AN: I hope you enjoy this chapter.
* * * * * *
Bending low over his broomstick, Malfoy streaked toward the girl. He was almost there. He let his knees continue gripping the broom as he reached out and caught her.
He shook a bit as his balance swayed, and his first thought was ‘She’s heavier than she looks.’ His second thought was ‘Oh gross’ as Ginny's blood from stained his robes. She was bleeding profusely from her nose, which seemed to have been broken by the bludger. The blood was all over and now it’d be all over him too. He grimaced, but strangely, it didn’t bother him as much as he’d thought it would. Ginny’s eyes, previously clenched shut, finally opened. Draco got his first real look at them. They were so huge, wide, and doe-like. Warm brown in color, they sparkled with innocence, and at the moment, confusion.
She looked dazed and whispered “Are you an angel?” He chuckled at this, his eyes ever on her face. He watched her expression as it changed from confusion to anger. He watched as it dawned on her. “Malfoy,” she hissed.
“What?” he said jokingly, “A second ago I was Angel Boy.”
She glared at him. “Let me go!” She said as she squirmed in his arms.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” he said, “It’s a long way down and if Precious Potter misses then it won’t look pleasant for you. Oh, speak of the devil, look who it is!”
They both turned as Harry finally arrived. “Ginny,” he said throatily, his face still white in fright from her fall. “Ginny get on my broom.”
Ginny looked down. They were so high; the height caused her head to spin. She clutched Draco wildly and murmured into his chest, “Can’t. It’s too high.”
“What did she say?” Harry demanded.
“It felt like ‘Can’t It’s too high’.” Malfoy drawled lightly.
“Ginny come on.” Harry urged.
She shook her head furiously. Draco smirked, as he caught sight of the snitch again. “The lady’s made her choice Potter. Now excuse me, gotta fly now.” With that, he took off sharply.
The snitch fluttered not 30-feet from him. He shifted his hold on Ginny, so that he was free to grab the golden snitch. He held her securely with one hand snaked around her waist. Draco could hear Potter curse and then the boy caught up with him. Draco tried desperately to reach the snitch but his old Nimbus 2001 was simply no match for Harry’s Firebolt. Harry shot by him and reached out to grasp the snitch. He’d won.
Draco, in the midst of seething, realized Ginny’d gone limp in his arms. He tried to rouse her but to no avail. Swearing silently under his breath, he veered right and executed a sharp turn. He streaked off in the direction of the school, passing Harry and the other members of his team. One of the Gryffindors detached himself from the group, and Draco thought with resignation that he should’ve known he’d have to face Ron one time or another. The boy with the flaming hair settled himself in Malfoy’s path.
“Hey Malfoy,” he called.
Draco blinked, he didn’t detect hatred or sarcasm or anger or anything really. Since when did the Weasel talk to him civilly?
“Malfoy…I’d like to thank you for saving my sister,” the Weasel’s face looked pained, as if every kind word to Draco gave him a stomachache. “Here, just give her to me. I’ll take her.” He stretched out his arms, and then added grudgingly, “I want you to know that that was quite civil of you, saving my sister and whatnot.”
Draco made as if to obey him, but then stopped. Did he actually not want to give Ginny up? He didn’t quite know why, but the words came unbidden. “Sorry Weasel, but I’m afraid your little sister’s clinging to my waist like a leech. I reckon she likes it here. Can’t say I blame her though, it seems at least one of you Weasels has taste. I’m sure she likes my stick better than Potter’s, but don’t worry, I’ll bring her back in one piece.”
Ron’s face darkened with anger and Draco tilted his broom up, passing over the boy’s head. He sped off for the infirmary, Ron’s curses and threats ringing clearly in his ears.
* * * * * *
Though he was grinning slightly, Draco was still uneasy. What had made him refuse to hand her over? He tried to tell himself that it was for the look on Ron’s face, but looking down at Ginny he knew that wasn’t true.
Granted, her face was still a mess; and she might look deathly pale and lifeless in his arms, but there was something about this girl, something that resonated through his whole being. A tendril of her hair had escaped the bun she’d had it up in. Feeling extremely stupid, he grasped it, and tucked it behind her ear. He glanced up the infirmary was just ahead.
The sooner he dropped her off the better.
* * * * * *
Bending low over his broomstick, Malfoy streaked toward the girl. He was almost there. He let his knees continue gripping the broom as he reached out and caught her.
He shook a bit as his balance swayed, and his first thought was ‘She’s heavier than she looks.’ His second thought was ‘Oh gross’ as Ginny's blood from stained his robes. She was bleeding profusely from her nose, which seemed to have been broken by the bludger. The blood was all over and now it’d be all over him too. He grimaced, but strangely, it didn’t bother him as much as he’d thought it would. Ginny’s eyes, previously clenched shut, finally opened. Draco got his first real look at them. They were so huge, wide, and doe-like. Warm brown in color, they sparkled with innocence, and at the moment, confusion.
She looked dazed and whispered “Are you an angel?” He chuckled at this, his eyes ever on her face. He watched her expression as it changed from confusion to anger. He watched as it dawned on her. “Malfoy,” she hissed.
“What?” he said jokingly, “A second ago I was Angel Boy.”
She glared at him. “Let me go!” She said as she squirmed in his arms.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” he said, “It’s a long way down and if Precious Potter misses then it won’t look pleasant for you. Oh, speak of the devil, look who it is!”
They both turned as Harry finally arrived. “Ginny,” he said throatily, his face still white in fright from her fall. “Ginny get on my broom.”
Ginny looked down. They were so high; the height caused her head to spin. She clutched Draco wildly and murmured into his chest, “Can’t. It’s too high.”
“What did she say?” Harry demanded.
“It felt like ‘Can’t It’s too high’.” Malfoy drawled lightly.
“Ginny come on.” Harry urged.
She shook her head furiously. Draco smirked, as he caught sight of the snitch again. “The lady’s made her choice Potter. Now excuse me, gotta fly now.” With that, he took off sharply.
The snitch fluttered not 30-feet from him. He shifted his hold on Ginny, so that he was free to grab the golden snitch. He held her securely with one hand snaked around her waist. Draco could hear Potter curse and then the boy caught up with him. Draco tried desperately to reach the snitch but his old Nimbus 2001 was simply no match for Harry’s Firebolt. Harry shot by him and reached out to grasp the snitch. He’d won.
Draco, in the midst of seething, realized Ginny’d gone limp in his arms. He tried to rouse her but to no avail. Swearing silently under his breath, he veered right and executed a sharp turn. He streaked off in the direction of the school, passing Harry and the other members of his team. One of the Gryffindors detached himself from the group, and Draco thought with resignation that he should’ve known he’d have to face Ron one time or another. The boy with the flaming hair settled himself in Malfoy’s path.
“Hey Malfoy,” he called.
Draco blinked, he didn’t detect hatred or sarcasm or anger or anything really. Since when did the Weasel talk to him civilly?
“Malfoy…I’d like to thank you for saving my sister,” the Weasel’s face looked pained, as if every kind word to Draco gave him a stomachache. “Here, just give her to me. I’ll take her.” He stretched out his arms, and then added grudgingly, “I want you to know that that was quite civil of you, saving my sister and whatnot.”
Draco made as if to obey him, but then stopped. Did he actually not want to give Ginny up? He didn’t quite know why, but the words came unbidden. “Sorry Weasel, but I’m afraid your little sister’s clinging to my waist like a leech. I reckon she likes it here. Can’t say I blame her though, it seems at least one of you Weasels has taste. I’m sure she likes my stick better than Potter’s, but don’t worry, I’ll bring her back in one piece.”
Ron’s face darkened with anger and Draco tilted his broom up, passing over the boy’s head. He sped off for the infirmary, Ron’s curses and threats ringing clearly in his ears.
* * * * * *
Though he was grinning slightly, Draco was still uneasy. What had made him refuse to hand her over? He tried to tell himself that it was for the look on Ron’s face, but looking down at Ginny he knew that wasn’t true.
Granted, her face was still a mess; and she might look deathly pale and lifeless in his arms, but there was something about this girl, something that resonated through his whole being. A tendril of her hair had escaped the bun she’d had it up in. Feeling extremely stupid, he grasped it, and tucked it behind her ear. He glanced up the infirmary was just ahead.
The sooner he dropped her off the better.
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