Chapter 1 – Delusional and Yours

Draco

oOoOo

“Gryffindor!” yelled the tattered Sorting Hat, sending the last first-year off to her house. The Gryffindor table has erupted with cheers and I can see my best friend clapping along with the rest of her house. You’d think they won the lottery or something. I don’t mind, though. If I get to see her smile like that because of the Sorting, then by Merlin give all the first-years to Gryffindor.

I smirk.

A hush falls in the room and Dumbledore stands up, holding his goblet up and tapping it with a golden spoon.

“Good evening students!” Dumbledore begins. “Welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. As is customary, I will now list the following rules and regulations needed for your complete safety.” He smiles as the older students snicker. He then proceeds to tell us the litany of rules that we seventh-years have heard and probably memorized but disregarded in the whole of our stay in Hogwarts. “Now, I would like to personally introduce to you this year’s Head Girl and Head Boy,” he announces after his yearly speech.

Blaise elbows me and snickers. “Hey, congratulations, Head Boy!”

“Oh stuff it Blaise,” I roll my eyes at him.

“Miss Hermione Granger,” Hermione stands up, blushing furiously as her housemates clap. I hear my best friend catcalling and yelling “Yay Hermione!” from their raucous table. Very lady-like. “And, Mister Draco Malfoy,” Dumbledore proceeds, directing his blue-eyed stare at me. I stand up and nod in recognition towards the Headmaster and the other teachers.

Blaise claps and soon the others follow. My other friends from the other tables join in. I hear my best friend yell “I’m so proud of you, White!” and my heart swells. To be honest I could have skinned her alive because she dared to call me that horrible nickname in front of the whole student body of Hogwarts but I don’t, because for one, I could never skin her alive without me being skinned alive first. And even if I could, I would never do that to her. Especially since her voice sounded so proud of me and it made me proud of myself too.

Besides, right now, I don’t care if she called me White several times. I’m Head Boy and my best friend’s proud of me.

I won’t lie to you. I’m in love with my best friend Ginny. Yes, Ginny Weasley, the first ever female to grace the Weasley line for several generations. And I tell you this because you’re not her. If you were her, well…

It’s not like I can’t. I mean I could always blurt it out whenever we have our usual walks around the lake, or whenever she sits at Slytherin’s table, swiping my meal right from under my nose just because she likes it. Or when I decide to be man enough and get on with my plan to corner her on some dark hallway and push her up against the wall, tell her I’ve loved her since the beginning of time and kiss the daylights out of her. Then from there, we can walk out, hand in hand and promise to marry each other after she graduates and have lots and lots of kids with silver-blonde hair and brown eyes…

Yeah right.

I’m delusional.

I’m Draco Malfoy and delusional.

Who am I kidding? I can’t tell her. I won’t and I can’t. Because if I did…I don’t even want to think of the consequences, let alone think about how I should tell her. That would be painfully embarrassing, not to mention it might finish off our friendship.

I’m scared. I’m Draco Malfoy, delusional and scared.

I sit down and the noise dies down. I hear several of my new housemates whisper and point at me but I don’t care. I hear sighs from girls near me and I ignore them. And again I realize that this is going to be another tiring year. Come Valentine’s I’ll be pretty much busy dodging flying cards and singing house elves.

Call me arrogant all you want but it’s really the truth. Girls chase after me and that’s a known fact. They even dare to ambush me in class and give me some disgusting love letter. Of course I just smile and say thank you even though I want to crumple them and stomp on them as soon as I receive them. Ginny wouldn’t hear of that. Last time I tried to throw a letter in the garbage, she lambasted me for it. My fault for letting her see it, though. So I usually wait ‘til I’m in my room to dispose of them. They all have the same message inside anyway. The girls like me, period.

I would never admit it to anybody--well probably to Blaise I would--but I kind of feel envious that these girls have more backbone than I have. I mean, they have enough nerve to tell me how they feel and I can’t even do that to Ginny. Believe me when I say I’ve tried. However, there is always some trivial thing or another that ruins my plans and I never get around even to hinting at her, much less telling her outright.

“So, how does it feel?” Blaise asks me. I look at him. “Head Boy, Hogwarts Heartthrob, Captain of the Quidditch Team, you sure have lots of titles under your hefty belt.”

“I don’t have hefty belts, Blaise,” I reply and took a drink from my goblet. “And I don’t really care much about those things. Do they really have to keep with that silly poll of theirs?”

The teachers might not know it, although I’m pretty sure Dumbledore does, but aside from the four hourglasses that calculate the house points, there’s also another set of hourglasses hidden within Hogwarts. These hourglasses keep track of who the hottest guys and girls in campus are and yes, no arrogance, I am at the top of that countdown since I started school.

I don’t really care about it. I mean, so what? Do I get additional house points for it? No, of course not. As I said earlier the teachers don’t even know about it. The only thing I get out of it is a flock of girls behind me, giving themselves up like some kind of offering. What do they all think I am anyway? A Greek god who needs virgins for sacrifice? Come on, people.

And besides, that tally doesn’t even make Ginny notice me like a true young man, you know, as boyfriend material. So I don’t need that stupid title of Hogwarts Heartthrob. Even the name sucks.

“Aww,” Blaise shakes his head. “You know others would kill to have even just a place in that poll,” he says.

“Do I look like I care?”

“No,” he answers.

“And you? Since when do you care about those kind of stupidities?” I ask with a smirk.

“You’re right, I don’t,” Blaise shrugs. Like me, he’s on the list. Third actually, next to Harry Potter. And if interests you, Ron Weasley is fifth, Theodore Nott is sixth and Terry Boot is seventh. Why do I know? Through the girls of Hogwarts of course. They think praising me by saying exactly how far ahead I am with the others will impress me. Well, it won’t actually. If anything, the poll just irritates me and I hate it, especially when Ginny’s at the top of the girls’ list. That means more people notice her. And I despise that. She’s mine, even though she still doesn’t know it.

I look up in search of my pretty redhead who is, as usual, seated in between Hermione and Harry at their dining table. She’s laughing at something Harry is saying, looking all fresh and edible with her hair tied like that and her face free of make-up. I almost groan when she bites her lip to stop from giggling. Oh please, kill me now.

Beside me, someone snorts. I turn to look at Blaise and see him smirking at me. I roll my eyes, anticipating the snark that usually comes after it.

“Gee, Drake. I can’t believe you still haven’t said anything to her,” Blaise starts. “I’m almost ashamed to be your friend.”

I ignore him. He usually tells me the same things whenever he sees me cast what he calls my ‘Pathetic Looks’ towards Ginny. I’m used to it, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to hex him for it, just because.

“At the rate you’re moving right now, she’ll be married off before you decide to tell her,” Blaise says while he twirls his spaghetti noodles with his fork. “I mean, how hard could it be to tell her? You know Ginny, she’ll listen to your every problem.”

“Not when my problem is her,” I grumble. I stab my steak and gave up trying to eat. Blaise has an amazing way of ruining someone’s appetite, he should teach about it.

“Oh come on!” Blaise rolls his dark eyes at me. “Look, you’ve been crushing on her since…forever! And I know you’re really afraid that your relationship with her right now might end if you tell her, but you know you cannot get anything if you don’t take risks. You’re a Slytherin for Merlin’s sake!”

“What’s my being Slytherin have to do with anything?” Blaise gives me this unbelieving stare, probably daring me to answer my own question. I let it slide. “I don’t know, Blaise,” I shake my head. “I don’t know if this feeling is worth the risk. I mean, what if she doesn’t want me to be around just because I make her uncomfortable with my intentions? What if she doesn’t want me that way?”

“You’re not even sure what she really feels for you, mate,” Blaise points out. “I know it’s not easy, believe me, I’ve been there. But I learned that there’s no harm in telling the truth. It sounds like a cliché, but you know how they say about how the truth sets you free?” I groan at the overused words. “It’s true mate. Believe me,” he looks in my eyes then.

I believe him, really. Blaise is a git, but he’s a reliable one.
We fall silent for a while. I stare down at my goblet, seeing the reflection of my face staring right back at me.

“Was it really liberating? Telling Pansy how you felt?” I ask him after a while. I look at him and see him shake his head.

“Well, yeah. I mean, we’ve been childhood friends and all. I hated keeping something that important from her all these years, so when I finally told her, I just felt…free,” he answers.
“But you’re not together right now,” I point out, looking back again at my reflection in the goblet.

“Oh, she’ll come around soon,” Blaise says confidently. “I know it’s been quite a shock for her.”

“A shock? It’s been a year already Blaise,” I answer. “Maybe she just doesn’t feel that way for you.”

“How will you even know if you don’t tell Ginny?” he says, changing the topic.

“Tell me what?”

I jump a mile up from my seat as Ginny plops down beside me, looking curious. I get goosebumps because of her stare.
“I, uh…” I glare at Blaise.

Blaise smirks back and turns to Ginny. “That Draco is…”

“Is!” I intercept Blaise. “Is going to walk you to your tower right now!” I grin at her, wider than necessary, so I tone it down a bit and straighten up. “Well,” I gather my wits and stand up, giving Blaise a look before smiling again at Ginny. “Let’s go.” I drag her by the arm and she says goodbye to Blaise, who grins and gives her a two-fingered salute.

“But aren’t you supposed to be walking me to the Prefects’ Meeting tonight?” Ginny slants a look at me, her eyes suspicious and alert as they search my face. We’re on our way to the doors of the Great Hall.

You know, it’s a big irony for me that my best friend can read me perfectly, as if I were a newspaper. She knows when I’m not feeling well, when I don’t like someone or something. I don’t get why she can’t tell that I am hopelessly, irrevocably in love with her. It doesn’t make sense, right? So that makes me think that she really knows and that she just chooses to ignore it. I don’t know if that’s a bad thing or not. I mean, if she knows, why doesn’t she just spare me the pain and tell me how she feels about it?

Bill tells me that perhaps it’s because she’s known me for so long that she just doesn’t see me as a possible love interest. Does that even make sense to you? Well it did to me, actually. But that doesn’t mean that it made me feel better. How can the thought that my first (and probably last) love just views me as her forever best friend make me feel better?

“Oh yeah,” I nod. “Well, let’s go then,” I tell her and I hold my arm out, waiting for her to hook hers with mine.

But she doesn’t. She stands still and looks at me with her chocolate brown eyes that always draw me in, you know…like I just lose track of time and just stare at them, twinkling like that…oh hey, I’m doing it again. Focus, Malfoy.

“What?” I ask her.

“Something’s not right with you,” Ginny simply says. “You’re acting all weird and funny.”

“Me?” I give her a questioning look, praying for her to just drop the subject.

“I think I know,” she says, in a matter-of-fact tone.

“You do?” I squeak out. “I mean, you do?” I say again in a more controlled tone. Damn it.

She nods. My heart races.

“You’re—,”

“Yes!” I quickly answer not even waiting to finish what she was going to say.

“Huh?” she states while she stares at me. “Drake, are you sick?”

“Wha-what?” I ask. “I…no, no…” I answer turning around and walking faster. “Let’s go. You’re going to be late.”

I hear her sigh and walk faster to catch up with me. When she’s beside me she says, “You’re nervous about this, aren’t you?”

What?

I stop walking and turn to face her. “What?”

“Why you’re acting weird. You’re nervous about being Head Boy,” she says. Then she takes my hand and squeezes it. “It’s going to be all right, Drake,” she tells me. “I’m a Prefect, remember? I’ll help you with your duties.”

Then she proceeds to drag me by the hand.

I secretly let out a sigh of relief. For a while I thought she had figured everything out. I don’t know if it’s a good thing that she got it all wrong this time. Nonetheless, I know this isn’t the time to tell her anything.

This year, I vow to myself. This year, I will tell her.

A/N: This now has a beta! Thanks Hechicera for being one of the nicest betas ever!

Chapter 2 - Make Draco Frustrated As Hell Day

Three weeks have passed since the opening of the school year and during those weeks I have been trying hard to come up with a plan to tell Ginny my feelings.

It’s hard, I tell you, to plan something I have failed at before. I mean, I have tried telling her about my feelings in the past but every time, something always gets in the way.

Like that time when we had our Yule Ball? It was the perfect opportunity to tell her, since I had always envisioned the ‘moment of truth’ to be in a beautiful place and believe me, the Great Hall was beautiful that night. I had planned to ask her to the dance earlier, but Neville Longbottom had beaten me to it. I’d planned to corner her while she got drinks that night too, but before I could overcome my sudden stuttering, Colin had asked her to dance. What's up with these Gryffindors? I tried again and again but someone was always asking her to dance with them, chat with them, take pictures with them, breathe with them…I mean, Merlin! Can’t people do anything by themselves? Why do they have to drag Ginny along with their stupid arses while they do what they do?

Needless to say, I failed to tell her that night and had gone up to my room, feeling dejected and miserable. Would you believe I didn't even get the chance to dance with her that night?

There were many times before the Yule Ball that I had tried telling her, and still more times after it. The latest attempt I made was during Bill’s wedding this summer.

I was at the Burrow, spending my summer there while my parents had gone off to do some shopping around the world. They were there at the wedding though, as Aunt Molly would have their heads on a platter if they didn’t come.

People were running around the Burrow. Aunt Molly was panicking, which she usually does when she’s hosting a party; Aunt Lily and Mum were making sure that us boys were not making trouble; Dad and the other adult male members of the Order had wisely concealed themselves somewhere, probably to drink or plan how to bring down Voldemort. The younger females of the party had gone off somewhere, probably doing pre-wedding rituals of powdering their noses and applying color to their faces. I had expected Ginny to be somewhere outside, being pushed by her Mum to do this and that, but she was nowhere to be found.

So I waited until the wedding, and then she came down the aisle, wearing a pale blue long gown and flowers in her hair. Don’t you think anyone with flowers in their hair is just asking to be told ‘I love you’? She took her place beside Danielle, Fleur’s sister, and sought out my eyes and then smiled at me.

I was sitting with Harry, Blaise and Ron on the third row and I was stunned by how beautiful she was. I mean, my Ginny is beautiful, but she was just…I don’t have enough words to describe it but right then and there I wished fiercely for her to be mine. I heard from someone that the more you love a person, the more you can’t describe the feeling, or the person, in words. I think they're right.

Anyway, she was perfect that day and I just had to tell her. So after the wedding, I told her she was beautiful and then right before I could tell her how I felt about her, Kingsley Shacklebolt’s Patronus came bounding onto the lawn and told us about the Death Eaters that were coming to gate-crash.

So, no, my plan didn’t happen.

Boo me…

As I’ve said, it has been three weeks since we got back to Hogwarts and still, I haven’t a single clue about how to tell her.

Fate sucks like that, don’t you think?

“What are you thinking about?”

I stand up straight and close the book I was reading as Ginny’s face comes into view.

“Oh!” I say, surprised at her sudden appearance.

I’ve been at the library that afternoon, doing research for my Potions essay. I realize I’ve been standing, leaning on a bookshelf for some time now, staring at the same page of the Potions book that I’m holding.

“What’s up with you?” Ginny says to me as she leans on the same bookshelf that I’ve been leaning on. She looks at me with interest and I can almost hear the wheels in her brain turning, probably wondering what I was thinking about.

I look at her and smile shakily. “Oh, nothing,” I start to tell her but she’s already shaking her head.

“No, no,” she says. “Don’t try that again. I’ve had that kind of answer from you before. Why don’t you try telling me the truth this time, White?”

I regard her with some thought. Should I tell her? I mean, this isn’t exactly the most romantic time to tell her, we’re at the library for Merlin’s sake. But hey, Bill proposed to Fleur in the kitchen of the Burrow, so this isn’t going to be the most unromantic declaration of love ever, right?

“Uhm, Gin?” I begin. My knees are shaking and my heart is pounding. Whoever said that saying “I love you” to someone is a good feeling, maybe the best feeling anyone will ever feel in their entire life, was wrong. Because I am not feeling so good right now. In fact, I feel sick.

“Yes, Drake?” she stares up at me with her brown eyes and I begin to get lost in them again.

Mocha, chocolate, wood, earth…her eyes are so brown. I want all my children to have her eyes.

“Oh, there you are!” we both whip around to see Blaise grinning at us like he’s caught us doing something naughty, and I’m thankful that Malfoys do not know how to blush.

“Oh, hey, Blaise!” Ginny smiles. “What’s up?”

Blaise grins at me first before answering. “Dumbledore’s calling you.”

Oh damn.
________________________________________

Have you ever felt that nice, weird feeling that fate is working with you?

Because I have.

No, I am feeling it right now.

Dumbledore called me, Harry, Hermione, Ron and Gin to his office and now here we are, standing around the Headmaster’s table and trying to digest every bit of information we’ve learned. Well, at least Ginny and I are. Harry, Ron and Hermione already knew beforehand what Dumbledore was going to tell us and were now looking at us with hesitation.

“Wait, you mean to tell me that you’re going away?” Gin asks them. “Because of the Horcruxes?”

The three of them look at each other and nod. “Yes,” Harry answers Ginny. “We have to leave, Gin. We have to find those remaining Horcruxes if we want to stop Voldemort.”

“Are you crazy?” I ask them, turning to Dumbledore. “You can’t just let them go like this, Professor!”

“It’s too dangerous, Professor,” Gin says, her voice trembling a little. “Tell them they can’t leave!”

“Danger is everywhere, dear,” Dumbledore tells Ginny and with that simple sentence I understand that there’s nothing we can do about it. Dumbledore was probably the one who told Harry to find the Horcruxes. “This is something that the three of them have to do, and they can’t do it if you keep holding them back. It is,” he says, walking up to Ginny and placing a hand on her shoulder, “their destiny.”

“But, Professor!” Gin argues in a weak voice. She’s probably understood what I have too and is just trying to do what little she can to change their minds.

“It’ll be all right, Gin,” Ron smiles crookedly at his sister. “Harry and Hermione and me, we’ve been planning this for some time now, and we have everything figured out. We can do this.”

Gin stares at him for a while then throws her arms around him, enveloping him in a fierce hug.

We’re all quiet as the siblings embrace each other.
After a while, I ask, “Where are you going?”

The three of them look at each other again. “We can’t tell you,” Harry answers finally. “It’s safer that way.”

“Do Mum and the others know?” asks Ginny, her eyes darting from Harry to Ron to Hermione. She has the look of a lost child and I immediately take a step towards her and held her hand.

“Yes,” says Hermione. “The Order knows we’re going away, but we haven’t told them where, or when we’ll be going.”

“And your parents?” I ask Hermione.

“I’ve…taken care of them,” Hermione smiles sadly.

“Hermione…”

She looks up at us and her smile widens. “Don’t worry about them, they’re safe.”

We nod, accepting Hermione’s offer. It’s the best she will give us, the best we can get, so we don’t press her anymore.

I turn to Harry and ask, “When are you planning to go?”

“Three days from now.”

“You’ll disappear just like that?” Ginny asks the three. “You can’t expect anyone to buy that and not ask questions. The first-years are already asking me why they see a different person guarding the Main Entrance every day.”

Dumbledore smiles at us mysteriously and chuckles. The five of us turn to each other and I resist the urge to roll my eyes at them. After years of knowing the old crackpot, I think I know when Dumbledore has a brilliant plan. ”Brilliant” often meaning insanely unbelievable, or simply silly.

“That’s where the Heads come in, my dear Ginevra,” Dumbledore says, as he sits back on his chair and lays his hands on the armrests. “They’re in charge of keeping the students happy so they won’t worry over such things.”

“But Hermione’s going…” I trail off and realize what the Headmaster is saying. “Wait, you can’t mean…”

“Yes, Draco, exactly. I am saying that Miss Weasley will be the new Head Girl,” Dumbledore answers, and both Ginny and I gape at the Headmaster. See? It’s a silly idea, making a sixth-year the new Head Girl. I mean, is that even allowed?

“But, I’m just in sixth-year Professor, I can’t be…”

“Of course you can!” Dumbledore stands up and rounds the table to stand in front of us. “Isn’t it so that if I am gone for a certain amount of time, Professor McGonagall takes over my duties? That’s because next to me, she is the highest ranking officer in the school.”

“But I’m not highest anything, Headmaster,” Ginny continues to argue.

“Miss Weasley, you are the most perfect candidate for this, and my teachers agree.” Dumbledore looks at her. “You have the highest grades of all the Prefects and you’re well respected in the school. Add to that the fact that everybody is your friend and that everyone is most certainly afraid of your wand…” Dumbledore smiles at Ginny and she blushes. “Don’t worry. I’m sure Mr. Malfoy here would agree with my plan. After all, you are best friends, aren’t you?”

Now, you might be wondering where I stand regarding this decision. All this time they have been talking, I‘ve been quiet.

Why? Because my thoughts have gone into overdrive, and have finally processed the fact that Ginny will be spending the rest of the school year with me in the Heads’ personal dormitory.

Did I tell you that Hermione and I have shared the same Common Room, all by ourselves, for the past two weeks? And that her room is just across from mine? Well, now you know.

Of course before this all happened, I hadn’t thought of the Heads’ Dorm as much of a perk. I mean, you know. Sometimes it gets lonely there, with just Hermione and me, so we opt to hang out in the other Houses’ Common Rooms, where our friends are. The only part of having my own room that I’m thankful for is that I have my own bathroom and I can sing in it without being made fun of by Blaise or Theodore.

But now. Now that Ginny’s going to be Head Girl, can you guess what is going through my mind?

No, you pervert. Not that. I’m not thinking about taking advantage of Ginny in our cozy little Common Room, which we will have all to ourselves. I’m thinking that, with this situation, I’ll have the perfect opportunity to tell her how I feel. Then, if all everything goes well, maybe we can take advantage of each other in our cozy little Common Room.

I look at Ginny, whose eyes are questioning me. I see her hesitancy and I smile. “Don’t worry Gin,” I tell her. “You’re going to be great.”
________________________________________

After meeting with the Headmaster, Hermione and Ginny go to the Head Girl’s room and I go with Harry and Ron. Or rather, I’m ambushed by Ron, with Harry laughing beside us.

“What?” I ask Ron when we settle into an unused classroom. I look at Ron curiously and see that he’s red in the face.

I laugh. I know exactly what’s going to happen.

“Draco Malfoy,” Ron starts after a deep breath. “Draco Malfoy, I trust you.” He continues. Ron looks me squarely in the eye. “I agreed to this plan because I know Ginny deserves to be Head Girl and if Harry, Hermione and I can’t beat Voldemort, this might be the last school year for everyone. Especially for us…” he trails off.

My humor evaporates and I look at both of them. Harry has stopped laughing too, and is now sitting on one of the seats, fiddling with his hands.

“What do you mean?” I ask them, knowing exactly what they mean. But I have to know, have to confirm it with them. Harry looks up at me and smiles sadly.

“This is it, Drake,” Harry answers. “Remember the Prophecy? When we battled with the Death Eaters at the Department of Mysteries?”

“Yes?”

“It said that only one of us would be able to live,” Harry says. “And the three of us, Hermione, Ron and I all agreed that this has to stop, and soon. It’s a terribly dangerous thing to do, and if it goes awry, well…” Harry trails off and we all fall silent.

Random thoughts come to mind and I think of my parents, who are probably at the Order’s Headquarters, planning how to fight Voldemort and his army. I think of Harry’s, Ron’s and Hermione’s parents and I wonder how they’re doing. I think of Luna and I immediately feel sorry for both her and Harry. I think of my friends and how this could be our last year together. And I think of Ginny. And I realize that this could probably be my last chance to tell her.

“Is that why Dumbledore gave her the position? Because it might be our last year at school?” I ask, although I don’t know if my words are making any sense.

They must be, because Harry nods. “Dumbledore said he was going to pick Ginny for the position next year, when her seventh year comes. Hermione said that he should give it to her now, since we aren’t sure what’ll happen and whether we’ll even have a new batch of Seventh Years next year,” he smiles sadly again.

“Of course Dumbledore refused to acknowledge that we might fail, but he still agreed to give Ginny the position. After all, she is the best candidate for it,” Ron answers. “Which leads me to say, Malfoy, that I trust you not to take advantage of my sister now that you two are going to have your own dorm to yourselves.”

I stare at Ron. “Of course I won’t…”

“I’m not finished,” Ron holds up one hand. “Draco, I know you love my sister. I know you would do anything for her. So please, before everything’s too late, tell her how you feel.”

I’m taken aback. This wasn’t what I was expecting. No, not even from Ron. Especially not from Ron.

“Ron…”

“She has to know, Drake,” Harry nods at me. “Listen, this is your opportunity. You’ll have plenty of time and privacy to tell her. We’re off to try and put a stop to Voldemort but we’re not promising anything Drake. We can fail. We might fail. So consider this your last chance.”

I look at both of them and realize that they’re probably right.

I smile. “You’re off to battle but you’re more concerned with Ginny and me?”

Ron and Harry look at each other and grin at me.
“Of course, mate!” Ron steps forward and flings his arm over my shoulders. “Because if we get back and you haven’t told her yet, we will do it for you.”

I grin. “Don’t you mean, when you get back?”

They look at each other again.

“Come on, you two,” I tell them. “You’re going to make it. Don’t think otherwise. Remember, Voldemort feeds on your fears. Don’t let him get you.”

Harry nods. “Don’t worry about us,” he tells me. “We’ll do the best we can. Although, I have a favor to ask you.”

I cock my head to one side and ask, “What is it?”

“It’s about Luna…” Harry says, looking at me with his sad expression.

“Luna, does she know?” I ask.

“Yes, I told her yesterday and she’s taking it pretty well. I think she knows that I have to do this,” Harry says. “But I’m worried about her. Remus and Sirius said Voldemort might attack the school and…”

The unspoken words send a chill down my spine and I shiver. If Voldemort decides to attack Hogwarts, that will be a horrific time, and I can guarantee that there will be bloodshed. Already, Dumbledore’s being forced by the Ministry to step down as Headmaster. Fudge is utterly Imperiused and I think half of the Ministry is, too. If Fudge succeeds at making Dumbledore step down, Hogwarts will probably lose to Voldemort. They’ve been brainwashing some of the more important Members of the Board of Education and it’ll be a matter of time before Dumbledore is forced to step down. It’ll leave Hogwarts vulnerable to attacks and Voldemort would seize it easily.

“Don’t worry, Harry,” I tell him. “I’ll take good care of her,” I turn to Ron. “And of Ginny, of course.”

They smile at me and I can’t help but be worried for them. I know Harry has the power to defeat Voldemort, he just has to believe in himself that he can. Though I know it isn’t an easy task, I also know that he’ll succeed. I have faith in him. We all do.
________________________________________

“I’m scared.”

I look up and see Ginny staring at me, chin cradled on her hands, elbows on the pillow on her lap. Her eyes are worried and her lips are set in a straight line.

Yeah, she makes worrying look cute, would you believe that?

“About Harry and Ron and Hermione,” I tell her. I don’t even try to ask what. “And about being the Head Girl.”

She nods and chews her lips. I take note that they are unusually red. She must have been biting on them since we arrived at my room. She said she wanted to go somewhere quiet, where she could think, so I brought her to my room.

“Biting your lips won’t help Red, stop it,” I tell her and she glares at me. Well I had to, I was getting too distracted by what she was doing.

I stare at her for a few moments, before reaching out and taking her in my arms for a hug. I feel her tremble and soon I hear the sound of her sobs.

There are many things you should know about Ginny and one is that she never cries in front of other people. Except me.

I knew she was going to cry, I could feel it since we heard about the Trio’s plan. But Ron had whisked me away before we could talk.

We’re in at my room, me and Ginny. She came down to the dungeons right after dinner and she’s been sitting on the floor, doing her homework. Or at least trying to.

That was before she started crying.

I continue to whisper things to her, assuring her that everything will be all right, and she continues to cry.

In the sixteen years that I’ve known Ginny Weasley, I have come to know three things that make her feel better after a good cry: ice cream, a blanket and fireworks.

Don’t ask me why. It’s just always been that way since we were little. Whenever she started crying, one of us would give her ice cream or a blanket or a fireworks display.

Then after the Tom Riddle incident, I found her crying inside her room at our Manor, where she had been staying for safety. I remember being very afraid for her as she’d been crying rather hard for several days. I made my Mum buy lots of ice cream, got the fluffiest blanket in our house and asked the Twins for a few firecrackers, the ones that make a small fireworks display. After getting everything, I went to her room and there we pigged out the whole night, eating nothing but ice cream, wrapped in the blanket as we tossed the small tablets in the air, and laughed as they exploded into little webs of different colors.

After that, those three things were known as Ginny’s Pick-me-uppers. The three should always be together or you couldn’t make Ginny feel better.

Anyway, she’s been crying and crying and I start to get up to get her Pick-me-uppers but she just tightens her hold around me.

“Gin?” I tell her. “I’ll just go get…”

“No,” she sniffles. “I’m okay. Just stay here…please?”

I’m surprised. And suddenly glad.

So I hug her tightly against me, keeping quiet and stroking her red hair.

I love her hair. Did you know that Ginny’s the only redheaded girl in Hogwarts? That makes her easier to spot. And hers is reddish-orange, you know, like fire, while Ron and her brothers have reddish-brown.

Suddenly, she stares at me, and just like earlier, I get lost in the brown orbs that are her eyes…wait, did I just say ‘orbs’? Anyway, just like any other time that I get lost in her orbs, I start thinking that maybe this is perfect timing. After all, this is a romantic setting. Me and Ginny inside my room, beside the fire, hugging each other.

It’s perfect…

Except that Blaise is now barging into my room, looking pissed as hell and ruining the moment.

Remember how I said Blaise is an expert at ruining one’s appetite? Well, forget that. He’s the master at ruining everything. He should make a book out of it. ‘How to Ruin Everything, by Blaise Effing Zabini’.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” he has the grace to say as he plops down on an arm chair and sulks as if I’ve given him permission to sulk inside my room. “Am I interrupting something?”
Ginny sniffles. “No.”

Blaise then realizes that Ginny’s been crying. “Hey, Gin. What’s wrong?”

Gin smiles at him and says, “No, don’t worry about me Blaise. What’s gotten your knickers in a twist?”

Blaise pouts.Hello! I’m trying to have a moment here! I scream at him mentally when I realize that he’s there to stay.

But before he can say anything, there’s a knock on my door, and it opens. Millicent Bulstrode, Blaise’s current stepsister, sticks her head inside and calls out Blaise’s name. Great, is it "Make Draco Frustrated As Hell Day' again?

“What?” Blaise answers.

“Oh, you’re here. I knew it,” Millie smiles. “Hi Drake, Gin.”

“Hey, Millie,” says Gin. I nod at her.

“You okay?” she addresses Blaise.

Blaise nods.

Good, go then. I wanted to say.

“Look, I’m sure Pansy doesn’t mean anything she said.”

Ah, Pansy.

As I’m sure you already know, Blaise is in love with Pansy. They were childhood friends, growing up near each other since Blaise and his mother moved to England from Italy when he was six. He had already told Pansy how he felt. It was during the annual Christmas Party at Slytherin dungeon last year. It was a disaster.

I can’t say I envy Blaise for having enough backbone to tell her, because he told Pansy everything during a very bad time. I won’t go into that just yet. But I have to tell you, things have never been the same between them since then.
That’s one of the reasons why I’m afraid of telling Ginny.

“What happened?” Gin asks, sitting on the bed and staring at Blaise.

Blaise shook his head.

It was Millie who answered. “Pansy told Blaise that she doesn’t want to see him again.”

“But she‘s told him that before,” I say. Blaise glares at me and I shrug. Well, it’s true.

“Well, Pansy made sure he listened this time,” Millie tells us, coming over to sit beside Ginny. “You heard about her and Greg?”

We nod and Blaise glares at his sister. Greg and Pansy have been going out since the start of the semester.
“Blaise walked in on them in the Common Room, kissing and…” Millie looks at Blaise, not sure if she should continue or not.

“What happened, Blaise?” Ginny asks.

“I wrenched Pansy away from Greg and started shouting,” Blaise tells us in a clipped tone.

I nod. “And she got angry?”

“Of course.”

“Then?”

“Then she turned and started kissing Goyle again. In front of me.”

We stare at him, unbelieving.

Pansy might be a bitch sometimes, but she’s really nice. She’s like Gin in some ways, feisty but with a good heart.

“Well, if she wants me gone, then I’m gone,” Blaise bitterly spat. “Fuck her to hell. I’m through with this.”

He stands up and climbs on my bed. Millie puts and arm around him and Gin goes to his other side to lay her head on his shoulder. She looks at me, her eyes getting all teary again. I can feel that she’s trying not to cry, so I sat beside her and interlace her fingers with mine.

Oh, crap.

Chapter 3 – Secretly Married

Ginny

I hate Voldemort with a passion.

I know that it’s probably the understatement of the year but I really do. I mean, what's so great about him, besides having no nose and still being able to breathe? I admit that’s a little unique on his part but I wouldn’t dream of having slits for nostrils, thank you very much. And then there’s this issue about his name, that’s been my pet peeve since first year. People are so afraid to say his name, elongating their sentences with "You-Know-Who" and the even longer "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named". Duh? What’s the point? It's quite a mouthful, isn't it? You get out of breath just by saying that long phrase before you finish your sentences. I go crazy whenever people speak of him that way. My brothers and parents, on the other hand, go crazy whenever they hear me say his name.

The name's Voldemort, and that's that!

Maybe people should just call him Tom? It’s a pretty nice name, don’t you think? Tom Marvolo Riddle. It’s sounds powerful to me. But I don't think he'll be happy with me advertising that fact about him to other people. I don't want the prophesied war to come earlier just because of it. It would have been great though, to have others not fear his name like that.

I don't know why people are so scared to say his name. I think 'Voldemort' is funny. It rhymes with snort, for Merlin’s sake. Who, in their right mind, would give themselves a title like that? It's as bad as Hogwarts--and he expects people to fear him?

Oh, yeah. I forgot, Voldemort is never in his right mind. I've been in there because of the Diary that ugly Yaxley dropped into my cauldron, the day my Mum and I were shopping for school books during my first year. And let me tell you this: Tom Riddle isn't exactly de-nosed in his early years. He's kind of cute actually. But that was before he'd gone crazy, got de-nosed and called himself Voldemort.

So anyway, I hate him. If it weren't for him, I wouldn’t be worrying over my loved ones.

Ron, Harry and Hermione left last night, on the pretext of attending and representing Hogwarts in an inter-school dueling tournament. Could anyone have picked a lamer excuse? Nobody really believed that, except the first years. But nobody wanted to say anything about it.

Except me. And I do so only in the presence of Draco.

"Oh give the guy a break Gin," he says as I take my own break from ranting.

He gives me this placating look that would have silenced another woman but I just roll my eyes at him. "What was he supposed to say? That they're trying to get themselves killed to kill Voldemort?" he continues.

See how easy it is to say his name? That's how people should do it. Conserves time, breath and saliva. Draco shares my views on the subject. I don’t have to tell you how our mothers feel about it.

"Well, why not?" I ask stubbornly even if what he said is true. “Everyone could use a little honesty in this school.”

"Gin, don't be so difficult," he sighs and turns back to the book he was reading. We’re alone in our Common Room.

"Well, I'm sorry to whine, Malfoy. My brother’s just gone off on a dangerous camping trip you know!" I yell and stand up to leave the room. My eyes are already tearing up, and insensitive Draco doesn't need to see that.

I hear him sigh again and close his book.

"I know Gin. But it's their..." I knew he was struggling to find the words to substitute for 'destiny' and 'fate,' which were getting older by the minute. ". . . job to do. And we have our own here. You're not exactly helping Harry and the others by ranting like that."

I turn to pout at him and his eyes bore into mine, asking me to understand. Contrary to what you might hear from other people, I'm not really the boss of this friendship. My brother Bill always makes fun of how Draco is easy to bend. "Throw him a Ginny-look and watch him go," is what he always says. But let me tell you, the 'Draco-look' has the same effect on me as mine does on him. It's just that, for some unknown reason, he seldom uses it. He seems perfectly content to comply with my wishes, even if he usually doesn't like what I ask of him. But whenever he does use his look on me, I find myself obeying. I'm glad he uses that weapon on me only when I am being a danger to myself, or Merlin help me, I might find myself polishing his shoes.

Draco makes me crazy sometimes. No, not crazy as in a 'crazy-for-his-smile' kind of thing, if you know what I mean. He's my best friend for Merlin's sake! No, I mean the 'bang-your-head-on-the-wall-'till-it-bleeds' kind of crazy. Because he knows me too well, and I can't help but know that he knows exactly how I feel about things. Like now, he knows that while I'm really worried for my brother and our friends, I’m also more bummed out that I was left behind. Hence the need to shoot me that oh-so-powerful look of his. I'm ranting on more about being left behind, than being Ron's sister, and Draco can see right through me.

If we married each other, I would probably lock myself up in St. Mungo's for all eternity since I wouldn’t be able to hide a thing from him. Who doesn't like secrets and surprises? I do. I’ve heard it's a vital element in a marriage, to keep the spice and all that. He's got such a perfect reading on me, how would I get my spice? So that makes it...Wait, did I just say marry him?

Ewww...

I couldn't have just thought that! That's like incest.
It’s like marrying Ron; it’s disgusting. I shudder. Anyway, he knows me too well.

That's that!

He stands up and walks over me; it suddenly makes me feel nervous. Maybe he read what I was thinking. What would I do if he did? Admit it? But admit what exactly?

I have to crane my neck to get a look at this disgustingly tall guy in front of me, whom I’ve suddenly seen as a possible husband and I get more nervous.

Would you marry someone who's seen you buck-naked when you were just a roly-poly baby? A guy who's played in the mud with you and encouraged you to eat it? That's disgusting. Husbands aren't supposed to know you since you were born. They're supposed to meet you inside a cafeteria, or at the office, or some place when you're a nicely dressed young lady. Not in diapers!

So why was I even thinking about it?

"Come on Gin," he says, smiling at me...in his friendly manner. "Let's get you outside for a broom ride. Maybe the air will help you clear your mind."

I manage to roll my eyes at him. There's no maybe in that. He knows it'll definitely clear my mind.

I sure hope so. There's no use on dwelling with that 'marriage with Draco' thing right now. No, scratch that. There's no use dwelling on it ever. Because I simply refuse to think about it ever again.

oOoOoOo

The wind was cold tonight but I am feeling extremely hot.

I mean, because of flying and chasing Draco.

We developed a game of what we call broom tag during our younger years. It's much like that Muggle game tag, but broom tag is all about touching the broom, not the person. Draco does it to hone his Seeker skills. I do it to show off. We also do it for fun, but then again, nothing is more fun than being able to touch the broom of one of the fastest fliers in the school. And I don't intend to make him forget whenever I manage it.

Right now, the only reason I’m doing it is because the marriage thoughts are escalating into a full-blown fantasy about family life. Would you believe that I actually dared to daydream about redheaded babies with silver-grey eyes? And as I tried to chase after Draco, I was busy designing our house in my mind! Next thing I know, I’ll have a list of possible names for our babies.

Am I sick? Because my thoughts are sick. Really.

It's hard to concentrate now and even Draco is getting tired so we fly over the bleachers and land there. He slumps over one of the seats and laughs. "Pathetic, Red. You haven't even touched my broom once."

I frown at him, my thoughts taking a backseat as he teases. "I've got a lot on my mind," I snap.

"Aw, Gin," he says, frustration evident in his voice. "I thought we were here to get your mind off Ron and the others?"

Except I'm worrying about another thing now, you moron!

I cross my arms in front of my chest and stick out my lip like a child about to have a tantrum.

"What can I do, Gin?" he asks, scooting over to sit near me. I resist the urge to come closer as I would have done during a day without the Mrs. Ginny Malfoy thoughts. Hey that sounds ni...nasty!

I dare to look at him and manages to do so without flinching or blushing. "Nothing Drake," I smile at him. "You're right, I'm just bummed that I get to be left behind again, that's all."

A flash of something goes through his mercury eyes, but is gone before I realize what it was. Probably annoyance that I'm bringing this up again. Draco doesn't like me talking about joining the Order actively as he and the others did last year when the Death Eaters tried to take over Hogwarts. Would you believe that he actually kept me inside a broom closet half the time and when I got out, I found Crabbe and Goyle guarding the door? You'd think Draco would cut me some slack and let me be. I mean I can get the protectiveness from my brothers anytime I want, does he have to join my personal pack of bodyguards too?

Then again, when you think about it, I'm sure he just means well. And unlike my brothers, he's never tried to dismember a boy who expressed a liking for me.

"Why don't you think of it this way, Red," his voice floats towards me with the wind. "They're like those soldiers we read about in Aunt Lily’s history books, the ones who get to do all the fighting and we’re like the other soldiers who get to stay at camp and defend the city," and then he laughs and adds. "That's a very feeble attempt on my part, don't you think?"

I roll my eyes even though he can’t see through the dark. "Thank you for acknowledging that, White."

We stay silent for a while, consumed by our private thoughts. He's probably thinking nothing like what I’m thinking. No frilly white dresses, no exchange of personally written vows, no babies, no old age and sitting by the fire together. And I'm pretty certain that he's not trying to contradict himself whenever those thoughts present themselves in his brain.
Poor Ginny Weasley, married secretly to her best friend and he doesn't even know it.

I honestly do not know why these thoughts started parading around my head, and why they're still here. One moment I'm thinking of Voldemort and the next I'm marrying Draco. My best friend. The one I got to see poo, cry, laugh and scream whenever it was bath time.

I should stop. I will stop. Before these thoughts get more disturbing like kissing him...oh, there it is. Too late. Damn!

I want to bury my head on my hands but I know I can’t. If I did, Draco would be alarmed that something is wrong. He's not much of an asker. If he thinks something is bothering me, he seldom asks and just puts his arms around me...don't fantasize that Ginny!...and holds me until I'm all right. I certainly do not want that to happen. I do not need one more reason to think these horrible thoughts, and him touching me in the slightest way is sure to bring in a flood of unwanted fantasy.

I really have to stop this.

"There's got to be some way to distract you, Gin," Draco says at last. I keep my eyes focused on the field before us and don’t answer. I’m busy distracting myself already. "Do you want to raid Uncle Sev's Potion's cupboard and mix up the labels?" he offers.

We once did that. During fourth year, the year after Cedric died and the year the Magical World called Harry a lunatic for saying that Voldemort was back. I was so scared and sure that he’d come for me because he didn't finish me off when I was in my first year. I became paranoid, so Draco decided to help me get distracted. We raided Uncle Sev's classroom and decorated it with flowers, then we mixed up the labels of his potions in his personal storeroom. It was fun and very distracting at that time. Especially when Uncle Sev saw the flowers first thing in the morning. It was during my class and I think we were caught because I was laughing too much and Uncle Sev already suspected me.

Anyway, I doubt that anything, even painting the Potions classroom pink and purple, can distract me right now.

"Come on Gin," he speaks again, a hint of pleading in his voice. "A little help here?"

I finally look at him. He is smiling my favorite smile at me.

"I'm graduating and I do not want to have a roommate who's sulky. I've had too much of that with Blaise as my roommate before." I have to smile at that. Blaise, handsome as he is, tends to sulk. I think he thinks that it makes him look cuter to other people. You know, a handsome guy like Blaise Zabini pining for a girl is really sweet. Especially since he really was pining for Pansy then. But Draco and I both want to kick his gut whenever he sulks. He usually gives people no choice but to join him. To give him credit though, he’s really a jolly person when he’s not pining after Pansy.

I'll sorely miss him though, when he and Draco get out of Hogwarts next year.

Wait...

That's it!

The reason why I'm insane with insane thoughts!

My mind must have been nursing that thought of Draco graduating and being away and growing up subconsciously, that's why I've been thinking of any possible reason to stay with him. My mind isn't accustomed to a Draco-free place, so it creates a dream for me to settle my nerves and assure me that he’ll always be in my future. That makes total sense!

"What's it?" he asks. I blink several times. What?

Oh, I said 'That's it’ aloud didn't I?

"Uh...Blaise?" I start out. "Blaise would be the perfect solution!" I get that out more enthusiastically.

“What about Blaise?” he asks and I see his grey eyes tighten.

“Blaise,” I slowly say, a plan already formulating inside my head. “Is depressed right? And he needs to have someone to entertain him.”

“And you would?” his voice gets tighter too. I stop myself from rolling my eyes at his tone. He may not interfere with my love life but that does not mean he likes what I do about it.

“Technically, yes,” I answer.

“Gin, the boy’s on the rebound. It’s not the best idea to go and date him,” he tells me hurriedly.

“I’m not going to date him. Just set him up with a few girls, play matchmaker,” I shrug.

Draco suddenly laughs. Why does he suddenly sound so melodic and hot? I’ve heard him laugh a million times and I haven’t heard it like this before. I swear he has charmed it to sound like wind chimes tinkling as the wind blows gently through them.

Merlin! I’m beginning to be a poet too?

“Why are you laughing?” I ask, frowning up at him. He’ll have to stop and…Oh. Dear. Merlin.

He has turned to look at the field in front of us so the moon now lights one side of his face. His eyes are crinkly with humor, his hair glints as the silver light coming from the moon is mirrored on it. Suddenly everything about him seems highlighted and beautiful. He looks like an entirely different person and oddly enough, he is still Draco.

“I’m laughing because Blaise would never agree to that,” he turns towards me and I expect the beautiful image I saw earlier to vanish like the moon disappearing behind him now but it doesn’t. He remains beautiful in my eyes. The moonlight behind his head is like an angel’s halo.

When you start getting all poet-y and mushy describing someone like that, you know that it’s bad.

I stay silent, not knowing what to say. I can’t trust myself not to say “You’re beautiful.” That would suck big time. Because he is. He suddenly just became irresistible in front of me. It’s like he charmed himself to look like Cupid, my favorite Greek god.

But I am no Psyche. Of that I am fully aware.

oOoOoOoOo

Somehow we manage to get back to our rooms. I didn’t say anything after his last statement and he took it as a sign that I was seriously thinking about matchmaking Blaise and some of the girls I know. So he decided it was time for us to go back to the Head Rooms. I had quickly nodded and am now lying down on my bed and staring at the ceiling.

Honestly? I’m not thinking about Blaise at all. I’m thinking of this weird thing I’m feeling right now.

No, it’s not about the silly Mrs. Ginny Malfoy thing anymore. Rather, this thought hit me and left me hazy and more confused.

This isn’t the first time that I’ve imagined myself being ‘married’ to a guy I like. There’s Harry, who I imagined having little Henri and Henriette with; and then there’s Terry Boot and our house by a lake; Oliver Wood, Viktor Krum, River Atkins, Colin Creevey…you might as well say that I’ve been ‘married’ several times now and am the mother of many ‘kids’. And these thoughts originated from the fact that I liked these guys. Which has me thinking: Do I like Draco now too? Is that why I’m thinking about him that way?

I shiver on my bed and hold the blankets tighter around me. It’s not a shiver of disgust like I want it to be. It’s a shiver of something else; something I can’t give a name to.

I repeat my mantra over and over: he’s my best friend, he’s my best friend…but I don’t think it’s working right now.

Sitting up, I cradle my head with one hand and sighed. Why am I thinking this way? Why am I entertaining these thoughts? I’ve dated many boys before, but I must admit that I often did so to piss off my brothers. I liked them, really. But sometimes, I would look at them and get this sure feeling of not wanting to make something work out with them.
Is this the same with Draco?

If it is, then this is just a passing thing. That’s good. I’m friends with all the other guys I liked and dated. Maybe we can even joke about it. Draco never really cares about who has a crush on him. And he doesn’t have to worry about me sending him love letters like the other girls do, because I have never, ever composed a love letter before in my entire life and I have no pressing desire to start learning now.

So, yeah. If this is just like what I felt for the other boys I liked before, then I’m okay with it. Usually, after two weeks I move on. So that means after two weeks, everything will go back to normal.

But what if this isn’t like the others? Nah. What’s the difference? I doubt this is something other than a silly fancy for my best friend. I’ve seen some movies about it whenever we hang out at Hermione’s. It’s perfectly natural to have a crush on a long time friend. I’ve read about it in books, and I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one thinking about this issue.

However, in those movies, sometimes the best friends end up falling for each other. In the books, they do too. In addition, isn’t my brother a shining example of getting together with a friend? Last time I checked, Ron and Hermione are still together. That means there’s a chance that if this is more than a crush, Draco and I could work out right?

I remember Blaise and Pansy and the thoughts of Ron and Hermione vanish. There are of course those that don’t survive. Pansy hated Blaise for his announcement because before he had made it, something had happened to them. Pansy felt he was just after the sex and no matter how Blaise tried to convince her that he wasn’t, she would not listen. She once told me that she was scared to believe that it could lead to something more. Pansy said so many harsh things to Blaise but he never once got angry because of it. I’ve seen him cry over her a dozen times and it hurts to watch him pretend that everything’s all right.

The image of Blaise crying inside the prefect’s bathroom a year ago has caused a wave of fear and panic on my part. If what I feel for Draco, if I’m really feeling anything for him at all, is the same as what Blaise felt for Pansy, then I am really in big trouble. What if Draco acts like Pansy and rejects me? What if our friendship is shattered just like theirs? I can’t imagine myself without Draco. What will I do if that happens?
I throw myself on the bed and groan.

“You don’t like him, Ginny,” I say to myself. “You don’t like him like that so stop worrying.”

But somehow, I know there’s something going on inside me.
I’m not so sure I want to find out.

oOoOoOoOo

The next day I find myself standing inside the Slytherin Common Room, waiting for Blaise to get up. I’m alone, as it’s only seven in the morning. Draco is still sleeping. I left him a note to go ahead to breakfast and I’d see him there, but I doubt he’ll heed it. As I said, he’s very perceptive when it comes to me. And based on what we last talked about last night, he would know where to find me.

I hesitate in front of the door of Blaise’s dorm and then knock. No one answers, so I push the door open. There I find three beds which are just like mine in Gryffindor Tower. In one bed is Theo Nott, in another is someone I recognize as Felix Banks, and in the last is Blaise.

I stalk over to his bed and shake him awake.

“Bloody hell…” he murmurs and takes a pillow to cover his head with.

“Blaise!” I whisper urgently. “Blaise, get your sorry arse out of the bed right now!”

“Mmn…five minutes…” comes the answer.

“Damn it. I don’t have five minutes, Blaise!” I resort to hissing. “Get up right now.”

A soft snore answers me and I groan. Great.

What am I doing here anyway? Honestly? I don’t know anymore. It seemed like a good idea last night to get close to Blaise and maybe confide in him. I mean, if there’s one person who could probably sympathize with me, that’s got to be Blaise, right? He would understand what’s going on with me. In return, I’ll help him with any girl he chooses. I can be pretty persuasive and usually, girls come to me for advice and opinions since I’ve dated most of the boys in Hogwarts, so I can really help Blaise get over Pansy. But right now, I’m having second thoughts about the idea.

“That’s not the way to wake him,” a voice says and it had me jumping in surprise.

I turn around to see Theodore sitting up and eyeing me sleepily with a lopsided grin. His hair is sticking up in all directions but he still manages to look cute. Are all Slytherin boys like this?

“Oh, sorry. Did I wake you?” I ask, flashing him a sheepish smile.

He waves a hand at me and gets out of his bed. He opens his bedside drawer and takes out his wand. “Don’t worry about it, Ginny,” he says with another smile. “Move over. I’ll show you how to properly wake this git up.”

I move over to sit on Theo’s bed and my mouth falls open when he points his wand to Blaise’s sleeping form and calls, “Aguamenti.”

“What the—!” Blaise shouts as a jet of water hits him straight in the face. He struggles up, fighting off the water as I double up with laughter when I see his look.

Beside Theo’s bed, Felix sits up groggily and murmurs. “Where’s the fire?”

“Bloody hell Theo!” Blaise shouts angrily. “What in the world do you think you’re doing?”

Theo stops the spell and sneers at him. “Gin was having trouble waking you up. So I helped.”

“You helped? You bloody bastard, I’m soaked!” he shouts and jumps out of his bed and strips off his shirt. He throws it at Theo, who dodges it effortlessly.

I eye Blaise’s body for a while, bothered that, well-toned as it is, it’s not doing anything grand for me.

“Damn, Blaise, will you keep it down?” Felix throws his body on the bed again and pulls the covers up to his head.

“You try being Aguamenti-ed while you’re asleep and see if you can keep it down,” Blaise snarls at the blonde-haired boy. Then he turns to me and I smile brightly at him. “Don’t smile at me, brat. What do you want anyway?” he says, sleep gone from his voice and replaced by irritation.

I stand up and walk over to where Theo is. “Thanks Theo. I owe you one,” I tell him and he smiles.

“Oh, don’t mention it. It’s rewarding enough to see Blaise like that,” he laughs.

“Fuck off,” Blaise mutters.

“What’s happening here?”

We all turn to see Millie standing by the door, Pansy right behind her. When she catches my eye, she nods once and then leaves, but not without a glance in Blaise’s direction, who ignores her. Hmmn, interesting…

“Your boyfriend here was playing fireman, Mill,” Felix answers, getting his head out of the covers. “He woke Blaise with Aguamenti.”

“Really?” Millie smiles brightly at Theodore.

“You told him, didn’t you?” Blaise casts a look at his step-sister.

“I might have mentioned it sometime. Hi Ginny!” she says and walks over to Theo who is sitting on his bed. “Good morning, handsome.”

Blaise mutters something under his breath then turns to me again. “What do you want, Weasel?”

I roll my eyes at the name. “I want you to pick up your arse and get it into the shower. I need to speak with you about something.”

“About what?”

“I’ll tell you when you’re all dry and clean,” I smirk.

“Where’s your best friend anyway? Does he know you’re wreaking havoc in his House?” he glares at me.

I shrug. “He’s still sleeping.”

“He shouldn’t ever leave you alone, woman. You’re a danger to sleeping men,” he shakes his head.

“Hey, it was Theo who woke you up with the water spell, not me,” I argue, and turn to Theo. “Right The—,”

I break off when I see what Theo and Millie are doing and my mouth falls open. The two are kissing passionately as we stare.

“Oh, yuck!” Felix’s voice is muffled by the covers that are once again over his head. “I am marred for life. Can’t a guy get some decent sleep around here? I’m likely to be having dreams after this.”

Theo leans away from Millie’s lips to sneer at Felix. “Shall we turn the dreams into nightmares? Millie and I can oblige you.”
Millie blushes and elbows Theo.

“Theodore!” Blaise snarls and wrenches his step-sister from her boyfriend.

Millie turns to Blaise and rolls her eyes. “Oh sod off!” then she stalks away towards the door, stops and winks at Theo. Then she’s gone.

Felix and I groan. “I came here to wake Blaise up, not witness a snogging session,” I wail. This is almost as bad as seeing Bill and Fleur go at it back home.

“I’m gonna marry her,” Theo dreamily says from where he is sitting.

I look at him and I suddenly realize that Millie had probably not brushed her teeth, she was wearing her pajamas and her hair hadn’t seen a hairbrush since last night. And yet, here was Theo, declaring his intentions of marrying her with her step-brother present. I feel fuzzy all of a sudden.

“Over my well-toned body,” Blaise mutters.

Blaise’s Mum, Aunt Christina, has remarried Alexander Bulstrode, Millie’s dad. Ever since Blaise’s dad left her for another woman, Aunt Christina has married, divorced and married again. I personally used to think that she couldn’t find someone who made her forget her love for Blaise’s dad. I often used to tell Draco that Aunt Tina was still in love with Blaise’s dad, that’s why she couldn’t find the right guy. But that was before Alexander. They met at a gala that she attended with Mum, Aunt Cissa and Aunt Lily, and she was smitten by his looks. He was different from Blaise’s dad, who was dark and brooding. Alexander had this light aura around him and that seemed to attract Aunt Tina. A few months of courting and they married. We were all thrilled about it. Especially Blaise and Millie, who had become closer since the courtship. Everyone who knew them had high hopes that the marriage would work out. So far, it has. Two years and still going strong, as Alexander put it.

Aunt Tina was partly a Black, making Blaise a distant cousin of Draco. This was one of the reasons why she was with the Order. When he married her, Alexander decided to join in and became the resident Healer of the Order.

I turn to Blaise and grin. “Do you know how much you sound like Ron?”

“No, and I don’t think I do,” he answers curtly and stomps out of the room and into the bathroom.

“I’ll wait for you in the Common Room!” I shout with a grin. He answers me with a loud “Get lost!” and I laugh. Sulky Blaise indeed.

“What’d you do to him?” a voice I know so well says, and I turn to see Draco leaning on the door jamb, arms folded on his chest and staring at me with interest. I realized I’ve been waiting for him to show up.

Seriously, I had wished that whatever silly thing I was feeling for him would go away once I awoke this morning. I honestly believed that it was just a spur-of-the-moment kind of thing brought about by the moonlight last night. But as I stare at him right now, I realize that the feeling is still there. It makes my heart thump again.

“Hey Drake!” Theo cheerfully waves at him. “D’you send Ginny here to give Blaise hell?”

“I bet he did!” Blaise yells from the bathroom.

“No, I didn’t,” Draco shouts back. “What’s going on?” he turns to me. “Why are you here?”

“Oooh…hubby misses the wifey!” Blaise shouts again in a sing-song voice.

“Shut up!” Draco shoots back.

“Can’t anyone talk normally around here anymore?” Felix groans and slips out of the bed and out of the room.

Theodore laughs at this and walks over to us. He claps Draco at the back and says, “Welcome back to Slytherin, Drake!” then he goes out of the room.

Draco mutters something under his breath before looking at me again. “Well?”

“I came to talk to Blaise about my plan,” I whisper to him.
He looks at me with these grey eyes that seem to sparkle more today than any other day I’ve seen them. “You’re still doing that?”

I shrug. “I want to help. Are you in?”

“Draco and Ginny sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G…” Blaise sings in the shower.

I blush and Draco stiffens. Then he bends down his head and whispers in my ear, his hot breath fanning my neck. “Do you promise to give him hell while we match him up?”

I can’t speak at all. My voice is either stuck in my throat or has entirely dissolved into nothingness. I nod.

“Good. Then I’m in.”