Matters of Blood and Connection

Chapter 27: Second Chances

Darkness had come over the castle, crawling slowly through the halls, devouring them in black, with only dim torch lights to guide the way. Draco stared around the infirmary, at the bed in which she laid in, asleep.

He was happy to se her finally sleep now since she had been brought in hours ago, regained consciousness, only to burst into hysterics because she had no idea what was wrong. She said she felt dizzy, and very tired.

Carefully, he reached over and placed his hand against hers. Ginny stirred and turned over in her sleep, anxiety washing over her features. He vaguely wondered what she had to be so worried about.

Professor Snape and Professor McGonagall had intercepted Mr. Weasley when he had stormed in, as he was on his way to curse Draco, and told him to go outside into the hall, where they would explain everything. It was a short time later that they returned.

Things had calmed slightly after that, as Ginny's parents and Draco took to sitting away from each other. Every so often, however, Arthur would look at the boy with a mixed expression. Once, Draco actually thought he saw understanding flash in the red-haired man's eyes, but it was gone before he could be sure and he never questioned it again.

Currently, all was quiet, and Draco was thankful for that. There had been so much chaos since he brought her in this afternoon that he wondered when it was going to stop. "You're lucky you didn't have to see any of this," he muttered, moving closer to her bed. "The day was already much worse for you than I had anticipated."

"Where are they?" she mumbled, cracking an eye open.

Draco stared at her and smiled slowly. "I'm glad you're awake," he said. "But you really should go back to sleep."

"Where are they?" she repeated.

"They're with Professor McGonagall and Snape," he said. "Don't worry."

"Worry?" she said, running the word over in her mind. "My father was going to kill you and you're telling me not to worry?"

"You knew about that?" he said, surprised. "It was a mistake. He made a mistake. It's okay." He reached for her and pulled her to him, his lips brushing her hair as she wrapped her arms around his body.

"He said you did something to me," said Ginny wearily, trying to draw away from him. He held her tightly. "Let me go."

"No," he said firmly. "Not until you understand something. Your father isn't perfect. He makes mistakes. He does not trust me, and I don't blame him, not after this, and you will not let his words get to you. You know I would never, ever hurt you."

"You hurt me before," Ginny said, her eyes shut as she held him. "And I hurt you which was the last thing I wanted to do. I was angry."

"Ah yes," he said, almost callously. "The kiss."

Her eyes widened as she quickly pulled away from him. "What are you doing? You said you were over it."

"Ginevra, did you honestly think I would let something like that go so easily?" His hand wrapped around her chin and he pulled her mouth to his. He kissed her roughly, his fingers pressed against her body. When she kissed him back, he was thoroughly surprised.

"What are you doing?" she muttered when he started unbuttoning her shirt. She didn't stop him.

"Taking back what's mine," he whispered bitterly, his lips sliding to her throat. "I will not let anyone else have any part of you," he grinned slightly as he hovered over her. She looked anything but scared, as he had hoped when he started this.

With clothes discarded, he proceeded with his promise.

***

"What if I'm dying?" Ginny said as she curled around his naked body. The sheets thrown over them didn't help with the cold she was feeling. As he turned to face her, she felt something slide against her thigh.

"You're not dying," he said, rolling his eyes. "What would you like me to do with it?" he asked, frowning as she giggled. "I can hardly control what it does half the time."

Ginny shrugged and laid her head against his chest, listening to his heartbeat as it returned to normal and said, "Why did you do that before?"

"Do you realize how important you are to me?" he asked seriously. He was staring at the dark ceiling as he spoke, the tightening in his chest slowly unraveling. "How much it killed me to know that someone else got their hands on you for just a moment? I felt betrayed, and I'm not used to that emotion."

"Yes, I know," she said, stretching slightly. "I didn't do it to make you feel betrayed. I did it because-"

"You wanted to hurt me, yeah, I know."

"I'm sorry."

"I know that," he said gently. He brushed his lips against her forehead. "I just want you to be safe."

And they slept.

***

By the next morning, Madam Pomfrey could barely believe what she had saw when she walked in the infirmary; the two teens were curled up on the same bed, fast asleep, and both apparently without clothes.

Ginny's eyes fluttered open and she gasped, sitting up and pulling the blanket with her, completely oblivious to the fact that the sheet was well passed covering Draco, as he realized all too late.

"Merlin, Gin, you're giving the woman a show!" He said, snatching up his boxers and putting them on. "Like what you saw?" he asked the nurse with a scowl. He put his pants on, then his shirt, and eyed Ginny.

"At least it can't get worse," she whispered.

"Oh!"

Ginny winced as her mother's shrill cry rang out in the room. She heard her father clear his throat, and then growled, and she didn't dare look at Draco. Her father was not even going to use his wand; he would just kill him with his bare hands.

Ginny groaned.

Professor Snape had entered, an angry expression on his face, but as he looked around it melted into something strange. He pursed his lips, almost embarrassed and said, "Oh, I see, so that's what the scream was about." His eyes fell on Draco. "A word if you please, Mr. Malfoy?"

Draco vanished and Ginny suddenly wished she were invisible.

The awkwardness in the atmosphere tightened when Arthur said, "Aren't you sick? Don't you think you shouldn't have-"

"Dad!" Ginny shouted, mortified.

"Actually, Mr. Weasley," said Madam Pomfrey as she regained her composure and walked closer to Ginny. "Your daughter was under an extreme amount of stress lately it seems and well...well...doing that released the reason for it."

As her parents stared at the nurse, Ginny took this opportunity to get dressed, and to find Draco. She found him standing a few feet from the doors when she reached the hallway. He had his hands in his pockets and was looking at the floor.

"We really averted a catastrophe in there," she muttered nervously.

"Yeah," he said as he looked up. "Well get ready for another one because my father is here."