A/N: Yes, I know it's been ages since I've updated and I'm really, really sorry! I've been so busy with school and I don't have my own computer. I have to use my roommate's computer which is like a million years old and very slow. But here's another chappy for ya and I hope it isn't too bad. Once again, I remind you . . . I am not British so some of the stuff may be incorrect, like I don't know if they eat oatmeal over there or not (although you'd think they would) Oh, and . . . Warning for all you Ron lovers: He gets a bit violent. I know! I love Ron too and I hate writing him this way, but . . . we all know he has a temper, teehee.
~ Discovered ~
"Ginny, where on earth did you run off to this morning?" Chloe asked at dinner. Ginny cast a quick look at Amber, who would no doubt be unhappy with her decision.
"I went to talk to Mal . . . Draco," she replied slowly, still looking at Amber.
Chloe's eyes immediately brightened. "Really? What did you talk to him about?"
Ginny focused her eyes on the chicken she was eating. "You know, the kitchens have really outdone themselves, this chicken is great," she said in an obvious attempt to change the subject.
Chloe rolled her eyes. "Oh come on, it can't be that bad."
Ginny sighed. She should have known it was no use, but at least her comment had delayed the inevitable. Taking a deep breath, she whispered, "We're dating now"
Amber snorted in disgust. "What has gotten into you Ginny Weasley?" she asked, "This is Malfoy we're talking about." She raised an eyebrow in suspicion. "You haven't been reading Chloe's romance novels, have you?"
"Psht, leave her alone Amber!" Chloe exclaimed, "If she loves him she should be with him."
"She doesn't love him!" Amber practically yelled, rising from her chair. By this time people were beginning to stare at them. Ginny yearned to disappear with the food.
"Yes she does!" Chloe was now yelling, "you can see it in her eyes."
Don't say my name, Ginny inwardly pleaded. If you don't say my name no one will know who you are talking about.
Amber shook her head. "Why don't we ask her then? Gin, do you love Malfoy?"
Ginny could have killed Amber and Chloe, and would have, if it hadn't been for someone answering for her.
"I don't believe that's any of your business," a cold voice came from behind Ginny. Ginny whipped around and found herself staring into Draco's steel-gray eyes. She licked her dry lips, unsure what to say.
A small, reassuring smile crossed his lips. "Let's get out of here," he said quietly. Taking her hand he led her past the astonished students and out of the great hall.
* * *
Draco had heard the raised voices and arrived at Gryffindor table just as one of Ginny's "friends" had posed the question of her feelings for him. He had been sorely tempted to remain silent and hear her answer, but he could see that she was uncomfortable and had decided to come to her rescue instead.
Now they stood in a corridor just around the corner from the great hall. Ginny let go of his hand and slid down the wall to the floor.
"Ron's going to kill me," she groaned drawing her knees up to her chin and wrapping her arms around her legs.
Draco sighed and sat beside her. "No he won't," he said wrapping an arm around her. After all, it was true, Ron might become excessively angry, as he was prone to do, but he certainly wouldn't kill his sister.
"It will get back to him," Ginny said staring straight ahead and speaking as though she hadn't heard him, "Gossip spreads like wildfire in this school. And since I'm his sister he'll no doubt hear it from at least a dozen people."
"True," Draco said slowly, unsure of how to handle the situation, he decided to go for humor. "So what kind of coffin would you like? Maple or oak?"
Ginny rolled her eyes and elbowed him sharply. "You're not helping," she said although Draco noticed that a small smile tugged at her lips. However, his attention was taken away from her lips by a pain in his side.
"Ow!" He groaned rubbing his side, "What is that elbow made out of? Lead?"
"Steel, actually," Ginny replied. "Oh stop being such a baby!" She said when he continued to rub his side.
"Well, it hurt!" he said, glad that he had gotten her attention off her brother's pending rage.
"Well what do you want me to do about it? Kiss it better?"
Draco smirked at her suggestion. What would she do if he took her up on her offer? It was tempting to find out. He could tell by the look on her face that she was regretting her suggestion and his smirked widened.
"I have a better idea," he said leaning in and catching her lips with his. He felt her smile against his lips as he deepened the kiss and pulled her tightly against him. Draco would have been content to remain like this for some time, however, the sound of people leaving the great hall returned him to reality and he reluctantly pulled away.
"I'd better head to my common room," he said rising from the floor and offering her his hand.
"So soon?" Ginny asked, disappointment evident in her voice. But she took his hand and allowed him to pull her up, nonetheless.
"In about two minutes students are going to come pouring out of the great hall and down this corridor," Draco explained caressing her cheek. "Do you really want a whole plethora of students watching us snog?"
"Well, no . . ." Ginny replied. Her voice died off as though she were thinking. "But couldn't we just go somewhere and talk? The lake? Or the roof maybe . . ."
Draco shook his head and cut her off with another kiss. "I'd love to," he said, "but I've got homework that's about a mountain high. I'll see you tomorrow." He turned to walk away but then turned around again. "Oh, and if Wea . . . Ron gives you any trouble, just let me know," he added with a mischievous grin.
"I can handle him," she replied. Nodding, Draco turned and walked away.
* * *
"I can handle him, I can handle him . . ." Ginny muttered to herself later that evening. After Draco had left she had decided to go to the library to work on homework. She was now on her way back to the common room where she was sure her brother had heard about her boyfriend and would be waiting up for her.
"I can handle him . . . metamorpha . . . I can handle him." The portrait of the fat lady swung open and Ginny took a deep breath before climbing inside.
Once inside she looked around the common room and let out a sigh of relief when she found it empty. That should have tipped her off right away seeing as it was only nine o'clock and the common room usually full at this hour.
"What. The. Bloody. Hell!" A voice suddenly yelled at her. Ginny jumped and put a hand to her heart. Looking to her right she saw her brother sitting in one of the great overstuffed chairs. Shadows from the fire covered his face, which was why she had not notice him right away.
"Well?" he asked impatiently, rising from his chair. Ginny gulped unsure what to do. Ginny what is wrong with you? She silently screamed at herself, You've never had trouble standing up to Ron before. Yes, but I didn't feel like I was betraying him then. Oh bother, who said I had to pick sides? Ginny took a deep breath and straightened her shoulders.
"Well what?" she replied with a coy smile.
"Don't get cheeky with me," Ron bellowed, "You know very well what I'm upset about."
Ginny tilted her head to the side and mindlessly twirled a piece of her fiery red hair. "Actually, Ron, I've no idea why you are upset. It could be a number of things: 'Mione finally returned to reality and dumped you, you failed your history of magic exam . . ."
"Found out my little sister is dating my enemy," Ron cut in still talking loudly.
Ginny feigned a look of surprise. "Oh, that," she said, "I was meaning to tell
you . . ."
"Ginny!" Ron screamed, "You are dating Draco Malfoy!"
"I know," she said trying not to laugh at the look on his face. It was as though he had hoped that her current choice of a boyfriend had been made in ignorance as to who he was.
"Y-you're under a spell," Ron said obviously reaching for any reason besides the fact that his sister could actually like Malfoy. "That damn ferret put the imperius curse on you!"
Ginny rolled her eyes. "Ron," she said as though she were talking to a child, "I'm not under a spell. I really like Draco; he's really nice once you get to know him. Besides, if he were the type to put the imperius on me, which he isn't," she added as Ron's mouth opened, "Then don't you think he would have used me for more than just dating?" Ginny realized her mistake too late. Ron's face went even redder than his hair and his mouth contorted in anger.
"He what?!" he shrieked beginning to pace in front of the fire, "I don't believe this! That, that . . . ooh I'll make him a eunuch for this, that ought to teach him to keep his grimy, cruddy hands off . . ."
"Ron!" Ginny yelled in exasperation, "He didn't do anything . . . we didn't do anything. I was merely pointing out that if he had the power and the barbarity to use the imperius on me well then . . . but it doesn't matter because I'm not under a spell and he hasn't done anything inappropriate." She gave Ron one last glare before brushing past him and up to her dormitory.
"We're not finished with this discussion Virginia!" Ron yelled after her. Ginny shook her head to herself and shut the room to her dormitory. Collapsing on the bed she quickly fell asleep.
* * *
Draco yawned as he spooned oatmeal into his bowl. He had had a rough time getting to sleep the night before. Not only had he been worried about Ginny (Ron could be brutal at times), but his father had decided to pop in the fire again just as he had been ready to head to bed. Draco shook his head. He did not want to remember that conversation. Luckily, or unluckily depending on how you look at it, he was saved from the memory by someone shoving him into the oatmeal.
"Merlin!" he exclaimed wiping the oatmeal out of his eyes.
"Stay away from my sister!" someone screamed in his ear. It was the Weasel.
"Since when do I have to get your permission to go near her?" Draco shot back continuing to wipe at his face. His answer came in the form of a fist to his jaw. Draco's head snapped back and he fell off his chair. Somewhere a girl screamed.
"Shut up Malfoy!" Ron replied rubbing his hand.
Draco smirked, "Did it hurt to punch me, weasel? Just goes to show who the real man is. You hit like a girl."
"Why you . . ." Ron began to charge at him but was held back by Harry and Hermione who had finally arrived at the scene.
"What is going on?" Professor Snape asked, calmly coming towards them. "Mr. Malfoy, explain."
Draco smirked at Ron, who was trying to fight off his friends so he could get to Draco.
"Weasley attacked me, sir," Draco explained rubbing his chin, "I didn't do anything, honest."
"You bloody corrupted my sister!" Ron yelled, however, with one swift glare from Snape, the weasel shut his trap.
"Twenty points from Gryffindor and a detention, Mr. Weasley," Professor Snape said icily, glaring at the redhead. "For unprovoked assault."
"But Professor . . ." Hermione jumped in.
"Make it thirty points," Snape cut her off, "Now I suggest you three return to your table before you end up losing all your house points."
Draco turned and sneered at the trio as they made turned to leave.
"Don't look so cocky Malfoy," a voice came from behind. His sneer instantly faltered as he turned to face Ginny.
"You're brother hurt my chin," he said quietly, obviously looking for pity.
"Aw, poor Dwaco, did the Weasel beat him up?" she replied, sticking her lip out in a fake pout. "Maybe you shouldn't provoke him, then," she added more seriously.
"I didn't provoke him!" Draco answered motioning for her to follow him out of the hall. People were staring, as usual. "He just came out of no where and shoved me into the food!" He added once they were out on the grounds.
"Speaking of which, you still have some," she said taking a finger and wiping his cheek. "Mmm," she said after licking the oatmeal off her finger.
"So I'm guessing the news about 'us' got back to Ron," Draco said taking her hand.
"Yeah, it did," she replied with a scowl, "He actually made sure that the common room was empty when I got back so that he could yell at me. He is such a bloody moron!"
"No need to tell me," Draco replied slowly. He was having trouble talking with his aching jaw.
Ginny turned to look at him and her scowl deepened.
"Is your chin supposed to change colors?" she asked.
"No," Draco said with a groan. Great, he had told Weasley that he hit like a girl and now his chin was changing colors.
"Relax," Ginny laughed. She pulled her wand from her robes and tapped it on his chin while muttering a spell. "There," she said putting her wand back in her robes, "All better."
"It still hurts," he replied uncertainly.
"That's because I didn't do anything for the pain," she replied, "I just used a make-up charm to hide the bruising."
Draco rolled his eyes and held back a comment about her using make-up charms on him. "DO you have anything for the pain."
"Well," she said, "I don't know if it'll work, but I can try." She stopped walking and placed her hands on his shoulders. Rising to her full height, she kissed him on the cheek.
"Did it work?"
"No, but it definitely got my mind off the pain," he replied putting his hands on her waist.
"Well, that's something," she retorted. "Anyway. I'd better get to class."
"Yeah, me too," Draco said reluctantly.
"Kay, bye," she gave him a quick kiss and walked away.
Draco smiled and followed after her.
A/N: Yes, I know . . . a short chapter and an abrupt ending. But I really wanted to update, so . . . just be grateful for getting this much. And review!!!! Sorry I can't thank you all, but there tons of reviews and I have no time to go through them all. Anyways, review!!!!