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Caught off Balance by ChocolateFrogsForBreakfast
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Caught off Balance

ChocolateFrogsForBreakfast

A/N: I'm back but will be out of town again on Friday. Sorry this chapter is a bit short but I hope you'll like it anyway. I will post again tomorrow and hopefully get back in time to post Friday.

Chapter 5 Revealed

"Harry, would you mind if I borrowed your invisibility cloak?" Ginny whispered hesitantly as the group sat in the common room after dinner.

"What d'you need it for?" Harry turned to her.

"I'd rather not say if you don't mind," she replied not quite meeting his eyes.

"It's okay-just please take good care of it. It was my dad's and…well, you know."

"Thanks, Harry." Relieved, Ginny gave him a quick hug. "I promise I'll take care of it. I know how important it is to you."

Ginny gave Harry her book bag and he ran upstairs to put the cloak in it. He soon brought her bag back down the stairs and handed it to her.

"Thanks, again!" Ginny whispered fervently. "I'll have it back to you in the morning."

Hours later, Ginny stole out of her bed in the moonlight and retrieved the cloak from her bag. She slipped quietly down the stairs. The common room was empty and Ginny stopped behind the portrait hole to swirl the invisibility cloak around her. She pushed the portrait open as a sleep-filled voice mumbled, "Who's there?"

Ginny quietly made her way through the opening and down the corridor. She climbed the steps leading to the infirmary and stopped midway up to listen for any noise. All was quiet but then she nearly jumped out of her skin as a clock loudly struck once. Ginny reached the infirmary door and opened it slowly, grimacing as it squeaked a bit. She slipped through the narrow opening then stood quietly and scanned the beds. In the last bed by the window, she glimpsed pale hair shining in the moonlight. Ginny made her way softly down to the sleeping boy. Madam Pomfrey had mended Draco's arm and ribs but his face was still pale and he still had a knot on his forehead where he had hit the ground. For a long moment she gazed down at him then her hand reached out reflexively from under the cloak to smooth back some strands of hair that had wandered across his cheek. The moment she touched him, Draco's hand shot out and grabbed her wrist, his silvery eyes now open and narrowed.

"Who are you?" he demanded in a whisper his head rising off the pillow, his body tense. Then grimacing, he let his head fall back on his pillow but still kept a firm hold on Ginny's wrist.

Ginny silently removed the cloak and looked down apprehensively at Draco. "I didn't mean to wake you. I'm so sorr-"

"What are you doing here and where did you get that cloak?" Draco interrupted.

"I borrowed it from a friend," Ginny answered shakily in a low voice. She added hesitantly, "I just wanted to…to see you."

"What for?" Draco's eyes remained unreadable and he still gripped her wrist.

"Well, I…I think you took that Bludger for me this afternoon."

"And why would I do that?"

"I…I don't know…" stammered Ginny locked in his gaze.

Draco searched her eyes in silence and then:

"Don't you?" he mocked gruffly and still holding her wrist, he suddenly pulled Ginny down so that her face was barely inches above his. She saw the challenge in his gray eyes. And, after a long moment, she met it by touching her lips to his tenderly. Draco seemed briefly stunned by her gentleness but then returned her lips' caresses. Ginny felt his body relax a bit. Draco's hand let go of her wrist and then both his hands cupped her face. Slowly his hands roamed from her face through her hair and down her back pressing her hungrily to him. When their kisses had ended, tentative smiles grew on both their faces.

Draco slid his body over on the sheets and Ginny eased in beside him then hovered over him dipping her lips back to his. He returned her kisses softly, pulling her closer. Ginny felt Draco's mouth open and his tongue stroked her lips, tasting her. One of his hands wound its way into her hair again. She opened her mouth to him and reveled in the sensations this brought. They finally pulled apart and both of them eased onto their sides facing each other. Ginny traced the lines of his face with her fingers and looked hopefully into his eyes. Gone was the wariness. But in its place was a look of sadness so deep that Ginny wove her arms around him and slid her face close to his.

"Draco…what…" Ginny began to whisper her concerned eyes searching his.

Draco pulled her tightly to him and their legs tangled. "No questions…just stay with me for a while… please."

Ginny nodded and closed her eyes. So many thoughts were tearing through her head. Draco Malfoy. She was with Draco Malfoy. But not the Draco Malfoy she was used to, at least she hoped not. A little voice inside her head whispered, `This isn't right…you're being used again…' Feeling her heart begin to pound, Ginny answered it, `I know I might be, but something feels differently about this…I have to know for sure. I may be sorry in the end but I have to know.' She opened her eyes and gazed into the ones looking at her that shone silver in the moonlight and shivered.

"Cold?" He whispered running his hands up and down her back.

"No…this scares the hell out of me," she whispered back after calming herself a bit.

"That's probably a very smart reaction," Draco returned wryly looking over Ginny's head and out the window at the moon. "We need to talk…but not tonight. Let's just be here…"

Ginny nodded and tried to relax in Draco's arms.

Draco turned his face tiredly to Ginny's and slowly kissed her forehead, then her eyes and quietly rested his lips on hers as he closed his eyes.

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