I Love You But I Have Chosen Darkness

I Love You But I Have Chosen Darkness

During the months before the final battle, the people residing at Hogwarts grew increasingly tenser. There had been several instances of students looking for comfort in the wrong places.

Ron Weasley, for example, had been found by Professor McGonagall in an abandoned classroom late one afternoon. He was shirtless and sweaty, his body pressed against Pansy Parkinson's. Comfort was not a Slytherin trait, as Pansy discovered when word spread; she had to endure jeers from the girls and disgusted glares from the boys.

Most of the Slytherins, however, were very anxious to fight in the final battle, to prove themselves worthy of being in the house. Their aim was to kill anyone who got in their way, friend or foe. Others would flee the school, because they didn't want to be on the receiving end of any Unforgivable Curse.

The only other person, it seemed, who was having a hard time adjusting to this new atmosphere was Ginny Weasley. She had been around when the inter-house mingling started, and personally, she didn't understand it. She was just as terrified as the next person, but she wasn't about to fall into the arms of random Ravenclaws, or worse, Slytherins.

Harry had more of a reason than anyone to be nervous, but he seemed, in Ginny's opinion, to be doing better than most. When she walked into the Common Room that night he was sitting by the fire with Hermione and Ron beside him. When he saw her, he smiled and waved her over.

"How was class?" he asked.

"Rough," said Ginny as she placed her books beside Ron and sat on top of them. "We barely got anything done, because people kept talking about what might happen when..." She trailed off and looked around the room at all the anxious faces. "Anyway, class was let out early, because McGonagall was getting fed up with hearing about it."

"Things are changing around here," Hermione said sternly. "Even the Slytherins are acting odd."

Ron squirmed slightly and turned a bright shade of red.

"You're telling me," Harry said. "Even Malfoy's acting suspicious."

"Well, that's Malfoy," Ron said. "He's a Death Eater."

"That's just a rumor," said the petite redhead softly. She turned her brown eyes on Harry. "Isn't it?"

Harry stared at her for several minutes before shaking his head. "I know that it's not what Hogwarts needs right now with Voldemort getting closer - a Death Eater practically living here - but it is hard to say, Gin."

Ginny looked at Hermione, hoping that maybe her best friend could ease her worry, but when the brunette simply shrugged, Ginny's worry increased. Quietly, she said, "Do you think he could hurt us?"

"Maybe," replied Harry as he leaned his elbows on his knees and rested his head on his hands. He stared at his friends, and then took his glasses off to clean them on his robes. When he put them back on, Ginny's face had turned grim. "Are you okay?" He touched her shoulder, only to be startled when she jumped.

"I'm fine," Ginny said, standing up. "I'm going for a walk. Don't discuss too much without me."

"Actually," Harry said as he stood. "We have class. I'll walk you outside if you want."

Ginny shook her head. "I don't want you to be late because of me."

When she managed to leave the Trio behind, she walked down toward the Entrance Hall. When she reached it, she could hear some students talking quietly and others arguing. She wondered what was going on. When she turned the corner to go outside, she stumbled right into the last person she expected to see.

Draco Malfoy stared down at her, his mouth curled into a smirk, and his gray eyes cool as he adjusted the scarf around his neck. "Weasley," he said, nodding. He was dressed in black, with his shaggy platinum blond hair falling around his face. "Where's the Golden Trio? I would have assumed you'd be trailing behind them."

Ginny scowled and glanced behind him at two other Slytherins; obviously the one's who had been shouting. "Are they all right?"

Draco was half-turning back to his friends when she said something. He had expected her to just keep walking, and when she didn't, when she stood there, and dared to talk to him, he slowly turned around to face her. "Why do you care?" he snarled. Suddenly, he ran a hand down face and growled, "Go back to Scarhead, unless, of course, he's fucking the Mudblood."

Ginny opened her mouth to speak, but all that came out was an angry hiss. When Draco had turned fully around to face his friends, she reached out and grabbed his shoulder, spinning him around.

He stared at her with cold gray eyes and stepped forward, his fingers latching onto her wrist as he pulled her closer. "What the hell do you think you're doing, Weasley?" he whispered softly.

Ginny's heart automatically skipped a beat as she stared up at him. "I just thought maybe..."

"Maybe what?" sneered the blond. "You thought you could help, did you? What's with you always wanting to help people, little Weasley? No one wants your fucking help!"

The Gryffindor inside Ginny wanted to attack him, because at that second he had started laughing in her face, but all she could do was tremble from head to toe at the sight of his arrogance. Then, suddenly, she lunged at him, catching him in the face with her fist. She watched him stagger and draw his wand.

"Don't you dare!" screeched a voice from somewhere in the distance. "Mr. Malfoy, put your wand away immediately!"

Professor McGonagall came striding toward them, her nostrils flaring and her hat sitting lopsided on her head. She was carrying a stack of books in one hand as she approached them.

"She hit me!" Draco said loudly.

"Detention with me, right now, both of you!" McGonagall snarled. "I have never been more ashamed of two students in all my years here."

They followed her in silence, and as they entered the Transfiguration classroom, she told them to take a seat next to each other.

"What do you want us to do?" Ginny asked meekly.

McGonagall smiled slowly and she eyed them both before saying, "I can just as easily have Filch assign a punishment for you, Miss Weasley, but luck would have it, I have a much better idea."

Draco leaned forward slightly, vaguely interested.

"I want you to talk to each other," she said. "I know that have your differences, but I also know that the war is fast approaching, and I'd like you to make amends before you go off and possibly..." She stopped, not having the heart to continue. Instead, she stood up and swiftly exited the room, leaving the two of them alone.

"That must have been hard for her," Ginny said quietly.

"But she's right," Draco replied, surprising her. "Things are going to change around here very quickly, and we can't do a thing to stop it."

"I'm sorry I hit you."

Draco was silent for a short time. "Do you really want to fight for this school, Weasley?"

Ginny looked at him in surprise. He was looking at his hands, and his face was paler than normal.

"I just don't want to die," confessed the redhead. "And I know you don't either."

"You think I'm one of them, don't you? That I would kill you as soon as look at you once the final battle begins?" He turned in his chair and stared at her, his expression very serious. Clearly, he hadn't expected her answer to sound so heartfelt.

"I don't think you're one of them, Malfoy. In fact, I think you're better than them."

Three days after detention with Draco, Ginny was walking down the corridor to the Great Hall when someone stepped in her way. He was holding a few books and looking around at everyone who was staring at them.

"Good Morning," Draco said, nodding as she stopped walking and leaned against the wall.

"Morning," she replied, blinking at him. "Are you aware of everyone staring at us?"

Draco looked around for the second time and smirked. "Naturally. They're looking at me."

"Oh, that's not conceited at all," Ginny said, laughing softly as she walked past the Great Hall.

Draco stopped and grabbed her arm. "What are you doing?" he asked her in a low voice. "Aren't you hungry?"

"Not really," said Ginny.

"Good," he said quietly, leaning in. "Come with me; I have something to show you."

Ginny had sought his company a lot after their detention, because she enjoyed his companionship and wasn't ashamed to admit it. She was pleasantly surprised by his reaction when she had started ranting about Harry and everything that had made her life crazy this year: he sat and watched her, and then he tried to help her.

He touched her hand abruptly and his face swam in her eyesight. "Are you all right?"

"Yes," she said slowly as his fingers laced with hers, and he pulled her against him suddenly, his arms going around her back to hold her tightly. "What-what are you doing?" she asked nervously.

"Be quiet," he ordered as he pulled her along the corridor. "Do you want the Golden Trio to come?"

He guided her into an abandoned classroom and shut the door. She looked around for the moment before sitting on top of one of the desks. It wasn't until she felt his hands on her that she looked up at him. He was smiling at her and holding her face very lightly in his hands, like she was fragile.

"Gin?"

She didn't have the chance to respond before his lips gently brushed her own. She felt the smallest of tremors go through her body, and she slowly reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, her fingers sliding across the warm skin. She heard him growl softly as his hands slid into her hair, gently pulling the strands. His breathing was heavy as he tilted her head slightly and continued to kiss her, his tongue flicking across hers, and his teeth gnawing gently on her lower lip.

"What are you doing?" muttered Ginny as he pulled away.

"I was kissing you," he said, frowning. "Did you not want me to?"

Ginny blinked at him and dragged a hand through her hair, trying to flatten it. "No, that's not it, I liked it. But what is this that we're doing, Draco?"

"I want to be with you," Draco said staring into her face. "I thought that was obvious."

"We can't," she muttered as he rested his forehead against hers. "The war..."

"I'll make sure you're safe," Draco promised, reaching down to grab her hands. "When that day comes, I'll protect you even if I..."

"No!" Her tone was one of panic. "Don't say that, please," she whispered. "I couldn't live with myself if you got hurt because of me."

Draco's eyes widened as his tongue swept her lower lip. "I would never let you get hurt, Ginny."

She smiled against his mouth and pulled him closer. "If we make it out alive, promise me we'll be together afterwards."

He grinned in a very unMalfoyish way and whispered, "I think that could be arranged."

In that solitary second, Ginny thought that maybe she could love the boy she was always supposed to hate.

***

The screams during the Quidditch World Cup were nothing compared to the cries that rose from the grounds or inside the castle. When things grew louder, a frantic Ginny, sprinted across the grounds towards the forest. As a spell came hurtling toward her, she ducked, and the stream of red hit a nearby tree, causing it to catch fire; the branches and leaves seemed to melt off of the trunk. Ginny stifled a sob as she lay in the grass below the tree, her face smeared with blood and dirt. She had hit the ground with such force that she idly wondered if she had broken a rib.

"You can't win," hissed a Death Eater as he appeared from nowhere. He stood above her still form and pressed his foot against her head, pushing her face further into the ground, determined to make her suffocate in bloody soil. "Don't you know that by now?"

Ginny moved her right hand, wincing as pain shot through her fingers, and she moved her head up after the Death Eater's foot left her. Earlier, someone had grabbed her and forced her to hold her hand against one of her friend's backs, and then horrifically, they lit the body ablaze, leaving the flesh of her hand raw. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she heard another Death Eater approaching.

"Let me go!" shouted a voice that Ginny would have recognized had she not be so terrified. Slowly, her eyes began to focus on the form beside her - the small frame, pale skin, and dark hair.

"Pansy!" Ginny whispered. She saw the other girl try to stand, but she cried out as one of her captors pressed his foot into her back, forcing her down into the muddy earth.

"Weasley, I thought you were dead," she gasped, the fear in her voice evident. "They did that to you?" Pansy indicated her hand and slid her own into view. "They hurt your friends, I saw them. Granger, your brother, and Lovegood vanished from the grounds."

"What about Harry?" Ginny whispered.

Pansy looked at her, her green eyes dim. Behind them, someone screamed again and another spell lit up part of the grounds, and Ginny could see the look on the Slytherin's face, the agony flickering in her eyes. "No one has seen him since the battle began."

Ginny fell silent, her entire body feeling heavy as she willed the oncoming bile away and said, "Where's Draco?"

Pansy looked at her and coughed before she frowned. "Why did you get involved with him if you suspected him of being a Death Eater, Weasley?"

Ginny looked at the other girl crossly. "We spent a lot of time together after he was being accused of that. I didn't believe he was a Death Eater, but everyone else seemed to. He didn't trust me at first, and I didn't really blame him. I know he didn't want to get close to me. He told me a few days ago that when this time came that he would be here to fight for me, but I don't see him anywhere."

"That's because he doesn't love-" Abruptly, Pansy cried out as someone trampled on her hand.

"Don't talk like that!" someone hissed quietly.

He stood above them, his hood drawn up over his head, and Ginny could have sworn that he wasn't one of the Death Eaters. Whoever it was stepped over Pansy and reached down to grab Ginny, cradling her seemingly lifeless body against the cloth of his robes.

Too weak now to even protest, Ginny let her head fall against the stranger's chest as a green light was fired straight at them from somewhere in close proximity. She had no time to react as the spell hit. Pansy lay in the muddy grass, completely still. The last thing Ginny heard before she passed out was the faint shouting of her name and then nothingness.

She landed with a thud on something soft and opened her brown eyes, as the stranger sat down beside her. He was holding a glass of water out to her.

"You need your strength."

Ginny didn't know whether to take the water or not so she opted to just stare at him. "Who are-?" she asked as her hand reached up to remove the hood.

He snatched her hand and she blinked, her head tilted slightly as she looked at his hand, and at the ring on his finger.

"Don't," he ordered unkindly.

"Draco?" she managed to get out before pulling her hand away from him. "I don't understand, what-"

He reached his own hand up and slipped the hood away from his face. His gray eyes were cold, and his blond hair was shaggy and matted with red - with blood. Carefully, he touched her cheek, his hand very cold against her skin, and she shuddered.

"You were set to die," he told her calmly, searching her eyes for a reaction. "I was instructed to take you from Hogwarts and bring you here to kill you. My father will be here soon to make sure I did it."

"Where's here?" Ginny asked groggily.

Draco took hold of her injured hand and used his wand to heal it. He glanced at her and said, "You're at Malfoy Manor, Ginny."

"But you can't Apparate-"

"I was granted that when I joined," he said coolly. "A gift from the Dark Lord."

Ginny bit her lip and looked at her feet. Her entire body ached and she smelled of burnt flesh, blood, and dirt. "Do I have time to-?"

"No."

"Can we go back?"

"Not until my father sees I've pleased him," Draco said, his eyes flashing as he stared at her. Suddenly, his lips crashed down onto hers and he wrapped his arms around her. "Please, believe I'm doing this for us."

"I do," she whispered, but suddenly scared to touch his face. "I love you."

He smiled down at her, and his fingers trembled through her hair as he stood up and paced the room. "It wasn't supposed to be like this," he said angrily. "Damn it!" he yelled, seizing a picture frame off the dresser in the corner and throwing it. "I was supposed to live happily with you after the war..."

Ginny stared at him. "We can still do that," she said softly.

"No," he whispered. "Not after my father sees I disobeyed him."

"Then we'll run," suggested Ginny.

He stared at her. "Don't you want to see if your friends and brother are alive?"

"Are you willing to risk your life and my own just so I can see that?"

She watched his shoulders slump slightly as he came over and sat back down beside her. He brought her closer, not terribly bothered by her stench, and pressed his lips to her hair. "I want to see for myself that they're strong."

"They are," Ginny assured him. "Hermione will figure out how to get them out of this."

Draco grabbed her wrist, suddenly pulling her up and Disapparated with a crack. They were back on the grounds with moments.

As Ginny scanned the area around them, her eyes watered as she saw the bodies littered across the grass. Draco had her keep her head against his chest as they walked. It wasn't until they reached the castle entrance that he stopped dead.

"My God," he muttered.

That was when Ginny saw a flash of red amidst the endless sea of bodies. She crept closer and watched as her brother opened his eyes, his face covered in blood as he struggled to sit up. "Gin?" he muttered, focusing on his sister.

"Ron!" she said, kneeling next to him. "Where are Harry, Hermione, and Luna?"

"Ginny! Oh, it is you!" someone shouted suddenly.

Luna and Hermione were heading towards them, both looking like they had gotten into a fight with one of Hagrid's creatures. Each had a bloody nose and a cut lip.

"Luna, Hermione!" Ginny shouted with relief. "Have you seen Harry?"

Hermione sidestepped the body of Dean Thomas and her eyes filled with tears. "No. We lost Neville, too."

"He's outside," Draco said. "I'm sorry."

Ginny watched Hermione bend down with Luna on her other side, and they helped Ron stand. "Where's Harry?" he muttered weakly. "Is he dead?"

No one said anything.

Luna screamed suddenly as a cloaked figure emerged from outside and grabbed the blond around the throat, lifting his feet off the ground. "You defied me," the Death Eater hissed, craning his head to glare at Ginny. "I gave you explicit instructions, Draco."

"I won't do it," wheezed Draco as he was tossed to the floor.

"Then I will," said the Death Eater as he lowered his hood and removed his mask. Lucius Malfoy smirked and raised his wand.

"Avada Kedavra!"

***

Draco opened his eyes and looked over at the person addressing him. He nervously straightened his tie - the bloody thing was suffocating him - and inclined his head politely to the person speaking.

"Are you sure you can do this?" Healer Dilys asked kindly. "We wouldn't have contacted you if it wasn't of dire importance."

Draco nodded. "But I would have assumed this hospital would have had a ward for that already..."

"Well, they did," said Healer Dilys, glancing beside her. "But someone decided it would be a good idea to leave a patient alone in the one room we did have."

A short man with a balding head squeaked, "They said they wanted to look at my achievements!"

"And what happened?" Draco said, smirking.

"They set things on fire," Dilys said quietly, frowning. "Healer Rivers here is lucky he wasn't fired."

Draco smiled and was very afraid that he would burst out laughing if he didn't think of something else to say in the next few minutes. He leaned in quickly and placed his hands on the table. "So, what makes you think I won't do something as foolish?"

Dilys gave a slow smile and said, "Because a Malfoy would never risk ruining a building they donated so much money to."

Draco frowned. "My father mainly did-"

Healer Defoe looked at him suddenly and said, "Lucius Malfoy was in a nasty bit of business with those Death Eater's."

Draco remained quiet.

"That is not the reason we asked him here," Dilys said as she smiled at Draco. "Though, we are sorry for your loss, we've discovered that we need someone to fill the Psychiatrist's position here at St. Mungo's."

"This is a very big decision," Healer Rivers squeaked. "We can give you some time to think it over."

"I like helping people," said Draco thoughtfully.

Dilys smiled. "That's all we needed to hear."

They had set him up in a rather large office on the main floor. He placed the large box he was carrying on the desk and looked around the room slowly; the walls were an ugly white color, and the chairs didn't really seem to fit either, because they were maroon. Draco sighed and stared out the window, which led into the front waiting room.

Suddenly, he saw a flash of red, and he watched carefully as a young woman stepped closer toward his room, but then she disappeared into another office. He shook his head and felt very stupid as someone behind him cleared their throat.

"Are you daydreaming?" It was Healer Defoe. He came further into the room and glanced around. "Not bad, oh yes, that folder on the desk really lightens things up."

Draco turned around slowly and shoved his hands in his pockets. "Is there a woman Healer besides Dilys working here?"

Defoe nodded slightly. "She's only been working here a short time. Why? Fancy meeting her?"

"No, no, nothing like that," said Draco as he turned back toward the window, hoping to catch a glimpse of the woman. "Do you know her name?"

"Ginny Potter," he said.

Draco blinked at him, his heart pounding hard in his chest. That couldn't possibly be right. Ginny had become a writer for the Daily Prophet after the war ended and things settled back to normal. Yes, she had. He knew she had. So what was she doing here?

"Y-you're certain?" Draco asked.

"Quite certain, Mr. Malfoy," Healer Defoe nodded. "Do you know her by chance?"

Draco didn't answer him as he walked out of the office and, just as he was headed to the front desk, one of the doors in the hall opened and she stepped out. Her eyes widened immediately when she saw him and she dropped the file she was holding, the papers scattering everywhere.

"So, the rumors are true," she said quietly, bending down to retrieve what she had lost.

"What are you doing here?" Draco asked her as he straightened up, several papers under his arm. He handed them to her and waited for a reply.

Ginny took them and pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "I work here now, Malfoy."

His gray eyes widened and his shaggy hair fell into his face. "Don't do that," he told her. "Least of all to me, Ginny."

She stepped around him and walked toward the waiting room. He cursed himself and knew he was going to hell for watching her hips as she went. His lips twitched slightly as he ached to say something, anything to make it all right again. But he couldn't think of one thing. When Ginny stopped suddenly, he braced himself.

"Why not?" she asked without turning.

"We had something special-"

"Of course we did, Malfoy," she said coolly. "So did every girl that wrapped her arms around you in school."

"If this is about my father-"

"Your father is dead, Draco, remember?" Ginny said, finally facing him, her brown eyes narrowed. "Harry killed him before he could kill me."

"That's not what this is about," Draco said, reaching a hand out and grabbing her wrist. "I loved you, Weasley!"

Ginny's eyes softened, but she yanked out of his grip. "Then why didn't you ever ask me to marry you?"

"What?" Draco asked, confused.

She smiled slowly, but it wasn't friendly. "We always talked about getting married, don't you remember? After the war I thought you still wanted to so I delayed my relationship with Harry..."

Draco stood still and said nothing.

"I went to your flat to tell you that I loved you... and I saw you with some girl..." Ginny's eyes turned glassy and she sniffed. "You were fucking her."

"I didn't-" he said, trying desperately.

"Why did you do it?" she whispered. "We could have had a life together. Why did you go and fuck everything up?" Ginny was trembling now, luckily the folder wasn't in her hands.

Draco had noticed the receptionist looking rather concerned. "Ginny, do you want me get someone?"

The redhead mopped her eyes with the back of her sleeve and shook her head. "No, I'm fine."

Draco watched the woman behind the desk push a little red buzzer underneath the wood and he said, "Are you sure you're all right?"

Ginny laughed and her face drained of its color. "Of course, I'm fine. What's wrong with-"

Suddenly, she became very rigid and her eyes fluttered before rolling back into her head, her body jolted before she crumbled onto the floor.

Draco had caught her before she hit the ground as Healers' Dilys and Defoe appeared and tried to pick her up. Draco held onto her. "What's wrong with her?" he said anxiously.

Healer Defoe shook his head. "Let go, Draco."

"No, tell me what's wrong with her first!" he cried angrily.

"The war had a profound effect on her, Mr. Malfoy," Healer Dilys said softly as she patted Ginny's hair. "Are you aware of the head injury she sustained during the battle?"

Draco glanced up. "What are you talking about? There was no blood on her head when I found her that night."

"It might have not been detected by the human eye," Defoe said as he managed to tug Ginny's limp body from Draco's grasp. He picked her up and said, "If you'll come with us we'll explain more."

"I can't," Draco said. He was staring at the floor, his hands trembling.

"Yes, come on, up you go," Dilys said kindly, grabbing his hand.

As they followed Healer Defoe, Draco kept his head down, not wanting to see what he did to her.

As they entered an operating room and Defoe placed Ginny's body on the gurney, Draco turned to them.

"Oh, no you don't," said Dilys sharply. "Don't go thinking that this was entirely your fault, Mr. Malfoy. You couldn't have known, could you?"

"I was talking to her before..." His voice trailed off and, suddenly, he swung his fist onto the surgical tray beside the gurney. He brought his hand up to his face and dragged it down, stifling a growl. When he removed his hand, both Healers were looking at him anxiously. "What?" he snapped.

"Your face," Defoe said, pointing. "You've cut your hand on one of the instruments and gotten blood on your face."

"I don't care," said Draco angrily.

"But you could-" Dilys began.

Draco gave her a cold glare and said, "Did you call anyone for her?"

Dilys regained her composure after his look and nodded. "Her husband is coming now."

Draco didn't move a muscle as the door opened forcefully, nearly flying off its hinges, and Harry Potter stepped inside; his hair had grown to the middle of his neck, and was still as untidy as always. His eyes flickered when he saw Ginny's body, and they widened when he saw the man standing next to her.

"Mr. Potter, we're glad you came," Healer Dilys said kindly.

"They said she collapsed..." Harry muttered, unable to take his eyes of Draco. "She'd been complaining of having a headache for a few weeks, and I didn't ask her to get it checked."

Draco paid the dark-haired boy no mind as Defoe took him aside and aided his injured hand. "You know him?" he asked quietly.

"We both dated her in school," Draco replied with narrowed eyes.

"Ah," he said, nodding. "I understand."

"Do you?" Draco shot back, laughing coldly. "Because, really, I don't think you do."

"No, Mr. Malfoy," said Defoe sternly. "I won't tolerate being treated this way."

Draco didn't get a chance to apologize as he heard Harry speak from behind him.

"What is he doing here? Did he cause Ginny to collapse?"

"Why would I?" Draco shot back, whirling around to face Harry with his wand drawn. "I had no idea she was working here. I stopped to talk to her and we got into a dispute."

Harry frowned and lowered his wand slightly. "About how you told her you loved her, and then went to fuck another girl behind her back?"

"You don't know what you're talking about, Potter," Draco said, putting his hands up. "I still love her."

Harry's green eyes widened. "You're in love with my wife?"

"Yes," said Draco. "Ginny didn't just catch my attention in school because she was beautiful, but also because she had darkness in her. Didn't you ever see it?"

Harry stared at him. "She chose me."

Draco smiled coldly as he reached for the door handle to step outside. "She likes the dark, Potter, and I can assure you she will choose me in the end."

He disappeared before the raven-haired man could speak again.

***

It seemed like hours later when Draco cracked an eye open and looked around. He was back in his office, on the couch, with a familiar face staring at him. A cup of coffee and a few biscuits were waiting for him.

"Bloody hell," muttered Draco. "What time is it?"

Healer Rivers smiled at him, his bald head shining in the sunlight that filtered into the room. "It's eight-fifteen," he said as he placed the coffee in Draco's hands. "You have your first patient of the day coming soon."

Draco groaned and sat up. "Thank you, Rivers."

It was only moments later that the door opened again. This time Draco was sitting behind his desk, and as he looked up, he nearly spit his coffee out all over the papers he was reading. She stood in the doorway, hands in pockets, with a frown creasing her forehead. Neither spoke as she shut the door quietly and sat down across from him.

Remember to stay professional, Draco reminded himself as Ginny stared at him. He couldn't help but notice she looked a lot better. Her hair was brushed to fall in waves around her face; her eyes were bright and lined with black. He almost dropped the papers he was holding when she moved in the chair, and he caught a glimpse of her thigh.

Finally, the tension and quiet was broken. "Why are you doing this?"

Draco looked at her and laced his hands together on the desk, leaning on the hard wood. He had to be crazy to think she would ever consider being with him again, after all she had been through. Instead of thinking about that, he said, "Doing what, Ginny?"

"This." She gestured around her. "Why are you here in this office? Why didn't you let me know you were taking this position?"

"When should I have let you know?" he said sharply. "Between thinking we were over and finding someone else for a night, or when you ran back to him, because you assumed I didn't love you anymore?"

Ginny opened her mouth to speak but closed it quickly. There was no use making the situation worse. Besides, she wasn't here to fix things with him, but to fix whatever was wrong with her. "The headache..." she started, tilting her head.

"When did the depression start?" Draco asked, looking over at her as he clutched her file in his hands tightly.

"About a year after Harry and I married," she said. She watched his lip twitch. "Oh, it wasn't like that. He was the perfect husband, I assure you."

"Was he?" Draco asked softly. "Did he treat you like you deserved?"

Her eyes narrowed and she shook her head. "Sometimes he yelled. But that was normal."

"Normal?" Draco frowned. "Verbal abuse is never normal, Ginny."

"He was angry," Ginny said softly, wringing her hands together on her lap. "Maybe it was from work- You know they pushed him hard at the Ministry-"

"No, I didn't know that," said Draco. He ran a hand through his hair and took another sip of coffee and wished that he didn't have to see her frown like that. "Gin." He dropped her file on the desk. "Where did you get the antidepressant pills?"

Ginny winced, and he knew she had hoped he wouldn't have asked.

She closed her eyes and laid her head against her hand, letting out a slow breath on her palm, and then she stared at him while something like humiliation crossed her features. "I just needed something to take the edge off after Harry and I fought one day. He walked out on me, and I thought it was forever, but he just needed to clear his head."

"Who got them for you?" Draco asked sternly as he tried, with trembling hands, to pick up the folder again, but all he ended up doing was throwing his coffee cup against the window and watching the hot liquid slide down the glass.

Ginny hadn't even batted an eye.

"Hermione went with me," she said calmly, no trace of fear in her voice at his sudden action. "Her parents are Muggles, and they wanted to help me."

"Your parents didn't know, did they?"

Ginny smiled somberly. "No one knew, except Hermione and Luna."

"You're a lovely actress," he said as he used his wand to clean up the window. "You fooled us all."

"My feelings for you weren't-" she began.

"We're not here to discuss that," Draco said quietly. "I just want you to know that what you did was foolish. Do you realize what could have happened had you continued with the medication?"

She looked at the floor. "I know all about death, Malfoy, remember? I watched my friends die right in front of me." She tucked her right hand into the pocket of her sweatshirt as a reminder. "If you want the truth, I'll give it to you."

He leaned forward slightly, his eyes watching her carefully.

"I could have easily killed myself," she said. "But I had something to live for. I had you."

"You have me," he said, nodding.

"No, I don't, not anymore."

"Yes, you do. I know you still love me."

Ginny's eyes widened and she gripped the sides of the chair almost frantically. She said nothing as he stood and came around to stare at her, and she didn't recoil when he brushed his hand through her hair, because she wanted him to. Without realizing what she was doing, she grabbed his hand and pulled so that his face jerked and his lips were inches from hers.

"You're such a bastard," she whispered softly, her lips curling adorably into a smirk. "I've missed that."

"I missed you, too," whispered Draco as he ran his thumb along her jaw. "I've never been able to have a half decent relationship since you." He smiled gently and brushed his lips against her forehead. "But I can't do this as long as you're my patient."

"Then refer me to someone else," she said, her voice almost begging.

"I can't just do that, there has to be a reason why this didn't work out with me," he said.

"How about your patient being in love with you or having a prior relationship with you?" Ginny asked hopefully. "I know that is frowned upon in these types of situations."

Draco sighed and straightened up. "They should have never let me try and help you."

Ginny frowned. "Why not?"

"Because we have a past..."

"I don't care!"

"Don't," he said angrily. "Don't fucking do that. I could get fired because of this, Gin!"

She winced as he yelled at her and when she stood up, he wanted to apologize, but she was already halfway to the door before he could utter a word. "You make your decision, but I'm not coming back, I'll find someone else to treat me..."

"Gin..." His voice caught and for the first time he felt helpless.

As the door shut behind her, Draco grabbed the nearest object - a book - and chucked it against the wall. He had only one choice right now and they would be asking so many questions, he was very aware. He walked out of his office and down the hall to Healer Dilys' room and knocked on the door.

***

Two days later there was a knock on his flat door. She stood there quietly before he gathered her in his arms and pressed his lips against hers gently. "How is he dealing?"

"Harry? Oh, he's pissed." Ginny giggled as she came into the kitchen. "But he found a better arrangement."

"Oh?" Draco said as he handed her a coffee cup.

"Yeah," Ginny said grimly. "Luna."

He didn't try to catch the porcelain cup as it hit the floor. "Well, that was unexpected."

"He doesn't waste time," Ginny said shaking her head. "But it doesn't matter."

She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her mouth against his again. "Of course my parents are mad, but when I told them the situation, they almost understood. Ron's none to happy though. He and Hermione are at a cross roads right now, though."

Draco chuckled. Leave it to Weasley to get under Granger's skin. "About what?"

Ginny's face broke into a wide grin as she said, "On whether Hermione's having a girl or boy."

"You're kidding?" He almost choked on his coffee. "Maybe this time the baby will have brushy red hair and a fear of spiders," he said with a smile.

Ginny shot him a look. "I'm seeing a new doctor."

"That's good," said Draco. "Healer Dilys was sad to see me go after only one day, but given the situation she thought it was for the best. She wishes us luck, too."

Ginny smiled and he pulled her closer.

"Did you ever get that shower you needed?"

Ginny blinked at him. "Of course I did."

He smirked wickedly and picked her up, heading towards the bathroom. "You can keep me company while I take mine, then."

"What is that?" she asked, pointing to the yellow thing in the tub.

Draco smiled. "Why, that's Wallace, Ginny."

Ginny reached down and picked up the rubber duck from inside the tub and turned around. She wiggled the little ducky in front of the blond wizard and said, "Is there something you need to tell me?"

Draco shrugged. "I needed some company."

"You need a children's toy?"

"Wallace was a gift," Draco said, snatching the duck from her. "I've had him since I was a baby."

Ginny burst out laughing as she stepped backward out of the room. "If you have little Wally here, you don't need me," she said as she edged toward the living room.

"You're wrong," he whispered, pulling her toward him. "I need you very much."

Ginny's eyes flickered as she melted against him, kissing him softly at first, and then a little harder. They stumbled into the sink, still holding each other, and she grinned slightly. A low squeak was emitted from Wally as Ginny stepped on his neck. She stooped to pick him up, but Draco dropped him back onto the floor, slammed the door shut, and turned on the shower.

Over the running water, the only sound that was heard was the tiny squeaks of a plastic bath toy.