Disclaimer: The song is by Joe Nichols She Only Smokes When She Drinks. The characters are JK Rowlings. Nothing is mine (except for this particular plot idea).
The Best Man
Chapter Two: She Only Smokes When She Drinks
After the fiasco with Harry, Ginny went through men like some girls go through chocolate. Ginny dated guy after guy, but it only ever lasted one date. Ginny tried to erase Harry by using other guys, yet somehow she never found one she wanted to keep around.
The oddest thing about her break up with Harry, though, was Draco. After Ginny broke up with Harry, she noticed that Draco followed her around a lot. At first she had tried to get him to stop following her, but eventually she became grateful for Draco's presence.
You see, after every date gone wrong, Ginny would go down to a pub. At that time of night, most girls went there to be picked up by a guy, but Ginny went there to be alone. It was at times like that, that Ginny was grateful for Draco's silent presence.
Draco never sat with her, he understood her need to be alone. Draco was just there to make sure she got home safely. The first couple of times, Ginny had tried to leave without him, but eventually it came to a point when Ginny would just go up to Draco and tell him she was ready to go home. Draco always made sure that Ginny got home safely.
But Draco was determined to not be the reason for one of her drinking binges. He refused to even consider the Weasley girl as single; at least until she stopped using boys like chocolate.
After the break up, Draco and Harry had gotten into a huge row. Draco informed harry that the best thing in the boys life had just wised up, but Harry remained adamant that Ginny wasn't good enough for him. Draco and harry never saw each other anymore; they had nothing more to say to each other.
So you lit her cigarette
You're feelin' pretty good
You think you've got a shot
Most girls you probably would
Yeah, this is that kind of place
But she ain't that kind of girl
You're readin' it all wrong
Let me tell you about her
It was another Friday night, and Draco had tailed Ginny to the pub again. Tonight had been a disaster. The boy she had been with tonight had tried to feel her up before the first course was even over. Ginny had slapped him, broke up with him, and walked over to where Draco was seated alone, and informed him that she was going to the pub.
Draco sighed in frustration, wondering how much longer this would last. Ginny and Potter had split up about six months previously and this was an almost nightly occurrence.
Draco suddenly looked up to where the redhead was seated and groaned in frustration. There, seated right next to Ginny, was a black-hair wizard trying to make moves on her. He had just lit Ginny's cigarette. Draco got up, knowing what he had to do.
Draco sauntered over to where the wizard was seated and grabbed his arm. "We need to talk," he stated matter-of-factly.
The other wizard turned around to protest but noted who it was. Draco smiled; yes, being a Malfoy had its benefits. For one thing, it still struck fear in the hearts of most wizards. The other wizard leaned back to Ginny, kissed her cheek, and said, "Be back in a minute, love."
Draco rolled his eyes in disgust and led the young man away. He sat down at his table and indicated that the other man should do the same. "Listen to me, and when I am done, I don't want you to go near that witch again."
"You can't tell me what to do. We are both consenting adults."
Draco snorted in disgust and said, "Yeah, you lit her cigarette, and you're feeling pretty good. But with her, that doesn't mean anything."
"Listen, buddy, girls come in here when they want to be picked up. As far as I am concerned she is fair game."
"Yeah," Draco said sarcastically, "this sure as hell is that kind of place, but she isn't that kind of girl."
"What in the hell do you mean?"
"Sit down, okay. You're reading her all wrong. Let me tell you about her."
She only smokes when she drinks
She only drinks now and then
Now and then when she's tired
Of bein' let down by men
You can give he a light
But its not what you think
Everybody knows she only drinks alone
And she only smokes when she drinks
"Fine," the other man spat out, taking a seat across from Draco again. "Tell me about her."
"Ginny doesn't drink that much. Well that used to be true, anyway."
"But she isn't drinking," the other man stated.
"Listen, she only smokes when she drinks. She doesn't like smoking; she hates the taste of it, but she says that same thing about alcohol, I suppose."
The other man frowned in confusion. "Then why does she come in here?"
Draco let out a sad sigh. "She comes in here every time she is let down by another man. Unfortunately that has become an almost nightly occurrence."
"Oh, well, let me go comfort her then."
"No!" Draco said in frustration. "You don't understand. You can give her a light, but it doesn't mean a damn thing to her. Everybody knows that Ginny Weasley only drinks alone. And she only smokes when she drinks."
The man gave one last longing look at Ginny, but said, "Damn shame. She is such a pretty girl. I guess I will just be on my way then."
"That would be best." Draco looked back at Ginny as the other man left. Her drink had finally arrived and she was taking huge gulps from it.
Did you ask her to dance
Let me guess, she told you no
Got to take her someplace quiet
And see how for that goes
Oh ,don't take it all too hard
When she smiles and turns you down
For a complicated girl
She ain't too hard to figure out
Draco sat alone at his table and watched how guy after guy asked her to dance. He smirked when she turned them all down. Sometime over the past six months, he had grown quiet possessive of the little red-headed witch. He knew that as soon as she stopped going out with every wizard in Britain, he would take her. And he would make it.
He knew how to deal with special witches like Ginny. You had to take them to some quiet restaurant. You had to take things slowly. Draco promised himself that he would never treat Ginny the way that Potter had treated her. Ginny was special, and she deserved to be treated as thus.
Ginny was complicated, but through careful observation, Draco had figured her out. Draco had figured out exactly who Ginny Weasley was, and he was determined to treat her in the way that fitted that.
She only smokes when she drinks
She only drinks now and then
Now and then when she's tired
Of bein' let down by men
You can give her a light
But it's not what you think
Everybody knows she only drinks alone
And she only smokes when she drinks
Draco watched Ginny carefully from where he sat. They had been here for over two hours and she still seemed to be going strong. Suddenly, though, Ginny paused, cigarette half-way to her mouth. Ginny frowned, and put the cigarette out and then pushed her drink away.
Ginny got up suddenly and walked over to where Draco sat. "Draco, I'm tired of this."
"Tired of what, Gin?"
"Of everything. Of dating guys I don't like. Of getting drunk every night. Of everything."
"It's up to you, Gin."
"Please make it all stop, Draco."
He frowned at her, unsure of what she was asking. "What do you want me to do?"
A tear fell down her face. "I don't know."
Caught up by the hurt of the women he loved, Draco picked Ginny up and held her to him. "If I could make it all go away, I would. But no one can do that except for you. You have to ask yourself how much you want it, and for what reasons you want it."
"I want it a lot."
"And why is that?"
"So I can be good enough for you."
"Oh, Gin, you already are."
"Then why did you let me do this for so long?"
"It had to be your choice. I couldn't make it for you."
"I'm ready to go home, Draco."
"No more dates tomorrow?"
"No more dates."
"No coming to the pub and drinking yourself silly?"
"No. Maybe you and I could do something?"
Draco smiled at her. "Not yet, Gin."
"Why?"
"You have to be sure you are ready for a serious relationship. I will not be a one night stand."