3
"You can't call it volunteering when you're forced to do it." Draco complained on his way to the library with Ginny. It was the next Sunday and there new assignment was to volunteer somewhere around the castle.
"Its one of those things you just do in your life. You know to be nice, and help. Oh yeah, that's right, volunteering for your family is donating money to St. Mungo's once a year." Ginny sneered.
"What's so wrong with that?"
"Just the fact that you asked that question shows me what a prat you are."
"Okay Weasley," Draco stopped and grabbed her arm to stop her also. "What's wrong with you, you crazy bint? You've been acting weird all day."
Ginny's eyes lowered to the ground. "I don't want to talk about it. So it was Pansy who hexed me but I don't know what punishment she got."
"Oh, she had to serve a week's worth of detention with Filtch."
Draco wanted to press the subject about what was wrong with her but he knew they had plenty of time to ask her about it. Maybe he could randomly spring the question and she would answer it not paying attention. "Fine, let's go." Draco practically dragged her by her arm to the library. As soon as they got there he dropped it and knocked on the door despite the 'Closed' sign.
They saw Madam Pince storming to the door. She opened it and glared at them while saying through pursed lips, "They library is closed today for spring cleaning, now if you'll excuse me, I have a lot to do." She began to shut the door in their faces when Draco put his hand on the door to stop her. "What are you-"
"We are here to…" Draco rolled his eyes. "We are here to volunteer." A type of happiness crossed over Madam Pinces face that neither of them had ever seen.
She quickly gave them a list of things that Draco was sure would take them all day. One of the many items on the list was dusting the books in the restricted section.
"I hope you are brushed up on your dusting charms Draco." Ginny said looking down the list.
"That's cute you think that I even know how to do a dusting charm." He smirked at her.
"Malfoy." She said sternly. "You better not thing I am doing this alone."
"You're not doing what alone?"
"Draco I'm serious I am not cleaning this all by myself."
"Why not?" Draco asked innocently.
"Because! Draco look at this!" She shoved the list into his face. "I can't do this all by myself."
Ginny thought Draco was grabbing for the list but instead he grabbed her wrist. "I'm sure you can do it if you try." Draco's voice was soft and coaxing. He lowered her wrist so the list wasn't in his face.
"I…" She looked away from his face and found it easier to answer then. "No. I…" The hand holding her wrist began to travel down to her hand and began messaging her hand. For a second Ginny thought about giving in but then gathered her thoughts and remembered how many things were on that list. "I am not doing it myself." She said firmly.
He dropped her hand and said loudly, "Fine!"
Ginny smiled as Draco dusted the first book with a spell he claimed he had never learned.
Half way through the list Draco decided 'now or never'. "Hey Ginevra."
"Yeah?" She was only half listening and he knew it. He took a deep breath,
Draco definitely hadn't forgotten about the infamous Weasley temper. "What's up with you today?"
Ginny was polishing a table so roughly that he thought the rag would catch on fire. "Hermione loves-" Draco was waiting for her to finish her sentence, so he looked up and saw she was upset.
"Hermione loves who? Potter?"
"You tricked me."
"How?"
"You caught me off guard you prick."
"I assure that was not my plan." Draco was just telling her a little white lie but maybe if she knew he wanted to know so bad she would tell him.
"Well I caught myself and that's all that matters." Ginny said matter-a-factly, and continued to rub at the desk furiously.
"Why can't you tell me?" He asked sadly.
"Because if I told you then it would be all over the school in a matter of hours." Ginny said glaring at him.
Draco took a look of mock hurt on his face. "How could you say that?"
"Oh please." Ginny said exasperatedly. "You would tell Pansy and she would tell another Slytherin and that Slytherin would have a friend in Ravenclaw and on and on."
"What if I promised?" He looked hopefully at her.
"No, now work."
"So do you still love Potter?"
Ginny looked up in horror at Draco. "Where the bloody hell did that come from?"
"I guess I always kind of wondered…"
"No. I don't, not anymore."
"So you used to? It was in Witch Weekly last December, you proclaiming your love for Potter."
"I guess I never really loved him, winter just wasn't my season."
He gave her an odd look before saying, "That was a really long season."
Ginny then pulled out a small book and wrote something down in it. "What was that?"
"Oh," Ginny gave a small nervous laugh. "It's nothing."
"Is it like your diary or something?"
Ginny shook her head. "Oh no, I don't trust those."
"Diaries? You don't trust them… oh wait I remember… Listen about that…"
"Don't worry about it. I don't blame you Draco." She gave him a small smile that reassured him.
"Oh… okay… good…" Then for the first time ever, Draco Malfoy smiled at Ginny Weasley. This smile was without contempt or hate or loathing.
To break the silence Ginny asked quietly, "Where did you learn that dusting charm?"
"Oh well when I was young the manor was really quiet and empty so when I got bored enough I would talk to the house-elfs and I got to be really good friends with some of them. I would help out occasionally…"
'Damn silence.' They both thought simultaneously.
While they were dusting yet more books there conversation had gotten a little more personal.
"So what was it like growing up with 6 brothers?" Draco asked quietly.
"Well, its hard to explain…" Gin paused so she could think about it. "Well with siblings overall you never really feel like an original, especially if you're the youngest. If you've done it the chances are that so did one of your siblings did it first."
"What about dusting library books with a Malfoy? I bet none of your brother have ever done that." Draco smiled.
Ginny giggled. "That is very true."
"So tell me some more."
"Okay… I said I never feel like an original right?" Draco nodded his head. "Well, that's only one of the downsides. I am the only girl. I have 6 older brothers that think it's the sacred job in life to protect me from all of the evils in life."
"Like dusting books in the library with a Malfoy?" Draco suggested. Ginny laughed out loud earning her a piercing stare from Madam Pince.
"Exactly. So what was it like not having any siblings?"
"Well, it was boring to be honest. I mean I just told you that I learned my dusting charm from house-elfs."
"That's true."
"Other than that it was good. No one had an insane urge to protect me and I was always very original." Ginny smiled. Who would have thought that her and Draco could have a decent conversation?
Draco reached across Ginny to grab a book causing his face to come very close to hers. She could smell his very exotic cologne and she felt the urge to kiss him. Apparently Draco was having the same thoughts because he was still very close to her. He turned his head and his nose brushed across hers and his eyes locked with hers. Her breath caught in her throat as he moved closer. Ginny's eyes closed in anticipation for their kiss.
"That will be all I need from you two, you may leave." Draco and Ginny pulled away quickly, avoiding each others gaze.