Ginny heads to her potions table Monday morning, only to run into a too cheerful Blaise who can't refrain from commenting about the party.
"Lay off it already would you," she cries. "Just because we casually danced for what, 5 minutes, doesn't mean we're anything close to being friends."
"Come come my dear, stop trying to deny it!" Blaise says in a convincing grandfather manner. Ginny grins and goes along.
"Oh you're too right, how silly of me! I'm just madly in love with Draco, I really shouldn't be ashamed at wanting to put my hands all over him." Blaise coughs, and Ginny turns to see Ron gaping at her, Harry scowling, and, of course, Malfoy himself, arms crossed, leaning back against his desk.
"Why, Weasley, I had no idea you felt that way." He smiles coyly at her. Ginny is momentarily lost for words, a blush creeping up her neck and cheeks. But then she notices Malfoy's eyes are narrowed, and his demeanor is anything but joking…is he really focused on where her hand is still grasping Blaise's arm in playfulness? Get it together, Ginny thinks, but snatches her hand away.
"Oh yes," she replies, her voice the essence of innocence. "Because that last statement wasn't dripping with sarcasm or anything." Blaise chuckles and Hermione jabs Ron with her notebook, turning away. Ginny turns around and moves closer to Blaise – to what? She thinks, make Malfoy jealous? Yeah right. But she leans across him, flicking her hair over her shoulder.
"Hey now, don't try any of that here missy."
"Any of what?" Ginny asks, sitting down.
"Any of that – that - " Blaise motions at her with his hands. "That feminine stuff." Ginny laughs.
"Please Blaise, I'm so not interested."
"You just keep telling yourself that," he states with a smile. Ginny ignores him, and the class continues.
Ron confronts Ginny on the way out, asking her what all that joking about Malfoy was about. Ginny denies knowing anything, and Hermione comes to her rescue, stating that it sounded like every other sarcastic match between Malfoy and well, anyone who doesn't loose their cool around him. Ron snaps back, asking if she was implying he looses his cool around Malfoy. They start to argue.
NEXT DAY
Ginny, Harry and Ron sit down to lunch, Hermione having run off to the library between classes. Blaise and Malfloy and others enter, Blaise raising his hand in greeting, shouting out "how is my favorite little weasel doing!?" Ron is about to stand, but Ginny tells him to sit his bloody ass down. " oh just splendid" she replies with a smile. Malfoy nods in her direction, and Ginny is taken aback, her exact thoughts voiced through Ron. "Did he just nod at you?!! Wha- what- -no rude comment, no- weasel or -!" he turns to Harry, "did he just NOD at my little sister!?" Harry looks confused and doesn't say anything. Ginny says, "oh honestly Ron, he probably just had a crick in his neck!"
Blaise sits down across from Malfoy, who's leaning back, surveying the table with clear disinterest and boredom. "Hey, mate, your favorite little redhead seemed quite pleased at her greeting." Blaise comments and winks. Pansy perks up. "Oh gross, Blaise, please don't mention weasels while we're eating." She leans over to Malfoy. He smirks up at Blaise, and states, "She is looking quite…fiery at the moment, now that you mention it." Blaise whistles, as Pansy looks horrified, and slumps down in her seat. Malfoy laughs, but does turn to look over his shoulder. Blaise is smirking at him when he looks back. He crosses his arms, and shakes his head. "Yeah right, Zabini. Get it out of your head."
"I didn't say anything." Blaise laughs, and Malfoy scowls.
Ginny is becoming a regular at these Sat night parties, always accompanied by Allyson or a few other girls. Ally and Blaise are spending a lot of time together, which means Ginny and Blaise are spending time outside of class together. He's started to join their picnics by the lake some days at lunch. One day the girls are already seated when not only Blaise, but Malfoy as well shows up. Ginny is taken aback. Malfoy has his usual look about him, sort of bored indifference. "What are you doing here Malfoy?" she can't help saying. His cool eyes look over to her.
"Why, I thought I was going to eat lunch, Weasel." He plops down next to Blaise and leans back against the tree, staring off in the other direction. Ally looks over at Ginny and shrugs. Blaise starts going off about something or other, Ginny and Ally laughing, as usual. Ginny notices a few times Malfoy's lips curl into a smile, even though it seems he is not paying attention to his surroundings. When conversation turns to the talent competition, Ally directs a question at him
"Hey – Draco." He turns toward her. "Whats your talent." He seems to think for a second before smirking.
"I'm too good at whatever I put my mind too to pick just one for that stupid competition." Ally laughs.
"Yeah right, Mr Perfect." Malfoy smiles. This is weird, Ginny thinks, looking back and forth between them. Malfoy is being decent. This is surreal. "And you…are you entering?" He asks
"Hopefully." This is news to Ginny.
"You are!?"
"Well actually…I was thinking…ok Ginny I know this seems really random but…I was thinking we could do a duet."
"Seriously? You've never heard me sing. I've never heard YOU sing, and I thought you said you were bad-"
"oh I was just being modest." Blaise and Malfoy snicker. "And I have too heard you sing, maybe not really sing, but along with the music at the parties, and you humming on the way to class and stuff " Malfoy mutters, looked amused, "you hum on the way to class?" and Ginny shoots him a glare, but he just laughs. "so I know you're not terrible!" Ally continues. Ginny laughs.
"sure why not. But, well wait, I wanna hear you Ally."
"mmk" she stands and proceeds to belt out a few lines of some stupid pop song. Her voice is powerful, loud and clear. Not amazing, but definitely workable. She sits back down.
"your turn." Ginny freezes.
"yeah right"
"come on, I just did it!"
"I'm not singing in front of- everyone." Ginny crosses her arms.
"you're gonna have to if we do the competition."
"well I know that. I'm not –warmed up or anything."
"Ginny, get over yourself. Sing…'I will survive!" She starts laughing. "oh man, I hate you."
"please please, I saw you singing along yesterday!"
"what is that?" asks Malfoy .
"some muggle song. It's old, and hilarious." Ginny eplains. He nods. Everyone looks at her. "no, I'm not gonna sing it!" Blaise and Ally start pestering her.
"Cmon, Weasley, lets here it." That's Malfoy. Ginny is confused for a second – did he just call her Weasley, not weasel?
"uh fine fine." She clears her throat. "At first I was afraid, I was petrified." Her voice is low and sultry, deep and full with a raspy undertone. "Kept thinking I could never live without you by my side." Ally shouts 'Damn girl' and Ginny laughs. Continuing, she looks at Blaise then Malfoy. "But I spent so many nights, thinking how you did me wrong –" Malfoy is looking at right at her. She stares back. "I grew strong, I learned how to get along- so your back." She tears her gaze away and closes her eyes for a moment, shaking her shoulders, over doing it. Blaise laughs. "From outerspace…" Ally joins in now, and they actually sound pretty good together. The girls look at each other, singing and dancing and laughing. "I will survive! I WILL survive!" When they stop, Blaise whistles.
"Damn, Ginny."
"heyy!" cries Ally.
"you're good too, but I already knew that."Ally and Ginny laugh.
"he's right. you are really good." Ally agrees. Ginny shrugs and blushes. "Shut up, I'm okay." She looks over to see Malfoy, who nods at her, eyebrows raised, nothing mocking or sarcastic about him. She smiles, "Okay okay, new topic.."
Spending time with Ally and Blaise inevitable lead to time with Malfoy, but Ginny actually found it odd at how usual his presence has become – at how easily he offers up a joke or laughs at someone else's. She's noticed he can be actually funny sometimes. Only when he's at least tipsy of course. This doesn't mean they're friends, naturally. She still doesn't even like him, she insists. But when her body is full of alcohol, and he's impersonating Pansy, who could really help laughing hysterically and sorta falling over. It was definitely not her intent to be caught by said impersonator, and definitely not her fault she kind of liked it. But regardless, Ginny tells herself. It's Malfoy. Slytherin, sarcastic, rude, most likely a Death Eater. Plus, he disappears at some point during every party with a different girl. Not that that has anything to do with herself, of course, she maintains.
OCTOBER 31st
Slytherin is having a Halloween party, that Ron and Harry are of course not attending, and Hermione is obviously too busy to go to. Hermione does help Ginny with her costume: a flapper. Hair done up in tight waves against her scalp, a black band around her forehead with sequence. She wears a green dress down to her knees with layers of fringe, so when she moved her body in a shimmy, from breasts to thighs swished back and forth. A pair of black elbow length gloves top it off, as do red lipstick and little black flats.
"You look adorable!" cries Hermione, before rushing off to finish her work. Gryffindor is having their own mini get together, but Ron and Harry refrained from costume. Ginny says she is going over to Ravenclaw to meet Ally, and leaves before Ron could say anything.
Ally is a 'dirty school girl to Blaise's Professor costume. Upon arrival, the room is already is full swing – loud music, low lighting, every possible costume imaginable. Blaise shovs a glass of rum and coke at Ginny before pulling Allyson onto the dance floor. Ginny sags against the wall, until she notices a blond head moving in her direction.
"Weasley" is his greeting.
"Evening Malfoy." She crosses her arms in feigned disinterest, and looks around the room.
"nice costume – what er, what exactly," he leans against the wall next to Ginny, "what are you?" she looks up at him. Is he seriously talking to me? Ah well, I guess I can be civil.
" I'm a flapper – you know, 1920's…"
"sure sure." She laughs at how obviously he has no idea what she's talking about.
"I can only wonder what you are," she says sarcastically, noting the black cape and sharp teeth. "…Dracula? Just a guess…" he laughs. He's slicked his hair back, and Ginny notices for the first time he has a silver hoop in the top of one ear. It looks good.
"How did you guess," he chuckles, then smirks evily, showing off this vampire teeth again. Ginny smirks back. " so, Flappers….interesting."
"yeah well, why not."
"why, actually." He muses.
"well whats so fun about being a vampire, hmm?"
"well…" he seems to be thinking this over then looks up wickedly at her, "I get to do this all evening." Suddenly he grabs her around the waist, leaning her backwards, teeth at her throat. He whispers in her ear "tsk tsk, darling. You're dead," Then pulls her back up, leaning her against the wall, and returing to his position next to her, as if nothing happened.
"cheepshot" she states, and he laughs.
"well, so" he prompts. "whats so great about being a..'flapper'" Ginny regards him for a moment before answereing.
"well, I guess the costume, see…" She feels ridiculous as she starts to swish back and forth, but puts on an endearing little smile, and tilts her head up to meet his gaze. He's focused on her hips she notes, but his gaze travels up her body to finally look her in the eye. He raises his eyebrows. Ginny stops and shrugs. "Well, its fun at least" and leans back against the wall next to him. After a moment she adds, "And, of course, this…" She puts her foot up on a chair, then grabs the end of her skirt, before glancing up to see if she's got Malfoy's attention. Hiking up her dress to midthigh thigh, she moves her body around so he can see her inner thigh, fringe dangling precariously. He looks surprised for half a second, before noticing the silver flask attached to her leg. Then he laughs. "Well aren't we just the little vixen!" Ginny smiles and asks,
"want a taste?" Malfoy momentarily is at a loss for words, his gaze now, not on the flask, but inches higher….Ginny doesn't notice, busy unclipping the container from her thigh. Malfoy is the picture of indifference when she turns around. They both preceed to empty the flask before the night is done.
Very tipsy and laughing at probably nothing with Blaise and Allyson, Ginny gasps out loud when she feels arms snake around her, pulling her against…Malfoy? She looses her footing, and again bursts out laughing. Malfoy shouts a greeting to the group, before pulling Ginny into a dance. This one is not nearly as sexual as the last, both are laughing and drunk, oblivious to their surroundings. Colin Creevy, when did he get here? comes up and asks to take a picture. Malfoy in a very un-Malfoy like manner, spins Ginny around and replies "Of course!" Leaning her back, like before, teeth at her throat, and looks wickedly at the camera as Creevy snaps the shot. Springing Ginny back up, she falls against him, laughing, her head tiled back in carefree delight, Malfoy smiling down at her, as Creevey snaps another shop, unbeknownst to either of them.
"I have to! Its, its, I have no idea what time it is but late! And my hair is coming out, and my….I've lost my gloves. Wait where are they? Oh and my feet are so dead, they just want to lay downnnnnnnnn."Ginny leans against Ally. "please please please I want pillows and softness and sleeeep."
"I'll walk you back" Malfoy flips his cape over his shoulder and tries to look manly. Ally laughs and shoves playfully at him. Blaise hugs her around the neck, pulling her away.
"I'll see you later!" she cries to Ginny.
oh, humph."
"Cmon then, I said I'd walk you-"
"you can barelely walk as it is!" Malfoy steps back in mock outrage
"I'm insulted! And it seems to me, you're the one stumbling around all…drunk like." He grabs her hand and pulls her forward, where she stumbles and falls into this back. Holding her upright, she laughs "Shut up!" and pushes at him, this time taking the lead and opening the door. They both falling unceremoniously out into the hallway.
"shhhhh" Ginny giggles, as Malfoy tries to right himself. The hallway is very dark and quiet. "This is serious." Ginny puts her hands on her hips. "No talking! Its late! Snape..hahaha….Sn…Snape might wake up and, and, and give us detention!" she puts her hands over her face and laughs so hard her stomach hurts, leaning against the wall.
"that's really not funny at all" Malfoy says, swaying slightly.
"I know I know" she mouths, hyperventilating. She slides to the ground. "I can't stop" Ginny is gasping for air, laying on the ground, trying to control her laughter. Clutching her stomach, she takes a breath and finally spits out a whole sentence. "Merlin, my stomach hurts." She giggles a little more, then Malfoy hauls her up.
"To bed little weasel!" he announces. "No more funny business." They start walking back through dark hallways, bumping into each other and walls and statues, tripping up the stairs, both laughing. At the top of the stairs, both are on hands and knees.
"I can't make it, its much to far" Ginny says.
"I have an idea" Malfoy states, looking at Ginny.
"I'm listennnning"
"Summersaults!" he announces. Ginny laughs, then grins evily,
"I'll race you!" she shouts.
"ok ok, Ready, Set, g-no, really, Ginny, are you ready? Ok ok. Ready, set, GO!" Ginny squeals as Malfoy saults in front of her, but starts after him, laughing loudly now. Her feet hit something, and she falls onto her back, not completing her 3rd roll.
"Hey, interference!" she cries, but sits up to see Malfoy clutching his head "oh!" she falls back laughing. "So sorry!" He looks back at her, then grabs one of her feet and starts to tickle. "nonononono OMG STOP-" Ginny is yelling, laughing and convulsing. Malfoy flips over, and falls on top of her, covering her mouth with his hand. Which is exactly how Ron and Harry find them the next second.
"What the bloody hell is all that yell—" Ron stops dead at the site in front of him, as Harry peaks his head out of the common room. Ginny and Malfoy freeze. "GET THE BLOODY HELL OF MY SISTER YOU SON OF A –" Ron throws himself out of the room, but Harry goes to hold him back, causing both boys to fall. Ginny and Malfoy scramble up and away from each other, Ginny yelling at Ron to calm down, while Malfoy straightens his cape, looking bored, but still slightly drunk. Harry has his wand out, pointed at Malfoy who barely notices, whether that is because he is too drunk to, or trying to play it cool, Harry isn't sure.
"What. Do. You. Think.you.were.doing.with.her." Harry grits out.
"Oh Harry honestly!" Ginny starts, but Malfoy just smirks and says "Nothing you wish you weren't doing yourself" at which Ron starts yelling, Ginny does a double take of Malfoy, and Harry is momentarily speechless. Malfoy takes that opportunity to start walking away.
"You keep your slimy hands off her Malfoy!" Ron shouts. He turns around, hands in the air.
"Oh give me a break. She's drunk as punch and fell down. Like I'd really touch her if it wasn't absolutely necessary weasel!" Ron turns to Ginny "You're drunk!?"
"I am not!" Ginny replies indignantly, but slurs it and ruins the effect. Ron and Harry gape at her, but Hermione appears, ushering them all inside as only Hermione could do. Starting to argue with her, Ron turns away from Ginny, stepping into the room. Ginny is about to follow when someone grabs her wrist, whipping her around. Malfoy pulls her against him, placing her arm around his neck, trailing his fingers up her arm, over her shoulder and down her back, pressing her against him. She gasps, her mouth falling open. He pauses for a second, before pressing his lips to hers. He backs her up against the wall, pressing every inch of their bodies together, his mouth hot against hers. He tastes like beer and sweat and heat. It ends as suddenly as it started, and he he's halfway down the hall before Ginny opens her eyes. Hermione pops her head out of the doorway, startling Ginny.
"You too Ginny! Its far to late to be in the halls!"