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.
Author's Notes: Written for scarlettrayne2 for the Fall 2008 dgficexchange. Huge thank you to my beta, rainpuddle13 for her patience, commentary and skill.
TRUTH WILL OUT
THE BET
Draco leaned against the bar, nursing his Firewhisky in one hand, while his eyes scanned the incoming patrons. He was watching out for his best friend, who was already fifteen minutes late - not that this was unusual, because she was always running late, no matter what the occasion. He'd often teased her that she was going to be late for her own funeral, but seeing as they couldn't start proceedings without her it didn't bother her one little bit. If it were anyone else, he'd have given up in disgust and left, but they had a standing date every Friday evening, so he knew she'd appear sooner or later, probably later knowing her.
The double doors of the chic pub suddenly burst open, hitting the walls with a resounding thump, and a redhead just about fell through the opening. Her hair was a matted mess, and she looked entirely harassed. Draco smirked. This was so typically her. She couldn't do anything quietly or unobtrusively, but he'd found those particular qualities endeared her to him even more. Rather than join him straight away, she waved and made a rather large, unladylike gesture in the direction of the ladies' room.
He summoned the barkeep and ordered two more drinks while he waited. She looked like she needed a hard hit of something to start the evening. His mind wandered to what possible explanation she might have for her appearance and tardiness. It was bound to be something extraordinarily inventive, because this woman never did things by halves.
"Is this mine?" Ginny asked, reaching for the tumbler of Firewhisky.
Before Draco could answer, Ginny had drained the contents with a satisfied sigh. Without blinking an eyelid, she reached over and took his glass from his hand, and drained what was left of his drink as well.
"Bad day?" Draco asked.
"Horrific," Ginny admitted. "I swear I'm going to hex the next person who dares to fill the admission form in wrong, and then has the audacity to argue with me about it. Is it my fault they're stupid and can't read the instructions? They just seem to think that they're all 'very special people' and the rules should be waived for them." She finished her tirade with a snarl.
"Dare I ask, who thinks they're special?"
"Everyone! The general bloody public!"
Draco chuckled as he got the attention of the barkeep again. Ginny was far better suited to a position where she wasn't in contact with the general public all day, but for some reason, unbeknown to him, she'd chosen a career as a Healer's aide and dealt with the public all day long at the hospital. It was really only a matter of time before she hexed some supercilious patient clear into next century.
"Get this into you," Draco said, passing her a fresh Firewhisky. "Are we having a liquid dinner, or would you like to go through to the restaurant?"
"I think I'd better eat something," Ginny confessed. "I skipped lunch today, so this is going straight to my head."
"If you appreciated it, like you're supposed to, it wouldn't have such a devastating effect on you."
"I didn't say it was devastating," Ginny corrected. "It's quite pleasant, actually."
"But you're going to be fall down drunk before too long," Draco concluded.
"Yep, so best you feed me or you'll be carrying me home!"
"It wouldn't be the first time," Draco commented sarcastically.
"I know, but you do whine when that happens, so it's best I eat something to save my sanity."
"What was with the wild look when you arrived?" Draco asked as they walked through to the restaurant section.
"The twins!" Ginny answered simply. "As I was walking past their store they were waiting for me."
"What did they do?" Draco inquired sympathetically.
"One of them threw a ball or something at me, and the next thing I knew I was caught up in some sort of tornado or something."
"That explains the hair."
"I'm going to kill them," Ginny mumbled angrily.
"Can I watch?"
"Of course, but you've got to promise not to interfere."
"I wouldn't dream of it," Draco assured her.
"Bugger! Someone's at our regular table," Ginny complained.
"Not for long." Draco started to approach the table in question.
"Draco, you can't-"
"Yes, I can," he countered. "That's our table. We always sit there."
"We missed it tonight."
"I'll just ask them to move."
"No, you can't do that." Ginny looked around the restaurant quickly. "Look, there's a lovely table over there. If we're quick we'll get to it before that other couple."
"Fine," Draco snapped.
Ginny couldn't keep up with Draco's long strides, as he wove between tables and claimed the table only moments before the other couple got there. She thought that perhaps he had shoved the rival wizard as he passed him, but she knew better than to bring it up. With Draco, all was fair in love, war and getting the best table in the restaurant.
"You took your time," Draco drawled as she approached.
"I didn't think racing across the restaurant would be very ladylike," Ginny answered.
"Since when have you been a lady?" Draco posed with a cheeky smirk.
"Oh, so you want me to behave like a common-"
"No! You keep doing your best impression of a lady, and I'll let you know when you've nailed it."
"If you insist," Ginny said flippantly as she sat down.
"You're supposed to wait until I hold your chair," Draco pointed out.
"I'd be waiting all night if I waited for you."
Draco sighed affectedly and dropped his head into his hands. "Do we have to go back to basics?"
"What makes you think I'd need to return to the basics?" Ginny's eyes danced as she shook out her napkin and promptly tucked the linen into the top of her bodice.
Draco glanced up over his hands. "You do enjoy torturing me, don't you?"
Ginny smiled sweetly. "It's the highlight of my days."
"What did I do to deserve this torture?" Draco mumbled.
"Do you want the long version or the abridged version?"
"Is there a shorter version?" Draco reached over and snatched the napkin away from her neck.
"I could go with you're an evil, arrogant git, but that's not very imaginative," Ginny answered casually.
Draco shook his head and picked up the menus. After passing one across the table he perused what was on offer this evening. "Anything catch your fancy?" he asked after a few minutes.
"Mmm… Mr. Gray-shirt over by the bar," Ginny murmured absently.
"He's not going to look too attractive when you start feeding off him," Draco commented as he flicked her menu.
"Who said anything about feeding?" Ginny said, turning her attention back to the menu.
"Somehow, I don't think sperm is going to be quite enough to counter the amount of alcohol you've already had tonight, even if you ingest it."
"How is it that you can manage to be so proper while being an absolute animal?" Ginny quizzed.
Draco smirked confidently. "I'm exceptional."
Ginny shook her head slowly to convey how wrong he was, not that it would alter Draco's perception of himself.
"What do you want for dinner?" Draco asked seriously.
"Umm-" Ginny glanced at the menu quickly. "I'll have the chicken."
"Good." Draco summoned the waiter and placed their order.
"How was your day?" Ginny asked once the waiter had stepped away from the table.
"Same as always," Draco answered. "Father was in a foul mood, and my secretary seems to be missing her brain. Of course, that was the good part of the day, because I spent much of it trying to reconcile a month of my mother's expenditures, and that's a special kind of torture in and of itself."
"Ouch! Give me stupid, grumpy patients any day."
"At least you can sedate them," Draco claimed wryly.
"Did you manage to get the books reconciled?"
"Just. Mind you, there was a fair flow of tears from Mother when I informed her that her beauty appointments were not a company expense and she should stop having the accounts sent to the office."
"Didn't you tell her that last month?"
"And the month before that, and the month before that."
"She needs a personal secretary," Ginny pointed out. "Someone to take care of those mundane things for her."
"Are you kidding? She'd never have it," Draco responded in a horrified tone.
"Why not?"
"Because then there would be a witness and that just won't do."
"Oh." Ginny laughed. She could see the infamous Narcissa Malfoy ordering the elimination of anyone who learned too many of her secrets.
"Enough about my mother," Draco announced firmly. "I shall be unable to perform this evening if I'm thinking about her."
"We can't have that, can we?"
"Absolutely not!" Draco picked up his glass. "I propose a toast: to the end of another hellish week and to getting a mind-blowing shag tonight."
"Cheers," Ginny said as she touched her glass against his.
The moment their meals arrived the conversation gave way to the sound of cutlery against crockery. Of course, the obligatory comments regarding their food were honored, but apart from that there was little noise from their table.
Draco disposed of his Beef Wellington in short order, not realizing how ravenous he was until he began eating. He waited patiently for Ginny to finish. If there was one thing that surprised him about her, it was the speed at which she ate, or rather the lack of it. One would think in a family the size of hers it would be an advantage to be a fast eater, but here was the youngest member taking her time over every mouthful.
"Would you like dessert?" Draco offered as Ginny placed her dirty cutlery on her now empty plate.
"Perhaps later," Ginny suggested, leaning back in her chair. "I'm so full."
"Let me know." Draco winked across the table. "Shall we retire to the bar and see what we can find to keep ourselves entertained for the evening?"
"May as well," Ginny agreed. "I think it's my turn to pay for dinner."
"I've got it," Draco insisted.
"We're supposed to take turns," Ginny reminded him.
"I know, but you know I'm not good at sharing," Draco responded, reaching into his pocket for the Galleons that would cover their meal.
Ginny shook her head. She would slip the money back into his pocket later in the evening, after he'd had a little more to drink, or she'd leave it at his flat during the week. Either way she'd make sure she paid for dinner.
The bar had become crowded with Friday night revelers in the time it had taken for them to eat their meal. It was loud and energetic, and the atmosphere was one of good cheer. Music throbbed through the establishment, making general conversation a challenge.
Draco grabbed Ginny's hand and they battled their way to the bar. He ordered a couple of drinks and they slowly, as the masses allowed, made their way down the bar to be close to the dance floor. It was the perfect spot for both of them to assess the available talent.
"What about that one?" Draco nodded in the direction of an obviously inebriated blonde, who was wearing a skirt that barely covered her arse and a top that was two sizes too small.
Ginny looked the young woman in question up and down before screwing up her nose. "Too tarty."
Draco quirked his eyebrows at her and smirked cheekily. "My favorite flavor."
"So you're going to marry a tart, are you?"
"Who said anything about marriage? I just want a shag," Draco responded.
"You'll end up catching something nasty," Ginny called as he began to make his way across the dance floor.
She knew her protests were pointless, because once he spied a potential shag his dick took over his thought processes, and no amount of talking could put him off task. Ginny watched him approach the girl wearing the belt that was trying to pass itself off as a skirt.
Draco in action was something else to see. It still amused her to watch women swoon at his feet when he did nothing more than grace them with a smirk that clearly said, 'I want to rip your knickers off'. He had his moves, of course, and she knew them well, not that he'd ever tried any of them on her. At the moment, he was on the other side of the dance floor whispering charmingly in the girl's ear. A confident smirk was tugging at his lips as his hand came up to stroke her cheek gently. Ginny laughed as the girl giggled. She must remember to tell him to get some new moves, because it was getting boring watching the same rubbish over and again.
Ginny saw his arm slip around her waist, and they disappeared towards the back of the pub, where the shadows were darker and deeper. She sighed and turned her attention back to finding herself some company for the evening. The pickings were a bit slim tonight.
"Another drink, miss?" the barkeep asked.
"Yes, thank you," Ginny replied absently. She dug into her handbag for her money.
"Not to worry, miss, your friend has taken care of your expenses," the barkeep said as he placed a Firewhisky in front of her.
"He told you to look after me, didn't he?"
"Just keeping an eye out, miss," the barkeep insisted.
"Thank you," Ginny expressed genuinely.
She briefly wondered how much money Draco dropped on the bar before he went off to see if he could get lucky, but then she decided that it didn't matter. Small gestures like that assured her that he was looking after her, and it warmed her heart. Draco had a hard time talking about his emotions and typically covered his feelings with snarky comments, unless she pushed him to his limit, then he usually snapped and spilled everything in a series of angry snarls. On a very rare occasion, they connected deeply and his heartfelt honesty was enough to bring tears to her eyes - something that made her grateful he was a little protective of his feelings.
As she perused the available men, her mind wasn't quite on the job. Ginny kept wondering where Draco had gotten to and what he was up to at the moment.
"Hello, beautiful."
Ginny jumped as the voice sounded right in her ear. Her head snapped to the right to find a dark-haired man standing very close and looking directly into her eyes. "Oh, hello."
"I'm Robert."
"Hello, Robert," Ginny said politely as she tried not to choke on the odor of stale Mead emanating from him. "My name's Ginny."
"Ah, a beautiful name for a beautiful lady," Robert slurred.
"Are you here with anyone?" Ginny asked, taking the opportunity to look around and get a lungful of clean air.
"Just my mates." Robert leaned further into Ginny's personal space. "How about you? Do you have any friends here?"
"My best friend is around somewhere," Ginny admitted carefully.
"Is that a fact?"
"Yes," Ginny responded confidently. Apart from being a little drunk and smelly, the man in front of her was quite good looking. The question was could she handle the smell without barfing all over him.
"Is your friend as pretty as you?"
Ginny smiled, despite herself. The honest answer was no, because Draco was far prettier than her, but this guy didn't yet know that her friend wasn't female. For a few seconds, her mind mulled over how he would react when he found out.
"Well?"
He had breathed more than articulated the question and Ginny just about lost her stomach, as she was assaulted by the fetid stench of his stale breath. It was enough to make her mind up instantly - this one wasn't worth the torture.
"I should really go and look for my friend," Ginny said, taking a step away from Robert.
"What's the hurry?" Robert stepped into her personal space again and managed to snake an arm around her waist. "Your friend is welcome to join us. I don't mind a threesome."
"Oh, I don't think so," Ginny uttered, trying not to use too much of her oxygen supply. "I really should-"
"Don't be like that, love." Robert leaned in even further and managed to place a sloppy kiss on her cheek. "We're just going to have a little fun."
Ginny tried to turn out of his grasp, but his grip tightened, and she suddenly found herself flush against his chest. "I'm going to tell you this just once," Ginny ground out dangerously. "Let me go."
"Come on, beautiful, don't you want to have some fun?"
She tried not to react when she felt his hands beginning to wander over her body. Her wand was tucked inside her top and with her arms trapped against his chest there was no way she could possibly get it out, which was probably a godsend for this moron, because she didn't think she'd be able to resist hexing his balls off if she got her wand in her hand. "I'm warning you!"
"Oi! You! Let her go now!"
Ginny staggered as Robert was pulled backwards. She immediately looked around for her savior and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Draco's platinum hair on the other side of Robert.
Robert turned and poked Draco in the chest. "What's your problem, mate?"
Ginny cleared her throat. "Meet my best friend."
"Sod off!" Draco ordered as he gave the uncouth man a shove. "She's out of your league."
Robert glared at Draco, and then turned his drunken gaze on Ginny one last time before staggering away.
"You took your time," Ginny commented irritably as she straightened her clothes.
"Sorry, I was a bit distracted," Draco admitted.
"Oh?"
Draco smirked nefariously.
"You're kidding? You weren't seriously-"
His eyebrows quirked up and down cheekily.
"You are disgusting, you know that, right?"
"If she's willing-"
"She's a slut!"
"My favorite type."
"I'll bet you don't even remember her name, if you asked it to begin with."
"I did," Draco stated defensively.
"Well?"
"It's-err- It's not important right now," Draco claimed. "All that matters is that you're all right after that troll mauled you."
"I'm fine," Ginny clarified. "What's her name?"
"I don't remember, all right?" Draco snapped. "Besides, you're one to talk. Look at the type of men you pick up. I'm forever rescuing you."
"And how many times have I had to pretend I'm you're wife, so some past conquest will run away?" Ginny posed.
"Not that often."
Ginny's hands went to her hips, and she looked at him questioningly.
"Okay, then… There were a couple of times I needed you to bail me out, but not nearly as often as I rescue you."
"Only because you don't wait to be asked; you just assume I can't deal with the problem and go into 'knight in shining armor' mode."
"Well, if you chose your conquests a little more carefully, I wouldn't have to jump in," Draco pointed out.
"As if you can tell the difference between good and bad," Ginny goaded.
"I know what's best for you," Draco retorted stubbornly.
"You've got no idea! Honestly, you can't pick a decent partner for yourself! How on earth are you going to pick one for me?" Ginny laughed loudly. "I know exactly what you should be looking for, but it's exactly what you avoid."
"I don't avoid anything!"
Ginny rolled her eyes expressively. "If you don't count any conversation that goes beyond 'are you wearing knickers?'"
"At least it's more polite than, 'How big is your dick?'" Draco countered.
"I don't need to ask that question," Ginny replied smugly. "I just look at how big their feet are."
A horrified expression crossed Draco's face as she looked toward the floor and his feet.
"Mmm…" she teased with a cheeky grin.
"Don't go there, Weasley!" Draco warned as he shuffled his feet.
"No need to panic, darling, I'm not that desperate."
"As if I'd lower myself," Draco scoffed playfully.
Ginny punched him in the arm good-naturedly. "You're going to have to buy me a drink now, because no one is going to come near me for the rest of the night thanks to you."
"I have a better idea," Draco claimed. "Let's get out of here."
"That's right, you've had your shag, so you're ready for bed now," Ginny mocked. "Well, I haven't found a shag for the night, so I'm not ready to leave."
"You said yourself no one is going to even buy you a drink now, so don't you think it's a waste of time staying here?"
"And just what am I supposed to do about my frustration?"
Draco leaned forward and gathered her hands in his much larger ones. "You have these."
"You're such a smart arse." Ginny tried, unsuccessfully, to pull her hands away.
"Come on, I need coffee," Draco claimed.
"You go. I'm staying."
"Your brothers would flay me alive if I left you here alone."
"So?"
"So, I don't feel like losing my skin tonight," Draco explained as he walked her towards the door. "I'll even pay for the coffee."
"But I don't-"
"If you don't want coffee, I'll get you a pot of tea," Draco offered quickly.
"You know that's not what I was going to say," Ginny growled.
"I know, but I really didn't want to go through the whole not wanting to leave argument again," Draco said patiently, as he guided her through the door and onto the street. "It gets old rapidly."
Ginny grumbled under her breath about being unsatisfied as Draco led her up the street.
"I tell you what, I'll buy you a pound of chocolate if you shut up about not finding a shag," Draco snarled. "It does the same thing, doesn't it?"
"How did you know about chocolate?"
"There was an article in one of your women's magazines... If you can categorize such filthy publications as magazines."
Ginny flushed bright crimson. "You were reading my magazines?"
"You did take forever in the shower last week," Draco responded casually. "Fascinating reading."
Ginny shook her head. "I don't believe you."
"If you don't want people to know that you're a depraved whore then you shouldn't leave your dirty magazines lying around," Draco pointed out with a smirk.
"I am not! You said yourself that the articles are good."
"Ooh… A little defensive there, aren't we, Weasley?"
"Shut it," Ginny snarled, finally realizing that she was making the situation worse.
"So, who is it that gets you off: the centerfold with his huge cock or the homeboys at the back?"
"It sounds like you paid more attention to what's between the covers than I did," Ginny mused. "Are you sure all this constant skirt chasing and shagging isn't a ploy to hide your real preferences?"
"You're one sick witch, you know that, right?"
"Just checking," Ginny commented. "After all, you might be and just not know it yet."
"I think I'd have figured that out by now, if it were the case," Draco muttered.
"You could be in denial."
Draco let loose a frustrated growl. "Leave it alone. You never know who might be listening."
"Wouldn't want something like your sexuality to make the gossip columns, now would we?"
"Weasley, for the last time, I'm straight. I have never been interested in men in that way," Draco explained curtly.
"That was a bit defensive."
"Like I said before, you never know who is listening, and the last thing I need is some stupid cock-and-bull story to make my life even more hellish."
"Fine, I'll shut up now," Ginny conceded sulkily.
"Thank you," Draco said snootily.
"For goodness sake's," Ginny mumbled disgustedly.
"I would expect you to understand by now," Draco whispered. "After all, we've been friends long enough for you to know how the media persecute people like me."
"That doesn't mean you have to shelve your sense of humor."
"No, but it does mean I have an image to uphold in public."
Ginny's eyes danced wickedly. "Does shagging a slut against a pub wall help with that image upholding thing?"
"Very funny," Draco snapped.
"Touchy," Ginny teased as she poked his ribs.
"Weasley, you're coming very close to paying for your own coffee," Draco warned.
"You're far too much of a gentleman to allow me to pay for my own in public," Ginny responded assuredly.
Draco grumbled under his breath about know-it-all witches for a few moments, while Ginny laughed at his antics. It was true; he wouldn't let her pay for her own coffee, because it wasn't the done thing in his circle.
When they reached their favorite coffee shop, Draco held the door open and allowed Ginny to step inside first, as his ingrained manners suggested he should. "After you."
Without waiting Ginny wandered through the small establishment, looking for a suitable table. Her face lit up when she spied her flat mate sitting alone at a corner table. "Luna, what are you doing here at this late hour?"
"Drinking coffee," the blonde witch replied dreamily.
"Ah, Lovegood, I see you're here with all your friends," Draco drawled unkindly.
Ginny's elbow shot out and connected sharply with Draco's stomach. "Be nice," she hissed.
Draco rolled his eyes. "It's not like she notices either way."
The redhead narrowed her eyes to slits and muttered a promise of a torturous, painful death if he didn't behave.
A smirk tugged at Draco's lips, as he held Ginny's chair out for her. He'd heard the threat many times, and had yet to feel her wrath. "Coffee?" he double-checked.
"Please," Ginny answered. "Don't forget the chocolate!"
"We'll find you some chocolate later," Draco promised.
"I feel like something sweet," Ginny complained.
"I'll see what I can find," Draco answered, as he turned towards the counter to place their order.
"What have you been up to tonight?" Ginny asked Luna.
"Nothing much. I finished reading a most interesting article on-"
"We've been to the pub," Ginny cut in, not really wanting to hear anything related to the weird creatures Luna thought existed in the most bizarre locations. "It was so crowded tonight."
"Really?"
"And the talent… Well, there just wasn't much to pick from," Ginny complained. "Not that Draco had a hard time finding someone to shag. I swear, for every decent guy there must be a dozen trollops waiting with their knickers around their ankles and their legs already spread!"
Luna looked at her sympathetically. "You'll find someone one day."
"Not if Draco keeps scaring them away," Ginny admitted ruefully.
"I only scare away the trolls impersonating octopi," Draco stated as he sat next to Ginny.
"Did you get me something sweet?"
"I might have," Draco taunted.
"Do you two ever give it up?" Blaise asked as he dropped his tall frame into the only vacant chair.
"Where did you materialize from?" Draco demanded, a little shaken by the sudden intrusion.
"Just arrived."
"Your cheek is red," Luna observed absently.
Blaise's hand went to his face automatically and he rubbed the raw flesh. "Had a little run in with a bitchy brunette."
Draco snorted in an undignified manner.
"I suppose you think it's funny," Blaise snapped irritably.
"Hilarious," Ginny managed before bursting into raucous laughter with Draco.
"It's not like you had a successful night," Blaise jibed. "You wouldn't be here, if you got lucky."
"Well, I didn't." Ginny sighed heavily.
Draco stared at Blaise with a smug expression firmly painted on his features. He didn't need to say anything, especially when Ginny could convey all the details Blaise needed to know in just one groan.
"What the hell are you doing here then?" Blaise enquired.
"She wasn't the type you invite home for breakfast," Draco answered simply.
Ginny snorted in an unladylike fashion. "She was more the type you might catch something from."
Blaise cringed. "You really ought to set some standards, mate."
"I will, when you do," Draco countered.
"You know that's never going to happen," Blaise joked.
"You two are disgusting," Ginny voiced strongly.
"No more than you want to be," Draco responded smartly.
"As if you let me," Ginny complained.
"You'd like me to leave you to the trolls, would you?" Draco posed. "That guy who was mauling you tonight would have been a prize catch. I'm sure your family would have been so proud of you, if you brought him home."
"Yeah, well… I'd love to see your mother's face if she ever saw you with one of your little tarts," Ginny retorted.
"My mother has nothing to do with this," Draco ground out.
"Oh, is she hounding you again?" Ginny asked with mock innocence.
"Don't go there," Draco warned.
Ginny laughed and leaned towards the other two occupants of the small table. "Draco's mummy wants him to get married," she pretended to whisper.
"Ginevra," Draco snarled.
"I think I'm in trouble," Ginny mouthed to Luna and Blaise.
"It's not like we don't know that your mother's been giving you a hard time for a few years," Blaise commented.
"The rest of wizarding Britain doesn't need to know," Draco growled.
"That's probably why he's attracted to the wrong sort of women," Luna mentioned absently.
"What?" Draco questioned with a deep frown.
"You're afraid of commitment, and you know the minute you get someone who might be close to marriage material your mother will really start on you, and you'll feel obligated to marry," Luna explained in a vague tone.
"That's rubbish," Draco refuted. "I do not have commitment issues."
"Of course not," Ginny agreed. "That's why you haven't had a relationship that's lasted longer than four hours. Are you still leaving the servants to deal with the ones that sleep late?"
"I'm a busy man," Draco snapped. "I can't wait around all day for them to wake up."
"Especially when you'd rather not see them again," Ginny added. "You wouldn't have so much trouble, if you chose your shags more carefully."
Draco sighed impatiently. "Haven't we already gone over this tonight?"
"And we'll keep going over it, until you admit that I know what you need better than you do," Ginny answered.
"If I didn't know better, I'd think you were trying just as hard as my mother to marry me off," Draco said dryly.
"No, I'm not trying to marry you off." Ginny reached over and placed her small hand on his large one. "But I would like you to find someone decent."
"I want you to find someone too… Someone you'll be safe with and who will respect you," Draco whispered.
Their eyes met, and more was said silently than could ever be expressed with mere words.
A groan from Blaise followed by retching noises broke the moment.
"Do you mind not making a scene?" Draco hissed.
"Do you mind not getting all mushy and disgusting?" Blaise responded as he straightened up. "It's really unbecoming."
Draco opened his mouth to reply, but closed it again as their order arrived.
"Chocolate cake!" Ginny squealed delightedly. "I love you!"
"Only when I buy you chocolate cake," Draco answered sarcastically as he passed a generous slice of the rich dessert to her.
"At least you're loved some of the time," Ginny responded with a smile. "If you let me pick a girlfriend for you, you'd be loved all of the time."
"My girlfriends love me," Draco argued.
"Until they figure out that you're never going to owl them," Ginny added through a mouthful of cake.
"I never make any promises," Draco pointed out.
"You should pick a partner for each other," Luna said from behind her coffee mug.
A frown instantly creased Draco's forehead. "What?"
"You think you know what's best for Ginny, and she knows what's best for you, so you should pick each other's dates," Luna explained.
"Just what would that achieve?" Draco inquired.
"Ginny would be dating someone you approve of and wouldn't pull off her or scare away, and you would be with someone who you might have a future with," Luna replied dreamily. "Your mum wouldn't bother you about getting married if you were seeing someone with potential, would she?"
Draco looked at the other two occupants of the table. He could never quite understand why Ginny was friends with Lovegood. Ginny was a strong, intelligent woman with a good sense of who she is and what she wants. Luna Lovegood, on the other hand, was the strangest person he'd ever encountered; on more than one occasion he'd had cause to wonder if she wasn't mentally defective.
"She's actually making sense for a change," Blaise said as Draco's eyes landed on his.
"You've got to be kidding?" Draco responded, his face growing more screwed up.
"Think about it for a minute," Blaise insisted. "You don't like the kind of men Ginny seems attracted to and you often spend nights at the pub watching her for just the right moment to step in and pull the animals off. You don't relax while you're out. If you were to pick her date, you'd be able to control who she was with, which would enable you to have a good time as well."
"Go on," Draco encouraged. The idea was growing on him fast. What Blaise said was true: he didn't truly relax when he was out with Ginny, because she attracted the worst type of men and often needed his assistance to discourage them.
"You need to get your mother off your back, and the only way to do that is to make her think you're doing something about seeking out the right type of woman to marry. If you were seeing someone who could fulfill the role of a Malfoy wife, she'd back off and let nature take its course, wouldn't she?"
"Possibly," Draco mused more to himself than his audience.
Blaise shrugged and picked up his coffee. "It makes perfect sense to me."
"Hang on," Ginny blurted. "Are you suggesting that I should let him pick my dates for me?"
"If Draco picked your dates, he wouldn't be interrupting halfway through the evening, and you might even manage to get a shag," Blaise pointed out.
"That has merit, I suppose," Ginny uttered.
Draco shook his head as if to clear his thoughts. It was time to change the subject before they agreed to anything foolish. "Are you coming to dinner this Wednesday?"
"Is your father likely to be there?" Ginny asked cautiously.
"Mother would be delighted to see you," Draco tried with a charming smile.
"So your father is likely to be there then?" Ginny said, ignoring his attempt to be charming.
"Ginny, come on," Draco pleaded. "You know Mother loves to see you."
"Will you come to lunch on Sunday?" Ginny posed.
"I-err- I'm pretty sure I have plans for Sunday," Draco stammered. Just the thought of going to the Burrow for Sunday lunch was enough to give him nightmares for a year; the experience would probably see him in therapy for life.
"What a shame," Ginny said, sounding genuinely remorseful. "I think I'm busy on Wednesday night."
"Ginevra, dinner with my parents is hardly the same thing as lunch with your family," Draco reminded her.
"You're right, of course," Ginny agreed. "Dinner with your father is far more horrifying."
Draco rolled his eyes expressively. "Well, one would think you'd know how to use cutlery properly by this stage of your life."
"I do know how to use cutlery properly, thank you very much," Ginny retorted.
"Really?" Draco quirked an eyebrow quizzically. "Tell me the difference between a caviar spoon and a spork then?"
"Here they go again," Blaise muttered loudly.
"The best tool for the job, my mother always said," Ginny answered.
"Only because she doesn't know the difference either," Draco mumbled. "And tell me, when is it appropriate to giggle at the dinner table?"
"If you don't want me to get the giggles, then tell your father not to glare at me," Ginny responded sulkily. "I can't help it if I find his efforts amusing."
"It wouldn't be so bad if you stopped shoveling food into your mouth while you were giggling, you know?" Draco sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose as memories of past dinners came back to him. It really was more trouble than it was worth to have her attend, but he enjoyed the company, and his mother adored her, for reasons unbeknown to him.
"That wasn't my fault!" Ginny placed her coffee cup on the table with a thud. "I thought I had myself under control."
"Apparently, you were wrong," Draco replied matter-of-factly.
"Aren't you two bored of this argument?" Blaise questioned impatiently. "You have it every week."
"We do not," Draco contested.
"You do so," Blaise responded patiently. "The least you could do is come up with new arguments for your respective cases, so it's not so boring to listen to."
"What do you suggest?" Ginny posed crankily.
Blaise's forehead creased as ideas ran through his head, and then a smile began to tug at his lips as a particularly delicious plan took shape. "I have an idea, but you both have to promise to hear me out."
Draco and Ginny looked at each other for confirmation, and then nodded their acquiescence.
"I'm going back to the dating idea," Blaise started. "To make it a little more interesting and to ensure you both put some honest effort in, you need a little incentive, right?"
"Not necessarily," Draco drawled.
Blaise waved off the comment casually. "Ginny, if you find Draco a decent girlfriend and manage to get his mother off his back for a bit, he will agree to come to Sunday lunch for a month without argument."
Ginny nodded as a smile formed on her mouth.
"What do I get, besides the torture her family inflicts upon me?" Draco demanded.
"If you manage to find Ginny a boyfriend, who isn't a depraved animal, she will attend Wednesday night dinners with your parents, whether your father is there or not, for a month without complaint," Blaise informed him.
"And what do you get from this arrangement?" Draco inquired suspiciously.
"I get to sit here and drink my coffee in peace and not have to listen to the same foolish argument for a whole month, once the bet is won," Blaise answered, seemingly pleased with himself.
"What if we both find the other a partner?" Ginny asked.
"Then you're both obligated to attend dinner or lunch with the other," Blaise confirmed.
"This might be worth it," Draco muttered thoughtfully. He'd love to get someone he could trust with his best friend's virtue and heart.
Ginny eyed Draco curiously. She wondered if he'd really be open to meeting the type of women she thought he should be spending time with, rather than the type who were only good for shagging. "You'd honestly make an effort?"
"Of course," Draco answered. "What makes you think I wouldn't?"
"You might not agree with the type of women I pick for you," Ginny told him.
"There would have to be some ground rules in place, so you both play fairly," Blaise interrupted.
"All right," Draco granted. "Like what?"
"You both have to agree to be honest in your opinions about potential partners," Blaise said.
"Of course," Ginny answered.
"Draco?" Blaise looked expectantly across the table.
"Why wouldn't I be honest?" Draco snapped.
Blaise looked at him, raising an eyebrow as the silence dragged on.
"All right, honesty at all times," Draco growled, dissatisfied.
"We can always get a hold of some Veritaserum, if necessary," Blaise added.
"That might be a good idea," Ginny muttered. She knew only too well how Draco hated to lose anything, and this was a situation where he could deny his attraction to someone just to win.
"Or you could make a magical contract," Luna suggested vacantly.
The other three occupants of the table turned to look at the blonde witch with surprise etched into their features. If any of them had been asked whether they thought Luna was aware of the conversation they were having, not one of them could have answered yes, but here she was, apparently, all too aware of what was happening and, suddenly, contributing to the conversation in an intelligent manner.
"That would be better than Veritaserum," Draco agreed. "A lot less problematic to organize."
"It's settled then," Blaise concluded. "A magical contract will be drawn up. I'll take care of that in the morning for you."
"Just make it fair," Draco warned.
"It will be… To both of you," Blaise answered.
"So where are we going to find potential candidates?" Ginny asked. Best friend or not, she was reluctant to set any of her female friends up with Draco, because his track record for breaking hearts was near perfect.
"There's the pub, work, other friends, people we come across…" Draco started.
"We need to know something about the people, so we know whether they'd be a good match," Ginny pointed out. "I'm not going to be sending you shags."
"Personal advertisements," Luna mumbled into her cup.
"What was that, Lovegood?" Draco asked.
"The Daily Prophet has a personal column. You could both place advertisements in there," Luna expanded.
"That would give us a chance to screen everyone," Ginny mused.
"You could write an ad for each other," Blaise suggested.
"Mmm…" Ginny pondered aloud. "We could leave all the setting up to the other person."
"We'd have to check each other's schedule before we set up any dates," Draco added.
"That goes without saying, but we pretty much know what the other is doing on a daily basis," Ginny said.
"This is true," Draco conceded. There wasn't a day that passed that he didn't talk to her.
"It's settled then," Blaise said with finality. "I'll draw up the contract in the morning, and you two can sign it over lunch."
"That's not something that should be done in public," Draco pointed out.
"Looks like you girls are cooking lunch tomorrow," Blaise said with a cheeky smirk.
"Why don't we come to your place, Blaise?" Ginny asked. "I wouldn't want to put you out; after all, you're generously drawing up the contract."
"No bother at all," Blaise assured her. "Besides, I can't cook and you can. I need to get a decent meal into me sometime this week, so I'm inviting myself to your place."
"Typical." Ginny sighed and started planning what she'd need to feed the two men.
"Are you finished your coffee?" Draco asked Ginny.
"Yes, all done."
"I'll see you home then," Draco offered. "Luna, you're welcome to accompany us."
Luna looked up, surprised, as if she just realized where she was. "I think I might stay," she answered, looking around the coffee shop.
"I'll see you at home," Ginny said as she stood up.
"What time is lunch?" Blaise asked.
"Around midday," Ginny answered. "I'll see you then."
"I'll be there." Blaise grinned broadly. "Malfoy."
"Zabini." Draco dipped his head a little before leading Ginny away.
They walked a short way down the street, so they were away from the café before Apparating. Accustomed to traveling together, Draco and Ginny landed in front of Ginny's flat only a foot away from each other. Draco walked to the door and held his hand out for the keys. Ginny obliged as soon as she found them in her bag.
"Do you want to come in for a bit?" Ginny asked.
"No, thanks anyway. I'm actually feeling a bit weary," Draco answered.
"Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow then," Ginny said. "Is there anything you'd especially like for lunch?"
"Just don't let Lovegood near the kitchen," Draco responded. Though he had a smile on his face, the comment was serious.
"I promise."
"Good." Draco leaned down and placed a chaste kiss on Ginny's cheek. "Goodnight, Ginny."
"Night, Draco."
"Inside with you then," Draco insisted, not moving away.
Ginny rolled her eyes, but moved inside the flat.
"Close the door and lock it," Draco instructed.
"I'm getting there, fuss pot," Ginny replied.
Draco waited until he heard the locks fall into place, then he rested his head against the door. "Sleep tight, Weasley."
"Don't let the bed bugs bite, Malfoy," came from behind the door.
Just before he could chuckle aloud, Draco disappeared with a deep pop.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*