. . . . . .
There certainly are not so many men of large fortune in the world, as there are pretty women to deserve them. - Jane Austen
. . . . . .
Tuesday was spent sightseeing in the beautiful countryside around the chateau. They did it in the Muggle style, actually hiking from place to place, as was popular in the wizard world. Of course some people preferred to use magic, but for many centuries it had been quite stylish for adventurous wizarding tourists to see the landscape as their non-magical brethren did; one got more out of the experience, proponents claimed.
Pansy, of course, hated the idea. “We’re wizards,” she said disgustedly to Calliope when the idea of hiking was first proposed. “We have magic. Why on earth would anyone walk when they could Apparate?” But she went along, of course, because she overheard Draco say that hiking reminded him of trips to the Continent as a boy.
Calliope wasn’t much of a hiker either, but she was willing to try to enjoy it. Elise and Ginny were so sweet that Calliope didn’t feel at all embarrassed if she lagged behind or slowed the group down, and the scenery was beautiful. She would certainly agree that hiking added to the experience. And fortunately, it wasn’t as difficult as she thought, and in the parts where it did get difficult, Draco’s sweet Irish friend was right there to help her along.
She stole a quick glance at Seamus as he handed her his canteen. He was clearly enjoying their excursion. She tore her eyes away from him, embarrassed at watching him so closely. In her mind she could hear her childhood tutor’s prim voice: “It is not ladylike to stare, especially at a man.” And especially not a man she hardly knew, she was sure. But there was something about him that intrigued her. He was so unlike anyone she knew, so open and warm, so unafraid to show what he was feeling. She wished she could be like that, so free with her emotions. She looked back at Seamus and saw that he was smiling at her. Embarrassed, she got up from the rock she’d been resting on and started off down the path. But still, she told herself, it’s good that Draco’s friend turned out to be so nice.
The group finished off their day of hiking by returning after dinner to the hill they’d hiked the day before. Elise had brought sweets and blankets from the house, and they all sat on the grass, wrapped in blankets, and looked at the stars. James was particularly good at astronomy, and he pointed out stars and constellations while the rest of the group listened contentedly and ate what Elise had brought. Calliope listened raptly, staring up at the stars, her knees pulled to her chest. She’d always loved astronomy, though she’d only taken the introductory class at Beauxbatons; the complex equations required to calculate the movement of the stars were simply beyond her.
As she listened to James, she found herself looking around the group. Her eyes fell on Draco and Ginny. What a strange couple they were! Though the mountain air was growing chilly, and though they had the example of James and Elise cuddling together in a large quilt, Draco and Ginny sat wrapped in separate blankets, near each other but not touching- certainly not the usual picture of newlyweds in love. But then, everyone was different; some people didn’t like making public displays of their affection. Still, it seemed strange. Calliope, looking at Pansy, could see that her friend hadn’t noticed it yet, which was good; the last thing Pansy needed was encouragement.
As if reading Calliope’s thoughts, Draco suddenly glanced at Pansy, then scooted closer to his wife. The darkness made it difficult to be sure, but it seemed that Draco leaned over to whisper something in Ginny’s ear. As though in response, Ginny unwrapped the blanket from around her shoulders and spread it on the ground, then she and Draco both sat on it and wrapped his blanket around themselves. Even then, they appeared to barely be touching one another. Calliope shook her head. They were a strange couple, indeed.
On Wednesday they all slept late. Calliope, who was usually up by seven, found the experience quite delicious. When she finally stumbled down the stairs, she found Ginny and Draco, already awake and apparently awake for some time. The rest of their group straggled down over the next hour, Pansy arriving last, just before lunch. Once they had all eaten they split up, agreeing to meet in Eiche for dinner. James and Elise disappeared almost immediately, leaving the other five alone in the living room. Pansy lost no time in sidling up to Draco. “Where are we going, Draco?” she asked in a sickly sweet voice, linking her arm through his. Calliope wondered if she was deliberately ignoring Draco’s look of disgust or if she honestly didn’t see it. The latter was quite possible- Pansy certainly did have a gift for only seeing what she wanted to see.
Draco pulled his arm away from Pansy’s and appeared to be about to say something scathing when Ginny laid a hand on his arm. He turned to her and they shared a long look, at the end of which Draco turned back to Pansy. “All right,” he said, sounding resigned. “We can all go together,” he quickly added, pointing to Calliope and Seamus. Ginny gave Draco another look, this time an amused one, and then they and Seamus and Pansy began to discuss where they might go to spend their afternoon.
Calliope sat back in her armchair, content to let the others talk while she pondered on the scene she had just witnessed. What must it be like, to understand someone as completely as Draco and Ginny understood each other? To be so in tune with another person that words weren’t necessary? She’d been noticing it all week, that strange ability they seemed to have to tell what the other person was feeling. She supposed it must be part of being in love. She smiled to herself. Being in love sounded . . . pleasant.
As her companions kept talking it became clear that they weren’t coming to any conclusion, so Calliope spoke up and timidly suggested that they go to the nearby Muggle resort towns. This idea was immediately seized upon by Ginny and Seamus; Draco and Pansy, however, looked less than enthused about going Muggle for the afternoon. No one came up with a better idea, though, so they all trooped upstairs to change.
When they finally left the house, all looking reasonably convincingly Muggle- except of course for Pansy in her scarlet cloak, but Calliope supposed they’d just have to tell people she was a wealthy eccentric- they Apparated to a wooded area outside Devos, which the Swiss Zauberministerium, as it was called, had designated a safe Apparation point. The roofs of the town were just visible through the trees below them, and Pansy immediately started leading the way. Calliope found herself at the back of the group, but she wasn’t back there alone long; Seamus soon came back and fell into step with her. Calliope felt herself flush ever so lightly. Draco’s friend certainly was friendly.
And he continued to be friendly. Seamus stayed near Calliope all the way into town, through several small, charming shops, and then outside to look at a rather picturesque old fountain. Though she’d was embarrassed to admit it, Calliope rather enjoyed the attention.
It was by the fountain that they lost Ginny and Draco. Calliope wasn’t entirely sure how it happened- she only knew that when Pansy started loudly commenting that she was bored and wanted to leave, Ginny and Draco were no longer there. If it was only Draco, Calliope would have assumed he’d ditched them, but Ginny didn’t seem like the ditching type.
After looking for the Malfoys a while with no luck, they finally gave up and moved on to the next store, Pansy audibly frustrated with this turn of events. She was still complaining several minutes later when Seamus, clearly annoyed, remarked in a deceptively off-hand tone that perhaps they’d slipped off together because they were in need of a good snog. Calliope bit her lip to keep from laughing while Pansy’s face changed from pouty to horrified and then to angry as she realized Seamus was joking. “Just a thought,” he added, and Pansy stalked off in a huff to look at antique clocks.
Calliope wasn’t worried about Pansy actually leaving; for all her arrogance, Pansy hated going places alone. She was obviously annoyed, though, and stayed at least ten steps away from them the rest of the afternoon. Calliope didn’t mind particularly, because it left her free to talk to Seamus, who remained by her side, charming and witty, until dinner.
For dinner they met up with the rest of the group in Eiche, where they discovered that the Malfoys had gone off to find a restroom when they’d all lost each other. They were just finishing dinner when Elise informed them she had found a perfect way to spend the evening: a traditional Swiss concert of alphorns.
“Alphorns?” Draco and Pansy repeated at the same time, then looked at each other quickly, Pansy looking delighted and Draco horrified.
“Yes, alphorns!” Elise said. “It’s really wonderful music, I promise.” Calliope saw Draco and James exchange looks across the table, and James shrugged as though to say, you try talking her out of it.
“I think it sounds lovely,” Calliope said honestly. “I’ve heard them before. It’s really nice.”
“Let’s go, then,” Seamus said. “If Elise and Calliope like it, it must be good.”
“Yes, let’s go,” Draco agreed dutifully, and Ginny smiled at him.
Everyone looked at Pansy, and she sighed heavily. “All right. But it had better be good.”
The concert, held in the Eiche town hall, was given by a musical family called the Danielsons. “That doesn’t sound very Swiss,” said Ginny, filing into the hall behind Calliope and Seamus.
“Not really,” Calliope murmured back. “But they’re certainly dressed Swiss.”
“Yes, that’s never a look I thought would work, but a few of those fellows look quite nice,” Ginny said. “Ooh, look at the one on the end. He’s quite fit, isn’t he?”
Calliope, Seamus and Draco all looked at her. She stared back at them a moment, then smiled in sudden understanding. “But not as fit as my Draco,” she added, a little awkwardly.
“No one’s as fit as your Draco,” her husband replied, looking slightly annoyed. Ginny smiled charmingly at him and slipped her arm around his waist.
The concert was as wonderful as Calliope had been hoping, though it seemed that the others around her might not agree- while Elise looked enraptured, Pansy was sound asleep. Ginny and the three men in their group were obviously trying to listen and enjoy themselves, but it seemed that Swiss alphorn music was not their cup of tea. She snuck a glance at Seamus and smiled. It was sweet of him to try to enjoy it.
The concert ended around nine, and Seamus suggested they go to the building across the street- in England they would have called it a pub, but here in Switzerland Calliope wasn’t sure what it was. Whatever it was, it was called Damiel’s and the sign, which was magically lit up and which changed slowly from German to French to English, claimed to have live music every night. Everyone agreed, Pansy commenting it was good to see some sign of civilization, and they trooped across the street and into Damiel’s.
The place was crowded, but they found a table near the stage, where a tall, lanky young man, dressed in a dark suit that made him look even ganglier, was singing and alternately playing the guitar and violin. It was bizarre music, and the singer had a strange way of moving about and gesturing almost drunkenly, but Seamus seemed absolutely thrilled; apparently this was his kind of scene. Calliope wasn’t sure she liked the music, but Seamus had tried to enjoy the alphorns, so she held her tongue.
When the young man had finished a set and most of the group had left to find a restroom, Calliope watched with interest as Elise approached the stage and addressed the singer. He listened, a thoughtful expression on his face, then nodded. “What was that about?” she asked when Elise returned to the table.
“You’ll see!” Elise said cheerily. “It’s just something I thought would be nice.”
Calliope didn’t find out what it was until several songs later, when the young man on stage stepped up to the microphone. “Now, ladies and gentlemen,” he said, the translating spell on the microphone repeating his words in French and German, “it turns out we have a very special couple in our audience.” Calliope began to grin as she realized what Elise had done. “This couple is here on their honeymoon, can you believe it? Can we get a light on them?” Someone raised the front lights a little, and Ginny waved a bit awkwardly as Draco glowered next to her. “I’m going to play them a song, something a little slower, a little more romantic, so all of you out there who are here with your special someone, get up and dance. This is ‘Sylvia,’ dedicated to our two lovebirds, Jenny and Drake. Congratulations, guys.”
Elise shrugged- “I told him your names right!”- and then the music started.
“Come on, let’s dance!” Elise said, grabbing James’ hand, as several other couples stood as well. The rest of the group looked around the table at each other until Elise stalked back toward them. “Ginny, Draco, this is your song,” she said firmly. “You have to dance.”
There was silence a moment, and then Draco turned and slowly offered his hand to Ginny. She took it just as slowly, and they both stood up and then stood looking at each other. “Look at them,” Seamus laughed. “They look like fourth years at the Yule Ball. You’d think they’d never danced together before.”
“Maybe they haven’t,” Calliope replied. “I don’t think Draco likes dancing very well.” As they watched, Draco finally stepped forward and put his hands on Ginny’s waist, and she put her hands on his shoulders, and they began to dance. They both looked so awkward that Calliope and Seamus began to laugh.
Calliope was still laughing when Seamus put his hand over hers. “Dance with me?”
She hesitated, then smiled. “I’d love to.”
“Sylvia” was just as strange as the rest of the music had been, but Calliope found she didn’t mind. She and Seamus danced near the Stewarts, who were, as usual, gazing into each other’s eyes, and the Malfoys, who still looked awkward. The three women looked at each other and smiled, and Calliope looked back at Seamus and flushed slightly. It certainly was nice that Seamus had turned out to be so sweet.
Some time much later, the singer took a last bow and began packing up his things. The group of intrepid British travelers on the front row started to do the same while Seamus ran off to the restroom, promising to hurry. Calliope, wandering slowly toward the door, was surprised to see Pansy approaching. “Can I have a word?” she asked.
Calliope shrugged her consent, and Pansy led her outside into the warm Swiss night. “So,” she said bluntly, “I see you and Seamus are getting rather close.”
Calliope laughed a bit awkwardly. “He’s just being nice.”
“I saw you dancing with him. You don’t look that way at a man who’s just being nice.”
“Pansy-”
“Did you know he’s a half-blood?” Pansy cut in.
“Of course,” Calliope responded. “He told me that himself.”
“Now Calliope,” Pansy said, “do you really want to be associating with half-bloods?”
Calliope scoffed. “Don’t be ridiculous. You’re so old-fashioned, Pansy.”
“If I’m so ridiculous, maybe you’d rather not be in my company.”
“Don’t say that,” Calliope said with a sigh. “You know I value your friendship.”
“Well, if you value it,” Pansy rejoined immediately, “perhaps you should know that I have never had a friend who dated anything less than a pureblood, and I don’t intend to start. Think about that, Calliope.” And then, with a half-smirk and sardonic nod, she left.
Calliope watched her go, fuming inwardly. That bossy, officious woman! To presume to tell her who she could or couldn’t see! Well, Calliope would show her. She would march back to Seamus right now and-
And what? nastily asked the more rational part of her mind. Confess your undying love for him? Tell him he’s worth losing your best friend over? Presume that he’s actually interested? That made her pause. It was true; she had no idea what Seamus felt about her. He’d been attentive, of course, but that was probably because the only other unattached member of their party could be a bit of a terror. It was silly to think that just because he talked to her, he was at all interested in her; after all, she’d only known him a few days. Maybe some people fell that fast, but if they did, it was not for plain, quiet Calliope Galliard.
That was her answer, then: if Seamus didn’t have feelings for her, why would she cast off her best friend for him? After all, Pansy had been her friend when no one else was. They’d been friends for years; how could she give that up for someone she’d only known a few days?
The door opened and the rest of her traveling companions stepped out. Seamus smiled when he saw Calliope and started to walk toward her, but Calliope, mindful Pansy was watching, fell into step between her and James. Pansy smiled at her, but Calliope stared straight ahead, trying to ignore Seamus’ eyes burning holes into her back.
. . . . . .
They got back to the chalet after one. Ginny felt exhausted; it had been a busy week, to say the least, and it certainly didn’t help that she hadn’t slept well since they’d arrived. She cast a disgusted glance toward Draco as they walked upstairs. The man was impossible to sleep with. That he hogged the blankets didn’t surprise her, but who would have guessed he’d turn out to be such a fitful sleeper? He’d wake up six or seven times a night and tell Ginny she was moving too much, or mutter something incoherent, or sometimes just pull the blankets away from her and fall back asleep. It was driving her crazy, and she would be very glad to be home and in her own bed.
Once in her pajamas, Ginny went to the bathroom and began preparing for bed. As tired as she was, she didn’t notice Draco had joined her in the bathroom until he spoke. “Your hair looks nice like that,” he said thoughtfully.
“Don’t be a jerk, Malfoy,” she retorted immediately.
“Pardon me?” he replied, obviously surprised. “How am I being a jerk? I’m serious. Your hair looks nice like that.”
“Like this?” Ginny repeated incredulously, looking at herself in the mirror. Before washing her face she’d pulled her hair back with a clip; it now sat piled messily atop her head, a few curly strands falling down around her face.
“Yeah. I think you look good with your hair up,” Draco said, rather awkwardly.
She looked at him, then began laughing. “So I look better just throwing my hair back than when I spend time on it. Good to know.” Giving her face one last wipe with the washcloth, she took the clip out of her hair and brushed through it a few times.
“Of course,” Draco added, watching her, “you are still a redhead. I think you’re probably the first redhead in the Malfoy family since-”
“Draco,” Ginny cut in exasperatedly as she passed him to leave the bathroom, “have you ever considered doing things without worrying about what your Malfoy ancestors have done? You know, think for yourself for a change?” Shaking her head, she patted him on the shoulder and walked into the bedroom.
A few minutes later, in bed with her eyes closed, Ginny heard Draco close the bathroom door. She expected him to turn off the lights and climb into his side of the bed, so when instead something hit the bed next to her, her eyes flew open in surprise. Draco was leaning over her, his face mere inches from hers, one hand on the bed on either side of her. “You’re right,” he said, while she lay frozen. “I’m going to do something tonight without worrying what my ancestors would have done.”
It took a moment to find her voice. “And what would that be?” she asked, her heart pounding, as she tried not to notice how perfectly gorgeous he was up close.
“Scoot over.”
“And- what?”
“Scoot over. I’m going to sleep on the left side of the bed tonight.”
Ginny stared, open-mouthed. “That’s your big, life-changing idea?”
“I don’t want to change my life. I like my life. But I’m willing to try new things, like sleeping on the left side of the bed. So scoot over.”
“Fine,” Ginny said, and moved to the right side, her heart still pounding. If she couldn’t sleep with Draco most of the time, she could only imagine it was going to be impossible now after that adrenaline rush. Draco turned off the lights and got into bed, and Ginny turned away from him. What had she expected him to do? What had she wanted him to do? That was a subject she didn’t want to address, not while he was lying next to her. She stifled a groan. Why did he have to be so confusing?
He’d always been an interesting case: on the one hand, he had always been one of the most attractive boys at school- the one who all the girls admitted to secretly liking, against all their better judgement. On the other hand, she’d hated him for all the horrible things he’d done. She’d hated being bullied but she’d hated seeing her friends bullied even more, and most of all she’d hated the possibility that the next fight that started- although, she admitted to herself, it wasn’t always Draco who started the fights- would be the one in which someone she cared about got seriously injured. Stifling a sigh, in case he was still awake, she turned her head and looked at him. Her discomfort certainly wasn’t helped by the fact that despite everything, he was still the most beautiful man she’d ever seen. Sometimes she hated him for that, too.
Well, there was no use worrying about it now, so she turned over and settled in for another long night.
She managed to doze off somehow, only to be awakened several hours later as Draco turned over, taking all the blankets with him. Grimacing in the darkness, she reached out and gently tried to pull the coverlet away from him. Normally it worked, but this time he woke up.
“What are you doing?” he asked groggily.
“You took all the sheets and covers,” she explained calmly.
“Use a warming spell,” he suggested.
“I like having something over me. Otherwise I feel . . . exposed. Besides, if I can use a warming spell, you could just as easily.”
“But- well-”
"You have no good response to that, so just give me some. These are big enough for the both of us.” She tried to pull the coverlet away from him, and when he pulled back, it turned into an all out tug-of-war. Somehow in the midst of scuffling, Ginny ended up back on the left side of the bed, holding the blanket territory she’d won from him.
“Fine,” Draco growled, “but I’m keeping this side of the bed.”
“Fine,” Ginny agreed waspishly. “I like this side better anyway.”
“I’m cold,” he said a moment later. “I usually wrap the sheets around me, but now I can’t.”
“Scoot closer to the middle of the bed,” Ginny suggested sleepily.
“I’m already closer to the middle of the bed. It’s you who’s out on the edge.”
Ginny sighed. “Fine,” she said, and scooted closer to Draco, who immediately pulled the blankets toward him and settled in. Ginny also settled into the bed, trying to ignore the fact that Draco was now so close she could feel his breath stir her hair.
“Good night,” she said softly. Draco was already asleep.
No one felt particularly energetic the next morning, so they all hung out around the house for a while. Ginny was glad, because there was something she was meaning to get to the bottom of: Seamus and Calliope. They were an absolutely adorable couple, and Ginny had been hoping they’d get together; they both deserved some happiness, and they were so perfect for each other. For a while things had seemed to be leaning that direction, but somehow last night things had changed. They’d seemed so close while they were dancing, but then, on the way home, she’d ignored him. Something had happened between the dance and the chateau, and Ginny had a suspicion she knew what- or rather who- it was.
After a moment of searching, Ginny found Calliope and Pansy together in the library. Perfect. “So,” she said conversationally, “that was fun last night.”
“It was,” Calliope said earnestly, while on the sofa Pansy just looked haughtily at her.
“I’m really glad Seamus suggested we go to that pub. That kid is such a sweetheart, don’t you think?”
Bingo. Calliope immediately looked uncomfortable, while Pansy’s sneer became more pronounced. “Yes, he’s very nice,” Calliope said carefully. “But just as a friend.” She looked around miserably a moment, then stood. “I need some water,” she said by way of excusing herself.
“All right,” Ginny said, rounding on Pansy, as soon as Calliope was out of the room, “what did you do?”
“Nothing,” Pansy said sweetly. “Calliope’s a big girl. She can make up her own mind. And if she finally realized she was much better off without that half-blood, that speaks to her sense and taste.”
“Finally realized with some help, I’ll bet,” Ginny muttered as she left the room. Undoubtedly Pansy had been spouting her pureblood ideology to Calliope, making the poor girl do things she didn’t want to do. Ginny knew this because she’d seen the look on Calliope’s face just before she left the room- she felt bad about Seamus. Ginny smiled. Maybe she just needed some encouragement- a few reminders about how wonderful Seamus was. And that was where Ginny stepped in.
They spent the day around the chateau, because, as Seamus said, “Vacations are always more stressful than being at home. Sometimes it’s nice to sit back on a vacation and not do anything.”
“Oh, I agree completely,” Ginny said. She looked at Calliope. “Don’t you agree?” The girl smiled uncomfortably in reply.
After lunch, at Elise’s request, Calliope taught her and Ginny a spell she’d learned at Beauxbatons. “Abeo aqua,” she said, flicking her wand, and the water in Ginny’s drinking glass began to quiver. A few more waves of her wand drew the water from the glass and shaped it into a lily. “Coalesco” hardened it into that shape, and Calliope handed it to Ginny, who marveled at the thing, clearly a lily, but also clearly made of liquid water- it made her fingers wet. She and Elise tried it then; Elise made a passable heart, but Ginny’s tree looked more like a mushroom.
“Too bad Seamus isn’t here,” she said as Elise and Calliope laughed at her tree. “He’d be much better at this kind of thing. He’s such a great wizard- and so smart.”
“Yes, too bad,” Calliope said, laughing uncomfortably.
They had dinner at the chateau, and when Seamus passed her the peas, Ginny beamed at him. “Thank you so much, Seamus,” she said. “You’re so sweet.” Draco rolled his eyes.
“Oh. Thanks, Ginny,” he said, slightly subdued, and Ginny’s heart ached for him. He’d been rather quiet all afternoon, ever since Calliope had blown him off, yet again, at lunch. Ginny vowed to double her efforts, and if that didn’t work, have a heart to heart with Calliope in the morning.
It was down by the pool table that Draco finally got sick of her fawning. James, Seamus, and Draco were playing while Ginny and Calliope lounged by the fire. Ginny had just finished remarking to Calliope about what a wonderful pool player Seamus was when Draco left the game and took her hand. “Dearest, can I speak to you upstairs a moment?”
Ginny blinked. Dearest? Hand holding? Something was definitely up. “Of course.”
“Thanks. Calliope, would you like my spot?”
“Oh, sure,” Calliope said, surprised, but Draco was already leading Ginny up the stairs by then.
“Oh, Draco,” Ginny mock sighed as they reached the top of the stairs, “I always knew you really loved me.”
“Ginny,” Draco said, ignoring her completely, “what are you doing?”
“What am I doing with what?” she replied blankly.
“Well, either you’ve fallen in love with Finnegan, or you’ve recently been hired as his new publicity manager.”
“Oh, that,” Ginny said. “I’m just trying to talk him up to Calliope. Pansy said something to her- I don’t know what, but I think it involved the phrase ‘half-blood scum’- and now she’s ignoring Seamus. I just wanted to let her know what a great guy he is- someone to counteract the rampant anti-Seamus sentiments she’s getting from Pansy.”
“You would,” Draco sighed in disgust. “Ginny, Calliope is twenty-two years old. I think she can decide for herself who she fancies.”
“Of course she can decide for herself,” Ginny laughed. “I’m just making sure she has all the facts about the candidates.”
“Ginny,” Draco repeated firmly and a bit condescendingly, “you can’t do this. You can’t control people’s lives.”
“I’m not controlling her life!” Ginny shot back, suddenly angry. “I’m just trying to let her know that your pureblood dogmas aren’t necessarily absolute truth.”
“My pureblood dogmas?” Draco retorted immediately. “Mine? Are you lumping me with Pansy now? Is that what you think of me?”
“No, of course not,” Ginny said, chagrined. “I didn’t mean to say that-”
“Well, at least I mind my own elitist, pureblood business,” Draco said harshly, “rather than trying boss everyone around and control everyone’s lives.”
“Boss everyone around?” Ginny replied incredulously. “Ha! Whose life have I ever tried to control?”
“Mine!” Draco retorted, and then he froze, realizing what he’d just said.
There was a long moment in which Ginny stared at her husband, shocked and hurt, but before she could respond there came the clattering of something being knocked down in the next room. They both turned and caught a glimpse of Pansy, watching them from the doorway, just before she turned and ran. “Great,” Draco said in disgust. “If she heard that then she’s going to think her golden opportunity has just popped up.”
Ginny sighed, putting one hand to her forehead. “It’ll be okay. Tomorrow we’ll just have to make it obvious that we’re madly in love.” She closed her eyes and grimaced- she could feel a headache coming on, as she usually did when she fought with someone. Perhaps it was all those years of fighting Voldemort, but she’d really come to hate conflict. “I’m going to bed,” she said, and walked away from Draco, hoping he didn’t follow. Not only did she not want to deal with him just then, but she also hoped that if didn’t come to bed for a while, she could get some good sleep without him waking her every hour.
Her luck held out and he didn’t follow her. Quickly and miserably she prepared for bed and climbed under the covers- on the left side of the bed- and almost immediately fell asleep.
. . . . . .
There certainly are not so many men of large fortune in the world, as there are pretty women to deserve them. - Jane Austen
. . . . . .
Tuesday was spent sightseeing in the beautiful countryside around the chateau. They did it in the Muggle style, actually hiking from place to place, as was popular in the wizard world. Of course some people preferred to use magic, but for many centuries it had been quite stylish for adventurous wizarding tourists to see the landscape as their non-magical brethren did; one got more out of the experience, proponents claimed.
Pansy, of course, hated the idea. “We’re wizards,” she said disgustedly to Calliope when the idea of hiking was first proposed. “We have magic. Why on earth would anyone walk when they could Apparate?” But she went along, of course, because she overheard Draco say that hiking reminded him of trips to the Continent as a boy.
Calliope wasn’t much of a hiker either, but she was willing to try to enjoy it. Elise and Ginny were so sweet that Calliope didn’t feel at all embarrassed if she lagged behind or slowed the group down, and the scenery was beautiful. She would certainly agree that hiking added to the experience. And fortunately, it wasn’t as difficult as she thought, and in the parts where it did get difficult, Draco’s sweet Irish friend was right there to help her along.
She stole a quick glance at Seamus as he handed her his canteen. He was clearly enjoying their excursion. She tore her eyes away from him, embarrassed at watching him so closely. In her mind she could hear her childhood tutor’s prim voice: “It is not ladylike to stare, especially at a man.” And especially not a man she hardly knew, she was sure. But there was something about him that intrigued her. He was so unlike anyone she knew, so open and warm, so unafraid to show what he was feeling. She wished she could be like that, so free with her emotions. She looked back at Seamus and saw that he was smiling at her. Embarrassed, she got up from the rock she’d been resting on and started off down the path. But still, she told herself, it’s good that Draco’s friend turned out to be so nice.
The group finished off their day of hiking by returning after dinner to the hill they’d hiked the day before. Elise had brought sweets and blankets from the house, and they all sat on the grass, wrapped in blankets, and looked at the stars. James was particularly good at astronomy, and he pointed out stars and constellations while the rest of the group listened contentedly and ate what Elise had brought. Calliope listened raptly, staring up at the stars, her knees pulled to her chest. She’d always loved astronomy, though she’d only taken the introductory class at Beauxbatons; the complex equations required to calculate the movement of the stars were simply beyond her.
As she listened to James, she found herself looking around the group. Her eyes fell on Draco and Ginny. What a strange couple they were! Though the mountain air was growing chilly, and though they had the example of James and Elise cuddling together in a large quilt, Draco and Ginny sat wrapped in separate blankets, near each other but not touching- certainly not the usual picture of newlyweds in love. But then, everyone was different; some people didn’t like making public displays of their affection. Still, it seemed strange. Calliope, looking at Pansy, could see that her friend hadn’t noticed it yet, which was good; the last thing Pansy needed was encouragement.
As if reading Calliope’s thoughts, Draco suddenly glanced at Pansy, then scooted closer to his wife. The darkness made it difficult to be sure, but it seemed that Draco leaned over to whisper something in Ginny’s ear. As though in response, Ginny unwrapped the blanket from around her shoulders and spread it on the ground, then she and Draco both sat on it and wrapped his blanket around themselves. Even then, they appeared to barely be touching one another. Calliope shook her head. They were a strange couple, indeed.
On Wednesday they all slept late. Calliope, who was usually up by seven, found the experience quite delicious. When she finally stumbled down the stairs, she found Ginny and Draco, already awake and apparently awake for some time. The rest of their group straggled down over the next hour, Pansy arriving last, just before lunch. Once they had all eaten they split up, agreeing to meet in Eiche for dinner. James and Elise disappeared almost immediately, leaving the other five alone in the living room. Pansy lost no time in sidling up to Draco. “Where are we going, Draco?” she asked in a sickly sweet voice, linking her arm through his. Calliope wondered if she was deliberately ignoring Draco’s look of disgust or if she honestly didn’t see it. The latter was quite possible- Pansy certainly did have a gift for only seeing what she wanted to see.
Draco pulled his arm away from Pansy’s and appeared to be about to say something scathing when Ginny laid a hand on his arm. He turned to her and they shared a long look, at the end of which Draco turned back to Pansy. “All right,” he said, sounding resigned. “We can all go together,” he quickly added, pointing to Calliope and Seamus. Ginny gave Draco another look, this time an amused one, and then they and Seamus and Pansy began to discuss where they might go to spend their afternoon.
Calliope sat back in her armchair, content to let the others talk while she pondered on the scene she had just witnessed. What must it be like, to understand someone as completely as Draco and Ginny understood each other? To be so in tune with another person that words weren’t necessary? She’d been noticing it all week, that strange ability they seemed to have to tell what the other person was feeling. She supposed it must be part of being in love. She smiled to herself. Being in love sounded . . . pleasant.
As her companions kept talking it became clear that they weren’t coming to any conclusion, so Calliope spoke up and timidly suggested that they go to the nearby Muggle resort towns. This idea was immediately seized upon by Ginny and Seamus; Draco and Pansy, however, looked less than enthused about going Muggle for the afternoon. No one came up with a better idea, though, so they all trooped upstairs to change.
When they finally left the house, all looking reasonably convincingly Muggle- except of course for Pansy in her scarlet cloak, but Calliope supposed they’d just have to tell people she was a wealthy eccentric- they Apparated to a wooded area outside Devos, which the Swiss Zauberministerium, as it was called, had designated a safe Apparation point. The roofs of the town were just visible through the trees below them, and Pansy immediately started leading the way. Calliope found herself at the back of the group, but she wasn’t back there alone long; Seamus soon came back and fell into step with her. Calliope felt herself flush ever so lightly. Draco’s friend certainly was friendly.
And he continued to be friendly. Seamus stayed near Calliope all the way into town, through several small, charming shops, and then outside to look at a rather picturesque old fountain. Though she’d was embarrassed to admit it, Calliope rather enjoyed the attention.
It was by the fountain that they lost Ginny and Draco. Calliope wasn’t entirely sure how it happened- she only knew that when Pansy started loudly commenting that she was bored and wanted to leave, Ginny and Draco were no longer there. If it was only Draco, Calliope would have assumed he’d ditched them, but Ginny didn’t seem like the ditching type.
After looking for the Malfoys a while with no luck, they finally gave up and moved on to the next store, Pansy audibly frustrated with this turn of events. She was still complaining several minutes later when Seamus, clearly annoyed, remarked in a deceptively off-hand tone that perhaps they’d slipped off together because they were in need of a good snog. Calliope bit her lip to keep from laughing while Pansy’s face changed from pouty to horrified and then to angry as she realized Seamus was joking. “Just a thought,” he added, and Pansy stalked off in a huff to look at antique clocks.
Calliope wasn’t worried about Pansy actually leaving; for all her arrogance, Pansy hated going places alone. She was obviously annoyed, though, and stayed at least ten steps away from them the rest of the afternoon. Calliope didn’t mind particularly, because it left her free to talk to Seamus, who remained by her side, charming and witty, until dinner.
For dinner they met up with the rest of the group in Eiche, where they discovered that the Malfoys had gone off to find a restroom when they’d all lost each other. They were just finishing dinner when Elise informed them she had found a perfect way to spend the evening: a traditional Swiss concert of alphorns.
“Alphorns?” Draco and Pansy repeated at the same time, then looked at each other quickly, Pansy looking delighted and Draco horrified.
“Yes, alphorns!” Elise said. “It’s really wonderful music, I promise.” Calliope saw Draco and James exchange looks across the table, and James shrugged as though to say, you try talking her out of it.
“I think it sounds lovely,” Calliope said honestly. “I’ve heard them before. It’s really nice.”
“Let’s go, then,” Seamus said. “If Elise and Calliope like it, it must be good.”
“Yes, let’s go,” Draco agreed dutifully, and Ginny smiled at him.
Everyone looked at Pansy, and she sighed heavily. “All right. But it had better be good.”
The concert, held in the Eiche town hall, was given by a musical family called the Danielsons. “That doesn’t sound very Swiss,” said Ginny, filing into the hall behind Calliope and Seamus.
“Not really,” Calliope murmured back. “But they’re certainly dressed Swiss.”
“Yes, that’s never a look I thought would work, but a few of those fellows look quite nice,” Ginny said. “Ooh, look at the one on the end. He’s quite fit, isn’t he?”
Calliope, Seamus and Draco all looked at her. She stared back at them a moment, then smiled in sudden understanding. “But not as fit as my Draco,” she added, a little awkwardly.
“No one’s as fit as your Draco,” her husband replied, looking slightly annoyed. Ginny smiled charmingly at him and slipped her arm around his waist.
The concert was as wonderful as Calliope had been hoping, though it seemed that the others around her might not agree- while Elise looked enraptured, Pansy was sound asleep. Ginny and the three men in their group were obviously trying to listen and enjoy themselves, but it seemed that Swiss alphorn music was not their cup of tea. She snuck a glance at Seamus and smiled. It was sweet of him to try to enjoy it.
The concert ended around nine, and Seamus suggested they go to the building across the street- in England they would have called it a pub, but here in Switzerland Calliope wasn’t sure what it was. Whatever it was, it was called Damiel’s and the sign, which was magically lit up and which changed slowly from German to French to English, claimed to have live music every night. Everyone agreed, Pansy commenting it was good to see some sign of civilization, and they trooped across the street and into Damiel’s.
The place was crowded, but they found a table near the stage, where a tall, lanky young man, dressed in a dark suit that made him look even ganglier, was singing and alternately playing the guitar and violin. It was bizarre music, and the singer had a strange way of moving about and gesturing almost drunkenly, but Seamus seemed absolutely thrilled; apparently this was his kind of scene. Calliope wasn’t sure she liked the music, but Seamus had tried to enjoy the alphorns, so she held her tongue.
When the young man had finished a set and most of the group had left to find a restroom, Calliope watched with interest as Elise approached the stage and addressed the singer. He listened, a thoughtful expression on his face, then nodded. “What was that about?” she asked when Elise returned to the table.
“You’ll see!” Elise said cheerily. “It’s just something I thought would be nice.”
Calliope didn’t find out what it was until several songs later, when the young man on stage stepped up to the microphone. “Now, ladies and gentlemen,” he said, the translating spell on the microphone repeating his words in French and German, “it turns out we have a very special couple in our audience.” Calliope began to grin as she realized what Elise had done. “This couple is here on their honeymoon, can you believe it? Can we get a light on them?” Someone raised the front lights a little, and Ginny waved a bit awkwardly as Draco glowered next to her. “I’m going to play them a song, something a little slower, a little more romantic, so all of you out there who are here with your special someone, get up and dance. This is ‘Sylvia,’ dedicated to our two lovebirds, Jenny and Drake. Congratulations, guys.”
Elise shrugged- “I told him your names right!”- and then the music started.
“Come on, let’s dance!” Elise said, grabbing James’ hand, as several other couples stood as well. The rest of the group looked around the table at each other until Elise stalked back toward them. “Ginny, Draco, this is your song,” she said firmly. “You have to dance.”
There was silence a moment, and then Draco turned and slowly offered his hand to Ginny. She took it just as slowly, and they both stood up and then stood looking at each other. “Look at them,” Seamus laughed. “They look like fourth years at the Yule Ball. You’d think they’d never danced together before.”
“Maybe they haven’t,” Calliope replied. “I don’t think Draco likes dancing very well.” As they watched, Draco finally stepped forward and put his hands on Ginny’s waist, and she put her hands on his shoulders, and they began to dance. They both looked so awkward that Calliope and Seamus began to laugh.
Calliope was still laughing when Seamus put his hand over hers. “Dance with me?”
She hesitated, then smiled. “I’d love to.”
“Sylvia” was just as strange as the rest of the music had been, but Calliope found she didn’t mind. She and Seamus danced near the Stewarts, who were, as usual, gazing into each other’s eyes, and the Malfoys, who still looked awkward. The three women looked at each other and smiled, and Calliope looked back at Seamus and flushed slightly. It certainly was nice that Seamus had turned out to be so sweet.
Some time much later, the singer took a last bow and began packing up his things. The group of intrepid British travelers on the front row started to do the same while Seamus ran off to the restroom, promising to hurry. Calliope, wandering slowly toward the door, was surprised to see Pansy approaching. “Can I have a word?” she asked.
Calliope shrugged her consent, and Pansy led her outside into the warm Swiss night. “So,” she said bluntly, “I see you and Seamus are getting rather close.”
Calliope laughed a bit awkwardly. “He’s just being nice.”
“I saw you dancing with him. You don’t look that way at a man who’s just being nice.”
“Pansy-”
“Did you know he’s a half-blood?” Pansy cut in.
“Of course,” Calliope responded. “He told me that himself.”
“Now Calliope,” Pansy said, “do you really want to be associating with half-bloods?”
Calliope scoffed. “Don’t be ridiculous. You’re so old-fashioned, Pansy.”
“If I’m so ridiculous, maybe you’d rather not be in my company.”
“Don’t say that,” Calliope said with a sigh. “You know I value your friendship.”
“Well, if you value it,” Pansy rejoined immediately, “perhaps you should know that I have never had a friend who dated anything less than a pureblood, and I don’t intend to start. Think about that, Calliope.” And then, with a half-smirk and sardonic nod, she left.
Calliope watched her go, fuming inwardly. That bossy, officious woman! To presume to tell her who she could or couldn’t see! Well, Calliope would show her. She would march back to Seamus right now and-
And what? nastily asked the more rational part of her mind. Confess your undying love for him? Tell him he’s worth losing your best friend over? Presume that he’s actually interested? That made her pause. It was true; she had no idea what Seamus felt about her. He’d been attentive, of course, but that was probably because the only other unattached member of their party could be a bit of a terror. It was silly to think that just because he talked to her, he was at all interested in her; after all, she’d only known him a few days. Maybe some people fell that fast, but if they did, it was not for plain, quiet Calliope Galliard.
That was her answer, then: if Seamus didn’t have feelings for her, why would she cast off her best friend for him? After all, Pansy had been her friend when no one else was. They’d been friends for years; how could she give that up for someone she’d only known a few days?
The door opened and the rest of her traveling companions stepped out. Seamus smiled when he saw Calliope and started to walk toward her, but Calliope, mindful Pansy was watching, fell into step between her and James. Pansy smiled at her, but Calliope stared straight ahead, trying to ignore Seamus’ eyes burning holes into her back.
. . . . . .
They got back to the chalet after one. Ginny felt exhausted; it had been a busy week, to say the least, and it certainly didn’t help that she hadn’t slept well since they’d arrived. She cast a disgusted glance toward Draco as they walked upstairs. The man was impossible to sleep with. That he hogged the blankets didn’t surprise her, but who would have guessed he’d turn out to be such a fitful sleeper? He’d wake up six or seven times a night and tell Ginny she was moving too much, or mutter something incoherent, or sometimes just pull the blankets away from her and fall back asleep. It was driving her crazy, and she would be very glad to be home and in her own bed.
Once in her pajamas, Ginny went to the bathroom and began preparing for bed. As tired as she was, she didn’t notice Draco had joined her in the bathroom until he spoke. “Your hair looks nice like that,” he said thoughtfully.
“Don’t be a jerk, Malfoy,” she retorted immediately.
“Pardon me?” he replied, obviously surprised. “How am I being a jerk? I’m serious. Your hair looks nice like that.”
“Like this?” Ginny repeated incredulously, looking at herself in the mirror. Before washing her face she’d pulled her hair back with a clip; it now sat piled messily atop her head, a few curly strands falling down around her face.
“Yeah. I think you look good with your hair up,” Draco said, rather awkwardly.
She looked at him, then began laughing. “So I look better just throwing my hair back than when I spend time on it. Good to know.” Giving her face one last wipe with the washcloth, she took the clip out of her hair and brushed through it a few times.
“Of course,” Draco added, watching her, “you are still a redhead. I think you’re probably the first redhead in the Malfoy family since-”
“Draco,” Ginny cut in exasperatedly as she passed him to leave the bathroom, “have you ever considered doing things without worrying about what your Malfoy ancestors have done? You know, think for yourself for a change?” Shaking her head, she patted him on the shoulder and walked into the bedroom.
A few minutes later, in bed with her eyes closed, Ginny heard Draco close the bathroom door. She expected him to turn off the lights and climb into his side of the bed, so when instead something hit the bed next to her, her eyes flew open in surprise. Draco was leaning over her, his face mere inches from hers, one hand on the bed on either side of her. “You’re right,” he said, while she lay frozen. “I’m going to do something tonight without worrying what my ancestors would have done.”
It took a moment to find her voice. “And what would that be?” she asked, her heart pounding, as she tried not to notice how perfectly gorgeous he was up close.
“Scoot over.”
“And- what?”
“Scoot over. I’m going to sleep on the left side of the bed tonight.”
Ginny stared, open-mouthed. “That’s your big, life-changing idea?”
“I don’t want to change my life. I like my life. But I’m willing to try new things, like sleeping on the left side of the bed. So scoot over.”
“Fine,” Ginny said, and moved to the right side, her heart still pounding. If she couldn’t sleep with Draco most of the time, she could only imagine it was going to be impossible now after that adrenaline rush. Draco turned off the lights and got into bed, and Ginny turned away from him. What had she expected him to do? What had she wanted him to do? That was a subject she didn’t want to address, not while he was lying next to her. She stifled a groan. Why did he have to be so confusing?
He’d always been an interesting case: on the one hand, he had always been one of the most attractive boys at school- the one who all the girls admitted to secretly liking, against all their better judgement. On the other hand, she’d hated him for all the horrible things he’d done. She’d hated being bullied but she’d hated seeing her friends bullied even more, and most of all she’d hated the possibility that the next fight that started- although, she admitted to herself, it wasn’t always Draco who started the fights- would be the one in which someone she cared about got seriously injured. Stifling a sigh, in case he was still awake, she turned her head and looked at him. Her discomfort certainly wasn’t helped by the fact that despite everything, he was still the most beautiful man she’d ever seen. Sometimes she hated him for that, too.
Well, there was no use worrying about it now, so she turned over and settled in for another long night.
She managed to doze off somehow, only to be awakened several hours later as Draco turned over, taking all the blankets with him. Grimacing in the darkness, she reached out and gently tried to pull the coverlet away from him. Normally it worked, but this time he woke up.
“What are you doing?” he asked groggily.
“You took all the sheets and covers,” she explained calmly.
“Use a warming spell,” he suggested.
“I like having something over me. Otherwise I feel . . . exposed. Besides, if I can use a warming spell, you could just as easily.”
“But- well-”
"You have no good response to that, so just give me some. These are big enough for the both of us.” She tried to pull the coverlet away from him, and when he pulled back, it turned into an all out tug-of-war. Somehow in the midst of scuffling, Ginny ended up back on the left side of the bed, holding the blanket territory she’d won from him.
“Fine,” Draco growled, “but I’m keeping this side of the bed.”
“Fine,” Ginny agreed waspishly. “I like this side better anyway.”
“I’m cold,” he said a moment later. “I usually wrap the sheets around me, but now I can’t.”
“Scoot closer to the middle of the bed,” Ginny suggested sleepily.
“I’m already closer to the middle of the bed. It’s you who’s out on the edge.”
Ginny sighed. “Fine,” she said, and scooted closer to Draco, who immediately pulled the blankets toward him and settled in. Ginny also settled into the bed, trying to ignore the fact that Draco was now so close she could feel his breath stir her hair.
“Good night,” she said softly. Draco was already asleep.
No one felt particularly energetic the next morning, so they all hung out around the house for a while. Ginny was glad, because there was something she was meaning to get to the bottom of: Seamus and Calliope. They were an absolutely adorable couple, and Ginny had been hoping they’d get together; they both deserved some happiness, and they were so perfect for each other. For a while things had seemed to be leaning that direction, but somehow last night things had changed. They’d seemed so close while they were dancing, but then, on the way home, she’d ignored him. Something had happened between the dance and the chateau, and Ginny had a suspicion she knew what- or rather who- it was.
After a moment of searching, Ginny found Calliope and Pansy together in the library. Perfect. “So,” she said conversationally, “that was fun last night.”
“It was,” Calliope said earnestly, while on the sofa Pansy just looked haughtily at her.
“I’m really glad Seamus suggested we go to that pub. That kid is such a sweetheart, don’t you think?”
Bingo. Calliope immediately looked uncomfortable, while Pansy’s sneer became more pronounced. “Yes, he’s very nice,” Calliope said carefully. “But just as a friend.” She looked around miserably a moment, then stood. “I need some water,” she said by way of excusing herself.
“All right,” Ginny said, rounding on Pansy, as soon as Calliope was out of the room, “what did you do?”
“Nothing,” Pansy said sweetly. “Calliope’s a big girl. She can make up her own mind. And if she finally realized she was much better off without that half-blood, that speaks to her sense and taste.”
“Finally realized with some help, I’ll bet,” Ginny muttered as she left the room. Undoubtedly Pansy had been spouting her pureblood ideology to Calliope, making the poor girl do things she didn’t want to do. Ginny knew this because she’d seen the look on Calliope’s face just before she left the room- she felt bad about Seamus. Ginny smiled. Maybe she just needed some encouragement- a few reminders about how wonderful Seamus was. And that was where Ginny stepped in.
They spent the day around the chateau, because, as Seamus said, “Vacations are always more stressful than being at home. Sometimes it’s nice to sit back on a vacation and not do anything.”
“Oh, I agree completely,” Ginny said. She looked at Calliope. “Don’t you agree?” The girl smiled uncomfortably in reply.
After lunch, at Elise’s request, Calliope taught her and Ginny a spell she’d learned at Beauxbatons. “Abeo aqua,” she said, flicking her wand, and the water in Ginny’s drinking glass began to quiver. A few more waves of her wand drew the water from the glass and shaped it into a lily. “Coalesco” hardened it into that shape, and Calliope handed it to Ginny, who marveled at the thing, clearly a lily, but also clearly made of liquid water- it made her fingers wet. She and Elise tried it then; Elise made a passable heart, but Ginny’s tree looked more like a mushroom.
“Too bad Seamus isn’t here,” she said as Elise and Calliope laughed at her tree. “He’d be much better at this kind of thing. He’s such a great wizard- and so smart.”
“Yes, too bad,” Calliope said, laughing uncomfortably.
They had dinner at the chateau, and when Seamus passed her the peas, Ginny beamed at him. “Thank you so much, Seamus,” she said. “You’re so sweet.” Draco rolled his eyes.
“Oh. Thanks, Ginny,” he said, slightly subdued, and Ginny’s heart ached for him. He’d been rather quiet all afternoon, ever since Calliope had blown him off, yet again, at lunch. Ginny vowed to double her efforts, and if that didn’t work, have a heart to heart with Calliope in the morning.
It was down by the pool table that Draco finally got sick of her fawning. James, Seamus, and Draco were playing while Ginny and Calliope lounged by the fire. Ginny had just finished remarking to Calliope about what a wonderful pool player Seamus was when Draco left the game and took her hand. “Dearest, can I speak to you upstairs a moment?”
Ginny blinked. Dearest? Hand holding? Something was definitely up. “Of course.”
“Thanks. Calliope, would you like my spot?”
“Oh, sure,” Calliope said, surprised, but Draco was already leading Ginny up the stairs by then.
“Oh, Draco,” Ginny mock sighed as they reached the top of the stairs, “I always knew you really loved me.”
“Ginny,” Draco said, ignoring her completely, “what are you doing?”
“What am I doing with what?” she replied blankly.
“Well, either you’ve fallen in love with Finnegan, or you’ve recently been hired as his new publicity manager.”
“Oh, that,” Ginny said. “I’m just trying to talk him up to Calliope. Pansy said something to her- I don’t know what, but I think it involved the phrase ‘half-blood scum’- and now she’s ignoring Seamus. I just wanted to let her know what a great guy he is- someone to counteract the rampant anti-Seamus sentiments she’s getting from Pansy.”
“You would,” Draco sighed in disgust. “Ginny, Calliope is twenty-two years old. I think she can decide for herself who she fancies.”
“Of course she can decide for herself,” Ginny laughed. “I’m just making sure she has all the facts about the candidates.”
“Ginny,” Draco repeated firmly and a bit condescendingly, “you can’t do this. You can’t control people’s lives.”
“I’m not controlling her life!” Ginny shot back, suddenly angry. “I’m just trying to let her know that your pureblood dogmas aren’t necessarily absolute truth.”
“My pureblood dogmas?” Draco retorted immediately. “Mine? Are you lumping me with Pansy now? Is that what you think of me?”
“No, of course not,” Ginny said, chagrined. “I didn’t mean to say that-”
“Well, at least I mind my own elitist, pureblood business,” Draco said harshly, “rather than trying boss everyone around and control everyone’s lives.”
“Boss everyone around?” Ginny replied incredulously. “Ha! Whose life have I ever tried to control?”
“Mine!” Draco retorted, and then he froze, realizing what he’d just said.
There was a long moment in which Ginny stared at her husband, shocked and hurt, but before she could respond there came the clattering of something being knocked down in the next room. They both turned and caught a glimpse of Pansy, watching them from the doorway, just before she turned and ran. “Great,” Draco said in disgust. “If she heard that then she’s going to think her golden opportunity has just popped up.”
Ginny sighed, putting one hand to her forehead. “It’ll be okay. Tomorrow we’ll just have to make it obvious that we’re madly in love.” She closed her eyes and grimaced- she could feel a headache coming on, as she usually did when she fought with someone. Perhaps it was all those years of fighting Voldemort, but she’d really come to hate conflict. “I’m going to bed,” she said, and walked away from Draco, hoping he didn’t follow. Not only did she not want to deal with him just then, but she also hoped that if didn’t come to bed for a while, she could get some good sleep without him waking her every hour.
Her luck held out and he didn’t follow her. Quickly and miserably she prepared for bed and climbed under the covers- on the left side of the bed- and almost immediately fell asleep.
. . . . . .
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