A/N: Okay, this is the part of the fic where I attempt to make half-assed excuses to explain my extreme lateness in an update. ::insert lame excuses here:: Anyways, it's finished now! After much laboring!! And, you guys do not know how badly I was aching to turn this into a Colin/Ginny fic. Seriously, once you start reading you'll see what I mean. Don't you think they would go well in this fic? I do… But I think I shall keep it D/G so that I am not murdered in my sleep. Toodles, loves!
Disclaimer: I don't own ANYTHING!
Dedication: *ahem* I am dedicating this chapter to Melissa Adams because she IMed me to bug me to get started on this chapter! - This was just a few days ago, and I hadn't had anything of this chapter. You all should thank her, because without her asking me everyday if I'd written anymore (she's good), this chapter probably would have never been written.
As the Cookie Crumbles
By VirtualFaerie
-
Ginny perused the racks slowly, making sure to examine every dress closely. She had dragged Colin out shopping with her a little earlier, because she needed a new dress for her date.
"What kind of dresses do guys like?" Ginny asked frowning, moving over to another rack. "I mean…should I go for...short and risqué? Or…frilly and feminine? Or…"
Colin took a bite of his chocolate iced doughnut that he was having a hard time hiding from the sales lady for - she kept looking at him suspiciously. "Well," he said through a full mouth. "You don't want to wear a short, short dress on your first date do you?" He turned around quickly and shoved his doughnut behind him as the sales lady passed, eyeing him apprehensively.
"What do you think of this dress?" asked Ginny, pulling out a lacy pink one.
"Looks fine…" Colin mumbled, trying to peel his doughnut off a rhinestone covered dress. He lost grip of the doughnut and it fell the to floor with a squish. "Damn," he muttered, bending over.
"Coooolin," whined Ginny, looking at the dress again. "You didn't even look at it."
Colin glanced up at it quickly. He made a face. "Ew, bad. No lace. Ew."
"Well, fine then, that's all I wanted to know," said Ginny, rolling her eyes and putting the dress back on the rack. "What are you doing? Colin?"
The sales lady started walking back their way. "Shit," Colin hissed, standing back up quickly and kicking the doughnut under the rack. He walked over to Ginny hurriedly and pulled out a completely random dress. "How 'bout this one, Gins?"
Ginny looked at the dress and blinked. Then she looked up at Colin and blinked. "You want me to wear a tent?"
Colin looked down at the dress. "Oh," he said, "Well…you do need to be modest on the first date don't you? Cover up everything…stay out of trouble…"
"Right…" Ginny walked off to another sales rack.
Colin stood there for a moment, and looked back at the rack he had kicked his doughnut under. He wondered vaguely if it would be possible for him to get it back. He glanced at the register and saw the sales lady there, marking through a book.
"Colin? This one?" She held up a silky green dress.
He looked over his shoulder. "Err…good, yeah."
"You think it'll look nice on me?" she asked, placing the hanger up under her chin so that the dress was draped down her front.
"Sure, looks great…" he said, making sure to look at the dress first before saying so. He checked on the sales lady one more time, then approached the rack with his doughnut under it. He was hungry, and that had been his breakfast. He needed that doughnut. There was no way he was going to survive a day of shopping with Ginny if he didn't have that doughnut.
He got down on his hands and knees and looked under the rack and saw his doughnut sitting in the very middle. He grinned and crawled under, picking up the doughnut and wiping off the dust with his shirt. Sitting down in the small clearing in the center of the rack, he brought the doughnut up to his mouth and took a big bite, smearing what was left of the frosting around the edges of his lips.
"Colin?" he heard Ginny calling him, her voice muffled by all the dresses around him. "Colin? Where are you? You better not have left the store," she muttered, her voice getting closer to him.
Hastily, Colin shoved the rest of the doughnut in his mouth and scrambled out from under the rack, coming out right beside Ginny's feet. She blinked and looked at him slowly. "Colin…what were you doing under there?" she asked hesitantly.
"Er, getting my doughnut," said Colin, standing up quickly and brushing off his robes.
"You didn't eat it did you..?" asked Ginny, scrunching up her nose.
"Of course, I did! Why wouldn't I…?" He trailed off as Ginny gave him a disapproving look. "Five minute rule..." he mumbled.
"Honestly, Colin, I really don't know how you've survived all these years. I'm thinking you should get married, and soon. You need someone to look after you," said Ginny, walking over to a clearance rack.
"WHAT?" Colin choked, following after her quickly. He blinked and cleared his throat. "I don't need to get married. Besides, you look after me quite well, don't you think?"
Ginny picked up a black dress and studied it. "What do you think of this one? It's pretty…" She picked up the price tag and peered at it thoughtfully. "And affordable." Colin gave her a look. "I shouldn't have to look after you," she said. "I'm your friend, not your mother."
"Yeah, well, Gins, I don't have a mother," said Colin angrily. "Are you saying that you don't like putting up with me? That you'd rather not have me around?"
Ginny looked affronted. "Of course not! I love having you around, Colin. But you need something more than just me. I won't always be able to take care of you."
Colin put his face in his hands and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "You said you would only make me go shopping with you. This is so much more than shopping." He faked a sniffle. "I think you owe me some ice cream…" He looked up at her with wide eyes between his fingers.
Ginny laughed and pulled Colin into a hug. "Okay, okay, I lied about the only shopping part. But we got a nice talk didn't we?" Colin muttered something. "Ice cream on me today." She held the black dress back out. "This one? - Don't you think? I like it…"
Colin glanced at the dress; he smiled. "It's perfect." He hugged Ginny to his side and they walked up to the cash register.
-
Ginny smoothed her hair one last time, peering into the mirror nervously. "Colin?" she said, turning around. "How do I look? Do I look okay? You don't think this dress is to clingy do you? What about my makeup? I don't have on too much mascara, do I? Oh gods, does my lipstick match alright? And - do you think I curled my hair -''
"Ginny," Colin said firmly, shooting her a glare. "You look fabulous. I can't think of one thing wrong." He stood up from the couch and came to stand in front of her, threading his fingers through her hair gently with a small smile on his face.
"What are you smiling for?" asked Ginny anxiously, reaching up to touch her hair.
"Heh," Colin let out a chuckle. "I'm just thinking about how much fun I'm going to have pounding Malfoy's brain out if he makes you cry."
Ginny grinned and rolled her eyes, wrapping her arms around Colin for a quick hug. "You're so silly, Colin. He's not going to make me cry. This is only our first date."
"Yeah," said Colin, bringing his hands up and cracking his knuckles. "But I've got my eye on him."
"Oh my," giggled Ginny. "I didn't know you swung that way, Colin. Now I know why you never like any of the dates I set you up with."
Colin turned red. "WHAT?" he squeaked. "Are you kidding me?! I love women! Women are the fruit of life! Nothing turns me on more than a woman."
Ginny nodded slowly and pinched Colin's cheeks. "Whatever you say, honey."
"I'm serious," glowered Colin.
"I know, I know," said Ginny, patting his arm. "I've seen all the magazines under your bed. All signs point to a normal male."
Colin's eyes widened. "You looked under my bed?!?! - At those magazines?!?!"
"Well, of course I didn't just go looking under there for the sole purpose of finding your dirty magazines. It was that time that I was over at your flat trying to help you find your shoes," Ginny said reasonably.
Colin ran a hand through his hair and muttered under his breath right as the doorbell rang.
"Oh GODS!" breathed Ginny, punching Colin's arm.
"OW!" he grumbled at her.
"He's here," she hissed.
"Obviously."
"Don't be a smart ass, Creevey." Ginny looked at herself in the mirror one more time, pinching color into her cheeks, and walked to the door, pulling it open slowly, motioning for Colin to get out of sight.
"Hello," said Draco upon seeing her. He quirked and eyebrow up. "My, don't you look nice tonight."
Ginny smiled. "Thank you. Here, just let me go get my cloak and I'll be ready." She motioned for him to step in and shut the door behind him, running off to her bedroom to grab her cloak. Colin was lying on her bed staring up at the ceiling.
"Oh," he said. "When he says you look nice, you just say thanks, but when I do…oh no…you gotta ask me a million questions.
Ginny smacked his leg playfully. "Yes, Colin, that's because I love you. Don't get into too much trouble while I'm gone. And if you wreck my apartment, I'm going to kill you. Night, sweets."
She walked back out to the entry way and slipped on her cloak. "Alright," she said. "I'm ready."
"Great," said Draco, taking her arm and leading her out of the apartment.
-
Ginny sat down a bit uneasily in her seat, making sure to smooth her dress as she sat down. Draco had taken her to an especially nice restaurant, even better than the Candelabra.
"Wine?" Draco asked, picking up his menu and perusing it thoughtfully.
Picking up her menu quickly, Ginny flipped it open and looked at the wine list. Draco cleared his throat and Ginny looked up at him over the top of the menu. "Yes?" she said.
The corner of Draco's lips curled up into a smile. "I think you're looking at it upside down."
Ginny blinked and looked back down at her menu, blushing furiously. "Oh…" She flipped it right side up and continued to look at the list.
"How about merlot?" asked Draco.
"Uhm, yes, that sounds fine," Ginny said quickly. Ginny scolded herself mentally as she watched Draco order their wine. Why was she being such a ninny? It was just a date. It was just a date with Malfoy. Malfoy the arrogant, pig-headed, prick from her childhood. Why should she be nervous? She'd known him forever. Granted, during forever, they most certainly had not been out on a date before. She sighed quietly and rubbed the bridge of her nose.
"Something wrong?" Draco said, looking at her curiously.
"Oh, no," said Ginny, flashing a smile. "Everything's fine."
Everything went fine until dessert, Ginny didn't stutter, she didn't drop any food on her clothes, and none of her drink leaked out and dripped down her face. All in all, she had been doing pretty good - even holding up on the surprisingly intelligent conversation she was having with Malfoy.
But, that was just before dessert.
Their waiter came by with the cart of desserts and told them each of their names, describing the ingredients that went into each. Ginny picked a strawberry cheesecake, and Draco had chosen a chocolate cake.
First thing that went wrong: some of Ginny's strawberries fell off of her fork and into her lap. Draco chuckled at her. "Holding onto that fork tight enough?" he asked.
"Heh," Ginny let out a nervous laugh and scooped them up out of her lap and into her napkin, setting it on the table. "Just clumsy," she said.
Then, about two minutes later, she decided that she needed to use the restroom. She started to push her chair back, but the back legs caught on the carpet and sent her flying backwards, arms flailing wildly, taking most of the table cloth and her cheesecake with her. The strawberries splattered all over her dress, and the cheesecake smeared across the fabric devilishly.
Ginny let out a frustrated sound and just looked at her dress - everyone in the restaurant looking at her sympathetically. Draco was laughing, getting out of his own chair and going over to help her off the floor and set her chair upright.
"Oops?" she said, cheeks flushed deep red.
"I think we should go - don't you?" asked Draco, smiling amusedly.
Ginny looked at her dress pitifully. "Yes, I suppose that would be a good idea."
Draco laid some money on the table and took Ginny's hand, leading her out of the restaurant. "That was certainly one of the most entertaining dates I've ever been on," said Draco.
Ginny shook her head. "I am so clumsy…"
"It's endearing."
"Oh really?"
"Yes, quite," Draco said, grinning at her.
They arrived at her apartment, and Ginny looked up at him nervously. "Well…despite being covered in cheesecake," she said, "I had a lovely time."
"Me too," said Draco, before ducking down and brushing his lips against her lightly. He straightened up. "See you sometime soon, then?"
Ginny beamed. "Of course."
"Good," he said, reaching up and touching her cheek before leaving.
Ginny sighed happily and unlocked her door, stepping in. Colin was sitting on the couch, head flung back, mouth open wide, snoring. Ginny giggled and went over to poke his side.
"AGh!" he said, sitting up quickly. "Gods! You wench!" he muttered, rubbing his eyes and looking up at her blearily. He noted her mindless grin. "Went well, did it?"
She sighed happily. "Sooooo well. He kissed me."
Colin made a face and she whapped him playfully, running back to her room giggling.
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