The Heart Asks Darkness First

CHAPTER THREE - THE PROMISE

Ginny and Tom continued a liaison in secret for the next couple of weeks. For once, Ginny was glad that people didn´t notice her and so she started taking greater risks to meet him. Only one person seemed to see what was happening - and he had a promise to keep.

Ron turned to Hermione and Harry one night at dinner. "If Malfoy doesn´t stop glancing over at our table, I´m going to go over there and gouge his eyeballs out."

As he said this, Ginny rushed into the room. She looked a little flustered as she dropped into a seat opposite Hermione. The others murmured their greetings then turned back to the topic of Malfoy. Hermione looked over at the Slytherin table. "He must have heard you Ron," she joked. "He´s stopped now."

"Stopped what?" Ginny asked.

"Ron reckons he kept looking over at this table," replied Hermione. "Personally I think he´s just being paranoid."

Ginny had stopped listening. `Was he looking for me?´ she thought to herself, and then mentally scolded herself. `Why would he bother? It´s not like we were ever close before.´

As she thought this, she heard Ron groan. "Now he´s coming to talk to us?! My evening´s just got so much better!"

Draco stopped as he reached the table. "Weasley, Granger, could I have a word please?"

"Well it´s a bit late for you to be asking now!" Ron spat out.

Hermione opened her mouth to tell Malfoy to get lost, when her eyes locked with his. There was something about them that shocked her so much that she had spoken her assent before she realised it. Ron nudged her and hissed "Hermione!"

"What? I- oh. Well okay Malfoy, what is it you want to say?"

"I need to talk to you in private. Outside the hall, if I could." Draco actually sounded nervous - so much so that even Ron found himself agreeing.

As soon as the trio were outside the hall, Ron demanded "Alright Malfoy, what is it?"

Draco looked at them, a strange concern in his eye. "I was just wondering...Weasley, have you noticed anything...different about your sister?"

Ron shook his head. "Not really."

"Have you noticed her at all?" There was almost bitterness in Malfoy´s tone.

Ron stared at the stone floor. "Well...I´ve been a bit caught up with `Mione...then there´s the N.E.W.Ts of course..."

Draco sighed. "Just...keep an eye on her, okay?"

As Malfoy walked off, Ron turned to his girlfriend. "What was all that about?"

"I don´t know." Hermione watched Draco leave. "I mean, why would he care what we notice about Ginny?"

"You don´t think he fancies her?" Ron seemed disgusted at the very thought of it.

Hermione shrugged. "Who knows? Still, I guess he has a point. I mean, we do tend to leave Ginny out a bit, especially now that Harry´s with Cho."

Ron shrugged. "Ah well, I´m sure we´ll find out what´s going on soon enough. If nothing else, it´s not like Gin to keep a secret for long anyway."

~GW~ ~TR~

An hour later, Ginny was back in the Forest. Tom smiled to himself as he saw her approach. She was so dependant on him - he could drag her any way he wanted to. And since she´d started the downward spiral...

He walked to meet the redhead, kissing her once he did. "Back so soon?"

Ginny nodded. "I wasn´t going to come back tonight, but...I think Malfoy´s getting twitchy."

Tom looked confused. "Malfoy? That guy who gave you the spell? What´s he got to do with anything?"

"I think he was looking for me at dinner. Then he came over and asked to speak to my brother and Hermione - and he hates them."

"He´s probably just jealous." Tom kissed Ginny´s jaw. "Not that I can blame him."

Ginny grinned. "You´re probably right. It´s just - I hate lying to the others."

"I thought you said they didn´t notice you?"

"They don´t. But all the same...sooner or later they´re going to have to meet you."

"They won´t like it," Tom warned. "Considering that I did try to kill you."

"I don´t care if they like it or not. Just so long as it´s out in the open." Ginny gently kissed Tom. "Please?"

"Alright. If you can get them close enough to the forest, I´ll come out and meet them." Inside, Tom knew it was a bit risky to agree - but he needed to keep Ginny´s trust if he was to be able to carry out his plans...