Hey, Y'all! So after a stint of nothing, my brain has been spitting out this story as if it was bad milk. Sorry if it seems rushed at all. It's hard to keep things straight as my mind vomits up ideas. Anyway, thank you to all my readers and reviewers! My story wouldn't have made it this far without your support and comments. I love y'all so much! :) Please continue to review! Pretty please? Please don't make me beg!


"Ginny! Please! Just listen to me!"

"NO! I'm not listening to anything you have to say you lying, cheating, bastard!" she screamed. She had her wand in her hand, her knuckles white. Her face was flushed in anger. Draco and Astoria stood across the room from her. Draco had his hands up in surrender, pleading with her to listen. Astoria stood with her arms crossed and her hip cocked, looking smugly superior. Neville and Luna still stood behind Ginny, ready to intervene should she try and hex one of the Slytherins.

"Gin, please, I -"

"Stop! I don't want to hear it! How could you!?" Ginevera's voice cracked. Her anger faded as hurt flashed across her face. She felt tears slide down her cheeks. She let them fall unchecked. "How could you?" she repeated in a whisper, before fleeing to her room, slamming the door behind her. Draco ran after her pounding on the door.

"Please, Gin!" he heard how desperate his voice sounded, but he couldn't bring himself to care. His vision blurred, tears gliding down his pale face. He tried to gulp air past the painful, bleeding bruise that was his heart.

After a moment, Astoria laughed cruelly.

"Serves her right, the slag," she said casually, looking at her nails.

Draco stiffened, his own wand in his hand now, as he spun to face his fellow Slytherin.

"Don't. You. DARE!" his voice rose with each word until his throat hurt, but he ignored it. He threw a hex at her but she managed to dodge it. Astoria looked at him in shock. "You bitch! You just cost me the only good thing in my life!" He slashed his wand through the air, but she was able to block it. Astoria's smug look had fallen, now replaced by astonishment and fear.

"Draco! Can't you see that I'm better for you? We could have a future together! But she'll up and leave the minute Potter or some other saint comes calling! To her kind, you're still a Death Eater! I don't care about your past! We can make it work! Our parents would be so pleased! Don't you realize I love you?" Astoria backed away as Draco advanced on her, his wand still raised. She ran into a wall, now cornered. Draco still advanced, his eyes black with hate. His wand was issuing smoke from the tip, showing everyone how close he was to losing it.

"I will never love you! I don't care about our parents! They messed up their lives. I'm not following down the same path. I was happy with Ginny until you had to come and blow it all to hell!" He threw a jinx in her direction but she blocked it again.

"Draco, please-"

"ENOUGH!" he bellowed. His wand spit black flames from the end. Astoria whimpered, cowering against the wall. "Get. Out," Draco hissed, his voice alarmingly calm. Astoria squeaked as she dashed for the exit. She paused, turning to look back at Draco.

"We could be so good toge-"

"GET OUT!"

She slipped out the door, his curse scorching the back of the portrait.

A tense few minutes passed in silence. Draco's angered faded until he felt the pain come back tenfold. Gasping, he fell to the floor, wrapping his arms around his knees. Tears poured from his silver orbs but he didn't care. He couldn't bring himself to care about anything anymore. He felt someone slip an arm around his shoulders. They pulled him to their side, letting him cry into their shoulder. It took him several minutes to realize it was Luna Lovegood. Why she was holding him as he cried, he had no idea, but he was grateful for the comfort she offered. He had no idea how much time passed before his tears dried up. When he could finally see straight he sat up, wiping the tears off his cheeks.

"Feeling better?" Luna asked softly.

"No."

"Draco, what happened?" she asked after a minute.

"I was studying, and Astoria said she needed help with something. I had to come back here to get the book I needed, so she came with me. We sat on the couch, and I was trying to explain it to her when she started kissing me. I tried to shove her off but then you guys showed up," his voice was hoarse, weather from yelling or crying, he couldn't tell which.

"I believe you, Draco, but Ginny isn't going to be so easy to convince. Especially after what happened with Matthew."

"Why are you helping me?" Draco asked abruptly, "Why aren't you in there with Ginny? She's your friend. You should be with her."

"You are also my friend, and I know Ginny well enough that she'll want to be left alone for a while. She'll talk about it when she's ready."

"Thank you, Luna," Draco whispered after several moments of silence. She smiled vaguely in return.

"We should be going," Neville said after a long period of no one talking. Draco jumped slightly. He had almost forgotten the Gryffindor was here.

He and Luna stood.

"If you need someone to talk to, I'll be ready to listen," Luna told him, before giving him a hug. He returned it. As she pulled away, the little Ravenclaw stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. He blinked at her in shock.

"For good luck," she smiled at him, nodded her head toward Ginny's still closed door.

Draco gave her a sad smile in response. They two outsiders left, leaving Draco alone in the quiet common room. Slowly he made his way to Ginny's room.

"Ginny?" he called softly, leaning his forehead against the rough wood of the door frame.

"Go away!" she sobbed.

"I'm not leaving you, Gin. I promised I would never leave you, and I won't. Ever," He sank to the floor, his back against the wooden slab. "I will sit out hear until you are ready to listen." He turned his head, his ear pressed against the door. He heard her try and stifle a sob. His chest ached at the thought of her in pain, worse when he realized it was his fault. He felt the door flex slightly as she leaned against the other side.

"I'm not going anywhere," he whispered.


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