Disclaimer: Harry Potter is from the creative genius of J.K. Rowling, whom I am not. This is merely a fan fiction to keep us fans occupied until book 6.

A/N Thanks to all the reviewers. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~

Later that night Harry waited until Ginny got ready to leave on her patrol before he went upstairs to get his invisibility cloak. He waited a few moments after she left before exiting the common room and throwing the cloak over him.

Hermione had told him that before each patrol the two prefects met outside the Great Hall to decide who patrols what areas that evening. Harry followed Ginny's footsteps toward the hall. As he rounded the corner to the main entranceway, he nearly ran into Professor Snape.

What was Snape doing here, he thought. Hermione didn't say anything about professors assigning rounds. By the look on Malfoy's face, this wasn't typical. Ginny, however, didn't seem fazed by it at all.

"Mr. Malfoy," Snape said. "I didn't expect to see you tonight. I believed Miss Abbott was to patrol with Miss Weasley this evening."

"Hannah's ill sir," Ginny stated.

"I volunteered to take her patrol," Malfoy smirked.

For a moment, it looked like Snape seemed to question Malfoy but nothing cam of it. Harry began to feel very uncomfortable having Ginny patrol with the two Slytherins nearby. If this made him uncomfortable how would, he would be when Ginny had to keep Malfoy busy he thought.

"Right then," Snape said. "Mr. Malfoy you will be patrolling the upper halls and the Astronomy Tower this evening. Miss Weasley you shall patrol the Great Hall area and lower halls."

"Professor Snape," Malfoy interrupted. "I'd rather patrol he dungeons if you don't mind."

"I'm sure you would Draco, but the headmaster has asked that prefects not patrol their own houses. Now let's proceed shall we?"

Ginny and Malfoy both nodded. Harry watched as Malfoy began walking up the stairs and Ginny started off toward the Great Hall.

He followed behind her carefully to make sure he wasn't making any noises. The air around him began to grow cooler as he realized they were making their way to the dungeons. Soon he found himself in front of Snape's classroom as Ginny knocked then opened the door.

"Professor?" she asked.

"Suddenly Snape yelled "Legilimens" and Ginny stumbled as the spell struck her. Shocked Harry was just about to throw off his cloak and come to Ginny's aid. It was then that Ginny shouted "Protego" at Snape. The spell was so powerful it caused him to fly across his desk.

A minute later Harry saw Snape as he tried to sit down in his chair.

"Very good Miss Weasley," he said. "I almost thought you wouldn't be able to practice tonight. I must say I am somewhat surprised young Mr. Malfoy was patrolling with you tonight."

"That makes two of us professor."

"Have you had any more troubles lately?"

"Not really. I clear my mind as much as I can with OWLS coming up. If he does do something it's overcrowded by the knowledge that polyjuice potion takes a month to brew and that ragweed can be poisonous to garden gnomes."

"Good. I think it's prudent that you return to you patrol now. Please let me know if anything happens."

"Thank you sir," Ginny said as she turned to leave. However she hesitated before opening the door and turned back to Snape. "Uh sir? I was just wondering who's that woman I always see in your mind?"

Harry saw Snape's jaw tighten. "That is none of your business Miss Weasley."

"It's just that she looks a bit like me and I was wondering if she's related or if I know her," Ginny pushed.

"No, Miss Weasley. That woman died before you were born. She's merely a ghost of a memory."

"I'm sorry she haunts you so much then," Ginny said as she walked out the door.

Harry followed her, his heart thumping in his chest. What was going on? How long had Ginny been learning Occlumency and why? Why did she need it?

Finally, after they left Snape's corridor Harry threw of his cloak.

"Ginny."

Ginny twirled around, her wand drawn. When she saw Harry, she quickly lowered it.

"Merlin, Harry you scared me," she said. "What are you doing out here?"

"What were you doing learning Occlumency?" he countered.

Harry saw Ginny pale slightly before she turned and began to walk away from him.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she snapped.

Harry caught up with her and grabbed her elbow to turn her toward him. He used a little more force than he thought and found her pressed slightly against him.

"I saw you Ginny," he said softly, almost into her ear.

"You've been following me," she said angrily.

"How long have you been learning Occlumency?" Harry asked again as his hands moved up to Ginny's upper arms.

"What does it matter Harry?"

Harry sighed. "How long?," he said almost in a whisper.

Ginny looked him in the eyes. For a second she saw anger, fear and confusion all pass through them.

"Since the chamber," she finally said.

"Why?"

"Because," she said breaking away and turning her back to him. "Memories can be very powerful."

"Do you see what Voldemort does?" Harry's voice shook.

"No," she said turning to face him. "I hear Tom. I hear him talking to me. Telling me to come to him, like I'd ever want anything to do with him again."

"Why didn't you tell us?"

Ginny snorted. "Why would I tell you? You - you, my brother, Hermione - you have your own blood secrets you don't let me on. I know you are up to something even now. You don't think I can take care of myself even after I fought beside you at the Ministry of Magic. You follow me out on rounds. Why would I bother to tell you?"

Tears of hurt began to form in Ginny's eyes as Harry began to realize how hurt she must feel and how he had caused some of it. His heart began to ache and before he knew it, he had pulled Ginny into his arms once again, only this time he lowered his lips to hers. Even years afterward, he would not know what compelled him to do it; just that at that moment no one had ever come close to looking as beautiful as Ginny did at that moment.

Slowly they pulled away from each other. Harry rested his forehead on Ginny's.

"Ginny I'm sorry," he said softly. "I'm sorry you had to keep this a secret. I'm sorry we didn't give you enough credit. You can take care of yourself. And I'm sorry for not trusting you."

"It's all right Harry."

"No, it's not. In fact the reason I followed you tonight was to make sure you were fine and to ask you a favor."

"What favor?" she said looking at him.

"I'm not going to lie to you Ginny. I don't like asking you to do this. Ron, Hermione and I are up to something and we need your help."

"What do you need me to do?"

Harry sighed. "We need you to keep Malfoy occupied while we search his room to look for Death Eater letters."

"Can't I just hex him and put him somewhere?"

Harry let a chuckle escape his lips.

"That's what Ron said, but no. We just need him out of the way, but so he doesn't think anything's wrong. If you can just have him meet you in that abandoned classroom near the Slytherin dormitory that way I can keep an eye on you and Hermione at the same time. Hermione's talking my cloak to look for the letters. I'll have my map to make sure no one discovers us."

"And how, pray tell, am I suppose to keep Malfoy busy?" she said stepping out of his embrace. Harry felt as if all the warmth in the world left him as she did so. "You're not insinuating I snog him are you?"

"If he lays a hand on you I'll hex him into the ground," Harry hissed before he regained his composure. "Just talk to him Ginny."

"About what? I don't normally converse with Draco Malfoy you know? Besides he might not even agree to meet with me."

"He will trust me. Then you can ask him why he stares at you during meals and he better have a dam good excuse."

"He does what? Nevermind it's too," she shuddered before continuing. "And you'll be there just in case right?"

"Yes."

"Al right Harry. I'll do it."