Weakness in Me

He came towards her, bearing two steaming mugs of coffee and a wide smile, which Ginny returned. Lifting her umbrella higher, she let Draco under it and took a mug off of him. His warm hand closed around hers as he took the umbrella from her.

"You're crippling me," he drawled.

Ginny smiled.

They walked to his apartment, glad to be out of the pouring rain. Ginny shook the umbrella dry, splashing him with water as she did so.

"Weasley..." he snarled.

"Malfoy..." she snarled back. Pulling her into the room, he shut the door, pinning Ginny against the wall. Taking her coffee, he carefully set it down next to his before turning his attention back to her. Looking at her through hooded eyes, he slid her wet cloak off her shoulders, letting it drop to the floor. Ginny's breath caught in her throat.

Numb hands unclasped his cloak and eased it off him, allowing it to drop unheeded to the floor as he kissed her.

She sighed, hands skimming his arms and chest, as his strong arms wrapped around her waist. She clung to him as they kissed, weakened by the wave of emotion that swept through her.

Draco Malfoy had grown out of his immature arrogance after leaving school. The man who stood in front of her, chest pressed against hers, drawing ragged breaths next to her ear, was so different from the boy he had once been.

Ginny lightly traced his jaw line with a finger, turning his face towards hers.

"Tell me what we're doing is right," she whispered hoarsely.

He kissed her.

I'm not the sort of person, who falls in and quickly out of love, but to you I gave my affection, right from the start.

Ginny sighed as she gently removed herself from Draco's warm embrace. Wrapped in his sheets, she turned to look at him, surprised when silver eyes met brown. He smiled sleepily, blond hair tousled the way she liked it best. Taking hold of her wrist, he pulled her back down to him and buried his face in the crook of her neck. Ginny's hands went into his hair, smoothing it down.

With a gentle kiss on the side of her neck, he murmured, "Go on then."

She smiled half-heartedly as she wriggled back into her wet clothes, Draco watching her.

With a crack she Apparated back to her own apartment. A second crack made Ginny jump, hand flying to her wand.

"Gin Gin, I'm home," a voice called.

Shrugging off her wet cloak and muttering a drying charm, Ginny walked into the kitchen.

"Hi Blaise," she said to her boyfriend, "tea?"

He grinned. "You know me too well," he said, kissing her cheek. Ginny looked up at him. His dark hair was beginning to dry into the unruly curls she was used to, his blue eyes smiling.

Sitting at the table with him, sipping her coffee, Ginny tried not to think about how much better it tasted with Draco.

I have a lover, who loves me, how could I break such a heart? Yet still you gained me attention.

"Gin, do you mind if I have a few old friends round tonight?" Blaise asked, one arm around Ginny's shoulders as they watched TV.

Ginny shrugged non-committedly. "I was going to see Hermione tonight anyway," she replied.

"How is she?"

"She's fine...yeah, she's good."

Blaise nodded and Ginny stood, about to go and get ready. He turned her towards him, and kissed her softly on the mouth. "Have a good time, I love you,"

She forced a smile onto her face, trying to remember how it had been before Draco. "Love you too," she muttered, sounding even to her own ears like a petulant teenager.

As she left the apartment, with promises to send Blaise's love, Ginny drew her cloak more tightly around her. She was going down the stairs, lost in her thoughts, when a voice spoke. Her stomach clenched pleasantly. "Weasley," he drawled huskily, a possessive arm wrapping around her waist. "Not staying?" she shook her head. His tongue traced a line down her neck before he let go of her and continued to walk up the stairs.

Why do you come here, when you know I've got troubles enough? Why do you call me, when you know I can't answer the phone?

Ginny hugged her old friend, glad for the break from her life, even if it was only for a few hours.

"How's Ron?" she asked.

"At home, burning things," Hermione laughed, "he says he's cooking." Ginny smiled.

"What is it Gin? You're not yourself."

Ginny looked up, "It's nothing, I'm just tired, from work..."

Hermione nodded. "Sure?"

Ginny considered telling her friend everything. She knew she couldn't risk Hermione telling her what she already knew, that what she was doing was selfish and wrong. She nodded and changed the conversation to Ron and Harry.

The bell to her apartment buzzed. Ginny groaned and put down her sandwich. It was her day off, could people not just leave her alone? The buzzer went again.

Ginny went to the door and opened it. Draco was leaning nonchalantly against the doorframe. Ginny smiled despite herself.

"I brought you flowers, to celebrate your day off," he announced, pulling a vivid mixture of colourful flowers from behind his back. Ginny blushed and murmured a thank you.

"I'm going to put them into water, can I get you anything?" she called over her shoulder.

"Mil-" Draco started.

"Milky coffee, two sugars," she laughed, "I know!"

He grinned and picked up her abandoned sandwich. Watching her lazily as she cut the stems of the flowers, he smiled.

Ginny turned to give him his coffee. "Enjoying my lunch?"

He nodded, not at all repentant.

Ginny sat down on his lap, fiddling with his tie. He had a meeting later. Blaise did too.

Warm hands settled lightly on her hips as Draco leaned forwards to kiss her. Ginny threaded her fingers through his hair, shuddering as he deepened the kiss. She pressed herself closer to him, trying to forget everything. He drew away from her, lips resting against hers. She loosened his tie, pulling it open to lay loose around his neck. Unbuttoning his top buttons with shaking fingers, she couldn't look at him.

Ginny lowered her mouth to the exposed flesh at his collarbone and sucked it gently. It tasted of Draco. His strong fingers slid under the hem of her top, stroking her sides. She bit his skin, smoothing it again with her tongue.

Lifting her head to his, she smiled shakily.

"Quite the hickey you've given me, Weasley," he smirked. Ginny blushed and looked away.

Draco kissed her earlobe. "What's the matter?" he whispered into her ear, his hot breath making her skin prickle.

Ginny kissed him, pressing her tongue against the seam of his lips, which parted instantly. She did not trust herself to answer. He moaned into her mouth, and Ginny could feel it rather than hear it.

Suddenly, he froze. Drawing away from her, he disentangled her arms from around his neck, straightening her top. Ginny sighed, partly from frustration, and partly from guilt. Sliding off his lap she said, "What?"

She heard a key go into the lock and instantly flushed.

Draco looked at her and she gazed back, eyes wide and lips swollen. He pushed her gently in the direction of the bathroom, and wiped his mouth.

"Draco mate! How are you?" Blaise cried warmly, coming through the door.

"I'm good thanks, thought I'd drop by and see if you needed a lift to the meeting,"

"Is Gin around?"

"Yeah, she let me in. I think she's gone to the bathroom."

"Cheers mate." Blaise looked closer at Draco, "nice hickey you've got there!" he grinned.

Draco smirked as Ginny came back into the kitchen. "I was getting him some toothpaste to put on it, make it go down," she said, giving Blaise a kiss. Draco bristled. He hated seeing Ginny and Blaise together. Ginny felt sick. Blaise believed everything she told him without question. It made her guilt increase tenfold.

You make me lie when I don't want to, and make someone else some kind of an unknowing fool

"Just floo him and say you're staying with a friend," he suggested. Ginny looked at him lying next to her. His arms were around her waist as they lay in his garden. He lazily traced his initials into her stomach. Ginny wiggled. "That tickles!"

He stopped, suddenly serious. "Please spend the night," he said quietly. Ginny looked at him in alarm. His face was drawn, his eyes downcast.

"Draco?" something had changed, the dynamic had shifted. He turned to face her and kissed her so sweetly and so perfectly that she couldn't say no.

And so, she made her excuses to Blaise, and spent the night in Draco's arms. Nothing had ever felt so right before.

"Weasley, have I ever mentioned how beautiful you are?" Draco asked in his characteristic lazy drawl.

Ginny smiled sleepily and opened her eyes. Draco was hovering above her, his grey eyes sincere, showing no signs of teasing. "No, feel free to do it again."

"You're beautiful, and perfect, and lovely," he said, punctuating each word with a soft kiss on her jaw.

You make me stay when I should not, are you so strong or is all the weakness in me?

Ginny got home to find Blaise already there. "Hey," he greeted her as she walked through the door, "I cooked."

She looked at him, dark curls askew and faced smudged with flour. He was so beautiful. He didn't deserve her. He deserved to be allowed to move on as she had.

"I can't do this anymore," she said, defeated.

Blaise looked up, concerned. "Gin?" he asked softly.

"I'm so sorry."

"Why? What for?"

She said nothing. Blaise tried to get her to look at him. "Gin, what's going on?" he asked, a hint of desperation entering his voice.

"I don't know anymore," Ginny said, her voice cracking. "I just know that I can't do this anymore. It's not fair."

"Not fair on who?"

"On you. On me. On Draco."

"What's Draco got to do with us, Ginny?"

"Nothing. Everything. Oh Blaise, I'm so sorry," she finally met his gaze. His eyes were confused and he looked hurt. "I'm not sure how to tell you this, but..." she trailed off.

"But you've been sleeping with my best friend?" his light tone did not conceal the accusation.

Ginny nodded miserably.

"For how long?" he demanded. She said nothing. "How long Ginny? Weeks? Months?"

"For almost ten months," she said quietly.

He was silent for a long time. Then, "I think it's best if you just leave."

"I'm so sorry Blaise."

He looked away, unable to look at her. This betrayal had been so perfectly hidden, and that cut deeper than anything else. He'd been a fool not to notice.

"Me too Ginny."

She left the apartment, silent tears streaming down her face. Her heart wrenched with guilt, but at the same time it felt as though a tremendous weight had been lifted.

She didn't know where she was going, only that she couldn't stop moving. If she did, she'd never start again.

She crashed blindly into someone. About to mutter an apology, she stopped as a pair of familiar arms went around her.

"Weasley?"

This brought a fresh flood of tears. She buried her face in the crook of his neck.

"Tell me what we're doing is right," she whispered, begging in desperation. "Please."

He said nothing, just stroked her hair and held her close.

"Draco, please, tell me it's all worth it. Tell me it's right," her voice cracked.

He chased her falling tears off her face with his thumb.

"Of course it is. Ginny, of course it's right. I love you," he whispered to her, "I love you."