Author's Note: Someone mentioned how Athena was the Goddess of wisdom. I just found out that she is, but when I read the Iliad last year for school, the book only mentioned her as the Goddess of war and power. However, now I know that it is wisdom, too! I learned something! Yea! I have also decided that I will write a little each day so that I can have these updated every weekend and have long chapters. So here you go!
Chapter 3: Things Bug People, you know?
In the Great Hall, the enchanted ceiling showed crisp blue skies with not a cloud to be seen, which was exactly how it was outside although it was forty degrees. Most of the students were wearing winter cloaks, scarves, and gloves. Outside, a gentle breeze entered through the hall because Dumbledore had decided that because it was such a nice day, they should let some fresh air in to the dismay of already freezing students. Winter was here and sooner or later, snow as well as the holidays would come but probably not for another two or three weeks. It was the beginning of December and already the sense of joy and happiness that came with the holidays was in the air.
This bugged Ginny very much.
She sat down at the Gryffindor table with a loud –plop!- between her only two friends, Branden and Hailie, just as the food appeared although she was not going to eat it.
This bugged Ron very much whom, as most of the Gryffindors know, has an affinity for food.
"Why don't you eat?"
"Because I'm not hungry."
"But food's good for you! See!" said Ron who automatically shoved three scones into his abnormally large mouth, talking with it full. "Ift tasftes goofd."
This bugged Hermione, who was wiping her muggle clothes from half-salivated food crumbs.
"Honestly, Ron! Can't you for once not eat and talk at the same time? Is that all you can do because I must say, it's not a very appealing talent."
"Now Herm," interjected Harry, "let him be…. Hey, Ron! I bet you that I can shove more scones into my mouth than you!"
"Fyou're fon!"
While Harry and Ron were savagely eating scones by the tons, Hermione just sat there with a forlorn face knowing that she lost the battle.
"Ugh! Boys!"
Ginny watched with mild interest. She saw enough of this at home and decided to just put her head down on the table and wait for breakfast to end. Yet, something caught her attention. Draco was coming through the doors late that day because he decided to take a nice walk around the corridors so that he could arrive fashionably late. Very typical.
Ginny lifted up her head and watched the boy enter the room with his arrogant gait and smirk. Ginny thought that she was the only girl in the school who found it quite annoying. Moreover, she was right because when Draco strolls into the Great Hall, all eyes turn on him, including Hermione's to the dismay of Harry.
"Well of course I'm going to look at someone who slams doors open and struts in! How can I not?"
"By looking away," replied her slightly annoyed boyfriend.
With looks to kill, including a nicely chiseled body (not too buff and not too scrawny), tousled silver hair, and stunning gray-blue eyes, who couldn't gawk? Well… Ginny couldn't. And for someone like Draco to not notice a girl not staring at him would be strange, so of course he saw Ginny looking past him towards the windows.
This bugged Draco. This bugged Draco a lot, but he decided to deal with her later and instead walked towards his saved seat at the Slytherin table between Crabbe and Goyle. However, the moment Draco sat down, Goyle and Crabbe were knocked out of their respected chairs and replaced by two extremely irritating girls, Pansy and Blaise, both of which Draco hated because every time they'd get near him, they would start harassing him. It was not in a nice way either like how one would pet a cat. Pansy and Blaise were ALL OVER Draco – in his hair, in his lap, and crawling up his legs. Finally, he had enough and, very uncharacteristic of him, Draco stood up and ran out of the hall leaving two very melancholy Slytherin girls to gromble at the table.
Ginny watched the whole thing with only quasi interest although she found it funny while all of the other girls were crying in their seats because they weren't climbing up the hottie. So, when Draco left the room running, Ginny decided to follow him. What else was she going to do? Watch the food?
"Ginft, whereft are fyou going?" asked Ron who was still having a contest with Harry although he (Ron) was winning in great numbers.
"Out." Before her brother could reply, Ginny sprinted out of the Great Hall to catch up with Draco.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
There were actually two reasons why Draco left the dining hall. One was because Pansy and Blaise had gone a little too far, and he swore that he felt a hand going up way past his knee and two because his head started to hurt like it did every full moon. Draco had a power that was not known in the magical or, of course, the muggle world because it happened by a freak accident, but he didn't want to think about it at the moment. (A/N: Mwahahahahaha! I'm not telling you guys yet what's up with our beloved Draco. I know when and where he shall tell… mwa hahahahahah! You will just have to wait! Teehee.)
He remembered exactly what happened that night when he caught Ginny.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
*~* flashback *~*
He stood atop his tower, which was actually the Astronomy Tower and was not his although he liked to tell himself so. The wind was blowing extremely hard that night and a few raindrops splattered against his visage when his sense picked up danger and something not right in the castle.
That's when he heard the scream.
"SEE ME! SAVE ME!"
He knew that voice, for it belonged to none other than Ginny Weasley, the girl who he just loved to torture. His body reacted quickly, and without further thought, Draco sprang into action, flying down from his perch at unknown speeds and grabbing the fragile sixth year who had her eyes tightly shut in order to brace the impact. Knowing that she didn't hit the ground, Draco watched while soaring upwards when Ginny faintly opened her eyes to stare at the face of the person that caught her.
God, she's beautiful… whoa! Where did that come from?
But before he could say anything, Ginny blacked out, and he quickly brought her back up to his perch.
Draco gazed at her for some time wondering why such a quiet and nice girl like her would want to commit suicide. It was just so strange, but when he really started to think about her circumstances, Draco began to see why and how part of it was his fault. Draco felt horrible for what he did, making comments about her family, her clothes… Harry. But what could he do? He was Draco, and Draco was obnoxious.
So, he left her there atop the tower, went back to his room, scribbled a note, flew back to the window in the tower, and shoved it between the glass and the frame. Before leaving again, Draco ascended the stairs towards where he left the unconscious girl, bent down, and gently moved some of the hair out of her eyes.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
It was easy for Ginny to find Draco by just following the scent of his cologne, which smelled like vanilla (very strange for a guy now that I think about it) and rain. He was leaning against a balcony and looking out towards the grounds. His back was facing her. (A/N: I just love balconies!)
Ginny gathered up her courage and decided to talk to him in hopefully a civil manner, for she actually felt bad after a while for screaming at him earlier.
"Umm… Hi?"
"What do you want Weasley?"
"I just… um… wanted to say hi, I guess."
Draco turned around and looked down at her because of his six-foot-one frame. Ginny was only five-foot-five.
"Well, then, hi and bye. Go away."
"And what if I don't?"
"I'll just have to make you and trust me, you won't like that." The smirk was back.
"Actually, I… um… came to ask you a question."
"Well, I'm not answering it."
"Please, just this once. I promise that it won't be long, and then you can go back to being an arrogant jerk."
"At least now I know what you think of me. And just to let you know, I think you're a stuck up bitch."
"I'm not dealing with this. I tried to be civil with you Draco, but now I know that you really are as contemptuous, presumptuous, and self-absorbed as I originally thought you were. I was hoping that maybe you could be nice for just two stupid minutes."
"Interesting vocabulary. I would comment you on it if I truly cared."
Ginny's face turned slightly red, matching her fiery hair, and her fists started clenching and unclenching. However, she didn't want to start anything that she might regret later in McGonagall's office, so she started to walk off.
Draco, noticing this, heaved a sigh and grabbed her shoulder, abruptly turning the girl around. Ginny growled extremely ferociously as her Weasley temper started to show.
"You know, that hurts."
"Just ask the question."
"Fine." Gathering her thoughts together, Ginny took a deep breath and began. "L… l… last night when I… um… jumped from my window, I felt something grab me in mid-air, and before I fainted, I thought that I saw you. Yes, I know, I'm probably wrong and that I'm just wasting your time, but I saw gray eyes, and the only person that I know with eyes that color is you."
Draco's grip on her loosened, and he looked down again at Ginny. He didn't know if he should tell her. It would be a great burden and put her in danger in case Voldemort found out, which he probably already did. But, from the look in Ginny's eyes, he knew that she had no doubt that it was he and decided that telling her wouldn't be so bad after all.
"Meet me at the Astronomy Tower. 11 'o clock. Don't be late."
So Draco left the balcony and headed towards his private room, which, of course, his dad got for him with his money.
And, to Ginny's surprise, she couldn't wait.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
A/N: OMG! I wrote four pages! This is absolutely amazing! Review, please or else I will just have to hunt you down and seek pit bulls after you.