There was nothing and no one.

No one and nothing.

In the middle of Hogwarts’ Quidditch field, Draco Malfoy was all alone.

He mounted his broom and flew. And flew and flew and flew.

Escape was the only thing on his mind.

Escape her touch. Escape her smell. Escape her embrace. Escape her memory.

He couldn’t think about her. About everything she was to him.

He flew, faster.

She knew what it was about. She knew it didn't meant anything. It never means anything.

Faster, and faster.

She was supposed to know, anyway. She said she did know.

Faster, faster.

She said she knew, but then she said she loved him.

She looked at him with those gorgeous brown eyes of hers, and the way she did that, he could just tell. He could just tell what she felt, what she was going to say.

He could tell what was coming.

He couldn’t stop it, couldn’t stop her. She said, “I love you, Draco.” And he said... Nothing.

It was all about sex. She wanted sex. He wanted sex. They both wanted sex, and they both wanted it together. After it, they would lay together. He never asked her to leave, and neither wanted her to.

Sometimes, he would talk. Always, she would listen.

Faster still.

He told her a lot. Everything, he’d realized. He told her everything.

He told her about his feelings, his passions, his dreams. He told her about Lucius. He told her about his mother. He told her about the Mark on his arm, and how he regretted it. He told her about his work for the Order. She knew. She knew he wasn’t a Death Eater. She also knew he wasn’t kind. She knew he wasn’t considerate or sensitive or compassionate. She knew he was selfish and impatient and short-tempered.

Ginny Weasley knew everything there was to know about Draco Malfoy.

And she said she loved him.

Slower, a bit slower.

A blur of red, not too far. In only a second, it was right in front of him.

Stop.

“You shouldn’t be flying,” she said to him. She nodded at the arm that was in a sling, but she did not look him in the eye.

His arm was in a sling after he beat the living shit out of her brother a week ago.

Her brother had called her a whore when he discovered she wasn’t in her bed one night. After holding a crying Ginny in his arms for a few hours, she fell asleep and he left his room. When he found Ron Weasley, he didn’t say a word.

He still couldn‘t believe he'd fought the muggle way, but it was so much more satisfying than a duel.

Now, he tried to catch her eye. “Neither should you.” He indicated to the crutches laying on the ground far below. She would still need them for a couple of days, as the healing was a slow process. That Bludger crushed her foot to smithereens. Had it not been her foot, though, it would have been his head. The Gryffindor Quidditch team wouldn’t let her play the next two games. After all, how clumsy do you have to be to ‘accidentally’ kick a Bludger headed directly at the Slytherin Seeker?

Two months ago, for Valentine’s Day, he blind-folded her and led her to a secluded area on the grounds. There, he gave her what she deemed to be the most romantic dinner of her life.

One month ago, on his birthday, she coddled him and baked for him. Her cakes and sweets were the best he's ever had, and the way to Draco Malfoy's heart was most definitely through his sweet tooth.

On the back of her left shoulder, she got a tattoo of a silver dragon, wings spread.

Two weeks ago, he had the uncontrollable urge to give her his mother’s old ring, a Black family heirloom.

Two days ago, in an unexpected act of kindness, Ginny finally got Parkinson off Draco’s back. The pug-faced girl’s attentions were now focused elsewhere. Poor Longbottom.

Two hours ago, she told him she loved him.

Now, they both hovered in front of the other, staring.

After a long pause, she spoke first. “I think we’re done, Malfoy.”

He felt a pang somewhere in his chest. When was the last time she called him Malfoy? Not since the beginning, almost six months ago.

“We’re not done,” he replied. “I‘m not done.”

“Sometimes, it’s not about you. A lot of times, actually.” And she flew off.

He flew in front of her, stopping her.

“Let me go,” she said. The double meaning was not lost on him.

He gave her a blank look and she shook her head. “I just can’t do this anymore.”

“Go ahead, then.” He wondered why this conversation was tearing at his heart. “If you’re so miserable, don’t be with me.”

“But I’m not with you! I’m not with you at all. I’m your fuck-mate, not your girlfriend!” She was shouting now, and he could see the water pooling in her eyes.

It started to rain.

“Don’t say things like that. You know very well you mean more to me than that.”

“But how much more, Draco?” Thank God she was calling him by his name again. “You say one thing, but do the exact opposite!” The tears were falling now.

The thunder was coming.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Weasley.” The way he said her name cut through her.

“No? You don’t?” Gods, she was really screeching. “Then let me give you examples. You tell me it’s only about my body, but you gave me the most romantic dinner of my life. And that night, I could tell, you didn’t do it to get me into bed. You knew I would have gone anyways. You did it because you wanted to. I could tell, Draco, I could tell.” She could see he wanted to argue, but she wasn’t done quite yet. “You tell me over and over again it means nothing. You tell me there’s absolutely no commitment, yet you give me one of your family’s most prized possessions. You warn me constantly that I could be dropped any second. Well guess what, Malfoy? You’re dropped. I’m done with you and all your shite.” She tossed his ring at him, and took off faster than he’d ever seen anyone fly.

Draco Malfoy watched her fly back to the ground and pick up her crutches. She made her way back to the castle as quickly as a person who hobbled can.

Up above the angry redhead, you couldn’t tell the difference between rain and tears on a blond’s face.

****

It had been two weeks, and Ginny had seen neither hide nor hair of Draco. She loved the man, but Merlin, did she hate him. He was a stubborn git and it was high time someone taught him his lesson.

She refused to give in. Every argument they’ve ever had in their six month relationship ended up with her crawling back and begging forgiveness. Well, this time she would be stronger. She was sick and tired of apologizing for something that wasn’t her fault. She was done with that.

She would just have to put up with the heartache she was going through. If he ended up apologizing, then he would have learned his God-damn lesson. If he didn‘t, then she would have learned hers. Words mean nothing without actions.

Sure, the pain was unbelievable right now, but she would get over it, someday. If she continued putting up with Draco’s utter lack of sensitivity, she would suffer much more.

But he would apologize. Because even if he didn’t know it yet, he loved her. He fucking loved her, it was written all over him. She thought by saying it first, he would know it was okay to respond mutually.

She thought wrong.

Purely out of habit, her hand reached for the chain around her neck. There was nothing there. She had ripped it off herself and thrown the attached ring at him.

She grimaced. Knowing Draco, he would have been highly insulted by her actions. No one threw anything at Draco Malfoy, not if they valued their life. And they most definitely didn’t chuck a family heirloom at his head.

***

It had been four weeks, and deep inside the Slytherin dungeon, Draco Malfoy was trying to pull himself together. She was nothing to him. He was only upset because she left him before he could leave her. It was a matter of pride, not heartache.

Pride.

Fucking pride.

Fucking Ginny.

Was she out to ruin him? He wouldn’t put it past that vindictive bitch.

He threw on his shirt.

Who did she think she was, anyway? She threw his mum’s ring at him! His mum’s ring. At him!

He pulled on a pair of trousers.

After three miraculous weeks of avoiding Ginny, he had spotted her across the hall last week.

He laced up his boots.

Potter had his arm around her. Potter! And did Ginny throw his sodding arm off her, like she was supposed to?

No. She gave him her puppy eyes.

He couldn’t really blame Potter after that. Those puppy eyes were any man’s weakness. He almost turned into a Malfoy puddle, and they weren’t even directed at him. But maybe that was because he lo-wanted her.

He fastened his robe.

Well, thank God it was over between them. She loved him, she'd said. He sneered. It sure didn’t take that damn long to get over him.

He left through the common room, and the stone wall slammed in his wake.

And there she was. Try as he might, he couldn’t resist the urge to hear her voice.

****

Ginny jumped as the stone wall behind her slammed shut. She breathed out.

“Waiting for Potter, are you?” he spat out.

God, how she hated him.

“Fuck you, Malfoy,” she responded bitterly.

“Sorry, sweetheart. You lost that privilege quite a while ago.”

“Lost it? More like threw it in your face,” Ginny glared at him, and he could see her hand twitch. She was going to use her wand.

Well, if she wanted a duel, he certainly wasn’t above giving her one.

“You know, Weasley, the details don’t really matter.” And truly, they didn’t. He wasn’t with her any more and that was all that counted. “I’ve still got a string of girls, more than ever, and you can hardly get any sodding male to give you a second glance. You haven’t changed a bit. Still as ugly, plain, and dirty as ever.”

The hurt crossed her face only momentarily, and then it was gone. Her eyes had pooled, and Ginny struggled not to let the tears fall. She had kept strong these past four weeks, deep down believing that Draco would come to her. Having him cut her down was not helping.

Guilt swept over Draco once he saw her tears.

It wasn’t enough, though. She was still holding strong. And what right did she have? How could she hold strong while he fell apart without her? He wanted her to hurt like he hurt.

“Thought you were special, did you, Weasley? Did you think you meant anything to me?” He taunted her, but the feeling of satisfaction wasn’t coming. He would have to try harder. “Open your eyes, little Ginny. You were never special, you never meant anything, and we were never exclusive. At least, I was never exclusive.”

Ginny sobbed, and the tears started falling. She leaned against the wall behind her as Draco’s words assaulted her. She was certain he didn’t mean it. He didn’t mean any of it, did he? She was certain, wasn’t she?

Draco walked towards Ginny and bent over her. As she looked up, she could tell he was about to deliver his most cutting words yet. But Ginny couldn’t take any more of it. One more horrible comment out of Draco’s mouth, and she wasn’t sure she could forgive him. So when he opened his mouth again, Ginny did the only thing she could think of to shut him up.

She punched him, hard.

First a right hook, then a left.

She shoved him away from her and into the opposite wall.

“Fuck you, Draco Malfoy!”

He smirked at her and Ginny lost control. Adrenalin was pumping through her and she was shaking from anger, even as tears spilled down her face. Before Draco knew what was happening, she had kneed him in the groin, and lost complete control of her fists.

As Ginny threw one last punch, Draco disappeared. She was so furious, so completely out of control that it took her a full minute before it registered that Draco was on the ground, unconscious.

Ginny gaped. “Oh, fuck you, Malfoy. You are such a pansy.”

No response.

“Erm, Draco?”

Silence.

She nudged him with her foot.

No movement.

“Shite,” Ginny muttered to herself. She was not pleased with having to magic an unconscious Draco Malfoy into the Hospital Wing. Madame Pomfrey would no doubt be extremely unimpressed with her muggle dueling skills. She would fret over Malfoy, and Ginny wasn’t quite sure her anger was completely quenched yet.

Just to make sure no more homicidal urges came to her, she decided to get one last dig in with a quick, “Levicorpus!”

Ginny smirked as she watched her boyfriend’s body hang in the air upside-down, and guided him to float in front of her up the stairs. If she occasionally allowed his head to bump against the ground, well, it was hard to walk and spell-cast at the same time, wasn’t it?

It was also completely accidental when the wand in her hand turned, effectively opening the Hospital Wing’s doors with Draco’s face. She flung him onto the nearest bed and went to fetch the Healer.

***

To say that Madame Pomfrey was apoplectic would be a gross understatement. She raged at Ginny, while simultaneously fixing Malfoy’s broken nose. She performed several Anti-Bruising incantations on his face and down his chest. She checked his head for swelling and, upon finding a bump on his head, shot Ginny another dirty look. She finished rubbing Auntie Annie’s Anti-Swelling Ointment onto her patient’s head and turned to Ginny.

“Well, Miss Weasley?”

Ginny gave her a blank look and the Healer glared at her again.

“Should I be checking Mr. Malfoy in any other areas? Have I missed anything?” Pomfrey gave her a pointed look.

Ginny contemplated the pros and cons of telling the Healer, and decided it would be beneficial to all parties if she fessed up. Madame Pomfrey could do her job properly, Draco wouldn’t suffer any permanent damage, and she might be shown mercy for her honesty.

“Erm, I may have … accidentally kneed him …” she hesitated when Pomfrey’s face began contorting again. That woman was positively hideous when angry. Her face did the most unusual things. Perhaps if she ---

“Where did you knee him, Weasley?!”

“Erm, well, you know. Down there. That is to say, his, er, dick.” Ginny blushed.

Pomfrey shook her head in disgust and proceeded to pour a Pain-Relieving potion down Draco’s throat. “Stay here,” she commanded.

She then stalked out of the Hospital Wing.

“Probably gone to have a fag,” Ginny muttered to herself.

“Somehow, I don’t doubt that.”

Ginny jumped. She turned to find Draco looking at her through one open eye.

“Shut up, Draco,” Ginny reached for the Dreamless Sleep draught on his nightstand. Pouring some onto a spoon, she said sarcastically, “Open your mouth for the Hogwarts Express.”

“C’mon, Malfoy. Don’t make me start making train noises.”

Sitting up, Draco took the bottle and spoon from her hand and set them down on the table. “You beat the shit out of me, you’re not allowed to pretend you care about my well-being,” he said. “Run along, now.”

“Don’t pretend you didn’t deserve it, Draco,” Ginny countered.

When he said nothing, she finally gave up. “Fine, Malfoy. Just fine,” she backed away from his bed. “Tell me one thing though, how many others were there?”

He gave her a queer look and said, “What the hell are you talking about?”

“You said I wasn’t the only one! You said you were with other girls.” Afraid she was starting to sound too affected, she added, “I mean, I just want to know if I need to get myself checked, that’s all.”

He looked at her with tired eyes, and didn’t bother smirking. “Don’t be daft, Gin. You know I was lying.”

At Ginny’s disbelieving look, he continued. “Look, Ginny, I was just trying to hurt you. I couldn’t stand that I was thinking about you every damn minute, and you… you were gone. I had you, and I couldn’t believe I lost you. And it was my fault. Because, gods, Gin, I can be really stupid sometimes.”

“Yes, just sometimes," Ginny’s heart was pounding against her chest, and she wasn’t quite sure where Draco was going with this.

Draco smiled at the sarcasm in her voice. “I’ve missed you, Weasley,” he said simply.

Ginny took a step forward and looked him in the eyes for the first time that day. Looking back at her were his mercurial eyes, and he looked completely unguarded.

She sighed. “I’ve missed you, too.”

Draco swallowed, stood up, and took her hands into his. “Good, that’s a start,” he said. “Now, one step further. I adore you, Ginny.”

Ginny looked up at him, as he wrapped his arms around her. It was such a relief to be this close to him again, to be in his arms after so long. “I adore you too, Draco.”

He smiled at her, one hand on her lower back, and the other moving up to tangle in her hair. He always loved playing with her hair, and Ginny had no complaints. “Mmm, I’m glad you do,” he muttered.

He leaned in and gave her a kiss, it had been too long and he just couldn’t resist it any longer.

After several moments, he broke the kiss and buried his face into her neck, planting butterfly kisses there. “I love you, Ginny Weasley,” he said.

His breath tickled her ear, and Ginny shivered.

He pulled back and looked at her, his hand trailing down her cheek. “I’m so sorry it took so long to say it. I’m sorry I always kept us a secret. I’m sorry for hurting you. Take me back, Ginny. I love you.”

Ginny grinned widely and nodded.

“You know, I learn something new about you every day, Draco Malfoy,” she said.

Draco wiggled his eyebrows playfully. “Like what?”

“You fight like a girl and you bruise like a peach,” she said.

Draco glared at her and Ginny burst into giggles.

Luckily for her -- or maybe for him -- his tactics for shutting someone up were much different than hers. And when Draco claimed Ginny’s lips once more, his tactics proved to be just as effective.