A Discerning Palate

A/N: Thanks to all of you who took the time to review. I really appreciate it. Special thanks to those of you who were sharp in defense of the story. This one is for you guys. Yeah, it is a bit angsty, but if you\'ve read The Charm, you know I\'m a sucker for D/G goodness. So without further ado.....


“What do you mean that you weren’t kidding? Of course you were.”

“No. I’m not.” Pansy was quiet.

“Yes you are.”

“Ginny, get a grip on yourself. It’s not like it’s you who might be knocked up.”

“No, but…hell.”

Harry came back into the room and sat down next to Pansy.

“I know. I know. We need to talk.” Pansy sighed.

“I need to find Draco anyway.” Ginny said as she got up and made for the portrait hole.

But that was the last thing that Ginny had on her mind. She most certainly did not need to find Draco. She didn’t even want to look at him, let alone talk to him. How was she supposed to make a decision that would affect the rest of her life? She hadn’t even finished school. Ginny did realize that with what was going on around them, students were deciding things that would affect them forever. They were making choices to die for a cause before they’d even lived. So maybe, just maybe, this was the time to make that kind of decision. But she was scared. She was scared for Ron and Hermione, certainly for Draco and Pansy. If Pansy was pregnant, and the Dark Lord knew it was Potter’s child… Ginny shuddered to think what would happen. She was especially frightened of what would happen to her and Draco.

He didn’t love her. He probably never would. Draco wasn’t that kind of creature, he wasn’t made that way. Over the years, perhaps he would develop a passing affection for her, but only because she would mother his sons. She would just be another toy to him. Was that enough? Could she live with that?

Ginny wrapped her arms around herself as she walked, feeling the chill in the air and her thoughts. There was so much to consider.

It really wasn’t the money. Oh, aye it’d be nice, but Ginny knew what was important. It was love. But that was the problem. She was very afraid that she had fallen in love with Draco Malfoy.

She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn’t realize that he was standing right in front of her. Ginny collided with his solid chest and colored as she looked up into his eyes, those damnable knowing eyes.

“Have you thought about my proposition?” He said, catching her up in his arms.

Ginny tried to push away from him. “Oh, you mean the one where I aid the Death Eater cause by becoming your wife?”

“I can’t deny what my father is.” He pulled up the sleeve on his robes. “But do you see a dark Mark there?”

“No, but that doesn’t mean that it won’t be there come graduation.”

“Here’s what. I have to marry a pureblood,”

“So I’m the best of a bad lot?” Ginny ground out and continued to squirm.

He released her. “I didn’t mean it that way.”

“How did you mean it?” She whirled and without waiting for him to answer attempted to walk away.

“Why is it that we fight if we aren’t fucking?” he tossed after her.

When she didn’t answer him, he gave chase. “Damn it, Ginny. Don’t walk away from me.”

Ginny tried to hit him when he grabbed her again, but he pressed her against the wall, his mouth crushing down on hers. His mouth ravaged hers until all she could do was lean into him and offer him everything he desired.

He pulled away from her on a ragged breath. “How can you deny this?”

Draco’s hands were everywhere, touching, burning, claiming what he knew was his.

Ginny moaned into his mouth, a soft sensual sound, her body arched into his with an innate grace. Her hands were wild as well, seeking his perfection- exploring the planes and rippled musculature that she was coming to know well. His scent wrapped around her, an aphrodisiac driving her need higher, her responses hotter.

When Ginny opened beneath him, her reluctance ebbing with the waves of passion, Draco gloried in it. This woman, Merlin had fashioned her for his touch alone.

He knew that those thoughts were dangerous, knew that he should pull away, but he didn’t care. She was his. She belonged to him, and she was something that his money could never buy.

That was when he knew that he couldn’t do it, couldn’t take what she was and mold it into what his father wanted.

Draco let go of her and forced his hands to his sides, his fists clenched. His mouth set in a hard line, he denied her kiss, denied her touch.

And he damned himself while he did it. Damned himself at the look on her face, damned himself for being weak. Because that’s what all this was, it was weakness. A chink in the Slytherin armor. She’d gotten to him.

He took one last look at her, the swollen, stung lips, the flush of desire in her cheeks, and the soulful depths of her eyes that threatened to drown him.

“What are you doing?”

“Just go.” He turned from her.

“What in the name of hell are you playing at, Malfoy? I give. You won.” A look of dawning horror crossed her face. “Oh, I see. No more challenge, so now you’re bored.”

This time, it was he who walked away from her.

“You bastard. Why couldn’t you have let me go before I loved you?” And though she fought it valiantly, the tears poured down her cheeks in burning shame.

He didn’t turn around. He knew that if he did, her pain would break him.



“Pansy.”

“Harry.” she answered.

“Pansy.”

She refused to look at him.

“Pansy?”

“What?” It came out rather meek and Pansy was thoroughly disgusted with herself.

“Well.”

“Well what?”

“You can’t avoid this forever. Look at me. Give me at least that consideration.”

Pansy looked up into his fathomless green eyes. But she didn’t see what she expected. All that was there was concern for her. In that instant, she knew whatever happened, that everything would be alright. Harry would make sure of it. She could trust him.

“I’m sorry.” was all she could say.

“What are you sorry for?”

To Pansy’s immediate horror, she began to cry. Fat tears rolled down her alabaster cheeks like some torrential storm.

“Don’t cry. Please, Pansy. It’s tearing me apart.” Harry pulled her into his arms.

She sniffed. “I’m not crying.” She hiccupped. “I don’t cry.” Another sniffle.

Harry stroked her hair and murmured soothingly into her ear.

“I don’t cry, damn it!” she sobbed.

“I know.”

“It was a joke, a stupid joke. Ginny…” she hiccupped again. “I told her that, I… how I felt about you and it was so very unSlytherin-like that I said I was sick and Ginny said, I must be pregnant,” sniffle. “And then you started acting all weird, so I guess you heard her and then the pumpkin juice, and now all of this crying nonsense….”

“I love you Pansy.”

She sobbed harder.

“Well, I see where I stand.” he said lightly.

“I might be pregnant, Harry. A baby.”

“I do comprehend what the word means.”

“It will ruin your life, if it’s even yours.”

Harry stiffened ever so slightly. “What the hell does that mean? Tell me the truth, Pansy. Don’t try to go all noble on me now.”

She looked up at him, her crying subsided. Pansy wanted to lie to him, wanted to tell him that she cheated on him, wanted to be that self-sacrificing, but she couldn’t. “You know I was with Blaise before…”

“Pansy, I don’t give a damn whose baby it is. When the war is over, you are going to be Pansy Potter.”

“I..I…” she began, but looked down. “I can’t say it, Harry. If I say it, they will take you away from me.”

“There is no power in the universe that could keep me from you.”

From the dark look in his eyes, she believed him. Pansy put herself into his keeping then, she gave over everything. “I love you too, Harry. So much it hurts.”

He scooped her up into his arms and carried her to his room.




“Hey Strawberry Girl!” Blaise called out to Ginny.

“I’m not in the mood Zabini.”

“That’s not what I hear, pigeon.”

“Fuck you.”

“Okay,” Blaise fell in step beside her. “Oh, hey…” he said as he realized that she’d been crying.

“I’m fine.”

“What did he do?” Blaise asked knowingly.

“He asked me to marry him.”

“That’s a bad thing?” He was genuinely confused.

“I got around to the saying yes part. And he didn’t want me anymore.” Ginny almost choked on that last revelation.

“He’s not that cruel. I’ve known him since he was in short pants and he just wouldn’t…”

“Well he sure as shite did.”

“You got to him, Ginny girl. You got to him real good.”

“That’s a funny way to show it. Just leave me alone.”

“Speak of the devil…” Blaise began.
Ginny turned and saw Draco heading their way. She didn’t think, unfortunately. She acted- on instinct. She wanted to hurt him, hurt him like he’d hurt her. She grabbed Blaise and pushed him against the wall, her mouth on his in a fevered need.

If the Slytherin was surprised, he didn’t show it. His arms came around Ginny, with one hand tangling into her hair, and he became the aggressor. She leaned into him, his mouth a familiar touch, but he kissed her now in a way that he had not in the closet. He was like a parched man in the desert, unable to get enough of her.

The sensation was nice, but it didn’t set her on fire the way Draco’s touch did. But she remembered how he made her feel, how her body reacted, and melted into Blaise’s embrace.

If Ginny thought that Draco would take such an affront coolly, that he would continue on about his way, she was sadly mistaken.

He did exactly what she’d hoped against hope he would do.

Draco growled low in his throat and jerked Blaise away from her. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

“Apparently, what you can’t, Mate.” Blaise wasn’t smug for long.

Draco didn’t bother with his wand, his fist connected with a resounding crack onto the other Slytherin’s jaw and a distinct popping sound was heard.

But Blaise didn’t flinch. “You can’t have it both ways. If you don’t want her, I do.”

“She’s mine and if you ever touch her again…”

Blaise stepped forward, a challenge. “You might want to clear that with her. She kissed me.”

“Bloody hell she did.”

Ginny’s eyes, so dark, so forlorn met his unforgiving gaze.

“Ah. I see. I stand corrected.” Draco seemed to shake himself from his rage, an icy veneer freezing over his features.

“Make your stand, you great arse.” Blaise muttered as he rubbed his jaw.

“I already have.” Draco said, his voice tight and walked away.