~*~
"Honestly!"
groaned the Fat Lady as Ginny climbed through the portrait hole. "What are
you children doing up at this hour anyway? I do need SOME sleep, you
know!"
"Sorry!" Ginny called breathlessly over her shoulder as she ran after
Harry. He was already halfway down the corridor, and she set off at lightning
speed, her dressing gown billowing out behind her.
"Go back to the Tower, Ginny," Harry said plainly when she reached
his side.
"Where are you going?" she demanded, angrily wiping tears away from
her face.
"It doesn't matter where I'm going." Harry continued striding so
quickly Ginny had to jog beside him. His jaw was set and his eyes stared
straight ahead.
"Please, Harry, what good will it do to start a fight with Malfoy?"
"It'll make me feel better," Harry shot. "Just go, Ginny."
"I won't!" she hissed loudly. "Not till you promise me you won't
start a fight with Malfoy! He's a powerful wizard, Harry, and I bet he's not
afraid of using any spell."
Harry snorted. "Neither am I."
"Harry!" Ginny said, quite shocked. "Don't be insane! You'd be
expelled, you'd have Head Boy status taken away from you, all your
dreams...everything would be lost for one stupid idiot! He's not worth
it!"
"No, Ginny." Harry suddenly stopped dead in his tracks.
"Everything would be lost for you. And you are worth
it."
Ginny stared Harry fully in the face. The resolute, honest look in his eyes
took her breath away. "What...what do you mean?" she stammered.
Harry opened his mouth and started to say something, but stopped abruptly and
shook his head. "It doesn't matter. Just go back, Ginny."
He swept off and out of sight.
Ginny was stubborn. She had made up her mind to go with him, and him saying she
couldn't wouldn't stop her. She let him get a bit ahead, and began to creep
behind, her feet making soft padding noises on the carpeted corridor. When she
heard a voice ahead she froze, and shrunk back into the shadows.
"Mr Potter...good evening, and what keeps you awake at this late
hour?"
"Good evening, Mr Filch," came Harry's unnerved voice. "I was
just attending to some important duties that needed attention before the
morning."
"Very well, very well," Filch grumbled, and stalked off down a fork
in the corridors. Ginny breathed a sigh of relief. Harry being Head Boy
certainly had its advantages.
She wasn't surprised when they reached the entrance to the Slytherin Common
Room.
"Password?" growled the angry looking portrait.
Ah hah! Ginny thought triumphantly. He's stumped now!
"Dorminious," Harry said authoritvely. Ginny raised her
eyebrows. Another Head Boy right, she supposed. She watched as Harry skulked
through the portrait hole, and she hurried over as soon as it had swung shut.
"Password?" repeated the portrait irritably.
"Dorminious," she said, trying to stop her voice from shaking.
It swung open once more and she passed through.
Ginny had never been in the Slytherin Common Room before. It had an almost
eerie feel to it, with its hanging green tapestries and haunting paintings. She
hesitated before taking another step forwards. There was no one in sight - and
then, quite suddenly -
"What are you doing here, Potter?"
"I know what you did, Malfoy."
Ginny was frozen with terror. She couldn't see them, she was behind a wall that
jutted out next to the portrait hole, but she didn't need to.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
There was a pause.
"I think you do."
"If you're talking about Virginia -"
"Yes, I'm talking about Ginny. Why did you do it, Malfoy? She told me everything.
Don't try and lie your way out of this one."
Draco laughed softly. "I did it, Potter," he began, "because of
you."
Ginny frowned, puzzled, and couldn't help but peep her head round the wall.
Draco was sprawled casually across one of the green leather sofas, and Harry
stood towering above him, his chest blown out and his arms firmly by his sides.
"What do you mean because of me?" Harry growled.
"Virginia -"
"HER NAME IS GINNY!"
Ginny jumped, and stepped back. She hated to see Harry shout. There was
something about it that scared her...unnerved her, slightly.
"SHE is the closest thing to you, Potter. I see the look in your eyes when
you watch her. You've been like it ever since fifth year. It's disgusting. And
I knew that by doing what I did, it would kill you. It would kill you to see
your precious little Ginny hurt."
Ginny's emotions ran wild inside of her. What did he mean, the look in Harry's
eyes? And how could he have done such a thing...? She peered round the wall
again. Harry was positively trembling with rage. His eyes looked glazed over,
and both fists were tightly clenched.
"What have I ever done to you to deserve that, Malfoy?"
Every syllable trembled with anger.
"Not much, really," Draco laughed. "I just quite fancied Head
Boy this year. I needed to give you some come uppance, Potter. Of
course, I thought it would've been harder. I suppose it was just my good luck
that your Ginny is quite the little slut, really."
It happened quickly. Harry flew at Draco, his hands were around his neck as
Draco's arms flailed wildly and his legs kicked out at Harry. Ginny pressed her
hand against her mouth to stifle a scream. Suddenly, one of Draco's kicks
landed on Harry's stomach - hard. He reeled back, and his glasses flew off his
head as he fell to the floor. He made a horrible rasping noise as he struggled
to gain his breath back, and Ginny stood, watching, helpless. Draco rubbed his
neck gingerly. Ginny watched with horror as he drew his wand. She instinctively
reached for hers.
"Don't mess with me again, Potter," Draco sneered. Harry fumbled for
his glasses and began to shakily climb to his feet as Draco aimed the wand at
his head. He opened his mouth -
"STUPEFY!" Ginny screamed, her wand pointed at Draco's chest.
She felt a surge of power go through her veins, and realised with relief that
the spell had worked - Draco was frozen in mid air. "Harry!"
She rushed over to Harry and took hold of his arm. He roughly shook her off,
and she stepped back, hurt.
"I TOLD you NOT to come, Ginny!" Harry shouted, raking a hand through
his tangled hair. "Do you realise how dangerous that could've been?"
"Do YOU?" she shouted back, feeling anger boil inside of her. God
knows what incantation Draco was about to utter, she could've just saved his
life, and all he could say was that she shouldn't be there.
By this point about half a dozen sleepy Slytherin students had emerged from
their dormitories to see what all the fuss was about. Harry and Ginny looked at
each other, both their eyes shooting daggers.
"Go back to bed. All of you," Harry shot at the confused looking
Slytherins. The first years rushed back up to bed immediately, squealing as
they went, but the older ones cast furious looks at Harry before they went,
looking curiously at the rousing Draco.
"Harry," Ginny hissed. "The spell's wearing off."
Without a backward glance, Harry walked out of the Slytherin Common Room,
leaving Ginny standing face to face with Draco. The tension between them was
unbearable. Her heart thudded so loudly she was convinced Draco could hear, but
he simply smiled at Ginny. It was a cold, unfriendly smile, filled with self
satisfaction. Ginny felt physically sick as she walked out of the Slytherin
common room, her entire body shaking with a whirlwind of emotion. She felt him
follow her with his eyes until she climbed out the portrait hole. She shuddered
in disgust.
To her surprise, Harry stood waiting for her on the other side.
"Harry?" she frowned.
"Well I couldn't exactly leave you in there with him, could I?" Harry
muttered, refusing to look at her. There was a pause. "You shouldn't have
followed me, Ginny. You didn't need to see me like that."
"Oh, shut up Harry," Ginny snapped. She had reached the end of her
tether, with everything. She was sick and tired of always being in the wrong.
For once, she wanted to have made her own decision, and for no one to have said
anything negative about it. For once, she wanted to be right. And she wanted
Harry to see that. "If I hadn't have followed you, you could've been dead
by now. How did I know what Draco was about to say? I wouldn't put Arvada
Kedavra past him, Harry. I wouldn't put anything past him."
"Don't be so stupid," Harry said gruffly. "He wouldn't - not in
school, not in the Common Room like that. It wouldn't be worth it. Draco's not
an idiot, Ginny. Quite the contrary. That's why he did what he did."
Ginny considered his words. He was probably right. She suddenly felt very
stupid, and felt a hot blush rising up her neck.
"Well...well..." she stammered uncontrollably, "I couldn't help
interjecting, Harry! How do you think it feels to see the person you have been
in love with for eight years at the mercy of his arch enemy? I panicked!"
Ginny found it hard to regret her confession. All she wanted was everything out
in the open.
Harry's head snapped up. He stared at Ginny, his expression blank.
"Then we're at an understanding." Harry's voice was completley calm.
He turned around and disappeared down the corridor, his robes billowing out
behind him.