Ginny crept quietly out of the common room entrance. It was after hours and she hoped that no one would notice that she had left. She needed time to think. Ginny had just broken up with her boyfriend Dean Thomas. She didn't feel like bawling and eating chocolate for three weeks, as she had been the dumper and not the dumpee. But she did feel confused. Had she done the right thing? Walking along the deserted corridors she mulled over everything that had happened recently. At least everything that had happened involving Dean, of course. Ginny had been so absorbed in her thoughts that she didn't notice anyone around her until she heard a familiar voice.
"God Weasel, are you stalking me? I know I'm gorgeous, but did you really think you'd have a chance?" Draco Malfoy, the owner of the voice was leaning against the wall and had startled her so much that she jumped right into the air.
"Oh, yes of course I'm in love with a skinny albino who spends their nights most excitingly all alone, with the wall for company," she retorted. She realized that this probably wouldn't hit home because, even she knew it, he was one of the most wanted guys at the school. He knew he was good looking, and he knew that she knew.
"You're making fun of my looks? Try looking in a mirror. You'll be scarred for life. Even more so than St. Potter. You know, the one you've been following around for years. Too bad he doesn't know you exist." He smirked.
"Why you-" Ginny stopped short as she heard another voice.
"Show me the way my sweet. Whoever is out after hours is going to be in a lot of trouble. And you're such a smart girl for finding them for me." Filch was cooing over the love of his life, Mrs. Norris.
The two students looked around. At the same instant, they dove for the nearest closet and closed it silently. Ginny held her breath until Filch walked away saying, "They can run, but they can't hide."
A sigh of relief came from Draco and he twisted the door handle. Nothing happened. He tried again. The third time he shoved his body against the door while twisting the handle. "Are you dumb, Malfoy?" The door obviously magically locks itself. We're in the wizarding world." Ginny then proceeded to mutter, "Alohamora." To both of their surprises, the door stayed tightly shut.
"And you're calling me dumb when you can't even manage a simple spell that you learn in first year?" He sneered, and then repeated the unlocking charm. "What the hell!"
Ginny's face went white. "Malfoy, you know what we're in?"
"If I did, I'd have figured us a way out of here you idiot."
"As a matter of fact, no you wouldn't have. This is a magic proof closet. I read about them in Hogwarts: a History. The two female founders got so sick of Godric and Salazar fighting all the time. Rowena and Helga built them to lock the Slytherin and Gryffindor founders in when they would get into major duels. It was mentioned in chapter three I believe."
"You can read?" Malfoy asked, pretending to be dumbstruck.
"Don't be a prat. We're locked in here until who knows when!" she shrieked.
"Well it was your fault. You shut the door!"
"And you wouldn't have? Yeah right. Plus if you hadn't been so loud, the bloody cat wouldn't have seen us!"
"Look Weasel. I'm sick of your talking. Just shut it. And figure out a god damn way to get us out of here!"
"There isn't a way! Didn't I just tell you? Is your brain truly that small that you can't process simple things like that? We'll have to wait until morning when someone walks by. Then we'll scream our lungs off and the door will be opened and I'll be rid of you."
"Fine. Well shove over. I don't need a muggle lover's filth all over me."
"I'm already squished up against a stupid wall! No wonder they'd stop fighting to get out of here. Now," Ginny pushed him, "You move to your side."
"I am on my side, you think I want to be next to Weasley filth?" he sneered. And pushed her.
She slapped him. "Didn't you learn how boys are never to hit girls? Or is it because your father's in Azkaban that he never got a chance to show you anything other than Dark Arts?"
"I really don't consider you a girl. And never mention my father again. You don't know him."
"Oh, well I know how he helped make Riddle able to possess me in my first year." Her eyes darkened at the thought.
"Serves you right." He sneered.
"Oh, serves me right for what?"
"For being."
"Being what? Smarter than you? Being someone that people actally like? Someone who people trust?"
"No actually. Just for being. And if you think people like you, I'd check again. Name one person." He leered at her.
"Hermione."
"She only acts like she does so that Weasel number one, her lover boy will like her."
"She likes me because of my personality. We're good friends. And you know what? Ron is not her 'lover boy.' I can't believe you actually said lover boy. What are you? A first year?"
"Well if you think that's why she likes you, I guess I'll let you believe that. But just think about it. How often do you get ditched? Who does she go to Hogsmeade with? Do her homework with? Go to support at quidditch games?"
"You know all of this? Wow, you're one heck of a stalker. I never really had you down for a muggleborn loving type. Next thing you know, you'll be her 'lover boy.'" She laughed at this thought and then sat down. "I'm going to sleep, so I hope you have a happy night fantasizing about Hermione."
"You are so- so. That girl is just about the worst looking girl I've ever seen. Second to you of course."
"Uh huh. Well then, you must not have seen very many girls. Now good night." She closed her eyes.
A few minutes passed in silence. "Weaslette," Malfoy moaned.
"What?" She snapped.
"I'm bored."
"And you're telling me this why?"
"Because," he sighed irritably, "I'm bored."
"Shut up and sit down and go to sleep."
"You can't order around a Malfoy! Who do you think you are?"
"Fine. Whatever. Do what you want. Stand up all night."
"There is no way I'm standing up. You must be crazy."
"Oh my god. Be quiet."
"I'm not going to be quiet! I told you, I'm not listening to you."
"Well then keep talking about nothing. I am not listening." She leaned her head back against the wall."
"There's no way I'm talking all night. Are you insane?"
"De ja vu," she muttered.
"Why the hell are you talking Weasel?"
"I'm all done now. So you can be happy and rest here in peace."
"No! I'm bored."
"You sound like you're a spoiled little five year old brat. Not a spoiled little 17 year old brat."
"Little? Little? What are you? Maybe 5 feet? I've got over a foot on you. I'm 6'2"! So hah!"
"I'm 5'2" and a half to be exact. So I guess you don't have a foot on me. Too bad, poor little Malfoy. Not getting to be a full foot taller than a girl that he doesn't care about. It must be horrible. I give you my condolences. And you're still as thin as a stick. No muscles, no nothing. So I guess you are little."
"No muscles? Look at this." He flexed his arms. "And you know what? I' m going to sleep. He yanked her up. Sat on the floor and tried to ignore the girl standing furiously above him. "Sorry," he grinned, "No room for two people here."
"Well I was there first. So unless you move," she sat on him, "I'm not moving."
"You stupid idiot!" To Ginny's surprise, he picked her up like knight did to ladies in the olden days. He stood up, still holding her. And dropped her. "Take your spot. See if I care. Oh, did I hurt you?" he snorted. "Ah well, you'll live. Maybe it wouldn't hurt so much if I weren't so big, so high off the ground.
Ginny couldn't believe it. That had really hurt, landing on her butt like that. She didn't say anything. She couldn't think. Her head had banged against the wall and was now developing a headache.
"Weasley?"
She just lay there, motionless.
"Weasel?"
There was a long silent pause.
"Weaslette!"
She still didn't move.
He bent down to check and see if she was breathing. When his head was low enough, Ginny sat up slightly, and punched him in the face, knocking him unconscious and breaking his nose. Then fell back asleep.
The next morning, when Professor Snape and Professor Flitwick got in a heated duel, Dumbledore just smiled and led them to a closet in an unoccupied corridor. He turned the handle and found a bloody Draco Malfoy lying on the ground and on top of an unconscious Ginny Weasley. He frowned and muttered a spell, awakening them both. The two looked mildly confused before Malfoy started, "Bloody hell! I knew you weren't a girl. No girl can punch like that!"
"And if you were a true man, you wouldn't have been knocked out!"
The two both got up and walked off, still yelling at each other. Dumbledore looked at them, and then at the two professors that were with him. He let them go, not wanting a repeat of what had just happened. Not that he was even sure what that was.