Chapter 5 In Which a Secret Romantic is Partly Revealed
Ginny watched the other girls get ready for the dance. They coaxed, she shrugged, and they finally left her alone, waving to her as their boyfriends walked them out the portrait hole. She was almost ready, but didn't want them to know she was going, or with whom.
Ginny finally stepped out into the Common Room, which was full of the First through Third years who weren't allowed to go. They had been noisy, but got quiet as she came down the stairs from the girl's dormitory. She felt nervous, but tried not to show it to the younger students. I wonder what's got all their tongues? not they were staring at her.
A group of giggling Second Year girls bounced toward her, interrupting her reverie.
"Ginny, there's a message for you at the door," one of them said with a nervous laugh.
A note from Malfoy, no doubt telling me he was just kidding about taking me to the dance, she thought, but was curious enough to step out the portrait hole.
There in the hall was a white orchid corsage, hanging in the air, with a note attached. On the note were the words, Follow me. Ginny looked left and right for any sign of Draco, but saw nothing. The corsage and note swayed a bit before moving off toward the stairs leading down to the Great Hall. Ginny, intrigued, followed.
At the bottom of the stairs to Gryffindor Tower was Draco Malfoy, resplendent in formal green robes with silver trim and his hair pulled back in a ponytail with a silver ribbon. Ginny could hear the music from the dance over to her right, and a smile crept onto her face. She decided was actually looking forward to this.
Draco caught his breath at the sight of Ginny coming down the stairs. He already thought she was pretty; what he didn't know was she was truly beautiful. Her dark red hair was pulled off her face and fell down her back in cascades of curls. Her forest green dress came off her shoulders and hugged her breasts and waist, only to flow down into a wide skirt that stopped just above her ankles. Her tiny feet were in silver strappy sandals and she twirled in a circle as she came closer, making the skirt bloom out.
Draco couldn't breathe.
Ginny, taking his silence for disappointment, faltered a little. "Malfoy, what's the matter? Never seen a real woman before?" She tried to sound mocking, but to Draco, it sounded like silver bells.
Malfoy, get ahold of yourself! "No, Weaselette, I was just surprised is all. I didn't think you cleaned up this good," he said with a smirk.
"Ha ha, I could say the same about you." Ginny shot back, although her thoughts had been running along the lines of how his hair would feel if she could run her fingers through it, and what could she possibly do to make him let her do it.
"Well, since both of us are dressed up, we should probably go in," Draco said as he plucked the corsage out of the air and placed it around Ginny's wrist.
"Lead on, milord," Ginny giggled as she took his arm. "As you wish, milady," was Draco's reply as they entered the Great Hall.