Not Your Ordinary Love Story

by LondonWitch

A/N: I don't own these people, places, or things. If I did, don't you think this stuff would be in the stories, instead of all that Voldemort nonsense? Anyway, like I was saying...I hope you enjoy the story, and please review. Oh, I have to thank my friend Christian for the whole Malfoy-staring-at-Ginny's-butt thing. Grins to self, and then remembers she must actually go and write the story before she can post it.

Chapter Two: You'd Never Expect It

Friday, September 20th

Ever since his fourth year incident with Professor Moody and the whole bouncing ferret thing, Draco Malfoy was very keen not to mess around in the corridors. He didn't stop or talk or even bully the first years, but just walked straight from one class to another. Except for every Friday, after 4 o'clock Potions with Snape.

"Hey...er, boss? Boss?" Goyle said in his deep voice, almost a pig-like grunt, "Do you want to go practice some Quidditch? Uh...boss?"

Clearly Draco wasn't paying attention. Contrary to his normal brisk pace through the halls, he was lingering a few feet away from the door of McGonagall's Transfiguration class. Right now, her class was in session – the fifth years were there. And a certain girl – a red-headed Weasley girl, to be exact – was there, too.

The bell rang as the class spilled out of the broad doorway, and Draco was staring avidly at Ginny Weasley. She was taller, now, like her annoying older brother Weasel-by, with big baby-blue eyes. Ginny glanced around, hoisted her bag up onto her shoulder and sighed, running her right hand through her mass of red hair. She jogged up the corridor, calling, "Hey, Luna, wait up!"

"Boss?" Goyle tried again, nudging Crabbe hard in the ribs to get his attention as well. Crabbe snorted and jerked his head up off his chest, wiping a stream of drool form the corner of his mouth. He had been sleeping while standing upright. How he could do this was a mystery to everyone in the sixth year.

"What? Goyle, I am obviously in a state of great intelligence. I was thinking, you morons! You do not interrupt me when I am on the verge of thinking about a scientific breakthrough!" Draco sneered, smacking both of his henchmen on the back of their heads. He glanced around and stormed off towards the Great Hall, where dinner would be served before long.

Shortly after, still Friday, September 20th...

The door to the Gryffindor common room swung open and banged against the stone wall, the noise echoing through the room. The girl who had climbed through stomped across the room and threw her bag onto one of the many couches in the corner.

"Gin?" said Ron, edging towards her. He'd come down after some serious counseling from Harry, who had pointed out that it was either fight with Hermione constantly or have no one to correct his homework. "Are you alright?" Ron was hoping Ginny wasn't going to hex him with a bat-bogey spell just for asking that.

"Oh, I'm alright!" Ginny almost screamed back, in a high-pitched voice, "Yes, yes, I'm just peachy! Except for the small fact that Draco Malfoy keeps staring at my butt!" She smacked her hand on the couch with a thud and groaned loudly, sinking down into the corner and wishing with all her might to be invisible.

By this time, several people were staring at them. Hermione, noticing the commotion from her vigil perch with her book, got up and joined the two youngest Weasleys. "Is she alright? Why does Malfoy keep staring at her?" Hermione asked Ron.

Ginny heard this, and as Ron shrugged she whined, "Because I think he's in love with me! ME! That slimy, foul, evil, loathsome little git likes ME! I'll tear him to pieces, that imbecile!" Again she aimed to smack the couch, but missed, as Ron's hand was in the way.

"OW!" Ron yelled in pain as Hermione sat down next to Ginny and put an arm around her shoulder, talking to her in a soothing kind of voice. "It's okay, Gin, we're going to find a way to get him to stop looking at your butt. And stop liking you," Hermione added as an afterthought.

"Why bother?" Ron said, shaking his hand vigorously to rid it of the pain. Ginny was small, but she was a pistol. "I'll just rip him to shreds, like Ginny said. And if he ever – EVER – stares at your butt again, Gin...I give you permission to pummel him. Better yet, write to his father. It would 'bring shame upon the whole family,'" Ron said, imitating Lucius Malfoy's oily manner.

Ginny let out a small laugh and punched Ron lightly in the shoulder. "That's exactly what I'll do. You'd never expect it – that he likes me and all. Anyway, thanks, Ron. Hmmm...you boys are actually good for something." She got up and called back something about homework to do in the library, as she walked towards the door.

Ron smiled, thinking that he had been complimented, until he actually thought it through for a second. "HEY!" he yelled at Ginny's retreating back, "That was an INSULT! NOT FAIR!" He turned to Hermione, who was still sitting on the couch a few inches away from him. "How does she make it sound like a compliment when she's really insulting us?"

"I dunno, Ron. But maybe you can be good for something else and come and help me carry all my books over to a table," Hermione replied, eyeing the second year students that were crowding around her History of Magic essay on goblins that was laying on her chair.

"What will you give me for it? Will you do my essay?" Ron asked, jumping at the chance for less work. He had been swamped with work ever since Harry, the new Quidditch team captain, had ordered every-other-day practices. Maybe Hermione really would agree if he helped her...

"No, Ron. But as my best friend, I think it is your duty to help me either way. That includes carrying stuff for me when I'm about to drop it." They were now standing in front of Hermione's chair, littered with books, as she tried to pick everything up. Ron sighed and grabbed a few books from her, making his way through the crowd of students to a table.

A few yards away, three of the sixth year Gryffindor boys were, yet again, discussing their stimulating bet. Dean and Neville had decided not to abandon Seamus after all. "We need a plan to get Ron and Hermione together soon," said Neville. "The way I see it, most people have bet that it'll be awhile before they confess. So, if we get them together now, we'll make more money."

Seamus nodded, seeing the point, a bit of ink still on his nose. Dean looked around, then leaned closer into the group, "Maybe it's time to get the girls involved. You know – Parvati, Lavender, that whole crowd? Lavender can make a mean Love Potion, I hear."

They just grinned and Seamus pulled out a new sheet of parchment, scribbling yet again, and the boys set to creating a plan.