Several weeks passed without incident. Ginny quickly fell into a routine again. Stolen meetings with Draco constituted most of her time. The D.A. had been gathering once a month, as well. Her classes were getting harder this semester, and all the teachers were assigning more homework.
Ginny dropped a stack of books on a secluded table in the back of the library. She sighed as she collapsed into the chair. Pulling our her parchment, quill, and ink, she prepared for a couple hours of studying, as had become her norm. She had a ridiculously long potions essay to write and was not looking forward to it.
She pulled the first book towards her and located the information she needed. Felix Felicis was given a rather long chapter in the very center of the book. The list of restrictions on the substance was just as long and complicated as the recipe.
Ginny sighed again as she began taking notes for her essay. Horace Slughorn was remarkably strict and had demanded that they all include a detailed list of obscure side effects. This meant that Ginny was going to have to pay close attention to the mundane medical reports written about the potion.
In 1974, Doreen Conway overdosed on the controlled substance Felix Felicis. Her symptoms included dramatic hair growth and uncontrollable laughter. Fifteen feet of hair had to be cut off during her four hour stay at St. Mungo’s. Her laughter brought on a severe case of the flu.
Ginny rolled her eyes after copying this. No one really cared what happened to a foolish young woman almost thirty years ago.
In Doreen’s explanation to Ministry officials, she claimed she had done it to win the heart of her true love. This resulted in a restriction against using Felix Felicis in matters of the heart.
Ginny pulled out a copy of the decree. She read aloud, “‘ Felix Felicis, the substance originating in Ireland and thought to be the creation of Leprechauns, has been shown to be dangerous to persons in love. Blah, blah, blah… a tendency to disregard cautionary information, blah, blah, blah.
“‘Hereby, Felix Felicis is banned from use for these purposes: blah, blah, blah. Persons in love found to be taking Felix Felicis in order to create feelings of love in another person will be charged a fine of five hundred Galleons and given a night under close supervision by the Ministry to ensure that undesirable side effects do not occur.’ Blah, blah, blah.”
Ginny groaned in boredom. She pulled out her parchment and began taking notes She was surprised when a pair of arms dropped down past her shoulders to rest on the table on either side of her. She gasped as warm breath blew across her neck.
She knew who it was immediately and gently swatted his arm. “Malfoy, I’m trying to study!” she hissed.
“So I heard,” Draco said.
He planted a tiny kiss on her ear, sending shivers up and down her spine. He grabbed the notes she’d just written and glanced at them, holding them out of her reach as she tried to take them back. “Restrictions on the use of potions for the purpose of love. Sounds like you’re planning something,” he whispered. “Should I be worried?”
Ginny finally managed to snatch her notes and swung them at him. “I’m not planning anything! This is the most boring Potions research I’ve ever done.” She rolled her eyes for emphasis. “I don’t have enough brain power left to plan. If I did I wouldn’t still be sitting here.”
“Not enough brain power to plan,” Draco repeated.
A sly look had come into his eyes that made Ginny nervous. “I know that look. Don’t try anything, little ferret!” she cautioned.
He grinned. “You’re still trying to use that name to antagonize me. I warned you that it wouldn’t work. I like it, remember?” His arms came up off the table and wrapped around her, pinning her to his chest.
Ginny made a small squeak of protest as he nuzzled her neck. “Draco! I need to finish this. Professor Slughorn only gave us two days to write the essay.” She grabbed his arms and tried to loosen his grip.
She glanced around, trying to make sure Madam Pince wasn’t anywhere near. The librarian disliked commotion of any kind in her library.
Draco took her actions to mean that she wanted him to continue, ignoring her words. He blew in her ear, making her giggle despite herself.
“Stop it!” she hissed again.
“I can’t help it,” he replied, kissing her cheek. “I mean, you’re an annoying little weasel, but there’s just something about you.” He lifted one hand to brush her hair behind her ear. “I can’t resist you.”
Ginny took advantage of his arm being moved to break free of his grip. She stood up off her chair and spun to face him, feeling triumphant. She grinned at his startled expression and told him, “I really do have to do this essay.”
He took a step toward her and pinned her against the table. His hands circled her waist and he leaned in close, whispering, “Maybe I can help you?”
Ginny sighed and smoothed the fabric of his robes on his shoulders. Truthfully, his interruption had been extremely welcome, but she was already behind in Astronomy and Dark Arts and desperately needed to focus on her homework. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I’ve really got to get done.”
Draco reached behind him and grabbed another chair. “Okay. Like I said. Maybe I can help you.” He pulled her back into her chair and sat next to her.
The time passed quickly with him there. They talked a bit and occasionally one of them would crack a joke about the information they found. Before Ginny realized it, her essay was finished.
She glanced up at Draco in surprise. “That’s it,” she told him. “We’re done.”
“We’d better be,” he replied as he stretched his arms over his head. “We’ve been here for three hours. I’m exhausted.”
“Three hours?” Ginny gasped, shocked.
Draco cocked an eyebrow at her. “Amazing. The weasel can understand speech. Yes. Three hours.”
“It doesn’t seem like it took that long,” Ginny continued, choosing to ignore his comment. “Boy, how time flies.”
Draco smirked. “I take it you enjoyed my company then.”
“Oh, don’t get too confident. Given the nature of my project, I would have enjoyed the company of a Flobberworm.”
“Thanks. That makes me feel just wonderful. Maybe next time I won’t come. I’ll send a Flobberworm instead.”
Ginny rolled her eyes. “You’re impossible, little ferret.”
Draco leaned over and whispered in her ear, “But you like me anyway, right?”
He didn’t give her a chance to respond before pulling her into a passionate kiss. A tingling sensation began in the pit of her stomach, quickly spreading to the rest of her body. She wrapped her arms around his neck, answering with a kiss of her own. When he pulled back, they were both breathing heavily.
Draco cleared his throat, a glint in his eye. “You do like me, right? You never answered.” He casually draped an arm on the back of her chair.
“Oh, Merlin, Draco!” she exclaimed, exasperated. “Of course I do. I wouldn’t let you kiss me if I didn’t.”
“Let me?” he questioned. “Seemed like you were doing a bit more than letting, Miss Weasley.”
Ginny blushed and leaned her head back on his arm. She tried to think of something to say, but found herself at a loss for words. “Well, that should answer your question, then,” she finally managed.
Draco trailed his finger down her jaw. He winked at her, then stood up, pulling her with him. “We’d better go. The library’s going to close in a few minutes.”
Ginny winced as his sudden movement made her head throb. She had headaches every night now as a result of the numerous Cruciatus curses she’d received. No one know about them, however, and she hoped he wouldn’t notice now. If he did, he chose not to say anything.
They gathered up her things and put away the books. They left the library with their arms around each other.
As soon as they went out the door, they were set upon by a very angry Pansy Parkinson.
“Draco Malfoy!” she shrieked in a voice loud enough to wake the dead. “What in Merlin’s name are you doing?” Her face was a mottled purple colour and her hands were clenched around her wand.
“Walking,” Draco responded simply.
“You gave up on me for… her?” She motioned to Ginny with a look of pure disgust on her face.
Ginny felt Draco’s hold on her waist tighten possessively and suppressed a smile.
“If you’ll remember correctly, you gave up on me,” he calmly replied.
Pansy sputtered. “I didn’t… You… Never mind that. She’s Ginny Weasley! How can you be with her?”
Ginny felt her ire building and opened her mouth to retaliate, but Draco cut her off, “I know who she is, Parkinson. There’s nothing wrong with me seeing her.”
“Oh, yeah?” Pansy exclaimed.
Ginny felt apprehensive at the anger in the other girl’s eyes. She’d never seen anyone get so angry. Not even Ron in his worst moments of over-protectiveness.
Before she or Draco could react, Pansy had pointed her wand straight at her and yelled, “Sectumsempra!”
Ginny’s face erupted in bursts of pain. She screamed and collapsed onto the floor. The last thing she saw was Draco’s grey eyes staring down at her in shock and fear.
Ginny dropped a stack of books on a secluded table in the back of the library. She sighed as she collapsed into the chair. Pulling our her parchment, quill, and ink, she prepared for a couple hours of studying, as had become her norm. She had a ridiculously long potions essay to write and was not looking forward to it.
She pulled the first book towards her and located the information she needed. Felix Felicis was given a rather long chapter in the very center of the book. The list of restrictions on the substance was just as long and complicated as the recipe.
Ginny sighed again as she began taking notes for her essay. Horace Slughorn was remarkably strict and had demanded that they all include a detailed list of obscure side effects. This meant that Ginny was going to have to pay close attention to the mundane medical reports written about the potion.
In 1974, Doreen Conway overdosed on the controlled substance Felix Felicis. Her symptoms included dramatic hair growth and uncontrollable laughter. Fifteen feet of hair had to be cut off during her four hour stay at St. Mungo’s. Her laughter brought on a severe case of the flu.
Ginny rolled her eyes after copying this. No one really cared what happened to a foolish young woman almost thirty years ago.
In Doreen’s explanation to Ministry officials, she claimed she had done it to win the heart of her true love. This resulted in a restriction against using Felix Felicis in matters of the heart.
Ginny pulled out a copy of the decree. She read aloud, “‘ Felix Felicis, the substance originating in Ireland and thought to be the creation of Leprechauns, has been shown to be dangerous to persons in love. Blah, blah, blah… a tendency to disregard cautionary information, blah, blah, blah.
“‘Hereby, Felix Felicis is banned from use for these purposes: blah, blah, blah. Persons in love found to be taking Felix Felicis in order to create feelings of love in another person will be charged a fine of five hundred Galleons and given a night under close supervision by the Ministry to ensure that undesirable side effects do not occur.’ Blah, blah, blah.”
Ginny groaned in boredom. She pulled out her parchment and began taking notes She was surprised when a pair of arms dropped down past her shoulders to rest on the table on either side of her. She gasped as warm breath blew across her neck.
She knew who it was immediately and gently swatted his arm. “Malfoy, I’m trying to study!” she hissed.
“So I heard,” Draco said.
He planted a tiny kiss on her ear, sending shivers up and down her spine. He grabbed the notes she’d just written and glanced at them, holding them out of her reach as she tried to take them back. “Restrictions on the use of potions for the purpose of love. Sounds like you’re planning something,” he whispered. “Should I be worried?”
Ginny finally managed to snatch her notes and swung them at him. “I’m not planning anything! This is the most boring Potions research I’ve ever done.” She rolled her eyes for emphasis. “I don’t have enough brain power left to plan. If I did I wouldn’t still be sitting here.”
“Not enough brain power to plan,” Draco repeated.
A sly look had come into his eyes that made Ginny nervous. “I know that look. Don’t try anything, little ferret!” she cautioned.
He grinned. “You’re still trying to use that name to antagonize me. I warned you that it wouldn’t work. I like it, remember?” His arms came up off the table and wrapped around her, pinning her to his chest.
Ginny made a small squeak of protest as he nuzzled her neck. “Draco! I need to finish this. Professor Slughorn only gave us two days to write the essay.” She grabbed his arms and tried to loosen his grip.
She glanced around, trying to make sure Madam Pince wasn’t anywhere near. The librarian disliked commotion of any kind in her library.
Draco took her actions to mean that she wanted him to continue, ignoring her words. He blew in her ear, making her giggle despite herself.
“Stop it!” she hissed again.
“I can’t help it,” he replied, kissing her cheek. “I mean, you’re an annoying little weasel, but there’s just something about you.” He lifted one hand to brush her hair behind her ear. “I can’t resist you.”
Ginny took advantage of his arm being moved to break free of his grip. She stood up off her chair and spun to face him, feeling triumphant. She grinned at his startled expression and told him, “I really do have to do this essay.”
He took a step toward her and pinned her against the table. His hands circled her waist and he leaned in close, whispering, “Maybe I can help you?”
Ginny sighed and smoothed the fabric of his robes on his shoulders. Truthfully, his interruption had been extremely welcome, but she was already behind in Astronomy and Dark Arts and desperately needed to focus on her homework. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I’ve really got to get done.”
Draco reached behind him and grabbed another chair. “Okay. Like I said. Maybe I can help you.” He pulled her back into her chair and sat next to her.
The time passed quickly with him there. They talked a bit and occasionally one of them would crack a joke about the information they found. Before Ginny realized it, her essay was finished.
She glanced up at Draco in surprise. “That’s it,” she told him. “We’re done.”
“We’d better be,” he replied as he stretched his arms over his head. “We’ve been here for three hours. I’m exhausted.”
“Three hours?” Ginny gasped, shocked.
Draco cocked an eyebrow at her. “Amazing. The weasel can understand speech. Yes. Three hours.”
“It doesn’t seem like it took that long,” Ginny continued, choosing to ignore his comment. “Boy, how time flies.”
Draco smirked. “I take it you enjoyed my company then.”
“Oh, don’t get too confident. Given the nature of my project, I would have enjoyed the company of a Flobberworm.”
“Thanks. That makes me feel just wonderful. Maybe next time I won’t come. I’ll send a Flobberworm instead.”
Ginny rolled her eyes. “You’re impossible, little ferret.”
Draco leaned over and whispered in her ear, “But you like me anyway, right?”
He didn’t give her a chance to respond before pulling her into a passionate kiss. A tingling sensation began in the pit of her stomach, quickly spreading to the rest of her body. She wrapped her arms around his neck, answering with a kiss of her own. When he pulled back, they were both breathing heavily.
Draco cleared his throat, a glint in his eye. “You do like me, right? You never answered.” He casually draped an arm on the back of her chair.
“Oh, Merlin, Draco!” she exclaimed, exasperated. “Of course I do. I wouldn’t let you kiss me if I didn’t.”
“Let me?” he questioned. “Seemed like you were doing a bit more than letting, Miss Weasley.”
Ginny blushed and leaned her head back on his arm. She tried to think of something to say, but found herself at a loss for words. “Well, that should answer your question, then,” she finally managed.
Draco trailed his finger down her jaw. He winked at her, then stood up, pulling her with him. “We’d better go. The library’s going to close in a few minutes.”
Ginny winced as his sudden movement made her head throb. She had headaches every night now as a result of the numerous Cruciatus curses she’d received. No one know about them, however, and she hoped he wouldn’t notice now. If he did, he chose not to say anything.
They gathered up her things and put away the books. They left the library with their arms around each other.
As soon as they went out the door, they were set upon by a very angry Pansy Parkinson.
“Draco Malfoy!” she shrieked in a voice loud enough to wake the dead. “What in Merlin’s name are you doing?” Her face was a mottled purple colour and her hands were clenched around her wand.
“Walking,” Draco responded simply.
“You gave up on me for… her?” She motioned to Ginny with a look of pure disgust on her face.
Ginny felt Draco’s hold on her waist tighten possessively and suppressed a smile.
“If you’ll remember correctly, you gave up on me,” he calmly replied.
Pansy sputtered. “I didn’t… You… Never mind that. She’s Ginny Weasley! How can you be with her?”
Ginny felt her ire building and opened her mouth to retaliate, but Draco cut her off, “I know who she is, Parkinson. There’s nothing wrong with me seeing her.”
“Oh, yeah?” Pansy exclaimed.
Ginny felt apprehensive at the anger in the other girl’s eyes. She’d never seen anyone get so angry. Not even Ron in his worst moments of over-protectiveness.
Before she or Draco could react, Pansy had pointed her wand straight at her and yelled, “Sectumsempra!”
Ginny’s face erupted in bursts of pain. She screamed and collapsed onto the floor. The last thing she saw was Draco’s grey eyes staring down at her in shock and fear.
Author notes: I didn't really have a plan for this chapter when I started it. I just wrote where my muse took me. Apparently, she's a bit of a drama queen. Anyway, from this little bit I got the next two chapters and the story moves on into whole new realms of plot! I hope you liked it... I mean, except for Pansy's part, obviously. Thank you to merriza, choravenclaw, Nakita, 4everdandg, and NB72 for reviewing. You guys are great! Loves!
Leave a Review