A/N: A new story, enjoy.
Disclaimer: I obviously own nothing you recognise.
Warnings: Very AU. Ginny is in the same year as the trio and Draco.
He barely made any movement whatsoever, determined not to quaver under his father's gaze. He stared straight ahead, not looking at his father, defiant and strong.
"I'll ask you one more time, boy," spat the man, bringing his eerily handsome face close to his son's. "Will you, or will you not join?"
Draco didn't even blink. He continued his staring routine, completely ignoring Lucius. Lucius, however, was not one to be ignored.
Whack. A hit upside the back of Draco's head brought him out of his lucid state, but he knew well enough not to protest, nor to show any emotion. He allowed himself a small grimace, unseen by his father, to experience the pain, before shutting it out completely and utterly, clasping his hands tightly in his lap.
He watched things spin round the room as his eyes began to blur from ignoring the pain – the mantelpiece, his mother's prized ornaments, his father looming above him. Still, he did not utter a word.
"You insolent boy," hissed Lucius, "It is only a matter of time before you are forced. To think that any son of mine should have to be forced is an insult. Soon, you will join our ranks, and join the Dark Lord in his quest to eradicate those lesser than us. Soon, you too will bear the mark that binds you to us," he sneered, pulling up the sleeve of his robe roughly and shoving his forearm into Draco's line of vision – the Dark Mark burned painfully into Lucius' skin.
Draco did not even flinch, having received this same treatment, seen and experienced the same routine many times before. It was best to remain collected, to show nothing, to say nothing. To put off the inevitable for as long as possible.
Lucius stepped back and pulled his sleeve back down as roughly as he had pushed it up. He stared down at his only son for a moment in unmistakable disdain, before gliding out of the room with an air of dangerousness, exuding evil.
Draco let out a long-held breath, his nerves suddenly shattering at the first moment he had had alone all day. He wrapped his arms around himself, rocking gently, breathing loudly and heavily. He blinked rapidly – crying was for those weaker than him. A miserable moan managed to escape his perfectly sculptured lips before he shut them quickly, not allowing himself to lose it completely.
Suddenly he stood up, and he was Draco Malfoy again, clenching his fists at his sides, defiance once again turning his beautiful features ugly.
He stalked towards the fire place, all traces of emotion gone, and grabbed the orange powder that lay on the mantelpiece.
He stepped into the fire place, throwing the Floo Powder, and yelling his destination loudly – "Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!"
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
"What do you think about this one, Gin?" asked a worried voice.
"Oh, it's absolutely perfect!" squealed Ginny loudly, running across the changing rooms of Witching Boutique to hug her friend tightly.
"Seriously Katie, it looks totally stunning on you!" Ginny reaffirmed to her best friend, Kathryn Wellers.
They had met seven years earlier. Ginny had accidentally tripped up Kathryn on her way back from getting sorted – Kathryn had been her way up to the hat. The entire student body had witnessed the scene, and had the proper reaction – they laughed hysterically, mortifying both girls. However, they had been both been sorted into Gryffindor, and had soon become close – and to the day, Kathryn had never let Ginny live down the incident.
"You really think so?" said Kathryn self-consciously, looking this way and that, twisting and turning in front of the full length mirror on the wall opposite them. She was wearing a gorgeous blue summer dress that showed off her curves in all the right places.
"Definitely. If you don't buy it, I'll buy it for you, then force it upon you in your sleep," threatened Ginny playfully.
This made up Katie's mind – the dress was hers. They paid for the dress and exited the store with their arms linked, laughing and chatting loudly.
"So Katie, when are you going to ask him?" said Ginny as they walked slowly down the road, nudging Katie in the side, a grin forming on her face.
Kathryn turned red and mumbled something illegible, shoving Ginny in the side.
"Don't tell me to shut up, you silly witch!" said Ginny happily. Oh, well... it was illegible to everyone but Ginny.
"I know you want him. You admitted it the other night, remember? A few Firewhiskeys girl, and you're gone," said Ginny, giggling at the memory. A few nights earlier, Ginny, Kathryn, and a few of the other Gryffindor girls had smuggled some Firewhiskey into their dorm and had a little party – which ended, fantastically, in Kathryn professing her love for a certain Ravenclaw by the name of Brendon Thompson.
Kathryn turned an even darker shade of red, glaring directly at Ginny.
"I bloody well do not. It was a slip of the tongue, a weak moment, a..." protested Kathryn weakly, denying it for all it was worth.
"Oh, bullshit," said Ginny good-naturedly, not believing her friend for a minute. "You said it...well, rather, slurred it, and we all know that you speak the whole truth, and nothing but the truth when you're drunk."
"I was not drunk! I do not! I did not! You! Suck," spluttered Kathryn, not bothering to even attempt any more lame excuses – with Ginny, it wasn't worth it.
Ginny let it go, but continued to smile her silly smile and nudge Kathryn as they went down the street, window shopping.
"Yeah, well, you admitted that –" Kathryn began to reveal a secret of Ginny's, when she was cut off by Ginny slapping her hand rudely over her mouth. Kathryn protested profusely, talking and mumbling under Ginny's hand – even going so far as to attempt to bite her, but to no avail. Why the hell was Ginny – oh.
Kathryn shut her mouth as they both watched Draco Malfoy saunter past with his cronies trailing slowly and dumbly behind him.
Ginny's breath caught in her throat as she watched him in all his glory – tall, perfect skin, hair, eyes, body... oh, his body.
Suddenly, he glanced up at them, and Ginny realised that both girls were standing stock still, side by side, Ginny with her hand clapped over Kathryn's mouth. She quickly pulled her hand away, wiping it on her robes embarrassedly, trying to look anywhere but at the Slytherin God.
"You're supposed to pick your own jaw up off the floor, not hers Weasel," drawled Malfoy lazily, smirking as his two followers grunted in laughter behind him.
"Just, bloody well sod off Malfoy," retorted Ginny back, unable to keep her mouth shut as she stared up at him.
"Shall do," he said softly as he walked past, barely centimetres away from her, never pausing for a second. Ginny's heart felt as if it was about to literally explode, and she stopped breathing for a moment. He never touched her, but as he walked past, the proximity was almost too much to handle. As he walked away, the wind carried his scent back to her and she nearly fell over – it was just so damn good.
Kathryn stared at her in disbelief then burst out laughing, soon in hysterics as she clutched at her stomach.
Ginny snapped out of her reverie quickly and blushed, mock-angrily slapping Kathryn lightly on the arm, before stalking away, calling back over her shoulder, "Come on you witch, don't stand there all day like a twat."
"Me!" yelled Kathryn as she jogged to catch up with Ginny, "I wasn't the one standing there staring dreamily at Malfoy! "she said in delight, grinning widely. "And as I was saying, I also wasn't the one who admitted they had a thing for Malfoy the other night!"
"Oh, I did not," said Ginny airily, looking down the street so as not to meet Kathryn's eye.
"Bullshit to you too missy," said Kathryn, still grinning. They could both play the denial game perfectly – and each knew that the other was lying.
"Oh shut up," said Ginny, beginning to get a little frustrated, "Sure, okay, I'll admit it, I do think he's attractive," she began, earning an 'I-Knew-It' squeal from Kathryn, "However, I do not have feelings for him! He is just a superficial jerk, a Slytherin, a mummy's boy – he is everything I don't need. So there," she finished with a grin, poking her tongue out at her friend.
Kathryn's face fell in disappointment and she stopped for a minute, her face scrunched up in thought.
Then, quick as a flash, she bounded after Ginny, grabbing her lightly by the shoulder, pulling her to face her.
"Lies!" she yelled happily, smiling as if she knew a secret. "I know what you're doing! It's the denial game, only different. I know," said Kathryn gleefully, tapping the side of her head.
Ginny rolled her eyes. "No Katie, this time I'm serious – I feel nothing for that slimy, insulting twat. I wouldn't go out with him if someone paid me a million galleons," she proclaimed, starting to walk again.
The same expression adorned Kathryn's face as she stared after her friend's retreating back again.
"Wait! Wait" she yelled, running after Ginny again. Ginny turned around, grinning at her friend's confusion – which suddenly turned to excitement again. Ginny groaned.
"So that means you would... you know," she winked and nudged Ginny, "With him then! You think he's attractive, so you would.... you know, but you wouldn't actually go out with him."
"Noo!" yelled Ginny, frustration seeping into her voice. "Oh, can you just stop now Katie, you're doing my bloody head in. C'mon, let's go get a Butterbeer," she said, leading her still-chatting friend into Madame Rosmerta's.
"Fine, fine. But we have to be back up at the Castle in an hour, you know," said Katie, resigned that this round was over – she would win next time. She grinned in trepidation.
A/N: Please please please review!