Long chapter for my reviewers!

Disclaimer: Everyone who owns the characters still owns them.

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Ginny had been disconsolate of late - she tried to tell herself it was because of the whole fiasco with Harry, but she knew that was not it.

With a sigh she had flopped down on her bed, drawing the curtains so she wouldn’t be disturbed. It was time she admitted (to herself of course) the reason why she was so upset right now. It wasn’t that hard to figure out, it’s not like that queer feeling in her stomach whenever she saw him was indigestion or something

Ginny evoked a second sigh- it was Draco, Draco Malfoy - the self-proclaimed Prince of Slytherin, who also happened to be Ron’s enemy, not to mention Harry’s. It was highly ironic; she thought with a wry smile, that she had just happened to fall for the one boy sure to never return her feelings. Nope, never in a million years would he ever notice me.

‘What the hell is wrong with me?’ Ginny wondered. She always went for the impossible guy, before it’d been Harry and when she got over him, she had thought with relish that that’d be the last time she would moon over a boy who was out of her league. Yet here she was crushing on Draco Malfoy and lying here in bed thinking about him. God! She felt like she was 11 all over again.

Except Harry, well Harry’d been a logical choice for a crush, he was a great guy, he was smart, famous, handsome, funny, sweet, serious etc. It was totally understandable for her to have a crush on Harry - but Draco. His sneering visage swam before her. Draco was cold, callus, smart, rich, pureblood, snobby, cruel, narrow-minded, etc.

‘He could be funny,’ Ginny added grudgingly. Her mind cast wistfully back to the infirmary, ‘And his past has been marred by undue cruelty. No wonder he’d turned out the way he had. He could be kind, else why would he have caught her in the first place, or stayed in the infirmary with her? His cold, cool demeanor is probably a farce,’ she thought. ‘I bet if I can just crack it he’ll – Don’t go there girl! You know that’s the sort of foolish thinking that’ll get you hurt!’ Her mind said sharply, and Ginny knew it was only too true. Loads of girls were obsessed by Draco’s cold aura, certain that if given the chance they could penetrate it and reveal a totally different side of him. Obviously none of them had succeeded.

What she needed to do, Ginny thought resolutely as she wandered into the Common Room, was somehow to find a way to forget about Draco - and then her feelings would wither and die. She smiled absentmindedly at Colin, who had approached her, a worried expression on his face. As he began to speak, she zoned out, her mind whirring furiously, attempting to figure out how to forget the Slytherin boy. She couldn’t use a memory charm she decided - too drastic.

She gradually became aware that Colin had asked her a question and was waiting for an answer.

“Huh? What?” She said, smiling apologetically.

Colin looked hurt, but repeated himself, “I asked if you’re alright. Lately you’ve been looking really down about something.”

“Oh yeah, well I’ve had a lot of stuff on my mind you know,” Ginny trailed off.

Colin continued to talk and Ginny only half-listened. Her mind drifted to Draco - what was he doing right now? On second thought, she didn’t want to know-probably making out with Pansy Parkinson. With a jolt she realized Colin had taken her hands in his own. She refocused on him.

“Ginny,” he said softly, “I’ve liked you for ages, but you were always waiting for Harry. Now that Harry is out of the picture, I was wondering if I could lay claim to your heart.

‘This is the perfect way to get over Draco,’ her mind urged her. Ginny hesitated however. She knew that Colin’s feelings did not match her own, she had no romantic attachment to him whatsoever. It would be cruel to lead him on in such a way.

“Colin, I- ” she stammered.

“Say ‘Yes’ Ginny, please,” he replied earnestly, his face scrunched with awful anticipation.

He looked, she decided, as if he’d burst into tears if she said no. Weakening, she thought half-heartedly, that maybe feelings toward Colin would develop if given the chance.

“O-K” she said slowly.

Colin beamed at her, but Hermione, who was sitting behind them, gave Ginny an odd look.

“Err, I got to go-” Ginny said, overwhelmed by a sudden desire to be alone.

“K,” Colin replied, “Meet me in the Common Room to walk to dinner.”

“Um, OK,” Ginny managed before bolting.

* * * *

Draco was eating dinner and trying to tune out Pansy, who chattered mindlessly, prattling on about this and that as if he gave a damn. He glanced around the Great Hall, and noted a glare in his direction from Weasel King, he blew Ron a kiss just to see his reaction. However, his attention was torn away from Weasley by Pansy’s latest gossip.

“So apparently that little whore Ginny Weasley is dating that Mudblood Colin Creevey. He asked her out this afternoon.”

Draco, who had been taking a sip of pumpkin juice, choked and said “WHAT?”

Pansy looked pleased to see him taking an interest in her gossip. She elaborated on the subject of Ginny Weasley. “Yeah, everyone was surprised, of course we all know she is just using him to get back at Harry. Though I daresay Potter’s doing the same thing with that Ravenclaw girl, Cho Chang. That Ginny Weasley is a filthy liar, imagine trying to claim she was up in the Astronomy Tower with you. You must be so outraged by such a presumptuous lie.”

“Well,” Draco drawled, “a girl can dream can’t she? Although it’d take more than wishing on a star to make me go out with her.”

Pansy laughed heartily, and scooted closer to him.

Draco, composed now, stared at the Gryffindor table, he hadn’t noticed before, but Ginny was indeed sitting with that Mudblood Colin. Creevey was gazing at her raptly, a blissful expression on his face. Ginny was staring wistfully up at the enchanted ceiling filled with stars. She seemed to be staring fixedly at a certain spot. He looked and saw to his shock that she was gazing at the enchanted Draco the Dragon. Covering his shock, Draco sneered at her, causing Ginny to blush madly.

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It was later in the Common Room (password now- “Ron Weasley is the greatest Keeper”), that Ginny could be found sitting stiffly beside Colin. She was already regretting saying yes to him. Hadn’t she just been caught staring up at Draco the Dragon by none other than Malfoy himself? The memory alone caused her to blush crimson. This idea definitely had not panned out, and she seemed to be getting worse not better. Why she’d gone a shade of fuchsia the world had never seen before when Draco had caught her eye. It was so stupid; she wasn’t a 12-year old girl - so why couldn’t she stop acting like one near him? Ginny scowled furiously at the crackling flames before her.

“Ginny,” Colin said quietly.

She turned to face him, “Yes Colin?”

He leaned, no more like lunged forward, his lips meeting hers.

Ginny reacted instinctively. She pushed him away saying savagely, “What are you doing?”

Colin looked hurt and baffled, “I was just kissing you, you know, that’s what couples do!”

“Colin, this is just not gonna work, I’m sorry,” Ginny said bluntly.

A wounded look crept across Colin’s face. Then it contorted in rage, “It’s still about him isn’t it? I thought you’d let go!”

“Colin, it’s not about Harry.”

“Of course not,” he snapped, “it’s been about Draco Malfoy!” he stormed off without a backward glance.

Ginny, the object of the Common Room’s undivided attention, was all too aware of the looks she was receiving. Unable to take the stares of her housemates, she fled through the portrait hole.

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