CHAPTER 3 - Reminiscing
Ginny stepped out onto the front porch the next day and shielded her eyes from the morning sun. She knew it was time to de-gnome the garden and she wasn’t looking forward to it. She stepped forward. A short walk couldn’t hurt. She needed to clear her mind of rubbish and think more pleasant thoughts. Thoughts of Draco, that is.
Ron approached her and grabbed her left shoulder. “Where are you heading off to?”
“What?” Ginny got defensive. “I was just stepping out to take a bit of a walk.”
“A bit of a walk that will probably last half the day,” Ron spat. “You aren’t going anywhere until you help me with the gardening. Mum’ll be back in a few days and she’ll lam into us if the place isn’t looking nice. Harry will be with her and you know Hermione’s going to be here before term starts, as well. The place is a pigsty and since we can’t use magic it’s going to take every bit that long to get it shaped up.”
Ginny sighed. He was right. “Well let’s get started, then. Might as well get the garden done first and then we can start on the house after lunch.”
Ron gave a very matter-of-fact nod and they traipsed out to the side of the lawn. They entered a small gate and immediately took a good look at the garden, trying to count the little potato-headed beasts running around. Ron ran forward, grabbed one by the legs and swung as hard as he could. A tiny dust cloud appeared eighty feet from the hedge of the garden where the gnome landed. It was Ginny’s turn. She swung with all her might to show her brother that this was no boy’s game and did every bit as well as he did. He smiled.
Ignoring their childish competition, they got to work grabbing, swinging and tossing the little creatures over the hedge. One by one the garden started shaping up and Ginny couldn’t help but be lost in her thoughts...
“Gnomes? You have gnomes in your garden at home?” Draco sounded a little doubtful. Ginny knew that Draco had probably never swung a gnome in his life. After all, the Malfoy’s had servants to do that stuff.
“Yes, gnomes. They hide in all of Mum’s plants and we have to go out and rid the place of them on a regular basis.”
She could tell by the look on his face that the idea of grabbing a gnome by the legs didn’t sound all that appealing. Ginny was the first to admit that she wasn’t crazy about it, either. But they had somehow gotten onto the topic of their childhoods and this was one of many differences in their upbringing.
“We’ve always had competitions. To see who could throw the gnome the farthest over the hedge.”
Draco smiled, but she could still see sadness in his eyes. She wished she could read his thoughts.
“Don’t worry,” she teased. “When you come and visit, I’ll show you how to properly throw a gnome over the garden hedge.” Her eyes twinkled at him.
He looked lost in that thought and then his face took on a sullen expression. “Do you honestly think that day will ever come?”
“Of course it will.” No one could ever accuse Ginny of being a pessimist.
Draco turned to her and taking her hands in his he searched her face. “Ginny, I really do want that…” he hesitated.
“Yes?” She knew what was coming.
“I’ve been through it a million times in my head. I see all of these wonderful things in our future. But I don’t know how to get there. There is no possible way we can make this work and still assure me of your safety.”
Draco suddenly stood up. Ginny could see anger all over his face. “This isn’t right! The only person I’ve ever cared about is myself! It was so much easier that way. And now here I am…endangering our lives because I can’t turn away from it.” He paced a few feet away, turning his back to her.
She gave him a few seconds to calm down. The frustration and confusion was smothering him. Ginny couldn’t help the thoughts that crept into her mind. Wondering how long they could keep this up and why they couldn’t just let each other go. As soon as those words formed in her head Ginny’s strength climbed to new heights.
“Draco.” She approached him with determination in her voice. “Look me in the eyes and tell me this isn’t right. I want to hear you say it again.”
He turned to face her. His chest fell, his body loosening as she touched his arm. She knew he couldn’t repeat the words, but she was well aware the angst inside him still grew.
She continued to speak. “Everything in this world happens for a reason. I truly believe this. The force that pulled us together is here, Draco. It surrounds us and shields us, always. I refuse to give up on us, no matter what the circumstances may be, no matter what the outcome. I don’t know what is meant for our future together, but the thought of losing you tears my soul apart.” Ginny stared deep into his eyes, her determination not wavering one bit. “If we don’t try, we’ll never know. The only thing I’m sure about right now is that I care about you more than anything. Whatever obstacles you face after next year, I will be there for you, standing by your side.”
He wrapped his arms around her, and said nothing for what seemed like a long time. Then, slowly, he broke his hold around her and held her back a bit. He looked down into her eyes. “I’m sorry,” he said. “You’re right, we do have to try. Something brought us together for a reason and fighting these feelings isn’t possible.” He brushed the hair away from her face and continued. “Ginny, you make me want to be a better person. I don’t know how you do it, but you do. My only wish is that we didn’t have to hide it.”
Ginny nodded. “I know.” She laid her head on his chest, right under his shoulder. She was going to do whatever it took to get them through this…
A sudden noise whipped her back to the Burrow. Ron was clanking butterbeer bottles down onto the rickety old table in the garden. “All done?” he asked. “I had a couple of these stashed in my room from the last Hogsmeade visit. Thought we’d want them with lunch.”
Ginny looked down and noticed that Ron had brought them a plate of sandwiches along with the two bottles of butterbeer. She smiled.
“Excellent!” She was starving, actually.
They settled themselves down in the mismatched chairs and began to scarf down the food. Ginny didn’t mean to sit in such silence. If she could only keep her thoughts in the present day, she would be fine.
Ron gave her questioning looks. She knew if she weren’t more careful her secret would be discovered.
Ginny stepped out onto the front porch the next day and shielded her eyes from the morning sun. She knew it was time to de-gnome the garden and she wasn’t looking forward to it. She stepped forward. A short walk couldn’t hurt. She needed to clear her mind of rubbish and think more pleasant thoughts. Thoughts of Draco, that is.
Ron approached her and grabbed her left shoulder. “Where are you heading off to?”
“What?” Ginny got defensive. “I was just stepping out to take a bit of a walk.”
“A bit of a walk that will probably last half the day,” Ron spat. “You aren’t going anywhere until you help me with the gardening. Mum’ll be back in a few days and she’ll lam into us if the place isn’t looking nice. Harry will be with her and you know Hermione’s going to be here before term starts, as well. The place is a pigsty and since we can’t use magic it’s going to take every bit that long to get it shaped up.”
Ginny sighed. He was right. “Well let’s get started, then. Might as well get the garden done first and then we can start on the house after lunch.”
Ron gave a very matter-of-fact nod and they traipsed out to the side of the lawn. They entered a small gate and immediately took a good look at the garden, trying to count the little potato-headed beasts running around. Ron ran forward, grabbed one by the legs and swung as hard as he could. A tiny dust cloud appeared eighty feet from the hedge of the garden where the gnome landed. It was Ginny’s turn. She swung with all her might to show her brother that this was no boy’s game and did every bit as well as he did. He smiled.
Ignoring their childish competition, they got to work grabbing, swinging and tossing the little creatures over the hedge. One by one the garden started shaping up and Ginny couldn’t help but be lost in her thoughts...
“Gnomes? You have gnomes in your garden at home?” Draco sounded a little doubtful. Ginny knew that Draco had probably never swung a gnome in his life. After all, the Malfoy’s had servants to do that stuff.
“Yes, gnomes. They hide in all of Mum’s plants and we have to go out and rid the place of them on a regular basis.”
She could tell by the look on his face that the idea of grabbing a gnome by the legs didn’t sound all that appealing. Ginny was the first to admit that she wasn’t crazy about it, either. But they had somehow gotten onto the topic of their childhoods and this was one of many differences in their upbringing.
“We’ve always had competitions. To see who could throw the gnome the farthest over the hedge.”
Draco smiled, but she could still see sadness in his eyes. She wished she could read his thoughts.
“Don’t worry,” she teased. “When you come and visit, I’ll show you how to properly throw a gnome over the garden hedge.” Her eyes twinkled at him.
He looked lost in that thought and then his face took on a sullen expression. “Do you honestly think that day will ever come?”
“Of course it will.” No one could ever accuse Ginny of being a pessimist.
Draco turned to her and taking her hands in his he searched her face. “Ginny, I really do want that…” he hesitated.
“Yes?” She knew what was coming.
“I’ve been through it a million times in my head. I see all of these wonderful things in our future. But I don’t know how to get there. There is no possible way we can make this work and still assure me of your safety.”
Draco suddenly stood up. Ginny could see anger all over his face. “This isn’t right! The only person I’ve ever cared about is myself! It was so much easier that way. And now here I am…endangering our lives because I can’t turn away from it.” He paced a few feet away, turning his back to her.
She gave him a few seconds to calm down. The frustration and confusion was smothering him. Ginny couldn’t help the thoughts that crept into her mind. Wondering how long they could keep this up and why they couldn’t just let each other go. As soon as those words formed in her head Ginny’s strength climbed to new heights.
“Draco.” She approached him with determination in her voice. “Look me in the eyes and tell me this isn’t right. I want to hear you say it again.”
He turned to face her. His chest fell, his body loosening as she touched his arm. She knew he couldn’t repeat the words, but she was well aware the angst inside him still grew.
She continued to speak. “Everything in this world happens for a reason. I truly believe this. The force that pulled us together is here, Draco. It surrounds us and shields us, always. I refuse to give up on us, no matter what the circumstances may be, no matter what the outcome. I don’t know what is meant for our future together, but the thought of losing you tears my soul apart.” Ginny stared deep into his eyes, her determination not wavering one bit. “If we don’t try, we’ll never know. The only thing I’m sure about right now is that I care about you more than anything. Whatever obstacles you face after next year, I will be there for you, standing by your side.”
He wrapped his arms around her, and said nothing for what seemed like a long time. Then, slowly, he broke his hold around her and held her back a bit. He looked down into her eyes. “I’m sorry,” he said. “You’re right, we do have to try. Something brought us together for a reason and fighting these feelings isn’t possible.” He brushed the hair away from her face and continued. “Ginny, you make me want to be a better person. I don’t know how you do it, but you do. My only wish is that we didn’t have to hide it.”
Ginny nodded. “I know.” She laid her head on his chest, right under his shoulder. She was going to do whatever it took to get them through this…
A sudden noise whipped her back to the Burrow. Ron was clanking butterbeer bottles down onto the rickety old table in the garden. “All done?” he asked. “I had a couple of these stashed in my room from the last Hogsmeade visit. Thought we’d want them with lunch.”
Ginny looked down and noticed that Ron had brought them a plate of sandwiches along with the two bottles of butterbeer. She smiled.
“Excellent!” She was starving, actually.
They settled themselves down in the mismatched chairs and began to scarf down the food. Ginny didn’t mean to sit in such silence. If she could only keep her thoughts in the present day, she would be fine.
Ron gave her questioning looks. She knew if she weren’t more careful her secret would be discovered.
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