CHAPTER 21

Next morning when I woke up, Malfoy was still asleep, which was good because the decision that I had taken the previous night, I wanted to keep it from him, at least until the time when I knew I was ready to let him know. If things weren't done right, the minimum amount of civility that we had been sharing, would surely be lost. With that in mind, I got up and started getting ready for the day.

I was almost done dressing when I saw him waking up. I waited for his reaction before deciding how to behave. Last night had not been easy for him. It had been the first time I had seen him using occlumency in my presence. I did not wish to push him too much. It was better to move at a snails pace than not move at all.

He sat up against the headboard, watching me pack my bag. When I was done, I looked at him.

"No questions today morning?"

"No." Not today. Maybe after a few days. I needed time to sort out things before I jumped into another set of questions. We weren't used to sharing with each other, we would need to ease into it slowly.

"Ask Dippy to set up our breakfast while I freshen up. And ask her to make something sweet." I kept staring at him with open mouth. Even when he had entered the bathroom and shut the door, I stared. I was surprised at his audacity. Did he really think that he could order me around like that and I would quitely take it. If he did, then it was a long way before he started understanding me.

With that in mind, I picked up my bag and walked out. Walking swiftly, I had just crossed the cluster of cottages before halting suddenly and taking a deep breath. The way he had ordered me had clearly enraged me, but if I walked out right now I would be making the mistake that I had avoided last night. With that in mind, I walked back and asked Dippy to set up our breakfasts.

By the time, Dippy had set the table, he was done with his morning rituals.

"Where did you get the fresh clothes from?" He had come in his night clothes, so how did he get a fresh set of clothes? He looked at me like I was acting blind.

"I have a few set of clothes here Granger."

"Here? Since when?"

"Last few weeks." he replied, shrugging. Was I becoming so oblivious to my surroundings that I hadn't noticed his clothes in the wardrobe?

"Don't fret about it too much Granger, it's only a set or two. So it's not that surprising that you didn't notice it." I wanted to say that it was not alright that I was missing details, but decided to drop the subject and we sat down to have our breakfast. Though he had reverted to being how he usually was these days, I still felt uneasy. I couldn't gauge his reactions or the reasons behind them and that left me feeling a little unnerved. It was strange how the tables had turned overnight. Moreover, I was eager to go up to the castle and start my work.

I finished my breakfast faster than I usually did. Then picking up my bag I decided a civil goodbye was in order.

"I'll see you later."

"Where's the rush?" I turned around to see him wiping his face with the napkin.

"It's weekday. I need to be at school."

"Of course, but before that I would like to know, what or rather who brought on the barrage of questions last night?"

"What do you mean who? I told you I wanted to know what you do."

"We have been sitting together and spending our free time together, but this didn't come up then. Last night someone was here, Granger. Who was it?" I could feel my heart pounding. How did he know someone was here last night? Was he keeping an eye on me? was he using Dippy?

"How do you know?"

He smirked. "The quill," he said , gesturing towards the one on the table near the fireplace. "I'm used to the best of things, so I notice when people do the same. I've always noticed Granger, you like the fancy ones. That is a standard quill and I know you don't use that. Now, tell me who was it?"

I wasn't sure if I should feel elated that he had noticed such a thing about me even when we weren't in cordial terms. I mentally cursed Ginny for forgetting her quill while trying to think of an excuse. I was sure he wouldn't like the fact that someone had to push me into finding things about him, specially if it was my friends.

"I was just doing my essays with my friends. It has nothing to do with my want to know about you. I thought you should be happy that I'm trying to learn more about you."

"Oh, I am happy, believe me. I'm very happy that you are trying to find things out about me. The only thing that I don't like is the fact that those things become a topic of discussion among your friends." He didn't seem very happy at the moment advancing towards me. Whenever he walked towards me like that, it was a matter of concern. His habit of cornering me during each of our conversations was, frankly, disturbing. I always ended up backed to a wall. Like right now, I was again walking backwards keeping my eyes on him.

Suddenly, the back of my legs banged at the side table, resulting in the spare ink pot to crash and stain the side of the carpet. I dropped my bag and took out my wand. I hate ink stains on my things. Before I could flick my wand, my hand was grabbed and I was pulled with enough force that I crashed on his chest, my hands grabbing his shirt to balance myself.

"Thank Merlin you are...here." I turned around to find Ginny standing on the doorway with an incredulous expression on her face. I could easily guess her reason for that. Malfoy immediately stepped back with a sneer, which left me stumbling. I knew my face would be completely red, enough to give the Weasley's a run for their money. In everything I had never imagined to be caught in that position with Malfoy, by none other than Ginny. We might not have been kissing, but I was aware how it would look to outsiders. That was more ammunition for Ginny for a few more days.

"Haven't you learned any manners in all these years?" If I hadn't known him for so many years I would have been surprised with the fact that someone could change their expression to that extent in such a short space of time. And if I thought that his civility would extend to my friends, even on a minimum level, I realised that it was not going to be so. The way he spoke to Ginny, it was as if the last few weeks was a mere silly dream on my part. But whatever the reason or my expectations from him, I was not about to let him insult my friends in front of me.

Ginny being the girl she was, beat me to it. "No, they tried, but I threw them out of the window when I realised there are people like you in this world." She slowly walked up to the table, picked up the quill and slipped it inside her bag. All the while smiling at him and I did not know who to berate. Malfoy had started it, Ginny deserved to defend herself, but I did not like the childish attitude of hurling insults at each other every time they came face to face. But two stubborn people determined to put each other down, were not easy to control.

"Of course, what else can you expect from the sister of the Weasel."

"His name is Ron." I put in through clenched teeth. Seriously, were we going to dig up the past like that.

"And his," Ginny spoke pointing to Malfoy, "name is moron. Now that we have established that, do you mind hurrying up. It's a long way to the castle and I'm not supposed to walk too fast. We'll be late if we don't leave." I picked up my bag, motioning for Ginny to walk ahead as I turned around to look at Malfoy. He had his face scrunched up.

"I'll see you tonight and we can continue our conversation then." Me and Ginny had just crossed the threshold when he spoke.

"So there's going to be more of potheads." I felt like bashing his face to the wall. Insulting your family was at one level, but insulting your unborn child was at a completely different level. If Ginny hexed him, he would absolutely deserve it. But Ginny surprised us both by turning around with a genuine smile on her face and a twinkle in her eyes.

"Yes, and it's just the first of a dozen." Saying that she closed the door on his face with a bang and swiftly started walking towards the castle. I followed after two seconds, shaking my head in exasperation.

"Moron? A dozen? Really Ginny, I don't know whether to laugh at your words or hit him for being inconsiderate as ever. For a moment there, I was sure you were about to throw a Bat Bogey Hex."

"At first, I really wanted to, but then I thought you'd have to clean up the mess and I let it go."

"I would definitely not be cleaning up the mess." I replied, laughing at her reason. This girl did not leave a single chance of pulling my leg.

"No, you'd be kissing his boo boo." I stopped and gaped at her. She, in turn, burst out laughing at my expression.

"Did you really just say that?" Now, I seriously was confused whether to laugh or not.

"Your expression made it worth while." We ended up walking hand in hand to our classes, snickering and blabbing nonsense all the way.

"Where were you? You missed lunch." Ginny was on me the minute I sat down beside her in class.

"I had a few letters to write." I replied while taking out my books.

"During lunch hour?" I understood her concern and I appreciated it, but there were things that were mine which I didn't want to share.

"I had to write to my parents. It's been some time." It wasn't a lie. Moreover this would satisfy her. She wouldn't question me on this front. And I was right. My answer seemed to satisfy her as she turned her attention to the essay that we had been assigned.

Now, I had to think how to tackle Malfoy during dinner. He had realised that Ginny had probably been the one to push me into asking him about things. I would have to think things through before dinner, so that I could prove that it was just me who wanted to know things about him. That was my priority. It would be some time before I could expect the replies to my letters. That wasn't a concern at present.

The rest of the day flew by at a pace that was only possible in the last year at school. I decided to have my food back at the cottage. I didn't know if Malfoy would be there or not, but my presence there would show him that it did not matter that he found about Ginny's visit last night. That would give me an edge in proving my inquisitiveness. As I walked backed towards the cottage, I mentally went through all the reasons that I could provide to convince him and ways to breach the subject once he returned at night. Then again, I wasn't sure that he would be there tonight.

so it came as a surprise to see him sitting with a book in front of the fireplace. I stood there on the doorway, staring at him sitting with his legs stretched out in front of him on the table.

"I wasn't expecting you this early." His tone was his usual self, or should i say his recent civil usual self.

"I skipped dinner."

"Good. We can have our dinner back at Wiltshire then. I have already asked Dippy to set up the table." He stood up, motioning for me to precede him to the floo.

"I need to change. Moreover it's weekday and I have my assignments."

"We will return after dinner."

We? I had half a mind to walk out and sleep over at Harry's. But that wouldn't solve anything. Neither would it end the matter. So even though my instinct told me it was not going to be a civil conversation, I dropped my bag on the arm chair and walked towards the floo. I wouldn't be doing any studying there, so taking my bag was useless. With that in mind I grabbed some floo hoping that we did not end up hexing each other.