"I want this entire greenhouse spotless by the time I return. And no magic!" Professor Sprout cast a stern look at her two detention recipients, and marched out of the main greenhouse, leaving them to stare at the mess around them.
"Well, you heard her," Draco said snidely, "get to work, Weasel."
Ginny's cheeks turned bright pink, "And what about you, Ferret? Are you just hanging around here for your health? It won't hurt you to actually get your pretty hands dirty." She looked pointedly at the pounds of soil scattered across the huge table in front of them. The table was laden down with gloves, pots, and rejected plant parts.
"Fine," Draco said lazily, "I just thought you might enjoy it. I mean, I'm sure you feel at home here with all the filth. I hear your Mum's not the best housekeeper."
Ginny glared and muttered some very unladylike expressions under her breath, as they started their punishment. Draco chuckled and began cleaning at the other end of the enormous workspace.
"So, Weasel," he snickered, "Is it true you're in detention for hexing Dean Thomas in the middle of the library?"
Ginny didn't look up as she threw strewn gloves into a big wire basket. "Well, Ferret," she ground out, "He deserved it, so I don't regret it at all. I heard you're here because you were teasing some first years like the big prat you are."
Draco's face clouded, "Not true. It's an even worse reason. I was showing Pansy what a good Beater I could be. Unfortunately, I beat the bludger right through McGonagall's office window."
Ginny surprised them both by bursting out in laughter, "Oh that's brilliant! I can just imagine the expression on her face when she popped her head out the window!"
Draco couldn't help but snicker with her. "She reminded me of a dragon. I half expected to see fire shoot from her nostrils!"
Ginny giggled again, as she moved closer to him, wiping down the work bench as she went. "Well, did you at least impress Parkinson?"
"Not bloody likely," Draco muttered.
Ginny snorted, "Now there's the real dragon! There are younger girls who avoid mealtimes because pugface is such a beast to be around." Draco didn't comment, but Ginny could have sworn she saw him fighting a smirk.
"Well," she said after awhile, placing her hands on her hips and surveying the room, "this isn't taking us nearly as long as Madam Sprout thought it would. Please help me carry this big box into the supply room, then we can maybe find her and I'll beg her to let us go early."
Draco didn't say anything, just gave a scowl and a slight nod as he gripped one side of the huge box, while Ginny grabbed the other side. She looked over at him, grinning slyly.
"What's the matter, Malfoy?" she asked, "Afraid we had a moment of camaraderie there?" Ginny chuckled as he narrowed his eyes at her, "Don't worry, I'm not going to tell anyone that you weren't a nasty git to me. Nobody would believe me anyway."
Draco smirked. "Very funny, Weasel. I'll have you know that I'm considered very charming in certain quality social circles."
"Well, that just gives me a whopping reason to become anti-social!"
"Weasel, do you always have to make a joke out of everything?"
"Only if a joke comes to me quick enough," she answered cheekily.
Draco groaned. "Really, your parents should not have been allowed to breed. The whole lot of you is unbearable."
Ginny ignored the comment as she puffed a strand of hair out of her face, while the door to the supply room swung shut behind them. They heaved the big box onto its proper shelf.
"Erg, that was heavier than I'd thought it would be." She turned to face Draco and gave him a knowing look, "See? You're not as useless as you pretend to be."
"What a pretty compliment," he replied, his tone purposely without inflection.
Ginny couldn't stop the giggle that escaped. "Malfoy, it really is too bad that we can't stand each other. You can be amusing sometimes."
Draco stared at her, a little too intensely for Ginny's comfort, but he didn't say a word as he turned toward the door, which was slightly ajar. She was right behind him as he put his hand on the doorknob to pull. They both stopped suddenly as they heard muffled laughter on the other side.
Looking at each other quizzically, Draco and Ginny both leaned towards the open crack and peeked into the other room.
Ginny gasped and clutched Draco's arm. Their eyes locked in horror and their mouths dropped open. On the other far end of the main room they saw Madam Pomfrey with Professor Snape's arms wrapped around her.
"We have the tiger roots that Sprout left for us, Poppy. I'll have your potion ready in no time," They heard Snape's low rumbling voice as he leaned in to kiss the healer's neck. They heard her throaty chuckle.
"Severus, you stop being so naughty! Dumbledore will skin us alive if any students catch us snogging in a classroom like a couple of adolescents."
A growl erupted from Snape's throat as he caught Madam Pomfrey's lips with his own. Their hands started to roam and their groans became louder.
Ginny pulled her eyes from the scene unfolding before them and looked up at Malfoy, whose mouth still hung open in astonishment. She leaned up and whispered very quietly into his ear. "We have to get out of here."
Draco shivered slightly at the feel of her breath on his ear, but he shook his head and leaned into her hair, "No way! Snape will dock us both and probably give us more detentions." He locked his grey eyes with her widened hazel eyes as she realized that he was right. Then he leaned close to her ear again and added, "Or worse. He might put a memory charm on us and we'll never get to tell anyone about this."
Ginny clamped her free hand over her mouth to stifle her laughter. There was another loud moan from the next room, and she knew she had to get away from the door or she would laugh out loud and they'd be caught. Ginny let go of Draco's sleeve and spun herself around. She spun too quickly, though, and flailed her arms to catch her balance, aware that if she fell it would make quite a lot of noise. She had forgotten about Draco's seeker reflexes, though. His arm shot out, and he dragged her hard against him.
Ginny breathed heavily, her face pressed in the crook of Draco's neck. Without thinking of the consequences she rested her hands lightly on his shoulders and nuzzled closer so that her lips were flush against the hot skin a few inches below his earlobe. He was so warm and smelled like musky goodness. She felt his sharp intake of breath and his hands tightened their hold. Suddenly her insides were on fire.
Ginny knew this was the worst idea ever. She knew she should pull away, and quickly, however she just didn't care. She had never felt such an intense desire for anyone before. It was wrong for so many reasons, but all Ginny could focus on was the strength in his arms and the knowledge that she had never wanted to kiss anyone so badly.
When she couldn't stand it any longer, Ginny reached up and pulled his lips to hers, her tongue immediately darting out to dance with his. Draco was kissing back fiercely, as he edged her to the opposite side of the room, so that they were mostly hidden from the doorway by a tall cabinet. No need to take any stupid chance was his line of thinking. He chuckled to himself at the thought that perhaps the Potions Master and Hogwarts Healer should have been wiser in their choice to make out in such a risky location. They obviously enjoyed taking stupid chances. Draco couldn't muster up too much disgust for them, though. If it weren't for their nauseating display he wouldn't have the pretty red head wrapped in his arms, pressing herself against him.
Draco knew in the back of his mind that he should be disgusted – she was a Weasley, after all. Disgust was the furthest thing from what he was feeling, though. They kissed and touched each other for quite awhile. Just when he decided he was going to try to coerce some clothes off of her, faraway voices broke through the warm earth scented air surrounding them.
Draco lazily pulled away, his hands still tangled in Ginny's long hair. Their eyes were fixed on each other's faces, but both listened intently until they heard the slamming of a far off door. The corners of Draco's mouth were slightly curled up as he took in Ginny's flushed cheeks and glazed doe eyes. His eyes lingered on her swollen lips and he felt his heart thudding in his chest.
Ginny desperately tried to pull herself together. Calling upon her endless amounts of courage, she took a deep breath and said quietly, "They must be gone. A bit of time has passed, so Madam Sprout should be back any minute." She loosened her grip on the front of his shirt and tried not to think about the fact that he was staring at her and she could not read his expression. It made her recall with dismay that she barely knew Malfoy, and the bits she did know about him, she despised.
Steadying herself, she gave him a bright smile. She motioned towards the door, which was still the tiniest bit ajar. "After you," she forced the words out. The reality of what had happened was slamming into her, and she was frantically trying to justify it. Excuses were flying through her mind, but the one important fact that her mind kept bouncing around was that she had enjoyed it. She wildly, madly and thoroughly had enjoyed the passionate encounter with Draco Malfoy.
Biting her lower lip, Ginny followed his self assured swagger into the next room. And why shouldn't he be self assured? Ginny thought sourly, I supposedly hate the git, and yet I was practically purring in his hands!
Her thoughts were interrupted when Madam Sprout did indeed return, looking around the room critically.
"I've definitely seen better, but you both may go anyway." She surveyed their disheveled and dazed appearances, and assumed it was because they had been hard at work the entire time.
Draco hastily grabbed his schoolbag, but then waited for Ginny, so that they could walk up to the castle together.
"Listen, Weasley…" he began, pausing. She threw him a side glance with an infuriatingly blank expression.
"Yes, Malfoy?" her voice was sweet, but had an iron edge to it. Surprisingly he found himself not wanting to make her feel bad. He didn't want her to think he'd gone soft, though, either.
"Let's just keep this whole night to ourselves." He finally said gruffly.
Ginny was so surprised that she stopped to gape at him. He turned back toward her, still a few paces ahead.
"You mean it?" she asked tentatively, "No nasty remarks? No trying to hold this over my head?"
"Hmm," he said, mockingly putting his hand on his chin, "Now that you give me these super ideas…"
"Oh, sod off, Ferret!" Draco was relieved to see her returning to her feisty self. He was annoyed with himself for being concerned about her at all.
"Well, Weasel," he said, resuming the walk towards the castle, "You're just lucky I'm such a kindhearted gentleman." He ignored her snort, "I say after tonight we never mention this again. Nothing has changed." He looked at her, trying to put a steely look in his eyes.
A smile flitted across her features. "Excellent, Ferret. I agree. We never mention tonight ever again. Nothing has changed."
They parted ways in the front hallway, and Ginny made her way quietly up to the Gryffindor tower. Glad that nobody noticed her sneak through the Common room, she tiptoed to her bed and quickly got herself ready for sleep. She just wanted to fall asleep quickly, so that she could put this entire insane evening behind her.
The next morning Ginny strolled down to breakfast with an optimistic bounce.
"What has you so cheerful?" Hermoine asked, as she, Ron and Harry sat down around her at their House table in the Great Hall.
Ginny smiled at them, "Oh, I'm just excited about the bacon and eggs because I'm ravenous this morning. And it's Saturday, so even better!"
"Plus, you're finally done with Dean," Ron muttered the words through a mouthful of toast.
"Eech, Ron! Don't talk with your mouth full!" Ginny turned to Hermoine, "I take it that bit of gossip is all over the school already, then?"
"Oh, you know how quickly these things spread from one gossiping mouth to the next set of eager ears," she said distractedly, looking towards the teachers table where Dumbledore was rising.
"Just a quick announcement," he said, with the usual twinkle in his eyes, "The administration here at Hogwarts has decided to take advantage of this unusually wonderful weather, so we have added an extra trip to Hogsmeade…for today!"
The Great Hall erupted in excited chatter as he sat down again. Ginny didn't notice, however. Her eyes were drawn to Professor Snape and Madam Pomfrey sitting next to each other at the head table. Madam Pomfrey had a smile and a faint blush, while Snape had a grimace that Ginny supposed was the closest his face to come to expressing happiness. The corners of Ginny's lips turned up and she bit her lip to keep from laughing.
Before she could stop herself, she looked over at the Slytherin table and saw Malfoy's eyes on the head table, a smirk playing on his face. His glance shot over to her and they locked eyes. Ginny felt a jolt of electricity go through her as Malfoy continued to maintain eye contact.
She realized that they had been wrong by thinking that nothing had changed.
Everything had changed.