Disclaimer: Anything you recognize is not mine.
A/N: First part of a two chapter story. The story switches from Draco's to Ginny's point of view a lot, but it's easy to tell which one is which, I'm sure. Enjoy (hopefully). Remember to review! --J
Faded
He ran as fast as his legs could carry him. He heard shouts and surprised squeals as he tore past numerous people, knocking paper and nameless objects out of their hands, sending it flying everywhere. But he didn't care. There was only one thought in his mind; and that was to get away. He was tall for a 10-year-old, but he was barely noticed as he dodged his way through the tall crowds of grown-ups.
Finally he found himself standing before the fountain, and he dropped down, exhausted by his panic flight. He knew it was ridiculous to run, and that they would eventually find him, but that hardly mattered at the moment. He drew his legs up, and buried his face in his knees. He would not cry… he would not cry…
"Malfoy's don't cry," he muttered, remembering his father's words.
----
"Mummy," a little girl with bright red hair exclaimed. "Where did Ron go?"
Molly Weasley looked down at her as she pulled her down along a long hallway. "He went to stay with Daddy in his office for a while, dear."
The girl scrunched up her nose. "Why?" She had been there before, and she didn't like it. It was small, cramped, and boring.
"Well, I suppose Daddy wants to show your brother how everything works," Molly said off-handedly.
"But Ron already knows how everything works," the girl pointed out confidently.
"Does he?" Molly said, surprised, as she glanced down at her daughter.
"Of course," the girl said, nodding. "We all know that Daddy collects Muggle things."
Hiding a smile, Molly inquired, "Who all knows, Ginny dear?"
"Bill and Charlie," Ginny responded immediately, not doubting for a single second that her brothers could ever possibly be wrong.
Molly nodded, finally understanding. She would have to have a talk with her two oldest sons about telling fibs to their sister. But for now, she didn't think it necessary to tell her daughter the whole truth. "Well, it does have to do with Muggles…"
Ginny barely turned her head. "Yeah, Mum, he collects Muggle things."
Molly sighed, resigned, but soon her attention was averted. They were now in a great hall of the Ministry, but Ginny forgot what her mother had called it. All Ginny knew was that there was a great, silly fountain right in the middle of it. She looked around as her Mum pulled her along to a desk where a man with a funny looking hat sat. Ginny stood there for a moment, uninterested, as her mother talked to him. She glanced at her Mum quickly, wondering if dealing with Fred and George all the time would mean she'd be ready for anything. But then, her mother didn't really expect this from her…
Trying to be stealthy, she began to sneak away. She knew exactly where she was going, and she would be back before her Mum even knew she was gone.
She saw the fountain from over people's heads, and she began to weave her way through the Ministry workers, not even noticing their curious glances.
Finally, after pushing past a pair of squawking witches, she laid her fingers on the cool marble that made up the base of the fountain. She stared at the statues that were spewing out the water, and she again thought how ridiculously silly it looked.
"Malfoy's don't cry," she heard a muffled voice say suddenly. She whirled around and gasped. There was a boy curled up in a ball, almost like he was trying to make himself as small as possible. He looked like he was trying hard to be unnoticed by the busy workers that bustled around him, and so far, it seemed he was doing a fairly good job.
Ginny stared at his white-blonde hair for a moment and thought that maybe she could have seen him somewhere before. Or, perhaps, the name that he had mumbled… Malfoy… suddenly, she remembered. She had heard her father ranting about a Malfoy in whispers to her mother… this couldn't possibly be the same person. Besides… he didn't look at all like a deatheater, or evil, or anything that her father had called him.
Ginny studied him for a while before deciding to talk to him.
----
"Why are you crying?"
Draco jumped back in alarm and found himself sitting at the feet of a girl… a redheaded girl. A redheaded girl with large, chocolate brown eyes.
He stumbled to his feet, angry for reasons unknown that she had come and talked to him. "What do you want?" He snarled.
She looked surprised. She was very tiny, he noted.
"Well," She said slowly, "You were crying…"
"I was not!" He said angrily.
She frowned at him. "Yes, you were."
"I wasn't," He insisted, although he knew she could tell he was lying. That only served to anger him more. "What do you want?" He growled.
She began to look irritated. "Nothing! If you're going to be such a prat about it, then positively nothing," she snapped and turned on her heal and stalked away.
Draco watched her retreating form warily. Then he noticed she was only storming to the other side of the fountain. He bit his lip, trying to ignore a feeling something like guilt seeping into his stomach.
----
Ginny huffed indignantly and crossed her arms. Boys.
Her brother's were just like that. They cry, she tries to talk to them, they get angry with her… she wasn't the one that made them cry, so why do they have to snap at her? She was only trying to help.
She dropped down to floor and crossed her legs, her back against the side of the fountain. She stared moodily at the tiled floor, completely forgetting that she should probably be getting back to her Mum right about now.
She sat in silence for a while, listening to the sounds of wizards and witches hurrying to whatever errands they were called to, too busy to notice a small girl sitting by the fountain. Suddenly, she looked up, startled, as the Malfoy boy… she did not know his name… trudged up, and sat uneasily down next to her, blushing slightly. Ginny peered at him curiously, but when he looked at her, she looked away.
He cleared his throat, but she still stubbornly did not look at him.
"So, uh… how old are you?" He asked, attempting to break the silence.
Ginny barely glanced at him. "Nine," she replied shortly.
----
Draco frowned at her. She seemed angry with him. He had come over here… what did she want him to do? Grovel at her feet?
"What's your name?" He tried again.
She turned her fiery head towards him, finally looking at him straight in the eye. He was struck again by how… chocolate her eyes looked. What was wrong with him, he wondered? He never cared about what anyone else's eye color was before…
"Ginny," She responded curiously. "My name's Ginny."
They were silent for a moment. "What's yours?"
"Draco," he said slowly.
She titled her head slightly and smiled at him; and for reasons he'd rather not think about he felt his face begin to heat up.
"Draco," she repeated cheerfully. She stuck a small hand out, apparently forgetting their previous disagreement. "Nice to meet you!"
Draco stared at her tiny, pale hand for a moment. There was a faint sprinkle of freckles on the palm of her hand, totally unlike her face, which freckles practically dominated as a result of many hours in the sun. He took her hand carefully. She surprised him by shaking it vigorously, and he pulled away hastily, not used to such formalities.
Why had he been thinking about her freckles, anyway? They weren't even very nice looking. They just made her look childish. He wrinkled his nose.
----
"So," She quipped curiously, tugging absently at a lock of her bright red hair. "Where's your Mum?"
Draco tensed. "Home," he almost snapped.
Ginny blinked, shocked at his defensive tone. "Oh…"
"Where's your Mum?" He shot suddenly. He continued, snarling, "Probably off buying sugar cookies for her innocent little girl."
Ginny's mouth dropped open. It wasn't much of an insult, but Charlie had told her never to let anyone push her around… even if it was a boy.
"What's your problem, Malfoy?" She snapped back, irritated. What is it with this boy?
----
She said his name like it was some disgusting swearword. He wasn't going to lie to himself. It was jealousy that he was feeling. She probably had a loving family, an adoring mother, etc… while all he had…
He glared at her, and she glared back defiantly. She had absolutely no idea…
"Draco!"
Draco's head snapped up and his eyes widened as he saw his father stomping over in a rage. He saw Ginny glance around, startled. Aghast, he watched as his father took in the little redhead. Panicking, he snatched Ginny's hand from the floor and jumped up, yanking her up with him.
"What are you—?" Ginny gasped, shocked.
"No time to explain," He said breathlessly as he began pulling her through the now waning crowd of Ministry workers. He glanced behind and saw his father advancing on them, looking even more furious than before. He quickened his pace.
----
She was dumbfounded as he dragged her along, growing more persistent by the second. He pulled her into a lift, barely missing the doors as they closed behind her. The small space was packed as he squeezed her into the small corner. She saw his eyes dart around nervously, taking in the suspicious eyes of the Ministry workers crowded into the small lift. She waited in a tense silence as they ascended a couple of floors until the lift was almost empty.
The doors opened again into a loud workstation full of cubicles. Ginny glanced around uneasily as Draco pulled her along once again. "Draco, stop! He's not following us anymore—,"
He slowed and stopped. She tightened her grip on his hand. "Are you all right?" She whispered, unsure if he heard her. He turned toward her and her eyes widened. His face was flushed and he looked like he was at the verge of tears…
"What's the matter?" She asked, concerned.
"C'mon," he mumbled and pulled her into a slightly less crowded hallway and pulled her off to the side. He looked at her gravely.
"That was my father."
Shocked, she exclaimed, "Why were you running from him?"
He dropped her hand suddenly, and she realized with a start that she hadn't even noticed she was still holding it. Averting his eyes, he said cautiously, "Because if he saw you…" He trailed off.
Ginny furrowed her brows. "Why does it matter?"
He sighed. "It doesn't matter. I think he saw you anyway," he paused, glancing at her, "And… you don't know my father. You don't want to."
She stared at him, eyes wide. "What do you mean?" She whispered.
He shook his head hastily. "Never mind."
Ginny glanced around again and realized something with a nasty jolt. "Mum!" She said, horrified.
He looked confused. "Pardon?"
She felt herself growing frantic. "My mother! Oh, Merlin…" She moaned, slapping her hand to her forehead. "She's going to be so furious! What am I going to do?" She groused helplessly.
"Let's go," Draco said after a moment and grabbed her wrist.
"Where?" She wailed.
He glanced back at her as they began to weave their way back to the lift. "To find your Mum."
"But I don't know where she is!"
He stopped suddenly and she nearly pummeled into him. "Where was she last?"
Ginny pursed her lips. "The big hall thing… with the fountain?" She said in a small voice.
He looked at her blankly, but then she saw realization cross his face as it dawned on him. "Right," He said shortly as he began to pull her along again.
It was a blur as they went back on the lift, and suddenly she found herself standing before the fountain again, staring up at the silly looking statues. She turned around and scanned the hall, looking for any sign of red. Brown… Brown… Blonde… Red… Brown… wait, Red! "There!" She exclaimed, pointing at, not her mother, but her father.
---
Draco turned and looked at where the girl was pointing. He gasped suddenly as he recognized… no, it couldn't be… He glanced between the two redheads… he should've realized… a Weasley?
He stared at the relieved girl. "You're a Weasley?"
She looked at him. "Yep."
He didn't say anything more, but… now he knew it was even worse. His father must've known that this was Arthur Weasley's daughter… and that was why he looked about ready to curse him into the next century when he saw him with her. He had to get away from her. Now.
"Well, I… I…"
She turned to him, and he was taken aback by the sweet smile that had overtaken her face. "W-What?" He said after a moment as she continued to look at him.
---
She thought nothing of it. She did it to her brother's all the time. It was merely a way that she said… thank you.
He looked like a frightened deer as she sidled up to him, and even more nervous as she grabbed his arm for balance as she stood on her tiptoes to get closer. "Thanks, Draco, for helping me find my Dad," She said softly before she innocently placed her lips on his cheek and pulled away.
She saw him blush furiously and she wondered why. Her brother's usually patted her head when she did that. But then, she thought, this boy was very different from her brothers.
---
"I'll see you at Hogwarts, Draco? Right? In a few years? Will I, Draco?"
Feeling incapable of speech, he nodded. She flashed him her widest smile yet. "Great! Well," She glanced behind her at her father, who stood waiting with a peculiar look on his face, "Got to go."
He watched as she ran up to her father and took his hand. He spoke to her for a moment and she laughed and nodded her head vigorously. He nearly jumped when she turned to look at him and waved cheerfully. He managed a weak smile before he jolted back to his senses. He had to get back.
---
"Do you know who that boy is, Ginny?"
She smiled up at her father as he pulled her gently along. "Yeah, Daddy. He's Draco Malfoy."
Arthur stopped and looked down at her. "Did he do anything strange to you? Did he hurt you?"
"No," She said slowly, "He didn't hurt me. But he did run from his Dad."
"What do you mean?" He asked, confused.
Her face cleared suddenly and she smiled up at him reassuringly. "Nothing, Daddy."
Before he could question her further, he heard a screech and he turned, surprised.He saw with a feeling of dismay his wife stomping towards them.
"Uh, oh," Ginny whispered and turned to run. Arthur quickly grabbed her before she could get very far.
"Not so fast, Ginny, dear," He murmured and held her shoulder firmly as her mother barreled at them in a frantic rage.
"Ginny!" Molly shrieked as she gathered her daughter into her arms. "I was so worried about you! Oh, my sweet little girl…" She gushed whilst holding Ginny tightly, making it slightly hard for her to breathe.
"Mum…" She wheezed, "I'm fine… Mummy… I can't breathe…"
Molly pulled back and took her daughter by her shoulders and shook her softly. "Don't you ever do that to me again!" She demanded shrilly. "You will be punished, young lady!"
"What! Why?" Ginny whined.
"Gin, you know Mum…" Ron suddenly spoke up.
"Ronnie!" Ginny exclaimed, grabbing his arm. "Ronnie, you'll help me, won't you?"
Ron grinned at her and patted her head. He had been bored nearly to tears in his Dad's office, while Ginny had been off having fun. "Not a chance."Fun always comes with a price, he thinks happily as he watches his little sister bristle in indignation.
"Ron!" She yelps as her Mum takes her by the wrist and pulls her in front of her ("I'm keeping an eye on you from now on! Honestly, Fred and George are casting a very bad example on you…").
---
Draco watches them, and he knows. He knows what he must do. He must act like what had gone on today had never happened. For Ginny's, and his, safety.
He looks on from behind a door as Ginny takes her brother's arm and he pats her head. Her brother looks around his own age. Yes, perhaps he would see them at school. And maybe, by that time, this encounter would've already faded from Ginny's mind… at least he would hope so.
"Come along, Draco," A cold voice commanded as the Weasley family drifted away. Draco glanced back one last time as he hurried after his father.