[ I'd Rather Be In Love With You ]

chapter twelve: poltergeists and house elves

The books and parchments she held were sliding down her arms and she had to shift them up so she won't drop them. She didn't want to take the time to pick them up if they fell. That would take too much time. She didn't want to be late. She didn't want to shift all the attention in the Hall to herself.

It was Thursday night and Ginny was getting late for dinner so she quickened her pace. She was hastily making her way towards the Great Hall. She was doing her homework in the library when she lost track of time. She remembered that she needed to eat or else she was going to go hungry all night. And besides, she still had tutoring later on after dinner.

Thankfully, she got into the Great Hall without dropping anything and without really being late since a few others got in with her. Before she moved another inch, her eyes wandered to the Slytherin Table and saw Draco perched at the far end of the table near the teachers. He was staring down at his food eating without paying attention to anybody. A smile made it's way to Ginny's face and she went to the Gryffindor Table, which was almost filled up with hungry students. Ginny spotted a space for her to sit down. Unfortunately, if she sat down to the unoccupied space, she'd have to sit beside Harry and across Ron.

Ginny frowned. She searched some more for an unoccupied space in the Gryffindor Table, but couldn't find any. Ginny gave a defeated sigh and graciously walked towards Harry and Ron. Harry spotted her before she got to them and gave her an encouraging smile. At this, Ginny felt better. At least, Harry wasn't mad at her.

It had been a week since she had that confrontation with Harry and Ron about Draco. And ever since that day, Ginny hadn't exchanged one word with Ron or Harry. Whenever she passed them at the halls, Ron would look at her coldly for a moment. After that he would have this look on his face as though he was looking through her, and then mutter something about 'family members backstabbing each other' and 'hanging around with the enemy' to Harry which would always reach Ginny's ears. And whenever Ginny sat somewhere near them, be it in the library or in the Common Room, Ron would always glare at her make up some lame excuse so he could get away.

Ginny endured it all. And it wasn't easy. She didn't even get any help from Hermione since Hermione seemed to always have a load of homework on her back. At least Harry wasn't so bad. Everytime Ron did this to her, Harry didn't imitate the same actions Ron did but he didn't do anything to prevent it either. All he could do was make an apologetic face to her and follow Ron's quake.

When Ginny got beside Harry, she gently sat down on the seat. Ron didn't look up and he didn't see Ginny approach the table so he had no idea that Ginny was there. He was concentrating on his food and said, "Harry, have you finished your Potions homework? I need some-"

Ron cut off when he looked up and saw Ginny across from him. He glared at her and Ginny kept quiet. Immediately, Ron pushed his plate away, indicating that he didn't want to eat anymore and said, "I think I just lost my appetite." Ron started to stand up and beckoned for Harry to do the same.

"Come on, Harry, we don't want to stay here or someone might try and hex us. We don't really know the things they learn judging with the company they keep," Ron remarked angrily loud enough for the whole Hall to hear. And with that, he turned and walked away without waiting for Harry.

"Ron..." Harry called after him. He gave a defeated shrug and looked at Ginny.

"I'm sorry about your brother, Gin. I've been trying to talk to him about it but he wouldn't hear it," Harry explained.

"It's alright, Harry. It's not your fault," Ginny said looking down at her food.

"But why don't you just listen to him? I don't even understand why you hang around Malfoy," Harry asked, sounding a little irritated.

"Please, Harry. I don't really need this right now," Ginny told Harry.

"Gin, Ron is just worried about you," Harry informed her. "I'm worried about you, too."

"But you don't need to worry, Harry. Draco is not the same person you used to know," Ginny explained. "He's changed somehow."

"Malfoy might be a little different now, but that doesn't change the fact that he was a Death Eater once!"

"I know that he was a Death Eater before, but so what? I've been with him for almost three weeks now and nothing happened to me."

"You fainted once," Harry interjected.

"That was different! I wasn't feeling well at that time because I had too much to do."

Harry, being that he won't be able to reason out anymore, gave a defeated shrug. "I don't know, Gin." After a moment's thought Harry asked, "What about Ron though? What are you going to do about him?"

Ginny shrugged. "I don't know what I'm going to do with him yet. Somehow I figured that it's going to take more than just reasoning for Ron. He doesn't listen to me."

"Yeah, well, good luck with him. I really want to help you with this Gin, but I can't get him to talk to you," Harry said. "It's hard on him, you know. It's not easy to have your worst enemy hanging around someone you care about. You know how he feels about Malfoy."

"I know," Ginny replied. "I'll think about it."

"Well," Harry said while standing up. "I have go and catch up with Ron. We still have to plan out the Quidditch team."

"Good luck, Harry," Ginny said, giving Harry a smile. "And thanks."

With that, Harry strolled off and leaving Ginny to finish her meal. Her thoughts drifted to Draco Malfoy. She looked up in time to see him going out of the doors of the Great Hall.

Ginny sighed. It was like him to finish his meal so fast. She thought about the days that had come and gone and the times she spent with him. With each time she spent with him, she got to know him better. Most of the time, she would find him in the library reading at one corner. Alone. Since Draco was never big with words, Ginny knew little about him. She knew that he didn't particularly enjoy people looking at him with fear, she knew that he didn't like the way Pansy and Blaise would compete to get his attention and she also knew that he had been having bad dreams, which would explain his wearied stance in some cases.

Even though Draco was always reluctant to talk, he would eventually give in and chatter about everything and nothing at the same time with her.

Ginny snapped herself out of her own thoughts and continued with her meal.

* * *

Draco was sitting in the Charms classroom fiddling with his wand. He was sitting at his designated table. He was sitting with his elbows on the table and he was spinning his wand with his fingers on the table with one hand.

He kept thinking about Ginny. Just before he left the Great Hall, he saw both her brother and Potter leave the table after she sat with them. No doubt her brother was still furious with her. He wondered why she was going through all this trouble for him. It's not like he was special to her or anything. He wondered why she kept hanging around him when no one would, except maybe for Pansy and Blaise who only wanted to be with him because everytime he walked in the halls or enter a room, all eyes are on him. Those girls would do anything for attention.

His thoughts drifted back to Ginny. That girl confused him to no end. He was a Malfoy and she was a Weasley. They aren't supposed to be even on talking terms with each other and yet here she was befriending him.

After a moment, he decided to shrug the thought away. All this thinking about his predicament with Ginny was making him tired. He was tired nonetheless since he didn't get any decent sleep the night before. He brought his hand to the back of his neck to massage it somehow.

After a few moments, the doors flew open and in came Ginny. She scanned the room for a while then her eyes landed on Draco. She gave him a weak smile and said, "Hi."

Draco, as usual, only nodded to her.

"I take it that the battle between you and your brother isn't over yet," Draco said.

"Far from it apparently," Ginny replied taking a seat on her table.

"Can I ask you something?" Draco asked her his brow furrowing.

"Sure," Ginny replied.

"Why are you taking my side against Potter and your brother?" Draco asked. "I mean, you're practically in love with Potter, why won't you side with him?"

"Those were two questions," Ginny started, then looked at Draco only to see him looking at her clearly implementing that he wanted an answer.

"Alright," Ginny said. "I befriended you out of my own violation and I don't like the idea that Ron and Harry would tell me or dictate to me who I can befriend and whom I cannot. And as for your second question, I'm not in love with Harry."

"Are you now?" Draco asked quite teasingly.

"Yes, I told you that before, didn't I?" Ginny replied.

"No, you did not," Draco stated firmly.

"Yes I did. I think it was in the library," Ginny said, reminding him. "The day you bumped on my ladder in the library and I fell."

"I don't recall you ever screaming in my ear that you don't love Potter any longer," Draco said remembering how she shouted at him that day.

"I didn't, but I implied it when I said I didn't care if Harry caught me or not," Ginny said with a cheeky grin on her face.

"That doesn't imply anything," Draco countered. "You could've been just saying that to snap back at me," Draco added controlling the mirth that was threatening to burst out of his mouth.

Ginny laughed then the door opened and in came the students.

Both Ginny and Draco composed themselves, getting ready for another hour and a half to teach their attentive students.

An hour and a half later, students came piling out of the Charms classroom to go to their respective Common Rooms.

Ginny and Draco both fixed the room so that it won't be disarrayed for the next class. When they were done, Ginny and Draco both started for the door.

"Well, at least we don't have any tutoring tomorrow since it'll be Friday," Ginny said, facing Draco as she opened the door.

"I'll see y-"

Ginny never got to finish her sentence because something... or rather, someone was at the door and Ginny tripped on it which caused her to fall down.

"Oh no! I'm so sorry miss," said the creature.

Draco looked at the creature and said, "You! You're a house elf. What are you doing here at this time?"

Draco moved toward Ginny who was sitting at the floor massaging her bottom. Draco reached down and held out his hand to Ginny indicating she take it so she could stand up. Ginny took his hand and the moment she touched his it, shivers went down her spine. She noticed that Draco had beautiful hands, with long slim fingers and clean nails.

"Dobby is very sorry miss," the house elf said. "Dobby did not mean for miss to trip."

"Well, Dobby. What are you doing here?" Ginny asked Dobby.

"The poltergeist dragged Dobby here to see..." Dobby dragged on.

"To see what?" Draco demanded making Dobby cringe in fear.

"To see you to lovies smoochin' in there," Peeves, who was hiding, said making Draco and Ginny jump in surprise.

"Peeves, this is getting annoying. How many times did I tell you that no one is snogging in there," Ginny voiced out. Peeves just laughed out loud then ran away.

Dobby let out a gasp and declared, "Master Malfoy!"

"What?" Draco asked the house elf.

"You is young Master Malfoy," Dobby said again.

"You know him?" Ginny asked Dobby.

Draco's brows furrowed and he said, "You used to work at the manor. You used to work for my father."

"Yes, but Dobby is free now," Dobby told them, then he looked at Ginny. "Dobby is sorry, Miss."

"It's quite alright," Ginny said.

"Dobby has to go now," the house elf declared. Then he snapped his fingers and Dobby was gone.

"Well, I better get going, too," Ginny announced. "I'll see you around," she said to Draco.

Draco only nodded, then both turned to go back to their respective dormitories.

They didn't have any tutoring during Fridays, so Ginny only saw Draco in the halls and during mealtimes.

Hermione reminded Ginny that it was a Hogsmeade weekend. Ginny remembered that she needed to go to the village to buy a refill for her ink bottle because she was running out of ink.

Ginny mentally took note of that while also thinking that, since she wasn't on speaking terms with Ron, she would probably have to go by herself.

* * *

People were shouting for help around him...

They were reaching for him, begging him not to kill them...

A little girl, tugged at his cloak...

Tears were streaming down her little face while clutching a teddy bear in her arm...

A familiar voice spoke in his ear...

"Kill her..."

Draco looked down to the little girl...

"Please, Mister... help me..." the little girl sobbed.

"Kill her..." the voice spoke again.

The girl was looking at him... her eyes begging for mercy...

He grasped his wand...

"I said kill her now, boy or your mother will get it!" the voice shouted in his ear...

Then there was a flash of green light...

Draco opened his eyes. Then a second later, he was sitting up in his four poster bed, breathing heavily, sweat running down his face.

When Draco realized where he was, he closed his eyes and buried his face in his hands. When is this nightmare going to stop, he asked himself.

Realizing that it was Saturday, Draco laid back in bed his eyes wide open. Knowing that he was going to have another nightmare if he slept, Draco got out of bed and dragged himself to the bathroom and took a bath. After getting dressed and eating breakfast, he went to the library so he could finish his homeworks so he wouldn't have anything to worry about the next day.

In the middle of his Herbology homework, someone came up to his table.

"Is this seat taken?"

Draco looked up to see Ginny wide and awake with a smile plastered on her face. Draco's throat went dry at the sight of her. Ginny was looking at him, her big brown eyes, warm and welcoming and sunlight from the windows highlighted her hair. At first, Draco thought he was staring at an angel or something.

"Of course not," Draco replied, looking back to his book.

Ginny sat down on the chair in front of Draco. "Hey, it's a Hogsmeade weekend," she told him.

"So what?" Draco asked.

"So... aren't you coming?" Ginny asked back.

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because I have no business there," Draco replied.

"You know, you look pale, Draco. You should go out some more, get some more sun, rather than just staying here" Ginny informed him.

"Look, Ginny, I don't want to go there because people will stare and it'll only be worse because I'll be alone. And besides, I don't feel welcome there. Not since..." Draco trailed.

"Well, how about going with me then?" Ginny asked sounding hopeful.

"Trust me, you don't want to go there with me," Draco said as if it was the most obvious thing, getting annoyed.

"I told you before, I don't care what people think," Ginny uttered.

"Look, Ginny, I'm not going because I don't want to, alright?" Draco said in a tone, harsher and louder than he intended.

Draco watched Ginny's face turn to hopeful to disappointed and... hurt. Draco immediately regretted his words.

"Well, I'm sorry for asking!" And with that, Ginny fled from the library.

Draco looked through the door in which she walked out of. Draco sunk into his chair and let out a shrug. Ginny's hurt and disappointed expression kept popping in Draco's head. Draco tried to tell himself that he didn't give a damn about her, but if he didn't then why did he have this instinct to tell her that he was sorry and that in truth, he really wanted to go with her?

Draco didn't want to admit it but he did enjoy her company. He did enjoy the time when they would talk in the library and he would watch her face light up whenever she was talking about a book she was reading. He realized that when he listened to her, all the depressing thoughts inside him go away. She has this ability when she talks to him to make him believe, even just for a moment, that he's not the bad person he really is, that he never was a Death Eater and that his blood-stained hands were not responsible for thousands of lost lives. Somehow, talking to Ginny diverts his mind from the bad things about his life even if she was talking about Granger, her brothers or even Potter.

Draco picked up his book for his Herbology homework and resumed reading. After a few minutes, Draco was still reading in the same page. He kept remembering Ginny's sad face. After a few more minutes, Draco gave a shrug, stood up and walked out of the library.

* * *

It was a beautiful Saturday morning. The sun was shining and the birds were singing. Hogsmeade was bustling with students and everyone was having a great time walking around Hogsmeade.

All except for Ginny.

She was sitting alone in one of the benches clutching the new bottle of ink she purchased a while ago and a book on the seat beside her. She was eating Chocolate Frogs. She didn't really want to go to Three Broomsticks since she was all alone. And besides, she saw Ron, Harry and Hermione enter Three Broomsticks a few minutes ago. That was the last thing she needed: to be alone in a place where Harry, Ron and Hermione were happily chatting and having a good time.

She had asked Draco to come along and in turn, he got mad at her. What even made her think that Draco would go with her? The boy really needed to loosen up a bit.

Luckily, Ginny brought along the book her father gave her, so she could spend the time catching up with it. She hadn't found the time to read it for the past week since she had her homeworks and tutoring. She decided to start reading after she finished with her chocolates.

Just then, Ginny felt someone come over to her.

"Is this seat taken?" a deep familiar voice asked her.

Ginny looked up and saw Draco standing before her, his hands inside his pant's pockets with a hopeful look on his face.

_______________________

A/N: Well, here's another chapter. I know it took so long and I'm so sorry, guys. I'm not very inspired to write these days. I'm really(100x) sorry guys :( Anyways, thank you so much to those who reviewed.

Hellogirl: Why are you nervous? It's you're story. I'm sure it wouldn't be stupid. Anyways, I don't really know if I can place hints about the next chapter in the A/N all the time. I only have the general plot in my head but not the entire detail of the chapter.

ferggirl99: Thanks, I try to keep it as realistic as possible.

Occupationbwitch: I'm really sorry, but most of the time a blank page and a blinking cursor is facing me whenever I try to write. I hope your forgive me and I hope you didn't pull out your hair...

Kellyanne: Tell me about it!

Slytherin Psyche: Thanks and you know what, at first I didn't like the idea of Draco and Ginny being together. I used to like for Ginny and Harry to end up together, but after I read a Draco and Ginny fic, I was hooked.

Lalaluu, ArashiKishu, Missy, Zoe McAuthor and me: Thank you! You guys rock! :)

Disclaimer: I don't own anything in this story except the plot, so please don't sue me. Thanks!