Author's Note: Thank you, everybody. I love you reviewer people.
I Wish...
Chapter Three:
Questions
Ginny sighed for the fourth time.
She'd been getting so many odd looks from her classmates over the past few days that she was sure she'd be able to accurately describe the shape and color of every eye in the room. Why was it so hard to believe that Draco Malfoy might actually like her?
"You're a Weasley and a Gryffindor. He's a Malfoy and a Slytherin. He thinks you're beneath him. He'd never be interested in you."
She snapped her quill in half as Ron's words came back to her. He was such a prat! She couldn't believe he'd really said that. Of course Malfoy would be interested in her! There was nothing wrong with her, was there? She was smart and she certainly wasn't ugly. She was likeable. Why wouldn't he like her?
Oh calm down, Ginny. You sound as if you want him to like you. She thought to herself. Ginny made a face. What was she thinking? She didn't want Malfoy to like her! They were mortal enemies, for Pete's sake! She didn't want to be anything more or anything less to him.
Well, unless Ron or the entire school happened to be looking on.
Professor McGonagall droned on and on, but Ginny wasn't listening. Her mind was wandering to Malfoy again. She still couldn't believe he'd really accepted her plan and was really pretending to be her boyfriend. He'd even kissed her! The funny feeling in the pit of her stomach returned and she chewed on her broken quill, smothering it. So what if he'd kissed her? He'd only done it to see the look on Ron's face, as he'd so clearly told her afterwards.
She frowned. He was such a jerk.
"Miss Weasley? Are you hearing a word of this?" Ginny snapped out of her thoughts and blushed as chuckles emitted from around the room.
"Sorry, Professor." She mumbled.
"Ginny's thinking about her boyfriend!" A Ravenclaw girl shouted. The class laughed again. Ginny turned bright red and sank down in her seat. Professor McGonagall raised an eyebrow. To her dismay, the Ravenclaw girl continued. "Didn't you hear, Professor? Ginny is dating Draco Malfoy!"
Professor McGonagall raised her eyebrows so far up, Ginny wondered if they'd disappear into her hair. She turned an even brighter shade of red, thankful when the class was finally over. She had to find Draco and make sure Ron saw them walking to their next class together.
"Have you seen Draco?" Ginny asked a Slytherin girl she saw walking out of the Charms classroom.
"I think he's out by the Quidditch field." The girl sneered. "What's it to you, little Gryffindor?"
Instead of answering, Ginny turned on her heel and ran down the stairs, wondering why Draco skipped class. She shook her head, resolving to ask him as soon as she found him.
~*~
Draco stared up at the clear blue sky and sighed.
He was crazy. Absolutely bonkers. He had to be to agree to work with a Weasley. He couldn't fathom what had possessed him to say yes to the little Weasley girl's offer. Well, alright, yes he did. He couldn't say no with her eyes shining at him like that and her lips in that cute pout and--
Aargh.
Draco shook his head. Oh yes, he was definitely out of his mind. He propped his feet up on the stand in front of him and rested his head on his hands. He was supposed to be having Potions with the Gryffindors then, but he didn't really care. Snape wouldn't give him detention and besides, a few good words from his father and he'd be off the hook.
Draco frowned, staring up at the sky almost wistfully.
His father. It seemed like everything he owned belonged to his father. His name belonged his father. His fortunes belonged to his father. Lucius had been kind enough to remind him on numerous occasions that Draco owed him his life. Draco sighed. Someday, he resolved. I'll live in an apartment that I bought myself and I won't owe my father a sickle.
Draco was so engrossed in his thoughts that he didn't hear Ginny Weasley come up behind him until she'd sat down by his head and said, "Hi."
He jumped, sitting up and glaring at her. "What the bloody hell do you think you're doing, Weasel? Trying to give me a bloody heart attack?"
She was looking at him with a weird emotion in her eyes. A mixture of sadness, pity, and compassion. Draco hated it. His scowl deepened and he looked away. He nearly jumped out of his skin as he felt her rest her hand on his shoulder.
"What's wrong?" He remained silent. Why didn't she just leave him alone? Didn't she have class to get to? He vaguely wondered who had told her that he was out there and made a mental note to murder the person later. Ginny was still staring at him expectantly. Too bad,He thought. She needs to mind her own business. "Draco, please tell me."
"Stay out of it, Weasley."
"No. I want to know what's wrong with you. Why'd you look so... so sad?" Draco glared at her, but she continued to look at him unfazed. She was so annoying! He mentally wished a million curses on her head. "Draco!"
"What?" He snapped, irritated.
"Come on. Tell me what's the matter with you!"
"Sod off."
"Malfoy!"
"Leave me alone."
"Tell me!"
"Why should I?"
"Because I told you to. Talk!"
"No!"
"Please?"
"Fine! I'm worried, alright? Are you happy now?" She stared at him, surprised for a second, before she smiled. He frowned. What was she so happy about? She bugs him and bugs him to tell her what's wrong with him and then she smiles? She was certainly lacking in the common courtesy department.
"The Great Malfoy is... Worried about something? Call the Daily Prophet. This is headline news." Draco stood, giving Ginny a venomous glare.
"Don't ask if you really don't care, Weasel. I don't have time for you to waste on stupid jokes." Ginny's eyes widened, but Draco didn't care. With a final glare at her, he stormed away, down the bleachers, across the field, and back into the Hogwarts building.