Ginny looked up from her notebook to find Draco staring at her oddly, his gray eyes squinted and his mouth drawn into a straight line. He hadn’t spoken to her in days. It wasn’t as if Ginny missed the impeccably brash sound of his voice, but she couldn’t stand his obedience. Following her instructions dutifully, listening to her speak, even not calling her “Weasel” was beginning to aggravate her. He seemed to have lost his bravado as he graciously handed her two rolls of parchment dealing with Locking charms.
“Draco…” she started, setting the unread rolls aside. He stared at her and the parchment, his eyes darting back and forth unrelentlessly, “I’m sorry if what I said offended you.”
“Did you mean it?” he asked, his voice choppy and unrecognizable, “If you meant it, don’t apologize,” he closed his lips again into the straight line that only seemed to irk Ginny, so she continued to press on.
“You know, this is completely ridiculous. One minute we’re fighting and at each others throats, the next you’re acting like you don’t hate me, which I know isn’t true. Why don’t we just let bygones be bygones and be friends, even if only for the summer?”
His lips quivered, “Malfoy’s don’t have friends, especially not those who associate with the likes of Potter.”
“Civil then?”
“You already judged me,” he spoke, barely audible, “You think I’m just like Lucius.”
“Prove me wrong,” she sputtered, unsure of where her courage to contradict an already angered Draco Malfoy was coming from. He had the same reaction, for his eyes were now burning into her like hot coals, “Oh, and its first name basis. I really don’t think ‘Weasel’ suits me. It could possibly be worse than Ginevra,” she smiled as best she could, his eyes flashing again before returning to their nostalgic state.
“Fine Ginny, fine.”
“Maryanne!” Ginny called down the long corridor, skipping along barefooted with her heeled shoes in her hands. Her green uniform, which normally coiled around her ankles, now hung loosely near her knees and bunched at her waist. Her normally pin straight hair laid in rumpled tresses, flying every which way about her head. She was screaming as she skipped, her feather-light voice echoing back to her off the murky walls.
Ginny never saw the door open to her left, or the mop of black curls and snow white skin come into the hallway, and as physics would have it, Ginny couldn’t stop her motion. With a smack she hit the girl full force and both toppled to the floor in an array of arms and legs. Ginny was giggling from the floor, her dress now lying in disarray around her knees and her hair sprawled out underneath her. She had lost her heels in the fall for they had connected with something solid in Maryanne’s hand, whom was now lying beside Ginny with her hands on her stomach, howling in laughter. Both girls looked a right mess as Ginny sat up and brushed off her knees as best as she could. Maryanne’s hair was more frazzled than usual and her normally ghostly pale cheeks were tinted in crimson, tears of laughter spreading down her face in snail-like trails. Ginny gave her a hand to lift the two of them up and they brushed off some more. Maryanne’s lips curled into a frown as Ginny picked up her discarded heels along with a small, palm sized book. The cover was a lightly tinted brown color, the faded words Easy Reader barely visible from years of probable use.
“Maryanne, what’s this?” Ginny asked tentatively, showing the girl the book. Her eyes, once filled with happy emotion, now drew back into her head as if trying to hide herself from Ginny’s questions. As Ginny opened her mouth to speak, another voice came from inside the neglected doorway, “Same time next week Maryanne? Hopefully we’ll have more time and my mother won’t feel the need to call me away every two seconds. Just keep at it, you’ll get better soon.”
Ginny tried to yell at the person to stop but it was too late, they were already out of the room and moving into her, sending her sprawling onto her back. She hit the floor with a thud and winced in pain as the speaker’s knee landed on her upper thigh. The pitter patter of feet signaled to her that Maryanne had run away, and Ginny was left alone in the corridor with the person who had knocked her down. Opening her eyes, she glanced up at similar orbs of gray and couldn’t help but groan.
Maybe she had never cared to notice before, but these gray eyes had flecks of blue in them, making them deeper and more mysterious then ever before. The man’s cheeks were tinted just slightly and he was breathing heavily, his warm breath falling just across the bridge of her freckle smattered nose. His hair, which she normally saw gelled back in perfection laid haphazardly across his brow, which was furrowed deep into his eyelids. His fingers were on her waist holding her still, and while one of his legs lay atop hers the other were sprawled between her own. Her eyes lingered on his lips for just a moment, which were thin and a light almost salmon color that made her want to…she shook her head violently, sending them both out of the reverie of the moment. The man stood and picked her up, placing her flat on her feet again.
“I shouldn’t have knocked you down Ginny,” Draco whispered, running a hand through his pearly blonde hair.
“It was an accident, as much my fault as yours,” she replied, smoothing out her dress and letting the bunch fall so it regained its composure near her ankles, “But may I ask what you were doing with Maryanne?”
“No,” he turned abruptly and walked away. Ginny stared at him leaving, at the curve of his back and of his…oh for gods sakes she was staring at his bum!
“I really am losing it here,” she whispered to herself, walking briskly back down the hall towards her bedroom, “Honestly, staring at Malfoy like he’s anything less then what he was years ago,” she chided herself, trying her best to shake him from her mind, “I was only caught up in the moment, who wouldn’t be if a man landed on you out of no where?” she spoke aloud to no one in particular, finally finding her door and pushing it open. Her bed had been made, fresh linens were lying out, and a note was taped to her dressing mirror.
Ms. Weasley,
Draco needs to go into Diagon Alley for his school supplies today. As his tutor, I have decided that you shall accompany him since I am not currently available to do so. Pick up your school supplies as well, that way I do not have to give you off to do so later in the summer.
Mistress Malfoy
Ginny scowled noticeably. It wasn’t that she minded being asked to do such chores, but she didn’t want to see Draco at the moment. Not while things were as confusing as they were. Sighing, she moved towards the bed where a new dress was lying, a beautiful piece of silken blue material and a large white satin sash. She smiled as she slipped into it, a greater smile playing across her lips as the chilling fabric created goose bumps on her arms. She grabbed the money bag off her counter, frowning from its light weight, but none-the-less she placed it in her pocket for safe keeping. No sooner had she done so was there a knock at her door.
“Come on Ginny, stop primping and let’s go. I want to get to Diagon Alley as quickly as possible, Merlin knows I don’t want to be seen with you,” Draco’s voice boomed from the other side.
Insufferable prat she thought, pushing out the door.
Diagon Alley was surprisingly empty for the end of June, only a few young witches and wizards moving throughout the narrow streets. The Quidditch store must have received new broomsticks, for the few children that could be found on the streets were huddled around the window, shouting things like ‘It’s brand new!’ and ‘Best model yet my pop said!’ Ginny wished to go and look at the broomstick too, but she stopped herself, knowing full well that she could never pay for something so grand. Playing Chaser on the Gryffindor house team was starting to become difficult with only a very old Cleansweep, but without money it was the best she could do. She didn’t get her paycheck for another week and maybe then, if she was lucky, she could buy something even close to that grand.
“What are you staring at Ginny?” Draco asked casually.
“Nothing, lets get going. Where do we have to go?” she asked abruptly, turning her gaze from the front of the Quidditch shop.
“Flourish and Blotts first. Then I think the robes shop. Mother hinted that there’s going to be another Yule Ball, and I need new dress robes,” she followed in his shadow lamely, staring at all the different things along the way. The Three Broomsticks was almost empty; a small man standing outside with a butterbeer seemed to be the only customer. Gringotts, the barely standing Goblin-run wizarding bank also seemed to be empty since the doors were shut. Draco seemed to go unaffected by the lack of people, for he was walking faster and faster by the second, reaching Flourish and Blotts in no time.
The store was musty and almost empty, a few students Ginny recognized were moving around the store. She took a left and headed down an isle on Charms books, looking for a new one she had yet to purchase. While her money bag was light, she knew she had enough money for a new book, and she wanted it badly. Eying the cover, which was painted with flying feathers and self-washing plates, she smiled boldly and moved towards the counter. Standing in front of her was Colin Creevy, a school mate of hers, with light brown mousy hair and a portable camera. He smiled at her and waved, immediately starting her in a conversation.
Draco Malfoy watched her from across the store as he fingered a new Potions book. He always admired her laugh, it was big and boisterous with just the right amount of lift. She was bolder and wittier then he had ever imagined; he had learned that when she had first came to tutor him, and her spark made him wonder why she was put in Gryffindor instead of Slytherin. While he knew she was brave, she also could be quite puny when it came to certain things, like her family’s economical stance.
He liked the fact that they were being civil instead of always arguing, for she was a very intelligent girl and someone he could actually talk to. Yes, she had upset him extremely with the comment about Lucius, but he had put that behind him. No one really understood his stance on his father, and he wasn’t about to talk it over with her or anyone for that matter. It was a guarded area in his opinion. He shivered visibly as he thought of Lucius; away somewhere in Northern Ireland for what he called a “business meeting”, something Draco recognized as nothing more than a Death Eater convention. He hated him for being a Death Eater, contrary to probable belief. His mother always suffered the brunt of Lucius’ foul moods, and Draco detested the ways he treated the family he supposedly “loved.” That was why Draco had been planning to go into his career field of choice. Why Ginny had been hired in the first place.
His thoughts immediately fled from Lucius and instead lingered on the girl that was now paying the cashier, a small book in her hands. Her hair was beautiful, just the right length and a wonderful mass of curly locks. He had always thought it contrasted nicely with her slightly pale and freckled skin. Being civil to her was making him notice more and more things about her, things that only could be considered dangerous for a Malfoy and things that should be cleared from his mind. But he just couldn’t forget them. He couldn’t forget her smile, the few times he had seen it, or the hurt in her eyes when he insulted her. Why she became emotional with his words, he wasn’t sure, but it was something unusual to see a girl as strong as her break down over one thing. Moreover, he kept thinking of her body, and the way it felt under his.
He couldn’t lie to himself about what had happened earlier in the corridor. Falling on her had caused him to see just the slightest flash of the skin of her hip, almost smiling up at him from beneath her dress that shouldn’t have been up that high. For the first time ever he had looked directly into her eyes, eyes the color of coffee with hints of caramel and gold. Her lips were larger than anything he had ever seen, and as his fingers moved against her waist he had wanted to kiss her.
“Ready to go Draco?” she asked as she reached his side, grabbing at his arm to leave. He sighed and followed her, watching her move in front of him. Why was he paying any attention to her? It wasn’t usual for Malfoy’s to care about anyone at all, let alone Weasley’s. They weren’t considered equals by a long shot, and he had grown up knowing that it was wrong to give Weasley’s the time of day. But the more he knew Ginny, Ginny the girl; he started to realize that she was more than just a poor red head.
They reached a corner store and he stopped abruptly at a sign that read ‘Weasley Wizarding Wheezes.’
“What the bloody hell is this?” he snapped.
“It’s my brothers’ store. I want to stop in and talk. You can stay out here if you want,” she snapped back, stepping through the arched doorway. He only watched her, and after a moment of consideration (the June wind was quite nippy this afternoon) he decided to follow her. The store shocked him in every way. Walls were covered in sweets and gadgets, things he never would have considered Fred and George Weasley capable of making. He stopped at a cart that read ‘Ton Tongue Toffee’ and stared at it for a moment, before a girl with skin the color of coffee and cream and hair that was crazily beaded came up to him.
“Want a free sample?” she asked him, and he recognized her as Angelina Johnson, the old Chaser from the Gryffindor team. He smiled and took a piece of the multicolored candy, licking his lips as its savory blueberry taste burned the back of his throat. It tasted so good, like a million of taste buds were lapping at it. He smirked at Angelina.
“itsgood,” he choked, unsure as to why his words were coming out so slurred. She only laughed at him as she moved away. He could feel his tongue catching against his teeth and as he opened his mouth it began to roll out, getting progressively longer, almost skimming the floor as he attempted to scream. A Malfoy being embarrassed wasn’t something he was used to, and in moment’s he was lying sprawled on the floor, completely unconscious from shock.
“Draco…” she started, setting the unread rolls aside. He stared at her and the parchment, his eyes darting back and forth unrelentlessly, “I’m sorry if what I said offended you.”
“Did you mean it?” he asked, his voice choppy and unrecognizable, “If you meant it, don’t apologize,” he closed his lips again into the straight line that only seemed to irk Ginny, so she continued to press on.
“You know, this is completely ridiculous. One minute we’re fighting and at each others throats, the next you’re acting like you don’t hate me, which I know isn’t true. Why don’t we just let bygones be bygones and be friends, even if only for the summer?”
His lips quivered, “Malfoy’s don’t have friends, especially not those who associate with the likes of Potter.”
“Civil then?”
“You already judged me,” he spoke, barely audible, “You think I’m just like Lucius.”
“Prove me wrong,” she sputtered, unsure of where her courage to contradict an already angered Draco Malfoy was coming from. He had the same reaction, for his eyes were now burning into her like hot coals, “Oh, and its first name basis. I really don’t think ‘Weasel’ suits me. It could possibly be worse than Ginevra,” she smiled as best she could, his eyes flashing again before returning to their nostalgic state.
“Fine Ginny, fine.”
“Maryanne!” Ginny called down the long corridor, skipping along barefooted with her heeled shoes in her hands. Her green uniform, which normally coiled around her ankles, now hung loosely near her knees and bunched at her waist. Her normally pin straight hair laid in rumpled tresses, flying every which way about her head. She was screaming as she skipped, her feather-light voice echoing back to her off the murky walls.
Ginny never saw the door open to her left, or the mop of black curls and snow white skin come into the hallway, and as physics would have it, Ginny couldn’t stop her motion. With a smack she hit the girl full force and both toppled to the floor in an array of arms and legs. Ginny was giggling from the floor, her dress now lying in disarray around her knees and her hair sprawled out underneath her. She had lost her heels in the fall for they had connected with something solid in Maryanne’s hand, whom was now lying beside Ginny with her hands on her stomach, howling in laughter. Both girls looked a right mess as Ginny sat up and brushed off her knees as best as she could. Maryanne’s hair was more frazzled than usual and her normally ghostly pale cheeks were tinted in crimson, tears of laughter spreading down her face in snail-like trails. Ginny gave her a hand to lift the two of them up and they brushed off some more. Maryanne’s lips curled into a frown as Ginny picked up her discarded heels along with a small, palm sized book. The cover was a lightly tinted brown color, the faded words Easy Reader barely visible from years of probable use.
“Maryanne, what’s this?” Ginny asked tentatively, showing the girl the book. Her eyes, once filled with happy emotion, now drew back into her head as if trying to hide herself from Ginny’s questions. As Ginny opened her mouth to speak, another voice came from inside the neglected doorway, “Same time next week Maryanne? Hopefully we’ll have more time and my mother won’t feel the need to call me away every two seconds. Just keep at it, you’ll get better soon.”
Ginny tried to yell at the person to stop but it was too late, they were already out of the room and moving into her, sending her sprawling onto her back. She hit the floor with a thud and winced in pain as the speaker’s knee landed on her upper thigh. The pitter patter of feet signaled to her that Maryanne had run away, and Ginny was left alone in the corridor with the person who had knocked her down. Opening her eyes, she glanced up at similar orbs of gray and couldn’t help but groan.
Maybe she had never cared to notice before, but these gray eyes had flecks of blue in them, making them deeper and more mysterious then ever before. The man’s cheeks were tinted just slightly and he was breathing heavily, his warm breath falling just across the bridge of her freckle smattered nose. His hair, which she normally saw gelled back in perfection laid haphazardly across his brow, which was furrowed deep into his eyelids. His fingers were on her waist holding her still, and while one of his legs lay atop hers the other were sprawled between her own. Her eyes lingered on his lips for just a moment, which were thin and a light almost salmon color that made her want to…she shook her head violently, sending them both out of the reverie of the moment. The man stood and picked her up, placing her flat on her feet again.
“I shouldn’t have knocked you down Ginny,” Draco whispered, running a hand through his pearly blonde hair.
“It was an accident, as much my fault as yours,” she replied, smoothing out her dress and letting the bunch fall so it regained its composure near her ankles, “But may I ask what you were doing with Maryanne?”
“No,” he turned abruptly and walked away. Ginny stared at him leaving, at the curve of his back and of his…oh for gods sakes she was staring at his bum!
“I really am losing it here,” she whispered to herself, walking briskly back down the hall towards her bedroom, “Honestly, staring at Malfoy like he’s anything less then what he was years ago,” she chided herself, trying her best to shake him from her mind, “I was only caught up in the moment, who wouldn’t be if a man landed on you out of no where?” she spoke aloud to no one in particular, finally finding her door and pushing it open. Her bed had been made, fresh linens were lying out, and a note was taped to her dressing mirror.
Ms. Weasley,
Draco needs to go into Diagon Alley for his school supplies today. As his tutor, I have decided that you shall accompany him since I am not currently available to do so. Pick up your school supplies as well, that way I do not have to give you off to do so later in the summer.
Mistress Malfoy
Ginny scowled noticeably. It wasn’t that she minded being asked to do such chores, but she didn’t want to see Draco at the moment. Not while things were as confusing as they were. Sighing, she moved towards the bed where a new dress was lying, a beautiful piece of silken blue material and a large white satin sash. She smiled as she slipped into it, a greater smile playing across her lips as the chilling fabric created goose bumps on her arms. She grabbed the money bag off her counter, frowning from its light weight, but none-the-less she placed it in her pocket for safe keeping. No sooner had she done so was there a knock at her door.
“Come on Ginny, stop primping and let’s go. I want to get to Diagon Alley as quickly as possible, Merlin knows I don’t want to be seen with you,” Draco’s voice boomed from the other side.
Insufferable prat she thought, pushing out the door.
Diagon Alley was surprisingly empty for the end of June, only a few young witches and wizards moving throughout the narrow streets. The Quidditch store must have received new broomsticks, for the few children that could be found on the streets were huddled around the window, shouting things like ‘It’s brand new!’ and ‘Best model yet my pop said!’ Ginny wished to go and look at the broomstick too, but she stopped herself, knowing full well that she could never pay for something so grand. Playing Chaser on the Gryffindor house team was starting to become difficult with only a very old Cleansweep, but without money it was the best she could do. She didn’t get her paycheck for another week and maybe then, if she was lucky, she could buy something even close to that grand.
“What are you staring at Ginny?” Draco asked casually.
“Nothing, lets get going. Where do we have to go?” she asked abruptly, turning her gaze from the front of the Quidditch shop.
“Flourish and Blotts first. Then I think the robes shop. Mother hinted that there’s going to be another Yule Ball, and I need new dress robes,” she followed in his shadow lamely, staring at all the different things along the way. The Three Broomsticks was almost empty; a small man standing outside with a butterbeer seemed to be the only customer. Gringotts, the barely standing Goblin-run wizarding bank also seemed to be empty since the doors were shut. Draco seemed to go unaffected by the lack of people, for he was walking faster and faster by the second, reaching Flourish and Blotts in no time.
The store was musty and almost empty, a few students Ginny recognized were moving around the store. She took a left and headed down an isle on Charms books, looking for a new one she had yet to purchase. While her money bag was light, she knew she had enough money for a new book, and she wanted it badly. Eying the cover, which was painted with flying feathers and self-washing plates, she smiled boldly and moved towards the counter. Standing in front of her was Colin Creevy, a school mate of hers, with light brown mousy hair and a portable camera. He smiled at her and waved, immediately starting her in a conversation.
Draco Malfoy watched her from across the store as he fingered a new Potions book. He always admired her laugh, it was big and boisterous with just the right amount of lift. She was bolder and wittier then he had ever imagined; he had learned that when she had first came to tutor him, and her spark made him wonder why she was put in Gryffindor instead of Slytherin. While he knew she was brave, she also could be quite puny when it came to certain things, like her family’s economical stance.
He liked the fact that they were being civil instead of always arguing, for she was a very intelligent girl and someone he could actually talk to. Yes, she had upset him extremely with the comment about Lucius, but he had put that behind him. No one really understood his stance on his father, and he wasn’t about to talk it over with her or anyone for that matter. It was a guarded area in his opinion. He shivered visibly as he thought of Lucius; away somewhere in Northern Ireland for what he called a “business meeting”, something Draco recognized as nothing more than a Death Eater convention. He hated him for being a Death Eater, contrary to probable belief. His mother always suffered the brunt of Lucius’ foul moods, and Draco detested the ways he treated the family he supposedly “loved.” That was why Draco had been planning to go into his career field of choice. Why Ginny had been hired in the first place.
His thoughts immediately fled from Lucius and instead lingered on the girl that was now paying the cashier, a small book in her hands. Her hair was beautiful, just the right length and a wonderful mass of curly locks. He had always thought it contrasted nicely with her slightly pale and freckled skin. Being civil to her was making him notice more and more things about her, things that only could be considered dangerous for a Malfoy and things that should be cleared from his mind. But he just couldn’t forget them. He couldn’t forget her smile, the few times he had seen it, or the hurt in her eyes when he insulted her. Why she became emotional with his words, he wasn’t sure, but it was something unusual to see a girl as strong as her break down over one thing. Moreover, he kept thinking of her body, and the way it felt under his.
He couldn’t lie to himself about what had happened earlier in the corridor. Falling on her had caused him to see just the slightest flash of the skin of her hip, almost smiling up at him from beneath her dress that shouldn’t have been up that high. For the first time ever he had looked directly into her eyes, eyes the color of coffee with hints of caramel and gold. Her lips were larger than anything he had ever seen, and as his fingers moved against her waist he had wanted to kiss her.
“Ready to go Draco?” she asked as she reached his side, grabbing at his arm to leave. He sighed and followed her, watching her move in front of him. Why was he paying any attention to her? It wasn’t usual for Malfoy’s to care about anyone at all, let alone Weasley’s. They weren’t considered equals by a long shot, and he had grown up knowing that it was wrong to give Weasley’s the time of day. But the more he knew Ginny, Ginny the girl; he started to realize that she was more than just a poor red head.
They reached a corner store and he stopped abruptly at a sign that read ‘Weasley Wizarding Wheezes.’
“What the bloody hell is this?” he snapped.
“It’s my brothers’ store. I want to stop in and talk. You can stay out here if you want,” she snapped back, stepping through the arched doorway. He only watched her, and after a moment of consideration (the June wind was quite nippy this afternoon) he decided to follow her. The store shocked him in every way. Walls were covered in sweets and gadgets, things he never would have considered Fred and George Weasley capable of making. He stopped at a cart that read ‘Ton Tongue Toffee’ and stared at it for a moment, before a girl with skin the color of coffee and cream and hair that was crazily beaded came up to him.
“Want a free sample?” she asked him, and he recognized her as Angelina Johnson, the old Chaser from the Gryffindor team. He smiled and took a piece of the multicolored candy, licking his lips as its savory blueberry taste burned the back of his throat. It tasted so good, like a million of taste buds were lapping at it. He smirked at Angelina.
“itsgood,” he choked, unsure as to why his words were coming out so slurred. She only laughed at him as she moved away. He could feel his tongue catching against his teeth and as he opened his mouth it began to roll out, getting progressively longer, almost skimming the floor as he attempted to scream. A Malfoy being embarrassed wasn’t something he was used to, and in moment’s he was lying sprawled on the floor, completely unconscious from shock.
To Be Continued.
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