Ginny felt like she couldn't breathe. Everyone was looking at her. Part of her loved those admiring eyes, but part of her was only seeking out those one pair of eyes that could really see….Stupid Blaise, he had ruined everything.
She was currently kissing Dean Thomas on a long term basis. Gentle, artistic Dean, who she had dumped because he treated her like such a lady, and because she had thought Harry might be interested. Poor old Dean, who really, really liked her, and who she didn't think of as anything more than just a friend.
It was playing with his head, kissing him like this. He probably thought they were going to get back together. They weren't. Ginny had her sights set bigger than Dean. He was nothing to her. But he was a nice kisser.
She'd taken to, when she wasn't breaking little boys' hearts, mediating outside, just at the border of the Forbidden Forest. It was oddly peaceful. The magic had been draining her lately; a quick mediation was all she needed to recharge her batteries. She could hear everything in the quiet, the birds twittering, the odd animal scurrying through the grass. Every footsteps, every hoot, every tweet. She heard everything. She sat on the soft earth, and felt connected to it.
It was amazing how someone as silent as Blaise could ruin all that. Just by being there. His every breath, every blink. She felt like she could feel his every thought, and cursed him for being so noisy!
She opened her eyes now as she heard him approach. Arching her neck slightly, she looked up at him from her cross-legged position. She didn't frown or smile, just looked at him. Sometimes he just sat with her, doing nothing. Sometimes he stood far away, watching her. And sometimes he insisted again for herto take off the Horcrux.
"Do you know how long you've been out here?" he asked her quietly now.
"No," she replied truthfully. She'd been in a complete trance, completely not in this world.
"You've been out here for thirteen hours, on last count, Ginny. Everyone up in the castle is looking for you."
"Why?" she pondered bitterly. "Why should they even care?"
"God, Ginny." He looked away, into the far distance. "I don't think I should be the one to tell you." There was no trace of emotion in his voice,. but it seemed just a little more raw than normal.
Worry ratcheted through her. She stood quickly, looping easily out of her twisted sitting position, and faced him. "What is it, Blaise?" she demanded, eyes searching his face desperately for some clue. "What's after happening?"She knew it was something bad by his impossibly bleak expression.
Draco wished Granger would say something. Boredom had made him want to provoke her but she was defiant in her silence, and he was completely and utterly bored.
"Bet you never knew it would turn out like this," he mocked. "Me, Draco Malfoy, your guard. You, Hermione Granger, completely at my mercy."
"You're wrong," she spoke at last. "I imagined you being a Death Eater and me being captured perfectly. I'd just hoped you would prove me wrong."
"Hope's a waste of time then," he spat nastily, and she didn't reply.
They'd only caught her three hours ago, and already she was looking worse for wear. She wasn't crying, but the pain was on her face was very readable. Draco wondered where her two sidekicks were.
"Bit disappointing for you, I suppose, Malfoy. Having to mind the prisoners. A bit degrading. Wouldn't you have liked to be up there in the front, killing with Daddy?" Her words were bitter, but her tone just tired.
He didn't tell her that Voldemort didn't trust him to do anything big now, after he had failed to kill Dumbledore. He didn't tell her how glad he was because of this. He didn't tell her how he had never really wanted to be a Death Eater, and had realised that night that he wasn't a killer. He didn't tell her anything like that, because it was none of her business.
"How did you get caught then, Granger?" he asked her cheerfully, clearly wanting to make the most of the fact that she was now talking.
She didn't reply, and he scowled in disappointment.
But did not give up. Draco Malfoy was used to getting what he wanted.
"Where's Potty and the Weasel? I thought it was all for one and one for all with you lot."
"It was," she said softly.
"What's wrong? Realised what an ugly, hairy creature you really are, have they?"
No response.
"Or perhaps Weasley has finally found some money and realised he could buy a better type of woman-"
"Don't talk about Ron like that!" She had stood up (he was surprised she was able to!) and her eyes were flashing dangerously. The bars that separated looked decidedly weaker now that she was angry, and he took an unconscious step back.
She hadn't finished. "We're not all like you, Malfoy. Don't taint us all with the same disgusting brush!"
She was breathing heavily. And then, in one terrible moment, he realised she was crying.
"Merlin," he said, and was surprised by the emptiness of his voice. There was no malice or spite there. "One of them is dead, aren't they? One of your friends has been killed."
Silence.
"Ron. It was Ron."
And then more silence followed, all through the night. But Draco knew she was still crying. Just very quietly.
"No…"
She heard Blaise in this distance, telling her how sorry he was. But she could barely hear him. Blood rushed in her eyes, and dots danced in front of her eyes. Ron…her brother…dead?
"Ginny, don't you think you should go back into the castle? You must be cold," Blaise suggested.
She shook her head mutely, still trying to take it all in. Her hand was over her mouth and her eyes wide in horror. It didn't occur to her that Blaise was a Slytherin and that this was just the type of joke his house got their kicks from. She knew Blaise wasn't like that, and she knew that there was really empathy and concern in his eyes.
"No!" she screamed suddenly and fell to the ground, her knees clashing with the soil painfully.
He tried to catch her but didn't get there in time. Instead he just held her in his arms. She shoved him off, still not believing it.
"Ron!" she cried, trying to summon him to her.
Nobody came through that clearing in the woods where her hand was pointed towards.
"Ron Weasley, get your butt out here!" she yelled, using her powers with all her might.
She stared so hard at the clearing her eyes began to burn. It was only then that it all dropped on her, and she realised that her brother was never coming back.
"Come on," he said, and tried to pull her up. "Come on, I'll bring you up to the castle. You need to be with your friends."
"No," she told him. She couldn't put up any defences like this. She looked at him with wild, sincere eyes. "I don't have any friends. No real ones. I-I can't go see them." The thought of them all clamouring around her, trying to steal part of her tragedy into their own lives greedily with that terribly pity in their eyes, made her feel sick.
"What do you want to do, then?" he asked.
She slid down the trunk of a tree and replied childlishly, "I want to stay here."
He frowned. It wasn't safe.
She looked up at him and then said in a low whisper, "Stay with me?"
He'd never seen anyone like quite so vulnerable in his life. He slid down the trunk beside her and put one arm around her shoulder. It felt completely natural. She put her head to his chest, and didn't speak one word for the whole night. But he did as she asked, and stayed with her all the time, and never once fell asleep.
She stirred in the early sunlight and lifted her head from Blaise's chest. She looked at his handsome face in the sunlight for a moment before looking back at what had woken her. Footsteps.
Through the clearing, a boy was coming.
She rose to meet him, very gently so she wouldn't wake Blaise. She stepped forward at the same pace as he was walking. They met halfway. Once she saw him properly, she couldn't help but lurch dizzily towards him, needing to be close with him. A desperate need seemed to have taken over him too, and they hugged each other tightly. She never wanted to leave him go ever again.
"Harry…" she mumbled. Large salty tears rolled down her face.
"I'm so sorry, Gin. I'm so, so, so sorry…."
Yes, it's a bit fluffy. I dunno what's happening to me these days. Guess I've just got in a bit of a fluffy, yet angst-y mood.
I don't think this story will be too long, actually.
Poke the Sleeping Dragon – I might take you up on that offer to Beta this story. But I thought this chapter was just too short, it'd be wasting your time. Thanks!
Illyria-light – Thanks for the continued support! You rock!
Seghen – Buffy is always a lot of inspiration to me, particularly in the earlier series, so any comparison is probably well-justified. Thanks!
Loeuy31 – Thank you most kindly!
Sorry about the short update. Just to keep the story going. Please review! I like reviews, it's sad when you don't know whether people are reading or not.