Ginny's All That

April 18.

Ginny woke up, bright and early. She dressed quickly - it was Saturday so she decided just to wear something simple and comfortable. She put on a pair of old jeans and a long-sleeved black shirt that fit her nicely. It was supposed to be a chilly day, she had heard, but it looked lovely out and she had intended to take a walk around the lake anyway.

She headed out into the Gryffindor common room and headed out the portrait hole as she pulled a nice, warm cloak around herself. She walked down the stairs, passed the Great Hall, and out onto the front steps of Hogwarts. She trotted down through the garden and to the lake.

She had her favorite tree that she often sat at when she wanted to be alone. She pondered her thoughts. She didn't really understand why she had been so quiet lately, so withdrawn. Nothing traumatic had happened to her, nothing exciting that she had to keep quiet - nothing. She had just turned into such a loner.

Thinking back to her fifth year, she had had so many friends. She had always been social, especially with boys. She had grown up with six older brothers, so boys were what she was used to. Not that she hadn't gotten along with girls - she had.

She still did get along with people, but she just chose to not be around them.

She stared out at the beautiful lake for so long and so intently that she did not realize that someone had sat down beside her in the grass.

"It's cold out," he said casually.

Ginny blinked herself out of a daze, and saw that Draco Malfoy was, again, speaking to her.

"Can I help you?" she asked, a little sarcastically, and a little confused.

He shrugged. "I just saw you from across the way," he answered her. "Thought you could use a bit of company is all."

She didn't get it.

"You spend a lot of time alone," he observed.

She nodded. "I like to be alone. It's peaceful, and I don't have to worry about what other people think of me."

He nodded, as though he understood, although she knew he didn't.

"Why are you up so early?" she asked.

It was true; it was only 7:15 AM and it was a Saturday.

He shrugged again. "I don't know," he answered truthfully. "I just woke up."

She nodded and together they sat in an awkward silence. She looked up at him several times and saw him staring off at the lake, much like she had done before he came and sat down.

As if he knew she was looking at him, he looked up and locked eyes with her. He smiled at her. This only enhanced her confusion. She had barely ever seen a smile on his face; if she had it would have been in the company of other Slytherins, and he usually only smiled when he and his friends were making fun of someone or something. She remembered suddenly why she did not like him. It wasn't really fair, she realized. He was smiling at her, a real and sincere smile, and because of it, she hated him more.

"What?" he asked, as her relaxed expression began to tense up.

"You," she spat. "What are you playing at here, honestly? What is it that you want from me?"

She began to stand up, and quickly he grabbed her hand. "Don't go," he said with a calm face.

"Why should I sit here with you?" she asked, uneasily. "Why do you want me to sit here with you? I am a Weasley, remember? You hate our family and everything that we stand for. You have tortured and picked on my brother and I since we started Hogwarts and you have never even attempted to speak to before yesterday. Please, cut to the chase here, and tell me what the hell you want from me."

He blinked a few times before his signature smirk crossed his face. In that moment, she reached a new level of irritation that she felt for him.

"I don't want anything," he answered slyly. "I just thought maybe you'd like some company."

"Not from you," she snapped.

"Oh, the Weasley temper," he said, a full blown smile on his face.

She rolled her eyes and tried to suppress a grin. "We Weasleys do have tempers," she agreed. She looked at him again. It was strange, but he didn't look bothered or upset by her outburst. He seemed to genuinely want to talk with her and spend some time with her. It was weird, but in that moment when she looked at him, she felt something for him that she never thought she could.

She was actually enjoying his company.

"So," he said after a few moments of silence. "Do you want to go to the year-end dance with me?"

She bit her lip. She really did want to go, but not really with him. Or anybody. She just wanted to go. She figured this might be her only chance.

"What the hell," she said, shrugging. "I don't understand it, Draco Malfoy, but I'll go with you."

He reached up, gracefully ran his finger down her cheek and said, "Good. I'll buy you a new dress."

She raised her eyebrows.

Huh?

*****

April 23.

Draco had not spoken to Ginny since their morning by the lake. However, during that time, they had agreed to meet at Friedburg's Formalwear - a tiny little expensive shop in Hogsmeade village - on the day of the next visit.

Which was today.

Ginny met Draco at the front door of the shop. He was accompanied by Blaise and Dex, as always.

"I'll see you two later," he said to his friends. They walked away, talking and laughing. Ginny was mildly curious as to why they didn't say anything to her - an insult, anything. It could not have been a usual occurrence for Malfoy to buy a dress for a girl he hated.

She shrugged it off as they walked into the Friedburg's together.

Once they entered the shop, she could not help but allow her jaw to drop slightly. The store was much larger on the inside, and it was filled with the most beautiful dress robes, gowns, and men's formal dressware that she had ever seen in one room.

"Come here," he said, tugging on her hand. She walked with him toward the gowns, her eyes still wide, looking around at the place. He had a smirk on his face as he went to pick something out. "What do you think of this?" he asked her. "It matches your eyes."

He selected a dress off of the rack - it was a long, green gown that she thought was absolutely beautiful. The dress was strapless and had a beautifully intricate bodice that she absolutely fell in love with. She had worn plenty of lovely dresses, but nothing like this.

She looked at the pricetag. "One hundred and ten galleons?" she asked. "Malfoy, how could you spend so much on a gown for me?"

He smiled. It was still strange for Ginny to see such an expression on his face. He said to her, "I'll buy it, if you call me Draco."

She was taken aback by this. "I'll go try it on," she said, shyly, and walked toward the fitting room. It took her several minutes to lace the bodice correctly, but once she was done, she looked in the mirror and smiled. She thought, looking in the mirror, that it was almost as though that gown was made for her. She smiled, and walked out into the store proper.

She looked ahead and saw that Draco had also picked out something to try on. He had chosen a black suit with a green tie to wear under a black dress robe and an elegant cloak that clasped at his neck.

"Well, well, well," he said with a smirk. "I guess under all that red hair, there is a real girl."

Now that sounds like the Draco Malfoy I know, she thought. But strangely, she did not care. He was being sweet to her - buying her an expensive gown that she absolutely adored (that HE had chosen), complimenting her. She smiled despite herself and walked closer to him.

He took her by the hand and tugged on her to pull her closer to him. He had one hand on her waist and the other was in her hand. She gracefully placed a hand on his shoulder, when he suddenly dipped her backwards. He bent her so far back that her head almost touched the floor. He brought her back up for a moment and smiled at her when he saw that she was smiling at him.

"You look stunning," he said sweetly and sincerely. Even though she never really flaunted herself, he always thought she was beautiful. "Do you like it?" he asked her, although he was sure that she did.

"I love it, Draco," she answered, looking him directly in the eye. Her emerald green eyes locked with his pale grey ones. "And you look great," she added as an afterthought.

For a few moments, they stood there, just looking in each other's eyes. He was still holding her, and she was still standing in his close embrace. She saw him slyly glance from her eyes to her lips, and back to her eyes. She bit her lip as he leaned in toward her. She parted her lips, ever so slightly holding her, almost as an invitation for what she thought was coming.

But it never did.

Draco released her and said, "We had better get changed and go." He was not mean about it, but it was so abrupt.

Ginny decided to hide her irritation and just retreat to the change rooms. She changed quickly and handed the dress back to Draco. He paid for everything that the two had been wearing, and gave her the dress.

"Well, Ginny," he said, stepping back onto the streets of the village. "I'll see you soon."

She nodded and walked away, somewhat irritably.

*****

Draco watched her walk down the opposite path.

Blaise and Dex walked out from behind the shop. They had been watching through the window the entire time. Blaise was clapping for Draco as the pair of them burst out laughing.

Draco chuckled, his lip turned up slightly.

"Man, she wants you," Dex said. "She was so pissed that you didn't kiss her."

"You could probably sleep with her tomorrow," Blaise added.

Draco chuckled, but it was insincere.

"Are you alright?" Dex asked, noticing that the pair of them had been laughing much more hysterically than he had been.

Draco looked a little stunned for a moment before he nodded.

Blaise smirked. "You don't like her, do you?" he asked, amused.

Draco returned his friend's amused look with his trademark smirk. "Never," he answered. "Her face was priceless when I backed out of kissing her," he said with a wicked amusement. "She was so pissed."

"My favorite part was when you said, 'Call me Draco,'" Blaise said in his best Malfoy imitation.

The three boys continued to chat about what had just happened with Ginny. They all had a good laugh at her expense and how hopelessly they she was falling for him already.

Draco suddenly had a knot at the pit of his stomach.

What am I doing?