Top Hat

Chapter 2

The next morning, Draco went down to the hotel's flower shop and ordered flowers for his complaint, Virginia Weasley.

"Excuse me," said Draco to the owner. "I'd like to order some flowers to room 304."

"What kinds would you like?" the owner asked. "We have bouquets, -"

Draco interrupted him. "I'd like the largest thing you've got."

"Very well, then. We have this here, made entirely of roses." He pointed to an arc of beautiful red roses that was behind him.

"Yes, I'd like that," said Draco. "Put the bill on Harry Potter's tab, room 404." He then left to practice a little more for the show that night.

The flower man's cashier said to the owner in a curious way what she thought would happen once a certain Ms. Weasley's brother would do when he found out she was getting flowers from this strange man. The owner answered by agreeing to her and saying that the man would certainly be in a sorry state, a sorry state indeed.

* * *

Ginny was getting ready for her horseback-riding lesson that day, and she was about to call a carriage to come take her to the stables when she heard a familiar voice call out to her:

"Miss, would you be so kind as to let me escort you to wherever you are going?" The voice belonged to that annoying man from the night before.

"No, thank you, I'll be just fine and dandy with a cabby. Goodbye." Ginny left to order the horse-and-carriage at the front desk so that it would be waiting outside for her.

Draco, with his amazing wit, decided that he will escort her, and persuaded the driver of the carriage to switch places with him. This being done, he helped Ginny into the carriage, disguising himself with the other driver's cloak and hat. As the ride continued to the stables, Draco couldn't help himself and started to mimic the horses' trot by tapping his feet against the carriage. Ginny, hoping against hope that it wasn't who she thought it was, poked up the cab's trap door and saw him. It was who she thought it was and she groaned inwardly. He looked down at her and grinned.

"In dealing with a girl or horse," Draco stated, "one just lets nature take its' course."

"Oh, so that's what it's all about. Well, I think that you should continue with the horses at least, because you seem to have a strange power over them."

"Yes, miss, thank you very much, miss. I call it 'horsepower.' It's very useful."

They got to the stables. Ginny got out of the carriage with Draco's help, walked a bit, turned around and tossed him a coin.

"Buy yourself a new hat."

"Why, thank you, miss. I think I will."

Ginny shook her head and walked into the stable.

A few hours later, in the afternoon, Draco drove a carriage to the gazebo where Ginny had told him to come pick her up. She was sitting in the gazebo which was sometimes used for concerts, and that was where the band stood. It was drizzling before but now it had started to thunderstorm.

"I have come to rescue you," proclaimed Draco. "I am your knight in shining armor and you are my damsel in distress."

"No, thank you," answered Ginny. "I prefer being in distress."

"Alright then," Draco tried to joke a little. "When does the concert start?"

"Just as soon as you and the rain stop."

"Aw now, please, you wouldn't like to be just a little bit more friendly, would you?"

"I don't know you from Adam."

"Maybe it's the way I'm dressed." They both grinned as it started to rain even harder.