A Fool's Dance

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters or story.

Warning: None.

A/N: This story does not follow the plot of the HP books.

Operation `Ensnare Harry Potter'

A girl sat half hidden in the library. Her head rested on a round table next to a book which her hand held limply. A ray of golden light shone through the dusty window illuminating her deep red locks that sprawled across the table. Her creamy white skin contrasted with the black robes that slipped down her body revealing soft smooth skin with a light dusting of freckles.

Piercing grey eyes watched her from the shadows, taking in every detail. A smirk began to play on the pale face of a boy as he walked towards the table and the half-asleep girl.

Leaning forward, the sweet scent of roses tantalised his senses. He smiled to himself as he bent closer and spoke directly into her ear, “Tired?”

The girl sat up with a jerk causing the book to fall on the floor with a loud thud. She blinked and turned her deep chestnut eyes on the now laughing boy. “Oh it's you.” She said gruffly.

The boy smirked, “Looks like I startled you.”

“Who wouldn't be startled by that face?” The girl said grumpily.

“I know,” said the boy solemnly, “My dashing good looks seem to amaze everyone.”

The girl choked and looked at him, “In your dreams Malfoy.”

Draco said nothing but bent down swiftly and picked up the book. “Cassandra's Secret” he read of the title. “I never figured you for a romance reader Weasley” said Draco with an amused light in his eye.

Ginny glared at him and snatched the book back, “All girls enjoy romances you idiot.”

Draco laughed, “I'm sorry. You're a girl?”

Ginny huffed and grabbed her stuff. She started to move forward but was blocked by Draco's body.

“Can you move?” Ginny mumbled looking into his chest.

Draco laughed and tilted up her chin.

Ginny's heart pounded as she looked into his handsome mocking face. Why was he looking at her like that? She wondered.

His swirling grey eyes locked onto hers and his mouth curled into a small smile. Ginny felt her blood quicken and she suddenly felt light headed.

He let her face go and laughed slightly. “You're right Weasley, you are a girl.”

Ginny watched him go with her mind in turmoil. Confusion swept over her and her heart raced with emotion. How was it that Draco Malfoy had unsettled her so much? Just by him touching her face she felt her senses quicken. It was as if fire had erupted in her body and took over. She shook her head slightly and took a deep breath. It was best not to think of Draco Malfoy; he was only trouble. She had more important things to worry about; like getting Harry to ask her to the Spring Ball.

Ginny walked out of the library with determination, and headed towards the Gryffindor girl's dormitories. She had a lot of work to do in making Harry notice her. He only saw her as `Ron's little sister', the tomboyish girl who was always making sheep eyes at him (if he even saw her at all).

Ginny entered her room and flopped onto the bed tiredly. She wondered for perhaps a minute whether she should change into her pyjamas but decided she couldn't be bothered. So she closed her eyes and dreamed of a certain green-eyed bespectacled boy with messy raven coloured hair and the sweetest smile, dancing with her till the early morning hours in which they would share their first kiss.

Ginny smiled and began formulating plans to make her dream a reality.

OOOOOOOOOOO

The next day Ginny leapt out of bed and looked in the mirror. “It's time to start `Operation Ensnare Harry,'” said Ginny grimly to her reflection. She knew there was a way to make him notice her, but the only problem was finding what would.

You see Ginny Weasley was not a pretty girl. She had deep red hair that was very long and was usually kept in a messy ponytail, but her face lacked the femininity of other girls. She had a rather long nose, which was lightly dusted with freckles, and her lips were rather full, making her features too overbearing. The only thing Ginny liked about her appearance were her eyes. They were of a deep chestnut colour and held a secret mischief behind them, but her eyelashes somehow spoiled the effect by being more ginger than dark and her eyebrows were a little too thick for her face.

All in all, Ginny was nothing out of the ordinary. Her clothes didn't help the matter. She had nothing sexy, or pretty. Everything she owned was either woollen, second-hand, or could have fitted in quite nicely with her Grandmother's style of fashion. Although she was short, she did not have the curves to boost her appearance. If she weren't so tomboyish, one might have called her petite, but Ginny's style was so much like her brother's that it was uncanny. (Though that might have been the old hand-me-downs work).

“You're looking like a fright my dear,” the mirror wheezed.

Ginny scowled. What would a mirror know anyway? She thought to herself grumpily.

“Ginny, come on! You'll be late for breakfast!” her dorm-mate called running out of the room.

Ginny watched her go and sighed with relief. She didn't want anyone to know about her plan and face the embarrassment of having the girls laugh at her. It wasn't as if Ginny was unpopular; infact she was very well liked. But Ginny was the kind of girl who all the boys got a long with and all the girls liked because they knew she was no competition. If they ever found out she was trying to get Harry Potter to like her…well let's just say tongues would wag and she would never hear the end of it.

Ginny threw open her trunk and looked at the clothes. “What I need is something striking, but not too flashy.” She mumbled to herself as she rummaged through her trunk. Her eyes alighted on a dress, which her Great Aunt Hestia had given her for her thirteenth birthday. It was well above knee-length now and was sure to attract attention. Ginny thought it was nice and girly and would be sure to get Harry's fancy.

She quickly pulled on the dress and looked in the mirror to admire the effect.

“You really need to learn the tricks of the trade my girl.” The mirror laughed.

Ginny glared at the mirror, “What do you know? You're just a piece of glass that's been bewitched to have brains. You don't know anything you piece of junk!”

In truth the mirror was right. Although Ginny's dress was girly, it was really the most awful thing that was ever beheld. The dress was of a dark pink that clashed horribly with her hair and it had a large bow in the front with little lacy frills around the cap sleeves.

Ginny smiled as she looked in the mirror. Though something was missing. She didn't feel sexy, and that was an important part of the plan.

Throwing things haphazardly around the room she found the black lacy underwear her friend Melena had given her as a joke. “These will be perfect.” Ginny grinned to herself. It wasn't as if she was going to run around flaunting them to everyone, but they would at least help her feel sexy; if worst came to worse, she could always use them to her advantage at some point.

Ginny looked at her hair but decided to leave it down. She once heard her brother saying that girls looked sexy with long hair. She figured she might as well use it to her advantage. She sighed as she realised she had no makeup. “I guess that will have to pass.” She shrugged.

“Oh no, breakfast!” Ginny yelled as she looked at her clock.

OOOOOOOOOOOO

Ginny was just running down the stairs to the doors to the Great Hall when she saw Harry walking by himself to the doors. “Harry!” Ginny called.

Harry stopped and looked at Ginny. For a minute he just stared at her. (ohh it must be working, Ginny thought) and then smiled, “Hi.”

Ginny walked over in what she hoped was a sexy walk; trying to sway her hips like she saw Lavender do. Unfortunately for Ginny, it made her look like she had something seriously wrong with her leg. Harry's eyebrows went up but he said nothing.

“You slept in too?” he asked conversationally.

Ginny tried to smile seductively and leaned against the wall, “No, I was just getting ready,” she said in her sexiest voice.

Harry looked at her in concern, “You have a sore throat or something? You sound sick.”

Ginny almost rolled her eyes in exasperation. She decided to drop the husky voice. “No I'm fine.”

Harry smiled, “That's good. We have Quidditch coming up and I wouldn't want you to get sick.”

Ginny smiled and tried to flick back her hair in imitation of Parvati. However it seemed Ginny was destined to embarrassment as she swept her hair back too hard, causing her to lose balance and fall on her bum in front of everyone.

Ginny closed her eyes as the laughing began. She wished the floor would just swallow her up and let her escape from her shame. Opening her eyes she saw a hand directly above her face. She smiled to herself as she realised Harry was being the gentleman and helping her up. She looked up and was shocked to see Draco Malfoy looking down at her with his hand held out to help her up. Cautiously she put her hand in his and was easily pulled to her feet. She figured he must have been hiding some strength in that skinny body of his.

“You should be more careful Weasley.” Draco said carelessly.

Ginny looked at him still surprised, “Thanks,” she mumbled.

She looked around frantically to see where Harry had disappeared of to but could not see him.

“Looking for Potter?” asked Draco, his trademark smirk in place.

“What? I wasn't looking for Harry.” Ginny said dismissively. The last thing she wanted was for her Draco Malfoy to find out she was trying to get Harry's fancy; she'd had enough taunting from him on that point.

Draco laughed and gave her a mock wave as he walked away.

Ginny watched as he walked through the doors and scowled to herself. If she had to fall over on her butt in front of everyone Harry could have at least helped her. That way she wouldn't have to have touched Draco. What was with him anyway? She wondered. Why would he even help her in the first place? She was a Weasley, a blood traitor. His kind didn't associate with her, let alone help her of the ground. Ginny frowned. Things were just too confusing at the moment with him.

Ginny walked into the Great Hall and sat down at her usual place at Gryffindor Table. Hermione looked up and smiled and then saw what Ginny was wearing. “Ginny what on Earth are you wearing?” Hermione asked purely shocked.

“It's a new style I'm trying. Do you like it?” Ginny asked earnestly.

Hermione saw Ginny's desperate expression and tried to smile, “Uhh yeah…it's really um feminine.”

Ginny nodded satisfied. “I know. I thought I would try something different.”

“It's certainly different…” Hermione said trailing off as she looked at the hideous dress.

Ginny began to wolf down her breakfast like a true Weasley. Hermione averted her eyes from the grotesque sight and started to talk to Harry. Ron soon entered the conversation and an all out battle started out. Ginny soon became lost in her thoughts as she listened to them bicker. She imagined an old movie appearing and Hermione and Ron were the main actors.

Ron: Stop being such a know-it-all. You know you're smarter then us. You don't need to rub it in.

What he really meant: I love you. Let's make out on the table.

Hermione: Ron would you stop being so childish. Eventually you'll have to take responsibility for your own work.

What she really meant: I love you too. Let's snog.

Ginny was interrupted from her little musings by Neville accidentally vanishing the table leg; causing the whole table to collapse.

“OH NEVILLE” The Gryffindors chanted in unison.

Neville's bright red face appeared covered in food. “Sorry,” he mumbled apologetically.

Ginny saw Harry stand up and ran over to catch up with him. Now was her chance, she thought. She would ask him to go with her for a walk and if that didn't give him the opportunity well…there was always plan B.

“Hey Harry. Wait up.” Ginny hollered.

Harry stopped and looked at Ginny.

Ginny played with a strand of hair and looked at him nervously, “Umm do you wanna go for a walk with me later. At lunch?”

“Sure,” Harry shrugged.

Ginny let out a sigh of relief. “Great. I'll meet you by the lake.”

Harry nodded, “See you round Ginny.” He called over his shoulder as he was dragged away by Ron.

Ginny smiled to herself and walked away happily; she did not notice the pair of gray eyes watching her every move.

OOOOOOOOOOOOO

Ginny walked down to the lake nervously. She had tried doing her hair nicely in honour of asking Harry on a date. (Though he probably didn't realise it). Ginny held her breath as she saw him standing by the clear crystal water. His emerald green eyes staring out into the distance as the wind whipped through his hair. She smiled; Harry really was just like the hero in all the books. Brave, loyal and although he wasn't exactly handsome, she admired him greatly.

“Hi” She said coming to stand next to him.

Harry smiled, “You wanted to go for a walk?”

Ginny nodded and together they began walking around the lake. Ginny tried to talk to Harry about things girls talk about on dates but she really had no clue as to what to say. Harry also seemed totally clueless and it occurred to Ginny that she really didn't know that much about him.

She frowned to herself. Things weren't really going to plan. She was supposed to be captivating him, not discussing the weather. She was getting tired and frustrated. She had tried being girly with him but he had not noticed. She had tried sending him seductive glances and he asked her if something was stuck in her eye. The boy was obviously clueless as to what she was trying to do and so Ginny decided things called for desperate measures.

“Ohh I dropped my wand.” Ginny cried and slowly bent down to retrieve it, allowing Harry a nice view of her bum. Unfortunately the wind blew at the same time and her dress blew up to reveal the black lacy underwear.

Ginny stood up and looked at Harry who was, funnily enough, looking in the complete opposite direction and seemed to be lost to all around him. Ginny scowled to herself. He hadn't even noticed her bending over so obviously. Someone else had, as she heard the familiar and annoying drawl of Draco Malfoy say softly to her as he walked past, “Nice underwear Weasley.”

Ginny went crimson and looked at Harry to see how he would react.“Shall we go?” he asked.

Ginny wondered if he even had noticed anything. Really she was beginning to wonder if Harry was even all there in the head. He seemed so interested in daydreaming that she decided things had really come to her last resort; plan B.

“Um Harry…Do you want to come with me to the Quidditch Pitch to do some training?” she asked smiling cheerfully.

“Uhh sure but later ok? I've really got to go. I've got a potions essay due for Snape which I just remembered.” Said Harry apologetically.

Ginny smiled, “That's fine. How about 5pm?” she asked hopefully.

Harry nodded and quickly walked off in the direction of the castle.

Ginny sighed. She realised Harry was just worrying about that essay. That's why he was so preoccupied during their walk. It didn't matter, she would work things out tonight with him. The Spring Ball was in two days and Ginny had to get him tonight.

A/N: I do realise that Draco and Ginny do not follow how the books has portrayed them, but `this is my story and I'll write what I want to, write what I want to'….. Ok I'll stop. But you get the picture.

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