A few days later I was in the common room reading the advanced potions book I had gotten from Sev when an angry Ginny stormed in. I snickered when I saw her green hair, but quickly stopped when she glared at me angrily. She had her wand trained at me and I had put my hands in the air in reaction. "What the hell, Malfoy," she had blurted out.

"I thought it was Draco," I said defensively.

She looked furious, I bet that she could give her mother a run for her money- not that they had any. "I can bloody call you how I want," Ginny bites out. She sounds furious. "Look. At. My. Hair. Tell me why Pansy hexed me and told me it was all your fault."

I grew pale. "I don't know, okay? I don't."

"Well," she snarled. "You'd better find out. If it happens again, I'll hex you.." She then grew calmer, even a little too pleased with herself. "Believe me, you don't want to be on the receiving end of my bat bogey hex. It scared Fred and George from teasing me." I nodded hastily. "Good, now you've got an hour to turn back this curse, or I'll still hex you. Find me here, in the common room." She then walked to her dorm.

The problem was most Slytherins had no interest in helping out Ginny and getting in trouble with Pansy. Even the prefects turned an blind eye. When I asked Adrian Pucey, he asked if I was color blind, because he saw no difference. Or maybe he did not like me being made seeker. So I headed off into the library, searching frantically through all the books. I mean, there was no one I could ask, right? No one would really be inclined to help me, maybe Fred and George, since they were her brothers, but they could not be trusted. They still were pranksters. At a certain moment Vin and Greg found me and offered to help. I kind of did not want them to get in trouble with Pansy, so I told them to practice transfiguration, so they'd get a good grade. I took the next book, looked through the pages: nothing. "What are you looking for?" A certain buckle-teethed know-it-all then asked. I was not going to ask for her help. I was doing fine. Just fine.

"Nothing," I said snidely. "Keep your nose out of it." Okay, I was doing pretty badly and that was partly why I had snapped at her, but I would not have if she had kept her nose out of it.

She looked a bit embarrassed for a moment, then looked annoyed. I heard someone guffawing behind me. It was Theodore. "Draco," he drawled, "you really have a way with women, don't you?"

"Keep out of it," I muttered embarrassedly.

I looked at Granger, who looked funnily at me. "Well, I don't know why I even bothered with you. I'd just never seen anyone searching that frantically, like your life depended on it. I just thought to offer some help. Won't make that mistake again."

Then Pansy walked in. "It's like I don't even know you anymore, Malfoy. Are you serious?" She looked horrified at us. "You are talking to a mudblood."

"It's not -" I tried. "Look, Granger talked to me. I did not want her to. I'm sorry. I don't know why you are angry. Please, can't we just be fine. I've known you for so long. I almost missed you and it's only been half a day." I can't believe I admitted that to her. And in front of Granger and Theodore as well. Her glare actually softened. You know maybe she'd actually- "Can't you use the counter curse on Ginny? It is not really her fault, is it?"

Okay, that was definitely the wrong thing to say. "Why do you suddenly care so much about her? She's a- a-"

I felt tired. "What does it matter. I care for you too, you know that."

She then stormed away again. "I'm not so sure anymore."

In anger I kicked a book on the floor. I forgot Granger was still here. "What did that book ever do to you?" Theodore snorted. "Ginny is my friend. I'll help you." I looked up surprised. "I just- I only want to know. Please. What is a mudblood?"

I really did not know what to say to her. I shuffled my feet. "You know, a foul name for muggleborns." I coughed embarrassedly. "Ginny's hair is green."

Granger looked impressed. "That's a fourth year spell."

"How do you know that," I asked surprised.

"Well, you know.." She trailed off.

I laughed. Talking to her now seemed more normal. "Of course, you read the fourth year charms textbook already. Brilliant. You know the counter curse."

She took a book off the shell, searched through it and paused at a page. "Do you think I'm just a mudblood too?"

"I- I don't know." She nodded, shoved the book in my arms and ran away. I'd better find Ginny. When I walked through the wall, Ginny was already waiting for me, tapping her foot. "You're late."

"You're lucky I found a counter curse," I said jokingly. Ginny does not look amused and I gulp. "I should practice the spell probably, before.."

She nodded strictly. "You better."

I was extremely relieved when I finally cast the counter curse successfully. "Am I forgiven?" I asked with a tentative smile, women I had decided, are a lot nicer if you don't turn them angry.

A curt nod. "Maybe." Marcus Flint then harshly tapped my shoulder. "Quidditch practice tomorrow morning." He then walked away to tell the other team players, I presume.

Ginny looked surprised, but also a bit excited. "You play quidditch?" It seems that was all it took for Ginny to forgive me as she slung her arm around my shoulder.

I nodded hesitantly. Then I heard a taunting voice behind me. "Oh yes, Draco, please enlighten us to how you made the team," Pansy said with gleaming eyes.

Ginny then looked annoyed at Pansy, while I winced. It hurt that Pansy said that. "I am sure Draco got on it quite spectacular," Ginny blurted out in defence. She then ignored Pansy. As she focused on me with a smile. "Which position do you play?"

I winced. "Seeker."

"So does Harry," she then gushed immediately, after which she blushed a little.

Then Adrian Pucey, who was sitting in a corner of the common room, stood up, nearing us. "Yes, Draco was very spectacular, not being able to catch the snitch, while I did, when I was trying out for chaser," He is looking menacingly at me.

Ginny snorted. "Well, if you were better, wouldn't you then be seeker?"

"If you are so interested, then you should want to know that he bought his way in, did he not?" Pansy said. I looked hurt at her. I did not understand why she suddenly was so cross with me nor why she was being so mean.

Adrian Pucey glared at me. "Yes, he did, he'll probably make us lose the house cup." I could not believe Pansy would have said that. I knew she was spiteful and could be hurtful, but she had never directed it to me. I did not even realize I was running away.

When I was outside I dropped myself in the grass. Then I heard Ginny's uncertain voice. "Did you really buy your way in?" I was upset and did not really care about what I told who anymore as long as she stayed my friend. It was the first time I admitted to myself that Ginny had grown on me and I had only known her for a week. "My father did, I did not want to. I don't even like quidditch, I like potions and astronomy," I blurt out frustrated.

She looked me over. "Well, you've got a fine build, we might be able to make a decent seeker out of you," she said kindly.

"Really?" I blurted out.

She seemed a little taken back by my hopefully reaction. "Really," she then says calmingly.