Two Months

A/N: Sorry this chapter took so long, after the break I kind of stopped it...then I had all these finals and stuff to do, really busy, so, here goes. And...I am really tired of writing 'Malfoy' instead of 'Draco'. If anyone has any bright ideas on how Ginny can make that change....please let me know.

Also, I need beta readers!!! This chapter got sent back to me by FA because of grammar errors! So, if any of you would like to beta for me, please email me at [email protected]. I'm really busy, so it'd be great if you could get it back to me one or two days after...then I'll post it...you'll have the benefit of getting chapters emailed to you... please consider it!!

Chapter 3- Coffee?

After about two weeks into her job Ginny felt more comfortable. The daily routine was tedious at times, but also peaceful. Malfoy did not bother her as much as she thought he would. In fact, sometimes, when there wasn't a lot of work to do, he'd talk to her, and ask her about her life, and she'd tell him, figuring she had nothing to loose. Ginny also realized that ever since she had started, she was never in office before he was. This was somewhat of a comfort, knowing that she'd always see him bending over his desk the minute she entered, his golden hair making him look strikingly mysterious.

Her desk was simple. There was an 'in' box, where other people could contact them, and an 'out' box, and an 'unfinished' box. Every morning she would look at all the items in the 'in' box, and reply to each accordingly. Also, whenever the phone (they had started using some devices muggles used, but it was powered by magic instead of electricity) rang, Ginny would answer it, like Malfoy said. She set up appointments with important people for Malfoy, and they would appear by Floo powder, coughing and wheezing out of the fireplace near their office. However, she never had to remind Malfoy of anything. There was an Auto-Planner to take care of all appointments and things to do. She would write the thing in the Planner, and Malfoy would see it in his Planner instantly.

Sometimes when all her work was done, Ginny would read the Daily Prophet, which was sent to them every morning. Even though Malfoy was always so busy, running to meetings and appointments, or just to have coffee with a friend (Ginny suspected these were all female friends, but she could be mistaken), he always seemed to be up-to-date with all the important events and happenings. Sometimes he even informed her on some celebrity gossip, stuff she never knew about, and she could only wonder how he did all this.

One time, when there was an exceedingly small amount of work, Malfoy asked her if she wanted to go for some coffee. Surprised and taken aback, Ginny blurted out "No!" before she even thought about it. Shrugging, Malfoy left office and did not come back for the remainder of the day.

A few days later, the same situation occurred. Ignoring the furious-looking Harry sitting on her desk, she rose and accepted the invitation. Malfoy simply smiled lightly and locked the door behind them.

"So, you like coffee?" asked Malfoy as they crossed the street to the Three Broomsticks.

Ginny shrugged. "I guess so,"

He didn't say anything, but raised an eyebrow. Madame Rosmerta hurried over as they went in. "Hello, Mr.Malfoy, Miss Weasley," she smiled at Ginny. "Or should I say soon-to-be Mrs. Harry Potter?"

Ginny smiled politely, and if she had paid attention she would have noticed Malfoy tense briefly behind her. The proprietor of the Three Broomsticks then led Ginny and Malfoy to a table for two in a corner.

"There you are," she said, taking out a notepad and a pen. "What can I get you?"

"Black coffee," said Malfoy. "The blackest you have."

"And Miss Weasley?"

"I'll have tea," said Ginny. The lady smiled and left. Ginny turned to Malfoy. "You like black coffee?" she asked, disbelieving.

"Something wrong with that, Weasley?" said Malfoy, tilting his head to look at her.

"It's just that...it's so strong, and it can't possibly taste good," said Ginny, and bit intimidated.

"It might to me," said Malfoy, and she left it at that.

Madame Rosmerta brought their drinks shortly after, and she watched Malfoy sip his coffee, his facial expression unchanging.

"Do you have a reason for staring at me like that, Weasley?" said Malfoy suddenly, and Ginny averted her eyes quickly.

"So this is what you do in your free time?" she said. "Sit around and drink coffee?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I do," said Malfoy, looking amused. "Sometimes, though, I invite a friend."

"You have friends?" said Ginny without thinking. She regretted it the moment she said it. Malfoy's expression did not change, but the look he gave her the shivers when he looked at her.

"Aren't you impudent, Weasley. No manners," he paused briefly, and his smile was not a pleasant one. "I remember what you were like at Hogwarts. Reckless. Bold. Never listened to anybody, because you were always right."

Ginny tightened, feeling guilty. "Sorry." Then she felt a bit angry. What right did he have to make her feel so inferior? "Well," she said, "if you could just stop intimidating me. I'm not afraid of you--"

"I'm intimidating you?" said Malfoy, as if he didn't know it. He leaned back in his chair. "Sorry, then. Go on."

Ginny took a deep breath and glared at him. "Why'd you ask me to come with you anyway? So you could insult me?"

"Look, Weasley, you didn't have to come. I just thought that maybe you'd be interesting to talk to, but apparently I'm wrong," Malfoy stood up. "See you tomorrow." And then he left.

Ginny finished the rest of her tea in silence. When Madame Rosmerta came by again, she asked for the check, feeling that the least she could do to make it up to him was to pay it. The lady frowned. "Mr. Malfoy has already paid it," she told the startled Ginny.

Even though Malfoy had probably paid the check without thinking twice, Ginny still felt that he had done it on purpose just so she couldn't pay it and have him owe her one.

***

The next morning Ginny was in office later than usual, and when she sat down at her desk and reached for the 'in' box she was still not fully awake. A bright green envelope caught her eye, and she looked at the 'Draco Malfoy' written on it in a flowery script.

"Hey, Malfoy," said Ginny, starting to open it. "I think you got some sort of c-"

It happened so fast that Ginny didn't know what happened. The next thing she knew the envelope was smoking on the floor next to a sizzling puddle of what looked like green acid, and Malfoy was swearing loudly next to her, wiping his hands on a handkerchief.

"Goddamn it, Weasley, don't you recognize hate mail when you see it?" Malfoy said furiously. He kicked the envelope with the toe of his boot, and then bent down to pick up the slip of paper that came out. He read it, then crumpled it up, and stuck it in his pocket, turning to Ginny. "You'll have to go find the janitor to clean this up. Tell him he'll need some Magic Acid Mess."

She turned to go, slightly ticked off, but Malfoy caught her wrist. "You have some in your hair," he told her, and proceeded to wipe it off. His fingers touched the back of her neck, and Ginny tensed as a weird sensation went through her. She turned to face him hurriedly.

"If that had gotten onto your skin, your whole body would start swelling," said Malfoy, watching her with a twisted smile.

Ginny tilted her chin up. "How come it didn't affect you?" she asked. "You got some on your hand, didn't you?"

"I'm stronger than you." He stated it like a fact.

Ginny decided to change the subject. "You get hate mail?"

"Hey, all Malfoys get hate mail," said Malfoy, looking a bit indignant. "Some people don't think I should have such a high-ranking job."

"What did the note say?" said Ginny, feeling bold.

"Nothing that concerns you," Malfoy replied. "Just some crappy pathetic insults. Now what about that Magic Acid Mess?"

"I'll go get it," said Ginny, and she left. As she left the little room, she looked back again, and she could see Malfoy watching her out of the glass walls.

When she came back with the janitor, he told them both to leave the office for a few hours, because of the acid effect. Ginny grabbed a magazine she had brought with her and went with Malfoy to sit in the lobby. She opened it and started to read.

"Bridal Witch?" she heard Malfoy's drawling voice say.

Ginny put down the magazine. "I am getting married in a few weeks," she said, slightly annoyed.

"I know that," said Malfoy. 'But what do you need the magazine for?"

Ginny took a deep breath, not sure what to say. "So I can make the best out of my wedding. It will be one of the most important events of my life, Malfoy, and I want to look as beautiful as I can. I don't expect you would know about these things, because I don't expect you'll ever get married."

Malfoy cocked an eyebrow. "I don't know how much more beautiful you can get than what you are right now, Weasley."

Ginny was nonplussed suddenly. What was that supposed to mean? She could take it as a compliment, as if she was already so beautiful it wasn't possible to get any more beautiful, or an insult, as if she was so ugly it wasn't possible to get any prettier.

"And how would you know I'm not married?" Malfoy added contemptuously.

Appalled, Ginny said, "You're married?"

"Did I say that? Someone was engaged to me once, though, but then she turned out to be a selfish controlling bitch."

"Oh," said Ginny, softening a bit. "I'm sorry."

Malfoy shrugged. "I didn't like her, anyway. My father set me up with her."

"Your father?" said Ginny, disbelieving. "You were going to get married to someone your father made you marry?"

"But I didn't marry her in the end," said Malfoy. "Then he got really pissed, yelled at me for a while, and so I left."

"Really?"

He cast her a sideways glance. "Yeah. A friend found me an apartment and a job, and then here I am."

"Have you spoken to him since?" asked Ginny.

"Once or twice. It wasn't much."

"Oh," said Ginny. She was silent for a minute. "So what didn't you like about your....ex?"

He raised an eyebrow. "A little bit of prying, are we?"

Ginny flushed. "Sorry," she said quickly.

"It's okay," said Malfoy. "I don't really care. She was just...she wanted everything her way, like I was some sort of slave for her or something. Really conceited."

"And you're not?" said Ginny, starting to smile.

He looked at her. Not glaring at her, but it wasn't a friendly look either. "Watch it there, Weasley. She was way more conceited than I am."

Ginny nodded, with a slight smile. At that moment, the janitor that was cleaning up the acid arrived.

"It's all done," he said. "Not a trace left. Good as new."

"Thanks, Jon," said Malfoy briefly, and Ginny followed him back to the office.

***