fredthebaker: Thanks! Maybe if you read it over again you'll get it.
Jordan: Wow! I'm someone's first story ever! My first story was a Snape/Hermione porno. So if I were you, I would consider myself lucky.
CloudChick: Original? That's surprising. There are a ton of stories like mine. But thanks for the compliment.
BlueJeanJunkie: Your review wasn't short at all! And Seth is one of my favorite characters. He kind of reminds me of my friend. Maybe I unconsciously made them the same person…
Thanks for all the reviews and keep them coming!
Chapter Seven
Ginny walked into Hogwarts after a particularly easy lesson of Herbology and ran to the nearest restroom. She changed into her quidditch robes that she put in her bag under her books. If she changed quickly, she would have enough time to warm- up before quidditch tryouts.
Ginny stepped out of the bathroom nervously and walked over to the broom closet. She pulled out her tattered broom stick and looked around. The closet reminded her of Malfoy. She sighed inwardly.
She had to admit that he was a great kisser but the incident didn't mean anything to her. She still loved Harry. The reason she was doing all this with Draco was for Harry. With all that put aside, Ginny still had to wonder if it meant anything to Draco.
Not that it matters, Ginny thought quickly, shaking her head. I'm just…curious. That's all.
Ginny walked outside and took a deep breath. She saw that the tryouts were about to begin. The current quidditch team, including Harry, was seated at a table positioned so that they could see the entire pitch. Ginny mounted her broom. Well, here goes nothing.
"It wasn't her fault, she was just being herself," Ariel said slightly annoyed as she ate dinner.
"NOT HER FAULT!" Seth yelled. "It was definitely her Fault! She completely changed the man! Turned him into another person!"
"Sorry Ariel," said Ginny while taking a bite of chicken. "But I'm gonna have to side with Seth on this one."
"Thank you!" said Seth exasperated. "See Ariel, now there's a smart girl."
"You can't blame it all on Yoko," Ariel argued. "The Beatles were bound to break up anyway."
Seth dramatically gasped with shock. "How dare you," he hissed.
Ginny giggled. Dinner was turning out to be a good finish to her day. She couldn't even remember what she was worrying about before.
Oh yeah. Quidditch tryouts, Draco Malfoy, and Harry Potter.
Considering Ginny had been playing for as long as she could remember, she was one of the best people to tryout. Some of the others trying out included Neville Longbottom and Colin Creevey who she didn't even compare to. What she worried about was whether or not she could beat Seamus Finnagin. She was a good player, but between her and Seamus, it was a close call.
"So Ginny," said Ariel pulling Ginny out of her thoughts. "Do you think you made the team?"
Ginny was about to answer when she saw Harry standing behind her friend. He was motioning toward the exit of the Great Hall. Ginny nodded in return and stood to leave.
"Looks like I'm about to find out," Ginny replied to Ariel and Seth happily.
Ginny walked out of the Hall and saw Harry right around the corner. He looked at her and grinned. Ginny found herself grinning too.
"Hey Gin," said Harry.
"Hey," Ginny replied breathlessly.
"You did a great job at tryouts today."
"Thanks," said Ginny. "You have no idea how nervous I am."
Harry chuckled. "I can imagine."
Draco was making his way to a late dinner and had almost reached the Hall when a quill fell out of his bag. With a grunt he bent down to pick it up.
"So why'd you drag me out here?"
Draco looked up. Was that Ginny? Draco was careful not to make too much noise and stuck his head around the corner. It was Ginny. She was talking to...Potter.
Draco could already feel his blood boil. Fucking Potter and his stupid head. Give a kid a hideous scar and all of a sudden they're famous.
"Well I couldn't stand to see you so nervous, so I decided to tell you that you made the team."
Draco watched as Ginny screamed in delight and wrapped her arms around Harry's neck.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
They stayed in the hug for what Draco thought was too long and finally parted.
"I can't wait to tell Seth and Ariel!" Giving Harry one last hug, she ran back into the Great Hall.
Draco fought the urge to smack the dazed smile right off Harry's face and stood up. Suddenly, he didn't feel like eating anymore.
Blaise Zabini was angry. For thirty minutes, he had patiently waited for Draco Malfoy to accompany him at dinner. It wasn't often that Blaise Zabini was stood up, so now that it had happened, he was ready to haul ass.
Blaise walked into his common room and made his way into his dormitory, making sure he didn't trip over any clothes or books that were thrown on the floor.
Lying on his bed with an emotionless face was Draco Malfoy. He was lazily releasing and catching a snitch that he used for practice. He hadn't even looked up to see who had come into the room.
Blaise kicked off his shoes and started to loosen his tie. "Where the bloody hell were you? You stood me up."
"Maybe I had better things to do then spend time with the likes of you," Draco replied bluntly.
Blaise knew not to take these things personally, but was still curious as to what caused the sudden outburst. "Jeeze, what's the matter with you?"
Draco released the snitch and stood up. He walked to his dresser and began shuffling through the drawers furiously. "None of your damn business."
Quickly forgetting about being stood up, Blaise realized that Draco was taking his angry out on him. "Must have been bad," said Blaise as he took a seat on his mattress across from Draco's. He quietly began removing his socks.
Draco slammed his drawers shut and threw himself onto his bed. "It's that fucking Potter."
"What'd he do this time?" Blaise said in an uninterested tone. Draco was always ranting about Potter and this time was no different. Although, Draco had never been quite this angry after a random fight with Harry.
"He thinks he owns the whole bloody world. Stupid git. Always pretending to be such a nice guy."
"What'd he do this time?" Blaise asked again. Whatever Potter had done had really pissed Draco off.
"That asshole made me witness to his disgusting displays of affection! There in the
middle of a hall he was putting his disfigured tentacles all over Weasley! I mean-"
"Sorry to interrupt, but I just need to clarify something. Are you talking about Ron Weasley?"
"No! The Weaselette! Has she got any dignity? How she could possibly like Potter is beyond me," exclaimed Draco as he captured the snitch once again. As he tightened his grip, his knuckles grew more and more white. "You'd think that with so many people trying to kill him, one would finally suceed. But nooo."
Draco slammed the snitch back into his trunk and buried his head into his pillow. "Don't talk about it anymore, Blaise. If you remind me I might vomit."
Blaise remained silent for another moment before finally speaking. "I can't believe this," murmured Blaise.
"What?" asked Draco without taking his head out of his pillow.
"I cannot believe what I am hearing," said a very shocked Blaise. "You have a thing for a Weasley!" Draco removed his head from his pillow. "I can't believe I didn't see this before-"
"Shut up," said Draco in an annoyed tone.
"-the snogging,"
"Shut up."
"-the jealousy,"
"I am not jealous."
"-the,' said Blaise but he was suddenly interrupted when a pillow smacked right in the head.
"You," Draco began. "Are the biggest arse in the entire school if you think that I would ever have feelings for someone as inferior to me as a Weasley. And furthermore, even if she weren't a Weasley, I still wouldn't have feelings for her because she is as hideous as a skrewt."
"But before you knew her name you said she-"
"You will shut up right now and we will never speak of this again. Understand?" said Draco with a dangerous glint in his eye.
Although Blaise knew that Draco would never touch him, Draco could still kill him if he wanted to. He nodded. Draco flicked his light off and rolled over in the opposite direction so he wouldn't have to face Blaise.
A Malfoy have feelings for a Weasley other then hate. How absurd. Sure, they did snog a little but it wasn't like there was any pleasure in it...okay, so maybe there was a little pleasure. But he's a teenager. What do you expect with all those raging hormones?
And as for today, well Potter always made him angry. Never quite this angry while never speaking a word to each other, but they were still arch nemeses'. Ginny just...also happened to be there...
Draco suddenly realized how blind he was and only one statement came to mind. "Oh shit."
"I agree," said Blaise.
Ginny walked into Potions and took her seat at her usual spot. She was the first in class, but didn't notice. She had been on a cloud of happiness since Harry had told her she made the team. Even Snape couldn't burst her bubble.
Just imagine her on a broom in front of the whole school. She'd be the best chaser in all of Hogwarts, the world even and-
"I hope you know that you look completely stupid."
Ginny turned around and saw Draco Malfoy taking his seat next to her. "Compared to you, that must be a compliment," Ginny replied.
"Touché," said Draco. "Why are you so annoyingly happy?"
"You are looking at the Gryffindor Quidditch team's new chaser," she said dramatically. She flashed him a smile.
Draco's face turned slightly pink, but he quickly recovered. Ginny found this odd, but thought nothing of it.
"That's wonderful," said Draco sarcastically. "Now Slytherin can easily beat Gryffindor this year."
"Fat chance Malfoy," said Ginny. "Even if the team were only made was Neville Longbttoms, Slytherin couldn't beat it."
"And the fact that I've been made captain this year doesn't change anything?" Draco asked with raised eyebrows.
"Not at all, unless you mean by being worse then before."
Before Draco could reply, Snape billowed into the room and had them taking down pages of notes on new subjects.
Draco couldn't believe this. He had fallen for a Weasley. If the blush when she smiled at him didn't prove it then he didn't know what did. He couldn't remember ever blushing before in his life. All he knew was that the moment she smiled at him, all he wanted to do was snog her senseless. He had to have her. But did she feel the same way? How could he possibly make her see him as more than just an enemy? Or friend, as they had decided?
Suddenly, the answer to all questions popped into his mind: money. He would buy her an expensive gift that she would love and therefore throw herself at him. And he knew just what to get...
Ginny was asleep. At least trying to sleep. All the girls in her dormitory seemed to be up and about, giggling and talking much louder then usual.
She opened one eye and looked at her clock. It read 7:52 AM on a Saturday. Just a few more hours...
"Ginny! Ginny, wake up!" squealed Ariel.
"Mmhmm," mumbled Ginny.
"Ginny, everyone's just dying to see what's in the box, you have to wake up!"
This got Ginny's attention. She slowly sat up in her bed and rubbed her eyes. "What?"
Ariel pointed at a beautiful box wrapped in green wrapping paper with a silver ribbon tied into a delicate bow on the top. "Is that for me?" she asked.
"Well the card says Ginny but we haven't opened it," said Giselle whose bed was closest to the present.
Ginny stood up and made her way to the present while all the girls began talking excitedly.
"Who do you think it's from?"
"Well, who do you think? Draco Malfoy of course! Everyone knows they're going out!"
"I never thought him the type to do something like this!"
"Well I heard Blake Powers has a thing for you Ginny!"
"Maybe it was from him!"
"If it was, Malfoy will have him killed by lunch."
The girls giggled as Ginny pulled the card from the box. On the front of the card in big blue elegant letters was Ginny. She opened the card, but all that was inside were two initials: D.M.
"Who's it from?" asked Ariel.
"Draco," Ginny said quietly and almost to herself.
This caused the entire dorm to squeal in delight as they urged Ginny to open the present. Ginny carefully undid the ribbon and ripped off all the paper. There lied and ordinary rectangular box. She slowly opened it to reveal-
"Oh my gosh," said Ariel. "Ginny, a Lunar Eclipse 300?"
Everyone around the room gasped as Ginny stared at the broom in awe. She had seen it in a magazine and was pretty sure it wasn't due to come out for a few weeks. It was a new model of broomstick that even surpassed the Firebolt. Ginny couldn't believe she was even looking at it.
After a moment of disbelief, Ginny couldn't control her happiness. First I make the quidditch team and now this? She began squealing and jumping with all the other girls until she realized she had to talk to Malfoy.
This broom must have cost a fortune, thought Ginny sadly. I can't accept this big of a gift. And why would he buy this for me anyway?
Ignoring the pestering questions from the rest of the girls, Ginny made her way downstairs to find Malfoy.
"You WHAT?" Blaise yelled. His fork dropped onto his plate. "You WHAT!"
"You heard me," said Draco as he continued to eat his breakfast. "I've admitted that I must have Weasley."
"So you GAVE her the Lunar Eclipse 300?" Blaise asked. "You just handed it over? Have you gone MAD?"
Draco continued to eat his breakfast in silence as Blaise stared in shock.
"You've been on a waiting list for six months just to get that broom and you just gave it to some girl?"
"Not just some girl: Ginny Weasley. And my father will have bought three more by the end of the month anyway. I'll just make do with the Nimbus 2001."
"Make do? MAKE DO?" Blaise shrieked. A few people across the table turned to stare at them. "I don't think I've ever heard you use those words before," said Blaise calming down a bit. "You must really like her," said Blaise with a smirk. Blaise watched in amusement as Draco's face hardened. "Ha! You're trying to hide it but I can see! Dwaco is in wuve!"
Draco gave him the coldest glare he could muster.
Blaise put his hands up in surrender. "Okay, okay. But you better hope she lets me take the broom for a spin or I'm going to have to kill you."
"Like you could if you tried," said Draco as he finished his breakfast. He began to gather his things. "I have to go to the library for a History of Magic assignment, so I'll catch up with you later."
Blaise nodded as Draco got up and exited the Great Hall.
Who the hell was calling him Draco? The only person who was allowed to do that was Blaise. Someone is going to die.
He turned around only to see a flushed Ginny Weasley and his anger quickly subsided. You can call me whatever you want. "So you got my gift?" said Draco eying the broom in her hands.
He smirked at the sight of her blush. "Yeah, it's amazing."
"Good, you liked it. I was hoping you would." Ginny's blush reddened causing her hair to clash with her skin. "Have you taken it for a ride yet?"
"No... isn't this broom due to come out in a few weeks?"
"Well, I've had it on a waiting list for a while," said Draco.
"So this was originally yours?" Ginny asked looking down at the broom in her hands.
"Well it was," said Draco. "But now it's yours."
Ginny stared at him for a second. "Draco," Ginny mumbled. "I can't accept this. It's too much," said Ginny as she handed over the broom.
Draco was expecting this type of reaction. The Weasley's might be dirt poor, but they never take anything out of pity. He grinned. "No, it's a gift to you. And my father will have bought three more by the end of the month anyway."
"But WHY?" said Ginny who couldn't help but ask.
Draco smirked. "Can't a guy get his girlfriend a congratulatory present? And I've already heard the talk. We happen to be the cutest couple at Hogwarts."
Ginny grinned and looked down at her broom. "So this my Lunar Eclipse 300?"
"That is your Lunar Eclipse 300."
"Are you sure because-"
"Ginny," Draco interrupted. "That is your Lunar Eclipse 300."
The full blow of what Ginny had just received finally hit her. She threw her arms around Draco's neck. Draco stumbled backward in surprise at Ginny's reaction. This is even better then I thought, thought Draco.
Draco wrapped his arms around Ginny's waist and pulled her in closer. Ginny ended the embrace and looked up at Draco with a smile.
"I don't know what to say," said Ginny.
"A thank you would be good," replied Draco with a smirk.
Ginny laughed. "Thank you. I owe you big time. Anything you want."
Draco raised his eyebrows suggestively. "Anything?"
Ginny rolled her eyes and began to walk away. "Pervert."
"Hey, you said it," he called after her. When she didn't turn around he caught up with her. "Where are you going?"
She looked at him. "The common room so I can show off my new broom."
"How very un-Gryffindor of you," replied Draco.
"And how very un-Slytherin of you to give me your broom for no good reason," retorted Ginny with a smirk.
"Well, if you don't want it-"
"No, no, no," said Ginny as she moved the broom from Draco's reach. "I want it, believe me."
Draco smirked and looked down at his watch. "I have to go do my History of Magic homework."
"It's Saturday, don't you have all day?"
"Unlike you, I have things to do and people to see."
Before Draco could turn around, two fifth year girls walked by and stared directly at them. "Aw! Aren't they so cute together?" one of the girls said to her friend before turning a corner. Ginny blushed slightly.
"But I suppose for the sake of looking cute," said Draco as he wrapped an arm around Ginny's shoulders and walked her the rest of the way to the Fat Lady's portrait.
They said their goodbyes and Draco walked back to the library. Ginny turned towards the Fat Lady. "Fizzing Whizbees," she said clearly to the woman.
Ginny walked into the common room in daze. Did Draco and I really make a cute couple? It was strange how many people they fooled when they didn't even like each other. Well... at least not that way...at least she didn't. Right now she wasn't too sure about Draco. He bought her a broom and then walked her to her common room. He was acting completely different right now, but there was no way he could like her.
No one would stick around for a girl that everyone knew was in love with Harry Potter. Especially Draco. Ginny shook her head. She was tired of trying to figure this out. She was just going to stick to the facts: she liked Harry, Draco didn't like her, and they were only in contact with each other to make Harry jealous and piss Ron and Hermione off.
She was so caught up in her thoughts that she hadn't noticed the crowd of people huddled around her to get a look at her broom.
"Whoa! Lunar Eclipse 300!"
"Where'd you get it, Ginny?"
"Can I go for a ride on it? After you of course!"
"Sorry guys," said Ginny who was still ecstatic. "I gotta go. Maybe later."
Fortunately, the crowd slowly walked away from Ginny as she spotted Seth and Ariel. She walked over to the girls' dormitory staircase where Seth and Ariel were standing. "What are you doing?" asked Ginny.
"One second," said Seth as he sprinted up the staircase attempting to make it to the top. When the stairs turned into a slide, he leaped as far as he could and tried to grab onto the carpeting at the top of the staircase but missed by a few inches. He slid down the slide and landed in a heap at Ginny's feet. "Well, since you got your Lunar Eclipse 300 and I missed it, I decided that there was probably a lot of stuff that I was missing up there. So now, I'm trying to figure out how to get up these stairs."
Ginny stared at him for a few seconds before turning her attention toward Ariel.
"Hey don't look at me," said Ariel. "He came up with this brilliant plan all on his own."
Ginny looked back down at Seth. "Well, good luck with that," Ginny said as Seth ran back up the staircase. "Wanna sit down?"
"Please," said Ariel who seemed to have had enough with Seth's pointless attempts.
"So Malfoy bought you a broom," said Ariel as they took a seat on a sofa in front of the hearty fire.
"Yeah," said happily. "Isn't it amazing?"
"It's pretty cool but don't you think it's a little much?"
"That's what I said, but Draco insisted," Ginny said as she examined the broom's handle.
"Well, what about Harry?" asked Ariel as she tucked some of her blonde hair behind her ear.
"What about him?" asked Ginny without even looking up at her friend.
"Harry? Don't you still like him?"
Ginny looked up. "Of course why wouldn't I?"
"Well it just seems like you like Malfoy more than Harry. And he seems to be thinking the same thing. He did buy you this broom."
"Haven't you ever heard of good acting? And besides he knows perfectly well that I like Harry. This broom is just a gift for making the team. Completely platonic."
Ariel didn't look convinced but nodded her head anyway. "Whatever you say."
"Hey Ginny," said Ron who had just walked up to them with Harry and Hermione by his sides. "Heard about the broom, where'd you get it?"
Ginny looked at Ariel and then turned back to Ron. "Well...Malfoy gave it to me."
Ariel turned her laughter into a cough as Ron's face reddened and Harry clenched his fists.
"WHAT! Why would he do that?" yelled Ron.
Ginny rolled her eyes. "It was a present for making the team, Ron."
"Don't you think it's a little much?" said Ron eying the broom.
"He insisted that I keep it."
"Well Ginny," said Ron. "Don't you think he'll want something in return?"
Ginny's mouth fell open. "Oh my gosh," said Ginny as she made her way to her dormitory. "Draco's not like that Ron. All it was was a gift from a boyfriend to his girlfriend. I can't believe you would even say something like that!"
Ginny was about to go up the stairs when she realized that Seth was still sliding down them. She turned her attention toward Ron who was still ranting.
"DRACO! He asked you to call him Draco has he? That-"
"How about this Ron," said Ginny as she put her free hand on her brother's shoulder. "I'll give you full access to riding the broom whenever you want when you stop attacking me about Draco."
Ron was tempted. "Anytime I want?"
"Anytime you want," said Ginny with a grin as she stepped over Seth and made her way to her dormitory.
Ron was silent for a moment. "This doesn't mean I approve!"