We do not remember days; we remember moments. -Cesare Pavese
"A little disappointed."
Those words had replaced Ginny's nightmares along with the kiss that had preceded them. She had tried to find an alternative, sinister reason for Draco Malfoy to do such a thing, but the longer she thought about it, the more disturbed she became. There was absolutely no reason for him to kiss her except for the inadequate and equally disturbing excuse he had given her.
"I wanted to know what Potter found so fascinating."
Found so fascinating? Her eyes went over to Harry, looking over him quickly. Their relationship had been very brief, but apparently deep enough for even Malfoy to find something worth exploring. Biting her lip, Ginny quickly gathered a lock of hair in her hand and smelt it. She smelled like apples.
"Okay there, Ginny?" Ron asked, noticing what his sister was doing. Ginny jolted a little and then looked around to see Dean and Harry watching her as well.
"Oh… um… I was just… trying to remember what shampoo I used this morning," she lied hopefully and Harry snorted.
"You don't smell, if that's what you're wondering," he told her.
"You smell like apples, actually," Dean added and Ginny blushed, sinking down a little in her seat. While it was a sincere remark, somehow it did not feel the same as it had when Draco had given her his reasoning.
"Thank you, Dean," she muttered, poking at her food as her mind drifted back to Draco's statement.
"You tasted like strawberries."
Ginny glanced across the table to where Parvati Patil was sitting next to Seamus. The girl had lent her the strawberry lip balm earlier that day during a break and apparently it had not worn off her lips when he had kissed her. Running a finger over her lips, she glanced quickly over her shoulder to where Draco was sitting with several of his cronies, including Pansy Parkinson, who was stroking his hair and whispering things into his ear. Ginny had no interest in knowing what she was possibly saying to him.
"It doesn't matter," she muttered to herself, attracting more attention from those sitting nearby.
"What doesn't matter?" Harry asked inquisitively and she shook her head.
"Nothing, Harry," she said. "Because it doesn't matter."
Harry stared at her for a moment before remembering something and he leaned in. "Oh, I asked Dumbledore about the ghosts," he told her and she frowned.
"What happened?"
He shrugged. "Dumbledore says he doesn't know. He just said that one morning he woke up and Filch said they had all just left."
Hermione had been sitting close to them, purposefully ignoring Ron as she read the Daily Prophet and ate toast, but upon hearing this, she could not help but interject. "Harry, the ghosts haven't left," she said curtly and Ron looked over.
"Why?" he asked and her eyes darkened.
"Because once a ghost has established itself in a certain building it can't leave, Ronald," she responded irritably. "The ghosts haven't left."
"But Dumbledore said they were gone," Ron retorted and everyone else at the table slid down in their seats a little as Hermione bristled at being countered once again.
"Those ghosts have been here for hundreds of years, Ron. They just don't pack their things and leave when they want to. It's impossible," she snapped.
Ron looked around as if he were searching for something before he turned back to Hermione. "Well, I don't see a bloody ghost around here and I haven't seen one since we arrived, Hermione," he sniped. "They've left."
"Ronald, the statistical probability of a ghost leaving Hogwarts is-"
"Hermione, I don't give a damn about statistical probabilities," Ron interrupted, causing her eyes to widen in anger. "There are no more ghosts around here and you bloody well know it."
"Ronald Weasley, you daft fool. If you used your head for once you would know-"
"Ahem."
Every single person at that table leapt out of their seats at the sound that reminded them so much of their fifth year DADA professor and they turned quickly to see McGonagall standing there, watching them sternly.
"Ms. Granger, while Mr. Weasley may not offer a very good argument, he is correct in saying that the ghosts are no longer here at Hogwarts," she said and Hermione frowned.
"But, Professor, that's impossible," she protested. "The ghosts can't leave."
Professor McGonagall sighed and looked around the table. "I know it is hard to comprehend, but we have had the castle searched five times and the ghosts are nowhere to be found. They have indeed left."
"Thank you, Professor," Harry said quietly. "We'll try to be a little quieter next time," he added, knowing the real reason the professor had come down to talk to them. McGonagall looked skeptical, but she nodded curtly and turned back to the Head Table.
"Well, Hermione, it seems this daft fool just proved you wrong," Ron snapped angrily and Hermione's eyes flared.
"You didn't prove anything. All you were doing was pulling from what Harry said, who was pulling from what Dumbledore said, so all it makes you is a third rate reporter," she hissed. "You don't even have the proper sense to use useful information to defend your argument. All you did was blather on like some baboon."
Everyone could instantly see the hurt in Ron's eyes at her words and before anyone could say anything, he quickly got up and left the table, striding swiftly towards the exit. Realizing what she had just said, Hermione's eyes filled with horror and she shot out of her seat, followed closely by Harry and Ginny.
"Ron!" Hermione called, running to catch up with Ron's long legs. "Ron, please, I didn't mean that!"
When she reached the space right outside of the Great Hall, Ron was gone and she was close to tears. Neville, who had been late for breakfast, was also there, confusion written all over his face.
"Ron!" she cried. "RON!"
"Hermione, leave him be," Harry snapped when he and Ginny caught up with her. "What the hell is wrong with you?"
At this point the young woman looked distraught. "I didn't mean it, Harry. I just… I was so upset and he… oh this is horrible," she muttered. "I can't believe I said that to him!"
"Trouble in paradise?"
They turned to see Warrington standing there with a couple of others, watching the four Gryffindors carefully. Ginny caught the look he was giving Hermione and she felt her stomach churn. It was the same look Pansy had given Draco in the Great Hall.
"Sod off," she snapped while Harry immediately took a step towards the large boy.
"Why can't Slytherins mind their own business?" Harry growled.
"Why can't Gryffindors have better taste in company?" Warrington responded, his eyes focused solely on Hermione. "A Mudblood is hardly worth the time."
"Don't say that," Neville said defensively and Warrington smirked.
"Don't say what? Mudblood? I think it's the perfect word to call the little witch who whores herself for Potter while he secretly shags Weasley's sister," he replied.
There was a flash of light and then someone screamed before they all saw Warrington fall to the ground, clutching his face in agony while the other Slytherins kneeled down to see what had happened. The others looked behind them to see Ron standing on the step, tucking his wand in his robes with a dark look on his face. Hermione bit her lip and tried to approach him.
"Ron-"
"Leave me alone, Hermione," he growled, walking past her towards the Great Hall. "I left my Potions book behind," he muttered, disappearing back into the dining area. Ginny and Harry exchanged glances before Harry followed Ron with Neville close behind while Ginny hurriedly ushered Hermione up the stairs to the Head dormitories.
Ron would no doubt receive detention and Hermione did not need to be there when he did. More than likely, she would make things worse.
The rest of the day had been tense and on more than one occasion, Hermione had slipped off for a cry in the loo. Ron had remained stoic for the rest of the day, masking any emotions he was feeling with a nasty glare or passive grunt. Ginny and Harry tried their best to mediate without picking sides, but it was hard to do after knowing what Hermione had said.
By dinner, Ginny had lost her appetite and decided to go to Hermione's dormitory to study. It was quieter and there would be significantly less distractions. Her mind wandered back to what had happened the night before and she could not help but wonder whether Draco was thinking about her as well. His comments about the kiss failed to elude her but as much as she tried to figure out why he had said those things, the answer would not come to her.
"Lemon Drop," she muttered and the portrait leading to the Head common room opened. She did not notice the occupants of the common room until she had almost reached the corner.
"What the hell are you doing here?"
Ginny dropped her books and whirled around, her eyes widening at what she had stumbled in on. Blood rushed to her face and she averted her eyes while Pansy Parkinson quickly buttoned up her shirt, glaring daggers at Ginny while Draco continued to sit on the couch, his eyes fixed on the embarrassed Weasley.
"I asked you a question, Weasley?" Pansy snapped and Ginny pointed to her.
"The same reason you are. To visit a friend," she said, glancing over at Draco. "Though our definitions of visiting are obviously different."
"Draco, there's nothing up here but a bottle of firewhiskey," a girl complained as she came out of Draco's room. Ginny released a groan and looked down at her books. This was getting worse and worse by the moment.
"Bloody hell," she muttered. "Did I walk into an orgy?"
Draco's eyes roamed over Ginny as she bent down to pick up her books. His body reacted positively to the way she moved but he effectively hid it from the other two girls in the common room.
"It's called a twosome, Weasley, but I'm willing to explore and make it three," he offered coolly and Pansy snorted.
"With that blood traitor, Draco?" she hissed while the other girl came down the stairs and sat down on the couch beside Draco.
"A shag is a shag, Pansy, no matter who you're shagging."
Ginny could not help but snort at the comment and they all looked at her.
"Something funny?" Pansy growled and Ginny motioned to Draco.
"If that's the way he thinks, you'd think a girl would know better," she replied frankly. Her eyes then moved over Pansy with such contempt that Draco was surprised the redhead was not a Slytherin herself. "Then again, I suppose when you spread your legs for anything that may find you slightly attractive, that's what you deserve."
"Look, you little-"
"Sit down, Pansy," Draco snapped irritably, pinching the bridge of his nose to stop a headache from forming. When Pansy shot him a nasty glare, he returned the look with a knowing smirk. "Attacking a Weasley in the Head common room when Granger could walk in at any moment?" He shook his head. "That's not very smart, even for you."
Pansy's eyes widened at his words and she sat down quickly, turning her livid gaze back to Ginny, who sat down at a table in the corner and proceeded to pretend to ignore them.
The idea of Draco being with other girls had never really crossed her mind because it was so commonplace. It didn't bother her as much as she thought it would, considering he had kissed her the night before. What bothered her was that with the pick of any girl in Hogwarts, he continued to surround himself with Pansy Parkinson.
"Draco, you promised a party," the other girl whined. "We still have firewhiskey."
Ginny rolled her eyes at the girl's desperate groping. How low could one girl debase herself?
"Ugh, it's starting to smell in here," Pansy snapped, still glaring at Ginny's back. "I think someone in the room is stinking it up."
It took everything in Draco's power not to roll his eyes as the younger girl started to kiss his neck seductively. He watched as Pansy dug through her bag and pulled out some perfume, spraying it around.
Ginny glanced over her shoulder and sniffed, her eyes widening when the scent of strawberries moved through her nostrils. Her lips parted slightly and she stared at Pansy while her mind wandered back to last night.
Strawberries…
"What are you staring at?" Pansy demanded and Ginny couldn't help herself.
"Do you like apples, Pansy?" she asked quickly and in the corner of her eye, she saw the corner of Draco's lips twitch.
"What?"
Ginny glanced over at Draco quickly before she shrugged. "Do you like apples?"
"I hate apples," the girl on Draco's lap announced proudly, twirling a strand of her brown hair around in her fingers. "Disgusting fruit."
"I despise apples, Weasley," Pansy hissed. "Just as I despise blood traitor tramps like you."
Ginny snorted, her eyes falling on Draco. "Let me guess. Strawberries for Malfoy," she sneered. "I bet he loves strawberries."
Pansy's eyes narrowed and she stood up again. "Look you little-"
"I've lost my appetite," Draco snapped, standing up as well and motioning to the door. "Leave."
The girl he had gracelessly dumped on the ground looked outraged. "Leave? You promised-"
Ginny bit her lip and looked down at her shoes when Draco's hand shot out and his fingers wrapped around the girl's throat while Pansy scrambled for the door.
"GET OUT!" he snarled, shoving the girl away from him. She yelped and ran out of the common room with Pansy close behind her. The common room became quiet while Draco fixed his clothes and took a deep breath, running a hand through his hair as he tried to calm himself.
"I'm going to assume that intensive dialogue isn't the reason Parkinson's around," Ginny whispered, opening one of her books and pulling out her notes. "She doesn't seem like much of a conversationalist."
"What she wants to talk about doesn't require discussion, Weasley," he replied irritably and she looked over at him.
"Sex?" she suggested knowingly. "I would have thought you would at least want a tangible conversation once in a while, though I suppose talking about breasts can count if you think hard enough."
Draco raised an eyebrow and caught her gaze, causing her to blush and return to her books. He smirked and walked over to stand right beside her chair, looking over her shoulder.
"I don't discuss breasts with Parkinson and Slytherin conversation can become quite tedious," he said.
Ginny snorted, jotting down a couple of things. "I would suspect talk of the Dark Lord and which Gryffindor to terrorize would tickle your fancy right quick, Malfoy," she muttered and he sat down across from her.
"I found something better to tickle my fancy."
Ginny looked up quickly and, upon catching the look he was giving her, her face became beet red and she averted her eyes, biting the inside of her cheek to keep from uttering any strange noise.
"You'll be hard pressed to get me to climb into bed with you, Malfoy," she snapped. "I suggest you stop thinking about it."
Draco leaned back in his chair and could not help but observe her. She still believed that this whole situation was about sex and it was amusing.
"Weasley, if I wanted to see you naked, I would have done so last night," he told her and she looked up at him, her eyes searching for the real reason he was approaching her. "You're much too fascinating to ruin with shagging."
Ginny opened her mouth to say something but the portrait door swung open and she turned to see Hermione walk in, carrying a couple of books. Ginny glanced back to where Draco was sitting to find him gone.
"Ginny, there you are. Harry was wondering where you'd wandered off to," Hermione said, setting her books down. When she noticed the puzzled look on Ginny's face, she frowned. "Something wrong?"
Ginny stared at the spot Draco had occupied, her mind going over what he had told her. "Um… I'm fine, I was just trying to figure something out."
For three days Pansy sulked about being kicked out of Draco's common room and while he allowed her the opportunity to bash the Gryffindor who had stayed behind with him, Draco's patience was slowly wearing down as she continued to explain in great detail how she planned on torturing the redhead when Hogwarts was finally taken over.
Draco was currently lounging in the Slytherin common room on a rainy Saturday afternoon, flipping through a newspaper while he tried to ignore Pansy's continuous tirade. Goyle, Crabbe, Warrington and two other boys were also there along with four girls Draco had not met before. Zabini, however, was nowhere to be found.
"The way she speaks to you, Draco," Pansy snapped as she paced the floor like a caged animal. "It's disgusting."
"You want to know what else is disgusting," Goyle grumbled from his spot in the corner, playing chess with Crabbe.
Warrington snorted. "Give it a rest, Parkinson," he said. "We all know how much you hate the Weasley, but the way you rant on about her; we'd think you were in love."
Pansy's eyes filled with rage and she approached Warrington. "Say that again and I'll dismember you," she snarled. "I hope that little redheaded bitch survives the Dark Lord's plans because when she does, I am going to rip her apart piece by piece."
Draco sighed. "Enough, Pansy," he said. "If I wanted to hear about Weasley, I'd have stayed in my own common room."
Pansy's eyes narrowed. "I can't believe you can actually share that space with the Mudblood," she sneered, sitting down and checking her nails. "I imagine it smells horrible every time she walks in."
"I try not to think about it," Draco muttered, scanning a particularly interesting article. "Where exactly are those three idiots, Warrington?"
"Two of them were sorted into Ravenclaw and the other's in Hufflepuff," Warrington replied and Draco looked up from his paper.
"What about Gryffindor?"
Warrington shifted. "The Hat sorted them, Malfoy," he replied. "I can't change it now."
"I want someone in Gryffindor, Warrington," Draco snapped, causing everyone in the common room to become quiet. Realizing that he was being put on the spot, Warrington shifted and faced Draco completely.
"There are a couple of other ways, but-"
"The point of this is to get them to turn against each other, Warrington," Draco cut in, his cool eyes landing on the boy. "I do not need them banning together when one of them goes missing."
Just then Blaise Zabini walked into the common room, followed closely by three very young, very small girls. Ignoring the group that was already in there, he proceeded up to his dormitory with the three girls in tow, all three of them glancing over their shoulders at Draco and whispering amongst themselves before they disappeared into the dormitories.
"What the hell is he doing?" Pansy muttered. "Those girls are first years."
Draco was wondering the same thing but he did not vocalize it. He just returned to the original conversation between himself and Warrington. "Well?"
Warrington was sweating a little at this point and it was obvious that he could not come up with a plan that would give Slytherin complete deniability. Sighing, Draco looked down at his paper and found himself wanting Ginerva Weasley's company more than the company he was in. At least the Weasley supplied him with stimulating conversation as well as something appealing to look at.
"Why is it that I'm disappointed a lot lately?" he asked and Pansy slid over to him, knocking another girl out of her way in the process.
"I don't disappoint you, do I?" she cooed into his ear, her hand moving up his leg seductively. Draco's first instinct was to say yes, but he knew he had to be smart about the way he handled Pansy. If he alienated her this early in the year, she would more than likely become a very dangerous enemy with his mother at her side to make his life miserable. He needed to keep her close for now.
"I enjoy your company more than the rest of them," he replied and she looked pleased. Before she could respond however, the three girls Zabini had come in with appeared without the sixth year, faces red with embarrassment as they hurried out of the common room. Draco watched them leave before his eyes turned to see Zabini making his way down the stairs, fixing his sleeves as he approached them. Warrington's eyes narrowed.
"You know, Zabini," he started. "We put up with a lot of things, but I think sleeping with first years is a little low, don't you?"
Zabini sat down in the corner with Crabbe and Goyle. "I think that raping girls over the summer is also a little low, but you don't see me mentioning your sexual preferences, do you?" the boy replied almost lazily, motioning to a move Goyle could take to win the chess game. Draco raised an eyebrow at the statement but said nothing.
"Look, you son of a bitch. If you have something to say to me, then say it," Warrington growled dangerously, standing up and approaching the boy.
Zabini glanced up at Warrington before he leaned back in his chair and shrugged. "I don't have anything to say to you, Warrington."
Warrington reached down and grabbed him, hauling him up to his feet. "You bloody wanker-"
Before anyone else could move, Zabini pulled out a switchblade, skillfully flipping it around so that it was pressing against Warrington's crotch. The large boy became stiff when he felt the cold steel pressing against his manhood and the others watched carefully while Zabini leaned in so that their faces were close.
"The next time you say something to me, it better be a curse, Cole," he growled in such a threatening tone that Draco was impressed. "Or else I'll start cutting and when I'm done, not even Parkinson will want to shag you." His eyes moved over Warrington in disgust. "Now let go of me."
Warrington released him and Zabini pocketed the knife, straightening his robes before he headed out of the common room. There was a brief silence in the room before Draco stood up and walked past Warrington to where Goyle was sitting.
"Get things done, Cole," he ordered calmly, motioning to Goyle to follow him out of the common room. The moment Draco and Goyle were gone, Warrington grabbed a statue off of the mantle and hurled it across the room, frightening everyone else in the room.
"BASTARD!" he bellowed. "Damn him!"
Zabini had popped up out of nowhere in second year and though he had remained in the background, silently following Draco's orders like the rest without question. The boy was an enigma. Like Malfoy, he was capable of hiding his emotions and was just as enraptured in the idea of purity of blood, though unlike Draco, Zabini vocalized his opinions of muggleborns and halfbloods in a way that displayed not just disgust at the thought or a feeling of superiority, but was followed through with a staunch abstinence from anything of the sort. If it were not to degrade or antagonize them, Zabini was never seen in the company of muggleborns or halfblooded. He kept strictly to pureblood and made it very clear that he would not deviate from that course.
It was only recently that Zabini's intentions within Slytherin had become obvious. His elitist comments, normally aimed for those outside of the house, were now specialized for Warrington and only presented themselves when Malfoy was around. Not only was it an affront to the years of work Warrington had put into Slytherin, it was only proving Warrington a fool in front of Malfoy.
"He thinks he can just piss on me and then get away with it," he snarled. "That bastard just says what he wants and Malfoy just sits there and allows him to-"
Pansy crossed her legs and examined her fingernails. "Be cautious, Warrington," she advised quickly. "Our feelings for Zabini may mirror yours, but there are many of us here who are still loyal to Draco."
Warrington shoved a chair out of his way. "I want to know who that sodding wanker is!" he roared. "I want his bits on my mantle and his head on my table!"
Crabbe rubbed his hands together nervously. While he disliked Zabini, his fear of Malfoy was deep seeded and warranted. If Draco had a purpose for the dark skinned enigma, it would not bode well if Warrington did something to jeopardize that mission. He was unsure if he was willing to be part of Warrington's private war.
"Perhaps it would be best if you left Zabini alone for the time being," he suggested quietly and Warrington whirled around on him.
"What?" he hissed and a cold sweat fell upon Crabbe's chubby face.
"I… I just think… since Draco seems to have a reason for keeping him around," he stammered and Warrington grabbed the boy, slamming him up against the wall furiously.
"The next time you decide to speak, I'd reconsider what you say and where your allegiances lie," he growled.
Pansy rolled her eyes and stood up, motioning to the other girls still in the room. "Come on, girls," she sighed. "There's too much testosterone in the room for my taste."
Warrington waited until they were done before he released Crabbe, watching as the fat boy slid to the ground, clutching his neck and gasping for breath. His lip curled in disgust and he looked over to two of his boys sitting on the other side of the common room.
"I want everything about Zabini," he growled. "Everything."
Draco headed down the hall with Goyle following silently for a while until they reached a corridor far away enough from the Slytherin House that protected their conversation from eavesdropping.
"I want both of them watched," he told Goyle quietly.
"You don't trust them?"
"I don't trust Warrington to practice some self-control," Draco replied darkly. "I don't need this shit right now."
Goyle glanced over his shoulder and then shoved his hands in his robe pockets. "What about Zabini?" he asked. "He seems a little unstable."
It surprised Draco sometimes when Goyle proved himself somewhat observant. Goyle himself had accepted the fact that he was not particularly bright, but Draco appreciated the boy's opinions nonetheless. Gregory Goyle had always been loyal to Draco and since Vincent Crabbe's slip up over the summer, he was the only one Draco trusted.
"I'm not quite sure about Zabini yet," Draco answered honestly, stopping by one of the suits of armor and looking down the hall.
"Dean, really, I'm fine."
Both Slytherins turned to see Ginny Weasley come around the corner with Dean Thomas close behind her. Draco observed that she was biting her lips and she was constantly fiddling with her hair as Dean spoke to her. She seemed uncomfortable with the situation and the look on her face provided all he needed to know about her relationship with the boy.
"Can't take a hint, Thomas?" Draco asked lazily and the two looked up in surprise at their audience. Ginny's cheeks immediately went red while Dean's eyes narrowed suspiciously.
"Sod off, Malfoy," he replied aggressively, moving in front of Ginny. Draco smirked at the action.
"Trying to be a man? Well, I suppose one of you Gryffindors had to be," he commented and Ginny tugged on Dean's robes.
"Dean, let's just go," she suggested. "You've gotclass in ten minutes and I need to get to the library."
Dean kept his eyes on Draco, but began to follow Ginny down the hall. Draco and Goyle exchanged glances before Draco snorted.
"Going to be alone in the library, Weasley?" he called and she glanced over her shoulder, biting her lip at the question. With Dean there, she could offer so few answers while still being able to give Draco a clear description of her meaning. She took a deep breath and tucked her hair behind her ear.
"Not that it's any of your business," she snapped. "You should try going some time, though. You might learn something."
Draco raised an eyebrow. "Someone's a little pissy today," he replied and Dean started for him.
"Sod off, Malfoy," he snapped and Ginny grabbed his arm, turning him back down the hall.
"Dean, let's go," she snapped. "Obviously, some people don't know when to let things go."
Draco watched her walk away with a smirk on his lips. "I'll be seeing you later, Weasley," he called but she did not respond. Goyle waited until they were gone before turning to Draco.
"Should I tell Pansy you're busy tonight?" he asked curiously, a glint of knowing in his eyes. Draco was grateful that the boy did not question his interests in the youngest Weasley. That was another thing he appreciated about the large Slytherin. He didn't question things. He just accepted it and moved on.
Draco's eyes moved down the hall to where Ginny and Dean had disappeared. This was one area in which he and Zabini differed. They both may have hated blood traitors, but Draco was not above seeking them out for his own satisfaction.
"If something happens, come yourself," he said over his shoulder. "But don't bother me."
"Have fun."
Draco paused and turned to the large boy, his eyes filled with the utmost seriousness. "Goyle."
"Yes?"
"Keep this to yourself."
"Yes sir."
A/N: Perhaps interesting things will happen.
NoReins94: Thanks for the help! I'm glad you've liked it so far. I appreciate everything! As for the next few chapters, it will definitely be interesting.
AngeliqueBlack: Glad you like it! Hope to hear from you soon!
Chapter Tease:
"What do you know about sex, Weasley?"
