When he drops the note on your desk, you're not surprised. It's normal at this point. You've been dancing this ballet around in circles for long enough to expect it.

You pretend to be suspicious; he's supposed to be your enemy. You make him agree to not bring a wand. You know he won't need it anyway.

Sneaking around the castle, you tell yourself that it's perfectly normal, you and him. You ignore the fact that he's Draco Malfoy, focus instead on his personality or some other ruse like it. You force the thoughts of him to the back of your head: The Boy Who Lived-The Boy Who Was Once Yours. But he's not yours anymore; he may never be yours again. So instead you sneak around with Draco Malfoy, falling for his vulnerability and whispered promises. If anyone finds out, you will shame your family; you fall in love with the danger.

He mutters your name, he tells you you're beautiful, and you pretend his hair is jet-black and you kiss him where the scar should be on his forehead.

Do you do it because you're in love? Or are you just lonely? You forget which one was your original reason. The feelings have started to bleed together like markers in water and instead of red or blue or green they're all a murky brown; you can't tell which is which anymore.

Sneaking back to the Gryffindor common room and you're disheveled, distraught. He is emotionally draining; he takes your breath away. You want to sleep, you want to stay up and think of him all night. You are a contradiction: you're in love with him, but you hate everything about him.

The next morning one of his bulky friends drops a note on your desk, smirking. You open it, curious, wary, having to put on a show.

G,

Same time, same place next week. I'm looking forward to it.

-D

P.S. Ignore Goyle. He thinks I'm calling you a slag.

You turn around and glower at him, if only for the sake of Goyle. You stare at him and blame him for your betrayal. He stares right back and you pretend those cool, gray eyes do nothing for you.

The thing is, Ginny Weasley, you've always been a terrible liar.