Draco couldn’t believe the little vixen had beaten him to the punch! He had traded Pansy Parkinson for her patrol night so he could corner Ginny in the corridors where he could have a moment of time with her, alone.
His intention had been to steal another kiss, but she had surprised the wits out of him when it was she who had pressed her lips against his, willingly and rather demandingly.
At first, he wondered if perhaps he had hit his head on the floor harder than he thought. Maybe he was unconscious and only dreaming. But the pressure of her lips on his felt too wonderful to be a dream. Unfortunately, she had broken the kiss again, though mercifully, this time she didn’t use her knee. She simply walked away without even giving him a second look.
Draco wasn’t sure quite how to take that.
He was sure that the only reason she had broken the kiss was because Filch had been screaming at Peeves. At least, he hoped that was the only reason. It would be difficult to believe that she wasn't enjoying it as much as he had. Ginny couldn’t have meant what she had told Colin about his kissing ability. Could she? The arrogantly confident Slytherin was suddenly doubtful about his own abilities. He’d never had any complaints before. He simply assumed that whenever he’d kissed a girl before the dreamy look that had a tendency to follow a good snogging was indication that he’d done his job.
It was odd how he felt that he could have just kissed her lying there in the puddle in the middle of the corridor all night. In his previous experience he found that the snogging would get old somewhat quickly and his hands would want to wander to more exciting pleasures. Not that those things didn’t come to mind when he was thinking about Ginny Weasley. But, gods! He could get drunk on her kisses alone! It was insanity.
Another taste of her lips only left him wanting more. He was addicted, plain and simple. But what was he to do now? He had no idea if she reciprocated his feelings at all. He knew that she obviously felt something. But was it only curiosity, as he had felt initially? Now that she had kissed him, had she satisfied that curiosity? Would she have anything more to do with him? Not that she had much to do with him as it was, he thought with a trace of bitterness. He was going to need to rectify that. He was a Slytherin, after all, and when he wanted something he got it. And he wanted Ginny Weasley.
In Advanced Potions Ginny was unusually quiet. She hadn’t even made eye contact with him. They worked on their potion in silence. Draco had no idea how to even approach her about what had happened the night before. She was certainly acting as if nothing had happened.
He hated that she had the innate ability to make him doubt himself. He’d never had that problem before and it was a maddeningly humbling experience.
Draco decided he was going to need to speak to Colin. Her best friend would have some insight as to what was going on in her mind. Certainly she would have mentioned something to him.
He was on the verge of driving himself insane with questions when at last it was time to clean up when she finally spoke.
“Malfoy, we need to talk.”
She had made it so simple. He’d spent the whole class period wondering what he should say to her or how to approach her and she had done it in four simple words. ‘We need to talk.’
He nodded.
“Meet me in the library at eight,” she said without a hint of emotion. She gathered her books and left.
Ginny had no idea what she was going to say to Draco. She was thoroughly expecting him to tease her during Advanced Potions. That she could have handled. Any obnoxious comments he would have made would have been returned tenfold as she had an arsenal of biting remarks just waiting for him. Except that instead of teasing her he had remained silent. And the silence was unnerving.
By the end of class, she felt something had to be said. It wouldn't do to have him throwing it back at her in some unexpected moment. But what would she tell him? Maybe she should just tell him the truth. It was hormones. That’s it. Hormones and a serious lapse in judgment.
Why hadn’t he said anything during Advanced Potions? Was he simply biding his time, waiting for the right moment to embarrass her? When she told him they needed to talk he had easily agreed. He hadn’t even made an attempt at an insult. In fact, lately there seem to be a lack of direct insults from him.
At dinner she sat with Colin as usual.
“Something bothering you, Ginny?” he asked noticing her lack of conversation. She had been staring at her plate for ten minutes poking at the potatoes.
“It’s nothing,” she muttered. Then, realizing she was talking to someone who was supposed to be her best friend she reconsidered. She sat up. “It’s nothing that I can really talk about here,” she said glancing in the direction of her brother and his friends. She and Colin hadn’t had a good talk in what seemed like ages, and right now she could use his advice.
“Okay, if you’re done we can go back to the common room...” then realizing that the common room would be packed with people and noting the need for a bit of privacy he changed his mind. “Actually, I’ve got a better place in mind.”
They left the Great Hall and Colin led her to the Tower of Travels. He opened the door and they were on a rocky cliff overlooking the ocean. Ginny could see a lighthouse in the distance.
“Where are we?” she asked in wonderment.
“We call it the Tower of Travels. The location changes every day and most of the time it's quite lovely,” he explained with a fond smile.
“I take it this is where you and Blaise have been stealing off to every spare moment you have? How on earth did you come across this place?” she said looking around. The entrance to the winding staircase that led to the door was hidden behind a painting that depicted the exact same scene she saw before her now.
“Blaise showed me,” he replied simply. “We’re the only ones who seem to know about it. I’ll tell you more about it some other time.” He found a relatively flat stone and took a seat. “Right now I think you need to talk. It’s about Malfoy, isn’t it?” He gave her a lopsided grin.
She found a stone of her own, sat down, and sighed heavily. “I don’t even know where to start.”
“Let’s start with what happened last night,” Colin suggested eagerly. “What exactly prompted you to kiss him?”
“Let’s call it temporary insanity, because I was definitely not in my right mind last night,” she said with annoyance. “And now I have deal with Malfoy! Merlin knows what he’s going to do now.”
“What makes you think he’s going to do anything?”
“This is Malfoy we’re talking about here. Why wouldn’t he use this to his advantage? He didn’t say a word today in Advanced Potions. He’s probably plotting,” she explained sullenly.
“What on earth do you think he’s plotting? I think you’re being a bit paranoid.”
“Paranoid? You think I’m being paranoid?” she said incredulously. She was on the verge of losing her temper again, but taking a deep breath, she managed to control herself. “Look, I know I started this whole mess by deciding to blackmail him in the first place. It’s my own fault, I’ll admit that. And I’m glad he’s not trying to take it out on you, because he knows you were in on it, although I’m sure Blaise has something to do with that. But I’m his primary target. He’s still out to get me.”
“You think he’s still out to get you?” Colin asked almost laughing at how right she was, and yet how wrong. “You know, you’re probably right to be paranoid. After everything that you’ve done to him it’s no wonder you think he’s up to something.”
“You’re acting as if I’m crazy,” she snapped, a little more than irritated that Colin was finding her whole situation amusing. “Why would the git ask me to go to Hogsmeade with him as a condition of losing the bet? He’s been acting very odd lately. He’s been pretending to get along with me during Advanced Potions, of course, he has to because we’re lab partners. After everything that I’ve done to him he hasn’t even lost his temper. Not once. He’s even gone so far as to act like he’s being nice to me, offering to carry my books last week and walk me to class. Honestly, what does he take me for, an idiot? I think that he’s purposely doing all that to make me paranoid. It’ s all part of his plan.”
Colin sighed and gave her a patronizing look. “Honestly, Gin,” he said shaking his head. “You are one of the most brilliant Witches I know, but you can be awfully daft some days.” He ignored the angry look she gave him. “The only reason he’s done all that is because he likes you.”
“He what?” she said as if she didn’t quite hear her best friend correctly.
“He fancies you,” he repeated slowly, as if it should have been the most obvious thing in the world. “And you evidently fancy him as well.”
“What would even make you suggest such an atrocious thing?” she said recoiling at the thought.
“With the way you two have been going on? You’d have to be blind not to see it.”
“I do not fancy Draco Malfoy,” she said with resolution.
“Then why did you kiss him?” he asked cocking his head with interest.
“What makes you think that he likes me?” She completely avoided his question.
“He told me. Now why did you kiss him?” Colin asked a little more insistently.
“What do you mean he told you?” Her tone was dangerous.
Colin sighed. “Draco’s the one who told Blaise about this place and he hangs out here with us sometimes. He isn't all bad. The worst thing about him right now is that he’s insane about you!”
Ginny was floored. “I thought you were my best friend. And now you’re telling me you’ve been spending all this time consorting with the enemy? To think I was just jealous of Blaise taking your time! I can’t believe this.”
She felt betrayed. And confused. Her best friend was a traitor. But he was telling her that Malfoy liked her.
“Don’t be mad, Gin. It’s not like I was trying to be friends with him. He’s just around all the time. Actually, if it weren’t for him, Blaise and I would never be able to spend any time together.”
She wanted to be mad at him, but found herself sympathizing with his situation. Colin was openly gay, but Blaise wasn’t ready to share that information with the world and Colin was being understanding about it. Colin had already been through that and knew that things needed to progress at a rate he was comfortable with, even if it meant having a secret relationship. Still, Malfoy willingly spending time in the presence of a Gryffindor was very suspicious.
“So you think Malfoy really fancies me?” she asked doubtfully. It was impossible to believe.
“I know he does. You should’ve heard him whining about how you dropped your books on his toes when he was trying to be nice and carry them for you. He swore you put a weight gain spell on them. I told him that Blaise’s idea of being nice to you would only backfire.” He grinned. “I think this whole thing would be better solved with a good snogging session.”
It seemed surreal that Colin would be giving Malfoy advice on how to win her over. As for the snogging session, well, they had accomplished that. In fact, she still had to speak with Malfoy about it later in the evening. She wasn’t sure it was possible for Malfoy to actually like her. It was more likely that it was an elaborate ploy to get back at her. Nevertheless, it was interesting information. She would find out whether or not it was true.
Ginny left the Tower of Travels and headed for the library now fully prepared for her discussion with Malfoy.
Entering the library, she spotted him at one of the tables studying. She tried to ignore the fact that her stomach did summersaults every time she saw him now. Even sitting there studying he looked so conceited, so arrogant, so full of himself, so handsome. Damn.
Alright. So she was attracted to him. That was obvious. That was why she had given into temptation last night. But that didn’t mean she liked him. He was still an insufferable git as far as she was concerned. He’d given her no reason to like him; in fact, he had given her every reason to loathe him. But she wondered what it was that made Malfoy like her, if he really did like her. She couldn’t believe what she was about to do to find out.
“Hullo, Malfoy,” she said sweetly.
A/N: Sorry bout being slow in getting this one posted. I got sidetracked with some other plotbunnies... so... uh... yeah. Thanks for the reviews! :)
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