AN: A little piece written when last night's earthquake woke me up and I couldn't get back to sleep. Not my characters - I just borrow them. Enjoy.

It was raining, again. All it ever seemed to do at the moment was rain. Ginny Weasley stood at a window in the library, looking out over the Hogwarts grounds, towards the lake. If she squinted, she could just about see the Giant Squid waving its tentacles.

"Watching the rain again, Ginevra?"

"Am I that predictable, Draco?"

"Not usually, I must admit. But every day for the past week you've sat here, not doing anything, unless staring out of that window counts."

"I don't like being cooped up indoors."

"So go outside."

"Have you seen the weather, Malfoy? It's a thunderstorm out there."

"Unless I'm very much mistaken, you are, in fact, a witch. There are spells so you don't get cold or wet."

"Half the fun is being out there with someone though, so are you volunteering?"

He sighed. "The things I do for you."

"Race you down to the lake."

He watched as she exited the library, knowing that she couldn't start running until she was out in the corridors. Smirking, he flung the window open and summoned his broomstick. She hadn't said how he had to get to the lake, after all. It was a full five minutes before she arrived, out of breath and angry with Snape.

"The slimy git gave me detention, can you believe it?"

"Very easily, actually."

She glared at him, then pushed him off his broom into the mud. He sat up, spluttering, on the verge of shouting at her, when she sat down next to him, scooped up a handful of mud and dumped it on his head, messing up his pale blond hair. Not knowing what else to do, he retaliated, and they ended up chasing each other around the lake, throwing handfuls of mud, laughing like crazy.

"If anyone had told me, a few months ago, that I'd be friends with a Weasley and we'd be playing in the mud, I'd have sent them to St Mungo's."

"You would have done, I can imagine it," she laughed. "It just isn't dignified enough for a Malfoy, is it?"

He tried to look serious, but failed. It was somewhat difficult when your hair was all over the place and you were covered in mud from head to foot.

"It is, of course, nowhere near dignified enough for a Malfoy." He paused, looking around to make sure no-one else was nearby. "So we simply won't mention it to the rest of the Malfoys."

"You remind me of Fred and George when they've just blown something up and they don't want mum to find out."

"I can't imagine those two being afraid of anything."

"They're not, unless it's mum. You haven't seen her when she gets angry."

More laughter ensued.

"I think we'd better go back inside, it's getting cold."

Draco hunted around for his wand and his broomstick, having dropped both some time ago. Ginny helped, finding his broomstick at the spot where they'd met. Arm in arm, they walked back to the school, not caring if their appearance caused Filch to be horrified. It was about time someone gave him trouble again – it was too long since Fred and George had left. Smirking, Ginny made sure to drop as much mud on the floor as possible. A small start, but a start nevertheless.

AN: So I usually write them as a couple, but friends worked for this piece. Or I think so. Let me know what you thought by leaving a review, please.