Drifting

Chapter 7: First Kisses

"Got me looking so crazy right now

Your love's got me looking so crazy right now

Your love,

Got me looking so crazy right now your touch

Got me looking so crazy right now

Your touch,

Got me hoping you'll page me right now

Your kiss,

Got me hoping you'll save me right now

Looking so crazy in love's

Got me looking

Got me looking so crazy in love-" Beyonce Knowles, Crazy in Love.

~*~

Ginny gasped. Her heart began to beat faster and faster, as if it was trying to tear its way out of her chest.

"Me?" she whispered.

Harry gulped and nodded.

"But why would you want to be in love with a poor little Weasley?"

Harry slowly raised himself off the bed. He went a few steps closer to his desk before stopping again. I knew she would turn me down.

"If you don't like me, you could just say so," Harry mumbled, his eyes filling with tears.

His face wasn't visible, since his back was turned to her. It was a very accurate guess that Ginny made when she knew how hurt he must feel. But he has completely the wrong impression.

Ginny stood up, walking in front of Harry. She let her finger trail down his jaw until it came to rest on his chin. She pushed his head up until his eyes locked with hers. Then she leaned in and kissed him softly.

"Don't you ever think that I'm not in love with you," she said, pulling back from him.

Harry looked at her, his eyes shining with emotion. Ginny could see deep admiration, love, and pain, all in one glance.

"But you gave up on me," Harry said, his mood darkening.

"I may have given up on you," Ginny said quietly, "but I never stopped loving you."

Harry hung his head.

"I'm such a fool to not have noticed you all these years. I mean, you're so beautiful and so understanding and..." he trailed off, gently caressing Ginny's cheek. "There's so much I want to tell you but I have no clue how to say it."

"Then don't," Ginny whispered against his lips and then captured them in a searing kiss.

~*~

"Thank you for letting Hermione come today. I'll be back to pick them up at ten," said Mrs. Granger.

"I'll see you then," Aunt Petunia replied.

The door shut quietly and Ron could see Hermione fully now. She looked so carefree and innocent. Ron wished she could stay like that forever.

"Hello, Ron," she said, glancing him up and down.

"Hello, 'Mione."

Aunt Petunia seemed to sense that the two wanted to be alone. She left the front hall for the lounge.

"So, er, how's your summer been so far?" Ron asked nervously.

"It's been fine so far," Hermione said. "Yours?"

"Just great."

An awkward silence fell over the duo. Ron was scared to death. He'd never had a girlfriend before and he didn't have a clue how to act. He had thought about acting like Harry did with Cho, but then he realized that their relationship was horrible and hadn't lasted.

Hermione scuffed her shoe on the carpet. This whole relationship thing was new to her. For once in her life, Hermione felt completely helpless. Suddenly she wished Harry were here to break the tension.

Ron felt on the urge of a breakdown. Too many emotions were taking hold inside of him. He knew that if he didn't let all of it out he'd burst like Harry used to.

Why's everything coming back to Harry? This is my shot, my time. I need to make a move now.

He began to inch closer to Hermione. She looked up at him, her eyes wide, already knowing what he wanted.

"May I?" Ron asked.

Hermione could feel the blush rising in her cheeks as she nodded. In an instant she was swept into Ron's strong arms and he was kissing her.

At first Hermione didn't respond, savoring the taste of his lips, the feel of Ron's arms around her waist, the way he kissed her - hard but still not bruising hard, his smell - which Hermione drank in greedily, and just everything about the moment.

When Ron started to pull back because of the lack of response, Hermione threw her arms around his neck, kissing him back. Almost immediately, his tongue teased against her lips, begging for entrance. Hermione granted him permission and Ron's tongue slipped into her mouth.

This is heaven, Hermione thought. Pure bliss.

~*~

I found out what my first mission was today. My Lord said I was permitted to tell Narcissa, so I did. She fainted.

I of course hadn't a clue why she had fallen, so I called an elf to revive her. After the elf had done so, I asked her why she had fainted.

Rage shot across her eyes and showed on her beautiful face. She yelled at me, asking me how I could do such a thing. She demanded to know where the old Lucius went. She claimed that the old me would never do a thing like what I was asked to do now.

I didn't understand. We are both Pure-blooded and we both share the same beliefs that we are better than others who aren't. My dear Narcissa had always hated Muggle-borns, so why was she trying to stop me from killing a family of them?

Once again, she yelled. She kept going on about how wrong it was to kill an innocent person regardless of their blood and ancestry. I still did not see the problem.

Draco flipped through the next few pages, skimming over Lucius' reports on how Narcissa was doing. He stopped when he came to an entry whose first words were 'The dark deed is done.'

The dark deed is done. I rather enjoyed hearing the Masons' screams as I killed their son-

Draco turned through another two pages, not wanting to read his father's tale of the night. It had never been something he'd thought about, death at the hands of his father. It was something he didn't want to think about either.

Narcissa seems to be in a state of depression now. I hear her whispers as she sleeps. She begs to have her old love back. I wonder if converting her to the Dark will once again bring her closer to me. I shall ask my Lord for help.

Draco sighed, shutting the book with a loud snap. He threw it as hard as he could and didn't bother to watch where it went. Surprise was clear on his face when he heard footsteps on his front walk. Draco looked up and saw Harry walking towards him, the book held loosely in his hand. Harry stopped right before him, dropping Lucius' journal onto the ground at Draco's feet.

"You have a really strong arm, Malfoy."

~*~

His body felt like it was on fire. Sparks of energy and passion were spreading to the tips of his fingers, pumping right out of his heart. He'd never felt this way before.

A sort of hunger was growing, registering dimly in his brain as an urge to take it much farther than it already was. He responded to the feeling only by breaking away from Ginny's kiss. She looked hurt.

"At least let me get dressed first," Harry said, laughing a little.

Ginny smiled, taking in his image for the first time. He was still dressed in his pajamas; very baggy black pants and gray shirt. His hair was slightly messed up from lying on the pillow. Ginny noticed that it wasn't all over the place like it used to be. She figured it had something to do with the fact that his hair was longer, falling over the tops of his ears and hiding his eyes.

"Go change," she said, blushing slightly.

Harry nodded and went rummaging through his closet for a fresh set of clothes. When he found them, he gave a heart-melting smile at Ginny and locked himself in the bathroom.

As soon as the door clicked shut Harry turned on the water, giving the fake impression he was taking a long shower. He did take a shower, probably the fastest one he ever took and he quickly slipped on his clothes. He didn't bother to dry his hair.

The water was still running as Harry opened the window. It was on for a purpose. He'd have to fake Ginny out for a while to get as far away from the house as possible.

I need to get out of here. Something's happening to me, I've been freezing all morning...Voldemort's behind this, he has to be. Ginny's in danger.

He looked down, thankful that there would be a medium-sized bush to break his fall. Still, he knew it would hurt.

But I need to get out of here, he thought desperately. I need some time to think. I need to plan.

He slipped the screen off the window as quietly as he could. Slowly, he eased himself onto the windowsill. He took a deep breath and allowed himself to fall.

Harry landed with a hard thump on top of the bush. The twigs that were sticking out cut into his arms, making them bleed. Thorns dug into his skin. Harry jumped off the bush as fast as he could.

"Damn," he said quietly. "That hurt."

He crept along the side of the house and started walking on the side of the road. Before he knew it he was on Magnolia Crescent.

Why did I do this? Harry thought, inwardly cursing himself. I probably just blew any chance I ever had with Ginny. Why is it that whenever something finally goes right for me, Voldemort has to come and harm me and ruin the moment?

A loud snap broke his train of thought. Harry looked around, trying to find the source of the noise. Before he could figure it out, he saw something square and leather bound being hurled at him. With his fast Seeker reflexes, he caught the book with ease. Harry looked down at the title and gasped. No one would have that book except a Malfoy himself. Harry raised his head to scan the surrounding houses.

There was Draco, sitting on the stoop of his house, right across the street.

Harry did a double take. His house? What happened to Malfoy Manor?

As he walked forward he could clearly see the name on the mailbox. It was Malfoy all right. Harry couldn't help but wonder what Draco was doing here.

Draco looked up as Harry started towards him. He dropped the book at the blond's feet.

"You have a really strong arm, Malfoy," Harry said.

Draco laughed softly. "So I've been told."

"You also have pretty good aim, if you were aiming at my head."

Draco shook his head. "I just threw it. I didn't know where it went."

"Ahh. I still wonder though why you're a Seeker when you'd be a much better Beater," Harry mused.

"You just want me to switch positions so you won't have so much competition," Draco commented.

Harry laughed too. "You probably are the only one who can challenge me to a real game."

He sat down next to Draco on the stoop. The other boy picked the book up off the ground, idly tracing the letters on the cover. Harry leaned over Draco's shoulder to get a better look at the lettering.

"I thought you weren't on the path to become a Death-Eater," Harry remarked softly.

Draco's body stiffened. He sent a cold glare in Harry's direction.

"You need to learn to stay out of my life. It's none of your business who I do things with and what I read," he snarled.

"But you said-"

"But nothing," Draco snapped. "Just get out of here, Potter."

Harry wouldn't move. He wanted answers and he wanted them now.

Draco, however, did not seem to want to give an answer. He looked thoroughly annoyed with Harry.

"Bloody curious Gryffindors," Draco muttered.

He abruptly stood up, kicking Harry in the arm before walking into his house and slamming the door behind him. Harry sat for a few more moments, rubbing his arm absentmindedly before getting up and heading back.

~*~

Harry climbed back into the house through the window, turning the water off once he was inside. He washed the cuts on his arms with soap and water, wincing in pain as they burned. After wiping the blood off with a towel, he opened the door.

Ginny stood on the other side with a worried look on her face.

"What took you so long? I was going to come in there in a minute to make sure you were okay!" she said.

"I'm really sorry, Gin. I was trying to heal the cuts on my arms a little more," Harry said quickly.

He held up his one of his arms in proof.

"What happened to you?" Ginny asked, a little shocked.

Harry racked his brain for a good cover-up. He couldn't tell Ginny that he had snuck out to protect her from a possible attack from Voldemort and used a bush to break his fall.

"Er, I got in a fight yesterday and I got pushed into a bush with a lot of thorns," he lied.

Ginny seemed to buy it. She still had a worried look on her face, though. Harry knew he had to do something to make it up to her.

Quickly he grabbed her hand and dragged her back into his room. He locked the door behind them and sat Ginny on the bed.

As he sat down next to her, he said, "let's continue where we left off, shall we?"

Harry was able to see a charming smile light up Ginny's face as he leaned and kissed her once more.

~*~

"Potter is such a fucking idiot!" Draco yelled.

He was very glad that his mother had gone out to the store. Now he could rage about Harry in peace.

"Who does he think he is, butting into my business?"

A small voice in the back of his head taunted, but you've been messing with his life, haven't you?

"Shut up, you," Draco snarled, not realizing that he was yelling at his own mind.

He picked up the red pen from his desk and put an X through another day in his calendar. Only a few more days until my birthday. I better get that Firebolt this year so I can finally beat Potter.

Suddenly, Draco chucked the pen at the wall, leaving a red mark and a slight dent because he had thrown it hard.

"Why does everything always come back to Potter?"

~*~

Hermione pulled away from Ron, gasping slightly.

"That was amazing!" she said, breathing heavily.

Ron staggered backwards slightly, his word spinning. The kiss he had just shared with Hermione was breathtaking. He never knew that one simple kiss could have so much passion in it.

Well, said a snide voice in the back of his mind, it wasn't all that simple now, was it?

Ron smiled slightly at the thought.

"Was that your first kiss?" Hermione asked, slightly embarrassed by the fact she was actually asking that question.

Ron had the decency to tell the truth. "Yes," he said, blushing slightly. "You?"

Hermione nodded, her face turning crimson.

It's almost as if blushes are contagious, she thought, grinning.

Ron wrapped his arms around her waist once more. Hermione snuggled her head into his chest, listening to his heartbeat. She sighed contently; it had been a great day so far.

"Come on," Ron whispered. "Let's go visit Harry."

~*~

Ginny broke apart from Harry after a few minutes.

"Are you feeling all right?" she asked, concerned.

Harry looked up at her, his green eyes standing out harshly from the color of his face.

"Not really," he said shakily. "I've been freezing all morning."

Ginny nodded suspiciously. She'd assumed he'd taken a long hot shower, since she'd heard water running for a long time. She wondered how he could possibly not be warm yet. She'd felt how cold Harry's skin was, though. It felt like ice and was terribly pale. It almost seemed like there wasn't any blood being pumped through his body anymore. Something's definitely wrong here. What if there was something about that dream that Harry wasn't telling me? Did Voldemort do something to him?

Ginny leaned against his chest. She breathed a small sigh of relief when she heard a faint heartbeat.

"We need to get you warmed up," she announced.

Harry smiled a little. "You were doing a pretty good job of it," he said.

Ginny blushed slightly.

"Come on. You need to get back into bed."

"Yes, Mum," he said sarcastically.

Ginny rolled her eyes and hoisted him up off the bed. While she was pulling back the covers of his bed, Harry really took the time to look at her. For the first time, he noticed what a great body she had. He also loved the way her hair seemed to change colors as she moved. One minute it was orange, the next red, reddish-brown, and then a mix of all of them.

He realized with a jolt that she looked almost exactly like his mum.

"Into bed. Now," Ginny commanded.

Harry obeyed numbly, sliding his shoes off before he did. Ginny didn't seem to notice his almost robotic movements. He sank into the bed, pulling the covers up to his chin. As he closed his eyes and drifted back off to sleep he wondered how he would be able to date a girl that would remind him of his mother every time he saw her.

~*~

"I've called you here for another report from Severus. As you might have noticed, not everyone is here, as it only concerns a select few of you," Dumbledore announced, taking his place at the head of the table.

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Minerva McGonagall, Severus Snape, Tonks, Remus Lupin, and Mad-Eye Moody sat around the table with him. They had all been called to a brief meeting at Number 12 Grimmauld Place for a brief meeting.

"Severus?" Dumbledore repeated.

Snape stood up, clearing his throat.

"The Dark Lord's plan has commenced and according to him, is having amazing results. He says that he's managed to break Potter very easily. Apparently he's been able to reduce Potter to a sobbing child in about two minutes. It seems that Potter is not able to fight the dreams and they will only get worse from this point on. The Dark Lord claims that he will make a major breakthrough in converting Harry very shortly. That is all I know of."

Molly gasped. "But why can't he fight them? He's a strong boy."

"From what I've seen on watch," Tonks cut in, "Harry's far to weak and depressed to fight anything. He just tends to mope around all day."

"It's those blasted Muggles!" Mad-Eye barked.

"No," Remus interrupted softly. "It's because of Sirius."

A deafening silence fell over the group. The mention of Sirius always seemed to darken everyone's mood. Remus looked down, hiding the pain in his eyes.

"I think that's enough for tonight," Dumbledore said, sensing where the conversation would be heading.

The group disbanded slowly. Soon the only one left was Remus, still staring at his feet, tears slowly forming in his eyes.

~~**~~