A/N: you know it; only own those unrecognisable from the books

The lyrics are from 'I Believe I Can Fly' By R Kelly

Thanks for all the reviews and my beta, kneh13 of course, this chapter is dedicated to Flea who was wearing part of Ginny's outfit in town yesterday, luv ya hun! anyway enjoy =) and keep reviewin xx

Chapter Seventeen – Slytherins and Gryffindors

I used to think that I could not go on
And life was nothing but an awful song
But now I know the meaning of true love
I'm leaning on the everlasting arms

If I can see it, then I can do it
If I just believe it, there's nothing to it
I believe I can fly
I believe I can touch the sky
I think about it every night and day
Spread my wings and fly away

Ginny's eyes flickered open and she saw a blurry Draco framed by torchlight watching her anxiously as her head rolled from side to side on the pillow. She vaguely heard him whisper her name in anguish before sleep drowned her again and her eyes fluttered closed.

Her face was so pale the pillow looked pale yellow by comparison except for two bright spots of red on her cheekbones, the dark blue rings under her eyes and her eyes themselves that were darkened with pain to a dark black coffee colour and sparkled fever-bright. Her hair was dull red with sweat and splayed out across the pillow emphasising her pallor and reminding Draco horribly of the blood they had both been drenched in when they had first returned to school.

He himself had refused Madam Pomfrey's frantic offers of potions and healing charms to help him and had given her such a poisonous look when she had timidly suggested he get some sleep she had crossed herself and scuttled back to Ginny to check her pulse and temperature.

His own various cuts and bruises had healed except a deep cut across his left cheekbone that was only just stitching itself back together again and a black purple and yellow bruise the size of a Quaffle on his ribs.

Waking again hours later Ginny's first sight was Draco asleep in the chair besides her bed, his hand gripping hers as he slept and his head falling forward onto his chest, his hair making a violent contrast against the black of the sweater and jeans he had been forced into by Blue. She squeezed his fingers slightly and he was awake within seconds, leaning over and stroking her sweaty forehead with the thumb of his spare hand.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you about Ivie, I prayed so badly that it wouldn't be her which would give you another reason to hate me..."

He trailed off when Ginny raised a bruised finger to his lips and smiled when he kissed it, frantic for her forgiveness as he silently repeated the thousands of apologies and pleadings he had uttered when he had thought she was going to die, as always his face as blank as ever despite the severe situation.

"I don't hate you, Draco. I was stupid and blinded by anger and the need for revenge no one should ever have to go through..."

His lips cut her off as he kissed her hesitantly, not knowing if it was painful for her or not. It was but Ginny was so glad the burning hatred that had consumed her since she had read the letter was gone she pulled him against her in exquisite agony. He finally pulled away reluctantly and made to get to his feet;

"I should probably let you get some sleep."

He was about to turn away when Ginny's frail grip froze him; her hand was clutching his sleeve as she pulled him back towards her and onto the bed.

"Stay."

He curled up against her, his body on top of the covers as hers remained underneath and curled his body into hers. One hand under her neck and supporting her head as he stroked her hair, the other entwined with hers and pulled into her chest as her back pressed against his chest. Breathing in her scent he was so passionately relieved she didn't hate him he would have kissed Harry in front of the entire school... well lets not go that far.

-=-=-=-=-=-

"What on earth are you doing?! You can't excite the patient like that! That's not what she needs!"

Ginny and Draco were rudely awakened by an irate Madam Pomfrey yanking open the curtains and flooding the room with a harsh bright winter light to accompany her squawks.

"But it's exactly what she needs, Madam Pomfrey."

Ginny grabbed Draco so he couldn't escape and smiled innocently over at the elder woman. Draco smiled lamely at Madam Pomfrey and quickly kissed Ginny goodbye before fleeing the room at the look on Madam Pomfrey's face as her lips tightened like McGonagall's on a rampage.

Chuntering under her breath as she straightened Ginny's bedclothes and handed her another healing potion, Madam Pomfrey fixed her with a stern eye and a sudden idea came to Ginny, she had been stabbed in her mid-drift after all so it might have been done.

"Madam Pomfrey, did you do a pregnancy test when I came in?"

Madam Pomfrey straightened up with a struck look on her face before nodding and bustling about checking Ginny's temperature and pulse.

"Am I pregnant?"

Ginny's voice was small as she stared fixedly at the empty flagon on her lap, she felt Madam Pomfrey staring at her nonetheless and she breathed a sigh of relief when she removed the flagon and turned away from her.

"No."

Ginny felt a mixture of relief and disappointment at this as she eased herself into a sitting up position and winced at the sharp pain in her mid drift. Part of her was glad she wasn't going to be a mother so soon but another part was disappointed as a child would have tied Draco to her. She knew he practically was by the Prophecy and the whole Mate business but he was so gorgeous and rich how could anyone not be attracted to him and she lived in constant fear he would find someone else. She felt she had no right to expect him to be faithful when she was so lucky to have one little piece of him.

The door banging open shattered her thoughts abruptly and she turned to see the remaining Five stood in the doorway grinning.

"Darling!" Blue cried, descending on her and kissing her full on the mouth before shoving a bunch of tulips stolen from the greenhouses into her hands and dropping onto the edge of her bed.

"We came to give you gifts and whatever, but once this lot have buggered off I'll give you a bed bath." He cackled, receiving death glares from Frankie and Draco.

Noah kissed her cheek and handed her a bunch of her favourite flowers; white roses, and a box of chocolates, quickly followed by Frankie's gift of Every Flavour Beans.

"Draco, you look like you're in pain."

Ginny turned to look at Draco whose eyes were indeed darkened with pain and she hastily snatched her hand away from Noah who had been holding it.

"I don't understand that pain thing."

Juno draped herself over Noah as he slumped back in a chair besides the bed with a wary look at Draco who had taken his place besides Ginny.

"Is it any physical contact or something that's more than friendly?"

Everyone looked around at each other before shrugging.

"Dunno."

Blue looked over at Draco with a wicked glint in his eye and leaned towards Ginny smirking.

"So if I do this..."

Blue pressed his lips briefly against Ginny's who sat and stared at him but didn't push him away as she watched Draco scowl over Blue's shoulder.

"I feel like a brick's just been dropped on my head." Draco growled.

Blue grinned at him and sat back, glancing at Ginny who was shaking with laughter as she pulled a grumbling Draco down besides her.

"Well as much as I'd like to stay and make small talk I have somewhere to be."

Frankie rose to her feet and gave Blue a significant look before kissing Ginny on the temple and leaving the room, Blue following her seconds after with the flimsy excuse of studying.

"Studying." Ginny snorted watching his retreating steps. "Yeah right who's he kidding."

She jumped when Madam Pomfrey barged through the diving curtains and slammed a fresh jug of water onto Ginny's bedside table, conjuring a couple of vases and flicking her wand at the flowers until they jumped up and into the vases.

"That's it, this young girl needs rest not a circus act, get out!"

The tone in her voice was one not to be messed with and Juno got up somewhat gratefully and mumbled goodbye awkwardly at Ginny as Noah kissed her. Draco leant down and kissed Ginny lingeringly on the lips before following Juno out of the door where she was currently dragging Noah down the stairs to an unspecified location.

"Are you sure about this?"

Frankie bit her lip and looked up at Blue, the fact that he was watching her with actual emotions in his eyes made her resolve stiffen and she nodded, pulling the pins holding her hair up in a bun out so it tumbled down her shoulders in curled waves. Blue could sense she was still unsure and decided to take it slowly; she could always stop him if she changed her mind.

Blue kissed her mouth, her cheek, her jaw line and slowly down her neck, trailing his tongue down to the collar of her shirt. Unbuttoning the buttons as he kissed her smooth brown shoulder, flickering his tongue against the pulse point in her neck and feeling as well as smelling the blood speed up in her body.

Her shirt was quickly dropped onto the floor and the cool night air brushed over her bared skin as his hands went to work on her bra, his kisses didn't stop as he pulled her fishnet tights, black skirt and clumpy high heeled shoes off. When she was clad only in her black lace panties he laid her down against the cool dew-drenched grass that chilled her skin in a delightful clashing of senses as her passion-heated flesh trembled at his touch.

Leaving the teased flesh at her neck he laid his tongue on her collar bone and slowly trailed his head all the way down to her navel where a small silver belly-bar in the shape of a skull and cross-bones glittered in the rising moonlight. Pulling the charm into his mouth he swirled his tongue over it, the slight tugging sensation sending chills up her spine.

"Take that bloody thing off will you."

He sighed impatiently and helped her unbutton his shirt; several of the buttons ripping clean off as she moved on to fumble with the belt of his jeans, jamming his zip with her trembling hands. Removing her hand he lifted it to his lips and kissed it, calmly slipping the jeans off and laying down besides her propped up on one elbow as he ran his other hand over her bare skin.

What doubts she had harboured vanished as his mouth came crashing down on hers, marking her as his as his hand slipped under the elastic of her knickers and she groaned into his mouth, her tongue lashing against his cautiously as he wriggled in closer to her. Their long lashes were tangled together as her hands crept over to his shoulders, her fingernails raking across his skin as he shuddered in delight, his fingers increasing their pressure as her tentative movements increased in confidence sending shudders of pleasure down his spine.

It didn't occur to either of them that if someone decided to take a midnight stroll by the lake they would be in a lot of trouble and would be hard pushed to explain what they were doing besides the truth which would land them in even more trouble.

-=-=-=-=-=-

A week later Ginny was thankfully leaving the hospital wing, her get well gifts cards and flowers had been transported to her room all ready and she was getting ready for her first day back in the main body of the school. Sighing and once more thanking Merlin Dumbledore had freed the school two days early for the Christmas holidays, she pulled on a small black pleated skirt and a heavy studded black belt.

Shrugging into a black 'Sugarcult' t-shirt she adjusted the numerous black plastic bands and studded bracelets around her wrists and slumped onto the bed to pull on her black leg-warmers and black Converse boots. Her hair was already in two buns on either side of her head at the back and spiked up so her face was framed by the spikes, her eyes ringed in black make-up so they stood out like bush-baby's with two lines of black from her bottom eyelashes to halfway down her cheeks and her lips coated in black lipstick; yes she was in a black mood.

"Come on, Gin, Christ!"

Ginny sighed and got up off the bed, strapping a spiked black choker around her neck and pulling open her door to allow Noah, Mason, Rindy, Xander, Alyssa, Cass and a starry-eyed Frankie to survey her outfit.

"You look great."

Ginny rolled her eyes which seemed to be all pupils as she had 'borrowed' the new black contacts Noah had never even worn to complete her outfit.

"Yeah, Ron's going to shit Frisbees when he sees you." Rindy giggled, snatching Xander's wandering hand from the inside of her green blouse.

"Oh well at least today won't be a total waste of make-up then."

The group laughed before heading down the stairs towards the common room where Ron was pacing impatiently before the fire, Hermione watching him curiously while her knitting needles clicked in the firelight besides her and Harry lay full length on the sofa, immersed in 'Quidditch Through the Ages' one hand on her Cass's head from where se was sat on the floor besides him scribbling a letter to her parents.

"What is that?!" Ron snarled, indicating Ginny's skirt in revulsion, his ear turning red already.

No one answered, Hermione rolling her eyes and getting to her feet, swinging her bag over her shoulder and heading for the portrait hole with Mason and Noah.

"Did they not have a longer skirt to go with that belt?"

Harry snorted and quickly turned it into a cough as he shoved the book into his bag and got to his feet, following Hermione over to the portrait hole and waiting patiently for his best friend to follow.

"Sure they did, but I couldn't afford it."

The colour in Ron's ears flooded his face and mixed into an ugly purple flush as he stalked over to Harry chuntering under his breath.

The story of Ginny's battle wound seemed to have filled the school quickly, even by Hogwarts standards as people never stopped staring all the way down to the Great Hall. Normally she would have been slightly embarrassed by such attentions but she was pretty much past caring now and stalked along the corridors with her head held high as her friends fanned out on either side of her, beaming. Peeves had obviously been bored this morning as the entire Entrance Hall was flooded and people were wading through water up to their ankles into the Great Hall which was also partially flooded.

Slumping into a seat at the Gryffindor table Ginny was well aware that the subject of almost every conversation was her and she was proud to say she honestly didn't care. She piled her plate and ate quickly before dragging Noah complaining out of the room for some gossip. They were at least ten minutes early for one of the rooms open to the students to gossip in to open and Ginny shuddered and huddled deeper into her t-shirt, watching as goose bumps crawled along her bare legs at some unknown fear.

Her nervous eyes darted from side to side, taking in the dark mahogany panelling surrounding her and Noah and the heavy oak door to her left. The cold that was invading her body and seeping into her flimsy skirt and t-shirt was forcing her to move, as though something had taken control of her trembling legs she crept forward, cursing her wet shoes as they squeaked wildly against the grey slabs of marble beneath her. As her numbed fingers edged along the door feeling dents and scratches beneath her fingers she felt another surge of sudden dread surround her and tried to pull herself away. Her shaking hand, however, decided not to follow her bidding and gripped the ice-cold doorknob, silently twisting it until her Professor swept down the stairs and tapped the door with her wand where a notice appeared;

This classroom suspended until further notice, all students that should use the time to study.

The professor nodded at Noah and Ginny before sweeping off towards the staff room leaving the friends to stare at each other dumb founded before Noah grinned and dragged Ginny up towards the Room of Requirement which was serving these days as a kind of room for everyone to hang around in since the entire school now knew where it was.

With a last uneasy glance over her trembling shoulder, Ginny followed her friend up the wide sweeping stairs and along endless corridors, past classrooms filled with chattering students happily comparing notes on what they were wearing and who they were taking to this year's Yule Ball tomorrow and grumbling over the amount of holiday homework set. Ginny stopped briefly as a group of giggling fourth year girls stampeded out of a nearby classroom and began to talk rapidly about their individual dates, comparing bright wizard photographs of their idols and comparing the seducing techniques they were going to use at the Ball. Ginny frowned as she realised she didn't have a date for tomorrow before hurrying past after Noah who was talking animatedly to himself, not having noticed she wasn't there yet.

"Here is as good a place as any/"

The pair paused outside a room halfway down the Charms corridor before a voice called out to them and they spun around to look at Juno who was bustling over with Blue and Frankie in tow.

"I wouldn't; Peeves has just dropped a bag of Dungbombs in there."

Ginny looked at Noah who was staring shyly at Juno before shrugging and following the group back down to the dungeons towards Juno's room.

"Make yourself at home."

Juno disappeared into the bathroom as the others flopped onto the dark blue silk four poster bed, chattering idly while Ginny stared around in awe. The walls were painted a rich ruby red while gold stencilling around the top, her dark blue bed was draped with rich crimson silk pillows at one end and an assortment of cushions in various blues, reds and golds at the bottom. There was a very pale gold carpet covering the floor of the room and her chest of drawers and wardrobe were a very dark blue with gold stars scattered on them randomly besides the huge window framed by blue curtains trimmed in gold.

Returning from the bathroom and seeing the look on Ginny's face, Juno explained her wonderful choice in décor as she dropped into a heavy scarlet armchair and draped her legs over the arm, looking as though she was made to fit in this room in a long tight t-shirt that fell to mid-thigh and black tights covering her legs, her platinum hair twisted up in a clip at the back of her head.

"I live in Russia with my uncle for three years when I was nine before I came here and I loved the décor of my room there so much I did what I could to recreate with shoebox you're given here."

Ginny slumped down on the floor with her back against Noah's legs and stared around; it really was absolutely breath taking.

"It's beautiful; I still haven't painted mine yet even though I have all the stuff."

Ginny turned to Frankie who was sat on the floor opposite Blue with their legs entwined; she seemed to have taken a great liking to Juno now she was no longer a threat to Frankie and Blue.

"Well it's not like we're doing anything."

Ginny nodded and they got to their feet, swiftly making their way to Frankie's room. On their way Frankie paused and deliberated for a second before turning to the others.

"We made need more help."

The others looked at each other before Juno nodded and turned to Ginny with a wary smile; she wasn't sure how the Gryffindor felt about her and didn't want to seem too bossy.

"If you knock on that door there, it's the sixth year boy's dormitories, just tell them I sent you and they'll come and help."

Ginny nodded and waved for the others to go on without her as she knocked on the door and waited for it to be opened. Expecting some thug similar to Crabbe and Goyle to answer she did not expect a sex god to be leaning in the doorframe.

A tousled head of black curls, stylishly mussed up appeared and, Ginny being smaller, when she looked up she was staring into the biggest blue eyes she had ever seen. Staring into the heavenly face she seemed to lose her voice.

"Who is it, Chance?"

A voice called out from the depths of the room as the boy folded his arms and leant against the doorframe with a seductive innocence.

"Dunno, she doesn't seem to be able to talk."

His voice was lightly mocking and reminded her of Draco, the thought of him pulled her out of her trance as second boy appeared besides Chance with a curious cry of;

"She?!"

This boy was a complete contrast to Chance, he had dark blonde wavy hair that fell into place perfectly without any need for gel and sludge-green eyes in a pale round face. Glancing from one to the other Ginny noticed Chance had large, gentle lips and a small snub nose whereas the other boy had a long pointed nose like a fox and a small wickedly smiling mouth.

"Quite cute, doesn't look wild enough for me though. Is she a statue or something? She doesn't seem to be moving, pull her hair or something."

As the blond boy reached out to tug on a lock of her dark red hair she grabbed his hand and spun him around, forcing him onto his knees and pulling his arm up his back. Chance gave a shout of laughter, his big eyes scanning Ginny whose features were contorted in concentration. He laughed again and she released her grip on the boy who scrambled to his feet, not looking the least bit embarrassed or put out, but looking wildly excited. Obviously this little wild child could take care of herself, something Slytherins rated very highly.

"I was sent here by Juno to get your help."

Her voice was bored as she crooked back the fingers of her left hand to study her black-painted nails.

"Ah, I recognise you now; you're the Weasley girl aren't you."

Ginny scowled at him as she nodded and he amazed her by holding out a hand for her to shake; a Slytherin being civil to a Gryffindor?! Ginny shook his hand as he introduced himself as Chance and the blonde-haired boy as Leo who was still watching Ginny's body unashamedly.

Entering Frankie's room they found tins of paint laid out ready in a smooth mint-green colour and a pale silver-grey by different sized brushes and rollers.

"The Muggle way?"

Ginny glared at a complaining Leo before nodding and handing him a brush;

"Much more fun this way."

-=-=-=-=-=-

After hours of hard work during which Draco had dropped by upon hearing Ginny was there and sat in the corner not lifting a finger to help as he watched Ginny laughing and joking, flicking paint at Chance and Noah which triggered off a furious paint fight which miraculously didn't mark the walls, the room was finally done.

The walls were a beautiful green with the Chinese words for love, beauty, wealth, truth, loyalty, bravery and honour stencilled in silver paint around the top of them, the chest of drawers was now pale grey like the wardrobe and Juno was still busy skilfully arranging the silver curtains that framed Frankie's bed and windows. Leo was busy straightening the emerald and silver striped bedspread and arranging the silver, grey, jade and olive embroidered cushions.

Turning to the left Ginny saw Chance arranging a painted bamboo arrangement in an almost man-size moss-green vase on the floor in the corner, the little lights embedded in the bamboo twinkling in the fading sunlight. Standing back to survey their work the lot of them exchanged brief hugs of congratulations, shockingly even Chance and Leo, not that they had much choice after Ginny grabbed them and hauled them into the group.

"Well, aren't we getting on well."

A cruel voice filled the room and Ginny shuddered as she turned and saw a small girl looking very like a banshee with dark red lips, pale skin, huge dark eyes and a sheet of pure black hair falling to her waist. Her clothes enhanced the appearance as she was clad in a short black skirt that emphasized the pallor of her pale legs and a tight black blouse buttoned up so it only just contained her breasts.

"Allegra, babe! I didn't see you at breakfast." Chance cried, stalking over to the tiny figure and hugging her, dropping a kiss on her perfectly smooth white forehead.

"And you weren't there at breakfast, presumably because you were helping these, Gryffindor's."

The words hung in the air like poison and Ginny felt a hand slide into hers comfortingly and she squeezed it, leaning back against Draco's hard muscular chest gratefully.

"Who was that?"

When the two of them were finally gone Draco dropped into a silver armchair and Ginny climbed onto his lap, swinging her legs over the arm and absentmindedly playing with his hair.

"Liana Connelly, evil little whore." Juno answered bitchily, obviously no fan of the girl and making no qualms about displaying it.

"Ever since she seduced Chance he's been spending more and more with her rather than us."

Ginny watched Juno curiously as she flopped onto Frankie's bed alongside Frankie and propped her legs over Noah's.

"Too true, love." Leo muttered, deeply immersed in Juno's diary which he had dug out of her discarded backpack and was now flicking through it with one hand as he massaged Juno's feet with his other.

"Even though she's a beauty freak..." Juno continued, writhing under Leo's expert caresses on her feet.

"Who'll get a sick note for a dislocated eyelash." Leo interrupted, increasing the pressure on her feet until Juno could feel her breathing getting more laboured and she exchanged a passionate eye meet with Noah who wasn't looking put out at all at the fact that his girlfriend was being turned on by a different guy.

"Indeed, anyway she's tough and you don't want to cross her."

The uneasy silence that filled the room following this statement was so cold that even Leo closed Juno's diary.

"Come on ladies, and Leo, time for dinner."

Draco shot Blue a look as Ginny laughed and climbed off his lap, dragging him to his feet and following the chattering others from the room. It didn't occur to her to mind that the sight of a group of Slytherins and Gryffindors heading down to the Great Hall together, not only without insulting each other but three pairs of them holding hands and the rest of them chattering as though they'd been friends for years would be disturbing to the rest of the school but it plainly was.

The halls seemed to freeze as the students packed into them paused and stared at them, Ginny clutching Draco's hand and whispering into his ear, Blue and Frankie just behind them with their arms around each other and Juno and Noah with their arms linked. Leo chattering away to Alyssa, Rindy, Mason and Xander who had just joined them and were gradually liking the Slytherin no matter how hard they tried not to.

They entered the Great Hall as one big group, not in the least bit fazed when it completely froze, cutlery clashing onto the tables as people dropped them, the Golden Trio gaping as the Slytherins joined Ginny and her friends at the Gryffindor table where the conversation steadily began to flow again. To Hermione's extensive knowledge a Slytherin had never once sat at the Gryffindor table, at least willingly and now there were four sat there being friendly, well to Ginny's friends at least, they weren't even looking at anyone else.

"You did this."

Ginny turned to look at Draco who had an expression on his face she couldn't identify, his hand found hers under the table ad she squeezed it, letting him kiss her briefly on the lips.

"Did what?"

Draco raised an eyebrow at her and she felt herself flush, trying to ignore the Golden Trio's gaze fixed on her.

"Do you think us Slytherins enjoy sitting her at the enemies table? The only reason we're here is because of you."

Ginny shook her head and indicated Blue who was nose to nose with Frankie and Juno who was keeping Noah's hand from scuttling up her thigh under the table.

"Well maybe not just you, but think about it, would we have been here if you hadn't brought your friends to mine?"

Ginny bit her lip and turned to look at her friends all happily gossiping about the ball the next night and she felt a swell that felt suspiciously like pride bubble up inside her, maybe Draco was right, maybe she had done something good and done it right for once.