It's Sad to Belong (to Someone Else)

It's Sad to Belong (to Someone Else)

by PhoenixRae

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Met you on a springtime day
You were mindin' you life
And I was mindin' mine too.
Lady when you looked my way,
I had a strange sensation
And, darlin' that's when I knew...

I went through my entire seven years at Hogwarts looking at girls as nothing but mere objects of desire--never affection or love. Hell, I laugh at the very mention of the 'L' word for I am not a firm believer of the ever so popular phrase, 'Love at First Sight'. And it certainly wasn't the case with her.

Oh hell no.

I've seen her one too many times since she started at Hogwarts. Hell, I even ridiculed her that day so long ago when she stood up for the boy she was now with. I didn't think I'd be drawn to the mere simplicity of her beauty. She wasn't as eye-catching as Cho Chang, a former Ravenclaw Seeker, was but she was radiating from a beauty all her own.

She and Potter had been going out for about a year now. And me? Let's just say that I managed to land myself a pretty smart and equally beautiful Slytherin sixth year (yeah, yeah, I know. You all thought I am with Parkinson, right? Wrong. I'd never date a wench like her!) who managed to keep me on the right track for almost six months now (a record in most of my relationships I tell ya), but she was starting to bore the hell outta me.

I don't know what it was about her that caught my eye, but I remembered the day vividly as if it just happened a while ago. It was the Easter break. The sun was up and the school grounds were devoid of snow and thaw. All the students were geared-up for spring. She was with Potter and her brother and Granger and a few other Gryffindors. They were having a jolly good time down by the lake giggling, laughing, teasing, dancing...you name it, they were doing it (except snog heavily which they reserved in the privacy of a broom closet--well, that was as far as I believed anyway).

She was lounging underneath the bright orange ball of fire hanging from the clear blue sky above. Her fiery red hair looked like it was on fire as the sun shone on it. Potter lent her his robe to use as a blanket as she lay on the lawn. I was lounging a good ten to fifteen feet away, my head propped comfortably on my girlfriend's lap as we spent the day enjoying the warm weather. I happen to glance at Potter's group and saw her all alone. Potter bestowed a quick peck on her lips before rushing off to join his other friends in a quick game of what muggles called football (honestly, a game played on ground wasn't as much as fun as a game played on a broomstick high above the ground). She had one leg propped atop her bent knee; her robe fell slightly open, giving me ample view of a pair of nice, buttermilk smooth, shapely legs.

I didn't know how long I was gawking at her. All I knew was her innocent pose caught and held my attention (not to mention her legs playing a huge part in my gaping at her). I must've been staring at her for at least a couple of minutes when suddenly she looked my way and from the distance that separated us our eyes met and locked. Brown meshed with grey. Neither of us moved nor breathed (I knew I wasn't breathing as I held my breath, I can't vouch for her). It was then that I realized how gorgeous she was; she didn't need any make-up or dress up as a vamp. She was gorgeous just the way she was; all innocent and kind. And I was a fool to have overlooked that...

That it's sad to belong to someone else
When the right one comes along,
Yes, it's sad to belong to someone else
When the right one comes along.

Our eye contact was broken when Potter returned from playing that muggle game with his friends and Louisa (my girlfriend) moved her legs to stretch the kinks off.

"Draco, let's go back inside," she said.

I frowned up at her. Inside? What the hell would we do in there? I'd rather stay out here and enjoy the view (or rather enjoy watching Ginny Weasley). I stole a quick glance her way and saw that Potter made himself comfortable by using her stomach as a pillow; she giggled at something he said and the sound of her giggle floated to where I was. It was a sweet, melodious sound that neither made me cringed nor annoyed me, unlike Louisa's giggle; she sounded like a typical clueless girl when she giggled and to be honest, I hated hearing that.

I tore my gaze away from the cozy scene Potter and Ginny were showing. I couldn't stand seeing them act so mushy. I pushed myself off the ground and dusted my robe off some grass and whatnots and held out my hand for Louisa. We walked back into the castle and I tried to push all thoughts of Ginny Weasley at the back of my head.

Oh, I wake up in the night
And I reach beside me
Hopin' you will be there
But instead I find someone
Who believed in me
When I said, "I'd always care."

Springtime gave way to early summer, and as I looked forward to our final exam for the school year, I couldn't help but catch myself watching Ginny quite a lot. Louisa noticed this of course and made sure to let me know what I had been doing. She questioned me about it, but I pretty much left her in the lurch. She may have tamed the wild beast in me, but that doesn't mean she had completely won me over.

I knew my relationship with Louisa would soon come to a premature end before the school year was up, but I was being a bit too optimistic. She and I had a raw (a very bad one), and it was about Ginny (surprise, surprise). She accused me of fancying the Gryffindor redhead and hardly paid her, my girlfriend of almost eight months, any attention since Easter break. She became hysterical that I had no choice but to tell her it was over (yeah, yeah, I often try and be the dumpee instead of the dumper, but I never worked that way for me. Girls tend to make such big scenes about breaking up so I just cut through the chase and dump them before I did something else that I might regret). Louisa didn't like that either. She became more hysterical and ran out our common room in tears.

"Go after her, Malfoy," cajoled Crabbe after almost the entire Slytherin students witnessed Louisa's very dramatic exit.

"Yeah, Malfoy, go after her," it was Goyle this time who cajoled me, but I didn't budge.

I knew it was over between Louisa and I that day by the lake when Ginny Weasley and I locked gazes. No need for me to salvage our relationship.

That it's sad to belong to someone else
When the right one comes along,
Yes, it's sad to belong to someone else
When the right one comes along.

I thought ending things with Louisa would be helpful. Turned out it was the stupidest thing I had ever done. Ginny was still with Potter, and from the looks of it there was no way they'd break up. I often catch them holding hands while walking down the corridor, whispering sweet nothings into each other's ears, leaving chaste kisses on the lips before they part ways...it was all too much for me.

I shouldn't have ended things with Louisa. I should've at least salvaged our so-called relationship and got back together; at least that way I wouldn't feel so bereft. I wouldn't be pining for someone that obviously belonged to someone else already.

I knew if I took Louisa back (and she was more than willing to be taken back) I wouldn't be fair to her. I'd only be using her (yeah, right, like I haven't used any of the other girls I went out with?) to satisfy my carnal needs, my impossible dream of having that lively and vibrant petite redhead writhing in my arms from pleasure.

I often looked the other way whenever I saw Potter and Ginny passing by. But was it just my imagination or was Ginny looking at me too? I swore she was watching me as they passed me by, but I can't be certain; I was too busy looking away to pay attention really so I can't be sure of my suspicion. Once they were gone I expelled this breath that I didn't know I was holding until then.

I went out of my regular way just to avoid Potter and Ginny for the rest of our remaining days at Hogwarts before the school year ended. The night before we depart for home, I decided to wander the halls of my soon to be former alma mater. I am not a sentimental type of guy, but something about this school kinda stuck to me and I knew I'd be missing it a helluva lot once I left here, so might as well take in as much as I can.

I was on my way to the astronomy tower to gaze up at the stars when I noticed a small form huddled by the window. I was pissed off that someone already beat me to the tower and was about to walk away when I heard the person by the window speak.

"Hello? Who's there?"

My breath got caught in my throat. It was Ginny. She was that small form huddled by the window inside the tower.

"Weasley?" I tried to sneer, but I knew I lacked much conviction in my tone.

She recognized my voice and straightened up.

"Malfoy?" she sounded startled. "What the hell are you doing here?" she asked and craned her neck in search of me.

I was hidden in the shadows by the doorway so she couldn't see me right away. I stepped in to the light, my hands in my trouser pockets, and cocked my head to the side.

"What do you think I'm doing here, Weasley?"

She frowned at me.

"Don't tell me you had a thing for stargazing," she sounded incredulous that I might find stargazing fascinating (and I do, actually. It was one of the many things I enjoyed doing that none of my housemates and other schoolmates knew about--not even my past girlfriends knew my hobbies).

"And if I say yes, what would you do?" I challenged.

"You do?" her brown eyes nearly bugged out of her sockets. She looked mighty cute when surprised. And I rarely see her surprised nor do I have the honour of surprising her.

"Yeah," I shrugged and walked towards the telescope. "I love watching stars, its formation and everything," I took a peek into the telescope and saw one of my favourite constellations, Cassiopeia.

"Oh really?" she didn't sound convinced.

I looked away from the constellation and frowned at her, "What? You don't believe me?"

"Believe you?" she let out a mocking laugh. "Please Malfoy, if I needed a good laugh I'd go to Fred and George."

She was mocking me! And normally I hated being mocked, but with Ginny...I didn't seem to mind. Hell, I even found myself grinning at her.

"Hmm...then I guess I just better show you that I know my constellations, hm?"

She quirked an eyebrow and took a step closer to where I stood. I could hear my heart beating rapidly against my chest. This was a whole new ballpark for me. I had flirted and teased numerous girls before, but with Ginny I felt like it was my first time at doing such thing with the opposite sex!

"Alright," she nodded and peered in to the telescope. She fiddled with the knobs a bit and with a satisfied grin she moved away and said, "Tell me what kind of constellation is this one."

I peered into the telescope and saw the formation of the stars. I grinned proudly when I instantly recognized the constellation she found. Moving away from the telescope, I stood back and crossed my arms over my chest. Ginny did the same and raised an eyebrow, expecting me to give her an answer and I'm sure she was thinking I'd get it wrong.

"That was a pretty easy constellation, Weasley," I mocked. "It's Boötes - the Herdsman, a familiar constellation to observers in the northern hemisphere during spring and early summer. It also contains the magnificent star Arcturus," I replied with great ease and a somewhat bored expression.

If Ginny was surprised that I knew about constellation, she was damn good at hiding it. She appeared unperturbed but deep down I knew she was impressed that I am not a typical idiotic playboy who never cracked a book open my entire seven years attending Hogwarts!

"Well, well, well. Somebody wasn't bluffing when he said he knows his constellations," she mocked, but I could see a slight grin hovering on those luscious lips of hers.

"Of course. What did you expect, that I'm some kind of a moron?"

"Yes," she answered without missing a beat.

"You thought that about me?"

"Why not?" she shrugged and moved towards the telescope again, fiddling with the knobs and gazed at the stars.

"Why?"

"Do I really need to answer that, Malfoy?" she looked over her shoulder at me, an eyebrow raised.

I raised an eyebrow back at her. So she hated my guts that much, eh? If so, why was she still here instead of bolting out of the room fuming mad?

"Weasley--" I didn't get to say what I wanted to say, nor did I get to finish my sentence. I was surprised to stillness when I felt Ginny's soft lips pressed against mine, her small hands pressed against my chest as she leaned up on tiptoes and kissed me, her tongue probing my lips to part.

Hell, she jumped me! I didn't know how nor do I know why, but she did jump me and now I was locked in what seemed like a heavenly kiss (and it was, actually. It was a very heavenly kiss as far as I was concerned) with the young woman I had secretly longed for and thought I'd never have.

She was a wildcat in my arms. Kissing and pawing and touching and feeling...hell, she was as fiery as her flaming mop of red hair!

We managed to dance away from the telescope; our mouths clung to one another, our tongues sparring with one another. I gently pushed her against the cold tower wall, moaning and slightly whimpering as I deepened the kiss. I nudged her legs to part and wedged my thigh between her parted legs. She started rubbing herself against my thigh, and that action drove my hormones to overdrive. My hand snaked upwards and found one ample-sized breast. I gently squeezed it against the fabric of her robe and whatever she wore underneath. Our breaths were coming out in ragged gasps as her hand found its way to my groin, closing over my hard arousal protruding from the fabric of my trousers. She started caressing me, driving me wild with want and desire for this hellion in my arms.

Hell, she knew how to drive a man crazy. Was she like this when she was in Potter's arms? Did she ever come off...oh hell no!

"No," I quickly disentangled myself from her, wrenching my lips from hers and made damn sure to keep a good foot or two away from her. "What the fuck are you doing, Weasley?" I uttered the first words that sprung into my head. I didn't mean to sound accusing, but at the moment that was my best bet of winning any arguments that might ensue.

She didn't look the slightest bit worried as she haughtily flung at me, "What the fuck do you think I'm doing, Malfoy? I'm trying to get you into bed with me. Or in this case, on the damn floor with me, that's what!"

I can't believe I just heard what I thought I heard. She wanted to sleep with me? No, no, no. That can't be right. She was with Potter for crying out loud! And no matter how much I hated Potter, I'd never...even if I wanted to...no...I wouldn't take someone else's girl. That was my number one rule of dating and getting a girl to sleep with me: no jealous boyfriend to pound me to pieces. It had a whole lot less complication that way.

"What? Are you screwed in the head or something?"

"No. I'm perfectly thinking coherently here, Malfoy."

"No way," I shook my head. "No way you are thinking coherently, Weasley! You're with Potter, for Merlin's sakes! Why the hell would you want to sleep with me instead of with your darling Potter?"

"Because I don't want to sleep with him, that's why!" she nearly yelled, but she controlled her voice.

"And why not? He's your boyfriend for crying out loud. What the heck are you doing getting laid with someone else rather than with the one who had staked his claim on you?" I knew I wanted her, but not like this. She might have come willingly to me, but she wasn't free. No need for me to mess up my life the night before I had to leave school for good.

"Because Harry's not like you," she replied.

"Of course he's not!" I nearly exploded.

"I know that, that's why I want you," she insisted.

"Why?"

"Because...because you're different. You're more...you're more experienced and--"

"Potter's as experienced as I am, Weasley. I'm sure you know about that," I sneered.

"No!" she quickly covered her ears, shaking her head. "I don't want to hear about Harry being as experienced as you are. Dammit, Malfoy, I want you and I don't fucking know why the hell I want you so bad! I used to get turned on whenever Harry and I make out, but lately--lately the slightest touch of his fingers can't even turn me out against my arm. Now with you...it's different," she shrugged, slumping against the wall and sliding down.

"What are you talking about?"

She lifted those chocolatey brown eyes of hers and met mine, "You haven't even touched me, Malfoy, and yet I burn for you. I crave for your touch, for your kiss, for your arms to be wrapped around me and have you sheathed deep inside--" I cut her off by crossing the room in two long strides and placed an index finger against her lips, silencing her from continuing what she was about to say.

"Don't say anything anymore, Weasley. You don't know what you're talking about."

Her fingers closed around my wrist and pulled my finger away from her lips. "Oh but I do, Malfoy, I do," she insisted, her brown eyes pleading with me to believe her. To believe that she was coherent enough to know and understand what she was asking from me. What she was asking was something I wanted to take from her as well, but I know I cannot--no, I mustn't give in to desire's calling. But seems like my body wasn't listening to anything I commanded it to do.

Ginny pushed away from the wall where she was leaning against and traced her finger against the side of my face. I closed my eyes as I enjoyed the soft, velvety touch of her finger against my flesh. Damn chivalry that my mother instilled upon me. How could I be such a rake to other girls but never to this girl?

"Weasley--"

"Shh..." Ginny placed her index finger against my lips, silencing my protests. "Don't think, Malfoy. Just...feel," she whispered before replacing her finger with her lips.

And feel it I did. I knew it was pointless to argue with her, to push her away when we both knew we wanted this. I pulled her into my arms and kissed her senseless; our hands flying in all directions, removing our robes and shirts and pants and undergarments off, tossing them about in the room. I realized that the hard, tower floor was cold and snatched my robe back, using it as a blanket where I laid my priced possession gently.

I knelt before her, watching her face flushed with desire, her lips pouty and well kissed. I touched the inside of her thighs with the tip of my fingers and felt her shudder. I knew she was ready for me, but I wanted to see her eyes when I entered her.

"Look at me, Ginny," I commanded softly.

Her eyes slowly opened and she looked into mine. Slowly I pushed myself inside her. She was hot and wet and tight. She bucked beneath me when I finally breached that barrier that separated her from being a girl to becoming a young woman.

"I'm sorry, luv," I apologized and swooped my head down to capture her mouth for a searing kiss, muffling her pained cry as I fully plunged myself deep into her moist crevice.

There were only a few moments of awkwardness then I felt her move beneath me. Her initial pain gone and was not replaced by this urgency to have that climax we both had been wanting. We moved in a rhythm that was our own. I felt her legs tightened around my waist as I rode her harder and faster until finally we both reached where we were suppose to be. I thought I heard her call out my name and whispered that she loved me as we rode that spiralling wave of completion, but it must've been just me hearing things. I dreamt of our moment like this a million times and in each one I heard her cry my name, confessed her undying love for me, as she rode that wave of passion that consumed us both.

I fell on top of her. Spent and deeply satisfied. I knew then that I couldn't let her go.

Never-ever.

So I lived my life in a dream world for the rest of my days
Just you and me walkin' hand in hand in a wishful memory
Oh, I guess that's all that it would ever be.

Ginny and I made love a couple of more times in the astronomy tower before we finally recovered our strength back and made our way silently back to our dormitories. At the bottom of the tower steps we turned to one another and shared one last kiss.

I watched her sat at the Gryffindor table that morning beside her boyfriend. Beside the man she was destined to be with. And I sat alone at the Slytherin table, surrounded by my so-called friends. Our eyes briefly met during breakfast. I thought I saw a brief smile cross her lovely lips and a hint of pink stained her cheeks, but with our distance from each other I couldn't be certain.

When it was time for the students to board the carriages that would take us to the train station, I thought Ginny would board the carriage with her brother, Granger, and Potter, but I was surprised when she manifested beside me and boarded the last carriage that I was to go in to. I looked over my shoulder and saw that nobody else was going to catch a ride with us and I quickly boarded the carriage and closed the door.

"What are you doing here?" I hissed.

"I wanted to say goodbye and wish you good luck," she replied, her hands lay on her lap and her eyes focussed on her hands and not on me.

"Thanks. But you could've done that on the train."

"You know I can't," she reminded me. "Besides, I wanted to give you something," we were nearing the train station now. I could hear excited shouts of other students from a distance as they boarded the red steam engine train.

"What is it?"

Ginny pulled something out of the inside pocket of her robe. She grabbed my hand and turned my palm up. She placed a small metal-like object in it and closed my hand before I could see what it was. Our carriage already came to a full stop by then and before I could ask her what it was, she leaned forward and gave me a chaste kiss goodbye.

"Goodbye, Draco Malfoy," she choked out before pushing open the carriage door and jumping off.

That was the last time I saw Ginny Weasley. I boarded the Hogwarts Express for the last time and tried as I might, I couldn't find the petite redhead anywhere. I saw Potter, Granger, and Ginny's brother loitering around, but there was no sign of Ginny. I searched high and low, but to no avail. She hid herself from me, and all I had left as a reminder of her was the small pendant she gave me.

Wish I had a time machine
I could make myself go back
Until the day I was born.
And I would live my life again
And rearrange it so
That I'll be yours from now on.

Ten years later as I turned the page of the Daily Prophet and looked at what was happening in the news, my eyes caught the headline: QUIDDITCH SUPERSTAR HARRY POTTER MARRIED MINISTRY PERSONNEL GINNY WEASLEY. And there was a photo of the newly married couple emerging from the church, people throwing rice and flowers as they made a mad dash towards the waiting car at the bottom of the steps.

I closed my eyes and leaned back in my leather winged-back chair. My hand instinctively clutched the small pendant Ginny handed to me ten years ago before she jumped off the carriage. It was a small replica of Cassiopeia - the Queen. I remembered mentioning to Ginny in-between our lovemaking that my favourite constellation was Cassiopeia, and she made me a small replica of the stars that made up the constellation.

I held the pendant close to my heart, gently rubbing it as I looked back to that brief moment that Ginny Weasley was mine. I know in my heart and in my dreams that she was mine and we were together. I could still hear her faintly calling out my name and whispering those three words that I never uttered to anyone.

"Draco...I love you..." came the sound of her sweet, angelic voice echoing inside his head.

"And I'll love you for the rest of my life, Ginny Weasley," he said to no one, but in his mind, behind his closed eyelids he saw the face of the fiery redhead young woman smiling back at him.

Oh it's sad to belong to someone else
When the right one comes along,
Yes, it's sad to belong to someone else
When the right one comes along.

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The End

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