Afar

Chapter 16

Draco rubbed his hands nervously on his robes, desperately trying to steady his breathing before Ginny showed up. It'd been a week since he and Harry's kiss, and he needed to break up with Ginny now before he lost his nerve.

"Hey babe," Ginny cooed as she entered the Gryffindor common room and sat with a thump next to him on the couch. "How are you?"

Her arms flung around him and she went to kiss him on the cheek. Draco ducked away and Ginny frowned.

"We-We need to talk," Draco stammered. "Maybe somewhere private?"

Harry caught his eye from across the room and nodded encouragingly. Draco smiled shakily and stood, gesturing for Ginny to follow him.

Her hand slid into his and Draco gritted his teeth. He took his hand from her's as they exited out the portrait hole. How many rejections would it take for her to get it?

Thankfully, the corridor outside of it was empty. This would be so much more uncomfortable if there were people around.

"I think that we need to-"

"Figure out what we're doing for winter break? I agree," Ginny interrupted. Her eyes were panicked and said she knew exactly what she was doing.

"Ginny-"

"I was thinking you could floo over to my place sometime around noon on Christmas Day?"

"Ginny, I can't do that. I'm not going to your house for Christmas," Draco sighed.

"Fine then, we'll go to yours. You'll have to tell your parents that we're dating though," Ginny said brightly, avoiding his eyes.

"I'm not going to your house and you aren't coming to mine," Draco gritted his teeth. "We're not going to be together at Christmas."

"What are you talking about? Of course, we will! We're going to be together forever," Ginny rambled, not letting Draco get a word in. "Why wouldn't we be together at Christmas. You're eventually going to have to tell your parents we're dating-"

"Ginny!" Draco shouted. "We aren't going to be together forever. We need to break up."

Ginny's forced smile disappeared. "Why? Why ruin a good thing? Don't self-sabotage."

"That's not what this is," Draco growled. "I'm not- you're wonderful-really- but I can't be with you anymore."

Ginny's expression turned ugly. "Because you're with Harry? Is that it? I was right, wasn't I?"

"I'm sorry, I really am. I never wanted to hurt you," Draco said, reaching for her. "I still want to be friends. I just don't like you that way anymore."

"You never liked me like that!" Ginny shouted. "You were just using me to cover up the fact that you're gay. Your father didn't like that you were dating a Weasley, but at least it was a girl!"

"Ginny, I'm sorry," Draco whispered. "You're a wonderful girlfriend, really. I just- I can't like you like that. Please understand!"

"I wish you had the decency not to string me along while you found that out!" Ginny screamed before turning and storming away.

Draco groaned and leaned against the wall next to the Fat Lady. She looked at him with disapproval.

"That wasn't very kind of you, dear," She scolded.

"Shove off," Draco snarled.

The portrait opened and Harry stepped out. "I'm sorry," He said, walking over and hugging Draco. "That sounded awful."

"It felt awful," Draco groaned. "I am a horrible human being."

"No, you were just scared and confused. And it was my fault anyway, I shouldn't have kissed you."

"I'm pretty sure I kissed you," Draco said from behind his hands. "But it was kissing nonetheless."

"What's done is done, shit happened and all we can do is move on."

"I guess," Draco said hesitantly, taking his head from his hands.

Harry took the opportunity to kiss Draco quickly.

"Honestly!" The Fat Lady said. "He just broke up with the girl!"

A/N: I guess I forgot I hadn't posted this chapter. Whoops. Anyway, the next chapter is the last.