The Devils Triangle
Chapter 9: We're Just Trying to Get Ginny a Decent Snog! (Part One)
"Come on Gin! Let me take your rounds for you tonight. There's no reason why you should spend four hours with that git."
"I'll be fine, Ron."
"Gin please! Take Wednesday with Pansy. She's not that bad; quite funny, really."
"Draco's not that bad either, Ron. If you'd give him a chance you'd see that."
"Ok, then let me give him a chance tonight, while I'm on rounds with him."
"No, Ron, I'm going on rounds with Draco. I like him. If I want to go out with him, I will. If I want to date him, I will. If I want him to snog me senseless, he will. Get over it!"
"But he's a Malfoy, Gin. He's evil. His father tried to kill you. Twice. How can you forget all that?"
"Excuse me; I'm going to wait for him outside." Ginny exited the common room.
Ron plopped himself into the chair opposite Harry, who was reading one of the books Hermione had left with him.
"I think we may have underestimated the Ferret's appeal, mate."
Harry looked up from his book with a chilling glare. "You think?" he asked icily.
"Well, how was I supposed to know? What's she see in him anyway?" Ron asked.
"She thinks he's sexy," Harry said dryly, then he met Ron's shocked gaze and both boys shuddered deeply. "What do you and Pugface talk about, anyway?"
"Don't call her Pugface anymore; she really is alright. And what do you think we talk about? The only thing we have in common is those two," Ron said nodding towards the common room exit.
"Really? What's her take on the situation?"
"I think she's just as stunned as we are. She and Malfoy are tight, really tight. I'd say she definitely has the Power Position there. I think she could put an end to it if she wanted to. As could you; three little words from you, and we'd be rid of him, Harry."
Harry sat bolt upright in his chair. "You don't seriously mean that Ron! It wasn't two weeks ago you were telling me to take my time and make sure I don't hurt her."
"I rather see you hurt her, than him. He will hurt her, I know it."
"Well I won't do it. Don't ask me again. Why don't you stay out of your sister's love life and concentrate on your own! You'll never get anywhere with Hermione if you don't get rid of your harem and start paying attention to her. She's not the type of girl who'll follow you around."
"I've been busy with Quidditch tryouts and Prefect duties," Ron spouted indignantly.
"And why am I explaining myself to you, anyway?" Ron slumped down in his chair, crossed his arms in front of him. "Listen to Harry Bleedin' Potter," he grumbled, "he snogs a few girls and starts giving out advice."
Harry sneered at him. "Where is Hermione, anyway? She was supposed to meet me here, so we could go over my notes about Carina de Florette."
"I dunno where she is. And for your information," Ron said very quietly, "I have something special planned for her birthday. I got her something nice with the money I earned at the joke shop this summer. I was going to give it to her, and…you know…"
"Make your move?" Harry asked, grinning wickedly.
"Yeah," Ron said, his face turning a beautiful shade of crimson.
"Good for you, mate."
"Hi," Draco said as he approached Ginny, who was waiting at the portrait of the Fat Lady.
"Hi," Ginny responded their eyes met briefly, and then they both looked away; Ginny looking at the floor and Draco finding a very interesting smudge on the wall. They began the descent down the Gryffindor tower steps.
"Why were you outside?" Draco asked.
"Ron's inside…being Ron."
"Ahh…," Draco said, understanding completely. "Same route as last time?" Draco asked.
"Sure."
A shy silence descended over them as they made their way past the Great Hall, down the corridor leading past the library and they were about to descend the stairs leading to the dungeons when Draco stopped short, lifting his finger to his lips.
"Nobody snogs here, too public," Ginny whispered. But then, she heard the unmistakable sound of a girl's giggle.
"How do you do that? It's like you can smell them," she whispered.
"It's a gift," Draco chuckled.
Draco drew his wand, and swiftly turned the corner, peering into a dark alcove. Then he burst out laughing, but it was an evil Slytherin type of laugh, the type that Ginny hadn't heard from him since they were in Umbridge's office, the previous term.
"Well," he said "this is a fortuitous way to begin the evening. I'll have to begin paying attention in Divination. Come here, Ginny, look what we caught. That'll be five points from Ravenclaw, Mr. Headboy!"
"You wouldn't dare!" Headboy-git Marshall pronounced.
"I just did! Take it up with the Headmaster, if you don't like it. AND Miss Granger! I've never been happier to see YOU! That'll be five points from Gryffindor."
"Oh!...Oh Gods!...Ginny!...Oh Gods!... I have to go!"
Ginny stood aghast as she watched Hermione run away.
"You have a private room Marshall, use it next time." Draco called after him as Marshall stomped away.
"Oh, that was BRILLIANT!" Draco laughed. "Absolutely brilliant." Draco turned and noticed the horror etched on Ginny's face. "You're not laughing."
"NO!" Ginny shouted. "It's not funny! Do you have any idea what Ron would do if he found out?"
"Yes!" Draco started laughing anew. "THAT'S the funny bit! Please, let me be there when you tell him!"
"I'm not telling him anything! And neither are you!" Ginny stomped away, down the dungeon stairs.
They quickly determined that this was a subject, better not discussed. Silence descended over them again as they roamed the dark, dank corridors of the dungeons.
"So…what did you do to Astrid?" Ginny began, "You know…for that hex."
Draco cringed a bit, and Ginny took note of the slight flush that passed over his cheeks, she was pleased that he has capable of blushing.
"Nice bum, by the way," she added with a smirk.
"Thank you," he said stiffly. "Astrid has to clean the firsty's dorm and bathroom for the next month, without magic. It's not working out; the other firstys are terrified to go to bed because she puts nasty things in their beds when she makes them." Draco guffawed involuntarily.
"It's not funny!" Ginny exclaimed.
"I can't help it. I've never seen anything like that girl. She's a pip."
"She's mad about you. Do you know that?"
"What are you on about?"
"I mean, she has a huge crush on you."
"Don't be ridiculous. She's a child."
Ginny cleared her throat. "I seem to remember having a crush at her age. A big one."
"But that was on someone you own age! And you had the good sense to runaway, whenever you saw him, not attack him! Although her taste is vastly better than yours, I must say."
"Funny."
"What do I do?"
"I think she's attacking you to get your attention. Try paying attention to her before her attacks."
"I can't encourage her! She's a child! They'd send me to Azkaban! I'll probably end up there someday anyway, but it won't be for child molestation, I assure you!"
"Calm down! Don't joke about going to Azkaban. I don't mean encourage her crush, just be nice to her. You can be nice, when you try. Volunteer to help her with her school work."
"She's smarter than Granger, she could do mine!"
"I bet if you volunteered, she'd say she needed some help."
Draco eyed her warily. "Well, if you think it'll stop her from putting wart powder in my underwear drawer again, it'll be worth it."
Ginny giggled, "How can you like her so much, when she's Muggleborn, but still hate Hermione?
"I don't hate Granger, I dislike her intensely. I hate your brother; Granger's the easiest way to get him going. Granger's just annoying! She's a bossy know-it-all. You don't know what it's like in class with her, asking questions she already knows the answers to, just to hear herself talk. I don't know how Potty and Weasel put up with her."
"Harry's really good at ignoring her, and I'm fairly certain that Ron gets aroused when Hermione's being bossy," she chuckled.
"Oooh! Blimey! Too much information! The more I know about your brother, the more frightening he becomes!"
"Why do you play chess with him, if you hate him?"
"To see you."
"That's not the only reason, and you know it; you both love it."
Draco smirked slightly. "He's good; it's hard to find someone who challenges me."
"You beat him the other night."
"No, I didn't. He hasn't shown me his game yet. He's studying mine. THAT, I respect, very Slytherin strategy; lose, to win in the end."
"You haven't shown him your game either, have you?"
"'Course not," he snickered.
They continued to roam the castle, talking easily together. They didn't find many snoggers, Ginny suspected that Draco wasn't trying, she knew that she wasn't. As they walked along, Draco's arm would occasionally brush against hers, and her breath would involuntarily hitch. Draco would hold doors open for her and guide her through them by placing his hand lightly on the small of her back. When he touched her, Ginny had to close her eyes at the nearly overwhelming charge she felt traveling her spine; both up and down.
"What's up with Potter?" Draco asked, toward the end of their shift. "Every time I see him lately, he's being pulled into a dark alcove by a different girl."
Ginny giggled wickedly. "Harry's going through an experimental phase."
"You don't mind?"
"No, we're just friends," she said a little too emphatically. "Harry deserves to have some fun. He hasn't had a lot of fun in his life."
"Well, I saw him experimenting on a Slytherin girl today, it was disturbing."
"NO! Who?"
"Daphne Greengrass."
"Oh my! Not even the stroppy cows are safe from him!" Ginny giggled merrily. "Be careful, he'll be after Pansy next!"
Draco shot her a menacing glare that quickly turned into a grin. "Actually, that might be worth seeing, she'd eat him alive; Potter's not Parkinson's type. He's in over his head with Daphne."
"You two underestimate each others charms," Ginny said with a knowing grin. "What did you mean about Daphne?"
"He'll find out," Draco drawled lazily.
"Draco, tell me!" Ginny insisted, bumping up against him.
"Well, let's just say she's accustomed to getting more than a snog."
"Really? And you know this from personal experience, do you?"
"Yes, and no," he answered cryptically.
"And what does that mean?" she insisted, not willing to let it drop.
"I've told you, I'm particular, but that doesn't mean I don't get offers. I'm considered quite a catch, you know."
"Of course you are," Ginny said, very encouragingly. Draco glared at her.
"I heard you broke-up with the Mudb… Thomas?"
"Yes. Everyone seems to know already. Is it written on a bathroom wall somewhere?"
"Something like that," Draco chuckled. "Was it because of me?"
"Not really. Well maybe; you and Harry. It just wasn't working out. I didn't feel enough for him, I guess."
"Well, here we are."
Once again, the evening had flown by and Draco had led Ginny back to the Fat Lady without her realizing it. Draco was standing very close to her, looking down at her; Ginny met his gaze. He touched her cheek and ran the pad of his thumb along her jaw line. The energy from his touch went straight to her core; Ginny gulped, and unconsciously licked her lips.
"Good night, Ginny." Draco turned and left abruptly, leaving Ginny gaping at his sudden departure. He was halfway down the first flight of stairs, when he turned back to the still gaping Ginny.
"Ginny, I'll be in the library after breakfast tomorrow, writing a Potions essay." And he was gone.
Ginny stomped into the common room grumbling quite loudly. "I'll be in the library after breakfast tomorrow, writing a Potions essay" she mimicked. "What the Bloody Hell does that mean? Is that supposed to be asking me on a date? Does he need help with his bleedin' essay? Am I supposed to just follow him around like some starry-eyed twit? I don't think so! Damn slimy Slytherin mind games."
"Hey, Gin! How YOU doin'?" said a highly amused Harry from his chair in front of the fire.
"Boys SUCK! I'm going to bed!"
"We're just trouble, Gin. Not worth the effort at all. You'd be better off giving up on us entirely," he called after her as she disappeared up the stairway.
The next morning Ginny was dressing, preparing to go down to breakfast when Hermione entered her dorm room and shut the door. Hermione was looking very tired and tense, as though she hadn't had a minute of sleep.
"Morning, Hermione."
"Ginny please don't tell Harry or Ron. Please." Hermione's eyes were bright with tension.
"I'm not going to tell anyone, Hermione. Are you dating Marshall?"
"No, well yes…no…maybe…I don't know." Hermione seemed confused.
"Hermione, tell me what's going on."
"He likes me; he wants to spend time with me," Hermione looked sad, suddenly.
"What about Ron?" Ginny asked gently, not really wanting to hear the answer.
"What about him? He's always surrounded by girls these days, he barely even notices me, certainly never as a girl. I'm just best mate Hermione. I'm tired of waiting; I'm going to be sixteen next week, Ginny. I've never had a boyfriend. I just want to know what it's like for someone to want me like that. Is that so bad?"
"Not at all. What happened last night?"
"Nothing, Malfoy interrupted before anything happened."
"Are you going to keep seeing him?"
"I think so."
"You're going to have to tell Harry and Ron eventually, you know. This won't stay quiet for long."
"I know, I'll tell them when there's something to tell. I promise."
Ginny and Hermione went to breakfast together. They were sitting across from Harry and Ron, neither noticed anything amiss with Hermione, which just further proved Ginny's theory that teenaged boys suck! Ginny sat with her back to the Slytherin table and carefully avoided making eye contact with Draco, she'd be damned if she was going to follow him to the library! She wasn't his pathetic puppy dog! Harry eyes suddenly focused on something just over her shoulder, and she could tell by Harry's half amused/half annoyed expression that Draco must be standing behind her.
"Morning, Ginny. Are you ready?" Draco asked.
"Ready for what?" Ginny asked icily, only partially looking at him.
"Would you like to study with me in the library?" She turned to look at him fully, and immediately, the amused smirk and the intense grey gaze melted her.
"Ok," she said weakly.
Draco and Ginny were soon ensconced in a secluded table in the deep recesses of the library. Draco spread his Hermione-sized pile of books around him, and Ginny was horrified to learn that when Draco went to the library to 'study', he studied! There was no talking and no flirting involved! Well, that's not entirely true; he was sitting very close to her and their legs rubbed together under the table quite frequently. Occasionally, he would read over her shoulder and whisper suggestions in her ear about the Charms homework she was working on. Ginny liked that even though he was basically correcting her mistakes, she was hopeless in Charms, he made it seem as though he was just making suggestions; he didn't make her feel inadequate at all.
Draco Malfoy was a puzzle, not at all who he once appeared to be. Ginny liked puzzles. He was always intense about whatever it was he was doing at that moment; when he was studying, it seemed as though that was that most important thing in the world. When he was insulting his enemies, he gave it his all. When he was looking at Ginny, he made her feel as though she was the center of his world. Ginny remembered wryly that she'd seen him fix that intense gaze on Pansy more than once.
After several hours of studying, Ginny's stomach was beginning to rumble loudly. She was finishing her Herbology assignment, and blowing a wayward strand of hair out of her face for the tenth time, it had simply refused to stay in the plait running down her back. Draco reached over and tucked the strand of hair behind her ear for her, his fingers lingering, running lightly on the outer rim of her ear.
"I'm done here," he began, "how about a game or two of chess, after lunch?"
Ginny nodded. "Ready for lunch? I'm hungry."
They returned to the Great Hall and after a brief discussion, separated to their own house tables to eat; Draco would die before eating at the Gryffindor table, and Ginny wanted to avoid the indigestion that would surely accompany eating at the Slytherin table. One could carry this house unity thing only so far.
"Where would you like to play?" Ginny asked after lunch.
"In the dungeons," he said leading the way to the Slytherin common room.
The Slytherin common room was crowded with staring Slytherins, and Ginny was surprised when Draco motioned to the stairway leading to the dormitory.
"It's not like you've never been there before," he dared her with his eyes.
Ginny's eyes widened, it was true, she'd been to his chambers only one week ago, but the circumstances had changed drastically since then. Ginny glared at him and accepted his dare, she lead the way up the stairs.
Ginny entered the boy's dormitory to meet the wolfish grin of Blaise Zabini.
"Hello, Princess," he said, while leering at her. "Impressive Malfoy. Very impressive. No need to tell me, I'm gone." Zabini gathered his belongings and left the room.
"What does Pansy see in him?" Ginny said with a shudder.
"Haven't a clue," replied Draco dryly.
Draco carefully checked his bed for gifts from Astrid before sitting on it and setting up the Wizard's Chess board in the middle. He motioned for Ginny to join him on the bed. Ginny was beginning to regret her decision, but she sat on the bed.
She immediately noticed that Draco's chess set was lovely, it looked very old and the pieces seemed to be made of ivory. She also noticed that the pieces were rather feistier than she was accustomed to; they were all staring up at her and talking amongst themselves.
"Oi, 'at's a different young lady 'at is!" said the Bishop to the Castle.
"Aye, it's a pretty one too. She looks like one worth taken a sword in the gut for," the Castle responded.
Ginny gave Draco a questioning look and he chuckled.
"I should warn you, a few years ago for my birthday, Parkinson charmed them; my chessmen are a bit more randy than your average chessmen."
Ginny laughed. "This should be interesting," she said as she moved her first Pawn.
Several moves into the game, Draco took one of Ginny's Knights and all the chessmen turned to stare at Ginny.
"Why are they all looking at me?" Ginny asked.
"Come on, Luv. Take something off," Ginny's King said.
Draco's eyes went wide. "Oh! No! We're not playing that game, blokes. Regular rules this time."
There general grumbling and unrest on the chess board.
"Blimey! I was looking forward to her top coming off!" said one of Ginny's white Pawns.
"DRACO?" Ginny gasped.
Draco laughed, but he had the decency to blush a bit. "Erm…well…they're used to playing strip chess," Draco said with a slight grimace.
"Strip chess? You and Pansy play strip chess?"
"We've been known to, yes." Draco was frantically trying to think of a way out of this one.
"Just friends?" Ginny asked him for probably the third or forth time, since they'd become friendly.
Draco looked her in the eye. "Absolutely. Just friends," Draco managed to say with a straight face, but the naughty twinkle in his eyes was unmistakable.
Ginny went in for the kill.
"Well, if that's the case, I'll have to suggest a game to Harry. Come to think of it, that's a brilliant idea, Harry's a horrible chess player, and I'll have him naked in five minutes!"
Ginny smiled at him sweetly as has ground his teeth and seemed to mentally implode.
"It's your move, Weasley," he spat through his teeth.
Once the chessmen realized they weren't going to see any more of Ginny than was already on display, they quieted down. Draco's jaw eventually relaxed as they continued their game.
"I know what you're doing!" Ginny blurted suddenly.
"Playing chess?" Draco asked confused.
"You know that Ron hasn't shown you his chess game yet, so you think by studying mine, you'll learn about his. Thinking we have similar technique, growing up together and all!" Ginny nodded, proud of herself for figuring it all out.
Draco smirked at her and gave her an incredulous glare.
"Yes, Weasley" he drawled lazily. "You've figured me out. My main motivation for inviting pretty girls to my bedchamber is always to study their chess technique. I'm wily that way."
Ginny grinned at him, blushed, and changed the subject.
"Why do they call me the Gryffindor Princess?" she asked.
Draco shrugged. "You've always been called that in Slytherin house, since your first year. I don't know who came up with it, but it stuck."
"Why? Oh never mind, I get it….you were making fun of me."
"No! It's just that you were off-limits, unattainable."
"What are you talking about?"
"Your brothers! Those twin lunatics you're related to! Don't you know?"
"No…but you're going to tell me," she said cautiously.
"When you arrived they threatened the lives of any bloke who so much as talked to you. No one dared defy those two. They eased up, slightly, after a year or two, but the name stuck, you grew into it."
"I'm going to kill them."
"Why? It seems like a normal brotherly thing to do, for them."
"You're right, I shouldn't blame them. It's just that I was so lonely my first year, so miserable and invisible; I got myself into a lot of trouble."
"What are you talking about? You've never been trouble."
Ginny laughed. "I nearly killed people. I opened the Chamber."
Draco froze in shock and looked at her.
"I think I need you to start from the beginning if you don't mind."
So Ginny started from the beginning. She told Draco about Tom Riddle and his diary and about his father's roll in her acquiring the diary. She didn't go into great detail; there were some things that she'd only ever told Harry. She felt that Draco needed to know; both about Tom and his father.
"The Dark Lord's not even a pure blood," he laughed "does my father know that?"
"I have no idea. Check."
"Bugger!" Draco swore, as he realized the game was lost. "And Potter saved you? I always thought that was an exaggeration."
Ginny giggled, "You're not going to like this, but there's no need to exaggerate when it comes to Harry. Checkmate."
Draco was looking at her expectantly, now that the game was over. "Where is it?"
"Where is what?" she asked befuddled.
"You know, that sexy little dance you do when you win," he said waggling his eyebrows.
"Sexy little what? Oh Gods! That's not a sexy dance! I've been doing that since I was nine! I do it to annoy my brother! Not to titillate horny teenaged boys! Not to mention a board full of randy chessmen!"
"Oh." Draco was disappointed. "I guess I'm not going to let you win again then."
"You didn't let me win!" Ginny was incensed. "Take that back, Malfoy!"
"No! I let you win," Draco taunted her.
Ginny grabbed the pillow from his bed and wound up threatening to hit him.
"I let you win," Draco repeated.
"Take that back, Malfoy!"
Ginny swung the pillow with all her might, Draco blocked it and wrested it away from her. Ginny launched herself at him, throwing herself over the chess board, sending chessmen screaming in every direction.
"Make me, Weasley," Draco laughed as he grabbed her in midair, restrained her hands, and rolled her down onto the bed, trapping her beneath him. "Make me, Weasley," he repeated quietly. He released her hands, his face inches away from hers, he was looking at her full bow-shaped lips like a hungry man.
Ginny lay vary still, eyes locked on him. He's going to kiss me. Oh gods! Please kiss me. Draco's face came nearer, nearer, she felt his warm lips touch hers; then he stopped.
"Monster!" he yelled towards the open dormitory door. "Stop lurking in the corridor! Get in here!" Draco and Ginny sat up to face Astrid as she timidly entered the room. "What?" he snapped impatiently, running his hand through his hair in frustration.
Astrid was looking at him shyly, innocently, her eyes wide with trepidation. "Draco…it's time…you promised," she said her little bottom lip trembling. Draco melted instantly.
"So I did." Draco sighed and looked at Ginny, "I promised I'd help her with her Potions this afternoon," he said giving Ginny a 'You got me into this' look. Draco stood, pulling Ginny up with him. "Monster, give me a half hour to walk Ginny back to Gryffindor tower. Ok?"
"She too thick to find her own way back?" Astrid pouted.
"Astrid! That's five points from Slytherin for impertinence! Apologized to Ginny, now! Or I won't help you."
"Sorry, Weasley," Astrid said coldly. "I'm sure you could find your own way home…eventually."
"Astrid!" Draco snapped.
"No," Ginny interrupted, quite amused by what she had just witnessed. "It's fine Draco. Let's just go."
As soon as Draco turned his back to collect Ginny's book bag Astrid sneered at Ginny and stuck out her tongue. Ginny was about to respond in kind, but Draco turned back around.
"She has you wrapped around her little finger!" Ginny laughed at him as they exited the Slytherin common room.
"I know. She manipulates me. I know she's doing it and I let her. Not like me at all, really. Did you see how she got her bottom lip to quiver? Brilliant performance!"
"I can't believe I'm competing with an eleven-year-old for your attention!" Ginny grumbled.
"We might add, you're losing too!" Draco laughed.
"Shut it!" Ginny snapped, whacking him in the chest. Draco grabbed her hand, and kept it, entwining her fingers amongst his.
Draco was rather relived that Astrid had interrupted them. He hadn't planned to kiss Ginny today. He wanted to kiss her; there were moments when the urge was too great to ignore. But he couldn't, not yet. Phase One was complete; the Mudblood was gone. Phase Two had only just begun, that being, make her want him more than he wanted her. Difficult? Yes. Challenging? Definitely. Possible? Well, Draco hadn't quite answered that question yet.
There was still the nagging issue of Potter. (Bloody Effin Git Potter!) What would Potter do now that Ginny was free? Did Draco stand a chance if Potter entered the ring? Draco needed to find out.
"Harry's starting his DA meetings next week. Are you going to go?" Ginny asked.
Draco stared at her blankly.
"The DA? The Defense Association? Dumbledore's Army?
Light dawned for Draco. "You mean that silly army he formed last year?" Draco laughed, and Ginny nodded. "NO! I'm not going."
"Why not? Harry's a really good teacher."
"There's nothing that Potter knows, that I need to learn," Draco jeered.
'That silly army saved my life last spring when Deatheaters were trying to kill us. Your father and aunt included," Ginny said coldly. "That silly army turned you and your mates into slimy, twitching blobs on the Hogwarts Express last spring. You could stand to improve your hex throwing, you know. Harry could help."
"I don't belong there Ginny," Draco cautioned quietly. "Don't try to make me fit into that crowd, I never will, I'll never want to."
"How do you know if you won't give it a chance?"
"Ginny…No."
"Harry's going to teach the Patronus Charm; only very powerful Wizards can make a corporeal Patronus. If Harry can do it, don't you think you can too? Wouldn't you like to know what form yours would take?"
"You think you can manipulate me that easily?" he asked testily.
"Astrid does it," Ginny grinned.
They had arrived at their destination.
"I'll see you later Ginny." Draco dropped her hand and started away. "My Patronus is a Romanian Longhorn Dragon. His name is Spike. Remus taught me this summer," he called, grinning, as he walked away from her.
Thanks to Ginny's very productive trip to the library on Saturday, Sunday evening arrived and Ginny had no school work left incomplete. Harry convinced her to help him search through a pile of Hermione's books; looking for references to Carina de Florette. It wasn't as bad as she though it would be. It was great fun, really. She was currently perusing a book of 14th century love spells; the spells promised to produce any number of results for yourself or your lover. She and Harry had spent the prior two hours sitting at a common room table with their heads together, giggling themselves silly over what they were reading. They had reached the point where they were drunk with giddiness, and anything seemed hysterically funny. Their fellow Gryffindors were giving them odd looks and shying away from them; neither Ginny nor Harry noticed, they were in their own world together, having fabulous time.
"Here's one Harry," Ginny giggled, "a potion to make your lover more amorous. Hmmm. It's one hundred percent effective, but it also has severe digestive repercussions. I think that means that you'll definitely be laid, but you'll probably be vomited on before the evening's over." Ginny's burst into a fit of laughter.
Harry wiped tears from his eyes. "Well, desperate times, call for desperate measures, I suppose," he said before he collapsed onto his arms on the table in his own fit.
Ginny continued reading. "This potion here is for the Wizard who needs to enlarge his…Oh My!"
"Hey, let me have a look at that one!" Harry said, pulling the book toward him, with a sniffle.
"Is that something you'd be interested in Harry?" she snorted a laugh.
"Why not? A bloke can never a big enough Oh My! Can he?"
"Oh My!" Ginny burst again.
Draco had entered the Gryffindor common room, for his chess match with the Weasel. Ginny didn't notice him, she seemed…otherwise occupied. He and Ron had been playing for about thirty minutes, the giggling at the other end of the common room was grating on Draco's last nerve.
"What is going on over there?" Draco finally broke down and asked Ron, who'd been steadfastly ignoring the two of them.
"They're supposed to be doing research for Hermione; somehow, I think they've gone off course a bit," Ron chuckled.
"Are they always like that?" Draco asked, not wanting to know the answer.
"What? Giggling? No," Ron answered, not sure of the question.
"No, I mean are they always that…cozy?"
Ron looked at Harry and Ginny, sitting closely with their heads together over a book; a wide wicked grin crossed his face as he looked back at the Ferret. "That's nothing," Ron answered honestly, "she's usually sitting on his lap." Ron laughed at Draco's furrowed brow. "I've had my fill of them, myself. I'll do you a favor. Oy! You two! If all you're going to do is giggle, then do it while you go to the kitchens to get me a snack. I'm feeling peckish."
"Ron, that sounds like a brilliant idea," Harry exclaimed. "Hungry, Ginny?"
"I could eat." Ginny looked around, and finally noticed Draco concentrating on the chessboard. "Draco! I didn't see you come in! When did you get here?"
"About a half hour ago," he drawled testily, not looking up from the game.
Harry snickered and gave Ginny a 'you're in trouble' look.
Ginny rolled her eyes and grumbled something about boys under her breath.
She went over to Draco's chair, Harry's chair really, and sat on the arm.
"Hi," she said as she ran her finger along the outside of Draco's ear, making his breath hitch.
He finally turned to look at her and when he met her warm chocolate gaze, he softened completely. "Hello, Young Lady," he said smoothly, returning her smile.
Ginny felt bathed in warmth as his gaze took her in.
"Oh bugger! Don't make me watch this!" Ron complained. "Go get me food."
"Would you like anything from the kitchen Draco?" Ginny asked softly, never acknowledging her brother.
Draco nodded. "Something chocolate, and some crisps if you find them."
"Alright," she said, standing up and backing away, reluctant to break their gaze.
Ginny and Harry turned to leave.
"Hello!" Ron interrupted their exit. "It was my bleedin' idea! Is anyone going to ask me what I want?"
"Wasn't planning on it, no," quipped Ginny.
"Sorry Ron. What would you like?" Harry asked consolingly.
Ron seemed placated, slightly. "Chocolate and crisps sounds good…and a sandwich."
"Do you want a snack or a meal?" Ginny snapped.
"What's the difference?"
Ginny huffed out of the common room with Harry trailing closely behind.
"It's your move Malfoy," Ron groaned, rolling his eyes and snapping Draco out of his reverie of staring at the spot where Ginny had disappeared.
After about a forty minutes had passed Draco began to get impatient, he couldn't think of why a trip to the kitchen should take so long. Ron noticed him glaring continually at the empty doorway.
"You don't have a chance with her," Ron pronounced matter-of-factly.
"I think I'm doing alright," Draco said confidently.
"I'm not trying to scare you off because I hate you, although I do. I think a Mountain Troll could make Ginny happier than you ever could. But you can't deny the obvious; those two belong together. Don't tell me you can't feel they energy they create, it's become palpable, and it only gets stronger everyday. They'll figure it out eventually, it's only a matter of time."
"I don't remember asking for your opinion or your advice," Draco said tightly and coldly, a dark, menacing cloud falling over his face. "It's too bad about you and Granger," Draco began; his tone had turned smooth and calm as he spoke in his lazy drawl. "But still, you're better off without her. Let the Mudbloods breed amongst them selves. Find your self a nice Pureblood girl, and make a dozen Weasley's you can't afford, with her."
"What are you going on about?" Ron gasped.
"Didn't your sister tell you? We discovered Granger and the Headboy-git in a tryst during our rounds on Friday. Where is your dear Hermione, by the way?"
"Bloody hell!" Ron exploded. "Where is she? I'll kill him!"
Ron began pacing the common room like a caged animal, not knowing what to do next, all the while working himself into fiery rage.
"I'm guessing you don't want to play anymore then?" Draco queried innocently.
Harry and Ginny returned to the common room laden with the spoils of their adventure.
One glance at Ron and they knew they'd missed something important.
"What happened?" Harry asked unloading his arms.
"Apparently, Hermione's off snogging Headboy-git Marshall. I have to find them."
"What did you do?" spat Ginny at Draco.
Draco merely shrugged and smirked, while picking up the bowl of crisps that Harry had just deposited.
"The map, Harry!" Ron trumpeted. "I need the map!"
Ron was gone in a flash, up the stairs with Harry and Ginny hot on his tail. Draco also followed very closely, with his bowl of crisps; he wasn't going to miss a second of this!
"Ron! No!" Harry pled with him. "She's not your girlfriend Ron; you've said it a thousand times. Even if she were, you'd have no right to spy on her like this!"
Ron ignored Harry and rummaged through Harry's trunk until he found the Marauder's Map.
"Ron, please! Don't do this. Think about the Power Position; you'll ruin it."
"Fuck the bloody Power Position! She's mine!"
"What's the Power Position?" Draco muttered in Ginny's ear.
"No idea," Ginny muttered back. "And I'm not talking to you!"
Ron had spread the map out on his bed and Draco moved in as close as he dared to look at it. He was careful to stay out of Ron's direct path, for he knew that it was possible for Ron's wrath to turn on him at any moment. But that map looked interesting.
"She's in his room," Ron whispered as though all the air had been drained from his body. Then, the Weasley rage recovered itself. "She's in the bloody git's private room!" he bellowed, and he was out the door.
Harry stopped Ginny and Draco in the common room.
"Ginny, you stay here and make sure Malfoy's gone before Hermione comes back. She'll turn him into a ferret permanently if she sees him tonight. I'll go try to talk some sense into Ron, failing that; I'll try to make sure no one gets killed."
Harry ran after Ron.
"Are you happy now?" Ginny asked coldly, glaring at Draco.
"Moderately."
"How could you do that to him? How could you be that cruel?"
"He deserved it!" Draco exploded. "He started it, he was being an arse!"
"Grrrr…when will you two stop niggling each other and grow up?" she shouted.
"Not any time soon, I'm sure!" Draco pouted.
"What did he say to you?"
"I'd better go now, Ginny," Draco said quietly as he turned toward the door.
"Draco!" Ginny blocked his path, and held both of his hands in hers. "Was it about us? What did he say?"
Draco met Ginny's gaze with a neutral, unreadable expression. "Nothing I didn't already know, really. This isn't going to work, Ginny. Us. We won't work."
Ginny felt like a balloon pricked with a pin.
"But…we haven't even tried," she whispered breathlessly.
"It's best we don't. Good night."
Draco turned and left; Ginny noted for the first, but not the last time, how very good he was at walking away.
Authors Notes:
I nicked the Strip chess idea from an EXTREMELY cute R/Hr one shot on Checkmated:
Strategic Maneuvers by Syn
I swear to myself that this is my last unbeta-ed chapter! (I won't put money on it though.)
I setup a livejournal page for myself. I'll post unbeta-ed chapters there first for those of you who are extremely addicted to the plight of our fair Ginny.
See my author's bio for the web address of the livejournal.
As an added treat, I wrote a one-shot for the D/G Feast contest. (It does not take place in TDT universe, so don't go looking for clues.) All of the teen-angst in this story was getting to me, I had to let D/G grow-up and release some tension! It's rated NC-17, not meant for my younger readers. I'll post the address on my livejournal site. Please read it and post a message, letting me know what you think. (Should I stick to the R-rating and lower?)