Surprised By Love

Chapter Five

~Draco's POV~

Potions is probably my favorite class, and not because I get good grades no matter what. It's the only class that's really interesting. It helps that I can pick on Potter and company and not get in any trouble.

It had been three days since Ginny Weasley kissed me and I was still reeling from it. I tried every opportunity to catch her alone, but she was always hounded by Finnegan or that stupid prat brother of hers.

I didn't let it get to me, though. I still had the rest of the year to make her see why we're perfect for each other. If I don't scare her off first. And if she understands why we can't be together after the school year. And if she can deal with a little fling, that'll be just perfect.

As I walked into Snape's classroom, I remembered to put my usual sneer on my face, even though for once I was happy. Nothing could ruin my mood. Not even when the Mud-, I mean Granger, sat down next to me.

And then I remembered we were concocting a truth potion. This wasn't good at all.

"Why don't you partner up with that boyfriend of yours?" I hissed.

Granger waved a hand carelessly. "I already know every thing about Ron. And Harry'll just keep asking me if Ginny likes him."

This was interesting. "I thought the little Weasel was practically in love with Potter."

Granger glared at me, her eyes almost slits. "Ginny hasn't liked Harry since her first year. He's just a little slow realising it."

I opened my mouth to say something rude, but Snape stepped into the room.

I took notes of the ingredients we would need for the potion. After Snape was done with his lecture, he let us get started.

Granger went and got the supplies we needed, while I thought of what I was going to ask her. I didn't like her much, but she might be useful for information on Ginny.

Granger did most of the work and quickly. For a mudblood, she was quite efficient. She handed me a glass. "Here you go."

"I'm not taking it first. You go," I sneered.

Granger shrugged. "I understand. Malfoys have a good reason for being scared, it being a truth serum and all."

I know she did it to get a rise out of me, but I have pride to uphold. Malfoys aren't scared. "Fine." I grabbed it out of her hand and drank it down. It didn't taste like anything, and I wondered if it really was a potion.

"What's your name?" I heard Granger ask. Her voice sounded far away, even though she was right in front of me.

"Draco Malfoy." My brain felt foggy and my heart was pounding in my ears.

"Do you like Ginny Weasley?"

She got straight to the point, didn't she? "No." That much was true. Hopefully that would satisfy her.

"How do you feel about her?"

Apparently not. "I love her," I heard myself answer. How do I shut myself up?

Granger nodded and smiled oddly. "Why? What's so special about Ginny?"

"She's beautiful. And innocent. And pure. And kind. She's always willing to help anyone, even if they don't want it. She has so many people that care about her and she doesn't even notice. And then there's her temper. That fire that won't let her take shit from anyone. It makes her light up."

I felt myself pause. "She's everything I'm not. She's forbidden."

Granger looked confused. "You want her because she's forbidden?"

"No! I want her because she's Ginny!" I snapped. "But I can't have her. My father would never allow it. Wanting is a weakness."

Granger shook her head sadly. "You can't let your father run your whole life, you know."

"I'm not good enough for her, Granger," I bit out. I could already start to feel the potion wearing off. Apparently Snape didn't trust us with a very potent one. Well, with students like Longbottom, I don't blame him.

She glared at me before standing up. "Fine, be a stupid git." She drank some of the potion and sat down. "Go on then."

I asked the question I most needed the answer to. "Does Ginny have feelings for Potter?"

"No. I already told you. She lost interest in him some time ago."

"What about Finnegan?"

Granger looked pointedly at me, looking as if there possibly couldn't be anyone stupider than me. "Why would she when she broke up with Seamus because of you."

"What?" Just what was she telling me?

She crossed her arms over her chest and rolled her eyes. "You are such a nit wit. She likes you."

"Why, I don't know," she continued. "But she does."

I didn't know what to say. Weasley liked me? Was she out of her bloody mind? She didn't need a person like me in her life.

But my heart, which was humming happily, disagreed.

"I don't like you, Malfoy, but apparently Ginny sees something in you that the rest of us don't," Granger broke into my thoughts. "So, if you hurt her, I'll kill you."

She gathered her things as I sat glaring at her. "I wasn't planning on doing anything with Ginny, Granger, so I don't have a chance of hurting her."

Granger smiled oddly at me for the second time today. It was almost as annoying as her constant hand raising. "You can tell yourself that. But Ginny doesn't give up that easily, just so you know."

She turned to leave, but spun back around. "And if she wants you, you don't have a prayer."