A/N: Sorry for the long update! But, we promise we have NOT abandoned this story and do not plan to… ever. Actually, we have a lot more written than we feel up to typing up and posting. So, if you ever feel that it's been an exceptionally long time, just remember that it will eventually be up, might be up faster if you review a lot *shameless begging now occurs*, and that we're just stupid and lazy for not typing it.
Dolly: As in, Llama is stupid and lazy for not typing it.
Llama: Yeah, I am. Because Dolly has never typed up a chapter in her life.
Dolly: You never let me!
Llama: Did you ever ask?
Dolly: Yeah! Remember-
Llama: You didn't even have the notebook, then! Even if it was with you, you still wouldn't have typed it up.
Dolly: *mumbling angrily* I might have.
Llama: You would just do it wrong. Now, everyone! Here is the best chapter ever! We hope you enjoy it as much as we did and we did… a lot!
Dolly: *still sulking* Yes; and please review.
Llama: We laufff you! *squee*
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
"TALKING" ((THINKING))
Neville rolled up his sleeves and plunged his hands into the soapy water. As soon as he found the sponge he returned it to the floor and continued scrubbing.
Professor Snape looked at him with disgust as he stepped over the just scrubbed floor with his dirty boots. Neville sighed and moved to clean it again. He thought that Professor Snape was being really unnecessarily harsh on him; it wasn't his fault someone put the potion into his pumpkin juice!
((Malfoy, no doubt,)) he thought grumpily. ((But, wait… Maybe Harry? He's been giving me dirty looks lately, and if I'm not mistaken, I think he's the one who has been sending me those death threats! - "I'll vanquish you like I vanquished the Dark Lord! I mean… like the Great and Powerful Harry Potter vanquished the Dark Lord!" - Way to be subtle, Potter. But, what have I done to deserve all this?))
"Keep working, Longbottom!" Snape snapped.
"Severus!" came another voice from the door. There stood a stern-looking Professor McGonagall. Her lips were pursed into the fine line she was famous for.
"Yes?" Professor Snape replied lazily.
"What are you doing to the poor boy?!"
"I'm not doing anything to him, Minerva. Not that it's any of your business."
"Well, let him well enough alone! He doesn't deserve to be punished!"
"Yes, he does."
"No, it's not his fault someone slipped the potion into his drink! Albus agrees."
"Be that as it may, he was thinking impure thoughts about his educator, as was proved when the potion made him hex me, and he should be punished for that!" the potions master replied haughtily.
"Well, Severus if that was the case then I'm sorry to say every single person in Hogwarts would have to be punished."
"Minerva, please. Calm yourself."
"You may leave, Longbottom." Professor McGonagall waved Neville away.
"No! This is my detention; I'll say when he can leave. Longbottom, stay," Professor Snape snapped.
"I am his Head of House; therefore, it's my decision. You may leave, Longbottom."
Neville quickly got up and scrambled out of the room. The two teachers continued to bicker through the closed doors and Neville couldn't help but see a similarity in the way that Ginny and Malfoy always fought. He then suddenly remembered he was late for tutoring!
Meanwhile, back at eight o' clock…
Ginny entered Draco's room in the middle of Blaise and Draco's conversation, although she was unnoticed at first…
"And then he said," Blaise laughed and adopted a gruff tone of voice, "'You know, before I retire, I wanna hire me a hooker. You know, one of those that really know how to… fluff a guy up.'" Both boys burst into laughter. "And then," Blaise continued through his tears of mirth, "the two girls just looked at each other and started walking faster!"
"You know he said that only because they were walking past!" Draco cackled.
"They're really hot, though!"
"Yeah, I know!"
"How bout we double-date?" Blaise suddenly suggested.
"Oh, Blaise… I dunno…"
"Come on! There's one for each of us!" Blaise pouted.
"I'm still trying to work on-"
Ginny cleared her throat loudly, interrupting Draco's sentence. She didn't need to hear anymore.
"Oh, hello Ginny!" Blaise chimed.
Draco mumbled a greeting, his cheeks slightly pink from embarrassment at what she was about to hear-"I'm still trying to work on getting Ginny"-it might have ruined everything.
"Where's Longbottom?" Blaise asked nervously.
"I don't know. I suspect that Snape gave him detention…thanks to you," Ginny replied with a certain smite in her tone. Blaise slowly sunk into the shadows.
"Don't be so hard on him, Ginny," Draco defended. It was the least he could do, as he was the one who told on Blaise to her. "He was just trying to help."
"Help whom?" Ginny raised an eyebrow.
"That's beside the point. You're just so hostile and tense." He walked up behind her and began to rub her shoulders.
"Yeah, I am pretty tense," she admitted.
"Let me help you with that," Draco said soothingly as he continued to rub her shoulders.
"It's just-I have a lot going on right now," Ginny revealed slowly as Draco plopped her down into a vacant chair.
"Sure you do," Draco said as he signaled Blaise over. "Hey, pal. You can help me out, now," he whispered.
"Anything!" Blaise answered excitedly.
"Go watch the door and make sure nobody interrupts us," Draco whispered to him. Blaise nodded and skipped off happily.
Ginny didn't hear the whispered conversation between the two boys and continued. "I've been thinking a lot lately," she said carefully, "that you haven't been your usual self these past few days."
Draco nodded behind her and continued to massage. "Really? How so?"
"Well, you haven't been killing me lately!"
Draco stopped abruptly and Ginny quickly corrected herself, "I mean, I don't have to worry about you so much… Actually, it seems that Blaise is the one I have to worry about, now."
Draco nodded smugly as he glanced at the portrait hole and began massaging again…
Neville made his way down the hall to Draco's room. At the entrance he found Blaise, hands behind his back, rocking back and forth on his heels, and singing another pointless song.
"So long-farewell to you my friend! Goodbye-for now-until we meet again! I said so long-farewell to you my friend! Goodbye-for now-until we meet again. It's been great-"
"Blaise," Neville began, "Move aside, please."
Blaise blinked at him, and after a moment he continued his song, "It's been great to play and sing together-in the box-but now it's time to say good-"
"Move aside, Blaise!" Neville practically screamed as he stomped his foot. The echo bounced off the walls and back into Draco's room…
Draco's head jerked up as he heard the sound from outside. Not wanting Ginny to notice it, he massaged harder and encouraged her to keep venting.
"Mm-hmm, yeah, uh-huh," he nodded his head vigorously.
They were now on the subject of the New Year's Ball.
"Yeah, and then I just thought I'd go with him, since we both didn't have dates," Ginny explained.
((I would have gone with you,)) Draco thought.
"Oh, I see," he said out loud.
"Yes, and so I hurried out to Hogsmeade to visit my mum's friend. She's a tailor, and always lets me borrow dresses, so she hooked Neville and me up with really great outfits."
((I could have just bought them,)) Draco thought bitterly.
"Oh, that's wonderful," he said through clenched teeth.
"The rest of the night was magical and we danced the night away," Ginny gushed.
((How darling!)) Draco thought merrily.
"After totally dumping me, of course," he blurted out.
"What?" Ginny spun around to look at him.
((Oh, Merlin. I said that out loud? I mixed up what I say with what I say! Wait, what?))
Ginny continued to stare at him.
((What do I do? Say something…))
She kept staring.
((Anything? Say something! Come on, Draco! You're the Prince of Slytherin, say something! Break this awkward silence that your babbling mouth has created!))
They just stared at each other.
((THINK!))
Draco's eyes darted back and forth and he frowned. He took a deep breath and leaned in…
"Move, dammit!" Neville shouted at Blaise.
"Never! I mustn't disobey my-"
"I don't care!" Neville pulled out his wand. "Petrificus Totalus!"
Blaise turned stiff as a board and fell to the floor. Neville sighed and put his wand away. "Need to thank Hermione for that one," he mumbled as he pushed open the portrait hole and saw Ginny and Draco.
He darted behind the wall and decided he would wait and see what would happen. After a few seconds, he was starting to get really bored. They were just…staring at each other! Then, suddenly Draco leaned in and kissed Ginny swiftly on the mouth…
Ginny suddenly pulled away.
((What did you just do?! Of all the things you could have said or done, is that what you chose?!)) Draco thought to himself in panic.
"Listen-I-uh," Draco tried to explain.
Ginny then surprisingly grabbed his collar and pulled him into another, deeper kiss.
Draco hesitantly put his arms around her and hugged her close to his body. Ginny tangled her hands up in his hair. He cupped one side of her face with one hand as the other trailed down her lower back and played with the hem of her shirt. She smiled against his lips.
Neville was about to jump out, reveal himself, and break up the two's little snogging session, but someone grabbed him from behind and stuffed something in his mouth. It smelled-and tasted like-a gym sock.
"Thought you could trick me, eh?" Blaise laughed maniacally, "Think you've got the skills to pull a fast one on me, eh?"
Neville stared blankly.
"Tried to pull the wool over my eyes, eh?" Blaise emphasized with his hands, "Nothing's going over my eyes, 'cept my eyelids! You got that?!" He burst out cackling, dropped down on his knees and raised his arms to the heavens.
Neville spit out the sock and looked down at the seemingly ill boy, "How the heck did you get out of that body-bind?"
"You think that's the first time I've ever been in a body-bind? Well, you thought wrong, partner!"
"Whatever," Neville said as he turned back to go break up the mosh. Blaise jumped in front of him and stuffed the sock back into his mouth.
"No! You got past me once! Not again! Leave the two lovebirds alone to fondle each other!"
Neville once again spit the sock out and said, "Each other?! He is fondling her! And she doesn't like it! See her pulling his hair?"
"Longbottom, you are so inexperienced," Blaise sighed.
Neville was about to retort when he pointed suddenly behind Blaise and screamed, "Oh, no! Draco's crying!"
This set Blaise off.
"NO! My best friend!" Blaise jumped and ran towards the couple. He wretched Ginny off of Draco and pulled the boy into a hug.
"It's okay, Draco! I'm here!" he cooed, stroking his flaxen hair.
"I wish you weren't!" Draco growled as he pushed Blaise off of him. He then spotted Neville and smiled. "Oh, Longbottom. You're here…okay, well…You're late! Uh, now we can start!"
"Are you sure you two haven't already started without me?" Neville grumbled.
Draco simply folded his arms and smirked, looking smug.
"How about Ginny says something?" the formerly-plump boy suggested.
Ginny looked up from the ground. Her face was red and her voice shaky, "Well-I-uh..."
"How about you were snogging Malfoy!" Neville shouted. "How about you totally led me on? At the New Years Ball, when you chose me, it was all an act to conceal your true relationship? What were you thinking, Ginny? He's a Slytherin, his father is a Death Eater who tried to kill you your first year, your families are sworn enemies, and he's tortured you and your friends for years!" Neville lectured, only stopping to take a large rasping breath.
Draco clenched and unclenched his fists, his eyes glowering at Neville from under his bangs. Blaise moved quickly to hold him back before he totally crushed Neville.
"Does someone have to watch you all the time so you don't get into trouble, Ginny? 'Cuz, I'll do it!" Neville rambled on.
Ginny raised her hand and slapped him across the face.
"Just who do you think you are talking to me like that? Not even my own brothers are allowed to speak to me like that! You think you're the shit now, huh? All good-looking and popular? Guess what? I liked you better when you were fat and clumsy! At least your attitude made up for it! Now, your attitude is so bad your looks can't even make up for it! I thought you were different-"
"Ginny, obviously Malfoy's got you under the Imperius Curse or something," Neville said as he grabbed her elbow.
"You are not the boss of me, Neville," Ginny said as she pulled away from him. "I'm not a porcelain doll and you can't protect me all the time!"
"Are you trying to say you want to stay here with Malfoy? Ginny, all he wants is a shag-"
"I would advise you not to talk about me the way you have been when I am standing right here!" Draco yelled suddenly as he broke away from Blaise and threw a punch at Neville's jaw.
A/N: DUN DUN DUNNNNN! Didya like it? DIDYA? Well, that's all you get for today.. HAHA just kidding here's the rest…
Neville clamped his hand over his bleeding lip. "Hey! That's not fair!"
"Oy, Draco!" Blaise spoke up, "Calm down, buddy. Let's talk it out."
"He had it coming, with that dirty mouth of his," Draco growled.
Neville looked at Ginny, who refused to look back, but simply replied, "You did deserve that, Neville."
Neville gaped at her and Draco let out a short laugh.
Ginny snapped her head in Draco's direction, "It's not like you don't deserve a smack in the face, as well! I'd gladly give you one!"
Draco stared at her for a moment in shock and anger, and then looked away.
"Besides," she continued, "the only reason I did what I did with you earlier was because I needed comfort…I was sad, okay? It didn't mean anything."
He looked back at her, his grey eyes showing something she hadn't seen before, sadness. The rest of his face though, remained stony cold.
Her heart sank at that moment; she felt it meant something. Not anything she could say in front of Neville, a fellow Gryffindor, whom she recently discovered had a pretty big mouth.
Draco remained uncharacteristically silent and turned his gaze elsewhere.
As if on cue, Blaise broke out singing another song, this one sounding as if it would be horrible even if he was singing on key.
"An awkward pause, then what's my line? There's nothing left to say this time; and what do you say to a bad-guy who's not there?" he sang dramatically. "Bravo!" he cheered as he clapped his hands happily. "We should publish this and sell the rights to WB!"
"Blaise, you have seriously been watching too much television," Ginny sighed. "I'm really sorry, Draco."
"I'm fine!" he snapped with what seemed like an internal struggle to keep from looking at her.
"Uh, Ginny? We should go…" Neville said.
For the first time that night, Ginny agreed with him and they left the two Slytherins.
Once they reached the Gryffindor portrait hole, Neville grabbed Ginny by the arm.
"Now see what happened, Gin?" he whispered sympathetically.
"What?"
"You shouldn't be off kissing other guys-least of all, Malfoy. I really don't know what you were thinking-"
Ginny scowled and pushed him off of her arm. She ran inside the common room and slammed the portrait hole behind her.
"Damn…" Neville slowly realized, "I forgot the password, again…"
A/N: We tried making it a teensy bit longer than usual to make up for "our" *cough* lack of updating.
Dolly: Hopefully it satisfied the deprivation you experienced during that dry, dry season...
Llama: Dang! You make it sound like they were trapped on an island or something!
Dolly: okay, I have no idea how to make a witty comeback to that, so I will just leave it at this...You know that part where Ginny came into the room to find Blaise and Draco talking about men conversing about fluff and what not??? That actually happened! To us!!!
Llama: Puh-lease Dolly! That is soo totally cliché! Shameless author self insertion? Pssh! We are totally beyond that...'cept...IT DID HAPPEN...TO US!!!
DollyandLlama: BWAHAHA!!!