The whipping cold hit Ginny's face roughly as she walked onto the pitch, barely able to see her own hands in front of her face. She jumped on her broom, gripping it tightly, and took off. She zoomed around and saw a glint of gold, obviously the Snitch. Ginny zoomed after it and pulled out her wand. She aimed carefully and her voice called, barely audible over the storm but enough for her wand.

"Imobulus!" she cried. The Snitch froze and Ginny thought of how illegal that spell would be during a game, grinning. She snatched it and stuck it in her pocket. She flew around, looking for Draco. Suddenly, a strong, focused gust of wind blew by her face, and she felt the soft brush of cloth against her face. She looked up and saw Draco. She urged her broom forward and grabbed the bristles of his Thunderstreak broomstick (the latest quality for speed, acceleration, and maneuverability).

Draco felt something tugging on his broom, but when he turned, the rain was right in his eyes and he couldn't see the person's face. "I thought I told you guys I would get the balls you bloody dolt!" he yelled over the rain. Ginny looked at him in confusion. She couldn't believe he was so selfish! Didn't he remember they both had detention?!

"Well, maybe I want to help you so we can make it to detention on time!" she yelled back. If Ginny could see his face, she would see a blank look upon it as he realized that it wasn't a player from his team that was stopping him from his mission to collect the balls.

"Gin- er –Weasel?" he asked. Ginny rolled her eyes and pulled her broom up so it was level with him. Then she hit him over the head. "Ow! What was that for?!"

"For calling me Weasel, now hurry up and help me find the Bludgers," she yelled. Ginny had seen that he already held the Quaffle tightly under his right arm. All that was left was the two, jet-black balls. She gulped as she thought of what these Bludgers intention would be, game or no game. She zoomed around until she saw a ball blot out one of the window lights. She pulled out her wand and tried to use the "Imobulus" charm. It didn't work. Then she remembered. Ever since Harry's second year, when the Bludger had gone haywire and went straight for Harry the entire time, the balls had all been charmed to resist all but two peoples magic: Professor Dumbledore and Madam Hooch.

The Bludger veered direction and went straight for her, hovering there on her broom. She tried to dodge it, but it hit her left arm full on. She winced in pain but did not forget why she was out her. Her arm wrapped around the ball and she held it close as she descended towards the Slytherin Locker Room where the box was. She placed the Bludger in and put the restraints on, then put the Snitch into its compartment behind the school seal. She started to mount again, but saw Draco coming at her with a Bludger in his hands. The Quaffle was being held by his feet. She took the Quaffle and put it away gingerly. Draco wrestled the second Bludger back into the box next to its twin. Draco looked at her.

"Thanks," he said softly. She nodded, but winced. She tried to suppress the cry of pain, but couldn't. Her right arm went to her left and she held it close. Draco looked at her, a mixture of worry and curiosity on his face. "What is it?"

"Nothing…just the Bludger hit my arm…" she replied through clenched teeth. She turned to go but he grabbed her cloak gently and pulled her back. He tugged at her cloak and let it fall. She shivered from the cold, but he was lost in examining her arm. It was bruised and cut slightly in the center. He tenderly stroked the area around the bruise and she shivered again.

"C'mon, Weasel, it's too cold for you to be out without a cloak on," he said and picked up the cloak. Little did he know, the shiver was actually from the sensations of his touch and had nothing to do with the temperature. She took it in her good arm. He dragged the Quidditch Balls inside following her. He left the balls by the door and reasoned that he'd bring them up later.

"You should go see Madam Pomfrey…" Draco said, looking at her arm.

"No," she said firmly. "We have a detention to get to," He nodded hesitantly as she strode off in the direction of McGonagall's class.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Minerva McGonagall looked at the two soaking students as they ran up to her. "You two are late," she snapped. Draco groaned.

"It's all my fault, Professor," he said quickly before anyone else had a chance to speak. She raised her eyebrows. "If I hadn't wanted to collect the Quidditch balls by myself, Ginny wouldn't have had to come look for me and we wouldn't have been late,"

"No excuses. There was a time that you were supposed to be here, and you were late. I'm sorry, but I'm giving you an extra night on the original week assigned by Professor Dumbledore. Now hurry up and get inside my classroom," McGonagall said. The two rushed inside and she closed the door as she entered.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Mr. Malfoy, please try to keep your attentions on your task rather than Ms. Weasley," McGonagall's voice broke through Draco's thoughts. He looked up from his small daze. He sighed and continued to de-transfigure all of the half-mouse half-ink bottles that the second years had come up with. Ginny grinned at him. It wasn't a grin that she was really laughing at him about him getting in trouble. It was a friendly smile they'd shared several times when one of them had gotten in trouble.

Suddenly, Snape rushed in. "Minerva, Dumbledore wants you to come with us. The teachers are going out to search for some students…they were creeping around the Forbidden Forest and haven't returned to their Common Rooms yet. One student swore he saw them go in…" Snape glanced at the two.

"I am certain I can trust you two enough to finish your task and head to your Common Rooms…?" McGonagall said, looking sharply from Ginny to Draco. They both nodded and soon, the teachers were gone. Ginny sighed and let her wand roll out of her fingers and across the desk. She stretched and leaned back in her chair uncomfortably. She leaned back on two legs, balancing herself.

"Having fun?" Draco said after a moment of this. Ginny, startled, lost her balance. Just as the chair was tipping, Draco was on his feet in one fluid motion. He grabbed her hands out of midair and pulled her up. The chair fell to the floor with a clatter and Ginny found herself in his arms. She looked up and caught his gaze. Draco swallowed hard at their close proximity, and drew back, placing her arms at her sides. He cleared his throat and picked up her chair for her.

He glanced over at her and saw her wincing. He realized he'd touched her arm, but she obviously didn't mind much, for she drew a quick, deep breath and shook her head.

He sat down quickly and began working again. Ginny looked over at him and murmured "Thanks,"

Not long later, Draco got irritated. He threw down his wand angrily. Ginny started and looked over at him. He glanced at her.

"This is so stupid! My fingers are blistering from all the bloody spells! Haven't they seen that we aren't tearing at one another's throats anymore?!" Draco's voice was beginning to give away too much emotion. He collapsed in his chair and took a deep breath. Ginny grinned.

"A bit testy, aren't we?" she teased. He glared at her.

 
"I'm not testy!" he snapped. "Malfoys don't get testy!"
 
"Right and my fathers just been made the Minister of Magic," Ginny muttered. His gaze snapped over to her.
 
"Who do you think you are?!" he cried angrily. He wasn't really that upset with her, but his frustrations today were building, and he needed an outlet. Unfortunately, Ginny happened to be the only person around he could let out his rage on.
 
"I think I'm Virginia Annabelle (A/N: is that right??) Weasley, pureblooded witch and direct descendent of Godric Gryffindor, but ya know, seeing as I'm a Weasley, maybe I'm wrong!" she snapped back, standing too. "You think just because you're a Malfoy you can just boss the rest of us around!"
 
"That's where you're wrong, Weasley! Being a Malfoy has nothing to do with my pride and what makes me, as you say, boss people around is being Head Boy! It comes with the job description you know!" 
 
"You're so impossible!" 
 
"You're such a brat!"
 
"What?! I am not!"
 
"You are too!"
 
"Am not times infinity!" Draco's eyes widened. He sputtered around for an answer. Ginny grinned smugly.
 
"You know, you're so immature," he snapped.
 
"You were doing it too!"
 
"Just finish your work," he seethed coldly. Ginny glared at Draco. She sighed. She'd thought they were becoming…sort of friends…Well, ya know what they say, she thought. Two steps forward, one step back…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Draco, do you really think you have a chance of being the Hogwart's Champion?" Pansy asked skeptically. Draco rolled his eyes. He'd just barely survived the previous night of detention with Ginny. The two of them had separated, both still seething over their little fight.

"Gee, thanks for the support, Sweetie," he replied, his voice dripping with sarcasm. Pansy made a face at him.

"No problem," Pansy scoffed. She quickly scrawled down her own information and dropped it into the Goblet. Draco cleared his throat loudly.

"And what about you? You think you stand a chance?" Draco asked, laughing. Pansy's eyes narrowed.

"I'm entering for laughs," Pansy said squarely, shrugging her shoulders and tossing her hair over her shoulder. Some of the Slytherin boys stopped their discussion and stared at her, and she flashed them a quick smile. Draco's lips curled in disgust. "You?"

"Same. Just for the kicks..." Draco muttered. He was actually doing it for a laugh. He knew he wouldn't be chosen…but there was always that little side of him that wanted to play hero. That side that just wanted to be the Champion of his school, the one everyone cheered for…

Draco's thoughts were interrupted by a young Ravenclaw who'd attempted the same Aging Charms the Weasley's had. He had a beard, and all the students were roaring with laughter. Draco rolled his eyes and made a pathway through the crowd by flashing his Head Boy badge.

"Come on," he said, snatching the boys arm. He half-dragged him to the Hospital Wing. He knocked a gloved hand (only the best dragon hide) on the door, and was met by a startled looking Ginny. She looked at him in confusion, but then saw the boy. She held out her hand. The boy was at first hesitant, then took it.

"Will I get in trouble?" he asked. Ginny shook her head, and the sweetest smile spread on her face. Instantly, the boy felt as though he should explain. "I wanted to win the prize money…my parents don't have much and aren't doing too well…and…and…" Tears began to slide down his cheeks in shame and embarrassment. Ginny handed the boy over to Madam Pomfrey, who was less than enthusiastic to see the bearded child.

"Thanks for bringing him up, Draco," Ginny said. She froze as she realized what she'd said. She turned and met his puzzled expression. She'd called him 'Draco.'

"Erm…see you in detention…er…Ginny," he replied hesitantly. She smiled and waved her hand dismissively. Obediently, he left, closing the door gently behind him. Why had she called him Draco?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Draco was wondering the same thing as he walked down the halls towards the Common Room. Instantly he became cocky and thought, Poor Weasel. Probably falling for me. After all, I am charming, rich, and attractive… A smirk appeared on his face and he muttered the password (Serpiente) and strode into the Common Room.

Trick sensed Draco's arrogance as he stepped into the room and rolled his eyes. He watched the older boy stride by with such confidence that Trick felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up in dislike. He shook his head and got absorbed in his sister's letter about her support for him being the Hogwart's Triwizard Champion.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ginny tried to focus and be a help to Madam Pomfrey, but ended up being more of a nuisance. Madam Pomfrey noticed too, and looked at Ginny concernedly.

"Ginny, you're usually patient and focused. Is something wrong? Do you feel ill?" she asked. Ginny smiled and shook her head.

"Just a bit tired, I 'spose. May I go relax? I have detention tonight…" Madam Pomfrey smiled and nodded.

"You'll need all the rest you can get, working with that dreadful Malfoy boy," she muttered.

"He isn't so awful," Ginny said softly before she could stop herself. She didn't turn around and face the old nurse, but pulled on her coat. She could feel Madam Pomfrey's eyes on her. "I'll see you tomorrow then," Ginny called.

"Good night, Ginny,"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 
"Tonight, ye two will be helpin' me design the decorations for the Halloween Masquerade Ball," Hagrid said gruffly. Ginny smiled. She already knew what she was going as. Draco glanced over at her and found himself yet again entranced by her beauty as her eyes sparkled. She was lost in thoughts of the Ball, this he knew, and he hoped he would be able to avoid her that night. She felt his eyes upon her and looked over. She blushed deeply as she found him staring and looked back at Hagrid. His eyes widened. It was times like these that all of their fights seemed so petty and unimportant. Why did they bicker so?
 
Ginny lifted her wand and attempted the spell to create the silvery whisps of smoke that formed cats and would dodge around the floor, gliding through people and creating a mist whenever touched. Her cat was a faint outline that disappeared within seconds. Her brow furrowed and she drew up her sleeves and tried again. It took her only three tries to master the Silver Cat Ghost spell. Draco looked through the book and searched for a spell that was simple for him. He chose the Enchanted Sparkles spell. He flicked his wand and a small, glowing orb hovered in the air. He wondered how to test it. He glanced down at the page and saw just how. He grabbed Ginny's hand and pulled her over to him. Her eyes widened as she found herself yet again in his arms. He was grinning as sparkles started shooting out from the orb. Ginny laughed. This was going to be a wonderful Ball.
 
 
(A/N: Geez guyz, it's been forever! I haven't gotten a review on this story in a while and I kinda just didn't feel like writing, but I'm back now!! Yaaay! All right, now to update the other two stories…)