Sub Rosa

Chapter Three

Fast forward six months...

"It was incredibly plebian of them to decorate this shop so garishly," Draco commented, swatting at a tiny cupid with the back of his hand. "This nuisance in particular has been following me around since I stepped over the threshold."

"Which, I'd wager, is precisely the reason that you've avoided Madam Puddifoot's since you and Pansy stopped seeing each other," Blaise replied, laughing.

"Exactly - so would you mind telling me why I'm here now?"

"We're waiting for Ginny - her break is in about five minutes, and I asked her to meet me for lunch. Since you insisted on following me around today, you're going to meet with her, too."

"Following you around? That's laughable," Draco snorted, batting at the cupid again. "I swear to Circe, if this wretched creature doesn't leave me the hell alone-"

"Aw, Malfoy - don't tell me you don't enjoy having a fluffy pink cloud floating around your head." Blaise and Draco both looked up in time to catch the epic smirk that was plastered on Ginny's face.

"Ah, Ginny," Blaise said, giving her a wide smile as he stood and embraced her. When he kissed her forehead, Draco rolled his eyes.

"So," Ginny said, waiting for Blaise to slide into the booth, and then sliding in beside him. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your company, Malfoy?"

"Don't think I came just to see you," he said. His voice was deceiving; if anyone else had been listening, it would have sounded pleasant. Ginny, however, could clearly hear the venom dripping from his words.

"Of course not," she said pleasantly. "What happened? Did your house elves finally decide to join the revolt, or did they just refuse to serve your royally annoying arse?"

Blaise chortled. "She got you, Draco."

"No, she didn't. She could never hope to get me, in any capacity - let alone with words."

"Afraid of women who are smarter than you?" she asked innocently, taking a sip of the water the waitress had placed in front of her.

"Surely you're not insinuating that you are smarter than me?"

"Why don't we talk about something a bit less confrontational?" Blaise suggested, pouring some sugar into his coffee. The cupid that had been circling Draco's head dove, and Ginny smothered a giggle as Draco swatted at it.

"Come near me again, and I'll hex you to hell and back," Draco threatened, pointing a long finger at the tiny pink man. Ginny couldn't contain her laughter any longer when the chubby cupid shot a miniscule arrow at the blonde man. Blaise joined in her laughter, and Draco looked nothing short of furious.

"It's a shame to look so undignified," Blaise gasped through his laughter. Draco's eyes narrowed at the pair sitting across from him.

"I must say I rather agree with you."

"But it's not every day that one gets to see Draco Malfoy sparring with Cupid," Blaise added, his eyes sparkling with amusement.

"I wish I had my camera," Ginny added, smiling up at Blaise. Draco frowned. "It would be so gratifying to show people a picture of this."

After the laughter died down, Ginny ordered her lunch, and Blaise ordered a muffin for himself. "So tell me how your day's been," Blaise said, smiling at Ginny.

"It's been all right," she said, shrugging. "A normal day, by any standards. Nothing exceptional has happened."

"Do you even know what the word exceptional means?" Draco snorted derisively. Ginny ignored him and finished her meal.

"What do you have planned for the rest of the day?" Ginny asked, her eyes focused on Blaise. He smiled.

"I'm not sure yet, to be perfectly honest. Draco hasn't dictated the remainder of my day yet."

"Dictate, indeed," Draco remarked, rolling his eyes.

"Well, on that note," Ginny began, rising from her seat. "I have to be getting back to work now." She leaned over and pressed her lips quickly to Blaise's cheek, and then with a wave over her shoulder, left the tea shop.

"What do you see in her?" Draco asked, frown lines creasing his forehead.

"She's a fantastic person," Blaise said nonchalantly, shrugging. "She's fun to be with, and I can have an intelligent conversation with her."

"She must be a fantastic shag if you've stayed with her this long."

"I wouldn't know how she is in bed - we haven't taken our relationship to that level yet." Draco boggled at his friend.

"You what? You mean you've been dating her for six months, and nothing?"

"Ginny isn't that kind of girl," Blaise explained, sipping at his third cup of tea. "She's not just shagging material - she's marriage material."

Draco was shocked into speechlessness.

"And I know what you're going to say about marrying beneath my class and whatnot, so you can just save it," Blaise said, shaking his head. "I've already bought the ring, and I plan on asking her sometime within the next week or so."

"Marriage?" Draco asked, finally finding his voice. "To a Weasley? Are you out of your mind, Zabini? You haven't even shagged her yet, and you're willing to shackle yourself to her for an undetermined amount of time? What if she's terrible in bed?"

"Then I have my mistress for that," Blaise said reasonably. Draco's eyebrows shot up so far that they nearly disappeared into his hairline.

"Mistress? And does your soon-to-be affianced know about this other woman?"

"Of course she doesn't. You know she wouldn't approve."

"But you're willing to risk it anyway?"

"The sex is fantastic, and my mistress knows that I have no interest in her past the physical pleasures that we share. Ginny is flawless marriage material - she's pure-blooded, she can cook, she can clean, she is level headed, and she comes from an obviously fertile family, so she can provide me several heirs."

"I can't believe I'm hearing this," Draco uttered, sitting back in his chair. "You know that the girl can't be as pristine as you think she is."

"What do you mean by that?"

"She's got to have something dirty in her past that makes her unfit for what you're proposing."

"I've already had her checked out," the dark-haired man said coolly. "She's been followed for weeks, and nothing's come of it. I had a friend do a background check at the Ministry, and she's got no spots on her record. Nothing."

"How is Millicent doing, by the by?" Draco asked, sighing. "Did you have to pay her this time, or did she research the girl as a favor?"

"She's fine, not that you really care."

"I'm sorry, I just don't buy it."

"Buy what?"

"That your girlfriend doesn't have some dark, dirty secret that she's hiding from you. I don't think she's as clean as you seem to believe. I'll bet that as soon as you're married, she takes a lover, too."

"Ginny would never sleep with someone outside of marriage," Blaise said, laughing. "We've already had this conversation. She's saving herself for her husband."

"And you believe her? She dated Potter for an entire year, and you expect me to believe that as much as she worshipped him, she never let him-"

"We've already talked about him," Blaise said, cutting his friend off. "She was very much in love with him, and he wanted to take their relationship to that level, but she refused."

"She can't be a virgin."

"Why is that so hard to believe?"

"She just can't be."

"She is."

"Have her examined at St. Mungo's."

"Draco!" Blaise hissed, his eyes narrowing. "I will not compromise her integrity like that! I believe her when she says she's untouched."

"She won't remain that way. She'll be sullied before you're married."

"How can you talk like that, when you don't even know the woman?" He paused for a moment, staring intently at the blonde man as he thought. "Are you going to try something?"

"What? Why would I even let a pinky near that filth-"

"Nevermind," Blaise said, rolling his eyes. "Besides, she'd never have you, at any rate. She loathes you and everything about you."

Draco bristled.

"Are you suggesting that if I showed interest in her, she wouldn't fall at my feet?"

"No, I'm not suggesting it." Draco relaxed. "I'm saying it outright."

"Nonsense! She'd be grateful for any attention I chose to send in her general direction, just like all women are."

"Ginny isn't like other women - that's what I've been trying to tell you."

"Stuff and nonsense."

"You couldn't get her to talk to you nicely if you tried - not to mention get into her knickers."

"That sounds like a challenge."

"Please - even if it were a challenge, you'd have impossible odds to overcome. You have absolutely no chance with her. Zero."

"We'll see about that, shall we? Five hundred galleons says I can get her into bed before you marry her."

"This is ridiculous!" Blaise exclaimed, laughing. "All right, just because I have such faith in her, I'll take you up on your ridiculous bet."

"Better pay a visit to Gringott's, my friend," Draco said, standing and smoothing the wrinkles out of the front of his shirt. "You're about to become very acquainted with the sting of defeat."