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Something's Gotta Give
Mei Queen
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Authoress' Note: Sorry about the wait, as usual. Also, I'm testing a new feature for my stories- Mood Music. Basically, it's just the songs I've been listening to that heavily influenced the chapter. Sometimes it will just be one song, sometimes many, but I just thought it would be nice for you guys to have so you can really get in the mood I was in when I wrote it, lol.
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Mood Music: "Tattoo"-Jordin Sparks, "On Your Porch" -The Format, "Sway" -The Perishers
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Chapter 10: The Ninth Broken Teacup
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Ginny nervously tapped her foot on the tiled floor of her kitchen, waiting impatiently for her laptop to load the Chat window. Bloody machine, she cursed silently. She was taking her anger out on her computer, but she knew the real source of her unease-Draco hadn't spoken with her in close to a month. And yet, everyday without fail, she logged on to Chat at 7 pm, fervently hoping that SecretDragon would be listed among the names online.
But he hadn't, at least not yet. Draco Malfoy hadn't touched his Chat account in over a month, and it was driving Ginny Weasley absolutely mad.
The window finally opened, earning a huge sigh of relief from the frustrated redhead.
***RavishingRed has entered WonderfulWitchChat1 at 19:36 hours***
RavishingRed, there are 11 members in this chatroom. Members of this chatroom are currently: BrightonsBest, DrivemeWild, DyingtoDance, JigsawJunkie, JimlikeshisPimms, LovintheLadies, Modelizer, Serendipity, SlavetoStarbucks, SwanseaSweetie, WestHamRocksSocks.
Ginny sighed in utter irritation. "Damn it, Draco! Where the hell are you?"
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Draco Malfoy, meanwhile, was tucked into a cozy restaurant booth all the way across London. His girlfriend of three weeks, Daphne Greengrass, had just popped to the loo to "freshen up" after their meal. Or at least my meal, Draco thought irritably, considering Daph had a whole salad. Bloody thing was expensive, too. What could they possibly be putting in a salad to make it fifty quid, gold croutons?
Lost in his penny-pinching thoughts, he hardly noticed when the slim object of his thoughts appeared at his side. "You ready to go, Draco?"
"Huh?" he asked, startled. Looking up to meet the blonde woman's concerned eyes; he shook himself out of his reverie. "Oh. Yeah, I'm fine. Let's go."
Threading her lithe arm through his stronger one, she leaned close to him, her voice tickling his ear. "So..." she purred softly. "What do you want to do now?"
While Draco would normally be very thrilled at such an obviously open invitation, but he found that, at the moment, the prospect was simply…dull. He wasn't remotely interested, and he hadn't the slightest idea why. Daphne was just as unbelievably attractive as she had been the day prior, but for whatever reason, Draco simply could not muster up any enthusiasm at the thought of seducing her. It was too…
Too what? Draco asked himself in frustration, trying to ignore Daphne's attempts to paw him in the taxi. What's wrong with me?
"30 Dotham Way," the taxi driver called out merrily, slowing the car to a stop and setting the parking brake. "Is this the stop for both of you?"
Daphne answered an enthusiastic 'yes' just as Draco let out an equally enthusiastic 'no.'
She turned to him, irritation, confusion, and hurt all apparent in her delicate features. "What's wrong, Draco? I thought you wanted to…you know…" she murmured, allowing her voice to trail off and she ran a hand gently over his chest.
He shook his head decisively. "I'd love to, Daph, but I'm really tired."
The taxi driver snorted. Draco shot him a murderous glare in the rearview mirror.
"Really, Daphne, I'm exhausted. Go in and get some sleep. Floo me tomorrow," he added brightly, much more for her benefit than his. It was with slight surprise in that moment that he realized that he could honestly not care less if he saw Daphne again, long legs and swingy blonde hair or no.
She smiled sexily, not removing her hand from his shirt. "All right," she purred. "Tomorrow."
Leaning in to kiss him passionately, Daphne Greengrass gracefully took her exit.
She sashayed sexily up the stairs to her walk-up, and with a coy wave at Draco's cab, let herself in. Suddenly, the answer to the question that had been driving him mad earlier hit Draco like a herd of giantesses, but the answer left Draco even more confused than he was before he had it.
Seducing Daphne was too… easy.
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Ginny Weasley screeched with annoyance as the boiling water began to bubble over on to her pristine stovetop. Quickly turning off the burner, grabbing a potholder and picking up the kettle, she shrieked, "Damn it! You stupid kettle! Ugh, you worthless, ugly, pointless piece of-"
Before Ginny could give her kitchenware the talking-to it so deserved, a voice cut right through her rant. "Hullo, Gin."
The redhead whirled around in shock, kettle still in hand, spilling boiling water all over the floor.
"Scourgify," Luna Lovegood said simply, first pointing at the floor and then the stovetop. Eyeing Ginny curiously, Luna asked, "How many cups have you had today, Gin?"
It was well-circulated knowledge in their friend circle that whenever Ginny Weasley got angry, she did two things-drank a lot of tea (English breakfast, a couple drops of milk, and precisely two sugars, thank you very much), and screamed an awful lot.
At the moment, she was doing both.
Ginny sighed, slowly setting the kettle down on the now-cool burner. "Merlin, Luna, I haven't the slightest. Eight? I'm starting to get a bit jittery, so I know I'm past five, that's for sure. Care for some?"
Luna nodded, helping Ginny get the teacups, sugar, and milk down from the cabinets. Taking a seat on the stool in front of Ginny's laptop, Luna asked hesitantly, "So, you still haven't heard from him?"
Ginny kept her face turned to the teacup cabinet, trying to keep her mind off the words she was saying by studying the pattern of her china intently. "No. I haven't. Good riddance, as far as I'm concerned."
Luna nodded dimly, accepting her teacup from Ginny. She knew, as any real friend should, that Ginny knew the hollowness of her own words, but simply didn't want to be contradicted. That was fine with Luna. "Do you miss him that much?"
Ginny looked into her milky tea, noting how distorted her reflection looked in the cup. Unable to meet Luna's eyes, she asked, "Is it really that obvious?"
"Only to me," Luna said with a grin, "because I know you. I'm sure to the rest of the world, though, you just seem like the same old Ginny. Well…except perhaps a bit more hyperactive than usual."
Ginny laughed. "Well, I'm sure there are worse things."
Luna grinned. "You know it. Hey, did you hear what happened with 'Mione?"
The redhead leaned in toward the blonde, eager for a little gossip to take her mind off of her own loneliness…and off of a certain blonde man.
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That blonde man, meanwhile, was still sitting bewildered in his taxi, staring at the door where Daphne had disappeared with a sort of confused fascination apparent in his eyes.
"Gettin' out or stayin' in, mate? I'm not sittin' here for me health," the driver announced in a Cockney accent. Glancing at him in the rearview, Draco muttered irritably, "I'm getting out."
"But I thought you were stayin' and she was the one goin'," he protested, obviously completely bewildered.
"Here," Draco snapped, sliding a fifty-pound note through the glass. That ended all of the driver's protests, as money has a tendency to do.
Getting out of the cab, Draco breathed in the night air. Watching the cab drive away, he took in his surroundings. He had been to Daphne's place once, but he didn't exactly remember where it was. Notting Hill? Kensington? He wondered dimly. He could just Apparate home, but the night air felt delicious against his face, and he found that he was in the mood for a bit of a walk. Picking a direction at random, he started walking. As he walked, the townhouses began to disappear, replaced with quaint cottages, studios, and nice apartments. He began reading the names on the mailboxes with mild interest, wondering dimly if any of his employees lived out this way.
Oh, that's where Zabini lives…Draco noted, seeing the name on the mailbox and looking up at the meager studio the mailbox accompanied. Man, that's a small place. I'd forgotten that he was still single; I guess he doesn't need a lot of space…Draco thought, his thoughts sadly drifting to his empty apartment at home. So much bloody space, and all for what? His huge bed, plasma television, and nice fridge full of compartments and crispers with a freezer that was always set at the right temperature, one that kept his ice cream cool but not frozen over.
All for a single man that can't cook, he thought irritably. Taken man, I suppose, he mused wearily, mentally correcting himself after a moment. He shook his head. It just doesn't feel like Daphne and I are really together. She doesn't suit me, not nearly the way she would suit…
Draco broke off mid-thought, eyes drifting again to the mailbox in front of him, a devious yet brilliant plan beginning to form in his mind.
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"She and Harry what?" Ginny asked in pure shock, dropping her teacup to the floor, idly noting how the china shattered immediately upon hitting the tile.
"Reparo," Luna said lazily, looking at Ginny's mess with amusement in her eyes. "What is that, Gin? The fifth teacup you've broken this week?"
"Eighth," the redhead groaned, getting off her stool to pick up the now-intact cup off the floor. After rinsing it out, she poured some more tea in, lifting the cup to her lips. "Cheers, Luna. Thanks for fixing my messes."
"Anytime," the blonde answered, not bothering to hide her wry amusement. "So what do you think about the Harry thing, though? I know you talked to him a month ago about it, but the fact that he actually went up to her and asked her on a proper date, all on his own? I've heard they've had a few dates in the past weeks since you talked to him. All gone very well, apparently."
"Crazy," Ginny murmured, setting her teacup down carefully on its saucer. "I suppose I'd always figured that they would be good together, somewhere deep down. But it took them so long to figure out! And what about Ron? Part of me always assumed he'd get the guts up to tell 'Mione how he feels about her, then she and Ron would end up together."
"I'm not sure Ron feels that way, after all," Luna answered discreetly, though the twinkle in her eyes told a different, more mischievous story altogether.
Ginny gasped in understanding, regarding her friend with shock. "Luna! You didn't! Oh Merlin, that's just making me feel ill. He's my brother!"
"Well, he certainly knows his way around my Quidditch pitch, that's all I'm saying," the blonde answered innocently.
"Oh, yeah. Now I actually am going to be sick."
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"Drakie? You want me to meet you for lunch where?" Daphne asked, obviously confused from what Draco could tell over the connection between their mobiles.
He sighed, talking louder into the crackling Muggle device. "At my offices in London!"
"The Zabini ones?"
Draco exhaled gratefully, thanking the gods for allowing his dimwitted girlfriend to understand something. "Those are the ones. Around one good for you?"
"Sure! See you then, baby!"
He rolled his eyes, clicking off the connection. Truthfully, Draco wasn't going to be in the Zabini offices at one. He was there at the moment, but would be leaving for the Finch-Fletchley offices all the way across London by eleven at the latest, but Daphne didn't need to know that. You see, Draco Malfoy was not a Slytherin for nothing. He knew the reason that Daphne was dating him (his money), and he knew that women like her didn't let go of an eligible bachelor too easily. Draco couldn't stand being cruel to her (which was usually the only way women like Daphne retracted their claws from men like Draco); after all, Daphne had been a decent girlfriend, even if she didn't eat anything but salad.
So instead Draco had found an arrangement that benefited all involved, even if Zabini and Greengrass weren't yet aware quite what that arrangement entailed.
"Zabini!" he barked, pushing the button on his intercom.
A voice crackled through, dripping with amused derision. "You barked?"
Draco knit his eyebrows in irritation. Sarcastic sod. Don't know why I give a damn what happens to him… "A guest will be coming around one today. I need you to show her around. Take her out to lunch on my Galleons, got it? She's thinking of investing."
Blaise Zabini shook his head in his office. Damn it! I hate showing around those stuffy old witches, all widows who can't take a joke. Sometimes I really wish I wasn't the bloody face of these offices…
"Do you got it, Zabini?" Draco barked again, irritated that his employee wasn't responding immediately.
"I got it. Annoying witch at one. I'll be there."
Draco clicked off the intercom. Zabini was right on the witch bit, but whether or not Daphne was going to be annoying to him …that remained to be seen. Draco had a sneaking suspicion that they would barely get through appetizers before Zabini propositioned his girlfriend.
Make that ex- girlfriend, he thought happily, reclining in his office chair, already congratulating himself on a job well done.
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Ginny refilled her teacup, thinking on her day. Luna had left ten minutes prior, warning Ginny that if Ginny didn't get out of the house soon, she would go completely mad with her self-pity. Unfortunately, the British sky was being its usual self, gloomy with a high chance of rain. So, Ginny reasoned, she was much better off just staying inside. Changing into her pajamas and taking a seat on her favorite seat in her kitchen, she booted up her laptop for the second time that day.
Might as well check to see if Draco's on since the computer's already on, she reasoned with herself, meanwhile trying to ignore that voice deep down calling her a psychotic stalker. She sighed, sipping her tea as she waited impatiently for the Chat window to open.
As she typed in her password, a voice called out to her from the living room fireplace. Mum, the redhead thought in annoyance, getting off the stool. Probably Floo-ing to make sure I'll be there on time for Sunday dinner…
Getting up to use the fireplace in the living room, Ginny paid the computer no notice as it loaded her into the Chat.
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Draco let out a long sigh, turning in his office chair at the Finch-Fletchley offices later that afternoon. It was around three, and so far his mobile hadn't gotten a call from Zabini or Greengrass. Obviously the lunch is going very well, he thought to himself with amusement. At least they'll be happy. I wonder if I'll ever be happy like Zabini and Greengrass, or Finch-Fletchley and his wife…I certainly don't seem to see many women that want me for any other reason but my money. His thoughts paused momentarily. Except Ginny. She was different. She didn't know me for anything but my screen-name; all she cared about was the person that I really was, not the front that I put on for the world.
His thoughts came to a full-on stop as he realized something. I…miss her. A lot. I haven't talked to her in weeks. She probably thinks I've backed out on her completely. With the whole Daphne thing, I'd just forgotten about Chat and…Ginny. I'd forgotten about Ginny. Oh, Merlin. She must hate me.
His thoughts now escalating to a complete panic, Draco turned in his chair, frantically reaching for the laptop sitting on his desk. Clicking on the Internet icon, he tapped his foot on the varnished wooden floors with impatience. "Come on!" he muttered, growing more and more anxious with each moment that passed.
The Internet window finally opening, he typed in the Chat address, his face breaking with relief when it finally loaded.
***SecretDragon has entered WonderfulWitchChat1 at 15:32 hours***
SecretDragon, there are 13 members in this chatroom. Members of this chatroom are currently: BrightonsBest, ColdplayFanatic, DrivemeWild, DyingtoDance, JigsawJunkie, JimlikeshisPimms, LovintheLadies, Modelizer, RavishingRed, Serendipity, SlavetoStarbucks, SwanseaSweetie, WestHamRocksSocks.
JimlikeshisPimms: So are you happy with me, Becca?
SwanseaSweetie: You know, Jim, I actually am. Hell if I know why, though. You're mad.
JimlikeshisPimms: But you are too, honey, that's why it works.
WestHamRocksSocks: Is this your idea of pillow talk, Jim, because I'm beginning to realize (no offence, Becca) why you had so much trouble finding a woman the first go around…
BrightonsBest: Who wants to play Six Degrees of Separation?
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)) PM to Ravishing Red (15:36 hours)((
SecretDragon: I miss you.
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Ginny finished up her conversation with her mum, thoroughly irritated by how many times her mother had chastised the state of her living room. Like I bloody don't know it's not the cleanest it's ever been! She thought to herself, harrumphing with irritation as she walked back into the kitchen and desperately picked up her tea from where it sat forgotten on the countertop. Her laptop had since gone to Hibernate in the time she had taken with her mother, but the message Draco had sent was there waiting for her as clear as day when she touched the mouse.
Ginny's ninth teacup of the week fell to the floor with a crash.
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Authoress' Note: Review. That'd be really awesome.