“And now…Draco Malfoy!”

As the young man stepped up to the microphone, the woman at the back table’s head shot up.

“Malfoy?!” she hissed, shocked to see him, here, of all places. A million thoughts ran through her head at once, but were cut short as he nodded to the musicians behind him and opened his mouth.

As the opening chords sounded, she looked at him intently. Fragments of things she’d heard from co-workers circled in her brain.

“He’s Voldemort’s sex-toy!”
“He switched over to our side.”
“Who cares what side he’s on, he’s gorgeous.”

As the last statement swirled in her head, she couldn’t help but agree. Suddenly, a smooth, sultry voice boomed out over the loudspeakers.

“Sometimes I feel I've got to run away, I’ve got to get away from the pain that you drive into the heart of me. The love we share seems to go nowhere, and I've lost my light. For I toss and turn, I can't sleep at night…”

His eyes caught hers, suddenly, and she licked her lips. Suddenly, her brain kicked into action.

‘Panting over a MALFOY?!?! He’s scum! He’s your worst enemy! He’s hot…’ Losing her focus, she blinked and shook her head, trying to clear the thoughts out of her head.


Draco blinked, surprised by the sudden removal of her eyes on him. He continued to belt out the song passionately from weeks of practice, and forced himself to look around the room, away from the striking red-head.

When he’d entered the Leaf and Bean that night, he became riveted by the woman at the back table. All alone, she drank from her coffee mug, staring deeply into it, as if it would hold the meaning of life, glancing up from it occasionally to shoot despondent looks at the many couples surrounding her. She was obviously miserable, and looked painfully familiar to Draco, but he couldn’t place her.

When he walked onto the stage, though, her head snapped up and her mouth formed seemingly soundless syllables. She looked down at her coffee then, but looked back up a moment later, schooling her features to be blank. She met his eyes at that moment, that moment that had lasted for a blessed eternity, then suddenly she shook her head.


She swore to herself that she wouldn’t look at him again, wouldn’t get caught in his smoldering gaze. She couldn’t help but lift her eyes to him once more, hearing his velvety voice twisted in torment and anguish as he sang the next lines of the song.

“You don't really want any more from me. To make things right you need someone to hold you tight. And you think love is to pray, but I'm sorry I don't pray that way. Once I ran to you, now I'll run from you. This tainted love you've given, I give you all a boy could give you. Take my tears and that's not nearly all…Oh...tainted love…Tainted love.”

She told herself she was glad that his stormy eyes were no longer locked on her, and found herself studying his features.

His eyes were a dark shade of gray, and his long dark lashes contrasted sharply. His mouth was full and sexy as it begged the crowd to touch him, and Ginny forced herself to look at her rich coffee once more to get away from thoughts of his mouth on hers.


As he finished the song, there was utter silence. Then suddenly, the crowd burst into enthusiastic applause, and demanded an encore. He shook his head slightly and nodded to the musicians again before walking off the stage, and listened to the manager of the coffee house prattle on about Draco’s exceptional talent.

Entering the large room from a side entrance, his thoughts were once more on the mysterious girl. Her head was down again, as it was when he’d arrived that night, and he observed her from afar for a moment.

She had long, wavy auburn hair which was pulled into a low pony tail. Her chocolate eyes were warm and amiable, and her lips were slicked with a clear gloss.

As if feeling his eyes on her, she slowly lifted her head and sighed as he made his way toward her.

“Hallo, Malfoy,” she said as he reached her.
He grabbed a chair and sat down, then shot her a harsh, cold look.

“How do you know my name?” he asked suspiciously, and she almost laughed.

She replied dryly, “Well, they did just announce you.”

She smirked then, realizing her advantage. He obviously had no clue who she was, and continued, “But I must say it cuts me deep that you don’t remember me, Draco.”

She drawled out his name in an obvious mockery of him, and he scowled.

He opened his mouth to say something, but whether it was be a question or a swear word she hadn’t the slightest idea, cutting him off regardless, saying, “Forgetful little ferret you are.”

His mouth closed abruptly at that, then opened, then closed again. His eyes darted to her red hair, and then he said indignantly, “Weasley?!”

“Actually, my name is Ginny, Draco,” she said, emphasizing his first name, when a waitress walked up.

“Can I get you anything?” the girl asked coyly, batting her eyelashes at him, and he glared at her.

“I’ll have one of whatever she’s having,” he said, annoyed, waving his hand at Ginny, then turned away from the waitress.

She gave a loud, “Humph!”, but Draco ignored her, looking intently at Ginny.

“So, Draco, what are you doing performing in a muggle coffee house?” she asked, uncomfortable with his stare.

He ignored her question, and asked one of his own.

“So, you dating Potter yet?”

She glared at him furiously.

“For your information, Harry and I are just friends. I haven’t liked him in years, and even if we were, it’s none of your bloody business!”

Draco smirked.

“I was just trying to make polite conversation. What’s a few questions between old school friends?”

Ginny let out a snort of laughter.

“‘Old school friends?’ Friends?! That’s a laugh! I’m surprised you even know that that word exists,” she spat out bitterly.

“Whatever, Weasley,” he said easily, almost chuckling to himself. Years ago, when he had still been the foolish boy that she remembered, he would have been blinded by rage at a remark like that. Now it just rolled off him, and he grinned at her.

Ginny blinked. Draco Malfoy was smiling at her. Really smiling. Not smirking, or sneering, or leering, but smiling. She had never seen such an expression on his face, and was shocked to find herself grinning back at him. She blushed briefly and glanced away.

Just as he was opening his mouth to make a teasing remark, the waitress appeared with his coffee.

“Here you are, sir,” she said demurely, batting her eyelashes at him once again, and this time Draco couldn’t even be bothered to glare at her. To his surprise, though, Ginny was glaring fiercely at the woman, and Draco decided to experiment a little.

“Thank-you,” he said, taking the cup from her and giving her a quick once-over, which he noticed in satisfaction that Ginny watched with irritation, and hastily added a, “dear,” onto the end of it.

At this, Ginny gave off a little squeak of anger, apparently unable to stop herself.

Ginny watched the little display in frustration, all the while wondering why it frustrated her at all. She went to say something, but stopped herself just in time, and a little yelp formed in her throat. Draco glanced over at her with interest, and with something in his eyes that dared her to do something.

So she did.

She edged her chair over toward his, slightly, unnoticed by the waitress, who was staring raptly at the Malfoy heir, and draped her arm around his shoulders. He looked at her with amusement, and, thinking back on it later, she wondered if that was what caused her to what she did next.

She leaned closer to him, to kiss his cheek, and at the last moment, he turned his full attention to her, along with his face, and then a surprised Ginny was kissing an equally surprised Draco on the lips. She was still for a moment, shock making her motionless, before she tried to pull away, but Draco would have none of it.

He figured this would be his only shot – if she got away now, he’d never have another chance, and she’d think he did it purposely. Which, strangely enough, he didn’t, but he couldn’t deny what a stroke of genius it would have been if he had thought of it.

He grabbed hold of her shoulders and pulled her onto his lap – her chair wasn’t close enough – and kissed her passionately.

Ginny was reeling in with astonishment. First, Malfoy had turned toward her, forcing her to kiss him on the lips. Then, he hadn’t allowed her to escape; instead he’d pulled her closer, until she was actually sitting on her lap. In the process, she knocked into the waitress, who flounced off angrily, although she didn’t think that he noticed. Finally, he had started actually kissing her, instead of just touching his lips to hers. It was like nothing she’d ever experienced. She was used to gently kisses from boys who were afraid to touch her too much for fear of Ron pummeling them, from boys who thought she was made out of delicate glass and would break if not touched gently enough. This was something completely new to her. He attacked her mouth, teasing the entrance until she parted her lips for him, and their tongues sparred.

He was surprised, to say the least, when she began returning his kiss eagerly. Her hands, once fisted against his broad chest, were now wrapped around his neck, pulling him closer. Not that he could complain. His right hand was in her hair, her glorious fiery red hair, pulling it from its once neat ponytail, and the other was holding her steady against him.

They were unaware that their actions had taken the attention of the club, so focused on exploring on another that they forgot everything else.

It was a sharp tap on Draco’s arm and cough from somewhere next to Ginny that finally alerted them, and they sprang apart, red-faced from both exertion and embarrassment.

“Excuse me, but, you’ll have to leave the club. We can’t have anyone behaving in that manner,” the owner said apologetically, and pointed toward the door.

Ginny’s face radiated with humiliation, and she grabbed her sweater and ran out the door without a word. Draco murmured an apology and threw a handful of bills on the table before tearing after her.

He spotted her a few feet away, sitting on a dark staircase outside of an abandonded home.

“Weasley?” he called gently, and she refused to look up at him, and he tried again. “Ginny, look at me.” With this, she slowly met his eyes.

“I’m sorry,” she said quietly, looking to her feet again, “I don’t know what came over me.”

“Ginny, look at me. I’m the one who should apoligzie, I practically attacked you.”

“Yeah, but I enjoyed it,” she admitted wryly.

“Uh…Ginny?” he asked hesitantly, “Would, uh, you like to go get some dinner?”

She smiled at him, just as uncertainly, and nodded.

“You know what, I think I would.”

FIN.


AN - I adore that song, so...it inspired me. And I had to make the fic short, or else it would never be finished...so...reviews, please? Cookies for reviewers. And pie. With nice ice cream and whipped cream on the side. And chocolate syrup. I love you all. *kisses*