Love or Lose
Chapter I- Beginnings
Author's notes: Love or Lose was originally posted on fanfiction.net and left unfinished. I started writing it in 2003. I have now rewritten it so it's slightly more Canon (eg- Ginny's name is now Ginevra, not Virginia, etc) but I won't be using the 5th or 6th books at all. Please do not leave comments telling me what should or should not be the case. I've left certain facts, such as Ginny's eye colour, the way I wanted them originally and still want them.
Disclaimer: huh? I'm not J.K. Rowling? …darn.
Summary: Draco/Ginny, with a dash of anything else I feel like at the time. A warning to my readers: I use a lot of time jumps early on, and most of the plot later on will be told through flashbacks. If you have problems keeping up, let me know. I hate putting little FLASHBACK notes or things, but I'll try and make it obvious. usually I'll put a break. (~~~^~~~) Good luck! and enjoy - tulzdavampslayer
~~~^~~~
Ginevra Molly Weasley sat underneath the Sorting Hat and set her jaw tightly. She was sure that if the Hat didn’t make its choice soon, she would drop dead on the spot. Her heart was beating so quickly...
"GRYFFINDOR!"
A squeal escaped her small lips as she jumped up and dashed to the Gryffindor table, all the time looking around for Harry Potter. But he and her brother Ron weren’t even sitting at the table. A lump settled in her throat, and she was suddenly afraid for her brother and the boy who made her head spin like nothing else in the world. But then congratulating hands were thrust into her own, and she found herself in the midst of the Celebrations.
As they ate the feast that had magically appeared at their table, Ginny’s eyes scanned the other tables, wondering where the two boys could be. As her glance passed over the Slytherin table, her eyes were caught by a blond second year boy, one she had met in Diagon Alley, and heard a lot more about beforehand. Draco Malfoy.
He was staring at her, the look in his eyes filled with proud disdain. But there was something else there too. Something akin to… could it be amusement? Like there was some great joke that nobody but him understood. They studied each other for a long moment, a silent challenge passing through the air, until he turned away almost condescendingly, ignoring her angry green eyes to laugh with two boys who could only be his two cronies Crabbe and Goyle.
Ginny snorted in contempt for the boy she knew was destined to be the cruelest in the school, and reached for the roast potatoes.
It wasn’t until much later that she remembered her fear for Harry Potter.
~~~^~~~
Stupid little git. Just like her brothers. Searching for her darling Potter. Where are Weasley and Potter, anyway? Oh, why am I wasting my time thinking about those stupid Gryffindors…
~~~^~~~
After all exams were cancelled that year (all because of her), Ginny often found herself wandering the halls of Hogwarts alone. At first Harry, Ron and Hermione had tried to keep her company, making sure that she was really all right. But after a while, they had drifted away. Her sullen attitude hadn’t helped much perhaps, but she still felt an agonizing guilt for what had happened with the Chamber of Secrets. She could barely be in the same room as Hermione, a constant reminder of what she had unwittingly done. And Harry, although he tried to be considerate and friendly, just came off as condescending. In that week, Ginny learnt a little about her feelings for Harry. The crush began to be slightly more bearable. Only slightly. She could think a little clearer with him around now. But it was one of those things that Ginny could tell was going to stick around for a long time...
"Watch where you’re going, Weasley!"
Ginny looked up in surprise. She was about to apologize to the boy she’d almost crashed into, but when she saw who the voice belonged to, she thought better of it.
"Why should I, Malfoy? You worried that I might sic a Basilisk on you or something?" For some reason, she felt very brave right then. After what she'd been through that year, a little bully like Malfoy didn't really seem all that threatening.
Crabbe and Goyle, standing behind their leader as always, glanced behind themselves nervously, half expecting to see a sixty foot snake slithering down the hall.
"Ha!" Draco laughed at the little girl. "You? Don’t be daft, everyone knows it was Voldemort who was really controlling it. You were just a pawn in his scheme."
Ginny flinched slightly when Draco said you-know-who's name, and Crabbe and Goyle looked around again, both sweating visibly. She noticed however that Malfoy seemed uncomfortable saying the name aloud. Maybe... just maybe… A plot began to unfurl in her quick mind and a smirk spread across her face.
"What’re you grinning at, girl?" Draco suddenly felt rather unnerved by this tiny girl who had the courage to stand up to him. None of the first years ever rebelled against his intimidation. Of course, the girl was a Weasley, and they were renowned for their lack of common sense. He snarled at her.
"Ooh, is that all you have left in you there Malfoy? Wow. I’ve heard so much about your power to frighten us first years. Almost as bad as Voldemort." That time she detected a definite flinch. "I guess it was a little over-rated…" Ginny felt very proud of herself. She wasn’t going to let this puffed-up monster run her into the ground. After all, she’d seen much more terrifying monsters than a spoilt brat from an overly rich family.
Malfoy pulled out his wand. "I’m warning you, Weasley. Get out of my way and stay out of it."
Ginny bowed deeply and very formally, but she did not move to the side. "Find another way, Malfoy. I’m standing here now. You can stand here later if you really want to. I'll probably get bored in an hour or two."
"Move, girl, or I will be forced to -"
But Ginny’s wand was suddenly in her hand, raised threateningly and pointed directly at his nose.
Malfoy was in a compromising spot and he knew it. If he was caught using magic on a younger student again, he’d be out on detention in the Forbidden Forest. And he never wanted to go in there again without a particularly good reason. "You forget yourself, Weasley," he tried carefully. "I’m older than you, and I know a lot more about dueling than you do."
"But you forget who I am," Ginny smiled innocently, "and who my friends are. I watch them very closely, and I know every spell they have learnt, and more besides. You don’t share your mind and your soul with the Dark Lord and not learn anything from it." That technically was a lie, but she did know a couple of curses that Hermione had taught her for self-defence purposes. But Malfoy didn’t know that, and he wasn’t going to find out, if everything went to plan.
Draco’s jaw tightened. "Crabbe, Goyle…" he started before realizing that the boys no longer stood behind him. Their fleeing footsteps could be heard thumping away from the tense pair glaring each other down. He carefully stepped backwards, wanting desperately to curse the stupid little girl, but knowing that if he even moved his wand hand an inch he’d have an elephant trunk or something very similar instantaneously.
"Fine. You win this one Weasley. But don’t expect me to be lenient with you next time. You better watch your back, because one of these days…"
"You’ll what?"
"I’m gonna make you wish you’d never been born." His confidence began to return, and he smirked wickedly at her. Their eyes held as he backed down the hall. Ginny’s mouth twitched angrily, but her wand arm did not waver. And it did not lower till Malfoy had slowly turned and returned the way he had come.
Ginny breathed deeply and leaned against the wall.
“Too late,” she whispered.
~~~^~~~
Coming shortly, Chapter II - Something borrowed
featuring romantic advice from potions masters, dresses, and hugs by sunsets. (no I'm not moving their relationship too fast, I just love playing with time. *smiles innocently and hides*)
Chapter I- Beginnings
Author's notes: Love or Lose was originally posted on fanfiction.net and left unfinished. I started writing it in 2003. I have now rewritten it so it's slightly more Canon (eg- Ginny's name is now Ginevra, not Virginia, etc) but I won't be using the 5th or 6th books at all. Please do not leave comments telling me what should or should not be the case. I've left certain facts, such as Ginny's eye colour, the way I wanted them originally and still want them.
Disclaimer: huh? I'm not J.K. Rowling? …darn.
Summary: Draco/Ginny, with a dash of anything else I feel like at the time. A warning to my readers: I use a lot of time jumps early on, and most of the plot later on will be told through flashbacks. If you have problems keeping up, let me know. I hate putting little FLASHBACK notes or things, but I'll try and make it obvious. usually I'll put a break. (~~~^~~~) Good luck! and enjoy - tulzdavampslayer
Ginevra Molly Weasley sat underneath the Sorting Hat and set her jaw tightly. She was sure that if the Hat didn’t make its choice soon, she would drop dead on the spot. Her heart was beating so quickly...
"GRYFFINDOR!"
A squeal escaped her small lips as she jumped up and dashed to the Gryffindor table, all the time looking around for Harry Potter. But he and her brother Ron weren’t even sitting at the table. A lump settled in her throat, and she was suddenly afraid for her brother and the boy who made her head spin like nothing else in the world. But then congratulating hands were thrust into her own, and she found herself in the midst of the Celebrations.
As they ate the feast that had magically appeared at their table, Ginny’s eyes scanned the other tables, wondering where the two boys could be. As her glance passed over the Slytherin table, her eyes were caught by a blond second year boy, one she had met in Diagon Alley, and heard a lot more about beforehand. Draco Malfoy.
He was staring at her, the look in his eyes filled with proud disdain. But there was something else there too. Something akin to… could it be amusement? Like there was some great joke that nobody but him understood. They studied each other for a long moment, a silent challenge passing through the air, until he turned away almost condescendingly, ignoring her angry green eyes to laugh with two boys who could only be his two cronies Crabbe and Goyle.
Ginny snorted in contempt for the boy she knew was destined to be the cruelest in the school, and reached for the roast potatoes.
It wasn’t until much later that she remembered her fear for Harry Potter.
Stupid little git. Just like her brothers. Searching for her darling Potter. Where are Weasley and Potter, anyway? Oh, why am I wasting my time thinking about those stupid Gryffindors…
After all exams were cancelled that year (all because of her), Ginny often found herself wandering the halls of Hogwarts alone. At first Harry, Ron and Hermione had tried to keep her company, making sure that she was really all right. But after a while, they had drifted away. Her sullen attitude hadn’t helped much perhaps, but she still felt an agonizing guilt for what had happened with the Chamber of Secrets. She could barely be in the same room as Hermione, a constant reminder of what she had unwittingly done. And Harry, although he tried to be considerate and friendly, just came off as condescending. In that week, Ginny learnt a little about her feelings for Harry. The crush began to be slightly more bearable. Only slightly. She could think a little clearer with him around now. But it was one of those things that Ginny could tell was going to stick around for a long time...
"Watch where you’re going, Weasley!"
Ginny looked up in surprise. She was about to apologize to the boy she’d almost crashed into, but when she saw who the voice belonged to, she thought better of it.
"Why should I, Malfoy? You worried that I might sic a Basilisk on you or something?" For some reason, she felt very brave right then. After what she'd been through that year, a little bully like Malfoy didn't really seem all that threatening.
Crabbe and Goyle, standing behind their leader as always, glanced behind themselves nervously, half expecting to see a sixty foot snake slithering down the hall.
"Ha!" Draco laughed at the little girl. "You? Don’t be daft, everyone knows it was Voldemort who was really controlling it. You were just a pawn in his scheme."
Ginny flinched slightly when Draco said you-know-who's name, and Crabbe and Goyle looked around again, both sweating visibly. She noticed however that Malfoy seemed uncomfortable saying the name aloud. Maybe... just maybe… A plot began to unfurl in her quick mind and a smirk spread across her face.
"What’re you grinning at, girl?" Draco suddenly felt rather unnerved by this tiny girl who had the courage to stand up to him. None of the first years ever rebelled against his intimidation. Of course, the girl was a Weasley, and they were renowned for their lack of common sense. He snarled at her.
"Ooh, is that all you have left in you there Malfoy? Wow. I’ve heard so much about your power to frighten us first years. Almost as bad as Voldemort." That time she detected a definite flinch. "I guess it was a little over-rated…" Ginny felt very proud of herself. She wasn’t going to let this puffed-up monster run her into the ground. After all, she’d seen much more terrifying monsters than a spoilt brat from an overly rich family.
Malfoy pulled out his wand. "I’m warning you, Weasley. Get out of my way and stay out of it."
Ginny bowed deeply and very formally, but she did not move to the side. "Find another way, Malfoy. I’m standing here now. You can stand here later if you really want to. I'll probably get bored in an hour or two."
"Move, girl, or I will be forced to -"
But Ginny’s wand was suddenly in her hand, raised threateningly and pointed directly at his nose.
Malfoy was in a compromising spot and he knew it. If he was caught using magic on a younger student again, he’d be out on detention in the Forbidden Forest. And he never wanted to go in there again without a particularly good reason. "You forget yourself, Weasley," he tried carefully. "I’m older than you, and I know a lot more about dueling than you do."
"But you forget who I am," Ginny smiled innocently, "and who my friends are. I watch them very closely, and I know every spell they have learnt, and more besides. You don’t share your mind and your soul with the Dark Lord and not learn anything from it." That technically was a lie, but she did know a couple of curses that Hermione had taught her for self-defence purposes. But Malfoy didn’t know that, and he wasn’t going to find out, if everything went to plan.
Draco’s jaw tightened. "Crabbe, Goyle…" he started before realizing that the boys no longer stood behind him. Their fleeing footsteps could be heard thumping away from the tense pair glaring each other down. He carefully stepped backwards, wanting desperately to curse the stupid little girl, but knowing that if he even moved his wand hand an inch he’d have an elephant trunk or something very similar instantaneously.
"Fine. You win this one Weasley. But don’t expect me to be lenient with you next time. You better watch your back, because one of these days…"
"You’ll what?"
"I’m gonna make you wish you’d never been born." His confidence began to return, and he smirked wickedly at her. Their eyes held as he backed down the hall. Ginny’s mouth twitched angrily, but her wand arm did not waver. And it did not lower till Malfoy had slowly turned and returned the way he had come.
Ginny breathed deeply and leaned against the wall.
“Too late,” she whispered.
Coming shortly, Chapter II - Something borrowed
featuring romantic advice from potions masters, dresses, and hugs by sunsets. (no I'm not moving their relationship too fast, I just love playing with time. *smiles innocently and hides*)
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