Secrets

CHAPTER 9

Ginny woke late one Sunday morning in February, a lonely sensation growing in the pit of her stomach. She lay in her bed and ran her hands over her stomach, which was barely beginning to bulge upward. Today the students were going to Hogsmeade, and Ginny was staying behind. Madam Pomfrey had decided that the walk was too far, and Dumbledore agreed. But besides being a Hogsmeade day, it was Valentines Day.

Draco had finished her homework for her the day before, and she wasn't allowed to ride her broom, so Quidditch was completely out of the question, so Ginny was left with a long day of doing nothing. Even though it was nearly noon by the time she was done showering, she wandered down to the Great Hall for breakfast, refusing to let herself hope that Draco would return early from Hogsmeade. The Hall was empty, as lunch hadn't started yet, and she was met by Dobby.

"There is an important message for you, Misses Ginny," he greeted her. "You are to go to the unused history class on the seventh floor."

"Why?" she asked, reaching for an apple.

"That is the message. That is all I know. You should go now, Misses."

Ginny stared at him suspiciously. "I need to know if it'll be safe."

"Yes, safe," he nodded. "You will like it."

Ginny watch as Dobby scurried back to the kitchens and then set out for the long journey up the flights of stairs.

She was exhausted as she reached the top stair to the seventh floor, and sat down gingerly, wondering exactly which of the rooms she was supposed to go to and why. She had a suspicion it was either Draco or the baby's father, and she hoped it was Draco.

She sat still, panting and trying to catch her breath, and she glanced down the hall at the doors. Finally she stood up and slowly made her way down the dim hall. Even the windows on the seventh floor were full of dust, and in the back of her mind, she wondered why the students didn't come here, instead of the Astronomy tower. This seemed so much safer, and besides, there were private rooms. Maybe the more experienced students came here. Half way down the dusky hall she came to a closed door with a piece of parchment attached to it. On the paper, was her name. She stared at it momentarily, then pulled it down and slowly pushed the door open.

The large classroom was lit with small lanterns that were suspended from the ceiling, unused desks and tables had been piled up on the sides of the room, and there was a red couch in the center of the room. The back of the couch was facing her, and she could see a pair of black shoes hanging off the end. She crept to the couch and leaned over it warily.

"I was beginning to wonder," Draco said, sitting up.

Ginny began to smile. "I thought you were going to Hogsmeade."

"I did." He handed her a pink box. "Now I'm back."

She slowly lifted the lid on the box. Inside it was filled with every kind of chocolate imaginable from Honeydukes. "Thank you. How did you know it was exactly what I wanted?"

"Sit down." Draco patted the empty space beside him. "I have something important to ask you."

She sat down, and for what felt like the first time, noticed the way his fingers were long and slender and sent icy chills across her back when they brushed against her. She admired the way his cheekbones were high and prominent and the delicate silvery lashes that framed his eyes. Oh dear Merlin, she thought, realizing the absolute truth for the first time. I've fallen for Draco Malfoy!

Draco picked up her hand and toyed with it. "I want you to be my girlfriend."

Ginny stared at her dark freckled hand inside his pale one. There were still so many unanswered questions between the two of them. Both of them had secrets. There was the baby, and their families, and the current war, and the list went on. Ginny's rational, motherly inner voice warned her every single day that something was going on, that Draco had hidden motives, that she was going to regret she ever became involved with a Malfoy. "That would make me very happy."

Draco reached behind him and produced a small box. "I was saving this, but Valentines Day seemed like a good occasion."

"No," Ginny protested weakly. "I didn't get you anything."

"Well make up for that later," he countered cheekily.

She pretended to swat his arm, then slowly opened the box. It was a necklace, a thin, dainty silver chain and attached was the most beautiful pink glass flower Ginny had ever seen. It was a perfect replica of a calla lily; so perfect, Ginny was sure she could smell its strong scent.

"Here," he reached forward and lifted the chain. "Lift up your hair."

Ginny did as he asked and he locked the chain together, his fingers brushing against the base of her neck. When she turned back around, Draco's face was only inches from her own. His lips were dark and pink and pouty and right in front of her own, and he was moving closer and closer, and she could feel his warm breath against her skin, and then they kissed.

It was a kiss unlike any Ginny had ever received, not that she was oh so experienced in the department of kissing. The last time she had been kissed, it was drunk and sloppy, but then she was sure hers were the same. Michael Corner kissed timidly, taking a long time to warm up, but Draco's lips were grinding fiercely into her own, smashing them against her teeth, and tasting the bitter sour way a lime tastes.

His lips lingered against hers and then his teeth brushed her bottom lip. Ginny let her hands move to the back of his neck and pull him closer. Draco ran his hands along the side of her face and used them to keep her hair out of her eyes and their lips met again, this time slower and softer than before. She wished his skin wasn't so smooth and warm, and that his lips weren't so inviting. Madam Pomfrey kept assuring her that it was natural for her hormones to be completely out of control, but she didn't think she could handle it anymore, and then "What are you doing?"

CHAPTER 10

Ginny and Draco jumped apart from the sheer volume of the scream. She looked up and saw Ron's red head staring at her. "What are you doing?" she demanded, instinctively running her hands across the front of her robes even though it was too late.

"Get away from her!" Ron yelled at Draco, the veins in his neck throbbing with each word.

"Why aren't you at Hogsmeade?" Ginny asked, stepping towards him.

"I saw Crabbe and Goyle with out him," Ron spat jerking his head towards Draco, "and I knew I better check on you!"

"You are so sad," Draco smirked, standing up beside Ginny.

"Don't touch her," Ron yelled as Ginny picked up Draco's hand. "Come on. Let's go!"

"Ron!" Ginny exploded. "You go! I am not a child anymore! I can take care of myself! Get out!"

"Obviously not!" Ron hissed. "You ended up pregnant!"

"Shut your mouth," Draco growled, his voice low and acidic. "She is your sister!"

Ron's expression suddenly changed, and Ginny was almost positive she could see the light bulb hanging above his head. "I'm going to kill you! It was you, wasn't it! You did this to her! You! I'm going to kill you! You ruined her!"

Tears sprung to Ginny's eyes. "No he didn't Ron. You know he didn't."

"He did!" Ron yelled. "It makes sense! He did."

Draco's wand was still lying on the couch and Ron didn't appear to have his and Ginny watched in horror as Ron tried to physically attack Draco. "Stop!" she begged. "Go away!"

"Was that your idea of a real good time, Malfoy?" Ron snarled. "To knock up my sister? To prove yourself by getting with a Weasley? To-"

"It was Harry!" Ginny screamed. "Not Draco."

The room went silent. Ron and Draco stared at her.

"What?" Ron spoke first, his voice thick and wobbly.

"Go yell at him," she sobbed brushing tears of rage and shame out of her eyes. "Go tell him what you're telling me. Go fight with him!"

"Potter?" Draco asked slowly, spitting the word out of his mouth as though it were foul. "Why am I not surprised?"

"No. It can't be. You guys don't even talk, I mean, when? No. It's not. He didn't tell me. He would have." Ron was fumbling for words. His skin was no longer red, but pale and sheer. She could see the blue blood trickling through his veins.

"He hasn't talked to me about it either," Ginny snapped, still fighting back tears. "Now go away."

Slowly Ron stumbled out of the room, leaving her alone with Draco.

"If you want to take back what you said, I understand," Ginny told him quietly, wiping her eyes and walking towards the door. "I'm sorry."

Draco shook his head. "Come back."

Tentatively, she walked to where he was.

"Is it really Potter?"

She nodded.

"And he hasn't said anything to you about it?"

"No. Nothing."

"Why is it always him?"

"I'm sorry," Ginny said again.

"Don't be." He reached for her and pulled her close. "How do you feel about him?"

She shrugged, tucked safely in his arms. "I don't. It was just a mistake. A one time thing that went a bit wrong."

"Just one time?"

She nodded again.

"I didn't think you were the Pansy type."

"I'm not!"

"Your first time?"

"Yes," she admitted quietly.

"That should have been mine," Draco muttered softly.

"What?" She was unsure if she had heard him correctly.

"Nothing."

"If it helps, I don't remember much of it. Just that it kind of hurt."

"What happened?" he demanded.

Ginny sighed. "Halloween. We had been drinking at the Hogs Head Inn, and I wanted to go walk because I had drank too much. He volunteered to walk with me. He seemed pretty drunk too, and we ended up at the passage way that goes from here to the Shrieking Shack and somehow, things happened."

His grip on her tightened. "Maybe I didn't really want to know that."

"Didn't you see us leave?"

He shook his head.

They stood in silence for several minutes, Ginny staring out the dusty window as Draco processed the information.

"Know what?" he finally said. "This doesn't change anything. So now I know. So what? It had to be someone."

"Really?" Ginny glanced up at him warily, her defenses high. Get out, the rational voice inside her head was screaming. Get away from him! Something is not right!

"Absolutely." He tilted her face back towards his and leaned down, his lips skimming hers.