Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of the characters, except Ruth
Lee. And I never said I did so: pleeze don't sue!!! (gets down on knees and
begs for mercy)
On the train.
Draco was in his seventh year at Hogwarts and he was in the toilets doing his hair, as usual, when the door opened with a loud bang and in came a crying girl. She had bright red hair that was almost down to her waist, Draco knew who it was immediately: Ginny Weasley.
"Weaslette," he said sharply. "What are you doing in here?"
Ginny was surprised but she managed to recover. "Could ask you the same thing, Malfoy," she was still snivelling but Draco could detect the coldness in her voice.
"I think you will find that this is the boys toilets, not the girls."
For the first time Ginny took in her surroundings. She was horrified to see that he was right. She couldn't think of any decent comeback so she just stood there and started crying again.
Draco didn't like it when girls started crying, he never knew what to do. "Oh come on, stop crying, it's not that bad. I mean a boys toilet can always easily look like a girls." His voice was dripping with sarcasm.
"I wasn't crying about that," she said, still weeping.
The train started to move and gave a jolt. Ginny fell forwards into Dracos arms. His initial reaction was to push her off and make some snide remark and leave her to it but when he thought for a moment and found he didn't mind. He put his arms around her to try to comfort her, which helped a bit. After a while she stopped crying altogether and got control of herself.
"Thank you." She said and gave him a weak smile. Her eyes were puffy and bright red from crying so much and her mascara had run.
She was about to leave when Draco suddenly spoke. "Seeing as how I comforted you and everything, shouldn't I know what was wrong in the first place?" This time he spoke his voice wasn't as icy as it was before.
Ginny turned to face him, tears now welling in her eyes. "My mum and dad," she said shakily "they're getting divorced." With this last word she started bawling. Draco found himself rushing forwards to comfort the young Weasley.
They stayed there for a while when at last Ginny broke away and made to leave. Before she did she turned and said "Thank you. Again." She gave him another little smile and walked away.
Draco was in shock. Had he just comforted a Weasley, of all people? He decided to keep this little episode to himself and he was sure Ginny would too. This could be highly embarrassing if word got out.
***
The train started slowing down and everyone got off. Ginny heard Hagrid calling "Firs' years 'dis way" as he usually did at the beginning of the year.
There was no sign of Harry, Ron or Hermione, they usually waited for her. She found what seemed like an empty carriage and got in. When she sat down she saw, directly opposite her, none other than Draco. Ginny felt slightly embarrassed because of what had happened on the train.
They sat in an awkward silence for what seemed like ages, neither of them wanting to be the first one to break the silence.
Ginny was the first to break. "So where is Crabbe and Goyle?" she asked.
"They're on holiday. They should be back in a few days." Draco seemed genuinely nice to Ginny though she still wasn't entirely sure about him. After all he had been tormenting her brother since he started Hogwarts.
"So you're all alone. Poor Draco!"
Draco pulled a mock upset face, which made her laugh.
There was another silence but this time it was Draco that broke it. "So what's all this with your parents?" He didn't know why but he wanted to find out more about this little Weasley, she was nothing like her brother.
Ginny didn't know whether to answer this or not. She still didn't entirely trust him. Draco saw this in her facial expression and said "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone."
Ginny decided that he could be trusted to keep her secret so she started telling him. "My dad has been cheating on my mum for ages and she finally found out the other day and she went beserk. She started throwing plates everywhere and anything else she found. We all went into Rons room," Her eyes were filling with tears again but she continued. "We were hoping that the noise wouldn't carry that far, but she was so angry. She usually shouts at Fred and George but this was nothing like it. She ran out of the house and we haven't seen her since." Her tears were running freely now.
Draco couldn't help but feel sorry for her. He moved next to her and put his arm around her. Again she stopped crying soon after Draco put his arm round her. She didn't know why but she felt safer in his arms.
The carriages were getting near the gate and Ginny wiped her eyes. Before they got out, Draco said "Are you going to be OK now?"
"Yes, I think so. Thanks"
Draco smiled, it was not one of his famous smirks, but a true smile. "Anytime. Oh and Ginny?" she looked at him. "If you need me, you know where I am."
Ginny smiled back and got out of the carriage. She made her way up to the castle with everyone else and didn't look back. Why was Draco being so nice to her? She was confused.
When she got inside, she took her place at the Gryffindor table between Neville and Ron.
"Where were you on the train, Ginny? We missed you." Said Ron.
"I was busy." she said quickly.
Ron didn't have time to reply because Professor McGonagall, followed by the nervous first years, entered the Great Hall. When they reached the top end, where the teachers sat, she set down an old stool and put the old sorting hat on it.
The first years were so busy looking around they jumped when it burst into song:
What house will the new ones be in?
Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw or Slytherin?
Gryffindors are brave, braver than all the rest,
So who will pass the ultimate test?
Hufflepuff, they all have big hearts,
But what will happen if they are split apart?
Ravenclaw, Strange as they may be,
What this year has in store for them, we shall see.
Slytherin, woe betide you if you get in there,
If they don't like you they will tear you up like a bear.
The school and the first years burst into applause, except the Slytherins.
The sorting began and Professor McGonagall began calling up the intimidated students. Ginny saw a girl that she thought looked like Draco, she didn't know he had a younger sister.
"Ruth Lee" Professor McGonagall called and the blond haired girl went up and sat on the stool. So she wasn't a Malfoy, she definitely looked like one though. Her thoughts were interrupted by the Sorting Hat shouting: "Slytherin."
She took the hat off, set it down on the stool and, looking very pleased with herself, went to sit at the Slytherin table. They obviously liked her because they were cheering. Ginny distinctly heard Pansy shouting to Draco over the noise "Draco, I didn't know you had a sister!"
Ginny couldn't help but laugh and she laughed even harder at the look Draco gave her and Pansy didn't see it. Everyone was wondering what was so funny but the Sorting Hat shouting "Gryffindor" distracted them.
A short, fat boy came running towards the table as all the Gryffindors erupted with cheers, all except Ginny, who was still laughing hysterically.
Draco looked over to the Gryffindor table and saw Ginny laughing and wondered what was up. Just then she looked up and their eyes met, they smiled at each other and looked away.
***
When the feast had ended, and the notices given out Ginny went straight up to her dormitory where her trunk had already been put at the end of her bed. She got changed and climbed into bed and fell straight to sleep with Draco in her thoughts.
On the train.
Draco was in his seventh year at Hogwarts and he was in the toilets doing his hair, as usual, when the door opened with a loud bang and in came a crying girl. She had bright red hair that was almost down to her waist, Draco knew who it was immediately: Ginny Weasley.
"Weaslette," he said sharply. "What are you doing in here?"
Ginny was surprised but she managed to recover. "Could ask you the same thing, Malfoy," she was still snivelling but Draco could detect the coldness in her voice.
"I think you will find that this is the boys toilets, not the girls."
For the first time Ginny took in her surroundings. She was horrified to see that he was right. She couldn't think of any decent comeback so she just stood there and started crying again.
Draco didn't like it when girls started crying, he never knew what to do. "Oh come on, stop crying, it's not that bad. I mean a boys toilet can always easily look like a girls." His voice was dripping with sarcasm.
"I wasn't crying about that," she said, still weeping.
The train started to move and gave a jolt. Ginny fell forwards into Dracos arms. His initial reaction was to push her off and make some snide remark and leave her to it but when he thought for a moment and found he didn't mind. He put his arms around her to try to comfort her, which helped a bit. After a while she stopped crying altogether and got control of herself.
"Thank you." She said and gave him a weak smile. Her eyes were puffy and bright red from crying so much and her mascara had run.
She was about to leave when Draco suddenly spoke. "Seeing as how I comforted you and everything, shouldn't I know what was wrong in the first place?" This time he spoke his voice wasn't as icy as it was before.
Ginny turned to face him, tears now welling in her eyes. "My mum and dad," she said shakily "they're getting divorced." With this last word she started bawling. Draco found himself rushing forwards to comfort the young Weasley.
They stayed there for a while when at last Ginny broke away and made to leave. Before she did she turned and said "Thank you. Again." She gave him another little smile and walked away.
Draco was in shock. Had he just comforted a Weasley, of all people? He decided to keep this little episode to himself and he was sure Ginny would too. This could be highly embarrassing if word got out.
***
The train started slowing down and everyone got off. Ginny heard Hagrid calling "Firs' years 'dis way" as he usually did at the beginning of the year.
There was no sign of Harry, Ron or Hermione, they usually waited for her. She found what seemed like an empty carriage and got in. When she sat down she saw, directly opposite her, none other than Draco. Ginny felt slightly embarrassed because of what had happened on the train.
They sat in an awkward silence for what seemed like ages, neither of them wanting to be the first one to break the silence.
Ginny was the first to break. "So where is Crabbe and Goyle?" she asked.
"They're on holiday. They should be back in a few days." Draco seemed genuinely nice to Ginny though she still wasn't entirely sure about him. After all he had been tormenting her brother since he started Hogwarts.
"So you're all alone. Poor Draco!"
Draco pulled a mock upset face, which made her laugh.
There was another silence but this time it was Draco that broke it. "So what's all this with your parents?" He didn't know why but he wanted to find out more about this little Weasley, she was nothing like her brother.
Ginny didn't know whether to answer this or not. She still didn't entirely trust him. Draco saw this in her facial expression and said "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone."
Ginny decided that he could be trusted to keep her secret so she started telling him. "My dad has been cheating on my mum for ages and she finally found out the other day and she went beserk. She started throwing plates everywhere and anything else she found. We all went into Rons room," Her eyes were filling with tears again but she continued. "We were hoping that the noise wouldn't carry that far, but she was so angry. She usually shouts at Fred and George but this was nothing like it. She ran out of the house and we haven't seen her since." Her tears were running freely now.
Draco couldn't help but feel sorry for her. He moved next to her and put his arm around her. Again she stopped crying soon after Draco put his arm round her. She didn't know why but she felt safer in his arms.
The carriages were getting near the gate and Ginny wiped her eyes. Before they got out, Draco said "Are you going to be OK now?"
"Yes, I think so. Thanks"
Draco smiled, it was not one of his famous smirks, but a true smile. "Anytime. Oh and Ginny?" she looked at him. "If you need me, you know where I am."
Ginny smiled back and got out of the carriage. She made her way up to the castle with everyone else and didn't look back. Why was Draco being so nice to her? She was confused.
When she got inside, she took her place at the Gryffindor table between Neville and Ron.
"Where were you on the train, Ginny? We missed you." Said Ron.
"I was busy." she said quickly.
Ron didn't have time to reply because Professor McGonagall, followed by the nervous first years, entered the Great Hall. When they reached the top end, where the teachers sat, she set down an old stool and put the old sorting hat on it.
The first years were so busy looking around they jumped when it burst into song:
What house will the new ones be in?
Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw or Slytherin?
Gryffindors are brave, braver than all the rest,
So who will pass the ultimate test?
Hufflepuff, they all have big hearts,
But what will happen if they are split apart?
Ravenclaw, Strange as they may be,
What this year has in store for them, we shall see.
Slytherin, woe betide you if you get in there,
If they don't like you they will tear you up like a bear.
The school and the first years burst into applause, except the Slytherins.
The sorting began and Professor McGonagall began calling up the intimidated students. Ginny saw a girl that she thought looked like Draco, she didn't know he had a younger sister.
"Ruth Lee" Professor McGonagall called and the blond haired girl went up and sat on the stool. So she wasn't a Malfoy, she definitely looked like one though. Her thoughts were interrupted by the Sorting Hat shouting: "Slytherin."
She took the hat off, set it down on the stool and, looking very pleased with herself, went to sit at the Slytherin table. They obviously liked her because they were cheering. Ginny distinctly heard Pansy shouting to Draco over the noise "Draco, I didn't know you had a sister!"
Ginny couldn't help but laugh and she laughed even harder at the look Draco gave her and Pansy didn't see it. Everyone was wondering what was so funny but the Sorting Hat shouting "Gryffindor" distracted them.
A short, fat boy came running towards the table as all the Gryffindors erupted with cheers, all except Ginny, who was still laughing hysterically.
Draco looked over to the Gryffindor table and saw Ginny laughing and wondered what was up. Just then she looked up and their eyes met, they smiled at each other and looked away.
***
When the feast had ended, and the notices given out Ginny went straight up to her dormitory where her trunk had already been put at the end of her bed. She got changed and climbed into bed and fell straight to sleep with Draco in her thoughts.