Chapter 16 Dead

Rating: PG-13

The Girl All The Bad Guys Want

Author's Note: Thanks everyone so much for reviewing for the last chapter! I really appreciate it!

Author's Note 2: I understand that some people believe that Colin was not right for this role and that this was totally out of character for him but I picked him because he was already there, ready for some personality. You really don't get to know Colin all that well, nothing about his thoughts or anything so I just gave him a few, it's nothing personal to him. If you would rather, you may replace his name with "Bob"! Anyways, just thought you should know my reasoning!

Author's Note 3: I'm sorry to inform you that there will not be a whole lot of happiness for a few chapters, but important, dramatic, exciting things. Please keep reading and please review!

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The day of the second dance approached quickly and Ginny had ventured from her bed finally, knowing that it was just as unsafe as the rest of the castle, maybe even more so.

As Ginny walked through the desolate halls of Hogwarts she kept glancing around her nervously, hoping that Colin was in class and not lurking in the shadows. Thankfully she made it all the way to her Advanced DADA class undisturbed.

The redhead walked into the classroom with her head down, not wanting to see Draco's face among the familiar crowd. She had skipped every meal from the day of the breakup on, because she didn't think she could face Draco again.

"Ms. Weasley, so happy to see you again! I do hope that you are well." Professor Lupin greeted her. He had decided to come back and teach Defense Against the Dark Arts until they found another teacher (besides Snape) who was willing to take the believed-to-be-cursed position.

"Hello, Professor." Ginny said back, keeping her head down and taking a seat.

This was going to be a very long day.

* * *

Draco noticed the redhead come into clas, hanging her head. It was the first time he had seen Ginny in days. She was never in the hall, in her classes or even at meals - not that he was looking. Someone told him that she had been busy. If she was too busy to even come to class, then he must wonder how did she find the time to eat?

* * *

She didn't.

When Chloe brought her food, she would throw it away or flush it down the toilet. How could she eat if she was so depressed?

After DADA Professor Dumbledore told the older students (5th year and up) that they were excused from the rest of their classes for that day to go to Hogsmeade or whatnot in preparation for that night's dance.

"Isn't it great Gin! We have the whole rest of the day to go shopping!" Chloe exclaimed. She was overjoyed as she was going to the dance with Andrew tonight. She still had not told Ginny this but hoped she would be all right with it. Lately Ginny had been in such a daze that she had been totally ignoring Adnrew, who was craving Ginny's affections.

"Yeah, Chloe. Great." Ginny, on the other hand was going with Colin, of course. He wouldn't allow her to go with anyone else. No, this had to be torture too. Tonight was the night that anyone would see them as a "couple."

"Well, let's get going or there'll be lines that we're not in the front of!" Chloe said, grabbing Ginn'y arm and pulling her off to the Hogsmeade Mall.

* * *

As soon as the tow girls stepped into the mall they headed straight to the Crack. Chloe picked out yet another pair of jeans that looked remarkably like the first and a lime green halter top.

Ginny took her time browsing through the clothes. It wasn't like she was going to be dressing up for anyone special anymore.

Finally, Ginny found a pair of short shorts and a red one-shouldered top. She stepped into the luxurious dressing room and tried it on for the ever-impatient shopper that was Chloe.

"That looks marvelous Gin! Now, hurry up and change because we really have to go! That cashier is lookin' fine and there's some nasty Slytherin girls about to go over there." Chloe said, winking at her best friend.

"Okay." Ginny sulked, changing back before following Chloe to the cashier.

Thankfully, for Ginny anyway (who might have died had they not made it before the Slytherins due to Chloe), they reached the checkout first and Chloe got an address out of the deal, plus a name.

After the girls had everything they need, to include shoes, makeup and accessories, the pair headed down to the Three Broomsticks for a Butterbeer, on Chloe. Ginny felt relaxed after taking her first sip of anything in days.

"Gin, you haven't been the same the past few days. Is there anything going on, that I should know about?" Chloe questioned.

"Yes." Ginny answered quietly.

"I think I know what it is." Chloe said solemnly.

"You do?" Ginny asked, her eyes lighting up. If Chloe really did know that would mean she had someone to take to and confide in. Maybe Chloe wand her could even go to McGonagall and she would believe them.

"Yeah, it's about me and Andrew going to the dance together isn't it?" Chloe asked with a sad but omniscient aura.

Of course Chloe would have no idea what was really going on. How could she, how could anyone? Colin appears so innocent it's almost unrealistic to think him capable of anything so awful. Chloe was so oblivious to real life that it was unbelievable. Of course she would think of something like that.

"I can break up with him if you want me to Gin, it's just that with you acting so weird you've been ignoring him and so I thought you were done with him - you know, had your fun." Chloe explained.

Leave it to Chloe to talk about boys as though they were tissues or those dolls you used to play with when you were like six.

"Oh no, don't apologize Chloe. You're right, I've had my fun." Ginny said, suddenly not hungry anymore. She pushed her half-empty glass to the side.

"Oh! Great then!" Chloe said beaming. "So who's your date anyway? You never tell me anything anymore!"

The question she'd been dreading.

"Uh.. C-Colin. Colin Creevy" Ginny managed.

"Oh! He's liked you for so long! You guys'll be so cute together!" Chloe squealed.

"Oh joy." Ginny muttered.

"What?" Chloe asked slurping up the last of her drink.

"Well doy!" Ginny lied, receiving a weird look from Chloe, probably wondering what "doy" meant. "Duh?" Ginny clarified, Chloe looked as though she had just gotten a huge epiphany and nodded.

Chloe smiled and checked her watch.

"Oh jeez, Gin! We've really got to be going if we want time to practice our songs and get ready!" She realized.

"Yeah." Ginny agreed, grabbing her bag and marching out the door with Chloe in the lead.

* * *

Draco thought deeply about the song he was singing that night.

"Blaise, I don't know. It's sort of brutal. I was looking for something a little more subtle to start out with." He wined.

"No it's not you big sissy! You wanted Red to get the message right? The title says everything right there for you! Anyway, you have got to make it unmistakable so the little tramp will get the idea right? Or she'll be up all night trying to figure it out." Blaise mocked.

"I guess." Draco said grudgingly. He'd rather just not compete at all and he absolutely did not want to listen to Weasel and her sorry attempts at singing.

"Hey Malfoy! You gotta get going! Barbie's waiting for you!" Blaise said putting an even darker damper yet on Draco's already miserable mood.

Barbie, a.k.a. Audrie, was his date for tonight's dance again. And now she was also his girlfriend. Draco was less than thrilled. Sure, she was drop-dead gorgeous but she was dumber than a box of rocks. Nothing upstairs.

"Shoot me now." Draco said, putting his index finger to his head and making it gun-like.

"Shoot you?" Blaise asked. Obviously she hadn't ever heard of guns before, which did not shock Draco in the least seeing as her family was just as wealthy as the Malfoy family and didn't put up with anything related to Muggles either.

The only reason Draco knew of them was because of Muggle Studies.

"Never mind, Zambini. See ya." Draco said, glowering as he left.

* * *

Once Ginny was ready, she helped Chloe get her hair done. Both of their hair was curly just as Ginny's had been the last time. Nothing fancy. Ginny said her song which reportedly "broke Chloe's heart," and made tears threaten to fall from Ginny's eyes.

Chloe did a dance again. She claimed she danced like some Muggle artist named Shakira. Ginny could have sworn that her hips were rigged somehow to move like that. No matter how hard she tried, while Chloe was in the bathroom, her hips refused to move like that.

"Well, you need to get to your Prince Charming, Ginny and Andrew will be up to get me in about five minutes. Have fun and Good luck." Chloe said, hugging her friend tightly.

Ginny released the blonde and turned to walk toward her doom.

* * *

Colin was awaiting Ginny's arrival very impatiently indeed.

"Where could she be?" He asked himself, looking around the empty common room. Everyone else had already left for the ball.

Almost as htough it were the answer, Ginny appeared at the top of the steps.

"Took you long enough." Colin said icily.

"Sorry."

"Don't make me wait aain." He said growing angry at her apparent lack of interest in him.

For the first time the mousy boy noticed what she was wearing and grew more angry. To Ginny's shock, she received a slap across the gace for it.

Ginny clutched her face, with tears stinging her eyes.

"What was that for?" She asked timidly.

"For dressing so unbelievably scantily that all the boys would be gawking at you." He sneered. "Don't do it again. Be more sensible, and cover everything up next time we go anywhere together."

"Ginny nodded silently cursing herself for not playing sick and then finding some sort of hiding spot in the castle.

"Let's go." Colin demanded, clutching Ginny's hand. "Look happy." He ordered as well.

Ginny plastered a fake smile to her face and followed him out the portrait hole.

* * *

When they arrived at the ball, Ginny saw that the teachers and staff had decided on an Enchanted Forest theme this time. She had to admit, it was beautiful, even if she did wish that she were anywhere else.

"Smile for the camera!" Dean Tomas shouted suddenly at her and Colin, right before the flash momentarily blinded them. Ginny knew she had not been smiling and that if Colin ever saw that picture she would have to pay dearly.

"I'm going to get us some drinks, Gin. Stay right here and I'll be right back." Colin said, strutting over to the drinks, people congratulating him on "finally catching the Weasley."

"The Weasley" took this opportunity to make sure that the picture that was just taken, went nowhere near Colin.

"Dean!" She shouted.

"Yeah Gin?" Dean asked.

"I'll pay you a galleon to never show anyone that picture." She haggled.

Dean looked momentarily confused but finally agreed.

"Thanks Dean!" Ginny said as Colin approached.

"Hey, uh Colin. I've got to go and get ready for my song." Ginny said leaving him standing there behind, drinks in hand.

"Whatever. Just come back to me!" She heard the mousy boy call out.

On the way to the stage, a redhead bearing some sort of resemblance to Ginny stopped her.

"What are you doing with Creevy?" He asked her.

"He's uh- my boyfriend."

"Oh wow, Gin! That's great! You finally met a guy that I approve of. Never thought I'd see the day really. He's 'safe' that one is!" Ron said, not noticing that he had lost his sister in the sea of faces.

"NUMBER 5!"

That was her cue. Showtime!

* * *

Draco looked around the room repetitively. He didn't know who or what he was expecting to see but he was looking.

Deep inside he knew exactly what he wanted to see, a flash of red hair. Something, anything to let him know she was okay. But she was dead to him.

"I'm Virginia Weasley and I'll be singing 'Angel' by Amanda Perez." Draco heard that familiar voice say. He looked up, expecting to see her smiling broadly but she wasn't. She looked troubled, dark circles under her eyes and perhaps a slight weight loss.

"She should look like that after what she did to me. I hope there's never another happy moment in her life again." Draco thought to himself, not knowing that her life was already going down that path, regardless of his hopes.

"Let's dance, I love this song." Audrie demanded, pulling Draco up as the music started.

Draco began to listen, knowing that she wasn't as dead to him as he could've though or even wished.

It's been five days since you went away I left without a word and nothing to say When you were the one who gave me your heart and soul But it wasn't good enough for me, no So I asked God

Go send me an angel From the heavens above Send me an angel to heal my broken heart From being in love 'Cause all I do is cry God send me an angel To wipe the tears from my eyes

And I know it might sound crazy But after all that I still love you I wanna come back in your life But now there is something I have to do I have to tell the one that I once adored That they can't have my love no more Cause my heart can't take no more lies And my eyes are all out of cries

God send me an angel From the heavens above Send me an angel to heal my broken heart From being in love 'Cause all I do is cry God send me an angel To wipe the tears from my eyes

Now I had you on your knees Begging God please to send me back to you I couldn't eat I couldn't sleep I made you feel like I could not breathe Now all I wanted to do was to feel your touch And give you all my love But I took your love for granted Want your lovin' now But I can't have it God

God send me an angel From the heavens above Send me an angel to heal my broken heart From being in love 'Cause all I do is cry God send me an angel To wipe the tears from my eyes

Oh God, send me (God send me an angel) An angel (wipe the tears from my eyes) Oh baby Send me an angel from the heavens above Send me an angel (God send me an angel) Oh God, send me an angel Send me an angel (send me an angel) Ooohhhh.

Nothing had changed, she still had a beautiful voice, no matter how much he wanted to deny it. And she still sang about him

A lot of people would have been upset that she turned the whole story around. But Draco understood. She was sorry that she hurt him and she wanted to let him know that as well as how much she was hurting. She needed the angel, not him and they both knew that.

The odd part was that she made it sound like it was a hard choice and she wouldn't have done it if she didn't have to.

She didn't have to. She just wanted to, he felt no sympathy.

* * *

When Ginny was through with her song she made her way back to Colin, awed that she had not began to cry during her song. For her performance, she'd received two 10s, two 9.5's and an 8 (from Snape) plus loud applause from her audience and a glare from Draco.

Pretty well overall She stood at the front of the stage, knowing that Draco was on next, she didn't want to miss it.

Draco got up on stage to sing almost immediately.

"I'm Draco Malfoy and I'll be singing I Don't Wanna Rock by Bowling For Soup." He said. Ginny took the hint right away but stayed anyway.

It really sucks to give you heart to a girl You wanna know her like she knows the whole world But 10 seconds and it's obvious it's goin' nowhere She makes you tell her that she's your best friend You tell her things you know won't make her mad Don't want to be the one to say things are going nowhere

Where are you now? (Oh oh oh) Where are you now? (Oh oh oh) I don't wanna talk I don't wanna rock I don't wanna wait by the phone And I don't wanna tell you I love you Don't wanna tell you I love you anymore

It's hard to live outside a safety zone Cause you remember being all alone Two kinds of misery and either way You're going nowhere

Where are you now? (Oh oh oh) Where are you now? (Oh oh oh) I don't wanna talk I don't wanna rock I don't wanna wait by the phone And I don't wanna tell you I love you Don't wanna tell you I love anymore Don't wanna tell you I love you Don't wana tell you I love you anymore

And she makes me want to be a homosexual Maybe I'll be your best Maybe see ya naked once in a while

I don't wanna talk I don't wanna rock I don't wanna talk I don't wanna rock I don't wanna talk I don't wanna rock I don't wanna wait by the phone And I don't wanna tell you I love you Don't wanna tell you I love you Don't wanna tell you I love you anymore

I don't wanna rock I don't wanna rock I don't wanna rock I don't wanna rock I don't wanna rock I don't wanna rock I don't wanna rock I don't wanna tell you I love you anymore

Ginny knew immediately that he was trying to get a message through to her and she hated it but she also accepted it and walked back to her date. Colin was waiting with a small smirk on his face.

"Heartbreaking, Gin - really." Colin sneered. "Hope you're over him by now cuz I know he's over you." He added pointing in Draco's direction. Draco had hurried off the stage back over to his date.

Ginny saw it. He was kissing Audrie. It made her realize just how soon he DID get over her. But what did she expect?

She might as well be dead to him.

* * * * *

DUN DUN DUN! Anyhoo! Please review! This was a fast update! I hope you're proud! It's also my longest chapter ever!