A/N: Thanks to Amand-duh (j/K) for all the help, we laughed a lot with this and the next chap! Love ya, sorry we couldn't use, "Sorry sugar, the bakery's closed!"
TO PJ: I thought Candy was out of the picture, but she was too good to not use in this chap ;)
Thanks for reading!
Ginny felt horrible about yelling at Draco. She grabbed a flyer and looked it over, realizing that Draco had put the effort into finding Baby, although she still didn't know how he had lost her in the first place.
But the fact that he had made the attempt was really all that mattered, Baby was safe, and now Ginny owed Draco an apology.
Ginny was walking Baby the next morning in the dog park, while she contemplated the best way to apologize to Draco. She knew that it was not enough to just say "I'm sorry." Once he found out that she knew Baby was safe, and had yelled at him anyway, she would have to deal with a whole new issue. She wished she had controlled her temper! Ginny saw a woman approach with a bulldog, and switched the lead to her other hand, so that Baby was out of the way of the approaching dog.
The woman slowed down and lowered her sunglasses. "Is that Baby?"
Ginny looked at the woman, but didn't recognize her. She looked as though she could have worked in the business Ginny did, she had the body for it, but Ginny knew she didn't know her. "Yes, but how do you know her?"
"Are you the dog walker?"
"What?!" Ginny was confused and insulted, and wanted to walk away, but how did this woman know Baby?
"Are you Drake's dog walker?" Candy repeated.
A-ha. Drake. Draco…Things were starting to fall into place now. Looking at Candy's straining tee-shirt; Ginny now knew exactly why Draco had lost Baby in the first place. "No." Ginny snapped and tried to walk away.
"Well, I'm Candy, his…Close personnel friend, if you know what I mean." She raised her eyebrows meaningfully before continuing, "And I feel I should tell you, he absolutely adores that dog, treat her like a little princess!"
Adore Baby? That was a joke! Ginny thought he must have put on quite a show for her. "So, you see 'Drake' here often do you?"
"Oh yes, were intimate friends. You understand my meaning, oh, what the hell were both grown women! He's an intimate friend…Very intimate." Candy cupped a hand over her collagen injected lips. "He's a fantastic lover! Don't get any ideas though, he's mine!"
Ginny was furious! Draco couldn't be sleeping with this little tart! This fake boobed, bottle blond! She refused to believe it. The longer Ginny stared at her, the more her fingers itched for the wand in her pocket. She didn't believe that Draco would cheat on her, but why would this woman lie?
Ginny saw Harry making his way toward her, having his morning jog, and grabbed him as he passed her. Ginny plastered herself against him, kissing him roughly. Ginny ran a hand down Harry's back to keep him close when he tried to pull back, and moaned loudly to cover the mumble that was Harry trying to say, "What's going on?"
Candy stood staring, open mouthed. Baby cocked her head, and growled a little, and Ginny whispered "Go with it." before kissing him again.
Harry leaned into Ginny when she squeezed his bum, before finally coming up for air. He leaned an arm against the nearest tree for support, and held the other arm out, indicating he needed a moment.
Ginny looked Candy in the eye as she wiped her mouth. "As you can see, Blonds don't always have more fun! Drake's quite safe from me, right lover?" Ginny said smacking Harry on the backside.
Harry looked at Ginny, who motioned to Candy, "This is Drake's girlfriend" she said, venom dripping from every word.
"Oh!" Harry said, "Drake…Oh!" Right, he thought, no wonder Ginny had attacked him.
Harry put an arm around her, resting it over Ginny's right breast. Ginny controlled the wince she was feeling.
"Quite right, lover." Harry said, smiling at her, as he rubbed his nose back and forth against hers. "Well Sugar Lips, I have to go, see you at home." Harry nodded to Candy, "Nice meeting you," before he smacked Ginny on the ass and winked at her as he set off on the path again.
Candy looked like a fish in a bowl, her mouth opening and closing, her big blue eyes blinking in shock.
"Well, I'm off, as well. If I see Drake, I'll tell him we ran into each other, goodbye." Ginny picked Baby up and hurried home, putting a silencing charm on the room, before she screamed her frustration and anger out. Ginny grabbed her wand, took careful aim, and blasted the smiling photo of Draco by her bed into a thousand pieces.
****************************
Draco wasn't sure why Ginny hadn't seen the poster's he'd left up, he knew that he had put up well over a hundred, but decided it didn't matter now. He was going to stop by the park again, just in case Baby turned up. He knew this was highly unlikely, but perhaps someone had taken her in, and was walking her now. Draco knew this was very far fetched, but he was desperate. He knew Ginny was furious with him, and the only chance he had of soothing her temper was showing up with Baby. It was Monday morning, and he had to be at work soon, but he decided to try.
Draco was walking down the path that he had come to know well in the last few days, when he saw Candy and her bulldog approach. "Bloody hell." Draco wished he could disappear, but it was too late, she had spotted him, and was making her way over to him.
"Good morning Drake." She bit her bottom lip, and rocked on her heels, trying to look coy he supposed, but Draco knew all he had to do was cock his head toward the leafy bush and she would have thrown herself backwards, ready for a tumble.
"Good morning." Draco responded, looking over her shoulder, at an elderly couple walking their dogs. Looking directly at Candy got him into trouble last time.
"Where's Baby? I saw your dog walker with her earlier."
"Baby? Well, she's- wait, you saw her?! Where? Was she all right…With my, my dog walker?"
"Yes, she was here, with your dog walker…Silly boy! That's why I am surprised to see you here. Alone. Unless you wanted to be here alone. To perhaps run into someone?" Candy stood directly in front of Draco, pressing herself flat, well, as flat as she could against him.
Draco looked at her, craning his neck away from her searching, pouty lips, and overpowering perfume. Ginny scent reminded him of the violets his mum had in her garden, but Candy smelled like his Great- Grandmum Malfoy. Draco shivered and stepped away. "In a sec, love. Tell me more about my…Dog walker. She's new, I wonder if you could, ah, give me your professional opinion."
Candy puffed up, and said, "Well, since you asked, Drakey, I don't know if I'd keep her on staff, no really I wouldn't." Candy thought he'd made a face at her opinion, but it was the 'Drakey' that disgusted him. "Anyway, she was sort of rude, actually, poor, unattractive thing…"
Candy continued talking, but Draco tuned her out. When she said 'unattractive' he knew she couldn't mean Ginny. So, someone had Baby, now he just had to find them…
"…you know how ugly and troll redheads are, but that wasn't the worst of it I-"
"Redhead?"
"Hmm? Yes, redhead. But as I was saying that wasn't the worst of it, No! She was with her boyfriend, and she wasn't paying any attention to Baby, it was appalling!"
"Redhead? My redhead?"
"Yes, your dog walker. She was here with her boyfriend. She was hanging all over the man. I don't like to speak ill of people, but if you want my opinion, I would not have her near my precious Cuddles." Candy bent down to kiss her bulldog, and rub his back, as she pulled the lead closer.
Draco's mind was reeling. She had to be talking about Ginny. She was being vicious in her description, and she could only be describing a woman more attractive than herself. Draco had learned that much about woman, they tended to cut down the ones they felt were a threat to them.
More importantly, Ginny not only knew that Baby was safe, but, wait a minute, wait a damn minute. She was with a boyfriend? Well it wasn't him, he was too stressed out to have been in the park, he was worried about finding Baby and getting back in Ginny's good graces. Draco cleared his throat before asking, "How do you know the man was her boyfriend?"
Candy looked curious as to why he was so concerned, but instead answered, "Well, I guess I shouldn't say boyfriend, she kept calling him her 'lover' and she was hanging all over him…he was an odd looking chap, if I do say so myself," happy to have Drakes full attention at last.
Odd looking? Redheaded dog walker? That could only be Ginny, and his gut told him, Harry. Well, Ron was odd looking, but she would never be hanging on her brother…"What do you mean by odd looking?"
"Well, to begin with, his hair was very unkempt! Sticking up in all directions is the only way to describe it. He did have lovely green eyes, but they were hidden behind these hideous round frames, and more unusual than this, I could have sworn he had a scar on his forehead, I know it sounds odd but it was in the shape of a lightening bolt." Candy said the last in conspiratorial tones.
Draco hissed the word "Potter." So, she was two timing him with Potter was she? And almost as upsetting, Baby was not lost, she was safe and sound and Ginny knew it.
"Do you know him?" Candy asked as Draco's face turned red and his fists balled in anger at his sides.
"Unfortunately, I've had the displeasure."
"Why are you so concerned with the love-life of your dog walker?"
Draco looked her in the eye, and shook his head. He would never confide his thoughts to her kind. Woman, all women, were out to drive men mad. It was working, slowly but very surely, working, working, working.
**********************************
Ginny called in sick to work, deciding what her best course of action was. She could go to the Ministry and confront Draco, or she could wait for him to come to her, and then attack. Ginny did not possess a patient nature, and decided to go to Draco. She flooed her mum, who agreed to keep Baby for her, and got dressed.
Ginny rushed through the Ministry floors, avoiding familiar faces, trying to reach Draco's office. She had a single goal in mind, and did not want to be distracted. When Ginny reached Miss Heywood's desk she forced a smile and asked if Mr. Malfoy was available.
Miss Heywood looked down at her over her glasses, and Ginny almost felt as if the woman could see right through her. "May I tell him who is calling on him?"
"Miss Ginevra Weasley," Ginny put her nose in the air as she responded.
Miss Heywood tapped the corner of her desk, where a small flame appeared. "Mr. Malfoy? A Miss Ginerva-"
"Ginevra," Ginny corrected.
Miss Heywood rolled her eyes in front of Ginny, and continued. "Miss Ginevra Weasley is here to see you."
There was a long pause, and Ginny thought perhaps Draco wasn't in, when he finally responded. "Miss Heywood? Kindly tell her I am out posting flyers of a lost little bitch."
Ginny stomped over to his door and pushed it open. Draco looked up from the papers he was looking at, and released the one he had crumpled in his hand. "Miss Weasley, to what do I owe this…"
"You have a lot of nerve Malfoy! Calling Baby names! "That's real mature."
"Mature? You want to talk mature? Baby talking your dog is very mature. Putting clothes on your dog, an animal is very mature. Like a little girl playing dress up-"
Ginny walked over to his chair and slapped him as hard as she could. "How dare you?!"
Draco noticed Ginny's heavy breathing, her perfect breasts rising and falling with each breath she took. Her face was flushed, and she looked so…kissable. Draco grabbed her wrists, pulling her close as Ginny tried to wiggle away. "I dare…"
Draco's mouth came down roughly on Ginny's, and she tried to twist out of his grip, but as his tongue began moving against hers, and Ginny soon forgot about fighting him, all she thought about was kissing him back.
Ginny didn't realize that Draco had released her several minutes ago, and had placed her arms around his neck. Ginny felt Draco's hands against her bare back, but didn't remember him unbuttoning her robe. Ginny finally came up for air, but instead of pushing away, she pulled Draco's head into the crook of her neck as he began to lick her neck and gently suck her earlobe. Ginny felt the shivers run all over her body. Ginny pulled away shaking, her lips parted, they were too swollen to close properly. She grabbed Draco's face, bringing his face even with hers, looking into his eyes.
Draco was having trouble trying to get his own breathing back to a normal state. He was never this affected by women, but then, Ginny wasn't the ordinary woman. He smiled down at her, pleased with her appearance, swollen lips, her eyes glazed with passion, her body leaning intimately into his. She wanted him as much as he wanted her. Draco's smile suddenly vanished when he remembered that she had supposedly been with Potter.
"Can Potter do that to you?" He hadn't meant to ask, but he did.
Ginny had forgotten about Candy, but everything was coming back now. She shoved herself away from Draco, but not before slapping him again and shouting, "I am so furious with you, you don't even know!"
"You have no right to be furious with me; I am the one who should be angry with you."
Ginny was ready to yell back when Miss Hey wood came to the door, and asked if everything was all right.
Ginny look Draco over before turning to Miss Heywood. "Personally, I won't be requiring anything. There is nothing here that I want anyway."
Draco rubbed his wounded heart, "You cut me to the quick, Weasley. This is not over, meet me later at the dog park, we can look for Baby." Draco looked right through her, wondering if she would confess.
Draco's words made her pause in the doorway. Did he know that Baby was safe? Was he trying to goad her into saying something, or was he just being obnoxious? Ginny wanted to have it out now, but changed her mind. Perhaps she should meet him later.
Ginny didn't turn around as she stalked away.
**************************
Draco sat behind his desk, his feet up, ankles crossed, twirling a quill pen and thinking about Ginny. She had left several hours ago, and he wondered if she would meet him tonight or not. He was confused, which was unusual for him. He hadn't meant to kiss her earlier. He had meant to tell her off for lying to him about Baby being safe, and for possibly seeing Potter. He didn't really believe it, but he would always be jealous of the thought of Ginny with anyone, and especially perfect Potter. But then, she hadn't denied it either, had she? Draco got up when Miss Heywood informed him that he had a meeting to attend downstairs.
Draco didn't listen to a word of the meeting, and agreed with everything that was presented to him, as he continued to ponder Ginny. When he was informed that he had just agreed that the Inter-League Cup game should be held at both the American and British stadiums he realized he better pay attention.
As he got up to leave, Draco dropped his best quill under the table. He bent down to retrieve it when he heard Harry and Ron enter. There was an Aurors meeting scheduled for this room right after his meeting. He was curious, and stayed crouched under the table.
"I don't want to hear it again."
"Just once more, I want to understand. You're my best friend; it's in the job description. All I'm saying is that, I love Hermione and everything, but when Ginny kissed me today, it was like, I don't know, I just briefly wondered why things never worked with us."
Shocked, Draco banged his head on the table and fumbled for his wand as Harry and Ron discussed what the noise was. Draco apparated away just a second before Harry and Ron's heads appeared under the table.
*********************************
Draco slammed his office door shut and sat down. He had left his favorite quill in the conference room in his haste to avoid being seen. How could Ginny? So, Candy wasn't being nasty, she was telling the truth, Ginny had betrayed him. Well, he was going to do something about it. He quickly penned a note to the one other person who could understand the pain he was feeling.
Dear Mudblood, Granger,
We have been had. I am not used to this sort of thing, however, I am sure that this has happened to you many times, let's face it; you're not the prettiest peach in the barrel. This all new to me, but I have it on very good authority that your bastard of a boyfriend was snogging my woman in the park.
According to my source, they are 'Lovers.' I am going home to bathe now.
P.S. If I am going down with the ship, I am bringing you and your filthy boyfriend down with me-
Regards,
Draco Malfoy,
Head of Magical Games and Sports.
*****************************
Ginny decided to head into work after all, she couldn't take being home. All there was to do was sit around and think about Draco, and that was driving her mad. She walked into the office, sans Baby, and had to explain that Baby was with her mum, and that she was feeling ever so much better, that she must have had a "Five-hour bug," and not a full blown cold, like she had thought when she called in sick earlier.
Her editor sat down on the edge of her desk, leg swinging, asking what was wrong.
"Wrong?"
"Come on Dahling! I know you too well. That sad little face, the bags under the eyes, here's a cover stick for that by the way…And no Baby. You never come to work without that dog. So, what gives?"
Ginny smiled at her editor, Magnolia "Maggie" Mayne, an American ex-model, who had been living in London since she retired and took over the magazine. She was brash, brutally honest, and naughty, and Ginny loved her.
Ginny opened her drawer, looking for a mirror, when Maggie tapped her shoulder with a mirror. Ginny accepted it, and began applying cover up to the circles under her eyes. "Well, that man I was seeing-"
"Was?"
"Well, he lost Baby in the park, and I got upset with him, and then it turns out he didn't really lose her, but then he may be sleeping with this horrid Candy woman, who's built like a- you know, and I lied to him, and he thinks I slept with Harry, I don't know how he thinks that-"
"Did you sleep with Harry?"
"No!" Ginny fixed her make-up and turned her attention back to Maggie. "Then we kissed, Draco and I just, well I slapped him, I don't know why. I am so stupid! But I am really angry with him!"
Maggie kept up with everything Ginny said, and patted her shoulder. "So, your beau lost your dog, who's not really lost. And then he accused you of sleeping with Harry, which you didn't do, but he's sleeping with Candy?"
Ginny nodded, confused now. How did things get so complicated? "I don't really think he's sleeping with Candy…He wouldn't do that to me."
"So, you trust him?"
"I think so- yes, I do."
"Ginny, you left Milan for this high school stuff? That cover up is eighty nine pounds a stick…Think about it…" Maggie stood up then stopped, "Let's have a late lunch, nothing fancy, no food, just cocktails."
Ginny nodded, maybe a few drinks and she would relax. How did Draco get the idea that she and Harry had kissed? Had he been in the park? Ginny sat at her desk, not getting anything done as she stared at her laptop. She had written, 'Spring fashions- How Haute is it going to get?' By, Flora Deveraux. That was all she had written for two hours work. She stared at the blinking cursor, hypnotized.
She was getting ready to head out with Maggie when what looked like Hermione's owl, swooped in circles outside the window next to her desk. Ginny tried to wave the owl away, but she pecked louder at the window. Ginny didn't want to attract anymore attention, so she cracked the window and accepted the red envelope, as the tawny owl flew away. Why would Hermione send her a howler?
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Ginny left work early, going home to open the howler, and have herself a good cry. Who knew that an innocent trip to Milan could set off a strange chain of events? Hermione was furious with her, a lot of the shouting from the howler didn't make sense to Ginny, but she definitely got the gist of what she meant. She accused her of sleeping with Harry too, and Ginny wondered where she got that idea…
Ginny couldn't wait to meet Draco in just a few hours.
**********************
Draco pretended to have business in the Auror division when he heard Seamus Finnigan, who worked for him, saying that "Potter got the loudest howler I ever heard!"
That was reason enough for Draco to snoop around. He kept a stack of parchment in front of his face, and peeked over the top at Harry, who was being fanned with a stack of papers by Ron and Tonks. "What did you do, Harry?" Tonks asked. Harry leaned toward her and asked her to repeat her question.
Draco smiled; the howler must have been loud, if Potter was having trouble hearing.
"Nothing! I did nothing! I was innocent in this! I don't know why she was so upset, have you ever heard anything so loud?"
Draco rubbed his hand together as he headed back to his office. The day was looking up.
***********************
Draco had plenty of time to think after he got back to his office, and the more he thought, the angrier he became. Granger usually had a cool head, why had she so easily believed his letter? Because it was true! Because she knew that Ginny really was sleeping with Harry. Well, she was going to regret losing him; he wouldn't share her with anyone else.
***********************
Ginny was fuming by the time she left for the park. How dare he send a letter to Hermione? How dare he think that she was sleeping around when he was? She had finally figured it out…He was accusing her to shift the blame from his own shoulders, she was sure of it.
***********************
Draco got to the park and began walking along, waiting for Ginny. He finally saw her making her way to him, practically running in her three inch heels, 'She's going to kill herself in the fall from those shoes…If I don't do it first,' he thought.
They finally met in the middle, Ginny hands on hips, Draco hands in pockets, and both began shouting;
"You bloody evil, two-timing Muggle shagging-
"You Potter shagging, two-timing, baby talking-
"ME!?" They both shouted.
Ginny covered his mouth, "Now I know what you were staring at when Baby ran away, and it wasn't the Daily sodding prophet! They are fake, by the way, DRAKE!"
"I know they're fake, wait a minute, you've known all along where baby was, and you didn't tell me! You let me scar my hands for nothing! Probably getting cozy with Potter while I was pounding the pavement."
"Pounding the Pavement? Where did you hear that expression?"
"From a very nice Muggle, who helped me put up some flyers for that little monster who wasn't even lost, so tell me Ginevra, where was she?"
"Lovely, every time you get angry you resort to calling baby names."
"Nice try, you haven't answered the question."
"She found her way to Harry's, that's not my fault!"
"Oh! Oh! Potters! She found her way to Potter's! Your friend? Or should I say Lover? Yes, how would she know how to get there, unless she'd been there with you countless times…Pounding the Pavement to Potters?!"
"Not nearly as often as you to Candy's! And don't take it out on Harry that Baby loves everyone but you!"
Draco's face was red, and Ginny noticed that a crowd had gathered, "Draco, this isn't getting us anywhere, let's talk at another time."
"Good idea, I know the floo network is connected to Harry's flat, if I want to reach you, I'll contact you there, all right? I'll try not to catch you when you've got your knickers down for Potter!"
Ginny flipped him a rather rude hand gesture, and walked away as Draco yelled, "Very ladylike Weasley!"
Ginny turned once more to yell, "I wish I never went out with you! I lost my best friend, my family thinks I'm nutter's, I hate you!"
The crowd gave a collective "Ooooooh," and turned to see how Draco would respond. Draco yelled "Bugger off!" and started walking in the opposite direction. That was fine with him! Let her hate him, he hated her too…No he didn't. He was hurt, but he didn't hate her.