More Than This

˜ Hereafter, in a better world than this,
I shall desire more love and knowledge of you.'
-William Shakespeare-

Ginny Weasley sat at the Gryffindor table, picking at the polish on her nails. Hermione Granger was next to her, chatting with Ginny's brother Ron and their friend Harry Potter. Harry caught her eye and smiled. She forced herself to smile back. A year ago, even just a look from him would have made her weak in the knees. But she was no longer a foolish fifteen year old girl.

The bell rang, signaling the end of breakfast. She pushed her plate, still full, to the center of the table and stood up. She was on her way to Advanced Transfiguration, the only class that interested her in the slightest. She rushed out of the Great Hall, slinging her black messenger bag, a gift from Hermione, over her shoulder. She heard someone running behind her and rolled her eyes. Can't they tell when someone wants to be left alone? She felt a hand on her shoulder and shook it away, spinning on her heel.

"Hey, Gin," Harry said uncertainly.

Ginny stifled a groan. "Hi, Harry. Is there something you want?"

He frowned. "No, just to see if you are okay."

Mr. Potter to the rescue again, she thought bitterly. "Yes. I'm fine, thanks for asking," she replied curtly, and with that she turned and started back down the corridor.

*

At lunch, she stayed in the common room, her nose buried in a book of Shakespeare, a Muggle playwright. She loved the silence of the room, the knowledge that she was its only occupant. When she knew lunch was over, she tucked the book into her bag and left for Potions. As she reached the dungeon, an arm blocked her entrance.

"Going somewhere, Weasley?"

She looked up to see familiar grey eyes. "Sod off, Malfoy."

"Ooh, Weasley has gotten sassy,",Malfoy quipped. He lightly touched her cheek. "I like that in a woman."

Ginny pulled his hand from her face and pushed him back. She felt her skin crawl where he had touched her. She began to walk away, but stopped as an idea began to form inside her head.

She stepped closer to him, pleased to see the smirk fall from his face. They were only inches apart. His eyes widened as she leaned in, pressing herself against him. She parted her lips, watching his eyes flicker over them. She smiled and watched his eyes flutter closed.

"Draco?" she whispered.

"Hmm?"

"Your little whores in Slytherin may want you, but the day I let you touch me is the day Hell freezes over,"she whispered, her voice taking on its old edge.

His eyes shot open, his face reddened. She took a giant step backwards, entering the dungeon. She slid into her seat, grinning as she thought of the shock and disappointment she had seen on his face .
*

Draco glared across the hall. His angry gaze rested on a small girl at the Gryffindor table. As if sensing his eyes on her, she flipped back her red hair and glanced his way. He felt anger rise within him as he thought of the little trick she had played on him that afternoon. Who does she think she's messing with? Unbidden, the image of her pressing against him flew into his mind, bringing with it foreign emotions. He pushed the thoughts away, feeling his face get hot. She is NOT a girl. She is a Weasley.

*

Ginny felt eyes on her. She also knew who they belonged to. She smiled to herself, clearly
her little stunt outside the Potions dungeons had made more of an impact than she could ever have imagined. Now Draco Malfoy was sitting on the other side of the Great Hall, unable to tear his eyes from her tangle of scarlet hair. He is kind of cute. Her eyes widened. Had she actually just had that thought about Malfoy? Suddenly she felt sick to her stomach. He is NOT cute! He is a pathetic, manipulative, cruel jerk. And I want nothing to do with him. Still feeling his eyes on her, she rose and left the hall.

*

Back in the common room, she opened her Shakespeare book to the page she had left off on. She began reading a play called A Midsummer Night's Dream. Soon she was lost in its pages. She didn't know how long she had been reading when she felt a light tap on her shoulder. She looked up to see Hermione standing beside her.

"Hi, Ginny. Oh! Are you reading Shakespeare?"

"Yes," Ginny answered, sighing and closing the book.

"Which of his works are you reading?"

"A Midsummer Night's Dream."

"Oh, that play is fascinating."

"Mmm hmm." She looked away, closing the conversation. Hermione hesitated, then retreated to a corner with Ron and Harry.

*

The next morning no one even tried to talk to her at breakfast. Even Colin and Neville avoided her. Harry glanced her way often, frowning when she didn't look up. One thing was plaguing her. And that was that a certain Slytherin was still watching her from his table. She didn't dare look his way, but she felt his eyes on the back of her head. When the bell finally rang, she practically ran out of the hall. Halfway to the greenhouse where she had Herbology, she saw something that stopped her in her tracks. Draco Malfoy was walking straight toward her. She felt her heart stop. In an instant he was standing in front of her.

"What do you want Malfoy?" she asked, trying to sound nonchalant.

"Why do you think you can mess with me, Weasley?"His tone was as cold as ice.

"Because I can,"she replied.

Malfoy's eyes narrowed. "What makes you think that?" he asked, his voice tinged with anger.

As she had done the day before, she closed the distance between them. But this time she was aware that the air seemed to become charged.

"Because I feel you watching me, Draco. For once, you want something your daddy can't buy you, and it's killing you."

He didn't respond, and she began to pull away, but he stopped her, his hand wrapping around her wrist. She felt her heart skip a beat. Stop him, she ordered herself. Pull away. But her body wouldn't obey. Malfoy leaned his face into hers, his normally cold eyes now burning with something she couldn't identify. His lips brushed against hers softly. She felt her heart race, the heat rise to her face. It was over much too soon. He broke away, a bewildered look on his face. As her mind began to function again, she realized the severity of what had just happened. Draco raked a hand through his silver blond hair. She stood, frozen to the spot, for a moment before taking off running toward the greenhouse. I kissed Draco Malfoy. How the hell did that happen?!