The Ministry safe house was quiet, thick with the kind of silence that made even the slightest sound feel like an intrusion. Ginny and Draco sat across from each other at the cramped kitchen table, neither speaking nor meeting the other's gaze. The air was heavy with the lingering tension of their "ground rules" conversation - which had really been a full-on argument about personal space, bed sides, and general annoyance. It was absurd to pretend they could maintain any kind of distance while cursed together, but Draco, of course, had insisted.

Ginny sighed, tapping her fingers lightly against the worn wood of the table, the rhythmic drumming echoing softly in the stillness. Draco sat stiffly across from her, arms crossed and eyes fixed on a spot somewhere over her shoulder, as if the peeling wallpaper held the secrets of the universe. The silence stretched between them, tense and uncomfortable, neither willing to be the first to break it.

Finally, Draco cleared his throat, his voice slicing through the quiet. "Does your brother always take this long?" he drawled, a hint of irritation edging his words.

Ginny looked up, brow furrowing. "What are you on about?"

He gestured vaguely around the bare room. "He said he'd send someone with our things. Unless he expects us to sit here twiddling our thumbs all night."

She rolled her eyes. "It's been all of thirty minutes, Malfoy. Patience isn't your strong suit, is it?"

Draco huffed, leaning back in his chair. "When one's stuck in a dreary shack with nothing to do, patience wears thin rather quickly."

Ginny smirked slightly. "Afraid of a little quiet? I thought you Slytherin types were trained in the art of solitude."

He raised an eyebrow. "Oh, forgive me. I didn't realize boredom was part of the curse…This is insufferable."

Ginny couldn't help but agree, though she'd never admit it. The emptiness of the house seemed to press in on them, the lack of distraction making every second stretch longer.

Just then, a sharp knock echoed through the house. They both straightened, glancing toward the front door.

"Finally," Draco muttered, pushing back his chair. "Perhaps someone remembered we exist."

Ginny stood as well, a mix of curiosity and relief washing over her. "Maybe it's Bill with our things."

They maneuvered awkwardly through the narrow hallway, the magical tether forcing them into an awkward duet. Ginny pulled the door open to reveal Luna Lovegood standing on the doorstep, a dreamy smile on her face, suitcase at her feet, and a brightly patterned bag slung over her shoulder.

"Luna?" Ginny asked, surprised but already feeling a bit of her tension ease at the sight of her friend.

"Hello, Ginny!" Luna's tone was bright as ever as she stepped inside, completely unbothered by the tense atmosphere. "I thought I'd drop by with a few things for you. And to say hello to Draco, of course." She gave him a polite nod, her gaze drifting over him in that calm, unsettling way of hers.

Draco blinked, clearly thrown. "Lovegood."

Luna stepped forward, giving her a quick hug despite the awkward tether pulling Draco closer to them. "Your brother gave me the list you made. I brought your things."

Ginny shot Luna a grateful smile. "Thanks for coming, Luna. I wasn't sure when I'd get any of my stuff."

Luna, ever calm and unfazed by the situation, looked between Ginny and Draco with a dreamy smile. "You two look…closer than usual."

Ginny groaned. "Don't even start. It's a nightmare."

Luna's eyes twinkled as she handed over the suitcase and the weekend bag. "Maybe this tether is the universe's way of forcing you to work together."

Draco snorted, stepping around Ginny to lean against the doorframe. "Trust me, there's no cosmic lesson here. It's not fate, Lovegood - it's just a really inconvenient curse."

Ginny shot him a look, tugging the suitcase inside with a frustrated huff. "Trust me, if this were the universe's doing, it has a terrible sense of humor."

Luna just smiled serenely, adjusting her bag on her shoulder. "Well, the universe does have a bit of a mischievous side. I'm sure you'll find some common ground eventually."

Draco scoffed, folding his arms. "The only ground we're sharing is about a foot and a half of cursed space."

Luna tilted her head slightly, giving Draco a curious look. "You might be surprised. Magic works in mysterious ways."

Ginny shook her head, smiling despite her frustration. "Thanks for bringing my things, Luna. I'd invite you in, but…" she gestured vaguely to Draco, "…we're sort of dealing with this."

Luna nodded, her smile soft and understanding. "I won't keep you both. Just don't let the curse get the best of you. Sometimes the hardest things are what teach us the most."

Ginny sighed, barely resisting the urge to roll her eyes. "I'll keep that in mind."

With a quick goodbye and a last serene smile, Luna stepped back and left. The moment the door closed, the air seemed to shift back to its usual tension. Ginny turned to Draco, suitcase in hand, and they stared at each other for a beat.

Draco snorted, finally breaking the silence as he glanced back at the door Luna had just walked through. "You know, your friend is...a bit bonkers, isn't she?"

Ginny shot him an irritated look, though a hint of a smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. "If by 'bonkers,' you mean insightful and open-minded, then yes."

Draco gave a dry laugh. "Maybe that's what the universe is trying to teach me - to be patient with Gryffindors who leap before they look and surround themselves with eccentric hangers-on who think curses are cosmic lessons."

Ginny raised an eyebrow. "Maybe it's trying to teach you how to be less of an insufferable prick. You know, a cosmic intervention in personality improvement."

Draco smirked, unfazed. "Funny, because I was thinking the same about you - only it seems to be a much tougher case."

Both of them stared at each other, clearly worn out from an evening of relentless back-and-forth. The argument seemed to have drained them both, leaving only a tired resignation in its place.

Draco's gaze dropped to the bag at Ginny's feet, and the suitcase in her hand. "I'll take these up," he muttered, as though they'd silently agreed to a truce. Ginny didn't bother to argue, nodding as they turned toward the stairs.

They made their way up slowly, carefully, discovering that the only way to ascend without stumbling was to move sideways, facing each other. The narrow, awkward angle forced them closer, with their eyes occasionally meeting as they navigated each step.

"Absolutely ridiculous," Draco muttered under his breath, rolling his eyes as he clutched her bag.

Upon reaching the bedroom, Draco dropped her bags onto the bed, then tried to take a step back. Instead, the tether pulled him into a closer, stilted orbit around her as she began to settle in. Ginny moved toward the dresser, unpacking a few items, Draco trailing just behind her as he attempted to give her space and failed miserably.

Before he could speak his annoyance, a knock echoed through the house. They both turned their heads toward the sound, relief flashing across Draco's face.

"Hopefully that's my things," he muttered, already heading back down, Ginny pulled along with him as they navigated the narrow staircase again, tethered and thoroughly exasperated.

Ginny moved toward the bedside table to grab her book, but Draco had already turned for the door. "Wait, let me just grab my- "

She never finished the sentence. The tether snapped taut as Draco moved forward, pulling her off balance. With a surprised yelp, Ginny stumbled, her hand shooting out to steady herself. Draco reacted quickly, catching her around the waist before she could fall fully into him.

Their bodies collided softly, his arm secure around her waist as she steadied herself against him. For a moment, neither moved, their faces mere inches apart. The usual tension between them shifted, the air thick with something less hostile and more charged.

Draco's voice broke the silence, low and barely above a murmur. "You alright?"

Ginny's breath caught, and she quickly stepped back, her cheeks flushed as she reclaimed her balance. "I'm fine," she replied briskly, snatching her book from the table as if nothing had happened.

Draco's hand dropped to his side, a faint smirk playing at his lips. "Good. Try not to fall for me again."

Ginny's eyes narrowed, and she shot him a withering glare. "Piss off," she muttered, clutching her book as she turned away, hoping he didn't notice the slight pink still lingering on her cheeks.

They moved downstairs, tension still hanging between them as they reached the door. When Draco opened it, Blaise Zabini stood on the other side, a duffle bag slung casually over his shoulder. His dark eyes sparkled with amusement as he took in the sight of Draco and Ginny standing so closely tethered together.

"Well, well," Blaise drawled, a slow smile tugging at his lips. "If it isn't my favorite former opponent from the pitch - and, of course, Draco."

Draco rolled his eyes. "You're hilarious, Blaise."

But Blaise wasn't paying attention to him. His gaze had already shifted to Ginny, his smile turning more flirtatious. "Ginny Weasley. You're looking as stunning as ever. I haven't seen you since you left the Harpies to push parchment. Though I didn't expect to find you tied up with Draco."

Ginny groaned. "It's a curse, not a choice."

Blaise stepped inside, moving closer as he handed Draco the duffle bag, though his eyes remained on Ginny. "Pity. I was hoping there was a more exciting reason for it."

Draco, annoyed, grabbed the duffle from Blaise's hand. "Don't even start."

But Blaise ignored him, flashing Ginny a charming smile. "If you ever get tired of being stuck with him, you know where to find me. I'd be much better company."

Ginny couldn't help but smirk. "I doubt you'd survive a day tethered to me."

"Oh, I think I could manage," Blaise replied, his tone teasing, his eyes gleaming with playful flirtation.

Draco, sensing where the conversation was heading, shot Blaise a sharp look. "You're not helping."

Blaise laughed, finally turning his attention to his best friend. "Just trying to make the most of an awkward situation. You have to admit, this is pretty entertaining."

Draco glared. "For you, maybe."

Blaise, ever relaxed, leaned against the doorframe. "Come on, mate, lighten up. You and Weasley, stuck together? It's like a comedy waiting to happen."

Ginny crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow at Blaise. "You seem to be enjoying this a little too much."

Blaise grinned. "I can't help it. It's not every day I get to see Draco in a situation he can't control. It's refreshing."

Draco scowled, adjusting his grip on the duffle bag. "Are you done yet?"

Blaise, clearly entertained, gave Ginny a wink. "If you need someone to keep you company while Draco's brooding, just let me know."

Ginny rolled her eyes but couldn't help the small smile tugging at her lips. "I think I'll manage."

"Your loss," Blaise said with a dramatic sigh, finally stepping back toward the door. "But the offer stands."

"Goodbye, Blaise," Draco said pointedly, clearly fed up.

Blaise raised his hands in surrender, chuckling as he opened the door. "Alright, alright, I'm going. But don't be surprised if I check in. Someone's got to make sure you two don't kill each other."

As the door closed behind him, Draco groaned, rubbing his temples. "Why do I bother?"

Ginny shrugged, still amused by Blaise's banter. "He's not the worst company."

Draco shot her a look, his expression half-serious. "Don't encourage him. He flirts with anything that moves."

Ginny smirked. "Anything, huh? Know from experience?"

Draco's expression faltered for a second before he scoffed. "Blaise knows better. I'm out of his league."

She raised an eyebrow, barely hiding a grin. "Right. Whatever you say, Malfoy."

He rolled his eyes and picked up his bag. They trudged up the stairs, Draco finally dropping his bag onto the bed with a sigh of relief. Just as they turned to leave, another knock echoed through the house.

Draco groaned, muttering as he headed back toward the stairs. "Merlin, what now? Are we getting cosmic interventions delivered on a schedule?"

Ginny huffed, trailing behind him, still tethered too closely for comfort. When they opened the door, no one was there - just a neatly bagged meal sitting on the stoop, still warm.

They exchanged a look but didn't question it. Ginny grabbed the bag, and they made their way back to the kitchen, where they unpacked containers onto the small, cramped table. The silence was thick as they sat side by side, picking at their food, every rustle of paper and clink of cutlery somehow amplifying the awkwardness.

After a few bites, Draco broke the silence, his tone dry. "I suppose the universe has as questionable taste in food as it does in company."

Ginny smirked, poking at her meal. "At least it's consistent."