CHAPTER ONE: FOUNDATIONS
Ginny Weasley stepped through the gate between platform nine and ten, apprehensive, but not insecure. Not anymore. She had grown up since Riddle. She had let go of past dreams, especially of Harry, who she noted had not visited over the summer. Ron had explained to the Weasleys, that Harry and Hermione had finally admitted their feelings for each other. Although he did not sound all too happy about this, Ginny knew that he was essentially content that his two best friends were so blissful. Harry had gone to Hermione for the holidays. Ginny was not jealous.
She lugged her trunk onto the Hogwarts express for the sixth time. She was now permitted and welcome in the trio's compartment. She was not so shy. Not anymore. She was now, witty, clever, and sometimes a little outspoken.
Harry and Hermione had not arrived yet, so Ron and Ginny took seats opposite each other. After five minutes, Harry and Hermione entered the compartment, hands interlocked and Harry with one arm around her back (a very difficult feat to achieve, but they managed). After greeting the Weasleys, Harry sat down, and his girlfriend promptly sat on his lap. Ginny had enough sense to move next to Ron before they started doing anything more intense. From across the compartment, Ginny watched them; Harry tenderly stroking her arm, while she nuzzled her head against his chest. A spark of jealousy punctured her thoughts, and it evaporated. That is when she realized that she was not jealous of Hermione, or of Harry. She was jealous of their connection; jealous of the way they looked into each other's eyes as though they were alone. It was obvious that they loved each other, the way they touched. That's what I want, she mused, someone who forgets that everything else exists when they are with me. Someone I can keep. Someone who is mine, someone who I belong to… someone to touch me like that. She felt a tiny part of herself quietly lapse into sadness, but only a tiny part. Ginny, as an optimist, still put hope out for finding someone who loved her.
She was forced to cease this particular train of thought, because Dean and Seamus shortly joined them. Ginny received an appreciative glance from Seamus, while Dean appeared embarrassed. He blushed, and then looked away. Ginny supposed that he was still blushing from last year, because of their… relationship although it was more of a flirtation with sex then anything else. He had never really cared for her, and it had become more and more apparent to her that that was what she really wanted.
Ginny had made some alterations to her appearance over the summer, sick of looking 'cutesy'. Her hair fell to her waist in fiery tresses, her skin was tanned and she had somehow, miraculously formed curves. Seamus was not the first one to notice.
o_0
Draco Malfoy had arrived at the platform early. Mainly to reserve his usual compartment, but also to mentally prepare for the ordeal ahead. They would predict him to be malicious, vindictive. They all would. It was expected. But Draco had been through a rather… enlightening summer. Over which he had came to realize two things, one: that, apparently, not everything his father says is law, and two: that the Dark Lord is a blithering idiot who is way overdue for a Valium. Granted, he was a rather powerful, extremely evil blithering idiot, but he had lost a large percentage of his wits. Draco perceived this to be extremely dangerous, for someone with that much power should definitely not be such a moron. But he was. Or seemed to be.
After an hour, the students began to emerge from the gate and board the train. Draco watched them from his window, one by one. Subconsciously pointing out their flaws and making tiny mental notes to correct them in himself. If he was going to put up a metaphorical wall, it was going to be a good one. One with double coats of bright green paint, that had red words on it, reading: I AM SUPERIOR. I AM A MALFOY. All of the pupils looked mundane, boring, ordinary to him. A sea of black robes, with no contrast. Just black. The normal-shiny-squeaky-happy-people. To contradict him, a girl passed through the gate. She had flaming red hair and deep, midnight blue eyes. She reminded him of a phoenix, almost unattainable for him. Ronald Weasley followed her through the entrance. Oh no he thought the Weasley brat. But still he continued to stare at her. His eyes soaking up every single pore of her skin, the way her brow crumpled in frustration at her heavy trunk, the way the light reflected onto her face, making it glow… until it hurt to close his eyes again, and she got onto the train. Steam blew from the train and they began to move. Draco, however, hardly noticed this, nor did he notice Zabini, Crabbe and Goyle enter his compartment and sit down, until Blaise waved a hand in front of his face "Hey Malfoy! Why so catatonic?" he smirked. He is quite good at that…. Not as good as me, though. Malfoy thought contentedly. His thoughts then returned to...her. Ginny, I think her name is… "Blaise, what's the name of the Weasley girl? "
"Ginny. Yeah, she grew up, didn't she?" he said, and licked his lips. Malfoy looked at him disgustedly. She did indeed he inwardly admitted. He continued to dream in this fashion for close to an hour. He knew that it would be out of the question, as far as his father was concerned, to pursue a Weasley. Malfoys don't date Weasleys he reasoned. But maybe its time I stop acting stereotypical. And besides, Malfoys are never predictable. With this thought, he got up and began to look for her compartment.
o_0
Ginny sat in her compartment. Things had, for the most part, stayed the same for the past hour or so; Harry and Hermione were still acting… rather inappropriately, Ron was sitting in a half-sulk, Seamus was drooling over Ginny like a huge dog and Dean sat in the corner, head buried in his hands. This scene was getting all too monotonous for Ginny, and she felt slightly claustrophobic.
"I'm going for a walk", She announced. Nobody protested too much, except for Seamus, who so kindly offered to go with her. An offer she declined politely, thanks to a few seconds of quick thinking. She closed the door behind her and started to walk quickly down the passage. Finding nothing of interest to her, she became frustrated and broke in to a run. Her run was interrupted, however, because of a rather tall entity that had happened to be in her path. They simultaneously crashed to the floor in a collective, rather confusing heap. The offending party mumbled something incoherently. "Ouch" it said. Ginny scrambled to her feet surveyed the person who was still lying on the floor. It got up; eyes still closed, smoothed his (Ginny saw that it was male) silvery hair and opened his eyes. "You." they said concurrently, but for entirely different reasons.
O_o
Draco's search for the Weasley girl had not lasted long. In fact, he had only just come out of his compartment, when a haze of crimson, orange and black came flying at him, much to his surprise and shock, because, for a moment, he had a sudden impression of being mauled by a particularly small tiger. He crumpled to the floor, bringing the tiger down with him. No, not a tiger, he thought not a tiger… He abruptly lifted himself up, in a moment of realization. He opened his eyes, seeing his assumptions had been accurate. "You." They said in tandem. Her voice filled with an almost playful spite… his filled with surprise and elation. He quickly recomposed himself and regained his sarcastic demeanor. "Exactly what are you trying to do Weasley? Sweep me off my feet?" He inwardly kicked himself. That wasn't even slightly funny…you're losing your touch Malfoy
"Hardly. Turn you paraplegic more like it. But on this occasion, it was a mistake. I am terribly sorry Mr. Malfoy." Was that sarcasm?
"I may decide to accept that rather weak excuse for an apology, if you're very lucky." The words slid across his tongue. He allowed himself one small smile. A genuine smile, but still a tiny one. And she noticed, he could tell that. He saw her expression softening.
O_o
Ginny had never shared her brother's hatred for Draco Malfoy. She had, of course, been subjected to vast quantities of loathsome propaganda concerning her brother's rival, so she was well aware of his 'capabilities'. Although Ginny was never one to be brainwashed into hatred, she made it a habit to put up her guard when the aforementioned person was present.
She had not planned to knock him over, and was thoroughly taken aback when she did. He did not seem to share her surprise. Throughout their conversation, or rather their battle of wits, she could not help but check him out. It seemed to her that there had been no major changes in his appearance, over the summer, but rather that she simply had not allowed herself to look at him like that before. After an intense stare at him, she concluded that he was… attractive, to say the least. His glossy blonde hair cascaded down his head in sleek tendrils and his eyes appeared in pools of mercury… his body… but she made herself stop there, it was not healthy to lust over the enemy. His voice had changed, however. He had lost that slimy drawl that used to make her skin crawl and her blood boil. He spoke in light and amused sounding tones, regardless of the words coming out of his mouth. She could have ignored these highly alluring traits had she not noticed his smile. It seemed impossible for her to ignore his smile. Not because it was particularly beautiful, but because it was such a change from his usual sneer. It suited him. She felt a need to smile back.
It was at that moment, which all her previous misconceptions about him melted. She held out her hand and almost immediately recoiled it. It suddenly felt like such a formal thing to do. Malfoy, however, did not seem to share her views and shook it at once.
O_o
From the moment their hands touched, he felt a surge of happiness course through his body. He kept his cool. "Watch yourself Weasley." He said. "Ginny would be more appropriate." She responded. "Goodbye then, Ginny." He emphasized her name. He bowed his head slightly, winked at her, turned around and began walking back to his compartment, heart beating faster than Ginny could know.
O_o
Ginny stood in the middle of the train corridor for a full minute before recovering and walking back. She was in a mild shock. She had shared a pleasant conversation with Malfoy. Draco Malfoy. Before this incident, she had not believed that the two words could exist in a sentence without contradicting each other, unless the sentence in question happened to be: "What a pleasant afternoon, by the way, Draco Malfoy is a complete prick." But apparently, she had been proven wrong, and she had no problem with that. Ginny made her way back to the compartment and resumed her seat. Dean had left, and was replaced by Neville, who was playing a game of chess with Ron, stereotypically losing. Harry and Hermione had fallen asleep on each other and Seamus was still waiting, obviously for Ginny to come back. When she entered, he promptly sprang up and offered Ginny his seat. She looked around the compartment and noticed five empty seats. Ginny internally shook her head and audibly sighed, then sat next to her brother, leaving a very put off Seamus sulking in his own seat. Ginny decided to escape this mundane scene and set her mind on autopilot. In no time at all, she was asleep.
O_o
Draco opened the door to his compartment, feeling extremely pleased with himself. Phase one accomplished: establish foundations of friendship/make her believe you're not a complete dick. He stretched contentedly in his seat, quietly observing the other three Slytherins in the room.
(AUTHOR'S NOTES: This is just the start, but I'm not sure if its' good enough to continue… what do you think? You guys, please reviews… whether you liked it, hated it, or just want to say "hi". Its all very important, you see : ).