Manipulation, As A Lifestyle...DM...0 Prologue

Harry took the last bite out of his apple, and threw the core into a convenient bin that had just materialised out of the Hogwarts stonework. They had just finished their early dinner on Monday evening, for practice was near, along with another match, this time against Hufflepuff. Ron, Lavender, Neville and Hermione had all gone back to the Common Room briefly, to play a few games of Gobstones before practice, Ginny had a Metaphysics session booked, and so Harry had offered to walk her.

*

If he had to be honest, he wanted to see if Malfoy was there when they arrived, whether to thank him for the past week, or challenge him about Octavia, he wasn’t sure. Either way, it didn’t matter. For when they did arrive, and each was shaken out of their respective ravines of thought; there was no one at the South Tower.

*

Ginny had just shrugged, and slipped into the room, shutting the door behind her softly. “See you at half six.” Harry said shortly, to the door. He shook his head, Ginny was always sullen before a practice; she felt worthless and resentful that she was only in the reserve team. Many a time she had tried to use her influence of Harry to get her placed in the First team, once or twice she had even tried to guilt Ron into it, but, what could they do? The other Chasers were better than her, and that was that.

*

“Hey Harry.” A soft voice said from the darkness. But it was so soft, so quiet, and so unexpected that Harry jumped.

“Octavia.” Harry gasped, he hadn’t realised that anyone had been in the corridor with him, he had wandered down from the South Tower, and was just contemplating where to go next, when the Lady of Slytherin had materialised beside him. Don’t be silly, he told himself, she can’t apperate in here, ‘Hermione would kill me for thinking it’. “What are you doing here?” They weren’t that close to the South Tower, but they weren’t yet close enough to the main school for this chance meeting.

*

She didn’t reply immediately, he noticed, as he was used to her doing, with her self-assured voice. But she smiled, and shrugged, not meeting his eyes. “I don’t know, I just,” she gestured helplessly, “I followed Draco, I knew that his route to the South Tower took him close to the Gryffindor Common Room, I hoped I might see you. I just,” she looked up at him suddenly, hitting him with all the force of those big, dazzling eyes, “I wanted to see you.” She admitted.

*

Harry felt a warm glow, as though he’d just swallowed a whole goblet of Butterbeer. The poor sod was helpless. “I tried to see you,” He assured her awkwardly, he didn’t feel quite comfortable under that intense, enthralling gaze, “this week I mean. But, I was always so busy, with, well, my parents.” He said the last sentence with a vague wonder, as though he still couldn’t get over the miracle.

“I know.” Octavia smiled, walking alongside him, careful to keep the distance between their bodies at that specific blend between longing to be close, but resisting; being unsure, yet at the same time not being able to pull away.

*

“I hoped I might see you when,” she chose her words carefully, “we were both alone one day, but, my friends would have not understood.”

“Thanks for-,” Harry said, glancing at her sideways, “for arranging that with my parents, I was going to thank Malfoy, but, well…” He trailed off.

“Oh, don’t worry about that!” Octavia laughed quietly, “He would not have accepted it, but don’t worry, your thanks will be appreciated where it’s due.”

*

“You don’t look happy, Ginny.” Draco observed nervously.

“You’re late. Again.” She snapped. She felt humiliated at how anxious she had been getting at his continued absence.

“It’s just to make you appreciate me more when I’m here.” He quipped, truthfully for once.

“Let me guess, you don’t fancy doing work?” She inquired, looking at the pile of Metaphysics books that Draco had dumped on the teacher’s chair unceremoniously. He didn’t reply, just grinned down at her, from where he was leant against the desk. “Fine, don’t tell me.” She was getting self conscious, with Draco fixing her with such a penetrating, playful look. “So, what do you want to do?”

*

“I, have got a rather strange proposition for you.” He said happily, unfolding his arms. Ginny looked at his suspiciously, but with a suppressed smile on her face. He held out his hand, “Fancy going to the theatre?”

Ginny laughed.

Draco wandered over to the desk and pulled a big, leather bound book from the pile. “Really, I mean it. Romeo and Juliet good enough for you, milady?” He asked teasingly, tilting his head in a mock-bow. He set the book down on the table, and opened it up. A card stage and little plastic 3D figures and set pieces unfolded with the pages, like a children’s pop-up book.

*

“Oh wow…” Ginny breathed, stepping forward to look at it closely. “I haven’t seen one of these since I was a child, and my uncle Fabien leant us one for Christmas.”

“Come on.” Draco said quietly, pulling out his wand and transfiguring the curtains into large squishy cushions, which he dropped down on the floor in front of the table, with the teachers desk behind them, like a chair back. “Have a seat.” So saying he flopped down and patted the cushion next to him.

*

“Why-” Ginny began, sitting down uncertainly.

“Well I was walking up here, and I felt like relaxing, so I doubled back and nicked this from our Common Room. Besides,” Draco said, extinguishing half the lights, “it occurred to me that perhaps it might amuse you.” He tugged on her arm gently and repositioned her so that she was sitting back more comfortably and naturally. Ginny put one hand out to stop herself from toppling into him, but he caught her and laughed.

*

“But, we’ve got work to do, I’ve got a test soon.” She objected weakly.

“So just, relax, and enjoy yourself for once.” Draco said, pulling her in close to him and starting the play.