Author's Note: Well, hello hello, there, my dear readers! sheepishly peeks out from behind monitor
I know. It's been forever. Again. I'm so SORRY! I didn't mean to neglect my story, I just got so busy with the end of school, and getting ready to go abroad, and well… I know. Go ahead. Be angry.
But I do have a new installment of story for you! See? Don't you love me again? Heh. Here you go my darlings… Don't glare.
Ginny spent the rest of the meal talking with Mrs. Waffle, and successfully managed to avoid any conversation with Draco. She had snuck a few looks at him over the table, and he was stubbornly not looking at her. Fine.She thought. Let him ignore me – it's better that way anyhow.
By the time guests started to leave, Ginny had lined up a starting date at Velma's Elements, and was rather pink in the face from all of the excitement (and a little bit from the wine, as well). She and Velma Waffle exchanged enthusiastic goodbyes, and Ginny made her way to the door, humming quietly to herself.
"Judging by this happy girl I see, I trust you have enjoyed yourself tonight?" Startled, Ginny looked up to see Tony leaning against the wall, grinning at her.
"Oh! Tony, yes, yes I have! It's been most enjoyable. And I trust that I'll see you again sometime?"
"But of course!" He winked at her, and beckoned her into the entrance hall. She gave him a small wave, and continued along her way. As she was heading out the door, Ginny noticed Draco lurking – no, sulking – in the corner. His face was set, and he was glaring above her head, out the door. She stuck her nose in the air and swooshed out. She knew that she was mad at him for some reason, but she wasn't quite sure why. I'll remember in the morning, I'm sure. Just a good night's sleep. That's all she needed. Ow. Thinking hurt.
By the time she arrived at the Burrow, it was quite late, and the lights were all off. Ginny entered through the kitchen door, and tiptoed up the stairs to her room. The door tended to creak, so she slowly slid it open, and nearly screamed.
Two tall figures had jumped up from their sitting positions on her bed as soon as she'd opened the door.
"For Merlin's sake, don't scream!"
"Honestly Gin, what do you think we are?"
"Axe murderers?"
"We'd never do that!"
"…At least not with an axe."
"Shut up, Fred…"
Ginny breathed a sigh of relief, and shut the door. She took out her wand and turned the lamps up, then wheeled around to face her brothers.
"What do you two think you're doing in here?" She waved her wand around in George's face.
"Bloody hell, Gin, watch what you're doing with that thing!" He grabbed her wrist and lowered her arm. "Are you alright?" The two of them peered at her intently. Ginny scowled. Her happy feelings had suddenly disappeared, and she wasn't feeling too well at the moment. What she really wanted was to lie down and go to bed. But these two overgrown weasels are in the way…
"…Was there wine at the venue?" Fred asked, affecting his voice to sound Percyish. "You know it isn't proper for a young lady of your… stature to consume – "
"Oh honestly, shut up Fred."
"Shove off, you too. I want to go to bed, and you're blocking my way."
"We know," they said together. Ginny was getting very annoyed. "Look, we wanted to see what happened with this party deal – I mean, it was pretty obvious that you weren't keen on going, and mum wouldn't talk." Fred sat himself down on her bed, and pulled her down next to him. It felt much better than standing; her legs had been getting a bit shaky.
"There's nothing to tell… Drac – I mean Malfoy, is a slimeball, and everyone still hates him, and then there was the food, and Velma Waffle, and really good wine…" Fred and George exchanged knowing glances. "I'm not drunk!" she protested. "I'm just tired… it's been a long night, and – oh will you stop looking at me like that!?" George had been trying very hard not to laugh, and as Ginny was having trouble focusing on his face, he looked worse than he was.
"George, go get her the stuff."
"Right-o." He saluted, and quietly slipped out the door. Ginny heard him on the stairs.
"Who is this Velma lady?" Fred asked, helping Ginny take her shoes off.
"Propriator. Priopatess. Prepapaper…ess…"
"…Proprietress?"
"Yes. Elements. Some kind of potion…place."
"Apothecary?" Ginny was getting very sleepy, very quickly. By this time, Fred had found her nightgown, and was helping her unzip her dress so that she could put her pajamas over her head and slip out of her gown.
"Mmmhmm."
"Anything special about her?"
"Offered me a job…"
"Really? Gin, that's great! But – " he frowned. "You were going to come work with us…" Ginny sat up rather quickly and stared at him in horror. "Nah, just kidding. You already told us twenty-three times that you'd rather spend the rest of your life listening to Percy talk about common international magical cooperation misconceptions."
"And eleven times that you'd rather Ron wore your latest dress and asked Goyle to the Yule Ball." George had come back into the room, carrying some kind of steaming beverage.
"…Although, that would be worthwhile to see…"
"What's that you've got?" Ginny indicated the mug that George was carrying. He grinned.
"Weasley's Wizard Wheezes Instant Head De-fogger. Doesn't really qualify as a Weasley's Wizard Wheeze, but we've found that it's useful when used with a number of our products."
"As well as with copious amounts of wine and/or rum."
"Just drink it." Ginny obeyed, partly to get the twins to stop talking, and partly because she believed them, and wanted the fogginess of her head to go away. The last thing that she heard before she drifted off (were they actually tucking her in?) was one of them saying,
"Mum'll be thrilled…"
Draco woke the next morning in quite a temper. Everything was going badly – Bitsy hadn't made it to his wing of the manor yet, so his fire wasn't lit, and he was cold. Not to mention annoyed. He hadn't gotten a chance to talk to Virginia the entire night. Every time he tried to catch her eye, she was talking with that gaudy woman next to her. That had bothered him. It was, after all, his house, and he had specifically arranged for Virginia to be seated across from him. Granted, not for the reason of entertaining and surprising her with his witty conversational skills, but – Dear god. Did I just think what I thought I thought?
He had not been trying to impress a Weasley. It simply couldn't be. There was no excuse for that – he must have had too much wine, or something. Speaking of wine, he had to admit that it seemed the virtuous young Ms. Weasley had consumed a fair amount. He chuckled. Tipsy young women were always amusing – especially if they had no idea that they were so.
"BITSY!" Draco swore under his breath as he realized that all he'd been thinking of since he awoke was Virginia. Fine. So he had a… a thing for her. It could be cured. It wasn't like people hadn't gotten over these things before.
And he was still thinking about her.
Draco groaned. I'll just have to avoid her. Forget tormenting her, forget admiring the way that her hair catches the – damn it! He could do this, he knew he could. He was a Malfoy – they didn't admit defeat this easily.
"BITSY! WHERE THE BLAZES ARE YOU??" He roared at the top of his lungs as his feet touched the cold stone floor next to his bed. He really would have liked that fire going right now. Grabbing a piece of parchment off of his desk, Draco dipped a quill in ink, and began to write:
Absolutely NO:
Visting with, seeking out, or making an effort to contact Virginia Weasley
Avoid if at all possible:
Any chance contact, conversation, or time spent with said affliction
Permission to throw self off of third story balcony if instructions are not followed
Signed,
Draco L. Malfoy
Draco never signed his middle name. He didn't even like to think it to himself. Lord, his first name was bad enough. There was no need to humiliate himself further. He sighed, and tacked the parchment up next to a month-old reminder to fire the chambermaid for not cleaning under his armoire for three weeks (he swore he'd seen GREEN things growing under there…). Bitsy came skidding into the room. About time.
"Master must forgive Bistsy – Bisty has been trying to come, since Bitsy first heard master wake, but Minister Fudge has been speaking to Bitsy, and Bitsy musn't disrespect the Minister Fudge, sir."
What the effing bloody hell is goddamn Fudge doing here?!
"Oh? The minister is here?" Bitsy nodded enthusiastically, and pointed down the stairs with one hand while stoking the freshly lit fire with the other. "And – is my mother with him?"
"Yes sir – the mistress has been speaking and dining with the Minister for nearly an hour now." An hour?Draco slammed his door shut and strode over to his bed.
"Bring my breakfast here, Bitsy. I'll not be going downstairs until the Minister has left."
