I Wish

I Wish...

Chapter One:

On A Red-Headed Rampage

Virginia Weasley was furious.

She stormed towards the library, scowling. Her brother, Ron Weasley, had done it again. Ginny was fifteen years old and in her fifth year, but had she ever had a date? No! And whose fault was it? Ron's! She'd just been in the Great Hall talking to Collin Creevy, when Ron had come strutting out, yelling his head off about being unworthy to touch his baby sister and dragging Collin off down the hallway, most likely to hex him to death.

Ginny was sick of it. Collin was the ninth boy Ron had chased off since the school year began. At this rate, she'd be an old maid by the time she turned nineteen!

Ginny sat down at the table near the window, running a hand through her bright red hair. No matter how many times she'd talked to Ron about toning down the whole "overprotective brother" routine, he still didn't get it. It was like any boy who'd name wasn't Harry Potter had no business being within fifty feet of her. Harry probably because he had a girlfriend.

Flipping open her Charms textbook, Ginny sighed and let her eyes run across the page as she pretended to read it, giving herself a reason to ignore Ron if he came in looking for her. Which he was likely to do any moment. She wished there was some way she could get back at him for treating her like she was three years old. Ginny sighed at the thought. She wasn't the vindictive type.

"Ginny! Where have you been? I've been looking all over for you!" Ginny hid her head in her Charms book, glaring at the pages as Ron took a seat next to her, smiling as if he wasn't trying to ruin her life. "Gin? Hey, I'm talking to you."

"So?" She asked, hotly. "That doesn't mean I'm talking to you."

"Huh?" Ron asked, dumbly. Ginny slammed her book shut, ignoring the scattered 'Shh's she received from the other parties in the library.

"You heard me, Ron! I'm not talking to you! I can't believe you!" She gave him her worst glare, but he continued looking clueless.

"What did I do?"

"What did you do? You've been scaring off any boy who comes anywhere near me! I'm fifteen, Ron! I can make my own choices and date whoever I want to!" At this, Ron snapped to attention, standing and glaring at her.

"Date?! You're too young to date!" He shouted.

"I'm fifteen. I should have started dating ages ago, but you're always in the way!" Ginny retorted. "Collin was going to ask me to go to Hogsmeade with him before you dragged him off! I'd really wanted to go!"

"Ginny, listen to me." Ron said, gently. "Boys have really dirty minds. I should know. I'm just trying to protect you."

"More like smothering me." She muttered. Ginny grabbed her bag, stuffed her Charms book into it, and slung it over her shoulder. "Just leave me alone for once, Ron. I'm not a little girl anymore. I don't need protecting!"

With that, she turned on her heel and stormed out of the library, in much the same mood as she had been when she'd stormed in. Except now she wasn't furious.

She was pissed.

~*~

Draco stared, annoyed, at the letter in his hand.

It was from his father. Nothing unusual there. Draco always got letters from his father, ranging from threats to this-is-what-you're-going-to-do's, and they always served to give him a reason to be irritated for the rest of the day. But this letter was different. This one got him almost mad.

Dear Draco,

It's very close, my boy. No, not the rising of the Dark Lord. We can speak about that later. I'm talking about your next meeting with her. Yes, you know which 'her' I'm talking about. You'd be a great match and she's of very high standing in the Wizarding World. She'll be at the mansion next time Hogwarts has holiday. Be sure to send her an owl to tell her you'll be there. And, Draco, you'd better be there.

Or else.

Good day,

Lucius

Who did his father think he was? Who said Draco wanted to meet this girl, whoever she was. Draco didn't want to meet any girl his father chose for him. Draco scowled. His father seemed to be taking a rather large role in his life, lately. Something was up.

Draco gritted his teeth in frustration. Coming into his bedroom every ten minutes to 'look around', intercepting all his letters, choosing what he ate and what he wore? Yes, something was definitely wrong. It frustrated Draco to no end to be in the dark to his father's plans.

Mostly because those plans usually involved him being miserable.

"I'm going out." Draco shouted to Crabbe and Goyle. He crumpled up the paper and stuffed it into his pocket before turning and exiting the Slytherin Common Room. "Damn my father and his bloody letters! He's stark raving mad if he thinks I'm hooking up with some slime ball girl he probably found in the alleys. They're never good for a snog."

He hadn't gone very far before he collided with someone, and his vision became filled with a mess of red hair.
"Weasley." Draco sneered.

"Malfoy." The Weasley looked up. Draco hid his surprise at seeing the youngest Weasley (Georgette... Giana... Ginny!) Standing before him, glaring at him like he'd just committed some horrible crime. Something obviously had her very angry and lucky, lucky him had had the pleasure of bumping into her.

Could the day get any better?

"What are you doing wandering the corridors by yourself, Weasley?" He drawled, eyeing the girl suspiciously. She continued glaring at him, clutching the strap of her second-hand backpack tightly.

"What are you doing complaining about your father in the middle of the hallway, Malfoy?" Draco stared at her evenly. She'd certainly gained a spine over the some. It was a bit unnerving, and for a moment, surprise flashed across Draco's face, but then it was quickly replaced by his usual stoic expression.

"That's none of your business."

"Then my wandering the corridors is none of your business, either." She finished. A mischievous smile crept onto her face. "So, Draco... You're having problems with you're father?"

"I said that it's none of your--"

"How'd you like to get back at him?" Draco blinked, confused. Was the little Weasley actually suggesting some kind of revenge plot? Why did she want to help him? What was in it for her?

"What's going on in that empty little head of yours, Weasel?" He said, suspiciously. Ginny apparently didn't want to waste any time.

"Well, see, I got into this fight with Ron. He treats me like a baby and I heard you complaining about your father so I figure you're in a fight with him, too. I just thought maybe we could help each other. I know something we can do that will make them both really angry! Perfect revenge. Think of how many people we can piss off in one go!" Draco raised an interested eyebrow and she looked at him hopefully.

"And what's this something we can do?" Ginny looked down at her feet, and then stared at him defiantly in a small burst of courage.

"Well, you and I could pretend that we were dating...”

"Are you off your rocker, Weasley?!" Ginny shuffled her feet, but continued to look at him, a determined look in her eye.

"Just think about it. If you and I were 'going out', you'd be getting back at your father for trying to set you up with that girl, and he wouldn't be able to since he'd think you were dating me. And you'd get to see the looks on Ron, Hermione, and Harry's faces. I know you'll love that!" Draco grinned, mischievously.

"Hey, I think you've got something there, Weasley. We may just be able to pull this off."

"If we are going to do this, you can't call me 'Weasley'. I'll call you Draco if you call me Ginny. And we can't be mean to each other in public." Draco smirked.

"How do I know this isn't just some clever ploy to get me to snog you... Virginia?" Ginny winced as he referred to her by her full name, and then glared at him.

"And how do I know that you don't want me to snog you, Draconis?" Draco returned her glare. The two stared at each other before Ginny bit her lower lip. "This might be harder than I thought."

"It sounds worth it to me." Smirking, Draco stepped past her to continue on his walk, and then turned back and winked. "See you in the Great Hall tomorrow morning, Ginny."

Ginny smiled. "I'll be there."

Draco shook his head as he continued to walk. That girl was crazy, but something about her... Draco shook his head again. Well. This year would certainly be interesting.

Author's Note: Thanks for all the wonderful reviews. This chapter may really suck. I feel kind of bad now because a reviewer informed me that this idea has already been done and is extremely similar to another story called Can't Decide Whether to Love or Hate You. And, in response to that review, I read the story. And they are alike. Which makes me feel bad because I thought this was an original idea. Oh well. Just for the record, you guys should go and read Can't Decide Whether to Love or Hate You. It's by Liz21. I'll try to make my story as different as possible. And thanks for whoever told me that Ginny’s real name is Ginevra and not Virginia. I wrote this story before I knew that. Thanks for correcting me! That's all. I'll shut up now.

I Wish...

Chapter Two

Sweet Smiles

Ginny tapped her foot impatiently as she waited outside the Great Hall.

Breakfast had started fifteen minutes ago and Malfoy was nowhere to be seen. There was no way she was going to let him back out on their deal. The first time in her life she'd ever felt like getting revenge on someone and her plan falls apart before it even starts? No way. Ginny would give... his life before that happened. Besides, Ron needed to be taught a lesson about getting in the way of who she wanted to date--

Ginny's thought process immediately came to a stop as she felt someone's warm, light breathing on her neck. Her eyes widened and she flipped around to see a smirking Draco Malfoy standing in front of her. "Miss me?"

"Oh, so much." She said, sarcastically. "I thought you'd never get here! What gives, Malfoy?"

"What's with this 'Malfoy' business, Ginny, darling. Is this how you treat all your boyfriends?" Hecommented with fake innocence. How she longed to smack that famous Malfoy smirk off his face.

"I wouldn't know how to treat a boyfriend, Draco. I've never had one!"

"Such a shame." He said, distractedly. "Are you ready for our grand entrance?"

Ginny heaved a long sigh. "As ready as I'll ever be."

"Good." Before she could react, he had grabbed her hand and thrown open the doors, dragging her inside.

All the tables were deathly quiet.

Malfoy glared. "What? Haven't you ever seen someone walk into a room before? Mind your own business, you bloody brown-nosers!"

Ginny couldn't help but laugh. She smiled sweetly at everyone, waving her free hand dismissively. "Yes, what he said. Carry on."

Ginny swept her eyes over the room as everyone slowly went back to eating their meals, eyeing the two suspiciously. She grinned as she saw Ron staring at them in a mixture of shock and confusion. Even Harry and Hermione were looking on. Harry's spoon was frozen inches away from his mouth and Hermione had her elbow in the butter dish. She would have laughed if Malfoy hadn't chosen that exact moment to plant a kiss on her forehead. She looked at him quizzically, but he merely continued to smile at her.

"Shall I walk you to your table?"

She smiled and faked a curtsey. "Of course."

The two walked past the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw tables, ignoring the looks they got from each student and stopped gracefully before an empty space next to Neville at the Gryffindor table.

Malfoy smirked and kissed her forehead again. Ginny ignored the strange feeling it gave her and sat down, waving as he turned to walk back to his table. "I'll see you after Potions!"

He waved at her over his shoulder without turning around. Ginny returned her attention to the table, smiling as her plate filled up with food. She lifted her spoon to her mouth--

"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL WAS THAT?!" Ginny clapped a hand over her ears, dropping her spoon and effectively soiling her robes.

"Gee, thanks for ruining my clothes and making me deaf in one go, Ron." She said, glaring. She took the napkin Neville handed her and dabbed at the stain.

"Ginny, since when are you and Malfoy so chummy?" Ginny mentally rolled her eyes. Figures Hermione would say calmly what everyone else was dying to scream. She continued to dab at the stain, refusing to meet the girl's eyes.

"Since I have a row with Ron in the library and Malfoy, in his own weird twisted way, cheers me up. Something wrong?"

"Wrong?! You're hanging around with a bloody Malfoy!" Ron screamed. Once again, Ginny was forced to cover her ears.

"Oh, so now you're going to keep a tight cap on who I'm friends with, too?" Harry toyed with his napkin for a few moments before deciding to speak.

"You two looked a lot closer than friends, Ginny. You looked like...” Ginny smiled inwardly. Harry had just made her job a whole lot easier. Ron would have definitely been suspicious if she'd been the one to suggest that they were dating. She looked down at her food and didn't say anything for a few minutes.

"Like what, Harry?"

"You looked like you were... well... in love." Hermione said for him. "But of course, that's completely ridiculous."

For some reason, Ginny was insulted. "What's so ridiculous about it?!"

"You're a Weasley and a Gryffindor! He's a Malfoy and a Slytherin! He thinks you're beneath him. He'd never be interested in you." There was complete and utter silence at the table.

"Excuse me, Ron?" Ginny said, venomously. "He'd never be interested in me? And why's that? I'm not pretty enough? I'm not smart enough? Why don't you tell me since you seem to know so well?"

Ron flushed bright red and looked down at the table. "Well, I, uh, what I meant was...”

"I think,"Ginny said, standing. "That I'll go and eat with Draco and the Slytherins. Since I'm so unwelcome at this table."

Casting one last glare in his direction, Ginny turned and headed towards the other end of the Great Hall, ignoring the many, many eyes that followed her.

~*~

Draco raised an eyebrow as Ginny Weasley plopped down next to him and began attacking her food without a word.

He'd heard every bit of the argument. Who in the Great Hall hadn't? But he still couldn't believe she'd actually walked all the way over here and was really sitting next to him, at the Slytherin table, with so many people who hated her guts, as opposed to people who liked her and one who was more than a little pissed at her at the moment.

He smiled. She had a lot of spunk.

The silence at the table was deadly, but Ginny ignored them all, still attacking her food as if it would attack her first. Draco looked up and saw the entire table staring at him wordlessly, as if waiting to see his reaction. He sighed.

Loudly.

What a chore it was to be devilishly handsome and loved/feared by all.

"Ginevra, do you realize what table you're sitting at?" She didn't look up.

"Yes, I do."

"And do you also realize that there aren't very many people at this table who like you?" He continued.

"Uh huh."

"And you're not going to leave, are you?"

"Nope."

"Alright." Draco went back to eating as if it was perfectly natural to have her sitting next to him, carving a hole into the little french toast man she'd made. Draco looked up again to see all eyes at the table on him. He sighed, stood, and tugged at Ginny's sleeve. "Come on."

They walked over to the Great Hall doors, Draco scrutinizing Ginny under his gaze and Ginny staring at her feet quietly. Someone cleared their throat, and Draco looked over into the confused faces of Crabbe and Goyle. They had followed him from the table and were standing behind Ginny, waiting for his order to remove her.

Draco watched the little Gryffindor for a moment, his gray eyes taking in her delicate frame, her fiery red hair, and remembering the way she’d rammed her fork into the piece of bread over and over. Then he grinned.

"Leave her alone, Crabbe and Goyle. Go bother Pansy or something." The two nodded dumbly and plodded off. Draco rolled his eyes.

"Thank you." Ginny said, finally looking at him. Draco frowned as soon as he was sure no one was watching.

"Don't get comfortable, Weasel. I'm only doing this for the satisfaction of seeing your brother blow up like that every day." Ginny rolled her eyes, muttering something about egotistical pigs, before sticking her tongue out at him and returning to staring at her feet.

"You're surprisingly good at playing nice, Malfoy."

"Malfoys are supposed to be, Weasley. We can convince anyone of anything." Ginny smirked, staring him straight in the eye.

"I knew I chose the right person to help me hatch my first evil scheme."

"Whatever. Just don't expect to be eating here everyday." He sneered. "I can't watch out for you if the Slytherins decide to gang up on youwhen I'm not here for breakfast."

Ginny rolled her eyes again. "Don't worry about it. I won't make it a habit. Later, Draco."

"Of course, Ginny, darling." He smiled sarcastically and waved as she walked out the doors. Draco returned to his table, and, as soon as he sat down, the table exploded with questions about the two.

Draco sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "What have I gotten myself into now?"

Author's Note: Thank you, everybody. I love you reviewer people.

I Wish...

Chapter Three:

Questions

Ginny sighed for the fourth time.

She'd been getting so many odd looks from her classmates over the past few days that she was sure she'd be able to accurately describe the shape and color of every eye in the room. Why was it so hard to believe that Draco Malfoy might actually like her?

"You're a Weasley and a Gryffindor. He's a Malfoy and a Slytherin. He thinks you're beneath him. He'd never be interested in you."

She snapped her quill in half as Ron's words came back to her. He was such a prat! She couldn't believe he'd really said that. Of course Malfoy would be interested in her! There was nothing wrong with her, was there? She was smart and she certainly wasn't ugly. She was likeable. Why wouldn't he like her?

Oh calm down, Ginny. You sound as if you want him to like you. She thought to herself. Ginny made a face. What was she thinking? She didn't want Malfoy to like her! They were mortal enemies, for Pete's sake! She didn't want to be anything more or anything less to him.

Well, unless Ron or the entire school happened to be looking on.

Professor McGonagall droned on and on, but Ginny wasn't listening. Her mind was wandering to Malfoy again. She still couldn't believe he'd really accepted her plan and was really pretending to be her boyfriend. He'd even kissed her! The funny feeling in the pit of her stomach returned and she chewed on her broken quill, smothering it. So what if he'd kissed her? He'd only done it to see the look on Ron's face, as he'd so clearly told her afterwards.

She frowned. He was such a jerk.

"Miss Weasley? Are you hearing a word of this?" Ginny snapped out of her thoughts and blushed as chuckles emitted from around the room.

"Sorry, Professor." She mumbled.

"Ginny's thinking about her boyfriend!" A Ravenclaw girl shouted. The class laughed again. Ginny turned bright red and sank down in her seat. Professor McGonagall raised an eyebrow. To her dismay, the Ravenclaw girl continued. "Didn't you hear, Professor? Ginny is dating Draco Malfoy!"

Professor McGonagall raised her eyebrows so far up, Ginny wondered if they'd disappear into her hair. She turned an even brighter shade of red, thankful when the class was finally over. She had to find Draco and make sure Ron saw them walking to their next class together.

"Have you seen Draco?" Ginny asked a Slytherin girl she saw walking out of the Charms classroom.

"I think he's out by the Quidditch field." The girl sneered. "What's it to you, little Gryffindor?"

Instead of answering, Ginny turned on her heel and ran down the stairs, wondering why Draco skipped class. She shook her head, resolving to ask him as soon as she found him.

~*~

Draco stared up at the clear blue sky and sighed.

He was crazy. Absolutely bonkers. He had to be to agree to work with a Weasley. He couldn't fathom what had possessed him to say yes to the little Weasley girl's offer. Well, alright, yes he did. He couldn't say no with her eyes shining at him like that and her lips in that cute pout and--

Aargh.

Draco shook his head. Oh yes, he was definitely out of his mind. He propped his feet up on the stand in front of him and rested his head on his hands. He was supposed to be having Potions with the Gryffindors then, but he didn't really care. Snape wouldn't give him detention and besides, a few good words from his father and he'd be off the hook.

Draco frowned, staring up at the sky almost wistfully.

His father. It seemed like everything he owned belonged to his father. His name belonged his father. His fortunes belonged to his father. Lucius had been kind enough to remind him on numerous occasions that Draco owed him his life. Draco sighed. Someday, he resolved. I'll live in an apartment that I bought myself and I won't owe my father a sickle.

Draco was so engrossed in his thoughts that he didn't hear Ginny Weasley come up behind him until she'd sat down by his head and said, "Hi."

He jumped, sitting up and glaring at her. "What the bloody hell do you think you're doing, Weasel? Trying to give me a bloody heart attack?"

She was looking at him with a weird emotion in her eyes. A mixture of sadness, pity, and compassion. Draco hated it. His scowl deepened and he looked away. He nearly jumped out of his skin as he felt her rest her hand on his shoulder.

"What's wrong?" He remained silent. Why didn't she just leave him alone? Didn't she have class to get to? He vaguely wondered who had told her that he was out there and made a mental note to murder the person later. Ginny was still staring at him expectantly. Too bad,He thought. She needs to mind her own business. "Draco, please tell me."

"Stay out of it, Weasley."

"No. I want to know what's wrong with you. Why'd you look so... so sad?" Draco glared at her, but she continued to look at him unfazed. She was so annoying! He mentally wished a million curses on her head. "Draco!"

"What?" He snapped, irritated.

"Come on. Tell me what's the matter with you!"

"Sod off."

"Malfoy!"

"Leave me alone."

"Tell me!"

"Why should I?"

"Because I told you to. Talk!"

"No!"

"Please?"

"Fine! I'm worried, alright? Are you happy now?" She stared at him, surprised for a second, before she smiled. He frowned. What was she so happy about? She bugs him and bugs him to tell her what's wrong with him and then she smiles? She was certainly lacking in the common courtesy department.

"The Great Malfoy is... Worried about something? Call the Daily Prophet. This is headline news." Draco stood, giving Ginny a venomous glare.

"Don't ask if you really don't care, Weasel. I don't have time for you to waste on stupid jokes." Ginny's eyes widened, but Draco didn't care. With a final glare at her, he stormed away, down the bleachers, across the field, and back into the Hogwarts building.

A/N: Sorry for the wait.Thanks to all my reviewers.

I Wish...

Chapter Four

Let's Chat

Three days, four hours, and fifty-nine minutes.

Not that she was counting or anything. She just knew her time very well. She didn't care enough to actually count how long, uh, anyway-

It had been three days, four hours, and fifty-nine minutes since she had seen Draco last. And Ginny had not exactly been in high spirits since then. She felt horrible. What kind of monster was she that she'd make fun of a guy who actually came out and admitted that he was scared? Malfoy... Er... Draco, never admitted anything and especially not to her. And the day he finally did, what had she done? Thrown it right back in his face! She was a worse person than he was on a good day!

Ginny sighed and tried to focus on the potion in front of her, already feeling Snape's eyes burning into her head. She could find Draco after class since this was the last class they had before it was time to return to their dorms. Maybe she could find that same nosey Slytherin girl to tell her where Draco was. He was probably avoiding her.

"Miss Weasley. I don't believe I told you that your potion was supposed to turn silver." Snape's voice drawled from mere feet before her. Ginny gasped and looked up at him, then down at her potion. He was right; her potion was turning a very piercing silver color.

The same color as his eyes...

"I'm so sorry, Professor!" Ginny apologized, pretending to look sorry even though she really wasn't. Snape didn't care either way.

"Fifty points from Gryffindor, Miss Weasley. Do pay attention next time." Ginny stuck out her tongue at his back, grateful when he announced that the class was over and that they were to return to their dormitories. Although Ginny had no intention of doing that, it was still one of the greatest phrases you could hear come from Snape's mouth. Well, either that or, "I'm going to kill myself!", but the first one was much more likely.

Ginny gathered up her things and was the first one out the door. She was in such a haste that she slammed right into someone, knocking them and their books (rephrase: book) to the ground. Ginny flushed.

"Sorry! I'm really, really... Draco?" And it was the Slytherin boy, scowling at her from the ground. Ginny's eyes widened as she held out a hand and helped him to his feet rather shakily since she was almost half his size. Roughly exaggerated, that is.

"Thanks, Ginevra. I've always wanted to go hurtling towards the ground." Ginny grinned as she helped him pick up his books.

"But you never thank me when you go hurtling towards the ground on the Quidditch field." He said nothing and Ginny decided it was now or never. "Look, Malfoy, I'm really sorry I was such a prat. I didn't mean to make fun of you. I just... I'm not used to you being serious and, well, I... sorry."

When he still said nothing, Ginny looked at him. He was staring off at some point beyond her head. "Hello?"

"Whatever, Weasley. It's fine." He said gruffly, leaning against the wall and staring at her. Ginny shifted uncomfortably. That look he was giving her made her feel even guiltier, even though she had just apologized.

"Draco?"

"Hmm?"

"What was wrong with you that day? I mean, why were you worried?" He looked at her incredulously for a moment, as if he couldn't believe she was really asking him that. Ginny looked down.

"I don't want to talk about it, Ginny. Not with you anyway. For all I know, I could get laughed at. No Malfoy is ever laughed at." He started to walk down the hallway in that graceful strut of his, but Ginny grabbed his arm and stared imploringly into his eyes when he turned to look at her.

"Please, Draco? I really want to know this time. I won't laugh. Really." He remained silent. "Oh, come on. There's no harm in telling me. I won't tell anybody. And I certainly won't make fun of you again. I've learned my lesson. So, please? Can't you just trust me this time?"

"I don't do 'trust', Weasley."

"But surely there must be someone out there that you trust with your life. Everyone has at least one person. And even if you don't trust me, I promise I won't give you a reason to doubt me ever again, Draco. So, please?" She continued to look at him with big brown eyes, giving a silent plea. "Please?"

Finally, he sighed. "You want to know what was wrong with me, Weasley?"

"Yes."

"It was my father." He waited for her to laugh or scorn him, but she looked at him with curiosity. He gazed into her eyes once before continuing. "My father is trying to control my life. What I eat, what I wear, what I say, and now, more recently, who I date. He has this date set up from me with some witch, in the figurative sense, he found off the streets. Usually, Lucius doesn't give a rat's ass what I do as long as I do it in private, but now he's trying to control my private life, too."

"Something's up." She commented.

"Very good, Weasley. Anyway, that's what had me worried. Are you happy now?"

"No. You're leaving something out." Draco looked at her in surprise. "Go on. Continue."

"Oh, fine. Besides all that, father's been controlling my mail, he has me on a diet, sends me letters every day to 'check up on me', and I am under the impression that he's bribed someone here at the school to keep an eye on me. And, by the way, if that is you, Ginny, I shall have do a very good memory spell on you later." Ginny laughed. "It doesn't really bother me. My father and I never had a very good relationship to begin with. He's always hated me."

Draco froze. Why had he said that? It was something about those eyes of hers, he was sure. One look at them and he felt like he could tell her anything. His face took on a guarded expression as hers turned to one of pity. "Oh my. I feel so sorry for you, Draco."

"I don't need your bloody pity, Weasel." He turned away from her and began to walk down the hall.

"How many times are you going to storm away from me, Malfoy?" She called after him.

"As many times as I need to, to keep you from getting too close!" He called back, then winced. Those bloody eyes! He walkedeven faster.

"Draco, please!"

"Leave me the bloody hell alone!" He disappeared into one of the school's many secret passage ways and did not come out until twenty minutes after he hurried footsteps had faded away.

~*~

"Hey, watch where you're going, Malfoy." Draco rolled his eyes at the person he just run into (rephrase: persons). Of all the people, it had to be Weasel and Potty. Didn't he have the best luck in the world?

"Maybe you shouldn't jump into my way like that, Weasel. Now sod off, I'm busy." Ron's face turned bright red and Potty stepped in front of him. Draco smirked. He really loved making the Weasley angry. It was amusing seeing their faces turn as red as their hair. Like a tomato effect.

"Look, Malfoy, have you seen Ginny? She hasn't returned to the Common Room yet and a Gryffindor said she was talking to you after Potions."

"Yeah, what did you do with my sister you prat?" Ron shouted. Harry grabbed Ron's arm and kept a tight hold on it. Draco fought the urge to roll his eyes. The Weasel would get his ass kicked if he even tried to fight him.

"I didn't do anything to her. I left her in the hallway." Still feeling obligated, he added, "She didn't want me to walk her to her dorm."

Ron eyed him suspiciously. "Are you sure you don't know? I mean, she is your girlfriend, right?"

"And she is your sister, right?" Draco countered, wondering why he was sticking up for a relationship that didn't exist, when he was angry with the other half of the relationship. Well, okay, he knew why. But that didn't mean he had to accept it. No Malfoy would ever worry about a Weasley.

"Oh shut up, you--"

"If you see her, let us know, Malfoy. Come on, Ron." Draco watched as Potter dragged the hostile Weasley away, then continued on his original path to the Astronomy Tower. It was the place he went to think during the nighttime or when the Quidditch field was occupied by idiots practicing for the next match.

But a surprise was waiting for him up there. A surprise that looked as if she'd been waiting a long time.

"Ginny? What are you doing here? Potter and Weasley are looking all over the bloody school for you!" She didn't look at him, but continued to stare at the sky. "And, by the way, Weasley, get out of my spot."

She continued to ignore him. This made Draco angry. How dare she ignore him? If anyone, he should be doing all the ignoring! He was the one who was angry, not her. He opened his mouth to say so, when she spoke.

"You know, I just can't figure you out." She said softly. This threw Draco for a loop. He was expecting an insult or an apology. Not that. "You're such a mystery to me, Draco."

"It's better that way." Draco said simply, leaning against the wall. She turned to look at him, her brown eyes full of something -- regret? pity? sorrow? -- and sighed.

"But I want to understand you."

"I don't want you to." He said, coldly, putting up his walls. Did she think that he would just let her into his life because of a stupid deal? It was fake, he wanted to yell at her. I don't care a single bit about you! I'm just doing this because... Oh, hell, he couldn't even remember why he'd agreed to the stupid thing in the first place. Something about... something.

Ginny walked over to him, staring him straight in the eye. They held the gaze that way and, for the first time since he was born, Draco was the one to break it. He looked away and glared at the wall. "You don't have a choice."

His eyes widened and he watched her exit the Astronomy Tower. He didn't move from that spot all night.

I Wish…

Chapter Five

I Must Be Going Crazy

Ginny was about three seconds away from closing her hands around her brother’s neck and throttling him until his face matched his hair.

She was trying to calmly do her Potions assignment and she was actually succeeding in doing so when Ron had decided he was going come into the Common Room so he could act like a total prat. They had no classes until Herbology mid-day and Ginny wanted to finish so she’d have some free time to spend with Draco.

Wait a second…

Rephrase that. She wanted some free time to annoy Draco into telling her stuff. Yes, that was better.

“Look, Gin, I’m sure that Malfoy’s a great guy, way, way, way, way, way, way, way, way, way, way—“

“I get the point Ron.” She interrupted. “But just—“

“But, he’s just using you. Malfoys hate us Weasleys. They’d never want to go out with us. And I’m sure you realize that this relationship can’t last and that you’re really being a prat just thinking of going out with—“

“Excuse me? I’m the prat? Who’s the one standing in front of the fireplace, blocking their sister’s light and telling them that their boyfriend is an idiot while said sister is trying to finish their Potions assignment from Slimeball Snape so she can go hang out with said boyfriend?” Ginny asked with a raised eyebrow. Ron copied her expression.

“You’re going to go see Malfoy? Now?”

“When I finish my assignment. Now if you would move, I’d be able to.” Instead of moving, like she’d asked, Ron walked closer and grabbed both her hands. Ginny sighed. He was really pushing his luck.

“Gin, I just don’t want you to get hurt by that... That monster. That absolutely unbearable womanizing bloody idiot of a monster.”

“Draco is not a monster.” Ginny said with a calmness that she didn’t feel. “He’s a nice, kind, slightly sadistic, but overall caring person. He just doesn’t like you.”

Ron turned red, from either embarrassment or anger. Ginny didn’t know or really care. The only thing she cared about was her assignment. If he’d let her finish.

“Gin, why won’t you listen to reason?”

“Ron, why won’t you listen to me? I like Draco, I really do, and I’m happy being with him. Why can’t you just accept that?” For some reason, she felt tears coming on. Someone must be peeling onions somewhere and her sensitive tear glands were acting up. Yes, that’s right. “If it was anybody else, you would have skinned them alive by now. Ron, I’m sixteen. I can handle myself. Draco likes me and I like him and I want to stay with him. He makes me happy. Why can’t you see that? Instead all I get is lectures and lectures and lectures. Do you think I’m really listening? I love Draco. Nothing you do or say will change that.”

Stupid tears. She almost believed herself.

Ron looked even redder than before. “Fine. Love him if you feel like. I don’t care. But don’t come crying to me when you go off to ‘meet him’ and find him snogging some other which and trying to get in her pants. Then we’ll see if he loves you.”

“Ron, I hate you!” Ginny screamed, shoving her papers and books off her lap and standing up. She swatted at her tears angrily and raced past him, down the stairs, out through the portrait and let her legs just take her wherever.

~ * ~

Draco Malfoy was thinking about that stupid Weasley girl again.

And, much to his annoyance, his mind quickly corrected him, Her name is Ginny and she’s not stupid.

Okay, she wasn’t stupid. But she did frustrate the hell out of him. Why the hell did she care so bloody much about him? She was the one who had arranged this whole deal. He hadn’t even gotten his pay-off yet.

When he did manage to piss of his father… Would that be it? Would he really just turn around and never speak to Ginevra Weasley again? Well, at least, not civilly?

Draco was afraid to know the answer to that question. If yes, well, he hadn’t seen her yet today and he already felt like he was in a crappy mood. For some reason, the sight of her made him… What? Happy now? He didn’t think it’d be very appealing to feel like crap every single day of his life.

Then again, if no, she’d just keep getting closer and closer until that was it. There’d be no masks left for him to hide behind and he’d be completely open for her to make or break him. He really, really didn’t like the prospect of someone having that kind of power over him.

Truth be told, it made him piss his pants just thinking about it.

Draco sighed in frustration, running a hand through his blond hair. That girl made him so confused. Why had he agreed to all this in the first place? Why couldn’t she just be some slut like Pansy Parkins who he could use for a good time, then leave without a second thought? Why couldn’t she just—

“Omph!”

“Ahh!” Draco’s arms instinctively wrapped around the girl who’d just crashed into him, keeping her from falling. His eyes immediately met with a crown of red hair and his heart felt lighter.

Dammit, who was he? Shakespeare. He made a mental note never to say anything like that again. Heart felt lighter. Pssh.

“We have got to stop meeting like this, Ginevra. I don’t think my poor ribs could take it.” Draco raised an eyebrow as Ginny looked up at him, surprised to see that tears were in her eyes. “What happened, Gin?”

She gave him an incredulous look and he wondered why until he realized he’d just called her by a nickname. This girl was having some weird effects on him. He blushed and looked away gruffly. “I asked a question, Weasel.”

He listened intently as she calmly, almost too calmly, related the whole story. Her tears were gone when she finished, replaced with a stifled anger that smoldered in her eyes. That girl could kill if she was up to it.

“Well, it sounds to me that your brother is the biggest git in the whole bloody universe.” He said, snidely, wanting a reaction out of her. An angry and argumentative Ginny was better than a crying one.

To his utter surprise, she said, “Exactly.”

“You know, there is a lack of sisterly love in your relationship.” She laughed and Draco decided he loved a smiling Ginny better than an angry and argumentative one.

Wait. When had the word ‘love’ sneaked into that thought?

“Shut up.” She said, smiling.

“The day a Malfoy listens to a Weasley will be the day Potter gets his head out of his arse and stops dating Cho Chang to admit his feelings for Granger.” He replied. She stared up at him.

“Wow. You’re good at reading people, aren’t you? Not many people realize that Harry’s head over heels for Hermione.” There was a pause. “Can you read yourself that well?”

Draco’s senses immediately went on red alert. She was trying to get to him again. Hiding any sign of discomfort, he replied coolly, “I really don’t want to.”

Then he was walking briskly down the hallway and away from her. He just knew that if he stayed and she looked at him with those eyes, he would tell her everything. And there was no way he was doing that.

Before he could make his oh-so-cool getaway, someone latched onto his arm and demanded, “Talk to me!”

Draco raised an eyebrow. What was her problem? She hated his guts just like every Weasley and like Potter and the Mudblood, too. So why the hell wouldn’t she leave him alone. He didn’t want to talk. Especially not to her.

“Why do you care so much?” He asked at last. Maybe, just maybe, if she gave him a good answer to that, then he’d tell her one thing. Only one. Most likely that he had ten mirrors in his room at home, but, hey, that was something.

But, the silence dragged on. Ginny stared at her feet and released his hand. Draco knew she wouldn’t answer. So, he did the logical thing to do when a conversation was over.

He left.