Disclaimer: It all belongs to Ms. Rowling, but I hope you like my horrible story ;)

Chapter 2

"What're you looking at?"

Ginny nearly jumped out of her skin for the second time that night. "For Merlin's sake Ron, why did you have to scare me like that?" She was perched in her usual seat by the window, looking out at the grounds, and this time, a certain blond-haired someone was pacing back and forth, looking troubled. "I'm not looking at anything, just the trees." She tried to block the window with her body, but she was far too small and her brother moved around her with ease.

"Is that—is that Malfoy? I swear I'd know that stupid blond hair anywhere, the git," Ron said angrily, sneering at the window.

"He's not a git," Ginny said fervently, but immediately wished she hadn't.

Ron's eyes narrowed as he looked at his sister questioningly. "And why exactly would you think that?" There was malice in his voice as he returned to his full height and crossed his arms. Ginny looked away from him and bit her lip nervously. Ron didn't need to know about any of their "run-ins," she thought, nearly chuckling at her choice of words. "Ginny," Ron said angrily still. "Why would you say that?"

She forced herself to look at him again and brightened as she thought of exactly what to say. "It's just that I accidentally ran into him the other day—I mean I literally ran into him!—and he was very gracious about it. I don't think he's as bad of a guy as you think he is."

Ron laughed at her then. He laughed in her face! "You think because for once, ONE TIME, he didn't call you a poor, disgusting weasel that he's changed? That he's suddenly nice?" The last word cut through the air. Ginny looked to the ground, extremely hurt by Ron's words, and fought tears back as he continued. "Yeah, keep staring at him, Gin. Maybe he'll come call you a Muggle-lover, or maybe he'll come kiss you! My bet's on the former!" He laughed maliciously all the way back to his room and left her sitting alone in the common room without even someone to look at, since Draco had disappeared at some point during their fight.

She knew nothing had really happened between her and Draco. They had seen each other a few times, and he was being friendly. True, he had come to her in a quiet, private place and nearly kissed her, but it didn't mean anything. He clearly hadn't wanted that to happen, considering he ran out of there as fast as he could…

/\\\

Oh my Merlin, has she just told him? Horrible thoughts raced through Draco's head as he ran back into the castle. He had stopped in the middle of his pacing to look up at a window facing him. There he saw the beautiful Ginny Weasley staring out at him. He wondered if she could see him, and was for some reason tempted to wave, until he saw her stupid brother, Ron Weasel, yelling at her. Had she told him what had happened? Had she said he'd forced himself on her? He wasn't scared of Ron, but he was a bit scared of all of the burly Gryffindor quidditch team friends Ron had. But Draco had quidditch friends too, since he was a member of the Slytherin team. However, he doubted they would be okay with him nearly snogging the Weasley girl, let alone speaking to her.

But it wasn't like he was attracted to her. She was a fifteen-year-old ginger, for Merlin's sake. But he was drawn to her…and he couldn't for the life of him figure out why! Astoria Greengrass was far more attractive than a Weasley, and was pureblood, a Slytherin, someone his parents would approve of…not that he cared. Maybe he should just go ask her out right now! That would get his mind off of Gin- er, Weasley.

He was in the dungeons now, entering the common room, and there sat Astoria Greengrass. Brilliant. "Hey, Astoria, want to talk in the hall for a second?" She looked up and lit up considerably when she saw it was he. They walked to the corridor together, and lingered near the entrance. "So, I know this is out of the blue, but I was wondering if you'd want to go to Hogsmeade with me on Saturday…"

"On a date?" she asked shyly but hopefully, her head angled downward. She was looking at him through her thick lashed and he couldn't deny she was beautiful.

He half grinned back and said with quiet confidence, "Of course."

She snapped her head up happily, looking him fully in the eyes. "And maybe if we have fun, I'll ask you to the girls-ask-boys fall dance." She smiled again shyly, but didn't put her head down this time.

"And maybe I'll say yes." It's almost embarrassing how good I am at flirting, Draco thought. He watched her walk back into the common room and wondered why he would drag Astoria into his life when he clearly felt nothing for her.

/\\\

"So, have you thought about who you're going to ask to the dance?" Hermione asked Ginny at breakfast in the Great Hall the following morning.

"Umm…" Harry looked up hopefully when he heard her speak, and she tried to ignore him. "I kind of have someone in mind, but I'm not sure yet," Ginny finally answered. And whom exactly do I have in mind? she thought to herself. Certainly not Draco. That's not who I meant by that statement…hopefully. "What about you?" she asked Hermione, trying to rid her mind of thoughts of him.

This time Ron looked up in anticipation. "I'm not sure," she said. "Seamus has been awfully nice to me lately, but I don't know." Ginny saw Ron's face fall slightly, but what could he expect? He'd never been particularly nice to Hermione, or showed any interest in her.

"We should go shopping for dresses," Ginny suggested excitedly. "How about Saturday in Hogsmeade?"

"Sounds splendid, Gin!"

As they all got up to leave the Great Hall a few minutes later, Harry stopped Ginny. "Do you mind if I talk to you for a second?" he asked under his breath. Ginny shrugged and followed him out of the Great Hall. As they left, she scanned the Slytherin table and her eyes caught onto something grey and sorrowful—Draco's eyes. Their gazes met and they stared at each other as she walked until he ripped his eyes away from her, causing Ginny to nearly slam into Harry's back. She muttered an apology and followed him through the door. "Ginny," he began, trailing off.

She faced him squarely and faintly smiled. "Yes, Harry?"

"I, uh, I don't know how to say this…" She could tell he was really nervous because he was rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. It was a cute gesture he always did when talking to her, and she used to melt every time he did it. She smiled slightly at how well she could read him, which relaxed him a bit. "Anyway, I've turned down a couple of girls for the dance in case…well, just…I don't know, in the hopes that you'd ask me."

"What?" Ginny's smile had rapidly transformed into a thin line, revealing her anger. "Why would you do that? I'm not your girlfriend or something! I don't have this perpetual crush on Harry Potter, and I think you should've realized that by now!"

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to offend you, I just wanted you to know-"

"Know what, Harry?" she practically spat.

"Know…know that I really like you." He sounded timid, so un-Harry Potter. And then his voice was filled with malice. "But I apologize if I've offended you, Ginevra." He nearly spat her name, and she began to see how much she hurt him. "Please know that was not my intent." He turned swiftly and disappeared down the corridor. She sunk to the steps, defeated.

She didn't know tears were coming from her eyes until she heard another person's voice.

"Well that was a bit harsh." Her head was buried in her hands and all he could see was her magnificent shining hair, but he knew she was crying from the conversation he had just overheard.

Her head snapped up, but the worried look on her face vanished when she saw it was Draco, and she gestured for him to sit down. "He was kind of a jerk," she laughed through her tears.

"Guess it's my turn to be harsh, but I didn't mean him." She turned to Draco, a trace of pain visible on her face. "I mean, you denied your 'perpetual crush' on Potter. That's pretty rough." He laughed light-heartedly, but she still looked hurt. He began to feel awful for joking at Potter's expense, but he didn't know why. "Oh, I'm sorry. I don't really know how to-"

"No, you're right," she said thoughtfully, looking away from him. "I mean, he was brave enough to say he really liked me, and I was just awful!"

"Hey now, I'm definitely NOT encouraging you to go apologize to Potter! He's a git."

"He's not a git," she said fervently, as she had said of Draco quite recently.

"Whatever you say…" He rolled his eyes and they laughed together. "I think you should ask him to go to the dance with you." She shot him a questioning glance. "Really, I do! Ask Potter to the dance," he said earnestly.

"Why?" she asked skeptically, leaning back to examine him.

Draco thought for a moment. He knew the real reason was that he felt bad about having his own date if she didn't have one, but he certainly couldn't tell her that. He realized he really didn't want her to go with Potter at all, but he couldn't change his mind now. "Oh, just think about how every Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff girl will be dying with jealousy when you arrive at the dance with THE Harry Potter!"

She laughed with him and asked, "And what of the Slytherin girls? Who are they pining over? You?" He shrugged his shoulders in mock-modesty, hoping she wouldn't have any fun with Potter at the dance.

"Go talk to him," Draco said when their laughter subsided. She shot him a quizzical glance and he realized how much he loved the kink in her eyebrows when she was confused. He shook the thought from his head. "Look, I know I hate Potter and I hope he never finds love and happiness, but at least he can go to a dance with a pretty girl!"

Ginny giggled softly and looked down. Did he really think she was pretty? She didn't think it was possible. He had dated some of the most beautiful girls in school, and she wasn't even close to that attractive. "You don't mean that."

"Don't mean what," Draco asked smoothly, leaning back onto the steps behind him.

"That you don't want Harry to find happiness. You can't hate him that much…can you?" Ginny asked hopefully. For some reason, she really wanted the two of them to be friends, even though she knew that could never ever happen.

"Look, just go talk to him, okay?!" Draco got up from his step and walked back to the Great Hall without looking back at Ginny. How could he go from being to friendly to walking away in a hurry?