Ginny paced the empty classroom, every once in while looking at the door in
passing as if she expected it to open (ironically) by magic. She grumbled
idly to herself about arrogant prats and their complete disregard for human
decency while wringing her hands angrily. Several more minutes of this
passed until she stomped her foot in finality, having decided to give up on
a certain arrogant prat. She picked up her things to leave and was just at
the door when it suddenly swung open, causing her to take a step back.
Malfoy entered, a pronounced scowl on his face, clearly not wanting to be there. Ginny waited for her heart to slow from the shock he'd caused and said carefully,
"Didn't think you'd show..."
"Yeah, well believe me I didn't want to. But what choice do I have?" He walked past her, putting his own stuff down in a corner. "I'd rather deal with you than with this excuse for a school. And they'd probably involve my father and-"
He stopped there, turning his back to her and rummaging through his stuff. Ginny nervously cleared her throat, walking over to him.
"Well, just behave and you won't have to deal with me for long."
"Yes, thank you." He replied with sarcasm. "And may I just say how almost impossible this room is to find when your flaming head isn't hanging out the door? It's no wonder you and the rest of that laughable 'army' were able to stay hidden from Umbridge for so long last year."
He surveyed the Room of Requirement; the same room Harry had discovered for the 'Dumbledore's Army' meetings. The same room she'd blackmailed him in only yesterday. It was now a room with hard wood walls, a floor with thick padding of foam-like slabs, and different pieces of protective equipment hanging all around. When Ginny had told him how to find this room, he almost didn't believe her. But he couldn't risk her ratting him out just to protect his pride. His statement had hurt Ginny a bit as she had felt quite clever for thinking of this room. It wasn't her fault he couldn't find it.
"Unless you'd rather someone should walk in on us, I think this is perfectly fine. We wouldn't want to ruin your precious reputation after all."
A cold air weighed between them. Ginny was beginning to regret this whole idea. She finally broke the silence with a frustrated sigh.
"So?" She demanded, her arms crossed in waiting. Malfoy eyed her in mild confusion.
"What do you...don't look at me! This was your brilliant scheme, Weasel, and you'll get as little help from me as I can muster." He pointed his finger in her face. She pushed it away inirritance.
"Why do you keep using that asinine name? It's not even funny!"
"It's become a force of habit, really." He smiled to himself.
"Do you even know my name?"
"Of course!" He said, a tad too quickly, hoping she wouldn't press the matter further.
"Do you? What is it then?" She stared at him anticipatorily.
"Don't be ridiculous. It's...it's...."
"Yes?"
"Shut up! It's..."
"Ginny..." she whispered coaxingly.
"...Ginny! I know that! It's Ginny." He nodded his head triumphantly.
"Well done. Anyway," Ginny rolled her eyes. "Look, if you won't choose where we start, then I will. Just-just tell me what I ought to expect, spells I might encounter, defenses...anything!" She threw her arms up imploringly.
Malfoy deliberated on this without much heart, soon coming up with a rough plan despite himself.
"All right, fine." He said with a note of challenge, withdrawing his wand. "Let's go, little girl."
And so began the first lesson. It was slow at first, Malfoy showing her things she'd already practiced at the DA meetings. But once he heard enough of her complaints as to how she'd "learned all this from Harry", he ventured into more difficult curses and hexes, teaching how to deflect as well as inflict them. By the end, Ginny felt like she could take on Snape, though she didn't dare. Her spirits were high as she headed back to her dormitory that night, barely able to contain her excitement towards the next lesson.
Malfoy entered, a pronounced scowl on his face, clearly not wanting to be there. Ginny waited for her heart to slow from the shock he'd caused and said carefully,
"Didn't think you'd show..."
"Yeah, well believe me I didn't want to. But what choice do I have?" He walked past her, putting his own stuff down in a corner. "I'd rather deal with you than with this excuse for a school. And they'd probably involve my father and-"
He stopped there, turning his back to her and rummaging through his stuff. Ginny nervously cleared her throat, walking over to him.
"Well, just behave and you won't have to deal with me for long."
"Yes, thank you." He replied with sarcasm. "And may I just say how almost impossible this room is to find when your flaming head isn't hanging out the door? It's no wonder you and the rest of that laughable 'army' were able to stay hidden from Umbridge for so long last year."
He surveyed the Room of Requirement; the same room Harry had discovered for the 'Dumbledore's Army' meetings. The same room she'd blackmailed him in only yesterday. It was now a room with hard wood walls, a floor with thick padding of foam-like slabs, and different pieces of protective equipment hanging all around. When Ginny had told him how to find this room, he almost didn't believe her. But he couldn't risk her ratting him out just to protect his pride. His statement had hurt Ginny a bit as she had felt quite clever for thinking of this room. It wasn't her fault he couldn't find it.
"Unless you'd rather someone should walk in on us, I think this is perfectly fine. We wouldn't want to ruin your precious reputation after all."
A cold air weighed between them. Ginny was beginning to regret this whole idea. She finally broke the silence with a frustrated sigh.
"So?" She demanded, her arms crossed in waiting. Malfoy eyed her in mild confusion.
"What do you...don't look at me! This was your brilliant scheme, Weasel, and you'll get as little help from me as I can muster." He pointed his finger in her face. She pushed it away inirritance.
"Why do you keep using that asinine name? It's not even funny!"
"It's become a force of habit, really." He smiled to himself.
"Do you even know my name?"
"Of course!" He said, a tad too quickly, hoping she wouldn't press the matter further.
"Do you? What is it then?" She stared at him anticipatorily.
"Don't be ridiculous. It's...it's...."
"Yes?"
"Shut up! It's..."
"Ginny..." she whispered coaxingly.
"...Ginny! I know that! It's Ginny." He nodded his head triumphantly.
"Well done. Anyway," Ginny rolled her eyes. "Look, if you won't choose where we start, then I will. Just-just tell me what I ought to expect, spells I might encounter, defenses...anything!" She threw her arms up imploringly.
Malfoy deliberated on this without much heart, soon coming up with a rough plan despite himself.
"All right, fine." He said with a note of challenge, withdrawing his wand. "Let's go, little girl."
And so began the first lesson. It was slow at first, Malfoy showing her things she'd already practiced at the DA meetings. But once he heard enough of her complaints as to how she'd "learned all this from Harry", he ventured into more difficult curses and hexes, teaching how to deflect as well as inflict them. By the end, Ginny felt like she could take on Snape, though she didn't dare. Her spirits were high as she headed back to her dormitory that night, barely able to contain her excitement towards the next lesson.