It was his last chance to get her to go with him. It was the Friday before the last Hogsmeade weekend in his last year at Hogwarts. It was now or never. He could not leave without trying. Draco Malfoy would get Ginny Weasley to be his date, and that was that.
She was sitting beneath an oak tree near the lake. He took a deep breath, put on his arrogant face, and sauntered over in her direction. He stood over her, his shadow engulfing her completely, and watched as she slowly allowed her attention to drift towards him and away from her Ancient Runes textbook.
In response to his presence, she lifted an eyebrow. "What?" she asked, though not unkindly.
Well, not entirely unkindly.
"I want you to go to Hogsmeade," he said, crossing his arms over his chest, "with me."
More than anything else, Ginny looked amused. She nodded once before returning to her book. "I'm dreadfully sorry, but I am not going this time." Her response and her body language were clear indicators that the topic was not up for discussion and that his presence was no longer welcome.
Draco didn't get that.
With an impatient sigh, the redhead looked back up at him. "What else?"
"But I asked you to go with me!" he said indignantly with a pout. "I asked you to go with me, and you said no!"
"I'm aware."
"Really?" He sat beside her on her blanket. "You really won't?"
She laughed out loud. "I've never seen you act like such a child, Malfoy," she said, good-naturedly. She cocked her head to the side. "What's in it for you if I go? I mean, why do you even want me to go with you?"
Surprising even himself with his willingness to open up, he said, "I actually wanted to spend time with you."
A smile crossed her lips. "Well, I actually can't go," she admitted. "I have detention with Snape, or else I would have said yes."
His face brightened considerably. "You would have?"
"Sure." She leaned in close, brushing her lips against his ever-so-lightly. "You did save me from that ferocious, large-toothed bumblebee last year. I suppose I owe you."
He scowled at the jibe playfully. "Come here," he whispered, pulling her face back into his, unwilling to end the kiss just yet.