4. Draco Bloody Malfoy

“Some things just never change, honestly,” Ginny growled as she thought over what had happened at the Burrow. Her mum just didn’t understand. The truth was that she never would because she’d never just let it go. Ginny inhaled deeply, closing her eyes as she massaged her temples, fighting off a blinding headache before it began as she made her way up the stairs outside of WWW that led up to her flat; her beautifully secluded flat, she thought blissfully.

As she took step after step, she muttered the incantations to the protective wards and tapped her wand against the lock with a simple “Alohomora,” that would only unlock it if the protective wards have been dismantled. As she pushed open the door, she kicked something. She looked down to see her muggle portable CD player. Her eyebrows furrowed as she tried to remember why it was out here and not in her flat where she believed she had left it. Suddenly, a note appeared on top of it. It was a small piece of parchment.

Curious, she picked it up and opened it. It simply read:

You left this last night ~ D.

Ginny grinned at that. Now, she knew how she had gotten home last night. As soon as she closed it, it burst into flames and she couldn’t help but roll her eyes. Always with the damn theatrics, she shook her head; he’d almost singed her hand, that git.

With that, she picked up the CD player, she pushed open her door completely and walked into her flat, slamming the door behind her. She slipped her wand into her messy ponytail and threw her cloak on the sofa.

The flat was the perfect size for one young witch and she loved it exactly the way it was. The living room was off to the left side of the entrance, decorated with mismatched furniture. The dining room was attached with a small rounded table with four chairs. Opposite the dining room was a long but thin kitchen. It had all the muggle appliances which she occasionally used; they came in handy when you couldn’t cook. A microwave, another muggle appliance, was definitely a miracle. She didn’t know how it exactly worked without magic bit did and it was bloody brilliant.

There was only one bedroom with a master bathroom. Her room was fairly large, with a walk-in closet that contained her trunk from Hogwarts and all her clothes. Her queen-size bed was her favorite thing about her entire flat. It was ridiculously fluffy with red linen sheets. She loved it and she was totally thinking about burying herself deep into that comfortableness right this very second until she heard a rather loud, unwelcome pop and spin angrily at the rude and annoying wizard who just apparated right into her flat!

“Ginevra Weasley, are you bloody kidding me? You didn’t even put back up your protection wards! Shame on you, shame, shame, shame on you,” the husky male voice teased.

Ginny’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “What the hell do you think you are doing apparating right into my flat? How dare you!” She spat angrily. “You’re lucky I didn’t hex the living crap out of you for doing something so horrible!” She hissed.

“What’s got your knickers in a twist?” Draco Malfoy asked as he brushed back his silky smooth pale blond hair. He had stopped using that terrible gel once he got out of Hogwarts and now it looked natural, smooth and just soft enough to touch; it begged a witch to run her fingers through the strands.

Draco was still regal, perfect, more like royalty. He held himself with the air of superiority and was still the old pompous git that he’d been during Hogwarts but he wasn’t evil. He was sarcastic and a huge goddamn tease but Ginny guessed that was what was so appealing about him; well, not to her, of course.

He had a strong, pointed face with fine bone structure. He was very good-looking and he knew it.

Ginny irritably looked him over in his usual ensemble, the onyx black dress shirt and black trousers; he was so prim, perfect, impeccable. She envied his perfection as she looked down at her worn, faded jeans and brown jumper her mum had made for her last Christmas. She bit her lip; him and his bloody flawlessness!

As she watched him, he smirked, his expression one of pure cocky. He knew she was scrutinizing his appearance and he loved it, loved the attention.

She was so right when she said some things never changed; so bloody right.

His silvery-gray eyes watched her calmly as she stormed right up to him and grabbed his nice, expensive dress shirt and pulled his impressive five-eleven frame down to her small, pathetic five-three eye level.

“Don’t even go thinking about my knickers, you tosser.” Her voice was dangerously calm. Her famous Weasley temper was beginning to boil beneath the surface; her eyes blazing.

His eyes widened mockingly then he leaned over and whispered softly, his warm breath brushing against her ear, “I sincerely hope they’re black today. You always wear black when you’re feeling naughty.” He teased.

Quickly, without thinking much about it, her wand was in her hand and she was performing her famous Bat-Bogey Hex in the blink of an eye.

Chuckling, Draco just as quickly blocked it and stepped back into safe territory. “Honestly, what is it?” He asked seriously. She shook her head angrily and huffed as she made her way to the kitchen. He looked around, “Gin, put up the goddamn protection wards already.” He hissed to her but she ignored him.

She didn’t care. It anyone else entered her flat without her permission, she would seriously contemplate performing an unforgivable and she wasn’t sure which she’d do first.

Maybe Harry would decided today was a good day to stop by.

That thought had her chuckling to herself. Draco followed her into her kitchen and she handed him a bottle of Ogden’s Firewhiskey. He poured it into two cups and handed one over to her then he drank down half in a single sip.

“Tough day as well?” She asked with a smirk that mirrored his.

He nodded, “I was forced to have lunch with mother; you bloody well know she’s something else.”

Honestly, her friendship with Draco was odd. After the Final Battle where Harry Potter, the-idiotic-boy-she-couldn’t-believe-she’d-once-actually-loved, defeated Lord Voldemort, things had been rough. No one really knew what to do with themselves even though everything looked as if they were going to calm down. Death Eaters were being snatched up by the newly reformed Ministry of Magic and Aurors. Everything was finally returning to normal. Life had finally started again. Even Hogwarts had been restored and had reopened again that September.

Draco Malfoy, oddly enough, had applied and been accepted into Auror training. Lucius Malfoy had been arrested and sent to Azkaban for good and Narcissa was supposedly living the life back at the Malfoy Manor; free from the psychopath Lucius. One day, back when she was with Harry, she’d overheard Harry telling Ron and Hermione that Draco was in training and that he was the best in the class; speeding rapidly through the three years of training in only months. He would finish and become a full-time Auror in a little less than a year.

And then at the end of her seventh year at Hogwarts, he began working at the WWW’s Hogsmeade branch. At first, Ginny had been hesitant to approach him but he seemed different; he was really working for the side of good now even the battle against Voldemort was over but that didn’t mean evil was still gone. Well, eventually they got to talking and had started a weird friendship, of sorts.

Then she’d graduated from Hogwarts ang began working at WWW and there was Draco now, who had been reassigned to the Diagon Alley branch. It had been nice and their friendship had gotten better. Now, they both worked part-time at WWW and spent a lot of time together, especially now that Ginny and Harry had broken up. Once when Ginny had asked Draco if he still hated Harry, he’d simply said, “Old grudges are hard to get rid of. He’s still a slimy git who didn’t realize how bloody lucky he was.” He had looked her straight in the eyes then, silvery-gray to brown, and she couldn’t stop herself from smiling at those words even now in the present.

“What are you smiling about?” Draco asked, instantly pulling Ginny out of her memories.

“Old times,” she explained as she took a long sip of the Firewhiskey and hissed as it burned going down.

“What’s wrong, really?” He watched her.

“Family brunch, mum brought up Harry Potter, the-unfaithful-lying-prick, once again. She never gives me a break. It’s annoying. I just want some peace.” She complained as she rubbed her forehead, the massive headache from before fiercely turning into a migraine with a vengeance.

Draco frowned and then patted her gently on the head. She barely reached his shoulders.

“Accio knife,” she growled as she pointed her wand at the silverware drawer.

“Don’t summon a knife, you idiot!” He immediately blocked the knife with a flick of his wand as it raced towards them.

“Don’t pat me on the head like I’m some – some – some child!” She huffed furiously at him.

He laughed. He actually had the goddamn snitches to laugh at her!

“Oh!” She screamed and began pounding her fists angrily against his hard chest. Sweet Merlin, he was strong. She frowned.

“Hey, hey, cut it out.” He snickered, “You’re going to hurt yourself.” He teased.

“Get out.” She muttered as she turned her back on him and headed towards her bedroom.

“Ah, don’t be like that. I returned your muggle thing and brought you home safely last night. You were pretty much passed out at that pub last night. Thank Merlin that I go to that pub too and saw you. You could have been in serious trouble, you know, Ginny.” He said earnestly and she realized he was right.

“Okay, okay, you’re right. I’m sorry.” She bit her lip and apologized.

“And you should just tell your family what St. Scar-head did. That’ll solve all your problems.” He shrugged.

“No way, they wouldn’t believe me.” She explained with a sigh.

“Or tell your insufferable, idiotic brother.” He tried.

“Which one?” She tried but she knew he was talking about Ron. She wanted to, she really wanted to tell him so bad even more so because he was still with Hermione; that backstabbing witch who Harry had cheated on her with. Ginny frowned, biting her lip.

“It’ll solve half of your problems anyway, trust me.” He shook his head softly.

Ginny rubbed the heel of her hand against her forehead. All this drama was making her migraine worse. “This is too much,” she sighed as she pulled her red hair out of the ponytail, trying to ease the pain. She ran a hand through it and sighed again. “I will.”

“It’s about damn time.” He exclaimed.

“Draco, it’s only been a month and a half.”

“So?” He shrugged. She grinned at that. “That’s better,” he said as he lifted his hand to pat her head again.

“Draco,” she growled and his hand froze inches above her head.

“Oh, you’re no fun.”

Ginny rolled her eyes. She stepped back into the kitchen to put her cup in the sink. He followed her. She turned quickly, instantly remembering that she needed to feed Artemis; except, when she turned, she bumped into Draco, who was unexpectedly right behind her and having caught him off guard, they both tumbled to the floor; Ginny on top of Draco.

A few seconds later, they were both groaning. At least he kept her from seriously hurting herself, she thought. The same couldn’t be said for him.

“What was that for?” Draco hissed as he rubbed his elbow, wincing.

“Sorry,” she apologized, rolling off of him and lying back against the floor. Merlin, she hurt.

“You’re so clumsy.”

“Shut it,” she snapped.

“But –” suddenly her front door burst open. They both froze. She’d forgotten to put up the protection wards when she had returned. Draco had told her. Merlin’s beard, this was bad.

“GINNY!”

Ginny’s eyes widened and she looked quickly at Draco who snorted next to her.

“Speak of the Devil,” he muttered. “Alright, I’m off.” He leaned over, kissed her cheek and apparated; leaving her all alone with her second unexpected and unwelcome visitor of the day.

Now, which Unforgivable curse would she use first? Ginny wondered as she heard her guest make their way inside.