Fledgling

xXx

"I can't believe you talked me into this."

"Shut up, someone'll hear us."

"I mean, I'm risking my sixth year education to go on some Hogsmeade visit because you couldn't wait for next weekend. Tell me, is that as ridiculously idiotic as it sounds to me?"

"Even a Hogsmeade trip with me?"

"What do you mean, 'even with you'? I'll be expelled!"

"All right, that does it."

"What?- Ouch! Dammit, was that absolutely necessary?"

"Didn't I tell you to shut up?"

"Probably. I wasn't listening. Okay, okay! OW!"

Ginny stopped dead in the middle of the corridor and clamped a hand over Draco's mouth. "Okay, now I mean it when I say 'shut up'," she whispered almost inaudibly. "Flitwick." She nodded towards a classroom across the hall. Draco stood absolutely still, and heard Professor Flitwick inside, humming merrily to himself.

Draco cursed. "We'll have to get past him. God knows how," he muttered under his breath, sharp gaze flicking from the classroom door to the Entrance Hall, just down the staircase in front of them. "The longer we wait here, the more chance there is that we'll be found, get threatened with being hung by our thumbs from the dungeon ceiling, make a huge scene with lots of crying and pleading, and then get hung from the ceiling anyways."

"Well, how about you strip down, paint yourself purple, and dance in front of the classroom while I make a run for it?" Ginny proposed helpfully.

"Possibly. Although then I'd be expelled for sure. Our original plan had about a ninety-nine-to-one chance that I would."

"It's better than nothing," she shrugged.

Draco sighed. "You just want to see me strip down."

"Guilty as charged," Ginny grinned.

"Okay, serious-time now." Draco peeked around the corner of the door, then swiftly withdrew as Flitwick's humming faltered slightly. "Suggestions, anybody?"

Ginny raised her hands. "Don't look at me, you're the one who's supposed to be able to come up with Master Plans."

"Give me a day or two and I might be able to. Right now, not so much," Draco told her.

Just then, Flitwick's cheery tune stopped entirely. "Damn!" Draco spat as he hauled off towards an empty classroom, the professor's footsteps echoing in the large Charms room. Ginny was right behind him, dashing into the room just as Flitwick left the classroom. The two waited for his footsteps to recede down the hall.

Ginny held her breath as Draco's scent tickled her nose, a spicy lime smell that always made her think of some sunny Carribean island way out in the tropics somewhere. Shaking herself mentally, she wondered why every time she was this close to him, her primary brain functions seemed to go dormant. We're damn close to getting caught sneaking off school grounds on a school day because *you* wanted to, she reminded herself, so *you* had better help Draco with that Master Plan.

"Is he gone?" she breathed. Draco frowned slightly. "I think so..." Poking his head around the door, he motioned for her to follow him. "Come on."

They stole out from the classroom. Draco's booted feet barely made any noise, while Ginny's sneakers occasionally squeaked on the newly-mopped marble floors. Draco winced at the sound, but kept going, Ginny close behind.

They dashed for the door. In a whirl of red hair and black cloaks, they were both outside. "We made it," Ginny said, letting out a heavy sigh.

Draco nodded at the snow-covered path before them. "Let's go, Weasley," he urged. "It'd be one hell of a kick in the head for us to both get out of our common rooms, through the whole castle and past Flitwick, and then get caught loitering around the gates." He held out his arm. "That's code for 'let's get moving', in case you were wondering," he added.

Ginny slipped her arm inside his. "I wasn't," she told him, "but thanks anyways."

They started their brisk walk through the snowy grounds, soft snowflakes falling like tiny crystals from the grey sky. A bleak winter sun shone through a gap in the clouds, making the white blanket covering the ground sparkle.

At her domitory window, Hermione Granger watched the pair making their way towards Hogsmeade.