Matters of Blood and Connection

Chapter 12: Out Of The Blue

Draco and Ginny had fled to the Quidditch Pitch when a heated argument had erupted between the Trio and Nott, and they had been completely oblivious to those around them. Bitter words were tossed, accusations cut deep, and then came the part that Ginny hadn't expected - someone, she thought it was Harry, had asked if she was in love with the git.

Of course, upon hearing this, Draco promptly grabbed the petite redhead's hand and ushered her away before the fire in her eyes had become the words she was too angry to speak. He knew that things would have been much worse had he not pulled her away at that precise moment.

Now, they sat in the stands, both looking out over the empty field. Neither had spoken since their time by the lake, and that was fine by them, because the silence was comforting. Occasionally, they watched one another lean forward or back, but for the most part things were quiet.

"Do you think they'll come looking for us?" Ginny asked finally.

"No, Ginny, I don't think they'll come for us. They're all too busy fighting a losing battle."

She glanced at him and pulled her knees up to her chest and laid her head lazily on his shoulder. She felt him stiffen slightly and vaguely wondered why he had chosen now to pull away. Cautiously, she let her hand fall against his, her fingers brushing his. When he did not respond, she lifted her head.

"Are you all right?" she asked.

He turned his head toward her slightly and she saw that he was frowning.

"Is it really worth it, Ginevra?"

She stared at him as he called her by her first name. She hadn't heard it in so long that she knew she should be nervous. Suddenly, her heart thumped crazily in her chest and she closed her eyes, her head beginning to pound.

"Draco," she whispered, feeling helpless.

"You couldn't have possibly thought this would work," he said. "It was only a matter of time before things went wrong. Don't look at me like that, please."

Ginny's eyes had slowly filled with tears as she said, "I don't understand."

"Of course you don't!" snapped Draco abruptly. "You're a Weasley, a girl, and you're as daft as they come. I can't believe I wasted my time with you." He stood up and started to walk toward the staircase that lead to the ground, until he heard a noise behind him that made him stop.

She was crying softly and muttering to herself.

"What are you crying for, Weasley?" he said, his hand trembling slightly. He turned slightly and saw that she had her head in her hands, her long, red hair falling over her fingers. He took a step back toward her and watched one of her hands inch to grab her wand that sat beside her.

"Don't," she hissed as she looked at him, her eyes narrowed as she rolled her wand back and forth on the floor. "Stay where you are."

He did what she had said. "What are you going to do with that, Ginny?"

She had picked up her wand and continued to stare at him, her eyes glassy, her bottom lip trembling. She brushed a hand through her hair and frowned. "I'm not going to let you hurt me."

"I didn't say it to hurt you," Draco mumbled, coming to sit back down beside her. He ignored her wide-eyed look and, as she raised her wand to him, he glanced at her. "Put you wand down, Gin. You're not going to use it."

Her eyes narrowed and she looked away. "Then why did you say it, Malfoy?"

He winced. "I thought it's what you wanted to hear."

Her eyes widened slightly. "Why would you think I'd want you to say that?"

His eyes moved to her frowning face and he reached out to stroke her cheek gently, very surprised when she didn't turn away. "I want you to come with me to my father's banquet. I want to stop hiding from everyone."

Ginny's mouth opened, but she never said a word as his lips descended against hers, and his hands traveled through her hair until they rested on her hips, and he pulled her closer. She whimpered against his mouth and he smirked before pulling back.

"Do you really think this is a good idea? What if you get-"

He chuckled at her. "Disowned? You seem to forget that I am a Malfoy, love, and I'll be able to get back on my feet in no time if that were to happen. So, will you come?"

Ginny bit her lip as she lifted her eyes to his. After he had kissed her just a few moments ago, she felt as though she could go anywhere with him, even risk being seen at Malfoy Manor. Cautiously, she gave a slight nod, stood up and reached for him.

"I think we should get going. We've spent enough time up here."

Draco smiled thinly and took her hand, hoisting himself up off of the floor, and wrapped his arms around her waist. He leaned his head against hers softly. He tipped her chin up with his finger and brushed his lips softly against her, his eyes fluttering closed briefly, until he heard someone shout.

"Ginny! Are you all right? W-we've been looking everywhere for you," Harry said as he came into view, panting slightly. "Ron and Hermione will be here soon. Did he do anything to you?" He narrowed his emerald eyes at the blond wizard.

Draco couldn't help but smirk coolly. "Afraid you're missing out, Potter?"

Harry inclined his head slightly to gaze at the Slytherin before saying, "Theodore Nott is going back to the infirmary tonight, Malfoy."

"Are you going to put him there, Harry?" Ginny asked suddenly. "Because you really have no idea what's going on. Don't you wonder why I've been spending so much time with Draco?"

"Because you're fu-" Harry started.

"Wrong again, Potter," Draco mumbled as he stepped in front of Ginny, his wand drawn and held tightly in his hand. "As much as I would love the pleasure of bedding your ex-girlfriend just to watch you squirm, and trust me I would, it seems that I have a problem; I find myself falling for her." He heard the redhead behind him gasp and he glared at Harry.

"That's impossible," Harry muttered. "You're a Malfoy, you don't fall in love, and certainly not with a Weasley." He, too, had his wand out, and it was trembling in his hand.

Draco smirked.

"I can see how upsetting this must be for you, how difficult it is to hear. I think what frustrates you more is that there is no one left for you to have. Granger is with Weasley, Chang is gone, and Lovegood is only interested in you because you can see those things that pull the carriage."

"How did you know about the Thestrals?" Harry said. "Only a person who-"

A frown now touched Draco's lips and he let out a slow breath, and behind him, Ginny locked her fingers with his, squeezing tightly.

"I didn't know," she whispered softly.

"It was a long time ago," Draco said, addressing them both now. "I hardly ever thing about it."

"Get your hands off my sister you slimy git!" came Ron's angry voice from Harry's direction. "Ginny, are-"

"I'm fine, Ron," said Ginny softly.

She seemed to hold Draco's hand tighter, he noticed, when she was nervous.

"Don't you have to go see that Hermione and Blaise aren't getting too comfortable with each other?"

"Zabini...?" Ron muttered.

"They've been spending a lot of time together since they had that shared assignment in the class."

Ron's face went white as he turned around, heading back down the steps, and Harry followed. When they were alone again, Draco turned around to find Ginny covering her mouth with her hand, her eyes welling up. She looked on the verge of hysterics.

"That wasn't very nice," Draco said.

"Who said I have to be nice, just because I'm a Gryffindor?" Ginny asked, smirking.