Believe

1. Believe

Believe

Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to the world of Harry Potter.

Author's Note: This is a one shot. Very AU. Keep that mind please. Song that inspired this was the awesome beats of Kill Hannah's Believe.

Friend or foe? Who knew anymore.

A figure dressed in a green plaid pleated mini, short sleeve white blouse with a green tie loose around her neck and red hair flying behind her, was running down a darkly lit hallway. Ginny Weasley had been caught. She could hear him running after her down the hallway and all she could do was hope that once outside she could lose him in a crowd.

Not likely this late at night.

He wasn't suppose to be there. No one had seen him in years. Not since he had disappeared at the end of her fifth year. He was forgotten by almost everyone. So to suddenly see him tonight (while dancing to the music of one of her favorite bands) was a surprise. And in a place that was completely muggle. Completely against everything he stood for.

Coming to this `underground' club had been one of her few acts of rebellion. No one knew her there. She was free to act how she wanted, do what she wanted, and wear what she wanted. The outfit she wore tonight had been a secret indulgence of hers. A walk on the proverbial bad side. Ever since she saw the little green skirt hanging in a store she'd been obsessed. Over a week the outfit had formed in her head. Wearing it had been daring.

She knew her family and friends would die of shock if they saw her. That thought alone was powerful. Rebellion felt good.

Well it had up until the point when his eyes met hers. Those eyes were as recognizable as Harry's. Her dancing had stopped immediately and when she noticed him moving towards her across the floor, she panicked. Running seemed to be the logical thing to do.

She didn't carry a wand when she came here. Stupid, she knew. And she didn't put it past him to try something even in front of all these people.

She briefly considered screaming when she felt a hand grip her upper arm and yank her back. “Let me go, Malfoy.” She struggled against him, trying to pull her arm from his grasp.

“Dammit, stop that.” His voice was quiet but there was force behind the words. Looking up at him didn't reveal any clues to what he was planning. His eyes were steady and guarded. “What are you doing here?”

That made her laugh. “I think I have a more reasonable explanation for being here than you do. A muggle club? Really? Didn't know you'd ever sink so low.”

She cringed when his grip tighten on her arm. “Do not perceive to know me or understand my actions.” His gaze was too piercing. She had to turn her eyes to something else when she noticed him looking her up and down. She heard him laugh lightly. “Who would have thought that the youngest Weasley secretly always wanted to be a…”

Finally she was able to get free from his hold on her. “Do not perceive to know me or understand my actions, Malfoy.” She stated stealing his own words and met his eyes one last time before walking up the stairs that led out.

This was unbelievable. The one place she was certain that absolutely no one would know her was now off limits. She briefly wondered if he would use this against her somehow before shaking the thought off. It would take more than her pathetic excuse of rebellion to get Malfoy to come out of hiding.

“So you never answered my question.”

“Oh come on!” She yelled to the sky. This wasn't happening. Turning around to face him again she asked, “Seriously? You're still doing this? Following people and badgering them for fun?” This was not happening to her. She would never leave her wand at home again. If she had it now she could be gone and well on her way to forgetting this ever happened. Walking back away from him, she quickened her pace.

He was following her; she could tell that his steps were close. Once again she cursed her genes for making her so short. “Come on…you know you want to tell me. I saw you out there. You were just waiting for someone to take notice of you. Too bad it was me.” He was now walking right beside her.

Glancing at him out the corner of her eye she could see the ever present smirk that never left his face while at school. He seemed to be taller, but she wasn't sure since this was the closest she'd been to him in years. His eyes were still the same startling grey color (she noticed that in the hallway of the club). His hands were shoved into his pockets.

“Stop staring. It's considered rude.” That made her stop. He was giving her tips on manners?

“What? Rude? You'd know all about that then, wouldn't you? Chasing me out of there and following me when it's clear that I do not want your attention.” She began walking again while muttering under breath.

“But you did want someone's attention. Was it someone in particular there, or would you settle for anyone?” She knew he was trying to bait her and that she shouldn't take it, but she was a Weasley.

“Obviously I wouldn't settle for anyone or I would have left with someone like you.” She really needed to find a taxi. Or something heavy she could use to knock someone out.

“Ah, but you did leave with me. Well kind of.” She saw him shake his head. “Close enough.”

She snorted at his inability to form a complete thought. “Better stop there, Malfoy, before you hurt yourself. All this thinking seems to be too much for you. Hate for you to fall over from all that brain activity.”

“Yeah, I can hear the worry in your voice.” They continued walking in silence for a block. “So, are you going to tell me why you were there?”

“Why do you want to know so badly?” They were further from the club now and the streets were quiet. The cars going by were few. This late at night the city seemed slightly peaceful.

He shrugged. “No clue, seems odd though. Youngest Weasley at an underground club, dressed like that, listening to that band. Just surprised me.”

It was all she could not to laugh and explain her happiness at finally shocking someone, even if it was him. So instead she stuck to safe answers. “I happen to love that band.”

“Interesting.” His eyes stayed forward and his smirk was still in place.

“Merlin you're infuriating.” She saw him grin at that. “That wasn't a compliment, Malfoy.”

“I'll take it how I want.” That left her muttering again. It took a minute for her to realize that he had stopped. Turning around she saw him leaning against the back of a bench along the side walk. “So, you still need to tell me.”

Ginny knew she wasn't getting rid of him until she answered. She didn't know if he was lacking for conversation lately or just looking for a tie to the world he use to belong to. Malfoy was someone she would never figure out and she wasn't sure she wanted to. Going back to where he was she moved to sit atop the back of the bench facing away from him.

“I hate being the youngest and the only girl. Before I was born it seemed there was a standard I had to follow. I hate being seen as the girl who always obeys her parents. I get so frustrated about it. So I decided to do something about it. Going there and dressing like this helps me remember that I am still my own person. Even if I don't have the courage to stand up to my family and tell them. I hate disappointing them.”

With that being said, silence stretched between them. She had no idea how much time passed before she began yawning. Jumping down, she looked at him again before heading back up the street. Her flat wasn't too far now and all she wanted was to sleep and pretend this night was a strange dream.

Once she had gotten a few meters away, she heard his voice. “Hey Ginny,” She turned to look back at him strangely. “It looks good on you.”

She nodded her head in thanks and continued walking. She only glanced back once when she remembered that she hadn't asked him what he was doing there, but he was already gone.

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