Forget Me, Forget Me Not

Part II - Clever Moonchild

The plan was simple enough. It had to be so Crabbe and Goyle could participate. And what would Draco Malfoy be without his usual tag-a-longs? A wide smirk came to Draco's lips as he entered the Great Hall at lunchtime; his usual two thugs close behind him. "Remember you imbeciles," Draco muttered under his breath, "Loud enough for everyone to hear."

The two nodded, their stony eyes twinkling with mischief.

And so they marched down the main aisle of the dinning area, trying to attract the attention of one Virginia Weasley, who was currently trying to eat her club sandwich. "There you are!"

The sandwich fell to her golden plate as Ginny let out a shocked yelp. She looked up, watching Draco and his lackeys with wide eyes. As much as she tried to fight it, she could feel a small blush come to her face.

"Look, love, you're going to have to stop all this. It was nice last night in the dungeon and everything, but I just don't fancy you." Draco pulled the forget-me-nots out from his satchel and threw them on the table, "These feeble attempts to try to change my mind aren't going to work, either."

Ginny tried to say something, but she found that she had lost the ability to speak.

"Don't try to argue with me," Draco shook his finger in her face. "I am a Malfoy. I'm above you on so many levels, it's funny to me that you ever thought you had a chance."

"...what?" Ginny finally managed to say.

"Crabbe, Goyle: take her out of here. I don't want to see her face. It makes me ill." The two thugs nodded as they moved forward. With utter swiftness, they grabbed her by the arms and began to drag her out of the Great Hall.

Her shouts echoed loud enough to draw the attention of most of the student body. "Let go of me!!" Pansy Parkinson screamed as Crabbe and Goyle lead her out. Kicking and swinging her body with all her might, she tried to free herself of the brute strength that Draco's minions possessed. "Let go of me! I didn't do anything!"

Laughing sinisterly, Draco sat down at the Slytherin table. The others in his house joined in, trying not to get out of favor of Lucius Malfoy's son. For they could be next. It was very unusual for Draco to pick on someone from his own house.

As for Ginny, she watched the entire scene in silence, her sandwich long forgotten. Draco thought that Parkinson sent him the flowers? What a fool she had been to NOT sign the flowers. Like he would ever assume that the flowers were from her. And what was it about the dungeon? Did that mean the rumors were true? The thought of Parkinson and Draco making out in Snape's dungeon made Ginny lose her appetite. She pushed her plate away as Ron came to sit at the table.

"Ah! Thanks Gin!" Ron said, swiping the sandwich from her plate. He snickered as he looked at the door of the Great Hall, "That was bloody brilliant! As much as I hate Malfoy, I doubt I've seen a scene pulled off as well as that. Did you see it, Gin?"

Nodding quickly, Ginny busied herself by playing with her hands. She looked up to see Harry and Hermione enter the Great Hall. Never had she been so happy to see them in her entire life-- Chamber of Secrets included.

"Oy! Hermione! Harry! The mystery has been solved!" Ron called, a bright smile on his face.

The two sat down at the table, Hermione on the other side of Ginny, Harry and Ron on the other side of the table. "What are you talking about, Ron?" Hermione asked.

"You just missed it," Ron explained. "Malfoy just announced to the whole bloody school who his 'girlfriend' was."

"Well," Harry said, "Who was it, Ron?"

Ron leaned towards the center of the table to keep their conversation quiet, as if the whole ordeal hadn't been witnessed by the most of the student body of Hogwarts. "Parkinson," he said flatly.

"Pansy Parkinson?!" Harry exclaimed.

"You're joking," Hermione said, taking a sudden interest in the conversation. "Malfoy and Parkinson?"

Nodding, Ron pointed over to where Draco was seated. "He just marched in here a few minutes ago, shouting that he didn't want flowers from her. He also said that their night in the dungeon was nice."

"I guess Lavender really did see him snogging with someone last night," Harry commented, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "That someone being Parkinson."

Ron made a sound of disgust, "Doesn't that defy everything that is holy in this world?"

Harry let out a loud laugh.

On the other hand, Ginny was not as amused. She punched Ron hard in the arm, "Stop it!"

Ron held his arm protectively, "Ginny! What's wrong with you?!"

Immediately, Ginny regretted her reaction. She placed her hands on her lap and looked down at the table, "It-t-t's nothing," she stuttered. "I-I just don't think it's right that you make fun of Parkinson like that."

"And her making fun of us is all right?" Harry retorted, raising his eyebrows at Ginny's response.

Now Harry was against her as well? Her face flushing red, Ginny's hands tightly clenched her school robes, trying to think of a decent answer without directly telling them the truth. The look in Harry's eyes told her that her feelings towards Draco would not be welcomed at their table. "No, but I-- I--"

"I think what Ginny is trying to say," Hermione interrupted. "Is that as a girl, Ginny still feels sorry for her." The three boys turned to Hermione, confused more so now. "Because you know-- the natural connection between witches dates back to--"

That had done it. The two boys rolled their eyes. None of then wanted to hear Hermione's history lesson on the touchy-feely relationships between witches. Instantly, Harry struck up a conversation about Quidditch. Ginny mouthed a Thank You towards Hermione, who nodded in acknowledgment before pulling a book out of her bag. Once again, Ginny was left alone with her thoughts. Shutting out the conversation that the boys were having, she began to observe the Great Hall. Before long, her eyes were locked on the figure of Draco. She couldn't help it. After the shock of Draco coming into the Great hall so hostile, with the sunlight beating on the back of his shoulders, it was breathtaking yet frightening at the same time.

His persona constantly tipped on the edge of a sword. He could be so decent if he wanted to, but most of the time he acted downright evil. His father, his father before him, and his father before him, had bred it into him. The long line of an evil gene was well imbedded into every Malfoy, and would probably remain so until the end of time. So why her attraction? Ever since her talk with Hermione earlier in the day, Ginny had begun to question why she found Draco so... for lack of a better word... fascinating. A Physical interest, obviously. Like anyone could possible be attracted to the foul personality of a Malfoy. It was definitely a physical attraction to his gray eyes and platinum blonde hair. The smirk promised evil thoughts running in that murky head of his. Ginny's eyes made their way up to Draco's. Surprisingly, he was looking directly at her.

Her breath caught in her throat. Was it her imagination? Continuing to stare, she could feel her face begin to blush. She was going to make a complete fool out of herself if she didn't leave soon. "I-I have to go l-l-l-ook up something in the library--" Ginny stuttered as she stood up. The others nodded in acknowledgment, not noticing Ginny's face was bright red by now. Quickly, she gathered her things and rushed to the exit of the Great Hall, all the while, never breaking eye contact with Draco. He did nothing but stare at her. Until, that is, Ginny reached the Great Hall's exit. Before she could escape without being completely humiliated, he winked at her.

It was the wink that did it.

At seeing Draco wink at her, she let out an embarrassed squeal, dropping her bag and books at the same time. Everyone in the Great Hall turned to her, staring as if she had gone stark raving mad. Trying not to start crying of embarrassment, Ginny wordlessly bent down and started to collect her books. The more she tried to hurry, the more times she lost ahold of her books. She was cursed. Biting her lip, she tried to calm herself. Panic was not helping her at all. Okay, Ginny-- once more-- she told herself. Kneeling down to the floor, she reached out for The Standard Book of Spells Grade 5 by Miranda Goshawk. But before she could grab it, another someone had. She looked at the hand, looked up, and then dropped all of her books once more.

Draco Malfoy was holding her book up for her.

And he was smiling.

Ginny Weasley lost the ability to speak. When she opened her mouth, only incomprehensible sounds made their way out. Much like it had been when she first sat down with Draco on the train only a few weeks before.

He laughed. The sound covered her with goose pimples. Ginny quickly snatched the book out of Draco's hand and smashed it into her bag. "Are you all right there, Weasley?" he asked. "Looks like you're having an awful amount of trouble trying to get that ratty book into your bag. Perhaps if your family could afford a bag that could carry more than two books, you wouldn't have to carry that ridiculous thing while show the world your rank third-hand books."

Angered by his taunts, Ginny pushed the Slytherin with all her might. "Go to hell, Malfoy," she snapped. With a quick turn her scarlet hair whipped behind her as she stormed out of the Great Hall.

Of course, none of this had gone unnoticed to the Boy-Who-Lived and friends. Harry and Ron watched the scene with curious looks on their faces, while Hermione was unsuccessfully trying to hide that she knew of Ginny's feelings.

"Okay," Ron said with a hard swallow. "Can anyone explain what the bloody hell just happened?"

Harry stared with a startled expression on his face, "I'm not quite sure."

"Malfoy's just trying to throw everyone off," Hermione explained quickly. "Just wants attention, as usual. Stop staring, you two. It's rude."

"But Malfoy--" Ron pointed, "Book-- Ginny--" He began to spatter words out that didn't make a whole lot of sense to either Harry or Hermione.

Hermione's eyebrows furrowed, "Make sense, Ron."

"I think you are making too much out of it," Harry said, patting his best friend on the shoulder. "Hermione's right. Malfoy just wants to mess with us. Parkinson was the girl that Malfoy was making out with last night."

Eyes going wild, Ron turned to Harry. His pupils had shrunk into two small beads. "Are you saying that Malfoy was making out with my baby sis--"

"No, he's not," Hermione interrupted. She forced a laugh, "Ginny's not even interested with Malfoy. You heard her- she told him to leave her alone."

"See," Harry offered, "You're just imagining things Ron. There is nothing to worry about."

But there was something to worry about. Little did the three know that on the other side of the doors of the Great Hall, Ginny Weasley was crying.

The hallways of Hogwarts were usually not inhabited by Ginny such as this; pacing, wandering, sometimes crying. She was so confused. How could Draco been so kind for those fleeting moments, and then turn his kindness off like a light? She felt as if he were playing a game with her; manipulating her emotions for his own pleasure.

Ginny could say that she wouldn't fall for it, that she wouldn't let it bother her. But there she was, wandering the halls with tears streaming from her eyes. Dry tears had hardened on her face. Her face the same color as her hair, Ginny could tell without looking in a mirror that she was a mess. She was a mess on the inside as well. Trying to fix herself up by rubbing her eyes, Ginny observed her surroundings. She was near the dungeon entrance. Great. Trying to get away from Draco, and she ended up wandering to the most likely place to find him. Turning around, she saw from a window that it was night outside now. Had she been dazed so long? Shifting her bag on her shoulder, she decided to head back to the Gryffindor dormitories. But something made her pause.

Voices.

"To do a stunt such as that--- it was disgraceful." Ginny could instantly identify the cold snap of Professor Snape's voice.

There was a loud sigh, "Look, I did what you wanted me to, didn't I? The rumors are over. Even though I was never in your bloody dungeon with any girl." Draco. Ginny could tell. It was his voice that haunted her dreams at night.

"And keep it that way," Snape retorted, snorting loudly. "But Parkinson is in your own house. Why not disgrace someone from another house?" He paused for a moment, and then offered, "Granger, for instance."

There was a strangled noise, "And never live it down," Draco said sharply. "No, no, Parkinson was the best choice for this. She's been giving me problems ever since she--" he hesitated, the sound of the 's' lingering in the dungeon.

"She what, Malfoy?"

Another sigh, "Nothing. It's nothing Professor."

More silence. Ginny could hear the movement of Snape's robes as he crossed his arms against his chest. "Nothing, huh?" He made a tutting noise in his teeth. "It seems what Miss Parkinson was muttering in my office was true."

"And just what was that?" Draco's voice sounded angered by the Professor's accusation.

"She said something to the effect that you and Miss Weasley were actually the ones who-"

Ginny felt a blush come on at the mere thought of her and Draco snogging in the dungeons. However, she didn't get long to think on it before Draco shouted, "NO." There was a pause. "No, Professor. There is nothing like that going on between Weasley and I. Nothing."

Water could be heard dripping somewhere in the dungeons it was so quiet. Ginny tried to swallow the nervous feeling in her throat. Why did Draco seem a little... sad... when he denied their relationship? Or, lack thereof.

"I suppose if you tell me that there is nothing between the two of you, then I will have to assume you are telling me the truth, Malfoy." Another rustle of cloak. Ginny snuck a little bit closer to the inhabited dungeon, straining to hear Snape's lowered voice. "Just remember what I said to you before-- I do not want the name of Slytherin worsened by your reckless decisions. Do I make myself clear?"

"Perfectly." Ginny could hear the held back anger in Draco's voice. Footsteps. Ginny could hear someone walking towards her from the dungeons. Scrambling to hide, she tried to hide herself by leaning against the dungeon wall. There was no other place to go. Thankfully, the person exiting, Malfoy, didn't see her at all. He stormed past her, his robe flowing behind him in a matching fury. "Ridiculous," he muttered, as he exited the dungeons. "Absolutely insane."

"That you and I could be together?" Ginny quietly finished. "Yes, perhaps it is," she reasoned with herself out loud. "But that doesn't mean--" she looked to where Draco had went. "That doesn't mean you have to ignore me." She stood there for a second, unwavering. And then, with a burst of courage, she said louder, "No, I won't be ignored."

And with that, she stormed up the stairs as well, in search of one Draco Malfoy.

Ironically enough, when Ginny found Draco, he was wandering the hallways outside the Gryffindor dormitories. She hid behind a tapestry, not ready to be seen by him. His back scraping against the stone wall, Draco sighed loudly as he slid down to the floor. There he sat, head buried in his arms, muttering to himself. Intrigued, Ginny took a few steps towards him, still wary of attracting his attention. He was just acting so curious, she couldn't help but wonder what was wrong with him. His actions confused her more and more as the day went on.

"You don't have to sneak about like that, Weasley," Draco said suddenly, causing Ginny's eyes to grow wide. Draco looked up, locking eyes with the underclassman. "I know you're there."

Letting out a squeal of embarrassment, Ginny hid her face, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" She looked away, trying to hide her scarlet red face, "I was just worried about you."

"Worried?" he asked, laughing curtly. "Why on earth were you worried about me?"

Scraping up her courage, she looked Malfoy in the eye, "Because no one else does."

Draco's breath caught in his throat. "What?" he asked, his voice harsh.

"Everyone should have someone worrying about them," Ginny quickly explained, "Someone who cares about them."

Draco huffed loudly, sticking his nose up in the air. "I do," he replied stiffly. "I have tons of people who worry about me. Many more than you could ever afford, Weasley."

"I see," Ginny said quietly. "So you buy your love..." There was silence for a few minutes, as Ginny stared at Draco.

He, meanwhile, found the ceiling very interesting as he stuck his nose up at the redhead. What would she know about love, anyhow?

Finally, Ginny took a deep breath in and said, "Can I ask you something?"

"What?" he said in a sharp voice.

"Is your life better now?" she asked quietly. "I mean, do you feel better about yourself after making a fool out of me earlier today?" Biting her lip, she continued, "I don't know why you have to keep confusing me like this Malfoy--"

"Confuse you?" Draco exclaimed, standing up quickly. Before Ginny realized it, he was in her face. "Confuse YOU? Well sorry if I confused the poor Weasel! It's not like my life's not confusing enough at the moment, with people sending me bloody flowers and being accused of snogging in classrooms..." He took a step closer to her, his face only inches away from hers. "Sorry if your bloody life has been turned upside down because I treated you like I always do."

Ginny could hold it back no longer. "You idiot! I'm the one who sent you those 'bloody flowers'! If you would have taken two seconds to actually use that dumb brain of yours, you might have actually figured it out!"

"YOU sent the flowers?" Draco asked, proud of his cleverness at the moment. She had fallen right into his trap. "Why on EARTH would you do that? Accidentally forget to write 'To Perfect Potter' on the envelope?"

Growling, Ginny grabbed the folds of Draco's robe, "Leave Harry out of this!"

"He's the one you fancy, right?"

"If I fancied him, do you think I would send you flowers, Malfoy?" Ginny's eyes narrowed, "I thought you actually had a clue. You could afford to buy one, no doubting that."

Draco narrowed his eyes as well, "Well we know that you would have to buy a clue second hand, Weasel." He leaned in even closer, "But humor me." The scent of his cologne sent chills of desire down her spine. It was becoming harder to concentrate. "Why did you send me flowers, which you, no doubt, had to save all year to buy?"

"Because I-" Ginny's voice caught in her throat. She couldn't say it; not out loud. For if she did, he would probably never let her live it down. Ever. It was bad enough that she had admitted to sending the flowers.

"You what?" he whispered.

His serve lips looked delicious to her. Begging her to take them. But what if she did? What would happen to them? What would happen to her if she didn't? Ginny could take it no longer. Pulling the fists full of robe towards her, she stood on her tiptoes and brought Draco in with an un-measurable speed. Their lips smashed against each other. For a fleeting moment, Draco made a moan of protest.

But then there was silence.

To Be Continued...