Author's Note: Okay, I'm in the mood for some "romance" and...well, romance and drama, hehehehe :::winks::: Anyways, thanks for all you avid reviewers and new reviewers alike. Here's the next chapter, hope you like this one and hope the next succeeding chapters should get better and better...

Disclaimer: I must've written this numerous times as it is and you know what? NOT MINE!!!

Summary: Ginny Weasley received the shocker of a lifetime when she entered her sixth year at Hogwarts. She fell in love with the last person on earth she thought she'd fall for. Now she has to do everything in her power to grab his attention and make him hers--even if she have to face the wrath of her six brothers and her parents, not to mention the wrath of Hermione and Harry when they find out what she was planning to do.

Setting: Ginny is in her 6th year; Draco is in his 7th year

~*~*~*~*~*~

XVI. Open Your Heart to Me

Draco has just finished clearing some of Snape's potion ingredients and putting them in order when he heard a rustling sound near the doorway. His senses went on to full alert and the hairs at the back of his head stood to full attention. He has had this dreadful feeling someone's been watching him for the last fifteen minutes, and he had one guess who that person could be. After all the last time he was left alone in a classroom to serve his detention an invisible person has kept him company.

"Don't be cowering in the corner, Red. Snape won't be back for at least another ten minutes." he announced, his concentration still focused on the jar he was wiping.

From behind him he heard the same familiar scraping of cloth followed by a long, deep sigh of relief. He took his time looking at her, wanting to be sure that everything was in order before entertaining this unwanted company.

"Almost done there, Ferret Boy?" she asked, but her voice lacked its usual flair. She sounded...well, to Draco she sounded a bit sad to say the least. Something was bothering her he could tell, but he doesn't know what exactly was bothering her.

"Yeah." he nodded and placed the jar on its rightful place. "Damn Snape made me alphabetize all his ingredients." he mumbled as he dusted his hands on his robes and turned to face her. "So, what are you doing here, Red? Didn't I just tell you to enjoy your Friday night, hm?" he sounded like her father just then, scolding her for not following his wishes.

"I did what you said, Ferret Boy. I tried to patch things up with my brother and his friends, but after hearing what you said earlier new ideas started forming in their overactive brains, so instead of the four of us arguing again, I just left and went in search of you." she explained matter-of-factly.

Draco leaned against the shelves containing Snape's potions ingredients, his trademark smirk plastered on his face and his eyebrow rose in query to her reply.

"And why would you be searching for me?" he questioned.

"I don't know." she shrugged and pulled out a chair and parked herself there, "I guess because I find you quite intriguing?" she said hopefully.

He snorted and pushed himself away from the shelves, pulling a chair out for himself and sat across from her. "Intriguing?" he echoed when he finally spoke, his eyebrow still arched in that questioning fashion.

Ginny's smile came out slowly, tilting her head to the side she studied the boy seated before her, arms crossed, legs spread apart and he was slouching in his seat. She knew what she was getting in to when she first started out seducing him; she was trying to work out her infatuation over the guy and...well, simply put, she wanted to be some daredevil of some sort. Her curiosity over why most girls trip over their own foot whenever Draco Malfoy was within close range of theirs irked her curiosity. Until recently she has never paid much attention to this insufferable git, but after paying close attention to him, she began to get to know guy for the person that he was underneath everything else that he used to cover up the human part of Draco Malfoy. And although the boy infuriates her to bits, still, she missed his company when he wasn't around. And their flirting...gosh! She has never enjoyed such flirtation with anybody else, even Harry's flirting with her didn't excite her as much as Draco does.

"Yeah." she nodded.

"Hmmm...intriguing how?" he questioned.

"Oh...just...just intriguing." she shrugged, "Please, don't ask me any more question."

"Why not?" he raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"Just don't because I don't have an answer as to why I find you intriguing." she replied irately then decided to change the subject before Draco could question her some more, "You done now?"

"Yeah." he gave a careless shrug and took one last cursory look around Snape's office, satisfied with the work he has accomplished he turned back to Ginny and nodded, "It looks like everything's in order."

Ginny let out a sigh and glanced around the small, cramped room. "Can't you leave now?"

"I suppose I could, but Snape told me to wait for him so that's what I'm doing."

"Oh, I see." she nodded, looking around once more. "Ever wonder why Snape was in such a rotten mood all week?" she asked, turning her gaze back to him. "I mean, he docked points off Slytherin--huge points off for that matter--and gave you, his most favoured student, two detention!"

"Your guess is as good as mine, Red." he shrugged, "I couldn't believe he gave me detention after catching me coming back late from detention Monday night."

"Oh. Well, I hear that Snape's sour mood is because of our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."

"What else is new?"

"What's new, Malfoy, is that our DADA teacher this year is a woman who, according to Hogwarts grapevine, is being fancied by Snape himself!" she told him confidently.

"You're kidding me!"

Ginny sat back in her seat and raised an eyebrow, "Don't you ever listen to school gossip, Ferret Boy?"

Draco gave her a funny look, "I don't pay attention to campus grapevine, Red."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Anyway, it's the talk of the town--or in our case, the talk of the school. Snape's been pining for our DADA professor since the beginning of the school year, but she's playing hard to get."

"Hmm...no wonder Snape's knicker's tied up in a knot." he mumbled under his breath.

Ginny looked at him in surprise, not believing what her ears just heard. She tried to contain her giggle at hearing what Draco just said, but it was a losing battle. She burst out laughing afterwards, a vivid mental picture Snape looking ill at ease with his current situation with the new DADA teacher.

Draco continued to look at her funnily, frowning at the hysterical Gryffindor seated across from him.

"What's gotten into you, Weasley?"

It took Ginny a couple of seconds to regain her composure and let her laughter subside to small giggles until finally she was able to swallow it all down and look him straight in the eyes, "Malfoy, did you hear what you just said?"

Draco frowned and played back what he just told Ginny before she burst out in fits of uncontrollable laughter. He soon realized what he just said was very un-Draco Malfoy like and rumble came from somewhere deep inside him. Ginny watched his facial expression and when their eyes met, they both burst out laughing at the silliness of what Draco just said.

They must have been sharing a good belly-laugh for about a minute when some scraping from outside Snape's office made Draco stop and motioned for Ginny to do so.

"Quick, hide under your cloak and don't make a sound." he hissed under his breath and paced himself until Snape made an appearance. As usual he was looking very grim, his eyes looking like a pair of tiny slits as he glanced around the room.

"Who were you talking to, Mr. Malfoy?" he questioned.

"No one, sir." he denied, his gray eyes quickly darting at the direction Ginny disappeared from earlier.

Snape noticed Draco's quick glance at the spot Ginny was at and he didn't let it slide by like it was nothing.

"So, somebody is here." Snape mused, walking towards the chair Ginny was sitting at. "Could it be your little girlfriend from Monday night, Mr. Malfoy?" he sneered.

Draco held his breath, his gray eyes looking worriedly at the chair. He had no idea where Ginny went, if she was still there or if she moved away. And he knew better than to say something back to Snape especially when he was in a foul mood. He doesn't want to receive another detention from the man!

He watched as Snape made a swipe at the pulled out chair. Draco didn't realize he was holding his breath until he realized that Snape didn't hit anything. But as soon as he released the breath he was holding another thought popped in his mind: where did Ginny go?

"Don't make a sound, I'm right behind you." Ginny whispered, answering Draco's mental question.

In response Draco nodded his head while Snape was busy swatting at empty chair. From where Ginny and Draco stood they could tell Snape wasn't at all pleased. He was expecting to find someone using an Invisibility Cloak--or putting to use the potion they brewed in class--seated on the vacant chair, but when he swatted nothing but thin air his mood turned even more sour than it already was. Convinced that no one was there, Snape turned a pair of piercing dark eyes at his favoured student and studied him carefully. Draco gulped down hard, he felt Ginny pressed herself against him as Snape continued to glare down at him, convincing himself that his student wasn't lying to him. After what seemed like an eternity, Snape finally convinced himself that there was just him and Draco in the room and he dismissed his student.

Draco bid his potions teacher a hasty good evening and practically ran out of the room. He didn't stop until he has put a great big distance between him and his dungeons classroom. He can't risk being put in to another detention! He paused nearing the staircases and was about to head back to the Slytherin dungeons until he remembered that he wasn't alone inside Snape's office. He quickly spun around and collided with the invisible Ginny who remained close to him.

"Oof!" Ginny exclaimed softly when she collided with Draco, losing her footing at the unexpected collision and braced herself to fall flat on her behind, but the fall never came. She felt a pair of strong arms around her waist and she was soon pressed against the hard wall of Draco Malfoy's chest. Pushing the cloak off her head, she lifted her face up and smiled at her savior, "Thanks."

Draco's arms remained locked protectively around her waist, his breathing suddenly coming out of his lungs raggedly. "No problem." he replied and slowly, but ever so reluctantly, released his captive.

Ginny stepped out of Draco's embrace and straightened her suddenly disheveled cloak. She was busy righting the cloak over her that she didn't realize Draco was watching her intently, studying the contours of her lovely face and storing it away in the vault hidden at the back of his head. Hell, try as he might he couldn't really deny what his heart has been screaming all along. He reached out and captured Ginny's chin between his thumb and forefinger, making her look up at him.

"Ginny..." he began, but he couldn't think past saying her name. It felt so foreign in his mouth and yet so natural for him to say it out loud, as if he has said it to her often enough.

Ginny's shock quickly registered in her suddenly wide as saucers green eyes. Draco just called her 'Ginny!' Could her ears be deceiving her? She just heard him right, didn't she? She wasn't just hearing things. Draco Malfoy refrained from calling her 'Red' or 'Weasel' or even 'Virginia,' he called her by her most favoured name.

"Y-yes?" she stammered, her heart beating rapidly, pounding hard against her chest as she anticipated what was going to happen next. In as much as she hated to admit it, she has been wanting to kiss Draco since their interrupted snog-fest Monday night.

"I--I...." he stammered, but he couldn't get the words get past his suddenly drying lips.

"Y-you what?" she looked at him hopefully.

"I...I want..."

"Yes?" she prodded.

"I want to kiss you."

Hallelujah! Ginny's mind sang and her mouth slowly break into a warm smile. She decided not to give Draco a hard time and leaned up on tiptoes to press her lips gently against his. She thought she heard Draco let out an almost animal-like growl before she felt his arms wrap around her waist, pulling her closer to him as he deepened the kiss, his tongue snaking out of his mouth and prodded her soft lips to part, which they did without much ado.

The couple remained snogging at the bottom of the staircases unbeknownst to them that two pairs of eyes were watching from somewhere above, both glaring down at the lovely couple lost in a kiss fuelled by passion.

"We're going to get caught." Draco said against her lips as he nipped at her bottom lip.

"So?" Ginny giggled, nipping at Draco's upper lip.

"I don't want to land another detention, Red."

"What's your worry, Ferret Boy? If we're caught we'll both get detention, not just you." she pointed out.

"True. But three detention in a week is too much for me to bear. I want to wait at least until next month before I serve another one."

Ginny giggled and unwrapped her arms from around his neck. She didn't break their kiss as she grabbed the edges of the cloak and covered them both with it.

"There. Satisfied now? I don't think we'll get caught by anybody now." she whispered, her lips trailing feathery-like kisses over his face as her arms locked around his neck.

"Smart girl." he grinned and pinched her butt cheek. He quickly covered Ginny's mouth with his before she yelped out loud.

~*~

"Where'd they go?" Harry asked worriedly when Draco and Ginny suddenly disappeared from their view.

Ron was straining his neck in search of his sister and his mortal nemesis, but thanks to Ginny stealing Harry's Invisibility Cloak, it made it damn near impossible for them to spot the couple.

"Damn she hid themselves under the cloak!" he hissed, banging his balled up fist on the stone balustrade, "They could be sneaking off elsewhere now to do the deed."

"Ron, watch what you're saying!" Harry scolded, although he was afraid to admit that Ron might just be right and Draco and Ginny just might do the deed somewhere else.

"What?" he snapped at his best friend, "You saw it for yourself the way they looked at each other before they snogged. Who knows if this is the first time they snogged or not."

"Well there's nothing much we can do now." Harry said, a tad bit resigned. "C'mon, let's go back to our dorm and wait for her." he grabbed Ron away from where they stood watching and headed straight back to Gryffindor Tower.

But Ginny didn't return back to her dorm that night.

~*~*~*~*~

to be continued...

A/N: tun-dun-dun-dun....hehehehe, where did Ginny and Draco disappear to? Is Ron right and the two actually do the deed? What's Harry going to do now? Will Draco and Ginny be confessing their undying love for each other now? Hmmm...too many questions...but of course YOU'LL just have to wait and find out, hehehehe, as always read, review & enjoy!

Numgirl: well, thanks for leaving your mark in every chapter :::laughs::: and yep, my biggest flaw is often confusing the tenses, but I am doing my best to correct that, hehehehe, anyways, here's the next installment, hope you enjoy it

SeZzA: hey! thanks and yeah, it never ceases to amaze me too when I read fics and the lead character(s) realize they are in love...hehehehe

Christmas Angel: well here's the next chapter...a day late from when I posted the previous chapter, but at least you didn't have to wait a week for it, hehehehe :::winks:::

Eclipse2003: I think I need to throw in a wrench somewhere to complicate their relationship a bit :::winks::: hence why Harry and Ginny are cozy with each other, hehehehe

Lady Godiva: I think I sorta explained the reason why Snape was pissed off. It's a kinda far-out explanation but that's the best I could come up with! :::laughs::: I can't possibly think of any other possible reason as to why Snape's a bit testy, but hey, I heard sometimes 'love' can make people moody--especially if they ain't getting the result they aimed for :::laughs:::

Starry: Well thanks to my sister I started to like Draco (and I have had a crush on Tom Felton since I first saw him in Anna and the King :::winks:::) so knowing that Tom plays Draco in the movie just makes it easier for me to envision the Draco in the books! :::laughs::: and besides, it's a whole lot fun to write stories when the lead guy is a 'bad boy'

Crystal: did I just make it sound that he's not adorable at all times? :::frowns::: well of course Ferret Boy's sooo adorable! hehehehe

Dracos gal: and seems like Draco ain't the only one realizing that he has fallen in love...

ct: hmm...I'll ponder on that one and see if I can make it the other way around, hehehehe

Blu Misterie: :::laughs::: you just think Ginny's annoying 'coz she gets to snog Draco :p Anyways, thanks for liking this fic even though you are annoyed with Ginny :::grins:::

DaRkShAdOwS: Why thank you very, very, very much for expressing how much you really like my story, and I hope that this chapter is interesting enough for you :::smiles:::

MelissaAdams: awww, thanks a bunch! and oh yeah, I read your fic too and reviewed it twice! when's the next update?! I really enjoyed that one...who would've thought that playing truth or dare could get sooo darn complicated?! :::laughs:::

kellyanne: :::smiles::: who doesn't like reading reviews? and yeah, BAAADDD kellyanne indeed!! :::laughs::: but I'm sure you ain't the only one who wants to see Draco without his boxers on :::evil grin:::

fyrechild: yep, Draco is softening...I just know there's a real softie hidden underneath all that smirking visage of his

BasketCase33: thanks for liking the way I portrayed Ginny here :::smiles::: and also for liking the story, hope you like this next chapter too

Daemon Sorceress: thanks for thinking this is different from other fics...i got a review near the beginning that this is a Mary Sue ::frowns::: oh well, whether it's a Mary Sue-ish story or not, people still likes and reviews it :::laughs::: and Ginny listening to Mr. Malfoy? hehehe, like that will ever happen :::LMFAO:::

ManiacalLaughterofaManiac: ::laughs::: thanks for liking the fic and Draco needs to get laid when Ginny plays? hmm...hehehe, maybe ::winks:::

Sharlene: :::laughs::: well I think I explained why Snape's not his usual self in this chapter...and yeah, it's kinda harsh for him to take off 40 points from Slytherin and give Draco 2 detention...but oh well :::shrugs:::

hasapi: I think your first question's been answered. What constitutes a friendship? Ooohh...that one's a toughie :::laughs::: And as for Harry telling Ginny his feelings...hmm...maybe, maybe not...we'll see...well and as for their relationship...WHOSE relationship? Draco & Ginny's relationship? Hmmm...it's a toss-up between them becoming friends and later on becoming lovers :::winks:::

Lamia G: like a twilight zone? how come?

Risquer: :::laughs::: Ginny's a sexcrazed-grotty bastard?! :::frowns::: how come?!

"hp fan": thanks for leaving your mark and liking this "all spunky" Ginny