Ginny allowed Harry guide her into the dining hall with a hand against the small of her back. She was wearing a purple summer halter dress with a white cardigan to keep herself warm in the cool room. Her hair fell about her shoulders loosely. She thought she looked quite nice, unfortunately, Harry hadn’t thought so.
“What are you wearing?” he’d asked when she’d answered the door of her cabin to receive him.
“Hello, Harry, it’s nice to see you, too,” she’d responded, heading back inside to finish brushing her hair. “I believe they’re called dresses. Women tend to wear them from time to time, especially when they go out for the evening.”
Harry was dressed in a set of freshly pressed black robes. “I meant why are you wearing that? We were supposed to dress up tonight. The press will be everywhere, seeing as how it’s the first night on the ship.”
Ginny stopped brushing her hair in front of the mirror to stare at him. “And what’s wrong with what I’m wearing? This is a perfectly nice dress.”
He sighed. “It is, Gin, but it would be more appropriate for you to be wearing dress robes.”
“On the contrary, Harry,” she began evenly. “I thought we were supposed to be accepting Muggles. You of all people should know that.”
Harry raked a hand through his unruly hair. He looked like he was trying to maintain his cool. “Please don’t start with me on that. What I meant was that-”
“What do you mean? You seem unable to express yourself at the moment.” Ginny was now angry.
“Whatever, Ginny, can you hurry on up so we can get going?” he sighed again.
It was Ginny’s turn to exercise self-control. She was gripping the handle of her hairbrush so tight, she was expecting it to snap in half at any moment.
They’d walked towards the ballroom in silence. For the sake of pretenses, she’d linked her arm in his before a hoard of photographers stationed at the entrance hall ambushed them.
There was a blur of people, camera flashes, and incoherent voices as Harry lead her away, declining to pause for the journalists.
Ginny jumped back when a head of blonde curls pushed itself in her face.
“Mr. Potter, Miss Weasley! A few words if you will?” Rita Skeeter said, holding a quill and writing pad close to her.
Ginny made a face and felt Harry tug her along as Rita read aloud, “The soon to be Mrs. Potter refused to comment as she stared adoringly at her betrothed…”
If Ginny wasn’t still upset with Harry, she would’ve returned the amused smirk Harry gave her.
They took a seat at a table that was reserved for her family. She was relieved to see the smiling redheads.
“Ginny, dear,” her mother said to her from the other end of the circular table. “What happened to the nice blue robes you just bought?”
Ginny clenched her fists under the table. “Nothing, Mum, I just wanted to wear this.”
Hermione, who was seated next to Ginny, stared at her for a moment as the rest of her family became preoccupied with conversation. “You okay?”
Ginny nodded without looking at Hermione. It meant a lot to her that her friend simply squeezed her hand without another word.
On Ginny’s other side sat Percy’s wife, Audrey. Surprisingly, she was Ginny’s favorite sister-in-law. She was a tall, thin woman with chocolate colored curls that bounced around her heart-shaped face. Her deep blue eyes revealed a sense of excitement that Ginny had never seen in Percy. She assumed it’s what made the two of them work so well. All her brothers loved their wives more than any man could, but it was Percy and Audrey’s relationship that made Ginny’s heart melt.
They’d met at the Ministry; Audrey worked for the Department of Magical Transportation. It had begun as a simple debate over broom regulations and ended up with a wedding just eight months later.
Audrey leaned forward so that her face was inches from Ginny’s. She looked mischievous. “Kingsley and Dad have been darting around the dining hall like they’ve been hit by a Jelly-Legs Jinx.”
Ginny raised her eyebrows in interest. “What do you mean?”
“I think something is going on,” Audrey explained, looking around cautiously. “They’ve been whispering in hushed silences, and every now and then a ministry official will come by to tell them something.”
“Has Harry said anything?” she asked as an afterthought.
Ginny shook her head. “No, but you know he wouldn’t reveal anything.”
“Whatever is going on,” Audrey said, bringing her voice down to a barely audible whisper. “I hope it’s not too serious.”
Ginny couldn’t imagine what the problem was, if there even was one. Every wizard that boarded the ship was subjected to a security check. They hadn’t even let anyone who’d been in Azkaban the last six months on.
After their meal Harry approached Ginny with an extended hand. He had a small smile on his face as he asked her to dance. She sighed inwardly, noticing her siblings staring at her in anticipation to take the lead on the ballroom dance floor so they could follow in pursuit. Her hand trembled slightly in hesitation for the slightest of moments before she accepted his offer.
Harry had noticed her reluctance, and instead of expressing his displeasure, he merely widened his smile and tightened his grip on her hand.
They danced in silence and soon there were dozens of couples surrounding them.
“I’m sorry, Ginny,” Harry said, searching for her eyes. He took one of her hands and drew it to his lips.
“For what?” she asked, staring at him blankly. Too long she’d heard empty apologies come out of his mouth. She needed to know that he was aware of just exactly what he’d done wrong.
“You look beautiful tonight,” he said. “I should never have said anything otherwise.”
Ginny was about to give him a smile, but he added, “And have you heard what the press has been saying? Your Muggle dress has been a hit! It will soon be all the rave among witches. You did some good thinking there, Gin.”
Ginny’s mouth dropped open for a moment. Of course! That’s all he’ll ever care about – what the press thinks of him.
“Yeah, I really did. And what if the press hadn’t liked it?”
Harry looked confused. “What does it matter? The press liked it!”
Ginny clamped her mouth shut into a thin line and nodded curtly. She allowed her hold on Harry to loosen.
“What’s wrong?” Harry asked, his eyes widening in alarm.
She sighed. “Oh, nothing at all, Harry. I’m going to get a bit of fresh air.”
He stared at her curiously, but he held onto her. “Would you like me to come with you?”
She wanted to laugh cruelly at him, but instead she took a deep breath. “No, thank you.”
Ginny stormed out of the ballroom, ignoring the calls of several people who tried to hail her over. The cool night air made her shiver. She blinked back tears as she made her way towards a guardrail by the stern and gripped it tightly. Her head bowed as she let out a quiet sob.
I’m not happy. I haven’t been happy for a very long time.
Ginny tried to wipe away some of the tears with the back of her hand.
I should be happy with Harry. I should be able to smile when I look at him. I should be able to melt when I look into his green eyes. I should be able to shiver uncontrollably when he touches me. I should be able to lose myself in a state of bliss when he makes love to me. I should be, but I'm not.
She stared at the black ocean, seeing nothing. The calm rushing of the water rang in her ears.
It’s like me – empty, hollow, and silently praying for a little bit of light.
Things between her and Harry had been tumultuous for the past three years. Instead of getting back together immediately after the war, they’d both allowed some time to heal and grow. They’d both needed it. It was hard to come back to love in a time when so much of it had been destroyed. But she’d truly believed that the best way to heal would’ve been to embrace the very thing that had brought down the Dark Lord – love.
And so two years after the war, she and Harry had decided to try again. It had been wonderful. They’d been happy and Ginny had found the will to live and love again.
But things had begun to change once Harry had decided to work for the Ministry. She’d pleaded with him not to. She’d reminded him that the Ministry had antagonized him for years. Ginny wasn’t stupid, she knew what was going on. The Ministry had needed to heal as well. And the best way was to rebuild their reputation. If Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived, worked with them, then things were set. The Wizarding world would have faith in the Ministry once again.
“Ginny, this is my chance to change things. I can change the Ministry and make it good,” he’d said to her.
She’d admired his optimism, but knew that Harry would change along with the Ministry. He quickly rose in ranks in the Ministry, receiving promotion after promotion. He never thought twice about accepting a position, claiming that he was building a better future for Wizards, and for them.
She saw less of him even as time went by. He worked late and she was often exhausted from Quidditch practice. She found herself competing for his time, attention, and love. The Wizarding world had fallen in love with Harry Potter, and he with them. They couldn’t go anywhere in peace without him being ambushed. Their every waking moment seemed to be plastered onto the front page of The Daily Prophet. In fact, when he’d proposed, the Wizarding world found out before her parents had.
“I cannot believe those sodding leeches ran the story through! Why didn’t you do anything?” she’d cried out frustration, incinerating the paper with her wand.
“What could I have done, Ginny? I don’t have any control over what’s published.”
She knew that wasn’t true. With the amount of power Harry had accumulated, he could easily screen the press. It frightened her to think that perhaps he’d grown to like the attention. This certainly wasn’t the Harry she’d grown to love. The Harry who shied away from the journalists and photographers. The Harry who’d stood alone rather than conforming.
Ginny had to admit that Harry had definitely done great things for the new world they lived in, but he wasn’t her Harry anymore. And yet she couldn’t seem to leave him. He’d long since been part of her family. Her parents would be devastated if their relationship didn’t work out. He was Ron’s best mate. They were the golden couple of the Wizarding world. And despite all that had happened, he was, after all, her Hogwarts sweetheart. She couldn’t imagine a life without him.
She looked around the deck and couldn’t find a single soul outside with her. They were all enjoying themselves in the ballroom.
I’m so alone.
A cold sense of panic washed over her. Her breaths came out shallow and quick.
I’m trapped. I’m trapped.
She began to tremble violently. The large diamond bracelet she wore clattered against the guardrail loudly. Ginny backed away to stare at the wood planking in front of her.
I don’t want to live anymore.
She took a deep breath and threw a leg over the railing, her hands clutching it tightly. She steadied herself to get the second leg over. Her stomach flipped. The black ocean was hypnotizing and the propellers beneath her hummed loudly, drowning out the sound of the waves.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” a male voice said.
Ginny jerked her head to look at the intruder.
Draco Malfoy stood a few feet away from her. His posture appeared to be relaxed, despite the fact that he’d stumbled across a girl about to jump overboard. His blond hair fell lazily into his eyes and his hands were in his pockets.
“Malfoy! G-get away!” she asked, shakily. Merlin, how am I going to explain this?
“I was wondering if you knew that throwing your other leg over would certainly result in you plunging into the deep ocean to your death.”
Ginny glared at him. “Just leave me the bloody hell alone.” She flung her second leg over and balanced herself so that she stood with her back against the ship. Her hands continued to grip the guardrail tightly. The wind plastered her dress against her body. She stared down at the ocean with hesitance.
“You know, if you want to off yourself, drowning probably isn’t the best way to do it,” he said quietly.
She turned to face him, keeping a tight hold on the guardrail. It was difficult to see him clearly with her hair blowing about her face. “I said to leave me alone! I’ll jump! I swear I’ll do it!”
“I don’t believe you,” he said calmly. “I don’t think you’ve really thought this through.”
Ginny stared at the white waves thundering beneath her. She gulped. “What do you know? You don’t know me at all!” Her lips trembled and she found the tears returning to eyes.
“No, you’re right, I don’t know you,” he said. “But if you were going to jump, wouldn’t you have done it already? I think you’re stalling.”
“Y-you’re distracting me! I told you to leave me alone,” she cried out, sniffing.
“Well, let it be known, that if you really are foolish enough to jump in, I’d have to go in after you.”
“No you wouldn’t. You’d be killed. This is no business of yours. I’ve asked you to bugger off!”
“I’m a pretty good swimmer,” he drawled lazily. His cool demeanor was irritating. “I’m not afraid. But I do think the water is going to be a bit cold.”
Ginny stared the ocean once more. The waves licked at the base of the ship. “R-really?”
Malfoy kicked off his shoes. “Oh yeah. I was merely assuming that you intended to drown, but I think you’ll most likely freeze to death. It’ll be bloody awful. Or you may fall into the propellers. That would be quite a mess to deal with.”
Ginny bit her bottom lip.
“So I’m hoping you won’t jump because I don’t want to have to endure either kind of pain – freezing to death or bodily mutilation.”
“You’re mad,” she said to him.
“So I’ve heard, but I’m standing on solid ground, and there you are…”
What do I do? Do I really want to do this?
“Give me your hand and I’ll help you over,” Malfoy said.
Ginny stared at him for a moment before nodding. “Okay.” She tried to twist her body around in order to face him completely, but felt herself slip as she lost her footing. She let out a cry. Her legs were dangling in midair and only one hand gripped the guardrail.
I’m going to die! What was I bloody thinking?
In an instant, Malfoy was grabbing her other hand. Her feet frantically tried to find solid ground.
He offered her his other hand. She stared at it reluctantly. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to release the guardrail. I’m going to fall to my death!
“Take it!” he shouted at her. “I’m not going to let you fall!”
Ginny obliged and he gripped her hand tightly. She was surprised to find how strong his hold on her was. He pulled her over.
She fell hard onto her knees, panting. He stood nearby, eyeing her curiously as he straightened himself out.
Ginny sat up and hugged her knees to herself, staring ahead blankly. “I can’t believe I just did that. What was I thinking? I could’ve died! Well, I suppose that was the idea…”
“So, you’re all right then?” Malfoy asked, interrupting her rambling. She stared at him, as if seeing him for the first time.
He shifted uncomfortably, his hands in his pockets once again. The moonlight made his already white blond hair glow, giving his face an eerie look. It amazed her that the boy she’d grown to despise over the years now stood before her as her savior. She was frightened and humiliated at the same time.
“Oh, Merlin, Malfoy! I-I…you…w-what…if y-you,” she sputtered as her breathing quickened, much like it had earlier before she’d decided to jump. Her face crumpled and before she knew it, she was shedding uncontrollable tears.
She allowed her disheveled hair to fall in front of her like a curtain as her shoulders heaved up and down.
“Can I get someone for you?” Malfoy asked awkwardly.
She shook her head furiously and continued to cry, unable to stop the tears.
“Well, if there’s nothing I can-”
“Ginny!” a voice called out loudly. “What is going on here?”
She didn’t have to look up to recognize Harry. He was running towards the two of them, his black robes billowing about him wildly. She noticed Neville not too far behind him.
“What’ve you done to her, you-” he snapped dangerously at Malfoy, shoving past him.
Malfoy stepped back with his hands out in front of him. “I don’t like what you’re insinuating, Potter. I’ve done nothing to her.”
Ginny sniffed and gingerly rose to her feet. Harry helped her up. “He’s right. He didn’t do anything. I lost my footing while watching the propellers and almost slipped overboard, but Malfoy helped me.” She stared at the blond boy meaningfully, hoping that he wouldn’t say anything else.
He nodded, acknowledging the accuracy of the story.
Neville eyed Malfoy and spoke for the first time. “Well, if this is true, then he’s a bit of a hero, isn’t he?”
Harry blinked at Neville. He then pulled Ginny into a tight hug. “Oh, Ginny! Are you all right?”
She mumbled a quiet reply.
Harry turned to face Malfoy. “Well, I suppose I should thank you.”
Malfoy shrugged and turned around.
Ginny could feel Harry’s muscles tense suddenly. “Wait a second, Malfoy. What are you doing up here by yourself any way?”
Malfoy stopped walking, but kept his back to the two of them. “Enjoying a little bit of fresh air, Potter.”
“Yeah, well, that doesn’t sound very likely-”
“For goodness sake, Harry, he saved my life. Don’t hassle him,” Ginny pulled herself out of Harry’s arms and walked towards Malfoy.
He raised a blond eyebrow at her in surprise.
“I think a proper thank you is in order, especially after the way you’ve treated him,” she said to Harry.
Harry’s mouth dropped slightly. “W-what?”
“It’s not necessary,” Malfoy said quietly, inching away from her.
“Of course it is,” she said, staring at him, her expression hard.
Harry ran a hand through his thick hair. “Very well, what would you have me do, Ginny? Money?”
Malfoy’s expression darkened. “I don’t need your money,” he spat out.
“I think he should dine with us tomorrow,” Ginny said quickly.
“Wonderful idea,” Neville said, grinning. His blond hair blew about his face. “Malfoy can tell everyone about how he saved Ginny.”
The way Harry’s eyes bulged out of his head made her botched suicide attempt well worth it.
“I…well, of course,” he sputtered. “Malfoy, you should join us for dinner tomorrow.”
Malfoy shook his head. “That’s quite all right. I should actually be heading back down.”
He made to move away from them, but Ginny touched his arm lightly. “Please? It’s the least we could do.”
He seemed to hesitate as he stared at both Ginny and Harry. He let out a sigh. “Fine.”
Harry made his way towards Ginny and wrapped an arm around her waist possessively. “Then it’s settled. We’ll expect you at seven.”
Malfoy nodded in acknowledgment and disappeared into the darkness, leaving Ginny alone with Harry and her thoughts. He ushered her back inside, murmuring words of concern.
I almost tried to kill myself. What’s wrong with me?
Maybe Ginny hadn’t actually jumped, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t drowning.
“What are you wearing?” he’d asked when she’d answered the door of her cabin to receive him.
“Hello, Harry, it’s nice to see you, too,” she’d responded, heading back inside to finish brushing her hair. “I believe they’re called dresses. Women tend to wear them from time to time, especially when they go out for the evening.”
Harry was dressed in a set of freshly pressed black robes. “I meant why are you wearing that? We were supposed to dress up tonight. The press will be everywhere, seeing as how it’s the first night on the ship.”
Ginny stopped brushing her hair in front of the mirror to stare at him. “And what’s wrong with what I’m wearing? This is a perfectly nice dress.”
He sighed. “It is, Gin, but it would be more appropriate for you to be wearing dress robes.”
“On the contrary, Harry,” she began evenly. “I thought we were supposed to be accepting Muggles. You of all people should know that.”
Harry raked a hand through his unruly hair. He looked like he was trying to maintain his cool. “Please don’t start with me on that. What I meant was that-”
“What do you mean? You seem unable to express yourself at the moment.” Ginny was now angry.
“Whatever, Ginny, can you hurry on up so we can get going?” he sighed again.
It was Ginny’s turn to exercise self-control. She was gripping the handle of her hairbrush so tight, she was expecting it to snap in half at any moment.
They’d walked towards the ballroom in silence. For the sake of pretenses, she’d linked her arm in his before a hoard of photographers stationed at the entrance hall ambushed them.
There was a blur of people, camera flashes, and incoherent voices as Harry lead her away, declining to pause for the journalists.
Ginny jumped back when a head of blonde curls pushed itself in her face.
“Mr. Potter, Miss Weasley! A few words if you will?” Rita Skeeter said, holding a quill and writing pad close to her.
Ginny made a face and felt Harry tug her along as Rita read aloud, “The soon to be Mrs. Potter refused to comment as she stared adoringly at her betrothed…”
If Ginny wasn’t still upset with Harry, she would’ve returned the amused smirk Harry gave her.
They took a seat at a table that was reserved for her family. She was relieved to see the smiling redheads.
“Ginny, dear,” her mother said to her from the other end of the circular table. “What happened to the nice blue robes you just bought?”
Ginny clenched her fists under the table. “Nothing, Mum, I just wanted to wear this.”
Hermione, who was seated next to Ginny, stared at her for a moment as the rest of her family became preoccupied with conversation. “You okay?”
Ginny nodded without looking at Hermione. It meant a lot to her that her friend simply squeezed her hand without another word.
On Ginny’s other side sat Percy’s wife, Audrey. Surprisingly, she was Ginny’s favorite sister-in-law. She was a tall, thin woman with chocolate colored curls that bounced around her heart-shaped face. Her deep blue eyes revealed a sense of excitement that Ginny had never seen in Percy. She assumed it’s what made the two of them work so well. All her brothers loved their wives more than any man could, but it was Percy and Audrey’s relationship that made Ginny’s heart melt.
They’d met at the Ministry; Audrey worked for the Department of Magical Transportation. It had begun as a simple debate over broom regulations and ended up with a wedding just eight months later.
Audrey leaned forward so that her face was inches from Ginny’s. She looked mischievous. “Kingsley and Dad have been darting around the dining hall like they’ve been hit by a Jelly-Legs Jinx.”
Ginny raised her eyebrows in interest. “What do you mean?”
“I think something is going on,” Audrey explained, looking around cautiously. “They’ve been whispering in hushed silences, and every now and then a ministry official will come by to tell them something.”
“Has Harry said anything?” she asked as an afterthought.
Ginny shook her head. “No, but you know he wouldn’t reveal anything.”
“Whatever is going on,” Audrey said, bringing her voice down to a barely audible whisper. “I hope it’s not too serious.”
Ginny couldn’t imagine what the problem was, if there even was one. Every wizard that boarded the ship was subjected to a security check. They hadn’t even let anyone who’d been in Azkaban the last six months on.
After their meal Harry approached Ginny with an extended hand. He had a small smile on his face as he asked her to dance. She sighed inwardly, noticing her siblings staring at her in anticipation to take the lead on the ballroom dance floor so they could follow in pursuit. Her hand trembled slightly in hesitation for the slightest of moments before she accepted his offer.
Harry had noticed her reluctance, and instead of expressing his displeasure, he merely widened his smile and tightened his grip on her hand.
They danced in silence and soon there were dozens of couples surrounding them.
“I’m sorry, Ginny,” Harry said, searching for her eyes. He took one of her hands and drew it to his lips.
“For what?” she asked, staring at him blankly. Too long she’d heard empty apologies come out of his mouth. She needed to know that he was aware of just exactly what he’d done wrong.
“You look beautiful tonight,” he said. “I should never have said anything otherwise.”
Ginny was about to give him a smile, but he added, “And have you heard what the press has been saying? Your Muggle dress has been a hit! It will soon be all the rave among witches. You did some good thinking there, Gin.”
Ginny’s mouth dropped open for a moment. Of course! That’s all he’ll ever care about – what the press thinks of him.
“Yeah, I really did. And what if the press hadn’t liked it?”
Harry looked confused. “What does it matter? The press liked it!”
Ginny clamped her mouth shut into a thin line and nodded curtly. She allowed her hold on Harry to loosen.
“What’s wrong?” Harry asked, his eyes widening in alarm.
She sighed. “Oh, nothing at all, Harry. I’m going to get a bit of fresh air.”
He stared at her curiously, but he held onto her. “Would you like me to come with you?”
She wanted to laugh cruelly at him, but instead she took a deep breath. “No, thank you.”
Ginny stormed out of the ballroom, ignoring the calls of several people who tried to hail her over. The cool night air made her shiver. She blinked back tears as she made her way towards a guardrail by the stern and gripped it tightly. Her head bowed as she let out a quiet sob.
I’m not happy. I haven’t been happy for a very long time.
Ginny tried to wipe away some of the tears with the back of her hand.
I should be happy with Harry. I should be able to smile when I look at him. I should be able to melt when I look into his green eyes. I should be able to shiver uncontrollably when he touches me. I should be able to lose myself in a state of bliss when he makes love to me. I should be, but I'm not.
She stared at the black ocean, seeing nothing. The calm rushing of the water rang in her ears.
It’s like me – empty, hollow, and silently praying for a little bit of light.
Things between her and Harry had been tumultuous for the past three years. Instead of getting back together immediately after the war, they’d both allowed some time to heal and grow. They’d both needed it. It was hard to come back to love in a time when so much of it had been destroyed. But she’d truly believed that the best way to heal would’ve been to embrace the very thing that had brought down the Dark Lord – love.
And so two years after the war, she and Harry had decided to try again. It had been wonderful. They’d been happy and Ginny had found the will to live and love again.
But things had begun to change once Harry had decided to work for the Ministry. She’d pleaded with him not to. She’d reminded him that the Ministry had antagonized him for years. Ginny wasn’t stupid, she knew what was going on. The Ministry had needed to heal as well. And the best way was to rebuild their reputation. If Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived, worked with them, then things were set. The Wizarding world would have faith in the Ministry once again.
“Ginny, this is my chance to change things. I can change the Ministry and make it good,” he’d said to her.
She’d admired his optimism, but knew that Harry would change along with the Ministry. He quickly rose in ranks in the Ministry, receiving promotion after promotion. He never thought twice about accepting a position, claiming that he was building a better future for Wizards, and for them.
She saw less of him even as time went by. He worked late and she was often exhausted from Quidditch practice. She found herself competing for his time, attention, and love. The Wizarding world had fallen in love with Harry Potter, and he with them. They couldn’t go anywhere in peace without him being ambushed. Their every waking moment seemed to be plastered onto the front page of The Daily Prophet. In fact, when he’d proposed, the Wizarding world found out before her parents had.
“I cannot believe those sodding leeches ran the story through! Why didn’t you do anything?” she’d cried out frustration, incinerating the paper with her wand.
“What could I have done, Ginny? I don’t have any control over what’s published.”
She knew that wasn’t true. With the amount of power Harry had accumulated, he could easily screen the press. It frightened her to think that perhaps he’d grown to like the attention. This certainly wasn’t the Harry she’d grown to love. The Harry who shied away from the journalists and photographers. The Harry who’d stood alone rather than conforming.
Ginny had to admit that Harry had definitely done great things for the new world they lived in, but he wasn’t her Harry anymore. And yet she couldn’t seem to leave him. He’d long since been part of her family. Her parents would be devastated if their relationship didn’t work out. He was Ron’s best mate. They were the golden couple of the Wizarding world. And despite all that had happened, he was, after all, her Hogwarts sweetheart. She couldn’t imagine a life without him.
She looked around the deck and couldn’t find a single soul outside with her. They were all enjoying themselves in the ballroom.
I’m so alone.
A cold sense of panic washed over her. Her breaths came out shallow and quick.
I’m trapped. I’m trapped.
She began to tremble violently. The large diamond bracelet she wore clattered against the guardrail loudly. Ginny backed away to stare at the wood planking in front of her.
I don’t want to live anymore.
She took a deep breath and threw a leg over the railing, her hands clutching it tightly. She steadied herself to get the second leg over. Her stomach flipped. The black ocean was hypnotizing and the propellers beneath her hummed loudly, drowning out the sound of the waves.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” a male voice said.
Ginny jerked her head to look at the intruder.
Draco Malfoy stood a few feet away from her. His posture appeared to be relaxed, despite the fact that he’d stumbled across a girl about to jump overboard. His blond hair fell lazily into his eyes and his hands were in his pockets.
“Malfoy! G-get away!” she asked, shakily. Merlin, how am I going to explain this?
“I was wondering if you knew that throwing your other leg over would certainly result in you plunging into the deep ocean to your death.”
Ginny glared at him. “Just leave me the bloody hell alone.” She flung her second leg over and balanced herself so that she stood with her back against the ship. Her hands continued to grip the guardrail tightly. The wind plastered her dress against her body. She stared down at the ocean with hesitance.
“You know, if you want to off yourself, drowning probably isn’t the best way to do it,” he said quietly.
She turned to face him, keeping a tight hold on the guardrail. It was difficult to see him clearly with her hair blowing about her face. “I said to leave me alone! I’ll jump! I swear I’ll do it!”
“I don’t believe you,” he said calmly. “I don’t think you’ve really thought this through.”
Ginny stared at the white waves thundering beneath her. She gulped. “What do you know? You don’t know me at all!” Her lips trembled and she found the tears returning to eyes.
“No, you’re right, I don’t know you,” he said. “But if you were going to jump, wouldn’t you have done it already? I think you’re stalling.”
“Y-you’re distracting me! I told you to leave me alone,” she cried out, sniffing.
“Well, let it be known, that if you really are foolish enough to jump in, I’d have to go in after you.”
“No you wouldn’t. You’d be killed. This is no business of yours. I’ve asked you to bugger off!”
“I’m a pretty good swimmer,” he drawled lazily. His cool demeanor was irritating. “I’m not afraid. But I do think the water is going to be a bit cold.”
Ginny stared the ocean once more. The waves licked at the base of the ship. “R-really?”
Malfoy kicked off his shoes. “Oh yeah. I was merely assuming that you intended to drown, but I think you’ll most likely freeze to death. It’ll be bloody awful. Or you may fall into the propellers. That would be quite a mess to deal with.”
Ginny bit her bottom lip.
“So I’m hoping you won’t jump because I don’t want to have to endure either kind of pain – freezing to death or bodily mutilation.”
“You’re mad,” she said to him.
“So I’ve heard, but I’m standing on solid ground, and there you are…”
What do I do? Do I really want to do this?
“Give me your hand and I’ll help you over,” Malfoy said.
Ginny stared at him for a moment before nodding. “Okay.” She tried to twist her body around in order to face him completely, but felt herself slip as she lost her footing. She let out a cry. Her legs were dangling in midair and only one hand gripped the guardrail.
I’m going to die! What was I bloody thinking?
In an instant, Malfoy was grabbing her other hand. Her feet frantically tried to find solid ground.
He offered her his other hand. She stared at it reluctantly. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to release the guardrail. I’m going to fall to my death!
“Take it!” he shouted at her. “I’m not going to let you fall!”
Ginny obliged and he gripped her hand tightly. She was surprised to find how strong his hold on her was. He pulled her over.
She fell hard onto her knees, panting. He stood nearby, eyeing her curiously as he straightened himself out.
Ginny sat up and hugged her knees to herself, staring ahead blankly. “I can’t believe I just did that. What was I thinking? I could’ve died! Well, I suppose that was the idea…”
“So, you’re all right then?” Malfoy asked, interrupting her rambling. She stared at him, as if seeing him for the first time.
He shifted uncomfortably, his hands in his pockets once again. The moonlight made his already white blond hair glow, giving his face an eerie look. It amazed her that the boy she’d grown to despise over the years now stood before her as her savior. She was frightened and humiliated at the same time.
“Oh, Merlin, Malfoy! I-I…you…w-what…if y-you,” she sputtered as her breathing quickened, much like it had earlier before she’d decided to jump. Her face crumpled and before she knew it, she was shedding uncontrollable tears.
She allowed her disheveled hair to fall in front of her like a curtain as her shoulders heaved up and down.
“Can I get someone for you?” Malfoy asked awkwardly.
She shook her head furiously and continued to cry, unable to stop the tears.
“Well, if there’s nothing I can-”
“Ginny!” a voice called out loudly. “What is going on here?”
She didn’t have to look up to recognize Harry. He was running towards the two of them, his black robes billowing about him wildly. She noticed Neville not too far behind him.
“What’ve you done to her, you-” he snapped dangerously at Malfoy, shoving past him.
Malfoy stepped back with his hands out in front of him. “I don’t like what you’re insinuating, Potter. I’ve done nothing to her.”
Ginny sniffed and gingerly rose to her feet. Harry helped her up. “He’s right. He didn’t do anything. I lost my footing while watching the propellers and almost slipped overboard, but Malfoy helped me.” She stared at the blond boy meaningfully, hoping that he wouldn’t say anything else.
He nodded, acknowledging the accuracy of the story.
Neville eyed Malfoy and spoke for the first time. “Well, if this is true, then he’s a bit of a hero, isn’t he?”
Harry blinked at Neville. He then pulled Ginny into a tight hug. “Oh, Ginny! Are you all right?”
She mumbled a quiet reply.
Harry turned to face Malfoy. “Well, I suppose I should thank you.”
Malfoy shrugged and turned around.
Ginny could feel Harry’s muscles tense suddenly. “Wait a second, Malfoy. What are you doing up here by yourself any way?”
Malfoy stopped walking, but kept his back to the two of them. “Enjoying a little bit of fresh air, Potter.”
“Yeah, well, that doesn’t sound very likely-”
“For goodness sake, Harry, he saved my life. Don’t hassle him,” Ginny pulled herself out of Harry’s arms and walked towards Malfoy.
He raised a blond eyebrow at her in surprise.
“I think a proper thank you is in order, especially after the way you’ve treated him,” she said to Harry.
Harry’s mouth dropped slightly. “W-what?”
“It’s not necessary,” Malfoy said quietly, inching away from her.
“Of course it is,” she said, staring at him, her expression hard.
Harry ran a hand through his thick hair. “Very well, what would you have me do, Ginny? Money?”
Malfoy’s expression darkened. “I don’t need your money,” he spat out.
“I think he should dine with us tomorrow,” Ginny said quickly.
“Wonderful idea,” Neville said, grinning. His blond hair blew about his face. “Malfoy can tell everyone about how he saved Ginny.”
The way Harry’s eyes bulged out of his head made her botched suicide attempt well worth it.
“I…well, of course,” he sputtered. “Malfoy, you should join us for dinner tomorrow.”
Malfoy shook his head. “That’s quite all right. I should actually be heading back down.”
He made to move away from them, but Ginny touched his arm lightly. “Please? It’s the least we could do.”
He seemed to hesitate as he stared at both Ginny and Harry. He let out a sigh. “Fine.”
Harry made his way towards Ginny and wrapped an arm around her waist possessively. “Then it’s settled. We’ll expect you at seven.”
Malfoy nodded in acknowledgment and disappeared into the darkness, leaving Ginny alone with Harry and her thoughts. He ushered her back inside, murmuring words of concern.
I almost tried to kill myself. What’s wrong with me?
Maybe Ginny hadn’t actually jumped, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t drowning.
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