Ginny woke naked in a bed of soft ferns, her feet sore and throbbing, no doubt danced raw. As she remembered the dance, she shivered in delight. She reached with her left hand to where she knew her cloak would be, again with that inner sense she had been coming to terms with.

She rose and the ferns sprang up without her weight on them. She smiled, but with a shock, realized it was Monday...classes!

She began running through the forest, her feet flying over the ground. The branches didn't hinder her and the rocks seemed to jump from her path other than trip her.

She stopped huffing and out of breath at the edge of the forest, hastily buttoning her blouse, dragged on her skirt, pulling on her Weasley sweater, before throwing on her Hogwarts robe.

She stumbled into the Great Hall in time to see the last student finishing breakfast and leaving. She ran to her first class, her chest heaving and her face flushed.

"Miss Weasley!" Professor McGonagall loomed over her. "Ten points from Gryffindor for your tardiness, class started ten minuets ago!" Ginny nodded and turned to her seat, ignoring the dirty looks the other members of her house were giving her.

She arrived at Herbology early, tierd and spent from her night in the woods, just making it in time.

"Miss Weasley, you look tierd dear." Ginny nodded, her heart warming for the sweet Professor. "Now class, I'd like to introduce my teaching assistant, Mr. Malfoy."

Ginny swing her head around, her eyes wide until they landed upon Malfoy's smirking face.

"He'll be helping me for the rest of this year instead of taking an extra elective, so everyone give him a big hello!" She smiled cheerily and the class murmured sullenly 'hello', some adding adjectives to describe him.

"Now please look up here. This," She said, holding a large, leafy plant up for the class to examine, "Is a plant widely known for its difficulty to grow, incidentally it is what each of you will be growing in order to pass my class." A collective groan rose up from the class, earning them a wider smirk from Malfoy. Ginny sighed and tried to pay attention to the teacher and not Malfoy. "Can someone tell me what this is?"

The Hermione of the sixth years shot her hand up. "Yes Helen?"

"Manitril!" She grinned as she had just won the lottery.

"Don't piss yourself." Ginny heard Malfoy mutter and shot him a dark look but had to smile all the same.

"Miss Weasley! Since you don't seem to need to pay attention because you already know everything, tell me what conditions are ideal for Manitril?"

Ginny looked at her, shocked. "Uhhhhh..." She stuttered and the class erupted into giggles.

But there was something in the back of her mind, a small wispy voice. I like sunny locations protected from the strongest winds, such places as cave fronts or ravines.

Ginny felt her eyes widen, the plant was talking to her.

"Manitrils like sunny places protected from winds like cave fronts or ravines." She blurted out, praying the information was right and she was not insane.

There was a long silence where the student shifted their gazes between the Professor and Ginny.

"Very good." The Professor nodded. "But please pay attention."

The lesson went smoothly up to when the plants were distributed.

"Well you look terrible on a good day, but now you'd make a hag look like a goddess." She didn't even need to look up to see who it was. There was a small tug on her hair and she whirled around to see Malfoy proffering a twig. She glared and watched him let it fall between his fingers.

"Why thank you." She snapped, immediately her gut wrenched.

"I know you parents are poor, but can't they at least pay to shoe their child?"

Ginny looked up into Malfoy's face and then to her feet, which were, as she now noticed, lacking shoes. She turned red and the class erupted into laughter.

She endured it silently, caressing the stem of her Manitril, listening to its whispering voice instead of the howls of the class. Eventually their laughter subsided and the lesson resumed.

The lunch bell rang and there was a stampede for the doors, but Ginny hung back, walking sedately to Sanctuary to find another pair of shoes. The classes jeers echoed in her head, and her heart fell.

"Weasley!" She turned in time to see Malfoy jog up to her. "You forgot this." He glared and shoved her satchel into her hands.

"Thanks." She said coldly, turned, and began walking again.

He sneered and then took off.

Ginny frowned and began pondering the mystery that was Malfoy.

First off, why did he carry her into Sanctuary when he could have so easily left her? Second, why did he heal her? Third, why did he run to catch her to give her her satchel when he didn't have to? Ginny frowned and ground her teeth, he was so frustrating! Why did he do all of those things if just to ridicule her the next minute?

She flung the door to Sanctuary open with as much force as possible, waking Lance who gave her a reproachful glare. She stomped up the stairs and began tossing her other shoes at the wall, eventually settling for sturdy boots.

Ginny, sat on the bed, looking mournfully at her Manitril, finally picking up the shoes and sitting the plant on the window sill.

Still, something was deeply troubling her, how had she spoken to the Manitril? Hesitantly, she stretched out a thought out to one of her other numerous plants, one that happened to be a rosemary.

Hello? She shook with fright at the response.

Hello! Oh Goddess, it's so good to actually meet you Lady! Ginny was almost overwhelmed.

Oh, She paused and groped for something to say, it's a pleasure to meet you too. Is there anything you'd like? Water? A different location? Her forehead creased with the effort of keeping the conversation, it was certainly taxing.

A fine sprinkle of water would be appriciated, thanks. So you're the new Lady? You certainly seem young...She took a cup form the counter and filled it with water, pouring some at the base of the stem.

Lady? She queried.

The Lady, dearie, but it is better not talk about it any more. Ginny tried and tried but she would recieve no more from the rosemary.

Well that was interesting, to say the least! She smiled despite herself, the rosemary was such a funny plant.

Well, hmm, what was this Lady? She frowned, the rosemary seemed to think it was her. But that was impossible. Impossible.

Review Response:

Dracosbaby7- Thanks for the review! I hope this chapter helps you out just a bit in the mystery.

3roken5oul- Indeed! But (sadly) the (not so) crushed git (Harry) will (unfortunately) come into play later.

DragonSpitfire22- Wow, you seem to have a good grasp on the plot...well, it wasn't quite the poison, but yeah, you're really close. They're all interrelated into one giant mess. Great no? ;D

Hoppers- Thanks, and here's the chapter!

Lily Dwarf- Thanks, and here's the chapter!

Terrisina Dragonwagon- Yes, the lack of Draco in the last chapter was regrettable, but he's in this chapter isn't he? Alright, the mystery slowly begins to unravel....Mwahahahahaha!

Yavi- Eep, your pen name's confusing! But thanks for the review...yes it was convenient and eep! Now that you point it out, all of that was a bit convenient...poop. But thanks, I try.