Disclaimer: All belongs to JK Rowling except a few things here and there

A/N* Mehehe my evil cliffies!! Haha I guess it's a good thing I update periodically then, isn't it? ^_^ Well onto chapter 12!

Chapter 12. Green Is For Slytherin, Green Is For Envy

"Get off me!" Ginny screamed, but her voice was muffled by a strong hand across her mouth. The body restraining her grunted in response, and remembering little of what fighting skills Ron had taught her, she swung her arm out with all the force she could muster, hearing a nasty but satisfactory crack as it connected with a nose.

"Argh!" A voice grumbled loudly, and Ginny paled when she realized it was a very familiar voice. Turning in horror, she saw Draco Malfoy, one hand across his face as he stumbled backwards. She watched, aghast, as he crashed into a table, sending him toppling across a sofa and knocking it over. He hit the ground with a loud thud and grimaced in obvious pain.

"Draco?" She choked out, running to his side. He was lying in the most ridiculous position, both arms across his head and his legs half entwined on the fallen couch. Normally, she'd be inclined to laugh but from the way his lips were contorted, she could tell it had been an unpleasant experience.

He groaned once again, lowering his hands and giving her a glimpse of his quickly swelling nose. Gingerly, she placed two cool fingers against it, and stroked his face. "My god, I'm so sorry," She whispered.

At this, he smiled a little. "I'm sure you are," he said, stifling another groan at the slicing pain in his nose. "Like any Weasley would be sorry they nearly knocked out a Malfoy." Raising his eyes to meet hers, he saw the genuine concern reflected in her face, and a small wave of guilt rushed over him.

"Malfoy, I really didn't mean, I mean, I would never hurt you on purpose and I really am sorry," Ginny spluttered, sinking down on her haunches and biting her lower lip.

He struggled to a sitting position, and she moved to help him, her fingers aptly clutching his torso and dragging him up. Her body was nearly pressed into his now, and as she lifted her head she realized that his was just centimeters away. "I know," Draco murmured, his breath hot across her face.

She was the one who initiated a kiss this time, moving her head, if awkwardly, to meet his lips. Before her mouth met its destination, however, her nose bumped across his and he moaned in agony, rolling his head back as his hand flew to his face once again. "I think it's sprained," he finally said, his voice muffled. "Gods, Weasley, don't play nurse."

Ginny winced, even though it was a joke. She'd been rather touchy around Draco lately, partly because she wasn't even sure whether she hated him anymore, and this was one of the things that set her off. "Well, if you hadn't attacked me," she mumbled half-heartedly.

It was the wrong thing to say. His eyes lit up in fury, like glittering silver jewels radiating in the night dark. "Attacked you!" He said in astonishment. "Did you hear the racket you were making? You could have woken up just about everyone here. What the hell were you doing in the private Malfoy quarters so damn late anyways?"

"I didn't know," she defended. "I got-I got lost. Not everyone lives in a huge mansion, you know."

"So I've realized," he replied snidely. "But you were supposed to be in bed hours ago anyways. Do you have any idea what time it is?"

"You sound like my parents," Ginny said, irritated at his commanding tone.

"Maybe you've forgotten," Draco snapped, "But this is my house, you are my maid, I have the right to berate you and you damn well know that."

Ginny pinked a little, feeling abashed has she realized how childlike they both sounded. "I do," she ventured a small grin. "But it doesn't mean I have to like it."

He relaxed a little, momentarily forgetting the throbbing pain. "Why did you come back so late?" He asked, but this time with a gentler tone that suggested he was really interested.

"The dress," Ginny confessed. "I wanted to see it one more time."

"Ah," Draco said, "The one you can't afford."

Strangely-and fortunately for him, she wasn't affected by his inference to her poverty. "Yes, that one," she agreed. "But anyways, I saw it but then somebody else was trying it on, and I suffered some hell from Kathryn for nothing but, I guess I should have expected it. It was a beautiful dress, and someone was bound to buy it."

"And pretty much everyone has more money than you," Draco pointed out.

She rolled her eyes. "Draco Malfoy, biting to the last," she remarked sarcastically. "You should get that nose checked."

"It'll still be perfect," he shrugged, earning an amused smile from her. "And it's just a sprain, it's happened before."

"Does it hurt?" She questioned gently, shuffling over to him and touching his face tenderly.

"Like hell," He replied, but in a tone so nonchalant Ginny wasn't even sure he was serious. She ran her fingers around the bruised area and he fell silent, enjoying the soothing touch of her hand and not wanting to be devoid of her caresses. Raising his eyes to look her in the face, he found that she wasn't staring at him; instead, she seemed to be concentrated on his nose. "You know," he smirked, "My nose isn't going to heal by your staring at it."

"But it might feel a little better," Ginny said with a broad, genuine smile.

He removed her hand very gently, setting it back into her lap, incurring a weird twinge of disappointment in her. "You should get some sleep," he said softly. "Isn't Saturday your birthday?"

She blinked. "How did you know about that?"

"You've been reminding me ever since you got back," Draco snorted. "And you realize it means that tomorrow is intensive party planning for you? You're going to worked to the bone to make up for your absence, which is another reason why you should sleep now."

"Yes," Ginny said, "But you're forgetting why I'm here in the first place: I can't seem to find my way around this house."

He smirked. "Actually, if you kept going down this hall and took a left and the next corridor, you'd be right at your room."

"Well, I don't exactly feel stupid for not knowing that," Ginny retorted with a smile.

"I don't know how you're ever going to survive," Draco said, almost teasingly. "But you really should go to bed now."

Ginny nodded, shifting to her feet and helping Draco to his. "And really, Malfoy," she added softly, "I'm sorry about your nose."

He would've laughed if Malfoys ever did. "Don't worry about it," he replied easily, "Though I'll admit, you have a hell of a punch."

They stood there staring stupidly at each other for a few seconds, not sure whether it was polite to part their separate ways without a proper good night. Then, suddenly, Ginny popped up on her toes and planted a soft kiss on his cheek. It was more of a peck really, but her supple lips left a tingling imprint in his skin. "Sweet dreams, Malfoy," She said with what could have easily been a smirk.

She walked away, still somewhat woozy from being so close to him, the musky scent of his hair lingering by her nose. "You too, Weasel," he said gruffly, stopping her in her tracks.

Ginny turned around, but he'd already gone.

~*~

"And it was long, and flowing, and it was so beautiful!" Ginny exclaimed. She and Adrienne were seating comfortably in the Malfoy Servant Kitchen, early morning light filtering in through the open windows and a scent of dew upon the air.

"Sounds beautiful," Adrienne agreed.

Ginny sipped her tea, thinking about the previous night's events. Draco had been so. . .humanly towards her, really un-Draco behavior. It made her feel like her instinct back in the alley had been right. Just thinking about him brought a smile to her lips, and she wondered what it would be like to be with Draco, not just as some occasional snog partner (okay twice, but that counted as occasional for someone like Ginny), but as his girlfriend. She was pretty sure he was a lousy boyfriend, if the way he'd treated Pansy was any indicator, but for some reason she could understand why women would flock to him anyhow.

"Penny for your thoughts," Adrienne's voice cut in. Her blue eyes sparkled. "You're thinking about that Serpius Ferret guy, aren't you?" She asked excitedly.

"Can't seem to stop," Ginny admitted ruefully.

Adrienne settled back in her chair, bobbing up and down like a toddler begging for candy. "Ooh, do tell, do tell."

~*~

"This is ridiculous," Draco grumbled as he strolled down past the kitchen towards the Music Room. "Muggle party! Seriously!"

"Are you in love?" A high-pitched female voice shrieked, and he almost stopped.

"No!" Another answered. "I mean-I don't know. How can you possibly be in love with someone who doesn't see you?" This time, he paused by the door. It sounded like Ginny. Despite his pride, he pressed his ear close and craned to hear her words. "He's just so indescripable, I mean, when I'm around him it's like I can't breathe you know?" He heard her say. Yep, that was definitely Ginny's voice.

Adrienne giggled. "Oh I know exactly what you mean!"

"I just wish he'd, you know, reciprocate my feelings or at least know the way I feel about him. It's driving me mindless, really," Ginny lamented. Draco wrinkled his nose. Damn Potter, he thought. He really never did understand what it was about the boy that made him so bloody irresistable to the women. Granted, he was the Boy-Who-Lived but who the hell really cared?

"And he's really, truly amazing. When he walks down the street, people will turn and stare at him like they recognize him or something, and I can totally see why, too," Ginny continued with a sigh. "I hate feeling this way, I really do but I can't help it. Nothing I do seems to take away what I feel. It's so powerful it scares me, and when I return to Hogwarts next year he'll be there, and I'm never going to be able to concentrate, I just know it."

That was enough, Draco thought. He was sick of listening about Potter this, Potter that, hell he'd just run into the kid at Diagon Alley and he was still the same skinny, scarheaded prick. A surge of something coursed through his veins, leaving him irrationally tempermental, and if he didn't know any better, Draco would've thought he was jealous. But that was impossible, because he was Draco Malfoy, and Malfoys needn't ever be jealous of anything. Swinging open the door, he sauntered into the room purposefully, arranging a placid expression as he commented lazily, "Morning."

Adrienne's eyes grew wide at the sight of his bandaged nose. "Young Master Malfoy," she cried, "What happened?"

He glanced at Ginny, who flushed. "Ambush," he explained simply, dropping the subject and striding to the tea kettle. Whipping around with a fresh cup of tea, he cocked his head at Ginny. "Still thinking about Potter, I see," He remarked with raised eyebrows.

"Still eavesdropping, I see," She returned indignantly, growing dark.

"I just happened to pass by the kitchen when your lovesick words floated into my ear," he drawled, struggling to remain emotionless.

"Who's Potter?" Adrienne asked confusedly. It clicked. "Oh," she cried, "Harry Potter! The boy who defeated He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named, oh yes, he attends your school, doesn't he?"

Draco glanced from Adrienne to Ginny, who was too busy avoiding his gaze to answer anything other than a mumble. "Hasn't she told you the name of her love wonder?" He smirked. "Harry Potter, the one and only."

Adrienne chuckled. "Naturally, I'd see why," she said, "but I'm afraid you're wrong, Young Master Malfoy. You see, Ginny's wonderboy's initials are most definitely not HP."

Ginny shot her a stricken look. "Adrienne," she began.

"SF," Adrienne said proudly, not even noticing. "His initials are SF."

Something thudded inside Draco. "Seamus Finnegan?" He spat out before he could contain himself, not even bothering to hide the disbelief in his voice.

"Is that his name?" Adrienne asked, "Seamus? Sexy name, if you ask me. What is he, Irish?"

"I never knew you had a thing for Finnegan," Draco said oddly.

She threw him a withering look before turning to Adrienne. "Adrienne," she started again.

"So tell me," Draco interrupted, "How long have you been holding a torch for Seamus?"

"Malfoy-"

"Do you love him?" He pronounced the word "love" with five syllables, drawing it out and undeniably mocking it.

"Malfoy," Ginny responded, all explanation she could have created vanishing from her tongue as she was bloody irritated by the smug sneer on his face, "You can just stay the hell out of my life."

He straightened immediately, gazing down at her in contempt. "Fine by me," he said shortly, slamming the teacup down on the table. "Just don't let our fantasies with wonderboy interefere with your servant duties." Turning on his heel, he stormed out the door in a whirl of black and blond, stopping only to add, "But you know, you think you know someone and things just turn out so differently, don't they?"

She watched him with conflicting emotions, her mouth dry and her stomach turning. "Oh my god," Adrienne said from her left. "It's him, isn't it? You have a thing for Young Master Malfoy?" Ginny didn't answer, but if her telltale blush was an indication Adrienne took it.

"Leave it alone," she finally mumbled.

"Virginia," Adrienne said firmly, "You've got it bad."

"So?" Ginny's eyes filled with tears. "You see the way he treats me, the things he says to me. He hates me."

"You say things equally vicious," Adrienne reminded. "Listen, Gin, I may not know much about matters of the heart, but I know that your heart belongs to him. And right now, he's outside, angry and alone, and you're in here, heartbroken and alone."

She raised watery brown eyes to stare at the sympathetic blonde. "Adrienne," she whispered, "I don't-he doesn't-we don't-"

Adrienne held up a hand. "Save it," she commanded gently. She gestured out the window, where Draco's stalking form could be seen, if distantly. "He seems to be headed for the lake," She said suggestively.

"I can't," Ginny murmured, dropping her gaze.

Adrienne rolled her eyes. "You know," she pursed, "I've seen the way he looks at you. His words may be sharp but his eyes, his gaze, not so quite."

"What are you saying?" Ginny sniffled.

"I'm saying," Adrienne replied softly, "That some things are worth taking risks for." When Ginny didn't answer, she added, "Tomorrow's your birthday, so you'll be leaving, but you're not the only one, you know."

"What?" Ginny was honestly confused now.

"I heard Madame Malfoy talking the other day, and her son is leaving for a Sweden early and bright tomorrow morning." Ginny inhaled sharply, and Adrienne went on. "In fact," she said, "I heard that if he likes it there, who knows when he'll return. Maybe in a week, maybe when summer ends." She smiled wryly, patting the younger girl's shoulder, and exited the kitchen.

Ginny watched after her silently, the possibilites whirling in her mind as she imagined her summer-her life, in fact, without Malfoy's overbearing ego. And to her own surprise, it wasn't something she wanted to really happen. It wasn't she like could stop him from enjoying Sweden, hell, he'd probably shag twenty girls his first night there, but for some reason she wanted him to know that the guy on her mind was most definitely not Seamus.

She bounded around the door, his retreating figure still in sight but moving further away as she contemplated her next action. It took Ginny only a second to decide whether or not to run after him. She took off in a sprint, her legs cycling wildly, and though she'd never been an intensive runner, she could hold her own for short distances.

"Malfoy!" Ginny shouted. Oddly enough, he stopped, turning around and gazing at her quizzically, watching her with hooded amusement as she ran towards him wildly, her red hair in disarray behind her.

"What do you want," he said tonelessly.

She was breathing hard as she came to a stop, and her words came in little gasps. "I wanted to tell you that SF doesn't stand for Seamus Finnegan," she wheezed.

He raised an eyebrow, trying to look disinterested. "I can't think of anyone else with those initials," he commented calmly, "unless you've taken to muggles lately."

Ginny shook her head, slowly regaining a normal pulse, as normal as it could be around him anyways. "That's because his initials aren't SF. I made that up, the SF, it just stands for something, for who he is," she explained.

"Really," he remarked. "And pray tell, since you seem to believe I care about your love interest, what those letters stand for."

She took a deep breath, fanning her rosy face vigorously and noticing for the first time what a mess her hair was. "It's really rather ridiculous," she said, "but SF stands for. . ." She trailed off, seriously doubting that she should continue.

His eyebrow grew higher. "For?" Draco prompted.

It was a good thing her exertion had left her complexion unnaturally red, because she blushed. "It stands for Serpius Ferret," she finished, "serpius for what people believe him to be, and ferret for what he has been." Having said so, she ventured a peek at his face.

He seemed confused at first, her words sinking in, and then as it registered his face clicked into understanding, but it was for not even a fourth of a second before he returned to being emotionless and blank, the Draco everyone knew and hated. "I see," was all he said.

"And I wish that this Serpius Ferret would realize how I felt about him," Ginny continued, looking away, "Because I can't stop thinking about him. He's become my world, even though I'll probably never mean anything to him."

The long stretch of silence didn't bother her nearly as much, she'd realized by now that this was Draco's way of responding when he wasn't sure how. It grew unbearable though, as seconds turned into minutes, and she tore away, running back to the house faster than she'd come.

"Damn," Draco muttered.

~End of Chapter 12

A/N* Nope, no cliffie this time! Be happy, all, and review!