Chapter 16: Walking Distraction

That same day, after sending Ginny some orchids this time (that Ginny mostly ripped to shreds except for 3. Hey a girl likes nice things), Draco made his way down to the dungeons where Ginny was already sitting waiting for him…. In HIS cloak. He smirked to himself as he closed the door. Instead of the expected speech from Ginny about not sending her things and how she didn't care, all he got was a monotone voice that simply said, "I need to practice this potion," as she motioned to a list of ingredients in her textbook.

"Didn't you do this one today in class?" Draco asked, also ignoring their little flower battle.

"Yes but I didn't finish again. I've been…distracted lately," Ginny stated, glaring at him out of the corner of her eye.

"Didn't understand it or what?" He asked, ignoring her last comment.

"No I got a perfect grade on the written research, I just can't seem to do the procedure correctly."

"Alright, well start the caldron at a slow boil and go find these roots," Draco mumbled as he ripped off a list he made for her.

"I don't understand. Two of these aren't in the book…" Ginny stated, giving Draco a confused look.

"Those two help the potion react faster, it'll give you more time to do the rest of it. Just thought you aught to know. That first one," He said, walking behind her and pointing to his list, "Can be used in any potion, but the second, you'll need to find one similar to it that won't blow the whole thing up, you know, one that will mesh well with the stuff you're putting in," He finished looking at her face over her shoulder. He liked the way her eyes lit up when she found something interesting. "You'll probably be able to figure it out when you're writing the essay."

Ginny looked over at him, locked eyes, and quickly looked down. She cleared her throat and said, "Okay thanks. That'll be a big help…"

Ginny was mesmerized how much faster everything went with the little clue Draco gave her. "How did you learn about this anyway…" She asked as she sterred the potion three times to the left and then once to the right.

Draco shrugged. "Little outside reading. We also learned about it this year."

At the end of their session, after Ginny cleaned up and was making her way to the door, Draco yelled after her. "Hey! You forgot something."

Ginny turned around just as Draco tossed her something small wrapped in brown paper. "This isn't mine."

"It is now," Draco replied with a smirk.

"Take it back," Ginny said through semi-clenched teeth as she stormed towards him.

"Hey, I just got you something…"Draco began.

Ginny stopped in her tracks. She didn't want anything from him. What she had wanted from him he hadn't given. Material things weren't important to someone who never had a lot of them.

"It's just a present." Draco finished. She hadn't had heard a thing in between. Hopefully it wasn't important.

"Yeah well I've got something for you too," She said smiling, giving him a rued gesture and throwing the thing back at him.

She was almost at the main hall, when someone grabbed her by the arm and spun her around, making Ginny grab onto a handful of robes attached to a pair of strong arms. She didn't realize it, but she was in a very shallow dip position.

"Nice dance moves Weasley, but I didn't run after you for a Tango in the night," Draco spoke, smiling as he began to pull her up.

"What? Two left feet Malfoy?" Ginny sneered, but before she knew what he was doing, he pulled quickly and spun her out with one hand. With the same quick motion, she was back in his arms, quite surprised.

"I really don't think so Weasley. A Malfoy is brought up with some etiquette," Giving Ginny a seemingly innocent smirk. And had she not been brought up with a handful of older brothers, this might have dropped her guard a bit. However, she knew male tactics very well for the most part.

"Riiight, as much as I like to have discussions about your behaviors, I need to be going," Ginny replied icily. For someone with such a fiery temper, she sure did have an icy look and matching heart when needed.

"Why do you have to be so stubborn all the time?" Draco asked, marching right behind her.

"Why do you have to be so persistent?" Ginny retorted.

As he pulled Ginny to a stop, forcing her to close her eyes to calm herself down, he whispered in her ear, "Because it's in my nature."

Ginny smiled and inched her face towards his. As he began to lower his blond head, Ginny bypassed his mouth and whispered into his ear, "As it is in my nature to be abominably stubborn," and with a swift motion of her hand, slapped him. "And THAT is for trying to kiss me again!" With a fake smile, she skipped off towards Gryffindor Tower.

Draco starred after her and after rubbing his cheek which was now quite pink and warm, and as that annoying tingling sensation fell on him, he cleared his throat and grumbled, "Well that hurt…" as he walked off to his respective common room; though, with a triumphant smile when he heard a very angry shriek coming from the direction Ginny had skipped off to.

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"That slime ball!" Ginny yelled, as she slammed the portrait door and stormed up to her dorm. She had thought she had felt a wait on her pocket, but she had simply shrugged it off as his hand. How could she have not supposed that he would stoop to that level!

Ginny didn't know what to do. He would surely feel quite triumphant if she stormed back down through the castle to return the thing and she certainly didn't want to give him that pleasure, she thought as she turned in circles looking down at the box wrapped in paper and string. But if she didn't give it back, then he'd think that she liked it and that she wanted to be friends again… or whatever he was after. She continued to twirl as she debated the pros and cons of the situation. But if she kept it, maybe he'd give up. And maybe it wasn't that expensive, grand, or special…. She finally sighed and fell back onto her four-poster. Rolling over with her chin in a pillow, she untied the strings and pulled the paper off. On top of the box was a note.

"The pen is mightier than the sword. And though you could probably give a fair fight, I much prefer your verbal lashings. Because mum said never to hit a girl." Ginny smirked to herself. What a sappy thing to write. The boy was obviously going soft. With slightly a shaky hand, she pulled the lid off the thin box. Inside was the most beautiful quill she had ever seen. The handle looked gold foiled, though it wouldn't surprise her if it was really solid gold and the feather was a deep emerald green. It obviously cost a fortune. She frowned to herself. It was a beautiful present but she couldn't keep it. She just couldn't.

With slightly a heavy heart, she put the quill back gently and rewrapped it, addressing it to the sender. She quickly jumped down the stairs three at a time and ran up to Harry yelling, "Hey-can-I-use-your-owl-again-it's…"

Harry blinked a few times and finally after Ginny jumped in one spot for a few moments responded, "Yeah sure. Important business and all. But next time? Try to ask in more than one breath and one long word." She pecked him on the cheek and ran out of the portrait where the Fat Lady mumbled, "Absolutely no manners!"

Harry stood there for a second slightly shocked as he put a hand up to his face.