Author's Note: So here's the next chapter! It's later than promised, I know, and I'm sorry. I had a bit of writer's block at the beginning, but I worked through it and I think it turned out good. Reviews are appreciated.
Chapter 2: Word Games
When Ginny woke up the next morning, she was met with the sight of a cold and stormy sky, the complete opposite of what the weather had been the day before. Rain was coming down in sheets, and thunder clapped in the distance. Ginny felt her spirits sink even lower, if that was possible. Her first class of the day was Care of Magical Creatures, and Hagrid never cancelled class for rain.
Silently, she made her way down to the Great Hall. She ate breakfast by herself at the end of the Gryffindor table, grateful to the other students who were leaving her alone. Just as she was about to stand up and leave, she heard someone come up behind her. Turning her head a bit, she could see Malfoy out of the corner of her eye.
He leaned close to her ear. "I'll get you for last night, Weasel. Nobody makes fool out a Malfoy." His cold tone sent a shiver down Ginny's spine. Then, just as fast as he had appeared, he was gone.
"Damn." she muttered again, looking just in time to see him striding out of the Great Hall with Crabbe and Goyle in tow. She hadn't been quick enough with a comeback that time.
"I won't let you get to me, Malfoy." she whispered to herself, standing up from the table and gathering her books.
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An hour later, Ginny trudged back up the steps and into the castle, soaked to the skin. She was dripping water onto the floor, so she did a quick drying spell on her robes and walked away from the muddy puddle she had made. After all, a run in with Filch was the last thing any student wanted.
Still shivering with cold despite her now dry clothes, she started the walk up to the Gryffindor common room. Care of Magical Creatures had been hell, just as she had predicted. Her Rain Repelling charm had worked for all of twenty minutes before the downpour had become too much for it. The Snacklehogs they had been attempting to tame had hated the rain and decided to take it out on the students, eventually sending a Hufflepuff named Jonas to the hospital wing. In truth, Ginny didn't even know why she had chosen to continue with the class. It wasn't as though she wanted to have a career with creatures. But Hagrid was one of the only friendly faces left at Hogwarts, and it brought a certain comfort to know that she still had one friend at the school, at least on dry days.
Ginny had just finished drying out one of her books when she arrived outside the Gryffindor portrait hole. "Er… um…" Ginny stammered, trying to recall if she had heard the password the night before. She soon realized she hadn't; she had followed a group of fourth years through the portrait hole.
"Listen," Ginny told the Fat Lady, "I'm having a really bad day, and I just got rained on in class, and I know you know I'm a Gryffindor because you can tell I'm a Weasley, so can you please just let me through?" She added a note of desperation to her voice, hoping she sounded convincing.
"Sorry, no admittance without the password." the Fat Lady said.
"Damn." That seemed to be her motto of late.
Ginny was gathering up her books and materials, having decided to go seek out a Gryffindor in the Great Hall, when Malfoy appeared from around the nearest corner.
"Couldn't help but overhear, Weasel. It seems you may just be in need of my help." He looked very happy with himself, an arrogant little smirk on his face.
"Why would I need any help from you? It isn't as though you know the Gryffindor password."
"Au contraire. You see, I was following Longbottom last night, having a good bit of fun levitating his book bag to hit him on the head, and I heard the password he used before he ran screaming like a little girl into the common room." He laughed, and the icy tone of it made he seem even more cold.
"Leave Neville alone. He never did anything to you."
"It's more the fact he exists, really."
"Look, Malfoy," Ginny said, saying his name like a disgusting curse word, "I don't want your help, nor will I ever. Can you just stop bothering me?"
"I like bothering you. You're kind of cute when you get all annoyed." He took a step closer. "At least for a Weasel."
Ginny took a step back, adding more distance between them. She wasn't sure she liked the look in Malfoy's eyes. "I'm going to go now. Please just stay away from me." She took three steps towards the staircase before he grabbed her arm.
"LET GO OF ME!" she screamed, trying to wrench her arm out of his hand.
"My, you are a fiery one, aren't you?" he said, watching with pleasure as she squirmed beneath his grasp.
"I MEAN IT MALFOY!"
"Meet me by the lake at midnight." Draco said, not even flinching as she screamed and struggled.
"WHAT?!"
"I'll give you the password if you meet me by the lake at midnight."
She gave up her fight. "I'm not meeting you anywhere, and I don't want the password from you."
He loosened his grip, thinking that she was done struggling. Ginny got exactly what she wanted. She jerked her arm up, too fast for him to grab her. She had run all the way to the top of the staircase, ready to run down it as fast as she could, when she was pulled off her feet. Hanging by her ankles in midair, she twisted around and saw Malfoy's wand pointed at her.
"MALFOY"! she shouted, frantically trying to hold her skirt down. "LET ME DOWN!"
"Say you'll meet me." Ginny was amazed with how calm he could be.
"FINE, I'LL MEET YOU AT THE BLOODY LAKE! JUST LET ME DOWN!"
"Gladly." he said, and with another flick of his wand she collapsed in a heap at the top of the stairs.
"Never, ever, mess with me again." she panted, gathering her things and straightening her uniform.
"I got what I wanted, didn't I?" he said, offering her a hand to help her up.
Ginny swatted his hand away and pulled herself to her feet. "What's the password?"
"Jobberknoll." The portrait hole swung open. "The lake at midnight." he reminded her, and she climbed through the hole. "By the way, nice knickers, Weasley."
Ginny slammed the portrait hole shut and collapsed into a chair. It was turning out to be a very long day.