Draco was in an outrageous mood as he stormed from the hospital wing. How dare Weasley assault him after he'd just saved his sister and his girlfriend from a Dementor attack! He was in such a mood he didn't hear someone behind his calling his name. He was about to turn a corner to take a short cut to the dungeons when he felt a hand on his shoulder, and he stopped in his movements.

"Look, for the love of god I didn't touch your-"

Turning around and expecting to see Ronald Weasley, he was shocked to see the youngest Weasley standing before him.

"W-what!" Draco didn't quite know how to react, so he did what he usual did. Act like a complete and utter arse. "Why are you following me Weasley...I know I'm deathly handsome but you just can't afford me. Now leave."

Ginny just stared. 'Why is she just staring at me like that?' he asked himself. He suddenly began to feel an awful 'pang' of guilt as he carried on staring into her face. 'No.......Malfoy's don't feel guilt'. Malfoy opened his mouth to say something. 'No don't' say it you fool...don't say I-'

"Sorry"

'Damn. That the second time in two months you've apologised to Weasley you great big prat. Why does she deserve my apologies?'

Draco turned to walk away but ended up running slap-bang into a brick wall in his haste. He fell onto the floor with a thump right at Ginny's feet.

"Shit" He muttered. He looked up to see Ginny standing over him, laughing.

"Don't laugh at me Weasley........it doesn't suit you" Actually it did. As Malfoy stood up he caught a glimpse of Ginny laughing and she'd never looked more radiant. 'Bugger me. Did I just think of Weasley as "Radiant"? I must have hit my head really hard. REALLY hard.'

"Get lost you filth" He pushed past her and walked towards the stair well.

"You...you....PRICK!"

Malfoy stopped mid-stride and turned to see Ginny fuming. He huffed and turned to face her fully. "what now..?" He said rather pathetically.

"I just came to say THANKS but I guess that I shouldn't have bothered. God knows why a stuck up arse like you wanted to rescue me from that attack. In some ways I wish you had just left me there."

"Well that makes two of us. Why the hell I felt the urge to rescue you form having your soul sucked out of you and your life ruined for ever is BEYOND me!" Malfoy said sarcastically.

"Then next time don't BOTHER."

"Well I'll keep that in mind. I'll just WATCH as you writhe in pain. No skin of my nose."

"Fine"

"Fine"

Malfoy turned and strutted off...in an even worse mood than he started with.

"Urg...women!"

"Urg...men" Ginny muttered as she walked through the doors to the hospital wing.

She smiled as she saw that both Hermione and Luna had woken up.

"Hey....you're awake" Ginny smiled as she approached both beds.

"Yeah....not easy to stay asleep with that infernal yelling coming from down the corridor. You and Malfoy having a nice chat?" Hermione joked.

Ginny blushed.

"What were you yelling about Gin?" Luna voiced form her bed. "Sounded like you were ready to murder that son of a bitch right there and then"

"Ha ....yeah..you're not far wrong there Lun"

"You alright?" Ron asked from his place next to Hermione on the bed.

"Huh....oh yeah.....fine.......you know what Malfoy's like......knows how to get to all of us....."

"mmmmm...well....Ron...I think we should take our leave." Said Seamus as he came up behind Ginny and gave her a big wet kiss on her cheek.

"Eewwww" Ginny wiped her hand across her cheek and the others laughed. Ron kissed Hermione and Harry waved to them all as they made their way to the door. They closed the door as Seamus blew a kiss to Ginny.

"Blech......he's so...so......disgusting" Ginny winced and wiped her mouth again.

"Awww Gin..that's not nice..... he's not so bad......he really likes you." Luna said as she smoothed out the bed sheets.

"no I know.....spose I should be grateful he shows be affection right?"

Hermione and Luna smiled at her. Ginny was not in the mood to be questioned, so she got up and decided she was hungry, so fled the room to get some food from the kitchens, leaving the other two alone to talk about the days events.

Draco was well aware that the minute he walked over the thresh hold to the Slytherin common room he would be bombarded with questions about 'why' he had saved the Weasley girl and her friends. And...to be frank...he didn't have an answer for them. He didn't know himself. It was as if the girl had some magnetic pull that made him go to her aid. Draco stopped along the charms corridor and hid in the shadows.

"What's wrong with me?" He asked the empty corridor. Ever since he had been back off summer he'd felt different. Fortunately, 6 years of being a complete and utter arse had taught him a thing or two, and he was able to keep the façade up so know one would notice the change. But he knew something was changing. He felt it everyday when he woke up. When he had breakfast. When he watched as his friends tormented younger years, and he had to pretend he was enjoying it and laugh along with them. He felt it when ever he saw Potter, or Granger of Weasley walk past him in the corridor and threw snide remark at them. When did he suddenly start to feel...bad? When did he start to feel emotion? Towards those he used to 'love' to hate.

He was about to step out from the shadows when he heard footsteps approaching. He was supprised when he saw the familiar red head of Ginny Weasley walk past him, completely unaware of his presence. She seemed to have calmed down since their last meeting, but he wasn't ready to face he just yet. The last time he saw her she looked ready to hex him into next Thursday. He stayed put until she had passed and he could no longer hear her footsteps down the corridor.

He stepped out of the shadows and began to walk, until he heard an almighty rubble coming from..........his stomach.

He looked down at his tummy and remembered he'd been ever so rudely interrupted from his lunch by playing boy hero and saving the Weasley girl. He was now hungry, so decided to take a little detour to the kitchens before he headed off to the dungeons.

Ginny was perched on one of the tables lining the Kitchens as little house elves scurried around her feet getting all the food she asked for.

"Can Dobby get Miss Ginny anything else?" Dobby asked as he stroked Ginny's shoes as if worshipping her feet. Ginny smiled sweetly at him.

"No Dobby, I'm fine, stuffed in fact"

"Is Miss Ginny quite sure?"

"Ha...quite.....thanks Dobby"

Dobby smiled and rushed off to clean some dishes.

Ginny laughed as she sat watching the house elves rushing around doing things. She wanted to feel sorry for them for having to do all this work, but she had to keep reminding herself that they loved it.

Ever since Harry had brought her here back in her 5th year, after they had both been out to Hogsmeade and missed dinner due to torrential rain, and having been stuck in Honeydukes until it stopped, she had often come back to visit Dobby, and more often than not she would end up stuffing her face with what ever the house elves managed to thrust in her hands.

Ginny was just tucking into a rather large piece of chocolate cake when she heard the portrait to the kitchens move aside. She heard footsteps and nearly fell off the table when she saw who had come through the door.

'Shit shit SHIT!' she thought to herself. Draco Malfoy had just walked in. He didn't even utter a word to her as he turned around to leave.

"Following me now are you?" 'Yeah, that's it Ginny, berate him with dumb questions.' The voice in her head was saying. She mentally kicked her self when he turned around and sneered at her.

"Yeah that's it Weasley. I just can't get enough of you. You're so damn fine. Please let me screw you into the table here and now!" He mocked as he turned to leave again.

'Well what did you expect. He'd come and join you eating your cake and you'd have a civil conversation?' The voice asked her.

"Well it's happened before!" She said out loud. 'Opps'

Draco turned round and stared at her as if she had sprouted violent purple boils all over her face.

"No Weasley, I don't think I have screwed you into the table before. Can't say I'd ever want to either" He smirked.

"No...I mean.....I...I.....ARGH you're so infuriating." Ginny growled and she jumped off the table and faced him head on.

He took a step towards her and his smirk turned into an evil glare. "Yep..but that's just what makes me ......me. I wouldn't be a Malfoy if I didn't atleast TRY and make your life a living hell."

Ginny opened her mouth to say something. Then she closed it. Then she opened it again...then closed it.

Malfoy's smirk was back. "Well while you try and come up with a witty come back, do you mind if I help myself to some food? Dobby?" He yelled and looked around the kitchen before he spotted what he was looking for.

Dobby came rushing forward and stopped infront of Malfoy. Draco then knelt down and began to talk to Dobby face to face.

"Hey Dobby, how are you?"

"Mr Malfoy, so good to see you. Dobby is fine. He has been looking forward to you visit."

Malfoy laughed. It was a genuine, sincere laugh and Ginny couldn't help but smile. She looked on as Draco began to have a civil conversation with Dobby.

After a good 5 minutes, Malfoy stood up to his normal height, and turned to Ginny, who had a look of pure and utter shock on her face.

"What?" He asked her, though he was pretty sure he knew what she was thinking.

"It's just...." She began. "I never thought I'd see YOU of all people being 'civil' to a house elf."

"Well, it does happen. And besides, Dobby used to work for me at the manor. I can honestly say I missed him when he left. My father told me that that stupid 'Potter' set him free. Stupid dumb arse prick."

"Hey, he's my friend you know."

"Oh of course, sorry, I didn't mean to insult your 'boyfriend'!" Draco mocked.

"He's NOT my boyfriend." Ginny yelled. She was standing a few inches away from him, and he could feel her hot breath on his face. Just then, Dobby came along out of no where and said:

"Mr Malfoy's dinner is ready. Does he want it here or in his room?"

Malfoy smirked. Ginny stood her ground. "I think I'll have it here please Dobby, so I can infuriate Miss Weasley some more."

Ginny inched closer. "Bastard" She almost whispered through her gritted teeth as she turned to leave. But before she could get more than a few feet away, a strong hand grabbed her arm, and she turned to see Malfoy looking at her. He wasn't smirking, he wasn't scowling, he was just simply.... looking.

"Let.me.go!" She whispered, just loud enough for Draco to hear.

"No. Join me." He asked, almost pleaded.

Ginny gasped. "What...Why..?"

"Because I'm asking you to!" Was his simple answer.

"but.....you......No! Not if all you want to do is infuria-"

"Oh shut up Weasley I was only joking. Besides, you owe me. I saved your life today."

'What's going on? Why does he want me to sit with him?'

She eyed him suspiciously as she sat down. He let go of her arm and began to eat his dinner- Roast beef. They sat in silence for about 10 minutes before Malfoy spoke up.

"So Potters not your boyfriend? I thought you were well into him." He said this with out taking his eyes of his plate.

"Well...I 'was'....but things change. What about you and Pansy?"

Malfoy almost spat his food out.

"What! That pug face. I wouldn't touch her with a 10-ft barge pole. Granted she's very good at......well..anyway......god no....what are you thinking."

"So that's it. She good for certain things, namely sex in your case but you don't actually like her."

"In a nut shell yes"

Ginny rolled her eyes.

"God your such a...a..."

"A what Weasley?" Malfoy asked with a smirk.

"A man!"

Malfoy laughed and put his knife and fork down. He dabbed his face with his napkin in a very upper-class manner. "Well thank GOD you clarified that for me. I was beginning to wonder."

"God Malfoy. Why so many girls swoon after you is beyond me?"

Malfoy ignored her. Instead he looked at her and studied her face. This made her feel nervous. She blushed and looked at her hands.

"How's you skirt?" He asked, completely out o the blue!

"W-what?"

"Your skirt. How is it?"

"You remember that?"

"Yeah. Course. Its not every day a girl flashes her legs off at me like you did" He laughed

Ginny got up to leave but he placed a hand on her arm to stop her.

"No seriously, what happened to it?"

"I-I threw it out. It was completely ruined. I had to use a second hand one from Hermione."

"Oh. Shame. Slytherins ay...ruin everything." He mocked. 'God, he's mocking his own house.' Ginny thought. She laughed and he joined her.

"Well.... I'll be off if you don't mind." He got up and thanked Dobby. Ginny watched him as he walked to the door. Before he left, he turned to her. "Thanks for the company, 'Ginny'!" And he was gone.

"Bloody hell!" Ginny almost yelled. A few house elves around her jumped out of the ir skin at her outburst.

"Sorry!" She quickly said, before fleeing from the kitchens. She pelted up the staircase to the entrance hall and caught a glimpse of Malfoy descended the stairs to the dungeons.

"Malfoy..." She yelled. "MALFOY..."

He turned around and stopped walking at seeing her running in his direction.

"Can I help you?" He asked innocently.

"Yes you can. Look I don't know what's going on with you but that's the second time in two months that you've been civil to me, not to mention that you saved my life today, and just now you called me Ginny. You've changed."

Malfoy looked away form her and Ginny swore he was thinking. She was caught off guard when he grabbed her hand and dragged her further into the dungeons.

"Malfoy stop...let me go...MALFOY!"

But he didn't stop. Instead he led her into an empty potions lab and locked the door.

"Malfoy wha-"

"Look Weasley I don't know why I saved you today don't ask. All I know is that I heard you scream and I had to help. I couldn't stand to see you in pain like that!" He stopped to catch his breath. He went and sat down at one of the empty tables and put his head in his hands.

Ginny was shocked. She'd never seen this side to Malfoy. His hair was slightly tasselled from the running, and he was shaking ever so slightly. Ginny went and sat next to him. She put a hand on his shoulder and he jumped. He looked at her and she could see that his eyes were brimed with tears.

They locked gaze. They sat in silence for a while before Ginny realised she was rubbing his back with her hand and withdrew it so fast it was as if he were on fire.

"HA...I don't bite Weasley."

"Oh...so its back to Weasley now huh?" She laughed.

"HA...you bet"

More silence followed.

"Look...Mal...Draco......I don't know what's going on with you right now...but if you ever need to talk...granted you actually have to be 'nice' to me....I'm here for you."

Draco had never had any one be so nice to him in his life before. Like 'really' nice. Not just pretending to be nice because they were scared of him. Ginny was offering to help him after all he had put her through.

"Thanks" He whispered.

"Oh my.....did you just THANK me? Bloody hell miracles do happen." She over exaggerated.

"Ha...yeah..... I guess they do"

They smiled at each other and Ginny stood up.

"Now Malfoy....would you mind opening the door do I can get back to my house?"

"Certainly."

He unlocked the door and Ginny walked out, not before smiling at him sweetly. Draco sat for a while thinking, before letting out a huge yawn. "Well, better get back and face the Slytherin." He muttered, as he too left to find his house, a huge grin on his face.