Author's Note: Chapter 8. If I seem a little short right now, there's only one reason...IT'S ALL YOUR FAULTS! Not that I don't appreciate all the reviews, (God knows you've done my shattered ego a world of good) but you all nearly gave me a heart attack. 20 reviews in one day? It's insane! I'm so sorry I ended off like that, but now I'm back to uploading chapters, so for those of you who are paying attention to this miserable piece of crap that is my story, PLEASE STAY! You've no idea how much this means to me! My other story has like a fourth of this many reviews, and it's been up for ages. --Wipes at eyes daintily.-- Aww...I've gone all teary, and my eyes are all puffy...and red. -Smirks.- Keep reading and I hope you like where this chapter goes. In this chapter, there's icky Pansy-ness and other Slytherin action. Shudders and gags. More Draco Ginny, but things are getting a little difficult. And...Hogwarts! Hoorah! Now, I've got to get back to uploading!

Disclaimer: Nothing is mine except for a few things you may not recognize from the books.

Puffy Red Eyes

Chapter 8: Pansy's Back To School Bash...on Ginny

Draco smiled as the girl he'd come to like, possibly even truly care for, fell asleep in his arms. He leaned back and rested his head slightly to the side on the window, just above hers, pleased just to watch her sleep.

Some time later, Ginny awoke. Looking up, she found Draco staring down at her, his face smooth and relaxed. He reached down and brushed a single strand of red hair from her face. "Good Afternoon, Weasley. Enjoy your cat nap?" He asked teasingly.

She flushed. "Sorry, Draco. I went to sleep pretty late last night. Jenna and I were talking about my brothers, and-" Her eyes widened. "Oh, gods! I forgot to go see Ron. He's probably wondering where I am." She smiled ruefully. "Unless Jenna told him I was with you." She said, grinning evilly up at Draco, who pretended to look scared.

"Oh dear, big brother Ron is coming to beat me up for taking advantage of his little sister. Whatever shall I do?" He said, his voice lacking any emotion whatsoever.

"Very convincing, Draco. But I really should go say hello at least. I haven't heard from him since I left for Jenna's." She began to slip out of his arms.

He grasped her tighter, pulling her back into his lap. "Have fun explaining who you've been with." He whispered, kissing her lightly on the lips.

Ginny flicked his nose teasingly. "Have fun facing my brother once I do." She retorted.

Draco grinned as she walked from the compartment, staring at her slender form until the door closed, blocking her from his view.

He collapsed back on the seat. "I missed you too, Weasley?" He asked himself out loud. He put a hand to his forehead. What stupid kind of sentimental lovey-dovey statement was that? He might have well have said those dreaded three words.

He rubbed his temples. Whenever he was around her, he forgot to act cool and unaffected. Whenever she looked at him with all that hope and goodness, expecting the same from him, he forgot to be rude and cynical, and was just what she wanted him to be. It was scary; with her, he didn't even have to try. And whenever she smiled at him, he forgot everything; who he was, who she was, who they were in relation to each other, and how they were expected to act. He forgot that he was rich and she was poor, that her family tolerated Muggles and that his wanted to eradicate them completely from the wizarding world. He forgot about everything save for making her smile again.

And then she would leave, and everything his world revolved around, all that mattered to him and his family, would come rushing back, berating him for acting so different, so abominably with her.

Draco shook his head back and forth, trying to dispel all the conflicting interests that crowded in his mind, vying for his utmost attention.

The compartment door slid open. Draco glanced up. "Well, that was fast, Weasley, what happened, did you brother toss you out-" He stopped. Ginny wasn't standing in the doorway. Pansy stared at him crossly.

"Let's get straight to business, Malfoy." She said darkly, stepping inside the compartment, sliding the door shut behind her. She stood in front of Malfoy, looking prim and perfect, not a hair out of place.

"Judging from how you always seem to be with her, or kissing her, or thinking about her, I assume that Weasley girl means something to you. I don't know why, since she is a Weasley, but for some unknown reason, she does." She threw him a furious look. "End it, Malfoy, or I promise you, she will get hurt." She said warningly.

Draco jumped to his feet, fuming. Pansy stepped back, cowering under his glare. "It that a threat, Parkinson?" He hissed backing her into the wall.

"Not to you, Malfoy, to her." Pansy stammered, flat against the wall. "If you don't stop seeing her, there is an astounding chance of her getting hurt." She slid away from him and opened the door.

"It's up to you." She whispered, and disappeared behind the door.

Draco groaned and slid down the wall, settling down on the floor.

Ginny stuck her head into what seemed like the hundredth compartment. Two Ravenclaw fifth years sprung apart. "D'you mind? We'd like a little privacy!"

Ginny closed the door. "Sorry, sorry." She said, blushing.

She moved to the next one. "Hello?" She asked cautiously, opening the door slowly.

"Ginny?" Ron's voice floated from the other side of the door.

Ginny let out the breath she'd been holding, opening the door all the way. "Thank the gods, Ron, I've been looking for you all over the place." She entered the compartment. Ron, Harry, Hermione, Jenna, and Dean were all sitting together, chatting idly until Ginny walked in.

Jenna looked up from where she'd been sitting on Dean's lap. "Hey! It's about time, we were going to send out a search party!" She cried.

Harry and Hermione were snuggled comfortably together, and looked up at Ginny awkwardly, not sure how to act.

"Hey Jenna, Dean, Harry, Hermione, Ron." She said, nodding cheerfully to each, causing Harry and Hermione to share a relieved smile. Ginny plopped down in the seat next to her brother after giving him a quick hug.

Ron was staring at Ginny oddly.

Ginny stared back at him. "What?"

"So, who's this mystery man Jenna mentioned?" He asked in a slightly strained voice.

Ginny whirled on Jenna, who buried herself in Dean's lap. "Sorry Gin, they forced it out me, I swear." She said, holding her hands up.

Ginny glared at her friend, but couldn't help smiling. So she hadn't told them who she was going with. That was good. She wasn't ready to tell Ron than she had fallen for Draco Malfoy, probably his biggest enemy, and the boy whose father had tried to kill her.

"If I told you, he wouldn't be a mystery man. Actually, he probably wouldn't be much of anything after you got through with him." She grinned wryly as Ron looked flabbergasted. "Ginny!" He protested.

She rolled her eyes. "Ron!" She whined, in the same tone he had, mocking him ruthlessly.

He scowled and crossed his arms over his chest. "Fine, don't tell me. I'll find out on my own. It had better not be that git Justin Finch-Fletchly from Hufflepuff." He warned, sitting up straight suddenly.

Jenna failed to suppress a giggle, and Ginny knew what she was thinking; it was someone much worse.

"No, Ron, it's not Justin."

Ron, satisfied, sat back in his seat. "Good, because I don't like the way he's been looking at you. In fact," he said, raking a glance up and down Ginny's body "I don't like the way a lot of the guys are looking at you. Since when do you dress like that?" He asked, gazing pointedly at the creamy expanse of her thigh the short skirt showed off.

Ginny shrugged and pointed to Jenna. "Hey, I don't care much for how much these clothes show; it's all her fault."

Jenna scowled at both of the red-heads. "Ginny, those clothes look great on you. Guys are staring because they can't believe they've never realized how great you looked before when you were covered up in those huge balloon pants and oversized tees. And as for you," she turned on Ron "she's smart enough to fend off guys, and she has the skill to do it, too. Thanks to Fred and George." She added.

Ron backed up and held up his hands. "Fine, live your life as you choose, Ginny."

The young Weasley girl grinned back at him. "Thanks Ron. And Jenna was right; on the last part, I still don't agree with the clothes looking good thing, but I can take care of myself. Thanks for worrying about me, but I'm not a helpless eleven year old anymore."

She smiled affectionately at her brother and stood. "Well, gotta run; can't keep mystery boy waiting." She grinned. "And don't any of you try following me, or I'll try out that Furnunculus Curse we learned about last year." She warned, pulling her wand from her pocket and twirling it menacingly between her long fingers.

Ron's mouth dropped open, but his reprimand was cut short as Ginny slid the door shut.

Smirking to herself as she put her wand back in her pocket, Ginny walked back down the corridor, stopping every few steps to make sure no one was following her.

As Ginny turned around to check again, one of the compartment door slid open silently. Ginny was so immersed in assuring herself that no one was behind her, she didn't realize that someone was in front of her. Or rather, that someone's foot was in front of her.

"Ow!" Ginny exclaimed as her shin bumped into something, tangling her legs and sending her sprawling out onto the floor of the hallway.

Ginny groaned as all the breath left her chest. She gasped, clutching her ribs and turned over. Pansy, Crabbe, Goyle, and several other Slytherin seventh years were staring down at her from their compartment, sniggering heartily at her.

Ginny fumed and picked herself up from the floor, resisting the almost overpowering urge to blast them all with the Jelly-Legs Jinx she'd picked up from Fred and George.

She walked past them, her chest aching horribly. She disappeared around the corner, but not fast enough to catch Pansy's warning: "Stay away from Malfoy, weasel. Or a simple case of clumsiness won't be your only problem." She sneered.

Ginny shut her eyes, forcing herself to ignore it. She finally reached the last compartment. Sliding open the door, she saw that Draco was no longer sitting on the seats. She peered inside. "Draco?"

He shot up from where he'd been sitting against the wall. "Hello Weasley. Back so soon?" He asked, staring intently at her arm wrapped around her midsection.

"What happened to you? The sight of your brother make you laugh so hard you cracked your ribs?" He teased, his smile fading as she grimaced and sat down next to him.

"No, actually I have your charming girlfriend to thank for a first-class nose-dive to meet the floor." She muttered, poking her ribs experimentally. "But, no harm done; just bruised, I think. I must say, she did knock the wind out of me." She admitted.

Draco was livid. So Pansy had been serious? He'd deal with her later. Right now he had to worry about Weasley. He turned to her.

"Let me check you out, Weasley." He said, reaching for the bottom of her shirt.

Ginny panicked and drew away from him. This scene was giving her déjà vu. "I'm fine, Draco. It doesn't hurt that much." She said, folding her arms across her stomach protectively.

Draco frowned. "It's not like inspecting stubborn girls for injuries is my favorite way of getting kicks, Weasley; you might have cracked a rib." Ginny shook her head.

Draco's shoulders dropped. "Merlin, you are impossible." He muttered, exasperated.

He pulled his wand out. "Don't make me do it, Weasley. I don't want to, but I will." He warned, waving the wand above her head.

Ginny scowled, though Draco found it more cute than intimidating. Ginny sat back in her seat, and held up her shirt resignedly.

Draco stared for a few seconds before realizing he was supposed to be checking her ribs. For some reason, as he kneaded her ribs, testing for abnormalities, he felt acutely embarrassed. He didn't know why, since her shirt was still covering more important areas, but just the sight of her bare skin made him go the slightest shade pink.

He pressed his index finger against one of her ribs, and felt a tighter spot through the tautness of her skin. He increased the pressure with his fingers. Ginny arched her back and sucked in her breath.

"Ha. Hurts, doesn't it?" He said, poking the spot again. "Yeah, you're gonna have a little bruise there. I can fix that." He pulled out his wand, but Ginny pushed it away. "I'm fine. I've had breaks and cracks and bruises before, and if it gets bad, I'll go to Madame Pomfrey, but it's not worth you getting in trouble for using magic on another student." She said, quoting from one of the many speeches she'd heard Hermione giving Harry and Ron.

Draco stared at her as she pulled her shirt down, forcing herself not to wince. She looked up at Draco and smiled reassuringly. "Thanks all the same, though." She said, kissing him lightly on the cheek.

Draco was speechless. Should he tell her that it was his fault Pansy was after her blood? Should he say that they would have to break it off, or she would get hurt?

As she leaned in for another kiss, Draco pushed her softly away. Gods, he hated to do this. The last thing he wanted to do was to hurt her. But if he stayed with her (which is what he desperately wanted to do) she could really get hurt. He wouldn't be able to cope with that, not if he could do something to stop it.

Ginny was staring at Draco. He'd pushed her away. He had that tight, angry look on her face. Was he mad at her? She hadn't meant any offense, she just didn't want him to get hurt. She touched his arm gently. "Draco? Are you- are you mad at me?" She asked quietly, afraid to disturb him any more than she was.

He turned to her and took her hand. "No, I'm not mad at you; it wasn't your fault. It's just that-" He trailed, trying to find the best way to tell her. She was the kind who appreciated honesty. "I think it would be best if we broke this up." He said softly, stroking her hand.

Ginny felt everything drain from her. She felt suddenly cold and empty, much like she had during her one encounter with a Dementor, but not as bad. Her heart seized up and refused to beat. She inhaled deeply, trying to get some breath back in her body.

Tears welled in her eyes, but she forced them down. She would not cry in front of him.

"Why?" She asked, her voice oddly steady and calm.

Draco opened his mouth in surprise, but nothing came out. He'd been expecting hysterics, anger, disappointment, but not…this. This was like something he would do. Her face displayed no emotion whatsoever, and even her huge eyes failed to betray her. They were hollow and vacant, devoid of any of their previous sparkle.

Her eyes scared him. Even when she was fighting to keep herself from crying or laughing, her eyes had always told him what she was feeling. He could read them as easily as any normal book. But now, they were no longer filled with warmth and light. They were simply two brown voids, endless, but with no real depth.

He then realized she was waiting patiently for his response. "Virginia," he started, then stopped. She jumped slightly, startled, and wincing at the sudden movement. She was alive again. Her eyes shone with unexpressed tears. He was puzzled, then realized what had spawned her reaction. He'd called her by her first name. It sounded so good rolling off his tongue, too. So much so that he vaguely wondered why he'd never used it before.

"Virginia," he began again, receiving the same thrill of speaking her name so softly, and getting the same affected reaction from her "it's not you. You really have to understand that. If it was up to me, I would keep things as they are. But Pansy and all the others don't care for our little union. Normally I wouldn't give a damn, but Pansy's gone off her rocker. She's obsessed. What she did out there; that was just a playful warning. She's serious. You don't know what Slytherins can be like. She won't stop at anything until we've split up." He took her hand again. "I can't sit back and let you get hurt, That's not fair. They won't go after me, they'll go for you, and I'm telling you honestly, it won't be pretty. It wouldn't be fair to subject you to that." He held her hand tightly, and kissed the back of it.

Something awoke in Ginny. "Not fair?" She cried. "Not fair? I'll tell you something, Draco, splitting up with you because some girl doesn't like us together, that's not fair. Letting them dictate our lives, that's not fair. I'm not some weak little girl. I grew up with six older brothers; I can handle myself just fine. If you want to leave me because you don't like me or whatever flimsy excuse you can come up with, just say it, but don't you dare think that some pug-nosed wretch is going to scare me away from what I love!" She shouted. Then she gasped. She'd said it out loud. She covered her mouth with her hand, but it was too late. He'd heard, and from the look on his face, he'd understood.

"I- you- we- I didn't" Draco stammered. Love?! Love?! That was serious. She was serious. About him.

Ginny buried her head in her hands. Good thinking, girl, she thought to herself. That's just what you want to say to a fling who's considering leaving you.

She felt an arm slide around her back. She looked up. Draco was sitting next to her, smiling softly. Ginny was surprised he was still in the same room with her after that outburst; she'd expected him to leave as quickly as possible.

"Look, Weasley. Apparently you're made of stronger stuff than I thought. If you're game to give this a try, so am I. But I'm warning you," he said, holding up a finger "anything bad happens, we're breaking this off. You make sure your friends take care of you and stay close to you. We can try to keep this secret for a while."

Ginny's eyes lit up. "Are you serious?" She asked, her voice catching.

Draco nodded.

She smiled and hugged him around his middle. Staring down into her hair fondly, Draco silently prayed that nothing would happen to her. Because although he could never tell her, or even convince himself, he cared for her too.

Ginny stared down at her watch. "We should be there in about half an hour." She said, looking straight up into Draco's eyes. He nodded down at her, her head resting in her lap, the two of them sprawled out lengthwise along the seat.

They'd spent most of their remaining time on the train plotting out plans (some ridiculous, some serious) to make the Slytherins believe they had broken up.

"We could break up publicly in front of them." Draco had suggested, to which Ginny shook her head. "Too obvious, plus it would be bad if my brother or friends saw it, or heard about it." She stared at her knees thoughtfully.

Draco rested his hands on her forehead.

The train arrived at Hogwarts a bit later than expected, giving Draco and Ginny ample time to be alone.

After leaving Draco with a quick kiss, Ginny sped down the corridor to meet her friends. Giving them all quick hugs, and ignoring the skeptically amused look Jenna shot her mussed hair and flushed cheeks, she fastened her robes around her chilled arms and walked up to the castle with them.

As they entered the Great Hall, Ginny felt a surge of warmth. She was home again.

Ginny sat down at the Gryffindor table between Ron and Jenna. Across from her, Hermione and Harry sat down as well. Dean sidled in next to Jenna, and Seamus, Neville, Colin, Lavender and Parvati all crowded around them. Before long, Ginny was laughing and chatting with them.

Suddenly, silence filled the hall as Professor McGonagall walked in with a stool and the Sorting Hat.

Ginny barely heard the song and hardly paid any attention to the Sorting. She'd just realized how hungry she was, not having eaten since breakfast that morning, and her stomach growled angrily.

After "Zwindleham, Jeffrey!" became the last Ravenclaw first year, Dumbledore stood up at the front table, and cleared his throat. Ginny hoped his speech wouldn't be a long one.

The last battle had taken its toll on Dumbledore, and it looked as if the years had finally caught up with him. His beard was longer, and his face more wrinkled, but the same piercing, intelligent blue eyes stared out from his bushy white eyebrows, undimmed by time and age.

"As you very well know, Voldemort was rumored to have been defeated at the beginning of last year. Over the summer, these rumors have been confirmed. Voldemort is no more!" He exclaimed, holding his hands up.

The Great Hall exploded with cheers and applause. Ginny and her friends screamed out loud, Harry and Ron standing up in their seats and jumping around excitedly.

Dumbledore smiled and waited patiently for the commotion to die down. Once everyone was back in their seats, and off the tables (Seamus had done an Irish jig on the table in a victorious fashion) Dumbledore held up his hands for complete silence.

Even Draco couldn't help suppressing a grin. From the moment he'd met Voldemort, he had disliked the man. He hadn't seemed to be all that his father had made him up to be. Draco thought he was a bit of a fake, though he'd never voiced his opinion to his father.

Dumbledore smiled again. "Yes. Hooray. Indeed. The Aurors finally caught up with him. He was already very weak and no longer immortal. The Death Eaters are still at large, and our school numbers are frighteningly diminished." He looked suddenly solemn.

"Many of our own were lost in the final battle, and many of you lost loved ones. I would like for everyone to take this time to think of any of your friends or family who might have been lost." He bowed his head.

Ginny lowered her head, tears springing to her eyes as she thought about Katie Bell who had been in Gryffindor, and on their Quidditch team. She and her parents had been killed by Death Eaters in a small revolt lead, doubtlessly, by Lucius Malfoy, or so her father believed.

Lavender Brown's father had been killed by Crabbe and Goyle's fathers, who were now facing life in Azkaban or the Dementor's Kiss if ever caught. Bill's fiancé, Adrienne had barely escaped death from Lucius Malfoy, although her brother hadn't been so lucky. Colin's aunt had been killed, again by Lucius Malfoy.

After Voldemort's fall, Lucius Malfoy had gone mad. He'd abandoned all pretenses and gone on a frenzied killing spree. He faced the Dementor's Kiss if ever caught, though he deserved so much more. Ginny shuddered and looked over at Draco.

He was sitting, hands folded, staring. Around the great hall, many people were giving him deadly stares, and Ginny knew they had lost someone to his father.

Draco was however, oblivious to the waves of hatred being sent his way. He was doing his own remembering. His brother, Val (Valnealan. What person in their right mind names their kids Valnealan and Draco?) and his wife, Erin. Both killed by his father. Draco had known about it from the beginning. His father had told him, just before escaping. Had Draco had his wits about him, he would have stopped him.

He was shaking visibly now, with rage. Ginny cringed at the pain on his face. He could remember his father's words.

He got what he deserved, Draco. He wasn't my son anymore. He chose to fight against me, so I had to teach him a lesson. He'd laughed maniacally, telling Draco how easy it had been. 'Avada Kedavra' and they were dead, lying there, their faces still stunned.

Draco seethed with fury. He hated his father. He wished, more than anything, he'd done something to stop him from getting away. He wished he'd told someone, anyone (besides Weasley) that his father had murdered his brother.

Sitting there, alive, at the Slytherin table, Draco knew he'd kill his father if he ever got the chance. He'd do it without a second's hesitation.

Dumbledore clapped his hands. "During this sad time, we need to become a more united school. Forgive and forget. Now, let's eat!" He said, attempting to lighten the mood of the Great Hall.

Dishes upon dishes of steaming hot food appeared, and gradually, conversation started again, and before long, people were laughing and talking freely.

Helping herself to roast beef, boiled potatoes, and carrots, Ginny stared worriedly at Draco. He wasn't eating anything. She sighed. Ron and Harry were talking about the wedding.

"Bill wants me to be the ring-bearer." Ron commented, shuddering with disgust. Ginny smiled and broke in. "Hey, it's better than being the flower girl." She said dryly.

Harry and Ron laughed. "You're going to be the flower girl?" Ron laughed.

Harry fought to contain his sniggers. Ginny rolled her eyes. It felt good to be back where she belonged, even if it was where her brother made fun of her.

Some time later, the Gryffindors stumbled through the portrait hole into the Gryffindor common room, round and comforting, fires already lit. Hermione turned to Ginny.

"We're back."