It was early in the morning when he set out for Diagon Alley. Less likely for someone to want to talk with him at this hour.  Still, it was nearing 8 o'clock when he stopped in front of the Apothecary.  Going through his ingredient stock at home, he discovered he was in need of a rare ingredient that he didn't have a contact for.  Therefore, here he was, leaving the relative safety (at least in his mind)  of his home and going about his business.

Draco didn't mind being up early anyway, it seemed more peaceful in the mornings. He paused a moment and then walked into the shop and started to peruse the shelves.  Yes, he knew what he needed, but there was no harm in looking to see if something else caught his eye.  He was a Potions Master after all, he earned that title at least.  So there was always an off chance of him finding something that he could experiment with.

He had just turned around one of the shelves when he heard the door open and the shopkeeper call out a greeting.  His brow furrowed, he didn't get a greeting from the man he'd been shopping with since before he was eleven.  Sure, back then he came in with his father, but after he'd graduated from Hogwarts and throughout his studies to become a Potions Master, this Apothecary was the only one he'd set foot in.  All others were from owl requests or just random buyers he'd made contact with.

Surely the man may not have seen him come in, but that was unlikely because he'd distinctly seen the man behind the counter look up and acknowledge his presence when he walked in.  He finished looking through the shelf he'd been standing in front of and turned the corner to see who had come into the shop. 

As his brain worked through who he was seeing standing near the counter at the front of the shop, he couldn't help but say the first thing that came to mind. And even he knew it was a tad childish when he said it, but it was like his mouth just took over for a moment when he said it.

"You," he said a little snobbish, "What are you doing here?" and he leaned against the counter waiting for a response.

The baby, or rather three year old that would always be her baby, woke up with a fever and Ginny was out of medicine. Out! What kind of mother didn't make sure she had back up medicine in the house? Because of her lack of parenting skills, she found herself up early, dropping the children off with her mum, and making her way to the Apothecary. She hoped, no, prayed, the owner would either have something quick, already made up for her to use, or would be able to mix something himself because potions was never her strong suit and she would be afraid to give Lily anything she attempted to mix herself.

She looked up at the Slug & Jiggers Apothecary sign, fingers crossed the owner would be in a good enough mood this early in the morning. The greeting she heard upon entering sent a sigh of relief through her, he not sounding to bent out of shape from having such an early customer.

With a slightly frazzled smile, Ginny tried to compose herself, smoothing down her past the shoulder length hair, which she had left out in a rush to get out of the door. "Thank all you are open this early. I was hoping you have something for a child's cough? A pretty bad one at that..." Her voice trailed off as she heard a voice she had not heard in years. Many years. Her eyes boggled almost out of her head at the snooty way he was still talking, but she stood a bit taller and narrowed her eyes at him, leaning against the counter.

"Still acting as if you own everything I see," Ginny replied in a cool tone. "If you must know, and I don't think you really do, I'm here for a potion. This is an Apothecary is it not?" Her eyebrow rose as she looked Draco Malfoy down and up, meeting his eyes with her own blazing ones. Well, she was hoping they looked as fiery as she was feeling, considering she had the contacts in.

Draco had heard what she had come to the Apothecary for and quite frankly was shocked.  A mother like herself, coming from a mother like hers, that didn't have extra potions in stock for when the kid was sick.  He may have been a Potions Master, but even he remembered his own mother having a full cabinet of potions for whatever had ailed him while growing up.

He couldn't help what he said next, it was almost like they were back in school.  He felt the need to brag a little, even though he didn't have much to brag about.  "Well, despite the money I donated to the Ministry after the war, the Galleons Astoria took off with, and my dwindling reputation as a Potions Master, I still own quite a bit in this town." he said with a hint of a smirk.

He took note as well that the shopkeeper was just staring at them, as if he'd never seen someone talk back to someone else before.  His eyes scanned the shelves behind the man and saw the potion she'd need, but he wasn't going to help her out.  Why would he?  He was the bad guy... at least he had been when they were in school.

"Does Saint Potter need a potion? Are you catering to his every whim?" he asked her, the hint of a smirk was gone, now it was in plain sight.  He may have turned over a new leaf, but old habits die hard.

A sudden and very bright red flush started up Ginny's neck as he bragged and she could not help but clench her fist. "I do not think we want to talk about the war, now do we," she said very low, shaking her head. A sudden smirk of her own appeared, she tucking a piece of stray hair behind her ear.

"I hear your money isn't the only thing Astoria took with her." Ginny couldn't fathom not having her children by her side and any good person would want to feel sorry for Draco for what he had to go through with his ex taking his child, whether he agreed to it or not, and she was not entirely sure of the story there, but his pompous attitude made it hard for her to feel sorry for anything regarding him.

It seemed Draco was on point today with his snapping words and Ginny started to sputter out words, her face almost as red as her neck and hair. "I.. I don't.. I do not cater to Harry!" She spat out, hating the fact that he thought that. Why did she hate it though? She did take care of her husband and always had. But did people really think that about her? Was she only good for being the one who lifted Harry Potter on an even higher pedestal?

She was flustered and she hated looking foolish in front of someone like Draco Malfoy. "I'm sorry," she turned to the owner, utterly annoyed but trying hard not to take it out on him, "Do you have that potion? I'm suddenly feeling a little ill myself."

"Ouch Weasley, that hurt." he told her in reference to her comment about losing his son to Astoria.  "I'll have you know I let her have him, after all, a child's place is with their mother and I am far from being a perfect parent." He turned to face her. 

"I never thought you did." he said softly, and completely out of character for him.  He walked around the shelf he had been perusing earlier until he came around the store and stood on the opposite side of her.  "Cater to Potter that is. You have too much fire to let anyone tame you." There it was, that stupid smirk he couldn't seem to get rid of.

He leaned against the counter once more and looked at her, seeing how she was either blushing furiously, or just mad enough to turn red.  "Have I touched a nerve there Weasel." he asked her. "I would hate to upset the great war hero's wife." he said mockingly.  No matter how much of a leaf he had turned over, he still hated Potter.

"I won't argue on that point Malfoy, children to belong with their mothers," Ginny nodded, though her eyes suddenly softened and she could not help but let a tiny sigh out. "Though they do need their fathers as well. Do you even see your son Draco?" It was a genuine question and she wasn't poking fun or trying to ruffle his feathers. She really wanted to know how he could go so long and not see his child. She couldn't imagine how he got through the longing.

She blinked suddenly, not knowing how to respond. Draco Malfoy had actually given her a compliment. Well, it was a sort of compliment if she took it that way and the way the conversation was going, she was going to take whatever she could. Not that it truly matters to me Ginny thought furiously to herself, though she knew, if she really thought about it, it did. She didn't know why because back in their school days she could come back with the fire he so spoke of and not care at all what he thought about her. She hated his little jabs and names but knew it never really mattered so didn't take it more than face value. Now though, she couldn't help but have slightly hurt feelings. Why had it changed? 

Her eyes followed him and she turned to face him, her hand suddenly on her hip, her face scrunched in anger. "Don't call me that! Do I look like a slinky, long, pointy noised rodent?" The unfortunate dealings of having a last name like Weasley.

She suddenly lurched forward, getting much closer to Draco than probably ever before. "Draco, Get. Over. It. I can't help what Harry did in the past and I'm tired of it being thrown in my face like it's a bad thing. He did a good thing. A really good thing. And husband or not, it mattered and made a difference. That doesn't mean he isn't the only person in the war that did something worth it. Stop punishing him for doing something he thought and knew was right." Ginny was passionate as she spoke, her eyes blazing and her skin flushed.

She realized just how close she was to Draco and took a step back, she looking down to the floor, a lock of hair falling in her face. "Besides, he isn't all the hero he used to be."

Standing tall at the counter, Draco mumbled something that sounded like, "Good to see he's not tamed you yet." and then turned to the shopkeeper.  He pulled out his wand, not missing the slight flinch from them before he summoned the potion she was after.  Slipping his wand back into his pocket he turned back towards her, "So, when did I become Draco, instead of Malfoy." he asked.

He sat the potion in front of her on the counter and before he could think better of what he was doing, he pulled the price of it out of his pocket and placed it on the counter before turning and heading towards the door.  "For what it's worth Weasley, everyone in Slytherin thought you could of done better."

And with that parting comment he headed out the door without buying the ingredient he had originally come  here to buy.  Instead, he had a great deal to think about. For one, he was actually what some would call nice to the Weasley turned Potter.  That was simply not something he would of done in the past. 

He hoped she would't think too much of it.  It was just him trying something new and seeing what happened.  He'd never actually been nice on purpose before.  He apparated back to the Manor and settled down in front of the fireplace in the library with a old Potions text, but his eyes barely registered the words.

Ginny opened her mouth to respond but found that nothing came out.  He had rattled her in a way she wasn't sure how to react to, but what he did next really made her confused more than ever. She watched as he not only found the medicine she needed but paid for it as well. Pure shock was all she felt she had just been in his face not mere seconds ago. What on this green earth..

She watched him leave the shop but not without his lasting words really making her blush and wilt, just a bit. Did they really think that? Had they all thought she was settling? And did Draco, or the rest of them, think of her in that way? Someone to actually have an opinion on? She gripped the edge of the counter as the door closed, she turning to the shop owner, meeting his eyes, he just as surprised. He handed her the bag with the potion and the receipt he had forgotten to give to Draco. With a thankful nod, she somewhat numbly made her way out of the shop, knowing she needed to get to her precious Lily, but with so much on her mind. She never imagined she would have the encounter she had and certainly, certainly never thought it would be with Draco Malfoy..