Her quill scratched rather violently across the parchment she'd been writing. She looked up at the doorway, half expecting to see him there. She scrambled around the desk. She didn't want to do this in her office. There was a semi-bed in her office, and she was still remembering her conversation with Blaise.

The panicky conversation including the 'g' word and the mention of his mum.

Again.

She made her way down the hallway, pulling her lab-robe tighter around her figure. She should have worn jeans. Skirts were blasted things, but she'd had a rather influential mother in the office and she'd wanted to look her best, make a good impression. Now she was just worried about giving the wrong impression.

"Hullo."

"Hey," Draco said, looking at her legs appreciatively. "Where do you want me?"

She blinked, his intention with that question blindingly clear. Smiling softly, she pointed to the exam room on her right. "In here is fine. Exam room 1." She entered before him pulling her wand out of her pocket and casting an antiseptic charm on her hands and the table. She rubbed her hands together, getting them warm, as they'd suddenly gone quite cold. She turned to Draco with a forced smile. "Sorry I couldn't get you in earlier. I was full with other people."

"It's fine," Draco said as he yanked his shirt over his head and tossed it in the chair in the room. He hopped up on the exam table and laid back. He knew the drill.

She hesitated for a second, her hands clenching at her sides in uncertainty. Deciding she knew what to do with this part, she took a step forward, setting her hands on his forearm. She took a deep breath. "Any changes in your arm since we did this last?"

"Not that I've noticed. There have been changes since we began, but I'm not really sure since the last time."

He was staring, just staring at her while she worked. She had this look when she healed. It was a very nice look.

Ginny nodded. It was good he was noticing changes. She'd noticed a small change in the scar tissue, not enough to make someone go 'wow, it almost looks like you didn't carve up your arm with a bottle', but enough that someone would notice it was softer than before. If they touched it. Which she was doing.

She nodded to herself again, saying the words aloud, but feeling them in parts other than just her mouth. She was used to this bit of healing magic now. She was familiar. He was familiar. His arm, anyway, and the way he felt under her hands. She pursed her lips in between the words, opening her eyes, which had fallen closed. "You alright?"

"Has anyone ever told you that the voice you use when you heal is almost outside reality and the sexiest sound I have heard in a long while?"

Her fingers tightened on his arm. There was heat, and Draco felt his skin jump. He looked at her in shock.

She'd pulled her hands away from his arm like it'd burned her. In all their sessions, in all the healing, there had never been a response like that. Her eyes were wide as she looked down at him. She had the insane urge to tell him she was sorry, but why? There was healing. There was definitely something, but blast and damn if my heart isn't racing.

"Wow."

"I'll say," Draco said softly. "Why did that... that was sort of cool. Should we keep going or do you think that should be it for today? I don't..."

Draco smirked at her. If they were finished healing, he could think of PLENTY they could do for the rest of his time here.

"If you think that I'm going to stop after that burst of power and just ignore that more progress could be made, you're mad."

She put her hands back on him, her fingers flexing against his skin. "Think about what you were thinking about when that happened." She closed her eyes again, trying to get that same feeling back.

Draco wondering how she'd feel if she knew what he had been thinking about was having sex with her on the exam table. He closed his eyes.

"I love your hands on me," he whispered. "Your skin is so soft."

The jolt startled her, forcing her to take a step back. She shook her hands at her sides, her fingertips almost numb. Her arms from her elbows down were tingling. She let out a giggle, the rush of the magic bubbling in her chest. She shook her arms again, opening and closing her hands. "Merlin," she breathed, turning a smile to Draco.

"Well..." Draco said, smiling. How funny was it that a sexual element got more results with them in a healing capacity? Draco had heard of sexual healing before, but this was a bit unbelievable. "Do we keep going?"

She shook her head. "I don't... my hands are numb. I don't think I can." She stuck both hands in the pockets to her robes, quelling the urge to reach out and touch him to see if electricity actually flowed between their bodies. "I think that's plenty for today. How does your arm feel?"

"Tingly," Draco answered, sitting up. He crooked a finger at her.

Ginny stared at him oddly but eventually stepped forward. Draco pulled one of hands from her pockets and turned it over in his own hands before leaning down and kissing her opened palm.

She took in a deep breath through her nose, her hand still feeling tingly, but in a very different way now. "It's fine." She pursed her lips when his eyes rolled up to look at her, her hand still pressed against his mouth. "Really, it's fine now."

He didn't let go of her hand and was just smirking at her with hooded eyes. "I'd hate to be the cause of any harm to these hands."

She sort of snatched her hand from his grasp and put it back in the pocket he'd pulled it from.

"Is the other hand feeling neglected? Would it like the same thank you?" Draco asked as he hopped off of the table and stood before her.

Ginny swallowed a bit harshly, eyes widening as he took a step closer. "I think it's fine."

She felt like an idiot. She'd been fine less than a week ago with this. Then things had been spoken, things she hadn't thought about until then, and now she was unsure. She definitely had lust after Draco's body. That wasn't in question. But this thing?  She hadn't wanted to put too much into it too quickly, and then Blaise had said girlfriend and Ginny had panicked. Was panicking. Present tense.

"Do you want to have sex with me?" Her eyes widened.

Oh goddess.

"Well... yes. Hell yes. Repeatedly. Until neither of us can walk properly," Draco said, surprised by the question. "Is that ALL I want from you? No. Definitely not. I was perfectly serious when I said you fascinated me. That means all of you - not just what's under your robes. Besides, I don't just go sleeping around. I don't. I like to know the person. It has to be more than just a body thing. Not a popular take for someone like myself, but it's how I go about things."

Fuck.

"Alright." Her eyebrows furrowed. "I told you not to lie to me and you didn't." Couldn't he have lied? "I don't... know what... this thing is new. Whatever this is, and I don't want to tell anyone. Firstly, jinxing and not I'm not talking about the jelly-legs. Secondly, my brothers and Harry would kill you. Thirdly, it's not because you're you. Draco Malfoy. I don't care about that. But others will. Others' fists will want to connect with your face, and I like your face the way it is, so I don't want it ruined."

She shook her head. "I'm not saying this the way I want it to be said, but I don't know how else to say it." She took a deep breath, trying to center herself, her hands fisting in her pockets. "I don't know you. Not really. And you don't know me. I'm thinking I might want to know you, but-" Ginny rolled her eyes at herself. Hopeless. She had the words, but they were not coming out.

He didn't know if he was wounded by that or not. He'd told his friends about her. She'd said it was not him, but Draco could not help feeling that it was. Just when he thought he had gotten past those voices that told him he wasn't good enough, he started hearing them again, and they usually all sounded like his father.

Draco just nodded, silent. Now he wanted to get out of here, and quickly too. He never learned. He should not open himself to people who weren't in his group. With a few exceptions, he always ended up getting rejected. One way or another. He was worth hiding and that was all.

"Do you even want to get to know me at all," he found himself asking, probably sounding a bit sullen. Well, he was feeling a bit sullen.

"I think so." Ginny's weight shifted from one foot to the other. What was it with her making things awkward? She blamed Fred. He always told her to say what was on her mind, never be afraid to voice her thoughts. Well, in this situation, that was probably not the best advice. "I think you're... there's more to you than just walking about in your pants. At least, I hope there's more to you than just walking about in your pants, and I think I'd like to find out more about you."

She sighed. "Sometimes I say things, and they're not right. I didn't mean to... say anything, actually."

Draco nodded. He was all too familiar with the saying of things that were not right. He just wished he didn't feel like something that needed to be hidden. He actually understood, but that didn't mean it didn't hurt him a little.

"Maybe you can come to the Manor and have dinner... just us. Maybe we can talk. I'd offer a public place, but I don't think you want to be seen in public with me."

He didn't mean to sound like he did, but it couldn't be helped. What had he expected? For her to just forget who he had been all the time she'd known him? Just because he had not sneered at her like he used to or insulted her or her family?

"I have no problem being seen with you in public, Draco. I could care less what the general public had to say about it. Hello? I dated Harry Potter. My name was smeared in the papers. That doesn't matter." She frowned. "But my family... your mum may understand and, frighteningly, have no problem with it, but I believe you've met my brother. Goes by the name of Ronald Weasley. Has punched you in the face? Yeah. And Harry? I'm pretty sure his head would explode. Literally. Scar and all."

She reached out hesitantly and placed a hand on his forearm. "Don't think it's me. It's not me. And it's not really you, either. Not really. Well, it's sort of you, but not you." Great, now I'm not making sense and I'm rambling. Bloody perfect.

Draco looked at her with a raised brow. "So would you be opposed to spending time with me where no healing was involved then? I'm a bit confused."

"I would not be opposed. Though, my hands are still tingling from the healing bit." She smiled at him. "I just think maybe not going anywhere where my brothers or Harry would be able to see us, or anyone who speaks to them would be able to see us, would be best." She took a step closer to him. "We don't have to go in public, anyway. I mean, we've avoided it so far and I'd say we've done alright."

"Up until a little over a week ago, you thought I was gay. That might have a lot to do with the us doing okay on this. Alone, and I run the risk of not keeping myself to myself, but I do like the idea of being able to talk to you and no one bothering us. No, we'll leave the public outings off for now. Just let me know when you are free."

"Alright. I'll owl you." She grinned, closing the distance between them. Not having the pressure of her brothers finding out about this and overreacting, which she knew they would, made her feel infinitely better about the situation. She was still at a complete loss as to what to do if Harry found out. Ron, yes, he'd be angry, but he was so busy with the Cannons that they didn't see each other that often.

Harry, though? Harry would be hard to avoid. Not to mention he'd know if she was hiding something. He'd always been able to do that, and it was infuriating.

"I'll owl you and we'll do... something."

Draco smiled. It was something. She was willing to try. Yes, it bothered him a bit that she didn't feel she could share him yet, as he'd shared her. Not that he was at all decent at keeping his true feelings on things from his friends and family. Maybe his friends acceptance had a lot to do with his ability to throw a tantrum though. None of them wanted to see him upset because it was damned annoying. She needed to take small steps. He would have to remember that. He would have to be patient.

She was worth a bit of patience.

 

{SUMMARY} Healing and tentative plans for a secret dinner date with Draco and Ginny.