Author's Note: Oh the drama! First my email host goes offline, then they come back online, and in the meantime, I'm scrambling around like a chicken with my head cut off! Luckily, the new chapter was NOT deleted and everything can continue according to schedule. Sorry I only have one chapter for you today; due to the email scare and inability to log in for a while.

Thanks again to Amber (you can disregard the email about the need to resend Chapter 8 obviously :p) for beta reading. Thanks to you wonderful readers for your patience. No, I'm not telling you what Draco said (in the last chapter). I'm leaving it open for interpretation...whatever your imaginations tell you all, that's what he said.

Disclaimer: Same as in Chapter 1

Chapter 8: An Unexpected Meeting

"How did you get in here?" Harry demanded, his voice bouncing off the walls of the previously quiet room.

Draco stared innocently back at him.

"Do you mean me?" He asked.

"No, I mean the ten foot ogre behind you," answered Harry sarcastically, "Of course I mean you! How did you get in here?"

"It was quite simple actually," he said, sitting down, "You wouldn't believe what certain little fourth years will admit all alone."

"I don't care about your little escapades," Harry replied venomously, "what is it that you want?"

Admiring the quaint little room, quaint at least in his eyes, Draco chose to ignore Harry's question for a few moments, preferring to study his surroundings.

Satisfied, Draco then fixed his gaze on Ginny. The look had a healthy dose of Draco arrogance in it, yet it was penetrating enough that Ginny could not meet his gaze.

"I," stated Draco, deciding to relieve Harry of his curiosity, "actually came here to apologize."

Harry sniffed in contemptuous disbelief. "Like you'd ever apologize for anything and mean it. Why would I or anyone else accept your apology?"

Draco's self-assured look sank into a "you're an idiot" glare.

"I didn't come here to apologize to you," he said flatly. Softening his glance at bit, he turned his attention back to Ginny. "I actually wanted to apologize to Ginny. I am certain she's heard about our earlier encounter and I wanted to assure her that it wasn't personal; I said what I did because I knew it would get under Ron's skin. He is a bit ill tempered, isn't he? I'm also here for Ginny; there's something I wish to discuss with her."

Standing and stretching a bit, Draco asked, "Ginny could you come with me? I need to talk to you." Harry shook his head slowly. "You must have fallen and bumped your head," he said eyeing him. "Do you seriously think I'd trust you alone with my best friend's one and only sister?"

Ginny, having finally found her voice, decided to speak. "I...it's okay, Harry," she said, "I'll be fine."

Harry turned sharply, and for a moment, Ginny faltered under his intense gaze. "You aren't going anywhere," he said. He didn't need to add 'and that's final'; it was apparent in his tone.

Harry wasn't just saying this out of his dislike for Draco. He knew all too well that Ron was still angry, angrier than he had admitted to Ginny. There was no way he was going to explain to Ron why he allowed the very person who he had vowed to kill in his enraged state go off with his sister.

He knew Ron would kill him, and then find and mutilate Draco.

"B-But Harry I-"

"Sit!"

At the command, Ginny helplessly but obediently sank to the sofa, her eyes shifting back and forth between Harry and Draco, two opposite, but formidable forces. "It's all right Ginny," Draco said motioning with his fingers for her to come. "I'm not going to harm you."

Ginny half rose from the couch.

Harry turned and glared authoritatively at her, not saying a word.

Ginny eased back down onto the couch.

"For the last time," Harry said threateningly, "She is not coming with you. Now leave before I hex you out of existence."

Draco crossed his arms, not making a move to go anywhere. Gulping, Ginny scrambled up off the couch and rushed around to Draco. She pulled him from the room saying, "I'll be back, Harry, don't worry."

Harry blinked a couple of times, not believing what just happened. "Fucking hell," he said with a shake of his head, "now I'm in for it."

He could have stopped Ginny, why he didn't he was still pondering, but he could only sit and wait for the hell that was to come.

Ginny may have pulled Draco out of the common room, but as they walked down the all but empty hallway, it was Draco who led Ginny by the arm. He was moving at such a pace that Ginny had to run a little just to keep up. She was grateful when he finally stopped.

"Listen," he said, "I can't meet with you tomorrow. Something very personal has come up." Draco paused. "I saw that you had completed your little assignment," he noted with a small smile, "I didn't doubt you would as easy as it was."

"Speak for yourself," Ginny said with a doubtful smile. Draco pulled out something from beneath his robes, tossing it casually to Ginny. It was a pear.

"Thanks," said Ginny, preparing to take a bite.

"I wouldn't do that," said Draco. Ginny stopped.

"Why not?"

"That pear is part of your next assignment." Ginny frowned and Draco chuckled.

"Just because 'class' won't be in session, doesn't mean I can't leave you with something to do." Draco leaned and whispered the detail in Ginny's ear. She nodded slowly when he backed away. Apparently, he wanted to take it up a level.

"Well, I'll see you Friday then," he said with a playful wink. "Erm, sure," was all that she could say as Draco walked away. She doubted she would live that long. Ginny ran back to her dorm, wanting to keep the fruit out of harm's way. Ginny was both surprised and relieved to find the common room vacant.

She rushed to the girl's dorm and to her bed. She put the fruit away near her diary. It occurred to Ginny that she hadn't written in it lately. 'Maybe a quick entry,' Ginny thought, picking it up. There would be no time.

"GINNY! GET YOUR ARSE OUT HERE RIGHT NOW!"

Ginny didn't have to guess. She knew her brother's voice when she heard it. Satisfied that at least the pear would be safe, Ginny went down to find out what all the yelling was about.

8888888888888888888888888888

"Where did you and he go?"

"J-Just down the hall a ways."

"We couldn't find you."

"We were out of sight, Ron; it was a private conversation."

"What did you talk about?"

"I just told you it was a private conversation."

Ron crossed his arms. "I'm not playing games. Either tell me what is going on with you and Draco-"

"There's nothing going on-"

"Or I swear, I'll owl home tonight!"

Ginny's eyes widened. She'd never thought of Ron as a snitch, which meant that he was serious, very serious.

"Ron...all he did was what he said, apologize. He was actually...sweet. Erm, sickeningly sweet. I really didn't believe him."

"So why did you go with him?" Harry was speaking for the first time...at least the first time since the brief shouting match in the hall.

"I...just wanted to hear him out. Just because he's a creep doesn't mean I have to be rude, if that makes any sense." 'Believe me...please believe me.'

Harry looked at Ron and Ron looked at Harry. They both looked at Ginny.

"Well, I guess that makes sense." Ron said after a moment.

Ginny held in her sigh of relief.

"But," he continued, "that doesn't mean you should go anywhere near him. He's always looked down on our family, even though his isn't exactly-"

"I know, Ron, The Malfoys are probably still loyal to..." Ginny didn't want to think about it.

"You still haven't gotten over it, have you?" Harry asked quietly. Tom Riddle. His diary. Almost dying. How does one get over that?

"I'm...trying. Don't worry about me. I know what kind of people the Malfoys are; Draco in particular." Yes, what is he like, Ginny?

She cleared her throat painfully. It felt like it was going to close on her. "I'm going to go up, now. I'll see you both later."

Ginny was lying to and hurting her brother. He was right to be mistrustful of her. Despite her own anguish, Ginny felt oddly hungry. Her thoughts turned to the pear she had hidden behind her bed.

Author's Endnote: This chapter is very different from the original. If you've noticed, I'm making Ron out to be less of an annoyingly overprotective brother and much more of a rational, concerned and caring older brother. I didn't want to sound Anti-Ron. I like Ron. Thanks for reading! If you have any questions or comments, put it in a review or email me at (my fiction/fan fiction related email address).