Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters or anything in the Potterverse for that matter. Else I'd be filthy rich.

A/N: Okay, so this is short little 2 or 3 chapter ficlet based on the song "Miss Independent" by Kelly Clarkson, and this paring immediately popped in my head and would not leave me alone!! So here it is, the first chapter of "Sixth Year, With a Slight Twist."

Ginerva Weasley boarded the Hogwarts Express for her sixth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She was really excited about getting back to school and her friends, but also determined that this year things were going to be different. SHE was going to be different. She recalled how during her fifth year, the shy Ginny Weasley had finally got the courage to tell Harry Potter about her long time crush on him. To her utter amazement, he'd told her that he felt the same way! She was ecstatic, for a little while anyway.....

Flashback

Ginny gaped at Harry. "You think we should what, again?"

Harry regarded her seriously. "I think we should take a break. Between your prefect duties and O.W.L.'s and my Quidditch, we never get to see each other. I really like you, Gin, but I don't think this is good for either of us...." he faltered a bit at the look on her face, which was all twisted like she was going to cry.

"Gin? You okay?" he finally asked.

Ginny looked at him, and when she spoke, her voice was completely normal. However, if you were paying close attention, you would have noticed that, for a brief moment, her eyes told a completely different story.

"I'm fine, Harry, really. You're right, of course. It's best for both of us."

Harry's face broke into a wide grin at her words. "Thanks Gin. Of course we'll still be friends, right?"

Ginny managed a smile. "Of course," she agreed. "Friends..."

End flashback

She saw Harry regularly, as they still had the same circle of friends, and on the surface everything appeared back to normal. Except for Ginny, that is – she had changed, imperceptibly almost. She was determined to never let a boy get close enough to hurt her like that again. "Never," she thought firmly, as she finally found the compartment where her friends were sitting.

Later

As had happened every year on the train for as long as Ginny could remember, Malfoy and his cronies stopped by the Trio's compartment for the now-customary trading of insults. Ginny stifled a groan as the door slid open – she was so not in the mood! Before anyone could say anything, she growled, "What do you want, Ferret-Boy?"

Malfoy faked a hurt look. "What's the matter, Weaselette? Can't a guy stop by to say hi to some of his old friends?"

"Of course," said Ginny in a bored tone. "Only last time I checked, there weren't any of those in here. So why don't you leave, unless you need some, persuasion..." Ginny fingered her wand and gave Draco a sweet smile.

"Well then, Miss Weasley, excuse me for wanting to spend time with a pretty girl," said Draco, annoyed, as the door shut behind him.

The others were busy congratulating her on her brilliance, but she couldn't hear them over the sound of Draco's voice in her head...

By the time they were boarding the carriages for the trip to the castle, Ginny had come to the conclusion that Draco did not, in fact, think she was pretty; he had only said that to get under the others' skin. But she couldn't shake the nagging feeling that there had been more to it.....Ginny herself could not deny that despite Malfoy being an arrogant prat, she did find him strangely attractive.

During the Sorting, Ginny felt a pair of eyes on her; looking around, her gaze finally lit on the Slytherin table and Draco Malfoy. She glared at him and he quickly looked away. But Malfoy kept looking over at the Gryffindor table and by the end of the Welcoming feast, Ginny had had enough and quickly bolted. She headed up to her dorm amidst the chatter and laughter of her fellow students, too tired to join in. She reached her room and fell into her bed, exhausted. Interestingly enough, the last thing she saw before falling asleep was a pair of stormy gray eyes....

A/N #2: So? What did you think? Click that little purple button and let me know! grins