Morning-After Regrets

Ginny, Part 3

Ginny 3

"Do you really think it'll work?" Parkinson asked, anxiously after Harry entered Malfoy's room.

Luna tilted her head and nodded. "Whether it will or won't, doesn't matter. They're in the same room."

The Slytherin gave her a glare and then wiped some tears away. "It's been three fucking days since that asshole locked himself in there... what if...."

"If there were something wrong, Pansy, Harry would have brought him out by now," Ginny reminded her. She wasn't entirely trusting of the Slytherins, but Harry had been walking around like a dementor had soul-sucked him. Once Dean, of all people, told her that Malfoy hadn't come out of his room in days... Ginny figured she needed to get Parkinson on board to do an intervention. Pansy had not been willing to betray her friend, but when she realized that Ginny and Luna were going to do this, with or without her, she relented.

"Draco... you stubborn jackass... just let him in," Pansy said, softly to the door.

"Why didn't you tell Harry that Draco loves him before he went in there?" Ginny asked.

Pansy turned on her, quickly. "Because Red, I'm loyal to Draco. I wasn't about to make a new hole in Draco's heart if Potter found out that Draco loved him and then rejected him. Potter refused his memories, or did you forget? I know why Draco did... but Potter... he's a coward, too, or a prick. I can't decide which."

"He's not a prick. He went in there, didn't he? And he said that Malfoy said...."

"I don't need to hear it, again," Pansy hissed and her face blushed.

Harry told them what happened after Pansy had confronted him about Draco. Actually, Ginny was surprised that Harry had so quickly agreed to this after hearing that Draco was refusing to come out of his room. He had told them a few choice things that Malfoy had said three days ago, including calling him a mudblood. But after they told him about Malfoy's self-isolation, Harry didn't ask her any questions and just accepted the Nutrition Potion Luna had made. Between the four of them, they quickly stripped off the wards of the door.

"Malfoy said many cruel things, Pansy, when they were alone. He didn't do it to keep up appearances."

"But he did! He had to keep up the appearance that he's cold and ruthless... to Potter. It's fucking killing Draco that he can have-no, did have- what he really wants, but Draco thinks he shouldn't have it!"

"Well, he did..." Ginny started, thinking about all the things Malfoy said about her and her family.

"Don't even finish that, Weasley. He didn't have a choice. Do you have any idea what the Dark Lord and his father did to him? He's been tortured, and emotionally abused his whole life. His father hangs disinheriting him over his head like it's nothing to him to kick him out of the family."

Ginny held up her hands. "Alright, fine. But why did you push this on him, then? You and Hermione convinced everyone to take the potion, and you're here now. Why'd you push it... I mean, not that I'm complaining."

Pansy wiped the tears away. "Draco deserves happiness. He doesn't even know what love and tenderness feels like. His mother wasn't even allowed to hug him."

"And Harry didn't have parents to hug him, either," Ginny sneered, petulantly.

"Gin," Luna whispered. "It's not helping."

Pansy snorted, and wiped some tears away. "Yeah, well, I'm not going to have parents anymore either. I'll soon be disinherited, homeless and penniless. Golden Boy has family. You, the Weasleys, and all his friends and his parents' friends are his family. But who do Draco and I have? Just each other. He's all I have, now."

"That's not true," another voice said, and they turned to face Hermione coming from down the hall. "I wondered where you all went. Here to break into Draco's room? The headmistress already asked about him."

"Potter went inside. We're fine, Granger," Parkinson said, tersely.

"You're upset with me," Hermione stated, and Ginny wasn't sure what to do. They hadn't spoken to each other in public since the potion.

Pansy took a deep breath and looked away. "No, you said that you wanted time. I can take a hint."

"I said I wanted to take this slowly. Why don't you come back to my room, and we can talk or just snuggle?"

"Really?" Pansy asked, shocked. The tension in her shoulders disappeared, and she looked almost hopeful.

"Yeah, Harry and Draco will work it... probably," Hermione said and offered her hand.

Pansy glanced at the door, deeming the situation to be fine, and took Hermione's hand, accepting her own happiness. They walked down the hallway and up the steps to Hermione's room.

Luna looked at Ginny and shrugged. "Love? It's a funny thing, sometimes. Well, they should be prattling on for a few hours. Want to go to our room and wait for the boys to emerge? Maybe spend it naked?"

Ginny smirked and took her hand. "That sounds wonderful."