They sat like this for an eternity. At least it felt like and eternity, in reality it was only a few minutes. At some point Draco had pulled Ginny into his lap and was rocking her as he stroked her hair gently. Soon her sobs began to quiet and her breathing became more and more regular.

"I'm sorry." He whispered, suddenly his hand stopped in her hair. He was sorry, really and truly sorry! It wasn't part of an act, he actually felt guilty about her fight with the Trinity. Draco shook his head ion surprise.

Ginny pulled away from him.

"This is not your fault, Draco, I should have kept a better hold on my temper, and anyway they had it coming. Trying to control who I see or don't see, and all, and I should have been a little nicer to Ron, him being my brother and all. I should be used to it by now, but Harry... Who does he think he is anyway? He ought to learn to mind his own business! He's not even really my friend except that he knows Ron!" She grinned lopsidedly, "Well, that was a bit of a rant. Sorry 'bout that." Her grin became sheepish

He just smiled softly and looked at her. She squirmed for a few seconds.

"Umm, Draco, why are you staring at me like that? Have I got something on my face?" She asked hesitantly. Draco shook his head.

"Do I really look that bad after crying?" She joked trying to lighten the mood.

"You look wonderful..." He replied quietly, "Has anyone ever told you that you're beautiful?"

Ginny blushed and shook her head. He reached up and gently brushed her cheek with his knuckles. Carefully wiping away the remnants of her tears with his thumbs, ad ever so lightly brushed the stray strands of hair away from her face. Inwardly, however maniacal laughter boomed in his mind. She was making this TO easy! He fought to keep a self-satisfied smirk off his face. Did she seriously think a Malfoy could feel compassion? Or remorse? Such blatant naïveté, such trust and for an enemy of her another family. His finger froze on her hair, why? Did she know what he was doing? What was she up to? Was she attempting the same thing he was? Doubt and confusion flooded him. Questions popping into his head like bubbles on water and leaving just as quickly only to be replaced by still more. Some of this must have shown on his face because Ginny, who had adopted a look of concern said, "What's the matter, Draco?" He pulled his hand away and sat up away from her. Ginny slid out off his lap onto the rock beside him thoroughly confused. First he had come and out and comforted her, then apologized for getting her in trouble with her brother, and he'd very nearly said he thought she was beautiful! Now this? All of it was giving her a very large and painful headache. "Why?" he asked quietly, startling her from her thoughts.

"Why ... what?" She asked in return totally non-plussed

Why do you trust me? What makes you think this isn't on huge cruel joke on you? Am I really worth estranging you own brothers?" He questioned, bitterness lacing the steady voice. She was silent for a little while and Draco began to get nervous, fiddling with the hem of his sleeve.

Truth to tell, I hadn't really thought about it. I really don't know why I trust you. I guess some part of me knows that you've got some amount of good in you. No one is all bad." She trailed off for a moment.

"Not even Voldemort?" he said with a forced laugh.

"Perhaps I should rephrase that. No human being can be all bad. Even he wasn't when he was younger, but so many people were cruel towards him, he learned to block it out, block it all out. And he forgot how to feel. When you stop feeling anything you stop being human. You're a lot like him you know?" She replied softly staring intently into the forest. He whipped around to face her.

"What?" He asked, his voice dangerously soft.

"You, you're much the same seventeen year old that he was, except you have more of a chance to break away. I know your father was never ... kind to you," she faltered with the words as she saw his face darken at the mention of his father. She wanted to wrap her arms around him and protect him from everything. Turning her gaze back to the Forest she continued, "But you, you've got people who are willing to help you. Snape, odd as that may sound, Dumbledor, your mother." The last was a question that he answered, a fondness entering his eyes briefly

"Me ..." She whispered, hoping he had heard her, and yet wishing she could take it back. It was true, though she'd only really known him for a few weeks she felt closer to him than she did to anyone. He may confuse the hell out of her, but whenever she was around him she felt more at home, more peaceful, tan she had ever felt in her life. She could relax, and let out the proverbial breath she had been holding all her life. He stiffened and stared fixedly at his hands.

"What?" His voice was deceptively calm. Ginny blushed furiously.

"As. As a friend, I mean, not ... well, as a friend." She said a bit too quickly. He seemed relieved after she said this. She was startled when she realized she was more than a little disappointed that he didn't contradict her.

"Friends..." Draco echoed moving his gaze from his hands to the forest. "Right, so we're still on for this Saturday-"she nodded "-O.K., we probably shouldn't go to the Three Broomsticks. I think if you brother saw us together he'd flip his lid. Probably kill the both of us, too." Ginny laughed.

"Yeah, then he'd bring you back to kill you again." She chuckled. Draco glanced at her warily.

"Yes, well, with that in mind I think we should go somewhere else, I was thinking, maybe the Tri Deity. You know where that is right?" She nodded exasperatedly. "I'll meet you at the Hogshead then we'll walk over." She nodded again, it was all she could do, she was practically dying from embarrassment. Then the realization of what he'd said hit home, and a dazed expression now occupied her face. The Tri Deity was a only a mildly upscale restaurant, but still...

He grinned, "Don't worry about the bill, Weasly, I'll pay, just wear something," he paused and looked at her, "Something nice." He finished. She smiled at the slight. Draco brought one hand up to her face and gently traced her features with his thumb.

"You have a beautiful smile, Ginny you should mile more often." He whispered, his voice slightly husky. She blushed and looked down.

'I wonder if he's going to kiss me?' Ginny blinked in surprise.

'I do?' There was a small chuckle in her head.

'You hope he will, too!' Mentally Ginny gasped in outrage.

'I do not!'

'My dear, I am your mind! I know you better than you know your self, and you want him to kiss you.' Ginny sighed inwardly.

'I'm losing it, I know I am.'

'HA! Never had it to begin with!'

'Shut up...' Ginny told the voice, and looked up to face Draco. His hand still cupped her cheek, but his eyes, though looking directly at her, were not seeing her at all.

"A penny for your thoughts?" Ginny whispered, unwilling to leave this position, yet uncomfortable with the silence and his unseeing stare. He blinked and finally saw her.

"Hmm?" He hadn't heard her.

"What were you thinking about?" She asked again slightly louder. He frowned and, withdrawing his hand, he slipped off the rock. Ginny closed her eyes and drew a slow breath through her nose jaw clenching. Then she stood as well quietly as she could balancing precariously on the stone. Then she began to gesture wildly at his back, shouting everything she'd ever wanted to say to him at his back. No sound however came from her lips. She was totally silent until she lost her balance while trying to stamp her foot and throw her hands in the air at the same time. She fell forward with a yell of shock, only managing to fling her arms up around her face before hitting the earth below her.

Draco whirled at her yell, and witnessing her fall moved quickly to her side. He had been trying to figure out the reason for his previous actions and words. When he could find none he blamed it on instinct. He'd always had good instinct... Sort of. There had to be a reason ...

'Not like I could actually LIKE her.' He muttered to himself

'Umm, yeah you could...' Replied the voice in his mind, the one that had urged him to kiss her then and there.

'Oh yeah, well, what do you know? You said I should've kissed her!' He yelled back at the voice.

'Well you should have! She wanted you to, didn't you see the way she was looking at you?' The voice grumbled back.

'Yes, but that would have ruined the bet, she would definitely have decided to hate me after that.' Draco replied huffily.

'Oh, don't tell me you're still on about that stupid bet, it's just an excuse, and you know it!'

'It is not! And who are you to be talking to me in this manner?' Draco questioned, imperiously.

'I'm your mind, dipstick. And I won't argue about stupid details such as these with you!' And, just as Ginny had moments before, Draco wondered if he was going insane.

'Oh, no need to go anywhere. YOU'RE THERE!' The voice yelled finally and stopped talking. It was at that point that he'd heard the yell and seen Ginny fall. Now he was kneeling over her trying to figure out what to do. Ok, so maybe his instincts weren't all that great. Then she rolled over.

"Ow ..." She stated simply.

"Ow?" He cocked an eyebrow "You fell off a rather large rock on your face and all you say is ow?" She looked at him oddly. She then shook her head, rolled over and standing, brushed her self off.

"Am I s'posed to say some thing else?" She asked incredulously. "I didn't grow up with six older brothers and have nothing to show for it. Hmm," she studied her palms for a second, "What did I do with. Ah here it is. Scourugify!" She exclaimed, pointing her wand at her palms. Nodding once sharply she turned to Draco. He was shaking his head.

"You are something else, Miss Weasly." He stated simply. She grinned at him.

"Yup!" With that she skipped out of the glade. Draco, however, stayed for a few minutes before leaving as well.

Ginny skipped into the castle. Yes, Draco confused the hell out of her, and no she really didn't have a reason to trust or like him, but she did. And, as one of her favourite muggle movie characters always said, she'd think about that tomorrow.

"Gin, are you alright?" Harry asked tentatively. She gave him a large smile. Did he just blush? No couldn't have...

"Just fine. See you 'round." She hopped off again.

"Some nerve she ahs." Muttered Ron in outrage.

"Look at her she seems fine, and anyway, we can talk her out of it tonight." A distinctly Harry comment. Ginny sighed; she would NOT let them ruin her good mood.

A/N- Ok there we go, only took me ... what three months? Please don't kill me... I'm already working on the next chapter, though I haven't gotten very far. And school is starting in about two maybe three weeks so my parents are getting all jittery about school work. Of which I've done none, so I doubt I'll have much time to work on it, but I'll try!