Summary: When Ginny boarded the Hogwarts Express on the first of September, she was surprised to come face-to-face with the last person she expected to see back in school. He was still the same prat she remembered from years before, but now he has a much higher authority than ever before: he was this year's new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Ginny wished this was all a dream, but to her dismay she was stuck with him for an entire school year!
Disclaimer: Once again I don't want to go through all the mumbo-jumbo of having to write this out, so I'm saying this now: NOT MINE!!! I keep on forgetting to add this on to this one: MAIN HP CHARACTERS AREN'T MINE, those other names you don't recognize are mine as well as the plot, and also other stuff that you don't recognize, kapish?
Setting: Ginny's in her 7th year; Draco graduated the year before
PhoenixRae's Notes: phew! this took me a while to finish 'coz for a moment there i thought i'll be facing another bout with writer's block! good thing i got over it real quick!
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V. Quidditch, Anyone?
The first month of the new school year was finally over. Ginny got in to quite a few more scraps with Derek--mostly in Draco's class or whenever Draco was around. Ginny had a gut feeling Derek was doing it deliberately for reasons only known to him. She did her best to ignore him and avoid him as much as possible, but he has become some sort of parasite that wouldn't leave.
Ginny escaped quite a few detentions--she couldn't say if Derek did or didn't whenever he pulled some stupid prank on her--, but she couldn't do much when points got docked off Gryffindor because of her--or because Malfoy hated her guts so damn much he'd do anything to see that Gryffindor doesn't win the House Cup this year. She was upset whenever that happened, Malfoy docking points off Gryffindor and mostly it was because of her that he did so, but her mood soon lifted up almost immediately when Draco dock higher points off his former school house team, Slytherin. Needless to say he was soon loathed by Slytherin and the hero of the other three houses, which was weird as far as Ginny was concerned.
How could he be so cruel to his former housemates? Then again, he was Draco Malfoy. Since when wasn't he cruel to anyone? Nevertheless, his lack of favouritism towards Slytherin students made Ginny in awe of him. She couldn't believe she would feel that way about anyone who made fun of her family relentlessly, but she did. It was a weird feeling to have considering he was a mean, spoiled brat during his days as a Hogwarts student.
Ginny also started to notice Draco and Hermione's easy camaraderie, their suddenly blossoming friendship, as some might call it. They are often seen talking to each other instead of the usual sneer and slap (that happened like ages ago when Draco pushed his luck and became fast friends with Hermione's hand on his cheek). They were also caught teasing and making fun of each other like they were good old friends of many years! Ginny assumed the reason behind the Muggle-born and the Pureblood's fast growing relationship was due to their position in school--they must keep up friendly fronts for the benefit of the students as well as keep everything harmonious around Hogwarts--, but Hermione and Draco's growing familiarity with each other was starting to get to her.
During mealtimes she would happen to glance at the staff table and catch either Hermione leaning over to Draco whispering something to him which would then make the blond either chuckle or smirk at what she said and vice-versa. They would even get touchy-feely with each other, like Hermione putting her hand on Draco's arm when she spoke to him or Draco patting her hand when he was explaining something or telling her something. It was quite boggling to see that, and for some insane reason, Ginny was starting to not like the friendly gesture transpiring between the two teachers.
"Ginny, I thought Hermione is your friend?" Twyla Isaccs, captain and keeper of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, leaned close to Ginny during breakfast one Saturday morning on the day of the Quidditch tryouts for new team members.
Ginny tore her gaze from the staff table and frowned at her housemate, "Yes, we are. Why'd you ask?"
"Because, Gin, you've been glaring a hole right through her skull for the past five minutes now," she pointed out.
"Nooooo," Ginny shook her head in denial. She wasn't glaring at Hermione...was she? She can't be! Why would she be doing that to Hermione? She didn't have to wait long to hear a possible answer to her query.
"You fancying the new DADA teacher too?" Twyla nudged her teasingly.
"Whaaaa?" Ginny's eyes almost bugged out from its sockets.
Twyla grinned mischievously and returned back to eating her breakfast. "Can't say I blame ya for crushing on him," she said after a while. "I mean, even when he was still a student here he has been every female students' eye-candy."
"Well, he was never my eye-candy when he was still a student here nor will I start fancying him now that he's a teacher!" she said indignantly, "He was more like an eye-sore than an eye-candy to me."
Twyla swallowed her chuckle, nearly choking on the bacon strip she was eating. How clueless could a person be? Ginny Weasley fancied the pants off Draco Malfoy and she was denying it. Even a first year could tell that she does!
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"You're trying out for the team?" Hermione couldn't hide her surprise when Ginny told her of her plan as they made their way towards the Quidditch pitch where tryouts were being held.
"Yeah. I promised Ron, the twins, and Harry that I'd give it a try," she shrugged.
"Honoring the Weasley tradition of having a member of the family join the team, eh?" Twyla fell into step beside the red head, her shiny Nimbus 2002 resting on her shoulder.
"Something like that," she smiled at her close friend and the captain of the Gryffindor team.
"You'll do alright, kiddo." Twyla clipped her on the shoulder, giving it a light squeeze before walking ahead of the red head and the brunette teacher, "Well, see you at the pitch then, Weasley!"
"I'll be there, Isaacs!" Ginny waved her friend off before turning to face Hermione, "Which position do you think I should try out for, Mione? There's an open position for a Chaser, a Beater, and of course, Harry's old spot, the Seeker."
Hermione pondered on her answer for a while, thinking what was the best position for the youngest Weasley to try out. She noticed how much Ron, Harry, Fred, and George trained their sister over Quidditch. She got the twins' skill as Beater--good, strong arms that can whack any damn Bludger from here to oblivion! She also got Ron's speed and agility as a Chaser. And most importantly, she acquired Harry's talent at spotting even the smallest speck of dirt and chase after it. All in all she was very well qualified for all three positions, but which one to choose was an entirely different matter.
"Mione?" Ginny was waiting for her reply, shifting from foot to foot in anticipation. She already had a position in mind, but she didn't want to take it unless she could have someone's assurance that she would be good at it. And the only person who knew how well she played Quidditch--from the lessons she got from her brothers and surrogate brother--over the summer was Hermione so her opinion really ranked high on her list.
"Well, you're good at all three positions, Gin. Which one is it that you wanted to snag?"
Oh crap, now the ball was back in her court again. Of course she didn't have to think hard about what position she wanted to have.
"I'll try out for beater," she announced with a sheepish smile on her elfin-like face.
"I'd say that's a perfect choice, Weasley."
Ginny and Hermione were both startled to hear Draco Malfoy's voice. Ginny whipped her head over her shoulder and gave her Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher a mixture of glare and confused look. Hermione, on the other hand, crossed her arms over her chest and put on a bored expression on her face.
"Eavesdropping, Professor?" she mockingly asked.
Ginny's heart almost skipped a bit when, instead of smirking or glaring, Draco's face became alight with what could've been a rare smile seen to appear on his handsome face! Hell, why didn't she notice it before that he was indeed a fine good eye-candy?
It's because he often made fun of you back then for you to actually pay attention to his face, a small voice at the back of her head answered her. Ginny pursed her lips in consideration. Yeah, that was true. She was far too busy paying attention to the numerous insults Draco Malfoy hurtled her way--and her family and friends--to actually stop and look at how much his features has changed over the years.
Boy, he sure did a lot of growing over the summer! her mind sighed dreamily. Oh snap out of it, Weasley! It's just Malfoy playing the role of hunky professor after perfecting his hunky student role for the past seven damn years at Hogwarts! her other subconscious scolded.
"And why, pray tell, do you agree with my choice of position, Professor Malfoy, hm?" she questioned, turning fully around to face him, arms crossed over her chest, an eyebrow raised as she awaited his reply.
"Why certainly, Ms. Weasley. I'll enlighten you with my thoughts on that matter," Draco crossed the short space separating them. He now stood towering over Ginny, the top of her shiny mop of red hair coming just short of his chest, making him look all too superior over her, but Ginny didn't waver. She pulled her head all the way to the back until she was seeing him eye-to-eye, her eyebrow still raised in anticipation of his explanation.
"Well? I'm still waiting here, Professor."
Draco grinned down at the almost pint-sized Gryffidor redhead, the last of her line to attend Hogwarts.
"A little bird told me your precious Derek made it as seeker for Slytherin. If you got the beater position, you can the bludgers as hard as you can and send the damn ball careening towards hotlips," he winked down at her before his face broke into a full-blown smile. A real smile, not some fake, forced smile he often has plastered on his damn face. "Go get 'em, tiger," he added and to her--and Hermione's as well--surprise, Draco's hand slipped behind her and gave Ginny's rump a good swatting before he headed off towards the opposite direction from the pitch.
Ginny let out a startled yelp and quickly put her hands to cover her behind, her brown eyes following the departing broad shouldered back of her Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Hermione stepped up closer to her startled friend, her brown eyes also directed at the departing blond haired professor, her jaw hanging down in disbelief at what she just saw.
"I could sue him for harassment," Ginny said under her breath, but she didn't sound the least bit offended. She was more like numbed on the spot from shock that doesn't want to wear off right away.
Hermione let chuckled behind you, "I don't think so, Gin. You won't be suing him for anything any time soon. If I do say so myself, your least favourite teacher has just taken a sudden liking to you," she teased while suppressing a huge grin from appearing on her face. Although she and Draco has gotten closer since the beginning of the school year, still, the former Slytherin bad boy--who was still a bad boy--has a few tricks up his sleeves that could sure surprise anyone who witnessed what he was capable of.
"And did I just hear him right?" Hermione questioned, frowning now as she recalled what she heard Draco tell Ginny about her becoming a beater for Gryffindor.
Ginny turned about face and headed towards the pitch once more with Hermione dogging her steps beside her. "Did you hear what right, Mione?"
"I don't know if my ears were just deceiving me or if he actually said what I thought he just said."
Ginny rolled her eyes skyward. Hermione was babbling incessantly once again. Sometimes she wondered when will come the day when Hermione Granger would just get to the point without having to beat around the bush so much.
"Mione, will you just spit it out what it is you wanted to ask. I can't play guessing game with you right now when I'm trying to get pumped-up for my tryout."
"Fine, fine. I was just wondering if Malfoy actually gave you permission to whoop your ex-boyfriend's ass if ever you make it as beater for Gryffindor since Derek landed the vacant seeker position for Slytherin."
"I believe he did give me permission, Mione," she nodded and waved at her fellow seventh year, Janelle Harris, who was waiting for her to arrive. She looked back at her friend and smiled, "Look, why don't you just watch me try out for the team over at the stands and cheer for me, okay? Then afterwards we can go for tea or whatever you have planned."
"Alright. And good luck, Gin. Make Fred and George proud. Hit those damn bludgers as hard as you can so you can make it to the team," she patted her friend's shoulder before heading towards the stands while Ginny met up with Janelle.
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Ginny and Janelle made it to the team. Janelle Harris was the newest Gryffindor chaser along with sixth year Anton Sylyc. Ginny made became the newest beater much to her delight. She glanced over to where Hermione sat and she couldn't stop laughing as her best friend kept on giggling and jumping up and down the stands when Ginny snagged the position she tried out for. The new Gryffindor Quidditch players remained at the pitch for an extra half hour after the new members were chosen while Twyla gave them a quick pep-talk about how she will run the team, when practices will be held and which house team they will face for their first match.
Ginny grinned from ear to ear when Twyla informed them they will be facing off with Slytherin for their first match. She would then take Draco Malfoy's advice and whoop some Derek Boones' ass off his damn Comet 2003.
Twyla gave her teammates her final reminder for the day before dismissing her players. She was so psyched-up about this year's Quidditch season (her enthusiasm over it reminded Ginny so much of what Oliver Wood--former captain and keeper of the Gryffindor team before it was passed on to Harry in his fifth year) seeing as it was her final year at Hogwarts. Ginny knew Twyla wanted to leave with a bang like her predecessors--namely Wood and Harry.
Ginny headed towards where Hermione stood waiting for her. From the huge smile plastered on her face, Ginny knew her Arithmancy teacher was proud of her for making the team.
"Congratulations!" she threw her arms around the petite redhead's neck when she was close enough for her to do so, pulling her closer for a bone-crushing hug. "I can't wait to owl your bothers and tell them the news," she enthused, pulling away from the embrace--to Ginny's relief. She never thought Hermione could hug so tight. She always struck her as someone who was frail and meek, not someone who looked frail on the outside but was made of much sterner stuff!
"Oh I'm sure Fred and George will be very delighted," she grinned, a starry look glazing her eyes as she pictured her prankster twin brothers reveling at the news of her making the team and becoming the next member of the Weasley family to become a Quidditch beater.
"So, still up for some tea?" asked Hermione.
Ginny wrinkled her nose and looked over her shoulder at the empty Quidditch pitch. Tryouts for all teams was already over and it looked like she could have the pitch to herself. God knows she needed extra more practice with her flying and get more comfortable on her new mount.
Harry, Ron, Fred, George, Bill, Percy, and Charlie pooled some money together and bought her the latest and fastest model of the Firebolt broomstick. It was their joint birthday present for her after she passed her grueling Quidditch summer boot camp session with the twins, Ron, and Harry. It was a backbreaking six weeks of sweat, splinter (from the broomstick she was using), sprain (from when she accidentally falls off her broomstick when one of her brothers--or sometimes even Harry--decided to surprise her while she was up in the air), and stress (because Ron gets too temperamental when she couldn't execute a certain maneuver right) which paid off quite nicely since she snagged a position in her house team. Also the Firebolt was an added bonus. She wasn't expecting her brothers to pool together some money and surprise her with a gift that she knew she would always treasure--and guard with her life if needed be!
She looked back at Hermione and declined her friend's invitation. She was far too excited to sit around in a room sipping tea and eating scones. Hermione understood and left her to enjoy the rest of her afternoon practicing.
"I'll just see you at dinner, and don't stay out here too long," she reminded sternly knowing how much of an addict Ginny has become since her brothers--and Harry--introduced her to the wonderful world of Quidditch, not that she needed any introduction to it per se, but to actually learn how to play it was an entirely different thing. Hermione was surprised at how much Ginny enjoyed the sport and was determined to make it this year to the house team--which she eventually did. Hermione thought Ginny took more after Percy; studious and strict.
"I promise I'll be back in the castle before sundown," Ginny promised with a firm nod of her head, her hand clutching the handle of her Firebolt tightly.
"Okay. Have fun, Gin!" Hermione called over her shoulder and walked back towards the castle.
Ginny mounted her Firebolt in a rush, kicking off the ground as hard as she could and soared right up into the air. She practiced her dodging tactics and did a couple of laps back and forth, picking up speed each time she did so.
She remembered Fred and George's numerous tips regarding dodging runaway bludgers to hitting them hard, sending the black ball careening towards the opposing team member's way or even farther. Ron's voice still rang through to her head, spewing advice after advice on how to move like the greatest chaser in the entire world; speed and agility was a must to outrun and out-maneuver the opposing team. Then cam Harry's voice of comfort, telling her she doesn't have to be super girl to come out on top in the game; all she needed was a good hand-eyes coordination and to always trust her instincts because it was almost always right.
It was a great comfort to her to have him around during her torturous boot camp session with her brothers. He was always calm whenever Ron loses his cool; he was the one who kept her sane when the twins were driving her nuts with their instructions; and he was there to cheer her on even when she was being at her lousiest element. He never raised his voice at her (unlike her brothers--Ron to be quite specific) except when she was being too thick, but otherwise he was the 'cool one' out of her four instructors.
Oblivious to the world around her, Ginny was so lost in her practice that she didn't feel a pair of gray and blue eyes watching her from two separate spots.
Draco made himself comfortable on one of the watch towers, his eyes gazing appreciatively at the flash of red zooming back and forth in front of him. He watched her tryout for her house team and was impressed at how talented she was. Judging from her movements, she was trained by a few of the best players he had the pleasure of competing against with. He wouldn't outright admit it, though, but Draco had more pleasure playing against the Gryffindor team. They were a bunch of passionate, combative lot who gave Slytherin a good thrashing every time. They took house rivalry to another level whenever they played--and it was never a good match between Gryffindor and Slytherin ever. Too bad he already graduated with Potter, Granger, and Weasley; he would've loved to have played against Gryffindor with Ginny on their team. As much as she looked like sin on a broomstick (seriously, he never noticed just how much Ginny Weasley has turned out to be quite an eyecatcher until he began teaching at Hogwarts this year), she also had the same passion radiating from her whenever she had the club in her hand and a bludger swooping nearby.
Meanwhile, safe on the ground, Derek stood by the entranceway to the changing rooms, his arm propped against the wall while watching the redhead dart here and there up high in the air. She was doing some fancy loop-the-loops and spiral dives while honing in to her surrounding.
God, she never looked so darn attractive until now! Perched on her shiny broomstick, her red hair pulled back in what once was a neat ponytail, now some of her flaming locks broke free off its constraints, whipping against her face in all direction as she continued her rigorous practice. She changed a lot over the summer too. Her shoulders got more broader, her legs became more toned, and her body was sporting more curves than he remembered from last year! What the hell had she been doing all summer?
Hell. Now he knew why Malfoy was ogling at Ginny when he thought no one was watching him. And who could blame Malfoy from ogling? For a petite girl, Ginny Weasley simply had a body to die for--and legs that seemed to go on forever!
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A/N: once again I thank Blu Misterie for editing this chapter. and...well, I know this one's like a day delayed from being posted (for some odd reason I was busy yesterday *lol*), but here it is again. as always, read, review & enjoy!
Polgara: nope, it didn't sound corny to me at all :::grins::: i'm glad you're liking this fic, and i'm trying to make Ginny's ex-beau a real jerk...seems like its working if you find him jerk-y *LOL* and the best way for almost every story to read is the love-hate relationship between the two main characters
Kitycat87: hope you this one's a cool chapter too
karly: yeah, i enjoyed snake charming, but not as much as a i enjoyed drops (i can't really remember the rest of that darn fic's title *lol*), thanks for recommending those two stories to me. and i'm working on how Derek will have fun with the obvious attraction between Draco & Ginny...
Junebug: thank you, thank you, thank you
Sharlene: *lol* thank you for not liking Derek! that's the whole point on why he is what he is in the fic
mavis: hmm...i'm not sure yet, but it'll be a Derek/Ginny/Draco for a while...then probably i'll throw in something else again--we'll see
sassw14: we'll see how many more embarrassing moments i can think of and incorporate here
Redmeadow: i'm trying to get some Ginny PoV and...well, i think i managed to!
Crystal: Draco's mean???? *lol* how???
SeZzA: i'm trying to update as often as i can here, dearie
MYSTIQUE: you like both D's, eh? *lol* but of course you'll stay loyal to Draco :::grins:::
kellyanne: here's the update...and thanks for the ice cream! *lol*
Angel-Hiragizawa32: yeah, i seem to be on a great roll here! *lol* i'm so inspired i can't believe it sometimes because usually it takes me a long while to finish a chapter
Xela: why thank you for saying this is the greatest...hope you liked this chapter
B-chan and Syaorons angel: thanks and i'm glad you enjoyed this fic
Laura: thanks and here's the next chappie
CiNdY: i aimed for it to be funny one way or the other...and original?! whoa! thanks for saying that! *lol*
Miss Marauder: thank you, thank you, thank you...and you've been busy too, eh? well, same here. but amidst my so-called busy schedule and i'm still managing to squeeze in some time to sit down and write the next chapter for this fic
Starry: thanks you...hopefully it gets better as the chappies progress
SAngel: thanks for loving this fic and taking the time to read it even! *lol*
Canis Lupin: lack of description of what? and abrasive? hmm...i tend to make the original characters to act so out of character because it's fun to do it that way, but nevertheless, thank you for your input and sometimes i write things the way i talk...it makes sense to me and to some people somehow so i think i must be doing something right one way or the other...
sadie (say-dee: well Draco was being clueless and...uhm...i think the green-eyed monster took over him for a moment there so he didn't really know what was and what wasn't! *lol* now please, calm down and take a depe breath...okay now? :::grins:::
Arella Hallo: oh you're so totally right! i want the readers to want to hate Derek soooo much you could just strangle him to death if ever he was real! *lol*
OpalKoboi: thanks for liking this...and you like things that would never ever really happen??? hmm...i think i get it but i just might want you to explain that to me for a much better understanding from my part! *lol*
MelissaAdams: here's what happens next...and i'm working on the chapter after this...as for LGO...i'm soooooo stuck with it i can't even move forward! :( but don't worry, i'll try and get off my writer's block problem concerning LGO, and once i do you'll be the first to know of the update! :::grins:::
