Chapter 7: Just a chance
Not knowing exactly where he was going, Draco pulled Ginny down the long corridor. He opened the first door he came to and released a frustrated growl. Upon seeing the various cleaning products that adorned the room, Ginny snorted and muttered, "Idiot," under her breath. Draco heard her comment and glared at the redhead before continuing his search for a vacant room that didn't contain mops of various sizes.
After a few more doors and a few more "comments" from Ginny, Draco finally found a room he deemed suitable. He whispered a quick, "Lumos," before ushering her inside.
She walked to the nearest chair, sat down, and crossed her arms and legs before letting out an impatient, "Well?"
"Look, I'll be more than happy to tell you, but first, I'm really going to need you to stop that. It's distracting."
"Stop what?" she asked, looking very confused.
He stared pointedly at her foot that was wiggling in impatience. It had gotten so out of hand that it looked like her foot was trying to free itself from her body.
"Oh, sorry," she said sheepishly as she stopped her foot's incessant bouncing.
He sat in a chair across from her and very diplomatically asked, "You have heard of my father's recent passing, correct?"
Her eyes immediately softened and her shoulders relaxed. Sure, Malfoy was a prat, but he had just lost his father. She shook her head slightly as she said, "I am so sorry for your loss."
Draco put his hand up, stopping her and said, "Don't. I neither want nor need your sympathy. That isn't
what I need to talk to you about."
Ginny looked confused and asked, "Then what is it?"
"A few days ago, I had to see my father's lawyer to discuss the contents of the will." Ginny looked even more confused as to why he was discussing this with her when he continued. "In order to receive my inheritance, I must marry by my 21st birthday," he said, looking at Ginny pointedly.
"Well, I don't see what any of this has to do with me," she said as her brow wrinkled.
"The will mentions you specifically," he said while looking her in the eye.
"What does that mean?" Ginny asked skeptically.
"It means that we have to get married," he said in a tone all too serious for Ginny's liking.
What!?" Ginny screeched as her eyes bulged from their sockets. "It bloody well does not mean we have to get married. Have you lost your mind? Why on earth would I marry you? Just so you can get your inheritance? I don't think so. I can't stand you, and what's more, you can't stand me!"
"I never said that," Draco said in a calming tone.
"Yes you did. Your seventh year, I accidentally ran into you in the hall. You fell on your arse and dropped your books."
"Ah, that. I do believe my exact words were, `I can't stand that Weasley's are allowed to roam the halls without collars and leashes.' That's different." For some reason, Draco was surprised when Ginny's face turned and ungodly shade of red and her fists clenched. "What?" he asked stupidly.
"This, this is exactly why we could never get married: the constant bickering. I'd lose my mind!" she said, waving her arms in the air.
"Look, all I ask of you is a chance. Give me three months to show you that life with me wouldn't be so bad. If you decide you still don't want anything to do with me, I'll leave you alone and never bother you again. A chance, Ginny, isn't that all anyone ever wants?" he asked, eyes pleading, as he placed his hands over her own. Draco hated being so sappy, but he thought it was the best approach.
"If it was just me I had to think about, it may be different, but I have a child to think of. Ben means the world to me. I'm not quite sure you're the type of influence I want around my son. I mean, you're not exactly known for your good deeds."
"Is that what this is about? I'll have you know that my family is one of the largest contributors to the St. Mungo's research department," he said very matter-of-factly.
Ginny rolled her eyes. "Malfoy, you can't just buy your way to being a good person."
"Oh, don't get me wrong. I'm not a good person. I'd never lie to you about that. Besides, I've been told that lying to you isn't the grandest of ideas."
"Pansy?" she asked, and Draco nodded. Then she remembered Pansy's request that she keep an open mind and heart. If he was such a good friend of hers, maybe he wasn't so bad after all. Pansy had dumped most of her old friends long ago. She had only kept Blaise and Draco. Ginny had always understood why she kept Blaise. I mean, how could you not love Blaise? He was awesome, and they loved one another, but she had always wondered about why she had stayed friends with Draco. There had to be something that Ginny just wasn't seeing. That's all there is to it. She wondered what that might be. This sheer curiosity and her promise to her best friend were what spurred her on to consider his request for a chance.
"Would you like to tell me how the two of you became friends? She won't breathe a word of it. You're a rather unlikely pair if you ask me," he said, oblivious of the goings on in Ginny's head at that moment.
She just kind of snickered, thinking of the hundreds of ways she would die if Pansy ever learned that she had told her secret. "Well, it's a rather long story. If you're lucky, I'll tell you about it sometime," she said smiling.
Draco grinned. "Sometime? There's going to be a sometime?"
"Against my better judgment, I suppose so," she resigned. "This is just a chance. I guess everyone deserves one, but I reserve the right to call it off at any point." She looked to Draco for a sign of agreement. He nodded his head and she continued, "I know you're not evil, as much as you'd like people to think otherwise. You are, however, a snarky git, which is why you are to behave yourself around Ben. He has enough of his own attitude without getting any lessons from you. And you can rest assured. If you do one single thing that hurts that precious boy, you'll be begging for Avada," she said with forcefulness only a mother could produce.
Despite the blatant threat on his person, Draco was smiling smugly, as if he had something to do with her changing her mind. Well, I guess it won't hurt to let him think that.