An Addictive Solution

Chapter Eight

An entire week passed without them talking. She had to explain her decision to Dumbledore, and asked him not to mention anything to her parents. The Headmaster had agreed, but wasn't very happy about her decision. He tried to talk her out of it, but she adamantly refused until he gave up. He promised her he would have Madam Pomfrey ready, should anything like her fainting happen again.

And she felt it was about to happen again at any time. She could feel the world fading around her and it took all her strength to keep her balance. It was becoming more and more common as the days went by.

She had seen Draco walking around the castle with Crabbe and Goyle, and also with some girls from Slytherin. He was always smiling, and he went back to teasing the students he didn't like. His hate for Ron then had seemed to know no bounds and had now fully returned. Ron had taken the matter personally, and although he pretended not to, he could see Ginny's weakness. It despaired him so much, he had to blame someone - and he blamed Draco.

Draco was also very angry at the world. He could see Ginny was about to fall apart, and yet she wouldn't let him close to her. Not that he had tried so hard, but if the girl didn't know what was best for her, then he wouldn't be the one who would try to do anything about it.

But it hurt him so much that he didn't want to confess it. He remembered that afternoon at the infirmary, the way she had looked back at him after their kiss... and he saw that she loved him. It couldn't be anything else that had caused that glow in her eyes, and that glow was because of him.

Was it possible that he was in love, too? There was no other explanation for the confusion that grew inside of him. One day, he was missing her so badly that he decided to approach her by doing what he did best: teasing. He cornered her in a corridor and asked in a disdainful tone:

"You look like crap, Weasel. Need a kiss to feel better?"

"I'd rather kiss a troll, Malfoy," she murmured without looking at him, her voice full of anger.

"Well, that can be arranged..." He tried to have the last word, while she walked away from him as fast as she could.

He didn't even care anymore that the school was talking about them. He didn't even pay attention to the gossips anymore. Let them say whatever they liked. He was broken inside, and he was too busy trying to deny it to himself.

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It was late at night when she headed back to the Gryffindor common room. Dumbledore had spent most of the night trying to explain to her what they were trying to do for her, and how the results were disappointing. The wizard that had cursed her was already in prison and refused to break the curse, not even in exchange for his freedom. He was clearly insane, but he had done a very good job - the curse seemed unbreakable.

That was why her parents wanted her to go home for Christmas, when all her brothers would be there to talk to her, and she would stay with her family until her sixteenth birthday in February.

Ginny was very tired and could feel that familiar dizziness taking over her, so she agreed to everything, just so she could be dismissed by the Headmaster sooner. She just wanted to climb back into bed and sleep until she felt better, or at least until she felt strong enough to stand.

That wasn't the case. She felt her knees trembling and she knew she would fall even before she actually did. When she finally met the floor her fall echoed throughout the castle, and she moaned. It didn't hurt as mush as she had expected, but she couldn't bring herself to get up.

Minutes went by like this, until finally she felt two arms grabbing her and a familiar voice whispering in her ear:

"Virginia, are you alright?"

She barely opened her eyes to see Draco kneeled beside her with a concerned look on his face. She smiled, feeling too weak to refuse his embrace. She inhaled deeply and felt the smell of sandalwood coming from him. Apparently, he had just taken a bath.

"What are you doing here?" she asked weakly.

"I was coming out of the prefects' bathroom when I heard you fall and groan. I decided it wasn't the best time to follow your orders."

"Thank you, Draco," she muttered.

"Let me take you to the infirmary..."

"No!" she protested, feeling stronger. "Don't take me there! Dumbledore just finished giving me a lecture and I don't want to worry him more than he already is..."

"So you'd rather worry me, is that it?" He sighed, concerned. "Alright, alright, where do you want me to take you?"

She didn't answer, closing her eyes and feeling worse now. She shouldn't be there in Draco's arms and she shouldn't be enjoying it, but she couldn't help it. She was too weak to fight against it, and she couldn't pretend nothing had happened. She was in love with him. Being in his arms seemed the best place to be.

She felt him carry her downstairs, but she didn't bother opening her eyes or asking where they were going. Soon, he stopped and she heard him mutter something; just then they were in a clear place, where she couldn't resist her curiosity and opened her eyes slowly to see a very large bathtub in front of her and a mermaid sleeping in a portrait.

"You took me to the prefects' bathroom!" she exclaimed faintly.

"Yes, well... it's better than the corridor, where Filch can show up and wonder why we were on the floor..."

"I can't understand how they let people like you be prefects..." she interrupted him, feeling dizzy now that he was away from her.

But he was soon beside her again, using his robes as a pillow for her head and holding her to keep her warm. She felt so cold it was scaring him.

"What can I say?" he smiled, trying not to show how worried he was. "I smiled my way here."

She looked into his eyes and what she saw wasn't as sarcastic as it usually was. It had emotion in it. She saw how worried he was and how unhappy he felt. A tinkle of hope echoed through her as she watched him gaze at her with pleading eyes, and she thought that maybe he had missed her, too.

Then, he kissed her. Slowly at first, just like their first time. But it got deeper and deeper until neither of them could take anymore and had to gasp for air.

Her face was flushed, and she felt his body close to her, warming her. She smiled sadly and confessed out loud:

"I need this..." She seemed to hesitate, but soon she said, "I need you."

He kissed her again, harder this time. She kissed him back violently, grabbing his back and pulling him to her.

His hands opened her robes and she felt him unbuttoning her shirt. They broke apart for a moment when he exposed her bare skin and looked at her hungrily. She swallowed hard, afraid of what was happening, but even more afraid he would stop it.

"What are you doing?" she asked, her voice strangled, as she felt the need for more.

"I'm giving you strength," he answered, breathless, his voice a deep murmur against her skin.

The sensations were too strong for her to fight against and she didn't want to. She looked into his eyes, and saw them tortured. And when he held her again, his entire body touching her, she just let herself become lost in his arms.