In the Bleak Midwinter

Ginny didn't eat anything at breakfast. She didn't seem to have any sort of appetite, and the memory of last night was still haunting her. She remembered the warmth emanating from Draco's body, and the comfort she felt as he eased his hands through her hair.

But it was Draco. Draco Malfoy.

"Morning," Harry told her, plopping down across the table with a grin on his face. "Happy Christmas Eve."

"What?" asked Ginny, jerked from her reverie.

Harry looked at her oddly. "I said Happy Christmas Eve!"

"Oh. You too, then, I guess."

Ron and Hermione joined them, looking excited.

"Guess what?" Hermione said, rubbing her hands together. "There's going to be a New Year's Masque!"

"We saw the sign in the Entrance Hall," Ron added happily.

Harry groaned. Hermione turned to him, confused. "What's wrong?"

"This means I'll have to ask someone, and I'm horrible at that," he moaned, rolling his eyes.

"You'll be fine," Ron affirmed, gulping down his porridge. "We've got a whole week."

"Ha!" said Hermione. "You'd be better off with a year, if you were working quickly." Ron glared at her.

"Ginny," Harry said suddenly, "why so glum?"

Ginny looked over at him and shrugged. "I think I might be getting sick," she lied.

Ron's glare turned quickly into a frown. "You're not eating enough, that's it," he said. "Go on, have some breakfast."

Ginny rounded on him. "Ron, I'm well aware Mum's been sending you owls! You think I'm blind? Stop ordering me around."

Ron had the grace to blush. "Mum specifically told me to look after you."

"Tell her I can look after myself."

"You're only sixteen," Ron huffed.

Ginny snarled, and Harry jumped. "That's old enough to know wrong from right." With that, she stormed from the Great Hall in out of the castle.

"What's wrong with her these days?!" Ron bellowed, throwing down his spoon.

(&)

Ginny plowed a clean path straight through the deep snow and to the forest. Finally reaching the thick black trees, she collapsed beneath one, glaring at the cloudy sky.

"Out of all the brothers in the bloody world, and in Hell for that matter, why was I cursed with that prat?!" she shouted, pounding her fist into the ground.

"Finally given in to the inevitable?" said a cold voice behind her. She twisted around.

"Malfoy," she whispered, her voice barely audible above the quickening wind.

He looked at her with soft eyes, but such a hard, hard face. "Good morning."

"It's--hardly good," She said quietly, uncertainty plain in her eyes. Since the night before, Ginny felt she couldn't yell at him.

She expected him to belittle her or ignore her or insult her family. But he was silent. She glanced up at him sharply and found him staring at her, searching her face with an amazed expression.

"Something wrong?" she asked worriedly, forgetting whom she was speaking to for a fleeting moment.

He blinked and looked away, but she could still see the surprise etched into his pale, angular features. "No," he answered curtly.

Ginny stood up clumsily from the freezing snow. Somehow, talking with Draco had quieted her anger at Ron. Wait--Draco? Malfoy? The Slytherin? The Enemy? The Friend...? Ginny didn't know what to call him. For some strange reason, 'Malfoy' seemed too formal. Ginny almost felt as if she and Draco had shared something important, something special; something beyond calling each other by their last names.

"Well...I...had better go," Ginny said into the confused silence. "I'll...see you in the halls." Ouch--that was so bad it was painful, Ginny thought to herself. Hastily, she smiled at him and turned away, but he didn't seem to notice. He was staring at the snow.

Suddenly, his cold, strong fingers clenched around her arm from behind and whipped her around to face him. This time, he looked straight into Ginny's eyes with such intensity that she shivered. His crystalline eyes were deep and unfathomable, set against his pale skin and silky hair perfectly.

"Weasley," he said, and his voice was much softer than Ginny had expected, "I'll be wanting that cloak back."

(&)

Ron had cooled down by the time he finished eating, and he quickly sought out Ginny for an apology.

"She's right," Harry said quietly to his friend as they followed Hermione. "She can handle herself now."

"I hope she can," Ron replied as they drew even with Hermione on the castle's front steps outside.

Hermione was gazing down the hill toward the Forbidden Forest, where two figures stood out against the snow. One was small and thin, with vibrant red hair--Ginny. The other, a tall, pale-haired figured dressed all in black, was clutching her arm and speaking to her.

"Malfoy!" Ron shouted, storming through the snow with a vengeance. "Get your hands off my sister!"

Malfoy let go abruptly and Ginny whirled around, both of them looking quite surprised. Ginny rolled her eyes and looked very exasperated when she realized who was shouting.

"I mean it, if you've done anything to her--" Ron began threateningly, reaching for his wand.

"Ron!" Hermione said sharply, pulling the wooden device away from him. "Don't."

Harry, on the other hand, really wanted Ron to curse the git. "What happened, Malfoy? Was your Youth Death Eater meeting cancelled, or something?"

Malfoy's expression hardened. "It's really touching to see you sticking up for your little girlfriend and all, but I really don't feel like sticking around for the Prat Party."

For some odd reason, Harry flushed, and he wouldn't meet Ginny's eyes. "Fine, go. But I think our Prat Party will be much more fun than your Fundraiser for Evil."

Malfoy blinked, but had the dignity not to argue over fundraisers. Instead he drew himself up to his full height, gave Ginny half a glance as if to relay a message that Harry, Ron, and Hermione didn't comprehend, and then sauntered back up to the castle.

"Ginny," Ron said, hurrying over to him. "You okay?"

She rolled her eyes. "Yes, Ron, I'm fine! Get off me, I'm perfectly all right."

Ron stepped away and looked at the snow. "Look, Gin, I'm sorry about this morning. I'm only trying to do what Mum asks--and it's only because I care for you. And listen, if Malfoy's giving you any trouble, just tell me--"

"He's not doing anything wrong. We were just talking. And I'm sorry as well," she interrupted.

Ron was obviously confused about the "just talking" part, but he was smart enough not to say anything. "Good," he said instead.

"Well, then," Hermione said lightly. "Now that we're all on good terms--who's up for some group studying?"

Everyone groaned.

(&)

That night, Ginny's nightmare returned. Her dormitory was utterly silent of breathing classmates, and so thick with shadows that Ginny felt suffocated.

Gradually, she fell asleep, terror still filling her mind as her eyes closed. Slowly but surely, images entered her mind, horrible visions of that young man whom she feared the most...

She was alone, completely alone. The books along the library shelves were her only companions. They observed with unseeing eyes as she kept her silent vigil of studying through the night.

Her candle began to burn low. Her eyes drooped with fatigue and her pale features were hollow and sickly.

But she couldn't sleep! She couldn't--

Before she knew what she was doing, the book was in front of her. Its black cover glinted with a royal purple sheen in the dying light. Royal--her king, her knight in shining armor. Dying--death--

She opened it. Her hand moved with inhuman speed across the page as she wrote to him.

My name is Ginevra Weasley.

His charming, sly smile spread across the page, his eyes shining with an old malice reawakened.

Hello again, Ginevra.

You don't know me.

I do. I know you better than anyone.

No.

Yes.

No--

She threw the book down viciously, her heart beating faster. Fear unlike any she had ever felt before crept into her veins and froze her. Icy cold fear...

The book fell open. She could clearly see his face on the page, grinning a sick grin as he looked upon her frightened features.

Gradually, his face materialized. He rose upward, and her mind screeched at her to run, but her feet were frozen to the floor. He took a step toward her, and another. In a moment, he was across the room, standing beside her, running long fingers across her cheek.

She felt his sweet breath on her neck.

Yes, Ginevra, I do know you. I own you.

Only the books, her silent companions, heard her shrill scream.

Ginny sat up sharply, sweat collecting on her brow and running down her face. Leaping out of bed, she realized that there were tears as well.

She sobbed, racing down the steps to the common room. There was a roaring fire in the fireplace, but its warmth did not reach her. She felt so cold, so dark, so alone. So scared.

"Ginny?" Harry asked, taking in her disheveled appearance with wide, concerned eyes.

She ran to him, the last of her composure slipping away.

(&)

He heard her race into the room and whirled around.

"Ginny?"

Her hair was completely disheveled, standing every which way like unpredictable flames. Her cheeks were white as ivory, and tears flowed down them like rivers.

Before Harry could say anything more, she was next to him, sobbing into his shoulder like a toddler.

Her hands gripped his arm, and shivers ran down his spine at her touch. "Ginny," he murmured. "Ginny, you're freezing!" Hastily, he threw his blanket over her shoulders. She didn't seem to notice, but simply wept away, clutching him close as if she depended on him for life.

She seemed to cry forever, ugly visions that Harry could not fathom running through her mind. He could only hold her, letting her lean on his shoulder and cry into his shirt. He tried to warm her up, but other than that, could do nothing.

After a few long minutes, she fell asleep, still lying in his arms like a shattered porcelain doll.

Harry could only guess, sitting there beside her, what had caused her to break.

(&)

Ginny woke on the couch in the Gryffindor Common room, her head heavy and eyes puffy. She yawned and sat up, blinking at the sudden intrusion of the sun through the windows.

Then everything hit her. The empty dorm, the horrible nightmare, and Harry. Harry's warm arms, soft voice, willing embrace--he had been so kind.

Confusion fluttered in her heart for a moment as many thoughts rushed through her head, but she pushed them aside. She could think of Harry later, after today; after a joyous, carefree Christmas.

She stood slowly and began making her way across the common room, but stopped when she heard thunderous footsteps racing down the stairs.

"Ginny?" Ron burst out, looking happy. "What're you doing down here?"

Harry stood behind him, perfectly silent. She glanced over Ron's shoulder at him, and smiled gratefully. He hadn't said anything to her brother.

He grinned back shyly, winking. She blessed him.

"Well, I...couldn't sleep. It was too cold in my room, so I came to the fire," she replied, thinking quickly. Well, it was a half-truth, and that would have to do.

"It's Christmas! Have you seen your presents?" Ron roared. "Go on up, open them!"

She nodded at him and rushed up to her dormitory, only to find Hermione waiting on her bed.

"Ginny," she greeted, beaming. "Happy Christmas."

Ginny's fear from the night before had melted away. Ron's endless spirit was getting to her. "Happy Christmas!" She raced over to Hermione and gave her a large hug.

"Well, you've got presents, you know," the older Gryffindor said after a moment.

Ginny laughed and hurried to the foot of her bed. There was a neat stack of presents perched there.

Ginny suddenly thought of Ron and Harry, waiting below for the girls' reaction. "Hermione, can you help me carry these down? I want to open them with everyone."

She nodded and piled a few into her arms. Ginny followed her with the remaining gifts, stumbling off down the stairs.

"I couldn't open them without you," Ginny explained to Ron and Harry when they reached the common room.

"All right, then, this one first," Ron replied, handing her a neatly wrapped package. "It's from me."

"Thanks." Ginny pried her way through the perfect wrapping. "Did you wrap this, Ron?"

Hermione laughed at her disbelief. "No, I did it for him."

"Ah. I knew something was wrong when it looked so nice." Ginny pulled back the paper to reveal a set of pretty green combs. "Oh, Ron, they're beautiful." She hastily ran her fingers through her bright hair and slipping one into it.

"Green always did look good in your red hair," Ron told her, his ears red.

Ginny opened one from her mother, with the traditional Weasley sweater in it, periwinkle blue this time. There were a few others from dorm mates and friends, mostly sweets, until she came upon Harry's and Hermione's.

Hermione, predictably, gave her a book, but it wasn't a textbook. It was, instead, a thin novel, pocket-sized, titled The Hogwarts Four: Autobiographical and Ginny thought it looked rather interesting. "Thanks," she told Hermione, hugging her again. "Autobiographical, that should be intriguing!"

"You're welcome. I haven't read it yet, what with all my other work, but I thought you'd be interested."

Last was Harry's. "Be careful," he warned, "It's fragile."

She smiled at him nervously, peeling back the paper with thin, shaking fingers. Delicately, she peered between the wrapping anxiously, until a beautiful glass figure, prism-like, came into view.

"Oh, Harry!" she breathed, lifting it cautiously. "It's...amazing."

He smiled shyly.

Inspecting the figure closer, she realized with awe that it was a tiny glass model of Hogwarts. The light shining through the window reflected off it in a million rays of exquisite colors, gleaming on Ginny's face and hands. The most expert of craftsmen had made it, perfect down to the tiniest detail. Tiny log-ridden fires burst to life in the different rooms, and every last trinket Dumbledore owned could be accounted for in his office.

Looking closer, Ginny gasped in surprise. Sitting in her very spot in the Gryffindor common room was an exact model of herself, peering at a gleaming prism in her hands. Sitting beside here were Harry, Ron, and Hermione, all three looking closely at the model as well. Crookshanks slept in the corner, his tail flipping.

Ginny searched it yet again in utter disbelief. The castle was enchanted to show every creature or detail inside it. McGonagall was pacing her study...Flitwick was poring over a book on his desk...Nearly-Headless Nick floated along with the Hufflepuff Friar in the Astronomy Tower.

"Thank you, oh, thank you, Harry! This is perfect...it's so beautiful!" Ginny cried, carefully setting it down before giving him a clumsy hug. He laughed nervously, awkwardly patting her back, and blushed.

Ginny passed the castle to Hermione and Ron, who both exclaimed aloud as they discovered its secrets.

Finally, after every package had been opened and every 'thank you' given, the Gryffindors went up to their rooms to get ready for breakfast in the Great Hall.

Ginny showered and changed quickly, throwing on jeans and her new sweater. Then, seated upon her bed, she admired Harry's gift a little closer, and she found yet another magical trait: the model moved and changed as Hogwarts did. A staircase shifted on the third floor, a statue leapt aside to admit a student that looked like a Hufflepuff into her common room, and the Vanishing Cabinet appeared in the Entrance Hall.

Eyes roving, Ginny discovered a million secret passageways that Fred and George had never known. She followed one that snaked down the Charms hallway, headed toward the Great Hall, and then shot down a staircase straight to the dungeons. Continuing along the labyrinthine hallways of the Slytherin domain, Ginny came to the wall that hid the entry to the Slytherin common room. Moving past it into the room, she saw three figures seated on a couch before a dancing-flamed fire.

Ginny recognized one particularly loathsome girl as Pansy Parkinson. She was chatting stupidly away, unaware of the Gryffindor's gaze. Seated next to her was a young Slytherin boy, rather handsome, with softly chiseled hair and high cheekbones.

Then, staring into the flames, lost in his own thoughts, sat Draco Malfoy.

Ginny noticed that he was still wearing his green silk pajamas and long bathrobe, and giggled suddenly. She felt like a silly schoolgirl as she watched him, giving the occasional answer to Pansy's pesky questions. Mostly, he didn't move, just sat silently and mulled over something.

He's probably got a million gifts, she thought, what with his rich father and all. But he didn't look too happy. Perhaps he hasn't gotten what he wants?

A thought soared into Ginny's mind like an arrow. She remembered the night she had secretly shared with Draco--not secret anymore, it seemed. He knew about the cloak, he knew about her, he knew about everything.

But Ginny couldn't help feeling connected to him somehow, as if that night had bonded them in a way no hatred could break. Connected enough to owe him a Christmas present...even a simple little gift. It would have to be late, but maybe that evening she could whip something up and give it to him...she felt queasy and nervous at the idea of giving Draco Malfoy a gift. Surely he would only laugh at her. But it was worth a try, because friends always give an effort for other...friends. Besides, she didn't really hate him anymore.

Had she ever really hated him?

Ginny shook the deep thoughts from her head, unwilling to think that hard on Christmas day. She watched the model instead as Draco rose and headed up to his dormitory to shower and change for breakfast.

A devilish grin split across Ginny's face as she realized the true power of the object she possessed. It allowed her free view of everything--everything--including Draco Malfoy in the shower. She was suddenly tempted as he headed into his dormitory...

Hermione came into her door, and Ginny nervously shoved the castle out of sight.

"What?" Hermione asked her, looking suspicious. "You're grinning like a cat that's just found the cream."

Ginny tried to look innocent. "No, I'm not."

Hermione raised an eyebrow, but didn't push it. Instead, she asked, "Ready for breakfast?"

"Sure," Ginny replied, following her back to the common room.

As Ginny walked with Harry, Ron, and Hermione down to the Great Hall, she marveled at the mysterious object Harry had given her, and grinned again at the thought of everything she could use it for...

(&)