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"Hiya Ginny," I groaned inwardly. A smile plastered awkwardly on my face, I greeted Collin Creevey with a falsely cheery attitude. He invited himself to walk me to my next class, chattering a one-sided conversation all the way.
"So then, Denis-Denis-he-," he could not speak, he was laughing so hard. I smiled weakly. He never did finish his story, because Harry could be seen a little ways down the corridor, looking as lost as ever. I bit my lip as Collin eagerly went to greet his obsession #2. That distant look had been on Harry's face for quite some time now. It flickered with slight annoyance as Collin pounced. I had been meaning to talk to Harry; try to pry him out of his dream, or nightmare, like state.
"So, looks like you got yourself a stalker," I turned around, a bit slow to recognize the voice. Damn. The smirk, the hair, the body, the cold grey eyes. Draco Malfoy was leaning casually against the stone wall. Shame, really, that such good looks were wasted on such a jerk. I smiled sarcastically, and brushed past him. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him move to follow me. Looks like I've got myself more than one…
"That hurts, Weasley," Biting the inside of my cheek, I turned around to face him. He raised an eyebrow, I raised one back. "You put up with him, so you'll put up with me." Who the hell did he think he was, telling me what to do? Knowing that what was about to come out of my mouth would land me in a week of detention if a teacher happened to hear it, I restrained myself. I merely settled for telling him to 'go away' using very different words. He didn't oblige. In fact, the smirk widened, and his eyes twinkled at my…colorful…use of words. "Not bad, Weasley, not bad at all." I glared at him. A loud sound rang in my ears. Saved by the bell.
Draco
I let my breath out in a heavy sigh as I leaned against the wall. The cool stones soothed my aching back. Last night's… festivities… had taken their toll. Pansy was unusually rough when in the moment, and I had the deep fingernail marks to prove it. My pride was already sufficiently wounded by my last visit with Madame Pomfrey. I had been burdened with the same ailment, and her dubious looks and remarks strongly suggested that she did not believe my hardy excuse of another one of that giant's 'classes' gone awry. I would not sink to the level of being smirked secretly at by the school nurse. Striking a casual position I tilted my head back, tempted to close my eyes.
Harry Potter rounded the corner. For a moment I was tempted to call something vulgar after him, but resisted. My father was bloody Lucius Malfoy. I, unlike others, was not entirely clueless on Voldemort's latest attacks. I had a heart. I was human, despite what I may appear to some. I did not release the usual taunts on the tip of my tongue. I, after all, knew what it was like to loose a father figure. Thanks to Potter, mine was locked up in prison.
Ginny Weasley was rounding the opposite corner, accompanied by the boy that often followed Harry. I smirked, fully aware of Miss Weasley's mad crush on Potter. Creevey stopped talking to her mid-sentence, and bounded off to meet Harry. Maybe she wasn't the only one with a crush, then. I saw her roll her eyes, and gleefully decided to add to her annoyance.
"It looks like you've got yourself a stalker." She whirled around. Her face all but fell when she saw me. Ouch. I smirked as she tried to easily walk away. Not willing to move from the cool, soothing wall, I slowly followed. "That hurts, Weasley." I took extra pleasure in her stressed expression as she turned to face me once again. She opened her mouth, and a few well chosen words spilled out. I almost grinned, the youngest Weasley's fiery personality never failing to amuse me. I knew she was expecting me to take offence at her words. "Not bad, Weasley, not bad at all." Her face shone with anger. Women are so easy to predict.
Just then, the bell rang, and she stalked off to class, leaving me to find a way to carry my bloody bag without the strap touching my tender back, while still looking acceptable. Potions was my next class, so I was in no danger of getting a detention. I took my time.
Ginny
"As most of you know, although Hogwarts is probably the safest place to be during this particular time, there is still a bit of a threat on all of us," Hermione surveyed us with a stern look. Nobody moved. Draco Malfoy smirked. "Therefore, I think it would be best if we did our patrolling shifts in partners." Never quite confident when put on the spot, Hermione looked at my brother helplessly for support. Picking at a blister he had recently acquired while riding one very old school broom, he was not paying attention. She stepped on his foot, making him jump. A few people tittered, and even Harry's eyes twinkled for a moment. Ron cleared his throat.
"Right…so…er, I guess just say who you want to be partnered with when I call your name then…" I started to tune out. Following the Weasley tradition, save for Fred and George, I had been made a prefect. Frankly, the meetings were nothing short of dull. Ron would undoubtedly pick Harry, which would leave me with Hermione. Simple. "Cho?" Cho eyed Harry sadly for a moment, before, with a sigh, she picked her friend to be her partner. I rolled my eyes, and leaned back, thinking about all the other things I could be doing at the moment. A few moments later, my stressed thoughts about the load of unfinished homework waiting for me, were interrupted by Hermione.
"Ginny?" I sat up straighter; trying to look like I knew what was going on. Ron looked rather disgusted. "Do you want to be his partner…?" Hermione looked doubtful. I smiled. So Ron and Hermione had partnered up, leaving me with Harry. I wouldn't mind working with him. While the mad crush had completely vanished, he was always quiet, and who knew…maybe I could talk some sense into him.
"Sure." Ron and Harry's eyebrows shot up. Hermione gave me a weird look, faltering slightly as she called out the next name. What? Pansy Parkinson threw me a malicious glare. What the hell was going on here?
"Harry?" Hermione called. Wait…I thought Harry was my partner.
"Ron," He said slowly. I almost stood up. Damn it, Ginny! Why hadn't I been paying attention?! Now for all I knew I could be partnered with…
Draco Malfoy winked at me from across the room. My mouth dropped open.
Draco
It was 7:00, and I could be found stuck in yet another prefect meeting. Hermione Granger, as usual, would not shut up. She kept saying how with Voldemort running around loose no body was safe. A bit slow to catch on, aren't they? I smirked as she stumbled over her words once in a while; one of my greatest pleasures was to find flaws in little miss perfect. We would be working out regular patrol shifts in partners now.
"Good lord," I muttered under my breath. I felt eyes on me. Pansy was watching me like a hawk…as usual. I averted my eyes back to the mudblood. Pansy hissed my name, eyes apologetic. I was tempted to snort, but couldn't risk another scene from her. If you found your girlfriend behind the giant-oaf's hut, making out with Blaise, you wouldn't be able to forgive her easily, now would you. No…I wouldn't go back to her that easily. I would make her so jealous she would be driven to the brink of insanity. She was already half-way there, but…
Ron Weasley was now calling names for partners. I rolled my eyes and leaned back in my chair. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw his sister do the same. I smirked. I was a Malfoy, she was a Weasley, but although I would never admit it, the fiery streak in her fascinated me. I let my eyes linger on her for a little longer than was necessary. Turning my attention back to the meeting, my eyes flickered over Pansy, who was torn between a livid look at Ginny Weasley, and a disgusted, hurt look at me. My smirk grew. So…attention to the Weasley child got to her did it?
"Malfoy?" Weasel-King spat my name. I am a Malfoy. And let us just say that we Malfoys are a bit higher up than most. And we earn it. Well, at this moment in time the Malfoy side of me shone through. Running over the list of people I could aggravate with my next word, I flashed a wicked eyebrow signal to Ron Weasley.
"Weasley." His eyebrows shot up.
"No way in hell would I ever--," He started.
"Not you, Weasel-King." I drawled lazily, eyeing Ginny Weasley. The disgust on his face, if possible deepened. Potter's eyebrows shot up, and he looked livid. I smirked. Pansy's face was green with envy. Excellent. Surprisingly enough, the Weasley in question did not protest; I doubted she was even paying attention. The mud blood turned to her with the deepest look of cynicism I have ever seen.
"Ginny?" She asked. The young Weasley jumped. "Do you want to be his partner?" Ginny eyed Harry and agreed. I smirked. I love a good misunderstanding.
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I know it starts out a bit slow, but leave a review, and I'll get the next bit up!!