Unofficial Portkey Archive

Keep It Unclean

Chapter Six

'So let me get this straight. He kissed you?'

Ginny nodded. 'But it isn't what you think.'

'I very much doubt that it isn't what I think,' Hermione said flatly. 'After all this is Malfoy we're talking about. He isn't exactly known for being honest and wholesome. Oh and that could possibly be the most cliché line known to mankind! It's the kind of thing people say when they're caught in bed with someone they shouldn't be.'

'It's hard to explain.'

'Try me.'

It was the afternoon and Ginny and Hermione had met in the park to go for a walk and analyse the previous night's excursion. At first Ginny had been unsure of whether to tell her friend everything that had occurred but it was never in her nature to keep things to herself. In fact she was very open in her thoughts hence why many people found it difficult to hold a conversation with her. Some would call it verbal diarrhoea. With this in mind, Ginny had taken Hermione to a coffee bar and bought her something suitably strong then, incredibly bluntly, told her that she had shared an intimate moment with Malfoy. So far she was taking it all very well.

'Firstly it wasn't a kiss for the sake of kissing,' she said carefully. 'He told me he was going to kiss me, he explained why and then did it. It wasn't exactly romantic or passionate. Just a kiss.'

Hermione raised one eyebrow dubiously. 'Don't you think he was taking advantage a little? It sounds to me like he challenged you to say no and you were too stubborn to do the sensible thing.'

'Oh come on! It's not that bad. I could have kissed him back. Or worse, slept with him.'

'I wouldn't put it past him to try and convince you that it would be a good idea. He'd probably say that it was part of the research,' she said darkly. 'That man is so…smooth.'

'It was quite nice really,' Ginny picked up her muffin and plucked at it thoughtfully.

'What?!'

'Well, it has been a while since I've had someone kiss me. I've missed it.'

'I seriously hope you're not falling for him…' Hermione looked at her friend with concern. 'I know it hasn't been easy since you and Harry broke up, but things will get better soon.'

'Don't be ridiculous!' she said incredulously. 'I just enjoyed the attention. Anyway let's talk about something else.'

'Fine.'

They sat in silence. Ginny nibbled on her confectionary attentively. The warmth of the room was making her feel sleepy. Then again it had been a late night; she couldn't even remember what time she'd stumbled into bed. After the kiss they had quietly chatted for a couple of hours. As she recalled it had mostly been Malfoy doing the talking. He had pointed out various women and commented on their attire. Apparently there was a lot to be learnt from the footwear a woman chose; flats tried to give the impression of a care-free attitude whereas heels screamed for attention. To a certain extent she'd found herself agreeing with him. It had been very surreal the way they had just talked - it was a bit like gossiping with Hermione.

'Just out of curiosity, for scientific reasons, what was it like?' Hermione asked suddenly, as if the question had burst free against her will.

Ginny grinned. 'I thought we weren't talking about this anymore.'

'I know, sorry,' she scolded herself. 'It's just I can't stop thinking about it! Malfoy was possibly the last person I would ever envision you kissing. It seems so wrong. Against the grain. Debauched.'

'I didn't kiss him,' Ginny corrected lightly. 'He kissed me. I believe the distinction is very important.'

'Sorry…what was it like then?'

'Well, it was sort of like a first kiss when you're unsure of what to do. It wasn't perfect. It didn't really make me want to rip his clothes off… I guess the best way of describing it would be to say that it was sweet. Innocent. Shy,' she said contemplatively. 'It was more touching than kissing.'

'Doesn't sound like Malfoy.'

'It wasn't.'

'Sorry, you've lost me again. I thought you said Malfoy kissed you?'

'Oh it was him physically but it was a rehearsed kiss. It's the kind of kiss you want someone to give you. He says that it's not about appearances but about the way you make the person feel,' she leant back in her chair and gazed out of the window. 'Arrogant pig reckons it will make any woman feel special and wanted. It plays up to their fairy tale fantasies.'

'And was he right?' she responded cheekily. 'Did it fulfil you're wildest dreams?'

'No!' Ginny screeched loudly. 'It lacked the right man for starters!'

'But didn't you just say that it was nice?'

'Biscuits are nice, Hermione. Teddy bears are nice. It doesn't mean I want to have intimate relations with either,' she saucily laughed. 'It was just nice to have someone kiss me even if it was Mr full-of-himself Malfoy. You have no need to worry about this girl's heart. It's staying firmly in my chest for the time being.'

'Well that's good to know,' Hermione giggled into her coffee. 'For a second there I thought you may have taken a fancy to him.'

The two women lapsed back into a comfortable silence, each one engrossed in their food. Ginny went back to the night before and tried to frame in her mind what Malfoy had said about her book. He had disliked the fantasy and yet wasn't he the one who used them as a means to get women? Maybe that was why he hated Handsome so much - he was everything Malfoy pretended to be. However it didn't quite fit as a hypothesis. Malfoy believed that passion was spontaneous need. Handsome loved Emerald with a passion and it wasn't about sex. It was about romance; the word Malfoy had contempt for. To him romance was something women were led to believe in order to get them into bed. It was a lie because men didn't think in those terms. Handsome, on the other hand, was completely rooted in romance and the soul. Hadn't they always said in school that Malfoy had no soul?

'Has it ever occurred to you that you may be in danger of having him take a fancy to you?' Hermione broke Ginny's train of thought. 'It could be possible that whilst you are impervious to his charm, he is completely open to yours. After all, men always want what they know they can't have.'

Ginny choked on her hot chocolate and gave Hermione a withering look. 'Don't be stupid.'

'As you very well know,' Hermione spoke into her mug, 'I am far from stupid.'

'Sorry. Although you must admit that, whilst you may have a fully functioning brain, the theory of Malfoy taking a "fancy" to me is downright…imbecilic!'

Hermione lowered her mug to the table, arched her fingers and viewed her friend with a knowing look. 'Stranger things have happened, Ginny.'

'Yeah, right,' Ginny laughed dismissively. 'For starters he's showed absolutely no sign of any kind of affection towards me.'

'Maybe he has a child-like view on these proceedings. You know? The little boy in the playground who pulls your hair and steals your broomstick because he's besotted with you? Just adapt that scenario to your own situation and it all begins to make sense.'

'Hah!' she pointed a finger excitedly in Hermione's direction. 'I've got you there too! You see Malfoy isn't like that towards me. He'd very civil and well-mannered. In fact he sometimes boarders on being friendly, thus proving that he doesn't like me like that. So there!'

Hermione was smiling slyly now. Oh damn, Ginny thought to herself, she was joking and now you've gone and made yourself look like a complete fool. She hated being baited by her so-called friends, but they insisted on doing it because they knew she would over react. The easiest thing to do was to be a mature, responsible adult and laugh it off. Or deny that it ever happened. Whichever came out of her mouth first.

'Anyway,' she said haughtily, 'it doesn't matter what his feelings are.'

'Doesn't it?'

'Nope.'

'Well that's a good thing to know.'

The two women grinned at one another and laughed.

'Wouldn't it be funny if you and Malfoy got married?!' Hermione gasped through her laughter. 'Imagine what your mum would say!'

Ginny snorted uncontrollably. 'Oh yes. That would be a riot. I reckon the marriage wouldn't last very long anyway.'

'I know. He'd drive you absolutely round the bend.'

'Actually I meant that my brother's would probably murder one of us.'

This heralded another fit of giggles from Hermione, who made it look as if she hadn't heard anything quite as funny in her entire life. Ginny wasn't sure whether she should be insulted by this or not. Unable to make up her mind she half-heartedly laughed. Trust Hermione to find homicide amusing. She looked up at the clock which was doling out time on the other side of the room.

'Crap,' she sighed heavily. 'I have to go and face the beast.'

'Once more into the breach, dear friend,' Hermione squawked dramatically, 'once more!'

Ginny gave her a peculiar look which signalled to Hermione her particular feelings on this outburst. She looked down apologetically, a small smirk ruining the sentiment. Quickly Ginny scooped her bag up from the floor and rifled through her pocket for some money. Eventually she dropped a handful of spare change onto the faux-marble table. 'Sorry,' she mumbled before darting out of the café.

The wind hit her across the face like an angry lover; at least that was the metaphor she preferred the most to describe it. Part of her was always in author mode. The wind wasn't simply a wind, that would be far too boring. It was a thing of pure energy, ravaging the world with it's bitterness. It was a lost soul searching for peace in a noise filled world. It was vengeance, love, serenity, blood, God - the parts of her that she was blind to see. Most of all though it was something that reminded her of the enormity of life itself. Things came and went and yet nothing really ever changed. In her mind this life was only temporary. One day the earth would reclaim the land and humanity would be left out in the cold. Quite possibly literally.

She shivered inside her duffel coat and clutched her bag to her chest. Looking left and right, she crossed the road and made her way over to a public portkey box (which was a bit like a Muggle telephone box, but with more buttons). As she approached the bright red box she tried to remember what the address for the Safetex building. Was it on Spangle Lane or Vacuous Street? She would have to look it up in the directory. That's what she disliked the most about public portkeys; they had a nasty habit of going wrong. Her worst nightmare was that she would end up in one place and her clothes another.

Once she was safely within the box, she closed the door behind her and picked up the directory. In front of her were various different shaped buttons, each one a portkey to a different street within Diagon Alley, and a small circular slot. To use the portkey you had to place the tip of your wand into the slot and press the appropriate button. It cost two galleons to use and, by using your wand, the cost was billed to you at home rather than having to use change. Ginny had never been that good at operating these kind of portkeys but it was the only way she'd been able to make coffee with Hermione and her meeting with Malfoy. Taking a deep breath, and making sure she had a grip on all of her faculties, she placed her wand in the slot and pressed the button. Her eyes squeezed themselves shut.

'Thank you for using Portkey Ltd. Have a nice day!' a warm honey-coated voice boomed from all around her.

She opened her eyes cautiously and found herself in one piece, standing outside the Safetex building.

***

'No, no, no. You're not listening to me,' Malfoy said smoothly. 'People aren't going to believe that this man has single-handedly killed a crocodile, whilst fighting flesh eating old men and suffering from a mild form of constipation.'

Ginny rolled her eyes. 'Handsome does not have constipation. It's malaria.'

'And that makes it so much more realistic,' he drawled as he paced up and down the room. 'What you need to do is cut out some of the rubbish and develop your characters more.'

It had been three hours since Ginny had arrived in his office and all they'd done was bicker over plot points. She had been surprised to find him completely alone; even Phyllis was absent from her place by her desk. He was quick to inform her that he had recently closed a deal and had no other meetings for the rest of the day, which unfortunately meant that he was all hers for the entire afternoon.

'It's not supposed to be that realistic…' she attempted to defend her work. 'Where's the fun in sticking to the boundaries of reality? People want to suspend their disbelief and believe that anything is possible.'

Malfoy gave her a disbelieving look and settled himself against one wall. He waved her manuscript about in his hand. 'I thought author's were supposed to write about what they know.'

'Oh please,' she could hear the exasperation in her voice. 'If that was the case then there wouldn't be any adventure in half the books we read! There wouldn't be any drama or mystery. It would all be very humdrum. Boring.'

'You're assuming everyone has a life like yours,' he smirked slightly. 'Some people can't even imagine that kind of boredom.'

'Okay. Fine. But you do realise that you're suggesting every murder-mystery writer should have killed someone first?' she said triumphantly. 'Just so they've experienced what they're writing.'

'You know perfectly well what I mean, Weasley.'

Ginny hated it when he used that tone with her. It was a voice which only just tolerated her existence and made no show of doing otherwise. He had a habit of using it to make her feel childish. It was something to do with the way he used her name like a disappointed teacher would. Malfoy had several tricks up his sleeve when it came to demeaning her or making her feel like an idiot. It was really beginning to get up her nose.

'The only way you're going to get this published is to make changes,' he said firmly. 'Otherwise they will just send you away again. Remember you're the one who asked me for help. I didn't have to say yes.'

There he goes again, she thought, being rational and sensible. It made her feel bad for snapping at him because he was only trying to help. At least that's what he implied he was trying to do. 'Sorry,' she mumbled incoherently.

'Pardon? I didn't quite catch that,' he asked with calculated seriousness. 'It sounded suspiciously like an apology.'

'I'm sorry.'

'Don't apologise. It'll ruin the whole basis of our relationship,' he said as he pulled his jumper off, muffling his voice slightly. He bundled it up between his hands, a look of deep concentration on his face, and tossed it into her lap. 'And we wouldn't want that, would we?'

'Clearly,' she said coldly, picking up the piece of clothing with finger and thumb and dropping it onto the floor. 'Any more suggestions?'

'Now, now,' he crossed his arms, 'there's no need to get crotchety just because I'm right.'

'I am not crotchety!' Ginny said indignantly.

'And yet everything seems to be indicating the opposite…'

'You are so immature sometimes.'

'Harsh, Weasley,' he said turning away from her to look out the window. His hands were shoved into his pockets, his shoulders slumped slightly giving him a world-weary look. 'Have you had any thoughts on the sex situation?'

Coming from anyone else Ginny would have found that amusing. 'No.'

'I didn't think you would have,' he said simply.

'What's that supposed to mean?!' she cried .

Malfoy seemed to hesitate at the question and she was weary of what his answer would be. From all their conversations Ginny had come to realise that the longer the pause the more thought Malfoy was putting into his response.

'Well, I think it's fair to say, that you're a bit of a prude,' he said slowly.

'What?! I am not a prude! In fact I'm as far from a prude as a person can be.'

'Oh really?' he turned to face her, an interested look on his face. 'Then explain to me why you see so intent on avoiding the issue of sex between the couple?'

'I'm not intent on avoiding the subject. I just think that,' she dropped her voice to a whisper, 'sex would cheapen the romance.'

Malfoy laughed with a disarming softness. 'What ever would make you think that?'

For a second Ginny thought it may be a rhetorical question, but the ensuing silence and Malfoy's expectant look made her realise that he was looking for a serious answer. Well, where to begin? She could tell him about how physical attraction should never be the basis of a lasting relationship. Maybe preach to him that romance had nothing to do with sex. Sex wasn't chivalrous or noble. It wasn't exactly doing the decent thing. A hero didn't climb the tower to rescue the damsel for a quick shag.

She bit her lip thoughtfully. 'It's all a matter of heroism.'

'Ah, you're one of those people are you.' It wasn't a question but a statement.

'What people would they be then?' she asked irritably.

'The people who refer to sex as "love making" or something equally sickening. Basically those in complete denial of their own innate urges. Anything other than having sex with someone you,' he sniggered, 'love is somehow obscene and completely uncalled for.'

Ginny shifted uncomfortably in her seat, desperately searching her mind for a suitably scathing comeback. 'Am not,' she eventually said, inwardly cringing at her own childishness.

'I bet you've never even contemplated a one night stand,' he said with an amused smile.

She regarded him with what she hoped was disdain. 'Just because I respect myself enough not to be a tart, doesn't mean I'm in any way prudish.'

'I don't recall suggesting that only prostitutes weren't prudes,' he said solemnly.

'Typical man!' she crossed her arms defensively. 'Sex isn't everything.'

'What else is there then?'

'Love,' she said firmly with a touch of defiance.

'I was wondering how long it would take you to get round to that,' Malfoy muttered wearily. 'I'd best sit down for this.' He strolled over to his chair and slouched into it rebelliously.

Ginny observed him silently. With his crumpled shirt, rolled up sleeves and unruly hair he almost looked mollified. Dark circles were beginning to form under his eyes and yet his mouth was set in a grim line. Whilst part of her knew him to be unscrupulous, it was hard to match his current image to his personality. She shook herself slightly - this was no time to analyse and dissect his character.

'Don't you believe in love?' she asked flatly.

Malfoy smiled slightly and looked down at his hands. 'I believe that people need people.'

'That's a little…rationalised.'

'I think that there are all kinds of love in this world and most of them are misplaced. There are people who worship love; who put all their faith into it. They crave it because they think it'll make their lives better or more fulfilled,' he paused and twiddled his thumbs. 'Personally I think it's a false idol.'

'I wouldn't say that,' Ginny said hotly. 'Love is important.'

'Don't be so naïve. Love hurts more people than it ever cured.'

Okay, she thought, so he does have a point there. It was true that loving Harry had only eventually caused her pain but surely it was better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all?

'Surely you've loved someone…?'

'Of course I have,' he said with a nod. 'At least I thought I was. It turned out to be more of an infatuation though. More trouble than it was worth by the time we called it a day. She was good in the bedroom but a bit of a hag elsewhere.'

'Wow,' Ginny said sarcastically, 'I can tell you really loved her.'

'Come on Weasley, cut me some slack. I'm a misogynistic pig, remember?' he let out a long sigh. 'I'm sure you've realised by now that I'm not a particularly forgiving person and I've certainly no attachment to that gold-digging bitch. I think I'm allowed to sully her reputation.'

'Well at least it proves that you're not completely impervious to romance,' she said matter-of-factly.

'I never said anything about romance,' he raised his eyebrows suggestively.

'Oh, are we back to sex again?' Ginny rolled her eyes. 'I should have known better.'

'Romance is contrived, Weasley. It cancels itself out because it means that everything is planned out. That's why so many women get suckered in by a bunch of flowers…an extravagant gift. They think it means something when it's just technical manoeuvre to the bedroom.'

'You're so cynical.'

'No, I'm realistic. A man buys a bunch of flowers for a woman and hopes that it's a good enough gesture to gain a reward,' he leaned forward and looked her straight in the eye. 'You're the one who thinks that romance isn't about sex, so explain to me how I'm wrong.'

She tried to hold his gaze but felt strangely violated by it. 'You haven't got a romantic bone in your body.'

He smiled slyly. 'Correct. It's not a romantic bone at all.'

'Pervert.'

'Probably,' he shrugged like the matter couldn't be helped. 'At least I'm not deluding myself with fantasies of a knight in shining armour, riding a white steed and spouting more slushy poetry than a nineteenth centaury romantic in the Lake District. In fact now we're talking about it, that's more perverse than simply enjoying sex.'

As he spoke Ginny narrowed her eyes. 'There's nothing wrong with wanting a man whose intentions are noble and who isn't afraid to be romantic. Genuine, some would say.'

'And there's nothing wrong with passion and sex as an alternative,' his voice was firm.

'I guess we'll have to agree to disagree.'

'Oh I can certainly promise you that Weasley,' he smiled at her briefly and looked down at his watch. 'However we will have to suspend this conversation for now. I have a board meeting tomorrow morning that I can't be tired for.'

'Fine,' Ginny stood up from her chair with a yawn and stretched her arms upwards. Her bones clicked satisfactorily. 'When do you want to arrange the next meeting for?' He was silent, his eyes fixed on the middle distance. 'Erm…time?'

'I have a full schedule tomorrow morning but I intend to go home for an hour during the afternoon. We can continue this conversation then. Three o'clock,' his eyes averted themselves to her face with a curious look. 'You know where I live?'

She hesitated. 'I'm sure I can find it.'

'Good,' he pushed his sleeves down his arms and stood. 'Would you mind passing me my jumper?'

Ginny bent down and plucked the gathered the jumper up into her arms. A whiff of an earthy scent rose from the garment as she passed it to him. For a split second she had an urge to bury her face in it. That would have been embarrassing she thought to herself. She had always loved the way men smelt.

'Wear something practical. I have some painting for you to do while you're there.'

She groaned. 'Fine.'

As she left the room her bones felt heavy with sleep. She pictured her little bedroom and suddenly couldn't wait to get home to the smell of dog and coffee. Hitching her bag up onto her shoulder she stepped forward to open the door and was surprised when Malfoy reached round her and held it for her. 'Goodnight,' he said politely.

'Oh. Goodnight.'

They stepped through the door and he turned to lock up. She paused unsure of what she was supposed to be doing. Should she just walk away as usual? Or was she expected to wait for him? Malfoy finished what he was doing and began to stroll down the corridor without another word.

Strange man, she thought to herself. Very strange.