Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters you may recognize from the wonderful world of Harry Potter, they all belong to the revered JK Rowling; I just like to play with them a little.
ACCIDENTAL LOVE
ONLY DINNER
After a week in hospital, Draco was happy to be released. He'd endured a tough week of physical therapy and treatment to nullify the remnants of the hexes that had been cast upon him. Somehow he grew accustomed to the terrible food, but then he found the physical therapy they were forcing him to do made him hungry enough to eat a live Hippogriff. Given that, there were grounds for a case of not caring what he ate, just as long as he did. Of course, there were the days when his healer would arrive with a basket laden with the best tasting food he'd ever had from her mother's kitchen. It seemed Molly Weasley had taken it upon herself to ensure Harry's partner would not fade away, and even though he'd never met the woman, Draco was grateful for her efforts.
The only thing he was going to miss about the hospital was the company of his Healer. Somewhere along his journey back to health he'd grown quite attached to the fiery redhead, even if she did take perverse delight in embarrassing him as often as she could. It didn't seem to matter what time of day it was she always seemed to be there right when he needed her, and it was that, more than anything else she did for him, he appreciated. Besides he had developed a way of dealing with the mortification she dealt him on a daily basis, even if some of his retorts weren't always appropriate for the setting or the Healer-Patient relationship. She had taken his not-so-subtle taunts in her stride and the situation usually dissolved into one of mutual hilarity.
Upon his release, he sent Ginny an enormous display of exotic flowers and a note thanking her for her care. She had responded with a short missive thanking him for the flowers and dismissing his gratitude of her care, after all she was only doing her job. Draco had thought the better of replying, because she had simply been doing her job, and it stung a little to be reminded of that.
In the weeks that followed he did, however, ask Potter how the attractive Healer was almost every day. Draco knew Harry found this amusing and he often encouraged Draco to contact her, but the blond Auror steadfastly refused, stating he was simply appreciative of her extra care while he had been hospitalized. While he would have liked to ask her out, Draco felt somewhat uncertain about how she'd respond, and he wasn't about to take a chance with his ego. In fact, he hadn't really been out at all since his release from St. Mungo's. Women he'd previously seen on a semi-regular basis had owled him, but he'd ignored all their invitations, preferring to spend his evenings alone when he wasn't working. Though he wouldn't admit it to anyone else, his trust in women had been torn apart by the actions of that one woman. Ginny Weasley was a different matter entirely - she had nursed him back to health and he trusted her implicitly.
Before leaving the office for the day, Draco neatened his desk a little, as he usually did. It was one of those anal habits that earned him a lot of grief from his colleagues, but he refused to let his personal space become the veritable pigsties many of them allowed theirs to evolve into. When he was happy that everything was in its place, he stood up and threw his cloak around his shoulders.
"Are you off then?" Harry asked.
"Yes. I'll see you in the morning," Draco responded.
"Any plans for the evening?"
"No, just dinner at home and maybe an early night."
Harry nodded thoughtfully, rubbing his hand over his chin. "Looks like Ron is the only one with a date tonight."
"Oh?" Draco posed, more for the sake of politeness than interest.
"Yeah, and that's only with his sister." Harry chuckled.
"Ginny?"
"Yes."
"How is she?"
"She's good as far as I know."
Draco nodded and smiled. It pleased him that she was well. "I'll see you tomorrow then."
"Night," Harry called as his partner left the office. He waited until Draco had exited the entire department before walking over to Ron's desk. "Do you still have arrangements to meet Ginny for dinner?"
"Yeah, we're going to that restaurant you suggested," Ron answered.
Harry smiled broadly.
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When Draco arrived home he went straight to the sitting room closest to his personal chambers. His feet were up and he had a Firewhisky in his hand before he'd even warmed up the leather of the chair. It was becoming a lonely existence, but for now that was what he wanted. One day he'd start socializing again, though he'd take a little more care in selecting which women he kept company with.
Draco had just drained his first tumbler of fiery liquid when a great white owl flew in through the window. He recognized the bird immediately as belonging to Harry and wondered what his partner might be owling for when they'd only parted company a half hour or so beforehand. Hedwig perched herself on the arm of his chair and held her leg out, so Draco could untie the attached missive. The moment she was free of her burden the majestic bird took flight. Draco unfurled the note, reading it quickly.
Draco,
I have new information from my informant. Meet me at our usual for dinner. The reservation is under Ron's name, so we don't create a paper trail.
Harry.
The moment he'd finished reading it, Draco threw the parchment into the hearth and cast an Incendio, before leaving the sitting room to dress for dinner.
Harry and he often stepped outside the bounds of the Ministry guidelines, so whenever they knew they were deliberately going to do something that might be frowned upon they took their discussions away from the office. It was just safer that way, and then they could do what they liked without being warned of the implications first. At any rate, whatever Harry had to share must have been good if he was worried about the paper trail that might be created.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Draco sat at a table towards the rear of the restaurant wondering what was taking Harry so long. He was gradually growing more and more fidgety as concern for his partner grew. His menu was getting a battering in his hands as he tried to distract himself by deciding what he might like for dinner, but finding himself unable to concentrate on the print he resorted to bending the thick parchment back and forth until it looked ratty.
"What are you doing here?"
The voice that broke through his thoughts wasn't Harry's, but it was familiar. Draco glanced up and confirmed his suspicions. "Healer Weasley, it's a pleasure to see you again."
"It's lovely to see you as well, Draco," Ginny responded politely. "Do you know where Ron is?"
"I haven't seen him since I left the office."
"Damn! I'm supposed to be meeting him for dinner. The maitre d' told me it was this table. Are you meeting someone for dinner?"
"Potter if he ever shows." Draco smiled at the beautiful witch. She was as lovely as he remembered.
"I might just check with the maitre d'. Perhaps he sent me to the wrong table?"
"It's quite possible, considering this table was booked under your brother's name."
"Why would you do that?"
"Security purposes."
"Oh-well, have a nice evening."
"You too," Draco muttered, trying to hide the disappointment in his tone.
Ginny smiled warmly at the handsome wizard and then turned to leave. She didn't even get to take a single step before a waiter moved into her path.
"Sir, Madam, I have a message for both of you." The young wizard held out a sealed note to Draco.
"Thank you," Draco uttered, taking the offered parchment. He broke the Ministry seal and scanned the note. Harry's scrawl was easy to recognize, and given the arrangements that had obviously been made for the evening he presumed the almost illegible scribble at the bottom of the missive was Ron's. Draco looked at the pretty Healer, who was watching his curiously. "I think you ought to sit down. This is from Ron and Harry."
Ginny took the vacant chair at the intimate table and waited for Draco to continue.
"It seems they aren't coming."
"Has something happened?"
"No," Draco answered without hesitation in the hope that the spark of panic in her lovely eyes would evaporate. He passed the missive across the table. "I don't think they actually planned on coming at all."
Ginny raised an eyebrow at the comment and turned her attention to the parchment. As she read her eyes grew wider and an expression of fury began to surface on her features. "We've been set up!"
"That's an apt description."
"You're too calm!" She looked at him accusingly. "Did you know about this?"
"No, I assure you, I had no knowledge of this."
"How did you come to be here then?"
"I received an owl from Harry," Draco answered. "You?"
"I had arrangements to meet Ron for dinner. We made them last weekend." She released an unrefined growl. "I can't believe they've done this!"
"Well, I think we should enjoy ourselves," Draco commented.
"Mmm... I'm more concerned about why they'd do this."
"It was, more than likely, my partner's idea. I've become a bit of a recluse since my stay in hospital."
Ginny arched a disbelieving eyebrow at him. "I heard you were quite the ladies man."
"That was before."
"I see." Ginny smiled gently across the table. It was starting to fall into place now. "Well, I'm with you - let's enjoy ourselves."
Draco smiled genuinely. "Splendid."
Ginny allowed Draco to order for her and they fell into easy conversation. It wasn't really surprising, because they'd developed quite a good rapport when he was her patient. About halfway through dessert, she looked up at him with a deadly twinkle in her eye.
"You know, we can't let them get away with this."
"What do you suggest?"
"Well, if I was simply a means to get you out of the house again and into the social scene then perhaps-"
"Perhaps we should let them think we are a permanent thing," Draco cut in before she could voice her idea. He'd enjoyed this evening and wanted very much to take her out on his own terms. "Let them think we've fallen in love and are inseparable."
Ginny's eyes widened just a fraction at the suggestion.
"That was a warning from your brother on the bottom of the note, wasn't it?"
"Yeah, something about it being only dinner." Ginny laughed. "I think you have a brilliant idea there, but-"
Draco stopped congratulating himself silently and looked at the attractive woman across the table. "But what?"
"We have to do something particularly wicked to pay them back initially, because they'll be expecting some form of retaliation, and then when we continue to see each other..."
"It'll sting all the more." Draco grinned in a feral fashion. "I like the way you think."
"Thank you."
"What are we going to do?"
"We're going to have to make it good."
"I agree."
"What time do they usually get to the office?" Ginny asked as wicked plans started forming in her mind.
"Around eight-thirty normally."
"Good, that will give us time to set something up first thing in the morning."
"You have some ideas?"
"Of course, I know them better than they know themselves."
"Are you going to share?"
"I'll tell you while we're collecting what we need," Ginny promised. "Do you have an invisibility cloak?"
"Potter has one."
"I know, but I can't exactly ask him to borrow it, so I can watch him get what's coming to him, can I?"
"It's at the office," Draco informed her.
"Brilliant!" Ginny beamed at Draco. "Are you finished eating?"
"Yes," Draco replied a little absently. He'd not touched his dessert for some time, because he'd been totally enthralled with the woman across the table. She virtually lit up when she was plotting and scheming, and it only served to make her more attractive.
"Wonderful! Let's go, we've got work to do."
Given her enthusiasm, Draco couldn't refuse her order to leave right at that moment, even though he would have liked to relax with some good coffee and enjoy her company for a while longer. Perhaps after they'd done whatever it was she was intent on taking care of right now he might suggest they stop somewhere for coffee.
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AUTHOR'S NOTES
Written for dgficexchange. Thanks to Rainpuddle13 for her fantastic beta skills.
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