DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter.
A/N: hope you'll like this chapter:D
Chapter Twenty-One- Not Going Anywhere
"I told you not to see him! What part of that don't you understand?" Ron shouted as he made his way towards Ginny. Ginny turned, wondering if Ron or someone else had seen her with Draco the other day in the tower.
"I'm not Ron! And even if I am, you're not my father so you don't have the right to tell me what and what not to do!" she said feeling rage igniting. With this reply, Ron held her arm tight, looking at her eyes intently.
"I'm not but I'm your brother in case you haven't realized," he muttered with a hint of threat, his ears getting redder by the minute. Both just stood there, intently looking at the other.
But Ginny felt something different. Despite the faint sound of menace, she sensed an unlikely softness---almost that of worry--- in Ron's voice. For a fraction of a second, she rationalized and reasoned to her mind that Ron was, as ever, just scolding her. But the look Ron had made Ginny believe it was different.
Realizing Ron's sincerity, Ginny didn't desire to worsen the 'conversation'. She didn't retort instead, took her arm gently from his grip and smiled.
"Ron, please listen," she started, trying to make her voice sound gentle, "I can't do anything about it but I assure you that nothing is going on," she continued. She felt sick upon saying this because she knew that there was something going on.
"And besides, he promised that he won't do anything that would put me into any danger." Upon saying this, the sickening feeling she had vanished. It was because she knew Draco wouldn't do something that would bring her harm.
Ron looked at the pleading face of his youngest sister. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. A Weasley defending a Malfoy. Sensing defeat, he put both his hands on his red hair and exhaled. Seeing this, Ginny can't help but smile.
"Ron, I know that Malfoy could be really cruel at times, but I can assure you that he's not with me. And besides, if something goes wrong, I have Professor McGonagall's word that I would be instantly replaced. It's part of the deal," Ginny finally said. Upon hearing this, Ron snorted.
"At times? What do you mean at times?" he asked with sarcasm. Ginny grinned.
Ron just looked at the fierce redhead in front of him. Personally, he would really want to push through with his argument. But seeing how she can be so determined about making a difference, he just couldn't bring himself to do it. Even with his personal objections at heart, Ron can't help but be proud of his sister. He realized how big her heart really was. And at this, he finally realized he can no longer protect her. She was her own shield now. And he can't do anything about it. She was, after sixteen years, on her own.
"Please Ron," Ginny pleaded, pulling Ron from his trance, "I do hope you understand. It's just that I couldn't give up on him and see him fail knowing that I could have avoided it from happening." Hearing this, it was Ron's turn to grin.
"You sound like Hermione, you know that. Always wanting to make a difference," Ron said. Ginny smiled at the comment realizing that she did sound like the Head Girl.
"So are you saying that you're okay with it?" Ginny asked, taking advantage of the lighter atmosphere of their conversation. At this, Ron's grin vanished.
"I'm not saying anything, Gin. I understand but it doesn't mean I approve of it. But if that's what you think you should do then I couldn't do anything about it, right? You're one stubborn girl Ginny Weasley. But if that stupid prat do---" Ron started but was cut by Ginny's gesture. She hugged him really tight.
"Thanks Ron. This really means a lot to me," she whispered to his ear.
"Damn it!" he shouted as he kicked the wooden armchair. He picked the letter from his bed and read it once more.
It was like he had no other choice. Even though both his mind and heart have decided to forget it, it was not that simple. Sometimes the strength of one's will was not enough to sustain one's ability to escape his destiny.
For the first time in his seventeen years of living, Draco Malfoy was clueless. He didn't have an idea of what to do next. He was so used to people, especially his father, dictating. But as that was the thing he wanted to change, Draco felt really lost.
He knew that if he didn't desire any troubles with his father, the right thing to do was to just commence. But every time this thought would enter his mind, a little voice kept telling him that it was not worth what he would compromise in doing so---his own happiness. Be who you want to be, not what your father wants you to become…
He knew that obliging was the easier option. But he also knew that telling someone he was in grave danger was the real right thing to do. Harder but right.
His mind attempted to weigh everything but he can't decide. He had to breathe and at that, he stood up and went out of the Head Boy's Room.
"One essay down, one to go," she murmured as she inserted two pieces of parchment in her folder and got another piece. Her mind fully squeezed, Ginny decided to pause and breathe. She looked at the heavens and saw countless stars shining down on her.
It was one of the best things working on top of the Astronomy Tower. The sky was breathtaking and it never failed to ease Ginny's mind. It was her needed escape.
As she felt a soft breeze pass her, she smiled thinking that it would have been really great if she could share that moment with someone really special.
Just when she was about to start writing again, Ginny felt the door opened. By instinct, she stood. She looked at her watch and saw that it was nearly midnight.
"What are you doing here?" he asked as he made his way towards her. It was Draco.
"Oh, it's you. Good. I thought you were Filch," Ginny said with relief. She sat down again and grabbed her clean piece of parchment.
"Do you know that I can punish you for being here at this hour?" Draco mocked as he seated beside her.
"Well, yeah," she managed to say as she was beginning to collect herself, "but I should ask you the same thing you asked me a while ago. What are you doing here?"
"I come here to think," was all he said without looking at her.
"So, what's on your mind?" she asked, though she had a faint idea about what he was thinking about. Not wanting to open up a potential heated conversation, Ginny looked away, letting her eyes gaze at the direction where his eyes were looking.
"Nothing much. I just got another letter from him," Draco replied sounding indifferent.
Ginny knew by his choice of words and tone that her instinct was right. He was referring to his father.
It was one of those rare times Ginny couldn't bring herself to say anything. She wanted to comfort him but she just couldn't find the right words to say. She was afraid to say the wrong things and ruin the moment. And so, she gave him one thing she knew he would at least, appreciate. Silence.
Draco knew Ginny's silence was another way of her telling him that she was listening. That she was just there, ready to hear him. They just sat there with no words spoken. After a while, she spoke, hoping he would open up.
"What was it about, if you don't mind me asking," Ginny said, looking at the brooding face Draco had. Draco didn't answer immediately making Ginny realize that he did mind her asking. She didn't push him to do so and was therefore surprise when he did answer.
"He wanted me to go home a month early. He said to tell Dumbledore it's urgent, that if possible I would take my N.E.W.T.s earlier than the rest of my class or not take them at all. Can you believe that? Can you believe him?" he said looking really irritated.
Once again, there was silence.
Feeling a little uneasy inside, Ginny got her parchment from the floor and wrote her name on the top left. But in doing so, her ears were all his. Seeing this, Draco looked at her writing.
"Why is it that all your letters are always so stiff and so sharp?" he asked, finally breaking the stillness surrounding them. Hearing this, Ginny raised an eyebrow and stopped in the middle of her first sentence.
"Why? Does it bother you? You're not Snape," she managed to say. She wasn't expecting him to bother with such petty things like her handwriting at a moment like this wherein he was dealing with so much. But then, she thought it was just a mechanism of his to avoid the real issue. His issue.
But Ginny didn't ask why he was avoiding his problem. It was because she knew that he would tell her if he was ready. She just hoped that it would be sooner than late.
"No. It's just that, a person's handwriting can speak of the writer himself. You, based on your straight and brisk manner of writing, you're the type of person who wants everything in place. You demand control and understanding," he said, pointing on certain letters. Ginny on the other hand, can't help but admire on how good he was at explaining.
"Well, professor. I had to give it to you, I can see that you know your subject well. You're absolutely right," she said smiling, realizing that the ice that emerged minutes ago had melted. She looked at Draco who was grinning himself for being praised. She had waited for that smile. She then can't help but wonder about his handwriting and what it said about him.
There was another moment of silence. Ginny continued writing and as for Draco, he seemed to find the sky really captivating. But after some time, he looked at Ginny.
"Ginny," he started, "thanks," he finally said when she looked back at him with the same amount of intent he was giving her. Though he didn't say what it was he was grateful for, she knew what it was. It was her presence. It was the fact that she was just there, ready to listen and be with him.
"You know that I'm not going anywhere, right?" she said, still looking at him. She was being drowned in his gray eyes. She felt lost but she didn't care anymore. At that moment, nothing seemed to be really important for her except for that moment. Hearing this, Draco did something she didn't expect. He leaned closer and closer---
And he kissed her.
The moment his lips touched hers, Ginny felt cold shiver run down her spine. Feeling his kiss, she closed her eyes and just felt his soft touch. She heard the soft drop of parchment and quill on the stone floor and didn't care. She never felt this way towards anyone before.
She never felt that way with Edward. Never. Though Ginny had kissed Edward before, the emotions she was feeling now as she was being kissed by Draco were no comparison to any kiss they shared.
She felt as if the kiss was longing to be given. She felt that it was so right that when he had let go, her heart protested. She never felt so…so thrilled and yet so serene. And the fact that it was forbidden---Ginny didn't know what else to feel.
When she opened her eyes and saw Draco having a small grin on his face, Ginny can't help but smile. But for a fleeting second, a thought passed through her mind.
How would I know that I'm the only girl who felt like this towards him? How would I be so sure that my meaning to him is not the same with the others? After all, I'm with what girls of Hogwarts dreamt of. He was after all, known to break hearts...
Her train of thoughts was cut off when he finally spoke.
"I know," was all he said.
They stayed there, seated on the cold stone floor looking at each other's eyes. Ginny then decided she had to be honest about what she was feeling.
"Draco, I know this isn't the right time to ask but--- how can I be so sure? How can I be so sure of you? Of us? You are after all, Draco Malfoy. And I'm just--I'm just me," she said calmly. Hearing this, Draco smiled and looked at the floor.
"I'm not so sure on how to prove it to you Ginny, but I do hope that you believe me somehow when I tell you that you're the only person who makes me want to be different. You make me want to be true to myself despite what others might think and say. You're the only woman who can make me shut up," Draco said smiling, now looking at her, "you're the only person who really tries to make me see that there's good in change. You're the only person who showed me that there's no need to pretend in life; that it should be seized and not hated. And you're the only person who saw who I really was. And for me, these are enough to make me believe that we are certain," Draco ended.
He left her speechless. She didn't know what to say. She breathed in, feeling she was near fainting.
How could she fall for him? Of all the guys, why him and of all the girls, why her? Then, as if to make her guiltier, she remembered what she and Ron had argued about earlier that day.
"I told you not to see him! What part of that don't you understand?"
"I'm not Ron! And even if I am, you're not my father so you don't have the right to tell me what and what not to do!"
"I can't do anything about it but I assure you that nothing is going on…."
Nothing is going on--- that was what she told her brother. But after that evening, Ginny finally had the confirmation that there was something.
But then she remembered what she told Draco--- This is your life so be who you want to be….
Looking at Draco's eyes, Ginny finally realized that it was her life, not Ron's. It's hers, not the Weasleys'. Only hers.
She rested her head on his shoulder. She then looked at the starry sky above. She then smiled, remembering the thought she was pondering on when she was alone. The sky was indeed breathtaking---one of the best things about the tower.
But sharing it with someone special--- it was not one, but the best thing about it.
"Need help with your Potions essay?" Draco asked as he turned to kiss her vivid mane. Ginny lifted her head and looked at him.
"No thanks. We can't trade places, if that's what you're thinking," she kidded, "I'm still the tutor."
"But I'm older," he boasted.
"Doesn't matter," she said back, one eyebrow higher than the other.
"Makes sense," he surrendered.
They stayed there in each other's company: one working to finish her task, and one looking at the other finishing it. And in both minds, only one thought lingered---they wouldn't have it any other way.
And above them, the starry sky winked as its blessing when a single shooting star had flown from east to west.
A/N: so what do you think? i have the story planned out, probably four or five chapters more. the next chapters will be more serious as Draco will already face his primary dilemma. anyway, thanks for taking the time to read this. please review:D