A/N: Wow. I'm surprised at how many people have shown interest to this story. I was worried that no one was going to like it! Special thanks to xfictionfanx who was my first reviewer. I would have continued the story just for you! You rock! As to everyone else, I thank you too! I wouldn't be continueing if it weren't for all of you! (I tend to be a pessimist and often need a shove in the right direction) Well here is Chapter 2. Please feel free to comment with any suggestions or criticisms. I welcome all feedback.
With Cautious Feet
Chapter Two
The compartment that Hermione led them to was bigger than any of the others in the train. In fact, it looked like it could fit about ten of the regular compartments inside it. Ginny plopped herself on the bench nearest to the door. Once this conversation with Malfoy was finished she could make a quick getaway. Hermione walked to the back and settled into the chair marked "Head Girl." She brought a few pieces of parchment and a quill from her bag and motioned to Malfoy.
"Did you get the rest of the Prefects to sign in?" she asked him, very diplomatically.
"Yes, Granger." He pointed to the piece of parchment on the table next to her. She took it and studied the names on the list. She made a few notes on her parchment and continued.
"Ginny, come here and sign this." Ginny reluctantly got up,laying her black cat on her trunk and trotted over to Hermione. "Oh, what about the rounds schedules?" Hermione asked Malfoy. "You know you needed to get everyone to sign the copies saying that they received them. And that Millens kid needs to meet with me tomorrow morning since he is doing rounds with me. And I need-"
"Would you shut up? I got all of that done already." With that he threw a stack of crumpled pieces of parchment at her. Each one had the signature of the owner. Hermione made no reply. "I know how to do my job. And I'll be damned if I'll be bossed around by a worthless mudblood like you." Ginny had her wand out and pointed at Malfoy in an instant.
"Take it back, you useless imbecile." Draco made to reply to Ginny's exclamation but Hermione beat him to it.
"No, it's okay, Ginny. I'm through here. Malfoy, I expect to see you before the end of the start of term feast. We're supposed to meet with Professor McGonagall. Ginny, I'll see you at our compartment when you're done with...him." She quickly gathered her things and ran out of the compartment, slamming the door in her wake. The sharp sound made the cat that had been sleeping luxuriously on Ginny's trunk, wake up. He snapped his head and in a flash began to dart about the area like a pinball. Ginny immediately stashed her wand and tried to catch the creature.
"Oh no! Kitty, don't! Come here!" She stood on a chair and flailed her arms around to try to get the cats attention.
"Kitty?! That thing is a cat?" exclaimed Malfoy as he tried to shield himself from the flying feline.
"Yes, it's a cat! What else would it be?"
He chose not to answer her and instead brought out his own wand. If he couldn't catch the thing, he may as well try to stun it.
"What do you think you're doing?!" shouted Ginny when she saw Malfoy aiming his wand at her cat.
"I'm just going to stun it. Stand back! Stup-" He didn't even get the whole word out of his mouth. Ginny had run up alongside Malfoy and punched him right in the nose. Malfoy lay slumped on the floor clutching his face as blood spilled out of his nose.
"Don't you ever try that again, Malfoy! Or I swear, you will have more to worry about than just a bloody nose." With that said, she clicked her tongue and the cat jumped down from the rack above her and straight into Ginny's waiting arms. All Malfoy could do was stare. She had let the thing run while when all she had to do was call it back to her. He held his nose tightly and gingerly picked himself off the floor. He quickly found his bag and searched for something inside it.
"Here!" He threw a piece of parchment at her and walked to sit down in the "Head Boy"s chair.
"What is this?" asked Ginny
"Your rounds schedule. Are you really that dense? It says it on the top of the sheet! Idiot." Ginny would have made a reply if she hadn't seen the top of the page that read in big bold letters: Ginerva Weasley Rounds Schedule.
"Oh. Okay, thanks." She made to get all her stuff together and leave but Malfoy stopped her.
"Wait. I gave you two copies. You need to sign the bottom one and give it to me." He had made her look like an idiot for the second time in less that a minute. She dug a quill and some ink out of her bag and looked over the schedule. Everything looked okay, that is until she got to the bottom of the page. It read:
After Hours Rounds: 10 pm to 2 am. Partner: Draco Malfoy
She looked up at Malfoy and he just smirked. This couldn't be happening. She didn't want to be a Prefect if she had to spend time with someone she hated. Especially if that someone was none other than Draco Malfoy. And worst of all, she had to be with him for four whole hours. It wouldn't have been so bad if it was during the day. But this was at night. Most people were in their common rooms; doing homework, chatting with friends, or going to sleep. She had to spend this precious time with him, alone. Almost, completely, alone. She shakily put her quill to the parchment and scrawled her signature. Malfoy had gotten up during her mild panic attack and was standing over her.
"Something wrong, Weasel?" he said it almost seductively. It was like he was egging her on. He wanted her to react to what was on the paper as well as to his words. She shook her head and handed him the signed schedule. When she got back up he was a few inches from her face. She could feel his breath as it caressed her face. His scent made its way up to her nose and she resisted the temptation not to swoon over it. Her eyes closed. He moved a little closer. His lips were now only a centimeter from hers. But he shifted and all of a sudden he was at her neck. His breath seemed to make little circles into her shirt and down her spine. She could feel his lips on her skin, even though he wasn't even touching her. She sighed in anticipation. What was he going to do? She didn't want to find out. But at the same time, a small fraction of herself couldn't help but be a tad curious. She wanted him to kiss her. She wanted to know what his lips tasted like. She wanted him to kiss the spot that his lips hovered over. She wanted- oh I want- Wait! What am I thinking? This is Draco Malfoy! This is the guy that makes daily insults to myself, my family, and all of my friends. This is Ferret Boy! I shouldn't be doing this. I shouldn't be letting him do this. What is wrong with me? Focus Ginny.
But she couldn't focus, because in that moment Malfoy had taken his arm and wrapped it around her waist. He pulled her closer to him and picked up her chin with the other hand. She opened her eyes to gaze into the hypnotizing silver of his pupils. She could look at those eyes forever. She wanted to be in this spot for an eternity. Malfoy titled his head slightly. His eyes drooped a little as he inched his mouth ever closer to hers. She wanted the kiss. She was ready for it. But then she was on the floor.
"Shit! Fuck! Get this damned thing off me!" Malfoy scrambled about, trying to get Ginny's cat off of his face. She didn't even know what happened. But she was silently thanking the cat for saving her from the situation. She gathered her stuff together once more and went to exit the compartment. Upon reaching the door, she turned back to Malfoy.
"You should think, before you ever try a stunt like that again, Ferret." She clicked her tongue and the cat happily bounced away from his prey and into her arms. Ginny took on last look at the scowling Malfoy. She could get lost in those eyes. If only you would let yourself. She shook her head at the thought and quickly strode out the door and down the aisles. She had to find her friends compartment. If she took any longer, Ron and Harry were sure to come bounding down the aisle, firing hexes and curses in every direction.
Ginny settled into the compartment with Harry, Ron and Hermione after having to explain to her annoyingly, over protective brother why she had taken so long.
"I had to sign a bunch of paper work, Ron. You had to do it when you were a prefect." Normally this would have been explanation enough for anyone else, but no, not Ron. He had to know every detail.
"I never took that long. I signed the stuff and left. Besides, 'Mione is head girl and she was done before you. What's up with that?"
"I only had to get paperwork from Malfoy, Ron. She actually had to go over her schedule with him. Lay off." Hermione tried to be as helpful as possible, but no one could calm down Ron once he got himself started.
"Well, I want to know what happened." Ginny sighed in exasperation and stared at her brother, who obviously wasn't going to let the issue drop.
"I signed in. He gave me my schedule. We went over it. And then I left. That's it."
"That still doesn't explain why Hermione got here before you or why it took you so long." He crossed his arms, obviously proud of his observations.
"Hermione talked to him first, Ron. Then she left, and it was my turn. That's all. So chill. I want to get in a nap before we get to school." With that last statement she scooted down into her chair and leaned her head against the window to sleep. Ron was quiet, so it seemed that he had let the matter drop. Hermione and Harry chatted casually about their courses and their hopes for their schedules. Ron joined in after a few minutes and Ginny absentmindedly stroked her kitten as she slowly drifted off to sleep. But her reverie was short lived. Her eyes hadn't even completely shut before they were snapped back open.
"Ginny! Is that blood on your hand?" Hermione looked at Ginny's hand with concern etched into her face. Harry was frowning and Ron was so red that he couldn't keep his temper down anymore.
"I knew it! I knew that fucking bastard did something to you! What did he do, huh? WHAT? Forget it! I'll just find out for myself. MALFOY! YOU STUPID FERRET I WILL KILL YOU!" Ron already had his wand drawn and was making his way out of the compartment when Ginny piped up.
"Ron, the blood is from his nose. I punched him." She was barely whispering because she was so tired, but Ron heard her loud and clear.
"What? You punched him?! Why?" Before she could answer him, he started jumping to conclusions again and was going back to the door. "I'll kill him for what ever it is he's done to you. I swear, I will. YOU'D BETTER WATCH IT, YOU GOOD FOR NOTHING-"
"RON!" Ron immediately turned back to his little sister. "I hit him because he was about to stun my kitten." When he moved again she quickly tried to finish the story. "He got scared when Hermione slammed the door when she was leaving so he started bouncing around. You know how he gets. He's so wound up that no one can catch him." Hermione and Harry nodded their heads in honest agreement. They remembered that night at the Burrow. "I saw him pull out his wand and he said he was going to stun him. And I punched him before he could do it. Simple as that." She was smiling from ear to ear at the memory of feeling her fist connect with Draco's Malfoy's nose.
"Oh. Well, I guess that's okay then." Ron smiled half heartedly and made to pet Ginny's cat. But it hissed at him. Everyone laughed. Ginny snickered to herself and stared at the kitten. She should name it soon, or else it was going to start answering to the word kitten, and that was lame enough. She turned the cat around so she could look at his face. She had to take a double take when she saw its face. Staring back at her were cold silver eyes, the exact same color as the infamous, Draco Malfoy. She shook her head and closed her eyes. When she opened them, she was hoping that somehow the color would change. But it didn't. Instead, he was looking back at her with the perfect imitation of Malfoy's scowl. He had the eyes, he had the look. This cat was a perfect imitation. But what could she name it? If she called it Draco, people would ask questions, or just start rumors. She sat a while in thought. The cat had a temper, a big one. He didn't particularly like being touched by anyone, except for Ginny. He scowled when he looked upset. And his silver eyes seemed to pierce through you as if he couldn't see your most secret desires. She wanted it's name to being meaningful. I should describe him. But it should also not be completely obvious to everyone why she had named him that.
"Pierce." She nodded at the cat. He looked back at her with it's head cocked, but then shrugged as if to say, "okay."
"What did you say, Ginny?"
"Oh. Pierce. It's the name of my cat." replied Ginny. Harry smiled at her and then went back to the conversation he was having with Ron and Hermione. Ginny snuggled down once more and tried to catch a few winks before they reached the castle.
"Yes. Pierce." she mumbled these last words as she finally nodded off.
A/N (2): In case you hadn't noticed, this story will most likely be really long. I like to put in as much detail as possible. And I'm sorry if anyone was offended by my use of profane language. But it is rated M for more reasons than just future smut. ;)
