VF: Hey all. I know it's taken me a long time to write this chapter-but never fear! I have done it. I was concentrating on HSNT more there for a little while. Sorry. I wrote out the whole outline of this chapter on my finger nails with a pencil. Yes, I know, weird-but we were doing our standardized testing, TAKS Reading, and we couldn't have anything once we were done but a book-and stupid me didn't bring one. So I was brainstorming ATCC on my nails when I was done. Nifty, eh? ::shrugs:: Got it done, didn't it?
Disclaimer: I only remotely own Swink. Everything else I happily credit to the splendiferous J.K. Rowling. Where would us HPFandom nerds be without her? (I know I'd be hella bored-heh, heh, stole your word, Ambero!!<--And no…am not referring to myself in third person…)
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As the Cookie Crumbles
Chapter 6
"How about this one?" Ginny asked, slipping yet another dress over her head. This was a light, flowy pink dress-one she'd always loved.
Colin was lounging on her bed, his back against the headboard and his legs flung out over her bed. He was obviously very comfortable in this setting. He looked up from his magazine to see the dress. He tilted his head to the side and squinted. "Nah. Not pink, and don't you think that dress is a bit thin to be wearing in November-not to mention the end of November? It's freezing out."
Ginny turned around and rolled her eyes, pulling the dress up over her head, just to root through her closet to see if she could find another one. "Thanks, mother," she said.
Colin looked back down at his magazine, a small smile on his face. "You say that now, but you'll be thanking me when you're wearing a nice warm dress because of me." He wiggled a foot and bent down to scratch it.
"This one?" Ginny asked, turning back around. It was a dark blue dress with a very low dipping back.
Colin narrowed his eyes. "Is that the dress I think it is?" he asked carefully.
"Yes," Ginny ground out. It was the dress she'd worn when she broke things off with Harry-she wouldn't wear it normally, but she was getting low on options having tried on just about everything in her closet. "Gods, Colin, I swear you're so picky."
He merely said, "Don't swear, Ginny dearest." And promptly went back to his magazine. Ginny gave him a suspicious look, which he totally missed, before she took off the blue dress and looked for another one. She grabbed one last black dress from the back of her closet. After she pulled it down over her head, she glanced over at Colin and saw him gulp, eyes widening at something he was looking at in the magazine.
"What are you reading, Colin?" she asked curiously.
"Huh?" he squeaked, looking up quickly. He lifted the magazine up so that she could see the cover.
It was Witch Weekly.
"What in Merlin's name are you reading Witch Weekly for?" Ginny demanded, raising a stern eyebrow.
Colin let out a cough. "Well-it's got lovely cooking articles."
Ginny's eyes narrowed instantly. "Colin Creevey-do not try to pull that shit with me. I know perfectly well that you aren't interested in cooking articles."
Colin's eyebrows flew up. "Why would you say a thing like that? I love cooking. I spend all of my free time with you in your shop, do I not?"
"Colin…" Ginny warned.
"It's true!" Colin exclaimed, his voice going an octave higher than normal.
Ginny rolled her eyes-she would find out later. "So what about this dress?" she did a little twirl.
"Mmm, I think you should go with the first black dress you tried on. That looked best-now that I've seen all the others."
"You're such a prat. Why couldn't you have just told me that in the beginning?"
"I had to see what else you had."
"You've seen my entire wardrobe modeled ten times over."
"True."
Ginny glared at him-another glare he didn't see, as he was immersed in his magazine. She pulled the dress off, reaching for the first black dress, the one that had ruffles on the bottom-it was lying conveniently near Colin's elbow. She darted forward and grabbed the magazine out of his hand-her eyes widening instantly.
"Oi!" Colin said, jumping at her, trying to grab in from her hands. Too late though, the damage was done.
"Colin!" Ginny shrieked, jumping off of the bed. "I can't believe you!"
"What?" Colin yelled, the tips of his ears turning pink. "Your brothers' gave it to me."
"Fred and George?" she asked incredulously.
"Yes," he murmured.
"I can't believe you. You'd rather look at witch porn than me! I'm standing here in my knickers changing dresses and you're looking at a magazine!!!! Playwitch no less!!" Ginny said, collapsing in hysteric giggles.
Colin's cheeks flushed bright red. "Gods, Gin. I can't look at you like that. You're…Ginny." He glared at the still giggling Ginny, and said smoothly, "You do nothing for me."
She straightened up. "What? Nothing for you? Come on, Colin, you're a male."
Colin nodded. "Yes, I'm a male-and you're a Ginny."
Ginny huffed, "No need to make it sound as if I'm a different species." She hurriedly tugged on the black dress…the one with the ruffles on the bottom, and walked into her bathroom.
Colin rolled his eyes up to the ceiling. "Merlin help whatever man she actually marries."
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Seamus rang the doorbell right on time. Ginny answered the door, make-up and black dress in place. Colin was hiding in the coat closet, peering through the little slits in the slatted door; he was looking for any edgy behavior that Ginny might not pick up on.
Ginny's heart fluttered slightly as Seamus looked at her with his dark blue eyes. "Hello," he said with a heart-warming smile. Ginny blinked a second before she regained her composure. Seamus was very sexy. He had dark blond hair, which when paired with his dark blue eyes, could knock a girl off her feet. Not to mention that he was incredibly built. Must come from being a quidditch player.
"Hello," returned Ginny.
Seamus held out a rose. Ginny's eyebrows flew up. A pink rose on the first date? How sweet of him. "Thanks," she said, beaming at him.
"No problem," he said. Ginny went and put it in a vase, and set the vase on the center of her dining table. "Ready?" he asked. She nodded and wove her arm through his outstretched elbow.
Moments later, they arrived at La Bonne Forchette. Ginny wrinkled her nose and chose not to say anything. It certainly wasn't the classiest place, but who was she to judge?
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"Knock, knock!"
Draco looked up from the papers he was working on at his desk. There was a quill in his hand, poised over a paper, his eyebrows and been wrinkled in concentration. He saw Alex standing in the doorway of his office. Or more like leaning against the doorjamb, looking as provocative as possible. He almost rolled his eyes at the sight of her.
"Hey," he said quickly, turning back to his papers.
She frowned and pursed her lips together before taking a step into his office and shutting the door behind her. "Weren't we supposed to go to dinner tonight?"
"Weren't you supposed to turn up for a photo shoot?"
"I told you I was sorry."
"I'm sorry," said Draco.
"You're being a prat," Alex said, glaring at him.
"You're being plain annoying."
"I only came because you left me waiting at the Candelabra for an hour. I don't like being humiliated." Alex sat down in one of the chairs facing Draco's desk.
Draco pinched the bridge of his nose. "Look, I said I was sorry, Alex. I've been busy. I've got a lot of work to do."
Alex blinked, "You're the head of this company, are you not? Why can't you just make your employees do it for you?"
"Have you ever heard of the saying, if you want anything done right you have to do it yourself?" Draco asked, putting down his quill and wondering vaguely if Alex would ever leave.
"Fine, Draco. You had better be at the Candelabra tomorrow night. That's your last chance," Alex got up out of her chair and stormed out of his office, not even bothering to close the door behind her.
Draco glared at the wide open door. He got out of his chair and slammed it loudly. "I don't recall asking for a chance," he said to the closed door.
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"I had a wonderful time," Ginny said with a huge grin. She and Seamus were standing outside of her flat door. He had been a perfect gentleman at La Bonne Forchette; she couldn't have imagined a better man.
"I did too," Seamus said, his eyes glittering darkly. Ginny's stomach did a small turn. He leaned down and placed his lips on hers gently. "Good night," he said, lifting his head up.
"Night," said Ginny, a dazed smile on her face.
She entered her flat, and wandered into the living room, where Colin was sitting on the couch flipping through some old Witch Weekly's. He looked up at her, taking note of her dreamy state.
"Wait up?" she asked.
"Of course not," said Colin. "I just enjoy looking through Witch Weekly magazines." He plastered a fake smile on his face. "They really are the best!"
Ginny snorted and rolled her eyes. "I'm on to you, Creevey."
"Right…." Colin shook his head. "So how was the date?"
"Fabulous!" Ginny said, practically falling into her bedroom.
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A/N: Yes, I know, short chapter, and completely lacking in D/G action (good thing it's short then, eh?). But don't worry. I think the next chapter will be longer and will definitively have some D/G interaction. I think my fingers were trying to resist me in the whole Seamus/Ginny thing. ::bleh:: Kill me now. But! It is crucial to the D/G part of this story (which is coming along quite slowly).
Please read Heroes Shed No Tears if you haven't already. ::begs::