How It Ends
"What's wrong?" Ally whispered to Ginny during Herbology.
"Nothing," Ginny whispered back.
"Nonsense," persisted Ally. "You've been acting strange all morning. What's wrong?"
"Not now," mouthed Ginny, as she deliberately turned away to listen to Professor Sprout.
Fifteen minutes later, Ally cornered her and raised an eyebrow.
"Well," said Ginny grudgingly, "I was wondering if I should thank Draco-myself. I mean, he was awfully
nice to me, and I think it would only be polite."
"I'll bet," grinned Ally. "You just want an excuse to see him again, don't you?"
Ginny rolled her eyes.
"I never said-"
"You don't need to," interrupted Ally. "I know."
She thought for a minute.
"Let me see what I can do..."
"I don't want you to do anything," protested Ginny.
"Oh, don't worry," said Ally. "I'll make it very subtle."
---
Draco stared at her in disbelief.
"You want me to go meet the Weasley girl again?"
Ally nodded.
"You're out of your mind," said Draco, shaking his head. "All of you are. First you tell a bloke to walk the girl, then you make him stop. Now you want him to start all over again. It's like a bloody escort service."
Ally tapped her foot impatiently.
"Harry and the others have nothing to do with this," she said. "Ginny just wants to thank you."
"I don't need thanks," said Draco gruffly. "I don't do favors."
"So are you going to be there?"
"Absolutely not," he said firmly.
---
Two hours later, Draco stood under the tree, muttering to himself. This was by far the most absurd and irrational thing
he had ever done. Apart from pretending he was a Muggle Lord. And kissing a Weasley.
It was funny how all the crazy things involved that girl.
He frowned. She was late. Not that he cared, anyway. He was just here to listen to her, nod politely, and finally get
away from this mess.
That was all he wanted.
Of course that was all he wanted.
Ah, there she was. Finally.
He wrinkled his nose.
She was wearing jeans.
It somehow seemed a bit scandalous to see her in jeans.
He took a closer look.
She didn't look half bad, though.
---
"Hi," said Ginny, her voice strained.
"So you're here," said Draco.
He immediately kicked himself for such a spectacular opening line. Not that he needed one anyway. He was just here to
let the girl talk.
"Yeah," replied Ginny absently.
She took a deep breath.
"Look," she started, "I know it's been a week, but I just wanted to tell you that I really
appreciate what you did."
"No problem," said Draco shortly.
"And I'm sorry if I inconvenienced you or anything. It must have been awful for you, to miss all your Quiddich practice and-"
"It's fine," interrupted Draco.
"But why did you do it?" persisted Ginny. "You didn't have to stick to it for the entire two weeks. None of the others did."
Draco grimaced.
"Did it never occur to you that I might have actually liked it?"
Ginny shook her head, her eyes fixed on the toes of her sneakers.
"Well, I did," he said.
She faltered for a minute and looked up at him.
"Why did you kiss me?" she asked quietly.
Draco flinched.
There was a long pause.
"Because I wanted to," he said finally. "Because you looked remarkably pretty. Because I guessed that it
would be our last day together… Take your pick."
Ginny flushed.
"All you seem to think," continued Draco, "is that it was so extremely good of me to play Sir James to
your Elspeth."
He grinned at her.
"Let me tell you something. If I hadn't wanted to do it, I wouldn't have."
Ginny shuffled her toe in the dust.
"I think I'd better go."
"How about a walk?" asked Draco abruptly.
"A walk?"
"Yeah," said Draco. "We haven't done that in a while, and it ought to be fun."
"Fun?"
"What are you?" asked Draco peevishly. "Some kind of bloody echo?"
Ginny looked at him uncertainly.
"I don't know if I-"
"Yes or no?"
"I don't know if that's a good idea," said Ginny hurriedly, "I mean, I want to, but it's way too complicated. I just finished apologizing for something that wasn't altogether my fault, and something like this would actually make it my fault again."
"What on earth are you talking about?" asked Draco exasperatedly.
"It's Ron," said Ginny. "Well, it's Harry and Hermione as well, because they don't like you all that much either. But it's mostly Ron. He hasn't stopped talking about how much he had to go through with me. Do you have any idea what he-"
"Let's make this easy," said Draco.
He bowed graciously.
"Lady Elspeth," his eyes twinkled, "would you allow me to accompany you this fine evening?"
Ginny hesitated for the millionth of a second, then made up her mind.
"Certainly, my Lord," she said and smiled.
---
They walked in silence for a while, not knowing exactly what to say.
"You liked Elspeth," said Ginny finally. "Do you think you could like Ginny as well?"
"I do like Ginny," he grinned. "Elspeth could be a bit of a bore sometimes."
She grinned back at him.
They walked down the path together, Draco shortening his stride to match her step as usual. Occasionally her shoulder brushed lightly against his arm, and they smiled at each other.
Although there was a lot left to talk about, so much more to explain, and an irate Ron to handle, Ginny knew this was just the beginning.
And she was content.
-fin-