A/N: WOW! Has it really been a whole month or just a few weeks? Sorry, guys! We kind of lost track of time with school almost ending and all… END OF SCHOOL FEVER! Anyways, here's the long awaited chapter. Hopefully you guys have stayed with us and haven't totally given up on our story. We tried making it a bit longer than our usual because it was so overdue, but to no avail. We want to thank everyone who reviewed! We now have 100 reviews!! Portkey reviewers: We do reply to most if not all of your questions that you review, so once in a while check your review to see if you have gotten an answer to any questions or replies to any comments. We read every one of them and they all encourage us to make our story the best it can be! Well, we're going to stop rambling and let you enjoy the story! Thanks, guys!
CHAPTER TWELVE
"TALKING" ((THINKING))
Ginny walked aimlessly throughout the corridors, playing that night's recent scene in her mind, "A BIG crush… Not pretty, Ginny darling, but beautiful… I only try to annoy you because you are sexy when you're mad…"
((He wasn't even influenced!))
Ginny decided to go to the Great Hall, for it was growing dark outside.
((Must be dinner,)) she thought. ((Time sure flies when you're having fun, err, damaging-your-brain-with-harmful-information-that-may-traumatize-you-for-the-rest-of-your-life.)) Ginny nodded. ((That's better.))
She decided then, standing in front of the Great Hall entrance, that Draco might be there, so it'd be better if she just went to the kitchens so she wouldn't have to face him.
After tickling the pear, she was immediately bombarded by short little elves. Ginny picked a young girl elf and asked for a sandwich. The elf led her to a table, scampered off, and returned not a second later with a plate of sandwiches. Ginny saw that she looked sad, so she invited the elf to eat with her.
"Okay," squeaked the elf as she pulled out a chair and plopped down into it. She sighed quietly, but Ginny heard.
"What's wrong?" Ginny asked sympathetically.
"Oh, don't let Jinxy be ruining your dinner with the small elf problems that she has," the elf called Jinxy smiled sadly.
"Come on," Ginny nudged her slightly, "I'm a great listener."
"Well, alright. Jinxy's boyfriend Dobby is having more interest in the shopping and the clothing than in the Jinxy!" she cried as two fat tears rolled down her cheeks. She put her face into her hands and sobbed, her small shoulders shaking.
((Dobby? Wasn't he Draco's house-elf?)) Ginny cringed at the thought of the blonde-haired boy.
"I know what you can do!" Ginny said suddenly. The elf raised her head slowly and wiped her tears with shaking hands.
"Miss is having some advice for Jinxy?" she asked with hopeful eyes and a quivering bottom lip.
Ginny took Jinxy's hand and spoke slowly, "Why don't you go shopping with Dobby? That way you can spend time with him and maybe you'll like shopping, too!"
Jinxy smiled wide. "Miss is right! Jinxy is having to be doing what Dobby likes, also! Not only what Jinxy likes! Miss is giving wonderful advice!" She hugged Ginny and felt confident enough to get herself a sandwich.
Ginny watched the elf happily munching, acting as if her life was going to be okay. Ginny frowned, obviously jealous and eager to feel the same way.
"Can I ask for advice?" Ginny asked her. The house-elf looked up and dropped her sandwich.
"How may Jinxy be of service?"
"Well, there's this boy…"
"A Dobby-like boy?"
"Uh… sure, like Dobby, except or the shopping fetish that is. Instead his fetish is possibly himself," Ginny said as she wondered why she was doing this.
"Jinxy is thinking that a man who enjoys the company of himself more than the company of you is not a man being worth of your love."
Ginny sighed in relief. ((Good, no more Draco, I'd say.))
"Unless the boy has proclaimed his life for you," the elf said in a very mature voice. "Jinxy thinks," she added, voice squeaky again.
Ginny gawked in disbelief. She used a hand to grab under her chin and closed her mouth. The elf stared at her with big, expectant eyes.
"Well, the thing is, he did say that… a few minutes ago," Ginny heard herself say.
"Hmm… Then miss is a lucky girl, having a boy like that. Jinxy thinks miss shouldn't be letting him go. He is sounding special."
Once again, Ginny's mouth fell open in disbelief, but this time she didn't bother to close it. She stared at the elf with bulging eyes as Jinxy stood up and walked over to her. She placed a thin hand upon Ginny's shoulder and said, "Good luck."
Instead of letting go of Ginny's shoulder she began shaking it. Ginny opened her mouth to tell her to stop it, but no sound came out. She tried again, louder, and heard her own voice echo in the distance. Then she heard a new voice. It was familiar and it screeched, "Ginny, wake up!"
At that, Ginny opened her eyes and found herself in her dormitory, tangled up in her sheets. She stared up at concerned brown eyes. It was none other than Hermione. Just then, Ginny realized that there were other voices in the room, probably chatting away about the Christmas holidays.
((Guess they're back,)) she thought miserably.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
All breakfast, Ginny's eyes were glazed over because she kept thinking about her dream. She had some hope that the whole day had been a dream, but the Veritaserum was still on her breath, so she really did have a problem. Draco was in love with her.
((Gross,)) she thought. But, she was lying to herself. She wanted to think it was gross, but she sort of liked him, too. ((What is WRONG with me? Wait, he said crush… He's probably over it by now! Yes! My life is back!))
Ginny noticed that she was standing up with a maniac grin on her face.
"Ginny?" Hermione asked with worried eyes.
"Uh…" she began to answer when Ron suddenly stood up.
"What has been going on these past two weeks?!" he demanded. "I knew I shouldn't have left you here all alone!" he said with his hands on his hips.
"Ronald, please. I can take care of myself. Also, when I told you I wasn't coming you barely blinked before you asked Harry to replace me! No offense, Harry." Ginny sighed.
Harry blushed slightly and hung his head.
"You shouldn't speak that way about Potter, Weasley," came a drawling voice from behind her.
Ginny's lungs collapsed as she turned to face Draco.
"He might get too depressed to save the world from the Dark Lord next time. And that would be such a pity," he sneered.
"Oh, sod off, Malfoy," Ron spoke. "Kindly remove yourself from our environment."
"Who are you kidding, Ron? Malfoy doesn't do anything out of kindness," huffed Hermione.
Draco simply scowled and turned to Ginny. He opened his mouth to say something, but thought better of it and walked off. Ginny sighed in relief. Ron glared at her.
"WHAT?!" she snapped as she turned on her heel and stalked out of the Great Hall.
As the doors shut behind her, someone grabbed her elbow and pulled her behind a statue. Someone blonde.
Ginny struggled to get away, but knew that she couldn't. She began to whimper.
"I'm not going to kill you, Weasley!" Draco said through clenched teeth.
"That may be, but you might rape me!" she whined.
Draco immediately released her arm.
"Thank you!" she snapped as she rubbed it affectionately.
Draco sighed and looked at the ceiling. "Look, about yesterday-"
When he looked back down, Ginny had already dashed off towards the Gryffindor common room, leaving behind a now apoplectic Draco.
As Ginny turned the last corner to the common room, she tripped over something, or someone, sending her flying to the floor. Suddenly, a pair of strong arms caught her before her face shattered against the stone floor. The person she tripped over had gotten up so quickly to catch her that Ginny was thankful it wasn't someone else, Neville maybe, or she probably wouldn't have her nose right now.
That reminded her that Neville was supposed to be back today. She needed to tell him that she couldn't (wouldn't, *cough cough*) go to the Valentine's Day Ball with him.
She then noticed that the person was still struggling to hold her off of the ground, and she was simply thinking about Neville. He must have gotten tired, or maybe she was too heavy, because he suddenly dropped her with a small yelp.
"Sorry, Gin!" she could hear him wince.
She sat up, rubbing her head, and accepted the hand outstretched in front of her.
"Thanks," she said as she looked up at…
NEVILLE LONGBOTTOM!
"Neville?!" she shrieked. ((Oh, my GOD!)) she thought as she looked him up and down. It seemed that over his "vacation" his body had transformed into Harry's. Or… Draco's. ((DRACO'S?! Gross! Bad thoughts! Okay, Gin… Breathe… In… Out… Okay! Whew, that's better!))
Ginny had to admit it to herself: Neville looked hot. She now noticed that his face wasn't so bad, either. The only thing she used to notice about his looks was his weight.
"What happened to you, Neville?"
"That bad, huh?" he asked shyly.
"No! You look great!" she beamed.
"Alright, well, don't tell anyone. Gran took me out of school early and sent me to a Muggle weight loss camp. Guess it worked."
"That's wonderful, Neville! I'm so proud of you!" Ginny had forgotten all about breaking their date for the dance, and now that she thought about it…
((Maybe I'll give Neville a chance…))
(A/N: Dang, that Ginny sure is shallow…)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Ginny awoke the next morning with a smile on her face. She and Neville had spent the whole night talking, and Ginny found that he was actually a really cool guy. Given, a little clumsy from time to time, but still very cool. He was one of the sweetest guys she knew and she was glad that she got to know that side of him. She was ecstatically happy when she remembered part of their conversation.
"Ginny? You remember when you said that if I needed anything, I could ask you?" Neville asked timidly.
"Yes, of course I do! What is it?" the red-headed girl beamed.
"Well, I need help in potions. Professor Snape said that if I get the Nocturnal Nectar absolutely perfect, he will pass me, but just barely. I think he's just getting tired of me and my messes," he chuckled.
Ginny sighed a breath of relief. ((Yes! I don't have to be alone with Malfoy anymore!)) "Of course I'll help! This is great, Neville! You've saved me! For the past three months I have been tutoring Malfoy for the same potion! Now I won't have to deal with him alone!"
"Malfoy?" Neville squeaked. "Uh, I don't know, Ginny…"
"Oh, my gosh! Please, Neville! I swear he won't bother you!" Ginny pleaded.
"Alright," he gave in.
"Thank you, Neville!" She threw her arms around his neck. "You're so sweet!"
Neville beamed as Ginny added in an undertone, "I'll take care of Malfoy."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Draco walked aimlessly throughout the halls. It was New Years Eve, and he missed Ginny. Merlin help him, he missed her.
A big party was going to take place in the Great Hall at 7 o'clock. Draco looked at his watch-6:45. People would be arriving soon. He hadn't gone to one party since October, and decided that he should treat himself to this one.
Since he didn't have a date (Which was highly uncommon), he didn't need to be fashionably late. He sighed. He was in no mood to act cool, anyway. As he turned the corner to face the Great Hall entrance, he froze.
Standing next to the doors was a very stunning Ginny. She was wearing a floor length green dress that shimmered when she moved. It was held up by two thin straps and the neckline dipped slightly enough that people would notice that she wasn't a small girl. As she turned slightly to talk to someone, Draco saw that the dress was backless.
Her hair shined and fell into soft ringlets around her shoulders. On her neck was a simple chain and on her wrist was a matching bracelet. It looked like she had even put on some make-up.
Draco finally noticed who she was talking to. Another guy.
She was laughing and lightly slapping his arm. He had made her laugh. How Draco wished that he could be the reason for her smiling. He was about to turn around and go back to his room (he suddenly didn't feel like a party), when Ginny's eye caught his. Her face fell slightly and she excused herself to leave the guy for a moment. She began to walk toward Draco and his chest filled with hope. She wasn't mad.
"Malfoy," Ginny acknowledged as she reached him.
Draco's heart fell at the use of his surname. ((Guess she's still mad.))
"Yes?" he asked, hopeful that he still had a chance to get on her good side.
"Listen, Neville's joining our study group. I came to warn you…" her face was grim, "if you say anything that makes him feel uncomfortable, you'll have to answer to me!"
"What? But, Ginny-" Draco tried.
"We'll meet you in Snape's classroom day after tomorrow at 6:30." She walked back over to the mystery man and snaked her arm through the crook of his elbow.
He whispered something into her ear and she jerked her head back, laughing. Draco caught a glimpse of the mystery man when he turned to the side, looking down at Ginny, a soft smile forming on his lips.
"Longbottom," Draco breathed dangerously under his breath.
A/N: Well, there you go!! Hope you all enjoyed it!! We PROMISE to update soon! Probably sooner than you think… *wink wink* Please review! And that was the end of our first notebook! (But, not the end of the story! DON'T WORRY!) Thanks, everyone!