Chapter Five
Ginny's dress robes were a dark blue which complemented her eyes. She looked into the mirror, feeling a dozen knots tie themselves in her stomach. The others would be coming up soon to get ready, and Ginny had been avoiding Draco as much as she possibly could. At the meeting the night before Draco had gone over the plans once again, and everyone knew the part they would play. Draco had forgotten to give Ginny a role, but she wasn't about to point that out.
"Well, here goes nothing." Ginny left the dorm and met the others on her way down.
"Lookin' sharp!" Zabini gave her a thumbs up.
"Don't worry, it's not your fault Hannah likes you more." Goyle reassured her.
Ginny rolled her eyes, then headed towards the Hufflepuff entrance. She had conjured a small bouquet of flowers then waited. Eight o'clock rolled around, and no Hannah. The entrance opened up and a few guys and girls walked out, arm in arm.
"Do you know if Hannah is ready?" Ginny asked.
"So you're John?" One of the girls asked, raising an eyebrow in approval. "Hannah's almost finished. She wants to look perfect for tonight."
Ginny thanked them, then continued to wait. It wasn't until Eight Thirty that the entrance finally opened once again and a few more people came out. Among them was Hannah. She was in a light yellow robe and her hair was done up in ringlets and twists. Ginny noted the hairstyle so she could try it on herself once she was herself again. She smiled, then handed Hannah the bouquet.
Hannah took them greedily and inhaled.
"They smell beautiful!" She exclaimed, then she took Ginny's arm and they headed towards the Great Hall.
Ginny, to say the least, felt very weird. It felt strange to have a girl, a pretty girl, have her arm around hers and receive so much attention. They entered the Hall and were greeted by tall Christmas tress decked in silver and gold. It looked as if they were in a forest with the pine smell and the starry crystal clear sky overhead. They even had enchanted stone animals moving around. The tables were set up in the back of the Hall, and a dance floor was in the front. Ginny walked Hannah to a table and sat down.
"Let's go dance!" Hannah exclaimed, and grabbed Ginny's hand and dragged her towards the front.
Not many people were in the Hall, and even fewer were dancing. The fast song that was playing a while ago slowly turned into a slow song. Hannah gave an excited squeal and pulled Ginny in close. They were moving along the dance floor when Ginny spotted Draco walk in with a pretty fourth year attached to his arm. Ginny made a mental note not to taste the punch.
The Hall filled up and Ginny's feet fastly began to grow tired. Finally Hannah dragged Ginny back to a the table they were at, which just happened to be next to Draco's. Draco kept his eyes at the front of the Hall, and made no sign of recognition towards Ginny.
"What shall I have to eat?" Hannah said to herself, glancing at the refreshments table. "John, will you get me some strawberries and cream and some punch?"
Ginny was all too willing to put space between herself and Hannah. She left for the table and took as long as she could dishing up the cream. She chose some plump strawberries and got a glass of punch. She wondered if Draco had spiked it yet, but then remembered it wasn't going to happen until 11:00, an hour before the dance was to end.
"Thank you." Hannah smiled. "Now feed them to me."
"What?" Ginny looked at her, disgusted. "I will not."
"Oh, please? It would be so sweet." Hannah begged.
"Gross, no way!" Ginny heard a scoffing noise coming from the direction of Draco.
"Fine, then I'll feed them to you...it's more sexy that way." Hannah chose a large strawberry and dipped it in cream. She began inching it closer to Ginny, who backed away.
Ginny heard some mumbling near by, and turned to see Draco looking very evilly at Hannah. While Ginny's eyes were on Draco, Hannah chose that opportunity and plunged the strawberry into Ginny's mouth.
"You got some cream on your nose." Hannah giggled. She reached over and wiped it off with her finger, then licked it off her finger.
"You know, I promised a fellow Slytherin a dance...gotta go!" Ginny sprang from the table and headed towards a group of wallflowers. "Um, care to dance?"
The girl looked up, completely taken by surprise. "S--sure."
The rest of the night she played philanthropist to the girls who couldn't get dates. They were very grateful, except for Hannah. She remained at the table and stared at Ginny with both anger and hurt. The time ticked by, and soon she saw Draco nonchalantly make his way to the refreshment table and then he dropped the potion into the punch. She watched as people took the punch, completely ignorant to what was in it. As she saw Harry, Ron, Hermione and their dates she wondered what would happen if she asked them the things they always kept from her.
Small pockets of arguments started sprouting up around the Hall, but no one noticed. Ginny decided she didn't want to be around when things got ugly, so she crept towards the doors but was stopped just before she left.
"Where do you think you're going?" Zabini asked, grabbing her arm.
"Let go, I'm going to bed." Ginny tried to pry his fingers off of her, but to no avail.
"Don't you want to see the grand finale?" Zabini's eyes glimmered.
"What grand finale?" Ginny didn't hear about anything other than the spiking of the punch.
"Oh, I have a little interview with Potter." Zabini's eyes shot open. "Only you'll be asking the questions."
"What? No way! I'm leaving." Ginny once again made an effort to leave but was held back.
"You don't think I planned all this just as some prank, do you?"
"You didn't plan it...Draco did." Ginny said.
Zabini rolled his eyes. "Of course I wanted everyone to THINK Draco did. No use in having it pinned on me if we get caught. Oh no, I'll be well paid for the information I get out of Potter."
"I won't let you do it." Ginny said determined.
"How are you going to stop me?" Zabini sneered.
"I will." A voice startled them. They quickly turned to see Draco, who had been standing there the whole time.
"Malfoy, you stay out of this." Zabini shot.
"Zabini, you always were very poor at concealing things. I gave Potter and his fan club the antidote. Now get out of here before someone gets hurt."
Zabini gave Draco an unbelieving look, then left in a huff.
"Thanks." Ginny said, and began to rub her sore arm.
"I'm sorry. I didn't know he was going to use you." Draco began to pop a few pieces of candy into his mouth when Goyle came up behind him and slapped him on the back.
"You're plan is working!" Goyle shouted. "Everyone is saying what's REALLY on their minds and it's hilarious!" Goyle stopped suddenly upon seeing Draco begin to choke.
"He's choking!" Ginny exclaimed.
Goyle immediately began to pat him on the back again, but Ginny pushed him away. "That'll only make it worse! We need to dislodge what's in his throat...some punch!"
Goyle grabbed a glass of punch from off a nearby table and gave it to Draco. He began drinking it while Ginny started the Heimlich. A large piece of candy shot out of his mouth and hit the wall. Draco fell to his knees, gasping for breath.
"I'll take him to Pomfrey...just in case." Ginny said, then said goodbye to Goyle.
Ginny allowed Draco to drape his arm over her shoulders as they walked down the barely lit corridors.
"How are you feeling?" Ginny questioned.
"Like when I was ten and fell off my broom." Draco responded.
"Well, nice description. What made you think of that?"
"Because my worst memory came after that. My Father took a strap to me...I wasn't allowed to fly yet."
Ginny looked at Draco and noticed his gazed expression. That's when it registered that he drank some of the spiked punch. Ginny smiled...she could have some fun with this.
"What's your worst fear?" Ginny asked.
"To be alone." Draco responded. Ginny didn't expect that, but knew at once he was surely under the influence of Veritiserum.
"Do you really like Hannah?" Ginny asked.
"I did...but not any more."
"Ha! I knew it!" Ginny exclaimed. "You jerk!" She dropped him to the ground. "You were acting all hurt and woe-is-me because she began liking me, when you really stopped liking her!" Ginny smiled mischievously. "Who do you like now?"
Ginny was absolutely not prepared for what came next. "You."
Her eyes opened wide and she gasped. "What?"
Just then Draco's expression changed, and Ginny knew he was coming off the potion. It must have not lasted longer because it was diluted.
"What did I say?" Draco asked, scared.
"Umm..."
"I heard you ask me something...but I don't remember what I said." Draco looked pleadingly into Ginny's eyes.
"Um, you said you didn't like Hannah any more."
"I remember that...it was after that."
Ginny didn't know if she should tell him or not, but then remembered how rude he was to her. It was only fair he should get his just rewards.
"You said you liked me which means you're gay!" Ginny wanted to laugh, but Draco's forlorn self stopped her.
"I can't be gay...I'm Draco...I like women." Draco looked as if someone had told him he was no longer a human, but a tree , and everything he ever knew was false.
"It's ok, Draco, I need to tell you--"
"Don't tell me anything!" Draco yelled. "Ugh, I don't know what happened! I just...started liking--" Draco ran his hands through his hair, then looked angrily at Ginny.
"Hey, it's not MY fault!" Ginny said defensively.
Once again he looked as if he were going to sock her, but instead he reached out and pulled her close to him and brought his lips to hers. Ginny was taken completely in shock. It wasn't until five seconds into the kiss that she realized how warm it felt in the drafty corridor. She wrapped her own arms around his neck and he responded by deepening the kiss.
Without warning, he pulled away. "I can't do this!" He screamed at himself.
Ginny wanted to yell, "Yes! Yes you can!" But she knew he wouldn't understand...until...
"Draco, I have something to tell you...I'm not who you think I am."
"What do you mean?"
Ginny looked down at her watch. It was a minute until twelve. "Wait just a minute."
"I can't wait just a minute! I need to sort--"
Ginny stopped him by waving her hand in the air. A few seconds later the clock struck twelve and Ginny began feeling the tingling sensation in her scalp again. She began to shrink, and her hair grew longer and she could see its color was back. She looked up at Draco who looked frozen.
"What?" Ginny said in her usually higher pitched voice.
"You're a--"
"Yes, a girl." Ginny giggled, forgetting her vow she had made against giggling.
"That's not what I was going to say." He paused. "You're a Weasley."
Ginny rolled her eyes. "Well, I just thought you'd be overjoyed that you're not gay...I'm leaving." Ginny had had enough of all this mind numbing nonsense. She wanted out, and finally she got some information...Zabini was a follower and perhaps they'd take that from her.
Ginny began walking away but Draco ran up to her.
"Hey. I didn't say I wanted you to leave." Draco said.
"Look, I did this thing which I can't explain and that's why I was a boy and put into Slytherin. I've had a horrible time being at your beck-and-call and following that dewy eyed Hannah around school. And to top it all off I had to fall for you, a Malfoy, the natural enemy to all Weasley's and you probably hate me." Ginny stopped to catch her breath. "I just want to go to sleep and wake up and pretend this never happened."
Again Ginny began to walk away but Draco gently grabbed her by the arm.
"What if I don't want to pretend it never happened?" Draco softly said.
Ginny looked up into his eyes in confusion.
"I've told you things about myself I was afraid to voice before. Do you think I'd throw all that away just because you're a Weasley?" Draco brought his hands to Ginny's face and wiped away the tears that were beginning to sprout. "You're all I want."
"But--" Ginny began to protest.
"Hush." Draco put his finger to her lips to silence her. He looked down into her woodsy eyes then lowered his head and embraced her lips with his own. Their kiss was disrupted by yells coming from the Great Hall.
They both turned around to see students milling out of the Hall yelling at each other, some even throwing food. Draco smiled, just the reaction he was hoping for. Ginny began to laugh.
"I can't believe you said that about me!" Someone yelled.
"I didn't mean to! It just--came out." Was the reply.
Arguments sprung up here and there as the students all separated into their own houses. No one even noticed the two spectators.
"So what are you going to do?" Draco asked.
"I don't know...tell Dumbledore I want out."
"Or...you could sleep on it." Draco smiled.
"Draco Malfoy! I have my standards!" Ginny yelled.
"A guy can try." Draco grinned, then kissed Ginny. "I'll take you to Dumbledore's office."
"How do you know where it is?" Ginny asked.
"I've been there on a number of occasions."
~*~*~
Ginny had slept in a small room in the hospital wing that night. The next day students were preparing to depart for the Winter Holidays. Ginny had told Dumbledore and a Ministry Representative everything she had collected during the school year. She told them Zabini had planned what happened last night in hopes to get information out of Harry for some dark wizard. They thanked Ginny, then escorted her home where her parents greeted her, thankful she was in one piece.
Ginny didn't even have time to tell Draco she was leaving so soon. Dumbledore didn't want to risk her being spotted as herself, seeing as she was supposed to be in America. She wanted to write to him, but figured he'd be home and forget all about her.
All during the Winter Holidays not one letter came from Hogwarts. Ginny began to think Draco had forgotten about her and it seemed it was true. She lounged around the house in a dazed stupor. Her parents thought it must have been from her experiences as a boy and decided she needed time to think things over. But loneliness was not what Ginny wanted.
There was a huge debate over whether Ginny should go back to Hogwarts once the Winter Holidays were over. Her parents argued that she should have more time to relax after the task she had done, but Ginny was set on returning.
The first day back was hard for Ginny. It seemed like it had been years since she last walked down the long corridors. Everything was familiar to her, yet foreign at the same time. She had seen her world from two different perspectives; hers and John's. She would never be the same Ginny again.
She was thankful that most of her classes took her far from where Draco would be. He had said he liked her, but a persons feelings change. She couldn't bare to see him look at her in disdain as he once did. Ginny was too busy making up work and stories of America to really care about running into Draco. Everyone she knew came up to her asking how America was and if she liked it. Ginny was hard pressed not to be caught in a lie. And her workload was nearly double that of anyone else's.
It was a month into the second semester and Ginny was in the library working on Transfiguration. Ginny looked out the windows at the gloomy sky. It hadn't snowed in days but the clouds looked ready to burst. Ginny looked back down at her books and tried to keep the words in focus. Hermione had been helping Ginny catch up but presently she was elsewhere.
"Probably having another adventure with Ron and Harry." Ginny muttered.
"What's that?" Someone had come up to her.
Ginny looked up at Draco and noticed his eyes matched the storm threatening clouds outside. He was standing in front of her, leaning against the table. Ginny's heart gave a little skip as his cologne drifted towards her nose.
"Huh?" Ginny stammered.
"You said something about Ron and Harry." Draco stated.
Ginny wished he would show some emotion in those cold eyes of his. If she only knew whether he hated her or still liked her, but his eyes were clouded over and impossible to read.
"It's nothing." Ginny softly said.
Draco gave a curt nod of the head, then pulled up a chair and sat across from her.
"So were you ever going to write or did you think it would be great fun to torture me?" Draco sneered.
Ginny's angers lowly rose, giving her more confidence. "Me write? What about you? Were you completely incapable of writing over the Holidays? What, did you temporarily lose your ability to hold a quill? Or write the English language?"
"It's not in my blood to spout out poetry."
"Well it's not in mine to humiliate myself."
"So you think liking me is humiliating? Fine, then let's just forget it ever happened after all?"
"Fine!" Ginny closed her books, then stormed out of the library.
"I'm not finished with you!" Draco yelled after her.
Ginny was half walking, half jogging down the corridors with Draco closely behind her stating the many unpleasant things she was; temptress, wench, whore. Ginny's face grew redder by the minute, but it wasn't until he made a remark about her hair that she turned on her heels, causing Draco to run into her.
She glared her eyes at him and pushed him away. "You little leach."
"Is that the best you could do?" He smiled.
"I grew up in a loving household with parents who care with an upbringing that stresses integrity. I'm sorry you had to live in such a loveless house where name calling is your preferred past time. I will not sink as low as you."
The mention of Draco's family brought his anger to a boiling point. "Don't you ever talk about my family like that again."
"Why not?" Ginny crossed her arms over her chest. "You talk about mine all the time! I'm sorry you were born into it…as I'm sure your parents are even more sorry!" Ginny smiled at her triumph but her smile soon turned to a frown…it seemed she had taken a step over the line.
Draco let out a cry of rage as he ran towards her but Ginny had the sense enough to stand out of his way. She watched as he lunged towards empty air, then fall to the ground in a lump. He lay there motionless and Ginny began to panic.
"Draco!" She cried, bending down towards him. She rolled him over onto her lap so she could see his face. He had a small cut on his forehead that was oozing blood. She patted his face with her hand trying to wake him up but it didn't work. "Wake up!" She pleaded. She retrieved her wand from her pocket and patched up his wound then performed a reviving spell. Draco's eyes fluttered open and he stared up confused.
"What happened?" He asked groggily.
"You fell." A small tear came to Ginny's eyes but she quickly wiped it away.
She was all too aware of Draco's weight in her lap and the warmth he gave her in the cold corridor. He closed his eyes trying to collect his thoughts and tried to sit up but fell back.
"Don't, you should rest a bit." Ginny wiped his forehead of a small amount of sweat that appeared. She pushed back his hair and smiled.
"What?" Draco asked, eyeing her suspiciously.
"I don't know…I just think you're cute when you're helpless."
"Oh please." Draco rolled his eyes, then once again tried to get up. He was successful with this attempt and he sat across from Ginny. "I have a splitting head ache."
"I'm sorry." Ginny said.
"It's not your fault."
"No, I mean for not writing you." Ginny stared down at her hands. "I was just hoping you'd write me first."
Ginny felt Draco's hand on her chin, forcing her to stare into his face. "Look, I should have written you. I guess I was just scared. First you're a guy, then you're my enemy's sister. A guy can only take so much at a time."
Ginny smiled, and began to laugh. Draco chuckled then took Ginny's hands in his. He pulled her closer to him and brought his lips to hers. Ginny found his lips to be very soft, just like before. She forgot how nice it felt to be so close to him and wished she could remain like this forever. Reluctantly, they pulled apart.
"I promise next time to write." Draco smiled, then brought her close to him again.
The End
(A/N: Ok, I know five chapters is short, but the chapter lengths are LONG!!! I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing! Salut!)
Ginny's dress robes were a dark blue which complemented her eyes. She looked into the mirror, feeling a dozen knots tie themselves in her stomach. The others would be coming up soon to get ready, and Ginny had been avoiding Draco as much as she possibly could. At the meeting the night before Draco had gone over the plans once again, and everyone knew the part they would play. Draco had forgotten to give Ginny a role, but she wasn't about to point that out.
"Well, here goes nothing." Ginny left the dorm and met the others on her way down.
"Lookin' sharp!" Zabini gave her a thumbs up.
"Don't worry, it's not your fault Hannah likes you more." Goyle reassured her.
Ginny rolled her eyes, then headed towards the Hufflepuff entrance. She had conjured a small bouquet of flowers then waited. Eight o'clock rolled around, and no Hannah. The entrance opened up and a few guys and girls walked out, arm in arm.
"Do you know if Hannah is ready?" Ginny asked.
"So you're John?" One of the girls asked, raising an eyebrow in approval. "Hannah's almost finished. She wants to look perfect for tonight."
Ginny thanked them, then continued to wait. It wasn't until Eight Thirty that the entrance finally opened once again and a few more people came out. Among them was Hannah. She was in a light yellow robe and her hair was done up in ringlets and twists. Ginny noted the hairstyle so she could try it on herself once she was herself again. She smiled, then handed Hannah the bouquet.
Hannah took them greedily and inhaled.
"They smell beautiful!" She exclaimed, then she took Ginny's arm and they headed towards the Great Hall.
Ginny, to say the least, felt very weird. It felt strange to have a girl, a pretty girl, have her arm around hers and receive so much attention. They entered the Hall and were greeted by tall Christmas tress decked in silver and gold. It looked as if they were in a forest with the pine smell and the starry crystal clear sky overhead. They even had enchanted stone animals moving around. The tables were set up in the back of the Hall, and a dance floor was in the front. Ginny walked Hannah to a table and sat down.
"Let's go dance!" Hannah exclaimed, and grabbed Ginny's hand and dragged her towards the front.
Not many people were in the Hall, and even fewer were dancing. The fast song that was playing a while ago slowly turned into a slow song. Hannah gave an excited squeal and pulled Ginny in close. They were moving along the dance floor when Ginny spotted Draco walk in with a pretty fourth year attached to his arm. Ginny made a mental note not to taste the punch.
The Hall filled up and Ginny's feet fastly began to grow tired. Finally Hannah dragged Ginny back to a the table they were at, which just happened to be next to Draco's. Draco kept his eyes at the front of the Hall, and made no sign of recognition towards Ginny.
"What shall I have to eat?" Hannah said to herself, glancing at the refreshments table. "John, will you get me some strawberries and cream and some punch?"
Ginny was all too willing to put space between herself and Hannah. She left for the table and took as long as she could dishing up the cream. She chose some plump strawberries and got a glass of punch. She wondered if Draco had spiked it yet, but then remembered it wasn't going to happen until 11:00, an hour before the dance was to end.
"Thank you." Hannah smiled. "Now feed them to me."
"What?" Ginny looked at her, disgusted. "I will not."
"Oh, please? It would be so sweet." Hannah begged.
"Gross, no way!" Ginny heard a scoffing noise coming from the direction of Draco.
"Fine, then I'll feed them to you...it's more sexy that way." Hannah chose a large strawberry and dipped it in cream. She began inching it closer to Ginny, who backed away.
Ginny heard some mumbling near by, and turned to see Draco looking very evilly at Hannah. While Ginny's eyes were on Draco, Hannah chose that opportunity and plunged the strawberry into Ginny's mouth.
"You got some cream on your nose." Hannah giggled. She reached over and wiped it off with her finger, then licked it off her finger.
"You know, I promised a fellow Slytherin a dance...gotta go!" Ginny sprang from the table and headed towards a group of wallflowers. "Um, care to dance?"
The girl looked up, completely taken by surprise. "S--sure."
The rest of the night she played philanthropist to the girls who couldn't get dates. They were very grateful, except for Hannah. She remained at the table and stared at Ginny with both anger and hurt. The time ticked by, and soon she saw Draco nonchalantly make his way to the refreshment table and then he dropped the potion into the punch. She watched as people took the punch, completely ignorant to what was in it. As she saw Harry, Ron, Hermione and their dates she wondered what would happen if she asked them the things they always kept from her.
Small pockets of arguments started sprouting up around the Hall, but no one noticed. Ginny decided she didn't want to be around when things got ugly, so she crept towards the doors but was stopped just before she left.
"Where do you think you're going?" Zabini asked, grabbing her arm.
"Let go, I'm going to bed." Ginny tried to pry his fingers off of her, but to no avail.
"Don't you want to see the grand finale?" Zabini's eyes glimmered.
"What grand finale?" Ginny didn't hear about anything other than the spiking of the punch.
"Oh, I have a little interview with Potter." Zabini's eyes shot open. "Only you'll be asking the questions."
"What? No way! I'm leaving." Ginny once again made an effort to leave but was held back.
"You don't think I planned all this just as some prank, do you?"
"You didn't plan it...Draco did." Ginny said.
Zabini rolled his eyes. "Of course I wanted everyone to THINK Draco did. No use in having it pinned on me if we get caught. Oh no, I'll be well paid for the information I get out of Potter."
"I won't let you do it." Ginny said determined.
"How are you going to stop me?" Zabini sneered.
"I will." A voice startled them. They quickly turned to see Draco, who had been standing there the whole time.
"Malfoy, you stay out of this." Zabini shot.
"Zabini, you always were very poor at concealing things. I gave Potter and his fan club the antidote. Now get out of here before someone gets hurt."
Zabini gave Draco an unbelieving look, then left in a huff.
"Thanks." Ginny said, and began to rub her sore arm.
"I'm sorry. I didn't know he was going to use you." Draco began to pop a few pieces of candy into his mouth when Goyle came up behind him and slapped him on the back.
"You're plan is working!" Goyle shouted. "Everyone is saying what's REALLY on their minds and it's hilarious!" Goyle stopped suddenly upon seeing Draco begin to choke.
"He's choking!" Ginny exclaimed.
Goyle immediately began to pat him on the back again, but Ginny pushed him away. "That'll only make it worse! We need to dislodge what's in his throat...some punch!"
Goyle grabbed a glass of punch from off a nearby table and gave it to Draco. He began drinking it while Ginny started the Heimlich. A large piece of candy shot out of his mouth and hit the wall. Draco fell to his knees, gasping for breath.
"I'll take him to Pomfrey...just in case." Ginny said, then said goodbye to Goyle.
Ginny allowed Draco to drape his arm over her shoulders as they walked down the barely lit corridors.
"How are you feeling?" Ginny questioned.
"Like when I was ten and fell off my broom." Draco responded.
"Well, nice description. What made you think of that?"
"Because my worst memory came after that. My Father took a strap to me...I wasn't allowed to fly yet."
Ginny looked at Draco and noticed his gazed expression. That's when it registered that he drank some of the spiked punch. Ginny smiled...she could have some fun with this.
"What's your worst fear?" Ginny asked.
"To be alone." Draco responded. Ginny didn't expect that, but knew at once he was surely under the influence of Veritiserum.
"Do you really like Hannah?" Ginny asked.
"I did...but not any more."
"Ha! I knew it!" Ginny exclaimed. "You jerk!" She dropped him to the ground. "You were acting all hurt and woe-is-me because she began liking me, when you really stopped liking her!" Ginny smiled mischievously. "Who do you like now?"
Ginny was absolutely not prepared for what came next. "You."
Her eyes opened wide and she gasped. "What?"
Just then Draco's expression changed, and Ginny knew he was coming off the potion. It must have not lasted longer because it was diluted.
"What did I say?" Draco asked, scared.
"Umm..."
"I heard you ask me something...but I don't remember what I said." Draco looked pleadingly into Ginny's eyes.
"Um, you said you didn't like Hannah any more."
"I remember that...it was after that."
Ginny didn't know if she should tell him or not, but then remembered how rude he was to her. It was only fair he should get his just rewards.
"You said you liked me which means you're gay!" Ginny wanted to laugh, but Draco's forlorn self stopped her.
"I can't be gay...I'm Draco...I like women." Draco looked as if someone had told him he was no longer a human, but a tree , and everything he ever knew was false.
"It's ok, Draco, I need to tell you--"
"Don't tell me anything!" Draco yelled. "Ugh, I don't know what happened! I just...started liking--" Draco ran his hands through his hair, then looked angrily at Ginny.
"Hey, it's not MY fault!" Ginny said defensively.
Once again he looked as if he were going to sock her, but instead he reached out and pulled her close to him and brought his lips to hers. Ginny was taken completely in shock. It wasn't until five seconds into the kiss that she realized how warm it felt in the drafty corridor. She wrapped her own arms around his neck and he responded by deepening the kiss.
Without warning, he pulled away. "I can't do this!" He screamed at himself.
Ginny wanted to yell, "Yes! Yes you can!" But she knew he wouldn't understand...until...
"Draco, I have something to tell you...I'm not who you think I am."
"What do you mean?"
Ginny looked down at her watch. It was a minute until twelve. "Wait just a minute."
"I can't wait just a minute! I need to sort--"
Ginny stopped him by waving her hand in the air. A few seconds later the clock struck twelve and Ginny began feeling the tingling sensation in her scalp again. She began to shrink, and her hair grew longer and she could see its color was back. She looked up at Draco who looked frozen.
"What?" Ginny said in her usually higher pitched voice.
"You're a--"
"Yes, a girl." Ginny giggled, forgetting her vow she had made against giggling.
"That's not what I was going to say." He paused. "You're a Weasley."
Ginny rolled her eyes. "Well, I just thought you'd be overjoyed that you're not gay...I'm leaving." Ginny had had enough of all this mind numbing nonsense. She wanted out, and finally she got some information...Zabini was a follower and perhaps they'd take that from her.
Ginny began walking away but Draco ran up to her.
"Hey. I didn't say I wanted you to leave." Draco said.
"Look, I did this thing which I can't explain and that's why I was a boy and put into Slytherin. I've had a horrible time being at your beck-and-call and following that dewy eyed Hannah around school. And to top it all off I had to fall for you, a Malfoy, the natural enemy to all Weasley's and you probably hate me." Ginny stopped to catch her breath. "I just want to go to sleep and wake up and pretend this never happened."
Again Ginny began to walk away but Draco gently grabbed her by the arm.
"What if I don't want to pretend it never happened?" Draco softly said.
Ginny looked up into his eyes in confusion.
"I've told you things about myself I was afraid to voice before. Do you think I'd throw all that away just because you're a Weasley?" Draco brought his hands to Ginny's face and wiped away the tears that were beginning to sprout. "You're all I want."
"But--" Ginny began to protest.
"Hush." Draco put his finger to her lips to silence her. He looked down into her woodsy eyes then lowered his head and embraced her lips with his own. Their kiss was disrupted by yells coming from the Great Hall.
They both turned around to see students milling out of the Hall yelling at each other, some even throwing food. Draco smiled, just the reaction he was hoping for. Ginny began to laugh.
"I can't believe you said that about me!" Someone yelled.
"I didn't mean to! It just--came out." Was the reply.
Arguments sprung up here and there as the students all separated into their own houses. No one even noticed the two spectators.
"So what are you going to do?" Draco asked.
"I don't know...tell Dumbledore I want out."
"Or...you could sleep on it." Draco smiled.
"Draco Malfoy! I have my standards!" Ginny yelled.
"A guy can try." Draco grinned, then kissed Ginny. "I'll take you to Dumbledore's office."
"How do you know where it is?" Ginny asked.
"I've been there on a number of occasions."
~*~*~
Ginny had slept in a small room in the hospital wing that night. The next day students were preparing to depart for the Winter Holidays. Ginny had told Dumbledore and a Ministry Representative everything she had collected during the school year. She told them Zabini had planned what happened last night in hopes to get information out of Harry for some dark wizard. They thanked Ginny, then escorted her home where her parents greeted her, thankful she was in one piece.
Ginny didn't even have time to tell Draco she was leaving so soon. Dumbledore didn't want to risk her being spotted as herself, seeing as she was supposed to be in America. She wanted to write to him, but figured he'd be home and forget all about her.
All during the Winter Holidays not one letter came from Hogwarts. Ginny began to think Draco had forgotten about her and it seemed it was true. She lounged around the house in a dazed stupor. Her parents thought it must have been from her experiences as a boy and decided she needed time to think things over. But loneliness was not what Ginny wanted.
There was a huge debate over whether Ginny should go back to Hogwarts once the Winter Holidays were over. Her parents argued that she should have more time to relax after the task she had done, but Ginny was set on returning.
The first day back was hard for Ginny. It seemed like it had been years since she last walked down the long corridors. Everything was familiar to her, yet foreign at the same time. She had seen her world from two different perspectives; hers and John's. She would never be the same Ginny again.
She was thankful that most of her classes took her far from where Draco would be. He had said he liked her, but a persons feelings change. She couldn't bare to see him look at her in disdain as he once did. Ginny was too busy making up work and stories of America to really care about running into Draco. Everyone she knew came up to her asking how America was and if she liked it. Ginny was hard pressed not to be caught in a lie. And her workload was nearly double that of anyone else's.
It was a month into the second semester and Ginny was in the library working on Transfiguration. Ginny looked out the windows at the gloomy sky. It hadn't snowed in days but the clouds looked ready to burst. Ginny looked back down at her books and tried to keep the words in focus. Hermione had been helping Ginny catch up but presently she was elsewhere.
"Probably having another adventure with Ron and Harry." Ginny muttered.
"What's that?" Someone had come up to her.
Ginny looked up at Draco and noticed his eyes matched the storm threatening clouds outside. He was standing in front of her, leaning against the table. Ginny's heart gave a little skip as his cologne drifted towards her nose.
"Huh?" Ginny stammered.
"You said something about Ron and Harry." Draco stated.
Ginny wished he would show some emotion in those cold eyes of his. If she only knew whether he hated her or still liked her, but his eyes were clouded over and impossible to read.
"It's nothing." Ginny softly said.
Draco gave a curt nod of the head, then pulled up a chair and sat across from her.
"So were you ever going to write or did you think it would be great fun to torture me?" Draco sneered.
Ginny's angers lowly rose, giving her more confidence. "Me write? What about you? Were you completely incapable of writing over the Holidays? What, did you temporarily lose your ability to hold a quill? Or write the English language?"
"It's not in my blood to spout out poetry."
"Well it's not in mine to humiliate myself."
"So you think liking me is humiliating? Fine, then let's just forget it ever happened after all?"
"Fine!" Ginny closed her books, then stormed out of the library.
"I'm not finished with you!" Draco yelled after her.
Ginny was half walking, half jogging down the corridors with Draco closely behind her stating the many unpleasant things she was; temptress, wench, whore. Ginny's face grew redder by the minute, but it wasn't until he made a remark about her hair that she turned on her heels, causing Draco to run into her.
She glared her eyes at him and pushed him away. "You little leach."
"Is that the best you could do?" He smiled.
"I grew up in a loving household with parents who care with an upbringing that stresses integrity. I'm sorry you had to live in such a loveless house where name calling is your preferred past time. I will not sink as low as you."
The mention of Draco's family brought his anger to a boiling point. "Don't you ever talk about my family like that again."
"Why not?" Ginny crossed her arms over her chest. "You talk about mine all the time! I'm sorry you were born into it…as I'm sure your parents are even more sorry!" Ginny smiled at her triumph but her smile soon turned to a frown…it seemed she had taken a step over the line.
Draco let out a cry of rage as he ran towards her but Ginny had the sense enough to stand out of his way. She watched as he lunged towards empty air, then fall to the ground in a lump. He lay there motionless and Ginny began to panic.
"Draco!" She cried, bending down towards him. She rolled him over onto her lap so she could see his face. He had a small cut on his forehead that was oozing blood. She patted his face with her hand trying to wake him up but it didn't work. "Wake up!" She pleaded. She retrieved her wand from her pocket and patched up his wound then performed a reviving spell. Draco's eyes fluttered open and he stared up confused.
"What happened?" He asked groggily.
"You fell." A small tear came to Ginny's eyes but she quickly wiped it away.
She was all too aware of Draco's weight in her lap and the warmth he gave her in the cold corridor. He closed his eyes trying to collect his thoughts and tried to sit up but fell back.
"Don't, you should rest a bit." Ginny wiped his forehead of a small amount of sweat that appeared. She pushed back his hair and smiled.
"What?" Draco asked, eyeing her suspiciously.
"I don't know…I just think you're cute when you're helpless."
"Oh please." Draco rolled his eyes, then once again tried to get up. He was successful with this attempt and he sat across from Ginny. "I have a splitting head ache."
"I'm sorry." Ginny said.
"It's not your fault."
"No, I mean for not writing you." Ginny stared down at her hands. "I was just hoping you'd write me first."
Ginny felt Draco's hand on her chin, forcing her to stare into his face. "Look, I should have written you. I guess I was just scared. First you're a guy, then you're my enemy's sister. A guy can only take so much at a time."
Ginny smiled, and began to laugh. Draco chuckled then took Ginny's hands in his. He pulled her closer to him and brought his lips to hers. Ginny found his lips to be very soft, just like before. She forgot how nice it felt to be so close to him and wished she could remain like this forever. Reluctantly, they pulled apart.
"I promise next time to write." Draco smiled, then brought her close to him again.
The End
(A/N: Ok, I know five chapters is short, but the chapter lengths are LONG!!! I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing! Salut!)