Author's Note: Hmm...okay, a little less drama in the previous chapter and to be quite honest, I am stuck with no idea whatsoever for this chapter so please, bear with me if this next chapter sucked. I am all out of ideas at the moment and just typing as I go along in the hopes that this next chapter goes along with the rest of the chapters already posted.

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

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XXII. She's In Love With You, You Stupid Git!

Harry watched Ginny all Christmas break. She held a tiny gift wrapped in black with gold ribbons tied around it. She kept on staring at it while turning it over and over in her hand. He knew who the gift was from, but the question was why did he give her a gift? And why wasn't she opening it? Every time Ginny looked at the gift her eyes would have that pained look he has grown accustomed to seeing glaze her eyes whenever she think about Malfoy or comes across something that reminded her of him. He tried talking to her, to comfort her and ask her what he could do for help, but all Ginny did was shake her head and walk away.

Ron and Hermione were as confused as ever with the way Ginny's been acting. They both came up to Harry and asked him what was wrong with her, but he felt compelled not to open his big, fat mouth ever again unless Ginny gave him the go-signal to let her brother and friend know what was wrong. Ron backed off from questioning him, but Hermione remained persistent and kept on bugging Harry about what was wrong with Ginny.

"If you really want to know, why don't you ask her yourself, hm?" Harry adviced Hermione when he finally had enough of her constant prodding.

"You know Ginny doesn't share secrets with me the way she does with you, Harry." Hermione reminded him sternly.

"So? I think if you ask her nicely she'll tell. You know, just because Ginny and I have gotten close over the years doesn't automatically mean she shares everything with me, Hermione. She still has her secrets she keeps."

"But Harry--"

Harry raised his hands to stop Hermione's whining. "Look, just ask her, alright? God knows I tried to ask her numerous times but she just won't talk to me."

"Who wouldn't talk to you, Harry?" came the sound of the voice of the person they have been talking about.

Harry and Hermione turned their heads to the direction of the stone spiral staircase leading to the boys and girls dorm rooms inside Gryffindor tower.

"Hi Gin." Harry smiled and excused himself from the two girls, "I think Hermione wants to ask you something. I'm gonna go check on what Ron's doing." he made his escape as fast as he could, leaving Hermione no choice but to ask Ginny herself all the questions she had been bombarding Harry with since Christmas.

Ginny watched Harry go before turning her attention to Hermione who remained seated in one of the armchairs in the common room.

"What's up, Mione?" she asked, walking towards the chair Harry just vacated.

"Uhm...Ginny...well, you see...I know we never really shared much about everything, unlike you and Harry who shared almost every juicy secret about each other." she began, stumbling a bit with her words and avoiding any eye contacts with the young redhead. "Look, what I'm trying to say is I want to--"

"You want to know what's bothering me, is that right?" Ginny finished off for her, making Hermione stare at her friend wide-eyed.

"Uh...yeah. In a way. I mean, I noticed how distraught you are since...well, since practically before the Christmas break, and during Christmas you weren't at all yourself. I know it has something to do with Malfoy since...well, since you and him were practically buddies at the beginning of the year, but then all that changed in a flash and now I'm left wondering what happened." she explained.

Ginny took a deep breath. She knew her odd behaviour over Christmas would result in either Hermione or Ron confronting her about it. She knew Harry wouldn't; he already knows why she was acting oddly.

"Mione, can I trust you with a secret and promise me you won't freak out when I tell you?"

Hermione got even more curious now. She looked at her friend intently, leaning forward so she could hear everything Ginny has to say clearly.

"Is it about Malfoy, Gin?" she asked hopefully.

Well, seems like Hermione can sure read minds. Either that or I'm way too obvious with my feelings as of late. she thought miserably to herself before taking a deep breath and answering, "Something's changed and I don't know what or why."

"Between you and Malfoy, you mean?"

"Yeah." Ginny nodded, "We were fine a few months back, flirting with each other, annoying each other in a good way then suddenly, everything changed!" she let out a deep, hearty breath and fell back on the seat, "I thought he was starting to like me, you know? Hell, I even thought he was starting to fall in love with me after we spent the--" Ginny quickly bit her tongue when she realized what she was about to say to Hermione, turning a pair of wide green eyes at the direction of her friend who sat immobile in the armchair, her jaw hanging close to the floor.

"You and Malfoy slept together?" her voice came out as a choked whisper, her brown eyes growing wider and wider by the second.

Ginny knew it was too late to cover up her minor slip, so she went ahead and told Hermione the truth. "We did sleep together, but nothing happened except for us making out then falling asleep in each other's arms." she explained.

"Oh." but Hermione still looked skeptical and there was nothing more Ginny could do to keep her friend from thinking of the worse of her. Nevertheless she told Hermione everything there was she needed to know to understand her situation much better. And understand it she did.

While Ginny was pouring her heart out to her, telling her every bit of detail, from when it all started until before Christmas break, Hermione already devised a plan that she knew Ginny would disapprove of once she finds out, hence why she wouldn't tell Ginny what she concocted.

~*~

Draco was busy minding his own business on his way back to the Slytherin dungeons after spending countless hours locked up in the library to study. Sure anybody who found out about this would have a heart attack mainly because Draco Malfoy rarely hangs out in the library, but as of late the library seemed to be the only place that offered him solitude from all the chaos that has been happening around him. Also it was the only place he could catch a glimpse of Ginny Weasley moving from one aisle after another looking for books on spells and whatnots.

He knew he was torturing himself by stalking Ginny in the library, but that was the only time he could actually look at her and let his emotions overcome him. He was still hurt at what she did to him, playing him until he was wrapped around her finger before secretly cavorting with Potter to confess her true feelings for his damned nemesis. He still couldn't find it in his heart to forgive her, and yet he cared for her so much to remained angry with her.

"Malfoy, a word if you may?" came Hermione's voice shrouded in the shadow of one of the pillars lining the hallway.

He stopped mid-step and turned his neck here and there in search of his unseen companion. Great, someone wearing an Invisibility Cloak once again. Will these Gryffindor kids ever appear somewhere without having to be invisible? he asked himself irately when he couldn't see the owner of the voice.

"Alright, Granger, I haven't got time to play your silly Gryffindor games. Show yourself." he commanded and waited for her to appear. He counted one to three, his patience ticking away along with each count until finally Hermione showed herself on the third count. She stood just a couple of feet behind him wearing a smirk on her face.

"I am not playing games, Malfoy. Besides, I wanted to have a few words with you, if you don't mind."

"And what, pray tell, do you want to talk about, huh Mudblood?" he crossed his arms lazily over his chest, his eyebrow raised questioningly at the bushy-haired Gryffindor girl.

"You and Ginny." Hermione answered without blinking.

That sure got Draco's attention. What was there to talk about between him and Ginny? As far as he was concerned they hadn't been seen flirting together, cavorting together, and God knows what else since the night he caught her sneaking off with Potter to profess her love for the blasted git.

"There's nothing to talk about concerning that, Mudblood." he replied snidely, "Now, if that is all you came to talk to me about, then I think we have reached a roadblock for that blasted Weasley and I have nothing to do with each other." he added sounding more righteous, "Not anymore anyway." he added more to himself than to the hearing pleasure of the snoopy Gryffindor.

"I don't think so, Malfoy." Hermione shook her head firmly, "You like her." she pointed out, "You like her a lot and right now you're treating her like crap!"

"So what if I am? It's not as if she didn't fucking play me for a fool!" he nearly yelled, but he kept his temper in check and kept his tone to normal level.

Hermione was confused. What the hell was he talking about? Ginny played him for a fool? How?

Draco read the unspoken question cross the dark haired girl's face. She was confused. Hell, why should she be? She was friends with Potter and Ginny, she should know that her two best friends had been a couple for a while now!

"I see you're too slow in the uptake, Granger." he couldn't help ridiculing her.

"What the hell are you talking about, Malfoy?"

"I'm talking about your precious Potter and that damn Weaslet getting together. I'm surprised you didn't know they've been together for so long."

"What?!" Hermione couldn't believe what she was hearing. He must be hallucinating! Harry and Ginny a couple? Impossible! Surely they would tell her if they indeed had gotten together, and from what Ginny told her Harry wasn't even in the picture except as her close confidante--nothing more, nothing less. "You've got to be mistaken, Malfoy."

"Oh really?" he snorted, "I saw them myself, Granger. I saw them with my own two eyes all mushy and shit! Hell, she even told him she was falling in love with him!"

"What do you mean all mushy and shit? And Ginny telling Harry she loves him?" she questioned, an eyebrow raised. Something doesn't fit here. Something was out of place and either Malfoy was telling her something Ginny skipped or Ginny all together decided not to tell her about something happening between her and Harry.

"Like them doing this." without giving her any warning, in two long strides Draco was towering over Hermione and grabbed her around the waist to haul against him, his head swooping down to captured her surprised mouth in a kiss that wasn't even close to replicating that kind of passionate kiss he witnessed Harry and Ginny shared all those months ago.

Hermione was too damned shocked to do anything else. She remained frozen in Draco's arms, feeling his warm lips over hers. God, Ginny was so right! she thought to herself, He was a damn fine good kisser. But wait! Damn! I shouldn't be kissing him! He may be a freaking good kisser, but he's not mine to kiss or Ginny will have a hissy fit! she finally found the strength to pull her arms up and brace it against Draco's chest, pushing him away with all her might.

"Draco Malfoy, you have no fucking--" but the rest of Hermione's words were cut short when she heard a startled gasp coming from behind her. She quickly looked over her shoulder and found a dumbstruck Ginny standing there, a pile of books she must've been carrying were clattered at her feet. Hermione risked looking back at her friend's face, guilt washing all over her, and as soon as her brown eyes locked with her green, angry gaze she knew she was in trouble. "Ginny, wait!" Hermione called out and clambered to be free off Draco's embrace, but Ginny was too fast for her and soon she saw her best friend sprinting down the corridor in the opposite direction, the pile of books she borrowed from the library left scattered on the floor.

"Damn." she hissed under her breath and turned to face the person who caused her friend so much trouble and heartache. Without thinking twice she felt the palm of her hand connect with the flesh of Draco's cheek, a red stinging handprint visible on his pale face.

"What the fuck?!" Draco growled, touching his stinging face.

"How dare you kiss me like that in front of Ginny?! Is that your way of extracting revenge on her? By hurting her by using her friend?!" she was so mad she didn't realize she had raised her voice, "She loves you, you insufferable git! She has been in love with you for months! Sure she had a thing for Harry a few years ago, but she soon overcome that after Harry told her it wouldn't work out between them. Since then she moved on from her childish crush on Harry Potter, thinking of him as just a very good friend!"

Draco looked like he was about to protest, but Hermione didn't give him a chance. She was too mad and too upset right now to let him have a few words to say until after she was done.

"It started out as a minor crush, actually just an idle curiosity, when she started to seek you out, but after spending so much time with you she soon found herself falling madly in love and was elevated to cloud nine when she thought you felt the same way for her. Then things changed and you started acting like the prat you were before, but even more worse than before, actually." she paused to take a couple of deep breaths before adding, "She was never in love with Harry Potter. The only guy she ever did love more than her brothers was you, Draco Malfoy."

~*~*~*~*~

to be continued...

A/N: tun-dun-dun-dun...hehehehe, another monkey-wrench thrown into the mix that is the complicated love life of Draco Malfoy and Ginny Weasley. gosh, I can't believe I uploaded four chapters in like two or three or even four days in a row! :::grins::: damn, I must be really inspired! and lemme tell ya, while writing this chapter I am getting excited to write the next chapter because this chapter once again inspired me to get started on the next chapter and tackle the ever so complicated lives of our hero and heroine! anyways, as always read, review & enjoy!

Loves-Kiss: I'm so glad you made it home with 5 mins to spare! hehehehe :::winks::: and lookie! I uploaded like 4 chapters in a few days! yippee for me! :::laughs:::

heehaw: well Ginny didn't yell at Draco in this chappie, but he sure got some pretty good slapping! :::laughs:::

kellyanne: actually I like it when Draco's being an ass :::laughs::: for some odd reason it just makes him look more sexier to my eyes when he is being his usual bad boy self :::winks:::

Lady Godiva: please don't cry! well actually, that was my point when I wrote the last two chapters (this one excluded, hehehehe)--I wanted you readers to feel sorry for their doomed(?) relationship

Tweek's Panda: well I'm glad you liked my story. I wasn't into Draco/Ginny pairings before (I was more into Hermione/Draco pairings) but after reading a couple of good D/G fics on ff.net, it changed my way of seeing this two together! and they're just fun to write about too

Sharlene: lookie here! you don't have to wait too long before you could read the next chapter, it's already posted! and if I get lucky the next chapter might be posted tomorrow night at the latest! :::grins:::

Miss Marauder: thanks for liking the last few chapters I uploaded so quickly, and look, here's the next one for you to enjoy! and since I'm so damn inspired right now I think the next chapter will be out quickly too. and now looks like Ginny's gonna be pissed right off with Draco--and Hermione--after what she saw in this chapter :::laughs:::

OpalKoboi: :::laughs::: I have a fairly good idea what was in it, but of course like Ginny, you won't find out until she decides to open the gift herself...and I dunno when Draco will stop being an ass...I think he'll have a dose of his own medicine after this chapter :::winks:::

MelissaAdams: well missy, here is the next chapter! :::laughs::: and don't worry, I won't keep you in suspense for long for the next chapter (provided I get to finish it without any further distractions hopefully by tomorrow afternoon right after I get home from work) so just sit still and continue on with your fic too! I wanna know what happens next!

tigereyes320: uh-oh...I gots ya hooked worse on this than on your soaps? hmm...then I must be doing something good here :::laughs::: and somebody did slap Draco silly, only it wasn't Ginny who did it :::grins:::

Joynspirit: You're welcome. I try to update as fast as I can because if I don't and I get hit by writer's block, it will take me weeks before I update again. hmm...in every fic I write to tend to make some of the characters act more like somebody else, to me it gets too boring to portray them as the same kinda person every time, don't you think so?

G/D Forever!!!: thanks for liking my fic! and don't worry, Draco & Ginny will eventually get back together...it's just a matter of time before they do though