When Paths Cross



Chapter 1: Terribly Irresistible



Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters. They are the great works of J.K. Rowling and respectively speaking to the various publishers who make it possible.



Ginny sighed. She knew that when her father, Arthur Weasley, offered her the position as head of the newest addition to the Ministry of Magic, which would be the Department of Analyzation of Wizard Artifacts, that an abundance of stress and aggravation would be added to her responsibilities. This was all that Ginny needed. Stress and more stress. Being that it was her first year away from the Burrow and Hogwarts, Ginny was relieved to receive a job with such high rankings. She needed the money to maintain an upkeep on her new flat. Between her responsibilities with her job at the Ministry and the new reality that came with the first year of living on one's own, Ginny hoped to have a love life and a little bit of fun. This was asking for a bit much especially since the entire wizarding world was trying to recover from Voldemort's latest fiasco. This heeded the importance of her title in the Ministry's latest department. "Ring!" a high pitched ring interrupted Ginny's thoughts on how to accomplish the influx of work that was piled up on her desk and the debating of which issues in her life were more stressful.



Ginny picked up the phone, "Hello?" a smile spread across her face as she realized who it was that was calling her, "Oh, Harry... Yes, I am fine, that's why I am currently ripping my hair out trying to figure out just what this rusted artifact on my desk might possibly be. Dinner? Tonight? At seven?" Ginny's grin widened. "I'd love to. See you at seven when you pick me up." Ginny hung up the phone and decided that this stress on her desk was enough for the day considering that it would be back there in the morning when she returned to work.



She organized her desk and took a look at it as she grabbed her cloak from her chair and wrapped it around her shoulders. "Good bye work! Unfortunately, I will be back tomorrow!" She took into note the "wizard artifact" that she was studying previous to Harry's call. Through all the rust and cakes of dirt surrounding it, she was able to make out a single ruby on the front side. This was peculiar to Ginny because it was the only thing that she managed to clean on the entire surface of the artifact. However, Harry and dinner with Harry were much more important to Ginny than a silly little artifact that she would see tomorrow when she returned to work the next morning. With this in mind she flicked off the lights and dashed out the door. She bumped into a few people on her way out to the Ministry's exit where she would Apparate to an alley not far from her flat. "Sorry! Pardon me!" Ginny exclaimed. She knew this would be an adventure, trying to get herself ready for Harry before seven. She examined her Muggle watch that her father had given her the previous year. "Argh.! Quarter after six, already! I am never going to get home in time to be ready for Harry. I know I am a witch and all but there is only so much you can do to conserve time!" Ginny raced to the outside of the Ministry where she promptly Disapparated.



"Ahh... home, how refreshing!" Ginny thought as she entered her flat and turned on the lights. This is definitely better than the Ministry. She stepped further into her flat and peered around the corner into the kitchen. Sometimes she left herself reminders on the refrigerator. Ginny fingered the note that was scribbled sloppily on a piece of parchment. "Call mom," it read. This brought a smile upon Ginny's face. Well, I may be running late but Mom and the Burrow come before Harry. I am sure that he will understand. Hell, he's part of the family anyway. What should he care if I give a call home? He'll just have to wait for me, that's all.



Ginny laughed at herself and at the thought of actually "calling mom" as Muggles do. It surprised her that she adapted to their world so well. Her flat was part of Muggle England and not the wizarding world. "You could never be to careful," she repeated aloud to herself, mocking her father who constantly brought it to her attention. She threw some powder from the canister atop her fireplace into the fire and knew that her head was floating above the fire opposite her mother. "Hi mother! How are you doing this fine evening?"



"Well Ginny, your cheerful attitude is due to what respects today?" her mother questioned.



"Hmm... thanks mum, really, I am doing fine, thank you."



"I am just teasing you dear! Are you going on a date with Harry this evening? Tell him I baked him some cookies and will have Hermione bring them to him in the morning, okay Ginny?"



"Yes mother," Ginny continued to go through the motions. As much as she loved her mother, she knew that Harry came first, even before her. "You never bake me cookies!"



"That is nearly because I love you so much and want to make sure you stay in shape! Harry Potter doesn't go for just any girl, and shouldn't we officially make Harry part of the Weasley family? You know you are our only hope in that and I believe that it would be less than despicable, don't you?" Mrs. Weasley replied earnestly.



Ginny smiled. She loved Harry, she really did. It wasn't that the entire world wasn't well informed on that issue either. Everyone knew she loved Harry since she first laid eyes on him. However, Ginny wanted to take things slow. She knew that Harry and her would probably marry someday, but when? That was based on fate and fate alone. There was no need for extra help from her mother. Plus, Ginny was definitely in no rush to have seven of her own Weasley children, well Potter children, running around the Burrow. Don't get her wrong, Ginny definitely wanted kids and couldn't picture them with any other person than Harry but now.... she wasn't ready for that responsibility and extra stress at the moment! "Yes mum, Harry is going to pick me up for our date around seven so I should best be going and get myself ready."



"Yes, Ginny, go get ready! I can't believe you are going to make Harry wait," her mother hesitated and blurted out, "again!"



Her mother wished her the best and her head disappeared from the fireplace. Ginny turned around and walked to her bathroom where she slipped off her work robes as she had already discarded her cloak on the couch when she entered her flat. She turned the hot water on and stepped into the shower. The water, hot and steaming on her body relieved her of previous stress. She knew not to take a long shower because of the time situation and hurried to shampoo and condition her hair. She stepped out of the shower, wrapped a towel around her body, and picked up her wand while whispering a charm to dry her hair. "Ahhh... much better," Ginny whispered to herself. Her hair ran down her back in red waves. She picked out black dress robes over a black cocktail dress and put on her makeup all in the knack of time. As Ginny finished applying her last coat of mascara, the doorbell rang. She wobbled to the door while closing the strap to her second shoe. "Who is it?" she inquired even though she knew it was Harry.



"Your dragon slayer, my dear!" the voice behind the door responded.



Ginny giggled and opened the door. To her surprise the figure that stood behind the door to her flat was not that of her beloved Harry, but a much taller and leaner figure. "Wh-wh-who are you?" Ginny managed to stutter out. She looked at her watch, it was seven, this was definitely the time that Harry said he was going to pick her up, so where was he?



"Ahhh... Miss Weasley, I do believe that I mentioned previously that I was your dragon slayer. How quickly we forget. 'Tis a shame, really it is. A pretty young woman as yourself can't even remember thirty seconds into the past. It's a wonder that you could even recognize that I am certainly not your precious Harry. And to think that I went through all that trouble disguising my voice for you on the phone. Tisk, tisk, Miss Weasley," the man responded.



She knew that voice. She can remember the tone, the way the person talked, the words they used. Everything was so familiar, but who was it! Ginny just couldn't find a name to fit the description. If only she could see his face!



"Aren't you going to invite me in?"



"Why did you try to pretend that you were Harry?" Ginny managed to get out. She was still very nervous and genuinely frightened though she would never show that weak side of her to this strange man. Her fear was solely for her to be aware of, nobody else. "Why! Answer me, damn't!"



"Now, now, Miss Weasley, there is no need for getting testy or upset with me. I knew that if I came as myself that you would never meet with me. Therefore, I am here, and am trying to have a conversation with you which is surely not going in the direction that I would like it to go in," the man, whoever it was, was obviously enjoying Ginny's despair. In the darkness she could see him smirk with satisfaction.



That's it, realization overwhelmed Ginny. "Get away from me and my flat, Malfoy!" She spit out the last word with venom.



"So we figured out who I was then, very good. Ten points to Gryffindor. Oh wait, sorry, my dear, Hogwarts is over now and I believe that is why I am here."



Draco Malfoy slowly shed his cloak unmasking his shiny silver-like hair in its usual perfect formation. As he did this, a rumble of thunder was heard and a crack of lightening was visible outside the window of Ginny's flat. Ginny felt that this deepened the drama of the situation she was in and tried to maintain herself as she watched Draco. His smug face was even more annoying now, two years after his Hogwarts years when it was constantly used to ridicule her older brother Ron and his best friends Harry and Hermione. Even though she held this thought deep in her mind, she couldn't help but think about how much better he looked. His physique was more firm, built, one could say it was even muscular. His hair glistened in the light and his eyes twinkled like the stars on the enchanted ceiling of the Great Hall back at Hogwarts. Don't let his gorgeous looks get to you Ginny! This was the constant warning she gave to herself. Draco glided behind Ginny wrapping one strong arm around her, assuring that she was tight in his embrace. He lifted his hand to her face trailing his fingers down the side of her cheek. Ginny couldn't help but breathe in his scent. It was different than Harry's and she rather liked it. Why are you thinking about his cologne when your life might be at stake! Everyone knows that the Malfoys were involved with You-Know-Who!



"Ginny," Draco murmured at the nape of her neck, "Don't you see that there is no use in fighting or resisting me anymore. I've changed since Hogwarts, achieved my goal. I am absolutely irresistible, even to girls like you who have fancied the same lad since they first found out they had hormones. Yes, Ginny, I know you want me." Draco turned Ginny's body so she was now facing him. He pressed her body firmly against his own. With this he kissed her forcefully on the lips. He pulled away and smirked, "You have something I want Virginia, and I will get it. You remember that, Weasley!" With his last words said, Draco Disapparated from Ginny's flat leaving her speechless and breathless.



Ginny was stunned. What would bring this abnormal behavior on Draco Malfoy? Why would he pretend to be Harry and come into her home? What did he want, and most importantly, why did he kiss her? Ginny's mind was racing with unanswered questions.



***

Draco smirked as he Disapparated into his London flat, which was actually only moments from Ginny's own. He liked the fact that she found him irresistible, even though she was the lowest class of the wizarding society and according to his father was almost as bad as a Mudblood. She was of pure wizard decent, but was poor and associated herself with Mudbloods and Muggles!



She has grown quite pretty since her Hogwarts years though, hasn't she?



Draco, how dare you think like that! She is a Weasley! his conscience argued with him.



Indeed, she is a Weasley, but a very pretty one, unlike her prat for a brother that I went to school with, Draco smirked. She can be fun to play around with though... and she has something that I want.



This much is true. You do need that ornamental stone which holds the power to your name. The ruby that carries the eye of the snake.



You are right once again. The aceis de serpens is imperative for my plans to work. Enough talk about this Weasley. Draco spat the last word out, finally in congruity with his conscience. As he thought about it, he realized that the title of that certain wizarding family was always spoken with malignance and distaste as if it, a name, was to be a speck of dust ruining the appearance of the most immaculate pair of white shoes. Draco shook his head relieving himself of all outrageous thoughts. "I shall get to work on my plan now," Draco said aloud not caring if anyone heard him.



***

Hope everyone enjoyed this little tid bit of imagination from me. It's not something that I normally write about, considering that I normally write for my web site (which I am a co-webmistress of)...not out of my own interests. Go drop a line at http://www.hotharypotter.iscute.com as well as a nice juicy review... if you like it, I suppose. Ta ta for now!