Most Potente Potions of Fate

Ron opened his eyes and all he knew was pain. He groaned loudly and attempted to sit up. His attempts were unsuccessful. He settled for actually opening his eyes and looking around him instead.

He... he was in the hospital wing...what on earth was he doing here...?

"Oh yes, I remember now," thought Ron. "A certain silver haired bastard put me in here. He is going to pay for that."

"Silver haired eh?" said a voice. "I'm glad you think of me like that."

Apparently Ron had been thinking aloud. He turned his head, and saw Malfoy sitting beside his bed.

His expression quickly turned to one of horror and he attempted to scream but found he had lost his voice. "What...you...doing here? Bastard...out...or...I...."

"Or what?" said Draco. "I'm afraid you don't look particularly threatening in a skin-tight hospital gown...sorry to break it to you." he fixed Ron with a patented contemptuous glare. "Well, anyway. I'm glad you are happy to see me. Believe me, I am just as happy to see you."

"Oh right, contemplating suicide are you?" butted in Ron.

Draco smirked. "Weasley wit, there is nothing like it."

Ron scowled. "What do you want, you wannabe ferret?"

Draco put his feet up on the end of Ron's bed and looked at him....and looked at him some more. Then some more. Until Draco had been staring at Ron for about five minutes. Ron was beginning to get very unnerved. He didn't like the Way Malfoy was looking at his hospital gown.

"Uh Malfoy, what the hell are you doing?" said Ron.

Draco looked at him with a very odd look in his eyes. "I am thinking Weasley, something you have yet to learn."

I am alone, in a room, with a freak. And I am in a hospital gown...oh dear. This could be messy, pondered Ron. But before he could retaliate Malfoy had started talking again.

"Basically Weasley, I apologise for provoking you yesterday. Unfortunately you did not realise that I have been assigned as your sister's tutor. And whatever you thought, I can assure you I wouldn't touch your sister with a ten-foot broomstick." for some reason Draco's stomach gave a little lurch at saying this. He ignored it.

"What are you saying?" said Ron. Then his eyes narrowed and he looked at Malfoy dangerously. " Are you saying you don't LIKE my sister Malfoy? Is there anything wrong with her?" Ron balled a fist into his other hand. "Something you would like to tell me?"

Merlin, thought Draco. This guy is a schizo. Draco glanced casually at Ron's fists. "She's, uh, a Weasley?" he chanced.

Ron pounced...well, tried to pounce on Malfoy but after said pounce, he realised Malfoy was no longer anywhere near him.

He swung around and saw Draco on the other side of his hospital bed. Draco looked calm and unruffled, but this is to be expected.

"Really Ronald," said Draco, mockingly using his first name. "Surely you can do better than that?"

Draco smirked.

Ron glowered.

"Anyway," continued Draco brightly. "I'm not here to brawl, I have a question to ask you."

Ron looked unsure how to proceed."Yes?" he asked tentatively.

"What presents would your sister like?" questioned Draco. "I was thinking along the lines of, chocolate, roses, jewellery perhaps?"

Ron gaped.

"Unless, of course," continued Malfoy. "You would prefer I got her a scarlet matching knickers and suspenders set?" he asked, with a seemingly serious face.

Ron looked like he was going to go insane, in all fairness. He probably was.

"Why are you buying my sister a present?" he ground out with considerable effort.

"Oh you know," said Draco. "The usual, apologizing for my scandalous behaviour, apologizing for fighting with you...hoping to get her into bed..." he paused and looked at Ron's burning face with glee.

"Take that back, Malfoy," said Ron dangerously. "Take that back right now."

"Yea, yea," said Draco. "In fact, you're looking a little red...well a bit too red, I mean. Perhaps I should call Madame Pomfrey for you?"

Ron didn't get a chance to reply before Madame Pomfrey came bustling out of her little office.

"Yes, Mr Malfoy," she said briskly. "How may I help you?"

Draco smiled graciously; this looked quite difficult for him. "Ah, thank you Madame Pomfrey. It's poor Ronald Weasley here, he seems rather unsettled." he glanced amusedly at Ron. "Can't think why."

Ron seemed to have lost his power of speech, and just glared at them.

"Oh dear," said Madame Pomfrey. "I fear it may be shock from the injury. Please help me hold him down Mr Malfoy, whilst I administer this sleeping Potion."

Draco rolled his sleeves up in preparation; he looked like his wildest dreams were coming true. "Of course, Madame Pomfrey."

Ron started to froth at the mouth in suppressed rage. Madame Pomfrey mistook this for medical distress and she uncorked the Potion and swiftly poured it down his throat.

"There we are," said she, in satisfaction. "You had better return to school, Mr Malfoy. I believe your injuries are fully healed, I thank you for your help."

"A pleasure," smiled Draco. "Must be off."

And again, off he went, whistling very out of character.

* * *

Ginny awoke the next morning, immediately feeling the lack of caffeine in her system.

She sat up groggily. "Need coffee," she muttered incoherently. "Must find coffee."

She swung her legs over the side of her four-postered bed, and hunted for her clothes. Unsuccessfully. What had she been doing last night? She wondered idly.

Eventually she just grabbed her robe and put it on over her strappy T-shirt and stripy pyjama bottoms. Not a fashion statement, she surmised. But it was clothing nonetheless.

She shoved her fluffy bunny slippers onto her feet and stalked out of her dormitory, careful to make as much noise as possible, therefore waking up her three roommates. This made her feel a little better.

She entered the Great Hall. It was mostly empty, save for a few seventh years, eating early so they could revise for their upcoming exams.

Naturally Hermione was seated at the Gryffindor table. Ginny plonked herself down next to her. "Morning 'Mione," she greeted. "Are you revising by any chance?"

Hermione looked up worriedly from her textbook. "Oh Ginny, it's awful," she said. "I simply can't understand this advanced theorem of Arithmancy."

"Uh?" said Ginny. "Could you possibly run that by me again?"

But Hermione had gone back to her world of study and nothing could reach her now. Hmm, thought Ginny. I'm getting an incy wincy bit of de ja vu here.

* * *

After her coffee, Ginny had nearly rejoined the rest of the human world in intelligence stakes. And, she was almost awake!

She then scrambled back upstairs after her breakfast and got changed out of her pyjamas.

Thankfully, hardly anyone had seen her running around the school in her nightwear. Even more thankfully, no one of the male gender had seen her. She suppressed a laugh. What would her brother of thought, if her heard she been running around supposedly 'tempting' the male population of Hogwarts.

Humph, she grimaced. It probably wasn't worth thinking about.

Now fully dressed she decided to give into temptation, and promptly fell asleep for half an hour, until lessons.

At 9:00am she dreadingly set off for Divination. As usual, it was a very uneventful lesson. Other than when Professor Trelawney heavily hinted that; 'someone in seventh year with bright green eyes and a lightning bolt scar was destined to mysteriously drop dead in the next week'.

So yes, a very normal lesson. After Divination, Ginny had a free lesson, and with much relish she set off to the library for a good read.

Little did she notice, the hard faced blond sitting a few tables away from her.

* * *

Draco leaned back in his chair and stared at his essay with disinterest.

He was in the library, attempting to do his Arithmancy homework. Attempting was a very accurate word. One Draco would never willingly use to describe himself.

He didn't attempt things, he did them, and damn well at that. This was why it was so disconcerting when he didn't succeed.

He looked up and glanced around the library, actually noticing his surroundings for the first time.

His eyes landed on Ginny a few tables away from him. She seemed engrossed in work of some sort.

Take her for example, he thought. Just what am I doing wrong with her? I don't understand it.

Bloody hell, she annoys me. I just don't know how to get around her. And what's more, she got the best of me, again. It shouldn't happen. I wish she would just go away.

Aaah, fuck this whole tutoring thing, I'm finished with it! Draco was about to storm out of the library on that train of thought, when he remembered something

He slowly sat back down.

"Damn!"

He slammed his fist into the desk, earning a reproving glare from Madame Pince.

Ginny didn't appear to notice.

He couldn't leave tutoring because he needed the extra credit. Or else it was, 'bye, bye Wizarding University.' And he could do without that.

He would have to stick it out. Well actually, he was out of the question. What about Ginny? She wasn't even talking to him at the moment!

What would he do?

Aha, a bit of the 'ole 'Malfoy charm' is required I think, thought Draco, with a mischievous glint appearing in his eye.

Malfoy charm indeed.

* * *

Suppertime that evening found an exhausted Ginny Weasley hauling herself to the Great Hall.

She had actually finished her Potions essay, and without the help of that Malfoy too!

Feeling weary, yet very proud of herself, Ginny arrived at the hall, only to find she was unable to enter. For some reason there was a large throng of people waiting at the door. It looked like they didn't want to go in. But, they were all craning their necks to see something that was happening.

Ginny pushed through the crowd. People shoved her this way and that, but eventually she managed to get in.

What met her eyes almost knocked her over with the shock.

There he was. Draco Malfoy himself, standing atop the half-occupied Gryffindor table with one arm outstretched towards her.

He beckoned to her with the outstretched finger and smiled at her.

She looked around wildly, and seeing no one else, pointed to herself in question.

Draco nodded at her and smiled again. "Please come here Ms Weasley, I have something I wish to give you."

Ginny's insides were screaming at her to turn and run, it was a very tempting thought. But she didn't seem able to. She was slowly drawn to Draco as if she were on the end of a cord and he was pulling it.

It felt icky.

All too soon, Ginny was standing right below Draco, who had deigned to remain on the tabletop.

He looked like he was about to speak, but thankfully Ginny regained her senses and beat him to it.

"What are you doing, you moron?" she hissed at him.

Draco smiled, and she had to admit, she might very well go and throw herself off a cliff if he never smiled again.

He smiled even more.

"What am I doing?" he asked lightly. He gracefully leapt off the table. Wish I could do that, thought Ginny grumpily.

"I am giving you this, the Malfoy pendant. In apology for my behaviour the other night." At the words 'other night' Gryffindors on the table leaned in closer.

Ginny gasped, it was so beautiful. Draco swept away the locks from her neck and carefully set the necklace on her, skilfully fixing the clasp on at the back.

She looked down at the pendant in wonder. It was a tiny silver dragon scattered with diamonds the shape of miniature scales. The bright emerald eyes of the dragon winked at her in the light and she was enchanted.

It must have been so valuable, and it was a family pendant at that. Completely forgetting she was supposed to hate Draco Malfoy, she turned to him and flung her arms around his neck.

Draco hugged her back, fully expecting this reaction of course. They didn't call it 'Malfoy charm' for nothing.

He just wasn't quite sure what to do about the fluttering pangs in his chest, that Ginny's embrace seemed to be causing.

He shrugged it off. Perhaps she had given him indigestion, he thought mildly.

Ginny drew back from him, looking a little embarrassed with herself. The hall had filled up now, and she was very aware of the many eyes on her.

Thankfully, Ron was still in the infirmary and Harry and 'Mione were visiting him.

She glanced at Malfoy nervously. "I...uh...better..." she gestured towards her table vaguely.

Draco nodded, "Yea I know, it's roast beef I wouldn't miss it." He winked.

Ginny looked at him strangely then smiled again. "Well, um thank you again, it's beautiful."

Draco shook his head; "It's nothing." He smiled at her and began to walk to the Slytherin table.

He could feel her eyes on his back. He swallowed, and put his hand into his pocket. His fingers landed on a glittering dragon pendant and he fingered it nervously.

Thank Merlin she wasn't aware of duplicating charms.