Chapter Five: A Temporary Truce

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author.

Many thanks to VIVAvivacious for her help as my beta and all of her input into improving this story.

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New York was bustling that time of year. With Christmas the very next day, it didn't come as a surprise, and with it being the afternoon, Christmas Eve was only a few short hours away. Ginny had arrived in New York that morning with the rest of the tour group she was traveling with. True to her word, she had left without telling anyone in her immediate or extended family. The only two who knew where she had gone was Hermione and Septima, both of whom she trusted implicitly to keep it secret.

She knew both women would be at the Burrow on Christmas day, and she had instructed Septima to give her parents a small note she had written for them. They would only be able to know that she had taken a trip and that she would appreciate if they did not send a search party or even attempt to find her.

Ginny had spent most of the morning sightseeing and exploring New York City in its Christmas splendour. Everyone had been out and about in the morning, rushing to get last-minute presents for people they had overlooked when they pulled out the annual Christmas list. It had been amusing to see how much Muggles had in comparison to magical folk. For the time being she was seated at a café in Muggle Manhattan, waiting until it was time to meet up with the rest of her group to discuss dinner arrangements with their guide.

She had become quasi-friends with one of the younger, single females of the group named Sarah, and both had been surprised at the amount of young British wizards there were on the trip, all of whom seemed to think that it was necessary to flirt outrageously with them.

'Hi, are you there?' asked a voice from outside Ginny's thoughts.

Ginny nodded sort of absently before looking up to see Sarah's deep purple eyes gazing back at her. The woman in question had startling violet hair, and oddly enough shared Tonks's unique gift of being a Metamorphmagus. Smiling, Ginny put down her cup of coffee and stood.

'Is it time to meet up with the rest of the group already?' Ginny asked with a sheepish grin.

'Yes,' Sarah answered. 'I was just talking to Paige, and she told me there was still another man that has yet to arrive. Apparently he was busy this morning, so he is meeting up tonight at dinner and spending the rest of the trip with us.'

'Oh, really? Do you know his name?'

Sarah shook her head. 'Sorry, but she didn't really say. All I know is he's from a rich pureblood family,' she answered.

Ginny nodded. 'I will probably know him then. I know most of those families because they're friends of ours. Purebloods are usually a tightly-knit community,' Ginny explained.

'Right, I heard that, too,' the woman replied, grinning impishly.

The two women set off with each other and arrived at the meeting point in a disillusioned alleyway with all the men waiting with their guide, the voluptuous, burgundy-haired Paige. She beckoned them over and waited until they had all quieted to begin talking.

'All right you lot, we'll be heading to our accommodation shortly where you will have time to get ready for dinner. We have a group booking at a restaurant in Flanders's Alley; attire should be slightly formal. Afterwards, you can do whatever you like as long as you make it to the lobby by eight tomorrow morning,' she instructed.

'Now, I think it's only appropriate for the ladies to choose partners amongst themselves, and the gentlemen will share rooms for now,' she added seriously. 'I will hear nothing against this.'

Some of the men – boys really, Ginny thought – actually grumbled at her words and leered at the women as if they were pieces of meat. Ginny had the decency to look appalled and disgusted, deciding then and there she would never take up with one of them. They were attractive men, but that wasn't enough to tickle Ginny's fancy these days.

'All right, let's Apparate to the Hilton,' Paige announced.

Ginny did as she was told and soon found herself in the lobby at the Hilton in the upper-east section of Manhattan. They were forced to wait a whole hour while the final arrangements were made, then Paige distributed the keys, and they took lifts up to their rooms. Ginny and Sarah had decided to room together and had even decided they would be dressing up to go to a night club after dinner.

Excited, they ran through the shower and dried their hair with charms before they went through their wardrobe. Sarah slipped into a knee-length, midnight blue dress that shimmered from the unusual and soft, satiny material it was made from. It didn't really flare or swirl as much as it hugged her generous curves and slim waist, but it suited her. She closed her eyes and had her hair change to a silvery-blonde, falling an inch past her shoulders in loose layers straight down her back.

Ginny thought she looked extremely pretty like that and helped her apply a light dusting of makeup, heavy eyeliner, and mascara to make her bright purple eyes stand out even more.

Ginny had opted for a wine-colored dress made of silk that flowed around her legs and clung to her shapely body, accentuating her curves in all the right places. It was held up with thin straps on her slender shoulders, and her long hair was twisted into a silky knot. After applying liberal makeup, she slipped on a pair of chocolate brown heels and donned her similarly-colored brown winter coat, then tucked her wand into the wand garter at her thigh.

'You look amazing, Ginny!' Sarah exclaimed excitedly while pulling on her black coat and slipping into her shoes.

'Thank you, Sarah, you look really stunning,' Ginny replied, blushing at the compliment and opening the door to leave for the lobby.

They made it down before the rest of the women on the trip, and when everyone had gotten there, they Apparated to the place indicated by Paige, who had on a daring red dress that clashed with her fair skin, burgundy hair and bright green eyes. Ginny wanted to point it out but decided to let it be. Seeing as she didn't like her much, she decided to let her color coordination act as a deterrent.

They arrived at the restaurant and were led to the private dining hall before being served drinks and entrees. Ginny had to admit it was a fairly elaborate place. Then, a man with silver-blonde hair stalked inside and greeted Paige with a false smile and a handshake.

He was a bit on the taller side with a trendy haircut, a slightly pointed face, and what appeared to be a strong body beneath all of the cumbersome formal clothes. He smirked around the room until he caught her eye, and then he smiled oddly. What was all that about?

'Wow, that guy is dreamy,' Sarah said breathlessly.

'Forget it,' Ginny said resolutely. 'He's only interested in pure-blood witches, not blood traitors, Muggles, or half-bloods.'

'How do you know?' she asked in surprise.

'That is Draco Malfoy, and I attended school with him at Hogwarts in Scotland. He hates me, and I hate him,' she answered evenly.

'Is that so?'

'Yes, and don't get any funny ideas like the rest of the girls who will most likely fawn and pamper the arrogant brat's every need,' Ginny bit out.

Sarah sighed and shrugged. 'We still don't have to be rude,' she said simply. 'We should go welcome him and say hi. He looks really uncomfortable.'

Ginny, after some deliberation, concluded it wouldn't be so bad if she said hello and didn't panic and tense up when she talked to him. Sarah pulled her along and pushed themselves through a crowd of girls and straight to Malfoy, who smirked, but his expression changed when he caught sight of Ginny behind the other girl.

'Weasley, is that you?' he asked when they finally stood before him.

Ginny's lips thinned at his address of her, realizing perhaps he might be treating her like dirt again. Crossing her arms over her chest defensively, she raised an eyebrow. 'Malfoy, as charming as ever I see,' she replied sharply.

He flinched at her tone and pulled her aside with him, startling Sarah. Once they were out of earshot, he glanced at her nervously. 'Look, I know you probably still hate me, but for the sake of our holidays, could you at least pretend to tolerate me?' he asked hastily.

Ginny looked at him confused, but when she saw he was earnest, she nodded reluctantly and stuck out her hand to him, shaking his. 'Well, if we're going to pretend we get along, you might as well call me Ginny or something,' she said as she released his hand, feeling a tingle shoot up the length of her arm and a shiver down her spine.

'All right Ginny, you might as well call me Draco, unless Malfoy holds some strange appeal to you,' he answered with a smirk.

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A/N – Ginny/Draco, yes I know, I am not a fan anymore either, but this story was written before I acquired any taste.