Hello everyone, it's that time again. Time to read chapter 8 of my fic! YAY! Anyways. the reviews are awesome guys. Keep 'em coming! This is going to be the best chapter yet. or it should be. YOU decide. ~_^ oh btw in the last chappie, I started putting ~..~ in between the thoughts, to make it easier on everyone. kk? WARNING: More fluffy goodness in this chapter. If you are a fluff hater, I pity you.

Disclaimer: I shall remind you people once again, that I DO NOT own Harry Potter, Peter Pan, or any other famous thingie I give reference to.

Where we last left off.

"Guess Crabbe and Goyle are now the school geniuses" he muttered.

Not only did Ginny Weasley fancy him, the worst part was that Draco himself had feelings for her.

Him, Draco Malfoy, fancied Ginny Weasley.

He buried his face in his hands, and groaned.

~What am I gonna do?~

Chapter 8 - Confession

The rest of the evening passed in a trance for Draco. All throughout dinner, he stared at the back of Ginny's head, so lost in thought, that when Dumbledore announced the end of dinner, Draco realized what he had been doing.

~Get a hold of yourself Draco! It's not a good image to be portraying to the people. Lost in thought like that!~

But Draco didn't care about his reputation anymore. The only thing he cared about was Ginny Weasley, and as much as he tried to deny it, he couldn't.

".Draco?"

He whirled around in surprise.

"What?" he asked roughly.

Pansy leaned over him, concern in her pug like features.

"Are you ok? You seem out-of-it" she said.

Draco got up from the table, and faced Pansy.

"For your information Pansy, I am NOT out-of-it. Where would you get a silly idea like that?" He glowered at her, but for once Pansy did not back down.

"Well you SEEMED to be lost in thought earlier at dinner."

"Shows what you know! Now get outta my face" he growled.

Pansy swept him a look of disdain, before heading out of the Great Hall. When she was out of sight, a look of relief swept over his face. ~That was close! We can't have the entire world knowing this monumental event now can we?~

As he headed out of the Great Hall, a voice made him stop dead in his tracks. Ginny was calling him.

"Draco"

He looked around for her vibrant red hair, but couldn't find it. All of the sudden, she was in front of him. He jumped back, surprised.

"Sorry" she said, trying not to smile.

As Draco stared at her, he was suddenly acutely aware of how little she seemed, and how small and vulnerable she suddenly looked. An overwhelming urge to protect her came over him. But. this was in public. Intimate time would have to wait. He sighed loudly.

"What?" she asked, suddenly growing uncomfortable, and Draco was made aware that he was staring at her. He felt heat on his face. ~Oh god. not here.~ He quickly wracked his brain for a good excuse.

"Nothing. Don't worry about it." He said lamely. Lucky for him, she bought it.

"Ok." she trailed off, and took a deep breath, which didn't go unnoticed by Draco. ~Oh man. I'm beyond gone..~ he thought.

"Listen." she began, and he could tell by the seriousness in her voice, that something big was about to unfold.

"I'm sorry about running off earlier. I had something I needed to take care of right away. I was going to tell you during dinner, but there were too many people around."

"It's ok. I didn't mind." Draco was very amazed that she actually apologized to him for something that wasn't even that big of a deal. It made him respect her that much more.

"Anyways. I have to get going. I'll see you at rehearsal tomorrow."

"Yeah."

As Draco watched her walk down the hallway, the urge to hug her was just too overwhelming.

"Hey Ginny! Wait!" he found himself calling.

She stopped walking, and turned around. Her green eyes looked so luminous, he was distracted by the sheer beauty of them. He unconsciously walked towards her, until they were only a few inches apart. Ginny's nearness was enough to drive him up the wall.

"Um." he was suddenly bombarded with the realization that he had no idea what to do next.

"Yes?" he saw that Ginny also looked awkward, and out of place.

"Thanks" he said, and without warning, wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. He could almost feel Ginny trembling, and it made his heart race with anticipation.

"You're welcome" she said simply, when she was released.

"See ya later Gin"

This time it was Draco who left quickly, his world filled with haze. He turned around, and made eye contact with Ginny for one agonizing last second before reluctantly parting ways.

* * * *

As Ginny watched Draco walk away, her heart thudded so loudly, she was sure he could hear all the way down at the opposite end of the hallway. This was driving her crazy! She had trembled with excitement when he had hugged her, and even then hug seemed like such a casual word. It was more of an embrace really.

"I wish." she muttered to herself, before making her way up to the common room. By the time she gave the fat lady the password (Muggle lover!) She was practically singing.

"Well hello Ginny! In a good mood are we?" Ron asked, when he saw his sister enter the common room, wearing a huge smile on her face.

"Yes I am." She grinned at him.

"That's always a good thing to see. You haven't been very cheerful recently."

"Why the sudden change?" Hermione asked from her usual spot on the couch.

Ginny felt her face heating up.

"No reason. life is good."

Ron and Hermione exchanged a look of suspicion.

"Excuse me."

As she hastily walked away, she prayed that no one would notice her red face, as she slowly made her way towards the girls dormitories. But on the way, she bumped heads with someone.

"OW!" she heard someone yell.

"Sorry." as her vision went back to normal, she saw that she had bumped into none other than Harry.

"It's ok.." she felt his intense scrutiny on her, and tried not to groan. ~I'm done for.~ She braced herself for what she knew was coming.

"Hey Gin, why is your face so red?"

"Is it?"

She tried to look surprised, as she touched her cheeks. They felt hot, almost burning on her hand.

"Yeah."

Out of the corner of her eye, Ginny saw Ron and Hermione approach.

"You guys ok? We saw your collision. Looked like it hurt." Ron said.

"We're fine, though Ginny's face seems a bit red."

They all stared at her now. ~It's just my luck.. One of them is going to figure out that I've been blushing due to a certain blonde haired guy.~ She felt her face heat up even more at the mere mental mention of him. It was Hermione who figured it out first, and she was smart enough not to say anything in front of the boys.

"Hey Ginny. you don't look so hot. Maybe you're running a fever. I'll come up with you to your room, and make sure you're ok."

"If she's got a fever, she should go to the hospital wing." Ron said.

"Well I don't know if it's a fever or not. I'll be back."

Ginny shot her a grateful look, as they climbed the stairs, leaving the baffled stares of Ron and Harry behind. Once they were safely in Ginny's dorm, Hermione and Ginny sat down on her bed.

"Ok. out with it. Who is the object of your affections?" were the first words out of Hermione's mouth.

~She certainly doesn't waste any time with small talk!~ Ginny thought. Choosing her words carefully, she took a deep breath.

"You know him. pretty well" she began.

Suddenly, Hermione's eyes lit up.

"So you DO have a crush on someone! This is so exciting!" she reached over and hugged her friend. Ginny stared at her, surprised.

"So who is it? Tell me?"

"Are you sure you want to know?"

"Why wouldn't I?" Hermione had a hurt look on her face, and Ginny realized what she had just said.

"This may shock you." She said now.

Hermione laughed.

"After what I've been through, NOTHING will shock me."

Ginny took another deep breath ~You can do it. Just say it! It's only a name!~

"Take a guess." Ginny wanted to prolong Hermione's reaction, because she was afraid of what exactly her reaction would be.

"um. Seamus?"

Ginny almost laughed.

"Nope."

"Let's see.. Dean?"

"No."

"Colin"

"Not exactly."

Hermione went through all the Gryffindor boys she knew, each with a negative response. Finally, she asked Ginny if he was in Gryffindor.

"Nope."

Hermione looked exasperated.

"Ginny! Why didn't you tell me that before? It would have saved you 10 minutes of saying no."

Ginny took another cleansing breath. ~Why is this so hard? ~ She saw that Hermione was looking at her expectantly.

"Well. he's in Slytherin." She said finally.

"WHAT!?" Hermione looked completely bewildered.

"Tell me you're kidding."

"No I'm not. Trust me, he was the LAST person on earth I thought I'd like."

"And just who is HE?"

Before Ginny could say anything, Hermione suddenly clamped a hand to her mouth. She was shaking her head. Her eyes were wide as saucers, and Ginny knew that at that point, Hermione had figured it out.

"How did this come about?" Hermione asked, when she'd gotten over the initial shock.

"I don't ever know. One moment we're enemies, the next we're friends, and now.." She trailed off, not knowing what to say.

"How did you manage to become friends with Malfoy? He's a good-for-nothing- "

"Hermione. Please don't. You don't know him like I do."

Hermione stared at Ginny, flabbergasted.

"I'm GLAD I don't know him the way you do, and frankly I think you need to have your head examined. Honestly! Malfoy!"

Ginny put a comforting arm on Hermione's shaking shoulder.

"Calm down."

"I can't calm down after I've been told something like that! Earth shattering things like this don't happen all the time you know."

"Maybe not. but can't you just let me be happy?"

Hermione stared at her, speechless beyond all belief. Ginny got up from the bed, and paced around the room. When Hermione finally spoke, it was in a harsh tone.

"Ginny! Do you realize what you're saying? You want me to be happy that you like a prat like him? Think of all the horrible things he's done! And not just to Harry, Ron or myself."

"Don't you think I HAVE thought of all that? But it seems as of late that he's changed." she trailed off.

A bitter laugh rose out of Hermione's throat.

"Oh really? He's still the same old nasty Malfoy to me."

Ginny shook her head. A small sigh escaped her lips.

"I didn't expect you to be pleased with me, but at least do me the favor of not telling Ron or Harry just yet." She saw Hermione's mouth open to protest, but she cut her off.

"I'll tell them in my own time. Besides, who knows if he even likes me?"

"Be glad that he doesn't." she glared at Ginny, who now stood by the window, staring out into the snowy depths of the fields.

"Please don't tell them Hermione. I'm begging you." She said now.

Ginny heard her impatient sigh.

"All right, I won't, but let it be known that I'm not impressed with you."

"I'm used to it." Ginny replied.

Without another word, Hermione rose from the bed, and exited the dorm, but not before throwing Ginny a scathing glance. When she was gone, Ginny threw herself on the bed, and lay there, wondering how life could have gotten so complicated in such a short time.

"Who knows." She muttered to herself. "Who knows."

* * * *

It was early the next afternoon, when Draco realized that he still had Ginny's journal. He'd forgotten to return it last night. ~Damn it all hell~ He had carried it with him in his bag all day, and now as he sat at the lunch table, he found himself re-reading the journal entry that had brought upon the realization that Ginny liked him back.

"What are you reading?" came the icy tones a feminine voice.

"Sod off Pansy" Draco replied without lifting his gaze from the journal.

He heard her huff in annoyance, before flouncing away. ~Good riddance~ he thought. Suddenly, an idea struck him. Draco excused himself from the table, and as quick as a cat, made his way into the Slytherin common room, and into his empty dorm.

"Need to find some paper." He muttered.

His sharp eyes scanned the room, and stopped on a piece of parchment hanging off Crabbe's nightstand.

"Not like he's going to use it any time soon."

Draco snatched it up, along with the quill that happened to be convinently beside it. He stared at the parchment for a long while, unsure of what to write. Finally as he about to lose hope, inspiration struck. He picked up the quill, and in his neatest scripture, wrote a poem,

Your eyes drown even the sanest man into the abyss. Your hair is the fire from your core; your light; your spirit, Your voice is sweet and succulent like a warm summer day. Never stop believing that hope is around the corner.

Omitting a signature, Draco waited for the ink to dry, and carefully tucked the note into the inside cover of the journal. ~But where to leave it..~ He carried it with him, as he made his way back to the great hall. Halfway there, yet another inspiring idea struck him. ~I'll leave it in the library!~ Draco took off towards the library, his heart pounding with unseen anticipation.

* * * *

It was after school, and Ginny sat at her windowsill. She felt disoriented, and confused. ~I must be seriously out-of-it~ she thought. Slowly sitting up, she realized that she had not even recorded her daily adventures in her journal, due to her anxiety about last night's argument with Hermione.

Ginny reached across to her nightstand for her journal. only to discover emptiness. She stood up, and looked at her nightstand, but it was completely care. Panic rose within her. ~Where could it be?~

After a frantic and hurried search of her dorm, she concluded that it wasn't anywhere in the vicinity. She let out a yelp, and fairly ran down the stairs to where Hermione sat, reading a book. Ron and Harry were no where to be seen.

"Hermione" Ginny called, completely forgetting that they weren't speaking.

She looked up from her book.

"Yes?" she asked with a forced politeness.

"Have you seen my journal? I had it yesterday, and now it's missing."

"No I haven't. Perhaps it's lost then." She said cooly.

"Well I have to go look for it.."

Ginny started for the portrait hole, but stopped when she saw Hermione rise from her sear, and began walking towards the portrait hole.

"You're coming with me?" she asked in surprise.

"No. Rehearsal is in 15 minutes."

Ginny glanced at her watch, and was shocked to discover how late it was. Wordlessly, she followed the older girl out of the portrait hole, her thoughts whirling around in her mind. ~I can't miss rehearsal, but my journal is important to me! If someone read it.~ she gave an involuntary shudder.

"I can't let anyone read it! I'd die."

"What was that?" Hermione glanced at Ginny with a curious expression on her face.

Realizing that she had been talking aloud, Ginny flushed.

"Nothing." She said.

They didn't utter another word, until they reached the Great Hall. Ginny and Hermione stepped inside, and joined the others who had arrived early. Soon, everyone had arrived in one form or another. Ginny tried not to stare at Draco, but couldn't tear her gaze away from him.

Rehearsal seemed longer than usual that day, and by the time it was over, Ginny was bursting with impatience. When everyone else had left, and it was just her and Draco, she could hardly breathe.

"What's wrong Gin? You look worried."

She nearly swooned at the sound of her name on his lips. Normally, her name sounded so boring, and unoriginal, but when he said it, it sounded like a special name. A name that said something.

"Well that's because I am." She replied in a weak voice.

"About what? The play? Because you shouldn't worry about that. You'll do great."

He now stood next to her, and she felt her nerves unravel. ~Damn Draco and what he does to me.~ she thought. She stared up into his eyes, and drowned in their unfathomable depths.

"It's not exactly the play I'm worried about" she said breathlessly, when she was finally able to tear away her gaze.

"Well then what are you worried about?" he asked quietly.

"My journal is missing. I have so many personal, private thoughts in there, and I'm so afraid someone has read it." she trailed off, not knowing what to say.

Draco took great effort to not look guilty.

"Well perhaps we should go look for it." He said.

"But what about rehearsal?" she asked.

"It can wait. Finding your journal seems more important right now."

She couldn't believe how nice he was being! It almost made her want to weep.

"Are you sure?"

He smiled at her, and she almost melted into a puddle right where she stood.

"Yes."

They exited the Great Hall, and as Ginny stared up at Draco, she realized that he almost seemed to know he was going. ~No that can't be possible.~ she thought. Just then, he looked down, and met her gaze, and all sane thoughts flew out of her head.

A few minutes later, Draco and Ginny found themselves standing in front of the library.

"This seems like a good place to look." Draco said a little too quickly.

"Yeah." Lucky for him, Ginny seemed oblivious to everything around her. She was too obsessed in finding her journal. ~I can't wait until she finds it.~ He had left it on a table in the back, where only Crabbe, Goyle, and himself dwelled. Everyone else knew to stay away from their table.

Everyone, that is, except Ginny.

After a few minutes of searching, he heard her cry out, and knew that she had found her journal.

"Did you find it?" he asked innocently, when he joined her at the table.

"Yes. It's here." she hugged the book to her chest, smiling, and Draco felt his heart leap.

"Do you want to go to rehearsal now?" he asked.

"Sure!" she grinned at him.

So they meandered out of the library, and Draco was silently willing for Ginny to open her journal. It wasn't until they'd reached the empty classroom, and were comfortably seated on the desks, that she finally opened her journal.

"Oh!" she said in surprise, as a note fell out of the cover pocket. She picked it up, and read it. Draco watched her out of the corner of his eye, trying not to look impatient.

"Wow." He heard her sigh, and smiled to himself.

"What?" he asked.

"I got this note in my journal, though it's kinda personal."

"Ah. I see." Was all Draco said. "Shall we practice then?"

He could almost see the disappointment in her features. What was she so disappointed for? He sighed quietly, and opening his book, he began to read aloud.

* * * *

When rehearsal was done, Ginny hugged Draco a breathless and short goodbye, before racing up the stairs, through the crowded common room, and into her empty dorm. Once she was alone, she practically collapsed on her bed, lost in thought.

"I wonder who gave me that note." she said to herself.

It couldn't have been Harry. He was still trying to forgive her. It couldn't be Colin. He was too shy to do something like that. It couldn't be Neville, nice boy as he was, he wasn't clever enough to have written such beautiful poetry. None of the other boys Ginny knew seemed likely to do something like that. That left Draco.

"Is it even possible?" she whispered.

She knew that Draco had considerably changed his attitude towards her, but still. ~There is no way on this earth that Draco would like me more than a friend~

Yet nothing would quash the hopeful feeling that had bubbled up inside of her. Ginny closed her eyes, dreaming of his deep, soulful eyes, and his deep resonant voice whispering sweet nothings in her ear..

* * * *

The next few days went by in a blur. As Friday approached, Ginny was now starting to feel nervous about the play. Thursday was their second last rehearsal, and it was a short one.

"Now I want everyone to get lots of rest, and relax! Tomorrow is our dress rehearsal for the first years. You're all going to do wonderful. I'm very pleased with the results." Professor McGonagall beamed at everyone.

"See you all tomorrow at 3:30 sharp!"

Everyone made their way towards the doors, and Draco and Ginny lingered behind, and left for the empty classrooms.

"Well. this is our last practice." Ginny said, trying to sound cheerful, but inside she was feeling broken up.

"Yeah." Draco replied.

The pair reluctantly entered the classroom, and shut the door.

"It's been a most interesting experience." Ginny said, sitting on a desk.

"Sure has" Draco sat on a desk next to her.

"I wouldn't have traded it for the world."

Draco stared at her. Ginny's eyes were shining with a radiant light that made his heart melt.

"Even all the horrible parts?" he asked now.

"Even those. Life is full of ups and downs, and it has been said that you cannot have suffering without compassion, and you cannot have compassion without suffering."

"That's really deep." He said, suddenly taking her smaller hands into his larger ones. They fit together so perfectly, it was like magic.

"So." he said, unknowingly leaning closer to her. He could feel the heat radiating from her lithe body, and it made his spine tingle.

"So." she replied, a blush adjourning her cheeks.

"Gin. I have something to tell you." He said, making a sudden decision.

"Oh? What's that?"

"You know the note you got in your journal?"

"Yeah. What about it?" Ginny looked at him curiously now.

"Well I know who gave it to you."

"Really? Who" he saw the surprise in her features.

He took a deep breath ~Come on Draco! Just tell her~

"It was."

At that precise moment, everything went suddenly pitch black, and Ginny's face was plunged into darkness.

A/N: another LONG chappie! I think it's my best chappie yet! YAY huzzah! Another one done. Yes I know, cliffhanger ending. But that's what keeps readers hooked. Again I would like to thank everyone who reviews my stories. Those reviews mean the world to me. There are only about 3 chapters left after this, but stay tuned for my other stories which will be out soon. Luv Ya Lotz! Bandana Gurl ~_^