Matters of Blood and Connection

Chapter 14: Along The Way

Ginny had grown increasingly anxious during the next week. She had seen Draco maybe once or twice the last two days, which was all right by her. She also thought she had seen Harry lurking around the corridors every time she and Draco's hands touched or they made any kind of intimate movement toward one another.

It was later that afternoon, as she was headed to the library, when she happened to turn a corner and let out a small gasp. Carefully, she stepped out of view and peered cautiously at what she was seeing. Merlin, she hoped she had suffered some sort of brain damage, because that might just explain just what the hell she was witnessing.

The boy was leaning forward, his lips attached to a dark-haired girl's neck, and she had her arms around his waist. He moaned slightly as they continued to make out, and Ginny suddenly felt nauseous. How was she going to explain that she was seeing Harry Potter and Pansy Parkinson kissing?

Stepping back a few feet, she let out a squeak when she bumped into someone. A slow chuckle met her ears as she looked up into his dark eyes. He held her gaze and dragged her away before they could be spotted, hauling her into an empty classroom before shutting the door.

"You have got to be kidding me," he said excitedly. "Was that for real?"

"Of course it was," Ginny said, sitting down at one of the desks. "You've got to promise you won't tell Draco about this."

Blaise stared at her, his eyes dancing as he said, "Why shouldn't he know who his recent ex is screwing? He's got no reason to be mad; he's with you now, remember?"

Ginny bit her lip for a moment before sighing. "It just feels like it did when Harry and I broke up. I was devastated, and he was out with different girls each night."

Blaise frowned as he stood over her, and when he bent down, he put his hands on her knees. "Weasley, I don't think you see the preciousness of this situation. You've got Potter in a particularly embarrassing position and you can-"

"No, Blaise, I'm not going to blackmail Harry. There's nothing I want. Besides, I think there's been enough of that this month, wouldn't you say?"

He smirked at her and brushed a hand through her hair. "You can never blackmail someone too much, Ginevra."

Despite the weirdness of the situation, Ginny found herself laughing.

Blaise had offered to accompany Ginny to the library as soon as the coast was clear. They entered to find Draco, angrily muttering to himself, and scribbling on a piece of old looking parchment. He looked like he hadn't slept much, either, Ginny concluded as she moved closer. He only noticed her presence because she had accidentally bumped the table with her leg, otherwise, she figured he wouldn't have even looked up.

"Can I help you?"

"I was just walking your lovely girlfriend in here." Blaise said as he glanced sideways at Ginny, who nodded. "She really is a delight, Draco. Where did you find her?"

Draco sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Blaise, are you seriously convinced I'm buying this?"

Shuffling his feet, the dark-haired boy shrugged. He gripped Ginny's shoulder firmly and pulled her in front of him. "She has something to tell you."

"Blaise!" Ginny gasped. "I don't think this is the best time."

Draco looked at her and turned to gather his things. "If you're fucking behind my back, I'd rather not know that, Ginevra." It wasn't until he turned back around that he saw how his words had effected her.

Blaise had barely managed to comfort Ginny before she burst into tears and ran out of the library.

"What the hell are you on?" Draco's friend asked him in a tight voice tight voice.

"What do you mean?" Draco replied, picking up his Potions book. "You two are acting suspicious, and if you're not fu-"

"You're a fucking idiot, you know that, Malfoy?" Blaise shouted angrily, pulling out his wand. "You have something good in front of you, and you just threw it away because you're an insecure prick."

Draco stood still, glaring at the floor as he heard his friend move to the door, only it didn't slam. He looked up to see Blaise standing there, staring at him.

"By the way, Potter and Parkinson are outside in the hall snogging," Zabini said as he vanished. He silently wished for someone to curse Draco when his back was turned, and he wouldn't have been at all surprised if it was Ginny herself that did it.

* * *

He found her sitting by the lake with her back to him. He watched her stiffen and he realized that she had caught the scent of something on him, perhaps his cologne or something else even he couldn't detect right now. Slowly, he sat down next to her and she winced as he lifted his hand to touch her shoulder.

"Please," he said weakly. "I'm sorry."

"How could you ever think I would do that to you?" she asked harshly. "And with your best friend no less."

"I just-"

"If you want me to be like her, I can't do that," she said, turning her head to stare at him.

"Like who, Ginny?" he asked softly. "Who do you think I'm trying to make you be?"

"I can't be Parkinson for you," she said slowly. "I know how you like your girls - the whores - and Pansy would have definitely slept with Blaise by now, regardless of whether you two were seeing each other for months or years. You could forgive her, couldn't you?"

Draco could barely believe his ears as she spoke. She really thought Pansy was like that. He had known Pansy forever, and she wasn't really that bad. Okay, so sometimes she slept with random people, but that was her thing, and Draco knew she would never jeopardize their friendship by sleeping with his best friend.

"You really think she's that horrible?"

"A little," admitted the redhead. "She doesn't know what she wants."

"Yes, she does," Draco replied. "I just don't want her."

Ginny fell silent before resting her head against his shoulder. "I'm sorry I ran out."

"I've been studying all week, and it's starting to make me crazy," he said, softly placing a kiss on her temple. "Blaise told me about Potter and Parkinson. Is that what you wanted to say?"

"I thought it would hurt you," said Ginny.

He smiled slightly and lifted her chin. "The only thing that would hurt me now is not being with you."