A/N: my first fic, so please be nice!! Italics mean thoughts
Disclaimer: The wonderful and oh-so-bright J.K. Rowling owns all Harry Potter characters. I own anybody you don't recognize and the plot. Now read
Chapter 1- Confessions
"I. Will. Not. Cry. I. Will. Not. Cry. I. Will. Not..." Ginny broke down into tears, slumping into one of the many alcoves that were oh-so-conveniently located around Hogwarts. "Must not -sob- break down. -sob- Can't let -sob- him get to -sob- me." Oh, who am I kidding? I've already let him get to me. But I can't let him see. If I do... Oh shit.
"Pansy... do not... no I do not want to... GET THE HELL AWAY FROM ME YOU LITTLE SLUT." There was no need for Ginny to even think about whom that voice belonged to. But she had to get away. There was no way in hell Malfoy was going to see her like this. Ginny got up and started to scurry down the corridor.
"Weasel. 10 points from Gryffindor for running in the hallways. And please, in the future, refrain from walking down any halls I am in. I have no wish to be contaminated by the dirt that seems to follow you everywhere. But why should I be surprised? You probably can't even afford to clean your robes more than once a year."
Ginny slowly turned around. "Sod off Malfoy. I am not in the mood for... for... you," she spat out.
"What's wrong Weasel; did you catch Pothead shagging that mudblood Granger?" Ginny's eyes pricked with tears again. "Oh please, as if none of us saw it coming. Shut off the waterworks and go do something useful."
Ginny stared at him in amazement, "Was that your pathetic attempt at trying to be kind and understanding? If so, you failed miserably."
"Well then obviously I wasn't, because a Malfoy fails at nothing."
"Except getting the highest grades in you class." Malfoy just sneered at her and started to walk off. "I'm shocked. A Malfoy is not only walking away from an insult. But also an insult dealt out by a Weasley. A girl Weasley at that."
"That's what you think. 3...2...1. That will be 50 points off Gryffindor for being out after curfew."
"You little..." Draco merely raised his eyebrow. "Oh. I hate you Malfoy, you disgusting little ferret." And with that extremely clever insult, Ginny stormed off to Gryffindor tower, where she promptly cried herself to sleep.
Ginny woke up the next morning dreading breakfast... and lunch... and dinner...come to think of it, anything where she would have to see him or Hermione. Ginny dragged herself out of bed and drearily got dressed. Her eyes passed over the make-up kit her friends had gotten her the year before for her birthday. It had been virtually untouched, but now Ginny felt a strange urge. She wandered over to the vanity and opened the case. Bright pinks, reds, and purples glared back at her. They were the colors she would have worn back when she had a crush on the slime ball. She grabbed a muggle magazine Hermione had given her and flipped to the page she was looking for. A girl with black her, black lipstick, black eyeliner and extremely pale skin looked back at her. Ginny tapped her wand thoughtfully on the page, and made her decision. With a few quick enchantments, she had changed her hair from her normal fiery red to a black that shimmered with blue when the light caught it right. The pinks and reds and purples in the make-up quick all went to a blood red or black. Ginny outlined her eyes like the girl in the picture, but decided to go with blood red lipstick. She took a deep breath and walked out of the Gryffindor dorms and headed down to the great hall.
As she prepared to enter the Great Hall, she felt someone tap her on the shoulder. She turned around and looked into the steel-gray eyes of none other than Draco Malfoy. (well who did you expect, Elvis?)
Draco looked her over, a confused look appearing on his face. "I don't believe we've met. I'm Draco Malfoy. And you look like a Slytherin. How come I haven't seen you around before?"
Ginny raised her eyebrow in amusement. "Oh trust me, you've seen me around."
"Well, at least tell me who you are."
"Why?"
"Because I told you who I was."
"But I already knew who you were."
"Then just tell me for the sake of polite conversation."
"I didn't know Draco Malfoy was capable of polite conversation. I'll make you a deal. Meet me in the Astronomy tower at 10:00 tonight. If you, by some amazing feat, have not figured out who I am, I'll tell you, in exchange for something."
"What?"
"I'm still trying to figure out something embarrassing enough."
"Why would you want to embarrass me?" Ginny simply raised an eyebrow. "I guess I'll see you tonight at the Astronomy tower then," Draco commented. Ginny made a noncommittal shrug. As she walked into the Great Hall, Draco shook his head in confusion.
As Ginny entered the Great Hall, a large majority of the Hogwart's population turned and stared at her. Ginny smiled and proceeded to sit down at the Gryffindor table. Harry, Ron, and Hermione turned and started at her. She twiddled her fingers at them and smiled, and proceeded to eat her breakfast. Slowly, conversations began to pick up again. When Ginny finished, she walked slowly out of the Great Hall, giving everybody a second chance to stare at her.
After walking out of the Great Hall, she was once again stopped by a tap on her shoulder. This time she turned around to see the eyes of her brother. "What happened Gin? What did you do to yourself?"
"I made a choice, something I am very capable of doing at age 15, thank you very much. The real question is, whose side will you be taking? Your youngest sibling, your only sister, or your best friend?" Ron looked nonplussed at this, and swallowed. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but Ginny spoke for him. "Don't bother. And here I thought you would choose your own flesh and blood instead of bloody Harry Potter. But I guess the popularity you've found with Harry is more important. You know what Ron, I don't care anymore. Because frankly, you're not worth it. And neither is Harry or Hermione. Being kissed by Draco Malfoy would be preferable to this traitorism." And with that, Ginny stormed off too Advanced Potions.
Ginny basked in the talk that surrounded her new appearance.
"I heard she's an exchange student from America."
"New York City, to be exact."
"No, Los Angeles. Some really freaky private school just for weird people."
"She's not weird. She has an awesome sense of style."
"How can you call it awesome when she only has one color in her entire closet?"
"Two. She also has red."
"Fine two. But, I mean, look at that make-up, it looks like she went to sleep in it."
"That's the look Vickie; she's supposed to look like that."
"Why would anybody do that to themselves?"
"Personal expression, she's obviously depressed, mentally disturbed, or simply an original."
"Of course she's mentally disturbed, look at her."
"Whatever."
Ginny grinned and walked on. As the day went by, she heard all sorts of rumors, from an exchange student from American to the one about her actually being Pansy Parkinson after a horrible explosion caused by (who else) Neville Longbottom in potions. That one got a laugh out of Ginny. But dinner found her biting her lip. In a measly three hours she would have to confront Draco Malfoy, and she still wasn't sure exactly what she was going to make him do, or even if she was going to tell him.
At 9:30 she snuck out of the Gryffindor common room wearing her "new" clothes. She obviously couldn't afford a new wardrobe for her new look, but Lavender and Pavarti, in an astonishing act of kindness had, about three weeks ago, given her a book about changing clothes to make them look "brand new and fit a new you." This outfit was a shimmering gold tank top and tight black leather pants. (for all you Amelia Atwater-Rhodes fans, yes, this is the outfit Risika wears at the end of In The Forests Of The Night.) Ginny still wasn't sure what she was going to tell Draco, but she knew it would be good. (No, she's not starting to fall for him; her new evil mind is working here.)
When Ginny reached the astronomy tower, she looked around and didn't see anybody there. She walked outside and looked up into the night sky. The Great Hall was always amazing, but it didn't have the potency of actually being in the fresh air, looking at the sky. She liked to imagine she could reach out and pluck a star from the sky, one by one, until they were all gone, and then she would put them back in her own special patterns. (my own personal little dream here.) As she gazed, transfixed in the night sky, she heard footsteps approaching. She heard them stop, and Draco clear his throat from the observation deck.
Ginny turned around. "So, have you guessed who I am yet?"
"No. I've heard numerous rumors, but I doubt that you are some dark angel come to corrupt us all."
"I hadn't heard that one."
"I didn't expect you to; I just made it up on the spot."
"Are you flirting with me?"
Draco moved closer. "Maybe."
"You shouldn't flirt with a girl before you know her name."
"About that..."
Ginny pondered it, and then came up with the perfect idea. "I'll tell you, if..."
"If?"
"If you go out with me... for three weeks."
"Deal. And now, your name."
"First... if we're gonna go out, then we should seal the deal." Draco offered his hand. Ginny raised her eyebrow. Draco leaned in, and casually brushed his lips against hers. Ginny grabbed his neck, and brought him back. He pressed his body against hers, and she nibbled on his bottom lip. Draco opened his mouth, and Ginny pressed her tongue in. Draco tried to push is tongue into her mouth, but Ginny battled back. She grinned against his mouth. Draco pulled back. "My name is Ginny Weasley."
Draco stepped back in horror. "I just snogged with a... a..."
"Yes. And we will be doing more of it."
"No. No fucking way."
"You made a deal."
"So? You can't tell me you... fancy me!" Draco spat out the word as if it would jump out and bite him.
"No. Merlin no. I'm just going to enjoy watching you squirm while we go out for three weeks. And you will want to make it convincing. Believe me; it will be worth your while."
"What could you offer me that could possibly convince me to even pretend to enjoy your presence?"
"This." And Ginny brought her mouth to his, snaking her tongue into his mouth. Draco started to pull back, but groaned and pushed her into the wall. Ginny brought her mouth away, and started to kiss his neck, his jaw, even nibbling on his ear, before bringing her mouth back to his. Abruptly, she pulled back, and pushed him away. "See you tomorrow Draco." And with that, she sauntered away, purposely swinging her hips seductively.