Chapter 5: cookies, cards, and mistletoe

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

(A/N: Please write a review! I'd love your feedback! :) )

For the next few weeks, Draco and Ginny met only after curfew. Finals were coming up so they didn't have much time to socialize with friends or go on any more adventures. Sometimes Draco would bring a pack of playing cards to their midnight meetings and play a few games together.

It was the last night before winter break, Draco and Ginny sat on the floor of the room of requirement, playing cards and telling each other about their day. They had decided to meet in the room of requirement because they wanted a more comfortable place to visit. Tonight there was a couch, fireplace, rug, bookcase, and a pile of pillows in the corner. Ginny and Draco sat on the floor in front of the fireplace playing poker. The loser had to tell something about themselves or answer the winner's question. Ginny had just lost yet another hand of poker. Ginny tossed in her cards in defeat. "Okay, something about myself…I want to dye my hair."

Draco looked at her shocked. "Now why would you want to do that? You have great hair! Why would you want to change it?"

"Because I am tired of being known as just another Weasley, I want to be known for me. And everyone knows me for my red hair."

"Well I still think you are nuts."

"You are just figuring this out now?" Ginny smirked.

"You know, I think you have been hanging out with me too much, you got my smirk down pat."

Ginny laughed. "Well you know me too well; today you sent me a note telling me I was stabbing my dinner again." Draco and Ginny both laughed. "But yes, I want to dye my hair."

"What color would you dye it?" Draco asked shuffling and passing out another hand.

"Maybe black." Ginny said, picking up her hand.

"Ugh no, you are too pale, you'd look like Wednesday Adams."

"Good point." Ginny said grinning at her hand. "I win. Now for my question, what color do you think I should die my hair?"

"Why blonde of course." Draco said with a small smile.

"Of course, I should have known." Ginny said with a small smile. "How about a compromise, strawberry blonde."

"Deal." Draco said standing up. He pointed his wand at Ginny and muttered a spell that changed Ginny's hair to strawberry blonde. Ginny stood up and looked in a mirror. Draco stood there drop jawed. If he thought Ginny looked pretty before, she was beyond beautiful now.

Ginny was also amazed at how different she looked. "I look beautiful."

"Yeah." Draco gulped.

"Thanks Draco." Ginny walked over and gave him a hug. Again Draco felt a little nervous, but he returned the hug. He unconsciously ran his fingers through Ginny's hair. Ginny pulled away but didn't let go. "So you staying for winter break?"

"Yup, you?"

"Yup, me and Ron. We'll be going home just for Christmas day though. Mom and dad want to use our beds for Bill's and Charlie's wives went they visit."

"Oh, and speaking of Christmas…" Draco winked, grabbing a present from beneath the sofa.

"My present!" Ginny squealed. Draco laughed as she eagerly took her present from his arms. She smiled as she pulled out a large box wrapped in bronze wrapping paper. "Here is your present."

Draco's eyes were wide and sparkled as he saw the huge present. Its was big enough to hold a bowling ball, and as heavy as one too. "Ginny, what is this?"

"Open it." She said, sitting eagerly on the floor next to him. He sat on the floor and eagerly tore off the wrapping paper. Ginny giggled at his eagerness. He opened the box and was surprised at what he found. Cookies. Every cookie imaginable; sugar cookies, ginger bread, chocolate chip, you name it, it was in there.

"Ginny, did you do this yourself?"

"I snuck down to the kitchen last night and asked the house elves if I could borrow their kitchen. They wanted to cook them for me but I insisted on cooking every cookie myself."

Draco leaned over and gave Ginny a huge hug. "Thank you so much!" Draco smiled as he pulled out of the hug. "Now open your present." Draco scooted closer to see what her reaction would be. He had enchanted the box so it could hold a lot more than it should. Draco waited in eager anticipation as she tore through the golden ribbon and silver wrapping paper. Inside was a small jewelry box, she smiled and was about to hug Draco when he stopped her. "Open it." He whispered with a smile. She slowly opened the box and gasped. It played "Saved the Best for Last" By Vanessa Williams, and inside were small figures of Ginny and Draco dancing. The bottom of the box glowed. Ginny reached into the bottom and pulled out a piece of jewelry. It was the most beautiful thing Ginny had ever seen. It was a small ruby heart attached to a long silver chain.

"Draco, this is beautiful." Ginny said breathlessly.

"Keep going." Draco whispered, smiling.

Ginny looked back at the box. 'There's more? This is way too much already.' Ginny reached into the box again and this time pulled out a box of chocolates. "You know my weakness." Ginny laughed. Draco urged her and she once again, she reached into the box. This time she pulled out a dress. It was a beautiful knee length silver dress. She stood up and held it to her chest. "Draco this is too much, I can't accept all of this."

Draco stood up and nervously cleared his throat. "Ginny I have to tell you something." Draco took a step towards Ginny, closing the gap between them. He took her hand in his. "Ginny, lately I have been having certain…. "Draco gulped. "…feelings for you and well..." Draco looked in Ginny's eyes "… I just want to be certain that what I am feeling for you isn't just some side effect of the spell."

Ginny gingerly took Draco's other hand. "Draco." Ginny paused, wondering what to say next. "I too have been having certain..." She looked at Draco and blushed immediately, "…feelings, and you are right, I want to make sure what we have isn't just a side effect of the spell." Ginny looked at Draco somberly. "So how do we find out?"

"We break the spell." Draco answered.

"But we can't…"

"Gin!" Draco answered somewhat angrily. "Do you honestly think that after everything we have been through I would blab all of our secrets. Even if I did go back to my old way of treating you?!?"

"Draco that's not what I was going to say!" Ginny snapped. "Draco if we break the spell we get Wizard pox for a month and wizard pox can be deadly at our age. Plus who is to say the person we tell won't go blabbing!" Ginny took a deep breath. "Sorry I didn't mean to yell."

"Oh, its okay I was yelling to." Draco hugged Ginny. They sat on the floor once again, trying to figure out what to do. After almost a half an hour, Draco finally spoke up "I got an idea! What if I was to ask mom a hypothetical question about the spell? Mom is a wiz at charms, I'd bet she'd know!"

"Well go owl her then." Ginny said standing up.

"I got a better idea." Draco said standing up. "Those gifts I got you have more than one purpose." Ginny gave Draco a confused look as he walked over, made a dramatic gesture, kneeled and took her hand. "Ginny Weasley, would you do me the honor of being my date to my family's yearly New Year's Eve ball?"

"Oh yes Draco." Ginny giggled. "I'd love to."

"Great." Draco said standing up. "Because I want you to wear your gifts."

"Wait a minute, what if your parents recognize me?"

"Are you kidding? First of all, no one will recognize you with your hair dyed, and second, no one would ever think I would bring a Weasley to a family ball."

"You're right." Ginny said a little crestfallen. "No one would ever believe it."

"I'm sorry Ginny." Draco said, giving Ginny a hug. "One day… they'll see… what we feel is real." 'I hope.' Draco thought to himself. '

For a moment, they just stood there holding one another. 'I wish I had a sprig of mistletoe.' Draco thought to himself. As soon as he thought it, he regretted it. 'Shit! This is the room of requirement! Which means…' Draco thought looking up. A sprig of mistletoe grew out of the ceiling. Ginny looked up and saw the mistletoe.

'Shit.' They both thought.

Ginny began to back away, but Draco stopped her. "You don't have to kiss me." Ginny quietly whispered.

Draco and Ginny just stood there for a moment, looking at each other. Draco stepped forward, closing the gap between them. "But I want to." Draco said, his voice somewhat shaky. "Ginny, spell or not… can I kiss you?" Ginny's voice caught in her throat, she didn't know what to say. She nodded meekly. Slowly, Draco brought his face closer to hers, until finally, their lips met. It was the most amazing feeling either one had ever felt. It could only be described a pure joy. It was sweet and captivating. Neither one wanted to break the kiss. When Draco eventually stepped back, Ginny couldn't help but giggle at Draco's expression. He looked like a kid that found out he inherited a candy store. Ginny was grinning ear to ear.

Draco insisted on walking Ginny back to her dorm. Draco bribed Peeves to keep the hall prefects busy while he walked her back. Draco held her hand as they walked. "I hope someday we'll be able to do this during the day." Ginny said looking at their hands.

"Well I've never been much on public displays of affection, but as far as people accepting us…" Draco said, stopping in front of the fat lady portrait. "…We'll try our best. I think our families are going to have the hardest time accepting us."

"Yeah." Ginny said, looking down. "We know each other too well to go back to being strangers. Spell or not, we'll always be friends." 'And hopefully more.' Ginny added mentally.

"Friends…with benefits?" Draco asked winking. Ginny giggled. Draco leaned in and kissed Ginny on the cheek before he turned and walked away.