Chapter Four:
"Malfoy!" she gasped, suddenly very conscious of the hands gripping her shoulders. She was also painfully aware that if the contact ended she would collapse on the spot.
"I didn't see you walking and. Um- my friend is, ah! Sorry!"
The blonde didn't say anything but the smile tugging at edges of his mouth gave him away.
Ginny frowned at him. "You should have been looking wear you were going!' she accused.
"I am so sorry. Next time I will avoid you path at all costs even if I have to jump out of the window." He said in an infuriatingly patronizing tone and rolled his eyes.
The stood for a moment before Draco seemed to realize he was still gripping her shoulders. He quickly dropped his hands and Ginny backed away to lean up against the windowsill.
"So, what exactly were you doing before you ran into me, Malfoy?"
The smile that had been threatening to break through earlier appeared at last. "If I remember correctly, Weasley, it was you who ran into me. Not the other way around."
Ginny rolled her eyes towards the ceiling. "Have it your way but that was not the point, you avoided my question."
"It's not like I have to tell you anything." Draco said coolly, all traces of smiles gone.
"True." She reflected, he really didn't. The fact that they were even talking like civilized people was a miracle, him telling her what he was up to ditching class on the first morning of school was hardly going to happen. So why was she asking?
Seeing the frown crease her face Draco seemed to change his mind. He sighed, "If you really want to know…"
Ginny, blushing, cut him off, "No! It's fine. I don't." She looked down at her black chuck tailors she'd found near a dumpster on one of her trips to Muggle London.
But now she was curious. She peered up at him through her fiery red bangs to see that he was looking at her too.
He closed the gap between them and moved to the other side of the window.
"Basically, I hate blaise." He said bitterly.
Ginny looked perplexed. "I thought that Zabini was your best friend."
He shook his head. "Yah. Key word was."
"Do you want to talk about it?" Ginny asked uncertainly.
Draco did a sort of half smile and shook his head.
Ginny felt strangely relieved. She wasn't sure what was even going on between her and Draco, helping him with friendship problems was probably the thing she was least qualified to do. This was her (ex?) archenemy here! She probably hated him more than Harry did and that's a pretty hard hatred to top.
…Yet her she was having a decent conversation with him. Life at Hogwarts certainly is grand! She thought ruefully.
"Knut for your thoughts."
"Hmm?" Ginny looked up to see Draco looking at her curiously. "Oh. I don't know, just thinking about…how… strange it is to be, you know, having an actual conversation with…you."
He shrugged. "I'm not as bad as you think I am."
Ginny snorted.
"What?"
"You only just started being civil to me this year. Up until then you been exactly how bad I thought you were!" She grinned up at him.
He straightened his back and lifted up his chin in an attempt to look dignified, "I've matured."
"Yah, uh huh," Ginny chuckled.
"Well, I have!" But to show he wasn't mad Draco smiled a little as well.
I'm laughing with Draco Malfoy. Ginny thought. And it felt right, natural, some kind of barrier had come down between them.
That's not to say that they were best friends now but the defiantly didn't hate each other anymore.
Somewhere in the distance the bell rang. Ginny started in surprise. "I had no idea I was gone for so long! I didn't mean to stay away from Herbology for so long!"
"That's right, you never told me what you were doing out of class." He shot her an inquisitive glance.
Ginny's face clouded with concern. "I almost forgot! My friend, James! He's in the infirmary from a Snapping Dragon bite. Pomfrey says he's allergic."
"I have one of those in my room. It's never bitten me." Draco said surprised.
"Yah? Every time anyone I know gets near them they try and get a chunk out of them."
"Oh, my lets me pet it." Draco shrugged, "I should probably be going to Ancient Runes now if I want to get there on time." He sighed.
"Yah, I'm going to see if James is recovered yet." She said, looking dazed.
"Later Weasley." He nodded to her and turned to leave.
"Later." Ginny echoed before dashing off to the infirmary.
