The next few days saw Ginny and Draco increasingly busy with homework. Halloween was fast approaching, which meant the Holidays would be here, and they both needed to figure out how they were going to work that out. Would they go with each other to the Burrow and then the Manor? Or would they do the holidays separately? It seemed silly to not celebrate together, but Ginny wondered if she was being presumptuous.
Another Hogsmeade weekend had come and gone, with Ginny and Draco obviously going together once again. They’d wandered around the village, enjoying their butterbeers while they talked about what they were going to do once Hogwarts was over.
“I feel like you could do more than just be an amazing Unspeakable,” Ginny found herself saying as they looked out at the Shrieking Shack.
“Well that’s because I am multi-talented, Ginevra. I can do well at many things all at the same time,” Draco quipped and Ginny rolled her eyes.
“Always such a prat?” Ginny asked.
“Would you like me if I wasn’t?” Draco responded.
Ginny shrugged.
“I’m a one hundred percent, grade A Malfoy. I am one of a kind,” Malfoy smirked.
Ginny rolled her eyes fondly. “I’m one hundred percent done with you,” Ginny muttered.
“Sorry, stuck with me for lifeeee,” he sang.
“Ugh, Draco, please don’t sing; you’ll give me a blinding headache,” Ginny pleaded.
Draco rolled his eyes, but he did indeed stop, and Ginny was aware that Draco was staring at her and not the Shrieking Shack.
“What?” Ginny asked. “Do I have something on my face?”
Draco chuckled and said, “Nothing.”
“Ooooh, we should go to Madame Puddifoot’s! It’s the perfect couples spot. Since we will be married soon…”
Draco observed Ginny for a moment before he asked, “Does it bother you that we have to get married?”
Ginny shook her head and said, “No, not for a while now. You’re my best friend, Draco. And we have something. Being married at all is kind of a scary thought, but not being married to you.”
Draco nodded and took her hand, rubbing circles into the back of it.
“On to Madame Puddifoot’s, then. She better have the best tea,” he announced, and dragged Ginny away from the Shrieking Shack.
The afternoon was fun. They threw marshmallows into each other’s mouth, and enjoyed a cup of tea, before going to visit George at the newest branch of Weasley Wizard Wheezes, George vigorously shook Draco’s hand, giving him the grand tour and explaining the newest items to come out to him.
“How did you manage to start all this?” Draco asked incredulously.
George grinned. “Well, after Harry won the Triwizard tournament, he… he called it blood money. He didn’t want it, and he had a feeling this business would be needed, so he forced the money on Fred and I, and walked away. We didn’t want to take it, but he threatened to dump it down a toilet.”
Draco nodded, sure that was something Potter would do. Draco obviously had a lot to live up to.
“Well, if the business continues on, I may have to become an investor. You are brilliant at this, George,” Draco said, picking up a daydream charm thing that guaranteed a full forty minutes of a hyper realistic daydream perfect to fit into any class.
George thanked him, and they continued on back to the school, Draco with a paid for daydream in his pocket. He wanted to see what it could do. Not that he would use it during class, but before bed one night…
“Hey, Draco, hey, Ginny,” Luna said dreamily as she passed them. They greeted her back and made their way to their common room.
“Tomorrow is the feast!” Ginny exclaimed, referring to the Halloween feast.
“Yes, and Muggles everywhere will be going door to door to get candy. Strange tradition if you ask me,” Draco said.
“Well I didn’t,” she cheeked.
Draco rolled his eyes, heading to the bathroom and leaving Ginny seated at the table.
Ginny was beautiful. Draco decided it didn’t hurt to think this thought. She would be his for life, and he would be hers. So why deny the simple truth that muscular, athletic Ginny Weasley was beautiful and had hair that glowed copper while it crackled around her head? She was gorgeous and funny and kept Draco entertained thoroughly.
He walked back out to see Ginny starting on her Potion’s Essay, quill scratching across the paper.
“Why spend so much time on homework when you know you’ll be recruited by the Harpies?” Draco asked. “Surely it isn’t that big of a deal that your mum get to boast about you.”
Ginny shrugged as she replied. “Eventually I’ll have to quit Quidditch. It’s not a lifelong career. And when that day comes, I want to be as prepared as possible. Having a well rounded education is never a bad thing.”
And Draco had to admit that she made a point.
“You amaze me,” he said softly, not even meaning for it to slip out, but it did.
Ginny smiled and continued her homework, but the air felt lighter and sweeter. Ginny Weasley—soon to be Ginny Malfoy—was amazing. And soon the whole world would see why.
~~~
“Now, what is Veritaserum?” Slughorn asked the class. Ginny’s hand flew into the air alongside Hermione’s hand. But Ginny really hoped she was called on because for once she was more than confident she knew the answer.
“Ms. Weasley?” Slughorn asked, much to Hermione’s obvious disappointment.
“It’s a truth serum. While under the effects, a person cannot lie. However, they can avoid answering the question, and that is one of the drawbacks of the potion,” Ginny recited, remembering going over this with Draco.
“Ten points for Gryffindor! Ms. Weasley here is spot on. Also, this potion does indeed call into question some morality issues. But this is a very difficult potion to brew, and disastrous should you get it wrong. Now if you’ll all open up to page 103, you’ll see the steps on making this. I want all of you to get started. If you use your time wisely, it’ll be at the week waiting stage by the end of the class, and you’ll just have to give it some time to really marinate.”
There was a great amount of page turning as everyone went to page 103 to look up how to make the potion. Ginny glanced at Draco across the room, who was already setting up his station. Ginny hurried to do the same. The potion itself was tricky. Needing thirteen left stirs, three right stirs, and eleven left stirs. It would be easy to lose count, but Ginny wasn’t one to give up.
She worked on the potion, ignoring Hermione whose potion already seemed to be at the marinating stage. When the bell rang, Ginny was pleased to say that her potion looked exactly as the book said it should. She packed her things, gave her cauldron one last look, and exited the room, waiting for Draco to file out.
“How’d you do?” he asked immediately.
“I think I did good. You?” Ginny asked.
“Same. It’s a bloody difficult potion, but it’d be interesting to try on someone,” Draco said.
“I don’t know,” Ginny responded. “Imagine someone doing it to you without permission, dragging all your secrets out of you. It seems invasive.”
Draco walked with her to their room, thinking before he said, “It could be fun to use on each other. Be safe that way.”
Ginny shrugged, not really giving it much thought before she said, “Let’s get ready for the feast!”
And of course the feast was amazing. Ginny sat with Draco, as per usual, and they talked quietly, enjoying all the dishes that were served. It seemed to never stop. The pumpkin juice was chilled just right, off setting the hot food, and all the candy that was piled onto the tables.
“You’re giving the food heart eyes,” Ginny informed Draco.
“Yeah, because it’s bloody delicious!” he retorted, and Ginny had to agree.
Even Professor McGonagall seemed to be enjoying herself thoroughly, talking happily with Madame Sprout. Neville would, in two years time, be taking over the role of Herbology professor, as he was so good at it, and Professor Sprout said she needed retirement. Ginny was ecstatic for Neville, and made a mental note to write him soon.
“Okay, but,” Draco began after he swallowed a mouthful of turkey, “What if we really gave the Veritaserum to each other?”
Ginny just stared for a long moment.
“Oh, come on. We could ask each other anything. We’d learn how the potion feels, the better to avoid it, and we’d have like a truth or dare. It could be fun,” Draco said.
“Or it could go horribly wrong and we could hate each other forever,” Ginny added.
“Is there really something that bad that you wouldn’t want me to know?” Draco asked, and Ginny sat there thinking about it.
Was there? Hadn’t they both been forthcoming with one another? Ginny couldn’t think of anything bad to say about Draco. She might have in the past, but those days were gone, and Ginny knew that she’d say nothing but good things about Draco.
“Alright,” Ginny said finally. “We’ll do it. How are we going to do it?”
“I thought we’d brew our own in our common room. That way no one sees us nicking it, and no one finds it,” Draco told her.
Ginny nodded. “You’re crazy, but let’s do it.”
And after the feast, they both went to their common room, ladden down with sweets, and a plot in mind. It was like Dumbledore’s Army all over again, except this time they weren’t fighting Death Eaters, they were finding out more about each other. And Ginny hoped it didn’t go horribly wrong.
Another Hogsmeade weekend had come and gone, with Ginny and Draco obviously going together once again. They’d wandered around the village, enjoying their butterbeers while they talked about what they were going to do once Hogwarts was over.
“I feel like you could do more than just be an amazing Unspeakable,” Ginny found herself saying as they looked out at the Shrieking Shack.
“Well that’s because I am multi-talented, Ginevra. I can do well at many things all at the same time,” Draco quipped and Ginny rolled her eyes.
“Always such a prat?” Ginny asked.
“Would you like me if I wasn’t?” Draco responded.
Ginny shrugged.
“I’m a one hundred percent, grade A Malfoy. I am one of a kind,” Malfoy smirked.
Ginny rolled her eyes fondly. “I’m one hundred percent done with you,” Ginny muttered.
“Sorry, stuck with me for lifeeee,” he sang.
“Ugh, Draco, please don’t sing; you’ll give me a blinding headache,” Ginny pleaded.
Draco rolled his eyes, but he did indeed stop, and Ginny was aware that Draco was staring at her and not the Shrieking Shack.
“What?” Ginny asked. “Do I have something on my face?”
Draco chuckled and said, “Nothing.”
“Ooooh, we should go to Madame Puddifoot’s! It’s the perfect couples spot. Since we will be married soon…”
Draco observed Ginny for a moment before he asked, “Does it bother you that we have to get married?”
Ginny shook her head and said, “No, not for a while now. You’re my best friend, Draco. And we have something. Being married at all is kind of a scary thought, but not being married to you.”
Draco nodded and took her hand, rubbing circles into the back of it.
“On to Madame Puddifoot’s, then. She better have the best tea,” he announced, and dragged Ginny away from the Shrieking Shack.
The afternoon was fun. They threw marshmallows into each other’s mouth, and enjoyed a cup of tea, before going to visit George at the newest branch of Weasley Wizard Wheezes, George vigorously shook Draco’s hand, giving him the grand tour and explaining the newest items to come out to him.
“How did you manage to start all this?” Draco asked incredulously.
George grinned. “Well, after Harry won the Triwizard tournament, he… he called it blood money. He didn’t want it, and he had a feeling this business would be needed, so he forced the money on Fred and I, and walked away. We didn’t want to take it, but he threatened to dump it down a toilet.”
Draco nodded, sure that was something Potter would do. Draco obviously had a lot to live up to.
“Well, if the business continues on, I may have to become an investor. You are brilliant at this, George,” Draco said, picking up a daydream charm thing that guaranteed a full forty minutes of a hyper realistic daydream perfect to fit into any class.
George thanked him, and they continued on back to the school, Draco with a paid for daydream in his pocket. He wanted to see what it could do. Not that he would use it during class, but before bed one night…
“Hey, Draco, hey, Ginny,” Luna said dreamily as she passed them. They greeted her back and made their way to their common room.
“Tomorrow is the feast!” Ginny exclaimed, referring to the Halloween feast.
“Yes, and Muggles everywhere will be going door to door to get candy. Strange tradition if you ask me,” Draco said.
“Well I didn’t,” she cheeked.
Draco rolled his eyes, heading to the bathroom and leaving Ginny seated at the table.
Ginny was beautiful. Draco decided it didn’t hurt to think this thought. She would be his for life, and he would be hers. So why deny the simple truth that muscular, athletic Ginny Weasley was beautiful and had hair that glowed copper while it crackled around her head? She was gorgeous and funny and kept Draco entertained thoroughly.
He walked back out to see Ginny starting on her Potion’s Essay, quill scratching across the paper.
“Why spend so much time on homework when you know you’ll be recruited by the Harpies?” Draco asked. “Surely it isn’t that big of a deal that your mum get to boast about you.”
Ginny shrugged as she replied. “Eventually I’ll have to quit Quidditch. It’s not a lifelong career. And when that day comes, I want to be as prepared as possible. Having a well rounded education is never a bad thing.”
And Draco had to admit that she made a point.
“You amaze me,” he said softly, not even meaning for it to slip out, but it did.
Ginny smiled and continued her homework, but the air felt lighter and sweeter. Ginny Weasley—soon to be Ginny Malfoy—was amazing. And soon the whole world would see why.
~~~
“Now, what is Veritaserum?” Slughorn asked the class. Ginny’s hand flew into the air alongside Hermione’s hand. But Ginny really hoped she was called on because for once she was more than confident she knew the answer.
“Ms. Weasley?” Slughorn asked, much to Hermione’s obvious disappointment.
“It’s a truth serum. While under the effects, a person cannot lie. However, they can avoid answering the question, and that is one of the drawbacks of the potion,” Ginny recited, remembering going over this with Draco.
“Ten points for Gryffindor! Ms. Weasley here is spot on. Also, this potion does indeed call into question some morality issues. But this is a very difficult potion to brew, and disastrous should you get it wrong. Now if you’ll all open up to page 103, you’ll see the steps on making this. I want all of you to get started. If you use your time wisely, it’ll be at the week waiting stage by the end of the class, and you’ll just have to give it some time to really marinate.”
There was a great amount of page turning as everyone went to page 103 to look up how to make the potion. Ginny glanced at Draco across the room, who was already setting up his station. Ginny hurried to do the same. The potion itself was tricky. Needing thirteen left stirs, three right stirs, and eleven left stirs. It would be easy to lose count, but Ginny wasn’t one to give up.
She worked on the potion, ignoring Hermione whose potion already seemed to be at the marinating stage. When the bell rang, Ginny was pleased to say that her potion looked exactly as the book said it should. She packed her things, gave her cauldron one last look, and exited the room, waiting for Draco to file out.
“How’d you do?” he asked immediately.
“I think I did good. You?” Ginny asked.
“Same. It’s a bloody difficult potion, but it’d be interesting to try on someone,” Draco said.
“I don’t know,” Ginny responded. “Imagine someone doing it to you without permission, dragging all your secrets out of you. It seems invasive.”
Draco walked with her to their room, thinking before he said, “It could be fun to use on each other. Be safe that way.”
Ginny shrugged, not really giving it much thought before she said, “Let’s get ready for the feast!”
And of course the feast was amazing. Ginny sat with Draco, as per usual, and they talked quietly, enjoying all the dishes that were served. It seemed to never stop. The pumpkin juice was chilled just right, off setting the hot food, and all the candy that was piled onto the tables.
“You’re giving the food heart eyes,” Ginny informed Draco.
“Yeah, because it’s bloody delicious!” he retorted, and Ginny had to agree.
Even Professor McGonagall seemed to be enjoying herself thoroughly, talking happily with Madame Sprout. Neville would, in two years time, be taking over the role of Herbology professor, as he was so good at it, and Professor Sprout said she needed retirement. Ginny was ecstatic for Neville, and made a mental note to write him soon.
“Okay, but,” Draco began after he swallowed a mouthful of turkey, “What if we really gave the Veritaserum to each other?”
Ginny just stared for a long moment.
“Oh, come on. We could ask each other anything. We’d learn how the potion feels, the better to avoid it, and we’d have like a truth or dare. It could be fun,” Draco said.
“Or it could go horribly wrong and we could hate each other forever,” Ginny added.
“Is there really something that bad that you wouldn’t want me to know?” Draco asked, and Ginny sat there thinking about it.
Was there? Hadn’t they both been forthcoming with one another? Ginny couldn’t think of anything bad to say about Draco. She might have in the past, but those days were gone, and Ginny knew that she’d say nothing but good things about Draco.
“Alright,” Ginny said finally. “We’ll do it. How are we going to do it?”
“I thought we’d brew our own in our common room. That way no one sees us nicking it, and no one finds it,” Draco told her.
Ginny nodded. “You’re crazy, but let’s do it.”
And after the feast, they both went to their common room, ladden down with sweets, and a plot in mind. It was like Dumbledore’s Army all over again, except this time they weren’t fighting Death Eaters, they were finding out more about each other. And Ginny hoped it didn’t go horribly wrong.
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