In Which These Two Smiles Meet

Part IV

Ginny stumbled out of training late on Thursday afternoon. Gwenog Jones had insisted that she stay late to work on her Woollongong Shimmy, which was zigging more than it zagged. She was exhausted. Only the prospect of dinner with Draco was keeping her going.

When she arrived at her flat, Ginny found Alicia and Isabella in the sitting room. She collapsed onto the sofa and groaned. “Merlin, I’m tired. What time is it? Can I just sit here for a while before I need to shower and change?”

“Um, about that, Ginny,” Isabella said tentatively.

Ginny opened her eyes and stared at her friend.

“Um, when I came off the pitch today, Draco Malfoy was waiting. He asked me to tell you that something came up at work today, and he has to cancel your date tonight.”

“Bugger!” Ginny said, letting her head drop back and staring at the ceiling. “The perfect end to the perfect day.”

“Oh, I had no idea!” Alicia said. “But I might have some good news to offset your disappointment.”

“Really?” Ginny asked doubtfully.

“George Flooed a while ago. He invited us all over to his place tonight for a dinner party of sorts—apparently one of his new products is selling like hotcakes and he wants to celebrate.”

“Ugh,” Ginny said. “I’m not sure I’m up for one of George’s parties tonight. I don’t think I’ll even bother to shower. I’ll just spend the whole evening right here.”

“But you would have had dinner with Draco Malfoy?” Isabella asked.

“I think I could have mustered the energy for that,” Ginny said.

“But I haven’t told you everything yet,” Alicia continued. “Harry and Ron are going to be there. Probably Hermione too.”

Ginny perked up at that. “Really?” she asked. “I haven’t seen them in ages. They’re always so busy.”

“Well, I guess this is your opportunity, isn’t it?” Alicia asked.

“I guess so,” Ginny said, hauling herself to her feet. “Maybe I’ll shower after all!”

***

The party was already in full swing when Ginny, Alicia, and Isabella arrived. Ginny felt as if she had stepped back in time to a post-Quidditch party in the Gryffindor common room. The faces were familiar, the music was loud, and someone had pushed all of the furniture aside to make a dance floor in the middle of the sitting room. Ginny smiled happily as she caught sight of two redheads on the other side of the room. Ginny grabbed Alicia’s hand and moved that way, dodging people deftly as she went.

“George! Ron!” Ginny said happily as she approached her brothers.

“Ginny!” George said, enveloping Ginny in a gigantic hug. “You came! I didn’t expect you now that you’re a big Quidditch star!”

“I’m not a star yet,” Ginny said with a smile.

“That sounds ominous,” Ron said, stepping forward to hug Ginny as well. “Does that mean you won’t have time for us when you are a star?”

“Look who’s talking, Mr. Auror-training-is-so-much-work-I-can-never-seem-to-make-it-home-for-Sunday-dinner!” Ginny retorted.

Ron had the grace to blush. “I guess I have been rather busy,” he said.

“Well, we’re all here now, so it’s no matter,” George said. “So, Gin, were you planning to introduce us to your lovely friend here?”

“Oh! I’m sorry!” Ginny said. “This is Isabella Thierry. She’s a Seeker on the reserve team. Isabella, these are my brothers George and Ron.”

For a moment, Ginny thought Isabella wasn’t paying attention, but she soon smiled and the impression passed.

“Enchanted to meet you,” George said with an exaggerated bow. “I hope you enjoy yourself tonight.”

“I’m sure I will,” Isabella said, her eyes lighting up.

“Hi, Ginny,” Ginny heard from just behind her. She turned to see Harry Potter carrying two glasses of something that was steaming profusely. He handed one to Ron, and hugged Ginny with his free arm.

“Hi, Harry,” Ginny said. “How have you been? It’s been ages!”

“Busy but good,” Harry said. “How’s training?”

“Exhausting,” Ginny said with a groan.

“It will get easier, you’ll see,” Isabella interjected. She offered her hand to Harry. “I’m Isabella Thierry, one of Ginny’s teammates.”

“Erm… It’s nice to meet you,” Harry said, awkwardly shifting his drink to his left hand so he could shake hers. He stepped back slightly, and moved unconsciously in Ron’s direction, looking back and forth between Ginny and Isabella, as if waiting for one of them to speak.

There was a long, awkward pause before Isabella broke the silence. “So Alicia tells me you were a fantastic Seeker at Hogwarts,” she said. “Have you got any advice you could pass on?”

The last thing Ginny wanted to talk about at the moment was Quidditch, so she turned back to Ron. “Where’s Hermione?” she asked.

“Oh, she had some research she wanted to finish up,” Ron answered. “She’ll be here later, though.”

Ginny laughed. “That sounds just like Hermione!” she said. “So, how are things going for you two?”

“Pretty well, I think,” Ron said, turning bright pink. “I’ve been thinking… I mean, I haven’t made up my mind yet, but possibly, in a while, I might…”

Ginny took mercy on Ron and asked gently, “Are you trying to say that you might propose?”

“Maybe,” Ron said warily. “What do you think?”

“Oh, Ron,” Ginny said, throwing herself into Ron’s arms. “That would be wonderful!” she said.

“Really?” Ron asked. “Do you think…?”

“Yes, I do,” Ginny said firmly. “I’m certain she would say yes!”

Ron’s shoulders sagged in relief. “Thanks, Ginny,” he said. “I just wasn’t sure. I’m still not, but that helps.”

“Any time, dear brother, any time,” Ginny said with a grin. “I think I’m going to go find something to drink.”

***

Two hours later, Ginny was much less happy. Her head was pounding from the loud music and smoke-filled air. People had been arriving in a steady stream all evening, and Ginny thought there must be a hundred people crammed into George’s small three-room flat. She wasn’t nearly as interested in partying as the rest of the revelers. Some people were dancing enthusiastically, others playing Strip Exploding Snap. There were couples pressed lasciviously against one another on the makeshift dance floor, and others enthusiastically snogging (or more) in dark corners.

Ginny was pushing her way through the crowd, trying to make it to the table of food in the kitchen when she spotted Hermione.

“Hello!” she bellowed, hoping to be heard above the music. “I’m so happy to see you!”

“You too!” Hermione shouted, hugging Ginny. “How have you been?”

“Good!” Ginny yelled. “You?”

“This is ridiculous!” Hermione cried. She grabbed Ginny’s arm and led her into the hallway outside of George’s flat. “That’s better,” she said with a sigh. “I could barely hear you in there.”

“Yeah, it’s pretty typical of George’s parties,” Ginny said with a grimace.

“So I guess a conversation is out of the question?” Hermione asked.

“Quite,” Ginny answered. “Unless you fancy spending the whole evening in the corridor.”

“No, thanks,” Hermione said. “Maybe we could get together sometime soon instead.”

“That’s a great idea!” Ginny said with a smile.

“Are you free for dinner tomorrow?” Hermione asked. “Ron has some sort of late-night training exercise, so I’ll be at loose ends for once.”

“That works for me!”

“Good. Now I guess we had better go back to the party.”

As they stepped back into George’s flat, Hermione headed towards the sofa, where Harry and Ron were talking. Isabella slouched next to Harry, a bored look on her face. Ginny shrugged her shoulders, then turned towards the kitchen.

The kitchen was much quieter than the rest of the flat, which came as a relief. But the food table was laden with only junk food.

“How’s it going, Ginny?” George asked, reaching from behind her for a handful of pretzels.

“Alicia said this was supposed to be a dinner party,” Ginny answered with a frown. “So where is the dinner?”

“This is dinner!” George said indignantly. “See, we have all of the food groups and everything!”

“Okay, I suppose those wings qualify as meat, and the pretzels as grain, but what about dairy, fruits, and vegetables?”

“The crisps are made from potatoes, and potatoes are vegetables,” George said. “And there’s ice cream for dairy.”

Ginny snorted. “Somehow, I don’t think that’s what they had in mind.”

George laughed. “There are pumpkin pasties, too,” he said.

“Is that what those things are supposed to be?” Ginny asked, pointing at a plate of misshapen doughy things.

“I made them myself!” George said happily.

“That explains why they are unrecognizable,” Ginny said, reaching for one. “I suppose they’ll have to do.” She took a bite and smiled. They weren’t half bad. “So how did you interpret fruit?”

“It’s strawberry ice cream!”

Ginny laughed. “You’re one of a kind, George.” George’s face froze, and Ginny realized exactly what she had just said. “Oh, I’m so sorry, George, I didn’t mean…”

“It’s okay, Ginny,” he said. “It’s just hard sometimes without him, you know?”

“Yes, I know,” Ginny said seriously.

George hugged Ginny. “Thanks for coming tonight,” he said. “I know that training tomorrow is likely to be miserable after this, and Alicia said that you had a date.”

“My date cancelled on me, so there really was no reason not to come,” Ginny said. “I’m glad I did, but I might not stay much longer.”

“I understand,” George said. He smiled mischievously. “After all, you’ll need all the rest and practice you can get if you aren’t going to fall off your broom in your first match!”

Ginny swatted George on the arm. “I’m so glad you have confidence in me!” she said. “Good night, and congratulations on your successful product, whatever it is!”

“You’ll find out sooner or later,” George said with a grin.

“When I’m least expecting it,” Ginny said. She sighed dramatically. “Yes, I know.”

“Now go!” George admonished.

“Yes, sir!” Ginny answered, and then she went.

***

The next evening, as Ginny and Hermione stopped to watch the owls in the window of Eeylops on their way to dinner, Ginny said, “I had a very interesting conversation with Ron last night about you.”

“Oh, really?” Hermione asked nonchalantly. “What did he say?”

“Oh, no, I’m not telling!” Ginny said with a grin. “But I will say that I got the distinct impression that things between you are going very well indeed.”

Hermione blushed and looked down at her feet. “They are. At least I think so. I have actually started to think about… No, I won’t say. I wouldn’t want to jinx it.”

Ginny smiled. “I doubt you have to worry about jinxing anything.”

Hermione looked at Ginny intently. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

They had just started moving again when Ginny heard someone call out, “Why, Miss Weasley, how delightful to see you!”

Ginny and Hermione turned around to see the three Malfoys just a few paces away from them. “Oh, hello,” Ginny said uncertainly. “It’s nice to see you too.”

“Have you met my wife, Narcissa? My dear, this is Miss Ginevra Weasley, Arthur and Molly’s daughter.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Narcissa said with a welcoming smile.

“And you,” Ginny said. She chanced a look at Draco, but his face was rigid and unexpressive. He was looking not at her, but at the owls in the window behind her.

“So, Miss Weasley, will you be attending the Bingleys’ ball tomorrow evening?” Lucius said.

Ginny nodded.

“Wonderful,” Lucius said with a smile. “Then you must join us for supper, unless, of course, you have previous plans.”

“I don’t,” Ginny said quietly. She thought she saw Draco stiffen, but wasn’t sure.

“Well, that’s all settled then,” Lucius said. “We will look forward to your company tomorrow evening.” He turned to Draco. “I’m sure you would like a word with Miss Weasley without your mother and me hovering, so we will go on ahead. Don’t linger too long, however. I would hate to keep the Wentworths waiting.”

Draco stood stiffly and silently until it was clear that Lucius and Narcissa were out of earshot. He then turned to Hermione, who was staring at him wide-eyed, and said, “Good evening, Miss Granger. Would you mind giving Ginevra and me a moment?”

Hermione shook her head wordlessly and moved away, pretending to be fascinated with the window displays in Quality Quidditch Supplies.

Draco turned back to Ginny. “I hope last evening was pleasant for you,” he said with a hard edge to his voice.

Ginny was confused by his tone. She answered, “It was pleasant enough, but a disappointment nevertheless. I hope you managed to get all of your work done at a reasonable hour?”

“Get all my work done,” Draco said, his voice flat.

“Yes, of course,” Ginny said. “The work that you had to finish. The reason you cancelled our date.”

“The reason I cancelled our date?” Draco asked. “I did no such thing. I arrived at your flat right on time at seven o’clock to find the place empty, with no note or any indication of why you weren’t there to meet me.”

Ginny frowned. “But Isabella said you came to the pitch yesterday, and asked her to tell me you had to cancel.”

“I did nothing of the sort,” Draco said.

“I wonder why Isabella said that, then,” Ginny said confusedly. “She must have been mistaken about something.”

“Perhaps,” Draco said grimly.

“I’m sorry,” Ginny said. “I never would have gone out if I had known.”

Draco took a deep breath and seemed to relax. “Well, then, there’s no use lingering on the whys now that the misunderstanding is cleared up. I would rather talk about more pleasant things.”

Draco took Ginny’s hand. She smiled and looked up at him. His eyes were warm again, and for a moment, she forgot all about her suspicions that Isabella had lied to her on purpose.

“Since our plans were thwarted last night, would you allow me to accompany you to the Bingleys’ ball tomorrow?” Draco asked.

“I’d like that very much,” Ginny said.

“Good,” Draco said with a smile. “Then I will be at your door at eight o’clock, and nothing will stop me. Not even if the business would collapse completely without my presence.”

Ginny laughed. “So noted,” she said. “I’m looking forward to it.”

“Me too,” Draco said, raising Ginny’s hand to his lips. “Until then.” And with that, he disappeared down the Alley.

Ginny sighed happily as she watched Draco go. She didn’t even notice when Hermione came up beside her.

“What was that all about?” Hermione asked.

“It’s a long story,” Ginny said.

“I have all night,” Hermione answered frimly, steering Ginny down the Alley towards the restaurant. “And I want to hear all the details.”