Author's Note -- Okay, this is my FIRST ever fan-fic. =) I just love Ginny and Draco to death and I decided to just write a little something for fun, just to honor them. No flaming, please... I really want you guys to like this. I mean, if you haven't got anything nice to say, don't say anything at all.
Disclaimer -- If the Harry Potter series were mine, Draco would be tied to my bed. Seeing as how there's no sexy, British male there, it's safe to say that it ISN'T MINE.
OK. Don't panic. I know I have it here. Somewhere... Oh, my Merlin. I don't have it. I don't have it!! Where did I put it? Think, Ginny, think!
"Looking for something, Weasley?"
Oh bloody hell. Not him. Please not him.
Ginny Weasley lifted her head to stare into the eyes of none other than the infamous Draco Malfoy. Instantly, her frantic expression changed into a completely passive one.
As she lifted a single eyebrow, she replied, "Nothing that you might have. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got to get to Potions -"
There was an almost silent groan that came from Ginny's mouth, just as Malfoy moved quickly to block her way.
Draco, not one to let a Weasley have the last word, replied, "I believe I have something of yours, Weasley."
Oh Merlin, does he have it?
Instantly, Ginny looked up at Draco, inquisitively, and asked, "And what makes you think that, Malfoy?"
"Well, it just so happens that the seventh year Slytherins have just had Transfiguration. Just as I was putting my books away, guess what I found inside my desk? One guess, Weasley."
Oh shit. He has it. He's got my Potions textbook!
"Malfoy, if you would kindly hand it over, we could both get to class. On time, I might add."
At this, Draco lifted one eyebrow, almost mockingly, and asked, "And why should I? I'm not even sure that it's your textbook that I've got. After all, it could belong to any one of the sixth year students. Of course, given its condition... "
"Oh sod it all, Malfoy! You know it's my book, give it 'ere!" Ginny practically flew to Malfoy's bag, trying to look inside it.
"Now, now, Weasley, I doubt your weasel of a brother would be happy to find your hands right down -"
Looking at Malfoy with disgust as she pulled back, Ginny said, "Well, if you would just give me my book back, I wouldn't be putting my hands all over you! Not that I am, of course."
Malfoy was about to reply, but just as he opened his mouth, the late bell rang, reminding the both of them that they were supposed to be in class.
"Oh great, Malfoy, now I'm late for Potions! Give me back my bloody book! Snape is sure to deduct massive amounts of points for being late."
"Well, well, well, let's see now. First of all, I don't have another class until after lunch, so you're going to be the only one of us late for class. Second of all, I doubt Professor Snape would deduct 'massive' amounts of points."
"Well obviously, you're not a Gryffindor! Would you please just give me back my textbook?"
"I told you, Weasley," Malfoy uttered as he gritted his teeth, "how can I be sure that this is, in fact, your book and not another sixth year student?"
"Well, you big prat," Ginny said, trying not to show her annoyance, "if you would just LOOK inside the bloody book, you would see my name, written clear as day, right on the first page."
Draco moved towards his bag to get and Potions book and just as he was about to open the book -
"See! That's my name, right there!"
Trying not to strangle the girl right then and there, Malfoy quickly said, "If you would give me a bleedin' second here, Weasley, I might just be able to open the book!"
With a rapidly growing flush on her cheeks, she replied, "Go ahead, Malfoy," almost inaudibly.
As Draco opened the book, he saw the words, Virginia Weasley, sixth year Gryffindor, stated clearly on the first page. He looked up at the youngest Weasley, almost in surprise, before he recovered himself.
Ginny watched as he closed the book and flashed her most triumphant smile at him. "Well? Are you happy now? There's my name, so hand it over!"
"Actually, Weasley, it belongs to a certain Virginia Weasley, not a Ginny Weasley, so therefore, the book isn't yours."
I can't believe this! I really can't believe this! Is he that much of an idiot?
"You stupid dolt! My name is Virginia! Ginny is the shortened version of Virginia, you great big prat!"
Malfoy replied, with a bemused smile, "Oh really, now? Then why is it that no one has ever called you by the name of Virginia? All I've ever heard is Ginny this and Weasley that."
With an almost murderous glare, Ginny charged towards Draco and for a millisecond, Ginny was sure there was a flicker of fear in his eyes.
"What the hell, Weas -"
Ginny jumped on Draco and as they fell, Ginny shifted so that Draco landed on the floor and Ginny was sitting provocatively on top of his torso.
Ginny leaned down, her freckled face inches away from Draco's, just as Draco whispered in a husky tone, "What do you think you're doing, Weasley?"
Ginny moved her head lower and lower, their lips almost touching, and moved her lips, at the last second, right next to Draco's ear, only to whisper, "Getting my book back, Malfoy."
Draco stared at Ginny for a confused second, giving her sufficient time to snatch the book away from Draco's hands. Then, she leapt off of Draco and started for the Potions dungeons, leaving Draco on the floor.
"See you later, Malfoy," she shouted merrily.
"Oh bloody hell, Weasley; you're not getting away this easily!"
The next day…
"Oi, Ginny! Where're you heading to?"
"Oh, nowhere, really, Colin. Just around the lake," replied Ginny, giving Colin a cheery smile.
"Alright, then. Don't wander off too late, alright Ginny? Remember what happened last time?"
Ginny nodded and started to walk away from their last class of the day, Ancient Runes, thinking about the last time she had missed dinner. Ron had blown a fuse, all red in the face, shouting at Ginny for missing dinner.
She smiled when she remembered that right after the angry yelling session with her brother, Ron had gone and asked her, "Oh lord, Ginny, you weren't with… you weren't with a boy, were you? Oh I'll kill him; I'll kill whoever the hell he is!" After some reassurance, she finally persuaded Ron to think that she had just fallen asleep in front of the lake.
Ginny finally arrived at her tree, right in front of the lake. It had been her favorite tree, just because the sunset was the clearest from that point. She had found this tree during her second year.
She had been walking back to the castle from visiting Hagrid when she spotted the sun coming down. She ran, practically halfway around the lake, and when she arrived at this tree, huffing and puffing, she looked up and her breath hitched in her throat. The sun was such an amazing assortment of colors, she remembered. Reluctantly, she had trudged back towards the castle, not wanting to get caught outside, after dark, especially with the escaped criminal running around. It was only until her fourth year that she had learned that Sirius Black was innocent.
As she finally reached her destination, Ginny made to sit down. After sitting there with her eyes closed, back leaning against the tree, she waited a few moments before she reached for her bag, wanting to start on her homework before the sun began to set.
Completely engrossed with her Transfiguration essay, Ginny nearly screamed bloody murder when she felt someone tapping her shoulder. Whipping her head around, she saw none other than… Draco Malfoy.
"What the hell are you doing here, Weasley? This is my spot," he sneered.
Oh Merlin, help me. "For your information, Malfoy, this is my spot. What the hell are you doing here?"
Draco let out a little scoff before answering her, "I've been coming here since second year, during the mornings, to…" He broke off before revealing anything else.
Suspiciously, Ginny asked, "Just what have you been doing here since your second year? Because, guess what? I've been here since my second year, too! And so I think you should leave."
"ME? Why should I have to leave?! I was bloody here first. I woke up late today, and so I couldn't come. That's why I'm here now. You should be the one to go."
"Technically, you said that you come here during the mornings. I know I come here during the evening, so technically, it's MY spot right now."
Draco was livid when he shouted at her, "Technicalities have nothing to do with it! I want you out of here, now!"
For a moment, Ginny was paralyzed by fear when she looked at Draco. His eyes were burning with fury, his face deathly pale. Then, she spoke in a soft tone, "We might as well just sit here together, seeing as how you're not leaving and I'm not about to, either."
With a soft sigh of defeat, Draco consented with a small grunt. Then he spoke, "You had better be quiet, Weasley."
"And you?" she replied, with the same, sneering tone.
Ten minutes later…
"Malfoy?"
"I thought we had agreed to be quiet, Weasley."
"I know, but I'm getting kinda bored, here. Can I ask you something?"
"You just did," he replied, with an almost bemused tone.
Scowling, she said, "Well that didn't count." As her expression softened, so did her tone, "What do you do out here in the mornings, anyways?"
"And what does it matter, Weasley? I just like coming here. Now here's a question for you - Why do you insist on having everyone call you Ginny? It's so… childish."
She stared at the ground, thoughtfully, before answering, "Well, I suppose it's because I've always been called Ginny, y'know? It feels weird to have people call me by my given name, rather than Ginny."
"If you ask me, Virginia would suit you better," he said, with a blank expression.
With a thoughtful expression, Ginny finally asked, "You wanna know what I do here, in the evenings? I love t -"
He interrupted her, "Did I say I wanted to know? I don't think so."
Almost cheerfully, Ginny continued, "I just love to watch the sunset. It's beautiful from here, you know that? There are brilliant shades of red, orange, yellow, purple, blue, pink, and so on. And you know what's so special about that? Don't answer, Malfoy, it's rhetorical."
At this, he snorted under his breath.
"It's always different. I mean, I've watched almost every single sunset here for almost four years now, and it's always different. There are always new shades to be found, new patterns to spot. It's wonderful here."
"If you would stop talking for two seconds, Weasley, we might just enjoy it… in silence."
Ginny nodded mutely and turned towards the sun, watching in fascination. Those words that she had uttered, not two minutes ago, were true. That was how she had always felt towards the sun setting. It was just so magnificent.
Draco, however, watched the littlest Weasley out of the corner of his eye, instead of the sunset. He watched her as her eyes suddenly turned wide, as if wanting to capture every single detail. He spoke suddenly, causing her head to reluctantly turn towards him to listen, "You wanna know why I come out here every morning, Weasley? It's because of the sunrise. There are just as many colors and shades; just as many patterns. All you have to do," at this he stood up and walked around the massive trunk of the tree, sat down, and, "is sit on this side."
Ginny stared at Draco for a moment before she spoke, "Wow, I've never looked at it that way before. I'm not much of an early riser, so I haven't really seen the sun rise. Sunsets are more of my kinda thing."
"Well, I suppose you'll just have to come out here one morning and stare long and hard. Because if you love watching the sun set, you'll just as much love watching the sun rise," Draco told her.
"Maybe I will."
After gathering all of her belongings and accepting Draco's offer to walk her back up to the castle, Ginny asked Draco, "Malfoy, if you like my name, Virginia, so much, why don't you call me that? It's better than being called Weasley."
"Then why do you call me Malfoy?"
"Fine, Draco, now, will you stop calling me by my family name?"
"Of course, Virginia."
With slight grins on their faces, the two of them started walking, again, towards the castle. As they reached the main doors, Ginny asked Draco, "Will you be at the tree tomorrow, then?"
He stared at her for a moment before answering, "Why wouldn't I be there?"
"Good, then. It's a date," she replied. Then, she gave Draco a slight peck on the cheek before walking, almost running, away towards the Gryffindor tower, pausing slightly to yell, "Night, Draco!"
Lifting an eyebrow, almost sardonically, Draco made his way towards the Slytherin dungeons with a ghost of a grin on his face.
A/N -- Well?! You like it?? Review please!! I'm dying to know what you think of it =)