Truth Will Out

TRUTH WILL OUT

COMPLAINTS

"Weasley, we really have to talk," Draco said as they forced their way through the Friday night crowds at their local pub.

"Another bad one?" Ginny asked, pushing her way through a group of people standing in front of the restaurant doors.

"You know, let's go somewhere else," Draco suggested. "It's insane in here tonight."

"Fine with me," Ginny responded.

Draco grabbed her hand, and they slowly fought their way to the front doors. He didn't slow down or drop her hand as they walked down the street, looking for a quiet restaurant. Everywhere seemed to be overflowing with customers this evening and Draco was growing more and more irritated.

"We'll try in here," he stated.

Ginny looked at the queue that snaked into the street. "But it's--"

"They have private rooms that are insanely expensive to use," Draco muttered.

"Oh."

Draco pushed his way through to the reception counter and quickly spoke to the maitre d'. Ginny saw his hand disappear into his pocket and come back out with a handful of gold Galleons, which were slipped into the other man's hand. After that they were being led to the rear of the restaurant and ushered into a private room.

A waitress offered Ginny a menu, but Draco pushed it back to her and ordered for both of them off the top of his head.

Ginny frowned at him when the waitress disappeared.

"Trust me, you'll love it," Draco assured her.

"What if I didn't feel like--"

"The chef is famous for--"

"Fine, I'll love it." Ginny sighed. "Now, we need to talk, yes?"

"Yes," Draco agreed. "These women you're setting me up with... They're all dead boring, Ginny. I'm almost falling asleep over coffee or Firewhisky."

"They're not coming across that way on paper," Ginny said. "Most sound like they'd be fun."

"It's just not working for me," Draco admitted. "Wednesday's date was closely related to a sleeping potion, Thursday's was... well, there's no nice way to say it... She was uglier than a mountain troll. Lunch was a nightmare; the woman wouldn't stop giggling the entire time. Drinks tonight... Well, you saw her, and I thought only men were capable of being that sleazy."

"Perhaps advertising in the paper wasn't the right thing to do," Ginny mused aloud. "The men you've set me up with are..."

"Say no more." Draco ran his hands through his hair in frustration. He was thankful that he'd decided to hang around for Ginny's dates, because he'd already had to pull one man off her and remind him that the ad had strictly forbidden octopi or those related to octopi from applying, and another looked like he'd had a terrible accident with a hot cauldron. "The paper seems to reek of desperation."

"I don't know what else we can do."

Both held their tongues as their food was delivered. Ginny breathed in deep and found her mouth watering profusely. As he promised, dinner was going to be excellent.

"Well, we can't just opt out, because of that damned contract," Draco growled as soon as the waitress had removed herself. "Remind me to kill Zabini."

"It's at the top of my to-do list."

"So, what do we do?"

"What if we just tone it down a bit? We don't have to meet someone every day," Ginny suggested.

"Mmm... The contract didn't say how often or how many dates we had to go on," Draco pondered.

"It's only for another three weeks," Ginny said.

"Three weeks," Draco repeated.

"Ugh, it sounds like a lifetime!"

"Okay, one or two dates a week, but only when we're both free, so we can have a support person with us," Draco proposed.

"Why do we need support?" Ginny asked, still amused that he insisted on hanging around during her dates.

"Well, you need it while your date is there, just in case things get out of hand or he's a creep, and I need it afterwards... A shoulder to cry upon is very comforting after an hour of torture."

Ginny giggled into her napkin. Anyone would think she was sending him to have his soul sucked out every time she set him up with a date. "Okay, let's do it with support."

"So what do I have coming up?"

"Your next date is on Wednesday. Drinks after work at the Leaky Cauldron."

"Right." Draco nodded, acknowledging the information. "Your next one is for brunch on Sunday morning."

"Great," Ginny said unenthusiastically.

"I might see if Zabini wants to come to brunch with me, so I don't look out of place," Draco said.

"Oh good! After brunch we can kill him."

"Sounds like a plan."

They clinked their glasses together in a show of solidarity. This arrangement was going to kill one of them soon, if they didn't do something to stem the flow of pathetic dates they were subjecting each other to.

"So what are you doing tomorrow?" Ginny asked curiously.

"We're going to the Nott's ball, remember?"

"Oh yes, of course."

"You forgot, didn't you?" Draco looked at her knowingly. "I offer to take you somewhere really special and you forget."

"No, I didn't," Ginny insisted.

"You have organized your gown, haven't you?"

"Yes, I did that weeks ago," Ginny promised.

"Weasley, if you haven't, you're going to need my influence--"

"Malfoy, it's hanging in my closet," Ginny assured him. "I just have to figure out the hair and makeup." Ginny sighed. With a ball as big as the Nott's annual event finding a hair stylist at this time would be near on impossible.

"Leave it to me," Draco answered, shaking his head. "Just make sure you're home all day tomorrow, because I can't guarantee what time I'll be able to secure for you."

"You're a darling," Ginny crooned.

"Well, you will be on my arm tomorrow night, so I have to make sure you look half decent."

Ginny shook her head ruefully. "And you were doing so well."

"You do fall so easily into a false sense of security," Draco drawled playfully. "It's just too easy."

She slapped him jokingly and began to laugh. It didn't take long for Draco to join her, and then they were lost for a good five minutes in their own world of hilarity. By the time they regained control both of them were red in the face and breathless.

"What would I do without you?" Ginny asked, as she tried to even out her breathing.

"You'd be bored to tears," Draco answered with a chuckle. "And so would I."

They shared a rare look between them. It was one that brought their souls to the surface and allowed the other to see the other person in their purest form. If anyone had walked in on this private moment they might have thought Draco and Ginny were lovers, rather than best friends.

"Dessert?" Draco inquired, breaking the moment before he became emotional.

"Chocolate?" Ginny returned with a grin.

"I knew you needed chocolate this week!"

She rolled her eyes. "I always need chocolate."

"Well, in that case, the chef here does an amazing chocolate mousse."

"To die for?"

"People have been known to fight to the death to lick the bowl clean."

"Sounds perfect."

Draco summoned their waitress and ordered two extra large serves of the delectable treat, along with coffee.

"We should get an early night tonight," Draco suggested. "I wouldn't want you falling asleep tomorrow night."

"I suppose that would be considered rude in your circle," Ginny responded, tossing her nose in the air in a parody of a society witch.

"Only if you snore," Draco pointed out snootily.

Ginny giggled. "Well, I'm buggered then."

"That you are, my little steam train," Draco agreed with an amused grin.

"Will dinner be served tomorrow night?"

"Yes, of course," Draco replied.

"Good, I won't have to worry about dinner beforehand then."

"No, just keeping clean while you eat at the ball," Draco pointed out, remember a past experience.

"That was hardly my fault," Ginny responded.

"I warned you not to stand near Crabbe or Goyle while you're eating."

"They snuck up on me," Ginny claimed.

The waitress arrived with their dessert, silencing their conversation for the time being. When the door closed again, Draco looked at Ginny with a wicked grin.

"I suppose you're just lucky they didn't try to lick you clean," Draco said casually. "After all, those two do like their food."

Ginny's spoon paused halfway to her mouth. "Are you trying to put me off my dessert?"

"Did it work?"

She thought for a moment before shoving the entire spoon into her mouth. "No," Ginny answered through a mouthful of chocolate mousse.

Draco groaned. "Weasley, if you're going to do that tomorrow night, please don't do it anywhere near my mother. I'd never hear the end of it if you did."

"I'll try to remember that," Ginny replied sweetly. "But there's just so many things I need to remember, so I don't embarrass you, that I'm likely to forget something."

"So you don't embarrass yourself," Draco corrected.

"Like I care what that lot think of me."

"They can be needlessly vicious, Ginny, and I don't want you to become one of their targets," Draco said seriously. "They've, honestly, got nothing better to do with their time than make other people's lives a misery."

"I believe you," Ginny responded sincerely. "I'll be on my best behavior, I promise."

"Good, because I'd hate to have to kill someone on your behalf." Draco winked at her.

"And visiting you in Azkaban would be a pain in the rear," Ginny commented. She frowned into her bowl. "Well, that didn't last long."

"But it was the best mousse you've ever had, wasn't it?"

"Oh yes." Ginny smiled. "We must come here more often. I wonder if they do the mousse as a main course?"

Draco's expression shifted to disgust immediately. "You'd make yourself sick."

"Maybe, but it'd be worth it."

He shook his head and sighed. "Unbelievable, Weasley."

Ginny grinned at him over her bowl, and then returned to licking the crystal clean.

"Come on, let's get you out of here before they kick you out for displaying appalling table manners," Draco suggested.

"You wouldn't let them do that to me."

"I might be tempted," Draco warned.

"You wouldn't be able to live with yourself if you did," Ginny advised.

"I suppose you have a theory that would explain why I would find it difficult to live with myself after that?" Draco posed.

"Pfft." Ginny waved a hand through the air. "Too easy!"

"Well, I'm listening, Weasley?"

"You love me, and you would never let them do that to me."

Draco chuckled lightly. "You wish. Come on, Weasley, let's get you home."

After settling their bill, Draco and Ginny walked the short distance to Ginny's flat. They continued to goad each other all the way, but it was all in good fun, and by the time they reached her doorway they were both laughing loud enough to garner the attention of some of her neighbors.

"I suppose I'd better go in before someone calls the Aurors," Ginny said, giggling at one of her neighbor's disgusted glares.

"The last thing I feel like doing tonight is explaining myself to Potter," Draco stated, snorting as the laughter he was trying to hold in burst out. "Good night, Weasley."

"Night, Draco," Ginny uttered as his lips brushed her cheek.

"Get inside and lock the door," Draco instructed.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Ginny promised just before she closed the door.

As usual, Draco rested his head on the door, waiting for the locks fall into place. "Sleep tight, Weasley."

"Don't let the bed bugs bite, Malfoy," Ginny whispered from behind the door.

Draco allowed his fingers to linger on the wooden door for a few more seconds, and then he Disapparated.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*