A/N: ARGH! The chapters are getting longer and longer! Thank you so much to reviewers, you're like chocolate and a lack of algebra all squashed together… heh. Yeah. Quick Summary: Draco and Ginny apologize.

Disclaimer: I am not lucky enough to as smart as to invent these characters myself. They are not mine. Too bad. –pout-

The Stone Speaks

Seventeen: Hazel Dancing

GINNY

Ginny realized after Draco's tantrum in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom that being wary and keeping to herself was only making her more enemies – which, while Lord Voldemort was after her, was not something she needed. She was trying to apologize to Draco, but in a funny sort of way, he had somehow managed to disappear off the face of the earth.

The school honestly isn't that big, Ginny thought as she headed towards Hagrid's Hut. I honestly can't see where he could go. She had given up searching for Draco, and now went about her daily life in the hope that she would, at some point, bump into him. She knocked on Hagrid's door, blowing out her breath in a puff of grey mist.

The days had grown colder still, and now thin frost coated every blade of grass like a crisp white jacket. The ground was frozen, and special charms had to be placed around the Herbology greenhouses to keep the plants alive. That particular Friday the sky was a glorious blue, with not a cloud in sight and the sun shining merrily in a futile attempt to melt the bitter winter away.

Ginny waited, stamping her feet to shake feeling back into her toes, but, as seconds, and then minutes, progressed, no-one answered the door. "Grr," she said, "damn Hagrid's social life. He complains that I never visit, but when I do, he's not in. Damn."

What now? It was a nice enough day, and the Hogwarts gardens looked particularly lovely; Ginny felt partial to go and see the surviving flowers that had conquered cold. Trudging up the frozen dirt-path, and turning to make her way across the Hogwarts ground, she found that her passage was blocked; Ginny looked up into Draco Malfoy's face.

Warmth flooded Ginny's features as a feeling of embarrassment drowned out all other emotions, and she felt as though it was a scorching day of summer, in place of late November. "Oh," she said, "hi." Draco didn't speak, but nodded curtly down at her. He side-stepped to avoid her neatly, but before he could continue on his way, Ginny blurted out, "I'm sorry for what I said and I really was and still am scared for you and I still think that you may just be coming up to be my best friend at Hogwarts."

Draco, foot still raised in mid-stride, hesitated for a moment, before stepping backwards and looked down into Ginny's face. "Do you mean that?" he asked, not allowing his voice to soften for her, but the shield in his eyes wavered – and fell.

Ginny's cheeks flamed; she nodded. She opened her mouth to say more, but closed it again, as if deciding against her words. She looked at her feet (she seemed to be doing this a lot lately), before bravely looking up at Draco again.

"Er," said Draco, clearing his throat uneasily, "I guess I'm – I'm sorry too. Sorry." Ginny nodded, and, feeling the niceties pull weaker, smiled, and took her cue to leave.

"Wait." Draco said hurriedly, and, when Ginny turned, she saw that his hand was hovering above her shoulder, as though he had tried to stop her from leaving but hadn't been able to. Blushing slightly, he asked, "Er – do you want to go for a walk? If you're not busy, I mean."

A smile pulled itself into view on Ginny's face, and she fell into step beside Draco as they continued together down the path.

"So why were you down this way?" Draco questioned. "Just a random trip, or…?"

"I went to see Hagrid," said Ginny, "but he wasn't there. It's so frustrating. He acts all upset because I never come and see him, but Luna and Harry and Ron and Hermione always do. I'm busy – I have a lot of work to do, and whenever I go there, Hagrid's not in!" she rolled her eyes.

"It's a little like that with Myrtle sometimes," said Draco, "I go to chat to her, she's off down the pipes – or sometimes, may I add, simply in a daydream and unable to hear me – and then the next day she's sobbing Draco, Draco, you said you'd come and visit me. It's a nightmare sometimes."

"By name, by nature," Ginny shrugged, her eyes sparkling mischievously.

Draco's mouth dropped open. "Are you saying that she's called Moaning Myrtle for a reason?" he gasped.

Ginny giggled behind her hand. "Your words, not mine," she cackled, hazel dancing. Draco rolled his eyes. As they walked, the short hush that followed, broken only by crunching footsteps over frost, was interrupted by Ginny's statement of, "It's Ron's birthday today."

Draco looked questioningly at her. "Is it?"

Ginny shot him a withering glance. "No, I just made that up," she said sarcastically. "Yes, it's Ron's birthday." She pulled a face. "He's eighteen today. I got him a bar of soap, to symbolize his adulthood and how mum will no longer be able to buy him soap," she said solemnly.

Draco snorted, but hid it with a fake cough. "I didn't think you'd be one for symbolic gifts," he said thoughtfully, looking down at Ginny.

She immediately rounded on him, turning in front of him and walking backwards so that she could scowl up into his face. "And why would you be misled into such thinking?" she demanded, mocking anger with a pout and a stamp of her foot.

"Dunno." Draco shrugged, and the topic fell, so Ginny was astonished when he said, "I'll get him a present."

"Why?" Ginny frowned. "You hate his guts, and he hates yours. Especially after the whole coming-down-the-stairs-together thing," she pointed out. "That didn't help."

Draco bit his lip. "Well, I just think that maybe I should try and be friends with him. If I'm going to be friends with you, then I want to get rid of the tension and resentment between me and Weasley," he explained.

Ginny raised her eyebrows. "I suggest that you start by calling him 'Ron'," she advised, and as Draco began to reel off possible presents, she found herself thinking, if he wants to get my defensive, bigheaded brother a birthday presentwell, maybe he's not as bad as everyone thinks. Perhaps, for all of those years, he was just spoiled and misunderstood. Then again, that's what everyone said for Harry's ego, and they were definitely wrong. Oh well, at least Luna doesn't seem to mind his self-importance. Maybe she does, but she's too in love with him to care. Maybe -

"Earth calling Planet Ginny," Draco drawled, smirking. "You've gone into your own world. I asked whether you think the broom-and-wand polish kit or the new cauldron would be a better gift for dear old Ronnie."

Completely ignoring Draco's question, Ginny threw out her feelings and thoughts – at him, rather than to him – because she felt that if she didn't, she would most likely sink in them. "Harry is in love with Luna Lovegood and he doesn't even try to hide despite the fact that he's still dating me!"

Draco's eyes widened slightly, and mystification was apparent in his pale face, but he nodded, to show that he was listening. Ginny had at first turned an interesting shade of pink after admitting what she felt to him, but now, with renewed confidence, told him everything that she knew, what she had heard in Hagrid's Hut, and all of her personal opinions on the whole thing. Afterwards, she sensed a weight like a block of lead being inched from chest, and Ginny released a deep breath that she hadn't known she was even holding.

"Potter and Luna?" Draco said, with confusion almost written on his forehead. "Potter. Likes. Luna. I see. No, I don't – why does Potter fancy Loony Lovegood?"

Ginny glared. "Her name is Luna, don't call her Loony, and why do you find it so hard to believe that Harry has a crush on her?" she asked.

Draco hesitated.

"Tell me."

"God, you're fierce," Draco shivered, and then sighed, as if he really wasn't sure about telling Ginny; this only made her more annoyed. Then he said, pained to have to tell her, "I was going to tell Myrtle yesterday when you arrived. I was going down the Defence Against the Dark Arts corridor, and I saw Potter," silence. Draco added, "with Granger."

Ginny narrowed her eyes. "I'm not sure I understand. With Hermione… or with Hermione?" she inquired suspiciously, hands on her hips in a way that everyone told her looked frighteningly alike her mother.

Draco cringed. "The second," he said. "With Granger. If you must know, they were sort of… making out."

My boyfriend. And my best friend. MAKING. OUT???!!?!?Ginny was too shocked to say anything for a few seconds, and then she whirled around, letting out a short scream. "Omigod, that stupid bitch is supposed to be my best friend! I trusted her, I told her everything, all of my secrets! She was the only one I told about being in love with Harry, she helped me to ask him out, and how does she repay me? By snogging his face off!" Ginny screeched.

Must – kill – Harry – Mione – rip – kill – how – dare – she – I'll – murder – him

Ginny launched herself forwards towards the Hogwarts building. I'll climb the bloody wall if I have to! She leapt for the grand Entrance Hall doors, but then arms folded around her waist and Draco dragged her backwards.

"Ginny! Calm… this is why I didn't want to tell you!" Draco panted. "Calm down… calm down..."

"Don't you tell me to calm down, Malfoy!" Ginny snarled. "My best bloody friend bloody snogged my bloody boyfriend!" She wrenched herself forwards again, clawing the air frantically for some purchase, to drag herself towards Harry and Hermione, anything…

"Ginny, you don't really want to kill Harry and Hermione -"

"Malfoy, if you don't shut up and stop acting like a ruddy psychiatrist then I'll kill you too, for God's sake!" Ginny screeched, writhing.

"Ginny, Ginny, calm down, you don't like Harry anyway, Hermione was never a real friend to you, Luna's your best friend, she hasn't done anything to hurt you. Luna can't help that Harry's attracted to her, and she can't help that she's attracted to him, but she hasn't done anything based on that, she would never betray you, she's your best friend, not Hermione, just calm down, Ginny, just calm down, you don't even fancy Harry anymore…"

Ginny gasped for air as she wriggled, trying to get away from Draco's grip. He was saying nonsense softly into her ear, the same things over and over again, but it was all true, and she was tired now, too tired to kill Harry or Hermione.

"Mione," Ginny said tiredly, "Harry." She was too exhausted to do anything, and she couldn't be bothered anymore. "Why are they so mean?" she said pathetically, like a six-year-old who had her toy taken away by the Big Girls. She fell against Draco, weak and hurt. The world was too nasty for her; she just wanted to collapse into Draco's arms and stay there forever, leaning sadly against his chest. And Ginny was gone; all that existed was the hrr of Draco's soft breath and the feel of his arms around her waist.

Then, Dennis Creevey, a prefect, and his girlfriend, a little Indian girl called Anchee Salil in fourth-year Hufflepuff came running through the Entrance doors, laughing, hand in hand. The sound of their merriment made Ginny jolt into reality, and she jerked away from Draco, shivering as the lack of his warmth left her cold and damp.

There was a silence as Draco and Ginny stood together – but no longer awkward, as they knew each other too well for that. "It looks like it might snow soon," said Ginny hopefully, glancing up at the clouds.

"Maybe," Draco said, and as he looked back down at Ginny, she saw that all barriers and guarded shields had fallen from his face… just for her.

Ginny smiled. "Cross your fingers," she told him bossily, "or I'll cross them for you… just kidding," she threw a teasing grin in his direction, "I have to go and mentor Pippa Tonks, I'll see you later?"

Phillipa-May Tonks was Professor Tonks' youngest child. She was a scrawny second-year who, unfortunately, wasn't a Metamorphmagus, and had instead adopted the bright-pink-and-ink-black-striped hair that the Professor had been wearing when Pippa was born. Pippa wasn't very bright, and Ginny had agreed to tutor the stubborn, fierce, but brave little girl – hey, she reminds me of myself, Ginny had admitted the year before.

Draco grimaced. "Good luck," he said, "and, yeah, I'll see you around, I suppose."

Nod-nod-nod, went Ginny's head, and again, with their farewells, she found herself standing, embarrassed and a little awkward, wondering what to do next. Maybe I should hug him, she thought. I always hug Harry and Luna and Mione and Ron… She sort of held out her arms stiffly; if Draco wanted to hug her, he could, but otherwise, it (hopefully) would just look like she was stretching.

Draco shuffled his feet, not making any move to do anything, so Ginny shrugged, a start of a burning blush growing on her cheeks at the small, unimportant rejection, said, "Bye then," quickly, and left – and as she looked over her shoulder before heading into the Entrance Hall, she could have sworn she saw a dizzy smile on Draco's face.

A/N: So they're friends now, and not arguing anymore, but sort of shy… how cute. Please review!! –grin-