Chapter 5
On Monday morning Draco sat at his desk going over a report he had to give to the Minister of Magic, when his good friend Ron Weasley walked in. "Ron," Draco greeted him warmly, "good to have you back. How's Kyle?"
"He's still the most perfect child on the planet. It wasn't easy leaving him and my beautiful wife, but I had to get back to the office before you'd messed everything up." Ron joked.
Draco couldn't help but laugh. "Ron, this last month without you has been unbearable. While you were sitting at home on your fat arse, I've been driving this office into the ground. Just the other morning, the minister himself came storming in here saying 'when's Weasley coming back? I can't run this country without him. All of Britain will fall!"
Ron and Draco lost themselves in a fit of hysterics. "Seriously though," Draco said, "it's good to have you back."
"Thanks Draco. Oh by the way Mum wanted me to ask you a favor."
"Sure," Draco answered happily "your Mum knows I'll do anything she asks if she'll just bake me a plate of her amazing sugar cookies."
"I'll have her send some right over." Ron smiled. "Well, it turns out Ginny's going to be here for six weeks."
"Six weeks!" Draco exclaimed.
Ron didn't seem to notice the edge in Draco's voice. "Yea, her editor wants her to do a 'Fabulous Life on the road piece'. Its funny isn't it, our little Ginny being a big time writer, going to all these exclusive places. Sometimes I still don't believe it."
"Yes it's great. Now, what's this favor?"
"Oh right, well mum thought, with you being so important and all," Ron joked, "you could take Ginny out to some of the hot new places in London."
"Oh um well," Draco tried to think of an excuse to get out of this one. "I know that Ginny's column is supposed to be from a single girl's point of view. Don't you think she'd want to go out with a girlfriend? Luna maybe?"
"You would think, but Mum says she asked Ginny and she loved the idea. So, do you mind?"
"Yea sure no problem, I'll owl her about it. I'm going to get a cup of coffee, want anything?"
"I'm good thanks."
Draco walked out of the office and started down the hall to the fifth floor lounge. Much to his relief, the lounge was empty. Draco poured a cup of coffee and sat down in one of the many large wing backed chairs. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Damn, damn, damn" he said out loud. How was this going to work? How was he going to spend time with Gin? There was no way he could get out of it though. Mrs. Weasley had been a second mother to him. He'd do whatever she asked.
Draco sat for a moment trying to compose him self. As he sat there another thought began to formulate. Ron had said that Gin had loved the idea. Could that be true? Draco wasn't a fool. He realized that Gin wasn't in love with him. He didn't think for one minute that there was going to be some big dramatic scene where they admitted there love to each other and ran away to some tropical island. Maybe however, Gin wanted to make things right between the two of them. Maybe they could be friends again. Now, that was a thought that made Draco smile. He picked up his coffee and headed back to the office.
It was now 9:00 and Gin was sitting with her parents having some after dinner sweets. Just as Gin went to take a bite of her cake, an owl swooped into the living room. "Oh look," her Mum smiled, "that's Draco's owl. Ginny it must be for you."
"Wonderful" Gin quipped and took the letter from the owl's beak. Then she sent Draco's owl away.
"Aren't you going to respond?" Her father asked.
"I'll send Edwina out, she could use the exercise." Gin tried to sound casual, "I actually feel a bit of a headache coming on. I think I'll go upstairs and lie down. Good night Mum and Dad."
Gin took the owl to her room and sat down on the bed. She took a deep breath and began reading.
Ginny,
I understand that you'll be on assignment while you're here in London. It would be my pleasure to show you around. Perhaps we could plan something for this Saturday night? There are a number of places I could take you, just let me know what you have in mind.
Draco
Gin turned
to Edwina. "Is he kidding me? Could he be any more casual? It's
like we're just two old friends going out for a drink. Thank God I
can get out of this one." She took out a quill and parchment and
began writing a response.
Draco,
I very much appreciate the offer to take me out. I actually have plans Saturday night. Remember Dean Thomas from Hogwart's? We ran into each other the over the weekend and he seems to know all the best places in London. So, thank you again, but it won't be necessary.
Gin
An hour later Edwina arrived at Malfoy manor. Draco was sitting alone in the library. He anxiously began reading Ginny's reply. After he was done reading, Draco was utterly confused. Ron had said that Gin really wanted Draco to take her out. He began reading the owl again and didn't hear Olivia walk in.
"What's that dear?" She walked right up to his chair and started reading over his shoulder.
"Oh just an owl, nothing important." Draco tried to fold the owl back up, but it was too late.
"Oh it's from Ginny Weasley," Olivia kept her tone casual, "What's this about Saturday night?"
"Oh nothing, she's writing a piece on the hot places in London for her column and Mrs. Weasley asked me to take her."
"That sounds nice."
"Well, she has a date on Saturday. Actually it's with someone we went to Hogwarts with. So, it looks like she doesn't need me. I mean my help, she doesn't need my help."
"Draco," Olivia tried to sound sincere, "you and Ginny go back so many years. It would be nice to get to know her. Why don't you ask her if she'd like to make it a double date with us?"
"Aren't you going out with your friend's?"
"I can reschedule. Please Draco, Ginny and I got off to such a rough start, I'd really like to make things right."
Draco really didn't like the idea, but it meant a lot to him that Olivia was trying so hard. "Sure darling, I'll write her."
Draco went to get a quill and parchment and Olivia smiled smugly to herself. Olivia had always known that Draco's heart belonged to someone else, but it wasn't until she found pictures of him with Ginny Weasley in Spain that she realized who the other woman was.
"Well," Olivia thought, "it's time I show that pathetic wizard trash Weaslette that there's only room for one woman in Draco's life."
