Trademark smirks and Temperamental redheads

Chapter 11 - Surprising Revelations (Fifth Year)

"I like him," Ginny stated flatly, before burying her head under the pillow in shame.

"Ginny, all of Gryffindor - actually, all of Hogwarts knows you like him," Melissa replied.

"Not Harry," Ginny mumbled from under the pillow.

"What!" her friend asked in alarm. Was The Ginny Weasley saying she didn't like Harry?

"It's mmpho," came Ginny's voice. Melissa frowned, going over to Ginny's bed and prying the pillow out of her death grip. She wished Sara was here, but their friend was still having dinner at the Ravenclaw table with Terry Boot.

"Ginny come out! Tell me properly, who is it?" Melissa asked.

"Malfoy."

"What!"

"Malfoy."

"Stop saying that!"

"Malfoy."

"Okay, I believe you," Melissa replied, as her expression turned serious. "How did it happen?"

"Well he was drunk, which really isn't the best way to go about it. It hurt a lot, but it felt really nice as well. And then he fell asleep after he finished and I think I'm the biggest idiot in all of Hogwarts!" Ginny moaned, before ducking under her covers.

"Wait...you had sex with him?" Melissa said it slowly as she tried to comprehend what her friend had just told her.

The lump that resembled Ginny's head under the covers nodded sadly.

"Oh no." A small wail came from under the covers at Melissa's words. "Are you sure you like him? Maybe it's just lust or something? I mean, Malfoy is pretty hot."

"I like him," Ginny replied firmly, before giving another wail. "I'm doomed!"

"How can you be so sure? Really, I think it's just lust," Melissa tried.

"It's not," Ginny said, shaking her head. "When I'm with him, my heart beats faster, and I feel all dizzy." Her friend regarded her sadly.

"Tingles and everything?" Melissa asked, dreading the reply.

"Tingles and everything," Ginny confirmed, nodding her head. Melissa sighed.

"Well, look, I'm not exactly thrilled at your new object of affection, but if you think Malfoy works for you. Then I'm happy for you," Melissa assured her.

"What are you talking about? I'm not going out with him! It was just a big mistake! He couldn't possibly like me back," Ginny replied.

"Why? He slept with you didn't he? Doesn't that mean he likes you?" Melissa asked in confusion.

"Of course not! Have you forgotten? This is Draco Malfoy, what is he known for apart from being rich and having a big mouth?" Ginny demanded. "He only likes girls for their body, if they get too clingy then he drops them just like that!" She snapped her fingers as she finished her words.

"But - "

"And anyway, it's not like he slept with me because he likes me, he just wanted the sex. He was drunk okay? At that time, as long as there was a female in the room, he would have shagged her regardless."

"Aren't you going to tell him that you like him?" Melissa asked instead.

"I...don't want him to hate me yet," Ginny said, looking down at her hands. "Imagine if I did. He'd probably just laugh at me and say something cruel. 'Weasley, as if I would ever like you. If the sex meant that much to you, then next time, pick someone who cares'," she imitated his arrogant drawl. Melissa would have laughed had her friend not looked like she was on the edge of a mental breakdown.

"It's alright Ginny, Malfoy doesn't deserve you," Melissa assured her friend, as she sobbed onto her shoulder.

"What am I going to do? I don't think I can stand it if he really shrugs it off like that."

Melissa held her friend tight as she thought about this Draco Malfoy character. First Sara and now Ginny, so Malfoy was pretty hot, but what did he have to have so many girls crying over him?

~~~

"It sounds like she really did make a mistake then," Katherine said easily.

Draco frowned. "That hurts you know?" he sulked.

"Well, Draco, either she slept with you because she likes you-" Draco cut her off.

"She doesn't like me, she likes that stupid scarhead, Potter," he fumed.

"Anyway, either that or she's doing it for the money. Those are the two reasons women sleep with men. So, you choose," she explained.

"...Why do you sleep with me then?" Draco asked with interest.

"Both of course!" the sixth-year Slytherin replied with a grin, Draco scowled. "Anyway, I'm off to class." She waved to him and took a left, leaving Draco to his brooding. It had been over a week since the incident with Ginny, and he still couldn't figure her out.

He went down to the dungeons, getting ready for Potions with Snape.

After an hour of snickering at Potter and his friends, Draco packed up ready to leave for dinner.

"Mr Malfoy, please stay behind, I'd like a word," Snape said.

Draco waited until all the students had left, before making his way up to the front of the classroom. He raised an eyebrow at Snape in question.

"Your Potions work has improved dramatically," the Professor marveled, once again studying the young man's appearance. His bags were gone and he looked a healthy shade, even his old smirk was back in place.

"Err." Draco tried to think of what he was talking about. Of course, the business with the Dark Lord, "Yes, I'm feeling much better, thank you Professor," he replied.

"Good, well see to it that you keep it up. That'll be all." Snape turned back to his desk, dismissing him with a wave of his hand.

Draco made his way down to dinner, a small grin on his face. He had been so involved with what had happened between him and Ginny, he'd forgotten all about the Dark Lord. He thought back to that night, her hands comforting him and the way her body felt against him...

Draco shook himself mentally; this was hardly the time or the place to be reminiscing about such matters. His grin widened at the prospect of having to take a cold shower before dinner, very little females had the ability of having that effect on him.

As he entered the Great Hall his grin slid off his face rapidly; at the Gryffindor table he could see Ginny once again sitting next to Potter, his arm around her shoulders. He sat down at the Slytherin table, watching transfixed as the two chatted excitedly with each other. Ginny met his gaze for a brief second before Harry distracted her by tickling her fondly; she blushed and said something that made him laugh. Finally, they left the Hall together, chatting merrily. What was this? Why were the two of them suddenly disappearing off together? And why weren't the mudblood and his sidekick following them? Most importantly, why did he care? Draco stared at his food intently as he pondered these questions.

Later that night, in his room, Draco cursed aloud as the tip of his quill snapped for the third time that night. His Potions assignment had inkblots all over the page; in a rage, Draco scrunched it up into a ball and threw it to the other side of the room. The paperball bounced off the opposite wall and landed on the floor innocently.

He couldn't get Ginny out of his head, the way she had blushed with Potter, no doubt happy that he had finally noticed her after all these years. Suddenly an image of Potter kissing her, touching her came to mind. Draco made a disgusted face at the thought, but it made sense. After all, she had been in love with Potter since she was ten. Then why did she sleep with me?

Draco got up and exited the Slytherin common room in a hurry; he had to find out why.

~~~

Ginny walked up the flight of stairs heading for the library, Harry by her side.

"Are you sure Gin?" he asked again.

"Yes Harry," she said in an exasperated tone, although there was a smile on her face.

"I watched you play Quidditch all summer, you're unstoppable on a broom! Come on, the team needs players like you Gin," he pleaded, showing her puppy dog eyes.

Ginny sighed and rolled her eyes as they entered the library.

"Alright, I'll go for the try outs, but let it be known I was bullied into this," she replied. Harry's face exploded into a brilliant smile as he gave her a quick hug.

"Trust me Ginny, with you and your brothers in the team, we'll have the Quidditch Cup down pat for sure this year!" Harry assured her cheerfully.

They sat down at a table near the back of the library, taking out their inkbottles and parchment, intent on getting their homework done.

"What are you working on Ginny?" Harry asked her, looking across the table at her textbook.

"Divination," Ginny said, making a face.

"I know what you mean, well I'm not much better, got a Potions assignment for Snape." He made a disgusted face and opened his textbook.

The two worked in silence, occasionally looking up to ask the other a question. Ginny was regretting why she had ever chosen Divination, she should have taken Hermione's advice and signed up for Arithmancy. She looked up as Harry stretched tiredly.

"I'm done!" he declared. "Do you need any help with Divination?"

"I'm right, just a bit more to go," Ginny replied sadly.

"Well, I'm going to go see what Ron and Hermione are up to. See you later?" he asked.

"Sure," she gave a small wave as Harry packed up his things and left, flashing her a smile.

It was nice having Harry as a friend, much better than pining after him like she had for four years. She had found out a lot about him in the past week, and he had slowly gotten accustomed to their new friendship. She was finally able to conduct normal conversations with him, laughing and joking with him like he was just another old friend.

Ginny was just about to return to her Divination homework when a rustle prompted her to look up. Draco Malfoy was walking swiftly toward her, his face set into a blank expression. Ginny could tell he was angry about something though, the corners of his mouth twitched as he stared into her eyes.

"Yes?" she asked him mildly.

"Wonder Boy has finally noticed your existence then," he remarked scathingly.

Ginny frowned, the anger apparent on her face. "What is your problem Malfoy? We're just friends, not that it's any of your business."

"Just friends? You didn't seem to be just friends when he was feeling you up during dinner," he remarked coldly.

"What are you talking about? He wasn't feeling me up!"

"He was all over you!"

"Look, I don't have time for this," Ginny replied, getting up and packing her things. Why was she trying to explain herself to Malfoy anyway?

Malfoy grabbed her left wrist, holding it tightly, making her wince slightly.

"You still love him," he stated coldly. "He finally noticed you so you ran back to him. Isn't that right?" he demanded harshly.

Ginny freed her wrist, staring back at him defiantly. "Yes, that's right. I'm in love with Harry Potter, alright?"

"Then why did you sleep with me?" he asked quietly. Ginny froze and Draco smirked at her.

"You were the one holding onto me like a child," she ground out, Draco leaned on the table looking nonchalantly at her, trying not to look guilty. "Who was it that wouldn't let me go?" she asked accusingly.

"Oh, and so you decided to just sleep with me?" he asked with a frown. Ginny could feel a fuse blowing in her brain. She threw her school bag at his head, and smashed it down hard.

"How dare you ask me that! I only slept with you because I felt sorry for you, you jerk!" she exclaimed, seizing her bag and storming out of the library.

Draco sat down, hands on his head rubbing it gingerly. Ginny's words echoed through his head. "Felt sorry for me?" he asked himself softly.

~~~

For the next week Ginny refused to speak to Draco, turning her head away in disdain whenever they passed each other in the corridors. Draco would scowl each time, especially when he saw her walking side by side with Potter, laughing with each other easily. One afternoon, Draco couldn't hold it in any longer as he saw Potter part with Ginny to go into Charms; he stepped up his stride, wanting to catch up with her.

"Have you slept with him yet?" he asked, facing the front and keeping pace with her steps.

She turned to look at him in annoyance. "Is that all you think about?"

"It's what most normal teenage males think about, yes," he replied casually.

She glared at him. "Harry's not like that."

"All men are like that," he corrected.

"Harry's different. He's not like you," she replied coldly.

"The only reasons a man could have for not wanting to have sex with a woman is either he has a problem with his sex organ or he's gay. Which one is Potter?" he asked her smirking.

She glared at him then socked him with her bag. "For your information, Harry has asked me out on a date this Hogsmeade weekend. And I plan to enjoy myself, whether in the bedroom or out of it," she finished her words and stormed down the corridor. Actually, Harry had merely offered to buy her a butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks for keeping him company the past few nights in the library. But Malfoy didn't need to know that, she shrugged slightly as she made her way down the corridor.

Draco stared after her as he held his stomach; he was going to have to do something getting whacked all the time. Stupid Weasley temper.

~~~

"You were wrong," he told Katherine. He was pulling on a shirt while she lounged under the covers of his bed. She turned to him with a questioning expression. "She's running off on a date with her beloved Potter today," he told her with a grimace.

"If you don't want her to go then stop her," the Slytherin told him, as he sat back on the bed, placing his head in her lap.

"Why?" he demanded.

"You don't want her to go right?" she asked.

"No! Why would I care whether she goes on a date with Potter or not?" he said looking indignant. "I'm just...annoyed," he finished lamely.

Katherine merely raised an eyebrow at him until he scowled. She got up, dressing herself quickly. She kissed him lightly on the lips and let herself out.

Draco continued to scowl darkly at himself for a long time. He got up and dressed, quickly making his way to the Hall, not sure what he was doing. There was already a crowd of students there ready for their trip to Hogsmeade. He spotted her near the staircase and made his way over to her, grabbing her arm and tugging her towards him.

"Malfoy what are you doing?" she demanded, looking up at him angrily.

"You're not going," he stated flatly. She looked up at him in surprise.

"What?" she asked blankly.

"Are you that desperate for your little date with Potter?" he asked her harshly.

"Of course not!" she replied, before realizing what he meant.

"Then don't go," he said firmly.

"What's it to you? It's none of your business whether I go or not!" she shouted at him.

"I know it's not, but I'm still annoyed about it." She stopped struggling and stared up at him curiously.

"Why?" she asked. He could feel himself getting flustered, how the hell was he supposed to know why?

"Look, I'm not letting you go to Hogsmeade, I don't care what you say. You're staying here with me," he said, looking at her determinedly.

Despite her protests, he dragged her down to the dungeons, where he held her captive until the crowd in the front Hall had disappeared out of the castle. After they had left, Ginny whispered quietly.

"You can let go of me now."

Draco looked at her, he was holding her up against the wall, one hand holding onto her wrist and the other pressed against the wall on her right, effectively pinning her in place. He quickly dropped his arms, stepping back slightly.

"You are such a spoilt brat," she said quietly, ignoring the indignation on his face. "Haven't you ever heard of asking? You don't get everything you want by ordering others around you know?"

"Would you have listened to me if I had asked nicely?" he asked her.

"No," she stated bluntly. "But it would have been more polite for you to ask first and then use force," she continued, unable to help the grin that spread across her face. She looked up to see him smiling back at her. They burst into laughter, which echoed along the damp corridors of the dungeons.

She stopped suddenly, as she realized that Draco had stopped laughing and was studying her intently.

"What?" she inquired.

"Do you really like Potter that much?" he asked her quietly, his gray eyes unreadable.

"Err," she decided to play with him a bit. "Of course I do, wouldn't any normal girl? He's the hero of the wizarding world," she said with a slight smirk.

He looked at her in silence for a moment, then turned and made his way down the corridor, completely ignoring her. She watched him go, surprise written across her face, he has obviously missed the sarcasm.

"What? Was it something I said?" she asked the empty corridor in confusion.

~~~

Draco made his way back to the Slytherin common room, pausing as he saw a lone figure seated on the couch in front of the fireplace. It was Katherine.

"You didn't go to Hogsmeade?" he asked her, going over to the fireplace.

"Too dull. Besides, I'm too tired from our hot and steamy night together," she told him, grinning wickedly. He sat down next to her and laid his head in her lap, playing with the beaded hem of her short skirt. "I hope you won't be brooding for too long, I've got another date in an hour," she told him, stroking his hair lightly.

"Doesn't matter, I'll make myself scarce when your date comes," he replied with a shrug.

She smothered his face with a cushion.

"What?" he demanded, his hands automatically going up to smooth his hair back.

"Go find her," she told him flatly.

"Find who?" he inquired curiously.

"Weasley. You like her,"

"What? I do not! I've never met such an annoying Weasel in my life!" he began.

"What?" Katherine cut him off.

"What what?" he asked in annoyance.

"What is so annoying about her?" she demanded. He looked at her in surprise, speechless. "Just because she likes Potter instead of you?" Seeing his blank expression, she tried a different tactic. "Draco, you don't like me do you?"

"Of course I like you!" he replied defensively.

"But you don't care if I sleep with another guy do you?" she demanded, she frowned as he considered her question. "Look, why don't you go think about it?" she suggested, as she pushed him out of the Slytherin common room. "And don't come back until you figure it out!" she added, as the brick wall closed shut in front of him.

Draco looked around the corridor slightly dazed. He liked the Weasley? Impossible. Right?

He made his way to the library still deep in thought, bumping into someone as he reached the entrance. It was Ginny. He stumbled back slightly, staring at her. He could feel his cheeks growing slightly warm, making him even more annoyed with himself.

"Are you ok?" she asked him, looking concerned.

He grunted in reply and stepped into the library, Ginny right behind him. They stayed there for over an hour, each doing their own research. To be more accurate, Ginny did her research while Draco followed behind her, never taking his eyes off of her.

"Ginny," came a voice from the entrance of the library, both Draco and Ginny turned to see who it was.

"Hi Melissa," Ginny replied, walking past Draco to go and greet her friend.

"Why didn't you come to Hogsmeade with us? Harry's been looking everywhere for you," Melissa explained to her.

"Oh really?" Ginny answered, "I better go find him then."

She was about to leave when Draco moved in front of her to stop her.

"Do you have to go running off to him every time he calls?" he demanded.

"Malfoy what is wrong with you today?" she asked instead.

"Is Potter really that great? I'm much better than him," Draco told her, staring into her eyes.

"Harry is twice the man you'll ever be Draco Malfoy!" she hissed at him, stepping around him.

"I like you more than he does," he blurted out suddenly.

Both Ginny and Melissa turned around to stare at him in amazement. He was staring intently at something over their heads, his face defiant. After a long period of shocked silence, he swept past the two Gryffindors and strode out of the library, his cloak swishing behind him.