Can't Decide to Love or Hate You

Ginny munched happily on an apple as she listened to Riley gossip about some Ravenclaw boy she had her eye on. It was nearing towards the end of the fourth week in October, and she was in a surprisingly good mood. Ever since Draco and she decided to become friends and stop all the lies and drama that followed, she noticed that every one has been in a better mood. Ron was still glowing like a child on Christmas morning, Riley has stopped giving her questioning looks, Pansy had continued to send her death glares but she didn't mind it as much, and Harry...

She didn't know what to make of Harry. She certainly got his attention and possibly did make him jealous, but nothing happened as she planned. He never came back to her on one knee, begging for her forgiveness, or even fought over her with Draco. At least now he stopped looking at her like some pity case.

The loud chatter of the dining hall brought her back to Riley, who thankfully didn't notice her zoning out.

"So, do you think Scott likes me at all?" Riley questioned nervously.

Ginny's eyes quickly wandered away from her friend as she tried to remember what Riley was saying before her mind drifted off. "Who wouldn't like you, Riley?" Well that much was true.

Riley's face brightened at Ginny's answer. "Well I hope he asks me to the Halloween Ball. Can you believe that the dance is almost a week away, and I don't have a date yet?"

"What?" Ginny coughed, almost choking on her apple. "What dance?"

Riley stared at her in disbelief. "The big ball that is on Halloween night! Where have you been, Gin? It's what all the girls are talking about."

Ginny's face quickly paled. She completely forget about the dance, the one she wanted desperately to show up to, prettier than all the girls, and show Harry what he was missing out on.

Riley frowned at Ginny's face. "Don't you have a date, Gin?"

"You don't have a date to the biggest event of the year? Wow, even Eloise Midgen is going!"

Ginny groaned silently before turning to Lavender who was sitting across the table. "What does it matter to you, Lavender?" Ginny growled, giving her a glare for being so bold with her statement. She never did like Lavender for her bragging of all the boys that loved her and her constant gossiping of other girls.

Lavender flipped her hair over her shoulder as she eyed Ginny down. "I'm just curious as to who was going to take the job of picking up what Harry dropped."

Ginny's eyes flashed dangerously as her cheeks reddened with her temper. Riley grew eerily quite, and seemed to be preparing herself for an outburst. "And how is Harry and my business apart of yours?" she said between clenched teeth.

Lavender narrowed her heavily make-up eyes at Ginny with a smirk. "Because Harry is MY date to the ball, and I don't want to have to deal with your pitiful ass trying to steal him from me."

"You better watch that tongue of yours, Brown," Ginny warned, clutching her wand so tightly that red sparks came out of it.

"Oh, you mean this tongue that has been down the throat of your love?"

Ginny stood up so abruptly that her dinner plate went flying to the floor with a crash, causing most of the students' attention to look her way.

Loving the attention, Lavender too stood up and said loudly, "Just because you're dateless and unwanted doesn't mean you have to get all huffy!"

"And just because you're Harry's date doesn't mean you have to be such a whore! Oh wait; you always were a whore, weren't you?"

Lavender's eyes narrowed dangerously at the fuming redhead. "Watch who you're calling a whore, Weasley. The last time I checked, you were all over Malfoy the second Harry dumped you. If a whore isn't sleeping with her ex's enemy the second he turns his back, I don't know what is."

"Just because Draco and Harry don't get along does not make me any less of a person," Ginny snapped angrily. "And unlike you, I don't open my legs to any guy who shows interest in me."

Lavender, who opened her mouth up to yell, kept it open a bit too long without words, giving Ginny the chance to follow up.

"Your mouth is used for words to come out, Brown, not for what I'm sure you've stuck in there."

Riley snorted loudly, trying to hold in her laughter at the sight of Lavender's red face. Ginny caught a glance of Harry in the corner of her eye, who, instead of sticking up for his date, was looking at Ginny like she was a whole new person. Satisfied with her work, she made to leave when Lavender's words stopped her.

"At least a guy has stuck with me long enough for us to evolve romantically. You sent Malfoy running the second you laid that horrible kiss on him in the entrance hall."

"You'd be surprised, Brown. She's ten times the kisser you'll ever be."

Ginny quickly turned around to find Draco standing right behind her. Bewildered at his entrance, she was just about to ask what he was doing there when he interrupted her.

"Now, Ginny, don't forget that we have our appointments Saturday morning for our costumes to be made and I ordered us a carriage to bring us to Hogsmeade. I don't want your feet to get sore from walking right before the dance."

Ginny stared at Draco with a look of disbelief, not caring that she looked like an idiot.

"You're Ginny's date?" Lavender asked, suddenly feeling smaller than she did a moment ago.

"Of course I am," Draco said with a sneer. "Maybe next time you should wait for a response before you make an ass out of yourself."

"But, but I thought you two were just friends," Lavender stuttered nervously under Draco's glare.

"That doesn't mean that she doesn't deserve the best," Draco retorted, "And I am the best."

With one last smirk at Lavender who was now sitting in shock, and a glare at Harry out of habit, Draco put his arm around Ginny's shoulders and led her out of the Great Hall.

Once they were out of view, Ginny turned to him in amazement and a bit of disbelief.

"Why did you just do that for me?"

Draco looked at her like she was crazy. "Do what? I was meaning to tell you for a while. I just couldn't pass down the opportunity to rub it in that tramp's face."

Ginny didn't think her eyes could grow any wider, but they just did. "You mean you were serious about us going to the dance? Even about the costumes and carriage?"

"Of course I am. A Malfoy never lies."

"A Malfoy never lies?" Ginny repeated with a joking smile on her face.

"We exaggerate," Draco answered as the two continued to walk down the hallway. "So you are coming with me, aren't you? Seeing as the appointments are already made and you not having a date..."

"Oh shut up with the date thing," Ginny said as she playfully smacked him in the arm. "What if I say no? What if I actually do have a date?"

"You don't," he said simply.

Ginny glared at him. "And what makes you so sure of that?"

"Because the only person I saw behind you was me."

Ginny's eyes softened at his words. She tried to steal a glimpse of him, but he was very content at looking anywhere but her.

"Draco?"

Draco turned his head towards her. "Yeah?"

"You're a great friend."

Draco's face paused for a second before turning into a small smile. "Shut up, Weasley. I don't want you turning me all soft."

Ginny grinned at him. "Me? Soft? Did you not hear what I had to say to Lavender?"

"True and I take full responsibility for rubbing of on you."

Ginny smirked at his. "I was good, wasn't I?"

Draco paused to take a second to look Ginny straight in the face. "No," he said quietly, "You were perfect."

Before Ginny could have a chance to react, Draco picked up the pace again. "What are you doing just standing there, Weasley? We have to start figuring out what the hell we have to be for that damn ball."

"Whatever you say, Malfoy," Ginny said, running to catch up with him.

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

Ginny slowly shook her head in awe as she stood next to Draco outside the doors of Hogwarts. As Draco promised a white carriage, with while horses and all, showed up to take the two to Hogsmeade to go shopping for the dance.

"You never cease to amaze me, Draco," Ginny muttered as they walked towards it. The first thing that popped into her head when she saw it was that it looked similar to the one in Cinderella, a muggle movie she once watched with Hermione, except this one did not have a driver.

Draco opened up the door, stood aside, and held out his hand to help her in.

"Such a gentleman," Ginny joked as she stepped into the warm carriage with him following behind her. There was only one set of loveseats, which they occupied, and once Draco closed the door he ordered to be brought to the finest tailor in all of Hogsmeade.

Ginny's stomach suddenly dropped. How was she to pay for her costume, especially from the most expensive place Draco could find? She glanced worriedly at Draco, who sat very relaxed next to her, and couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to have money like him. He had everything he wanted and needed.

She must have been staring at him for too long when he glanced at her expression and frowned. "What's wrong?" he asked with concern. "Do you not like the carriage? I knew I shouldn't have picked white. What was I thinking?"

"No, no, Draco. That's not it at all," Ginny said quickly, now embarrassed that she got him all worked up.

"Well, then what is it?" he questioned, apparently very confused.

Ginny turned her head to look out her window at all the shops they were passing in Hogsmeade. It was amazing how much quicker they could get to Hogsmeade by transportation.

Draco placed his hand under her chin, turning her face softly so she would look at him. "Ginny, please tell me what's wrong. Are you regretting going with me?"

Ginny shook her head fiercely. "Not at all, Draco. It's just that I..." She paused briefly to take a deep breath. Never would she thought that she would be telling Draco of her money problems, but that didn't seem too crazy next to her going to a dance with him.

"Idon'thavethatmuchmoneyandprobablycan'taffordwhereeverwe'regoingtoshopat."

Draco's face went completely blank. "Come again?"

Ginny turned her head to look at her feet. "I don't have that much money and probably can't afford..."

"Is that what's making you so upset?" Draco asked, a bit relieved. "Ginny, I wouldn't have planned everything out this way if I wasn't planning on paying for it all."

Ginny sighed quietly at his offer. "Draco, I don't want you to pay for me."

"I know you don't, and that's what sets you from any other girl. You're with me because of me, not my money. No one has ever done that for me before, Gin," Draco said seriously. "Please let me buy you your costume. That's how I want to say thank you for treating me like a real person and not a bank."

Ginny stared at the young man next to her, the one who tortured her and her family about money issues for fun. Just when she thought that Draco couldn't surprise her anymore, he out does himself.

"If you're sure..."

"Of course I am. And plus, I wouldn't have it any other way. Like I said before, you deserve the best," Draco said with a smile just as the carriage stopped and the door swung open.

Draco poked his head out before stepping out himself. After he helped Ginny out of the carriage, the two of them stared at the store in front of them. Once again, Ginny was in awe, but because of the fact that they were about to shop at M. L. Design's, the most famous and expensive designer in the known wizarding world.

"I didn't even know Hogsmeade had a M.L. Design's," Ginny nearly whispered as they approached the door. "Aren't there only two others in France and London?"

Draco nodded a yes as the two of them entered a room filled with leather sofas, chandeliers, and even a grand piano that was playing by itself. Feeling very underdressed in a Weasley jumper, jeans, and a ratty robe, she just made a move to hide behind Draco when a loud, fake voice greeted them.

"Young Mr. Malfoy! It is so good to see you!" A tall and skinny woman in her early 40's approached them with huge, brown eyes and brown hair that was pulled into a French twist.

Draco gently took the hand she extended and barely touched it with his lips. "As the same to you, Ms. Ambrogi. How is business?"

"As wonderful as ever, what with you mother as one of your regulars in our London location," she said as she signaled over an employee who held a tray of tea and mini cakes. "Care of a cup of tea?"

"No thanks, I'm afraid we're on a tight schedule."

"We?" Ms. Ambrogi asked before peeking around Draco and catching sight of Ginny. "Oh my, I didn't even see you! Don't be shy, young lady. Who is your lady friend, Mr. Malfoy?"

"Miss Virginia Weasley, who is my date for the upcoming costume ball at Hogwarts," Draco said so sternly that it swiped the smile right off of Ms. Ambrogi's face. "I except you to treat her as you would my mother, or we will take our business else where."

If the scared look on Ms. Ambrogi's face wouldn't have been so funny, Ginny would have felt slightly embarrassed at having to be stuck up for like that.

"I would only think of treating a guest of yours like your mother, Mr. Malfoy!" Ms. Ambrogi said as she snapped her fingers, causing a male and a female employee to appear next to her. "These are my two personal assistants, Kevin and Theresa. They will take you two for your measurements, and than I will meet with the two of you to discuss what you have in mind for your costumes."

Draco and Ginny nodded in agreement as they were both taken by an assistant of the same sex to opposite sides of the room and into huge dressing rooms. Ginny tried to not fidget when Theresa was taking measurements, but she was not used to such treatment.

"So you're a Weasley, hu?" Theresa asked as she measured the length of Ginny's leg.

"Yes," Ginny tried to say proudly, but after the treatment that Draco gave Ms. Ambrogi she didn't' know what to expect.

"I was a few years older than those twin brothers of yours," Theresa stated as she pushed back her blonde, curly hair. "Fred and George right? They always did crack me up."

Ginny's body relaxed a bit. "Yep, they are good at that."

Theresa smiled at her comment. "If you don't mind me saying, Miss Weasley, I'm a bit shocked to hear that you're here with Mr. Malfoy. I may not have been at school when Mr. Malfoy was, but anyone who knows the name Malfoy and Weasley knows that the two don't go together."

"Yes, it is a bit odd, isn't it?" Ginny said as lifted her right arm up.

"Sort of reminds me of that muggle play, Romeo and Juliet," Theresa replied, "where two people from two households, who hated each other, ending up falling in love.

Ginny felt her face burn a little at Theresa's words. "Oh, we're not in love," Ginny said. "We're just friends."

"You say that now," Theresa said as she finished up with her last measurements, "But for all you know it could be blind love."

Ginny took in her words, and just simply shook her head. The idea of Draco loving her was too out there to even try and think about it.

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

"So, do we have any ideas for your costumes?" Ms. Ambrogi asked Draco and Ginny as all three of them sat in her office. "All we need is an idea from you, and your part is done. We'll then use our measurements, talents, and mail the outfits to you at school once they are complete."

Draco nodded as he looked over at Ginny. "Do you have anything that you would prefer?"

Ginny shook her head. She hadn't put much thought into what she wanted Draco and her to go as.

"Hmm," Ms. Ambrogi said in deep thought. "I suggest some sort of couple, so the outfits will go together, and you need to be based on someone that is known for something. You can't just be any average wizard and witch, now can you? It is Halloween, so we could go with a scary theme, but I think that that would take away from the richness of our materials. Or there's..."

"What about Romeo and Juliet?" Ginny said suddenly, interrupting Ms. Ambrogi's rambling. "Every one knows who they are, even though it's a muggle play. And they're one of the most famous couples ever."

"Wonderful idea!" Ms. Ambrogi exclaimed excitedly as she wrote down the idea. "No wonder you're with such a girl, Mr. Malfoy. She suits you perfectly."

Ginny almost laughed at the surprised look on his face. A comment was not to be made, as Ms. Ambrogi exited them quickly, rambling on that she had to get straight to work.

"Well, that was something," Draco said as he stared back at the store before walking up to the carriage. "So, Romeo and Juliet, hu? You know they end up committing suicide, right?"

"Yes," Ginny said as she sat in the carriage, "but I think we'll be safe as long as you don't fall in with me."

Draco froze half step into the carriage. "I'll try not to," he murmured as he climbed in and ordered to go back to Hogwarts.