October 23, 2017
Author's Notes: Reviews appreciated!

Malfoy's Patented Daydream Scheme

Chapter Five: Invitation

At a young age, Ginny had mastered the art of ignoring her twin brothers. There were probably only a select number of people on the planet who possessed the skill. When they sought attention, Fred and George were difficult to ignore, and no one could even fault them for it because they were fun and charismatic. People wanted to be included in their jokes and pranks (which was infinitely preferable to being pranked by them).

Even without Fred, George was no less annoying when he chose to be, and Ginny, for the first time since she was nine years old, couldn't muster up the concentration needed to properly tune him out.

"Did you submit the order for Extendable Ears? What about the Snackboxes? This shelf looks a little empty. Don't you think you should restock it before lunch? What have crowds been like? What were the most popular items Hogsmeade weekend? When are you going—Ginny? Are you listening to me?"

"Unfortunately, yes," she said under her breath.

George turned around with his arms crossed over his chest, which managed to produce a little contrition in Ginny.

"I'm sorry, George. I know this is important."

He pulled a step stool over to the window, where Ginny was dusting and rearranging the display. "Sit down. What's up?"

How could she tell her brother she was thinking about Hogwarts' resident Potions apprentice? She knew he'd spent the last couple months listening to his employee Verity gush about Malfoy's Witch Weekly article in the Diagon Alley store. Honestly, who hadn't discussed that article since its release?

Ginny had laughed at George's agony every time Verity brought up Malfoy, but ever since she'd read the article (and seen those photos) for herself, she'd harbored a secret morbid fascination for London's most eligible. As reprehensible as he'd been at Hogwarts, it was difficult not to think of him in a different light after seeing him in a state of undress, even if she was now aware that his abs had been edited in later.

Meeting him again had not deterred her fascination. Teasing him had been too much fun, and she found herself unable or unwilling to leave him alone.

And then he'd admitted to fantasizing about her, and Ginny hadn't known what to think. Kissing him had seemed like a natural progression of events. A man admitted he fantasized about her, she returned his interest, a spark flared between them, and suddenly—BOOM! Next thing she knew they were snogging.

George pursed his lips and rubbed his chin when Ginny didn't answer him. "Hmmm, is it the shop? An angry customer, maybe?"

"No, the shop is fine. The customers have been great."

"It's a man, then. Or a woman?"

Ginny's face heated. "Why does it have to be about my love life at all? Maybe I didn't sleep last night! Maybe I haven't eaten all day!"

He grinned that mischievous grin that he and Fred used to share when they ganged up on unsuspecting victims. "I can't comment on your sleep habits, but I watched you eat breakfast this morning, so I know it's not that. And who said anything about your love life? I asked a very vague question, and you're the one who brought romance into it."

Ginny couldn't even be mad at him for the trick, but she was stubborn enough to deny the truth anyway. "You and I both know very well that my love life was implied."

"Do we though? I think you've got love on the brain."

"I have not!"

The bell above the door chimed as someone entered the shop, and Ginny shot to her feet, an automatic smile brightening her face as she turned to greet her customer.

The smile melted as soon as she saw that familiar platinum blond head and those piercing, unsatisfied gray eyes.

Teasing him had been effortless before she found out about her role in his fantasies and before she'd felt his erection press against her. Now she had to fight her desire to push him out the store and slam the door in his face. He was still a customer and George was watching.

"Hello, Malfoy. Having trouble with your daydream charms again?" Her cheeks burned as soon as she spoke. Her last attempt to help him with his daydream issues had been fresh in her mind for days, and she wondered if Malfoy had obsessed over it as much as she had.

"No, no. I just came to purchase some more. I thought it would be easier to come myself rather than wait for Filch to paw through my mail."

He took a circuitous route to the Patented Daydream Charm display, winding around tables and shelves that put him at the furthest distance from Ginny and George.

As she turned her attention back to the window display, she glanced at her brother only to find him staring back at her, eyes narrowed, brow furrowed in thought.

"What?" Ginny hissed.

He simply shook his head and gestured for her to continue her work.

The silence in the shop was thick with tension as Malfoy examined the various boxes of daydream charms, Ginny dusted a display that had already been dusted, and George rocked on his feet while twiddling his thumbs.

Ginny honestly wasn't as shocked as she should have been to learn that Malfoy's fantasies of her had overridden the daydream charms' magic. Male appreciation was not new to her. She had always been popular with guys, even going back to her days at Hogwarts. But even after he had unknowingly admitted it outloud, she hadn't expected him to actually fancy her.

Then her whole worldview seemed to change when she made him fall to pieces under her.

The sound of his groan as his hips jerked against her had been ingrained in her head since that night, following her to bed and into her own dreams. It had never crossed her mind that Malfoy would allow himself to desire a Weasley. It had never crossed her mind that he would allow her to desire him back. The realization that he would have let her have her wicked way with him—that he might have even welcomed it, poor blood traitor that she was—had startled and confused her.

She was still confused when Malfoy indicated he was ready to check out and Ginny went to the register. George was watching, and Malfoy was staring, so she didn't lower her gaze as she wanted to. Instead, she met Malfoy's stare head on, and in his neutral expression, she found the ability to smile at him, her lips quirking upwards in amusement at their absurd situation.

Maybe the most absurd thing about it was that it wasn't absurd at all. Perhaps none of this should have shocked her. If it had been anyone else but Malfoy, Ginny might have steered those kisses down an even more amorous path, finishing what they'd begun. She might not have run away on the pretense of being busy at work.

Ginny rang him up, punching the keys on the register and depositing his money in the drawer without ever looking away from Malfoy. When she returned his change, he grabbed her hand, holding it captive.

"I thought about it some more after you left, and I may not have used the daydream charms properly to begin with. Perhaps you could give me a demonstration sometime when you are free?"

No expression crossed his face that could easily identify his intentions, but Malfoy's thumb stirred over her hand, stroking her skin, and a shiver raced down her spine even as she began to burn all over. His touch hypnotized her, drawing her to him though they stood still.

"Yes," she said, speaking as softly as he had. "I might be able to fit you in after work."

His lips stretched into the smirk Ginny remembered well from school, but when the corners of his eyes crinkled, that smirk shifted into something like a smile, something foreign yet delightfully attractive. He released her hand and reclaimed his change.

"My Floo will be open for you," he said before he left.

Ginny continued to stand behind the counter, staring at the door through which he'd just left even after he'd long gone. Her thoughts raced as she replayed the interaction and considered what was in store for her that night.

A throat cleared, and Ginny jumped, her head turning so fast a cramp developed in her neck. "George!"

"Yeah, I'm still here. Did you forget about me while you and Malfoy were mooning over each other?"

"We weren't mooning over each other!"

"There was a disturbing amount of tension as soon as he walked in the shop. It was clear to these two eyes of mine that you two were either trying not to kill each other or trying not to jump each other. Unfortunately for me, I had the bright idea to listen in with a pair of these ingenious Extendable Ears, so I have a good idea which one it was."

An Extendable Ear was unapologetically shoved back into his pocket. Then one eyebrow arched as he waited for her to deny his claim once more, but Ginny couldn't fake her blush, and her ability to lie to him was as malfunctioning today as her ability to ignore him.

"Fine! You were right, okay? I've had a man on my mind."

George shook his head. "Malfoy, of all people?"

"I am not talking to you about this!" Ginny stormed into the office and grabbed a box of Canary Creams to replenish a wiped-out shelf, distracting herself and attempting to drown out her brother with work.

George merely rolled his eyes. "Don't think I won't send him a Nose-Biting Teacup as a warning, because I will!"