Chapter Three


As the dance came closer my temporary relief dissolved once again and I began to think about things like what Ginny was going to wear to the dance. I didn't know if she had gone to the Yule Ball, and as I have told you, her family was poor. I could only hope she would show up in something halfway decent.

I tried talking to Blaise about the problem at hand, but he didn't help too much. He was too busy worrying about his date, one of the most sought after students in Hogwarts, and, of course, a Ravenclaw by the name of Cho Chang. She was the seeker on the Ravenclaw house team. He asked if I wanted to walk down with him and Cho to the Great Hall, but I turned it down. I didn't want Blaise to have any opportunity to make any snide comments for Ginny's sake.

The day of the dance went by rather quickly, though I was still in an intense mood at the thought of having to wait at the Library for Ginny. The thought of having to have a civil conversation with her brother Ron was enough to give any well-bred Slytherin a headache. But I did my best to ignore that fact. I, of course, had put on my best dress robes and sent out for a wild orchid for Ginny, hoping she'd appreciate the fact that I had done so.

As I neared the Library, I saw Ron waiting for me.

"Hello, Weasley," I called, in my nicest tone of course. What kind of person would I be if I started a conversation with my date's brother rudely?

"Malfoy. I just have one question for you. Why my sister?" he asked calmly, crossing his arms in front of himself as he looked at me. His body captured the look of a distinguished gentleman, who's only outlook on life was to protect and serve. Inwardly, this made me laugh.

"I needed someone to go with, so I asked. That's all." was my answer. I shifted uncomfortably. A conversation like this one was not one I wanted to have with any part of the famous trio.

"This isn't some cruel joke of yours, is it?" he asked accusingly, though before I could give him my answer ('no'), Ginny exited the Library to greet me. Her robes were that of a light blue color, not too fancy, but certainly not as shabby as most of the things she owned, though it was nothing that would make her stand out. Her hair, again, was pulled up into a tight bun, though had a few untamed curls falling down around her head like a crown. The only right way to describe what she looked like is to say that she looked like she usually did, with the exception of dress robes.

"You aren't bothering Draco too much, are you Ron?" she asked cheerfully as if it was a joke. I tried to smile, though it came out as more of a double sided smirk.

"We were only talking, Gin," was Ron's answer, though his gaze never broke with mine. I think he was trying to make me feel inferior; I was trying not to laugh.

"Well, I think Draco and I had better get going. By Ron," she said after kissing him gently on the cheek, and then crossed over to my side.

"Don't stay out too late, Gin. I don't want you catching your death of cold on your way back to the Dorms," and with that the two of us left on our way. I handed Ginny the orchid and the first thing she did was inhale the intense fragrance of the flower.

"Thank you, it's beautiful!" she replied in awe, dreadfully grateful of the tiny little flower I had gotten her, making me feel slightly flustered. I didn't talk much on our way towards the dance, though Ginny broke the silence quickly.

"My brother doesn't like you very much. He thinks you're a pompous arse." she said matter-of-factly. That makes two of us, I thought, but never said aloud. Instead I nodded curtly, agreeing with the words she said. "He doesn't like your father, either. Or anyone in your family, for that matter. But you know what? I think that there is definitely a reason for this. It's as if I'm supposed to help you or something. Like maybe I am supposed to help you help others," she began.

Not again, I thought to myself.

* * * * * * *

The dance, in a word, sucked. My friends avoided me, for Ginny was my date, and Ginny's friends avoided her, most likely due to the fact that she had me sitting by her side for most of the evening. I wanted to just leave and have the night be over with, but Ginny was having such a good time I couldn't just do that to her. Contrary to popular belief, I wasn't that big of a jerk when I was in school. She loved everything about the dance, I couldn't very well take that all away from her. The only thing I kept looking forward to was the fact that in not very long I would be able to walk Ginny back to her dorm and bid her goodnight and then never see her again. Her brother told her not to stay out late, and Ginny valued his word above all; she wouldn't very well directly disobey what he asked of her.

After a while we started to dance, and she wasn't that bad either. At least not as bad as Millicent Bulstrode, I kept reminding myself. After a while, though, I decided it would be better if we sat back down due to the intense amount of staring, and we had a bit of a conversation. She did occasionally bring up all of the volunteer work she did, but she did it in such a happy way that I couldn't very well say anything against it.

It really wasn't until Pansy and that Michael kid showed up that things became tragic. They were hanging all over each other and it was becoming rather obvious that 'someone' had gotten into the firewhiskey, and I just knew that keeping my eye on Pansy, for her sake, would be a good idea.

That is until Michael came and decided to confront me about it. Now, let me tell you, on a usual school day kids like Michael cowered in fear of me, but that was only when they weren't pissed off their ass and possibly mentally deficient as well. Crosssing over, or rather, wobbling over to me, Pansy at his side, he had the drunken look of death in his eyes.

"You looking at Pansy?" he asked me, as if he might have had something in his eye and didn't see correctly.

"No. You must have had something in your eye and didn't see correctly," I responded ingeniously.

"Oh yes he was! I was watchin' him! This is my oooold boyfriend. The one I was telling you about," Pansy answered quite helpfully. Michael's shot daggers at me, much like Ron's used to do. I figure I have that effect on alot of people.

"Oh, so this is the guy?" Michael asked, as if he didn't already know who I was, because Draco Malfoy is definitely not a famous name, I assure you. Now, I'm not one for fighting, I'll tell you. I mean sometimes, I like to give a little jab at someone with words, and wait for them to make a move, and then sick Crabbe or Goyle, maybe both, at him until he runs away like a sissy. But this time it was different. Both Crabbe and Goyle were nowhere in sight.

"I wasn't staring at that cow. And I don't know what she told you, but it was most likely wrong," I answered, hoping that it would be the end of it. I was wrong.

"Pansy is -not- a liar!" he answered, his eyes glaring even deeper if it was at all possible. I swear he would have hit me at that moment, if it hadn't been for Ginny.

"Hey, don't I know you?" she asked him sweetly, staring at him for a few minutes. "Oh, yes! I do! I think I dated you slightly last year, you know? Your grandmother lives in Hogsmeade. I remember delivering some things from town to her for you before," she answered, a big smile on her face. "We were just sitting here and talking, would you guys like to join us?" she invited. I kept mentally shouting 'NO!', but she didn't hear me. Also, I was wondering what all this about dating each other she was talking about, but I let it slide for the time being. Without a word, Michael grabbed hold of Pansy's hand and dragged her off towards the dance floor.

Unfortunately that wouldn't be the last we saw of Pansy that evening. Pansy, pissed as hell, passed out near one of the lavatories, and Michael was nowhere in sight. Seeing this, Ginny rushed quickly over to her and insisted we help her out a bit. So, after we spent about an hours worth of time cleaning up Pansy's vomit, we helped her find her way towards the dungeon's and quickly made our way towards Ginny's dormitory.

"Please don't mention this to your brother," I asked. To this day I still don't know why; I have never feared Ron Weasley.

"I wont." she answered, smile never quavering. "Thanks for taking me to the dance. I really did have a nice time." A nice time? Here she was, covered in puke, and she was thanking me for a wonderful time at a dance?

Ginny Weasley could sure drive a man bonkers at times.