Promise Us Everything, 8/10. D/G. NC-17
Title: Promise Us Everything
Author: Eustacia Vye
Author's e-mail: eustacia_vye28@hotmail.com
Rating: NC-17 eventually. Parts are appropriately marked.
Disclaimer: They're Jo's, and I'm borrowing without permission. I'll return her toys when I'm done playing with them.
Spoilers: I incorporate DH except for the epilogue. A list of begats and shoddy writing is not a good way to end a series.
Summary: The fallout of a magical clandestine war is difficult to wade through, and reconstructing society takes work to be done right. Unfortunately, too many old prejudices remain. Ginny sees the world for what it is and is determined to fix it properly. This leads to all sorts of unlikely allies.
Author's Note: This was inspired by nokomis305's drabble that she had written for me. The opening was actually written as a short drabble for mynuet. I had actually lost the original five chapters that were written and had to recreate them from memory. :(
Promise Us Everything
Part Eight - Linking the Chains Together
::peeks around different corners:: Hide the children! Smut has arrived!
Ginny arrived early at Malfoy Manor to let Draco know about the new arrivals at the current Helping Hands meeting. Her owl hadn't delivered her note to him, though Millicent and Blaise had received her notes. Pansy had been told the day before, during their outing to Muggle London. She had charmed away the bruises that Ginny knew she had to have, and visibly looked put together. It had dissolved into a puddle of nerves the moment they stepped into a clinic, and she had clung to Ginny throughout the entire meeting. Luckily, they were able to be seen the same day, and Ginny found herself doing most of the talking while Pansy looked miserable. She had lied, saying they were sisters and Pansy was simply nervous around doctors. Pansy had been utterly helpless about her medical history and getting blood drawn, and had nearly bolted from the room when the doctors were explaining the intricacies of fertility. Ginny had been the one to explain everything to Chesterfield the day before, and had to bear his outraged look at having to go in to the clinic to be evaluated himself. Pansy had hidden her face throughout the entire recital, but Ginny had stood her ground. She ultimately got Chesterfield to agree to attend the follow up appointment, as it would be the only one he would actually have to attend.
Ginny pushed the events out of her mind and focused on trying to find Draco. The house elves had been particularly unhelpful, and so she took it upon herself to wander throughout the Manor. It seemed much less imposing now than her first visit; apparently it had needed time to get used to her presence.
Lucius Malfoy abruptly turned a corner of the hallway, and Ginny nearly collided with him. She half-jumped a step backward to keep from treading on his toes, and met his gaze steadily. She knew that Draco was afraid of what his intentions were, what plots he might try to hatch behind his cold eyes and waxen expressions. Ginny wasn't afraid. She knew he had dark intent, and she knew where his loyalties really were. She had lived with possession from the Dark Lord himself, and she knew what evil was. In comparison, Lucius Malfoy was measured pettiness and hate, a self-absorbed ball of self-righteousness and prejudice.
"Miss Weasley," he said, voice unctuous and oily. He smiled, just barely, with a familiar glint of malevolence in his eye.
"Mr. Malfoy," Ginny replied, voice level and controlled. While she was primed and alert, she betrayed no fear or lack of confidence. She wasn't afraid of him. She knew what he was about, and there was no fear within her. Draco might call her stupid and a bloody Gryffindor for it, but she wasn't afraid of petty evils.
"I've wanted to congratulate you on your successes," he continued, stepping slightly forward. He seemed somewhat surprised that she didn't step back in response, but the satisfied expression slid back onto his face. "You have done so much for one so young and inexperienced."
"I should thank you for the list of contacts," Ginny replied, voice level and confident. "They proved to be most useful in our endeavors." Her voice was arch, clipped, and nothing like her usual cadence of speech. If she stopped to think about it, she was channeling her inner Narcissa Malfoy. It would have made her laugh hysterically.
Nonplused, Lucius straightened his shoulders. "It's all for a good cause, isn't it? Some noble prattle for the masses?"
"We're making everyone equal," Ginny told him, voice icy. "Everyone evaluated on their own merits, everyone answerable for their own crimes." Her lips twisted into a mockery of a smile, and Lucius seemed unnerved by it.
He reached out and grabbed her throat, his cold fingers sliding across her skin. "You should have died," he hissed, composure breaking apart suddenly. "You should have resurrected our Lord the way you were meant to!"
Ginny didn't even think twice before her wand was out and the hex left her lips. It was a split second, faster than anyone ever gave her credit for, and Lucius was across the room with boils breaking out across his face as a horde of bats circled his head. He screamed, high and frightened and fragile, and feet pounded on the stairs behind her.
Draco skidded to a stop next to her, panting for breath. "What-?" He turned to Ginny, eyes wide and skin a different shade of pale. "Ginevra?"
"He tried to choke me," she told him evenly. She watched his eyes track down to her throat, to the faint trace of red still visible on her skin. "I couldn't allow that, now could I? Don't worry, it's not fatal."
He gave her a wry smile. "I remember the bats, but the boils are new."
Ginny let him steer her up the stairs and down a twisting maze of corridors. She didn't even try to figure out where they were going. Now that the adrenaline high was fading, she could feel the tremble in her hands. It was a good thing she never stepped foot on the grounds without her wand. The Manor itself might have accepted her, Narcissa might respect her and Draco might care for her, but Lucius never would.
Draco brought her to his bedroom and locked the door with a key and a half dozen different locking spells. He sat her down on his bed and ran his hands through his hair as he looked about the room in a daze. "I don't know what he was thinking," he whispered in an agonized tone. "I can't..." He looked at her with a dazed expression. "If I had really lost you today... If he really got a chance to choke you..."
Ginny got up and took his frantic face within her hands. "I'm fine, Draco. It'll take more than an angry father to get the best of me."
The words didn't soothe him at all. "He tried to hurt you, Ginevra. He tried to take you from me. I can't... He can't do that. He can't take you from me."
She kissed him, soft and gentle. She tried to press her love for him into the kiss, to let him know that she was safe and had no intention of going anywhere. The kiss deepened, and before she knew it they were pulling off each other's clothes. Draco stripped her naked and gently pushed her back, toward his bed. She scrambled on top of it eagerly, taking in the sight of his naked form. She grinned at him when he paused. "What? Scared of me?"
Draco snorted inelegantly. "I already know what you're capable of, Ginevra. I'm just thinking of which might be the best way to get you to come today." He playfully arranged himself into a classic thinker's pose. "There really isn't enough time to do everything I want to do."
Ginny wagged her eyebrows suggestively at him. "Well, then, I guess I'll have to make do with the abridged version and take the rest of it later."
Draco approached the bed, something like reverence in his expression. He hooked her leg over his shoulder and lowered himself to the bed, his hands on her hips. He buried his face between her thighs, inhaling the musky scent of her sex before sweeping his tongue out to taste her. She gave a gasping moan, her hand going to his head, fingers threading through his hair. He licked and suckled, using his tongue and teeth, taking pleasure in each noise, each moan, each sigh he drew from her. When she finally came, he rode the shuddering and bucking of her body, drinking her in. He lifted his head, taking in the sight of her loose-limbed sprawl, her chest heaving with each shuddering breath. He let her leg fall from his shoulder and crawled up her body, licking his lips before pressing her into the covers, kissing her, letting her taste herself on his lips.
Ginny's legs opened wide as he settled himself between her thighs. He grinned as his hand slid between her spread legs, his fingers lightly grazing the skin of her inner thighs, climbing higher until he found the juncture of her legs and teased her skin with his touch. "Mm... Draco..." she moaned, head lolling on his coverlet. "I like that."
"Think we're done for today?"
"You awful tease, you!" Ginny gasped, swatting his chest. "Don't you dare stop now!"
Draco laughed as he thrust inside her, strong and powerful, pinning her arms above her head as her back arched with pleasure. "I love you," he whispered, eyes locking to hers. "I love you, Ginevra Weasley. I don't ever want to be that frightened for you again."
Ginny gasped and arched into his thrusts. She was so close, hovering just at the edge of coming again, losing the ability to speak. "Love... you... so much..."
And then she came, shattering to pieces, the universe spiraling out around her in a haze of pleasure and sensation. Draco came soon after, falling to his elbows on either side of her. He could barely breathe, and touched his forehead to hers. "Not how I imagined telling you," he admitted after a long moment.
She grinned. "Not how I imagined hearing it, but I'm rather glad I did."
"Me, too."
"Have we much more time before the meeting?"
Draco looked at his bedside clock and grimaced. "Not if we plan to be presentable," he groaned.
"You'll just have to make it up to me later, then." Ginny grinned cheekily at him and wiggled her hips suggestively beneath him. He laughed, nodding, and they disentangled themselves.
They arrived separately to the meeting area, looking cool and composed. Neither gave any indication that they had been shagging each other mercilessly, and Draco took his place at the desk he used as the charity's recording secretary. Narcissa lofted an eyebrow at him but said nothing. "Your father seems to be indisposed this afternoon."
"That's too bad, Mother," Draco murmured. He didn't look up, but merely took out the parchment and ink he would need. "Was he planning on attending today's meeting?"
Her lips curled into something resembling a smile. "Certainly not, though we will be getting new members to the charity. I would think there will be much less conspiring today."
Ah, that was the reason Ginny had actually come in early. Draco had never gotten around to asking her. He did look up as she came into the room and greeted his mother warmly. Narcissa wasn't fooled by their behavior at all, but at least seemed to give her tacit approval.
The others came into the room, as well as three other members of Ginny's Quidditch team and Amelia Howe. Draco didn't know how Ginny had managed that one, but somehow wasn't surprised as he felt he should have been. They discussed the donation monies that had been collected so far, stored in a secure Gringotts vault. They had funded some small kitchens that helped to feed the war orphans, but the majority of the money collected from the ball still needed to be spent appropriately. Millicent discussed the different estates that she had evaluated for eventual purchase by Helping Hands, as well as the thought that perhaps it should be large enough not just for the children and caretaking staff, but to have a small entry school on grounds to prepare the children for Hogwarts. She had gone to a shelter and had been shocked to realize that some of the eight year old children didn't know how to read well and could barely write, as no one had been able to send them to a school.
"You'll need more money for that," Heather Goodwright remarked, frowning. "My cousin teaches at an entry school, and it's not as easy as it looks. Depending on the number of children that are going to be at this household, you'll need at least three or four teachers."
"That's not going to be easy, then," Ginny said, shaking her head sadly. "Between the money left over from the ball and the distrust for us already, no one would want to donate more."
"Celebrity Quidditch," Viola said suddenly, snapping her fingers. Even her boyfriend frowned at the apparent non sequitur. "What? We're a popular bunch, yeah? So if we can put together even a pickup game, don't you think that there's a lot of folk who would be willing to pay for those tickets? We can donate our time and play, and there's the extra money we need to hire on a few teachers for these kids."
"Ohmigosh," Heather cried, nearly bouncing in her seat from excitement. "It's wonderful! That would work out so well. Do you think we could get Ministry officers in on it, too, Mrs. Howe? That would be smashing!"
Draco could hardly believe his ears. It was good luck, and that it came from someone other than his little group had to make it look better. Amelia was smiling and nodding, which suddenly gave him a spark of hope that he hadn't expected.
"I know my husband loves the game, and there's bound to be more that would be willing to play for such a good cause."
"Draco, you used to play in school," Millicent said, looking at him with a wry smile. "Why don't you join up as our representative?"
"Ginevra's a professional, so she should really be our representative..." Draco hedged.
"Yes, but I'm a Chaser. You used to play Seeker." Ginny grinned at Draco cheekily. "This sounds like such a wonderful idea, and just the thing for late summer when it starts to cool down. The Quidditch season is just about to pick up at that point, and interest will be at a high." She gave Heather and Viola wide grins.
All in all, the meeting was a success, and everyone seemed buoyed by the good news. Even Pansy, who had been sitting throughout the meeting like a sober lump on a couch near Ginny, had seemed to perk up by the end. Draco escorted everyone to the Floo room, thanking them for coming and for their efforts on behalf of the charity.
Amelia Howe seemed to tarry on her way out. "Mrs. Howe," Draco murmured. He grasped her proffered hand and gave it a gallant kiss. "You honor us with your interest in our cause. Thank you so much for stopping by today."
"I was intrigued when Ginny first mentioned it the other day," Amelia murmured. "I must say, it seems as though you all are going to make a wonderful difference in these children's lives."
"I hope so," Draco told her honestly. "It would make our sacrifices worth something, then."
"Sacrifices?" Amelia asked, brow furrowing. "What sacrifices?"
Draco blinked and could have kicked himself for the slip. "Never mind, Mrs. Howe. It's not that big a deal, and it's what we have to live with now. It's a small price to pay."
"I must admit, you have my full attention and curiosity at that."
Draco grimaced. "I didn't mean to sound ungrateful, Mrs. Howe. I'm aware that my family is hardly in anyone's good graces after the war." He shrugged at her helplessly. "I'm aware that there were many Dark wizards in my family tree, as well as those now who think that trying to stay out of things or play both sides is cowardly. Sometimes you do things you aren't proud of to survive in terrible times, but you still get blamed for it."
Amelia was surprised at the outburst, and it showed in her expression. "My dear boy, whatever do you mean?"
He must be a blithering idiot. "The curfews, Mrs. Howe," Draco explained patiently. "Take Millicent, for example. She would never call it that, because she isn't sure where the relationship is going, but she's dating Ginevra's brother. If he didn't walk her home after dinner every night, she would be arrested for being out after curfew. She didn't take part in the war, she never got marked, she didn't do anything but be a Slytherin at school." Draco noticed that Amelia's glace flicked to his arms and then back up to his face. He was wearing a long sleeve shirt, so she couldn't see anything. With a sigh, he unrolled his sleeves. "I know what they say about me, Mrs. Howe. I'm not so deluded that I don't hear the whispers. I did what I could to keep my family safe, and there some things I would redo if I could. But I'm forever going to pay for my family's mistakes. Whoever was in Slytherin House at school is going to pay for the mistakes of a generation that thought they were doing the right thing."
"Ginevra mentioned this curfew, too. I didn't realize..."
"No offense, but no one knows about it if you're not a Slytherin." Draco shrugged helplessly at her. "It doesn't make sense, but that's the way it is. No one wants to let go of it. I refuse to believe that one fourth of all children are simply born bad. They tell us that we're clever and will find friends when we're sorted into Slytherin House, but once we get there we're told that we're not clever but evil. That somehow at eleven years old, everyone knows that we're going to turn into Dark wizards and should be shunned for the monsters we aren't yet."
Something in Amelia's expression made Draco stop. He hadn't meant to pour out his frustrations, and certainly not in such an artless manner. "I'm sorry," he said softly, his eyes dropping from her face. "I didn't mean to take this out on you. For some reason, though, you're very easy to talk to, even though you probably don't need to hear this."
Her face softened, and she clasped Draco's hand. "I was a Hufflepuff in school," she began, voice soft and encouraging. "I've never had to deal with any of that. My husband and I were never graced with children, so I don't know what you young people have to deal with today. It is a much harsher world for you than I realized. I thought the war was over and everything was fine again. I thought this charity work was just to make a few glittering people feel good. I certainly didn't realize that there's a real need out there, real loss still waiting to be fixed." Amelia smiled at Draco's wan expression. "Chin up, young man. I'll do whatever is in my power to help the charity as well as all the others that are still marked by this war. I just didn't know how far it went, how much the fear is still ingrained in some of us."
"It doesn't help if the Prophet makes us sound like such horrible people," Draco replied, his lips twisting in a mockery of a smile. "I swear, Mrs. Howe, I'm not such a heartless bastard as the Prophet seems to try to paint me."
Amelia gave his hand a squeeze. "Of course not. No rake hell bent on the destruction of society would think to help children he doesn't know. You wouldn't be so concerned for your friends if you were anything like the monster they like to write about."
"Thank you for listening, Mrs. Howe," Draco told her honestly. "It's not something I talk about much. At all, really. No one seems to care." No one but Ginevra, and you're just as easy to talk to as she is.
She gave him a genuine smile, and Draco could see that she had been quite the beauty in her prime. There was something that reminded him of Ginny, which had probably led to the impromptu confession. "You've found someone now, young Mr. Malfoy. I meant what I just said. I'll do whatever is in my power to help."
After she left by Floo, Draco retired to his bedroom. It had been an overwhelming and exhausting day, and he still owed Ginny some private time that evening. He was going to have to rest up to do it properly. Though, knowing her, she would have some kind of elaborate home cooked meal ready once he arrived. Draco had to admit, he had been unaware that culinary skills would be so welcome. Oh, he knew for a fact that the house elves were the ones to cook at Malfoy Manor and at Hogwarts, and many fancy Wizarding restaurants had elves to speed production. He never thought he would enjoy the thought of Ginny in the kitchen deliberately making something he would enjoy. He never thought he would like watching her move about her flat, a confident glow on her face as she hummed while stirring something in a pot. He never thought he would actually like taking her directions to set a table himself. It was homey in a way he had never been exposed to before, and it carried a kind of comfort he wasn't used to.
Sure enough, when he arrived there was a duck roasting in her oven, vegetables stewing in a pot and the scent of freshly baked bread. Her hair was tied in a simple ponytail, red wisps falling out about her face. She was in an oversized T shirt that was spotted with sauce stains, barefoot as she tidied up her kitchen. "Oi, Draco, you're early," she said cheerily as he locked down her Floo connection. Her grin was infectious. "I've almost done up everything in here."
Draco made a humming noise of appreciation. "Maybe I can start with dessert first?"
Ginny laughed at his playful leer. "Bad habit there, Draco. Whatever would your Mum say?"
"Mother luckily can't read minds. If she could, she would be absolutely shocked at all the things I plan to do with you tonight."
Ginny's mouth ran dry and her breath caught in her throat. "Really, now?"
"Mm-hm," Draco nodded, approaching her kitchen. He pulled the elastic from her hair and tugged the T-shirt off of her. She was wearing a camisole and panties set beneath, and nothing else. "Mm. Ginevra, my favorite dessert of all."
He cupped her face in his hands as he kissed her, hot and open and greedy all at the same time. Her tongue invaded his mouth first, her hands sliding around his waist. The tips of her fingers slipped beneath the edge of his trousers, working his shirt loose. Ginny wanted to feel his bare skin, wanted to feel the smooth play of muscle beneath her hands. She liked his hands, the aristocratic curve of them, the way they could bend her will in knots as they moved over her fevered flesh. He could be such a naughty, naughty boy, and she loved every moment of his diligent attentions.
They stumbled from the kitchen after Ginny made a halfhearted attempt to shut everything off so it wouldn't burn. She couldn't tell if her stove was actually off or if the food would wind up burnt to a crisp once they were finally sated. Truly, it didn't matter anyway.
The camisole came off first, somewhere in the living room. Draco's shoes came next, kicked off and tossed across the room. His shirt and pants were tossed across her hallway and her panties were removed somewhere along the threshold of her bedroom. They were both gloriously naked, and Draco pushed her backward toward her bed. He had been taunted by the taste of her all throughout that meeting today, and he wanted more of her. Draco ran his hands across her belly, sliding down toward the juncture of her thighs. He could smell her already, the heady scent of her arousal, and was instantly addicted again. He knew she'd be so wet for him, and he could almost see it glisten against the ruddy curls on her sex. He breathed in the scent of her, kneeling by the side of her bed, wanting to slide all of his fingers inside her, solid and hot.
Ginny made a soft humming noise in the back of her throat as he reverently kissed her inner thighs, his fingers tracing the edges of her soft folds. "Would it be horrible if I said I wanted to taste you, too?" she whispered.
Thank you, Merlin, Draco wanted to say. The first time he had thought about bedding Ginny, he had been afraid that she would be a prude in bed. Once he discovered that her wild streak included a willingness to try just about anything, Draco was certain that he had made someone somewhere very, very happy to be rewarded in such a way.
"Ginevra, whatever you want to try is fine with me," Draco replied, his voice husky with need. He clambered up onto the bed, hovering over her. He straddled her head carefully, then positioned himself over her wet heat. She tasted like honey, warm and sticky over his tongue, and he reveled in the taste of her. Her skin was fever warm beneath his mouth, and he altered his position slightly so he could slide a finger inside of her as he sucked on her clit. Ginny had taken him into her mouth and was clutching his ass almost desperately, holding him in place. Her tongue ran along the length of his cock, its head sliding across the ridges of the roof of her mouth. She made soft mewling sounds in the back of her throat as he sucked on her, the sound making his cock twitch. The vibrations from her throat carried along his length straight to his balls, and Draco moaned against her mound. He moved his finger faster, then slid a second one inside her. She was slick and tight, the inner muscles grasping at his fingers. He could feel them tighten as she drew closer to coming, could feel her hips twitch beneath him. She came almost abruptly, spasming around his fingers. It was all he could do to keep from coming with her, her muffled cries around his cock almost too good to resist.
He pulled out of her mouth despite her weak protests and thrust inside her. He closed his eyes as he did, the exquisite feel of her almost too much to bear. Ginny's hand ran down his back as he moved, her fingertips light across the skin. She arched up, moaning, her own eyes falling shut as she tried to keep herself from clenching down around his cock as it moved inside her. She grabbed his shoulders, fingers digging into the muscle as she gasped for breath. She was going to come again, could barely gasp out a warning before she could feel it wash over her in waves. Her hands fell down across his back as the pleasure began to soften, and she could feel the muscles there as he kept his balance above her. There was tension in Draco's arms, in his entire body as he tried to keep from coming inside her.
"Ah, Draco," Ginny whimpered softly, opening her eyes. "You feel so good."
Her voice was enough to send him tumbling over the edge, spilling inside her hot depths.
Draco lay above her, panting for breath, hoping he wasn't crushing her. "We get more dessert after dinner, right?" he asked, voice hopeful.
Ginny's laughter was all the response he needed.
Author: Eustacia Vye
Author's e-mail: eustacia_vye28@hotmail.com
Rating: NC-17 eventually. Parts are appropriately marked.
Disclaimer: They're Jo's, and I'm borrowing without permission. I'll return her toys when I'm done playing with them.
Spoilers: I incorporate DH except for the epilogue. A list of begats and shoddy writing is not a good way to end a series.
Summary: The fallout of a magical clandestine war is difficult to wade through, and reconstructing society takes work to be done right. Unfortunately, too many old prejudices remain. Ginny sees the world for what it is and is determined to fix it properly. This leads to all sorts of unlikely allies.
Author's Note: This was inspired by nokomis305's drabble that she had written for me. The opening was actually written as a short drabble for mynuet. I had actually lost the original five chapters that were written and had to recreate them from memory. :(
Promise Us Everything
Part Eight - Linking the Chains Together
::peeks around different corners:: Hide the children! Smut has arrived!
Ginny arrived early at Malfoy Manor to let Draco know about the new arrivals at the current Helping Hands meeting. Her owl hadn't delivered her note to him, though Millicent and Blaise had received her notes. Pansy had been told the day before, during their outing to Muggle London. She had charmed away the bruises that Ginny knew she had to have, and visibly looked put together. It had dissolved into a puddle of nerves the moment they stepped into a clinic, and she had clung to Ginny throughout the entire meeting. Luckily, they were able to be seen the same day, and Ginny found herself doing most of the talking while Pansy looked miserable. She had lied, saying they were sisters and Pansy was simply nervous around doctors. Pansy had been utterly helpless about her medical history and getting blood drawn, and had nearly bolted from the room when the doctors were explaining the intricacies of fertility. Ginny had been the one to explain everything to Chesterfield the day before, and had to bear his outraged look at having to go in to the clinic to be evaluated himself. Pansy had hidden her face throughout the entire recital, but Ginny had stood her ground. She ultimately got Chesterfield to agree to attend the follow up appointment, as it would be the only one he would actually have to attend.
Ginny pushed the events out of her mind and focused on trying to find Draco. The house elves had been particularly unhelpful, and so she took it upon herself to wander throughout the Manor. It seemed much less imposing now than her first visit; apparently it had needed time to get used to her presence.
Lucius Malfoy abruptly turned a corner of the hallway, and Ginny nearly collided with him. She half-jumped a step backward to keep from treading on his toes, and met his gaze steadily. She knew that Draco was afraid of what his intentions were, what plots he might try to hatch behind his cold eyes and waxen expressions. Ginny wasn't afraid. She knew he had dark intent, and she knew where his loyalties really were. She had lived with possession from the Dark Lord himself, and she knew what evil was. In comparison, Lucius Malfoy was measured pettiness and hate, a self-absorbed ball of self-righteousness and prejudice.
"Miss Weasley," he said, voice unctuous and oily. He smiled, just barely, with a familiar glint of malevolence in his eye.
"Mr. Malfoy," Ginny replied, voice level and controlled. While she was primed and alert, she betrayed no fear or lack of confidence. She wasn't afraid of him. She knew what he was about, and there was no fear within her. Draco might call her stupid and a bloody Gryffindor for it, but she wasn't afraid of petty evils.
"I've wanted to congratulate you on your successes," he continued, stepping slightly forward. He seemed somewhat surprised that she didn't step back in response, but the satisfied expression slid back onto his face. "You have done so much for one so young and inexperienced."
"I should thank you for the list of contacts," Ginny replied, voice level and confident. "They proved to be most useful in our endeavors." Her voice was arch, clipped, and nothing like her usual cadence of speech. If she stopped to think about it, she was channeling her inner Narcissa Malfoy. It would have made her laugh hysterically.
Nonplused, Lucius straightened his shoulders. "It's all for a good cause, isn't it? Some noble prattle for the masses?"
"We're making everyone equal," Ginny told him, voice icy. "Everyone evaluated on their own merits, everyone answerable for their own crimes." Her lips twisted into a mockery of a smile, and Lucius seemed unnerved by it.
He reached out and grabbed her throat, his cold fingers sliding across her skin. "You should have died," he hissed, composure breaking apart suddenly. "You should have resurrected our Lord the way you were meant to!"
Ginny didn't even think twice before her wand was out and the hex left her lips. It was a split second, faster than anyone ever gave her credit for, and Lucius was across the room with boils breaking out across his face as a horde of bats circled his head. He screamed, high and frightened and fragile, and feet pounded on the stairs behind her.
Draco skidded to a stop next to her, panting for breath. "What-?" He turned to Ginny, eyes wide and skin a different shade of pale. "Ginevra?"
"He tried to choke me," she told him evenly. She watched his eyes track down to her throat, to the faint trace of red still visible on her skin. "I couldn't allow that, now could I? Don't worry, it's not fatal."
He gave her a wry smile. "I remember the bats, but the boils are new."
Ginny let him steer her up the stairs and down a twisting maze of corridors. She didn't even try to figure out where they were going. Now that the adrenaline high was fading, she could feel the tremble in her hands. It was a good thing she never stepped foot on the grounds without her wand. The Manor itself might have accepted her, Narcissa might respect her and Draco might care for her, but Lucius never would.
Draco brought her to his bedroom and locked the door with a key and a half dozen different locking spells. He sat her down on his bed and ran his hands through his hair as he looked about the room in a daze. "I don't know what he was thinking," he whispered in an agonized tone. "I can't..." He looked at her with a dazed expression. "If I had really lost you today... If he really got a chance to choke you..."
Ginny got up and took his frantic face within her hands. "I'm fine, Draco. It'll take more than an angry father to get the best of me."
The words didn't soothe him at all. "He tried to hurt you, Ginevra. He tried to take you from me. I can't... He can't do that. He can't take you from me."
She kissed him, soft and gentle. She tried to press her love for him into the kiss, to let him know that she was safe and had no intention of going anywhere. The kiss deepened, and before she knew it they were pulling off each other's clothes. Draco stripped her naked and gently pushed her back, toward his bed. She scrambled on top of it eagerly, taking in the sight of his naked form. She grinned at him when he paused. "What? Scared of me?"
Draco snorted inelegantly. "I already know what you're capable of, Ginevra. I'm just thinking of which might be the best way to get you to come today." He playfully arranged himself into a classic thinker's pose. "There really isn't enough time to do everything I want to do."
Ginny wagged her eyebrows suggestively at him. "Well, then, I guess I'll have to make do with the abridged version and take the rest of it later."
Draco approached the bed, something like reverence in his expression. He hooked her leg over his shoulder and lowered himself to the bed, his hands on her hips. He buried his face between her thighs, inhaling the musky scent of her sex before sweeping his tongue out to taste her. She gave a gasping moan, her hand going to his head, fingers threading through his hair. He licked and suckled, using his tongue and teeth, taking pleasure in each noise, each moan, each sigh he drew from her. When she finally came, he rode the shuddering and bucking of her body, drinking her in. He lifted his head, taking in the sight of her loose-limbed sprawl, her chest heaving with each shuddering breath. He let her leg fall from his shoulder and crawled up her body, licking his lips before pressing her into the covers, kissing her, letting her taste herself on his lips.
Ginny's legs opened wide as he settled himself between her thighs. He grinned as his hand slid between her spread legs, his fingers lightly grazing the skin of her inner thighs, climbing higher until he found the juncture of her legs and teased her skin with his touch. "Mm... Draco..." she moaned, head lolling on his coverlet. "I like that."
"Think we're done for today?"
"You awful tease, you!" Ginny gasped, swatting his chest. "Don't you dare stop now!"
Draco laughed as he thrust inside her, strong and powerful, pinning her arms above her head as her back arched with pleasure. "I love you," he whispered, eyes locking to hers. "I love you, Ginevra Weasley. I don't ever want to be that frightened for you again."
Ginny gasped and arched into his thrusts. She was so close, hovering just at the edge of coming again, losing the ability to speak. "Love... you... so much..."
And then she came, shattering to pieces, the universe spiraling out around her in a haze of pleasure and sensation. Draco came soon after, falling to his elbows on either side of her. He could barely breathe, and touched his forehead to hers. "Not how I imagined telling you," he admitted after a long moment.
She grinned. "Not how I imagined hearing it, but I'm rather glad I did."
"Me, too."
"Have we much more time before the meeting?"
Draco looked at his bedside clock and grimaced. "Not if we plan to be presentable," he groaned.
"You'll just have to make it up to me later, then." Ginny grinned cheekily at him and wiggled her hips suggestively beneath him. He laughed, nodding, and they disentangled themselves.
They arrived separately to the meeting area, looking cool and composed. Neither gave any indication that they had been shagging each other mercilessly, and Draco took his place at the desk he used as the charity's recording secretary. Narcissa lofted an eyebrow at him but said nothing. "Your father seems to be indisposed this afternoon."
"That's too bad, Mother," Draco murmured. He didn't look up, but merely took out the parchment and ink he would need. "Was he planning on attending today's meeting?"
Her lips curled into something resembling a smile. "Certainly not, though we will be getting new members to the charity. I would think there will be much less conspiring today."
Ah, that was the reason Ginny had actually come in early. Draco had never gotten around to asking her. He did look up as she came into the room and greeted his mother warmly. Narcissa wasn't fooled by their behavior at all, but at least seemed to give her tacit approval.
The others came into the room, as well as three other members of Ginny's Quidditch team and Amelia Howe. Draco didn't know how Ginny had managed that one, but somehow wasn't surprised as he felt he should have been. They discussed the donation monies that had been collected so far, stored in a secure Gringotts vault. They had funded some small kitchens that helped to feed the war orphans, but the majority of the money collected from the ball still needed to be spent appropriately. Millicent discussed the different estates that she had evaluated for eventual purchase by Helping Hands, as well as the thought that perhaps it should be large enough not just for the children and caretaking staff, but to have a small entry school on grounds to prepare the children for Hogwarts. She had gone to a shelter and had been shocked to realize that some of the eight year old children didn't know how to read well and could barely write, as no one had been able to send them to a school.
"You'll need more money for that," Heather Goodwright remarked, frowning. "My cousin teaches at an entry school, and it's not as easy as it looks. Depending on the number of children that are going to be at this household, you'll need at least three or four teachers."
"That's not going to be easy, then," Ginny said, shaking her head sadly. "Between the money left over from the ball and the distrust for us already, no one would want to donate more."
"Celebrity Quidditch," Viola said suddenly, snapping her fingers. Even her boyfriend frowned at the apparent non sequitur. "What? We're a popular bunch, yeah? So if we can put together even a pickup game, don't you think that there's a lot of folk who would be willing to pay for those tickets? We can donate our time and play, and there's the extra money we need to hire on a few teachers for these kids."
"Ohmigosh," Heather cried, nearly bouncing in her seat from excitement. "It's wonderful! That would work out so well. Do you think we could get Ministry officers in on it, too, Mrs. Howe? That would be smashing!"
Draco could hardly believe his ears. It was good luck, and that it came from someone other than his little group had to make it look better. Amelia was smiling and nodding, which suddenly gave him a spark of hope that he hadn't expected.
"I know my husband loves the game, and there's bound to be more that would be willing to play for such a good cause."
"Draco, you used to play in school," Millicent said, looking at him with a wry smile. "Why don't you join up as our representative?"
"Ginevra's a professional, so she should really be our representative..." Draco hedged.
"Yes, but I'm a Chaser. You used to play Seeker." Ginny grinned at Draco cheekily. "This sounds like such a wonderful idea, and just the thing for late summer when it starts to cool down. The Quidditch season is just about to pick up at that point, and interest will be at a high." She gave Heather and Viola wide grins.
All in all, the meeting was a success, and everyone seemed buoyed by the good news. Even Pansy, who had been sitting throughout the meeting like a sober lump on a couch near Ginny, had seemed to perk up by the end. Draco escorted everyone to the Floo room, thanking them for coming and for their efforts on behalf of the charity.
Amelia Howe seemed to tarry on her way out. "Mrs. Howe," Draco murmured. He grasped her proffered hand and gave it a gallant kiss. "You honor us with your interest in our cause. Thank you so much for stopping by today."
"I was intrigued when Ginny first mentioned it the other day," Amelia murmured. "I must say, it seems as though you all are going to make a wonderful difference in these children's lives."
"I hope so," Draco told her honestly. "It would make our sacrifices worth something, then."
"Sacrifices?" Amelia asked, brow furrowing. "What sacrifices?"
Draco blinked and could have kicked himself for the slip. "Never mind, Mrs. Howe. It's not that big a deal, and it's what we have to live with now. It's a small price to pay."
"I must admit, you have my full attention and curiosity at that."
Draco grimaced. "I didn't mean to sound ungrateful, Mrs. Howe. I'm aware that my family is hardly in anyone's good graces after the war." He shrugged at her helplessly. "I'm aware that there were many Dark wizards in my family tree, as well as those now who think that trying to stay out of things or play both sides is cowardly. Sometimes you do things you aren't proud of to survive in terrible times, but you still get blamed for it."
Amelia was surprised at the outburst, and it showed in her expression. "My dear boy, whatever do you mean?"
He must be a blithering idiot. "The curfews, Mrs. Howe," Draco explained patiently. "Take Millicent, for example. She would never call it that, because she isn't sure where the relationship is going, but she's dating Ginevra's brother. If he didn't walk her home after dinner every night, she would be arrested for being out after curfew. She didn't take part in the war, she never got marked, she didn't do anything but be a Slytherin at school." Draco noticed that Amelia's glace flicked to his arms and then back up to his face. He was wearing a long sleeve shirt, so she couldn't see anything. With a sigh, he unrolled his sleeves. "I know what they say about me, Mrs. Howe. I'm not so deluded that I don't hear the whispers. I did what I could to keep my family safe, and there some things I would redo if I could. But I'm forever going to pay for my family's mistakes. Whoever was in Slytherin House at school is going to pay for the mistakes of a generation that thought they were doing the right thing."
"Ginevra mentioned this curfew, too. I didn't realize..."
"No offense, but no one knows about it if you're not a Slytherin." Draco shrugged helplessly at her. "It doesn't make sense, but that's the way it is. No one wants to let go of it. I refuse to believe that one fourth of all children are simply born bad. They tell us that we're clever and will find friends when we're sorted into Slytherin House, but once we get there we're told that we're not clever but evil. That somehow at eleven years old, everyone knows that we're going to turn into Dark wizards and should be shunned for the monsters we aren't yet."
Something in Amelia's expression made Draco stop. He hadn't meant to pour out his frustrations, and certainly not in such an artless manner. "I'm sorry," he said softly, his eyes dropping from her face. "I didn't mean to take this out on you. For some reason, though, you're very easy to talk to, even though you probably don't need to hear this."
Her face softened, and she clasped Draco's hand. "I was a Hufflepuff in school," she began, voice soft and encouraging. "I've never had to deal with any of that. My husband and I were never graced with children, so I don't know what you young people have to deal with today. It is a much harsher world for you than I realized. I thought the war was over and everything was fine again. I thought this charity work was just to make a few glittering people feel good. I certainly didn't realize that there's a real need out there, real loss still waiting to be fixed." Amelia smiled at Draco's wan expression. "Chin up, young man. I'll do whatever is in my power to help the charity as well as all the others that are still marked by this war. I just didn't know how far it went, how much the fear is still ingrained in some of us."
"It doesn't help if the Prophet makes us sound like such horrible people," Draco replied, his lips twisting in a mockery of a smile. "I swear, Mrs. Howe, I'm not such a heartless bastard as the Prophet seems to try to paint me."
Amelia gave his hand a squeeze. "Of course not. No rake hell bent on the destruction of society would think to help children he doesn't know. You wouldn't be so concerned for your friends if you were anything like the monster they like to write about."
"Thank you for listening, Mrs. Howe," Draco told her honestly. "It's not something I talk about much. At all, really. No one seems to care." No one but Ginevra, and you're just as easy to talk to as she is.
She gave him a genuine smile, and Draco could see that she had been quite the beauty in her prime. There was something that reminded him of Ginny, which had probably led to the impromptu confession. "You've found someone now, young Mr. Malfoy. I meant what I just said. I'll do whatever is in my power to help."
After she left by Floo, Draco retired to his bedroom. It had been an overwhelming and exhausting day, and he still owed Ginny some private time that evening. He was going to have to rest up to do it properly. Though, knowing her, she would have some kind of elaborate home cooked meal ready once he arrived. Draco had to admit, he had been unaware that culinary skills would be so welcome. Oh, he knew for a fact that the house elves were the ones to cook at Malfoy Manor and at Hogwarts, and many fancy Wizarding restaurants had elves to speed production. He never thought he would enjoy the thought of Ginny in the kitchen deliberately making something he would enjoy. He never thought he would like watching her move about her flat, a confident glow on her face as she hummed while stirring something in a pot. He never thought he would actually like taking her directions to set a table himself. It was homey in a way he had never been exposed to before, and it carried a kind of comfort he wasn't used to.
Sure enough, when he arrived there was a duck roasting in her oven, vegetables stewing in a pot and the scent of freshly baked bread. Her hair was tied in a simple ponytail, red wisps falling out about her face. She was in an oversized T shirt that was spotted with sauce stains, barefoot as she tidied up her kitchen. "Oi, Draco, you're early," she said cheerily as he locked down her Floo connection. Her grin was infectious. "I've almost done up everything in here."
Draco made a humming noise of appreciation. "Maybe I can start with dessert first?"
Ginny laughed at his playful leer. "Bad habit there, Draco. Whatever would your Mum say?"
"Mother luckily can't read minds. If she could, she would be absolutely shocked at all the things I plan to do with you tonight."
Ginny's mouth ran dry and her breath caught in her throat. "Really, now?"
"Mm-hm," Draco nodded, approaching her kitchen. He pulled the elastic from her hair and tugged the T-shirt off of her. She was wearing a camisole and panties set beneath, and nothing else. "Mm. Ginevra, my favorite dessert of all."
He cupped her face in his hands as he kissed her, hot and open and greedy all at the same time. Her tongue invaded his mouth first, her hands sliding around his waist. The tips of her fingers slipped beneath the edge of his trousers, working his shirt loose. Ginny wanted to feel his bare skin, wanted to feel the smooth play of muscle beneath her hands. She liked his hands, the aristocratic curve of them, the way they could bend her will in knots as they moved over her fevered flesh. He could be such a naughty, naughty boy, and she loved every moment of his diligent attentions.
They stumbled from the kitchen after Ginny made a halfhearted attempt to shut everything off so it wouldn't burn. She couldn't tell if her stove was actually off or if the food would wind up burnt to a crisp once they were finally sated. Truly, it didn't matter anyway.
The camisole came off first, somewhere in the living room. Draco's shoes came next, kicked off and tossed across the room. His shirt and pants were tossed across her hallway and her panties were removed somewhere along the threshold of her bedroom. They were both gloriously naked, and Draco pushed her backward toward her bed. He had been taunted by the taste of her all throughout that meeting today, and he wanted more of her. Draco ran his hands across her belly, sliding down toward the juncture of her thighs. He could smell her already, the heady scent of her arousal, and was instantly addicted again. He knew she'd be so wet for him, and he could almost see it glisten against the ruddy curls on her sex. He breathed in the scent of her, kneeling by the side of her bed, wanting to slide all of his fingers inside her, solid and hot.
Ginny made a soft humming noise in the back of her throat as he reverently kissed her inner thighs, his fingers tracing the edges of her soft folds. "Would it be horrible if I said I wanted to taste you, too?" she whispered.
Thank you, Merlin, Draco wanted to say. The first time he had thought about bedding Ginny, he had been afraid that she would be a prude in bed. Once he discovered that her wild streak included a willingness to try just about anything, Draco was certain that he had made someone somewhere very, very happy to be rewarded in such a way.
"Ginevra, whatever you want to try is fine with me," Draco replied, his voice husky with need. He clambered up onto the bed, hovering over her. He straddled her head carefully, then positioned himself over her wet heat. She tasted like honey, warm and sticky over his tongue, and he reveled in the taste of her. Her skin was fever warm beneath his mouth, and he altered his position slightly so he could slide a finger inside of her as he sucked on her clit. Ginny had taken him into her mouth and was clutching his ass almost desperately, holding him in place. Her tongue ran along the length of his cock, its head sliding across the ridges of the roof of her mouth. She made soft mewling sounds in the back of her throat as he sucked on her, the sound making his cock twitch. The vibrations from her throat carried along his length straight to his balls, and Draco moaned against her mound. He moved his finger faster, then slid a second one inside her. She was slick and tight, the inner muscles grasping at his fingers. He could feel them tighten as she drew closer to coming, could feel her hips twitch beneath him. She came almost abruptly, spasming around his fingers. It was all he could do to keep from coming with her, her muffled cries around his cock almost too good to resist.
He pulled out of her mouth despite her weak protests and thrust inside her. He closed his eyes as he did, the exquisite feel of her almost too much to bear. Ginny's hand ran down his back as he moved, her fingertips light across the skin. She arched up, moaning, her own eyes falling shut as she tried to keep herself from clenching down around his cock as it moved inside her. She grabbed his shoulders, fingers digging into the muscle as she gasped for breath. She was going to come again, could barely gasp out a warning before she could feel it wash over her in waves. Her hands fell down across his back as the pleasure began to soften, and she could feel the muscles there as he kept his balance above her. There was tension in Draco's arms, in his entire body as he tried to keep from coming inside her.
"Ah, Draco," Ginny whimpered softly, opening her eyes. "You feel so good."
Her voice was enough to send him tumbling over the edge, spilling inside her hot depths.
Draco lay above her, panting for breath, hoping he wasn't crushing her. "We get more dessert after dinner, right?" he asked, voice hopeful.
Ginny's laughter was all the response he needed.