A/N: Thanks again to all of my readers and reviewers! The response is so much more than I'd ever imagined. I have had a few comments about the lack of D/G action. You have to understand that so far the fic has taken place over a period of about five days. I didn't think it would be natural for them to be kissing or…anything else, quite so soon. That said, the next chapter (chapter 15) does include a bit of the long-awaited D/G-ness we've all been waiting for. But for now, enjoy chapter 14!

By looking through my eyes?

Is it vivid, bright and jubilant

Or dry as brittle bone

Maybe it's like a wintertime tree

Stark against the snow

An immovable hand stretched to heaven

That will grow taller until it dies

Reaching up toward its prize

The brilliantly blue

And cloudless sky

Warmed by the peace of the sun by day

Soothed by the amnesty of the midnight moon

Do you pity me as the wintertime tree

Never to accomplish what I truly dream?

You shake your head and pat my hand

Softly gazing as you smile and reply

"It isn't you I pity, love, but the sky that's in your way

One thing I don't have to search for to see:

You're far stronger than the tree."

Draco lay there and just watched her sleep. Her lips were parted slightly; beautiful, full lips. Her hair was splayed out across his pillow and Draco groaned quietly at the thought of lying above her, his hands tangled in that hair as he kissed those perfect lips. She let out a little moan in her sleep and Draco felt himself twitch in reaction. If only she felt the same way.

Her eyes fluttered open and a smile lit her face when she noticed him watching her.

"What are you looking at Malfoy?" She asked with a yawn.

"You." He said gravely.

She ignored his reply. "What's the plan for today?" She asked.

"Today," he paused, wondering if she'd be mad. "Today my father has requested that I go to Knockturn Alley and pick up a few things for him. I think you should stay here." He was braced for her anger but she surprised him with a hard smack on the shoulder.

"Ouch." He said, rubbing the sore spot. She had a good arm.

"Draco, I will not stay here. I've been to Knockturn Alley before." He couldn't help but smirk.

"Yeah and look where it got you." He motioned around them. She scowled at him and then turned more serious.

"I'll be safer with you, no matter where you are, than I will be here." He couldn't argue with that. Finally, he sighed and rose from the bed.

"Fine. But if a couple of Death Eaters kidnap you and bring you to some handsome blonde man's cellar, don't come crying to me." He shook his head in an extremely superior manner and regarded her with a smirk.

"Ah no, but I'm sure the arrogant blonde man will come rescue me." She chucked a pillow at his head just as he escaped out the door and headed to the bathroom.

It seemed more of his showers lately were cold than hot and Draco briefly wondered if Ginny was aware of the effect she had on him. And it wasn't just physical either, the way it had been with all of the other girls he'd been with. He loved her bright laugh and the way her eyes lit up when she saw him and the way she could be so brave and stubborn one minute and so vulnerable the next. He groaned and stepped out of the shower, wrapping a towel around his waist. She couldn't possibly feel the same way but…he paused, what if she did? He smiled slightly to himself. This thought still in his head, he exited the bathroom.

It was pouring as they turned down Knockturn Alley, headed for Borgin and Burkes. They both wore cloaks with the hoods pulled up but Ginny was still drenched. She wished she'd taken the time to learn that water-repelling charm that Hermione was so fond of.

"You wait out here under the awning." Draco said quietly as they reached their destination. Ginny nodded, she had no desire whatsoever to enter that shop. "Stay right here where I can see you." He glanced down at her. "And, please, try to stay out of trouble."

"I'll try." She grinned and he shook his head and entered the store.

Ginny stood still and observed the rain. She loved the way it pitter-pattered on the awning above her head. She loved the little circles it made in the puddles when it came splashing down. She loved the little shimmering pathways it created on the shop windows, winding down and down and down. In fact, the only thing she didn't love about the rain was the fact that it was wet. She shivered from the cold dampness and held herself a little tighter. Where was Draco?

She was standing there, contemplating going in and finding Draco herself when movement to her right caught her attention. Three young men, sixteen or seventeen she thought, all dressed in Slytherin green and silver were sauntering up the street in her direction. They were joking around, pushing each other into puddles and pulling off each other's hoods when suddenly, one of them noticed her. He was the largest of the three and although he was at least two years younger than her, Ginny knew that he'd tower over her. A mischievous grin spread across his face and he held up a hand for the other two to be silent. Ginny couldn't hear what he said but then all three sets of eyes were on her and she looked down at her shoes and willed herself to disappear.

She forced herself to look up again when the trio stopped a few feet from where she stood.

"I don't think I've seen you around here before." The largest boy remarked with an evil little grin. Ginny was silent. "Perhaps we could show you around a bit."

"No, no thanks." Ginny said, trying to sound haughty and indifferent and failing miserably. "I'm just waiting for someone."

"Oh yeah?" One of the other boys laughed. "Well I've been waiting for you my entire life." Ginny would have scoffed at the horrible line if she hadn't been so scared. Instead, she stood there and stared at him and hoped Draco was on his way out.

"Why don't you come with us, sweetie?" The third boy drawled, reaching out to take her arm. Ginny pulled away violently and the boy glared at her.

"I'm waiting for someone, and I don't think he'd appreciate it if he found out that you were bothering me." All three boys laughed.

"What? Is your little boyfriend going to come out here and hex us?" The largest boy smirked. "I doubt it." Then he reached out and grabbed both her arms and wrenched them behind her back. Not again, Ginny thought with a groan and kicked out behind her. The boy behind her let out a howl of pain and dropped her arms but the other two had grabbed her before she even had time to move away.

"You'll pay for that, witch." The large boy growled.

Draco had been in the shop for twenty minutes. Borgin had found what Draco was looking for. He had wrapped the items up and now they were haggling for prices.

"I won't take less than twelve galleons." Borgin was saying.

"Twelve?" Draco asked in exasperation. "I won't give you more than eight."

"Sorry Mr. Malfoy but I just can't part with them for any less than twelve."

"That is a ridiculous price and you know it Mr. Borgin." Mr. Borgin made some reply but Draco was no longer listening. He knew something was wrong before he turned to the window. His heart caught in his throat when he saw Ginny. Her hands were behind her back, held by a large boy in Slytherin robes. Two others stood by, laughing at the spectacle.

"Damnit." Draco muttered. He slammed twelve galleons down on the counter, slipped the packages into the inside pocket of his robes and was out the door before Borgin had even stopped talking.

The scene had changed by the time he reached them. The large boy was now bent double, groaning in pain and few feet behind Ginny. Apparently the little Weaslette could take care of herself after all. But then, the other two grabbed her arms Draco felt his anger hitch.

"You'll pay for that, witch." The large boy ground out from between clenched teeth.

"And you'll pay worse if you touch her again." Draco drawled in an offhand manner. All three boys looked up at him and froze. "Let go of her." He hissed and the boys holding Ginny dropped their hands. Ginny stumbled forward and Draco put an arm around her waist to steady her.

"Draco Malfoy." One of the boys muttered and the others nodded.

"We're so sorry Mr. Malfoy." Another boy whispered reverently. "We had no idea." Draco put up a hand for silence and then waved it.

"Be gone." The boys scrambled up and away, not even looking back. "Before someone drops a house on you." He muttered. He looked down at Ginny, still nestled in his arm, she looked livid.

"I had it handled Malfoy." She growled, pulling away.

"Oh yeah, it certainly appeared that way." He drawled.

"I did!" She exclaimed, ready to fight. But Draco knew when to pick a fight and when to give in. This wasn't an argument he wanted to have.

"Okay, you did, but I live to see the looks on their faces when they realize who I am." He grinned at her and Ginny's anger seemed to melt.

"Was that the Wizard of Oz you just quoted?" She asked with a hint of a smile. Draco grinned back.

"I believe it was." He remarked and put his arm over her shoulder. She didn't refuse so he began walking, leading her up the Alley. The rain had stopped while he'd been in the shop and now the sun was peeking out from behind the dwindling clouds. Draco enjoyed the way the sun played in Ginny's hair, picking out the different facets one at a time so that her hair seemed to almost shimmer.

"When have you ever seen the Wizard of Oz?" Ginny giggled and Draco pulled her a little closer just to feel the slight vibration of her body against his. "I don't see your father letting you watch Muggle movies." Draco chuckled.

"No, definitely not. You wouldn't believe me if I told you." Ginny paused and looked up into his eyes.

"Try me." Draco smiled down at her and his resolve faltered.

"Alright." He sighed. "During the summers away from Hogwarts I used to sneak out at night to meet Muggle girls. It was a very popular movie the summer before my fifth year." Ginny laughed in disbelief. "I told you you wouldn't believe me." Ginny shook her head, still laughing.

"Actually, I do. All kids rebel. That's seems the perfect way for you to get back at your father." Draco smiled.

"Every time I saw it, I wanted so badly to just tell them the truth; that Glenda and that stupid fake wizard were awful renditions of wizarding kind."

"And did you?" Ginny asked. "Did you ever tell them?"

"Never." Draco shook his head. "I was never quite that rebellious." Ginny smiled and was silent for a few moments as they strolled along.

"That movie gives a bad name to witches everywhere." She finally remarked. Draco stopped, his mouth open in mock surprise.

"You mean they're not all evil, ugly, warty nosed hags?" Ginny smacked him lightly on the arm and they began walking again.

"No, well Glenda was good wasn't she?" She asked.

"Yes, and quite pretty as well." Draco said thoughtfully.

"So it is blondes you fancy Malfoy." Ginny said with a sad little smile.

"No." He smiled down at her, amused at her apparent disappointment. "Glenda was a bit too shallow for me, ditsy even."

Ginny laughed. "Ditsy?"

"Yes, of course, I mean she had the answer all along didn't she? She could have just told Dorothy right there at the beginning that all she had to do was click her damn heels together and she'd be home." Ginny laughed again and Draco pulled her closer and she didn't seem to mind, in fact, her head found its way to his shoulder and she snaked her arm around his waist.

"I think it was more about the journey, you know? Finding yourself and what's important to you." She sighed thoughtfully.

"It was all a dream." Draco laughed.

"Yes, but you can find yourself in a dream." Ginny looked thoughtful so Draco stayed silent and waited for her to continue. "And besides, if Glenda had told her at the beginning, there wouldn't have been much of a movie."

Draco sighed. "Yes, and much less time for snogging." Ginny looked up at him, wide-eyed.

"You? Snogging a muggle girl?" Draco had to laugh again.

"Well, actually, no. Muggle girls are much harder to seduce than witches."

"Are they?" Ginny asked, a bit shyly he noticed.

"Perhaps not." He sighed. "Perhaps witches are just as hard." She looked into his eyes for a moment before looking straight ahead.

"Perhaps not." She said and he could have sworn she was trying hard not to smile. Perhaps what he felt was not so one-way after all.

A/N: Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please review, review, review! The quote, which Ginny points out, is from the movie the Wizard of Oz which is a really great movie, no matter how badly it portrays the wizarding kind (hehe). Oh and the poem in this chapter is called Wintertime Trees and it's by an unknown author (if, by any chance I'm wrong and the author has a name, please, please, please let me know!) Thanks again for reading!