Chapter four: I wish upon…a green ribbon

Previously:

A smirk came to her lips. She'd have to get Ginny to wear that green ribbon again when they joined Blaise and Draco for lunch in the Three Broomsticks this weekend…. She wondered what Ginny would say when she found out she had agreed for both of them to have lunch with the two guys…

Luna smiled when she noticed Ginny's mixed reactions to her news. She was excited her Luna, hesitant because she wasn't really quite sure about what would happen, and nervous because she hated the fact that she kept noticing Draco. But Luna knew she'd be secretly happy, she'd noticed the way her eyes would glance over to the Slytherin table at breakfast, and Hermione had told her about the walking to class together incident.

And it had also turned out that Harry was going to Hogsmead with Dean, Seamus, Lavender, Pavarti and Sinead, who was Seamus' 6th year sister. Which meant that Hermione and Ron had decided to wander around by themselves for a bit before joining the other's for lunch. In Luna's mind all was perfect. This whole idea of a fresh start they came up with in the holidays was really starting to take shape…

'Well,' Luna announced to the two girls, 'you know what this mean's, don't you?'

'Erm, that we need to get a good night's rest?' Hermione hesitantly

'Well yeah… and?' Luna prodded the two girls

'Oh!' Ginny exclaimed excitedly 'we get to put the new clothes we bought over summer to good use?'

'And don't forget about makeup and such!' Hermione added in

'très good!' Luna said as a smile appeared on her face…

'Yes! This means you get to stay with us in Gryffindor tonight' Ginny said, all the while smiling wickedly.

'You do realise we're going to co-ordinate you're outfit around that green ribbon you know? You better be wearing it tomorrow!' Hermione told Ginny, a scheming twinkle in her eyes

'Oh, never fear Hermione Dear' Ginny sighed feigning moroseness 'I never expected anything less'.

There was a few words that could sum up a Saturday Hogsmead morning for students going to Hogsmead; among them were, hectic, chaotic, painful, exhilarating and ridiculous. Unsurprisingly, the latter sentiment was expressed by many of the males, who didn't feel the need to rush breakfast to rush back to the dorms to spend two hours getting ready. It's not like they were going to a ball. Geez. Ahhh if only the poor innocent males realised that the ideal time to get ready for a Ball is over 2 hours, maybe nearing around 5.

None the less, Ron found himself being rather excited and nervous about meeting Hermione today. It wasn't as if they'd never gone any where without Harry before, they had plenty of times, but well, he wasn't absolutely sure about how she felt about him. Had he left things to late? Would that mess with Lavender last year come back to haunt him? However in the end, he figured all would be well, she hadn't pulled away, or shown any sign of disinclination for him when he had held her hand on the train.

He would start small, he decided, try to settle in the concept of them being together, treat it like normal, but maybe hold her hand again, put his arm around her, kiss her on the cheek, in other words, make it something more, but play it safe.

Now that he'd finally got that bit sorted, he could go back to talking fully enjoying consuming breakfast and challenge Harry to a game of exploding snap.

Meanwhile the girls were getting ready, they'd all showered and were now going through the process of figuring out what to wear.

'No Ginny! Wear my silver necklace with the Peridot, it'll go with the green ribbon nicely'

'Alright, but damn it, where IS it?!, Gahhh…. Luna, I didn't mean to almost push you…'

'Hermione!' Ginny and Luna chorused 'What did we tell you?! You are wearing that top!'

'But… it, it, it's a tad low…and a bit bare'

'Don't worry,' Luna handed her a beautiful necklace. It had been made out of that clear fishing cord, so the glass beads hung around her neck, standing out, as the cord entwined it all together, there were blues, greens and yellows. It worked really well with her casual white singlet.

'Ohh thanks Luna!' she said hugging the girl, 'so I'm ready! Anything you guys need help with?'

Hermione was done, and she set about helping the other girls frantically getting ready, helping Pavarti to straighten the long hair down to her waist, taking over from lavender who was finding her gold eye definer for Ginny.

Low and behold the girls were finally ready to meet everyone down in the entrance Hall.

All had gone for simple, down to earth, day makeup, a touch of gold or silver eye definer around their eyes, and mascara. Hermione was wearing the necklace from Luna, a white singlet top, and dark-wash ¾ jeans. Ginny, the green ribbon, Hermione's necklace, with a pale yellow scoop neck t-shirt, which gently accentuated her figure, and a pale denim mini. Luna had traded her radish earrings for hippogriff studs, and wore a pinafore styled red dress. They had all worn sensible (but still suiting their look) shoes. They were complete. Lavender, Pavarti and Sinead had already gone down to meet the other group, and look equally stunning. They had all heard Lavender's squeal of surprise as Seamus had sneaked up behind her and whisked her off the ground.

All three girls talked animatedly as they walked down to the great hall to meet their males. Hermione kept fidgeting with her hair so much, Ginny magically created a bubble around Hermione's hair so she couldn't touch it. Luna just laughed at them, skipping along the corridors ahead of them, her cork necklace occasionally swinging her in the face as she abruptly turned, spinning around in circles, laughing gleefully.

When they entered the entrance hall they looked around to find the boys. Both Hermione and Ginny looked startled to find Ron sitting comfortably talking to Blaise and Draco, whilst Luna merely smiled knowingly at them all. She knew that Blaise would play the role of the peacemaker if anything went wrong, but with Quidditch, pranks or sweets from Honeydukes as topics of conversation, not much could go awry.

Only Blaise noticed that the girls had arrived, but didn't say anything to them as Luna pressed a finger to her lips, motioning him to not say anything. She smirked. He smirked. The girls crept up, stealthily towards the guys. Ron and Draco were busy arguing about if milk chocolate or dark chocolate was better. Blaise was holding back silent laughter. The girls exchanged nods, they had managed to get within 5 feet of them without their notice.

They ran towards them, and then screamed in their ears. Luna had jumped into Blaises' awaiting arms, and Ron and Draco reacted as if they had received an electric shock. Hermione laughed and jumped on Ron's back. This just left Ginny and Draco staring at each other, looks of uncertainty on both their faces.

And with that Hermione and Ron, both grinning like maniac's, Hermione still on Ron's back, they set off to Hogsmead, yelling goodbyes to everyone.

'Hmmm' Luna mock-mused out loud to everyone 'and they both still wonder if the other's interested.'

'Indeed love,' Blaise joining in 'what is the world coming to?'

'I thought it was obvious when he got mad at her for going with Krum to the Yule ball' Draco added.

'Well, I've spent everyone summer with them for the past 6 years, so I could probably conjure up more than enough occasions...' Ginny put in.

They all laughed heartily, and set off towards Honeydukes.

Draco was at a loss for words, well not really, it was more that words like 'beautiful' or 'stunning' really didn't cover how good Ginny Weasley looked. What she was wearing wasn't particularly fancy, but it just set her off really well –it looked as good as hell, his eye's were immediately drawn to the curve of her waist. He couldn't help but notice how perfectly his arm would be able to loop around her, bringing her in close.

He didn't only notice how it showed off her figure though. He noticed that she had decided to wear that green ribbon again. It just seemed to scream out at him. The colour was light and vibrant –just like the cheeky and playful side of her personality, and that's not even forgetting the fields it reminded him of, wild and glorious with an untamed, innate beauty. 'Oh god' he thought 'what's happening to me? I'm going all poetic again'.

On that thought, he brought his thoughts back to the present and noticed his surroundings. At which point he caught one of Ginny's surreptitious glances that came his way. He smiled. He made his way towards her, surprising her by linking their arms, and starting conversation with her. He loved surprising her like that. Doing something unexpectedly like that always gave him a rush.

So why not follow Blaise's advice and just let go? He figured that when there was someone as intriguing as Ginny Weasley involved it mustn't be too a bad thing.

As Blaise and Luna turned to look at Draco and Ginny behind them they laughed insanely. It would also be fair to say it was a tad conspiratorial. Naturally Luna just had to take advantage of Blaise's good work.

'Well done,' she said, reaching up to kiss him on the cheek. 'It was great to see Ron and Draco actually talking –and with such civility too, to each other'

'ah, well they both go for the Chudley Cannon's I have found out, so mentioning them was all it took' he bended his face down towards her, hovering his mouth enticingly above hers', before saying, 'But thank you, Bella Luna, for noticing my good efforts…'

And with that final word, he brought his lips gently, oh so softly, down to hers'; dragging out the process so tantalisingly that Luna had to force herself not to react by dragging him down to her. It was so exquisitely painful. Yet she was having the time of her life, no one had ever teased her in such a way, with a force of such sensuality behind it. So she looked up at him. Her eye's alive, sparkling and enamoured.

Finally Blaise kissed her. It was slow and melodic. It was sweet and simple. It wasn't about heady passion or lust. It was about the simple pleasure of having the feel of someone one you ached for to be there, for lips to tenderly meet.

And perhaps most of all, it wasn't the kind of kiss that made your friends rudely interrupt it by telling you to get a room. This last point was particularly relevant as Ginny and Draco noticed their actions and smirked to each other. Each was going to have some pretty interesting conversations with their respective friend when they all got back to Hogwarts.

After they had all got what they wanted they headed over to the three broomsticks for some lunch, but more importantly, a Butterbeer. Although their arms were no longer linked, Draco and Ginny walked side by side, and a comfortable silence started to exist between them. Ginny was rather grateful for this, as it gave her time to go over her thoughts.

Ginny couldn't believe that Draco Malfoy had linked arms with her. She hadn't remembered having such a queasy feeling of utter nervousness around a guy she had been interested since her crush on Harry, but it had been broken when Michael Corner asked her out. And she had never felt this uncertain. She figured that was because he was just THE Draco Malfoy. With his clean, polished, but some how rugged good looks.

But that wasn't just it. It was also that he just seemed interested in having a conversation with her. Until Luna and Blaise got together, they'd never really crossed paths, or had anything to do with each other, besides the occasional insult. But she didn't really want to include that on their list of interactions, as she knew that was just part of being who his father had forced him to be.

It had reminded her of the talk her mother had given her and Ron before they started the school year. She had told them about how they had to remember to be non-judgemental when it came to Draco and Narcissa Malfoy. She had wanted to impart to them one thing.

"Your father and I brought you up with love, and with a compassion for other's. Try to enjoy, live and breathe this, your father and I did, and we had one of the most exhilarating years of our lives. And not only that, but when you treat people like this, you help to bring more of that into the world."

And Ginny remembered her mother's words. And she knew, like they all did, that finally, after 7 years, the real Draco Malfoy was emerging. And, she thought to herself that 'If he had ever thought he had a problem with trying to keep all the girls currently lusting after him at bay, it was going to get a lot worse'.

Ginny hadn't minded their chat, after he had looped his arm around hers. They had stuck to the basic, safe stuff. What classes they were taking, whether they had enjoyed them, what they had planned for the holidays. Ginny had been surprised to learn he had gotten a summer job at Fortescue's.

She found out he had an addiction to ice cream (thus the job at Fortescue's). She found she was fascinated to learn these small things about him, and that he surprised her endlessly with his responses. She had never really taken an interest in coffee or nut flavoured ice creams before, but he swore by them. They both agreed that choc-mint was the ultimate childhood choice though.

Just before they entered Honeydukes he had smiled and commented on her green ribbon. Perhaps it was a bit of a good luck charm? Ginny found her self wishing upon her green ribbon that it wouldn't be the last time she'd have a conversation with the guy.

Draco Malfoy had caught Ginny Weasley's curiosity.

Lunch at the three broomsticks was an enjoyable affair. Luna and Blaise were in every way the cute and comical couple. Everyone laughed heartily as they swapped stories while on patrol, discussing which couples they had caught, and then moving on to which teacher's they figured might have a thing for one another.

It was just at the end of their lunch that Blaise asked Draco and Ginny for a favour. 'Look, I hate to ask you both this, and I know it might be a bit much, but would you guys' mind terribly if I patrolled with Luna, and you too patrolled together?'…

A/N: Hope you enjoyed the chapter! (look, there's that button with the green writing again! (and to think, it kind of matches Ginny's Ribbon…))

Thanks to Gryffindor Goddess 31, David Fishwick and I'll be missing you, for reviewing/feedbacking the previous chapter  it really is truly appreciated.