Only In Your Dreams

Chapter 1: Dream Lover

— Two Years Later—

            

            “Miss Weasley! We didn’t hire you here to allow you to sleep on the job!”Glory Stevens announced her presence. Ginny snorted as her head flew up from the desk. She looked over at her friend, Mattie, who was trying hard not to laugh. Looking down on her desk, she noticed that the ink from the article that she had been working on was smeared.

 

            “Please, no!” she groaned as she took out a pocket mirror and stared at the ink smears that spread across her left cheek. Taking out a handkerchief, she poured some bottled water onto it and began scrubbing madly at her cheek, but the ink didn’t seem to want to leave her face.

            “Serves you right for sleeping on the job, Gin!” Mattie laughed as she went back to working on her own article. Ginny frowned slightly as she racked her brain for signs of a spell that would help get rid of ink stains as the door to their office opened.

            “Harry!” Ginny gasped as she moved some of the flaming red hair over her cheek, hoping to block out the ink. She stood up from behind her desk to greet him.

            “Hullo, Gin,” he greeted with a friendly smile as he reached out to hug her. Wrapping her arms around him in a friendly way, she made sure to keep her hair covering up the ink.

            “Harry, lovely to see you! Notice anything different about Ginny?” Mattie asked in a sickeningly sweet voice, causing Ginny to throw a glare over in her direction. Mattie only began to laugh again. Harry looked at the two of them as if he was ready to ship them both off to St. Mungo’s.

            “Ignore her. She’s just gotten in a fight with Colin is all,” Ginny shot back, smiling up at Harry once again. She blocked out the cries of indignation coming from Mattie’s mouth. “So, how’s life as an Auror treating you?” she asked him as she steered him outside, making sure her boss knew that she was taking a break.

            “Rather harshly, actually. After Voldemort’s demise, a bunch of Dark Lord wannabe’s have sprouted up, and we are all having a hard time getting control over them,” snorted Harry, as if the notion was funny. Ginny looked at his arm, a fresh looking gash ran down the length of it. On reflex she reached up and touched it.

            “How’d you get this one?” she asked him suddenly, as she traced the scar, only pausing to make sure it didn’t hurt him. Her hand fell to her side.

            “So, how’s life treating you here at the Daily Prophet?” Harry asked, switching the subject suddenly. Ginny frowned, but went on explaining what her new job was like.

            “What?” she asked him suddenly, becoming very self conscious. She could see the amusement glinting in his eyes. His hand suddenly moved up to her cheek, causing her to turn scarlet, and let out a deep groan.

            “Gee, Gin. What did you do to yourself?” Harry asked, laughing at her as he uncovered the hidden ink stains.

            “I fell asleep on the job during the middle of an article I was writing. I can’t help it if they decided to give me a rather boring task on the difference between Wizard and Muggle taxes!” she defended, watching the amusement play across his face. She hit him affectionately, and then blushed. Harry pulled out his wand and whispered a spell, and the stains disappeared from Ginny’s face. “Thanks,” she mumbled. She watched as Harry began to fidget, and moved his hand up to rub the back of his neck. Her heart began to pound. This was the moment she was waiting for, she knew it...if only he would speak.

            “So, Ginny, Hermione and Ron had two extra tickets to go see Shakespeare’s (A/N: In my fics, Shakespeare is NO Muggle, he was a very powerful Wizard who enjoyed giving Muggles precious entertainment.)) Macbeth, and, er...” Spit it out! Thought Ginny, as she, too, began to fidget. “I –they– I was wondering if you’d like to join us –er– me?”She smiled up at him.

            “I’d LOVE too!” she practically shouted, and blushed as a few of her coworkers that had also decided to take a break looked curiously in their direction. She turned scarlet, as did Harry.

            “Er, I’ll stop by tomorrow at Seven. I – Er they– decided it’d be nice if we all ate dinner before hand,” he added as he rubbed the back of his neck once again. Ginny smiled broadly, and she was almost sure that if she tried to stretch her mouth any further that the seams of her lips would rip.

            “Okay, seven it is! Thank’s for stopping by, Harry!” she added as she hugged him good-bye. After watching him disapparate, she glided back into her office and quickly began to work on her article without a whine of protest.

            “Well, someone’s in a rather gleeful mood,” inquired Mattie as she sauntered over to Ginny’s desk and took a seat in the chair that sat across from it. “What just happened?”

            “He –Harry, you know?– just asked me –that is I think he asked me– on a date for tomorrow night!” she sighed dreamily and almost fell out of her chair as she proceeded to lean back. The two began to scream together as if they were a pair of Muggle teenagers who just met their favorite Muggle celebrity. Glory walked by the two and indignantly cleared her throat, hoping to shut the two up. The both laughed quietly to themselves.

            “Oh, wow, Gin! You’ve been waiting for this day for, like, how many years?” Mattie asked while congratulating her best friend.

            “Ten to be exact, if you can count the time when mum and I helped him onto the Hogwarts Express for his first year,” she blushed scarlet at the memory while Mattie prodded her.

            “Wow, that is an excellent memory you have! Do you only use it for things that have to do with DRACO!?!” her best friend whispered loudly. Ginny looked at her friend awkwardly.

            “What?” she asked, but then she followed her friend’s gaze. Draco Malfoy had just walked into their office. “Hide me,” she groaned as she contemplated getting underneath her desk to hide herself. Her mind quickly began to stray back to her seventh year at Hogwarts.

            “Excuse me, but do one of you know where I could find...” Draco stopped dead and stared at Ginny, causing her to turn slightly pink. His silver eyes peered through hers, reminding her of all the times she had woken up from a certain dream, barely being able to remember anything but those cold, grey eyes.

---

 

            He stopped dead in his tracks at the sight of the redhead. Something about her made his toes want to curl, and then, as if he was coming out of a trance, he spoke again. “ Look, it’s a Weasley,” he drawled on in a lazy tone. He smirked as he watched her glower at him.

            “And further on in the Daily Prophet’s petting zoo you’ll find a Malfoy, and the most arrogant of the breed,” Ginny replied sarcastically. “Is there a reason that you have decided to interrupt a rather crucial meeting (Mattie giggled a bit at that) between Ms. Parker and I?” she added.

            “Please. As if you two gossiping, about that git Potter I presume, is a crucial meeting. I was actually here looking for Glory,” he remarked. Ginny felt her ears begin to burn, and quickly pushed her hair in front of them to keep the pink from showing.

            “Glory? What for?” Ginny muttered loudly, annoyance tainting her tone. Mattie gave her a funny look.

            “Nosy little Weasel, aren’t you? If you must know, Glory and I happen to have something...going on,” he said, his trademark smirk slithering like a snake across his face. He watched her, trying to remember why she so vividly stood out in his mind. Sure, they had gone to Hogwarts together, but he hadn’t ever really talked to her, except for the few insults he had managed to throw her way.

            “You . . . and GLORY? No . . . It couldn’t be...That’s absurd!” she muttered, ferocity apparent in her voice. That voice. He knew it from somewhere. He racked his brain for the memory, and then it clicked. Two years ago. He was just out of Hogwarts, and had begun having the strangest dreams. It couldn’t be..

            “NOT WEASLEY!” he groaned loudly, causing Mattie and Ginny both to take on some rather perturbed expressions. Before either could make a comment at this, Glory entered the room and threw her arms around Draco’s neck. Ginny muttered an annoyed ‘get a room’ when the two began to snog right there in the middle of their office.

            “Well, Malfoy, it has certainly ruined my otherwise perfect day seeing you again,” Ginny said with mock sweetness.

            “Likewise, Weasel,” he added, and, with one last reproachful glance in her direction, he was gone.

            “So, about Harry,” began Mattie, and Ginny began to explain to her in full detail the conversation that she had just had with him outside.

---

            Ginny got home a little after ten that night, after rushing to make the deadline on her taxes article. She was so exhausted by the time that she got home that she didn’t eat. All she did was take a quick shower and hopped right into bed.

            She looked around her, befuddled with where she found herself. She looked sixteen again, and was wandering innocently down the halls of Hogwarts. She looked around strangely, and snorted when she read ‘Harry Potter’ inscribed on the inside of her palm. She suddenly found herself yearning to turn down towards the dungeons, so, allowing the curiosity to overcome her, she took two left’s and proceeded down towards Snape’s classroom.

            “So strange,” she heard someone mutter from inside the classroom. Glancing around wearily she allowed herself to move further in. She gasped as she was greeted with a smirk from a seventeen year old Malfoy. He looked at her and smirked, and she could feel the fear that his presence used to bring her when she was a student at Hogwarts, causing he to laugh out loud. “Something amusing you, little Weasel?” Draco retorted angrily.

            “This dream,” she whispered at first, and then she looked back up into his astonishingly misty eyes. “Yea, how poorly you did on your hair this morning, Ferret-Boy,” she retaliated, laughing at her own little joke. 

            “This isn’t happening. I haven’t had these dreams for years!” Draco said, then haughtily added, “And now I can’t seem to remember my comebacks? Is this supposed to be realistic or what?”

            “I don’t know what you’re on about, Malfoy, but this is my dream, not yours!” she sputtered angrily.

            “Yeah, right! And ferrets can fly!” he mocked her statement. Ginny put her hands on her hips and smiled sweetly up at him.

            “It was under my impression that they already have, or had you already forgotten that incident, Malfoy?” Ginny allowed herself to giggle, as that was the second time she had gotten him good on an insult. The fear in her became apparent once again as Draco began to walk angrily towards her, and then, without notice, he put his lips down to cover hers.

            And then they were floating, no longer in Hogwarts Castle. She once again found herself being laid down on top of green satin sheets, ones that she had remembered all too well. She found herself hungry for the taste of Draco. Sitting up on the bed, she pulled him on top of her and pressed her lips against his. She licked along his bottom lip asking him for permission to enter. When his mouth opened a bit, she took it as compliance and slipped her tongue into the depths of Draco Malfoy’s mouth. He pushed her hands over her head and slowly began to move her robes up over her –

            The Muggle alarm clock that Ginny had bought to ensure that she would always make it on time for work had begun to ring annoyingly. She sat up and pressed a hand against her swollen lips.

            “Hmm?” she muttered to herself as she looked in her mirror. “Oh my, it looks as if I’ve been snogged senseless!” she groaned as she got out of bed. Grabbing a bag of ice, she continuously placed it against her mouth while getting dressed to go to work. She sighed and, with another wistful look at the mirror, realized that the swelling had only gone down partly. Wondering how she was going to explain this one to Mattie, she apparated to work.

            “Morning..Gin, what’s that on your face?” Mattie asked as she threw another quick glance in Ginny’s direction. Standing up from her desk, she rushed over to Ginny and began to touch her swollen mouth. “Oi, Gin! Did Harry stop by last night?” she teased. Ginny swatted her hands away.

            “Oh yes. Snogged me senseless. Then we got the house elf in on it!” Ginny replied sarcastically, causing her friend to laugh.

            “Okay, so if your dreamboat didn’t do –that–(she pointed to Ginny swollen lips) to you, then who did?” Mattie asked curiously. Ginny had to think fast. She couldn’t just say that she was having a dream about...a dream. That was it!

            “Promise me you won’t laugh?” Ginny asked with mock innocence and embarrassment. Mattie nodded her head. “I was dreaming about D—Harry last night, and I, er, got a bit carried away with my hand,” she implied, hoping that Mattie would take it as a truthful excuse.

            “NO WAY! YOU MADE OUT WITH YOUR OWN HAND?!?” Mattie shrieked, causing heads to fly in her direction once again. She felt her cheeks begin to burn once again. She allowed herself to nod.

            “Now, can we just leave it at that?” she asked in a whisper while motioning for everyone else to get back to work. Mattie, who was laughing to the point of tears by now, just nodded her compliance and scuttled back over to her own desk.

            “So, what time is lover boy coming to get you? Or are you planning on spending another night with your hand?” cracked Mattie, and she began to laugh again.

            “Ha-ha, very funny. He’ll be around at seven, but he’s picking me up at home,” she replied, and she quickly began to get to work as the owls swooped in, bringing them their daily workload.

---

 

            Ginny went home early to get ready for her semi-date with Harry, and sighed as she looked at the dress-robes that she had decided to wear. They were simple, black, but elegant, and swooped off of her shoulders. The neckline didn’t droop low at all, however, making her feel more comfortable, and adding to her simple elegance. She had gone against Mattie’s wishes to put her hair up into a twist, and instead she let it swoop down onto her bare shoulders.

            “So, how do I look?” she asked Mattie one last time as she stepped out of the bathroom and into the livingroom to allow her friend to get a look.

            “Oh. Wow. Gin, you look amazing! If Harry didn’t know it was a date before, he sure will now!” she confided in her as Ginny did one last twirl in the middle of the floor. She heard a knock at the door.

            “Oh my, that’s Harry! He’s a bit early! Go, hide in my room!” she hissed at her friend as she rushed over to the door, grabbing her handbag on the way. “Hiya, Harry,” she greeted, a smile plastered to her face. “Come on in,” she invited, making sure that Mattie had exited the livingroom.

            “Wow, Gin! You look –er– what I mean to say is . . . nice,” he complimented while giving her a hug. She smiled. “We don’t have much time, though. We have to meet your brother and Hermione at the restaurant in ten minutes,” he added, and, giving her the destination, they disapparated to the restaurant.

            “Gin!” she heard her brother and Hermione call at the same time as she and Harry appeared at the restaurant and took a seat with them.

            “Hiya Ron, Hermione!” she greeted, hugging the two of them. As she pulled away from Hermione, she felt something scratch the back of her neck. Grabbing Hermione’s hand reflexively, she gapped at the ring that resided on her left hand.

            “Um, Gin. There’s something Hermione and I need to tell you,” Ron began, his ears turning slightly pink. Hermione, too, looked rather embarrassed.

            “Since when have you two been engaged?” Ginny asked, suddenly feeling as if her brother and friends had left her out of an important part of their lives.

            “Three days,” Hermione added solemnly. Ginny’s eyes shot at Harry, anger glinted in them.

            “Hey, don’t get mad at me, Gin! They swore me to secrecy!” Harry begged for mercy. Calming down, Ginny allowed a smile to drift onto her face.

            “Sorry, guys. It’s just I don’t like being left out, but I am really happy for you! Finally!” she teased, using an overburdened tone while wiping her brow. Ron pushed her playfully and they all four laughed as they sat down for dinner.

---

 

            Harry lead Ginny into the balcony seats that the four of them had reserved for them, and they took their seats.

            “So –Er– how’d you like dinner?” Harry asked, trying to create some small talk. Ginny smiled at him, pure lust shimmering in her eyes.

            “It was...delicious,” she chose her words carefully as she scooted slightly closer to him in her chair. She moved her hand from her lap innocently and placed it on top of Harry’s own. Looking into his eyes to look for signs of him wanting her to stop, she moved her face closer to him and pressed her mouth against his own. Their lips seemed to melt together from all of the suppressed passion she had locked away for him. She parted her lips slightly, allowing his tongue to discover her own.

            “Miss Weasley, what are you doing here?” Ginny’s face turned scarlet and she moved away from Harry, allowing her eyes to drift up to her boss, Glory Stevens, and her date for the evening, Draco Malfoy.

            “Brother... Best friend...Engaged...Celebrate...” was all that she seemed to manage to choke out. Harry looked equally as embarrassed as she.

            “Weasley and Granger? Engaged? Well, it was only a matter of time,” smirked Draco, his eyes burning into Ginny’s own. She placed a self conscious hand against her lips, remembering how swollen they had been from that dream she had had the night before.

            “Er, Harry. I’m going to..get something to drink. I’ll be right back,” Ginny announced suddenly, and she made her way out of that booth and down towards the concession stand.

            “Avoiding me, eh Weasel?” she heard Draco’s cold voice call after her. She felt a pleasant shiver retreat down her spine. 

            “What makes you think that getting water had...anything to do with you?” she asked, becoming intoxicated with the lust she felt for him as he moved closer to her.

            “The way you are reacting to me right now, just like in my dreams,” that last remark struck her, but before she could say anything she was caught off guard by him bending down to kiss her. She pushed him back before their lips could touch.

            “What the HELL are you thinking?” she whispered loudly as she moved around a wall to keep them out of the public’s eye. He smirked at her.

            “I think I was doing something you so obviously wanted, Weasel,” he answered as he pressed her up against the wall and stared deep into her eyes. The fear was at once driven out, only to be replaced with a newfound urge to allow him to be in close proximity, if not closer. He moved slowly, his lips getting closer and closer to her’s in a teasing sort of way. She closed her eyes, waiting.

            “Ginny? Where’d you go?” she heard Harry call. Opening her eyes, she pushed Draco away once more before he had the chance to place a kiss against her lips.

            “Stay the hell away from me, Malfoy!” she hissed at him, and then she turned around the corner once again and greeted Harry with a kiss. Draco, who was watching from around the corner, smirked. Then, without warning, he disapparated on the spot.

---

              

            He arrived in his study and began pacing in front of his mirror.

            “You want her...It is visible already...You know what you have to do,” the mirror spoke suddenly, causing even Draco to jump.

            “I know. I must kiss her, but what I don’t see is why?” he asked, a bitter rage striking him suddenly. The mirror chuckled.

            “Because, my dear boy, once you have actual contact, she’ll be drugged by you. She’ll only want you. You could kiss Potter good bye, she’d belong solely to you,” the mirror reminded him, helping him regain his cool.

            “This is going to be harder than I thought,” Draco muttered under his breath as he stepped away from his mirror.