CHAPTER 8

LOVE HATE, HATE LOVE… OR NOT?

Where am I? Was the first thought that flashed through Ginny Weasely's mind when she opened her eyes and sat up wearily the next day. The next thought was "don't sit up. Sitting up is bad," as a wave of pain flooded her head. She closed her eyes again, trying to block out the morning - or was it afternoon? - light that was steaming through the dark green velvet curtains.

Hold on. There was something wrong with that image. She opened her eyes again. Blinding light, accessing the room through the opening in the window made by the - dark green velvet curtains. Dark green. Dark. Green. Green. Uh oh.

She sat up quickly, and then immediately regretted her actions as a wave of red hot pain shot through her head. She groaned and flopped back down on the bed. Wherever she was, it would have to wait. At least until the pain was over.

"Drink this," someone was saying, putting down a steaming mug on the bed side table.

Ginny opened her eyes again wearily, looking up at the person standing over her and dove back under the covers, brining the sheets up over her face. Oh no. This had better be a dream. This wasn't real. No way. It couldn't be real.

She pulled the covers down, so that she could see and squeaked, and tried once again to hide under the covers.

"Just drink the bleeding potion, it helps, believe me." The person was saying to her hidden form.

Very slowly, as if she was a mouse, Ginny extracted herself from beneath the covers and sat up in the bed, looking up at the person who was now sitting on a couch on the other side of the room.

"Wh-Where am I...?" She tried to say, but the pounding in her head grew too intense for her to speak.

"Just drink it and then I'll explain," Malfoy was saying wearily.

Ginny nodded, and hesitantly took a sip op whatever it was in the mug. Instantly she felt a little better. She gulped the hot liquid down as quickly as she could - it was probably the grossest thing she'd ever tasted - and set the mug back down again, screwing up her face.

"It wouldn't harm to add flavourings to these things," she mumbled, and she was surprised to see Malfoy smile at her words.

"Disgusting isn't it?"

"No," she said sarcastically "I loved it actually. Delicious."

Malfoy rolled his eyes heavenwards. "D'you want to know what you are doing here or not?" He asked testily.

Ginny shut up, but glared at him. "Not particularly."

He gave her a small smile, which she did not return. "All right. Basically what happened last night - as far as I know, is that you found me in moaning myrtle's bathroom, you were drunk and started laughing your head off, accused me of being a child rapist slash molester, then Filch came in, threatened to give us detention which you stopped him from doing by accusing him of shagging McGonagall, then you threw up all over my shoes, and fainted, and you wouldn't wake up so I had to carry you all the way to the bloody Slytherin Chambers and give you MY bed because you kept falling off the couch."

Ginny stared at him; horror stuck, and then broke down laughing. "You can't be serious." But when she saw he wasn't laughing or showing any sign of amusement she stopped suddenly. "Oh God. You're not joking are you?"

Malfoy shook his head. "Jesus... who found out?" She looked panic stricken.

Under the normal circumstances Draco would have loved to taunt her, but since she was looking so desperate, he decided to give her a break. "Er... no one. At least, not that I know of."

Ginny ogled at him. "Are you being serious?"

"Dead."

"Whoa." Ginny didn't know what to say. This was so unlike him. The Malfoy she knew would never have put up with that. He would have probably stripped her off all her clothes and chained her up in the entrance hall. But here she was, in his bed, safe and sound, and no one except themselves knew.

After all those years of hating each other, tormenting each other, yelling fighting cursing each other... why hadn't he left her behind? "But..." She didn't want to voice the thought, afraid of the answer.

Malfoy froze in the doorway, and turned around to look at her. "Yes?" He said in a way, as if going 'I'm waiting?'

"Why? Why didn't you tell anyone?"

Malfoy looked at her bored. "What do you think people would have thought if I told then I just happened to find you in a bathroom that is supposed to be off limits, not to mention a girl's bathroom in the dead of night?"

Ginny went red. "Good po - Nothing actually did happen right?"

Malfoy looked at her disgustedly from where he was leaning against the door frame. "Do you honestly think I would screw you Weasely?"

Ginny looked back down at the covers. "Right."

He turned to leave again. "Wait a minute..."

He turned back impatiently. "Now what?"

"Why?"

"We've just been over this Weasely."

"No. That's not what I meant. I mean, why did you bring me up here? Why didn't you just leave me in the bathroom? Why did you care that I kept falling off your couch that you gave me your bed? Why did you bother getting me that potion for my horrible hang over?"

"Don't flatter yourself Weasely. You don't honestly think I care do you?"

Ginny managed a small smile. "One would almost thing so much."

"Yeah?" Malfoy snarled. "Well then one isn't smart enough." He sighed. "All right, here's the deal." He came back into the room, and set the mug down on the coffee table. "I've got a proposition to make."

Ginny's lips curved upwards. "No thanks. I've already found my future husband."

Malfoy regarded her as if he thought her pathetic. "You don't blab about finding me in the bathroom, and I won't tell anyone about this," he said, gesturing at the bed. "Okay?"

Ginny considered the offer for a minute. "First I want to know what you were doing in that bathroom."

"If you tell me what got you so upset to get that drunk."

"All right."

Malfoy's eyes widened. He hadn't expected her to say yes.

"If you must know I couldn't sleep because Derek has a new girlfriend who is a total bitch and will so break his heart, so I went down to the kitchens and all the elves were playing poker and drinking tequila, because you know, elves don't get drunk as easily 'cause they're not really human are they? And then next think I know, I wake up here." She smiled at him sweetly, something which didn't fool him. "Your turn."

"All right... If you must know I was visiting Myrtle because I promised her to. She helped me out of a tight fix last year."

Ginny took one look at him, and she her face showed disappointment. For a minute, Malfoy thought he'd fooled her, and felt immensely proud, but the next he felt deflated. "Liar. The truth now please."

"Oh all right. If you must know, I was hiding."

"From who? Come on Malfoy. Just tell me the truth. I was honest, now you've got to be."

"But I am!" He insisted stubbornly.

"No you're not. Your ears go pink when you lie."

Ginny grinned as she watched Malfoy splutter indignantly. "They do not!"

Ginny shrugged. "Okay, so they don't. But I can tell you're lying. What were you really doing?"

"FINE!" He yelled, frustrated and dejected. "I was brewing Felix Flexis. But I'm not telling you what for."

Ginny noticed he went slightly pink as he said that.

"Thank you," She said. "For being honest."

He gave her a small smile.

"I want to help."

He looked up sharply. "What? No!"

Ginny glared at him. "I got us out of a week worth of detention, and if I really want to I can tell everybody you tried to do... stuff... to me. After all I was drunk and then I suddenly wake up in your bed. Who are people most likely to believe?"

"Do you really think people will believe that house elves were playing poker?" Malfoy shot back angrily.

"They can always ask Dobby. I'm sure he wouldn't mind doing me a favour. Plus, Filch found us both in the bathroom."

Malfoy sent her a withering look before giving in. "Oh all right."

Ginny smiled sweetly. "Thank you," she said primly. "Now... mind if I use your bathroom?"

MXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXM

"Malfoy!" Ginny called through the locked bathroom door. "Where the hell do you keep your towels?"

Draco sighed and called back "second cupboard to the right."

It was Saturday. Normally he would have a lie in, and go down to breakfast with Zabini. After that, maybe they'd go into hogsmead or play quidditch. Then probably homework, and be lazy, and if they got really bored torment first years... but no. Hell no. Of course she had to come along and ruin his plans.

He hadn't gotten much sleep on the sofa for one, and then he'd been deprived of breakfast because if she woke up, she might panic and curse everything he might hold precious. Skipping breakfast hadn't been too much of a problem though, considering the fact that ex-prefects had to right to call up house elves; and so, he'd still had a leisurely breakfast of croissants and chocolate éclairs. Not that he liked French food, but it seemed like the kind of breakfast Ginny would like.

He looked up as the lock scraped back, and Ginny emerged from the bathroom door wearing her clothes from yesterday, her hair still a bit damp from the shower, and gleaming in the light that was coming in through the closed windows.

"What?"

Malfoy quickly shut his mouth. "Nothing... you hungry? I got croissants."

Ginny looked at him strangely. "You got what?"

"Croissants."

"What the hell are croissants?"

Malfoy hadn't expected this answer. But then again, she probably had never been on holiday in France. "Croissants. You know. They're like... French sort of crescent shaped rolls."

"Oh. Like Fanta?" She asked eagerly.

"What's Fanta?"

"The most amazing drink in the world. Muggle drink."

"Better than tequila?"

Ginny glared daggers at him, and ignored his last remark.

Draco couldn't help but smirk as he saw the death-glare on her face. It suited her well. He'd almost have been afraid if he hadn't known that she didn't have her wand. Not that he was entirely sure she didn't have it, but the fact that she hadn't cursed him yet would be quite a good guess.

He held out the plate to her, and she stared at him.

"Wait a minute. You got these for... ME?"

"You flatter yourself too much Weasely. I just don't want you fainting here otherwise I'll be in deep shit."

Ginny shot him another one of those looks. The ones where you couldn't tell if it was amusement or disgust. Taking the plate out of his hands with a very quiet and forced 'thank you' she picked up a croissant gently tore off a piece with her index finger and her thumb and popped it into her mouth.

Her eyes widened in shock. "Why haven't I ever had these before?"

Draco almost said something along the lines of "because you're not high class enough for this type of food" but held it back just in time. Instead, he shrugged and smiled slightly as she finished the rest.

"There have got to be 500 calories in that," Ginny stated as she swallowed the last bite of croissant.

Malfoy raised his eyebrows. Typical girl behaviour. Not that she needed loosing weight. In fact, she was quite perfect the way she was already. Her long curly red hair falling down to her perfectly shaped butt. Her lips that were almost the same colour as it - her hair, not her butt - and looking so extremely inviting... ah! No. he wasn't thinking these thoughts. Especially not about Ginny Weasely.

"No actually, its 200."

The look she gave him matched the one he had given her about two seconds ago.

"And how come you know that?"

Draco shrugged. Ginny couldn't help noticing that as he did so, his hair that was usually slicked back, was now hanging in front of his face. It made him look extremely cute. Not to mention the fact that it was a little messy, and he looked extremely irresistible in his kaki turtle neck sweater that seemed to blend in perfectly with the while undershirt he was wearing under, and the usual black pants that were part of the school uniform.

"My mom. She used to be anorexic."

Ginny was awoken from her lovely little day dream that should actually have been about Derek, and gaped at him.

"Oh. Shit. That sucks. Sorry. Is she better now?"

Draco shrugged again, and Ginny had the sudden urge to push his hair back out of his eyes, just to see what it felt like. "Yeah, I guess so. I mean, she's eating again. Not as much, but it's a definite improvement."

And awkward silence fell, and Ginny could feel his eyes on her. Is he checking me out? Ginny wondered. Ewwww! I hope not. Gross... what if what Hermione said was true?... oh no... Wait. This is Malfoy. As in Draco Malfoy! Get a grip Ginny, if he IS checking you out, you have all rights to check him back out..

Ginny lifted her head to look back at him, and felt herself getting lost in his amazing piercing blue eyes. God, he was gorgeous.

"Ha! I win!" Malfoy yelled triumphantly, breaking the silence.

"What?"

"You blinked. So I win."

Ginny narrowed her eyes. "That's not fair. I didn't know we were playing."

"Oh yeah? Why were you staring at me then? Checking me out?" He raised his eyebrows suggestively.

Ginny looked at him as if he were something foul. "In your dreams Malfoy. Might I say you were staring at me first?"

He chose to ignore her last comment, and Ginny had a fleeting suspicion that he might actually have been checking her out.

"Fine fine, new game. Start at three. One... two... three."

Ginny opened her eyes that had been shut tight and felt herself floating away again. And as she looked into his eyes, she felt a burning sensation in the pit of her stomach. Her skin was tingling quite pleasantly and she knew that if she didn't look away quickly, she'd en up doing something she would later regret.

Just keep staring Ginny. You won't let him win. Never. This is Draco Malfoy, the person you hate the most in the entire world. You hate him, you despise him. Stare back Ginny. Go on, you can do it. Just keep staring...

In the mean time, Draco's head was reeling with thoughts too.

God she's beautiful. Her perfect blue eyes... her lovely hair... If only I could reach out and touch it... Jesus why did she have to be so goddamned gorgeous? Fuck. What is wrong with you man? This is Ginny Weasely. Ginny freakin Weasely. You better get pull yourself together or else you will end up bogey hexed...

You can do it Ginny, ignore the itching... ignore it... ignore it....

A tear fell down Ginny's cheek, and before she knew what was happening, Malfoy had blinked, leaned forward and wiped the tear off her face.

"You win."

Ginny looked at him, stunned. Did he really just do that? Did he really just brush that tear off her face? Judging by his rather pale pink cheeks, he had, and Ginny couldn't help grinning, although Malfoy thought it was for a completely different reason.

Maybe he wasn't that bad after all... yeah right, you wish..

Ginny stopped smiling as reality struck her. She suddenly stood up, and glanced at her watch, that was reading 11:30am. "I have to get out of here before anyone notices I'm gone. Anyone else I mean."

Draco nodded and stood up. "Here. I'll lend you this," he said, getting out a very battered looking invisibility cloak, "just follow me."

Ginny took the cape from him wordlessly, giving him a small smile, then slipped it on, and said "okay... ready."

She followed Draco down a flight of stairs, and waited nervously as he made small talk with Zabini, occasionally having to dodge people who were coming her way. After 5 minutes of waiting, she grew impatient and poked Draco in the shoulder, reminding him she was still there. She might be invisible, but she was still solid.

Draco grinned at Zabini, and Ginny caught something along the lines of "library," before he disappeared through a sliding wall.

"Better keep that on until we're in the grand hall," he said, as she started taking off his cloak. "People will get suspicious and I most certainly don't want to be seen with you."

However, you did just lean over and brush my cheek. Ginny thought irritated, but stayed silent, as she saw someone approaching. She followed Malfoy up flights of stairs and through a couple secret passage ways, before they stopped in just behind a tapestry.

Malfoy stopped abruptly, and Ginny almost ran into him. "Sorry," she whispered.

He chose to ignore her, and instead muttered "go down the end of this passage and turn left, through the tapestry, you'll be in the entrance hall, okay?"

Ginny took off his cloak and nodded. He turned to leave.

"Hey, Malfoy?"

"What?"

"Thanks."

He gave her a small smile. "Any time Weasely. You owe me one by the way. See you on Thursday at 11, moaning myrtle's bathroom," and he turned and left, leaving Ginny to make the trip up to Gryffindor tower alone.

MXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXMXM

A/N: so I promised you 7 pages, well, its 8! D so be happy P

Felton118 love your fanfic name P Tom Felton rocks. Thanks for the compliments )

SacredMidnightGem Well… the chaps are going to be longer now! If I get good reviews ;)

Meike Gracias. I appreciated that. Snape in a bunny suit playing stip poker. Maybe I'll get him to do that sometime in this story ;)