Bewitched Times
Chapter 2
"Face to Face"
By: Adrial
An: Hello everyone! It's been a while but I've finally gotten the second chapter up! Yay!
: ) Thank you to everyone who reviewed the prologue. Now the fun really begins! I'll try to keep the updates more consistent but college life is hectic as many of you may know. I hope you'll bear with me! And I'll hope to have the next chapter of To Be or Not to be a Malfoy up soon.
Enjoy!
~Adrial~
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Hermione was on her fifth glass of champagne when she began humming the wedding march merrily to herself. She tried not to slop all over her dress as she ravenously worked her way through the box of chocolate biscuits that they'd found on Ginny's doorstep when they arrived an hour before. Both of them had indulged in a few glasses of wine at the wedding so neither was in any shape for Apparition or floo-ing. Harry had gladly offered to drive them home (he took his Auror duties seriously and never drank more than a glass lest he be called in for duty at any moment).
And as he laughed as Hermione awkwardly put one foot across, on top of, and behind the other towards flat number 6, Ginny's own feet were skidding to a halt, her face now screaming a furious shade of scarlet. Lying not three feet before the trio was the most exquisite bouquet of (clearly Engorged) sunflowers Ginny had ever seen. However, the gilded warmth emitting from their large, velvety petals was instantly frozen beneath the icy glare set upon them by the furious redhead. Oblivious to the cold reception they were receiving, the flowers continued to thrust their alluring and repulsive scent towards Ginny like many twisted knives, inadvertently causing her anger to swell to gargantuan levels.
Harry had cleared his throat awkwardly upon catching a glimpse of the murderous look in Ginny's hazel eyes.
"I'm going to assume-"
"I suggest you don't." Ginny ground out her threat between clenched teeth and didn't even bother meeting his eye.
Harry had not waited for a second warning and had Apparated away seconds later, leaving Hermione grasping for air where his arm had been latched around her own.
The chocolates had been straining to peak out from the forest of yellow petals and neither would have known they'd even existed if Hermione hadn't tripped over her own feet in her eagerness to pluck a bloom for herself and landed face first into the bouquet. She'd emerged with the corner of the box stuck firmly in her cheek.
Hermione giggled when a biscuit missed her mouth and landed on the floor, instantly crumbling into a pile of sugary dust. Ginny emerged from down the hall where'd she'd left her friend to slosh herself on her own for a few minutes while she changed into her night things. Upon viewing the sight of Hermione amidst the graveyard of yellow petals that her lovely bouquet had been instantly reduced to, she sighed in content and plopped down on the sofa.
"At least the bloody imbecile remembered what my favorite flower was," She felt around in the cushions for any more discarded biscuits and threw them onto the coffee table while she added, "Lucky for him though isn't it? That it wasn't roses…else he'd have had to waste twice his precious galleons on a lost fucking cause."
"What a funny word that is-Gal-ee-ONS," Hermione tipped her head back to receive the last drops of her bubbly and frowned when her tongue met dry air instead.
"Damn…" She lifted the bottle from the floor and narrowed her eyes to slits at it, "Have I really drunk this entire bottle of *hiccup* champagne?"
Ginny did not reply; her eyes were glued to her fireplace across from them. Hermione followed her friend's line of sight and saw that the hearth was glowing a pale shade of blue. Sparks flew suddenly from the artificial logs that had been placed for show lest any muggle visitors come to call, and Hermione crawled closer to get a better look. The drink had made her usual intellectual curiosity more keen to that of a careless child and she laughed excitedly when a delicate white paper crane suddenly flapped its way out of the blue sparks.
"Oh, look at the little paper bird someone's sent you!" She exclaimed and rose shakily to her feet to try to snatch the bird out of the air, "Oh, please, let's keep it! I don't want it to end up like the *hic* pretty flowers-Ouch!"
Ginny snorted as Hermione nursed her stubbed toe and casually held out her palm to receive the snowy messenger which unsurprisingly fell obediently into her hand. She reached for her wand and tapped the bird twice. Instantly, the paper began to unfold and the tight, hurried writing of her best friend appeared. She groaned.
"Oh, bugger…right when I was about to convince myself I'm too deserving of a break to work tonight…"
"Who's it from?" Hermione, slightly sobered by her injury, knelt next to her friend and took the note from her hands.
"My dear boss," She ground out the words and grumpily stomped over to the briefcase she'd thrown haphazardly next to the coat rack the night before. Hermione reached across the table to read the note that had irritated her friend so. Her brown eyes skimmed hastily and she finally exclaimed, "Oh, Ginny, that's fantastic!"
She smiled widely and her eyes began to swim with coherency once more. Ginny sighed in regret. Now that Hermione was thinking straight, she'd have no hope of getting her to agree with her on the point that calling in "chucked" to get out of work was a perfectly acceptable excuse.
"It's the grand opening of Le Vin de Ciel! Can you believe what this is doing for elf-welfare?! You've got to go! It took five years for my S.P.E.W. organization to finally convince the ministry to stop wizards from accepting the revenue for Elf-made wine sales and finally give the rightful owners the credit."
Ginny gave her a half-hearted smile, "Right-It's excellent, really."
Hermione was too elated to even hear her. "I'd planned to go myself, actually, but I'm supposed to be conducting a lesson in tactful defenses for a handful of new Aurors Monday and I need tomorrow to prepare..."
Ginny ignored her friend and began to brew a sobriety potion before Hermione remembered that she was too pissed to have a snowball's chance in hell of waking up before sunset the next day.
"Are you listening to me, Ginny?" Hermione absently stuffed another biscuit into her mouth and plopped onto the couch with her legs propped upon several pillows. She massaged her head and tried to shake the blurriness out of her vision.
"God…I can't believe I've drunk this much…" The tip of her nose was rosy and Ginny noted with a pang of alarm how her cheeks had taken on a tell-tale tinge of green.
She emptied several more ingredients into the same cauldron Collin had used for her that morning and waited for the contents to turn periwinkle in hue.
"…and you wouldn't believe who gave the ministry the funding for the project, in the-" Hermione's sentence was cut off as she let go of an enormous and quite impressive belch.
"Here you are, my darling," Ginny swooped over to her and set a mug of the bubbling potion into Hermione's hands. She held back her hair from her face as Hermione greedily downed half of the cup before tearing it from her lips with a scowl in its place.
"Merlin…what the bloody hell have you given me?" She shoved it away and Ginny laughed and urged her to take it back.
"If you want to have an ounce of intelligence left in you tomorrow then you will definitely want to finish this potion."
Hermione rolled her eyes and instantly regretted it for it made the world around her sway alarmingly and Ginny's face became a pale blur of freckles and red hair. Her stomach rolled grumpily in the sea of champagne she had drowned it in, and she let her head fall back onto a pillow.
"Make it stop spinning…ugghh…"
Ginny swallowed back her amusement and urged more of the potion between Hermione's lips. When it was finally more or less gone, she cleared up the mess they'd made with a few flicks of her wand and turned the lights off. Hermione's gentle snores soon sounded and she was happy that she'd decided to mix a few slumber components into the potion she'd made as well.
Her bed felt so warm and inviting that she doubted she'd ever feel enough initiative to get out of it ever again. Sleep came and went throughout the night as she dreamed of elves dancing about with wine glasses in their knobby little hands while silver paper cranes waltzed airily about their heads. She watched the spectacle from a field of enormously sized sunflowers, straining to part the petals enough so that she could see more clearly.
The elves were becoming increasingly harder to watch and the silver cranes became specks of glitter in the distance as the golden petals crowded in around her, reducing the deep blue sky overhead to fragments here and there. Suddenly, she felt the air around her become thick and hard to breathe for it was so congested with the scent of the giant flowers. Gasping, she beat away stems and leaves, fighting for breath, watching the last traces of sunlight slip away like the glittery specks she knew existed beyond her petal-strewn tomb…
"OY, GINNY! RISE AND SHINE!!!"
"Ahhh!!" Ginny's eyes sprang open and she scrambled to gain her bearings. In her haste, she tangled her legs quite awkwardly in her bedding and landed in a mess of hair, limbs, and sheets on her bedroom floor.
A snickering laugh sounded from up above and Ginny struggled against her linen-chains to free herself.
"What-the-bloody-hell-is-going-ON?!" Finally able to wrench herself free, she rose to her feet to assault whomever responsible for waking her up so rudely.
"Oh, please do calm down. I was only trying to wake you up!"
Ginny met the beseeching green eyes of her co-editor, Morgan Falley, and instantly felt like ripping her own hair out. Morgan was a petite, semi-attractive witch with dark brown hair that was almost mahogany in hue and giant green eyes that lit up whenever she laughed. Ginny regretted the fact that her laugh was more akin, however, to a fatal screech and tried to resist covering her ears with her hands as Morgan cackled with bemusement at her co-worker's unkempt state. She, instead, ground her teeth and tried to pull reign on her temper.
"Wake me up? You probably woke all of bloody Europe up, Morgan!"
Ignoring her co-worker's obvious fury, Morgan set to rearranging Ginny's sheets with a casual air about her as if she was used to this sort of outrage.
"Are you quite finished?" She said, smiling, when Ginny had taken a pause in her fit of verbal abuse to replenish her supply of oxygen.
"NO."
"Right then. Now, Hermione left an hour ago; she said to say thanks for the potion, though. And if you haven't noticed, Ms. Ginevra, it is well past twelve o'clock in the afternoon and we've got a front page article due on Collin's desk in less than twenty-four hours."
Ginny was left open-mouthed. She let Morgan's words soak into her brain for a moment before finally deciding that she had the right to have blown her out of bed in such a fashion.
"Rough night?" Morgan's stern expression softened into one of sympathy at the defeated look that had appeared momentarily on Ginny's face. She, of course, had been thinking that the cause for such despondency was her nasty split with Jeffery the other day because she, like all the others who had tried to warn her about him, had known immediately that he was more than capable of cheating on her.
Ginny decided to let her assume what she wanted to assume about her mood even though the real cause for her disappointment was not having a reason to lash out at Morgan right then. She wasn't her favorite co-worker, but they got on well enough around the work place. It was usually when they were put on assignment together that Morgan's lofty and frivolous nature began to irk Ginny to no end.
"Just give me fifteen, alright?" She massaged her temples and sighed gratefully when Morgan gave her a sympathetic frown and made her leave.
She quickly showered and dressed in casual robes while directing extra clothing into an overnight bag with her wand. She and Morgan were to stay the night at the renovated manor in juxtaposition to the elves' expansive vineyard. She'd heard that the centuries-old establishment had only finished its extensive remodeling a week prior to its opening to the public. Their stay was complimentary, of course, or else Ginny would have never spent the thousand galleons per night fee that the owner of the manor charged for their luxurious accommodations.
She hadn't researched much of the background of the business aspects of the winery; the focus of her piece was to be the controversial breakthrough in elf proprietorship. She remembered the uproar that had been caused when S.P.E.W. (now a small branch of the ministry thanks to many years of hard labor and Hermione's sheer determination) broke out with its plans for all wizard owned wineries to forfeit their profits into the rightful hands of the elves that they used to create their infamous wines.
But, the wizards could not be expected to leave their estates empty-handed, of course. So they struck a compromise with the Elves. They would run a resort for visitors on the vineyard and make a profit that way while the Elves cultivated their fortune in the field and received all the proceeds from wine sales and a portion of the resort's earnings as well.
Tonight, the opening of Le Vin de Ciel would mark a triumph in the Wizarding community to establish amicable terms with its former servants. Ginny was already thinking absently of opening phrases for her article as she and Morgan stepped out of the ministry-issued car that had driven them to their destination. Smiling at the doorman, she removed her sunglasses and stepped back to take in her surroundings. She instantly found herself quite thoroughly shell-shocked. The grandeur of the vineyard was more than anything she could ever have dreamed.
"Wow…" Morgan breathed. Each woman craned her neck up to drink in the overwhelming sight of the mansion sitting before them. Ginny felt a chill skitter fleetingly up her spine as her eyes roved over the tall windows that covered the face of the building, each crossed with magnificently carved iron bars. The twenty foot doors that seemed to have rarely welcomed many visitors were each adorned with matching iron decorations; webs of anonymous figures twisted in cold metal obscured the dark wood like vines creeping over a tomb.
The sprawling stone staircase that separated the aforementioned doors from the two open-mouthed witches below was flanked by black, marble statues, each of a faceless wizard with its knees bent toward some unknown and hands crossed over an intricately carved crest. As Ginny stepped forward and traced her fingertips over the torso of the statue nearest to her, the strange depiction struck her as eerily familiar and she withdrew her fingers with a spark of anxiety. Morgan interrupted her thoughts, however, by bouncing on the balls of her feet and gesticulating wildly.
"Ginny-forget that old thing, look at that!"
Ginny tore her eyes away from the peculiar design of the crest and twisted round to follow Morgan's manicured index finger in the direction of the grounds below.
The four story behemoth that loomed behind them was seated on the summit of a massive emerald hill that was surrounded by endless, rippling green rows of grapes that made up the spectacular vineyard. Apart from the expected, they saw forests that surrounded the estate like massive walls that ensured privacy and gave the place a secluded feeling, as it were its own island. A chain of stables off in the distance caught Ginny's eye immediately and she gazed in awe where clusters of stallions in shades ranging from the richest mahogany to the purest of whites roamed leisurely in the summer sun. The warmth of the scenery seemed to thaw the icy chill she'd felt overcome her body in the presence of the manor that seemed to have been painted in shades only solemnity could wield.
Near the stables was a sizeable, two story structure that Ginny guessed housed the products of the beautiful landscape around her. Next to it was a noticeably smaller building that undoubtedly was home to the fifty or so elves that had been working the vineyard for centuries without pay. With the sun shining at its peak hour overhead, the dazzling landscape seemed to shimmer like some uncovered treasure trove, one that Ginny intended to explore as thoroughly as she could during her stay.
"…Miss…Pardon me…May I take your luggage for you?"
Ginny was released from her trance and nodded absently at the doorman who graciously took her bag and briefcase from her hands. She met Morgan's eyes and felt their excitement echo in her own.
"We are so going to make up some excuse to stay here for an extra week, Gin…How about you tell Creeves that it's about damn time you took a week's vacation after working for him for five years without so much as a day off."
"What are you raving about? I've taken loads of vacations."
Morgan gave Ginny a beseeching glance and an opportunity to elaborate. Ginny bit her lip and visibly began to rack her brains for any memory of a full day that she hadn't been locked away in her office or off on assignment. Suddenly, her eyes lit up like stars and she crossed her arms over her chest with a satisfied smirk.
"Ah ha! I took off a day last December!"
"That was for Christmas, Gin!"
"Oh…right."
"Come on, the doorman is staring and we've been standing here for ten minutes already. I'm ready to take a look at what Malfoy's got locked up inside of this old tomb."
"EXCUSE ME?" Ginny's feet instantly stopped moving towards the door as her eyes widened to the size of tea saucers. Morgan stared at her friend skeptically for a moment.
"What's wrong? Didn't you know that this was Lucius Malfoy's estate before the-well, you know." She couldn't believe that Ginny Weasley, the queen of analyzing details, had failed to discern the owner of the vineyard they were about to write a major story on.
Ginny swallowed over a dry throat. She couldn't believe she was about to step into a building that Lucius Malfoy had once called Home. And even more so, she couldn't seem to grasp the fact that the home of one of the most brutal Death Eaters of all time was about to bear the ground beneath a pinnacle point in the bright and positive future for the magical community.
And then there was him. She hadn't thought of him for nearly a decade, and now she felt as if she were a trespasser on his uncharted territory, vulnerable prey under his watchful eye. She clutched her arms over her chest in subconscious defense and cleared her throat.
"Erm…It's just…ironic, isn't it?" She tried to seem casual but Morgan sensed her deep discomfort and threaded her arm through Ginny's empathetically.
"Now, now, Lucius has been gone for ages, Gin. Nothing to be alarmed about…"
Ginny hated it when Morgan spoke to her as if she was a child, but for the moment, she was glad to have someone assume her emotions for her. It left her without much explaining to do. Once again, Morgan had failed to sense the true reason for Ginny's discomfort. She knew fully well that Lucius Malfoy had died in the War; she'd seen his crumpled body sprawled over a bloody carpet of grass as she walked through the battlegrounds in search of survivors. It was there that she'd witnessed a scene she would never forget; the instant in time that had haunted her ever since no matter how hard she tried to ignore it. Other that that, what was truly causing her discomfort was that she had a fairly good guess as to whom the estate had been handed down to after his death.
As the possibility of seeing him face to face after so many ears threatened to overwhelm her, Ginny was shaken from her reverie once again. Morgan clutched her forearm excitedly and let out a giddy squeal.
"Oh, my gosh, Gin! Look! It's him!"
Ginny sucked in her breath in alarm and tightened her hold on her purse strap. Morgan was pointing to the back of tall gentlemen who had just emerged from behind the looming front doors. His mouth was moving, and he seemed to be speaking heatedly for every now and then an angry jolt in the pitch of his voice would be carried down to them with the breeze. A balding gentleman appeared beside him, and his face glowing a pale shade of pink in the fierce summer sun. Ginny felt her eyes linger on him for only a moment before flashing over to his companion whose light blond hair was slicked back and perfectly placed and whose broad shoulders appeared straight and confident in his casual stance.
Ginny felt her pulse quicken. After all these years…She truly thought she'd never see Draco Malfoy again. Just then, the man that they stood gawking at turned slowly around. But instead of the familiar pale face that she'd memorized so often before, green eyes peered out from a less-angular and rounder visage. The man they thought had been Draco had his stature and build, but as he walked nearer to them they saw that his features were missing Draco's icy gaze and ever-present sneer. His jade colored orbs seemed to glow on his suntanned face with warmth rather than instant repugnance despite the traces of the argument he'd clearly been engaged in previously. Ginny, after allowing her relief to wash over her, was suddenly confused as to who this Draco look-alike could be.
Before the stranger could reach them, however, the doorman who had taken their bags previously cleared his throat implicitly and with a swooping gesture, began to guide a reluctant Ginny and starry-eyed Morgan up the sprawling flight of stairs that separated them from the blonde-haired stranger.
"I know what they say about mixing business with pleasure, Gin, but I think I might have to quit my job and run off with this guy-screw the damn article," Morgan announced through her teeth as she grinned exuberantly.
Ginny was just relieved that she wasn't about to come face to face with the man she'd been avoiding for nine years. When they finally reached the top of the staircase, the warm green eyes of their mystery man lingered over her for a moment as he took in her appearance. She squirmed uncomfortably as his eyes flashed in obvious pleasure but she wasn't sure if she'd imagined it or not; the sun was so bright, he might have been squinting to make out who she was. Whatever his motives, she was pleased that as she extended her hand to receive the one he'd held out for her, his handsome face broke out into a grin.
"Ginevra Weasley, am I correct?"
Ginny, startled for a moment that he knew who she was, must have shown her bewilderment for the smiling man shook his head apologetically and explained.
"I've done some work with journalism and advertising over the past few years and your name was one of many I heard while on assignment. Quite talented, you are. So you'll forgive me if I say that your reputation seems to precede you, Mrs. Weasley."
Ginny resisted the urge to blush at this flattery and tried to gather herself to respond. He had an accent that she couldn't quite place and when she found herself unmistakably growing attracted to his seemingly charming personality, she quickly scolded herself.
Get a grip, would you? You've fallen for that cheeky grin before, haven't you? And all it's gotten you is one thoroughly obliterated ego. She covered her genuine smile with a firm nod of agreement.
"What reputation would that be? And it's Miss Weasley, actually."
"Well, Miss Weasley, you've been the face of Bewitched Times for five years. Honestly, Collin Creevey makes for an excellent CEO but you…" He paused for a moment, "It's your gift for writing that has made it such a smashing success."
Is this guy for real? Ginny thought to herself and searched Morgan's eyes for some kind of help. She wasn't sure whether to say thank you or giggle like some silly school girl. Morgan was too busy with her eyes glued to the tall specimen standing before them, however, to worry much about Ginny's own floundering.
"Forgive me, Mr.-erm…"
"Adrien Cordier. I'm afraid I'm not around Britain very much, as I happen to own several wineries throughout France which is my original home. Unfortunately, as it seems, I was needed here to persuade the owner of this lovely estate to open its doors for this remarkable event. "
Ginny tried to ignore how impressed she was and simply said, "Right, Mr. Cordier-I can't take all the credit for our success. There are hundreds of hard working witches and wizards that care just as much as I do for the future of our kind. I simply put their labor into writing."
"Well, beautiful and modest, I see?" Adrien laughed lightheartedly and shook his head. The balding man that both had forgotten during their interlude seemed to grow annoyed at being ignored and coughed rather conspicuously to gain their attention.
"Ms. Weasley, as my client, Mr. Cordier, has so rudely failed to introduce us, I take it as my honor to introduce myself. I am Reginald Scott-Mr. Cordier's personal assistant and also part-time care taker."
Ginny laughed politely at his joke and accepted his hand. Adrien stole a moment to glare at his companion and Ginny took the opportunity to introduce her own.
"This is my co-editor, Morgan Falley."
"Hello…" Morgan's eyes were glazed over as she eyed Adrien like a first year salivating over a Hogwarts feast.
"My pleasure, Ms. Falley," Adrien cast a hasty smile towards her before returning his attention to Ginny.
"I suppose you two would like to get settled then? I'd be willing to give you a tour of the estate before the other guests arrive, if you'd like…" He eyed Ginny hopefully as he threw open the front doors and led them into the largest foyer either had ever seen.
"Erm…that would be lovely."
Adrien beamed and walked briskly to a glossy countertop that sat in the middle of the magnificent foyer. Chandeliers hung like miniature constellations from the gold-leafed ceiling above them and fresh bouquets of tropical-looking flowers and plants thrived in porcelain vases placed around the reception area. A cheery witch sat behind the counter that Adrien approached and she quickly handed him a pair of golden keys after he spoke for a moment.
"Right his way," He announced and soon Ginny and Morgan were looking in awe at the luxurious suite they would be sharing.
"It's not our best room, and I beg your forgiveness. Had I known you would be here, Ms. Weasley-"
"Ginevra, please," Ginny smiled.
"Ginevra…If I had known you would be among the guests, I surely would have told my dear cousin to save the best in the lot for you and...forgive me," He looked apologetically at Morgan who seemed a bit put off that he'd already forgotten her name.
"Morgan."
"Right, Morgan," Adrien broke out in a sheepish again. Ginny smiled appreciatively and let him know that they would be perfectly comfortable where they were.
But as soon as he'd opened his mouth to speak once more, a buzzing sound filled the room. Adrien groaned almost imperceptibly and frowned in apology as he reached for something invisible in the air and suddenly extracted a cherry-wood wand. Striking twice in the air with the tip of his wand, he waited for a moment and the voice of the receptionist they'd just seen promptly filled the room
"Sorry to interrupt, Mr. Cordier, but your cousin wishes to have a word with you-a few words, actually."
"Well tell him he'll have his chance as soon as I'm finished showing Ms. Weasley and Ms. Farley to their room."
"I would love to do that sir, but it appears that he's in one of his moods and you know that there's absolutely no talking to him when-"
"ADRIEN!"
Adrien sighed and massaged his forehead with his wandless hand. With the other, he waved thrice and the sound of the receptionist's voice faded away.
Heavy footsteps were pounding towards the door and Morgan, suddenly forgetting her annoyance at Adrien for mucking up her name for the second time, gripped Ginny's forearm in alarm.
"Forgive me, mademoiselles. My cousin seems to lack any capacity for manners." Adrien began to walk towards the door as if to head off the oncoming hurricane that they could hear tearing down the hall. But as soon as his hand touched the doorknob, in stormed the very subject of Ginny's earlier alarm-the solemn face that she'd never forget no matter the time.
"Ahh…Speak of the Devil himself." Adrien tried to mask his annoyance by nodding respectively toward the entrance of his red-faced cousin, Draco Malfoy.
"Adrien, how many times must I ask you to keep your bloody witches out of the suites that have been reserved for actual guests?" His hands were clenched in fists of rage that were also mirrored in his flashing gaze of grey. Even in his casual attire of slacks and a dark blue oxford, he looked the picture of aristocracy and power. Ginny tried to stop herself from staring, but the urge to identify this Draco with the one she'd known so long ago seemed to overwhelm her.
Ignoring his cousin as he scrambled to respond, Draco's eyes flew towards the two young women who were standing stalk still and silent at the sight of him. His icy gaze fell fleetingly on Morgan for a moment that made her feel like covering herself with a blanket by the way his eyes seemed to be piercing right through her very skin.
"Draco, I-" Adrien began but was stopped by the tangible drop in temperature as Draco's eyes finally fell upon the auburn-haired witch that stood before him, only meters away.
Ginny didn't know what to do. She felt like a deer caught in headlights. Her hazel eyes were locked in place on Draco's as they stared at each other as if seeing the other for the first time. She dug her fingernails into her palms and tried to remain composed. Maybe he had succeeded where she had failed in erasing that memory of long ago and would simply have forgotten all about her by now.
Gathering herself, Ginny cleared her throat and spoke as normally as she could.
"Mr. Malfoy."
She cringed at the slight tremor that was traceable in her tone, but Draco didn't seem to notice at all. His lips were so tightly pursed together that the skin around them turned white as blood fought to circulate there.
"Weasley."
The sound of her name on his cold lips was enough to send the hairs on Ginny's neck on end. She fought the urge to rip her gaze free from the clutches of his own. So many thoughts were flying through her mind that she was surprised she was still able to remain standing amidst the invisible swarm.
Unbeknownst to either of them, Morgan and Adrien had been exchanging looks of perplexity as the two engaged in a makeshift showdown of glares. Neither had a clue as to where the suffocating layer of tension between them had come from.
"Do the two of you…know each other?" Morgan finally asked, trying to smile lightheartedly at the situation.
Ginny waited for Draco to respond. When he did, she felt her insides turn with alarm and anxiety. This was exactly the meeting she'd been trying to avoid for nine years.
"No. I'm afraid we've never had the pleasure of meeting face-to-face." His words seemed to barely scrape through the crevices between his clenched teeth. Ginny swallowed over her dried throat and fought to collect herself.
Oh, Ginny…What in the hell have you gotten yourself into now?
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