Surprised By Love

Chapter Three

~Draco's POV~

Damn Weasley. Left with a simple "sorry". Didn't she realize what things like that did to a guy my age? Obviously not.

I saw her run to the carriages as soon as we reached Hogsmeade. And she sat with her back to me during the feast, next to Potter. I watched as he touched her hand every now and then, and she smiled shyly at him. I wanted to walk over to him and punch the glasses off his face.

"What's wrong with you, Draco?" Crabbe asked me. He and Goyle were sitting on either side of me, staring at me in confusion. Not a big change from their normal looks.

I glared at him. "Nothing. Not that it's any of your damn business."

A screech that could possibly be classified as a voice was let out and I had a great urge to just run for my life. Pansy Parkinson squeezed in between Goyle and myself. She put an arm around my waist and I resisted the urge to shudder. I was warned by my father to treat her nicely this year. Or else.

She batted her eyelashes at me, in what I'm sure she thought was great flirting ability. "How was your summer, Draco?"

Suddenly my food didn't seem very appetizing. "It was just great, Pansy," I told her.

She attempted a slow, seductive smile that probably would have worked. If she wasn't so ugly. She ran a hand up and down my arm. "I missed you this summer, Draco. Did you miss me?"

Crabbe and Goyle snickered loudly, but she didn't seem to notice.

I smirked at her. "Yeah. Oodles. I don't know how I survived the long summer without seeing you just once."

Pansy squealed loudly, making a few heads turn in our direction. I looked around the hall, ignoring Pansy as she proceeded to tell me about her summer holiday.

My eyes fell on the Gryffindor table and I saw Ginny Weasley laughing at me.

I had the great urge to stick my tongue out at her. I wasn't in the mood to be laughed at by the girl who made my heart pound unnaturally.

I stood up abruptly, making Pansy look up at me in surprise. "I'm going to unpack," I told everyone, sounding bored.

"But, Draco," Pansy began.

I looked at her sharply. "Shove it, Parkinson."

And I walked out of the Great Hall, my robes rustling behind me. Not a bad day, all together. Almost kissed Weasley. Made Pansy sputter annoyingly after me. Got away from Crabbe and Goyle. Not bad at all.

~*~

The next few weeks were completely uneventful. The littlest Weasley avoided me like the plague. If I saw her walking down the hall, she'd stop, turn, and go running the way she came. When she saw me in the library, she'd leave. It was becoming quite irritating, really.

The more she ignored me, the worse of a mood I was in. Everyone in my house was staying as far away from me as possible, and that was fine with me. It gave me time to brood about the little weasel.

I don't understand. If I wasn't mistaken, she was just as ready to kiss me as I was her. Now she's acting like I violated her. I really don't understand women.

I was on my way to the library, thinking of what I'd do to her if I ever got her alone, when I spotted the focus of every single fantasy I've ever had, heading towards me. Her head was bent over a book and she wasn't paying attention to her surroundings.

Perfect timing. And there wasn't a soul around for miles.

"You might want to get you head out of the book, Weasley, before you run into another innocent person."

She looked up at me in surprise. Her brown eyes were wide with . . . fright. I frowned at this. How are you supposed to get the girl if she was scared shitless of you?

Weasley clutched her book tightly to her chest. My eyes roamed down. What did you expect? I am seventeen and a male. Well, she DID have a nice chest, by the way.

"I wouldn't consider you an innocent, Malfoy. What do you want?" she asked, her voice soft and serious.

You, I answered silently. I pulled my eyes to her face. "Absolutely nothing, Weasley."

She pushed a stray lock of auburn hair out of her eyes. "Then get out of my way." She moved past and I turned in a circle, watching her. The little kitten has claws, I thought admirably.

"In a hurry to see Potter?" I drawled out lazily.

Weasley stopped, turning around. "Jealous, Malfoy?" she answered slyly, her brown eyes flashing amusement.

I stayed where I was, leaning against the wall. "Why would I be jealous of Harry Potter?"

She wandered over to me slowly, rather seductively, actually. "I don't know." She frowned a little, then broke out into a smile. "Maybe because you I still like him."

I rolled my eyes dramatically. "Are you saying you don't?" Inwardly I hoped the answer was no.

Weasley looked up at me, regarding me thoughtfully. She leaned up, her breath tickling my ear. "That wouldn't be any of your business, now would it?"

She pulled back an inch and smiled mischievously at me. That smile and her nearness sent my brain to other parts of my body. Did she have any clue how sexy she was? Without even really trying?

I grabbed her firmly by the shoulders and pulled her close. She didn't look the least bit surprised and I could've sworn I saw triumph flash in her eyes.

She was leaning in eagerly and had placed a hand in my hair. She snuggled in closer and I wrapped my arms around her waist. Her other hand moved to my face, gently stroking my cheek. Nothing seemed to matter at the moment except Ginny Weasley.

I could hardly believe she was in my arms, her lips less than an inch from mine. There was nothing I wanted more.

"That's when Neville said . . . "

A voice that sounded distinctly like Seamus Finnegan interrupted. Once again our near kiss was ruined. Ginny jumped away from me, her face matching the color of her hair.

Finnegan came around the corner with Lavender Brown. They stopped when they saw us. Finnegan took in his ex-girlfriend's state and raised an eyebrow. "Okay there, Gin?"

I saw Weasley swallow and nod. "Fine, Seamus."

Brown eyed me suspiciously. "Ginny, we were just on our way back to Gryffindor. Do you want to walk with us?"

"Sure." Weasley looked at me with a pleading look as she followed her housemates.

I sighed, leaning my head against the wall. I had the sudden urge to bang it, as I watched them turn the corner.

After a moment, I turned and headed to my own dorm. I heard footsteps running behind me.

"Malfoy!"

I turned sharply and was face to face with Ginny Weasley. Before I could open my mouth to speak, her lips claimed mine.

Her mouth brushed mine and it was over done before I could properly return it. But it was still earth shattering to me. My heart was beating so fast I thought it was going to rip out.

Weasley grinned up at me. "Maybe we'll finish this later." And she went running back the way she came.

I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding and grinned. Definitely worth the wait. This school year was looking very promising.