Stupid Owl!

Ginny had trouble sleeping that night. She kept remembering how creepy it was that Malfoy kept staring at her. She woke up that morning feeling like a total zombie. She glanced at herself in the mirror and found that she was extra pale due to lack of sleep. She sighed, then tapped her hair with her wand because she was too lazy to brush it this morning. Thank God it's Saturday! she thought. She had the entire weekend ahead of her to recuperate and contemplate why on Earth Malfoy would keep staring at her without interruption. She got dressed, then walked down to the Great Hall for breakfast.

"Gee, someone didn't get enough sleep last night," Colin remarked as Ginny took a seat next to him. She smiled weakly, then reached for some toast.

She and Colin talked for a while, then Ginny bade him goodbye and left the Great Hall. On her way out, somebody headed her off. She glanced up and found herself staring into Malfoy's gray eyes.

"Hello, Little Weasel," he said, smirking. "Where you headed?"

"None of your business," Ginny replied, trying to sidestep him. He mirrored her movement and continued to block her only escape route.

"Now, now, no need to get testy!" he said facetiously. "I was just curious. So, you have yet to answer my question. Where are you headed?"

"Why do you care, Ferret Boy?" she shot back, locking her gaze with his.

"Well, it looks like the Weaselette has a temper as red as her hair," Draco said playfully, reaching over and toying with a lock of the said flaming hair. Ginny slapped his hand.

"Don't touch me!" she spat, trying and failing to sidestep him again.

"What, you mean don't do this?" Draco ran a finger along Ginny's cheek. Ginny felt a chill run up her spine.

"Malfoy, what the hell are you doing to my sister!?"

Ron had just strolled out of the Great Hall, hand in hand with Hermione, and Harry close behind, when he had caught sight of Malfoy.

"Talking, Weasley. That against the rules?" Malfoy replied coolly.

"Why were you talking to my sister?" Ron yelled, his ears turning the telltale red.

In the commotion that ensued, Ginny managed to slip away unnoticed. She ran out the front door, then once she was safely outside she meandered down to sit beneath a weeping willow beside the lake. There was a slight crispness to the air, as autumn was just starting to really roll in. Ginny watched as the giant squid collected the bread that some first years were throwing into the lake. She sighed and leaned back against the tree. Why was Malfoy suddenly starting to show an interest in her? He had probably lost a bet. He was after all a Malfoy, and Malfoys wouldn't be caught dead hanging around "riffraff" like the Weasleys. He would never start trying to talk to her of his own free will, would he?

~~~~~

Malfoy listened lazily as Ron screamed at him, while Harry scowled and Hermione suppressed laughter. He had forgotten that in order to get to Ginny, he would have to avoid confrontation with her brother. Draco had gathered that Ron was extremely overprotective of his little sister simply from listening to his five-minute rant. At the end of the whole spiel, Draco had simply scowled and walked off, heading out the doors to the grounds.

Hmm...that was odd, Draco thought as he descended the stone steps. The Weaselette seemed to be immune to my charm. Why is she resisting me? Draco figured that the key to success would be persistence, so when he spotted her by the lake, he nonchalantly headed that way. She had been staring off into space, but when Draco plopped himself down beside her, she pulled out of her reverie.

"What are you doing?" Ginny asked sharply.

"Sitting under a tree by the lake that you also happen to be sitting under," Draco replied lightly. "Why?"

"Yes, that's a good question," she replied. "Why are you suddenly talking to me?"

"Well, you may just never know the answer to that, Weaselette." Draco leaned back lazily against the tree and crossed his arms.

"In that case, I suggest you leave me alone, 'cause I'm not interested in you." Ginny glared at him. "You're a stuck-up slime-ball and you think that the world revolves around you. And, you think that you can just smile---no smirk, you don't smile---in my direction and I'll immediately jump in bed with you."

"Ouch, Weaselette, you wound me!" Draco put his hand dramatically against his heart as though he had been hit with an arrow.

"It's true and you know it is!"

"Yes, I am an evil slimy git and proud of it!" he replied smugly. "Just give me a chance, that's all I ask of you. I swear I won't disappoint you." He gave her a suggestive look. That's right, Draco, work the sexy charm.

"Give me one good reason, Malfoy." Ginny crossed her arms and looked at him expectantly.

"Because you think I'm hot and you know I could give you the time of your life."

"You disgust me!" she spat before getting up and starting to walk away.

"Ginny, dearest," Draco said mockingly, getting up and following her, "you did not just walk away form a Malfoy!"

"It appears that I did," Ginny shot back, her voice laced with venom. Damn, this girl isn't as easy as I thought!

"Ginny, one chance is all I ask. See? I even stopped calling you anything remotely to do with weasels. One chance, Ginny, you know you want to..."

"God damn it Malfoy!" She whirled around in rage. "You just don't get it, do you? You're evil scum! Up until now, you wouldn't so much as give me the time of day. I don't trust you, I don't!"

Draco finally caught up with her. Before she could do anything, he had her in his arms, his mouth mere millimeters from her ear.

"Don't trust me, or don't trust yourself?" he whispered, feeling a shiver run up her spine. So the Little Weasel isn't immune to me after all...

Ginny struggled to get away from him, but he was holding on to her tightly.

"Draco! No! Let me go! Draco! Let me..." The end of her sentence trailed off into a sort of satisfied sigh as Draco proceeded to leave a trail of kisses along her neck. She stopped struggling momentarily and Draco loosened his grip. Quick as lightning, Ginny broke away from him and took off running towards the castle.

Damn! I almost had her! Draco cursed silently. Maybe he had overestimated his charm. No, I'm definitely all that, he reasoned as the group of girls he passed all giggled and waggled their fingers at him. It was definitely the Little Weasel. He could sense that she wanted him, but she was afraid---and with good reason. He just had to somehow lure her into a false sense of security.