J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers own it all.

Important Author's note:

Thank you Thank you Thank you to my Beta Michele. Yes I have a Beta, and she's all caught up now so this will probably be the last chapter published without her input. I am now making a slight change in what has happened in the past. There is no yule ball, will be no yule ball. I have decided that Pansy was shopping because, well she's a girl who can afford to and Hermione was shopping to prepare for a party her parents are throwing at the Christmas break for her and her school mates to celebrate her upcoming commencement.

Her feedback (if you're interested) was that there was only one Yule ball, and that was during the TriWizard tournament, which hadn't been held for I can't recall how many umpteen years. So, yeah, don't get surprised when you hear about a party in the future. I will take the time to go back and correct earlier chapters when I get a moment. I actually like them going to the Grangers, it fits in nicely with my diabolical plot!!!!

Review Responses and other notes to follow

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Chapter 15

"You two go ahead, I'll catch," Liane called after Fred and George, as she doubled over gasping for air.

As she walked though Hogsmeade; a cloud formed as she breathed heavily trying to slow her breath. Watching the young couples huddled close together to fight the cold of the winter air, she mourned silently for herself and her friend.

****

"Spill it already Weasley. And don't tell me you were out by the lake. It's *way* too cold, for one. Secondly, I didn't believe you the last time you used that excuse."

"I-I was in the library," Ginny started.

"From six until six-thirty," Liane finished.

"Hermione," Ginny groaned, not bothering to ask how her friend knew how long she'd spent in the library.

Liane watched as Ginny's shoulders slumped; knowing that it was only a matter of minutes before Ginny would concede. Ginny had never been one to hide anything well when pressed. Perhaps that was why they had become such great friends.

Liane had always been one to speak the absolute truth, regardless of the effect it had on another person. She didn't desire to hurt those she cared about, yet she couldn't tolerate avoiding the truth. Ginny, also, rarely hid from the truth. In her own, gentle way, she had the same way of dealing with life and conflict; truthfully.

Of course the girls had their secrets, and 'white lies' told for the sake of keeping their privacy in a school full of gossiping teenagers, but the whole of their friendship had been built on honesty.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Ginny replied, grinning despite herself.

"Of course I would. You know better than to lie to me," Liane replied in a teasing tone.

As Ginny opened her mouth to protest further, Liane spoke, "Ginny Weasley, we have been friends too long for this. We both know that you *are* going to tell me what you were doing out until 10 o'clock, so spill.

"I was with Draco Malfoy."

****

Ginny had been so happy the night she had stayed awake to tell her friend about the night spent in the Room of Requirement with Draco Malfoy. As Liane listened, she hoped that Ginny was prepared for the potential train-wreck that could occur if Ginny and Draco continued in the same manner.

Liane had questioned Draco's intentions ever since they had seen him at the Hufflepuff match and he had mentioned "a date". While she knew that it was the right thing to say to agitate Ginny, it still wasn't the bait that she'd seen him use over the years. In fact, Liane couldn't imagine the boy inferring such a thing, even in jest, to someone so far beneath him.

That, coupled with the proffered arms Ginny had told her about the evening of their first detention and the noticeable lack of verbal warfare in passing was enough to arise suspicion in Liane's mind.

When Ginny confided that she had indeed been snogging Draco Malfoy; and things had gotten intense enough for her to notice his excitement; but things did not get exciting enough for any clothing to be removed; Liane was at a loss for words.

As her mind tried to process the information that it had just received, the only words she could muster were, "You said Draco Malfoy?"

That had been a little over a month ago. A little over a month to crush the girl who swore she would not lose herself in a boy after giving up on Harry and dating other boys in her fourth year; a little over a month to capture and destroy her love.

It had been so difficult watching Ginny after she had walked out on Draco; the crying fits that were "not about him;" the bursts of anger that were targeted at whomever was around. It wasn't that Liane didn't care about her friend and want to help. It wasn't that she was thin-skinned, Liane prided herself on accepting anything prevented to her, so long as it was the truth. But Liane had her own emotional issues to tend to.

***

"Whoa there," George called as he watched Liane breaking into a run as she approached the Three Broomsticks; catching her before she entered.

"Let me go! Where's Gin; is she alright?"

"Well er, it appears as if Malfoy's,"

"What has that asshole done now, I'm going to make him wish he were never born, and I don't need my wand to do it either," Liane interrupted, trying to break past George to save her friend.

"Malfoy's taken Ginny, Liane," Harry explained coming over to aid George in calming the girl.

"Do you mean to tell me that the four of you couldn't help Ginny against those two idiots? I mean three of you are her blood," Liane protested outraged.

"If you don't get your useless hands off of me, you will regret it," she continued, shrugging George's grip of her arms off and shouldering past Harry.

"Where's Madame Rosmerta," she asked loudly, outraged that the situation had progressed to the point that her friend had been taken.

"She seems to be a bit off at the moment," Blaise sneered, stepping out of the corner he had been in and pointing to the woman on whom he had obviously performed a Confundus Charm.

"Don't even think about it or I will see to it that you are a very miserable man for the next six months," Liane spat at Blaise, watching him finger his wand nervously.

As Liane searched the pub for other adults; she was amazed to see that the students seemed to have the pub to themselves save one Madame Rosmerta. Turning again in exhasperation, Liane's eyes opened wide as she froze, taken aback by the site of her date. Xavier Roberts was sitting at the same table where they had been holding hands before Malfoy's appearance, snogging Pansy Parkinson.

Taking a deep breath, Liane spun on her heels, refusing all requests from her brain to allow tears to fall; barely registering as Blaise strode out the door of the pub, warding off Harry and the twins with his wand.

"Can't you idiot's do anything," she asked before performing the counter-curse allowing Ron to get up from the place where he had fallen on the floor.

"It's my own bloody fault," Liane muttered.

"Where did they go?"

"We don't know. Malfoy had Floo Powder," Ron answered, standing carefully to his feet.

"None of you heard his destination?"

"It wasn't anyplace I'd heard of before, sounded Latin. Abso Lastecum or something like that"

Sighing in frustration, not bothering to lower her voice for the benefit of the boys; Liane berated herself. "I should have known better than to rely on two school boys and a couple of clowns."

As she stalked out of the pub and started back towards the carriages, hoping to catch an early ride back to school; a hand grasped her left arm above the elbow and spun her around.

"You may think you're the only one who cares about Gin, but you're not," George forced a whisper through his clenched teeth; his words barely masking the his offense at her words and desperation at the situation.

Stubbornly, refusing to recognize Ginny's elder brother's concern for his sister she retorted, "It takes more than words to show you love someone. Ginny needed you all back there. For whatever reason; you couldn't follow through. I'm going where I should have gone in the first place; to get McGonagall."

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Author Notes:

Sorry it's been longer than usual (but still only 2 days) daddy had knee replacement surgery, and as I live 30 miles from him, and the hospital is 30 miles in the other direction, I was all over the place this weekend. Also, work is busy, so I'm not even going to lie and say I'll keep updating every day, probably a couple times a week, and now that I have a Beta (YAY) it will also depend on how her schedule is.

About the chapter:

Ginny's best friend is Liane Coulter, not Mary Sue, so you all had to know a lil more about her. She won't play a huge part in this story, but I have plans for her in the future. So yes this chapter does center on her, but hopefully it ties in relatively well with the inclusion of the flashbacks and the return to the Three Broomsticks. I was actually kind of surprised noone missed her there :(


My Beta Michele's points (discussion over the previous 14 chapters):

The kids calling Snape Snivellus early on even though Harry is the only one who saw it. I don't care how noble the Boy who Lived is, I think that would have been too good an opportunity to pass sharing with his friends. And a nickname like that would have spread like WILDFIRE!

Dumbledor's Army still existing? I don't know maybe she's got a point there. But I thought they'd stick together, if no more than an underground dueling club.

Ginny calling Voldemort by his name instead of He-Who-Too-Much-To-Type. Umm I guess I was just thinking, at the end of book 5 Ginny's got a bit of a spine on her, I don't see her as staying a scared little girl, I think she will be over the fear of Voldemort, otherwise she wouldn't have run to the Ministry with Harry. Just my thoughts, haven't read the books in a while though.

Ginny knowing about rearranging Voldemort's name even though she was passed out. Again, my oversight, but let's say Harry told em all about it.

Last chapter, no grownups in the Three Broomsticks? Beauty of writing non-sequentially, like how I tied that one up folks?

Xavier's thoughts about wanting to help the Weasley's, mentioning they'd gone against Lucius many times. We've finally seen the first year when Lucius is outted. I have a feeling he'll be a nasty bugger for the next book, so Harry and Ron and 'Mione in my mind will have a good 2 years fighting Lucius to the publics knowledge.

I think I hit upon most of her points, so now to ya'll my reviewers:

I_forgot_my_name: Glad you enjoyed the characterizatiton of Malfoy. Felton may be a cutie, but I don't want that to romanticize the character too much.

ForbiddenMaggiks: You draw, wow I'm jealous. Draw me a picture of Colin and Blaise in the Room of Requirement ooooooooooooooooh hehehehe, that would be so cool. Just a request, if your game, I would be like, forever indebted to you. Maybe that's extreme, but ya know, I'd be real happy!

Alyssa-Farrell: glad you like!

Zeldagrl436: couldn't tell you in this chappie, but you'll know soon

Kiss of the Night: I know I know, longer chapters, I'm working on it, really I am. Or maybe I'm just writing more to the reviewers at the end so it's an illusion.

AznDreamer802: glad you liked. Hehehe, but I tell you thanks for the reviews all the time :) But yet again, thanks :)

Dracomio: Yep, he stepped in the fire with Ginny so they're gone :( hopefully he'll play nice!

BIG BIRD: I'm sorry you're having trouble with the timeline, I was having trouble in the beginning keeping the events in their proper tense. But if it's at all helpful, I try to separate flashbacks from the present with 4 * and the past is ALWAYS italicized, whereas the present is in normal type (save italics used for emphasis) I'm glad that you still like it despite the story going back and forth. The next part will NOT be written this way! (Yes I've decided there will be a part two)

Chikkalaura: Wow, you are a sweetie! Hmmmm, Draco love more than Ginny. Not sure about this, but as Liane revealed in this chapter, Ginny is definitely going through trying to guard herself from being a fool like she was with Harry.

Eternal Elysium: hmmm, tied to a bed, that's interesting. I'm way too old to think of Tom Felton that way, but he is a cutie :) Glad you like the story