Some people say that I threw my brain away
That I'm illogical and don't have much to say
Some people say that it's foolish to believe
In what we cannot see, so we're deceived

All that I can do is listen to you
All that you can be is out there, you'll see

--MxPx, Foolish

"Ginny."

I toss in my bed. I immediately recognize the voice, but I really didn't feel like acknowledging Hermione. I was too busy wondering when last night ended and my dreams began, or if the whole affair was totally intermixed, which wouldn't totally surprise me, as some of the things Draco had said were almost too good to be true.

"I know you're awake…" Hermione called in a singsong voice. She sounded much closer. Damn.

"What do you want, Hermione?"

I could sense her flinching. We'd always been good friends, and I couldn't quite remember if I'd ever told her off or been mean or anything to her. Probably not. "Ginny, breakfast is going to end soon. I got worried for you," she finally said, her tone clipped. I opened my eyes and saw her standing right over me, her hair in a neat braid hanging down the front of her robes, her dark brown eyes cloudy in the light of the window. "Please eat something."

"Not hungry." I stated calmly, not meeting her eyes, as I cuddled deeper inside the bedclothes.

She pursed her lips, rather much like McGonagall. "Then get up and get ready for class."

I finally sat up, staring at her defiantly. "You aren't my mother," I declared in typical first-year style.

"I'm your Head Girl," she said, looking back at me in much the same way, her hands on her hips.

Decision time. Do I risk it? "Isn't that nice." I said quietly, before burying myself in the comforter again. She gaped and tried to pull it off me, but I hooked it under me with one hand.

"Ginny, please!" I heard a sad sigh; I didn't fall for it. She'd get mad again soon.

There was a pause during which I felt her presence over me. I clung to the comforter.

"Five points from Gryffindor."

I stayed silent, though I didn't know why.

"Ten."

I tightened my grasp on it, my other hand pushing my hair out of my face before I finally stated, "You know this doesn't discourage me."

"Why's that?"

"You're just helping my… boyfriend… win the House Cup."

She hesitated, and then I felt her sit beside me on the bed. "Why are you making this hard, Ginny, I'm trying to help…"

"I don't need help. Why would I need help?"

"Ginny, your new boyfriend is Draco. If that doesn't constitute help, what does?"

I glared. "Why do you make assumptions about people?"

She sat and stared at me. "Ginny, it isn't an assumption, I've known him for seven years, he's… he's bad."

"You don't know him."

Her lips pursed again, she studied me carefully. "I don't know him. So this entire time at Hogwarts with him making Harry and Ron and my lives hell. That was all… what, an act?"

I didn't meet her eyes. "Something like that."

She shook her head. "Ginny, can't you see what's happening?"

"Obviously I don't, Hermione. You're so smart, why don't you enlighten me like you're going to?"

She looked only slightly taken aback. She reached for my hand and I unconsciously jerked it away from hers. "Ginny, he's using you."

"Using me. I'm so sure. Why would he need me, doesn't he have to go and be evil to other, better people?"

She looked down at the floor quietly. I wanted to kick her and make her spill it, but the spoke up before I could get my leg around. "He's using you to get to Harry, Ginny. I thought…"

I bit my lip as hard as I could. "To get to Harry. To get to Harry… Of course, because he couldn't ever, ever, like me for me, could he? I suppose no one could, eh, Hermione? Just use me to get to people. Who. Matter. Okay. You know what, Hermione? I couldn't give a flying fuck what you think, okay? Could you please leave now?"

"Ginny." She murmured quietly, but nothing else.

"Don't call me Ginny. My… my name's Gwen."

"I don't… want you to get hurt, Gin."

"Then go away, and I'll be fine."

I saw a faint glistening of tears on the brim of her eyelid. She nodded very slowly. "Fine, Gwen. You want to trust him. Trust the Death Eater's son. Over your best friends." She stood up and went over to the door, turning back very slowly and dramatically, and before she left the room, she whispered very quietly. "Goodbye, Ginny Weasley."

I jutted my chin at her, bold to the very end.

As soon as the door closed, I bent my face into the comforter and started crying.

***

"Gwen." I looked up from the rippling water of the lake. Draco was walking calmly towards me, his robes hanging over his shoulder and his hair blown out of its gel by the wind. "You okay? I heard the Trio talking."

"They do that."

He sat down next to me and eyed me suspiciously. "I'm supposed to be the smartarse here, alright? You're just the cute little smartarse-in-training."

"Thanks. Can I…?" I watched him lean back. He smirked at me.

He looked around. The grounds were nearly deserted except for a few young Hufflepuffs playing with an owl near the castle doors. "Aww, sure."

I sighed and scooted over, leaning my head on his chest, then sighed.

"They don't trust me, do they?"

"Do you have to ask?"

"Good point… You trust me, right?"

"Well… why shouldn't I?"

"Do you have to ask?"

I smiled slightly. "I trust you, despite you being a smarmy prejudiced git." I said, steadily and calmly. He smirked down at me and again, I had a brief flash of Harry holding me like this. The image stayed a lot shorter than it did last time, and as Draco squeezed my arm, just the smallest bit, in a comforting way, I knew why.

"Go back to them, Gwen. The Mudblood, at least. They need to know you'll be okay."

I looked up at him quietly.

"I already know you are… I don't want this to ruin you."

I thought about this, and he squeezed my hand. "This won't last, Gwen. You know me… Your friends are more important.  Keep them before me."

"Why…"

"Just tell her you're sorry. Then come back here. I'll be waiting."

***

It was about fifteen minutes before dinner, but I knew Hermione went in early to talk with the teachers and keep an eye on rowdy kids. She was Head Girl, after all.

Sure enough, she was up at the staff table, laughing about something with McGonagall. I think it's safe to say everyone in the school is scared about Hermione's ability to make McGonagall laugh.

"Herm…"

She turned around, and, on noticing me, lowered her eyes and started playing with her sleeve. "Gin, I'm sorry, I think I was a little too-" I gently pulled her away from the staff table, so McGonagall wouldn't overhear.

"No, Hermione, I… I'm sorry. You were justified in thinking… that he wasn't trustworthy… He's never shown you how he can be. I shouldn't have gotten made at you for that. You were looking out for me." I shrugged.

She suddenly smiled a little. "Thanks, Ginny. I think I know how it is. Just tell him not to be a total prick, and maybe we can tolerate him… for you. But, you know, if he… kills Harry or something… you have to break up with him."

She said the last part of this with perfect seriousness in her voice. It took a while, then I giggled a little.

"Do I have to call you Gwen?"

I thought about it. "No, I guess you don't."

"Good, because it reminds me of this one muggle singer my friends at home love, and I just… don't… hmm."

I smiled again.

***