"WEASLEY! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!"
Anger. Just another one of those fun filled emotions that I was blessed in abundance with. A professional, or Hermione, would have probably recommend something leisurely; Quidditch, writing or reading, punching Ron, and things of the like. Basically, physical and mental activities that keep you focused on things other than pummeling anything that wasn't Ron or causing an unplanned, unfortunate accident like, say...Shrinking someone down to the size of a Bowtruckle. Especially when that someone happened to be Draco Malfoy…
"Oh my…"
Wow, Gin, very intelligent. I towered over Draco, a fact that should have been very, very satisfying, but no. Of course not. I was terrified. What had I done? Why did I do that? Mum's going to kill me…
I began to tremble at the last thought. There was no one alive, dead, or stuck between that was more petrifying than my mother. I could see my life ending, right there in the corridor, or maybe a few hours later when my mother actually heard the news. I was done for. Dead, flobber-worm feed, the stuff left over from a giant attack…
Ranting. It happens. Excuse me.
I stared down at Draco as my heart beat began tattooing a muddled beat. Yes, nervous levels were functioning on a definite high. And Draco, the now literally little sod, wasn't helping in the slightest.
"Oh my? OH MY! That's all you can say! You turned me into a bloody fairy!"
It was a silly analogy and I almost laughed at the absurdity of it. Draco? A fairy? Never…
Focus Gin. Keep on topic…
"Shut up Malfoy!" I snapped, his squeaky voice making it difficult to concentrate on how I was supposed to undo this. I didn't even know how it was done in the first place!
Um...Draco had been doing his routine bashing of my family but that was nothing new. My wand had been in my hand because my book bag had decided that that was an amazing moment in time to break open. Draco had made a comment somewhere along the lines of 'fulfilling rightful duties' as I began gathering everything off the floor. From there, my brain didn't register much…
Little Draco had jumped and made a point of looking thoroughly put out as my voice echoed in his tiny ears. But he was listening now, and I exploited that fact for all it was worth.
"Do not even think of insulting me again because I will crush you if you do not shut that wicked mouth of yours."
I grew bolder as I spoke. Standing up for myself was not something that I was completely unaccustomed to. I lived in a house with seven other boys after all. But this was different. Normally, the kind of control I suddenly had in my power was something that I only dreamed of. I mean, come on, who didn't want to make Draco Malfoy quiver a bit. It was weird, this abrupt switching of roles, but I was beginning to like it. I was just choosing to ignore the fact that his fear was only born because his sudden lack in the height department…
"We need to fix this," I muttered, pinching the bridge of my nose in a way my mother always did when she was trying to remember something important. It didn't help…
"We? Oh no Weasley. You made me this way and you will change me back this instant."
"Malfoy, you're an inch high. You don't have a say in whether you participate or not."
"But what exactly am I supposed to do when I'm only, as you have so subtly pointed out, an inch high. I can't exactly pull books off the shelves of the library, now can I? And what if someone squashes me?"
It took a great deal of effort not to reply to this statement, or to imagine what squashing Draco would be like in detail. I did however, let out a frustrated sigh and tried to ignore the growing headache that had started to pound at my temples. In all honesty, I had no idea where to even start looking for counter curses. I couldn't even remember what I had said (if I had said anything) to make Draco shrink so rapidly.
"You have no idea what to do, do you," he said impatiently, as if he had read my thoughts while tapping his polished dragon hide shoe on the floor.
"Course I do," I lied. "I was in the process of making it understandable when you so rudely interrupted."
My gift of sarcasm was evidently unappreciated. Little Draco rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest while giving me the Y.S.F.S. look. You're so full of shit…Can't please everyone I guess.
"Useless M-" Draco began, but stopped halfway through when he saw my heel rise off the ground. "Err…The library?"
Good little Draco! He thought that up all on his own and with the sense to make it something that I should approve.
"It's definitely a start," I agreed, not bothering to try and hide how amused I was by this advantage. "But how, pray tell, are you going to get to the library? With your legs it will probably take you weeks…"
Draco looked around at his newly enhanced surroundings with a look of disgust clearly plastered on his face. It was interesting to watch his thought pattern which was displayed just as visibly; he glanced down the corridor, grimaced, spotted his now-oversized wand a few Quidditch pitches away, groaned, then up at me, then my hip, and grinned. Oh no. He didn't dare…
"Looks like you'll have to carry me."
Of course, adding another point to the Draco side of the Ginny vs. Draco tally. I just had to ask, didn't I...
"Fat chance of that happening," I snapped back, instantly annoyed again. "And you can wipe that smirk off your face before I do it for you."
"My, you're a violent person…"
"Would you like to test that assumption?"
"Not really but I could use a lift."
"I'm not the Knight Bus!"
"All in the eye of the beholder I guess."
My annoyance level seemed to reach an all time high. I was beginning to wish I could remember what I had said just so I could shrink him so small that he would never be seen again. My hand clenched around my wand again in a grip that should have snapped it. Luckily for me, my strength seemed to only be supporting my sarcasm then and the rod remained fortunately whole.
"Since we are going to be working together, Malfoy, I suggest that you make an attempt to be civil."
Draco snorted while cocking his head to the side, one eyebrow going up. There was that look again, Y.S.F.S.
"And what about you? You're no angel yourself."
"You don't really have anything to bargain with here," I said through clenched teeth.
"Only a father who has more power and money than..." Pause. Sigh. "Do we have an agreement or not Weasley."
"Fine."
"Fine."
As quickly as possible while trying to swallow how degrading the act was, I scooped Draco up into my palm. His little grunt somehow echoed in the corridor as his feet were knocked out from under him. It wasn't the kind of payback I had wanted but was something. The look on his face was priceless though, a confused mix of anger, discomfort and shock all rolled into one.
"You could have warned me," he complained, righting himself and grabbing a hold of my thumb. I shrugged, trying not to let my smirk stretch to wide.
It was a longer walk to the library then I had expected. I don't know if you have ever carried a little person that wiggles and yelps every time you take a step but let me tell you, it was not fun. Eventually I just told him to stuff it and if he didn't, he could walk the rest of the way. It worked perfectly…Until my arm started getting tired. He didn't like the idea of being 'a parrot' on my shoulder though…
"Put me in your pocket," Draco said almost immediately after we entered the library. My answer came before I could ask why.
"Talking to your hand now Weasel?"
There was only one person I hated more than Draco Malfoy and it just so happened that the approaching voice belonged to that someone. I quickly dropped Draco in the pocket of my robes, hating that I obeyed so freely but not willing to reveal my little mix up just yet.
"Draco will be sorry he missed this," the pug-faced Pansy sneered. "Oh well. I shall just have to fill him in later."
Two creeps in one day. One was in my pocket while the other came too close for comfort and tried to make herself look intimidating. Really, how was I supposed to take this without shrinking another person? I was not willing to carry the two of them around all day, that was for certain.
Okay, breath, that's it, stay calm…Okay. And leave. You don't want a fight.
I got two steps before the ruddy girl grabbed my arm.
"You really need to learn better manners Weasel. You don't walk away when someone's talking to you. It's not very lady like, now is it?"
"And you are?" I fired back, unable to control my anxiety. "You have no room to judge character Parkinson. You're as horrible as they come."
"Now. Temper, temper. We can't have you mouthing off to someone who could crush you in seconds," she replied, her voice getting steadily higher pitched. Where did this girl learn how to play bully? The dialogue was something you'd hear out of one of those horrid romance novels.
"Ha! I'd like to see you try." Her grip tightened slightly but she didn't move. "Just as I thought."
I shrugged her off and marched out of the library, fuming but surprised. Two bullies in one day. One still in my pocket, the other standing behind me red faced. And I took them both on…Wouldn't Harry be proud.
"Uh, Weasley? Can you let me out now?"
(…)
"Oouff…Where are w…Ohhhhh…"
After being…deposited on my bed, Draco's eyes went wide as he took in the Gryffindor girls' dorm room. He had stayed inside my pocket until I had reached my dorm. It was probably a bad idea but I couldn't think of anywhere better to keep him un-squashed and within a safe, squealing-free range. And, it being Thursday afternoon, everyone was in class which left me with some time to think.
I watched him walk across the four poster. Despite the lumps in the mattress, his walk was as graceful and as calculated as usual. His face held a boyish interest in his surroundings, like he had discovered an uncharted continent.
"Done staring?"
Caught. Damn…
"I wasn't staring," I snapped, feeling an unwelcome blush rise on my cheeks.
"Uh huh," was all he said. After he turned away, I made sure to pull a ridiculous face. It was childish but necessary. Seemed better than taking my wand to him again anyways.
I flopped down sideways on the bed, enjoying little Draco flying upwards a few feet before crashing back down unceremoniously. He tossed a glare in my direction and I quite happily sent one right back. It was a bad move on my part however. My response gave birth to a staring contest. It was like being at home with my brothers with all the juvenile antics I had been kicking up all day.
Blink.
"I win."
"You did not!"
"I did too. You blinked Malfoy and that means you lose."
"You are so ridiculous…"
Silence fell after my victory. I had little to say to him and the feeling clearly being mutual because the brat said nothing, preferring to compose himself in a delicate sulk.
Minutes passed as I stared up at the red canopy above me. I listened to the nearly nonexistent sound of Draco's breathing, finding the focal point more calming then anything else at that point in time. The comfort I felt in those few minutes was strange though and it was all I could do to brush it off when Draco finally broke the silence.
"So…" he said quietly, as if something would break if he spoke any louder then a whisper. "What now?"
The moment was most definitely gone as his question ended. Back to reality…
"Well, I have to find a way to get you out of my dorm room and back to yours without being caught, reverse whatever I did, and then pray to Merlin that my mother won't find out."
"Wouldn't it make more sense for me just to stay here until we can figure this out?"
It was logical, less dangerous for little Draco, and easier to manage. Of course I didn't think of it right away…
And then my brain actually assessed that bit of information and found the reasons why it wasn't the first thing that came to me. It was dangerous for me if anyone found out (I definitely started praying to any deity listening that this wouldn't come to pass) and I didn't want Draco, whatever his size, in my room.
"I'm sure we can think-" I began to reply before getting cut off.
"There is nothing to think about, Weasel. Honestly, what other options are there?"
"But why here?!"
"You really need me to answer that in-depth?"
A slow, suggestive grin appeared on Draco's face and I felt heat rise from my collar. I had walked right smack into that without even stopping to consider the consequences. Another tick for Draco…
"Pervert," was the best retort I could come up with. Draco's only response was a lazy shrug, which neither denied nor accepted the statement, before turning his gaze once again to his surroundings. Thankfully I was saved from trying to decipher his ridiculousness by the sound of footsteps and laughter approaching the dorm. Okay so maybe I wasn't that thankful. Especially when I had to practically sit on Draco in order to hide him. I had only just thrown the edge of my robe over his head when my dorm mates came giggling through the door.
(…)
"That was far to close for comfort."
"You could say that again."
It had taken an hour for the girls to finally leave for supper. Of course I had babbled and blushed and eventually claimed tiredness for my lack of tact throughout the encounter. The girls, my friends, had given me the "Ohhhhkay…she's lost it again" look and not-so-subtly suggested that I might want to talk to Madame Pomfrey about my issues.
"Why did you take so long getting them to leave?" Draco demanded as he pulled his fingers through his static kissed hair.
"What was I supposed to say? I'm sure they would totally understand your hiding under my robes."
"If this were my dorm…"
"Well it's not and I don't have Mr. Intimidation-kill-everyone as my father so things take a little longer."
Ooo, struck a nerve. Draco's face twitched into the beginnings of a scowl before he turned away and walked towards the edge of the bed. I wasn't surprised that he was angry with me, but his silence did. No "stupid Weasel" this or "Muggle lover" that. Nope. All was quiet on the Draco front and man was it intense.
For a few minutes, he just stood there in the familiar, furious position; shoulders tight, fists clenched, head down. Sans the yelling though. I had seen Draco mad before but not like this, never like this actually. There was always a reaction with him, no matter what was said. Had I really said something so horrible?
Uh oh…Sympathy and regret began to kick through my system. Images of what the father-son relationship really meant between the Malfoy men floated through my head. I felt sorry for him and angry at myself. I didn't like it one bit.
The apology started before I could stop it.
"Draco, I'm…"
"Don't," was all he said. It took me a minute to recover from the abrupt change to what I had pictured happening. I would have thought that, well…Something other then that would have happened.
"I just-"
"I said don't."
Finally, he turned back to face me. The anger in his eyes was of the distant kind, directed at something or someone else. His face was stern but it also held a kind of weakness that I don't think he knew was there. He looked so torn that I couldn't tell him. It was the first time, in the six year that I had known him, that I had held my tongue.
"I'm tired," he said suddenly, as if the silent interaction taking place was too much for him. "I want to sleep."
Okay, dumb question but…
"Where?"
Ah, not so dumb. Draco gave me a quizzical look before opening his mouth to say something. He promptly shut it as soon as his predicament really settled in.
"Well-"
The boy evidently did not notice how like an open book he was when it came to his thought processes. His eyes flashed from my pillow (no way in hell was he sleeping there - I would make sure of that), to the mattress (no good - I roll) and then up to the railing at the top of my four poster.
"Why don't you hang something up there, in the corner over there so I won't be seen?"
I frowned up at the corner he pointed to. It was the only cobweb free spot of course, a rarity it seemed, and of course Draco had picked up on that factor. A look of disgust crossed his features as he looked at the other three corners of the frame.
"Have you made a pact with Granger to ward off the house elves too, Weasley?" he drawled, suddenly lapsing into the familiar tone as if nothing had happened a moment before.
"No," I spat, hoping that I sounded convincing. He had never fallen victim to Hermione's influence before. He didn't know what happened when she decided to make it her purpose to change the opinions of her friends. I loved her like a sister but Merlin was she frightening sometimes.
And honestly…
Wait! I know!
I sat up so quickly that the push of air caused by my movement nearly tipped Draco over again. He grumbled something unintelligible as I scrambled around to the foot of my bed but stopped when the lid of my truck hit the base of the four poster. It felt like I was digging for some precious jewel, the way I pushed my cloths, books, and other things aside. Of course it wasn't something as precious as those shiny stones but it might just do…
"Ah ha!"
I pulled a square piece of material from the wreckage that was my truck. It was green in colour, with faint, black lines crisscrossing from one corner to another like vines. Draco didn't seem as excited about my find however, staring at it as if it had been someone's nose rag.
"What's that?" he asked, giving the material a disgusted look.
"It's called a bandanna."
"A ban-what-a?"
"A ban-dan-na," I clarified as a crawled back onto the four poster. "My brother Charlie brought it back for me from Romania, said that a lot of Muggles wear them."
"Wear them," Draco said, his tone not questioning per say but still giving off the normal 'you must be speaking in a foreign language or you are delusional' vibe.
"Yeah," I replied, standing on the mattress and pulling out my wand. "Muggles use them to tie their hair back. Charlie taught me how once but it just kept slipping off."
After folding the bandana into a triangle, I held it up to the corner beams. It took a few tries but after some fidgeting, a couple of spells, and a lot of concentration, I managed to get the material to hang sort of like a hammock. Easily pleased with myself, I grinned and looked down at Draco only to see that my accomplishment was not appreciated.
"Is it safe?" he asked, staring up at the bandana and the looking at me like I had somehow created an intricate death trap.
"Thank you for your vote of confidence."
"Oh take your shirt off, Weasley."
"Excuse me?"
Draco paused for a moment, as if he had just realized that I was his audience instead of one of his adoring Slytherin girls. He frowned slightly and for a split second I thought he was about to apologize. But then he shrugged as if his statement was a perfectly rational way of conversing. I was so ready to flick his tiny ass across the room when he spoke again.
"Don't be so put out," he said casually while examining the palm of his hand. "It's not like I meant it. And anyways, I was just trying to ensure my safety. There's no need to get defensive."
I mumbled something noncommittal before kneeling down and pinching the collar of his robes between my finger and thumb. He let out a squeak-like yelp as I lifted him off the bed and raised him to eye level.
"Play nice," I said sourly, "or I'll drop you down a staircase."
"All right! All right! Just put me down!"
And I did, letting him fall right smack dab in the middle of the bandana bed. He cursed and glared at me but eventually got up to examine my creation. He wandered to each edge before returning to the middle and after giving it a tentative jump, he gave it the nod of approval. How blessed I was…
"It will do for now," he said as gave it another once-over. I couldn't help but roll my eyes. I also couldn't help the large grumble my stomach produced a moment later.
"I need to get something to eat," I muttered, trying to hide my embarrassment in a quiet tone.
"Clearly," Draco drawled while seating himself in the middle of his new bed.
"If you want me to bring you anything back, you better start-"
"I'm not hungry," Draco said, cutting me off in the middle of my threat.
"Fine then."
(***)
I was half hoping that he would be hungry when I got back. Wait, who am I kidding? I was hoping that he was starving so I could waggle my food in his face. It was silly, I know, but the thought of being able to finally execute the beginnings of long awaited revenge was more than enough to make me grin all the way down to the Great Hall. It didn't help that I was able to load up my plate and claim that homework was my priority of the night when questioning arose, leaving me with a clean get away. I practically skipped back to the dorms.
Yes, it was that bad. Which made it all the worse when I found Draco asleep when I returned…
Author's Note: So I figured it was about time to re-write this fanfic and fix up all the mistakes I made the first go around. It will take a while, my free time these days is limited, but I'm hoping to eventually finish it as per request. I hope you enjoy this new version but I do have all the old stuff saved if anyone would like to read it still.