Our Little Secret

Disclaimer: Everything belongs to JKR, of course, except the plot. That’s mine, so please don’t take it.

By the way, don’t worry too much about the opening scenes, it will be Draco/Ginny eventually.

-*-

Chapter One: Setting the Stakes

“Let’s do something awful this year.”

Draco looked up from polishing his brand new Firebolt. It had been a gift from his father, for finally agreeing to join the Death Eaters when he graduated from Hogwarts. The options were simply to join or be exiled, so Draco had chosen wisely.

Blaise Zabini’s eyes were set on his own, and she gave him a meaningful, and lust filled glare. They were sitting in his bedroom at the Malfoy Manor, one week before school was to start.

“Awful?”

Moving closer to him, Blaise rested her hand on Draco’s knee. He didn’t move, or even respond to the touch. Blaise’s family was visiting his own for a week, on “family business”. Basically, he and Blaise had the house to themselves for seven days while their parents were off on missions for the Dark Lord.

“Something awful! This is our seventh and last year at Hogwarts. When you think back to the last six years, what is the one thing that stands out every time?”

Scowling, one word brushed past his lips. “Potter.”

She grinned wickedly. “Exactly.” Lowering herself down in his lap, he sighed and put the new broomstick to the side. He hadn’t even had a chance to give it a go yet.

“Don’t you wish people would look back and remember us, Drakie? Not Potter, and his stupid scar?”

He hated that nickname. However, he leaned his head down so that his chin rested on her shoulder. He could smell her expensive perfume, and it was clouding his vision a bit. “I suppose so. But what do you propose we do?”

She sighed, leaning into his body further. She began massaging the side of his leg with her hand. “Something… amazing. Something so good, no, so bad, that no one will believe we actually went through with it. Something that will make us legends!”

Draco cupped his hand around Blaise’s breast. They always got like this when she was riled up about something. The two had never officially started dating, and they still weren’t considered “together”. Neither cared to be in a relationship. Plus, both liked fooling around so much that it was silly to even try to tie themselves down.

Funny as it was, though, Blaise had never slept with Draco. They’d just never done it. She’d slept with handfuls of other guys, sure, as had Draco with half the female population at Hogwarts. But never with each other.

“And you are going to plan something this gigantic, Zabini?” He said her last name in a critical manner, while rubbing his hand roughly on her upper body. She was smooth with guys, yes, but was she capable of pulling together something as large as she was describing?

“I already have an idea.” Turning around so that she was lying directly on top of him, Draco saw the vicious glint in her eye that meant she had given this some thought already.

“Mhmm?” Suddenly he was very curious as to what she was on about. He wrapped one of his arms around her lower back, and she leaned down to almost whisper in his ear.

“You and I, we’ve slept with…what do you say, sixty percent of the school, combined?” Blaise’s voice had an almost mathematical sound to it. “Counting only our year and the years above and below it, I mean.” She quickly corrected herself.

Nodding, Draco agreed. “That sounds about right. Why, may I ask, are you adding up our meaningless successes? Please tell me you have a legitimate reason. Most of those I’d like to just forget about, thank you.”

She rolled her eyes. “That’s what I’m talking about! We need to move up in our domination! We need bigger and better things! A greater challenge!”

Altering his position slightly so that one of Blaise’s legs fell between his own, he analyzed what she was saying. “I don’t even know what you’re proposing, and already it sounds like a lot of work, Blaise. Why don’t we just have our annual contest, who gets laid the most by the time we graduate?”

Eyes glistening, Blaise nibbled the side of his ear. “Isn’t this same old routine getting boring?”

“A bit.” His words came out as a shudder, rather than his voice.

She moved in as though to kiss him, and, not surprisingly, she felt him lean up into it. Smirking and evilly pulling away, she sat up on his stomach. “I’ve got a better idea.”

Draco frowned. She was always doing this to him. She knew he wanted her, and right when she was about to hand herself over, she took it back, leaving him always wanting more. “You’d better tell me what your idea is soon, I don’t bloody think I can take much more of this waiting.”

Somehow Blaise knew he wasn’t actually talking about her idea. She went on anyway.

“I was in Diagon Alley the other day, picking up all my stuff for Hogwarts-”

“As was I, Zabini, we went together.” Draco interrupted.

Putting her hand over his mouth, she scolded him. “Will you let me finish? We did separate, you know, when I went to Madam Malkins and you went to look at Quidditch supplies.”

Muttering, Draco obliged and stayed silent. Blaise was the only person who could push Draco around, and he simultaneously loved and hated her for it.

“While I was in the robes shop, getting fitted for my sexy new black dress robes…” she paused for effect, “You’ll never guess who I ran into?”

Feeling very turned on suddenly, Draco decided to just let her speak. It was no use arguing with her.

“I saw little Miss Weasley walking hand in hand with her perfect boyfriend Potter,” said Blaise, her voice dripping with malice.

Draco turned up his nose. “Disgusting. Why are you making me envision this?”

Eyes sparkling, she raised his hand up to her mouth, making her words tickle his knuckles. “They’re so cute together, don’t you agree Draco?”

He pretended to retch off the side of the couch, and Blaise giggled slyly.

“Let’s break them up!”

Straightening up again, Draco stared. “Let’s- what?”

“Let’s break them up,” she growled. “The whole school, no, the whole wizarding world would be in an uproar! The world’s most wonderful couple, going out for two straight years now, broken up by a couple of Slytherins?” She said the word ‘Slytherin’ like many Gryffindors would, as if the word left a bad taste in your mouth.

He looked at her with blatant skepticism. “And what makes you think we’ll even be able to do this? They hate all Slytherins, and won’t exactly be willing to… spend time with us.”

“But Draco… we are the King and Queen of persuasion! Look how many other people we’ve convinced we loved… and left after one night?” She gave him a superior glance. “If anyone can do it, we can.”

“Ok. So suppose you’re right, Blaise. We break them up. Then what? I don’t exactly want Weasley as my girlfriend.”

She rolled her eyes. “Come on Draco, have a little bit of will. You could endure it for a few weeks, couldn’t you? Do it for me?”

“What’s in it for me? Besides your promised fame?” Draco suddenly said, wanting to get a little more out of this than a redheaded Weasel.

She gave him a contemptuous stare, before coming up with an ingenuous idea. One the smug boy couldn’t possibly refuse. “How about we make it a bit of a race?”

“What does the winner get?” He wasn’t letting up.

“Well, if you beat me, snagging Weasley before I have the chance to lure Potter in…” she trailed off, and motioned over her whole body. “You can have me. To do whatever you want. One night.”

His eyes widened, imagining what he could do... He was snapped out of his trance however, when Blaise’s curt voice interrupted his fantasy.

“But that’s a pretty big price. I need something from you of equal value.”

Draco thought momentarily, not sure what to offer her. Then he realized there was no need to exert the extra brainpower. She seemed to have an idea of her own.

“Your broom.”

“What?”

“Your new Firebolt. If I win, I get your brand-new, shiny, Firebolt.”

He eyed the broom warily, wishing he’d decided to ride it around the perimeter of his house a few times before hanging with Blaise inside. He knew she was green with envy over it, having become the new keeper of the Slytherin House Quidditch team only last year. Although her parents were rather well off, they had only gotten her a Nimbus2000 for her efforts.

“One problem, babe.” Draco said casually.

“And that is?”

“You’re not going to win.” He winked, plainly stating that he agreed to the challenge, and watched her smile spread from ear to ear.

-*-

“Goodbye, Ginny dear, have a good year!” Mrs. Weasley was carting Ron, Ginny, and Harry off to Hogwarts, as all of her other children had graduated (or dropped out).

She kissed Ginny on the forehead, and tried to kiss Ron as well, but he dodged it, crying, “Mum!”

She laughed, and Apparated away from the station shortly after.

Harry immediately entwined Ginny’s hand in his own, and Ron trailed along beside them. Even though Dumbledore was set in his ways about Harry staying with his dreadful relatives, they never ruled out Harry coming to visit the Weasleys for the last two weeks of the summer holiday.

The summer prior to this one had been Ginny’s dream, having her boyfriend near her for two whole weeks with no homework to worry about or school interrupting. But somehow these past two weeks had seemed different. Almost… routine.

Ginny’s life was nearly perfect. She got excellent marks in school, had been accepted onto the Gryffindor Quidditch team as a Chaser, and was the girlfriend of famous Harry Potter.

But sometimes she got tired of all the media. Never would she admit this to Harry though, because he seemed so happy with his current life. Even though He-who-must-not-be-named, or Tom, as Ginny liked to think of him, was still at large, nothing had happened in the year before and they all hoped (in vain) that maybe he wouldn’t come back.

“That was a great summer, wasn’t it Gin?” Harry prodded her, snapping her out of her reverie.

“Oh, what? Yes, yes, a great summer…” she echoed.

Ron seemed to detect the hollowness of her voice, and gave her a questioning look. She ignored it, and hoped against hope that maybe being back at Hogwarts would lift her spirits.

“Hey you guys!”

They heard the excited voice before they saw Hermione, lunging at both Ron and Harry to give them hugs. “I missed you!”

She still looked the same, Ginny noted, as when she had met her six years ago. She had the same bushy auburn hair, the same intellectual grin, and was only a bit taller now than the previous years.

The three friends began chatting furiously, of things they had done over the summer and what they thought the school year might bring.

Ginny stood back, still clutching Harry’s hand. This was another part of the relationship with Harry that Ginny resolutely didn’t care for. Although Harry, Ron, and Hermione openly accepted her as their friend, she still always felt like an outsider. Of course it didn’t help that she was a bit too shy to just barge right in to every one of their conversations.

She was only Miss Popularity now thanks to Harry, not on her own accord.

“Harry…” she tried to butt in. “Harry, I’m going to board the train. I’ll save a compartment for us,” she promised, forcefully entangling her hand automatically.

“All right, love.” He nodded, returning to his conversation with his friends. “But I don’t think Snape got the job this year, I mean he doesn’t even wash his hair…”

Their conversation became inaudible as Ginny drew nearer to the train, and finally boarded.

Ginny walked casually from compartment to compartment, trying to find one that didn’t yet have occupants in it. She had to stop every now and then, to say hello to friends and acquaintances.

Luna Lovegood sat with Neville Longbottom in one of the first compartments she entered. Luna was wearing a sort of bright orange kimono, and a pagoda on her head. Her dirty blonde hair was hanging in tangled knots around her waist. Ginny eyed her curiously and Luna giggled. “I went to a Japanese festival with my father, so he could write an article on Ancient Dragons for the Quibbler. Do you like my souvenirs? I got something for Neville, too, show Ginny what I got you.”

He raised his fingers, which were locked together with a golden tube, decorated like an ornate two-headed dragon. “Chinese Finger Trap.” He said proudly.

His fingers looked very stuck, but Ginny didn’t dare press it. Perhaps Luna knew how to unstick him, because he didn’t look the slightest bit worried.

“Here,” Luna said, digging around in her matching orange handbag, “I’ve got one for you too.”

The bag must have been magically expanded on the inside, because after digging around for a few minutes, Luna was so far inside that only her legs were sticking out. Finally, Ginny heard a muffled “Aha!” and moments later Luna emerged with another finger trap, this one in a shiny deep purple.

“There you go. Only use it if you plan on being stuck for a long time, because you’ll need to find me to get it undone. I have a special key that unlocks all of them,” Luna explained, handing the souvenir to Ginny with a smile. “It mostly just serves as making a neat trinket to display on your nightstand.”

Ginny looked at the finger trap warily and tucked it in her bag, not sure of when she would ever want to be stuck at the fingers for a long period of time. “Er… thanks, Luna.”

She chatted for a few more minutes, and then went on her way, calling goodbye to Neville and Luna. The next compartment held a group of Hufflepuffs she’d never spoken with before, third years. They knew who she was though, and as the passed through she heard muffled whispers about “Harry Potter’s Girlfriend!” behind many of their hands.

So intent upon leaving the last compartment, she stopped dead when she reached the next one, having not anticipated what she found.

Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini were sitting unnecessarily close on the bench, and looked as though they had been involved in deep conversation. Now, however, they stared at her in shock, which suddenly and suspiciously changed to delight on Draco’s face.

He hopped up from the couch, and Blaise eyed him curiously from behind. She looked deeply amused at Draco’s antics.

“Ginny! How are you!” he greeted her with a grin, one Ginny had never seen before. It wasn’t his usual demeaning smirk, it was more of a goofy smile, and she wasn’t sure if it made him look friendlier or even more threatening.

Ginny narrowed her eyes. “What are you on about, Malfoy?”

He appeared hurt, which Ginny assumed was an act. “Malfoy? Aw, come on Ginny, babe, we’re past this last name thing, aren’t we?”

Contempt was written on her face as she raised her eyebrows. “Are you feeling all right?” She made to continue walking through the compartment but Draco purposely blocked her path.

“Actually,” he drawled, leaning against the wall suavely, “I’ve never been better.”

Ginny was starting to get uncomfortable. Something was definitely off about this situation. “Look, just let me have it. Make fun of my clothes, or my family, or-“

“Or your broom.” Draco cut her off suddenly and distractedly, grabbing for the long, slender carrying case draped loosely over her shoulder.

“Ha! Have fun making fun of that, it’s not exactly a Comet260.” Ginny retorted with an air of confidence, as he began to slip the broom out of its case.

“Wont you be quiet a moment, love? I’m not ‘making fun’ of your broom, I was simply just curious as to why you’re carting one around. Potter making you do his bidding, is he?” He pulled out a shiny Nimbus2000, and frowned. “This isn’t Potter’s broom,” he stated.

The look on Ginny’s face was superior. “Right you are, Draco. It’s my broom.”

He looked at her in surprise. “Yours?”

She grinned maliciously. “Since I am the new Gryffindor Chaser.”

His eyes gleamed. “Oh, are you? Perfect…”

“Perfect for what?” she asked simply.

“Nothing, nothing. Weren’t you Seeker for a little while there?” Draco inquired, thinking back to his fifth year.

Ginny nodded, “Yes, but Harry’s much better. I gave him the position back, you know, out of kindness.” Her words were more sarcastic than friendly.

She grabbed the broom back from him and shoved it into the carrying case, and was about to leave when Draco suddenly caught her wrist. In one swift movement, he pulled her hand up to his mouth, and gently kissed it above her knuckles. “See you around.”

Draco wasn’t sure if the look on her face was shock or disgust when she raced from the room, but either way it made him chuckle.

“Haven’t heard you laugh in awhile.” Blaise commented, causing Draco to jump. He’d forgotten she was there.

“This is going to be too easy.” He concluded, ignoring Blaise’s comment. “All four of us play Quidditch now? Who would have thought?”

Blaise grinned as well, smiling for the first time that day. “All that time down on the Quidditch Pitch, it will be next to impossible for them to ignore us.”

There was a lurch, as the train started up. Draco almost lost his balance, but caught himself by gripping the edge of a chair.

“At least Ginny wasn’t scared of me. She has at least half a mind to argue with me. Not that we’ll be doing much arguing after awhile…” he trailed off for effect, grinning seductively.

Blaise just stared. “She’s Ginny now?”

Draco mentally slapped himself. “Well, you know, just practicing.” He amended.

She didn’t miss a beat. “So, you’re going for the suave and cool, yet sickeningly sweet approach, I gathered?” Blaise had a way of making Draco look stupid without even trying.

He scowled, jumping back on the bench, but this time not as close to Blaise. She was pissing him off. “It seems to be working, doesn’t it?”

“She was jumpy.” Blaise said.

“Hey, this is day one. Give me a break, Blaise. You haven’t even talked to Harry yet.”

She fanned out, and chewed on her fingernails. They were painted dark purple magically; it was a spell she’d learned over the summer. It kept her nails intact, and the color never chipped or faded. It also glowed in the dark. “All part of the plan, Mr. Malfoy. No need to rush into things, right?”

“Well anyway, it would seem fishy if we both started hitting on them at the same time. I’ll snag Ginny first, then you can work your moves on Potter.”

“There you go calling her Ginny again. And no, you worthless git, I’m not stupid. You’d win the bet that way. You just worry about Ginny and I’ll do all the rest.” With that, she took out her diary, the same eerie color as her nails, and proceeded to ignore Draco for the remainder of the train ride.

-*-

“He did what?”

Ginny was sitting in a compartment three down from Draco and Blaise, and had just finished telling Harry about her encounter with Draco.

Surprisingly, he was more upset about the kiss on the hand than what Ginny had actually been trying to tell him, which was that Draco was acting peculiar.

“He has no right- no right…” Harry was getting upset, and Ginny didn’t know what to say to soothe him.

“Harry, it’s not that big of a deal, all right? Maybe he was just, I don’t know, maybe he was just being friendly?” Somehow the words had sounded a lot better in her head.

He glared at her. “Malfoys are not friendly. He’s just competing with me again, can’t stand that I beat him at Quidditch. Well how do you like that, Malfoy, this year we can both beat him at Quidditch, you and I, Ginny!”

He was raving and he knew it. Ginny’s face was questioning, and Harry started laughing. “Sorry, but that blond-haired git really grates on my nerves, treating you like that.”

Personally Ginny didn’t see anything wrong with the way Draco had greeted her, she just was suspicious, since he was usually such an arse.

But, deciding it was best to drop the subject; she let Harry think she agreed with him whole-heartedly.

-*-

Sitting in a train compartment with the Dream Team for a few hours was almost worse than being interrogated by Draco Malfoy, thought Ginny unhappily. Ironically, he had been the one to dub the trio that name, and Ginny had found it rather fitting and catchy, using it in the privacy of her own mind.

She used to sit with Colin on the train, his little brother, Neville, and whoever else from her year that showed up. None of these people had ever exactly saved the world, excluding maybe Neville, but they were fun people all the same. But now that she was ‘Harry Potter’s Girlfriend’, she had executive seats in their compartment. Such a wonderful perk, she thought, looking around.

Ron and Harry were playing a noisy game of Exploding Snap, and Hermione was re-reading her copy of Enchantable Herbs and Spices for the Seventh Year Student. Ginny was staring glumly out the window, willing the train to move faster, to get her to Hogwarts and the ritual feast quicker. The rumbling of her stomach only made the wait seem longer.

The sky was darkening at a fast pace, making Ginny’s task of admiring the countryside rather pointless.

She figured they had to be nearing the school by now, and just as she was about to stand to collect her robes to change into, the door to the compartment opened. Ginny snapped her head up to see who was entering, half hoping and half dreading to see Malfoy. At least to get a bit of an explanation, she reasoned with herself.

Instead, Blaise Zabini popped her black haired face in. “Harry Potter? Can I have a word with you?”

Ginny eyed the tanned girl with growing suspicion. First Draco, now this? Then Ginny decided to wait to make assumptions, who knew if Blaise was going to be cruel or nice? Or what she even wanted?

Walking away from the Exploding Snap game, it decided to pick now to blow itself up, and for once hardly anyone paid any notice. They were all watching as Harry approached Blaise, all surely thinking about what Ginny had told them prior.

Ginny noticed that Harry had his hand on his wand, which she assumed surely wasn’t necessary. They were all looking a little to far into this Draco Malfoy business.

With a foul tint to his words, Harry spoke to Blaise. “What do you want, Zabini?”

She stared at him with mock surprise. “Harry, you sound so angry?” She rested a hand on his arm, and he flinched and pulled back. “Is everything all right?”

He scowled, unconsciously dropping the wand to his feet, realizing she meant no harm. “I’m fine. Just say what you want to say, because I was kind of in the middle of something.”

Blaise raised her eyebrows at the pile of ashes behind him. “Well, it looks as though you’ll need to find something else to do!” She said brightly.

Seeing him blush slightly, Blaise’s eyes lit up. She did not, however, comment.

“Look. Zabini. I don’t know if this is weird for you or anything, but we’re not exactly on friend status here. I’m beginning to wonder if you even have a reason for being here?”

This time she cast Harry a look with traces of a glare. Only slight traces, though. “Of course I have a reason, I don’t fancy loitering in random compartments any more than the next person. I was merely set to inform you that we have Quidditch practice- first thing tomorrow.”

Harry and Ginny both gasped “What?” –but for very different reasons.

“What do you mean, we?” Harry inquired. “You’re a Slytherin.”

She confident girl smiled. “You say that like it’s not a compliment.”

Harry’s smile flickered.

“And I mean, we,” she continued forcefully, “as in everyone who plays Quidditch. No more fighting over the pitch, haven’t you heard? Combined practices, more effective usage of time.”

Before Harry could respond, Ginny cut in- “You play Quidditch, too?”

Quick as a flash, Blaise smiled and nodded, said, “That’s right, Weasley,” cast Harry a meaningful look, and spun from the room with a slam of the door.

Harry ogled at Ginny. “Can you believe her?”

-*-

“How’d it go?”

Blaise jumped, startled by Draco. It appeared as though he’d been leaning against the door, trying to hear what was going on inside.

“Since when did you become such a sneak?” Blaise said quietly, making her way back to their own compartment.

“No matter. I heard no interaction, by the way. Just a bit of boring conversation and some sort of explosion. You didn’t blow Potter up, did you Zabini? I think that would count as instant disqualification.”

“Task one is completed, Malfoy. I simply made my presence known.” She spat his name, suddenly not wanting to speak to the blond-haired annoyance.

“How cute. I’m sure he’s pining already.”

They had reached the door now, and Blaise pulled it open gracefully. “Everything is part of the plan.” She said simply.

“I fancy not planning every aspect of my life, thanks. I like the surprise.” It was obvious now that he was just trying to be obnoxious. It was a fallback plan that worked with everything for Draco. When in doubt, be annoyingly sarcastic.

Blaise turned her cold eyes on to Draco’s. They seemed to almost look inside him, making him turn away suddenly. She tried desperately to hold his gaze anyway.

“Then wont you be surprised, seeing me zooming around on that Firebolt of yours soon.” With a wink, she trained her stare outside. Hogwarts was rising up before them through the window, even through the darkness she could see it’s massive outline.

“Oh look, we’re here.”

-*-

The welcome feast had been wonderful, Harry thought as his stomach rumbled in agony. It was the same every year, the students ate until their buttons popped off, then rolled themselves off to bed in their respective houses.

It pained him to think that it would be his last welcoming feast.

And also as usual, none of the Gryffindors were the least bit tired when they’d arrived in the familiar red and gold common room. The whole lot of them had gathered in the large fire-lit room and talked, laughed, and occasionally shot off a few of the Filibusters Fireworks Fred and George had sent along with Ron, and hoped not to get yelled at by Professor McGonagall.

Harry was enjoying himself so much, that it wasn’t until he saw Ginny walk into the common room lugging her shoulder bag that he realized she hadn’t come up with the rest of them. He saw Ginny glance around anxiously, and make off toward the girls’ dormitory staircase.

Harry, however, was too quick. “Ginny. Where were you?” His voice sounded light and casual, but Ginny knew he was worried.

She clutched the bag at her side as though she were afraid it would get away. “I, well, you see- I left my bag down in the Great Hall, under the table, and in the excitement… well it took me awhile to retrieve it.” Her face was flushed, and Harry noticed a new sort of sparkle in her eyes that he had never seen before. It made her all the more beautiful, and his stern face changed rapidly into a warm grin, as he took her up in his arms.

She stiffened for a millisecond at his touch, and then eased into him as he kissed her gently, Harry not noticing a single odd thing about her response. After a moment though she broke away, mumbling incoherent excuses about being tired and classes first thing the next day.

Holding the bag in front of her like a shield, Harry watched as his girlfriend took off up the stairs. He shrugged, and returned to the festivities behind him.

-*-

A/N:

Well, there you have it, the first chapter.

The first half of this story is a tad slower than the second half, so just stay tuned and excitement awaits! If some things seem confusing, strange, or left unexplained, just wait. Everything gets explained, eventually.

PLEASE review, if you have ever read any of my fics before, I am sure you know how much reviews mean to me, so I value everyone’s individual opinion!

Until next time,

Sakura