didn't matter. The pure delectation he was receiving as her tongue swirled around the head of his cock made the pain in his back seem almost non-existent. He involuntarily drew a sharp breath when her hot tongue traced a path over his balls. The urge to encourage her to continue her ministrations had him lifting his hips from the mattress a little. He was richly rewarded for the extra pain this movement caused to his body when she took one of his balls into her mouth, sucking lightly on the sensitive sack. One of his trembling hands drifted down to stroke her hair gently to persuade her to stay just where she was.
After several minutes, Draco could feel himself hovering close to the edge of ecstasy, too close for comfort considering he had a partner and he wanted to please her. Gently, so as not to startle her or do himself harm, he convinced Ginny to travel back up his body to where he could reach her. The moment her mouth came close enough he descended upon it with impassioned desire. It was as if he wanted to devour her whole. Unsatisfied with just her mouth, Draco licked and nipped his way down her neck, pausing to pay extra attention to her pulse point, a move that had her tossing her head back and moaning in a most satisfying manner, before descending on her breasts.
She could feel herself being slowly tipped backwards as his tongue flicked her nipples mercilessly. All she could do was hang on and hope that she wouldn't drift out of his reach. Until now her desire had been well under control, but she could feel herself being driven to the point of no return. The mattress seemed to come up to meet her body and she relaxed into it. As Draco drifted lower, his tongue continued to do wicked things to her nerve endings. The ache to feel him touch her where she needed him most was becoming all consuming, so when he deliberately avoided the area, in favor of nibbling his way down her legs, she mewled in frustration. Without even seeing his face, Ginny could tell he was smirking. After a few more frustrated groans from her, he finally took the hint and began his ascent. As he strove higher, he gently nudged her legs apart and dove into her warmth, sucking and nipping at her clitoris, wrenching small whimpers from her throat. His smirk had transformed into a grin judging by what she could feel between her legs.
He could feel her trembling legs tightening around his head as his tongue circled her hard nub. There was no doubt in his mind that she was very close to exploding. Right now he had two choices: he could continue and allow her to climax alone, or he could direct his attentions elsewhere in the hope of staving off her orgasm so they could enjoy the sensation together. Draco chose the latter. If possible he wanted to come with her, to feel her muscles clench his cock tightly and drain him of his essence.
Ginny emitted a frustrated growl when she felt him move away from her throbbing pussy. He never lost contact with her as he progressed up her body and her body was still screaming in pleasure, but it didn't have the same intensity as his tongue between her legs. She was so close to completion she could almost taste it, but he seemed to be deliberately denying her.
When his mouth met hers again, he felt her fingernails dig into the pale flesh of his back. His tongue dove into her mouth. If there was anything more erotic than being able to taste yourself in a woman's mouth, Draco didn't know what it was. The urge to continue feeling her body, to etch it permanently into his mind saw his hand wander down to her breasts. His long fingers kneaded the sensitive mounds relentlessly. The moan she released into his mouth when he rolled one of her hardened nipples between his fingers vibrated pleasantly all the way to his groin.
Draco lifted his head from hers to observe her for a moment. It was a habit of his, no matter whom he was with at the time. Ginny was so worked up that remaining still seemed to be impossible at this time. Little tremors were running through her body causing her to quiver ever so slightly before his eyes. The sight of her lying there so wantonly was feeding the fire burning deep within his balls. His eyes locked with hers and remained there as his hand found its way between her legs. Even though he barely touched her, the moan she appeared powerless to stop escaping could have been heard by anyone in the camp. Her back arched, silently beseeching him to give her what she needed most-pleasure.
Just the knowledge that his hand was hovering painfully close to where she ached the most was driving Ginny to distraction. She needed his touch to quell the out of control blaze burning through her entire being. As a single digit dipped into her folds, she almost burst with joy. It wasn't much, but it did take the edge off of the ache, before it started to build even more ferociously.
She was writhing next to him as his finger slipped inside of her. The moment it began to sink into her depths her hips bucked to meet it unabashedly. He could feel her hand gripping at his body randomly, trying to get purchase on his toned form. When she found his throbbing cock, her fingers wrapped themselves around it eagerly. The hiss of appreciation that escaped him surprised Draco. Her warm hand pumped his erection in time with his fingers plunging into her. It was heavenly, but he needed distraction. Without any finesse, Draco leaned forward and seized one of her nipples between his teeth. She gasped breathily, but he continued his ruthless assault on the hardened peak in an effort to stay his own desire to lose control and go rampaging to completion.
When he could take it no longer, Draco let his fingers slip from her body and trailed them up her torso to massage the flesh of her breasts again. His head rose to capture her lips in a searing kiss while he positioned himself to hover over her. At some point, her hand slipped from his member, but the ghosts of her touch remained to torment him, to keep him on the edge of euphoria. Her legs spread wider to accommodate him and he pressed up to her entrance. Though they'd been in this position many times before, there was something very different about this time. The way she held his gaze, begging silently for him to take her to another world made him want to give her everything.
His heart was hammering against his ribcage with an intensity he'd only ever felt in the heat of battle as he slid into her. He sank slowly, relishing the feel of her all encompassing heat and then stopped when he was entirely sheathed. With his breathing ragged already, Draco took a moment to gather himself. This was more than just taking the edge off of his frustration; he wanted to hear her scream his name, to have her enjoy him as much as he enjoyed her. After some moments, he felt her beginning to move beneath him, and he joined her in their journey towards completion. Their slow deliberate movements were more sensual than anything he'd ever experienced. Between kissing her deeply and gnawing on the little spot at the base of her neck, he uttered nonsensical words of encouragement and devotion. Words that came unbidden to his tongue and the like of which he'd never before used in relation to any woman.
Neither of them felt the urge to rush toward completion, in fact the longer they could stay like this the better. In this state no one else existed, no one else mattered, and there was no war separating them from each other. It was just the two of them, existing perfectly in a world that was not on the verge of exploding.
Primal need took over eventually and saw their pace increase gradually to near blinding speed. Her mumbled orders of harder and faster were becoming more frequent, and Draco was only too happy to accommodate her demands. Lost in his own pleasure, Draco didn't realize she was so close to completion until her muscles started to twitch around him, signaling the onset of her orgasm.
"Open your eyes, Ginny," he whispered huskily. "I want you to look at me as you come."
Her eyes fluttered open. They were glazed over in a way he'd not seen before. This was not the raw lust he was accustomed to viewing. It was something completely different, something he had no name for.
"I-oh god-" she uttered in a quavering voice full of emotion.
Somewhere between the virtually unintelligible cries of 'yes' from her, Draco found himself unable to stay his own climax. With a series of long thrusts, accompanied by satisfied grunts, he poured himself into her. Incapable of holding himself up any longer, he collapsed bonelessly onto her body as she continued to writhe beneath him with the last strains of her orgasm. When she finally stilled, he could feel her hands stroking his back soothingly. If she kept doing it he'd be asleep before long.
"You're shaking," Ginny whispered.
"I know."
"Are you all right?"
"Perfectly," he responded softly, placing a kiss on her forehead. He wondered why they'd never taken the time to be more attentive with one another before. What they had experienced this evening made every other sexual encounter he'd ever had pale in comparison.
Draco slid out of her and moved to lie beside her. When she draped herself over his body, he wriggled onto his back and wrapped a possessive arm around her. He placed a lingering kiss on her head. Drained and completely sated, Draco began to sense just what this woman meant to him. In the darkness, with her breathing for accompaniment, his mind began to drift to things he'd never say aloud.
The very notion that he, Draco Malfoy, could have fallen in love with the fiery witch was preposterous. He didn't love. He didn't know how to love. She had simply been a convenient and willing fuck, and that was all. The idea plagued him as her breathing evened out. He knew without looking that she'd fallen asleep. For reasons unknown to himself, and better not examined too closely for his own sanity, he placed errant kisses on her hair from time to time, and murmured words of apology into the darkness. Sleep would be a long time coming if he couldn't shift his thoughts away from the witch asleep on his chest and what might happen when the sun rose.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
He knew before he entered the tent what he'd find within. After all he was the one who'd agreed to allow Ginny to stay with the prisoner while the final battle took place. The idea of Ginny being with Malfoy still irked him in ways he couldn't describe and caused him pain listening to Ron rant on about how he was going to kill the blond ferret, but Harry somehow knew they simply belonged together. It was that basic, whether anyone wished to accept it or not. He'd certainly tried to find reasons why it shouldn't be to back up the very definite knowledge of how wrong it was, but the truth of the matter was the air fairly well crackled when they were close to each other and that couldn't be ignored.
It was as he suspected. Malfoy and Ginny were snuggled in the narrow cot Malfoy had been using for a bed. Malfoy was lying on his back and Ginny was draped over him looking perfectly content. Their clothing was piled close to the bed on the ground. Again the notion that this was as it should be invaded his mind. Harry pushed the thought aside angrily and walked closer.
As he approached the bed his mind wandered to something Ron had told him only a few months ago when Harry had caught his best friend in a similar position. One wide, two high, Harry's memory reminded him, complete with a visual of Ron's cheeky grin. Even though he was there to wake them, Harry was quick to suppress a snigger. He hoped he'd be able to do this with delicacy, because he was certain that Ginny didn't really want anyone seeing her in this position, at least not with a known enemy.
Indecision plagued his mind as he stood over them. How to delicately wake them up without causing embarrassment to them or himself? He almost hated to disturb them, but they needed to know what had happened.
With a shaky hand Harry reached out and touched Ginny's bare shoulder lightly. She groaned a little and snuggled further into Draco's chest. Harry frowned and repeated his touch with just a fraction more pressure. She moaned again and cracked an eye open.
"Harry?"
"Gin, I have to tell you something."
She immediately lifted herself off of Draco, taking the blanket with her, and leaving him naked.
Harry averted his eyes while Ginny positioned the blanket modestly. His gaze fell to the Death Eater on the cot. The Dark Mark glared at him from Malfoy's forearm. Harry's stomach churned. Once again the thought of Ginny being with this reprobate made him feel ill, despite his realization that they had something very special.
"Harry, is everything all right?" Ginny asked, concern evident in her tone.
"Yeah, Malfoy should probably hear this as well," Harry responded distractedly.
Harry had to clear his throat pointedly to make his presence known when Draco moved to drag Ginny back onto the bed. Draco stood up and slung the bottom sheet of the cot around his waist.
"What happened?" Draco demanded, securing the sheet at his hip.
Harry smiled beneath the filth covering his face. He couldn't help but be pleased with the words about to exit his mouth. "It's over."
"Over?"
"Voldemort is dead. He was exactly where you said he'd be and wasn't able to rally any supporters in time to stave off our attack."
"What does this mean for me?" Draco asked quickly.
"Like I told you yesterday, you'll still have to stand before the Wizengamot, but I'll speak on your behalf... Tell them how your information was the sole reason I was able to bring him down."
Draco nodded, affirming his comprehension. Regret began to fill him. The choices he'd made or had been forced to accept were now going to destroy him. He would lose everything and the only person who mattered to him.
"I don't know if it'll be enough to keep you out of Azkaban, but it should go a long way to reducing any sentence you might receive."
"When will they convene?"
"I'm not sure." Harry glanced at his best friend's little sister and noticed the tears welling in her eyes. There had been countless sacrifices made by so many people. He decided if he could make a difference to just one person, put a smile on their face, then he would try. "I'll offer to keep you under personal guard until they do, otherwise you'll be sent to Azkaban to await your turn."
Draco drew a deep breath. He never thought he'd hear the next words come out of his mouth to be directed at Potter. "Thank you."
"You're welcome."
"What's happening now?" Ginny asked curiously.
"Everyone's celebrating," Harry replied tiredly. Now that the final announcement had been made, his weariness caught up with him suddenly. "You should go and join them."
"No, I'll stay with Draco."
Harry smiled at the pair standing before him wrapped in blankets. He wondered if they realized just how powerful what they had was. "All right. I'm going to clean up, then join the celebrations for a bit, and then I'm going to sleep for a week."
When Potter had left, Draco turned to his lover. "You don't have to stay with me. You should go and celebrate with your family."
"I don't want to celebrate just yet."
"Why? It's over, He's dead."
"It's not over until the Wizengamot have cleared you of all charges."
Draco suddenly saw everything with amazing clarity. The niggling feelings he'd had in the early hours of the morning crystallized into genuine emotions. He did love this redheaded woman in a way he'd never before loved another human being. Somewhere in the midst of all the lust filled sex, she'd crept into his heart and had taken up permanent residence. Now all he could hope was that he would get the opportunity to explore these newfound emotions fully. For the first time in years he smiled genuinely and the woman beside him returned the favor warmly.
"Do you feel like celebrating a little?" Ginny purred, tracing a finger down his bare chest.
"I think it's the least we can do," Draco responded as his head dipped to capture her mouth in a searing kiss.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
~fin~
Author's Notes: Thank you to Rainpuddle13 for the beta. Written for dg_smutakkah by request of CaesiiOculi.
-->