[Author's Note] Ooh, I like this chapter. No particular reason. I just enjoyed writing it =)
A Peek Behind the Scenes
Ron stormed up the hallway to Draco. Harry was two paces behind, breathlessly trying to stop him.
"You bloody git!"
Draco raised an eyebrow. "I see we are very eloquent today."
"Shut up, Malfoy," yelled Ron. "I don't know what you think you're doing with Ginny, but I swear I'll kill you if you so much as lay a finger on her."
"There, there, Perkins," said Draco pleasantly. "Don't you have a shed to sweep or something? And I really think you need to see someone about that nasty little temper of yours." He smiled at him infuriatingly.
Harry had to forcibly restrain an understandably crazed Ron from charging at Draco.
---
"Why Malfoy?" Ron sat with his head buried in his hands.
"Well, maybe Draco isn't that bad a person when he's with her," said Hermione falteringly.
Ron stared at her in disbelief. "Mental," he said. "As usual."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "He makes her feel special-it's understandable. In that age of Muggles, people were so much more charming than they are now."
Ron sighed dramatically. "But there are so many nice blokes here that I wouldn't mind her being with. Why does she have to hang on to every word he says??"
"Maybe you don't realize this," said Hermione sharply, "but not all girls swoon over 'What's your favorite Quiddich team'?"
"I don't say that," protested Ron weakly.
---
"Lord Giles," said Ginny demurely. "May I have a word with you?"
"Certainly."
Harry looked around frantically for Hermione, but she was nowhere to be seen. Somehow he always felt rather nervous around 'Elspeth'. She treated him with slight disdain, and kept out of his way as far as possible.
"This is about my mother," started Ginny.
She paused.
Harry looked at her inquiringly.
"I am not sure how I may put this delicately," continued Ginny. "But if you should wish to pursue my mother, I would like you to know that I have no word against it."
Harry stared at her--uncomprehending at first, and then as realization dawned on him, he blushed furiously.
"I think you have misunderstood," he said, struggling for words. "There is nothing whatsoever between your mother and myself. Why would you assume such a thing?"
But Ginny merely smiled.
---
"Is Ginny around?" asked Ron cautiously.
Ally was in a corner of the Common Room, reading.
She looked up at him.
"I think she went to see Harry."
"Oh, good," he said, and sat down heavily.
"Lost your job?" asked Ally, a slight smile on her face.
"Yes," replied Ron shortly.
He stared moodily into space.
"Ron," said Ally gently. "You know this isn't really Ginny, don't you?"
"I know," he mumbled.
"Mary the maidservant," said Ally ruefully. "I have never heard of anything more clichéd than that. And
Perkins the horse boy??"
She grinned. "You have to admit that it's quite funny."
"I guess it is," said Ron grudgingly. "But not when she accuses you of pinching food."
"She did not!" Ally's eyes widened in comical disbelief.
Ron smiled.
"Sure she did. And then she goes and tells me that she's tired of my insolence and insubordination, or some
rot like that, and says if she sees me again she'll clap me in irons."
He shook his head.
"That was my baby sister."
"You should have been there when she hurled the brush across the room," giggled Ally, pushing a lock of hair behind her ear. "I thought she'd put someone's eye out."
Ron chuckled.
He shuffled his toe along the carpet for a minute.
"So what's your favorite Quiddich team?" he asked finally.
---
"What is it, Mr. Potter?" Madame Pomfrey asked.
"Erm, it's about Ginny," said Harry. "Two weeks are almost over, and she still seems to very firmly believe that she is Lady Elspeth. Do you think something went wrong and this is permanent?"
"I doubt that," she responded briskly.
"Are you finding it difficult?" Her eyes twinkled for a minute.
"Not exactly," said Harry. "Since Malfoy came along it's been easier."
He frowned.
"I was very surprised when he agreed to help. Do you think it was a good idea?"
"I think you may be more than surprised when it comes to Mr. Malfoy," said Madame Pomfrey cryptically.
---
The library was as quiet as usual.
Draco shoved a heap of books aside and put away his parchment and ink. He looked up to find Hermione standing there, her face unreadable.
"Sod off, Granger," he said in a low voice.
"You're reading up on Muggle etiquette?" asked Hermione in disbelief. "Muggles from ages past?"
"Aren't you the bright one?" muttered Draco. "Tomorrow we can move on to bigger words."
Hermione ignored him, her face still incredulous.
"What's going on? Why on earth are you doing this?"
"Look here," he said thinly. "The Weasley girl isn't here, so I don't really need to be polite. Get the fuck out of here."
Hermione sat down beside him.
"It's all about Ginny isn't it? It is different for you now."
Draco got up and started walking away.
"Draco, listen to me," she called out. "This is Elspeth. Everything will be different once she's Ginny again."
But he had gone.
Hermione kicked at his chair furiously. Could things get any worse?
---
Draco and Ginny strolled down the path that evening. Ally watched them silently. Somehow, she knew that something had changed.
It was the way Ginny looked at him. It was the way Draco walked, matching his step with hers. It was the way he smiled at her.
Ally shivered and turned away. She suddenly thought about what would happen when Ginny regained her memory. Everything would go back to normal-just the way it used to be. She felt a pang of regret as she realized that Ginny would never walk with him after that.
And Draco would become Malfoy again.
--x-x--