Disclaimer: Characters, Places, Names, Profiles, except "Maria 'Maudie' Danielle T. Felix", belong to Ms. J.K. Rowling. The title and 99.9% of the dialogues, however, belong to the author.
Ginny is in her 5th year, while Ron, Harry, Hermione, and the rest are in their 6th. If new names would come up, I'll be stating their years/houses, so don't worry. You won't be lost, cause you know how it goes.
The Predictive
When times change from red to black and black to red, some people will have to prove themselves before they deserve to be trusted; even if it means spoiling their friendship and bruising the hearts of whom they love. # D/G # R&R :D #
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Chapter 2 I Prefer Hands
A lot of women
worship him from afar,
It's only when
they get close
that they hate him.
"Ron? Harry?" Mrs. Weasley's voice was dominant as it could be. "Have you gotten all your books already?"
Seeing Ron was still in a deep 'conversation' with the 'Quidditch: 101. Volume 17' he could never take home, Harry took the initiative and pulled out his book list from a pod under his cloak. "Just a few more on the list and we're done, Mrs. Weasley."
Harry grabbed a book at random before Mrs. Weasley would appear. But appear she did, squeezing a couple of books between her arm and chest, all of them most likely for Ginny. (Mrs. Weasley had stopped shopping for Ron in his 3rd year, trusting that he could get all his books by himself.)
"Hmm.. what's that, Harry? 'A Beginner's Guide To Transfiguration by Emerick Switsh' ?" Mrs. Weasley scanned Ginny's books with her chubby, labored fingers, and slowly searched if she had the same book. "Why, neither a 6th nor a 5th year would need that." Mrs. Weasley's eyes narrowed.
Harry moved his eyes to the book. Well, the lady was right, he had a blasted beginner's book in his hand.
"Everyone knows you're not a beginner, Harry. Even you know that." Ron slammed his book shut, tossing it back to table.
Harry thought of saying Screw, Ron. I was covering us up, but rolled his eyes instead.
Ron turned around, and literally jumped back at the sight of his disbelieving mother.
"Mum-t's-you!" Ron mumbled. "Thought you-wur-back there. Ha! Ha-ha. Ha."
But Mrs. Weasley only looked at them. The scene could've looked better if she had put her hands on her waist. But she couldn't do that with busy hands.
"Oh, alright." Ron sighed and said dryly. "Y'Go ahead now. We'll get all our books in no time, promise."
Harry nodded while smiling to Mrs. Weasley apologetically.
"Mum, you and Gin go.. er, Ginny? You okay? Hey?"
Ron said a series of something like 'Ginny-hasn't-had-enough-sleep-since-summer-started-now-look-what-it's-done-to-her.' Ron had obviously said something wrong. Mrs. Weasley's eyes widened, and only then did Ron remember it was supposed to be a secret.
Ginny, who was standing next to the window, didn't hear a word from Ron. Ron could've shouted a little louder had they been in Hogwarts where he could freely paste Gin's ass on the Common Room floors, and just yell at her for the rest of the day. But now, their mother was around. Ron couldn't possibly glue any part of his sister in front of their mum.
Her temples were almost attached to the window, she was breathing so hard and so deep that an orb of moist had already begun to form on the glass. Gin remained gazing outside, where she recognized two students from the 6th year, Professor Snape (from the looks of the man's hair, it's him), a girl who was probably lost and asking for directions; and not much to her surprise, Draco Malfoy.
Isn't he just.. fine? Or maybe too fine to be fine. Ginny had been watching him, but she couldn't find the best word to describe how Draco looked from that distance. But he sure does look better from a distance. She watched how he moved his lips as he talked, something she couldn't describe herself. Yea, maybe it's just a crush; nothing more.
Draco turned sideways, catching Ginny's eyes. She had been very transparent, just by merely looking at him. She let that waif see her looking at him. And him being the greatest smug among all Hogwarts students, would take that as a sign that Ginny admired or wanted him or something. Which is, of course, true. Why would a girl spend most of the summer writing a draft for a guy if she didn't like him?
But in Ginny's case, it had all been different. First, she had no idea what to tell him. Second, she had no idea what to tell him. Third, she had no idea how Draco would react if he received an empty parchment from her. Fourth, she had no idea how the letter-writing started. Fifth and current problem, she has no idea how to stop it.
She looked at her ink-stained hand, and then outside again. But Malfoy was gone.
Ron must've said it loud: loud enough to unhook Ginny's thoughts from Draco.
"Y-yeah." Ginny answered. She walked and stopped in front of Ron, Harry, and Mrs. Weasley, who were just about a couple of steps away from her. "I'm alright, Ron, and nothing's wrong with my lips."
"What? What lips?"
"You said something about my lips."
"No, didn't. But I did say something about your lack of sleep, Virginia."
"We'll talk about this at home." Mrs. Weasley interrupted. "I'll leave Ginny with you, and meet me at Madame Malkin's in thirty minutes. I expect your father will be there by then." She left.
"Stupid. That is, Ron, stupid! Why did you have to tell mum?" Ginny pasted a fake smile as her mother left, and turned mad and red right after. "If you don't want me minding your business, then don't get on top of mine."
"I'm just concerned, cause really, you're 10 times thinner than you were last year."
"Am not!"
"Gin, I'm.. I'm sure Ron's just joking." Harry broke them off before they both did something they'd regret.
"I'm sure he's not." Came a voice from behind Ginny.
Ginny froze for a second. She knew the owner of the voice, the scent. It was standing so close to her rear, that she could feel it touch his chest. Ginny wasn't sure what to do: whether move away and push it, or stand still and stay close. So close. A part of her wanted to move, another part wanted to stay put, and all her other fractions exploded and fell apart, completely losing away from her.
"Move away from my sister; or.. or.. take one more step forward, Malfoy, and.. and.. you'll regret.. you'll hate me!"
"E-easy, Ron." Harry wasn't expecting a jumpy attack from Ron. "What do you want this time, Malfoy?"
"Easy, Potty."
God, it's really him. Ginny remained still.
"I just came by to wave you guys a little 'hi'. I missed you terribly since there was no one to talk to during the summer." he said sarcastically. "Will I hate you for a reason, Weasley? That's absurd. I already hate you, you and you even then, even without a reason," he singly shot at all of them. "how much more if there is?"
"Oh is that it?" Said Ron amusingly. "Why didn't you just.. get yourself a bloody hussy to fill your talking needs? You know you could afford one, even a dozen."
"Uh, what's a hussy, Ron?" Harry looked at him dumbly.
"N-no idea."
"Oh, Weasel, you really know what I can acquire for myself. I'm just wondering: do you ever feel miserable for all you know about me, and knowing you couldn't get them for yourself? Do you pout and cry in a dark corner to hide? No, pardon yourself and don't answer that, it'll only make you feel worse. Remind me to thank you later for the compliments. You warm my heart, Weasley." He smirked.
Ginny had gotten enough slaps, almost as much as Ron was getting. And she couldn't take in any more. "Well I hate to say this but you don't warm ours. Maybe you should leave and leave us alone."
"Naturally. It's your back that I'm warming, little Weasel."
Then Ginny suddenly realized she hasn't moved nor stirred. She went pale. Harry shot a look at her, 'move away from him.' Ginny slowly turned, and went to side with the two. Draco smirked - a smirk that melted Ginny's insides.
"Is there anything else you want?" Harry said impatiently, looking at his book list.
"Unfortunately, there's one more Potty. *Remind that little girlfriend of yours of her nutritional needs - I don't think she's getting any. She's not far from being a pitiful skeleton. Oh, hold on," He always enjoyed doing the thing he's best at - making people hate him. "Weasel, can you even afford 3 meals a day? I just can't help but question how your father feeds a lot."
He spat a few more insults, which have made Ginny sob out of feeling sunken. Harry got the infamous torment on his scar. Ron, however, wasn't sure he was listening. Someone behind Malfoy snared his attention.
*
Maudie took her slightly dampened coat off as she looked around Flourish and Blotts. Malfoy had seen her outside earlier, but now he didn't see her come in. Maudie had left the Ravenclaws outside to look for shelter. And she came in the right place.
"Seriously, your sister looks like a.." Draco went on.
However, Ron remained, as he was, not moving his eyes off that girl. Then he finally whispered. "An angel?" But it was somewhat loud, because Ginny and Harry had heard him, and consequently looked at the same direction.
'Yes, your sister looks more like an angel.' Draco thought, Ron finished his sentence perfectly. But just then, he snapped out of his thoughts to follow the trio's looks. Now they were all looking at one thing. One person.
*
"Shoot, I'm wetting the floor."
"Gracious, Maria Danielle, look at you!" A short and chubby, Mrs.Weasley-ish woman hurried to Maudie. In her hands was a pair of coats, green and brown. Maudie took the latter. "And where have you been? Nine minutes late!"
Nanny? Maudie wondered what her caretaker was doing there. She didn't remember any planned meeting with her. Or maybe she's forgotten she had.
"You? Oh umh. Nan, it was just 9 minutes. Wait, did I say we're meeting here?" The nanny paused and gave Maudie a warning look. "Okay, I'm sorry then. I should be punctual next time." She lectured herself. "Can we go now? I've had a bad start with my future schoolmates at Hogwarts. And the next thing is a bunch of eyes looking, waiting for me to drop madly until I make a pond."
Upon hearing this, Draco, Ginny, Ron, and Harry looked away. Maudie and her nanny moved towards the door. But before the door closed, Maudie mouthed something to Draco in between. Draco plainly didn't hear it, and found it rather weird that a stranger would do that.
Draco wondered what it was all about. Did she want something from him? What was she trying to say? He couldn't believe he was paying attention to this nonsense. But he continued to wonder if he knew the girl from somewhere and might have forgotten about her. He recalled names and faces with the same figure, but she wasn't on the list. Draco sighed. He was probably too busy thinking of that Weasel over the summer that the memory of her simply washed the memory of his previous girls. But he wasn't thinking of a new trick to prick the Weasel; this time, he was thinking of something else. He didn't know what it was exactly, but every time he thought of her, he would soften and blink, he would look at the space around his room in their mansion. If she were here..
"Shit." Draco was the first to speak among the four. He hadn't meant to swear out loud.
"Thanks, I needed that." Harry claimed in a comforted tone, unaware that it was his arch-enemy who actually jolted him back to his verve. "You heard her, Ron? Not that I care much, but she said she's going to Hogwarts, didn't she? Didn't she? Ron!"
Ginny punched her brother at his side.
"Ow! What? Yea, I, saw her.. Where am I?"
Harry tilted his head and gave him a lazy look. "Stop that Ron. Let's go before it rains harder." Harry caught sight of a confused-looking Malfoy. Harry thought of slurring him with 'I don't remember Obliviating you but..', but Malfoy looked grave, so Harry shook the idea away. "..Malfoy?"
Draco didn't hear him, as a matter of a fact. He had cursed at the thought of thinking-of-Weasley-over-summer. He couldn't guess why he thought of that, anyway. But there really isn't a thing wrong with liking her, It's just 'like'. Maybe it's just a child's crush, and nothing more. But the idea of taunting her, making her life miserable while in school the best way he can, was the closest he could get to her, even though it completely opposes others' conception of a crush. Walk her to the tower or wherever the Gryffindor dorms are, carry her things, do her homeworks for her, share meals and spend time with her - NO. Draco knew better.
Malfoy cursed again out of his thought.
"Is that how you react when you see girls? Or was that the first time you've seen a real one?" Ginny asked.
Am I not looking at you?
"I didn't curse because of that, Weasel. Besides, Malfoys know how to act in front of a woman when they see one." He replied proudly. "Did I answer your question?"
Ginny inhaled deeply. "But.. but I'm here, and you spat one hundred and one curses all at the same time."
"You weren't listening, I said woman."
"Well.." Ginny thought of a comeback rather than defending herself as a woman, even her own brother wouldn't agree to that.
"Well?"
"Jump in a well and drown yourself and make me happy."
Did she just say make her happy? I'm more than glad to..
"Sure. But first, make me." Draco closed in.
Ginny locked her eyes shut. She was taking it no more. Why does he have to be a bloody rude git? "Please. Go away. I'm trying to ask nicely here."
"Is that the nicest you could get? Try going down on your knees, I might give a little consideration."
"FINE. WE'LL GO. Come on, Ron." But absently pulled Harry instead.
Draco, dude, don't screw this. "No, wait," Malfoy stopped them. "I'm not done yet. Why don't we jump and drown ourselves together?" Where the hell did that come from?
Ron's eyes widened at the word together. Draco explained. "I mean, if lil Weasel's gone, then that's minus one to your family's burden." Whew.
"What the.."
The next thing Draco knew was that a fist, Ron's fist to be exact, was driving right at him.
"My sister's not dying with you in a bloody well!" He slicked back abruptly. Ginny caught her reddening brother's arm just in time before his knuckles touched Draco's nose tip. Harry was clipping his other arm back.
"Ronald Weasley, not here!" Hermione had some skill in going unnoticed. She's gotten in Flourish and Blotts, no one had seen her arrive, or maybe because everyone had their own businesses to bother with.
"Hermione!" Ginny called her, and she ran to take place in holding Ron's arm. Ginny let go of him immediately, and stood in between of her friends and Draco. "Go."
Draco shook his head and straightened himself, some people we're already looking.
Hermione tugged Ginny's cloak "No, we'll go."
"No, 'Mione, we're not going anywhere until this brat learns his lesson!" Ron said. Hermione was as surprised as Harry upon hearing Ron's demand, because usually, Ron kept away from trouble, not cling to it, but that's what he's doing now.
"Temper, temper, Weasley." Draco said coolly. "You should've told me you were going to try hitting me. You know I'll be delighted to move closer down so your short, malnourished arm could reach my face."
"You!" Ron charged to dive at Malfoy, but Harry and Hermione only held him tight.
"If you wanted a fight," Malfoy dared, "you should've asked for it. It's for free, anyway. The only thing you'll need to pay for is your hospitalization." Malfoy moved to the lot. "I say, we use our wands."
Ginny exchanged fearful looks with Hermione and Harry. Duel. Ron wouldn't give in to this..
"I prefer hands."
"Ron!" Harry shook him, but Ron was in an eye-to-eye core with Draco.
"Hah, you poor rat. Again, you couldn't afford another if you broke your old, hand-me-down wand. But don't give me that crap. 1st day of school, Astronomy Tower, midnight." Draco raised his hand, formed it into a pistol, and pointed it to Ron's forehead. "Sharp."
With that, Draco turned to leave, regardless if Weasley had agreed or not. But it wasn't a matter of agreeing or objecting. All he wanted to do was tip his wand at him and throw every hexing charm he knew. But the Weasel insisted on a fistfight. They'll have both.
"Ron! Was that a yes? What were you thinking?!" Harry loosened Ron's hand rudely.
"Certainly not a no."
"Are, are you sure you're not sick or something?" came Hermione's concern.
"Certainly not." Ron murmured. But something had changed in Ron, that none of them had noticed. "Malfoy, wait just a second."
Hermione, Ginny and Harry looked at Ron. The hell's wrong with you?
Ginny sighed. Did my brother just ask Draco to stay? She wished it were always like this.
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Author's Notes.
* hm.. it's Malfoy's metaphor for saying 'Ginny, eat away or you'll get sick.' ΓΌ I don't know.. do you know a lamer excuse?
Exams are finally over!! I think I have a physics hang-over that's why this chapter's all mixed up. Please excuse the typo's for a while, I'll be able to fix it/them when I get back. Anyhoo, this week isn't going to be as hellish as the last one.. I know it. There's going to be less work, more time for this fic.
Thanks for the reviews.
R&R if you please. And leave your emails if you want to be noticed when the next chapters turn up. If there's anything you want, I'm glad to help, as long as it's D/G-concerned (jk!!). (ifearfear@graphic-designer.com)