Draco gazed with narrowed eyes at the window above him.

Everyday Draco sat under the same shady tree to relax after a hard days work of tripping up first years, thinking up a rude comment for Potty, Weasel and the mudblood and making at least three girls fall desperatley in love with him. Not that he would notice them at all. Still, he knew they couldn't resist him.

But this was not the problem. No the problem was that everyday someone would start singing loudly, and very out of tune, in the room above the tree, ruining Draco's peace.

Draco sighed and tried to close his eyes, but the screeching from the window got louder. Something had to be done...

*****

The next day Draco settled himself down under the tree. The sun was sending a warm glow on him and he felt content with the world. Draco played lazily with a blade of grass and closed his eyes.

Then it began. A female voice rung around the air. Draco's eyes snapped open and he glared furiously up at the tone deaf singer. It was enough to drive anyone up the wall listening to that horrible screeching.

Draco decided he had heard it enough. Standing up resolutley he walked off towards the castle to find the owner of the horrible voice and shut them up once and for all.

*****

Wandering around the corridors Draco heard the voice drifting to his ears from a door. He thrust open the door and peered around for the singing disaster.

His eyes opened in surprise as he saw, sitting on the window seat, Ginny Weasley. Her dark red hair, blowing gently in the wind. Her soft brown eyes staring out into the fiery sky outside as she sung, very badly, a popular love song called 'Only in your eyes'.

Draco smirked, he could not believe that Ginny Weasley, who was supposedly very talented, could not sing to save herself.
"You sound like a drowned cat" Draco mocked, his cold eyes lighting up with laughter.

Ginny spun round and Draco noticed with a hint of satisfaction the flush creeping into her cheeks.
Ginny, mortified that of all people Draco should find her singing, tried to compose herself,
"I didn't know you were here Malfoy."

"I wouldn't be here, if you didn't ruin my evening by sounding like a banshee everyday when I'm trying to sleep".

Ginny flushed and bit her lip.

Perhaps it was because she normally got angry at him when he mocked her, or maybe it was because he had never realised just how pretty Ginny Weasley could look, but Draco suddenly felt very guilty and heard the words issue from his mouth sounding strange even to his own ears,
"I'm sorry"

Ginny looked at him curiously and then to Draco's surprise sighed and sat back down in the seat.
"It's ok. You don't have to be sorry. I know I can't sing" Ginny said mopily.

Draco looked at her oddly. "Then why are you singing in this room everyday".

Ginny sighed again and looked at him. "You'll just laugh if I tell you"

"Of course I'm going to laugh, but you might as well tell me anyway Weasley. I daresay I'll find out eventually" Draco answered sitting down in a seat by her.

Ginny gazed at him disbelievingly. She could not believe she was having this conversation with Malfoy, but she guessed it couldn't hurt.
"Well you know how Hogwarts is having a singing competition?"

Draco nodded, a smile hovering around his mouth.

"Well Ron thought it would be funny to put my name on the list and as you know with most Hogwarts competitions, you can't back out. So now I'm stuck doing the stupid competition, and all the other girls are really good. Not to mention Harry said he loved a girl who could sing and I can't at all!" she ended helplessly.

Draco did laugh as he said he would, much to Ginny's annoyance but he stopped and looked at her. "So you don't want to embarass yourself in front of Potter and the school?"

"Well I've been practising and I think I'm getting better" Ginny said hopefully.

Draco dashed her hopes bluntly, "I'm sorry Weasley, but the only thing that sings worse then you is a troll."

Ginny hung her head and stared moodily at the floor. Draco watched her and an idea began to formulate in his head.
"Tell you what Weasley, I'm going to help you win this competition."

"Why?" Ginny said confused looking at Malfoy.

"Because Pansy has entered and she made me promise to go on a date with her if she wins." Draco said bluntly.

"Oh..." Ginny said staring at him. "But how can you help me?"

"I know a bit about singing, and your tone of voice isn't that bad, you just need some help in keeping the tune and hitting the notes properly. I'm pretty sure I can get you to beat Pansy and wipe that stupid smile of her face."

Ginny looked at him eagerly, "When can we begin?"

"Right now if you like" Draco said smoothly.

*****

Draco and Ginny practised everyday in the same room. Ginny was making excellent progress under Draco's tutoring. He wasn't exactly nice to her, always being blunt when she made mistakes and sometimes making some very rude remarks to her. But over all he was pleased with the result.

Draco sat up and walked over. "No Weasley you're doing it again."

"Sorry" Ginny said hanging her head.

"I told you don't sing from your throat, sing from your stomach" he said angrily grabbing her hands and putting them on her stomach. "You should feel your stomach come out when you breath and your hands will seperate. Your stomach should not go in." He placed his hands on her shoulders, pushing them back. "Your shoulders should always be back, not slouched."

He looked at her, his hands still on his shoulders. Their faces only a small distance apart. Draco stared into sparkling brown eyes. His eyes drifted down to her lips, which were slightly parted as she looked at him. His face leant closer to her, Ginny stared up at him and Draco suddenly pulled himself away and stared at the wall.
"I think that's enough for tonight. You can go now..." he said without looking at her.

Ginny looked at him for a moment, a confused expression on her face. Draco heard her leave the room closing the door softly behind her.

Draco turned around and stared at the door. Thoughts racing around his brain. It could not be possible that he had feelings for Ginny but it seemed to be true. As he had gazed into her face he had realised that he liked her, maybe even loved her. He had been drawn to her, but he knew it wasn't right. He should've been teaching her to sing, not trying to kiss her.

Draco sighed. He wondered how she was going to act around him now. he had been enjoying her company for some time now. Sure at the beginning she was a bit stiff and didn't talk to him much, but then she warmed up to him and they soon found themselves getting along happily enough.

But tonight something had changed. Draco knew his feelings for Ginny were more then friendly. He liked her and wanted to be with her. But she was in love with Potter, he had already got that out of her during their many conversations. Draco frowned. He guessed he would just have to act as though nothing had happened.

*****

It was the night of the competition and Hogwarts was buzzing with excitement. Several girls had already performed and after Pansy had sung a love song, (dedicated to Draco of course) and recieved very high marks for her performance, had smirked as she told Draco that she had already booked a special place for them in Hogsmeade, with a wink. So it was with a great desire to wipe the smirk of Pansy's face that he walked up to Ginny hovering anxiously behind a red curtain.

"Are you alright?" he asked anxiously as she stared at the crowd horrified.

"I'm not sure I can do this Draco" Ginny said desperatly.

"Don't worry you'll be fine" Draco said putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Just remember what I told you and you'll do great... I'm sure Potter won't be able to resist". He added quietly.

Ginny didn't seem to notice and nodded. Taking a deep breath she looked up at Draco. "Here goes nothing"

Draco watched as she walked out hoping against hope that she wouldn't get too nervous and sing the notes wrong. He walked out from behind the curtain and stood facing the stage, watching as she stood on the stage nervously. She looked very beautiful in a dark green dress which made her red hair stand out magnificently.

"C'mon Ginny" Draco muttered.

Ginny walked forward on the stage as the band hired started to play the first notes of the song.

Ginny looked into the audience and saw Draco, she smiled and started to sing softly:

"Under a thousand stars
You held my hand and walked with me
We chased the wind as we ran
And the moon glittered brightly.
But all the beauty in the sky
Could not be brighter then what I see
By the light in your eyes
Which has captured me.

No words are spoken as we lie,
Together under the starry sky.
You hold me close and smile at me
Inside I know I love you.
And though I know tomorrow is the end
I'll be right here beside you.


The stars will fade and the moon will die.
But the light in your eyes, will shine there always
The ocean's will run dry and the Earth turn to dust,
But my love for you lives on.

We walked under a thousand stars
You held my hand, and smiled
In my heart I knew,
Only in your eyes, my love, do I see all I need."

Draco gazed at Ginny and their eyes met.

Ginny's scores were being shown but Draco paid no attention. All he could do was stare at Ginny in admiration. She had sounded beautiful.

Draco watched as Ginny walked off the stage behind the curtains.

He noticed with satisfaction Pansy's look of furious annoyance.

****

The competition was coming to a close and tiny little Professor Flitwick stood up on his high stool and cleared his throat.

"Ahem, the scores have been counted and it is my great pleasure to announce that the winner of the first Hogwart's girls singing competition is Ginevra Weasley"

Ginny walked up to Professor Flitwick to collect her prize. The Hall had erupted with thunderous applause. Draco watched as she took the prize and walked back off the stage.

Professor Flitwick started to speak but Draco quickly stood up and walked over to the back stage.

Ginny saw him and leapt into his arms. "Oh Draco I did it!! I can't believe I actually did it!"

Draco smiled and held her in his arms, "You were amazing"

Ginny blushed and mumbled a small thankyou.

Draco gazed down at her and felt his heart quicken. Gently he placed his hands on her face tilting it towards him. He leaned down towards her and softly placed his lips against hers.

He felt her stiffen slightly and then relax into his embrace as he pulled her closer, kissing her gently.

They heard voices coming towards them and broke apart.

Draco lead her by the hand out of the side door into the gardens. The stars twinkled above them and the moon shone down making the water in the fountain glow silver.

He looked at her and said, "I guess you're wondering why I did that?"

Ginny blushed and looked up at him.

"I did it because you mean so much to me. When I watched you sing tonight, I no longer cared about the stupid bet with Pansy... all that mattered to me was you. I know you still care about Potter but I--"

"Draco stop" Ginny said putting a finger to his lips. "I know I said when we first talked that I wanted to get Harry's attention but that's changed. All those times we spent together I realised I've fallen for you.

Draco grabbed her hands. "Then you don't care about Potter?"

Ginny shook her head.

Draco seized Ginny in his arms and passionatly kissed her. He felt as though fire was buring inside him. "I love you" he whispered in her ear.

Ginny let out a small sigh and leant against his chest.

Draco stood with Ginny in his arms. He smiled and looked up at the bright night sky.

It was funny, that all of this started on a lazy afternoon when Draco sat irritated outside a window listening to a girl who couldn't sing to save herself, and here he was weeks later holding her in his arms, knowing in his heart when he looked in her eyes, that he loved her.

This was my first ficlet. I hope you enjoyed it

Any feedback would be great.

Not too bad. Original plot line. Ficlets are kind of limited, so it was hard to imagine Draco just jumping into helping her like that, but you made sure he retained his snarkiness, so kudos.

The only thing that was distracting was the way you have it formatted. The paragraphs are all over the place, but that's easily fixed.



Crystal

yeah I really have to work on my paragraphing. I've always had that problem, just never know where to put what.

Hmm yeah I was getting quite infuriated as to how to make Draco actually want to help Ginny. If it were a fanfic instead of a ficlet I could have made it better and more believable. But no harm done.

You'll get the hang of it. It just takes practice.



Yup, no harm done.


Crys