A/N: Hey there! I just wanted to say thank you to all of my wonderful reviewers! And, a lot of
you asked for a longer chapter, and I think this one is. Hopefully. I apollagize for the shortness of
the last one. I really hope you like it!!! Okay, just go read it!!
Chapter 4
**********
The weeks that followed were hectic. With finals fast approaching, there was no time for knife
throwing, or lounging around. Ginny's days now only included eating, sleeping, and studying.
Often times, she studied in the library with the dream team. But with Ron and Hermione
constantly arguing, and Harry not doing much of anything, Ginny quite going to their "study
group". She decided that she could get more done by herself, and started going to her, I mean the
tree, everyday whenever she had spare time. Malfoy was never there, and on the rare occasion
when he was, he kept to himself, sometimes muttering words under his breath.
"Malfoy." Ginny asked one day while studying for potions. There was no answer.
"Malfoy" she said, louder this time. Still no answer. Ginny broke off a stick from the branch next
to her.
"Hey Malfoy!" she shouted, poking him on the top of the shoulder.
"What?!" he said in an irritated tone.
"Do you know anything about potions?" she asked.
"No." he replied flatly.
"Don't be a crapnut. I know you do." she fired.
"Then why did you ask?" he demanded.
"I don't know...maybe to not sound rude by demanding you to help me study? I don't get you.
One minute, you being so nice, and then you don't even talk at all. I guess knife throwing brings
out the best in you." she said hotly leaning back against a branch.
He knew she was right, but he wasn't going to admit it. Her frustration growing, Ginny took her
bag that was hanging on a nearby branch and dropped it, aiming for Malfoy's foot. She then
scooted out on it.
"What the hell?!" he yelled as the bag hit his toe and continued for the ground. "Weasley!"
"Yeah?" she said as she climbed down.
"May I ask why you felt the need to drop your bag on my foot?" he asked.
"It hit your foot? Oh dear, I'm sorry, I was aiming for your head. Darn." she replied, grabbing her
bag and walking away.
"Bitch." he muttered to himself as he watched her leave.
"Are you ready for your potions final Gin?" Neville asked the next day at breakfast.
"Well, I stayed up all night studying for it so I hope so ." she said lifting her head off her arms
and rubbing her eyes.
"You'll be fine Ginny. Just don't make eye contact with Snape and stay out of his way." Seamus
said stuffing bacon into his mouth.
"Thanks for the tip. I gotta go. Wish me luck." she said giving a weak smile.
"Good luck." they all said together.
"Whoa," she said giggling. "Your master has taught you well. Tootles." ( alright, you know how
people in cults always say stuff together like all the time? Well, that's why that's funny.)
Potions was a disaster. Snape looked like he swallowed 10 lemons that day, and he was in a foul
mood. Ginny's deflation drought was far to runny, and Snape made sure to mention this to the
whole class. She turned a deep crimson and sank into her chair.
"So." Dean asked anxiously at lunch, " how did it go?"
"It was terrible. He made fun of me. Said my potion slightly resembled my brain." she said, her
face in her hands.
The sound of wings filled the air as hundreds of owls flew in dropping letters and parcels of
various shapes and sized to the recipients.
"Hey Gin!" Ron called down the table, "we got one from dad!"
"What does it say?" she asked.
Ron tore open the letter, and began to read. Ginny noticed his face rapidly losing color and his
hand grip the table.
"Ron?" Ginny said starting to get frightened. She quickly got up from her seat and hurried over
to him. She snatched the letter from his hand. It read,
Kids,
I don't really think there is an easy way to tell you this so, Charlie has been in an accident. One of the dragons got loose. He got out alive, but just barely. He is severely burned and has a few broken bones. Your mother and I are going to Romania for a few weeks so if you need anything, contact us there. Please don't worry, I'm sure he'll fine.
Dad
Ginny's hand unconsciously went up and started searching for the dragon pendant Charlie had
given her for he 10th birthday. It was 2 dragons, intertwined around a red stone. He told her that
the red stood for the famous Weasley hair.
"Ginny" someone said from far away, dragging her out of the memory of her favorite brother.
"Ginny" It was Hermione.
"Ginny, do you want to sit down?" she asked looking concerned.
Ginny just shook her head, unable to speak. She released to letter from her shaking hand and
turned to face the giant doors. She began walking, then picked up speed, until she was running
like Voldemort himself were after her.
"Ginny!" Ron yelled after her.
She ignored him, and kept running. Running out the front doors, past the lake, into the forest.
The tears streaming down her face blurred her vision, but she didn't care. She knew the way. She
reached her destination and collapsed onto her knees, sobbing uncontrollably, and rather
violently. In fact, she was having trouble breathing. Malfoy, who was in the tree, heard her
gasping for breath and jumped out of the tree. He saw her there, lying on the ground, one hand
tightly gripping something around her neck, and the other on her chest. He walked over to her.
He had no idea what had upset her, but he knew he had to calm her down or she would
hyperventilate. And judging by her breathing pace, it was going to happen fairly soon. He did the
one thing he could think of. He walked over to her, sat down, scooped up the sobbing girl into his
arms and sang.
Some day, when I'm awfully low,
When the world is cold,
I will feel a glow just thinking of you...
And the way you look tonight.
His plan was working. Her breathing was slowing. Her hand relaxed and he was able to take off
her necklace. There were chain marks on her neck. He smoothed her hair with his hand and
continued.
Yes your lovely, with your smile so warm,
And you cheeks so soft,
There is nothing for me but to love you,
And the way you look tonight.
Ginny had no idea what was going on. Someone was holding her, and singing. She could feel her
heart slowing, and her chest wasn't hurting as much. The voice was incredible...
Lovely...never, never change.
Keep that breathless charm,
Won't you please arrange it?
Cause I love you...and the way you look tonight.
Mm, mm, mm,
Just the way you look tonight.
"Works like a charm" Draco thought to himself. That wasn't the first time he had to calm a
hysterical woman. He sang that song to his mother every time she had one of her "episodes" as
his father liked to call them. Ginny still didn't know who was holding her, so she looked up. Her
brown eyes met silver blue ones.
"Take deep breaths. You'll be fine." Malfoy said as he wiped away her tears with his thumb.
She did as she was told. Her chest still stung, like someone had burned her.
"What happened?" she asked.
"You started hyperventilate." he told her, still playing with her hair.
Her hand reached up to grab her necklace, but found only fabric. She panicked.
"Where's my necklace?!' she questioned sitting up and looking around.
"Right here." Malfoy said dangling it from his finger. "You were holding it rather tight and it was
choking you."
"Oh. Well I'd like it back now please." she said holding out her hand. Instead, Draco leaned
forward and put it on for her.
"Thanks." she muttered.
"No problem." he whispered in her ear. She closed her eyes.
"So what's wrong?" he asked her, leaning back against the tree. He gently pulled her back, so she
was leaning against him, her head on his chest. She made no protest.
"Charlie was in an accident." she told him, a knot in her stomach.
"Well, I'm sorry to here that." he said.
"Malfoy,"
"Yeah."
"Why did you sing to me?" she asked.
"I needed to calm you down. Like I said before, you would have hyperventilated, and it's the only
thing I could think to do. I used to do it for my mom all the time. That was her favorite song." he
said.
"It's mine too." she said softly. "Charlie used to sing that to me to help me fall asleep when I had
nightmares. Thank you."
"For what."
"For helping me."
"Your welcome." he said as he let one of her curls wrap itself around his finger like fire.
A/N: Okay. I personally liked that chapter. And I love that song. It's one of my favorites. If you've seen My best friends wedding, then you've heard that song. Please review!! hooray!
