As he shuffled moodily toward the library, Draco pondered his latest potions setback. He had gotten the hellebore to work in his shield potion, but now he was having a hard time keeping the compound stable enough to store it. The fact that he had to leave his caldron at such a crucial stage in the brewing process was more than slightly irritating.
I can blame it on that childish Weasley girl and her book stealing, he thought. He had spent most of the evening after their detention stewing over what had occurred. Not only was she the world's biggest social misfit, but she had somehow convinced him to tell her things. And to want her company. He shook his head. That more than anything had disturbed him. I should have been pleased when she shut her filthy little mouth, but what did I do? Beg her to be hostile again so that I could talk to her. She's some sort of evil.
He had determined sometime in the night that she must be evil. She was luring her into her evil little trap. She was going to make him soft, then when he was good and mushy, she'd pounce. All night the image of a praying mantis eating its mate had run through his head. Again he shook his head. Evil…
"Something wrong, Malfoy? Or do you have to keep shaking your luxurious tresses to make sure they are still there? It's a bit obnoxious really."
Draco stopped dead in the corridor, and he felt someone bump into him from behind.
"Hey watch it! You don't just stop like that! What is wrong with you?" Ginny's voice called over his shoulder.
Mentally Draco cringed. Evil. He turned around and looked her in the eye. "What is wrong with you is the more pertinent question. Were you trailing behind me hoping I might drop some coins? Sorry, but no."
Ginny rolled her eyes. "Yes, yes, you got me. Coins."
Draco's eyes narrowed, and he gave her the fiercest Malfoy look he could muster. And she laughed at him. Not just a little chuckle, but a full-on, can't control herself surge of laughter that was downright frightening. Not that he'd admit it of course. She was mental. And a mental evil person is just plain dangerous, he decided. So he did the only thing he could think of to shut her up- and prove that he wasn't afraid of her. He slapped her.
And that shut her up good and proper. Her face turned so red, he thought that she just might explode. Then she did, to some degree. The loud words that flew from her mouth were so chaotic and rapid that he couldn't make out any of them, but he was pleased. That ought to show her, he thought, can't fool me.
It was the smirk that undid it. He smirked at her. So she punched him. Not some sissy little slap like he had done. She punched him flat out, and he fell over in pain. What the bloody hell is wrong with this girl! Now I'll never get a date. She's ruined me. I'm ruined.
He lay stunned and moaning. A moment later he felt someone sit next to him on the floor. He looked over and saw Ginevra eyeing him curiously, so he moved quickly away. She's come back for more! She is the bloody praying mantis!
"Oh, calm down. I wouldn't have hit you, but you slapped me."
"You are mental!"
"No you did slap me. Hmm… maybe I hit harder than I thought and knocked some brain cells loose. Poor nutter can't even remember slapping me." She muttered the last part to herself and looked at him with eyes of concern and pity.
"No, you are mental- of course I know I slapped you. You deserved it. You were laughing like a lunatic and it worked to shut you up didn't it."
Ginny eyes iced over. "Are you in the habit of hitting girls, Malfoy?"
"Only when they deserve it. Or to shut them up. Are you in the habit of hitting men vastly more superior than yourself?"
"Yes."
"Well then, case proved. You are absolutely mental."
Ginny rolled her eyes again. The poor boy had issues, she determined.
After a few moments of silence in which Draco glowered unceasingly at the redhead, he stood. He said one word, "Detention," and made his way toward the library
After checking with Madam Pince, Draco made his way back to the room he had worked in the night before, cautiously rubbing his cheek when no one could see. That bloody hurt. She hit me. She honestly hit me. He idly shuffled through a stack of books while his bruised ego pondered whether his face would be bruised at breakfast the next day. Behind him the door opened and closed, but he did not acknowledge it.
He worked in silent boredom for hours resisting the urge to turn around and say something to the girl. He didn't want the same problem he had had yesterday. But as he sat silently rethinking the whole situation, he was more and more impressed and less offended. His mother would never return a blow to his father, he was sure of it, as he had often witnessed the exchange. She usually just started to cry and left the room. While he loved his mother, he had to admit that she had a weak personality. She liked what his father liked, believed what his father believed, and did what his father told her to. Just as his father did for the Dark Lord. Just as he had done for years to his father. This girl was a perfect example of a strong female personality.
I shouldn't be too surprised, he thought to himself, she is after all a pureblood- some traits were bound to show through her traitorous exterior. Not that all pureblood women are strong- take Mother and the simpering Parkinson girl. He made a sound of disgust and heard a giggle from the other side of the room, so he looked up for the first time all evening at his companion.
Ginny had not looked up from her pile of books, but it had been amusing to listen to Draco's emotions all evening. He made strangled sounds of frustration, disgust and approval throughout the night, much to her enjoyment. She continued diligently working, unaware of the eyes on her, until she made a quiet squeal of excitement as she found a book she had been silently hoping for.
"What did you find?" Draco asked curiously. I can be curious, can't I? It is not a threat to my masculinity or superiority.
Ginny eyed him suspiciously before replying, "A potions book."
"That's a lot of excitement for just a potions book," he remarked crossing the room. A potions book! I wonder what it is. Will it help me? I need something to make the shield potion more stable…
Ginny deliberated a moment before saying, "A restricted potions book."
"My my, quite the rebel aren't we? Let me have a look." Restricted! Even better. Give it to me! Give it to me!
"I don't think so," she said clutching it to her chest, "I had it first. When I am done looking at it, then you can."
"What? No no, give it to me, then you can have it back. I just want to see what it is."
"Venenum Specialis. Nothing important. I just want a quick look first. I did find it after all."
Draco was incensed. I want that book! I've been trying to cook up ways to get it out of the Restricted Section for weeks. Two can play the book stealing game. He snatched the book from her hands and moved the other side of the room, shielding it from her view.
Ginny let out a strangled cry of rage. "Give me back that book!" She flew at him across the room. He didn't move. He sat with the book wrapped tightly in his arms while looking down at.
Ginny tried to snatch the book out of his arms. She clawed at his skin, and still nothing. She sat on the floor at his feet and glowered at him. Still he didn't move. Meanwhile, Draco was basking the glory that was the book. He was running over the endless possibilities that it held for him as a potion maker, completely oblivious to the redhead.
"I'm not a dinosaur, you know. When you stop moving I don't cease to see you."
Draco shook out of his reverie. "What?" Dinosaurs?
"I want that book," she held out her hand and looked at him expectantly.
"What do you even need it for? I happen to be working on a project, and I certainly need it more than you."
"What makes you think you know everything, Draco Malfoy? I also happen to be working on a project and it requires that book," she pointed at it.
"A potions project? You're not even good at potions."
Ginny rolled her eyes. "Top of my class. Made better marks than you did when you were in my year."
"Really?" Interesting.
"Yes, and if you will kindly remember a few days ago when I helped you with your potion, I would appreciate it if you would give me that book now."
"You helped me with something? I don't remember that." Taking help from her? Who does she think I am?
"Hellebore," she said simply, raising an eyebrow.
"Oh. Yeah." Damn. She did help me… What do I do now?
"Did it work, by the way?"
"Really well, actually…" Draco replied watching her closely for some sort of trick.
"I thought it would."
Draco sighed and let his arms slacken on the book, then handed it to her. Ginny sat shocked for a moment before eagerly reaching out and grabbing it and gingerly leafing through the pages.
Draco watched her with curiosity for a few moments before asking, "What are you looking for?"
She looked up at him, saw the sincerity in his eyes, and looked back down at the book to continue her search. "Something that will-" she was cut off by the entrance of Madam Pince, at which she quickly and inconspicuously hid the book beneath the pile of books.
Draco marveled at the speed of her reaction. She's not half bad, that Weasel-girl.
Madam Pince looked suspiciously between the two students. "What was all the commotion about?" When neither student hastened to reply, she said, "That's enough for tonight. See you tomorrow and try to be on time."
Draco and Ginny reluctantly grabbed their things and made their way out of the library. When they got outside the library door, they both stopped, both staring straight ahead.
"You'll tell me tomorrow?" he asked.
"Yes. And you'll tell me," she replied.
"Yes."
"Thanks for giving me back the book."
"You are welcome."
There was an awkward silence in which both Draco and Ginny contemplated the civility of the words that had passed between them. How had they stumbled across a common interest in potions? And how had two violent fights in one night spawned some degree of mutual respect? Draco was baffled, so he responded the only way he could.
"Goodnight, Mudblood lover."
"Night, Ferret Boy," she replied with a smile.
He chanced a glance at her, saw her smile, and quickly looked away with a smirk on his face. Evil indeed. He chuckled to himself as he walked away, thinking that perhaps it was a good thing that she was a bit evil. He always liked to think that it was healthy for everyone to be a bit evil. It kept people on their toes. And so he would have to be around the girl. She had proved to be quite different than he expected, and he looked forward to another long night of pondering what exactly had gone on in that room.