1. untitled

Pink Hearts

Author: Faith

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Flying pink hearts, chocolate frog songs, and muffins. What ever is Draco to do? Very late Valentine's ficcie.

Disclaimer: Created by J.K. Rowling. I am in no way affiliated ot linked, or in association with her. I do NOT own Harry Potter, the book series.

If Draco Malfoy saw one more pink heart he was going to explode.

Damn family honor. Damn his pride. Damn his normally cool exterior. If one more Merlin-forsaken Valentine whizzed into the Great Hall this miserable morning he was going to Avada Kedavra somebody, and he didn’t care about the consequences. He’d rather bunk it up with dementors than suffer through one more ‘you’re the chocolate card I’ve wanted all my life!’ song.

Something red and pink whizzed passed his left ear-lobe, and hit Pansy Parkinson smack-dab on the nose, who squealed so loud he was sure his ears popped.

Draco blinked and his grip tightened so hard on his silverware that later that day he would find imprints.

Well, it wasn’t a pink heart. It was a completely harmless card. And it wasn’t singing. He could let this one pass.

"Beautiful day, isn’t it, my dear friend?" Blaise Zabini lazily dropped into a seat next to him, a broad, knowing grin on his face.

Draco scowled. "Shut it, Zabini."

Blaise carefully unfolded his napkin and dutifully placed it in his lap. "Ah, ah, ah. It’s Valentine’s Day, mate. You have to be happy and loving and pick pretty flowers for even prettier girls." He bit into a chocolate muffin, the twinkle in his eyes the only evidence of his real tactic- to annoy his friend as much as humanly possible.

The blonde Slytherin felt the urge to spew. All over Blaise, of course. "I’d rather have the Cruciatus Curse performed on me by Snape while he dances around in a tutu."

Blaise brushed a few crumbs off his sleeve. "Please refrain from sharing your late-night fantasies with me, Draco."

"And please remember the silencing charm next time you feel certain urges during your late nights, Blaise."

"Touchee." He commented, sounding mildly impressed. A moment passed. "Sickle for your thoughts? I’m guessing some woman troubles?"

"Sod off." Draco hissed, knowing where Blaise was going with this.

"But that’s impossible, of course," Blaise continued, "Draco Malfoy doesn’t have woman problems. They all swoon after him. He can have anyone he wants, I’m told. Except a certain Gryffindor. She presents no interest in him at all, in fact-"

"Do you like that muffin, Blaise? How would you like me to shove it down your throat and watch while you choke to death?"

Blaise smiled very slightly and nodded. "Message understood."

Grey eyes narrowed into tiny slits, pushing the thought of Ginny Weasley out of his mind, because Blaise was, without a doubt, as off-target as Ron Weasley in a duel. Where was he in describing his hatred before Blaise the-oh-so-witty Zabini interrupted? Oh, yes. Pink hearts. That sang.

"Happy Valentine’s Day, Blaise." Draco looked up from his thoughts to find Tracey Davis’s soft smile, which was met with an equally sickening grin.

"Happy Valentine’s Day, Tracey."

Not unexpectedly, Draco felt his stomach lurch in what he could only describe as disgust. "You two make me sick." He grumbled as she slid in at the edge of the bench, very comfortably, and very close, to Blaise.

"What was that, Malfoy?" Blaise inquired, offering Tracey half his muffin.

"Nothing."

An acute shade of red had painted Tracey’s cheek from his comment, and Blaise’s grin widened. Draco had to avert his eyes to hold down his own muffin.

Consequently, (and thankfully) that same movement saved him from a collision with the next Valentine to grace his breakfast, and the pink, fluttering heart flew passed him, at top speed to skid to a halt before red hair and freckles two tables over.

Pink. A heart. For Ginny.

The little Weasley blushed fiercely, her red ringlets matching her face as Lavender and Parvati (Or was it Parvati and Lavender? He couldn’t tell half the sodding lot apart, anyway.) Oohed and ahhed over it, motioning for her to open it, Seamus Finnigan grinning stupidly next to her.

Those fingers slowly reached for the small heart...

Draco’s fingers curled around the edge of the table, intently watching, something akin to murder in his eyes.

...and the card was open.

And it sang. It sang that song. For Ginny. His Ginny.

"You’ve ended my strife,

You’re the chocolate card,

I’ve wanted all my life.

Love, Seamus"

He almost took his wand out right there and cursed the whole Hall into oblivion. Where did that bastard get off? (Ginny, supposedly, said a voice, fueling his anger.)

Ginny’s blush deepened and Lavender and Parvati (or Parvati and Lavender) giggled. Seamus Finnigan slung an arm over her shoulders.

That had to be the most unoriginal valentine he could have chosen, and it was completely uncalled for! He could not believe she was falling for this!

He stoically glared into Seamus’s direction, willing him to look over. Oh, this unholy day wouldn’t be completely wasted if the git pissed his pants from fright.

Look over, he seethed. Come on! But Seamus was too busy flirting.

This had all started because of the old buffoon (more commonly referred to as Professor Dumbledore) a few months previous. Could he help it if he was paired with the redhead against his will? It certainly wasn’t his fault. Of anyone, she was the last he expected to be forced to during Dumbledore’s improving house relationships crusade.

So, after a few well-aimed slaps and snide remarks, Draco was, for some unattainable reason, completely smitten with the spitfire (damn her), but unfortunately, as he had come to learn, so was Seamus Finnigan (damn him).

Damn the whole lot of them. Damn the bloody pink hearts that sang that damn bloody song.

Damn the decorations, the cards, the chocolates (although he really did love chocolate), the candy, and the flowers! And just for good measure, damn Potter too!

Draco took a last distasteful look at the two before setting his eyes on the remains of his breakfast, finding he wasn’t very hungry anymore.

Damn the whole bloody holiday.

If Ginny Weasley saw one more pink heart she was going to explode.

On a second thought, she wasn’t going to explode. She was going to spontaneously combust from pure frustration, in a horrible display of fire.

She had known Seamus was going to send her one. It was inevitable. It was inescapable. It was annoying beyond anything she had ever experienced. Not to mention, utterly mortifying. She wished he would stop smiling at her like that, or learn the meaning of personal space, or maybe just charm his breath so it didn’t reek of bacon.

Why couldn’t he have had a muffin instead? Muffins don’t give one bad breath, or at least, not to this extent.

"Did you like the valentine?"

Ginny knew if she looked his way, she’d only see a huge white smile, and (the horror!) Maybe even bacon bits between said white teeth. So, that was out of the question. Best to look at anything else. At all. Anything at all.

Her cinnamon eyes rested on the sulking, blonde Slytherin straight ahead of her.

"Very much, thanks." She whispered, and swallowed.

A few strands of white-blonde hair dangled across grey eyes. They looked sideways at Blaise Zabini and Tracey Davis with obvious repulsion as they shared a secret joke over their shared muffin.

She almost snorted in a very un-ladylike manner. Just like Draco to think it was nauseating. It was rather cute, actually. Just as the thought reached her, she chided herself, her conscious sounding much like her mother. Stop thinking about him.

Ginny sighed. The past was the past. A mere week ago they were coerced into daily activities with each other. Studying, eating, everything one could possibly do with a friend. And they had excepted it at first, calming deciding not to attack each other’s throats. Most of the time. Some of the time. Truthfully, that plan had been a bit of a dud.

After a month of such, it was hard not to notice his strange habits, the little things he did, his expressions. According to her brother, Draco Malfoy was a cold, evil boy, but, in her eyes, he was just lonely and sad, and just a little bit (or maybe a lot) snarky.

Ginny had to try even harder to hold down a bitter laugh. How dramatic she sounded.

So, she just might have developed some one-sided feelings for him. Arguing twenty-four seven had gotten old after the first week, and terribly draining. So they had become almost tolerable friends for the last two weeks, and now that they didn’t have to stand each other, why do so anymore?

Ginny Weasley had gotten herself into a bad, bad situation.

With a last look of nausea, the object of her ponders stood up, most likely intending to leave. Suddenly aware of Seamus’s breath on her cheek, she realized how much she wanted to leave also, just to escape the bacon-smell alone.

"So, Ginny," he began, "are you going with anyone special to Hogsmeade today?"

Ginny felt as if the Hogwarts Express just flattened her.

"I was wondering if you wanted to go with me?"

Damn pink hearts. Damn song. Damn holiday. Stupid her. She should have expected this. Damn, damn, damn.

"Um..." She stuttered, her eyes fixed on Draco, as if the sight of him could conjure up an answer. Oh, this was wrong. She was leading Seamus on, she knew she was, but she didn’t want to hurt him...

Draco was getting closer, and his pale sliver eyes slowly caught her deer-in-headlights gaze.

Her mind screamed. Think! Think of something! Anything!

And quite suddenly, she did. And she regretted it the moment the words spewed from her mouth. "Draco!" She squeaked.

Seamus started, looking up to the halted Seeker, than back at Ginny, who took that as the opportune moment to wrench herself from under his arm. "Huh?"

"Draco." She repeated. "I... can’t go to Hogsmeade with you, because... I’m- I’m going with Draco."

Seamus blinked. "That’s funny, Ginny." He said, breaking out into a smile.

"But I am." She repeated, looking over to a slightly surprised Malfoy. "Right?" She let the next word be for Draco, only. "Please?"

The shocked look on his face slowly filtered off, and he raised one eyebrow, a slight smirk quirking his mouth, and Ginny felt her heart fall into her stomach for more than one reason. "Of course." He accepted with stride, his smirk growing to a wicked smile. "McGonagall and Snape thought we needed more time to set out our differences, since we spent most of the time thinking ways to hex each other anyway. Decided to torture us into a submission of sorts."

"Oh." Seamus accepted with general dislike, his bacon-smile wiped off his face.

"Well, c’mon Red, better get going." Draco continued, his simper even wider, shark-like, unnerving her. He was assenting to this much too readily. It was entirely possible Ginny has gotten herself into an even worse situation.

With a ruined vigor in his step, Draco exited the Hall, not even looking back to check if Ginny followed.

He took it all back, all his previous misgivings about Valentine’s Day; his damning of the chocolate, the flowers (maybe not so much), the decorations, the candy and the cards. Even those ruddy pink hearts that sang that dreadful song.

Except for Potter. Potter could stayed damned.

2. untitled

Pink Hearts

Author: Faith

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Flying pink hearts, chocolate frog songs, and muffins. What ever is Draco to do? Very late Valentine's ficcie.

Disclaimer: Created by J.K. Rowling. I am in no way affiliated ot linked, or in association with her. I do NOT own Harry Potter, the book series.

"Draco!" Ginny yelled, her legs covering the distance, her footfalls sharp against the hard floor.

"Get those little legs moving, Weasley." He called back to her, heading out the door.

"Will- you- wait- up- you- stupid-" She seethed, slowing to an exhausted walk next to him.

"Now, now, do I even have to tell you why you shouldn’t finish that question? After all, I am doing you a favor..." He said cheekily, the winter sunlight blinding him for a moment.

Ginny’s chest heaved, and she dragged herself along next to his long stride. "Sod the favor, slow down!" She snapped.

He stopped so abruptly, turning on her so fast, Ginny stumbled with surprise, a breath away from knocking into him. He leered over her, and she was suddenly very aware of the fact he had a few good inches on her.

"All right then, I’ll just go tell good ole Irish the truth," he smiled with an odd glint in his eyes, "that you’d rather spend a day with the evil Slytherin Draco Malfoy than the corn beef and cabbage of Gryffindor himself."

Ginny’s eyes widened. "No! You wouldn’t-"

Draco scoffed. "I very well would."

The red head pursed her lips together, and crossed her arms. "All right, Draco, what do you want from me for this?"

He smirked coldly, his eyes giving her the up and the down. "What do you offer?"

Cinnamon eyes narrowed and her pale, freckled face flushed pink. "Why, you-"

"Na uh." Draco reprimanded, smile widening. "I’ve got you, Ginny. Finnigan is only just inside..."

"You’re disgusting, and I would rather rot in hell than-"

"You’re going red, Weasley. Very festive of you." Draco drawled, and he could almost imagine the steam whistling out of her ears. He could spend all day just like this, watching her get riled up because of him, something that was much more satisfying then setting off her brother or Pothead. Resignedly, he sighed. "Calm down, Ginny. Don’t get your knickers in a knot. There will be no inappropriate behavior of any kind."

Slowly, her face drained. "Fine." She agreed briskly. A relieved exhale escaped her body.

"Two butterbeers, please."

Ginny played with the hem of her shirt as Madam Rosmerta smiled a bit quizzically at the two. They had to look the odd couple- red clashing with blonde, the red neither looking happy nor in love, whilst the blonde looked much too satisfied.

The Three Broomsticks was adorned with red and pink glitter streaking across the ceiling, little cupids dancing merrily above them. A stray magical arrow dissipated as it struck the table, white sparkling crystal that seemed like broken glass tumbling over the surface before vanishing.

"I’m not thirsty." Ginny crossed her arms, raising a challenging eyebrow at Draco.

He smiled sugar sweetly. "Of course you are, Valentine."

Her lips twisted in disgust. "If I was thirsty, I’d buy it myself."

Draco scoffed and turned to Madam Rosmerta. "She’s thirsty, and I’m buying."

Seemingly somewhere between confused and amused, she assented to the order and walked away. "I’ll pay for my own drink." Ginny said stubbornly, once she was out of earshot.

"That’s not how a gentlemen would allow his woman to act." Draco drawled, leaning back into his chair.

"You are so Teutonic, Draco. And I am not your ‘woman.’ " She accused through narrowed eyes. "Why are you doing this to me? We didn’t have to go to Hogsmeade-"

"Oh, contraire, I believe we did, supposing, of course, you still want Fin Boy to suspect this isn’t some kind of love tryst."

Ginny clucked her tongue, even as her heart skipped a beat at the thought. "As if. Let’s just get this over with..."

Draco’s smirk slowly wavered, and he leaned forward, resting his hands and elbows on the table. "Listen, Weasley," he sighed, "this is not how you want to spend your day, and you know I’d rather jump in the lake and offer myself as breakfast to the giant squid. So, we can get through this the hard way, or the easy way. Your choice."

Another arrow collided with the space in between them, a firework of stars. Ginny felt her insides softening.

"What would the easy way entail, then?"

"A day in my wonderful company." Smugly, Draco leaned back again.

Eyes rolling, Ginny raised her eyes to meet his. "And I suppose the hard way will be..."

"Poor, heartbroken Finnigan."

A frown took hold on Ginny’s features. "You’re really being horrible, Draco," she said sadly, blinking into grey eyes.

Draco gave a bitter laugh, his heart panging almost painfully. "I try."

Butterbeers finished and another witty repartee later, Draco led Ginny out into the streets of Hogsmeade, where the pairs of couples only brought sneers from the Slytherin, and a few chastising looks from the Gryffindor.

"Where to now?" Ginny had asked, and Draco had shrugged. "Bloody fun, you are, Draco. How about Honeydukes?"

"Weasley, your language!" Mockingly pressing a hand to his chest, he had gasped rather dramatically.

"Oh, do shut up."

And so, Honeydukes it was. As according to the wondrous day, red and pink decorations were abound. But, much to Ginny and Draco’s relief, so was an enormous amount of chocolate.

"This," Ginny started, swallowing a bit of chocolate, "is the only good part about this holiday."

They had taken to a lone bench near Honeydukes, settling down with armfuls of sweets.

"Indeed." Draco agreed, opening a Chocolate Frog and scrambling to catch it. "We’re going to get sick from all this chocolate, you do realize?" He drawled, and took a bite.

Settling into another piece of chocolate, Ginny felt her lips curl. "And I’m sure I care."

"I will not be holding your hair back for you if you spew, Ginny." He warned, but a small smile had wandered onto his face.

Ginny chuckled, swallowing her bit and reaching for more. Her red hair fell forward, wisping across her face and shadowing her freckles, the sun creating yellow flecks in the long mane. Sliver eyes watched the corner of her mouths, slowly reaching upward into a pleased grin.

"Not so bad, is it?"

"Wha?" Ginny asked from behind a mouthful.

"A day in my wonderful company." He suggested, and a bold move flexed his hand forward to move said hair behind her ear.

Her tongue flicked out to save a crumble of chocolate, her cheek growing a pink underneath scrutiny. "Huh." She forced out, causing red to creep down to her neck. "Chocolate. Not you. I’m having a wonderful day in the company of chocolate."

Draco finished his Chocolate Frog in a triumphant flourish. That had to be a good sign.

"I give it two weeks."

Ginny scrunched up her nose in disagreement. "Really? I don’t know, they seem to really like each other."

Draco flicked a bit of lint from his pants, and then quite casually wrapped his arm around the back of the bench. "Weasley, they’ll never last. They hang all over each other. They’ll get bored out of their minds after awhile."

Teeth nibbled diligently on a bottom lip. "Some people call that love, Draco." The tone of stubborn rebellion had rose into her voice, the kind he knew would kick, scream, and yell until he agreed with her. Oh, what a wonderful temper she had. Why did he like her, again?

"What about them?" He asked, gesturing to the next couple. Cho Chang and Michael Corner were smiling in the other’s eyes, holding hands and making their way to Honeydukes.

Ginny huffed and crossed her arms. "I wish he walks into a pole."

"They will if they don’t start looking ahead of them."

"I’d laugh." Ginny whipped her head around to him. "Laugh with me?"

Draco smirked, watching as she blinked hesitantly, noticing how close they were truly sitting. "Laugh?" He scoffed, "I’d trip him for you."

Cinnamon eyes lite up with mischievous intentions, and her leg kicked out from behind his, lurching it forward.

And Michael Corner plopped into a thick covering of snow, slowly melting from fading winter.

He couldn’t help it. He honestly couldn’t. The sight of the flailing body falling straight into a pile of sludgy snow was just too funny not to laugh. And so he did, loud, side-clutching, barks of uncontrollable laughter.

"Oi!" Ginny cried, falling to her knees to help the Ravenclaw. "Draco, I cannot believe you just did that!" Michael sputtered out pieces of mingling dirt as Cho hurriedly asked if he was all right.

"I’m fine." He answered, and through Draco’s tear-filing eyes he saw Michael’s face turn such a shade of rose it would be difficult to differentiate from Hogsmeade’s festive decorations.

"Stop laughing, you big oaf!" Ginny ordered him. "I am so sorry, Michael."

"Yes, we understand that." Cho snapped impatiently, wiping his face with her scarf. Cheeks were steadily getting redder as both girls fluttered over him, and Draco was still ever laughing.

"I’m all right, I’m ALL RIGHT!" Michael stood up hastily, putting up his hands in surrender.

With that, he took Cho’s arms and rushed into the hearts of Honeydukes’.

"I’m sorry!" Ginny shouted after the jingle of bells (to the tune of My Funny Valentine, if it must be known) above the door.

Draco wiped his eyes, slowly recovering from the comical sight. Grinning happily, the Gryffindor sat unceremoniously back down. "Thanks, Draco. I feel much better now."

Right at that moment, while amusement hung to her lips and grey clashed with cinnamon, he remembered why he liked her, after all. His throat suddenly felt blocked, and he cleared it with an effort he had never experienced before.

He should tell her right there. ‘Listen, I know I’m a Malfoy, and you’re a Weasley, and all that Slytherin and Gryffindor righteous rivalry, but don’t get me wrong, I’m really am a great bloke, counting my looks, of course, that is, but I think we should risk it all and snog. What do you say?’

An annoying voice in his mind (that sounded suspiciously like Blaise) laughed heartily at his attempt.

Ginny wrapped her arms around her waist and looked into the street, her cheeks blushing from his strange expression. "How about them?" She offered quietly.

Tearing his gaze, it rested on (speak of the devil) Blaise and Tracey. A disgusted sound rose up from the back of his throat. "They’re so in love it’s nauseating. ‘Blaise, that’s the last chocolate muffin,’ ‘I know Tracey, I saved it for you,’ ‘oh, how sweet of you; I love you ever so much.’ "

A hand reached out and playfully swatted his arm. "That is sweet, Draco."

"The way to a women’s heart is a muffin?" His eyebrow raised so high it was in danger of merging with his hairline.

"No, it’s caring about them. Being sensitive to their feelings."

"In other words, being a pansy."

The only response was Ginny rolling her eyes. "Is the day over yet?"

Lips thinned. "No." He answered defiantly, crossing his arms and sulking back into the bench.

One moment they were laughing over the imprint of Michael Corner’s face, and the next she hated him with the fire of a thousand burning suns, eager for any opportunity to get away. It just figured, having his luck.

Women.

Thanks to ktkc1031, DarkenedQuasar, Draco's Gurl, pinksunryse, darkcharlie, Ri, and Momentyne for the reviews! They're very appreciated. :D And you're welcome to call me Starry, Darkened Quasar. Ri- Another signature change?? :P