DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything except the story.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Written in response to the "48 Hours" challenge thrown out by Cheelalaucha in the forums. This story is quite AU, as I have omitted the fact that the Wizarding World is threatened by Lord Voldemort. The students are just leaving a quite ordinary life- well, as ordinary as magic can be.

To make up for my long absence, here's another chapter. The violin details were extracted from Wikipedia. The Hammer really does exist and it was bought by an anonymous bidder at an auction in Christie's, one of the world's largest and oldest fine art auction house. The Hammer was sold for US$3,544,000- the most paid for a musical instrument in any known public auction. I have ignored the fact that The Hammer was sold in 2002 and used it to flow with the Harry Potter world timeline. Incidentally, there is a reason why Malfoy was playing What Hurts The Most by Rascal Flatts. This will be revealed later on.

Thank you very much for your reviews. They are a great source of encouragement to me. Enjoy.

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Chapter 9

Ginny watched curiously as Malfoy examined one of the tables in the room. The table was in no way different from the rest- it was small and round, made of solid wood. Malfoy was tapping the table all around with his wand, seemingly checking for something. He frowned as he stood up, turning to the next table and examinig it carefully as well. Ginny was fighting to hold back the urge to ask Malfoy what in Athena' wisdom was he doing when he stood up once again, this time looking very pleased.

"Dissendium!"

Ginny gave a little jump when Malfoy suddenly broke off one of the table's legs. "Malfoy, what-"

Ginny stopped mid-sentence, staring warily at Malfoy as he strode towards her with his wand held tight in his hand. When he stopped right in front of her without saying a word, his face expressionless, Ginny felt her whole body tense up in apprehension. She flinched and squeezed her eyes shut when she saw Malfoy reached out with his right hand.

"Malfoy!" Ginny squeaked, pressing against the back of the armchair in an attempt to evade Malfoy's outstretched hand.

Malfoy did not reply. Ginny kept anticipating the pain she thought that Malfoy had intended to give her, refusing to open her eyes. She jumped when she felt his hand run through her hair, tugging lightly. She shivered as his fingers dragged through her long locks, and finally... nothing. Confused, Ginny opened her eyes. Malfoy had a twitch at the corner of his lips, as if he was trying to keep himself from smiling or laughing. He glanced at her before turning around and returning to where the tables were- one whole and one with a leg missing.

'I have got to be the biggest idiot,' Ginny thought, now furious with herself as she watched Malfoy's back. 'I could have moved away, I could have hit back but all I did was shrink away and squeak, wrapped up in his cloak?! Good Merlin! I must be losing some part of my brain. Most likely the logical thinking part.'

She saw that Malfoy was holding a few strands of her hair in his hand. He was running his wand up and down them. Malfoy then nodded at them, as if they satisfied whatever criteria he had in his mind. He laid a few on the whole table, and one on the broken leg. Ginny watched with wide eyes as he Transfigured them before her, turning the whole table into a violin and the broken leg into a bow. Malfoy laid his wand down and brought the Transfigured pieces up to eye level, scrutinising them. He tweaked with the pegbox a bit, lightly plucking the strings with an elegant finger, before nodding at the soft sounds they made.

"This will do," Malfoy said, satisfied.

"Will do what?" Ginny could not resist asking, stupid as the question sounded.

"This."

Malfoy proceeded to place the violin on his right shoulder, resting his chin on it before drawing the bow across the strings with his left hand. Malfoy warmed up with first playing the scales, then he started his piece. Ginny recognised the melody as one from a Muggle country band named Rascal Flatts. Hermione had introduced the band to her and Ginny had completely fallen in love with country music since then. Malfoy was playing 'What Hurts The Most'. She did not know what she was more surprised at- that Malfoy knew how to play the violin or that he knew a Muggle song.

Ginny stared, utterly enthralled by Malfoy's playing. She acknowledged that Malfoy was indeed skillful, his elegant fingers drawing sounds out from the violin's strings, sounds that she never thought a person like Malfoy, the horrible git he was, would be able to emit. The song completely tore her apart with the sadness that flowed behind it, and at the same time sent her heart racing as she marveled and applauded the skill and the person. She stared, unable to understand the person before her. There were so many sides to him, and it seemed that she was seeing the more sensitive side for tonight. Perhaps he had split personalities where the horrible one emerges during daylight and goes to sleep when night falls.

Ginny refused to let her thoughts wander to a tiny corner of her mind that said Malfoy looked quite charming and handsome right then. His fringe was messily covering his forehead, his eyelashes thick and long on his cheeks as he played with his eyes closed. Finally, as the song came to an end, Malfoy slowly opened his eyes, revealing piercing grey eyes. For a moment, they held each other's stares before Ginny turned her head away.

"Um," Ginny cleared her throat, unable to think of anything to say. "Y-you play very well."

"Thank you," Malfoy said softly.

There was a short pause, the tension thick in the air. Ginny was feeling uncomfortable with the unexpected silence.

"How long have you played the violin?" Ginny asked, making small talk.

"Since I was five."

"D-do you have many violins at home?" Ginny imagined Malfoy, being a Malfoy, would probably have an entire collection.

"Two."

Surprised, Ginny looked at him. "Only two?"

Malfoy gave her a knowing smile. "Just two. One's a Stradivarius made in 1707, named The Hammer, another is a Guarneri- the last one made by Giuseppe just before he died. I had one other Turin Guadagnini that I learned with before I gave it away."

"I-I'm sorry. I'm not very knowledgeable about violins," Ginny said, blushing.

Once more, Malfoy surprised Ginny when he did not remark disparagingly at her limited knowledge. "Violins from Giovanni Battista Guadagnini's period in Turin, Italy, are generally the best works he ever had. It's also known as a poor man's Strad, as reference to a Stradivarius- although the price right now will fetch a million Galleons, it still pales in comparison the price of a Stradivarius, which can fetch over five million Galleons. Stradivarius and del Gesù, or Guadagnini, instruments are the finest violins ever made. The del Gesù has been in the family for a few centuries now but father recently acquired the Stradivarius for my sixteenth birthday from a Muggle auction. He bid anonymously, of course."

"I-I see," Ginny said, for the lack of something more substantial to say.

Ginny spared a glance towards him and saw him staring at her, his face a jumble of emotions. Malfoy noticed her glance and immediately turned away bodily.

"W-what song would you like me to play?" Malfoy asked, a slight tremor in his voice.

"Anything," Ginny said. "You play beautifully. I'd enjoy anything you play."

Malfoy did not- could not, reply to that statement. He merely picked his instruments up again and started on a new song.

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To be continued...