"Can't Get Enough of You"

Chapter 9: Where Potter is a bit slow, or Ginny really sucks at potions.

By: Sailor Gemini

Authors note: Hi guys. Yeah, please don't kill me. I want french fries. I don't own any of this, and by my want (but lack) of french fries proves that I really don't own much of anything at all. Want to donate to me? Please? Yeah, I know. I can't believe I even bothered asking. I hope you will review!

I've got to follow it

Because everything I know,

It's nothing until I give it to you.

Ginny sat staring at her Potions essay.

"I'm sorry, Hermione," she said for possibly the fifth time that evening. "But I sincerely don't get it. I know that I'm really lucky to be getting a rewrite at all, but why won't he accept my answer as a bezoar?"

"First of all," Hermione started. "This was supposed to be at least a foot and a half. You barely got three paragraphs in!"

"I think it's good enough," Harry said, smiling at her.

"And you are the spawn of Snape's hatred," Ron retored, grinning. "I say don't bloody well do it. You know he'll fail you anyway."

"But to be a healer, I need to get into N.E.W.T level potions."

"You want to be a healer? I never knew that about you," Hermione commented, trying to get her attention back.

She succeeded, and Ginny looked over at her. "There are alot of things you don't know," she said pointendly. "Like how I don't want to be working on this essay." She sat up from her reclying position. "You want to go on a walk?"

"Yeah, why don't we all go?" Harry replied, stretching his legs and arms. "We haven't hung out together in a long while."

"Sorry, Pothead," Ginny replied, patting his head as she stood up. "But I just want some girly time right now. Maybe you can join us on our next gossip session."

Ron seconded Ginny's demand, and leaned back into the overstuffed arm chair. He knew how cold it was outside, and really didn't want to go hear two girls whine and complain about their lives. It really did get boring. He shoud know. Percy was as girly as it got, and without Bill or Charlie in the house (and God knows Fred and George) Percy whined and complained to him, Ron - the youngest brother - all the time.

Harry's disappointed face didn't do very much to lift Ginny's drooping spirits, but she headed for the portrait-hole anyway. "C'mon Hermie-dearest. I have loads to tell you, darling."

"Really? I don't want to hear about you catching your brother picking his nose and eating his boogers," Hermione replied quite loudly. "I know you think it's dreadfully funny but it really just makes me want to vomit. Sorry."

"Oh, it's not Ron I want to talk about tonight," Ginny replied, winking as she looked over her shoulder. "It's Harry that should be the topic of tonight's conversation."

"I don't want to talk about just Harry," Hermione replied in earnest, as they pushed their way through the hole.

The boys sighed, and shook their heads.

"So," Hermione started as they walked down the hall. A cold draft swept along by them, and they shivered. Pulling their cloaks around themselves tighter, the walked in the direction of the library. "What is up with you lately? You've been avoiding Harry like the plague, and you seem completely dumbfounded whenever anyone asks you a question. You just zone out all the time. Are you even eating? At meal times, you just seem to pick at your foods as if there's something wrong with them. What is up with you?"

Ginny stared at her friend as this all exited her mouth in a total of about thirty seconds. Jeez, she thought. What is this? The national inquiry?

"Well, there's alot going on," she muttered back, turning her head away from her.

"I kind of understood that, dearest," Hermione told her. "I think you need to talk to someone. I know we haven't always been the best of friends or anything, and I don't want to try and be your confidant if you don't want me to be, but I'm worried about you."

"I'm dating Malfoy."

Hermione spluttered in response, but couldn't get a word in as Ginny continued.

"Well, not dating I guess," she gathered, as she shoved her hands deep in her pockets. "But snogging anyway. All the time. And I don't hate him. I guess, I hate who he tries to be, but I don't hate him, you know? It's different and difficult to explain."

They entered the library, and Ginny lead them to a back table.

The lack of words spilling from Hermione's lips gave Ginny the okay to keep talking. "It is terrible. I'm distracted from everything. You're right. I'm not eating. But it's not intentional. Merlin, every morning I wake up and I am so hungry. All the way down the stairs I'm imagining buttered toast and a nice, delicious frosting smothered cinammon roll, but when I get two feet away from the Great Hall, my stomach goes to knots. I know he's going to be there, and I know he's going to be watching me. It makes me nervous, so I don't end up eating anything. I swear I've lost like ten pounds in the past two weeks."

"Have you thought about Ron and Harry?"

Ginny gave her a pointed look, and reached behind her to grab a book. "Of course. Do you think I'm that slow?"

Hermione gave her a wry grin. "Well, I'm not the one snogging a ferret."

"You remember the other night when I came home soaked to the bone after detention?"

"Yeah," she stated.

"Well, Malfoy kind of, I guess he rescued me that night. I don't remember alot, but the merpeople captured me and I thought I was going to die. I think that's what happened anyway. It's all kind of one big blur. All I know is that I kissed him, and he kissed me back and I liked it. And instead of vomitting in his mouth like I know I should have, I wanted to keep kissing him. For hours. Well, maybe not hours, but until our jaws got tired at least."

"So what are you going to do?"

"I don't know." She blew her bangs out of her eyes. "Parkinson keeps dogging my every footstep. She somehow thinks she has a claim on Draco and is threatening to kick my ass from here to Glasglow."

Hermione definitely took notice to the lack of "Malfoy" in that sentance. "And?"

"And what? I don't know what to do about her, so I told her I'd punch her and that was kind of the end of it. I haven't talked to Draco since our last detention together."

"Does he know about Parkinson?"

"Yeah, he thinks she's a dumb broad."

"What a nice way to put it."

"What do you expect?"

"Point taken."

"So yeah, that's pretty much all that's been on my mind lately," she told her. Hermione looked at her.

"You really have been keeping that in for a while now, haven't you," she asked.

"Yeah."

They sat in silence for a few moments, and Ginny scanned the titles behind Hermione's head, before her blunt question penetrated the air.

"Do you love him?"

"Excuse me?"

"Do you love him."

"Of course not."

"Then what is it?" she asked, cocking her head at Ginny. "A few weeks ago you were talking about how you wanted to tie his head to a spicket and send it flying into the lake."

"I know that," Ginny sighed. "I just don't anymore. I still think he's a stupid peice of trash, but I can't help but look for him in the halls. I want to hold his hand, and I definitely don't want that Pansy bitch getting anywhere near him," she told Hermione vehemently.

"I can understand. There was a rumour about Lavender liking Ron a while ago. I thought I was going to die, especially every time she'd talk to him. And then she'd giggle and touch his arm and I wanted to just," Hermione looked flustered. "I don't know what I wanted to do, but it wasn't me. That's all I know. I think Ron is possibly the biggest dweeb in the universe, but he's the center of mine."

"Why don't you just kiss him?"

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me. Just walk up to him one day and just kiss him, full on the lips and test his reaction. If he gives you a terrible look, than you know that he doesn't want anything to do with you. You can just tell him it was an experiment. I don't know, you could tell him you wanted to see if kissing him felt the same as when you kissed Krum or something."

Hermione started laughing at Ginny's absurd idea. "You know he wouldn't go for that. He hated Krum with fiery passion. If anything it would just piss him off even more."

"Of course it would. But you know Ron," she grinned. "Anything to beat out a git."

"So thats your life story, is it?" Hermione asked. "You know Ron's hatred for Krum was nothing compared to his hatred for Malfoy."

The good mood that Ginny had been sporting dropped as she remembered her present predicament. "I know."

"Well, it's something you'll have to deal with eventually."

"No. No it's not. Not if we keep it a secret."

"And if it works out?" Hermione asked her.

"Works out? Are you kidding? I don't think I'm going to marry the man," Ginny told Hermione. "I'm content with just being with him right now. Plans for the future are definitely not happening."

"What do you think he feels?"

"I don't know. Does he even feel? I mean, there has to be something there, right? He had some sense to recognize that I am way better than pug-faced girls."

Hermione laughed, and smiled at Ginny. "Its really weird to even be discussing Malfoy having feelings. I generally just think he's this terribly inhumane person that only works in the black arts."

"I don't know." Ginny looked at her right hand and noticed the gold ring that sat on her finger. "He gave me his ring."

Hermione grasped her hand. "You know what that means for muggles, right?" She asked her. At the dumb look Ginny gave her, Hermione explained. "It's not so much a tradition these days, but it used to say that the girl was going steady with the guy that gave her his ring."

"And going steady means..." Ginny trailed off, a little curious.

"It means boyfriend, girlfriend. You know, snogging partners. Lovers, that kind of thing. Get it?"

"Oh," Ginny replied, turning a bit red. "Lovers?" The idea hadn't crossed her mind yet. Sex wasn't even in the picture, was it? They were barely kissing. "Do you think he just wants to bang me and then leave?" she asked Hermione.

"I really can't say. Knowing Malfoy, yeah. Get in, get off, get out." She paused at the hurt look on Ginny's face, and grasped her hand. "But maybe not. You never know. I've never known him to have feelings, and he seems presently taken with you. I watch him stare are you during meal times, and I see him trailing you in the hallway to class. He never did that with any of his other girlfriends. He just let them be. You're different."

"Well, I don't know what to do," Ginny said, taking her hand away. She blew her bangs out of her face again, and ran her fingers through her hair.

"I know. Hey, look at the time. Why don't we go to dinner?" Hermione asked her, standing up.

"Yeah, I'm starving."

"And by starving, you mean that you probably won't end up eating, yes?"

"You got it in one, girly."

Hermione rolled her eyes, and they made their way out of the library.

"So are you having any problems schoolwise besides with just potions?"

"Of course. Charms is getting more and more complicated. How in the world am I supposed to master silent spells? I hate it! Words are so much easier to use, because without talking anything in my mind can tamper with the spell. Last week my bunny that I was practicing on started tapdancing! I thought Flitwick was going to have a heart attack."

Hermione laughed. "I can help you with that," she told her. "But I really think you should find someone else to help you with potions. Snape knows my work and I wouldn't put it past him to think you were just copying my papers and turning them back in."

"I'd go to Harry," Ginny started but trailed off.

Hermione finished the statement. "But when it comes to potions, Harry is quite slow."

They were on the third floor corridor, when they ran into said slow boy. "Hi Harry," Hermione said brightly, and Ginny smiled her hello.

"Hello," he replied, almost a bit sullenly.

"Where's my brother?"

"I think he's hiding from Lavender. Last I checked he was a corridor behind me, hiding behind some curtains."

Hermione grinned. "I never thought I would hear about Ron being afraid of girls."

"Trust me," Ginny interrupted laughingly. "Mum and I taught him a little bit of respect for girls. He knows when to hide."

"See, I don't agree with you there," Harry smiled at her. "Dudley made me hide in many broom closets in my day, and I have absolutely no respect for ugly fat boys. Why do you think I have no fear of Malfoy and his croonies?"

Ginny couldn't stop from feeling defensive. "Hey, he can't be that bad, can he?"

"Dudley? You're right. Compared to Malfoy, he's a prince."

Ginny shook her head, and sped up away from them just as Ron caught up.

"What's her problem?" Ron asked, watching her run down a different hall.

"Yeah, did I say something?" Harry added, trying not to look dissappointed as he turned to Hermione.

As Ginny neared the Great Hall, she started feeling the nervous feeling she had been telling Hermione about. Yes, she knew she should eat, but the thought of shepards pie just made her stomach turn. She opened the door, and looked inside.

She saw Pansy slide up Draco's side and giggle while whispering into his ear.

Her anger flared, and her eyes drew to slits. She was just about to turn and leave when she saw Draco pushing her away. He turned and looked at her, and she felt her heart melt. "Oh," she sighed quietly to herself.

He actually smiled at her, and looked pointedly to a seat at the Gryffindor table right across from where he was sitting.

She made a face at him, and shook her head no, before turning and walking away.

Ok, she thought to herself. I can't eat with him sitting there, but I am incredibly hungry. Why don't I go tickle that pear and eat with the house elves? I haven't seen Dobby for a while, and it'd be nice to have some fresh cranberry juice.

Happy with this decision, she walked with a sense of purpose toward the kitchens.

When she was about halfway to the kitchens, she ran into the Dream Team. "Hi guys," she muttered.

"Where are you going? Aren't you hungry?" Hermione asked pointendly.

"Nope, I'm good. I think I'm going to go back up to my dorm and work some on that potions essay, alright?"

"Ok," Ron said, grabbing Hermione's arm and pulled her farther down the hall.

Harry gulped loudly, and looked hopelessly at Ginny. "If you need any help..." he started.

"Don't worry about it," she smiled and patted his arm. "I think I'll be alright on my own thanks."

He nodded, and gulped again. "Ok. I'll see you later then."

"Yeah, bye," she said distractedly and continued on her way.

Draco saw her leave, and turned to Pansy. "Thank you, Parkinson. Yet again, you have been the cause that has made me lose my appetite. I'll be sure to let my dad know that my death by starvation is entirely your fault."

She pouted, and he got up and left. Where did the Weasel get off to?

He left the Great Hall, and saw the male Weasel dragging along the mudblood Granger, and wondered - breifly - where Potter was.

After walking for a few more minutes, he saw Harry catch up to his pfect friends, and he continued in the way Potter was coming from. Soon enough, he reached a dead end, and saw a portrait of fruit.

He reached over and tickled the pear, and soon enough he was entering a wonderfully smelling room. He noticed a certain red-headed young lady sitting in a comfortable-looking overstuffed chair drinking out of a steaming mug of something.

Draco walked up behind her, and lifted her hair before placing a gentle kiss on her neck.

Ginny spluttered and jumped, causing tea to spill all over her. Turning, she noticed who was behind her. "Skipping dinner, are we?" she asked, brushing some renagade droplets off her robes.

"Don't even give me that, pet," he remarked, taking the mug from her and sniffing it. He took a sip, before spitting it out. "What the hell is this?"

"Warmed cranberry juice."

"You are disgusting."

"Of course, look at my taste in snogging partners."

"Oh, is that all I am to you?" Draco asked, raising a seemingly plucked eyebrow.

"I suppose that's for me to know," Ginny told him, grabbing her mug back before he spilt it everywhere. "Why are you skipping dinner?"

"Isn't that obvious? I hate a pug-faced animal rubbing herself all over me. Rather than losing my will to eat completely, I decided to find where a certain fiery young lady went."

"Is that all you think of me?"

"Yes."

"Well, then you are sadly mistaken."

"And what do you think of me?"

"I think Snape is madly in love with you, you are somewhat gifted in the art of pissing other people off, and you have a certain sense of courage that I don't think you want any one else to see," Ginny told him, picking up her sandwich to take a bite.

"And I'm supposed to believe all that rubbage?"

"Yes. And on the topic of Snape being in love with you, may I ask something?"

"Don't bother. You can kiss me all you like."

"Don't flatter yourself, Mal-ferret," she grinned at him. "I need help with potions."

"Why don't you ask Granger?"

"I did." Draco heard this and rolled his eyes.

"Oh, so I'm second rate, huh? Then no, I won't help you."

"Don't be like that," Ginny started, reaching for his hand.

"I was just kidding."

"Oh, well that's new. I don't think I would have ever imagined you having a sense of humour."

"I don't think I've ever imagined myself with this terrible urge to kiss a Weasley."

She smiled at him. "Will you please help me?"

"What do you need help on?"

Ginny turned, and reached inside of her pack. She pulled out the essay, and gave it to him. She watched his stormy gray eyes as he read it, and instantaneously felt stupid for giving it to him. Just another thing to make fun of her for.

"What was the assignment?"

"A two foot essay on how antidotes are very clever devices to carry around with you when in dark places."

"And what did you write?" he asked, looking down at the paper.

"I thought it would be clever if I wrote about how carrying a bezoar around with me would be better than carrying various antidotes."

"And you wonder why he hates you gryffindors."

"Oh shut up, will you? I need help."

"And I need you."

"A fair trade, I suppose," Ginny smiled at him. "You get me, and I get your help!"

"I can't promise a passing grade," He told her, looking up. "Any drastic changes will make it seem like it's obviously not your work. But tutoring on the subject isn't out of the question, I suppose."

"Can I ask something else?"

Draco looked up at her.

"Please come here and kiss me?"

TBC
Authors note: Well, what do you think? I am going to rewrite the first couple of chapters, so please bear with me on how awkward they were. I've grown alot in my writing style with this fic, and I want to continue it. I hope you like it! I hope this is as long as some of the other chapters. I just couldn't stop writing! It's taken me a few days, and I love what's become of it. Please review! Loves,

Alex