Hermione met Ginny at the door when Ginny returned from her parent's house. Her hair had flown free from her pony tail in several places – presumably from pushing it back from her face in that nervous gesture she made.
"Ginny, Ginny… You need to… Oh, come through here…" Hermione grabbed Ginny's hand and all but dragged her through the moderately populated room to the back of the establishment.
Once out of sight of the customers, Ginny yanked her hand from Hermione's vice-grip and hissed, "what the hell are you doing, woman?"
Hermione started, turned to look at her friend and Ginny could see the terror plain on the woman's face. "Ginny, Draco Malfoy is here. He's… He's in the room. Came with Seeker, but he left about half an hour ago. Malfoy's just sitting there, staring at the walls… Gods, Ginny, I don't know what to do!"
"You pull yourself together, Hermione, that's what. Stand up straight. For goodness sake, you're all in pieces. Calm down and follow me and we'll see what he wants." Ginny could feel her hands beginning to shake and her heart was beating a million miles an hour but she put on an aloof face and strode confidently to the room Hermione and Snape had cleaned over a month ago.
Ginny gave a cursory tap on the door as she stepped into the room. Draco Malfoy – all blond hair and pale skin – stood as she entered.
"Ah, Ms Weasley. Just who I wanted to see." Ginny extended her hand and Malfoy took it and kissed it. He held it a moment longer than he needed to, and a puzzled look passed his face before it was gone, replaced by his signature bored smile. "Seeker told me that this room has some history. That a patron of yours apparated from this room to my estate – and returned to this room. But he did also say that he could not be entirely sure, as he was arguing from silence. The room had been cleaned – meticulously."
Ginny raised an eyebrow. "Does this rambling story of yours have a purpose, Mr Malfoy? I have participated with your hired man's investigations openly."
Malfoy waved a hand. "That is nothing. The list of patrons was not overly long, and all had alibis. Tom and his wife have convinced me that they were not responsible. That leaves you, Ms Weasley."
Ginny shrugged. "Again, an argument from silence. I was working. And after working, I was sleeping. Any person may have slipped in unnoticed and closed themselves in this room until the place was asleep."
Malfoy narrowed his eyes. Ginny wondered if he had expected her to confess. "Ms Weasley, do you usually neglect to check these rooms on closing up?"
"Mr Malfoy, nobody had hired the room. The door was closed. To check every room in this establishment before retiring would keep me from bed for a further hour after closing. I do like my beauty sleep."
Malfoy's mouth quirked, Ginny got the impression that he had resisted the urge to tell her that she needed her beauty sleep. Well, at the time she definitely had.
"I suppose that answers all my questions. See me out." Malfoy strode toward her – toward the door. Ginny stepped aside and allowed him to precede her. He fell in step alongside her as she closed the door and waved Hermione away.
"You have done well with the establishment, Ms Weasley. Business is picking up, I see."
"I found a better source for my produce, enabling me to sell better food for the same price. People have enjoyed a return to prices of yesterday."
"And you've cleaned it up a bit. Even the floor seems cleaner."
"Yes, magic has its uses, I've discovered."
They had reached the front door. Malfoy turned to face her. "Thankyou for the tour of your establishment."
"My privilege, Mr Malfoy," she said, automatically extending her hand. As she looked down at it, she felt her heart stop. Her left hand was right in front of Malfoy's face. She immediately placed the puzzled look from a few minutes previous. The copper band which so innocently rested on her ring finger tingled a little and she desperately hoped that her hands weren't shaking too badly. Malfoy kissed the hand lightly and stood straight again, curiosity fleeing from his face. She nodded once and he left.
Somehow she made it the few meters to the kitchen, where she collapsed onto a stool and sat, shivering uncontrollably, for the next half hour.