Draco spent the rest of the weekend avoiding situations where he might come into contact with the littlest Weasley, not that it was hard. In fact, he realized that it was much more difficult to play their little after dinner games in the Great Hall, than to just ignore her. So why had he been doing it in the first place?
He was confused, and Ginny was hurt. He noticed the poorly hidden pout on her lips as he left the Great Hall Monday night before throwing her surreptitious glances or amusing half-threats at the expense of house points.
Why should she even care? he thought as he made his way up to the Astronomy tower before he was scheduled to be in detention. It was the first time he would have to see her since the kiss, and he wanted to have his head in order. Though he had slept much quieter since his burgeoning relationship with his potions partner began, the weekend had been plagued by sleepless nights. Why should I care that she cares? What has she done to me?
Draco stopped mid-step and frowned. What has she done to me? She is… an enemy? But she kissed me, to get back at her friends for being nosy, know-it-all prats. He cocked his head to the side, and thought, Then it has nothing to do with me. She did it for show. She would have kissed anyone who was there. Probably even Goyle. Draco gagged a little, but stood a little straighter.
I knew that all along, he thought to himself. It was irrational to think that she wanted to kiss me. Afterall, I am a bad person; I hate muggles, I hate her family, and I hate everything about her. Draco sighed, but in relief or regret, he couldn't be quite sure, and he slid down to sit on the step.
Actually, it was quite Slytherin of her to do that. And her sassy little comment about kissing me again… If I didn't know better I would think that little miss Gryffindor was flirting with me. Draco smirked. I could play along, he thought. I could make bloody Potter wish he had never been born. To think his little girlfriend was running off with a Slytherin…
Draco's conspiratorial smile was interrupted by a clearing throat. He looked up to find Ginny standing a few feet below him, her face masked of all emotion. When did she learn to do that? he wondered before asking, "Yes, Ginevra?"
Ginny stared at him piercingly before saying, "We have detention soon, and you left dinner early. I don't want you skiving off your work by running away to the Astronomy tower and leaving it all to me."
Draco raised an eyebrow at the formality in her voice and responded, "So what happened with the Golden Boy when you got back to your common room?"
A moment of silence passes with Ginny looking appraisingly at him before she said, "He ignored me. And I didn't mind it. It was kind of the point."
"I know, and a well-executed revenge it was. Very Slytherin of you."
"Exactly. You gave me the idea, anyway." Ginny seemed to relax just slightly.
"With my dead sexiness or my cleverness?" he asked with a wink.
"Your cleverness, of course. I could never tell you that you are sexy, because your head might explode," Ginny replied, some of the animation returning to her countenance.
Weird, Draco thought, was she nervous? "I should warn you that revenge should not always be exacted by snogging. In some cases it is highly inappropriate. Where Goyle is involved, for example."
Ginny's face broke into a broad grin, "Of course, I will only snog those that you deem worthy, oh wise one."
"Excellent, and as I am the only worthy one, you shouldn't try executing any more snog revenge without my approval. I can't have you thinking it is appropriate for a weasel to kiss a Malfoy whenever she pleases after all."
Ginny rolled her eyes. "Yes, next time I will ask permission to betray my friends and family by snogging you."
Draco grinned broadly, "Are you sure you weren't supposed to be in Slytherin?"
"Actually, the sorting hat thought about it, but I decided that eleven was a bit young to be burning bridges."
Draco's mouth gaped open. "Don't lie Weasley, it doesn't suit you."
"I'm not lying, Malfoy. Why would I even say that? It only goes against everything I was ever taught."
"And thinking that Weasel's little sister could be cunning enough to be offered a spot in my house goes against everything I was ever taught. It really almost let you in? Let's go have a visit with the hat, eh? Nothing spells revenge like leaving the good house for the bad."
"Yes, Draco, let's ask McGonagall for a spot of tea and a interview with the Sorting Hat, at which time I will demand to be resorted so that I can snog you in public without worrying about my housemates murdering me in the night."
Draco raised an eyebrow, "I don't know about snogging me, but you would be in just as much trouble of being murdered in the night on the dark side because of me as the light. I'm in sort of a middle grounds."
Ginny nodded. "Me too, but we will both be six feet underground if we don't get to detention soon."
"Right."
When they arrived to their little detention room at the back of the library they were shocked at what they saw. The boxes and books that normally littered the floor were all gone, but one, and Madam Pince stood with her arms crossed and a stern look on her face.
"Glad that you decided to join me," she greeted them tersely. "I almost decided to bring back all of the books and force you to continue."
Draco and Ginny looked at each other and back to Madam Pince in confusion. "We weren't done," Ginny said eying the single box.
"Well you've already been in here for far too long, and semester final exams are coming up then Christmas holiday. I thought you two needed to get out of this room, and I am sure that you have learned your lesson by now. You certainly don't stir up fights in the library as often."
Draco looked uncomfortably around before replying, "Yes, but we were trying to do a really good job. And it wasn't bad work… I kind of enjoyed it?"
Madam Pince let out a short laugh. "Since when do students enjoy punishment? I left you one box. Once you finish it up, you are free from your obligation." She swiftly left the room and closed the door behind her.
Draco and Ginny looked at each other and frowned.
Draco began, "That was-"
"-unexpected?" Ginny finished.
"Yes."
Ginny walked absently over to the final box, pulled it off the table, and put it on her regular spot on the floor.
Draco walked over and sat beside her.
"Condescending to sit on the floor tonight, Draco? How very unlike you."
"It feels weird."
"The floor?" Ginny asked.
"No, that this is our last night. I got used to it. What will I do with all of my freetime?"
"Spend it with me and our potion?"
"Will I?" he asked.
"…I think so."
Draco looked at Ginny appraisingly. "Yes, I suppose I will. Is that disturbing to you? I mean I don't even like you… I don't think."
Ginny laughed ironically. "Ah, what skill you have with words. I like tormenting you, and I like it when you are mean to me, because then I can be mean back. Does that mean that I like not liking you, or that I don't like liking you?"
"Did that even make sense to you?"
"Yes."
"Then I think the answer is number two."
"Which was that? The not like liking or like not liking?"
"Both."
"That doesn't even make sense."
"Well it isn't like black and white," Draco answered. "It's kind of grey."
"Wait, but are we still enemies?"
"I think so, but enemies who kind of like each other? Because I like that you are good at potions, and you are pretty witty, and… a good kisser." Ew, did I just compliment her? Malfoys do not do compliments. But before he could take it back, Ginny spoke.
"That's… nice," Ginny replied in bemused humor. "Does that make us enemies with benefits?"
"Yeah! That is what we are. That makes sense. Enemies with benefits," Draco repeated to himself while messing with the corner of the cardboard box.
"That makes sense?"
"I think so."
Ginny shook her head to clear up her confusion, when it didn't work, she watched him for a few moments before pulling out a book and saying, "Let's get to work."
"I don't take orders from you," Draco replied.
"What do you mean? We are enemies with benefits, that means we are like friends without benefits, and friends don't command each other to do things, they suggest, and the other agrees before he upsets his friend," Ginny retorted in exasperation.
"That made absolutely no sense at all."
"Just get to work."
"Okay," he replied, and grabbed a book.
As the pair finished up the last two books, Ginny looked longingly at the empty box. "That is it," she said. "It is over now."
"Well," Draco responded after a moment, "I heard Madam Pince is getting another shipment of books soon. We could stage another library war? Library War 2.0?"
"…no, thanks," Ginny replied grinning.
"We could pretend like it is our life's ambition to become librarians and say we want to intern."
"Are you really so desperate to hang out with me that you would let all of your friends think your life's ambition is to be a librarian?" Ginny asked beaming.
"…no."
"No?"
"…yes?" Draco replied begrudgingly. No, no, no, he thought. Keep the emotions in!
"Then how about we plan a date in the girl's bathroom to remake that potion you ruined."
"You kissed me!"
"And you liked it!" Ginny replied cheekily.
"I did not!" Draco replied heatedly.
"Then you would push me away if I tried to kiss you again?"
"Of course I would!" Warning! Warning! Draco fought desperately to justify this development. This is not revenge! They aren't even here! I thought the benefits were for… oh Merlin.
Ginny crawled across the box to get closer to Draco.
"What are you doing, Weasel?" Draco asked abruptly.
Ginny sat back, and for a moment confusion flitted across her face, but it was gone again before he realized it. "I was just testing you," she said.
"Well keep your lips to yourself. They aren't those kind of benefits! There are only benefits when it… benefits me. And right now there is no Potty or Weaselby to humiliate, so it does not benefit me."
Ginny turned red in the face before standing and saying, "Fine. It's not like I wanted to kiss you anyway, I was just trying to prove something."
"Well you failed!" Draco bit back viciously. What happened? he thought frantically. Something happened. She's mad, and she is leaving.
"Fine!" she replied grabbing her things and stalking to the door.
"Fine!" he shouted at her back as she closed the door behind her. Ha, at least I got the final word!
But the door opened, Ginny stuck her head in and shouted a final, "Fine!" before slamming it behind her.
What the bloody hell just happened? Draco thought with a sigh. She is mental. She tried to kiss me. Not that I care if she left angry. I don't even like her, so why should I care? But what if I was right and we are somewhere in the grey? What if she somehow managed to become a friend? Draco was unsure. He felt terrible and could not figure out what had just transpired with his favorite weasel. This is why you don't have friends, he thought miserably.
Moments later, a very angry Madam Pince entered the room and ordered the confused boy to return to his common room.