8

Winter break had started and to celebrate the Professors' planned a Hogsmeade trip that Wednesday. A Hogsmeade trip that Ginny had a date for… Sure they were going as just friends but she was going with him and it wasn't for their Relations Class.

Ginny went down to breakfast that morning and avoided Draco's gaze, she knew he was watching her, she could feel it. She was so nervous that she was glad they didn't eat at the same table.

"Gin you have to eat something. Come on, how about some toast, you love toast." Colin edged the plate of toast towards her.

Linda watched her refuse the toast. "What's wrong Gin? Are you nervous about your thing with Draco today?"

"I have a really bad problem…"

"What's that?" Linda asked softly. Ginny trusted Linda not to tell anyone, same with Collin, but it was Lavender and Padma she had to worry about, so she whispered it.

"What if you're going on a friend date and you want to... Well... Be more than that..."

"More than what?" Collin whispered confused.

"Pay attention." Linda said scornfully, but still whispering. "Gin's in love with Draco, but he just wants to be friends."

"So what should she do?" Collin asked, now entertained.

"Well that's obvious." Linda said smiling. Ginny raised her eyebrows. "Convince him that being just friends sucks." She said as if that was the most obvious thing in the world.

"But-" Ginny was about to ask but then Ron came over.

He must have noticed her pale face because he asked Linda, "What's wrong with her?"

Before Ginny could stop Linda she said, "Oh, she has a date with Dra-" Ginny covered Linda's mouth, but she knew she was too late.

Ron's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Dra- wouldn't be short for Draco Malfoy, would it?"

Realization dawned on Linda's face. She spluttered for a plausible excuse, but Ginny spoke up first. "Maybe it would!" She said defensively. Why should she lie to her brother? Act ashamed of going to Hogsmeade with Draco.

"Why would you do something stupid like that!" Ron's voice had risen loudly.

"Maybe, Ronald, if you get your head of your arse for 5 bloody seconds you might find that Draco and I have become friends." She yelled.

"Now, now, Mr. and Miss Weasley. I am afraid that you two are creating quite a ruckus and if you don't simmer down I think I will have to take away house points, since I am Head Boy."

"Why do you always pop up out of no where?" Ron complained. Ginny turned around and smirked at Draco, all of her nervousness long forgotten with the beginning of the argument.

"Well," Ginny said happily. "If it it isn't my good friend Draco." He smiled at her.

"I'll meet you at 10 o'clock in the Entrance Hall buddy?" Draco asked.

"10 o'clock sounds great, pal." Draco laughed and walked away.

Ron looked shocked. "Did Malfoy just laugh out loud… in a non-taunting kind of a way?"

"Ginny really has changed him… and for the better I might add." Linda said.

"No… really I haven't changed him… we're just friends so I am seeing a side of him only his friends get to."

"Earth to Ginny but Malfoy doesn't have any friends."

"Yes he does!" Ginny said defensively.

"Name them."

"Crabbe and Goyle."

"They're his lackeys."

"Pansy Parkinson."

"His obsessed stalker."

"Blaise Zambini."

"His acquaintance. They hang out sometimes but not enough to be friends."

Ginny was outraged. "How the hell do you know. Do you stalk him? Are you in league with Pansy? Spying on him why he's in the shower and out with friends?"

Ron reddened immediately. "Don't you dare start with me Ginny. Just because you are love-sick over Malfoy doesn't mean you can make outrageous claims."

"I am not love-sick over Malfoy! Talk about making outrageous claims."

"Then why are you hanging out with him?"

"BECAUSE HE IS MY FRIEND YOU DUMBASS!" Ginny then stormed away angrily.

Ginny smiled broadly when she saw Draco waiting for her in the Entrance Hall. "Always so punctual Draco?" Being around Draco always made her forget her problems, but that didn't mean she was in love with him. After storming away angrily Ron had followed her and they had another row in the Common Room.

"Always." He smiled as he held out his hand for her to hold. She grabbed his hand and they began walking. They caught up with the large chattering group in about 5 minutes.

They were so loud that Ginny couldn't hear herself think, let alone talk to Draco. Also, the wind was so bitter and cold that she had pulled her scarf over her face so her nose wouldn't freeze off.

They went into the sweet shop and while Ginny went to the restroom, not so much that she had to use it but she needed to freshen up and collect her thoughts, Draco had held her hand half way there and she couldn't breathe.

Once she left the restroom she had found him and he pulled out with a florish a crystallized sugar rose.

"For you Ginevra."

'Draco bought me a sugar rose...'

Then a rather Hermione-like voice popped up in her head and said, quite rudely, 'It's a white sugar rose.' Ginny decided to ignore that fact and continued to have interesting scenarios play out in her head. For some reason they all ended with Draco declared his love for her and they would start snogging.

After buying some things for herself, she had found that they were once more out in the bitter and whistling wind. They were walking down the street when she suddenly felt Draco's lips by her ear.

Draco whispered, her warm breath tickling her ear. "Do you want to get a butterbeer before we go around to more of the shops?"

Ginny nodded feverishly. They walked into the Three Broomsticks and she felt the warmth wash over her. Ginny pulled the scarf off and breathed a sigh of relief.

Despite the crowded atmosphere, Draco led her to an empty and quite secluded table. When they sat down, Ginny had found that it was suddenly quite a lot warmer in the building. She pulled off a few layers of clothes but found it was her skin was flushed with embarrassment and that's what was making her so hot. She wasn't sure why but she seemed to get more and more embarrassed by the minute.

Finally she was down to a pair of jeans and a dark green and rather tight turtleneck.

"Wow, Gin you look great in green."

Ginny laughed. "Maybe I should have been in Sytherin."

"Maybe." Draco said smiling. "I'll go get us the drinks." He got out of his seat and went to the bar.

While Draco was getting her a drink, Ginny tried to recompose herself. 'Take a deep breath Ginevra. You two are just friends... That's it. Despite your deluded fantasies.'

He returned with two mugs. "They are out of butterbeer so I got us some mead."

"Draco Malfoy are you trying to get me drunk?" She asked, giggling.

He grinned mischievously. "What if I am?" Ginny's stomach dropped, maybe if I get plastered I can do something about these feelings… like get rid of them… or make him feel the same way.

"What if I don't stop you?" She smiled innocently as she took one of the mugs from a slightly bemused Draco. He regrouped and sat down next to her, watching her drink the mead steadily.

"Slow down Ginevra. You might get drunk and make bad decisions." Draco drawled, smirking at her.

"That's true Mr. Malfoy. And what if I start hitting on you? You're Head Boy and all, would you do the responsible thing... Or..." Ginny's hand rested on this thigh.

"Well-" His voice nearly cracked, nearly because it didn't because he's a Malfoy and Malfoy's voices don't crack.

Ginny removed her hand from his leg to see if she could see his feelings on his face, but it remained quite unreadable. Since she had consumed the alcohol so fast she began to feel tipsy. "Perhaps if you were not-exactly sober... you could plead not guilty." She pushed his mug towards him.

"I think you might be right." He then took a long gulp from his mug. He then got a look of realization crossed his face. Draco lowered the mug and began, "Gin, I don't think this is a good idea-" But then he was cut off when Ginny's lips touched his own.

Ginny found that his lips were still cold from the outside temperature but they quickly warmed to her own. She put her hand on his shoulder when he felt him pull away.

"Oh gods here it comes..." Ginny cradled her head in her hands.

Draco smirked at her. "Was I really that bad?"

Ginny looked up at him through tear filled eyes. "Was that a mistake? Kissing you I mean..."

"Gods I hope not." He tilted her head up with his hand and he kissed her first this time.

Ginny laid on her bed the next morning, it was still early, she could tell by the position the sun was in the sky. She was completely full of happiness, despite the horrible hang-over she had. It was the day after her date with Draco, 'Yes now it was a date.' she thought happily.

They had spent the rest of the day talking, snogging, laughing, snogging, drinking, and of course, snogging.

'Maybe now he will want to be more than friends…'She sighed contentedly as she stared at the sugar rose on her bedside table. She smiled contentedly and felt herself slip once again into a sweet dream filled sleep.