Guidelines or Requirements: Draco/Ginny, of course, and must include a misused piece of fruit or vegetable. Will most likely be humorous, but I'd like to see how someone could make such a prompt believably angsty.

Length: 300-900 words.

Rating: Any.

Deadline: Sunday, August 30th.

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The Benevolence of Bananas (and other lovely fruits)

Writing Challenge no. 10

I was strolling down the empty corridor past the Great Hall when I passed a closed door producing strange sounds. Normally, if I heard noises from a closed door, I would've walked past it without another thought; after all, this was Hogwarts—strange noises were a given. But this noise seemed different, as if someone was causing it themselves.

I cautiously approached the door, and attempted to open the door. Surprisingly, it willingly turned beneath my hand. The noises were still coming from behind the door, and as I wanted to catch the noise in its act, I quietly pushed the door open.

Nothing could've prepared me for what I saw—Draco Malfoy stood with a Beater's club in hand, throwing up assorted fruits and hitting them with the bat so that they flew to the opposite wall and burst from their confines.

"What do you want, Weaselette?" Malfoy asked, his back still to me as he continued to smash the fruits against the wall. I stiffened; obviously, my stealth was for naught.

"Where did you get the food?" The question thoughtlessly erupted from my mouth. I flushed as soon as it left, but I held my ground.

"The House Elves can be extremely helpful," Malfoy replied, picking up a peach from his supply, throwing it into the air and smashing it to the wall with the bat.

Then, there was silence; just the sound of the food being smashed into the wall cutting through it. I turned to leave, knowing that I was obviously not welcome, when Malfoy said, "No, Weaselette, stay—good company is so hard to come across these days." His sarcastic drawl was evident as ever, but I knew that he meant what he said.

I made to argue—no way did I want to stay in the same room as the arrogant prat—but he looked back, his grey eyes piercing mine, and he said easily, "Please, take a seat." As if Malfoy had Accio'd me to him, my body dragged itself closer to him, before plopping me on the floor. After a long pause of silence, I finally summoned up the courage to talk once more.

"What are you doing?" Malfoy refused to look at me, focusing his attention on smashing the apple he had in his hand. It flew to the wall with alarming speed before exploding on the wall, juice dripping down to the ground.

"You know, you could make a really good Beater." I said when Malfoy didn't respond to my prior question.

"Do you know what angst is?" Malfoy suddenly asked. His kiwi hit the wall and he then finally looked down at me, his eyes bright with emotion.

I looked up at him, blinking, and replied, "Uh, not really." Malfoy sighed heavily before sitting next to me, the bat rolling forgotten on the ground. Malfoy took to looking at the mess he'd made of the wall—if you really thought about it, it sort of looked like artwork.

"In existentialist philosophy, it's a feeling of dread arising from an awareness of free choice." Malfoy then looked to me and added, "But how can you feel dread if there is no awareness of free choice?"

"I-I don't know," I replied, bemused. Malfoy was usually so collected, but now he stood before me a wild person, eyes glimmering with life.

"It just doesn't make any sense," Malfoy continued, looking over my shoulder, his eyes clouded over. "How could anyone feel tormented if they are given free choice?" He regarded me as if I had the answer to his questions, though clearly I didn't.

"What are you getting at, Malfoy?" I said in exasperation. Malfoy looked at me coolly before grabbing the bat and thrusting it into my hand.

"You try," he said, grabbing my arm and pulling me up. I tried to ignore the tingling sensation in my arm as I turned to Malfoy with suspicious eyes.

"And why should I?" I snapped. Malfoy raised a finely arched eyebrow and put a banana into my hand.

"Humor me, Ginny." I was shocked by his casual use of my name, but I was determined to not give it away. I glared at him, took the fruit, then threw it into the air and smacked it with the bat.

"You'd be a pretty good Beater yourself." I shivered as Malfoy's breath tickled my neck. I took another fruit to distract myself and lobbed it to the wall.

"And Draco," I said, relishing in using his proper name, "just because you have free choice doesn't mean you have to submit to it." Just as I'd finished slugging an apricot, I felt an arm encircle my waist and turn me around so that I was staring up into silvery depths.

"But what if there is no other choice?" Malfoy asked.

I smiled gently and replied, "Then there's really no reason to be feeling the angst, is there?" Malfoy smiled back at me and, before I could register the movement, swept me in his arms and pressed his lips to mine.

When he finally released me, he whispered, "Same time next week?"

I nodded and replied, "Alright, but vegetables next time—I'm in the mood for pickles." With a wide smile, I grabbed my boyfriend's head and pulled his lips to mine again.

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Word count: 887 words.

Well, that was rather fun to write—I'd originally intended this to be an angsty entry, as Roma challenged us to do, but I don't know if I succeeded. What do you think?

Thanks for reading, and drop by a review to tell me how I did.

Sid