Note: This story completely ignores the DH epilogue. :P Because the epilogue sucked. In fact, this chapter pretty much doesn't touch on events in the wizarding world at all. xD

I'm not sure whether I should try to concoct some half assed plot and continue or just go sulk in a corner and work on my writing skills for a few more years. Read and leave your opinions on this please?

Updates, if any, will be sporadic.

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It Started With a Robe

Chapter 1- A Chance Encounter

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Ginevra Weasley was sick and tired. Sick and tired of the leering smirks. Sick and tired of men mentally undressing her. Honestly, just because a woman has her head at your crotch does not mean you need to jump her. Well, at least not when said woman is armed with sharp pins and a menacing looking tape measure. That being said, Ginny Weasley was at her limit.

Ginny blew a strand of hair out of her face in exasperation. Rising from her knees she abandoned her attempts to get the man's measurements. "Sir, I would kindly recommend you stop fidgeting and fondling me with your eyes or my hands might mysteriously slip and introduce these pins to a certain sensitive part of your anatomy," she said in a sickly sweet voice with an equally sweet smile on her face. Rather than make her look more pleasant as smiles should do, Ginny just managed to like like a cat about to spear an especially juicy mouse on its claws.

The short balding man spluttered in shock, his face purpling in his indignation. It was either that or he was craning his head, trying to get a good angle to look down her robes. The bastard.

"MISS WEASLEY!"

Well shit. Where the shrill tones of her employer were heard, a frantic woman was sure to follow.

Sure enough, a wild eyed Madam Malkin burst into the fitting room. "Miss Weasley," she shrieked out of breath, as if she had run a marathon. "Didn't we discuss such behavior just this morning?" For such a small woman, it was amazing how much noise she could make.

"Well, you see..." started Ginny, her mind working quickly to come up with an excuse. As it turns out, she needn't have bothered as Madam Malkin was already spouting her most sincere apologies while gently steering the client to another room, all the while shooting her most intimidating glares at Ginny.

Ginny sighed, sitting on the low stool behind her as soon as Madam Malkin and the pervert were out of sight behind the curtain covering the doorway. Those glares did not bode well. Not only were they the famous Malkin 'pissed-beyond-all-logic' glares, but mixed in there were some 'forget-the-ministry-laws-I-will-personally-crucio-you-to-death' glares. 'Well, there goes my job,' Ginny thought miserably. 'And it was such a nice job too.' Or rather, the pay was. It was nice having extra galleons to spend and a flat of her own away from her mother's watchful eye.

Madam Malkin bustled back in, looking harassed. She firmly planted her hands on her hips and stood in resolute silence.

'Uh oh. Silence is bad. Silence is bad.'

Ginny slapped her best penitent child expression on her face and tried to look as dejected as possible from her low seat.

"Oh no, Miss Weasley, none of that now!" Madam Malkin crossed her arms, as if to give herself more strength and determination to deal with Ginny. "Your kicked puppy look won't get you out of this one."

'Kicked puppy? Not what I was going for, but I'll take it.' Ginny added a glassy-eyed pout for effect. She could not lose this job. She would tap dance naked in apology through Diagon Alley if that was what it took. As long as all the perverted old men were locked safely indoors, that is.

She could see the internal battle going on behind her boss's eyes. With a final shake of her head, she seemed to come to a decision. "Alright Miss Weasley. You get one more chance. Just one! Mister Reed was one of our most respected patrons, you simply can't speak to them like that."

Ginny sprang from her seat with a high pitched squeal and a small dance of victory.

"Calm down Miss Weasley," the Madam grumbled. "Now, there's a customer waiting. Perhaps the most valued customer this humble shop has."

Ginny rolled her eyes. 'Humble my ass.' The shop was smack in the middle of Diagon Alley for Merlin's sake.

Madam Malkin ignored the eye roll and stoically continued. "You are our best tailor and you know it. Just keep your thoughts to yourself and you'll be fine." She glowered at Ginny once more, as if to remind her of exactly what would happen if she was unable to keep those thoughts to herself, before she once again swept out of the room.

Ginny took a deep breath and straightened her robes. "You can do this," she mumbled under her breath. "Just take it easy. Count to ten. And remember you can always picture violent, gruesome deaths in your head without verbally insulting them."

"Talking to yourself Weasley? I always knew you were a nutter."

Ginny spun around, she knew that voice. Who else would stride through the doorway but Draco Malfoy, flinging aside the gauzy curtains as if he owned the place.

"Stop gaping Weasley. It makes you even more unattractive than usual." He brushed an imaginary piece of lint off his sleeve. "Though with your mouth open so wide, I can think of several things to occupy it that might make a man forget how displeasing the face it's attached to is."

Once Ginny's mind recovered from the shock and worked it's way through his convoluted insult, her face reddened with anger.

'Must keep job. Must resist urge to insult.' So Ginny blurted out the first harmless thing she thought of.

"What are you doing here?"

"Getting a robe. I thought that was quite obvious." Draco stepped forward to face the large mirror on the wall. "And here I thought you were more intelligent than your brother."

Ginny clenched her fists, and miraculously kept her mouth shut. The fact that she was currently imagining stabbing millions of pins into Malfoy's eyes might have something to do with it.

"Well, get on with it. I don't have all day."

"Arms up!" she practically barked at him.

Draco chuckled at her obvious irritation and obediently raised his arms.

Gritting her teeth, Ginny flicked her wand and the tape measure started on his arms. "I suppose I should ask what you want Malfoy. It would be kind of hard to tailor an outfit for you otherwise."

Raising a perfectly shaped white brow he scoffed, "They actually let you work here? You're amazingly unprofessional. Not to mention most likely incompetent."

'Deep breaths. Malfoy being strangled by the Giant Squid. Keep job. Yes.'

Ginny settled for shooting a glare in his direction.

"As you may have heard there's a rather large, hugely important, mind numbingly dull ministry function next week," Malfoy continued, oblivious to her glare. "As such, I've decided to purchase a new set of dress robes for the occasion."

As the tape measure finished with his top half, Ginny flicked her wand and ended the spell. Kneeling down, she proceeded to measure his legs by hand. For some reason, she never quite mastered the second half of that spell. Her tape measure tended to rebel and fondle the unsuspecting bums of innocent customers. Not that Malfoy was innocent, but nevertheless, she'd rather keep her job than see the look on Malfoy's face at being molested by an inanimate object.

He paused in his demands and smirked down at her. "Ah Weasley. Finally in your proper place I see. You look great on your knees."

'Asshole. May you be eaten by a rogue dragon.' Ginny fished up a mental image of all the shiny galleons she was payed and focused on that. Must. Keep. Mouth. Shut.

"As I was saying, I need a dress robe," he continued.

'Whew. Insult spewing crisis averted.'

Finally finished taking his measurements, Ginny stood back up and squared her shoulders, looking Malfoy straight in the eyes. "I thought that was quite obvious," she replied mimicking his earlier words.

Damn. Did that come off as rude?

He narrowed his eyes for a moment but then brushed it off. He didn't have the time. "Quite. Since you work here, I'm assuming your horrid taste in clothes has improved over the years. The style, cut, and color of the robe is up to you. I trust even someone like you can do your job and make me look stunning. It isn't that difficult." He sneered at her once more and headed for the doorway. "I expect the robe to be sewn to my measurements in two days. I'll be back for a final fitting then."

Ginny was quickly running out of different ways to glare at him. Which was really saying something. Her glares spoke volumes and even the bravest quailed before them.

"See you soon Weasley." With a swirl of the curtains, he was gone.

"Arghhhh!" Ginny put all her rage and pent up frustration into one drawn out shriek.

Malfoy's head popped back into view. "You know," he smirked around the curtain, "These aren't soundproof." And again, he was gone.

Ginny pulled at her hair, silently this time. That was perhaps the single most infuriating being she had ever set her eyes on. Collapsing on her stool, she flung her tape measure at the opposite wall.

Only to have it veer off course and strike the poor Madam Malkin in the forehead and she brushed her way into the room.

Well shit. Her luck was definitely on vacation. Or perhaps it was lying dead in Knockturn Alley somewhere.

"Well really," Madam Malkin huffed. "At least that fitting seemed to go relatively well judging by the heavy sack of gold Mister Malfoy saw fit to hand over. Along with specific instructions that half that gold is to be used to buy robes for you Miss Weasley. I have no idea what you said, but it appears you've managed to catch his attention. You're to be Mister Malfoy's date for the next Ministry ball."

'But I didn't say a word! Well...not more than a few.' Ginny opened her mouth to launch into indignant complaint.

Madam Malkin held up her hand before Ginny could protest. "No arguments! We need to keep him a customer at all costs. Just consider this as part of your job."

Curses. This job sucked.

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Decent? Well I hope so. I haven't written anything in years.

Continue or don't bother? If continue, any suggestions? ;D