Author's Note: Sorry for the delay in updating this chapter. I've been busy lately and...well, writer's block for this chapter stopped me from getting the chapters out as fast as I can.
Disclaimer: Sadly enough HP doesn't belong to me...but the plot and other unknown characters are mine
Summary: Draco Malfoy turned a new leaf during his 7th year at Hogwarts. Now he works for the Ministry doing something for the good alongside his school days nemesis, Harry Potter. Enter Ginny Weasley, youngest sibling of Harry's best friend, as their new secretary. Hidden attraction surfaces and jealousy ensues.
Setting: 5 years after Hogwarts
XII. Something's Changed
Harry was still fuming from the prank Malfoy pulled on him earlier that day. He would've hexed him to oblivion if it hadn't been for the presentation he presented. He was impressed at his in-depth analysis of their latest pet project to actually chastise the smug blond.
Draco was still chuckling after they left the meeting and headed back to their office. Potter was all tied up in knots all the way to the meeting thinking he wasn't prepared to present their presentation. He avoided opening his mouth until they entered their joint offices' mini reception where Ginny sat behind her desk, eagerly anticipating the outcome of their meeting.
Draco glanced at his partner and waited for him to break the news to their secretary. When Potter made no such move, Draco took it upon himself to let Ginny know what happened. After all if it hadn't been for her he wouldn't have been able to pull off putting together the presentation.
"They liked it," he said simply, stopping in front of Ginny's desk.
"Really?" Ginny tried to contain her giggle, her eyes sparkling with suppressed mirth. "That's wicked!" She enthused and looked over Draco's shoulder to smile at Harry, "Aren't you proud of Malfoy, Harry? He finally proved to you that he's not worthless around here after all!" She exclaimed and quickly looked at Draco, winking at him signaling to follow her lead. Apparently she didn't want to receive credit for the job she did in helping him out.
Funny, Draco thought. Usually people would want to be mentioned at least once for their contribution, but Ginny Weasley preferred to let him bask in the spotlight while she sat back and watched the show.
Amazing woman.
"Yeah," Harry grunted his agreement. "If Malfoy didn't produce that presentation he wouldn't be standing here grinning smugly right now."
"Oh?" Ginny cocked an eyebrow and looked from her brother's best friend to her other boss then back at Harry, "Why? What would you have done if Draco didn't work on the project?"
"Let's just say I know of some hexes to use on him," Harry replied smugly.
"Yeah, right," Draco chided. "Anyway, now that the presentation's over, I'm heading out," he announced and headed for the door. He stopped and looked at Ginny, "Please field all my owls for today, Ginny. I don't think I'll be back this afternoon."
"And what would you like me to do with those owls of yours, hm?" She put much emphasis on 'those' in reference to owls from his numerous girlfriends.
Draco paused and thought of his reply for a second. "Ignore them," was his flippant reply.
Ginny's jaw nearly dropped on her desk. "Are you crazy! If I did that they'll only arrive by the dozen or so every hour on the hour!"
"So? You can send them one of those template letters you created to save them the trouble," he winked.
Ginny cocked an eyebrow at him this time. "That template letter is for your ex-girlfriends, Malfoy. Unless you want to end your liaisons with your female friends, I'll send out that letter to them."
"Then by all means send them that!"
If Ginny hadn't been sitting she would've fallen on the floor with a loud thud. Harry couldn't believe his ears either and stared wide-eyed at his partner, a known womanizer since Merlin knows when.
"Malfoy, are you coming down with something?" Harry asked, resisting the urge to walk up to his partner and place his palm on the blond's forehead to check his temperature.
Draco frowned at the dark haired man then rolled his eyes. "I'm the perfect picture of health, Potter. Did that holiday of yours addled your thinking or something?"
"No," replied Harry, "although I wish it did so that I can just pretend that this right now is nothing but a figment of my damn imagination," he hissed under his breath, but Draco and Ginny heard him anyway.
"Aww...your trip couldn't have been that bad," chided Ginny.
Harry shot her a look that told her he doesn't want to discuss it. Draco sniggered where he stood and gave Harry heck for a bit before heading out and taking the rest of the afternoon off.
"Something's bothering Potter," commented Draco when he met up with Ginny for dinner at an outdoor restaurant in Diagon Alley. They already made arrangements to have a celebratory dinner if the presentation she helped him finish was a success. As it turned out, it was a success and he owed her dinner.
"Tell me about it," agreed Ginny as she sliced the steak she ordered. "I thought going away on that trip would help loosen him up a bit that's why I encouraged him to take the trip. Now I think I've made a mistake," she admitted.
Draco stopped from putting the slice of chicken breast to his mouth and stared at the forlorn redhead seated across from him. "Made a mistake? Hell Weasley, getting Potter to leave the office for more than a day was a damn good accomplishment!"
"I think I'll take that as a compliment, but Harry doesn't look relaxed, you know?"
"Maybe his lady friend who accompanied him didn't give him a little something-something during the entire trip," he joked.
"Malfoy..."
"What? A guy not getting some can get as cranky as Potter," he pointed out.
Ginny made a face at his lame excuse. He just made all men sound like desperate lunatics when they couldn't sleep with the woman they are obviously hot for.
"What?" Draco frowned at the look she gave him. "Don't tell me women aren't like that when they couldn't get some."
"Oh please, Malfoy, give us women a bit more credit here."
"Don't tell me I'm wrong, Weasley, because men and women are only human humans have the same urges regardless of their gender," he pointed out.
"True," she nodded and took her time chewing her steak before adding, "But like everyone else, we are all different. Just because you get cranky when you couldn't get any doesn't automatically mean the next bloke who experienced the same thing goes through the same crankiness as you do. Maybe those who don't get any deal with it in a different way."
"Different way how?"
"They play sports. They travel. They do other things to keep their minds off the obvious."
"And the obvious being they're not getting any from their woman?"
"Why do you have to use the term?"
"What term?"
"Woman. It's sounds so possessive. We women aren't properties of men. We are our own individual being."
"Hey, don't be preaching me about using that term loosely when you, members of the female species, use the term 'man' loosely too in reference to your significant others."
Ginny cocked an eyebrow. She didn't expect to have this kind of argument with him. Of all the people she'd go head-to-head against such topic, Draco Malfoy was the last person she thought she'd discuss this with. He sure changed quite a bit since their days at Hogwarts. She didn't want to admit it to herself, but now, seated here in this outdoor restaurant enjoying a hearty meal and a less than boring conversation with the git who made hers, as well as her brother's and his friends', life at Hogwarts a living hell, she was actually having a good time. If this dinner date of theirs would be classified as a date-date, Ginny had to say by far this was the best date she'd ever been on.
Could it be possible that someone as vile as Draco Malfoy change feathers? From the looks of things she was inclined to believe that it was possible...
A/N: I am sorry for the loooooooooong delay, but here's the next chapter! I know this is kinda crappy and I apologize. I am trying to be less rusty here when it comes to this fic. Thanks to all my wonderful reviewers and readers alike. I appreciate your patience. Hopefully you enjoyed this chapter even though it looks like it's just a filler. :smiles:
