New chapter at last! Sorry to have kept you waiting, but it took me forever to get this just right. Be sure to give me your feedback/comments/suggestions. Thanks for reading and reviewing!

Soon enough the day passed, and more days followed, the time moving faster and faster as the castle grew steadily colder. Still, though the seasons were changing, life continued as usual for the inhabitants of the castle. Before long the conversation topic of summer vacations became tiresome, and students got back into the swing of the new school year.

Draco Malfoy, however, was having a bit more trouble adjusting. This was quite understandable, when you considered his…extracurricular concerns, outside of normal schoolwork. For Draco was unlike most of Hogwarts's sixteen-year-old wizards in that he not only had to deal with homework, hormones, and social crises, but also with that very special mission, entrusted in him by the one whom all wizards feared.

Draco found himself at the Room of Hidden Things several times a week now, for hours at a time. He was quickly becoming aware that his task was not as simple as he thought it would be. It had not at first seemed daunting. All he had to do was fix the vanishing cabinet, surely an easy feat. However, as Draco set to work, it wasn't long before he had exhausted his own stores of knowledge and started frantically searching the library for a solution. Still, he found none, and with each day passing his ego shrunk and his doubts grew. Doubts that told him he was way in over his head, with no way out.

One day, in mid-October, Draco headed yet again for the library. Frustration was making him desperate. He rounded corners, passing a hand over his sweating forehead, though it was chilly in the corridors. He burst into the library and headed straight for the nearest shelf, from which he grabbed a book and started to leaf through it. His pounding footsteps and heavy breathing were enough to make Madam Pince "shh" loudly at him. In response, not wanting to be kicked out by the old lady, Draco tried to hold his breath and return his breathing to normal. Doing this made him feel a little bit lightheaded, so he leaned his head back against the shelf from which he'd taken the random book. He knew somehow that his cause was lost, even before he'd really begun to look. Suddenly, he heard someone call him. He jerked his head up and stared around blankly. Then, he smiled.

"Hey, Julianne." The 4th-year Ravenclaw girl was seated alone at the table nearest to him. In his haste entering the library, he hadn't seen her. It was, in fact, the first time he'd seen her in a few weeks. Draco was surprised at how glad he felt to see her smiling and waving at him. It was a welcome change from all the stress in his life at the current moment.

"Haven't seen you in while…" Julianne noted, as the Slytherin boy walked over to the table, taking a seat across from her.

"Yeah," he agreed, "I wonder why? I'm in the library constantly lately." She nodded, her brown hair falling into her eyes. She brushed it away with annoyance.

"Really? I've been here a lot too. Maybe we've just been missing each other." Draco, upon hearing this, realized how much her words were true. He had missed her, and not just in the sense she was referring to. Even though he'd only seen Julianne a few times, in the library or in the halls, since their first meeting, this quirky but genuine girl had really had an effect on him. Seeing her slight smile and the glint in her platinum eyes as she said this, Draco surmised that he'd made an impression on her as well.

"Yeah," he replied thoughtfully. A silence passed between them. In an attempt to procure conversation, Julianne asked about the book he still held in his hands.

"Strange choice. I didn't realize you were interested in…" she glanced at the title, "Hippogriff training." Startled, Draco looked at the cover of the book himself, and, sure enough, a fairly frightening illustration of a hippogriff glared back at him. He shuddered internally, recalling a rather unpleasant experience from his third year.

"I'm not," he said quickly, resolutely pushing the book away from him, "I sort of, er… grabbed it randomly." Julianne laughed.

"Interesting way of choosing a book, Draco. Are you really that indecisive?"

"Not exactly. Just…desperate," he hesitated, and then added, "I've been trying for weeks now to find actually useful information on this…" He trailed off, realizing what he was starting to say. Julianne, who had been intensely paying attention, stared at him, looking put out.

"On what?" she prompted. Draco glanced at her, and found his resolve to keep his mouth shut weakening. He was forced to remind himself that he could not possibly tell her, that it would be against all reason to do so.

"Nothing. Nothing important," he lied, looking her in the eye, though, admittedly, finding it harder to lie to her than most others in his life. Repeating to himself again that lying was for the best, he added "A project I'm working on outside of school. It's been… pretty rough."

Julianne nodded sympathetically, and Draco could feel guilt build up in his throat so thickly that he had to swallow it down.

"I'm sorry," she said, and Draco could tell she really meant it, "You know, now that you bring it up, you do look really tired." Draco laughed without humor. He sure felt tired.

"Do I?" he asked vaguely.

"You do," she said. She was appraising his face, observing those visual signs of his exhaustion with concern.

"Quit looking at me like that," he said laughingly, feeling a bit self-conscious. Julianne meet his eyes suddenly and blinked behind her glasses, looking a bit dazed as if she hadn't entirely realized what she'd been doing. She blushed.

"Sorry, I'm just a bit worried that's all. You should be getting more sleep."

"Believe me, I would if I could. Why, do I look that awful?" He was half-joking, but Julianne answered seriously.

"You've looked better."

"Thanks for that," Draco responded sarcastically, a little hurt.

"I don't mean it in a mean way. I like the way you look." Julianne, again realizing her words, blushed deeply. She glanced at Draco, and, discovering that the comment hadn't had a negative effect on him, or any effect at all, for that matter, she continued. "Hey, Draco, if you ever need someone to talk to about this…project, or if you want any help with anything, just let me know, okay?" Julianne stared down at her hands, crossed on the table, waiting tensely for his reply.

Draco was touched. No one had ever said anything like that to him before, least of all someone who he would've liked to hear it from. He was about to reply when —"Julianne?"

Julianne and Draco both turned in the direction of the voice, caught off guard. Standing not too far from them, a stack of books in her arms, was a red-headed girl who was, unfortunately, very familiar to Draco. They had been interrupted by none other than Ginny Weasley. Draco, not wishing to be recognized by her, as she'd surely pick a fight once she did, put his head down in a poor attempt to be inconspicuous. He found himself scowling unconsciously at the presence of the ginger girl. It was funny, Draco thought. He'd never cared much about her at all before recently. Sure, she was a Weasley, and that had never counted for much in Draco's book. Yet, something, something having to do with a… mutual acquaintance of theirs, brought his dislike of her to a much more personal level.

"Hey, Julianne," Ginny repeated amiably, walking nearer to the table. Draco guessed that the two of them were friends. The thought displeased him, but he decided it better to his mouth shut on the subject.

"Hi Ginny," replied Julianne cheerfully, "How are you?" Draco was not wrong in assuming Julianne was an affable person, as the case so proved, but he wished more than anything his new friend would transfer her friendliness to another, any other.

"I'm really, really good, actually." Ginny grinned broadly when she said this, and Draco could only guess what was making her so jubilant. His scowl deepened.

"Well… that's great!"

"Yeah," Ginny sighed happily. She stood next to Julianne now, across from Draco. She put down her books on the table and stretched her arms. Julianne seemed to hesitate for a moment before asking what she did next, but she shortly succumbed to the temptation.

"Hey, Ginny…are you really dating Harry Potter?" Julianne's voice was strained, as if trying to suppress her curiosity. However, her wide eyes were betrayed her. In truth, she was awed at the prospect. Draco observed that she spoke Potter's name in the almost reverent manner that many others in the wizarding world did, even when they did not know him personally,. This made Draco the slightest bit uncomfortable, hearing her comment like this on the boy he both loathed and was so intrigued by. Then again, she could not possibly know of the…complicated relationship between himself and the Boy-Who-Lived.

"Oh, so you've heard something about that, have you?" Ginny said coyly, grinning and twisting a lock of hair around her finger. Draco was being virtually ignored by the girls, sat and listened to this conversation. Though it made him uncomfortable, he made no attempt to stop following it. His dislike of Ginny sharpened with every word she said.

"Yeah, from a couple of people now. Is it true?" Julianne asked a second time. Ginny, unable to conceal her grin, gave a small nod.

"Oh my gosh!" Julianne exclaimed enthusiastically, "Good for you!" Ginny hastily put a finger to her lips, beseeching Julianne to lower her voice.

"Just keep it between you and me, alright?" she said furtively, lowering her own voice as well, "It's been official for a couple of weeks, but we don't want to make it super public yet since it would upset my brother. I personally don't give a damn what my brother says about it, but he's Harry's best mate, so I'll keep it on the down-low, only for Harry's sake." She smiled. "He's really amazing, Juli. I'm so happy." Draco's eyes narrowed, and his chest constricted with anger and, possibly, envy. Draco blinked, surprised at himself. No, couldn't be. What was there to be jealous of? Unable to find an acceptable answer to that question, Draco resolved instead to concentrate the extent of his emotions on Ginny. No, he definitely did not like her. Not one bit. He might have even growled before he heard:

"Malfoy?" Ginny was staring at him incredulously. Caught off guard at being addressed so suddenly, Draco looked up quickly, moved his gaze back to his book just as fast, attempting to cover up his looking, and then, accepting the gig was up, resolved to meet her eye and glare. Ginny, ever the confrontational type, glared right back, unabashed. "What are you're doing, Malfoy? Eavesdropping? How mature of you…"

"Don't flatter yourself, Weasley," he said, as casually as he could muster, "Am I not allowed to work in the library? Last I checked, this was public domain." Ginny frowned, and though Draco expected a retort, she instead turned to Julianne, who had been watching the two of them with an air of troubled bewilderment at their behavior, behavior which she found totally unexpected.

"Is he bothering you?"

"What?" Julianne and Draco responded in unison, the first out of genuine surprise, the later out of total indignation.

"I asked if Mr. Malfoy here is giving you a problem," she said, with an infuriating air of superiority, "Because I could get him to shove off if you want me to." Draco felt his judgment impaired by overwhelming, perhaps unreasonable fury.

"And how exactly do you propose to do that? You ignorant little --"

"That won't be necessary, Ginny," Julianne interrupted firmly, laughing nervously in her attempt to patch up the argument, "Draco's not bothering me at all. We're friends."

"You see?" he seconded, grateful for her support, "I wasn't even doing anything." Ginny stared at them suspiciously, probably doubting the motives which would provoke the two of them, so apparently different, to ever become friends, and, at the same time, doubting whether Draco was capable of real friendship at all. There was a considerable pause as Ginny stared from one back to the other, trying to find a reasonable explanation. Draco sighed.

"Are you going to say something?" he said sarcastically, "Or will just continue to stand there for the rest of the period?" Ignoring his comment, Ginny shook her head.

"No, no. There's no way you two are friends. Julianne, you're so sweet, and Malfoy, well, he's not the best person to be hanging around with, truthfully. Believe me, I should know."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Draco interjected heatedly.

"Oh don't act like you don't know," she bit back, "Harry told me about what happened on the train, and personally, I don't trust you as far as I could curse you." Draco was jolted, but what she said only served to make him angrier. He felt foolish at ever entertaining the thought Potter could change his mind about him. If Potter's…girlfriend (the word produced a foul taste in his mouth) distrusted him so much still, it had to mirror Potter's own opinions, right? It was miserable to think that no matter how hard he might try to change his thoughts, his behavior, Potter's opinion of him, formed from the very start of their acquaintance, might remain unchanged. It was even more infuriating to hear the Weasley girl's take on things, as she had procured the good opinion of Harry, which Draco now, for unknowledgeable reasons, found himself wanting so badly.

"I could care less what you think of me, Weasley, so will you please do us all a favor and shut your mouth!" he yelled, his emotions fit to burst.

"Why should I? Don't want everyone to know what you really are? Knowing you, I'd think you'd be proud of it, the fact that you're a Dea- "

"I said… SHUT UP!" he screamed, this time in an absolute panic to stop her, for fear of Julianne hearing what Ginny had been about to say.

"SHHHHH!" All three spun around to see Madam Pince staring daggers at them. The sight of her and their noticing many of the library's other inhabitants watching them, enjoying the show, was enough to make them lower their voices in embarrassment. Ginny and Draco glared at each other silently for a few tense moments, while Julianne looked on, highly uncomfortable with the whole situation. Draco wished more than anything Ginny had never shown up in the library, never approached them. The last thing he'd wanted was for someone like Ginny, someone who knew and swore by how he'd been before this year to barge in and ruin the perception Julianne had of him. She'd become his blank canvas, a comfortable place to start anew, and to act like himself. Or, rather, himself as he'd changed this year. Lately, he'd been realizing how much he was changing, and becoming unlike the mean, proud boy the rest of the school had come to know. In Julianne, Draco had discovered an escape where he didn't feel any pressure to live up to his reputation. He wanted to keep it that way, but Ginny, with her biting accusations, wasn't making it any easier. Eventually, Julianne, unable to stand the pressure any longer, said:

"Look, guys, can't we just forget about this? Alright, I get that you guys don't get along, for whatever reason, but I'm friends with both of you. Can't we just leave it at that, please?" She shifted her gaze from one to the other, desperate for their assent. Finally, Ginny broke eye contact with Draco and turned to Julianne.

"I'm sorry, Juli, I really am. It's just… the guy's a prick, I've known that from day one."

"You don't know the first thing about me!" Draco exclaimed in a fervent whisper, "So don't go pretending you do."

"Can't we just agree to disagree?" Julianne begged, sounding close to tears. Draco turned to look at her, and he saw her looking so upset that Draco immediately felt bad, as well as guilty for being so insensitive to her feelings. He'd been so preoccupied with Ginny and what she stood for (namely, his past and a certain green-eyed Gryffindor), that he'd neglected thinking of how stressful it must be to see two friends fight, for reasons you don't understand, and over you, no less. She might've even thought she was the cause of the fight, even though both Draco and Ginny knew that wasn't the case. Still, Julianne had no way of knowing their history of conflict, as well as Draco's more hidden reason for attacking Ginny. Draco thought of how Julianne had said she didn't have too many friends, so he figured she probably hung on to ones she had pretty tightly.

"I can agree to that," he said kindly, and Julianne smiled at him, immensely thankful, "Ginny?" Julianne looked to Ginny hopefully, and Draco turned to her with his features carefully molded in a mask of polite indifference.

"Well, come on then," Draco said carefully, "What do you say?" Ginny stared at Draco, her eyes squinted in deep distrust. She seemed to be battling her two strongest inclinations: the first, suspicion of Draco, and the second, being supportive of her friend. The later ultimately won out, and Ginny replied, "Alright, then," though, admittedly with some reluctance. Still, it was enough for Julianne.

"Thank you," she said earnestly, to the both of them, "I can't stop you from fighting on your own time, I won't try, but I'd be so grateful if you just…don't fight in front of me. I hope that's okay."

"It's fine," Draco said, "It isn't your fault anyway. I got carried away. It was inconsiderate and I apologize." To Draco's surprise, Julianne laughed.

"What's funny?" he asked, a little offended. Julianne shook her head.

"It's just…you're being so formal. It's just me, Draco." She smiled and shrugged, and Draco returned the smile, thinking how she was right. It was just Julianne, who, in the short time he'd known her, had become a friend like he'd never had. Ginny observed their exchange, expression contemplating.

Finally, she shrugged, pushed her long red hair back behind her shoulders, and began to gather her books. Once she'd finished, she looked back at the two of them still sitting at the table.

"Well…I'd better get going," she said, "It was nice seeing you Julianne, and sorry about all that before. It's not my business to interfere."

"Don't worry about it. It's fine, really. I forgive you," Julianne said, brushing off Ginny's rather stiff apologies. Ginny smiled, and turned to Draco, acknowledging him with a sharp nod, her eyes predictably cold.

"Draco," she said in parting, her tone civil, but her eyes expressing distrust, and perhaps a threat telling him not to hurt Julianne, or else. Draco smirked and raised a hand lazily. With a last smile and wave to Julianne, Ginny spun sharply on her heel, her hair whipping behind her, and walked away.

Draco watched her go, thinking how appalling it was to him that that girl is Harry's girlfriend (internal gag). He was also a bit worried she would relate what had happened between them to Harry. Shaking off his concerns, he turned back to Julianne, it coming to mind that they were sitting alone at the table once more. They met each other's eyes, and then looked away awkwardly, at a loss for what to say.

"Well… that was uncomfortable," said Julianne at last, casually.

"Yeah, tell me about it."

"You and Ginny really don't get along, do you?" she asked, though she knew the answer was obvious. Draco smirked.

"How'd you guess?" he said, laughing, and then Julianne joined in, both laughing together. Almost abruptly, though, Julianne's expression turned serious.

"But, if you don't mind me asking, why? Why do you guys hate each other so much?" Draco's lingering smile faded as he wondered what to tell her. He didn't want to lie.

"You don't have to tell me," Julianne said quickly, seeing the look on his face, "I'm just curious, that's all."

"No, it's okay. I think you have a right to know." He paused then, and Julianne looked on expectantly.

"Long history?" she asked.

"I guess you could say that," he sighed, "Um…we've just never gotten along, not since the first day on the Hogwarts train. I got in a stupid fight with Potter and his friends, one of them is Ginny's brother. Since then, it's been one thing after another. Potter and the Weasleys are just about attached at the hip, so if one of them hates me the rest of them are bound to. Couldn't change that even if I wanted to. Hell, even our parents hated each other." Julianne was observing him like he was something fascinating.

"But, do you hate them too?" Draco was ready to respond in the affirmative when the question struck home. He paused, considering. Did he hate them?

"You know, I thought I did for a long time, but now…"

"You don't think you do anymore."

"No, I don't think so. I guess a lot's changed. I've changed."

"How do you think? How have you changed?" Draco looked up at her.

"I think I'm realizing… they aren't bad people," Draco said slowly, and as he said it he knew it to be true, "They're just different from me. You know, my father practically trained me to think the Weasleys were scum before I met a single one of them. And Harry Potter, well, he's more infamous than famous in my house, to tell you the truth. It's ridiculous. They aren't even bad people. And they're protective of each other because they care about each other. Admittedly, they want to protect each other from me, but I can't honestly say I blame them. They have no reason not to hate me, considering the way I've acted." Julianne stared on, sympathetic, but she spoke next with some uncertainty.

"You really feel that way? Even towards Ginny?" she asked, "Because, I'm sorry, but you didn't seem to thinking that way just before." Draco frowned and looked away, wondering how he could possibly explain that Ginny was no longer just another Weasley in his eyes.

"It's hard not to slip back into old patterns," he said distractedly, "Besides, she was attacking me and I felt a need to defend myself."

"Yeah, yeah, but it was more than that. It seemed really…personal. Like what she said was really affecting you, more than a general insult would." That's because it was personal, Draco thought bitterly.

"Let's just say that I've recently found an actual, real reason to dislike Ginny Weasley." Julianne was intrigued, and more than a little irritated by his coded words.

"Really? Like what?" she asked impatiently. Draco wished he could tell her, he really did, but he was far too afraid to risk the chance that would involve. He was simply not ready to reveal the fact that he was gay, nor was he prepared to admit his preoccupation with Harry Potter, to her or to anybody.

"I'll tell you another time, alright?" Julianne was smart enough to see this for what it was, a blow-off, which was disappointing, admittedly. However, she cared enough and was wise enough not to press him on the subject.

"Fine," she said, sighing over-dramatically, and Draco had to laugh, "But that'd better be a promise." Though Julianne said so jokingly, the possibility of being held to make such a confession made Draco very uneasy. Still, he was obliged to respond with "of course". Draco figured, and he told himself, that eventually he should come out to Julianne. He thought that if he could safely tell anyone, it'd be her. Still, he hoped that the moment to confess wouldn't arrive for quite a while.

They laughed their fill, and their conversation for the rest of the period turned to more pleasant things.