A/N:
Thanks for all the reviews, they brightened my day.
As the Cookie Crumbles
Chapter Five
Draco watched Ginny with a look that made her pull the clingy material of her robes away from her stomach every five seconds, hoping desperately that she didn't have any visible rolls. He had sat back with his legs stretched out in front of him, ankles crossed. He was completely too relaxed for Ginny to be in any way comfortable.
Ginny reached up and touched her nose, remembering what Draco had said. Maybe she should remind him. "My nose, it's not the same," she said.
Draco wrinkled his eyebrows and looked at her. "Yes, I know." He gave her one more long look. "But I don't think that anyone will notice, not for now anyways. They'll believe anything I tell them."
Ginny snorted.
"What was that for?" Draco asked.
"'They'll believe anything I tell them,'" she parroted, making an arrogant face.
"I do not sound like that," Draco said, glaring slightly.
"Oh yes, yes you do," Ginny said, trying her best not to laugh. This seemed to be a serious situation that she had just ruined. But then again, it wasn't really her fault, Draco was the one that went and said that everyone believes anything he tells them. She had to bring up her hand to stifle a giggle that was threatening to peel out of her mouth. It was amazing how full of himself Draco was.
Draco gave her a measuring look. "You'll fill in for Alex? Until she gets here?" Ginny noticed that he did not say: "I need you to fill in." Draco would never need anyone to do anything, why would he? He's Draco Malfoy. Girls would probably line up on the streets if they thought it might be possible that he would pick them to fill in on a photo shoot for one of the most popular female quidditch players ever.
All girls except Ginny Weasley.
"Why should I?" Ginny asked. "What's in it for me? I was supposed to be back at work," she glanced at her watch, "Two hours ago." Her eyes widened. "Oh my gods, something could have happened! What if Colin..." she trailed off and her eyes darted towards the door. Her fingers itched to turn the knob and let her out to run back to the store.
"I'm sure that nothing happened, and that Colin is perfectly capable of handling the store. You wouldn't have left him if he wasn't," Draco said reasonably.
Ginny tilted her head to the side, thinking. If she did stay and pretend to be Swink then she could probably make a bit of extra money…and if she put that money together with what she has earned last week on the catering job, she would probably have enough money to open a larger store, therefore increasing her profits and business as a whole.
But then, on the other hand, Colin, despite the fact that he was her best friend, wasn't as reliable as he seemed. Sure, he could handle most of the small things, but last time she had left him alone in the shop, what did he do? -He burned the cookies. So that means that he could be burning down the shop as they spoke! Then where would she be? Then she wouldn't have a building to sell at all and everything would go down the drain.
Ginny looked back up at Draco from her hands, that were currently twisting around each other in her lap. "I'm not sure. I trust Colin, but not enough to leave him with my shop any longer." She glanced at her watch to prove her point.
Draco leaned forward on the meeting table with his elbows. "But, did you think of the benefits?"
She had, and they were promising. But not nearly as safe as hurrying back to the shop before Colin could inflict permanent damage. "The disadvantages outweigh the benefits," she said.
"How so?" Draco persisted.
"What if he burns down the shop?" she voiced.
He arched an eyebrow. "Do you realize how unlikely that is? You must have smoke detectors."
It was true. She had invested in some very nice smoke detectors that were charmed to set off sprinklers that would find the fire and put them out immediately. There was a very low chance that Colin could burn down the building.
She sighed and slumped in her chair. "What do I get out of this?"
"I had a feeling that would be coming," Draco said. He smirked and settled back in his chair. Ginny wanted to smack that smirk off his face. Just because she asked about conditions didn't mean that she was already giving in. Just considering her options. "Maybe a few more galleons?" he suggested.
"A few?" Now it was Ginny's turn to arch an eyebrow. "I'm going to be pretending to be a quidditch player." Suddenly, that thought made her stop. "Wait, couldn't I get in trouble for impersonating someone like that?"
Draco blinked. "Not if no one finds out."
"How can you be sure that no one will find out?"
"It's a chance I'm willing to take." His eyes were dancing.
"Well, I'm not!" Ginny said, eyebrows slamming together. She felt like her hair might have actually turned into fire she was so mad. How dare he mock her like that? Like she didn't even matter? "Something could go really wrong. And I would be the one getting in trouble."
"I'm the one hiring you to do it. I would get a considerable amount of the blame as well." Draco said. He noticed that her stubborn expression was still cemented to her face. He expelled a low sigh. "Really, the only reason I'm asking you to do this, is that we need a few pictures taken too keep the advertisers happy. As long as they know we've been taking some, and have seen a few, they'll be happy. The pictures taken of you would most likely not be used. We would reschedule Alex."
"Then why don't you just wait until you can reschedule with her?" Ginny asked.
"Because," Draco said in a low, irritated voice. "We need to get our advertising guys off our backs by showing them that we are working on the pictures."
She blinked. "Okay, so if I do let you take pictures of me, they won't be used?"
"No. They're only for evidence," Draco said slowly.
Ginny mulled this over in her head. The possibility of Colin burning down the shop had already been eliminated, and the possibility of her getting in trouble for impersonating a quidditch player because the pictures weren't actually going to be used for anything. That meant there were no cons that she could think of. There were only pros, pros for her business, pros that could make her more money, and that's what she needed: money.
She looked up at Draco. "How long is it going to take?" She didn't need to sound like she wanted the job.
A small smile graced his lips. "I knew you'd see things my way."'
Ginny snorted.
"Come on then," said Draco. He stood up and opened the door. "Let's get you down to the photography wing."
"You have a photography wing?" Ginny asked, trying to conceal her astonishment. This was a quidditch broom company, she didn't know they had a photography wing.
"Yes," Draco said, giving her strange look. "We have to advertise…and advertisement usually calls for pictures."
"Oh, right." Boy, did she feel stupid.
-
"Alright," said the photographer. He gave Ginny a sort of agitated look. "Do you think you could look my way a bit more?---That's good. Tilt your chin just a -good!" Ginny was standing with her back to a fake quidditch pitch, feeling very stupid. She was supposed to be looking like a "winner". At least that's what the photographer, Kirk, had told her. All she could think was that she was glad Draco left to attend to other matters - that at least spared her the worst of the embarrassment. And best of all, no one had suspected that she wasn't Swink.
Kirk went on taking pictures of her for a while longer. Having her straddle the broom, hover in mid air and other various positions. It made Ginny glad she didn't have to do things like this regularly. It grated her nerves.
"Just two more pictures," Kirk said from behind his camera.
"Pictures? Was my deal cancelled?" a voice came from the doorway of the studio.
Ginny almost fell over. Alexandra Swink was standing in the doorway eyeing Ginny curiously. Kirk looked from Ginny to Swink and back to Ginny again. "Wait…hold up. I didn't know Swink had a twin."
"I don't have a twin," said Swink. She sauntered in, frowning thoughtfully at Ginny. "But if I did, it would certainly be her. Only, I think her nose is off." Ginny's hand flew up to her aforementioned nose. Swink looked at Kirk, "Why would you be taking pictures of her? Because she looks like me?"
Kirk blinked. "I thought she was you."
"She was," Draco said. He had walked in. He wrapped his arm around Swink's waist and gave her a peck on the cheek. "Hullo," he greeted. Ginny rubbed her forehead and stared at Draco. Did he just kiss Swink?
"Darling," Swink said slowly. "What is this girl doing here? Why is Kirk taking pictures of her? I thought he was taking pictures of me today."
By now, Kirk was looking between Ginny and Swink trying to figure out how he'd missed the differences in their appearance. Draco had a sort of amused smile on his face. "You weren't here when you said you would be, and I have deadlines I have to meet. I can't wait on you forever," said Draco. "We weren't going to use these pictures, but I needed to have them taken to let the advertising department know that I am getting things done for this new line."
"Oh," said Swink. "I see. And you thought she looked like me?" Swink looked at Ginny with an appraising look. "What did you do? Just pull her off the street?" If someone had really not liked Swink, they might have said that she was looking at Ginny arrogantly. Ginny furrowed her brow, why was Swink talking about her like she wasn't there? She had a voice.
"Actually," Draco said dryly. "Nick pulled her in off of the street thinking that she was you."
"How could he do that?" Swink asked, assuming a prima donna voice. "She's much plainer than me."
This is where Kirk stepped in. "She has a very classic sort of a beauty."
Swink smirked. "See? I'm classic."
"Er, really I was talking about this other girl," Kirk said pointing a finger at Ginny.
Swink blinked and looked at Draco. "Did you just hear what he said?"
Draco nodded. "I did."
"He just said that she had a classic beauty."
"Yes. But he didn't say that you didn't have any beauty either, if that's what you're thinking."
Swink frowned. Ginny thought that if she kept frowning like that she was going to get frown lines at a very young age. And then where would her modeling career be?
"I am beautiful, right, Kirk?" Swink asked.
"Of course!" Kirk said enthusiastically. "Extremely beautiful." Kirk smiled at her. "And you fly beautifully as well."
Swink grinned. "I like this guy," she said to Draco. "You should definitely keep him."
The corner of Draco's mouth turned up. "I had never even thought of letting him go."
"Right, of course, you knew he was good from the start didn't you, darling?"
"Right." Draco raised his eyebrows when Swink looked away. "Why don't you go to makeup and let them get you some robes and things to wear. I'll meet you back down here later."
"Certainly." Swink kissed him, she was so tall that she didn't have to stand on her tiptoes or anything. Ginny was envious, being as short as she was. Swink sauntered out of the studio, swaying her hips.
Ginny sighed. "I guess you won't be needing me anymore. I'll just be on my way out…" She stepped off of the platform she had been standing on. For some reason her stomach had little butterflies twittering around in it.
"Wait, step into my office in about five minutes and I'll give you your pay," Draco said. Then he turned to talk to Kirk.
"But…Swink is here…" Ginny looked at him.
"Yeah," Draco raised an eyebrow. "But you held up your end of the bargain. Why should I drop mine?" When she didn't say anything, he added, "Just because I'm a Malfoy doesn't mean that I don't honor a deal." He turned away from her, ending the discussion.
Ginny stepped out of the studio and saw Nick standing in the hallway. "Can you-''
"Come with me," he said. "You're to wait in Mr. Malfoy's office." Ginny chose not to respond and followed him down a series of corridors until they came upon the office that she had been in not too long ago. "Just sit here and wait."
"Like I would do anything else," Ginny muttered under her breath as Nick shut the door.
She studied the various awards and certificates on Draco's ego wall. There were a lot of them, at least twenty were for the types of brooms he had produced.
The door swung open and Draco walked it, a piece of parchment was pressed to his hand and he was scrawling a note on it with a quill, not even looking up to see if Ginny was in the room. He walked around his desk and settled into his large leather chair and continued writing on the parchment. Ginny started feeling a little ignored.
She cleared her throat and Draco looked up.
"Oh, right, you're here," he said putting down the quill. He pulled open one of the drawers on his desk, and as he did so, Ginny craned her neck slightly to see what he had been scribbling away at on his parchment. It said something about charity. She shrugged and sat back.
Draco produced another drawstring bag, much like the one that he had given her on her catering job. He put in to the desk and pushed it towards her, watching her. Ginny twisted her hands then reached out for the bag.
"Did you ever have lunch, Weasley?" he asked.
Ginny frowned. She had been so caught up in the Swink thing that she hadn't even noticed she hadn't eaten. She glanced up at the clock hanging on the wall. It read 5:13. She felt her stomach twist. She was hungry. Good thing she worked at Tasty Treats, she could grab something there.
"No," she finally answered. "I haven't."
Draco rubbed his forehead. "Right, then go on. I'm sure you could eat a horse."
Something about his tone made Ginny give him a long look before she stood from the chair that she was sitting in. "Er, bye," she said and scurried out of the office.
-
"You did what?!?!" Colin's eyes bulged. "No way."
"Yes, way." Ginny said. They were both staring at the bag of money again. Both of them refused to open it.
"And people fell for it?" Colin asked, studying Ginny's face. "I think they're all loony. Can't they see that she's like a freaking Amazon compared to you?"
Ginny shook her head. "I didn't tell them I was Swink to begin with."
"She's like tall!-And you…you're short."
Ginny sniffed. "I'm not that short. I'm average."
Colin snorted. "Yeah, maybe for a fourth year."
"Shut up-''
"Are you two at it again? I swear, every time I see you, you two are fighting," Hermione said. She walked into the shop with a light sweater tossed over her shoulder.
"We aren't fighting," Colin said.
"Yeah," said Ginny. "We're having a disagreement."
"Oh, right," Hermione nodded. "Of course, you guys wouldn't fight. No, never," Hermione shook her head.
Colin lowered his eyebrows. "Sarcasm killed the cat, Hermione."
Hermione's eyebrows flew up, "Where did you come up with that?"
He shrugged. "Dunno, it just sounded smart."
It was Ginny's turn to snort.
"You shut up," Colin said, thwacking her lightly on the back of the head. Ginny punched him back on the shoulder, which caused him to pull her into a head-lock and give her a major noogie.
"Colin! Stop," Ginny said through giggles.
"I swear you two act like you're still at Hogwarts." Hermione said with a wistful sigh.
Ginny grinned. "Yeah, and you love it."
"This isn't what I came here to talk about." Hermione said.
"Then what did you come for?" Colin asked.
"OH! I know!" Ginny bounced.
Hermione frowned. "You do?"
"Yeah, it's about Harry isn't it? I know you two are going out, he already told me," Ginny nodded sagely.
"Er, yeah, we are, but that isn't what I came here for."
"It isn't?" Ginny's smile fell. "It isn't bad news is it?"
"No."
"Tell us!" Colin half shouted.
Hermione rolled her eyes. "I was getting there." Colin sighed and motioned for her to continue. "Anyways, Ginny, do you remember Seamus Finnigan?"
"Yeah. Why?"
"He's back in England, we went to Hogwarts with him."
"Yes…I know."
Hermione smiled. "What I'm getting at is that I think you and Seamus should try a date. What do you think?"
"Try a date?" Ginny wrinkled her eyebrows. "I don't want to try a date. I just got out of a relationship, why would I want to place myself in another one?"
"You can't give up men altogether." Hermione said.
Ginny looked at Colin. "I haven't! I've still got him around haven't I?"
"For some reason, I don't think that was a complement," Colin mused.
Ginny patted his shoulder, "Don't worry about it."
"Anyways, about Seamus."
"No."
"Ginny! You can't answer me like that! Just one date. That's all I ask. Just go on one date and I won't ask you again," Hermione pleaded.
Ginny closed her eyes. It's not like there were any other guys lining up on the street for her. No guys she knew showed any romantic interest in her. What could one date hurt, really? "One date," she agreed.
Hermione grinned. "You won't regret it, I promise."
"Right."
"Do you have a date for me too?" Colin asked, big-eyed.
"Er…sorry, Colin. I promise I'll look though," Hermione said, a bit worried from the expression on his face.
Colin smiled. "I was just kidding."
"Oh, right," Hermione glanced at her watch. "Well, I've got to go, I'll see you guys later, oh, I'll call you, Ginny, tonight."
"Alright, bye Hermione."
"Yeah, bye!" Hermione left the shop, letting the door swing shut behind her. Colin looked at Ginny and raised an eyebrow. "Seamus? Seamus Finnegan?" He blinked for a moment, "Doesn't he play for Ireland? The quidditch team?"
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