Disclaimer: If you recognize it from the Harry Potter books, then I do not
own it... J.K. Rowling does...
A/N: Thanks for the reviews... This was originally supposed to be part of the plot line of chapter 11, but due to expansion, editing, and continuity, Chapter 11 became chapters 11 and 12. So this chapter will be "Charming Cinderella." But I guess the good news for everybody who likes this story.... Two chapters for the price of one!!! Anyway, I hope you enjoy both chapters... Reviews are greatly appreciated... Well, enough of my silly ramblings, it's time to move on to what you have been waiting for...
What will happen next? Find out now.....
The Least Likely Prince Charming
Chapter 12
Charming Cinderella
It was following that day in the library, that Ginny Weasley began to receive the presents. It began the morning after, with a beautiful silver rose, lit by a magical inner glow. The present was delivered by school owl at breakfast the following morning. It came with an ivory envelope, with Ginny written on it in silver ink.
Ginny pulled out the heavy ivory stationary out of the envelope, and read the letter that was enclosed:
To Cinderella
I have never tried to be charming before, But for you (and only you) I will give it a try. I'm not very good at saying or writing what I feel, so please forgive me if what I write sounds ackward. I hope you enjoy the rose. I bought it because it reminded me of you. It has an inner glow that reminds me of you when you smile.
Yours always, Your Least Likely Prince Charming
Ginny had confronted Harry about the rose as soon as she saw him that morning. Harry denied knowing anything about the gift. And so the gifts continued to be sent to Ginny. They always came with a little note, complimenting something about Ginny, and were always addressed to Cinderella and signed "Your Least Likely Prince Charming" in the same masculine script.
Ginny spent the next two weeks trying to find out who was sending her the beautiful presents. She spent more time in her classes glancing at all the boy's writing to see if she could match it to her secret admirer. She got another detention with Snape for cheating, when he observed her trying to see Andrew McDougal's writing in Potions class. Ginny began to believe that Harry was doing it, and using some kind of spell to disguise his handwriting. To Ginny, Harry was the only logical suspect, as he was the only guy in school to ask her out in recent days.
It was after two weeks of the constant gifts and letters that Ginny received the slipper. It was beautiful, an ornate shoe made of clear crystal, which sparkled like a prism in the light. Ginny was enchanted by the beautiful gift. She pulled the expensive ivory stationary out of the envelope and read the flowing script, which said:
To Cinderella:
I know that I am not worthy of you, but I wish for you to know me by my true name. If you wish to know me, the true me, please come to the astronomy tower at midnight. I will meet you there, my dear Ginny, with a matching slipper. Please come and meet me, and remember, things (and people) are not always what they seem, and even the least likeliest of princes deserves a fair chance.
Yours forever, Your Least Likely Prince Charming
Ginny of course, went to the tower, thinking that she would again have to discourage Harry from his latest attempt at pursuit. But, as Ginny waited in the tower holding the slipper in her hand, she was completely shocked at who came out of the shadows, carrying a matching crystal slipper in his pale hands.
Draco was more nervous than he had ever been in his life, as he carried the matching slipper out. He knew that the whole secret admirer thing was the stupidest idea he had ever come up with, but as Ginny would not even look at him after the incident in the library, he had to do something. So, he sent her gifts and letters professing his admiration of her spirit, and kindness, and beauty, in the hopes that, in this moment of revelation, she would forget about the way he had acted in the past, and give him a chance to do better in the future. He saw the shocked look on her face as she saw him, and stood still, waiting.
"Draco Malfoy?" She whispered, as if unable to believe her eyes. "You sent me the gifts?" She asked, a little louder.
"Yes." Was all he could reply, as he again found himself at a loss for words that had come so eloquently when he had a quill and was writing on a piece of parchment.
"Why?" Ginny asked, as she looked at the handsome boy, unable to believe he was the one who had sent the letters.
Then realization hit Ginny, and she was incredibly hurt by what she thought was the truth.
"This is a joke, right? I can't believe you would go to all this trouble for a joke." She said.
Draco looked at her for a moment, at a loss for words. If only his brain was actually attached to his tongue when he was around Ginny - he thought to himself.
Before he could get a word in, Ginny continued.
"I bet you and your Slytherin buddies think this his SO funny... Lure the Weasley girl up her with a secret admirer gag... Then you walk out of the shadows and pretend you like me... I guess that would be a great way to salvage your "tainted reputation." Ginny yelled at Draco, and against her will, began to cry.
Draco saw the tears, and didn't know what to do. "Ginny, I DO like you." He said, honestly, and began to move closer to the crying girl.
Ginny glared at Draco through the tears, and forced herself to stop crying. "Don't come any closer to me, Malfoy." she said as she got out her wand and pointed it at him. She proceeded to glance warily in the shadows behind Draco.
"So, where's your friends?" Ginny asked as she turned her angry brown gaze back to Draco, satisfied that no one was in the shadows waiting to jump her, or to come out and laugh at her humiliation.
"What 'friends'?" Draco replied honestly. "Didn't you or one of your friends tell me one time that I didn't have any? Whoever said it was right, you know."
Ginny just stared at Draco, with her drawn wand still clenched in her hand.
"Why did you lure me up here Malfoy, with that secret admirer stuff?" Ginny asked.
"Because I admire you?" Draco asked, slightly sarcastic. He hadn't expected, in his plotting and planning, that Ginny would be so disbelieving and, well, dense....
"Yeah, right Malfoy. And Harry Potter and Luna Lovegood are going to get married someday...." Ginny said, very sarcastically.
"Anything could happen, Weasley. Like me, Draco Malfoy, falling for a Weasley..." Draco said. "I am serious, you know. I really do admire you, and want to get to know you better." he said, with a smile.
The entire time, Ginny had been slowly inching her way toward the door. "Hah...." Ginny said. "You're good, Draco, I'll give you that. But I'm not an idiot you know...." Ginny said, as she slipped out the door. "And don't expect any of your gifts back, either." She yelled, as she hurried away.
Draco just stood there, as she left. He debated on whether or not to follow her for a moment, but quickly decided against it.
"Well, so much for charming Cinderella, Draco." He said to himself, as he sat down on a bench. "How can I charm a girl if she doesn't even believe I'm serious?" he asked the emptiness of the room.
Fate was listening, and wished she could answer the question for him. But she couldn't... Ginny was proving to be much more stubborn than fate originally planned... And Draco was having a much more difficult time being charming than she had originally thought.... Fate didn't know what to do, but she knew now was the time for her to intervene.... And, as a plan came to her, she smirked in true Draco fashion.....
Coming up: How will fate manage to fix this? With a little help of course.... What's a Cinderella fairy tale without a fairy godmother, anyway? Stay tuned for Chapter 13 - The Least Likely Fairy Godmother
A/N: Thanks for the reviews... This was originally supposed to be part of the plot line of chapter 11, but due to expansion, editing, and continuity, Chapter 11 became chapters 11 and 12. So this chapter will be "Charming Cinderella." But I guess the good news for everybody who likes this story.... Two chapters for the price of one!!! Anyway, I hope you enjoy both chapters... Reviews are greatly appreciated... Well, enough of my silly ramblings, it's time to move on to what you have been waiting for...
What will happen next? Find out now.....
The Least Likely Prince Charming
Chapter 12
Charming Cinderella
It was following that day in the library, that Ginny Weasley began to receive the presents. It began the morning after, with a beautiful silver rose, lit by a magical inner glow. The present was delivered by school owl at breakfast the following morning. It came with an ivory envelope, with Ginny written on it in silver ink.
Ginny pulled out the heavy ivory stationary out of the envelope, and read the letter that was enclosed:
To Cinderella
I have never tried to be charming before, But for you (and only you) I will give it a try. I'm not very good at saying or writing what I feel, so please forgive me if what I write sounds ackward. I hope you enjoy the rose. I bought it because it reminded me of you. It has an inner glow that reminds me of you when you smile.
Yours always, Your Least Likely Prince Charming
Ginny had confronted Harry about the rose as soon as she saw him that morning. Harry denied knowing anything about the gift. And so the gifts continued to be sent to Ginny. They always came with a little note, complimenting something about Ginny, and were always addressed to Cinderella and signed "Your Least Likely Prince Charming" in the same masculine script.
Ginny spent the next two weeks trying to find out who was sending her the beautiful presents. She spent more time in her classes glancing at all the boy's writing to see if she could match it to her secret admirer. She got another detention with Snape for cheating, when he observed her trying to see Andrew McDougal's writing in Potions class. Ginny began to believe that Harry was doing it, and using some kind of spell to disguise his handwriting. To Ginny, Harry was the only logical suspect, as he was the only guy in school to ask her out in recent days.
It was after two weeks of the constant gifts and letters that Ginny received the slipper. It was beautiful, an ornate shoe made of clear crystal, which sparkled like a prism in the light. Ginny was enchanted by the beautiful gift. She pulled the expensive ivory stationary out of the envelope and read the flowing script, which said:
To Cinderella:
I know that I am not worthy of you, but I wish for you to know me by my true name. If you wish to know me, the true me, please come to the astronomy tower at midnight. I will meet you there, my dear Ginny, with a matching slipper. Please come and meet me, and remember, things (and people) are not always what they seem, and even the least likeliest of princes deserves a fair chance.
Yours forever, Your Least Likely Prince Charming
Ginny of course, went to the tower, thinking that she would again have to discourage Harry from his latest attempt at pursuit. But, as Ginny waited in the tower holding the slipper in her hand, she was completely shocked at who came out of the shadows, carrying a matching crystal slipper in his pale hands.
Draco was more nervous than he had ever been in his life, as he carried the matching slipper out. He knew that the whole secret admirer thing was the stupidest idea he had ever come up with, but as Ginny would not even look at him after the incident in the library, he had to do something. So, he sent her gifts and letters professing his admiration of her spirit, and kindness, and beauty, in the hopes that, in this moment of revelation, she would forget about the way he had acted in the past, and give him a chance to do better in the future. He saw the shocked look on her face as she saw him, and stood still, waiting.
"Draco Malfoy?" She whispered, as if unable to believe her eyes. "You sent me the gifts?" She asked, a little louder.
"Yes." Was all he could reply, as he again found himself at a loss for words that had come so eloquently when he had a quill and was writing on a piece of parchment.
"Why?" Ginny asked, as she looked at the handsome boy, unable to believe he was the one who had sent the letters.
Then realization hit Ginny, and she was incredibly hurt by what she thought was the truth.
"This is a joke, right? I can't believe you would go to all this trouble for a joke." She said.
Draco looked at her for a moment, at a loss for words. If only his brain was actually attached to his tongue when he was around Ginny - he thought to himself.
Before he could get a word in, Ginny continued.
"I bet you and your Slytherin buddies think this his SO funny... Lure the Weasley girl up her with a secret admirer gag... Then you walk out of the shadows and pretend you like me... I guess that would be a great way to salvage your "tainted reputation." Ginny yelled at Draco, and against her will, began to cry.
Draco saw the tears, and didn't know what to do. "Ginny, I DO like you." He said, honestly, and began to move closer to the crying girl.
Ginny glared at Draco through the tears, and forced herself to stop crying. "Don't come any closer to me, Malfoy." she said as she got out her wand and pointed it at him. She proceeded to glance warily in the shadows behind Draco.
"So, where's your friends?" Ginny asked as she turned her angry brown gaze back to Draco, satisfied that no one was in the shadows waiting to jump her, or to come out and laugh at her humiliation.
"What 'friends'?" Draco replied honestly. "Didn't you or one of your friends tell me one time that I didn't have any? Whoever said it was right, you know."
Ginny just stared at Draco, with her drawn wand still clenched in her hand.
"Why did you lure me up here Malfoy, with that secret admirer stuff?" Ginny asked.
"Because I admire you?" Draco asked, slightly sarcastic. He hadn't expected, in his plotting and planning, that Ginny would be so disbelieving and, well, dense....
"Yeah, right Malfoy. And Harry Potter and Luna Lovegood are going to get married someday...." Ginny said, very sarcastically.
"Anything could happen, Weasley. Like me, Draco Malfoy, falling for a Weasley..." Draco said. "I am serious, you know. I really do admire you, and want to get to know you better." he said, with a smile.
The entire time, Ginny had been slowly inching her way toward the door. "Hah...." Ginny said. "You're good, Draco, I'll give you that. But I'm not an idiot you know...." Ginny said, as she slipped out the door. "And don't expect any of your gifts back, either." She yelled, as she hurried away.
Draco just stood there, as she left. He debated on whether or not to follow her for a moment, but quickly decided against it.
"Well, so much for charming Cinderella, Draco." He said to himself, as he sat down on a bench. "How can I charm a girl if she doesn't even believe I'm serious?" he asked the emptiness of the room.
Fate was listening, and wished she could answer the question for him. But she couldn't... Ginny was proving to be much more stubborn than fate originally planned... And Draco was having a much more difficult time being charming than she had originally thought.... Fate didn't know what to do, but she knew now was the time for her to intervene.... And, as a plan came to her, she smirked in true Draco fashion.....
Coming up: How will fate manage to fix this? With a little help of course.... What's a Cinderella fairy tale without a fairy godmother, anyway? Stay tuned for Chapter 13 - The Least Likely Fairy Godmother