The Dragon's Savior

Hermionegirl 21

Rating: PG13
Genres: Angst, Romance
Relationships: Draco & Ginny
Book: Draco & Ginny, Books 1 - 5
Published: 14/03/2004
Last Updated: 20/09/2004
Status: completed

Draco's in need of a savior from his father, and Ginny might be just the one for the job. Will she accept the challenge or leave Draco to fend for himself? Please R/R. D/G, mild H/Hr.

Chapters

1. Chapter 1

2. Chapter 2

3. Chapter 3

4. Chapter 4

5. Chapter 5

6. Chapter 6

7. Chapter 7

8. Chapter 8

9. Chapter 9

10. Chapter 9, second half

11. Chapter 10

12. Chapter 11

13. Chapter 12

14. Chapter 13

15. Chapter 14

16. Chapter 15

17. Chapter 16

18. Chapter 17

19. Chapter 18

20. Chapter 19

21. Chapter 20

1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own any of this. If I did, it would not be here. It would be published, and I would be making millions of dollars off of it.

A/N: Thanks to Cheyenne for providing the personality for Blaise.

Chapter 1

Ginny Weasley was sitting in the living room of the Burrow with her new laptop. She had finally saved up enough money to get it. It had taken her over a year, but she had it now. Her brother, Ron, also had one. At the moment, she was setting up her e-mail account, and her brother was helping her a little.

“What do you want you screen name to be?” Ron asked her.

“Hmm, I think I've finally picked one, Fierysprite,” Ginny replied.

“Interesting,” Ron said, smiling.

“Well, what's yours?” she demanded.

“Attention Seeker,” Ron replied turning slightly pink when Ginny started laughing. “It was Harry's idea.”

“Oh, that's right, Harry and Hermione have laptops too,” she said, still laughing a bit.

“Yeah, they do,” Ron replied, still a little pink.

“What are their e-mail addresses?” Ginny asked curiously.

“Harry's is Emerald Hottie, and Hermione's-” Ron was cut off by Ginny's giggles.

“Whose idea was that?” Ginny asked still giggling.

“Hermione's,” Ron replied with a casual shrug.

This only caused Ginny to laugh even harder. “Hermione's idea?” she sputtered between giggles.

“Yes,” Ron said looking at her oddly. “Anyway, Hermione's e-mail is Charmed One16.”

“Oh, I though hers would be bookworm or something,” Ginny said after she stopped laughing.

“That was my suggestion, but she didn't like it. Harry suggested Charmed One,” Ron replied, his voice tinged with jealousy.

Ginny caught this and asked, “Do you have a crush on Hermione?”

“No,” Ron replied quickly, perhaps a bit too quickly.

“Whatever,” Ginny said as she turned back to her laptop, and finished setting up her e-mail account.

“Thanks for your help Ron,” Ginny said after a few minutes.

“No problem,” Ron replied with a shrug.

After that he left the room, and Ginny decided to e-mail one of her best friends from Hogwarts, Michelle Daniels. She wrote:

Hey, Michelle, what's up? It's me, Ginny. I finally got my laptop. I'm so happy. How's your summer going so far? Mine's going pretty well. Anyway, e-mail me back.

Ginny

She clicked send, and decided to send an e-mail to her other two best friends, Mackenzie Rogers and Shannon O'Connor.

Hey, Mackenzie. What's up? I finally got my laptop so we can e-mail back and forth. I love your screen name, Glamgirl 24. How's you summer going so far? I can't believe it's almost time to go back to Hogwarts! It's our fifth year, I can't believe it. Anyway e-mail me back.

Ginny

Then she wrote to Shannon:

Hi, Shannon. Are you having fun this summer? I finally got my laptop! My summer's going pretty well, but it's almost over already. I can't believe we have O.W.L.s this year! Are you still coming to my house next week? I hope so.

See ya soon,

Ginny

She loved the feeling of typing e-mail on her own laptop.

*~*~*~*

Draco Malfoy logged on to his laptop, and saw that his cousin, Blaise Zabini had e-mailed him, again. He e-mailed Draco about a thousand times a day. This one said:

Draco, why don't you ever e-mail me? You have to write more! What do you think of my new e-mail address? I think it suits me well. (At this Draco rolled his eyes. Blaise's screen name was Slytherin Hottie. If anyone deserved that screen name, it was Draco.) I like yours too, Hotdragon. It is very much like you. Well, I gotta go. E-mail me back!

Blaise

His cousin was so weird. He was always online it seemed because every two seconds he e-mailed Draco.

Draco replied:

Blaise, I e-mail you all the time, it just isn't a lot compared to how much you e-mail me. I like your new address, but I don't think it suits you. Don't e-mail me so much.

Draco

Just then, another e-mail for Draco arrived. It was from someone called SexySlyth. He wasn't sure who is was, but knew it was a Slytherin.

It said:

Hi, Draco. It's Pansy. (Although you probably already guessed that because who else could be SexySlyth?) I miss you soooo much. I'm sure you miss me too. E-mail me back.

Love,

Pansy

Ugh, Draco thought. What idiot gave her my e-mail address? Draco absolutely hated Pansy Parkinson. Ever since go had agreed to go to the Yule Ball with her in their fourth year, she had been calling him her boyfriend. Draco had told her millions of times that he didn't like her, but she never listened. She was so incredibly annoying.

This is the e-mail he sent back to her:

Pansy, how did you get my e-mail address? How many times do I have to tell you? I'm NOT YOUR BOYFRIEND!!!!!!!! And you're not my girlfriend. Don't e-mail me again.

-Draco

Maybe it will get through to her this time, Draco thought hopefully, but for some reason seriously doubted that it would.

*~*~*~*

Ginny was just playing around on the internet when she got an e-mail from Quidditch Queen. That was her friend Michelle's screen name.

Hey, Gin! Congratulations on finally saving up enough money! I'm so happy for you'1 You should go to Virtualowlpost.com; it's got a great chat room for magical teens! A lot of people from Hogwarts use it. I like your screen name! My summer's going great so far! I made it into Quidditch Camp! It's going to be so much fun! See you soon!

Michelle

Michelle was one of the Chasers for the Ravenclaw Quidditch team, and was pretty much obsessed with everything to do with Quidditch.

Hey, Mich! You mad it into Quidditch Camp? That's great! You are going to have so much fun! I love you screen name too! It's so you! Well, have fun at Quidditch Camp, and thanks for the website, I'm going there right now. See you at school.

Ginny

After she sent it, she went to the website that Michelle recommended, www.Virtualowlpost.com. When the website showed up, she clicked on the link to take her to the teen chat room. When she entered it, she saw there were six other people there already: Hotdragon, Gossip Queen 22, RvnclwSkr, Emerald Hottie, Teenage Enchantress, and Froggylegs 91. She knew that Emerald Hottie was Harry, and suspected that RvnclwSkr was Cho Chang.

Emerald Hottie: Hey.

Fierysprite: Hey.

She had decided that she wouldn't show she knew who he was because he didn't know who she was.

Hotdragon: Hey, Newbie. List your age, sex, and school.

Fierysprite: I'm 15 years old, female, and I go to Hogwarts. What about all of you?

Emerald Hottie: I'm 16, male, I go to Hogwarts

RvnclwSkr: 17, female, Hogwarts

Froggylegs 91: 16, male, Durmstrang

Teenage Enchantress: 17, female (obviously), Beauxbatons

Gossip Queen 22: 16, female, Hogwarts

Fierysprite: cool

Hotdragon: Just so you know, we don't reveal our real names of houses here. This is just a place to hang out. One of us could be your worst enemy, but you'd never know.

Fierysprite: I like that idea, totally anonymous.

Hotdragon: Exactly. Anyway, back to our topic we had going before someone interrupted. ( ;

Emerald Hottie: Right, do you like Quidditch? For me, it's yes.

Fierysprite: yes, but I don't play much

Gossip Queen 22: hate it

Froggylegs 91: I like to watch, but not play.

Hotdragon: love it.

RvnclwSkr: definitely love it, but i gotta go

(RvnclwSkr has logged out)

Teenage Enchantress: I agree with Froggylegs 91 like to watch, hate to play

Fierysprite: does anyone play Quidditch?

Emerald Hottie: i do

Hotdragon: I do too

Gossip Queen 22: Uh, no way!

Froggylegs 91: I don't play either

Teenage Enchantress: Me neither. What about you Fierysprite? By the way, I love you screen name.

Fierysprite: Thanks, I like yours too. I don't play Quidditch yet, but I'm trying out this year.

Teenage Enchantress: Cool, what position is you favorite? If I played, I'd be a beater.

(Gossip Queen 22 has logged out.)

Fierysprite: I'm going to try to be a chaser

Teenage Enchantress: cool

Fierysprite: What about you three?

Hotdragon: How nice of you to bring us back into the conversation.

Fierysprite: ha, ha

Hotdragon: my favorite position is seeker

Emerald Hottie: same as Hotdragon, seeker

Froggylegs 91: if I played, I would want to be a keeper. I gotta go, bye.

(Froggylegs 91 has logged out.)

Teenage Enchantress: How'd you guys pick you screen names? By you appearance? your personality? what?

Hotdragon: mine is pretty much appearance because I am one of the hottest guys in my house.

Fierysprite: Could you be anymore full of yourself?

Hotdragon: Yes, I could

Fierysprite: (rolls eyes) anyway, mine is pretty much my appearance

Hotdragon: what, you look like a sprite that's on fire?

Fierysprite: ha, ha, ha, no. I'm just a bit petite that's all. What about you two?

Emerald Hottie: my girlfriend suggested mine

Ginny's jaw dropped at this. His girlfriend? Since when?

Fierysprite: Ahh, that's so cute

Hotdragon: I think it's nauseating

Fierysprite: Whatever

Teenage Enchantress: I agree with Fierysprite. Anyway, I picked my screen name because I'm a teenager and an enchantress

Fierysprite: It all makes sense now (:

Teenager Enchantress: I gotta go, but meet you all at 3 tomorrow?

Hotdragon: yeah, as always

Emerald Hottie: sure

Fierysprite: she ya there

(Teenage Enchantress has logged out)

Emerald Hottie: Fierysprite, do you have any siblings

Fierysprite: (laughs) a few or maybe more than a few

Hotdragon: oh real specific

Fierysprite: well if I said how many you could figure out who I was

Hotdragon: whatever

Emerald Hottie: I gotta go, my friends are picking me up in ten minutes and I'm not packed yet

(Emerald Hottie has logged out)

Ginny giggled. She had forgotten that Harry and Hermione were coming to stay with them for the rest of the summer.

Hotdragon: they're trying to set up

Fierysprite: what makes you say that?

Hotdragon: you want to go to a private chat room?

Fierysprite: sure

(Hotdragon has logged out)

Ginny logged out of that chat room as well, and then went to hook up with Hotdragon in a private chat room.

Hotdragon: now as I was saying no one ever logs out until 4

Fierysprite: why 4?

Hotdragon: because everyone has their own little group, our group has from 3-4 that way if you want you can always talk to the same people

Fierysprite: oh

Hotdragon: anyone new just stumbles into a group and you happened to stumble into ours

Fierysprite: I guess that makes sense

Hotdragon: exactly did you know anyone in that chat room?

Fierysprite: yeah, Emerald Hottie and I think I know who Rvnclw Skr is

Hotdragon: me too, she doesn't show up that often though

Fierysprite: oh did you know anyone?

Hotdragon: no, it didn't seem like Emerald Hottie knew who you were

Fierysprite: that's because he doesn't know

Hotdragon: what are you some insane stalker or something

Fierysprite: no you idiot I just got my laptop today

Hotdragon: oh that makes much more sense you don't seem to be the insane stalker type

Fierysprite: (rolls her eyes) yeah anyway I go company coming like now so I gotta go but I'll e-mail you

Hotdragon: alright I'm online a lot

Fierysprite: good I'd like to chat with you more

Hotdragon: me too see ya

Fierysprite: bye

(Fierysprite has logged out)

*~*~*~*

Draco smiled to himself; he liked this girl, Fierysprite, so far. He wondered who it was. He was pretty sure she wasn't a Slytherin. She didn't sound like it. Then again, he probably didn't sound very Slytherinish either.

Oh, well. I'll just have to keep trying to figure it out, he thought.

There must be a clue in her screen name. Hmm, Fierysprite, Fierysprite, Fierysprite. I have no idea. Why do I care anyway? he asked himself. Then he answered himself, because she was a lot of fun to talk to.

Anyway, he now had another e-mail. Oh great, he though, it's from Pansy again. What does she want now?

Oh come on Draco, you know you love me. To answer your question, Blaise gave me your e-mail address. (Of course, who else would be stupid enough to? Draco asked.) Draco, I have to see you before school starts. Will you come school supply shopping with me? Please.

Love,

Pansy

She is so annoying.

Pansy, I do not love you! I'm going to kill Blaise for giving you my e-mail! I will not go school supply shopping with you, and for the last time, I'm not you boyfriend!!!!!

Draco didn't even bother to sign; she knew who it was from. Now to write to his idiot cousin.

Blaise, you are such a bloody idiot! How could you give Pansy Parkinson my e-mail address?! Uhhh, now she keeps e-mailing me. How could you be so stupid? I mean honestly! I am going to kill you.

Your incredibly livid cousin,

Draco

There, now he would wait for Fierysprite's e-mail.

*~*~*~*

As Ginny was shutting down her laptop, she heard Harry and Hermione arriving downstairs. She decided to go and greet them.

When she arrived downstairs, everyone was greeting the guests. Hermione was the first to spot her.

“Ginny,” she squealed.

“Hey, Hermione,” Ginny said as she walked over, and hugged her. Over the years, Ginny and Hermione had become good friends. Ginny wasn't such an outcast of the Dream Team anymore, besides she had other friends.

“How are you?” Hermione asked.

“Pretty good. What about you?”

“I'm good too.”

After this, Ginny turned to Harry. He smiled at her, “Hey, Gin.”

“Hi, Harry,” she said while giving him a hug. She had also gotten a lot closer to Harry, after she had outgrown her crush on him. Now, they hung out a lot together.

“Harry, can I talk to you for a sec?” Ginny asked him.

“Sure,” Harry replied, following Ginny out of the room.

“How long have you and Hermione been dating?” Ginny asked, smiling.

“How'd you know about that?” Harry asked, very surprised. He hadn't thought anyone had figured it out yet.

“Well, you said your girlfriend helped pick out your screen name, and I knew that Hermione was the one who helped you,” she stated matter-of-factly.

“How'd you know my girlfriend helped pick it out?” Harry asked incredulously.

“Because you said so,” Ginny said.

“But I said that on- oh. You're Fierysprite,” Harry said, realization finally dawning.

“Exactly,” Ginny replied with a smile.

“Did you finally get your laptop?” Harry asked.

“Yep,” she said proudly.

“Congratulations, you've been saving for awhile,” Harry said.

“Thanks, but you never answered my question,” Ginny pointed out.

“What question?” Harry asked, confused.

“How long have you and Hermione been dating?” Ginny asked again.

“Oh, since the end of last year,” Harry told her.

“Cool,” Ginny replied. She was about to ask another question when they heard Hermione call from the other room, Harry, Ginny, where are you?

“Coming, Hermione,” Ginny shouted back.

Then they walked back into the other room. While Hermione was looking at her, Ginny mouthed, Congratulations to her. Hermione smiled at her and mouthed, Thanks.

“We have an announcement to make,” Hermione said, smiling.

“Yes. Hermione and I are dating,” Harry finished for her.

“Oh, congratulations,” Mrs. Weasley said hugging them both. Then they looked at Ron.

“What do you think, Ron?” Hermione asked nervously.

“What about Ginny?” he asked, stalling for time.

“She already knew somehow,” Hermione replied, “What about you?”

“How long have you been dating?” Ron asked accusingly.

Harry and Hermione exchanged nervous glances.

“Well,” Harry began sheepishly. “since the end of the school year.”

“You've been dating almost three months, and you haven't told me?” Ron yelled. He was hurt. Why would they keep it a secret from him? “You told my little sister, before you told me, you best friend? Why? Why didn't you tell me?”

“Well, you see, we thought, we thought you might be jealous,” Hermione said slowly.

“Why would I be jealous?” Ron demanded.

No one spoke at first. Then Ginny blurted out, “because you have a crush on Hermione.”

Ron looked at Ginny, shocked. “How would you know?”

Ginny looked back at him and said, “Uh, maybe because you do, and it's painfully obvious.”

“Well, you still should have told me,” and then stomped up to his room.

Ginny looked apologetically at Harry and Hermione. “Sorry, I didn't mean to make him mad,” she said.

“It's alright Gin. You were right. That's why we didn't tell him,” Hermione said gently. “By the way, how did you know we were dating? He promised he wouldn't tell anyone.”

“Hey, I didn't tell her, she figured it out on her own,” Harry said defensively.

“Yeah, I figured it out, with his help,” Ginny defended Harry. Hermione shot Harry a look. “He unintentionally helped me.”

“Oh. How?”

“Well, we were in the same chat room, and he said his girlfriend helped him pick out his screen name. Earlier Ron had told me you had suggested it. So I put the pieces together, and ta-da. I figured it out.”

“You mean you finally got your laptop?” Hermione asked excitedly.

“Yeah,” Ginny said, smiling.

“Congratulations. You've been saving up for a long time. Now we can e-mail each other all of the time,” Hermione replied happily.

“I know, isn't it great?” Ginny said also smiling.

“Definitely,” Hermione replied. She had been waiting for Ginny to get her laptop for awhile.

“She just got her laptop today, and already she's met a guy,” Harry teased, re-entering the conversation.

“Really?” Hermione asked with interest.

“Well sorta. You see, I went to a chat room, and was chatting with all the people in it. Then, everyone slowly logged out one by one, until only I and this one guy were left. After that, we moved to a private chat room until you guys showed up,” Ginny explained.

“How interesting. Do you know what school he goes to?” Hermione asked.

“Hogwarts,” Ginny replied.

“Yeah, and tell Hermione his screen name,” Harry said jokingly. He was having a hard time staying in the conversation.

“Oh that. His screen name is Hotdragon,” Ginny said, blushing slightly.

“Ooh, going for a hot one,” Hermione teased. “Are you sure you're old enough for that Ginny?”

“Ha, ha,” Ginny replied sarcastically. “And whose boyfriend is Emerald Hottie? Oh right, that's you.”

“Alright, alright, you've got a point. Hey, have you set up you buddy list yet?” Hermione asked.

“No,” Ginny replied.

“Come on, we'll help you,” Hermione offered.

“We'll help you?” Harry asked indignantly. “Excuse me, but who said I would help?”

“Come on, Harry, you have nothing better to do,” Ginny pointed out.

“Alright fine, let's go to your room,” Harry relented.

*~*~*~*

Meanwhile, Ron was in his bedroom, thinking about what Ginny had said. “Uh, maybe because you do, and it's painfully obvious.” It was true, he did have a crush on Hermione, but he didn't think it was that obvious. Even Hermione knew for heaven's sake. And, maybe, he was jealous, but they shouldn't have kept it a secret. He may have been upset for awhile, but he would have gotten over it pretty easily. Now though, it would take more time because he was also mad the kept it a secret.

Oh well, I'll just go online, and see what's happening, he thought.

*~*~*~*

Harry, Hermione, and Ginny sat on Ginny's bed, working on her buddy list. They were making a list of who she wanted on it. So far they had: Emerald Hottie- Harry, Charmed One16- Hermione, Hotdragon- ?, Glamgirl 24- Mackenzie, Quidditch Queen- Michelle, Bookworm Princess- Shannon.

“Do you want anyone else?” Hermione asked her.

Ginny thought for a minute, then smacked herself in the forehead, “Duh. Ron. Add him to the list.”

“Okay. Do you want to put them on your laptop now?” Hermione asked her.

“Yeah,” Hermione asked her.

Harry and Hermione taught her how to add names, and then she started to add her friends' e-mail addresses.

Then she added them one by one. She noticed that her brother was online. A plan began to form in her head.

“Harry, Hermione, do you want to tell Ron you're sorry?” she asked.

“Yes,” they both replied immediately.

“Alright, I'll send him an e-mail that says to meet me in the living room in five minutes, you guys go down, and wait for him,” Ginny ordered.

“They followed her orders as she began to type her e-mail to Ron.

Hey, Ron! It's Gin. I want to talk to you about something. Could you meet me in the living room in five minutes? Thanks.

Love,

Ginny

She pressed send, and then decided to read her e-mail. She had two, one was from her friend Shannon, and the other was from Hotdragon.

The one from Shannon said:

Hey, Gin! Congrats on the laptop! Now, we can talk to each other during the summer! My summer is going pretty well so far. What about you? Yes, I'm still coming to your house next week! I can't wait! See you soon!

Shannon

Ginny replied:

Hi, Shannon. I'm glad you're still coming next week! My summer's going great, but I gotta go!

See ya soon,

Ginny

Ginny was anxious to read the e-mail from Hotdragon. She had really enjoyed chatting with him. His e-mail said:

Hey, Fierysprite! Why haven't you e-mailed me yet? E-mail me!

-Hotdragon

Ginny rolled her eyes. He was so impatient, couldn't even wait an hour to talk to her again.

Hey, Hotdragon! You are so impatient; I told you I had company. I was talking to them. IM me, okay? Talk to you soon.

Fierysprite

Ginny only had to wait about ten seconds, when Hotdragon had Instant Messaged her.

Hotdragon: hey

Fierysprite: hey

Hotdragon: (pouts) so, you like talking to your company more than me?

Fierysprite: (rolls eyes) don't be stupid, I've only known you for a few hours, and I don't even know your real name.

Hotdragon: that doesn't mean you can't like talking to me.

Fierysprite: I do like talking to you

Hotdragon: but you forgot about me

Fierysprite: I talked to you an hour ago

Hotdragon: an hour and a half ago

Fierysprite: fine, whatever, but it wasn't that long

Hotdragon: (seductively) it seemed like a long time to me, baby

Fierysprite: you don't even know me and you're trying to seduce me?

Hotdragon: yep

Fierysprite: you are so weird

Hotdragon: that I am

Fierysprite: (rolls eyes) well, at least you admitted it

Hotdragon: who are you? It's driving me mad

Fierysprite: ah, that explains it, I want to know who you are too, but what you said in the chat room is true, you could be my worst enemy and I would never know it until you tell me

Hotdragon: it's not likely

Fierysprite: but it's possible

Hotdragon: buy we get along really well

Fierysprite: how about we wait a month, and if we still get along really well and still want to know in a month, we can tell

Hotdragon: alright

Fierysprite: when are you going school supply shopping in Diagon Alley?

Hotdragon: haven't decided, when are you going?

Fierysprite: Wednesday, why don't you go then too? In know that I won't know who you are, but I'll probably see you without knowing it

Hotdragon: okay good idea

Fierysprite: what year are you in?

Hotdragon: sixth

Fierysprite: oh, duh, you're sixteen

Hotdragon: yeah, so you're in fifth year?

Fierysprite: yeah, O.W.L. year

Hotdragon: ooh, lucky you, O.W.L. year is hard

Fierysprite: thanks, I feel so much better

Hotdragon: well, it's true

“Ginny, it's dinnertime,” her mother yelled from downstairs.

“I'll be down in a minute,” she yelled back.

Fierysprite: my mum's calling, I gotta go

Hotdragon: why do you always have to leave? I think you're lying

Fierysprite: I am not, it's time for dinner

“Ginny,” her mother yelled again.

“Just a sec,” she replied.

Hotdragon: whatever

Fierysprite: it's true, you gotta believe me, please, I don't want to leave with you mad at me

Hotdragon: I was just kidding

Fierysprite: don't do that! I can't see your face, so I can't tell if you're joking or not

“Virginia Weasley, get down here now! The food is getting cold!” her mother was mad now.

“One second!” she yelled back.

Hotdragon: alright, sorry

Fierysprite: look I would love to stay and chat but my mum's getting mad at me now

Hotdragon: alright, e-mail me later

(Fierysprite has logged off)

After she closed her laptop, she ran downstairs. Everyone was waiting for her. She sat down at the last open seat, next to Harry. Everyone began to eat, but Ginny was looking around the table quizzically.

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were at the ends. Then to the right of Mrs. Weasley was Ginny. Next to her was Harry, and next to him was Hermione. Mr. Weasley at the other end, and then the twins. Next to them was Ron. Usually, Ginny was the one that sat next to the twins.

“Didn't you make up with Ron?” Ginny whispered to Harry.

“No, he wouldn't listen to us, and now he's mad at you too,” Harry replied.

“Why is he mad at me?” Ginny whispered to Harry.

“because you lied to him in the e-mail,” Harry explained.

“He is so immature,” Ginny commented.

“That may be true, but he's still my friend and I wish he wasn't mad at me,” Harry replied quietly.

“I know, I'll help you get him to listen,” Ginny offered.

“Thanks, Gin,” he replied gratefully.

“So Ginny,” said Fred. “What were you doing in your room?”

“Our guess was you had snuck a boy up there, and you were snogging,” George added.

Ginny blushed slightly at this comment.

“It was probably something close to that,” Harry teased her.

Ginny shot him a death glare, and he shut up almost immediately.

“What do you mean, Harry?” Mrs. Weasley asked.

“Uh, nothing,” Harry replied guiltily.

Ginny smiled when she heard Hermione hiss something to Harry that sounded like, are you trying to get all the Weasleys to hate you?
“Oh, Mum, it's nothing,” Ginny said. “I was just talking to some guy I met on the internet.”

“He could be dangerous,” Mrs. Weasley warned.

“Mum, he's sixteen years old, and goes to Hogwarts just like Harry and Ron. Besides, he seems really sweet, so he's either really is sweet of he's a really good actor. I mean, ask Harry, he's known him longer,” Ginny told her mother.

“What do you think Harry?” Mrs. Weasley asked.

“He seems really nice to me. I talk to him pretty much everyday, and I like him a lot. Besides, what would he do? He doesn't know Ginny's name, he doesn't even know what house she's in. She'll be fine,” Harry said calmly.

“What's his screen name?” Fred asked.

“Uh, well, um Hotdragon,” Ginny mumbled. It wasn't as if it was anything bad, but she knew that her brothers and mother would overreact. On second thought, so would her father.

“What was that, Gin? I didn't catch that,” Ron said. He was enjoying watching her squirm.

“Hotdragon,” she repeated, clearer and louder this time.

Everyone was silent for a minute, and then all of the Weasleys started yelling.

“Everyone shut up! His screen name doesn't mean he's bad. I mean, Harry's is Emerald Hottie!” Ginny yelled. She was frustrated. Her brothers and her parents always treated her like a little girl. “I'm not a little girl anymore; I don't need your constant protection anymore! I'm fifteen years old, and I can make my own decisions! Stop treating me like I'm three years old!” After she finished, she ran upstairs to her room.

*~*~*~*

After Fierysprite had logged out, Draco had just been going to different sites, not doing anything in particular. When, to his surprise, ten minutes later Fierysprite sent him an IM.

Fierysprite: hey

Hotdragon: hey that was fast

Fierysprite: yeah well when your family treats you like a three year old dinner gets cut short

Hotdragon: what happened?

Fierysprite: my brother asked me what I had been doing, I told him and my mum became kind of weary. I told her it was fine, she finally relented, but then my brother asked what your screen name was, that's when it all went downhill

Hotdragon: why? What's wrong with my screen name?

Fierysprite: nothing it's just that my parents and siblings see me as a little girl that needs protecting, they flipped, and then I yelled at them, then I ran up here to my room

Hotdragon: oh

Fierysprite: sorry you probably didn't want to know all that

Hotdragon: hey I asked, besides, it seemed like you needed to tell someone, I was happy to help

Fierysprite: thanks, you're right I did need that

Hotdragon: like said, I'm happy to help

Fierysprite: look I really want to talk to you more but once again my mum is interrupting

Hotdragon: alright I'll talk to you later; my dad wants to talk to me anyway

(Hotdragon has logged off)

Draco shut down his laptop, and then turned to glare at his father. “What do you want?” he snapped.

“What have you been doing all day? Playing with that Muggle toy?” Lucius asked, his voice filled with disdain.

“It's not a toy, and I wasn't playing with it, I was trying to make some friends. I would make some at school, but almost everyone's afraid of me, except the Slytherins, who are all mean, cold-hearted people, just like you,” Draco replied coldly.

“How many times do I have to tell you? Malfoys don't-” Lucius began, but was cut off by Draco.

“Malfoys don't need friends,” Draco finished. “I know, but I think you're wrong. You may not need friends, but I do, father,” he spat the last word out with contempt.

“Needing shows weakness. Malfoys don't need anything I thought you'd have learned that by now, but I guess not!” Lucius yelled at his son. “You had better shape up, boy, or you'll be sorry.”

“I'm not so sure about that,” Draco replied, his eyes flickering with challenge.

“I must teach you a lesson then,” Lucius said calmly. “Crucio!” He pointed his wand at Draco, and he hit the floor writhing in pain. He did his best to bite back screams of pain, but it was just too much. The pain was beginning to blind him, and his vision was going black. Just as Draco fell into unconsciousness, Lucius stopped the curse, and then walked out of the room, leaving Draco unconscious on the floor.

*~*~*~*

Meanwhile, Ginny was talking to her mother in her room. “Look Mum, I'm sorry I yelled at you, it's just-” Ginny began, but was cut off.

“Ginny dear, I'm sorry I got upset with you at dinner. You're right, you're fifteen, and can make your own decisions. It's just that you're the youngest and my only daughter, and I don't want anything to happen to you. If you want to talk to this Hotdragon person, then you can. I won't stop you, and neither will your bothers. And dear, I don't care that you yelled because it was the only way to get anyone's attention,” Mrs. Weasley said gently.

“Thanks, Mum,” Ginny replied, smiling.

After that, Mrs. Weasley left the room, and went back downstairs. Ginny booted up her laptop. When she got on the internet, she was surprised to find that Hotdragon wasn't online. Oh well, she thought, I'll send him an e-mail.

Hey, Hotdragon. What's up? Where are you? Why aren't you online? E-mail or IM me when you get online. Can't wait to talk to you!

Talk to you soon,

Fierysprite

Now all she could do was wait. She surfed the internet for about forty five minutes, when she saw Harry had logged on. She decided to IM him.

Fierysprite: hey, Harry

Emerald Hottie: hey Gin. what's up?

Fierysprite: nothing much, I'm waiting to Hotdragon to log on

Emerald Hottie: oh, did he say he would talk to you again tonight?

Fierysprite: yeah

Emerald Hottie: when was that?

Fierysprite: almost an hour ago, he was going to talk to his father, then come back, and talk to me

Emerald Hottie: weird

Fierysprite: yeah

Emerald Hottie: it's getting late and I wanted to check something really quick

Fierysprite: alright I get the point, I think I'm going to go to bed, good night

Emerald Hottie: good night, Ginny

(Fierysprite has logged off)

Ginny shut down her laptop, climbed into bed, and fell asleep almost instantly.

A/N: Don't forget to review, and tell me what you thought!

2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own any of this, it all belongs to the great author, J.K. Rowling.
A/N: Sorry it took so long to upload this, but I was having trouble with my computer. Anyway, enjoy!

Chapter 2
Early the next morning, Draco woke up feeling very stiff. He looked around, and vaguely wondered why he was on the floor. Then he remembered what had happened the night before. Something must have gone wrong with one of Voldemort's many schemes to wreck havoc on the world or to kill Harry Potter. That was the only time Lucius ever used Crucio. Otherwise, he just beat him and cursed him, but never Crucio.
While he was thinking about this, a dull throbbing started in his head. It was the after effects of the Cruciatus Curse. He hated it when his father used it on him, and was getting fed up with Lucius always taking his anger out on him. He hadn't even done anything, at least nothing that deserved that kind of torture as punishment.
Draco wished he had someone to talk to and confide in, but there was no ne. Everyone at Hogwarts was scared of him. They knew who his father was, and figured he was just like Lucius. They were wrong, though, he wasn't anything like his father. The only people that had seen the real him, were his friends online and the Slytherins. Well, that did him a whole lot of good. As soon as his internet friends found out who he was, they would drop him instantly. As for the Slytherins, they were all mean, and just thought Draco was soft. He had been teased about that, but after awhile had turned to the emotionless, cold-hearted method. The Slytherins accepted him after that, but the rest of the school either hated him, was scared of him, of both. Now Draco wished he hadn't turned into an ice man. He wished he'd just let the Slytherins tease him. At least then he would have friends to talk to, and hang out with. In reality though, he had no friends so here he was sitting in the middle of his room, just regaining consciousness after his father tortured him, and he had no one to talk about it with. He could tell Fierysprite, and she'd listen, but she would probably figure out who he was, and never speak to him again. Maybe I'll e-mail Fierysprite anyway, he thought. He'd promised he would last night, but he'd been a little preoccupied.
So Draco turned on his laptop, and signed on to the internet. For the fist time, he looked at the clock by his bed. It was only eight o'clock in the morning. No wonder I'm so tired, he thought. It's about four hours earlier than I usually get up during the summer. Oh well, it's not like if I go to bed now, I'll be able to fall asleep anyway. When his screen had loaded, he saw he had an e-mail from Fierysprite. He read it and then responded:
Hey, Fierysprite! Sorry I blew you off last night, but my father had me a bit preoccupied. I'll be online most of the day today, so reply when you get online. Talk to you soon.
Hotdragon
After he wrote that, he decided he would search the web, while he was waiting for Fierysprite.

*~*~*~*

Ginny woke up at ten o'clock the next morning. When she got downstairs, everyone else was already awake, and eating breakfast.
”Good morning, Ginny,” her mother greeted her.
”Good morning,” Ginny replied.
”Hey Gin. Did Hotdragon ever e-mail you?” Harry asked her.
”Not last night, but he may have this morning,” Ginny said. Then she continued to eat her breakfast quickly.
”Whoa, where's the fire, Gin?” Fred asked.
”Yeah, why are you eating so fast?” George asked.
”I've gotta check my e-mail,” she replied.
”Oh yes, you just have to check it immediately,” Ron said sarcastically.
”Ha, ha,” Ginny shot back, just as sarcastically. “I'm gonna check my e-mail. See ya,” she said as she raced up the steps to her room, two at a time.
She turned on her laptop, and logged into the internet. When her screen appeared, she noticed she had mail, from Hotdragon. She read it, and when she saw he was online also, she Instant Messaged him.
Fierysprite: hey
Hotdragon: hey, what's up? Sorry about last night, I was a bit tied up
Fierysprite: it's fine, I understand, my parents do that to me sometimes too
Hotdragon: my father is pure evil
Fierysprite: (laughs) he can't possibly be that bad. At least no worse than Draco Malfoy's dad. He's in Voldemort's inner circle, and probably uses Unforgivable Curses on his son. I almost feel sorry for him. Almost
Hotdragon: yeah I've seen him, looks evil to me
Fierysprite: exactly, see, your parents aren't that bad
Hotdragon: I guess not
Fierysprite: by the way, what do you think of Draco Malfoy?
Hotdragon: he's a bit cold, don't you think?
Fierysprite: yeah but I think deep down, he's a good person. He just can't let it our or doesn't want to , I mean if I were Lucius Malfoy's child, I'd be cold too
Hotdragon: I get you point, I think you may be right about him
”Ginny, get down here. You are not going to spend another day in your room, chatting on your laptop. Everyone else is going to the beach. We're leaving in ten minutes. Be read by then,” Mrs. Weasley yelled up the stairs.
”Alright Mum, I'll be down soon,” Ginny shouted back.
Fierysprite: I'm really really sorry but I can't chat with you right now. We're going to the beach. I gotta go.
Hotdragon: it's alright, I'll talk to you later. At 3 in the chat room
Fierysprite: okay talk to you then, bye
(Fierysprite has logged off.)
Ginny got ready, and ran downstairs.

*~*~*~*

Draco was actually a bit glad the chat ended so soon. He had felt a little weird about the whole conversation. First, he had lied to her. Then, they had started talking about him and his father. Draco had been a bit amazed when she had nailed what Lucius was like exactly. She had also said she almost felt sorry for him. He was glad someone noticed Lucius wasn't only mean to other people, he was mean to Draco also.
He had been especially happy when she'd said that deep down he was a good person. He had been completely surprised, but happy all the same. Whoever this girl was, she defiantly had a knack for figuring out people's secrets. Draco wished that he could tell her that it was him she was talking ab out, and she was completely right. He wished he could have confided in her, but he knew that wasn't a good idea. She might never talk to him again, and he liked talking to her. Maybe, if she chats with me long enough, she'll see I'm not all bad, he thought. Then we could reveal to each other our identities.
In the meantime, he would have to be as nice as possible, and try to gain her trust. Once she trusted him enough, then he could tell her who he was. Now, though, Draco jsut wanted to crawl into bed, and sleep until 3, and that's exactly what he did.

*~*~*~*

Even though at first Ginny hadn't wanted to got to the beach, she had ended up having fun anyway. At first, she'd just planned on sun bathing the whole time, but it had soon gotten too hot for that. She had relented, and got into the water.
Ginny, Harry, Hermione, Ron, Fred, and George had started a huge water fight. Ti had been Ginny, Harry, and Hermione against Ron and the twins. Ron still refused to talk to Harry, Hermione, or Ginny. Ginny wished he would jsut give it up, as he was jsut making himself miserable.
Oh well, she thought. He'll get over it eventually.
Now though, it was quarter to three, and they were heading back to the Burrow. Ginny and Harry were trying to hurry a bit, so they could change before going to the chat room. As soon as ti was in sight, Ginny and Harry raced each other to the dilapidated, old house.
Harry made it there first, as he had much longer legs than Ginny did. Once Ginny was inside, she ran up the stairs to her bedroom. She turned on her laptop, and then changed as fast as she could. Ginny looked at the clock, 2:59, perfect.
She typed in the website, and entered the chat room. She saw everyone else was there except for Harry and Cho.
Just then, Harry came into her room. Ginny looked up at him.
”Can I sit in here with you?” Harry asked.
”Sure, sit anywhere,” Ginny replied, gesturing around the room. He chose the spot next to her, on her bed.
Ginny soon saw Harry's screen name appear on the list.
Gossip Queen22: what do you want to talk about? Please not Quidditch.
Teenage Enchantress: fierysprite, how was your alone time with Hotdragon yesterday?
Ginny blushed, so they had been trying to set her up with Hotdragon.
Fierysprite: it was nice, it got cut a little short though
Gossip Queen22: did you go to a private chat room?
Fierysprite: yes and after that I talked to him twice
Teenage Enchantress: really how interesting, did you flirt?
Ginny blushed any even deeper shade of red. She wished that they'd stop asking questions.
Fierysprite: a little, but the guys seem bored, so let's talk about something else
Gossip Queen22: oh alright but no Quidditch
Teenage Enchantress: are you guys dating anyone?
Emerald Hottie: yes, I have a girlfriend
Gossip Queen22: I have a boyfriend
Fierysprite: I'm single
Froggylegs 91: single and lovin' it
Hotdragon: I don't have a girlfriend but this one girl is convinced I'm in love with her, all because I took her to one stupid dance, she's quite annoying
Fierysprite: have you told her you don't like her?
Hotdragon: only about a million times
Fierysprite: oh well, she'll grow out of it, I did, what about you, Teenage Enchantress, do you have a boyfriend?
Teenage Enchantress: yeah
Gossip Queen22: well Froggylegs said he liked being single, but what about you other single people
Fierysprite; being singel is okay, but I'd much rather have a boyfriend
Hotdragon: same as Fierysprite
Fierysprite: are you gay?
Hotdragon: no, why would you think that?
Fierysprite: because you agreed with me when I said I wanted a boyfriend
Hotdragon: you know what I meant
Fierysprite: I know, I'm just kidding
Gossip Queen22: you two are so much alike
Hotdragon: and your point is?
Gossip Queen22: I was just making an observation, no reason to bite my head off
Fierysprite: alright, alright break it up
Gossip Queen22: look who's jealous
Fierysprite: I am not
Gossip Queen22: yes you are, why else would you break up our fight?
Fierysprite: so we can get a conversation going again
Emerald Hottie: okay quit fighting
Fierysprite: fine what do you want to talk about?
Gossip Queen22: let's continue the topic from before
Hotdragon: how can we go any further?
Gossip Queen 22: for those of you who are dating someone, how long have you been dating?
Emerald Hottie: for about 3 months
Teenage Enchantress: yeah it is
Fierysprite: ooh, sounds pretty serious
Teenage Enchantress: yeah it is
Fierysprite: have you gone all the way
Teenage Enchantress: no but we were pretty close. Have any of you gone all the way?
Froggylegs 91: I have, once, I was in love with the girl but she died
Fierysprite: that is so sad
Froggylegs 91: yeah well I've tried to forget about it, what about you?
Fierysprite: no I haven't even gotten remotely close
Gossip Queen22: I've come very close, but never done it
Emerald Hottie: I've come pretty close
Hotdragon: everyone at my school thinks I do it all the time, but I've never gone all the way before
Fierysprite: have you gotten close to it?
Hotdragon: fairly close
Fierysprite: how far have you people gotten, on a scale of 1-10, 1 for not ver far, 10 all the way
Emerald Hottie: 8.5
Gossip Queen22: 9.5
Froggylegs 91: 10
Teenage Enchantress: 9.8
Hotdragon: 7, what about you Fierysprite?
Fierysprite: well, probably around a 6
Hotdragon: ooh, harsh
Fierysprite: hey you're not very far ahead of me
Hotdragon: yeah but the only people who know that are here
Fierysprite: what does that have to do with anything?
Hotdragon: I don't know, I was trying to distract you
Fierysprite: it didn't work
Hotdragon: I realize that, but it was worth a try
Fierysprite: once again, I'll say you're weird
Hotdragon: and once again, I know I am
Emerald Hottie: there are other people in the chat room you know
Fierysprite: oh right, sorry
Emerald Hottie: I'm just reminding you
Teenage Enchantress: you're only a 6, how many boyfriends have you had?
Fierysprite: 2
Teenage Enchantress: that's it? When did you get your first boyfriend?
Fierysprite: last year
Teenage Enchantress: that's is? I was dating when I was 12
Fierysprite: when I was 12 I was obsessed with a guy
Teenage Enchantress: did you finally get him to notice you?
Fierysprite: no I grew out of my crush
Hotdragon: whoa, it's 4 o'clock already
(Hotdragon has logged out.)
Fierysprite: bye, see ya everyone
After Ginny logged out of the chat room, she Instant Messaged Hotdragon.
Fierysprite: hey
Hotdragon: what's up?
Fierysprite: nothing much
Hotdragon: who's the guy you were obsessed with?
That was when Ginny remembered Harry was still in the room. Ginny was about to ask him to leave, but he beat her to it, “Alright, alright, I get it, I'm leaving.” She smiled gratefully at him.
Fierysprite: I can't tell you
Hotdragon: why not?
Fierysprite: because you'll know who I am
Hotdragon: please
Fierysprite: no
Hotdragon: alright fine
Fierysprite: so everyone thinks you sleep around?
Hotdragon: yeah
Fierysprite: I'll have to ask my brother which 6th year guys sleep around
Hotdragon: hey you can't do that
Fierysprite: you were trying to find out who I was obsessed with
Hotdragon: yeah but I dropped if after awhile
Fierysprite: so you were still trying to get clues too
Hotdragon: yeah but I'm not researching it
Fierysprite: whatever let's just drop it
Hotdragon: fine
Fierysprite: it's so weird not knowing who I'm talking to but we talk and joke like we're best friends
Hotdragon: you are my best friend I don't have any friends, except you and my cousin but he has to like me
Fierysprite: why not?!? from what I can tell you're a great guy
Hotdragon: to you yeah, you know the real me but only people online see it
Fierysprite: how come?
Hotdragon: because people are too quick to judge but on the internet you can't do that
Fierysprite: that's a bit sad
Hotdragon: I know but that's how it goes
Fierysprite: why don't you try harder to show people the real you?
Hotdragon: because I'm not sure I want them to see it
Fierysprite: your life sounds so dark and dreary
Hotdragon: that's because it is
Fierysprite: but that's so sad
Hotdragon: you already said that
Fierysprite: I know I did, it's true, are you trying to change the subject?
Hotdragon: kinda yeah, I don't really like talking about this kind of stuff
Fierysprite: oh I'm sorry, I'm just curious
Hotdragon: I know, it's okay, let's just talk about something else
Fierysprite: okay what do you want to talk about?
Hotdragon: what about you, do you have many friends?
Fierysprite: I have pretty many good friends
Hotdragon: are they all in your year?
Fierysprite: not all of them, but most, what about your parents? What are they like?
Hotdragon: I told you before, I don't like them, well actually I like my mother but not my father
Fierysprite: I know you told me before but you were mad at them then
Hotdragon: I would probably like my father more if he were nicer
Fierysprite: does he yell a lot or what?
Hotdragon: my father abuses me
Fierysprite: no way, your father can't be that bad
Hotdragon: yeah he is
Fierysprite: that's terrible no one deserves that
Hotdragon: yeah well I got it
Fierysprite: OMG, I am so sorry
Hotdragon: I'm not looking for your sympathy
Fierysprite: I know, but I still feel sorry for you
Hotdragon: can we talk about something else please?
Fierysprite: sorry
Hotdragon: what about your parents?
Fierysprite: from what you said, pretty much the exact opposite of yours
Hotdragon: so you like your parents?
Fierysprite: most of the time
Hotdragon: except when they annoy, embarrass, or punish you
Fierysprite: exactly
Hotdragon: I should probably go, last time I stayed online all day my father was not very happy with me
Fierysprite: oh God, is that what you were busy with?
Hotdragon: yeah
Fierysprite: alright, I'll talk to you tomorrow
Hotdragon: okay see ya
(Hotdragon: has logged off.)
After Ginny had logged off the internet, she began to cry. That was one of the saddest conversations she had ever had in her life.

*~*~*~*

When Ron was walking up to his room, which was right next to Ginny's, he heard crying coming from her room.
He forgot about being mad, and went to see what was wrong. He walked over to her bed and said quietly, “What's wrong, Gin?”
She looked up at him, startled. “You're actually talking to me,” she said dazedly.
”Yeah, now what's wrong?” Ron asked again.
”It's nothing really, it shouldn't upset me as much as it does,” she replied vaguely.
”What is it?” Ron asked impatiently.
”I was talking to Hotdragon online, and he was telling me about his life. He has the worst life ever imaginable. He doesn't have any friends, everyone thinks he's a slut, and his father beats him” Ginny said as calmly as she could.
”That's why you're crying?” Ron asked incredulously.
”Yes, isn't it terrible?” Ginny asked.
”Sure, but Gin, that's no reason to cry. I mean, you don't even know the guy for heavens sake,” Ron replied exasperatedly.
”I many not know him in person, but he's still my friend,” Ginny shot back. Ron was beginning to annoy her.
”You've only been talking to him for two days,” Ron pointed out.
”So, we've talked a lot in those two days. I know a lot about him,” she said, he voice rasing in defense.
”He could be lying,” Ron retorted calmly.
”You are so irritating. You come in here to comfort me, and you make me even more upset! Get out!” Ginny yelled while pushing him out her bedroom door.

A/N: Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next chapter will be up soon, and it will be longer. Thanks to everyone who reviewed last chapter! You guys are awesome! Don't forget to review!

3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own any of this. It all belongs to JKR one of the greatest authors ever!

A/N: Enjoy chapter 3!

Chapter 3

The next few days passed by as a blur for Ginny. Everyday she and Harry went into the chat room, and then afterwards she would talk to Hotdragon. Today was Tuesday, and Ginny's friend, Shannon, was coming to stay with them for the rest of the summer. They were going to pick her up in twenty minutes, and then tomorrow they were going school supply shopping.
"Ginny, it's about time to leave. Are you almost ready?" Her mother yelled from downstairs.
"One second, Mum," Ginny yelled back. She quickly glanced at herself in the mirror one more time, and then ran downstairs.
Ginny stepped into the fireplace, threw in the powder, and said clearly, "The O'Connor's house." Her mother followed shortly after, and about fifteen minutes later they were back at the Burrow with Shannon. Ginny helped Shannon carry her bags up to Ginny's room, where she would be staying. Chatting a little as they went.
"Did you hear that Michelle got into Quidditch camp this summer?" Ginny asked when they reached her room.
"Yeah, she told me about it. It sounds pretty cool, if you like Quidditch," Shannon replied. "So, what have you been doing the past few days? Every time I was online, you were too, but talking to someone else."
"I've been talking to this guy that I met in a chat room," Ginny told her.
"Really? What's he like?" Shannon asked with interest.
Ginny began telling her all about Hotdragon and their conversations, but left out the part that he had a terrible life, and that his father beats him. She didn't think that he told many people about it, and decided not to spread it around. When she had finished Shannon said, "You know pretty much about him. You seem to like him a lot."
"Yeah, I do. Sometimes when we're talking, I fell like I've known him my entire life, but sometimes I feel like I barely know him," Ginny said.
"Don't you wish you know his name?" Shannon asked. She could not imagine talking to a complete stranger every day.
"Sometimes, but sometimes I'm glad I don't know because he could be someone that I don't like. He could be my worst enemy. He said he doesn't have many friends because everyone's quick to judge him. He also said that the person everyone else sees is not he person he really is. If I meet him in person, I could hate him, and then everything would be ruined," Ginny replied, trying her best to explain how she felt.
"I see your point. You like the friendship you have now, and you're afraid that if you meet in person, then you won't like him. Then you'll wish you had the old friendship back, but won't be able to get it back," Shannon said matter-of-factly.
"Exactly! What do you think I should do?" Ginny asked.
"Tell him what you just told me. Chances are, he'll understand he may even agree with you," Shannon replied.
"Okay, I'll try it. Thanks!" Ginny said gratefully. "Hey, did I tell you Harry and Hermione are dating?"'
"They are? I'm glad, I always thought they'd make a good couple," Shannon said excitedly.
"So have I, but Ron doesn't think so. He was pretty ticked when they told him. He still isn't talking to them. Or me either for that matter," Ginny told her. She was glad she finally had someone to talk to besides Harry and Hermione.
"Why is he mad? I mean, I know he has a crush on Hermione, but that's a little extreme. And why is he mad at you?" Shannon asked incredulously.
"Because I tried to get them to talk again. He wasn't too happy about that, plus the fact that I found out before him. I figured it out. He's mad at them because they have been dating since the beginning of the summer, and never told him," Ginny informed her of the events of the past few days.
"So, he'd mad at you, Harry, and Hermione? He's not talking to you at all? It must be kinda nice," Shannon said thoughtfully.
"It's not, believe me. As annoying as he can be, I wish he weren't mad. He just totally ignores us," Ginny said miserably. "Harry and Hermione are talking it especially hard."
Then, there was a knock on the door.
"Come in," Ginny said. Harry and Hermione walked in, looking very upset.
"What's up? You two don't look too happy," Ginny commented.
"We're thinking of breaking up," Harry said bluntly.
"What? Why? You're happy together, and you make such a great couple. You can't break up!" Shannon cried.
"We're happy together, yeah, but because we're together Ron hates us. We're both totally miserable," Hermione said. "I also haven't gotten a good night's sleep since he stopped talking to us."
"Same with me," Harry agreed mournfully.
� "Come on; don't break up just because Ron is being a selfish prat. You guys are a perfect couple. Forget about Ron, he'll come around eventually. He's just stubborn," Ginny said firmly. "I'll talk to him today, just don't break up."
"Are you sure it's for the best? We appreciate you offer, but will he really listen to you? He's mad at you too," Harry replied uncertainly.
"I'll talk to him then," Shannon offered.

"Alright, but if he doesn't come around soon, we'll have to break up. It's our only other option," Hermione said finally.
�

*~*~*~*

The past few days had gone by incredibly slow for Draco. He stayed in his room all day, trying to entertain himself with various things. The only thing he looked forward to was talking to Fierysprite. On the bright side though, his father hadn't come into his room or yelled at him since the day had had cursed Draco to unconsciousness. Now, glancing at the clock, he noticed that it was time to meet in the chat room.
He turned on his laptop, and went into the chat room. Everyone was already there except Fierysprite. He hoped she would come soon. She was the most fun to talk to, and he felt more comfortable with her then with anybody else. His wish was soon granted about thirty seconds later when her name appeared on the list.
�� Hotdragon: Hey everyone, what's new?
�� Teenage Enchantress: today's my birthday
�� Fierysprite: really? Happy birthday!
�� Gossip Queen22: how old are you now?
�� Teenage Enchantress: 18!
�� Fierysprite: cool
�� Hotdragon: you're the oldest now
�� Teenage Enchantress: I was always the oldest
�� Hotdragon: yeah but nobody knew it
�� Teenage Enchantress: I see your point
�� Fierysprite: I can't believe summer's almost over
�� Hotdragon: I know it seems like it gone be so fast, but I can't wait to get back to school
�� Gossip Queen22: why on earth do you want to go back to school?
�� Hotdragon: I hate being at home, it's creepy and me and my parents don't get along very well
�� Froggylegs 91: why don't you just leave then?
�� Hotdragon: where would I go?
�� Teenage Enchantress: to a relatives?
�� Hotdragon: they'd all just send me home
�� Froggylegs 91: What about a friend's house?
�� Hotdragon: I don't have any friends
�� Gossip Queen22: you have got to be kidding
�� Emerald Hottie: you have to have friends
�� Hotdragon: I don't
�� Fierysprite: but you seem like a great guy
�� Hotdragon: that means I have to have friends?
�� Gossip Queen22: no what Fierysprite means is that you seem like the kind of guy who would have lots of friends
�� Hotdragon: whatever let's talk about something else
�� Fierysprite: alright what should we talk about?
�� Hotdragon: what about all of you? Are you looking forward to school?
�� Fierysprite: I don't want to go back to school but I want to see my friends
�� Emerald Hottie: I don't want to go back to school yet
�� Froggylegs 91: I don't want to go back either, I hate school
�� Gossip Queen22: I don't want to go back to school, but I'm glad that summer's almost over, it's my least favorite season
�� Teenage Enchantress: why don't you like summer?
�� Gossip Queen22: too hot
�� Froggylegs 91: that's what's good about it, I hate cold weather
�� Gossip Queen22: I hate warm weather, cold is much better
�� Fierysprite: alright new topic, this is stupid. You're arguing which season is better
�� Froggylegs 91: we weren't arguing, we were discussing
�� Fierysprite: fine whatever but it was still stupid
�� Hotdragon: this is so pointless you're now arguing about if their conversation was stupid or not, let's pick a better topic
�� Fierysprite: like what? We haven't been able to come up with a good topic and it's almost 4
�� Teenage Enchantress: then we need a topic
�� Gossip Queen22: anything but Quidditch
�� Fierysprite: do any of you like other sports besides Quidditch?
�� Froggylegs 91: what else is there?!?!
�� Fierysprite: muggle sports like basketball or volleyball or something
�� Hotdragon: you have got to be kidding me, if my father found me playing a muggle sport, he'd kill me
�� Fierysprite: you're laptop is a muggle thing
�� Hotdragon: yeah but it's charmed so it's not entirely muggle
�� Froggylegs 91: I've never tried anything but Quidditch
�� Gossip Queen22: well obviously, I like cheerleading, does that count?
�� Emerald Hottie: I like muggle sports, basketball, soccer, baseball
�� Teenage Enchantress: I played soccer before but I hated it, I like volleyball though
�� Fierysprite: I don't care for soccer either, I used to be on a basketball team, and I like volleyball a lot
�� Unsuprized: are you guys still here? Get out it's 4
�(Hotdragon has logged out.)
�After Draco had logged out of the chat room, he promptly Instant Messaged Fierysprite.
�� Hotdragon: hey
�� Fierysprite: hey, what's up?
�� Hotdragon: nothing really but I'd have to say that was the most time we've ever wasted of out hour
�� Fierysprite: yeah it was kinda pointless
�� Hotdragon: yeah and you didn't help much
�� Fierysprite: at least I tried
�� Hotdragon: what do you mean? I was the one who got us back on track
�� Fierysprite: whatever anyway I can't talk long today
�� Hotdragon: and why not?
�� Fierysprite: because I have a friend staying at my house for the rest of the summer, and she's probably bored out of her mind
�� Hotdragon: you always desert me
�� Fierysprite: I'm sorry really I am but I don't even know you
�� Hotdragon: what does that matter?
�� Fierysprite: you could be some 300 pound 50 year old creep for all I know
�� Hotdragon: what's your point?
�� Fierysprite: I can't put you over my friend because 1) I actually know her name let alone that I've known her longer 2) she's at my house, you're not
�� Hotdragon: how do you know?
�� Fierysprite: because there are only two other guys at my house right now who have internet access and neither of them has the screen name Hotdragon
�� Hotdragon: maybe I'm not in your house but outside it and I'm some insane stalker trying to make you like me and then striking
�� Fierysprite: well you could be but I highly doubt you would have just suggested that if you were
�� Hotdragon: you never know I would be incredibly stupid
�� Fierysprite: you could be but from what I've seen you're not but I really should get off
�� Hotdragon: okay fine, talk to you tomorrow
�� Fierysprite: I'll try but we're getting school supplies tomorrow and I probably won't be in the chat room
�� Hotdragon: try to at least e-mail me if I'm not online
�� Fierysprite: I'll try my best, see ya
�� Hotdragon: bye
(Fierysprite has logged off.)
When Fierysprite logged off, Draco was at a loss at what to do. He stared at the screen for a few moments, and for the first time in his life was glad to see that Blaise had Instant Messaged him.
�� Slytherin Hottie: hey what's going on?
�� Hotdragon: I am so bored
�� Slytherin Hottie: you couldn't have been for long, you were talking to some person named Fierysprite the last time I checked which was about five minutes ago
�� Hotdragon: you are truly obsessed
�� Slytherin Hottie: no I'm not I'm just bored
�� Hotdragon: whatever
�� Slytherin Hottie: so who were you talking to?
�� Hotdragon: Fierysprite
�� Slytherin Hottie: well I know that but who is it?
�� Hotdragon: "it's" a girl I met in a chat room
�� Slytherin Hottie: do you know how old she is?
�� Hotdragon: yeah she's 15 and she's going to be in her 5th year at hogwarts
�� Slytherin Hottie: wow you know a lot about her
�� Hotdragon: not really, that's about all I know, and that could be lies
�� Slytherin Hottie: that's true
�� Hotdragon: I really wish I knew who she was. I wish there was a way where I could figure out who she is without her knowing who I am, and without getting her mad
�� Slytherin Hottie: you'll have to find out as much as possible about her, do you have any idea what house she's in?
�� Hotdragon: no clue she doesn't act like a Slytherin but that doesn't mean anything, all I know is that she hates me
�� Slytherin Hottie: why do you say that, she talks to you doesn't she?
�� Hotdragon: no yeah but she hates Draco Malfoy, and news flash Blaise, I'm Draco Malfoy
�� Slytherin Hottie: I know that but since she sees the real you, maybe she'll like you better
�� Hotdragon: I doubt it, I'm and Malfoy and everyone hates Malfoys
�� Slytherin Hottie: I don't
�� Hotdragon: yeah but you're family, you have to like me
�� Slytherin Hottie: true
�� Hotdragon: thanks you're really reassuring
�� Slytherin Hottie: anytime Draco, anytime except now because I gotta go
�� Hotdragon: see ya, Blaise
�� Slytherin Hottie: see ya
(Slytherin Hottie has logged off.)
Well, that had passed some time, but it was still awhile before one of the house elves would bring him his dinner. So until then he decided to make a list of every Hogwarts 5th year girl he could think of.

�

*~*~*~*

�

Ginny shut don her laptop, and went looking for Shannon. She found her and Ron in the living room talking bout something. Ginny was just about to turn and go back up to her room, when Ron spotted her, and called her into the living.
"What's up, Ron?" Ginny asked curiously. She was shocked that he was even willing to talk to her, let alone being friendly.
"Look Gin, I'm really sorry about everything. I was being a jerk and I know it now. I shouldn't have taken my anger out at you because all you were doing was trying to help me. I see that now, and I also see I was a jerk to Harry and Hermione too. I guess they did have a point about my having a crush on Hermione. Anyway, I'm sorry. I'm going to go apologize to Harry and Hermione," Ron said cheerfully, giving Ginny a hug. Ginny hugged him back eagerly. She was shocked that Ron had come to his senses. Whatever Shannon had said to him, had sure made a difference, and for that she was glad. When Ginny asked Shannon what she had said to change his mind, Shannon replied blushing, "Nothing really, I just told him that if he didn't make up with Harry and Hermione soon, they were going to break up. When he heard that he was pretty shocked, as we were, but he said that no matter how much he liked Hermione, he wasn't going to let them break up over him."
"Wow, so he's not a total idiot after all," Ginny said when Shannon finished her story. At this, Shannon giggled. "No, he's not a total idiot. Not all the time at least," Shannon replied, laughing harder. Ginny joined in too. It was nice to have someone her age around again. Harry and Hermione are great, but sometimes someone your own age is some fun to hang out with, Ginny thought contentedly.
"Well thanks. Harry and Hermione have been miserable since Ron stopped talking to them. I also kinda missed Ron actually acknowledge my presence," Ginny said gratefully.
"I told you, I didn't really do anything," Shannon replied modestly.
"Whatever. So, wanna go up to my room and read Witch Weekly's 50 most eligible wizards?" Ginny asked, giggling.
"Sure, let's go," Shannon agreed.

�

*~*~*~*

�

Draco sat in his room, still making a list of 5th year girls. He was not having much luck. He thought of a few Slytherins, Weasley's little sister and friends, and Loony Lovegood. In his mind, he automatically ruled out Loony Lovegood. Fierysprite was definitely not as weird as her, and seemed smarter.
So that left the Weaslette and her friends. He highly doubted it was any of them. There no possible way the Weasleys could afford a laptop, one of her friends a total bookworm, one who's obsessed with Quidditch, and the other one's kinda ditzy.
Well, a lot of good that did me, Draco thought bitterly. I'm never going to figure out who Fierysprite is by myself, but my only friend is Fierysprite and she can't help me because then she'll want to know who I am.
My one friend, and I don't even know her name. Man, my life sucks. It can't possibly get any worse.
Just then, there came a knock at Draco's door.
"Open up, boy," Lucius yelled as he pounded on the door.
I think I spoke too soon, it just got worse.
Before Draco could get up to open the door, Lucius unlocked the door with his wand.
"You've been up here for four days straight, without coming downstairs, and your mother is getting worried. She thinks your sick, so you better be down for dinner in five minutes or you'll be sorry," Lucius roared.
"Well, what gotten you panties in a knot? Has Harry Potter avoided death again or has Voldemort died of shock when he can't beat Potter?" Draco shot back, one eyebrow raised.
"Don't you dare talk back to me! Crucio!" Lucius yelled the Unforgivable Curse casually. As if he could not go to Azkaban for it, which he could.
The spell hit Draco square in the chest, and he immediately fell to his knees from the pain. It was shooting all through his body, and it was a searing pain. Like thousands of lightning bolts shooting through his body. Even though it hurt, Draco refrained from crying out. He knew that if he did, Lucius would only use the Curse longer Because Draco had shown "weakness."
�All of the sudden, the pain stopped. Lucius left the room as Draco got to his feet, and went downstairs for dinner, walking through the halls still gave Draco the chills. You could almost smell the evil that was around the Manor.�
Ever since Draco was old enough to remember, Malfoy Manor had scared him. With it's long, dark corridors, and secret winding passageways. He had been ecstatic when he was eleven, and getting away from it for the first time.
Draco came to a stop before too large oak doors with beautiful brass handles. He opened the doors and stepped into the large, elegant room. The dining room at Malfoy Manor was about

4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don not own any of this. It all belongs to J.K. Rowling.

A/N: Enjoy chapter 4!

Chapter 4
The next few weeks crawled by at a snail's pace for Draco. He couldn't wait for the day that he could get on the Hogwarts Express, and get away from his father. Now that day had finally come. He was all packed and ready to go.
On this particular day, Draco was going to floo to King's Cross Station. (They have a fireplace connected to the Floo Network especially for Hogwarts's students.) Then he would board the train, and be free of his father's torture.
Draco said good-bye to his mother, and stepped into the fireplace. He threw some floo powder into the fireplace, and said clearly, "King's Cross Station." He felt the familiar dizziness that goes along with traveling by floo powder. When he arrived at the station, he stepped out of the fireplace, and brushed himself off.
Draco then casually leaned on the barrier between platforms nine and ten. When arriving on Platform nine and three-quarters, he was greeted with the familiar sight of Hogwarts Express. He boarded the train, and went in search of an empty compartment where he could e-mail Fierysprite.

*~*~*~*

The last few weeks had gone by faster than Ginny would have liked them to, but now it was time to go back to school for her fifth year at Hogwarts. As much as she loved her school, she wished that summer could last just a little bit longer. Today Ginny, Shannon, Ron, Harry, Hermione, her father, and her mother were going to pile into a car that Mr. Weasley had borrowed from the Ministry, seeing as how the old Angla that they had gone into the Forbidden Forest never to be seen again.
Right now, Ginny and Shannon were making sure they hadn't forgotten anything. "Did you pack your new dress robes?" Shannon asked Ginny.
"Are you kidding? Those are one of the first things I packed," Ginny replied. She had made sure she had packed them, that they didn't get wrinkled. There was no way she was going to forget them.
"What about your laptop?" Shannon asked.
"I've got it in my backpack that I'm taking on the train with me," Ginny said. Her laptop was another thing she had made sure not to forget. After about a week of having her laptop, she had decided not to go to the chat room everyday, she didn't see a point in it. Instead, she'd just talk to Hotdragon longer, which she enjoyed much more than going to the chat room. There was something about him that made her want to talk to him for a long time. She didn't know what it was, but she knew there was something.
"Well, I think I've got everything, you want to downstairs now?" Shannon asked, snapping Ginny out of her thoughts.
"Yeah, sure," Ginny replied. They both picked up their trunks and bags for the train, and took them downstairs to be loaded into the small Ministry car. "Why can't we use Floo Powder to get to the train station like everyone else?" Ginny complained. It would take them an hour to get there, and then they'd have to sit on the train for another coupled of hours. This is going to be a long day, she thought.
"Alright children, we have to leave if we're going to make it to King's Cross on time," Mrs. Weasley said as she ushered everyone out the door.
"There is no way we are all going to fit in there," Ron said, when he saw the car, and Ginny had to agree with him. Even without all the luggage it would have been a tight fit. Everyone got in, and astonishingly there was plenty of room. It must have some sort of charm on it to hold more people, Ginny thought.
When everyone was settled in, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley in the front and everyone else in the back, Mr. Weasley pulled away from the Burrow toward King's Cross Station.

*~*~*~*

An hour later, when the Weasleys and their guests finally arrived at the train station, they had only about ten minutes left to board the train. Everyone collected their stuff, and went through the barrier between platforms nine and ten. After arriving on the hidden platform, they were greeted by the sight of the Hogwarts Express puffing out smoke. Ginny, Shannon, Ron, Harry and Hermione said good-bye to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, and then quickly boarded the train. Everyone put their luggage in the cargo compartment, and then went in search of a compartment that wasn't too full. Harry, Ron, and Hermione found three spots in one of the compartments, and Ginny and Shannon found their other two friends, Mackenzie and Michelle, who hadn't found a compartment yet either. Every compartment was packed with people. With only one left at the very end of the train, it was totally empty except for one person, typing on their laptop. Draco Malfoy.
Of course, that's just our luck, Ginny thought nastily, the only compartment left, and it's occupied by Draco Malfoy. Him of all people, but it was either here or all go in separate compartments. At first, it appeared that he didn't notice they were there, but soon looked up once they had entered the compartment, and sneered at them.
"I know I'm a wonderful person to be around, and that I'm absolutely irresistible, but can't you leave me alone for two seconds?" he asked snottily.
"Look, it's not like we have much choice, Malfoy. Everywhere else is full, and believe me if it weren't, we wouldn't be here, you great ferret," Ginny shot back. Every time she was within ten feet of him, he always thought of some way to humiliate or annoy her.
"Well, no need to get huff with me. If you must, you may sit in this compartment, but first you have to ask nicely," Draco replied with an amused smirk.
Ginny's first thought was just leave, and try her best to find four empty seats in a compartment somewhere else, but instantly against it knowing it would do no good. So instead, she sucked in her pride saying as sweetly as she could and trying not to grimace, "Malfoy, may we please share this compartment with you, as it is the only one that has enough space?"
"That was pathetic, Weasley, but yes you may share this compartment," Draco replied, still with that stupid smirk on his face. Oh, but what a sexy smirk it is, a voice in the back of Ginny's mind commented. Ginny stood still for a moment, unable to move form the shock of it. I can't believe I just thought that any part of Draco Malfoy, the great bouncing ferret, was sexy, Ginny thought. Although, glancing quickly at him, she noticed that he was pretty good looking, with his slicked back, platinum blonde hair, his mysterious grey eyes that sometimes showed a flicker of emotion, and muscular body that developed from years of Quidditch practice. Oh, who was she kidding? He wasn't just good looking, he was drop dead gorgeous.
"Hey Weaslette, like I said before, I know I'm irresistible, but must you stare at me?" Draco asked, flashing her another one of his sexy smirks, and showing off some of his perfectly straight teeth. Ginny snapped out of her reverie, and looked away. She hadn't been aware that she was staring at him. Her friends had already immersed themselves in conversation, so Ginny decided to see if Hotdragon was online.

*~*~*~*

"Hey Weaslette, like I said before, I know I'm irresistible, but must you stare at me?" Draco snapped at the littlest Weasley who had been staring at him, and it had begun to get on his nerves. He watched as she snapped out of it, and then reached into her backpack, and pulled out a laptop. He was impressed; he would never have thought that a Weasley would own a laptop.
"What did you have to sell to get that?" Draco asked nastily.
"I didn't have to sell anything, I just had to save up the money from my job," she shot back calmly, too busy logging on her computer to pay much attention to him. He turned back to his own laptop to see if Fierysprite had logged on, and was happy to see that she had. She had also sent him an Instant Message, and was waiting for a reply.
Fierysprite: hey
Fierysprite: is anyone there?
Hotdragon: I'm here
Fierysprite: what took you so long to reply?
Hotdragon: sorry, I was staring off into space
Fierysprite: that's alright, hey did you know it's been a month?
Hotdragon: what do you mean?
Fierysprite: we've known each other for a month, and we agreed we'd tell each other who we were if we wanted to, do you want to?
Hotdragon: I don't know, I want to know who you are, but I kind of like being able to talk to you freely without having to worry that you'll stop talking to me because of who I am
Fierysprite: who could you possibly be that I would want to stop talking to you?
Hotdragon: you'd be surprised
Fierysprite: but you seem like such a nice person
Hotdragon: I told you this is the real me but if I told you my name, you wouldn't believe me
Fierysprite: try me
Hotdragon: no let's not reveal our identities I like it being a secret
Fierysprite: alright maybe later
Hotdragon: maybe
Fierysprite: could you just give me a clue, like what house you're in or something
Hotdragon: my screen name is a huge clue
Fierysprite: I don't see how
Hotdragon: my first name is in it
Fierysprite: I still don't see it
Hotdragon: think about it, now you give me a clue
Fierysprite: one of my brothers is named Charlie
Hotdragon: you expect that to help me?
Fierysprite: well you're clue wasn't very helpful either
Hotdragon: okay fine
Fierysprite: so who's the girl who stalks you?
Hotdragon: I am not telling you did you really think that was going to work?
Fierysprite: no but it was worth a try
Hotdragon: no not really
Fierysprite: whatever
Fierysprite: I know you don't have a girlfriend but is there anyone you're interested in?
Draco snorted at this. Of course there were girls he was interested in, he just couldn't have them. They all hated him. He had had very few girlfriends, and they only went out with him for his money and good looks. Quite frankly, he would be willing to go out with any half-way pretty girl with a good personality, regardless of their blood or house as long as they liked him for his personality. Actually, he had candidly been glancing at Ginny Weasley, a noticed that she was no longer the gawky, awkward looking girl like she used to be. She was now a beautiful young woman. Snap out of it Draco, he berated himself, she's a Weasley and one of your worst enemies, and she'd never pay any attention to you.
Hotdragon: sure there are girls I'm interested in
Fierysprite: like who?
Hotdragon: never mind, what about you?
Fierysprite: I don't know, I'd like a boyfriend, but no one in particular
Hotdragon: oh
Draco looked a bit crestfallen at her answer. He didn't know why, but he'd been hoping against hope that she would have said Draco Malfoy. He knew it was stupid, but he couldn't help it. He had wanted her to say it so much, that he had lost his sense of reality. All he wanted was one person who he could talk to face to face, someone who really understood him. If she would have said his name, he could have told her it was him, and then they could have become friends, and live happily ever after. Yeah right, like that would ever happen, Draco thought bitterly to himself.
Fierysprite: are you alright?
Hotdragon: yeah I'm fine, why do you ask?
Fierysprite: I don't know you just seem a little out of it, that's all. Look, I don't mean to be rude, but my friends want to talk to me, and I haven't seen them all summer, so could I talk to you later?
Hotdragon: yeah sure
Fierysprite: you're sure?
Hotdragon: I'm sure I totally understand, I'll e-mail you, alright?
Fierysprite: alright, talk to you later
Hotdragon: bye
(Fierysprite has logged off.)
Draco turned off his laptop, and turned to look out the window. It's not fair, he thought angrily, why does everyone else have friends and I don't? Why is it my father who's the cruel, power hungry father? Why did it have to be him whose father offered his son for Voldemort's dismissal? Why couldn't he have a life like Weasley's? he thought glancing at Ginny and her friends. They may not be the most well off family in the wizarding world, but at least they loved each other. Why can't I have loyal friends and a loving father, that didn't have intimate connections to the most powerful dark wizard of the time? Draco knew that he sounded like a two year old, but he couldn't help it. My life sucks, he thought before deciding to take a nap, and falling asleep almost instantly.

*~*~*~*

Ginny shut down her laptop, and then turned to her friends. She felt guilty about not talking to her friends more.
"Hey, look who finally decided to join the real world," Mackenzie said sarcastically.
"I'm sorry, you guys, I shouldn't have been on my laptop, but now I'm off, and I want to talk to you," Ginny replied earnestly. She was beginning to feel even guiltier for going on her laptop.
"It's alright, but what were you doing that was more important than us?" Michelle asked in a mock hurt voice.
Ginny quickly glanced at Draco to make sure that he wasn't paying attention, and was relieved to find he was asleep. "Well, I was talking to a guy I met in a chat room," Ginny answered her friends, smiling. Then she proceeded to tell them all about Hotdragon.
"Wow, you've been busy this past month," Michelle commented when Ginny had finished telling them about the chat room, and meeting Hotdragon.
"No kidding, she was so busy online, that she didn't even have time to hang out with me, her dearest, closest friend," Shannon said teasingly. Ginny hadn't really ignored her, actually, she had done a great job of handling her time and making Shannon feel included.
"Ginny, you did that? I can't believe you excluded your, and I quote, `dearest and closest friend' end quote, from your conversations with your boyfriend," Mackenzie said. They were teasing her, Ginny knew, but she still felt a little guilty. Had Shannon really felt left out or was it just all fun?
Seeming to read her thoughts, Shannon said," Don't worry, I'm just joking, you didn't really leave me out. You actually did a really good job of including me," Shannon said with a reassuring smile.
"I know you were just joking, but in case I did make anyone feel left out, I'm sorry," Ginny apologized sincerely.
"Oh, Gin, we're fine, don't worry. It's not as if we were totally bore out of our minds without you. We were fine, let's just forget about it," Michelle replied, hoping Ginny would stop feeling guilty and drop it.
"Alright, but enough about me, what about you, Michelle? I know you said you liked camp, but tell me more about it. What was it like? What did you do?” Ginny asked very interested because she too wanted to play Quidditch, and enjoyed the sport. So, for the rest of the train ride, Ginny and Michelle bored Shannon and Mackenzie half to death talking about every aspect of the camp and the sport.

*~*~*~*

About an hour later, Shannon and Mackenzie were relieved when the Hogwarts Express came to a stop. They both immediately stood up, and began collecting their stuff. Anything to get them away from all the Quidditch talk. It was beginning to drive them both a little insane. Ginny and Michelle were still immersed in conversation while they gathered up t heir things, and began to head out of they compartment until Ginny stopped in from of Draco and said, "Hey Malfoy, wake up, we're here." When he didn't move, she repeated it a little louder, and kicked him in the shin. That woke him up.
"What the heck was that for?" Draco asked, sounding very agitated, and yelled a string of colorful curses before beginning to collect his stuff.
Ginny and Michelle decided to get out of the compartment before Draco began looking for a bit of revenge. Not that Ginny had technically done anything wrong, all she had done was wake him up, but the way she went about it might have been considered wrong. She knew Hogwarts motto was Draco Dormiens Nanquam Titillandus, never tickle a sleeping dragon, but evidently you shouldn't kick them either. Laughing softly to herself, she stepped off the train, and onto one of the horseless carriages. Luna had always insisted that they weren't horseless, but Ginny couldn't see any horses, but that's why her nickname was Loony Love good.
Their carriage was just about to begin down the path towards Hogwarts, when someone else stepped in. It was Draco Malfoy. When he saw who else was in the carriage, he looked a little annoyed, but pretended to ignore them.
"Now, Malfoy, I know I'm irresistible, but must you follow me everywhere?" Ginny asked, doing her best imitation of his drawling, superior voice, and if she didn't say so herself, a pretty good imitation.
"Shut it, Weasley," Draco shot back a little too roughly.
"Ooh, did I strike a nerve?" Ginny asked nastily. For once in her life, Ginny Weasley had the upper hand over Draco Malfoy, and she wasn't going to let the opportunity slip away.
"I said, shut up, Weasley," this time he said it almost pleadingly, like all he really wanted was to be left alone, and it was because of this that Ginny did something else she'd never done in her life. She apologized to Draco Malfoy.
"I'm sorry, I'll leave you alone. Is anything wrong?" Ginny asked, hoping she sounded as genuine as she felt.
"Nothing's wrong," Draco replied harshly. Then in a bit warmer tone, he said something he'd never thought he'd ever say to anyone in his life, let alone a Weasley, "I accept your apology, and I'm sorry that I acted like a jerk earlier." The carriage came to a stop, and Draco got out leaving Ginny with an expression of pure shock on her face.

*~*~*~*

I can't believe I just did that, Draco thought to himself while he was walking to the castle. I never thought I'd actually let someone see that side of me, no matter how badly I wanted to. Why did I do it? Why did I risk it? Maybe because she initiated it or maybe because he'd been holding it in too long. Or maybe not, he didn't know what caused him to do it, but all he knew was that he did it, and it felt good. He was glad that he had finally let a little of his real personality show.
By the time he had worked all of this out in his head, he had reached the Great Hall. He opened the big oak double doors, and made his way to the far end of the room where the Slytherin table was located. He took a seat at the end of the long table, farthest away from the staff table. He scanned the staff table, and noticed that the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor had not yet arrived. Then, he turned his eyes to look at the ceiling. Currently, it was just beginning to get dark, and the first stars were beginning to shine. All in all it looked very peaceful, especially compared to the chaos ensuing in the Great hall. Hagrid and a woman Draco had never seen before took their places at the Head Table. That must be the new DADA professor, Draco thought. I wonder who she is. For some reason, though, there was a strange familiarity about her that Draco couldn't place. She looked as though she was no older than 25, and she had long white-blonde hair that fell to about three-quarters down her back. She had pale skin, and pointy, aristocratic features. She also had stormy gray eyes that looked more than a little familiar. Those were the same eyes that looked back at him from the mirror every morning, only hers had a more bluish tint that made her look so much less colder than Draco's steely gray. Who is she? Draco asked himself again. It looks like I'm about to find out, directing his attention to the doors where the first years were filing in behind McGonagall, looking as composed as ever.
McGonagall called up the first first year to be sorted, Abbott, Christina, and placed the Sorting Hat on her head. After a few seconds it announced its decision. "Hufflepuff." Everyone at the Hufflepuff table cheered for their new member to welcome her. Then the Sorting continued and finally ended with Zantoni, Zachary who was sorted into Slytherin. Draco clapped along with the rest of the Slytherins, but was glad the Sorting Ceremony was over so he could find out who the new Dark Arts teacher was. He was dying to know if her eyes were just a coincidence, but he highly doubled it, eyes that color were not very common. Dumbledore stood up at the center of the Head Table, and Draco gave him his full attention, but was disappointed when Dumbledore announced, "Since the Sorting Ceremony took longer than usual, we will have the feast first, and then make announcements and introduce the new teacher."
Man, now I have to wait for everyone to finish eating before solving this mystery.

*~*~*~*

Ginny was shocked, absolutely shocked. In fact, she was so shocked that she was frozen in place. Draco Malfoy, the resident bad boy and ice man, actually apologized to me. Me, Ginny Weasley, his family's worst enemy. This is so weird. Why'd he do it? There's no real way to find out, but ask him, and quite frankly he'd probably deny ever doing. Maybe it was just a hallucination, maybe she'd wished that Malfoy would be nice be nice for so long, that her mind had shown her what she wanted. That didn't seem likely though, because from the looks of it Michelle had seen and heard it too. Amazing. Maybe he likes me. Yeah right, Gin, are you insane? she asked herself. Yeah actually, I probably am because having a conversation with myself. Oh well. Maybe deep down he's really a nice person, and now he's finally letting people see. Oh, that's even more insane than the idea of him fancying you.
"Hey Gin, you coming or are you going to stay in the carriage all night thinking about Malfoy?" Michelle said, breaking out of her jumbled up, not to mention insane, thoughts.
"I'm coming," Ginny replied.
"Hey, do you know why Malfoy was acting so weird?" Michelle asked curiously.
"No idea," Ginny answered her shrugging. "You have any ideas?"
"No, not any probable ones anyway," Michelle said thoughtfully.
"Exactly, that's the same thing that happened with me, none of the options are probable."
By this time, they had entered the Great Hall, and Ginny sat down at the Gryffindor table near Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Shannon. They saw Mackenzie and Michelle at the Ravenclaw table, and waved to them.
"What took you so long to get here?" Hermione asked curiously when Ginny sat down.
Ginny was about to answer her when Professor McGonagall and the first years filed in for the Sorting Ceremony. Ginny shot Hermione a look that said, I'll tell you later and boy, you'll never believe it.
Hermione understood it perfectly, and waited impatiently for the Sorting Ceremony to end. The results were Gryffindor and Slytherin with 17, Hufflepuff with 15, and Ravenclaw with 13. Dumbledore stood up and informed everyone that the feast would be first and the rules. As soon as he sat down, Hermione turned to Ginny expectantly, along with Harry and Ron who wanted to see what Hermione was so impatient about.
"You'll never believe what happened after we left you guys to find a compartment," Ginny said enthusiastically, and continued to tell them everything from showing a compartment with Malfoy, to his shocking apology in the carriages. Once she had finished, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Shannon were totally silent. Then all at once they started talking.
"You've got to be kidding me!"
"Are you sure he wasn't being sarcastic?"
"Why on earth would Malfoy do something like that?"
"No, I'm not kidding, Ron. Yes, I'm sure he wasn't being sarcastic Harry, and I have no idea why he would do that Hermione," Ginny replied to all of their amazed and curious exclamations.
"Are you sure it was Malfoy?" Ron asked, still not believing what she was saying would have actually taken place.
"No Ron, it was Malfoy's clone," Ginny shot back sarcastically. Her brother could be extremely daft sometimes, and sometimes it could be quite exhausting.
"That's so weird. Hey, speaking of weird occurrences with Malfoy, doesn't that new teacher have more than a passing resemblance to Malfoy?" Hermione asked her voice filled with surprise.
"Yeah, Hermione you're right. She looks like she could be related to him, but he doesn't have any relatives, does he?" Ginny asked. She was beginning to be thoroughly freaked out by how the school year was going so far.

*~*~*~*

Draco ate as quickly as he could, and once he had eaten as much as he possibly could without exploding, looked expectantly up at the Head Table and around the Great Hall. He saw that most of the students had finished eating. He also saw Dumbledore stand up, and clap his hands together for attention.
"I would first like to say welcome first years to Hogwarts, and I'd also like to welcome back all of the older students as well. I know some of you are eager to meet the new teacher, when he said this; he looked right at Draco, his eyes twinkling in amusement. First though, I must begin with the start of term notices. As a reminder, the Forbidden Forest is off limits to all students, hence the name the Forbidden Forest. Our caretaker, Mr. Filch, has asked me to remind you that no magic is permitted in the corridors, along with many other items that are posted on his office door. Tryouts for the House Quidditch Teams will take place one week from this Friday. Sign up sheets will be posted on you Common Room bulletin boards. Now, to move on to the staff announcements. This year as some of you know, there will be two Divination teachers, Firenze, the centaur, and Professor Trelawny. I would also like to introduce to you our new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. So without further ado, I give you Professor Christina Malfoy."

A/N: Hope you liked this chapter! Don't forget to review! Thanks to everyone who have reviewed in the past!

5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I don't own any of this, it all belongs to the great author J.K. Rowling.

Chapter 5

The next morning Draco woke up feeling as if he'd only gotten about an hour of sleep. This was a definite possibility considering that he hadn't been able to fall asleep, and once he had fallen asleep, it had been restless and interrupted. He had woken up about every fifteen minutes. He'd been thinking about all that had happened the night before.

*Flashback*
After Dumbledore introduced the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, everyone had gone silent. They were either staring disbelievingly at the new teacher, or shooting confused glances out of the corners of their eyes at him. Then everyone started talking all at once, speculating about this strange occurrence. Dumbledore raised his had for silence, and almost immediately everyone stopped talking, most in mid-sentence, to hear the Headmaster's explanation. Many, including Draco, were upset when none came.
Instead Dumbledore said, "Prefects lead you houses to your Common Rooms, and don't stay up too late, classes start tomorrow." Draco was about to lead his House to their dormitories when Dumbledore continued, "Everyone except Draco Malfoy. Mr. Malfoy, follow me."
Draco got up, and followed Dumbledore out of the Great Hall, feeling every eye on him. He walked behind Dumbledore through the long corridors until they arrived in front of the stone gargoyles guarding the Headmaster's office. Dumbledore gave the password, (Reese's Pieces) and the gargoyles sprang apart revealing the spiral staircase leading to his office. Draco and Dumbledore ascended the staircase, and entered the office. Dumbledore took his seat behind his desk, and motioned for Draco to sit in one of the two chairs in front of it. Draco obeyed, and waited for Dumbledore to say something. He didn't say anything, but stared intently at Draco.
After a few moments, he couldn't take it any longer, and cried in a frustrated voice, "With all due respect, could you say something, and stop staring at me." Dumbledore was about to answer when there was a knock at the door and Professor Malfoy's head popped through the door. "You wanted to see me, Headmaster," she said, somewhat nervously.
"Yes, come and take a seat," Dumbledore replied warmly.
"Why did you call me here?" Professor Malfoy asked timidly. She looked around and noticed Draco staring curiously at her.
"I wanted to explain to you both the situation. I can see that Draco has many questions, and I'll try to answer them all, but first let me tell you both a little about the other," Dumbledore replied calmly. He pointed at Draco and said, "This is Draco Malfoy, son of Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy. He's sixteen years old, and is in his 6th year at Hogwarts. He is in Slytherin House, a prefect, and will turn seventeen on December 2nd." Then he pointed to Christina and said, "This is Christina Malfoy, daughter of Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy. She's twenty-five years old, and is the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts. She grew up with the Delacour family, and never aroused any suspicions from anyone, but knew since she was very young that they weren't her real family."

"She's my sister?" Draco asked absolutely shocked when Dumbledore nodded, he continued in the same shocked voice, "but how?"

"How much do you know about why you're parents got married?" Dumbledore asked.
"I know that my father put the Imperious Curse on my mother and got her pregnant. When the Blacks found out, they forced them to get married to keep the honor of the Black family name," Draco stated.
"Exactly," Dumbledore replied.
Draco gasped, finally getting it. "You mean that my mother was pregnant with her?" Draco asked putting the pieces together. "My parents always told me that she got pregnant with me. Now I see that's not true. But wait, why didn't I know about her, why did she live with the Delacours, and if Narcissa had already produced a child, why did Lucius make her have another and how?"
"Mr. Malfoy, take a deep breath. Good. Now, the reason that Christina didn't live with you, and you never knew about her was because she was a girl. Lucius didn't want a daughter so he sent her away. He was going to kill her, but Narcissa talked him out of it. Lucius made Narcissa have another child because he wanted a son. He beat, threatened, and cursed Narcissa, until she gave in, and produced another him, this time a son. That's you Draco. I think that answers all of your questions," Dumbledore replied to all of Draco's frantic questions.

"That still doesn't explain why they didn't tell me after she was gone, what could I do?" Draco asked, his voice laced with confusion.
"Lucius didn't want you going to look for her. He also didn't want you to think of him as the `bad guy' because he needed you to trust him so when you were older you'd follow in his footsteps and become a Death Eater. He wants you to take over his place in the inner circle of Voldemort when he can't do it anymore," Dumbledore explained to Draco.
"I know that he wants me to become a Death Eater, and it'll never happen! And how could I think he's the `good guy'? He uses the Cruciatus Curse on me for God's sake!" Draco yelled indignantly. Then in a softer voice he added, "He's been a bad father to me since the day I was conceived, why on earth would I every, under any circumstances, trust him?"

"His logic was distorted, but that is what he felt was the best thing to do at the time. Now he may think differently, he may not, but whichever way, what's done is done. He can't change it now. Draco, you probably don't want to hear this, but I think you need too. Even if you don't like him very much, and he is a bad father, you should still show him a little more respect. Without him, you wouldn't be you," Dumbledore said to Draco with a knowing nod of his head. He braced himself for the yelling to begin, but it never began. Draco did something very different. Instead of yelling and screaming and getting mad at Dumbledore, he did pretty much the opposite, his eyes began to mist, and one lone tear fell down his cheek. Draco irritably brushed it away, and looked at Dumbledore.
"He doesn't deserve my respect. He's made my life a living hell. I'd rather have not been born than have him as a father. He's beaten me, cursed me, and threatened me. He's drilled into me the `Malfoy Rules of Conduct'. Malfoys don't show emotion, Malfoys don't fall in love, and don't need love either, Malfoys don't need friends, they don't need anybody or anything, anyone or anything is disposable. That may be true for him, but not for me. All the things I need, I don't have because of him. I don't have a loving father to teach me wrong from right or play Quidditch with me because he's to busy being the mean, cold-hearted father who teaches me the Dark Arts. I don't have friends because everyone's scared of my father, except the Slytherins, buy they all hate me because I'm soft and don't want to become a Death Eater. I don't have an older sister to help me with my problems because he sent her away to live in France before I was born. I don't have any of it, and it's all his fault," Draco said this, not in an angry tone, but in a resigned voice that suggested that those were the facts, and there was nothing he could do to change them.
"Well, you may not have had an older sister before, but now, if you want, I can try my best to make up for all those lost years," Christine offered flashing a sympathetic smile.
Draco gave her a long scrutinizing stare and then after examining her, he said gratefully, "I'd like that."

Dumbledore watched their interaction, and smiled. Once he had found out that Miss Malfoy had been looking for a teaching job, he'd offered her the job of DADA professor at Hogwarts. He'd hoped that bringing her here would help her brother. He did fine in school, but whenever Dumbledore saw him, he was skulking alone in the corner. He was never with anyone unless it was his cousin or the Parkinson girl who just seemed to annoy him. Even Crabbe and Goyle had come to their senses and deserted him. So by bringing his sister Dumbledore thought that Draco would be a happier person if he had someone to talk to, and it seemed to be working out nicely.
"Now, you two may go in a minute, but first I want to tell you something. I anyone asks, tell them that you're brother and sister and that Christina didn't go to Hogwarts for whatever reason you can come up with, just not the truth. That is all, you may go now," Dumbledore said cheerfully.

Draco and Christina got up and left together.
*End Flashback*

The more Draco thought about it, the more he was dreading going to class. He would never be able to pay attention in class. He also didn't like being the center of attention as much as everyone thought he did, and was intensely dreading telling everyone over and over again that Professor Malfoy was his sister, and that she had attended school in France.
Once Draco was dressed and ready to go, he grabbed his books, took a deep breath, and walked out of the Slytherin Common Room towards the Great Hall for breakfast. After walking through the dark corridors of the dungeons, he arrived in front of the Great Hall doors. Draco then called to the other end of the room, and sat down at the end of Slytherin table. As he waked, he could feel every eye in the room focused on him. He pretended to ignore them. After awhile, everyone lost interest in him, and turned back to their breakfasts.
Draco looked at his schedule and groaned. Today he had:
• Herbology with the Ravenclaws
• Double Divination with the Gryffindors
• Charms with the Hufflepuffs
• Care of Magical Creatures with the Gryffindors
• History of Magic with the Ravenclaws
He had been hoping that he would have either Defense Against the Dark Arts or Potions, with no such luck. He was already having a bad day, and it had now gotten worse. Potions and DADA were his favorite classes and now his favorite professors too.

*~*~*~*

Ginny's day started much better than Draco's had. She woke up feeling well rested, and ready to face the first day of school. She was looking forward to seeing her schedule. She was hoping to have Charms and Potions everyday this year because they were her two favorite subjects, and she was good at them too. Even if she didn't like Snape much, and he didn't like Gryffindors, he still treated her fairly because she was the best fifth year potion student. He had even said she could go ahead a year, but she had declined wanting to stay with her friends. She also enjoyed taking the class, and wanted to take it every year.
Now, as Ginny got ready, and crawled out the portrait hole she crossed her fingers. She entered the Great Hall, and quickly went to sit down at the Gryffindor table. Looking at her schedule she was pretty satisfied. These were her classes for the day:
• Transfiguration with the Hufflepuffs
• Charms with the Ravenclaws
• Double Potions with the Slytherins
• Defense Against the Dark Arts with the Ravenclaws
• Herbology with the Hufflepuffs
She had her two favorite classes today, Charms and Potions. Not only did she have Potions, but she had Double Potions which was even better. To top it all off, she didn't have Divination today either, which in her opinion was the stupidest subject ever. I should have taken Hermione's advice and signed up for Arithmancy, she thought regretfully. Oh, well, at least I don't have it today.
Satisfied with her schedule, Ginny quickly finished her breakfast and got up to go to her first class. Upon entering the Transfiguration classroom, she noted that she was early, and there weren't that many students there yet. She took a seat near the front of the room next to Shannon.
"Hey Gin, what's up?" Shannon asked cheerfully. Shannon loved school and studying period, but Transfiguration was the subject she found the most interesting.
"Nothing much, how do you like your schedule?" Ginny asked.
"I'm pretty happy with it, what about you?" Shannon replied.
Ginny opened her mouth to answer, but didn't get a chance to. Professor McGonagall came into the room, and was about to start the class.
"Good morning, students, and welcome back for another year of Transfiguration. Your fifth year is a critical one at Hogwarts. This year you will have your O.W.L.s. They will determine what N.E.W.T. courses you will take next year. This year you should begin thinking of what careers you'd like to get into. The career you're interested in will also determine what N.E.W.T. courses to take. You'll want to work harder in those classes that you want to take the N.E.W.T. courses in. Many teachers, like myself, are strict about who they let into their advanced classes. This year I will be grading your homework at O.W.L. standards. This will show you if you need to do better in this class or if you don't have to worry about it as much. The grades for O.W.L.s are O for Outstanding, E for Exceeds Expectations and A for Acceptable are the passing grades, and then there's P for Poor and D for Dreadful. I personally only accept students who receive Exceeds Expectations or higher on their O.W.L. into my N.E.W.T. class. Now, today we will be reviewing key points from past years, but first, does anyone have any questions?" McGonagall finished her speech with the question.
McGonagall answered a few questions, and then they went on to reviewing things that would show up on the exams.
After that, Ginny and Shannon made their way to the Charms classroom. They sat down next to Michelle and Mackenzie. Flitwick gave a lecture similar to McGonagall's, and then they began to review some Charms they'd learned in past years. Ginny suspected that every class that day would go about the same.
Her suspicions led her to be surprised when she got to Potions class. Snape told them who he accepted into his N.E.W.T. classes (only students who received an O) and told them he would also be grading at O.W.L. standards. After his quick announcement, he handed out a quiz asking questions about past potions they'd made and learned about. The quiz was fairly hard, but Ginny didn't have much trouble on it. On a few she wasn't entirely sure, but otherwise she knew all of the answers.
They handed in their quizzes, and then Snape told them what to do. They were to make a Peace Draught, and he had the instructions on the boars. It was a complicated potion, but Ginny completed it with ease.
At the end of class, Professor Snape collected a small amount of the potion from all of the students. Looking at what colors the potions were and what color it was supposed to be, not many of the students appeared to have completed the potion correctly. At this Snape commented dryly to the class, "Many of you will have to improve their potions skills if they wish to receive passing marks in my class and on you O.W.L.s. Many of you left out ingredients or measured incorrectly, but Miss Weasley here, on the other hand, has made a perfect Peace Draught. You appear to be the only one to do everything exactly right, five points to Gryffindor. Class dismissed."
Everyone filed out of the classroom in a shocked silence. No one had ever seen Snape award points to Gryffindor for anything. Although everyone was shocked, Ginny was by far the most amazed. She was also extremely pleased.
Ginny made her way to the Great Hall to go and eat lunch. After that, she only had two classes, and then she would be free to practice Quidditch. She had promised herself that she would practice everyday until the day of tryouts.
Scanning the Gryffindor table, she saw Harry and Hermione sitting with Shannon. She went to join them.
"Hey Harry, Hermione, Shannon," Ginny greeted them as she sat down.
"Hey Gin," they all replied.
"Did Shannon tell you what happened in Potions?" Ginny asked Harry and Hermione eagerly.
"No, I was waiting for you," Shannon replied as Harry and Hermione shook their heads.
"Well we were supposed to make a Peace Draught, and Snape wrote the instructions on the board, just like usual. Once class was over, he collected some of the potion from each of us. Mine was the only one that turned out right, and he actually awarded Gryffindor five points," Ginny finished dramatically.
Neither Harry nor Hermione said anything right away. They were both pondering this strange phenomenon.
"What has he been smoking? He must have had a momentary brain lapse or something. Snape's never given points to Gryffindor no matter what the circumstances. Wait till we tell Ron," Harry said.
"Where is Ron anyway?" Ginny asked curiously. She honestly hadn't even noticed that he wasn't there.
"Firenze got mad at him for disrupting the class, and told him to talk to him during lunch," Harry replied sniggering a bit. In actuality, it had been both Ron and Harry, but Firenze had always been partial to Harry and chose to ignore him.
"Oh," Ginny replied.
Hermione asked how Ginny's day was going, and while Ginny was telling her, Professor McGonagall came over to where they were sitting.
"May I speak to you a moment, Miss Weasley?" Professor McGonagall asked, her voice clearly leaving no room for denying.
"Alright," Ginny replied as she followed McGonagall out of the Great Hall, wondering what she'd done.
"The girl chose to be one Gryffindor's prefects has transferred to Beauxbatons. The Headmaster and I have talked it over, and decided that you would be the best replacement. Will you accept the duty?" Professor McGonagall asked.
"Me? Prefect? Yeah, of course I'll be a prefect," Ginny said enthusiastically. She'd always wanted to be a prefect, no matter what the twins said. She'd always wanted to do as much as she could to distinguish herself from everyone else at school, being prefect was one way to do it.
Professor McGonagall gave Ginny one of her rare smiles, and handed her the prefect badge. Ginny pinned it on her robe. She went back into the Great Hall, and sat back down by her friends. She wasn't going to tell them she was a prefect, but see if they noticed the badge.
"What did McGonagall want?" Harry asked curiously.
"Nothing really," Ginny replied casually. She saw Hermione looking at her, trying to figure out what was up. When Ginny had re-entered the Great Hall she had seemed much more cheerful. Then Hermione spotted it.
"Since when are you a prefect, Ginny?" Hermione squealed happily.
"Since about two minutes ago," Ginny replied, smiling widely. "I'll tell you about it later, but I've got to get to Defense Against the Dark Arts."
Ginny got up, and left the Great Hall. She made her way through the many corridors to the DADA classroom. She was eager to learn about the new teacher. She also wanted to see if she was anything like all of the other Malfoys. She could only hope that she wasn't. Ginny also hoped that she wasn't anything like their previous DADA professor, Professor Umbridge. She had by far been her least favorite DADA professor. Her favorite had been Professor Lupin who had actually taught class, and was actually who he said he was. "Professor Moody" had been pretty good too, even if he was a Death Eater in disguise. Anyone who turned Draco Malfoy into a ferret was definitely a good person in Ginny's book at least.
The rest of the class had piled in by now, and it was time for class to begin. Professor Malfoy entered the room, and smiled at the class. Ginny could tell right away she would like the new professor. She was definitely not a traditional Malfoy, no Malfoy Ginny knew would smile warmly at anyone.
"Hello everyone, my name is Professor Malfoy, and I'll be your Defense Against the Dark Arts professor this year. If any of you were wondering, yes I am related to Draco Malfoy. I'm his sister. Now, you are fifth year Gryffindors and Ravenclaws. So, now that you know who I am, and I know who you are we can get started. This year is O.W.L. year. I'm not exactly sure how they work here, I went to Beauxbatons, but I know what the tests are like. I will be grading at O.W.L. standards. Today we will be reviewing a little of what you learned in the past years. What are the signs that someone is a werewolf?" she asked. Ginny's had shot up, along with many others to give the answer.

*~*~*~*

After the day's bad beginning for Draco, it got better. He wasn't exactly a morning person, and the mornings were never good for him. That's why he usually chose to sleep through them. Once he woke up though, he always felt a lot better.
His classes weren't that bad after all. Most of the class time had been quickly reviewing the important themes of previous years.
Now though, he was done with his classes, and it was time to relax. He decided he would check if Fierysprite was online. If there was anything that relaxed him, it was chatting with her. He logged on, and to his disappointment, she wasn't online. Oh well, I can just stay online, and see if she logs on, Draco thought optimistically. That is, until he saw Pansy was online. He suddenly changed his mind, and logged off.
Now what am I supposed to do? he asked himself miserably. He thought about it for a minute, and then settled on reading a book. That was another thing many people didn't know about him. Draco loved to read. Especially old Muggle books, from things from Charles Dickens to Jane Austen. He also liked reading Shakespeare. Right now he was reading Macbeth.
As always when he read Shakespeare, Draco was totally immersed in reading the book. He was completely unaware of his surroundings. Draco was halfway done with the play when his stomach growled. He hadn't realized how much time had passed, but looking at the clock saw it was time for dinner. Draco put a bookmark in his book, and headed for the Great Hall.
He reached the oak double doors, and then went to a seat at the Slytherin table. He scanned it, and to his dismay the only spot left was right next to Pansy Parkinson. Crap, if only I hadn't read for so long, he thought in frustration. Now he would have to endure Pansy hanging all over him all through dinner. It was enough to make anyone lose their appetite, but she had already spotted him, and was waving him over. He decided he might as well sit with her. After all, it was only one meal.
So he sat down next to Pansy, and not five minutes later he regretted it deeply. She talked non-stop about absolutely nothing. Plus she would try to flirt with him subtly, but it turned out to be not so subtle. Draco ate his dinner as fast as possible, and then quickly retreated to his dormitory.
He sat down on his bed, and logged onto the internet. Fierysprite wasn't on so he laid down on his bed, and started to read Macbeth again. He was so immersed in it a half an hour later that he didn't notice Fierysprite was online, and trying to IM him.

*~*~*~*

Ginny had practiced her Quidditch skills after he last class all the way until dinner. Then after dinner, she had returned to the Common Room, and decided her homework could wait. She took out her laptop, and went online. She was happy to see Hotdragon was online, and quickly Instant Messaged him.
Fierysprite: hey
She waited a couple of minutes for a response, and when she didn't get one, she tried again.
Fierysprite: anyone there?
Still no response. She decided to start a conversation with him anyway.
Fierysprite: I was made prefect today
As soon as she realized what she'd done, she could've kicked herself. Duh, she thought hitting herself in the head. He'll be able to figure out who you are now. She waited for him to respond, and start bragging about how he knew who she was. There was still nothing. She tried once more.
Fierysprite: hello? It's me, Ginny Weasley
She tried to bribe him. He still didn't respond. Oh well, I'll just log out then. That's what she did. I wonder why he didn't respond she thought dejectedly. Maybe he'd mad at me. Or maybe it was
it was a trap to make me think he wasn't there. Oh well, I've got homework to do.
So she shut down her laptop, and got to work on a two and a half foot essay for Snape about the importance of the different ingredients of the Peace Draught. Although her brother always complained about writing Potions essays, she didn't think it was so bad. Potions essays were the easiest homework she was ever assigned because knowledge of potions and their ingredients came naturally to her. The only time she had trouble was when it was on the history of a potion or ingredients, but this didn't happen very often.
She quickly finished her essay, with and extra half foot than required. Ginny then moved on to her essay for Charms. After completing this, another of her favorite subjects, she had nothing more to do. She decided to go to bed for the night so she would be fully rested tomorrow for the second day of classes.

*~*~*~*

Draco was nearing the end of the play when he realized how late it had to be getting, and he had yet to do his homework. He reluctantly put down his book, and started writing his essay about the goblin rebellions of 1842 for History of Magic. After finishing that essay, he made his "predictions" for Divination, and wrote an essay for Care of Magical Creatures.
About an hour later, Draco had finished his homework, and was debating whether to go to bed or read the rest of Macbeth when he noticed his laptop was still on. He also noticed that Fierysprite had tried to chat with him, but had already logged off. Without looking at what she had said, he logged off line, and shut down his laptop. Not knowing that if he would have looked just a little higher in the message Fierysprite had sent, he would have known her true identity.
Draco picked up his book again, and finished the rest of it. Then, he went to bed. He fell asleep almost immediately into a peaceful slumber.

*~*~*~*

The next morning Draco got up, feeling much more rested than the previous morning. He quickly got ready, and went to the Great Hall for breakfast. Today he had a much better schedule. He had Defense Against the Dark Arts with his sister first. It was a weird thought. His sister. Draco Malfoy had a sister. He still couldn't believe it was true, but knew it had to be. Draco quickly finished his breakfast, and went to class.
When he arrived in the right room, he wasn't surprised to see no one else was there. He was quite early. He sat down in the front row, which never did if he could help it, and took out his DADA book. After about five minute, Professor Malfoy entered the classroom. "Hello, you're. Draco, isn't it?" she asked cheerfully.
Draco nodded in response as he examined her. There was no doubt about it, she was definitely a Malfoy. From what he could tell, lookwise, she resembled Lucius more, but her personality was definitely from Narcissa. Draco was overcome by grief suddenly. I should be finding this out now, he thought bitterly. I should have known her my entire life. We should be best friends.
Draco opened his mouth to say something to his sister when he realized other students had already begun to file in. He quickly shut it, and waited patiently for class to begin.
"Hello, I'm Professor Malfoy, and I'll be your Defense Against the Dark Arts professor this year. Now, you are the Gryffindor and Slytherin sixth years, correct?" the students nodded. "Alright then, any questions before we begin?" Christina asked, smiling brightly at everyone. Almost every student's hand was up immediately.
"Well, how about you,” she said pointing to Ron. "Say your name, and then your question."
"Ron Weasley. Are you Malfoy's sister?" he asked.
"That depends on which Malfoy you're talking about. I am a Malfoy's sister," Christina replied patiently. He must be a Gryffindor. "How about you."
"Pansy Parkinson. Are you Draco's sister?" she asked.
"Yes I am," Christina replied. Almost as quickly as they had gone up, almost everyone's hand went back down. "Now, I'm going to use most of the class period to get to know you guys. So, when I point to you, give your name, your house, and your favorite subject. Let's start with you, Draco," Christina said, smiling encouragingly at Draco.
"I'm Draco Malfoy, I'm in Slytherin, and my favorite subjects are Potions and Defense Against the Dark Arts," he replied quickly. He heard Ron whisper something to Harry. He couldn't hear exactly what Ron said, but it sounded something like, is he sure it isn't just the Dark Arts, not Defense Against them. Professor Malfoy heard it too.
"Alright that's enough. I will say, there is one thing I will not tolerate in this class, and that is making comments like Mr. Weasley just made. If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all. You go next, Ron," she reprimanded sharply.
She went through the rest of the class period in the same fashion. No one dared make any snide comments. Even if she did seem nice, she was still a Malfoy, and everyone was too afraid to say anything mean.
For everyone, but Draco, the class period seemed to drag on forever, and most of the students were never more glad to get out of a class. Draco stayed behind the others though. "You didn't have to stick up for me, I can handle myself, but thanks anyway," Draco said to his sister before he left.
"No problem, and I know you didn't need me to stick up for you, but everyone kinda takes for the granted the fact that I'm a nice, cheerful teacher who never yells. This isn't true, and Draco, before you leave, I wanted to tell you something," Christina started with a smile.
"What is it?" Draco asked curiously.
"If you ever need someone to talk to, I'm here. Don't forget that," she replied.
"I won't," Draco said as he made his way to his next class.

*~*~*~*

The day had gone be relatively quickly for Draco, compared to the day before. He was now heading back to his dormitory, where eh would amuse himself until dinner. His first thought was to read, but decided to e-mail Fierysprite instead.
He logged online, and was about to write the e-mail, when a pecking sound came from the window. Outside of it was the Malfoy family owl, Lucifer. It was a raven colored, and it had yellow eyes that seemed to almost glow with malice. Draco untied the letter form it's leg, and it quickly flew away.
The letter said:
Dear son,
I hope your school year has gotten off to a good start. (Draco rolled his eyes. Yeah right, like he really cared.) I expect only top grades from you. The Dark Lord has no use for followers who are stupid, and the Dark Lord has uses to you, so do I. Don't let me down or you know what the consequences you'll pay. I have written this letter to inform you that the Dark Lord has set your initiation to take place during you Christmas holidays. Right after your seventeenth birthday. You will be there.
Signed,
Lucius Malfoy
Draco found a piece or parchment and a quill, and wrote this letter to his father:
Dear father,
Not that you really care, but my school year has begun fairly well. I believe I have found a friend that I can confide in, my sister. That's right, my sister. Professor Christina Malfoy. She is the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. You thought I'd never find out about her, didn't you? Well, you thought wrong. In regard to the reason of your letter, I will state once again that I don't, nor will I ever, want to be a Death Eater, which means, I will not be one. I don't care what the consequences will be, disown me for all I care. It would make my life so much easier. Having stated this, I have nothing else to say to you.
Your son,
Draco
After he sent his own owl out with the letter, he had planned on going online, but decided to go and talk to Christina about his father's letter. He needed her advice. He really, really didn't want to become a Death Eater. It was the last thing on earth that Draco wanted to do.
He got up off his bed, and made his way out of the dungeons, where the Slytherin dormitories and Common Room were located, to where the teachers had their quarters and offices. He knocks don Christina's office door, and waited for an answer. It came a few seconds later when Christina opened her office door. She smiled when she saw who it was, and said cheerfully, "Draco, what's up? Why don't you come in?"
"Alright," Draco replied, and quickly stepped into the room. He then followed her through a connecting door that lead to her "house." Usually, students weren't allowed here, but Professor Dumbledore had made a special exception to the rule for them. Through the door lay a bedroom, a bathroom, a kitchen, and a small living room. It was fairly big, at least bigger than what Draco had expected. Christina lead him into the living room, and motioned for him to sit down on the couch. He obliged, and she sat next to him.
"So, is there anything in particular you wanted to talk about or did you come here just so you can gloat to all your friends that you've been in a teacher's quarter?" she teased gently.
"I couldn't do that because I don't have any friends," Draco said miserably. He sighed longingly, wishing it weren't true.
"Of course you have friends," Christina said optimistically. "What about Blaise and Pansy?"
"Blaise is my cousin, he has to like me, and Pansy just annoys me," Draco replied stubbornly. He knew she was only trying to help, but he couldn't help it.
"Well, what about me? I'm your friend, aren't I?" Christina asked, still as cheerful as ever.
"You're my sister, and besides you're like ten times older than me," he said.
"I am not that old, I'm only twenty-five years old, that's only nine more years than you, but this isn't what you wanted to talk about, was it?" she asked desperately wanting to know what was bothering Draco, other than his lack of friends. She may not have known him long, but he was still her little brother, and she wanted to help him.
"I need your advice about something. I got a letter from my father today, and he said that Voldemort had set a date for my initiation as a Death Eater," Draco began slowly. He continued to tell her all about his life, about how his father wanted him to become a Death Eater, and how he cursed and threatened him. He mentioned Fierysprite briefly. He then finished with, "but I don't want to be a Death Eater, and I have no idea what I should do."
"Well, you certainly have a lot on your plate, don't you? I would love to help you Draco, but there's nothing I can really do. I wish I would have been there for you during all of this. I fell I could have prevented it someway," Christina cried when he had finished. She couldn't believe all the things he had endured through the years, and he still managed to stay sane, and not turn to the Dark Side. She didn't think she would have ever been able to do it. She was most impressed.
"It's alright, you've helped enough already, just by listening, and being here for me. No one's ever here for me, not even my mother. She's too afraid of what Lucius would do, but I guess I don't blame her. She's been through a lot. You're here now though, and that's the best comfort I've ever had in my life, knowing I have someone to confide in," Draco finished his short speech with a weak smile.
His words and his failed attempt at a smile broke her heart. "I'm glad I could be some comfort, but what about that girl you mentioned before, the one you met online? What's she like?" Christina asked with interest. She had seen his eyes light up when he had talked about her before, and knew talking about her made him happy.
Immediately his eyes lit up as he began to tell her everything about Fierysprite, and how he wished he knew who she was.

*~*~*~*

Ginny had finished all of her classes, and had then taken her broom out to the Quidditch Pitch to practice. She usually stayed out for about an hour, but had decided to stay out until dinner today. She knew that if she had the time to do it, she would go online, but that was the one thing she didn't want to do. She wanted to avoid Hotdragon the best she could, and since no one had approached her and told her that he was Hotdragon, it was the best way to do it. Now, looking back, what she'd done had been incredibly stupid. He might not have figured it out if she hadn't blabbed it.
When dinnertime came, she entered the Great Hall tentatively. She didn't want to draw any attention to herself. She didn't know why she didn't want to have Hotdragon approach her. She guessed it was because she was beginning to believe him when he said that it would ruin what they had.
When no one approached her, she quickly sat down by Shannon.
"How was your Quidditch practice?" Shannon asked once Ginny had sat down.
"It was pretty good. It's so much fun to be out there fluting around by yourself. It feels so awesome, like everything is right in the world," Ginny said dreamily.
"See, that's where I disagree with you. I hate flying, and it gives me the worst feeling. I'm terrified to death of heights," Shannon said, shuddering at the thought of flying.
"I don't see how. Flying is one of my favorite things in the world to do. I don't see how anyone could not love it as much as me," Ginny exclaimed disbelievingly.
"It's the same thing with me and studying. You hate it and think of it as a chore, but I love it and do it all the time," Shannon pointed out.
"That's true, everyone's different I guess. I bet you could pick anything in the world to do, no matter how stupid, and it would be someone's favorite thing to do," Ginny said thoughtfully.
"Yeah, I guess you're right," Shannon consented. "So, anything exciting happen to you today? No run ins with Malfoy or anything?"

"No, as a matter of fact, he hasn't bothered me since the day on the train. That's odd for Malfoy," Ginny said, surprised at her revelation.
"Wow, that's surprising. I never thought he was capable of such a thing. Then again, I never thought him capable of apologizing to anyone either, let alone a Weasley," Shannon reasoned. "Do you think Malfoy's gone soft?"
"No, I don't think he could ever change. Not even if he wanted to, not that he wants to anyway. He wouldn't be so bad if he weren't so hot," Ginny said wistfully. Then realizing what she had said, gasped. She could feel heat rising to her cheeks, and knew they were bright red.
Just then there came a drawling voice behind her saying, "Hello, Weasley."
"Malfoy. How much did you hear?" she demanded coldly.
"Oh, I heard enough. So Weasel, you think I'm hot do you?" Draco asked, smirking at her.
"So what if I do? What's it to you anyway? I bet you one out of every ten girls here feel s the exact same way," Ginny said defensively, but she could feel her cheeks turning an even darker shade of red. Stupid cheeks, she thought angrily. Why did she have to have such fair skin? If she had darker skin, her blushes wouldn't be so noticeable.
"You're probably right," Draco consented, still smirking away. God, I hate that smirk, Ginny thought. No you don't, a voice in the back of her head said, you think it's sexy.
"You are such an arrogant git," Ginny spat at him.
"No I'm not, it's the truth," Draco replied coolly. "Why Weaslette, when your face matches your hair, you're almost cute." Draco walked away with a harsh laugh.
Ginny finished her dinner as fast as she could. Then she raced back to her dormitory. She sat on her bed thinking about Draco Malfoy, and what he had said. "Why Weaslette, when your face matches your hair, you're almost cute." She didn't know why the comment bothered her so much, but it did. Was it because she was developing a crush on Malfoy? No, I can not possibly have any feelings except hatred for Malfoy. His family is my family's worst enemies, of course she didn't like him.
I've got to talk to Hotdragon about this, without using any names of course, she thought suddenly.
She logged onto her laptop, and online. She was happy to see Hotdragon was on too.
Fierysprite: hey
Hotdragon: hey
Fierysprite: why didn't you talk to me last night?
Hotdragon: sorry about that, I was reading and didn't realize that you were trying to IM me
Fierysprite: id you read what I sent you?
Hotdragon: no
Fierysprite: hallelujah
Hotdragon: why? what did you say?
Fierysprite: I gave you a huge clue to who I am and then admitted who I am
Hotdragon: no way, you're joking
Fierysprite: I am not, I really revealed my identity
Hotdragon: no! I can't believe I missed my chance all because I was reading!
Fierysprite: I can't believe it either
Hotdragon: ah man
Fierysprite: can I ask your advice about something?
Hotdragon: if you tell me your name
Fierysprite: never mind then
Hotdragon: I'm kidding, what's up?
Fierysprite: I think I might have a crush on my worst enemy
Hotdragon: you think?
Fierysprite: yeah, what should I do?
Hotdragon: that depends on what you think, you kinda have to trust you instincts with this, sorry I can't help you more than that
Fierysprite: that's alright, I didn't expect you to be able to help me anyway, thanks anyway though
Hotdragon: no problem
Fierysprite: I've got homework to do, but I'll talk to you tomorrow okay?
Hotdragon: alright
(Fierysprite has logged off.)
Ginny got out her first assignment, and got to work.

*~*~*~*

After talking to Fierysprite, Draco shut down his laptop angrily. He could not believe he was that stupid. I should have read what she had wrote, that way I would have known who she was, Draco thought, running a hand through his hair. Oh well, it doesn't matter that much anyway. I'll find out eventually.
Draco sat down on his bed, and got out his school books. He had decided to do his homework as well. It wouldn't take him that long, and then he could read. He didn't know what to read yet, but he'd figure it would when the time came.
Draco finished his homework with ease, and flopped back on his bed with a book. He continued to read until ten thirty, when he decided to go to bed. Draco changed out of his school uniform, into his pajamas. Then he turned off the light, and crawled into bed. After laying in bed for a couple of minutes, he realized he was not going to fall asleep very easily. He was too busy thinking about Fierysprite, and how he could have known who she was. Things would be a lot different if he did. He could actually talk to her in person. He finally fell asleep around midnight.

A/N: Don't forget to review! Thanks to everyone who reviewed last chapter! You guys are awesome!

6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I don't own any of this!

Chapter 6

The next few days passed normally. Draco went to class and talked to Fierysprite. He had just finished his last class, and was heading back to his dormitory.
Upon entering, he saw his father's owl, Lucifer, waiting for him again. Draco untied the letter from its leg, and it quickly flew away. The letter said:
Dear Draco,
You are making a huge mistake with grave consequences. You will become a Death Eater. You do not have the power or authority to resist the offer. It is a very generous one. You should be jumping that the chance.
Now, you say that your sister is a professor at Hogwarts? As you stated in you last letter, I never thought you'd find out about her. You being friends with her could ruin my plans. So be forewarned. Anyone who gets in the way of Lucius Malfoy's plans will suffer. Remember that.
-Lucius Malfoy
After reading the letter, Draco was visibly shaken. His face had paled considerably, and he felt slightly nauseous. He should have known not to tell Lucius about Christina, but he had just wanted to rub it in. Lucius had failed at keeping that secret. Now, Draco realized how stupid it had been. Now, Christina was in danger, and it was all his fault.
Draco sighed and laid down on his bed. Why, oh why did I have to be so stupid? he thought bitterly. Maybe, Lucius was just making an empty threat so Draco wouldn't hang out with her anymore. No, Lucius Malfoy doesn't make empty threats or bluffs. If he says he'll do something, then he'll do it, no matter how bad it might sound. Sighing again, Draco picked up his book. Reading usually helped him relax and take his mind off the things that were happening around him. That was exactly what he needed at the moment, to take his mind off what had just happened and relax.
I didn't work, so he picked up the letter, and walked to Christina's office. She was sitting at her desk, grading papers. Draco knocked on the door, and waited for a reply. She looked up, and smiled at him.
"What's up, Draco?" Christina asked him cheerfully.
He entered the room and sat down before replying. Then he slid her the latest letter from Lucius silently.
She picked it up, and read it quickly. She then looked up at Draco questioningly. He sat silently, trying to judge her reaction. She didn't seem one bit fazed.
"Aren't you upset about this?" Draco asked incredulously.
"No," Christina replied calmly.
"But why not? Lucius Malfoy, one of the most, if not the most, powerful Death Eaters is threatening you," Draco said, astonished that she didn't even care she was probably going to die.
"I'm not upset because, all my life, I knew there would be a day when Lucius would find me and kill me. Now that day is almost come, but it doesn't bother me because one of the only reasons he wants to kill me is so that I can't help you anymore. If that's why I have to die, well, and then let me die because I know I did making someone's life a little bit better, and that's worth it," Christina finished her short speech by walking over to Draco, and giving him a hug. "I may not have known you that long, but you're still my little brother and I love."
"I love you, too, and I don't want you to die," Draco said, truthfully.
"Well, we can't really avoid that, now can we? Unless Lucius was just making empty threats, but somehow I doubt that. We don't even know if he's really going to kill me or just hurt me. I'll be fine, don't worry about me, worry about not letting Lucius get to you. Focus on not cracking and becoming a Death Eater, okay?" Christina asked comfortingly.
"Okay," Draco said, resigned.
"Now, it's time for dinner, let's go."
Draco stood up, and followed Christina out of her office, thinking about what she'd said. She was right. When the time came, then he'd worry about it, but right now, he would worry about enjoying his time with her while it lasted.

*~*~*~*

It was Wednesday, and Ginny was starting to get nervous about the Quidditch tryouts that were going to be held on Friday. Even though she had practiced everyday since the beginning of school, and she was a pretty good Chaser already, she still wasn't sure that she'd make the team. Oh well, I can't worry about that now, she thought, I gotta get to class.
She got up from the Gryffindor table where she had been eating breakfast, and walked towards her first class. It was Defense Against the Dark Arts. Ginny arrived, and sat down in one of the front desks. This had become a habit for many of her classmates also, especially the boys. Everyone in her class had decided that Professor Malfoy, regardless of her name, was the best teacher they'd ever had. She was always cheerful, and almost never lost her temper, but she could still easily control her students. Their professor also made the class so much more interesting than any of the past professors.
Once everyone had arrived in the classroom, Professor Malfoy flashed them all a smile, and then began the class.

*~*~*~*

After all of her classes were over, Ginny rushed back to Gryffindor Tower. She changed clothes, and picked up her broom to go practice.
When she arrived at the Quidditch Pitch, she was surprised to see someone else was already there. Ginny wasn't sure who it was, until the figure moved closer to her, and she saw slicked back white-blonde hair and an expensive new broom. Draco Malfoy. Oh, great, Ginny thought in frustration, now I have two choices. I can either practice with this git watching my every move or I can skip practice today. While she was debating her choices in her head, Draco had landed behind her quietly, and put his lips close to her ear. He was about to scare her, when she felt his presence. She turned her head quickly, maybe a little too quickly. Her lips met Draco's, and to Ginny's great dismay, she felt a tingling sensation where Draco's lips touched hers. She moved her lips against his, and moved her arms around his neck. She just couldn't help herself.
At first, he was too shocked to move, but soon enough he reacted. He started kissing her back, and pulled her closer. He moved his hands from his sides to her hips. The kiss began to grow increasingly passionate. Draco ran his tongue along her bottom lip. Ginny opened her mouth under his, granting his tongue entrance. A shiver ran down her spine when Draco's tongue touched hers, and finally the reality of the situation caught up with her. She was kissing Draco Malfoy. She pulled back as quickly as if his lips had burned hers. Ginny looked into his stormy gray eyes for a second, before doing the first thing that came to mind. She slapped him.
Draco gave a little yelp of pain, and then turned to Ginny, eyes blazing. "What was that for?" he asked indignantly.
"For kissing me, you stupid ferret," Ginny shot back coolly.
"First of all, I didn't kiss you, you kissed me, and second of all, will you drop the ferret jokes, for heaven's sake? It happened two years ago," he sighed in frustration.
"I did not kiss you."
"Yes, you did, you turned your head, and your lips met mine. From my experience, that's kissing."
"Well, I didn't mean to. What were you sneaking up behind me for anyway?" Ginny yelled.
"I was going to scare you," Draco informed her calmly. "But you must have heard me."
"Whatever just leave me alone, Malfoy," Ginny said, resigned.
"Fine, I was about to leave anyway, until you showed up," Draco replied snottily, and then started to walk away. When he walked passed Ginny, his arm brushed her, and he whispered, "By the way, you're a bloody good kisser, Weasley."
Ginny's arm tingled where his had brushed hers, and she smiled at his comment. She was about to yell to him, but decided against it. She was horrified to realize that she had thought he was a good kisser and that as he walked away, she couldn't help but think that he looked really hot with his Quidditch robes and slightly mussed hair. She also couldn't help notice that, even after he had left, her lips were still tingling from where his had been. Disgusted with herself, Ginny mounted her broom, and flew up into air.

*~*~*~*

As Draco was walking away from the Quidditch Pitch, he couldn't help but feel satisfied with himself. Not only had he managed to restore his bad boy impression, he had also made the little Weasel mad, which was always a plus. Although, he was satisfied, he couldn't help but wonder why he'd done it. Why had he kissed her back? He didn't really know, and he also felt that it wasn't very important either. Who cares why you did it, it made her mad, didn't it? he asked himself. Whatever.
Draco gave the password to get into the Slytherin Common Room (Parseltongue), and then walked up to his dormitory. He put his broom away, and then looked in his trunk for some clean clothes. He had had the last period of the day free, so he had gone out to the pitch, and had worked up a sweat. Now, he walked out of the Common Room with his clean clothes to take a shower in the Prefects' Bathroom.
One Draco had taken a shower, and gotten dressed; he dropped off his clothes in his dorm. Then he headed to the Great Hall for dinner. He didn't want to talk with Blaise very much, so he ate quickly, and went back to his dorm. Draco booted up his laptop, and logged online. Fierysprite wasn't on, but Draco hadn't expected her to be. She was probably still eating dinner. He was just goofing around, when Fierysprite sent him an IM.
Fierysprite: Hey, what's up?
Hotdragon: Nothing much, what about you?
Fierysprite: Nothing, so how was your day?
Hotdragon: Fine, how was yours, honey? : )
Fierysprite: I know, I know, that was dumb, but I couldn't think of anything else to say.
Hotdragon: Oh.
Fierysprite: Do you like Professor Malfoy?
Her question startled Draco. Do I like her? Of course not, that's gross, she's my sister. Not that Fierysprite knew that, but anyway.
Fierysprite: I mean, do you think she's a good teacher?
She must have sensed his hesitation to answer. This time Draco had an answer.
Hotdragon: Yeah, I think she's a great teacher.
Fierysprite: I think almost everyone feels the same way. I know I do.
Hotdragon: Yeah, I've noticed that most people like her. So, you're going to try out for your house Quidditch team, right?
Fierysprite: Yep.
Hotdragon: Do you think you'll make it?
Fierysprite: I'm not sure.
"Hey, Draco, you might want to go stop Pansy from telling the whole school you're in live with Ginny Weasley," Blaise said casually as he entered the room.
"What?" Draco asked, shocked.
"She said she saw you two kissing, and that you'd been cheating on her," Blaise informed him.
"Oh, bloody hell," he swore. "Why does it have to be me?" He mumbled this to himself, and ran out of the dormitory to find Pansy.
"Where is that little brat?" he asked himself angrily. Draco looked around the Common Room, but didn't see her, so he ran out of the Common Room to look for her.

*~*~*~*

Ginny sat on her bed, waiting for Hotdragon to respond to her.
Fierysprite: Are you still there?
She waited a few more minutes, but there was still no reply.
Fierysprite: Hello?
Still nothing.
Fierysprite: I've got homework to do, so if you don't respond I'm going to log off.
Ginny waited a few more minutes, but to no avail. He never responded. She logged off of the internet, and shut down her laptop. Then she got out her books, and started her essay for Care of Magical Creatures.

*~*~*~*

Draco finally found Pansy Parkinson in an empty classroom. He was about to yell at her, and give her a piece of his mind when he noticed that she was crying. He walked over to the desk she was sitting in, and kneeled down next to her.
"What's wrong, Pansy?" Draco asked, his voice tinged with regret. He knew that it had something to do with him.
"What do you want?" Pansy asked scathingly.
"I want to know what's wrong," Draco replied comfortingly.
"You want to know what's wrong?" she yelled at him. "I'll tell you what's wrong. You're what's wrong! You and your bloody conceit."
"What do you mean?" he asked innocently, although he had a pretty good idea of what she meant.
"I mean that the only reason you're here is because you thought I was going to tell everyone about you and Weasley, right?" she asked, and then continued before Draco could answer her, "Well, that's what's wrong. The only time you ever pay attention to me is when I do something you don't like." She began to cry harder.
Draco was starting to feel really guilty. As annoying as Pansy could be, she had been one of his only friends growing up. Pansy, Blaise, and him had hung out all of the time, and played together. Then they got to Hogwarts, and Draco picked up Crabbe and Goyle. He had started being cold to everyone. Pansy was also one of the only Slytherins not to tease him about being soft.
"Look, Pansy, I'm really sorry," Draco said, and he meant it. "I know I've kinda ignored you the past few years, but I'll make it up to you."
"How?" Pansy asked curiously, her tears ebbing away to sniffles.
"How about you and me go to Hogsmeade together next weekend," Draco suggested. "But not as a date."
"Alright. The only reason I pretended to be in love with you was so you would pay more attention to me," Pansy admitted.
"You do realize that it only made me like you less, right?" Draco asked teasingly.
"Yes, that's why I've decided to stop it, and look at how well me plan worked," Pansy replied, smiling.
Draco and Pansy went their separate ways, Pansy to the library, and Draco back to his dormitory.
Even though he still thought Pansy was pretty annoying, she was a little less annoying when she wasn't in love with him.

*~*~*~*

Friday arrived faster than what Ginny would have liked. She still didn't feel that she was completely ready for Quidditch Tryouts, but all Ginny could do was try her best.
McGonagall had appointed Harry as the new Quidditch captain, now that Angelina Johnson had graduated. The two other Chasers, Katie Bell and Alicia Spinnet, had also graduated, leaving the three Chaser spots open. Harry began the tryouts by explaining what they'd have to do. Each person would take a turn at shooting the Quaffle ten times at the goal that Ron was playing Keeper at. The ones who showed the best ability, would go on to try some plays, showing how well they could work together.
Then the tryouts began.
There were about twenty students, and Ginny had gotten stuck going last because they were going in alphabetical order. When it finally came to her turn, she flew up, in front of her brother. He smiled at her and gave her a thumbs up. Ginny smiled back, and then threw the Quaffle. It easily went into the left hoop. The next time she faked shooting to the middle, and then threw it to the right hoop. She tried many different strategies, and made all ten of her shots. Only two other people had done that well.
After Ginny was done, Harry picked the best nine, and split them into three groups of three. Ginny was in a group with Colin Creevey, and Dean Thomas. Coin had made nine of his shots, and Dean had made all of his.
They were given a short time to come up with a play, and had three chances to score a goal. Ginny, Colin, and Dean were the first group to go. They started flying in a regular V-formation, Dean in the middle with the Quaffle. Then Colin flew behind Dean, and grabbed the Quaffle. Colin threw it over Dean to Ginny, who passed to back to Dean. Dean then faked a shot at the left hoop, but instead tossed it to Ginny who threw it into the right hoop. There was no way Ron could have gotten there in time to stop it from going in. When they landed, Harry looked very impressed. He watched the other two groups, but neither was anywhere near as impressive as the first group.
Harry faced the three groups, and said, "Thank you all for trying out, but unfortunately, we only have three spots open. All of you showed a lot of skill, but my teammates and I have come to the conclusion that the best three for the job would be Colin Creevey, Dean Thomas, and Ginny Weasley, who all showed exceptional skill. Congratulations."
Ginny was so happy, she could have kissed Harry at that moment. The people who hadn't made the team trudged away, hanging their heads. As for Ginny, Dean, and Colin, they were all grinning winningly. I made the Quidditch team, she thought excitedly. I'm not just the girl that Harry Potter saved from the Chamber of Secrets anymore, oh no, I'm a Prefect and on the Quidditch team.
Harry turned to the three new Chasers, and said, "Practices will be Monday, Wednesday, and Friday form 3:00-5:00. Our first match is two weeks from Saturday, against Slytherin. Now, see you Monday."
Ginny skipped away, and back to the castle. She could not wait until Monday. She couldn't' wait to write a letter to all of her brothers and her parents, they would be so proud of her.

*~*~*~*

After dinner in the Great Hall, Ginny returned to her dormitory to e-mail Hotdragon. She knew she couldn't tell him she had made the team, but she could tell him she had done pretty well. When she logged online, she was disappointed to see that he wasn't online. So she decided to send him an e-mail.
Hey, Hotdragon! Quidditch tryouts were today, and I think I did really well. I hope so at least! I was hoping you'd be online, but you're not, so I'm going to go and read. E-mail me back.
Talk to you later,
Ginny
She was just about to push the send button, when she noticed one problem. She had signed it Ginny instead of Fierysprite. Ginny quickly fixed her error, and then sent the e-mail. She shut down her laptop, and picked up her book. At present, she was reading Pride and Prejudice by: Jane Austen. She, like Draco, although unbeknown to her, also liked classic literature like Jane Austen and Shakespeare. Ginny wasn't really sure why she liked it so much, but she did.
She flopped back on her bed, and got totally immersed in her book.

*~*~*~*

Meanwhile, in the Slytherin dungeons, Draco was dreading the next day. He would have to spend the whole day with Pansy. It would not be fun. Maybe I can get Blaise to come, Draco thought, or maybe I can get Christina to come. That would be even better. Besides, Blaise had a date with some Ravenclaw chick.
He quickly walked towards her office, and when he had reached it, Draco knocked on the door. After a few seconds, the door opened, and Christina appeared.
"Hi Draco," she greeted him with a warm smile.
"Hey," Draco said, returning her smile. "Can I talk to you about something?"
"Sure, what's up?" Christina asked.
Draco began explaining what had happened with Ginny, and then with Pansy as they walked to her living room. They both took a seat on the couch. "Anyway, Pansy kinda annoys me, but I still felt guilty, so now I have to spend the whole day with her and I was wondering if you wanted to go with us?" he finished hopefully.
"Wouldn't that be kinda mean, telling her you'll spend the day with her, and then bringing you sister with?" Christina asked uncertainly.
"What about if you just come to lunch with us if you want?" Draco suggested.
"Alright, I can do that," Christina replied, smiling. She had wanted to go with Draco, but she hadn't wanted to hurt Pansy's feelings.
"Okay, it's settled then. Pansy and I will leave about ten or ten thirty, and we'll meet you at the Three Broomsticks at noon. This is going to be great," Draco gushed, well sort of, the closest thing a Malfoy can get to gushing without losing their cool cover. "See you tomorrow."
"Good-bye, Draco."
He left Christina's office/house, and made with way back to the Slytherin Common Room.

*~*~*~*

The next morning, Draco woke up at nine o'clock. This was a little early for his taste, but he had promised to meet Pansy at ten o'clock. He wanted to spend the least amount of time alone with her without hurting her feelings. Draco could just picture what she would do if she knew his real motives. It would not be pretty. Plus, she saw Weasley kiss me, and has some pretty good blackmail material, even if the kiss hadn't meant anything. It had still happened.
Dragging himself out of bed, Draco was thinking about what to wear. He decided to just wear a pair of black jeans, a forest green sweater, and a black clock with the Slytherin emblem on it.
Draco slicked back his hair with some gel, and put a charm on it to make it stay in place. He carried on with all his morning rituals, and at two minutes to ten walked out of the Slytherin Common Room. He was meeting at the front doors in the Entrance Hall.
He arrived at exactly 10:03.
"You're late," Pansy said when he arrived.
"Yes, and fashionably so," Draco shot back with a smirk.
"Whatever, so what time are we meeting your sister?" Pansy asked.
"Twelve o'clock at the Three Broomsticks," Draco replied.
They stopped in front of a carriage, and Draco, once again, was surprised to see it was already occupied by Ginny and her friends. Each carriage comfortably fit six people, and seeing as how there were only three people in it, they had to wait until more people came. Draco thought about just walking away, but saw there were no other carriages at the moment. That and the fact that Pansy had already gotten into the carriage.
Draco go in after her, and sat across from Ginny, who was smirking at him.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't Malfoy and Parkinson together," Ginny said, still smirking as if to say that Draco was really pathetic for taking her out.
He was about to tell her that they were only friends, if even that, when Pansy said, "Isn't it great? I think we make such a wonderful couple."
"I'd have to agree with you," Ginny replied.
Draco turned and silently glared at Pansy. By the time they reached Hogsmeade he was ready to kill her. "What was that for?" he shouted once Ginny and her friends were out of earshot.
"What was what for?" Pansy asked innocently.
"I specifically told you we were only coming as friends," Draco shouted angrily.
"Oh come on, Draco," Pansy whined.
"Don't `come on, Draco' me," Draco shot back. "I told you it wasn't a date, and we were only going as friends."
"I know that's what you said, but you couldn't possibly have meant it," Pansy replied stubbornly.
"Yes, I did mean it. I don't want people thinking we're going out," Draco said in a frustrated tone.
"Why not?" Pansy asked, hurt.
"Because we're not," Draco pointed out.
"Whatever. If you didn't want me around, you shouldn't have asked me here in the first place," Pansy said, close to tears, walking away from him.
"Wait Pansy, it's not that I don't want you here, it's just that I don't want to date you," Draco lied easily. He kinda wished he would have let her walk away, just so he wouldn't have to deal with her anymore.
"It's alright Draco, I realize that we just don't get along as well as we used to. I wish it weren't that way, but I realize it's true. I'll talk to you later, Draco," she said, and then walked away.
He felt a little bad as she walked away, but what she said had been true. They didn't get along as well as they used to.
After Pansy left, Draco walked through Hogsmeade, going into different shops. He was pretty much wasting time until it was time to meet his sister for lunch.
He wasn't paying all that much attention to where he was going, and neither was Ginny. They ran into each other, and both were knocked off their feet.
"Watch where you're going, Weasley," Draco spat as he stood, and brushed himself off. When Ginny didn't move or respond, he offered her his hand. She glanced at it warily, and then took it. He pulled her to her feet.
"Thanks, Malfoy," she said gratefully, and then winced slightly.
"Are you okay?" Draco asked.
She shook her head, and said, "It hurts to talk, think I hurt my ribs."
"If it hurts to talk, don't say anything. Look, I'm meeting my sister at the Leaky Cauldron. Why don't you come with," he suggested. "I can't do anything, but she can."
Ginny nodded to show that she agreed, and followed Draco. At one point, she tripped, and fell into him. He must have been watching her, because he easily caught her. When she had fallen, he had gotten a whiff of her hair. It smelled really good, a fruity flavor, but not too overpowering.
When they arrived at the Leaky Cauldron, Draco held open the door for her, and she walked in. Draco spotted his sister, and walked over to her with Ginny in tow.
Christina smiled at him, and said, "Hi Draco, Ginny. What happened to Pansy?"
"We had an argument, and she realized that we don't get along all that well," Draco explained. "Then I wasn't paying attention to where I was going and ran into Weasley. She says it hurts to talk, and that she probably hurt her ribs. Can you heal her?"
"Yeah," Christina said. She uttered a healing spell, and a blast of yellow light shot from the tip of her wand. It enveloped Ginny, and then slowly faded.
"Thanks," Ginny said. "I'll be going then."
"Wait," Draco said suddenly. "Why don't you stay? I knocked you over, my treat." Christina smiled at his offer. She believed that she was having just the effect Dumbledore had intended her to have on Draco. He was loosening up around other people, and that made him a generally nicer person.
"Alright," Ginny said, shrugging. "My friends already abandoned me for some guys, so why not?"
All through lunch, the three of them chatted casually. Draco had sensed that Ginny didn't have anything else to do except go back to Hogwarts, which she hadn't wanted to do. So he had invited her to stay, and he was glad he had. For once in his life, he actually had fun in the company of a Weasley. He knew that Ginny knew why he invited her, and also knew she wouldn't tell anyone else about it. He was right, Ginny never told anyone about that day.

A/N: Sorry that this chapter is kind of short. Don't forget to review! Thanks to everyone who reviewed last chapter! : )

7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, places, or anything else relating to Harry Potter.

Chapter 7

It was now around the middle of October, and the first Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Slytherin was going to take place that day. Ginny had been practicing very hard so that she would be ready for the first game, along with the rest of the team. She'd found out that Draco had been named Quidditch captain for Slytherin, and was working his team really hard. He was determined now, more than ever, to beat the Gryffindors.
It was a beautiful day, perfect for Quidditch. The sun was shining, and there was a cloudless, blue sky. It was also rather warm for that time of year.
Ginny was very nervous, but fairly certain that Gryffindor would win once again. She quickly changed into her Quidditch robes, and looked at Harry when he began his pre-game pep talk, "Now, this is our first game, and we have almost a lot of new players, so all I can say is that we have to try our best. If we lose, oh well, at least we tried and had fun. That's another important thing. So, let's go out there and play some Quidditch.
They all nodded in agreement, and then mounted their brooms. Seamus Finnigan, who had taken over for Lee Jordan, called each of their names, "I present the Gryffindor team, Captain Potter, Weasley, Thomas, Creevey, Weasley, Olsen, and Phillips."
He then announced the Slytherin team, and the game began. Ginny got the Quaffle, and passed it to Dean, who passed to Colin. The three of them passed back and forth. Dean faked out the Keeper, passed to Ginny, and she scored. Slytherin got the Quaffle. They also made a goal.
About forty-five minutes later, the score was 70-100 in Slytherin's favor. Ron was playing a little better than he had last year, but still wasn't that great of a player. He couldn't block very many, but Ginny wasn't worried. They were only thirty behind, and Harry could catch the snitch. Colin passed her the Quaffle, and she scored again.
Now we're only twenty behind, she amended.
Out of the corner of her eye, Ginny saw Draco trailing Harry on his new Firebolt II that he had come to school with this year. Then she saw Harry dive for the snitch, and Draco followed after him. In a matter of seconds Draco was ahead of Harry, and was about to catch the snitch when it zoomed away. Ginny breathed a sigh of relief, and turned her attention back to the Slytherin Chaser who had the Quaffle. She caught a glimpse of Harry, and saw that he also looked very relieved that Draco hadn't caught the snitch. The Slytherin Chaser passed the Quaffle to another Chaser, who shot it toward the goal hoops, and scored.
Fifteen minutes later, there still had been no more sightings of the snitch. The score was still pretty close, 100-140 with Slytherin in the lead. Colin intercepted a pass from a Slytherin Chaser, and passed the Quaffle to Ginny. She flew down the pitch as fast as she could, not noticing that one of the Slytherin Beaters had hit a Bludger, and it was heading straight for her. By the time she noticed it, it was too late. It hit her full force in her head, the impact knocking her off her broom. She felt herself falling, and braced herself for the hard ground. Right before she fell unconscious, she felt someone catch her, and then blackness.

*~*~*~*

Almost a week later, Ginny woke up, and found herself in unfamiliar surroundings. Looking around, she realized she was in the Hospital Wing. Desperately, she tried to remember why she was there. At first she couldn't remember a thing, but then it slowly came back to her.
She remembered getting hit in the head with a Bludger, and then falling off her broom. Someone caught her, and then that was it. She couldn't remember anything after that.
Madame Pomfrey bustled out of the backroom of the Hospital Wing. When she noticed Ginny was awake, she quickly rushed over. "Good to see you're awake, Miss Weasley. Do you remember what happened?" Madame Pomfrey asked.
Ginny nodded, and told her what she remembered. Then she asked, "Who caught me? What happened after I blacked out?"
"You'll have to ask Mr. Potter. I wasn't there. Dumbledore brought you in on a stretcher," the medi-witch replied.
Just then, Harry, Ron, and Hermione walked into the Hospital Wing. When they saw she was awake, they ran over to her. They asked her how she was. She told them she was fine.
Then she asked curiously, "Who caught me?"
Then three of them looked at each other uneasily. Then Harry turned to her and said, "I did."
"Thanks Harry. I owe you," Ginny replied gratefully.
"You should really be thanking Malfoy," Harry said, looking a little guilty.
"Why would I thank him? What did he do?" Ginny asked, perplexed.
"He was the one who actually saw you fall. I didn't even notice until he started to dive. I looked for what he was diving for, and saw it was you. If he would have been close, he would have caught you, not me. He deserves all of the credit," Harry said with a pained expression in his eyes.
"You're kidding me, right? He probably only did it for the attention," Ginny said nastily.
"Maybe, maybe not," Harry replied uncertainly.
"Whatever. So, did we win the game?" Ginny asked, changing the subject.
"It was rescheduled for when you're well enough to play again," Ron replied. "We weren't sure when that would be. You looked pretty bad when you got to the Hospital Wing. We were really worried, not sure you were going to make it at first. It was kinda like the Chamber of Secrets all over again. Only without You Know You."
"Well, I'm awake now, and I feel fine. I wonder how long I'll have to stay here," Ginny commented.
"Probably a few days. Just to make sure your injuries are fully healed, and that you're not having any memory problems. We thought you might not remember anything," Hermione said matter-of-factly.
"Did anyone collect my homework?" Ginny asked.
"Shannon did. It's on your night stand. Shannon usually comes with to see you, but she had to talk to Professor McGonagall for a few minutes. She should be here soon though," Hermione informed her.
Ginny nodded in reply. They talked for a little while. Then Shannon came in, and asked Ginny how she felt. She told Ginny how worried she had been about her, and how boring it was without her.
Ginny answered her questions, and chatted with her for awhile. Then Madame Pomfrey came over, and kicked her friends out.
"How long will I have to stay here?" Ginny asked the medi-witch.
"If everything goes well, within two to three days. I may have you not go to classes for a day or two after that to rest, but then you'll be fine," Madame Pomfrey replied, smiling at Ginny. Ginny was about to ask another question, when Madame Pomfrey cut her off, "You'll be able to play Quidditch again as soon as you go back to classes."
Ginny smiled, and then lay back on her bed, and fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

*~*~*~*

Ginny was woken up around seven o'clock for a late dinner. She ate it, and then Madame Pomfrey checked to make she was still okay. Having examined her, Madame Pomfrey announced that she could leave the day after tomorrow. Ginny was relieved to hear that she could be playing Quidditch again and start attending classes again. As much as she hated going to school, she didn't want to miss too much, in fear she would fall behind. Then she could fail her O.W.L.s and her parents would be furious with her.
Ginny pushed that thought from her head, and laid back down. She was till exhausted despite that she'd been out for a long time. Ginny fell sleep, and slept peacefully for awhile. Then sometime around twelve o'clock, she woke again. She thought she heard someone outside the Hospital Wing. She brushed it off as the wind or another patient. She was just drifting off to sleep again, when she thought she saw someone enter the room. She couldn't be totally sure, but she could have sworn it looked a lot like Lucius Malfoy. She knew it wasn't logical. Why would Lucius Malfoy be at Hogwarts in the middle of the week? Not the mention at night. I must be hallucinating, she thought, but she turned the lamp beside her bed on, none the less. She wasn't going to take any chances. After laying awake in bed fro awhile, Ginny's eyelids began to droop once again. After assuring herself it had only been an illusion, she fell asleep once again.

*~*~*~*

That same night, Draco lay awake in bed thinking about the events of last Saturday. He had heard that the Weasley girl had finally regained consciousness after a week. He knew he shouldn't really care, but he was relieved. He had been all the way across the pitch when it had happened, otherwise he would have warned her about the Bludger. Draco also would have been the one to catch her if he would have been closer. He wasn't though, and Harry got all of the credit, once again, for saving Ginny.
All of the sudden, Draco had the feeling that someone was watching him. He sat bolt upright, and turned on the light. Standing in the doorway of the sixth year Slytherin boys' dormitories, was Lucius Malfoy. Before Lucius could say or do anything, Draco took out his wand and said, "Stupefy."
Lucius crumbled to the floor after the spell had hit him. Draco quickly cast a Levitating Charm, and snuck out of the dormitory. He quickly made his way through the corridors to the Headmaster's office. Not caring how late it was, he uttered the password, and the gargoyles sprang apart revealing the stairway.
Draco ascended them as fast as he could, and pounded on the Headmaster's door. He waited a few seconds, and then pounded on the door again. After a few minutes of pounding, a disgruntled looking Dumbledore came to the door. He saw Draco, and was about to demand he go back to his dormitory, until he saw what was behind Draco. It was an unconscious Lucius Malfoy levitating in the air.
Dumbledore's eyes widened behind his half-moon spectacles in surprise, and he said, "Come in and explain."
Draco told him about lying awake in bed and feeling someone's presence. Then he'd looked up, seen who it was, and stunned him.
Dumbldore listened with interest, and nodded. He looked at Draco and asked, "Did you tell your father that Christina was teaching here?"
Draco nodded, and looked at Dumbledore, nonplused. "What does that have to do with anything?"
"Lucius Malfoy came here tonight to try and harm Christina Malfoy. His exact motives I'm not sure. If he was just going to curse her, threaten her, or kill her, I don't know. Let's go make sure that she's alright. Lucius Malfoy isn't stupid, he may have gone to Christina first," Dumbledore said grimly.
Draco followed Dumbledore out of his office, to Christina's quarters. Draco crossed his fingers that she was alright.
On upon entering her bedroom, Draco was dismayed to find that she was not alright. She lay unconscious, on her bed, marks of the Cruciatus Curse all over her body. There was also a note. It said, "Stay away from Draco or you'll be sorry."
The one the note was referring to gasped. It was all his fault that Lucius was at Hogwarts, and that his sister was unconscious.
"Take her to the Hospital Wing, tell Madame Pomfrey what happened," Dumbledore commanded.
Draco nodded dumbly. He levitated his sister in front of him, and made his way to the Hospital Wing. By the time he had reached it, his vision was blurred from the tears forming in his eyes.
He rang the bell that alerted Madame Pomfrey to a new patient. The medi-witch stumbled out of her bedroom and looked at Draco. "What's wrong with you?" she snapped, clearly not happy to have been woken up in the middle of the night.
"Nothing, but she's unconscious," Draco said, pointing to Christina.
Madame Pomfrey told him where to put her down, and asked, "What happened?"
"My father came, and attacked her. From the looks of it, with the Cruciatus Curse," Draco replied.
"Alright, thank you. Dumbledore knows what happened, correct?" she asked. At Draco's nod she continued, "You are free to go."
Draco nodded again. He made his way back to his dormitory. When he arrived there, he lay down on his bed, closed the curtains, and burst into sobs muffled by his pillow

*~*~*~*

Ginny, who had been awoken by the bell, was amazed. So, she hadn't been seeing things, it really had been Lucius Malfoy she'd seen. She also had her reason why now, it was a to curse Professor Malfoy. Why he'd done that, Ginny had no idea, but had a feeling that it had something to do with Draco. She had seen the way his eyes were over bright, and were shiny from unshed tears. That was one of the things that surprised her the most. She'd never seen Draco cry, and figured she never would, but she was probably closer than most of the other students. Ginny knew that when he was in the privacy of his bed, with the curtains closed, he would start crying, and that was a sad thought.
Ginny also hadn't missed the hatred in his eyes when he'd mentioned his father. It had only darkened his eyes for a second, but she had still caught it. He evidently didn't like the thought of Lucius being anywhere near him or his sister. Ginny could relate to that, she didn't want Lucius anywhere near her either.
Ginny gave a big yawn, and closed her eyes. She could think about it more in the morning, but right now she wanted to sleep.

*~*~*~*

Draco woke up the next morning, and had to drag himself our of bed. If it had been up to him, he would have just stayed in bed all day, but knew he had to get to class. Looking around the dormitory, he was surprised at the lack of his fellow classmates. Draco looked at the clock, and thought he must be seeing things. He closed his eyes, and then opened them, but it still said the same thing. 1:34 p.m. Draco couldn't believe his eyes, he had definitely overslept. The teachers were going to kill him.
Draco scrambled around the room, looking for clothes to wear, when he noticed a note attached to his mirror.
It said:
Draco,
I'm sure you'll need your rest after last night. I've excused you from today's and tomorrow's classes.
-Dumbledore
Upon reading the note, Draco sighed in relief. He stopped his mad dash to get ready for class, and got dressed more leisurely. He planned to go visit Christina in the Hospital Wing and see if she was alright. He made his way out of the dormitory and Common Room, and into the dungeons. From there, he went through the dark corridors of Hogwarts, and reached the Infirmary.
Draco stepped in, and walked over to where his sister lay. She was awake, but barely. When she saw him, she smiled weakly. "So, this is what you've had to endure since you were little?" she asked.
Draco nodded grimly. "He started using the Cruciatus Curse on me when I was seven," he said, his voice filled with pain. He could still remember that day, all those years ago.

*Flashback*
Draco, being the mischievous seven year old that he was, had snuck into his father's study, and taken a seemingly harmless looking object from it. He had been bored, and it had been something to do. Just getting into his father's study had been an adventure, but now he had found something fun to play with.
It was a shiny, leather like egg. It had tough skin, and Draco imagined that it was an abandoned dragon egg that he had to save from being eaten. He had spent the whole day playing with the egg. Draco had an active imagination and this kept him busy. The day had gone great, until his father came home.
Lucius had gone immediately to his study, but soon came out again, looking furious. He made his way to his son's room, and almost throttled Draco when he saw what was in his hands. The exact item Lucius had been looking for. It was a Basilisk egg.
"Where did you get that?" Lucius bellowed in rage. Without waiting for an answer, he continued, "I don't want you going in my study again. Do you understand? There are valuable things in there. Things not meant for seven year old boys. Don't touch my things."
Draco just stood there, trembling.
"Now, I'm going to teach you a lesson you won't soon forget. Crucio!" Lucius yelled, his wand pointed at Draco.
He had fallen to his knees, and had screamed in pain. He had soon fallen unconscious, and had reached a blessed blackness where he couldn't feel the pain.
*End Flashback*

Remembering this, Draco shuddered. That had been the day when he had stopped looking up to his father. That had been the day that he'd realized that his father wasn't all he had previously thought, he was. He was evil.
"Are you okay, Draco?" Christina's voice broke him out of his thoughts.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I think a more appropriate question would be are you okay?" Draco asked in concern.
"I'm fine. A little sore, but totally fine," Christina said, flashing him a weak smile. This only proved to him that she was not indeed fine.
A comfortable silence followed her remark. Then abruptly Draco broke it saying, "I'm sorry."
"Whatever for?" Christina asked in surprise.
"For almost getting you killed," Draco replied.
"Draco, I told you before. I don't care if Lucius kills me," Christina reminded him.
"I know but-" Draco began.
He was cut off by Madame Pomfrey, who said, "Alright, that's enough. Christina needs her rest. Now, out."
Draco followed the order grudgingly. He wished he could have stayed longer, but knew the medi-witch was right. Christina did need her rest.
When Draco arrived back at the Slytherin Common Room, the rest of the Slytherins were back from their classes. He quietly snuck into his dormitory, which was, thankfully, unoccupied. He sat on his bed, and turned on his laptop. He logged onto the internet, and was pleased to see that Fierysprite was already on.
Hotdragon: Hey.
Fierysprite: Hey, I haven't talked to you in awhile.
Hotdragon: I've been busy.
Fierysprite: So have I. So, what's up?
Hotdragon: Nothing much, did you hear about Professor Malfoy?
Fierysprite: Yeah, I heard Lucius Malfoy did it.
Hotdragon: So did I. I think it's terrible.
Fierysprite: I totally agree.
Hotdragon: Did you see the last Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Slytherin?
Fierysprite: Yeah, the Weasley girl fell off her broom. I heard she's awake now.
Hotdragon: I did too. I wonder when she's getting out of the Hospital Wing.
Fierysprite: I heard tomorrow.
Hotdragon: That's good to know.
Fierysprite: Yeah. Do you think that Professor Malfoy teach right away?
Hotdragon: I don't know, hopefully.
Fierysprite: Do you think that she'll leave after this?
Hotdragon: I don't think so. Hogwarts is pretty safe.
Fierysprite: I guess you're right.
Hotdragon: Of course I am.
Fierysprite: You're so arrogant.
Hotdragon: I can be when I want to be.
Fierysprite: (rolls eyes)
Hotdragon: Don't roll your eyes at me. It's true.
Fierysprite: I know.
Hotdragon: You are so much fun to talk to.
Fierysprite: So are you. Sometimes I may have to be careful about how much detail I use, but there's something about you that makes me want to be myself when I'm talking to you.
Hotdragon: Same with you. I don't know why, but I always end up being myself with you.
Fierysprite: What if we told each other our initials?
Hotdragon: You mean as a clue to who we are?
Fierysprite: Yeah.
Draco thought about it for a second, and then decided to agree. She wouldn't know who he was anyway. His initials were L.D.M. His real first name was Lucius, but since he was a baby, he had been called Draco, his middle name.
Hotdragon: Alright.
Fierysprite: Mine are V.W.
Hotdragon: L.M.
Fierysprite: Interesting. I'll have to think about that one.
Hotdragon: Me too.
Fierysprite: I wish didn't have to, but I should probably be getting off. I have some homework I need to finish.
Hotdragon: Alright. Bye.
Fierysprite: Bye.
(Fierysprite has logged off.)
Draco did a few things online, and then logged off.
He decided he should probably find someone who could give him his assignments. He also decided that, even though Dumbledore had said he could take tomorrow off also, he would go to classes tomorrow. He wanted to be there to see if Christina was at the staff table the next day, and if she was at her classes. Draco hoped she would be back. It would be really weird if they had a different teacher. It wouldn't be right.
Draco was also afraid that Lucius would come back, and try to kill Christina again. He hoped against hope that he wouldn't, but it was not likely. Even though Draco had caught him, Lucius would try again. He wanted Christina dead, and Lucius Malfoy wasn't a man you'd classify as a quitter. You wouldn't even classify him as giving up easily either. He was a man who took a challenge when it presented itself, and accomplished every goal that he set for himself.. Draco sight. Thing about it would do no good. Then he went in search of Blaise for his homework assignments.

*~*~*~*

After Ginny had logged off of the internet, she began working on some more of the homework from the days she had missed. She'd been doing homework all day, and she still wasn't done. Granted, she hadn't woken up until about 12:30. Then she'd eaten lunch, and talked with Christina for a little while. Ginny had asked her why Lucius Malfoy had been after her, but Christina hadn't answered. All she'd said was that it had something to do with family problems, and that the rest of her family probably wouldn't want Ginny to know. Ginny guessed that when she said "the rest of her family," she meant Draco, and Ginny agreed with her.
They had talked a bit longer, and Ginny had enjoyed it. Somehow that topic had changed to Draco, and Ginny had found out some things that she hadn't known. Christina had let it slip that Lucius had been using the Cruciatus Curse on Draco since he was seven. Ginny had gasped in shock, and Christina had then adopted a look of regret. She hadn't realized how much she was giving away until it had actually happened. She'd begged Ginny not to tell anyone, especially Draco, that she knew that. Ginny had immediately agreed. She had been too shocked to tell anyone. She had suspected that he might threaten to do it, but not actually use it. And even since he was so young too.
At that moment, Ginny had had a great feeling of compassion for Draco. She knew that she couldn't say anything to him. He probably would hate her more for I t anyway, not to mention hating Christina. It had been a little like the night that she'd found out that Hotdragon had a bad life. She had almost cried right on the spot, but had held back the tears. She didn't think anyone deserved that kind of treatment, even her worst enemy. Besides, Ginny was beginning to realize that he wasn't as cold-hearted as he let on.
After Christina had let the information slip about Draco, they hadn't talked much longer. Ginny had gone back to her bed, and started working on her homework, and that's what she'd been doing since.
Now, she was getting bored with it. She snapped shut her book just as Draco walked into the room. He was carrying books which appeared to be his assignments from the day.
He appeared to be going to visit his sister, but she decided to stop him. Ginny said, "Malfoy, wait."
Draco's head snapped around, and looked at her as if noticing her for the first time. "What?"
"I wanted to thank you," she replied, somewhat nervously.
"For what?" Draco asked, nonplused.
"For saving my life," Ginny said, gaining confidence.
"I didn't save your life, Potter did," Draco informed her harshly.
" I know that Harry was the one who actually caught me, but you saved my life," Ginny replied genuinely.
"What do you mean by that?" Draco asked her, clearly confused.
"Harry wouldn't have seen me falling if you hadn't dove to catch me. He told me that himself, so thanks. Thanks a lot," Ginny said gratefully.
Draco gave her a small smile and said, "No problem. I may not like you, but I wouldn't want to see you die."
"I know, I would have done the same thing for you," she said truthfully, returning his smile. "You can go talk to Christina if you want now."
"Alright. That's why I came here in the first place, after all," he replied. "See ya around, Weasley."
"Right back at you, Malfoy," Ginny replied, and she watched him walk over to his sister with a smile on his face.

*~*~*~*

After talking to Christina, Draco made his way back to his dormitory. She had told him that she would, indeed, be teaching again tomorrow, and that she was not going to leave Hogwarts either. She said she was going to show Lucius Malfoy that she wasn't afraid of him.
Draco smiled to himself at her words. Lucius was going to have a harder time at harming her than he thought. She wasn't going to be persuaded to leave Draco alone very easily, and the thought comforted Draco. Maybe Lucius won't completely ruin my life yet, he thought optimistically.
With this in mine, Draco changed into a pair of pajama pants, and climbed into bed. He pulled the curtains around his bed. Within a few short minutes, he was soundly asleep.

*~*~*~*

After all the excitement of the past week, between Ginny getting hit in the head with a Bludger to Christina being attacked, Dumbledore's announcement only stirred it up more. He gave the announcement that there would be a Ball for the 5th through 7th years after Christmas break. It was to take place on the Friday night after classes resumed.
All of the older students were excited, all except two that is. Both Draco and Ginny were unenthusiastic about the whole thing, but for complete opposite reasons. Draco was dreading it because he knew he would get around a hundred offers from different girls. It's not that he was arrogant or anything, it was the truth. Ginny was dreading it because she knew that she would end up going alone. No one ever asked her to things like this. She was just Ginny Weasley, the girl who had a crush on Harry Potter. She was over that now, but not many guys knew that. It also didn't help that guys thought if they even looked at her like that, Ron would kill them.
Ginny sighed at the thought, and turned back to her breakfast. She could just see it now, all dressed up and all alone. She shook her head at the thought, and finished her meal. She packed up her books, and went to her first class. It was double Potions with the Slytherins.
When she arrived at the classroom, she was greeted with a surprising sight. Snape was already there, which in itself was unusual, and he was talking to Draco Malfoy. Both looked uncharacteristically distraught. They both turned to face her when she arrived.
"Ah, Miss Weasley. Just the person I wanted to see," Snape greeted her.
"What's going on, Professor?" Ginny asked curiously.
"I have cancelled class today for the purpose of trying to sort out the current situation. It seems that once again, Christina Malfoy has been attacked. This time a potion was slipped into her drink. We have to fine what potion was used, and how to counteract it. Will you help us?" Snape asked.
"Yeah, sure. What do you need me to do?" Ginny asked.
"I need you and Mr. Malfoy to go to the library, and research potions that cause extreme pain and then knocks out the victim," Snape commanded.
"Alright. Come on Malfoy," Ginny said, walking toward the door.
"Yes, Ma'am," Draco replied with a salute. Keeping things light was all he could do from bursting into tears. He couldn't believe that Lucius had attacked Christina again so soon, and without anyone knowing he was in the castle. He had been very sneaky about it. Lucius must have snuck into the kitchens, and put it in the pumpkin juice the was going to the Hospital Wing. After that, Christina had drunken it, and screamed as if being attacked with a very painful potion. After about ten or fifteen minutes of torture, she had fallen unconscious.
Ginny must have picked up on Draco's feelings because, much to Draco's surprise, when they were out of the classroom, she gave him a hug. Then she whispered to him, "She's going to be fine. Lucius won't finish his plan. I just know it."
Draco gave her a small smile, and said dejectedly, "I appreciate your effort to cheer me up, which I don't understand by the way, but I know it's not true. Pretty soon my sister's going to be dead, and it's all my fault."
"You can't mean that. How could I be you fault? It's not, and the only reason I tried to cheer you up was so that I wouldn't have to deal with a cranky Draco Malfoy all day," Ginny said.
"You don't know what you're talking about, Draco said, a bit more harshly than he'd intended.
Ginny seemed unaffected by his harsh words. She replied cheerfully, "I would if you explained it to me. Maybe I could help."
"You're helping enough already with researching the potions. Thanks for this," Draco said gratefully.
By this time, they had reached the library, and Ginny let the subject drop. She realized he really didn't want to talk about it. They both knew that they had a lot of work to do, which meant that they had a long day ahead of them, together, and Ginny didn't wan Draco to be mad at her for the whole time. Besides, she didn't really want to make him talk about a subject that hurt him.
Draco and Ginny got to work, only talking occasionally to point out something that might be useful or ask the other a question. Hours passed in this fashion, and they still hadn't found anything.
After about three hours of research, they took a break and headed to the Great Hall for lunch. When Ginny sat down at the Gryffindor table, Ron was staring at her. "What's wrong?" Ginny asked, having a pretty good guess.
Her suspicions were confirmed when Ron replied, " You haven't been in your classes all day, Shannon told me, and you just walked in with Malfoy. What's going on, Gin?"
"Malfoy and I were doing some research for Snape. Professor Malfoy was attacked again, this time with a potion, and I'm helping Malfoy find out which one it is," Ginny informed her brother.
"Oh," Ron said, seeming to be at a loss for words.
"You shouldn't jump to conclusions so quickly, you get yourself all worked up over nothing," Hermione reprimanded him. "I told you there was probably a logical explanation for it." Hermione gave a knowing nod of her head, and then turned to start a conversation with Harry.
"Whatever," Ron said. "If he makes a move on you, Gin, just tell me. I'll curse him into next week."
"Don't worry, Ron. I can take care of myself," Ginny replied, smiling reassuringly.
"I know, you're not a little girl anymore, but I still worry about you," Ron told her.
"Thanks Ron," Ginny said as she gave him a hug.
"Ah, how touching," drawled a voice from behind Ginny. "but if you don't mind, I'd like to take your sister."
"Shut it, Malfoy. She'll come when she wants to," Ron replied threateningly.
"It's okay, Ron. I was done anyway," Ginny said, playing the role of peace keeper. She stood up, and followed Draco to the library.
"We haven't gotten anywhere, have we?" Draco asked.
"Not really," Ginny said.
"How are we ever going to find out what potion it was?" Draco asked helplessly.
"We'll figure it out," Ginny said optimistically, and then they turned back to their research.

*~*~*~*

Draco and Ginny worked for a long time. Snape had come to check on their progress about an hour ago. He was disappointed at their results.
"That's it," Draco exclaimed excitedly. "This is it!"
"You found it?" Ginny asked enthusiastically.
"I'm pretty sure. It's called the Cruciatus Potion. I didn't know there was such a thing," Draco mused, mostly to himself. "It's Dark Magic, and it's illegal. No surprise there. It's clear, tasteless, and odorless. It has similar effects of the Cruciatus Curse, but soon knocks the drinker into a coma. If the drinker doesn't take the antidote within twenty-four hours of falling unconscious, the drinker will die."
"What?" Ginny practically screamed, earning a reprimanding look from the librarian. "Is the instructions for the antidote in there?"
"Yeah," he replied, and then his face darkened. "This is a really complicated potion, I don't know if we can make it in time."
"Well, we have to try," Ginny said.
"Alright, let's go show Snape," Draco commanded, and they exited the library.

*~*~*~*

When they arrived in Snape's office, and showed him the information they had found, Snape looked shocked. "I've heard of this potion, but didn't think it was possible to make," he explained. "One of the ingredients is unicorn blood,, which is almost impossible to get . You either have to actually kill a unicorn or get it from the Black Market. Either way, it's hard to come by. Another one of the ingredients, ground firecrab shells, are no longer sold anywhere. Lucius must really want her dead."
"Do you think we'll be able to make the antidote in time?" Draco asked, clearly nervous.
"I'm not sure, but I will tell you, I can't help you," Snape informed them.
"Why not?" Ginny asked, bewildered.
"Because it says that the brewers of the antidote must add a part of themselves from their youth. Since you two are both still young, a piece of your hair or something will do. You also must know that if you help brew this potion that the potion will take some of your energy and life source to help revive Christina. That is why it requires youth, if they used older people's life force, it could very well kill them. You must be absolutely willing or the antidote will not work," Snape replied grimly.
Draco and Ginny looked at each other as Draco said, "You don't have to do this if you don't want. You've done enough already, really you have."
"No, I want to help. I don't care if you think I've done enough already. I'm going to help," Ginny said stubbornly.
"If you're sure," Draco shrugged. "Let's get to work then."
"We have to hurry. We only have about two and a half hours left," Ginny said urgently.
Then they went to work. First, they collected all of their ingredients. There were quite a lot of them, and some of them they had to take from Snape's personal stash. He had given them permission to use anything that they needed.
After that, they consulted the book. Draco added the first three ingredients, and put them over low heat. Ginny stirred it for ten minutes before Draco added the next ingredient.

*~*~*~*

The next hour passed in this fashion. Adding ingredients, stirring the potion for awhile, and then adding more ingredients. At about 5:30, they had to add part of themselves. Both of them cut a piece of their hair off, and put it into the potion. Now, all they had to do was stir it for ten minutes, and let it boil for another ten. They didn't know exactly what time that Christina had taken the potion, but they estimated it to be around six o'clock. They had to finish the antidote as quickly as possible.
The twenty minutes that it took to finish it after they'd added their hair seemed to go by at a snail's pace for both Draco and Ginny. They both knew that if they weren't done in time, or did something wrong, Christina would die. Neither wanted this to happen.
When the antidote was finally finished, they took some of it and put it into a clear vile, measuring out the exact amount that they needed. The drinker needed exactly an ounce for each year of their life. After putting it in the vial, they both rushed to the Hospital Wing, hoping they weren't too late. Since Draco had longer strides than Ginny, she had to really rush to keep up with him. In her haste, she didn't notice a small crack in the floor. It was just wide enough for her foot to catch in it, and she fell forward. This in turn, knocked over Draco, whom she had collided with, and making him drop the vial with the potion in it.
Ginny braced herself for a huge explosion from Draco, but instead, he seemed to be in a daze. All he said was, "Nice going, Weasley." Then he rushed back to where the rest of the potion was. He, once again, measured out the right amount. Then they hurried towards the Hospital Wing, again. This time nothing went wrong.
Upon entering the Infirmary, they saw that both Dumbledore and Snape were standing around Christina's bed. When they saw Draco and Ginny enter, they beckoned them over. Draco and Ginny went and stood before the two professors.
Dumbledore looked at them sadly, and said, "Christina Malfoy is dead."

A/N: Oooh, cliffie. Don't forget to review! It will help me get the next chapter out faster.

8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I don't own any of it except the plot!

Chapter 8

"Christina Malfoy is dead," the words that Dumbledore had spoken hung suspended in the air. There was a heavy tension in the room as realization began to sink in.
Draco shook his head disbelievingly. "No. No, it can't be true. She can't be dead," he said slightly hysterically.
"I'm afraid so, Mr. Malfoy. She died about ten minutes before you arrived," Dumbledore said sadly.
Draco just shook his head once again in disbelief. He knew, subconsciously, that it was true, but he didn't want to want to believe it. He couldn't believe it. If he did start to believe it, surely he'd die of despair. Christina had been his rock to cling to, his refuge from the problems of his life.
"Draco," Ginny began softly, laying a hand on his shoulder. "I'm so sorry."
At that moment, something inside Draco snapped. It could have been all of the anger he'd had bottled up for so many years against his father, or it could have been something else. Draco couldn't tell, but all of the sudden he had the strong desire to lash out at someone. Ginny just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. He whipped his body around, knocking her hand off of his shoulder. Draco narrowed his eyes, and glared at her. He then said nastily, "You realize this is all your fault, right? If you hadn't tripped and spilled the first batch of potion, we would have made it on time. Once again, a Weasley had managed to ruin everything. Now, get out of my sight before I get really mad."
Ginny whimpered slightly, and turned on her heel. She all but ran out of the Hospital Wing. Draco smirked in satisfaction. It was nice that he could cause someone even a little fraction of the pain he was going through.
Dumbledore and Snape were looking at him with equal amounts of alarm on their faces. "Now, Mr. Malfoy, I know you're upset, but you must know that this was not Miss Weasley's fault. It was all Lucius's fault. You know that," Dumbledore said gently.
Now Draco was even more frustrated. They all seemed to be treating him like he was very thin glass. It was like they were afraid that he would break any second. "You don't know what you're talking about. You don't know what it's like," Draco snapped at Dumbledore. "Nobody does. They'll never understand." He could feel the anger slowly ebbing from his body.
"Why don't you go back to your room, and get some sleep. You've had a long day," Dumbledore suggested.
Draco nodded and turned to walk away. All of the anger had left his body, and now all there was was pain. The pain of knowing she'd never smile at him again. The pain of knowing that he'd never be able to confide in her again. She would never be there. Ever again.
Now that the anger was gone, Draco realized he shouldn't have yelled. He also realized that Dumbledore was right, and it wasn't Ginny's fault at all. It was nobody's fault but his own. He should have known better. He knew Lucius wanted to kill Christina to take away his friend. He should have pretended he didn't like her or something. Then, at least, she would still be alive.
By this time Draco had reached his dormitory, and went and laid down on his bed. He turned on his side, and stared at the wall. He urged the tears to come, he knew they would make him feel better momentarily, but they wouldn't come. As hard as he tried, he couldn't cry. It might have been the fact that Christina hadn't cared she was about to die if she was doing him some good. Knowing that she loved him enough to put her life in danger so she would help him was comforting. He fell asleep, thinking of his late sister.

*~*~*~*

Ginny made it, thankfully, to Gryffindor Tower without crying, but as soon as she had told the Fat Lady the password and entered, she broke down. She sat down on one of the chairs by the fire, and just cried. At first, she couldn't believe that Draco had said such a thing, but now, she was beginning to believe he was right. It was all her fault. If she hadn't tripped and spilled the potion, they would have gotten there in time.
She sat in the chair, and cried for a long time. Sometime later, Ron entered the Common Room, and spotted her. He walked over and sat down next to her. "Hey, Gin, what's the matter?" he asked when he saw her tear stained face.
"Professor Malfoy died today," Ginny began with difficulty. "and it's all my fault."
"Yeah, I heard about Professor. I think it's terrible. It's not your fault though, Gin," Ron said comfortingly.
"Yes it is," Ginny replied, once again near tears. "If I hadn't spilled it, the antidote would have been ready in time."
"Don't be silly, Ginny," Ron said.
"I'm not being silly. It's true. Now, I you'll excuse me, I'm going to the kitchens to get some food. Good-bye," Ginny said as she made her way out of the portrait hole.

*~*~*~*

The next morning, neither Draco nor Ginny felt much better than the previous night. Draco woke up feeling absolutely miserable. Not only was he already missing Christina, but he also felt bad about blowing up at Dumbledore and Ginny. He had just been so shocked and upset about what had happened.
Yesterday, Blaise had told him that Dumbledore had given them the next day off to cope with the loss. Most of the students didn't really care that their professor had died, no matter how much they'd liked her, but Dumbledore also had to find a replacement. Draco sighed and rolled out of bed. He for one was glad that they had the day off. He didn't think he would be able to face everyone today. It would probably break him down.
Draco got dressed and then decided to go and look for Ginny. He wanted to apologize to her for being so stupid yesterday. He knew that he should probably just leave her alone. She wouldn't want to see him, but he still wanted to apologize.
After checking in the Great Hall, the library, and everywhere else he could think of, he went back to his dormitory, defeated. Draco resolved to talk to her at dinner.

*~*~*~*

Ginny woke up the next morning feeling terrible. She was so glad that they didn't have classes that day. It wasn't that she missed Christina that much; she just kept hearing Draco's words echoing in her head. "You realize this is all your fault, right?... Once again a Weasley has managed to ruin everything."
The words really hurt her. Not only was she hurt that Draco blamed her for Christina's death, but it hurt her that she knew he had a right to say that because it was true. If she hadn't tripped, they would have made it.
Well, there's nothing I can do now, she thought with a sigh. What's done is done and nothing could change that.
She knew that Draco was going to hate her now, even more than before. Just when they had started to sort of get along. She went and ruined it. It was probably better that way anyway. They weren't supposed to get along, they were enemies.
Ginny slowly dragged herself out of bed. She glanced at the clock and had to do a double take. She knew that she had been up pretty late crying, but she hadn't expected to sleep this late. It was almost three o'clock in the afternoon.
Ginny didn't feel like getting dressed just yet, so she just laid face down. She reached for her book, and opened it. She read the same sentence about twenty times before she shut her book again. Instead, she took out her laptop and turned it on. What she really needed right now was a conversation with Hotdragon. He always cheered her up.
When Ginny logged online, she was happy to see that Hotdragon was in fact on. .She smiled as she IMed him.
Fierysprite: Hey.
Hotdragon: Hey.
Hotdragon: Did you hear about Professor Malfoy?
Fierysprite: Yeah, but I'd rather not talk about it.
Hotdragon: Me neither.
Fierysprite: So, what's new?
Hotdragon: Nothing really. What about you?
Fierysprite: Nothing. Are you excited about the ball?
Hotdragon: Not really.
Fierysprite: Why not?
Hotdragon: I'll get about a million girls asking me out.
Fierysprite: Arrogant.
Hotdragon: What? I've already had like five offers.
Fierysprite: Really?
Hotdragon: Yes. Now, what about you? Are you looking forward to it?
Fierysprite: No.
Hotdragon: Why not?
Fierysprite: I won't get a date, I know it.
Hotdragon: You'll get to wear your new dress robes.
Fierysprite: You remembered!
Hotdragon: Of course I remembered. I remember everything we talk about.
Fierysprite: Really? I can't decide if that's really sweet or really pathetic.
Hotdragon: I vote really sweet.
Fierysprite: You are such a goof ball.
Hotdragon: I know, isn't it great?
Fierysprite: Whatever you say.
Hotdragon: What's that supposed to mean?
Fierysprite: I was just making a point that not everyone might think this is a good thing.
Hotdragon: I'm hurt that you feel that way.
Fierysprite: I never said I felt that way.
Hotdragon: No, but you implied it.
Fierysprite: Whatever. So, have you figured out who I am yet?
Hotdragon: Nope. I wracked my brain for a long time after we talked, but couldn't think of anyone with those initials. What about you?
Fierysprite: No idea. I even asked my brother, and he couldn't think of anyone either.
Hotdragon: I didn't think you'd figure it out.
Fierysprite: I didn't think you would figure mine out either.
Hotdragon: Can I ask you something serious.
Fierysprite: Sure, anything.
Hotdragon: What would you say if I told you I was going to be a Death Eater?
Fierysprite: You're what?
Hotdragon: Going to become a Death Eater.
Fierysprite: Why?
Hotdragon: I don't want to, but I don't really have a choice.
Fierysprite: What do you mean, you don't have a choice?
Hotdragon: My father wants me to become a Death Eater, and he always gets what he wants.
Fierysprite: That's really sad.
Hotdragon: Yeah, well, c'est la vie.
Fierysprite: Listen, if you ever want any help, don't hesitate to ask.
Hotdragon: Thanks.
Fierysprite: No problem.
Hotdragon: That's probably one of the nicest things anyone's ever said to me.
Fierysprite: Look, I really, really, REALLY don't want to go, but I got up just before I talked to you. I'm not even dressed yet, and it's almost time for dinner.
Hotdragon: Whoa, I see your point. See ya later.
Fierysprite: Bye.
(Fierysprite has logged off.)
After Ginny had logged off, she went through her clothes, looking for something to wear.

*~*~*~*

Draco logged off the internet feeling a little better than he had earlier. Talking to Fierysprite had that effect on him. Now though, he had to get serious. He had scheduled an emergency Quidditch meeting to make an announcement.
Once all of the Quidditch players had gathered in the Common Room, Draco started his announcement, "As you all know, my sister Christina died yesterday. In the time that she was here, we had become very close. Her death has devastated me. So, I have decided to resign as Quidditch Captain and quit the team."
Looks of various degrees of shock and anger passed over his teammates' faces. "What are we going to do now?" asked one of the players.
"You're going to have to find a new Seeker and pick a new Captain," Draco said matter-of-factly as he turned and walked away.
He knew the other players weren't very happy with him, and neither would the other Slytherins when they found out. It was just something he had to do. He probably wouldn't have been much help to the team come next game anyway.

*~*~*~*

Draco was slowly slipping further and further into depression. His grades were beginning to slip, and he was losing more and more sleep every night. He fell asleep during classes and was always in a bad mood. The teachers were beginning to get concerned. They had known that he would be sad about his sister's death, but they hadn't expected it to become this serious. And at first, it hadn't. Draco had seemed fine the first few days afterward. Then, he slowly became drearier and drearier, his grades began getting lower and lower, and his nights were steadily more sleepless. The faculty wasn't exactly sure what to do about it, and decided to wait awhile to see what happened. They all prayed that he would be back to normal after Christmas break which was in less than a week, but anyone who knew Draco well enough namely, Christina, would know this wasn't true. Christmas break was only making Draco drearier.
He had received several letters from his father telling him that he better get better grades or else. Draco took no heed to them however. He knew he would really pay for it when he got home, but he didn't even care anymore. He felt that there was no point in living. The only reason he didn't kill himself was the fact that Christina had sacrificed her life for him.
Hogwarts had hired a new teacher to take the place of Christina. Her name was Professor Bigelow and she was nice enough. She was strict, but could also be very laid back at times. She would laugh and joke with the students. Everyone liked her, and seemed to slowly forget about their previous professor, all except two. Those two who Christina's death had changed their lives. Draco Malfoy and Ginny Weasley.

*~*~*~*

Ginny had also been effected by Professor Malfoy's death. The changes weren't as drastic as those in Draco, but they were still noticeable. She became a lot more introverted and often times had nightmares resulting in lack of sleep. All of her nightmares were pretty much the same, in every one she would kill Christina in one way or another. Whether it be with a knife or Avada Kedavra, Ginny always killed her.
One of the reasons Ginny was so introverted was because she had no one to talk to. Shannon, Mackenzie, and Michelle were either busy or avoided the subject. Ron was always out on a date with one girl or another, and Harry and Hermione were always together. Like, just yesterday, Ginny had a question on homework and had gone to the library to ask Hermione about it. When she'd finally found her, it was in a dark corner with Harry, snogging. They had been so immersed in what they were doing that they hadn't even noticed her. After clearing her throat loudly a few times, she'd finally gotten their attention. Both had turned bright red in embarrassment as Ginny asked her question. The only solace Ginny found was in Hotdragon. He always cheered up no matter how upset she was.
The day after Christina's death, Draco had come to her and tried to apologize. She had been too upset at the time to accept it. Now, she regretted it. They were more bitter enemies than before the school year had begun. He was colder and she was much more hostile to him. It didn't make very well for a relationship. If she hadn't rejected his apology, they might have grown closer together instead of farther apart. Or maybe not, but anything would be better than their current state.
Pushing the thoughts to the back of her mind, she exited her dormitory. It was a Hogsmeade weekend, and Ginny had to go and get some more Christmas presents. She still needed to buy something for Ron, Charlie, and Hermione. She boarded one of the carriages to Hogsmeade, and thought about where she could go. She had no idea what to get any of the people still on her list. That's why she hadn't bought them when she'd bought all of her other Christmas presents.
When the carriage arrived in Hogsmeade, Ginny disembarked. As she walked down the busy main street, she noticed there was a new shop. It was called The Attic. She decided to go inside and see what was there. As she looked around the store, it appeared to have a huge variety of things.
After wandering around the store for awhile, she picked out a Transfiguration book for Hermione, a pair of dragon hide gloves for Charlie, and a Chudley Cannons book for Ron. She was just about to get in line when something caught her eye. It was a gorgeous, sparkly pair of hair clips. They would go perfectly with her new dress robes. Ginny eyed them wistfully as she got into line. After paying for her gifts, she went into the Three Broomsticks to get some butterbeer.

*~*~*~*

Draco was in Hogsmeade also, buying a present for his mother. He didn't want to be there, he didn't really like places where there were lots of people, but he wanted to get his mother a gift.
He saw the new shop, and decided to go in. He had no idea what he was going to get his mother. Draco wandered aimlessly around the crowded store, looking for something. As he was walking through the accessory aisle, something sparkly caught his eye. It was a pair of butterfly hair clips. Weasley would like these, he thought, and a plan began to formulate in his head. He could send them to her for Christmas with an apology attached for blaming her for Christina's death. When Ginny hadn't let him apologize for it in person, he'd tried sending her an apology, but she sent them back unopened. After that, he'd turned extra cold to her and everyone else too. He regretted it. It had seemed like she had been beginning to understand him, and right now, that was exactly what he needed. He picked up the clips and continued his hunt for a present for his mother.
Draco finally decided on a bottle of expensive perfume that she often wore. He got in line, and paid for his purchases. After paying, he made his way as fast as he could to the carriages back to Hogwarts. When he arrived there, he went straight to his dormitory and began writing his apology to Ginny.

A/N: Sorry this chapter is so short, but I haven't had that much time this week to write and didn't want to keep you guys waiting too long! Don't forget to review, I got 24 reviews last chapter! See if I can get even more than that this chapter!

9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I don't own anything except the plot.

Chapter 9

�

With Christmas vacation fast approaching, Ginny became a little more cheerful. Christmas was always her favorite time of year. It was all about peace and love and family. It just gave her a nice warm, fuzzy feeling that she loved. Ginny also liked Christmas because she got to see all of her family. She got to see her parents, and all of her brothers. She loved it. She hardly ever saw her two eldest brothers, except at Christmas.
Ginny, Ron, and Harry, who would also be staying with them, were leaving for King's Cross Station the next day. Ginny couldn't wait. She didn't want to be in the big, often times dreary feeling, castle. She wanted to go home to the warm, cheerful Burrow. Maybe her mother could help her with her problems. Or maybe not. She would probably just tell Ginny to apologize to Draco and that it wasn't her fault that Christina is dead.
Ginny had just finished packing everything that she wouldn't need the next day before they left. Now, it was about ten o'clock at night, and Ginny was tired. She couldn't wait for the two weeks she would have to just relax. It would be wonderful. Crawling into bed, Ginny turned off her light and closed her eyes. She soon fell into a deep, thankfully dreamless sleep.

�

*~*~*~*

�

As Christmas break approached, Draco seemed to only get drearier and drearier. He knew what was going to happen when he got home, and he wasn't at all looking forward to it. First, he would be beaten for doing poorly in school, then he would be beaten again to test his endurance for his Death Eater initiation, then he would be beaten for refusing to be a Death Eater, and so on. It would be a vicious cycle of beatings. It would be a miracle if Draco survived the next two weeks. It would be an even bigger miracle if both of his forearms were unmarked at the end of vacation. One thing that he was pretty certain about however, was that it would be very, very painful.
He couldn't believe that it would all start tomorrow. He probably only had a few more days to live. Good-bye cruel world, he thought dramatically. All of the sudden, he had a strong urge to e-mail Fierysprite. He knew she probably wouldn't be online, but that didn't matter. He would send her an e-mail revealing his identity, so when he died, she'd know who he was. Maybe she'd even e-mail back her identity to him before he died.
Draco had the internet up and had actually started writing the e-mail, when a thought struck him suddenly. If he sent this e-mail, it would belike he already gave up. It would be like he had already sealed his fate, and if he was thinking like that, there would be no way he could live through the torture weeks ahead. If he didn't send the e-mail though, he would put up a better fight, meaning he'd have a better chance at living.
After thinking all of this through, he quickly logged off of the internet and shut down his laptop. There was no way they were taking Draco Malfoy's life or freedom without a fight. That was one of the few useful things that Lucius had taught him, Malfoys don't give up without a fight. Well, this was on Malfoy who was going to uphold that statement. He wouldn't give up without a fight. There was not a snowball's chance in Hell that he would give up.

�

*~*~*~*

�

The next morning, Ginny was woken up by someone calling her name. When she opened her eyes, she saw that it was Hermione, and she was already dressed and ready for the day. Ginny slowly got out of bed to get ready. The train to King's Cross left at eleven o'clock, and it was currently 9:30.
After Ginny had gotten ready, she and Hermione made their ways to the Great Hall for breakfast before they left for the train station. They sat down at the Gryffindor table and started piling food onto their plates.
While they were eating, Hermione looked up and said, "It's nice eating with you, I hardly ever see you anymore, Gin."
"You're right," Ginny replied. "I wish we saw each other more often, but I'm busy with school, it's O.W.L. year after all, and you're busy with Harry."
"I know. I also know that it's mostly my fault. I really don't mean to ignore you and spend all my time with Harry, it just happens that way," Hermione said apologetically.
"I realize that, and I have to take part of the blame too," Ginny added.
"So, what's up with you lately? I haven't talked to you in awhile," Hermione asked cheerfully.
"Nothing really. I've been going to classes and doing my homework pretty much," Ginny replied.
"What about Hotdragon? I've been meaning to ask you about him. Do you still talk to him? Do you know who he is? What's up?" Hermione asked curiously.
"Yes, I still talk to him. I don't know who he is yet, though. I know his initials are L.M. Do you know anyone in your year with those initials?" Ginny inquired.
Her partner was silent for a few minutes, thinking. "No. The only person I can think of whose last name starts with an M is Malfoy, but his first name is Draco," Hermione replied finally.
"Could Draco be short for anything that starts with an L? Like my name is Virginia, but people call me Ginny," Ginny pointed out.
Hermione thought for a minute, but soon said, "I don't think so. For one thing, I don't think he has any close enough friends or relatives to make up a nickname in the first place, and for two, part of your nickname comes for part of you full name. If Draco came from something that started with an L, it would probably have at least an L in it."
"True," Ginny consented.
"Besides, I thought you really like Hotdragon. You said he was nice. Malfoy isn't exactly nice, now is he?" Hermione asked rhetorically.
"Yeah, you're right. Thanks for your help though," Ginny replied gratefully. "So, how far have you and Harry gotten, if you don't mind my asking?"
"No, I don't mind. We've gotten pretty far," Hermione admitted. "We haven't had sex. I know this may sound really pathetic and old-fashioned, but we're saving that for marriage," Hermione replied, blushing.
"No, I don't think it's pathetic, I feel the same way. So, do you think you're going to end up marrying him?" Ginny asked.
"Honestly, I think I could marry Harry and be totally happy for the rest of my life. I think I might love him, I really do," Hermione answered happily.
"That's great and you make such a great couple," Ginny said.
"Thanks, Gin. What about you? Do you have a boyfriend that I don't know about?" Hermione questioned.
"No, I wish. I haven't had a boyfriend at all this year yet," Ginny replied glumly.
"You'll get one soon," Hermione said reassuringly. "If you knew who Hotdragon was, would you go out with him?"
"Definitely. He's one of the nicest guys I've ever talked to," Ginny said dreamily. "Are you looking forward to the ball?"
"Yeah, definitely. I can't wait. It's going to be so much fun, even if Harry can't dance very well," Hermione replied with a short laugh. "What about you? Has anyone asked you yet?"
"Nope. The only part of the dance that I'm looking forward to, is wearing my new dress robes," Ginny answered sadly.
"They ARE really pretty, and they look gorgeous on you," Hermione gushed. "I can't believe no one's asked you to the dance! I mean, you're so pretty, and fun to hang out with."
"Everyone thinks of me as either little Ginny Weasley, Ron Weasley's sister or the girl who's in love with Harry Potter. None of the guys think I'm pretty because I'm not, and my brother threatens anyone who is interested in me," Ginny ranted.�����
"Don't worry, Gin. Once you show up at the ball with you new dress robes, every guy will wish they'd asked you. You'll have tons of guys to dance with," Hermione reassured confidently.
"Whatever you say," Ginny said with a shrug. "Now though, we have to get our luggage, and get to the train station." And with that the two girls headed back to Gryffindor Tower.

�

*~*~*~*

�

Draco's alarm clock woke him up the next morning at quarter to ten. This gave him enough time to get ready and make it to the train station before eleven o'clock. He was filled with a sense of dreading as the time passed, and his doom drew closer and closer.
The time passed a little more quickly than Draco would have like, and it was soon time to go to the train station. He levitated his bag in front of him, and started walking towards the Entrance hall. He walked out of the door and boarded one of the "horseless" carriages. He rode with a group of second year Hufflepuffs and was silent the whole way. When the carriage arrived at the station, he picked up his bag and got onto the train.
After scouting the train, Draco soon found an empty compartment. He put his bag down, and pulled out his laptop. He figured that if he had to go home and be tortured, he would make his last few hours of freedom enjoyable.

�

*~*~*~*

�

Ginny boarded the Hogwarts Express and sat in a compartment with Harry, Ron, and Hermione. She wasn't all that close to her other friends and didn't want to sit with them. She knew she wouldn't talk with her brother and his friends very much, she would probably be on her laptop most of the time.
Ginny was about to pull her laptop out of its case when Harry moved from his spot next to Hermione, to the seat next to her. She looked at him and smiled. "Hey, Harry," she greeted.
"Hi," he replied. "I wanted to talk to you about something."
"What's up?" she asked in interest.
"Well," he began. "I've noticed that you've been a little withdrawn lately, is anything wrong?"
"No, of course not, Harry," she lied easily. "I've just been really busy lately."
"Come on, Gin. You don't have to lie. I want to help you," Harry said encouragingly.
"It's just that when Professor Malfoy died, Malfoy said something to me that upset me. Then I realized that he hadn't said it to be mean, it was the truth. He tried to apologize, but I wouldn't let him. Now, I've been miserable, and I have no one to talk to," Ginny confessed, close to tears. "My brother is always busy with some girl or another, you and Hermione are never without the other, and my other friends avoid the subject."
"I'm sorry, Ginny. I didn't mean to leave you out. I really didn't. What did Malfoy say? I'll curse him for causing you pain." Harry threatened.
"You don't have to do that, Harry. He said it was my fault that Professor Malfoy died," Ginny replied.
"That's not true. You can't possibly believe that's true," Harry said, taken aback.
"It is my fault. We had the potion measured out and we were going to make it, but I tripped and pushed Malfoy. He dropped the vial, and we had to go get more potion from the classroom. If I hadn't tripped, we would have made it in time," Ginny said despairingly.
"Oh, Gin, that's not your fault. You tripped, it happens to everyone. It just happened to you at a very inopportune time. It's not your fault. It's Lucius Malfoy's fault. I'm sure Malfoy didn't mean what he said, he was just upset," Harry told her sympathetically.
"Whatever, Harry, just let me go on my laptop," Ginny snapped.
"Alright, fine, but if you ever need anyone to talk to, I'm here," Harry replied sincerely.
Ginny nodded to show that she'd heard him and took out her laptop. She logged onto the internet. When the screen appeared, she was happy to see that Hotdragon was online. She quickly Instant Messaged him.
Fierysprite: Hey, Hotdragon.
Hotdragon: Hi, what's up?
Fierysprite: Nothing really, just going home for Christmas.
Hotdragon: So am I.
Fierysprite: Cool. I can't wait to get home. I love Christmastime.
Hotdragon: So do I, as long as my father leaves me alone.
Fierysprite: I hope he does, the next time I talk to you, I want your forearms unscathed.
Hotdragon: Yes, ma'am.
Fierysprite: (rolls her eyes) I'm serious.
Hotdragon: So am I.
Fierysprite: Do you think you can do it?
Hotdragon: I'm not sure.
Fierysprite: Just remember, my offer still stands.
Hotdragon: Thanks.
Fierysprite: Anything I can do to help fight Voldemort.
Hotdragon: Is that the only reason you're offering to help?
Fierysprite: Well, not the only reason.
Hotdragon: Why else?
Fierysprite: I don't want to lose a good friend, and if you become a Death Eater, I would.
Hotdragon: You consider me your friend?
Fierysprite: The best.
Hotdragon: You're going to make me cry, and for e, that's saying something.
Fierysprite: Well, I'm so glad to know that you like me so much, knowing that I consider you a friend makes you depressed.
Hotdragon: They're tears of joy.
Fierysprite: Oh, alright then, I'm flattered.
Hotdragon: You knew that all along.
Fierysprite: Yeah, I did.
Hotdragon: You can be really strange sometimes.
Fierysprite: I know. You're just realizing this now?
Hotdragon: No, you've always been like that.
Fierysprite: That I have.
Hotdragon: (Shakes his head.)
Fierysprite: Don't shake your head at me!
Hotdragon: (Shakes his head some more.)
Fierysprite: Stop it!
Hotdragon: Fine.
Fierysprite: Thank you.
Hotdragon: So, have you gotten a date for the ball yet?
Fierysprite: No, no one's asked me.
Hotdragon: How can no one want to go with you?
Fierysprite: Maybe because I'm an ugly girl with a threatening older brother.
Hotdragon: Oh come on, you can't be that ugly.
Fierysprite: Well, I guess I'm not ugly, but I'm certainly not pretty.
Hotdragon: What have your friends said about it?
Fierysprite: They think I'm pretty.
Hotdragon: Well, doesn't that tell you anything?
Fierysprite: Yes, that my friends are blind.
Hotdragon: I think it means that you don't know what you're talking about, and you really are pretty.
Fierysprite: How would you know? Believe me, I'm not pretty.
Hotdragon: I'd trust your friends.
Fierysprite: Whatever, do you have a date yet?
Hotdragon: No, I've had about fifteen offers, but I turned them all down.
Fierysprite: Why?
Hotdragon: Because none of them are you.
Fierysprite: That's really sweet. Now I'm going to cry, but how would you know that it wasn't me?
Hotdragon: Because all of those girls were shallow, dumb sluts.
Fierysprite: You never know.
Hotdragon: Did you ask anyone to the dance?
Fierysprite: No.
Hotdragon: See, there you go, it wasn't you.
Fierysprite: But you didn't know that until right now.
Hotdragon: Whatever. Are you going to the ball?
Fierysprite: I think so. Are you?
Hotdragon: I'm not sure.
Fierysprite: Why wouldn't you?
Hotdragon: I don't really like large crowds anymore.
Fierysprite: Why, what happened?
Hotdragon: My sister died.
Fierysprite: That's sad.
Hotdragon: Yeah, but I'm pretty much over it. I just don't like being in the midst of a lot of people.
Fierysprite: You are such a brave person.
Hotdragon: (shrugs) I guess.
Fierysprite: Do you realize that we're almost there?
Hotdragon: We are?
Fierysprite: Yeah, I should probably shut down.
Hotdragon: Me too.
Fierysprite: Talk to you later, L.M.
Hotdragon: Right back at you, V.W.
(Hotdragon has logged off.)
After this, Ginny logged off the internet and turned off her laptop. She put it away in its case and then turned to Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Harry and Hermione were sitting next to each other, Harry had his arm around Hermione's shoulders and she was resting her head against his shoulder. They were talking quietly with each other. Her brother was no where in sight. "Where's Ron?" Ginny asked her friends curiously.
Harry shrugged. "A girl came, and then he left with her. They probably went to find somewhere to snog," Harry informed her.
"Who was the girl?" Ginny inquired further.
"Your friend, Luna Lovegood," Hermione said.
"Luna?" Ginny repeated incredulously.
Hermione merely nodded in reply.
" I didn't know Ron went for younger girls," Ginny commented.
"She's not that much younger than him. She's your age," Hermione pointed out.
"True, but my birthday's before hers. Besides, Ron usually goes out with seventh years and the occasional sixth year," Ginny said.
"I know, maybe he's already snogged every other free girl," Hermione mused.
"I doubt he's going with all of them," Ginny said.
"I was only joking," Hermione replied.
"That may be true, but you never know. If it's not all of them, it's about 90% of them," Ginny joked.
Hermione laughed and shot back, "No, I think it's more like 97%."
"You're probably right, as usual," Ginny teased. "No, seriously though, I know we were joking, but there actually might be some truth in it."
"I'd have to agree with you there. He always seems to have a different girlfriend," Hermione said seriously.
"Hey, we're here," Ginny announced as the train came to a stop.
Harry, Hermione, and Ginny collected their possessions and exited the train. They were each greeted with a big hug from Mrs. Weasley. She, Mr. Weasley, and-. "Wait, Mum, is that Charlie?" Ginny screeched excitedly.
"Yes dear, it is," Mrs. Weasley replied with a smile.
"Charlie," Ginny called as she rushed at her favorite brother to give him a hug.
"Hey, Gin. How's my favorite little sister?" Charlie greeted, eagerly returning her hug.
"I've missed you, Charlie," she replied.
"I've missed you too, Gin," He returned genuinely.
"Hey, Charlie," Harry grabbed as he walked over to Ginny and Charlie.
"Hello, Harry, nice to see you again," Charlie replied.
"Hi Charlie," Hermione said.
"Hello, Hermione," Charlie returned. "Where's Ron?"
"He's a little, er, busy at the moment," Harry said with a slight smile.
"Is he with a girl?" Charlie asked perceptively.
"Yes," Harry paid with a grimace. "When is he not with a girl?"
"That bad?" Charlie asked.
"Oh yeah," Harry replied with a nod.
Charlie shook his head and grinned, "That's Bill's brother, his is. When he's older, he'll have long hair, an earring, and a motorcycle," Charlie predicted, shaking his head. "Mum's not going to like it."
"No, she won't," Ginny agreed.
"Charlie! You're home early."
Everyone spun around toward the voice, it was Ron. "Hey, little bro. What's going on?" Charlie greeted.
"Nothin' much, Charlie, nothin' much. What about you?" Ron asked.
"Oh, you know, the usual," Charlie replied with a shrug.
"Why are you home so early?" Ron exclaimed.
"What? Don't you want your old brother to be home? I'm hurt Ron, really hurt," Charlie answered with mock hurt in his voice.
"Of course I want you here, I just wasn't expecting you, that's all," Ron covered quickly.
"Well, I was supposed to help train a new dragon we were getting, but we never got it. It got sick and couldn't be sent to us yet, so I didn't have anything to do," Charlie explained.
"Well, I'm glad you're home," Ginny inserted into the conversation.
Charlie smiled at her as they walked back toward Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. Then they all made their way to where Mr. Weasley had parked their Ministry-rented car. They all piled in for another hour long trip.

�

*~*~*~*

�

When the Hogwarts Express arrived at King's Cross. Draco slowly collected his things. After exiting the train, he was met by his mother. Then, they flooed home. Currently, Draco was sitting on his bed, staring at the wall. When he'd walked out of the fireplace, his father had told him to wait for Lucius in his room. Draco had quickly obeyed, not wanting to get into any trouble.
That had been fifteen minutes ago, and Draco hadn't done anything but sit there. Quite frankly, he was too afraid to do anything. He knew he was in for major torture in a few minutes.� He soon heard footsteps outside his door, and then heard them stop in front of it. Lucius then knocked on the door, and, without waiting for an answer, entered Draco's room.
"Father," Draco greeted coldly, playing it cool.
"Come with me," was the only reply he got. Draco jumped off his bed, and did his best to keep up with his father's quick steps. They walked through a few dark corridors, and then they came to a stop in front of a sold stone door. Lucius uttered a spell that Draco didn't hear. The door in front of them opened slowly.
While they stood inside, he looked around. The walls were all sold stone, and there was no windows. It was dark, dank, and drafty. Draco shuddered slightly at the temperature change. "Stay here until I get back. Not that you have much of a choice," Lucius said with a cold laugh.
Lucius then turned and walked out of the room, dungeon really, locking the door behind him. When the door closed, Draco was plunged into complete darkness. He reached into his robes for his wand, but was dismayed that it wasn't there. I wonder how long I have to stay here, he thought with another shudder. The place gave him the creeps. He sat down slowly, and he felt like bursting into tears. He refrained from this, only in fear that Lucius would come back and torture him even more than planned for showing weakness.
The time passed slowly, seconds turning into minutes, and minutes turning to hours. Draco wasn't sure how long he had been there, but he guessed it had been around three or four hours. At this time, Lucius finally came back. He opened the door, and Draco noticed he wasn't alone. Narcissa followed him.
"Now, Draco, I'm going to teach you a lesson. If you want any hope of ever seeing you mother again, you had better start getting better grades," he began. Draco nodded, and he continued, "I know how fond you are of you mother, so she's going to teach you the lesson for me. If might mean more coming from her."
"Mother would never do that," Draco said, trying his best to keep the uncertainty out of his voice.
"Maybe not on her own," Lucius replied, grinning maniacally.
"What did you do to her?" Draco demanded.
"The only thing I did was put her under the Imperius Curse," Lucius answered flippantly.
"Take it off," Draco ordered.
"No," Lucius shot back menacingly.
At that moment, Narcissa stepped forward and shouted, "Crucio!"
The force of the curse, and the fact that he'd been caught off guard, knock him off his feet. He was fighting back screams of pain, just barely. He could tell that his mother was trying to fight off the curse, but Lucius was too powerful of a wizard. The pain began to intensify, and then it slowly was fading. Draco knew he would soon be unconscious soon, but he tried to stay conscious. He had a sudden burst of strength, and he stood up. The pain intensified again. Then, Draco collapsed. There was only blackness. He was unconscious.
Lucius was satisfied for the time being and commanded Narcissa to stop the curse. He then took the Imperius off. Narcissa blinked in surprise and looked at her fallen son. She whimpered quietly and sunk down to her knees. There were silent tears running down her cheeks. "Come, Narcissa. We well be back later," Lucius said and walked out of the room in a billow of robes. Narcissa exited, and Lucius locked the door behind them.

�

*~*~*~*

�

About four or five hours later, Draco was slowly gaining consciousness. He groaned quietly as he tried to sit up. He was sore all over. He moaned, thinking that it was only the beginning. If he already felt this bad, he couldn't imagine living through the whole two weeks. I might just kill myself first, he thought ruefully.
He lay back down on the floor, staring at the ceiling. If only he could get his laptop, then he could beg Fierysprite to let him stay with her. Well, he probably wouldn't have to bed, but he could ask her. Maybe, just maybe, Lucius would take him out of this room. He seriously doubted it. Lucius wasn't stupid.
Just then, the door opened. Draco, expecting Lucius, braced himself for more torture. Instead, it was his mother, and she was alone. "Oh good, you're awake," she commented. "I'm sorry about earlier Draco , but I'm just not strong enough to resist Lucius." She looked near tears.
"It's alright, mother. It wasn't your fault. It was father's," he replied genuinely.
She gave him a weak smile. "You're father is gone. What do you want me to get for you?" she asked urgently.
"My laptop," Draco requested without hesitation.
"Alright. I have your wand right here," Narcissa said, tossing it to him. "I'll be right back." She left the room, leaving the door opened.
"Now, I have to go before Lucius gets home. He only told me to check on you. He will know if I let you out, but if you can escape by yourself, you'll be fine. Good luck Draco," Narcissa said, locking the door as she left the room.
Draco eagerly opened his laptop and turned it on. He logged onto the internet. Please, Fierysprite, be online, he pleaded silently, willing her to be on. When the internet came up, he was ecstatic to see that she was on. He quickly IMed her.
Hotdragon: I need your help.
Fierysprite: Well, hello to you too.
Hotdragon: Sorry, hi, but I don't have much time.
Fierysprite: What's going on?
Hotdragon: My father's going to be back soon. He locked me in a dungeon for like 3 hours. Then he came and had my mother curse me while under the Imperius Curse. I fell unconscious. Now, like 4 hours later, I'm awake. My father's going to be back soon though. My mother gave me my laptop from my room and my wand.
Fierysprite: What do you need?
Hotdragon: Can I stay with you for awhile? Please?
Fierysprite: I would say yes right away, but let me ask my parents.
Ginny ran downstairs to talk to her parents. "Mum? Dad? Where are you?" she shouted.
"In the kitchen," her mother replied.
She ran into the kitchen. "I need to ask a big favor," she panted.
"What's wrong, Ginny?" her father asked, concerned.
"Can I invite a friend here to stay with us until we go back to Hogwarts?" she asked quickly.
"Who?" her father inquired.
"I don't know his name," she answered.
"Is it the guy you talk to online? What was his name? Hotsnake?" her father guessed.
"Hotdragon, and he needs my help. He's going to be cursed to death by his mother under the Imperius Curse by his father. He's already been cursed unconscious once. Please," Ginny pleaded. "If anything happens, I will take full responsibility. Please." She put on her best puppy dog look.
"If you take full responsibility, then you can invite him, but if he causes any trouble he's gone. The only reason I'm saying yes is because I don't think anyone could be THAT good of an actor too convince you, you're a pretty good judge of character and I trust you," Mr. Weasley consented.
"Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you," Ginny exclaimed, giving both of her parents a hug and a kiss. "I'm sure Hotdragon will be thankful also." She ran up to her laptop and went back to IMing Hotdragon.
Fierysprite: You can come.
Hotdragon: Took you long enough. Thank you so much. You are so awesome. Thank you. What's your address?
Fierysprite: Is it possible for you to use floo powder? If you can, just go to the Burrow.
Hotdragon: Yeah, after I escape here, I can go to a neighbors or Diagon Alley. I'll be there somewhere between a

10. Chapter 9, second half

Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the plot.

half hour to an hour. Is that okay?
Fierysprite: Sure, see you then.
Hotdragon: Alright. Thanks again. Bye.
(Hotdragon has logged off.)
After turning off his laptop, Draco began to form his plan. He would transfigure his laptop into a broom for the time being. Then he's blast the wall into pieces and fly away to Diagon Alley. It was only like fifteen minutes away. He knew he'd probably be expelled for this, but he didn't care. He wouldn't have to be a Death Eater.
Draco then set his plan into action. It took him about five minutes to transfigure his laptop correctly. At first, his broom had had a keyboard, but he'd fired that. He was now ready to escape. He took a deep breath and prepared to knock down the wall. He raised his wand and uttered the spell. The wall in front of him shattered into tiny pieces. He then mounted the broom and kicked off.
Draco flew up high enough so now one could see him from below. He couldn't risk a Muggle seeing him. Or his father for that matter. He was so glad that Fierysprite was letting him stay at her house. He couldn't wait to find out who she was.
After flying for about fifteen minutes, Draco dove lower so he could see where he was. He was flying over Muggle London. He dove down, and jumped off his broom once he's landed. He entered The Leaky Cauldron and asked Tom, the owner, to use his fireplace. Tom showed him where it was and gave him some floo powder. Draco was glad that Tom wasn't asking any questions. Draco stepped into the fireplace and yelled clearly, "The Burrow."

*~*~*~*

Ginny was so happy that her parents had said yes to Hotdragon. She would be eternally grateful. She couldn't wait until he got there, but she was still a little nervous. What if he had been right, and she really didn't him. Then what would happen to her? She couldn't just kick him out, she'd have to bare it. That was unlikely however. He seemed so perfect online.
It had been twenty minutes since Ginny had logged off the internet. She went downstairs to the living room to wait for him.
She sat there for a few minutes and soon there was a cloud of dust from the fireplace. He's here, she thought excitedly. She waited for the dust to settle, but when it had, she wished it hadn't. Standing in front of her was one of the last people she'd expected to see. It was her worst enemy, not to mention her whole family's enemy, Draco Malfoy, looking sore and just as surprised to see her as she was to see him.
Ginny did the first thing she thought of. She opened her mouth to scream.

A/N: Anyway, don't forget to review! Thanks to everyone who reviewed last chapter! I'll get the next chapter out as fast as I can.

A/N 2: This was supposed to be part of chapter nine, but it wouldn't upload this part for

some reason. Sorry!

11. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I don't own any of it.

Chapter 10

Ginny did the first thing she thought of, she opened her mouth to scream. The scream never actually came out however, Draco quickly clamped his hand over her mouth. "What are you doing here?" Ginny demanded coldly.
"You invited me," Draco replied calmly.
"No I didn't. Why would I invite you over to my house?" she asked.
"You may not have invited me on purpose, but I'm Hotdragon," he informed her.
"No, you can't be. You must have found out about him somehow. You have to be lying," Ginny cried hysterically.
"Think about it, Weasley. Hotdragon's father curses him into unconsciousness. My father, Lucius Malfoy, curses me into unconsciousness. His sister just died. My sister just died. His name is in his screen name. So is mine, just in English. Draco is Latin for dragon. His initials are L.M. So are mine," Draco provided some evidence.
"But you're name's Draco. That starts with a D," Ginny replied snidely.
"Draco is my middle name. My first name is really Lucius, but no one ever calls me that," he told her.
"Fine, but why was Hotdragon nice? You're certainly not nice," Ginny shot back.
"I told you that was my real personality. Besides, you thought I was really a nice person deep down anyway," Draco pointed out.
"Why are you not surprised by this?" Ginny asked, feeling very overwhelmed.
"Because it all makes sense. Your screen name is Fierysprite. You have red hair, the fiery part, and you're a small girl, the sprite part. You're initials are V.W. Virginia Weasley. You were at Diagon Alley the day we agreed to go. We even talked to each other. It all fits," Draco said.
"Oh my God, you're right. I am so stupid. I should have seen it sooner. Why didn't I see it sooner?" she asked, mostly to herself.
"I didn't realize it either. We were kind of blind," Draco admitted.
"We both avoided the subject of Christina. You knew I was in the Hospital Wing because you were the one to see me fall. You knew about Christina's attacks because you found her. The annoying girl who likes you is Pansy Parkinson. It's all so obvious now," Ginny said, shaking her head in amazement.
"So you did make the Quidditch team," Draco said.
"Yes, I did," she replied, still amazed.
"Oh God, we're so dense. We were even talking when we were in the same train compartment," Draco pointed out, smacking himself in the head with the palm of his hand.
"Oh my gosh, we were, when we were going to Hogwarts," Ginny remembered. "I should have seen it."
Draco was about to reply when Ron and Harry entered the room. Both Draco and Ginny froze. "So Gin, why don't you introduce us to Hotdragon?" Ron suggested, clearly not noticing it was Draco.
"Well, I think you already know him," Ginny replied, gesturing toward Draco. "Meet Hotdragon."
"Malfoy?!?!" Ron and Harry yelled in shocked unison.
"Hey Potty, Weasel," he drawled in reply.
"You're Hotdragon?" Harry asked in surprise.
Draco merely nodded. "Hotdragon, meet Emerald Hottie," Ginny introduced.
Draco's jaw dropped unbecomingly, and he quickly snapped it shut, saying, "You're Emerald Hottie? From the chat room?"
"Yep," Harry replied.
"There is no way Malfoy is staying in our house," Ron said.
"I don't think you have the authority to make that decision, Ron," Ginny pointed out.
"We'll see about that," he retorted. "Mum, Dad, Ginny's letting the enemy sleep in our house."
"What are you talking about, Ron?" Mr. Weasley asked, clearly confused.
"Look who Ginny invited over," Ron said, pointing to Draco.
"He's Hotdragon," Ginny explained. "You can't kick him out, he had no where else to go. If he goes back home he'll probably be dead before the end of the week."
"So what?" Ron asked, bemused.
"If you send him home, you'll prove yourself to be no better than Lucius Malfoy himself. Please let him stay," Ginny pleaded.
Mr. Weasley was about to reply, but Mrs. Weasley beat him to it, saying, "Yes, he can stay. We already said he could, and we're not going back on that now."
"Thank you very much. I really appreciate your help," Draco said genuinely thankful.
Mrs. Weasley smiled at him. "It's no problem at all Draco," she said warmly.
"Thank you," Draco repeated.
Ginny then lead him upstairs before Ron could cause a scene. "Why'd you help me?" he asked, nonplussed. "You haven't been all that nice to me the past month."
"I know, but I'd like to apologize for that. I should have never refused your apology when you tried to make the situation right a month ago. I just made it a lot worse," Ginny apologized.
"I want to apologize too. I didn't mean to blame you for what happened to Christina. It wasn't your fault, I was just upset. I regretted ever saying that, and then when you wouldn't let me fix it by apologizing, I turned really cold again. I'm sorry," Draco said contritely.
"I now realize that it wasn't my fault, hearing you say that really helped for some reason. We were both kinda stupid, weren't we?" Ginny asked.
"Yeah, we were, and just when we had been making some progress," Draco replied.
"What do you say? Truce?" Ginny offered.
"No," Draco began, but continued when Ginny looked dismayed. "I'll do you one better. Friends?" Draco suggested, sticking out his hand for her to shake.
"Friends," Ginny confirmed, shaking his hand.
Draco smiled at her, and she smiled back. "I just thought of something," he said suddenly.
"What?" Ginny asked curiously.
"You don't have a date to the ball," Draco replied.
"No, I don't. What does that have to do with anything?" she inquired.
"I just find it odd," he answered.
"Why?" she asked.
"Because you're such a nice person," he stated. "And, Ginny, your friends were right."
"About what?" Ginny replied.
"You are pretty. You're really pretty in fact," Draco said, almost shyly.
"That's really sweet," Ginny answered. What happened next, neither one was expecting it. It was like an unknown force pushing them both. Draco began to lean in closer to Ginny, and her eyes fluttered closed as she moved closer also. Draco moved closer and paused about a millimeter from her lips. Ginny, waiting impatiently for contact, closed the remaining space, and when their lips met, it was almost like fireworks going off in her brain. The sensations were amazing. An electric shock had shot up her spine when their lips had first met. It was amazing, but it was soon over.
Draco pulled away, looking slightly dazed. He reached a hand up to his lips and touched them in amazement. "Wow," he breathed. Ginny could only nod. That had been a lot better than their first kiss.
Ginny was about to lean in for another kiss, but Draco stopped her. "Want to go to the ball with me?" he asked.
"I would love to," Ginny accepted. "Now, shut up and kiss me."
Draco chuckled, but leaned in all the same and complied with her demands.

*~*~*~*

About ten minutes later, Draco and Ginny went into the kitchen where Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Ron, Harry, and Charlie were seated. They both had huge smiles on their faces. After they'd finished their kiss, they'd agreed not to tell anyone about their new found relationship. They didn't feel like ruining the evening by staring a fight. When they entered the kitchen, Ron turned to glare at Draco. Ginny knew, even if Draco didn't, that Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had told Ron to try to be civil towards Draco, otherwise he would have done more than glare. She was so glad that her parents were okay with Draco staying there. They realized that he wasn't like his father, and for that, Ginny was grateful.
"Draco, I heard that you have a sister, I never knew about her," Mrs. Weasley said conversationally.
Ginny saw Draco tense up at the mention of Christina. "I had a sister. My father killed her about a month ago," he replied tightly.
"Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that," Mrs. Weasley gasped. "That must have been a very hard thing for you."
"It was. Even though I hadn't known her for all that long, we were pretty close," Draco confirmed sadly.
"Oh, that's terrible. If you don't mind my asking, how did your father kill her?" Charlie asked with interest. "I'm Charlie by the way."
"Nice to meet you, Charlie, and no I don't mind you asking. My father gave her something called the Cruciatus Potion. It tortures like the curse of the same name and then knocks the drinker unconscious," Draco told him.
"Is there an antidote?" Charlie asked.
"Yes, Ginny helped me make it, actually, but Christina died before we could give it to her," Draco answered.
"You helped, Gin?" Charlie questioned her.
"Yeah, I helped him find the potion and make the antidote. I also helped him not make it in time," Ginny said ruefully.
"What do you mean?" Charlie inquired.
"I tripped and broke the vial with the potion in it. We had to go back to the potions classroom to get more," Ginny explained.
"It wasn't your fault that she died though," Draco cut in hastily.
"Of course it wasn't her fault," Mrs. Weasley said. Then there was silence.
"Hey, Mum, where's Draco going to sleep?" Ginny asked suddenly, breaking the silence.
"Well, tonight, he can have Bill's, Percy's, or the twins' room, but when they get here, we'll have to figure something out," Mrs. Weasley replied matter-of-factly.
"He could stay with me," Charlie offered. "If he wants."
"Well, it's settled then, if Draco has no objections," Mrs. Weasley said, looking at Draco. He shook his head. "Good."
"Well, I'm going to bed," Ginny announced with a yawn. "Come on, Draco, I'll show you where you can sleep tonight."
Draco stood up and began to follow Ginny. "Thank you again, for letting me stay here," he said before exiting the room.
"Stay in Percy's room tonight, it's across the hall from mine," Ginny commanded.
"Alright," Draco complied. "Good night." He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, then went into the bedroom Ginny had told him to sleep in.
Draco looked around the room. It was extremely neat, but also looked like no one had stayed in it for awhile. There was a bed in the middle of the room. Against one wall, there was a bookcase, filled with books, and on the opposite wall there was a desk. Next to the bed was a dresser with a lamp on it.
Draco crawled into the bed and turned off the light. He knew that he wouldn't be able to fall asleep right away, he had too much on his mind. Just this afternoon, he had been unconscious. Now, he was at the Weasleys' house. He couldn't believe that he actually knew who Fierysprite was now. He also couldn't believe she turned out to be his worst enemy. Now, ex-worst enemy. They were a couple now. That was another thing that had changed drastically today. One minute, they'd been bitter enemies, the next they were kissing. He smiled at the thought. He'd kissed a Weasley, voluntarily, and liked it. He also now had a date to the ball. His life was definitely looking up. The only bad thing that could happen, would be Father finding me, Draco thought. He certainly hoped his father didn't find him.
He yawned and decided it would be best to try and get some sleep. He'd had an exhausting day. He quickly fell into a peaceful sleep.

*~*~*~*

In the room across the hall, Ginny was having similar thoughts. She couldn't believe that Draco had been right all along. If she'd known Hotdragon's true identity she would have probably stopped talking to him. She also couldn't believe that she'd been right about him. His father did use Unforgivables on him, and he really was a good person, under his cold facade.
Ginny smiled to herself, thinking of what else had happened. She's kissed Draco Malfoy. She shivered just thinking about it. It had been one of the most amazing experiences of her life. She felt that when they were kissing, she never wanted to stop, and that everything was right with the world. This kiss or rather kisses, had been much more satisfying than their first kiss on the Quidditch pitch. For one, that one had been by pure accident, and for two, it had only lasted a few seconds.
Ginny gave a contented sigh and lay down on her bed. She turned off the light, but continued thinking. She had a date for the ball. The thought fully struck her for the first time. She, Ginny Weasley, had a date for the ball. A hot date at that, too. She couldn't believe it, she'd never thought it was possible. It was too good to be true. There's nothing that could make this vacation any better, she thought as she drifted off to sleep. She would soon find that she was wrong, her vacation could get better. A lot better.

*~*~*~*

The next morning or rather afternoon, Draco got out of bed at about twelve thirty. He sleepily made his way out of Percy's room and made his way downstairs, into the kitchen. Ginny was sitting at the kitchen table, alone. She looked up when he walked in. She got out of her seat and gave him a quick kiss.
"Draco's up," she called.
Mrs. Weasley came rushing in from another room. "Good afternoon, sleepy head," she greeted warmly.
"Oh, by the way, this might interest you," Ginny said mischievously, passing him The Daily Prophet. Draco looked at the headline and gasped. It read, "Powerful Death Eater Arrested." He scanned the article and slowly smiled. The Ministry had gone to his house yesterday, after seeing the spells he'd preformed. They had checked what had happened before that and seen the Cruciatus and Imperius Curses had been cast there. They'd arrested Lucius right away and thrown him in Azkaban. His trial was to take place in week, and if he was convicted, he would be sentenced to the Dementor's Kiss.
Draco just stared at the article in shock as he sank down into one of the kitchen chairs. He couldn't believe it. They'd finally caught his father. Pretty soon, he'd be given the Dementor's Kiss, there was no way he could weasel his way out of this one. He was gone for good.
"Draco?" Ginny called tentatively.
Draco looked up at her. "Did you read this?" he asked. She nodded in reply. "I can't believe it. He's finally going to be gone."
"Yep. He'll never bother you again," Ginny said, smiling. "And, if you hadn't cast those spells, the Ministry would have never done anything."
"He'll never be able to curse me or do anything to me," Draco began excitedly. "Do you know what this means? I don't have to become a Death Eater. I don't have to hide from him anymore. He can't hurt me. This is awesome."
"Draco, you're free. You can do almost anything with your life now," Ginny exclaimed and without thinking, kissed him on the mouth. Mrs. Weasley smiled and quickly exited the room, giving the couple some privacy. The kiss deepened, and at that moment, Ron walked into the room.
"Ginny?" he croaked in disbelief.
Ginny pulled away form Draco and turned towards her brother.
"What are you doing snogging Malfoy in the middle of the kitchen?" he demanded.
Ginny shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other and looked at Draco for help. He only stared back at her emotionlessly. "Well, uh, er, you see Ron, we'regoingtotheballtogether and we'rekindaacouplenow,' Ginny finished quickly.
Ron must have understood her however because he blew up. "What do you mean you're dating a Malfoy?" he yelled angrily.
"Exactly what she said, Weasley," Draco drawled. He was going to make some comment about Ron's intelligence, but refrained for Ginny's sake.
"Stay out of this Malfoy," Ron snapped.
"Why should I? This concerns me too," Draco shot back.
"Just stay out of it," Ron said impatiently.
"No," Draco retorted defiantly.
"Both of you stop fighting," Ginny intervened. "Ron, this does concern him, he's right." Draco shot Ron a smug smile. "Now, I'm not a little girl anymore. We've been through this. I can make my own choices, and I have chosen to date Draco. Now, stay out of it Ron."
"He better not hurt you. If he does, he's dead," Ron threatened.
"I'll keep that in mind, Weasel," Draco called as Ron exited the room. He and Harry were playing Quidditch in the Weasleys' backyard.
"Thanks for you help," Ginny said sarcastically when Ron was gone.
"Well, what was I supposed to say?" Draco asked helplessly.
"I don't know, but you could have helped a little more," Ginny replied.
"I think you handled it very well on you own," Draco praised.
"I still could have used your help," Ginny replied stubbornly.
"I'm sorry, I tried my best," Draco defended himself. "I'll try harder next time."
"Whatever. Now that Ron knows, we don't have to be as careful," Ginny said impishly. "We can kiss anywhere we want." She then leaned in for the aforementioned kiss.

*~*~*~*

Later that day, Draco, Ginny, Charlie, Ron, Harry, and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley piled into a Ministry car and went to pick up Bill from King's Cross. Ron, Charlie, and Ginny had tried to convince their parents that they should just floo there. It would make everything so much easier, but they paid no heed to their children. Neither Draco nor Harry liked the idea any better, but being the guests, didn't voice their opinions.
So, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley sat in the front, Draco, Ginny, and Charlie in the middle seats, Ginny between the two boys, and Harry and Ron in the backseat. When it would usually have been pretty squished, it was charmed to fit a lot of people comfortably. Deciding to tell her parents about her relationship with Draco, Ginny said conversationally, "Mum, did I tell you that I got a date to the ball?"
"No, you didn't," Mrs. Weasley replied, deciding not to mention what she'd seen earlier in the kitchen. "Who is your date, dear?"
"Draco," Ginny answered.
"Really?" Mrs. Weasley asked in a good impression of surprise. "I think it's wonderful."
"You do?" Ginny and Ron asked in unison. Ginny in delight, Ron in disgust.
"We're also sorta going out," Ginny informed her mother, deciding to tell her everything.
"That's great. I can't believe my little baby girl is growing up so fast," her mother commented, her eyes filling with proud tears.
"Mother," Ginny said, mortified. She was blushing, and she knew it. She bowed her head so that her hair covered her blush. She could hear Draco sniggering quietly from beside her. "Oh, shut up, Draco," she snapped.
"Sorry, I can't help it. You're so cute when you blush," Draco replied, trying to stifle more laughter.
Ginny just glared at him. He put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer to him. She leaned her head against his shoulder and sighed in content.
"I think I'm going to be sick," Ron commented in disgust.
"Shut up, Ron," Ginny said half-heartedly.
"Leave your sister alone, Ron," Mrs. Weasley reprimanded.
The rest of the car ride went by in relative silence. They all climbed out of the car and went to meet Bill when he came off the train.
They soon spotted him, and the five Weasleys rushed forward. Draco and Harry followed at a distance. "Don't do anything to hurt Ginny, or I'll hurt you," Harry threatened quietly.
"I would never do anything to hurt her," Draco replied genuinely.
"Okay then, all I can say is, truce?" Harry offered, sticking out his hand.
"Truce," Draco agreed, shaking Harry's hand.
Ginny had been watching them from where she stood with Bill, and she smiled. She'd known that her parents and Harry would be the easiest to convince that Draco wasn't as bad as everyone thought. Now all she had to do was convince her brothers. Charlie already approved of him. Bill probably would too, and Percy would approve quickly enough. The hardest people to convince would be Ron, Fred, and George because they'd had the most experience with Malfoy.
"That was very noble of you," Ginny joked to Draco who had walked up next to her.
"Yeah, I know," Draco teased back.
"I'm glad you're trying to be civil to them, I appreciate it," Ginny said gratefully.
"Anything for you," Draco replied seriously.
"You're such a romantic," Ginny stated with a smile.
"Yeah, it's terrible, isn't it?" Draco asked rhetorically.
Ginny only laughed and shook her head. "What's Malfoy doing here?" Bill whispered to Ron.
"Ask your dear sister," Ron replied sarcastically.
"Hey Gin, who's your friend?" Bill asked cheerfully.
"Oh, sorry. Bill, this is my boyfriend, Draco Malfoy. Draco, this is my oldest brother, Bill," Ginny introduced.
"Nice to meet you, Bill," Draco said politely.
"Same to you," Bill replied.
"I love it when you call me your boyfriend," Draco whispered to Ginny as they approached the car. Ginny laughed happily. They all piled, once again, into their Ministry rented car. Bill sat in the back with Ron and Harry. Everyone else stayed in the spots they'd had when they'd come to the train station. No one really talked that much. They soon arrived back at the Burrow, and everyone got out of the car.

A/N: Hope you liked this chapter! They finally got together! Yay! Next chapter will be up soon. Don't forget to review!

12. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the plot.

A/N: Thanks SO much to my beta, Aliya.

Chapter 11

The next day, Draco woke up and wasn't sure where he was. He wasn't in Percy's room that was for sure. The walls in Percy's room were white; the walls in this room were a light purple. Looking around, it appeared that he was in a girl's room. Suddenly, the events of the night before came rushing back to him.
He'd gone to bed and had been about to fall asleep when he had heard something from outside his door. He had exited the room and listened. At first he hadn't heard anything, but then a sound had reached his ears. It had been a scared whimpering sound, and it had been coming from Ginny's room. As Draco had approached her door, he had heard her saying something. It had sounded like she had said, "No, get away from me, Tom."
He had then pushed open the door and had looked for the problem. At first he didn't see anything, but then he saw Ginny, tossing and turning in her bed, obviously having a nightmare. He had walked quietly over to her and had shaken her awake. When she'd awaken, she'd looked really relieved. "It was only a dream," she'd said.
Draco had been about to go back to his room now that he knew she was okay, but she'd pleaded for him to stay. He's complied and had climbed into bed with her. She'd snuggled close to him and easily had fallen asleep.
Now, Ginny entered her room and was pleased when she saw Draco was awake. "Hey, you're awake," she said.
Draco merely nodded. He was looking at her oddly. "Is something wrong?" she asked nervously.
Draco shook his head. "No, nothing's wrong," he said and then continued to stare at her.
It was a little unnerving. "Then why are you staring at me?" she snapped.
"Sorry, it's just, that for some reason, you look beautiful," he replied, somewhat dazedly.
Ginny looked down at her outfit. It wasn't anything special. She was wearing a pair of jeans and a green long-sleeved T-shirt. "Thanks," she said uncertainly.
"Are you okay?" Draco asked, snapping out of his reverie.
"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" she replied, confused.
"Last night, before I went into your bedroom, you said something about Tom. What were you dreaming about?" he inquired, not really answering her question.
"My first year at Hogwarts. Once in awhile I have a nightmare about it," Ginny told him.
"I'm sorry about that," Draco apologized.
"About what? My first year at Hogwarts? Why? You didn't have anything to do with it," she replied confidently.
"I know, but it was my father who gave you that diary," he said.
"I know, but Draco, you're not your father. You're nothing like him. If you were, you wouldn't be here right now, you'd be being initiated as a Death Eater," Ginny said reassuringly.
"I guess," Draco replied doubtfully.
"You can't honestly blame yourself for everything your father does," Ginny said disbelievingly.
"I know, but sometimes I feel like it's partly my fault for not stopping him," he admitted.
"How could you stop him? He's a powerful Death Eater, and you haven't even finished Hogwarts yet," Ginny pointed out.
"I know you're right, but sometimes I can't help it," Draco said mournfully.
"It's all right. Come here," Ginny beckoned. Draco walked over to Ginny, and she gave him a hug. "He won't be able to terrorize anyone, including you, anymore."
"I know, but Gin, I know this might sound terrible, but I think I might actually miss him. Well, not really Lucius himself, but I might kinda miss having a father. It doesn't matter that he was a lousy father," Draco confessed.
"That's not so terrible. If I didn't have a dad, I would be upset too," Ginny comforted. Then she kissed him, figuring it would cheer him up. Ginny had never realized before that Draco was so insecure. He had always seemed so arrogant.
Draco pulled her closer, and Ginny responded by moving her hands to play with his hair. He put his arms around her waist and pulled her even closer. He then broke away from her lips and began to kiss her neck. She moaned and arched her back towards him. His tongue flicked out of his mouth against the skin of her neck, and she moaned again. It only encouraged him more, and he moved his lips back to hers. Ginny ran her tongue against his bottom lip, and Draco froze for a minute in surprise at her gall.
He was going to open his mouth so her tongue could enter when Ginny pulled away abruptly. He looked at her, and then noticed the Charlie stood behind Ginny, looking annoyed. "What?" she snapped in irritation. She's obviously been enjoying herself and hadn't wanted to stop.
"Do you realize how many times I tried to get your attention? Anyway, Mum wants to talk to you two," Charlie reported and then left the room.
Draco looked at Ginny questioningly, but she only shrugged. She headed towards the door to her room, and Draco followed her downstairs. They found Mrs. Weasley waiting for them, looking slightly uncomfortable, in the living room.
"What's up, Mum?" Ginny asked curiously.
"I wanted to talk to you two about something important," Mrs. Weasley replied.
"What is it?" Ginny inquired.
"Well, uh, you see, what I wanted to say was," Mrs. Weasley stuttered nervously.
"Spit it out, Mum," Ginny snapped, the suspense was killing her.
"I don't want you two having sex anymore while you're here," Mrs. Weasley blurted. Draco and Ginny both looked very taken aback, and Ginny was beginning to wish that she hadn't prompted her mother.
"What?" Ginny practically yelled. "What made you think we've done it before? How did this come about?"
"Well, I noticed that Draco wasn't in his room this morning," Mrs. Weasley told them.
"Oh, is that all?" Draco asked. "I was in her room because she had a nightmare last night. I heard her whimpering and woke her up. When she did she wanted me to stay with her."
"Oh," Mrs. Weasley said, clearly relieved. "So you weren't-"
"No, we weren't doing anything other than sleeping," Ginny cut her mother off.
"Oh, well, sorry about that," Mrs. Weasley apologized. "You can go now."
Draco and Ginny hightailed it out of the living room as fast as they could. When they arrived back in Ginny's room, Ginny said, mortified, "I'm sorry about that. My mother always thinks of me as her `little baby girl', and she's always worried about me."
"It's all right; I think that's kinda cool actually. You know, that she cares that much. She obviously wasn't having a very easy time talking to us," Draco replied. "It was a little uncomfortable, but still cool."
Ginny smiled. "Ever since I was ten years old, my mother had planned on me getting married to Harry. She doesn't really like me dating anyone else, but I think you may be changing her plans," Ginny commented.
"What do you mean?" Draco asked.
"I think you've convinced her that guys other than Harry can be good for me," Ginny explained. Draco still had a confused look on his face. "I think she likes you."
If Draco had been confused before, now he was horrified. "I didn't mean it like that, you arrogant prat. I meant that she approves of you as my boyfriend, which is rare for her."
"Oh," Draco replied, clearly relieved.
"You are such a pervert," Ginny accused in disgust. "You want to go to your house today to get some clothes and stuff?"
Draco nodded. "Yeah. Do you think that your parents could un-transfigure my broom?"
"What's it supposed to be?" Ginny inquired.
"My laptop," Draco answered.
"Oh, yeah, my parents can probably change it back," Ginny said. "Let's go get your stuff. I can come with you, right?"
"Yeah, you can come. Let's tell your mum and go," Draco suggested.
"Alright," Ginny replied, walking out of her room.
Draco followed close behind her as they made their way downstairs. "Hey, mum, we're going to get some of Draco's stuff. Is that alright?" Ginny requested permission.
"Yeah, go ahead," Mrs. Weasley complied.
"Can you transfigure Draco's broom back into his laptop?" Ginny asked her mother.
"Sure," Mrs. Weasley replied.
"Thanks," Draco thanked her.
Then they went over to the fireplace and each grabbed a handful of powder. "I'll go first. Malfoy Manor," Draco yelled clearly, throwing the floo powder into the fire. He felt the familiar dizziness, and then he was standing in the fireplace in the foyer of his childhood home. A few seconds later, Ginny appeared in the fireplace also.
When she stepped out of the fireplace, she could only look around in awe. The house was ancient. It had stonewalls, and the ceiling was very high. Draco led her into his room, and once again, Ginny looked around, amazed. His room was huge, almost as big as the sixth year Gryffindor girls' dormitory. At one side of the room, there was a huge four-poster bed. On the king-sized bed was a green (surprise, surprise) comforter, and sticking out by the bed of the bed were black sheets. Wait, were those silk? "Draco, do you have silk sheets on your bed?" Ginny asked.
"Yes," he answered hesitantly.
After he replied, Ginny burst out laughing.
"What's wrong with silk sheets?" Draco protested.
"I don't know, I just find it incredibly funny that you, of all people, have silk sheets," Ginny replied, trying to stop laughing but failing.
Draco chose to ignore her and went back to collecting his things. When Ginny finally regained her composure she said, "I'm sorry, Draco. I don't know why I was laughing. I've actually always wanted silk sheets."
"You have?" Draco asked in surprise.
"Yep," she replied.
Ginny then looked around the room again. She'd been distracted by the silk sheets. He had a nightstand next to his bed, and next to that, a dresser. On the wall opposite the bed was a desk and bookshelves. He also had various chairs scattered around the room. There was a private bathroom connected to his bedroom. What really caught her eye was his desk. It wasn't anything spectacular, just a mahogany desk with drawers and shelves set above it. It was what was on one of the shelves that caught her attention. It was a picture. Upon closer examination, Ginny saw that it was a picture of a smiling, four year old Draco, sitting on a pretty blonde woman's lap.
"What's this Draco?" Ginny asked him curiously.
Draco looked at what she was pointing to. "A picture," he replied nonchalantly.
"Who's the woman in the picture?" Ginny inquired further.
"My mum. I remember that day, but barely. It was when Lucius was on one of his Death Eater missions, and my mum took me to my first Quidditch game. That was when I fell in love with it. We got ice cream afterwards," Draco remembered with a smile.
"That's so sweet," Ginny swooned. "You were so cute when you were little."
"Are you implying that I am no longer cute?" Draco inquired.
Ginny thought for a minute. She then said, "Yes."
Draco blanched, clearly not expecting that answer. "What?" he croaked in surprise.
"Relax. It's just that you can't really be called `cute' anymore. Hot? Yes. Gorgeous? Sure. Sexy? Definitely. Cute? Not really," Ginny explained.
"So you think I'm sexy?" Draco asked with a smirk.
"Hell, yeah," Ginny replied dramatically. "Especially when you do that."
"What? Smirk?" he asked.
Ginny nodded. "I don't know what it is about you and smirking, but it makes you look incredibly sexy when you do it," she said.
"Really? Well, I'll keep that in mind," Draco noted.
"I remember the first time I thought that. It was on the way to Hogwarts, and I almost had a heart attack when I realized what I was thinking. That was the first time I realized what a hunk you were too," Ginny added flirtatiously.
Draco turned towards her, still smirking. "You do wonders for a guy's ego. Do you realize that?" he said.
Ginny smiled and replied, "As long as you don't get too big of a head."
"Me? Get a big head? I'm appalled that you would think that," Draco stated with a look of mock surprise on his face.
Ginny just rolled her eyes and kissed him. She soon pulled away and was rewarded with a protesting groan from Draco. "Are you almost ready?" Ginny asked.
"Yep. Let me grab one more thing," Draco replied, walking over to his desk. He opened one of the drawers and pulled something out. He put it in his jeans pocket and Ginny didn't see what it was. "Alright. Let me just check if my mum's here, and then we can leave."
Ginny followed Draco out of his bedroom and down the hall. They came to a stop in front of a closed door. Draco raised his hand and knocked. "Who's there?" came a startled woman's voice from inside.
"It's me, Draco, Mum," he called.
The door was whipped open, and a woman closely resembling an older version of Christina appeared in the doorway. "Draco. It's really you," she cried joyfully and gave her son a huge hug. "I've missed you so much. I had no idea if you were dead or hurt or unconscious. I'm so glad you're all right. You are alright, aren't you?"
"I'm fine, Mum," Draco replied to his mother's hysterics.
"Where have you been?" Narcissa asked, very close to tears.
"I'm staying at the Weasleys'," Draco informed her, bracing himself for her reaction.
"The Weasleys'?" she exclaimed in surprise.
Draco nodded. "Actually, this is Virginia Weasley, my girlfriend. Ginny, this is my mum," Draco introduced.
"Nice to meet you, Mrs. Malfoy," Ginny said, politely, sticking out her hand.
"Nice to meet you too, dear," Narcissa replied, shaking her hand.
Silence reigned for a few minutes. Then Narcissa broke it. "So, you're the one who saved my son," she said, surveying Ginny coolly.
Ginny nodded. She was a little nervous that Mrs. Malfoy wouldn't approve of her. "Well, all I have to say is, thank you," Mrs. Malfoy announced cheerfully and surprised everyone by giving Ginny a hug. When she pulled away, Mrs. Malfoy smiled one of her rarely genuine smiles. Ginny returned it happily. Draco watched in delight, seeing his mother and his girlfriend getting along.
"Well, it was wonderful to meet you, but my mother will be expecting us back," Ginny said reluctantly.
"Now that Lucius is gone, I don't really have to stay at your house anymore," Draco pointed out.
"But I want you to," Ginny pleaded. "I'm sure your mother would be welcome too."
"Oh, no, I couldn't impose," Mrs. Malfoy declined.
"It would be so much better than staying in an empty Manor. Besides, you wouldn't be imposing, I invited you," Ginny coaxed.
"Are you sure?" Narcissa asked uncertainly.
"Definitely. Believe me, if I like you, my mother will too," Ginny assured.
"If you're sure then I'll be over soon," Narcissa accepted.
"See you then. Bye," Draco and Ginny bid Mrs. Malfoy good-bye. Then they flooed back to the Burrow.

*~*~*~*

When Draco and Ginny arrived back at the Weasleys' house, Ginny went in search of her mother. When she found her, Ginny said, "Mum, I hope you don't mind, but I invited Mrs. Malfoy to stay with us. Otherwise, she would have been all alone in that huge manor."
"I think that that was a lovely idea, Ginny," her mother replied, smiling.
"So it's okay?" Ginny asked anxiously.
"Of course it is," Mrs. Weasley answered cheerfully.
Ginny smiled at her mother, who returned it. Then Ginny pulled Draco out of the room. "Come on, put your stuff in Charlie's room. Percy and the twins will be here tonight. Tomorrow is Christmas Eve after all," Ginny said, pulling him up the stairs.
"All right, all right. I can walk by myself you know," Draco informed her dryly.
"Sorry," Ginny replied contritely. "I'm just so excited."
"About what?" Draco asked.
"I don't know. Everything, Christmas, the ball, seeing my brothers, getting to know you and your mother better," Ginny began. "You know what? The first night you were here, I thought that my vacation couldn't get any better. I was wrong. It's already gotten a lot better, and it isn't even Christmas yet."
Draco smirked and kissed her lightly. He had just planned on a quick kiss, but Ginny had other plans. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer. He was about to pull away when his brain yelled at him, "Are you mad? It feels too right to stop." He smiled slightly against her lips and moved his hands to wrap around her waist. He began rubbing circles on her lower back. She moaned quietly. He stopped for a second and she whimpered in protest. He moved his hands under her shirt and continued rubbing her back. She gasped when his fingers touched her bare back.
"Oh, get a room would you?" Harry joked in mock disgust.
"Shut up, Potter, I'm busy here," Draco mumbled jokingly against Ginny's lips. She smiled and pulled away. "Oh, thanks a lot, Potter."
Harry adopted a look of innocence and looked at Draco. "I don't know what you're talking about, Malfoy," he said innocently.
Draco glared at him, or at least tried to, but his face soon broke into a smile. Ginny watched the scene unfold before her eyes and couldn't believe what she was seeing.
"I don't believe it. I never thought I'd see the day when Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter could joke around with each other. I am truly amazed," Ginny announced with a huge smile.
Draco looked at Ginny then Harry and then at Ginny again. "Well," Draco began mischievously. "We could always go back to insulting each other."
"No, no. I like this much better. Believe me," Ginny replied quickly.
Draco only smirked at her. "I don't know," he began slowly. "I think I prefer the insults. What about you, Potter?"
"I'd have to say I agree with you, Malfoy," Harry agreed.
"Don't you dare. You better not go back to insulting each other. I will not stand for one of my best friends and my boyfriend glaring at each other every time they look at each other," Ginny commanded adamantly.
"Well, since you're so adamant about it, I guess I could try," Harry replied.
"Yeah, I guess I could try," Draco said.
"You better bloody well try or there will be Hell to pay," Ginny threatened.
"Yes, ma'am," Draco and Harry replied in unison, each giving her a salute.
"Oh shut up," Ginny snapped half-heartedly. Then she smiled at them. "See what you missed out on Harry? You could have had this six years ago when you first came to Hogwarts."
"Yeah, well at the time, he didn't seem a like the nicest person. Now though, I don't really blame him. He was brought up by Lucius Malfoy, what do you expect?" Harry asked.
"I resent that," Draco replied with mock indignation.
"Oh come on, you were terrible. `You'll soon find out some wizarding families are better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there,'" Harry shot back, doing an almost uncanny impression of Draco at age eleven.
"Well, I had to say something. Besides, Weasley laughed at my name. I had to get him back somehow," Draco defended himself.
"You have to admit, it is a stupid name," Harry commented.
"It is not a stupid name!" Draco exclaimed. "I happen to like it."
Harry snorted at Draco's words. "Please, who names their child Draco?" he demanded.
"No one. If you must know, that's not even my first name, it's my middle name," Draco shot back in a huff.
"All right, all right, don't get your knickers in a twist. What's your first name anyway? What could be worse than Draco?" Harry asked curiously.
"Lucius," Draco informed him with a glare.
"Then I don't blame you for liking the name Draco, much better than Lucius," Harry said.
"Harry?" a voice called from downstairs.
"What, Ron?" Harry yelled back.
"What's taking you so long?" Ron asked.
"Oh sorry, I'll be right down," Harry called guiltily and then hurried towards Ron's room, where he was staying.
"Well," Ginny began. "That was certainly an interesting conversation."
"Yes, it was, wasn't it?" Draco agreed. "Let me go put this stuff in Charlie's room now, like I was going to do before I was side-tracked by a certain red-headed temptress."
"Me? A temptress?" Ginny exclaimed innocently. "I think not."
"Whatever you say, dear, whatever you say," he replied. "So, which room is Charlie's?"
"The one right next door to mine," Ginny told him. Draco took the bag he had put all of his stuff in and put it on the floor of Charlie's room, next to his bed. He then exited the room in search of Ginny. He found her in her bedroom.
"Now," she whispered seductively in his ear when he entered. "What do you say we get back to what we were doing before we were so rudely interrupted?"
"I say, whenever you're ready," Draco said before pulling her into a steamy, passionate kiss.

*~*~*~*

Later that day, after Mrs. Malfoy had arrived, Mrs. Weasley, Mrs. Malfoy, Draco, and Ginny sat at the Weasleys' kitchen table, drinking tea. When Narcissa had arrived, Molly had welcomed her with open arms. Now, they were all getting along great and were waiting for the twins and Percy to arrive. Percy, who had realized what a power trip he had been on, had asked his parents forgiveness, was Apparating to the house with Mr. Weasley. When Percy had realized his mistakes, he had quit his job as the Minister's assistant and taken a job in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office with his father. Fred and George were also Apparating home for Christmas, but they were doing it from their Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes joke shop in Diagon Alley. Their business was flourishing, and they were about to open another shop in Hogsmeade soon.
Ginny was nervous of what her brothers' reactions would be of Draco staying at their house and dating their sister. She was especially worried about the twins. If they didn't approve, by the end of the day, Draco would have probably had his body altered in some way, shape, or form a minimum of five times. Ginny shuddered at the thought and vowed to keep a close watch on Fred and George.
Turning back to the current situation, Ginny took a sip of tea. Her mother and Mrs. Malfoy were talking about their school days. As it turns out, they had been in school together, and, despite the differences in houses, they had been good friends. Then they'd married into feuding families and had simply lost touch. "Remember the time when you and Cornelius were caught snogging in the Astronomy Tower by Headmaster Dippet?" Mrs. Weasley asked girlishly.
"Oh, yes. I was so terribly embarrassed," Narcissa remembered, a slight blush rising on her cheeks.
Suddenly a thought struck Ginny. "When you say Cornelius, you don't mean Cornelius Fudge, as in the Minister of Magic, do you?" Ginny asked.
"Yes," Mrs. Weasley and Mrs. Malfoy replied in unison.
Draco adopted a look of pure horror and disgust. "You snogged the Minister of Magic!!" he sputtered in surprise.
"Yes. We almost got married actually," Narcissa informed her now even more horrified son.
"You have got to be kidding me," Draco said.
"No, dear, I'm not," Mrs. Malfoy replied with a chuckle.
"Why didn't you marry him?" Ginny asked with interest.
"Well, my parents were a lot like Lucius. The Minister may be pureblooded, but doesn't come from the most well off family. My parents didn't like that and kept me away from him," Draco's mother explained.
"That's terrible. Did they set you up with Lucius after that?" Ginny inquired further.
"No, they just said that I had to marry an upstanding, pure-blooded wizard," Narcissa answered.
"With all due respect, Mrs. Malfoy, then why did you marry Lucius, if your parents didn't set you up with him?" Ginny pressed further.
"Well, that's where it gets a little complicated," Mrs. Malfoy began the story of how Lucius had gotten her pregnant, and how her parents had made her marry him. "And that's why I married Lucius," she finished.
"Oh my," was all Mrs. Weasley could manage to say.
"Wow, just wow," Ginny said in awe. "You are one strong woman to endure all of that."
"Why, thank you, Ginny dear," Mrs. Malfoy replied.
"Hello?" called a deep voice from the living room.
"Hello, dear," Mrs. Weasley yelled back. "We're in the kitchen."
A few moments later, Mr. Weasley and Percy appeared in the kitchen doorway. "Hello, Arthur. You remember Narcissa, don't you?" Mrs. Weasley asked.
"Of course I do," Arthur said politely. "Hello, Narcissa. Haven't seen you in awhile."
"Yes, it's been awhile hasn't it? Hello Arthur," Narcissa greeted warmly. "I really appreciate you taking care of Draco these past few days."
"It was no problem, really," Arthur said modestly.
"Narcissa is going to stay here for awhile instead of staying in that huge house all alone," Molly explained.
"I hope that's all right with you," Mrs. Malfoy cut in before Mr. Weasley could reply.
"Yes, I think it was a wonderful idea, Molly," Arthur approved.
"It was Ginny's idea actually," Mrs. Weasley informed her husband.
"Ginny's?" Mr. Weasley asked in surprise.
"Yes," Mrs. Weasley replied.
"We went to get some of Draco's stuff from his house today, and I met her then. She seemed so lonely," Ginny explained.
"You always were the compassionate one, weren't you?" Mr. Weasley asked rhetorically.
"Percy, this is Narcissa Malfoy, and Mrs. Malfoy, this is my brother Percy," Ginny introduced. Draco cleared his throat subtly. "Oh, and Percy, this is my boyfriend, Draco Malfoy. Draco, this is my brother, Percy."
"Yes, I believe we met at school," Percy said. "So, you're dating my sister?"
Draco paled very slightly and replied with slight apprehension in his voice, "Yes."
"Well, I'll say one thing, you have great taste in girls," Percy commented with a smile.
Draco looked visibly more relaxed after Percy said this. "Thank you," he said, grateful that Percy wasn't going to yell or try to beat him up for dating his precious baby sister.
Ginny smiled at her brother's approval. She began to relax slightly when she heard a pop, indicating that Fred and George were home.
They appeared at the doorway and smiled at everyone present. "Hey, family," Fred greeted. "So, Gin, Ron said your boyfriend was staying here. Who is he?"
Ginny visibly paled and took a deep breath. "I think you know each other from school. Fred, George, this is my boyfriend, Draco Malfoy," she introduced nervously.

A/N: Please review! The more reviews, the faster the next chapter will be out!

13. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I don't own any of it except the plot.

A/N: Thanks to Aliya, my beta.

Chapter 12

"Fred, George, this is my boyfriend, Draco Malfoy," she introduced nervously.
Both of the twins quickly scanned the room and glared at Draco. "Why would you want to go out with scum like him?" George demanded nastily.
"He was the guy I was talking to online," Ginny explained.
"He's Hotdragon?" Fred exclaimed in surprise.
"But you said he was nice," George said, shocked.
"He is nice," Ginny protested.
"You've got to be kidding, right?" Fred explained.
"No, I'm not," Ginny replied, her eyes filling with tears. Suddenly, she pushed past the twins and rushed to her room.
"Gin," Draco called in genuine concern. He was about to follow her, but Mrs. Weasley put a restraining hand on his arm.
"Let her cool down," she advised wisely. "If you go now, she'll probably snap at you."
Draco sighed in defeat and sat back down. "You guys are so worried that I'm going to hurt her or take advantage of her, but in actuality, you're hurting her and taking advantage of her," Draco began heatedly. "You try to keep her away from me so I don't hurt her, but you're hurting her by taking her away from me when I make her happy. You don't want me taking advantage of her, but you think that just because she's your little sister, you can do whatever you want to her. You're just hypocrites, and you disgust me," With that, Draco glared at the twins and then stared pointedly at the table.
There were a few minutes of stunned silence after Draco's outburst. Then George broke it, protesting, "Mum, you can't let him stay here after what he just said!"
"You know what, George? I think he's right. You two and Ron are always trying to protect Ginny from things that make her happy, and you're always trying to boss her around and make her do things she doesn't want to do," Mrs. Weasley fumed at her sons.
The twins both adopted looks of astonishment. Their own mother had sided with Malfoy. "You can't be serious," Fred said, beginning to get angry. "Dad, talk some sense into Mum."
"No, I think that both Draco and your mother are right," Mr. Weasley informed his indignant sons.
The twins just shook their heads and Apparated out. Silence reigned for a few seconds. "I'm going to go check on Ginny," Draco announced, breaking the silence. He stood up and climbed the stairs to Ginny's room. When he arrived in front of her room, he knocked on the doorframe. She was lying on her bed, crying into her pillow. Her head whipped up. "Finally decided to check on me, have you?" she snapped nastily.
"Maybe I should come back later," Draco said warily.
"No," Ginny stopped him quickly, "I'm sorry, just don't go."
Draco nodded and walked over to her bed. He sat down on it and put an arm around her shoulders. "Look, Gin, your brothers, well at least some of them, are gits. I know they just want to protect you, but you don't need protecting, not from me at least. I like you, I like you a lot, and I'm not going to hurt you anytime soon," Draco informed her truthfully
"I know that, my brothers don't though," Ginny said miserably.
"I think I straightened them out, the twins at least," Draco replied with a smirk.
"Why? What did you say?" Ginny asked in amazement.
"Basically that they're hypocrites and do the things they try to stop me from doing," Draco told her smugly, still smirking. "Your parents even agreed."
Ginny smiled and threw her arms around Draco's middle. "Thank you," she said gratefully, burying her head in his chest.
"It was nothing," he replied modestly, kissing her on the top of the head and stroking her hair.

*~*~*~*

Meanwhile, downstairs, Mrs. Weasley, Percy, and Charlie had gone in search of the twins, leaving Arthur and Narcissa in the kitchen. "I know you still haven't forgiven me for marrying your enemy, but I didn't have a choice. I know we were friends in school, and you hated Lucius. I really didn't have a choice," Narcissa told Arthur suddenly.
"I'm sure you did," Arthur said coldly.
"You don't understand. Please listen to me," she pleaded.
"What?" he asked emotionlessly.
Narcissa told him all of what had led up to her marriage to Lucius. When she had finished, Arthur was rendered speechless. "I'm so sorry, Narcissa," he said contritely after finding his voice.
"It's alright, you didn't know," Narcissa forgave easily.
Arthur was about to reply when Draco and Ginny appeared in the doorway. "Hello, dears. Are you alright now, Ginny?" Mrs. Malfoy asked in concern.
"Yes, I'm fine now, thanks," Ginny replied with a smile.
"Draco did a wonderful job of standing up for you after you were gone. You should have heard him. You would've been proud," Narcissa said proudly with a tender smile at her son.
"He told me the jist of it, and I am proud of him," Ginny replied. "Where's everyone else?"
"The twins left after Draco made his speech, your mother, Percy, and Charlie are looking for them, and Harry and Ron are in the backyard," Mr. Weasley explained.
"Oh. Let's go see what Harry and Ron are up to," Ginny suggested to Draco.
"Alright," Draco agreed with a shrug.
They exited the kitchen and headed towards the back door. When they entered the backyard, they saw Harry and Ron hitting a ball with a stick. It appeared to be some sort of Muggle game.
"What are you doing?" Draco asked, the usual nastiness gone from his voice.
"Playing baseball," Harry replied. "It's a Muggle game. Wanna play?"
"Well, I kinda figure as much," Draco said. "How do you play?"
"You hit the ball with the stick," Ron explained sarcastically. "And I don't think you should be playing with us."
"Well that's just too bad, Ron, because, believe it or not, I want him to. Besides, you're going to have to get used to having him around, it appears he'll be around for awhile," Harry told him.
"Whatever, if he's playing, I'm not going to," Ron shot back stubbornly.
"Fine, don't play," Harry replied indifferently.
Ron gaped at Harry in surprise, he obviously hadn't expected that reaction. "Fine," he said huffily. Then he was gone. He whipped open the backdoor and stormed into the house.
Ginny rolled her eyes when he'd disappeared. "He's too stubborn and dramatic for his own good," she commented to no one in particular.
"You're telling me," Harry mumbled. "So, I'll pitch, and you hit the ball."
Draco nodded and picked up the bat that Ron had discarded in his retreat. He looked at it warily, as if unsure what to do. "Here, let me show you," Ginny said, taking the bat from Draco.
She lifted it and prepared for the pitch. Harry pitched it to her, and the bat connected with the ball with a loud, resounding crack. It sailed over Harry's head, and he ran to retrieve it. Ginny ran the bases and then turned to Draco with a satisfied smirk on her face. "That's how it's done," she drawled arrogantly.
"Oh my, you' have been spending way too much time with me," Draco teased. "You're borrowing my facial expressions, and you're starting to sound like me too."
Ginny rolled eyes and handed the bat to Draco. "Beat that," she challenged.
"You're on," Draco replied.
Harry had come back by now, and Draco stepped to the "home plate." It was really an old Frisbee. Harry pitched the ball, Draco swung, and he missed, causing him to spin around from the momentum of the swing. This caused Ginny to burst out laughing. "Nice one there, hot shot," she choked out sarcastically.
Draco glared at her. "Shut up," he snapped. "Let me try again."
Harry pitched the ball to Draco, and the same thing happened. This caused Ginny to burst into another fit of giggles. "Again," Draco commanded. This time when Harry pitched the ball, Draco hit the ball, but barely. It was a foul tip, going behind him. Draco growled in frustration as Ginny continued laughing at him.
Draco tried for another hour, hitting the ball forward only about ten or fifteen times. Finally, Draco sighed in resignation. "I guess baseball's just not my game," he said in defeat.
"Well obviously," Ginny sniggered, and Draco glared at her. "I'm only kidding, Draco."
I response, Draco turned pointedly away from her. She snuck up behind him and hugged him from behind. "I didn't mean it. Come on, Draco, look at me. The sooner you look at me, the sooner we can kiss and make up," Ginny coaxed.
After a minute, Draco turned around slowly, a smile on his face. "I know you didn't mean it, but I WAS pretty bad," Draco admitted. "Now, I believe you mentioned something about kissing.
Ginny laughed and leaned in for a kiss. Harry, who had been watching the scene unfold with amusement, tried his best to scowl in disgust. It didn't work very well, and his scowl soon turned into a smile. He could tell they were in love, even if they didn't realize it yet. He could tell by the way they looked at each other. They looked just like him and Hermione. He gave them one last glance and then went inside the Burrow.

*~*~*~*

About fifteen minutes later, Draco and Ginny entered the Burrow, looking a little disheveled. "Have you two been at it again?" Charlie asked good-naturedly when he took in their appearances.
"Oh shut up," Ginny said without much conviction as she blushed.
"It's disgusting really," Charlie teased. "A person can't walk around this house without catching you two snogging beach other's brains out at least once a day."
This comment caused Ginny's cheeks to turn even redder than before. "You look absolutely adorable when you're face matches your hair," Draco cooed sarcastically.
"Have you told me that before?" Ginny asked, turning, once again, redder.
"Yes, I believe I did. When we were in Diagon Alley," Draco remembered and leaned into kiss her. He did it purposely just to amuse Charlie, who would probably mention it to Ron, who would be ticked.
Charlie rolled his eyes and was about to leave when he seemed to remember something. "The twins want to talk to you, Gin," he called over his shoulder.
Ginny broke away from Draco, who looked slightly annoyed. "I gotta go talk to the twins, I'll be back," Ginny said regrettably.
"Fine, I'll be in your room, okay?" he asked.
"That's fine. I'll see you in a few minutes," Ginny replied, then went in search of her twin brothers.
Draco trudged up the stairs and sat down heavily on her bed. To be perfectly honest, he was glad Ginny was talking to Fred and George. Maybe she would be able to talk them out of playing one of their famous gags on him. Now though, all he could do was wait.

*~*~*~*

Downstairs, Ginny found the twins sitting and waiting impatiently in the kitchen. "What's up?" Ginny asked curiously when she entered.
"We don't like your choice of boyfriend," Fred began emotionlessly.
"I know that, but you're just going to have to deal with it," Ginny told her brothers.
"Has he done anything to you?" George demanded anxiously.
"No," Ginny replied firmly.
"Are you sure?" Fred asked.
"Yes," Ginny snapped, annoyed. Then a mischievous smile appeared on her face. "Nothing I haven't wanted anyway."
The twins bath jumped, out of their chairs, ready to beat Draco to a bloody pulp, or at least hex him into next week. "Don't you dare go anywhere near him," Ginny commanded threateningly.
"How far have you two gone, Gin?" George asked urgently.
"If he took your virginity, I swear, I will beat him to death with my bare hands," Fred added.
"What makes you think I was a virgin before I started dating Draco?" Ginny questioned coyly. Then she ran up the stairs before either of the twins could respond.
When she entered her room, she quickly closed the door and locked it. It had a charm on it so that it couldn't be opened with the Alohomora Charm. Draco raised one eyebrow in question, and she began to explain, "I don't want the twins coming in."
"Did you convince them to leave me alone?" Draco asked hopefully.
"Not exactly," Ginny said sheepishly.
"Ginny, there's something else isn't there? Ginny," he prompted.
"I kinda made them think that we had sex," Ginny replied quickly. "And that I wasn't a virgin before I started dating you."
Draco's jaw dropped open in shock. "You did WHAT?" he exclaimed in surprise. "What happened?"
"Well they asked if we'd gone all the way, and then they said if you'd taken my virginity, they'd kill you. Then I asked them why they thought I was a virgin before I started dating you," she explained. "Then I left."
"Ginny," Draco whined. "You were supposed to stop them from doing something to me, not make them hate me more than they already do."
"I'm sorry, but sometimes they get me so upset that I don't think straight," Ginny apologized.
"It's alright, as long as you protect me from your brothers," Draco said. He was remembering all of the twins' previous pranks, and he shuddered to think that pretty soon, he would probably at the receiving end of one of them. Why, oh, why, did Ginny have to make them even madder? He thought grimly. I don't stand a chance.

*~*~*~*

It was soon time for dinner, and Draco and Ginny took seats next to each other for dinner. The food was magically transferred from the kitchen to the plates on the table. It had a spell on it so that they didn't have to have all of the dishes on the table as it took up too much room.
For dinner that night, they were having pork chops, corn, green beans, and Mrs. Weasley's famous home style French fries. The first half of dinner passed by rather uneventfully, with Draco glancing at the twins, who were sitting across from him, glaring at him, once in awhile. Draco had finished everything else on his plate, except his fries. That's where the trouble began. He picked up one of the fries with his fork and took a bite. In hindsight, Ginny could remember the twins holding their breath in anticipation, but didn't notice it at the time. Upon swallowing his bite, Draco was immediately turned into, none other than, a ferret.
At this moment, chaos ensued. Mrs. Malfoy, Mrs. Weasley, and Mr. Weasley looked on in horror. Harry was trying his best not to laugh, but wasn't succeeding, and all her brothers, who had all heard about the ferret incident in Draco's fourth year, were not even trying to hid their laughter.
"What are those things?" Ron sputtered between bouts of laughter.
"We call them Ferret Fries," George announced proudly. "Soon available from Weasley Wizard Wheezes located in Diagon Alley and soon Hogsmeade. We made them especially for Mal-ferret over there."
"That should teach him to stay away from our sister," Fred added.
Glancing at Draco, Ginny could tell, even though he was a ferret, that he was very irate. He was doing his best to glare at the twins, but they didn't notice him. "Sorry," Ginny mouthed to him. He just sat there waiting for the charm to wear off, which it did, about ten minutes later.
If Draco had looked irate as a ferret, he looked absolutely livid now. Ginny was almost afraid he would start shouting out Unforgivables. That didn't happen however. Instead, Draco took a deep breath and surprised them all by sitting down calmly and acting like nothing had happened.
The six Weasley brothers and Harry stared at him in shock. They had all expected him to start yelling or make some sort of scene. It never happened. Draco merely continued eating his dinner, getting seconds of everything but the fries. He wouldn't take that chance again.
Soon everyone else at the table began to follow Draco's lead. They went back to eating their dinner. After everyone was finished, Mrs. Weasley brought out dessert. It was a homemade apple pie. Mrs. Weasley handed Draco a piece, and he stared at it suspiciously. It looked really good, but he wasn't sure if he should take the chance. He wasn't sure how the twins could have done anything to it, but he couldn't be too sure. They were sneaky.
Eventually, Draco couldn't help but eat it, it looked too good. He squeezed his eyes shut and took a bit. He waited a few seconds and then cautiously opened his eyes. He looked around, everything appeared to be the right size, meaning he wasn't any smaller or bigger than usual. He looked down at himself, everything appeared to be normal. Nothing had happened. Draco sighed in relief and took another bite. He was almost done with is pie when it happened. The remaining pie on his plate seemed to explode, hitting Draco with bits of apple and pie crust.
Again, the male Weasley offspring burst out laughing, mostly at the look on the Draco's face which was looking completely shocked and the fact that the usual immaculate Draco Malfoy was covered in apple pie. The adults and Ginny looked horrified. Harry however, managed to keep from laughing this time, and Ginny shot him a grateful smile. Everyone was waiting with bated breath for Draco's reaction. He was just sitting there, blinking in surprise. Then he turned to Mrs. Weasley and asked, "Can I have a towel?"
"Oh, of course," Mrs. Weasley said, jumping up to get it. She handed it to him, and he smiled gratefully. He then continued to wipe off his face. Though no one else noticed, Ginny could tell that Draco was absolutely livid again and slightly embarrassed, but he was trying his best to hide it and doing a pretty good job. He also looked slightly hurt that her brothers didn't accept him, not that he'd expected them to, but it still hurt that they weren't giving him a chance to prove that he wouldn't hurt Ginny.
When Ginny detected the hurt look on his features, her heart broke. "Would you guys just leave him alone?" she snapped. "Why don't you just give him a chance?"
"Why should we?" Fred demanded.
"Because he's my boyfriend, and he won't be going away anytime soon," Ginny informed him.
"Why do you like him? He's a Malfoy," George pointed out.
"No, really? I had no idea he was a Malfoy," Ginny quipped. "I like him because he's sweet, he understands me unlike you two, he's got a sense of humor, and he was brave enough to face all of you. He could have gone back home but he stayed, and I think I'm in love with him." Having said this, Ginny got up from the table and ran to her room.
A shocked silence followed Ginny's departure. Everyone was shocked at her words, but no one was more surprised than Draco. She loved him? It was a little overwhelming to think about. Only two people had ever loved him in his life, his mother and Christina. Did he love her? He wasn't sure, but he was sure that he had to talk to Ginny.
"Should I go talk to her?" Draco asked uncertainly.
"No, you should never go anywhere near her again," Ron snapped.
"Boys, stop picking on Draco. Has he done anything to Ginny? No," Mrs. Weasley reprimanded.
"Yes he has!" Fred exclaimed.
"They went all the way!" George added.
Everyone at the table turned to stare at Draco. "You told me you hadn't done anything that night," Mrs. Weasley accused.
Draco was seriously wishing he wasn't in his current situation. He wished Ginny hadn't told the twins that. He wished they hadn't just told everyone. He wished Ginny was here to help him. "We didn't do anything," Draco protested.
"Don't even try hiding it, Ginny told us you did it. It's too late. She confessed," Fred said.
"She never confessed. She couldn't have because we've never done it!" Draco exclaimed defensively.
"Fred, what exactly did she say?" Mrs. Weasley asked.
"She said that Draco didn't do anything to her that she didn't want him to, and that she's no longer a virgin," Fred said.
"That's not what she said! You said that if I had taken her virginity that you would kill me, and she asked you what made you think that she was a virgin before she started dating me," Draco pointed out.
"So that's pretty much admitting that you two had sex, but it wasn't her first time!" George retorted.
"Alright, we're going to settle this once and for all," Mrs. Malfoy announced. "Veritas!" she uttered the truth spell, pointing her wand at her son. "Did you and Ginny have sex?"
"No," Draco replied.
"Have you ever done it?" Ron cut in before anyone could stop him.
"No," Draco repeated.
"Are you a Death Eater?" Narcissa asked, to prove that the spell had worked.
"No," Draco stated.
Narcissa pushed up the sleeve of Draco's sweater to prove that he was indeed not a Death Eater. "Is everyone satisfied that he's telling the truth?" Mrs. Malfoy questioned.
Everyone nodded, and she took the spell off her son. "See, I told you," Draco snapped.
"I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions," Mrs. Weasley said, urging her sons to do the same with her eyes. They either didn't notice, or they pointedly ignored her. She suspected that it was the latter rather than the former.
"Maybe someone should check on Ginny," Mrs. Weasley suggested.
"I'll go," Charlie volunteered and then went to do just that.
When he arrived in front of his only sister's door, he was surprised to see that she was crying. "Ginny?" he called softly from the door.
Her head snapped up and looked at him. "Oh good, it's you. Come in," she said in relief. She had thought it was Draco, and at the moment, she didn't really know what to say to him. Charlie entered the room and sat down next to Ginny on her bed. "What's wrong, Gin?" he asked gently.
"I'm scared, Charlie," she began, her voice quivering slightly. "I think I might be in love with Draco, but I shouldn't be. For one, he probably doesn't love me back, and for two, he's a Malfoy and half of my family hates him."
"Now, that's not true," Charlie comforted. "Half of our family does not hate him, and for the ones who do, they'll come around. As for Draco, I think he loves you too, he just doesn't know it yet."
"Do you really think so?" Ginny asked hopefully.
"I really do," Charlie assured.
"Thanks, Charlie," she said happily, giving him a hug. "What do you think I should do about Draco?"
"I think you should give him sometime to work out his feelings. Don't push him for an answer, he'll figure it out soon enough," he advised wisely.
"I guess that makes sense," Ginny conceded.
"You ready to come back down now?" Charlie asked. "Everyone was worried about you."
"In a minute. I heard yelling before, and I heard the twins saying that Draco and I went all the way. Just so you know, we didn't," Ginny informed him.
"We sorted it out," Charlie told her.
"That's good. Let's go downstairs," Ginny said and exited the room, Charlie at her heels.
When they arrived back in the dining room, everyone's eyes were focused on Ginny. "You alright, Ginny?" Draco asked hesitantly.
She nodded in reply and gave him a huge smile. Then she said down calmly and finished the rest of her pie. She then yawned and announced that she was going to go to bed. "Tomorrow is Christmas Eve, after all," she said. Everyone said good night, and then she disappeared up the stairs.

*~*~*~*

A few hours later, everyone else was beginning to yawn also and decided to turn in for the night. "Where's Malfoy sleeping?" Ron asked curiously, hoping to wasn't his room.
"My room," Charlie replied.
"Maybe I should stay in your room. Then, Harry and his new best friend, Malfoy, can stay together," Ron suggested sarcastically.
"Oh come one, Ron," Harry said, exasperated. "Can't you just get over it?"
"No. No, Harry, I can't. I thought you were my friend, but you betrayed me," Ron snapped.
Harry merely rolled his eyes. "Please, I didn't `betray' you. All I did was try to help Draco feel more comfortable. God knows you weren't helping," Harry retorted.
"Oh, so it's Draco now, is it?" Ron asked nastily.
"Ron! Why don't you wake up and realize that he's not going anywhere anytime soon and make the best of it. Ginny is your sister after all, and it's the least you could do for her. All she wants is for you and the twins to approve. She doesn't want you to hate her boyfriend! So, for Ginny's sake, make a truce," Harry lectured sternly. He was sick and tired of Ron overreacting about everything. This was the second big fight that they'd had in less than six months, and both had been started by Ron overreacting.
Ron only glared at him for a minute. "You know what, Harry? You think that just because you're the famous Harry Potter that you can boss e around. But, guess what? You can't," Ron yelled.
"I'm not trying to boss you around! I'm trying to talk some sense into you!" Harry shouted back.
"Alright, that is enough! You are going to wake up Ginny," Mrs. Weasley interrupted sharply. "Now, everyone, go to bed!"
All of the assembled Weasleys and guests quickly obeyed. They all hurried up the stairs to their respectable rooms. "Hey, Draco?" Charlie called as they were getting ready for bed.
"Yeah?" he answered.
"Do you know what Harry and Ron were fighting about?" Charlie asked.
Draco nodded. "Earlier today they were playing baseball, and Harry let me play. Ron got mad and quit," he replied.
Charlie shook his head. "Ron can be a real prat sometimes," he commented.
"No kidding," Draco agreed.
"Hey, Draco, can I ask you something kinda personal?" Charlie asked after a few minutes silence.
"Sure," he replied after a moment's hesitation.
"Do you love my sister?" he inquired.
Draco thought about it for a minute and then answered slowly, "I think that I do, but I don't want to. I don't want her to be estranged from her brothers because of me."
Charlie smiled. "Very noble of you. Are you sure you're a Slytherin?" he teased.
"Yeah, I am, but I think for me, the Sorting Hat based it more on my outward actions and family history," Draco said. "It would have been a lot easier for me at school if it hadn't."
"Wouldn't your father had been mad?" Charlie asked.
"Yeah, he would have, but at least. I would have had friends to help me and confide in. I always wished I had someone to help me," Draco admitted. "So when my sister started teaching at Hogwarts, I was really happy."
"Ginny told me about her when she first started teaching there, and how she was so unlike you," he told Draco. "I guess she was wrong. You're more like your sister than any of us would have expected."
"Yeah, well that's my fault. I never gave you any reason to believe that I was a nice person. I've always regretted that," Draco said.
"Hey, I don't blame you. You must have had a horrible childhood," Charlie said thoughtfully.
"Yeah, but it could have been worse," Draco replied.
"How?" Charlie asked disbelievingly.
"My mother could have been cruel too," Draco began ticking off possibilities. "My father could have been home more. We could have been poor." Then, seeming to remember who he was talking to, he added, "Not that there's anything wrong with being poor, but it wouldn't have helped my situation any. One of the things that helped me get through it was being able to stay in my room all day when Lucius was in a bad mood, and I had so much stuff to do in it I never got bored."
Charlie nodded. "When I was little, I always wished our family was rich, but as I got older, I realized there were more important things, like a loving family," Charlie said.
"I wish I would have had one, I would have given anything and everything for a loving family, well a father at least, my mother loves me," Draco agreed. "Heck, I would have settled for a father who didn't beat me."
"I can't imagine what that would be like," Charlie told him, sharking his head. "We ought to get to bed, it's getting late."
"Yeah, you're probably right," Draco conceded. "Good night, Charlie."
"Good night, Draco," Charlie replied. Then he turned off the light, and they were plunged into darkness. Draco soon heard Charlie's breathing turn steady, just before he fell into a deep, peaceful slumber.

*~*~*~*

The next morning, Ginny woke Draco up at about ten thirty. "What time is it?" he mumbled grumpily.
"Ten thirty," Ginny replied cheerfully, she had already been up for an hour and a half already.
Draco groaned and put his pillow over his head. "Five more minutes," he grumbled sleepily.
"Come on, Draco, I want to talk to you before everyone comes looking for you," she pleaded.
"Oh fine, just give me a few minutes to wake up," Draco said.
"Okay," Ginny consented. "Come in my room when you're ready. No going back to bed."
Draco groaned again, but agreed anyway. Five minutes later he was in Ginny's room, looking only a little more awake. "You people keep me up late and then wake me up early," he complained.
"Who kept you up late?" Ginny asked.
"Charlie. We were talking for awhile last night," Draco explained.
"About what?" Ginny inquired further.
"You, Harry and Ron, my childhood, family," Draco replied.
"You called them Harry and Ron," Ginny pointed out in amazement.
Draco shrugged. "Harry's not so bad, he calls me Draco now, and I can't call Ron Weasley because I could be talking about a number of people. When I'm talking to him, he knows I'm talking to him and not his brothers or sister," Draco reasoned matter-of-factly.
"Yeah, I guess," Ginny agreed.
"Now, what did you want to talk about that you had to wake me up at this ungodly hour of the morning?" Draco questioned.
"Last night. I'm sorry about what my brothers did," Ginny apologized.
"It's not your fault," he said truthfully, "but, boy, would I love to hex those two into next year. I can't believe I was turned into a ferret, again. Just when the ferret jokes were dying down and getting old, they have to refuel them. Then they lulled me into a false sense of security. I was almost positive after taking a few bites that the pie would be fine, but no. They had to make it explode. Then you abandoned me, to convince your family that we didn't have sex. What a nightmare that was. The twins even had your mother believing them, and you should have seen the look on her face. She looked so crushed when she thought that we'd lied to her." When Draco had finished his venting, he turned to see Ginny's reaction. She looked very stunned.
Then she walked over to him and hugged him. "I'm sorry," she sobbed into his bare chest. "I shouldn't have let you stay here. I should have told you that when you wanted to stay after Lucius was arrested. I should have stayed at your house or something. I should have-"
"It's not your fault," Draco cut her off reassuringly. "It wasn't that bad, I'm not hurt or dead, am I? I just don't like being humiliated like that in front of my girlfriend. That's why I was so mad, I was embarrassed."
"I know you're right," Ginny admitted. "About the thing I said last night, I meant it, but I'm not going to push you for an answer. I don't care if you feel the same way. Well, I do, but if you don't know how you feel, that's fi-" She would have continued if it hadn't been for Draco's lips attaching themselves to hers. His kiss was absolute bliss. He was kissing her gently, but still conveying all of his feelings. At that moment, she realized that he loved her back and was showing her in this one kiss. She never wanted it to end.
They stood there, kissing, for a few minutes before Draco pulled away and leaned his forehead against hers. "Does that clear up my feelings?" he asked, smiling.
"I don't know, why don't you try it again?" she said flirtatiously as she leaned in for another kiss.

*~*~*~*

Meanwhile downstairs, Charlie and Bill were wondering where exactly there sister was. "Where are Draco and Gin?" Bill asked.
"Probably somewhere snogging," Charlie answered with a snicker. "When are they ever not snogging?"
"True," Bill agreed.
"I'll go find them. We need them to start the baking," Charlie said.
"I can't believe Mum is still making us do this," Bill complained.
"I can, she always was big on family traditions," Charlie reminded his older brother.
"I guess, but can't she give us a break this once?" Bill whined, somewhat half-heartedly.
"Oh, come one, you know you love it," Charlie observed with a smile.
"Yeah, I do," Bill admitted. "But I wish she didn't make me wear that bloody apron."
"Well, that's what you get for spilling all over yourself the first time we did this," Charlie scolded.
"I was eight years old! You would think they would let it slide almost twenty years later!" Bill exclaimed indignantly.
"Have you two gotten Draco and Ginny yet?" Mrs. Weasley called from the kitchen.
"Sorry Mum, we got distracted," Charlie called back. "I'll get them now."
As he went up the stairs, he heard Mrs. Weasley said irritably, "Yes, Bill, you still have to wear the apron! It's tradition!"
Charlie laughed quietly to himself and went in search of his sister and her boyfriend. He checked in his room, but they weren't there. Then he checked Ginny's room and found them snogging in the middle of the room. "Oh for Heaven's sake!" he exclaimed good-naturedly.
Ginny broke away from her boyfriend and glared at him. "What do you want?" she snapped.
"Mum wants to start baking and requires your presence," Charlie said.
"Fine, we'll be right down," Ginny replied, shooing Charlie out the door. "Do you think we should tell them?"
"Tell them what? It's not like we're engaged or anything," Draco pointed out.
"Yeah, I guess you're right," Ginny agreed.
"What did Charlie mean when he said your Mum wanted to start baking?" Draco asked curiously.
"Every year we bake cookies as a family and our assorted guests on Christmas Eve day," Ginny explained.
"Oh," Draco said, following Ginny out of the room and to the kitchen.
When they arrived in the kitchen, Mrs. Weasley greeted them warmly. "There you two are! Now we can start," she announced cheerfully.
"One word of advice to you, Draco, don't spill anything on yourself, they'll make you wear an apron for the next twenty years," Bill advised wisely. All of the collected Weasleys laughed as Draco shot Ginny a questioning glance.
"When my Mum first started this tradition, I wasn't born yet, Bill was eight years old. He tried to do everything Mum said so he wouldn't mess it up, and he did, except when he was carrying the bowl with the batter in it, he dropped it on himself and made a huge mess. Ever since then, he's had to wear an apron when we do it," Ginny explained with a laugh.
Draco sniggered, and Bill glared at him. "You shouldn't be laughing, Draco," Mrs. Malfoy said in warning. "I could always tell them what you did when you were little."
That shut Draco up right away. "What did he do?" Ginny asked.
"Well, at Christmastime, we always used to have various friends over, and every year I would bake cookies. One year, when Draco was about five or six, he insisted he help me. I agreed to let him help, but I told him that he had to wear an apron so he didn't get his clothes dirty. Well, being the sneaky Slytherin that he was, he came down to help me bake cookies, but didn't want to wear the apron so he took off all of his clothes. He then informed me that he couldn't' get his clothes dirty because he wasn't wearing any. I thought that was very clever of him, but still made him wear the apron. I told him he could put his clothes back on, but he was too stubborn and adamantly refused. So, he helped me back cookies in the apron and nothing else," Narcissa told them. By the time she was done, all of the Weasleys were laughing and Draco was about as red as their hair.
"Mum," he mumbled, mortified. "Did you have to tell them about that?"
Mrs. Malfoy merely rolled her eyes. "Oh, it's not that big a deal; it was over ten years ago," she scoffed.
"I think it's adorable," Ginny comforted, trying to keep a straight face. Then she promptly burst out laughing again. This caused Draco to groan in frustration.
"Ginny dear, you obviously have forgotten what you used to do at Christmastime when you were little," Mrs. Weasley said.
"Oooh, what did she do?" Draco asked with interest.
"Well, when Ginny was little, up until she was about six, she was always so eager to open presents and didn't like to have other people go so slowly when passing the presents out. So, every year she made it her duty to pass out the presents. All of the boys used to argue that she took too long and didn't deserve to pass out the presents. Ginny would always inform them that she got to pass out the presents because she was the cutest. They would scoff and say the only time she was cute was when she was a baby because she was so little back then. Then they would tell her that she had grown up and wasn't a baby anymore. She would protest, and her brothers would say that she was wearing big girl clothes so she had to be a big girl. To prove that she wasn't, she would strip off all of her clothes and insist that she was so cute and still little. It was the most adorable thing, and it happened every Christmas, even when we had company," Mrs. Weasley said.
By this time, Draco was laughing very hard.
"I remember that," Bill said. "She used to look so cute. That was until she did it in front of my friends." At this remark, Draco began to laugh even harder.
"I think it's adorable," Draco mimicked her earlier words, stifling laughter. Then he burst out laughing again.
The rest of the day passed in this fashion. They traded stories from Christmases passed and baking cookies. And for once in his life, Draco felt that he was getting a real Christmas with a real family.

A/N: Don't forget to review! I'll get the next chapter out ASAP.

Document created with wvWare/wvWare version 1.0.0

-->

14. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the plot.

A/N: Thank you to my beta, Aliya.

Chapter 13

The next morning, Ginny woke up at seven o'clock and rushed into Charlie's room to wake up Draco. She was about to jump on top of him to wake him up, but instead she decided to watch him for a few minutes. He looked so peaceful with his face unguarded and his usually slicked back hair falling in his face. He wasn't wearing a shirt, it could get quite warm in the Burrow with all of the people and heating charms, and Ginny couldn't help but notice how much he'd grown since she first met him. Back then, he was only a skinny, twelve year old boy, but now he was a muscular seventeen year old man.
"Gin? Is that you?" Charlie murmured sleepily from his bed.
"Yeah," she replied. "I came in to wake up Draco."
She then jumped on his aforementioned chest, causing his eyes to fly open in surprise. "Wake up, it's Christmas," she squealed excitedly.
Draco groaned and asked, "You're not going to leave until I get up, are you?"
"Nope," she replied cheerfully.
"How can you be that cheerful this early in the morning?" Draco grumbled.
"It's Christmas, that's how," she explained.
Draco sighed and sat up. "Well, Happy Christmas then," he said as he pulled her in for a kiss.
"Happy Christmas to you too," Ginny replied once they'd broken apart.
"Now, if you get off of me, I can get dressed, and we can go downstairs," Draco commented.
"I like it here. Besides, I think you look perfect just like that," Ginny whispered the last part seductively in his ear, her breath tickling his ear.
"I don't think your brothers would appreciate me walking around bare-chested," Draco pointed out.
"Oh, screw them. Please, Draco," she pleaded, putting on her best puppy dogface. "It can be my Christmas present."
"What if I told you I already have a Christmas present for you?" Draco asked.
"How could you? You didn't know you were coming to the Borrow until you got here. Once you were here, you were with me the whole time," Ginny answered matter-of-factly.
"What if I told you I bought it before I came here?" Draco teased.
"Why?" was all Ginny said.
"I actually bought it for you at the last Hogsmeade weekend. I was going to send it to you with an apology for acting like I did," Draco explained. "Then I got here, and we started dating before I sent it."
"Ooh, what is it?" Ginny exclaimed.
"You'll just have to wait and see," Draco replied cryptically.
"Fine, don't tell me," Ginny said with mock hurt entering her voice.
Draco rolled his eyes. "I wasn't going to," he informed her.
"Good `cause I don't want to know," Ginny shot back stubbornly.
Draco only snorted in reply. "Are you going to get off of me now?" he questioned.
"No," Ginny answered mischievously.
`Then I guess I'll just have to remove the problem," Draco said, an impish smile on his face. Before Ginny could figure out what he was going to do, he picked her up, slung her over his shoulder, and he then he proceeded downstairs.
"Draco," she shrieked in surprise. "Draco, put me down."
"No," he replied simply.
"Put me down," she repeated, but Draco knew she was enjoying every minute of it. She was laughing, and he knew if she really wanted to get down, she would be able to.
When they arrived in the kitchen, all eyes turned to them. "Happy Christmas, everyone," Draco greeted cheerfully.
"Happy Christmas," Ginny called, still slung over Draco's shoulder.
"Why is Ginny over your shoulder? And why don't you have a shirt on?" Ron demanded angrily.
Draco was about to answer, but Charlie beat him to it. "Calm down, Ron," he began, rolling his eyes. "It was hot in my room last night, neither of us were wearing shirts. Then Ginny bounced into our room this morning and jumped on top of Draco. She must have refused to get up, so he picked her up, you know how stubborn Ginny can be when she wants."
Draco nodded to show that he was correct. "You shouldn't jump to conclusions so quickly... Ron," Draco said. "Remember, assumptions make an ass out of everyone."
Ron was about to retort, but Mrs. Weasley cut him off, wanting to keep the peace. "He's right, dear. You get yourself worked up about nothing. Now, stop fighting, everyone, it's Christmas. And now, breakfast is served," Mrs. Weasley announced.
Everyone moved from the kitchen to the dining room. There were all kinds of different foods ranging from things like pancakes and waffles, to steak and eggs. Draco was about to dig in when he suddenly froze. "Alright, which foods are cursed?" he asked to twins.
"I swear that we didn't do anything to any of the food, and we won't for the rest of the day. Consider it your Christmas present," Fred informed Draco.
Draco breathed a sigh of relief and began to eat. "Well, thank you," he said. "I think this is better than any material possession you could have bought me."
"Why? Because you have everything else?" George asked nastily.
Draco decided to ignore the nastiness. "No, because I want this Christmas to be perfect and being the butt of another one of your pranks would ruin it," Draco corrected.
George seemed to accept this answer and turned back to his breakfast. Once everyone had stuffed themselves with Mrs. Weasley's delicious cooking, they moved into the living room to open presents.
Ginny was so anxious that she was bouncing up and down impatiently. "Someone still doesn't like to wait for presents, does she?" Draco joked.
Ginny stopped her bouncing for a second to turn around and glare at Draco. Then she resumed her previous activity. As the presents were passed out, Draco was surprised to see that he had something from Mrs. Weasley. He hadn't expected to get anything from anyone except his Mom. He had come on such short notice, after all.
When all of the gifts had been passed out, Draco cleared his throat and began to speak," I didn't get anything for any of you because I didn't know I would be here. I can still give something, though, and that's an apology. I would like to apologize for everything I said about your family or anyone else. Now, I know the prejudice against the Weasleys and Harry was stupid, and I'm sorry."
A stunned silence followed his apology. Everyone had silently agreed to a truce, but they hadn't expected something like this. As for who was the most surprised, it was a close call between Ron and Ginny. Ron was surprised that he had swallowed his pride long enough to say all that, but Ginny was more amazed than surprised that he'd done it, knowing that if it weren't for her, he wouldn't have done it.
"Apology accepted," Harry said, breaking the silence. "I'd like to apologize to you also. I've done and said some pretty nasty things to you, even if you did provoke me most of the time. I'm still sorry. But, Ginny, why couldn't you have started dating him when you first got to Hogwarts? You could have saved me a lot of detentions, house points, and trouble."
This earned chuckles from everyone at the table. "Yeah, really, why didn't you start dating me sooner? I could have been spared almost every humiliation of my Hogwarts career. Like being turned into a ferret that would have never happened, or being attacked by Harry and George. Or being slapped by Granger," Draco teased. "Apology accepted, by the way."
"Excuse me, but it's not my fault that you were such a prat. Maybe if you'd been nicer then I would have started dating you sooner, but then again if you were nicer, none of your humiliations would have happened," Ginny pointed out. "And why didn't you start dating me sooner?"
"Good point," Draco conceded.
Silence reigned once again as everyone watched the interaction between Harry, Draco, and Ginny. "In behalf of the entire Weasley family, I accept your apology," Mr. Weasley announced.
All of the Weasley boys, excluding Ron, nodded in agreement. Draco was surprised when he saw the twins nodding with the rest of the boys. They might just approve of me yet, he thought happily.
"Can we open presents now?" Ginny asked impatiently.
"Yes, go ahead," Mrs. Weasley said.
As soon as the words had left her mouth, all of the Weasley children, along with Harry and Draco, picked up a present and began to rip it open.
It appeared that Ginny did, indeed, care what Draco had gotten her because that was the first present she opened. When she had it unwrapped, she gasped. It was, of course, the pair of barrettes she's seen at the new store in Hogsmeade. She turned around; she was sitting on his lap, and gave him a hug. "Thank you so much," she squealed. "How did you know I liked these?"
"I didn't. I saw them when I was shopping with my Mum and thought you'd like them," Draco replied, giving her a kiss.
"I saw them while I was doing some last minute shopping. I fell in love with them, they'll go perfectly with my new dress robes," Ginny said excitedly.
"Well, I'm glad you like them," Draco answered with a smile.
Draco then turned to the present he was unwrapping, it was from Mrs. Weasley. When he saw what it was, he was touched. It was some of her homemade fudge, but that wasn't what surprised him. In the package there was also a green sweater, handmade, with a silver D in the middle. He recognized it instantly as a "Weasley" sweater that Mrs. Weasley made for all of her children every year. He was speechless for a minute before Ginny snapped him out of it. "Thank you, Mrs. Weasley," he said.
"You're welcome, Draco, dear. I thought that since you'll soon be part of the family, you deserved one," Mrs. Weasley replied cheerfully.
"Mother," Ginny said, shocked at what she'd just implied.
"Oh you know I'm right," Mrs. Weasley pointed out.
"You don't know that," Ginny retorted. "Something could happen. We could break up."
"You could," Mrs. Weasley acknowledged without much conviction.
Ginny was about to say something, but Draco cut her off. "Just leave it, Gin," he said gently. Then he gave her a kiss on the lips to insure that she didn't say anything else about it. When he broke away, she smiled at him. "I love you," she mouthed to him.
"Love you too," he mouthed back and gave her another kiss.
"Spare me," Ron groaned. "Must you kiss in public?"
"Oh, leave them alone, Ron. I think it's cute," Mrs. Weasley reprimanded.
"How could you possibly think that THAT'S cute?" Ron demanded incredulously, pretending to gag.
"Sod off, Weasley," Draco snapped, his voice void of its usual nastiness.
Ron only glared at him when Mrs. Weasley gave him a warning look. "Can't we not fight for one day, Ron?" she pleaded.
"Don't blame me, blame-" Ron began.
Ginny cut him off, "Ron, shut up. It is your fault. You are to blame. When you're mad at Harry or Hermione, you're always looking for a fight. Why don't you just make up with Harry and leave my boyfriend alone?"
"Now, next person to start a fight today, will have to answer to me," Mrs. Weasley threatened. "Now, go back to opening your presents."
They didn't have to be told twice. Everyone immediately went to their gifts.

*~*~*~*

Later, when everyone had opened all of their gifts, Draco and Ginny were the only ones left in the living room. Draco was sitting on the floor with his back against a chair, and Ginny was sitting in between his legs, which were spread apart in front of him. She was leaning back against his chest, and he had his arms around her waist.
"Hey, Draco?" Ginny said, turning around to look at him.
"Yeah?" he asked, dropping a kiss on her forehead.
"You know when we went to your house to get some of your stuff?" she began. Draco nodded, and she continued, "You got something out of your desk right before we left. Was it my clips?"
"Yeah," Draco replied. "I was hoping you didn't see what it was."
Ginny smiled at him, and he returned it. "Okay, can you keep a secret?" she asked suddenly.
"Yeah," he said slowly. "It's nothing illegal, is it?"
"No, but my mother would kill me if she found out," Ginny explained. "I got you a Christmas present."
"That's the secret?" he asked, nonplused.
"No, it's the way I got it. I snuck out last night," she told him.
"So, that's why you went to bed early," Draco observed, realization dawning.
"Exactly, and the stuff that happened before hand was a perfect cover story," Ginny pointed out, an impish grin on her face.
"So, what'd you do?" he asked, the suspense was beginning to kill him.
"Open it first," Ginny commanded, handing him a package.
Draco took the package from her and began to unwrap it. He opened the box, and inside of the box, was a golden Snitch. "Read the inscription," Ginny said excitedly.
Draco looked closer and noticed the inscription. "To Hotdragon, you're the best boyfriend ever. I love you, Draco. Love, Fierysprite," he read aloud.
"That way you'll never forget how we met. Draco?" she asked worriedly. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing. How could anything be wrong? Everything's perfect," he replied dazedly.
"Do you like it?" she asked apprehensively.
"Do I like it? Of course I like it. I love it. Gin, this is without a doubt the best Christmas present I've ever gotten," Draco raved. That's when she noticed his eyes were over bright. She was about to comment on this, but decided to let it go.
"Good," Ginny said as she leaned in to kiss him.
"I love you too, Gin," Draco whispered just before their lips met for a gently, love-filled kiss.
When they broke away a few minutes later, Draco asked Ginny curiously, "How'd you get it engraved?"
She blushed slightly before answering, "Well, I wasn't sure how I could do it. Almost all of the stores were already closed, it was Christmas Eve, and it was late. Then I thought of one of the wizards and witches in our house. I couldn't ask my Mum or Dad because they'd ask too many questions, so would Bill, Charlie, and Percy. The twins wouldn't ask anything, but I didn't trust them to inscribe the right thing. That only left your Mum."
"My mum did that for you?" Draco questioned, Ginny nodded. "And she didn't tell me?"
Ginny had to laugh at his reaction; the look of mock hurt on his face was priceless. "Of course she didn't tell you. It would have ruined the surprise!" Ginny exclaimed.
"I know, I was only kidding. I'm glad she kept it a secret. It made this moment all the better," Draco assured her with a smile.
"You are so odd sometimes," Ginny commented playfully.
"I think you've told me that a few times, and I'll say, once more, I know," he replied.
Ginny rolled her eyes. "Whatever," she said.
"Draco? Ginny? Time for lunch," Mrs. Malfoy called from the kitchen.
As Ginny walked passed Narcissa, she said gratefully, "Thank you so much, for inscribing it and getting everyone out of the room so I could give it to him. He loved it. He said it was the best Christmas present he'd ever gotten. It brought tears to his eyes."
"I knew he'd like it, and I'm glad I could help," Mrs. Malfoy replied with a genuine smile. "Now, go sit down."

*~*~*~*

After lunch, which went by without a hitch, everyone gathered in the living room. It was snowing outside, and Ginny couldn't wait to get out there. "Hey, anyone want to go outside? I love going outside when it's snowing!" she exclaimed.
"Good idea, Gin. Let's go, maybe we could play Quidditch," Ron suggested.
"We don't have enough people," Charlie pointed out.
"Well, if everyone plays, we play six on six," Ginny said.
"That would work," Fred added. "There's either one Beater or two Chasers. Captains can choose which."
"What does everyone think?" George asked, looking around expectantly.
The only one's looking a little reluctant were Mrs. Weasley and Mrs. Malfoy. "I haven't been on a broom since my first year at Hogwarts," Narcissa said uncertainly.
"Neither have I," Mrs. Weasley told them.
"You'll be fine, you never forget how to ride a broom," Draco assured.
"Oh, alright," Mrs. Weasley conceded.
"I guess I'll play too," Mrs. Malfoy relented.
"Alright, so who are Captains?" Bill asked.
"How about Draco and Harry?" Ginny suggested. "Keep some of their rivalry alive, Draco quit the Quidditch team, after all."
"That works for me. What about everyone else?" Charlie questioned.
Everyone nodded, and the teams were picked. Draco, Ginny, George, Bill, Mrs. Malfoy, and Percy were one team, and the other team was Harry, Ron, Fred, Charlie, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. "Let's get started," Draco said once everyone had a broom. They'd had to transfigure a few things so they would have enough. Each team had decided to have one Beater instead of two. The twins, on their respectable teams, were the Beaters. On Draco's team, Ginny, Bill, and Percy were the Chasers, Draco was the Seeker, and Mrs. Malfoy was the Keeper. On Harry's team, Mrs. Weasley was the Keeper, Mr. Weasley, Charlie, and Ron were the Chasers, and Harry was the Seeker. There had been some debate on who should be the Seeker, Harry or Charlie, but they'd chosen Harry because he hadn't ever lost to Draco.
Then the game began. The Snitch was released along with the Bludgers. Then Mr. Weasley threw the Quaffle up and jumped on his broom. Ginny caught the Quaffle and was off towards the goal. She was in the middle, Bill and Percy on each side of her. Ginny passed the Quaffle to Bill who passed it to Percy, who passed it back. Then Bill faked a shot, but instead, passed it to Ginny, who threw it into the far hoop from where her mother was. It went in easily. "Ginny Weasley shoots and.... SCORES! And the crowd goes wild!" Ginny announced excitedly.
Then the game continued, Ron had the Quaffle, and he tried to pass it to Charlie. A Bludger, sent by George, whizzed past Charlie, throwing off his balance. Bill took this as an opportunity to intercept the pass. He tossed it down the pitch to Ginny. She passed it to Percy who shot it in the left hoop, scoring another ten points. "That's twenty for Draco's Dragons, zero for Harry's Lightning Bolt," Ginny exclaimed playfully.
"What are you? Chaser or the commentator?" Harry asked. "I like those team names though."
"Why do they get to be the Dragons?" Charlie whined.
"Because we have Draco on our team," Ginny explained.
"Whatever," Charlie said sulkily.
Ginny only rolled her eyes and turned back to the game. Ron had the Quaffle, and he passed it to Charlie. He faked a left shot, but then threw it towards the right hoop. It went in, but barely. Narcissa hadn't fallen for his fake and had almost stopped it.
"Nice try, Mrs. Malfoy," Ginny encouraged over her shoulder as she sped to the other half of the pitch.
"Oh, the Lightening Bolts score, the score is now ten to," Ron began, but trailed off as a scene developed. Draco dove sharply and leaned down on his broom. He'd seen the Snitch! What made Ron stop his commentary was the fact that Harry took off after Draco, but knew he'd never make it. Draco was already too far ahead. His fingers were only millimeters away from the Snitch, and it disappeared. It had flown away. Draco pulled his broom out of its dive disappointedly. He'd almost had it. Oh well, I'll get it next time, he told himself reassuringly.
A half an hour passed with no more sightings of the Snitch. The score was Draco's Dragons, eighty, Harry's Lightning Bolts, fifty. Mrs. Malfoy turned out to be a pretty good Keeper, stopping a lot of the other team's shots. Ginny was beginning to wish that she had a pair of gloves. Her hands were starting to get numb.
Then Draco dove again. This time, Harry was closer, but Draco still had a big lead. This time, he wouldn't let it get away. He stretched out his arm, and felt his fingers close around the little gold ball. He'd caught! He held it up and heard his teammates cheer. "We won! Dragons win! Dragons win!" Ginny shouted.
"I caught it! I caught the Snitch! I beat Harry! Finally!" Draco yelled happily.
He laughed at he saw Ginny flying toward him. She skillfully slid off of her broom on to his. He was afraid it was going to tip forward, but it was fine. Once she was situated, Ginny gave Draco a big hug and then kissed him. "You finally beat him!" she exclaimed.
"Yeah, I did," he said in amazement.
"Let's go in and get some hot chocolate," Mrs. Weasley suggested.

*~*~*~*

Everyone quickly agreed to Mrs. Weasley's suggestion. They all filed into the house and continued into the kitchen. Mrs. Weasley conjured up a pot and began to make some hot chocolate. Gathering around the table, both teams waited for the warm drink to be ready.
"Everyone sit down, I'll hand you each a cup," Mrs. Weasley announced.
They all sat down in chair, all except Ginny, who opted for Draco's lap instead. "Hey," Draco squawked. "Every time we sit down are you going to sit on top of me?"
"Well," Ginny began thoughtfully. "I could always sit on Harry's lap. I'm sure he wouldn't mind." after finishing this, she gave Harry a discreet wink.
"Oh, I wouldn't mind at all," Harry agreed, playing along. Ginny even began to get up off of Draco's lap, before he intervened. He wrapped his arms around her waist, keeping her from getting up.
"Don't you dare leave, I wasn't complaining, I was just asking," Draco said quickly.
"Alright then, yes, I am going to sit on you every time we sit down," Ginny answered, giving him a kiss.
"Great game, that was," Bill commented, taking a sip of his hot chocolate. "A little short though."
"You just say that because you won," Harry teased. "The only reason you won was out of pure luck."
"Hey," Draco snapped mock indignantly. "I resent that."
"Resent it all you want, but it doesn't change anything," Harry pointed out.
"You're just jealous," Draco shot back, sticking his tongue out like a three year old.
"Oh, real mature, Malfoy," Harry retorted.
"Oh, so it's back to Malfoy, is it?" Draco asked, his voice tinged with mock hurt.
"Only when you act stupid," Harry informed him.
"I was not acting stupid," Draco protested.
"Yes, you were," Harry argued.
"Was not."
"Were too."
"Was NOT."
"Were TOO."
"Alright, children, stop fighting and apologize," Ginny commanded, feeling very much like a mother, trying to keep the peace between her three year old sons.
"No," they said in defiant unison.
"Yes," she insisted, giving them each a stern look.
"Fine, sorry," Draco spat.
"I'm sorry too," Harry shot back nastily.
"God, you too really are like three year olds," Ginny said, shaking her head.
Draco was about to protest, but thought better of it. It would only serve to prove her point. "Yeah, we were acting like little kids," Draco admitted.
"It beats really fighting with each other like we used to," Harry pointed out.
"You got that right," Draco agreed.
There was a comfortable silence following this comment, only broken by the sipping of hot chocolate and the clanking of the mugs being set on the table. The silence let Draco revel in the joy of being in such a warm environment, both in temperature and affection. This was definitely the best Christmas he'd ever had. It was as close to perfect as Christmas could be.

A/N: Don't forget to review! I want to know what you thought.

Document created with wvWare/wvWare version 1.0.0

-->

15. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: I don't own anything, but the plot

A/N: Thanks to my beta, Aliya!

Chapter 14

The rest of Christmas vacation flew by quickly. Nothing very significant happened. The twins played a few more pranks on Draco, one being dying his hair half bright pink, and the then other half neon green, but that was the worst one. They did this during the night on Christmas, but it was after midnight and, technically, was the next day. By the end of break, they'd stopped bothering him all together. They began to accept the fact that their sister was dating a Malfoy, and there was nothing they could do about it. For that, Draco was thankful. He didn't like the feeling that someone was after him.
It was now the day they were to return to Hogwarts. Ron, Harry, and Ginny were currently sitting in the car waiting for Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. Mrs. Malfoy had gone home the day before, with an invitation to come to tea whenever she got lonely. "You think we should tell everyone we're dating, or wait until the ball?" Ginny asked as they waited.
"Let's wait until the ball and shock everyone when we come in together," Draco suggested.
"Okay," Ginny replied, leaning her head against his shoulder.
"I still haven't seen your dress robes," Draco commented.
"I know, I want it to be a surprise," Ginny informed him.
"Oh," Draco said. "They're light purple, right?"
"Yeah. I can't believe you remember," Ginny answered, amazed.
"Of course I remember. I remember everything you said," Draco told her.
Ginny smiled at him as her parents entered the car. "Everyone ready to go?" Mrs. Weasley asked.
"Yes," the four students replied in unison.
"Alright, let's go then," Mr. Weasley said.
Then they were off.

*~*~*~*

When they arrived at the train station, they all got out of the car and grabbed their trunks out of the trunk of the car. They had arrived early, so they had their pick of almost any compartment. Harry, Ron, and Ginny sat down in one of them.
Draco gave Ginny a kiss and then said, "I'll see you later, Gin. You too Harry, Weasley." Ron and Draco still didn't call each other by their first names, but they weren't at each other's throats either.
"Wait, where are you going?" Ginny asked.
"You said you wanted to keep our relationship a secret, surprise them at the dance. Everyone would be suspicious if I sat with you guys," Draco replied.
"Oh, yeah," Ginny sighed in disappointment. She'd been looking forward to spending the train ride to Hogwarts.
"I'll e-mail you, go online," Draco told her to cheer her up.
"Okay. I forgot about that," Ginny agreed.
"See ya," he said and then he was gone.
"Was that Malfoy?" a familiar female voice asked from the door of their compartment. It was
Hermione.
"Yeah, that was Draco," Harry answered, pulling her in for a kiss.
Ginny smiled as they kissed. They looked like they were in their own little world, and they probably were. She could tell they loved each other and was thinking about how cute they were together when Ron ruined the moment. "Would you guys quit it?" he snapped.
They sprang apart guiltily. "Sorry, Ron," Hermione apologized.
"I've seen enough snogging these past two weeks to last me a lifetime," Ron complained.
"What's he talking about?" Hermione asked, bemused. "And now that I think about it, why did you call Malfoy Draco earlier, Harry?"
Harry and Ron turned their attention to Ginny for the answer. "Yeah, well, you see, I'm dating Draco Malfoy," Ginny explained quickly.
"You're WHAT?" Hermione asked in surprise.
"I'm dating Draco Malfoy," Ginny repeated.
"Why?" Hermione exclaimed, clearly confused.
Ginny then told her the whole story about inviting Hotdragon over for Christmas and what happened during break. When she had finished, Hermione said, "Wow."
At that moment, the person they had been previously discussing appeared at the door of the compartment. "What happened to you, Weasley? Haven't heard from you in awhile," Draco sneered pointedly, trying to remind her to go online. He had been waiting for her for almost a half an hour.
"It's alright, she knows," Ginny said.
"Oh, well then, are you planning on going online anytime soon?" he asked.
"Whoops, sorry. I'll be on in a minute, I was talking to Hermione," she explained.
"Alright. See you later," he said. Then he was gone again.
"How can you like him?" Hermione asked incredulously.
"He's not as bad as you think," Ginny answered, taking out her laptop. "Is he, Harry?"
"Ginny's right, he's really not that bad," Harry testified.
"What do you think, Ron?" Hermione asked.
"Well, I will admit that he's not as bad as I originally thought," Ron admitted.
"You mean you don't mind me dating him?" Ginny exclaimed excitedly.
"No, I still don't like that, but I think that I'd feel that way about any guy you would date that I don't know very well. Once I get to know him better, I'll probably approve of him," Ron replied.
"You guys can't be serious; this is Draco Malfoy we're talking about here. The guy who has picked on us for years," Hermione reminded them.
"Oh, you weren't there. Over vacation, he apologized for everything he's ever said about us or done to us," Harry told her. "He's really not as bad as you think. Just give him a chance."
"He apologized!" Hermione exclaimed in shock. "He actually apologized?!"
"Yeah," Ginny replied.
"Wow. If that's true, tell him I'm sorry too," Hermione said.
"Why don't you, he's online right now," Ginny suggested.
"Alright, tell me when you're ready," Hermione replied.
Ginny logged on to the internet and then IMed Draco.
Fierysprite: Hey.
Hotdragon: Hey, what took you so long?
Fierysprite: I was talking.
Fierysprite: Hermione wants to tell you something.
Hotdragon: Okay.
Fierysprite: It's Hermione, and I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for what I've done to you.
Hotdragon: They told you about my apology?
Fierysprite: Yeah.
Hotdragon: Apology accepted. I'm sorry too.
Fierysprite: Apology accepted.
Fierysprite: It's Ginny again.
Hotdragon: What did Hermione say when she found out everything?
Fierysprite: She was shocked, but we convinced her that you're not all bad, even Ron helped.
Hotdragon: Good.
Fierysprite: Who are you sitting with?
Hotdragon: Blaise, Pansy, and Millicent.
Fierysprite: I thought Pansy was mad at you.
Hotdragon: She was, but evidently she forgot, or she got over it.
Fierysprite: Is she trying to hit on you again?
Hotdragon: Yeah, but don't worry, I like you better.
Fierysprite: I should hope so.
Hotdragon: She's bugging me about the dance. I told her that I already have a date. Now, she's bugging me about who my date is.
Fierysprite: She just doesn't give up, does she?
Hotdragon: No, and it's bloody annoying.
Fierysprite: Oh crud, I gotta go. Pansy's trying to read over my shoulder.
Fierysprite: Alright, meet me outside the Great Hall after dinner.
Hotdragon: How about by the lake?
Fierysprite: Okay, bye, Draco. I love you.
Hotdragon: I love you too. Bye.
(Hotdragon has logged off.)
Ginny sighed and shut down her laptop. She wished he didn't have to go, but she knew that Pansy could be really nosy. She did want to surprise everyone at the ball.
"That was pretty quick, I thought you'd talk to him the whole trip there," Harry commented.
Ginny rolled her eyes and told him, "Pansy was reading over his shoulder."
"Is she still following him around?" Hermione asked.
"Yep," Ginny replied bitterly.
"Ooh, do I sense some jealously?" Harry teased.
"I'm not jealous of her really. I'm just jealous that she can hang all over him whenever she wants, and no one would even look twice. If I did, I would have everyone gawking at us," Ginny explained.
"Are you sure about that?" Hermione joked.
"Of course I am, he even told me he likes me better," Ginny defended.
"I know that, we're just joking. I can tell just by looking at you two when you're together that you're crazy about each other," Harry said truthfully.
Ginny smiled and then turned to look out the window. The motion of the train, and the scenery going by slowly lulled her to sleep. She didn't wake up until they arrived at the train station.

*~*~*~*

Draco, on the other hand, was trying desperately to fall asleep, but to no avail. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't fall asleep. He wasn't sure if it was because he had too much on him mind, or if it was Pansy's high-pitched voice constantly babbling in his ear. He tried to block her voice out, but it couldn't be done. It was too screechy to ignore.
Finally, Draco had had enough, "Pansy, shut up already and let me sleep," he snapped.
Pansy looked hurt for about a second, but then adopted a once again cheerful look. "Oh, I know you don't mean it," she said.
"Yes, I do. I'm not taking you to the dance, I already have a date!" Draco explained for about the millionth time since they'd gotten on the train.
"Who is it then?" Pansy asked.
"That's for me to know, and you to find out," Draco said.
"Fine," Pansy relented huffily.
Then there was, thankfully, silence. Draco settled back in his seat, trying to fall asleep. As soon as his eyes closed, a picture of Ginny flickered across his closed lids. He really wished he'd just stayed with her. He began to imagine what she was doing and slowly fell asleep.

*~*~*~*

At five thirty, Ginny was preparing to go to dinner. They had arrived at Hogwarts about two hours ago. Then she'd unpacked and found Shannon. Ginny had apologized for being so withdrawn, and then they'd caught up with each other. Ginny had decided not to tell Shannon about Draco. She would find out soon enough.
As Ginny approached the Great Hall, she became more excited, not about dinner, but what was happening afterwards. Even though she'd just seen him a few hours ago, Ginny still missed Draco. She knew it was stupid, but she couldn't help it. She was in love.
As she sat down at the Gryffindor table, she purposefully picked a seat facing the Slytherin table. She was pleased when she saw that Draco had done the same, sitting in a spot facing the Gryffindor table. Her eyes locked with his and he blew her a discreet kiss. She was so immersed with Draco that she didn't notice Shannon sit down next to her.
"Why are you staring at Malfoy?" she asked.
Ginny's head snapped around guiltily to look at her friend. "I was trying to figure out what is up with him lately, he's acting different," Ginny lied easily, but not without guilt.
"How so?" Shannon inquired further.
Crap, Ginny thought, think of something, quick. "Well, he actually said something to me today. He hadn't talked to anyone really, let alone a Gryffindor, in a long time," Ginny covered up.
Shannon shrugged. "Must be over his sister's death," she said. "Hey, did you hear Lucius Malfoy was arrested?"
"Yeah," Ginny replied.
Then there was silence, and Ginny mentally counted the minutes until she could meet Draco. Suddenly, she jumped up and announced, "I'm really tired. I'm going to bed." Then she left before anyone could say anything.
She rushed to the Common Room, picking up her winter cloak. Then she rushed to the lake. She was relieved to see no one was out there. Everyone was at dinner. Now all she had to do was wait for Draco. She knew that he'd seen her leave, but would wait a few minutes so it wouldn't be obvious that he was meeting her.
Twenty minutes passed, and he finally arrived. "Do you know where the Room of Requirement is?" she asked after they'd exchanged greetings and a kiss.
"The Room of Requirement?" he repeated, confused.
"Never mind, follow me," Ginny commanded.
"Yes, ma'am," Draco muttered sarcastically under his breath.
"I heard that," Ginny snapped.
When they arrived at the room, Ginny pushed Draco in and locked the door behind her. There were a few couches and chairs in the room. "Where are we?" Draco asked in awe.
"The Room of Requirement," Ginny answered. "We had a secret Defense Against the Dark Arts club in here last year."
"Oh. This really sucks, you know," Draco commented.
"What really sucks?" she asked.
"Being in different houses and ex-enemies," he clarified.
"Yeah, it does," Ginny agreed.
"I wish we didn't have to keep everything a secret. I mean, we don't have to, but it stinks that we can't just hang out together without people talking. I wish we could just hang out in a Common room. I wish we were in the same house," Draco complained. "I shouldn't be in Slytherin."
"I agree with everything you just said," Ginny told him. "You should be in Gryffindor, but the stupid hat wasn't even on your head when it said Slytherin." Ginny pulled Draco over to a couch and sat down next to him.
"Now," she began seductively in his ear. "We didn't come here just to talk, did we?"
Draco shook his head and gave her a kiss that she'll never forget. It had a passion that Ginny didn't know could be conveyed in just one kiss. He started to kiss her very hard at first, but decreased the pressure. It turned into a sweet, gentle kiss filled with love. Draco slid his tongue over her bottom lip, and she moaned against his mouth and opened it. His tongue seemed to burn hers where it touched. Getting swept up in the kiss, Ginny began to unclasp his robes and unbutton his shirt. He didn't even realize that she was doing it until her hands grazed his chest. Her touch creating tingling sensations where they roamed over his body.
That's when he broke away from her mouth. They were both out of air and breathing hard. Glancing at her watch, Ginny saw that it was getting late, and her brother was probably starting to worry. "I should probably be going," Ginny said regretfully.
"Do you have to?" Draco mumbled as he began to kiss her neck.
"Mmmm, don't stop doing that," Ginny moaned. "Actually, do stop, I have to go, my brother will freak!"
Draco took his lips from her neck and looked her in the eye. "I love you," he whispered.
"Good. I love you too. How about we do this tomorrow?" Ginny suggested.
"Alright, see you tomorrow," he agreed.
"See ya," she replied, giving him one last kiss.
She made her way back to Gryffindor Tower quickly. She didn't want to get caught by Filch or a prefect. When she arrived at the Portrait Hole, she said the password (Wolfsbane) and went in. Sure enough, Ron was sitting on one of the couches with Harry and Hermione, waiting for her.
"Where have you been?" Ron yelled when he saw her.
"Relax, I was with Draco," Ginny answered calmly.
"Let me guess, you weren't just talking," Ron said.
"What makes you say that?" Ginny asked, somewhat nervously.
"Gin, your cheeks are totally flushed and your hair is an absolute mess. Not to mention the hickey on your neck that wasn't there earlier today," Hermione informed her.
Ginny blushed a deep shade of red. "He gave me a hickey?" she squealed.
Hermione nodded sympathetically. "Here, come here," she said. When Ginny stood in front of Hermione, she cast a concealing charm.
"Thanks, Mione," Ginny thanked her. "I don't think I would have thought or that. Well, I'm going to bed."
"Alright, Gin?" Hermione replied before anyone could protest.
Ginny rushed to her dormitory and looked at herself in the mirror. She DID look pretty disheveled. She was glad it was Ron and his friends that had seen her first. She lay down in her bed, not bothering to change into pajamas and sighed happily. Tonight had been wonderful, but she was exhausted. She got up and got ready for bed. She got into bed and, almost instantly, fell asleep.

*~*~*~*

The next few days went by in a haze. Draco and Ginny met every night in the Room of Requirement to talk and snog. They would sometimes talk online when they couldn't see each other, like before dinner. Right now, Draco was going to check if Ginny was online. She was. It was the day of the ball, and he wanted to get everything straightened out.
Hotdragon: Hey, what's up?
Fierysprite: Nothing much, just waiting for the ball.
Hotdragon: We're meeting outside the Great Hall at six, right?
Fierysprite: Yeah. I've got to get ready soon.
Hotdragon: I won't keep you from getting ready. I just wanted to make sure where and when we're meeting.
Fierysprite: Alright, see you soon.
Hotdragon: See you.
(Fierysprite has logged off.)
Draco smiled as he thought of the upcoming dance. It was funny that they'd both started out hating the idea of the ball, and now they were so excited. He guessed it was because they both got a date that they actually liked. If it hadn't been for Ginny, he probably wouldn't have gone.
Draco decided that it was probably time that he got ready to meet his date. He had decided to wear black dress robes because he wasn't sure, exactly what color her dress robes were. He didn't want them to clash.
After taking a shower, Draco put on his dress robes and began to work on his hair. Recently, he had been wearing ungelled, falling softly around his face. Today, however, he decided to slick it back with gel. After putting in the gel, he cast a holding spell on it. He wanted to look perfect tonight.

*~*~*~*

Once Ginny had logged off the internet, she got in the shower. When she came out, Hermione was waiting for her. She had agreed to help Ginny with her hair and make-up. "Hey, Hermione. Let me just put in my robes, and then we can get started," Ginny said.
"Okay," Hermione replied.
Ginny cast a drying spell on her hair and put on her robe. When she came out, Hermione gasped. "Gin, you look gorgeous already," she exclaimed.
"Thanks," Ginny replied sheepishly. "What do you think I should do with my hair?"
"How about we curl it and then put clips in to keep it out of your face," Hermione suggested.
"Okay," Ginny agreed.
Hermione uttered a spell that immediately curled her hair in wide, loose curls. Then she took some hair from each side of her head and clipped it to the side with the barrettes Draco had bought her for Christmas. "These are pretty, Gin. Did Draco give them to you?" Hermione asked.
"Yeah," Ginny said. "He bought them as an apology present, but gave them to me for Christmas."
"That's cute," Hermione replied. "You are going to attract a lot of attention tonight, Gin, and not just because you're going with Malf- er Draco. You look gorgeous."
"Thanks, Hermione," Ginny answered happily. "I want to look perfect tonight."

*~*~*~*

At six o'clock, Draco stood outside the Great Hall, waiting impatiently for Ginny. "Where is she?" he mumbled to himself.
Just then, he felt someone tap him on the shoulder. Expecting Pansy, he whipped around angrily, but froze when he saw it was Ginny, his mouth falling open at her appearance. She smiled at his reaction, and reached out to gently close his mouth. He looked at her sheepishly and grinned. "Gin, you look beautiful," Draco breathed.
"You don't look so bad yourself," she commented, looking him up and down.
"I'm glad I pass your inspection," Draco replied with a smile. "You ready to shock everyone?"
"Oh, yeah," Ginny said.
They both took a deep breath and joined hands. Draco opened the doors to the Great Hall, and they walked in. Everyone ignored them at first, but people slowly started to stare as they noticed them. As they made their way to the table where Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Ron's date, Luna Lovegood sat, Ginny could hear snatches of conversation. "A Malfoy and a Weasley?" "She's in Gryffindor, what's she doing with him?" "Probably under the Imperius Curse." "SHE's his date?" The last comment was made by, none other than, Pansy Parkinson.
Ginny and Draco simply pretended to ignore them. They sat down at the table and started talking. "You look great, Gin," Harry told her.
"Thanks, Harry," she replied. "You look good too." Ginny could still feel everyone's eyes on her and Draco, but she didn't care. Slowly, people began to ignore the couple. They had expected an angry outburst from Ron, but when one didn't come, they lost interest.
After a few minutes, Dumbledore stood up to make an announcement. "First, I would like to welcome everyone to the dance. Secondly, if everyone would sit down, it is time for the feast," he said.
Everyone obeyed and the food began to appear on the tables. As Ginny ate, she looked around the Great Hall. All of the House tables scattered around the room. The enchanted ceiling showed a clear sky filled with stars. One of the teachers had charmed fake snowflakes to fall from the ceiling, making everything sparkle. On all of the walls there were big snowflakes that glittered in the light. Suddenly, she felt Draco elbow her in the ribs. "Ow, what was that for?" Ginny snapped.
"Harry was talking to you," he replied.
"Oh, sorry, what were you saying, Harry?" she asked, embarrassed.
"I asked you what you thought about Draco quitting the Quidditch team." Harry repeated.
"Oh. Well, their new Seeker sucks, so that's good for Gryffindor. I also kinda know how he felt. I didn't feel like doing much either. I felt too guilty. And I must say, I'm glad I don't have to play against him now that we're dating, but, on the other hand, if I get hit in the head with a Bludger, there will be no one to catch me," Ginny replied with a smile.
"Don't worry," Draco whispered, kissing her on the cheek. "I'll always catch you."
"Aww," the other four cooed in unison. "That's so sweet."
Draco rolled his eyes at Ginny who shook her head in reply. "Ignore them," she said. "They're just jealous that no one had ever said something that romantic to them."
"Now there's something I never thought I'd hear, someone talking about Malfoy being romantic," Ron commented dryly.
Ginny glared half-heartedly at him. "Leave my boyfriend alone, you great git," she snapped. "You're ruining the moment."
Then their table, along with them, was pushed across the room, against one of the walls. All of the other tables were doing the same, creating a dance floor in the middle of the Hall. "I would like everyone to put your hands together for the Weird Sisters," Dumbledore announced.
Everyone clapped as the band came out. They began to play music, and couples started to drift out to the dance floor. "Want to dance?" Draco asked Ginny.
"Sure," she replied, taking the hand he offered her as he led her to the dance floor.

*~*~*~*

After dancing for a half an hour, Draco and Ginny sat in some of the chairs set up along the walls. Ginny rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes in content. That was, of course, until Pansy showed up. "You picked her over me?" she screeched at Draco.
Draco looked at her calmly and smirked. "I don't see how that comes as a shock to you. She's twice the girl you'll ever be," he snapped.
"But she's a Weasley," she shot back in distaste, spitting out the last word in disgust. "What did you have to get him to come to the ball with trash like you? You must be pretty good in bed to get him to come with you."
Ginny was about to retort, but Draco was way ahead of her. He jumped up and grabbed Pansy by the front of her robes. "That's my girlfriend you're talking about, and you better take everything you just said back. Otherwise, I won't be held responsible for my actions. You're lucky my father taught me some courtesy, or I'd have cursed you into next year before you even knew what hit you," he growled threateningly. "Take it back." he shook her for emphasis.
"Fine, I'm sorry," she said quickly.
Draco released his hold on her robes and glared at her. "Now, leave Ginny and I alone. Don't let me catch you anywhere near her," he threatened menacingly.
Pansy quickly walked away once Draco had let go. She tried to move as dignified as possible, but they had gathered an audience and everyone stared at her as she left, most laughing at her.
"Thanks, Draco," Ginny whispered. "I could have handled it myself, but thanks anyway."
"I know you could have handled her, but she's only after you because you're dating me. I thought I owed it to you to tell her to sod off," Draco replied. "Besides, I've been looking for an excuse to rough her up for awhile now."
Ginny laughed and smiled at him. "You want to go outside for a few minutes?" she asked.
"Sure," Draco agreed. He took her hand and led her toward the lake.
"Look at all the stars," Ginny gasped, looking at the sky. "They're beautiful."
"Just like you," Draco whispered.
At this, Ginny began to laugh uncontrollably. "What is so funny?" Draco snapped. He was trying to be romantic, and she was laughing at him.
"In every romance novel, movie, or TV show, Muggle things, I have ever read or seen, I have always thought that was such a cheesy line," Ginny explained.
"Okay, it was kinda cheesy, but it seemed like a good idea at the time," Draco defended.
"It's the thought that counts," Ginny comforted. "I think it's sweet that you're trying to be romantic."
"Trying being the operative word," Draco commented.
"Exactly," Ginny confirmed, laughing.
He scowled at her, but couldn't hold it very long. His face soon softened, and he began laughing with her. Out of the corner of his eye, Draco saw Ginny shiver.
"Cold?" he asked.
She nodded. "Can we go back inside?" she inquired.
"Yeah, I'm kind of cold too," Draco replied. They entered the Great Hall once again, and, as soon as they entered, they were warmed up. It was a lot warmer inside.
After they had warmed up, a slow song began to play. "Want to dance?" Draco offered his hand.
"I'd love to," she replied, following him onto the dance floor.
Draco wrapped his strong arms around Ginny's waist, and she put her arms on his shoulders. She rested her head on his chest and just reveled in the moment. She loved the way that his arms felt around her, and how they seemed to fit together perfectly. She sighed in contentment and smiled against his chest. There was no where she'd rather be than right there, in his arms.
"Ginny," he called softly, nudging her gently.
"Hmm?" she mumbled into his chest.
"The song's over," he informed her.
"Oh," she said unintelligently. "I didn't even notice."
"I know," he replied. "You seemed like you were a million miles away."
"I was thinking about how perfect we are together," she told him.
"I love you," he whispered, kissing the top of her head.
"Love you too," she mumbled into his shoulder.
At that moment, Ginny felt someone tap her on her shoulder. She spun around to see Harry standing there. "What's up, Harry?" she asked.
"I just wanted to tell you that you two look a little dumb just standing there, not moving. It's a fast song now," Harry informed them.
"Oh, thanks, Harry," she replied, embarrassed.
They began to dance again and continued to do so for another hour or so. After this, they were both exhausted. "It's getting late, and a lot of people are starting to leave. Plus, I'm knackered," Ginny said.
"Yeah, you want me to walk you back to your Common Room?" Draco asked.
"That would be nice," she replied.
"Okay," he said, taking her hand and pulling her close.
After walking for a few minutes, they arrived in front of the Fat Lady portrait. "I had a great time tonight, Draco," Ginny told him.
"I did too. Hey, you want to sit with me at breakfast tomorrow?" he asked.
"Sure, see you then," Ginny replied with a smile.
He returned the simile. "Good night, Ginny," he said, giving her a quick kiss.
"Good night." Then she turned and entered the Common Room. She walked directly to her dormitory and got ready for bed. Then she got ready bed and turned off the light. She lay down in her bed and smiled as she thought of her night. It had gone wonderfully. She couldn't have hoped for a better night.

A/N: Don't forget to review! Next chapter will be up soon!

Document created with wvWare/wvWare version 1.0.0

-->

16. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: I do not own any of this.

A/N: Thanks to my beta, Aliya.

Chapter 15

A week later, Draco was awoken early in the morning by something pecking his head. They had left the window open last night, so the creature had come in easily. When he opened his eyes, Draco was greeted with the sight of the malicious, yellow eyes of Lucifer, his father's owl. At first he was confused as to how his father had sent him an owl from Azkaban, but soon came to the conclusion that his mother had used his father's owl. Draco untied the letter from Lucifer's leg, and the owl was gone immediately. He opened the letter and saw his mother's neat script. There was something about it that wasn't right, though. The writing looked shaky, as if the writer had been upset when they had written it.

Dear Draco,
I have some bad news for you. Your father has been released from Azkaban. At the trial, he pleaded guilty, but had committed the crime against his will. He said that he was under the Imperius Curse at the time, and since he had influence over almost the whole jury, they pardoned him. He'll be returning to Malfoy Manor in four days, on Wednesday. You will probably receive an owl from him around that time. Remember, don't give in to his demands. It'll only cause problems. I love you.
Love,
Your mother

When Draco had finished reading the letter, he sat down heavily on his bed. He was numb with shock. He'd thought for sure that his father couldn't possibly weasel his way out of Azkaban this time. Evidently, he had been mistaken. He's getting out of Azkaban, Draco thought. The same thought kept running through his head as he sat on his bed.
Then, suddenly, he leapt off of his bed. He needed to talk to Ginny. She would help him. She would tell him everything would be fine, and that she would help him. Draco raced out of the Slytherin Common Room towards the Gryffindor one. He soon arrived in front of the Fat Lady. "Password?" she asked.
He wracked his brain for the password. Ginny had said it the day of the dance. What was it? "Wolfsbane," Draco answered tentatively.
The portrait swung open, and Draco stepped in. He knew it wouldn't be a good idea to try to run into Ginny's dormitory. That could disastrous. Harry, he thought suddenly. Maybe he could help.
Draco rushed in the way, he hoped of the sixth year boys' dormitories.
Thankfully, he arrived at the right room. Scanning it, he spotted Harry's trunk and went over to Harry's bed. Draco was about to wake up Harry when he thought
better of it. Harry would probably yell in surprise and wake everyone else up.
Draco put a silencing charm on Harry and then shook him and whispered, "Harry."
Harry's eyes flew open in surprise. He tried to yell, but he realized he couldn't. Once he caught a glimpse of white-blonde hair that seemed to glow in the soft dawn light from the window. Draco took the silencing charm off of Harry who said questioningly, "Draco?"
"Can you help me?" Draco asked.
"With what, at five thirty in the morning?" Harry whispered.
"I need to talk to Ginny, it's an emergency. Lucius is being released from Azkaban," Draco explained.
That got Harry out of bed in a flash. "I'll help you," he said. "Here we can send her an owl, hopefully it will work."

Ginny,
Meet me in your Common Room A.S.A.P.
Love,
Draco

Harry tied the note to Hedwig's leg and sent her away. About ten minutes later, a disheveled looking Ginny appeared in the Common Room. "What's going on?" she demanded in concern, running over to Draco. He mutely handed her the letter and let her read it. She gasped, and her eyes widened in surprise. She rushed closer to Draco and gave him a hug. "Oh my God, that's terrible, but don't worry, I'll help you, I promise," she told him sadly. "I'll make sure that your father won't be able to hurt you anymore. I won't let him."
"Thanks, Gin," Draco whispered into her hair. "I love you."
"I love you too," she replied. Then she felt Draco yawn. "You should go back to bed. You don't look like your slept very well."
"I only got about four hours," Draco informed her. "But I won't be able to fall asleep."

"What if I gave you a massage?" Ginny asked.
"Maybe," Draco answered thoughtfully.
"Harry, can you explain to Ron if I go to Draco's dorm?" Ginny requested.
"Yeah, he really does look tired," Harry agreed.
"Thanks," Ginny said. "Let's go, Draco."
"Thanks, Gin," Draco whispered when they were outside of the Common room.
"No problem, you need sleep," Ginny replied nonchalantly.
They walked the rest of the way back to the Slytherin Common Room in silence, both comforted by the other's presence. Draco uttered the password, and they entered the Common Room. Then Draco silently led Ginny to his bedroom. He pulled her over to his bed, trying to make the least amount of noise as possible.
As soon as they were both in bed, Draco closed the curtains. Then he turned to Ginny and smiled. "Thanks again," he said.
"Shh, you're going to wake up all of your roommates," she berated quietly.
Draco rolled his eyes and explained, "There's a silencing charm on my bed, they can't hear anything."
Ginny raised an eyebrow in question. "Is there any particular reason that you have that?" she asked.
"Not particularly," he replied truthfully.
"Are you sure you don't have a reason? Like maybe you bring girls up here all of the time and do a bit more than talk," Ginny suggested.
"I've told you before, I am still a virgin," Draco reminded her.
"I know, I'm only kidding. Now, turn so your back to facing me," she commanded. He immediately obeyed and turned over. He then felt her begin to gently massage his shoulders. He moaned softly in approval, prompting her to continue. Ginny did this until Draco finally fell asleep, almost a half an hour later. Once she was sure that he was asleep, she stopped and curled up next to him. She then followed Draco's example and fell asleep almost immediately.

*~*~*~*

The next day, Draco woke up and stretched. As he stretched, his leg moved backward and came in contact with someone else's leg. He was startled at first, but soon remembered what had happened earlier that morning. He smiled and turned around to look at Ginny. She was sitting up and reading a book.
She looked up when she felt his eyes on her. "Good morning, sleepy-head," Ginny greeted affectionately.
"Hi. What time is it?" Draco asked, sitting up to give her a kiss.
"It's three o'clock in the afternoon," she informed him.

"Whoa, I slept that long?" he exclaimed. "What are you reading?"
"Oh, Romeo and Juliet," she replied. "I hope you don't mind, I took it off your bookshelf."
"I don't mind, as long as no one saw you," he said.
"I made sure no one was in here first," she assured him.
Draco nodded and smiled. "That's one of my favorites," he told her.
"Mine too," she replied. "I didn't know you were interested in Muggle books."
"Yeah. I like a lot of the old stuff, like Shakespeare, Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, the Brontes, all of that," he said.
"Really? I like all of that too," Ginny replied.
"Weird," Draco commented simply.
Ginny nodded in agreement. "Are you hungry?" she asked.
"Yeah. You must be hungry too. What time did you wake up?" he asked curiously.
"I am hungry. I woke up around eleven," she informed him. "Let's go get some
food from the kitchen."
"Okay," Draco agreed. "You didn't have to stay here, you know."
"I know, I wanted to," Ginny said.
Draco got out of bed and headed towards the door. He was almost out when he realized that Ginny wasn't following him. "Are you coming?" he snapped.
"Not yet. For one, you might want to get dressed, and two, do you really want
me to walk out of your bedroom behind you. People might jump to conclusions," she pointed out.
"Oh, yeah," he mumbled, his cheeks turning a faint pink.
Ginny giggled at his reaction as he began to gather some clothes and went into the bathroom to change. When he came back out, he was fully dressed. Then he began rummaging in his trunk and threw something at her. "What's this?" she asked.
"Invisibility Cloak," he replied simply.
"Oh," she said. Ginny walked over to where Draco stood and wrapped her arms around his middle from behind. She kissed him on the shoulder. "What's wrong, baby?"
He shook his head. "Nothing. I was just thinking about what I would do without you, and how you might not be here for me much longer," he explained.
"What do you mean?" Ginny asked. "I love you, Draco. I would never leave you."
"I know, but I wouldn't blame you if you did. You know, once Lucius finds out about us, which he will, he won't be happy," Draco replied sadly.
"I don't care. I'm not going to leave you just because your insane father is upset that we're dating," Ginny scoffed. "You should know that."
"I'm sorry, I do know that. I love you too," Draco said.
Ginny smiled and kissed him on the lips. "Now, let's go get some food," she commanded. She put the Invisibility Cloak around her and followed Draco out of the Common Room.

*~*~*~*

Ginny tickled the pear at the entrance of the kitchen, and the portrait moved to let them enter. When they entered, a crowd of house elves came over to ask what they wanted. They asked the house elves to pack them a picnic. Once the house elves finished packing Draco and Ginny's picnic, the young couple made their way back to Draco's room.
"Are they always so eager to help students?" Draco asked as they began to eat.
Ginny nodded. "You should see when Harry goes in there. He set one of the house elves, Dobby, free in his second year. He's been forever grateful and is always eager to help anyone who's friends with Harry," she replied.
"Did you say Dobby?" Draco exclaimed in surprise.
"Yeah. Why?"Ginny inquired.
"Dobby used to be our house elf," Draco answered.
"Are you serious?" Ginny asked.
"Yeah, he used to follow my father around all the time. He was a pretty good house elf too. I always wondered why my father freed him," Draco replied as an after thought. "I guess he didn't free him."
"Dumbledore pays Dobby," she told him.
"Really? I've never heard of that before," he commented.
"He asked for pay, so Dumbledore gave it to him," she explained. "Dumbledore offered him more, but he wouldn't take it. Hermione's still trying to get the other house elves to follow Dobby's lead."
"What? With her spew thing still?" Draco scoffed.
"S.P.E.W.," Ginny corrected. "You knew about that?"
"Yeah, I observed all kinds of things about you lot that you never would have expected," Draco informed her.
"Like what?" she inquired, quite intrigued.
"I knew Harry like Hermione before he even knew. I knew your brother liked her too. I knew you had a boyfriend before you told anyone. I knew Hermione was using the Time Turner in her third year," Draco provided evidence.
"Why?" Ginny replied.
"I wanted to see if I could find out something I could use against you guys," he explained. "You probably don't know this, but that's why Hermione slapped me in our third year, I told her I wouldn't tell anyone about the Time Turner if she slept with me."
"You were thirteen," Ginny sputtered.
"I was fourteen, thank you very much" Draco corrected indignantly. "It was past my birthday. Besides, I wasn't serious, I just wanted to get a rise out of her."
Ginny rolled her eyes. "You were a little monster to them, weren't you?" she commented. "Well, I'm glad I never rubbed you the wrong way."
"To be perfectly honest, I always felt a little guilty about not warning you about the diary," Draco admitted. "That's why I never teased you as much."
"Well, whatever the reason, I'm glad you stayed away from me," Ginny said with a smile.
A comfortable silence fell over the room as they finished their meal. "Do you think Ron's going to want to kill me when we get back?" Draco asked, breaking the silence after a few minutes.
"I should hope not, especially after Harry explains everything to him," Ginny answered truthfully, praying fervently that she was right. She didn't want to start yet another fight between Ron and Draco.
"Do you think it would be safe for me to drop you off, or will I be attacked?" he asked, half-joking, half-serious.
"I'm sure you'll be fine, but you don't have to just drop me off, you can stay for a little while," Ginny offered.
"I don't think so," he declined. "I don't think your house mates would appreciate that."
"Don't be silly, as long as you're with me, they won't care," she coaxed.
"Alright," Draco conceded and helped her stand up. "But first I think you deserve a thank you for helping me last night." After informing her of this, he picked her up, laid her on the bed, and closed the curtains.
Before she could protest, Draco brought his lips down on hers, stifling any objections she had. Ginny eagerly responded to his gentle kiss by sliding her arms around his neck, pulling him so he was laying on top of her. She broke away from his lips and began to nibble lightly on his ear. He groaned and pulled her mouth back to his, not able to take the sensations she was causing.

*~*~*~*

An undeterminable amount of time later, Draco lay on his bed next to Ginny, who had fallen asleep. He knew he should probably get her back to her Common Room, her brother would freak, but he couldn't bring himself to wake her up.
She looked too peaceful and angelic, her hair splayed out across her pillow. He sighed as he thought about how close they'd come to having sex only moments earlier. It was becoming harder and harder for Draco to control himself
around her. This fact scared him. He wasn't used to not being in control.
"Hmm," Ginny mumbled sleepily. "Draco?"
"I'm right here, babe," he replied, turning towards her.
"I could definitely get used to this," she said dreamily.
"Get used to what?" Draco asked.
"Waking up next to you," Ginny clarified with a smile. "How long have I been asleep?"
"Not long," he told her. "Want to get back to your Common room before your brother comes looking for you?"
"Okay, let's go," Ginny commanded.
Draco helped Ginny off the bed and put his arm around her waist as they walked out of the Slytherin Common Room, forgetting the implications of a girl coming out of draco's room. He leaned down and kissed her on the top of the head as they came to a stop in front of the entrance to Gryffindor Tower.
"Password?" the Fat Lady asked in a bored voice.
"Wolfsbane," Ginny stated. The portrait swung open, and they entered the Tower.
"There you are," Ron exclaimed in relief.
"Didn't Harry tell you that I was staying with Draco?" Ginny asked.
"Yeah, he said for the night. You've been there for over twelve hours," Ron informed her.
"I know, but Draco didn't get up until like three, then we had to eat," Ginny explained.
"What about the rest of the time?" Ron demanded.
"We talked," Ginny answered quickly, blushing against her will.
"Oh God, you had sex," Ron groaned, a little too loudly.
Everyone in the Gryffindor Common Room turned to gape at Draco and Ginny with mixed degrees of horror and morbid fascination evident on their faces. Ginny blushed an even deeper shade of red, burying her head in Draco's shoulder.
"Ginny, you're not helping our case," he mumbled. Then, to everyone else, he said, "We did not have sex."
All of the fascinated Gryffindors turned back to their previous tasks in disappointment. They'd been waiting for a scene or, at least, some juicy gossip, but alas, neither came. "Do you have to talk so loud?" Ginny snapped at her brother, her head still buried in Draco's shoulder.
"Sorry about that, I didn't mean to say it so loud," Ron apologized. "I was just surprised, that's all. You answered so quickly and you blushed. I jumped to the wrong conclusions."
"All we did was snog," Ginny told him truthfully.
"You're sure?" Ron pressed, looking into her eyes.
"I'm sure," Ginny confirmed.
"Well, in that case, let's get dinner," Ron suggested.
"We just ate, I'm not hungry," Ginny said.
"But I am, why don't you come anyway?" Draco asked. He really didn't want to be stuck walking to dinner with Ron, alone.
"Okay," Ginny agreed, sensing his motives.
They walked toward the Great Hall in silence for a few minutes. "Where are Harry and Hermione?" Draco asked suddenly, it was odd for Ron to be without them for a meal.
"You don't want to know," Ron warned.
"Oh, come on, where are they?" Draco inquired further.
"Well, last I heard, they were in our dorm. Seamus was taking a nap and woke up to some er disturbing sounds coming from Harry's bed. He advised me to stay away," Ron said. Draco faked a gag. "Told you you didn't want to know."
"They could at least put a silencing charm on his bed," Ginny commented.
"Like Draco. Hermione's supposed to be the smart one too."
"Like Draco?" Ron repeated, eyebrows raise in question.
"Well, uh, you see, er, yeah," Ginny stammered, realizing the implications of what she'd just said.
Draco rolled his eyes in amusement. "It's a good thing we didn't have sex.
You'd have a permanent blush otherwise," he joked. "And to answer your question,
I have a silencing charm on my bed. My room mates suggested it when they found out how vocal I am when I'm angry. I usually vent by yelling and throwing things that make loud, crashing sounds when they break. My father usually contacts me at night, and so then I'd go to bed late at night, mad and yelling. I used to wake everyone up, and they didn't appreciate it."
"Oh," Ron said unintelligently.
By this time, they'd arrived at the Great Hall. "You want to sit with me?"
Draco asked.
Ginny nodded and followed him to the Slytherin table. As they sat down, Draco noticed that a guiltily silence fell over the table. He looked at Blaise, who sat across from him, in confusion. "What's going on?" he asked, nonplused.
"Well," Blaise began slowly.
"Well?" Draco prompted.
"Pansy started a rumor that you slept with her last night, and then as soon as she left, you slept with the Weasley girl. She even has witnesses that say they saw you and Weasley coming out of your room together. Millicent found her
earlier, crying her eyes out because you `cheated on her'" Blaise explained quickly.
"What?" Draco yelled. "I am going to kill that girl. What is her problem?
Must she try to ruin my reputation every chance she gets? And she wonders why I don't like her!"
"Shh, Draco, calm down," Ginny soothed. "It doesn't matter what everyone else thinks, we know it's not true."
"I know, but that girl really irks me sometimes," Draco growled.
"Did you realize you and my brother had a civil conversation with each other?" Ginny asked, changing the subject.
Draco was about to tell her that he knew what she was doing and it wasn't going to work, but he decided to go along with it. "Yeah, I prefer fighting to tell you the truth. The only reason I was being nice was because you wouldn't have appreciated the fighting," he admitted.
"You're right, I wouldn't appreciate it. Thank you for being civil for once," Ginny said gratefully.
They sat in silence for a few minutes before Draco stood up suddenly. He grabbed Ginny's hand and dragged her out of the Great Hall. "What was that all about?" Ginny asked incredulously.
"I couldn't take the whispering anymore," he explained. "Sorry."
"No, it's fine. I just wanted to know if anything was wrong," Ginny told him as she smiled at him.
He smiled back weakly, the smile not quite reaching his eye. "Draco?" Ginny whispered. He looked at her, prompting her to keep going. "What's wrong? Why does this bother you so much?"
"I'm not sure. I guess it's because I know that our relationship will have enough challenges without these stupid rumors, and this just makes it worse."
"Oh, baby, we'll be fine, but I have to agree with you. We don't need this," Ginny replied, giving him a hug.

*~*~*~*

Meanwhile, in the Great Hall, Millicent Bulstrode was whispering something fervently in Blaise Zabini's ear. Blaise's face quickly mirrored the horror
shown on Millicent's. he stood up quickly and strode out of the Great Hall. He pushed open the large, oak doors, to reveal Draco and Ginny. They seemed as if
they were welded together at the lips. Blaise cleared his throat impatiently. He had urgent news for them.
"What do you want, Zabini?" Draco snapped, clearly not happy about being interrupted.
"Millicent just told me. Pansy's going to send an owl to Mr. Malfoy. She's going to tell him about you two. She's after revenge, and she can be pretty vicious when she's determine," Blaise answered quickly.
Draco swore colorfully. "We have to stop her. Thanks, Blaise," he said.
"Sure, let me help you convince her," Blaise offered.
"Thanks," Draco accepted gratefully. "This is my girlfriend, Ginny Weasley, by the way. Ginny, this is my cousin, Blaise Zabini."
"Pleasure," Ginny said.
"Does anyone have any idea where Pansy is?" Draco asked.
Blaise shook his head. Ginny was silent for a minute before exclaiming excitedly, "The Marauder's Map."
"The Marauder's Map?" Blaise and Draco repeated in bemused unison.
"Don't ask questions, just follow me," Ginny ordered.>Her two companions quickly followed her command, knowing better than to slow down their search with questions. They soon arrived in front of the entrance to Gryffindor Tower. Ginny uttered the password quickly and led the two Slytherins in. She then led them to the sixth year boys' dormitory. She pounded on
the door and yelled, "you have five seconds to make you and Hermione decent, Harry. It's an emergency."
She heard muffled curses following her announcement. Ginny then burst into the room, averting her eyes, just in case. "What the? Gin, why are there two Slytherins in my dorm?" Harry asked.
"No time to explain. Can I borrow the Marauder's Map? Please," Ginny begged.
"Yeah, sure," Harry replied. He rifled around in his trunk for a few minutes before triumphantly pulling out the map.
"Thanks, Harry," Ginny said quickly. "I'll explain later." then she pulled Blaise and Draco out of the room. As soon as they were out of the Gryffindor Common Room, Ginny took out her wand. "I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good," she recited. The map soon appeared as the two cousins looked on in awe.
"What is that thing?" Blaise asked, mystified.
"A map of Hogwarts. My twin brothers stole it from Filch's office," Ginny explained. "Okay, Pansy's in the Astronomy Tower. Let's go."
The other didn't have to be told twice. They followed Ginny's quick steps, making it to the Astronomy Tower in no time. When they entered, they found Pansy, sitting by the window and sulking. She was also mumbling angrily to herself, but Ginny couldn't hear what she was saying. "Pansy," Draco called softly.
"What do you want? I thought you didn't want me anywhere near you and your precious girlfriend," Pansy snapped irritably.
"I don't. If it were up to me, I'd never talk to you again, but right now I need your help, so listen up," this was what Draco wanted to say, but instead, he said, "Well, Blaise told me you were thinking about owling Lucius. I just wanted to find out if he was correct."
"No, he's terribly mistaken," she began, smirking evilly. "I'm not thinking about it, I already did it."
A string of profanities flowed from Draco's mouth. "You just can't leave me alone, can you? If you can't have me then no one can, is that it?" he yelled loudly. He was enraged, at himself and at Pansy. If only he could have gotten there in time to stop her. "You're always asking me why I don't like you. Well, this is why." He raised his to run it through his hair, and he saw Pansy flinch and move her hands to protect herself. The look on her face made him pause for a minute. "Did you think I was going to hit you?"
"N-no," Pansy squeaked, her voice filled with fear.
"You did," Draco sighed in frustration. "Pansy, how long have you known me?"
"Since we were three," she answered tentatively.
"In all those years, have you ever see me hit a girl?" Draco asked.
Pansy shook her head mournfully. "No," she whimpered quietly.
"Then what made you think that I would start now?" he asked. "God, Pansy, I'm not my father. You, of all people, should know that. I'm sorry I got so mad, but now I'm dead. Once my father reads your owl, he's going to be furious. You
know what? Don't ever talk to me or Ginny again, and I might forgive you."
Pansy nodded fearfully and skittered out of the Tower. "That poor girl," Ginny mumbled. Draco shot her a sharp look, and she added, "not that she didn't deserve it, but you can look pretty scary sometimes."
Draco chuckled at her words. "Only sometimes?" he teased.
"Yes. You only look scary about 1% of the time," she replied, keeping a straight face.
"What about the other 99%?" he asked, playing along.
"Drop dead gorgeous," she informed him playfully, still with a straight face.
"What, I'm not drop dead gorgeous when I'm threatening?" he joked.
"Oh, I'm sure you are, but you were too intimidating, I was too scared to notice," Ginny joked back.
Draco merely smirked and kissed her soundly on the mouth. She eagerly responded. Blaise took this as his cue to leave before things really heated up.

A/N: I am so so SO sorry it took so long to update! I finished writing this chapter forever ago. I was having trouble with my computer, and then when I finally got it fixed, my beta was out of time. She didn't have a lot of time to beta it, and then I went out of town for a few days. Don't worry though, I promise that the next chapter will be up very soon. I already sent it to my beta so as soon as she sends it back, I'll post it. Please review!

Document created with wvWare/wvWare version 1.0.0

-->

17. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: I do not own any of this.

A/N: Thank you Aliya for beta-ing for me.

Chapter 16

Wednesday came much too quickly for Draco's taste. He woke up Wednesday morning with a deep feeling of dread. His father would be home soon, and he would see the letter Pansy wrote him. Draco knew that he would be in deep trouble. His father had been angry with him before he went to Azkaban, but now he would be furious. Not only did his son refuse to become a Death Eater, but also, no, he was dating his worst enemy's daughter.

Sighing softly, Draco pushed thoughts of his father to the back of his mind and got out of bed. He got ready for class quickly. He didn't want to miss breakfast. It was one of the only things he looked forward to during the day. Seeing Ginny was the only thing that kept him going each day. Without her, he wouldn't be able to get out of bed in the morning.

Draco looked at the clock that sat on his nightstand. He only had about ten minutes before he had to meet Ginny outside the Great Hall. He rushed out of his dormitory and out of the Common room. When he arrived outside the Great Hall, Ginny was already there waiting.

"Good morning, Draco," Ginny greeted cheerfully when she saw him approach.

"Good morning," he replied giving her a kiss.

"You don't look like you slept very well," she told him, concern entering her voice.

"I didn't. I haven't slept very well, but let's not talk about that now. Slytherin or Gryffindor?" he asked, referring to which table they would sit at. Draco slipped his arm around Ginny's waist and she leaned against him.

"Gryffindor," she answered. Draco nodded, and they entered the Great Hall, making a beeline for the Gryffindor table.

They sat down near Ron, and began to pile food on their plates. "Hi, Ron," Ginny said.

"Weasley," Draco acknowledged him with a nod of his head."Hey, Gin. Malfoy," he greeted in return.

"Where are Harry and Hermione?" Ginny asked curiously.

Ron merely shrugged and replied as nonchalantly as he could, "Don't know. I haven't seen them very much recently." this was true. Harry and Hermione had slowly been pushing him away. It was unintentional, of course, but it was happening all the same. It had gotten worse after they had taken their relationship further a few days ago. Now, one was rarely ever seen without the other. They were inseparable and just seemed to forget about everyone else in the world.

At that moment, the two people in question walked into the room, hand in hand. Ron's face lit up considerably. "Oh, is the weasel happy to have his best friends around? Did you miss them while they were ignoring you?" Draco taunted.

"Draco," Ginny warned reproachfully.

"What? I told you I enjoyed fighting more than speaking civilly," Draco reminded her.

"I can deal with him myself, Ginny," Ron said huffily. "Just `cause you don't have any friends, Malfoy, doesn't mean you have to be jealous of me because I do."

"Jealous? Why would I be jealous of you? You're a Weasley," Draco shot back without thinking.

"Yeah, well so is your girlfriend," Ron sneered.

Draco froze for a minute and then turned to slowly look at Ginny. She was watching the situation with amusement. "I didn't mean that," Draco said honestly. "It was habit."

Ginny only shook her head and laughed. She then gave him a kiss to show she knew he didn't mean it. "Good morning, everyone," Harry greeted as he and Hermione sat down.

There was a chorus of greetings from Ginny, Ron, and Draco. "So, what did we miss?" Hermione asked.

"Nothing, believe me. Only Ron and Draco going at each other's throats," Ginny answered with a roll of her eyes.

"Again? I thought they were going to behave," Harry commented. Ginny shook her head. "They had a civil conversation the other day, but Draco told me he prefers fighting," she informed them.

"And I agree," Ron added.

"They can be so childish sometimes," Hermione said, chuckling.

"Can't argue with you there," Ginny replied.

"Hey," Draco protested, his voice laced with mock hurt. "I'm offended that you would say something like that about me.

"Ginny rolled her eyes and ignored him. He made a sulky `hmph' before turning back to his breakfast. "Oh, stop sulking," she berated. "You look too sexy with that pout on your face. If you keep doing that, I might just have to ravish you on the spot, and I don't think Ron or anyone else for that matter would appreciate that very much." The last part was whispered seductively in his ear.

Draco's eyebrows rose, and if he would have had pumpkin juice in him mouth, he would have spit it out. "Well, I have to get to class," Ginny announced. "Good bye, everyone.

"In actuality, she had plenty of time to get to class, but she thought that she'd just leave Draco there, looking shocked. That was her plan anyway. Draco, however, had different plans. "Gin, you have almost half an hour to get to class. Why don't you stay a few more minutes?" he asked, grabbing her arm. "Yeah, come one, Ginny don't leave yet," Ron said.

Ginny sighed and sat back down, resigned. "You ruined all my fun," she complained quietly to Draco.

He turned and smirked at her. "Who? Me?" he asked innocently.

Ginny rolled her eyes and then turned back to Harry, Hermione, and Ron. "You never explained what you need my map for," Harry informed Draco and Ginny.

"Oh. Didn't we? Well, we needed it to find Pansy Parkinson because she was going to send an owl to Lucius to tell him that Draco and I are dating," Ginny explained.

"Did you find her in time to stop her?" Hermione asked.

"No. By the time we found her she'd already sent it," Draco replied.

"When is he getting home?" Harry questioned.

"Today," Draco answered miserably. "He'll be ready to kill when he sees that owl. I can't wait to see his owl or, more likely, hear that Howler. Well, I better be getting to class. Want me to walk you, Ginny?"

"Yeah," Ginny replied, standing up and following Draco out of the Great Hall. "We've got rough times ahead, don't we?"

"Oh yeah, but don't worry I'll make sure he doesn't hurt you," Draco assured her.

"I know you will. Well, this is my class, I'll see you later," Ginny bid him farewell, kissing him on the cheek.

"Bye," Draco called as he made his way to his first class.

*~*~*~*

Later that day, after classes, Draco walked back to his dormitory, hoping there was nothing from his father. He was disappointed when he arrived. Lucius had definitely been trying to contact him. There were ashes all over the floor by his bed. It was a telltale sign that there had been Howlers delivered, and no one had been around to open them. Draco groaned and flopped gracefully back on to his bed.

Judging by the amount of ashes, Lucius had sent a Howler about every half hour since he got back to Malfoy Manor. That was what made Draco the most nervous. Lucius never wasted time contacting his son unless he was really angry or it was really important. And he'd obviously been wasting a lot of time today.

Draco decided that he didn't want to be around when the next one came. He knew it was stupid. He would have to face Lucius sooner or later. He preferred later. Draco exited the Slytherin Common Room and headed towards Gryffindor Tower. Hesitating for only a minute, he told the Fat Lady the password.

Draco entered the Gryffindor Common Room and was met with curious glances and outraged glares. He looked around the room a little uncomfortably until he spotted Harry, Ron, and Hermione studying in a corner. He walked over to them preparing to ask them where Ginny was. "How did you get in here?" Ron demanded hotly.

"The same way you do, weasel," Draco sneered cruelly. "I mean, I know you were thick, but I didn't think you were that thick."

"Shut up you stupid ferret," Ron shot back.

Draco ignored him and asked, "Have any of you seen Ginny?" "Yeah. She's up in her dormitory. I'll get her for you if you like," Hermione offered.

"Could you? Thanks," Draco replied.

Hermione got up and walked away. "I was hoping you'd try to go find Ginny yourself," Ron said bitterly.

"Why?" Draco asked.

"Because, as Ron learned in fifth year, when a boy tries to go up to the girls' dormitories the stairs prevent them from doing so," Harry explained.

"What happens?" Draco replied, intrigued.

"Well, the stairs turn into a slide so you can't get up, and a loud alarm goes off. I wouldn't suggest trying," Harry advised.

By this time, Hermione had returned with Ginny in tow. The former looked concerned, but when Draco saw the latter, his heart broke. Ginny looked terrible. Her face was tear stained and flushed, and her hair was tangled into a huge mess. As soon as she saw Draco, she burst into tears again, launching herself into his arms. "Shh. It's okay. Shh. Everything will be fine," Draco soothed quietly, rubbing her back and patting her hair. "What's wrong?"

"Lucius sent me a Howler," she choked out between sobs and started crying harder.

"He sent you something too?" Draco sputtered in surprise. "What did he say?"

Ginny didn't answer at first, she couldn't, she was crying too hard. When she was finally composed enough to answer, she replied, "he said that if I knew what was good for me, I'd stay away from you. He threatened to kill me, just like he killed Christina because I was in the way. He said that I was an obstacle in your path to becoming a Death Eater and that all obstacles had to be removed. That's not the worst, though." She began to cry again, and Draco began to whisper comforting words in her ear.

"What was the worst part?" he asked gently.

"He said that if I continued to be an obstacle, he would have to kill you for not being a Death Eater, and he said it would be all my fault for standing in the way. He then added that it would be my fault if I weren't dead yet. Oh, Draco, I'm scared." she sniffed. She knew what Lucius Malfoy was capable of.

"I know you are. So am I, and I'm beginning to think that I should just become a Death Eater to get him off my back," Draco said, sounding resigned.

"No, Draco, you can't do that!" she exclaimed in alarm. "You can't just give in! You can't!"

"Why not? If it weren't for the fact that I won't be a Death Eater he wouldn't care who I dated! He probably wouldn't have even read Pansy's owl. He would have been too busy with Voldemort, and once I become a Death Eater he'll probably turn a blind eye to my faults," Draco snapped coldly. "You can't run my life anymore than my father can."

"I'm not trying to run your life, Draco. I'm trying to save it!" Ginny yelled, obviously hurt by his words, and she then turned on her heel and stomped to her room.

Draco watched her go, glaring at her, before he turned around and sauntered out in a billow of robes.

*~*~*~*

An hour later, Draco was laying on his bed, seriously regretting how he'd handled Ginny. He wished he hadn't been so cold with her, but he was stressed and upset. He'd been stupid, and now he was paying for it. Within five minutes of his arrival hack to his dormitory, he'd received a Howler from Lucius. He had obviously charmed it so he would know when Draco had finally received one in person because they stopped coming after that. Lucius had yelled about how he would regret refusing to become a Death Eater, and how he would kill Ginny for getting the way. He also said it would be Draco's fault. He said pretty much the same as he had in Ginny's. He also told Draco that he had until the end of next month to give in and become a Death Eater. Draco sighed. He was in deep trouble, and there was virtually nothing he could do about it. He jumped up suddenly and went in search of Ginny. It would make him feel at least a little better after he'd apologized. He decided to check Gryffindor Tower first.

When Draco entered, he spotted the Trio almost instantly. They were huddled in the same corner as they had been before, but there was something definitely wrong. Hermione was crying on Harry's shoulder who was trying his best to comfort her, but he looked extremely worried. Ron looked like he was on the verge of tears also, and somehow, Draco wasn't sure how, but he knew that something was wrong with Ginny. Maybe it was the fact that she was no where in sight or the fact that Ginny's friend, Shannon, was looking worried too. Or maybe it was just instinct, but whatever it was he knew with all of his heart that it was true. "What's wrong?" he asked them urgently.

The other four paused uncertainly for a minute before Shannon handed him a piece of parchment mutely.

Dear friends and family,

I just wanted to inform you all that I've run away to take up an offer by Lucius Malfoy. You probably won't understand, but it's for the best. I'll be fine, don't worry. I love you all. Please, don't tell Draco what I've done, but tell him I'm sorry and that I forgive him. I'll be back soon. Also, please don't tell Mum and Dad, they'll only worry. See you all soon.

Love, Ginny

When Draco had finished reading the parchment, he looked around with wide, questioning eyes. "I found it on her bed," Shannon said wearily.

Draco stared at them for another minute and then turned on his heel and ran back to his room. When he arrived there, he grabbed some Floo Powder and went into the Common Room. He stepped into the fire and threw the powder in, yelling, "Malfoy Manor." he felt the familiar dizziness come and then go as he arrived at his childhood home.

"Father!" he called angrily. "Father, where are you?"

"Why, right here, Draco," Lucius replied silkily, stepping out of the shadows.

"What did you offer her?" Draco screamed at his father. "Where is she?""I don't know what you're talking about," Lucius said smoothly.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about," Draco snarled, glaring at his father.

"Where's Ginny?"

"You mean your little slut of a girlfriend?" Lucius asked, smirking.

"She's not a slut, now where is she?" Draco demanded.

"Oh, by now, she's probably proving herself worthy to the Dark Lord," Lucius said, laughing humorlessly.

"What?" Draco sputtered, going completely pale.

"Didn't she tell you? She's decided to become a Death Eater," Lucius informed his son, his eyes glinting maniacally. "She realized the only way for you to stay away from being a Death Eater was for her to take your place. The Dark Lord's getting at least one of you to join his ranks. He doesn't necessarily care which."

"She's going to become a Death Eater?" Draco repeated dumbly.

"Yes. If you ask me, she's too painfully loyal to you. All the things she'll have to endure for the likes of you. Torture, physical and-" Lucius began evilly.

"Where is she?" Draco cut him off. "Tell me, now."

"You think intimidating me is going to work?" Lucius asked, clearly amused at the prospect.

"Please. I'll do anything. Just take me to her," Draco pleaded.

"Anything? Very well, follow me," Lucius commanded. "I'll let the Dark Lord decide what to do with you."

Draco obeyed quickly and followed Lucius. He hoped Ginny knew what she was doing. He hoped she was just bluffing or something, anything to keep her from actually getting the Dark Mark.

They soon arrived in front of a stone door, similar to the one that Draco had been kept behind before he'd escaped to the Weasleys'. Lucius opened the door with an incantation that Draco didn't hear. When they entered, Draco's breath caught in his throat. Holding back a gasp, he surveyed Ginny. She looked miserable and helpless. She had bruises and marks or various curses all over her body. She looked exhausted.

"Lucius, what is it?" Voldemort hissed.

Lucius bowed and answered humbly, "The boy said he would do anything if I took him to see the girl."

"Very well, come, Draco," Voldemort said, his voice chilling Draco to the bone. "You may talk with the girl.

"Draco kneeled next to where Ginny lay on the ground, barely conscious. "Ginny, what were you thinking?" he asked softly. "You're going to get yourself killed.""He said I could become a Death Eater in your place, and then he wouldn't harm either of us," Ginny answered.

"Ginny. Haven't you learned? Lucius doesn't keep promises and he's never honest. It isn't like you to be so rash. I told you I wouldn't let him hurt you. Don't you trust me?" Draco whispered.

"I do trust you. I know you wouldn't let him hurt me. That's what I'm worried about. You'd probably put yourself in danger just to save me. I don't want to lost you, Draco," Ginny replied sadly.

"You won't lose me," Draco promised.

"You don't know that! Something could happen! I realize now that it was stupid, but it seemed like the right thing to do when he made the offer," Ginny explained.

"If you let Ginny come back to Hogwarts with me, I promise to become a Death Eater at the end of next month. If, for some reason, I go back on my promise, you can begin take your original course of action," Draco bargained with his father and the Dark Lord.

"That sounds like a good plan. Don't you thing so, Lucius? Even if he does back out on his promise, he'll become a Death Eater eventually, that is, if he values his and his girlfriend's lives at all," Voldemort sneered coldly.

"Whatever you say, my Lord," Lucius agreed, bowing once again.

"Very well, you may go back to Hogwarts," Voldemort dismissed them. "But I will warn you that if you even think of running away or going into hiding, squash the thought immediately. I will be watching both of you.

"Sighing in relief, Draco picked up Ginny, who was too weak to walk, and carried her to a fireplace. "Slytherin Common Room," he stated his destination clearly, still holding Ginny.

When they arrived in Draco's Common room, Draco carried Ginny up to his room. He laid her on his bed and inspected her. She was beat up, and badly. "What happened there, Ginny?" he asked, trying to heal as many of her wounds as possible.

"I got there, and Lucius was there, almost as if he was waiting for me. He asked me a few questions and then took me to see Voldemort. As soon as I saw his red eyes and horribly misshapen face, I knew I had made a mistake. I couldn't back out then, though, so I just went along with it. He started shooting all kinds of curses at me, most of them I didn't know, probably Dark Magic. He said he was testing my strength and my ability to block certain curses. He wasn't exactly impressed with my curse blocking skills, but he was impressed by how long I had stayed conscious and standing. He said my strength and endurance were good qualities for a Death Eater. That was about when you arrived," Ginny explained mournfully.

"Oh, Gin," Draco muttered sympathetically. He kissed her soundly on the lips, trying to get the mournful note out of her voice. "You should have talked to someone before you left."

"I know," Ginny said sadly before bursting into tears and wrapping her arms around Draco's neck. He responded by moving his arms around her to stroke her back. "I'm sorry. I was so stupid."

"I'm just glad they let us go. I figured they would have kept us hostage," Draco commented.

"Maybe they didn't want to attract Dumbledore," Ginny suggested.

"Maybe," Draco agreed, not convinced. "Or maybe they just have something so gruesome planned that they want me to refuse to become a Death Eater so they can go through with their modes of torture."

"Do you think we should talk to Dumbledore about this?" Ginny asked.

"What could he do? It's not as if he could stop my father from killing us," Draco argued.

"Yeah, but maybe he could help us escape or something," Ginny pointed out.

Draco shook his head. "They're watching us, remember?" Draco reminded her.

"We're screwed, aren't we?" Ginny stated.

"Yep," Draco replied bluntly. "but we might as well make good use of the next month and a half, starting right now." he then leaned in and kissed her on the mouth, his tongue almost immediately darting out to run over he bottom lip. She automatically complied, opening her mouth under his, letting his tongue stroke hers. She moaned and pulled him down on top of her.

They kissed like that for a few minutes before Draco pulled away to kiss her neck. Ginny sighed in pleasure, but sat up suddenly. "What's wrong?" he asked, still kissing her neck and flicking out his tongue to taste her skin.

"My brother and all of the other Gryffindors don't know I'm back," Ginny replied.

"And your point is?" Draco questioned.

"They're worrying, I have to tell them I'm back," she told him.

"Ginny," he whined. He had finally started to get his mind away from what had happened earlier and what was to happen in the future. Then she had to go and remind him.

"I have to Draco," she said apologetically.

"Alright, fine,' he relented. "But let me come with you."

"Okay," Ginny agreed, following Draco out of his dormitory. "How did you know I ran away, anyway?"

"I went looking for you to apologize earlier. When I got there, the Trio and your friend, Shannon, were all looking like someone had just died. Somehow, I knew something was wrong with you. They showed me your letter. I'm sorry, by the way," he added as an afterthought.

"I know you are. I already forgave you in the letter. They weren't supposed to show you that or tell that I was gone," Ginny replied.

"Well, I was worried, so they must have figured they had to," Draco defended them, not sure exactly why he was defending them in the first place. "I guess," Ginny mumbled. "I'm glad they told you, though. Otherwise, I'd probably be getting the Dark Mark right about now.

"At this point, they had arrived at the Portrait Hole. Ginny gave the Fat Lady the password, and Draco entered, Ginny following close behind. Hermione, Harry, Ron, and Shannon were in the same spots they had been when Draco had come earlier, and they still looked as distressed. "Hey, guys," Draco called cheerfully. "Look what I found.

"Four heads snapped up to look at Draco as Ginny stepped out from behind him. In seconds, she was smothered in hugs and questions. "Are you alright?"

“What were you thinking?"

"Where were you?"

"What happened?"

"If everyone will shut up, I will tell you everything," Ginny announced, quieting everyone. She then told them all about Lucius's proposal, and how Draco had come and rescued her.

"Ginny? Why on earth would you want to be a Death Eater?" Ron exclaimed in shock.

"So Draco wouldn't have to be," Ginny replied quietly. "I realize now that it was stupid, so please, please, please just leave me alone."

"As long as you're fine now. Do you need to go to the Hospital Wing?" Ron asked in concern.

Ginny shook her head. "I don't think so, Draco did a pretty good job of healing my wounds. Besides, Madame Pomphrey would probably ask too many questions," Ginny answered.

"Are you sure? You don't look very good, Ginny," Hermione said wearily.

"I'm fine. Believe me, you didn't see me before, I'm much better than before," Ginny assured.

"She's a lot better than before," Draco confirmed, trying to convince them she was fine. "If you're worried about her, I'll give her a Pepper Up Potion when we get back to my room."

"You have a Pepper Up Potion in your room?" Hermione repeated in surprise.

"Yeah. I always have some made, just in case," Draco replied. "Well, you ready to go back now?"

Ginny nodded. "I'll see all of you later," she said, giving them each one last hug. "Don't do anything you'll regret," Ron warned as he pulled out of her embrace.

"I know, Ron," Ginny assured him before turning and grabbing Draco's hand. She then proceeded to pull him out of Gryffindor Tower.

*~*~*~*

Three hours later, Draco sat on his bed watching Ginny sleep. She looked so peaceful, he didn't want to disturb her. She had been through a lot today, and she deserved to have a good night's rest. Looking at her sleeping form, Draco resolved that he would keep her like that as long as he could. He resolved that he would not let his father hurt her in anyway that could break that peace.

Looking once more at Ginny's sleeping body on his bed, Draco turned away. He stood up and began getting ready for bed. When he had completed his nighttime rituals, he turned off the light and slid silently into bed next to Ginny. "I love you," he whispered softly before falling asleep. "And I won't let anyone or anything hurt you."

A/N: Sorry I've been so slow with updates but my beta hasn't been checking her e-mail very often and I was at cheerleading camp last week and didn't have internet access. Anyway, I'll try to be faster. Please review!

-->

18. Chapter 17

Disclaimer: I do not own anything, it all belongs to J.K. Rowling!

A/N: Thank you to my beta, Aliya.

Chapter 17

The next morning, Ginny woke up and stretched a little. She smiled, feeling that she had gotten a full night's sleep. She wasn't the least bit tired. Her smile faded, however, when she opened her eyes, and she barely stifled a scream. She was not in her bed. Looking around wildly, she spotted Draco on the bed, his back towards her, and sighed in relief. She was in the Slytherin dormitories. When she noticed the irony, she almost laughed out loud. A Gryffindor was relieved that she was in a Slytherin dormitory. I must have fallen asleep, she thought, glancing at the clock. It was seven o'clock, time to get up.
Ginny turned to Draco's sleeping form and smiled. She reached out a hand and shook his shoulder, calling, "Draco. Come on, Draco. Wake up." He didn't budge, so she leaned forward and started tracing his ear with her tongue. That woke him up.
He looked around, clearly confused, until he spotted Ginny. "Good morning," Draco greeted with a kiss.
"Morning. Sorry about falling asleep, you could have woken me up," Ginny apologized.
"You looked too peaceful; I didn't want to disturb you. Besides, I like going to bed next to you and waking up with you here. It's really not an inconvenience at all," Draco assured with a smile.
"As much as I'd love to stay here with you, I have to go get ready for classes. I also have to convince my nagging, overprotective brother that I fell asleep, and you didn't want to wake me. That could take awhile so I'll see you at breakfast, okay?" Ginny said.
Draco nodded and watched as she walked away. "Oh, wait. Are you okay?" he asked.
Ginny turned to face him again. "Yeah, I'm fine. That Pepper Up Potion you gave me helped a lot. Thanks," she replied.
Satisfied with this answer, Draco blew her a kiss, and she returned it before turning to leave. Ginny walked through the dark, cool dungeons. It was always a little creepy down there, but this morning with no one around, it was downright eerie. She hurried out of the dungeons and through the many other corridors to get to Gryffindor Tower.
Upon arriving at her destination, Ginny gave the password and entered the Common Room. Sure enough, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were all there, waiting for her. "Where have you been?" Ron demanded.
"Draco's room," Ginny replied, getting a feeling of deja vu. Why did she always have to explain everything to him? "You knew that”."
"But you said you'd be back," Ron reminded her.
"I'm sorry, I fell asleep, and Draco didn't want to wake me up to move me. So, instead, he just let me stay there. He knew I had a hard day yesterday, and I needed as much sleep as I could get. Nothing happened," Ginny stressed the last sentence.
"How are you feeling?" Hermione cut in before Ron could respond.
"I'm a lot better, thank you for asking, unlike my brother. Now, if you don't mind, I have to get ready for class," Ginny announced before turning on her heel and stalking to her dormitory.
She quickly got ready for the day, and when she returned to the Common Room, her brother and friends were still there. "Look Gin, I'm sorry, but I worry about you," Ron apologized when he spotted her.
"I know, but could you ask me about these things before you go all overprotective big brother on me?" she asked.
"Yeah, I promise to get the whole truth before jumping to conclusions," Ron replied.
"Thanks. Now, I have to meet Draco for breakfast. I'll see you later," she said cheerfully, giving Ron a hug and a kiss on the cheek before exiting the Common Room.
"See, apologizing pays off," Hermione said.
"Yeah, I got a kiss on the cheek. What a great reward," Ron replied sarcastically, before, he too, exited the Common Room, Harry and Hermione in tow.

*~*~*~*

Breakfast went by without incident. Draco and Ginny opted to sit at the Gryffindor table when Blaise informed them that the Slytherins' main topic of discussion was how Ginny had come out of Draco's room again that morning.
It was Ginny's first class that caused problems. She had Charms first, one of her favorite classes. The problem wasn't the class itself because, quite frankly, Ginny didn't know what it was about. About five minutes into it, Pansy Parkinson entered. "Yes?" Professor Flitwick asked.
"The Headmaster requests to see Ginny Weasley in his office," Pansy announced. Ginny looked at her suspiciously for a moment, wondering how she knew, when she remembered that Pansy was a prefect.
"You may go, Miss Weasley," Flitwick dismissed her.
Ginny stood up and followed Pansy out of the room. "I trust you know where his office is. The password is `Reese's Pieces'," Pansy told her importantly.
"I know what the password is, you dolt, I'm a prefect too," Ginny snapped in reply.
"Whatever," Pansy said before turning to walk away. After she'd walked a few steps, she turned back. "By the way, that's five points from Gryffindor."
"Whatever for?" Ginny sputtered, aghast.
"For calling me a dolt. What are you, daft or something?" Pansy sneered.
"That'll be five points from Slytherin," Ginny shot back.
"What?" Pansy shrieked and, boy, could that girl shriek. It was so shrill that it almost made Ginny wince.
"For speaking disrespectfully to a prefect," Ginny explained.
"Fine," Pansy huffed, walking towards, what Ginny presumed was, her next class.
Ginny walked quickly to the Headmaster's office, not wanting to keep him waiting any longer than she already had. When she arrived at the gargoyles, she uttered the password, and the gargoyles sprang apart, revealing a long, spiral staircase. Ginny ascended the stairs and knocked on the Headmaster's door. A faint "come in" was heard from inside.
Ginny opened the door cautiously and peered in. Dumbledore was sitting behind his desk, his usual half-moon spectacles perched on his nose. "Please, sit down, Miss Weasley," Dumbledore requested, motioning to a chair in front of his desk. She entered the room and obeyed quickly, sitting in the chair he had indicated.
"You wanted to see me, Headmaster?" Ginny began meekly. She didn't like getting in trouble.
"That is correct. I was informed by a few students that you were seen coming out of Mr. Malfoy's dormitory in the morning on two different occasions," Dumbledore told her calmly. "Is this true?"
Ginny didn't answer at first. She didn't know how she could answer without making it sound wrong. "Yes," she mumbled truthfully.
"Are you aware that you are not allowed out of your Common Room after ten p.m.?" Dumbledore asked, even though he knew the answer.
"Yes," Ginny mumbled again.
"And are you aware that you are not allowed to stay in someone else's dormitory for the night without special permission from your Head of House or myself?" Dumbledore inquired, once again knowing the answer.
"Yes," Ginny answered.
"Then, why, Miss Weasley, were you in Mr. Malfoy's dormitory after curfew and staying the night there?" Dumbledore questioned.
Ginny took a deep breath and quietly explained why she had been in Draco's dormitory this morning and the time a few days ago. When she had finished, Dumbledore gazed at her for a minute, not saying anything. "I'm telling the truth, honest," she added, slightly unnerved by his gaze.
"I believe you, Miss Weasley," Dumbledore assured. "I suspected that the students didn't have the whole story. Thank you for clearing that up for me."
"You're not going to punish me?" Ginny exclaimed in surprise.
"No, Miss Weasley. Just don't do it again," Dumbledore replied, his eyes twinkling. "You may go now."
Ginny stood up and bid the Headmaster good bye. She exited the room and went back to her classes. She would tell Draco what had happened during lunch, it was quite obviously Pansy's doing, and he wouldn't be happy.
*~*~*~*
Draco sat at the Slytherin table at lunch, waiting for Ginny. She soon entered through the massive doors, scanning the room. She soon spotted Draco and went over to him. He gave her a kiss as she sat down. "Where were you? Classes got out ten minutes ago," Draco asked.
"I had to find out what the Charms assignment was," Ginny answered.
"Why?" Draco asked, confused.
"Because I was in Dumbledore's office when the homework was assigned. I missed my whole Charms class, as a matter or fact," Ginny replied.
"You were in Dumbledore's office?" Draco repeated. "Why?"
"Your girlfriend and her little cronies told him they saw me coming out of you room this morning. They told him about the last time I was in your room too," Ginny explained.
"She's not my girlfriend," Draco scowled.
"I know that, but she doesn't," Ginny replied.
"Whatever. Did you get in trouble?" Draco asked, hoping she hadn't.
"No. He just told me not to do it again," Ginny informed him.
"Good," he answered. "But I can't believe she had the nerve to rat on us after what I told her."
"She knows you can't do anything about it without getting in trouble. You know, she actually took points off of Gryffindor because I called her a dolt," Ginny told him.
Draco rolled his eyes. "I thought I told her to stay away from you," he growled.
"She was the one who came to tell me that Dumbledore wanted to see me,” Ginny said. "Then I took five points off of Slytherin because she was being disrespectful to a prefect."
"Hey," Draco replied indignantly. "I'm in Slytherin."
Ginny laughed at his reaction. "Well, we're even now anyway. Both houses lost five points," she pointed out. "Plus, Slytherin doesn't have a chance."
"Gryffindor is only ten points ahead," Draco informed her truthfully.
"What/" Ginny exclaimed. Last time she'd checked, Gryffindor had been way ahead.
"Your brother and Longbottom's potion exploded in Potions. It got all over everything. It was a good thing it was harmless, but Snape was in a bad mood already. He took fifty points off for each of them. I cleaned it up with a simple cleaning spell, and Snape awarded Slytherin one hundred points," Draco explained.
"Well, at least someone benefited from it," Ginny said sourly.
"Oh, come on, Gin. Gryffindor is going to win the Quidditch Cup. Let Slytherin win the House Cup. Besides, Gryffindor always wins the House Cup," Draco tried to cheer her up.
"That's true. We will win the Quidditch Cup. Our only competition was Slytherin, but your new Seeker sucks," Ginny agreed.
Draco winced. "Don't remind me. I should never have quit the team," he said wistfully.
"Don't worry, you can rejoin next year. The new Seeker is a seventh year," Ginny consoled.
"I guess," Draco sighed. His decision to quit the Quidditch Team had been made impulsively when he was upset over Christina. He wished he'd thought it through instead of acting on impulse.
Ginny glanced at her watch and gasped. "I'll see you later, okay? I got to get to class. Bye," Ginny replied, kissing him. "Everything will be alright."
"I know it will. See you," Draco said.

*~*~*~*

The rest of the week passed without incident. Ginny made it a point to stay away from Draco's dormitory. She didn't want to give Pansy a reason to talk to Dumbledore again.
Today was Saturday, and there was a Gryffindor versus Ravenclaw Quidditch match. Ginny went to breakfast, but didn't eat much, as she never did before a Quidditch game. When she had arrived at breakfast, Draco hadn't been there. As a matter of fact, he still wasn't there. Only a little worried, Ginny got up and went to look for him. Before she could get out of the Great Hall, however, Harry stopped her. "Come on, Ginny, we've got to get ready for the game," he told her.
Ginny was about to protest, but decided against it. He was probably still sleeping. He'd promised to come to her game, but it didn't start for another forty five minutes. He's fine, she assured herself, before following Harry out of the Hall. There's nothing wrong with him. For some reason, though, she couldn't bring herself to believe it.

*~*~*~*

Forty five minutes later, the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw Quidditch teams were in the air as the Quaffle, Snitch, and Bludgers were released. Ginny scanned the crowd for Draco. She didn't see him, but that didn't mean anything. She was pretty far away, and she had scanned quickly because she had to play the game. Colin passed her the Quaffle, and she passed it back. The three Chasers tossed the Quaffle between them before Dean shot it and scored.
An hour passed and there were no sightings of the Snitch. The score was 150 to 100, Gryffindor in the lead. Whatever chance she got, Ginny would scan the crowd, looking for Draco. She never spotted him. He's there, she told herself constantly, you just didn't see him. Every time she thought it, she felt the doubt once more course through her veins. Ginny would then turn her attention back to the game, trying to shake the feeling of dread in the pit of her stomach.
Dean scored another goal, putting Gryffindor even farther in the lead. If they beat Ravenclaw, they would be in the match for the Quidditch Cup against Slytherin. Despite their new Seeker's skills, or lack there of, the Slytherin team still managed to beat Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. Their Chasers were good, and they put Slytherin far enough ahead so that it didn't matter who caught the Snitch.
Ginny was snapped out of her thoughts by loud cheering from the stands. She saw Harry and Cho Chang, the Ravenclaw Seeker, racing towards the Snitch. Harry was pretty far ahead, but that wasn't unusual. No one could beat Harry Potter in Quidditch under normal conditions. Except Draco, a voice in the back of her mind reminded her. Ginny smiled at the thought, but it slowly faded when she remembered she didn't know where he was.
Suddenly a loud cheer erupted from the Gryffindor stands. Harry had caught the Snitch. The game ended with a score of 100 to 310 to Gryffindor. Ginny landed her broom and went to congratulate Harry. Once she'd talked to Harry she went in search of Draco. She scanned the crowd, but didn't see Draco's platinum blonde head. She scanned for a second time, but still didn't see him.
Ginny, starting to feel acutely worried, went back to where Harry, Ron, and Hermione were standing. "Have you guys seen Draco?" she asked.
Hermione shook her head in response. "No, I haven't seen him all day. He wasn't at breakfast, was he?" she replied.
"No, he wasn't, I haven't seen him since last night at diner," Ginny told her, getting more worried.
Scanning the crowd again, she tried to see if she could spot Pansy. Ginny had a sinking feeling when she didn't spot Pansy. She probably had something to do with Draco's sudden disappearance. She needed someone, anyone, to tell her that they'd seen Draco sometime that day. Looking around wildly, she spotted Draco's cousin, Blaise.
"Blaise," she called.
He turned and started walking towards her. "What's up, Ginny?" he asked.
"Have you seen Draco?" was her only response.
"Draco? Uh, yeah," he began, and her eyes lit up. "He was talking to Pansy this morning. We were going to go to breakfast and then to your game, but Pansy stopped him. He told me that he'd catch up with me, but he never did." Blaise shrugged. "I thought he just sat somewhere else. You haven't seen him?"
"No, I haven't, but I had a feeling Pansy had something to do with him being gone. When he was talking to Pansy, were they being civil or were they yelling?" Ginny questioned.
"I don't know. I got out of there before they started yelling," Blaise answered. "Here, come with me. We can go see if he's in the Slytherin Common Room. He's probably fine."
"Thanks, Blaise," she said gratefully.
They headed back towards the castle. When they arrived at the entrance to the Slytherin Common Room, Blaise uttered the password, and they entered. What they found was Draco, lying unconscious on the floor, marks of a Knockback Jinx on his arm. His head was up against a wall, looking as if he had been hit with the hex and hit his head on he wall, knocking him unconscious.
Ginny let out a strangled cry and rushed to where Draco lay. "Ennerverate," she said as steadily as she could.
A moment later, Draco's eyes fluttered open. Ginny let out a squeal of delight and launched herself on top of him, kissing him passionately. When she pulled away she asked, "What happened?"
Draco looked at her blankly for a minute before seeming to come to all the way. He replied, "I was walking down to breakfast with Blaise, when Pansy stopped me. She started kissing me, so I shot a Knockback Jinx on her to get her off, she had her arms locked around my neck so I couldn't push her off. Anyway, she must have figured that I'd use my wand because she cast a Shield Charm. My hex rebounded off her shield and hit me. I flew back into the wall, hit my head on it, and was knocked unconscious."
"What is her problem? Doesn't she realize she's never going to win you over?" Ginny snapped, a little more irritably than was necessary. She knew it was stupid, but every time Pansy hit on Draco, she got a pang of jealousy. She always waited with bated breath to make sure that he didn't respond positively.
"I think Lucius put her up to it. She didn't seem very happy about doing it. She also apologized before she did it. He probably threatened her and paid her," Draco told her.
"Did he really think it would break us up?" Ginny asked disbelievingly.
"He's willing to try anything. He knows that Pansy likes me, and he knows that she's lined up to be a Death Eater. He thinks that she could convince me to become one too," Draco replied with a sigh. "I wish he'd just stop and let me live my own life."
"He will eventually," Ginny assured optimistically.
Draco shrugged. "Maybe, but right now I don't really care. My head feels like it's been hit with a ton of bricks again and again and again," he moaned.
"Want me to take you to the Hospital Wing?" Ginny asked.
Draco nodded and slowly stood up. He took a few steps before stumbling over to grab onto a chair. "Are you okay?" Ginny asked in concern.
"Yeah, just a little dizzy," he replied, brushing away her concern.
"Are you going to be able to walk to the Hospital Wing?" Ginny inquired.
Draco nodded and stood up straight again. He followed her out of the Common Room and towards the Infirmary.

*~*~*~*

When they arrived in the Hospital Wing, Madame Pomfrey rushed over to them, demanding to know what had happened. Ginny retold Draco's story as the medi-witch checked him for any wounds or lasting damage.
When Madame Pomfrey had finished her analysis, she announced, "I see no lasting damage, no memory loss. There is a large bruise on your head, but I can easily heal that. I can also give you pain killing potions for you head."
"Is there anything you can do for the dizziness?" Draco asked.
"Yes, I can give you a potion for that too. I will also be informing the Headmaster of Miss Parkinson's actions," the Healer replied as she rushed off to get the potions. When she came back, she gave Draco two different goblets with potions in them. The first one wasn't pleasant, but it wasn't disgusting. The second, however, made Draco feel as if he was about to throw up.
"Try your best to drink all of it and keep it down. It will help with the dizziness immensely," Madame Pomfrey advised.
Draco finished it as quickly as he could, and he felt better almost instantly. "Is that better?" Ginny asked tenderly.
"Much," Draco replied, smiling at her.
She smiled back and gave him a hug. "You have no idea how worried I was, especially when I saw you lying unconscious on the floor," Ginny murmured against his chest.
"Yes, actually I think I do. Probably as worried as I was when I found out that you'd run off to my manor," Draco replied pointedly.
Ginny looked sheepish for a minute before saying, "I know that it was a mistake. No need to rub it in."
"Well, now we're even," Draco pointed out.
"That we are," she agreed before helping him up. They then exited the Hospital Wing, fingers laced together.

A/N: Don't forget to review! That's about all I have to say besides thanks to everyone who has reviewed in the past! You guys are awesome!

-->

19. Chapter 18

Disclaimer: I don't own any of this.

A/N: Thanks to my beta, Aliya.

Chapter 18

The rest of January and all of February flew by in the blink of an eye. Gryffindor went on to win the Quidditch Cup against Slytherin, and Pansy received detention for a month for jinxing another student unconscious. Draco and Ginny enjoyed their time of peace before Lucius decided to strike. They sat together at every meal and spent almost all of their free time together or IMing each other. A few more rumors about them flew around, but wre squashed before they reached their full potential.
It was already the second week in March, and Lucius had said that he would take action at the end of February. Draco became more nervous with every passing day, but that, of course, was the point. Lucius wanted to build up anxiety, maybe even lull them into a false sense of security. The latter seemed to be happening to Ginny, and Draco was worried about her. She was either really optimistic or she really believed that Lucius wasn't going to do anything. Draco knew that he would make his move eventually.

*~*~*~*

Two days later, Lucius made his first move. Draco got back from classes, and Lucifer was sitting on his bed, waiting for him. Draco took the letter off of the bird's leg, and then it flew away. It never stayed long.
The letter said:

Draco,
You have not complied with the Dark Lord's, and my, requests. We have even been generous to give you extra time, but now your time is up. I will have to take action. This is your last chance to comply. If you have decided to cooperate, tell me so in your reply, if not, then good riddance. If you don't cooperate, you will regret it. Well, I have warned you. Make the correct choice.
Sincerely,
Lucius Malfoy
P.S. The Weasley will be the first to go.

Draco glared at the letter. He knew it would come eventually, and here it was. Now all he could do was hope that he hadn't contacted Ginny too. He would tell her, but he wouldn't show her the letter. He would give her the softened version. Even if Ginny was a strong persona and a powerful witch, she could make some very impulsive decisions based on emotions.
He made his way quickly towards the Gryffindor Common Room. When he arrived, he found Ginny's friend, Shannon, and asked her where Ginny was. "Oh, she's in her room. I'll get her for you," Shannon answered, looking surprised at the tone of his voice. It was so much warmer than she would have thought him capable of.
"Thanks," Draco replied.
Shannon left Draco standing there as she rushed to get Ginny. A few minutes later, she reappeared, Ginny in tow. "Hi, Draco," she greeted cheerfully.
"Hey, Gin," he replied, kissing her on the top of the head. "Is there anywhere we could talk in private?"
"Yeah. Follow me," she answered.
Draco obeyed willingly as she led him to the Room of Requirement. "I didn't want to say where we were going. Ron is always bugging my friends to see if they knew where we are. He wants to make sure I don't do anything that `I'll regret,' " she explained as they entered.
Draco nodded in understanding as they sat down on one of the couches scattered around the room. "So, what did you want to talk to me about?" Ginny asked after awhile. Draco had been staring at her intently, and it was beginning to feel unnerving. He had been trying to determine if Lucius had sent her anything or not.
"I got a letter from my father today," he began.
Ginny gasped. That's not what she had expected. She wasn't sure what she had expected, but it hadn't been that. "What did he say?" she asked nervously, fearing the answer.
"That it's my last chance to cooperate. If I don't, they'll set their plan into action. I still don't know what they have in store for us," Draco answered, trying to break it to her gently. He put an arm around her waist and pulled her closer. "You didn't really believe that he was just bluffing, did you?"
He felt her shake her head that was currently resting on his shoulder. "No," she said sadly, her voice cracking slightly. "But I was hoping that he would just let it be." She sniffled.
"It's going to be fine," Draco whispered soothingly, but in his heart he knew that it might not be. He just hated seeing her cry, especially when it was his fault that she was crying in the first place. "I'm sorry."
"Whatever for?" Ginny asked in surprise.
"For dragging you into this thing with my father. I didn't mean to. If I would have known it was someone as wonderful as you that I was talking to online, I wouldn't have kept talking. I never wanted to fall in love with you. I knew it would only cause pain and heartache," Draco explained tearfully. He wasn't going to cry. He wasn't. Ginny needed comfort, not tears.
"I'm sorry that you feel that way. I thought our relationship was more than pain and heartache. That's why we didn't break up when Lucius first started threatening us. I guess I was wrong," Ginny replied bitterly.
Draco looked taken aback at her response and instantly was contrite. "I didn't mean it that way," he said helplessly.
"Then how did you mean it?" she asked coldly.
"I meant that I never wanted to cause you any pain," Draco tried again to explain desperately.
Ginny heard the desperation in his voice, and her face softened. "Hey, I'm sorry. I'm just stressed and upset about this, okay? We both are," she apologized.
"It's okay, but if we're going to get through this, we're going to have to stick together. Lucius is probably hoping that we'll fight about it and break up," Draco said.
Ginny nodded in agreement as she leaned into kiss him. They kissed for a few minutes before Ginny broke away. "When are you going to reply to your father's owl?" she asked pointedly.
"Right now," Draco replied, taking the hint. He picked up the quill and parchment that had magically appeared when the need arose. He dipped the quill into the ink that had also magically appeared and wrote one word on the parchment.
Never.
He signed it simply Draco. "Want to come to the Owlery with me to deliver this?" he asked Ginny.
She shrugged. "Sure," she said.
Draco smiled as he took her hand and led her out of the Room of Requirement.

*~*~*~*

After they had arrived at the Owlery and sent an owl off with the reply, it was already passed dinner. "I better be getting back," Ginny said regretfully. "Ron will start freaking if I don't."
"Alright, I'll walk you back," Draco replied, taking her hand.
Ginny nodded, and they left the Owlery. When they arrived at Gryffindor tower, Ginny gave Draco a kiss good-bye and entered. She was surprised to see when she entered that no one was waiting for her. Ron was almost always there, and when he wasn't, he had someone in his place.
Looking around the Common Room, there wasn't that many people at all. That's when she remembered that the Gryffindor, third year and up, had gotten permission from McGonagall and Dumbledore to go to Hogsmeade. It was to celebrate winning the Quidditch Cup. Mentally smacking herself, Ginny rushed out of the Tower and out the castle doors. She was relieved to see that there were still carriages there to go to the village in. Dumbledore had told them that he was putting an Age Line around the carriages so the younger students couldn't sneak in. Boarding a carriage, she prayed that her friends would still be there when she arrived, and that she would be able to find them. Granted, Hogsmeade wasn't all that big, but it was easy to miss them. Like they would come out of a store, and two minutes later, she would go in. Or, they would be ready to go already. We had to be back at the castle by nine because the younger students had an earlier curfew, and it would be easier to have everyone having to be back by the same time.
By this time, Ginny's carriage had arrived at her destination, and she got out. Deciding that her best bet was to go to the Three Broomsticks first. That's when she realized that she hadn't brought any money. Groaning in frustration, she went to look for her brother maybe he would have some money to lend her. As soon as she entered the pub she knew her brothers were there. Yep, that's right brothers. She saw three very drunk red-heads attempting to serenade an equally drunk Lavender Brown. It was a funny, but embarrassing sight. If it hadn't been her brothers, she would find it funnier. As she approached them, Ginny could see Harry and Hermione watching, totally sober, from a nearby table with amused expressions on their faces.
"Hey, Ginny," Harry greeted with a smile.
"Hi you guys," she responded happily.
"Where have you been?" Hermione asked, waggling her eyebrows suggestively.
"I was with Draco, and I forgot all about this trip," Ginny answered, ignoring Harry's smug smirk, as if he had known everything that she'd done with Draco. Not that they'd done anything all that exciting, but still, it was a little unnerving.
"How did they get so drunk?" she asked Harry and Hermione.
The twins must have heard her because they came over to answer. "It's our newest gag. It's our Drunk in a Drink butterbeer. It comes in Firewhiskey too. We also made Sobriety in a Sip, but it doesn't seem to work," George slurred through his drunken stupor. Both of the twins burst out laughing at the fact that their sobriety potion didn't work, and that they were now stuck drunk for awhile.
Ginny rolled her yes as she turned back to Harry and Hermione. "Why are the twins here?" she asked curiously.
"They were here setting up their new shop when they spotted us. They decided they wanted to try their new products, and Ron was all to happy help them. Especially because they gave him the Firewhisky kind and didn't tell him that it would get him drunk with one sip," Harry explained.
Ginny rolled her eyes. "And how did they rope Lavender into all of this?" she asked, shaking her head.
"Well, they switched her butterbeer with one of their gag ones," Hermione replied disapprovingly.
"They are going to get into trouble with the Ministry one of these days. How do they make that stuff anyway?" Ginny wondered aloud.
"They charm the bottles to fit more liquid than usual and add insane amounts of pure alcohol. I must say I'm impressed. They had to make sure that the drink didn't taste strange. They had to add the original drink, the butterbeer or the Firewhiskey, to make it taste the same, but they had to figure out how much alcohol they could add to a bottle of butterbeer or Firewhiskey before the taste changes. They really are quite clever," Hermione praised.
"Mum always told them if they applied themselves to school as much as they did to their pranks, they would be top of their class. She's right too. If they didn't have brains they would never be able to come up with the pranks or be able to actually make them," Ginny agreed. "Dumbledore probably won't be very happy with Ron and Lavender."
"I'm way ahead of you," Hermione replied. "I went and bought some real sobriety potion from the Apothecary."
Ginny smiled. Hermione was always one step ahead of the rest of the world, and sometimes it could be a curse or a blessing. Sometimes that trail could get on Ginny's nerves immensely, but other times, like this one, she was happy that Hermione always knew the best course of action.
An hour passed with Harry, Hermione, and Ginny making idle chit chat about various things. Ginny asked how Harry and Hermione's relationship was going, and they asked about her and Draco. Ginny had been half tempted to tell them about Lucius's letter, but thought better of it. She didn't want them to worry, and she was having a good time just catching up with them. It seemed like Ginny barely had time to talk with them anymore, she was so busy with Draco, and they didn't have much time either. They were busy with each other and Ron.
By this time, it was almost nine o'clock, and Harry went to drag Ron and Lavender back to Hogwarts. They walked back to where the carriages were waiting, and Hermione gave Ron and Lavender the sobriety potions. They were sober in seconds.
Ron, Lavender, Harry, Hermione, and Ginny all piled into one carriage. They were all silent for a few minutes before Lavender asked curiously, "so, I know you went to the ball with Draco Malfoy. Are you two still dating?"
"Yeah, we are," Ginny answered happily.
"I never would have thought that you would last this long. I'm impressed. How did you get together, anyway?" Lavender inquired.
"We met through an online chat room," Ginny replied simply. She didn't feel like explaining everything.
Lavender nodded. "So," she said impishly. "is he good in bed?"
Ginny blushed deeply as she stammered, "Well, uh, erm, we haven't, er, we haven't exactly done it yet."
Lavender looked taken aback. "You mean that you mean you're dating Draco Malfoy, the Slytherin hottie for almost three months, and you haven't had a go at him yet?" she demanded suspiciously.
"That's what I said," Ginny answered.
Lavender still looked skeptical, but didn't say anything. "I heard he's a really good kisser, is it true?" she asked.
Ginny smiled as she answered, "Oh, yeah. He is an incredible kisser." She giggled.
Lavender giggled along with her. "He certainly has a nice body, doesn't he?" Lavender mused.
"I can't argue with you there," Ginny replied. "He had the hardest abs I have ever seen. And his skin is so smooth."
"As much as I'm enjoying this, do we really have to hear every single detail of Malfoy's body?" Ron snapped in disgust.
"Sorry," Ginny apologized sheepishly. She was actually kind of glad Ron had stopped her. She'd probably sounded like some babbling idiot.
They rode the rest of the way back to the castle in silence. When they arrived, they all exited and slowly made their way toward Gryffindor Tower. They didn't have to rush, fifth, sixth, and seventh years' curfew wasn't until ten. They had a later curfew so that they could spend more time studying in the library, but not many students used it for that. Not until final exams began approaching at least.
They arrived at the portrait of the Fat Lady, and Lavender gave her the password. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Lavender stayed in the Common Room to play Exploding Snap. Well, Lavender, Ron, and Harry were playing, Hermione was reading. Ginny decided that she'd go up to her dormitory and write a letter to her parents. She hadn't seen them since Christmas and was beginning to miss them. That was her original plan at least. Her plans changed, however, when she saw her room.
All of Ginny's clothes were strew about the room. All of her books were ripped up and thrown onto the floor. All of her pictures of her friends and family were ripped up and scattered around the room like confetti. Her bed was a mess. One of the posts was cracked, and the canopy was torn. Wondering what on earth was going on, she walked over to her night stand. There was a picture of her ripped up into little pieces with a note next to it. She picked up the note and read it.

Weasley-
Stay away from Draco, or you will be worse off than your picture. I would advise you take heed to my warning. Christina didn't, and look what happened to her.
It wasn't signed, but Ginny knew right away who it was from. Lucius Malfoy. Scowling, she stepped over some of her clothes and exited the room. She would get Draco, and then they would go talk to Dumbledore. She didn't know how, but she was pretty sure he could help.
When she arrived at the entrance to the Slytherin dungeons, Ginny uttered the password and entered. Many of the Slytherins scowled or glared at her, others simply ignored her, but there was one in particular who glared more intensely than the rest. It was a sixth year girl. A prefect. It was Pansy Parkinson. Ginny knew that Pansy was willing her dead with her eyes, but she didn't care. Ginny was on a mission, and wasn't going to be easily deterred.
Pansy however wasn't aware of that. "What are you doing here, Weasley?" she sneered.
Ginny glared at her and tried to push past, but Pansy merely stepped in front of her again. "What do you want, Parkinson?" Ginny ground out.
"I want you to answer my question," Pansy answered.
"I'm here to see Draco," Ginny replied as calmly as she could. "Happy now?"
"You do realize that you only have twenty minutes until curfew," Pansy said.
"Yes, I realize that, now would you move?" Ginny snapped.
"Temper, temper," Pansy clucked her tongue in disapproval. "What does Draco see in you? Obnoxious orange hair, ugly freckles all over you face, a wretched temper." Pansy shook her head. "He must be going through some sort of odd faze."
Before Ginny had a chance to retort, Draco appeared at the top of the staircase leading to the dormitories. "Harassing my girlfriend again, Parkinson?" Draco drawled coldly.
Pansy visibly paled. "Of course not, Draco," she said sweetly.
"Really? What were you doing then?" Draco asked, narrowing his eyes.
"I was just telling her how lucky she was to be dating you, and that it didn't surprise me at all because she's so pretty," Pansy lied uneasily.
Draco raised his eyebrow skeptically, but didn't reply. Instead, he turned towards Ginny. "Are you here to see me?" he asked.
Ginny nodded and motioned for him to follow her out of the Slytherin Common Room. When they were outside, Ginny told Draco what happened with her room and showed him the note. "We have to go to Dumbledore for help," she said firmly.
"Ginny, we can't go to Dumbledore with this," Draco protested. "We have to deal with this ourselves. What could he do anyway?"
"Come on, Draco. I'm sure there's something he could do. He's one of the most powerful wizards of all time," Ginny argued.
"Just because he's powerful doesn't mean that he can help us," Draco retorted.
"We can't do this on our own. We need someone's help, and who better than Dumbledore?" Ginny pointed out. "Please, Draco."
Seeing the fear and desperation in her eyes, he relented. "Alright, fine," he agreed. He knew she was right. They did need someone's help. One of them wouldn't survive otherwise. Plus, Dumbledore had known what to do when Christina was attacked, even if Lucius found some way around his precautions.
They made their way to Dumbledore's office quickly. They didn't want to be caught by Filch or a teacher, even if they could say they were patrolling the halls for students out of bed. They were both Prefects, but it would take too long to explain. Time they didn't have. They had no idea when Lucius would strike again. It could be any time.
When they arrived in front of the gargoyles guarding Dumbledore's office, Draco gave the password, and they went up the stairs that were revealed. They soon arrived in front of the door that led to his office, and Ginny knocked on the door. A muffled beckon came from inside.
Draco and Ginny entered and sat down in front of Dumbledore's desk. "Is there something you wanted?" Dumbledore asked, eyes twinkling behind his half moon spectacles.
"Yes," Ginny began. "Lucius Malfoy is trying to kill me."
Dumbledore's eyes widened slightly at her bluntness. "Is this true?" he asked, looking directly at Draco.
He nodded. "He trashed Ginny's room and left a threatening note behind," Draco replied.
"Why would he want to kill Miss Weasley?" Dumbledore inquired. He was speaking to Draco once again.
"He wants me to become a Death Eater, but I refuse to be one. Now he's hurting anyone close to me to get me to agree," Draco explained. "That's pretty much only Ginny."
"You say you don't want to be a Death Eater?" Dumbledore repeated. At Draco's nod he continued, "A wise choice. You did the right thing by coming to me. I'll put up extra protection around the castle to keep strangers out. I want you to inform me if anything else happens. My protection will keep strangers out, but if Lucius is determined enough, he'll find a way in. If he begins physically abusing either of you while you're here, I may have to put you into hiding."
Both Draco and Ginny nodded in understanding. "Thank you, Headmaster," Ginny answered.
Dumbledore nodded in acknowledgment. "It is my job to protect my students, but you two, you two are special. Going against an age old feud that should have been put to an end years ago, and risking your lives to be together. That is very admirable of you both, and I will do everything in my power to make sure your efforts are not in vain. You may go, if that's all," he dismissed. "If anyone stops you in corridors, tell them you've come from seeing me."
They both nodded and began back down the spiraled staircase. "I told you he could help," Ginny boasted.
"Yes, so you were right. I'm glad I listened to you," Draco replied honestly.
Ginny smiled at him. "Now everything will be fine. Lucius won't be able to hurt us anymore, he won't kill me, you won't have to be a Death Eater, and we'll live happily ever after," she said.
"I don't quite think it will work that way," Draco answered uncertainly.
"And why not?" Ginny demanded.
"Because Lucius is determined for me to take his place when he dies or gets too old to do the job. Even Dumbledore said he couldn't promise anything. You have to stay alert," Draco warned.
"You worry too much," she replied, shaking her head.
"No, I'm being logical. Lucius is powerful, and he can do almost anything he sets his mind to, or at least give it his best shot. You have to be careful. I don't want anything to happen to you. Tell Dumbledore or me if you see anything suspicious or something else happens," Draco commanded. "Will you at least promise me that?"
"Alright, I promise," Ginny agreed. "on one condition. You're not going to go looking for trouble. You're not going to provoke your father, and you're not going to attack him unless he attacks you first."
"I promise," Draco consented hesitantly. "Well, this is where we part.
Ginny nodded and leaned in for a kiss. Draco eagerly complied. After kissing for a few moments, Ginny broke away. "Good night, Draco," she whispered, tenderly brushing a stray hair off of his face.
"Good night," he replied, softly giving her a kiss on the forehead. Then they went their separate ways, Ginny to Gryffindor Tower, Draco to the Slytherin Dungeons.

*~*~*~*

The next morning, Ginny was woken up by someone shaking her frantically. It was Shannon. "What do you want?" Ginny snapped sleepily.
Shannon merely motioned around the room. Ginny's stuff was all over the room. At first, this didn't come as a surprise of her. It had happened yesterday. That's when she remembered that when she'd come back the night before, the room had been fine. Lucius had already struck again! She sat bolt upright in bed and looked at her night stand. Sure enough there was another ripped up picture and a note. This time it wasn't her picture however, it was Ron's.

Weasley-
Have you not learned your lesson? Stay away from my son or I will be forced to take physical action, and not only against you. Your brother will also be targeted and his death will be on your head. That is before I kill you also. Every time you go against my wishes, someone else close to you will be added to my hit list. Now, I will forget this ever happened if you stay away from my son. By the way, I know you went to your crackpot of a Headmaster. I don't care. He can't stop me, so be forewarned, I will attack again soon. Beware. My son WILL be a Death Eater, with or without his consent.
Lucius Malfoy

Wow, lucky me, he actually signed it this time, Ginny thought sardonically. She picked up the piece of parchment and jumped out of bed. She decided that she wouldn't tell Draco yet. She'd tell Dumbledore first and see what he said.
Rushing towards his office, Ginny got many odd stares. She knew she must look a fright, straight out of bed, bur she didn't care. All she cared about was getting to Dumbledore. She soon arrived in front of the gargoyles in front of his office. She said the password, and they sprang apart, revealing the staircase. She ascended them as she had last night with Draco and stopped in front of his office door. She knocked and then entered when Dumbledore called from within. "Ah, miss Weasley," he greeted her when she entered. Then he motioned her to sit in the chair she had last night.
"Hello, Headmaster," she replied.
"I presume you're here for more than a chat," Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling.
"Yes. When I woke up this morning, my part of the room was torn apart, and I found this note on my night stand," Ginny answered, handing Dumbledore the note.
He read it, and his face screwed up in concentration. "Has he hurt you in anyway?" the Headmaster inquired.
"No, but he somehow has either me or Draco or both under some kind of surveillance. You read in the note, he knew that we came here and that we were together," Ginny pointed out.
"Yes, I see that," Dumbledore said pensively. "The wards that I am putting around the castle will not be in full effect until later today. I would advise you to stay away from Mr. Malfoy until that time. They should be ready after dinner, but until that time, you are still in danger. Staying away from Mr. Malfoy, for today at least, will buy us some time. Do you understand?"
Ginny nodded. "I understand," she answered.
"Can you get Mr. Potter to deliver the message to stay away to Mr. Malfoy?" Dumbledore asked.
"Yeah," she replied.
"Good, now, you may go get ready for class. If you are late, give this to your professor," the Headmaster commanded, handing her a piece of parchment saying that he had detained her.
Ginny left Dumbledore's office feeling worse than she had when she'd gone in. Even Dumbledore told her it would be best to stay away from Draco. Maybe we should just call it quits with our relationship, she thought sadly. I'll have to talk to him.

*~*~*~*

Draco was miserable. He hadn't gotten much sleep the night before. He'd been too worried about Ginny. He couldn't wait to see her to reassure himself that she was fine. That's why when he got to breakfast and she wasn't there, he panicked. She'll be here, he reassured himself. Ten minutes later, Harry came over with a grim look on his face, and Draco panicked again.
"I have a message from Ginny," Harry announced monotonously.
"What is it?" Draco asked eagerly.
"She said that you're supposed to stay away from her until after dinner because he struck again. I don't know what that means, but she said you would. Anyway, she also told me to tell you that she's fine, and she talked to Dumbledore. He told her what to do," Harry relayed, and then he was gone, leaving a stunned Draco in his wake.
Draco thought worriedly about Harry's words. Lucius had struck again. She had said that she was fine so that meant that he hadn't physically hurt her, but Draco was still worried. Maybe it isn't worth it, he thought sadly. It's not worth Ginny's life. I'll talk to her later, he resolved and then turned to his breakfast although he wasn't very hungry suddenly.

*~*~*~*

Ginny stood in her room wiping tears out of her eyes. She'd given Harry the message, and she could only imagine Draco's reaction. He wouldn't be happy, but he would still respect her wishes. Later that day, she was going to talk to him, and see if he felt it might be better if they just broke up. It would probably save more than one life.
Sighing, Ginny finished getting read and headed towards her first class of the day. It was double Potions, and she was only a few minutes late, but she brought the parchment that Dumbledore had given her. When she arrived at the classroom, she took a deep breath and entered. Snape didn't look happy with her, but also didn't look as mad as she would have expected. "I'm sorry I'm late, Professor," she said contritely. "I was talking to the Headmaster." She handed him the parchment, and then she took her seat next to Shannon.
Professor Snape nodded and continued with his lesson. Ginny settled in for another typical Potions class.

*~*~*~*

Draco sat at dinner, barely touching his food. He was too nervous about talking to Ginny. He didn't know what he was going to say exactly, and he also wasn't sure how she would react. He hoped she wouldn't make it too hard for him to do this. He wasn't sure he could do it if she cried.
Dinner was soon over, and Draco walked over to the Gryffindor table where Ginny was beginning to stand up. "Can I talk to you, Ginny?" Draco asked.
She nodded. "Yeah, actually, I wanted to talk to you too," she replied.
Draco nodded and led her to the lake. They both sat down and looked up at the starry sky. "Ginny," Draco began hesitantly. "I think we should break up for awhile."

A/N: Don't forget to review! You know you want to! For those of you who were wondering, this is almost the end. There are only two more chapters after this one!

-->

20. Chapter 19

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, places, or anything else related to Harry Potter. They all belong to the wonderful J.K. Rowling.

A/N: Thanks to my beta, Aliya. I really appreciate what she does.

Chapter 19

"Ginny," Draco began hesitantly. "I think we should break up. I mean, it's not worth people dying over. Especially if one of them is you."
"I was going to say the same thing about breaking up. It's not worth people dying over," Ginny responded, surprised.
"You were?" Draco asked, also pretty surprised.
Ginny nodded. "I mean, if Dumbledore admitted that Lucius is dangerous and that he could somehow get past the wards. As much as I don't want to do this, it's not worth it. He put a threat on Ron's life today, and if he saw us together, he would threaten someone else's life that's close to me," she said sadly, tears sparkling in her chocolate brown eyes. At least promise me that you won't give into Lucius. Don't become a Death Eater."
Draco stood up and walked over to Ginny. "I'll do what I can. Bye, Gin," he whispered, giving her a chaste kiss on the cheek. "I love you."
"Bye, Draco. Maybe we can get back together sometime, when it's safe," she replied softly. "I love you too."
Then Draco turned and walked away, shoulders lumped in defeat. He never looked back in fear that she would see the lone tear that rolled slowly down his cheek.

*~*~*~*

Back at the lake, Ginny watched Draco go sadly. The tears that had shone in her eyes before now falling freely down her cheeks. What a school year it had been for her. From making the Quidditch team to getting hit in the head with a Bludger to Christina dying. Then she'd fallen in love with her worst enemy, had his father threaten her if she didn't stay away from his son, and then breaking up with him. Boy, did she hate Lucius Malfoy. Not only had he tried to kill her in her first year, he had threatened to kill her and taken away her boyfriend. My life sucks, she thought sadly, heading toward the castle.

*~*~*~*

My life sucks, Draco thought as he entered his dormitory. First, he kills Christina, and now this. I hate my father. Why does he feel that he had to control every aspect of my life? He won't even let me pick my own girlfriend for Christ's sake. Why can' the just accept the fact that I don't want to be an exact copy of him and leave me alone?
Sighing, Draco lay down on his bed, brushing away angry tears. He turned his head to look at the pictures that were on his night stand. There was one of him and his mother when he was younger, one of him in his second year with the Slytherin Quidditch team, and one of him, Blaise, and Pansy on their first day of Hogwarts, laughing and waving at the camera. The one that caught his attention however, was one of Ginny, smiling and waving. It had been taken during the summer. He had asked Mrs. Weasley if she had any recent pictures of Ginny that he could have the last time he had owled her. She had only been too happy to send him a few, but of the one's she had sent him, he like the one sitting on his nightstand the best. That's why he had gotten it framed. She just looked so happy and beautiful in the picture that he wanted it where he could see it all of the time, now more than ever. He probably wouldn't be hanging out with Ginny all that much in the near future.
Draco squeezed his eyes shut to keep the tears threatening to spill down his cheeks at bay. He had promised himself that he wouldn't cry. The decision to break up had been mutual. It's not as if she had dumped him, but, for some reason, he felt that that's what she'd done. Maybe it was the fact that he'd expected her to protest and beg him not to do it. When she hadn't, he'd been surprised and hurt.
Shaking his head, Draco sat up and looked around his room. He needed something to occupy his mind so he wouldn't think about Ginny. He picked out a book randomly from the book shelf, and tried reading it. That didn't last very long. He couldn't concentrate. He decided to try and write his History of Magic essay, but after working on that for fifteen minutes and getting one sentence written, he gave up. Finding nothing that would occupy his mind, he laid back down on his bed, succumbing to the thoughts that had been buzzing mercilessly around his mind.

*~*~*~*

When Ginny arrived back in the castle, she made her way quickly to the Gryffindor Tower. When she arrived, she crept as quietly as she could up tot her dormitory. Not quietly enough apparently because just as she was about out of sight, Harry called, "Hi, Gin."
"Oh, hi, Harry," she replied weakly, cursing his keen hearing.
"Ginny, come down here, I've got an owl from Mum for you," Ron yelled up the stairs.
Ginny, knowing she couldn't keep walking because they would only follow her, turned around with a forced smile on her face and went down to the Common Room. Harry, Ron, and Hermione didn't see anything wrong at first, not until she was standing right in front of them.
"Ginny, what's wrong?" Hermione asked in concern.
"It's Malfoy, isn't it?" Ron demanded. "What did he do? I swear, I'll kill him!"
Ginny's eyes shone with a fresh wave of tears, and her lip trembled as she tried to hold them back. Harry saw her distress, and he tried to intervene. "Ron, calm down. Ginny is obviously upset about something, you always jump to the wrong conclusions," he reprimanded. "Let her explain."
That's when Ginny's resolve broke, she put her head against Harry's shoulder and started crying. Harry put his arms around her and pulled her into a hug. "What's wrong, Gin?" Hermione asked gently, putting a comforting hand on her arm.
"D-Dr-Draco," Ginny choked out between tears. She was about tot go on when Ron cut in.
"What did he do? I swear I'll curse him into next year. I knew it was him! I knew he was bad news," he ranted.
"Let her finish," Harry snapped impatiently. He knew that Ron was only making it worse. He knew that Ginny loved Draco, and even if he had done something terrible, she wouldn't want him hurt.
"D-Draco and I broke up," she stammered out.
"What? What happened?" Hermione asked in surprise.
Ginny then launched in to the whole story about Lucius threatening them. It was often suspended for a few minutes when she would break into a fresh wave of tears. When she had finished, Ron said, "Well, if you both wanted to break up, why are you so upset?"
"Ron, you are one of the stupidest and most insensitive gits I have ever met. They didn't want to break up, but they don't want to die either," Hermione huffed.
Ginny sniffled and then asked quietly, "can I go to my room now?"
"Are you going to be alright?" Hermione inquired in concern.
Ginny nodded and left the room. When she got there, she laid down on her bed. She was exhausted and needed her sleep. She soon fell into a light, restless sleep filled with nightmares.

*~*~*~*

The next morning, Draco woke up and felt as if he would never be able to get out of bed again. He laid in bed for a few minutes, contemplating whether it was worth getting up or not. After thinking for a minute, he got up, deciding that he didn't fancy getting a detention for cutting class on top of everything else. Hurrying to get ready, he walked out of the Common Room fifteen minutes later, completely read for class. Thanking God that Ginny was a year younger than him, he decided to skip breakfast and go straight to class.

*~*~*~*

The rest of the day Draco spent trying his best to avoid Ginny. He knew if he saw her he would try to take back everything he'd said last night. He found that, even thought she was in a different house and year, she seemed to be everywhere. He knew that that wasn't true, but every time he saw a flash of red out of the corner of his eye, he would stiffen and get himself convinced that it was Ginny. He was paranoid, and he knew it.
At the present time, Draco was making his way to dinner and was lost in his thoughts. That's when he collided into something solid. Whatever he had run into fell down, and he tripped over it, landing on top of it. When he looked down and saw what he had crashed into, he almost had a heart attack. The one person he had been avoiding all day was laying sprawled out underneath him. She was blushing furiously and just lay still, staring into his eyes.
They stayed like that for a few moments before Ginny said quickly, "Sorry I ran into you, Malfoy. I didn't see you, but could you get off of me now? I'm sure there are plenty of other girls that would be willing to be in this position so why don't you go find one?"
"Uh, sure," Draco mumbled sheepishly as he stood up and offered his hand to Ginny. She ignored it and stood up. Then she turned and angrily stalked away.
Draco's heart constricted as he watched her go and remembered her harsh words. They had really hit him hard. They were so scathing, especially coming from her mouth, the person that he was in love with and who was supposed to love him back. Shaking his head, he headed in the same direction as Ginny, towards the Great Hall.

*~*~*~*

All day long, Ginny's thoughts were on Draco and how much she missed him. As hard as she tried, she couldn't concentrate her classes, making more than one of her teachers annoyed. That's why she was now wandering aimlessly down the corridors. She knew that she should probably be heading towards the Great Hall for dinner, but couldn't concentrate on getting there. She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't notice someone else walking towards her, lost in their thoughts as well. That's when they collided.
Ginny fell to the ground, snapping out of her thoughts. Looking at who she had run into, her heart flipped. It was Draco, and he was currently sprawled on top of her. She stared into his gorgeous grey eyes for a few minutes. She wasn't sure what to say. She needed to get him off of her. She couldn't think with him so close, and she didn't think she could stop herself from kissing him if he didn't move. So, her main concern was to get Draco off. "Sorry, I ran into you, Malfoy. I didn't see you, but could you get off of me now? I'm sure there are plenty of other girls that would be willing to be in this position so why don't you go find one?" she snapped.
"Uh, sure," Draco replied softly as he stood up. She realized that she was being colder than necessary, but she couldn't help it. The whole situation caused her so much pain, and she couldn't take it anymore. Draco offered his hand, but she ignored it and stalked away, not looking back. She knew she had probably hurt him, but if she'd stayed there, they would have gotten back together or at least kissed. That would have caused more trouble and pain, and she couldn't deal with it.
Pushing thoughts of her ex-boyfriend from her mind, Ginny headed towards the Great Hall. She sat down at the Gryffindor table next to Shannon, her back to the Slytherin table. "Hey, Gin, how're you doing?" Shannon asked in concern.
Ginny had told Shannon everything last night when she'd gotten to her dormitory. The concern in Shannon's voice snapped Ginny's resolve. She felt the dam break inside her, and tears began to fall down her cheeks. "I ran into him, literally," she answered mournfully.
"What happened?" Shannon inquired.
Ginny relayed the tale of what had happened only minutes earlier, tears still streaming down her face. "Oh, Gin! Everything will be okay," Shannon said reassuringly.
"I was so stupid. I should have been nicer," Ginny moaned in despair.
"Why were you so mean?" Shannon asked, trying her best to be helpful instead of accusing.
"I don't know. I just couldn't take being around him without kissing him. I had to get away as quickly as possible, it hurt too much, so I lashed out at him. I didn't mean to, and now all I can do is watch him walk around dejectedly. I can't talk to him, Lucius will strike again if I do," Ginny groaned.
"Why don't you write down exactly what you would say. I'll read it to him," Shannon offered.
"Would you? Thank you!" Ginny exclaimed gratefully, giving Shannon a hug. She quickly started to jot down what she would say to Draco with a quill and a parchment she'd had in her bag. Here's what she wrote:

Draco,
I'm so sorry. I didn't mean what I said. I just had to get away from you. Being that close was just too painful. I'm sorry. Please believe me. I wish I could tell you this in person, but Lucius would find out and strike again. Just remember, I love you and always will. I hope we'll be able to be together soon.

Handing the parchment to Shannon, Ginny put away her quill and watched Shannon walk over to Draco. For the first time since the incident in the hallway, she looked at his face. It was expressionless, but his eyes were shining with unshed tears. Looking away form his face, she watched Shannon approach and read the parchment. She quickly snuck a glance at Draco's face again. He was looking at her, and, when he saw her looking, he smiled. She returned it. Shannon watched the scene happily. She was glad that she could help, even if it was only for awhile, her friend get through the hard time in her life. She knew Ginny would have done the same for her.

*~*~*~*

Draco sat at the Slytherin table after running into Ginny holding back tears. Her words were running through his head over and over, and they still hurt. That's when Ginny's friend, Shannon, appeared in front of him.
"Yes?" he asked politely.
She looked at him for a minute before looking down at a piece of parchment she was holding. She began reading, and, when she had finished, Draco was confused. Shannon must have noticed this because she jerked her head towards Ginny in explanation. He turned to see her looking at him. He smiled to show that he understood and that he forgave her. She smiled back. That was all that was needed to cheer Draco up.
Turning back to his dinner, he tried to keep his thoughts away from Ginny. They hurt, and he had dealt with enough pain for awhile. Just knowing that they were still okay was good enough, but he still wished that Lucius wasn't such a prat.

*~*~*~*

A week went by with Ginny avoiding Draco as much as possible. It was like old times, only worse because she knew what it could belike when they were together. In the old days, Draco would at least acknowledge her, even if it was just for a n insult, now he simply ignored her completely. Sometimes she wished she could just talk to him or just kiss him for a few minutes, but knew it wasn't possible. She'd even been tempted to e-mail him a few times, but wasn't sure if Lucius was monitoring that too. She didn't want to risk it.
That's what she was thinking about when it happened. Shannon burst into the dormitory, clearly out of breath. She rushed over to Ginny and gasped out, "Lucius Malfoy broke through the wards. Dumbledore told me to get you. You're supposed to go talk to him in his office."
Ginny jumped out of her seat, yelling a quick, "Thanks." over her shoulder. She ran as quickly as she could to Dumbledore's office. When she arrived, he was standing outside the stone gargoyles, presumably waiting for her.
"Lucius Malfoy has attacked. He's taken Draco. He left a note stating that him and his son had some unfinished business. He can't Apparate out of the grounds, and he didn't have a broom. If you take one, you could catch him," Dumbledore said, handing her a broom.
Ginny smiled her thanks before running towards the Entrance Hall. She ran out of the castle doors and into the crisp, cool night. Scanning the landscape, she wished she had the Marauder's Map. Smacking herself on the head for not thinking of it earlier, she took out her wand and said, "Accio Marauder's Map."
Ginny waited a few minutes before she saw the Map flying towards her. She caught it easily and lit her wand. Scanning the Map, she found the figures of Lucius and Draco Malfoy, deep in the Forbidden Forest. Glancing at the Map once more, she mounted the broom and took off. Flying as fast she could in the direction that Lucius and Draco were headed, she prayed she wasn't too late.
Ginny was soon over the middle of the Forbidden Forest. She took out the Map again and looked at it. She did a double take. It showed that Lucius and Draco were headed towards her.

*~*~*~*

Draco woke up with a splitting headache. He looked around, trying to figure out where he was. He soon realized that he was in the Forbidden Forest, being levitated along side his father. That's when the memories came back. He had been in his dormitory when it happened.

*FLASHBACK*

Draco sat in his dormitory, working on the Charms essay due the next day. He had almost finished when the door opened. Assuming it was one of his roommates, he didn't look up. That was his first mistake. He heard a cold voice from behind him. "I've given you more than ample time to make your decision, Draco. Now, we can either do this the easy way or the hard way. Whichever you choose will have the same outcome so you might as well come willingly," Lucius barked.
"Never," Draco snarled. That was his second mistake.
"Stupefy," Lucius said in a bored tone.
Then the world went black.

*END FLASHBACK*

Given the pain in his head, Draco suspected he'd hit his head on the desk he'd been sitting at after Lucius had cast the spell. Deciding it was probably best to pretend he was still unconscious, he closed his eyes once again. That's when he heard Lucius's annoyed ramblings. At first Draco thought that Lucius was talking him, but soon found otherwise.
"Bloody forest. Too many trees. Impossible to find your way. I'm bloody lost. Malfoys aren't supposed to get lost. It's just against their nature," Lucius mumbled angrily.
Draco had to use all of his self control not laugh. Never in a million years would he have thought his father would talk to himself. Mentally shaking his head, Draco comforted himself with the thought that his father wasn't all that he made himself to be.

*~*~*~*

Ginny looked at the Map in awe as the figures of Draco and Lucius moved steadily closer and closer to her. Deciding that landing her broom and waiting for them on land was her best bet, she did just that. Once she had landed, she began walking towards Lucius and Draco. They always moved side-by-side, and Ginny had a suspicion that Draco was unconscious, being levitated next to his father. The suspicion brought a feeling of dread to the pit of her stomach. If Draco was unconscious, she would have to face Lucius all alone. She wasn't sure if she could do it or not.
Pushing the thoughts to the back of her mind, she glanced at the Map. That's when she heard something. Ginny froze, trying to determine what it was. After listening for a minute, she realized it was a human's voice, an angry human's voice, and it was getting louder. Must be Lucius, she thought to herself, hiding behind a tree. She didn't want to get spotted before she could see them.
Ginny soon saw their dark figures quickly approaching. She began to creep as quietly as she could from behind the tree so she could get behind them. That's when a twig snapped under her foot. She saw Lucius light his wand and shine it towards her. "Who's there?" he called.
Ginny stayed as still and quiet as she could, willing Lucius to keep going without investigating. No suck luck. He began walking towards her. Knowing that the only advantage she had was the element of surprise, she shot the first hex she could think of. "Petrificus Totalus," she yelled, aiming her wand at Lucius. The spell missed by a long shot. She had been so nervous that it had gone wide. There went her only advantage.
"Show yourself," Lucius commanded harshly.
Ginny stepped out of the shadows, and into Lucius's wand light. "Weasley," he growled. "Can't stay away, can you? Well, now you'll regret that." Assuming that his son was still unconscious, he ended the levitation spell, sending him to the ground, landing with a thud.

*~*~*~*

Draco heard the interaction between Ginny and Lucius. He was torn between being happy that someone had come to save him, and upset that Ginny had put herself in danger again. That's when he heard Lucius end the levitation spell, and he braced himself for the hard ground. Boy was it hard. His arm took the brunt of the fall, and he had a suspicion that it was broken. He was only thankful that it wasn't his wand arm. Trying his best to move his arm without hurting it, he started to stand up. Not a good idea. His arm hurt even worse when he moved, and he let out an involuntary cry of pain. He watched as both Ginny's and Lucius's heads snapped towards him.
"Looks as if my son has decided to join us in the world of the conscious," Lucius sneered. "Looks who's come to save you, Draco. Your little Weasley whore."
"She's not a whore," Draco gritted out.
"Oh yes, you fancy yourself in love with her, don't you?" Lucius taunted.
"I don't fancy myself in love with her. I am in love with her, and I'll die for her if I have to," Draco vowed.
"Malfoys don't love. I just hope that she'll do the same for you because that's what's going to happen," Lucius said, challenging his son.
Draco's eyes narrowed. "Over my dead body," he hissed, his eyes flashing dangerously.
"That could be arranged, but I don't' think that the Dark Lord would be very pleased with that. Now, unless you want to see your girlfriend die, you will cooperate," Lucius threatened.
"Leave Ginny out of this and fight me like a man," Draco taunted.
"Very well, if that's how you want it, but let me warn you, if you die, Weasley will be taking your place in the Dark Lord's ranks," Lucius warned.
"I won't die," Draco replied arrogantly. The words came out much more confident than he actually felt.
Then they began to fight. "Stupefy," Draco yelled, but Lucius easily dodged it.
"Crucio," Lucius drawled. Draco escaped the spell very narrowly. Lucius cursed softly to himself.
The spells flew back and forth rapidly between the father and son. Lucius became increasingly more frustrated as his son continued to elude his spells. If his son really didn't want to be a Death Eater than Lucius would just kill him. He would give him on last chance. "This is your last chance. If you don't come now, I will kill you, and Weasley will become a Death Eater. Do you really want that to happen?" Lucius sneered, staring at his son.
Draco was about to give in and just become a Death Eater to save Ginny the consequences when she urged him to keep going. She motioned for him to keep going. He didn't know what she was planning, but he had a feeling it wasn't good. He also trusted her though, and glared at Lucius determinedly. "Very well. Avada Kedavra!" A green light shot out of Lucius's wand, headed straight towards Draco.
Knowing that he had no chance of living, Draco closed his eyes and braced himself for death. He waited a few seconds, but nothing happened. He opened his eyes slowly, and on the ground in front of him, lay the lifeless body of Ginny Weasley.

A/N: Only on more chapter left! Don't forget to review and tell me what you think. The last chapter should be out soon. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed in the past. You guys are awesome.

-->

21. Chapter 20

Disclaimer: I do not own anything but the plot of this story, as you all know.

A/N: I would like to thank my wonderful beta, Aliya for beta-ing most of this story. She was a big help.

Chapter 20

"No! Gin!" Draco yelled. It couldn't be true, she couldn't be dead! She just couldn't! He couldn't believe that she'd done that to save him. I should have never let her convince me to keep fighting Lucius, Draco berated himself. I should have known that she'd sacrifice herself, but I thought that she was smarter than that. He kneeled down slowly next to her body and felt for a pulse. He could feel a very weak one. "She's alive," he breathed. He couldn't believe his luck. "But how? Ennerverate."
Ginny's eyes fluttered open slowly. "Ginny?" Draco asked hopefully.
"It's me," she whispered weakly.
"But how?" he asked again, but she had already fallen into unconsciousness once again.
Draco stood up again and looked around for Lucius. He didn't see him. Spinning around, Draco looked around wildly. He couldn't make out Lucius's form anywhere. Where had he gone?
"Looking for someone?" Lucius drawled from somewhere at Draco's right. "You ready to come now? Do you really want to risk losing anything else?" So he hadn't realized that Ginny wasn't dead. That was good.
"I'll never join you!" Draco yelled.
"I don't think you have much choice in the matter," Lucius said, taking a menacing step towards his son.
"I think I do. You can't force me to become a Death Eater!" Draco screamed. He was going to fight this out until the end.
"That's where you're wrong! Maybe you've never heard of the Imperius Curse?" Lucius suggested coldly.
Draco narrowed his eyes. "I can fight it," he pointed out, much more confident than he felt.
"How do you expect to do that? You're a seventeen year old boy, and I am one of Voldemort's most powerful Death Eaters," Lucius snarled arrogantly.
Draco was about to answer when he noticed a figure moving behind Lucius. It was Ginny. "Stupefy," she yelled. Lucius, having not expected it, couldn't dodge it and crumpled to the ground, unconscious.
Draco ran over to where Ginny stood, and just in time because she began to sway. She then fainted, and Draco caught her easily. She was unconscious again.
Draco cast a Mobilicorpus on Ginny so she could float along side him, and began walking back to the castle. That's when he remembered Lucius was still lying on the ground, unconscious. He levitated him also and then resumed his trek back to the castle. He soon arrived and made his way as quickly as he could to Dumbledore's office. He said the password and ascended the stairs. He knocked on the door and entered.
"Ah, Mr. Malfoy," Dumbledore greeted. "And you seem to have found Miss Weasley and your father."
"Yes. Professor Dumbledore, is there anyway someone can survive being hit by the Killing Curse and live?" Draco asked curiously.
"There is one way, but it is very risky. One can cast a strong shield charm, and if it's strong enough, then the curse will knock the victim unconscious rather than killing them," Dumbledore answered.
"Ginny was hit with the Killing Curse, and she's alive," Draco announced suddenly.
Dumbledore's eyes widened ever so slightly in shock. "Are you sure? That's amazing. I think Miss Weasley may be more skilled in Charms than any of us were aware of," Dumbledore said, still surprised.
"So, surviving it is a rare occurrence?" Draco asked.
"Very rare," Dumbledore clarified. "How did Lucius become unconscious?"
"Ginny hit him with a Stunning Spell from behind. He thought she was dead," Draco explained.
Dumbledore nodded in understanding. "I'll send these papers to the Ministry, and hopefully, get Lucius put in Azkaban for quite some time," he said.
"He should have stayed in Azkaban last time," Draco pointed out.
"Yes, but a man can only plead Imperius so many times before the Ministry becomes suspicious," Dumbledore replied calmly. "Besides, I have suggested the use of Veritaserum."
"I certainly hope he stays in Azkaban. He's already messed up my life enough already, and then when I think he's gone, he appears again. He's been put in Azkaban enough times before, you think they would stop buying his lame excuses," Draco fumed.
"I've seen to it that he'll be in Azkaban for quite awhile, but if, somehow, he is released again, I can testify, along with many others, that he is an incompetent father and husband. That would mean that he would either go back to Azkaban, or have a restraining order put on him. I will do everything in my power to assure that Lucius will not bother you or your mother again," Dumbledore vowed.
"Thank you," Draco whispered gratefully, his eyes shining with hope. It had always been his dream to live a life without Lucius.
"Now, the Ministry officials should arrive soon. I will call if they need you, but, for now, could you take Miss Weasley to the Hospital Wing?" Dumbledore requested.
"Yes, sir," Draco replied obediently. He levitated Ginny beside him and exited the Headmaster's office. He quickly walked in the direction of the Hospital Wing. He soon arrived at his destination and entered.
Madame Pomfrey was waiting for him. "The Headmaster said you'd be arriving shortly," she said, herding him inside. "Put Miss Weasley on that bed in the corner. Now, what exactly happened?"
Draco set Ginny down on the bed Madame Pomfrey had indicated as he recounted the tale. The medi-witch shook her head. "Foolish thing to do, it's an absolute miracle that she lived. Not many fifth year students could accomplish such a great feat. You should be very grateful," she said sternly. She then turned her back to Draco and began examining Ginny. After a few minutes, she straightened once again.
"Will she be alright?" Draco asked anxiously.
"She'll be fine. She just is very weak from the extreme effort she exerted to sustain her shield long enough. She also has a slight concussion, but that is easily fixed. Now, let me examine you also. Were you hit with any spells?" the nurse asked.
"Only a Stunning Spell. I think I may have hit my head once the spell took affect though," Draco replied.
Madame Pomfrey nodded and began her examination. "You also have a mild concussion, but that can be fixed with a simple spell. You, however seem to have loss of sleep. Have you had trouble sleeping the last few weeks?" she inquired.
Draco nodded. "I've had a lot on my mind, and I haven't been able to sleep very well lately," he admitted.
The medi-witch shook her head. "I'll fix that. It's not good for your body. Here, take this," she commanded, handing him a goblet with a clear potion in it. "It's a Dreamless Sleep Potion. It relaxes your mind, and makes you tired."
Draco nodded and took the potion. He lay down on the bed next to Ginny's and was asleep almost immediately.

*~*~*~*

Draco woke up and found it was still dark out, or was it? He wasn't sure if he hadn't slept very long, or if he'd slept to the next night. He sat up and looked around. He was still in the Hospital Wing, and he could still make out Ginny's figure on the bed next to his.
Draco laid down and decided that he ought to try to go back to sleep. He was asleep within minutes.
The next morning he woke up and looked around Ginny. He saw that she was still asleep, but that was understandable. She went through a lot more than he had. When Madame Pomfrey realized that he was awake, she rushed over to him. "Look who's finally awake," she declared.
"How long have I been asleep?" Draco asked her drowsily.
"Since Friday night, it is now Sunday afternoon," the medi-witch informed him.
"I slept that long?" Draco exclaimed in surprise.
Madame Pomfrey nodded. "Miss Weasley is still unconscious. She probably will be for a few more days. She used almost all of her energy for the shield, and then she used the rest of it to Stun Lucius," she said.
"Has Dumbledore been here?" Draco asked.
"Yes, and he told me once you were well that you should go to his office," the medi-witch replied. "Now, as soon as I check you over, you will probably be able to go." She then began looking him over and muttering spells under her breath.
"Alright, you are free to go," she announced suddenly.
Draco nodded and then went towards Dumbledore's office. He ascended the stairs and knocked on the door. "Come in," the Headmaster beckoned.
"You wanted to see me, Headmaster?" Draco said hesitantly.
"Yes, I'm glad to see you're well," Dumbledore replied. "Now, I have good news. Your father has been put in Azkaban. This time without much hope of getting out. All we need is your testimony."
"Really?" Draco exclaimed excitedly.
"Really," Dumbledore replied, amused. "I will inform the Ministry that you've been released from the Hospital Wing so they can come for your testimony."
"Which I'll gladly give," Draco replied happily.
"That's what I told the Ministry. I have sent them an express owl so they should be arriving shortly," Dumbledore informed him. "Now, how is Miss Weasley?"
"She's still unconscious, Madame Pomfrey said she probably will be for a few more days, but she'll be okay," Draco answered.
Dumbledore nodded in understanding. "I'm glad to hear that neither of you were severely injured," he said.
At that moment, two Ministry officials stepped out of the fireplace, brushing themselves off. "Albus," they greeted in unison.
"Scott, Rebecca," Dumbledore replied, nodding to each. "Draco, this is Scott Schippman and Rebecca Hutchinson. They're from the Ministry."
Draco inclined his head in greeting, but didn't say anything. "Well, now that we're acquainted, let's begin," Rebecca began. She was a tall woman with long golden hair and green eyes.
"First, you must take this, Mr. Malfoy," Scott commanded, handing Draco a vial with a clear liquid in it. Scott was a man of average height with sandy brown hair and bright, blue eyes. "It's Veritaserum."
Draco nodded and drank the potion. He wasn't sure if it worked. "I'm going to ask you your name, and you're going to try and tell me that it's Bob, alright?" Rebecca asked. Draco nodded. "What's your name?"
Draco opened his mouth to answer. He concentrated on saying Bob, but instead he answered, "Lucius Draco Malfoy." his eyes widened in surprise as he heard his answer. His brain had been answering Bob, but his lips had answered his real name. He had known that Veritasium made it so you couldn't lie, but he'd never known how.
"I see by the expression on your face that the potion is working," Scott with a chuckle. "Alright, now, for the first question. Did your father cast Avada Kedavra this past Friday night?"
"Yes," Draco replied automatically.
"Did he attempt to use the Cruciatus Curse on you last Friday night?"
"Yes."
"Has he been trying to get you to become a Death Eater against your will?"
"Yes."
"How?"
"With threats and torture."
"What kind of torture?"
"The Cruciatus Curse."
"What kind of threats?"
"Threats on the lives of people close to me. He also threatened to use the Imperius on me if I didn't become a Death Eater."
"Does he ever torture you for other things?"
"Yes, anytime I do something wrong, or when he thinks I've shown weakness."
"With the Cruciatus Curse?"
"Yes."
"How old were you when he started using is?"
"Seven."
"Does he ever use Unforgivables on your mother?"
"Yes."
During the whole interview, Scott and Rebecca took notes and switched off asking questions. "Alright, well I think that's all we need. Thank you, Mr. Malfoy," Rebecca said. "We will take this to the judge, and we will inform you of the outcome shortly. Good bye."
They all exchanged good byes, and then Scott and Rebecca left. "Well, that went well," Dumbledore announced. "You ought to be getting back to your dormitory. Don't worry, the Veritaserum will wear off very soon. The affects only last a half an hour."
Draco nodded and exited the Headmaster's office. He wanted to stop in the Hospital Wing to check on Ginny before he went back to his dormitory. He entered the infirmary and walked over to Ginny's bed in the corner. She was still unconscious as he'd figured she'd be. She looked so peaceful. He brushed some hair out of her face and bent down to kiss her forehead. He soon straightened, took one last glance at her, and then exited the Hospital Wing.
Draco made his way back to the Slytherin Common Room slowly. When he did arrive, he entered and went straight up to his dormitory. He wasn't sure what his housemates knew of his absence, but he didn't want to answer all of their questions. When he arrived at his dormitory, he got ready for bed and then crawled into it. He soon fell into a deep sleep filled with peaceful dreams.

*~*~*~*

Draco woke up on Wednesday morning and got dressed as quickly as he could. Madame Pomfrey had told him that Ginny would probably wake up any time now, and he wanted to be the first one to see her. Once he was ready, he grabbed a piece of toast from the Great Hall and then rushed to the Hospital Wing. When he entered he felt his heartbeat speed up. Ginny was sitting up in her bed, talking to Madame Pomfrey.
"Ginny!" Draco exclaimed happily as he strode over to her bedside.
"Draco!" Ginny greeted cheerfully when she saw him.
"You're alright! Don't do that again," he reprimanded lightly, giving her a hug.
"I'm so glad you're okay," she replied.
"Yeah, thanks to you! I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you. Thank you," he said gratefully. Madame Pomfrey watched the scene and sighed dreamily. They were so cute together, and they looked so happy together. Hating to break them up, but knowing she had to, the nurse said gently, "Mr. Malfoy, I believe if you don't leave, you will be late for class."
Draco eyes snapped to clock that hung on the wall and saw that the medi-witch was right. He would be late if he didn't leave soon. "Ginny, I'll be back later," Draco promised, kissing her gently before turning to leave.
"Bye, Draco," she replied softly, and then he left.

*~*~*~*

Later that day, Draco sat in Charms class with the Ravenclaws when Hermione knocked on the door. "Yes, Miss Granger?" Professor Flitwick asked.
"I'm sorry to interrupt, Professor, but the Headmaster wants to see Draco Malfoy," she announced.
"That's quite alright, Miss Granger. Mr. Malfoy, you may go," Flitwick dismissed.
Draco stood up and followed Hermione out of the classroom. She led him to Dumbledore's office and then left. He uttered the password and climbed the stairs. When he arrived at the top, he knocked on the door and entered.
"You wanted to see me, Headmaster?" Draco said.
"Yes, I have gotten news about your father," Dumbledore replied.
"And?" Draco prompted anxiously.
"And he has been sentenced to life in Azkaban, with no hope of being released," Dumbledore informed him.
Draco's eyes widened in excitement. "He can't get out?" Draco inquired.
"He can't get out," Dumbledore confirmed. "He was charged with attempted murder, use of Unforgivables, and voluntary involvement with Voldemort."
"This means that I don't have to become a death Eater!" Draco exclaimed. "And Ginny and I can get back together!"
"That's right, Mr. Malfoy," Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling in amusement.
"Can I go tell Ginny?" Draco asked suddenly.
"I do believe that you have class now, but after class you can tell Miss Weasley the good news," Dumbledore replied.
Draco nodded and then headed back to his Charms class to retrieve his books. He only had one class left today, Double Potions with the Gryffindors. Although it was his favorite class, Draco fidgeted through the whole thing.

*~*~*~*

When his Potions class finally let out, Draco rushed as quickly as he could to the Hospital Wing. When he arrived, though, he was disappointed. Ginny was asleep, and Madame Pomfrey said that Ginny needed her rest. She didn't want anyone to disturb her patient. "I'll tell her you came," the nurse told her.
"When will she be able to leave the Hospital Wing?" Draco asked.
"If nothing changes, I will discharge her when she wakes up, which should be soon. She's been sleeping all day," Madame Pomfrey replied.
"Really?" Draco said in surprise. "Is she well enough?"
"Of course. I wouldn't discharge her if she wasn't," the medi-witch snapped.
Draco thought for a minute before asked, "Do you have some parchment and a quill I could borrow?"
"Yes, here," Madame Pomfrey replied, handing him the supplies.
"Thank you," he said. He then began writing a short note to Ginny.

Ginny,
Meet me in the library when you're released.
Love you,
Draco

After writing it, he placed it on her nightstand and then left the Hospital Wing. He headed towards the library, and, when he arrived, sat down at one of the many tables and began doing his homework.

*~*~*~*

Ginny woke up at five o'clock, feeling very rested. She sat up and stretched a bit. She wondered when she'd be able to leave. She guessed that it would be soon, she was fine. Madame Pomfrey had healed all of her wounds while she was unconscious. Speaking of the nurse, she came over to Ginny's bed when she saw that she was awake. "How are you feeling, Miss Weasley?" she asked.
"Great," Ginny answered cheerfully.
"Well enough to go back to classes tomorrow?" the medi-witch asked.
"Yes," Ginny replied truthfully.
"Well then, let me check you one more time, and then you are free to leave," Madame Pomfrey told her.
"Really?" Ginny asked, surprised.
"Yes," the nurse answered, beginning to laugh.
"What's so funny?" Ginny inquired curiously.
"Mr. Malfoy said the exact same thing when he heard," the nurse explained.
"Draco was here?" Ginny squealed in delight.
"Yes, and he left you a note," Madame Pomfrey informed her, pointing to the note on the nightstand.
Ginny picked it up and read it. She smiled at the prospect of seeing Draco again. She hadn't seen him properly for quite awhile.
Madame Pomfrey, picking up on her excitement, began her last examination. After deeming her patient healthy, she watched Ginny run out of the Hospital Wing in the direction of the library.

*~*~*~*

Draco had just finished his homework when Ginny came in, ignoring Madame Pince's stern glare. When she spotted him, she rushed over. "Hi, Draco," she greeted happily.
"Hey, Gin," he replied, just as happily as her. He then stood up and gave her a hug.
"Missed you," she whispered as she buried her head in his shoulder.
"I missed you too," Draco said, kissing her on the top of her head. "Let's go to dinner, and then we can go somewhere to talk, alright?"
Draco felt Ginny nod against his chest. She pulled her face out of his chest and kissed him lightly on the mouth. They then walked out of the library. As they walked, Draco remembered why he'd wanted to talk to Ginny in the first place. "I was called in to Dumbledore's office today," he began nonchalantly.
"What for?" Ginny asked curiously.
"He wanted to tell me that he got news from the Ministry. My father had been sentenced to life in Azkaban," Draco told her.
Ginny was stunned into silence for a few minutes. "That means that we can get back together, and he can't do anything. We can be together for the rest of our lives," she said finally, somewhat dazedly.
"That's what I said," Draco commented with a smile.
By this time, they had arrived at the Great Hall. "Is it alright if we sit at the Gryffindor table. Ihavent seen my friends in almost a week, and they're probably worried."
"Yeah," Draco agreed. "We can sit there."
"Thanks," she said softly before leading the way.
"Ginny," Hermione squealed excitedly when she spotted the couple. "You're alright! How are you feeling?"
"I'm feeling great, actually," she replied.
"What happened to you, Gin? Dumbledore wouldn't tell us," Ron asked in concern.
Ginny launched into the story of the events of the past Friday night. Draco filled in details occasionally that she didn't remember or wasn't conscious for. When they finished Harry, Ron, and Hermione were speechless. "You really love him, don't you?" Ron said suddenly, breaking the shocked silence.
"Yeah, I do," Ginny answered honestly. "I've been trying to tell you that for quite some time, but you never listen."
"I realize that, and I'm sorry," Ron apologized. "I just never thought that you knew what you were talking about. Now I know that I was wrong."
"Wow," was all Harry could say.
"Gin, you are amazing. Do you know what this means? You're one of the most powerful witches in history," Hermione said, amazed.
"No, I'm not," Ginny protested modestly. "The only thing that made me strong enough to do that was love. You know they say that love conquers all, and you know what? They're right."
"That's an interesting philosophy, Gin, but I see where you're coming from. If you didn't love Draco so much, you never would have had the will to try to do what you did. Since you did have the will, you pushed yourself to your limits," Hermione said matter-of-factly.
"Exactly," Ginny replied, glad that someone understood what she was talking about. "I also wouldn't have had the courage to try it if it hadn't been for my love for him."
The five students finished their dinner in relative silence, only talking occasionally about trivial things. When they had finished, Draco and Ginny bid the other three good-bye and headed silently towards the lake. It was a fairly warm night so they didn't need cloaks. The couple sat down by the lake and stared at the millions of stars that shone overhead.
They sat in silence for quite some time, just contemplating the other. "Ginny, let's get married," Draco suggested suddenly.
"What?" Ginny sputtered in surprise.
"I love you, and I missed you so much while we were apart. Let's get married," he reiterated.
"Draco, we can't. I'm only fifteen!" Ginny protested.
"I guess you're right. I just love you so much, I don't want to lose you again," Draco admitted mournfully.
"You won't lose me, I promise. I couldn't imagine what it would be like to be apart from you again," Ginny whispered, moving closer to him so he could put his arm around her, which he did.
"You do not know what it felt like to see your lifeless body on the ground. I thought you were dead, and it was the worst thing in the world," Draco told her, remembering his grief.
"I'm sorry, I never meant to scare you," she apologized.
"I know. It's over now, and I'm glad you did it. I was ready to die, I really was. I was waiting for death. Then you saved me. Thank you," Draco whispered gratefully.
"It was nothing," Ginny said modestly, a blush rising becomingly to her cheeks.
"It wasn't nothing. It was everything, and I'm not just talking about the other day either. You saved my whole life. Before I met you, I was miserable. Then you added something to it when we started talking online. It made me enjoy life just a little more. You helped me after Christina died, and you saved me from my father's constant torture during Christmas vacation. I probably wouldn't have lived through those two weeks if it hadn't been for you. You even convinced our parents to let me stay at your house even though your family hates mine. Then you risked your life to save mine. I owe you so much. You are an amazing person, Ginny and I love you for it," Draco finished his speech by kissing her soundly on the lips.
"It really was nothing. It could have been anyone. I was just in the right place at the right time," Ginny protested. "I will say this though, I'm glad it was me, and I love you too."
Draco was about to argue that it couldn't have been anyone, it had to be her, but decided against it. Instead he leaned in and kissed her in a way that showed him that he was glad that it was her and that he was grateful for everything she had done for him. She was his savior no matter what she said. She was the dragon's savior.

THE END

A/N: That's it!!!!! That's the end! I hope everyone liked it. Don't forget to send me one last review. Thanks to everyone who ever reviewed in the past!! I appreciate it very much!

Sorry it took so long to update! There was a mix up with my beta. I forgot to send her the chapter.

-->