The Art of Seduction

Rule # 3: Send Mixed Signals

Once people are aware of your presence, and perhaps vaguely intrigued, you need to stir their interest before it settles on someone else. Most of us are much too obvious--instead, be hard to figure out. Send mixed signals: both tough and tender, both spiritual and earthly, both innocent and cunning. A mix of qualities suggests depth, which fascinates even as it confuses. An elusive, enigmatic aura will make people want to know more, drawing them into your circle. Create such a power by hinting at something contradictory within you.

*

Opposites attract. Who could be more opposite than Ginny Weasley and Draco Malfoy? An exact opposite can draw a person from their comfort zone. Seduction is easier outside of the comfort, for the perfectly happy person can not be seduced.

*

Ginny saw a smirk light up his face at her sharp intake of air. Awkwardly, she continued walking, picking up her pace in hope that he would fall out of step with her. Was he trying to say something to her? Or was she just being stupid and self-centered, thinking that someone would want to talk to her. Unless it was to insult her.

“What’s the rush, Virginia?” he asked in a very strange tone. It was an expression she had never heard from him before--almost kind, but with a underlying drawl. It wasn’t kind, but it wasn’t cutting.

Ginny stopped. She turned to him, but couldn’t look into his eyes. They had always scared her--even when he wasn’t looking straight into hers, but now she could feel their gaze burning into her. They say that the eyes are the windows to the soul; if that was true, then Draco must have a pretty troubled soul, Ginny told herself. They were stormy and uncertain, yet . . . captivating. She knew that if her eyes met his, she might never be able to take them away. “Its cold.” She said shortly.

His brow knitted into a look of concern, leaving behind any traces of hostility that it may have formerly held. “If its cold, maybe you should sit down. Walking quickly will only make you colder.

“I think I’ll be fine,” she said resuming her walk. Ginny couldn’t believe the way he was talking to her so nicely--he must have been leading into something nasty, she told herself, and therefore kept her cold facade.

“So where’s Neville?” he asked gently.

“He had to go back up to the dorm . . . for something.” She wanted to end the conversation there, but curiousity get her better. “What about Pansy?”

“I’m not sure,” he said nonchalantly.

Ginny let out a snort. “Oh that’s nice, take a girl to a dance and then ditch her for a midnight stroll.”

“Pansy and I didn’t come together,” he responded quietly, looking down at his feet.

“You didn’t?” Ginny asked, suddenly feeling embarrassed, and fighting the blush she felt rising in her cheeks. “Oh . . . sorry. Then who did you come with? Blaise?” She asked, and not getting any immediate reply, added “Millicent?” in and incredulous voice.

He started to laugh and then cut it off abruptly, as if he hadn’t mean to. “No, I didn’t come with anyone.”

Her head snapped around and she stared at him for a moment, and then, once again embarrassed, looked down. “I’m sorry, I just thought . . I mean, I figured . . .”

“S’okay, happens all the time,” he said jokingly.

Ginny found herself laughing at the sheepish smile that he gave her, and then suddenly became aware of her position. She was in a low-cut dress, outside, and alone with Draco Malfoy. It gave her an overwhelming sense of vulnerability. “I need to go--” she said quickly, stifling her laugh and turning back to the school. “Its late and cold and Ron’ll be wondering where I am . . .”

“Okay,” said Draco, seemingly not caring. “I agree, you’ll freeze to death--or get killed by your brother the second you walk into the building. Mind if I walk you back, though? You never know what kind of weirdos might be lurking out here.”

Ginny smiled. “Sure!” She chirped, a little too eagerly, and then more quietly, “Thanks.”

“No problem.”

They walked back to the building, a decent distance apart and commenting on various things, since neither really had anything interesting to talk about. Finally they reached the school, where they separated without any formal goodbyes, just a smile and a “See you later!”

Ginny was too happy that her night had been made better to notice the cool smirk with which he watched her walk to the table where Harry, Parvati, Hermione, and Ron were sitting. Luckily, Ron and Hermione had been too wrapped up in each other for Ron to see her enter with Draco or smile and wave at him.

She still couldn’t believe the way he had been acting--unlike he had ever been to her in the past. She remembered one of the only times he had ever spoken to her, and it had been to make fun of her about her crush on Harry. That was just so different from the Draco she had met tonight.

And even in the night he had changed. He had at first seemed slightly unemotional to her, and then had transformed into this caring, kind person who worried about what weirdos lurking in bushes might do to her. It was actually kind of sweet.

The evening ended with Ginny feeling quite at peace with the world.

*

Ginny Weasley was going to be interesting.