Chapter One

I'm going to smile like nothing's wrong, talk like everything's perfect, act like it's just a dream … pretend I'm not hurting.

Ginny sat alone in a corner, watching everyone laughing and joking with each other. Ever since her first year she had felt as though she were all alone. Nobody ever really bothered with her unless they needed something. The rest of the time, she was invisible.

Ginny had finally escaped Hogwarts, it was now the holidays after her seventh year. She had completed it at the same time as her brother and his friends, Dumbledore allowing her to complete it early. It wasn't that she didn't love Hogwarts, it was that she had no friends and was always alone, not that this was much different to what it was like at home. But at least now she didn't have the Chamber of Secrets below her, constantly reminding her of what had happened down there in her first year. Therefore she was sitting in the lounge room in Grimmauld Place, along with the rest of the Weasleys, Harry, Hermione, Tonks, Remus and Snape, just watching everyone else when she heard someone enter the door.

Dumbledore appeared at the entrance to the lounge room, someone lingering behind him in a black cloak, the hood obscuring their face. She could tell it was a male from their stance and was anxious to find out who it was. Dumbledore gestured for the person to move into the room and drop their hood. As they did so there were cries of indignation, and wands were drawn from every person in the room, save Ginny, Snape and Dumbledore.

'Calm down everybody, Calm Down' Dumbledore ordered, everyone stopping their yelling, however kept their wands raised. 'Draco has come to me requesting my help. His father has wanted to enlist him as a Death Eater since the beginning of his seventh year. Draco first came to me straight after this and enlisted my help. Since then he has been able to hold off his fathers pressure, until now, therefore I have decided that for his safety he will be staying here until it is safe for him to leave.'

'Oh come off it, how do we know he won't run straight back to Daddy and tell him everything about the order, Huh?' Harry said, clearly not liking the fact that he would be staying in a house with Draco.

'Harry, I trust Draco and that should be enough for you. Professor Snape and I have administered Veritaserum and I can assure you he is telling the truth. You may not like it, but you are going to have to accept his presence here. Alright? And that means everyone, not just Harry.' Dumbledore answered calmly looking at everyone in the room.

'Fine' they all mumbled when it was clear that he would not be leaving.

'Now Draco, if you would like to follow Ginevra, she will show you to your room, Ginevra, it is the one next to yours'

Ginny nodded and picked up one of Draco's bags and walking towards their rooms.

'So, Ginevra' Draco said smirking 'You seemed to be the only one who wasn't about to hex me into oblivion when I entered that room. How come?'

'Oh shut up, Draco isn't much better' she said scowling at him 'This is your room' she added, opening a door and placing the bag next to the door frame. 'The bathroom is through the door in your room and we share it. Our rooms join through the bathroom, so if the bathroom door is locked from your room, it means im in there, so remember to lock my door when you are in there or I may walk in on you, and we wouldn't want that now would we' Ginny said, adding his trademark smirk to the end.

'Of course we wouldn't, Ginevra, but that still doesn't answer my question now does it'

'I don't know, I can't say I really cared, if you were there to kill me, oh well, what a pity'

'Don't flatter yourself Weasley, I wouldn't waste my precious time on something as worthless as you.' He called out to her back as she left, hoping to get a rise out of her, she had looked so … lost.

Ginny headed back downstairs, to where everyone else was and sat down in the chair she had previously occupied, nobody even acknowledging her presence as she walked into the room. She eventually got tired of simply sitting there watching everyone else having a good time and walked back to her room, not noticing someone coming from the opposite direction and running into them.

'Fuck, can't you even open your god damn eyes and look where you're going. I don't see why you even leave your room, it's not like anyone in this house wants you around them. Everyone hates you, do us a favour and stay out of our way.' Ron shot at her as he picked himself up off the floor, leaving her cradling her ankle.

Draco had noticed the exchange with surprise, he had always thought the Weasley's were a close bunch. He walked towards Ginny and offered her a hand, only to have it slapped away.

'Piss off Malfoy, I can get myself up, I don't need your help, I'm sure you have something else to do, instead of wasting you precious fucking time on me' she spat, pulling herself up off the floor and limping to her room, throwing herself onto her bed.

Ginny reached into the draw beside her bed and pulled something out, heading to the bathroom, locking both her and Draco's doors. She slumped to the floor, her back to her door and looked down at the silver blade in her hand. She pulled up her sleave and looked down at her wrist. It was no longer the flawless arm she had once had but was now covered in scars and cuts, some old, some fresh. She lifted the blade and brought it down on her wrist, savouring the feeling of the metal cutting into her skin, slicing it as she dragged it along. Watching the droplets of blood forming on the surface before pouring out, spilling over her wrist, onto the floor. She dragged it along her wrist more and more until her tears subsided and she felt remotely better. She cleaned the blood on the floor, grabbing a cloth to stem the blood flow, leaving them unhealed. She liked the sting the rubbing of her sleaves would provide, or if someone bumped her, she liked to let the wounds heal naturally.

There was a sudden banging on the door to Draco's room 'Just a minute' she called out, placing the now clean rag back onto the hanger, making sure there was no evidence of what had taken place, before she unlocked both doors and headed out of the bathroom as Draco entered it, locking the doors once she had left.

Ginny climbed into her bed, falling asleep to the sounds of the water running in the bathroom.

The next morning Ginny awoke to the sounds of someone knocking on her door, she opened it to find Draco standing there. 'Your brother just told me Breakfast is ready, you coming?' he asked.

'Um, no, I'm not hungry' she said closing the door before he could say anything more. While everyone was downstairs eating she headed to the library, reading was her only escape in this godforsaken place. After awhile Snape walked into the library and stood in front of her.

'Yes Professor can I help you?' she asked politely, she unlike her brother and his friends did not hate the potions master.

'Yes actually Miss Weasley. I was wondering if I could get your help in working on a potion that I have been researching for awhile. I have already enlisted Draco's help and seeing as though you two were my best students, I was wondering if you wouldn't like to help also?' Snape asked.

'Sure, when do we start?'

'Well, you will find Draco down in the labs already. He will explain everything to you, all my research is down there. I will be gone for awhile, so you will have to do it by yourselves, but don't worry I am sure you will manage.' He said at the look on Ginny's face when she found out that he would not be there to help.

'Um, alright, I'll be off then' she said placing her book back on the shelves and heading down to the labs where Draco was already working.

As she entered the room, she noticed Draco has his cloak off, leaving him in only a white shirt and black trousers. Ginny had to admit that he had an extremely good body that was being shown off by the shirt. Shit, he's gotten fucking hot she thought to herself, wondering why she hadn't noticed earlier. Probably because you weren't looking her mind answered.

Draco looked up and noticed Ginny staring at him. 'Like what you see Weasley?' he drawled standing up, taking a step towards her.

'You wish Malfoy, simply wondering how in gods name you passed Potions, and managed to get first in the school, when you say stupid things like that'

'It's not stupid Weasley, simply true, you were practically drooling, if your not careful I'll have to get you a bib. And I'm still wondering how you managed to get second, and a close second at that, been sleeping with Snape have you?'

'Yes actually, got to be the best shag I've ever had. Once you get past the greasy hair and permanent scowl he's actually got a great body, fantastic in bed!' Ginny said laughing at the disgusted face Draco was making.

'That's just … that's just … ew!' he answered shuddering at the mental images it was provoking.

'Oh you love it Malfoy' Ginny said, laughing harder.

Draco ignored her, trying to rid himself of the mental images, handing her a pile of papers. 'Start reading these, I've already read them, it's Snape's research. Well the first folder anyway' he said sitting back down and beginning to read the folder open on the desk in front of him.

Ginny mumbled a thanks and sat down on the couch opposite him and opened the folder, beginning to read. It was soon Dinner time and Draco left to get something to eat. 'You coming?' he asked.

'Nope, I will get something later' she said not looking at his piercing eyes, relieved when he finally left the room. She hated eating, especially with the rest of the people in the house. She though maybe if she didn't eat then she could simply fade away, it wasn't like anyone noticed her now anyway.

She looked up at Draco as he walked back into the room, carrying a plate with a sandwich. 'I brought this for you, saves you a trip' he said placing the sandwich down in front of her.

'Ah, thanks' she said, once again not looking at him in the eye, taking a bite of it and placing it back down on the plate, not touching it again for the rest of the night. Draco noticed but decided not to say anything, maybe she just wasn't feeling well.

Draco looked up and noticed Ginny had fallen asleep. Not wanting to wake her he lifted her up and carried her to her room, placing her on her bed. He looked around the room. It had black sheets, a black mesh curtain thing around the bed and the mantle was devoid of any pictures, taken up mainly of books. He looked at the table beside her bed and noticed a dagger beside her bed. He reached out to touch it, pulling away when Ginny stirred. He looked down at Ginny again before leaving the room and heading to his own.

He couldn't help but notice how thin and light she had been when he had picked her up. She definitely hadn't been at meal times all day, in fact he hadn't seen her eat since he had arrived. This girl obviously had problems. He had noticed the way nobody ever took notice of the quite beautiful girl in the corner, and when they did they simply yelled at her to get out of their sight. It seemed only Snape and Dumbledore spoke civilly towards her. Why, well he had no idea why, but intended to find out. For some reason he felt drawn towards her.