12

Ginny and Hermione hurried up to the castle doors, where they met Harry and Ron coming to look for them. Ron looked at them suspiciously, "Where were you, Ginny," he said.

"Just out for a walk," Ginny answered, going past him and through the doors.

Ron grabbed her arm, "Ginny, wait. I just wanted to say that I'm sorry, ok, for everything. If you feel you need to hide something from me, I guess you have your reasons," he said, shuffling his feet, and Ginny knew that Hermione had put him up to this.

Ginny smiled at him, "Thanks Ron. If I could tell you, I would, but now is not the time, trust me," she said.

Ron nodded, and they followed her up to Gryffindor Tower, where Ginny stopped, "I have to go to the owlery. I need to owl Bill. I'll be back," she said, feeling as if it would be better to get it done now rather than later.

"What do you need..." Ron started, as Hermione elbowed him in the ribs, "Nevermind." He and Hermione disappeared into the portrait hole, leaving her and Harry alone.

"So, Gin, why did you run out of the hall so quickly this morning?" he asked.

"Madam Pomfrey needed my help with something very important that I've been tending to," Ginny answered, realizing that Harry was now going to ask the questions that Ron had wanted to.

"And in potions, why did you have to come and get Malfoy and his friend?"

"Well, I can't really tell you that Harry, I'm sorry," she said, looking at her watch, "I really do have to go and owl Bill, I don't have much time. See you later, Harry," she said, running down the hall. 'Anything to get away from more of his questions,' she thought, as she snuck some parchment and a quill from one of the empty classrooms along the way. She felt it would be better to tell Bill than any of her other family members, he was likely to understand a little better, he was always the unique one, and the only one who wasn't overbearing to her. She didn't want, however, to have him find out in a letter, so she simply asked if he would be coming home for Christmas Break, that she needed to talk to him about something very important. Tying her letter to a barn owl, she hurried back to Gryffindor Tower.

In the common room, Ginny noticed that Harry and Ron were now playing a game of Wizard's Chess and Hermione was reading a large book. "I'm back," she called, and headed up to her dormitory, knowing that Hermione would follow. It was only fair that she explain at least some of her story to Hermione, even if she couldn't tell her everything.

Sure enough, Hermione came in soon after, and sat down on Ginny's bed. "Ginny," she started, "first off, you don't have to worry about me telling Ron or Harry. I just ask that when you tell them, leave out the fact that I knew, ok."

Ginny smiled, "Of course, Hermione, and thank you so much," she said, hugging Hermione.

"Secondly," Hermione continued, "I really would like to hear about your relationship. I don't know why, but I really believed Malfoy when he said that he loved you. I know Snape said that some things you couldn't tell me, and I respect that, but if you can, I'd really like to know about this other side of Malfoy, and how all of this got started. However, if you can't tell me, I'll understand."

Ginny grinned, "He's wonderful, Hermione," she said, as Hermione raised her eyebrows. Ginny laughed, "I know, I was shocked at first, too," she said. "I'm sorry, but I can't tell you how we met or became friends except to tell you that it happened that weekend that I was gone. I really wish I could give you details, but I can't. At least not yet."

Hermione nodded, "I assumed it happened around that time. So, Ginny, do you really like him?"

"Yes, Hermione, I really do. I'll try to explain it to you the best I can. Draco's father is mean, very mean, and the way that Draco behaves is just an act to fool his father. You know what he told me Hermione?"

"What?" Hermione asked.

"That he wants to be an Auror, eventually. Until then, he's going to continue to put on this act of pretending that he can't wait to be a Death Eater, but it's all just a ploy. He's really sensitive and nice, Hermione, I swear. He's the sweetest person I've ever met. I know that Ron and Harry hate him and my family doesn't trust him. I just hope that eventually they will get to see what I see," Ginny looked into Hermione's eyes, "I love him, Hermione. I've seen a side of Draco Malfoy that very few get to see, and I love him. Please, say you'll give him a chance," Ginny pleaded.

Hermione sighed, "I don't know Ginny. It might be an act and everything. After meeting Malfoy's father, I wouldn't blame him for wanting to fool his father, but why this fixation with Harry and Ron? Why does he single them, and me, out all the time?" she asked, and Ginny knew she was remembering the Mudblood episode in Ginny's first year.

"Oh, that," Ginny said, darkly. "Well, I learned something a few weeks ago, Hermione that may shock you. When did you become friends with Ron and Harry?"

"Around Halloween of our first year, why?" Hermione asked.

"Because, did either of them ever mention their first meeting with Draco?" Ginny asked.

Hermione shook her head, "No," she said, slowly, afraid of where this was going.

"Well, it seems that Harry and Ron met Draco in the Entrance Hall just before the sorting, did you see that?" Ginny asked.

"No, I didn't know that. I was helping Neville find his toad for most of that day," she remembered, grinning.

"Well, Draco says that he introduced himself to Harry, hoping to become friends, and Ron laughed at his name. Therefore, Draco insulted our family name. Harry didn't appreciate Draco insulting Ron, so he told Draco that he was perfectly capable of choosing his own friends. That conversation just set off a pyramid of incidents and insults between the three. That's the only reason he called you a Mudblood, Hermione. I wasn't necessarily to hurt you, he knew you wouldn't know what it meant. It was to hurt Harry and Ron," Ginny concluded.

Hermione looked at Ginny skeptically, "No offense, Gin, but why do you believe this?"

Ginny looked thoughtful, "Why else would he admit to admiring Harry or admit his embarrassment at Harry's reaction. I mean, he knows just saying it to get me on his good side is out of the question. Even if he did turn out to be a fake, Hermione, there is no way I'd betray Harry to any of Voldemort's followers, but I think he's for real. I can't explain it, I just know that he's for real. I love him for it, Hermione. And before you get the wrong idea, I do not blame Harry and Ron for this feud of theirs. As much as I love Draco, I know he is not without fault. This feud is as much his fault as it is theirs, but I like knowing the beginning. All Harry and Ron talk about is how evil he is, they never bother with their part in it," she said.

Hermione nodded, "I know you wouldn't betray Harry, Ginny," she paused. "I believe you, too. It's like you said, though. You love him, even though he is at fault. And I still love Ron, even though he's at fault. Thanks for telling me that Ginny, it does help to see Malfoy in another light. And like I said, I do really believe that he loves you, and that's all that matters to me," she said, stifling a yawn, "I'm gonna go to bed, now. 'Night, Gin."

"Goodnight, Hermione," Ginny answered, "Oh, and Hermione, thank you for everything."

Hermione nodded, "You're welcome," and walked out the door.

With everything that had happened, Ginny almost forgot about what would happen tomorrow, but once her roommates had come in and gone to sleep, Ginny's thoughts turned to Katherine. "Please let it be a muggle reaction," she whispered. She knew that if something happened to Kit, Draco would be devastated, Snape would be as good as dead, and Adam would be dead. While Ginny did think that Snape and Draco could survive were the worst to come true, she didn't think that Adam could. It was late morning before she finally drifted off to sleep.