Summary: Ginny's got a secret admirer. Could he be that cute new teacher? Could he be her house team's seeker? Could he be someone whom she knew right from her very first year at Hogwarts? Or could he be one of the most unlikely person to even notice her?
Disclaimer: NOT MINE! Although I wish they were a product of my very own imagination, sad to say I only own the plot & the other characters that might pop up somewhere down the road here.
PhoenixRae's Note: OMG!!! I am so, so, soooo sorry for not updating soon enough. I didn't mean to wait this long, but damn this writer's block AND all the other things that happened in-between. But now I am back and...well, hopefully I'll be able to work on this FULL-TIME.
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XVIII. Shut-Up, Zabini!
Damn, damn, damn, and double damn! Draco paced relentlessly back and forth inside the seventh year boy's dorm room. How did she find out? She wasn't supposed to find out. Not yet anyway. He wasn't ready yet. Damn that Wood for not keeping his yap closed.
"Well Malfoy, seems like your cover's been blown," Blaise announced when he entered their dorm room. "Can't believe you'd slip like that. I was about to bow down to your expertise in manipulating the situation then she pulled a fast one on you." He shook his head in disappointment, "Merlin, don't you just hate it when something so good goes to waste?"
"Shut up, Zabini!" Draco snapped.
"Why? It's not me who screwed-up."
"I said SHUT-UP!" Draco yelled louder this time.
Blaise didn't look the least bit put-off by Draco's temper. He knew the blond Slytherin had been seething since his lunch hour encounter with Ginny earlier. He was as lost as his housemate was on how Ginny found out the truth, but somewhere deep down he was impressed at the young Gryffindor's tenacity.
"Why should I? You're the one who's in deep shit here, not me," Blaise teased.
"Go away, Zabini. I need to think."
"You've been thinking all day, Malfoy. Why don't you just give up and instead of doing that clichéd secret admirer thing, why don't you just go after Ginny the normal way. And by normal I mean you going up to her and asking her out. Maybe check out Hogsmeade together on our next outing to town," Blaise suggested. "You don't necessarily have to hide behind those mushy, sappy love letters you kept on showering her."
"I wasn't hiding behind those!" He denied.
"Yeah, right. If you weren't hiding behind those letters, then would you mind telling me why the letters you sent were unsigned, hm?"
"Because..."
"Because?" Blaise waited for his roommate's explanation. "C'mon Malfoy, I'm all ears here. Why didn't you sign those letters you sent to her, huh?"
"Oh just shut it." Draco turned his back to Blaise and flopped facedown on his bed. Using his wand, he closed the curtains around his bed and remained hidden from the rest of his roommates for the rest of the night.
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Ginny was alone in the library doing some research when the last person on earth she expected to come up to approached her. She kept her head bent on the book she was reading, her hand gripping her quill flying across the parchment she was writing on. She needed to submit a two-page report for her Potions class and the last thing she needed was to be disturbed.
"Look Abs, if you came here to tell me to hurry up, my answer will be the same as five minutes ago," she told her intruder without lifting her head from the book she was copying notes from.
"Sorry. I wasn't here when you told Wilson that. Would you mind repeating it again?" Draco's voice replied nonchalantly.
Ginny's hand stopped mid-stroke. She slowly lifted her head from the book, her brown eyes clashing with Draco's steel gray ones.
"What are you doing here, Malfoy?" She snapped.
"As far as I know the library is for everyone's use. I just happened to pass by and saw you sitting here surrounded by a pile of books." He eyed the array of books on the table and smirked. "You campaigning to become Granger the second, Weasley?" he mocked.
Ginny ignored his final remark and gave him a chilling, "So?"
"So?" Draco echoed.
"Yeah. So what if I'm surrounded by books? In case you suddenly became blind, I am studying here. It's something I highly doubt you know how to do."
"Actually Weasley, that's where you're wrong. I am at the top of all my classes. Granger and I are neck-to-neck in all our classes and I am running for class valedictorian. However, when I saw you sitting here surrounded by these books I thought to myself, 'Gee, Weasley looks like she's gonna be swallowed up whole by those books she used to built a fort to herself on the table, might as well go there and grace her with my presence.' And here I am," he told her smugly.
Ginny raised an eyebrow. "Okay, now that you graced me with your presence, would you mind slithering away again, hm? I have a report to finish and tons of books to read. I need some peace and quiet."
"Oh, alright," Draco shrugged and pulled the chair across from Ginny and sat down. "What's your report for?" he asked.
Ginny stared at him dumbfounded. Didn't she just tell him to leave her alone? What part of it didn't he understand?
"Why aren't you leaving me alone?" she questioned, closing the book she was reading.
Draco merely shrugged and without giving her any warning, snatched the book from her hand and flipped open the page where she slipped her report. "Hmm," he mused as he read what she had written so far. His lips were pouting, his gray eyes reading the notes and the passages from the book, nodding his head from time to time as if what she wrote down made sense. Two seconds later he lifted his head up from the book and grinned at Ginny, "Would you mind if I borrow your quill and another sheet of parchment?" He didn't wait for her to say yes or no. He took the quill in her hand and grabbed another sheet of parchment from her stack. He proceeded jotting down notes, oblivious to Ginny's piercing glare across the table from him.
Abby stopped dead on her tracks at the end of the aisle where the table Ginny claimed for herself in the library was located. The books she was carrying fell from her suddenly lifeless arms and would've made a racket inside the quiet library if it hadn't been for Blaise who appeared right then and caught her books.
"Gee, Wilson, next time just carry enough books that your arms can handle," he mocked.
Abby frowned and glared at the Slytherin seventh year standing beside her. "Shut up, Zabini," she scolded.
"You know, I am starting to get sick and tired of that phrase being thrown back to my face. Malfoy's been telling me to do just that since last night," he complained.
Abby rolled her eyes and grabbed her books from his outstretched hands. "Oh, just shut-up Zabini," she repeated and headed towards Ginny and Draco. Blaise followed her lead and stopped her mid-stride when he saw who was sharing a table together. Abby was annoyed at being yanked back mid-stride and was about to berate at Blaise, but he was too quick to place his index finger against her lips to shut her yabbering and pulled her out of sight from the two occupants of the table.
"Just what in hell's blazes do you think you're doing?" Abby hissed, her eyes shooting daggers at the handsome seventh year.
Blaise kept his gaze averted from the annoyed Gryffindor and locked on Draco and Ginny at the table. He couldn't help the grin from spreading on his face as he watched those two talk. Well, they weren't exactly talking, but at least they looked civilized enough to be at the same table without biting each other's heads off.
"Well I'll be damned," he hissed under his breath.
Abby frowned. "Eh?"
Blaise ignored her and continued watching the two at the table. He pushed some books aside and peeked at Draco and Ginny through there. Draco looked like he was busy tutoring Ginny on something, and Blaise couldn't have been more proud. At least Malfoy was listening to his suggestions--for once!
"What the hell is going on, Zabini?" Abby demanded.
Blaise just shushed her without breaking eye contact at Draco and Ginny.
"Ah hell, I've had it with you!" Abby straightened up and was about to walk out of their hiding place, but Blaise's hand shot out from his side and grabbed Abby's wrist, yanking the sixth year back against him.
"Just stay put, Wilson, and let Malfoy and Ginny have some quiet time alone," he hissed at her.
Abby grinned up at him and pushed herself away from him. "As if Ginny'd let that bloody git, Malfoy, enjoy her company. After that stunt your housemate pulled, I'd be happy to see him hexed to eternity!"
"My, my, aren't we a bit over dramatic here, hm?" Blaised teased, his eyes twinkling mischievously.
"Whatever. I'm going to rescue Ginny from the dirty clutches of your fellow Slytherin." She rolled her eyes at him and turned around, but like the first couple of times that she walked away from him, Blaise didn't give her the chance.
His hand shot out too quickly and locked around her wrist once more, pulling her hard against the wall of his chest. Abby's head was thrown back by the force of the impact. She opened her mouth to berate him, but Blaise didn't give her the chance. He swooped his head down and captured those tantalizingly sweet, succulent lips that had been tempting him since he walked up to her. Abby, apparently, was frozen in place. She didn't know what just happened. Her eyes were wide open as she stared at Blaise Zabini's face thisclose to hers.
He was kissing her.
Blaise Zabini was kissing Abigail Wilson! A Slytherin and a Gryffindor locked in a passionate kiss right where the entire school could see them! And oddly enough, Abby didn't seem to care. Her arms moved on their own accord, raising them up and wrapping them around Blaise's neck. Abby stepped closer into the circle of his arms that wrapped possessively around her slim waist. Tilting her head to the side, Abby's mouth opened at the insistent prodding of Blaise's tongue.
Oh this was pure heaven! All thoughts of rescuing Ginny from Draco Malfoy flew out the library window as soon as Blaise deepened his kiss, his tongue slipping past her soft lips to mate with her eager tongue. She also forgot where they were as soon as she opened up to Blaise. But like all good things, someone just had to ruin it.
"Abigail Wilson!" Hermione's screamed her housemate's name when she turned into the aisle where Blaise and Abby hid themselves from Draco and Ginny.
Abby and Blaise sprung away from each other as if they were just zapped apart by a high volt of energy. A deep crimson colour crept up Abby's neck and exploded all over her face. Blaise was having a hard time looking nonchalant while trying to hide Abby's effect on him from Hermione. Chair legs scraped against the floor as each student loitering about in the library tried to find out what Hermione saw.
"Thanks, Mione. But do you honestly have to scream my name out loud like that?" Abby hissed through gritted teeth, inching her way away from Blaise and stood right beside her fellow housemate.
"I'm sorry, but the last thing I expected when I turned here was to find you and you," she looked accusingly at Blaise then back at her housemate, "snogging!"
"Oh jeez, thanks a lot, Mione," Abby's face looked like a very ripe tomato about to explode. "Can't you announce it any louder? I don't think the rest of the school heard you," she hissed angrily at her housemate.
"What? Zabini finally snogged Wilson?" It was Draco who spoke. He chuckled and walked up to his housemate, wrapping his arm around Blaise's broad shoulders, he pulled him hard against him and gave Blaise's back a sound slap, "Good for you, Zabini! Finally you got the balls to stake your claim," he cheered.
"Shut-up, Malfoy," Blaise hissed and shrugged his housemate's arm off. "Are you done mooning over Weasley so we can get the hell outta here?" he snapped at him.
Draco grinned like the Cheshire cat at his housemate. Looking over his shoulder, he saw Ginny standing a foot away from them and winked. "Check those notes I jot down, Weasley. You'll find them mighty helpful." He advised then followed Blaise out of the library.
Once the two Slytherin seventh year boys left the crowd around them dwindled until finally it was just Ginny, Hermione, and Abby standing there. The colour on Abby's face was starting to return back to normal, but she was still angry at Hermione for embarrassing her like that.
"Gee, thanks a lot for letting me die of mortification, Hermione," Abby snapped and headed back at the table Ginny was occupying.
"I'm sorry. Like what I said I was just caught by surprise," Hermione explained, following the two sixth years to the table.
"Well next time try not to alert the entire school, okay?" She pulled a chair and sat down. Hermione sat where Ginny was sitting at just moments before and Ginny took the seat Draco vacated.
"Well next time you decide to snog Zabini, do it somewhere less public, alright?" Hermione advised.
"Well that's not going to be a problem because it's not going to happen again." Abby assured her then turned her attention to her best friend, wanting to drop the whole snogging Blaise incident. "What was that Malfoy was talking about checking your notes, Gin? Was he really helping you with your report?"
"Yeah. I didn't ask him to, but he just went on ahead and took over." She grabbed the book he snatched from her and opened it to the page where he inserted the parchment he jotted his notes down on. "Oh Merlin," Ginny gasped when she read what he wrote down on the piece of parchment.
"What?" Hermione and Abby looked at their friend in alarm.
Ginny lifted her gaze and looked from one friend to another then dropped her gaze back on the piece of parchment. "He--he left me a...letter."
"Really?" Abby was out of her chair in a flash and pulled the chair beside Ginny. Hermione did the same and both girls looked over Ginny's shoulder as the sixth year read Draco's note.
Dearest Ginny Weasley of Gryffindor House,
I write to you now in the hopes of winning your trust back. Not that I had your trust before you knew who it was behind those letters and flowers, but nevertheless I knew after what just happened there won't be a chance in hell that you'd believe me, let alone trust me. I apologize for underestimating you, but before you condemn me to the bowels of the Earth, please hear me out.
I did what I did because I didn't know what else to do. If you and I were two different people and from two different houses without any background of our family's feud I'd be more than happy to come up to you in person and ask you out. As it is, I couldn't do that. There are certain standards in this society of ours that we must follow. Please accept my apology. I am not really the type who apologizes, but for you I'm willing to try. Are you willing enough to forgive me for making a fool out of you?
Another day is going by
I'm thinking about you all the time
But you're out there
And I'm here waiting
And I wrote this letter in my head
'Cuz so many things were left unsaid
But now you're gone
And I can't think straight
This could be the one last chance
To make you understand
I'd do anything
Just to hold you in my arms
To try to make you laugh
Somehow I can't put you in the past
I'd do anything
Just to fall asleep with you
Will you remember me?
'Cuz I know I won't forget you
So now maybe after all these years
If you miss me have no fear
I'll be here
I'll be waiting
This could be the one last chance to make you understand
And I just can't let you leave me once again
I close my eyes
And all I see is you
I close my eyes
I try to sleep I can't forget you
And I'd do anything for you
I'd do anything
To fall asleep with you
I'd do anything
There's nothing I won't do
I'd do anything
To fall asleep with you
I'd do anything
'Cuz I know I won't forget you...
Love always,
Draco Malfoy of Slytherin House
"Oh...my...God!" Abby tore her gaze from the parchment they were reading and stared wide-eyed at Ginny. "I hate to say this, Gin, but I think he is seriously in to you!"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Hermione put her hands up and looked at her two sixth year housemates, "Let me see if I get this straight. Ginny, Malfoy is behind those love letters? He is your APC?" She couldn't believe it. Malfoy liking a Weasley?
"You better believe it, Mione," Abby nodded. "Our APC's finally unmasked. And boy was Ginny very pissed off when she found out the way she did who was behind those romantic love letters!"
Hermione was still trying to process what she just found out. It was odd enough to catch Blaise and Abby making out. But for Malfoy to actually have real feelings for Ginny? His letter did sound sincere though, and she had no idea how Ginny found out it was Malfoy behind those letters. All she knew was that Malfoy likes Ginny. Blaise likes Abby. And suddenly the whole Gryffindor-Slytherin house rivalries didn't seem to matter a great big deal anymore.
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A/N: Hope ya'll enjoyed reading this chapter. It's a bit longer than the previous one I posted. And look, another Slytherin falling for a Gryffindor. *grins* What do you think will happen next?
A/N2: And our APC's "poem" is I'd Do Anything by Simple Plan. I knew I'd be using this song sooner or later, hehehehehe *winks*
PhoenixRae's THANK YOUS: again I'd like to thank all you wonderful reviewers & readers alike who are all patient enough to wait for me to update this fic. It took me months, but look! Two new chapters in two days! *lol* Keep those reviews coming & enjoy the fic.