Disclaimer: I do not own any characters, places, or ideas relating to or pertaining to the world of Harry Potter and JK Rowling. I graciously thank JK for her life-changing works and our ability as faithful readers to use her creations as our own for pure fanfic pleasure. Because honestly, if I did own the rights to Draco and Ginny, obviously they would end up together forever and always.

A/N: This is a mini series that I decided on in order to explore the paths less traveled with D/G. Each chapter is representative of a verse from the song "Never Say Never," by The Fray, though this is in no way a songfic or anything of the being said, not every chapter will fall into the HP universe as most of them will enter AUs in order to develop the short plot line needed for the individualized chapters. Each chapter is different and the events do not coincide with the previous or following chapter. However, it will be assumed that the emotions and feelings will be carried over through the chapters. (You'll understand what I mean when Part II is added.) That being said, read, enjoy, and REVIEW!

Part One

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It was his Seventh Year. These were supposed to be the happiest times of his life. But instead Draco Malfoy was reduced to hiding in the bathrooms during his Head Boy rounds to avoid running into other students or worse - the Carrows. His thin, pale hands were trembling and his greasy blonde hair hung limply around his shoulders from days spent worrying as he glided between classes, barricaded in his private room when his presence was not commanded elsewhere. Snape was doing a fine job of Headmaster but descent and rebellion echoed in the low rumble of hurried whispers in the corridors and during meals in the Great Hall. Most of the other students did not want to be here at this point, the Final Battle so close to happening, but Hogwarts remained the safest place for the children. While many days still passed where teenagers were sent back to their common rooms bruised and injured, many days lapsed where random persons were discovered missing only to return to classes several days later. These were the second Dumbledore's Army and they were scared but prepared to fight for the chance to return the school to its former glory.

The one bright spot in this hell hole of a school year had blossomed from his opportune run-in with Ginny Weasley one night during rounds. Draco had been feeling slightly agitated that night in late October but had performed his Head Boy duties with gusto and had rapidly walked his route of the castle, watching for errant students and suspicious behavior. He was passing through the deserted hallways of the third floor when his leather clad steps were paused by the faint echoing of sobs. Draco had gripped his wand tighter, hesitantly turning around to widely stare at the empty hallway behind him. The sadness sounded again and he cautiously walked to the nearest stone archway and leaned his head into the dark corridor, the almost noiseless sniffles of someone crying alerting him to the source of the sounds.

"Who's there?" He authoritatively called, his words wavering in the barest indication of his fear.

"Bullocks," a raspy voice whispered but Draco saw no one as his grey eyes narrowed and peered down the shadowed hallway.

"Who's there, I said!"

There was a rustling of the fabric of the air next to the small, dark corner where the corridor shrank and he was as unsurprised as she was mad when Draco saw flaming curls and freckled skin materialize. Ginny was clutching her left hand to her chest and her chin was lifted proudly but Draco noticed nothing besides her presence out of her dormitory after hours, smirking smally at her irritated, tear streaked face.

"Weasley," he drawled. "So nice to see you out and about when you're not supposed to be."

"Shove it, Malfoy," Ginny growled but he ignored the warning tone as he languidly paced to stand in front of her.

"Tsk, tsk Ginevra. You should know better than to anger your elders. I'm sure your dozen brothers taught you that growing up," Draco taunted, his words lacking the biting edge that in previous years had accompanied his insults and belittlings.

"And I'm sure your father beat the same principle into you," she spat, chocolate eyes narrowed in contempt at the blonde wizard.

His jaw clenching and a blank stare overcoming his sharp features, Draco blinked and dispelled the taunting remarks he had quickly planned to respond with, his emotions turning off at the mention of Lucius and his evil parenting ways. Ginny pressed her balled up fist further against her chest, fingers curling at the soft movement as Draco noticed the slight action and glanced down.

"What happened to your hand?" He blurted out.

Auburn eyebrows furrowing, Ginny looked at the injured appendage and shrugged. "Detention."

His lips fell open and Draco merely stared at her nonchalant response.

"Here. Let me fix it," he mumbled, reaching for her wrist with one hand while the other pointed his wand loosely at the broken area. Glancing around to make sure this wasn't a trick and somehow Draco Malfoy was actually being nice to her, Ginny slowly moved her left arm towards his outstretched palm. His long fingers were warm wrapping around her bare wrist and she winced when he exerted a slight pressure to the fractured bones.

Draco was concentrated on the injury, his grey eyes peeled to her freckled skin, and failed to notice Ginny cautiously staring at him, pain forgotten as she watched him deftly work his magic. The tip of his pink tongue swiped across the seam of his lips before he quietly whispered healing spells and Ginny felt a hot warmth spread across her chest and her breathing increase as Draco leaned closer, his musky scent of old parchments and worn leather surrounding her effectively. The hairline fractures were mending quickly as his wand flourished and the breaks were almost finished rapidly healing when a loud shuffle of footsteps echoed in the main hallway.

"I 'eard somethin' up 'ere, Alecto! I swear it!"

"Brother, if ya are just makin' this up and we gotta walk all tha way back to tha other end of tha castle - I sure 'ope there's students up 'ere."

"We'll get 'em good, sister."

Without preamble Draco rushed forward, pressing the toned planes of his lean body against Ginny's slightly shorter frame as he pushed them into the shadows of the stone corner. She had not been paying full attention and had only just realized someone was walking closer to their position when he had crushed his sinfully muscled chest to her curvy stature, knocking the scant air from her lungs as Ginny felt the rough edges of the wall through the thin fabrics of her uniform.

"What the -"

"Shh!" Draco hastily whispered, a luminescent finger jerking across his lips as his silver eyes widened and rolled to his right, indicating that they were not alone. Ginny felt the blonde angle his broad shoulders so that she was completely concealed and her thick eyelashes rested against her brow bone as she peered anxiously up at the close proximity of his arresting silver gaze. Draco's lips moved silently as the blood pounded in her ears, removing all outside noise as Ginny's heart beat increased at the approaching confrontation with the Carrows, her second that evening, and from the captivating warmth of the boy surrounding her.

"Stay here," Draco suddenly whispered, his hips jerking backwards as he randomly turned around and walked to the end of the short, dark hallway. Just as two long shadows crept closer down the main walkway, he strode through the archway and paused, his blonde head rotating as he acted surprised to see the encroaching teachers.

"Draco?" Amycus called hesitantly. "What are ya doing up 'ere?"

"Just finishing up my rounds as Head Boy, sir. I thought I smelled smoke up here but I guess it was just wishful thinking," he fluidly explained, garnering a not so amused look from Alecto as she glared at the boy then at her brother.

"I told ya there wasn't anyone up 'ere!" She bellowed, spiteful anger lashing out as she grew further agitated with the silly situation. "Come, brother. We 'ave a long walk back to our quarters."

Amycus recoiled slightly when Alecto reached forward, jerking as if she were going to hit him, but slumped when she grabbed the lapel of his robe and pulled him after her rapidly moving steps.

"Good night, professors!" Draco yelled smartly, his lips curling into a smirk as the Carrows rounded a corner and disappeared from sight. His jaw twitched and he remembered Ginny invisibly hidden down the empty hallway behind, his feet turning as he easily walked back through the narrow archway.

"Why did you do that?" She asked when he stopped in front of the place where he knew she would still be. "Why didn't you turn me over to them?"

Draco sighed heavily, his grey eyes falling as his ashen eyelashes fluttered against his pale cheekbones.

"No one deserves what they did to you. This," he said, motioning to the wrist she had cradled against her chest once more. "Does it still hurt?" He asked gently, his thin fingers reaching up but hesitating before she placed her arm out for him to examine.

"Just a little," she replied, voice husky as their steps inadvertently brought them closer. Draco finished healing her injuries, feeling her heated stare on his face as he worked and he fought to keep his hands steady and his cheeks from blushing under her scrutiny. He released her wrist but Ginny's warm fingers grasped his forearm and stilled his motions, the scant inches separating their bodies heating up as she tossed her flaming curls over her shoulder and tilted her porcelain face up towards him. Before he had realized what was happening, Ginny vaulted her chest forward and pressed her plump lips to his mouth, surprise knocking the air from his lungs as she passionately kissed him and he soon returned the emotion as a boiling heat dropped below his belt. Their hands were frantically pulling at the other clothing, eager to feel some sort of physical connection with someone while all else seemed so bleak.

It didn't matter that their Houses were rivals or that they had spent the past five years taunting and demeaning each other - right now Draco and Ginny only knew the actions of their bodies and they let their primal instincts take over as their eyes remained firmly shut. Clothing in the way, they took turns unfastening and pushing aside the offending articles before Draco forcefully pushed his hard cock into Ginny's dripping pussy, uniting them for the first time. The sex was frenzied but precise, Ginny's shoulders grinding into the stone wall as Draco held her hips aloft and her long legs wrapped around his waist. Grunting and moaning simultaneously, the pair of teenagers exhaled heavily and the aftershocks of their orgasms ran their course as they too soon disconnected, rearranging their uniforms without meeting the others gaze.

Rubbing her wrist to give her hands something to do, Ginny tentatively cleared her throat after shrugging her shoulder to keep her school bag in place. His hands paused halfway down his chest, working to smooth out the invisible wrinkles of his jumper as Draco glanced up nervously.

"Thank you," Ginny politely said. "For saving me from the wrath of the Carrows," she added when his grey eyes widened a fraction and an arrogant smirk pulled up one corner of his lips.

"It was nothing, Weasley," Draco responded, blank mask in place as Ginny cocked her red head to the side, tightening her lips before nodding once and turning to leave. He watched her go, silently proud of the slight limp to her strut as Ginny hurried away, rounding the corner of the archway and disappearing from sight within a few steps.

Something changed that night.

Draco felt the slightest bit less alone, a bit of the burden relived from his shoulders as his frustrations and nerves seemed to have evaporated with his orgasm. From that moment on, he studied Ginny Weasley, watching her from a distance without noticing her discretely observing him. When he found her walking down a nearly empty corridor or wandering around the castle alone, he took the opportunities to seize her and lock them in a nearby deserted classroom, mauling her lips as soon as it was safe. Ginny, meanwhile, took satisfaction in her sudden ability to charm the Malfoy heir, his will bent around her coy smile and curvy body. She always knew when he would be following her, waiting patiently for the moment when he could surprise and drag her away, and Ginny smartly planned for those instances by luring him through the castle when the need arose, quickly growing to enjoy the thrill that came with their sneaking around and the spontaneity that added anticipation to each new day.

By the time Christmas holidays came around, their hidden union was growing stronger and both were unforcibly allowed to stay at Hogwarts for the several weeks break. A majority of those days found Draco and Ginny holed up in his Head Boy suite, naked except for the ever present smiles gracing their faces. What few students had stuck behind instead of going home did not notice their absences, all teenagers hidden away in their dorms to ignore the searching eyes of the Carrows and the harsh cold of the winter weather.

"What are we doing?" Ginny asked lazily one evening when the holidays were coming to a close, her fiery head resting on Draco's chest as they lay entwined under his sheets. "What are we really doing here, Draco?"

He had sighed heavily, shutting his silver eyes to keep at bay the question he knew would one day come.

"Honestly? I don't know."

"They won't ever let us be together," she had whispered against the rising and falling of his pale torso, an errant finger tracing invisible patterns into his skin. "They'll never let us be happy."

"Never say never, love," Draco had responded into the flaming mass of curls atop her head, tilting his head to kiss her hairline placatingly. "Let's not talk about this now," he said after moments of their matching breaths filling the silent room. "When this is all done and over, we'll have our chance. You'll see."

Ginny had nodded hurriedly, her chocolate eyes squeezing shut to block out the thoughts that the random hook up she had started with Draco Malfoy, somehow evolved into a full blown, secret affair, would someday come to an end. She had grown to rely on the handsome, blonde wizard for mental and emotional support and just the knowledge that in two days time they would be forced to return to their patterns of hate and disgust, it tore her up inside. But she also realized that publicly displaying their relationship right now, in the middle of the greatest war wizarding Britain had yet to see, could have extreme consequences for both of them. Death Eaters would be searching for each of them, ordered to kill the double traitorous Purebloods.

So when the days passed and the school was once again full of chattering students and grumpy teachers, Draco and Ginny acted as if there was not a burgeoning love fueled flame inside them and avoided the other like the Plague until they were sure it was safe. Their nights became longer as more days elapsed between their last meetings and their couplings became more intense as their bodies craved the intimacy and warmth of another person. When Ginny would stumble into his rooms late at night, bruised and beaten from detention or from D.A. practices, Draco healed her wounds and held her close as he rocked her to sleep. On the many nights, growing more frequent as the semester progressed, when Lucius owled him or he received orders or news, Ginny waited patiently for his anxious anger to abate, talking him through his feelings and strategies as the situations became more dire and they were faced with tougher decisions.

Somehow the teachers mustered enthusiasm for a Spring Social, encouraging the students towards positivity while darkness swirled at their gates. Although they were not allowed to leave the school to acquire attire or accessories for the event, it was arranged for special orders to be placed with various shops in Hogsmeade to obtain such items for the students. Everyone seemed to be in good spirits for the upcoming ball and Draco turned optimistic that he and Ginny would take their relationship public. He was rudely surprised when a week before the dance he caught word at breakfast from Pansy that the Weaslette would be going with Seamus Finnagin and that the two seemed to have already consummated their pairing. Painfully he looked across the Great Hall to the Gryffindor table and once his grey eyes spotted them he wished he hasn't searched in the first place. Seamus had an arm wrapped around Ginny's shoulders and she was turned flirtatiously towards his close body as their heads bent and they talked rapidly.

Sensing someone's stare on her, Ginny glanced up, eyes going wide when she noticed it was Draco giving her the evil eye as Seamus prattled on as if she were still paying attention. Narrowing his gaze heatedly, Draco shook his blonde head reproachfully and sneered, disgusted at her blatant attempt to show him that he meant so little to her. When he jumped up, pushing back the wooden bench as he stood, Ginny faltered next to Seamus and tried to dislodge herself from his grasp as she hurried to chase Draco out of the Hall. His steps were quick and he was almost running down the empty hallway towards his quarters, fully intent on changing his password and reconfiguring the entrance to his rooms, when he heard Ginny's following patter of footsteps.

"Draco! Wait!" She called. "I can explain!"

He had halted, angrily turning around to pace towards her until Ginny had to abruptly stop to keep from colliding with his firm chest.

"Explain what, trollop?" He seethed, silver eyes darkened to a hard steel as he glared at her strong stance, holding her ground as he leaned forward and nearly spit in her face from his closeness. "How you're giving yourself to another wizard as if I don't matter? I thought we had something, Ginny. But I guess you were too stupid to realize just how important that was."

Shaking with repressed irritation and growing fear at the rising potential for their relationship to soon be coming to that all encompassing end, Ginny jutted her chin forward and bravely met his gaze.

"I did it for us," she pleaded, willing him to understand as the words rushed out. "Pavarti saw us the other day and she asked me if she had been delusional in thinking she saw us flirting and holding hands. We don't need rumors flying around about us when that gossip could get us killed. I said yes to Seamus so no one would be any wiser about you and I."

Cocking one golden eyebrow, disinterested in her begging story, Draco clenched his jaw as he ground out, "Then why did that buffoon have his hands all over you like you were some piece of meat?"

Throwing her hands up, Ginny rolled her brown eyes. "I can't just say yes and then ignore him until the dance. Seamus and I are friends, he can be a bit handsy but you barely have any room to talk with the way Parkinson always has her sausage fingers all over you."

Glaring pointedly, after all he was never one to admit when his mistakes were pointed out, Draco huffed, crossing his toned arms as Ginny stared at him defiantly.

"Fine. Have it your way. Go to the dance with Finnagin. See if I care."

Glancing up and down once, sizing her up as if he were picking out the dress robes to wear to a function, Draco hmph'ed loudly and turned to walk away, self disappointment evident as he strode further from Ginny, his heart breaking with each step he took that she did not come chasing after him.

"Fine!" Ginny spitefully and tearfully yelled when he was just about to turn the final corner to get to his Head Boy suite. "I don't love you anyways! Prick!"

His chest collapsed and the breath was pulled from his lungs as Draco slumped against the rough wall next to the portrait entrance, his will finally snapping as Ginny's words echoed in the short hallway and in his head. It was love that had tightened his shoulders and stilled his tongue whenever Ginny was near; it was love that had caused him to rip out his heart and give it to the beautiful redheaded witch in the form of personal memories and many hours spent naked, thrusting towards a release that calmed both their bodies and souls. He knew that her claiming she didn't love him only reenforced the message that she did love him, her resentful, momentary loathing forcing her to dispel her true emotions. It tore at him nonetheless when he stilled, listening for the hesitant clacking of her shoes as she ran to him to continue the argument that never came.

Ginny had escaped to the Astronomy Tower, not caring if she was caught out of class, and wept openly, falling against the stone railing as she laid her fiery head on a low ledge and allowed the strong winds to swipe at her wet face. There were so many other, more life changing events happening outside the castle walls right now that the breaking of her relationship with Draco Malfoy, her noted enemy and terrorizer, should not have mattered so much. But Ginny felt as if her chest was going to suffocate from the constricting tightness that ached with each struggling breath she took, a black hole that was sucking the all energy from her being. How had she let it get so far that she was so infatuated with the blonde ferret? This certainly had not been a planned occurrence and now that it had happened, she couldn't say she regretted the various decisions that had led to this catastrophic, monumentally altering relationship.

At the same time, both their hearts aching, they realized and understood that they could never be together as long as the traditional prejudices were in place, despite their equal Purebloodedness their families held too much animosity. Draco wanted to forget the emotions that the flame haired witch had evoked within him, he wanted to blank out those memories that now brought a smile to his lips and a pain to his heart. They were better off separated and alone without the other; It was only logical during these trying times. Maybe it's better that something else catapulted our break up instead of drawing it out and trying to make it work while we feared for our lives, Draco stupidly thought as he pulled his weak muscles up from the stone floor and eventually crawled through the portrait hole to stumble into his private rooms. Maybe we'll lose all these memories after the fighting and no one will be the wiser that a great and prideful Malfoy lost his head and heart to a Weasley.

Days later when the mandatory event was only hours away, Draco wearily dressed and polished off a small glass decanter of whiskey as he calculated how long he would have to stay in the Great Hall before he could slip away and exit the festivities. As Head Boy he was required to go but that did not mean he would have to enjoy it or stay for the entire event. It was going to be painfully awkward as it was because of the distance he had put between himself and his housemates this year, never mind the fact that Ginny would be there, hanging all over Seamus all night. She would look beautiful as usual and he would have no right to pull her away from the roaming hands of other wizards like he knew his jealousy would want him to. School spirit - hoo rah, he thought sarcastically as he glanced both ways up and down the hallway, making sure the coast was clear before he lazily stepped through his portrait to make his way through the dreary corridors to the Great Hall.

As per the norm, the Hall was festively decorated with bright and promising colors, the stone floor transformed into a plush grass with errant flowers dotting the green surface. Actual weeping willows were rooted along the sides next to the stone pillars and Draco could already see pairs of students hidden away until the waving branches, seeking privacy in the very public Hall. He had casually strolled to the affair, knowing he would be one of the last students to enter in order for his grey eyes to not miss a single face as he slowly patrolled the room. A live band was already playing loudly and the students who were not shyly bolted to the tables and chairs as they watched the merriment were happily dancing and swaying on a makeshift dance floor. Tugging nervously on the lapels of his dress robe, Draco knew it was only a matter of time before he found Ginny's flaming head and sure enough, his silver orbs landed on the shining top of her curly mass, his lean body turning to stare at the beautiful witch.

Ginny was wearing a simple, satin dress of the palest cream that hugged her curves but fanned out at the knees to create a short train behind her. Draco gulped, eyes narrowing as an errant male hand swept around her small waist to bring her closer and then spin her out in an effortless twirl. He could hear her peels of laughter from across the room and his hands clenched tightly, berating himself for not being the one to evoke such happy emotions from her. That dragon of jealousy roared to life inside the cage of his ribs and before Draco could process what he was doing, his feet were swiftly moving through the gaggles of students to pause on the very edge of the dance floor.

She was grinning easily, spinning away from Seamus as he goofily wiggled his hips at her retreating figure, when the slight twist of her fiery head and a quick blink of her chocolate eyes revealed a bright blonde head just meters away. Instantly the smile was replaced with a cautious frown and Ginny kept moving, acting as if she had not seen Draco standing there so blatantly watching her. When she returned to Seamus' dancing arms, she attempted to inconspicuously rotate them around the dance floor in an effort to delay what would now be the inevitable rerun in with Draco.

"My, my. Weaslette. I almost didn't recognize you, all dressed up in a brand new gown," he lazily drawled as he approached, causing the blonde hairs on her arms to stand up when she felt his heated presence just behind her and glanced to her date to confirm the conjecture by the sudden glare twisting his features.

"Bugger off, Malfoy," Seamus snapped, one arm tightening around Ginny's hips as he kept her from rotating to see Draco's face.

"Oh come on, Finnagin. Share a little. I just wanted to ask for a dance with the prettiest witch in the room."

Ginny hoped the rapid stiffening of her tense muscles was not noticed by Seamus as his face reddened and he looked ready to throw a punch at the blonde's handsome facial features. She was surprised that Draco would so openly give her a compliment but the slight slur to his words alerted her to the fact that he quite possibly was going off of liquid courage.

"How bout it, Weaslette?" Draco inquired again.

Glancing about, Ginny realized that a small circle had formed around the unlikely trio and she felt a creeping flush run up her neck as she looked to Draco, hoping to wipe the shit eating grin off his face as Seamus struggled to swing an arm at the arrogant blonde.

"Fine," she loudly ground out, leaning in to hurriedly whisper to Seamus. "One dance and he'll leave us alone."

The Scotsman begrudingly nodded, his short stature blocked by Ginny's greater height as she sighed irritably, letting go of Seamus as she slowly turned to face Draco. The moment his strong hands reached out for her the music slowed and a gentle melody filled the Great Hall as the other dancing couples automatically moved closer together.

"Why are you doing this?" Ginny harshly whispered when Draco forcibly pulled her waist against his hips, a false smile plastered to her lips as she avoided his grey gaze and stared at the mingling students who were openly staring at them.

"I just wanted a dance," Draco replied innocently, his grip tightening as he fluidly moved them across the floor. "Isn't this dance about inter-House cooperation?" He asked pleasantly and Ginny huffed, purposefully misstepping as her foot came down hard on his leather shoe.

"You know what I meant," Ginny rushed and she grasped his shoulder as Draco dramatically dipped her shoulders backwards and her flaming curls brushed the stone floor.

"Of course I do," Draco replied when he pulled Ginny flush against his chest, his silver gaze serious as he kept her stare and rapidly kept them dancing. "I know you may not believe this but - I love you. I don't want to lose you, Ginny."

Her feet would have faltered if Draco had not been prepared for such a reaction and not held her up. Instead Ginny looked severely awkward as she slumped in his arms, squeezing her mascaraed eyes shut as the blaring of the trumpets and saxophones was muted by the rushing of blood through her ears.

"Draco - we can't. We just - I, I - " Ginny mumbled and he pressed a large hand into her back to adjust her poor posture as she timidly stole a glance at his softened features. Normally stoic and cold in front of other people, she was barely surprised to see his emotions playing across his face to accompany his genuine words.

"Of course we can, Gin!" He roughly whispered, excitement tugging up the corners of his mercury eyes as he kept his lips in a straight line despite the bubbling joy. She hadn't said she didn't love him, that was a start. "Maybe not right now - But once the war is over, I want you for the rest of my life."

"Draco," Ginny calmly said, her even tone drawing his gaze and disappearing his smile grin. "I can't wait. Being with you has made me realize that I do want a committed relationship. But I need it now. I don't want to have to hide something that keeps me awake at night because I can't stop smiling. I want to be able to walk down the hallways, hand in hand, and not have to worry about who's going to start a fight over it or who could possibly be hurt."

His face fell blank, his grip around her waist and holding her hand slackened and Draco pulled his hips back just far enough that they were still able to dance comfortably. Ginny felt a weight fall through her upright sternum, his grey eyes trained just over the top of her head as they circled slowly around the dance floor, and although most of the students had gone back to their own socializings, few remained staring at the contrasting pair eagerly waiting for the storm to blow through their peaceful, and close, co-existence.

Her lips trembled, opening to stutter a string of phrases together to add to the baldly honest words she had already uttered that had shattered Draco's short-lived happiness, her own heart shaking as she understood how he could have implied those words. "I do love you. I really do. But, but - you want to hide us. You want to have me all for yourself and let no one know that we're in love!" His heated gaze bore into her mocha eyes but Ginny continued on, voice shaking as she rambled on without thinking. "The Final Battle will be happening soon. And Harry will be back and - and I don't know what he's expecting but -"

"So you just wanted to end things quietly with me before the Chosen One returned so you could run back into his arms, guilt free?" Draco incredulously asked, knowing he was at least partially right by the shameful look on Ginny's face.

"No!" She protested, palms sweating as Draco pressed both large hands to the small of her back as they swayed in place. "I'm going to tell him that I've moved on! That I don't care for him like that anymore!"

"Bullocks!" Draco cried, stopping completely as one hand raised to gesture nonsensically. The low rumble of chatter seemed to have stopped and glancing up, he realized the majority of witches and wizards congregated were openly staring at them now. He whipped his blonde head back and fiercely glared at Ginny as he whispered gruffly, "You tell Potter that he's having my sloppy seconds. I'm sure that will really win him over for you, sweetheart."

Tears flooded her chocolate eyes but Ginny rapidly stared between his silver orbs, holding the salty liquid back as if she were waiting for him to miraculously apologize. When a sneer pulled up the upper corner of his bow lips and his grey eyes blinked, staring down his nose at her with barely concealed revulsion, Ginny felt the large sob bubble through her chest and erupt randomly as her shoulders quivered and she swept a hand across her inflamed cheeks. She heaved dramatically, hastily bending backwards to reach for the extra fabric of the gown's small train before she sprinted forward, pushing Draco aside as she tore from the Great Hall. A collective gasp sucked the noise from the room and he peered around, glaring at every single person who had their eyes trained to the outburst.

He thought about going after her, rushing to explain to Ginny that he hadn't meant what he said, it was his vengeful temper lashing out at her when she admitted the end of their relationship. Draco wanted to tell her that he truly loved her, that every damn day his heart ached for her ornery personality and flaming head, and that he would never let anything harm her. But what he should have been worried about was his own wrath scarring the red headed witch, his own flaws tearing apart the most honest companionship he had ever had. The exact outcome that he should have predicted would happen and painfully, had come true. Now all he had left was to stare pitifully through the crowds of staring students at the tall archway through which Ginny had disappeared.

All he could do now was wait for her to cool down enough that he could convince her that his words had been all hot air. Wait and hope that Ginny was forgiving enough to allow him back into her life and her heart.

They were not given a chance to reunite. A fortnight later, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were smuggled into the castle and the scent of rebellion caught fire. Draco grew increasingly anxious as the final hours ran long and he nervously awaited the first wave of attacks from Death Eaters and Voldemort. His parents would be in that evil crew, he knew. They would all be looking for him, trying to take him back to their side for protection. But Draco swore that as long as she was here, he would stay to protect Ginny.

Everything became chaos once all the Houses were called down to the Great Hall and the professors ordered the students to safety. The Slytherins were escorted back to the dungeons where they could be watched over and essentially held prisoners until the Battle was over. Never one to fall in line, Draco had easily slid past the teachers with Crabbe and Goyle on his heels as the first sounds of explosions and fighting rang out. He chased a running stream of flaming hair, hoping it was Ginny and realizing too late it was the Golden Trio as his buffoon companions skidded to a halt behind him. Following them into the Room of Requirement proved to almost be a deadly decision as he and Goyle barely made it back out with the scant help of the Trio, Crabbe sadly lost to the all encompassing flames that burned through the magical room.

The hours ran together, darkness falling as the only indication of time was known from Voldemort's amplified voice ringing through the castle walls. Draco had just spotted Ginny tending to the wounded and avoiding her weeping family when a rushing whisper ran through the Great Hall and suddenly everyone who was able to move was running to the main entrance. He lost sight of her as she blazed through the crowds, red hair a bright beacon, not bothering to hurry outside to a probable death if Voldemort was indeed approaching with his troops. The next thing he knew, the motley crew of injured and severely wounded persons assembled staggeringly throughout the first floor of the castle erupted in cheers. The Boy Who Must Have Killed Him, he thought ironically, relieved for the side of good winning but anxious as to how he would now be received.

Lucius and Narcissa had wasted little time in finding their son, hurrying to his side and jostling his barely bruised body as they happily examined their living child, exuberent to have been accepted into the fold of the light, even if just barely. His parents were quietly nitpicking at him, Narcissa brushing at his long blonde locks and Lucius rambling on about what could have happened to them as the trio sat closely together on a wooden bench and humbly ate the thrown together meal being served by the House elves, but Draco was blankly staring out across the Great Hall. He was watching for Ginny, waiting for a scant moment when she was not being bombarded by a stray brother or her weeping mother so that he could swoop in to apologize and publicly declare his love.

The entrance of Harry Potter brought an uproaring round of applause and cheering, all eyes diverted to the crumbled archway as the Golden Boy bashfully walked through the joyous people, smirking stupidly at the attention he finally felt he deserved. His glasses were cracked and blood was smeared across his arrogant, scarred face but Harry looked completely at ease as he sauntered past the reaching and grabbing hands to proudly stand in front of the Weasley clan. All eyes were on them as Harry hugged each family member until lastly Ginny was standing, grinning happily as she wrapped her arms around Harry warmly. Intended only as a friendly embrace, Ginny was startled when Harry leaned backwards and met her gaze boldly before rushing forward to press his lips to her mouth in a very unromantic and very slobbery kiss. Apparently the Boy Who Lived was still under the impression that she still had a school girl crush on him.

Pushing his shoulders back as gently as she could, Ginny saw a flash of snowy blonde just past Harry's head and knew Draco, like everyone else in the Great Hall, had seen the impromptu smooch. From his rapid steps and bent head, she knew he still carried a burning torch for her, regardless of the passionate, scornful words he had last spewed to her. She tried to release Harry's grasp around her waist, attempting to peel his fingers away from her hips as she emotionally and physically struggled with the choice to go after him. The decision was made for her when she blinked quickly and saw the matching heads of Lucius and Narcissa as they followed after their son, presumably leaving the castle to Apparate home after the monstrous past couple of days.

"Gin!" Harry called, so close yet so far away as she tilted her flaming head backwards and refocused her gaze on the dark haired wizard with his arms still tightly encasing her torso. "Gin?" He said again, a content smile pulling up the edges of his lips when she raised her auburn eyebrows and set her attention on him. "I never thought we'd get here. I never thought we'd actually see this day," he admitted honestly and the words triggered a sadness in Ginny that she wholly knew she would have to carry for the rest of her life.

They'll never give us the chance if we never believe in us ourselves. Draco's words from several weeks ago rang clearly in her thoughts and Ginny nodded shortly as Harry pulled her against his chest once more, a lone tear falling for the consuming love she had let walk away, a small sign that was easily mistaken by others as an admission of what they thought was finally making her happy there in her arms.

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A/N:

Part One is finished! Yay!

Leave me a review and tell me what you think. Obviously, listen to the song by The Fray if you have never heard it. Also, look me up on Facebook for more information and updates on my writing. Just search for 'Samanatha LuckyThirteen Jane.'

The events of Part Two will not necessarily coincide with the happenings of this chapter but their feelings and emotions will carry over, as if the upcoming chapters in AUs are portions of dreams or fantastical memories.

So REVIEW, let me know what you think and hopefully Part Two will live up to all your expectations.