Moonlit Grounds

Chapter 3

Draco felt much better once he was able to rest. He shut the door and took refuge from the rest of the world. He tried to sleep but found it hard, so he settled for just slowing down his heart rate. After he was sick of laying on his bed, trying to keep the nightmares at bay, he grabbed his broom, along with a practice snitch, and headed for the quidditch pitch. To his surprise, some one else was already there.

*

Ginny really did try to rest. She counted jumping sheep, concentrated on breathing slowly, and even took a sip of a sleeping draught she was able to get a hold of from the infirmary. Nothing worked. She decided to abandon those plans and skip right to flying. She had meant to find Ron to ask him if she could borrow his broom, but he wasn't around. She took her chances.

*

A slight breeze gave Ginny a little resistance, but it felt good to fight something that was so natural. She zoomed across the field then went as slow as she could back across. She did a few loops then let the wind draw her lazily from side to side.

She was admiring the lake when she almost fell off. Someone had just wizzed by her, the force nearly knocking her off the broom.

"What are you doing out here, Weasel? You're not even on a team. Now is that because your boyfriend wanted the attention, or because you just couldn't cut it?"

Ginny regained her balance as Draco Malfoy came floating back down with his trademark smirk.

"It's not your field, Malfoy. Besides, even though I'm not on a team doesn't mean I can't beat you any day of the week."

"Whoa! Are you challenging me to a game? Use your brain, or at least the little that you have. How can we play a game with only two players?"

"Easy," Ginny said. "We play for the snitch. First one to catch it wins. I figure that's simple enough for you to understand."

Draco smiled. He couldn't believe how much courage (or foolishness) this Weasley had.

"Alright. It's a deal. I happen to have a snitch with me."

"No way! Your snitch is probably fixed! We'll use the school's snitch." Ginny flew back down to the ground with Draco following after her. She's definitely not a bad flyer, Draco thought. His mind began to wonder what other things she wasn't bad at, but he quickly shook these images out of his head. Remember, she's a Weasley.

Ginny found the box of quidditch supplies in the store room. After grabbing the snitch they headed back out to the field in silence. She felt like she should make some sort of small talk, but what kind of Malfoy would he be if he responded? She settled for a correction.

"For the record, Harry is not my boyfriend. And the team wanted me to continue to play for them."

He glanced at her from the sides of his steely eyes. "Then why didn't you if you're so good?"

"I didn't want to," she said simply. Wow, he actually sounded somewhat interested, she thought.

"A Weasley saying no to a bit of prestige? Well, I guess it runs in the family."

She was a little disappointed that he continued to insult her, but didn't feel like insulting him back. "I'm not like my family."

This time he stopped walking and stared at her.

"What do you mean?"

She noticed he stopped walking and turned around to face him.

"I mean....." She hesitated. How much should she tell him? Was he someone to confide in? She decided to take her chances. "I don't want to be around people all the time. I like being alone. I want nothing to do with this war that's coming on. I don't want to be misunderstood, but I know that's what I'm destined to be." She breathed a sigh of relief. It was so strange to have actually spoken aloud these secrets.

He stared at her blankly for a moment, but then said softly, "I'm not like my family either. I don't know if I have any of my own opinions, or if they're all my father's. I'm so tired of hating people, but that's all I can feel anymore. I just want my own life."

Ginny felt this sudden urge to comfort him, but held back. Did he really feel this way? She was afraid to believe that he was telling the truth. So instead she just stood there looking at the ground.

"Ginny?" She looked up at him. He had called her Ginny.

"Ginny, can I tell you something else?" He said it so softly, all critism and harshness was gone from his voice.

"Of course, Draco." She moved a few steps closer to him.

"I'm so afraid all the time. I just want to find some way out." His voice began to quiver.

She couldn't help it. She closed the gap that remained between them and slowly put her arms around him. She found herself surprised when he slid his arms around her and hugged her tightly.

Draco buried his head in her shoulder and for the first time in years, he let tears fall.