Unofficial Portkey Archive

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, it belongs to JK Rowling, etc etc.

Authors Note: Okay, here's the next chapter. It's only short, but it's better than nothing. Besides, it's basically just to set up the next chapter. Thanks for the reviews. Enjoy.

Chapter Twenty

The first few weeks back at Hogwarts flew by quickly for Ginny. This year she was taking her OWL's and that meant lots and lots of homework and revision, which meant less and less relaxation. Time seemed to just speed by when she was busy and before she knew it, she had been back at Hogwarts for over a month.

Ginny was currently sitting in the Gryffindor common room, a pile of books surrounding her. She had her quill tucked behind her ear, a habit she had picked up from her Ravenclaw friend Luna Lovegood. As her brown eyes scanned the books before her, she heard her brother complaining about not being able to Apparate, and looked up. He was talking rather loudly with his friends Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnegan.

"I just can't seem to do it right," Ron said, running a hand through his red hair, "and I know it's all that Potters fault. He's always gloating about being able to do it easily, like everything else in his life. I swear, I bet he cheats somehow. No one is that good."

"I don't know mate," Seamus said with his thick Irish accent, "I almost did it the other day, did you see?"

"Yeah, yeah," Dean waved him off with practiced ease, "we heard you the first five thousand times. I think you're right Ron, every time I see Potter's friend Malfoy he always smirks at me, like he's mocking me. I bet he knows what Potter's doing, hell, I bet he's doing it himself. He got the hang of it pretty quickly, didn't he?"

"Oh shut up," Ginny had had enough. She stood up from behind her books and began to angrily cram them into her bag. For some reason, she felt the need to defend Draco and Potter. "You're just jealous they're better wizards than you."

The three Gryffindors gazed at her with shock, Ron's mouth hanging open and Dean's cheeks flushing angrily.

"Oh yeah?" Dean snapped. "You're suddenly an expert with all things Malfoy now are you? Or did you join Potter's fan club?"

"Shut up," Ginny returned, "you sound like a petulant child. Just because I'm smart enough to realise the truth."

Ginny brushed angrily past them on the way to the exit, turning back once to add:

"And in case you didn't notice, Neville got the hang of it just as quickly, so is he cheating as well?"

"Err..." Dean gaped at her.

"That's what I thought," Ginny said with satisfaction, turning her back on them and leaving the Gryffindor common room behind. She was late for a study session with Luna anyway.

Making her way down the lonely halls of Hogwarts, Ginny's mind wandered, inevitably coming to rest on a certain silver haired Slytherin. She couldn't help it, but whenever she had any free time lately - which, granted, wasn't all that often - her mind just instantly leapt to Draco. He invaded her mind like a parasite...an extremely good looking and sweet parasite. Yes, sweet, you heard right. Ginny was surprised herself, but Draco had been incredibly nice to her lately. She had only seen him in passing, but every time she did, he gave her a little shy smile that made her heart flip and heat rise to her cheeks. Not to mention the gift he gave her for Christmas.

She wasn't exactly sure what had caused the 180 shift in his personality, but she liked to think it was because of her. Maybe being rejected over and over again woke him up to the truth, like a splash of cold water in the morning, and he no longer thought he was Merlin's gift to women. Did that make her egotistical? She didn't know, but she liked to think that she had something to do with it. Maybe he had always been that way and she just hadn't seen it. Either way, she liked what she saw now, so when she woke up from extremely nice (but naughty) dreams, she was not sickened anymore. Just a little embarrassed.

As if her musing had summoned him, Draco suddenly appeared before her, coming around the corner. Not paying attention (too busy thinking naughty thoughts!) to where she was going, she almost collided right with him, but his quick reflexes saved her when he grasped her shoulders firmly. She gasped, her eyes flicking up to his silver ones and widening, her mouth an 'O' of surprise.

"Weasley," Draco said, a goofy grin on his face, "watch yourself, don't want to be falling now, do you?"

"Err..." she was speechless for a few seconds, but finally her mind kicked into gear again, and she smiled back, "no, I certainly don't. Thanks for saving me."

"Anytime," Draco said, still grinning his goofy grin, "anytime."

He let go of her, making to step by her. Ginny's eyes scanned the hallway, it was empty, and then she reached out and grabbed his arm as he was leaving.

"Wait," she said. Draco turned surprised eyes to her. "You don't have to run off, you know. I...we haven't talked in a while. How are you?"

"Oh," Draco ran a hand through his hair nervously, and Ginny smiled at the cute blush on his face, "I'm okay, you?"

"I'm great," Ginny said, "well, mostly. OWL's this year, it's hard work."

"I remember," Draco replied. "Hey, did you get my card?"

"I did," Ginny returned with a smile, "it was wonderful, thank you."

"And the gift voucher?" Draco asked. "What did you get with it?"

"I haven't used it yet," Ginny said, playing with the hem of her robes idly. Why was this so awkward? Because every time you look at him you imagine what it would be like to kiss him, her mind supplied sarcastically. Oh, yeah, right.

"How come?" Draco queried. "Is it not enough? I could get you more you know."

Ginny chuckled uncomfortably. "No, it's fine. It's more than enough...too much, I think, actually."

"What do you mean?" Draco asked in confusion.

"I can't accept a gift like that Draco, it's just not right, I didn't do anything to deserve it."

"You don't need to," Draco said quickly and defiantly, "it's a gift. Please, just take it. You don't need to do anything to deserve. I just...wanted to do something nice for you. Please."

"I..." Ginny fumbled. "I really shouldn't, but...I guess...if you really insist."

"I do."

"Okay then," Ginny said, giving in, "I suppose I'll accept it, but you have to let me do something for you."

"Oh?" Draco smiled.

"Yeah," Ginny confirmed, "anything you want. A favour."

"Well," Draco said with a smirk, "there is something."

Ginny was a little surprised at his smirk, something she hadn't seen him do in a long time. Looking back on her conversation with him, she groaned, realising the trap she had set herself in. He's going to say something dodgy.

"Will you go to Hogsmeade with me this weekend?" Draco asked, his smirk gone, replaced by a look of nervous anticipation and...fear?

"Uh..." Ginny was, once again, surprised. Would she ever figure out what was going on inside the head of one Draco Malfoy? "Will I...? You mean...a date?"

"Erm," Draco lowered his head meekly, "if you want it to be."

Ginny felt the heat rise to her cheeks as he mind whirled with thoughts of Draco and herself - holding hands, eating ice cream together, hugging, playing in the snow, kissing in the snow...you get the idea.

"I'd...like that." Ginny admitted, barely audibly.

"What?" Draco looked shocked. He was probably expecting to be harshly rebuffed again. Once again, Ginny felt herself mentally berating herself. I'm such a bitch! She thought.

"I said, I'd love to go on a date with you." Ginny repeated, firmly and clearly, meeting his eyes.

Draco grinned, his white teeth showing, his silver eyes sparkling with joy. He ran a hand through his hair again.

"...Great," he said, unable to stop smiling. "Shall I meet you in the entrance hall then? We can walk down together."

"Sure," Ginny nodded.

"I look forward to it," Draco said, his eyes darting around anxiously.

"Me too," Ginny whispered, her eyes lowering to the floor. Before she could even react, she felt Draco take her shoulders, and as her eyes shot up, she watched as Draco came closer, his lips descending, pressing lightly to her cheek. She opened her eyes (when did I close them again?) and stared at him. He stared back, his cheeks bright.

"Sorry," he whispered.

"It's okay," she replied, whispering as well.

"Bye," he said, backing up, letting go of her shoulders.

"Bye," she returned.

And with this monosyllabic end to the conversation, the two separated, Draco going back to doing whatever he was doing, and Ginny standing still in the hallways for a time, how long she wasn't sure. When she finally came back to herself, she jumped, blushing, realising she was now dreadfully late for her meeting with Luna. She quickly dashed to the library.

(----)

Draco returned to the Slytherin common room, smirking all the way. Everything was going as planned. The little Weasel was falling for him quicker than he thought she would. It was no trouble to him of course; it just made his task easier. He sauntered into the common room, still smirking, and spotted Blaise sitting by the fireplace. He wandered over.

"Ah," Blaise said with a grin, looking up as Draco approached, "if it isn't lover boy Draco. How goes things on the Weasley front?"

"Great," Draco boasted, sitting down across from the cocky Slytherin, "I'm sure I'll have her in the sack soon. No problem."

"Finally," Blaise said, "I was beginning to get worried. Thought you might be loosing your touch."

"Yeah right," Draco scoffed.

"You've got to admit," Blaise said thoughtfully, "the Weaslette is proving quite a challenge. More than any before her, that's for sure. Remember that stupid Ravenclaw you got in less than two days, that was a classic."

Draco chuckled. "Yeah," he said, "and I thought Ravenclaws where supposed to be smart?"

Blaise laughed. "Me too," he said.

"Anyway," Draco leant back into the chair, resting his arms along it's back, "I'm sure I'll have good news for you pretty soon. And then, once that's done, I'm going to crush the uptight bitch."

"Wow," Blaise said, shaking his head, "I don't think I've ever seen you so determined to conquer girl, she really must have pissed you off. I got to say, it's good too see. I was beginning to think you'd gone Gryffindor on me."

Draco laughed mockingly. "Yeah right, me? Gryffindor? You must be kidding."

"Well," Blaise stood up, stretching his waking muscles, "be sure to tell me when you're going to break the poor little blood traitors heart. I definitely don't want to miss it."

Draco felt a spark of anger at Blaise, but shook it off. "Right," he said coolly.

"Later." Blaise wandered off.

Draco watched him go, wondering why he suddenly felt really guilty. He wasn't having second thoughts, was he?

Draco shook his head, smirking. Second thoughts? He though. Yeah right!

(----)

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