Hope you enjoy this chapter.
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Ginny could feel her brother's seething anger as they both walked back to Gryffindor tower. Ron was fuming, his ears had turned red in anger and his fists kept clenching and unclenching at his side. He was fighting against the tides of his anger, she could tell, he was fighting it so that he could explode in the common room, where there were fewer witnesses.
Ginny was not scared of him. It had been a very long time since Ginny had been scared of Ron. It was not like Ron would every do anything drastic to her, he would probably just yell and scream at her and he would pace around a lot, and then he would cave and let her do whatever she wanted to any way. The most Ron ever did was throw around empty threats about sending a letter to their mother, but he never did, most of the time he was all talk, very little action. The easiest way to get out of this situation was just to sit, and let Ron finish.
Ron practically growled the password at the poor pink lady, who looked rather scared and shot Ginny a concerned glance. Ginny smiled, trying to put the paintings mind at ease. He grabbed her hand and then stormed into the common room, now quite literally dragging Ginny behind him. Harry and Hermione looked up from their spot at the other side of the room where they were doing homework.
"Ginny, sit" he said gruffly, pushing her to the nearest chair. Ron, in a very characteristic move, began to pace. Ginny just sat and crossed her arms across her chest, watching him closely. She could tell he had something he wanted to say, she just wished that he would hurry the hell up and say it.
"I can't believe how rude you were, I was talking to him...." she started; Some times it was easier just to start Ron on his rampage. Ron glared at her as if she had just said something absolutely stupid.
"You were talking to Malfoy" Ron replied, as though it justified his rudeness, then he turned around again, continuing his calm pacing pattern. The systematic schedule of walking ten paces, and then turning back to walk them again was helping him deal with his anger.
"And so what if I was talking to him?" Ginny asked. Ron growled and ran his hands through his hair; He looked as though at any minute he would begin to pull at it, tearing out huge clumps.
"You can't see a problem with that?" Ron asked, amazed. Ginny shrugged. No, she really didn't see a problem with that.
"You don't know him like I know him" she replied dismissively. Ron stopped pacing and then sat on the coffee table in front of his little sister. The concern in his eyes was evident, Ginny could almost predict what her brother was about to say to her.
"Ginny, how well do you know him? Just because you think you know him, doesn't mean that you really do" Ron began, Ginny rolled her eyes. Predictable.
"Just because you think you know Harry and Hermione, doesn't mean that you do" she shot back. Ron was taken aback, not sure what to say. Harry and Hermione, who had moved over to where the others were, were both smiling, impressed with her comeback.
"She has a point man...." Harry smiled, but then stopped when Ron pinned him with a death glare that would have made Voldemort himself nervous.
"But Ginny...." Ron began, turning back to her "Why were you talking to Malfoy?"
"Draco is my friend" Ginny replied. Ron nearly choked on the anger that was rising in his throat.
"He is your friend?" Ron mumbled, almost as though he believed that if he said it out loud, it would not be true.
"Yes, my friend" Ginny replied defiantly. Ron stood and began pacing the room again.
"How can you be friends with a Malfoy, Have you forgotten the way that his father treated our dad, have you forgotten the way that Malfoy has treated us ever the years, have you forgotten that it was Lucius who gave you the diary that started the whole chamber of secrets incident ........" Ron began to list. Ginny stood, and intercepted her brothers pacing path.
"Don't compare Draco to his father, they are two separate people, Draco would never do anything like that any more" Ginny informed him, Ron smirked, unbelieving.
"Like father, like son Ginny" Ron replied. Never before had Ginny wanted to slap her brother as much as she wanted to slap him now.
"How would you know, you don't even know him" she replied. "He has changed, for the better, over the last two years. Or have you been two pig headed and self absorbed to realize that he is not the same Malfoy?"
"Just because some one changes physically, does not mean that they have change mentally" Ron retorted, Ginny rolled her eyes again.
"And just because some one has grown up does not mean they are any more mature" she replied "Obviously"
"Ginny" Ron started "I am just trying to look out for you ok."
"I don't need you looking out for me, I am 16 and I know what I am doing, I can look out for myself.... I can make my own choices as to who I hang out with" She replied.
"I just don't think that he has changed any, I still think he is a sneaky, manipulative, evil......." Ron began to reply.
"He has changed" She exclaimed "Can't you take my word for it? He has gone through heaps in the last few years, things that would change some one who is even as stubborn as you...." Ginny began
"We have been through lots over the years to!" Ron replied, indicating to the four of them "But that has not changed us"
"This is worse than what we went through" Ginny tried to explain, but Hermione and Harry began to laugh hysterically, it was only a few seconds before Ron joined them in their laughter.
"What, he has an immortal arch nemesis worse than Voldemort on his tail? I find that hard to believe" Harry laughed as he sat on the couch. Hermione, who was trying to control her giggles sat down by his side.
"You are pathetic" Ginny growled. Hermione, Ron and Harry both stopped laughing "Ever thought that some ones personal demons can be stronger than Voldemort. Ever thought that society and other people's thoughts are stronger than what you have to fight. At least your nemesis has a face Harry, where as Draco if fighting something worse than that, he is fighting the system"
"Ginny, I am sorry......" Harry began, but she shook her head.
"No you are not, because if you were really sorry, all three of you would have realized that me being his friend is helping him. If you cared any, you would have realized that I have been his friend ever since the Christmas holidays, and if were truly sorry, you would have realized long before I did that he actually needed help. But no, you didn't care, you were to busy with your relationships and your quidditch games to see anything other than what you think is important to you. Other people have serious problems to you know!...." Ginny told them, she had no idea where her anger was coming from, but now that it was all out in the open, she was glad. These were all things she had been wanting to say for a while now, and it seemed that the moment she opened her mouth, they were just falling into place.
"So, Ron, with all due respect, I don't care what you think of my friendship with Draco, because he is a friend, and he is a friend in need. So I am going to help him, you go on with your lives like I know you will, and I am going to do what I think is right" She replied before pushing her way back to the portrait door and out of the common room.
Hermione, Harry and Ron stood, just gaping, as she walked away from them.
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Ginny had been walking the halls of Hogwarts for a few hours, she had no idea where she was going, she was just walking, trying to think. She had been going over the argument in her head, wondering if she had said too much.
She was starting to feel a little guilty for what she had said to Ron and Harry and Hermione. Maybe it had all been a little harsh of her. But they just didn't know Draco the way that Ginny did. They didn't know what he was going through, and they did not know about Kayla.
Ginny continued to walk, coming to a deserted hall way with large open windows. The land outside looked so fresh, the snow had melted over the weeks and revealed the fresh green grass. The coolness was no longer in the air, and summer was approaching.
She thought of the next year, when she would be the only one of her friends that was still at Hogwarts, Hermione would have moved on to her high powered job, Ron would have opened the third branch of Weasley Wizarding Wheezes in Kent, Harry would be the opening seeker for Puddlemere United, and Draco....Well, Draco would be working for the ministry and hopefully, a full time dad.
It was only a few more weeks till summer. Only a few more weeks before they all left, leaving her to be the only Weasley in the school, she was excited, but she was also a little scared of being by herself.
Something outside caught her eye as she leaned against the window sill. Seven people, dressed in green were making their way across the grounds to the school. Three third years walked together, followed closely three fifth years, the other member, the only seventh year, walked behind them slowly.
Draco looked up, he could feel some one watching him. He had always had a talent of being able to detect if he was being watched or not, and he was being watched now. He quickly scanned the windows of the building in front of him, a small smile coming to his lips when he saw Ginny in one of the windows lower to the ground. He raised his hand and waved, Ginny smiled back.
The other team members all continued their way to the dungeons, oblivious to Draco, who walked down one of the other hallways. He leaned his broom against the wall beside the window, and then approached Ginny.
"You ok Gin?" He asked, shoving his shoulder casually into hers as they stood together.
"Just had a fight with Ron, nothing major" She replied.
"Were you fighting about me?" Draco asked. He had a sick feeling that he already knew the answer. Ginny nodded.
"Yeah, but I don't care about what he said, I have other things on my mind at the moment" she replied.
"And what is that?" Draco asked. Ginny grinned to herself and then sat on the window sill. Draco leaned against the wall beside her.
"Like how good you look in that uniform now that you have some meat on your bones" Ginny joked, Draco smiled.
"Have I thanked you for that yet? For telling me to start eating again? I feel a hundred percent better, ready to take on anything" He admitted, running his hands through his hair. Ginny smiled, blushing a little.
"You don't have to thank me Malfoy" Ginny replied truthfully.
"Have you thought about when we can start to work on getting Kayla back?" Draco asked. Ginny jumped down off of the windowsill and then sat on the floor, Draco slid down the wall and sat by her side.
"This summer?" She suggested, Draco nodded. "By then you would have graduated and you would have officially been given your job right?"
"Yeah"
"We can go into muggle London and you can talk to Kayla's grandparents, see what they say, and if they resist, which I think they will, then we can go to the ministry and take action from there" Ginny explained.
"Are your parents going to be ok with you helping me?" Draco asked. Ginny shrugged
"Probably not at first, but I will just tell them what I told Ron. Of course, I may rephrase it so I don't get in trouble...." Ginny replied.
"What did you tell Ron?" He enquired. He wondered if Ginny told Ron about Kayla. He knew that sooner or later, every one would know, but for the moment, he didn't want them to. He knew that if Ginny told Ron, it would only be a matter of time before Harry and Hermione knew as well.
"That you are my friend, you are different from what you used to be, and that you deserve a second chance. I said that I was doing what I thought was right by helping you and if they didn't like it they would have to just deal with it all in their own way" Ginny replied.
"Thank you" Draco replied. He was touched by the nice things that she had said about him. "If only more people thought that about me."
"They will" She replied, patting his hand softly. They just sat there in silence for a few minutes, together in the hallway.
"Now that you are healthy again Malfoy, we have to move on to the next thing" Ginny smiled, patting his hand.
"And what is that?" He asked.
"Your NEWTS are coming up. Is there any subject that you are failing?" Ginny asked. Draco took a few seconds to think before looking back to her.
"Not failing, I am getting average marks in all of my subjects though" He replied. Ginny nodded.
"Good, the more NEWTS you get, the more responsible and intellectual you will look. We have to remember that you have to try and convince these people that you can look after baby Kayla. Just because you have a good job does not mean that they will not check out your school results. If possible, you need to graduate with honors."
"Will you help me study for my tests then?" Draco asked. Ginny smiled and nodded.
"I will try, I don't know how much help I will be thought" She admitted.
"Maybe helping me this year will help you next year" Draco suggested, Ginny nodded. She looked down at her watch, the little hand was pointed to 'Dinner time'
"Come on Malfoy, let's go eat." She smiled as she pushed herself up from the floor. Draco stood and looked down at himself. He was still in his quidditch training robes, and he was a little on the stinky side.
"Ok, I get it, I will see you later, we can arrange a study session or something" Ginny replied. Draco nodded, and watched as she moved off down the hall towards the Great Hall.
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Review for me please. In one of the next chapters, I will post a little section with replies to some reviews, but at the moment, I couldn't be bothered.
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Ginny could feel her brother's seething anger as they both walked back to Gryffindor tower. Ron was fuming, his ears had turned red in anger and his fists kept clenching and unclenching at his side. He was fighting against the tides of his anger, she could tell, he was fighting it so that he could explode in the common room, where there were fewer witnesses.
Ginny was not scared of him. It had been a very long time since Ginny had been scared of Ron. It was not like Ron would every do anything drastic to her, he would probably just yell and scream at her and he would pace around a lot, and then he would cave and let her do whatever she wanted to any way. The most Ron ever did was throw around empty threats about sending a letter to their mother, but he never did, most of the time he was all talk, very little action. The easiest way to get out of this situation was just to sit, and let Ron finish.
Ron practically growled the password at the poor pink lady, who looked rather scared and shot Ginny a concerned glance. Ginny smiled, trying to put the paintings mind at ease. He grabbed her hand and then stormed into the common room, now quite literally dragging Ginny behind him. Harry and Hermione looked up from their spot at the other side of the room where they were doing homework.
"Ginny, sit" he said gruffly, pushing her to the nearest chair. Ron, in a very characteristic move, began to pace. Ginny just sat and crossed her arms across her chest, watching him closely. She could tell he had something he wanted to say, she just wished that he would hurry the hell up and say it.
"I can't believe how rude you were, I was talking to him...." she started; Some times it was easier just to start Ron on his rampage. Ron glared at her as if she had just said something absolutely stupid.
"You were talking to Malfoy" Ron replied, as though it justified his rudeness, then he turned around again, continuing his calm pacing pattern. The systematic schedule of walking ten paces, and then turning back to walk them again was helping him deal with his anger.
"And so what if I was talking to him?" Ginny asked. Ron growled and ran his hands through his hair; He looked as though at any minute he would begin to pull at it, tearing out huge clumps.
"You can't see a problem with that?" Ron asked, amazed. Ginny shrugged. No, she really didn't see a problem with that.
"You don't know him like I know him" she replied dismissively. Ron stopped pacing and then sat on the coffee table in front of his little sister. The concern in his eyes was evident, Ginny could almost predict what her brother was about to say to her.
"Ginny, how well do you know him? Just because you think you know him, doesn't mean that you really do" Ron began, Ginny rolled her eyes. Predictable.
"Just because you think you know Harry and Hermione, doesn't mean that you do" she shot back. Ron was taken aback, not sure what to say. Harry and Hermione, who had moved over to where the others were, were both smiling, impressed with her comeback.
"She has a point man...." Harry smiled, but then stopped when Ron pinned him with a death glare that would have made Voldemort himself nervous.
"But Ginny...." Ron began, turning back to her "Why were you talking to Malfoy?"
"Draco is my friend" Ginny replied. Ron nearly choked on the anger that was rising in his throat.
"He is your friend?" Ron mumbled, almost as though he believed that if he said it out loud, it would not be true.
"Yes, my friend" Ginny replied defiantly. Ron stood and began pacing the room again.
"How can you be friends with a Malfoy, Have you forgotten the way that his father treated our dad, have you forgotten the way that Malfoy has treated us ever the years, have you forgotten that it was Lucius who gave you the diary that started the whole chamber of secrets incident ........" Ron began to list. Ginny stood, and intercepted her brothers pacing path.
"Don't compare Draco to his father, they are two separate people, Draco would never do anything like that any more" Ginny informed him, Ron smirked, unbelieving.
"Like father, like son Ginny" Ron replied. Never before had Ginny wanted to slap her brother as much as she wanted to slap him now.
"How would you know, you don't even know him" she replied. "He has changed, for the better, over the last two years. Or have you been two pig headed and self absorbed to realize that he is not the same Malfoy?"
"Just because some one changes physically, does not mean that they have change mentally" Ron retorted, Ginny rolled her eyes again.
"And just because some one has grown up does not mean they are any more mature" she replied "Obviously"
"Ginny" Ron started "I am just trying to look out for you ok."
"I don't need you looking out for me, I am 16 and I know what I am doing, I can look out for myself.... I can make my own choices as to who I hang out with" She replied.
"I just don't think that he has changed any, I still think he is a sneaky, manipulative, evil......." Ron began to reply.
"He has changed" She exclaimed "Can't you take my word for it? He has gone through heaps in the last few years, things that would change some one who is even as stubborn as you...." Ginny began
"We have been through lots over the years to!" Ron replied, indicating to the four of them "But that has not changed us"
"This is worse than what we went through" Ginny tried to explain, but Hermione and Harry began to laugh hysterically, it was only a few seconds before Ron joined them in their laughter.
"What, he has an immortal arch nemesis worse than Voldemort on his tail? I find that hard to believe" Harry laughed as he sat on the couch. Hermione, who was trying to control her giggles sat down by his side.
"You are pathetic" Ginny growled. Hermione, Ron and Harry both stopped laughing "Ever thought that some ones personal demons can be stronger than Voldemort. Ever thought that society and other people's thoughts are stronger than what you have to fight. At least your nemesis has a face Harry, where as Draco if fighting something worse than that, he is fighting the system"
"Ginny, I am sorry......" Harry began, but she shook her head.
"No you are not, because if you were really sorry, all three of you would have realized that me being his friend is helping him. If you cared any, you would have realized that I have been his friend ever since the Christmas holidays, and if were truly sorry, you would have realized long before I did that he actually needed help. But no, you didn't care, you were to busy with your relationships and your quidditch games to see anything other than what you think is important to you. Other people have serious problems to you know!...." Ginny told them, she had no idea where her anger was coming from, but now that it was all out in the open, she was glad. These were all things she had been wanting to say for a while now, and it seemed that the moment she opened her mouth, they were just falling into place.
"So, Ron, with all due respect, I don't care what you think of my friendship with Draco, because he is a friend, and he is a friend in need. So I am going to help him, you go on with your lives like I know you will, and I am going to do what I think is right" She replied before pushing her way back to the portrait door and out of the common room.
Hermione, Harry and Ron stood, just gaping, as she walked away from them.
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Ginny had been walking the halls of Hogwarts for a few hours, she had no idea where she was going, she was just walking, trying to think. She had been going over the argument in her head, wondering if she had said too much.
She was starting to feel a little guilty for what she had said to Ron and Harry and Hermione. Maybe it had all been a little harsh of her. But they just didn't know Draco the way that Ginny did. They didn't know what he was going through, and they did not know about Kayla.
Ginny continued to walk, coming to a deserted hall way with large open windows. The land outside looked so fresh, the snow had melted over the weeks and revealed the fresh green grass. The coolness was no longer in the air, and summer was approaching.
She thought of the next year, when she would be the only one of her friends that was still at Hogwarts, Hermione would have moved on to her high powered job, Ron would have opened the third branch of Weasley Wizarding Wheezes in Kent, Harry would be the opening seeker for Puddlemere United, and Draco....Well, Draco would be working for the ministry and hopefully, a full time dad.
It was only a few more weeks till summer. Only a few more weeks before they all left, leaving her to be the only Weasley in the school, she was excited, but she was also a little scared of being by herself.
Something outside caught her eye as she leaned against the window sill. Seven people, dressed in green were making their way across the grounds to the school. Three third years walked together, followed closely three fifth years, the other member, the only seventh year, walked behind them slowly.
Draco looked up, he could feel some one watching him. He had always had a talent of being able to detect if he was being watched or not, and he was being watched now. He quickly scanned the windows of the building in front of him, a small smile coming to his lips when he saw Ginny in one of the windows lower to the ground. He raised his hand and waved, Ginny smiled back.
The other team members all continued their way to the dungeons, oblivious to Draco, who walked down one of the other hallways. He leaned his broom against the wall beside the window, and then approached Ginny.
"You ok Gin?" He asked, shoving his shoulder casually into hers as they stood together.
"Just had a fight with Ron, nothing major" She replied.
"Were you fighting about me?" Draco asked. He had a sick feeling that he already knew the answer. Ginny nodded.
"Yeah, but I don't care about what he said, I have other things on my mind at the moment" she replied.
"And what is that?" Draco asked. Ginny grinned to herself and then sat on the window sill. Draco leaned against the wall beside her.
"Like how good you look in that uniform now that you have some meat on your bones" Ginny joked, Draco smiled.
"Have I thanked you for that yet? For telling me to start eating again? I feel a hundred percent better, ready to take on anything" He admitted, running his hands through his hair. Ginny smiled, blushing a little.
"You don't have to thank me Malfoy" Ginny replied truthfully.
"Have you thought about when we can start to work on getting Kayla back?" Draco asked. Ginny jumped down off of the windowsill and then sat on the floor, Draco slid down the wall and sat by her side.
"This summer?" She suggested, Draco nodded. "By then you would have graduated and you would have officially been given your job right?"
"Yeah"
"We can go into muggle London and you can talk to Kayla's grandparents, see what they say, and if they resist, which I think they will, then we can go to the ministry and take action from there" Ginny explained.
"Are your parents going to be ok with you helping me?" Draco asked. Ginny shrugged
"Probably not at first, but I will just tell them what I told Ron. Of course, I may rephrase it so I don't get in trouble...." Ginny replied.
"What did you tell Ron?" He enquired. He wondered if Ginny told Ron about Kayla. He knew that sooner or later, every one would know, but for the moment, he didn't want them to. He knew that if Ginny told Ron, it would only be a matter of time before Harry and Hermione knew as well.
"That you are my friend, you are different from what you used to be, and that you deserve a second chance. I said that I was doing what I thought was right by helping you and if they didn't like it they would have to just deal with it all in their own way" Ginny replied.
"Thank you" Draco replied. He was touched by the nice things that she had said about him. "If only more people thought that about me."
"They will" She replied, patting his hand softly. They just sat there in silence for a few minutes, together in the hallway.
"Now that you are healthy again Malfoy, we have to move on to the next thing" Ginny smiled, patting his hand.
"And what is that?" He asked.
"Your NEWTS are coming up. Is there any subject that you are failing?" Ginny asked. Draco took a few seconds to think before looking back to her.
"Not failing, I am getting average marks in all of my subjects though" He replied. Ginny nodded.
"Good, the more NEWTS you get, the more responsible and intellectual you will look. We have to remember that you have to try and convince these people that you can look after baby Kayla. Just because you have a good job does not mean that they will not check out your school results. If possible, you need to graduate with honors."
"Will you help me study for my tests then?" Draco asked. Ginny smiled and nodded.
"I will try, I don't know how much help I will be thought" She admitted.
"Maybe helping me this year will help you next year" Draco suggested, Ginny nodded. She looked down at her watch, the little hand was pointed to 'Dinner time'
"Come on Malfoy, let's go eat." She smiled as she pushed herself up from the floor. Draco stood and looked down at himself. He was still in his quidditch training robes, and he was a little on the stinky side.
"Ok, I get it, I will see you later, we can arrange a study session or something" Ginny replied. Draco nodded, and watched as she moved off down the hall towards the Great Hall.
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Review for me please. In one of the next chapters, I will post a little section with replies to some reviews, but at the moment, I couldn't be bothered.