Smear

Chapter Four

As Ginny pulled back from the second kiss, her insides squirmed in an unpleasant sort of way. Biting her lip, she turned to Draco.

"I don't like the feeling I just got," she said softly. "It's like someone's in there waiting for me."

"It's late," muttered Draco, his arm still around her waist. "Everyone is asleep." His eyes narrowed slightly as he caught sight of something near the window, and he drew his wand.

"Draco, what's-"

"Spying, are you?" the blond growled.

Ginny's eyes scanned the darkness by her home, and they widened when she saw who Draco was yelling at. The gleam unmistakable as the figure shifted and the moonlight caught his face.

"What are you doing out here, Harry?"

"I thought I heard someone," Harry said, tilting his head. "But it's just you."

"Right," said Draco, still scowling. Gently, he kissed Ginny's forehead. "I'll see you tomorrow night.

As he vanished, Ginny cleared her throat and turned toward Harry.

"Why are you really out here?" she asked, tilting her head.

When he had come forward, he looked almost sad about something. When he spoke, his voice was unnecessarily hostile. "Why are you with him?"

"It was one date," admitted Ginny, staring at him. "Why do you care? You're shagging Hermione, aren't you?"

Harry blinked at her, obviously having been caught off guard by the question.

His silence proved enough for her.

"I waited for you," she said quietly, stepping up to him. "For six months, because you told me that you would come back, then I find out that you went out with someone else."

"It was just Hermione," said Harry defensively. "It's not a big deal."

"But it is a big deal," Ginny said, shaking her head. "She was supposed to be my best friend, Harry."

"This doesn't explain why you're with him," said Harry as he opened the front door.

She walked past him. She vaguely wondered how no one had heard him, but brushed that thought away as he sat on the sofa in the living room.

"He's not like you remember," said Ginny defensively. "If he was I wouldn't have agreed to any of this."

"This?" asked Harry.

The Burrow was dark, almost eerie, and his voice was the only thing she could hear besides her own breathing.

"The banquet," explained Ginny as she sat beside him. "The dates are just because of a bet we have going."

"A bet?" Harry said. When he reached for his wand and muttered, "Lumos!" He saw the expression on her face soon after, and he frowned. "Sorry, we needed some light, I think."

"I guess so," she said, shrugging. "Harry, about the bet-"

"It's none of my business," he replied, shaking his head. "As long as you're not shagging in your bedroom, then-"

"Harry!"

"I suppose I should get used to having that git around then?" Harry commented softly. "It's not like I'm trying to be bothered by this, Gin, but it is Malfoy we're talking about. He's a slimy, no good-"

"He's quite a nice kisser," said Ginny.

"Who's a good kisser?" said a voice.

"Bloody hell!" Harry shouted. "Damn it, where's my wand?"

"You scared us," Ginny said as she placed her hand on her chest. "What are you even doing down here?"

Bill grinned and stretched before sitting on the armrest of the couch. "I heard voices. I know we have a ghoul in the attic, but he's not very good at impressions. So, what's going on?"

Ginny looked uncomfortable as she said, "I went out with Draco Malfoy tonight."

Bill scratched his chin and looked from his sister to Harry, and then he sat quietly,. "If you're not telling me because you think it's a problem, I think you should look at my face. Do I look angry at all?"

"She went out with Malfoy!" Harry practically screamed.

"What does it matter to you?" Bill asked, surprising them both. His voice wasn't as soft as it was before.

"I just-" Harry began.

"You what?" said Bill hostility. "It shouldn't matter to you who Ginny dates, because you're not together anymore."

"Why are you attacking me?" said Harry as he dropped to the floor in search of his wand. When he found it, he wrapped his fingers around the wood, just as a foot came down softly on his hand.

"That's unwise," murmured Bill as the tip of his lit wand touched Harry's nose, then he brought it up to survey the room. "I wonder why you'd want to do that to someone you consider a friend."

"I wasn't," he said, standing. He held his wand at his side. "I dropped it before when you scared the hell out of me."

"Sorry about that," he said. "Would you like a little advice?"

"If I say no you're going to give it to me anyway," muttered Harry. "So let's hear it."

Bill smiled and leaned over to turn the knob on the oil lamp, so that one half of the sitting room was lit with a low glow. He pushed a hand through his long hair and stared at Harry. "You're jealous, but what I can't figure out is why."

Ginny didn't say anything as she listened to the conversation, though she occasionally leaned forward to catch one of their expressions.

"I don't know," said Harry finally, after a few moments.

"Don't know what?" someone else asked. "Are we having a pajama party?"

"No," said Ginny, glaring. "Fred, go back to sleep. It's alright."

"Oh, this isn't fair," George murmured. "We weren't invited. Mum's not going to be happy to find all of us down here. Speaking of which, what is everyone doing down here?"

"Ask Ginny and Harry," said Bill.

"I went on a date," said Ginny, sighing in annoyance. "You all knew that, right? Well, it seems that someone couldn't deal with that. We caught Harry hiding outside in the bushes when Draco and I were finished snog-"

"Oh, please, don't," said Fred, wriggling his nose.

Ginny smirked.

"What did Malfoy mean when he said he'd see you tomorrow?" Harry hissed.

"I think what he meant is that he'd see her tomorrow," George said, rolling his eyes. He gave Ginny a look. "Did you have fun at least?"

Ginny nodded. "He's not that bad anymore. Sure, he's still a little arrogant, but I can get used to it."

Harry frowned at her tone, and as she left the living room and headed upstairs, he called out to her.

She ignored him.