Forbidden Fruit

Chapter 9

"And every time I scratch my nails down someone else's back I hope you feel it . . . well can you feel it? Well I'm here to remind you, of the mess you left when you went away. It's not fair to deny me, of the cross I bear that you gave to me. You, you, you oughta know." Ginny sang and danced along with the small magical radio she had brought with her from home.

Hermione had given her the CD for her birthday last year and Ginny had immediately started bugging her Mum and Dad for a radio to play it on. She had to admit it wasn't bad, for Muggle music. Ginny was in the dungeon room waiting for Draco, she had gotten bored so she used a summoning charm to get the radio into the room. The song, which was one of her favorites from the album, ended and she stopped dancing. Ginny heard someone start applauding and turned to the door. When she saw Draco standing there, she quickly raced over and turned off the radio.

"Aww! What did you do that for? I was enjoying the show," Draco teased.

"Shut it, Malfoy, unless you want everyone to find out about your fascination with Muggle music." Ginny slapped his arm playfully.

"That was a Muggle song?"

"Yes, you have a problem with that?" Ginny glared threateningly.

"No, I don't, I was just a little surprised, that's all," Draco said.

"That happens to be one of my favorite CD's. Hermione gave it to me for my birthday. The singer's name is Alanis Morissette. She is like this total goddess of rock music. Which is amusing because Hermione told me about this really funny Muggle movie in which Alanis plays god," Ginny said.

"You know a lot more about the Muggle world than I thought you would," Draco said.

"My dad is fascinated by them. I just listen when he talks about them, and of course being around Harry and Hermione, I picked up a few things as well," Ginny explained.

Draco rolled his eyes and walked over to a couch near the fireplace.

"Why don't you stop talking about Potter and Granger and come over here and try scratching your nails down my back," he drawled.

Ginny walked over to Draco and gave him a kiss. He gently eased his tongue into her mouth for a more passionate kiss as Ginny slid her hands up under his shirt. She dug her nails into his back and slowly dragged them down. Draco broke the kiss and a low groan escaped from his throat. Ginny smiled at him as she slid her hands into his back pockets. She leaned forward to kiss his neck and Draco reached up and laced his fingers in her hair. He took his other free hand and slid it under her shirt, and then slid his hand under her bra. He heard Ginny whimper softly and then she started pulling his shirt off. Within seconds he was standing there shirtless and Ginny ran her hands across his chest, scraping her fingernails over his skin. He smiled as she started running her hands over his well-defined six-pack.

Draco started pulling off Ginny's shirt and she looked up at him as he tossed the shirt aside. Draco leaned forward and gently started sucking on the side of her neck, causing her to whimper again. After a few minutes he pulled back and chuckled. "Um, Ginny, darling, I think you're going to need a turtleneck for a few days."

Ginny's jaw dropped. "Well, two can play at that game."

She grabbed the waistband of Draco's pants and pulled him forward. Within minutes he also had a hickey on his neck and Ginny looked quite pleased with herself. Draco chuckled again and moved to the floor, pulling Ginny down with him. Draco pulled off his pants so he was only wearing his boxers and Ginny quickly pulled off her own pants. Draco began to kiss her again and soon he was pulling her bra off. He moved to lie on top of her and started rubbing his hips against hers. Ginny arched her back, pushing her pelvis up against him.

After a little while, Ginny pushed Draco over onto his back and slid her hand underneath his boxers. Draco tilted his head back against the floor, groaning again. Soon, all of his muscles tensed and he let out a louder groan. He laid there for a moment and then he was pushing Ginny over onto her back again. He quickly pulled off her panties and started kissing on her chest, working his way to her stomach, and then finally moved lower. Ginny started moaning and twisted her fingers in his hair. After several minutes, Ginny moaned again as all her muscles trembled. Draco moved up to kiss her softly and Ginny sighed contentedly.

Draco chuckled and said, "And all I wanted was to feel your nails on my back."

Ginny laughed and then gave him a long kiss.

***

Harry, Ron and Hermione left the Great Hall and made their way slowly to the dungeons for their first class of the day, a double bell of Potions. The trio had always hated Potions class, and double Potions was ten times worse. Putting up with Snape and the Slytherins for an hour was enough to drive a sane person mad. Two hours was almost like being under the Cruciatus Curse.

"Come on, Harry, let's go practice Quidditch or something," Ron pleaded.

"Ron! Don't even think about it. You can't skive off classes." Hermione playfully slapped her boyfriend's arm.

Harry smiled to himself; they went through a variation of this same conversation every time they had Potions. As much as he hated to admit it, Hermione was right. Ever since Sirius had died, Harry had been even more determined to become an Auror and he needed the N.E.W.T. in Potions to do so.

The trio entered the dungeon classroom and sat in their regular seats. Upon seeing that their feared Potions master was not yet seated behind his desk the three friends started chatting happily.

"Did you two notice anything strange about Ginny this morning?" Ron asked.

"No, what are you on about, Ron?" Hermione asked.

"She was wearing that turtleneck today, I just wondered why," Ron said.

"Well, it is winter, and it can get cold in this castle," Hermione said.

She cast a glance at Harry and they both had to hold back fits of laughter. It was well known in the Muggle world that turtlenecks were extremely helpful when hiding hickeys, so they both suspected that was why Ginny was wearing one that day. Their suspicions were confirmed when Malfoy walked into the classroom a few moments later, flanked by Goyle, and Pansy. He was wearing a turtleneck under his robes.

At this point, Hermione glanced at Harry again. The urge to laugh won out this time. Unfortunately for them Professor Snape chose that moment to walk into the classroom. He swept into the room like a bat, robes billowing around him.

"Thirty points from Gryffindor, Ms. Granger, Mr. Potter," Snape glared at them, before sitting behind his desk and with a wave of his wand the instructions for that day's class were up on the board.

The three friends followed their classmates to get ingredients and then sat down again. They worked quietly for awhile, until Harry swore softly. His thoughts had started to wander and he obviously messed up the potion somehow because it had turned out a light pink color instead of clear, as it should have been.

"You forgot the moonstone," Hermione whispered.

Harry quickly added the moonstone and the potion changed color slowly. A few moments later it was time to leave. Harry filled a small vial with his potion, labeled it and took it up to Snape's desk. The Professor looked at the potion and smirked.

"Another ten points from Gryffindor. Ms. Granger, how many times do I have to tell you not to help your fellow classmates with their work?" he glared at the three friends as they quickly left the classroom.

***

Ginny was sitting with three of her friends just outside the Transfiguration classroom. Nicki Kingsley, who is one of Ginny's dorm mates in Gryffindor. She is about five foot seven, with shoulder length ash blond hair and blue eyes. Cassie Edwards is in Ravenclaw, Ginny met Cassie through Luna Lovegood last year and the four girls had spent quite a bit of time together. Cassie was shorter than Nicki at five foot five; she had long red hair that was slightly lighter than Ginny's. Colin Creevey was also sitting with Ginny, Nicki and Cassie. He and Ginny had become friends early in their second year and he was now dating Nicki. His younger brother Dennis had begun dating Cassie at the beginning of this year. Colin and Dennis hadn't changed much since they first came to Hogwarts. Both boys were still as hyper as ever, and they had both grown taller, Dennis stood five foot six and Colin had hit five foot seven. Ginny looked up to see Luna and Neville walking down the hall towards them, holding hands. When they reached the four friends Neville gave Luna a quick kiss goodbye and headed for his own classroom.

Neville and Luna? When did that happen? Ginny thought to herself.

"Gin, what's up with the turtleneck?" Nicki asked.

Ginny tried to look as innocent as possible and said, "I'm cold."

"Come on, Weasley," Cassie said.

Ginny quickly looked around to make sure no one was watching, and then lowered the neck of her shirt to reveal the purple hickey on her neck.

"Ewww! Gin, no one wants to see that," Colin said.

Nicki rolled her eyes at her boyfriend, "Good for you, Ginny."

Cassie laughed and they barely heard Luna when she said, "Did you know that the hickey is caused by the eruption of blood vessels under the skin? Also, it's considered an act of love when it's really quite barbaric."

Everyone stood there a moment, staring at Luna. Cassie started to speak but Professor McGonagall walked down the hall and waved them all into the classroom to get ready for the start of class.

Ginny was sitting in class trying to pay attention to Professor McGonagall's lecture when a small folded up piece of parchment landed neatly on her desk.

Gin,

I can't believe you let the boy brand you! This weekend is a Hogsmeade weekend right? We should all go together.

Cassie

Cass,

I'm going to ignore the branding comment. We should definitely all go to Hogsmeade, though.

Gin

Nicki,

Wanna go to Hogsmeade with Ginny and I this weekend?

Cassie

Cass,

Sure, but what about Luna? Can Colin come too?

Nicki

Nicki,

I am waiting on Luna to answer me now. I'll ask Gin about the guys and see if Luna wants to invite Neville.

Cass

Cass,

Sounds like fun. Should I invite Neville?

Luna

Gin

Nicki, Luna and I want to know if we can invite the guys to go with us to Hogsmeade.

Cassie

Cass,

Go ahead and invite them, I was going to invite Draco *evil grin*

Ginny

Ginny was just about to pass the note back to Cassie when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up and saw Professor McGonagall standing over her.

"Ms. Weasley, do you know the punishment for students caught passing notes in my class?" McGonagall asked. Her voice was calm, making Ginny even more nervous.

Anything but reading it out loud in front of the class, please! Ginny thought.

"No," she whispered.

"Ginerva, please go to the front of the room and read the note out loud," Professor McGonagall said.

Ginny walked slowly up to the front of the class and began to read.

***

Later that night Hermione and Ron sat in his dormitory trying to study. Hermione was sitting at his desk, her books and papers spread out in front of her. Ron was sitting on the floor, his back up against the bed and a large book in his lap. He was almost finished with his Charms homework.

"Do you need help with that?" Hermione asked, shifting in her seat to face him.

"No, I'm almost done," Ron said.

Hermione smiled at him and turned back around to put the finishing touches on a Vampire essay for Defense Against the Dark Arts. When she was done she put her books and parchment in her bag. Ron closed his book with a soft thump and stood up, stretching as Hermione stood up to leave.

"It's late, I should be going," she said.

Ron walked over to her and wrapped her tightly in his arms, kissing her on the forehead, "It's not that late, you should stay here."

Hermione sighed, knowing well what Ron meant when he said that.

"Have you ever thought maybe this just isn't supposed to happen, Ron?"

"Why do you say that, 'Mione?" Ron asked, releasing her from the hug.

"Well it just seems like every time we fool around someone interrupts us. Last time it was Ginny and then of course we can't forget that time over the summer when your mum found us," Hermione said, sitting down on his bed.

"That was pretty embarrassing, but don't you think you are exaggerating a bit?" Ron chuckled.

"It's not funny!" Hermione exclaimed, "Maybe if someone wouldn't forget to put a locking charm on the door it wouldn't be a problem."

Ron took out his wand and said, "Consider it done."

He put a locking charm on the door, and then sat down next to her on the bed.

Ron kissed Hermione gently. She moved closer, intensifying the kiss and they both laid back on the bed. Ron was just beginning to pull off her shirt when he felt a tickling sensation on the back of his neck. At first he thought it was Hermione, but then he realized her hands were buys trying to remove his shirt. He sat straight up, screaming.

"Ron? What's wrong?" Hermione asked startled.

Ron jumped up from the bed flailing his body around. Finally getting his nerve up, he brought his left hand to the back of his neck to brush off whatever was back there. The tickling sensation moved to his hand, making Ron freeze.

"'Mione, what is it?" Ron whispered.

Hermione walked over to him and grabbed his arm bring it down so Ron could see his hand. Ron screamed again, flipping his hand so the large brown spider flew across the room.

"Ron, calm down, it was just a wolf spider, it's not poisonous," Hermione said.

Ron sat back down on the bed, shaking, while she looked around the room to see where the spider went. Finally Hermione spotted the spider crawling out an open window.

"I'll bet it got in through the window," Hermione said.

"Maybe," Ron said, calming down slightly now that the spider was gone.

"I'm going to go; I'll see you in the morning." Hermione kissed him lightly on the cheek, before leaving the room.

***

The next morning, Ron overslept and rushed down to breakfast. When he got there Harry, Alexia, Hermione, Ginny, and Draco were all sitting at the Hufflepuff table, laughing and talking.

"Morning, Ron," Harry said.

"Morning, Harry." Ron sat down next to Hermione and kissed her.

"Morning, Mione," he said, piling his plate with food.

"Hi, Ron, how did you sleep last night?" Ginny smiled innocently.

Ron glanced suspiciously at his sister. "I slept fine, Gin, why?"

"What, I can't ask you how you slept without an ulterior motive? I see how it is," Ginny said, trying to sound as innocent as possible.

Ron knew something was up when Ginny broke into a fit of laughter. The sudden realization that Ginny was the one that put the spider in his bed hit Ron like a ton of bricks.

"What's wrong, Ron?" Hermione asked, seeing the anger on his face.

"I think I know who put that spider in my bed," Ron said, shooting a look at Ginny.

Hermione followed his gaze, "There's no way, Ron. Why would Ginny do that?"

Ron blushed, "Well... I.. We," He glanced over at Harry.

"What did you two do?" Hermione asked, incredulously.

"She started it!" Ron said defensively, "Remember the Howler I got from Charlie because of the Playwizard magazines? I had to get her back for that, so Harry and I sent her a Howler, we had Luna pretend to be Mum. I'll bet the spider was payback for that."

Hermione just shook her head, mumbling something Ron couldn't quite make out, though he did catch the word immature.