They hadn't been near each other since Hogwarts. And he didn't know why, but when he saw that usually fiery redhead sitting, alone and vulnerable, drinking straight from the bottle of Firewhiskey, at a table in the corner of the Leaky Cauldron, he felt an overwhelming desire to protect her.
He didn't show it, though. He was a Malfoy.
"Scarhead not here then, Weaselbee?" he drawled from behind her.
Ginny jumped, startled, drawing her wand. Then she relaxed when she saw who it was. "Oh, it's you, Malfoy," she said disgustedly, stowing her wand back inside her pocket. "Why are you talking to me?"
Draco smirked at how easily she'd lowered her defences. "Because there's nobody else here, and I'm bored. Now answer the question."
Ginny took another deep swing from the bottle. Draco noticed that her eyes were red from crying. "He broke up with me, if you must know," she told him reluctantly. "Still can't take the fact that I can look after myself and I don't need him watching my back all the time. We just couldn't stop arguing about it. What?" she demanded, seeing Draco's smirk widen.
"Oh, nothing," he said quickly, but after a glare from Ginny, he added, "Just that at the moment, it looks to me very much like you do need looking after." He eyed the bottle in her hand and reached for it lazily. "I think you've had enough of that," he told her patronisingly.
Ginny snatched the bottle away from him, clutching it to her body protectively. "You can't tell me what to do, Malfoy," she snapped, taking an even bigger gulp from the bottle. "My life is hell right now. I don't need you on my back as well."
He looked at her pityingly. "You've changed, Weasley," he observed.
"How do you mean?" she demanded, colour flooding her face.
Draco considered. "Well, the Weasley I remember wouldn't ruin herself like this. She'd get up and carry on, and show Potter what a strong, independent woman she can be, even without him. But it's your choice," he said, shrugging.
Confusion flickered across Ginny's face. "Why do you care?" she asked slowly.
"I don't," he told her simply. "Well, I have better things to do than listen to whiney old blood traitors. See you around, Weasley." He got up and walked out, leaving Ginny, stunned, alone in the corner as he'd found her.
He'd lied. For some reason, he did care. He really did.
A/N: This is for the Romantic Drabble Challenge on HPFC. Draco/Ginny has been a guilty pleasure of mine for a while now, so I'm glad I've finally been given the chance to write them!
Reviews would be much appreciated, especially since this is my first foray into the D/G world!
Disclaimer: I am not nearly as talented as the wonderful woman who created Harry Potter.
