Disclaimer: It’s all JK Rowling’s. I’m just borrowing the characters and idea for my own amusement. Plot is mine, though, in case you’re wondering ;)

 

A/N: Thank you to all those who reviewed. Even though I said this in my other fic, I would just like everyone who was a victim of the terrorist incidents Tuesday, September 11^th to know that they are in my prayers!!!

 

Chapter Four

Tempers

 

“How big are these woods?” Ginny whined.

Draco sneered but didn’t look over his shoulder at her. “Stop complaining, Weasley,” he said, pushing a large branch aside that was in his way. When he released it it snapped back into Ginny’s face, causing her to screech and jump back.

She stopped walking and put her hands on her hips. “You did that on purpose!” she accused angrily.

“C’mon, Weasley, what do you think I am, three years old?” he asked, turning and walking backwards so he could see her. “If I wanted to hurt you I would’ve done it in a more sophisticated way.”

Ginny resumed walking, her arms crossed. It was dark, but Draco was holding his wand up so the light would shine over everything they needed to see. “If you don’t turn around,” she said coldly, “you’ll trip and fall.”

He smirked at her. “Draco Malfoy does not fall –”

The back of his heel hit an upraised root and caused him to loose balance. Just when he was about to fall directly on his bottom he reached out and grabbed a small tree and managed to keep standing. Ginny burst out into laughter.

“He only stumbles,” she managed to choke out.

Draco glowered and faced forward, angry and embarrassed. She was laughing at him! What right did she, a poor little Weasley, to laugh at him?

It took nearly a minute for Ginny to stop laughing. When she did, she said in a voice that clearly gave away she was still smiling broadly, “Malfoy, you need to lighten up a little.”

“Oh yeah, of course I’ll lighten up,” he said, shoving his way through thick bushes. “I’m stuck in the woods with you, and I’m wanted by the Ministry. All because I was an idiot and decided to help out the less fortunate. If I had left you to die in that ocean I would be at home right now, fed and cool and much happier.”

That was sure to wipe the smile off her face.

“God, Malfoy, you’re such an ass,” she snapped irritably. “No one forced you to run. You could’ve stayed and told the Ministry the truth – or maybe a lie, that you were going to turn me in eventually!”

He stopped walking and spun around to face her. She had had her head down, watching where she was stepping, and nearly ran into him. “That sounds like a great idea,” he hissed, his voice low but full of anger. “First of all, if I was going to turn you in, why did I pay for your own room for you to sleep comfortably in? And second of all, if my father found out I helped a Weasley I would be permanently disowned – and that’s the best thing that my father could do to me. Don’t ask me what I was thinking when I pulled you from that water. One less Weasley in this world sounds great to me.”

Her eyes widened in anger, and she looked like she wanted to do nothing more than slap him across the face. Instead, she just clenched her fists and then narrowed her eyes, the fury nearly radiating from her. “How horrible are you?” she whispered, and then shoved past him and took the lead in walking.

And all he could feel was a deep regret for making her so angry.

 

Ginny was hungry, tired, and sweaty. She had never wanted food so badly in her life – the last time she ate was over twenty-four hours ago. She’d had a sandwich for lunch before she got on the bus for Azkaban. That was it.

They finally came to the edge of the woods – only to find a vast field. Ginny groaned inwardly. When would they find some place with food and a bed?

“We’re close to the Muggle town Leiston,” Draco announced, as if reading her thoughts. “Then only seventy-five miles to London.” (A/N: I know they don’t use miles in Europe, but I don’t feel like converting that to kilometers!!)

“Seventy-five?” Ginny repeated. “And we’re supposed to get there on foot?”

He glared at her. “I’m sorry, Your Majesty, I forgot to grab my broom in the two seconds we had before we left the hotel. Would you like me to go back and get it for you so you can travel in comfort?”

“Shut up,” she said. “It’s just that I’m hungry and I don’t feel like walking anymore.”

She expected him to criticize her, but he didn’t say a word. Instead, he continued to walk.

About ten minutes later, they reached the city of Leiston. It was bright with the lights of the buildings, and Ginny felt slightly uneasy, like she did whenever she was in a total Muggle city.

“What do we do now?” Ginny demanded.

“We find a place to sleep.”

“Where? On the ground?”

“In a hotel like normal people, you idiot. Oh, wait, I forgot – you’re so poor you’re used to sleeping on the ground when you’re out of town.”

“Malfoy . . .” She trailed off, too angry to finish.

“Use your head, Weasley, we’re magic. We can get into a Muggle hotel room unnoticed very easily.” He looked at her and shook his head as if she was disappointing him. “Just follow me, okay? Don’t do anything to attract attention.”

They did make an unusual sight, though, walking in to a hotel that looked promising. They were both wearing odd clothes – Draco was wearing his expensive black robes that weren’t too clean anymore, and Ginny was wearing her raggedy black jumpsuit. Still, they tried to act natural as Draco approached the front desk.

“Yes, may I help you?” the young girl asked, smiling at them brightly.

“We need two rooms for the night,” Draco said.

How? We can’t pay for it! Ginny thought frantically. But Draco looked very calm, almost confident.

“I’m sorry, sir, we only have one left,” the girl said, frowning apologetically. “But it has a double bed, or we could bring up a cot for you.”

“What room number?” Draco asked.

The girl looked slightly taken aback, but replied, “Um, room 203, sir. It’s on the second floor.”

“Great, we’ll take it –” Draco reached into his pocket and stopped. “Oh, damn. Honey, do you have my wallet?”

Ginny was surprised when she realized he was talking to her. Honey? she wondered. “Er – no,” she managed to say through her shock.

“I must’ve left it back in that restaurant. Come on, let’s go and see.” He turned and started to walk out of the hotel. Ginny thanked the girl behind the desk and hurried after him.

“Honey?” she repeated once they were outside on the sidewalk. “You called me honey?!”

But Draco wasn’t paying attention to her. He reached into his robes and pulled out his wand, peering back through the glass doors where he had a perfect view of the front counter. “I’ll just distract her,” he said under his breath, more to himself then to Ginny, “and then we can slip up to room 203 without anyone seeing us.” Then he hissed, “Niosia!”

Even from outside Ginny heard the large boom from somewhere behind the counter. The girl quickly turned and disappeared from view. Draco looked satisfied and hurried inside, not even bothering to see if Ginny was following him.

He found the stairs with some difficulty, refusing to use the Muggle device that Ginny called the “elevator” and went up to the second floor. Without any trouble he found room 203.

“Alohomora,” he said, and the door sprung open. For the first time he turned and flashed a triumphant sneer at her. “You see, Weasley, being magic has its advantages. And having a brain also has its advantages as well.”

He spun and went into the room. Ginny followed him, saying indignantly, “I have a brain, moron. Everyone has a brain or else they couldn’t function.”

“Well, using it often helps,” he replied smoothly.

It was then, standing in the room, that the fact that there was only one bed dawned on Ginny. Draco seemed to notice her flushing at the thought of sharing a bed with him and said quickly, “You sleep on the floor. I’ll take the bed.”

“Oh, that’s real fair!” she cried.

“Hey, I’m the one who got us this room, remember?”

“So?”

“So? What, do you want to share a bed with me?”

“Of course not! That is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard –”

“Then stop your whining and use this blanket to make a bed on the floor,” he interrupted. He took the top blanket off the bed and threw it at her. It fell over her head and she flailed underneath it. Finally, she managed to, very ungracefully, yank it off her to see Draco smirking with amusement at her.

“God, you’re such an ass,” she hissed, and turned her back to him to begin making her bed.

“You’ve said that before.” There was pleasure in his tone; he obviously enjoyed seeing her angry.

She didn’t reply, but viciously made her pathetic bed on the floor. Even though she would never admit it, she was tired enough to sleep on nails. The floor looked very, very promising.

Draco used a sticking charm to seal the door so just in case someone actually bought the room couldn’t get in with their key.

“But then they’ll get management up here and they’ll somehow break down the door,” Ginny pointed out.

“No they won’t,” he said, taking off his shoes and getting into the bed. “But they’ll probably make a lot of noise. Besides, I doubt anyone will come in the middle of the night anyway. It’s nearly four in the morning.”

“Is it that late?”

“Yes, now shut up so I can go to sleep.”

Ginny got into her own bed and then realized she didn’t have a pillow. “Give me a pillow.”

He threw it at her and it landed right on her face. “Oooh,” she said, furious, but managed not to say anything. Instead, with force she fluffed it and stuck it under her head, determined to fall asleep instantly.

After a second, she said, “I’m hungry.”

“I don’t care. Be quiet.”

She closed her eyes, trying to stay patient. As much as he was annoying her, she really was grateful for all that he had done. He wasn’t such a terrible person, was he? Maybe he was all talk – perhaps whatever he said he really didn’t mean. After all, he had done so much for her so deep down that made him a good person.

Doesn’t it?

 

 

A/N: Okay, please review!!! I’ll do some really quick thank yous: Stega Brava, pyrobunnie, DarkKnight, Blythe, Labhaise, summer_thyme, Sweet Dreams, StrangerWithMyFace, Archer, Acquaria, and Dobby@Winky. Thanks for everyone who reviwed!!!

* * *

Review This Story