There was something to be said about how efficient Madam Malkin could be when pressed for time and, of course, given the appropriate compensation. The woman arrived within minutes of being summoned, accompanied by a small team of three of her best tailors, each carrying armfuls of elegant garments.
Ginny was led to a small guest room on the second floor of the mansion; small being a relative term as it was only small in comparison to what she'd seen of the rest of the manor.
They transfigured a dais and provided a screen for her slip behind as she changed into the various samples of Madam Malkin’s latest, most trendy creations. After all, even as a hired escort, the hostess of a Malfoy ball could not possibly be seen in anything that might be considered less than the best.
Narcissa returned to the room as soon as they were ready to begin and sat primly near Madam Malkin to supervise the process. As the two women began discussing each possible gown, Ginny realized that she would be having little input regarding her attire. She had the flitting thought that she should be annoyed, but then realized that Narcissa was paying for it, after all, and the woman had chosen every last detail of the evening, why not the dress as well?
She found it wasn't hard to get carried away in the moment and, after the third gown, and Madam Malkin’s eager cooing over how perfect Ginny looked in each of her creations, she started to have fun. Truthfully, she would have been delighted with any of them. The gowns, the attention, and the ball itself were a little girl's dream, after all. As Ginny ran her hands over the impossibly smooth fabric of the latest gown, she tried to think of how she was going to describe all this to her friends.
In a way, she felt like a dress-up doll. As she listened to both women discuss her features, which styles and colors suited her, Ginny found their conversation rather interesting. She even caught several smiles and nods from Narcissa each time she stepped into view in a particularly stunning dress.
As she spun around showing the full skirt of a lovely cap-sleeved gown in royal blue, she suddenly had the mental image of Narcissa playing with cutout dolls, dressing each one like she was dressing Ginny now. Ginny gave a polite cough to hide her sudden urge to giggle at the image. Narcissa actually appeared to be enjoying the activity and, Ginny had to admit, that if this made Narcissa happy, then it boded well for both Ginny and her job.
"Of course, I'd love to see her in gold," Madam Malkin commented. "The color would complement her skin tone and hair beautifully. But, as it is a silver anniversary ball, I would think that it would clash."
"I would think green," Narcissa stated. "She has a lovely copper hair and it would complement her eyes perfectly.”
"Of course," the designer agreed.
Ginny simply kept silent and did as she was told, marveling in the odd conversation between the two women. She also spent her time enjoying the beautiful decor, the feel of the elegant silks, and the view of herself in the mirror at each lovely gown that she slipped into.
In the end, they decided on a strapless dress of light green, with a long, full skirt. The tight bodice had an intricate design in silver that extended in a spiral along the flowing skirt. The fabric was what truly made it stunning, yet it shimmered in iridescent rainbow hues. She would wear long gloves in the matching green, and Narcissa would send over appropriate jewelry to match the outfit.
As Narcissa left the room, Ginny did notice that the woman's harsh, cold expression had lessened. For the first time, she seemed calm and relaxed, and Ginny was grateful. Apparently, Ginny's acquiescence to the fitting had been appropriate and she somehow felt that she'd passed her first hurdle for the evening. The last thing she needed was to have Narcissa Malfoy complaining to her employers that she had single-handedly ruined their party. After Narcissa left the room to dress in her own formal attire, Madam Malkin commented as she made adjustments to the gown
"I do believe she likes you, my dear. It's unusual to see her so happy."
Happy? While the woman's expression had been far from being the severe mask Ginny had become accustomed to, she would hardly call her happy.
Seeing her expression, Madam Malkin smiled. "Yes, my dear, I know her well enough to tell. You are lovely to dress, and for a woman who's always wanted a daughter for such things, this was a rare opportunity for her to experience. I'm sure she's enjoyed this as much as she'll allow herself."
What an odd thing to say, Ginny thought, as she patiently stood through the final fitting of her dress. She thought about how her own mother would feel if she didn't have a daughter. How many times her mother and she had laughed and enjoyed shopping for clothes, even if they were second-hand. Narcissa had none, and so Ginny supposed dressing her son's date for her party would be considered a form of fun. Ginny did recall seeing the woman smile several times, which was highly unusual.
Ginny slipped out of the dress and was given a dressing gown to wear as one of Madam Malkin’s assistants began working on her hair and makeup - not too heavy, per Mrs. Malfoy's instruction. Narcissa had voiced that she liked her natural complexion and then Ginny was subsequently fitted into a tight corset and then into the formal ball gown. They finished with only a few minutes to spare.
She turned to see herself in the mirror and gasped. If she'd felt like a princess before, she felt she truly looked like one now. Her hair was coiffed up, with a few strands elegantly hanging out, her fringe carefully lifted out of her eyes, sweeping off to the side. The gown accentuated her curves, the corset making her waist seem impossibly small as the silken skirts billowed out and flowed around her legs.
She hoped she could get someone to take a picture so she could remember this.
As the tailoring staff left the room, Camille entered to make sure that all was going smoothly. The girl gasped at the sight of her friend.
"Oh my gosh, Ginny! Is that really you?"
She smiled back. "Can you believe it?"
"Oh, you should thank your brothers for making such horrible concoctions at their shop. Who would have guessed that a stupid practical joke that they sold could have possibly turned out so well!"
"Do me a favor, and see if you can get a picture of me? I'll probably never get a chance to wear anything this expensive for the rest of my life and I want to remember it."
"I definitely will. I'm so jealous that Narcissa picked you instead of me."
"Well, I wasn't thrilled with the idea of being a paid hostess at first, but so far, it's been fun. Now I have to hope that I can carry myself at the party."
"That's why I'm here, honey!" Camille smiled. "It's almost time. Not that I need to tell you all this, but I'd be remiss in my duties as coordinator if I didn't. I'll let them know you're ready and your handsome date will come by and escort you downstairs. You'll be greeting the guests in the main entrance hall till around eight o'clock, and dinner has been moved back about fifteen minutes due to a small issue with the first course going up in smoke.”
“Smoke?”
“You don't want to know but, fortunately, nobody was injured.”
Yet another reason to enjoy being stuck here in a gorgeous dress, Ginny thought. All the more reason to enjoy the moment.
"I have you seated in Pansy's spot, which will be on Draco's right. Dinner should conclude around nine fifteen, with the first dance shortly after. The presentation and champagne toast are scheduled for ten."
"Have you reviewed the speech yet?" Ginny asked, still having some difficulty in leaving her role of the last seven weeks of coordinating the event.
"Not yet, actually. Draco is presenting it. He insists that I don't need to see it."
"He would," Ginny agreed. "I wouldn't worry about it. He's polished enough that I'm sure it will be fine."
"Now, stop worrying about the details. That's not your job for the rest of the night,” Camille chastised as she grinned at her friend. “Well, I'll be off then. I'll try not to interrupt your fun with any emergencies."
"It sounds like you have it all in check, Camille. Thank you."
"I'm sure you'll be worrying more about not making any serious etiquette violations," Camille joked.
What an understatement. That was definitely her biggest fear. She'd staffed enough society balls to be familiar with the protocols, but to actually act as hostess was a far cry from being a part of the staff as an observer. Narcissa would expect nothing short of perfection. Once again, she felt her job hanging in the balance.
She looked at Camille, panic starting to show on her face. “You have no idea. Oh, Camille, are you sure this is a good idea?”
“Don't,” Camille interrupted her friend. “Relax. You'll be fine.”
“Easy for you to say,” she said, feeling every bit of nervousness descend upon her.
Camille left, and she had little to do for the next few minutes, so she stood in front of the mirror and indulged in a moment of vanity. She couldn't believe the transformation she saw in her reflection. Who would have thought that she could look so beautiful? In all the balls she'd worked at over the last two years, she'd become accustomed to the regal beauty of the aristocrats at these functions. She'd never imagined herself in such a role, and she certainly never pictured that she could compete with how lovely they all looked in their formal attire, yet here she was.
She was lost in admiring the silken material of her gown, when she felt a breath in her ear. "You really do tidy up nicely, Ginevra," she heard Draco's voice say softly.
She jumped. Oh how she hated when he did that! She looked up at the reflection in the mirror to see him standing behind her, a smile on his face. Obviously, he'd found it quite amusing to startle her and she felt an urge to be angry with him, or at least strongly annoyed, but the vision of the pair of them in the mirror took her breath away.
Of course, he was always good looking in an arrogant sort of way, but tonight, he was positively gorgeous. He stood close to her, in formal grey dress robes, looking every bit as elegant as she. He was looking down at her face, smiling, as his hand reached around her waist.
She found herself entranced with the image of the two of them in the mirror and seriously considered the idea that she must be dreaming, when he broke the moment as he looked up and met her gaze in the reflection.
"So, is this as terrible as you seemed to think it would be?"
She couldn't speak, she only shook her head.
"Don't worry, the worst is yet to come. We still have a roomful of vultures to attend to, and I heard they already have a full page reserved in the society section of the prophet to cover this little party," he said in a teasing tone. He knew full well that she'd been the one to arrange the coverage.
She wanted to smack the smile from his face, except he looked far too good. The rest of her wanted to collapse against him. She fought the thought. She knew that she was just getting carried away in the moment. No wonder every available, and not so available witch in the country was trying to get his attention. He could be quite charming when he chose to be.
He stepped away, releasing her waist, and gently taking her gloved hand.
"Shall we go greet our guests, lovely lady?" he said and lifted the back of her hand to his lips.
Again, she couldn't speak, finding herself so lost in watching the vision of the handsome prince in front of her. All she could do was nod.
Arriving in the hall, they stood in the assigned location. Some of her nervousness diminished as she realized how much of her duty had been carefully choreographed, and as the choreographer, she knew what to expect.
“Now, all you have to do is smile and look beautiful on my arm. I'll do most of the talking, though I expect some of the old codgers to flirt with you mercilessly,” he whispered into her ear, looking totally comfortable.
She took a deep breath, as deep as the tight corset would allow, and tried to relax.
Draco seemed to enjoy taking every opportunity to whisper into her ear, and she found herself shivering involuntarily each time he did. Obviously, it amused him greatly to see her reaction. She told herself that she didn't get irritated at him because she needed to maintain her pleasant facade.
Dinner was fabulous and, once again, Ginny had to admire Narcissa's choices for every aspect of the meal. Of course, it may have been simply due to the fact that she hadn't eaten all day, but it didn't spoil her savoring every bite. It was the only part of the evening where she actually had a chance to talk with Draco directly, and it almost felt normal to just chat with him. Mostly, he talked about different guests and their relationship with the family over the years. Each time one of the staff came by her section of the table to place the next course, she was able to catch their smiles at her and she found herself easily smiling back.
The disadvantage of enjoying such a meal was that her dress had suddenly become dreadfully tight. She was grateful when the meal finally ended and the tables were Vanished so she could move around a bit.
As they moved to watch Narcissa and Lucius take the dance floor for the first dance of the evening, Ginny got a chance to truly observe Narcissa for the second time that day. The woman was literally beaming. The gown she wore was of a soft whispery material with a silver sheen. Emerald green highlighted her sash and the elegant diamond jewelry sparked against her perfect pale skin. She floated over the dance floor as if she were a young girl at her first ball. The woman's stern expression had been replaced by the glow of a woman who was in her element, and Ginny was captivated by the transformation.
Narcissa was incredibly beautiful. It was obvious that she loved being the center of attention and the glow on the woman's face showed a very different person than Ginny had previously encountered. She couldn't help but think that it was a shame that there had been no balls in this house for a very, very long time, when the lady of the manor obviously enjoyed them so very much.
While the couple danced, Ginny was left to contemplate this woman whom she had disliked for so long, yet had grown to respect over the last few weeks. As the pieces fell into place, Ginny could no longer feel the strong sense of dislike that she'd once held toward Narcissa.
The people she saw dancing were no longer the same ones that had enjoyed the prestige and respect that they once held. They had been damaged by the war and Voldemort just as surely as some of those sent to Azkaban after the final battle.
What she saw was them living a dream, a memory.
Tonight, they forgot the negative things, as they celebrated a milestone, and pretended they were once again the carefree socialites they were on their wedding day. She couldn't dislike them in that moment. They were human beings not so very different from herself and Ginny felt tears spring to her eyes.
Once again, she felt herself pulled from her thoughts by a soft voice in her ear. "They are beautiful together, aren't they?"
"Your mother should smile like that more often. She practically lights up the room," she responded.
"Yes, well, maybe, with time...." he said sadly. She nodded in agreement.
"I believe it's time for us to join them and open the dance floor," he said, taking her hand.
She looked up at him and was once again surprised. The depth of emotion in his gaze left her speechless.
He led her over near his parents, giving his father a polite nod, and turning to Narcissa. "You are absolutely beautiful this evening, Mother."
Ginny smiled at the woman as she beamed at her son, thanked him and turned back adoringly to her husband.
"They do look amazing together," she remarked.
"You should have seen them when they were younger," he replied.
Then all thoughts of his parents left her head as Draco took her into his arms and they began to dance. Her mind once again drifted to the faerie tale fantasy she'd been indulging in earlier that evening, and she found she had little desire to stop herself because she was enjoying the moment too much.
He was an excellent dancer, obviously trained since he was a child for such events. She felt herself being swept around the floor expertly and let herself enjoy the feeling of his strong embrace. Fortunately, she thought, it was only Malfoy, or else she'd likely find herself developing some sort of crush on her partner. But, he was easy to look at and after her recent disastrous romances, she felt she deserved this little bit of fantasy.
As the dance ended, she found herself momentarily disappointed. She had to go back to work, conversing with various guests while her escort stayed near his parents and played the gracious host. “Don't worry,” he said, once again speaking softly into her ear. “I'll see if we can steal away for another dance before the evening's over.” She turned to gape disbelievingly at him. Had she been so obvious?
And so, she stood by him, graciously flirted with older aristocrats who simply enjoyed chatting with a pretty girl. They shared a smile when one of the 'old codgers' was eventually was dragged away by his annoyed-looking wife. Draco seemed to be spending most of his time with politics, graciously chatting up with Ministry associates and representatives. Overall, it was interesting, but mentally exhausting.
Only one minor mishap occurred later in the evening.
Ginny had been asked to dance by none other than her father's friend, Kingsley Shacklebolt, the current Minister of Magic. She looked over at Draco for his approval and he gave her a smile and encouraging nod. Minister Shacklebolt was no where near as polished at dancing as Draco, but they had fun, spending the dance chatting amiably about her family.
Grateful for the reprieve from socializing, she took her time returning to Draco's side. When she finally caught sight of him, she found him attempting to graciously avoid some unwanted attention from a tall brunette who had obviously consumed too much champagne.
Duty told her to hurry back to his side and provide the opportunity for him to escape. Her sense of humor prevented her from moving too quickly. After all, it was rather pleasant to see that he was the one feeling uncomfortable for a change.
She had to suppress a giggle at the polite, yet mortified look on Draco's face as the brunette swooned towards him, pressing her chest close, and he narrowly avoided the spill of champagne as the liquid sloshed in her unsteady grip.
At that moment, she took pity on him and hurried back to his side in good humor. She saw his face brighten as she approached, showing an amused annoyance at her mirth. “You mock my pain, witch.” He whispered in her ear.
She giggled and gave a small attempt to look contrite, but gave up when he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close, effectively ignoring the brunette. “I think it's time for us to get that second dance in,” he stated.
She nodded, allowing him to pull her into a possessive embrace as they took to the floor. Ginny heard the girl quite vocally groan in disappointment as she moved away, and Ginny shook her head in disbelief. Though she had to admit that she was flattered as he spoke into her ear, "Don't ever leave me alone like that again. I was ready to hex the woman."
She laughed. No wonder Narcissa had insisted on an escort. “Oh, the trials of poor Draco Malfoy.”
“I would use a term other than 'poor', but it really can be rather tedious sometimes.”
“To have women literally falling at your feet? Most men would have difficulty calling your situation a hardship.”
“It was fun for a while, I won't deny it. But it didn't take long to become annoying. It makes me feel like a cheap trophy.”
They didn't get much more of a chance to talk after that as the evening wore on, gradually tapering off as guests began to disappear. It was well into the early morning hours before the last of the guests finally bid their farewells. Lucius and Narcissa, obviously tired, spoke very little but both smiled gently at Draco as they moved to retire to their room.
Draco wished them a warm good night, and Ginny watched the genuine smile that came to his face as he watched his parents ascend the stairs. She contemplated his expression, and then the thought hit her: He loved them. More than that, they loved him back. Somehow, she'd never considered that about this family.
Ginny felt a bit awkward at seeing them in such an unguarded family moment. This was not the Malfoy family that she had grown up despising. This was simply a family who cared about each other. In that moment, she couldn't even maintain her hatred of Lucius. Over the weeks, she'd come to respect Narcissa, despite the fact that the older woman had initially been cold and demanding. Ginny had seen that often it was a facade, meant to hide her pain and disappointment over her life's mistakes. And Lucius, while she would never totally trust or like the man, she had to admit that he no longer held the haughtiness that he once did. He'd become a quiet man, somewhat reclusive. He'd stepped aside to allow his son to rebuild the family name for their future generation.
And then there was Draco, whom she'd spent enough time with to realize that he had truly lost the malicious edge he'd had in school. Although they'd taunted each other endlessly over the last two months, she found that their interaction could almost be described as amicable.
"It was a nice thing you did for them, throwing this party," she said to him, after his parents had disappeared up the stairs.
"It was the least I could do. It kept Mother busy for a few weeks, which brightened her spirits greatly. Of course, if Mother had her way, she'd have preferred to be planning my wedding, and this was the best I could do to put that off for a bit.”
She wasn't sure if his statement was entirely a joke. "So, it was purely selfish," she teased.
He smiled back down at her. "Absolutely."
"Well, I'd best check on the staff to make sure the cleanup is going smoothly..." she started to say as she pulled away from him. For some reason, being alone with him at that moment felt a bit uncomfortable and she tried to fall back on her role of being part of the staff instead of his date.
"Dressed like that? Please, no."
"Oh, well, I can change quickly. I understand if you don't want me to ruin this. I will return it in good condition, of course."
"Keep the dress, Weasley. I'd have no use for it," he said, sounding cooler to her than he had all evening. She was wondering if she'd somehow insulted him.
"But I couldn't..."
"You can, and you will. It would be a shame if nobody ever saw you in that again."
She was stunned silent, looking into his intense gaze. Obviously there was no room for argument here. Nevertheless, she still felt the need to get away. "Well, I really should check on..."
"They have it in hand, I'm sure. Besides, you are still my escort for this evening, and I haven't finished yet."
She swallowed. Hard.
"Come on, we've hardly had a chance to enjoy ourselves." He smiled, and took her hand.
"Where.... where are we going?"
"To the gardens, of course. I never got a chance to walk outside and I could use the fresh air."
She followed obediently as they walked out toward the rear of the ballroom and wandered casually out onto the patio. He led her down the stone steps in to a garden lined with perfectly manicured low hedge rows, rose bushes and marble statues. The silver globe decorations from the party still floated around the area, giving it an ethereal blue glow. The smaller trees and shrubs twinkled with faerie lights.
She scowled at the accursed things, but found she couldn't focus on them for long, as she had to tread carefully along the stone path in the darkness. He led her along, pausing to look around the garden then up at the stars, and he finally seemed to relax.
"It's good to be out here," he told her, taking a deep breath of the warm spring air. "I always need to spend time alone out here after all that." She assumed that he was referring to the formal evening. There certainly was plenty of stress involved in keeping up a perfect appearance for eight long hours.
"But you're not alone right now," she pointed out.
He looked at her, appeared to think for a moment, then said, "I suppose you're right. But it's close enough." He continued walking. They wandered along the path for a while, looking back to admire the outside lighting around the house. The silver globes still sparkling around the grounds. They didn't speak, both seeming comfortable with the silence after the long evening.
She found herself lost in thought as she walked along. Ginny had to agree that the walk was certainly calming, though she did think it odd that he had brought her along. It truly had been a wonderful evening and she was reluctant to see it end. She marveled at how spending these past two months among this family had altered her perspective so radically. As she reflected on that, she looked over at her companion, as the faerie light once again caught his pale features, making him look even more beautiful than usual.
Distracted, she failed to watch her step and suddenly found her heel caught in one of the crevices of the walkway. She stumbled, a small gasp escaping from her as she realized she was going to ruin her magnificent dress when she hit the ground. She threw her arms out to brace for the impact, but it never came. Quick as a Seeker after a Snitch, he had his arms around her waist, and she was stopped mid-fall.
"Thank you," she said, and looked up into his eyes for the thousandth time that evening. As she caught his gaze, she realized that each time it was getting harder and harder to look away.
Worse, she was completely and utterly aware, with every fiber of her body, just how close they were at that moment. She'd obviously spent too much time indulging in her little faerie tale that evening, because when he pulled her close to kiss her, she didn't even think about resisting.
Her entire world seemed to revolve around the feeling of that kiss. As his lips gently touched hers, she felt a surge of energy flow through her. She became hyper-aware of his arms around her, and her body pressed up against his. His lips were surprisingly soft and warm and she found herself thoroughly enjoying the experience. He went no further, and after a few minutes, pulled away.
If she was going to imagine a kiss to match her princess fantasy, that was it. He'd kissed her gently and firmly, with a restrained passion that left her wanting for more. He'd teased her with that kiss, and she knew it.
She opened her eyes, feeling slightly giddy, to see his satisfied smirk. A wave of annoyance came over her, and she opened her mouth to say something nasty but he stopped her by speaking first.
"Thank you, by the way, for helping to make this a perfect night..." There was a pause. "For my parents."
Egads, this man was going to be the death of her.
"So, does that mean that you didn't find it perfect?" she decided to inquire. After all, he was baiting her for just that sort of question. At this point, she figured she had nothing to lose.
"My night isn't over yet."
"So you said earlier."
He looked at her, still holding her, and she realized that she had no desire to pull away. She briefly considered that she was just too tired from the long evening and must not have been thinking clearly.
"Perfect would be if I woke up tomorrow morning with you in my bed."
Well, if there was a comment to snap her back to reality, that was probably it. After she quelled the butterflies that had suddenly gone rampant in her stomach, she straightened up, and with some regret pulled out of his loose embrace.
"Then, I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you, Mr. Malfoy," she said. “As it was, I believe I had some objection to acting as an escort and hostess this evening to begin with. I think you are pushing this matter to being beyond inappropriate."
He didn't seem the least bit deterred by her words, in fact, he smirked. "Well, I'd be remiss if I didn't at least try, Miss. Weasley. Besides, you truly are stunning when you're angry."
She blinked. He had just complimented her again? Granted, it was a strange compliment but, nevertheless, she needed to stay grounded. She decided the formal route was probably her safest option. "I guess I should say thank you, Mr. Malfoy. Considering that this was only a business arrangement, I did enjoy the ball and your company this evening, but I do think it's time for me to leave."
She really did need to leave. The sun would likely be coming up soon, and her parents would definitely take notice of her unusually late arrival.
He didn't miss a beat and returned to the formal tone, still sounding like he was humoring her. "Alright Miss. Weasley, may I escort you then to the front gate so you can Apparate home, or would you prefer that I escort you to your front door?"
"I think I can Apparate home by myself, but thank you for the offer."
"Very well then." He offered his arm to her, she took it, and then the two walked back through the ballroom out to the front hall. She couldn't help but think of how bizarre it must have looked, acting so formally with no one around to see. At the front gate, he took her hand, brought it to his lips as he bowed formally.
"Thank you again, Miss. Weasley, for a lovely evening."
"You're welcome, Mr. Malfoy."
And as she took her wand out to Apparate home, he said, "Perhaps we can try for that perfect evening some other time."
The last thing she saw as she disappeared was him giving her a smile and a slightly devilish wink.
- ~ -
Draco turned to retire for the evening feeling tired but in good spirits. The evening had gone well. Actually, it had gone remarkably well. All his hard work over the last two months had been worth it.
He'd negotiated, cajoled, and convinced one by one every key Ministry individual to attend and, as he greeted each as they arrived at the manor, he'd felt a sense of accomplishment. It was a huge step forward for his family's future, and he knew that it meant the world to his parents that their future grandchildren might not have to endure the burden of a tarnished family name.
He didn't fail to consider the fact that the lovely woman standing at his side all evening had been a major contributor to that success. Not only had she successfully managed the near impossible schedule for the event, but she'd been perfect in her role as his date. He'd even been able to find time to relax and enjoy himself.
He counted himself fortunate that Pansy had been unable to attend.
When the evening had drawn to a close, he found himself regretting that he would no longer have a reason to continue his regular meetings with Ginevra. She was interesting, and he found their banter fun. Her sharp wit and fiery temper were a refreshing change from the women he normally encountered. The incident with the drunk guest hanging off his arm had only solidified that impression. When he finally found himself alone with her, he took the opportunity to once again appreciate Ginevra's natural beauty. That was the thought that led him to ask her to walk with him.
As they left the confines of the house, he found that he appreciated her companionable silence. Most women would have taken the opportunity to fill the silence with useless chatter. They'd walked along, and he'd found himself glancing at her frequently, as he tried to formulate a reason that might lead to seeing her again.
Fate once again handed him a gift when she'd stumbled into his arms. He hadn't planned on kissing her, at least not right away, but he wasn't going to deny that he'd found her incredibly attractive, and he was as opportunistic as the next bloke.
As he'd watched her disappear, he couldn't help but smile. He had a feeling that he'd be seeing much more of Miss. Weasley, and he found that he looked forward to it.
Ginny was led to a small guest room on the second floor of the mansion; small being a relative term as it was only small in comparison to what she'd seen of the rest of the manor.
They transfigured a dais and provided a screen for her slip behind as she changed into the various samples of Madam Malkin’s latest, most trendy creations. After all, even as a hired escort, the hostess of a Malfoy ball could not possibly be seen in anything that might be considered less than the best.
Narcissa returned to the room as soon as they were ready to begin and sat primly near Madam Malkin to supervise the process. As the two women began discussing each possible gown, Ginny realized that she would be having little input regarding her attire. She had the flitting thought that she should be annoyed, but then realized that Narcissa was paying for it, after all, and the woman had chosen every last detail of the evening, why not the dress as well?
She found it wasn't hard to get carried away in the moment and, after the third gown, and Madam Malkin’s eager cooing over how perfect Ginny looked in each of her creations, she started to have fun. Truthfully, she would have been delighted with any of them. The gowns, the attention, and the ball itself were a little girl's dream, after all. As Ginny ran her hands over the impossibly smooth fabric of the latest gown, she tried to think of how she was going to describe all this to her friends.
In a way, she felt like a dress-up doll. As she listened to both women discuss her features, which styles and colors suited her, Ginny found their conversation rather interesting. She even caught several smiles and nods from Narcissa each time she stepped into view in a particularly stunning dress.
As she spun around showing the full skirt of a lovely cap-sleeved gown in royal blue, she suddenly had the mental image of Narcissa playing with cutout dolls, dressing each one like she was dressing Ginny now. Ginny gave a polite cough to hide her sudden urge to giggle at the image. Narcissa actually appeared to be enjoying the activity and, Ginny had to admit, that if this made Narcissa happy, then it boded well for both Ginny and her job.
"Of course, I'd love to see her in gold," Madam Malkin commented. "The color would complement her skin tone and hair beautifully. But, as it is a silver anniversary ball, I would think that it would clash."
"I would think green," Narcissa stated. "She has a lovely copper hair and it would complement her eyes perfectly.”
"Of course," the designer agreed.
Ginny simply kept silent and did as she was told, marveling in the odd conversation between the two women. She also spent her time enjoying the beautiful decor, the feel of the elegant silks, and the view of herself in the mirror at each lovely gown that she slipped into.
In the end, they decided on a strapless dress of light green, with a long, full skirt. The tight bodice had an intricate design in silver that extended in a spiral along the flowing skirt. The fabric was what truly made it stunning, yet it shimmered in iridescent rainbow hues. She would wear long gloves in the matching green, and Narcissa would send over appropriate jewelry to match the outfit.
As Narcissa left the room, Ginny did notice that the woman's harsh, cold expression had lessened. For the first time, she seemed calm and relaxed, and Ginny was grateful. Apparently, Ginny's acquiescence to the fitting had been appropriate and she somehow felt that she'd passed her first hurdle for the evening. The last thing she needed was to have Narcissa Malfoy complaining to her employers that she had single-handedly ruined their party. After Narcissa left the room to dress in her own formal attire, Madam Malkin commented as she made adjustments to the gown
"I do believe she likes you, my dear. It's unusual to see her so happy."
Happy? While the woman's expression had been far from being the severe mask Ginny had become accustomed to, she would hardly call her happy.
Seeing her expression, Madam Malkin smiled. "Yes, my dear, I know her well enough to tell. You are lovely to dress, and for a woman who's always wanted a daughter for such things, this was a rare opportunity for her to experience. I'm sure she's enjoyed this as much as she'll allow herself."
What an odd thing to say, Ginny thought, as she patiently stood through the final fitting of her dress. She thought about how her own mother would feel if she didn't have a daughter. How many times her mother and she had laughed and enjoyed shopping for clothes, even if they were second-hand. Narcissa had none, and so Ginny supposed dressing her son's date for her party would be considered a form of fun. Ginny did recall seeing the woman smile several times, which was highly unusual.
Ginny slipped out of the dress and was given a dressing gown to wear as one of Madam Malkin’s assistants began working on her hair and makeup - not too heavy, per Mrs. Malfoy's instruction. Narcissa had voiced that she liked her natural complexion and then Ginny was subsequently fitted into a tight corset and then into the formal ball gown. They finished with only a few minutes to spare.
She turned to see herself in the mirror and gasped. If she'd felt like a princess before, she felt she truly looked like one now. Her hair was coiffed up, with a few strands elegantly hanging out, her fringe carefully lifted out of her eyes, sweeping off to the side. The gown accentuated her curves, the corset making her waist seem impossibly small as the silken skirts billowed out and flowed around her legs.
She hoped she could get someone to take a picture so she could remember this.
As the tailoring staff left the room, Camille entered to make sure that all was going smoothly. The girl gasped at the sight of her friend.
"Oh my gosh, Ginny! Is that really you?"
She smiled back. "Can you believe it?"
"Oh, you should thank your brothers for making such horrible concoctions at their shop. Who would have guessed that a stupid practical joke that they sold could have possibly turned out so well!"
"Do me a favor, and see if you can get a picture of me? I'll probably never get a chance to wear anything this expensive for the rest of my life and I want to remember it."
"I definitely will. I'm so jealous that Narcissa picked you instead of me."
"Well, I wasn't thrilled with the idea of being a paid hostess at first, but so far, it's been fun. Now I have to hope that I can carry myself at the party."
"That's why I'm here, honey!" Camille smiled. "It's almost time. Not that I need to tell you all this, but I'd be remiss in my duties as coordinator if I didn't. I'll let them know you're ready and your handsome date will come by and escort you downstairs. You'll be greeting the guests in the main entrance hall till around eight o'clock, and dinner has been moved back about fifteen minutes due to a small issue with the first course going up in smoke.”
“Smoke?”
“You don't want to know but, fortunately, nobody was injured.”
Yet another reason to enjoy being stuck here in a gorgeous dress, Ginny thought. All the more reason to enjoy the moment.
"I have you seated in Pansy's spot, which will be on Draco's right. Dinner should conclude around nine fifteen, with the first dance shortly after. The presentation and champagne toast are scheduled for ten."
"Have you reviewed the speech yet?" Ginny asked, still having some difficulty in leaving her role of the last seven weeks of coordinating the event.
"Not yet, actually. Draco is presenting it. He insists that I don't need to see it."
"He would," Ginny agreed. "I wouldn't worry about it. He's polished enough that I'm sure it will be fine."
"Now, stop worrying about the details. That's not your job for the rest of the night,” Camille chastised as she grinned at her friend. “Well, I'll be off then. I'll try not to interrupt your fun with any emergencies."
"It sounds like you have it all in check, Camille. Thank you."
"I'm sure you'll be worrying more about not making any serious etiquette violations," Camille joked.
What an understatement. That was definitely her biggest fear. She'd staffed enough society balls to be familiar with the protocols, but to actually act as hostess was a far cry from being a part of the staff as an observer. Narcissa would expect nothing short of perfection. Once again, she felt her job hanging in the balance.
She looked at Camille, panic starting to show on her face. “You have no idea. Oh, Camille, are you sure this is a good idea?”
“Don't,” Camille interrupted her friend. “Relax. You'll be fine.”
“Easy for you to say,” she said, feeling every bit of nervousness descend upon her.
Camille left, and she had little to do for the next few minutes, so she stood in front of the mirror and indulged in a moment of vanity. She couldn't believe the transformation she saw in her reflection. Who would have thought that she could look so beautiful? In all the balls she'd worked at over the last two years, she'd become accustomed to the regal beauty of the aristocrats at these functions. She'd never imagined herself in such a role, and she certainly never pictured that she could compete with how lovely they all looked in their formal attire, yet here she was.
She was lost in admiring the silken material of her gown, when she felt a breath in her ear. "You really do tidy up nicely, Ginevra," she heard Draco's voice say softly.
She jumped. Oh how she hated when he did that! She looked up at the reflection in the mirror to see him standing behind her, a smile on his face. Obviously, he'd found it quite amusing to startle her and she felt an urge to be angry with him, or at least strongly annoyed, but the vision of the pair of them in the mirror took her breath away.
Of course, he was always good looking in an arrogant sort of way, but tonight, he was positively gorgeous. He stood close to her, in formal grey dress robes, looking every bit as elegant as she. He was looking down at her face, smiling, as his hand reached around her waist.
She found herself entranced with the image of the two of them in the mirror and seriously considered the idea that she must be dreaming, when he broke the moment as he looked up and met her gaze in the reflection.
"So, is this as terrible as you seemed to think it would be?"
She couldn't speak, she only shook her head.
"Don't worry, the worst is yet to come. We still have a roomful of vultures to attend to, and I heard they already have a full page reserved in the society section of the prophet to cover this little party," he said in a teasing tone. He knew full well that she'd been the one to arrange the coverage.
She wanted to smack the smile from his face, except he looked far too good. The rest of her wanted to collapse against him. She fought the thought. She knew that she was just getting carried away in the moment. No wonder every available, and not so available witch in the country was trying to get his attention. He could be quite charming when he chose to be.
He stepped away, releasing her waist, and gently taking her gloved hand.
"Shall we go greet our guests, lovely lady?" he said and lifted the back of her hand to his lips.
Again, she couldn't speak, finding herself so lost in watching the vision of the handsome prince in front of her. All she could do was nod.
Arriving in the hall, they stood in the assigned location. Some of her nervousness diminished as she realized how much of her duty had been carefully choreographed, and as the choreographer, she knew what to expect.
“Now, all you have to do is smile and look beautiful on my arm. I'll do most of the talking, though I expect some of the old codgers to flirt with you mercilessly,” he whispered into her ear, looking totally comfortable.
She took a deep breath, as deep as the tight corset would allow, and tried to relax.
Draco seemed to enjoy taking every opportunity to whisper into her ear, and she found herself shivering involuntarily each time he did. Obviously, it amused him greatly to see her reaction. She told herself that she didn't get irritated at him because she needed to maintain her pleasant facade.
Dinner was fabulous and, once again, Ginny had to admire Narcissa's choices for every aspect of the meal. Of course, it may have been simply due to the fact that she hadn't eaten all day, but it didn't spoil her savoring every bite. It was the only part of the evening where she actually had a chance to talk with Draco directly, and it almost felt normal to just chat with him. Mostly, he talked about different guests and their relationship with the family over the years. Each time one of the staff came by her section of the table to place the next course, she was able to catch their smiles at her and she found herself easily smiling back.
The disadvantage of enjoying such a meal was that her dress had suddenly become dreadfully tight. She was grateful when the meal finally ended and the tables were Vanished so she could move around a bit.
As they moved to watch Narcissa and Lucius take the dance floor for the first dance of the evening, Ginny got a chance to truly observe Narcissa for the second time that day. The woman was literally beaming. The gown she wore was of a soft whispery material with a silver sheen. Emerald green highlighted her sash and the elegant diamond jewelry sparked against her perfect pale skin. She floated over the dance floor as if she were a young girl at her first ball. The woman's stern expression had been replaced by the glow of a woman who was in her element, and Ginny was captivated by the transformation.
Narcissa was incredibly beautiful. It was obvious that she loved being the center of attention and the glow on the woman's face showed a very different person than Ginny had previously encountered. She couldn't help but think that it was a shame that there had been no balls in this house for a very, very long time, when the lady of the manor obviously enjoyed them so very much.
While the couple danced, Ginny was left to contemplate this woman whom she had disliked for so long, yet had grown to respect over the last few weeks. As the pieces fell into place, Ginny could no longer feel the strong sense of dislike that she'd once held toward Narcissa.
The people she saw dancing were no longer the same ones that had enjoyed the prestige and respect that they once held. They had been damaged by the war and Voldemort just as surely as some of those sent to Azkaban after the final battle.
What she saw was them living a dream, a memory.
Tonight, they forgot the negative things, as they celebrated a milestone, and pretended they were once again the carefree socialites they were on their wedding day. She couldn't dislike them in that moment. They were human beings not so very different from herself and Ginny felt tears spring to her eyes.
Once again, she felt herself pulled from her thoughts by a soft voice in her ear. "They are beautiful together, aren't they?"
"Your mother should smile like that more often. She practically lights up the room," she responded.
"Yes, well, maybe, with time...." he said sadly. She nodded in agreement.
"I believe it's time for us to join them and open the dance floor," he said, taking her hand.
She looked up at him and was once again surprised. The depth of emotion in his gaze left her speechless.
He led her over near his parents, giving his father a polite nod, and turning to Narcissa. "You are absolutely beautiful this evening, Mother."
Ginny smiled at the woman as she beamed at her son, thanked him and turned back adoringly to her husband.
"They do look amazing together," she remarked.
"You should have seen them when they were younger," he replied.
Then all thoughts of his parents left her head as Draco took her into his arms and they began to dance. Her mind once again drifted to the faerie tale fantasy she'd been indulging in earlier that evening, and she found she had little desire to stop herself because she was enjoying the moment too much.
He was an excellent dancer, obviously trained since he was a child for such events. She felt herself being swept around the floor expertly and let herself enjoy the feeling of his strong embrace. Fortunately, she thought, it was only Malfoy, or else she'd likely find herself developing some sort of crush on her partner. But, he was easy to look at and after her recent disastrous romances, she felt she deserved this little bit of fantasy.
As the dance ended, she found herself momentarily disappointed. She had to go back to work, conversing with various guests while her escort stayed near his parents and played the gracious host. “Don't worry,” he said, once again speaking softly into her ear. “I'll see if we can steal away for another dance before the evening's over.” She turned to gape disbelievingly at him. Had she been so obvious?
And so, she stood by him, graciously flirted with older aristocrats who simply enjoyed chatting with a pretty girl. They shared a smile when one of the 'old codgers' was eventually was dragged away by his annoyed-looking wife. Draco seemed to be spending most of his time with politics, graciously chatting up with Ministry associates and representatives. Overall, it was interesting, but mentally exhausting.
Only one minor mishap occurred later in the evening.
Ginny had been asked to dance by none other than her father's friend, Kingsley Shacklebolt, the current Minister of Magic. She looked over at Draco for his approval and he gave her a smile and encouraging nod. Minister Shacklebolt was no where near as polished at dancing as Draco, but they had fun, spending the dance chatting amiably about her family.
Grateful for the reprieve from socializing, she took her time returning to Draco's side. When she finally caught sight of him, she found him attempting to graciously avoid some unwanted attention from a tall brunette who had obviously consumed too much champagne.
Duty told her to hurry back to his side and provide the opportunity for him to escape. Her sense of humor prevented her from moving too quickly. After all, it was rather pleasant to see that he was the one feeling uncomfortable for a change.
She had to suppress a giggle at the polite, yet mortified look on Draco's face as the brunette swooned towards him, pressing her chest close, and he narrowly avoided the spill of champagne as the liquid sloshed in her unsteady grip.
At that moment, she took pity on him and hurried back to his side in good humor. She saw his face brighten as she approached, showing an amused annoyance at her mirth. “You mock my pain, witch.” He whispered in her ear.
She giggled and gave a small attempt to look contrite, but gave up when he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close, effectively ignoring the brunette. “I think it's time for us to get that second dance in,” he stated.
She nodded, allowing him to pull her into a possessive embrace as they took to the floor. Ginny heard the girl quite vocally groan in disappointment as she moved away, and Ginny shook her head in disbelief. Though she had to admit that she was flattered as he spoke into her ear, "Don't ever leave me alone like that again. I was ready to hex the woman."
She laughed. No wonder Narcissa had insisted on an escort. “Oh, the trials of poor Draco Malfoy.”
“I would use a term other than 'poor', but it really can be rather tedious sometimes.”
“To have women literally falling at your feet? Most men would have difficulty calling your situation a hardship.”
“It was fun for a while, I won't deny it. But it didn't take long to become annoying. It makes me feel like a cheap trophy.”
They didn't get much more of a chance to talk after that as the evening wore on, gradually tapering off as guests began to disappear. It was well into the early morning hours before the last of the guests finally bid their farewells. Lucius and Narcissa, obviously tired, spoke very little but both smiled gently at Draco as they moved to retire to their room.
Draco wished them a warm good night, and Ginny watched the genuine smile that came to his face as he watched his parents ascend the stairs. She contemplated his expression, and then the thought hit her: He loved them. More than that, they loved him back. Somehow, she'd never considered that about this family.
Ginny felt a bit awkward at seeing them in such an unguarded family moment. This was not the Malfoy family that she had grown up despising. This was simply a family who cared about each other. In that moment, she couldn't even maintain her hatred of Lucius. Over the weeks, she'd come to respect Narcissa, despite the fact that the older woman had initially been cold and demanding. Ginny had seen that often it was a facade, meant to hide her pain and disappointment over her life's mistakes. And Lucius, while she would never totally trust or like the man, she had to admit that he no longer held the haughtiness that he once did. He'd become a quiet man, somewhat reclusive. He'd stepped aside to allow his son to rebuild the family name for their future generation.
And then there was Draco, whom she'd spent enough time with to realize that he had truly lost the malicious edge he'd had in school. Although they'd taunted each other endlessly over the last two months, she found that their interaction could almost be described as amicable.
"It was a nice thing you did for them, throwing this party," she said to him, after his parents had disappeared up the stairs.
"It was the least I could do. It kept Mother busy for a few weeks, which brightened her spirits greatly. Of course, if Mother had her way, she'd have preferred to be planning my wedding, and this was the best I could do to put that off for a bit.”
She wasn't sure if his statement was entirely a joke. "So, it was purely selfish," she teased.
He smiled back down at her. "Absolutely."
"Well, I'd best check on the staff to make sure the cleanup is going smoothly..." she started to say as she pulled away from him. For some reason, being alone with him at that moment felt a bit uncomfortable and she tried to fall back on her role of being part of the staff instead of his date.
"Dressed like that? Please, no."
"Oh, well, I can change quickly. I understand if you don't want me to ruin this. I will return it in good condition, of course."
"Keep the dress, Weasley. I'd have no use for it," he said, sounding cooler to her than he had all evening. She was wondering if she'd somehow insulted him.
"But I couldn't..."
"You can, and you will. It would be a shame if nobody ever saw you in that again."
She was stunned silent, looking into his intense gaze. Obviously there was no room for argument here. Nevertheless, she still felt the need to get away. "Well, I really should check on..."
"They have it in hand, I'm sure. Besides, you are still my escort for this evening, and I haven't finished yet."
She swallowed. Hard.
"Come on, we've hardly had a chance to enjoy ourselves." He smiled, and took her hand.
"Where.... where are we going?"
"To the gardens, of course. I never got a chance to walk outside and I could use the fresh air."
She followed obediently as they walked out toward the rear of the ballroom and wandered casually out onto the patio. He led her down the stone steps in to a garden lined with perfectly manicured low hedge rows, rose bushes and marble statues. The silver globe decorations from the party still floated around the area, giving it an ethereal blue glow. The smaller trees and shrubs twinkled with faerie lights.
She scowled at the accursed things, but found she couldn't focus on them for long, as she had to tread carefully along the stone path in the darkness. He led her along, pausing to look around the garden then up at the stars, and he finally seemed to relax.
"It's good to be out here," he told her, taking a deep breath of the warm spring air. "I always need to spend time alone out here after all that." She assumed that he was referring to the formal evening. There certainly was plenty of stress involved in keeping up a perfect appearance for eight long hours.
"But you're not alone right now," she pointed out.
He looked at her, appeared to think for a moment, then said, "I suppose you're right. But it's close enough." He continued walking. They wandered along the path for a while, looking back to admire the outside lighting around the house. The silver globes still sparkling around the grounds. They didn't speak, both seeming comfortable with the silence after the long evening.
She found herself lost in thought as she walked along. Ginny had to agree that the walk was certainly calming, though she did think it odd that he had brought her along. It truly had been a wonderful evening and she was reluctant to see it end. She marveled at how spending these past two months among this family had altered her perspective so radically. As she reflected on that, she looked over at her companion, as the faerie light once again caught his pale features, making him look even more beautiful than usual.
Distracted, she failed to watch her step and suddenly found her heel caught in one of the crevices of the walkway. She stumbled, a small gasp escaping from her as she realized she was going to ruin her magnificent dress when she hit the ground. She threw her arms out to brace for the impact, but it never came. Quick as a Seeker after a Snitch, he had his arms around her waist, and she was stopped mid-fall.
"Thank you," she said, and looked up into his eyes for the thousandth time that evening. As she caught his gaze, she realized that each time it was getting harder and harder to look away.
Worse, she was completely and utterly aware, with every fiber of her body, just how close they were at that moment. She'd obviously spent too much time indulging in her little faerie tale that evening, because when he pulled her close to kiss her, she didn't even think about resisting.
Her entire world seemed to revolve around the feeling of that kiss. As his lips gently touched hers, she felt a surge of energy flow through her. She became hyper-aware of his arms around her, and her body pressed up against his. His lips were surprisingly soft and warm and she found herself thoroughly enjoying the experience. He went no further, and after a few minutes, pulled away.
If she was going to imagine a kiss to match her princess fantasy, that was it. He'd kissed her gently and firmly, with a restrained passion that left her wanting for more. He'd teased her with that kiss, and she knew it.
She opened her eyes, feeling slightly giddy, to see his satisfied smirk. A wave of annoyance came over her, and she opened her mouth to say something nasty but he stopped her by speaking first.
"Thank you, by the way, for helping to make this a perfect night..." There was a pause. "For my parents."
Egads, this man was going to be the death of her.
"So, does that mean that you didn't find it perfect?" she decided to inquire. After all, he was baiting her for just that sort of question. At this point, she figured she had nothing to lose.
"My night isn't over yet."
"So you said earlier."
He looked at her, still holding her, and she realized that she had no desire to pull away. She briefly considered that she was just too tired from the long evening and must not have been thinking clearly.
"Perfect would be if I woke up tomorrow morning with you in my bed."
Well, if there was a comment to snap her back to reality, that was probably it. After she quelled the butterflies that had suddenly gone rampant in her stomach, she straightened up, and with some regret pulled out of his loose embrace.
"Then, I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you, Mr. Malfoy," she said. “As it was, I believe I had some objection to acting as an escort and hostess this evening to begin with. I think you are pushing this matter to being beyond inappropriate."
He didn't seem the least bit deterred by her words, in fact, he smirked. "Well, I'd be remiss if I didn't at least try, Miss. Weasley. Besides, you truly are stunning when you're angry."
She blinked. He had just complimented her again? Granted, it was a strange compliment but, nevertheless, she needed to stay grounded. She decided the formal route was probably her safest option. "I guess I should say thank you, Mr. Malfoy. Considering that this was only a business arrangement, I did enjoy the ball and your company this evening, but I do think it's time for me to leave."
She really did need to leave. The sun would likely be coming up soon, and her parents would definitely take notice of her unusually late arrival.
He didn't miss a beat and returned to the formal tone, still sounding like he was humoring her. "Alright Miss. Weasley, may I escort you then to the front gate so you can Apparate home, or would you prefer that I escort you to your front door?"
"I think I can Apparate home by myself, but thank you for the offer."
"Very well then." He offered his arm to her, she took it, and then the two walked back through the ballroom out to the front hall. She couldn't help but think of how bizarre it must have looked, acting so formally with no one around to see. At the front gate, he took her hand, brought it to his lips as he bowed formally.
"Thank you again, Miss. Weasley, for a lovely evening."
"You're welcome, Mr. Malfoy."
And as she took her wand out to Apparate home, he said, "Perhaps we can try for that perfect evening some other time."
The last thing she saw as she disappeared was him giving her a smile and a slightly devilish wink.
- ~ -
Draco turned to retire for the evening feeling tired but in good spirits. The evening had gone well. Actually, it had gone remarkably well. All his hard work over the last two months had been worth it.
He'd negotiated, cajoled, and convinced one by one every key Ministry individual to attend and, as he greeted each as they arrived at the manor, he'd felt a sense of accomplishment. It was a huge step forward for his family's future, and he knew that it meant the world to his parents that their future grandchildren might not have to endure the burden of a tarnished family name.
He didn't fail to consider the fact that the lovely woman standing at his side all evening had been a major contributor to that success. Not only had she successfully managed the near impossible schedule for the event, but she'd been perfect in her role as his date. He'd even been able to find time to relax and enjoy himself.
He counted himself fortunate that Pansy had been unable to attend.
When the evening had drawn to a close, he found himself regretting that he would no longer have a reason to continue his regular meetings with Ginevra. She was interesting, and he found their banter fun. Her sharp wit and fiery temper were a refreshing change from the women he normally encountered. The incident with the drunk guest hanging off his arm had only solidified that impression. When he finally found himself alone with her, he took the opportunity to once again appreciate Ginevra's natural beauty. That was the thought that led him to ask her to walk with him.
As they left the confines of the house, he found that he appreciated her companionable silence. Most women would have taken the opportunity to fill the silence with useless chatter. They'd walked along, and he'd found himself glancing at her frequently, as he tried to formulate a reason that might lead to seeing her again.
Fate once again handed him a gift when she'd stumbled into his arms. He hadn't planned on kissing her, at least not right away, but he wasn't going to deny that he'd found her incredibly attractive, and he was as opportunistic as the next bloke.
As he'd watched her disappear, he couldn't help but smile. He had a feeling that he'd be seeing much more of Miss. Weasley, and he found that he looked forward to it.
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