Unofficial Portkey Archive

Disclaimer: I only own Swink and Nick. NOTHING ELSE!

"How much money do you suppose is in there?" Ginny asked. Both she and Colin were sitting in her apartment, staring at the bag.

Colin shook his head. "I don't know. Maybe you should open it and see."

"Oh, no, Colin, I can't!" Ginny said. She gave him a look. "What if…what if it's not as much as I'm expecting and I get let down?"

"What if it's more than you're expecting," Colin countered.

Ginny shrugged, eyes still trained to the bag. "What if I just tuck it in a corner and never look at it again unless there's some sort of emergency and I really need the money?"

Colin groaned. "Ginny! Just open the bag, look at how much it is, and do your happy dance."

"Okay."

"Okay? Just like that it's 'okay'?" Colin asked.

Ginny looked at him, eyebrows lowered. "What? Now you don't want me to open it? What's wrong with you?"

"What's wrong with me? You're the one being all indecisive and changing your mind!"

The bell on the door rang as someone stepped into the shop. They both looked up and saw that it was Harry. He was looking at them, quite amused. "Another lover's spat?" he asked.

Colin snorted. "You've got to be kidding me. Only a moron would want to be with…" his eyes widened. "Er, no offense, Harry."

Harry shrugged, "None taken."

Ginny wasn't saying much. She had her elbow propped up on the counter and her chin resting in the palm of her hand, fingers curled upwards and tips resting on her face. "What's up, Gins?"

"Nothing."

Colin rolled his eyes. "She took a catering job for Dragon Brooms, and now that she has her pay she won't look at how much it is."

"Why didn't you just look?" Harry asked.

Colin flushed and made some vague motions in the air with his hands. "It's her money."

Without a moment's hesitation, Harry picked up the bag, loosened the draw strings and dumped it on the counter. Coins flew out on top of each other, clinking loudly, some rolling off the counter, sending Colin jumping for them. Ginny stared at the coins.

After Colin got all of them put back on the counter, Ginny counted them. She looked up at Harry and Colin, her eyebrows raised. "That's...that's 300 galleons."

"Good gods, Gins, you could open a whole other shop with all that." Colin looked at the money.

Harry raised an eyebrow. "That must have been some pretty good food you made."

Ginny tilted her head to the side. "I catered for Dragon Brooms. Maybe this is just the standard price they pay. Probably had nothing to do with food quality."

"It might have had something to do with the man that hired you…" Colin said with a mischievous glint in his eye.

"Oh, shut it, Colin. I put a pie in his face, it has nothing to do with that," Ginny grumbled.

"You did what?" Harry asked, surprised.

"It was an accident!"

"Yeah, and she almost had a heart attack over it," Colin added.

"I did not!"

"Yes, yes you did."

"Did not."

"Did."

"Not."

"Not."

"Did."

"Ha!" Colin said, jumping up and pointing at Ginny. "You admit it!"

Ginny gave him a surprised look. "That was a very low and dirty trick, Creevey," she said.

"Alright! Alright! Cut that out children." Harry said, smiling. Ginny and Colin were looking at him insolently.

"He started it," Ginny said pointing at Colin.

Colin moved like he was going to bite off the tip of her finger. She snapped it back and glared. "I did not," he said.

"Okay," Harry said. "Who started it doesn't matter. I'm ending it." He sighed and raked his finger through his hair.

"You sound like my mother," Ginny groused. Harry gave her a look and she raised her hands defensively, "Just saying!"

Harry shook his head. "This is not what I came here for." He looked at Ginny. " I actually came to see if you'd like to get a drink."

"A drink?"

"Yes, I do believe that's what I said."

"But didn't you…just the other day, didn't you say that you had a date with someone? And if I'm not mistaken, aren't we…over?" Ginny asked, slightly confused.

Harry blinked, "That's what I wanted to talk to you about. My date."

"Oh, right, silly me," Ginny said blushing.

"Really, Gins," Colin said grinning. "You have got to get over yourself."

Ginny glared at him. "And you've got to learn when to shut up." She sniffed. "Colin will you stay here and work the shop while I'm gone? Promise I won't be too long."

"Yeah, yeah," Colin waved a dismissive hand. "I don't mind a bit."

"Thanks, you're a dear," Ginny gave him and peck on the cheek and darted out the door with Harry in tow.

The door shut and the bell rang behind them. "So, where too?" Ginny asked.

Harry looked around. "Maybe it's best if we don't go out, there are still lurking reporters."

"To my flat then? I certainly still have plenty to drink," said Ginny. "Apparate?"

"Sure."

They both apparated to her flat, Harry landing in the living room gracefully and Ginny toppling over the couch, again. She always seemed to do that, not being able to really get the whole apparating thing down pat. She smoothed her robes, catching Harry's amused smile.

"Agh," she said. "Don't give me that look. I can't help that my distance gauge is all out of whack."

He nodded. "I'm sure you can't. But..."

"Oh yes!" Ginny clapped her hands together and grinned. "Ha, we came here to discuss your date. Tell me who it was!! You didn't last time, and I feel absolutely cheated. How could you not have told me? I am your friend, right?"

"Of course you're my friend, Gins," Harry reassured. "Remember that you burned your tongue?" he asked, eyes glimmering. "That's why I didn't tell you, you were too worked up already."

Ginny nodded understandingly. "Well, you go on and sit down on the couch, I'll go and see what I've got to drink in the kitchen. Don't move a muscle," she said walking into the kitchen. "I want to hear about this date of yours."

Harry sat on the couch, hearing something crunch under his weight. It was a magazine. He picked it up and saw that it was one from that week, the front page headline was glaring up at him. "Harry Potter's Bride: Not Just Cold Feet". On the subheading there were sentences proclaiming her cheating on Harry. He furrowed his eyebrows and opened it up, turning the pages to find the one that would supposedly give evidence to this cheating.

"Would you like soda, tea, or something alcoholic?" Ginny called from the kitchen.

"Soda is fine," Harry said. He found the article and skimmed it. His worried look quickly turned to one of mild amusement. The writer of the article seemed to think that Ginny was having a secret and illustrious affair with Colin Creevey. Despite the funniness of it all, Ginny was getting the brunt of the breakup. Everyone was sorry and sympathetic for Harry, The-Boy-Who-Lived. But the public had turned Ginny into a tramp.

Ginny came back into the living room, carrying two cups in her hand. She looked from the magazine to Harry then back to the magazine. "I hope you don't believe a word of what you read," she said quietly. She sat down on the couch next to him, handing him his cup.

Harry shook his head. "How could I believe this? I've been around the media enough to know that they overplay everything. But really Ginny, why would they suspect Colin?" He nudged her suggestively in the ribs with his elbow.

"Ow." She rubbed her injured ribs and smiled. "I have no idea. It's not like I do anything with Colin. Anyone who knows me, knows that we've been best friends since Hogwarts. The last thing we would ever do would be to have a relationship like that."

Harry shrugged. "I wouldn't be surprised if it did happen."

"Harry!" Ginny smacked Harry's arm. "Don't let Colin hear you saying that. He might barf on you." She gave him a look. "Well, we didn't come here to discuss me and Colin's non-existing relationship." She sighed. "Stop trying to change the subject."

"Look, Ginny," said Harry. "I just wish that this whole breakup didn't effect you so badly."

"It hasn't," Ginny denied.

"Then what was this Colin told me about you falling off of your balcony...drunk?"

"Ugh," Ginny groaned, pressing a hand to her forehead. "Why did he tell you that? I told him not to tell anyone."

"I'm glad he told me. Aren't I your friend?"

"Of course. It's just all so embarrassing. I hardly ever get drunk, in fact, I think that was the first time ever." Ginny took a sip of her tea. "It's not all that bad, everyone blaming me. You kind of get used to it."

Harry gave her a stern look. "But it isn't all your fault. Why should you have to get used to it just because I'm Harry Potter?"

Ginny shrugged. "Harry, it doesn't matter to me anymore. I know what they're saying isn't true, and you do too, that's all that matters to me." She huffed. "Now stop trying to change the subject and tell me who you had this date with."

The tips of Harry's ears turned pink. "It's Hermione," he mumbled.

Ginny grinned. "What was that? I don't think I quite heard."

Harry glared at her. "You heard. I said Hermione."

"That's so cute!" Ginny sighed. "Harry and Hermione. Now why didn't I ever think of that. For a moment there I thought you were going to say Lavender Brown or something like that."

"No," said Harry. "That's Ron."

"Ronnie is going out with Lavender?" Ginny asked, setting her tea down. "No way, he can't be. Why is he going out with her?"

Harry laughed. "I don't know, that's a question that you'll have to ask him yourself."

"Well, he better have a good reason. I never did like her that much...she liked Trelawney too much." Ginny said, nodding.

Harry cleared his throat. "Maybe I should be going now. I told you who my date was, just like you wanted me to."

"What?" Ginny asked, scandalized. "You don't want to stay and talk about it some more?" She sniffed.

"Erm, no. It's just that I'm...well, I'm supposed to be meeting her for dinner soon." Harry said, blushing slightly.

"Oh, yes, of course. Don't let me hold you back then!" Ginny said, grinning. "Rawr, go get her tiger!"

Harry rolled his eyes. "Sure, sure." He put down his cup on the table and leaned over to give Ginny a kiss on the cheek. "Talk to you later, Gins."

"Alright," said Ginny. "Be sure not to get into too much trouble now." She winked and he disapparated.

Ginny sighed to her apartment, and decided that she needed to get back to work. There was no telling what Colin could have messed up while she was gone.

---

A Week Later

"Ta, Colin, I'm off for my lunch break. Be back in an hour!" Ginny called over her shoulder, picking up her wand and purse as she left Tasty Treats.

Colin called a hasty "Good bye!" after her as a surge of little kids drifted to the counter with wrung thin mothers trying to get their kids something to keep them quiet for the remainder of their afternoon errands.

Ginny stepped out into the cobblestone street and looked for somewhere good to eat. Normally, she might have just stayed at the store and had a sandwich there or something, but today was really busy, probably from the publicity they had gotten for doing that job for Dragon Brooms. But she had just wanted to get away for a while. She'd have to make sure to hurry so that she could relieve Colin after not to long.

The Candelabra look awfully appetizing, but there was too long of a wait for the food, strike that. She looked around the rest of the street, eyeing the restaurants thoughtfully, trying to decide on the one that would sate her hunger the best. Finally, she decided that The Leaky Cauldron sounded just fine, and if she was lucky she might run into someone she knew there.

She set off down the street, making her way to The Leaky Cauldron.

There was a mass of people crowding the street in front of the Dragon Brooms building. She looked at it curiously, poking her way through the sea of people, hoping to get to the other side unscathed. But someone grabbed her arm.

"Hullo! I'm so glad that you could make it. We've been waiting for you for ages you know, we were starting to think that you wouldn't show," said a man clad in a very expensive robe. He had on immaculate shoes with little tassels, and he was wearing an Armani tie, did you ever doubt that Armani wasn't a wizard? Well, anyways, he was wearing his super fancy clothes as he led her off through the crowd at break neck speed.

"Wait! I don't know what you're talking about!" she cried over the voices of the people.

The man looked at her and laughed, as if to humor her. "Why? Didn't you know that you had a photo shoot today?" he asked. "The promotional one?"

"Photo shoot?" Now she was confused. "I've never heard of any--"

"I'm sure it must have just slipped your mind. Surely, Miss Swink, you can't have forgotten that you've signed a contract of the promotional pictures for the newest of our line. The Aero?" He gave her a look. "Ring a bell, Miss?"

She searched her memory, where had she heard the name Swink before? Oh gods, the man thought that she was Alexandra Swink for Ireland. Alexandra Swink, the quidditch player. "Oh no!" she said. "I'm not--"

He gave her a look. "Of course you are, come along now. I'd be able to make out that red hair of yours anywhere."

She groaned and put a hand on her head. "Goddamned hair, always getting me into trouble," she muttered.

"What was that?" the man asked.

"Nothing. But I really do think that you've got the wrong--"

"Nonsense. I was given a picture of you, I'd know you anywhere."

He pulled her through the last of the crowd and she vaguely remembered hearing people call out, "Alex! Alex! Can I have your autograph?" Or, "May I have your siggy?"

She shook her head confusedly as the man held her out to some make-up people. How can these people mistake her for Alexandra Swink? She didn't even look like the bloody quidditch play, minus the hair...and the eyes...and height...and.

"Oh fuck it," Ginny said out loud without realizing it.

One of the make-up ladies gave her a dubious look. "You okay, Miss Swink?" Ginny gave up, she really did just give up. She supposed that she did look a little bit like the Irish seeker. She was small and red-headed, and also had the same brown eyes. They didn't look exactly alike, but she had been mistaken for her before. She sighed as they pushed her down into a chair.

"I'm not--" The man was back and he had cut her off.

"I'm Nick. If you need anything don't hesitate to call for me," he said. "As soon as Mrs. Fielding is done with you," Ginny assumed this was the make-up artist, "We'll send you in to meet with Mr. Malfoy."

Ginny wasn't sure if she was going to laugh or cry. Surely seeing Malfoy would get her out of this predicament. He would know that she wasn't Swink. She let out a long sigh and looked at Nick, smiling. "Okay."

He seemed a bit taken aback. So far she had been protesting even coming in, now she was being complacent? "Well," he back up. "I guess that I'll be going now. See you in a while."

"Yeah, see you," she said, sitting back in the make-up chair and deciding to enjoy this little free make over while she could. It wasn't often that she got treated to a full facial.

-

"Alright, Miss Swink," Nick had come back into the make-up room.

The ladies in there had to practically rip Ginny's robes away from her and give her new ones. Something that they didn't understand at all. They had curled her hair and covered her face with every make-up imaginable. But, Ginny had to admit, she did look good. Better than she normally did anyways.

Her hair had been curled and was piled up on top of her head nicely, with stray tendrils framing her face and a few trailing down her neck. They had applied very nice brownish-rose eye shadow and a very pretty pinky lipstick to her face. They left her with a rather matte look that required lots of make-up products. Odd. They put on a bit of mascara and curled her lashes, making them appear longer than normal. Her Tasty Treat robes had been taken and replaced with dark blue robes and stuck to her in a sort of unfamiliar way that caused her to pull them away from her body from time to time.

"Come on." Nick said, not even noticing the difference in her appearance.

"I'm coming," Ginny said, picking up her bag. She glanced at her watch. It was well over an hour, hopefully Colin would be understanding. What was she thinking, of course he would be; he was her best friend, right?

She followed him out of the make-up/dressing room and down a long hall. He knocked on a door and waited for a "Come in." He pushed the door open and revealed Draco sitting at the head of a large table. He was sitting alone with papers and folders all spread out in front of him, and was in the process of going over all of them.

"Here's Miss Swink," Nick said, pushing Ginny into the room.

Draco raised and eyebrow and looked at Nick. "This is Swink?" He looked at Ginny.

"Er." Nick looked at Ginny. "Yeah?"

Draco shook his head, "This is not Swink."

"Are you sure because--"

Draco looked at Ginny again, "Are you Alexandra Swink?" He had a small smirk on his lips.

"No," Ginny said. "I tried telling him, but he wouldn't listen."

"Wh-What?" Nick spluttered.

Ginny sighed, "I tried to tell you. But, like I said, you wouldn't listen. Really, you could have saved yourself a lot of trouble." Draco was watching them, slightly amused.

"Then who the hell are you?" Nick asked.

She frowned at him. "I'm Ginny Weasley, the owner of Tasty Treats."

"Oh," Nick said, face falling. "Lovely chocolate chip cookies," he said dismally.

"Thanks."

"Aren't you also that woman who dumped Harry Potter?" Nick asked, eyes widening in recognition.

Ginny ruffled. "It was more of a joint agreement."

"Right," Nick said, his eyes were now lit up. "And you had that affair with Colin Creevey?"

"NO!" Ginny growled. "Shut up! That didn't happen. Colin is my best friend." She glared menacingly. "You are insane."

Draco chuckled. "That's enough Nick, out." Nick bowed his head and walked out of the room. "Sit, Weasley," he commanded.

Ginny sniffed, but took a seat not far from his.

"Now tell me, how on earth did he get the impression that you're Swink?" Draco asked, folding his hands on top of the table.

She put her elbow on the table and her forehead on her palm. "I was on my way to the Leaky Cauldron for lunch, and I was making my way through that ridiculous crowd that's gathered in front of your building and was pulled in by Nick. I tried telling him that I wasn't Swink, but he wouldn't listen to me."

"I see," Draco said. He let out a low sigh. "Alex hasn't shown up."

"Oh."

"And we have all the photographers assembled."

"That's awful really, do you suppose I should go then?" she asked, starting to get up from the table. "To get out of your way." She gave a weak smile.

Draco snorted. "No, stay." He gave her and appraising look. "How many people thought you were Swink?"

"Come again? What are you getting at?" Ginny asked, sitting back down quickly.

Draco shrugged. "It probably wouldn't have worked anyways." He sat back in the chair. "You have a much different nose than her."

"My nose?" Ginny's hand flew up to her nose self-consciously. "What's wrong with my nose?"

He rolled his eyes. "There's nothing wrong with your nose. All I said was that you don't have the same nose as Swink." There was still a look in his eye that didn't quite make Ginny feel as though that was exactly the connotation implied.

"Oh." She looked around quickly. "Then I suppose I should be going."

"Ginny," he said with a plaintive look, and his head inclined. "Sit?" She fell back into her chair. The look on his face had changed her mind.

TBC

[A/N: Erm, I've decided that for this fic that 1 galleon=2 American dollars. I don't know how much they really are, I just sort of made it up. I'm still hyper, this time from mass amounts of Ricola. But that's alright. I think this chapter turned out okay. What do you think? Someone asked if Ginny was always going to be so shy. But, don't worry, really it's mostly only around Draco. Who wouldn't be nervous around a gorgeous guy like that? I know I would. But she's going to grow a back bone, don't worry! Thanks for the reviews! You're all pals!]

Next time: We meet Swink, who is more than you think. And Ginny gets flustered and annoyed. And generally it's just another of my crazy chappies.

Oh! You guys want to be emailed when this is updated? Leave me your email addy in a review and I'll make sure to put together a list just for this story, and email you every time that I update! Deal?