Disclaimer: They're mine, all mine.wait a minute, awwww S***. They're
some person's named J.K. Rowling's. (????)
Chapter 2 - Just a Game
Ginny looked at him, dumbfounded. "I thought you said the frog was dead?"
"I never said that. You just assumed it." He looked smug enough to slap. Ginny wanted to take him up on that unspoken invitation.
"Bu-bu-but," she stammered. "You have its leg."
"So?"
"And its not attached to the frog!" she blurted out, blushing at how foolish and naïve she sounded.
"Really now, ...Virginia. Here I thought you were near the top of your class. You should know that sixth years are taught how to keep parts of the body alive even when they are separated from the rest." He paused for a moment, reflecting. "Granted it's mostly used so that severed limbs can be preserved until they are reattached, but I believe I may have found a more, interesting use for it." He snickered at his own private joke.
Ginny's face was flaming a color that rivaled her auburn curls. She tried to take a calming breath. If this had been her brother, she would have lunged for the frog leg. However, she didn't think that would be the best course of action to take with Malfoy. He may have looked lean, but from his exploits on the quidditch field, she knew he probably had to have a great deal of muscle on him. She didn't want to attack and give him the advantage. Best thing was to keep it to verbal sparring, which Ginny excelled at.
"I didn't hold my own against my older brothers to become dimwitted!" she thought, her tone wry with amusement.
Ginny knew she should walk away - or at least get some help. She was bargaining with the devil and knew no good could come of it. Still, remembering the way Neville had looked when he'd lost his toad...she needed to get it back. As for getting help, everyone already thought she was an appendage of the amazing trio. If she wanted strike out on her own, now was as good of a time as any. Steeling her mind against any further surprises, she forced herself to meet his gaze, despite the fact her hands were trembling now. She clasped them behind her back and prayed that Malfoy hadn't seen that telling movement.
"What do you want, Malfoy," she practically spat the name.
He smiled maliciously at her. Then, spreading his arms wide, replied, "I thought I'd give you a sporting chance. I heard you like to play cards. I thought you might want to play a round or two of poker, and try to win back the pieces of your friend's pet."
Ginny smiled to herself. She was an excellent poker player. She had already bested her house to the point where no one would play her when there was anything at stake. Of course, he wouldn't know that. He would arrogantly assume that she wasn't any good - that was probably why he suggested the game. She would have the advantage.
Draco smiled to himself. He could see the wheels turning in her head, calculating her odds. She was missing one critical piece of information, though. He knew her skill - had observed it first hand, in fact, and was prepared to play against her.
Potter isn't the only one with an invisibility cloak.
He had learned from Neville, the stuttering fool, that the other houses had a card night every third week, in one of the empty classrooms. He remembered it quite well.
Neville was hurrying down the hall, trying not to be late for the game. He rounded a corner and ran straight into one of Malfoy's bodyguards - Goyle.
"Where do you think your going?" Draco sneered at the shaking boy.
"N-n-n-nowhere."
"What have you got there?" he asked reaching for two small packages. Out of one fell a variety of sweets from Hogsmeade. The other contained a simple package of Muggle cards. "Gifts for your girlfriend?"
Crabb and Goyle started to help themselves to the sweets, as Draco headed back towards the dungeons - insulting Neville wasn't any challenge for him, so he might as well go off in search of more interesting targets. ' The goons can handle this one,' he thought.
"Hey, I need that," cried Neville. "They won't let me play if I don't have..."
He stopped suddenly, and it was that guilty silence, more than his words, that let Draco know something was up. Something interesting, something Neville didn't want him to know about...
"Play what," he drawled, motioning for his lackeys to keep Neville from running away.
Neville, sensing he had said too much already, tried to back up, right into the wall of the human flesh behind him.
"N-n-n-nothing."
"C'mon, Longbottom.you know you want to tell me."
"And.I-I-if I d-d-don't?" Neville said drawing himself up.
"Well," he smirked at the Gryffindor's feeble attempt at bravery. "You'll want to before too long."
Chapter 2 - Just a Game
Ginny looked at him, dumbfounded. "I thought you said the frog was dead?"
"I never said that. You just assumed it." He looked smug enough to slap. Ginny wanted to take him up on that unspoken invitation.
"Bu-bu-but," she stammered. "You have its leg."
"So?"
"And its not attached to the frog!" she blurted out, blushing at how foolish and naïve she sounded.
"Really now, ...Virginia. Here I thought you were near the top of your class. You should know that sixth years are taught how to keep parts of the body alive even when they are separated from the rest." He paused for a moment, reflecting. "Granted it's mostly used so that severed limbs can be preserved until they are reattached, but I believe I may have found a more, interesting use for it." He snickered at his own private joke.
Ginny's face was flaming a color that rivaled her auburn curls. She tried to take a calming breath. If this had been her brother, she would have lunged for the frog leg. However, she didn't think that would be the best course of action to take with Malfoy. He may have looked lean, but from his exploits on the quidditch field, she knew he probably had to have a great deal of muscle on him. She didn't want to attack and give him the advantage. Best thing was to keep it to verbal sparring, which Ginny excelled at.
"I didn't hold my own against my older brothers to become dimwitted!" she thought, her tone wry with amusement.
Ginny knew she should walk away - or at least get some help. She was bargaining with the devil and knew no good could come of it. Still, remembering the way Neville had looked when he'd lost his toad...she needed to get it back. As for getting help, everyone already thought she was an appendage of the amazing trio. If she wanted strike out on her own, now was as good of a time as any. Steeling her mind against any further surprises, she forced herself to meet his gaze, despite the fact her hands were trembling now. She clasped them behind her back and prayed that Malfoy hadn't seen that telling movement.
"What do you want, Malfoy," she practically spat the name.
He smiled maliciously at her. Then, spreading his arms wide, replied, "I thought I'd give you a sporting chance. I heard you like to play cards. I thought you might want to play a round or two of poker, and try to win back the pieces of your friend's pet."
Ginny smiled to herself. She was an excellent poker player. She had already bested her house to the point where no one would play her when there was anything at stake. Of course, he wouldn't know that. He would arrogantly assume that she wasn't any good - that was probably why he suggested the game. She would have the advantage.
Draco smiled to himself. He could see the wheels turning in her head, calculating her odds. She was missing one critical piece of information, though. He knew her skill - had observed it first hand, in fact, and was prepared to play against her.
Potter isn't the only one with an invisibility cloak.
He had learned from Neville, the stuttering fool, that the other houses had a card night every third week, in one of the empty classrooms. He remembered it quite well.
Neville was hurrying down the hall, trying not to be late for the game. He rounded a corner and ran straight into one of Malfoy's bodyguards - Goyle.
"Where do you think your going?" Draco sneered at the shaking boy.
"N-n-n-nowhere."
"What have you got there?" he asked reaching for two small packages. Out of one fell a variety of sweets from Hogsmeade. The other contained a simple package of Muggle cards. "Gifts for your girlfriend?"
Crabb and Goyle started to help themselves to the sweets, as Draco headed back towards the dungeons - insulting Neville wasn't any challenge for him, so he might as well go off in search of more interesting targets. ' The goons can handle this one,' he thought.
"Hey, I need that," cried Neville. "They won't let me play if I don't have..."
He stopped suddenly, and it was that guilty silence, more than his words, that let Draco know something was up. Something interesting, something Neville didn't want him to know about...
"Play what," he drawled, motioning for his lackeys to keep Neville from running away.
Neville, sensing he had said too much already, tried to back up, right into the wall of the human flesh behind him.
"N-n-n-nothing."
"C'mon, Longbottom.you know you want to tell me."
"And.I-I-if I d-d-don't?" Neville said drawing himself up.
"Well," he smirked at the Gryffindor's feeble attempt at bravery. "You'll want to before too long."