The Art of Seduction
Meet David Brink
Summary: When Ginny isn't at St. Mungos, she's out hunting wealthy, single wizards... her favorite pastime. However, when one silver-eyed wizard refuses to give in to her irresistible charms (and retaliates with charms of his own), she does everything she can to ensue that she wins the game.
He should have been here by now.
Ginny tapped her foot impatiently as she scanned the crowded streets for a tall brunette. She was already five minutes behind schedule, and he still wasn't here. She wished that he would appear already, as she probably looked ridiculous standing on the steps of Gringrotts Bank. Her back was leaned against the wall - she was attempting to blend in, after all - and shoppers kept shooting her odd looks.
Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.
At the moment, that was exactly how she felt. Luna had told her that she saw him every Saturday because he always went to the bank. Last week, Ginny had been inconspicuously strolling along the front entrance trying to spot him. He had showed up at six, and as she glanced down at her wristwatch, she could see that it was now ten past.
Standing out here, she felt like a creepy stalker. Of course, she wasn't obsessed with him - or his money for that matter. It was a pastime, wasn't it? She was living her life to the fullest and seizing each opportunity. He was single, and wasn't that a grand opportunity?
The redhead glanced up and saw him fast approaching Gringotts. Finally, she thought with a sigh.
Ginny glanced down at herself to ensure that her plans were set. She waited until he had walked straight by her before plowing into his back. She winced as her shoulder roughly grazed his arm.
"Oh, Merlin! I am so sorry!"
"It's okay. Really! I'm fine."
"Are you sure?" the redhead asked, her hands roaming his body to check for injuries. She felt him tense under her touch, and she grinned. He was going to be her easiest conquest. She suppressed the cackle that was waiting to be released and had to bite her tongue.
Was it wrong that she was enjoying this?
The brunette standing in front of her smiled uncertainly. "Yeah. It's no big deal. Just some minor scratches." He reached down and grasped her wandering hands, stopping her ministrations. "Hi. My name's- my name's David," he stuttered.
Perfect, she thought. Everything was going according to plan. By the end of the night, he was going to be on his knees, she was sure.
"My name's Ginny." She pulled her hand away from his and began making extravagant hand gestures. "I am so sorry! I was being chased by some brute, and I couldn't get away! Diagon Alley seemed like a good place to apparate to! I didn't mean to knock into you! I am so clumsy!" She lowered her head in shame, but inwardly she was ecstatic.
He stared at her for a moment, not comprehending her words, until his chivalrous senses kicked in. "Where is he?" he demanded. "Did he follow you here?"
"No, no. I think I lost him. If you want, I can pay for any damages. I think I ruined your robe," she sighed. She made it a point to look at the cobblestone ground, as it added to her appeal.
The wizard shook his head. "It's fine. I'm a quidditch player- one robe isn't going to rob my Gringrotts' account."
And this is the part where I dazzle him. "Oh!" she cried. "You're David Brink, aren't you? You play for the Tutshill Tornadoes! You're their keeper!" she exclaimed, as if this was a sudden revelation.
Hook, line, sinker.
He looked at her in amazement, disbelief etched onto his handsome face. "You mean, you didn't know who I was until now?"
"Uh, no. Was I supposed to?"
"No. I'm just shock, is all. I don't want to seem cocky, but I've never met any girl who didn't know who I was the second she laid eyes on me," he remarked, embarrassed that he was wrong. Ginny thought he looked cute when he blushed, and didn't bother mentioning that he was wrong.
It was times like these that men were way too gullible.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to rub you the wrong way or anything. I don't want to bother you with my fangirl-ish ways. Well, bye," she murmured awkwardly and turned around. Three, two, one.
He grabbed her shoulders as she mentally counted down in her mind. "Wait, wait. I should apologize."
Excitement flashed in her eyes. This was when she would guilt him into taking her to dinner- of course, not somewhere fancy, but cozy and warm.
"It's fine. I understand. Nice meeting you." Once again, she made a show of leaving.
"Let me make it up to you," he proposed as he ran in front of her, blocking her path. He sounded sincere- sincere enough, anyway.
She shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot. "Strangers aren't trustworthy," she said quietly. Oh, he would never know how close she came to accepting his offer. But first, he had to plead for her company.
"I'm trustworthy! I promise. Let me take you to dinner. I heard that there's a new restaurant around here some-"
"The Crumple-Horned Snorkack?"
"Yes," David beamed. "Do you want to?"
Did she want to? Heck, yes. Maybe this bloke would turn out differently. Maybe he would end up being her prince charming- her one true love. The search was never over, and this was just the beginning.
"I'd love to."
--
Ginny had just finished examining a patient when Luna came skipping down the halls of St Mungo's. The blond was wearing a dark purple flowing skirt that reached her knees and a white tunic. Her ever-present butterbeer cork necklace hung around her neck, and her eyes were wide from excitement.
"Hello, Ginny dear," Luna said in her dreamy voice as she came to an abrupt stop in front of the redhead.
"Hello, Luna. I suspect there's something you want to talk to me about?" Ginny asked idly, knowing full well that
David was the reason why Luna was visiting Ginny at work.
"Yes, actually. How did you know?" Luna beamed. "There's been this new discovery of baby snout-poofers in the Himalayas. Daddy told me that their tears act as a powerful love potion, but they only ever cry once every century. Oh, and the drawings I've seen of them, Ginny! They've got the loveliest coats of fur, and a small horn on their fore-"
"Luna," Ginny interrupted patiently, "Is that all?" She leaned against the wall of the hallway and crossed her arms over her chest.
The blond was a bit startled at the interruption. "What? Oh, no. How come you didn't tell me you had a date with one of the most sought-after Quidditch players? Have nargles infested your mind? You never forget to call me. Oh, Merlin, your mind is infested, isn't it?" Luna concluded, her mouth open in a silent, shocked gasp.
The redhead laughed. "Calm down, Luna! My mind is, thankfully, nargle-free. I had dinner with him last night. How was I supposed to tell you?"
Luna looked up from staring at her feet and spoke. "I guess it doesn't really matter, does it? Everyone's bound to know. I just didn't like the fact that Emma from the Gossip Column knew before I did. She's improved her smirking, did you know?" She frowned a bit at Ginny, who couldn't suppress her mirth. "You know how much she irks me!"
Luna was a reporter for The Quibbler, and she and Emma had an ongoing feud. The feud itself was a mystery, and Ginny could never pry out the facts from Luna.
Ginny dragged Luna down the hallway and ushered her into the staff lounge. They sat on the provided couch furthest away from the open door. "Shhh. Not so loud. I don't need Madge hearing- she hates me." Ginny craned her head to search for unwanted eavesdroppers. Madge- the head healer who despised the redhead with a passion- was nowhere to be found. She didn't need to be yelled at. "Okay, good. She's not here. Now, about me not telling. I got back at midnight, Luna. You would have been in bed, dreaming of Nargles."
Luna shook her head, outraged. "I wasn't dreaming of Nargles. They were Crumple-Horned Snorkacks!"
Ginny nodded her head and decided to humor her friend. "Of course," she soothed. "And speaking of Snorkacks, we had dinner at the Crumple-Horned Snorkack last night. The menu had odd dishes, though."
Luna smiled, and her eyes clouded. "I met a really nice bloke there last week. He was tall, dark, and handsome," she remarked softly. Ginny's date had lost Luna's interest as she was too busy reminiscing about her mystery man.
"What's his name?" she asked curiously. Luna never showed much interest in the opposite sex.
Luna broke out of her reverie. "What?"
Ginny rolled her eyes. "What's his name?" she repeated.
"Oh!" The blond averted her gaze. "I -er- didn't ask. We only spoke for a couple minutes."
"What? Why not?"
"Forgot," Luna mumbled. "Anyway," she began lightly, obviously trying to shift the conversation, "how was the date?"
Ginny was positive that she cackled. "The routine, you know. Wine, dine, and foot the bill. He even bought me this lovely dress robe from Madame Malkin's."
Luna nodded. "Let me guess. His fingers were positively to spend enormous amounts of galleons on you," she
stated. "And the whole time, you were profusely objecting that he pay for everything, but at the same time, you weren't."
Ginny nodded. "As always." Was it her fault that men swooned near her presence?
"What else?" she asked innocently. "Did he make a move?"
Make a move? "He was a gentleman the entire night. Pity he's going to be on his way. Give or take a week." She had really liked David, but he was boring and clingy. She didn't like men who were easily attached.
Luna stood up and stretched her arms. "Just like any other, huh?"
"Yes," Ginny agreed. "Just like the others." She also stood up.
"Who's next then? I'm sure the media is already watching you and David, but then he'll be gone by next Monday, and they'll hate you; especially when you'll start dating some else by Wednesday."
The healer sighed. She didn't like Luna's words of wisdom. They always made her feel guilty. She needed words of comfort- that what she was doing was allowed because she was young. That she could start living freely because of being locked up during the war.
"I don't know yet. I need a challenge, though. These men are too easy."
Luna appeared to be consumed in thought for a moment. Her face was scrunched up in concentration, and Ginny was confused at her strange behavior.
"Luna, are you alright?"
"Hmm? Oh, I'm wonderful. I just had an idea is all." Luna didn't elaborate, and the redhead was annoyed. She was impatient and absolutely hated being kept in the dark.
"Well, what is it?"
Luna smiled impishly. "You should go after Malfoy. He's always in the society pages of the Daily Prophet. He'd be a challenge, wouldn't he? With all that animosity between you two, that's bound to lead to heated passion."
Ginny's jaw dropped. Malfoy? That was Luna's wonderful epiphany? "No. No. Oh, goodness, no!" Why would she go after Malfoy? What would she want with him? Hell, he wasn't even her type. Yes, he was attractive and wealthy- the kind of bloke she usually went after- but he was such a prat during her teenage years. She hadn't seen him since Hogwarts, and had planned to keep it that way. Just what was whirling through Luna's mind at the moment?
Luna smiled benignly. "Why not? You said yourself that it was too easy, and Malfoy's a rumored womanizer. He'd keep you on your toes." She thought that the idea had merit, and besides, she'd always liked the color pink. It was such a lovely, cheerful color unlike the color brown that only reminded her of dragon dung.
Ginny narrowed her eyes. "Yes, I did say those things, but what makes you think Malfoy would even go near me?"
"Isn't that the point? How will you ever win his affection when he can't even stand the color of your hair?"
"Humph," Ginny scoffed. "That's stupid."
"That's because you're afraid he won't fall for your charms." Luna stood up and strolled out of the lounge, Ginny trailing her.
Ginny's pride slowly deflated. "He will too! I just won't give him a chance to." She wasn't afraid of some elite snob. She was better than Malfoy, and Luna was not going to talk her into even giving Malfoy a chance.
They passed the front desk and made their way towards the cafeteria. Whispers broke out as envious witches glared at Ginny, and some were waving at her.
"I think this is the part where I run before I'm ambushed by an angry mob," Ginny commented before hugging Luna and dashing off.
As she ran through the wards, she thought of Luna's odd remark. Where had the sudden interest come from? Had her best friend been keeping a secret from her about Malfoy? It didn't matter, though, as the mere thought of the blond-haired wizard irked her. There was something about him that was, well, off.
Besides, blonds weren't her type anyway.
A/N: This is actually based off a movie I saw on an airplane once on the way to Vietnam. It was in subtitles. So, err, how did I do? It's actually been revised a couple of times because I am lame, and my Luna is always so NOT LUNA. I don't think I improved much at all. I fail. :( Review please? I really don't know if writing is my forte (and it probably isn't) but how bout you decide, eh? Click that button! Make me happy!