had always felt a brittle sort of tension being in Malfoy's company, which was why people tended to steer clear of the old Draco unless they were in his good books.
It wasn' t unusual for teenage boys to be angry. Harry had certainly put in his fair share of angst during their later schooling years. But there had always been an 'instability' about Malfoy, a sense that he might snap at you for no reason other than because he felt like it.
And Merlin knew that Draco Malfoy turning on you was not something you soon forgot.
There was none of this now. There was a deep, but definitely calm ocean behind those familiar grey eyes.
His long fingers drummed lightly on the table, as if he was growing impatient with her sudden, close scrutiny.
"So what are you doing here?" he inquired.
Funny how he was able to ask her that as if she was the interloper at Grimmauld Place.
"Visiting with Harry," answered Ginny, hotly.
Did he really need to ask? She was wearing a dressing gown, for Merlin' s sake. It seemed obvious enough. It was all Molly Weasley's fault for making Ginny particularly sensitive about the sleeping arrangements she and Harry shared whenever Ginny visited Grimmauld Place.
Molly was from the 'separate bedrooms' school of courtship. In fact, she wasn' t just from that school, she was the Headmistress. Harry hated lying (and frankly, was shite at it) and so Ginny had to do it for the both of them.
Malfoy didn't nod or do anything that might have put her more at ease. He just looked slightly amused. "You look well," he said, with complete amiability. "Good to know Potter hasn't driven you to tear your hair out just yet."
"You on the other hand look like something Crookshanks dragged in," Ginny replied, feeling an immediate need to defend Harry, though she couldn't think why. "Didn't they have mirrors in the desert?"
Malfoy gave her a slow smile. "Ah, Crookshanks. Is that old fur ball still alive?"
"Yes. He's enjoying retirement at Hermione's cottage."
"So she lives alone then?"
"Oh, no," Ginny narrowed her eyes at him. "You're not getting any more details out of me. You're on your own."
"A state of affairs I plan to change," he informed.
Ginny stared at him. She felt searing hot indignation on Hermione's behalf. "You really think you're going to pull this off, don't you? Breaking Hermione's heart and going off on some suicidal journey of discovery for five long years. She hasn' t forgotten you, you know? And not in the way you'd prefer."
Malfoy remained unfazed. "Then let her be the one to tell me that in person."
"Oh come off it!" Ginny really wanted to see him angry. It was easier to be cross at him in return if he was being deliberately obtuse. "We both know that you don't really have to be here. Harry can't hold you and he knows that. You could walk right out of this house if you wanted, so why pretend we're making you?"
"Diplomacy has its merits," he replied. "Even the serial rule-breaker snoring upstairs has managed to learn that. Given the circumstances of my return, I think it's best to behave myself for the time being, don't you think?"
Love wasn't a game, she wanted to tell him. Neither was the war. There was so much more than Hermione's future happiness at stake. If he was back for a reason, the solider in her hoped it had more to do with, than just Hermione.
"We're so very close. To ending all this for good, you know," she said softly.
"Well then," Malfoy leaned forward ever so slightly in his chair. His legs were crossed and Ginny only then noticed that he was barefoot.
He smiled. It was a sinister, Lucius Malfoy sort of smile. "Then I've picked a good time to make my return, haven't I?"
A younger Ginny might have retreated a little in the face of such subtle intimidation, but she'd grown up as well.
"At this point, Malfoy, I think you're better off wooing Voldemort than you are Hermione. Besides, Harry won't let you anywhere near her until he can confirm every inch of your story. And pardon my language, but it's one fucked up tale of obsession and revenge."
He surprised her by immediately looked disgruntled. "And pray tell how long will that take?"
It was Ginny's turn to smirk. He was obviously not used to operating on someone else's schedule. "Draco Malfoy, meet Ministry Bureaucracy. Normal turnaround is six weeks."