** I don't own the Harry Potter world, the characters or places. They belong to J.K. Rowling. I'm simply borrowing them. Now, enjoy. ES <3 **

Chapter Twenty – Six ~ What She Wanted

“Ginny is avoiding me like the Dragon Pox’s plague.” Draco cursed as he sat down at the table where Pansy was sitting with Blaise and Neville.

His three companions all looked over at him; their expressions all a mixture of amusement and pity. He didn’t want their pity; he wanted Ginny Weasley. But Merlin had it out for him, he must.

He dropped his head into his hands and groaned.

“How long are you going to allow this to go on, mate?” Blaise asked as he laid his hand on the back of Neville’s chair.

“I spooked her,” was all Draco said.

“Didn’t the two of you just kiss? I don’t see the big deal about that.” Pansy shrugged as everyone looked at her.

“This is Ginny we’re talking about,” Neville said, “she’s most likely freaking out and is afraid to approach you right now. Give her time.”

“I don’t want to give her time. She’s think too much and we all know that that is a bad.” Draco said as he leaned back in his chair and grinned.

Neville rolled his eyes.

“How long has it been since you last saw her?” Pansy asked.

“It’s already been two weeks. Two bloody weeks, I’m afraid to think of what she’s been thinking all this time.” Draco sighed, rubbing the bridge.

“Invite her to dinner,” Blaise said and Draco’s head shot up.

“Invite her out…? Like a date?” He asked.

“It could be whatever you want it to be, mate.” Blaise told him as he took a sip of his drink.

“Don’t tell Ginny it’s a date!” Neville immediately said.

“Why?” Draco asked.

“She’ll say no,” was all Neville said in response.

“I’ll ask her to dinner to talk.” Draco said then quickly added, “As friends?” causing the others to laugh at his confusion.

~.~.~

“GINEVRA MOLLY WEASLEY, OPEN THIS BLOODY DOOR RIGHT THIS MOMENT!” Draco yelled at Ginny’s door. She cringed from the other end.

“Merlin’s beard, Draco, there is no reason to yell.” She told him; glad that her voice was steady because her body was shivering just hearing his voice.

She wanted him. Badly.

Like a drug, like oxygen, like magic.

Draco had been knocking on her door for over half an hour and Ginny refused to answer it. She knew they needed to talk and discuss what had happened between them but she just couldn’t bring herself to do it.

“Open this door, Ginny. We need to talk. At least let me talk to your face instead of this blasted door. I’m sure George could hear everything I am saying, maybe even Luna.” Draco growled.

“Not everything,” a dreamy voice whispered from the other side of the door.

“Luna, what are you doing here?” Draco asked and Ginny could imagine he’s eyes narrowing suspiciously as Luna made her way towards him.

She almost laughed.

“I heard yelling. I was worried. I thought maybe Wrackspurts had gotten in your ears and made you brain go all fuzzy again. But the way you are looking at me now, maybe not. Ginny, please talk to him. George is afraid he’ll scare all our customers away.” And with that, Ginny could hear her descending the stairs.

Ginny sighed; she didn’t want to see Draco.

“I’m only asking to be polite. I can get in there on my own, Ginny.” Draco whispered and she heard a low thump against the door.

She closed her eyes, inhaling; exhaling then slowly opened the door.

She almost smiled at the expression on Draco’s face. He seemed uneasy. His hair messed up, sticking up at different angles and his silvery – gray eyes seemed troubled.

“What’s wrong, Draco?” She immediately asked.

“Have dinner with me,” he blurted out.

“Whaaaaat?” She took a step back.

“Have dinner with me, Ginny.” Draco said slower.

“Like – like a date?” She got out. Inside she was cheering but she quickly stuffed that feeling. They couldn’t go on a date. They were friends! Friends, for Merlin’s sake! Friends do not go on dates, she told herself. “No, no dates.” She quickly said.

Draco smirked; Neville was right.

“Not a date. Dinner, Gin, so we can talk; I want to apologize to you.” He smiled slightly.

“Apologize? For what?” Ginny couldn’t help but ask.

“For the kiss, now get ready. I’m going to go home and shower. I’ll be here to pick you up at,” he looked at his watch, “eight o’clock. Be ready.” He said and then he was gone.

Ginny sighed then closed the door, wondering what she would wear.

~.~.~

“Hot dayyyyum!” Ginny’s eyes shot up to see Blaise standing next to her as she looked at herself in the mirror.

“What are you doing here, Blaise?” She sighed as she looked at herself in her little spaghetti strapped black dress, turning to the side to make sure it looked fine.

“I thought it was only dinner. Draco told me it wasn’t a date.” Blaise said, ignoring her question.

“It isn’t a date.” Ginny confirmed.

Blaise’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, “do you wear that to non-date dinners?”

Ginny fidgeted, “this is my ‘I-don’t-know-what-to-effing-wear, Blaise!”

He chuckled; “don’t worry so much, it’s hot.” He winked at her which had her giggling.

“Honestly, Blaise, what are you doing here?” She asked as she sat on her bed to put on her black heels.

“Neville sent me.” He sat beside her on the bed, “for moral support or some rubbish like that.”

“Moral support? I don’t need moral support. What does he think? I’m going to have a mental breakdown because I’m going on a dat – ah, having dinner with Draco.” She bit her lip.

“You almost said date.” Blaise pointed out with an annoying smirk on his face.

“I did NOT!” She growled but Blaise simply snorted.

“Whatever you say, Red, whatever you say.” Blaise ruffled her hair.

“No!” She shriek then jumped up to check her fiery hair in the mirror.

“I think you want it to be more than a dinner,” Blaise told her as he watched her straighten her messy hair, “not only are you lying to everyone, not that they believe you, but you’re also lying to yourself. You can dress a boggart in clothes to make it look like a person but it’s still a sodding boggart.”

Ginny watched Blaise through the mirror. Did he know that made absolutely no sense? She asked herself. She decided not to say anything.

“Anywayyyy,” Blaise said as he looked at his watch, “Draco should be here any sec –” he was cut off by a knock on the door.

Ginny immediately froze, looking at Blaise with wide eyes.

Mental breakdown is full bloom now! Blaise thought as he stared at her wide brown eyes.

“Take a deep breath, Ginny.” Blaise chuckled.

Ginny inhaled, exhaled deeply and then closed her eyes.

“Go open the door, Ginny.” Blaise told her.

She nodded as she opened her eyes and made her way to the door. She opened it and there stood Draco in all his sexy, impeccable, glory.

She bit her lip; he was dressed in a silk black dress shirt and matching trousers. His white – blonde hair was longer than usual, sliding into his eyes, over his ears and a bit over his collar.

He smirked as he realized she was openly scrutinizing him in a more than friends’ way. He took a step forward; her warm wandering eyes allowing him at possibly stealing one, torturing, breathtaking kiss until he spotted Blaise leaning against her bedroom doorframe.

He watched the black man suspiciously, unable to stop his jealous mind from drawing conclusions about his best mate and the woman he was only sexually and physically, possibly emotionally attracted too. Even though he knew Blaise was in an exclusive, gay, relationship with Neville didn’t stop those treacherous thoughts that clung to his mind.

“What are you doing here, Blaise?” Draco asked his voice thick with anger and jealous and suspicion.

Blaise’s eyebrows shot up once again and his grin changed to a frown and then to a full out mischievous and devious smile.

Draco knew right away why that smile appeared on Blaise’s face. He almost groaned out loud. There would be hell to pay.

“Oh, just dropped by to see the Weaslette. I caught her…examining herself in front of the mirror.” Blaise pushed himself off the wall and walked towards the two.

Draco stiffened as Blaise wrapped his arm around Ginny’s shoulder.

Ginny noticed when Draco’s silvery – gray eyes darkened to a gray so dark it was almost black.

Draco Malfoy was angry. She looked between Draco and Blaise.

“Well, Draco is here now, Blaise. So you can leave. I’m sure we’re about to head out.” Ginny said quickly.

“Yeah, get lost, Zabini.” Draco hissed.

Blaise snorted and winked at Ginny before he stepped out the door and apparated.

“Now, let’s go.” Draco grinned and grabbed her hand, pulling her away from the door. She magically locked up, muttered the incantation to set up the protective wards. As they stepped off the stairs, Draco pulled her away from the strip of restaurants in Diagon Alley.

“Where are we going?” She asked.

“Some place private,” he said as he pulled her into a apparition spot. “Now, close your eyes.” He whispered in her ear and they apparated on the spot.

~.~.~

“Draco, c’mon, let me open my eyes!” Ginny teasingly complained.

“Not yet, Red,” he whispered in her ear again. “Take a step up.”

Ginny stepped up then tripped a bit; Draco caught her then righted her.

“Careful there,” he chuckled.

“I wouldn’t trip if I could see where I was going.” She snorted.

“Wait, not yet.” He said as he stopped her, “Now.”

Ginny opened her eyes and gasped, “Where are we?”

“This is my new apartment, what do you think?” He smiled.

“What an amazing view,” Ginny whispered her voice low as she looked out the balcony they were positioned on. It was a view of London at night, all the lights flashing and that alone was breathtaking. The London Eye was a bright red; it was an amazing sight. “Wow.”

“I thought you’d like it.” Draco pulled out her chair for her.

“Why do you have a new apartment?” Ginny looked back at him.

“I need some space from…mother.” He said as he sat down.

“Isn’t it only the two of you?” She asked.

“Yes,” was all he said and so she decided to change the subject, “what’s for dinner?”

“We have steak and shepherd’s pie, whichever you want and also salad. Do you want wine or firewhiskey or Butterbeer?” He asked.

“Butterbeer is fine,” Ginny said as she continued to look at the view.

“Are you going to eat?” Draco asked and when Ginny looked up, she could see the entire table filled with food.

Ginny chuckled at Draco expression; he was sitting back in his chair, a glass of wine in his hand. He took a sip and Ginny watched as he deliberately licked his lips. Her body immediately exploded with heat; her heart pounding loudly in her chest. They needed to talk, talk right this second to take away the imprint of his kisses and hands on her lips and body.

She took a bit of her steak. It was amazing, juicy and just the way she liked it.

“So…I’m sorry.” Draco said so unexpectedly that Ginny choked on her steak.

After a few moments of coughing, deep breathes and sips of her Butterbeer, she was free of the steak. She looked up at him in surprise.

He had just apologized. To her, of all people.

“Really, Ginny, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have taken advantage of you.” Draco told her.

“Draco, Draco, Draco – wait.” She said quickly because it looked like he was going to cut her off; “there really isn’t any reason to apologize. I enjoyed it but it can’t happen again. We’re friends, only friends. I’m sorry if I ever gave you any reason to believe we were more.” She lied even though inside she was screaming at him, at herself because she wanted him, wanted more from him then friendship but it would never work. Never.

“I know, Ginny. We’re just friends. Really.” He nodded and Ginny frowned.

She didn’t like that it was that easy for him to agree.

He wanted to be friends, only friends just like she had said.

It’s what she wanted, wasn’t it?

*****

Hello, readers/fans/friends!

There is chapter twenty - six. I hope you guys enjoyed it.

You guys know what to do!

Peace & Love,

ES <3