Author: Lee Velviet
E-Mail: Vampslay@Bellsouth.net
Disclaimer: You know who this stuff belongs to-J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros., etc-I own absolutely nothing! ::Sob::
Summary: Ginny Weasley has had it with Draco Malfoy and his 'evil' ways-so she decides to have it out with him-what will Draco do when she challenges him to a secret Wizard's Duel? (Laugh hysterically, probably…)
(A/N: Reviews would rock, flames are welcome, but constructive criticism would be better! As always, please let me know if I get facts wrong! Thanks for reading!)
3. The Duel
The next day, after suffering through most of an amazingly bad Potions class, Ginny got a note from Professor McGonagall-Snape, of course, had sent her on-but not before taking points from Gryffindor for the interruption of his class.
Ginny rolled her eyes as she left-she wondered what McGonagall wanted to see her about-
A gasp caught in her throat as she looked up after closing the classroom door and saw Draco standing near, his eyes fairly snapping at her.
Ginny crossed her arms. "What do you want? I already sent the reply about the duel-set the place and time and I'm there." She was proud of how steady her voice sounded.
Draco narrowed his eyes at her, his voice threatening as he said warningly, "My apology, little Weasley-or I'll make your life miserable. I'm giving you one more chance-only because you're a kid-and you have no idea what you're about."
"I'm almost sixteen years old, Malfoy, and I know entirely what I'm about. Do you want to know what I'm about?" Her lashes swept across her eyes suddenly, and she brushed up against him, pushing her lips against his ear even as her skin crawled in revulsion-she had to admit, though, he did smell good. She felt his arms close on her arms although he made no move to push her away.
She swore she felt a shiver run through him and she whispered, amused, "I think you can tell I'm no kid. So," she pushed away from him, curling her lip. "Do your worst Malfoy. As I said before-you'll get your apology when I see my million Galleons." She laughed at the dark look on his pale face and stalked off just as students began pouring out of Snape's class on their way to their next course.
Ginny snuck a look back once or twice and saw Malfoy standing in the crowd of students with his hands fisted at his sides, looking murderous.
"Ron, we've got to do something about Ginny," Harry said, pale faced as he met his friends in the courtyard.
Ron looked up from a book Hermione was showing him and frowned. "What happened?"
Harry swallowed, looking distinctly green. "I saw her and Malfoy-" he closed his eyes, looking ill.
"What?" Hermione sat forward on her bench, eyes intent. "Fighting?"
Harry made a noise.
"Arguing?"
He shook his head.
"Kissing?" Ron looked at Hermione as if she had grown two more heads and a forked tongue.
Harry made a gurgling noise and ducked his head between his knees.
"Oh, wow. I mean, I knew she'd been acting weird lately, but-"
Ron looked furious. "She's gone totally nutters!"
He stood up. "I'll bloody kill him! She'd just a kid!"
Hermione tugged him back down. "Will you be quiet? Do you really want everyone to know?"
He sat down reluctantly, fisting his hands. "This is too weird."
By then, Harry had recovered enough to look up and say, "I didn't see them kissing, exactly-"
Hermione nudged Ron, "There, you see? Nothing to worry about-"
"But they looked more like they were making out-"
"Oh." Hermione went red and didn't say anything else, going back to her book.
Ron looked green now. "Oh, that's just wrong."
Harry managed a nod. "We have to do something."
"Er…maybe you should just leave it be." Hermione said in a small voice from behind her great book. It was quiet for so long that she looked out from around it and saw the two of them staring back at her mutely. "Oh come on!" She closed the book and put it down beside her. "You don't think I'm as concerned about her as you? It is weird-but opposites attract, right? Maybe this is a good thing…although; I do think Ginny is a little too young to be making out in the Astronomy Tower."
Ron turned bright red; right to his ears when she said this and Harry narrowed his eyes. "I never said anything about seeing them in the Astronomy Tower-they were right in front of Snape's classroom-oh, not you guys too!"
Ron pinched Hermione. "See what you did? And you're supposed to be the smart one!"
Hermione shoved him off the edge of the bench. He landed with a thud on the grass. "Shut it, you ninny."
Harry shook his head grinning despite his shock. Somehow this wasn't a surprise.
Ginny looked at the professor; trying her best to pay attention-but she was tired. She held back another yawn, blinking.
"Do you understand what I'm saying, Miss Weasley?"
Ginny had no idea what the good woman had been saying, so she just nodded. "Yes, Ma'am."
"Good."
Ginny rose from her seat to leave, but McGonagall stood, red faced, and handed her a pamphlet. "Don't forget-er, this."
"Oh. Right." Sleepily, Ginny took the paper, and slipped out into the hall, shaking her head over the very odd encounter. What had all that been about? She didn't think she'd ever seen Professor McGonagall so flustered.
She looked down at the pamphlet and an odd gurgling noise escaped her strangled throat.
"Oh, my God!"
Ginny had wanted to skip dinner entirely-but the growl in her stomach had reminded her she had skipped lunch that day. She didn't know how her body could actually want food-that pamphlet McGonagall had given her had all but made her ill with embarrassment.
How could the woman think she was interested in having Sex? At that instant Draco Malfoy's smirking face swam before her eyes and a queer, rushing tingle ran across her skin, making her shudder slightly.
No way.
It came to her then-someone had seen her step close to Malfoy in the dungeons earlier-it was the only explanation for McGonagall's odd behavior.
Ginny made a face as she glared at her mashed potatoes-as if she'd ever-she couldn't possibly want to-the thought had never even crossed her mind! There was no way she'd ever think of Draco Malfoy in that manner-and besides, she was far from being ready for that-that, ewww, she didn't even want to think about it. The whole idea was ridiculous!
She found herself looking across the tables at Malfoy from beneath her lashes-she shook her head, stabbing a roll with her fork viciously enough to make Harry, seated next to her, flinch.
If anyone noticed how quiet Ginny was, it was Ron. Of course, he was still reeling over the fact she'd been snogging-or whatever they'd been doing-Draco Malfoy in the bloody dungeons.
He looked across at his baby sister, who looked red-cheeked and miserable, and wondered if going to McGonagall after finding out Ginny had seen Malfoy in the showers had been the right thing to do. He'd been worried about her. Now it seemed like it had been the right thing to do-and just in time, considering what Harry had seen that day. McGonagall had seemed the appropriate choice-as they was certainly no way he'd even approach his little sister about-well, THAT. Of course, Ginny could never find out he'd done it-she'd have his nuts in a tree, no doubt.
No, she wouldn't find out-but he'd done it for her own good. He could only hope McGonagall had straightened her out-honestly, what has she been thinking, groping about with that Slytherin prat? He'd thought she'd hated Malfoy with a dark passion.
Nope, er, passion was not the best word to use here.
Ron narrowed his eyes when he caught Ginny looking subtly across the table over his shoulder-damn that Malfoy. There was no way he was letting that slimy git touch his innocent baby sister!
Draco noticed he was getting a lot of attention from the Gryffindor table- Ginny was watching him from beneath her lashes, Potter was eyeing him in disbelief, and Ron-well, if looks could kill…
He wondered if the little Weasley's friends had found out about the duel.
He wondered if she'd have the nerves to actually go through with it-he was counting on her chickening out, so he could hold it over her head for the rest of the year. It would prove to be very amusing, he had no doubt-the chit needed a lesson in complete, utter humility.
She had to learn that one didn't go around teasing dragons.
"Man, what's up with the owls around here lately?" Ron ducked as a large, sleek looking dark owl swept low over his head, dropping a sealed envelope onto Ginny's dinner plate. He looked across at Ginny, whose eyes had suddenly grown as large and round as dinner plates.
"Who's that from?"
Ginny looked at him, slightly panicked, and took a shuddering breath-"I- have to go!"
Ron watched Ginny snatch the envelope and rush off, his eyes confused.
"What is up with her?"
Harry shrugged. "If you'd been that close to Malfoy, wouldn't you be acting oddly?"
Ron shuddered.
Ginny locked herself into the bathroom in her dorm, and laid the envelope with the now familiar green ink and scrawling writing on the sink. She tried to slow her gasping breaths, staring at her reflection in the mirror. Her face was white, her freckles standing out dreadfully. Her long red curls were tangled and flyaway, and her eyes looked wild, wide and dark.
"I'm not afraid of him, I'm not afraid of him, I'm not afraid of him." Ginny grabbed either side of the sink with both hands, holding on for dear life. She wasn't afraid of Draco Malfoy-so why was the thought of meeting him with wands drawn making her shake like a newborn kitten?
After assuring herself that she wasn't going to throw up, Ginny reached a cold, clammy hand out to the deceptively innocent looking envelope.
She hissed as a paper cut sprang up on her pinkie, and she put the stinging digit in her mouth as she unfolded the note and read it.
Weasley-
Meet me at Midnight in the Astronomy Tower-you may want to have someone notify your next of kin. I don't believe I need to remind you that this is to be a Private Duel.
Draco Malfoy
"Notify my-" Ginny swallowed a hard lump and crumpled the paper in her fist. He's just trying to scare me, she told herself. Too bad he's succeeding, a tiny voice said as if from far away.
"I bet he'd love to see me not show up," she muttered, and began splashing cold water on her face to wake her up. He'd laugh like mad, and she'd never hear the end of it!
Anger making her brave, Ginny tossed the note into the waste bin and marched from the room to do something as mundane as her homework before leaving to meet Malfoy later.
Her wand was polished, her robes and hair neat and clean, and she felt as if she were going on a date-except that maybe her date was Fluffy. Ginny let herself out of the portrait silently, trying not to think about where she was going and why.
The climb to the Astronomy Tower was long much longer than she ever remembered it being – she found herself almost hoping that Filch would come along with his blasted cat and catch her-but wouldn't you know it-he was nowhere to be seen.
Malfoy probably bribed him, she thought evilly as she approached the top of the steps-he didn't want any possible witnesses-
The door swung open silently before she even touched it-Malfoy stood there, looking tall and handsome in his school robes-Ginny wanted to slap herself for thinking that last part. He wasn't handsome-he was detestable- evil-her eyes settled on the wand in his hand-and dangerous.
She noticed he looked surprised to see her.
Then his silvery opal colored eyes hardened and he snapped, "You're late!"
Ginny bit back a growl. "I'm a girl-what did you expect?"
He stepped back from the doorway to let her pass, his lips drawn tight.
She stepped through the doorway and heard him close the door behind her.
"Well, well…"
She turned to look at him, pasting a look of indifference onto her face.
He stood before her, his arms crossed. "Looks like I've finally got you where I want you, Weasel."
Ginny gripped her wand tightly. "If you think I'm going to be a total pushover, you're dead wrong." Pleeeease let him be dead wrong!
Malfoy lowered his arms to his sides, his pale eyes cold. "On the count of three then?"
Ginny nodded, biting her lip, feeling her palms begin to sweat.
"One,"
Ginny ran through every prayer she knew in that second.
"Two,"
She watched his fingers twitch on his wand, and felt her own do it in response.
"Three!"
Before she could take a breath, he had shouted, "EXPELLIARMUS!"
Ginny watched her wand in horror as it was jerked from her grip and flew directly into his outstretched hand.
He looked from it to her, a nasty grin on his face.
Ginny involuntarily took a step back-her foot caught on something, and before she knew it, slipped out from under her, and she went flying backwards, arms wind milling helplessly in the air.
"Watch it!"
His warning was the last thing she heard before her head struck something hard and black lights exploded before her eyes.
TBC
(I will be updating this today after I sleep a bit, of course. Expect the next chapter soon! Thanks for the reviews, all! ^-^)
E-Mail: Vampslay@Bellsouth.net
Disclaimer: You know who this stuff belongs to-J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros., etc-I own absolutely nothing! ::Sob::
Summary: Ginny Weasley has had it with Draco Malfoy and his 'evil' ways-so she decides to have it out with him-what will Draco do when she challenges him to a secret Wizard's Duel? (Laugh hysterically, probably…)
(A/N: Reviews would rock, flames are welcome, but constructive criticism would be better! As always, please let me know if I get facts wrong! Thanks for reading!)
3. The Duel
The next day, after suffering through most of an amazingly bad Potions class, Ginny got a note from Professor McGonagall-Snape, of course, had sent her on-but not before taking points from Gryffindor for the interruption of his class.
Ginny rolled her eyes as she left-she wondered what McGonagall wanted to see her about-
A gasp caught in her throat as she looked up after closing the classroom door and saw Draco standing near, his eyes fairly snapping at her.
Ginny crossed her arms. "What do you want? I already sent the reply about the duel-set the place and time and I'm there." She was proud of how steady her voice sounded.
Draco narrowed his eyes at her, his voice threatening as he said warningly, "My apology, little Weasley-or I'll make your life miserable. I'm giving you one more chance-only because you're a kid-and you have no idea what you're about."
"I'm almost sixteen years old, Malfoy, and I know entirely what I'm about. Do you want to know what I'm about?" Her lashes swept across her eyes suddenly, and she brushed up against him, pushing her lips against his ear even as her skin crawled in revulsion-she had to admit, though, he did smell good. She felt his arms close on her arms although he made no move to push her away.
She swore she felt a shiver run through him and she whispered, amused, "I think you can tell I'm no kid. So," she pushed away from him, curling her lip. "Do your worst Malfoy. As I said before-you'll get your apology when I see my million Galleons." She laughed at the dark look on his pale face and stalked off just as students began pouring out of Snape's class on their way to their next course.
Ginny snuck a look back once or twice and saw Malfoy standing in the crowd of students with his hands fisted at his sides, looking murderous.
"Ron, we've got to do something about Ginny," Harry said, pale faced as he met his friends in the courtyard.
Ron looked up from a book Hermione was showing him and frowned. "What happened?"
Harry swallowed, looking distinctly green. "I saw her and Malfoy-" he closed his eyes, looking ill.
"What?" Hermione sat forward on her bench, eyes intent. "Fighting?"
Harry made a noise.
"Arguing?"
He shook his head.
"Kissing?" Ron looked at Hermione as if she had grown two more heads and a forked tongue.
Harry made a gurgling noise and ducked his head between his knees.
"Oh, wow. I mean, I knew she'd been acting weird lately, but-"
Ron looked furious. "She's gone totally nutters!"
He stood up. "I'll bloody kill him! She'd just a kid!"
Hermione tugged him back down. "Will you be quiet? Do you really want everyone to know?"
He sat down reluctantly, fisting his hands. "This is too weird."
By then, Harry had recovered enough to look up and say, "I didn't see them kissing, exactly-"
Hermione nudged Ron, "There, you see? Nothing to worry about-"
"But they looked more like they were making out-"
"Oh." Hermione went red and didn't say anything else, going back to her book.
Ron looked green now. "Oh, that's just wrong."
Harry managed a nod. "We have to do something."
"Er…maybe you should just leave it be." Hermione said in a small voice from behind her great book. It was quiet for so long that she looked out from around it and saw the two of them staring back at her mutely. "Oh come on!" She closed the book and put it down beside her. "You don't think I'm as concerned about her as you? It is weird-but opposites attract, right? Maybe this is a good thing…although; I do think Ginny is a little too young to be making out in the Astronomy Tower."
Ron turned bright red; right to his ears when she said this and Harry narrowed his eyes. "I never said anything about seeing them in the Astronomy Tower-they were right in front of Snape's classroom-oh, not you guys too!"
Ron pinched Hermione. "See what you did? And you're supposed to be the smart one!"
Hermione shoved him off the edge of the bench. He landed with a thud on the grass. "Shut it, you ninny."
Harry shook his head grinning despite his shock. Somehow this wasn't a surprise.
Ginny looked at the professor; trying her best to pay attention-but she was tired. She held back another yawn, blinking.
"Do you understand what I'm saying, Miss Weasley?"
Ginny had no idea what the good woman had been saying, so she just nodded. "Yes, Ma'am."
"Good."
Ginny rose from her seat to leave, but McGonagall stood, red faced, and handed her a pamphlet. "Don't forget-er, this."
"Oh. Right." Sleepily, Ginny took the paper, and slipped out into the hall, shaking her head over the very odd encounter. What had all that been about? She didn't think she'd ever seen Professor McGonagall so flustered.
She looked down at the pamphlet and an odd gurgling noise escaped her strangled throat.
"Oh, my God!"
Ginny had wanted to skip dinner entirely-but the growl in her stomach had reminded her she had skipped lunch that day. She didn't know how her body could actually want food-that pamphlet McGonagall had given her had all but made her ill with embarrassment.
How could the woman think she was interested in having Sex? At that instant Draco Malfoy's smirking face swam before her eyes and a queer, rushing tingle ran across her skin, making her shudder slightly.
No way.
It came to her then-someone had seen her step close to Malfoy in the dungeons earlier-it was the only explanation for McGonagall's odd behavior.
Ginny made a face as she glared at her mashed potatoes-as if she'd ever-she couldn't possibly want to-the thought had never even crossed her mind! There was no way she'd ever think of Draco Malfoy in that manner-and besides, she was far from being ready for that-that, ewww, she didn't even want to think about it. The whole idea was ridiculous!
She found herself looking across the tables at Malfoy from beneath her lashes-she shook her head, stabbing a roll with her fork viciously enough to make Harry, seated next to her, flinch.
If anyone noticed how quiet Ginny was, it was Ron. Of course, he was still reeling over the fact she'd been snogging-or whatever they'd been doing-Draco Malfoy in the bloody dungeons.
He looked across at his baby sister, who looked red-cheeked and miserable, and wondered if going to McGonagall after finding out Ginny had seen Malfoy in the showers had been the right thing to do. He'd been worried about her. Now it seemed like it had been the right thing to do-and just in time, considering what Harry had seen that day. McGonagall had seemed the appropriate choice-as they was certainly no way he'd even approach his little sister about-well, THAT. Of course, Ginny could never find out he'd done it-she'd have his nuts in a tree, no doubt.
No, she wouldn't find out-but he'd done it for her own good. He could only hope McGonagall had straightened her out-honestly, what has she been thinking, groping about with that Slytherin prat? He'd thought she'd hated Malfoy with a dark passion.
Nope, er, passion was not the best word to use here.
Ron narrowed his eyes when he caught Ginny looking subtly across the table over his shoulder-damn that Malfoy. There was no way he was letting that slimy git touch his innocent baby sister!
Draco noticed he was getting a lot of attention from the Gryffindor table- Ginny was watching him from beneath her lashes, Potter was eyeing him in disbelief, and Ron-well, if looks could kill…
He wondered if the little Weasley's friends had found out about the duel.
He wondered if she'd have the nerves to actually go through with it-he was counting on her chickening out, so he could hold it over her head for the rest of the year. It would prove to be very amusing, he had no doubt-the chit needed a lesson in complete, utter humility.
She had to learn that one didn't go around teasing dragons.
"Man, what's up with the owls around here lately?" Ron ducked as a large, sleek looking dark owl swept low over his head, dropping a sealed envelope onto Ginny's dinner plate. He looked across at Ginny, whose eyes had suddenly grown as large and round as dinner plates.
"Who's that from?"
Ginny looked at him, slightly panicked, and took a shuddering breath-"I- have to go!"
Ron watched Ginny snatch the envelope and rush off, his eyes confused.
"What is up with her?"
Harry shrugged. "If you'd been that close to Malfoy, wouldn't you be acting oddly?"
Ron shuddered.
Ginny locked herself into the bathroom in her dorm, and laid the envelope with the now familiar green ink and scrawling writing on the sink. She tried to slow her gasping breaths, staring at her reflection in the mirror. Her face was white, her freckles standing out dreadfully. Her long red curls were tangled and flyaway, and her eyes looked wild, wide and dark.
"I'm not afraid of him, I'm not afraid of him, I'm not afraid of him." Ginny grabbed either side of the sink with both hands, holding on for dear life. She wasn't afraid of Draco Malfoy-so why was the thought of meeting him with wands drawn making her shake like a newborn kitten?
After assuring herself that she wasn't going to throw up, Ginny reached a cold, clammy hand out to the deceptively innocent looking envelope.
She hissed as a paper cut sprang up on her pinkie, and she put the stinging digit in her mouth as she unfolded the note and read it.
Weasley-
Meet me at Midnight in the Astronomy Tower-you may want to have someone notify your next of kin. I don't believe I need to remind you that this is to be a Private Duel.
Draco Malfoy
"Notify my-" Ginny swallowed a hard lump and crumpled the paper in her fist. He's just trying to scare me, she told herself. Too bad he's succeeding, a tiny voice said as if from far away.
"I bet he'd love to see me not show up," she muttered, and began splashing cold water on her face to wake her up. He'd laugh like mad, and she'd never hear the end of it!
Anger making her brave, Ginny tossed the note into the waste bin and marched from the room to do something as mundane as her homework before leaving to meet Malfoy later.
Her wand was polished, her robes and hair neat and clean, and she felt as if she were going on a date-except that maybe her date was Fluffy. Ginny let herself out of the portrait silently, trying not to think about where she was going and why.
The climb to the Astronomy Tower was long much longer than she ever remembered it being – she found herself almost hoping that Filch would come along with his blasted cat and catch her-but wouldn't you know it-he was nowhere to be seen.
Malfoy probably bribed him, she thought evilly as she approached the top of the steps-he didn't want any possible witnesses-
The door swung open silently before she even touched it-Malfoy stood there, looking tall and handsome in his school robes-Ginny wanted to slap herself for thinking that last part. He wasn't handsome-he was detestable- evil-her eyes settled on the wand in his hand-and dangerous.
She noticed he looked surprised to see her.
Then his silvery opal colored eyes hardened and he snapped, "You're late!"
Ginny bit back a growl. "I'm a girl-what did you expect?"
He stepped back from the doorway to let her pass, his lips drawn tight.
She stepped through the doorway and heard him close the door behind her.
"Well, well…"
She turned to look at him, pasting a look of indifference onto her face.
He stood before her, his arms crossed. "Looks like I've finally got you where I want you, Weasel."
Ginny gripped her wand tightly. "If you think I'm going to be a total pushover, you're dead wrong." Pleeeease let him be dead wrong!
Malfoy lowered his arms to his sides, his pale eyes cold. "On the count of three then?"
Ginny nodded, biting her lip, feeling her palms begin to sweat.
"One,"
Ginny ran through every prayer she knew in that second.
"Two,"
She watched his fingers twitch on his wand, and felt her own do it in response.
"Three!"
Before she could take a breath, he had shouted, "EXPELLIARMUS!"
Ginny watched her wand in horror as it was jerked from her grip and flew directly into his outstretched hand.
He looked from it to her, a nasty grin on his face.
Ginny involuntarily took a step back-her foot caught on something, and before she knew it, slipped out from under her, and she went flying backwards, arms wind milling helplessly in the air.
"Watch it!"
His warning was the last thing she heard before her head struck something hard and black lights exploded before her eyes.
TBC
(I will be updating this today after I sleep a bit, of course. Expect the next chapter soon! Thanks for the reviews, all! ^-^)