Author - Emeraldlilie

Title - Waiting for Punishment or A Game of Pretend

Disclaimer - Please, like anyone cares.

A/N - So I have to admit, I'm a little proud of this story. It just sort of came to me and while no where near as good as the version in my head it stands a close second. It's a little vague and random in places, but who isn't? It should be easily understood though. Just a little ficlet with potential for more, don't ask for more though because these things come of their own will I have no control over it. Enjoy, let me know what you think if you want.

Warning - Has not been betaed. (By the sheer use of the word betaed you should know that.)

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"Wait in here Mister Malfoy." Severus Snape said while opening the door to the room across from the entrance to the Headmaster's office. Ginny Weasley looked up as both appeared in the doorway, only two minutes before Ron had been lead out of the room to face the Headmaster. Professor Snape looked at her as she stared back at both of them, she had expected Malfoy to stay in the hospital wing for a few more hours at least. Judging by the look on Malfoy's face, he had intended the same thing.

"I trust I can leave you two alone together until you are collected?" It wasn't really a question, and no one was expecting any sort of answer.

Ginny looked away and refocused herself to staring at the wall. Draco looked up at his head of house then thought better of a silent plea to not be left here. He stepped inside and just as he noticed that the only place to sit was on the couch beside Weasley, Snape close the door firmly and locked it. Draco had a moment of panic where he visualised himself pounding on the door to be let out, or at least another place to sit. At least the little Weasel didn't have her wand, of course neither did he.

Draco reluctantly stepped forward, she ignored him, he stepped forward again, still she ignored him, he walked the five paces to the couch, turned, and sat, and she ignored him still staring at the wall. He looked at her, and saw her rear profile as she rested her chin on her palm and her elbow on the arm of the couch. Her red hair was pulled into a loose ponytail above the nape of her neck, a few strands detached at odd intervals and he realised she hadn't fixed it yet.

"Is there a reason you're staring at me?" Her voice came out of nowhere as she continued to look at the wall. He remained silent but turned away and concentrated his efforts on the door. Honestly he couldn't believe that Snape hadn't let him stay in hospital for a bit longer, saying, in a tone usually reserved for Gryffindors, that he was as healed as he could get and it was time for him to await punishment just like everyone else. Just like everyone else, it was unbelievable, he was nothing like 'everyone else', never had been and certainly never grouped together with them. Maybe he had gone too far this time, but this time it certainly wasn't his fault, no it was the fault of the little red head sitting next to him. And he had tried to be civil with her, no he was civil, and maybe he should of resisted when the opportunity arose to press a few buttons, but there was only so much a man could do.

"I'm sorry." Again her voice came out of nowhere and he jerked his head to look at her, she was still facing the wall but her eyes weren't focused on it. Again he didn't answer but he didn't turn away from her. She seemed so close, Crabbe and Goyle could fit comfortably in the space between them but something about her posture made her seem closer. An uncomfortable idea came into his head and it seemed he had lost all control of himself when he spoke.

"Pretend you don't know me." She looked at him, she turned her whole body to look at him.

"What?"

"Pretend you don't know me, and I don't know you. Pretend names don't matter, houses don't matter, complete strangers."

"Why?"

"So what are you in for?" She seemed taken aback as she stared at him and this unusual behaviour. She narrowed her eyes on him wondering what he was up too when her voice decided to play along without her permission.

"Fighting." She stopped herself and was going to leave it there and then the thought of 'what the hell' went through her mind. "But it wasn't really my fault."

"No?" So she was denying it, he could drag her out of it, there was no way he was taking the fall again.

"No, it was my brother's. He's such a prat. Do you have brothers?"

"Only child. How was it his fault?"

"Lucky, I have six brothers, all of them older. The two oldest are all right, but these last four, they're all insane in their own right. Honestly a person tries to have a conversation, but no one of them has to always come along at the worst possible moment. Some times, oh some times..." She shook her head as she thought of some of the things she'd like to do to them. This wasn't going in the direction Draco planed, well he hadn't really planed for any of it but that was entirely beside the point for the moment. He didn't get the chance to try again. "So what are you in for?"

"Defending myself!" He hadn't meant for it to come out as a bark like that but it had. She lifted an eyebrow at him.

"Really." It wasn't a question, he could tell that by the tone.

"Yes, really, I was minding my own business when this little gint of girl curses me for no reason." She looked away and had the decency to at least look ashamed. Then she had a thought.

"That can't be it, otherwise you wouldn't be here, waiting to see the Headmaster for punishment. You've had to of done something." He had the decency to look ashamed at this.

"I might of cursed some people who weren't really involved. By the end of it all I know is that I didn't send the first curse or raise the first fist."

"Do you know why?" He gave her a mixed look she wasn't sure how to define. "Why it started. Why she cursed you."

"Why don't you tell me what you did, you said fighting." She hesitated and started looking at different places on the walls. When she started talking again she wasn't looking at him.

"I was talking to this guy. I mean he's a great git, but he was being civil, almost nice so I was talking to him. There was almost no one around which isn't all that unusual but he usually has something of a group around him and I'm sure I saw his two cronies a little ways off but that doesn't really matter because we were just talking. You know, I've never really spoken to him before, not really, and I guess not that time either because it was nothing deep or anything he was just correcting me." She took a breath seeming confused by her own words, and pushed some strands of loose hair behind her ear. Then she turned and looked at him.

"You know that new Weird Sisters song? Well I guess I was singing it or something under my breath walking between classes and out of no where he comes up telling me I'm wrong. Said I got the verses confused, you know put the second verse first and that I had miss heard the chorus. I mean it took me a few seconds to realise he was serious and wasn't trying to insult me or anything, he seems to take pleasure in that you understand. But once I did I started listening and it seemed like he was right, of course when I mentioned this he got this really superior look, like how could he be anything else. Honestly I don't know what happened, maybe because he wasn't being like he usually is or something, but that look just seemed like the funniest thing right then so I laughed at him. I didn't mean to really, it just came out, only I don't think it really offended him because he seemed to realise what he had done or something because he started to smile. I'd never seen him smile before, it was just so ... beautiful. I couldn't help but smile back. You know he has these eyes, you'd almost think they were grey if you weren't close to him, but they're not, they're this amazing shade of blue, I don't think I can even describe it and they just seemed to get bluer the longer he smiled. It was just a nice little moment, till my stupid prat of brother ruined it." She turned away frowning not even seeming to realise what she had just said, maybe she did realise it and wasn't ... what? ashamed, confused, embarrassed, scared, maybe she didn't realise.

"You see this guy and him, they don't get along at all, fight like cats and dogs whenever they're near each other really. Well I see my brother coming around the corner with his friends and he doesn't even stop just drops his books and pulls out his wand and keeps on coming. I realised that he was going to attack from behind for absolutely nothing so I pull out my wand to stop him. I guess I spoke too low for the guy to hear because he didn't move out of the way which wasn't really a problem because I was aiming over his shoulder anyways but right when I finished the spell he steps right in front of it getting the full force of it in the face. From there the hall just erupted. His friends were running and punching and my house mates were coming from no where to join in and then people I don't even know were getting involved and then there was magic and screaming and blood everywhere. I don't know, I suppose everyone's nerves have been on end lately and this just set everything off. But my brother was going to attack from behind, and that's not fair no matter what, especially when he didn't even know what was going on and I was finally having a pleasant moment with this guy after five years. Stupid prat of a brother."

"I was talking to this girl. Been wanting to talk to her for sometime now just never got the chance. Well I was finally talking to her, maybe I should of waited because I knew what was going to happen, well no, I didn't, not really, but I knew her brother had a class on that hall next and I knew how mad he would get to see me talking to her. To see me anywhere near her actually, but I couldn't resist and she didn't resist so I just stood there and waited. Then she pulled her wand out, I had an idea what for, I could barely see her lips moving and when I went to stop her so I could turn around and face her brother the spell went straight into me. Dazed me for a minute, by the time I could focus again she was pulling one girl off of another and boys were swinging punches everywhere, I don't even think they were aiming. Something came over me, or something snapped but there was this great release and this need to get involved and cause chaos. I know it's not something to be proud of or even admit, but it had been building for so long and quite honestly I think it's just what everyone needed. Senseless abandon. Of course on the other side of it, in the light of day everyone feels guilt and shame over their part in it. I do to, on a smaller scale mind, but I do feel it. Only thing I really regret is not getting to talk to her longer, I was getting ready to ask her favourite song."

They looked at each other, not sure if the pretend was over or not. Not sure how it would be if it was. The door opened and Professor McGonagall was standing in the doorway.

"Miss Weasley, the headmaster will see you now." Ginny stood up slowly, she had to move near him to walk to the door. She was almost out of his reach when he grabbed her wrist, gently. She turned and looked down at him, he didn't look like he knew exactly what he was doing.

"You didn't tell me your name." She smiled at him, just a little.

"Ginevra, but all my friends call me Ginny. What's your name?"

"You'll laugh."

"I won't." Her expression was soft as she looked at him and he held her eyes when he spoke.

"Draco."

"It's nice to meet you Draco."

"It's nice to meet you too Ginny."

In the doorway Professor McGonagall watched with confusion as the two students who started the riot exchange pleasantries. If she hadn't noticed similar behaviour in other students and a noticeable decrease of the tension in the air she might of found this behaviour extremely odd. As it was it was just odd.

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Fin for now