Draco Stirs Things Up by CCC
Summary: Twenty three year old Draco lives at Grimmauld Place with The Order members. He decides to make a move on Ginny.
Categories: Completed Short Stories Characters: Draco Malfoy, Ginny Weasley, Harry Potter
Compliant with: GoF and below
Era: Future AU
Genres: Humor, Romance
Warnings: None
Challenges:
Series: None
Chapters: 1 Completed: Yes Word count: 4315 Read: 8563 Published: Dec 14, 2007 Updated: Dec 14, 2007
Story Notes:
AN: This was posted as the first day of FICMAS. If it looks familiar you may have seen it there.

1. Chapter 1 by CCC

Chapter 1 by CCC
Author's Notes:
AN: RC, thank you for the beta.
Ginny sat on the upstairs landing at Grimmauld Place and watched the staring match taking place below her. Harry and Draco were at odds again over something. That in itself was as common as freckles on a Weasley. She didn’t understand why the two couldn’t just work together. Maybe if they worked together, the war would end sooner. They could all finally move out of this dismal house. She gritted her teeth as their childish name calling drifted up to her. They were twenty three years old for Merlin’s sake.

“Listen, Ferret. You need to give us more detailed drawings of the Manor, or this plan won’t work.”

Ginny watched as Draco’s jaw muscle began to twitch. When he spoke it was in a voice as smooth as glass. “I told you before, Scarhead. I didn’t have access to all parts of the Manor.”

Harry started to retort, but Ginny stood up and yelled, “For the love of Merlin, why don’t the two of you just drop your trousers, have Hermione take a measurement, and be done with this bloody pissing contest.”

Hermione gasped. Harry gave her a look of disbelief. Ron stifled a snicker.

Draco looked up at her and winked. “Feeling a bit lonely, Ginny?”

Hermione gasped. Ron bellowed. Harry punched Draco in his aristocratic nose.

Mrs. Weasley came running to see what all the commotion was about. “What in the world do you think you’re doing? I will not have you fighting among yourselves.”

Harry continued to glare at Draco. Draco managed to smirk through the pain.

As Molly pulled Draco into the kitchen, Ginny descended the stairs. She walked up to Harry and poked him in the chest. “What was that about? He was only joking.”

“It wasn’t funny,” Harry growled.

“He was being an arrogant prat. It’s what he does. Why do you let it get to you?”

Harry shrugged and looked off into the distance. Ginny rubbed the bridge of her nose. She found she did that a lot around Harry lately. She looked over at Hermione. “Do you ever feel like you’re drowning in a sea of testosterone?”

Hermione nodded, and then she seemed to remember something. “I got a new magazine. Want to go read it in your room?”

“I’ll grab some tea and biscuits and meet you in fifteen minutes.” Ginny was happy to put thoughts of the war aside for a while. By the time she walked into the kitchen, she saw that Draco’s nose had been set. It was a violent shade of purple. Other than that, it looked normal.

Apparently, Draco wasn’t satisfied with the results. As he studied himself in a mirror, he said, “It still looks crooked.”

After making her tea, Ginny walked over to examine his nose. “It looks fine.”

He raised an eyebrow at her. “This is your fault.”

“I was just pointing out the obvious.”

Looking into her eyes, Draco said, “So was I. Potter doesn’t pay much attention to you these days, does he?”

“He’s busy,” Ginny justified.

“He’s an idiot,” Draco countered as he reached out to steal a biscuit off the tray she was holding. His hand brushed against hers. Ginny wondered why her stomach chose that moment to do a little flip. She thought it might be best not to think about it.

After climbing the stairs, Ginny found Hermione sprawled out on her bed. Pointing at a page in the magazine, the bushy haired girl said, “There’s a charm in here to trade hair color with someone else. Want to be a brunette?”

Ginny nodded enthusiastically. The two women forgot the trials of the war as they played with hair and makeup charms. Half an hour later, Hermione looked into the mirror on Ginny’s dresser and smiled at the results. She glanced over at Ginny. “Remember your promise.”

“Right,” Ginny stated. “I shall never admit to anyone that Hermione Granger is a girly girl at heart.”

Ron barged into Ginny’s room at that moment and stood with his mouth hanging open.

Hermione batted her enhanced eyelashes at him. “Is there a problem, Ronald?”

“You’re a redhead,” Ron stated in a slightly husky voice.

Hermione pointed at Ginny. “Look at your sister. We traded.”

Ron looked at his sister. “This is fun?” he asked.

Ginny nodded. “This is fun. Did you need anything? Anything else we can clarify for you?”

“Mum is going shopping for stuff to make Christmas cookies. She wants your help making the list.”

Ginny sighed. “I don’t suppose I get to go?”

Ron shook his head.

“Crap,” Ginny muttered. She stood up and walked towards the door. From the doorway, she looked at Hermione. “Want to trade back?”

“No,” Ron stated with utter certainty. “She doesn’t.”

Hermione walked over to Ron and whispered something in his ear. He blushed, and Ginny muttered, “For the love of Merlin, go to your own room.”

Ginny entered the kitchen, and all conversation stopped. She looked at her family. “What?”

Harry frowned at her. “Change it back.”

“Bugger off, Harry. Hermione is borrowing my hair color right now.”

Ginny felt someone else looking at her intently. She turned to see Draco giving her an appreciative glance.

“I like you as a brunette.”

Ginny was sure he was complimenting her just to tick off Harry. She smiled at him just the same. “Thank you. Ron mentioned something about Christmas cookies. I know Hermione wants oatmeal. I want peanut butter. Ron will expire without chocolate chip cookies. Anything else I’m forgetting?”

Draco stood up and held out a piece of parchment to Ginny. “Do you think you could make these?”

Ginny read the recipe for chocolate almond coconut jumbles. Her mouth watered. “These look divine.”

“I’m not sure I have the recipe right,” Draco admitted. He stood very close to her and pointed at something over her shoulder. “Should there be more flour?”

Ginny ignored the fact that her body was quite enjoying being this close to Malfoy. “It looks right. I’ll just have to give it a go and see what happens.”

Draco started to speak, and then he hesitated. “Maybe...maybe I could help you bake this year.”

Harry snorted. Ginny shot him a death glare. “I’d love some help baking. Most people are content to gobble up the results, but they aren’t interested in doing the work.”

***

As Draco drifted off to sleep that night, he thought his plans were going fairly well. He’d managed to look sympathetic to Mrs. Weasley. He’d complimented Ginny. Now, he had a date to bake cookies.

He rolled over and wondered what his former friends would think if they knew he was plotting to snatch Potter’s girlfriend. When he’d hatched the plan, it was sort of a joke. He was bored, and there wasn’t another available female in the area.

The more he thought about it, the better the idea sounded. Ginny had a fierce quality that he’d always found attractive. When he was younger, there had been too many obstacles between them to consider dating her. Now, it was a different story. If he played his cards right, he’d be kissing Ginny under the mistletoe by Christmas Eve.


When Draco met with Ginny to bake cookies the next evening, she seemed distracted. “Where is your head?” he asked her after she used sugar in place of flour.

Ginny stomped her foot. “Harry just keeps making me so angry.”

“I feel your pain,” Draco told her as he set about fixing her error. “You two seem to be fighting more than normal.”

Frowning, she said, “We are. I should probably be more patient with him. I know he’s under enormous pressure.”

Setting the measuring cup down, Draco said, “As are we all. None of us are carefree and happy. Look at your brother and Granger. They seek comfort in each other. Harry just keeps yelling at you. That isn’t the way it’s supposed to work.”

Ginny walked over to the cabinets and pulled down a bottle of wine. “Want some?” she asked.

Draco nodded. “I’d like a bottle and a straw.”

“Sorry,” she informed him, “you’ll have to share.”

“I’ve never been very good at that,” Draco told her as he watched her pour the wine into cheap glass tumblers. “I wish we had some proper wine glasses.”

Ginny shrugged. “I’d rather have the wine than the glasses.”

“That’s sound logic. Look over what I’ve lined up here, before I mix it all together.”

Ginny studied the ingredients he’d laid out on the counter top. “I believe you are ready to stir things up.”

***

Harry, Ron, and Hermione returned later that evening to find Draco and Ginny drunk and laughing so hard they could barely speak.

Harry stood in open mouthed shock. Hermione chuckled when Ginny started snorting. Ron listened to the story that Ginny was relaying in between deep breaths and gales of laughter.

“Ginny, do not finish that story,” Ron pleaded.

Draco looked up and took notice of their audience. He shot Ginny a look. “The sanctimonious trio has returned.”

Ginny whooped with laughter and fell backwards off of her stool.

Attempting to be chivalrous, Draco offered her his hand. “My lady, you appear to have fallen on your freckled arse.”

The spell that hit Draco and slammed him backwards into the wall stopped Ginny’s laughter. She rushed to see if Draco was injured while she yelled at Harry. “Damn it, Harry. We were just having fun. What is your problem?”

“You are not his anything.” Harry told her as he pointed his wand menacingly. “He certainly shouldn’t know anything about your... freckles.”

Draco chuckled. “Breathe, Potter. I was only assuming she has freckles on her arse.” His chuckle turned into a sharp intake of breath. “I think you broke a few ribs.”

Molly walked into the kitchen to see her daughter crouched over Draco as he uttered those words. She looked at Draco and then at Harry. “How did this happen?”

Ginny spoke in a steely tone. “Harry attacked Draco for no good reason.”

Molly turned to Harry. “I will not have this. Do you understand?”

Harry looked at his feet. “I’m sorry.”

Molly put her hand on Harry’s shoulder. “I’m not the one you should be apologizing to.”

Harry spoke through gritted teeth. “Malfoy, I apologize for breaking your ribs.”

Draco nodded, and then hissed as Ginny probed his side. “I believe I mentioned that those were broken.”

Ginny cringed. “Sorry.” She reached out and started to unbutton his shirt.

Ron cleared his throat. “Gin, what are you doing?”

Rolling her eyes, Ginny said, “Obviously, I’ve decided to have my way with Draco on the kitchen floor.”

Draco snorted and then grimaced. He poked Ginny in the ribs. “Stop making me laugh.”

“Stop wiggling around,” Ginny countered as she finished taking off his shirt. She ran her fingers down his sides trying to figure out where the damage was. She tried to maintain clinical composure, but she couldn’t help noticing his well muscled torso. Using her wand, she healed the damaged ribs. Turning to her mum, she asked, “Want to check my handiwork?”

Molly Weasley gave her daughter a smile. “You’re not a child anymore, Ginny. You’re a first rate healer. I don’t need to check your work anymore.”

“Thanks, Mum.” Ginny stood up and held out a hand to Draco. He replaced his shirt and allowed himself to be helped up. She looked at the other occupants of the kitchen. “We have more baking to do. Why don’t you all clear out?”

Harry stepped forward. “I think we need to talk.”

“That’s not a good idea.” She cracked an egg on the side of the bowl. “You wouldn’t like what I have to say.”

“Gin,” Harry said in a pleading tone.

“Go away, Harry.” Turning to Draco, she said, “Get me another bag of sugar please.”

Draco turned to the cabinet, hiding his smirk in the process.


As Ginny baked cookies, she examined her feelings towards Harry. What she discovered made her sad. She was no longer in love with him. She doubted that he still loved her. They’d been together so long they were a habit.

She startled when Draco reached over and tapped her on the nose. She batted his hand away. “What the hell are you doing?”

“I was trying to get your attention. I’ve called your name three times.”

“What did you want?”

Draco pointed at the oven. “I was trying to tell you that I just put in the last tray of cookies. We can either start another batch, or clean up for the night.”

Sighing, Ginny rubbed her neck. “When is Christmas Eve?”

“Turn around,” Draco told her.

Confused, Ginny followed his directions. “What am I supposed to be looking at?” she asked. The feeling of strong hands kneading her shoulders took her by surprise. She tensed up.

“Did I hurt you?” Draco asked as he stopped massaging her shoulders.

“No, I was just surprised.”

Draco went back to kneading her neck muscles. He systematically released all the knots of stress she’d been carrying around for days. Ginny was afraid she might start drooling. When he worked his way up her neck to the base of her skull she had to bite her lip to keep from moaning. If he could do that to her neck, she was extremely curious about what he could do in other areas. When he stopped, she almost whimpered.

Instead, she turned around and smiled. “Thank you. That feels much better.”

“You’re welcome,” he told her. “Christmas Eve is in two days.”

The grey of his eyes seemed darker than normal. Not wanting to think about why that should be, she looked around the kitchen. “I think we made a good start on the cookies. Two more nights of baking, and we should be set.”

“I couldn’t agree more.” Pulling his wand from his pocket, he pointed at the messy kitchen and recited a spell Ginny was unfamiliar with. Dishes were suddenly clean and flying back to the cabinets where they belonged. The cookies were placed in the waiting tins and stacked on the counter.

“Teach me that spell,” Ginny demanded when she was done gawking.

“Sorry, I can’t. The house elf who taught me swore me to secrecy.”

“You learned spells from a house elf?”

“Sometimes the house elves were the most pleasant company in the Manor,” Draco told her with a shrug. He must have seen what Ginny was thinking, because he said, “Don’t feel sorry for me. I don’t want your pity.”

Choked up by the vulnerable look in his eyes, Ginny stood on tiptoe and kissed him on the cheek. “Good night, Draco. Thank you for...everything.”


Ginny tossed and turned all night, dreaming of Draco’s hands doing incredible things to her body. Harry tossed and turned as he dreamed of fighting with Ginny. Draco fell into a dreamless sleep with a rather large smirk on his face.


The next morning, Ginny was about to walk into the kitchen when she heard Harry raise his voice.

“I know what you’re up to. Just because Ginny is the only female you have access to does not mean she is available.”

Draco drawled his answer in a clear attempt to antagonize Harry. “That’s the difference between us, Potter. I don’t want her just because she’s convenient.”

Harry slammed something down on the table. Ginny tensed at the loud noise. “I do not love her because she’s convenient,” Harry bellowed.

“Really? I think I remember her following you around for years, before you even took notice of her. You picked that Cho girl to be your girlfriend over Ginny. Why did you do that?”

“That’s none of your business. It’s not like you were paying any attention to Ginny back then either.”

“That’s not exactly true. Did you know that Ginny lost weight while you were dating Cho? I used to watch her push her eggs around on her plate during breakfast. Granger noticed, so Ginny started hiding her eggs under her napkin. You sat right next to her, and you never noticed.”

“You’re making that up,” Harry said in a tight voice.

“I’m not. It’s just one item in a long list of things about Ginny that you never paid any attention to. You had money the entire time you were at Hogwarts. Did you ever think about buying the girl a decent cloak? The one she had and still wears is threadbare and patched. It’s probably passed down from Bill or Charlie. My guess is Ginny never outgrew it, so she never got a new one. Her brothers grew taller, so the money probably went to outfitting them.”

Harry sputtered, “I don’t remember you volunteering to buy her a new cloak.”

“I couldn’t very well offer her anything back then. All I could do was wonder why you didn’t take better care of her.”

The sound of people entering the back door ended Harry and Draco’s conversation. Ginny found herself asking questions she’d never thought of before. Was she just convenient? Had Ron pressured Harry into dating her?

Ginny walked into the kitchen and sat quietly at the breakfast table. She looked around at her brothers that were present. Their cloaks were all newer and nicer than hers. Why hadn’t anyone volunteered to buy her a new cloak?

When she was done eating, someone touched her elbow. Ginny saw gray eyes looking at her with concern. “I saw the look on your face when you came in for breakfast. You heard what Harry and I were talking about.”

Frowning, Ginny looked down. “I always thought I had youngest child syndrome. I was jealous of the new things that my brothers got while I wore their hand me downs.”

Draco stood up. “Come with me.”

Ginny started to comply, but Harry stepped in her way. “Before you listen to him, you need to listen to me.”

Reaching up to rub her temples, Ginny prayed for patience. “Harry. I think we’re over. It’s not because of what Draco said. It’s because of what you don’t say. We aren’t in love any more. We haven’t been for a long time.”

Harry opened his mouth to speak, and then he looked around the room. All conversation had ceased. “Do you mind if we go in the living room? I’d prefer not to have an audience.”

Ginny resisted the urge to glance back at Draco. She followed Harry into the living room. He sat down on the couch. She took the chair opposite.

“Ginny, I did love you. I think I still might.”

A bitter taste filled Ginny’s mouth. “If you have to think about it, then you don’t. I know I’ll always feel strongly for you, Harry. You’re like family. I think it’s just time that you became more like one of my brothers.”

Looking away, Harry said, “I don’t like this. It seems like he’s been waiting around to swoop in and steal you away.”

Thinking about it for a moment, she said, “I think he’s been waiting around, but he didn’t steal me. I walked away. I just hadn’t noticed it yet.”

Harry rubbed his forehead. “Tell Malfoy if he smirks at me, I may be forced to hex him.”

Ginny chuckled. “It wouldn’t be normal if you two were nice to each other. Maybe, we could just aim for civility.”

Green eyes flashed at her. “I make no promises.”

Ginny walked back into the kitchen as Harry went up to his room. She saw Draco sitting calmly at the table while her brothers fired questions at him. He managed to look elegantly bored while he answered them.

“Her favorite color is blue. She hates broccoli. She pretends to like red licorice, because that is what you always buy her, but she prefers black.”

Ron objected. “She loves red licorice.”

Ginny interrupted. “Draco’s right. I prefer black licorice. I never had the heart to tell you. You always seemed so happy to give me a gift.”

Ron glanced at Draco before looking at Ginny. “This is how you pay me back for years of buying you the wrong licorice? You date the Ferret?”

Ginny shrugged. “We haven’t discussed the situation yet.” Looking at Draco she pointed back out the doorway. “Shall we?”

With easy grace, Draco rose from the table and walked towards Ginny. If Fred hadn’t stuck a foot out to trip him, he would have made a classic exit. From his sprawl on the floor he questioned Ginny. “Is this to be my future?”

Ginny offered him a hand up, and he took it. He kept hold of her hand as they ascended the stairs. Draco led her to his room. “I have an early Christmas present for you.”

The plainly wrapped parcel he set in front of her was tied with twine. “Just a minute,” he told her. Tapping the package with his wand, the brown paper blossomed with Christmas colors and the twine turned to bright red ribbon. “Masking spell,” he explained.

Being careful not to rip the paper, Ginny opened her gift. Inside the package was the most beautiful cloak she’d ever seen. It was midnight blue and lined with some type of black fur. At the neck sat a circular broach studded with tiny sapphires.

“It’s lovely,” Ginny whispered. Draco pulled it out of the box and wrapped it around her shoulders. Delicious warmth spread through her body. She wasn’t sure if the heat was from the feelings bubbling up in her chest, or if the cloak was imbued with a warming charm.

“Does the warming charm still work?” Draco asked. “It’s supposed to be guaranteed for life.”

A huge smile lit Ginny’s face. “It’s wonderfully warm.” She reached her hand into one of the cloak pockets and felt a piece of parchment. Pulling it out, she looked to see that it was a bill of sale. The date shocked her. Looking at Draco in wonder she said, “You bought this cloak when we were still at Hogwarts.”

Leaning down, Draco kissed her on the cheek. “I told Potter I’d been watching you for a long time. Now you know it’s true.”

Ginny reached up and touched his cheek. “I’m really not just convenient?”

“Convenient? You’ve got to be joking. You’ve six rather large older brothers. I live under the same roof as your parents. Need I go on?”

“No, I think you should just kiss me at this point.”

Draco smirked at her. “What about the cookies?”

“Forget the cookies. Kiss me.”

Draco leaned down and brushed his lips lightly across hers. A tingle of excitement shot through her body. She slid her hands up his chest and wrapped her arms around his neck. His mouth slipped away from hers and trailed heat down her neck.

She let out a breathy moan as he lavished attention on her pulse points. She expected him to pull her closer. Instead, he pushed her away.

“I think we need to get a few things straight, before this goes any further.”

Ginny blinked. “What?”

Draco placed his hand under her chin. “I’m a Slytherin. I don’t turn loose of things I consider to be mine. If I’m just a convenient distraction, then I’d rather end this before it starts.”

“You’re serious?” Ginny asked feeling indignant. “You are anything but convenient. Most of my family still doesn’t like you. When the war ends, we’ll have to work hard to clear your family name. My former friends will think I’ve gone insane. Do I need to go on?”

In a voice full of emotion, he said, “We all make choices in life. We must live with the consequences. What is your choice?”

Ginny looked into his eyes. She saw passion and fear in equal parts. She knew her life would be easier if she made up with Harry. Her family would be happier. She’d end up the wife of a hero, rather than the wife of a man with a Dark Mark on his arm. Reaching out, she took his hand. “I choose you.”

The fear vanished from Draco’s eyes. In its place was desire and pride. Leaning down, he kissed her. She felt his hands unfasten the cloak and lift if from her shoulders. His mouth skimmed down her neck as she fisted her hands in his shirt. Desire thrummed through her veins as his hands lightly traced her curves. She was tugging his shirt out of his trousers when a loud knock on the door startled them both.

Her mum’s voice sounded through the door. “Ginny those cookies aren’t going to bake themselves. I expect both of you in the kitchen in five minutes, or I’m sending in the twins.”

Ginny chuckled and looked at Draco. “No one said this would be easy.”

As Draco straightened his clothes, he said, “I had no idea your mum was so evil.”

“It runs in the family,” she told him with a wink. Standing on tiptoe, she gave him a quick kiss on the lips. “Merry Christmas, Draco.”

“Merry Christmas, Ginny.”
























.
This story archived at http://www.dracoandginny.com/viewstory.php?sid=5814