A/N: *fan fare* Dun dun dun! Would you look at that, an update. Due to the fact that my teachers have all gone on strike, and I have no school, I've been able to write a lot more than usual. Now, I know this chapter isn't really funny, or really all that good, and I truly do apologize for that. I'd give you an excuse, except I'm all out. I'm just plain sorry. Any ideas or suggestions though, would still be greatly appreciated. Now, as usual, read, review, enjoy! Oh, and I'm still searching for a title, so . . . well, think about it will you?

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"Well, Mr. Malfoy, that is quite an interesting tale there." Snape said, finally. For the past twenty minutes, he had been listening to Draco tell his story, a story that seemingly called for excessive detail. Well, actually that wasn't really true. For the past twenty minutes, ever since Draco's third sentence or so, Snape had been sitting across from the young boy watching him speaking, but not hearing a word of it. Instead of concentrating on what was being vocalized, Snape had felt his eyes glazing over and his mind began to wander freely. One thing the grown man had learned - the boy sure could talk.

"Ever word of it true, sir." Vaguely shifting, Draco stared back at the man seated across from him. "The real problem is, sir, what should be done about it."

Snape sighed, his suspicions growing true. "Perhaps, Mr. Malfoy, I should take this time to tell you a piece of wisdom that was once shared with me." Clearing his throat, and sitting up a little straighter, he gave off an air of importance, and Draco felt his ears perk up, ready to listen to what was about to be said. "You see, when I was about your age, Mr. Malfoy, a rather respected professor, much like myself in fact-" Draco nodded, willing to let the comment past, "-told me that as a Slytherin, I hold certain responsibilities, and privileges. And that always, no matter my age, I would have the Slytherin name to represent. I must never taint the Slytherin name.

"The same, Mr. Malfoy, goes for you, and your generation. Always, must we make sure the Slytherin name is held high, and respected. If that means that this duty effects us in every aspect of our lives, well, tough."

Draco blinked his eyes, gawking at his professor, in astonishment. Snape continued on.

"This professor then went on to tell me that our decisions must be made wisely, and that he would give me a piece of wisdom to greatly help me in the future. And, Mr. Malfoy, I believe it's time you heard these counselling words." Snape paused, for what Draco assumed was a dramatic effect, the barrelled on. "Slytherins stick together, belong together. The occasional glance, thought, dream . . . those can be expected, and can even be considered acceptable, as long as they are just that. Glances, thoughts, dreams. Do we have an understanding, Mr. Malfoy?"

Needless to say, Draco was baffled. What on earth was Snape rambling on about? Of course Slytherins stick together, that was what being a Slytherin was all about. Well, actually being a Slytherin was all about being richer than the whole of England, being a stuck-up git, and putting up a front of loyalty to your house when in reality you'd back-stab them the first chance you got. Technicality, is all.

It wasn't as if Draco was planning to desert his fellow Slytherins, to run and be a squeaky-clean Gryffindor prat, all because of some spell that Mudblood-lover of a Weasley cast on him. He may have lost his mind, but he still had some sense left, after all, he was a Malfoy.

Besides, Draco always had hated the colour red.

Looking across the desk to Snape, who sat there, staring back at him, eyebrows raised pointedly, he could easily say there had never been a time in which his Potions professor had managed to confuse him more. And that was including the occasion involving the house-elf, Polyjuice Potion, and the cancellation of Potion classes for a week. Surprising, really, that the incident had never gotten out. At least Snape had gotten over his fear of the house-elves.

"Mr. Malfoy?" The grown man questioned.

Draco nodded. Having learned long ago that the best way to get through a conversation with the dreaded Potions Master, was to agree with everything said, he felt that this exchange was not an exception. "Yes, sir, I understand perfectly."

"Good. Now, Mr. Malfoy, I suggest you set off to your common room. There's not much longer until curfew, and I'd hate to have to see my favourite pupil in detention." Snape smiled, making it easy to read the fact that he could care less what happened to his "favourite pupil", or any pupil at that. In truth, the man only really cared what his "favourite pupil's" father would do to him. Snape's smile was just like him. Sly, greasy, and something you didn't particularly want to look at.

Draco nodded, yet once more, and stood up, making his way to the door. Glad for it too, for another moment spent staring at that headless cross between a bluebird and an octopus floating in the jar above Snape's head would have sent his stomach reeling. As it was, he was already feeling slightly light-headed. Draco continued on to the door, pausing when he reached it.

Snape looked up from where he sat, already at work, a pile of Gryffindor essays in front of him, a quill making red marks with out even looking, all over it. "Yes?"

"Sir? If you don't mind my saying so," Draco began, "I'd suggest you lay off the medication."

Snape looked taken aback, and managed to stutter out a slippery, "Pardon me?"

"Your eyes sir. When I was talking, your eyes glazed over, and looked ready to fall out. I'm sure that anything with that side-effect just isn't worth it." With that, Draco turned and exited, leaving behind a mystified, yet temperamental Snape, staring at where he had just left.

Draco slowly walked in the direction of the Hospital Wing. Snape may have meant to relieve Draco of the horrible, degrading curse, but really, all he had done was confuse Draco to further lengths. And he was still determined to dispose of his awful state.

Hopefully Madame Pomfrey would just cure him, and refrain from any lengthy bits of advice.

With any luck, in a few hours Draco would be back to normal, and back to ignoring that Weasley trash. And that hair. That damn, red frizz. And, right after that, he'd make sure to do whatever it took to make sure Snape understood him.

Mind resolved, he picked up the pace, eager to shove those horrid curls from his thoughts.

He always had hated the colour red.

****

Ginny had been sitting outside by the lake, staring at the Drumstrang ship situated upon it. Having realized an hour ago that no one was going to come and make sure she was still in her right mind, Ginny had been trying to put off going back into the castle and to her common room. Though she was without a cloak, and though the temperatures were steadily dropping, she refused to go back inside. The last thing she wanted was to be assaulted by questions about her rather abrupt leave from dinner. What was she to say? She thought she was losing her mind and had to run after it? No, she'd sent out of the Gryffindor Tower in a heartbeat.

But it had been nearly two hours since dinner. Surely everyone had forgotten it. Besides, she still had that Transfiguration essay to do, and she couldn't very well plead insanity when she didn't have it done, could she? No, it was probably best Ginny back inside before she froze to death. No reason for losing use of her limbs for such a silly reason, when she could be sitting in the common room, next to the table, finishing that essay.

Sighing, she stood up, and watched as a hunched over figure made it's way back the looming ship. Darkness having just fallen, it was hard to make out the figure, though Ginny tried hard to distinguish it. While doing so, she caught a glimpse of the newly risen moon reflecting of the lake. Pausing, and staring at the shimmering silver of it all, she couldn't resist from letting her mind wander. The shocking silver, blinding you, yet hypnotizing you at the same time, reminded her an awful lot of-

Of what Ginny? she asked herself. Nothing, that's what. Nothing at all. Especially not a certain Slytherin git's hair. There. That ought to have taken care of that little problem.

Breathing in the cold night air deeply, Ginny closed her eyes, stalling until she absolutely had to go into the Castle. Instantly she was surrounded by flashes of silver. She snapped her eyes open, and stared wildly around.

It was the same old lake, same old grounds. She closed her eyes again.

And there it was. The flashes of brilliant silver, with hints of blonde thrown in. Reaching a hand out, and at the same deciding she had for sure gone nutters, Ginny could faintly feel a indication of texture. The sense of wisps of hair, the suggestion of softness, the-

All right, it was final. She had gone mad, and it was definitely time to be heading back up to the Gryffindor Tower.

Opening her eyes and keeping them that way, Ginny turned and ran, not stopping until she was past the Entrance Hall, and racing up the stairs. All around her flickered silver. Turning a corner that lead to the opposite direction of the Gryffindor Tower, she immediately decided she had contracted a rare and tropical disease, that was slowly eating away at her mind, and driving her to insanity. It was without doubt, time to be quarantined.

And time for the Hospital Wing.

****

As usual, my favourite part - time for the reviewers:

Tuilindo - Thanks for the tip, I didn't even know my account didn't allow anonymous reviews, so I went and fixed that right away. And thanks a ton for the review. And don't feel bad. I have a short term memory too.

Laurie Lupin - *mysteriously* the real reason . . . what are you talking about, what real reason? lol, anyway, thanks for the review!

queen of the clarinets - Aww, thank you! I love hearing I can write good, like everyone else. And that thing about a poem . . . really made me feel good, thanks!

The French Padfoot - *looks around feverishly then whispers* You are seriously one of my favourite reviewers. But you didn't hear that from me. Anyway, thank you so much, you sure know how to make me feel great. Romeo and Juliet? I wouldn't say that, although it does make me feel great. And is so nice to know I made you laugh. Ah, I love it when you review.

BleedingQueen - Well, for now, I've managed to beat back writer's block, but we'll see, won't we? And don't worry, your not the only one who dreams about that. I used to always do it *blushes*

KAOS - Ah, I love you, just for the review. Great to know I made you laugh, I'm so happy. Thanks a ton for the review!

GinnDoll - lol. Of course every D/G writer is good. It's D/G! Anyway, thanks for the review!

Dizzy Flower - well, Snape has a rather . . . interesting way of handling things. But don't worry, it's all going to come back and bite him in the butt, you can count on that. Though I didn't say anything . . .

niza - Ah, suffering!Draco, my favourite . . . well, thanks for the review!

Wonder Jenny - Ah, one of my favourite reviewers, though you didn't hear that from me. Yes, brutal honesty, always and forever. I love reviews full of that. You made my story your homepage? Gah, I feel so brilliant and undeserving. You sure know how to make me feel great. Seriously, one day I was feeling really bad, and I saw that you had reviewed . . . by the time I was done reading it, I was so happy it was nutters. And by the way, this time, I was nearly ready to call this chapter sucky, when I thought of what you said. So I didn't. Ah, I love your reviews. And that's okay about not having a title . . . I can't think of one either. *with hugs back and promises to update* By the way . . . im sometime, I'd love to talk to you. You sound great. Waiting for your next review.

elenya and auraquilus - Ah, thanks so much! Sure know how to make me feel brilliant.

Kelsey McCartney - Oh, thank you so much! I can't wait for your next review!

Fifth Grade Freak - Thanks!

Sydney Wood - I have a talent? *blushes* Thank you so much!

Cactuskitty - Everyone's in character? That's great to know, I'm always so worried I'm turning someone OOC. Let me know if I do, okay? Thank you!

Liz - Yep, it's just gotta be the hair . . . lol. Thank you, so much!

hypermonkey67 - Umm, thank you! Great to know whenever someone likes my writing.

Now, I think that's everyone. If I forgot someone, dreadfully sorry. Just let me know and I promise to make it up to you!