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Chapter 10 Liasion at the Lake

    "Here you are" Ginny held out a piece of fruit to a large brown owl. It gave a grateful hoot to the girl and gobbled down the fruit.

    Ginny reached into the brown paper bag for another fruit and offered it to the next owl, a small grey one. She was feeding the school owls their afternoon titbit. Ginny has volunteered to help Hagrid (who was, besides teaching Care of Magical Creatures, the gamekeeper at Hogwarts) to feed the school owls this afternoon. It was an easy job, all she had to do was to give out their titbits and checked on the well-being of the owls. This means examining their eyes and feathers for injuries, illness or owl fatigue.

    She finished her last titbit and crumpled up her paper bag. She walked around the Owlery, and begin to ruffle the features of the owls. Satisfied, she pulled off her gloves and hang them on the wall hook, before walking out of the Owlery towards the lake.

    The lake was a picture of serenity. Ginny chose a patch of grass close to the shore of the lake and sat down. She closed her eyes, feeling the rustle of the gentle breeze, and the stillness of the lake………

    There was a sound and Ginny opened her eyes. A ripple was forming on the lake.

    "Dreaming about that Potter again, Weasel?" Ginny instantly recognize that voice. She turned and looked up, and saw Draco Malfoy leaning lazily against an oak tree, with several pebbles in his hand.

    Ginny blushed. She has been thinking a lot about Draco Malfoy ever since their accidental kiss at the stairways. However, a part of her was still smarting over Draco's hurtful comments the other day. "What do you want, again?" asked Ginny in a defensive tone. She hoped he could not see her blush.

    "Such hostility, Weasley. After all, I did spared you from detention last week, when I caught you sneaking around the castle" Draco replied slyly.

    "That's not true! That is..is an outright slander. I was not sneaking around, and…you know it." Ginny was suddenly overcome with indignation, but still spluttered over her words.

    "Temper, Weasley. My, you certainly have inherited the famous Weasley temper. Be thankful though, this could be the only inheritance you can claim from that family of yours."

    Ginny snapped. She was a silent and withdrawn person most of the time, and she usually ignore those who taunts her. But no one insults her loved ones in front of her.

    "At least I have a family I can be proud of. Unlike some others, Ferret Malfoy." she thought. But she did not say that to Draco. Somehow, she didn't dare. So she said simply "My family is better than yours anyday."

    "How could that ever possibly be, Weasley?" Draco suddenly chuckled. Ginny looked up in surprise. First, she had never seen Draco laugh before, and second, he was really laughing as if she had told a really good joke, or made a really ridiculous statement.

    "So the little Weasel has finally grown a backbone. Interesting." Draco stopped chuckling and his grey eyes looked deeply into Ginny's brown ones.

    Ginny gulped. She had no idea where this was leading to. In spite of herself, she found her eyes observing Draco. She had heard other girls raved about the good looks of Draco Malfoy, but now she finally understood why. Draco Malfoy has the intensity of good looks and a commanding presence. Such a combination was hard to come by. He was a stark contrast to the spoilt cowardly boy Ginny had remembered him as. Ginny wondered what could caused such a drastic change

    While Ginny was thinking about him, Draco himself was scrutinizing Ginny. He didn't know what made him approached her. As a Prefect, today was his turn to patrol the school grounds. He'd almost finished his designated perimeter when he saw Ginny walking from the Owlery towards the lake. She looked even more beautiful at this moment. Her scarlet hair was half-tied back, secured with a simple hair-clip, and her red curls framed her face, and innocent brown eyes. Today her eyes looked even more lonely. There is an air about her which speaks innocence and vulnerabilty. But there was something more. What was it, Draco could not quite put his finger to. Her physical beauty, although alluring, was not entirely why Draco was fascinated with her. Draco has seen pretty girls in Slytherin and Durmstrang and dated a few. It was that something else that Draco was attracted to. He did not quite understand it. He didn't like it. It was not familiar to him.

    "Have you quite finished staring at me?" Ginny asked, rather hesistantly.

    "Why are you moping here? Where's your Dream Team?" Draco asked finally.

    "I wasn't part of them, never was."

    An awkward silence.

    "So the little Weasel is lonely, so she came here to wallop in misery."

    "No, I happen to enjoy solitude." She turned her back from her and faced the lake.

    "Face me when you speak, Weasley." Draco's voice came in a commanding tone. No one turns their back on a Malfoy.

    "I…don't want to, you…are mean to me." Ginny replied stubbornly, but hesistantingly.

    "About what I said the other day?" Why Weasley, I didn't know I could have affected you that much."

    "No, I…" Ginny blushed again. Merlin, she blushes easily, and she looks even more lovely.

    "So, are you going to the Charity Ball?"

    Ginny looked up at him. She shook her head miserably. She had wanted to go to the ball. Like all girls, she love balls. But the ticket would cost her, not to mention that she does not have a decent dress robes. She would have to get one and that would mean more money.

    "No money, Weasley?"

    Ginny blushed again. There was no denying. "I don't really like balls, anyway."

    "Liar." Draco said softly.

    "So what if I am lying. It is not your business."

    "Would you like to go to the ball, Weasel?"

    "Why do you care?" Ginny said quickly.

    "You're right, I don't." Draco smiled wickedley.

    Ginny sighed. She'd kind of expect this reaction sooner or later.

    Suddenly, an owl swop down from the sky and crashed onto the grass. Ginny recognized it as Errol, their family owl. "Oh, Errol!" she quickly scooped him up.

    Errol had delivered a parcel for Ginny, and a pink envelope. Errol panted. He really was getting old. And trips like this tire him easily.

    Ginny tried to take the envelope, but when she touched it, the envelope burst into tiny little butterflies, forming the words "Happy Birthday Ginny Love".

    Ginny smiled. It must be from her mother.

    "It's my birthday today……" she smiled at Draco, and seem to quite forgetting for a moment that Draco was her brother's sworn enemy and had made nasty comments about her days ago.

    Draco was surprised at how quickly Ginny had forgotten his teasing earlier and smiled so readily at him. She really is an innocent.

    He watched her as she opened her present. A heavy tin of jam tarts and a pretty hair clip fell out of the parcel. He watched as she smiled again, obviously in bliss over her modest gifts.

    He turned and tried to walk away, and was surprised when Ginny suddenly said "oh, you are leaving?"

    "Isn't it obvious, Weasley?"

    "I……" Did Ginny sounded disappointed?

    He saw her bend her head down and pretend to play with the hair clip.

    He turned around again and walked away, not once looking back at her.

    NIGHTFALL……

    When Ginny went back to her dormitory that night, she saw a large parcel lying on her bed. She drew her curtains so that her bed is out of sight from the girls who were streaming in. Still puzzled, she unwrapped the parcel and gave a small gasp. A most beautiful silver box appeared. With trembling fingers, she untied the silver ribbon around the box and lifed the most magnificent ball gown she has seen. It was silver-beige, strapless and had crystals scattered over it. It sparkled ever so softly at Ginny.

    Ginny gasped. The gown was magical. Who had sent it to her? She looked down at the box again and saw a card tied to what was a ticket to the ball. The card had no sender's name on it. It simply said "To Scarlet."

Author's Note: Please review. Doesn't anyone like my story? I have not had any reviews for quite some time. Please tell me what do you think……