It was several days later that Draco was released from St. Mungo’s, having only sustained a gash just below his ribs, and a pounding headache from where he hit his head on the office floor. When he returned to work, he found Ron waiting for him at the door to his office.
Ron had stopped pacing the moment he saw Draco’s platinum-blond head. “You look better than you did when you left here,” he said with a nod.
Draco smiled slightly, wincing as a pain shot through him. “Has Potter been sacked?”
Ron stared at him and blinked a few times before saying, “No, Malfoy, he hasn’t. I know how much you would have loved that, but my father thought that after the attack Harry just needed to go home and cool off.”
Draco’s eyes widened. “That’s all?”
“That’s all.”
Suddenly, the office door swung open and Harry walked out looking grim. He stopped as he saw Draco, and his eyes widened. “Aren’t you dead yet?” he asked, his lip curling.
“Harry, I’m not done with you yet, you had no right to do that to-”
Ginny Weasley stood in the doorway of Draco’s office, her cheeks flushed as she yelled. Her brown eyes went wide as she saw Draco, and a somber smile fell onto her lips. Before she knew what she was doing, she threw herself at her boyfriend, her arms going around his waist as she buried her head in his chest.
Draco watched both boys glare at him as he hugged her. She felt good nestled against his body. He brushed a hand against her cheek and cupped her face with his hands, bringing her lips up to his. He kissed her softly and watched Harry’s eye twitch as he did so, and after he pulled away from her, he smirked at them.
“I missed her,” he declared at their hard gazes.
Ginny beamed at him.
“I missed you too,” she muttered against his chest.
“We’re not done talking, Ginny,” Harry said quietly, touching her arm. “Your loud-mouthed git of a boyfriend interrupted something important.”
As Harry’s grip tightened on her arm, she turned her head and stared at him. “Touch me again and you’ll be on the receiving end of a Reducto spell,” she hissed.
Harry stared in bewilderment at her. He looked over at Ron who said nothing. With one cold look at Draco, Harry walked down the hall to his own office; the three remaining by Draco’s office could hear him cursing all the way there.
Ron stepped forward timidly and extended his hand. “It’s good to see you back and healthy again,” he said to Malfoy with a grin.
“Thank you,” said Draco. “I expect your father wants to see me, doesn’t he?”
“It’s nice to see you, Mr. Malfoy,” Draco heard a familiar voice from behind him. He broke away from Ginny as Arthur Weasley headed toward him, looking tired as well as a little pale.
“I was just-” Draco began, looking down at Ginny.
To their surprise, Arthur was smiling.
“I don’t see anything wrong with showing affection to the person you care about,” said Arthur. He took his glasses from his nose and cleaned them with part of his robes. He placed them back on and said, “Do you think you’re well enough to work?”
“It’s just file work.” Draco shrugged.
“You’re a good employee,” Arthur said clapping Draco on his shoulder.
The action caused his one knee to buckle and he winced, another sharp pain shooting through his body. “Bloody hell!” he hissed. “I’m fine, I’m fine,” he said to Arthur who was looking worried. “It’s going to happen often, until I get better, the Healer said so.”
Ginny looked at him anxiously, pushing her hair behind her ear.
“Dad, I think he should get some rest,” she said quietly.
Arthur blinked at his daughter and said, “I think you might be right, Gin. Why don’t you take him to your flat?”
Ginny did a double take from Draco to her father while Ron groaned behind them, obviously having had a very disturbing image come to mind at the suggestion.
“Dad-” Ron started.
“I want her to take him there, because it’s a closer distance than his home,” Arthur said. “Are you all right with that, Draco?”
Draco nodded and grinned. “That sounds easy enough.”
Ginny smiled and stood on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. He wrapped his arms around her body once more and pulled her closer, despite the fact that her father and brother were standing some odd inches away from them.
“I’m going to ask you to take the time and recuperate,” said Arthur sternly. “That’s all.”
“But-” Ginny said, putting her hand up.
“I’ll be checking up on you, too,” he said, ignoring his daughter’s voice. “Now, Ginny, I expect Harry’s still waiting for you in his office. Why don’t you finish this later?” Arthur said, gesturing to the couple.
Ginny blushed, pulled away from Draco, and headed down the hall.
Harry stood against the wall next to his office, frowning at her. “Did you have fun?” he asked her tersely. “I didn’t. I don’t like seeing him all over you.”
Ginny glared at him. “Are you jealous?”
“Jealous?” Harry snorted. “Perhaps you’ve forgotten his reputation.”
“No, Harry,” she said defensively. “I haven’t.”
Harry smirked at her and brushed a hand through his hair. “It’s not an easy thing to forget, having classes with an alleged Death Eater.”
“Most of the Slytherins were allegedly that at some time or another,” Ginny replied and stepped into his office. “Zabini, Crabbe, Goyle, Nott.” She ticked off on her fingers. “But you never said anything about any of them, did you?” She whirled around, finding him a little too close, and took a few steps back.
“Hermione’s been on edge lately about you being so cozy with a killer,” Harry said with a grimace.
Ginny’s eyes widened and she took a breath. “Who does she think I’m spending my time with – Voldemort?”
Harry took a step forward and for a moment Ginny thought he was going to strike her, call her delusional, perhaps even pathetically dimwitted for taking up with someone like Malfoy. Instead, he just sneered at her, his emerald eyes darkening.
“You’re just not as safe as you think you are,” he said to her. “I’m just trying to look out for you.” His voice was softer than it had been minutes ago.
Ginny nodded. “I understand. But really, Harry, you don’t have to worry about me. I’m not a little girl anymore.”
He smiled slightly and said, “Your mother wants you to stop by when you’re able.”
“Does she want to yell? I don’t need to hear it. I’m not doing anything wrong.”
“I don’t know what she wants,” he said.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Ginny asked finally, a sting in her voice.
Harry was wringing his hands together nervously and glanced around the office before looking directly at the redhead in front of him. “I didn’t want to hurt you,” he replied carefully.
Arthur had reappeared in the doorway; he needed Ginny for something. As she passed Harry, she turned to him.
“The pain was finding out everyone knew but me. Besides, I’m untouchable to you now, Harry Potter.”
She was gone before he could even turn around.
Leave a Review