Chapter 9: Of Elephants and Presents
That night, Ginny and Draco shared the bed, but they had a huge bolster separating them upon Ginny's insistence. Ginny had drifted off to sleep with a huge grin on her face. No one had ever bothered to listen to Ginny Weasley with such interest before, no one, but Draco Malfoy. Draco on the other hand became very impressed with the little red head. He was musing over her cleverness and watching her sleep when he suddenly noticed the locket she wore around her neck, it was very exquisite, something like Egyptian inscriptions and made a mental note to ask her about it.
Ginny awoke the next morning to the sound of running water. Turning her head towards the bathroom, she saw Malfoy, naked from waist up, shaving by the sink. Then she suddenly remembered where she was.
"Like what you see, Weasley?" Draco asked as he stepped out of the bathroom and to his closet. Ginny blushed and turned away when she realized she was staring.
"What are you going to do today?" Draco asked again.
"Nothing much. Just a bit of Christmas shopping" Ginny replied dryly as she grabbed her clothes and headed to the bathroom.
"Good, I need to get some stuffs too. I'd go with you" Draco said as he threw on his shirt.
"No! It won't be a good idea. I prefer to shop alone" Ginny called out.
"But you don't even know these people, only I know, so I'd suggest you'd better take me along" Draco smirked at her. Then, he did something which surprised her. He'd bent over and pecked her on the cheek and said, "I going out. Pick something for me to wear when we go shopping later" then he turned and headed out.
Ginny was confused by his gesture. But nevertheless, she picked out a set of black shirt and pants. Well, that was all Draco had, a whole wardrobe of black garments. Ginny had picked a pair of jeans and a simple blue shirt for herself. Then, her "fiancé" returned, donned his attire and the couple made their way out.
"Hey Drake, care to join us for a game of quidditch?" Leo called out.
"No thanks, Ginny dear here wants to go shopping and I'm suppose to play the slave" Draco replied grinning at his brother.
"Actually, he's afraid of being knocked off his broom. Hey Leo, what would you like for a wedding gift and a Christmas Gift for that matter?" Ginny asked casually.
"From you beautiful? I'd take anything. But from Drake here, I'd want a brand new Lightning Bolt (fastest, lightest broom of the millennium) complete with the latest speed up components" Leo grinned as he wrapped his arm around Ginny's shoulder. Ginny giggled and stepped away from him towards Draco. Draco on the other hand gave a cold look and walked off towards the car.
"That's funny, he was still grinning a while ago. Maybe I shouldn't have gotten too close to you, beautiful. That man has a tendency to get jealous, you'd better be off now, just in case he decides he'd had enough and pounds me to pulp. Enjoy yourselves" Leo smirked, the familiar Malfoy smirk, but to Ginny, it was just different from Draco's.
"Draco, let's be off then" Ginny said as she ran towards him and hopped into the car.
"I didn't like that" Draco finally spoke.
"Like what? Leo talking to me?" Ginny replied.
"You call that talk? It seemed more like flirting to me!" Draco yelled. Ginny stifled a giggle and said, "Don't you think you're taking this too seriously? I mean, it's all a pretend and besides, Leo's getting married soon. Apart from that, he's your brother as well, isn't it only right that I try to get along with him?"
"That's not the point. I just think you should be more aware of your own actions" Draco sighed, not looking at the red head beside him. The rest of the journey remained relatively quiet until Ginny could no longer stand the quietness and blurted out, "Where exactly are we going?"
"San Daver. It's the biggest muggle shopping mall where wizard shops are hidden. Kinda like St. Mungo's" Draco replied coldly, not looking at her.
San Daver, Ginny noted as Draco parked the car, is a very run down shopping mall right in the middle of two other muggle shopping malls. It was rather dimly lit and it was a place muggles seldom visit. Draco motioned for Ginny to hurry as he made his way towards an elevator door.
"This elevator is only for wizards. To muggles it would simple appear as a part of the wall. Come on now, and be careful people don't see us disappearing into it" Draco said as he looked around before stepping into the elevator. Ginny watched the muggles cautiously and when she was certain the coast was clear, she stepped in as well. But little did she know that she was being closely watched by a dark figure, right at the other end of the mall.
Stepping out of the elevator when it came to a halt, Ginny feasted her eyes on one of the biggest shopping mall she'd ever seen. It was seven storeys high, with all sorts of shops spread over each level. Wizards and witches were running about and getting their errands, little wizards and witches were trying out the latest toy wands that could levitate objects by no more than 5 inches and transfigure things into bubbles and heart shaped cushions. In fact, Ginny was so excited that she turned around, grabbed Draco's hands and squealed, "This is the best place I've ever been to! Where do we start?"
The blonde, completely shocked by her actions, merely shrugged.
Ginny gave a cheeky grin and yelled, "Elephant time!"
"I beg your pardon?" Draco asked.
"I used to go shopping with Ron, Fred and George. Well, actually, Mom made them come with me. She never allowed me out alone much after the Chamber incident. During those times, when they refused to participate in any decision-making, I'd make them carry all my stuffs, just like my elephants. I used to have three, but now I only have you, so I'd just have to make do" Ginny grinned at the blonde, who couldn't help but smirk at her, "She's so adorable" he thought.
"Right," Draco said flexing his arm muscles, "I would make a great elephant, guaranteed. Just throw me a peanut or two occasionally and I'd be fine" Jest the blonde.
"We'll see about that" Ginny laughed and ran off with the blonde hot on her trail.
They visited countless number of robe shops, accessories shops, broom shops and finally at 2 in the afternoon, both were exhausted and not to mention, starving.
"Hey Weasley, don't you think it's time for lunch?" Draco called out as he adjusted the dozen bags he had in his hands.
"There's another shop we haven't been to, maybe we should..." Ginny started, but was interrupted by Draco.
"Food, woman" Draco groaned as he hooked his own pinky (which was the only finger left unused) to Ginny's and dragged her towards the restaurant.
"Shopping with women is such a tiring business. Being the elephant of a woman is even worse. No peanuts, not even lunch. What a slave driver" Draco complained as they were waiting for their orders.
"Oh, stop complaining already. You were the one who volunteered to come along" Ginny laughed.
"Tell me about that plan of yours for the development of diagon alley" Draco probed.
Ginny fished around in her handbag and finally retrieved a parchment which was empty.
"I've written this in invisible ink, for precautions you know" Ginny said as she handed the plan to Draco.
"Aparecium" Draco said, pointing his wand on the parchment. A beautifully drawned designed of Diagon Alley appeared. Well, it looked more like Diagon Mall. The design was of a building about 7 storey high and each and every shop was mapped clearly in the building. Gringotts was mapped on the top level, taking up the whole level. Ginny had arranged the shops according to the things they sold and she had a nursery at the first level just as she had told him.
"I see. When were you thinking of presenting this to me?" Draco asked as he ate his steak, which had arrived as he was admiring the map.
"I never thought of showing this to anyone, and if you think I only agreed to take this job because I wanted your sponsorship for my plans, you're wrong. Terribly wrong. It's just a dream I have" Ginny burst out, tears welling up in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. Upset that Draco had thought her to be such a person.
"Perhaps I should just leave" Ginny stood up from her sit and made for the entrance of the restaurant. Draco who was completely shocked at her outburst followed her out.
"Ginny! Ginny, wait" Draco called out. But Ginny moved on, attempting to find the nearest toilet to hide. When she turned into a bend which indicated the toilet, she came face to face with a dark hooded figure.
"Hello Ginny, we meet again" the all so familiar voice said as he slowly lowered his hood.
"Tom Riddle" Ginny gasped.
That night, Ginny and Draco shared the bed, but they had a huge bolster separating them upon Ginny's insistence. Ginny had drifted off to sleep with a huge grin on her face. No one had ever bothered to listen to Ginny Weasley with such interest before, no one, but Draco Malfoy. Draco on the other hand became very impressed with the little red head. He was musing over her cleverness and watching her sleep when he suddenly noticed the locket she wore around her neck, it was very exquisite, something like Egyptian inscriptions and made a mental note to ask her about it.
Ginny awoke the next morning to the sound of running water. Turning her head towards the bathroom, she saw Malfoy, naked from waist up, shaving by the sink. Then she suddenly remembered where she was.
"Like what you see, Weasley?" Draco asked as he stepped out of the bathroom and to his closet. Ginny blushed and turned away when she realized she was staring.
"What are you going to do today?" Draco asked again.
"Nothing much. Just a bit of Christmas shopping" Ginny replied dryly as she grabbed her clothes and headed to the bathroom.
"Good, I need to get some stuffs too. I'd go with you" Draco said as he threw on his shirt.
"No! It won't be a good idea. I prefer to shop alone" Ginny called out.
"But you don't even know these people, only I know, so I'd suggest you'd better take me along" Draco smirked at her. Then, he did something which surprised her. He'd bent over and pecked her on the cheek and said, "I going out. Pick something for me to wear when we go shopping later" then he turned and headed out.
Ginny was confused by his gesture. But nevertheless, she picked out a set of black shirt and pants. Well, that was all Draco had, a whole wardrobe of black garments. Ginny had picked a pair of jeans and a simple blue shirt for herself. Then, her "fiancé" returned, donned his attire and the couple made their way out.
"Hey Drake, care to join us for a game of quidditch?" Leo called out.
"No thanks, Ginny dear here wants to go shopping and I'm suppose to play the slave" Draco replied grinning at his brother.
"Actually, he's afraid of being knocked off his broom. Hey Leo, what would you like for a wedding gift and a Christmas Gift for that matter?" Ginny asked casually.
"From you beautiful? I'd take anything. But from Drake here, I'd want a brand new Lightning Bolt (fastest, lightest broom of the millennium) complete with the latest speed up components" Leo grinned as he wrapped his arm around Ginny's shoulder. Ginny giggled and stepped away from him towards Draco. Draco on the other hand gave a cold look and walked off towards the car.
"That's funny, he was still grinning a while ago. Maybe I shouldn't have gotten too close to you, beautiful. That man has a tendency to get jealous, you'd better be off now, just in case he decides he'd had enough and pounds me to pulp. Enjoy yourselves" Leo smirked, the familiar Malfoy smirk, but to Ginny, it was just different from Draco's.
"Draco, let's be off then" Ginny said as she ran towards him and hopped into the car.
"I didn't like that" Draco finally spoke.
"Like what? Leo talking to me?" Ginny replied.
"You call that talk? It seemed more like flirting to me!" Draco yelled. Ginny stifled a giggle and said, "Don't you think you're taking this too seriously? I mean, it's all a pretend and besides, Leo's getting married soon. Apart from that, he's your brother as well, isn't it only right that I try to get along with him?"
"That's not the point. I just think you should be more aware of your own actions" Draco sighed, not looking at the red head beside him. The rest of the journey remained relatively quiet until Ginny could no longer stand the quietness and blurted out, "Where exactly are we going?"
"San Daver. It's the biggest muggle shopping mall where wizard shops are hidden. Kinda like St. Mungo's" Draco replied coldly, not looking at her.
San Daver, Ginny noted as Draco parked the car, is a very run down shopping mall right in the middle of two other muggle shopping malls. It was rather dimly lit and it was a place muggles seldom visit. Draco motioned for Ginny to hurry as he made his way towards an elevator door.
"This elevator is only for wizards. To muggles it would simple appear as a part of the wall. Come on now, and be careful people don't see us disappearing into it" Draco said as he looked around before stepping into the elevator. Ginny watched the muggles cautiously and when she was certain the coast was clear, she stepped in as well. But little did she know that she was being closely watched by a dark figure, right at the other end of the mall.
Stepping out of the elevator when it came to a halt, Ginny feasted her eyes on one of the biggest shopping mall she'd ever seen. It was seven storeys high, with all sorts of shops spread over each level. Wizards and witches were running about and getting their errands, little wizards and witches were trying out the latest toy wands that could levitate objects by no more than 5 inches and transfigure things into bubbles and heart shaped cushions. In fact, Ginny was so excited that she turned around, grabbed Draco's hands and squealed, "This is the best place I've ever been to! Where do we start?"
The blonde, completely shocked by her actions, merely shrugged.
Ginny gave a cheeky grin and yelled, "Elephant time!"
"I beg your pardon?" Draco asked.
"I used to go shopping with Ron, Fred and George. Well, actually, Mom made them come with me. She never allowed me out alone much after the Chamber incident. During those times, when they refused to participate in any decision-making, I'd make them carry all my stuffs, just like my elephants. I used to have three, but now I only have you, so I'd just have to make do" Ginny grinned at the blonde, who couldn't help but smirk at her, "She's so adorable" he thought.
"Right," Draco said flexing his arm muscles, "I would make a great elephant, guaranteed. Just throw me a peanut or two occasionally and I'd be fine" Jest the blonde.
"We'll see about that" Ginny laughed and ran off with the blonde hot on her trail.
They visited countless number of robe shops, accessories shops, broom shops and finally at 2 in the afternoon, both were exhausted and not to mention, starving.
"Hey Weasley, don't you think it's time for lunch?" Draco called out as he adjusted the dozen bags he had in his hands.
"There's another shop we haven't been to, maybe we should..." Ginny started, but was interrupted by Draco.
"Food, woman" Draco groaned as he hooked his own pinky (which was the only finger left unused) to Ginny's and dragged her towards the restaurant.
"Shopping with women is such a tiring business. Being the elephant of a woman is even worse. No peanuts, not even lunch. What a slave driver" Draco complained as they were waiting for their orders.
"Oh, stop complaining already. You were the one who volunteered to come along" Ginny laughed.
"Tell me about that plan of yours for the development of diagon alley" Draco probed.
Ginny fished around in her handbag and finally retrieved a parchment which was empty.
"I've written this in invisible ink, for precautions you know" Ginny said as she handed the plan to Draco.
"Aparecium" Draco said, pointing his wand on the parchment. A beautifully drawned designed of Diagon Alley appeared. Well, it looked more like Diagon Mall. The design was of a building about 7 storey high and each and every shop was mapped clearly in the building. Gringotts was mapped on the top level, taking up the whole level. Ginny had arranged the shops according to the things they sold and she had a nursery at the first level just as she had told him.
"I see. When were you thinking of presenting this to me?" Draco asked as he ate his steak, which had arrived as he was admiring the map.
"I never thought of showing this to anyone, and if you think I only agreed to take this job because I wanted your sponsorship for my plans, you're wrong. Terribly wrong. It's just a dream I have" Ginny burst out, tears welling up in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. Upset that Draco had thought her to be such a person.
"Perhaps I should just leave" Ginny stood up from her sit and made for the entrance of the restaurant. Draco who was completely shocked at her outburst followed her out.
"Ginny! Ginny, wait" Draco called out. But Ginny moved on, attempting to find the nearest toilet to hide. When she turned into a bend which indicated the toilet, she came face to face with a dark hooded figure.
"Hello Ginny, we meet again" the all so familiar voice said as he slowly lowered his hood.
"Tom Riddle" Ginny gasped.