Flipside

Chapter Nine

They danced together through countless numbers, ignoring the persistent stares and whispers that were following them around the room. Ginny was amazed at how wrapped up in each other they were. She had thought they would be spending time basking in the looks people were giving them, Draco having fun rubbing it in to Harry that he was here with her. But they did none of this, and remained totally oblivious to what was happening around them.

After dancing for over an hour non-stop, Ginny felt as though her legs were going to give out from under her. Pulling Draco from the dance floor, the pair of them headed out onto the patio that the teachers had set up for the students.

It was a gorgeous haven outside. Countless bushes were arranged around the garden, twinkling with thousands of faerie lights. Stone benches were scattered about the patio, and the couple went to one secluded in the corner of the garden, behind a pair of bushes. Draco sat down first on the cold bench and then pulled the small girl onto his lap. She fit into him perfectly, with his arms wrapped around her body, and her head nestled into his chest. Gently, he reached down tilting her head up, meeting her lips with his. Ginny relaxed into the gentle kiss emitting a soft sigh.

But then, Ginny came to her senses and turned her head away from him. "We can't - I can't - I -," she stuttered.

"What?" he asked, smiling down at her amused.

Silent tears began to well up in her eyes, and a few stray drops beginning to trickle down her cheeks.

"I hate you."

He stopped smiling, and gave her a serious look. "Do you really?" he questioned quietly.

She couldn't bear to look at him anymore, and stared off at the lake in the distance, its ripples glittering from the stars and the full moon.

"I don't know anymore," was all she could say.

Draco's fingers brushed her chin, turning it tenderly back to look at his. Softly he reached up and brushed away the tears that had spilled over.

"I know you don't," he said, giving her a small reassuring smile. "How do you think I feel? I feel the same way as you. Look - when I first asked you to this Ball, it was just for revenge on Potter. But somewhere along the way that didn't seem to matter much anymore." He shrugged at her, "I suppose you just have to - as they say - go with the flow."

Ginny sat, staring into his eyes that had softened from the hardness that they usually reflected, contemplating his words. She couldn't stand it anymore, and pushed herself up off of his lap and walked over to the edge of the patio.

"No -," she choked out. "I can't just 'go with the flow'! Don't you get it? I mean how do you expect me to be able to do that? Just last week, just a few days ago even; you were still the same Malfoy I had always known. Now you're - different!" she cried, as tears began to freely stream down her face.

"Ginny -," he started, standing up from the bench and crossing the courtyard to stand next to her.

"Stop," she said dully, "How can you be saying these things? You're a Malfoy and I'm a Weasley. I was dating Harry Potter for God's sake! I was in love with him!" Tears were cascading down her cheeks. "We might as well be completely different species..." she trailed off, staring into the distance.

Draco reached out and grabbed her shoulders, spinning her roughly around to face him.

"Damn it Ginny!" he spat, "Can't you see that names don't matter to me anymore?"

She just laughed hollowly at this statement, "How can that be true?" she asked. "All your life you've always held it over our heads that you are a Malfoy, and are therefore superior to everyone else."

"Don't you think that years of only been known for your name eventually loses its appeal?!" he said, his voice beginning to rise steadily. "How do you think I feel, always only being able to judge people by what their name is, how 'pure' their blood is? Are some humans more human than others?** And I detest the fact that they judge me the same way. I can't stand the hypocrisy anymore!" His voice softened, and returned back to its normal tone as he continued, "Ginny, I like you. I'll admit it. And it's not despite your name; it's partly because of it. I admire your family and its way of accepting people for who they are."

Ginny was absolutely dumbfounded by his confession. Opening her mouth to speak, she realized she knew no words that could vocalize the way she was feeling right then. She looked over at the boy standing across the patio from her, who had been stripped of the tough defenses that he had spent years building up. She walked over to him and wrapped her arms up around his neck, she pulled him close to her - and this time she met his lips with hers - as she finally gave herself over to him.

***

The two stayed outside in the courtyard for the remainder of the Ball; they were content to sit together quietly, reveling in each other's company, rather than facing the watchful stares of the other students.

"Draco," she said softly, breaking the silence.

"Mmm?"

"I don't want anyone to know about this - about us. OK?" she said.

"Why not?" he questioned. "Don't you like the attention? First she was dating Harry Potter, now his arch-enemy Draco Malfoy!" he said with a laugh.

"No..." she said slowly, "I don't really like the attention. Besides, I'm afraid how Harry might take it."

Draco snorted at this. "Why are you worried about his feelings? He didn't seem too concerned with yours."

"What?" Ginny said quickly, "What are you talking about? What do you know?"

"Oh come off it Ginny," Draco said, "Everyone could tell by how he acted that you had caught him cheating - especially when he 'all of a sudden' took the comfort of that Patil girl. To those who were willing to see it, it was obvious."

She nodded slowly, understanding that most people wouldn't accept that the great Harry Potter was caught cheating on his girlfriend. After all, why would he do such a thing when he had already had so much pain in his life?

"I know what you mean Draco, but it isn't those types of feelings I'm afraid of." She sighed, "I told you how he asked me to the Ball, and when I turned him down saying I had a date, he... changed. All of a sudden he wasn't the gentle boy I use to know. He was violent, a monster. And I'm afraid of what he may do if he finds out this was more than just a little bit of payback."

Draco was electric in rage. "I didn't know it was this bad," he growled. "I'll have to knock some sense into that stupid git."

"You will do nothing of the sort!" Ginny cried. "I'll admit it wasn't his place to do it, but I won't have you sinking to his level. Just leave him be. As things are I can handle it. OK?"

Draco grunted his agreement, however grudgingly. "I'll lay off Potter, but if he so much as lays a hand on you again..." he trailed off.

Music filtered out in the garden where they were seated. It was another slow waltz, like the one that started the Ball.

"It must be the last dance," Ginny whispered.

She stood up and pulled Draco to his feet. Together in the corner of the garden the two shared the last dance in peace. Away from the prying eyes and whispers of the rest of the school, they continued waltzing, even after the music died away and the rest of the school had retired to bed.