Matters of Blood and Connection

Chapter 9: Feel the Silence

It was mid afternoon when Draco entered the infirmary and found Ginny sitting on the window sill. Her head was resting against the wall, her eyes focused on the grounds below, and as she moved her head to move the hair from her eyes, she spotted him standing several feet from her.

"You don't have to be scared," she said softly, smiling. "It feels worse than it actually looks." She shifted her bandaged arm so that he could see it.

"How are you?" he asked, shuffling his feet slightly against the floor. He had been looking around for a good five minutes before asking, "Where's Nott?"

Ginny shook her head and tilted it. "Why are you afraid of me?"

Draco's eyes flashed and he took a cautious step forward, placing his hands on the sill by her feet and leaning his body toward the window, his head resting against the glass. He sighed and took a deep breath.

"Because this is all my fault."

"What was?"

He chuckled softly to himself when the room grew tense. "Don't do that, Gin. If I hadn't suggested taking that walk-"

"Please," came her jagged reply. "Theodore would have found out someway."

"Theodore," Draco hissed as he turned to face her, "is the reason you almost died yesterday. He's blackmailing me, or was, I don't know how long I have until he does me in permanently."

Ginny's eyes widened and she glanced at him. "I wasn't going to die. And I don't think he's going to say anything to Dumbledore in any case right now. He's with Pansy. She's-"

"He's with Pansy?" said Draco sharply. If he had been holding anything at that time he surely would have dropped it at that announcement. He stared at her for a moment before saying, "Where are they?"

"What's wrong? I don't-"

She watched his face change and he looked angry. In one fluid motion he reached out and grabbed Ginny's uninjured arm and stared into her eyes. "Where are they, Ginny? Did you see them go onto the grounds at all?"

"I don't know!" shrieked the redhead as she pulled from him, her eyes narrowing. "What's gotten into you?"

"He's dangerous, Red," Draco said. He watched her carefully. "I need to know where he is. Can you help me?" With his tone a little softer, he touched her cheek and pulled her against him as she stood up. "I'm sorry, love. I'm just worried about him being around other people right now."

Ginny said nothing as she rested her head on his chest. She was glad that he had come to see her. "But why would he hurt Pansy? She didn't do anything to him."

Draco blinked when Ginny voiced her thought. "He may not do anything to her, but I can't sit back and just assume that. I owe her this for the way I hurt her."

He brushed his lips against her forehead briefly before heading to the door. Ginny was fidgeting when he glanced back at her.

"Be careful," she said softly.

"I always am," he said with a grin.

* * *

With her back pressed against the wall and her arms pinned on either side of her head, he had full advantage of her. His mouth twisted slightly as it descended onto hers, his body nearly crushing her own as he pushed on her. Pansy lifted her head to stare at the ceiling and his lips fell against her throat.

She murmured something to him and he pulled back.

"What?" he asked.

"Aren't you with the Weasley girl?"

Nott's eyes narrowed slightly at her question and he seemed to tighten his hold on her wrists. His mouth devoured hers again, almost roughly, and he pushed his knee through to part her legs. The bed shook gently with his movements as he reached down and started to undo the buttons on Pansy's blouse.

"She's with Draco now," he whispered. "He can fuck her all he wants. I don't bloody give a damn."

Pansy inclined her head as he started to explore her body further, growling his appreciation for certain areas, and she reached down to place her hand against his head. "If you want her, you should take her. I don't like to see Draco upset, but I don't think he really cares about her like she thinks. I mean, she is a Weasley, after all."

"You think he's using her?" Theo asked as he raised his head, his hands still skimming her body.

"Maybe," Pansy said, shuddering when his tongue came in contact with her stomach. "But maybe he does have feelings for her after all. We may never know."

"Why else would he be following her around?" Nott wondered as he climbed off of the witch and sat beside her, his face now very grumpy looking. "And looking so delighted to be kissing her?" He shuddered.

"You did," Pansy pointed out, tilted her head. "Before you knew she was using you."

"She played me," he said angrily.

"Well, you were never interested in her to begin with, isn't that right?" Pansy asked. She stretched and started to get dressed when she turned her eyes on him. "So I'm clear, we're done here, yes?"

"I'll ruin both of their lives."

The dark-haired witch looked at him thoughtfully and said, "Don't expect my help. Even though Draco is practically destroying his life by being seen with the Weasley girl, I won't hurt him;, I have no reason to."

Nott's eyes gleamed suddenly and he grabbed this perfect opportunity. "He's not who you think. I have something to tell you."

* * *

He was halfway to the Slytherin common room when someone stopped him. With their hand on his shoulder, they were able to turn him around, their eyes narrowed ruthlessly.

"Pansy, I don't have time for-"

"You're the reason I nearly died?" she said rather calmly. "Don't look so surprised. You thought I wouldn't find out? Nott said-"

"He's lying," Draco said softly. He reached out to grab her shoulder. "You know I would never, ever hurt you, Pans." He saw it on her face; she wanted to believe him.

She allowed him to pull her into his body and she made sure to turn her head, to catch his lips with hers softly.

Her hands wrapped around his waist as her tongue slipped passed his teeth to deepen the kiss. She tangled her hands in his hair and moaned his name. He tried to push her from him, finally able to regain control of the situation, but she held him fast, her nails digging into his shoulders.

"You don't need anyone, but me," she whispered, her lips now on his neck, his weak spot.

Draco shuddered deeply and roughly grabbed her mane of long hair, pulling her head back so that she looked him dead in the eye.

"Very clever, Nott," he muttered. He let Pansy go and stepped back. His friend looked thoroughly ashamed of herself. "How dare you use one of our friends against me. Can't you fight your own battles?"

He moved to go back toward the infirmary, since clearly there was nothing more he could do, and stopped as he felt something smash him in the stomach, completely knocking the air out of him. Draco fell back against the wall, his eyes wide and his breathing shallow. He groaned as he tried to sit up.

The heel of a boot came down against his throat, pinning him to the wall.

"You just don't learn, do you, Malfoy?"

Draco wondered why the hall was slowly becoming darker when it was bright outside.

"That's a very ingenious idea of mine. No one around will know that we're here; all they'll see when they walk by is an empty, sunlit hallway. Even Ginny wouldn't be able to detect you."

Draco turned his head to see Pansy on the ground, weeping.

What the hell was going on?