He still took his prefect duties seriously. It was only after he was sure the hallways were clear that he took a detour to the second-floor girl's lavatory. Ginny knew because she followed him. It was as he was looking around the darkened room that Ginny flicked on the lights to startle him. She wanted to see his face clearly tonight.

"Good evening, Malfoy," Ginny greeted him, perching herself on the sink. Draco turned sharply to look at her. She wondered if the circles beneath her eyes were darker than the ones beneath his.

"I could punish you for such blatant disrespect of the rules," Draco said, coldly.

Ginny tilted her head, "is that what you want?"

The iciness from his gaze faded at her comment but he shook her head. "You and your friends have always thought yourselves above the rules," he muttered turning away.

"And you haven't?" Ginny returned neutrally. "Or is it only the Dark Lord's rules you obey, making all others moot in your eyes?"

"I've always followed the rules set out for me."

"Do you enjoy following rules?" Ginny asked him, curious. Rules had never had much of an impact on her. She had enjoyed many freedoms as the youngest member and only daughter of a pureblood family.

Draco studied her and Ginny wondered if he didn't know the answer. "Is Neville your boyfriend?"

"I don't have a boyfriend." Not since Harry and, though it hurt her heart to think about it, being with him was impossible now even if he did return.

Draco had moved closer as they spoke but not close enough that she could reach out and touch him. She had pushed away everyone else away, she missed closeness.

As if hearing her thought, Draco drew nearer. He was much more tentative in the light, she noted. She touched his shoulder and he stepped into her embrace as she lifted her face for a kiss.

The hunger was back yet still she felt him holding back. She wondered how she might make him give in like he had only a few nights before. She deepened the kiss, wrapping her legs around his waist and pressing herself against him. His hips didn't join her movement but he continued to kiss her, his hands cupping her face, fingers in her hair.

Desire coursed through her veins in a way she had never felt before. Life had made her reckless and giving into the sensations of her body was an escape. Still, Draco held himself rigidly against her and he seemed uninterested in what they had started in the darkened classroom. She considered turning off the lights but the memory of red eyes in the darkness, halted her action.

Feeling her hesitate, Draco pulled back to look at her. "This won't convince me to give you back the basilisk tooth," he murmured. His breath was warm against her mouth.

"It was worth a try," she replied, then brushed her lips against his again.

"Tell me why you want it and I'll consider it."

"No," Ginny replied, pushing his robes off his shoulders and unbuttoning his shirt. She could feel his heart pounding as she kissed his chest and neck. Still, he kept space between them as their lips met again.

Ginny pulled back and removed her own robes, flicking her eyes to Draco's as she began unbuttoning her shirt to see his reaction. His breathing hitched when she slid it off her shoulders.

His hands smoothed down her bare arms, drinking her in with his eyes. Ginny lifted her face and he kissed her again, his hands still on her arms. Ginny deepened the kiss, rolling her hips against his and felt him harden. Her breasts began to ache and she found herself grabbing his hand and placing it on her chest. He made a sound in his throat and thrust his tongue into her mouth, pressing his body firmly enough against her that she felt a shiver of pleasure pulse through her.

He squeezed her breast and Ginny arched into his touch. Her body reeled with pleasure as she ground herself forcefully against him. She ran her hands down his chest and touched the buckle of his pants. She didn't hesitate as she slid it off. How would it feel without anything between them?

Startled by the thought, Ginny paused. This was not why she had come here. An apology formed on her lips and she pressed them together. She didn't need to apologize for stopping. They both had enjoyed themselves enough already.

Draco's hands rested on her shoulders as they both caught their breath. He rested his face in her hair, inhaling deeply.

It was then that Ginny looked at his arm and saw the Dark Mark etched into his skin. Her heart constricted at the reminder and she pushed away from him. Standing and putting distance between them to clear her head. She had heard the stories of his attempts on Dumbledore's life but she had never considered further involvement. Was he using her as much as she was using him? She felt like an idiot.

"You know, don't you?" She asked, turning back to him.

Draco's face had become stone as he looked her.

"Did the Dark Lord order you to watch me?" She had made his assignment embarrassingly easy.

Still, he didn't answer.

"Draco," she started and stopped. It seemed so intimate to say his name. She must be his assignment. He had only said the Dark Lord had no interest in her to put her at ease, to create a measure of trust. Ginny grabbed her shirt and robes, putting them on hastily.

Draco placed a hand on her shoulder, "tell me why you want the basilik tooth and I'll answer you."

Ginny moved away from his touch, surprised at the hurt she felt. What did she have to lose now?

"To destroy the horcrux," she replied.

"Which one?"

Ginny paused; her eyes burned. "Me."

Surprise flickered across Draco's face, but he blinked, and it was gone. "My instructions were to watch you, to make sure you didn't do anything stupid."

"They didn't tell you why," Ginny realized, and their eyes met. He looked ready to deny it but remained silent.

"Why did you make the dreamless sleeping draught?"

Ginny tried to swallow the words, but it felt good to finally tell someone what was happening. "I can see him in my dreams. Tom Riddle, the one I knew when I had the diary—the diary your father gave to me."

How much did Draco know of her time with the diary? Enough that he averted his gaze with a mild flush to his cheeks. It was then that Ginny realized he still wasn't wearing his shirt and even knowing of his assignment, her heart began to pound. Draco's gaze returned to hers, she couldn't read the emotions in his eyes, but he seemed to read hers.

He approached her cautiously and Ginny debated what to do.

"Did he tell you to kiss me?"

He raised a silvery brow. "You kissed me."

She had. Perhaps they were both simply making the best of their situations. That seemed okay, at least in the moment with him standing close enough to feel the warm of his skin. She placed her hands on his chest and looked up at him.

"Would you really do it?" He murmured as his lips brushed hers.

She didn't answer him unsure if he was asking for the Dark Lord or himself. She thought of Harry and her family and knew her answer. It was unlikely that she could steal it back but not impossible. Staying close to Draco might help her to learn of the Dark Lord's plan. It was better than miserably waiting around for whatever happened next. Perhaps there would be more she could do.

"You're my guardian now?" she asked with a teasing smile.

Draco rolled his eyes but kissed her again. She let her arms snake around his neck, pressing herself against him.

"Is this what most of your assignments entail?" She asked breaking the kiss. "Seducing?"

Draco looked at her blankly. "You kissed me," he said again and unable to stop herself, she tilted her head back and laughed. It felt like the first time in months. How silly—how preposterous her life had become.

But it felt good to share her secret, to feel the tapers of a plan building in her mind. A worry startled her from her giddy thoughts—Tom would know. She couldn't think it, speak it, know it. He would sense her intention perhaps but he couldn't know what she would do with it.

At the thought of Tom, Ginny felt cold. Then Draco kissed her exposed throat and all other thoughts fell away.