A/N: I wanted to get to December, to their Christmas so I am posting a lot of chapters very quickly. Thought that would be a nice touch and gift to all my faithful readers…esp. those who keep asking when D will propose…
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November
It was her first Potions class of the week and Ginny was standing up, working closely with Julia and Tom on making Veritaserum and they were all concentrating so hard they didn't notice that their exams they had taken the week before were being placed in front of them.
As the class came to an end Ginny looked up and felt that she had been bent over her cauldron all day trying to get the ingredients right. It was going to take another 28 days for the Potion to mature, but the hard part was over. She bottled it up, wrote her name on it and took it up to the front, handing it directly to him. Draco looked up at her.
"Did you look at your exam?"
She shook her head and let go of the bottle as his fingers wrapped around hers.
"Why? Is it that bad?" she asked nervously, letting her hands fall to her side.
"No, just look at it when you get the chance," he turned to take another potion bottle from a student and she nodded at him, turning to go back to her seat.
She snuck a quick look at her exam and written under the "O" she received was one word: "TONIGHT". She quickly shoved it in her bag and knew him well enough by now that it meant show up at his flat "tonight". Her classes were over and so were his, so she figured maybe get an early dinner, then floo over there. She wondered what was so important that it had to be "tonight" and she was worried that maybe he had heard something else about the Death Eaters. She hiked her bag up on her shoulder and ducked out of the classroom, needing to get some studying in if she was going to not be around school tonight.
She studied in the library right up until 5pm when she realized she totally forgot to eat an early dinner. She hurriedly changed out of her school clothes and donned her favorite pair of jeans and the sweater she got as a hand me down from Ron. She left a note for Maggie and Susan, saying she was going to miss dinner and they would know why, then floo'd to Draco's. Stepping out of his fireplace, she noticed he wasn't even home yet. It was quiet and very dim so she turned on a few lights and the Wireless. Her stomach called her to the kitchen and she rummaged around for some food, finding some chicken he must have bought over the weekend, some vegetables and she went about conjuring up one of her mom's easiest dishes-chicken pot pie. In the back of her mind the Death Eater's flitted about, but soon she was humming along to a song on the wireless, and was chopping up lettuce for a salad when she heard Draco walk in the door.
"Well, I should have you come over more often! A home made dinner," he came over, still in his Hogwarts Teaching robes and bent down to kiss her, a bag in each hand. Ginny turned from where a knife was chopping the lettuce and watched him set everything down and hang up his robes.
"How was work today, dear?" she joked and burst out laughing at the look he gave her.
"I'll be out in a minute," he disappeared down the hall way and Ginny set the table while he changed out of his school clothes. By the time he returned she had dinner on plates and butterbeer on the table. He sat down and thanked her, both of them quiet as they began their dinner.
"So, why am I here? Surely not to cater to you," Ginny smiled and he pointed his fork at her.
"Watch that mouth, witch…or maybe I will get into the habit of having you come over and make me dinner."
Ginny laughed softly and speared a carrot, munching it thoughtfully.
"You didn't hear any other news did you?" she asked and was relieved when he shook his "no".
"Actually, my mother and I talked last night and she wants to buy you something for Christmas so I need ideas; you aren't the easiest person to buy for you know."
"Your mother?" he nodded. "No one needs to buy me anything, Draco. I am not even used to being asked so I can't even begin to think of something that I would want that is useful."
"It doesn't have to be useful. Haven't you ever wanted anything that you just…want?" he asked setting his fork down and wiping his mouth. He watched her take a drink then set the bottle down with a thud. She stared at the table for awhile then looked up at him. He had finished his dinner in record time while she was still working on hers.
"I want to spend time with you."
He looked at her with a steady gaze waiting for her to go on. "I want to go somewhere during break with you, away from here, away from family and be able to do whatever we want. Even if it's just for a few days…," she shrugged then went back to eating.
"Okay," he said and with a wave of his hands, sent his dishes to the sink. "That was wonderful by the way; your mom's recipe?"
"Yes…and what do you mean "okay"?"
"Well, I can do that. Just make sure your parents are ok with it, say from the day after Christmas until the day before your brother's wedding. We'll go somewhere," he saw her eyes light up.
"Really?" Ginny felt a sense of excitement rise up in her chest. "For real? I was just saying…I didn't think…wow," she breathed. "I don't care what my parents think!" she stood up, walked over to him and he scooted back from the table. She bent down to kiss him and he grabbed her around the waist and pulled her into his lap.
"The wheels are working in your mind aren't they?" Ginny asked, running a hand down the back of his head.
"Always," he said and rested his forehead on her arm as she massaged his neck then let her hand rest there, taking in this moment of contentment and she felt a thought forming in the back of her head. Laying her cheek on the top of his head, she felt his arms wrap around her waist a bit tighter.
"You know when you asked me what I desire the other day?"
She felt him nod under her cheek.
"I think right now it's just getting through school, NEWTs and making sure we keep the student-teacher relationship believable until the end of June. But after that, I think what I most desire is to have a family that is a close as mine is now, maybe not as many children but having that and a job as a Healer would make me happy; I also desire you to play me a song on the piano now," Ginny patted his shoulder and sat up. He turned his head and looked at her silently for a minute and she thought maybe she said the wrong thing.
"You don't have too," she made a move to get up but he held her tight.
"No, I will; I guess I thought you would put money as a desire," he broached hesitantly. Ginny shook her head.
"I have never had any and we did fine. When I work, I'll make money which should be enough for me to live on. I wouldn't even know what to do with the amount of money that you or Harry has," she said for the first time bringing up his fortune.
"No idea?" Draco asked surprised and she shook her head.
"I mean if I won an obscene amount of money I'd probably give some of it away like Harry did."
"Harry gave money away?" Draco looked confused.
"Yeah…you didn't know that?" she saw him shake his head slightly, "He won that tri-wizard tournament and gave the winnings to Fred and George which they used to start up their joke shop."
"He gave them the money?" Draco asked incredulously.
"Sure did. Handed it over to them in the hospital wing I think. But, I would probably buy my parents a house, my dad a bunch of Muggle stuff," she tapped her lip with her finger and then shrugged, "Do something for my brothers perhaps? OH, and for you…," she stood up and looked down at him.
"What?" he asked warily.
"I think I would buy you a snitch you could catch!" she shrieked as he shot out of the chair and chased her into the living room, tackling her on the sofa.
"Weasley, you will pay for that!" he said, holding her down on the sofa with one hand and began tickling her with the other. Their fooling around was cut short as there was a soft pop and Narcissa Malfoy appeared in front of the fireplace. Ginny sat up, surprised and it seemed Draco had been expecting her.
"Hello, mother," he stood up and kissed her cheek and she returned the gesture.
"I can't say I have ever seen Draco tickle anyone before," she smiled at Ginny who blushed and smiled back, then stood up offering her seat to Narcissa, who held up a hand.
"No thank you, I was just dropping off some winter clothes of Draco's I came across," she held out a bag
to Draco who took it from her, with a thank you.
"How is your studying for the NEWTs going, Ginny?" Narcissa asked, turning her pale blue eyes onto Ginny who remained standing.
"It's torture to be honest. This is the first time I have taken a break during the week since the end of September I think," Ginny sat on the arm of the sofa, not sure whether to stand or sit. Narcissa still scared her a bit and she couldn't help but to feel nervous around this powerful woman.
"What is my son having you do in Potions?" she asked, as Draco returned from setting the bag in his room.
"Veritaserum."
Narcissa nodded knowingly, then turned to Draco. "Professor Snape is filling in for the Potions Master at Durmstrang, who apparently came down with the Wizarding Flu and will be out of commission for awhile. He passes on his greetings." Draco nodded and Narcissa tugged on her gloves over her long fingers turning to Ginny as she did so.
"It was a pleasure seeing you dear; you're a bit taller then when I saw you in June. Those growth spurts aren't the easiest thing to go through are they?"
"No ma'am, they sure aren't," Ginny smiled genuinely, now realizing she was as tall as Draco's mother. Narcissa stepped forward and gave Draco a peck on his cheek then surprised Ginny by hugging her quickly.
"See you during the holiday," Narcissa said to Draco and with that she was gone.
"I should probably go too," Ginny sighed. "I need to study with my Arithmancy group at eight tonight. Piano another time?"
"Alright. Thanks for coming over and many thanks for the nice dinner," Draco leaned down and kissed her lovingly. "Don't forget to ask your parents about taking a trip with me."
Ginny's eyes danced as she smiled up at him, "I won't. I will OWL them as soon as I get back to school. I
have money saved so let me know-," she began but Draco clapped a hand over her mouth.
"I'm paying, Ginny, it's my gift to you," he shook his head sternly as she started protesting under his hand. "You can't stand it when people pay for things you need or want can you?" his questioned, his hand still on her mouth and she gave a small nod, reaching up to pull his hand away. He didn't move it, so she licked it and he jerked away, rubbing his hand on his pants.
"I can think of other uses for that tongue, Ginny," he said before he pulled her to him and went about her mouth in such a way that she clutched at his shoulders to steady herself. Her heart was racing and she was ready to jump him right there, still holding onto him as he pulled away.
"You should go now," he reached up and removed her hands from his shoulders.
"That was rude," Ginny whispered narrowing her eyes at him.
"It's payback for the snitch comment," he said dryly, but with a smile tugging the corners of his mouth upwards. "Now, get back to school before your group misses you."
"Fine, you tease," Ginny said as she walked towards his fireplace and with her tongue sticking out at him, she floo'd back to her common room.
The next day and Owl came back from her parents with a "yes" that she could go with Draco, as long as they knew where she was going to be vacationing.
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Ginny studied and studied and occasionally would join her friends in a game of chess, would break out her sketch book or have a snowball fight with her friends as November passed uneventfully, with no more mention of Death Eaters.
It was as she was studying one night that she heard someone floo into the Common Room and looking up she saw Fred
walking towards her.
"Fred! What's wrong? Everything ok?" Ginny stood up hastily knocking over her chair and Fred held up a hand.
"Nothing is wrong, dear sister," he gave her a hug and Ginny peered around him.
"Where's your better half?"
"I am the better half, I'm Fred remember?" he joked and she rolled her eyes, stepping back from the hug. "He is actually talking to Cho at the moment."
"Chang?"
"The one and only," Fred turned the chair upright then sat down on the table and swung his legs lazily back and forth.
"Why? Isn't she playing Quidditch for the Tornados?" Ginny questioned and Fred nodded. "Is he dating her? I thought he was with Katie Bell…," Ginny tried to keep up with Fred and George's girlfriends but she just couldn't with NEWTs running through her head.
"Nope, she and Angelina had a fit when we left her to come see how you were back when Nott made the worst mistake of his life," his face clouded briefly then he smiled. "So, where are your roommates?"
"Umm…all over the castle…why?" Ginny asked apprehensively, pulling Fred off the table so a first year could sit down and do work.
"No, just your friend…Maggie? The dark haired one?"
"She's probably upstairs writing or studying. Why?"
"Why so nosy little sister?" Fred glanced towards the stairs.
"Because you show up at my school in my common room and you aren't a student, you are alone and you are asking about…," Ginny stopped as Maggie came down the stairs, describing a Levitating Charm to a fifth year studying for her OWLS. She was a few feet away before she caught sight of Fred and stopped mid sentence. The fifth year saw a friend across the room and skittered over, leaving Maggie standing there staring back and forth between Fred and Ginny.
"Everything ok?" she asked slowly and Ginny noticed that Fred was unusually quiet.
"Yeah, he just…showed up," Ginny cleared her throat. "I need to run upstairs if anyone needs me," she fled the room and didn't stop until she hit her friends room, slamming the door behind her. She started laughing hysterically and Julia, who was studying Astronomy with Susan, looked at her if she was nuts.
"Ginny, what is so funny that you interrupt our studying?" Julia asked sarcastically.
"Fred is downstairs talking to Maggie," Ginny giggled again.
"YOUR Fred?" Susan asked surprised and Ginny nodded, settling on her friend's bed. "You know, at Hogsmeade two weekends ago, she went into their shop to get some type of candy for her younger brother and she was in there awhile. I remember waiting at Honeydukes for her for, like, a half hour or something," Susan reminisced.
"Yeah…I bet she was talking to Fred," Julia agreed.
"Let's just wait here and see what my brother wanted with her shall we?" Ginny grinned and Susan and Julia joined in and they began quizzing each other back and forth about the constellations.
The girls chatted in between questions about the Yule Ball coming up…Susan said John had finally asked her and she was really excited to go with him; Julia said she was going with a bloke from Hufflepuff that was in her Ancient Runes class and Ginny said she had been asked by three different guys and was thinking about taking Tom up on his offer but was afraid of leading him on. Ginny and Susan couldn't really talk more about it because Julia was not privy to the fact that Ginny was still with Draco.
Maggie came in; cheeks flushed and stared at the three girls staring back at her.
"So?" Susan asked and Maggie looked a bit confused and shook her head.
"I think Fred and I are going to the Yule Ball."
"What?" Ginny shrieked, jumping off of Maggie's bed. "My brother is coming back here to take you? Really?"
Maggie nodded.
"I didn't even know you guys…were…are…I mean…what are you two?" Ginny stuttered, pacing, not believing that her brother was dating one of her friends and would be at the Ball.
"Ginny, I don't know," Maggie stood up from the door she was leaning against and paced a bit.
"I saw him that night he, Ron and George came and vaguely remembered how funny they were when they went here. Then it was my brother's birthday and he wanted some type of candy. So, when I went on the next Hogsmeade visit I went to their shop to get some and we just started talking about the stuff they sell, school and it very strangely comfortable. I jokingly told him to stop by if he came up with something new my brother would like…sure enough he did…then he asked if I was going to the Yule Ball and I said I wasn't sure…then one thing led to another and we agreed to go together."
"Well, you'll have to go get a dress now, then won't you," Ginny smiled a bit unnerved her brother was dating her friend. Maggie's dark eyes lit up.
"Yes, I guess I will! I'm going to write my parents; maybe they'll send me some galleons to get one!" she rushed to her desk to find some parchment and a quill.
As Ginny wandered back to her room, after gathering her books from the Common Room, she wondered if there was any way she could go to the dance with Draco. She might be able to get away with a dance, if he danced with other students, but that would probably be about all she could do. Maybe she could just not go, she could go visit Harry and Hermione or even go home early since the train was leaving the next day…no, she was Head Girl, she would need to be around to monitor the dance and the train.
She sat down on the floor, her back to her bed and laid her head on her knees thinking about how jealous she was that all her friends had dates to the dance. Then a thought of how lucky she was to be even able to date Draco, then the thoughts of how hard this was…people would wonder if she didn't go or went without a date, so she was going to have to get one. She didn't want to tell Tom about her and Draco. Too many people knew already and she thought it would make things uncomfortable in Potions Class. Maybe she would say she had an interest in someone else she met over the summer and it was on hold until she was done school…maybe Tom would understand and be able to handle going as friends. He was a good friend, was smart and funny and she knew he had a crush on her for two years but he knew from her talk last year that she didn't have the same feelings. She drummed her fingers against her knees, then lifted her head and found herself staring into a pair of icy blue eyes. She shrieked and jerked her head back, hitting the mattress of her bed.
"What the hell?!" Ginny demanded. "Don't you make any noise?" she stretched out her legs in front of her, forcing Draco to move and sit down to the side of her.
"I did; but you were too deep in thought," he looked at her intently, "you ok?"
Ginny nodded and turned off her feeling sorry for herself thoughts.
"I just found out Fred asked Maggie to the Yule Ball…how twisted is that?'
Draco let out a bark of laughter, "That should be funny. But, I didn't think Fred or George left without the other one."
Ginny smiled, "They do occasionally, but when I see one, I still automatically look for the other one. What are you doing here? it's a Wednesday…," Ginny asked knowing he had classes late into the day on Wednesday.
"It was exam time and the third years left afterwards before class was out. Guess I'll have to make it harder next time," he mused. Ginny smiled at him, then leaned her head back against the side of her mattress and closed her eyes.
"I need to study for my Arithmancy exam so I will have to kick you out," Ginny said sadly, feeling him lean up against the bed alongside her.
"Tough class," he said sympathetically and she nodded.
"It's only the last day of November and I am ready to be done with school; how am I going to make it another six months?" she asked aloud.
"Are you thinking aloud again, or want an answer?"
"Thinking aloud mostly," Ginny stood up and kicked off her shoes. "I really need to study and plan for the Quidditch game against your house on Saturday," Ginny apologized helping him up off the ground.
He bent down and kissed her, running his hand through her hair then gave it a slight tug at the end. "Good luck; let me know if I can help."
"Ok," she breathed wishing she could just lay down in her bed with him next to her, but her brain was telling her it wasn't a good idea. "Thanks for stopping by. It was a nice surprise," she grabbed his hand as she walked with him towards the fire place.
"No problem. See you tomorrow in class," he smiled and disappeared to his classroom.
Ginny immediately turned to her school bag and began spreading everything out on her bed, delving into the complicated subject of Arithmancy, thoughts of the Yule Ball flitting around the outer most edge of her mind, with an occasionally flicker of Death Eaters and when they would turn up. She hopes that they could at least wait until after NEWTs to do whatever they might be planning; she didn't need anymore stress at the moment.
Later that night after she completed rounds with a prefect from Hufflepuff she tossed and turned in bed trying to shut down her mind…slowly her thoughts drifted off to wherever they went when she fell asleep and Ginny had a dreamless sleep until her alarm rang in her ear in the morning.