This story was written for The DG Forum's 2014 Summer Challenge. Prompt is listed at the end.

Soundtrack: Try Me On – Karmin

The Accidental Date Conundrum

It had started with dinner at one of those "fine dining" restaurants Ginny never ate at but which she had always thought would be romantic if a guy did take her there for a date. Unfortunately, her previous boyfriends' idea of fine dining had been Madam Puddifoots (where falling heart confetti was just as common as bickering tween couples) or Brewers and Broomsticks (where beer and Quidditch were the staple diet). Not exactly the epitome of class.

So after one bad break-up, three further failed dating attempts, and a mother who liked to remind her of how depressingly spinsterish she was getting, Ginny had decided to "treat herself" by eating at La Blanc—er, let's just say it was some fancy place with a name she couldn't pronounce. The restaurant had been packed, but Ginny had managed to score herself the best table in the house (nice and quiet, and far away from the counter or toilets). A candle had been lit to create a soft, intimate glow, which she had found a little amusing. With whom was she supposed to be sharing this romantic mood light? The wooden chair opposite her?

Such had been Ginny's thoughts—until the owner of the establishment had come over with an odd request. He wanted to know if she would be willing to shift tables. After all, there were plenty still outside (it was freezing and full of second-hand smoke), or he could move her to that equally good table on the far side of the room (smack dab in the middle of a collection of couples, so she could scream "HEY, I'M SINGLE!" with every awkward bite she ate).

No, Ginny had not been impressed by this request and had refused to budge even a centimetre. That was how she found herself the target of Draco Malfoy. The blond had appeared just seconds after the owner had left, all glaring eyes and haughty sneers (and looking ridiculously handsome for such a jerk). Suddenly, the odd request hadn't seemed so odd. It was just like that smarmy git to think he could manipulate a restaurant owner to kick someone off a table just because he wanted to sit there.

"Oh, bugger off, Malfoy," Ginny had said shortly, after several minutes of having to put up with his petty comments. "You're ruining my meal."

Draco hadn't obliged. Instead, he had sat down on the chair opposite her and began what she liked to call the "Stony Stalemate". In other words, neither had refused to move (because Draco insisted the table was "his spot" and Ginny was just too stubborn) and so they had ended up eating together. Alone. Just like a date.

It could have been romantic, given the setting. Mostly, it had just been tense and awkward.

That had been over three months ago. Since then it had seemed like she couldn't escape the blond. There had been that Quidditch game where somehow they had picked seats right next to each other; then it was the walk in the park (because both had refused to take a different route or change their pace). She'd been stuck with him at charity functions, wedding functions, boozing functions (yes, boozing functions were a thing; don't question the logic). She'd even got herself trapped in an elevator with him. He was everywhere, like her very own snarky shadow, and it was driving her insane.

So when Ginny next saw that distinct shade of silvery blond, she snapped. It was one thing to run into Draco Malfoy at a Quidditch game; it was quite another to find him in her favourite café. She folded her arms and glowered as he came closer, tapping her foot like a rabbit trying to scare off an enemy. Thump, thump, thump, thump.

"I swear you're stalking me!" Ginny exclaimed by way of greeting.

Draco rolled his eyes. "Nice to see you, too."

"Don't change the subject!" She leaned forward and poked him in the chest. "Why the hell do you keep following me?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Who said I'm following you?"

"Because you're everywhere! I can't even go to the bathroom at work without finding myself standing in a line next to you."

"I believe that's called coincidence."

"Coincidence my foot," she retorted, and poked him in the chest again. "I'm not blind, Malfoy. I know you're up to something; I just haven't figured it out yet."

A crease formed on his brow and he lowered his face to her level, placing his hand on her forehead. Little tingles shivered down her spine at his touch, and a rush of blood blossomed in her cheeks.

"W-what are you doing?" she spluttered, unnerved by his sudden proximity. He was so close she could count the different shades of grey that made up his eyes.

"I'm checking your temperature," he replied.

She scrunched her face in confusion. "Why?"

"To make a diagnosis." A smirk touched his lips. "See, I'm pretty sure you've got a strong case of 'stupidity', and I'm worried it's contagious."

She wrenched her face away from his hand. "Oh, ha ha bloody ha. You're so witty, Malfoy."

He gave a mock bow. "I try."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Whatever. And you still haven't answered my question. What are you doing here?"

Draco looked a bit bewildered. "Uh, this is a café."

"So?"

"So people buy food here," he said flatly.

"Wrong! I buy food here. I've been buying food here for years, and I've never seen you here before!"

"I guess we must have missed each other," he said with a shrug. "I always come here. This café has the best pastries."

Ginny salivated at the thought. "It does, right? The chocolate croissants are like sex, if sex was a food. Simply orgasmic, and—hey, stop changing the subject!"

Draco laughed. "Ah, Ginevra. You never cease to amuse."

She pursed her lips. "Well, you never cease to annoy."

He placed his hand on his chest. "What can I say? It's a talent."

"Yeah, your only one. It's a wonder you ever get girlfriends."

"Says the woman who likens eating pastries to having sex." He shook his head with a mock sigh. "Poor Ginevra; you've clearly been deprived. Either that or you just really suck in bed."

Her left eye twitched. "Gods, you're so annoying. Seriously, why do I even bother talking to you? I can't get anything but snarky remarks out of you anyway."

Draco leaned closer. "Have you ever considered you're just exceptionally hot-tempered and easy to irritate?" He brushed a loose strand of hair away from her face, meeting her eyes with a teasing smile. "Just a thought."

Ginny's heart gave a funny flutter, and she could feel her cheeks heating again. Just who did he think he was smiling at her like that, all sexy and playful, and—and—gah! What a jerk! She opened and closed her mouth a few times, but words failed her. Draco Malfoy teasing her was nothing new, but this flirty version was a little difficult to handle. Didn't help that he smelt amazing (seriously, what was that scent he was wearing? Something cool yet decidedly masculine, as if hot, male charisma had been bottled up in cologne).

"Nothing to say?" he taunted. "That's a first. Normally you'd be blustering with weak comebacks by now. " His smile widened a fraction and he caressed one pink cheek. "Or is it that you're feeling a little out of your element? Poor, flustered Ginevra."

Ginny narrowed her eyes, suddenly finding herself more irritated than ruffled. Arrogant bastard behaviour tended to have that effect. "Why are you flirting with me?" she demanded.

Now it was Draco's turn to impersonate a goldfish. He blinked and opened and closed his mouth a few times, as if he had only just realised that he had indeed been flirting with her. Then his expression smoothed over and he gave a light laugh. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

She let out a snort. "Oh, really? So that brushing the hair from my face thing and touching my cheek was not a pathetic attempt to woo me?"

His nose scrunched. "Did you seriously just use the word woo?"

"Don't change the subject!"

Draco rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Anyway, it's been lovely chatting with you, Ginevra, but I actually did come here for a purpose. Now, if you'll excuse me—"

He made to walk past her and head to the counter, but Ginny inserted herself in his path.

"Oh, no, no no," she said, pushing him back with a hand on his chest. "You're not getting off that easily." Her eyes glinted with an exultant light. "Face it, Malfoy. You were flirting with me. In fact, I don't think it would be farfetched to guess you actually kind of like me."

A crease formed on his brow. "You sound awfully gleeful at the thought considering how much you love to profess your dislike for me."

She jutted her chin. "Well, it proves my theory, doesn't it? You've been stalking me."

"Oh, gods, we're not back to that, are we?" he groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose with his forefinger and thumb.

"Just admit it!" Ginny cried, pointing her finger at him like a little kid who's just found the culprit to who stole the cookie from the cookie jar. "You've been following me around because you like me!"

Draco lowered his hand. "No, really. It's just a coincidence that we keep running into each other."

"Right," she said sceptically.

He made a frustrated sound. "Why does it matter so much to you if I like you or not?"

"Aha!" she exclaimed. "So you admit it!"

"That's not what I said. You just—"

"Then why?"

"Why what?" he responded, momentarily diverted.

"Why do you always seek me out?" she demanded. "What's the point of getting all up in my space and touching me, or brushing my hair away, or making those flirty little comments? Why?"

"I'm not—"

"Just tell me why," she continued, talking over him. "It's not that hard. A simple explanation will suffice. I mean you must have some idea why you feel the need to act this way, and—"

Suddenly, he was clasping her face in his hands and pressing his mouth against hers. His mouth. On hers. Kissing. Ginny's eyes widened, and before she could even decide if she wanted to return the pressure of his lips or simply shove him away, he pulled back from the kiss.

She blinked and touched a finger to her lips, which were still tingling. "What was that for?" she said, far more breathlessly than she would have liked.

"You wouldn't shut up," Draco said with a shrug. "I decided to take matters into my own hands. And, yes," he added, before she could get offended, "that was an attempt to 'woo' you."

Her mouth twitched into a smile (there was no doubt he was a jerk, but he was a charming jerk) and then she was leaning close. "I told you that you liked me." A calculated pause. "Stalker."

Draco just groaned.

Thus, a relationship was born. It started with an unplanned dinner; it ended with an impulsive kiss, and somewhere in the middle there had been a lot of stalking (depending on who you asked), and some very silly conversations. Such is love, and Ginny didn't mind this fact at all.

Lia's prompt: A series of accidental dates.

Word Count: 500 minimum, 12000 maximum.