Harry could feel his tongue go dry as he stared, open mouthed, at them. He was glued to the spot, waves of shock washing over him as he stared at the sight before him. It couldn't be happening, yet here it was, in front of his very eyes.
They were lip-locked, and Malfoy's slender fingers were roaming along her back, while Ginny's were tousling his hair.
Ginny's lips trailed down his jaw and he groaned as her teeth latched on to his neck. Harry blanched as Malfoy's wandering hands snuck under her top, and shot out of the room, closing the door softly in horror.
*
That night Harry sat at the foot of his bed, pondering what he had seen. It was too much for him to take in, he couldn't believe it. No matter how he put it, it didn't seem right. Ginny and Malfoy. Ginny Weasley and Draco Malfoy. Ginny- Malfoy.
He shook his head to rid himself of that thought.
Anger at Ginny flared up in him. How could she do this? He could only imagine the Weasley's horror-struck faces if they ever found out. How long had this been going on? There he had been, feeling guilty that Ginny was pining away for him, stuck at the Burrow, when all along she was snogging Draco- flipping- Malfoy.
And what was wrong with Malfoy? How could he kiss her, after all those spiteful, hurtful remarks about her family? But what if… what if he had only said that stuff because he had fancied her all these years and tried to cover it up because… because his father didn't approve, or something. More what ifs buzzed around in his head. What if Lucius Malfoy had found out, and that's why his son had run away? What if Ginny had always felt the same, and they had finally admitted it to each other when he came? What if this had been going on for longer, since last year, or the year before?!
No. Even though he was well past angry, Harry knew Ginny would never betray him, or anyone for that matter.
But the fact remained that she was with Malfoy. What did she see in him? How could she like him?
He heard a bleep on his alarm clock. Midnight exactly. He really should get to sleep…
He heard the tiniest creek and a whisper from outside. Whipping his wand out, Harry crept to the door and pressed his ear to the wood.
"…Go to your room, it'd be much easier than sneaking down here every other night." It was Malfoy, and he was speaking almost too softly to hear.
"We'll wake my parents, we can't get caught!" Ginny hissed back, barely audible. Harry's mouth curved into a grimace. So, they were sneaking around the Burrow, now were they? He made an angry move towards the door handle.
But wait, should he go and interrupt them? This was Ginny after all, she could look after herself, and it wasn't really his business… he paused, thinking. No… why should he sit there, letting Malfoy take advantage of Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's daughter, under their noses, when they had so generously took him in?
Almost silently, he opened the door and tip-toed down the stairs. He could see them in the Kitchen, their lips once again glued together in a kind of tongue- wrestle. It wasn't hard to spot them, as Malfoy's hair and skin were so pale he seemed to glow in the dark.
Harry silently cast the mufliatio spell on the door he had just entered through, so the Weasleys, Luna and Hermione couldn't hear a thing.
Harry grimaced at them. They were kissing and running their hands over each other, whispering occasionally, but they seemed more than content.
"Having fun?" said Harry in the most waspish voice he had ever used himself use. With an unpleasant (in Harry's opinion) sound like a plunger their lips broke apart. He lit his wand. They stared at him with a mixture of fear, horror and (in Malfoy's case) annoyance, but they were still wrapped around each other, cemented in place.
"Harry!" Ginny whispered, looking scandalous.
"This is- err- exactly what it looks like," said Malfoy bluntly. Harry raised an eyebrow. At least he was to the point.
Ginny shot him an incredulous look.
"Honesty is the best policy, babe," he muttered swarvely.
Harry scowled, his eyes blazing. How dare Malfoy, the scumbag, refer to Ginny as "babe"?
He stalked across the room, tore them apart and threw Malfoy through the open living room door, then slammed it shut with his wand and locked it.
"Harry!" Ginny exclaimed. Malfoy jiggled the lock about, shouting through the keyhole, until Harry put a silencing charm on it.
"What are you doing? Let him go!" Ginny had stopped looking terrified and was glaring at him furiously.
Harry blocked her way to the door.
"What am I doing? What do you think you're doing?" he hissed.
"What do you mean?" Ginny muttered, flushing scarlet and avoiding his eye.
"What are you doing with him? Why are you letting him see you like that?" Harry had only just noticed that she was wearing a very tight strapless black nightie.
Ginny blushed, trying to cover herself a bit more. "It's really none of your business."
Harry stared at her, and then started pacing the room, snarling under his breath.
"When did this start?" he shot at her.
Ginny hesitated, then said in a low voice, "about five or six months ago." Harry felt like a stern teacher lecturing a naughty child.
"You know he'll only end up hurting you." It wasn't a question, but a statement. Ginny glared at him, her eyes flashing, but said nothing.
"What do you see in him?" Harry spat.
"It's none of your business!" Ginny repeated. Harry stopped pacing.
"But it is your family's. What would your Mom and Dad say if they knew you were going out with a Malfoy?"
"You're as bad as Ron," Ginny sneered, disgusted.
"Ah, Ron, I wonder what he'll do to Malfoy when I tell him?"
"You- you wouldn't dare!" Ginny hissed. She had gone slightly pale and her eyes were narrowed.
"Oh, wouldn't I?"
"No, you can't!"
"Your family have a right to know. If you don't tell them, I will."
"Harry, you don't understand, they'll throw him out, he's got no-where else to go!"
"Good riddance," Harry muttered under his breath. "Then you've only got one choice, haven't you? Either break up with him, or have him chucked out on the streets. It's for your own good, Ginny."
"I won't have to do either," Ginny hissed, eyes fiery. "Because I'm not telling my parents, and if you tell anyone, I'll- I'll… I'll tell Hermione how you feel about her."
Harry stopped dead. She wouldn't…
"How do you know?" he whispered, transfixed.
"I have my ways" she stared him defiantly in the eye.
"Blackmail, Ginny?" he breathed, softly but deadly cold. "You see? He's affecting you already, poisoning your mind…"
"What do you care?!" Ginny yelled.
"I care because he will hurt you!" Harry roared back. He was glad of the mufflatio spell.
"You don't care about that, you were the one who broke up with me, it's not like you still fancy me or anything…"
"Oh, oh, I get it! This is just to get back at me, isn't it? To make me jealous!"
Ginny looked as though he'd slapped her.
"Is that your opinion of me?" she whispered, genuinely hurt "That I'd just use someone to get back at you?!"
"Ginny, Ginny I didn't mean that." He took a step towards her, but she flinched away, looking devastated. Why couldn't he keep his big mouth shut? "Look, I might have broken up with you, but I still care about you very much. I don't want to see you get hurt." As though to a frightened animal, he stretched his hand out slowly and wrapped her in a hug.
"Who says I will?" she whispered against his shoulder.
"He's a nasty piece of work, Ginny. You don't know how horrible he can be."
"He's different. He's changed."
Harry shook his head sadly. "No-one like Malfoy can change, Ginny. It's the way he's been bought up, he's never known any other way. You've got to leave him."
"You don't understand." She pulled away from him. "I can't leave him. Ever."
There was something most un-Ginny-ish in her voice, so gentle and soft it was almost unnoticeable. There was a long silence and Ginny appeared to be lost in thought, or memories. "I think- I think I love him, Harry."
"Wh- what?!" Harry spluttered. Did she really just say that? "What makes you say that?"
Ginny shrugged. "It's something I can't explain."
"Look, perhaps you're having a little… romance. But it's just an infatuation. End it now."
"You were my infatuation, Harry." She looked at him again, eyes blazing. "I'm sorry Harry, but that's all you were. Whatever I had with you, it wasn't love. I had my dream. I had a talented, popular and handsome boyfriend; I had everything a girl could want in a man." Harry was blushing so badly his glasses were steaming up. "But I had… a gap. There was something missing in our relationship." She looked out the window, the moon reflecting in her eyes. "Draco fills that gap."
Harry gaped at her in disbelief. How could Malfoy have something he didn't? But, putting his arrogance aside, Harry knew she was right. She was in love. With Malfoy. How could he deny it, when he could see it was the blatant truth? How could anyone deny it, when it was written all over her face?
What had Malfoy done to her?
This was not the effects of any potion or spell, it was too pure. No, Malfoy had tricked and deceived her, poisoned her mind, used someway to make her fall for him. He was the one using her. He didn't care about her, he just wanted a companion. And as soon as the war was over and he was free of the confinements of the Burrow, he'd forget about her, turn her away, break her heart and move on to the next girl.
Harry couldn't let that happen.
"Wait here" he said, and before Ginny could open her mouth he had gone through the door, locked it and put another muffliatio on it.
As soon as he turned around he felt a pair of strong hands around his collar and he stared into furious grey eyes.
"What have you said to her?" Malfoy hissed dangerously, his voice filled with venom.
Harry pushed him off. "What have you said to her, you lying, deceitful little maggot?" He spat back.
The moonlight was shining on Malfoy's eyes, making them go an eerie glowing silver colour, but they clouded over with malice and hate. Harry hadn't really had a good look at him since sixth year, but he was different. Slightly taller than Harry, he looked both healthier and unhealthier than he had been in sixth year: healthier because he didn't look so fragile and ill anymore, and he had a hint of muscles on his arms. Though he was still much paler than the average person, there was more colour in him than Harry had ever seen in him before. However, he looked less healthy because of the blackened scars on his shoulders from his Death Eater training. Also because he wasn't as well groomed as usual; his white blond hair had grown from lack of haircuts and he had pulled it back into a rugged ponytail, and his jaw was lined with fine stubble.
"What are you talking about?" Malfoy drawled.
"I don't know what you've said to her, but you've made Ginny trust you. I know your little game, Malfoy; you're just going to leave her!" For a moment Malfoy looked wounded, and then he regained himself.
"You're even more barking than usual, Potter."
"Oh am I? Well tell me," Harry stepped closer to Malfoy "when did you start caring about this family?"
Malfoy paused, glaring at him.
"It's none of your business, Pothead!" he spat. "Who do you think you are, Gin's brother?"
"No, I just want to protect her from you!" he said nastily, poking him hard in the chest.
"What do you think I'm going to do, bite her head off?" Malfoy jeered.
"No, you're going to break her heart, and you're not getting away with it. Why don't you go back to the Death Eaters where you belong?"
Malfoy's eyes flashed malevolently. "I- shut up, Potter."
"Go on, get out of here. Run back to Mummy and Daddy," Harry jeered waspishly, forcing Malfoy to back against the door.
"Potter, I'm warning you…"
"Why hasn't your Mother come to find her precious little prince? Hey, perhaps she's glad to finally be rid of you, maybe that's why she asked Snape to-" WHAM! Harry felt blood trickle down his nose as Malfoy's fist connected with his face. In a daze, Harry looked around the spinning room and saw Malfoy's blurred outline raise its fist, and his breath was knocked out of him as Malfoy punched him in the stomach.
Harry kicked out at Malfoy's kneecap, and he yowled, clutching it. As Malfoy jumped around on the spot, Harry dove on him in a rugby tackle, and they scrabbled about, punching and kicking and yelling, wands forgotten. Harry gave him a head butt and threw him across the room.
He lunged for Gryffindor's sword, which had been left on the floor, but when he grabbed it he felt something cold and sharp on the back of his neck.
Slowly, he turned around. Malfoy was standing over him, blood pouring from his mouth, pointing a sword he seemed to have conjured out of no-where at Harry's neck.
The sword was elegant and well-made, though a lot thinner and delicate looking than Harry's. Harry could see there was a letter engraved on the hilt; a golden M against a green background, encircled by a gold cobra with emeralds for eyes.
"Admiring my family emblem, Potter?" Malfoy hissed. He looked dangerous: he was shaking with anger and (because of the Black in him) looked slightly mad in his fury.
Quick as a flash, Harry scooped up Gryffindor's sword and attacked.
Ching! Ching! Ching! The clash of metal on metal pounded in Harry's ears. It could have been thunder it was so quick.
While the sword was slender, it was strong, and Malfoy was surprisingly skilful with it, much more skilful than he was with a wand.
"Nice tricks, Malfoy, did Voldemort teach them to you?"
"NO!" Malfoy scowled, and then moistened his thin top lip with his tongue. "I'm a Malfoy; we have a bit more class than you, Potter."
Harry felt sweat drip down his eyebrows as they swung their swords relentlessly against each other's, until, with a strained grunt, Harry overpowered Malfoy, and both he and his sword dropped to the ground.
Feeling triumphant, Harry pointed his sword to Malfoy's chest. Malfoy looked terrified, but then he laughed softly.
"You can't kill me, Gin'll kill you."
"Stop calling her Gin!"
"Why do you care? It's not as though you're in love with her still!"
"And you are?"
Malfoy was silent, a gentle, faraway look in his eyes, similar to the one Ginny had.
"Yes," he whispered, coming back to Earth "yes, I am." He looked Harry in the eyes. "She makes me the happiest I've ever been, and I'm not going to let you, or anyone, take her away from me."
"I don't believe you!" Harry yelled, but something in his heart doubted that. Malfoy gasped as a bead of blood appeared on his chest where the sword was pointed.
"What would you know?!" Malfoy screamed "What do you know about love?! You don't understand. You might be the Boy Who Lived, but you're doomed to be the Boy Who Never Loved! What's happened to anyone who ever loved you, huh? Dead, aren't they Potter? Dumbledore, Hagrid, Sirius Black, your Father, your dear Mother, they're dead!"
His words were poison, corrupting Harry's veins with their bitter coldness. The piercing truth of his statement intoxicated him, and Harry had never hated Malfoy more. He would give almost anything to plunge Gryffindor's sword through his chest, take the life out those jeering silver eyes, wipe the smirk off that face once and for all…
Except Malfoy wasn't smirking, and his eyes weren't jeering. They were filled with tears.
"And you just can't accept that some of us can love! Well, I'll prove to you… I'll prove it to everybody!" And with more strength than Harry thought he had, Malfoy pushed him away, wiped the blood from his chest and spat it from his mouth, fiddled with his hair to make it more presentable, and unlocked the door with Harry's wand.
"Draco- what-?" Ginny, who had been sitting with her head on her arms at the kitchen table, stood up.
"Ginny…" Malfoy breathed, taking her hand, and bent down on one knee. Harry, who was watching from the doorway, raised an eyebrow. Malfoy looked into Ginny's confused eyes for confidence, and then took a deep breath. "Ginevra Molly Weasley, will you do me the honour of becoming… my wife?"
Harry's jaw dropped.
Ginny gasped and swayed a little.
"Ginny… Ginny don't you dare!" Harry said, but neither Malfoy nor Ginny seemed to have heard him. Malfoy steadied her and she stood, gaping at him incredulously.
"Ginny, please, you can't!"
She looked like she was about to speak, but she covered her mouth with her hand and her eyes overflowed with tears.
"Ginny, don't even go there!"
Ginny took a breath and turned away, hiding her face. "I don't think you're thinking clearly, Draco," she whispered. "We're sixteen and seventeen-"
"So what? My parents were engaged when they were fifteen," Malfoy, who was still on one knee, shrugged.
"We come from two of the most controversial families-"
"Well, we both know they all need a good kick up the-"
"We've been going out for six months."
"Six brilliant months," Malfoy breathed. He really had forgotten Harry was there. "And I want the rest of my life to feel as good as those six months, Gin."
Ginny let out a sob, and clamped her hand to her face, which was still hidden. "This is insane." Slowly, she turned around; showing her tear-stained face, which had a small smile upon it. "But I always thought sanity was overrated."
Malfoy swallowed, still not getting up from his kneeling position. "But then- does that mean-?"
Ginny's watery smile widened. "Yeah."
"Ginny!" Harry said furiously. Malfoy blinked.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah, I will! I'll marry you!" Tears streaming down her cheeks, she flung her arms around him, and Malfoy, grinning idiotically, lifted her and spun her around. They didn't seem to be aware that Harry, whose eyes were popping, still existed.
"As soon as we're both old enough to be out of Hogwarts," Ginny whispered, caressing his cheek.
"Oh," Malfoy's smile faded a tiny bit, but he was still gazing at her mushily. "I don't want to wait that long."
"You will." Ginny placed a kiss on his pointed nose "love lasts forever, doesn't it?"
Harry almost threw up.
He leant his forehead against hers, and they sealed their promise with a kiss.
"Ginny, Malfoy, you can't! Hello? HELLO?!" Harry felt as though he should rip them apart, interfere, do something, but he couldn't. It was as though there was a barrier surrounding them, and they were blocked off in their own little world, where just the two of them existed.
And there was nothing he could do about it.
*
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