Chapter 4

I know about you and Draco ... I know about you and Draco The same six words kept echoing through Ginny's head over and over again. She buried her head in her hands and tried to stall the tears she knew were coming.

"I can't believe you would betray us like that! He's like our sworn enemy!" Hermione stopped yelling momentarily to look down at Ginny. She suddenly felt a twinge of guilt; Ginny looked so utterly devastated. Wait a second; she's the one who's dating Draco behind our backs. I have nothing to be sorry about! Hermione glared and resumed her yelling. Ginny, obviously not listening stood up and faced Hermione.

"What makes you think I'm dating Draco?"

"I saw you running with him this morning!" Ginny tried to keep herself and her voice calm.

"Just because I went running with someone doesn't mean I'm dating them!"

"Oh right, you were just snogging for the fun of it?!" Hermione glared at Ginny, who said nothing, and started ranting again.

"Hermione, please!" Ginny yelled over Hermione, her voice cracking slightly. "Please don't tell Ron!"

"How can I not tell him?" At this, Ginny burst into tears.

"I can't believe you! Ron will ... oh god!" Ginny stood there for a moment, taking in everything, crying. "I hate you! I hate you all! I thought you would want me to be happy!" Hermoine reached out her hand to comfort Ginny. "NO! Don't touch me! Get away from me you bitch!" With one final glare, Ginny ran up the stairs to her Dormitory and slammed the door behind her.

Hermione collapsed on the couch and ran her fingers through her hair. "What in the bloody hell am I going to do now?" She sighed and buried her head in a pillow.

Draco sat down at the Slytherin table for dinner; he quickly scanned the room, Ginny wasn't there. He shrugged, figuring she was probably just doing some more studying and would be down later. He turned back to his housemates and began talking. Just as he was about to start eating, an owl flew right up to him and landed on his shoulder. It held out a small, folded piece of parchment and flew away promptly after Draco had taken it.

"What's that mate?" Blaise asked him through a mouthful of macaroni and cheese.

"Dunno." It had his name on the front, in a very familiar handwriting. He opened it, it was definitely Ginny's handwriting, but it was scribbled as if she had been in a hurry when writing it. It read:

Draco,

Please meet me in the Room of Requirement

right now. I really need to talk to you; it is extremely

important. All my love.

Ginny and Draco never directly signed the owls they sent each other, just in case one happened to be intercepted. Instead they ended each letter with "All my love". Draco sighed and, without realizing, put a very confused, troubled expression on his face.

"What's wrong?" Blaise, Crabbe, and Goyle looked up at Draco with semi-worried expressions.

"I have to ... I have something I just remembered I had to do ... I'll see you later." Draco got up from the table quickly, and walked out of the Great Hall.

He reached the Room of Requirement a few minutes later; he and Ginny had only met there once before, the first time they met after the forest. Since most of the school didn't know it existed, it was the safest place for them to meet. But, for fear of someone following them, they didn't want to give it away. After getting past the charms, Draco entered the room to find Ginny sitting on the couch with her head in her hands.

"Ginny? What's going on?" She looked up and he was surprised to see that her eyes were red and swollen, as if she had been crying. "Ginny, why are you crying?" He went to her and enveloped her in his arms. After a few moments, Ginny pulled away.

"Hermione knows." Draco's mouth went dry and he felt a sinking sensation in his stomach. Ginny burst into tears and, getting up, walked to the other side of the room.

"How?"

"Running," Ginny choked out between sobs. Draco raked a hand through his hair, sighing loudly. He looked up at Ginny who had her back to him and was shaking with each sob.

"Hey, come on." Draco walked over to Ginny and pulled her into a tight hug. "We'll get through this." Ginny buried her head in his shoulder and tried to calm her breathing. Draco stroked her hair and tried to get her to stop crying. Eventually, her breathing slowed and she was able to stop crying, to the extent of an occasional sniffle.

After a quick snog, which made them both feel relatively better, Ginny returned to her Dormitory and Draco to the Great Hall. Ginny didn't want to face her brothers, not yet at least.

Hermione sat down next to Ron looking very pale and shaken. She drew a ragged breath and started to nibble on a roll.

"What's wrong, 'Mione?" Hermione didn't respond to Ron's question, but continued to stare at the table and nibble her bread. "Hermione! Hello!"

"What? Oh ... sorry I was thinking."

"Apparently, now what's wrong?" Ron grabbed her hand, which he soon realized was shaking.

"I'm not really hungry ... I'll see you later." Hermione started to get up, but Ron pulled her back down.

"Oh no you don't."

"We know something is really wrong, Hermione. Now tell us what's going on." Harry and Ron stared intently at her.

Shit, I can't tell them here †Ron will blow up. I better come up with something †that's it! "I'm ... umm I'm worried about my grades is all. I overhead Professor McGonagall say something."

Harry and Ron rolled their eyes. "And I thought it was something serious!" Ron laughed and Hermione kissed him lightly on the cheek before leaving the Great Hall.

Gryffindor Common Room

"Hey, you're a third year right?" The girl standing in front of Hermione nodded slowly. "Can you give this to Ginny? And make sure she reads it!" The girl nodded again and walked up the Dormitory stairs. Hermione sighed and sat back down on the Common Room couch.

Gryffindor 4th Year Girls' Dormitories

Ginny glanced at the clock; 11 o'clock, perfect. She had gotten a message from Hermione that she wanted to talk to her and Draco in the Astronomy Tower at midnight tonight. Dreading what was to come, Ginny had asked Draco to meet her at 11:30; she wanted to be able to spend a little bit more time together before Hermione told her brothers.

Dressing herself quickly, Ginny tiptoed to the Astronomy Tower. When she got there, she found Draco staring up at the stars.

"Hi." He turned around, surprised, but then smiled.

"Hey beautiful." Ginny noticed that his clear confidence was a tad bit shaken tonight. He turned back around and looked up at the night sky. Ginny walked over and wrapped her arms around his waist, hugging him from behind.

"You're worried, huh?"

"Damn straight." Draco and Ginny stood in silence for a moment. Draco was trying to keep himself from thinking about what would happen if his father found out about all of this. "Why in the bloody hell did Granger have to go and ruin such a good thing?" Draco turned around to face Ginny, her arms still around his waist, and put his own arms around her waist.

"I know ... I still can't believe she's going to tell Ron." Ginny took a step closer and leaned her forehead against Draco's as silent tears began to trickle out of her eyes. "I don't want there to be no more ... us."

Hermione was standing at the doorway; neither of them had noticed her presence. She watched amazed, realizing how devastating it would be if she ruined this for them.

"Ginerva Molly Weasley, I promise you that no matter how long we have to wait or how many people we have to get around, there will always be an us." (A/N: Okay, neither of them really comprehends what exactly he's saying, they don't take it to mean anything close to marriage, just for clarification. It's more of a .. promise than an engagement ... yeah, that's it think of it like a promise ring, not an engagement ring!)

Ginny leaned forward and kissed Draco gently, but broke apart quickly when she heard Hermione clear her throat. They turned to face Hermione, standing side by side. "Hermione."

"Granger."

"Ginny, Malfoy ... okay, I really asked you to come here to tell you that I'm going to tell Ron." Ginny bit her lip, trying to hold back the tears that were coming. "But, after seeing the two of you ... I hate to say this, Malfoy, but you're good for Ginny. You've been really happy this month (A/N: I know, the timing is a little messed up, but for all intensive purposes its been a month since the forest) with the exception of your brothers' over protectiveness."

"Look Granger, just tell us what you're trying to say. We're prepared for whatever, so just spit it out already." Hermione glared at Draco for a moment.

"I've decided ... since seeing how much you care about each other ... that I'm not going to tell Ron. Not yet, at least." Ginny smiled, disbelievingly at her. "But, you have to tell him soon!"

"I know I know! Oh my god, thank you so much Hermione! Merlin, you're the best!" Ginny broke away from Draco and ran to Hermione, hugging her tightly. They pulled away smiling, both grateful that their friendship was no longer in jeopardy.

"I have to hand it to you Granger –"

"Please, guys! At least in private, can we go first names? I mean you're not exactly archenemies anymore. You still dislike each other, I get that, but the last name thing is so old!" Ginny said dramatically.

"Whatever you want, Gin." Ginny smiled triumphantly at Draco's answer and again when Hermione nodded. "But anyways, Gran – I mean, Hermione. Thanks."

"Yeah yeah, don't go all sweet on me now, Draco." Hermione smiled coyly. "Well I've got to get some sleep ... tests tomorrow."

"What else would it be?" They all laughed as Hermione left the Astronomy Tower.

"Hey you, come here." Draco grabbed Ginny's wrist and pulled her to him, kissing her. As they kissed, Draco tried, unsuccessfully, to fight down the growing doubt in the back of his mind. His father would find out soon enough, and then what would happen?

"I have a question for you " Ginny smiled up at Draco, innocently.

"And what ... would that be?" asked Draco, hesitantly.

"Well you know that the Costume Ball is coming up ... you know since the Yule Ball is only for 4th through 7th years. And since we obviously can't go to the Yule Ball together ... I thought we could go to the Costume Ball?" Ginny smiled at Draco and then gave him a puppy-dog face.

"I hate it when you do that?"

"Why?"

"Because it makes anything you ask bloody impossible to turn down." Draco sighed, "How is the Costume Ball any different from the Yule Ball? There's still people that will see us there and –"Ginny, quite annoyed with Draco's ramblings, kissed him soundly on the lips, immediately making his ramblings cease. "What was that for?"

"You wouldn't stop talking! Now, the Costume Ball is different because," Ginny smiled mischievously, "I have a plan."
"Oh really?"

A/N: Okay, this chapter was a pain in the ass. I had to write the freaking thing FOUR DIFFERENT TIMES because the computer wouldn't save it right and I kept losing it! Gah! Well, it's done now. For the record, you won't know about Ginny's plan for a while ... so don't get your hopes up. How did you all like this one? I had it done about three days ago and I guess I dreamed I posted it, because I went to post chapter 5 and there was no chapter 4, even though I swear I posed it. Here it is anyways, the notes to reviewers are kind of redundant in chapter 5, sorry!

Delight: Mucho thanko!

Mz.Sammiz: Well, here's more for you! I hope to have the next chapter posted by the end of the weekend, but my English teacher is trying to murder us with homework, so don't count on it! Mucho Thanko!

Shoe Malfoy: Yay! My most loyal reviewer! No! Of course Hermione couldn't tell Ron, that would be so cruel of me! Was it too cheesy how she decided not to? Ginny is still kind of in the stage of following around the Trio, but I'm definitely going to work her friends into the next two chapters.

Disclaimer: I own many things ... sadly, Harry Potter is not one of them.