Moonlight on Malfoy Manor

Chapter 6 - a Christmas ball; going home; an epistolary romance.

The Gryffindor boy's dorm was in uproar. Harry stood in front of the mirror, resplendent in a black tuxedo and congratulated his own foresight at having gotten a clip-on bow tie. The only problem was his hair. Harry had decided long ago that his hair looked better messy - the problem was he couldn't get it to be messy in just that right way. He ran his fingers through his hair once more.

"Harry, will you give it a rest?! You look like you've been electrocuted." Harry rapidly ran his hands over his hair in an attempt to flatten it. Dean came and stood behind him and shook his head at Harry's reflection. Dean was also wearing black - black suit with an ivory white, Chinese collar shirt. Harry stopped fiddling with his hair and studied Dean's reflection,

"Nice!" he acknowledged, Dean grinned.

"And what, in Merlin's name, am I supposed to do with this?" Ron demanded dangling a long, dark blue, silk tie at arms length. Harry turned and studied Ron's charcoal suit and light blue shirt.

"How come everyone looks better than me?" he wailed. Dean looked him up and down.

"I think you look fine, mate." Ron nodded in agreement, Harry turned back to his reflection somewhat pacified.

"So what do I do with this?" Ron asked glaring at his tie in distaste.

"Tie it around your neck," Harry replied absently. Dean's sudden burst of laughter made him spin around. One look at Ron and Harry exploded with mirth. He would have rolled around on the floor only it would have ruined his suit. Ron had tied his tie around his neck like a giant shoelace. He looked mutinously at Harry's perfect bow tie.

"So how am I supposed to get 'this' to look like 'that'?" he asked pointing at Harry's neck.

"You don't," Harry rasped as he slipped his tie off and then clipped it back on again. Ron's mouth fell open.

"Wait, you get a ready-made one and Dean doesn't have one at all? I should never have let Hermione pick out the clothes. We will have words about this," he thundered.

"Don't be such a prat and hand it over!" Dean responded grabbing the tie from Ron and looping it around his neck. Ron watched as Dean went through the complicated process of knotting his tie. He shook his head.

"Muggles are weird," he stated with finality. Dean handed the knotted tie back to Ron; Ron took it automatically and... looked at it.

"Oh honestly!" Dean shook his head in exasperation, pulled up Ron's collar, and tugged the tie down over his head. Harry watched all this in amusement.

"You two make such a great couple," Harry said in a shaky voice, pretending to wipe tears from his eyes, "its just beautiful."

Dean ignored him; Ron shot him a death glare, "Shut up Harry! Or I'll hex the hair off your head."

"Hey!" Harry cried nettled, he was very sensitive about his hair. "That's hitting below the belt!"

"You want hitting below the belt." Ron's face broke into a grin as he made a playful lunge at his best friend.

"Ronald Weasley, if you do not hold still I will throw this tie out the window with you still attached to it!" threatened an irritated Dean; Ron's tie was simply refusing to behave.

"Hair gel!" came a desperate wail. "I need hair gel." And a flustered Seamus ran in, his thick blonde hair flying. He stopped short when he saw Ron standing patiently under Dean's ministrations. He grinned cheekily. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything," he said. Dean snorted and Ron rolled his eyes.

"Done!" Dean proclaimed triumphantly as he stepped away from Ron to admire his handiwork.

"Not bad Weasley, not bad at all." Seamus ran his eyes approvingly over Ron, who twitched uncomfortably under his gaze.

"Great colour combination. Hermione certainly has taste. Thank Merlin one of you does." Ron scowled.

"What do you need hair gel for, anyway? Your hair looks fine to me." Dean looked critically at Seamus.

"Oh! I don't know." Seamus sauntered over to the mirror and unceremoniously shoved Harry out of his way.

"You really think its okay?" he asked Dean's reflection.

"Will you stop preening? Honestly you are almost as bad as Harry."

"Oi!" Harry cried in protest.

"Shut up, all of you. We're getting late. Come on, or Hermione will have my hide." The four boys at once became subdued; there was much nervous fiddling of ties and patting of hair before they finally made it down to the Common Room.

None of the girls had made it down yet, Ron sighed in relief and looked around at the nervous male members of his house. Neville, in black suit, white shirt and red patterned tie had installed himself in an armchair by the fire and it looked like Lavender would have to pry him off it to get him anywhere near the Ball. Ron also made his way to the fire and smiled at Neville in greeting, he did a double take at the tie and used all the control he had to not laugh. Neville's tie had been a Christmas present from his uncle. It had a bright red background with white snowman in green scarves and hats dancing across it in rows. Thankfully they didn't move. Colin was sitting at the other side of the fire and looking completely dazed. He was wearing a steel grey suit, white shirt and peach tie. He had protested volubly but Ashley had a will of iron. She had insisted on the tie because it matched perfectly with her dress. Colin had thought that a very stupid reason, but had wisely refrained from saying so. Gareth was the only animated member of the group. He was pacing the rug in front of the fire - Ron swore he could hear it crying. Gareth was looking good - even Ron had to admit that - wearing a suit barely shades lighter than Ron's with a light rose coloured shirt and a tie just two shades darker. When Ron had first heard what Gareth had proposed to wear for the Ball he had been incredulous.

"Pink!" he had squeaked to Hermione. "My sister is dating a boy that wears Pink?!"

"And what may I ask is wrong with Pink?"

"It's a girly color," Ron had said in surprise. It was such an obvious reason after all. Seamus, who had been present during the conversation, turned to Hermione -

"I hope you know you are dating a barbarian," he had said seriously. Hermione had sighed a long-suffering sigh.

"What can I do Seamus, love is blind," she had replied theatrically.

"In this case it seems to be deaf, dumb and brainless as well," he had returned dryly.

"Hey!" Ron had yelled in protest.

"Relax Ron, I'm just trying to drive her away so I can have you all to my wicked self." Seamus had batted his eyelashes as Ron had blushed as red as his hair.

Hermione had laughed and said, "Get your own boyfriend, Finnigan."

Ron watched a pacing Gareth till he couldn't take it anymore; he stopped the other boy with a hand on his shoulder.

"Sit down, mate. You'll need those legs for dancing," he said gently. Gareth smiled weakly and flopped bonelessly on the couch.

"What is taking them so long?" Harry demanded looking towards the stairs that led to the girl's dorm. "I have to meet Alice in the Entrance Hall in five minutes."

"Why don't you go on ahead, Harry? We'll find you in the Great Hall," Ron said soothingly, hoping to calm his nervous friend. Harry chewed his lower lip hesitantly just as Hermione's voice floated down the stairs.

"Ron, are the boys all ready?" Ron looked around him,

"Yup," he called back.

"Damn, the girls are going to need at least five more minutes."

"Hermione!" Ron wailed, as a collective groan went up from the rest of the boys.

"I know, I know. I'm doing the best I can," Hermione yelled back, sounding harassed.

She went back to the girl's dorm, wondering how the hell she ended up playing chaperone anyway. She decided to check on the sixth year girls first. She gave a perfunctory knock before pushing open the door.

Ashley, wearing a long peach gown that matched Colin's tie, whirled around with her wand in her hand. Elizabeth, in a lovely shade of mauve was fleeting around the room apparently looking for something. In the middle of the chaos that was their room stood Ginny with a look of dismay, holding her crystal pendant in her hand. Hermione was stunned! Ginny wore a long, full-skirted gown of purest white with a scooped neck; there was a thin line of delicate embroidery along the neckline and around the hem of the skirt where it swept the ground. Her red hair was tumbled on her head in artfully arranged curls that emphasized her white neck.

"Ginny, you look divine," Hermione breathed.

"Doesn't she?" agreed Ashley with an approving nod. Ginny blushed and smiled - she wasn't used to compliments like this.

"You look pretty stunning yourself, Mione," she said, admiring Hermione's slinky dark blue dress.

"Isn't Ron wearing blue too?" she questioned. Hermione and Ashley exchanged conspiratorial grins.

"What?" Ginny demanded seeing the exchange.

"I can't find it!" Elizabeth cried throwing up her arms in exasperation.

"Find what? Ladies, we are very late, if we don't hurry up the boys will leave without us." Hermione advanced into the room as she spoke.

"I would like to see them try," Ashley commented.

"What is it you need?" Ginny held up her crystal pendant.

"I meant to fix the chain, but I forgot and now I've gone and lost the stupid thing and silver simply doesn't go with this dress."

Ginny looked glum. Hermione smiled, she knew how much that pendant meant to Ginny. She looked around the room and spotted a Gryffindor scarf on the bed. She summoned it and with a flick of her wand transfigured it into a length of silky red ribbon, the exact color of the embroidery on Ginny's dress. She looped the pendant through it and tied it around the other girl's slim neck. Ginny turned to see the effect in the mirror.

"Oh no! Help! Hermione!" wailed a voice.

"Bugger!" Hermione swore uncharacteristically and tore out of the room. She soon located the source of the wail - Parvati had applied an eyelash lengthening charm incorrectly in her haste, and now her eyelashes were a foot long and growing. Her head drooped forward with the added weight. Hermione quickly rectified the problem and turned to face Lavender,

"Merlin's beard!" she shrieked and stumbled backwards slightly. "Just how many lip reddening charms did you use?" she demanded.

Lavender cocked her head to the side. "Don't remember," she admitted.

"Let me tell you, they were way too many," Hermione retorted. Lavender turned to the mirror and shrieked too, with good reason. Her lips were the color of blood, which contrasted gruesomely with her white skin and pale lavender gown. It gave the over all effect of a vampire who had forgotten to lick her lips after a satisfying dinner. She pointed her wand to her face.

"Oh no you don't. You'll turn them blue next." Hermione righted the problem with her own wand. Parvati quickly clipped a tiny butterfly to her glossy black hair, red to match her dress.

"Okay, I think that about does it," she stated, taking one last look at her reflection.

"About ruddy time," the mirror rasped.

Hermione stood at the head of the stairs and made sure all the girls went down. She heard the gasps and the compliments float up as each girl made her appearance in the Common Room. When everyone else had gone down Hermione took one last look in the mirror, smoothed the silken material of her dress over her hips, and checked her earrings and bracelet. Finally taking a deep calming breath, she stared down the stairs. Harry, Ron and Seamus were grouped together at the bottom waiting for her. They were looking towards the fireplace where Gareth was still standing open-mouthed, clearly stunned by the vision of Ginny. Ron turned when he heard footsteps and promptly gasped making Harry and Seamus turn as well.

"Well?" Hermione asked with a nervous smile. Ron gaped, Harry gulped and Seamus smiled.

"Utterly splendid!" Seamus crowed as he gave her a quick peck on the cheek.

"Yeah, Mione. You look amazing," Harry declared having found his voice. Ron opened and closed his mouth soundlessly. Hermione laughed gaily and took Ron's arm.

"I hope you find your voice soon," she remarked as she steered him towards the portrait hole, "or this is going to be one dull evening." Ron smiled down at her and squeezed her hand where it lay in the crook of his arm. Hermione smiled back convinced that this was the stuff that dreams were made of.

Draco Malfoy surveyed the room catching several admiring stares and sundry covert glances. He smirked to himself; he remembered the sudden hush that had fallen when he and Blaise had walked into the room, heading the other Slytherin students. Yes, he was looking good - his mirror had said as much just before he had left for the Ball. A lot of people were looking at him, but the one person he was looking for hadn't arrived yet. Nor had any of the other Gryffindors. He wondered whom she would be coming with just as the door swung open and the Gryffindors began to pour into the newly re-decorated Great Hall. Ron and Hermione entered first looking, in Draco's discerning opinion, obscenely happy. They were followed by Harry and a Ravenclaw girl whose name Draco vaguely remembered was Anne or Alice or some such. They looked slightly nervous but smiled and chatted despite that.

"The punch is rather good," Blaise said and handed Draco a goblet. He took it automatically and murmure a distant 'thank you'. Blaise followed his gaze to the door and watched as the Gryffindors continued to enter. She choked into her punch as Seamus walked in, hand-in-hand with a tall, shy, Ravenclaw boy. Draco looked her curiously.

"Finnigan is gay?" she asked in a shocked whisper, green eyes wide.

"Yes, everyone knows that," he replied still looking at her curiously.

"I didn't," Blaise retorted. Draco shrugged gracefully and turned back to the Great Doors. By then all the Gryffindors had entered. Ginny stood with Ron and Hermione, Gareth having gone to get them both drinks. She had seen Draco almost the second she had walked in, standing in the thick of a crowd of Slytherins, tall, arrogant and beautiful, calming surveying the room. Ginny's breath had caught in her throat, wanting him and not wanting him to see her, but then he had turned his attention to Blaise and the moment had been lost. Ginny had felt angry and sad until Gareth had whispered in her ear and brought her back to the present. He had slipped off to get them drinks and Ginny had been left talking to Ron and Hermione, resolutely ignoring the side of the room where Draco stood.

Draco meanwhile, was trying to remember how to breathe. Never had the sight of a girl affected him so much. Not even when Blaise had appeared in the Common Room in a mind-blowing dark green, velvet dress, brilliant red-gold hair rippling down her back, emerald-green eyes shining with glee. He had been momentarily stunned. Blaise was beautiful and the compliments he had paid had been sincere. But this was something else. Had he been required to pay a compliment at this moment, Draco knew he would have emitted nothing beyond an undignified gurgle. Then Gareth appeared, with a goblet in each hand, he handed one to Ginny and passed his arm around her waist - casually, effortlessly, and possessively. Draco's hand tightened on his goblet, at least half-dozen curses floated into his mind, his hand itching to pull out his wand. Blaise shook his arm gently, bringing him back from the verge of homicidal mania.

"Earth to Draco Malfoy!" she smiled as Draco looked down at her. "There you are."

"Yes, here I am," Draco said with a sigh.

"You had me worried for a moment."

"Why?"

"Because you didn't respond to my blasphemous statement."

"Which was?"

Blaise took a deep breath and repeated, "I wish I was in Gryffindor."

Silver eyes widened in shock and had he not been squeezing his goblet Draco would have dropped it, punch and all, down the front of his suit.

"Have you lost you mind?" he demanded in a low voice as he steered them to a quiet alcove where they would not be overheard.

"Why, in Merlin's name, do you want to be a... Gryffindor of all things?" He just managed not to say anything insulting about the house.

"Because," Blaise responded ruefully, "they don't have a problem with Seamus, or the fact that he has a boyfriend. Had Seamus been in Slytherin..." Blaise didn't finish her sentence, as she gazed at Seamus and his date talking merrily to Harry and Alice.

"Blaise, you're being unfair," Draco said gently, "at least give us a chance. Look at me, I'm the embodiment of all that characterizes Slytherin house and I don't have a problem." Blaise smiled weakly.

"Yes, but you're... you're... you."

"Yes, and you're you. Why are you hiding? You can't keep running away from it all your life Blaise. Not only will you hurt yourself, but a lot of other people in the process. Like Hannah and... me." Draco allowed his eyes to stray to Gareth and Ginny. Blaise followed his gaze; she looked from Ginny to Draco and back again before enlightenment finally dawned. She punched Draco in the arm rather forcefully.

"How long has this been going on?" she demanded. Draco returned his gaze to Blaise.

"I don't know what you mean," he replied haughtily.

"Don't play with me Draco Malfoy. I know you better than anyone. How long has this been going on?" Draco sighed as he decided to drop the pretence.

"A while," he admitted gloomily, "but she thinks I'm just fooling around. After all I do have a 'girlfriend'." Blaise looked at him with narrowed eyes as Draco stared into his punch.

"If only she knew," he muttered, still not meeting Blaise's eyes.

"Well, maybe its time she does know."

"What?!" Startled Draco looked up into Blaise's twinkling green eyes.

"You heard me Malfoy." Blaise tossed her head and smiled. Draco quickly recovered from his shock.

"Are you sure, Blaise?" he asked seriously.

"Yes, I'm sure. And while you bare you heart to your Gryffindor, I'll try to persuade my Hufflepuff."

Draco smiled down at her - a happy, true smile that lit up his face and made his eyes glow, oblivious to the havoc this caused.

"How about a dance before you go?" he murmured. Blaise smiled assent and they stepped out onto the dance floor arm-in-arm.

"By the way," Blaise whispered as Draco swayed them to the music, "thank you."

"For what?"

"Everything."

"Anytime, my friend, anytime."

A couple of dances later Draco smiled inwardly as he saw Blaise and Hannah wander out onto the portico completely oblivious to all else. He turned his attention back to Gareth and Ginny, biding his time, waiting for the right moment. Finally after another dance they broke apart, Gareth heading for he refreshment table and Ginny heading out to the portico. It was now or never. Draco straightened his back, drew up his head and strode after Ginny.

Ginny took a deep breath and looked at the dark starry night sky. Standing out on the portico, she watched the dancing fairy lights amid the snow covered rose bushes and smiled to herself. Though still a colossal mess, her life was finally beginning to settle down. Hermione was right - she should have given Gareth a fair chance, and considering the fact that she was enjoying herself immensely, notwithstanding a certain couple - she should have given Gareth a chance a long time ago. Ginny heard footsteps behind her and turned around to face Gareth with a smile. She froze, as did the smile on her face.

"Ill-met by moonlight, proud Virginia," Draco Malfoy drawled. He looked stunning. Perfectly cut black suit emphasized his lean lines, dark green silk shirt and tie gave a green cast to his eyes, and the moonlight glinted off his hair. Ginny slowly let out the breath she had been unconsciously holding.

"Where's your better half, Malfoy? I don't see her anywhere."

Draco took a few steps towards her, looked straight into her eyes and said, "But I do."

"Stop playing mind-games Malfoy." Ginny turned away.

"But they're so much fun. Blaise enjoys them immensely."

"So go and play with her then, and leave me alone," Ginny snapped.

"I wish I could," Draco said with a mock sigh, "but she's currently in hot pursuit of the cute Ms. Abbot from Hufflepuff. Can't say I blame her, if you go for that sort of course."

Ginny whirled around, "She dumped you? For another woman?!"

"One can only be dumped if one is involved to begin with, Virginia." Draco looked mildly affronted.

"So you and Blaise aren't... weren't... never have been!"

"That about sums it up. I was merely doing a favour for a friend."

Ginny stared at him aghast as images and snatches of conversation collided in her mind. For the breathless instant that she was staring at Draco, she saw Blaise and Draco walking hand-in-hand down the Potions staircase... '...saw them sneaking into and empty classroom just after dinner...', Draco sneering at her with his arm around Blaise on the Quidditch Pitch, walking by the lake together, sitting together in the Three Broomsticks on Hogsmeade weekends. Ginny took a step back and her face hardened.

"People saw the two of you sneaking into empty classrooms, Malfoy. What was that about?"

"People? What people? Name me names, Virginia."

"That's not the point!" Ginny said angrily.

"Did they say what we were doing in the classrooms?" he asked with a martyred sigh.

"What were you doing?"

"Homework, playing chess, chatting..."

"Chatting? You chat? About what?" Ginny asked looking incredulous.

"Everything. Blaise and I talk about everything, we've known each other for practically our whole lives.

"Everything?" Ginny asked pointedly, feeling insanely jealous that Draco 'chatted' with Blaise but never with her.

"Well, not exactly everything," he admitted reluctantly, "I couldn't burden her with that. I couldn't do that to her."

"But you could do it to me?"

"You dragged it out of me," Draco said defensively.

"I did no such thing," Ginny retorted hotly, and then she continued in a somewhat calmer voice. "We both know you wouldn't have told me anything if you hadn't wanted to." Ginny watched Draco's eyes darken for a fraction of a second and could have sworn that she saw fear in his grey eyes. But before she could say anything Draco said, "That's not entirely true."

"What?" Ginny asked in a whisper mesmerized by the look in Draco's eyes. Yes, it was fear but then it flickered and was gone.

"You know what I mean," Draco responded casually, deliberately breaking eye contact and looking up at the moon.

"No, I don't. Explain it to me," Ginny demanded. Draco raised a sardonic eyebrow.

"If you don't understand, Virginia, don't expect me to elaborate."

"Why not?"

"Because, I'm not in the mood."

Ginny folded her arms and raised her chin. "Elaborate!" she commanded.

"No!"

"Malfoy!" Ginny threatened

"No!" Draco crossed his arms across his chest. They stood like that; both with arms folded defensively, both refusing to budge an inch. But while Ginny was getting more and more irritated, Draco was more and more tickled by the situation.

"Yes!" Ginny stamped her foot in impotent anger.

"No," Draco replied calmly, smiling at the childish gesture.

"Fine!" Ginny said through clenched teeth and turned her back on him. She took a deep calming breath and tried to assimilate all that he had just said. Draco forbore from comment giving her time to think.

"So it was all a facade?" Ginny asked, her temper forgotten though she still had her back to him.

"Yes. It was a perfect arrangement for both of us."

Ginny turned to face him, her brown ayes large, "So you and me...?"

"You and I," Draco corrected and immediately received a backhanded slap on the shoulder for his trouble.

"You know what I mean, Malfoy."

"Draco," he corrected her again as he closed the distance between them and leaned forward till his face was inches away from hers. Ginny barely had time to register his words before his mouth was on hers and she melted into the familiar sensations. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed herself against him. Draco pulled back slightly,

"Dance with me."

"Isn't it usually the other way round?" Ginny asked amusedly as Draco swayed them to the music. "First the dance and then the kiss."

"What can I say - we're twisted Weasley."

"You know, I don't think that's such a back thing anymore." Ginny was surprised at her own change of heart, as she tugged him down for another kiss.

She sighed contentedly and rested her head against his shoulder - just in time to see Gareth turn away and walk back into the hall.

"Oh no," she moaned and turned to hide her face in Draco's shoulder and closed her eyes. Draco stilled as his arms tightened protectively around her.

"What's wrong?" Ginny raised her head and looked at him sadly

"Gareth," she whispered. Draco's face softened.

"Gareth," he echoed as he released her from his embrace. Ginny stepped away, feeling bereft. She turned to walk towards the Great Hall and then stopped. Draco watched as she hesitated and then looked back at him with pleading eyes full of conflict.

"I..." she started to say but fell silent.

"Go," he replied softly.

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Ginny entered the Gryffindor common room - unable to find Gareth in the hall, she had decided to look for him in the tower - it was empty. With determination born out of desperation she climbed the steps to the boy's dormitories and stopped outside the sixth year dorm.

"Gareth?" she whispered, as she knocked on the door. She tried the handle, and found it give way under the lightest touch. Ginny hesitantly stepped over the thresh-hold and stopped. Gareth sat on the edge of his bed, still in his formals, his face covered by his hands. For a second Ginny thought he was crying, but then as she started o take a step towards him, he looked up. His hazel eyes were glittering with specks of gold, anger simmering in them. But his voice was calm - dangerously calm.

"Go away, Ginny. I do not want to talk to you."

Ginny watched Gareth stand up and said in a pleading voice, "Please Gareth, let me explain."

"You've done enough for one night Ginny, you've done enough for a life-time. Leave me alone. You make me sick." Hurt by his choice of words, Ginny stood rooted to the spot.

"I never meant to hurt you. I am so ..."

"DON'T." His voice cracked like whiplash in the silence of the room. "Don't say your sorry Ginny." Hazel eyes met brown as Gareth continued, "You had no right to do what you did. Malfoy, Ginny? Of all people it had to be Malfoy?" Ginny bowed her head, defenseless against his tirade.

"I liked you. I thought you liked me too. I thought we had something more than just friendship between us. How could you do this Ginny? HOW COULD YOU? Did you even stop to think what would happen if people found out? What were you thinking?" Gareth stopped out of breath. He turned away from her and leaned against the bedpost, breathing raggedly.

"Gareth..." Ginny said in a small voice. "Look at me Gareth, please."

Gareth turned around and looked at her. Unable to meet the reproachful look in his eyes, Ginny lowered her head once again.

"I am sorry," she whispered.

"Why Ginny? Just tell me why?" The anger in his voice had been replaced by defeat. Ginny braved a glance at the boy standing before her. The hurt was there for her to see, the pain, the anger, the torture. And in that moment Ginny knew, she would never be able to forgive herself for hurting Gareth.

He slumped down on the edge of the bed, "Why didn't you say anything earlier? Were you waiting to see if your cards played out right? Or were you just enjoying stringing me along for the ride? How could you do that to me Ginny? I deserved better, anyone deserves better than that."

Ginny crumbled to the floor in despair at having her own words to Draco thrown back at her. Unable to help herself, she let the tears roll down her cheeks and fall to the floor.

"Don't cry Ginny," Gareth said softly as he come and sat down beside her.

"I never meant for any of this to happen," she said haltingly between sobs.

"I hate to admit it, but I know you didn't. Any chance you were under a spell?" he asked hopefully. Ginny shook her head with a rueful smile.

"Hermione asked me the same thing."

"Hermione knows?" Gareth asked astonished. "Well, if Hermione knows and hasn't been able to coax you out of it - whatever 'it' is - then I guess I'd better not even try," he concluded wistfully.

"So what is it? What is going on between you and that... between you and Malfoy?" he asked after a while.

"Honestly? I'm not sure," Ginny replied.

"I sure as hell hope you know what you're doing Ginny. And what does Blaise have to say about all this?" Ginny hesitated for a moment, wondering if she should tell Gareth the truth about Blaise and Draco, but then decided against it. It was not her secret to tell.

"They're working on it?" she suggested helpfully.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It's not my story to tell Gareth." They sat like that for a while without saying anything, till Gareth got up and held his hand out to help her up.

"It's getting late. You should go to your dorm or people might get the wrong idea," he said wryly. Ginny turned around and walked towards the door where she paused with her hand on the handle.

"Gareth..."

"It's okay Ginny. I won't say anything to anyone. It's not my story to tell." Ginny's face broke into a hesitant smile.

"Thank you."

Gareth watched her leave and waited for the sound of her footsteps to fade before he picked up the glass figurine on his bedside table and smashed it on the floor - the resounding crash echoing in his heart as he felt it shatter.

***************************************

Ginny stared out of the window unseeingly as the Hogwarts Express hurtled past the landscape. She had gone to bed the night before feeling more than just little confused. So much for thinking that her life was finally settling down. Since she hadn't been in a chatty mood, she had gone to bed early in order to avoid Ashley and Elizabeth's questions. Yet sleead eluded her in favour of the memories of the moments spent in Draco's arms. But nothing, not even the memory of Draco's kisses could erase the haunted and defeated look she had seen in Gareth's eyes later that night. Sleep had finally caught up with her tired eyes in the wee hours of the morning. Even then, Ginny had found no escape from her guilt as she relived the scene with Gareth in her dreams over and over again.

Now as she sat in the compartment with Harry, Ron and Hermione, she wished she could talk to Draco. It wasn't that she needed to talk to him, she just wanted to. A part of her desperately craved the reassurance that his presence provided. Ginny got up abruptly and walked out of the compartment saying she needed to walk off her stiff legs. She made her way through the train and paused outside Draco's compartment, before she moved on and waited for him at the end of the carriage. Sitting in the compartment with Blaise, Pansy, Goyle and Crabbe, Draco had seen the flash of bright red cross the door. He got up and stepped out of the compartment walking down to where Ginny stood.

"Hey Red!" Draco grinned as he approached her.

"Hi!"

"Bee in your bonnet, Virginia?" he asked.

"I...um...well..." Ginny stopped. This isn't going well, she thought. If only he weren't standing so darned close.

"I was..." she tried again as Draco smiled at her - really smiled, grey eyes turning to silver as his face lit up - effectively rendering her speechless. Ginny took a step back and started again.

"I want you to write to me over the holidays," she said finally. Draco cocked an amused eyebrow.

"You want me to write to you over the holidays? Why?" he quer ied.

"So that I know you're alright."

"And what if I don't? What'll you do then? Jump on a broomstick and come to my rescue?"

Ginny smiled mischievously as she replied, "I might. Or I might just tell Harry to come rescue you." That had the desired effect.

"Virginia Weasley, if you send the great Potter to save my life I promise you I'll throw myself on the point of the nearest sword I can find."

"Then stop being obstinate as sin and say that you'll write," Ginny demanded.

"Don't tell me you're worried about me? Are you? Aww! How touching." Draco was playing with her and was enjoying himself far too much to stop. Besides, he was still disgruntled about having to let her leave and go after Gareth the night before. Ginny looked up at him, her eyes mirroring the conflict of emotions in her heart. Draco could see fear and concern for him battling the growing desire to throttle him.

"So how is the lover that kills himself most gallantly for love?" He asked with mock-seriousness. Confusion was replaced by comprehension as Ginny saw the look in his eyes. In as few words as possible, she told him about her conversation with Gareth the night before. Draco was quiet when she finished, the beginnings of newfound respect for Gareth taking hold in his heart. To have loved and lost as Gareth had must have hurt, Draco thought as he acknowledged the look he had seen on the other boy's face infinite number of times; whenever he had looked at Ginny. Draco also knew that Gareth would not have given up Ginny without a fight had it been in his power. But Ginny had taken that choice out of their hands by making her own choice the night before. On any other occasion Draco would have shrugged it off by saying the best man had won, but now he wasn't so sure. He wondered if he would have done the same in Gareth's position, if he would have steamrollered his own feelings and respected Ginny's choice. Draco knew the answer to that, and it did not make him happy. It was hard acknowledging anything good about a Gryffindor, but Draco Malfoy was nothing if not honest and gave Gareth Rimbower his due.

He also felt something else, something he wasn't used to feeling... gratitude. To Ginny for choosing him. He had never allowed himself to entertain the possibility that she might favour Gareth, but now he knew that if she had he would not have taken it as well as Gareth had. Gareth had behaved like a gentleman; Draco would not have. On impulse he wrapped his arms around Ginny's slim frame and pulled her into a warm hug. Ginny responded by slipping her arms around his waist, and as he buried his face into her flaming red hair, Draco did not have words enough to say thank you.

"What?" Ginny asked softly, face nestled in his chest.

Draco smiled into her hair, "Nothing, just thought you might like a hug," he replied whimsically. Ginny squeezed him gently as she smiled happily into his jumper. Then she leaned back to look up at him, still in the circle of his arms.

"Well?" she asked

"Well what?"

"Will you or will you not write to me during the holidays?" came the exasperated reply.

"Maybe... if I get the time. I will be rather busy you know," Draco replied, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. But Ginny was too tired to see he was joking; the emotional roller coaster ride that had been her life for a while now was taking its toll. She pulled free of his embrace and stepped back.

"You insensitive jackass!" Ginny's lips trembled and her brown eyes darkened as she punched him in the chest.

"Ow! What was that for?" Draco said playfully, but then stopped smiling as he saw the tears that threatened to spill over onto her cheeks. Ginny lowered her head dejectedly and turned her back to him as she willed herself not to cry. How did one explain to an exceptionally moronic jackass that one was worried about him without turning into a blithering idiot? And why in the name of Merlin, did he have to make it so hard? She was just about to damn him to seventeen different types of hell, when Draco wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and rested his chin gently on her shoulder.

"Hush Ginny. I'll write," he whispered soothingly. Ginny turned in his arms and looked into clear grey eyes.

"Promise?" she asked softly.

"Promise," he leaned forward and kissed her.

Lost in the magic that was Draco's kiss, Ginny was jolted back to reality by the sound of a door opening. Ron stepped out of the compartment at the further end of he carriage, his back to them, still saying something to Harry over his shoulder. Draco dropped his arms and Ginny quickly opened the door of the nearest compartment, which was mercifully empty, and stepped in before Ron saw her with Draco and all hell broke loose.

Ron looked around the corridor searching for Ginny. All he saw was Malfoy leaning against the wall and staring out at the flying landscape. Draco turned as he felt Ron's gaze, their eyes locked and Ron held his breath, waiting for the inevitable sneer or insult. Nothing! Draco merely nodded curtly to him and went back into his compartment. Ron nearly fell in his haste to get back to his friends, his face a panorama of wonder, amazement and horror.

"Harry, I think something is wrong with Malfoy. He just saw me in the corridor and he ... and he... nodded to me! Just like that, he didn't say a word, didn't sneer, nothing. He nodded and went back into his compartment." Ron's eyes looked dazed.

"What do you think we've been trying to tell you for the last four months you idiot?" Harry yelled and then continued in a calm voice, "There is something up with Malfoy and it cannot be anything good."

Ginny sat alone in the empty compartment staring at the landscape through blurry eyes. She blinked furiously wishing she had her orb with her. She wondered what going home felt like for Draco. For her going home was just that - going home, to parents and brothers who loved her, a house that would have tumbled down long ago had it not been for some very strong binding spells but was full of laughter, joy and happiness all the same. She tried imagining going home knowing that her father was going to die and there was nothing she could do to stop it. She shuddered.

Draco Malfoy - rich, handsome, intelligent, son of Lucius Malfoy, master of all he surveyed, his smallest wish a command to an army of house elves. How far was reality from the popular perception? Her heart wept for the boy who had lost his mother and was about to lose his father. The only heir to the Malfoy millions, Draco would be left all alone in the world, an orphan, and eons from happiness. Ginny wondered if Draco had ever known true happiness the way she had. Had he ever said and done nothing because life had been perfect at that point in time and did not need anything extra? Had he ever woken up in the morning to the smell of frying bacon and laughter and just wanted to lay still and listen? Had he ever watched a midnight thunderstorm and laughed because he felt so safe and protected? Ginny wished she knew the answers.

For all that the world envied Draco Malfoy, Ginny knew how empty his life really was, recognized his calm confidence and cutting wit for what they were - barriers, walls to hide behind. A shell created by self-preservation and manned by pride, a pride so strong and dominant that it scorned any need for human sympathy, for Draco would see sympathy as pity and cut it down with scathing words. He held himself aloof guarded behind his fortress, empty and alone, because he knew no other way to live. But Ginny had seen the haunted look in his eyes as he told her of his father dying and the beginning of his training as a seer.

She knew then what she would give him for Christmas. She wiped the errant tears that had escaped the confines of her eyes resolutely and walked back to her own compartment.

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Dear Virginia,

Before I continue kindly tell the 'Golden Trio' to stand down the Red Alert. Tell Big Brother Weasley he can stop polishing that wand and Girlfriend Granger to stop looking up tongue-twisting spells. But tell Potter to keep practicing those battle cries; he can use them to hold back the sea of girls that are constantly threatening to drown him.

The journey home was rather uneventful, apart from you little interruption of course. My father has made it clear that my Seer training is to begin immediately, and he means immediately. I have two indecently lengthy volumes to wade through before tomorrow, so you see I am rather pressed for time. Will write more at the next favorable opportunity.

Draco Malfoy.

P.S - Draco is in his Manor and all is right with the world.

* * *

Dear Draco

To be very honest I did not expect that you would write, so it came as a pleasant surprise to see your eagle owl tapping on my window this morning.

Except for Ron 's interruption on the train my journey home was uneventful too. But that changed as soon as we reached home. The whole house is swarming with people. Bill brought his girlfriend Fleur home for Christmas - they are planning for their wedding next year. Percy had taken a couple of days off from the Ministry and graced the hearth with Penelope Clearwater. Remember her? She was one of the people who got petrified by the basilisk way back in my first year. Anyway, Fred, Angelina, George and Katie have decided to use the family as guinea pigs to test out the latest jokes that Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes has to offer. Ron, Hermione, Harry and I have each other. Only Charlie is left quite alone, and considering the fact that he still smells of dragon poo even after taking three showers a day for the past five days, I'm not surprised.

Mum needs all the help she can get around the house what with all the people. Besides which my brothers keep disappearing with their 'girlfriends' for snog sessions leaving just Harry and me to help her. The other day I caught Bill and Fleur at it in the broom closet and trust me when I say this - it was not a pretty sight. They even put rabbits to shame. Poor Mum, she seems destined to catch one or the other of her sons and their girlfriends snogging on the breakfast table. The year before last it was Bill and Fleur (they do have bad luck), last year it was Ron and Hermione and this year she caught Percy and Penelope. Can you imagine it? Percy?? My skin crawls at the very thought.

I am glad you are all right and that your training had begun - though I do think it is impolite to appropriate someone else's lines and not acknowledge them. Now don't get your eyebrows tangled in you hair, I've read a couple of P. G. Wodehouses - Hermione lent them to me.

You should concentrate on learning to control you powers, the intensity of your visions. I don't think even I could do anything with an insane seer - maybe some things. Definitely some things, but I don't think even your body would be any fun without that mind of yours. So hang in there and make the best of a bad situation.

Take Care

Ginny Weasley.

* * *

Dear Virginia,

Merry Christmas, and in all future correspondence either spare me the sketchy details of the love lives of the Weasley Brothers entirely, or give me all the juicy grist. Your touch and go policy is annoying, not to mention unsatisfying. And I am not sure I like the sound of 'Harry and I have each other'.

Now as my head is threatening to explode, I shall beg your leave and write more extensively later.

Draco Malfoy

* * *

Dear Draco,

Merry Christmas. Preparations for tonight's gathering are at full swing and as I am needed in the kitchen, I shall write to you later.

Ginny Weasley

P.S - A girl needs someone to keep her warm at night and Harry has the most beautiful green eyes I've even seen.

* * *

Dear Virginia,

'Hope is the thing with feathers, that perches in the soul.' - in which case your orb, now my orb, needs a makeover.

Thank you, though where you found the orb, which is the equivalent of a Pepper-Up potion without the foul taste, is a mystery to me. As you suggested in you first letter I am "hanging in there" the 'there' being the room my father has set aside as my Seer Training Room. It is a rather nice room with couches and cushions and things, and books, lots of books of Seers of the bygone era. There are a few rather interesting knick-knacks which I have not learned to use yet.

Sorry about the inkblot - my father decided to drop by suddenly and take stock of my progress. Did I happen to mention a rather annoying or for that matter special (depends on how you look at it) thing about this room? It can only be found and opened by those of Malfoy blood. Now while that successfully keeps the rest of the Manor and the world at bay, it unfortunately does not keep out my father, who has developed this habit of simply 'dropping by'. Not that I'm complaining. It's quite a relief to see him alive from time to time in the light of my vision. Any mention of that is taboo and all attempts at talking to him about it have been summarily rebuffed. Am I that stubborn? Surely not!

Moving along, did you know that Seers have self-healing powers? I don't know about other Seers, but apparently I do. Discovered it quite by accident, I did. After a particularly nasty vision, in the course of which I received what the mediwizards called a "grievous injury" and gave about three days to heal. The wound healed in thirty hours, with some assistance from the mediwizard's potion. That explains why I healed so bloody fast when I dueled with my father. Damned nuisance!

I would love to stay and write some more, but it is time for dinner and if I don't want to be served up 'as' dinner to the hounds, I must rush. I hope you liked you present.

Draco Malfoy

P.S - I would most strenuously recommend usin a fire or a blanket to keep yourself warm. Unless of course you 'want' me to gouge out Potter's eyes when I see him next.

* * *

Dear Draco,

It is beautiful. Thank you very much. Actually I am sused you noticed and even more so that you remembered. We weren't exactly best of friends then. Anyway, the chain sits beautifully around my throat and amazingly it is the right size. The pendant was a birthday present from Charlie. He got it from Romania over the summer. It is a 'feeler' or at least it acts like one. It grows cold when someone near me wants to hurt me and warm when the feelings are otherwise.

I am glad you like your present. As to the whereabouts of where I got it from, that is a secret. I am also very glad that you and your...the other people in your house are all right. As for being stubborn - Draco Malfoy, you give new meaning to the word. Think about the cajoling and coaxing it took for me to make you write to me over the holidays. Handling a pack of angry Norwegian Ridgebacks would be easier than getting you to do something that you choose not to. Now I can see why. Runs in the family I suppose.

Those self-healing powers don't sound that bad to me. They actually are the first decent thing I've heard from you about your Seer powers. So don't you go about "damned nuisance"ing them.

I have to go now. Chores call.

Take care,

Ginny Weasley

P.S - It's not Harry's fault he has lovely eyes. But all right. I shall look for a spare blanket. Might be hard to find though - we are rather crowded right now.

* * *

Dear Virginia,

That was some interesting stuff you wrote about in you last letter. So does your pendent grow warm when I am near you? Or does it grow cold? Actually don't answer that. I think I'd like to find out for myself when I see you next. Which seems a distinct possibility now that the holidays are nearly over.

So having been a 'cherubic little angel' and written to you regularly, when can I collect my reward for having kept my promise? Let me know by the earliest. See you in school.

Take care,

Draco Malfoy

* * *

Dear Draco,

Don't be cheeky. I wouldn't describe you as a 'cherubic little angel' even if someone held a life sentence in Azkaban over my head. But yes, you have kept your promise - for which I am thankful. About your reward I'll need to ask Gareth about it. He is after all the only other positive masculine influence in my life that knows about us. I must rely, therefore, on his expert guidance in all such matters. See you in school.

Ginny Weasley.

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