Forked Tongue
Warnings and Whatnot—I figure this is about an R due to the nature of some of the conversation. I hope this isn't too hokey, but then again I'm always afraid my stories will turn out too hokey. Read, the fluffy bunnies of doom command you….
"February thirteenth and they give out detentions." Ginny leaned back in her chair and stared up at the ceiling. "Amazing."
"Well, at least they're being lenient and only making us study in the Library with Madam Pince." Neville looked over at Ginny and then went back to his book.
"Only?" Ginny asked with a note of disbelief.
"You're right…" Neville said quietly and sighed. "This is probably worse than whatever Filch could come up with."
"Don't you two ever shut up? Or is it just a Gryffindor thing?"
The two sent dirty looks over at the only other person in detention, Draco Malfoy. He was leaning back on the two back legs of his chair and had his feet propped up on the table they were all sitting at. Luckily it was a long table.
"Why is he here?" Neville asked quietly and Ginny rolled her eyes.
"Probably cheated on a test," Ginny answered nonchalantly and Neville smiled.
"I think animal testing is a terrible idea; they get all nervous and give the wrong answers." Neville shot a fake frown at Draco and Ginny started laughing.
"Brave, and stupid, words Longbottom." Draco narrowed his eyes and sneered.
"Don't worry Neville, even ferret-boy wouldn't try anything under Pince's eye." Ginny managed to speak as her laughter subsided. "Like an evil shadow, that lady."
"I swear I saw her spook Snape when he was in here to get a book." Neville looked over his shoulder to check for the librarian as he spoke.
"No kidding?" Ginny asked flatly and sighed. "So Neville, why are you here?" Ginny asked and went back to staring at the ceiling.
"Well…um…I overheated my potion a bit and—." Neville started shakily but was cut off by Draco's laughter.
"Overheated a bit?" Draco asked and looked over at Neville with an amused smirk on his face. "If that isn't the understatement of the century. You heated that potion to triple what was required; it blew up, and caught four desks on fire! I'm surprised Snape could manage to salvage anything before he dragged you off here."
"Wow, that true Neville?" Ginny looked over at him and he nodded solemnly.
"I swear I heard Snape muttering about the Headmaster questioning his 'love of children.'" Neville looked down at his book and Ginny snorted.
"I can see it now," Ginny held her hands up as if to display the scene in the air above her. "Professor, don't you like children at all?" Ginny paused and tried her best impression of Snape. "I like children…fried."
Both Neville and Draco let out amused forms of laughter and Ginny bowed forward to thank her audience. A moment of silence passed and Neville glanced over at Ginny.
"So why are you here?" Neville asked kindly.
"Yes, what did little goody-two-shoes Weasley do?" Malfoy interjected before Ginny could answer.
"Well." Ginny looked over at Neville. "You remember when Dean, Seamus, and I went off to the kitchens?" Neville nodded.
"Well I had Arithmacy this morning." Ginny sighed and looked up at the ceiling again. "Let's just say—Alcohol and calculus don't mix. Never drink and derive."
"The littlest Weasel showed up to class hammered." Draco commented with a hint of amusement in his voice.
"According to the Professor it was slightly worse than that—I believe smashed is the correct terminology." Ginny closed her eyes and heard a surprised and amused sound from Neville as well as a snicker from Malfoy.
"What are you in for then, Malfoy?" Ginny asked without even bothering to glance over at him.
"Yeah, why are you here?" Neville got up the courage to ask but fell silent quickly when Draco shot him a disapproving glare.
"As I told McGonagall," Draco started and folded his arms behind his head, "It's all fun and games until someone loses an eye. Then it's just a game. Find the eye." He finished and heard a small gasp out of Neville.
"It's no wonder Pomfrey was so busy today," Ginny said calmly.
"Mr. Longbottom! Miss Weasley! Mr. Malfoy!"
All three of them straightened up, and froze as they heard Madam Pince's sharp, grating voice behind them. She swooped over and stood directly between Neville and Ginny.
"This, I'll have you know, is a detention!" She swept her icy gaze over each one of them and pressed her lips into a thin line. "I demand to know just which one of you started this whole conversation! Now!"
"Longbottom," Draco said nonchalantly and motioned over to Neville with his hand. Ginny eyed Draco angrily and then glanced over at Neville. The poor boy had paled considerably and was now staring, wide-eyed, up at a very irritated Madam Pince. She moved around and stood directly behind him before she spoke again.
"Mr. Longbottom," Madam Pince practically hissed, "You will come with me and leave these other two here to study in peace!" She snatched him up by the back of his robes and led him off to a table that was considerably far away from them.
"You wanker," Ginny grumbled quietly and glared at Draco.
"Did you just call me a wanker?" Draco asked and stared at Ginny with an expression that could be classified as either amused or surprised. "Didn't your mother ever teach you not to insult people?" There was a pause while the world processed the incredibly hypocritical remark.
"My mother taught me many things." Ginny shot him and proud look and then crossed her arms over her chest. "She taught me manners, more than you ever learned I'd wager, she taught me humility, strike two on your part, she taught me hospitality—." Malfoy laughed and Ginny glared at him, "And she taught me never to interrupt." Ginny rolled her eyes and Malfoy smirked at her.
"Weasley hospitality?" Malfoy laughed again and Ginny frowned.
"It's more than can be said for Malfoy hospitality."
"Really? Then what did your mother tell you on the subject?" Malfoy drawled and stared at Ginny.
"Hospitality is making your guests feel at home. Even if you wish they were…" Ginny looked Draco over once and smirked. "Probably left over from the days when our families were on civil terms."
"Quite a forked tongue you've got there, Weasel." Draco sneered and Ginny ignored him.
"You sound surprised." Ginny started reading through the book in front of her like she was supposed to but continued to speak to Draco. "But then again I'd doubt you run across many Slytherin girls who can use their tongue and their brain at the same time."
"You'd be shocked to find out what some of those girls can do with their tongues," Draco commented haughtily and watched Ginny shudder slightly. "Especially Parkinson."
Ginny abruptly started laughing and nearly fell forward out of her chair. At first Draco was confused at her reaction, then, after five minutes of her laughing, he got annoyed.
"You laugh but she's twice the woman you are in…many…areas." Draco eyed Ginny and she stopped laughing for a moment. For a moment. After he finished his comment she started laughing so hard that she actually needed the table to steady her.
"Oh I don't doubt it!" She was genuinely astonished that she managed to speak in between bouts of laughter and hardly noticed the genuinely angry Malfoy sitting just a few feet from her.
"What are you on about?" He seethed and Ginny looked up at him, slightly taken aback.
"You mean you don't know?" Ginny asked and he narrowed his eyes. " Have you ever heard the term 'Barbie-Girl' before?"
"No," Draco answered cautiously and Ginny grinned.
"Life as plastic, it's fantastic!" Ginny announced, voice full of mirth, and collapsed into peals of laughter again. It took Draco a moment to realize what she'd just said but when he did his face twisted in disgust, "I can't believe you didn't know! As if anyone with a thirty-inch rib cage could support knockers like hers! I'm honestly surprised she hasn't thrown out her back yet! Lucky for her she doesn't stand often!"
"Uhg." Draco sat back and ran his hand through his hair. "I've got to go brush my teeth…maybe get a wire brush and some scalding water…uh…." He shuddered and Ginny stopped laughing.
"Well that wasn't the reaction I expected," Ginny stared at him and he cocked an eyebrow at her.
"Just what did you expect, Weasley?"
"Some haughty, lewd, and downright stupid comment…." Ginny stared at him and he blinked. "Something along the lines of 'I like my coffee like I like my women…in a plastic cup.'" Ginny paused and broke out laughing again. Draco just paled slightly and glared daggers at her.
"Grand Weasel, you've gone and ruined my Valentines Day." Draco spat at her and she scoffed.
"What's the matter? Draco can't stand the idea of dating the Plastic Parkinson?" Ginny leaned forward and propped her elbows up on the table. "That just leaves you with your second choice. Let's just hope your hand isn't doing anything special." Ginny eyed him and he smirked.
"Don't knock masturbation, it's sex with someone I love." He retorted arrogantly and Ginny looked a bit stunned.
"Talk about an ego," Ginny said flatly and blinked. "But then again I doubt you've ever honestly loved anything but yourself." Ginny rolled her eyes and Draco leaned back in his chair. "Sex without love is an empty experience—."
"But as empty experiences go, it's a pretty good one." Draco cut her off and she stared at him incredulously. "Don't tell me—the littlest Weasel, goody-two-shoes Potter-lover is still a virgin?" Draco asked cockily and Ginny flushed slightly. He laughed and Ginny began to lose her temper.
"Well sorry if I'm a bit out of the loop, it's so long since I've had sex, I've forgotten who ties up who." Ginny said dryly just for the shock value. Draco stopped laughing and just stared at her blankly.
"Nice try." He smirked. "Your face gave you away though. I'd wager you're almost the color of your hair…."
"What?" Ginny shouted and earned them both an angry glare from Madam Pince.
"Well, that was easy." Draco laughed and Ginny frowned.
"Oh bugger off!" Ginny fumed and went back to studying.
Draco just smirked in silent amusement and went back to lazily reading through the book he'd brought. A few hours passed and each of the three students in detention were beginning to wonder just when Madam Pince was going to let them leave. They'd already missed dinner and it was starting to get rather late. Little did Draco and Ginny know that Madam Pince had excused Neville already and had completely forgotten them.
"This is ridiculous," Ginny grumbled and closed her book. "I've actually read through the entire text-book!" Ginny stood up and looked over at Madam Pince's desk. She gasped when she saw the time and suddenly became very cross. "I don't believe it."
"What don't you believe?" Draco asked in a very biting tone of voice and glanced up at her.
"It's damn near eleven thirty!" Ginny shouted and Draco shot up out of his chair.
"What?" He stared at the clock on Pince's desk and scanned the library for any other signs of life. Even Madam Pince had left. "That old bat! She left us in here!"
"Bloody Valentines Day!" Ginny shouted and Draco stared at her. "If it wasn't for this stupid holiday I wouldn't be stuck in here with you and I wouldn't have missed dinner!"
"Bitter are we?" Draco asked snidely and Ginny stalked away from him.
"If this door is locked I'm going to break it down." Ginny grabbed the knob and twisted it harshly. The poor door let out a creak and a harsh clicking noise as Ginny forced the knob to turn.
"Calm down!" Draco snapped and walked up beside her. "You break the door and I'll be blamed!"
"Oh quit your whining!" Ginny snapped back at him and he looked a little more than stunned. Apparently she wasn't very eloquent when she lost her temper.
Ginny opened the door and walked out into the dark, empty hallway. She looked around and stood in the center of the hall while deciding just where she was going to go. Malfoy walked up behind her and shot her a snide look.
"What's the matter? Forget where your House is?"
"No." Ginny answered simply and walked off. Malfoy looked around and jogged after her.
"Isn't your house, that way?" He asked in a very cutting tone.
"Yeah." Ginny glanced at him and stopped walking. "Who says I'm going back to my house?"
"I might have been wrong about you Weasel," Draco commented and looked her over. "Not quite the goody-two-shoes I thought you were."
"Look, I'm just going to the kitchens—." Ginny started but Draco interrupted her again.
"Well then I'll have to come along."
"Why?" She eyed him and he blinked.
"Contrary to normal belief I do need to eat, I don't simply live off the misfortune of others—though it is quite appetizing." Draco added and Ginny shook her head.
"Whatever."
The two continued walking down towards the Kitchens. They reached the painting of the fruit, Ginny tickled pear and the two walked into the kitchens. They were immediately caught in the middle of a swarm of house-elves looking to serve them. Unfortunately the house-elves thought Ginny was there for her Valentine's surprise.
"We made it Miss, just like you wanted!" One of the elves smiled up at Ginny and she sighed sadly.
"Well, I don't need it anymore." Ginny waved her hand at the small creature and it just frowned.
"Would Miss still like to have some of it?"
"Yeah, why not." Ginny sat down on the ground near the fireplace and stared up at Draco. "What are you smirking at?"
"Let me guess," Draco spoke in a very oily tone, "Valentine for Potter?"
"Wow, how very perceptive of you Malfoy." Ginny stared at him as he sat down and waited for the house-elves to bring food over.
"Why aren't you going to give it to him? Get scared at the last minute?" He cocked an eyebrow and Ginny just stared at him flatly.
"No, I caught him snogging Hermione in the common room last night." Ginny replied dryly. "Why do you think I got drunk?"
"Ouch." Malfoy faked a hurt expression and looked a tad sickened at the thought of Hermione Granger and Harry Potter making out.
"Only two things are infinite. The universe and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the former." Ginny commented philosophically and looked down at the house-elf that had brought her a slice of colorful cake and a glass of water.
"No comment about my ego?" Draco feigned a saddened expression and Ginny laughed hollowly as she took the cake.
"Here you are Sir."
Draco glanced down at the small house elf and took the slice of cake he was offered, "Funny that I'm eating Potter's valentine." Draco laughed and took a bite of cake.
"Yeah," Ginny smiled and glanced over at his plate. "You even got the slice that had the snitch on it." Ginny laughed and Draco stared at the confection.
"Draco you silly sod." Draco said quietly and shook his head. Ginny shot him a curious look.
"Insulting yourself now?" Ginny asked and set her cake down. "Or are you running out of clever things to call me?"
"Women—can't live with them, can't bury them in the backyard without the neighbors seeing." Draco said softly and set down his plate.
"Are you alright?"
Ginny stared at him and barely had time to react when he moved forward and wrapped his arm around her waist. She took in a sharp breath just as he leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers. A few moments passed and he moved back a bit. Ginny took in a deep breath and stared at him like a deer in the proverbial headlights.
"Why did you just do that?" Ginny asked shakily and stared into his cool grey eyes.
"I needed a reason?" He asked and smirked. What Ginny did next shocked even her.
She quickly put her hands behind his head and pulled him in for a kiss. She wasn't quite as gentle and this kiss wasn't quite as innocent as the first one. Draco was beyond shocked when he felt her tongue but he went with it. Needless to say the house-elves looked away politely as the two students kissed like there was no tomorrow.
After two minutes of kissing Ginny released Draco and he took in a deep gulp of air. She smiled devilishly and slid out of his hold. The clock on the mantle behind her chimed midnight and she brushed some of her hair back behind her ear.
"Happy Valentines Day." She said in a very throaty voice as she stood up and left the stunned blonde sitting alone in the kitchen.
"Sir?" One of the house-elves pulled on Draco's robes lightly to make sure he was all right.
"She definitely knows how to use that forked-tongue of hers." Draco smirked down at the uncomfortable house-elf. "I need you to do something for me." Draco locked eyes with the small creature and it nodded swiftly. Draco described what he needed and swiftly left the kitchens. He had to prepare for tomorrow.
Ginny rose slowly on February 14, she'd dreaded Valentines Day for nearly twenty-four hours and she didn't intend to start enjoying it now—even if she did have quite an interesting exchange with Draco Malfoy earlier. Ginny got dressed and walked down for breakfast. She was running late but she didn't really care.
"Ginny!"
Ginny jumped and spun around to see a shaken Colin running down the stairs towards her.
"I was just up there to get you! Where have you been?" Colin stopped next to her and caught his breath.
"You must have just missed me…why? What's going on?" Ginny asked slowly and stared at Colin.
"Oh! You have to see it!" Colin looked like he'd just gotten Harry to sign a life-sized poster of himself.
Colin latched onto Ginny's arm and practically dragged her behind him as he ran to the Great Hall. The two of them burst through the doors and Ginny wrenched her arm free from Colin's vice-grip.
"What in the world is the matter with you?" Ginny stared at him like he'd gone nutters but he just pointed at the house table. Ginny glanced over at the Gryffindor table and her mouth fell open slightly.
Right in front of her regular seat there was a large cake that had been decorated extensively. Everyone at the table was looking at it and, strangely enough, no one had even tried to touch it. Ginny walked over and checked to make sure her seat hadn't been booby-trapped or something equally absurd. She then took the time to look at the cake. The sides had been richly decorated but the top was blank.
"There was a note," Hermione said and handed a small card to Ginny. "I had to snatch it before Ron tried to see who sent you the cake." Hermione sent a glare at the redhead and Ginny opened the card.
Aparecium.
Ginny turned the card over, but that was the only writing on the entire sheet. Ginny set the card down, drew her wand, and cast the spell. The moment she said the magic word the previously invisible markings on the top of the cake appeared. Ginny stared at them for a moment and then shook her head.
In the center there was a caricature of her in which she had horns, a devil tail, and a forked tongue. Next to the caricature there was a small snitch drawn in red frosting. Below both the drawings there was some writing. It really didn't take Ginny too long to figure out who this particular present was from.
I could send flowers on the hours…
I could release doves for all my loves…
I could kiss and never miss…
But then I wouldn't get to mock you, and where's the fun in that?
Be my Valentine.
"Ginny, that looks like a demand," Hermione sounded a bit surprised at the Valentine.
"I wonder what kind of stupid poncy git sent that," Ron snorted in disapproval and Ginny just ignored them.
She couldn't bring herself to eat anything, and just let everyone have some of her cake. While everyone was fighting over portions Ginny turned around and scanned the Slytherin table. She spotted Draco Malfoy and the two locked eyes for a moment. She shot him a mildly amused look and he smirked. She broke eye contact and left the Great Hall, it didn't take long for him to follow.
Draco walked out of the doors and spotted her sitting on the stairs that led up to the second story. He walked over and leaned back against the handrail that ran up the side of the staircase before he spoke.
"Well?" He asked and she smiled up at him.
"That had to be the stupidest Valentine I've ever received." Ginny responded and stood up.
"That, I find hard to believe." Draco eyed her and she laughed.
"But then again, stupidity got us into this mess. Why can't it get us out?" Ginny slid her arm up around his shoulders.
"Indeed." Draco smiled at her and wrapped his arm around her waist.
Author's Notes: This story was originally written as a competition piece for a Valentine's Day contest. Just so you know. This is short, sweet, and utterly complete. Please be agreeable and review.
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