Hide Away

Hide Away

Chapter 10- another day at work

The next morning, I was woken up by some strange sound.

I swore and cursed, and then opened my eyes. I finally placed the sound of ringing to be from my cell phone, which I had very stupidly placed on my side table, which was right next to my head.

I groaned and muttered and then switched the thing on.

"Hello?" I said groggily.

"Are you awake yet?" came Malfoy's voice.

I cursed him, right to his face...well to his ears and said, "What in blazing hell is wrong with you, you git? Do you have a problem with waking me up early?"

"It's nine thirty," he said.

I swore and said, "So? I'm still tired from the weekend, doing your stupid stuff!"

"I'm assuming you were asleep," he said.

"You assumed right, you smarmy bastard," I muttered.

"You're still in bed?" he asked me, incredulously.

"Yes!" I screamed.

He chuckled and said, "No need to strangle yourself, or me for that matter."

I fumed but didn't say anything.

"Listen," he went on. "I know I said you could have today off, but I still need you to do some work for me. It's just that I really need you," did I just hear him say that? To me? "To do some work for me," he continued.

I groaned and pounded my fist into the mattress.

"The thing is, that you were supposed to be head of Muggle Relations for a few weeks and now there's no head there. I'm really busy with the Wizengamot so I need you to come down here and take care of the rest of the departments. I received many phone calls this morning, because your cell phone isn't connected to my office phone anymore."

I sighed and got up, sitting in bed.

"This is so unfair," I said. "I am tired."

He sighed too and said, "I know and I'm sorry. But I've got my hands tied here and I really could use your help, or else people from my departments are going to start quitting and I can't have that. So, I'm asking you, even saying please, will you please come down and help me? Just handle the departments and then at twelve you can leave. Just come for a few hours. Please?" he added.

I groaned; I was going to hate myself later.

"Oh, all right," I said.

"Thanks, come down in fifteen minutes, ok?"

"I'll try," I yawned. "And isn't saying please and thank you breaking your rules?"

"Don't count on it often, Weasley," he said. "I'm feeling kind of strange today."

I laughed a bit and shut the phone on him.

I took my glasses from my side table and put them on. My hair was out and it was back to red, I was so relieved.

I then got up, took a shower, brushed my teeth and changed my clothes.

I fixed my bed magically and grabbed an apple and a granola bar to eat.

Then, I took a bus and rushed to the Ministry. I got there in ten minutes flat and made my way to Muggle Relations.

On the way there, I called Malfoy up and asked him what I was supposed to do.

"Tomorrow you have a meeting with the Prophet about the quidditch season, which I will brief to you about tonight," he said. "Today, I want you to look at the regular Muggle Relations cases and check up on the Luminositers cases."

"Anything else?" I asked as I rushed around a corner.

"No, but I'd...," he began to say, but I didn't hear him, because as I rushed around the corner I bumped into someone and my phone flew out of hand and fell on the floor.

My glasses fell as well, but the person grabbed them just in time.

I got up, not seeing anything and blind as a bat.

The person gave me my glass into my hands and I put them on.

I groaned when I saw Malfoy. "Where were you going?" I asked him.

"Where were you going?" he asked me right back.

"To the office," I said, tapping my foot. "Like you told me too."

"I didn't tell you to run over there though," he said.

I shrugged. "Well when you want something done and I don't do it, you always tell me that you're not going to be happy and as a result I'm not going to be happy."

He smirked and said, "True." He then picked up his and my cell phone off the ground and gave one back to me.

"How do I know this is mine?" I asked him suspiciously. "What if one of your girlfriends calls me."

He laughed, tilting his head back. He shook his head and then said, "Your name's on it."

I checked it and he was right, my name was on it.

"Right, can I go now?" I asked him.

"Yes, but one last thing," he said. He looked me up and down and then said, "You..."

"Yes, me?" I said.

"You," he said.

I waited patiently.

"You're..." he said, with a straight face.

"Just say it already!" I said, without any patience.

"You're wearing two different shoes," he finally said, cracking up.

I gaped at him and then glanced down. He was right; I was wearing one black boot and one sneaker.

He smirked and shook his head at me. He then walked closer to me and pushed my glasses farther up my nose. He then winked at me as I blinked at him in surprise and he turned around the corner and left, while saying, "Don't be late."

Ok, whoa. Was that hot or what? It's not like he kissed me or anything (not that I wouldn't mind that now!) but it was pretty serious. It was a wink.

I blinked again, and then turned my head around the corner to look. He wasn't there anymore. Strange, he disappeared so fast.

My glasses had been close to the edge of my nose, because I had hurriedly put them on. He had pushed them back like I wouldn't do, but the closeness of his body near mine had been...close is all I can say.

He looked pretty hot too, I must say. He was wearing a white suit, with a black tie. His hair was gelled back once again and he looked good enough to eat.

I mean here I was, sleeping from nine o'clock to nine thirty and I still had circles under my eyes. He looked like he had spent the entire weekend sleeping.

I wrinkled my nose; he probably had some beauty secrets. I smiled to myself evilly; hmmm...I wondered what his beauty secrets were? Maybe if I asked him, he would tell me.

I laughed to myself and imagined him lying outside with cucumbers on his eyes and cream on his face.

I giggled again and smiled to myself. I re-played the whole conversation in my head; until I got to what he said to me last, "Don't be late."

Oh shit! I quickly turned around and ran to my office, without even changing my two different shoes.

***

I got to my office and checked out all the cases. I did all the proper and needed stuff and then headed off to the NWP (National Wizard Police/ Luminositers) and did everything that was needed there.

I got several phone calls about people wanting to meet with Malfoy. I waited until twelve, and then I met him in Muggle Relations.

"Give me a quick rundown of everything, Weasley. Walk with me," he said.

I walked with him to his office, twisting turning everywhere he went as he stopped to talk to people.

"...Mr. Peacock was asking about how the case was going so I told him. Professor McGonagall needs your signature on a decree about something or other, so she wants you to come down to the school next Monday. Mr. Maloney wishes to discuss some details with you about his 'top secret' case that he wouldn't even give me the name of," I said, talking lighting fast and walking lighting fast. "Ms. Bulstrode has agreed to meet me tomorrow to discuss the quidditch season but I need you to give me the details on that."

We had finally reached his office and I was out of breath.

"Is that all?" he asked me.

I nodded, "Most of it. There might be a few things I've forgotten, but I've written them all down and so they should be on your laptop right away. Ms. Lucy Freebush also wants to interview you for the prophet," I continued, "but she wants to do a feature on, how did she say...oh yeah, how you're the most eligible bachelor of the wizarding community," I said, imitating her voice.

Malfoy didn't blush, but he did look a bit embarrassed. It was only for a second and when I asked him, "So, what should I tell her?" he looked annoyed.

"Tell her I'm way too busy to tell anyone my love life," he said, opening his office door, inviting me.

"Oh, but I must know how the attractive Draco Malfoy manages to accomplish such great things, and without a woman by his side! He is so devilishly handsome and I must know if he has a girlfriend! Oh I must know and write it for the whole world to see! The title shall be 'Draco Malfoy's love life.'"

I burst out laughing, and plopped myself down on one of his chairs.

He looked at me with an eyebrow raised.

"Oh calm down," I said. "I didn't say or think any of these things. She's the one who said that when I told her I thought you'd be too busy for something like that. No need to get all excited." I grinned.

He rolled his eyes and said, "Tell her to get lost."

I nodded and got up, "I already did."

He smirked evilly and then said, "Good, just to be sure. You don't think I'm...what was it again, 'devilishly handsome'?"

I blushed and just stared at him. I then shut my mouth and said, "Uh, no. Like I said, she said all that stuff, not me. Uh, can I go now?" I said very quickly.

He smirked again and said, "Sure and thanks for coming in today."

I nodded and made my way to the door.

I rushed out the door, glad for an escape as my face was reddening and didn't see the way Draco Malfoy looked at me as I left his office.

***

I caught the bus home and opened my door.

I screamed as I saw Ron and Hermione standing in my living room.

"What are you guys doing here?" I blurted out.

Hermione came over and hugged me. "We were worried about you. WE haven't seen or heard from you for a long time."

"Oh," I said, taking off my coat and sitting down next to her on the couch.

"So we decided to pop in today and check up on you," said Ron, patting me on the back.

"How're you Ginny?" she asked me.

"I'm fine," I lied. The truth was far from that. I mean there was a time when Hermione and I used to best friends. We used to talk and share secrets, but once she got married to my brother, she changed completely. I guess she became a woman, something I'm not sure I am yet.

"That's good," she said, without a pause to think whether she believed me. "It's just that we've missed you and Ron told me you're working for Draco Malfoy."

I nodded and saw the look Ron gave Hermione.

"I thought you told us that you were working for Muggle Relations," said Ron, accusingly.

"I am," I said. "Draco Malfoy is my boss. He's the head of Muggle Relations," I pointed out.

"Oh Ron, how you could be so stupid," said Hermione, whacking him. "See, she told us the truth."

I nodded and said, "I'm actually his personal secretary."

"What?" said Ron, his face red as red as his ears.

I shrugged and he said, "You never told me that."

"I didn't know it myself. Mr. Blaise Zabini told me that he was transferring me over to Muggle Relations, but he received the message wrong. Malfoy had asked Mr. Zabini for a secretary and I was there, so I accepted."

"I thought you hated Malfoy," said Hermione, with her eyebrows up.

"I do," I said. "I need a job though, otherwise I'll starve."

"Oh, Ginny! If you were hungry then why didn't you come over," said Hermione, clearly worried about my health.

I shrugged and said, "I don't like to get help from other people. I can take care of myself."

Ron grinned and said, "It's Ginny's pride."

Hermione threw him a look and then said, "We didn't come here to badger you, Gin. We just wanted to check up on you and also invite you to Neville and Medea's engagement party."

"They're engaged?!" I squealed.

Hermione smiled and said, "Yeah, and the party's pretty small and they definitely want you there. It's this Saturday, all right?"

I nodded. "I'll be there, don't worry."

"Hey, I just remembered something," said Ron. "How is Malfoy treating you? The last I saw of him, he was pretty rude to you and laughing at you."

Anger alert. "If I remember clearly, Ronald, you were also laughing at me when Malfoy pulled that chair out from under me."

He blushed as Hermione shot him another deadly look.

"Sorry," he mumbled.

I ignored him and Hermione continued, "I want to know if he's bothering you, Gin. I know you're proud and you won't ever ask for help. He has changed sides, I admit, but that doesn't stop him from being a git."

"Why don't we invite him to the party?" asked Ron, thinking for once.

"What? No!" I said. Oh great, this was not going to be good. Inviting Malfoy to Neville and Medea's party? This was going to be a disaster, I could tell.

"Well, Ron. I think you might have actually come up with something good for once," said Hermione, clearly insulting her husband.

Ron didn't get the joke, so he just smiled and nodded.

"I think that's a great idea. We'll invite him to the party and I'll talk to him. Not you or Harry, Ron. You'll probably end up fighting as usual."

Ron shrugged and inside I fumed. "No! He can't come!" I protested.

Hermione patted me on the arm and said, "I know you'll be annoyed with us, Gin. But as your mum isn't here anymore, I want to make sure no one's hurting you. I'm just going to talk to him and the party will give us a good excuse. Do you want me to ask him or do you want to?"

I groaned and grabbed a pillow. I screamed into it for two minutes and then stopped. I removed the pillow and took a deep breath.

I smiled my most fake smile and said, "No. That's ok, I'll talk to him." There was no point in me arguing with Hermione. If she had made up her mind about something, then that was the way it would happen. She would even convince you that it was for the best.

I also knew that my short, but miserable life would be over if they asked Malfoy to the party. I wouldn't have any choice about what Hermione or Ron, for that matter, said and it could get messy and ugly.

I'd rather embarrass myself, on my own and not have someone else do it for me.

"Good," she nodded and stood up. "We'd best be off, but I want you to let me know whether Malfoy can make it or not. And don't lie to me Ginny because I will find out."

I gulped, she almost sounded like my mother.

"By the way," said Ron, as Snowflake came out from my room, "nice cat."

I nodded meekly and they disapparated.

I then grabbed my pillow and threw it across the room, while fully screaming as loud as I wanted. This was going to be SO embarrassing. I don't even know what I'm going to say.

"Hey, Malfoy, wanna come to a family get together with me?" Ew, the thought of the made me cringe. Imagining the look on his face, make me want to scream again.

I went into my room and slipped. I screamed and looked down. There was nothing there; I had apparently tripped on my own two feet, which seemed likely.

Oh. My. God. Who the hell trips on their own two feet? Only me, that's my answer.

I was such a klutz; it was annoying.

As much as I loved Neville and Medea, I didn't want to go. Whenever I visited the lot of them, I always came home and ended up crying. Why, you ask?

The thing is, I always feel like everyone has found their life mate and I'm still doing nothing. I know I'm still young, but I feel like I'll never find anyone for me.

It wasn't that I was jealous that everyone was happy and I wasn't. It was just that I felt left out, unwanted. Everywhere I went.

I feel like that everywhere. Any time I go somewhere, I feel like I'm not a part of them. Whatever group they are, I will never be a part them. I feel like I've left the human race and I'm in my own race, disconnected from them and unable to reach out to them.

I start crying now. I am pathetic; my life is pathetic. I will always be pathetic.

No matter how upbeat I try to get, it all comes down to this. I am alone and I will never be wanted.

I try to be a part of everyone. I try to stay with everyone and the human race, but it's like they don't want me. I'm meant to be alone and shut out from the rest of the world.

I lie on my bed and cry into my pillow. Why I am like this, I don't know. I could be something right now, but all I am is alone and pathetic.

I didn't have to give up on being something, I could have switched career goals and gone with the Luminositers which were the same as Aurors. But I had given up, given up too easily many think.

If I might have been able to do it, I don't know. At that point in my life, when I was twenty, I was tired. Tired of my life, tired of trying, trying to do it. I was always exhausted and mentally tired.

I was a point in my life where many people around me were just starting their lives and really living. Me, I was ready to end my so-called life and ready to call it quits. I could have run away to some far away place and never come back. Nobody would know about me or what had happened to me. But I didn't do that, because I wanted to try a bit more.

And here I am still trying. Everyday I try so hard, it becomes an effort not to just shut my eyes and close out the world.

But I still try and even though it doesn't get me anywhere, I still try. I don't know why but it doesn't benefit me at all.

And then suddenly, Malfoy's voice came drifting to me, in a ghost like way, "Aren't you doing it for yourself though and not for other people?"

He was right, the smarmy git! Oh, I hated him. No wait, I only hated other people because I hated myself.

I hated the way I did things and the way I thought. I couldn't help the anti-social person I was. Every day at lunch, at my old office, people would go out for lunch and socialize and ask me to join but I would refuse and stay in my office, not eating and working away.

That was the way I liked it, but I didn't like the way I was.

It was so hard to live with myself, each and every single day. Living with those habits and thoughts that I hated and yet, was so comfortable with.

I hated the strange way people looked at me, but I couldn't help the way I was and continued doing it.

I didn't go out, I never ate out, and I didn't go to clubs and party. I never did any of that stuff because I didn't want to but felt like I should.

I sighed and lifted my head. I got up and told myself to stop moping around.

That didn't work, I just felt like slapping myself, so I went to the kitchen and got something to eat.

I ate something at the table and remembered the days when I was fat. It was around fourth and fifth year. I guess you could call it my growing period, except I grew more horizontally than vertically. Actually, that's a lie. I wasn't that fat, but I had a bit of a belly sticking out and big thighs.

Since I had gotten my diabetes, I had lost a bunch of weight, but my healer said that once I started eating properly and my diabetes had become regular I would gain a bit back and start looking healthier than the stick figure I was now. That was supposed to happen around three years ago.

I sighed and went back to bed. I took out my book and ended up reading for the whole afternoon.

At seven, Malfoy called me and told me all about the quidditch season so I could give the interview to the prophet. I went to bed at nine, not physically but mentally tired.

On Tuesday morning, I woke up feeling grumpy. Perhaps this was because I had spent the whole afternoon in bed.

I grumbled and swore to myself, as I got ready.

In the shower, the lid to the shampoo slipped and went down the drain, I slipped on the water (again), the soap slipped many times out of my hands and I got soap into my eyes. As you can see here, I was not going to have a good day.

I made myself breakfast and put fire to the toaster. It took me about five minutes to figure that I'm a witch, while I ran around screaming trying to figure out what to do.

So when I got to work this morning, only two minutes late, you can expect my anger to be at full when Malfoy demanded to know why I was late.

"I put fire to my toaster," I answered, seething and looking at him over the top of my glasses.

He looked at me from his big boss chair in his office, where he was sitting and just blinked.

"Why, Weasley, do you never cease to amaze me?" he asked, looking both amused and disgusted.

I didn't say anything and just stared back at him.

He sighed and then said, "I'm leaving now, and I've left the instructions for you at your desk."

I nodded and made my way to my office. On my way there, he said behind my back, "Make sure you don't put fire this building."

"I thought this building was fireproof, according to the magical laws, hmm Malfoy?" I pointed to him. Ha! For once, I had him! Oh, how good this felt.

He just stared at me and for a second, I could see the faintest trace of a smile linger on his lips and then it was gone.

He scowled at me and left without another world.

I grinned as I went to my office and found the instructions.

In it, he told me exactly what was supposed to be done with each department and also that since we had done work on Peacock's case on the weekend and the big day was going to be Thursday, we didn't need to do anything until Thursday, except plan for it, on Wednesday.

I went about my work in my grumpy fashion. People responded grumpily to my grumpiness and I was just fine with that.

I yelled at a few people and ran a bunch of errands. At three o'clock, I went down to my office and found the woman, who was writing the quidditch article, waiting there.

"Sorry, I was late," I said, as I rushed in and took my seat.

The woman was young and blonde. I cringed as I looked at her hair. It was like sunshine blond, only kids at age three had that hair.

I snorted to myself; it was probably fake.

She was very pretty, with blue eyes and a small nose and perfect peach lips. Her face was meant to be on the cover of a Muggle magazine. She was wearing a tight pink dress, with a big neck that scooped down low.

I felt like throwing up as I looked at her.

"You could have some consideration for other's time, you know." She snapped.

I felt the day's anger and frustration rising up. "Excuse me, I thought I was doing you the favour."

"How so?" she asked.

"Mr. Malfoy doesn't have time to be meeting with people these days. He's extremely busy, so you're lucky enough to even get me."

"Draco's extremely busy?" she mused, mumbling. "I wonder who he must be seeing now."

I almost threw up the hot coffee in my mouth to her face. "Excuse me? He isn't seeing anyone. He's busy with his work."

"How would you know that? Draco has plenty of affairs that people don't know about. He could be doing, who knows what, right now while you think he's working."

I rolled my eyes, "Ya right."

She smiled, evilly at me. "Perhaps you have reason to believe that he doesn't have an affair. Perhaps because you're his affair."

I jumped up. "Excuse me?"

She smiled, even more evilly now. She leaned down and started writing something on a piece of parchment.

"Draco Malfoy's new affair is Ginny Weasley who appears to be his secretary," she muttered.

"What?" I screamed. "Excuse me, what who in blazing hell do you think you are?"

She extended a hand towards me. "Layla Skeeter."

I stared at her hand and said, "What do you expect me to do? Kiss it or something?"

Again, that sinister smile. "Oh now, Ms. Weasley," she said. "I wouldn't want my hand getting dirty, now would I?"

I glared at her and she continued, "How much does he pay you to keep his bed? Hmm...judging by your clothes, not much. My, you're so thin as well, he doesn't appear to be feeding you does he?"

I felt like slapping her. I seethed and said, "Get out of my office."

She made no move of leaving and continued scribbling on her parchment.

"I went out with him too, you know," she said. "I know it's hard, but he gets bored easily. My affair lasted about a month and then it was the same thing now, that you're experiencing. Telling me that he was working whenever I called him, always avoiding me. Don't worry, you'll get over it."

I was still standing up. "Get out, right now."

Again, she paid me no heed. "At least I had my dignity left, but you...my, my. You don't seem to have that left, do you? You must have sold yourself to him fully. That sounds like a Weasley thing to do, from what I've heard. Your brothers and parents were like that too weren't they? Devastatingly pour but delightfully bad. I heard your father that the lottery money was actually money won from sleeping with that muggle actress, Julia Roberts or something."

I slapped her. Her mouth was open in awe and her cheek was red.

"Don't. You. Ever. Say. That. Again. Now. Get. Out. Of. My. Office." I was so mad I was seeing red everywhere.

She stared at me and then started screaming, "You bitch! How dare you slap me? How dare you even touch me?"

I walked to my door and opened it for her. She walked out, screaming and yelling.

As I followed her outside, I noticed the whole office watching. Ok, she wanted to make a show of it, but hey, I have problem beating the crap out of someone who just insulted my family.

"You'll be hearing from my lawyers!" she screamed, pointing a finger at me.

I rolled me eyes and didn't say anything. She continued swearing about what she was going to do to me, when I slapped her again.

"Don't you ever talk like that about my family, ever again," I said.

"What's going on here?" came a voice. The bitch was staring at someone behind me.

I turned around and saw Malfoy. He looked mad and upset.

"Your," she pointed to me, "secretary just slapped me."

Malfoy looked at me, with his eyebrows raised.

I refused to meet his gaze and just said, "She insulted my family."

"I only said the truth about your dirty family!" she sneered.

"Shut up!" I screamed at her. "You have no right. NO RIGHT, to speak about my family or me like that! You can talk about whatever affair you and Malfoy had, but not about my family! Understand?"

She said nothing just looked knowingly at Malfoy. Malfoy didn't say anything though.

"Just because I'm poor doesn't mean I'm dirty, ok? One of my family members has done more good than your entire family, who only knows about lying and money. That's it. You're nothing but a worthless piece of crap that only knows how to lie and deceit people. Just because we're poor doesn't mean you can pick on us, especially since none of them are here to defend themselves," I screamed as loudly as I could so the whole office could hear me. All of a sudden, there was a sudden pain in my chest.

"Ms. Skeeter you may leave now, I'll be in touch with you shortly," came Malfoy's voice. "Everyone get back to work." People's heads went back behind their cubicles and the office went back to working.

I stared in awe at her back as she walked away.

I was shocked and my blood pressure was sky high. I gasped and finally looked at him. He was looking with disgust at her too, and only until I looked at him, did he shift his gaze to me.

"Well?" he asked me.

I walked to my office and didn't say anything. I collapsed on my chair and said, "Well what?"

"Don't you have anything to say for yourself?" he asked me, while standing in my doorway.

I shrugged. "Not really. I feel fully justified."

"Why?"

"She insulted my family."

"I see," he said; he appeared to be thinking. "It seems you woke up on the wrong side of the bed today, Weasley."

I shrugged, not caring.

"I wonder what side that would be..." he mused.

I took of my shoe and threw it at him, as he shut the door and disappeared.

I walked to the door and picked up my shoe. I couldn't help but smile as I went back to my work. Malfoy sure knew how to divert my anger. Basically that just meant him saying something rude and diverting my anger to him.

I continued with my work that day and didn't see that Skeeter woman anywhere. I really hoped she wouldn't be printing that article. I wanted to tell Malfoy, as he clearly had more power than me over her, but I was too scared he would just make a snide remark and say that he didn't care.

I went home that day, pleased with that day's progress but upset that I didn't get to ask him about the 'engagement party' for Neville and Medea.

The next day, I vowed to ask him about it.

But as soon as I got to the office, I found that I was so busy that I didn't get to see him all day.

At three o'clock, I had to meet with him about Peacock's case so after it was done, I decided to ask him.

"Uh, sir, are you busy on Saturday?" I asked.

He had been looked over some papers, but when I asked him he looked up into my eyes.

"Why, Weasley. Are you asking me out on a date?" he asked, smirking.

I bit my lip and said, "Not really. You see my friend Neville is getting engaged and he's having a party, but you see Ron and Hermione want me to bring you to make sure you're treating me all right and that I'm not being overworked. So Hermione suggested that you come so she could 'check you out'," I said all very quickly.

He smirked again and leaned back in his chair. He looked at me seriously; se sexy and yet so irritating.

I gulped. "About what?"

"About how I treat you."

"Fine," I said, not seeing where this was going. I still couldn't look at him in the eye. I just stared at his tie...which led to his nice abs (I didn't see them but I'm sure they're nice!) and which led to his neck; just don't ask.

He surveyed me and then said, "All right."

"All right what?"

He smirked and rolled his eyes. "All right I'll come to your party, Weasley."

"Oh!" I said, blushing for no damn reason. "It's on Saturday at Lumos Wizarding Banquet hall. It's in Banquet Hall B, the smaller one. It's at seven, but you can leave anytime you want and I promise I won't object, just come on time because..."

"Weasley, you're rambling," he interrupted me.

"Oh right," I said, getting up and gathering my things. "Sorry about that, I'll leave now."

I rushed out the door as the blush on my cheeks went full time red.

I sighed as I made my way across the Ministry and out the door. Thank god, he accepted. Or else Hermione or Ron would have to talk to him. Ew, no.

I disapparated and went home.