Disclaimer: No rights to the characters, but once given an inch of permission to write a story, I'll gladly go that extra mile! No clue who to credit with the 'soonest done' homily, but Ben Franklin said the adage about time, and Diana Krall is the singer of Let's Face the Music and Dance.
A/N: I know, I know, this is KERICHI'S chap, but I have to add just a tiny THREAT in here before you read this chap. Kerichi has been a bit. . loony lately about the apparent LACK of REVIEWS! So if you do not review, I will cut your head off, then maim you, AND THEN SEND LOONY KERICHI AFTER YOU! SO REVIEW!
Face Fear: Are you afraid of the dark?
Draco and Ginny
Black robes rippling with the force of his angry strides, Draco Malfoy ignored the hopeful glances silly girls threw his way while he swept through the corridors toward the dungeons. Platinum strands obscured storm cloud grey eyes glaring a warning to anyone who tried to greet him. A slight sneer curled his mouth. The sixth-year Prefect was thoroughly put out. He'd had plans for tonight, and now they were ruined. Potty and Weasel had to keep mentioning his father in Potions, which resulted in him using the Flipendo charm to overturn their cauldrons. Snape, irritated by having to clean the foul slime that had seeped across the stone floor, had given the Slytherin detention. Detention!
Seething over the injustice, and frustrated as hell, the usually sartorially perfect teen reached up to yank open his robes before tugging his tie down. Raking agitated fingers through his hair, the classically handsome boy turned on his heel and faced the hulking youths who had doggedly followed his every step,
"Crabbe, Goyle, do you have detention?"
Exchanging baffled looks, the two gazed at him silently before Crabbe ventured,
"Uh…No?"
"No…so stop following me and go do something useful!"
Again, his henchmen's gazes flickered sideways in an unspoken question neither could answer. Forehead deeply creased in painful thought, Goyle asked hesitantly,
"What's useful?"
Closing his eyes and counting to ten, twice, Malfoy exhaled and explained curtly,
"Helpful, practical…of use…You have no idea what I'm talking about do you?"
Crabbe elbowed his crony and nodded,
"I know, it just took awhile to think of something. Would shining your shoes be useful?"
"I expect it would."
"I could make sure your quills are sharpened and your ink bottles full."
"All right, whatever- grab yourselves a butterbeer from my private stock once you're done." Rolling his eyes when the pair continued to stand and smile goofily at the prospect of a reward for their efforts, Draco ordered,
"Go…goodbye"
"Goodbye boss…I mean Malfoy."
Pale eyes narrowed at the reminder that the boys had started thinking of themselves as 'wise guys'. If they bought matching pin striped suits and sunglasses, he was hexing them. Stomping down to the dungeon level, the Slytherin entered Professor Snape's classroom. The Potions Master was sitting at his desk, pushing a row of pencils into alignment with the tip of a finger. Without looking up from the absorbing task, the man drawled,
"You're late, Mr. Malfoy. If your partner wasn't even tardier, I would have to add another night of detention."
Before he could ask the name of the unfortunate soul who would share his grim fate, a voice sounded from the doorway,
"I'm sorry I wasn't here earlier, professor, I was tutoring another student and lost track of time."
"What student, on which subject?"
Smiling embarrassedly, the newcomer admitted,
"Neville Longbottom, Sir…on potions…"
Standing, Snape looked down his long nose at the redheaded girl, "At least your endeavors here will be productive, Ms. Weasley." Gesturing to the storeroom entrance on the wall behind him, the teacher instructed, "I want a list of all the stores that need replacement or augmentation." In a voice that implied that they'd better do the exact opposite, the older wizard stated, "If I am needed, you will find me in Professor Lorelei's office…grading papers…"
When Snape had swooped out of the classroom, the girl turned soft brown eyes on the boy who was looking at her incredulously. He asked,
"How?"
Her pretty face lit up with mischief,
"I added salamander bile instead of salamander wool."
A boyish smile transformed Draco's face from sulky to strikingly handsome. He reached out and traced the sprinkle of cinnamon colored freckles from one delicate cheek to the other,
"Thereby making anything you dipped into your solution burst into flames instead of becoming inflammable…earning detention… I'm impressed, Gryffindor…"
Slipping slender arms around his waist, her eyes sparkled,
"Some of your Slytherin cunning must've rubbed off on me."
His mouth lowered to the one lifting temptingly toward his. Teasingly, he barely touched his lips to hers, brushing softly, back and forth, over and over before whispering,
"Like this?"
Throwing her arms around his neck, Ginny kissed the maddening boy until her bones started to melt and her knees began to buckle. Draco sat on a nearby stool and drew her onto his lap. After allowing her fingers to sink into that gorgeous silky hair while gliding her tongue against his, she pulled back for a moment to smirk,
"Like that"
Her boyfriend's chuckle was worth all the effort she'd gone through to be in his arms. They'd planned on meeting in the Room of Requirement after dinner. Malfoy had promised an evening of dancing in a club in Paris with a view of the Eiffel Tower and cherry blossoms perfuming the spring air. She'd looked forward to it all day. Every time she'd see him in the corridors, their eyes would meet and an exhilarating awareness would arc between them. Ginny had wanted to dance with him so much. Since it hadn't worked out, she'd make do with spending time together…even if it was in detention.
Several kisses later, the pair prudently put a work table between them and the temptation to spend the whole time snogging. Tucking a lock of fiery hair behind her ear, the girl resisted taking Draco up on his offer to nibble on the exposed appendage and said one of Molly Weasley's sayings in the exact tone her mother had employed numerous times,
"Soonest begun's soonest done"
A white-blond eyebrow winged upwards. Tossing her hair back and flouncing toward the storeroom, Ginny added another maxim for good measure,
"You may delay, but time will not."
Standing with hands on her hips in the cluttered space, she wondered how in Merlin's name they were going to determine everything that needed re-stocking. Some of the jars held items that she couldn't even name, much less tell if there was an appropriate amount contained within. Masculine arms wrapped around her. Resting his chin on her shoulder, Malfoy asked with a smile in his voice,
"What're you doing Red?"
She relaxed against him,
"Wondering if we've just been given a labor of Hercules…"
His huff of amusement beside her susceptible ear caused happy shivers. He drawled,
"I bet old Herc' had an ace up his sleeve too." Without turning, he directed, "Slinky, come in here."
"Young master is ready now?" The house elf's tennis ball shaped eyes rapidly scanned the shelves while an enchanted quill scratched a list onto a parchment floating in mid-air nearby. After a few minutes, the list was compiled…in a perfect copy of Draco's bold handwriting. Ginny smiled when the elf accepted the boy's thanks with a floor scraping bow and a reverent,
"No young sir, thank you, for being so…Slytherin…"
After Slinky had returned via the classroom fireplace to the kitchens, she looked into silvery eyes and asked,
"Should we stay here or…?"
Malfoy, standing beside the door he'd just cracked open, placed a finger to his lips. Silently, the girl crept over and pressed against his side, trying to hear.
"Should you really leave them unsupervised while we pop up to the seventh floor?"
"I assure you the task assigned will not be completed for another couple of hours, at the earliest, and that no Slytherin would come looking for another one should they finish beforehand."
Brown eyes met grey, widening with realization. Lorelei and Snape were sneaking off to the Room of Requirement! Ginny didn't know whether to be amused or annoyed. She'd wanted to use the room. Pressing against the wall alongside Draco in order not to be seen when the couple passed by, she almost gasped to hear Snape utter,
"I suppose I'll have to wear that bloody mask again to enact another Phantom of the Opera fantasy."
The listening students shared a grimacing look while the professors' voices drifted away.
"Well, that does put a damper on my plans…not to mention the mood…but where there's a will…" Malfoy thought for a moment then shrugged and strode over to the fireplace, commanding, "Slinky!"
"You called, young master?"
Beckoning imperiously, the blond leaned down to softly dictate his instructions. Ginny watched Draco's face, marveling at how unguarded he was around her, allowing every emotion from irritation to elation to play across his features. She wondered what he had in mind and looked forward to finding out.
Leading Ginny toward Dungeon 7, the Slytherin boy couldn't keep his lips from turning upwards. His idea was brilliant, if he did say so himself, and his girl was going to be wowed.
Standing in the doorway of the previously empty classroom, the Gryffindor girl took in an awed breath and forgot to exhale, she was so entranced. Slinky had used illusion charms to project a three hundred and sixty degree view of Paris at night. The city lights twinkled 'below' while the Eiffel Tower was lit up like something from a fairy tale. On a table in the center of the room, a table for two was softly illumined by enchanted candles floating overhead. Looking down at her second best school robes, she said ruefully,
"I think I'm under-dressed."
Draco smiled, "Your beauty shines so bright, we don't need candles." He took her hand in his and brought them into tango position. Slinky, who had just entered the room, heard the conviction in his voice without considering the context of the words and nodded,
"If you is wishing so, then I makes it so."
The candles blew out. The chamber became wreathed in darkest shadow. Blond hair barely visible in the dim light reflected from the Parisian cityscape around them, Malfoy clutched his girlfriend tight and assured,
"It…its okay…we're not really trapped in the dark…nothing will harm you…I'm here for you…"
The brave words were belied by a note of panic. Ginny's smile could be heard in her voice when she replied,
"I'm not scared of the dark, I know you'll protect me and…" She laughed embarrassedly before confessing, "I think it's romantic…being held in your arms…dancing in the dark…"
Loosening his tight grip, Draco relaxed. He wasn't a child frightened by his father's stories of unworthy boys receiving a Dementor's 'kiss' one dark night. He was seventeen years old, and the girl he loved wanted to dance with him in the dark. Pulling her flush against him, he led her in a rock-step, rock-step turn while the orb the elf had spun before backing away played,
There may be trouble ahead
But while there's music and moonlight and love and romance
Let's face the music and dance
Swaying sensuously, feet barely leaving the floor, Ginny smiled to hear the song that had played that magical night when they'd told each other…
"I love you."
Raising up on tiptoe, she whispered back before kissing Draco with all the love in her heart,
"I love you too."
