Title: Call Me Ginevra
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I don't own any characters except those you can't research on the lexicon and aren't mentioned in the books. The plot is my own. Any resemblances to other plots are pure coincidence. Think about it this way, great minds think alike.
Full Summary: The war has the Weasley's worried about poor little Ginny. After checking her resources McGonagall claims she has the best caretaker for Ginny. Too bad it turns out to be Narcissa Malfoy. While at Malfoy Manor Ginny faces growing up, a strict regiment and Draco on a day-to-day basis. Can Ginny and Draco brave the unknowns of friendship? Will the buds of relationship form? What will Harry do when he finds out that only Ginny holds the key to defeating Voldemort?
Pairings: Draco/Ginny (I guess this sort of answers the "buds of relationship" question in the summary, huh?)
Rating: Eventually M, but pace yourself. (I will give fare warning of the chapters which that rating applies.)
Chapter Note: The return of Narcissa!!! I bring you answers! Also, at the end of the chapter it kind of switches points of view abruptly but I trust you to figure out what's going you… all my readers are GENIUSES!
Author's Note: Well, my lucky readers… You get TWO WHOLE CHAPTERS earlier than usual! Aren't you all just the LUCKIEST readers in the whole entire world that have the love of their author-lady? Want to know how to repay her? That's right kiddies… Reviews.
Chapter Eight: Closer
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Red-
We still on for our game of chess?
Draco
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Draco-
Why do you insist on calling me all of those strange nicknames? Yes, we're on for chess.
Ginny
p.s.
I AM sitting right here, you don't have to write a note…
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Princess Wheezy-Weasley-Weasel-
Good, chess is nice. I like the nicknames, I'm just trying a few out.
Draco
p.s.
I know, but I like writing, it's so Renaissance…
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Prince Friggity Ferret-
I'd appreciate if you were going to choose nicknames to choose one that made more sense for me… Something like: Ginny Queen of the rubies.
Ginny
p.s.
You're a freak.
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Ginny the frog master-
"FROG MASTER?" Ginny choked, blanching at the note. Draco rolled his eyes and sighed.
"You're defeating the purpose of the note!" He pointed to the paper and Ginny, scowling, continued.
Ginny the frog master-
Stop picking toads.
Draco
p.s.
Want to test that theory?
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Ginny crumpled up the paper and threw it to Draco, aiming precisely for his forehead and hitting her mark.
"Well that was childish." He scoffed and discarded the paper as if it were a dirty napkin.
Ginny smirked. "You're one to talk you pervert."
Draco raised his eyebrows, innocent smile plastered on his face. Ginny could read through its falseness. "Pervert? Now how did you draw that conclusion?"
Ginny sighed. "Want to test that theory? Oh yeah, that was an innocent comment."
Draco stuck out his tongue at her. "Don't get so full of yourself Queen Ginny of the red peppers." Draco teased.
Ginny stuck her tongue out in reply they broke into an all out pinching war. All memories of any awkward moments disappeared as they proceeded to place themselves in other interesting positions; Ginny had somehow wound up bent over the nearest couch where Draco seized the opportunity to pinch the back of her thigh, Ginny's head also found it's way nearly in Draco's lap to pinch the skin behind his knee cap. It wasn't until Ernest happened upon them to give them both notes from Narcissa that they stopped.
Ginny lifted the flap of the envelope containing her letter and pulled out one of Narcissa's beautifully penned messages.
Ginevra,
Pack your things, we will be departing to visit a friend of mind in the states by early tomorrow morning. You and I will have lessons before then after lunch and dinner tonight will be early to allow for ample time to get your things together. See you then.
-Narcissa
Ginny blinked and looked over at Draco who was trying his best to hide a smile. What a crime, she thought, his smile is gorgeous when he lets himself show it.
"She's talking about Lee." Draco explained. "He lives in New York in a flat. He's pretty nice, tells terrible jokes and thinks he's rather funny, but you'll like him. Mum goes to him when…" He trailed off and cleared his throat. "Either way, I better get going to start packing. You'd better do the same. I'll see you at lunch." With a wave he left her sitting on the floor with chess pieces scattered all over the place.
"What a freak." She muttered, straightening out the chess set he had left in her room and standing. With a sigh she decided it best to use this time to start packing. The problem was that she wasn't entirely sure what TO pack. Just when she was sure she'd be spending most of her time pulling her hair out, a knock at the door came. Cocking her head, a couple of sweaters in her hands, she walked over to the door and opened it.
Draco stood before her looking slightly shiny and out of breath. "The elves already packed my things, I figured you may need some help since you've never been before." Ginny nodded and let him in.
Closing the door behind her reoccurring guest, Ginny smiled to herself. Draco was such a freak.
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Ginny sat on her trunk as she watched Draco fly through her wardrobe pulling out dresses and tops and pants and shoes. She almost wondered why he knew so much about what was considered fashionable for a girl to wear when in America, but this thought was trumped when she thought back to his arrival to her room. Why had he looked sweaty? Why had he clearly been running? She frowned, pulling at a cuticle.
"Don't do that." Ginny's head shot up to find Draco standing before her holding two jackets. "Which of the jackets do you like better?" He asked, holding up the two choices. She raised an eyebrow.
"You're the expert, you tell me." She shrugged.
Just as Draco frowned at her, exhausted about running through her wardrobe for the past hour and a half, a knock at her door came. Both looked over as Narcissa stepped in. "Draco," She said with some surprise. "I figured you'd be out with the thestrals."
"No," Draco replied. Ginny was scared she'd get in trouble for having a boy in her room with the door closed. Her mother would've flipped her lid. "I was helping Ginny work through what to pack, she didn't know what to bring." He paused. "What jacket should she take?" He held them both up.
Ginny watched in mild confusion as Narcissa stepped forward and inspected both of the clothing items. How could Narcissa treat this situation like she was? No, Ginny and Draco hadn't been doing anything to warrant a strict talking to but certainly she would have a problem with Draco being here in her room. Narcissa didn't seem to mind though. Ginny assumed that because her new friendship with Draco only occurred over the past couple of days when Narcissa wasn't around, Narcissa didn't know the two were even on civil speaking terms.
Ginny ventured to think that Narcissa was surprised Draco was there because he was holding jackets in his hands and not trying to strangle Ginny to death.
Well, Ginny smirked, it's more appropriate to say vice versa… She almost giggled except Narcissa let out a sigh. "Pack them both, there's plenty of room." Draco nodded and laid them both on the pile of clothes he'd already collected.
"I'll call the house elves to pack all of this up. I'll see you at lunch, mum." He placed a kiss on her cheek. Nodding a goodbye to Ginny he left.
Ginny watched him leave and turned to Narcissa who was watching her with a raised eyebrow, the patented Narcissa expression. "Well, that's a friendship I would've pinned as unlikely but I see I must take my own advice." Narcissa alluded to the conversation she and Ginny had had at the French restaurant.
Or was it at the French restaurant? Ginny tried to remember that far back. Lost in her thoughts she marveled at how long she had actually been here at Malfoy Manor. Originally she hadn't even thought she'd last this long, now she was finally feeling settled with exception of Lucius and the incident with Blaise. She and Draco were getting along just fine, she and Narcissa had nothing between them; in fact Ginny found talking to Narcissa about extremely off topic things like Harry or her brother or Luna extremely therapeutic. She supposed it was nice for Narcissa to have someone she could think of as a daughter.
After a while Ginny heard Narcissa inhale and speak. "I had come to talk about the night of the ball."
"Well," Ginny wondered if she should tell Narcissa about the incident with Blaise, but felt that if she didn't she'd be remiss. "You see, that night… of the dance…" She looked down at the floor, embarrassed that she had let something like that happen to her. She shouldn't have been so vulnerable. She supposed that was why most people in high society seemed distant.
"You don't have to tell me now, I'll be there when you want me to listen." Narcissa smiled kindly, sitting next to Ginny on the trunk.
Ginny nodded. "I guess it's harder to talk about than I would've thought." Ginny looked down at her hands. "It was Blaise he…" She trailed off, not knowing exactly how to word it.
"It's alright, just say how you feel." Narcissa encouraged. Why was she making it so easy for Ginny to tell her everything? Shouldn't there be some secrets between them? Like Ginny had with her own mum? It wasn't right that she could feel so open to telling Narcissa just about everything and she couldn't even tell her own mum when she and Seamus had first kissed! Frustrated but needing the reprieve of Narcissa's words, she forced her mouth to move.
"That night, Blaise, he tried to force himself on me. We had been talking for a while, he was all charming and whatnot and I fell for it like a bumbling fool. Draco even tried to warn me in his Draco kind of way, telling me to just stay away from him but I didn't listen- I thought he was just being a prat. So I go to the dance with Blaise and these girls come up and tease me and all of a sudden Blaise is boxing me around my own room trying to rip my dress off!" Ginny didn't know when the tears behind her eyes started to slide down her cheeks but she felt a single drop fall on her wrist.
Rubbing it away she sniffled. "Luckily Draco could hear my screams and rescued me. That's why we're friends now… I guess because of what all happened he felt like he could open up to me, or felt that he should so that I wouldn't be the only one vulnerable that night. We wound up playing chess and talking most of the night." Ginny hadn't meant to turn the conversation into her and Draco but that just happened to be the way the conversation turned.
Ginny looked over to find Narcissa looking positively ghostly. Her skin had grown paler than normal and her eyes were wide with sorrow. "Ginny, I'm so sorry, if I could've done something I would've." Ginny nodded.
"What were you busy with, if it's not too forward of me to ask?"
Narcissa smiled almost bitterly and Ginny immediately knew it had something to do with Lucius. "Maybe some day you'll know but there are much more pleasant things to be our topic than that." Ginny nodded, knowing that conversation would come when Narcissa wanted it to.
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Lunch passed pleasantly, the three of them sharing jokes and stories of times in America. Ginny was absolutely elated that she would have the opportunity to go, she hadn't been in a while. She used to go every year with her family to visit a friend of her parents but from her fifth year on they hadn't been. Once lunch ended and Draco left to tend to some of his business before the end of the night, Narcissa called Ginny down to her study. Ginny walked inside the familiar room and sat in the couch that she seemed to have claimed as her own.
Narcissa sat in her usual place behind the desk and pulled out a rolled up piece of parchment. "Since times seem to be settling down some, the attacks lessening and such, Minerva and I thought it would be safe for you and your parents to start exchanging letters again through a secret system." Holding out the parchment she delighted in the way Ginny's eyes widened.
"This is from my parents?" It had been longer than usual since they had written and Ginny had begun to get worried. She held out her hand, taking the parchment as if she squeezed it too tight it would crumble like ashes.
"Yes, and you can write one in return. I'll have it delivered and though it may take some time to make sure it's delivered safely, you'll get one back."
Ginny nearly squealed. Ripping the tie off of the parchment and letting it unravel she saw her mother's familiar scrawl. Ginny didn't notice Narcissa leave but at the moment she didn't notice anything but that letter.
Ginny
Oh we've missed you so much! I don't know where to start but I've got to say before I get off track that your father and I have moved elsewhere for the time being, you know, precautions and such, so Narcissa has to deliver this letter.
Father's been working less now, he and I have dinners and breakfasts together before he goes into work and when he comes home. It's nice but it's not the same without a full roost. Ron has written a couple of times; he, Harry, and Hermione are just fine. Everyone in the Order wishes you the best, they think you've gone to live with a cousin that doesn't exist and we can't tell them where you are. I expect though that Ron's done a good job of telling Harry and Hermione, Hermione almost asked if you had met Lucius yet the other day.
Oh yes, Ron and Hermione seem to be a bit of a couple these days, always hanging around each other. I looked out the window the other day to find them holding hands and walking along as if I weren't there. Harry's still single of course but just as well, you've only been gone a few months.
Fred and George did a right good job of almost killing me the other day, sneaking up on me when I was napping on the couch. I hadn't seen them in so long, Fred looks ill but George distracted me from asking Fred anything about it. George has a girlfriend as well. I don't know her name, I hope she's real, the twins should really start dating or the only person they'll have at the end will be the other twin.
Haven't heard from Percy but father says he's fine. Bill and Fleur have moved again but Fleur has gone into hiding with the baby (a beautiful baby girl! When you come home I'll show you the pictures, they're to die for!) Charlie's still fighting the good fight, he's in Austria now.
Ginny I wish you could've stayed but I see now that Ron was right. When we had to move father and I barely found a one bedroom for ourselves. We share a bathroom with another couple and they're pleasant but a bit strange. I know you're in the best place possible. Minerva says she may come to visit you sometime soon. Please write back as soon as possible, I'd love to see your handwriting again and know how things are going.
Lots of love Gins,
Mum and Dad
P.s.
Ginny it's your father, your mother hogged the whole letter but I wanted to write myself that I miss y pumpkin very much and I hope you're doing well. Tell me if you find any Muggle items at the Malfoy's place, it'll make me feel better! Be good and no dating!
Dad
Ginny held the paper to her chest and sobbed as she thought of all that she had missed. She had forgotten that Fleur was expecting. Ginny had missed the birth and everything! Fred may have been sick and she missed Ron so much. If only she could see them again, she'd give nearly all of her new clothes to just hug her mum and dad for a few seconds.
A knock sounded at the opening of the room and she jumped. Turning she saw Draco leaning up against the wall. " I didn't want to interrupt, is that a letter from your parents?" He nodded to the parchment that she had rightly crinkled. Sniffling she held it out for him to see. Crossing the room he sat down beside her and took a look at the parchment before immediately looking back at Ginny.
She watched as his hand moved to her cheek and felt a cool droplet be crushed beneath his thumb and smoothed away. Smiling he proceeded to read the letter. Good thing too, Ginny blushed after a few seconds, realizing that he had caused her stomach to fill with dancing butterflies.
As Draco's eyes moved across the letter Ginny wondered what he would think of it. She had given him the letter without second thought to read but now realized that this was Draco Malfoy. They were friends now and her parents hadn't said anything about him but it felt odd to think that she had so willingly let him into this private moment in her life.
Draco finished the letter and laughed. "Still trying to screen your men from a distance, I see." He handed the parchment back to her gingerly. Taking it she rolled it up and returned the tie to its place, preserving the words that had brought her so much hope.
"They never knew about any of the guys I dated except for Harry, they were surprised when I brought one of them up casually one day and mum nearly thrashed me over the head with a teapot trying to beat information out of me." Ginny giggled at the memory. "They're protective but I've missed it now, I never realized how much I would've."
"You're lucky." Draco patted her knee and leaned back on the couch. She watched him with curiosity. "What?" He asked, eyebrows knitting and head tilting in reservation.
"Nothing," Ginny smiled and shook her head. "I just think you're luckier than you think."
Draco looked at her for a moment before frowning. "I don't know about that." This time Ginny frowned, pinching Draco in the side. "Hey! What was that for?" He shouted in protest.
Ginny laughed and threw her feet across his lap. "I think you're blind. You live in this beautiful house, you've got almost anything you could want, your mother loves the snotty brat out of you, and your father's barely even home. If I were you I think I'd be in love with my life but you seem to hate every waking moment of it."
Draco threw her legs off his lap, standing so quickly he nearly knocked her to the floor. Face red in anger, fists clenched and teeth to clenched the point of shattering, Draco actually looked like he was about to hex Ginny to death. "You don't know anything! All you ever do is sit around thinking you're the victim of relocation, missing your stupid red-headed family that misses you thinking that everyone must have it as good as you but they don't!
"What you don't know is regardless of when Lucius is here or not my life is miserable, I never get a reprieve from him because he's owling me all of my mistakes or how I need to become a servant of the Dark Lord and all my mother does is have the shit beat out of her by my bastard of a father and you think I live a golden life? Wake up, Weasley!! What happened to you with Blaise happens to my dear old mother every week! And guess whose left picking up the pieces of her shattered pride? ME! So don't you ever insinuate that you know what my life is like again!"
With that he was gone and Ginny felt sick to her stomach.
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The night proved tense when at the dinner table Narcissa made a comment about how Ginny and Draco were rather quiet for friends. Draco quickly cleared the situation stating he had a pounding headache and wouldn't talk to Merlin himself if he were standing right in the room. He was excused from the meal and Ginny was for once able to keep a secret from Narcissa.
Ginny couldn't dare tell her what Draco had told Ginny earlier. The fact that he had mentioned the entire Blaise fiasco and told Ginny that Narcissa went through the same thing (on a frequent basis no less) made her finally understand why it was that Draco avoided home like the plague, why even his own mother could be his worst enemy; a constant reminder of the pain he would go through.
Moreover, Ginny would bet money on that being the reason Narcissa had been 'detained' that night, and like Draco had nearly spilled the beans on earlier, the reason why they were going to America.
Ginny was hoping that this trip would prove to bring her and Draco together but it seemed destined to separate them even further. With a heavy sigh she had gone up to her room and spent the majority of the night kicking pieces of chess around and muttering to herself. Huffing, she finally had gotten so completely bored out of her mind that she went to the garden to wonder how she ever lived in this house alone to begin with.
Yes, she felt terrible for assuming that Draco had a gilded life but he didn't need to avoid her like he was doing. After dinner they saw each other in the library and he threw the books in his bag and stalked by her, not letting her get a word in.
Hearing the lock of the ballroom door click she smiled, she was thinking so much she hadn't even realized she'd made her way to the garden in such a short amount of time. As the door pushed open a gust of wind blew her hair back from her shoulders and brushed gooseflesh across her arms. Shivering and smiling at the same time, she stepped into the courtyard and the door shut behind her.
Her feet were bare and the stones beneath her were cool and soft against her skin. The wind around her was soothing her heated skin. Inside the house it had been almost unbearably hot and the difference the outside made was amazing. Her head felt like it was beginning to clear and she was finally able to think about the day's events. She had written her family back and explained what had happened since they had been in contact last and after her altercation with Draco she had unpacked and repacked all of her things.
She found herself in front of the fountain that she had so frequently retreated to during her time at Malfoy Manor. Smiling she settled herself on the rim of the fountain and turned so she could look into the water. Dragging a fingertip across the cool water she saw a shadow wander across the ripples. Looking across the expanse of water and stone she saw Draco trudging along a path opposite from the one she had come.
Feeling her heart race, she stayed quiet, hoping he wouldn't notice her there. She didn't stop to wonder why she had this fear but instead acted on it. Her plan didn't work and she and Draco wound up staring each other down in the middle of the courtyard. He turned to walk away but Ginny's mouth opened before her brain had a chance to catch wind of what was going on.
"Draco wait!" She finally realized her hand was outstretched to him.
Draco glared at her and she withdrew into herself "I…" She began, feeling her stomach plummet at the cold gaze he held. "I'm sorry. I know I was wrong, I assumed that your life was all perfect and I was wrong. I'm sorry about that. But…" She paused, faltering in her courage. "But you didn't need to yell! I felt bad enough hearing all that stuff as it was I didn't need you to be all mad about it!"
She frowned and "Our friendship was really fragile and I didn't want to screw anything up and I did… I know it can be hard having a misleading life and I'm sorry because I fell for it with you." She glanced up and he was looking at her curiously.
There were a few moments before he spoke. "I can't believe you're trying to compare your life to mine. I may not know about your life but I sure as hell bet nothing in it compares to mine." His voice cut her like a knife.
"I wasn't saying my life was comparable to yours I was just saying that I know what it feels like to have someone think your life is all great when it's not. And no, you don't know about my life and just because it's not as bad as yours doesn't mean it's not bad. For Merlin's sake I had to get pulled from my house, which wasn't safe, to live in the house with the man that almost killed me my first year, or did that happen to slip your mind? Or how about the fact that nearly everyone I care about is fighting this stupid war and dying all over the place! No, my life isn't terrible but dammit it's not all that great and I've had people tell me all my life to get over whatever it is I have and be thankful for what I've got and I said the same thing to you today and I meant it but not the way it came out!"
She didn't even comprehend what it was that she had just said and by the look on Draco's face he didn't have the faintest clue either. "Never mind, forget what I said. I'm sorry about what I said alright and you can either forgive me or not, it's up to you." Standing abruptly she pushed past him and headed for the door. She didn't feel his fingers wrap around her wrist until her body jerked backwards and she was face to face with him.
"I forgive you alright, you just pissed me off a lot cause I've heard that my whole life. I know you aren't going through the best of times either and no I don't want our friendship to go down the shitter and I can't believe I said all that to a Weasley but there, I did it."
Ginny pulled back, frowning in stubbornness. "Don't act like it was taking nasty medicine Draco, being friends with a Weasley isn't like being friends with a troll."
"To you." He teased and she pinched him. "Ouch! Dammit Ginny that hurts! You play too rough."
Ginny cackled and began and onslaught of pinching, running away and taking solace on the edge of the fountain. "Do you hear that? The wind is whining…" She pantomimed listening intently to the wind until Draco got done nursing his new wounds and chasing after her. They circled the fountain a few times, taking turns reaching down to cup a handful of water to throw at each other.
Ginny was making her seventh time around when she slipped on a pool of water and reaching around to grab the nearby Draco for support, they both crashed into the water of the fountain. Sputtering and closing her eyes beneath the hair that crowded her eyes, Ginny forced her self to breathe. Pushing back her locks she looked to her right where Draco was glaring at her from behind his blonde hair.
"What?"
"What they hell did you pull me in for?"
"I felt like it." Ginny stated. With a giggle she reached forward and brushed his hair back. She saw him start, as if he thought she was going to slap him. She frowned, something she seemed to be doing quite a bit lately. "What?"
"Nothing." He answered quickly and grabbed her arm to pull her up. Ginny shrugged this off and stood, trying her best to squeeze the water out of her shirt. Shivering, she steadied her balance, or tried to, as she attempted to make her way out of the fountain basin. Draco seemed to be in the same condition, struggling himself. It wouldn't have been so bad had they not splashed water all over the place and the bottom of the basin not been so slick.
Nearly toppling each other a few times the two finally made it out of what Ginny feared might become her watery home and ran for the warmth of the manor interior. Neither had their wands and had to manage with the Muggle way to warm their bodies. Draco, not fairing well with this at all, stopped as they barely made it out of the ballroom, in the hallway between it and the dining room. "This is b-b-b-lood-d-dy rid-d-dicul-l-lous…" He stuttered, teeth chattering. Winter nights in the UK combined with wet clothes only led to colds for children.
Ginny smiled and nodded, turning to him. "I agree but it's not that cold." Of course her arms were firmly across her chest to hide the more physical signals that her body was chilly. "Come here…" She trailed off, wrapping her arms around him. "Here just hold tight a minute." She said, rubbing his back with the palms of her hands.
Draco immediately stiffened as she expected but slowly he let his arms fall around her and bring her closer to him. "There, just like dancing lessons, you know?" She looked up to find an odd look on Draco's face. He watched her with something she couldn't quite identify and she turned away, resting her chin on his chest. What was he looking at her like that for? Like this was something so taboo?
They stood there for some time, holding each other until the heat between them stopped Draco's teeth from chattering and Ginny's protruding body parts returned to normal. But then they stood there for longer. Ginny's hands had stopped their ministrations, rubbing violently against Draco's back and instead had slowed to a gentle caress up and down his spine. There were a few times she could've sworn she'd felt him shiver but chalked it up to him still being cold.
Finally when it had drawn on quite long enough, she cleared her throat and looked up at him. He pulled his cheek off of her head where it had been resting and looked back at her. "Warm enough, then?" She asked. He nodded and they slowly broke the embrace.
"We'd have better luck heading to my room, it's closer." He voiced what she had been thinking. Nodding in reply she followed him up the stairs to his bedroom door where he let them in and closed it soundly behind him.
Crossing to his chest-of-drawers he pulled out a shirt and pair of pajama pants for himself and a shirt and pair of boxers for Ginny. "This is the best I can do. I can get the elves to get some of your things but you'd be wet longer." Ginny shrugged and grabbed up the clothes from his hands. These should do for now. After I change I'll get them to get my pajamas."
Draco snorted. "Yeah cause kitties and moons are so much better than that." He motioned to his clothes.
Ginny rolled her eyes and made her way for the bathroom. "Mr. Malfoy, how on earth would you know what my pajamas looked like?" With a click she knew the bathroom door was closed and she undressed, pulling Draco's shirt on over her head and pulling the boxers up. If she was lucky her hair wouldn't wet the shirt and make it see-through. It would happen that Draco had nothing but white undershirts in the drawer he had opened.
Knocking on the door as a warning, she opened it to find Draco sitting cross-legged on his bed, stretched out with his arms behind his head. Crossing the room, careful not to take too powerful of a step that would send her unsupported chest a-bounce, she settled at the foot of the bed, head where her feet would've been had she laid normally by him. She called for a house elf to get her things and with a pop it apparated into her room and was probably fumbling through the mess she had left to find them.
"What had you meant earlier?" She began, looking up at Draco. He raised an eyebrow.
"I don't have powers of ESP Weasley, what are you talking about?"
"Well if you weren't so impatient you'd know by know, I wasn't done talking."
Draco smirked. "Really? 'Cause the inflection in your voice said you were." He pointed out.
Huffing, she began to pick at her cuticle.
"Stop doing that." He waved a hand at her and she stuck her tongue out in reply. "But anyways, what are you talking about?"
Ginny shifted to look at him more straight on. "When you said stop picking toads in the note, what did you mean by that?"
At that moment the elf walked in with Ginny's pajamas and handed them to her. She departed to change and although she didn't notice, Draco was relieved that he had time to deliberate his reply. Upon return he marveled at how well Ginny could look in pajamas. Her breasts were displayed by a stretched out word that was no longer readable on a pink tank top. Her long legs were tempting, exposed from beneath shorts that could barely be called shorts.
Her skin, he noticed, had somehow gotten tanner since her time at the manor, she was no long alabaster with freckles, she was now a healthy looking peachy beige tint. Her cheeks were red and her curls were tied up on top of her head, dried. He supposed she had the elf grab her wand as well.
She sat down on the bed beside him this time, (seeing as she had a bra on), and crossed her legs, elbows propped up on her knees. "So what did you mean when you said that?"
So she wasn't going to drop this, he thought. Sighing, Draco rubbed his forehead a bit, leaving red lines on his pale skin when he pulled his hand away. "It was nothing, I don't even remember now that you ask, why?" Smooth, Malfoy. You learned well the art of distraction, make her confess why she's so interested.
Ginny shrugged and picked at his comforter. "Just wondering, I didn't know if you were referencing Blaise or Harry."
Draco nearly cringed. "You and Potter were a thing?" How had he not known about this?
Ginny blinked at him. "How could you not have known that? My entire fifth year we were dating. He dumped me at Dumbledore's funeral to go hunting for Voldemort."
Draco felt his stomach knot. "That's absolutely disgusting. Any attraction I had for you as a fellow human being is now gone."
Ginny gaped at him. "Then what exactly am I, Malfoy?"
"A troll." He nodded solemnly.
Ginny snorted and pushed her hand under the cuff of his leg, brushing his skin ever so slightly which made him sit straight up, and pulled on his leg hairs. "You're so petulant."
"I hardly see how that has anything with you being a troll." He crossed his arms, ignoring the pain but unable to ignore the fact that she had yet to move her hand from his leg and his skin was burning beneath her touch.
What was wrong with him? Why was she making him feel this way? Plenty of girls had caught his fancy before, it wasn't like Ginny wasn't like them but she had so many things they didn't… Wait a minute, he had meant to think they had so many things she didn't…didn't he?
His hairs were tugged again. "Pay attention to me when I'm talking to you or I'll rip out every single hair on your body!" Ginny hollered.
"That would be quite an adventure Weasley since hair grows EVERYWHERE on the human body." He teased.
Ginny faked vomiting. "You're disgusting." She stated and leaned forward, shocking Draco as she lay beside him. She was on her side, her left leg curled up and right leg stretched out like his were. Her right arm cradled her head through the pillow and her left hand was busy playing with the seam of the pillow case. "I'm scared Draco." She almost whispered.
Eyes widening, he looked at her for a moment, the way the light played across her face and the way her hair looked like it tickled her skin but she didn't react to it. "About what?" He asked, struggling to form words for some reason.
"What it's going to be like after the war." She paused, looking at her fingers as the stopped and rested on the mattress. "I thought I liked Harry but I don't. And I don't know if he knows that." She blinked as if fighting back tears. "After we broke he avoided me like the plague and after a month or something he finally wrote to me about how he couldn't be near me without wanting to grab me and kiss me and that's why he couldn't be around me… It was weird, I felt like I had gotten that letter from Percy or something…"
Sadly Draco imagined her prat of an older brother pouring his love into a note to his younger sister and promptly did his best to erase any memory of those two seconds. "What's the problem? You just tell him you don't like him and be done with it." Draco was struggling to see what she was so worried about.
Ginny's hazel eyes leapt up to make contact with his and they held him there. It was the first time he really saw her eyes, against the silver of his bed linens they were radiant. Alright, he told himself, you're allowed to like her cause she's smart, pretty, her laughing sounds like Christmas, and she's a complimentary color scheme to Slytherin colors.
"It's not just that though, I mean, I figured that's what I'd have to do but…" She trailed off and looked away from him.
"Ginny what is it?" He reached and let his hand rest on hers. Just then the chimes on the clock rang out that it was curfew. Smiling, Ginny pulled herself away from Draco and stood.
"It's nothing. I'd better go to sleep. We have an early day tomorrow right?" She acted like she wasn't about to divulge some huge secret to him. Draco was both amazed at how she resembled him sometimes and frustrated by it.
He nodded and swallowed down the dryness in his throat. She left without anything else but a "goodnight" and Draco was left to contemplate his newfound liking of Ginny and how sick it had made him that she had dated Potter. He rolled over and nearly broke the lamp turning it off. Well, he thought, at least she said she didn't like him. But what was she going to say…?