The flowers had changed. Instead of red roses mixed with wild blossoms there was a sleek bouquet of black roses. Oh lord, please don't say I've ruined my chances by trying to create an alibi. There was another note tucked within the dark stems, Why?

No no no no no, this wasn't happening. Why did she even care so much? It wasn't like she was in love with him or anything, was she? He was still the same jerk she'd known for six years, wasn't he? What did it matter if nothing ever worked out or happened between the two of them? It wasn't like she was ever going to introduce him to her family, like he was ever going to ask her father if he could have her hand. If that wasn't where this was going to end up then why was it so important? She could have fun with other people; less dangerous people.

He would be waiting for her in the stands; in their place. She knew it, he would wait for her and if she didn't come she would never see him again. At least, not the man she had come to appreciate. Damn it. She picked up her broom, left a note for the Hydra (who was appreciating the party in the common room) and jumped.

There was no blanket, no picnic, and no smile on his full lips. Ginny closed her eyes and prayed that when she opened them again everything would be different. It wasn't.

"Why'd you do that Ginny, this morning you said you wanted to give this, whatever this is, a chance and what sort of a chance do you think we have if you're hiding behind statues with Boot?" he hardly even raised his velvety voice and that made it all the more terrifying. Ginny stood there and let it wash over her, she deserved his anger.

"I don't get it Red," there was that sad, honest voice again. Merlin she had only ever known him to be a sarcastic prick and now this gentle voice was all she could think about.

"I didn't want to have to lie to Ron, I thought that if I stayed 'friends' with Terry, that every time I snuck off to see you that Ron would think I was seeing Terry, then I wouldn't be lying," she looked at her feet, why didn't I put shoes on? Oh that's right because I'm an idiot who snuck out of the castle in the middle of the night to talk with my family's worst enemy, way to go Ginevra.

"Oh that's rich Red, you snogged Boot to give us a chance, wow, somehow I just don't believe you," he rolled his eyes and the sneer she was so used to surfaced again,

"Please, please Draco, people make mistakes, I make mistakes, but before I beg on my knees for forgiveness I want to ask you something," he indicated that she should ask away, "Where do you see this going? I mean, what's the point of risking the love and trust of my family if this isn't going to end up anywhere, I try to make good decision for my life Draco and if I'm going to do this then I want to make sure that it isn't going to be a mistake," he took a stride towards her and held out his arms, all was forgiven, he could see how scared and how sorry she was,

"Choosing me will possibly be the stupidest decision you'll ever make, but I hope you do anyway," he whispered into her hair before placing a kiss on the top of her head, "You know I can't make promises about how this is going to turn out, but I can promise that as long as you're willing to work for this, than I will be too," she smiled into his chest and hugged him tighter,

"Why me Draco, you hate my family, you hate everything about me, so why me?" she looked up from his firm chest to look into those stormy eyes, a smile crossed them,

"I've had plenty of 'yes' women in my life Ginevra, plenty of girls saying 'yes Draco, of course Draco,' you are possibly the only woman who has ever looked me in the eyes and told me that I'm an ass, and meant it, you are unique, and strong, and vibrant, you are a force of nature, and I'm trapped in the storm,"

"Oh Merlin that was cheesy," but she smiled as she said it, he leant in with a question in his eyes she nodded. The kiss started out gently but progressed quickly to something much, much more.

She re-entered the room with swollen lips.

"Ginevra Molly Weasley, how dare you skip another victory party," Natalie shook her curls in distaste,

"You had better have a good excuse for this you know," Jess chimed in before changing into her pyjamas,

"And by the look of thine lips and the shine of thine eyes, I would not trust the words from this sirens tongue me-ladies, for she hath been touched by whom we call Serpent," Lindy had been reading old muggle books lately and had found a kindred spirit within a man called William Shakespeare. Ginny smiled and responded in kind,

"For thine eyes do not deceive you dear friend, mine soul hath been stolen by the Serpent, and mine heart hath vanished with it, for what do I see before me, hath the blossoms changed once more?" the girls giggled and looked to the flowers. The black roses had vanished and had been replaced with a simply arrangement of irises; white with purple centers. Ginny picked up the note, as always it read something new, Why me little Red? Good question.

"Yeah little Red, why him? Was it the money, his gorgeous face, the hot bod? What exactly was it that drew you to the dragon's lair?" Ginny raised a threatening brow,

"Twas the treasure he hid within the lair that tempted mine pure heart, for I knew that beneath the scales and glamour there was a beating heart of gold,"

"Merlin Ginny his heart ain't gold, its onyx, call it a jewel if you like but it's black as night," Jessica piped up from under her pillow, she loved gossip, but the loved sleep. They all laughed at that one. Ginny stopped mid-giggle to think, why did she choose him? She could joke all she wanted about his good looks, charm, elegance and money, but those things were of minor importance to her. Was it the challenge, the sense of danger, or was there something else to him, something she could sense but couldn't see. Was it that she knew that somewhere beneath his armour there was a pure spirit hiding? That for some reason he wasn't like his father? Perhaps.

Sunday morning dawned and Draco stretched out his pale arms. It was the last day of November, and Christmas holidays would be starting in two weeks. If he didn't want Red talking herself out of this during the holidays he had two weeks to make her believe she loved him.

"Crabbe, Goyle, Blaise, wake up I want to talk to you about something," he heard three grunts in response, Crabbe and Goyle would follow his orders but Blaise was going to be another matter; he had authority in his own right.

"What is it Malfoy, why must I wake up at this unearthly hour on a Sunday?" Regardless Blaise got up,

"Ginny Weasley," he watched for their reactions, Crabbe and Goyle didn't twitch, they obviously didn't think anything, well that wasn't exactly surprising. The look on Blaise's face was the same yet different; he had a forced blank look, he thought something but wasn't going to share just yet.

"What about her?" his voice was cold but the tone was even,

"What do you think of her? Pretty? Blood-traitor? Good Quidditch player? What do you think?" again, his face was an ice carving; cold and calculating.

"She's pretty, nobody is going to deny it, she's a dab hand at Quidditch as well, she'll probably play professionally later, people say she's clever and witty, but her entire family is a bunch of filthy blood-traitors," he turned away as if there was nothing else to talk about, then tacked on to the end – as if he couldn't help it – "Why do you ask?" Crabbe and Goyle unfroze at this and began to look interested,

"I've been seeing her on the sly, she quite the wild card," Blaise just laughed,

"Funny man Malfoy, I'll give you that," he continued to look through his clothes, picking out a pair of jeans from a superfluous pile of denim.

"I'm serious Zabini, and I want your help, I'll admit I'm not fond of her family but she's an interesting girl and I'd like to be able to keep her for a while," Blaise looked at him with an eyebrow raised, the question was clear, "Okay, okay, you already know that I planned to make her fall for me this year, as a joke, I didn't intend for this to happen Blaise, honest, but you try spending time with that girl and see if you don't fall for her," his voice was raised by this point, Blaise laughed opening,

"The Slytherin Prince fell for the little Queen of Gryffindor, I must say Draco I didn't think that Malfoy's allowed themselves to fall for people that were out of bounds, but if you insist, then whatever, at least she's a pure-blood, that's something," Crabbe an Goyle nodded along with this mindlessly,

"Good, then I want your help with something…"