Ginny whipped around to see Draco gliding over to her. Harry and Ron
stepped out of their carriage.
"Ginny," Draco said.
"What do want with her?" Harry snarled, he and Ron stepped in front of Ginny as if to protect her if Draco made a lunge at her throat.
"Just wanting to tell her something," Draco said, his cold eyes resting on Harry.
"Well you can tell all of us," Ron scowled.
"Ron! Really you are such a pig! Move!" Ginny pushed Ron away and furrowed her eyebrows.
"Gin, no! Get back!" Ron pushed her backwards and she sat in a mound of snow.
"My, my. Aren't you two protective." Draco raised his eyebrows.
"Just tell us what you want to say and shove off." Harry gripped his wand.
"This was in my carriage. Happy?" Draco flung a notebook with a leather cover over the two bodyguards' heads and it landed at Ginny's feet. He walked away and Ginny clutched the notebook to her chest. Harry looked solemn.
"Gin, give me that notebook." "No! It's mine!" "He could've cursed it! "Oh really, you two!" Hermione shoved herself into the conversation. "As if Draco could manage that! Come off it!"
Ron and Harry sulked off and Ginny breathed a "Thanks," so Hermione and quickly ran off somewhere to look at the book alone. Her name was written on the cover, but it wasn't in her handwriting; she had never even seen the book before. She walked into the Three Broomsticks and sat in a corner booth by herself. She opened the book and read the first page.
Meet me outside Honeydukes at three.
Draco
Ginny smiled slightly and closed the leather book. She got up and ordered a butterbeer, then sat back down again. She sipped the warm drink and reread the note. Her bliss was short lived; Ron and Harry stormed into the Three Broomsticks, followed closely by Hermione; looking quite flustered. Ginny's eyes popped open and she quickly ripped out the note and shoved it in her pocket. The trio sat in her booth.
"Give us that book, Gin. Or else we'll have to take it." Ron seemed too sincere as he said this, but Ginny couldn't help snorting into her butterbeer.
"Seriously. That could be dangerous." Harry held his wand in one hand, and outstretched his other.
"Fine, you interfering prats! Here! There's noting in it! Just got it the other day." She chucked the book and grinned with it hit Harry square in the forehead.
"Just make sure to give it back. I'm almost out of parchment." She grabbed her bottle and stomped out of the Tree broomsticks, ready to count down the hours until three.
Fifteen minutes, Ginny thought, glancing at her watch. The trio was browsing through the toys at Zonko's, laughing and talking amongst themselves. As always. "Um, guys," she started, rather quietly, "I forgot something in Honeydukes. I'm going to run back and get it." And with that, she fled the shop.
Outside, it had stopped snowing and the cobblestone streets were covered in a mix of hard ice under an innocent blanket of dazzling white. She smiled as she skipped down the road towards Honeydukes. Was it really right for her to be this happy? She was going to meet a Malfoy. What would her mom say if she knew? I won't think about that today, Ginny thought as she reached Honey dukes, I'm going to have a good time and no one can stop me.
She saw the tall figure of Draco ahead of her, his dark robe fluttering slightly in the breeze while his usually slicked back hair fell handsomely into his face.
"You are late," he said when she came to him.
"No I'm not," Ginny replied, checking her watch. Exactly three o'clock.
"To be on time is to be late. To be early is to be on time," he told her. "Now come on, we have a lot to do don't we?"
"Erm," Ginny stammered, walking at his side as he headed down the street. "What exactly are we doing?" Ginny said, walking two steps for everyone one of Draco's.
"I'm not sure. What do you want to do?"
Ginny was taken aback. She never had the power to choose what to do. With six older brothers, they usually dominated the family.
"I don't know... Wanna go there?" She pointed to a small shop with a sign that read
Shervios' Shoppe All Your Wizarding Needs Plus more!
Draco shrugged and they stepped into the small building. Shelves lined the walls and bookcases filled most of the floor. Each shelf holding some unique device. They began inspecting everything, giggling at the useless, strange inventions, probing the very unique objects. Ginny finally sucked up her courage and asked Draco what she had been wondering all day. As they tried to figure out what a sharp, pointy object exactly is, she blurted it out.
"So, what do you want for Christmas?" Draco smirked. "Really? A Weasley getting a Malfoy a present? How thoughtful..."
Ginny smiled. "Of course you prat. Now what do you want?"
"Surprise me."
Ginny pouted and glanced around the store. Everything in here was more than horridly expensive. It probably would cost her everything she had and more.
"And what do you want, flame?" Draco asked casually, poking a funny looking contraption.
"Surprise me," Ginny replied teasingly.
They were silent for a time.
There it was. The sign read For the one who has everything. Ginny, after making sure Draco was busy looking at something else, she tottered over to it.
Ginny examined several odd trinkets. Some glowed, some sparkled but the first thing that caught her eye was the price tag. Her eyes widened and she quickly walked away. Now what I am supposed to get him? Ginny walked slowly, looking at everything hoping perhaps she would see something Draco would die without. Unfortunately, he has everything, and he could buy anything else.
"Draco?" A shrill, nasal voice echoed through the tiny store. Pansy Parkinson and her Slytherin gang stepped inside. Absentmindedly, Ginny walked toward them.
"What do you want, weasel?" Pansy sneered and turned to clutch Draco's arm.
"Come on, Dracie! A bunch of us are going to the Hogs Head to see if the old man would give us a Firewhiskey!"
Draco looked repulsed my Pansy's affection, but said nothing.
"What are you doing here anyway, you simpleton? Isn't this a little out of your price range? You might want to try in that dumpster across the street." Pansy sneered as the surrounding company guffawed loudly.
"C'mon everyone, empty your pockets. Give to the needy" Pansy tossed a Knut at Ginny's feet. More laughter. Ginny bent down slowly and picked it up.
"Pansy, there are only so many ways to insult my family and after six years of hearing nearly every insult in the book, I must say you are running out of material." With a flick of her fingers (her brothers hit her with that technique many a time) the Knut flew and hit Pansy square between the eyes. Everyone fell silent. Wow, thought Ginny as she watched Pansy gasp in horror, I'm a pretty good shot. The Knut bounced of Pansy's thick skull and didn't even break the skin. However, Pansy gasped and staggered backwards
"Why, you filthy Muggle-lover! That could've killed me!"
"Pity it didn't. Ta." Ginny shoved her way through the crowd of Slytherins and exited the building without a backwards glance.
The once fluffy and light snow had changed into freezing rain while she was in the store. She wrapped her second-hand cloak closer to her body while she walked glumly to the Three Broomsticks. At least there it was warm and dry. She would have to wait there until this rain passed before taking a carriage back to the castle.
Inside the Three Broomsticks, the multiple fireplaces glowed merrily, immersing the building in grateful warmth.
"Hey, Gin!" she heard a voice yelled from across the room. Ginny looked up and saw Ron waving from one of the booths. She walked over to their table and took a seat. She smiled slightly to the three. Sitting with them was better than sitting by herself she guessed.
"Hello," she said quietly.
"Hello, Ginny," Hermione replied warmly, "Want a butterbeer?" Ginny didn't even respond as Harry called the waitress over and ordered one for her. They aren't lecturing me... Ginny thought, confused, Hermione must have talked to them, I guess... She was too cold and tired to care. She silently sipped her butterbeer while listening to their conversation.
"So, Hermione," Ron started, "You said you were going where for Christmas?"
"I'm staying this year. I have told you that...." Hermione replied.
"Oh yeah..."
And so died the conversation.
Ginny sipped her butterbeer, listening to the clamor of other people talking, bottles clinking.
"So...." Harry started. "Um, what have you been doing, Gin? We lost you at Zonko's."
"Oh....." Ginny flushed. "I've been Christmas shopping...with myself. Yup, alone." They raised their eyebrows, but said nothing.
"Where are your bags?" Ron asked with crinkled eyebrows, looking under the table, as if she was hiding them.
"I didn't find anything. Nope. Nothing." Ginny took a swig of her butterbeer and set her empty tankard down on the table. "Well, I really do have to get going. I didn't get anything and the day's almost spent." She jumped off her seat and walked out the door.
Her hair ruffled in the wind and icy pellets of rain smacked her face. She still needed a present for Draco. She stepped into an empty carriage and tugged on her Christmas sweater from last year. A Christmas Sweater! As soon as Ginny's carriage pulled into Hogwarts, she sprinted up to her room. "Please let it be there please let it be there..." she chanted over to herself as she dug through her. She pulled out a mass of emerald green wool and sighed, relieved. "Now, I need something for the D," she muttered, pushing robes and looking for a bright, shiny color; one that said... well, 'Draco'. Ginny smiled as she pulled out silver wool. I've got to get started," She said, grabbing her knitting needles and headed to the common room. She picked a comfortable chair by the fireplace and started knitting as fast as she could.
Though she started out fast, Ginny began to slow down as the night grew older. Her knitting skills were not near as strong as her mother's, but she could do a sweater. She desperately hoped Draco wouldn't despise it.
"Hey Ginny," she heard Hermione say as she sank into the chair next to her. "What is that?"
"Nothing really..." Ginny said quickly, putting the needles and yarn away. Just knitting a little something... that's all"
"Oh. Neat." Hermione replied, a smile dancing in her eyes, "So, what are you doing up late?"
"I was knitting as I have told you and you have seen. What are you doing up late?"
"Couldn't sleep."
There was silence for a while; the only sounds were those from the dying fire.
"Um, Ginny?" Hermione started, rather uncharacteristically nervously.
"Yes?"
"Can I as you something?"
"You just did," Ginny said shortly. She was getting tired.
"No. Really, can I ask you something about... someone..?"
"No one is stopping you."
"Well," Hermione started, her fingers twirling around her bushy hair.
Ginny sat, needles clicking, brows furrowed. She lost count on this row of stitches. Hopefully, Draco wouldn't mind if his sweater was a little lumpy.
"Well... uh... I don't really know how to word this..." Hermione fidgeted in her chair.
"Just spit it out, I won't be offended."
"I don't know about this, though." Hermione took a deep breath and blurted it out. "Well It's about Draco."
Ginny missed a stitch. "What about him?" She replied quickly.
"Oh nothing," Hermione said quickly, blushing. "It's just... I've noticed some stuff and I wanted to see if my hunches were correct."
"What are you're 'hunches'?" Ginny said curtly, she was not going to tell anyone. Especially know-it-all-I'll-be-your-friend-when-its-convenient Hermione.
"That you two are... well... a couple."
"That's absurd."
"Oh come on, Gin." Hermione smiled. "First you meet him in detention and start acting all funny. Then you go off to the Slytherin Common Room for the Christmas Ball." Ginny's eyes popped open and she threw a glance at Hermione who laughed. "Yes I saw where you came from and I know that's where the Slytherin common room is."
"Oh really. How?" Ginny smirked as she turned her eyes back to her sweater.
"Be quiet. Anyway, I saw you sneak through with him. Actually, I couldn't tell if it was you, but it's just an educated guess. Anyway, after that you meet him at Hogsmeade and tried to find him a Christmas present. Now, you're sitting here knitting him a sweater. Well, am I right?" Hermione sat back in her chair, hands crossed.
"Um..." Ginny said uncomfortably. "I won't tell anyone if I am as true as I seem to be," Hermione said quickly, trying to avoid an argument.
"Your hunches are wrong," Ginny stated flatly, carefully trying to right her wronged stitches, "This is a, um, a scarf. For me. I like the color green..."
"Listen Ginny," Hermione said, very seriously, "Be careful, okay? I am not going to tell you who to date and who not to, but do be careful. After all, he is a Slytherin. And a --"
"Malfoy," Ginny finished her sentence for her. "Hermione, there is nothing between us. You have guessed wrongly. I suggest you go up to bed. You are obviously too tired to have a logical conversation."
Hermione smiled knowingly. "Whatever you say Ginny. May I suggest you do the same?" With a quick goodnight, Hermione rushed up the stairs to the dormitories.
Ginny yawned widely. Maybe Hermione was right, as always. Slowly, Ginny finished the stitch. Her eyelids felt heavy. Maybe she could close them just to rest her eyes. Just for a minute... "Ginny? Ginny..." Ginny cracked her eyes open and felt a finger prodding painfully in her shoulder. "What? Let me sleep..." She murmured but sat up and stretched. She fell asleep with her legs crossed and her 'sweater' draped over them. Ron grinned and sat next to her.
"So, what's that?"
Ginny tried to move her legs, but they weren't responding. "Nothing, a scarf for myself."
"Oh." Ron eyed the mess of green wool skeptically.
"What? Don't you believe me?" snapped Ginny, still trying to untwist her legs. "What time is it?"
"Nearly nine," replied her brother after consulting with his watch.
"What in bloody he (you know the rest) did you wake me up so early for?" Finally she figured it out; with one sharp yank Ginny's legs unfurled and she stood wobbly. "I'm going to breakfast." She adjusted her wrinkled sweater and stomped out of the portrait hole, clutching her half-made sweater.
The days until the holidays passed quickly. Before Ginny could think about it, students had left to be home for Christmas and the great castle of Hogwarts was mostly empty.
Ginny sighed over her hot porridge. It was the first day of the holidays and she was bored sick. The sweater had been finished last night, the trio were treating her nicely, but still ignoring her, and worst of all, she hadn't seen Draco. Maybe he went home. It made sense. He probably had a house the size of Hogwarts to go home to, so why wouldn't he? She sighed again as she ate some of the porridge.
Christmas is only TWO days away. And no matter how slowly the minutes tick by, it'll be here soon.... I hope Ginny dropped her spoon and looked around. Harry, Ron and Hermione sat near her talking about the amount of homework they received from Snape.
"Two feet, Hermione! And all about a Forgetfulness Potion? I don't even remember what he said about it!" Ron piled more sausages on his plate.
"Ron, don't be such a baby. I've already got mine done. And if you paid attention during class you would've heard Snape say at least three feet of information."
Ginny snickered. Ron? Pay attention in class? Please.
"So Gin, I was wondering if you had any plans to day." Hermione sipped her milk and looked toward Ginny.
"What? Oh. No, nothing. Why?" Ginny was startled at being talked to. But Hermione was probably just being nice to her to worm out something about Draco. I will NOT tell. No matter how she tries to weasel it out of me... heh.. Weasel.
"Just wondering," Hermione said quickly and turned to her plate.
"I'm finished. I'll be in the common room." Ginny stood and started walking toward the stairway.
"Wait! I'll come with you. How about a game of chess? Or maybe gobstones?" Hermione ran to catch up with Ginny.
"Um, why not?"
Ginny followed to Hermione to the common room silently. Hermione said the password at the portrait quietly then walked in.
"Sooo," She started, turning to Ginny as the portrait closed, "How are you?"
"Um, fine..." Ginny replied, not really knowing where the conversation was going.
"Good," Hermione smiled slightly as she glanced around the empty common room, "What did you get Draco for Christmas?"
"What?" Ginny asked quickly, "Why would I get that git anything? Where did you get an idea like that?"
"Well, you have been with him a lot, and you did spend that Hogsmeade weekend with him... so I assumed--"
"You assume wrong," Ginny cut her off.
Ginny set up the pieces on Ron's old chessboard a little more forceful than necessary. So forceful, the black night complained and demanded an apology.
After all the pieces had been set, Ginny and Hermione began to play. Ginny wasn't playing to her full potential and didn't even notice when Hermione checked her king until the castle yelled up at her. No, something else was bothering her... She couldn't put her finger on it.
"Well, there's no use pretending that you didn't spend all of Hogsmeade weekend with Draco. So what did you do?" Hermione concentrated on the chess board and wouldn't meet Ginny's eyes.
"I did nothing. Just shopping for Christmas when I decided I'm not getting anyone anything."
Hermione moved her castle foreword before sitting back in her chair and smiling. "Ginny, come off it. The notebook? Clever. It might've fooled Ron and Harry. Even I started to have second thoughts. But after you disappeared in Zonko's?"
Ginny scowled at the board and sacrificed a pawn to protect her queen and didn't speak. Hermione took the pawn and waited for Ginny's response to her original question.
Ginny smiled
"Well Hermione, you might've put all your little clues together. And you might think you've figured me out. Not even close. Checkmate."
Ginny moved her bishop three spaces left and snatched up her knitting to go to her dormitory; leaving Hermione to puzzle over her defeat.
"Ginny," Draco said.
"What do want with her?" Harry snarled, he and Ron stepped in front of Ginny as if to protect her if Draco made a lunge at her throat.
"Just wanting to tell her something," Draco said, his cold eyes resting on Harry.
"Well you can tell all of us," Ron scowled.
"Ron! Really you are such a pig! Move!" Ginny pushed Ron away and furrowed her eyebrows.
"Gin, no! Get back!" Ron pushed her backwards and she sat in a mound of snow.
"My, my. Aren't you two protective." Draco raised his eyebrows.
"Just tell us what you want to say and shove off." Harry gripped his wand.
"This was in my carriage. Happy?" Draco flung a notebook with a leather cover over the two bodyguards' heads and it landed at Ginny's feet. He walked away and Ginny clutched the notebook to her chest. Harry looked solemn.
"Gin, give me that notebook." "No! It's mine!" "He could've cursed it! "Oh really, you two!" Hermione shoved herself into the conversation. "As if Draco could manage that! Come off it!"
Ron and Harry sulked off and Ginny breathed a "Thanks," so Hermione and quickly ran off somewhere to look at the book alone. Her name was written on the cover, but it wasn't in her handwriting; she had never even seen the book before. She walked into the Three Broomsticks and sat in a corner booth by herself. She opened the book and read the first page.
Meet me outside Honeydukes at three.
Draco
Ginny smiled slightly and closed the leather book. She got up and ordered a butterbeer, then sat back down again. She sipped the warm drink and reread the note. Her bliss was short lived; Ron and Harry stormed into the Three Broomsticks, followed closely by Hermione; looking quite flustered. Ginny's eyes popped open and she quickly ripped out the note and shoved it in her pocket. The trio sat in her booth.
"Give us that book, Gin. Or else we'll have to take it." Ron seemed too sincere as he said this, but Ginny couldn't help snorting into her butterbeer.
"Seriously. That could be dangerous." Harry held his wand in one hand, and outstretched his other.
"Fine, you interfering prats! Here! There's noting in it! Just got it the other day." She chucked the book and grinned with it hit Harry square in the forehead.
"Just make sure to give it back. I'm almost out of parchment." She grabbed her bottle and stomped out of the Tree broomsticks, ready to count down the hours until three.
Fifteen minutes, Ginny thought, glancing at her watch. The trio was browsing through the toys at Zonko's, laughing and talking amongst themselves. As always. "Um, guys," she started, rather quietly, "I forgot something in Honeydukes. I'm going to run back and get it." And with that, she fled the shop.
Outside, it had stopped snowing and the cobblestone streets were covered in a mix of hard ice under an innocent blanket of dazzling white. She smiled as she skipped down the road towards Honeydukes. Was it really right for her to be this happy? She was going to meet a Malfoy. What would her mom say if she knew? I won't think about that today, Ginny thought as she reached Honey dukes, I'm going to have a good time and no one can stop me.
She saw the tall figure of Draco ahead of her, his dark robe fluttering slightly in the breeze while his usually slicked back hair fell handsomely into his face.
"You are late," he said when she came to him.
"No I'm not," Ginny replied, checking her watch. Exactly three o'clock.
"To be on time is to be late. To be early is to be on time," he told her. "Now come on, we have a lot to do don't we?"
"Erm," Ginny stammered, walking at his side as he headed down the street. "What exactly are we doing?" Ginny said, walking two steps for everyone one of Draco's.
"I'm not sure. What do you want to do?"
Ginny was taken aback. She never had the power to choose what to do. With six older brothers, they usually dominated the family.
"I don't know... Wanna go there?" She pointed to a small shop with a sign that read
Shervios' Shoppe All Your Wizarding Needs Plus more!
Draco shrugged and they stepped into the small building. Shelves lined the walls and bookcases filled most of the floor. Each shelf holding some unique device. They began inspecting everything, giggling at the useless, strange inventions, probing the very unique objects. Ginny finally sucked up her courage and asked Draco what she had been wondering all day. As they tried to figure out what a sharp, pointy object exactly is, she blurted it out.
"So, what do you want for Christmas?" Draco smirked. "Really? A Weasley getting a Malfoy a present? How thoughtful..."
Ginny smiled. "Of course you prat. Now what do you want?"
"Surprise me."
Ginny pouted and glanced around the store. Everything in here was more than horridly expensive. It probably would cost her everything she had and more.
"And what do you want, flame?" Draco asked casually, poking a funny looking contraption.
"Surprise me," Ginny replied teasingly.
They were silent for a time.
There it was. The sign read For the one who has everything. Ginny, after making sure Draco was busy looking at something else, she tottered over to it.
Ginny examined several odd trinkets. Some glowed, some sparkled but the first thing that caught her eye was the price tag. Her eyes widened and she quickly walked away. Now what I am supposed to get him? Ginny walked slowly, looking at everything hoping perhaps she would see something Draco would die without. Unfortunately, he has everything, and he could buy anything else.
"Draco?" A shrill, nasal voice echoed through the tiny store. Pansy Parkinson and her Slytherin gang stepped inside. Absentmindedly, Ginny walked toward them.
"What do you want, weasel?" Pansy sneered and turned to clutch Draco's arm.
"Come on, Dracie! A bunch of us are going to the Hogs Head to see if the old man would give us a Firewhiskey!"
Draco looked repulsed my Pansy's affection, but said nothing.
"What are you doing here anyway, you simpleton? Isn't this a little out of your price range? You might want to try in that dumpster across the street." Pansy sneered as the surrounding company guffawed loudly.
"C'mon everyone, empty your pockets. Give to the needy" Pansy tossed a Knut at Ginny's feet. More laughter. Ginny bent down slowly and picked it up.
"Pansy, there are only so many ways to insult my family and after six years of hearing nearly every insult in the book, I must say you are running out of material." With a flick of her fingers (her brothers hit her with that technique many a time) the Knut flew and hit Pansy square between the eyes. Everyone fell silent. Wow, thought Ginny as she watched Pansy gasp in horror, I'm a pretty good shot. The Knut bounced of Pansy's thick skull and didn't even break the skin. However, Pansy gasped and staggered backwards
"Why, you filthy Muggle-lover! That could've killed me!"
"Pity it didn't. Ta." Ginny shoved her way through the crowd of Slytherins and exited the building without a backwards glance.
The once fluffy and light snow had changed into freezing rain while she was in the store. She wrapped her second-hand cloak closer to her body while she walked glumly to the Three Broomsticks. At least there it was warm and dry. She would have to wait there until this rain passed before taking a carriage back to the castle.
Inside the Three Broomsticks, the multiple fireplaces glowed merrily, immersing the building in grateful warmth.
"Hey, Gin!" she heard a voice yelled from across the room. Ginny looked up and saw Ron waving from one of the booths. She walked over to their table and took a seat. She smiled slightly to the three. Sitting with them was better than sitting by herself she guessed.
"Hello," she said quietly.
"Hello, Ginny," Hermione replied warmly, "Want a butterbeer?" Ginny didn't even respond as Harry called the waitress over and ordered one for her. They aren't lecturing me... Ginny thought, confused, Hermione must have talked to them, I guess... She was too cold and tired to care. She silently sipped her butterbeer while listening to their conversation.
"So, Hermione," Ron started, "You said you were going where for Christmas?"
"I'm staying this year. I have told you that...." Hermione replied.
"Oh yeah..."
And so died the conversation.
Ginny sipped her butterbeer, listening to the clamor of other people talking, bottles clinking.
"So...." Harry started. "Um, what have you been doing, Gin? We lost you at Zonko's."
"Oh....." Ginny flushed. "I've been Christmas shopping...with myself. Yup, alone." They raised their eyebrows, but said nothing.
"Where are your bags?" Ron asked with crinkled eyebrows, looking under the table, as if she was hiding them.
"I didn't find anything. Nope. Nothing." Ginny took a swig of her butterbeer and set her empty tankard down on the table. "Well, I really do have to get going. I didn't get anything and the day's almost spent." She jumped off her seat and walked out the door.
Her hair ruffled in the wind and icy pellets of rain smacked her face. She still needed a present for Draco. She stepped into an empty carriage and tugged on her Christmas sweater from last year. A Christmas Sweater! As soon as Ginny's carriage pulled into Hogwarts, she sprinted up to her room. "Please let it be there please let it be there..." she chanted over to herself as she dug through her. She pulled out a mass of emerald green wool and sighed, relieved. "Now, I need something for the D," she muttered, pushing robes and looking for a bright, shiny color; one that said... well, 'Draco'. Ginny smiled as she pulled out silver wool. I've got to get started," She said, grabbing her knitting needles and headed to the common room. She picked a comfortable chair by the fireplace and started knitting as fast as she could.
Though she started out fast, Ginny began to slow down as the night grew older. Her knitting skills were not near as strong as her mother's, but she could do a sweater. She desperately hoped Draco wouldn't despise it.
"Hey Ginny," she heard Hermione say as she sank into the chair next to her. "What is that?"
"Nothing really..." Ginny said quickly, putting the needles and yarn away. Just knitting a little something... that's all"
"Oh. Neat." Hermione replied, a smile dancing in her eyes, "So, what are you doing up late?"
"I was knitting as I have told you and you have seen. What are you doing up late?"
"Couldn't sleep."
There was silence for a while; the only sounds were those from the dying fire.
"Um, Ginny?" Hermione started, rather uncharacteristically nervously.
"Yes?"
"Can I as you something?"
"You just did," Ginny said shortly. She was getting tired.
"No. Really, can I ask you something about... someone..?"
"No one is stopping you."
"Well," Hermione started, her fingers twirling around her bushy hair.
Ginny sat, needles clicking, brows furrowed. She lost count on this row of stitches. Hopefully, Draco wouldn't mind if his sweater was a little lumpy.
"Well... uh... I don't really know how to word this..." Hermione fidgeted in her chair.
"Just spit it out, I won't be offended."
"I don't know about this, though." Hermione took a deep breath and blurted it out. "Well It's about Draco."
Ginny missed a stitch. "What about him?" She replied quickly.
"Oh nothing," Hermione said quickly, blushing. "It's just... I've noticed some stuff and I wanted to see if my hunches were correct."
"What are you're 'hunches'?" Ginny said curtly, she was not going to tell anyone. Especially know-it-all-I'll-be-your-friend-when-its-convenient Hermione.
"That you two are... well... a couple."
"That's absurd."
"Oh come on, Gin." Hermione smiled. "First you meet him in detention and start acting all funny. Then you go off to the Slytherin Common Room for the Christmas Ball." Ginny's eyes popped open and she threw a glance at Hermione who laughed. "Yes I saw where you came from and I know that's where the Slytherin common room is."
"Oh really. How?" Ginny smirked as she turned her eyes back to her sweater.
"Be quiet. Anyway, I saw you sneak through with him. Actually, I couldn't tell if it was you, but it's just an educated guess. Anyway, after that you meet him at Hogsmeade and tried to find him a Christmas present. Now, you're sitting here knitting him a sweater. Well, am I right?" Hermione sat back in her chair, hands crossed.
"Um..." Ginny said uncomfortably. "I won't tell anyone if I am as true as I seem to be," Hermione said quickly, trying to avoid an argument.
"Your hunches are wrong," Ginny stated flatly, carefully trying to right her wronged stitches, "This is a, um, a scarf. For me. I like the color green..."
"Listen Ginny," Hermione said, very seriously, "Be careful, okay? I am not going to tell you who to date and who not to, but do be careful. After all, he is a Slytherin. And a --"
"Malfoy," Ginny finished her sentence for her. "Hermione, there is nothing between us. You have guessed wrongly. I suggest you go up to bed. You are obviously too tired to have a logical conversation."
Hermione smiled knowingly. "Whatever you say Ginny. May I suggest you do the same?" With a quick goodnight, Hermione rushed up the stairs to the dormitories.
Ginny yawned widely. Maybe Hermione was right, as always. Slowly, Ginny finished the stitch. Her eyelids felt heavy. Maybe she could close them just to rest her eyes. Just for a minute... "Ginny? Ginny..." Ginny cracked her eyes open and felt a finger prodding painfully in her shoulder. "What? Let me sleep..." She murmured but sat up and stretched. She fell asleep with her legs crossed and her 'sweater' draped over them. Ron grinned and sat next to her.
"So, what's that?"
Ginny tried to move her legs, but they weren't responding. "Nothing, a scarf for myself."
"Oh." Ron eyed the mess of green wool skeptically.
"What? Don't you believe me?" snapped Ginny, still trying to untwist her legs. "What time is it?"
"Nearly nine," replied her brother after consulting with his watch.
"What in bloody he (you know the rest) did you wake me up so early for?" Finally she figured it out; with one sharp yank Ginny's legs unfurled and she stood wobbly. "I'm going to breakfast." She adjusted her wrinkled sweater and stomped out of the portrait hole, clutching her half-made sweater.
The days until the holidays passed quickly. Before Ginny could think about it, students had left to be home for Christmas and the great castle of Hogwarts was mostly empty.
Ginny sighed over her hot porridge. It was the first day of the holidays and she was bored sick. The sweater had been finished last night, the trio were treating her nicely, but still ignoring her, and worst of all, she hadn't seen Draco. Maybe he went home. It made sense. He probably had a house the size of Hogwarts to go home to, so why wouldn't he? She sighed again as she ate some of the porridge.
Christmas is only TWO days away. And no matter how slowly the minutes tick by, it'll be here soon.... I hope Ginny dropped her spoon and looked around. Harry, Ron and Hermione sat near her talking about the amount of homework they received from Snape.
"Two feet, Hermione! And all about a Forgetfulness Potion? I don't even remember what he said about it!" Ron piled more sausages on his plate.
"Ron, don't be such a baby. I've already got mine done. And if you paid attention during class you would've heard Snape say at least three feet of information."
Ginny snickered. Ron? Pay attention in class? Please.
"So Gin, I was wondering if you had any plans to day." Hermione sipped her milk and looked toward Ginny.
"What? Oh. No, nothing. Why?" Ginny was startled at being talked to. But Hermione was probably just being nice to her to worm out something about Draco. I will NOT tell. No matter how she tries to weasel it out of me... heh.. Weasel.
"Just wondering," Hermione said quickly and turned to her plate.
"I'm finished. I'll be in the common room." Ginny stood and started walking toward the stairway.
"Wait! I'll come with you. How about a game of chess? Or maybe gobstones?" Hermione ran to catch up with Ginny.
"Um, why not?"
Ginny followed to Hermione to the common room silently. Hermione said the password at the portrait quietly then walked in.
"Sooo," She started, turning to Ginny as the portrait closed, "How are you?"
"Um, fine..." Ginny replied, not really knowing where the conversation was going.
"Good," Hermione smiled slightly as she glanced around the empty common room, "What did you get Draco for Christmas?"
"What?" Ginny asked quickly, "Why would I get that git anything? Where did you get an idea like that?"
"Well, you have been with him a lot, and you did spend that Hogsmeade weekend with him... so I assumed--"
"You assume wrong," Ginny cut her off.
Ginny set up the pieces on Ron's old chessboard a little more forceful than necessary. So forceful, the black night complained and demanded an apology.
After all the pieces had been set, Ginny and Hermione began to play. Ginny wasn't playing to her full potential and didn't even notice when Hermione checked her king until the castle yelled up at her. No, something else was bothering her... She couldn't put her finger on it.
"Well, there's no use pretending that you didn't spend all of Hogsmeade weekend with Draco. So what did you do?" Hermione concentrated on the chess board and wouldn't meet Ginny's eyes.
"I did nothing. Just shopping for Christmas when I decided I'm not getting anyone anything."
Hermione moved her castle foreword before sitting back in her chair and smiling. "Ginny, come off it. The notebook? Clever. It might've fooled Ron and Harry. Even I started to have second thoughts. But after you disappeared in Zonko's?"
Ginny scowled at the board and sacrificed a pawn to protect her queen and didn't speak. Hermione took the pawn and waited for Ginny's response to her original question.
Ginny smiled
"Well Hermione, you might've put all your little clues together. And you might think you've figured me out. Not even close. Checkmate."
Ginny moved her bishop three spaces left and snatched up her knitting to go to her dormitory; leaving Hermione to puzzle over her defeat.