A/N ~ here go the thanks! First off, w&M law (OMG YOU REVIEWED OMG YOU REVIEWED ME AHH!!!!!!!! THANKS!!!!!) Evil Goth Girlie (thanks…sorry!) Hermione Malfoy (I would have died too!) Macabre (Well I had to keep him in character?) Bumble Bee, Piper (No worries I'll explain it all) Raven Mars (right…does that mean you liked it?) LilyAyl (AHH you figured me out! Lol) Padfoot Lover (thanks me either) Hydrana Evila (WHY ON EARTH SHOULD I HATE YOU? By the way, Thanks!) Kimmy Larisa KRACILT (HUN! Tell Jenny and Maggie, Neville wants his reviews
Now for the story!
CHAPTER 3
Virginia had her room totally unpacked. The students would come tomorrow; classes would begin the next day. Then she would be a professor…Going through her stuff she found a framed picture from her freshman year at Oxford. In it stood three witches and two Muggles, two brunettes, two blondes and one with flaming red hair. But the differences didn't show because all five of the girls had beaming smiles, arms around one another, and feather boas around their necks. Virginia smiled at the memory looking how because that picture had been taken with a magic camera, the figures were moving. The five girls were now doing a very spirited version of the can-can. Just for a laugh, Virginia shook down her long red hair, spun around the room and laughed and getting into her collegiate fun, fun, fun mood started dancing around her room, eyes squeezed shut, singing the song that one of the Muggle girls had taught her.
"Some boys kiss me, Some boys hug me, I think they're Ok, (Ok) If they can't give me proper credit I just walk away…They can beg and they can plead but they can't see the light (that's right) cause the boy with the cold hard cash is always mister right…Cause we are living in a material world and I am a material girl…You know that we are living in a material world and I am a material…" Virginia stopped suddenly as she felt a hand on her shoulder. Raising her eyes to the skies she threw up her hands and screamed in her loudest voice,
"MALFOY! Why must you always creep up on me when I'm at my worst!" She whipped around and found her self face to face with…Harry Potter.
"Uh, Ginny…I mean Virginia, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt, It's just Hermione and Sean wanted to know if you wanted to play cards…according to Sean we won't have much time for such foolishness when the students arrive…we wanted to know if you're interested?
"Yes, Yes…just wait one moment". She took a few bobby pins magicked them onto her head to hold up her hair and grabbed a navy blue cloak. Harry walked her down to the Great Hall in silence, Virginia blushing at being caught singing muggle songs by a man who just might be conceited enough to believe she still loved him. Virginia abashed herself for the thoughts. It was Harry, the valiant Harry, Harry who was always so uncomfortable around women. No, Harry wouldn't believe that…he was too kind and good besides…it wasn't like he was Malfoy.
Virginia looked at those seated at the table and whispered to herself, "Speak of the devil". For there sat Malfoy, teeth glinting in the candlelight, nonchalance written on his face like that as an expert polker player. Harry following her eyes smiled at her words and nodding at Malfoy whispered to her,
"Yes…and one may believe you talk about our own true Lucifer…only he goes by the name of Draco". Virginia giggled at his words and sat herself down at the far end of the table, the farthest she could get from Malfoy. The game went on for quite awhile, going extremely well for Virginia, not so well for everyone else. It was then when the game was left to Virginia and Draco everyone else drawing out. Suddenly a voice spoke from the shadows.
"What is this gambling? Detention Potter". Virginia laughed at the sheer ridiculous of it all.
"Professor Snape…you can't give Harry a detention. He's a professor now". Snape glowered at them all sitting around the table until his eyes came to rest on Malfoy.
"One may think you'd value your job more than that Miss Weasley. However…because…Well just stop it all of you and go to your dorms. We have a big day tomorrow…Mr. Malfoy are you drunk?"
"Melly, I ain't so very drunk!" He stumbled out of his chair, an obvious slur to his words. Now, Professor…how come you don't wanna play? I know how much you love polker!" Malfoy fell to the floor. Snape looked enraged at them all.
"Miss Weasley escort Mr. Malfoy to his rooms. Everyone else just just…I don't care what you do, just get out of my sight". With that he turned on his heel and walked away. Draco put his arm around Virginia's waist, head resting on her shoulder. As they walked away, Virginia supporting Malfoy looked at him and whispered very quietly almost fearful,
"You aren't drunk are you?" Draco straightened up and smiled his most charming smile at her.
"Of course not my dear! But…how else was I supposed to get you alone?" and with that he picked her up, slung over his shoulder, the way St. Nicolas was depicted carrying his toys, and acting as if she weighed less than a feather. Virginia screamed and started kicking her legs.
"PUT ME DOWN! I mean it, if you don't put me down at once I'll scream so loud that well I don't know how much, but it will be loud! Put me down. I say put me down!" Draco looked down at her and smiled.
"What will you give me if I do that?"
"Nothing! PUT ME DOWN!"
"Now, Fair Virginia, do stop kicking you are bruising my ribs. So I have not the token of your love?" He frowned but his eyes were smiling." Yes, I'm putting you down my darling. Just don't ever ask me for free favors again", and with that he very gently and lightly swung her down.
"I wouldn't ask for favors had you not put me up there in the first place!" She screamed at him. He did not seem highly affected by her words; he just absentmindley stroked his chin.
"You do have a point. Ah well…just remember…I'm a bargainer…as well as a gambler…a speculator…a many number of risky things". Virginia not thinking of what she was saying looked up at him.
"I'm a better card player". He laughed and said,
'That remains to be seen. Tell me, since the game has ended, what were your cards?"
"Aces & Eights. Dead man's hand".
"You would have won. I was playing for a royal flush but alas…" he lifted his eyes to stare straight into hers as if trying to conjure something out of them, " I was missing my queen". Virginia looked at him. His expression was emotionless. He was walking down the hall not looking at anything in particular but not avoiding looking at anything. He was truly careless. Virginia shook her head mad at herself thinking that he could actually be insinuating…that he would want to…that he could possibly be talking bout her…she shook her head. She searched her mind for something to talk about because she'd give herself away if she said anything. Finally she thought of a point that had been bothering her all day.
"You lied to me". He lifted an eyebrow and looked at her oddly.
"When?"
"When you said that your mom was half-muggle. Lucius Malfoy would never marry a muggleborn".
"Too bad she wasn't. She was like Potter. Her dad's family was muggle and she was raised with them, her mom a witch. But, you are right, my father wouldn't have married her except that Vol-You-Know-Who was half muggle so my fathers like ok then it's cool".
"O. Then I'm sorry for accusing you".
"I'm sorry that you didn't believe me". The tension in the air was almost tangible, the mood had broken. Malfoy nodded looked at her and said he knew his own way to his room and left Virginia to walk the rest of the way to her chamber, somewhat worse off now that he had left her.
*****
The next morning everyone was at breakfast. Almost everyone was nervous
because the students would be here today. Everyone was except for a small section of the table,
the polker playing group. They were talking bout the army. Harry's face had just taken on a look
of bitterness as he trashed everyone one of deatheaters. Virginia was listening with one
ear closed until they started talking about the Battle of Azkaban, the only battle that the
Deatheaters army had actually won. Virginia knew from talking with Hermione that, that was the
Battle that Harry's wife had been lost at, while she was carrying Harry's child. No wonder Harry was bitter. Almost silently Harry slipped Virginia a picture of a woman.
"That's my wife. I promised you a picture of her". Harry gave her a very sad smile. Virginia looked down at the picture. In the moving photo showed a girl with jet-black hair that was boy cropped but what would have been very lovely if it were long; the girl had the most beautiful dark expressive eyes, and a full pouting mouth. Draco looked over Virginia's shoulder at the picture.
"Potter, looks like you like Asians. Cho Chang, this small beauty…guess that means you would have never had a chance Virginia". The table went silent at this. Virginia very silently rose from her chair and walked away as dignified as she could manage. But it's hard to have dignity when you have tears streaming down her face. She didn't know why she was crying, it wasn't the words that he said, it was from sheer embarrassment, and also from the tone in which he said it. Or maybe it wasn't that, maybe it was because she had decided she might actually not only enjoy his company, but also crave it because he was so…well he was himself. She had no idea when her hatred towards him had changed but sometime over the past five days it had. Besides many insults had no effect on Virginia, unless they came from those she cared about.
Draco, seeing the hurt in her eyes rose out of his chair and called to her. "Virginia darling, it was only a jest. I didn't mean it truly!" He got out of the seat and took a step toward her. Hermione laid a hand on his arm pulling him back to the table. Out of the Great Hall Virginia ran to an empty classroom. Shutting the door, she put a hand against her heart, trying to still the sobs that were breaking from her lips. She decided that would be a memory to haunt her, Draco's voice malevolent, and his eyes mocking. Mocking Hogwarts, mocking Harry, mocking her. Mocking her because he saw right through her strict veneer, mocking her because she had loved a man she never had…never would have, mocking her because her heart showed plain on her face and if he just looked it would be obvious that she was in love with him. Quieting her sobs, her hurt started to swiftly change to anger. I hate him. She thought to herself. Who was he to laugh at her? Embarrass her in front of all their friends? Just who did he think he was? Draco Malfoy. She answered herself. He's Draco, handsome, funny, charming, totally insincere, mean, hurtful, and all those things that made you love him. Now she spoke aloud as if to dispel all demons in her mind,
"I don't love him anymore!" A small voice spoke up from the depths of the room as if quoting from a textbook.
"You can't wake up one morning and decide you don't love someone anymore. Love is forever". Virginia smacked herself in the head.
"Is there no privacy in this place!" The voice answered her again.
"Of course not. This is a school. S-C-H-O-O-L school. There is no privacy none at all".
"Good morning Tabitha". Virginia turned around to see Hermione's daughter smiling very smugly at her. "Why aren't you with your mother at breakfast?"
"Well…I'm supposed to be eating breakfast with Madam Pomfrey, because school is starting. But…I run faster then her". Virginia looked at the small girl.
"So instead you decide to spy on me". Tabitha shook her head.
"I was just hiding from Madam Pomfrey. It isn't my fault you came in here and decided to rant about you and Draco".
"You know to much little girl".
"Yup, I'm a wonderful eavesdropper. I also live in a boarding school. I've grown up with romantic troubles my whole life. You come to see me, when you need help dearie". Virginia looked at the little girl in amazement. Seeing the smile on Tabitha's face, Virginia decided that that was Sean's smile. Never Harry's kid if one looked closer, Tabitha had Sean's mouth, Sean's eyes, Sean's jawline and Hermione's nose. Only the hair color looked like Harry's on closer inspection. Tabitha patted Virginia on the leg. Tabitha walked up as if to leave and then turned around and recited what seemed to be a child's verse.
"Never give up if you still want to try…
Never stop the tears if you still want to cry…
Never be sastified with an answer if you still want to know…" Virginia muttered to herself,
"Of course you'd put that in you're Hermione's kid". Tabitha brought her eyes, a bright green to meet Virginia's and finished the rhyme.
"And never say you don't love him if you can't let him go". Virginia looked from Tabitha to the door, to back to Tabitha to the door again. Nodding at Hermione's daughter she set off at a run. Only this time she wasn't running away. She was running to him. Draco.
Disclaimer…everything J.K.R.'s blahty blahty blahty blah. Tabitha's mine. She's cute ain't she??? Lol. Oh yeah, Virginia's singing material girl by Madonna. I think I got the lyrics messed up but…oh well
A/N/ PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW!!!! Constructive crictisism but no flame. And also as a big favor to me…. Please review Kimmy Larisa KRACILT she deserves it and if any of you like me at all, Please r/r Lily White…she's the one who got me involved in FanFic and she's thinking of quitting because no-one like her stuff (supposedly) so PLEASE read and review for her. Ok thanks!!!!!
HarrHhHHHH
