White Noise

Chapter 11: Sinful

Draco had immediately pulled her into his hotel room. The drapes were thrown against the windows as soon as the door was shut and locked behind them.

Ginny shivered in the darkness, her eyes following his every movement. "Lumos," he whispered and the tip of his wand glowed, dimly lighting the room.

She was still shaking from nerves.

"Who knows we're here?" he asked finally.

Her eyes fluttered shut. "No one, other than Les and Dakotah." She knew the implications that held.

When he was silent for a long time, Ginny reopened her eyes and studied his darkened profile. He was standing next to the closed window, the wand's light dancing across the fabric of the drapes and his trousers.

"You didn't tell anyone about coming here?" he queried.

Ginny could tell he was suspicious in the way his eyes narrowed. "Of course not!" she answered indignantly. "What do you think I did? Told everyone who had a vendetta against me that I was traveling to St. Petersburg so that they might take a cheap shot at me using the Killing Curse? I think not!"

"Would you shut up!" he hissed. "You have no idea who could be listening!"

She wanted to continue arguing but wisely kept her mouth shut. Draco was right: she couldn't possibly know who was 'accidentally' overhearing their argument in the corridor or other rooms.

"Good," he said approvingly when he saw that she wasn't going to open her mouth again. "Now," he said, grabbing her hand and pulling her to the bed with him.

Ginny's heart stopped the moment his hand touched hers. He seemed to realize what he was doing a moment too late because his hand dropped hers just as they sat down. She licked her lips and cursed at herself for feeling weak all of the sudden. Now was not the time to be feeling weak!

"Now," he repeated, "who knows we're here?"

"Just Les and Dakotah! I already told you I didn't tell anyone else where we would be...not even my mother!"

He pressed his face into his hands. Ginny could tell by his posture that he was weary.

"Let's just call it a day, shall we?" she suggested. "Sleep might do us both good."

Draco raised his eyes to meet hers and something dark flashed in them. She shivered, wondering how deep that darkness was that shaded his gray eyes. He nodded then, removing his gaze from her face. "Goodnight then," he said softly.

Ginny nodded as she stood up, looking down at him fondly. He was looking up at her with unfamiliar warmth in his eyes.

She found herself gulping down as much air as she could. She managed to leave his room without making a total idiot of herself.

***

Although he hadn't slept more than two hours throughout the night -- too many things were weighing down his shoulders -- Draco was very much awake at seven o'clock in the morning.

"Promise me that you'll watch out for her if anything happens to me," Harry's voice was low and even though it was quiet on the street beneath Harry's flat window, Draco had to strain to listen to him.

"Don't be so melodramatic," he responded darkly.

Their gazes locked. Draco's, a steel gray one of indifference, while Harry's was imploring. "Someone will need to look after her," Harry continued. "Even if you could do something as simple as making sure the rent is paid."

Draco couldn't remember whether or not they had settled on anything by the end of their meeting -- the next day Harry had been murdered. Two weeks later, Draco had paid for her rent and he'd paid the next six months rent as well: he had more money than he knew what to do with.

And now, almost a year later, he was imagining sliding his fingers across her bare skin. He was truly a revolting example of a man.

He was somewhat shocked when the door between their rooms opened to reveal Ginny's face. "I was hoping you were awake," she said rather shyly.

"You should have knocked," Draco replied irritably.

She nodded apologetically. "Yes, I'm sorry for that. I heard you stir though and well, I'm not really sure why I thought that meant you were awake."

"I might have been standing here in nothing but a towel," he shot back.

Ginny's eyes widened. "Yes, well, you aren't, so I guess that's not something we need to worry about now, is it?"

Draco regarded her carefully, making sure he was keeping his cool even though she looked completely and thoroughly kissable.

I blame that damn kiss. If she hadn't done that, I wouldn't be thinking inappropriate thoughts about a woman who's slept with Harry Potter.

"Yes Draco?" she asked in a tiny voice, interrupting his silent thoughts.

He turned so that he wasn't looking directly at her. He couldn't think straight when he was looking at her. "I think we should tour the city today," he said finally.

"Tour the city?" She wasn't able to mask the confusion in her voice.

He nodded. "Yes, tour the city and then find a different hotel. This one is probably being watched."

She came to stand further in the room and Draco caught a whiff of her perfume with her movement. "We're here on business. Does Les agree with this? Does he think we should tour the city?"

At that moment, Draco turned to face her. "Ginny, I haven't corresponded with Les on this matter. I think it's the safest course of action. No one is going to be throwing random Killing Curses, or any curses for that matter, at a couple of tourists."

"But we're not just a couple of tourists," she pointed out, as if he didn't know that.

"Yes, thank you for your input," he said dryly.

Ginny rolled her eyes but didn't argue further. "Fine, just let me get dressed for going out. I'll be ready in a jiffy."

In a jiffy, she had said. Draco smiled to himself, thinking of her.

***

When lunchtime rolled around, Ginny found herself seated happily across from Draco at a very-Muggle tavern. The food was bland and the drinks were more water than tea, but Ginny found herself having a better time with Draco than she could have ever imagined.

They had walked around the city all day, the exercise keeping them warm, though Ginny had a sneaking suspicion that it wasn't just the exercise keeping her warm, at the very least. Even through her laughter, Ginny was trying to gauge his thoughts and feelings. He was smiling back at her, but his smile and eyes were guarded. I wonder what he's hiding.

Draco was gracious enough to pay for their meal and when they left the tiny pub, his hand was on the small of her back. She tried to tell herself he was only being polite and gentleman-like, but couldn't quite manage to suppress the small waves of pleasure that seemed to emanate from his fingertips.

As soon as they were out on the street again, his hand dropped from her back. She immediately missed the warmth of his hand pressing against her.

"Well, Ginny, what do you think of this city when you're not here working?" he asked casually, looking down into her eyes.

By now they had stopped walking. The look in his eyes was of such intensity and meaning that Ginny wondered if he would kiss her here. She wanted him to kiss her. But she focused her energy on answering his question. She had to, so that she didn't trip over her words.

"It really is a beautiful city. I'm afraid when Harry and I were here, we weren't able to stop and enjoy all there is to offer. I never noticed the history here," she admitted quietly, a hint of nostalgia in her words.

All around them people were laughing and chatting in a language Ginny couldn't understand. As she continued to look up at him, the voices faded away and she was sure, so sure(,) that he would kiss her, when she witnessed his eyes dropping to her mouth.

To say that she felt alive in his presence would be an understatement. She felt...completely destroyed. Yes, that's the word. He's destroyed everything I've ever thought about him. He's not the man I thought he was.

She was sorely disappointed when he turned from her and continued walking on. "Come on, Ginny," he said when he noticed she didn't follow him. "What are you waiting for?"

I have no idea, she thought sadly.

"Where are we going?" she asked, forcing herself to think of something other than the feelings dancing around her heart. This wasn't how it was supposed to be, was it? She was supposed to be working with Draco, no, Malfoy, to find Harry's murderer. She was most definitely not supposed to be entertaining scandalous thoughts about Malfoy.

"I thought we'd stay at the Matisov Domik," he answered flippantly as if she was supposed to know that.

"What's that?" she asked. She didn't know any Russian and barely recognized the names of businesses and tourist attractions.

"A hotel," he answered. His cocked his head looking at her and she suddenly felt foolish. Of course it was a hotel, how daft was she that she didn't even know that?

"You're going to tell me that you've never heard of it before? You and your husband came here before and you didn't stay at the Matisov Domik?" he asked incredulously.

Ginny's eyes narrowed on him. "No, we did not. Not everyone can waste a day at work lolling about the city sightseeing." She was mildly offended and quite sure he was totally aware of that.

"Oh come off your high horse and follow me," he directed. She hadn't missed the dark cloud that passed across his features.

She sighed and followed him despite herself.

***

They were settled into their hotel room, a cozy two-bedroom suite with a common room between them within the hour. Much to Ginny's surprise, as well as suspicion, their luggage was waiting for them on the sofa next to the window. So he had known all along where we were going. We weren't simply sightseeing.

"Can Liaisons afford all this?" she asked with a sweeping motion of her hand in the air.

Draco shrugged, keeping his back to her. "I have no idea and frankly, I don't care. I'm paying for it out of my own pocket."

Ginny couldn't help the slight gasp that escaped her mouth.

He tossed her a strange look but said nothing.

"What if Les or Dakotah need to get a hold of us?" she asked. "Or do they know we're here?" When he remained silent, she went up to him and grabbed his shoulders, forcing him to turn and face her.

"They don't know we're here, do they?" Her voice fell flat between them. She didn't even notice that her hands were still holding his shoulders.

Draco reached up and put his hands over hers, only to remove them quickly. "You don't get it, do you? If you didn't tell anyone we were coming here and if I didn't, then Dakotah or Les did. No one else but us four knows we are here, so it must have been one of them." She heard his patience wane in the tightness of his voice. "In other words, one of them attempted to kill you yesterday."

She gulped and forced herself to continue looking at him, even though she knew her next words would sting. "Or you did," she said after a moment.

What could only be described as total and complete fury crossed his face and she instantly regretted saying such a horrible thing. He was her partner, for God's sake! She was supposed to completely trust him.

"Don't be so daft," he said finally, although it seemed he wanted to say much, much more.

Before she could apologize for her rude comment, Draco had walked off into his bedroom. She didn't follow him.

***

Draco spent the rest of the afternoon into the evening mulling things over. To think that she had actually implied that he'd been the one to give her over to that wizard or witch!

"The ungrateful little wench," he growled, tossing his head back while gulping down the last of the Russian vodka he'd ordered up to his room.

It was bad enough that his last name was Malfoy...must he always be reminded of what people thought of him before he had...before he had what? Changed? Draco wasn't sure about how much he'd changed. He was no longer the sixteen-year-old bastard who'd been foolish enough to want to please his father. No, he'd since tried to make a name for himself without his father's sinister connections.

Well what else did he expect from a Weasel, really? And one that'd married that tosser Potter, too! Of course, he secretly thought any of the Weasleys would have married Potter if he'd asked.

Still, there had been times today, when they were out walking, that he swore she was weaving a magical sort of enchantment around him, one that used no magic at all. He'd cursed himself multiple times during the day for even looking at her because when he did, he was reminded of everything he'd missed out on.

Like having a family. There was a time in Italy when settling down with a woman and having a home and children with her hadn't seemed like such an obscene wish. Irene had been a hard-working Ministry woman in her native country. Not only had she been driven and independent, but beautiful as well. And so willing to share everything she had with him.

He wondered whatever happened to her. They had not parted on good terms, because of him. Draco had thrown everything she offered back in her face, except for sex. He really had been a despicable ass.

That had been long ago though and he was now a long way from Irene and Italy. Instead, he was much closer to Ginny Potter.

Draco thought that he should never have agreed to look after Ginny in the event Harry died. I never even told Harry I would. I just assumed the responsibility. I could walk away right now if I wanted to, and never look back. Trouble was, Draco wasn't so sure he wanted to walk away.

***

Ginny had practically forced herself to fall asleep and although it had been hard at first, she'd just woken up from an erotic dream. Draco had been in it.

There is absolutely no way I can work with him, having this thing hanging between us. We both know we kissed. She shivered thinking of that kiss. And now I'm fantasizing about him. This can't possibly be good for my health.

She tried to shake the feelings of guilt she was having over what she'd said to him earlier today, but was unsuccessful. Ginny bit her lip and stood, knowing exactly what she had to do.

She found her way easily through her bedroom and the common area to his door and rapped softly.

Draco opened the door almost immediately, looming above her with a dark look in his eyes. It was, in fact, not unlike the look he had in her dream. Stop thinking of that, she told herself even as embarrassment colored her cheeks.

He was watching her with a slightly bored look.

"I wanted to apologize for what I said earlier," she finally made herself say.

"Oh?"

Ginny nodded. "Yes, Draco. I -- well, we really, we had a good day today, didn't we? I had a pleasant time with you and you really...you are right. And I know that you would never slip on our whereabouts when we're...away." There, she'd said what she came to say, however awkwardly. So why aren't I moving?

"I must have woken you up," she finally stated, noting for the first time the drowsy look on his face. "I'm sorry. I'll just be going now," she said as she made to walk away from him. Before she could even make a step, Draco had his hand on her elbow.

Ginny's confused eyes sought out his hand on her elbow first and then his ardent gaze. The heat that was in his silver eyes made Ginny's heart tremble and longing start up deep within her core.

She couldn't help but look at his mouth. "Draco," she found herself saying quickly, "I'm going to kiss you in five seconds unless you tell me not to."

Draco raised one of his eyebrows.

Ginny's eyes fluttered shut. One one-thousand, two one-thousand, three one-thousand... "Why haven't you told me not to yet?" she asked, daring to open her eyes to look at him.

He dropped his face close to hers. "Who says I don't want you to?"

She made herself continue to look at him in the eye. It was a silent challenge between the two of them, she understood. They were daring one another to cross some line they'd drawn between themselves. They were daring one another to go first.

"I'm Harry Potter's widow," she said for reasons unknown to her.

A thin, small smile played upon his lips. "I'm trying hard to ignore that fact," he replied, half-jokingly but mostly serious.

"I'm a Weasley," she told him breathlessly, as if he didn't know.

Draco raised a strong hand and brushed lightly against her cheek bone. "Another fact I'm trying hard to ignore," he told her in a whisper.

Ginny was acutely aware of the electricity between them. It had been there since their first meeting and growing steadily since that day.

When his hand moved from the planes of her cheek to the nape of her neck, where his fingers tangled in her long red hair, she thought she might die from the pure pleasure of it all.

Draco brought his mouth down to her ear, the skin of their cheeks nearly touching. His finger ran through her hair at a pleasant speed. His hands were tangling her hair.

His fingers in her hair felt so good. She couldn't remember anything else ever making her feel so alive. Something this good ought to be sinful.

She extracted herself from his warm grasp, immediately missing the steady warmth he offered. Her eyes lowered to her hands. Her breathing was ragged and truthfully, she wasn't all that positive that she would live if he didn't kiss her now.

"Am I supposed to kiss you now?" she whispered feverishly.

"I thought you said you were going to."

"So why aren't I?"

Draco brought his mouth tantalizingly close to hers. "Because it's my turn."

And before she knew what hit her, his mouth was covering hers with a slow but torturous force. His hands pulled her mouth closer, pulling at the hair at the nape of her neck. A noise formed in the back of her throat, one that she couldn't help but release.

He backed her up against the doorframe, kissing her harder.

Through the thick haze of her mind Ginny was acutely aware of how different his kiss felt from Harry's.

Draco's tongue gently prodded her mouth open and all thoughts of Harry fled her mind. Sizzling heat filled her body.

***

"Because it's my turn," he promised her. He had told himself that first kiss was a mistake, a curse even, but this one...this one was a blessing.

Kissing her was like drinking from the fountain of life. She was his life force, and he backed her up against the doorframe in order to get even closer to her.

Draco let his mouth lead him and it led his tongue straight to hers.

Their tongues slid together in one blissful harmonious movement. Vaguely, Draco wondered if lovemaking with her would be this exhilarating. Somehow, he didn't think so. He thought it would be more so.

Draco took the bits and pieces of her she was offering with each fevered kiss. She had opened her mouth fully against his, nearly driving him insanely over the edge.

He wasn't sure how they ended up where they were and right now, as his hand went through her long hair, and he didn't care.

Ginny was the one to pull away first. Her eyes were bright with the things left unspoken and feelings untouched. Although it was hard, Draco forced himself to let go of her.

"What are we doing?" she asked. Her voice was breathless and Draco felt something in him waver.

For once he felt unsure.

Contrary to his normal self, Draco was at a complete loss of words. Draco could only think one thought, one he wasn't about to proclaim. Don't go.

Then Ginny had his face between her hands and her mouth was on his as if she owned it. Owned him. Truth was she might have owned him as she pulled him into his hotel room, pulling and spinning him until he landed on his bed with her body pressed down against his.

Draco let his hands wander across the planes of her body, atop her clothing, as she continued kissing him wildly. He was going to die tonight, he just knew it...

***

Something primal had overtaken her, she would tell herself many hours later, sitting in the silence of the flat she and Harry had shared. But between now and that time, she'd forced him onto his bed and forced herself upon him. In fact, if it hadn't been for the persistent tapping on the window, Ginny was sure she would have taken things too far.

For her hands were tangling in his long blonde locks just as his sought out the hem on the fitted sweater she was wearing, and neither was willing to give up on this flame of heat so soon.

Ginny had honestly tried ignoring the tap, tap, tap on the windowpane, but it soon became so loud and demanding that she had to roll off of him and go answer that blasted noise.

It wasn't without fear that she untied the small parchment from the tiny owl's leg. In fact, it was with outright trepidation.

By the time she'd read the thing three times, Draco was standing behind her, looking over her shoulder and reading the note.

Ginny. I had to send the new Liaisons owl with you. I trust that you got this O.K. You and Draco must hurry home. It's Les. He's dead. -Dakotah