Hey guys! Sorry about the wait, school has started and all my classes are giving a crap-ton of homework for Overwork October, No-time November, and Desperation December. Overall, its Weary Winter. And a pretty short chapter. Because I needed to upload something and I'm not going to have time later.

Ginny

Neville sputtered. "Wh..what the hell?"

I tried to suppress a grin. "Just what I said. But keep your voice down. If anyone hears, we'll both be killed."

This distracted him. "Killed? How?"

"The Carrows will come after me again for holding a relationship with a faithful pureblood, and Draco will go after you for letting it slip."

"Would he really?" Neville looked doubtfully at me. "He's so dedicated he would kill one of your best friends just to avenge your death?"

"You have no idea what he would do, Neville. I didn't until just a small time ago."

Neville sighed. "And what if his family finds out?"

"I don't know. If his family found out, it would have to be through someone here at Hogwarts. And if one person at Hogwarts knows, the entire school does at well. So by the time his parents found out, we'd most likely both be in the possession of the Carrows."

"You seem to have given this a lot of thought."

"I have to, Neville. No matter how wonderful he is, no matter how amazingly he treats me, it's always in the back of my mind. What would happen if we were found."

"Ginny, if he ever thinks these risks outweigh the benefits of being with you, if he ever tries to hurt you or leave you….tell me and I'll kill him as best as I can."

I laughed. "I will. But I trust Draco; I don't think you'll get your chance."

"I hope not." Neville stood and we exited the portrait hole in search of breakfast.

My foot barely landed on the fourth floor when Draco came out from around the corner. He cast an apprehensive look at me, glanced at Neville, and then back. I nodded at him and he stopped. "Come with me." I motioned for Neville to follow and we trailed Draco to a niche. "What are you doing, Ginny? You know you're dead if the Carrows see you. At least, you would be."

"I know that if they had proof that I was there, they could take me, but they don't. And I'm not going to stand and let them force Veritaserum down my throat. But what do you mean, 'would be?'"

"I mean I managed to get a memory charm on both of them about half an hour ago. They didn't have the chance to tell anyone and now they won't ever."

I froze. "You're serious? How'd you do it?"

"They're not as magically skilled as you'd think. But I want you to be more careful, Ginny." He cast an apprehensive look at Neville.

I bristled. "We can trust Neville. He won't tell anyone. He's my friend, and plus, if it goes wrong with Neville, he won't be there to help with the revolution."

Neville coughed. "I wouldn't say I'd abandon you, but honestly, if it gets out that you two are…you know, together, I'm not sure I'd be there to help, whether I wanted to or not."

"He makes a good point, Ginny. The Carrows would take anybody associated with you at all. You're not just endangering yourself with this, you know."

"Since have you two been on the same side?"

"We're not taking sides against you, Gin. We both need to be more careful." He glanced away. "I have to go meet Blaise now. I'll see you later."

I touched his shoulder lightly and Neville and I continued past him to breakfast. As we walked into the Great Hall, several people still gave me relieved glances. Even more opened their mouths to ask what happened, but I steered clear and sat down with Neville.

"If they don't know yet, they don't need to know." I muttered as a response to his questioning look. "We don't want too many rumors to spread."

We ate in silence. Any cheerfulness I'd had at the beginning of the day had been leeched away.

Neville and I parted ways after eating. My classes were uneventful as usual; the boredom creeped up on Luna and I and threatened to overcome us. I studied the Professors Carrow in Muggle Studies and Defense Against the Dark arts, but they were no more cruel than usual. When I would meet Draco in the hallway, our eyes would jump away from each other and I'd find that a group of chatting second years would manage to force its way in between us.

When the day was finally over, I retreated to the library and began to work on my homework. My candle dripped lower and lower as I worked over my essays. Slowly, the pile of parchment and books diminished and I sat back, rubbing my eyes with ink-stained hands.

Yawning, I began to pack my things up. It was only four days until the winter holidays, though I knew that I wouldn't be able to go home. In fact, it would probably be only me, Neville, and Luna for Christmas. Neville's grandma was still on the run and Xenophilis had only just stopped printing pro-Potter material; we were all essentially hostages at Hogwarts. Draco's family would want him to go home to the Manor and Dean and Seamus's families weren't yet labeled as blood traitors.

I sighed and picked up bag. Madam Pince sent me a trademark glare as I almost fell off balance and steadied myself against one of her precious bookshelves. I muttered an apology and continued out of the library.

I staggered up to Gryffindor tower. The four flights of stairs it took to the portrait hole seemed longer than ever. When I finally gave the password and entered the common room, the fireplace was nothing more than a pile of glowing coals and the only chairs occupied were those of snogging students or overworked fifth years trying to get a head start on their O.W.L.s.

Everyone was in bed when I entered the dorm. I changed quickly and fell asleep even faster.

Draco, two days later

This separation was getting nearly unbearable. His social life consisted of Blaise and the people who thought they were his friends. Crabbe and Goyle were a constant, hovering irritation and Pansy was no exception either. Some days he just wanted to declare himself a blood traitor so that he could escape the monotony of his dull companions.

Every so often, he caught a glimpse of bright red in the hallway. He always looked away, whether it was Ginny or not. If the Carrows saw him taking a special interest in a redhead at all, they would go after the girl he was really looking for.

Draco missed Ginny more than he missed the freedom that Hogwarts used to provide. He would have been happier to be completely exiled from the world except for her. Even Blaise admitted that that plan sounded pretty good.

Blaise and Natalie were a happy couple, though, so Draco felt that there was a slight difference in their opinions. Several times, he had walked in on them snogging in the kitchen or empty closets or classrooms. The two seemed so absorbed in what they were doing, in fact, that they didn't notice the falcon fly off and greet Draco. To him, it seemed almost relieved.

The cat that Draco had salvaged from Transfiguration had been absent these last few days. He hoped it meant that Ginny was safe, though he would be damned if he let her be hurt because some cat never told him about it.

He dreaded the moment the Christmas holidays came. Voldemort would be in the manor, and Draco would have to kill and torture in order to gain his acceptance into the ranks. And if he refused, Lucius would be sure to kill him before the Dark Lord even had to say a word.