A/N: These really aren't supposed to be cliffies, and if I were a faster
writer, you would just go from chapter to chapter in one easy movement.
But they do seem like the most logical place to end the chapters, so I'll
just try to finish this thing and not leave you hanging. Again, thank you
to everyone who is reading, reviewing, and threatening! K
Draco heard the lock on the door snick open and debated whether or not to pretend that he was still asleep. But before he had a chance, Weasley's face appeared in the doorway, peering at him questioningly. She had an odd look on her face, almost playful. He sat up, looking from her face, which was flushed, to the hands she held carefully behind her back, to the snow dusting the bottom of her cloak. Snow? It had snowed for Christmas and he was missing it. He felt a quick stab of irritation for everything he was missing because of Weasley. Any remorse he'd felt earlier was washed away in the surge of anger. She was up to something, no doubt. And that something would be at his expense. So this was it. She was finally going to take her revenge! Draco cursed under his breath as he got quickly to his feet. Well, he told himself, whatever it was, he wasn't going to take it sitting down!
Ginny gave him an impish little grin, almost squirming with anticipation. She just needed to get the dratted door closed, then she would pelt him with the snowballs she'd brought up! Finally pulling the door closed behind her, she focused on Malfoy's face. Then she paused. He was standing in the middle of his cell, staring at her warily. He knew she was up to something, and was trying to get ready for it, it seemed. Let him, she thought. She knew her aim was accurate, and he didn't have anywhere to run! Then it hit her. He had nowhere to run. He wasn't a boyfriend or a mate to play winter games with. Draco Malfoy was her prisoner! It would be unfair to attack him when he couldn't hit back.
Ginny's shoulders slumped and she looked away, ashamed of herself. She'd wanted someone to talk to, to keep her company until everyone else awoke, even to share the Christmas snow with, and had unfairly assumed that it was okay to come bother Malfoy. She almost just turned and left, but Malfoy stopped her.
"Well, Weasley," he sneered softly. "Lost your nerve? You were going to do something, weren't you? Maybe try to drown me again? Or maybe you wanted to throw something more lethal at me this time?"
Ginny glanced up into his arrogant face, her temper flaring at his tone of voice. She didn't mind the words; they were true enough. But the way he said it was just so irritating! She pulled her hands from behind her back.
"It snowed, Malfoy," Ginny gritted through her teeth. "I was going to throw these at you. But, then I remembered that it isn't fair to attack an unarmed man. Someone who is basically," she paused, as close to sneering as she could manage at the moment, "at my mercy!"
Ginny expected a show of anger, but was surprised when Malfoy began to howl with laughter! He pointed at her, trying to say something, but couldn't. He just doubled over and laughed harder. Oh, gods, this was rich. He'd expected an attack and she was threatening him with slushy lumps of snow! She was absolutely deranged! He'd choked her, attacked her, insulted her and the best she could manage was SNOWBALLS! He tried to control himself, but when he looked at the outraged expression on her face he went off into another fit of laughter.
Ginny felt more stupid than ever. Of course he was laughing. She must seem like an imbecile to him. She looked at the two dripping mounds of snow in her hands, wondering what to do with them. All her joy in the day was melting away as quickly as the snow on the hem of her cloak. And she wished the stupid git would stop laughing. Ginny had just decided to toss the snow into the fire when Malfoy finally choked out a question.
"What-happened-Weasley?" he laughed. "Afraid you'd-miss?" Then he went off again. Ginny glared at him.
"If I wanted to hit you, Malfoy," she snapped, "make no mistake. I would!"
Draco's laughter dried up immediately. That sounded like a threat! He was still smirking, though. "Weasley, you couldn't hit the side of the castle at ten paces," he sneered.
But the words weren't even out of his mouth when Ginny hauled her arm back and let fly with one of the snowballs. It flew straight and true, through the bars, directly at his face.
Too late, Draco remembered that this girl had one of the highest scoring records in Hogwarts Quidditch history. Her aim was deadly. Draco saw the snowball coming, but barely had time to react. He lifted his left hand and caught it just an inch from his nose. Or, rather, he would have caught it if it hadn't exploded into a thousand small, wet, icy chunks as it slammed into his palm. Even so, the impact drove his hand back into his face, causing a painful blow to the nose Ginny had so wanted to break the night before. Water and ice pelted his hair and neck, and Draco stumbled back a step, surprised. That was one hell of a throw.
When Ginny realized what she'd done, she put her hand to her mouth, ashamed and horrified. She couldn't help a small tug of satisfaction when the missile hit its target dead-on, but it was a mean, horrible thing to do! She was, therefore, very surprised to hear Malfoy laugh again! She looked at him, expecting to see him smirking at her, but he was just grinning! Had she missed something?
"Very nice, little weasel," he said. "Once again, I didn't know you had it in you. But your Weasley honor seems to have gone by the wayside. What happened to not attacking an unarmed man?"
Ginny blushed furiously. He wasn't sneering at her. In fact, the admiration in his voice was what had caused her blushing. But he was right. She had unfairly attacked. She looked down again, then grinned. She moved suddenly to the bars of the cell, easily within his grasp. Extending her left hand, she looked up at him.
"I have another, if you want to get even?"
Draco looked from her hand to her face, not even noticing that she was standing close enough for him to grab her. She was unbelievable. He had provoked her and she had (very reasonably, in Draco's opinion) retaliated. Now she was offering to give him a chance to hit her back? He looked more closely at her face, taking in the bright eyes, the small, playful smile, the flush on her cheeks, and the tousled, wind blown hair. She looked as though she just got out of bed. Draco swallowed. No, she looked like she had just left her lover's arms. He moved forward, reaching for the hand she held out. The sudden cold of the snow brought him out of the daze he seemed to have fallen in. He frowned at the snowball he was holding, ready to drop it and reach for her again, but she had backed away. She was standing near the door, facing him.
"Right, then, Malfoy, give it your best shot!" she said, still smiling, though somewhat stiffly now.
Draco turned his frown to her. Was she demented? Was she really standing there waiting for him to throw the damned slush ball at her? With a sound of disgust, he tossed it into the fireplace, where it sizzled and hissed and steamed.
Ginny let out the breath she'd been holding. Despite her show of bravado, she was a bit afraid that Malfoy might actually hurl the thing at her with all his strength. And she knew she didn't have his Seeker's quick reactions. If he aimed at her face, she would have a face full of snow. But, now she was at a loss. She had come in to show off her new Christmas outfit, but that was as ludicrous an idea as having a snowball fight. She glanced down at her bag, remembering the scrapbook. That seemed stupid, too. Malfoy wouldn't care that her mother had been a beautiful, alluring young woman. He would probably just find something else to insult her with. Stripping off the sodden mittens, Ginny stuffed them absently into her pockets and turned to the door.
"Er, I'm sorry about the mess, uh, and the snow, and bothering you. I'll bring some breakfast when I come back."
"Wait, Weasley," he said suddenly. She paused, giving him a questioning look. Damn, he thought. He wanted her to stay, but didn't want to ask. He didn't want her to think he wanted her company. It was just to relieve the boredom, that was all. Thinking quickly, he said, "Was that the only reason you came? To throw a damned snowball at me?"
He hadn't meant to sound so forlorn, but it was out already and he couldn't take it back. Besides, it seemed to work. She looked doubtful, but she moved away from the door.
"Well, actually, I had something to show you," she said quietly.
Ginny unslung the book bag and dropped it on the floor. She quickly removed her cloak and spread it out so the hem would dry. The room was uncomfortably warm, so she removed her robe as well. Be honest, she chided herself. She wanted to show off her new outfit, and that was all! Ginny finally lifted the book bag again and forced herself to look at Malfoy. She tried to brace herself for just about any reaction from none at all to ridicule, but she wasn't prepared for the reaction she got.
Draco watched her remove the cloak and silently willed her to remove the robe as well. He was surprised as hell, though, when she did exactly that. And he felt he'd received his Christmas present when he saw how she was dressed. He swallowed again, watching the smooth line of her slender waist and rounded hip as she moved to fold her robe. The sweater was a rich colour that brought out the fiery highlights in her short curls. The black jeans and tiny boots made her legs look longer. Her movements in the flickering firelight were tantalizing. Then she turned toward him. The full effect was amazing. She was not beautiful, but she was absolutely stunning! Her expression, however, was uncertain and it struck Draco that she was waiting for his reaction! She was looking for his approval, as impossible as it sounded! She stood for a second longer, trying to read his face. Damn, he'd better react then, instead of staring at her like a brainless idiot.
Ginny watched as Draco looked her up and down. The look in his eyes made Ginny slightly breathless. It was admiring, yes, but it was more than that. His eyes seemed to burn right into her. Then the look was gone. He smiled at her and gave her a thumbs up.
"Very nice, Weasley. Can I flatter myself that you dressed for my benefit? Is this my Christmas present?"
Ginny grinned. He'd caught her. She was shamelessly fishing for approval and he knew it. Oh, well, she thought. At least she knew she looked all right.
"Well," she answered honestly, "I got up before everyone else and opened my presents."
Moving toward the bars, she indicated her sweater and boots. "They looked so good, I wanted to try them on but no one else was up except you. I'm really sorry about bothering you, though," she added sweetly and insincerely.
Draco had to grin at the insincerity of her last statement. She didn't have anyone else to show off to, so why not come see him? He couldn't really stop her, could he? Not that he minded. Somehow he was glad to be the first one to see her in her holiday finery. He was still watching her as she lifted one of the extra pillows she'd left him and tossed it down at her feet. She sat, not even a foot from the bars, right in front of him.
Ginny looked up, a bit surprised at the grin on Malfoy's face. She knew she was taking a terrible risk, but she needed to resolve her problems with Malfoy, and maybe, just maybe, he might not want to hurt her.
Draco felt Weasley's look and felt soiled and uncomfortable next to her. He wanted to move away so she wouldn't smell his unwashed body or see the filth on his clothes. But her eyes were on his face and he felt pulled to her. He sat. She smiled at him, as though this were just a normal, everyday occurrence. He shifted and moved just a bit closer. She did the same, until her shoulder was almost leaning against one of the bars.
Now would be the perfect time to grab her wand, a voice in his head hissed. Draco lifted a hand toward her, but stopped. He couldn't. Besides, he told the voice, she wasn't wearing her robe and he doubted she carried her wand in a pants pocket. Then she pulled a heavy book from her bag and opened it, telling him she'd found it in the library last night. He made himself concentrate on her words.
"I was upset when I left here last night," she was saying. He didn't blame her. He'd just called her mother a fat cow or something like that. "So I wanted to show you that my mother is an amazing woman! I know it doesn't matter to you, but it does to me."
Her voice was quiet and hurt. Again, Draco couldn't blame her. But he'd been pretty upset, too. No one wanted to be told his father was a brutal, homicidal maniac, even if he didn't believe it! She held the book out to him, but he refused to take it.
"If you must show me, Weasley, then show me. But don't expect me to go looking myself," he growled at her.
Ginny sighed and turned slightly so she could hold the book on her lap while Malfoy looked at the pictures. She opened the book and flipped to the first picture of her mother. It was small and her mother was one of several girls, but she was easily the most vivacious. She stood out in the crowd. The next picture showed her mother and father in the Quidditch stands, cheering. After several pages, Ginny turned to the Graduation Ball picture. She felt a sting of tears when she saw her mother kiss her father again, wondering what Malfoy was making of this. She thought she had her answer, though, when he whispered, "Beautiful!" into her ear.
Draco barely glanced at Weasley's mum. Then he stared. This was not, could not be the dumpy, faded housewife he remembered seeing a few years ago. Although not slim, by any means, she had the kind of body boys would go mad for. But it was more than that. There was something in the lips, the eyes and even the body movement that was innately SEXY. He couldn't believe he was even thinking that word while looking at Molly Weasley. And he couldn't believe he hadn't noticed the same traits, though not nearly as pronounced, in her daughter. As Weasley flipped the pages, Draco saw that Weasley must have got her build from her father. He was slender (well, skinny was more like it) but rather taller than his daughter would ever be. And they both had the same determined facial expressions. Draco thought with a sudden shock that this man might actually be dangerous if a loved one was threatened. And he didn't look like the pathetic loser that Draco's father always insisted he was. Another unpleasant thought crept into Draco's head. How much of the Weasleys' money problems had to do, not with them being unable to handle money, but with malicious intervention from someone who had plenty of money. He didn't like this thought any better than some of others Weasley had planted in his brain. Pushing it away, he turned to glare at Weasley. Instead, he watched as she looked at her parents. The soft, loving gaze she gave them was incredible. He wondered what it would be like to feel that gaze himself, and know that it was for him, alone. He leaned in closer, catching a whiff of her light fragrance. His hand reached up to capture one of the shining curls, and he whispered, "Beautiful," before catching himself and pulling his hand back.
Smiling, Ginny said, "She is, isn't she?"
Draco looked quickly away and moved back a few inches. She had thought he was talking about her mum and he'd better just leave it that way. This girl was dangerous. She had him questioning himself, questioning his beliefs and doubting his own father. And he felt a strong, uncharacteristic attraction to her that made him even more uncomfortable. He never let anyone get under his skin, but Virginia Weasley had done so without even trying.
When Malfoy didn't answer, Ginny glanced at him. He was frowning at her again and she wondered what she'd done now. With a sigh, she closed the book and set it aside. Then she noticed the untouched dinner she'd brought last night.
"Well, that explains it," she muttered quietly.
"Explains what, little weasel?" Draco had moved away, but he couldn't stop himself from staring at her. He wanted to move back to her side, but forced himself to stay put. She had far too much hold over him as it was, without tempting himself by moving closer.
Ginny clicked her tongue at him, wishing he would stop using that insulting name. She pointed at the tray of cold food.
"You must be faint with hunger, Malfoy. No wonder you didn't try to throttle me or smack me with the snowball. You're just too weak right now." She reached behind her for the book bag she'd set aside, shaking her head at his stubbornness.
Draco had started to chuckle at the prim sounding voice she was using, but almost choked on it when her sweater pulled tight across her small bust as she reached. Small she might be, but perfectly formed to make a young man itch to touch her! What was wrong with the fellows in Gryffindor, anyway? Were they ALL as blind as Potter?
Surely one of them would have noticed this girl before? Surely HE should have noticed her before, but he'd been blinded by his obsessive hatred. Well, he was noticing now, and he didn't like it a bit! He had to get away from her so he could think clearly. But he couldn't seem to make himself move.
Ginny turned back, wondering at the strange expression on Malfoy's face. She shrugged, then fished out the box of fudge.
"All right, Malfoy," she said sternly. "You're going to eat this even if I have to force feed you! And if you feel like complaining, just tell yourself it's your Christmas present!"
Draco glanced at the box, completely uninterested in its contents. He was more interested in how her mouth suddenly looked pouty and stubborn. When she opened the box, though, he knew he was done for. Fudge! His weakness for sweets was the joke of the Slytherin Common Room. And this fudge looked dark and rich; exactly the kind he used to gorge on as a young child. His stomach rumbled as he watched her slender fingers lifting a piece of fudge from the box. But it seemed to droop and slide away from her grip.
"Oh, no!" Ginny cried. "I left it too close to the fire! It's all melted!"
She lifted her hand to show him the soft, gooey mess that stuck to her thumb and forefinger. She froze when he reached out and took her wrist.
"It still looks delicious to me," he breathed as he pulled her fingers to his lips. Lord, he must be insane! Just thinking about what he was about to do was making it difficult to breathe. He wanted to let her go, to move away from her clean smell and the soft, dazed expression in her eyes, but he couldn't. Then, softly, slowly, he took her forefinger into his mouth and licked it clean. He watched her eyes half close and her lips tremble as he did the same to her thumb. When he finished, he took her hand in both of his and idly played with her fingers. Draco was breathing hard and trying to get a hold of himself.
Ginny couldn't move. She couldn't even look away. She'd been stunned when she realized what he was going to do, but the first touch of his lips sent a surge of heat up her arm and through her body. Her body seemed to have gone limp, and she felt herself lean in closer, dangerously close. When he finally finished, she still couldn't pull her hand away. Instead, she studied Malfoy's face. She saw that he had a fine network of small scars along his jaw and up to the temple. His eyes were not cold gray as she'd often thought, but had flecks of green and blue in them as well. And they weren't at all cold at the moment. His lashes were much thicker than she'd thought, and just a shade darker than his hair and eyebrows. She also noticed something else. He had a beard! Well, not a beard, but a three- day's growth of stubble from not shaving! She'd never thought of that before. It seemed so odd! Without even thinking about it, Ginny lifted her hand to his face, lightly touching the bristles along his chin and jaw. She rubbed against the grain with the back of her hand and then stroked with her fingertips.
"It's so soft," she whispered in wonder. She'd never touched a boy's face like this before. Well, she'd touched other boys, while kissing, but never like this. It was so sensual, so intimate! There was a smudge of fudge on his lower lip and she wondered what he would do if she leaned forward and licked it off. He'd probably think she'd gone insane, but the urge to do it was almost irresistible. He's a Malfoy, she kept telling herself. He hates me and I hate him! That didn't matter at the moment, though. Especially when he lifted a hand to her neck to gently pull her closer.
Draco froze at her touch. He'd thought touching her, licking the smooth, rich chocolate from her strong fingers, and watching her dazed expression was torture. Then she reached up and touched him. Her touch sent a shiver down his spine. He clenched his hands into fists to keep from reaching out and trying to haul her through the bars and into his arms. Her breathy whisper was agony. She's-A-Weasley, he kept telling himself. It didn't seem to matter. Nothing seemed to matter but keeping her here, close to him, caressing his face. He leaned in closer, his face only an inch from hers. One hand slid around her neck, fingers tangling in the soft curls at her nape. She closed her eyes dreamily, leaning toward him.
And smacked her cheek right into an iron bar. Ginny's eyes snapped open and she pulled back sharply. Malfoy was still holding onto her, but the soft, sexy look on his face hardened into a typical smirk. Oh, no, she thought wretchedly. He hadn't meant it. The soft looks and caresses were nothing more than a prank.
"You, um, must have mistaken me for someone else," she said quietly. "I'm Ginny Weasley, remember? If just bumping into me on the train made you want to burn your robes, you'll no doubt want to disinfect yourself after this!"
She felt his hand drop away from her neck and she got shakily to her feet, wishing she could just sink into the ground. Without even trying very hard, Malfoy had her practically throwing herself at him.
Draco had seen the horror in her face when she realized how close she'd come to kissing him. What did he expect? But when he'd been holding her, something inside him had ripped open, leaving an aching hole that only she could mend. He'd wanted her to mend it, too. He'd wanted her soft mouth on his, her strong hands on his body. So, when he'd seen her reaction, all the wanting had turned bitter and he'd wanted only to hurt her for making him weak.
"Of course I remember who you are," he sneered, his gut twisting with anger and frustration. "But the mistake wasn't on my part. You didn't want to pollute yourself with a lying, murderous, cheating, hypocrite, isn't that right, little weasel?"
"Stop calling me that!" she snapped, turning back to him, fists clenched. She really would just storm into the cell and beat the holy crap out of him if he called her that again!
"Do you expect me to call you 'Ginny'?" he asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Why do you call yourself that stupid, little-girl name? You may fool everyone else with your sweet, innocent act, but you don't fool me anymore, little weasel."
Ginny marched up to where she'd left her robe. She fished her wand from the pocket and turned back to face Malfoy. She lifted the wand.
"What are you up to, Weasley?" Draco demanded. Her face was set in hard, angry lines. He was slightly nervous at having an enraged female pointing her wand at him.
"I'm going to open that cell and come in there and pound your arrogant, hateful face into the ground!" she gritted, removing the spells from the door. "And then, maybe the next time you have some stupid, little girl wrapped around your finger, you'll think twice about trying to hurt her!"
She turned back to the robe and began looking through the pockets again. With an oath, she threw it aside and searched her cloak pockets.
"Damn!" she hissed. The key wasn't there. Then she remembered she'd left it in the pocket of the robe she'd worn last night. Just her luck.
Draco watched her, not believing what he'd just heard. She'd threatened to pound his face into the ground, but that wasn't what held his attention. He had HER wrapped around his finger? She couldn't have meant that. If so, she would have seen how it had hurt when she'd pulled away from him as though disgusted.
Ginny threw her robe on and put the wand away.
"I'll be back, Malfoy," she hissed. "I've got to get the key to the lock. I might be delayed if your goons are still following me, but I will be back!"
Draco watched as she pulled her robe closed and fastened it. His goons? Crabbe and Goyle? But they had gone home for the holiday break, hadn't they?
"Weasley!" he called, a sick feeling settling in his gut. "Wait, stop!"
Ginny hurried to the door, wanting to leave before he could say or do something else to hurt her. The very real concern in his voice stopped her. Don't be stupid, she told herself. He could manipulate his voice just about any way he wanted. She looked cautiously at him.
Draco was gripping the bars tightly, wishing he could just pull them apart. He saw the hurt and wariness on her face and his stomach churned again. But he didn't have time to try to comfort her.
"What do you mean, my goons? Do you mean Crabbe and Goyle are still here at Hogwarts?"
Ginny frowned at him. Why wouldn't he know that? Wouldn't he know that they were staying here for the break?
"Yes," she answered impatiently. "Of course they are. Their names were on the list to stay." Or were they? Ginny had never looked for their names, just Malfoy's. And even Seamus had seemed surprised that they were still here, she remembered. Her stomach lurched. Had they stayed on purpose?
Draco swore under his breath. Then he looked at her again. "Weasley, where's my wand? Give it to me!"
"Your wand? What do you—,"
He cut her off sharply. "If you think you're going out there with those two maniacs loose, think again. Give me my wand so I can get out of here!"
"But, the lock needs a key! I know, I tested it before I put you in here! It's charmed against lock breaking spells."
Ginny was starting to feel scared, but couldn't help wondering if Malfoy was just bluffing. Why would Crabbe and Goyle want her other than to find Malfoy?
"Look, Malfoy," she said, forgetting her anger and trying to calm herself. "I'm just going to run back to Gryffindor and get the key. I was going to let you out anyway."
She turned back to the door, opened it quickly and slipped through even as Draco was yelling at her to wait.
Draco heard the lock on the door snick open and debated whether or not to pretend that he was still asleep. But before he had a chance, Weasley's face appeared in the doorway, peering at him questioningly. She had an odd look on her face, almost playful. He sat up, looking from her face, which was flushed, to the hands she held carefully behind her back, to the snow dusting the bottom of her cloak. Snow? It had snowed for Christmas and he was missing it. He felt a quick stab of irritation for everything he was missing because of Weasley. Any remorse he'd felt earlier was washed away in the surge of anger. She was up to something, no doubt. And that something would be at his expense. So this was it. She was finally going to take her revenge! Draco cursed under his breath as he got quickly to his feet. Well, he told himself, whatever it was, he wasn't going to take it sitting down!
Ginny gave him an impish little grin, almost squirming with anticipation. She just needed to get the dratted door closed, then she would pelt him with the snowballs she'd brought up! Finally pulling the door closed behind her, she focused on Malfoy's face. Then she paused. He was standing in the middle of his cell, staring at her warily. He knew she was up to something, and was trying to get ready for it, it seemed. Let him, she thought. She knew her aim was accurate, and he didn't have anywhere to run! Then it hit her. He had nowhere to run. He wasn't a boyfriend or a mate to play winter games with. Draco Malfoy was her prisoner! It would be unfair to attack him when he couldn't hit back.
Ginny's shoulders slumped and she looked away, ashamed of herself. She'd wanted someone to talk to, to keep her company until everyone else awoke, even to share the Christmas snow with, and had unfairly assumed that it was okay to come bother Malfoy. She almost just turned and left, but Malfoy stopped her.
"Well, Weasley," he sneered softly. "Lost your nerve? You were going to do something, weren't you? Maybe try to drown me again? Or maybe you wanted to throw something more lethal at me this time?"
Ginny glanced up into his arrogant face, her temper flaring at his tone of voice. She didn't mind the words; they were true enough. But the way he said it was just so irritating! She pulled her hands from behind her back.
"It snowed, Malfoy," Ginny gritted through her teeth. "I was going to throw these at you. But, then I remembered that it isn't fair to attack an unarmed man. Someone who is basically," she paused, as close to sneering as she could manage at the moment, "at my mercy!"
Ginny expected a show of anger, but was surprised when Malfoy began to howl with laughter! He pointed at her, trying to say something, but couldn't. He just doubled over and laughed harder. Oh, gods, this was rich. He'd expected an attack and she was threatening him with slushy lumps of snow! She was absolutely deranged! He'd choked her, attacked her, insulted her and the best she could manage was SNOWBALLS! He tried to control himself, but when he looked at the outraged expression on her face he went off into another fit of laughter.
Ginny felt more stupid than ever. Of course he was laughing. She must seem like an imbecile to him. She looked at the two dripping mounds of snow in her hands, wondering what to do with them. All her joy in the day was melting away as quickly as the snow on the hem of her cloak. And she wished the stupid git would stop laughing. Ginny had just decided to toss the snow into the fire when Malfoy finally choked out a question.
"What-happened-Weasley?" he laughed. "Afraid you'd-miss?" Then he went off again. Ginny glared at him.
"If I wanted to hit you, Malfoy," she snapped, "make no mistake. I would!"
Draco's laughter dried up immediately. That sounded like a threat! He was still smirking, though. "Weasley, you couldn't hit the side of the castle at ten paces," he sneered.
But the words weren't even out of his mouth when Ginny hauled her arm back and let fly with one of the snowballs. It flew straight and true, through the bars, directly at his face.
Too late, Draco remembered that this girl had one of the highest scoring records in Hogwarts Quidditch history. Her aim was deadly. Draco saw the snowball coming, but barely had time to react. He lifted his left hand and caught it just an inch from his nose. Or, rather, he would have caught it if it hadn't exploded into a thousand small, wet, icy chunks as it slammed into his palm. Even so, the impact drove his hand back into his face, causing a painful blow to the nose Ginny had so wanted to break the night before. Water and ice pelted his hair and neck, and Draco stumbled back a step, surprised. That was one hell of a throw.
When Ginny realized what she'd done, she put her hand to her mouth, ashamed and horrified. She couldn't help a small tug of satisfaction when the missile hit its target dead-on, but it was a mean, horrible thing to do! She was, therefore, very surprised to hear Malfoy laugh again! She looked at him, expecting to see him smirking at her, but he was just grinning! Had she missed something?
"Very nice, little weasel," he said. "Once again, I didn't know you had it in you. But your Weasley honor seems to have gone by the wayside. What happened to not attacking an unarmed man?"
Ginny blushed furiously. He wasn't sneering at her. In fact, the admiration in his voice was what had caused her blushing. But he was right. She had unfairly attacked. She looked down again, then grinned. She moved suddenly to the bars of the cell, easily within his grasp. Extending her left hand, she looked up at him.
"I have another, if you want to get even?"
Draco looked from her hand to her face, not even noticing that she was standing close enough for him to grab her. She was unbelievable. He had provoked her and she had (very reasonably, in Draco's opinion) retaliated. Now she was offering to give him a chance to hit her back? He looked more closely at her face, taking in the bright eyes, the small, playful smile, the flush on her cheeks, and the tousled, wind blown hair. She looked as though she just got out of bed. Draco swallowed. No, she looked like she had just left her lover's arms. He moved forward, reaching for the hand she held out. The sudden cold of the snow brought him out of the daze he seemed to have fallen in. He frowned at the snowball he was holding, ready to drop it and reach for her again, but she had backed away. She was standing near the door, facing him.
"Right, then, Malfoy, give it your best shot!" she said, still smiling, though somewhat stiffly now.
Draco turned his frown to her. Was she demented? Was she really standing there waiting for him to throw the damned slush ball at her? With a sound of disgust, he tossed it into the fireplace, where it sizzled and hissed and steamed.
Ginny let out the breath she'd been holding. Despite her show of bravado, she was a bit afraid that Malfoy might actually hurl the thing at her with all his strength. And she knew she didn't have his Seeker's quick reactions. If he aimed at her face, she would have a face full of snow. But, now she was at a loss. She had come in to show off her new Christmas outfit, but that was as ludicrous an idea as having a snowball fight. She glanced down at her bag, remembering the scrapbook. That seemed stupid, too. Malfoy wouldn't care that her mother had been a beautiful, alluring young woman. He would probably just find something else to insult her with. Stripping off the sodden mittens, Ginny stuffed them absently into her pockets and turned to the door.
"Er, I'm sorry about the mess, uh, and the snow, and bothering you. I'll bring some breakfast when I come back."
"Wait, Weasley," he said suddenly. She paused, giving him a questioning look. Damn, he thought. He wanted her to stay, but didn't want to ask. He didn't want her to think he wanted her company. It was just to relieve the boredom, that was all. Thinking quickly, he said, "Was that the only reason you came? To throw a damned snowball at me?"
He hadn't meant to sound so forlorn, but it was out already and he couldn't take it back. Besides, it seemed to work. She looked doubtful, but she moved away from the door.
"Well, actually, I had something to show you," she said quietly.
Ginny unslung the book bag and dropped it on the floor. She quickly removed her cloak and spread it out so the hem would dry. The room was uncomfortably warm, so she removed her robe as well. Be honest, she chided herself. She wanted to show off her new outfit, and that was all! Ginny finally lifted the book bag again and forced herself to look at Malfoy. She tried to brace herself for just about any reaction from none at all to ridicule, but she wasn't prepared for the reaction she got.
Draco watched her remove the cloak and silently willed her to remove the robe as well. He was surprised as hell, though, when she did exactly that. And he felt he'd received his Christmas present when he saw how she was dressed. He swallowed again, watching the smooth line of her slender waist and rounded hip as she moved to fold her robe. The sweater was a rich colour that brought out the fiery highlights in her short curls. The black jeans and tiny boots made her legs look longer. Her movements in the flickering firelight were tantalizing. Then she turned toward him. The full effect was amazing. She was not beautiful, but she was absolutely stunning! Her expression, however, was uncertain and it struck Draco that she was waiting for his reaction! She was looking for his approval, as impossible as it sounded! She stood for a second longer, trying to read his face. Damn, he'd better react then, instead of staring at her like a brainless idiot.
Ginny watched as Draco looked her up and down. The look in his eyes made Ginny slightly breathless. It was admiring, yes, but it was more than that. His eyes seemed to burn right into her. Then the look was gone. He smiled at her and gave her a thumbs up.
"Very nice, Weasley. Can I flatter myself that you dressed for my benefit? Is this my Christmas present?"
Ginny grinned. He'd caught her. She was shamelessly fishing for approval and he knew it. Oh, well, she thought. At least she knew she looked all right.
"Well," she answered honestly, "I got up before everyone else and opened my presents."
Moving toward the bars, she indicated her sweater and boots. "They looked so good, I wanted to try them on but no one else was up except you. I'm really sorry about bothering you, though," she added sweetly and insincerely.
Draco had to grin at the insincerity of her last statement. She didn't have anyone else to show off to, so why not come see him? He couldn't really stop her, could he? Not that he minded. Somehow he was glad to be the first one to see her in her holiday finery. He was still watching her as she lifted one of the extra pillows she'd left him and tossed it down at her feet. She sat, not even a foot from the bars, right in front of him.
Ginny looked up, a bit surprised at the grin on Malfoy's face. She knew she was taking a terrible risk, but she needed to resolve her problems with Malfoy, and maybe, just maybe, he might not want to hurt her.
Draco felt Weasley's look and felt soiled and uncomfortable next to her. He wanted to move away so she wouldn't smell his unwashed body or see the filth on his clothes. But her eyes were on his face and he felt pulled to her. He sat. She smiled at him, as though this were just a normal, everyday occurrence. He shifted and moved just a bit closer. She did the same, until her shoulder was almost leaning against one of the bars.
Now would be the perfect time to grab her wand, a voice in his head hissed. Draco lifted a hand toward her, but stopped. He couldn't. Besides, he told the voice, she wasn't wearing her robe and he doubted she carried her wand in a pants pocket. Then she pulled a heavy book from her bag and opened it, telling him she'd found it in the library last night. He made himself concentrate on her words.
"I was upset when I left here last night," she was saying. He didn't blame her. He'd just called her mother a fat cow or something like that. "So I wanted to show you that my mother is an amazing woman! I know it doesn't matter to you, but it does to me."
Her voice was quiet and hurt. Again, Draco couldn't blame her. But he'd been pretty upset, too. No one wanted to be told his father was a brutal, homicidal maniac, even if he didn't believe it! She held the book out to him, but he refused to take it.
"If you must show me, Weasley, then show me. But don't expect me to go looking myself," he growled at her.
Ginny sighed and turned slightly so she could hold the book on her lap while Malfoy looked at the pictures. She opened the book and flipped to the first picture of her mother. It was small and her mother was one of several girls, but she was easily the most vivacious. She stood out in the crowd. The next picture showed her mother and father in the Quidditch stands, cheering. After several pages, Ginny turned to the Graduation Ball picture. She felt a sting of tears when she saw her mother kiss her father again, wondering what Malfoy was making of this. She thought she had her answer, though, when he whispered, "Beautiful!" into her ear.
Draco barely glanced at Weasley's mum. Then he stared. This was not, could not be the dumpy, faded housewife he remembered seeing a few years ago. Although not slim, by any means, she had the kind of body boys would go mad for. But it was more than that. There was something in the lips, the eyes and even the body movement that was innately SEXY. He couldn't believe he was even thinking that word while looking at Molly Weasley. And he couldn't believe he hadn't noticed the same traits, though not nearly as pronounced, in her daughter. As Weasley flipped the pages, Draco saw that Weasley must have got her build from her father. He was slender (well, skinny was more like it) but rather taller than his daughter would ever be. And they both had the same determined facial expressions. Draco thought with a sudden shock that this man might actually be dangerous if a loved one was threatened. And he didn't look like the pathetic loser that Draco's father always insisted he was. Another unpleasant thought crept into Draco's head. How much of the Weasleys' money problems had to do, not with them being unable to handle money, but with malicious intervention from someone who had plenty of money. He didn't like this thought any better than some of others Weasley had planted in his brain. Pushing it away, he turned to glare at Weasley. Instead, he watched as she looked at her parents. The soft, loving gaze she gave them was incredible. He wondered what it would be like to feel that gaze himself, and know that it was for him, alone. He leaned in closer, catching a whiff of her light fragrance. His hand reached up to capture one of the shining curls, and he whispered, "Beautiful," before catching himself and pulling his hand back.
Smiling, Ginny said, "She is, isn't she?"
Draco looked quickly away and moved back a few inches. She had thought he was talking about her mum and he'd better just leave it that way. This girl was dangerous. She had him questioning himself, questioning his beliefs and doubting his own father. And he felt a strong, uncharacteristic attraction to her that made him even more uncomfortable. He never let anyone get under his skin, but Virginia Weasley had done so without even trying.
When Malfoy didn't answer, Ginny glanced at him. He was frowning at her again and she wondered what she'd done now. With a sigh, she closed the book and set it aside. Then she noticed the untouched dinner she'd brought last night.
"Well, that explains it," she muttered quietly.
"Explains what, little weasel?" Draco had moved away, but he couldn't stop himself from staring at her. He wanted to move back to her side, but forced himself to stay put. She had far too much hold over him as it was, without tempting himself by moving closer.
Ginny clicked her tongue at him, wishing he would stop using that insulting name. She pointed at the tray of cold food.
"You must be faint with hunger, Malfoy. No wonder you didn't try to throttle me or smack me with the snowball. You're just too weak right now." She reached behind her for the book bag she'd set aside, shaking her head at his stubbornness.
Draco had started to chuckle at the prim sounding voice she was using, but almost choked on it when her sweater pulled tight across her small bust as she reached. Small she might be, but perfectly formed to make a young man itch to touch her! What was wrong with the fellows in Gryffindor, anyway? Were they ALL as blind as Potter?
Surely one of them would have noticed this girl before? Surely HE should have noticed her before, but he'd been blinded by his obsessive hatred. Well, he was noticing now, and he didn't like it a bit! He had to get away from her so he could think clearly. But he couldn't seem to make himself move.
Ginny turned back, wondering at the strange expression on Malfoy's face. She shrugged, then fished out the box of fudge.
"All right, Malfoy," she said sternly. "You're going to eat this even if I have to force feed you! And if you feel like complaining, just tell yourself it's your Christmas present!"
Draco glanced at the box, completely uninterested in its contents. He was more interested in how her mouth suddenly looked pouty and stubborn. When she opened the box, though, he knew he was done for. Fudge! His weakness for sweets was the joke of the Slytherin Common Room. And this fudge looked dark and rich; exactly the kind he used to gorge on as a young child. His stomach rumbled as he watched her slender fingers lifting a piece of fudge from the box. But it seemed to droop and slide away from her grip.
"Oh, no!" Ginny cried. "I left it too close to the fire! It's all melted!"
She lifted her hand to show him the soft, gooey mess that stuck to her thumb and forefinger. She froze when he reached out and took her wrist.
"It still looks delicious to me," he breathed as he pulled her fingers to his lips. Lord, he must be insane! Just thinking about what he was about to do was making it difficult to breathe. He wanted to let her go, to move away from her clean smell and the soft, dazed expression in her eyes, but he couldn't. Then, softly, slowly, he took her forefinger into his mouth and licked it clean. He watched her eyes half close and her lips tremble as he did the same to her thumb. When he finished, he took her hand in both of his and idly played with her fingers. Draco was breathing hard and trying to get a hold of himself.
Ginny couldn't move. She couldn't even look away. She'd been stunned when she realized what he was going to do, but the first touch of his lips sent a surge of heat up her arm and through her body. Her body seemed to have gone limp, and she felt herself lean in closer, dangerously close. When he finally finished, she still couldn't pull her hand away. Instead, she studied Malfoy's face. She saw that he had a fine network of small scars along his jaw and up to the temple. His eyes were not cold gray as she'd often thought, but had flecks of green and blue in them as well. And they weren't at all cold at the moment. His lashes were much thicker than she'd thought, and just a shade darker than his hair and eyebrows. She also noticed something else. He had a beard! Well, not a beard, but a three- day's growth of stubble from not shaving! She'd never thought of that before. It seemed so odd! Without even thinking about it, Ginny lifted her hand to his face, lightly touching the bristles along his chin and jaw. She rubbed against the grain with the back of her hand and then stroked with her fingertips.
"It's so soft," she whispered in wonder. She'd never touched a boy's face like this before. Well, she'd touched other boys, while kissing, but never like this. It was so sensual, so intimate! There was a smudge of fudge on his lower lip and she wondered what he would do if she leaned forward and licked it off. He'd probably think she'd gone insane, but the urge to do it was almost irresistible. He's a Malfoy, she kept telling herself. He hates me and I hate him! That didn't matter at the moment, though. Especially when he lifted a hand to her neck to gently pull her closer.
Draco froze at her touch. He'd thought touching her, licking the smooth, rich chocolate from her strong fingers, and watching her dazed expression was torture. Then she reached up and touched him. Her touch sent a shiver down his spine. He clenched his hands into fists to keep from reaching out and trying to haul her through the bars and into his arms. Her breathy whisper was agony. She's-A-Weasley, he kept telling himself. It didn't seem to matter. Nothing seemed to matter but keeping her here, close to him, caressing his face. He leaned in closer, his face only an inch from hers. One hand slid around her neck, fingers tangling in the soft curls at her nape. She closed her eyes dreamily, leaning toward him.
And smacked her cheek right into an iron bar. Ginny's eyes snapped open and she pulled back sharply. Malfoy was still holding onto her, but the soft, sexy look on his face hardened into a typical smirk. Oh, no, she thought wretchedly. He hadn't meant it. The soft looks and caresses were nothing more than a prank.
"You, um, must have mistaken me for someone else," she said quietly. "I'm Ginny Weasley, remember? If just bumping into me on the train made you want to burn your robes, you'll no doubt want to disinfect yourself after this!"
She felt his hand drop away from her neck and she got shakily to her feet, wishing she could just sink into the ground. Without even trying very hard, Malfoy had her practically throwing herself at him.
Draco had seen the horror in her face when she realized how close she'd come to kissing him. What did he expect? But when he'd been holding her, something inside him had ripped open, leaving an aching hole that only she could mend. He'd wanted her to mend it, too. He'd wanted her soft mouth on his, her strong hands on his body. So, when he'd seen her reaction, all the wanting had turned bitter and he'd wanted only to hurt her for making him weak.
"Of course I remember who you are," he sneered, his gut twisting with anger and frustration. "But the mistake wasn't on my part. You didn't want to pollute yourself with a lying, murderous, cheating, hypocrite, isn't that right, little weasel?"
"Stop calling me that!" she snapped, turning back to him, fists clenched. She really would just storm into the cell and beat the holy crap out of him if he called her that again!
"Do you expect me to call you 'Ginny'?" he asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Why do you call yourself that stupid, little-girl name? You may fool everyone else with your sweet, innocent act, but you don't fool me anymore, little weasel."
Ginny marched up to where she'd left her robe. She fished her wand from the pocket and turned back to face Malfoy. She lifted the wand.
"What are you up to, Weasley?" Draco demanded. Her face was set in hard, angry lines. He was slightly nervous at having an enraged female pointing her wand at him.
"I'm going to open that cell and come in there and pound your arrogant, hateful face into the ground!" she gritted, removing the spells from the door. "And then, maybe the next time you have some stupid, little girl wrapped around your finger, you'll think twice about trying to hurt her!"
She turned back to the robe and began looking through the pockets again. With an oath, she threw it aside and searched her cloak pockets.
"Damn!" she hissed. The key wasn't there. Then she remembered she'd left it in the pocket of the robe she'd worn last night. Just her luck.
Draco watched her, not believing what he'd just heard. She'd threatened to pound his face into the ground, but that wasn't what held his attention. He had HER wrapped around his finger? She couldn't have meant that. If so, she would have seen how it had hurt when she'd pulled away from him as though disgusted.
Ginny threw her robe on and put the wand away.
"I'll be back, Malfoy," she hissed. "I've got to get the key to the lock. I might be delayed if your goons are still following me, but I will be back!"
Draco watched as she pulled her robe closed and fastened it. His goons? Crabbe and Goyle? But they had gone home for the holiday break, hadn't they?
"Weasley!" he called, a sick feeling settling in his gut. "Wait, stop!"
Ginny hurried to the door, wanting to leave before he could say or do something else to hurt her. The very real concern in his voice stopped her. Don't be stupid, she told herself. He could manipulate his voice just about any way he wanted. She looked cautiously at him.
Draco was gripping the bars tightly, wishing he could just pull them apart. He saw the hurt and wariness on her face and his stomach churned again. But he didn't have time to try to comfort her.
"What do you mean, my goons? Do you mean Crabbe and Goyle are still here at Hogwarts?"
Ginny frowned at him. Why wouldn't he know that? Wouldn't he know that they were staying here for the break?
"Yes," she answered impatiently. "Of course they are. Their names were on the list to stay." Or were they? Ginny had never looked for their names, just Malfoy's. And even Seamus had seemed surprised that they were still here, she remembered. Her stomach lurched. Had they stayed on purpose?
Draco swore under his breath. Then he looked at her again. "Weasley, where's my wand? Give it to me!"
"Your wand? What do you—,"
He cut her off sharply. "If you think you're going out there with those two maniacs loose, think again. Give me my wand so I can get out of here!"
"But, the lock needs a key! I know, I tested it before I put you in here! It's charmed against lock breaking spells."
Ginny was starting to feel scared, but couldn't help wondering if Malfoy was just bluffing. Why would Crabbe and Goyle want her other than to find Malfoy?
"Look, Malfoy," she said, forgetting her anger and trying to calm herself. "I'm just going to run back to Gryffindor and get the key. I was going to let you out anyway."
She turned back to the door, opened it quickly and slipped through even as Draco was yelling at her to wait.