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.
Author's Notes: Written for scarlettrayne2 for the Fall 2008 dgficexchange. Huge thank you to my beta, rainpuddle13 for her patience, commentary and skill.
TRUTH WILL OUT
SECOND SIGHTING
Ginny Apparated directly into Draco's flat. She knew it was rude, and her mother would have her guts for potion ingredients if she ever found out, but it was better than standing out in the cold banging on the door forever.
"Draco," she called. "Draco, it's just me."
There was no answering yell nor could she hear any movement in the flat. She moved to the staircase and listened intently, but still couldn't hear a thing. It was possible that he was still asleep, so she mounted the stairs. As soon as her feet hit the landing she noticed his bedroom door was closed, which went nicely with her theory that he was still asleep. Ginny approached quietly, tapping lightly on the door before opening it.
The bed was empty, but it looked to have been only recently vacated. From her position she could clearly hear the spray of the shower and now understood why Draco hadn't responded. So that she didn't startle him when he got out, she walked over to the slightly open bathroom door and tapped on it firmly.
"Draco, it's just me. I'll wait for you downstairs; I'm just letting you know I'm here. Do you want tea or coffee this morning?"
Ginny frowned as the seconds ticked past and there was no response from her friend.
"Draco? Are you in there?"
Again she waited for a while, but there was no response.
Panic started to rise through her system as all sorts of terrible scenarios presented themselves to her. What if he'd slipped in the shower and cracked his head on the tiles? He could be unconscious and drowning at the same time under the spray of the shower. It was enough to get her feet moving, and the door bouncing off the wall as she burst into the steamy bathroom.
"Draco! Draco! Where are you?" Ginny felt around the room when seeing became impossible. "Fuck! It's like pea soup in here!"
She felt her way into the shower stall, sticking her arm under the hot spray on the way to the faucet. By the time she turned the water off Ginny was completely wet from head to toe on one side. It didn't help with clearing the steam out either, but she could see a little better now that it wasn't being added to by running water.
"Draco! For fuck's sake, answer me!" Panic was really starting to taint her tone and actions now. "The bath! Oh God, please no…"
Without regard for her personal safety, Ginny went to charge across the small room, but stepped straight into a puddle she'd created from the water dripping off her clothes and hair. Her terrified scream was cut short when she landed flat on her back on the hard tiles.
"Weasley?"
"Draco?" Ginny whimpered.
"Are you all right? Don't move! Umm-" Draco's mind went blank as tried to remember what to do in such circumstances.
"I was looking…" She allowed her voice to trail off when she felt his big, safe hands on her.
"Are you injured?" Draco inquired, concern overwhelming him.
"I don't know." Ginny opened her eyes and turned towards Draco. A small scream erupted from her before she could stop it.
"What's wrong? Where does it hurt? I'll get a Healer for you," Draco gushed in a panic.
Ginny's hand came up to cover her eyes and she tried to move away from him, which was harder than it should have been thanks to the wet floor. "You're naked!"
"I was about to shower," Draco claimed defensively. "Let me help you up."
"No, it's all right. I'll manage." She scooted away from him on her backside. "Just cover up or something."
Draco growled in frustration and strode over to her with sure feet. He didn't hesitate as he lifted her to her feet and began walking her towards the safety of the door. "Now, it would be polite to say thank you."
Ginny looked at him, intending to keep her eyes above his shoulders, but she opened them far too early and ended up snapping her neck into the correct position. "Thank you."
"My bathrobe is in the dressing room," Draco instructed. "I suggest you get out of those wet clothes before you catch a chill. I'll just have a quick shower and meet you downstairs."
She stood there looking at the bathroom door for a few moments after he closed it behind himself, before slowly walking in the direction of his dressing room and the dry bathrobe. Once she started undressing she realized that he could walk into the room at any given moment, so she hurriedly discarded her wet clothing, slipped into his warm bathrobe and returned to the lower floor of the flat.
The memory of what had just happened kept trying to force its way to the forefront of her thoughts and she kept pushing it back. Ginny feared if she thought about it too deeply, or at all, she might just lose her mind or worse, her self control. That was what she feared most. Her friendship with Draco was something she valued above all else. It wasn't every day a person came across someone they could say anything to and not fear judgment or ridicule - Draco was that person for her and, she hoped, she was that person for him. They certainly gave each other hell on a daily basis, but that was just the surface, the public image. Deep down they really cared for each other.
She leaned against the kitchen bench, nursing a mug of hot coffee and trying to sort her thoughts into some form of sanity. If she could disregard what had just happened and not mention it, perhaps he could as well. There was little doubt in her mind, that there were simply some things that were better left unsaid.
"Right, Weasley, perhaps you'd like to tell me exactly what you were doing in my bathroom this morning?" Draco asked as he strode into the kitchen looking impeccable in his business robes.
Ginny's head snapped up at the first sound of his voice. She'd been so lost in thought that she hadn't heard him approaching. "I-umm-"
"When you've finished stammering…"
"I called out, and when you didn't answer I thought you'd fallen over and bumped your head."
"So you barged into the bathroom and fell over yourself?"
"The steam made it hard to see," Ginny continued with a sigh. "I turned the water off, but it didn't make much difference, and then the floor got wet…"
Draco nodded slowly and thoughtfully. "It didn't occur to you that I wasn't in there in the first place?"
Ginny shook her head, afraid to speak now that tears were welling in her eyes.
"Hey, come on, no water works," Draco crooned. "It's all right. I'm all right and you're okay. No harm done, if you don't count the strain you put your poor vocal cords under when you screamed."
"I-didn't-I thou-" Ginny had to give up as her emotions got the better of her and tears began to spill down her cheeks.
As his arms went around her, she collapsed into his chest and began to sob in earnest. All Draco could do was rub her back and make soft, reassuring sounds - it was something she had taught him years ago - until she had spent herself.
"So-sorry." Ginny hiccupped and sniffed loudly. "I hate crying."
"You've had quite a morning," Draco declared. "Now, do you hurt anywhere?"
"All over," Ginny admitted wretchedly.
"I'll run you a bath," Draco offered.
"No, I don't have time." Ginny shook her head sadly. A bath sounded like a wonderful idea, but she had to get to work. "I have to get to work."
"You're not going to be much good to them if you suddenly find you can't move," Draco said seriously. "I'm going to Floo the hospital and let them know you won't be in, then I'm going to run you a bath."
"But-"
"Shh," Draco ordered. "No buts! You're having a personal day."
"Like you'd let your staff-" Ginny started under her breath, but stopped when his gaze sharpened.
"I heard that, Weasley," Draco warned with a smirk. "I'll just go and make that Floo call."
Ginny rolled her eyes, but made no move to oppose him. A long soak in a bath sounded like just the thing she needed. The last two days at work had been dreadful thanks to the horror weekend she'd endured, so a day off was something heavenly that she simply wasn't strong enough to resist. She sipped her coffee and pushed all thoughts of work out of her head; they'd manage for one day without her.
"Right, that's done," Draco said.
"Any problem?"
"Not when I told them you'd taken a fall in the bathroom."
"Oh you didn't?"
"Of course I did."
Ginny groaned. Her colleagues weren't going to let her forget this. They already gave her grief for having a bloke as a best friend, so having him Floo them after she'd fallen in the bathroom was just going to add fuel to their fire of torment.
"Umm- What are you doing here anyway?" Draco asked. "I presume your visit had a purpose."
"I wanted to make sure you hadn't forgotten about drinks after work," Ginny said.
"Tonight?"
"Draco, I wrote the date in your diary myself."
"Right- no problem, I'll be there." Draco frowned. He'd have to do some shuffling this afternoon if he was going to make that date. "Was that all?"
"I feel like you're trying to push me out or something," Ginny complained.
"Not at all, but I do have to go to work today, so once I run your bath I won't see you until tonight. I just wanted to know if there was anything dramatic you needed to tell me before work."
"Everything else can wait," Ginny said.
"What about Friday?" Draco asked.
"I'll meet you there." Ginny smiled, glad they'd confirmed that date, even though she wasn't looking forward meeting to whoever he'd set her up with this time after Sunday's debacle.
"Good," Draco responded absently. "I'll see to your bath."
"I can-"
"Stay there and relax."
Ginny sighed into her mug as he disappeared again. There was something about having a bath run for her that made her feel decidedly like a princess. She could handle being treated like this every day, but finding a man like her best friend was probably going to prove impossible, and she knew he wasn't looking for anyone like himself for her, because he knew all too well what a womanizer he was.
"Your bath is ready," Draco announced as he reentered the kitchen. "I have to get to the office, but you know where everything is, so help yourself. The house elves arrive around nine o'clock, so don't be startled if you hear them moving about. They're used to finding strange women in my flat, so they won't bother you."
"Do you really have to rush off?"
"Unfortunately, yes. I have a meeting with my father first thing this morning, so I can't be late."
Ginny pouted.
"That is not going to change a thing," Draco stated. "You have a good day, and I'll meet you at the pub after work."
"All right," Ginny agreed sulkily.
Draco chuckled at her antics before giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. "See you later."
"Bye," Ginny uttered as he Disapparated.
The silence in the flat was suddenly deafening. Not even the tick of a clock could be heard. Even though she was perfectly comfortable in his flat, she shivered a little in the unnatural quiet. With little else to do she finished her coffee and headed upstairs to Draco's bathroom. He'd filled the tub to the rim and added enough bubbles for her to lose herself in for several hours. After testing the water temperature with her toe, she let his robe slip from her shoulders and she climbed into the enormous tub. The moment her body began to relax in the warm water her eyes demanded some rest as well. This was most definitely the life.
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