The Spring Production

Chapter Four

    Ginny woke up the next morning, stretching and yawning. The sun was shining brightly, and her watch (which she picked up from the bedside table) read 7:00. She was a little disturbed-she'd had a strange dream that she was marrying Harry on the coast of Scotland, and right as the minister had said, "Is there any reason why these two should not be wed in holy matrimony?" none other than Draco had shown up at the wedding, saying "There's two reasons why she shouldn't marry him! One, I love her, and two, she has my pink bunny slippers!" And the weirdest part was that after Draco had said this, she had run from Harry and given Draco a sound kiss right on the lips.

    She touched her cheeks. They felt warm with a decisive blush that puzzled Ginny. She didn't hate him anymore (well, no more than before, anyway), but she didn't love him...did she? Sighing, she kicked her legs over her head and rolled out of bed, right in time to collide with Kimmie, who was getting dressed in the next bed.

    "You're finally up," Kimmie smiled. "I was afraid I was going to have to pull back the curtains and yell right in your face." Pulling her robe over her head, Kimmie grabbed a small blue brush and began to brush her fine blonde hair back into a ponytail. "Does my ponytail look okay?" Kimmie asked her.

    "It's fine, Kim," she said sleepily. Slowly, she trudged over to her trunk and pulled out a black robe and a cutesy outfit, a yellow miniskirt and white polo top. Dressing fast, she then had Francesca (who was an expert with French braids) style her hair into two French braids.

    Just as she was about to head to breakfast, however, an eagle owl came through the window.

    "That's strange," Anna noted. "You'd think the person would just wait for breakfast."

    Ginny knew why, though. It was from Draco. Stroking the owl, she pulled the parchment roll off of its leg.

'Virginia,

    Meet me at the Astronomy Tower, midnight. If you don't show up, I'll put you in a body-bind like I did to that annoying Longbottom in first year.

                Malfoy'

    'How nice,' Ginny thought sarcastically. 'I know how much he appreciates my company.' Folding the note, she placed it in the pocket of her robes.

    "Who was it from?" Lara asked, looking at her friend.

    "No one," she lied, and the girls didn't push it. Chatting, all five girls walked out the door to breakfast.

* * *

    Ginny stole down the third-floor corridor on her way to the Astronomy Tower. I'm nearly there, she thought to herself as she saw the painting of Sir Cadogen. All I have to do is turn right down this hall and up the stairs.

    Finally getting there, she skipped up the stairs quickly. 'Wonder what Draco wants,' she wondered to herself. There was a door in front of her, and slowly, ever so slowly, she opened it.

    Draco was sitting on the floor in the leather pants he'd worn to auditions, and a green t-shirt, looking over his lines in the play. His head was bent down in concentration, and he was mumbling to himself. "Should we tell your father, Gabi?" Apparently he was running lines, and Ginny was in the mood to ruin his fun.

    "I don't know, Draco, should we tell my father?" she asked playfully.

    "Virginia!" He sat up quickly, and then took on his sneering expression. "Finally made it, did you, Weasel?"

    "I did make it, indeed, and the name's GINNY."

    "Can't I just call you Virginia?" he asked casually, trying not to look overexcited.

    "No, unless you want me to call you Drakkie."

    "Do you think you can boss me around, Virginia?" he sneered. 'Ah, good old snot Draco is back' she thought to herself.

    "Draco Malfoy, if you call me 'Virginia' one more time, I'll slap you." This is getting ridiculous, she thought to herself. "Let's get to the point. What did you want from me?"

    "I wanted to run lines with you."

    "In the place famous for snogging? I don't think so, Malfoy." She stood there, arms crossed, glaring at him. "And anyway, I don't have a script."

    "You can share mine," he offered sarcastically.

    "Are you trying to get close to me, Mr. Malfoy?" she sneered back. "Mayhap this is an excuse to get snuggly with a 'Weasel' as you like to call me?"

    "Why would I want to get close to YOU?" he retorted. "You just need the rehearsal, you're so stiff in that scene."

    "Puh-lease, Mr. Not-So-Debonair, spare me. I'll sit next to you." She did so, plopping not so gracefully down by his side, hitting her back on the wall. "Ow," she whined to herself.

    "Smooth, Vir-" Slap. "Hey!"

    "I told you so, DRAKKIE." Then she began her lines, ever so softly. "Sukor? I love you. And before you say a word, yes, I do know who your father is. And do I care? No. Why? Because...he's not you." She put her heart into every word.

    "I love you, too, Gabrielle. You are the only one who seems to care. The only one who calls me by my first name. To everyone else I'm just 'Slytherin.'" There was an actual bit of emotion in his voice that he was trying to hide. Ginny caught it, however.

    "Draco?" she asked him, cautiously. "What's your father like?" She'd always wondered ever since the day he'd given her the diary in Flourish and Blott's.

    The look in his eyes hardened. "I don't want to talk about it, Ginny." She nodded.

    "I can understand that," she whispered to him. "You know, you're nothing like him." She smiled to herself, for sounding so much like her character.

    "How do you know that?" he asked. "How can you be so sure?"

    "I just...know. You wouldn't have given an innocent eleven year old the diary of the darkest wizard of all time, and you wouldn't have kept Dobby for so long, or at least not treated him so badly." Draco took her hand, and Ginny didn't resist. They sat there for a long time in silence, deep in their own thoughts. Then Draco spoke again.

    "You look really pretty," he whispered to her.

    "You just now catch on to that?" she returned coldly.

    "Ginny, I..."

    "Draco, if you really want to kiss me, just do it already." She looked at him, waiting for him to rebuke her.

    As quick as lightning, Draco cupped her face in his hands, and leaned toward her. She leaned forward.

    Contact was made, and Ginny closed her eyes in bliss. His lips were warm and tingly, and at first, it was a tenative kiss. It didn't take long to get past that, however. She leaned in farther, gently placing her arms around his neck, putting everything she had into it. He seemed slightly shocked, but responded, moving his arms down around her waist and pulling her closer. The kiss continued until both ran out of breath and pulled apart, panting.

    "That," Draco breathed, "was a great kiss." He stared at her. "Are you the Ginny I know, or did you suddenly get a clone?" She raised her eyebrows.

    "What, the littlest Weasley isn't allowed to be a great kisser?" she asked, pretending to be put out. He leaned in, trying to get another kiss. She put her hand on his chest. "I don't think so, Draco. I need to understand something. Am I to understand that you like me?" He smirked at her.

    "No, Daisy, I hate you to death," he returned sarcastically. "Of course I like you."

    "Did you just call me 'Daisy'?" she wondered aloud.

    "Yes, I did, and now, it's your nickname."

    "Oh, really?" she asked, looking him right in the eye. "You didn't ask me if you could call me 'Daisy.'" He stared at her. "You have to have my permission first."

    He started in on his patronising tone. "Virgina-"

    "Ah, ah, ah," she cautioned, waving a finger in the air. "Start over, Malfoy." His gray eyes were beginning to flare. "And don't you raise that temper at me."

    "Ginny Weasley, may I please call you Daisy as an affectionate nickname?" he mumbled, looking at her. "Don't make me say it again."

    "Yes, you may." She looked over at his wrist, and checked his watch. "Oh, shoot! Draco, it's two am! I've got to get some sleep!" She stood up too fast, making herself dizzy, and Draco steadied her. "See you tomorrow?" she asked him.

    He nodded. "Of course." She smiled, gave him a peck on the cheek, and ran back to Gryffindor tower, smiling all the way.

* * *

    The following night, at rehearsals, Cho was looking particularly peeved. "Yes, Harry, you do have to kiss Parvati. Does no one here understand this is a story of romance? Honestly!" Ginny raised her hand.

    "Erm-Cho? I am to kiss Draco, am I not? I'm not whining, I'd just like to know so my brothers won't beat him up when they see us kissing onstage." She smiled at Cho, who was biting her lip in an annoyed way.

    "Yes, Ginny, you are going to kiss Draco." She smiled. "And not to worry, if your brothers TRY to beat Draco up," she said, looking pointedly at Ron, "they will be kicked out of the Great Hall, or out of the performance, depending on who it is."

    Ginny shared a secret grin with Draco across the room, before turning to a positively livid Ron. "Are you okay, Ron?" she asked, knowing perfectly well what the problem was.

    "No, I'm not okay, Gin. You have to kiss HIM? HIM, of all people?!"

    "Yes, Ron, I'm grossed out by the idea, too, but the show must go on." With that, she turned and paid attention to Cho, who was discussing the next scene in the play.

    After rehearsal was over, Ginny waited after everyone to talk to Draco. "So, Draco, ready to kiss me in front of the ENTIRE school?" she asked, putting an arm over his shoulder to pull him into a hug.

    "Of course I am, Daisy," he smirked. "Are you?"

    "Yes, sir," she saluted. "I think, though..." she began with a devilish grin, "I think I'm out of practice. Meet me tonight, Astronomy Tower, at oh, say...midnight?"

    He laughed, but not a laugh Ginny had ever heard before. It was warm, and kind. "Absolutely," he smiled, kissing her on the forehead. "Now get back to your room before Ronniekins gets suspicious."

    Giggling, Ginny ran back to Gryffindor Tower, eagerly anticipating what was to come at midnight.