Forbidden Fruit

Chapter Two:

The last thing on Ginny's mind during breakfast was the owls that had invaded the Great Hall delivering mail, until suddenly she felt the softest of flutters against her cheek. Startled, she gasped as she looked over to find a fluffy silver Scops owl resting on her shoulder. In its beak was a delicate gold lace ribbon which had been carefully tied around a tiny, velvet, emerald green box.

Ginny's jaw was slightly agape as she sat dumbfounded. Owls rarely ever lost their way, much less purposely landed on anyone's shoulder other than their owner's. She stretched her arm up to him and offered her finger slowly, so he could step on. To her surprise, he did. "What do you have?" For some reason, she found herself surprised that the owl didn't answer back, only nudged his little beak towards her, the parcel still in tow.

Ginny's hand was shaking, as she reached out and took the tiny package between her fingers. It was then she saw the magical silver glitter writing with her name blinking across the box in delicate script. Her heart leapt, as she glanced across the room quickly. Surely he wouldn't send her a gift? It'd be so obvious and easily tracked! But who else could have? Who else would have?

There was only one way to find out.

Before she could pull the ribbon open, she heard Hermione gasp. "Who is that from?"

"I don't know," Ginny answered honestly.

"May I see?" Before Ginny could think, Hermione already had the box firmly in her own grip and was rolling it around in her hand, scrutinizing every part of it down to the last piece of velvet. "It doesn't say. It just has your name."

"I saw that." Ginny laughed. "Do you reckon I should open it and find out?"

Hermione nodded eagerly but before she could hand the box back, it found its way into Ron's hands. "Ron!" Ginny screeched, making a wild lunge for her package. "Let me open it!" The small Scops owl fluttered its wings but managed to keep its balance, as Ginny claimed her prize and righted herself. She carefully pulled on the ribbon and jumped when it turned into a piece of parchment in her very hands. On it, in the same silvery glittered script read:

Ginny,

Her name is Flitterbloom. She's yours. She answers only to you and me. I've trained her that way for months now. I had fun and hope to have more. Soon.

Flitterbloom? What kind of name was that? Ginny tried to think back over Herbology lessons but quickly became impatient. "Hermione? Isn't Flitterbloom a poisonous plant?"

Without missing a beat, her friend shook her head. "You're thinking of Devil's Snare. Flitterbloom takes on the look of it but is non-violent."

Ginny smiled. So it was from him. How fitting.

The ribbon out of the way, and the box finally back in her possession, Ginny took great pleasure in smoothing the down feathers of Flitterbloom with her thumb as she set the box on the table in front of her. Her breakfast had been long since forgotten in the excitement, and without thought, she pushed the cold tray away to make room. The box vibrated upon being set on the table, and the lid slowly began to rise. Inside was the single most beautiful thing Ginny had ever seen. She reached in and pulled out a delicate gold chain, barely thick enough to feel between her fingers. Ginny gasped as she felt it slide between her fingers, feeling more like a single thread of silk than a chain. At the end, the chain seemed to take shape all on its own. The form wasn't a hanging piece of jewelry merely slapped onto the metal; it seemed to be made from the gold links themselves. Ginny was awestruck as the tiny lion head came into view. Its eyes were made of the smallest cut red rubies she'd ever seen, but she was still amazingly able to see every detail of the cut. It was absolutely perfect. The eyes glittered so they even appeared to be winking at her!

"Who's it from?" Hermione asked, rather impatiently.

Ginny only shrugged her shoulders. "You've seen everything I have. Help me put it on?" She held her full head of hair out of the way while her friend snapped the clasp.

"It looks beautiful on you, Ginny." Hermione smiled. "I wish someone would care enough to get me something like that."

"I just wish I knew who it was from," Ron grumbled, oblivious to the not-so-subtle hint being tossed his direction.

~*~

Draco leaned over the water fountain, letting the cool liquid flow over his lips and soak his tongue, as he lapped it into his mouth. For some reason, the normal day to day commotion of Hogwarts was especially annoying to him, as all he could think about was getting back out to that locker room. Not that it would matter. She wasn't there.

He stood up and smoothed his robes before turning around. He came face to face with a very sexy redhead; although, looking down at her, he couldn't decide whether she looked angry or pleased. With a glance to each side to assure their isolation, he snaked an arm around her waist, bringing her body against him. "I knew you couldn't stay away." He bent to kiss her and groaned when she slipped out of his grip. Oh yeah, he recognized it now, for sure. It was definitely anger.

"What were you thinking?"

Draco looked at her with a somewhat surprised expression. "That I wanted to kiss you?"

She held the necklace up around her neck with her thumb and repeated the question.

Draco sighed. "I thought it would look good on you. I thought you would like it. I thought I'd do something nice for a change."

"You thought you'd have it delivered in front of the whole school, including Ron?" she asked incredulously.

He smirked. "I also thought it would be quite funny to give it to you right in front of the oaf. He didn't suspect a thing; I was watching."

Ginny slapped his shoulder, causing him to cringe. "That oaf is my brother! Keep this up, and he's going to suspect something. Then we're in big trouble. And haven't I told you to quit calling him that?"

"Do you prefer Weasel?" He snickered, then backed down upon receiving the glare he knew was coming, "I didn't think so." He took her hand and began to walk. "Come with me. I want to show you something."

Ginny followed him curiously and frowned when he only walked a few steps and sat on the bottom step of a nearby stairwell. She stood above him, staring down in confusion. "You wanted to show me the steps?"

"No." He laughed and pulled her down onto his lap. Turning her to the side so he could see her properly, he picked the lion head up between his thumb and forefinger so it was in view to both of them.

Ginny watched him; she never could get over the transformation between his public self and his private. If she could get Ron and her friends to see this side of him_ But she knew it would never happen. They'd never willingly believe it, and he'd never willingly show them. It was a lost cause. She bent her neck enough to wash her lips softly over the knuckle of his forefinger, looking up into his eyes with her own wide brown orbs. He was smiling at her, yet another thing that still surprised her. A smile on Draco Malfoy looked as out of place as a grindylow out of water.

The sound of slow, languid footsteps coming down the corridor made them both freeze. Draco sank back into the shadows with Ginny still on his lap. Without words, they found themselves holding their breath, but the sound of their hearts against their chests was sure to give them away. The steps slowed as they neared the stairwell, and Ginny closed her eyes, her mind chanting, "out of sight, out of mind."

Draco was the first to see her. He looked up with a sneer, ready to pounce at the first sign of weakness.

"You're holding your breath, Ginny."

Ginny opened her eyes, and let the air burst free at the sound of her friend's voice. "Luna!" Luna stood before her, her trusty copy of The Quibbler in hand, and her wand stuck safely behind her left ear. "What.... what are you doing down here?"

"This corridor is off limits," Draco growled. "Clear off, Loony."

Luna only shrugged uncaringly and continued her journey. "Dragons like warm, dark places," she announced, as she climbed the stairs behind them.

Draco waited until the footsteps could no longer be heard, before daring to open his mouth again. "What the hell was that?"

Ginny giggled; "I'm not sure. I'm never sure. But she won't say anything. I'm sure of that."

"She better not," he warned. Ginny only rolled her eyes and leaned forward to kiss him. His mood slightly lightened, he continued to play with the lion's head for a few moments contently. "Have you figured out the password to it yet?"

Ginny bit her bottom lip and smiled. "There's a password?"

He nodded and leaned over, dangerously close to her chest as he whispered, "Animi!"

Ginny shivered as his warm breath washed over the bare area above her robes, desire growing in her. Oh, how she wanted to take another trip to the Slytherin locker rooms! His whispered word caught in her ear, animi, at heart. She looked down to see the lion's head changing before her eyes. The gold turned to silver, and the lion's head turned to a small but powerful looking dragon. Even the jewel in the eye turned from a red ruby to a green emerald. She breathed in sharply. Around her very neck was a symbol of her love. Of his love. Of him. "Draco! It's even more beautiful than before!" She wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him tightly.

"It looks good on you. I knew it would. You've got me with you always, now," he whispered, his lips fluttering against the sensitive skin of her neck.

She squealed in delight at the simple touches he was giving her. "I wish I could wear it like this. Always."

"I know who you are at heart. I know you're my dragon at heart."

More footsteps could be heard, farther away this time, giving them more warning. Ginny stood and smoothed her robes, tucking the dragon safely next to her skin. "Meet me tonight?" she whispered, her eyes darting around for the first sign of a person.

He nodded. "Come to my room."

"In Slytherin house?" she squeaked. "How am I supposed to do that?"

"The password is 'Hebridean Black.' You'll find a way. You've got more of me in you than anyone realizes."

Ginny rolled her eyes at the double meaning and pinched his ear on her way up the stairs to follow Luna. Draco watched her until she was out of sight before finally leaving his hiding spot.

~*~

Hermione sat on the floor between Ginny's feet as the younger girl succeeded in finishing yet another row of braids down her soft brown mane. "Ginny? Have you noticed boys can be quite oblivious when they want to be?"

"What boy might you be talking about?" Ginny asked, as if she didn't know.

Hermione huffed and pulled away, her fingers immediately flying to her head to pull out the tiny braids. "Well, if you must know..." She turned around to find her friend giggling. "What?"

"Your hair. It's even wilder now. You should have let me finish."

With a defeated "hmph," Hermione turned back around and pulled her books back into her lap. "Ron is such a.... I don't know what he is sometimes."

"Idiot?" Ginny supplied affectionately.

"I was thinking more along the lines of insufferable prat," Hermione said. Her tone was so serious it made Ginny laugh harder. Hermione turned again, a glare fixed in her eyes. "What is so funny?"

"Why don't you just tell him you like him?"

"I don't like him!" Hermione's stubbornness betrayed her when she spoke too quickly. "Oh fine, but the insensitive wart probably wouldn't have any idea what I was saying. Even if I did."

"Give him some credit!" Ginny laughed. "Besides, who says he's not trying to find a way to tell you the same thing?"

Hermione was considering the possibility when she heard the offending voice of the subject of her thoughts bellowing up the staircase.

"Ginny!"

Ginny sighed and dropped Hermione's locks. "I hate it when he does that." She walked to the door and opened it, sticking her head out.

"You coming to practice this time, or what?" Ron asked.

"When?"

"Now! You missed my last practice."

Ginny impatiently glanced at her watch. She had time. "You know, most teams only practice once a week, Ron."

"Most teams don't hold the Cup either, Gin."

Ginny saluted. "Yes, my beloved Quidditch captain." She giggled, knowing Ron well enough to know he was cursing her under his breath but didn't dare yell it so loud as to be heard up the stairs and all around Gryffindor tower.

~*~

"Hebridean Black," Ginny nervously spat out, after her third try. She was almost sure it was a sign she was doing something very, very wrong by entering Slytherin when her voice refused to let her say the words the first two times.

A piece of the stone wall slid to the side. Tentatively, Ginny peeked inside, glad to see very few Slytherins still in the common room. She was even happier that none were concerned about the door sliding open. In their own smugness, they must have been convinced anyone with the password must belong. She took a moment to survey the dungeon, intrigued by the low lighting and Slytherin green that surrounded her. The Slytherin quarters were much different from Gryffindor. The walls were colder and the ceilings lower. There was a damp, musty feel, but she wasn't sure if that was real, or just her psyche giving her what she'd expected. She growled inwardly, as she realized she had no idea where Draco's room was.

Then she saw him.

His pale, shining, white-blonde hair would give him away anywhere, and tonight he sat at a desk in front of an open door in a room off to her side. He had a lamp shining on him, as he leaned meticulously over his desk, concentrating. She smiled; so he did study!

Without another moment's notice, she went to him, shutting the door behind her. "You look busy. Maybe I should come back."

He jumped. He'd been so entranced in his homework he hadn't heard her come in. That dreaded sexy smirk graced his lips. "I knew you'd find your way. You just can't stay away from me."

"Oh, I could." It was an outright lie, and they both knew it, but Draco decided to play along.

"Go then." He waved her off, then practically knocked his chair over when he jumped up to stop her after she turned towards the door.

Ginny laughed, as she found herself held tightly in his arms. "I knew you wouldn't let me leave."

"You did?" One pale eyebrow rose as he looked down at her with curiosity. "Most girls wouldn't be so presumptuous."

"Most girls don't have a piece of the dragon with them always."

"You've got me." Draco laughed; just a little, but she loved the sound, as strange as it was. Before she could reply, she found his lips on hers, sucking hungrily at the flesh, nipping with desire.

He wasn't as hard to undress as he had been the previous night; tonight he was only in a pair of green silk pyjama bottoms, and soon he wasn't even wearing those.