Title: The Truth About Trees

Author: Tiny Q

E-Mail: one_legged_lesbian_seagull@hotmail.com

A/N: Gah.  Sorry this took so very long.  I had a lot of problems with this chapter, and I still don't like it.  Not at all.  If you guys agree that it just really doesn't sound right, tell me and I will attempt to fix it.  Gah.  Oh well.  I probably won't post again until after I've finished with Order of the Phoenix.  So I will wish you happy reading and a wonderful release date!  ~smiles and waves~

Disclaimer:  I own nothing!  My sanity isn't even mine any more.  Nope.  I sold it for $4.99.  But then, I'm sure you could tell... 

The Truth About Trees

Chapter 9

Red Headed Angry Tanks

~*~

            We stood there, staring at the two Gryffindors before us, the laughter dieing in our throats.  I was standing in front of Weasley female, so I could not see her face without actually turning to see it.  Something I didn't think would be too wise with the menace before us.  Yet I was sure that it would look as stunned as I was beginning to feel.  Weasley looked so mad.  And not just at me, it seemed to be directed at her as well.  I narrowed my eyes.

            "Ginny," the tall red head hissed at his sister.  I never realized how large he had gotten.  Not only was he tall but he seemed as though he could give Crabbe and Goyle a run for their money in an arm wrestle.  "What the hell do you think you are doing?!"

            "Laughing," the girl behind me replied simply.  I glanced back at her, ignoring the two before us.  Her face seemed to mirror the anger of her brother's.  It must be a Weasley thing. 

            "With him?" he demanded.  I whipped my head around and sneered at him.  I was about to open my mouth when Weasley beat me to it.

            "I don't think who I laugh with has anything to do with you, Ron," she snarled.  I saw Weasley's eyes widen in surprise.  Then narrow with barely controlled anger.  I glanced at Potter.  He seemed to be simply standing there, in conflict between glaring at me and looking sympathetically at the girl. 

            "When it concerns Malfoy it bloody well does," the tallest boy hissed.  My hand began to itch for my wand.  How dare he speak about me as though I was not here?  I made to prove that I actually was, thinking that blasting him into oblivion with my wand would do the trick.  But once again, her words stopped me before I could take action.

            "I don't think so," she scoffed angrily. 

            "I agree," I hissed in agreement instead, ideas of destruction briefly leaving my mind.  I think it's a less messy way of getting a point across.  Even if it is a little less satisfying.  Merlin, I sound like my father.

            "You stay out of this," the red head hissed, turning on me.  "It's bad enough that you have corrupted her away from us-"

            "Him?!" the girl shrieked.  Her brother turned sharply towards her.  "He has had nothing to do with that decision.  If I hadn't decided to back off, and for good reason, I would have gone insane having to listen to the three of you rant and rave about your fucked up love triangle."  The Weasley before me seemed about ready to protest but she wasn't finished yet.  "So what if I'm friends with Malfoy?  He's a far better friend than you ever were."

            Silence.

            Did Weasley just call me her friend?  Me?  A Weasley's friend?  How did that happen?  Well I suppose we have been around each other a fair bit.  And we have heard each other's secrets.  But friends?  The tall red head before me seemed to be thinking along the same lines.

            "You have got to be kidding me," he sneered, seeming to try to keep himself from succumbing to a moment of blind rage.  A most terrifying experience now a days I'm sure.  "This has to be some sick and twisted joke.  Ginny, tell me you're joking."

            I glanced back at her.  She avoided my eyes, completely red in the face.  It was almost as if she had not meant to say what she had.  I wondered briefly about what that could mean, but pushed it from my mind.  Now was definitely not the time. 

            She took a small breath then raised her eyes to her brother's once more.  "It's not a joke," she said firmly, her voice not betraying the surprise and shock that was clearly written across her face.  I stared.  So did the other two across from us.

            After a moment the Weasley spoke again.  "There is no way..." he trailed off, going redder than he had been before, resembling an apple or something else equally as red.  It really rather clashed with his hair, making it dim in contrast.  "There is no way I am going to allow you to fraternize with this, this monster."

            "Who are you calling a monster?" I growled, suddenly deciding to make a stand.  I know I should have earlier but what Ginny had said totally threw me off.  Merlin, did I just call her "Ginny"?  I'm losing it.  "Have you looked in a mirror lately?"

            "I said stay out of this!" Ron yelled at me, his blue eyes flashing angrily.  "You've done enough!  Just look at her!  She's wasting away and it's all your fault!" 

            "It is not his fault!" Ginny screamed back, taking a step forward.  It was the first movement any of the four of us had made since this ordeal started.  I glanced from her to her brother.  They both seemed so angry that I had trouble deciding which was worse.  Potter seemed about ready to intervene.  Wasn't peace keeping Granger's department?  But things have obviously changed lately.  "It is in no way his fault!"

            "Then whose is it?" Weasley demanded of his sister.  "Yours?  Mine?  Harry's?!"  He glared at her.

            "All of ours!" she shrieked.  "It's all our fucking faults!  Mine more so than any of you for putting my trust into your screwed up group in the first place!  I never should have gone near you!  I should have just stayed on my own!  With my own friends and not become a minion of the Dream Team!"

            "A minion?" Weasley growled.  "You were never a minion."

            "Oh bull shit," she swore at him.  "You know I was, but you just don't want to admit you were wrong.  You never do.  You never have.  It's been your one fault all through your life Ron and I think you should have realized that a long time ago!  But then-"

            "Shut up!" Weasley screamed at his sister, taking her by surprise.  Not to mention Potter and I as well.  He took a step towards her.  "I'm one not to realize my faults?"  He took another step forward.  Potter grabbed onto his arm but the boy flung it off without even a backward glance.  I also took a step to intervene.  I couldn't see Weasley actually hitting his sister, but I just felt like I was needed.  Here we go again with this whole subconscious warning bit. 

            "Ginny, you are the most fucked up person I know," he yelled.  I heard Ginny take in a sharp breath of air. 

            "Ron," Potter warned, the first words he had spoken the entire time.

            "You sit there and act all high and mighty," Weasley continued completely ignoring his friend.  "Like the world should revolve around you and you alone.  And you're bitter because it doesn't.  You're antisocial because of a stupid mistake you made when you were eleven.  Eleven for Merlin's sake!  It's not like Riddle is going to posses the next decent person you put your trust in and kill you!"

            "Ron," Potter warned once more, taking a step closer to his friend.  "You're hurting her."

            "I don't care!" he raved back at him, turning back to his sister.  He dropped his voice slightly and glared at me.  "I suppose that is why you are hanging around with him," he sneered, gesturing towards me.  "He seems to be just like Riddle, doesn't he?  Just with blond hair."

            I looked at Ginny to see silent tears running down her face.  Her eyes so wide with disbelief that I was sure they would pop out of her skull.  It actually would have been kind of funny if it hadn't been real.  But it was.  And I felt my heart hurt.  Actually hurt.  For her.  For a Weasley.  She didn't even look at me, just continued to stare at her brother who still stood as though he wanted to beat the living daylights out of something.

            "I can't believe you just said that to your sister," I spat.  Well, I guess the control I thought I had gotten back had left once again.  Shit.  I hadn't meant to say anything, but I guess I can't back down now.  Weasley glared at me.  "And here I thought family was supposed to stick up for each other."

            "And what the hell do you know about family, Malfoy?" he sneered at me, spitting my name as though it were a swear. 

            "Obviously a lot more than you do," I drawled, fighting off this sudden mental image of me busting his kneecaps.  That would be a cheap shot really.  

            "I highly doubt that," the red head sneered.  "You whose father is a fucking Death Eater."

            I felt rage boil inside me worse than I had ever felt.  So what if my father is a fucking Death Eater?!  I'm nothing like my father!  And why does everyone have to rub it in my face?  It's not like I rub Weasley's stupidity in his face!  Ok.  Maybe I do, but still!  Who the hell is he to tell me that I will take after my father?  So I was an ass as a child and still act like one now, doesn't mean you have to stereotype me as evil. 

            For some irrational reason I felt like I could kill him.  It wasn't like people had never said such things to me before.  Especially these two dolts before me who seem to take malicious glee in doing it.  But I really didn't care at that moment.  I didn't care about my wand anymore.  I simply wanted to rip his eyes out with my own bare hands.

            "He has nothing to do with his father, Ron," Ginny suddenly whispered quietly from beside me, pulling me from my violent thoughts.  I looked at her, and she glanced at me for the first time.  She smiled slightly, despite the tears that shimmered on her face. 

            "And I suppose he told you that," Weasley sneered.  "How do you know he's not a Death Eater himself?"

            I heard something snap in my head.  No.  Rather, I felt it.  Before I knew what I was doing, I lunged at the tall red head before me.  

            Damn the consequences.

~*~

            I stood there, feeling as though my legs were about to give way beneath me.  My brother's words were tearing through my head, hissing at every part of me that I thought I knew.  Were they true?  Am I really that self-centered?  Do I give off the impression that the world revolves around me?  Am I really running from Riddle every moment of my life?  Is that why I am really putting my trust in Malfoy?  Because he reminds me of Riddle?

            Malfoy wasn't evil.  He told me so.  It's all just an act.  Well he told me that part indirectly, but it's still true.  He wants nothing to do with his father.  I told my brother so but he didn't seem to believe me.  I looked over at Malfoy in an attempt to tell him that I do still believe him. 

            It's not fair that he has to be here while my brother is being the biggest ass.  Come to think of it, I haven't seen him blow up at me like this since he was nine.  But I won't get into that.

            A small, strangled cry from the blond beside me caused me to turn sharply to look at him.  Before I realized what had happened, he had launched himself at my brother. 

            "Malfoy!" I called, more alarmed for his safety than my brother's.  I knew my brother could hold his own in a fight.  That's what worried me.  Sure, Malfoy was toned and tall, but it was a Seeker's build, like Harry's.  Ron was like a tank.  A very angry tank. 

            I leapt forward after a moment in an attempt to pry the two of them off of each other before too much damage was done.  Harry did the same.  Yet our attempts at pulling the blond and red head apart were in vain for they kept on fighting anyway.

            "Ron stop it!" I shrieked as he gave Malfoy a nasty right hook, even though the other was on top of my brother and was pummeling him with his fists.  He flew to the side, and Ron took the opportunity to take the upper hand and began to beat Malfoy like there was no tomorrow, leaving the other little chance to defend himself.  "Stop!"

            I stared at the two battling seventh years in desperation.  I felt so useless.  So unheard.  And the thoughts of what I would do if one of them was killed or permanently damaged raged through my head.  I knew I was over reacting but- I don't really know why.

            "Harry," I cried to him, feeling frustrated tears sting my eyes and pour down my already wet face.  "Stop them!  Please!" 

            Harry stared at me for a moment, seeming to be hurting in his own way.  I realized what I had said in my anger must have had more effect on him than it had on Ron.  I suddenly felt so awful, realizing what my brother had said was right: I am self centered.  I'm a terrible person.  I opened my mouth to apologize.

            "Not now," he said, looking away.  "You grab his left arm, I'll get his right." 

            I nodded and we moved forward as one.  I latched onto my brother's arm as hard as I could, just as he was bringing it back to hit Malfoy for the umpteenth time. 

            "Ron stop," I said firmly.  "You've done enough."

            "She's right," Harry agreed from the other side of my large brother, holding onto his right arm.  "No matter how much I want to see this bastard get his ass kicked, you're going to kill him."

            "I am not," my brother hissed, glaring down at Malfoy, who was now scrambling to get to his feet.  His face was twisted in a way that I have never seen.  It scared me.  "I was just going to make sure that he could never smirk again." 

            He spat blood to the floor.

            It was then that I realized just how much damage Malfoy had done.  It looked like my brother's nose was broken and his left eye was beginning to swell.  Maybe even a broken tooth as well.  There were probably many other wounds that I just couldn't see.

            I would have expected Malfoy to be in worse shape than my brother, considering his size.  Yet he seemed to be none worse off than Ron: bleeding nose, swelling right eye, sliced lip.  He stared at us, leaning back against the wall for support, the twisted expression fading slightly as his eyes fell on me.  Then he looked away, seemingly ashamed.  A Malfoy?  Ashamed?  I pushed the thought from my mind.

            Harry started to heave Ron to his feet, and I helped.  As soon as he was standing, I flung his arm down.  "I can't believe you Ron," I hissed.  I glared at him, feeling anger course through me like a river.  Then I started to feel pain.  His words were coming back to my mind.  I turned sharply away.  It was easier to forget them when I didn't have his bloody face as a reminder. 

              Shaking my head, both in disgust and in an attempt to clear my head, I walked over to Malfoy.  "Are you alright?" I asked softly.  There was so much blood.

            "Do I look alright, Weasley?" he snapped.  I stared at him.  Remember, Gin, he's still a Malfoy.  A Malfoy who just got the crap beaten out of him.  Of course he's going to be a bit cranky. 

            "No," I said solemnly.  "You look like shit."

            "Well thanks," he muttered, turning to glare at my brother once more.  Harry was beginning to lead him away.  Most likely to the Hospital Wing before Hermione could see the state of her boyfriend.  Merlin forbid.

            "I'm not leaving her alone with him," Ron suddenly burst out when he realized what was happening.  I glared at him.

            "No worries, brother dearest," I sneered, showing my discontent.  "We're coming too."  To prove my point I reached over and grabbed Malfoy's hand.  He stared at me in surprise but I ignored him. 

            Frankly, at the moment I was too full of emotion to much care what was happening.  Even though my brother was walking away from me, it felt like his presence was still right before me.  Reminding me.  I felt that at any moment I would simply stop and scream as loud as my lungs would allow.  Or drop to the ground and cry my eyes out until I could cry no more.  Either way, I had a feeling that it wouldn't do me much good, so I shoved my emotions to the back of my mind, figuring I would deal with them later.  It was the same thing I had done with that bloody diary.

            I turned to Malfoy, after my brother and Harry had made it half way down the hall. 

            "Coming?" I asked, pulling on his hand a bit.

            He glared at me for a moment then allowed me to lead him to the infirmary.

            We walked in complete silence, the only sound being our shoes hitting the tile beneath us.  It was a touch more uncomfortable than the silence we had held just a while before.  Yet I didn't dare break it.  I didn't dare.  There were far too many terrible things that could rush out at the absolute wrong moment and make things much worse than they already were.  Staring straight ahead seemed to be the wisest course of action.  Malfoy didn't seem to disagree.

            It didn't take too long to get to the hospital wing.  Probably less than five minutes.  Five minutes of which I never did let go of Malfoy's hand.  Not that I am complaining or anything.  His hands are rather nice to the touch.  I did not just think that.

            My brother and Harry were already there when we arrived.  Madam Pomfrey seemed to be beside herself with anger and perhaps disappointment as well. 

            "Honestly, Mr. Weasley," she hissed at him while he sat on one of the room's many beds.  "Fighting at your age.  You would think after seven years you would have smartened up."

            I could tell my brother wanted to snap something back, but he seemed to hold his tongue.  Quite a feat really.  I would have congratulated him, but his words threatened to return to my mainstream consciousness. 

            It took a moment for the vexed matron to turn to us, and when she did her furry only seemed to increase. 

            "So you were the other one," she almost growled.  If I wasn't mistaken, I could have sworn by her attitude that the woman expected no less from the boy beside me.  How could she judge him so?  She doesn't know the real him.  But then I remembered that no one else does know the real him.  I don't even know all of the real him.  I don't think even he knows the real him.

            Everyone in the room seemed to stop and stare at the two of us.  I realized they were looking at our hands.  Malfoy seemed to realize the same thing for he dropped mine as though it had burned him.  A feeling burned through me, but I shoved it aside like the others. 

            "Well come and sit over here," Pomfrey gestured to the bed beside Ron's.

            Malfoy hesitated a moment, then silently walked over and took his seat as he was told.  I stood there for a moment, watching as the matron examined his face, tutting at what she saw.

            "I am going to have to report this to your Heads of Houses," she said sternly.  Neither of the wounded seventh years seemed affected by this. 

            I glanced around the room and spotted Harry seated on the opposite wall.  I sent him a weak smile.  He barely returned the gesture.  It was then that I realized that I had really fucked up.  Not only my own life, but Harry's life as well.  Perfect, I finally get the stupid Boy Who Lived to put his trust in me, and I practically throw it in his face to hurt my own brother.        A feeling of disgust washed over me so strong that I felt like I would be sick.

            I turned and left the hospital wing.

~*~

            I sat there, holding back a hiss of pain as the woman before me mended my wounds.  I knew she was making a point to not be gentle about it.  Stupid woman never liked me.  I know she doesn't.  Something to do with my father but I am not quite sure what.  Well fuck her.

            That idiot beside me really did do a touch more damage than I expected him too.  But then really, what did I expect?  To beat the crap out of him and come away perfectly unharmed?  Just look at the size of him!  What was I thinking?  I am beginning to suspect that I wasn't thinking at all.

            First I was laughing, the hardest I think I have ever laughed, at Weasley's sheer stupidity.  That alone shows that I wasn't quite thinking properly.  Laugh at a Weasley's jokes?  Even if they are rather entertaining.  Next I am flying at her brother in an attempt to kill him.  And if not kill, then seriously damage.  Yeah, go me.  Get sent to Azkaban before my father.  Now that is a feat all on its own.  Or it would have been if Potter and Weasley hadn't pulled the brute off.

            But as to why Weasley isn't completely appalled at me for what I did I don't understand in the slightest.  All she did was simply take my hand and lead me to the hospital wing.  Even after all the terrible things her brother said, you would think she would be a bit angrier that I attacked her only brother in the school.  Even if he did deserve it.

            But then again, I can't even begin to comprehend why I actually attacked.  Sure, the guy was insulting me by means of my terrible father, but seriously now.  It's not the first time and I know it will not be the last.  Am I going to attack every single bastard that does?  I won't last that long if I do.  But then there is the other option.  The scary option.  Did I attack him for her?  For all those terrible things he said to her?  All those terribly untrue things? 

            Well maybe some of them were true, but she was not ready to hear them.  Not ready at all.  And especially not in the way she did.  If I did attack for that reason, then what does it mean?  It's something a hero would do.  Something someone who cares would do.  And I don't care.  I don't.  Or do I?

            "You do know that if you hurt her, I'll kill you," a voice suddenly sliced through my turbulent mind, pulling me away from having to decide on that terrible idea. 

            I looked at the Weasley across from me.  He looked completely back to normal and I felt a pang of jealousy for I still felt like shit.  Damn woman and her favorites.  I glanced around; she seemed to be in her office.  Probably calling Snape and McGonagall.  Bloody snitch. 

            "Did you hear me, Malfoy?" the red head across from me demanded, keeping his voice down.  I looked at him and narrowed my eyes.

            "I think you have already hurt her enough for the both of us," I sneered, shaking my head in disgust.  I heard Potter snort slightly, but I ignored him.

            Weasley glared at me, seeming to debate in his head as to whether or not to lunge across the small space between our beds and attempt to kill me once more.  His mind must be a small place. 

            "Just stay the hell away from her," he finally managed after a moment of what seemed to be intense and difficult thinking.  Stupid dolt.

            In response I simply raised my eyebrow.  And leave her to manage you fools by herself?  I did not just think that.

            "They're on their way," Madam Pomfrey's voice suddenly rang across the room from her office door.  "Mr. Potter, they have asked you to stay as well."  Potter shrugged and leaned back further in his seat. 

            I stared at him.  He seemed disturbed, though as to why I'm not quite sure.  And it's not like I care either.  He's bloody fucking Potter for Merlin's sake.  What does it matter to me if he's having a bad day?  It's bad enough that I care if Weasley has a bad day, let alone Mr. Hero over there.

            The door to the infirmary opened once more, and Snape and McGonagall walked in.  And let me tell you this: they did not look happy.  Not one little bit.

~*~

            I really had no idea as to where I was going.  All I knew was that I didn't want to be in the same room as my brother.  That I didn't want to see Harry's crushed face.  I wasn't really surprised when I found myself outside.  It was a relatively nice day: overcast and rather windy, with very little snow remaining on the ground.  It had been sunny for the past few weeks and I often found myself longing for rain.  And it seemed like it was going to come soon. 

            Yet even the weather couldn't cheer me up.  I headed towards the tree I usually sit in.  The same tree I had found Malfoy in all those months ago.  It seemed bigger, more menacing somehow.  I don't know how, it just did.  I stood at the base and stared up at it.  How can I be scared of a tree?  Why now all of a sudden. 

            Frowning, I took my robes off and hung them on their usual branch.  Swallowing my unnecessary fear, I proceeded to climb.  But not as high as usual.  I only managed a few branches, only bringing me about eight feet above the ground.  Ginny, you are such a fool.  Scared of a tree.  What rubbish.

            I sat against the trunk, leaning against it as though my life depended on it.  The ancient plant's sheer stability gave me little comfort though.  And as I looked out at the lake I could only feel very very small.  The lake was turbulent though, giving me but the smallest sense of comfort.  It was like my mind.  Like my mood.  Dark and angry. 

               I sat there for a bit then suddenly, seeming to have no stimulus, everything I had been pushing back seemed to flow over me.  I felt tears sting my eyes once more and my breathing became sharp.  I hadn't cried, really cried, in such a long time, and I really didn't feel like making today the day that run ended.  Yet the tears still came and I found myself leaning even further against the tree, hoping that everything would just go way.  But it didn't.  I knew it never would.

            I knew I was being selfish, sitting there, sulking and brooding, acting like a great child.  There were probably a thousand things I could do rather than sit there and feel sorry for myself.  But I really did not want to be doing anything else.  I didn't feel like it.  I didn't feel like doing anything but sit here in this tree and cry over how awfully terrible my life is.

            How my own brother thinks I'm a selfish little brat that expects the whole world to bend at my will.  And maybe I am.  Maybe I am a selfish bitch and I just never realized it.  Or maybe I did realize it, but just ignored it because it's too hard of a habit to change.  Maybe it's not even that hard and I'm just too selfish to realize it.  Which then brings me back to my brother's initial point.

            And then there was his other point.  The hardest blow he could ever dish out.  Riddle.  How could he have said that?  I know he was trying to hurt me, to get through to me, but to use him?  The man who haunts my dreams and torments my mind when I dwell too much about the past?

            But could he have been right?  Now that is a bloody scary thought all on its own.  Do I really fear Riddle in everyone I meet?  A subconscious fear that I could find him in anyone?  And then it causes me to shy away from other people?  Decent people?  It's preposterous really, but now that I think about it, it could be true.  Very true.  I don't hold many people all that close, is this the reason why?  Too many people are hard to keep track of.  You never know if one might turn on you, try and bring you down while still holding the facade of trust. 

            So then there is all that fear, some of it well placed where certain individuals are concerned, yet I still go off and find the most terrible person I can find.  Malfoy.  It's almost as if I am trying to see if what happened the first time will happen again.  To see if I can place my trust in someone I shouldn't be able to and see if maybe I can make things happen differently, that it really wasn't my fault the first time round that I got used. 

            And it's a damn stupid idea.  If I try and get hurt I will.  It's simple as day.  And it is even stupider to think that Malfoy could not hurt me.  He could.  So easily if he turns out to be just as everyone sees him.  And really, how do I know for certain that he isn't?  All I have to go on is what he has said.  And since I apparently don't trust anyone that shouldn't mean anything to me.  But how can I think that?  I really am a selfish bitch.  Malfoy lives this terrible, hidden life and here I am, twisting it to make it seem like a plot against me.  How can I do that so easily?  View him so pettily?

            And it's not the first time I have ever done this.  No.  Back when this year all started I took Harry and Hermione's breakup to be a personal attack on myself.  I think I realize that now.  Harry had needed my support and all I could do was tell him how hard it was on me.  Me!  How could I have actually done such a thing?  He didn't need that.  No one needed that. 

            Self centered seems to be the real me, now that I think about it.  I am always thinking about myself over others.  Thinking Malfoy will hurt me.  I will probably end up hurting him before he gets the chance to hurt me.  Just like Harry.  Maybe it would be better if I never even existed?  To never have opened that damned chamber and cause all those problems.  To never have gotten involved with the damned Dream Team. 

            More selfish thoughts.

            I honestly would have kept thinking in self-pitying circles like that for hours if not for the noise.  My lovely little bubble of angst was shattered and I realized that I was very much alone by the forest, sitting on some tree branch.  And it had gotten rather dark.  Have I really been out here that long?

            I heard the noise again. 

            Looking around, I realized that this time there would be no Malfoy to come and stand by me if something was amiss.  I reached for my wand but realized to my horror that it wasn't there.

            It was in my robe pocket.  Five feet bellow me. 

            I began to scramble to get it, feeling urgency upon my heart that something was not right.  Not that my wand would help me much if something really was wrong, but it would bring me reassurance. 

            I started to blindly climb down the tree, trying to keep an eye on the woods for anything frightening and evil.  I was just reaching with my foot for the next branch that I knew was there when I felt something yank on my foot.  Hard.  My hands gave way and the tree fell away from me.

            I hit the ground and everything went black.

~*~

A/N: Ahh.  Lovely teen angst.  Teen angst and confusion.  Just puts a smile on my face.  Ok.  That was sarcasm there if you didn't pick up on it.  Next chapter things will take a bit of an unworldly twist, but after that we should get back to "reality".  Just hang tight my dears.  ~grin~  But what's this?  A cliffhanger??  Oh dear.  Guess you'll have to wait until I update again.  Though you could encourage me to write faster if you want...

Many many thanks to: cashew(A broomstick? So many ways to punish her. I'll add this one to the list then. ~grin~), Lallie(Yes, it was very much appreciated. And my bitterness is not my fault I tell you. Well maybe it is... But it's amplified! A Bitter Ginny Doll...?), Lady Laughs-A-Lottimes2(I love your name. ~grin~), Ami3, Isadora, Crystal, tulzdavampslayer, Gusha(Tornados? ~shudders~ Don't muh care for those. Interesting theory though...), katie moffat, Sharlene, paranoid(Good to hear!), VirtualFaerie(You never heard of Fake-n-Bake before? During the winter everyone's so pale and you can always tell when some one has a fake tan cause they're all pasty on Friday and come back all brown on Monday. ~giggles~), peaceoutgrlmehi(Well it was defiantly shorter. ~grin~ But I'm still not too keen on them hermits...), Fleur(Yes dear. I just love making you wait. La La La. Rhineland!), Tigris(why thank you ~grin~), Azalea(Because I love them! Mwa ha ha), Ariel Malfoy, GinnyGINvampire00 aka Evon(I feel embarrassed now. I actually did it... but it is a weird coincidence...), Singtoangels(Sorry, but I just couldn't wait any longer), Seshet(Of course they were all good! Well except for that- JK ~grin~), Lily of the Shadow(It's probably because amusing is such a wonderful word! Falling off of couches eh? I'm beginning to get the feeling that it comes from falling off of anything. lol), patheticlosertimes3(I'm glad you liked GBA, but that Draco was older than this one, so I don't know if I can make him the same. But I could possibly give him a few of the same traits...), ghostcourt, bekkletimes3(Galdarint??), Cay(Not yet...), Charleipotter and Cactuskitty(Catcher in the Rye? I've never read it. Is it worth reading?).