The New Year

"Ginny," he returned simply. Ginny noticed vaguely that his tie was loosened and one hand casually held a half empty champagne glass.

"Can I join you?" he asked, breaking into her observations.

"Of course. Go right ahead," she murmured after a moment's hesitation and moved aside slightly. Smoothly, he crossed the doorway and slid the glass doors shut. Then he leaned his back against the stone railings and sighed, taking a sip from his drink. Wordlessly, Ginny stared into the night scenery, aware that she'd become stiff and uneasy. Her companion seemed to take no notice, only slowly drinking and occasionally glancing at her.

"How've you been?"

Startled, Ginny stared wide-eyed at Draco. "...What?"

Draco smirked faintly. "How have you been, Young Weasley?"

Ginny quickly recovered. She shrugged casually. "Fine. You?"

"Fine."

They slipped into silence. Draco emptied his glass, stared at it balefully, then sighed and turned so he and Ginny were both facing the same direction.

"Why're you here?" Draco asked disinterestedly.

"Father's Minister of Magic now. Mum feels it's her 'duty' to make him attend these social galas."

"So those were your brothers back there? The ones with that terrifying amount of children clinging to them?"

Ginny felt a small smile tug at her lips, and she snuck a glance at him, to find his gray eyes looking coolly right back her.

That look brought her back, and she showed a face of complete blankness.

"Insinuating something, Malfoy?" she asked coldly. He started at his name, then chuckled.

"So it's back to 'Malfoy' again, isn't it? No more 'Draco' or 'Drake' or even 'Drakie'?" He shot her a mock-injured look. "I'm hurt, Virginia."

Ginny rounded on him, old anger flaring up briefly inside of her.

"Don't call me Virginia. I can't believe you have to nerve to call me that, after-after..." she hissed, then faltered. Her brown eyes suddenly filled with a raw grief that she didn't bother to hide much.

A glint of surprise flickered over Draco's features, and she haughtily turned away from him.

Draco stared in mild shock after Ginny outburst. He of course had been used to her anger in earlier days, but this time, it felt different. The anger was different. The anger was anguish in
disguise. Slowly, despite himself, a bitter feeling spread through him.

"...You still don't believe me," he intoned in a neutral voice. "Even after four years."

His companion didn't face him, only lifted her chin a bit higher and replying, "You never gave me reason to."

The retort threw Draco for a loop, and he stared at her incredulous. "Never gave you reason to... I never gave you reason to?!" Slowly shaking his head, Draco felt stirrings of his anger and pride.

"Draco, we've had this conversation before. I don't want to do this again," came the cold answer. Draco stared, then began laughing hollowly. "Don't want to do this again...you don't want to go through this again..." Suddenly, he hurled the empty champagne glass on the cement floor below them in fury. The glass shattered, throwing sparkles of light against the shadowed walls. Ginny whirled and stared at him, suddenly afraid. Draco's features were twisted into anger, misery, hurt, and disbelief.

"Of course, Ginny, I wouldn't want you to go through this again. Oh no. Of course not. Goddammit, Ginny, why don't you believe me?! When have I ever lied to you before?! Don't you get it? You're not the only one who suffered. Not just you and Granger and your brothers. I did. Did you ever realize that?" Draco hissed venomously.

Ginny looked at him, unable to talk, unable to do anything but stare
wide eyed.

"...You didn't, didn't you?" A slow realization seemed to dawn in those dark gray eyes. "You never thought of me being anything more than the son of a sadistic maniac, didn't you?"

Ginny swallowed and shook her head.

"N-no, Draco, of course not."

He stared at her in disgust and betrayal. "I don't need your pity, Weasley. Remember? I'm not supposed to feel anything, even when betrayed by my best friend." He stormed from the balcony, leaving Ginny slumped against the corner of the wall and balustrade, a tear leaking reluctantly down one side of her face.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry... Harry... I'm so sorry..."

-SIG-