A really long chapter here. Sorry it has been a while since last update.
Am making it up to you all with a nice LONG post. Enjoy!
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"Get away from my sister," snarled Ron viciously to Draco. ginny smiled at her brother, who was growing red.
Draco smirked. "Am I suddenly not even allowed to carry on a pleasent conversation?"
"What are you writing?' Harry asked from behind Ron. Ginny looked back to Draco, who had one of the plain quills left on the table in his hand and was writing something on the piece of paper he had caught.
"What I write is of no business of yours..."
Ginny smiled in spite of herself. It was rather funny watching Draco put down the 'trio'. He seemed to see her smile and laughed softly.
"What are you laughing about?"
"Nothing, Potter..." He said quietly. Rising gracefully, he walked around the table. Slyly he slipped the paper into Ginny's lap, hiding her from the sight of Harry, Ron, and hermione with his body. "I'll leave you now. Have fun at the ball. But you do know that the ball is only for children.... So you three should fit in perfectly." ((OOC: There is a not so hidden wrong meaning in this...)) And with that, he left. The trio, staring at his retreating back with their eyes showing nothing but hatred, soon retreated to 'their' table in the corner of the Library. Forgetting Ginny once more allowing her the time to read the paper.
Ginny slowly unfolded the paper and read it.
Meet me in the third corridor before the ball
Ginny blushed. The third corridor? Alone? She did want the dangerous type, didn't she? "If Ron finds out...." Ginny didn't even consider that a possiblitly; the consequences would be to horrific. She left the library and went to lunch. She will meet him and she will go to his common room and they will be none the wiser. She stopped in her tracks. "Stupid," she said to herself as she burned the letter wiht her wand. "Thats better, Off to lunch." She nearly skipped to the Great Hall.
:: Another fastforwarding.::
Ginny walked up to the Gryffindor common room. She had exactly thirty minutes until the ball would start. Briskly, she said the password to the fat lady and ran up to her dormatory. As soon as she opened the door, she was greeted by an array of color and sound. It was amazing how much of a mess four girls could make. Every mirror in the room was occupied by a sixteen year old puting on make-up while talking about their dates. She sighed and went to her trunk. pulling out her dress robe, she thought, Well... It would be awkward for me to be the only one in the school above fourteen to be wearing a school uniform... She pulled her own dress robe out of the trunk. It had been a Christmas present from her successful brothers, Fred and George, last year and she loved it dearly but had not yet gotten a chance to wear it. The light material flowed over her hands, its dark brown glimmering slightly in the light of the girls' candles. She quickly slipped into it and politely asked one of her roomates to step away from the full length mirror in the back of the room, which she did. Ginny admired her robe. She loved it dearly, with it's flared sleeves and V-neck while it's length made her look taller than she was.
"Hey, Ginny," one of the girls called, gliding to her in a sky blue robe, "Want to wear this?" She threw a light gold chain around Ginny's neck without waiting for her reply. The necklace was simple, a dusty gold color, but it had a small piece of oval shaped amber surrounded by a bold boarder. She loked how it looked, the thought as she toyed with it. "So you like it?" the girl asked.
"Yes, thanks," Ginny replied. She looked around at the other girls. They were all loads prettier than her and their painted faces with perfect smiles looked at her. She smiled and then began walking out of the dorm.
"Not so fast," the girl who lended her the necklace said from behind her, "Since I let you borrow my necklace, you are going to have to let me do something to your hair." Ginny looked aprehensve. She had no problems with her hair the way it was... But the girl had kindly lended her that necklace so it was only fair. She, with a grimace on her face, sat down in the chair facing one of the mirrors. The girls smiled, looking at eachother then quickly went to work on her thin red hair.
Ouch, Ginny thought as they tugged on her hair. he had long since closed her eyes, afraid of what they were doing to her hair. By how it felt, it was going to be a massive tangle of greasy strands and blood. Suddenly the tugging stopped/ "Ta-da!" someone said in the background. Slowly, Ginny opened her eyes.
Still not near as pretty as all the other girls in the room, but she admitted to liking what they had done. Her red hair was not up, like she had expected, but in simple loose curls. Yes, she did like the hair... And the necklace... And the dress robe... But would Draco like it? That was all that really mattered... Ginny... You are doing it again... Stop!
"So," one of the other girls said in a high-pitched nasel voice, "who is your date?"
"No one," Ginny responded. Maybe she had said t too quickly or something because every girl there said a collective 'oooh'.
"It's Harry, isn't it..." the nasel one asked.
"No!" Ginny said loudly, "I am not, I repeat, not going with the big headed, huge ego Harry Potter!"
"Oh... Then... Are you going with Neville?"
Now they were just being idiots. Rolling her eyes, Ginny walked out of the dorm and down the stairs.
Ginny paced the width of the corridor nervously. What did Draco want? Would he even show up?
"It was probably a joke," she mumbled to herself, unconciously fingering the necklace. "See if I would come and then laugh about it with his Slytherin friends. Wouldn't put it past the scum." More pacing, more talking to herself. "There's still ten minutes before he's supposed to come, he can be fashionably late if he wants to."
Ginny, couldn't help it, but it seemed that everytime she glanced at her watch, it was only fifteen seconds later. "Ok!" She told herself. "No more pacing! No more watches! I'm just going to stand here and wait." She stared determindly at the suit of armor, concentrating on anything other than Draco. She walked distractedly to the window nearby and looked out onto the lake. The smooth surface broken only by the ocassional tentacle. The winter scene looked calming. She pressed her forehead against the cold surface of the glass and watched her breath form on the window. Snowflakes slowly cascaded down, making the winter scene perfect. Perfect. Ginny smiled.
"Ginny?"
Ginny swirled around and saw draco standing in front of her, wearing a dress robe of dark grey with a high collar. Ginny couldn't help but notice how the robe exactlly matched his eyes. She blushed slightly when she saw him looking at her own attire. Stop it Gin... her mind warned her, soon his friends will be out here pointing and laughing at you or something. She determinedly stared into his eyes. "Draco," she said in a controled voice.-
"Nice to see you have showed up. Not many Gryffindors would come here on the invitation of a Slytherin..." he trailed off, a mischievious glint shining in his eyes. "This way." He began walkning to a door on his left.
"But Draco," Ginny started, pulling back, "You haven't even told me where you are supposably taking me ."
Isn't that half the fun?" he asked, smiling slightly as he took her arm and led her through the large doors to the entrance of the Great Hall.
"But...I thought we weren't going to the dance..." Ginny said suspiciously.
"We aren't," Draco replied as they walked through the entrance, "Might want to keep your head down, though. But with that hair, you will be hard to miss."
Ginny took a slow breath to calm her rattling insides. "Are we walking through?" She asked as they neared the entrance. "Of course, but we'll shuffle along the back wall so no one will see us. Let's go." They went into hall and quickly walked along side the back wall, Ginny closest to it. She managed a peek at the students milling around, waiting for the music to start. She knew Hermione and Ron were going together, but right now she sat next to Harry, patting him on the back. Ginny stiffled a laugh when she heard, "It's alright, Harry. There are plenty of other girls who would like to dance with you."
They finally crossed the hall unnoticed and stood in the halway the Slytherin's always come from for meals. "Told you I was invisible." Ginny smirked as they walked down the entrance to the dungeons.
"Where are we going?" Ginny asked as they walked through the labyrinthine halls. Their footsteps echoed through it's empty passages.
"Keep your head down," Draco responded, looking around the hall. Someone walked past them. Draco nodded slightly, pinning her closer to the wall. Where is he taking me? Ginny asked herself as they continued down the dark hall, passing more silent people and chittering couples. Suddenly, Draco stopped. He was staring at a damp stone wall.
"Er... Draco?" Ginny asked, looking in confusion from Draco to the wall.
"Wicked," Draco said clearly, seemingly addressing the wall. Ginny was about to question his sanity when the wall slid soundlessly revealing a dark wooden door. "Remember," Draco said quietly as his hand went toward the blackened silver door handle, "Keep your head down."
Ginny peeked through her hair at her sorroundings. Soft green light illuminated a long, low underground room. Several high-backed chairs sat around the crackling fire that burned underneath an elaborately carved mantlepiece. A girl wearing startling green dress robes clutched on to the arm of a stall boy Ginny recognized as a Quidditch player.
"Blaise, shouldn't you be getting to the ball?" Draco said as he tugged her behind her back.
"I guess, but itsn't always best to be fashionably late?" She eyed Draco and Ginny remembered that she ahd asked him to the ball. Blaise Zabini; she's pretty enough but she's a complete airhead Her sharp blue eyes flickered at Ginny.
"Who's that you're hiding, Draco?"
Draco didn't reply. His icy gray eyes bore into Blaise. She shifted uncomfortably under his gaze then mumbled, "Let's go, Grant." They quickly stepped out of the common room.
"Sit here and keep your head down." She lowered herself on a wooden chair sat at a table and watched as he checked all of the chairs circuling the fire.
"Empty," he said, comming back to have a seat in the large armchair by the fire. "Everyone is at the ball."
"Even Crabbe and Goyle?" Ginny asked, wondering who in their right mind would go with those trolls.
"They went with eachother."
"Oh."
Ginny glanced around.
"So.. erm.. what now?"
Draco shrugged. "Well niether of us really wants to go to the ball, I figured we had something in common."
"Two peas in a pod," Ginny laughed.
Draco laughed softly as well. That surprised Ginny, though by now she felt as though she were going to burst if she was given one more surprise. She glanced around the Slytherin Commen room. It was nice.. she guessed though it lacked the warmth of her own Gryffindor common room.
"Do you approve of it?" Draco asked, lounging comfortably on the chair.
"What?"
"Do you approve of the common room?"
"Erm," Ginny started, "Yes, I suppose."
"Good. Your good opinion is rarely bestowed therefor sought after."
"Um... Right..."
"So, who is your weasle brother with?" Draco asked, smirking.
"That's Weasley, ferret," Ginny snapped. She wasn't so close to her brother at the moment but she would not allow a Malfoy to insult her family.
"Now, now. Let's not bring back that." Draco said quickly. "Listen."
Ginny did. Music drifted down from the ceiling.
"The ball has started. Great hall is right above here." Draco said softly. Ginny felt his eyes on eyes on her face. She blushed and looked down.
They sat in silence. ASk him to dance, ask him to dance...
"Would you care for a dance?"
Ginny's eyes popped open. Had her thoughts somehow leaked out of her head and into the open? She looked up and saw Draco exteneding a hand.
She silently sighed relief. "Oh." She unconciously twirled her curls. "Of course."
She rose rather clumsily and walked to Draco, layed her hand in his. In return, he gently placed his hand on her waist. The quick beat echoed in the room. Draco immediately started the complicated steps to... something resebleing a swing dance. She clumsily followed along, stepping on his feet numorous times rather like how Neville had at the Yule Ball in her third year. "Erm, sorry," she kept muttering as she did it, but Draco said nothing. He spun her quickly, making her sway slightly. "Wherever did you learn to dance so divinely, Sir Malfoy?" she asked smiling.
"The Malfoy family sees that the childr, I mean, me is brought up right," he said smirking.
" Did you just insult my family?" Ginny snapped back, her happy grin disappearing immediately.
"Well... Yes. But please don't ruin the dancing." She was silent.
The music gradually slowed until their dance was a gentle waltz. This was the most fun Ginny had had in one night and she was enjoying it with a Malfoy. As they swayed with the music, Ginny slowly laid head on Draco's chest. She closed her eyes, listening to his quiet heartbeat.
The music stopped.
They stopped swaying.
Ginny felt Draco's hand release hers and looked up at him. His gray eyes looked into her own brown ones as he gently played with her curly hair. She felt as though she couldn't breath. His face was only a few inches away. He moved closer, closing the gap between them. Slowly, his lips captured hers.
Ginny tore her face away and stepped back, blush creeping up her neck and into her face.
"I.. uh, I have to go." She fumbled back for the doornob and rushed out of the room without a backward glance. What am I doing? She thought as she rushed down the maze of halls and corridors. Kissing a Malfoy, she told herself. She felt her face grow warmer as even more crimson color rose to her cheeks. Oh Gosh, what would Ron say,
"Ron? What are you doing here?" Ginny suddenly found herself face to face wiht her brother.
"Me? I'm here with Hermione. I thought you weren't coming to the ball! So you've changed your mind! I'll tell Harry. Wow Gin, what've you been doing? You're face is red."
Ginny lifted a hand to her face before she thought about Ron's words.
"What? No! I haven't changed my mind! I'm just.. passing through."
Ron smirked mischeviously. "Yeah, and that's why you're wearing your new dress robes and done up your hair. Hold on. Oy, Harry!"
Ginny started punching Ron on the shoulder. "No! Stop! Be quiet! I'm leaving!" She turned to stomp away, but a strong hand caught her shoulder.
"Oh no, you don't! Either you're dancing with Harry or your apologizing!" Ron signaled for Harry to walk over.
"Yes?" He said sulkily. His eyes caught sight of a very angry Ginny and they atomatically brightened. "Ginny! I thought you said you weren't coming!"
"Of course I said I wasn't coming! I told you I hated you! Why would I come to dance with you?!"
"Alright. Would you care for a dance?"
Ginny froze. Would you care for a dance? Draco said that, only minutes earlier. She smiled dreamily.
"Great! Come on!" Harry pulled her arm, but she stayed rooted to the spot, still imagining dancing with Draco; swaying to the music, leaning her head against him.
"Ginny? Come on!" She snapped back to reality.
"No!" She wretched her hadn out of his grasp. "I'm going back to the common room!"
She marched out of the great hall.
"But that's not the way to our common room," A very confused Harry shouted back.
Ginny ignored Harry's calls and stormed to the entrance of the dungeons. She had been walking for a while when she came to a three way fork in the corridor and realized she was hopelessly lost. She sat against the wall in a nice little corner and burried her face in her hands.
You aren't going to cry, She told herslef, blinking back furious tears.
Then what am I going to do? I could go back to the ball... It could be fun, maybe even dance with someone..
Or, the dangerous part of her mind replied, you could return to Draco... he's probaly still in his common room...
Ginny sniffled and wiped her eyes, brimming wiht unshed tears. She didn't even know why she felt like crying.
"I won't go back to the common room," she said stubbornly. "And I won't go to the ball. I just want to go to my common room." She stood and looked around. "But how?" Tears filled her eyes again.
"No!" She said, covering her face. "Just walk. You're bound to get somewhere... wherever that is."
She had been walking for what felt like hours, but the music from the ball drifting through the walls told her it was only about ten minutes. She had just passed the little statue of Gregor the Great for the third time when someone stepped out of a door in the wall. Someone with sleek blonde hair and icy blue eyes.
"Oh no," Ginny whispered. She whipped her head around and jumped behind the statue. No one, especially Draco, could see her now; eyes red with unshed tears, curls hanging limp.
"Remember, your invisible..." She chanted under her breath.
She heard Draco mutter something to himself as she squeezed further behind the statue. She kept trying desperately to be silent but she heard her breath. Suddenly, she tripped on her robe and hit a csharp place on the statue.
"Ouch!" she squeaked.
"Ginny?" Draco's mildly surprised voice came from on the other side of the statue. She heard his footsteps as he walked around it and then saw him leaning casually against the statue.
"Yes?" she asked through gritted teeth. Putting her hand gingerly up her her forehead, she felt the stickiness of blood on the wound. "What do you want?"
"Tut tut," he said, the infamous Malfoy sneer arriving on his lips, "Still have that temper, don't you.
Ginny stood starying. Here she was, tired, bleeding, in a foul mood, and not to mention hungry (her stomach growled unplesently at the thought of food, and here he was getting onto her for being angry.
"Stupid git," she muttered, pushing him out of her way into the corridor. She begain walking down the stone passage. Wasn't this the way I came? she asked herself after a few steps.
"You are bleeding," Draco's casual voice iced the hall.
"No, really?" Ginny said sarcasticlly, turning around to face him, "I couldn't tell."
He was still leaning against that statue, though now he had turned to watch her.
Without a word, he glided toward her. She felt frozen. Even her anger was almost put out. Almost.
"What do you want?"
"I said you are bleeding. Come here." He was now steps away from her. Slowly, she walked toward him. She saw something like triumph flicker across his shielded eyes.
"Now move your hand."
She did.
He flicked his wand and muttered some incantation under his breath and lowered his arm. Ginny rubbed her newly healed head (OOC: sounds wierd...) and mumbled, "Thanks."
They stood in silence.
"Well, I guess I'll get going..." Ginny began, but then realized Draco was blocking her from leaving.
"Um.. Draco? Move." She was just to tired to be caring.
He seemed to have sensed her weariness and stepped aside without a word.
Ginny started walking down the corridor, then turned.
"You, uh, woulnd't know the way out of here, would you?"
Draco smirked and said, "Follow me."
Ginny followed Draco silently, their echoing footsteps were the only sound in the empty halls. After a few minutes of walking, Ginny began to remember the way back.
"Erm, Draco?" she started timidly, knowing the Great Hall was close.
He turned around, a bored expression on his face. "hm?"
"Thanks," she said quickly, "For healing that scratch and all..."
His look softened slightly.
"You are welcome, Ginny," he continued, "Te Great Hall is right up that way. I reckon the Ball is over now."
"Ok, thanks."
Very quickly, Ginny walked up to Draco and kissed him lightly on the cheek before fleeing out into the Hall.
He was right, only a few stragglers remained in the great hall. She hurriedly rushed up the stairs in a daze and found herself infront of the Fat Lady before she knew it. She felt flushed and weary but slightly rebellious.
If only Ron knew... Ginny grinned as the portrait swung open and she stepped in. The common room was full of people, chit-chatting, exchanging gossip. A few of her dorm-mates called her name but she barely heard them; she was floating up to her dorm, skimming the surface of the ground. She reached her dorm to find it empty, and she slowly slipped into her pajamas. Ginny recalled the night's events and dwelled on the perfect dance she and Draco had. However exhausted and drained she was, she felt like she could go dancing through life. She fell on to her bed in a bliss and thought dreamily, Tomorrow I'll be walking the snowy streets of Hogsmeade and then the next day, I'll be unwrapping Christmas presents and... Ginny's eyes popped open.
"Christmas!" She said in a hoarse whisper. "What should I get Draco?" Never thought I'd say that.. she smiled secretly. She heard approaching steps and quickly closed her eyes pretending to sleep. She didn't want to be questioned about the night's events.
"Ginny," began Hermione's voice gingerly. "Are you asleep?"
Ginny rolled her eyes behind her eyelids, Hermione would never learn that she, Ginny, didn't like people nosing into her life. The door closed softly and Hermione had left.
Ginny tossed over and sigh sleepily. "She'll probably ask me about it tomorrow... Oh well... Now, what to get Dra-.." She yawned and pulled the blankets up to her chin; drifting off to sleep.
Ginny woke up to a mildly dark room. Glancing out the window, she saw the steely gray counds covering the sun while small flakes of snow floated down from them. Yawning, she walked down to the common room.
The fire crackled warmly in the hearth while a few Gryfindors talked in it's warmth. She sighed and tottered over to an empty couch.
"Hey Gin," she heard someone say from across the room. Looking in that direction, she saw Hermione smiling and walking towards her with Harry and Ron close behind.
"Hello," Ginny said, yawning.
Hermione sat down on the couch beside Ginny while Harry and ron sat in two chairs facing it. Ginny felt as though she was in court.
"How are you?" Hermione asked politely.
"Okay, just tired," Ginny replied. She was going to try to be nice to the big-headed trio today. She wanted today to be as perfect as last night. She smiled slightly.
"Where were you instead of the dance?" Ron blurted out, as if unable to hold it in any longer. Hermione glared at him while Harry's eyes flashed with sudden interest.
"Why does it matter?" Ginny asked suspiciously.
"We were just concerned for you Gin. I mean, you were there for a minute in the middle before running off through one of the halls. We didn't see you at all after that so we got worried," Hermione said quickly in a soothing tone.
Of course, Ginny thought, Because I'm not with them, they worry. "It isn't your business where I was." she ended.
"Were you erm... with anyone?" Ron asked, blushing slightly.
"Where did you get that idea?" Ginny asked quickly. They couldn't have found out about Draco. It was impossible.
"Well," Ron started, acting as though she had confirmed his fears, "You did break it off with Harry and we didn't see you at all during the ball and you were acting all... funny towards us so we kind of pieced it together..."
"Erm..." Ginny started, not knowing what to say.
"Could you two leave us for a second?" Hermione asked Ron and Harry politely. They nodded and did as she asked. "Listen Ginny. I, unlike your brother, don't really care if you were with someone or not but remember you can always talk to me about anything. Okay?"
Ginny nodded.
"Ok," Hermione smiled, "Now how about you come with Harry, Ron and I to Hogsmead. We can all do a little last minute Christmas shopping. What do you say?"
"Sure," Ginny said. Perfect timing, hermione...
Ginny stood in line next to Hermione waiting to pass through the entrance hall. Ginny shifted her wieght and thought some. What to et Draco, what to get Draco.. What am i suppossed to get the person who could buy anything I see?
"So what are you going to get Ron?"
"Hmm?" Ginny whisked her head around to face Hermione who had just interrupted her with a question.
"What are you getting Ron?"
"Oh I don't know. He'd complain to mum if I got him nothing and I really don't want to waste my money on him.." Ginny said haughtily as she looked at her fingernails. Hermione laughed. She obviously didn't know it wasn't a joke, Ginny thought scathingly.
They passed through the doors and stepped into a carriage. Perhaps because she was scared of the consequences, Hermione told Ron and Harry that they would be getting a seperate carriage.
"Anyone else you might be buying for?" Hermione asked, trying so hard not to sound suspicous.
"Nope," Ginny said, relaxing back in her seat. Lying came naturally to her; she'd been doing it all of her life to her mum and brothers.
"Oh." Hermione sounded dissapointed.
"What about you?" Ginny asked unexpectedly.
"Me?! Oh no of course not. Just Harry and Ron. And you of course, if you want."
"No thanks. I wasn't planning on buying you anything either."
Ginny rested her head against the window, looking out on the snowy landscape. Hermione made a few weak attempts at conversation, but Ginny just wasn't in the mood. Almost to Hogsmeade she thought. Adn then you can ditch her...
The carrige stopped and Ginny and Hermione stepped out. The snow glistened on the small village, making it seem like a painting. Ginny sighed and began walking to the store.
She froze when she heard an icy voice call out her name.
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"Get away from my sister," snarled Ron viciously to Draco. ginny smiled at her brother, who was growing red.
Draco smirked. "Am I suddenly not even allowed to carry on a pleasent conversation?"
"What are you writing?' Harry asked from behind Ron. Ginny looked back to Draco, who had one of the plain quills left on the table in his hand and was writing something on the piece of paper he had caught.
"What I write is of no business of yours..."
Ginny smiled in spite of herself. It was rather funny watching Draco put down the 'trio'. He seemed to see her smile and laughed softly.
"What are you laughing about?"
"Nothing, Potter..." He said quietly. Rising gracefully, he walked around the table. Slyly he slipped the paper into Ginny's lap, hiding her from the sight of Harry, Ron, and hermione with his body. "I'll leave you now. Have fun at the ball. But you do know that the ball is only for children.... So you three should fit in perfectly." ((OOC: There is a not so hidden wrong meaning in this...)) And with that, he left. The trio, staring at his retreating back with their eyes showing nothing but hatred, soon retreated to 'their' table in the corner of the Library. Forgetting Ginny once more allowing her the time to read the paper.
Ginny slowly unfolded the paper and read it.
Meet me in the third corridor before the ball
Ginny blushed. The third corridor? Alone? She did want the dangerous type, didn't she? "If Ron finds out...." Ginny didn't even consider that a possiblitly; the consequences would be to horrific. She left the library and went to lunch. She will meet him and she will go to his common room and they will be none the wiser. She stopped in her tracks. "Stupid," she said to herself as she burned the letter wiht her wand. "Thats better, Off to lunch." She nearly skipped to the Great Hall.
:: Another fastforwarding.::
Ginny walked up to the Gryffindor common room. She had exactly thirty minutes until the ball would start. Briskly, she said the password to the fat lady and ran up to her dormatory. As soon as she opened the door, she was greeted by an array of color and sound. It was amazing how much of a mess four girls could make. Every mirror in the room was occupied by a sixteen year old puting on make-up while talking about their dates. She sighed and went to her trunk. pulling out her dress robe, she thought, Well... It would be awkward for me to be the only one in the school above fourteen to be wearing a school uniform... She pulled her own dress robe out of the trunk. It had been a Christmas present from her successful brothers, Fred and George, last year and she loved it dearly but had not yet gotten a chance to wear it. The light material flowed over her hands, its dark brown glimmering slightly in the light of the girls' candles. She quickly slipped into it and politely asked one of her roomates to step away from the full length mirror in the back of the room, which she did. Ginny admired her robe. She loved it dearly, with it's flared sleeves and V-neck while it's length made her look taller than she was.
"Hey, Ginny," one of the girls called, gliding to her in a sky blue robe, "Want to wear this?" She threw a light gold chain around Ginny's neck without waiting for her reply. The necklace was simple, a dusty gold color, but it had a small piece of oval shaped amber surrounded by a bold boarder. She loked how it looked, the thought as she toyed with it. "So you like it?" the girl asked.
"Yes, thanks," Ginny replied. She looked around at the other girls. They were all loads prettier than her and their painted faces with perfect smiles looked at her. She smiled and then began walking out of the dorm.
"Not so fast," the girl who lended her the necklace said from behind her, "Since I let you borrow my necklace, you are going to have to let me do something to your hair." Ginny looked aprehensve. She had no problems with her hair the way it was... But the girl had kindly lended her that necklace so it was only fair. She, with a grimace on her face, sat down in the chair facing one of the mirrors. The girls smiled, looking at eachother then quickly went to work on her thin red hair.
Ouch, Ginny thought as they tugged on her hair. he had long since closed her eyes, afraid of what they were doing to her hair. By how it felt, it was going to be a massive tangle of greasy strands and blood. Suddenly the tugging stopped/ "Ta-da!" someone said in the background. Slowly, Ginny opened her eyes.
Still not near as pretty as all the other girls in the room, but she admitted to liking what they had done. Her red hair was not up, like she had expected, but in simple loose curls. Yes, she did like the hair... And the necklace... And the dress robe... But would Draco like it? That was all that really mattered... Ginny... You are doing it again... Stop!
"So," one of the other girls said in a high-pitched nasel voice, "who is your date?"
"No one," Ginny responded. Maybe she had said t too quickly or something because every girl there said a collective 'oooh'.
"It's Harry, isn't it..." the nasel one asked.
"No!" Ginny said loudly, "I am not, I repeat, not going with the big headed, huge ego Harry Potter!"
"Oh... Then... Are you going with Neville?"
Now they were just being idiots. Rolling her eyes, Ginny walked out of the dorm and down the stairs.
Ginny paced the width of the corridor nervously. What did Draco want? Would he even show up?
"It was probably a joke," she mumbled to herself, unconciously fingering the necklace. "See if I would come and then laugh about it with his Slytherin friends. Wouldn't put it past the scum." More pacing, more talking to herself. "There's still ten minutes before he's supposed to come, he can be fashionably late if he wants to."
Ginny, couldn't help it, but it seemed that everytime she glanced at her watch, it was only fifteen seconds later. "Ok!" She told herself. "No more pacing! No more watches! I'm just going to stand here and wait." She stared determindly at the suit of armor, concentrating on anything other than Draco. She walked distractedly to the window nearby and looked out onto the lake. The smooth surface broken only by the ocassional tentacle. The winter scene looked calming. She pressed her forehead against the cold surface of the glass and watched her breath form on the window. Snowflakes slowly cascaded down, making the winter scene perfect. Perfect. Ginny smiled.
"Ginny?"
Ginny swirled around and saw draco standing in front of her, wearing a dress robe of dark grey with a high collar. Ginny couldn't help but notice how the robe exactlly matched his eyes. She blushed slightly when she saw him looking at her own attire. Stop it Gin... her mind warned her, soon his friends will be out here pointing and laughing at you or something. She determinedly stared into his eyes. "Draco," she said in a controled voice.-
"Nice to see you have showed up. Not many Gryffindors would come here on the invitation of a Slytherin..." he trailed off, a mischievious glint shining in his eyes. "This way." He began walkning to a door on his left.
"But Draco," Ginny started, pulling back, "You haven't even told me where you are supposably taking me ."
Isn't that half the fun?" he asked, smiling slightly as he took her arm and led her through the large doors to the entrance of the Great Hall.
"But...I thought we weren't going to the dance..." Ginny said suspiciously.
"We aren't," Draco replied as they walked through the entrance, "Might want to keep your head down, though. But with that hair, you will be hard to miss."
Ginny took a slow breath to calm her rattling insides. "Are we walking through?" She asked as they neared the entrance. "Of course, but we'll shuffle along the back wall so no one will see us. Let's go." They went into hall and quickly walked along side the back wall, Ginny closest to it. She managed a peek at the students milling around, waiting for the music to start. She knew Hermione and Ron were going together, but right now she sat next to Harry, patting him on the back. Ginny stiffled a laugh when she heard, "It's alright, Harry. There are plenty of other girls who would like to dance with you."
They finally crossed the hall unnoticed and stood in the halway the Slytherin's always come from for meals. "Told you I was invisible." Ginny smirked as they walked down the entrance to the dungeons.
"Where are we going?" Ginny asked as they walked through the labyrinthine halls. Their footsteps echoed through it's empty passages.
"Keep your head down," Draco responded, looking around the hall. Someone walked past them. Draco nodded slightly, pinning her closer to the wall. Where is he taking me? Ginny asked herself as they continued down the dark hall, passing more silent people and chittering couples. Suddenly, Draco stopped. He was staring at a damp stone wall.
"Er... Draco?" Ginny asked, looking in confusion from Draco to the wall.
"Wicked," Draco said clearly, seemingly addressing the wall. Ginny was about to question his sanity when the wall slid soundlessly revealing a dark wooden door. "Remember," Draco said quietly as his hand went toward the blackened silver door handle, "Keep your head down."
Ginny peeked through her hair at her sorroundings. Soft green light illuminated a long, low underground room. Several high-backed chairs sat around the crackling fire that burned underneath an elaborately carved mantlepiece. A girl wearing startling green dress robes clutched on to the arm of a stall boy Ginny recognized as a Quidditch player.
"Blaise, shouldn't you be getting to the ball?" Draco said as he tugged her behind her back.
"I guess, but itsn't always best to be fashionably late?" She eyed Draco and Ginny remembered that she ahd asked him to the ball. Blaise Zabini; she's pretty enough but she's a complete airhead Her sharp blue eyes flickered at Ginny.
"Who's that you're hiding, Draco?"
Draco didn't reply. His icy gray eyes bore into Blaise. She shifted uncomfortably under his gaze then mumbled, "Let's go, Grant." They quickly stepped out of the common room.
"Sit here and keep your head down." She lowered herself on a wooden chair sat at a table and watched as he checked all of the chairs circuling the fire.
"Empty," he said, comming back to have a seat in the large armchair by the fire. "Everyone is at the ball."
"Even Crabbe and Goyle?" Ginny asked, wondering who in their right mind would go with those trolls.
"They went with eachother."
"Oh."
Ginny glanced around.
"So.. erm.. what now?"
Draco shrugged. "Well niether of us really wants to go to the ball, I figured we had something in common."
"Two peas in a pod," Ginny laughed.
Draco laughed softly as well. That surprised Ginny, though by now she felt as though she were going to burst if she was given one more surprise. She glanced around the Slytherin Commen room. It was nice.. she guessed though it lacked the warmth of her own Gryffindor common room.
"Do you approve of it?" Draco asked, lounging comfortably on the chair.
"What?"
"Do you approve of the common room?"
"Erm," Ginny started, "Yes, I suppose."
"Good. Your good opinion is rarely bestowed therefor sought after."
"Um... Right..."
"So, who is your weasle brother with?" Draco asked, smirking.
"That's Weasley, ferret," Ginny snapped. She wasn't so close to her brother at the moment but she would not allow a Malfoy to insult her family.
"Now, now. Let's not bring back that." Draco said quickly. "Listen."
Ginny did. Music drifted down from the ceiling.
"The ball has started. Great hall is right above here." Draco said softly. Ginny felt his eyes on eyes on her face. She blushed and looked down.
They sat in silence. ASk him to dance, ask him to dance...
"Would you care for a dance?"
Ginny's eyes popped open. Had her thoughts somehow leaked out of her head and into the open? She looked up and saw Draco exteneding a hand.
She silently sighed relief. "Oh." She unconciously twirled her curls. "Of course."
She rose rather clumsily and walked to Draco, layed her hand in his. In return, he gently placed his hand on her waist. The quick beat echoed in the room. Draco immediately started the complicated steps to... something resebleing a swing dance. She clumsily followed along, stepping on his feet numorous times rather like how Neville had at the Yule Ball in her third year. "Erm, sorry," she kept muttering as she did it, but Draco said nothing. He spun her quickly, making her sway slightly. "Wherever did you learn to dance so divinely, Sir Malfoy?" she asked smiling.
"The Malfoy family sees that the childr, I mean, me is brought up right," he said smirking.
" Did you just insult my family?" Ginny snapped back, her happy grin disappearing immediately.
"Well... Yes. But please don't ruin the dancing." She was silent.
The music gradually slowed until their dance was a gentle waltz. This was the most fun Ginny had had in one night and she was enjoying it with a Malfoy. As they swayed with the music, Ginny slowly laid head on Draco's chest. She closed her eyes, listening to his quiet heartbeat.
The music stopped.
They stopped swaying.
Ginny felt Draco's hand release hers and looked up at him. His gray eyes looked into her own brown ones as he gently played with her curly hair. She felt as though she couldn't breath. His face was only a few inches away. He moved closer, closing the gap between them. Slowly, his lips captured hers.
Ginny tore her face away and stepped back, blush creeping up her neck and into her face.
"I.. uh, I have to go." She fumbled back for the doornob and rushed out of the room without a backward glance. What am I doing? She thought as she rushed down the maze of halls and corridors. Kissing a Malfoy, she told herself. She felt her face grow warmer as even more crimson color rose to her cheeks. Oh Gosh, what would Ron say,
"Ron? What are you doing here?" Ginny suddenly found herself face to face wiht her brother.
"Me? I'm here with Hermione. I thought you weren't coming to the ball! So you've changed your mind! I'll tell Harry. Wow Gin, what've you been doing? You're face is red."
Ginny lifted a hand to her face before she thought about Ron's words.
"What? No! I haven't changed my mind! I'm just.. passing through."
Ron smirked mischeviously. "Yeah, and that's why you're wearing your new dress robes and done up your hair. Hold on. Oy, Harry!"
Ginny started punching Ron on the shoulder. "No! Stop! Be quiet! I'm leaving!" She turned to stomp away, but a strong hand caught her shoulder.
"Oh no, you don't! Either you're dancing with Harry or your apologizing!" Ron signaled for Harry to walk over.
"Yes?" He said sulkily. His eyes caught sight of a very angry Ginny and they atomatically brightened. "Ginny! I thought you said you weren't coming!"
"Of course I said I wasn't coming! I told you I hated you! Why would I come to dance with you?!"
"Alright. Would you care for a dance?"
Ginny froze. Would you care for a dance? Draco said that, only minutes earlier. She smiled dreamily.
"Great! Come on!" Harry pulled her arm, but she stayed rooted to the spot, still imagining dancing with Draco; swaying to the music, leaning her head against him.
"Ginny? Come on!" She snapped back to reality.
"No!" She wretched her hadn out of his grasp. "I'm going back to the common room!"
She marched out of the great hall.
"But that's not the way to our common room," A very confused Harry shouted back.
Ginny ignored Harry's calls and stormed to the entrance of the dungeons. She had been walking for a while when she came to a three way fork in the corridor and realized she was hopelessly lost. She sat against the wall in a nice little corner and burried her face in her hands.
You aren't going to cry, She told herslef, blinking back furious tears.
Then what am I going to do? I could go back to the ball... It could be fun, maybe even dance with someone..
Or, the dangerous part of her mind replied, you could return to Draco... he's probaly still in his common room...
Ginny sniffled and wiped her eyes, brimming wiht unshed tears. She didn't even know why she felt like crying.
"I won't go back to the common room," she said stubbornly. "And I won't go to the ball. I just want to go to my common room." She stood and looked around. "But how?" Tears filled her eyes again.
"No!" She said, covering her face. "Just walk. You're bound to get somewhere... wherever that is."
She had been walking for what felt like hours, but the music from the ball drifting through the walls told her it was only about ten minutes. She had just passed the little statue of Gregor the Great for the third time when someone stepped out of a door in the wall. Someone with sleek blonde hair and icy blue eyes.
"Oh no," Ginny whispered. She whipped her head around and jumped behind the statue. No one, especially Draco, could see her now; eyes red with unshed tears, curls hanging limp.
"Remember, your invisible..." She chanted under her breath.
She heard Draco mutter something to himself as she squeezed further behind the statue. She kept trying desperately to be silent but she heard her breath. Suddenly, she tripped on her robe and hit a csharp place on the statue.
"Ouch!" she squeaked.
"Ginny?" Draco's mildly surprised voice came from on the other side of the statue. She heard his footsteps as he walked around it and then saw him leaning casually against the statue.
"Yes?" she asked through gritted teeth. Putting her hand gingerly up her her forehead, she felt the stickiness of blood on the wound. "What do you want?"
"Tut tut," he said, the infamous Malfoy sneer arriving on his lips, "Still have that temper, don't you.
Ginny stood starying. Here she was, tired, bleeding, in a foul mood, and not to mention hungry (her stomach growled unplesently at the thought of food, and here he was getting onto her for being angry.
"Stupid git," she muttered, pushing him out of her way into the corridor. She begain walking down the stone passage. Wasn't this the way I came? she asked herself after a few steps.
"You are bleeding," Draco's casual voice iced the hall.
"No, really?" Ginny said sarcasticlly, turning around to face him, "I couldn't tell."
He was still leaning against that statue, though now he had turned to watch her.
Without a word, he glided toward her. She felt frozen. Even her anger was almost put out. Almost.
"What do you want?"
"I said you are bleeding. Come here." He was now steps away from her. Slowly, she walked toward him. She saw something like triumph flicker across his shielded eyes.
"Now move your hand."
She did.
He flicked his wand and muttered some incantation under his breath and lowered his arm. Ginny rubbed her newly healed head (OOC: sounds wierd...) and mumbled, "Thanks."
They stood in silence.
"Well, I guess I'll get going..." Ginny began, but then realized Draco was blocking her from leaving.
"Um.. Draco? Move." She was just to tired to be caring.
He seemed to have sensed her weariness and stepped aside without a word.
Ginny started walking down the corridor, then turned.
"You, uh, woulnd't know the way out of here, would you?"
Draco smirked and said, "Follow me."
Ginny followed Draco silently, their echoing footsteps were the only sound in the empty halls. After a few minutes of walking, Ginny began to remember the way back.
"Erm, Draco?" she started timidly, knowing the Great Hall was close.
He turned around, a bored expression on his face. "hm?"
"Thanks," she said quickly, "For healing that scratch and all..."
His look softened slightly.
"You are welcome, Ginny," he continued, "Te Great Hall is right up that way. I reckon the Ball is over now."
"Ok, thanks."
Very quickly, Ginny walked up to Draco and kissed him lightly on the cheek before fleeing out into the Hall.
He was right, only a few stragglers remained in the great hall. She hurriedly rushed up the stairs in a daze and found herself infront of the Fat Lady before she knew it. She felt flushed and weary but slightly rebellious.
If only Ron knew... Ginny grinned as the portrait swung open and she stepped in. The common room was full of people, chit-chatting, exchanging gossip. A few of her dorm-mates called her name but she barely heard them; she was floating up to her dorm, skimming the surface of the ground. She reached her dorm to find it empty, and she slowly slipped into her pajamas. Ginny recalled the night's events and dwelled on the perfect dance she and Draco had. However exhausted and drained she was, she felt like she could go dancing through life. She fell on to her bed in a bliss and thought dreamily, Tomorrow I'll be walking the snowy streets of Hogsmeade and then the next day, I'll be unwrapping Christmas presents and... Ginny's eyes popped open.
"Christmas!" She said in a hoarse whisper. "What should I get Draco?" Never thought I'd say that.. she smiled secretly. She heard approaching steps and quickly closed her eyes pretending to sleep. She didn't want to be questioned about the night's events.
"Ginny," began Hermione's voice gingerly. "Are you asleep?"
Ginny rolled her eyes behind her eyelids, Hermione would never learn that she, Ginny, didn't like people nosing into her life. The door closed softly and Hermione had left.
Ginny tossed over and sigh sleepily. "She'll probably ask me about it tomorrow... Oh well... Now, what to get Dra-.." She yawned and pulled the blankets up to her chin; drifting off to sleep.
Ginny woke up to a mildly dark room. Glancing out the window, she saw the steely gray counds covering the sun while small flakes of snow floated down from them. Yawning, she walked down to the common room.
The fire crackled warmly in the hearth while a few Gryfindors talked in it's warmth. She sighed and tottered over to an empty couch.
"Hey Gin," she heard someone say from across the room. Looking in that direction, she saw Hermione smiling and walking towards her with Harry and Ron close behind.
"Hello," Ginny said, yawning.
Hermione sat down on the couch beside Ginny while Harry and ron sat in two chairs facing it. Ginny felt as though she was in court.
"How are you?" Hermione asked politely.
"Okay, just tired," Ginny replied. She was going to try to be nice to the big-headed trio today. She wanted today to be as perfect as last night. She smiled slightly.
"Where were you instead of the dance?" Ron blurted out, as if unable to hold it in any longer. Hermione glared at him while Harry's eyes flashed with sudden interest.
"Why does it matter?" Ginny asked suspiciously.
"We were just concerned for you Gin. I mean, you were there for a minute in the middle before running off through one of the halls. We didn't see you at all after that so we got worried," Hermione said quickly in a soothing tone.
Of course, Ginny thought, Because I'm not with them, they worry. "It isn't your business where I was." she ended.
"Were you erm... with anyone?" Ron asked, blushing slightly.
"Where did you get that idea?" Ginny asked quickly. They couldn't have found out about Draco. It was impossible.
"Well," Ron started, acting as though she had confirmed his fears, "You did break it off with Harry and we didn't see you at all during the ball and you were acting all... funny towards us so we kind of pieced it together..."
"Erm..." Ginny started, not knowing what to say.
"Could you two leave us for a second?" Hermione asked Ron and Harry politely. They nodded and did as she asked. "Listen Ginny. I, unlike your brother, don't really care if you were with someone or not but remember you can always talk to me about anything. Okay?"
Ginny nodded.
"Ok," Hermione smiled, "Now how about you come with Harry, Ron and I to Hogsmead. We can all do a little last minute Christmas shopping. What do you say?"
"Sure," Ginny said. Perfect timing, hermione...
Ginny stood in line next to Hermione waiting to pass through the entrance hall. Ginny shifted her wieght and thought some. What to et Draco, what to get Draco.. What am i suppossed to get the person who could buy anything I see?
"So what are you going to get Ron?"
"Hmm?" Ginny whisked her head around to face Hermione who had just interrupted her with a question.
"What are you getting Ron?"
"Oh I don't know. He'd complain to mum if I got him nothing and I really don't want to waste my money on him.." Ginny said haughtily as she looked at her fingernails. Hermione laughed. She obviously didn't know it wasn't a joke, Ginny thought scathingly.
They passed through the doors and stepped into a carriage. Perhaps because she was scared of the consequences, Hermione told Ron and Harry that they would be getting a seperate carriage.
"Anyone else you might be buying for?" Hermione asked, trying so hard not to sound suspicous.
"Nope," Ginny said, relaxing back in her seat. Lying came naturally to her; she'd been doing it all of her life to her mum and brothers.
"Oh." Hermione sounded dissapointed.
"What about you?" Ginny asked unexpectedly.
"Me?! Oh no of course not. Just Harry and Ron. And you of course, if you want."
"No thanks. I wasn't planning on buying you anything either."
Ginny rested her head against the window, looking out on the snowy landscape. Hermione made a few weak attempts at conversation, but Ginny just wasn't in the mood. Almost to Hogsmeade she thought. Adn then you can ditch her...
The carrige stopped and Ginny and Hermione stepped out. The snow glistened on the small village, making it seem like a painting. Ginny sighed and began walking to the store.
She froze when she heard an icy voice call out her name.