FicWad

There was a whole month between that second kiss and the actual ball. Ginny didn't tell anyone, including her parents and Ron, but she worried about how she would explain leaving the day after Christmas day, as she would be home on Christmas break then. She concluded that she would say she was only going over to a friend's house, even though lying to her family was something she didn't like doing.

She had agreed with Draco's suggestion that he would send someone to pick her up around noon, so she could have time at Malfoy Manor to change and get ready. Aside from arranging this they had not had any contact the last few weeks. They weren't actually avoiding each other, but they didn't seek each other out either. And although Ginny felt her heart skip a beat every time she passed him in the hallways, she kept a straight face, and basically ignored him.

The fact that he did the same every time he passed her felt like a stone dropped down in her stomach each time she saw it, but she told herself it was for the sake of secrecy. He had, after all, stopped any cuddling with Pansy Parkinson, and rumor had it that she was frantic over the fact that he hadn't asked her to the ball.

The last week before school ended, Pansy had finally asked out Michael Davids from Hufflepuff. People said that she chose that house deliberately to provoke a reaction from Draco, one that never came. The gossipers of the school also had a field day trying to guess who Draco was taking, but Ginny was relieved to hear that all the gossip she heard was way off target. Apparently the school had forgotten about the trip to the robe shop - either that or they never expected Draco to be bold enough to bring a Gryffindor into his father's house.

The second to last day of classes was the only time she and Draco exchanged words between the meeting in the Transfiguration classroom and the break. She found herself as usual on her way from Potions - which she actually hadn't been late for since her first encounter with Draco - to Transfigurations with far too many books and papers in her arms. As she was hurrying the corridors, she came across Harry, Hermione and Ron who were heading the same way, and Harry graciously offered to take some of her books. She was very grateful, and didn't waste much time arguing with him. Just as she was handing the things to him, however, something hard bumped into her and her books and papers went scattered.

"My apologies, Weasley," an icy voice said, and her heart started racing as she looked up in the slightly amused face of Draco Malfoy.

"Yeah sure, you're really sorry," Ron said annoyed, but to everyone's surprise Draco bent down and picked up some of the stuff closest to him.

As he was getting up, he discretely placed the hand not holding her things on Ginny's leg, and ran it up her inner thigh. It was done very quickly, and Ginny didn't think any of the others were in a position where they could see the movement, but she still blushed instantly.

"Here," he said smirking widely.

"See you," he said before turning and walking away.

"What on earth was that about?" Ron asked flabbergasted.

"I have no idea," Ginny said quickly, her face now bright red she was sure, and bent down to pick up her books. Bending down also helped her to avoid the suspicious looks Hermione was sending her.

Christmas at the Burrow was always wonderful. They had Harry there, of course, and Mrs. Weasley tried to fatten everyone up, complaining constantly that none of them were eating enough. Both Charlie and Bill were back for Christmas, which made the house rather crowded, but none there minded that. At first Ginny was a little worried about sharing rooms with Hermione, just in case she started asking question about the last encounter with Draco, but thankfully Hermione said nothing.

Christmas Eve came and went with an extravagant meal Mrs. Weasley had made with extra effort. They had Lupin over for dinner, and he and Mr. Weasley were up talking long after the children had gone to bed. In fact, as Ginny, Harry, Ron and Hermione got up on Christmas morning they found the two of them asleep in front of a dying fire. Mr. Weasley had held on to his glass of whiskey as he fell asleep, and had managed to spill it all over one of Mrs. Weasley's favorite chairs. The youth left Mrs. Weasley to do the cleaning up, and turned to the pile of presents.

The annual sweater from Mrs. Weasley was there, of course, Ginny opened hers and found a green sweater with a dragon on it. It almost gave her a chill, but she tried not to let it show. From Ron she got a Chudley Cannons shirt, which - because it clashed horrible with her hair - she knew she would never use, but she thanked him heartily anyway. Hermione gave her a handheld talking mirror, which she suspected had been charmed to only give compliments. There were presents there from Harry, her Hogwarts friends, and the rest of her brothers, but before she got to them, she found an unmarked present in her pile.

"There's one with no name here," she called to her mother.

"Yes, I know, dear," Mrs. Weasley said. "It came for you yesterday with a quite magnificent owl when you were asleep. I figured it was from one of your friends at Hogwarts."

Ginny checked and saw presents in her pile from everyone she had bought a present for and started getting a funny feeling in her stomach. Surely he hadn't. She ripped the paper off, and out from the box she pulled a gorgeous pair of stiletto-heeled shoes. They were the same shade of red as her dress, and had gold trimmings, and she understood at once that they had to be from Draco.

"My, those are pretty," her mother said. "Who did you get them from?"

"Melissa," Ginny lied quickly.

She saw Hermione casting suspicious glances in her direction, but again she made no comment. Ginny hurried over to her other presents and hoped that no one would notice exactly how much Melissa apparently had given her.

Ginny had already packed, and so she had nothing to do when she woke up early the next morning. She settled for getting ready, and did her makeup in a way that she hoped would impress Draco. When she was done, she realized her parents would be suspicious, and decided to remove it all. Then she applied it again and removed it once more. She was confused and a little scared, and by the time she had put on and removed her makeup for the third time she felt like a mess.

She had started to realize that it wouldn't be all fun. The ball would be filled with Slytherins who disliked her, and the only one she had on her side was Draco Malfoy, which was not much of a comfort. In addition her whole family and all her friends would get to know that she'd gone with him, which she didn't really like the thought of.

Outside the bathroom door there was already a line, formed by the twins and Ron, and they all gave an exasperated sigh as she came out. She was after all still in her pajamas and had no makeup on as she came out after over an hour in there. In the end she settled for a plain black robe and moderate makeup.

By noon she was ready and was annoying everyone by tapping her hand nervously on her thigh.

"Why are you so extremely excited about going over to Melissa's?" Hermione asked slyly.

"I'm not," Ginny said quickly, stopping her tapping.

They heard the carriage before they saw it. Bells had been attached to the horses, and each step they took was rewarded with a small jingle. This didn't suit Ginny at all, as her whole family, including Harry and Hermione, were by the windows as the grand carriage drawn by two beautiful horses with long manes pulled up to the house. She picked up her bag where her dress, shoes, jewelry and makeup lay packed compact but carefully and walked towards the door.

"Bye," she said quickly, not wanting the others to look enough at the carriage to notice the M crest placed on the door.

"What?" Her mother said bewildered. "Won't you invite Melissa in for a cup of tea?"

"Oh, Melissa's not there," Ginny started, "she just sent the-"

She didn't have time to say anything more before the door of the carriage opened and revealed Draco Malfoy, dressed in a dark elegant travelling robe. Ginny was halfway out the door when she got the shock of seeing him, and hurried out as she heard mutters from the others.

"Malfoy?" Harry was saying, while Hermione made a superior "Aha..." comment.

Ginny hurried over to the carriage. Draco gave her a charming smile.

"Let's go," Ginny said hurriedly.

"Well, I wouldn't want to be impolite," Draco said, and motioned his head towards the door of the Burrow. Ginny looked over and saw everyone spilling out the doors, clearly confused.

"Mr. and Mrs. Weasley," Draco said, and gave a small bow.

"Potter, Granger, Weasley," he continued with more spite in his voice as the trio came into view from behind Mrs. Weasley. Harry stared at him as if he wanted to kill him.

"Ok," Ginny said uncomfortably, "we're off."

She tugged impatiently on Draco's sleeve.

"Yes," Draco said, "sorry to leave so soon, but we do have a ball to catch."

Ginny felt her face getting red and hot, and was grateful neither of her parents were recovering enough to say anything. She deliberately didn't take Draco's hand, which he gracefully extended to help her in to the carriage. As she climbed in she heard her mother ask Ron softly what he knew about this. All in all, she thought, they were taking it way better than expected.

When Draco climbed in after her she made sure to swing at him, which resulted in him getting a hard slap in the stomach.

"Ow," he said without much conviction, and rubbed his belly dramatically. "What was that for?"

"Why are you here?" she asked.

"I'm picking you up as I promised I would," he said. He started a smirk, but had to duck as she swatted at him again, and instead composed his face into that of honest consideration.

"You didn't say you were picking me up!" Ginny exclaimed. "You said you were sending a carriage!"

"Actually," Draco corrected her, "I said someone would come by to pick you up. And, technically, someone was by to pick you up."

Ginny merely huffed and leaned back.