Chapter 20 Girl Talk

Rating: PG-13

The Girl All The Bad Guys Want

Hey everyone! Thanks so much for your reviews! I really love reading them! I'm so glad that everyone liked the song chapter, I wasn't sure how it was going to turn out but I guess it was all right! Here is the next chapter like I promised!

~This chapter and all the chapters ahead are dedicated to Heidi. God rest her soul. I never knew her and now it's too late because she's gone and I couldn't even tell you her eye color. She's in a better place now hopefully.~

Please enjoy!

By the way, it won't be quite as interesting as the last one so sorry about that one.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~

As dawn came the next morning, Draco awoke from his short-lived sleep to find that Ginny was still in his arms.

More than that though, she was still breathing.

Draco was in such awe of this that he just sat there and watched her chest rise and fall for what seemed like ages.

Eventually, though, he was regrettably and rudely interrupted.

"Mr. Malfoy!" Poppy shrieked. "What do you think you are doing in here with Ms. Weasley? She needs her peace as she's gravely ill."

"Madame Pomfrey, If you'd please let me expl - " Draco started.

"This is highly unacceptable!" She ranted before finally noticing Colin laying on the ground. "What's he doing here?"

Draco lifted Ginny's shirt up a little to reveal her bruised and scabbed stomach.

"Him?" Poppy managed.

Draco nodded, then rolled up her sleeves and pant legs to reveal the same thing that was seen on her abdomen, just as he had suspected.

"We should get him to Professor Dumbledore immediately." Poppy said, "By the way, what exactly went on in here? And how come I didn't hear it?" She asked, obviously she was still wondering whether Draco was telling the truth or if he dragged Colin in there with a hex already on him and then proceeded to scratch up Ginny after hexing her as well.

"Relax, Ma'am. I didn't do it, I'll swear it and I'll even drink Veritaserum, if you wish. But I do know what happened in here. I suspected Creevy was doing something to her. Ginny and I used to date and still like her, but she broke up with me and I knew that she wouldn't do that for the reasons she said, I mean who would leave ME for another guy. Who's better than I am?"

"Mr. Malfoy, on with the story please."

"Sorry Madame, anyway like I was saying, when I came to say goodbye to her as I knew about her condition thanks to a particular Gryffindor that likes to go around knocking on doors of Slytherins of superb physical specimen at one in the morning. Sorry," Draco said, receiving another glare from the nurse. "When I came in, Creevy was using her for a punching bag." Draco explained.

"You'll need to come with Creevy and I to Dumbledore's office." Pomfrey told him. She then gestured toward Ginny. "Is she alive?"

Draco nodded.

"Amazingly."

Poppy came over to check her out.

"She looks as if she's fairly stable as well. It's astounding! She seems as though she's gotten much better."

"Well, she took a rough beating last night. We should all be thankful she's still with us." Draco said. "He was aiming to kill. Lucky I was here with my big muscles and all that."

Poppy rolled her eyes and muttered something that sounded astonishingly like "Just like that Lockhart git."

"Just kidding Madame." Draco said, forcing a laugh. He'd only been trying to lighten the mood.

"Well, lay her there on the bed and we'll collect Creevy and move out."

"I'd much rather she come with us, if that'd be alright with you." Draco said.

"Well uh, I suppose so." Poppy said, feeling slightly worried and at the same time wondering how any girl could put up with him.

Poppy handled Colin, levitating him toward Dumbledore's office with Draco and Ginny following close behind.

"Buttercup." Poppy said as they reached the entrance the Dumbledore's office.

Draco went up first, finding Professor Dumbledore sitting as his desk, looking as though he were just waiting for them to walk through the door.

"Ah, Mr. Malfoy, I see you have saved Ms. Weasley." The kindly old man said, eyes twinkling once more. "I was unsure whether you would pull through or not but I should have know. True love never fails us."

"So you knew and you didn't help her?' Draco asked, jaw hitting the floor.

"On the contrary. I knew nothing more than that she wouldn't pull through unless you came to aid her." Dumbledore said.

"So why didn't you just come and get me? You know, order me to go to the hospital wing." Draco asked.

"It had to be out of your own free will. But even if I wanted to I do believe that a young Gryffindor would have beat me to it." Dumbledore explained. "At any rate, on to more pressing matters. Where does young Mr. Creevy come in to play here?"

Draco explained all about last night and told him his suspicions, as well; he was still holding Ginny.

"I have reason to believe that he sexually abused her as well, sir."

"Oh my, this is far more serious than I would have ever thought it to be. We will need Professor Snape to assist us in getting the Veritaserum. Please leave young Creevy here with me and you three may go back to the hospital wing, I will be down shortly. Please be ready for Molly and Arthur Weasley. They will be arriving soon and will be expecting their daughter to be near death." Dumbledore said dismissively.

"Yes sir." Draco said, heading out the door.

* * *

Students were beginning to wander the halls, going down the breakfast. What an odd sight it must have been to see Malfoy carrying a Weasley through the halls like she was a small delicate child.

Ginny awoke on their way back to the hospital wing.

"Draco, what are you doing?" She asked him groggily.

"I'm taking you back to the hospital wing of course." Draco told her trying not to show how happy he was just then.

"I'm still alive right?' She asked, receiving a nod. "I'm not dying then am I?" She asked looking into his deep eyes.

"We don't think so. Your mum and dad will be by in a bit to see you." Draco informed her.

"Oh, Okay then." Ginny said contently, snuggling her face back down into Draco's chest and falling asleep once more.

Draco brought her to her bed in the Hospital Wing. He was just about to lay her down when he stopped and kissed her on the forehead, happy that his angel was out of harm's way for now.

He left, on a mission to tell someone about Ginny's miraculous recovery.

* * *

When Chloe woke up that morning, she turned towards Ginny's bed to make sure that she was awake. It was then that she remembered what had happened the previous night.

Chloe shot out of bed and got ready in a hurry. She had to know if she had made it through the night and if so, how many more nights did she have left in that uninhabited hospital wing.

The blonde ran out of the portrait hole only to find herself running right into somebody.

"Maloy? What are you doing here?" She asked, looking at the boy who was underneath her.

"I was coming to tell you about Ginny but your stupid portrait wouldn't let me in. Then I was stampeded by a large mass of blonde hair. So good morning to you, too and please get off of me." Draco said half sardonically, pushing Chloe away form him. "You've got an very bad habit of pestering me."

"Well, sorrrry!" Chloe said, sarcastically. Then she turned more serious. "How is Ginny?"

"Well, she's actually very stable." Draco said.

"Oh my gosh! That's so great! Did you stay with her all night?' She asked him slyly.

"Sort of." Draco said. He then proceeded to explain all the night's events to Chloe, receiving well deserved gasps from her or "Omigosh"'s when needed.

"You're kidding!"

"I wish." He drawled.

"You must be tired. I'll stay with Gin and you can go and eat, and please, take a nap. Your eyes look gross when they've got bags under them and that's the feature Ginny liked most about you." Chloe said, directing him to the Great Hall.

"Sure." Draco said in an almost zombi-like voice, walking to the Great Hall for breakfast.

Chloe sprinted down the hallways, accidentally knocking down a first year in the process and scaring the living daylights out of her, in the excitement of seeing her best friend.

Chloe entered the room quietly and fully composed. She took a seat in Ginny's room.

"Chloe?' Ginny said, sounding slightly raspy.

"Yeah Gin?'

"Thanks for getting Draco for me. Without him I would have died." Ginny said seriously, turning toward her friend.

"Nah, you could have made it Gin, you're strong." Chloe assured her.

"No, Chloe you didn't see him. I never would have own this fight. I needed a hero to come for me. I needed someone besides Harry Ron and Hermione to run to my side when I am in danger." Ginny said.

"I see that look in your eyes when you talk about him, Gin. And I've seen how he lookes at you from across the room. His eyes lit up when he told me about your condition. He cried when I told him that you were dying. Why'd you dump him?" She asked.

"How did you know all of this?" Ginny asked.

"We were stupid, Me, Harry, 'Mione, Ron and Lavender, we didn't see your decline so seriously. We just thought that you were in a slump. Nothing you couldn't get out of soon enough. But the person we least expected knew that there was something much more than that. Draco saw the picture Dean took of you and Colin and he knew you probably weren't doing this by choice. He didn't want you to die or get hurt, no matter how badly you broke his hear.

He found me one day and he told me about Collin and how he didn't think you would ever date Colin. Malfoy even started to say he didn't understand why you'd break up with him for Collin. Later he told me you dumped him for 'another guy'. More than anything, I think he was looking for consolation and reassurance that you didn't break up with him because you wanted to. He wanted to believe that you were lying about that." Chloe explained.

"That's why I went to get him when we thought you were dying. I thought he might want to say goodbye."

"Chloe, he may love me on the inside, very deep inside. But he hates me outwardly and that's all he's going to show me." Ginny said somberly.

"He's more than just happy that you're alive, Gin. That right there should say something to you." Chloe said wisely.

"I dumped him because I was threatened by Colin. He would have ruined Draco's reputation if I hadn't broken up with him."

"What about your reputation?"

"Didn't matter to me."

"Was it worth it?" Chloe asked her.

"Getting hurt?"

Chloe nodded.

"I think so. Everyone wins now. I'm still alive and Draco's still got the beautiful reputation plus, Colin is getting into some serious trouble." Ginny said.

"So you love him too don't you?" Chloe asked smiling.

"Maybe."

Footsteps were heard down the hall before a blonde-haired boy entered the hospital wing.

"I see he did without the nap and he appears to be carrying an extra plate of food. So I'll be seeing you." Chloe said, getting up to go.

"What are you two girls doing in here?" Draco questioned suspiciously.

"Just girl talk!" Chloe yelled on the way out.

"Ah, the complications of being a girl. So glad I'm not one. Somebody spared me. Thank you God!" Draco smiled, sitting where Chloe once was.

"I brought you breakfast." He said, setting the plate on her stomach and helping her sit up. "Eat!" He instructed.

"Draco?"

"Yes?"

"Thanks."

"For what?"

"For everything, but especially thanks for saving my life." Ginny said, shoveling food into her mouth suddenly feeling extremely hungry.

"Anytime. Couldn't let Potter be the prince this time, right?" He asked, a twinkle in his eye.

The two ate breakfast peacefully for awhile before they were informed that Ginny's family was there.

Seconds later, their entrance was pronounced with a booming demand from Arthur Weasley.

"What is HE doing with MY daughter?"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Ta da! One of my less exciting chapters but it let's you know that Ginny is alive and they sort of still have feelings for each other and Mr. Weasley is about to make an appearance!

Please review and I'll post more!!