Choices and Consequences

Choices and Consequences

"We choose our joys and sorrows long before we experience them." -Kahlil Gibran

*

Pansy Parkinson glanced doubtfully at the girl across from her. She was a mystery that was for sure. The Slytherin girl was surprised that this girl was a lot of help when it came to her problem. Her problem was the secrecy of her relationship. She would have never though to go to this sixth year girl for help. It had been Pansy's boyfriend to actually ask. Now she had to second-guess her past judgments on the girl.

Harry Potter, Pansy's boyfriend of one month, had gone to the girl with the problem on Saturday. How do we see each other without anyone getting suspicious? Neither of them knew what to do and had spent a good week on the problem when their only other idea had failed. They didn't want their relationship to be under scrutiny until they were good and ready to have it under that pressure.

Harry had finally cracked and told someone. That someone had come up with a brilliant idea within ten minutes and was now making a potion in the lower dungeons under the guise of having a detention. Pansy was 'supervising' her and that had been enough to put Snape's queries at rest.

Yes, it seemed this little girl had more to her than what she had seen. The small red headed and freckled mouse. Now she seemed to be anything but a mouse. In fact she was quite good at hiding things, so you weren't really sure what she was. She hid it under a guise of sarcasm and insults. It was hard to tell if she was serious unless you had listened to her for a while.

When she liked you her voice lacked venom. If she wasn't sure about you she tended to smirk a lot more than usual and raised her eyebrow a lot. If she hated you then you were basically nonexistent or she lashed out with a lot more malice in her voice.

She was also a lot prettier than people gave her credit for. She had a nice athletic frame, small and slim with small curves. Her eyes were a pretty jade colour that looked like the actual jade of the necklace that hung around her neck. She had creamy skin and her freckles were very light and hardly noticeable unless you were quite close. Her hair was not an orange red shade like her brothers' hair. It was a red like molten lava. Dark but it had natural bright red highlights in it.

Yes, Ginevra Weasley was certainly a mystery. She reminded her a little of a specific Slytherin friend of hers. She didn't dare say that to the read head. Apparently that subject was a little sore with her. Harry didn't know why. No one did. Everyone assumed it was his taunting of her.

"Parkinson it's very hard to concentrate on this potion with you staring at me. If I screw it up it costs you a night of shagging," Ginny broke the silence in the room.

"Sorry Weasley, didn't know potion brewing came so hard to you," she returned.

"It doesn't come hard to me. I am a grade ahead if you hadn't noticed and besides that bloody prat and Hermione I would be top of said class," she retorted.

"You guys are tied aren't you?"

"Yes." Ginny's bit out her bitter response.

"Why do you hate him so much?" Pansy asked. She knew Draco Malfoy was difficult but this girl seemed to have more than a small grudge against him.

She ignored the question. "I added some water and exchanged leeches for slugs so the potency isn't too strong. If you only take three drops of it the effect should only last twenty minutes. Enough time to get to Gryffindor tower. Mine will last an hour and I will drink it until you meet me back in the bathroom at a prearranged time."

Pansy was amazed at the accomplishments of this girl. In a day she had come up with a plan and followed it through. Ginny and Pansy were to meet in the girls' lavatory and exchange clothes. They each had to trade an outfit because their styles were so different. Then after the arranged time they would meet in the bathroom and exchange cloaks again.

"You really get into this don't you? The only other person I know that is this interested in potions is Dra... never mind then," Pansy stopped at the red head's glare.

"I don't mind you Parkinson and it isn't exactly easy to get along with me," Ginny stated. "But if you ever compare me to that jerk I guarantee my revenge will be a lot more cunning than this bloody plan."

"I'll keep that in mind," Pansy answered cheerfully.

~*~

Ginny Weasley stood in the girl's bathroom feeling very uncomfortable. She was wearing a mini skirt and a black tank top. She did not wear miniskirts. She didn't even wear skirts. Blame it on growing up with six brothers. Pansy was a few minutes late and it wasn't improving the redhead's mood.

Pansy finally came running into the room wearing sweatpants low on her waist with a green t-shirt. Her hair was up in a ponytail. Despite previous years and what people had said about her, Ginny thought Pansy was quite attractive. She had dark ebony hair that swished around her head in a silky sheet. From the look of her skin she had been by the beach all summer. Her eyes were the crystal blue green of the ocean itself.

Both girls looked appraisingly at the other and circled the each other.

"Not bad Parkinson. You're not a total loss," Ginny replied with a smirk.

"Not too bad yourself, Weasley," Parkinson answered.

Ginny handed her a dropper that held a liquid a little less revolting than the one she took for herself. Pansy handed Ginny her hair and watched the potion turn a deep pinkish green. They raised their hands and said 'cheers' before ingesting the substance. After getting over the slightly painful change, they glanced at each other.

"This is so weird..." Pansy exclaimed handing her the Slytherin cloak she was wearing.

"You know you've gone soft since you started to date Harry," Ginny said, taking it and giving her the Gryffindor one off her shoulders.

"Whatever Weasley," Pansy smirked. "I couldn't shake Draco in the dorms so you have two hours of studying in the library with him. Then we can meet again. You are doing potions homework," Pansy replied.

"You evil little..." But Ginny didn't get to finish because Pansy left.

Ginny took her books and made her way to the library. She made her way over to where she saw Draco sitting and slammed the books down on the table. He glanced up with a raised eyebrow.

"Pansy, if you didn't want to study with me you could have just said so," he greeted.

Ginny glared at him. "Now who said anything about me not wanting to study. Not that I need to. I have finished my homework and spent three hours studying already."

"Well that's great! I've already finished. Let's go walk by the lake," Draco exclaimed.

Ginny reluctantly nodded. She liked to walk around lake. So off they went.

"So have you gotten your dress for the Christmas ball?" he asked.

Ginny rolled her eyes when he couldn't see. Pansy had explained the situation that her and Draco always went as friends but this year Pansy was going to try and convince Harry to go with her. "Why don't you find a pretty girl who actually likes you for more than a friend."

"Nobody likes me that way, Pansy," Draco snorted. "They only like me because my father is rich and they all think I am going to be some powerful Death Eater."

"Well, don't go with a girl who likes you. Go with some hot girl who hates you then," Ginny replied.

"Like who?" he answered opening the front door for her.

"How about Weasley?" Ginny answered with a smirk. She had said it as a joke.

"Don't start on that subject Parkinson," he answered sounding annoyed.

"Ok..." Ginny answered perturbed and confused.

"So, were you paying attention in Care of Magical Creatures today?" he changed the subject.

"Sure..." she answered. She couldn't remember what her brother had studied that day.

"That was convincing," he said sarcastically. "Hagrid had a baby dragon and it was incredible!"

"He had a dragon!" Ginny squealed forgetting who she was.

"Yes..." Draco eyed her suspiciously. "You hate dragons."

"Yes I do but I was hoping one of those dragon trainers was around with their leather pants," Ginny quickly lied.

That's when it started to rain and Ginny forgot herself again. She smiled and took her cloak off. She threw it to the ground and lifted her face to the airborne water. She was in heaven at that moment. "I love the rain."

"You hate rain..." Draco sounded if possible more confused.

"Yes, but I am really hot," she shrugged.

"You are acting a bit strange Pansy," he added.

"Oh well." She was still intent in looking at the rain when she noticed it was almost an hour. She quickly took a gulp of some Polyjuice potion when the blonde was looking at the lake.

Draco was ignoring her odd behaviour for the moment. So they continued the walk around the lake. At the end of it, Ginny collected her cloak and was about to begin walking back to the bathroom when Draco stopped her. He grabbed her arm and just stared at her for a few moments.

Ginny was getting slightly unnerved when all of a sudden he gave her the softest of kisses on the lips. She returned it for a few seconds lost in the surprise when she was suddenly brought back to reality. She pulled away and exhaled softly.

"Let me go," she told him.

"You aren't Pansy," he accused with narrowed eyes, refusing to let go of her arm.

"What the hell are you talking about?" she hissed.

"If I had kissed Pansy, which I wouldn't have, she would have slapped me," he explained.

"So maybe I'm a bit off today," she lied.

"No, you aren't Pansy," he replied.

With one last tug Ginny freed herself and ran. She ran as fast as she could and made it to the bathroom with fifteen minutes to spare. She sunk to the ground and held her head in her hands. She refused to let the tears fall from her eyes and concentrated on her breathing. She had felt something in that kiss. Something she had sworn she didn't want to experience again.

"Holy shit, what happened?" Pansy asked when she came in.

"He kissed me," Ginny whispered. "He knew it wasn't you so he kissed me and than said that if it had been you, you would have slapped him."

"Well that's not a big deal," Pansy snorted.

"No it isn't..." Ginny replied before biting her lip. "I just... It felt so good."

Pansy was surprised to see this strong girl break down but she gathered the girl up in her arms. She knew what it was like to be confused about these things. Hell she had gone through the same things with Harry. Only if they were to ever get together it wouldn't just be a Gryffindor vs. Slytherin rivalry. It would be the Malfoys and the Weasleys. She sent a silent prayer out that for the moment Draco didn't know it was Ginny. She knew that he liked the girl but would not act on or admit it.

~*~

Draco was pacing the Slytherin dorm when Pansy came back from the bathroom. He didn't notice her at first. When she cleared her throat he whirled around to face her with narrowed eyes.

"What the hell is going on?" he hissed.

"What are you talking about Draco?" she replied.

"Pansy I'm not stupid," Draco snapped. "I know you are hiding something from me. I didn't push it but when you send someone off to be you for a night you have gone to far."

"I know," she sighed. "I just didn't want to tell you yet."

"So what is going on?" he asked.

"I can't tell you yet but I will."

"You had better," he growled.

"Now I have a question for you," she answered with a smirk. "Did you like the girl that pretended to be me?"

"I don't know! I thought she was you," he answered.

"Well she happens to like how you kissed her," she replied nonchalantly.

"How is this relevant?" he asked.

"I don't know. She doesn't have a boyfriend... you don't have a girlfriend," Pansy hinted.

"You are so subtle Pansy, however shall we guess what's going on." Draco's sarcastic tone echoed through the dungeon.

"Oh shut it Draco," Pansy snapped. She rolled her eyes at him but went off to send an owl anyway.

~*~

Ginny walked through Hogsmeade by herself. Easter would be here soon and the weather was still cool. Rain and clouds had dominated the sky over Hogwarts. Ginny had been in her element.

She was still shaken over that night though. It had been a couple weeks ago but she couldn't forget it. Now she was looking at him during Potions and meals. She had even caught herself drawing a heart with an arrow through it the other day in Charms. She had scowled and thrown the paper away.

She shivered again as the wind picked up and Ginny decided to head into the Three Broomsticks for some butterbeer. She spotted the trio in a corner conversing with each other. She said hello to the people she knew as she made her way to the counter. She bought a butterbeer and headed to an empty table. Before she got halfway there Pansy called to her. Ginny looked up, having not noticed her before, and saw Pansy and Draco sitting at a table together. She reluctantly walked over and sat down with them. She was tense as hell.

"Since when do you hang out with the littlest Weasel, Pansy?" Draco asked nonchalantly.

"Since she decided that she had her own mind and wasn't going to listen to the stupid Gryffindor/ Slytherin rivalry," Ginny answered.

"Oh, so now you're her body guard are you?" he sneered.

"Now children, lets not fight," Pansy interrupted. "Actually, Ginny could probably help you find out who my impostor was if you asked really nicely."

Ginny kicked the girl under the table and shot her a glare. "I can't."

"I don't see why not..." Pansy snorted.

"I will not," Ginny said before standing up and leaving.

~*~

Snape had come in five minutes late for class today but had still punished Ginny for coming in right behind him. She had slept in that morning and ended up missing breakfast. This day wasn't going at all well. Her stomach growled as she sat down in her seat. She had missed dinner the night before too.

She quickly got out a quill and some notes and started copying notes down as Snape put them on his board. She was half asleep when he started speaking and Pansy had to poke her in the back to get her out of her daze. She scowled and rubbed her back wondering how she had ended up in front of Pansy.

"Now, can anyone tell my how to limit the effects of Polyjuice potion?" Snape asked.

Everyone looked over to Hermione Granger who didn't have her hand up. In fact the seventh year looked around and shrugged.

"I didn't expect anyone to know...Yes Mrs. Parkinson?" Snape paused.

"Ginny Weasley knows how," Pansy answered with a slight smirk in her voice.

Ginny seethed. If she denied it she would lose points and if she answered Draco would have a good idea who had helped Pansy with the Polyjuice potion. Normally she would stick with losing points but she had already lost some in Charms yesterday.

"Well Mrs. Weasley?" Snape sneered.

"To limit Polyjuice you have to dilute it. Usually two parts potion to one part water and then take it by drops instead of gulping it down. Also if you exchange the leeches for slugs the potency will drop. The effect should only last twenty minutes," Ginny answered.

"How did you come by this piece of information Weasley?" Snape asked.

"I didn't come across it. It is simple potion enhancement. As most potions won't enhance by mixing them with another potion you have to look at the potion and think of what would be a suitable substitute for the other ingredients," Ginny replied again.

"Very good Mrs. Weasley. Ten points to Gryffindor" Snape said before moving on in his notes.

The class was silent. Professor Snape had just given points to Gryffindor. Ginny didn't even notice properly as she had her head down and was dutifully avoiding turning around. She refused to look at Pansy or Pansy's partner. She didn't want to see the blonde boy's face.

She waited for the end of class before zipping out and not looking behind her. She went through her day like that. She avoided everybody and stuck to her work, which earned her no homework for the afternoon. So Ginny skipped dinner and went out in the rain and walked around the lake.

"It was you wasn't it?" Draco asked. He was leaning against a tree on the trail in front of her.

"What?" she asked confused. She was getting over the shock of seeing him there.

"It was you that pretended to be Pansy," he stated rather than asked this time.

"Yes it was," she answered in monotone. "Does it really matter?"

"Yes," he answered.

"Why?"

"Because it was you," he replied.

She bit her lip. "Me? Why would I matter? I am just the littlest Weasel that wonders around like a shy little mouse."

He snorted. "You are hardly shy or a mouse."

"What do you want?" Ginny interrupted with a trace of fatigue in her voice.

She watched as he walked slowly over to her. He stopped a foot away from her and she had to tilt her head slightly to look up at him. She was locked into his eyes as soon as she met them. She couldn't see anything behind them but they intrigued her nonetheless. She tilted her head slightly and just looked at him.

After a few minutes he bent down and kissed her just as softly as that night. She returned the kiss, bringing her hands up to his neck and running them through his hair. She felt his hands grab her hips and pull her closer. She willingly opened her mouth when his tongue ran across her lips. Her body felt hot where he touched her and cold when he moved his hand away from the spot. Right now he was brushing a finger near the small of her back.

When they finally broke apart they were breathing deeply. She rested her forehead on his chest and he rubbed her back. She felt so safe at that one moment. She remembered when she had promised herself that she would never let anyone into her heart again. She had kept that promise for two months. Now she was breaking it after one kiss and she didn't care.

"This is very confusing," she whispered.

"You always said you couldn't stay away from me," he said arrogantly.

"Funny, I always thought it was you that couldn't stay away from me," she answered mocking his haughty tone. She started a trail of kisses up his neck.

**Flashback to three months earlier**

Ginny Weasley was laying down on a bed in her plaid pajama pants and a black tank top. She rolled over laughing as Draco Malfoy scowled at her from the other side of the bed. She could barely breathe and he could hardly keep the smirk from his lips.

"You...danced...ballet?" she asked while gulping for air.

"Only for a year because my mother forced me to," he replied. She smirked slightly as he pouted.

"Come on," she beckoned after getting up off the bed. "Teach me something..."

Draco got up still scowling and stood behind her. Placing his hands on her hips to steady her. "Turn your feet out," he instructed. "Now bend your knees out and lift one leg up while lowering your upper body."

Ginny did so and almost fell but Draco caught her and began to tickle her, sending her into another round of laughter. After breaking away from him she collapsed on the bed exhausted from laughter. She watched as Draco went to have a shower. He had offered to help her study DADA after his Quidditch practice but refused to do so without showering first.

She had been dating him for a little over a month and nobody had caught on. She used his invisibility cloak to sneak into his room at night. Or she would meet him in deserted classrooms after classes. She couldn't believe how different he was. So gentle and he cared about her. He hadn't pressured her for anything either. Despite the rumours of his 'womanizing'. He knew she was a virgin and he hadn't even bothered to bring the subject up because he knew how she felt about it without asking. He knew her that well.

When he came out he was wearing pajamas like her and she made a quip about a slumber party with ballet boy.

"If this is a slumber party does that mean your going to wear a bra and thong and start throwing pillows at me?" he asked.

"Nope, sorry," she had answered. "You'll just have to be content with that dirty fantasy when you go to sleep tonight."

He had smirked and brought his text over to the bed with him. They had both remained silent, reading for a bit.

"I have an idea," he had said awhile later. "I will quiz you on the chapter and every time you get an answer right I will kiss you."

"Is that suppose to give me motivation to get them right?" she asked teasingly.

He didn't rise to the bait. "What are the three unforgivable curses?"

Ginny raised an eyebrow. "The Cruciatus, Avada Kedavra and Imperio. Are you sure you aren't making this easy for personal benefit."

"Now why would I do that?" he smirked as he leaned forward and placed a kiss on her pulse point.

"What should you keep on hand in case of being hit with the Cruciatus?" he asked next.

"A vial of healing potion," she answered with difficulty. His hot breath on her neck was distracting her thoughts.

"Which one?"

"The Delenitor potion," she answered. "I think that's enough studying for tonight."

Ginny caught his lips with hers and all thought of classes left the room. She never felt quite as good anywhere but in Draco's arms. She fell asleep that night after a heated snogging session in his bed. The cool sheets lowered her high temperature.

Just as she was falling asleep Draco nudged her to catch her attention. He slipped a box into her hand and rested beside her. He put an arm around her waist rubbing her stomach just underneath the hem of her shirt. He placed kisses on her neck as she opened up the box and gasped. It was a jade ring with a silver serpent on it. She froze and he took it out and placed it on a chain. After putting it around her neck he gathered her in his arms again.

"It's a promise ring...I just wanted you to know that no matter what happens I do care about you."

Ginny had been too tired to read into that and had instead gently kissed him before falling asleep. He had told her later. Lucius had somehow found out and Draco refused to continue seeing her until he knew his fathers full reaction. She had been furious with him and sworn off men after that. She hadn't understood what he was doing. She hadn't bothered to see that he was protecting her. Not until she had talked to Harry had she fully understood everything.

**End of flashback**

"I don't want it to end like it did last time," she said awhile later.

"It won't," he informed her. "My father is in Azkaban and he is going to stay there for good this time."

She smiled then and knew he meant it. He brought a hand up to cup her chin and he smiled when he saw her neck. "You didn't get rid of it."

She looked down at the necklace. "God knows I tried to forget it. I couldn't even manage to take it off my neck... You bloody well made me soft."

He chuckled and hugged her close to him. It was the perfect moment as they stared into each other's eyes but it was broken. Ginny's stomach let out a loud growl.

"Damn stomach," she muttered.

"Shall I escort you to dinner my lady?" he asked gallantly, bowing before offering her his arm.

"Won't people see us...?" her voice was skeptical.

"Your point being?" he answered

She smiled again. "No point."

The entire Great Hall fell silent when Ginny and Draco entered with their hands entwined. Ginny looked over to see Pansy giving them a superior look. She snorted and pointed this out to Draco who smirked. He kissed the side of Ginny's head and headed over to the Slytherin table. She knew he was going to tell her about their past. She sat down at the Gryffindor table ignoring the people gaping at her. It was comforting to know that Ron was practicing Quidditch and she wouldn't have to deal with his reaction until later.

When Pansy's shriek filled the hall Ginny looked up and saw the girl's surprised look. She simply smirked, that annoying smirk she had picked up from Mr. Malfoy himself, and piled some turkey onto her plate. Yes, everything was about to get a little hectic at Hogwarts.