A/N: Here is the long anticipated Chapter Eight! Drum roll please…. TA DA!!
CHAPTER EIGHT
"TALKING" ((THINKING))
Suddenly light filled the dim closet and they broke apart to see Professor Snape looking down at them.
"Well, well…" he said in a half amused, half disgusted voice. "Looks like I found you, and it looks like you're getting along… I just hope you haven't been getting too close," he scowled as he stepped aside.
They scrambled through the door and ran in separate directions to their rooms. Now that it was light, they recognized the way back.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
After their last encounter in the closet, Draco and Ginny did their best to avoid each other. Draco avoided Ginny out of regret. He shouldn't have kissed her, now she'll get the wrong idea. Two kisses in one night from The Draco Malfoy are reserved for only the greatest and most worthy.
Ginny avoided Draco out of sheer embarrassment and disgust. She wouldn't be able to face her family now that she has made contact with their enemy in the most repulsive way imagined.
They succeeded in avoiding each other for over a month until Professor Snape caught them in the act. He asked both of them to meet in his class after dinner one day in December.
Ginny reluctantly peeked through the slit of the open door. She saw Draco sitting on top of one of the front row desks, already deep in discussion with the Potions Master, who was sitting at his desk. Professor Snape spotted Ginny.
"Come in, Miss Weasley," he said.
Ginny sat in the desk next to Draco while they both stared daggers at each other. Professor Snape cleared his throat and their attention snapped back to him.
"It has come to my attention that neither of you has made any effort in the past month to fulfill the duties assigned to you."
Draco rolled his eyes and Ginny slouched in her seat.
"I've decided that you are to stay at Hogwarts during Christmas break to… make up for lost time," he continued.
"But, Professor! The manor just got remodeled and Mum wanted me to-" Draco started until Ginny began to giggle.
Draco shot her a death glare and said, "I wouldn't be laughing, weasel. You have to stay, too!"
Ginny's mouth fell open. She looked at Professor Snape and he nodded.
Ginny scoffed, "But, Professor, my family is going to Romania to visit my brother Char-"
"Well, looks like we're both going to have to miss out on things we want to do!" Draco interrupted.
"Well, then here comes the best part," started Professor Snape. "You two will have to meet every night for tutoring sessions."
Both Draco and Ginny began to argue with him then, but it was obvious that there was to be no more discussion about it. Professor Snape dismissed them and they both walked out of the classroom.
Outside the door Draco stopped in front of Ginny so abruptly that she ran right into him. Draco spun around and sneered at her. Ginny scoffed and pushed him aside. He stumbled but found his balance in time and was about to fight back or at least glare back when he saw that she wasn't there. He looked down the corridor and saw her robes billowing after her as she turned a corner, out of sight. Draco shrugged and turned the opposite direction to his own room.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Ginny met up with The Trio in the Gryffindor common room and they all headed to the Great Hall. As Harry and Hermione headed for the portrait hole, Ginny placed her hand on Ron's shoulder, causing him to stop. He raised a hand to stop Harry and Hermione but Ginny said, "Ron, can we talk for a minute?"
He looked startled, but nodded. Ginny led Ron through the growing crowds of people going the opposite direction.
When they finally found a spot in a dark corner, Ginny took a deep breath.
"Ron, I've got to tell you something."
"Well, obviously! Why the heck else would you bring me here? You know, you're costing me some valuable quality time I could spend with Harry and Hermione before we leave for Romania," Ron whined.
((Humph. He's so ignorant.)) "Well, I'm not coming… to Romania," Ginny started cautiously, waiting for his reaction. When he continued to stare, she began to talk again.
"You see, Professor Snape said I must stay to make up some work I missed this term," she said in one hurried breath.
Ron continued to look at her as if waiting for more.
"Ron, that's all…" she stated, bewildered.
"That's it, Gin? Okay, whatever…" he said, shaking his head.
"Anyway, I'm going to go now… I'll ask Harry to come in your place. Take care, Gin. Bye!" Ron said as he quickly kissed her on the cheek and ran back to Harry and Hermione, calling their names, leaving Ginny standing in the same spot, mouth open.
((Shows how much he cares.))
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
As Draco made his way to his bedroom, he dwelled on the fact that he would be at Hogwarts during the holidays. He sighed. ((Oh, well… At least there are no classes.))
He couldn't help but think that he wouldn't even be in this predicament if it wasn't for Weasley, and that closet. They would have been tutoring as usual if they hadn't gotten so uncomfortable since then…
He searched for a way to blame it on her, but knew it was his own fault he kissed her. ((But she was going on and on about how nobody would want to be alone with me! I got frustrated and that was the only way I could shut her up and make her see the reason why so many girls want to be alone with me!))
He wondered if she took it the wrong way. He rolled his eyes. ((Whatever. Of course she didn't. She knows I would never do that out of… lust…) he shuddered at the thought. ((Oh, well, I better let it go… She's going to be here soon,)) he thought as he stepped into his room.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Ginny made her way to Draco's room with only one thought in her head. Okay, maybe two. She was anxious. What was wrong with him, anyway? He kissed her, twice! Unless you don't count the first time since technically he was Harry. But the second time… Yep, definitely him.
Ginny huffed as she turned to her second thought. She had really wanted to go to Romania to visit Charlie. He was by far her favorite brother, the only one who understood her. And now, because of Draco, she wouldn't be able to see him.
She suddenly noticed that she was already at the room. She frowned as she threw open the portrait and stomped in. She threw her books down as she took a seat at the table that Draco always had out when Ginny arrived.
Hearing the noise, Draco stepped out of the bathroom and stared at Ginny.
"Who let you in?" he raised one eyebrow.
"I let myself in!" she retaliated.
"Since when have I let you do that?"
"Since when have I needed your permission to do anything?!"
Draco rolled his eyes and sat down.
"What's buggin' you?" he inquired.
Ginny was taken aback by his question.
"Wha-what do you care?"
"Well, as we are practically the only two people staying at Hogwarts this Christmas, I'm obviously going to be the target of your anger."
He tilted his head a bit to examine his cuticles, and then looked up at Ginny again. He leaned closer to her.
"I just want to know what my death will be driven by. You will be the death of me, you know," he smirked.
"Haven't you had enough?" Ginny huffed. "You're always mocking me and playing with my emotions!"
"Well, it's not like you don't do it to me. The mocking part, not the playing with emotions crap," Draco added.
"See, this is exactly why I wonder how the heck people enjoy your company!" Ginny screamed, obviously fed up.
"Now, now little weasel. You don't want me to prove it once again by kissing your chicken lips. Or, do you?" he mocked.
"Chicken lips?" Ginny retorted disbelievingly, "Your lips are so slimy and slippery, I swear you wear ladies' fruity lip gloss!"
Draco clamped a long fingered hand on Ginny's small mouth.
"Keep that to yourself! We wouldn't want that little bit of information spreading across Hogwarts grounds!" Draco smirked as Ginny struggled to escape from his grip.
When she finally did, she whispered dangerously, "You're pathetic."
"Oh, am I?" We'll see about that."
He leaned in close enough to hear Ginny's racing heartbeat.
"Hm," Draco hummed as he placed an amused grin on his angular face. He pointed directly to her heart and questioned, "Anxious, are you not?"
"You jackass," Ginny huffed.
Draco smirked and fell back laughing, yet more like snickering.
"That's it, I'm ending this session, now!" Ginny ran out, tired of Draco's antics.
"Oh, well. Fine by me," Draco smirked.
A/N: Well, there you go. Hope you liked it! Any comments, please review. We really appreciate it!
Dolly: Llama has something to say…
Llama: Okay, if any of you read I Just Got Laid Off, kindly erase those 2 minutes from your brain permanently. I was
just having a little fun and you didn't need to freak out! *Sob*
Dolly: *Pats Llama's back* Keep reading, guys!