Chapter 2: The New Guys
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.
- - - -
Draco left Ginny in the compartment alone. He had to find a place to change into his school robes. He laughed. If every girl was like Ginny Weasley, this was going to be easy.
"Malfoy." He turned around, seeing Ginny at the door. "Don't think that our kissing means I like you!" Draco nodded and moved on. With his back to her, he frowned. Well, he thought, it seems she just wanted to have a little fun before school. Maybe this won't be as easy as I thought.
- - - -
Ginny slipped into her school robes. Why had she done that? She knew very well that telling him she didn't like him wasn't going to help. He probably didn't believe her. She fell back into the seat with a sigh and stayed there, in silence, all the way to Hogwarts.
When the train finally came to a stop, Ginny quickly got up and walked to the carriages. They were no longer horseless for her. Since being with the Order Of Phoenix, she had seen two men die. Pointedly ignoring the skeletal beasts, she climbed into a carriage, laid her head back, and closed her eyes. She heard two people get in with her but didn't dare open her eyes to see who they were. They didn't speak to her at least. The two went off and on about the guys they would get to see. Then they began to talk about an exchange student. His name was Adam Mason, an American wizard. Ginny's eyes popped open; she lifted her head and saw Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil.
"Oh Ginny, you're awake." Lavender said.
"Yeah." Ginny yawned. "How was your summer?"
"It was great!" Parvati said. "Me and Padma went to Paris."
"Cool, how about you Lavender?" Ginny asked.
"Mine was wonderful." Lavender said. "My parents and I went to LA in the US." Ginny nodded. "How about yours, Ginny?"
"It was ok. Harry stayed with us over the summer." Ginny said.
"Really? I haven't seen him. Has he changed much?" Lavender asked.
"Not really, he still looks and acts the same." Ginny answered. Both the girls nodded and everything fell silent.
- - - -
Ginny sighed as she entered the Great Hall. Another year of being a no one she thought. She felt eyes on her and looked to the left, in the direction of the Slytherin table, and lo and behold: Draco Malfoy was staring at her. He winked and she turned away once again. She looked over to the right seeing Harry, Ron and Hermione motioning for her to come and sit with them. She walked over and sat down by Hermione. She was sitting in front of Harry and the two started somewhat of a staring contest.
Ron looked back and forth between them, "What are you doing?" he asked.
Ginny looked at him. "Nothing." She smiled at Harry and he chuckled.
"I guess I win then." Harry said.
- - - -
Draco watched as Ginny and Harry stared at each other. He felt something stir deep inside. No, it couldn't be jealousy. He didn't like the youngest Weasley like that. Irritated with himself, he turned away not wanting to look at that. He looked up to the teachers' table, waiting for the sorting and the announcements to start so he could eat and get his mind off of Ginny. Oh Gods, now she was Ginny. He rolled his eyes. She must always be Weasley to him, never anything more. After all, she was only helping him leave a mark on the school. Hoping for a better distraction, he looked over to Pansy who was already staring at him.
Not liking the accusing expression she was directing at him, he scowled. "What?" he uttered, effectively sounding insulting without being anything less than compliant.
"Don't you dare talk to me like that Draco Lucius Malfoy!" Pansy hissed. Draco glared at her then turned his head away dismissively. He smirked in satisfaction as he heard her let out a furious breath. Finally, the giant doors opened and the first years walked into the room. Thank the Gods.
"Another new year..." Dumbledore boomed while rising from his seat. Draco glared at the old wizard with great hatred. We need a new Head Master, he thought. "I will start by informing all of you that the Dark Forest is. Still. Forbidden. Don't even go near it." As he said this he looked over to the Dream Team. Draco laughed inside. "Now, let the sorting begin." As he said this and waved his hand in the general direction of its stool, the hat came alive. Shocked, the first years watched the suddenly animate object, still shaking.
All those midgets are pathetic, Draco thought.
"Oh you may not think I'm pretty But don't judge on what you see I'll eat myself if you can find A smarter hat than me So try me on and I will tell you Where you aught to be."
Draco rolled his eyes; that song sounded familiar.
"Long, Elane." Professor McGonagall called. The young girl who stepped forward looked to Draco's liking for his plan. She had short blonde hair and from here it looked like she had hazel eyes.
"GRYFFINDOR!" cried the sorting hat.
Oh, not another Gryffindor.
"Moore, Walter." Called McGonagall.
"RAVENCLAW!"
We need a Slytherin! Come on! Draco thought.
"Gonzales, Manuela."
Oh, lookie here, Draco thought as the young Hispanic girl walked up to the sorting hat. Her long black hair and tan body was attractive to Draco and he watched her every move. She looked older then she was. She was already filled out. Oh yes, she would be part of his plan.
"Gonzales, Emmanuelle" Oh great, she has a brother... Wait, where was she sorted? He looked around, feeling a sense of accomplishment upon seeing her walk toward the Slytherin table.
"SLYTHERIN!" The hat called and Emmanuelle followed his sister, taking the seat beside her immediately.
Draco sighed and got up. Unobtrusively, he moved to where the twins were.
"Hello, I'm Draco Malfoy." He smirked at them only to receive a glare from Emmanuelle and a big smile from Manuela. He looked back up to the sorting and was gratified to see it had finished. Then, two older males walked up to Professor McGonagall who smiled and Dumbledore stood up once more.
"Everyone, if I could have your attention?" Everyone looked up to him. Draco rolled his eyes, oh goodie, another teacher, he thought.
"It is my great pleasure to introduce Hayden Richmond and Adam Mason. Both of whom come from America and will be joining us at Hogwarts this year."
Draco looked at the man named Hayden and frowned darkly. It hadn't escaped anyone's notice that Hayden looked just like him. The only difference was in the hair. The American let his hair fall into his face. This is just perfect, he thought nastily as wondering whispers flitted through the students and barely concealed glances were shot his way. Already Draco didn't like him. It would be all too easy for this Hayden fellow to take the glory of his carefully thought out plan.
Professor Dumbledore placed the sorting hat on the other boy, Adam's head. Belatedly, Draco noted that the other American was rather short. Short, with spiky black hair and dark, possibly Indian, skin. It only took a moment for the hat to shout: "RAVENCLAW!"
Draco raised an eyebrow, funny; the kid looked more like a Gryffindor. He shrugged to himself in his mind. Appearances could be deceiving.
He raised his eyes back to the front as the applause for Adam settled. Everyone got quiet. The tall American swaggered forward and tossed his head a little to clear his eyes of blond hair. Despite being surprised that the 'man' was really a kid his age, Draco snorted indignantly and looked down to his plate recognizing, once again, how hungry he was.
My gods hurry up already, he thought.
"GRYFFINDOR!" Cried the sorting hat.
Draco rolled his eyes at that. As if it wasn't already obvious that the boy was annoying and egotistical. He was probably stupid, like the weasel, too. And speaking of weasels... He watched as his- stupid, like Weasley- look-alike walked over to sit by... No, he couldn't. He sat right by Draco's first victim: Ginny.
- - - -
Ginny looked at Hayden out of the corner of her eye, in awe of how much he looked like Draco Malfoy. Oh lord, that was the boy that had taken her bags back at the ministry car. How had she not noticed the similarities then? She grinned to herself, Wow, people are going to get so confused with him around, she thought. She lifted her head and looked over to Draco, who was glaring at the boy sitting next to her. She smirked to herself, knowing how infuriated the Slytherin boy must be. She looked to her right, catching Hayden smiling to her. She smiled back.
"Hi, I'm Ginny Weasley." She reached a hand out for him to shake. He took it gently and continued to smile at her.
"I'm Hayden Richmond." Even his smile was like Draco's. He hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Have we met before?"
"You took my bags to the ministry cars." She smiled more. There was a brief silence, during which she realized he hadn't let go of her hand.
"Umm..." she started.
"Yes?" he asked.
Ginny giggled, "My hand. Do you mind giving it back?"
"Oh! Oh, yeah. Sure." he let go, flustered and embarrassed.
She smiled at him in understanding. He seemed much sweeter than any Malfoy child.
"So..." He said, " back at the cars... You were with two other guys. Were they your brothers?"
"One of them is, the other is my brother's best friend, Harry Potter." She pointed over to them. He nodded.
"I've heard about him before." The conversation went on. They talked and ate until the time came to go up to their dormitories.
Ginny, as always, walked alone talking only to her brother when she had to. She sighed as she climbed the stairs to the girls' sixth year room. She rummaged through her trunk, pulling out nightclothes and a shower bag. The other girls in her dorm walked in as she was heading out. Each of them gave her a dirty look as they passed by. Ginny rolled her eyes; she didn't understand why the girls in her year didn't like her. When finally out of the Gryffindor common room- after a long speech from her brother about being careful- she headed to the Prefects Bathroom.
"Ah, Miss Weasley. The Fairest of them all." She heard as she walked by one of the suits of armor. She looked around it, finding Draco standing there. Or was it Hayden? It had to be Draco; only he called her by last name.
"What do you want Draco? I need to get going so I can be back to the common room before curfew." Ginny narrowed her eyes at him, remembering the conversation that they had on the train.
"Tisk, tisk Miss Weasley," he scolded with an insulting emphasis on the 'miss'. "I know you're a prefect, but my lord, take a bath as long as you want." He gave her a sly look, "After all, I am Head Boy."
She looked at him long and hard, then turned and walked on hearing him follow close behind. She turned around to find him only inches from her face. She fell back a few steps in surprise.
"Why the hell are you following me?" Ginny demanded. Draco grabbed her arm and pulled her to him, planting his lips firmly onto hers. Ginny jerked away, slapping him with her free hand. The sound of flesh meeting flesh echoed down the hall. Draco reached up to the reddening patch on his cheek.
"Not a bad hit. I've had worse." He said with an infuriating smirk. Ginny glared at him. He let go of her. "You may go now. You don't want to miss curfew, do you?"
She spun around and walked on, thinking about Draco the whole time.