After three rounds of poker, Malfoy and Ginny were left. "You're never gonna beat me Red. Let's just call it a draw now, I'll be nice."
"No way, you don't know what I have for a hand. There's no way I'm going to forfeit to you of all people."
"Whatever you say, Red, I was just trying to be chivalrous. That's all, but now that you're so determined to stay, why don't we make things a little more interesting?"
"How interesting?"
"Oh, I don't know. How about the looser has to do whatever the winner wants them to do."
"That doesn't sound too bad, I guess."
"For a month."
"What?! Malfoy I know you're madly in love with me but this is no way to get my attention. Besides, when I win I'm just gonna have you do my potions homework and get me cookies from the kitchens."
"You really shouldn't flatter yourself, Red, and you're not going to win. Let's just both go all in now and show our cards."
"Getting nervous? Fine." Ginny and Malfoy held out their cards, then Malfoy delt the river.
"You've got to be shitting me."
"Looks like you're in for some fun, Red. I told you we should have called it a draw, but no. It seems to me that you're the one with the little crush."
"We never shook on it, so technically there was no deal."
"Do you really think I'd let you get away that easily? I put a charm on the cards before I dealt you in. You have to hold up to your promise or else your teeth will turn purple."
"Oh that's very clever of you."
"So either live up to your promise or live with horrendous teeth. It's really all your choice."
Ginny thought about her situation, I'm not that proud am I? Teeth or Malfoy. Teeth or Malfoy. Yeah, this year's going to be a blast, just amazing.
"Fine. Have it your way. What do you want me to do?"
"Oh no, you've got to give me time to think about this one."
"Well can I get my things?"
"Yeah, I'll catch up to you later, Red."
Ginny rolled her eyes. She grabbed her things from under the bench, and just as she was about to Leave, Malfoy grabbed her elbow. "Sit with me at meals."
"Are you sure? You do know that means being seen with a Gryffindor, a Weasley no less."
Malfoy just smirked back at her. "Yes, but YOU are sitting with ME, not the other way around. See you at the sorting."
Ginny left, thoroughly confused, and went back to where Harry and the rest were. She had her hand on the handle to the door of the compartment when a hand tapped her on her shoulder. "Word on the hallway is that you're Draco's new pet."
"Does this interest you Blaise?"
"More then it should, actually. Be careful, Ginge. Draco may be charming now, but he's not all he's cracked up to be."
"I'm not doing this out of my own will. He threatened to turn my teeth purple. Look, Blaise, I don't really know what's going on right now. I know the war is over and everything, but since when did the earth turn backwards? You're being nice for some reason, and I haven't quite figured out why, and I'm not quite sure if I want to know."
"You think too much. I'm just giving you a heads up."
"Yeah? Well thanks I guess."
"Yeah. See you at the sorting."
Ginny opened the door to find it empty. Don't quite blame them, I was gone for nearly a half hour. She put her stuff on the bench she was sitting on and looked out their window. It was beginning to get dark, as they would have been to the castle by now. I wonder if the teachers know what's going on. She didn't see any sign of danger, however, as the train had stopped in a clearing and the sky was clear.
She decided to change into something more comfortable, as she figured there might not be a sorting tonight. Ginny put on a pair of thick sweat pants and a t-shirt that was a little too small. She left her hair down, though she combed it before she went back out to the hallway, determined to find someone else besides a Slytherin.
Out in the hall, most of the students had thought along the same lines as Ginny, as most of them were wearing more comfortable clothing. She walked past a few students watching some muggle film through a projector that Collin had installed onto his wand. A boy, third year Ravenclaw, was making popcorn and Ginny gratefully took some. Munching on her makeshift dinner, she continued to make her way down farther to the end of the train. She found Hermione and Ron snogging in a deceivingly empty cart, and had shut the door quickly before she gagged. Neville and Luna were discussing thestralls and were happy to see Ginny, but she couldn't bring herself to talk about something she didn't know anything about.
So Ginny continued on, past door after door. She had never realized the train was this massive, as she had always stayed close to the main doorways. Now, however, she saw no end in sight. Ginny began to jog, then sped up to a run. It was liberating, running down a carpeted hallway. The farther she ran, the quieter it got, and soon it was silent. Ginny broke into a sweat and stopped to see exactly how far she had run. She looked behind her and could barely see the light of Collin's projector, a speck in the distance. Ginny opened the door to the nearest compartment.
Inside, Draco Malfoy was splayed across the bench, seemingly asleep. Ginny stepped inside. She had never really looked at him before. His hair was almost white, but like snow, not like white from age. His hair was slightly curled at the ends, it was once cut short but it had grown an inch or so over the summer, making it look scruffy, but not messy. His eyelashes were long and almost translucent , skin pale yet creamy. Malfoy's mouth was pink, twisted with his nose, as he drew in a deep, sharp breath, and sneezed over Ginny's pants. "Damn, Red, could you lighten up on the spray?" Malfoy pulled a tissue from his pants pocket and wiped his nose.
"I don't have any on."
"Well did you really need to wake me up? I was having a good nap."
"I didn't mean to. Did you know the train went this far? Hogwarts must have had a lot more students a long time ago. I've never even heard of a compartment 1008."
"What are you talking about? I haven't left the compartment since we started playing cards."
"Malfoy, I know you think that I lie, but that's ridiculous. Really."
"I'm not lying, Red. I haven't left. You're the one that left. Nice strap by the way, I'm a fan of green myself."
Ginny pulled her bra strap back up and gave Malfoy a death glare. "Malfoy, I just ran like three quarters of a mile down the train and you're telling me that you haven't left."
"Now you're just exaggerating. I know you're out of shape, but it's not a mile down the train."
"Go step outside, then."
Malfoy reluctantly got up. He opened the door and stepped outside. "What the hell did you do to my compartment?"
"I told you."
He came back inside. "What's going on? What did you do to the train?"
"Me? I'm not the one with the megaphoneous charm who decided to stop the train."
"Yeah, well you are the one who ran a mile to get to me." Malfoy smirked at her. "It's real cute that you would come all that way just for me."
"I just opened a door, Malfoy, I didn't go searching for you."
"Whatever you say, pet."
