Disclaimer: We own nothing but our plotline, sadly.

You guys are probably wondering what the hell inspired us to write a sequel a year after we said we would, right? Sadly, we don't know, but we are!

Note that this first chapter is shorter than others, so we're posting the first two at once. Go us!

So enjoy! And be sure to review! Thanks, loves!

Cat and Ash

He hated that look, the way she looked up at him with those big brown eyes, so full of innocence, so full of trust. He'd never been able to figure out what he'd done to deserve those eyes, but now, all he knew was that he'd never look into them again. "Ginny, we need to talk."

Lacing her hand with his she smiled brightly up at him, "What's on your mind, Draco?" She reached up to tenderly wipe a stray piece of blond hair from his forehead before sinking back down from her tiptoes, looking expectantly up at him.

He smiled weakly at her affectionate gesture, before leading her away from the groups of students studying outside and to the shade of a rather large tree. "School's ending soon." He said slowly.

"I knoooow," her brown eyes got bigger in anticipation. "You're not getting nervous are you?" She teased with a grin.

Damn her and her those stupid eyes. They were making this far too difficult. "No, no I'm not. But that's not what I wanted to talk about."

"Oh," she took a timid step back at his shortness before smiling shyly. "What is it, Draco?" She questioned, her voice slightly strained and worried.

"After school, Ginny, I think we should," How could he put it nicely? "See other people."

Her brow furrowed before her eyes were suddenly very interested in watching the grass grow. "Oh?... Why?" Her voice cracked.

He flinched at her voice. "You'll be at school, and I, well, I won't."

"But I thought.. I thought we were going to meet on weekends an-" Her voice trailed as she lifted her head to meet his eyes, red tendrils falling haphazardly across her gaze that now resembled mud puddles.

He'd said that, hadn't he? Stupid, stupid, stupid. "I just don't think..." Oh, damn it all. She was crying. Why,why did she have to cry? "I don't think it would work, Ginny."

"It would only be a year and then we'd be out there together," she reasoned, brushing her long fiery hair from her face with slim fingers. She bravely swallowed her tears as she worded her next question, "Don't you love me anymore?"

Being nice obviously wasn't working very well. He was beginning to run out of excuses. There was only one thing to do. "Come on, Gin, you knew it wouldn't last."

She took a step back from him, her usually warm brown eyes now cold and distant. "You didn't answer my question," she replied through clenched teeth.

Yes, there it is. Hate me, Ginny, hate me. "Do I really need to?" he drawled.

Chocolate eyes drilled into his icy stare intensely. "Yes."

Draco stared straight back at her, and uttered one simple word. "No."

whoa polka dots: "I see," she looked down at her feet for a moment before raising her head once more to ask possibly the hardest question she'd ever have to. "Did you ever?"

His fist clenched inside his robe pocket as he maintained his cool composure. Make her hate you, Draco. "Ginny, look at yourself." The hand not in a fist made its way out of his pocket to gesture at her, his eyes trailing down her form. "I wanted what every guy in the school wanted. I just figured out how to get it."

Pulling her robe closed to cover her exquisite figure, she looked spitefully at him. "You used me?"

"I wouldn't say used." he replied, smirking.

"Oh, perhaps humiliated is a better word? Manipulated, even?" She shook her head as she began to walk backwards, away from him. "No.. those are too kind." She clenched her teeth to keep from crying further in front of him. "I hate you, Draco Malfoy."And then she turned to run inside the castle, tears streaking her ivory cheeks.

Draco's eyes flew open. With a soft sigh, he sat up, rubbing his eyes, and glanced over at the clock. 4:30. Fuck. He'd never get back to sleep. His feet slipped into expensive slippers as he made his way to his bathroom and splashed cold water on his face, and looked up into the eyes of his reflection. "Don't know what you're so bloody upset about. She hates you, doesn't she?"

"It's all that bloody Gabriel Winters' fault. Bringing her up in front of me like that."

"You dumped her. She's allowed to see other people."

"Not people like him."

"And what sort should she see?"

"Who asked you anyway?" With that, the man in the mirror fell silent.

"Talking to my bloody reflection. I'm insane."

End Chapter 1.