Ginny's Love

"You'll never believe what happened last night after I left here," said Ginny the moment Draco tore his lips from hers the next morning.

"What's that?" he asked, leaning her head on his chest and holding her tightly to him.

"I walked into the Griffindor Common Room and Harry, Hermione and Ron nearly jumped down my throat!" she said. "They have this map thing that tells you where everyone is and they saw us together!"

"WHAT?" exclaimed Draco, pulling her away to look at her. "They KNOW?"

"No," said Ginny. "I told them that I was tutoring you in charms because you're way behind and I'm way ahead. It's half true. I AM way ahead of my classmates. Flitwick put me on independent study in my second year."

"You told them I was BEHIND?" he exclaimed.

"Well, it was either that or the truth!" exclaimed Ginny back at him. "Would you rather have my brother beat you senseless for snogging me or have them all think that you just need a little help with your schoolwork?"

"He couldn't beat me senseless," said Draco.

"Have you seen the SIZE of Ron lately?" asked Ginny. "He's taller than you and I'm certain he weighs a lot more, as well."

"Still..." said Draco.

"Look, I made them promise not to let on that they know," she said. "So, they won't make any remarks about it. And if they do, you can just take the same stabs at Ron for his shabby robes. Oh, no, you can't," she added, remembering that he'd gotten new ones. "Dad insisted on buying him new ones when he made Prefect. Well, you can ask him if he stole them off a dead man or something."

Draco laughed at that. "That's a good one, Gin!" he said. "I'll have to remember that!"

"Now, don't you go using it just for fun!" she said. "It's only to be used in emergencies!"

"All right, Ginny, love," he said, leaning closer to kiss her. "I won't. I promise."

"Thank you, Draco," she said. "Oh, before I forget, I won't be able to come tonight. I'm working with Professor Goldwood. She's going to help me train these supposed powers I have and we'll find out if it's something or if it's just a fluke."

He pretended to pout. "But, who will I snog, then?" he asked.

"The back of your hand?"

Before Ginny knew it, she was on the floor with Draco on top of her tickling her ribs. She screeched and squirmed and tried to get away, but to no avail. He just would not let her up.

"Draco, PLEASE!" she giggled, gasping for breath. "I can hard- hardly- breath!"

Finally, he stopped and lay next to her on the floor. "Ginny," he said. "Yesterday was like a dream come true. In fact, when I woke this morning, I almost thought it WAS a dream. But, then I found this," he added with a malicious grin, rolling down the collar of his robes to expose a dark red spot.

"Oh, my goodness!" giggled Ginny. "Did I do that?"

"Well, it certainly wasn't my owl," he answered, rolling the collar back up. "Nevermind. I like taking your love marks."

"And I like giving them," she said, kissing his chin softly.

"We'd better get to breakfast or everyone will wonder where we've got off to," he said.

"I know," she replied. "But I don't want to leave you."

"Ginny," he chuckled. "Look, on Saturday we can sneak up here and spend the day together, all right? I'll go to the kitchens and get the house elves to give me food for the day so we won't starve. But, right now, we have to get going."

"Oh, all right," she moaned as he pulled himself off the floor and offered her a hand up. "But, I don't like it one bit."

He caught her up in a kiss just then and all was forgiven.

* * * * * * * *

"Did you see Malfoy?" hissed Ron that evening at dinner. "He's got a love mark!"

"Are you sure?" asked Hermione, grinning as she looked over at the Slytherin table.

"Yes!" exclaimed Ron. "In Care of Magical Creatures today! He was showing Crabbe and Goyle and explaining that his GIRLFRIEND gave it to him!"

Ginny couldn't help but giggle at that, which caused all three of them to stare at her. "Sorry," she said, still grinning. "It's just that, I know who he's seeing!"

"Who?" demanded Ron.

"I promised not to tell," she said. Both statements were true. She DID know who he was seeing because he was seeing her and she HAD made a pact with him not to tell.

"Aw, come on, Gin," said Harry. "You can tell us. We won't laugh at him."

"That's not the point, Harry," she replied. "The point is that I promised I wouldn't tell and I WON'T!"

"But, Ginny!" exclaimed Ron.

Before he could continue, Hermione cut it. "Now, Ron," she said. "A promise is a promise and you should ALWAYS keep your promises. If Ginny said she wouldn't tell, then we should stop bugging her about it. We already made her break two promises in as many days and I'll be damned if I let you make her break another one."

Ron grumbled but went back to his dinner.

"Why doesn't he want anyone to know who he's seeing?" asked Harry. "It all seems very suspicious, doesn't it?"

"She's not of what his father would call, 'good parentage,'" answered Ginny. "He just doesn't want it getting back to Lucius, that's all."

"Because he wouldn't approve?" asked Hermione.

"Because he'd probably kill Draco," answered Ginny. "Oh, not seriously. He says Lucius is mean, but has never laid a hand on him. Poor chap. Almost makes me want to hug him. Almost," she added, seeing Ron's disgusted look.

"Just out of curiousity, Ginny," said Hermione, looking pensive. "But, what do you think of Draco Malfoy? I mean, you know, if what you can do is really what we think it is."

Ginny thought for a moment before answering. "I think he's terribly misunderstood," she answered finally. "I think he's jealous of you and Ron because you're Harry's friends, a distinction HE wanted. I also think that there's too much expected of him by too many people whom he looks up to and that he can't possibly live up to it all because he's too young and so he puts on a mask and pretends to be horrible, when really, he's just scared and nervous. I think that he doesn't really know HOW to be nice to people because nobody's ever been nice to him. I think he's sad and lonely, even though he's always surrounded by people. And, last of all, I think he's really a very sweet boy when it comes down to it. He just doesn't know how to show it."

Ron just stared at him. "Have you found something of interest in him, then?" he asked, giving her a strange look.

"He fascinates me," she answered simply. "Him and that little Slytherin fifth year. You know, the tiny one."

"Rosalind Frances," answered Harry, smirking. "Yeah, she's interesting."

Ginny giggled, realizing that Harry had a crush on Rosey, as she was known to her friends. "She sure is," said Ginny. "I've got her in my potions class."

"What do you think of HER," he asked.

Ginny suppressed another giggle, not wanting to give Harry's secret away. "She's sweet," said Ginny. "Very understanding and ambitious. She's careful with who she chooses as friends, but never shuts anyone out. She's got a bit of a dark side if you make her angry, but other than that, she's a very nice girl."

Harry nodded.

Hermione giggled at him. "You rather like her, don't you, Harry?" she asked.

Harry turned a bit red. "Perhaps," he said, shrugging.

"Good," said Ron. "Then ask her to the dance this year so I can have Hermione to myself."

"Who says there'll be a dance?" asked Harry.

"There will be," answered Ginny. "As long as Dumbledore's headmaster, there will be a dance. But, as for right now, I have an appointment with Professor Goldwood. See you all later!" With that, she downed the rest of her pumpkin juice, gathered her things and headed off to Professor Goldwood's office.

"Ah, Miss Weasley, there you are," said Professor Goldwood, stepping down from a stepladder where she had been arranging books at the top of her bookshelf. "Just have a seat and we'll get started in a moment."

Ginny sat in the chair opposite the professor's desk and waited. She didn't know what to expect, but she hoped it didn't take too long. She'd promised Draco that she'd drop by their secret room as soon as she was finished just in case he wanted to wait for her. He'd said he would wait until she came, even if it mean that he could only see her for a few seconds before they had to go to their dormitories.

"All right, then," said Professor Goldwood, sitting in her own chair. "Let's begin. I have here pictures of real people, both Muggle and Wizard. I want you to first tell me which they are. I have the answers on the back. They're all wizard photos, so they will all be moving, but the wizards among them have donned muggle clothing, so be sure before you answer. Ready?" she asked, picking up the stack of photos.

"Ready," answered Ginny.

"All right," answered the professor, picking up the first picture and showing it to Ginny.

"Muggle," said Ginny without even thinking.

The professor raised her eyebrows, but said nothing, just showing Ginny the second picture.

"Muggle," answered Ginny just as quickly.

"Interesting," said the professor softly, showing Ginny the third picture in the stack.

"Witch," said Ginny without hesitation.

It went on like that, through all the pictures until each one had passed through the professor's hands and both women sat staring at one another. "Well, Miss Weasley," she sighed. "I've never seen this before in all my years testing possible soul searchers. You got every single one correct. There's no doubt in my mind, Miss Weasley, that you have the power."

"Really?" asked Ginny. She didn't know how she knew the difference between all of the pictures, but she had just as soon as she saw them.

"Yes," answered Professor Goldwood. "I'm going to inform the Ministry that we will be needing a tutor as soon as they can find one. I'm certain that I could teach you nothing you don't already know."

"They'll draft me, won't they?" asked Ginny, already knowing that the ministry would need her as soon as possible.

"Most likely," answered Professor Goldwood. "I should think they'd need all the help they can get. If you would prefer, we can wait for awhile before notifying the Ministry."

"I think that would be best," answered Ginny. "Besides, I should like to tell my family first. But, soon, hopefully, I'll feel ready to start training."

"Of course," answered the professor, smiling kindly at her. "You know, Virginia, with the proper training, soul searchers have been known to peer into the very souls of men. That is a precious gift and if it has been entrusted to you, you must learn how to use it. And, the sooner, the better."

"Yes, Professor Goldwood," answered Ginny solemnly. "I understand. I'll let you know when I'm ready."

"Of course," said the Professor. "You may go now, Miss Weasley. And don't forget to tell your family."

"Yes, Professor," said Ginny, hurrying from the room. She glanced at her watch. Good, it was only a little after eight. She still had time to see Draco. She hurried up to the owlry and slinked behind the stairs. She quickly tapped the brick and waited as the door slid open.

She found Draco lying across the sofa, fast asleep. She didn't want to wake him, but knew he would be cross if she didn't, so gently, she kissed his cheek and called his name. "Draco, darling," she said quietly. "Come on, then, sleepy head. Wake up."

Slowly, his eyes opened and he looked into her eyes. "Hello, Virginia," he said, reaching out to brush her hair out of her face. "How did it go?"

"All right," she said, settling onto the floor and hugging her knees to her chest. "Professor Goldwood made me look at about three thousand photographs and tell her whether the people in them were wizards or muggles. She said I got them all correct."

"Well, that's good," said Draco, straightening up and inviting Ginny to sit next to him. She crawled up into the vacant spot and curled into his arms. He kissed the top of her head gently and they sat that way for a few moments, just basking in each other's presence.

Finally, Ginny broke the silence. "I heard you were showing off your love mark today," she said, grinning to herself.

He chuckled. "Yeah," he said. "Crabbe and Goyle wanted to know why I smelled like lilacs when I returned to the common room and I told them it was my girlfriend's perfume. They didn't believe it, though, so I showed them the love mark you gave me."

Ginny giggled. "Ron was laughing about it at dinner," she said. "I think he's jealous because he doesn't have one from Hermione."

"Your brother likes GRANGER?" he exclaimed.

"Sure he does," answered Ginny. "He has since they met, only he didn't realize it until last year. She likes him, too, but they hide it well."

"Why don't you tell them?" he asked.

Ginny shrugged. "Because they don't want to know yet," she said. "I can just tell. Remember, I AM a soul searcher."

"Right, you don't have to remind me," he said, feigning sarcasm.

She poked him in the ribs and he jumped, laughing. "I love you, Draco Malfoy," she said, settling her head on his chest once more.

"I love you, too, Virginia Weasley," he replied, stroking her hair and kissing the top of her head once more.

And they stayed there until they absolutely had to get back to their dormitories or else they'd be in trouble for being out after curfew.