THE INCIDENT

CHAPTER 2: THE UNFORGOTTEN PAYMENT

LIBRARY

15 DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS

WEDNESDAY NIGHT

Draco Malfoy walks inside the library, ignoring the attention that he is getting from the students who are currently studying. It will be an hour before the curfew time, and already felt tired and he is absolutely not in mood to patrol the Hogwarts ground. The weather is getting colder and snow is starting to cover the Hogwarts ground. It was chilly outside and with a day like this he prefer to go to bed early. But he has no choice; he has responsibilities and duties that need to accomplish. He walked past through the bookshelves searching for an empty table to occupy to have some rest for a while. He doesn't want any disturbance and wants to be alone.

Draco slumped his book on the table. He was seating far away from the main door, where nobody could even notice him. Draco sighed as he pulls his hood up to cover his head. With a weather and time like this, he would rather not talk to anybody. He is in a foul mood again, and there is no way that could lighten up his mood. Being a head boy is not as easy as he thinks. During the past few months, he had tried his best to become a good boy. It was not an easy task. After all he is Malfoy, a Slytherin and behaving like a good boy is not his best ability. He missed those days torturing somebody, bullying his fellow students. Those days were gone, his actions were being watched; his position as a head boy is something that he values and he doesn't want to get sacked for doing something stupid.

He was about to rest his head on the table when he spotted the two girls seating at the very back of the library, not far from the restricted section. One of them is wearing an expensive robe with the Slytherin crest on right side of her robes. However the other girl is wearing a shabby robe bearing the Gryffindor crest on her robes. It was Pansy Parkinson and Ginny Weasley. Draco is aware that Ginny and Pansy are now friends, but he doesn't have any clue how did their friendship started. He watched them interestedly trying to figure out what they were doing. He noticed that they are reading a magazine and from time to time they grin and try to tease each other.

Draco stood up from his chair and decided to heading from where they are sitting. He walked the other way around so that they will not be able to see him. Draco's carefully watched his step avoiding to create some noise. He is now standing behind their backs, which they are not aware of his presence yet. He merely glances at the magazine that they are reading. They are reading a witches magazine. His brow furrowed as he peeks into the magazine behind their backs, there is nothing interesting about the magazine it was because it is a magazine intended for girls. It is a magazine to entertain teen girls. It was then that he saw his picture in the magazine, not only him but also Harry Potter and some male Hogwarts student as well.

"Draco is handsome and have a very strong charisma, isn't it?" commented Pansy to Ginny as they both stared at Draco's picture. Draco's picture glanced at them and smiled. "Well what do you think?" added Pansy waiting for Ginny's reply. Ginny sighed searching for the right words to say. Somehow her thoughts had failed her, and for a split second the incident that had happened inside the greenhouse flashes back into her mind.

"Ah well, you're a Gryffindor after all and I can't blame you if you don't think that Draco Malfoy is indeed hot" sighed Pansy "But you know what I heard? Even some Gryffindor are hoping to date Draco. He is not bad at all, Ginny" added Pansy trying to convince her. "Although sometimes I admit that I can't stand his arrogance, he was being raised like that. So you can't really blame him" Pansy said defending Draco.

Draco can't help but smile as he heard those words came out from Pansy. He had known Pansy since they were kids and she is among those people who really know him well. His friendship with Pansy had a long history compare to his other friends at Hogwarts.

"It's not that. Of course Draco Malfoy is handsome and have a very strong charisma" said Ginny unaware that the person that they are talking about is just standing behind their backs.

"So, that's what you think?" asked Draco, which made Pansy and Ginny look up above them. Ginny and Pansy gasp at the same time and casted him a surprise look. They are both speechless.

"How long had you been standing there?" confronted Pansy "You gave us a fright!" Draco walked around the table, invited his self to join them and seated in front of them. He looked at Pansy and shifted his eye to Ginny. Pansy is giving him an unpleasant look, however Ginny can't meet his questioning eye.

"Funny, isn't it that I am who should be the one asking you 'Since when did you started hanging out with a Gryffindor'?" asked Draco with a menacing look in his eye. Pansy is holding her breath controlling her self not to shoot back at Draco. "Relax, Pansy. I don't care about your whereabouts. That's none of my business at all"

"And since when did you stopped butting in into someone's life? That's not the Draco Malfoy that I used to know" mocked Pansy since he caught her hanging with a Gryffindor why not mock him as well. "You are right about that, it's none of your business at all. And don't try to give me that head-boy-attitude. Oh please…" she added feeling disgusted.

Draco smirked and says "Touché, are we? You might as well try not to raise your voice. You don't want to attract the other students, and create some undesired attention. They might think that we are doing something wrong with your little Gryffindor friend here. I didn't came in here to start an argument with you. I just want to join this little fun and have some nice little conversation with you"

"Really? Why don't you find Vincent and Greg? So leave us alone, alright" said Pansy, she is few minutes away to loose her patience.

"Nah! They're both sleeping already. Let me stay" he said undetermined to move. He looks at Ginny and this time she is looking at him. "And besides I just came across something interesting"

Pansy gave him a serious look wondering what he is talking about. "Fine you stay, then" she said followed with a sigh. Ginny turned her head and looked at Pansy.

"If you guys need some privacy, then I'll go" Ginny volunteered and was about to stand up but Pansy stopped her and holds her arm.

"No, you'll stay here. If Draco can't stand being with my friend then he will be the one who may take his leave. You came in here first so you stay" said Pansy not letting go of Ginny's arm.

"Yes, Weasley you don't have to leave" said Draco with a sound of formality in his voice. He glares at Pansy startled how she stood up for Ginny. Their friendship must be deeper than he thought for he stood up for her. She had known him all her life and now she stood up for a Gryffindor over him, there was a twinge of jealousy inside of him. He had not known anybody than him who is close to Pansy. "In fact I want to speak with you Weasley… I mean Ginny; just you alone"

"What?" said Pansy with a sound of panic in her voice. She cast a dirty look at Draco's direction. Everything's happening so fast. Not ten minutes ago, he came in joined them uninvited. Now he wants to speak to Ginny by his self. She can't just leave her dear friend together with Draco. She will only leave Ginny with him if he promise that he will not going to hurt her. But there is no assurance with that especially that she is a Gryffindor and close to Harry Potter. Pansy knows how much Draco had hated Harry Potter. It's not that Pansy doesn't trust Draco at all. She trusts him more than anybody else, but its hard to assure that he will not do anything to Ginny.

"Calm down Pansy. I just want to speak with her" he said with determination. "Im not going to hurt your friend. Just give me a few minutes, after I speak with her then I will leave, you can come back and continue your little chat. Please…" said Draco and he look at Pansy. He smiled at her as if his eyes were pleading.

Pansy weigh downs her feeling. She is torn between her friends. Draco stared at Pansy, his eyes convincing her that he will never do anything. Pansy sighed and stood up from her chair. How could she ever say no to Draco? "Ok, just a few minutes" she finally stated. She look at Ginny and Ginny looked back. Ginny's eyes are questioning her. "Don't worry, you'll be fine" she assured Ginny. "My friend Draco may be the biggest git in Hogwarts but he knows how to keep his word" she added and took her leave.

Draco stood up from his chair and took Pansy's place. He sighed as his eyes wander around the room. His eyes caught Pansy's back about five bookshelves away from them. Draco stared into Ginny's eyes playfully. He could feel the intense that was coming from her. She is not looking at him at all. Ginny was looking at the closed magazine as her hands constantly playing at the edges. Sign of nervous, Draco concluded. Instead of saying something Draco placed his hands over hers. This time Ginny glanced at him.

"Aren't you going to say something?" demanded Draco.

"What do you want?" Ginny asked icily as she tried to pull her hands from him.

"You don't think that I already did forgot about what I asked you about a month ago?" said Draco mischievously as he squeezes Ginny's hand tenderly. "It's hard to catch you on a day like this" he added.

Ginny look at him curiously and says, "What are implying?" she asked naively.

"You don't think that I've forgotten about what happened between us a month ago, do you?" implied Draco. He moved closer to her then he whispers in her ears "Or do you want me to remind you about the kiss?" he said playfully. Ginny did not reply, her body feels cold as those words escape from Draco's lips.

The answer is no. Ginny haven't forgotten about the kiss, her stolen first kiss. How could she ever forget something like that? For the past few weeks she tried to bury her self at school, everything that could make her forget about their kiss. But it was useless. She tried to avoid Draco as much as she can. During meal times she pretends that she never sees him at all. She's afraid to meet his eyes. Afraid that when she look at that the Slytherin table he is looking at her or laughing at her. Whenever she sees him coming she hides and ran away from him or perhaps she tries to join her classmates. Ginny tried to hang out with her brother frequently but it was obvious that they don't want her to be part of their little clique. She never told anybody what had happened between them inside the greenhouse. Who else is there to tell? Nobody… yes it is true that she is friends with Pansy now. But she just can't tell her what had happened. She might accuse Ginny as a whore.

Draco stared at Ginny intently; he is so close to her. Only a few inches apart, he could fell the fear that is coming from her. Draco began to caress her chin as he look straight into her eyes as he shifted from her eyes to her lips. He look away, weighing everything that he feels right now. He felt so low; he felt like that as if his reputation as a Malfoy is beginning to get stained. For Merlin's sake he is a Slytherin, and it was an unwritten law that no Slytherin will ever escalate with Gryffindor. This is all wrong and he had made a mistake. Mistake that even him cant make it right.

For the past few weeks, he tried everything not to think about Ginny. He kept on reminding his self that she is a Gryffindor, a threat to every Slytherin. A threat to his family, a threat to his reputation. Whenever he sees her during meal times he tries not to look at her, but it was no use. At the end, he always catches himself looking at her, studying her every move. Ever since that incident happened, he can't avoid thinking of her. He always looses his focus on everything every time her image pops inside his head. She's a distraction, like an addiction, like a sweet that he can't resist not to eat. But her charm is so strong that he can't take it anymore. He wants to hold her in his arms. He wants her to become his. He wants her to become a part of his life. He wanted more than anything else. There's nothing to deny about it now, a reserved Gryffindor had just caught his wild heart. He is in love.

Ginny threw a dirty look and she says, "What are you playing at Malfoy?"

"Draco…how many time do I have to repeat my self? Its Draco and not Malfoy, only teachers and my classmates calls me Malfoy" he said nonchalantly "And if you calls me Malfoy, who knows if your referring to my father"

"What do you want then Dra…Draco? Why don't you just leave me alone? I told you before the answer is no. I will never go out with you. This whole idea is crazy. Had you gone mad?" said Ginny with determinance in her voice, still not falling into his trap. Who knows if he's only playing? Trying to get close to her in order to get some information from Harry. "What is it that you desire that you cant leave me alone? Im afraid that Im not the answer to your problem"

Draco looked at her as he pulls away his hand. He looked away and sighed. "What is it that I desire? Something that I can't buy, I want you… I like you. I want to go out with you. Is that too much to ask?"

"Yes Draco that's too mush too ask. Do you even have any idea what you're talking about? Can you even hear those words that are coming from you? Do you even have any single reason to go out with me? Be reasonable…Draco! It sounds so easy to you, but things are too complicated" said Ginny as she try to catch her breath. Why can't he just leave her alone? Things were starting to get complicated, everything started with a kiss that's complicates everything. She bowed and put her head on the table, trying to control her anger.

"May I speak?" Draco asks permission. "What is it that you are afraid of? Of course I know what I'm talking about" he said as he strokes her hair "I'll give a good reason, and if I still cant convince you to go out with me then I'll do everything to prove to you that I'm worth to be your man. If you'll go out with me Ginny, I promise you that I'll leave your brothers alone along with mud…I mean Granger and scar…um Potter. I'll leave them alone I swear" Draco hold her both arms. "Look at me… will you please look at me. I want you to look at me" Draco begged and Ginny looked up and look straight into his eyes.

"Ginny… I know I've done bad things to your brothers and friends in the past. Whatever I have done wrong, I'll atone with you. I know its not easy… just go out with me, please. Give me a chance. Will you please go out with me?"

Ginny look away from him, gathered her things and she stood up "I don't know Draco, give me some time to think about it" she said and walked away leaving Draco behind.

TO BE CONTINUED