"Finally you've come to your senses." Draco drawled. "I'm going to take you shopping in style. This is going to blow your socks off!"
They paid for their goods in Madam Malkin's and she packed them all into special travel trunks which shrunk right down to small, very light parcels. Draco led the way outside where they both blinked in the sun after being in the shaded shop.
"Lunch I think. Hopefully this will make up for no Fortescue's..." Draco said and walked Ginny to a small alley which revealed a tiny little restaurant with several beautifully coloured pot plants outside and ivy climbing up the walls. He opened the door which made a lovely tinkling noise and held it open for Ginny to walk through. When she stepped in she could see lots of small tables set in niches in the walls. They had candles and flowers on each table but before she could take in any more detail a wizened old man walked up to them and asked if they would like a table.
"Yes please, is there a garden table free at all?" Draco asked.
"Why certainly young sir, follow me." The man said with a bow. They followed him out into a tiny courtyard garden smothered in flowers, they were the only patrons. He produced a menu to hand to them but Draco said. "Thank you Marco but I already know what we will be ordering - if that's ok with you?" he finished looking at Ginny who nodded.
"Sir, do we know each other? Have you visited us before?" The old man asked with a smile.
Draco thought quickly for an explanation. "I… have heard wonderful things about you! Could we have two house pâtés, a salad to share and two of your special cordials please?" Marco's quick-quill noted their order and with another bow he set off at a surprisingly sprightly pace for one so old looking.
"Where did you hear about this place? I never knew it was here!" Ginny exclaimed excitedly.
"My mother used to bring me here. Lucius hated it; he thought it beneath us as it wasn't on his list of 'places to be seen at' but it was one of the many things she put her foot down about."
Ginny got up and wandered around the little garden, sniffing at the flowers and laughing at the tiny little birds that sat on the tops of the surrounding walls singing to each other. As Draco watched her he thought how nicely the sun would have caught her hair if it was still red. He imagined how it would reflect the light and look like a river of fire.
Ginny turned and caught him looking at her; she smiled and came back to the table. "Draco, it's so beautiful here. Thank you for bringing me." She said and planted a small kiss on his cheek.
Draco touched his cheek gently where her lips had touched him and felt a warm feeling spread through him. The only person who had ever kissed him in kindness before had been his mother and all other girls that kissed him were doing it purely out of passion or greed. Even though Ginny's kiss had been friendly and there was no suggestion of anything more there, he thought it was the sweetest kiss he'd ever had. I'm glad I decided to make an effort to be her friend.
Lunch went well; Ginny and Draco found it easy to keep up a light conversation, they felt at ease in each other's company and actually had a lot of things in common. I have more shared interests and experiences with Draco than I had with Harry. Ginny thought briefly, not realising that she had thought of her relationship with Harry in a past tense.
Draco took charge and showed Ginny a whole new side to Diagon Alley and its many little side streets. They went to so many shops that Ginny lost count. Draco kept insisting upon buying her little gifts whenever she found something she liked. Even hiding the fact that she'd spotted something nice didn't work; Draco seemed to be able to just see it in her eyes and would order it from the shop staff before she had a chance to argue.
"Please Draco, that's enough." She said when he came out of the jewellery shop. He hadn't even let her choose her jewellery saying that for once in his life he wanted to surprise someone with a gift. "I've never felt so spoiled in all my life!"
"I've never realised that I could get so much enjoyment out of buying things for someone else… Mind you I doubt I'd have felt quite the same if you'd been Goyle or Pansy!" He chuckled. Draco held his arm out for her to take and started walking them back toward the leaky cauldron; he thought he might buy them dinner in there.
"I thought Pansy was your girlfriend? Did you not buy her any gifts?" Ginny pried.
Draco shrugged. "We went out when we were younger, but we just didn't have any attraction to each other. She's ok though… I guess she was the closest thing I'd consider to a friend at school but I still wouldn't have trusted her with anything. With you I feel like you actually listen to what I'm saying rather than just agreeing with me because you think you should."
"Well, you're worth listening to, you're funny and smart, and despite some of the horrible things you've been taught you do actually think in a similar way to me. It's nice to meet someone I can relate with... You know, I'd never have thought that I'd be having so much fun with someone I'd always considered to be my enemy! You're different to how I'd imagined." Ginny said.
Draco shrugged his shoulders. "Well, like I said I've changed a lot in a year. I probably was exactly how you'd imagined for most of my life. I would never have spoken civilly to a 'blood traitor' before but since… Since my mother died those things don't seem that important to me anymore. All those people Voldemort wants to kill - they all have mothers, brothers, and children even. I can't say that I'd ever be happy mixing with muggles and the like but I'm coming to terms with the fact that they don't really deserve to die for that."
Ginny turned to look at him. "I'm so glad that you're thinking that way. I don't want this to sound patronising but I'm proud of you!" She pulled him into a big hug.
Draco was embarrassed but tried not to show it. "Honestly Weasel I know you just want to feel my muscular body again. There's no need to make up some excuse to hold me!" She shoved him in the side and giggled. Draco found it hard to look her in the eye right then so he took a look at his surroundings and noticed that they were in a less populated part of Diagon Alley's side streets, he knew that this wasn't a great place to be at the best of times, let alone with a war on.
"Weasel, we should really hurry up and get to the Cauldron, I'm famished." He lied, not wanted to worry her and spoil the mood. She laughed and threw her head back saying he was always hungry. Draco admired the way the combination of laughter and the setting sun made her brown eyes shine so brightly and realised he was right, her hair did look like a river of fire… He paused for a second. That isn't right, her hair shouldn't be red. He looked down at his hands and noticed that his skin seemed to be rapidly regaining its paleness.
"Shit G-Weasel. The potion, it's wearing off." He hissed at her.
"But that can't be, we've ages left." She said looking at her watch. It was then she realised that she had been having such a good day she had completely lost track of time. "We have to get back now." She cried, running in the direction she thought led back to their destination.
"Wait. You're going the wrong way!" Cried Draco. He sprinted after her, their bags banging heavily against his leg as he ran. He caught her arm just in time - coming out of a very dark and dusty shop were Crabbe and Goyle Senior.
"We have to hide. They're death eaters." Draco whispered urgently. "In here." He pulled her into a small alcove beside a boarded up shop.
"There's not enough room, they'll see us." Ginny whispered looking and feeling extremely panicked. Draco looked quickly over his shoulder and with a sinking feeling realised that the two men were heading directly their way. As stupid as he knew they were, it was blatantly obvious there was someone hiding here. He could probably hide Ginny behind him but she'd soon be found. Suddenly inspiration hit.
"Trust me and don't do anything stupid." He told her. Before she had a chance to ask what his plan was he had bent his head down and covered her lips with his own.
Ginny's head felt light as his arms slipped round her, she didn't quite register that he had turned their bodies round so that only his back would be visible. She was too busy drinking in the delicious feeling that was Draco's mouth. She stiffened slightly at the sound of footsteps but Draco chose that moment to flick his tongue along her bottom lip. In a dreamlike state she draped her arms around his neck and copied his action, following the lick with a small nibble.
Draco tried to get a hold of himself, they were in a perilous situation – he could hear one of the men behind him give a smutty laugh - but all he could think of was how soft Ginny's lips felt. When she gave his bottom lip a small bite he couldn't stop himself from parting her lips with his tongue and exploring her mouth. Sweet Merlin she tastes good. He thought as his hand snaked its way into her hair and his fingers pressed and kneaded gently against her neck and scalp.
"C'mon Goyle." came a grunting voice. "We've got work to do." Two sets of footsteps disappeared rapidly into the distance. Draco found it hard to stop kissing Ginny but he knew he had to get them back quickly before any other unsavoury characters turned up.
When he broke the kiss and moved away Ginny felt slightly disappointed that the moment was over.
"That was lucky." Draco told her. "Come on, I'm going to get us back." He grabbed her hand and pulled her rapidly down the road and through a series of alleyways. She found it hard to follow, her head was still reeling and her legs felt weak and wobbly. She kept pressing her fingers softly to her lips every time Draco stopped and peered round a corner to check the way was clear.
Eventually they made their way back to the leaky cauldron and managed to floo back to the house without being seen.
When they arrived back, sooty and confused, Tonks was waiting for them looking anxious. "Thank goodness you guys are back - I've been so worried. Your potion wore off half an hour ago; I thought you'd been caught!" She ran over and threw her arms around both of them which caused both Draco and Ginny to raise an eyebrow.
"Actually I was waiting for you to get back so I could thank you Draco. The wolfsbane potion you brewed for Remus worked perfectly... To say thank you we've arranged a special dinner for you - and you Ginny too of course! It's nearly ready so I hope you haven't eaten…"
Tonks shoved them both to their rooms telling them to clean up and be down as soon as they were ready. Draco just had time to hand Ginny the bags that had her new belongings in them before being ushered to his own room.
Neither of them had a chance to talk about what had happened although the kiss was definitely on both of their minds.