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.
ACCIDENTAL LOVE
FRIENDS
It had been over a week since Draco had left her in Greg Goyle's hands. Ginny hadn't seen or heard from him since she'd been Apparated out of the foyer in the Zabini manor. The following morning she'd contacted Ron, but he was of little help to her. Whatever mission they were currently in was top secret, and the details were not for public knowledge or for anyone not directly associated with the case.
Worry set in swiftly, not only for Draco, but also for Harry. She knew this was a part of what they did, and had been around before when the family were concerned for Harry's safety, but the thought of Draco being out there facing Merlin only knows what had her on the verge of panic for much of the time. Ginny took to dropping into Auror Headquarters no less than twice a day after the second day he'd been gone. Kingsley did his best to placate her, but she knew he had no more of an idea about where they were than she did. Ron tried his best to keep her from stressing, but there was so little he could offer her that most of the time his efforts were all for naught. It was more the not knowing that was driving her to the brink of insanity.
To keep herself occupied, Ginny put her hand up for extra shifts at work. It was better than sitting around her flat worrying herself sick over where Draco might be, or if he was injured or worse. Work seemed to be the only thing she had at the moment and she immersed herself fully in it, not that her thoughts strayed from her missing boyfriend. Everyone at work knew that Draco was away at the moment and while they sympathized with her, practical help was far from being a reality.
"Healer Weasley, Mrs. Brodderick in bed number four is still complaining about the hallucinations she's having," Andrea said quietly.
Ginny looked at the young nurse and immediately regretted the decision. The expression on the nurse's face was one of poorly concealed amusement. Mrs. Brodderick's vivid hallucinations had been Ginny's only source of entertainment all week. "Did she tell you about them again?"
Andrea nodded as she started to laugh. "Something about the Minister for Magic and a pink, frilly apron... Only a pink, frilly apron."
"Oh dear, they're getting worse," Ginny groaned.
"She didn't say they were increasing."
"No, I mean the actual hallucinations," Ginny corrected. "I think I'm going to have to find something to stop them, because if I'm subjected to one more description about the Minister doing something lewd I might be tempted to put her out of my misery."
"She's pretty forthcoming with the details," Andrea agreed.
"Too forthcoming," Ginny insisted. "And then she wants to know what they mean."
The young nurse's eyes opened wide. "What do you tell her?"
"I just pat her hand and tell her they'll go away eventually." Ginny giggled lightly. "I can't try to explain them or what I'm thinking might slip out."
"Oh?"
"That she's a dirty old woman with a thing for men in power."
"So what do you want me to tell her?"
"Just reassure her that they'll go away, and it's just a side-effect of the combination of potions she's taking for medical purposes."
"I'll do that and hopefully she'll leave you alone."
"Could I be that lucky?"
"Of course you can. Have you-"
Ginny shook her head, cutting the nurse off. "No, nothing."
"You shouldn't worry; they're the best at what they do."
"I know; I've just never been this close to it before."
"Here's someone who's even closer than you." Andrea nodded over Ginny's shoulder.
Ginny turned to see Ron walking towards her. His expression was so serious that her heart leapt into her mouth instantly and began to hammer harder than it ever has before. "Ron?"
"Ginny, we've had word."
She swallowed hard, stealing herself for the worst. "Just tell me."
"They should be back in the department some time today. We don't know what condition they're in, just that they were unsuccessful in their mission."
"Can I-"
"Kingsley asked me to get you just in case they need a Healer and if they don't, well, you'll want to be there anyway."
"I'll just get my things," Ginny uttered, already turning towards the small office she shared with two other junior healers.
Ginny didn't think about what she was doing, she simply went through the motions of preparing a bag for a house call and grabbing her personal belongings. When she was ready she walked back to the corridor, where Ron was waiting with Andrea.
"Andrea, can you inform-"
"Consider it done," the young nurse said quickly. "I hope they're both all right."
"Thanks." She offered the other woman a tight smile before leaving the ward.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Ginny sighed and repositioned herself on the chair for perhaps the thousandth time in the two hours she'd been waiting for Draco and Harry to arrive. Her mind kept wandering to all that could be wrong or that could have gone wrong in the meantime. She glanced around the office again, trying to find something to distract her, but it was useless. Everything reminded her of them.
"Ginny," Ron called from the doorway. "They'll be here in a few minutes."
"Thank goodness," she murmured, getting to her feet and walking to the door.
She waited just outside the door of their office and was amazed by what she witnessed. It was as if the department had come to a standstill until two of their own returned safely. A few people appeared to be working, but on closer inspection Ginny could see that they were absently shuffling papers or something just as redundant. The minutes seemed to drag on endlessly like some eccentric form of torture.
The doors opened in a great rush of noise and two dirty wizards stood framed in the doorway. Cheers and sighs of relief went through the department, followed by much backslapping as Draco and Harry made their way to their office. Ginny stood back with her heart in her throat watching their colleagues greet them. Their mission may have failed, but they returned home safely and that was all that mattered right now.
All of a sudden their eyes met. Ginny could feel hers beginning to fill with tears as his beautiful gray orbs probed her soul. Just as the world in front of her started to blur Draco began to move towards her. It seemed to take him forever to close the distance between them; it was like he was moving in slow motion or something. And then he was there, reaching for her as she threw herself into his arms.
His lips crushed hers in a consuming kiss. There was nothing delicate or even particularly loving about the embrace, in fact it almost hurt, but she didn't want it stop. It was real and that was all that mattered. It meant he was back and he was alive. Only when air became a dire need for both of them did their mouths part, but Draco didn't relinquish his hold on her. He crushed her to his chest and pressed firm kisses onto the crown of her head.
"I love you so much," Draco muttered into her hair, his voice uncharacteristically full of emotion.
Ginny lifted her head from his chest and looked deep into his eyes. All his guards were down and she could clearly see how he honestly felt. "I love you too. I thought- This week has been so long- I didn't know whether I'd see you again."
"I'm home," he whispered stroking her cheek softly before claiming her mouth tenderly.
The fear that had had a hold over her heart for the past week or so melted away and she began to feel warm again. She knew if they were to continue their relationship she would have to accept his position in the Ministry and the danger involved without question. Ginny had seen many of Harry's relationships fail over the years, because of his job and when it took him away from those he loved. Not that any of that nonsense even warranted thinking about, because she already knew deep down inside that she couldn't give him up. Even if she only voiced her true feelings today, she knew she loved him that first night they spent together.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
A month after the failed mission Draco found himself sitting at Neville Longbottom's dinner table with an odd assortment of people. For the most part, they were less than welcoming when it came to him, but it didn't bother him that much - well, perhaps it did just a little. They weren't the type of people he would normally socialize with, but they were Ginny's friends and as such he had little choice but to grin and bare their company. After all, one evening wouldn't kill him, would it?
"So, where is it you were at when you were missing for a week?" Seamus Finnigan asked pointedly.
Draco sighed heavily. The whole conversation was beginning to bore him to tears. "Like I said before, Finnigan, I'm not at liberty to say."
"Just asking," Seamus answered artlessly.
"It doesn't matter how many times you ask, I'm not going to tell you," Draco stressed. "I'm not allowed to discuss any case with anyone outside of the department."
"Do you get called away often?" Colin Creevey enquired.
"We go into the field when it's necessary."
"It would be interesting to accompany you," Colin mused. "Do you think that would be possible? You know, to document your work from a journalist's point of view?"
"I doubt it," Draco answered curtly.
"You could ask," Colin pressed.
"Quite frankly, Creevey, I doubt you'd last five minutes in the field. It's no picnic out there."
"Yeah, but there are women," Seamus interjected with nefariously chuckle.
"No, actually, there are no women."
"Come on, Malfoy, everyone knows what you're like." Seamus nudged Neville Longbottom, looking for his support.
"I can assure you, Finnigan, and anyone else who thinks I do nothing more than bed women when I'm in the field, there are absolutely no women, and even if there were they'd not want to touch a wizard who has neglected to bathe for a week." Draco wished he could describe to them what it was like to be holed up in a filthy cave for over a week, getting little to no sleep each day and going hungry more times than not. He knew this lot wouldn't be able to handle what he and Harry went through to make an arrest.
"He's lying," Finnigan whispered indiscreetly in Dean's ear, though it was loud enough for the entire table to hear.
"For goodness sakes, give it a rest you lot," Ginny interrupted eloquently. "Do you really think that Harry is out there bedding everything in a skirt when he's away from the city?"
"Harry is different," Seamus pointed out.
"How?" Ginny pressed.
"He's Harry. He doesn't do things like that," Dean answered defensively.
"Harry is Draco's partner, and if Draco was doing things like that do you think Harry would keep it to himself, or do you think he'd tell me?"
"Well, I guess-"
"Yeah, I thought so," Ginny snapped. "Now, can we please change the subject? I'm sure Draco doesn't want to be even thinking about the horrors he has to live through in the field, let alone discuss them over dinner."
Luna Lovegood sighed breathily. "Have you ever come across a Fogtunabut in the forest?"
Draco gaped across the table at the wide-eyed woman with the dreamy voice. "A what?"
"They're lovely creatures, but you want to be careful around them when the moon is in the first quarter... They turn quite deadly then," Luna continued, oblivious to the sniggers coming from the other men at the table.
Ginny cleared her throat ever so lightly to garner Draco's attention and then shook her head slightly, hoping that he'd get the message that pursuing the conversation would be a bad idea.
Draco frowned at his girlfriend and leaned closer to her. "Is she bonkers?"
"No," Ginny whispered.
"Then what's a-whatever that was she asked about?"
"Got no idea, but don't argue with her or you'll get a real education."
He was beginning to think the entire evening was some sort of elaborate joke. People couldn't really behave like this at a dinner party, could they? The men were persistent in their belief that he was unfaithful when he was away from Ginny, and the women were just odd, to put it politely.
After dinner Longbottom invited everyone into his small sitting room for coffee and brandy. Draco had attempted to sit down next to Ginny, but he was quickly scooted out of the way by the weird blonde with odd beliefs. Soon enough the men noticed him standing just beside his girlfriend and were insisting he join them.
"Malfoy, you don't want to be over there with the women," Seamus called uncouthly.
Draco cringed mentally. The Irishman had obviously had far too much wine with dinner and was now washing it down with healthy quantities of brandy. To be honest, all Draco wanted to do was leave. "Longbottom, where is your lavatory located?"
"Just down the hall and to the left," Neville answered quickly.
"Thank you." Draco leaned forward to whisper in Ginny's ear, "I'll be back soon."
Ginny smiled up at him. She knew he wasn't having a good time and she wished the boys would leave the topic of women alone. There was nothing worse than being reminded that she didn't know what he was up to when he was away. Not that she believed for a minute that he was being unfaithful, but still it wasn't pleasant dinner conversation.
Draco left the room quietly and located the toilet. He spent a couple of minutes longer than necessary in the tiny room just soaking up the peace and quiet. It was good to get away from all the nonsensical talk in the sitting room, even for a few minutes. When he thought he could stay away no long without appearing rude, he opened the door. A shocked gasp caught in his throat when Neville Longbottom confronted him right outside the door.
"Malfoy."
"Longbottom."
"We're worried about Ginny," Neville said bluntly.
"Worried?" Draco frowned. "I don't follow you."
"You're a philanderer."
"Am I?" Draco couldn't suppress the smirk tugging at his lips.
"And you're something of an enigma to all of us," Neville continued uncertainly.
"Go on," Draco drawled.
"We don't want Ginny to get hurt. We know you'll just dump her when you get bored and we'd rather you backed off gracefully now."
Draco considered his options for a moment or two and then took a single step towards the wizard. It seemed to alarm Longbottom, but Draco had to give the man credit for holding his ground, albeit shakily. "I will not be giving Ginny up any time soon, Longbottom, so you can tell your little friends that they can go to hell, as far as I'm concerned. I have had quite enough innuendo for this evening and would appreciate it if you, as a good host, would put a stop to it for Ginny's sake. She does not need to hear what other men think we're doing when we're holed up waiting for some lowlife to expose himself. If any of you have a moments doubt about what I'm doing when that's happening, I suggest you talk to Harry Potter, because he's with me the entire time."
"We're just concerned," Neville reiterated hesitantly.
"You've nothing to be concerned about," Draco assured him strongly. "Not that it's actually any of your business. Now either you put a stop to the others voicing their uncouth fantasies or I'm going to take Ginny home."
"I-I'll see what I can do."
"Good, you do that." Draco sneered one last time at the wizard and pushed past him. It was clear that he'd never really get on with her friends, at least not until they got over their preconceived notions of him.
"You were a while," Ginny commented when he returned to her side.
Draco leaned down and whispered in her ear, "Apparently, I'm a philanderer."
Her eyes grew wide and she burst out laughing. "How ridiculous!"
"Yes, I told Longbottom that." Draco sighed wearily. "Are you ready to call it an evening? I'm feeling a bit worn out."
"Of course." Ginny grinned wickedly at him. "You're not too tired, I hope."
"I'm never too tired for you."
"Good. Let's say goodnight and get home then," Ginny suggested.
Draco drew on every ounce of etiquette he possessed to bid everyone a pleasant evening. He ignored Longbottom's fumbled apology about the confrontation and ushered Ginny out the front door, glad to put the evening and those people behind them.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
AUTHOR'S NOTES
Written for dgficexchange. Thanks to Rainpuddle13 for her fantastic beta skills.
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